You guys have already found your seats, but if you could please open up your Hindus to
song number 30.
We'll begin our Sunday evening service by singing song number 30, a familiar one, Nothing
About the Blood.
Again, that is song number 30.
Sing it out on the first.
What can the show bring us here?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
What can we bring, oh, what can we bring?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
What can we bring, oh, what can we bring?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
What can we bring, oh, what can we bring?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
We'll be singing a song number 343.
We'll be singing a song number 343 and revive us again.
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah,
hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah,
hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah,
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah,
hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah,
hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah,
hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah,
hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah,
hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah,
hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah,
hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah,
hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah,
hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah,
hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah,
hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah,
hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah,
hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.
Alright it's great to see everybody out tonight, if you would like a bulletin go
ahead and step up your hand.
We'll be back this Thursday at seven, as we make our way through the book of Genesis
will be in chapter number seventeen this week.
winning and salvation's baptism's attendances there and the offering totals below that as well.
Don't forget next Sunday we're going to have donuts in honor of those celebrating the month
of May so come on out for that and there's also the Mother's Day Tea Party coming up on
Saturday May 11th at 1 p.m. Please do let my wife know ladies if you're planning to attend
on the back. The big news about the trip to the Grand Canyon I'll have more details about this as
we get closer but for now you've at least got the dates you can mark that on your calendar
and you can go up there and see the Grand Canyon and get some soul winning in.
Who here has never seen the Grand Canyon? Wow it's like one of those things you know if
if it's in your backyard have you seen the Grand Canyon brother and you're from Michigan
you don't even live here all all the natives have not seen it everyone who lives it because it's one
of those things like you go I'll get to it I'll get to it because it's in your backyard right
you say well you know I'll get up there one day and I'll see it I've been saying that for
10 years as long as we've been here 13 years man it feels like so much longer
no I'm just kidding but yeah I mean we've been saying that for over a decade now right
just we'll get to it folks if you don't just make time to go do these things you'll never do them
you know you can't wait till the schedule is perfect the finances are perfect whatever
sometimes you just gotta you just gotta go do things okay now this is a great opportunity to
go on our dime on the church's dime pay for your gas pay for your food pay for your lodging
right all we ask is that you go bring your bible and you're filled with the Holy
Spirit you can do some soul winning when you're up there on probably I'm guessing the Navajo
Reservation I could be wrong about that which is probably gonna be great soul winning anyway
there'll probably be lots of people to go with lots of fellowship to be had
and then go finally finally go see the Grand Canyon after all these years after before
you're before you're dead and gone if not now when right who will go to the Grand Canyon
right I'm trying to have some moving like this means they're like trying to get you the Grand
Canyon right anyway I hope you know obviously you can tell I really want people to go on this
one we're we're planning we're going can we say we're going can we just put it in stone
right now you got I got witnesses right here we're gonna go to the Grand Canyon we're gonna
make it happen right we're gonna go up there the church van can roll out there we'll
make it work so come on out for that it's always a great event and then uh below that continue to
pray for the expectant ladies in our church Mrs. Lamb down here in Tucson top of the list
is expecting uh is it three three weeks from now I really like having you playing the piano
I like that you're right there I can just you know I feel like it's like some late show or
something and you're like you're like we can have some banter right can we banter a little
bit no no banter okay she'll never play the piano again that was the this is it folks you'll
never want to get up here again and do this so I've ruined it for everybody uh anyway uh
before I dig myself any deeper uh don't forget to sign the yearbook back there for the Elliots
and make sure you know you write something nice okay I know sometimes you folks can be around here
right I saw the spiral one you know it's like if it was for me I'd take the time right I got
after I started getting vertigo I said that's it I don't know I don't care what the rest of it
says but that's great to see everybody filling that out and let them know we miss them
one other uh small issue I have to deal with okay because I don't want to
I don't want to be fuming about this for the rest of the week I'm not pointing any fingers
I'm not saying I know it was one of four people this afternoon that were in the soul winning van
and this is just a pet peeve of mine and I just I gotta I gotta get it off my chest okay
I'm not upset I'm not angry but if I don't say it you know I'm just gonna end up loathing
and resenting people you know and I've had enough of that okay but uh if you could remember
to clean up your tissues folks please you know this is kind of a public service now I will clean
up bottles I will clean up all kinds of things I don't mind doing it vacuuming foodstuffs you know
toys whatever but there's one thing that just I just don't want to touch is your used tissue
especially when it's bloody okay it makes me see red in more than one way okay more than
one way so that's all I just got I got to put it out there because if I don't say it
and if I don't say it publicly in front of everybody where I make it super awkward to where
you never want to do it again you know it'll just keep happening so can we all agree like
