men great to be here tonight thank you everyone for coming it's great to preach
to a full house tonight and great sermon by Pastor Dave Burzins and tonight I'm
preaching on the subject of becoming vain look at verse 15 where we just read
Bible reads in 2nd Kings 17 15 and they rejected his statutes and his covenant
that he made with their fathers and went out and his testimonies which he
testified against them and they followed vanity and became vain and went after
the heathen that were round about them concerning whom the Lord had charged
them that they should not do like them and so I want to focus on that part
where it says they followed vanity and became vain so the Bible teaches that if
you follow after vanity you yourself will become vain if you follow the
heathen that are around you you will become vain now what does it mean to be
vain well if you look this up in the dictionary the the definition that I
believe is the biblical definition here was actually definition number five in
the dictionary that I looked at without real significance without real value
without real importance baseless or worthless okay so not having a point
just being completely worthless meaningless empty that's what it means
to be vain how would you like to be vain you know somebody who's just a pointless
individual why do you even exist you're nobody you're nothing right we don't
want to become vain well if you don't want to become vain then quit following
vanity don't follow vain people or you yourself will become vain now go to
Ecclesiastes I want to help you understand the definition of the word
vain or vanity becoming vain by following vanity is what I'm talking
about tonight but let's just kind of understand biblically what the word
vanity means Ecclesiastes chapter 1 verse 2 vanity of vanities saith the
preacher vanity of vanities all is vanity and then look at verse 3 what
profit hath a man of all his labor which he taketh under the Sun so the term
vanity is that which is without profit right it's not profitable there's no
real benefit there's no real value to it as we read in the dictionary look at
chapter 2 verse 11 then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought and
on the labor that I labored to do and behold all was vanity and vexation of
spirit and there was no profit under the Sun so that comes up over and over again
in the definition of vanity that it's just it's pointless it's meaningless
there's no profit there's no benefit look at verse number 18 of chapter 3 go
to chapter 3 Ecclesiastes 3 18 I said in my heart concerning the estate of the
sons of men that God might manifest them and they might see that they themselves
are beasts beasts are animals for that which befalleth the sons of men befall
of beasts even one thing befalleth them as one diet so diet the other yay they
have all one breath so that a man have no preeminence above a beast for all is
vanity all go into one place all are of the dust and all turn to dust again so
you see to the natural man who doesn't understand spiritual things or doesn't
see that there's anything beyond the physical that there's nothing beyond
this life the man has no preeminence above a beast right to him to the
atheist the evolutionist you know he looks at man as basically just a really
advanced animal you know somewhere between like an elephant and a dolphin
or something in its intelligence and that's what the evolutionist today
thinks that's what the atheist and the agnostic thinks that he is like an
animal and so basically his entire life consists only of vain things because
he's nothing better than a beast even in his own mind even according to his own
estimation he is just an animal that's all flip over if you would back if you
would to 2nd Kings chapter 17 if you would 2nd Kings 17 while you're turning
there 1st Samuel 12 verse 20 says this and Samuel said unto the people fear not
you've done all this wickedness yet turn not aside from following the Lord but
serve the Lord with all your heart turn ye not aside for then you should go
after vain things we could which cannot profit nor deliver for their vain so
again things that can't profit they're no good they're worthless their vain he
said look if you're not serving the Lord if you're not following the Lord with
all your heart if you turn away from the Lord you're going to go after vain
things that's the alternative that's what the Bible is saying look at verse
15 of chapter 17 and they rejected his statutes this is where they began to
become vain is when they rejected the Word of God they rejected his
commandments his judgments that's the first step toward becoming vain and his
covenant that he made with their fathers and his testimonies which he testified
against them see they don't want to hear preaching against them so then they turn
away from the Word of God they turn away from preaching they turn away from
Commandments because it applies to them they don't want to be rebuked and then
it says they followed vanity and became vain and went after the heathen that
were round about them concerning whom the Lord had charged them that they
should not do like them look we are surrounded today by heathen just like
they were are we going to serve the Lord and follow his statutes and listen to
his rebuke or are we gonna follow after the heathen that surround us and do like
them God says don't do like them follow the Lord be different be peculiar be
separate don't follow vanity or you will become being worldly people the
heathen around us spend their lives following things and people that don't
matter that's right and if you look up to vain people and have these vain
people as your heroes and your role models then you will become vain too if
you follow them you'll become worthless pointless a total waste a worthless
individual I want to be somebody I don't want to be a nobody I want my life
to matter go if you would to Proverbs chapter 31 Proverbs chapter 31 while
