.
["Pomp and Circumstance"]
Good morning, everyone.
Welcome to Faithful Worship at this church.
Great to see you all here for our Sunday morning service.
Put your own peace on the seat, grab a hymnal,
and open up that hymnal.
Song number 39.
To begin this morning's service by singing song number 39,
How Beautiful Heaven Must Be.
Song number 39.
["How Beautiful Heaven Must Be"]
S'il vous avez pas de la vie de la vie de la vie de la vie de la
vie de la vie de la vie de la vie de la vie de la vie de la
vie de la vie de la vie de la vie de la vie de la vie de
la vie de la vie de la vie de la vie de la vie de la vie de
la vie de la vie de la vie de la vie de la vie de la
vie de la vie de la vie de la vie de la vie de la vie de la
Glow
Hi it's time for the undergraduates.
Let's not waste time, all right.
all right well thanks for coming everybody this morning we don't have a
bulletin this morning we'll go through a few announcements but it's just a very
hectic week obviously with the missions conference up there in Tempe that's
coming to a close today but I was up there just really didn't have time this
morning we're at the seat last evening to get that completed but I'll make sure
to cover all the important things I know everybody's wondering why the donuts
okay let me just explain that okay cuz all right cuz donuts like do you need a
reason all right so and in part to kind of help with the the lamest of the
donuts last week the signature select from Safeway just doesn't really compare
to King donut I mean it's in the name right it's called King donut for a reason
but speaking of food the big news this this month of course is we're having the
Thanksgiving potluck dinner so this is already here this is gonna be next week
right I got my dates right I'm like double checking the calendar and flipping
back and forth like we're already there okay so we're gonna have the potluck
dinner here at the church building from 3 to 6 p.m. and of course we always have
us we always have services on Thursday this Thursday will be no different
however it'll probably just be around 5 30 I'll probably just get out and
preach a you know a shorter sermon you know hopefully you know you never know
I'm assuming I'm gonna have eaten just as much food if not more than any of you
so I'm sure I'm gonna want to just roll over into a food coma as much as anybody
else so we'll have is some tables here we'll have a nice little spread right
down the center and then it'll just be kind of a family meeting to be kind of
casual so it won't be a real formal service but I'll get up and we'll at
least have a Thanksgiving message that evening so if you want to participate in
that I know it's Thanksgiving people have other plans people go out of town
they have other relatives they want to go visit so that's totally
understandable but if you want to join us you're more than welcome to and you
don't have to bring anything but if you could bring a dish to share of course
that helps but don't feel obligated to do that don't don't stay home and and
cry into your instant mashed potatoes that night you know your your Salisbury
steak that you got from you know the the hungry man or something like that in the
dark you know just because you couldn't cook something come on down bring your
appetite that's all that's needed and but if you did want to bring something
there is a sign-up sheet back there that way everybody can kind of get a feel for
what's being brought and I feel like we're covering quite a bit of meat this
year I'm seeing turkey ham brisket so we're getting all the food groups right
poultry swine and beef right those are the four three major food groups all we
need is a little bit of fish you know maybe later maybe not on Thanksgiving
but anyway please come on down and enjoy the day with us and enjoy a good meal
and feel free to invite folks as well also at the end of this month there's
gonna be the the portraits taken for the yearbook down here so brother Ramon will
be coming down so we'll have that all set up Sunday morning so it'll be right
after the morning service just plan on sticking around and trying and get your
picture taken you know try to keep the clothes clean you know maybe skip the
donuts that morning I don't know but come on in and we'll get your photo
taken and maybe even get a nice group shot too I think that's it that's all I
had for announcements this morning let's go ahead and just sing one more song
before we get into the preaching
Oh
the last ones chapter 2 that's the last ones chapter 2 has always been the entire
chapter
chapter 2 beginning at verse 1 the Bible reads for I would have broadly that he
knew what great conflict I have for you
and for many as have not seen my face in the flesh that their hearts might be
competent together in love and unto all the riches of a full assurance of
understanding the acknowledgement of the mystery of God and of the Father and of
Christ in who are you are here all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge this I
say this any man should be guided with the Tyson words but though I be absent
in the flesh yet am I with you in the spirit join and beholding your order in
the steadfastness of your faith in Christ as you have therefore received
Christ Jesus the Lord so walk me in him rooted and build up establishing the
faith
excuse me beware this any mess spoil me through philosophy and vain deceit after
the tradition of men after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ for in
him while it all the fullness of the godly body and ye are complete in him
which is the head of all principality in power in whom also you are circumcised
with this circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the
sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ buried with him in baptism
wearing also he arisen with him through the faith of the operation of God who
have raised him from the dead and you being dead in your sins and the
circumcision of your flesh and quickened together with him having forgiven you
all trespasses log out the handwriting of ordinances that were that was against
us which was contrary to us took it out of the way to the cross and having
spoiled principalities of powers he made a show of them openly triumph over them
in it they don't bad therefore judge you and meet or a drink or the respect of
the Holy Day or the new moon or the Sabbath is which are a shadow of things
to come but the body is of Christ they don't have to guide you of your rewarding
a voluntary humility and worshiping of angels intruding into those things which
he has not seen mainly fucked up by his fleshy mind and not holding the head
from which all the body by joints and dance having nourishing administered and
knit together increase it with the crease of God record if he be dead with
Christ from the rudiments of the world why as though living in the world or the
subject ordinances touch not taste not handle that which all are to perish with
the music after the commandments and doctors are many which things have
indeed show of wisdom in will worship and humility neglected the bottom not in
order to be satisfied
you
questions chapter number two will continue on there in a minute but if you
would like to go back to mark chapter one mark chapter number one I'm gonna
continue going through the book of Mark as we've been doing the last several
weeks now and of course we've looked at a few things already concerning Jesus's
baptism calling of Peter James John the doctrine of repentance we've looked at
several other things this morning and I want to just focus in this morning on
verses 21 and 22 as we're making our way through here and it says in verse 21 and
they went into Capernaum and straightway on the Sabbath day he entered into
synagogue and taught and they were astonished at his doctrine for he taught
them as one that had authority and not as described so of course this is right
after Jesus has called the fishermen the four fishermen that we looked at last
week Peter James John and Andrew and they've come into his ministry they've
forsaken all and now they're following Jesus into Capernaum and it says there
again that on the Sabbath day he entered into the synagogue so obviously back
then they were worshipping on the Sabbath day that's when they were
gathering and that would be Saturday to us today that was something that
happened at the end of the week if you would we'll look at mark a couple more
times this morning I'll just lift a few points out of this you can keep
something there if you'd like you might be very familiar with chapter one at
this point but if you want to go back to Exodus chapter number 20 we'll look at
that briefly that and remind ourselves that the Sabbath was something that they
were commanded to keep it wasn't something that was optional they were to
rest on the seventh day from all their labors and of course they took it that
opportunity as well to have places of worship where they would go for the
preaching and teaching of God's Word and for the worship of the Lord that's where
they're gathering in these synagogues and we could look at other passages but
where we're told that this was Jesus's custom it says this as his custom was he
would go into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and he would read from the
scriptures so Jesus is in the habit he's in the custom of going to the synagogue