this was enough that we don't want to have this conversation again let's just let's just pick
up the tissues folks okay you don't want to pick up mine do you you know I don't want to
you know okay all right enough said I won't go on about it let's but let's do count up the
soul winning all right I had to get that off my chest let's go back to Friday if anything
to report from Friday and I know we had one for the group on Saturday and anything else for the
group on Saturday it was funny on Saturday I'd call it providence I don't know but we went to
a particular area on the map that was not marked to be done I've kind of like if I have
smaller groups I'll just I'll pick a spot and the general area and start chipping away at it
and and we did we went to one the to the end of the cul-de-sac and we went down one side of the
street and I got across and across the street and I saw one of our flyers on the door and and and
it wasn't you know an abandoned home people clearly were living there and had seen this
fire but for some reason had not taken the invite off of the door and I think it was to
jar to make me stop and pause and go okay where wire who else is knocked here right because there's
no maps have been made well it turns out that brother gabriel had been knocking that same area
and he'd finished that whole area except the one street I went to like if I had gone anywhere
else in that in that part of the map we would have been double knocking but I went
literally to the only street that was left in that section and knocked it I just thought that
was cool so anyway god leads and we got a salvation on that street yeah just one though
just you know all the way how's it go all the angels in heaven are rejoicing but I'm just like
oh it's just mine but you know god leads and soul winning things like that sometimes it just
it you know it really brings it home like god I believe is god you say well you know
a coincidence or is it really that big of a deal but isn't it interesting I went right to
that and we did the we had enough time to just do those one little part of that street
was the only part that had been knocked I don't know I I'm gonna take it as a sign
okay so anyway just don't ruin it for me speaking of soul winning do we have any
salvations today no okay all right well let's get back out there and we'll wait for you guys
to no it's good uh all right that'll do it for announcements let's go ahead and
sing one more song before we get into the preaching this evening
all right
we'll be singing song number 187 jesus loves me again in the song number 187
is
yes
oh
yes
jesus
me
you may get seen at this time we'll pass the offering play as the offering plate goes around
please follow along with brother gabriel as he reads to us from romans 3 again that is romans
chapter
so
romans chapter three
verse one the bible what the values that have to do the world profits their circumstances
much heavier chiefly because it's better to them when committed oracles of god
but what if some did not believe each other unbelief make a face of god without effect
god forbid he let god be true with every man alive as it is rigged that might be justified by
saints who might overcome without a judge but if our unrighteousness command the righteousness
of god what shall we say is god unrighteous to take his vengeance i speak as a man god
forbid for then how shall god judge the world where the truth of god is more bound to my
lies which is glory why yet you might also judge as a sinner and not rather as we've been
slandishly reported that some affirm them to say let us do evil but then they come whose damnation
is just what then are we better than they no and no one's we have before a crew of jews
and gentiles that they are all under sin as it is written there is none righteous no not one
there is none that understands there is none that seeketh after god they are all gone out of
the way they are all together to come across there is none that do with good no not one
the throat is open seven with their tongues they have used the seat the poison asked is under
their lips whose mouth is full of curses the bitterness their feet are swift to shed blood
destruction and misery are in their ways and the way of peace have they not known
there is no fear of god before their eyes now we know that what things throw to the law
say it say it to them who are under the law that every mouth is stopped and all the world
will become guilty before god therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be
justified the sight who by the law is a knowledge of sin but now the righteousness of god without the
laws manifested being witnessed by the law of the prophets even the righteousness of god which
is by faith in jesus christ and to all and upon all them that believe there's no difference
for all that sin comes short of the glory of god being justified freely by his grace through
the redemption that is in christ jesus whom god has set forth to be of appreciation through
faith in his love to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are passed
through the forbearance of god to declare i say at this time his righteousness he might be
just and the justifier of him which believed in jesus where's bozeman it is excluded by
works excuse me by what of works named by the law of faith therefore we conclude that a man is
justified by faith without the needs of the law is he the god of the jews only is he not
also the gentiles yes the gentiles also seeing it as one god which shall justify the circumcision
by faith and uncircumcision through faith do we then may the void evolve through faith
god forbid may we establish them for that let us pray for us
well then we call it to thank you for all you do for us oh god thank you for the goodness
and mercy lord thank you for this church lord ask him to fill deacon with the
holy spirit just give us understanding your word jesus holy name we pray amen amen amen so
we'll be back there in romans three but if you want to go back to mark chapter seven i'm
going to continue on through the book of mark this evening and if you remember this
morning we talked about just the first i believe it was 13 verses there where you had
the pharisees confronting jesus and the disciples over the matter of them eating with
unwashing hands and jesus rebukes them and calls them hypocrites and points out the fact that
you know they through their tradition make void the commandments of god that they taught for
doctrines the commit uh the excuse me taught for the commandments of god the doctrines of men i
think i've got that right i might have those mixed around but anyway you remember that recall
that from the story and then it's the story continues on in matthew chapter number seven verse
14 where jesus begins to explain that but it's not the things that we eat or the things