you're turning there let me give you my first point point number one seeking
wealth is following after vanity one of the vain things that the heathen around
us are following I mean when we think about this world and the unsaved and the
heathen basically they are just a glorified animal in their own mind a
glorified beast because they've evolved or something well what do they seek what
do they do with their life I mean they don't seek first the kingdom of God they
don't seek the kingdom of God at all they don't wake up every morning and
read their Bible and pray they don't go to church on Sunday or you know so what
is it that they do seek after what is it that motivates them well many of them
are seeking wealth today that's something that a lot of people are going
after the Bible says in Ecclesiastes 5 you know I've turned there he that
loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver nor he that loveth abundance
with increase this is also vanity when goods increase their increase that eat
them and what good is there to the owners thereof saving the beholding of
them with earth how vain is it to seek after wealth and riches because once you
have those things you will not be satisfied when you have the silver and
the abundance and the huge bank account you won't be satisfied you'll just want
more and what good are those things to you except the beholding of them with
your eyes once you finally get the house that you want so badly that you covet so
earnestly once you get that car once you get that wardrobe what good is it except
just the beholding of it with your eyes you know what that's gonna get old
really fast it's not gonna bring satisfaction to you to have those
wealthy things just to look at them I mean you say oh man I've got this sports
car it's a $300,000 car well what good is it when the speed limit on the
freeway is 70 miles an hour you're not gonna be able to get up to 175 you know
you're gonna get up to 75 so what good is it except the beholding of it with
your eyes you know they're rich people today they have these garages just
filled with all these vehicles they don't have time to drive them all and
when they do drive them all it's vanity it's pointless it's vain but some people
literally that is their whole life from start to finish is just making money
getting rich you know what there's more to life than that that is a vain life I
love this verse Psalm 39 6 surely every man walketh in a vain show surely every
man walketh in a vain show you know people who who make all this money so
then they put on some really fancy outfit maybe something with the label on
the outside or something so that everybody can see hey I just want
everybody to know you know this is Armani suit or whatever and they have
these fancy things and every man walketh in a vain show surely they're
disquieted in vain he heapeth up riches and knoweth not who shall gather them
and now Lord what wait I for my hope is in thee so the psalmist is saying look
what's my hope what's my expectation it's the Lord what does he have a vain
show he's like this peacock with all his feathers all or you know showing us his
suit and his shoes and his belt and all these different things it's it's it's
meaningless it's vain so number one seeking wealth is following vanity but
number two seeking glamour is falling after vanity so number one the world
seeks after wealth but number two and this is kind of similar to the first
point the world seeks after glamour look if you would at verse 29 there in
Proverbs 31 many daughters have done virtuously but thou excel ist them all
favor is deceitful and beauty is vain but a woman that fear at the Lord she
shall be praised so the men of this world are out seeking wealth and riches
and the women of this world are often out seeking what glamour beauty fashion
Bible says favor is deceitful you know what favor means favor is when someone
looks at you in this context you know in regard to the outward appearance of
beauty favor is when someone looks at you and says she is beautiful what an
amazing outfit what a gorgeous apparel what a beautiful woman how stunning well
just lights up the whole room that is favor is when people would look at you
and and your appearance would be favorable unto them or you would be a
favorite okay you have that favor that's deceitful what does that mean you know
in the Bible text about the deceitfulness of riches you know what
the deceitfulness of riches is that it's gonna make you happy that it's gonna
endure that it's gonna last that it's gonna have value it has no value it's
vanity doesn't have a lasting value well glamour is the same way favor and beauty
are the same favor is deceitful and beauty is vain you just wish oh I was so
much I wish I were more beautiful well you know what that's vain that's just
that's the same as the man who wishes that he was rich you're going after the
wrong things in life you don't understand what has the real
light the woman that feared the Lord is the one that has true value and is
worthy to be praised not physical appearance being the main thing give her
of the fruit of her hands and let her own works praise her in the gates notice
it doesn't say let her appearance or image praise her it says let her works
praise her okay women should be known by their deeds not just be something to
behold with the eyes okay you know what makes a great wife is not just a
beautiful woman but a woman that does the right work you know I guarantee you
the happy marriages out there the husbands that are gonna rise up and
praise their wife and call her blessed you know look if someone asked me the
great and look my wife is beautiful I love the way that my wife looks but I'm
not just gonna get up and say here's the value of my wife look at her I'm gonna
say hey look at all the achievements look at how she does in the home look how
she does in the kitchen look how she does with the children look how she does
in her life spiritually I'm gonna look at the works I'm gonna look at the