on the Sabbath day and even though he's starting his own ministry even though
his earthly ministry has begun he has not left off doing that he's going in
there and he's still doing as his custom was going and attending the service
there now if you look in Exodus chapter 20 verse 8 says remember the Sabbath day
to keep it holy six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work now I know
we're doing things a little differently here in modern America and in the
Western civilization in general you know we're trying to get the
five-day workweek right or even now they're trying to they're they're
petitioning for the four-day workweek they want to just work four days a week
and have a three-day weekend and I know I'm sure there's already some European
countries that are on that program but what's God's program God says hey you're
gonna work six days is what you what you do and you get one day off right now I'm
not saying if we're not working six days that somehow we're in sin obviously we
don't observe the Sabbath and we'll get into that here a lot of these things
have been done away but it's worth pointing out you know that's that work
isn't something that should be shied away from you know we shouldn't be
people who are always trying to do less or get out of work or not having to put
in long days you know man was built to work both men and women of course you
know men are supposed to go out and labor in the field and women are
obviously the Bible says that that Paul said that he would that woman would
would keep house right they would keep keepers at home good faithful obedient
to their own husbands that they would raise up children and we don't know that
is all work in and of itself if you ever tried to be a stay-at-home mom you know
that's work too okay so but obviously we're not trying to get out from under
work you know God has made us to work God commanded that man would eat bread
in the sweat of his face all the days of his life okay now obviously we're living
in a very privileged time in a very affluent country very prosperous country
where you know we have that Liberty we have that privilege to you know and have
to work less but let's you know you want something to be thankful for this
Thanksgiving let me just remind you of that that throughout history people put
in long days sometimes even seven days a week I mean people were working very
hard and this is what's what God commanded here in Exodus chapter 20
verse 8 he said remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy six days shalt thou
labor and do all thy work everything you got to get done that week you got six
days to do it but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God and it thou
shall do thou shall not do any work thou nor thy son nor thy daughter so even the
kids get off the hook right you can't just pawn it off onto the children give
them a list of duties right there they're gonna rest as well thy mains
manservant that nor thy maidservant nor thy cattle nor thy stranger that is with
within thy gates for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth to see and
all that in them is and rested on the seventh day wherefore the Lord blessed
the Sabbath day and hallowed it now it's worth pointing out here that we see some
of the purpose behind God's plan for having the Sabbath day right not
necessarily just because man needs to have a day of rest and I know there's a
lot of people out there they'll just kind of naturally say you know or have a
natural inclination to just take that one day off to say hey it's good to have
one day off to have a day of rest and no doubt it is obviously we need time to
recharge our batteries and to you know rejuvenate and just to be catch our
breath especially after a busy week but really what we're seeing here in excess
20 is that the purpose behind the Sabbath day while all those things are
fine and good the there's a there's a physical benefit to hit perhaps is that
it's actually a picture of something it actually was to remind them of what that
God in six days made heaven and earth that's what it says in verse 11 right
four in six days so he what's the four therefore he's saying you're gonna take
six days and work and then you take the seventh day off why because that's a
picture of what God did for in six days excuse me the Lord made heaven and earth
and has seen all them in it then in them is God completed all of his work in six
days you do all your work in six days God rested on the seventh day you rest
on the seventh day so the purpose is that I believe when they would rest on
that seventh day they would understand why they're doing it and say why are we
resting on the seventh day why are we not doing all these other things that
need to be done why aren't we going out there and and doing all the work that we
have to do why even take the day off well because God rested on the seventh
day and just in that alone just in taking that day off they're being
reminded of God they're being reminded of the Lord that's really the purpose
behind the Sabbath day it's not just so man could get a break it's so that they
could be reminded that there is a God in heaven that he's a creator of all things
and that he took a rest on the seventh day and beheld everything that he had
made and said that it was very good okay so that's quite a bit different than the
society we're living in today right not only we taking an additional day off but
even with that additional day off many today don't even acknowledge God at all
there's many people that are having their two-day three-day maybe even a
one-day weekend you know they're just having their day off and God is the
farthest thing from their thoughts but is that the purpose of the Sabbath day
the purpose of the Sabbath day when it was prescribed in the Old Testament was
so that the children of Israel be reminded of the God that they serve and
that's another thing that we need to be reminded of even today God's people
today need to be reminded of the God that they serve you know why is it
important to come to church so you can be reminded that there is a God in
heaven why is it important to take at least one day every week and come down
here and hear the preaching the Word of God so that you can be reminded of what
it is that God hath said and be reminded that there still is a God in
heaven and that he cares about how we conduct ourselves so obviously today in
our in our modern day we don't observe the Sabbath day per se we don't take
Saturday off while there's you know groups out there that are proponents of
that we in the New Testament Christianity we take Sundays off you
know that's the first day of the week that's when we gather together rather
than on Saturday right Jesus is going in to into the into these synagogue on the
Sabbath day right but we no longer observe that if you would go ahead and
turn back to Colossians 2 now go back to Colossians 2 and we'll look at this as
to why it is that we don't observe the Sabbath day it's because these things
have been done away in Christ quite simply and it's good to be reminding
these things today because we're living in a time where people are still trying
to bring us under the bondage of the law they're trying to bring in a lot of
these Old Testament covenants these Old Testament prescriptions these things
that were observed the Old Testament that have been done away in Christ and
they're going to insist like that we still need to practice some of these
things this is something that Paul was battling in his day and it's still
something that we battle today we no longer observe the Sabbath day but the
principle is still there take a day off get together with God's people hear the
preaching of God's Word and be reminded that God is in heaven and it is God that
has created all things and give him thanks and praise for the things that we
enjoy throughout the week you know and sometimes people can get an attitude
about this and say oh go to church you know I only get one day off maybe you
work six day workweek you say well I only get one day off a week I only you
know I only have so much time for myself well you know God's only asking for one
God's only asking for a couple hours the rest of the week is yours you can do
whatever you want with it obviously you got things you got to do or you know
life's not gonna go well but it's not like God wants you down here every
single day right he's only asking for a little bit of our time to acknowledge
him so that he you know and give thanks to him for the blessings that he gives
us throughout the week okay if you would look at Colossians chapter number two
we'll look there beginning in well just jump down to verse 8 it says in verse 8
beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit after the
tradition of men after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ so Paul's
issuing a warning raising beware beware of what lest any man spoil you and what
and what ways can someone spoil us through philosophy through vain deceit
after the tradition of men after the rudiments of the world and not after
Christ so he's saying hey there's these things that men can use to spoil you
beware of them okay for in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily
he's saying you don't need all these other things you have the fullness in
Christ okay everything we need we're complete in Christ as he says in verse
10 and you are complete in him which is the head of all principality and power