that go into the body that defile us but it's actually the things that come out of us you
know specifically out of our heart the things that proceed of our mouth and out of our minds
that these are the truly the things that that defile us and they defile us before god and that's
kind of what i want to i'm going to focus in on here is just verses 14 through 23 where we
see how a man is defiled from within it says there in verse 14 for when he had called the
people unto him he said unto them harken unto me every one of you and understand there's nothing
from without a man that entering into him can defile him but the things which come out of him
those are the things are they that defile him so again he's kind of countering the the pharisees
uh argument or countering their criticism and their tradition of you know if you eat with
unwashing hands that you're unclean you're defiling yourself jesus saying no in fact the real
uh the the real way in which you are defiled is through the things that come out of your
heart the things that come out of you he says in verse 16 if any man had ears to hear let him
hear and when he entered into the house from the people his disciples asked him concerning the
parable and he's saying none of them are you uh are you so without understanding do you not
perceive that whatsoever things from without enter within the man it cannot defile him
because it entereth not into his heart but into the belly and goeth into the drought
excuse me the draft purging all meats so he's saying if even if we're eating something
unclean or eating with under washing hands it doesn't defile us because it does not enter
into our heart so god is concerned with the cleanliness of our heart with the godliness of
our heart not necessarily the organ obviously but the the seed of our our being our soul
that's what we talk about you know we use the heart in that way to refer to the heart
of a person right our being and he's saying that that's what defiles a person when thing
it's the things that are within our heart what goes in cannot defile them because it doesn't
touch the heart you know it just passes through the body he says in verse 20 and he and he said
that which cometh out of the man that defileth him for from within out of the heart of men
proceed evil thoughts adulteries fornications murders thefts covetousness wickedness deceit
lasciviousness which is just like you know an overabundance of sin just having no self-control
just giving yourself over to a you know lascivious lifestyle an evil eye sometimes we had we we don't
understand what maybe these things mean to me i kind of always took that as like somebody
who's plotting against someone else they have an evil eye they're kind of observing someone
and they're maybe scheming or plotting blasphemy pride and foolishness okay he says all these
evil things come from within and where specifically from the heart of man they come from within
they come out of a man and these are the things that defile them all these things come from within
and defile the man so he's saying we ought to be more concerned with the things that are coming
out of our heart more so than the things that we're putting into our mouth and eating
or if we're eating with unwashing hands this is not a primary concern in our lives obviously
hygiene has its place so on and so forth but what we should be most concerned about in life
are the things that are coming out of our hearts the things that we're thinking about the things
that we're dwelling on because those are the things that we act on right as a man thinketh in
his heart so he is out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh the bible talks about
so we want to make sure that our hearts are something that we're guarding right for out
of it are the issues of life okay but you know i'm going to end there and this kind of
this this uh this explanation right that jesus gives here it's kind of when you think about it
maybe at first glance it kind of it's kind of a downer right because what's jesus essentially
saying here right that all of these wicked evil things come out of us they and they come
out of our hearts and what he's saying really is that it's because that's our nature right we
are by nature the children of wrath we are sinners by birth sinners by choice that these
things are things that just come out of us naturally anyone who's raised children knows this
is the case right you never have to teach a child how to do the wrong thing it just somehow
they instinctively know to lie and to steal and to throw fits and everything you have to correct
bad behavior and encourage good behavior it's not the other way around okay and what so what is
showing us here is that man is the source of evil and suffering in this world right and this
you know it's kind of an important point to bring up because this kind of addresses you know
that philosophical concern out there you know why is there suffering in the world which
you can understand is something that people wonder about you can understand why someone
would grapple with that why someone how someone would want to come to terms with
the suffering they see in this world i obviously can't blame people for wondering that but where
people get things wrong is when they try to blame god right when they foolishly charge god
and they'll say things like well if there is a god he must not be a very good god because he
allows all these evil things to happen right and they haven't really thought it through okay
what where uh you know what god would have to do ultimately to end evil in the world okay
but what he's showing us here is that man is the source of evil and suffering in this world
if you want to go back to romans uh obviously when when i say that probably several verses
are just popping into your mind you know that we are sinners by birth as we read in
romans chapter 3 verse 10 as it is written there is none righteous no not one there's not one person
on this earth that is righteous before god all our righteousnesses are his filthy rags before
him there is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after god they are all gone
out of the way they are together become unprofitable there is none that do with good
no not one right and obviously people do do good things to one another but in our heart of
hearts at the in the very fabric of our being at the core of who we are we are sinners okay and we
are defiled before god because these things come out of our heart now obviously we don't act on
all of these things right we might not all uh do some of the things that proceed out of
our heart the evil thoughts you know maybe the malicious things the things that we say
you know we uh we might think how we're gonna get back at somebody or some
physical harm we'd like to do somebody who frustrated us or made us upset right we would
never act on that but nonetheless it's in our heart and jesus said that if you hate your
brother in your heart you have you're a murderer right because that intent is there even if you
don't act on it what he's showing us is that the problem with man is his sinful nature
we might never uh act on our evil thoughts or our adulteries but jesus said if you've
looked on a woman to lust out you have committed adultery with already in your heart
fornications kind of the same thing murders again despising people thefts covetousness maybe
these are things that were more would be more easily act upon lasciviousness evil eye blasphemy
pride foolishness right i'm sure if we're honest you know we've committed it maybe
if we haven't at least acted on one of those things we've probably been guilty of at least
contemplating them or thinking about them or felt that intent or desire perhaps even to act upon
these things because it's in our heart okay and again what he's showing us is that we're the
we ultimately are the source of evil and suffering in this world that's why there's
none good verse 23 for all have sinned and come short of the glory of god
go to romans chapter 5 we're going to be in romans a few times tonight i'll let know
i'll let you know when we're done so just keep something in romans as we turn around here
the bible says in romans chapter 5 look at verse 12 wherefore as by one man
sin entered in the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sin
of course that one man is adam right where he fell and he ate of the tree of the knowledge
of good and evil and that's how sin entered in the world he became he in that day he died
remember the lord told him that in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die
now did he die that day no he lived many hundreds of years on beyond that point but
spiritually he died something changed in man's nature in the fall and that's why to this day
we still have that sin nature that's why to this day evil things proceed out of man
and that's what defiles him if you would go to proverbs chapter number 28 proverbs chapter
number 28 the bible says in ecclesiastes 7 for there is not a just man upon the earth that
doeth good and sinneth not who don't act on the impulses the way other people might act
the end of the day there's nobody on this earth that's that can that has not come short of the
glory of god there's none good and indeed is the source of all evil and suffering and god is
not to be blamed okay man's heart is the source of his evil if man is the source of
evil and suffering you know where does that come from well within man well jesus tells us it
comes from the heart it comes from our nature it comes from the things that are within the
the bible says in jeremiah 17 the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately
wicked who can know it you know our hearts will deceive us all hearts will lead us to do
wicked things okay we should not trust our hearts you know that's why that's such a dumb slogan
just follow your heart you know don't follow your heart because out of the heart
precedes all of these evil things okay proverbs 28 verse 26 says he that trusts
trusted in his own heart is a fool you know follow your heart well bible says you're a
fool if you do that because your heart will lead you away from god you know our
natural inclination is not to seek after the things of god you know our our natural the
natural man that's in us you know desires the things of the flesh and the things of this
world not the things of god but notice he says he that trusteth in his own heart is a fool
but so there's hope here who so walketh wisely he shall be delivered right he shall be delivered
what from his own heart but he has to he has to temper his heart he has to uh you know
hem himself in in life in his path by walking wisely right wherewithal shall a young man cleanse
his way by taking heed thereto according to thy word thy word have i hid my heart that i might
not sin against thee you know if we walk in wisdom and the wisdom of god's word you know
we shall be delivered from our deceitful and foolish and corrupt hearts okay but that takes
uh you know that takes obedience on our part that's something we have to exercise
and if we don't do that you know our hearts will lead us astray it's it's just it as sure
as the day is long if you just you know follow your heart and disregard the things of god and
not allow your life to be tempered by the word of god to not be brought into obedience
to the word of god you know you will be led astray and you will your heart will bring
the fruit of its evil deeds into your life that all that will come to fruition it'll show
up in some way shape or form so what is showing us here is that you know man's
man's behavior his sinful nature can be kept in check it can be reformed right go to proverbs 22
proverbs 22 verse 15 man can reform his nature man can recognize that he's prone to certain
sins that he has certain addictions and he could put certain things into place but that
does not remove the sin nature itself does it okay we're still defiled right even if we
don't act on these things that are in our hearts they're still there okay the bible says
in proverbs 22 verse 15 foolishness is bound in the heart of a child right there again
just showing us that's our nature that's we're just naturally foolish as children i mean you
look at some of the things kids do you just you do this and you go why right you just you
scratch your head when they turn you this is when they're young this is when they're teenagers
okay you can't figure out why they do the things that they do right but they just they
just dream up things and they act on them if they're not kept in check right because it's
it's bound in the heart but you know emphasis on but the rod of correction right shall drive
it far from him and it's showing us here that you can you know temper man's nature you can
apply the rod of instruction to the seat of learning right and and teach them right from
wrong that there are consequences if you just act on what's in your heart okay it'll drive the
foolishness far from him right that we can reform man in his in his uh his nature by
teaching him to keep his impulses in check okay now if you would go to first corinthians
chapter number 10 first corinthians chapter number 10 the bible says in james 1 let no man say
when he is tempted i am tempted of god for god cannot be tempted with evil neither tempteth
he any man but every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed okay
again so where does the temptation coming from from our own lusts okay so again god is not to
be blamed for uh for when man acts on his natural impulses right when man murders commits
adultery fornication when he steals when he blasphemes when he does all these wicked
things and there's a heart you can't blame god for that because it came out of man