okay so we don't need to bring in these other things we don't need to bring in
the rudiments of the world we don't need to bring in the traditions of men we
have all things that pertain unto life and godliness in the Word of God so
everything that we do when it comes to our faith our belief our practices ought
to come from the Word of God okay if people want to bring in extra things
that they want to you know try to bring us back under the bondage of law they're
gonna have to show me chapter in verse and they're not going to be able to do
that it says in verse 11 whom you also also you are circumcised with a
circumcision made without hands and putting off the body of the sins of the
flesh by the circumcision of Christ buried with him in baptism where he also
risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him
from the dead and he being you being dead in your sins and uncircumcision of
your flesh hath he quickened together with him having forgiven you all
trespasses blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us which
was contrary to us and took it out of the way and the ordinances that he's
referring to there are the things that are contained in the law you know we
don't want to be have a burden put upon us that others were not able to bear
okay the law was a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ the law was not a means by
which we obtain salvation okay Paul said when the law came sin revived and I died
right the law is good but what does it remind us of that we fall short of the
glory of God okay so he's saying that ordinance that was against us those
ordinances the keeping of the law the sacrifices all the things that are
contained in that they were against us you know those were things that we could
not attain unto those things are what taken they're contrary to us they are
taken out of the way and they are nailed to the cross of Christ praise God that
we don't have to go sacrifice some animal this morning that we don't have
to you know keep all the the commandments that are in the scripture
when it comes to things like the sacrifices okay now we don't want to run
to extreme and say that all the Old Testament has done away in Christ
obviously the things that are specifically repealed in the New
Testament are the things that we no longer have to worry about okay and Paul
gets real specific about those things right he says there in verse 15 and
having spoiled principalities and powers he made a show of them openly triumphing
over them in it let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink right
because remember there were certain things there was dietary restrictions
certain things they were not allowed to eat or drink in the Old Testament okay
those things have been done away those things were all a picture of Christ
they've been done away they've been nailed to the cross therefore he says in
verse 16 let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink the things that you
eat or drink or inspect of unholy day right like a Sabbath as he goes on and
says or of the new moon or the Sabbath days those are all things that were
taught and in the Old Testament things that they were commanded to keep in the
Old Testament these things have been done away right including the Sabbath
days okay so we were done away with the Sabbath days you're saying why am I in
church this morning you know why am I even here then are you telling me
Sabbath days are done see you later nice knowing you okay grab a donut on your
way out and we'll never see you again okay no because obviously we're not
worshiping on the Sabbath day okay but we're not going to be brought under the
power of you know people who are gonna say hey you must worship on the Sabbath
day the sixth day of the week is the day that you ought to worship okay those
these things were all a picture of Christ that which was to come we're
looking back on Christ okay as he says there verse 17 which are a shadow of the
things to come but the body is of Christ so all these things in the Old
Testament these new moons these Sabbath days these holy days these even these
dietary restrictions these were all things that were pointing them to Christ
they were looking forward to it they were the shadow of that which is to
come that was was coming in the future right but the body is of Christ now we
are now in Christ we're not standing in the shadow of it we are in the body of
Christ okay so these things have been done away we understand Christ we
understand you know the mystery that was that was revealed unto us in the
resurrection of Christ okay we are no longer standing in the shadow of these
things look at verse 18 let no man beguile you of your ward in a voluntary
humility and worshiping of angels intruding those things which he hath not
seen vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind and not holding the head from which
all the body of joints and bands having nourishment ministered and knit together
increases with the increase of God wherefore if you be dead with Christ
from the rudiments of the world why as though living in the world are you
subject to ordinances okay these rudiments these ordinances we've been
I've been done away in Christ we are complete in him and one of those things
that's listed there is the Sabbath day you know Jesus is our Sabbath right he
is also called our Passover right Jesus Christ is our passable Passover which
is crucified for us that's why we don't need to get together on the Passover and
slaughter a lamb and and eat the whole thing and the future is thereof and not
you know and go through that whole sacrifice that that's all been done away
in Christ that was a shadow of the things which were to come it was a
picture of Christ so you say well the why then do we get together at church if
the Sabbath day has been done away the why are we still getting together once
a week and hearing from the Word of God well we gather together on the first day
of the week because first of all that's not the Sabbath right six days shalt
thou labor and on the seventh day that shalt thou rest that would be at the end
of our week Saturday right now if you would go over to John chapter 20 John
chapter 20 the reason why we meet on the first day of the week on Sunday is
because that is the day in which the Lord was risen okay and that's what we
see in the New Testament see the Old Testament was pointing us the Sabbath
day the Christ which was to come he came he was crucified resurrected and then
the disciples began meeting together on the first day of the week and you know
obviously it's a picture of the work that's been accomplished in Christ that
these old things have been done away and then we had this new thing called the
New Testament Church and you see many examples of this I'll just read a couple
to you as you're going to John chapter 20 in Acts chapter 20 verse 7 it says and
upon the first day of the week when the disciples came together to break bread
Paul preached unto them right so on the first day of the week they came together
to break bread and Paul preached unto them ready to part on the morrow so and
his speech continued until midnight it says there so that's quite a long
service right they're getting together for dinner and then he's preaching until
midnight you thought I went long 1st Corinthians chapter 16 verse 1 now
concerning the collection of the Saints as I have given order to the churches of
Galatia even so do ye upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by
him in store as God hath prosper him that there be no gatherings when I come
so when was that that collection to be taken up was on the first day of the
week when they all came together okay and the reason why they're meeting on
the first day of the week is because of the fact that that's the day in which
the Lord was risen okay if you look at mark 16 well you're in John chapter 20
mark 16 verse 9 the Bible says now when Jesus was risen early the first day of
the week he appeared first to Mary Magdalene out of whom he had cast seven
devils so he rose on the first day of the week John chapter 20 verse 19 then
the same day at evening right so this is the resurrection day right that same
Sunday than the same day at evening being the first day of the week when the
doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews
came Jesus and stood in the midst and saith unto them peace be unto you right
so they're gathered together they've got the doors shut and then all of a sudden
Jesus appears unto them right so they begin they have begun gathering on the
first day of the week that's when Jesus met with his disciples that's one of the
you know really the first church service if you want to think about it in the New
Testament now don't take this as a proof text for you know a single evening
service right because they're there they're meeting later in the day and
they're they're getting together then you're thinking why are we meeting in
the morning maybe we should only be meeting in the evening right well go
over to Hebrews chapter 10 to let me dispel that foolish thought I'm sure no
one in here thought that right I'm just projecting a little bit I guess this
morning but you know we are obviously we meet on the first day of the week we
meet twice a week here on Sundays and then we meet on Thursdays as well and
obviously you know that's not something you can point to specifically in