okay he he's drawn away of his own lusts and enticed then when lust hath conceived
it bring forth sin and sin is finished bringeth forth death okay first corinthians
10 look at verse 6 now these things were examples to the intent that we should not
lust after evil things as they also lusted referring to old testament israel when they came out
of land of egypt how they murmured and complained in the wilderness he's saying
they were our example old testament israel that we should not lust after evil things okay
and we should not behave as they did neither be he idolaters as were some of them as it
has written the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play remember they worship
the golden calf neither let us commit fornication as some of them committed and fell in one day
three thousand and three and twenty thousand so god killed over twenty thousand people
for fornication right it's a pretty serious sin verse nine neither let us tempt christ as
some of them also tempted and were destroyed of serpents neither murmur ye which is complaining
as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer now all these things happen
under them for in samples or examples that he's saying god gave us this new old testament god's
telling us these stories so that we could see these things read about them and take
heed ourselves and not to be guilty of these same things right so it is possible for man
to keep his impulses in check okay but that does not change his nature he is still
in his heart of hearts a sinner by birth and a sinner by choice look verse twelve
wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall and that's important
because this is an important sermon because people today teach that you can reach some
kind of state of sinless perfection every time you sometimes you're running these
people are just like oh i just i don't sin anymore well the last thing that jesus
listed there was foolishness and for you to sit there and expect somebody to believe
that you never sinned anymore is a foolish thought so you're guilty of sin right there
gotcha right take heed lest you fall there hath no temptation taking you but such as is
common to man but god is faithful who will not suffer to be tempted above that you're
able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that you may be able
to bear it so although these things are in our hearts although these things are within
us and we can act upon them and that's man's natural tendency and left to himself
in his own devices man does act on them we praise god as god's children have the ability
to escape these things and to not give in to these temptations that there is a way
to escape that these things can be born man can keep his impulses in check man can
even reform his behavior they can even do that without christ they do it all the time
in these you know different AA meetings NA meetings that people do all you know people
change their behavior all the time even without Christ it can be done but that does not
change man's nature okay and that's really kind of what i believe jesus is kind of driving
at here okay in mark he's saying look it's from within this comes from in you are spoiled
and corrupt within your heart okay and that explains a lot of the things that we see
going on in this world sometimes it just baffles us how people can be so evil and cruel
and wicked right and it's not you know it's the old nature versus nurture you know
are people that way because of their environment or are they that way because
that's man man's nature the bible makes it explicitly clear that it's nature man's
nature is what leads him to doing even these horrific things to one another and to bring
suffering in the world man's the source of it you know that's that's the great news
what's who's who's blamed for all the suffering the world mankind okay this is
man's name and it's permanent you can't you can reform it you can keep it in check
you can try to work with it and not be impulsive but nonetheless that nature is
always there and just because you got saved doesn't change anything okay in fact all
it means is that you now have two natures right it's not like one replaced the other
in the here and now I know spiritually speaking we're a new creature in Christ but in the
here and now you know I don't see any glorified bodies tonight right we all have
the flesh we're still dragging around this old corpse with us okay and it's still
going to have we're going to have to deal with the lust of the flesh every day
of our lives until we die okay so we as God's people still have the old man but we
have also the new man so we have a dual nature and you know this is this is pictured
perfectly in the Levitical priesthood if you remember when they anointed the the
the Aaron and his sons they what Moses you know dipped his finger in the
blood and then he would anoint one side of you know one ear on one side
the thumb and the and the big toe and it was only on one side right they
didn't do both toes they didn't do both ears they didn't do both thumbs
you say what was the point of that I think that's a picture of of a
Christian right because we are made kings and priests unto our God and you
know one half of us is anointed with blood it's been sanctified right and yet
there's still this unsanctified part that is still with us right so I think
that picture in the Old Testament is a great picture of man's dual nature
okay as a Christian without Christ you're just all you're you're all no
blood side right you're just the best you can hope to do is just reform your
impulses to keep them in check the Christian however has to take heed and
not fall and think that just because they got saved that somehow they're
never gonna have to deal with sin and again again nope it's still there the
old man is still there you did I have you go back to Romans 6 if I
didn't go there and will be done in Romans look at verse 4 he said
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 emphasize should there walk in newness of life no that's what we
should do we should walk in newness of life because we are buried with him by
baptism into death as Christ has died was died buried again so also we will
die be buried and we will rise again right and we should begin to
endeavor to walk in that new life in the here and now meaning we're gonna
crucify the flesh and lust thereof we're gonna mortify our members here
upon the earth that's something we have to endeavor to do that's what we
should do but that is not necessarily mean that's what we're going to do it's
something that we must do it's something that we should do because the
fact that we have as it says there in verse 5 or if we have been planted
together in the likeness of his death we shall also know like this in
the likeness of his resurrection knowing this that our old man is
crucified with him it's done that the body of sin might be destroyed okay
the old man is crucified that the body of sin might be destroyed so you
know the crucifixion is past tense the old man is crucified right but the body
of sin has yet to be destroyed so yes we're crucified with him you know
nevertheless I live and the love that I now live in the flesh I live by the
faith of Son of God who died for me right but nevertheless we still have
the old man that other nature we still have this wicked nature with us
okay we haven't gotten rid of it and that from henceforth we should not serve
sin now when's the henceforth when the body of sin is finally destroyed from
henceforth we should not serve sin okay and look we shouldn't serve sin
now either this is again you know don't don't lose me here tonight okay
this is important because a lot of people they'll get this attitude even
if they won't say it express it'll just say you know they'll make excuse
for sin in their life they'll do things and say well you know after all
I'm just I'm just flesh and blood and that's true but sometimes people will
take that and they'll they'll run with that I'm gonna say well you can't
blame me I'm a sinner after all you know I'm just flesh and blood like
anybody else and they'll make excuse for sin and allow you know sin in
their lives rather than doing their due diligence to resist sin and look I
understand we're not gonna live a perfect sinless life that we are
gonna stumble and fall in our in our battle against the old man sometimes the
old man's gonna get one in on us but that should not be the prevailing you
know pattern of our life we're just the old man seems to win quite a few
victories like if we put up a scoreboard you know it's like the old
man's in the triple digits and we've got like we're in the singles over
here okay should be the other way around you know and and and I believe
that if God looks down and sees us struggling you know trying to walk in
newness of life endeavoring to to put down the old man crucifying the flesh as
Paul said dying daily in our values I believe God will look down and give us
grace and mercy when we do stumble and fall but if we're just going
through life just sinning and oh you know I'm just a sinner it's just you
know I haven't got that new body just making excuse for sin and just giving
in not resisting temptation you know that's when God's gonna judge us I believe
that's when God is gonna hold back on his mercy so we can you know we could at
least appreciate somebody who's struggling against sin okay and I know
I told you not to that we're done Romans but go to Romans 7 okay I
highlighted the wrong verse read he says here I'll continue on in Romans 6
where if we've been planted together in likeness of his death we should
also be in the likeness of our of his resurrection our old man is crucified
from excuse me it's crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed
that henceforth we should not serve sin the Bible says in second
Corinthians second Corinthians 5 if any man be in Christ he's a new
creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new okay
that's true it's it's you know it we will have that that that new man
but in the meantime we have to as Paul said in Ephesians put off
concerning the form of conversation and reform him you can chain him in
you can try to temper his his behavior you can try to correct him but at the
end of the deceitful of all things and desperately wicked he said then all
of these things proceed out of us
or suffering in the world is man in his wicked heart and we have to put
these things off and do what be that happens automatically that's something
you have to do day out you know just like you get up in the morning and
get dressed before you walk out the door I hope right
man on you got to get up and say not today old man not today you know me and
maybe yesterday he got you but not today yesterday was another is a
different story I can't do anything about it but today and going forward
the next day I'm gonna get up and you know what I'm gonna win this one
it's gonna be I'm gonna get one on the board for the new man gonna get
the new man's gonna get a W today my hand the old man and L right but you
have to do that you have to put him on you know you gotta start your day
with Bible reading start your day with prayer get in the Word of God and
determined to resist the flesh because it's still there it hasn't gone
anywhere and the old man will he'll move on you and he's crafty and you
can't blame it all on the devil either folks nobody wants people just
like every time something have oh it's the devil it's the devil no it's
sometimes it's just you and your flesh now I get it sometimes that the
devil tempts us you know what the Bible said in James that we were
tempted of our own lusts all the devil's got to do sometimes just wind
us up and just let us go and we're just like one of those stupid little
toys that just you know we'll split it right off the edge of the table or
wherever we set it down right where I had to go in Romans 7 look at verse 15
right and look some people so you know might get all holier than thou and
think well you know I don't struggle with sin I don't know what his
problem is up there but well excuse me you know the Apostle Paul struggled
with sin the Apostle Paul right he says here in verse 15 for what have
for which for that which I do I allow not for that I would that I do not but
what I hate that I do so it's kind of a tongue tongue twister a little bit
that which I do I allow not saying I do the things I'd rather not do right
referring to sin for what I would that the good things that I want to do
I do not that I don't do right but what I hate that I do and why is that
because Paul is just like me and you Paul has the same old man in his life
that you and I do he doesn't anymore praise God he's in heaven but look at
verse 16 if then I do that which I would not I do the things I would not
do I consent on the law that it is good that the law is right that it you
know it does condemn us now that it is now more I that do it but sin that
dwelleth in me saying it's not me it's not the new man it's the sin that's in
me it's the sin that's in this flesh as Jesus said the evil things the
concupiscence the lasciviousness the sin that is in our heart in our
flesh that's where this comes from you know and that then we need to take
heed of that because you and I are still walking around this old man the
same flesh verse 18 for I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good
thing for to will is present with me but how to perform that which is good
I find not for the good that I would I do not but the evil which I would
not that I do and this is you know this is the testimony of somebody who
struggles to put on the new man you know if you really struggle or excuse