scriptures where it says you know two days on Sunday shalt thou meet and once
during the midweek okay there's no chapter and verse necessarily for that
and I'm not gonna say if you're you know the Sunday morning only you know if
you're just somebody only meets once a week that you know somehow you're in sin
for not having been here the rest of the week obviously that's not true either
you know I believe if you're showing up to church once a week you're completing
the command to you know have have gotten together with the brethren because
going to church is a command okay if you look there in Hebrews chapter 10 verse
19 it says there in verse 19 having therefore brethren boldness to enter the
holiness by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated
for us through the veil that is to say his flesh so Paul is laying in a heavy
on him right saying hey let's remove you know let me give you some reasons why
we're gonna should be meeting more often than not it's because Jesus through a
new and living way he consecrated for us through the veil that is to say his
flesh that is to say his crucifixion you know he did all this for us therefore
you know we have an high priest over the house of God let us draw near with a
true heart and full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled with an evil
conscience and our bodies washed with pure water let us hold fast the
profession of our faith without wavering for he is for faithful that
promised and let us consider one to another one another to provoke unto love
into good works not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the
manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as you say
see the day approaching okay now obviously whenever you bring up church
attendance Hebrews 10 25 is if 24 and 25 is where you go okay when we've all
heard these these verses but let's not again forget that they're preceded by
those other verses that we just read where Paul is saying hey the reason why
we need to consider one another the reason why we need to provoke one
another and to love into good works the reason why we not need to to not forsake
the assembling of ourselves together but a gather even so much more as we see the
day approaching the reason why we need to do that is because Christ through the
veil of his flesh has made that possible that's why we don't meet on the Sabbath
day because of what Christ has done for us now we meet on the first day now
let's get together even more often let's provoke one another more often to love
into good works the reason why we need church this morning is because it
encourages us it's going to encourage us to do works for God at least it ought to
we ought to come to church and feel compelled to serve God more we should
leave this place saying hey this week I'm gonna get this right I'm gonna serve
God more I'm gonna get this sin out of my life I'm gonna start doing this you
know we ought to come to church and feel compelled to leap when we leave here to
serve God through with the week and I guarantee you by the end of the week
you're gonna need that again because by the end of week what you're gonna
realize is the Christian life is hard boy it's hard to get up a little extra
early this morning every morning this week and read my Bible for 15 minutes
boy it was harder than I thought to you know ask and pray and ask God for some
things you know this week it was hard for me to get down on my knees and
realize oh I have this sin in my life then I found it very hard to get that
sin out of my life I found it very difficult to you know want to testify
for the Lord throughout the week you're gonna find out if you try to live the
Christian life throughout the week that you need to assemble more and more with
God's people why so that you can be encouraged and and provoked unto love
and a good works that's why we need the local church and Christians who try to
serve God without church do not go very far not as far as they could go we could
go so much farther when we are plugged in to a good local church and get
encouraged every week on the first day of the week that's why we meet it's
interesting Jesus you know calls Peter James and John and Andrew and what's the
first thing he does let's go to church they go to synagogue right now I know
I'm saying Church of synagogue synonymously I know it's not the exact
same thing you know it's a congregation of people but you know hey let's go in
there let's hear the preaching the Word of God and you know and Jesus had a
little sermon prepared himself as well you know he's setting the example for us
and we're seeing here in Hebrews chapter 10 that we need to not forsake the
assembling of ourselves as the manner of some is Paul saying like there's some
people that's just their manner it's their habit right if you had a manner of
doing things well that's just his manner you'd say that you that's something they
just do habitually you know some people just habitually are not in church
you know it's it always scratched my I always scratch my head I always wonder
it always amazes me when I see Christians who've been saved they've
been in and out of church for years that have yet to just make the decision that
they're going to be in church no matter what it's like they wake up every Sunday
morning go am I going today oh I don't know what else have I got going on I
mean that's the decision I made very early on and it's and not what you know
and I wasn't on staff I wasn't it wasn't there because it was my job to be there
you know that's only been the case for the last five years however over
twenty years that I've been saved you know the vast majority of my Christian
life I was just in church for the preaching the Word of God because I made
a decision early on that I'm not gonna be have the manner of forsaking the
house of God you know and I feel bad preaching this especially on a Sunday
morning because everybody's here and the people that needed the most you know
they're sitting at home right and I understand people are sick and people
are up in Tempe this morning but you know what I bet you there's people
right now that could be in church that should be in church and they're just
simply not here because that's their manner that's just how they live their
life they just think well church isn't that important well I mean don't you
think it's pretty important when Jesus to the veil of his flesh made a new and
living way for us to come boldly before the throne of Christ of God to find
mercy and help in a time of need don't you think it's a pretty important thing
when Jesus resurrected on the first day of the week and showed himself alive on
his disciples I think it's a pretty important thing but you know there's so
many people today they just they just say well my manner is just to not be in
church and what happens is they're not exhorted okay that's what he says in
verse 25 not forsaking assembling ourselves together as the manner of some
is but exhorting one another exhorting encouraging one another to do what to
live for God to to do the things we know we ought to do and that look there's a
lot of there's a lot involved there isn't there let's talk about all the
things we need to be exhorted to do this morning we'd be here all night I would
preach till midnight you know some of you would be falling out of your chairs
by the end of it right just like they fell out of the window
Eutychus fell out of the window right some of you would pull Eutychus if we
did that I can't get up and one Sunday and exhort everything you know encourage
you and teach you everything that's in the Word of God I can't it's impossible
it would take a lifetime to do that and many of those things you find out when
you get into this side of the pulpit is there's a lot of things you just have to
keep repeating such as church attendance this is one of those things you have to
keep bringing up okay so that's why we need to be in church why so that we can
be exhorted I mean ask yourself how much you know good godly exhortation are you
getting down there in the workplace how much good godly exhortation you're
getting you know flipping through the channels or scrolling through some
device it's you know maybe some maybe if you're subscribed to the right channels
I don't know but the point is this is that the world isn't exactly offering a
lot of good godly counsel are they they're not exactly offering a lot of
godly exhortation you know that's that happens here and with God's people the
preaching of God's Word and that's why we need to be here and just early on in
our micro you know in our Christian lives just say I'm gonna be there no
matter what I remember hearing the story of this guy and I don't know if it's
just Baptist lore or not but of a guy who it was the minute was then we're
talking a midweek service this wasn't even a Sunday morning he would gone home
this is somewhere up in the snowy hills of Pennsylvania somewhere he went home
after work and he was gonna get ready for church and his one of his pipes had
burst in his kitchen and of his trailer and instead of you know and I don't know
look I'm not saying and this is you don't stop and fix your pipe but I'm
just saying this is the mentality that some people have and some people could
stand to have a little bit of at least you know he saw his pipes were burst and
it's you would think oh there's an excuse not to go to church right there