me if you really endeavor rather to put on the new man and to walk in newness of
life you will have the same testimony and it'll grieve you it's not like
Paul's bragging here you know I I get into sin every now and then right it's
not what he's saying he's saying I'm I'm endeavoring to put on the new man
I die daily I mortify the deeds of this flesh I try I struggle still he's
saying I try to do the things I should and I fail but what he doesn't do is
he doesn't throw in the towel say what's the point and just be given over to as
it said lasciviousness where it's just take you know let's just take the
brakes off on the flesh and just let it give it everything it wants he
said verse 20 now if I do that I would not it is no more I that do it
but sin that dwelleth in me I find then a law that when I would do good
evil is present with me it's always there for I delight in the law of God
after the inward man but I see another law in my members warring against the law
of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is
in my members the sin is in my members I see it it's there I see
another law in my member in my members and that that sin that's there
that's in my members that's in my flesh in which no good thing dwells
it's warring against my mind this is the Christian life that's a battle to
the grave against the flesh it's true that's what Paul saying it's warring
against the law of my mind in my mind I know what to do I desire the things of
God after the inward man I want to do that was pleasing to God I don't want
to do these things that I hate even he even despises the sin and he still
does it it's still there warring against his mind and notice his
reaction in verse 24 Oh wretched man that I am exclamation point who shall
deliver me from this body of death I think God through Jesus Christ our
Lord so that when the mind I serve myself so then with the mind I myself
serve the law of God but with the flesh the law of sin this is what I'm
trying to get across nice that our sinful nature is permanent and if God
were to remove all evil and suffering from the world he would have to destroy
mankind so you can see how foolish a notion it is to charge God with and
blame him for the suffering that's in the world when we're the source of it
why does God you know God shouldn't allow all this evil in the world you
sure you want him to follow through on that because we none of us if he was
gonna do that he had to get rid of us
what's a you know this is a testimony to the mercy and grace and the
goodness of God that man is defiled through and through before a holy God
you would go to Revelation chapter number four you know we try to we try
to get across the holiness of God with the the truth is none of us on
this earth could even begin to fathom how truly holy God is we'll never
we'll never be able to comprehend it until we behold him in heaven it's
beyond description and there's certain passages where you know the sight of
heaven the sight of the Lord and his throne is described and we try to get an
idea of how holy God is I'll read to you from Isaiah 6 it says in verse 1
in the year that King Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a
throne high and lifted up and his train filled the temple above it stood the
seraphims which had each one had six wings with twain he covered his face
and with twain he covered his feet and with twain he did fly so they're
covering their faces with their wings and they cried one unto another what is
it that they cried holy holy holy is the Lord of hosts the whole earth is
full of his glory that's all they cried you know and I believe that when
Isaiah saw that he was just seeing something that's probably been going on
for all of eternity I mean how long would you sit there and declare the
holiness of God Almighty you say okay well you know it's been a few eons you
know a few millennia have gone by of us crying holy holy holy I think we covered
it no God's so holy that I believe they've been crying that night and day
for eternity and will continue to do so that's how holy God is that when
you come into his presence you cannot help but cry out holy holy holy is the
Lord God Almighty and again John saw the same thing verse Revelation 4 verse 1
after this I looked and behold a door was opened in heaven and the first voice
which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me meaning was
very loud right which said come up thither and I will show thee things
which must be hereafter and immediately I was in the spirit and behold a throne
was set in heaven and once sat on the throne and he that sat was to look
upon like a Jasper and a sergeant stone and there was a rainbow about the
throne in sight like unto an emerald and a roundabout the throne were four
and twenty seats and upon these seats saw I saw four and twenty elders
sitting clothed in white raiment and they had on their heads crowns of gold
and out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices
and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne which are
the seven spirits of God and before the throne was to see of glass like
unto crystal in the midst of the throne and round about the throne were the
four beasts full of eyes before and behind so these beasts are full of
eyes right and the four beasts each of them had six wings sounds familiar
doesn't it six wings about him you know three on each side and they were
full of eyes within the wings are full of eyes so these creatures just
have eyes all around them now I believe that he's describing the same thing
that Isaiah saw we're just getting more detail about these creatures you
know they're covering their face you know how do they see well all the
eyes that are covering them before and behind their wings that are full
of eyes and they notice they cry the same thing and they rest not day and
night meaning they never stop they never take a break they never punch
out they don't put in their time and then say okay that's enough for
today we'll come back tomorrow no they rest not day and day and what is
it that they cry the same thing we saw in Isaiah holy holy holy Lord God
Almighty which was and is and is to come that's what they cry and again
this is another great picture of God's holiness that not only when you come
into the presence of God can you not help but proclaim that holiness but
you're going to wish
hold his holiness you say what's the point of the eyes because they just
that's what I believe that represents them just wanting to see and behold
the glory of God
and one of the best things that's going to help you resist the flesh to
crucify that that is warring in your mind against against the flesh is
to consider the holiness of God I'd look upon that holiness and this is
the you know and this gives us an idea of how
throne just proclaiming his holiness throughout all eternity night and day no
rest they're full of eyes
and to try to get us to understand a little bit about how holy God is it
can never be expressed in words it can never
can't comprehend it but what's really amazing about this it's spite of how
holy God is and how thoroughly corrupt man
spares man I mean this is just a testimony to the mercy but we can all
probably relate to Paul in Romans chapter 7 we could definitely hear what
Jesus had to say in Mark chapter 7 and say that's true these things are
in our hearts if we're honest these things proceed out of us and you know
if they're if they don't if they don't
that what's truly amazing is that God that holy forgives and has mercy on
upon our mind is what it says in Lamentations chapter number three it is
of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed
God just destroy a wicked and sinful creature like man because God is
merciful
right I you know that like sometimes a guy who is guilty
and been found guilty in court will say I throw myself at the mercy of the and it's
of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed meaning we deserve to be
consumed mankind deserves
in spite of how holy he is that he preserves man and he even redeems him
and gives him a way out and is even willing to give them the title of child
of God behold what manner of love the father bestowed upon us that we should
be called the children of God I mean that's how loving God is he takes this
corrupt wicked being and sends his only begotten son to shed his precious blood
to redeem him unto himself that's the mercy of God folks his mercies are
it's his mercies that we're not consumed because his compassion's fail
not God is compassionate they are new every morning greatest I faithfulness
what a great promise in the Word of God and look I don't care where you
are tonight in this battle against the flesh that is there whether you admit it or not
I don't care if you've been stumbling and slipping and sliding through
slim the last seven days of Sunday anywhere else I can fit in there
I don't care if you've been beaten down and you've been losing the battle
the old man's got you in a chokehold tonight you can get down on your knees
and and plead to the God of heaven you come both before that throne and and
plead the blood of Christ you can confess that sin and forsake it and God
will show you mercy whosoever confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall
have mercy and you can wake up tomorrow and God's mercy will be new
tomorrow and you can start all over tomorrow and you can put on the new
man tomorrow and you can start down that path it's never too late to start
serving God it's never too late to get things right with God it's
never too late to get the sin out and get get the old man out and get the
new man in it's never too late until you're dead and if God hasn't crowned
you and take you home then then you know what he's gonna take you home and
crown you I guess I don't know like he's giving you a chance God spares
man but here's the here's you know here's the rub and so in God sparing
man and so doing he allows evil to exist say why does God allow evil to
exist because he's showing mercy to man because the only way to eradicate
evil from the face of the earth is to destroy man in whose heart evil dwells
well you're at first Peter chapter number one look at verse 13 wherefore
gird up the loins of your mind be sober and hope to the end of the
grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ as
obedient children what's he saying here he's saying hope for the return of
Christ set your eyes upon Christ look unto Jesus he's saying set your
affection upon things which are above and not on the things of this earth
he's saying gird up the loins of your mind hope to the end for the
graces to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ and in
the meantime as obedient children not fashioning yourselves according the
former lust in your ignorance don't walk around in the flesh don't feed the
old man crucify him he's already dead but as he which hath called you is holy
and believe it he is holy we can't even begin to understand how holy he
truly is so be ye holy in all manner of conversation behave as
somebody who's been shown mercy by a holy God who's been redeemed unto a
holy God because it is written be ye holy why should I be holy because I am
holy why should we concern ourselves with with fighting the flesh why should
we concern ourselves with putting off the old man and putting on the new why
should we concern ourselves with walking in the newness of life because
God is holy because God is holy and he's commanded that we also be holy
let's go ahead closing word prayer dear Lord again thank you for your great
mercy that you show towards us through the death and burial and
resurrection of your son thank you for the the great salvation that has been
given to us through his sacrifice and though I prayed help each and every
one of us Lord to examine our hearts and to and to look where the old man
might still be breathing where the old man might still be taking up residence
in our hearts and in our minds Lord and help us to fight the good fight of
faith Lord to war against the flesh Lord to not just give in and roll over
let the old man have his way Lord but but to go on in spite of the fact that
yes we are corrupt yes our hearts are deceitfully wicked but Lord we have a
new man a new nature we have a high calling in Christ Jesus and Lord help
us to always see that help us to consider Lord how holy you are and
Lord so that we would endeavor to live the life that we ought to live in the
newness of life we ask these things in Christ's name amen
all right we'll go ahead and sing one more song before we are dismissed tonight
What a glory he sheds on our way
How we do his good will
He abides with us still
And all who will trust and obey
Trust and obey
For there's no other way
To be happy in Jesus
But we trust and obey
Not a shadow can rise
Not a cloud in the skies
But his family drives it away
Not a doubt or a fear
Not a sign or a tear
Careful how we trust and obey
Trust and obey
For there's no other way
To be happy in Jesus
But we trust and obey
Not a burden we bear
Not a sorrow we share
But our totally loved ones we will bear
Not a grief nor a loss
Not a frown nor a cross
What is blessed if we trust and obey
Trust and obey
For there's no other way
To be happy in Jesus
But we trust and obey
But we never can lose
Like the lights of his love
Until all of the altar we lay
For the favor he shows
And the joy he sows
Are for men who will trust and obey
Trust and obey
For there's no other way
To be happy in Jesus
But we trust and obey
Not a doubt
And fellowship's key
We will sing at his feet
What will walk by his side in the rain
But he says we will do
Where he sends me will go
Trust and obey
For there's no other way
To be happy in Jesus