in the midweek service the pipes are burst you know probably everyone any one
of us would say hey you know what can't make it the pipe I got it I've got the
my kitchen is flooding now this guy I think the story goes it was single so
maybe you can get away with this I don't know but instead of stopping and fixing
the pipe and missing church he literally just took an axe and chopped a hole in
this floor and let it run out underneath the trailer and went to church and told
the pastor what happened so what's going I said well my I got to get home now
after the service because the water is running what do you mean the water is
running oh don't worry I put a hole in the floor now but you know say and maybe
that was some made-up story me and some Baptist lower I don't know but you know
what it's it's it illustrates a good point that some people you know need to
just get in a place where nothing's gonna stop them from being a church now
these sets and it's an extreme example there are going to be things that stop
us from being Church and look if you're sick stay home let me just say that okay
don't you know I don't want to promote this other culture that's out there in
Baptist churches run to this other extreme where it's like unless you're
dead or dying you know that's the only excuse you have for not being here drag
yourself in okay I'm not saying that please stay homes you know we believe
you know the Bible teaches that people should you know separate and stay away
when they're sick right but let's not go to the other extreme too and just you
know every time you stub your toe or some little minor inconvenience comes
up or any excuse you can find you know you just say well I'm not going to
church you know some people look if you're if you're looking for an excuse
not to come to church you'll find it you'll find it it's out there what we
need to do is not be people who have the manner of forsaking the assembling of
ourselves together but be people who just decide hey you know what I'm gonna
be in church unless there's a very good reason for me and by the way if the
pipes burst fix your pipes that was just an illustration all right but not
be people who just look for every little excuse to stay out of church go to Titus
chapter number two Titus chapter number two you know we worship on the first day
of the week Jesus was meeting on the Sabbath but you know what he was still
getting together with God's people on the Sabbath day there was a service to
attend he went you know we don't observe the Sabbath day but we do
observe you know a church service at least on the first day of the week at
the very least I don't think that's a lot to ask considering everything what
Jesus is considering everything that Jesus has done for us the fact that he's
consecrated for us that through the veil that is to say his flesh away for us
look at Titus chapter 2 verse 11 for the grace of God that brings salvation hath
appeared to all men teaching us that denying and godliness and worldly lusts
we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world so what what
do you know how do you live the Christian life well deny ungodliness and
worldly lusts and then live soberly righteously and godly in this present
world that's how you live the Christian life and people don't like that first
half because there's denial there isn't there there's some things we're gonna
have to deny ourselves if we're going to live the Christian life as we ought to
looking for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of the great God and
our Savior who gave himself for us right you know we don't want to get this
attitude we're like we're throwing Jesus a bone and we're doing him a favor by
showing up to church you know he did something for us he gave himself for us
it's our privilege to be under the preaching the Word of God that he might
redeem that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a
peculiar people zealous of good works you know you if you start denying the
these worldly lusts and if you start living godly in Christ Jesus you're
going to stick out like a sore thumb in this world you're going to be a
peculiar person right you know I you start pulling out of the driveway three
times a week to go to church some of the neighbors gonna go really again
you know I guarantee you they all know I'm church going to my block you know
everything I've got a giant billboard called the church fan that's parked in
my driveway they all and yet the Mormons still try and come out knock my door
even though there's a giant van in the driveway says Baptist Church I just want
to answer the door and go really really what do you think's gonna happen here
son of elder you know not now it's not gonna go the way you think it's gonna
go right but all you know the Mormons can't figure it out the neighbors have
though you know they see us March our kids out there everyone's in their
Sunday dresses and well not me obviously but everyone's in their Sunday best
client in the van twice on Sunday once on Thursday don't you think they might
just assume some things about us well they must do this and they must not do
that I never hear them out there on Saturday night you know living it up
blaring the music in the backyard and lighting off fireworks and sleeping it
off the next morning why because they're peculiar but why are we peculiar just
because we like being odd just because we like standing out I know some of us
can't help being odd right but you know why are we peculiar in this way because
we've been purified unto him okay yes we've been redeemed from all
iniquity but then we're also being purified unto him right unto a peculiar
people he's trying to purify us and to get us to live godly and righteously in
this present world right that's what you know these verses are all connected we
need to deny ourselves on godliness and worldliness we need to live soberly and
righteously that's that's a process of purification if you're to purify some
precious metal you put it into a furnace and you burn off the dross there's
things that are taken away that's how you purify it and if we start to you
know deny ourselves some things and start to say hey I'm gonna live a
certain way what we're gonna find ourselves doing is being purified unto
him and we're gonna find ourselves being a more peculiar people and we
might get some comments and we might get some looks but so be it you say why
would anyone do that because as it says there at the end of verse 14 that they
are what zealous of good works you know the kind of people that God is looking
for this morning people that are zealous of good works people that want to do
something for the Lord people that want to preach the gospel want to be in
church like hard preaching like the preaching of God's Word they want to be
taught they want to be instructed they don't have to drag themselves into
church you know when Churchill will be less of a drag for you is when you want
to be here when you're actually zealous about the things of God it'll be a lot
easier to get in the car and make that drive and come down here and be
inconvenienced and all of that and look I'm sure I'm not the most exciting
preacher in the world I do my best I try to put a little you know sugar in there
you know to help the medicine go down but I also know this from experience you
could be in a lot more boring churches than this okay it could be a lot duller
too now I get it it could be a lot more exciting if we wanted to just compromise
on some things and just start you know it stop instead of denying world
worldliness we'll just bring it into the church house and we'll just bring the
rock music in here we'll just bring the rap music in here and we'll all worship
Jesus you know we'll all get together and sing some you know living on a
prayer by Bon Jovi that sounds Christian and we laugh but there's church that's
exactly what I'm not even kidding that's exactly what they do you know and we can
I'll get up start illustrating my my sermons with r-rated movies I've seen
that and then you know for the instead of the candlelight service for Christmas
Eve let's get you know some ballerina in here to dance for Jesus and her little
tutu I've seen it it's out there and it's a joke and it's not denying
ungodliness it's done it's not denying worldliness and it's not gonna make you
peculiar it's gonna make you fit in with the rest of them right I'm not trying to
start some you know cult you know Center of Cultural Arts down here I'm trying to
you know start a New Testament Church that's gonna do something big for God
because I'm zealous for good works that's what God wants from his people
people to be zealous but you know zealous is the end of that zealous is
the result of these things you know if we're zealous of good works we'll be in
church zealous comes after the purifying it comes after the denying it comes
after the living if you would go over to Ephesians chapter number four I'll move
on from this point get a mark one it says in verse 21 and they went into
Capernaum and straightway in the Sabbath day he entered in the synagogue and
taught and they were astonished at his doctrine for he taught them as one that
had authority and not as described so Jesus went goes there and he does some
teaching right he gets up and he preaches he gives it delivers a sermon
and everyone that hears him is astonished at his doctrine for he taught
them as one that had authority said the end of the mark 120 121 that he entered
in the synagogue synagogue and taught right so church you know when we get
together with God's people I know we're not meeting on a Sabbath day we're
meeting on the first day of the week but when we get there we have to understand
that church is a place for teaching and instruction okay which not always the
most exciting type of exciting things in the world are they you know teaching and
instruction that's something you do a lot in school coming up right you know
some people pay good money to go down to the university and to receive teaching
and instruction and I don't think they're doing that just because they're
trying to entertain themselves they're trying to better themselves they're
trying to get a better career they're trying to educate themselves you know
they're they're that's they're investing in that you know it's not you know most
exciting thing in the world you know if we're just looking for entertainment you
know we would just you know instead of spending money on an education you know
we just take vacations all the time you know we just go out to some amusement
park and amuse ourselves so church is a place of teaching and instruction Jesus
went in the synagogue you know he didn't you know lift his arms and just sway
back and forth for 30 minutes and listen to a little sermonette he got up and
taught and people were astonished at his doctrine okay they weren't astonished at
his graphic tee and his holy jeans you know with literal holes in them okay and
you know and his and his and his tattoos and everything and and just rapping with
the people okay they were astonished at his doctrine they're astonished at the
things that he taught okay so church is a place of teaching and instruction 1st
Corinthians chapter 14 verse 19 your infusions for it says yet in the church
I'd rather speak five words with my understanding that by my voice I might
teach others also than 10,000 words in an unknown tongue Paul is obviously
dealing with this the gifts of tongues and I'm not going to go into all that
but Paul is saying here I'd rather just say five clear things that can just be
understood that would actually teach other people I want to go in a church
and I want to teach others he goes on and says in verse 20 be not children and
understanding now the purpose of the church is so that we would grow up in
Christ so we would move off of the milk of the word of God and into the meat and
then we would start to grow and develop and become mature believers Ephesians
chapter 4 verse 11 it says there in verse 11 and he gave some apostles and
some prophets and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers okay so these
are these different offices that are given and you know one of those last two
offices are pastors and teachers now let me say this all pastors are teachers but
not all teachers are pastors for example you know Paul commanded that the the
elder women teach the younger to love their husbands so on and so forth so
even ladies in the church can teach other ladies right through their example
through instruction through helping them through offering counsel look we can all
teach one another we can edify one another right everyone can be a teacher
if they have something to teach there's something that there's a pupil that can
learn something you have an opportunity to be a teacher but all teachers are not
pastors are they but all pastors are teachers there's the saying that you
know what's the difference between preaching and teaching well the best way
I've heard it defined and the best way I understand it is this is that not all
preaching is teaching but all teaching excuse me not all teaching is preaching
but all preaching is teaching I know it's kind of a tongue twister there okay
but all preaching you are instructing aren't you I mean I'm preaching this
morning I feel like I'm doing some instruction I'm doing some exhortation
right but that doesn't mean you still can't teach other things other things
can't be taught outside of the pulpit within the local church but we're being
given these things right we've been given pastors and we've been given
teachers we've been given people to instruct us why because the church the
local New Testament Church is not a place to come and be entertained it's a
place to come and learn and to be instructed that's not to say we can't
have fun look I mean I know not everyone was able to make it but we had some fun
over the last few days I mean we went up to that bishops conference up there
in Tempe and there was some fun to be had you know there was roller skating
there was the church picnic and just having fellowship you know we we have
the ping-pong table here right we can do some other things I'm not saying that
you can't come to church and smile and have fun but look when it's its main
purpose is to be taught and to be instructed verse 12 for the perfect
perfecting of the Saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the
body of Christ and again I'm not against people having fun or and doing fun
things at church but it just seems like too often people want that to be the
emphasis but when I read the New Testament it seems to me like the
emphasis is on instruction the emphasis is on work for the work of the ministry
why are we giving pastors and teachers so that we would be perfected so that we
would be complete so that the work of the ministry would be done for the
edifying of the body of Christ till we all come to unity the faith and the
knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the
statue of the fullness of Christ then we henceforth be no more children tossed to
and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine the reason we need
instruction and teaching and doctrinal sermons is so that we wouldn't just be
tossed about with every wind of doctrine that's out there today and look there
are lots of winds of doctrine blowing about today there is so much false
doctrine being taught today there's so many churches that are teaching things
that are contrary to the Word of God there's so many people that are you know
on all kinds of social media platforms you know teaching things that are not
correct they're not doctrinal there's heresies there's false doctrine
abounding we need the local church to be a place of teaching and instruction and
not a place to just have fun okay and so many people today want to just turn
God's house into a source of entertainment that's not the purpose of
it the purpose is so that we would grow up so that we would become a perfect man
that we would attain of the measure of the statue of the fullness of Christ
that we would not be children they would not be carried about by these winds of
doctrine by the slight of men by the cunning craftiness whereby they lie in
wait to deceive but speaking the truth in love may grow up into him at all
things which is the head even Christ now I love how Paul puts it there speaking
the truth in love sometimes you speak the truth that people say that's not
very loving that wasn't very nice but you know the truth isn't always nice is
it the truth is the truth and if the truth hurts then so be it okay now we
speak it the truth in love because when you speak the truth to somebody you want
you're not trying to deceive them you want them to understand the truth that's
a loving thing to do and sometimes that's the way instruction and teaching
comes across sometimes the teaching instruction is going to just be some
hard truths that are spoken in love you get up long enough and just say thus
saith the Lord you know people are gonna say whoo that wasn't very loving yeah
but was it the truth was it the truth is it what the Bible says I mean I you
know you wouldn't be the first one that went home mad what the preacher said you
know and I'd be lying if I said that I'd never had that same attitude that there
weren't times in my life where I walked out and upset and angry and by the time
I got home had to go yeah but he's right I had to open up the Word of God and go
yeah that is what it says though and had to make an attitude adjustment towards
the Word of God if you would go to Matthew chapter 28 Matthew chapter
28 so what do we see in mark 1 21 and 22 that Jesus entered into the Sabbath on
the excuse me entered in the synagogue on the Sabbath day and we see that that
that's an example for us in the New Testament obviously not meeting on the
Sabbath day but still assembling together for the teaching and
instruction of God's Word getting together with God's people and that it's
a place of instruction where doctrine is taught with authority you say you know
why well I'll get into that I want to finish up here in this point you know
church is supposed to be a teeth a place of teaching and instruction look at
Matthew 28 verse 19 this is of course the Great Commission that we're all
familiar with instead of verse 19 go he therefore and teach all nations
baptizing in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost now teaching
all the nations obviously he's referring to go and teach them what the gospel
right let's teach all nations and then baptizing them because we understand
here that baptism is something that you do after you get saved not before you
get saved then you get baptized not for salvation not to keep salvation but
because it's just the next step in obedience in a Christian life it's just
a public profession of the faith that you have within okay so obviously the
teaching there that's proceeding baptism is talking about the gospel right
teaching them the name of the father and baptizing the name of the Father Son the
Holy Ghost but look at verse 20 the teaching continues teaching them to
observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you how are they gonna do that
when they get together in the first day of the week when they get together the
more and more as they see the day approaching when they're getting
together for the exhortation of God's people when they're getting together and
provoking one another love and good works they're gonna take out the Word of
God they're gonna remind themselves of everything that Christ has taught them
you know and when you do that you're gonna speak to the truth in love you
were going through Mark chapter 1 with the book of Mark chapter 1 thus far
line by line literally verse by verse you know I guarantee you stick around
there's gonna be a time when I get up here and we land on a verse that's gonna
you know we're not gonna like as much as the other verses let's just put it that
way then we're gonna find offensive then I'm gonna preach it we go oh ouch we're
gonna wince we're gonna say that's me we're gonna come under conviction but
understand when that happens you know it's simply because we're observing this
to teach them to observe all things all things whatsoever I've commanded you
well Jesus you mean just the things that they like right no all things you mean
just the things that aren't gonna upset anybody the things that aren't gonna you
know ruffle any feathers those things right Jesus know all things whatsoever
whether they like it where they don't like it whether it you know it rubs them
the wrong way or not teach it and lo I am with you always even though the end
of the world look you start teaching all things that's becomes a more encouraging
verse to you that Jesus is with you always well look the Word of God is
what's supposed to be taught when we come together and and we saw there in
Mark chapter 1 its purpose there that that the church is is a place of
teaching and instruction and it's not this you know pick and choose what I'm
gonna preach out of the Word of God it's all things what I want to point out in
closing here is that when Jesus taught it says they were verse 22 of Mark 1
they were astonished at his doctrine and doctrine just literally means teaching
okay anything you're teaching out of the Word of God is a biblical doctrine okay
but he taught them and he taught with authority okay now why is it that Jesus
taught with authority obviously it's because he is the Son of God that he is
the Word of God right but consider this that when a pastor gets up and preaches
out of the Word of God he is preaching with authority and not his own he's
preaching with authority because he is preaching the words of Christ he is he
is teaching all things whatsoever Christ has commanded and we had that you
know that's why it's so important for preachers to what preach the word you
know not to get up necessarily always preach their opinion or preach their
preferences but to preach the word because when you preach the word you
preach with authority and when you preach the word and you preach you know
what the Bible says you know people will be astonished now I don't know exactly
what that means there when it says astonished and obviously there's they're
shocked they're surprised that he taught with authority and not as the
scribes or astonished at his doctrine I don't know it necessarily means that
they were impressed or approving it just means they were kind of taken aback and
look you get up and you preach with authority you preach doctrine you preach
God's Word people get astonished they go I'm not going back there and look and if
I got up and just started saying offensive things and just you know just
started preaching my opinion as as commandments of you know started
preaching for the doctrines of God the commandments of men yeah you'd have a
reason you could say yeah that guy is just up there you know tooting his own
horn and and and just making what up just saying whatever he wants but when
I'm getting up and preaching the Word of God and it offends you understand I'm
preaching with authority I'm preaching of the authority of God's Word if it's
biblical so be it and that's you know that's the attitude I have to bring
behind this pulpit like it or lump it this is what the Bible says and it's
important to understand this today because so many churches have gotten
away from this they don't want to preach line by line through the Word of God
they just want to do this big sweeping overview of a book and just cherry pick
a verse here or there that's not gonna upset anybody you know they want to talk
about all the nice parts in Genesis you know they want to talk about the nice
parts and judges Leviticus they're just gonna go yeah we're just gonna move
right past that I mean it's just some stuff about the the sacrifices there's
nothing in there especially chapter 20 we don't need to go near that you know
they didn't we need to go in near any you know chapter 18 just don't even
touched out the 10-foot pole but it's all things whatsoever we have been
commanded those are things we're supposed to teach so when you're have a
church when you have somebody that's trying to do that understand they're
preaching with authority and if you get upset if you get offended you have to
ask yourself what am I really upset about what am I really offended by is it
me and I look I know with this face it's easy to you know I could see how people
could get offended right or is it that you're offended with what this book says
and if you're sending with this with this bucket that what this book says who
do you really have a problem with I don't like what the Bible says about the
roles of men and women I don't like what the Bible says about wives and
submission I like what the Bible says about men and and husbands being leaders
and what the Bible says about spanking your kids and I like what the Bible says
about homos and I like what the Bible says about this and that and the other
thing well just remember in every instance it begins with you don't like
what the Bible says and if you don't like what the Bible says that's your
problem not mine so that's you know when they went in they were astonished at
Jesus doctor and you kind of wonder what exactly that meant it might have been
like can you believe this guy who does he think he is to get up and say that
well he taught with authority and not as described because he's preaching because
he is Christ the literal words of Christ and look I'm not getting up and
preaching like some sauce so you know just got lace on my britches preacher
with a big yellow stripe down my back there are dime a dozen out there today I
want to get up and preach with authority so why do you want to go through every
book you know line by line because I want to preach with authority I want to
obey the command to preach all things that we've been taught and instructed
because doctrine is what's to be taught in the house of God go to second
Timothy chapter 3 I'll wrap it up there Bible says in Isaiah chapter 28 whom
shall he teach knowledge whom shall he teach now whom she make to understand
doctrine them that are weaned from the milk is weaning always a pleasant
process I mean was so long ago when I went through it I can't really remember
cuz I certainly haven't weaned anybody I done been weaned right but you know I
don't really remember I'm glad it happened cuz I like food right I like
meat right but it's not a pleasant experience is it to be weaned it's not
fun to wean a child right it's difficult people throw fits there's crying and
screaming involved right well you know that's what it takes to mature doesn't
it that's how you move on to the strong meaning the word of the Word of God too
and I don't want to just pastor a church where it's just it's just a bottle-fed
sermon after bottle-fed sermon just another nice sweet little milk toast
sermon for you to just come in and coo and gaga over and then go out there and
you know spit up all over yourself spiritually you know we shot to come to
the house of God and have the preacher get up and say here let's let's have a
t-bone steak this morning let's get let's get into the meat here and you
might have to go home and you know maybe chew on it a little bit and figure that
out and get you to the place where you know you can go home with knife and fork
and open up the Word of God and chew it and you know put it in your mouth and
and feed yourself and not have to be spoon-fed everything but who is that
gonna happen for you know who's who is it gonna get to that place where they
could start to digest and process the strong meat of the Word of God those
that have been weaned from the milk those that have been drawn from the
breast how do you do that by teaching and instructing by preaching the
doctrine from the pulpit and not just preaching a bunch of feel-good sermons
bunch of motivate look we need to feel good foot sermons we need the
motivational sermons but we need the doctrinal sermons you know that's a big
part of the reason why I'm forcing myself to go through this book line by
line you know because you get into doctrine that way you know we start
preaching about repentance you start preaching about baptisms you start
preaching about church attendance you start getting into these meat of the
word and there'll be more to come where are you at second Timothy look at for
chapter 3 verse 16 all scripture is given by inspiration of God and it's
profitable all of it every single line how much scripture all of it no no no
no just the New Testament no all of it it's all profitable there's something to
be learned from every bit of it and it's profitable for doctrine and what's
doctrine it's just teaching it's the nuts and bolts it's the meat it's the
strong me of the Word of God it might not be the most exciting thing but it's
profitable when you think about people who are you know have gone through
teaching and instruction think about people who have learned a skill who have
gone to higher education or have gone through some kind of a program people
who have a marketable skill how did they get there they someone taught them
someone instructed them you know and I'm sure they didn't do it all with puppets
you know it wasn't probably this big entertaining thing it was all and you
know some animated series that they saw it sat down and watched so they could
learn you know some valuable skill that helped them earn a living there was
probably just a lot of boring dry instruction there's probably just a lot
of you know sitting down with with a blank piece of paper or answering
questions you know that kind of thing just just really dry stuff but that's
how they learned right look I want to make things exciting I wanted to make
things entertaining because that's how you get people's attention and keep it
but the fact is is that sometimes you get in the Word of God there's just
going to be just some some doctrinal things that are just really kind of
plain aren't they they're the things that we need to hurt we need to hear
they'll profit for us there it's profitable for doctrine for a proof for
correction for instruction what's reproof being told you're wrong what's
for correction how to get it right for instruction here's how you do it that
the man of God may be perfect thoroughly furnished unto all good works how are
you going to become that zealous peculiar person how are you going to
become furnished unto all good works through doctrine through the
profitability of being taught the Word of God by and by line that's what he
told Timothy in 2nd Timothy chapter 4 just read you verse 2 preach the word
be instant in season out of season when they like it when they don't like it in
season out of season when it's popular when it's not preach the word and I
don't know if anybody else has noticed but the Word of God has fallen out of
fashion in this world today it's not exactly what's being promoted in the
United States of America anymore it's out of season so should we stop
preaching it should we just not preach the things that are gonna make people
upset that's not what he said that's not what Paul told his protege
Timothy he said preach it in season out of season and if you preach it out of
season you know what you're gonna reprove you're gonna rebuke and you're
gonna exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine right the Bible the words of
Christ these are this is the authority Jesus went in and they were astonished
at his doctrine because he spoke as one that had authority and not as the
scribes I don't know exactly what the scribes are preaching but if there was
anything like you know the scribes today the scribes of people who copied
out the Word of God and studied the Old Testament we spent a lot of time down in
the synagogues they spent a lot of time in their institutions of learning if
there anything like you know perhaps the guys today just spent a lot of time in
Bible college just being taught what not to say and what to say and how to do
this and just want to just you know get up and just preach anything but what the
Bible actually says you know I don't know exactly what it is with the
scribes preached today but I wonder if it's all kind of like the guys that we
have today who don't don't want to preach every word out of the Word of God
who want to preach things that are only popular who are more interested in getting
up you know I'm preaching out of some you know the founding documents than
they are the Word of God you know there's a lot of that that's out there
today people wanted to get up and they want to preach everything but what's in
here they don't want to preach all things that we've been commanded and
then when people get around somebody that actually wants to do that but
actually wants to stand on the authority of this book and preach all of
it they're astonished well you know what you're astonished at is the authority of
the Word of God that's what astonishes people today that's what astonished them
back in Jesus day they were astonished at his doctrine because he spoke as one
that had authority well what's his authority the Word of God obviously he
was the Word of God everything he said was the Word of God well it's the same
way today the Bibles the Bible the words of Christ they are the authority
the Bible says in 1st Timothy 6 if any man teach otherwise and consent not the
wholesome words he is proud knowing nothing but doting about questions and
stripes of words where it comes envy strife railings evil smisings perverse
disputings of men of corrupt minds and destitute the truth destitute the truth
from such withdraw thyself they suppose that gain is godliness you want a lot of
guys want to appreciate they just want to preach whatever is gonna build a big
church because they think that gain is godliness the more popular than I am the
less offensive that I am the more the bigger the offerings are the bigger the
facility the bigger the program the more we can afford to do that must mean I'm
godly what means you know the only way we know we're godly is if we're doing
what God told us to do if we're preaching and rebuking and exhorting
with all long-suffering and doctrine because the time will come when they
will not endure sound doctrine but they'll heed to themselves teachers
having itching ears because there's guys today they know there's people out there
all they want to hear is it's all they want to hear and they're more than
willing to be the ones to tell them oh you got a little scratch you got a little
itch well let me be the one to give you a little you want to come to church and
get a little you know massage this will scratch your ear make you feel good you
know you want me to just tell you what you want to be told hey come on down
I'll tell you exactly what you want to be told and we'll build we'll pack this
place out we'll pack it out and we'll have a big offering and I can go buy a
new suit finally it come down to here right and I could roll in a jacket roll
up here in a Jaguar and and all that and I could be TD Jakes when any of these
other false prophets that are out there that are just gonna make people feel
good why do we need to preach with authority you say you know sometimes you
preach authority and it astonishes people they get offended yeah but you
know what a lot of times too is that you'll see what it always is amazing to
see is that how people respond to hard preaching you know some people out there
they want to be told that they're wrong some people want to fix things they're
like hey what do I got to do to fix my life stop doing that and start doing
this hard preaching works that's the example you know I some examples I get
out of Mark chapter 1 there verses 21 and 22 Jesus was in church he took his
disciples down there I mean and that church wasn't just some place in the
synagogue there to just go and just make everybody feel good he got up and he
preached with authority he got up and he preached doctrine and as a result people
were astonished at the things that he said and he wasn't like the scribes who
are just cherry-picking or just making up things just preaching the traditions
of men he's preaching the whole council the Word of God that's what we strive to
do today no we don't meet on Saturday we meet on the first day of the week but
you know what the spirit is the same preaching with authority preaching with
doctrine speaking the truth in love that's what people need whether they
realize it or not whether they want it or not and if we're gonna get that you
know what we're gonna have to do is we're gonna have to be willing to deny
some things deny the worldly lust deny the ungodliness and start living godly
in Christ Jesus be willing to be a peculiar person and receive the Word of
God and you what you'll end up doing is being a person who's zealous of good
works let's go ahead close the word of prayer dear Lord again thank you for the
preaching of your word thank you for this great book Lord that there's so
much we can learn from it take a lifetime to learn everything Lord but
there's so many things that we can immediately apply to the here now help
us to be students of it help us to be those who practice it daily in our lives
and Lord help us to always receive the preaching of it Lord as as as it's given
in authority and Lord like me it be the authority in our lives to guide us and
to lead us and to help us grow and to mature until we come into the fullness
that is in Christ we ask these things in your name amen all right we'll go ahead
and sing one more song before we go
Oh