achievements I'm gonna look at soul saved I'm gonna look at being a godly
influence on other women I'm gonna look at the children and how she raises them
and how you know I trust her to raise my children hey those are the things that
make her a great wife not physical appearance as paramount and if you asked
her you know about her husband she's not just gonna talk about my appearance
that's obvious right so I'm just gonna praise my appearance but when you're
when you're dating or when you're young or when you're thinking you know that's
a huge thing for you is just it's all about looks yeah but wait a minute hold
on a minute you know what's on the inside that's what counts okay now look
I don't think that you should marry someone that you don't find attractive
but let me tell you something you know if that's your main criteria and you're
passing over you know godly young men or godly young ladies just because they
don't look like they would go on a magazine cover you know what you're
being very foolish and you have all the wrong priorities because that is a vain
meaningless thing and you know if you're the type of person that's following
after that kind of vanity you're gonna become vain and you know what that's the
worst insult I think that somebody could ever say to you is to just say you know
what you are vain you don't matter you're a non entity here you are just
worth your look if God says that about you then it's true you're nobody you
know you know you don't even you're not even relevant you're you're like a non
playable character is what you are right you're an NPC I don't know if I'm
using that cultural reference properly am I don't be an NPC all right what does
it say in the dictionary under vain you know I jumped straight to definition 5
because that's the definition that fit the scriptures that I was referencing
but let's talk about definition number one in the dictionary of what it says
about being vain number one excessively proud or concerned about one's own
appearance now that definition fits in great in Proverbs 31 and that's where
this definition because God see you see the actual definition is definition
number five no real significance no real value but when God said hey beauty is
vain people heard that so many times and that proverb has been read so many
times one of the most popular Proverbs in the Word of God and because you know
you have 78 million Americans going to church every week and because you have
millions and millions of people all over the world reading the Word of God and
especially reading the proverb of the day or Proverbs 31 and and things like
that you know it's it's become so ingrained that quote favors the
deceitful beauty is vain that basically now there's a whole nother definition of
vain which has become the main definition which is somebody who's into
their appearance you are vain you know what that means you are a person who is
focused on that which is empty and meaningless and that's a good way for
your life to become empty and meaningless definition number one
excessively proud or concerned about one's own appearance qualities
achievements etc conceded that's what it has come to mean as the primary
definition because of these kind of people being into their appearance being
empty type people definition number two proceeding from or showing pride or
concern about one's appearance again that yeah I don't know why they split
that into two definitions and then it verse is not verse definition number
three it has to do with this applying it to other areas of life where people are
just conceded or puffed up or prideful about their achievements etc now if you
would turn over to Isaiah chapter 40 and why return to Isaiah 40 I'm gonna give
you Psalm 26 3 for thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes and I've walked in thy
truth I have not sat with vain persons neither will I go with dissemblers I've
hated the congregation of evildoers and will not sit with the wicked why is he
saying look God I haven't sat with vain persons because he doesn't want to
become like them he wants his life to matter and mean something he doesn't
want to be empty and vain how do you follow vain and light persons well how
about following celebrities on Twitter following celebrities on Instagram but
you know it's why they call it fall you know you click a little tab says like
following right go to you go to the Facebook page of some celebrity you're
following I guarantee you that if we were to go to the whores and
whoremongers of Hollywood and these are some of the most empty-headed people on
the planet their whole job is just to look a certain way and just talk and
sound a certain way their their brains are empty except just memorizing lines
that they have to read but if you listen to interviews with some of these
Hollywood celebrities they are some vain and light persons these are some of
the most the emptiest minds on the planet some of these people okay and so
when you sit there and go to their pages I didn't check this because I don't have
to check this because I already know that if I went to whether it's Instagram
Twitter Facebook of these type of celebrities you know there's gonna be
millions of followers you could go to empty-headed fools like Brad Pitt and
Angelina Jolie you know excuse me for bringing up the same people over and
over again I don't know who the the the stars are today who are the empty-headed
stars of today that people are following I don't know and you don't know either
because you're not you don't watch that stuff but none of you do sure but here's
the thing I guarantee we'd go there and there's just millions and millions of
followers you know what that tells me millions of millions of people who are
on their way to becoming vain because they're following vanity you know
reading People magazine you know get People magazine off the back of your
toilet in your house and put it in the toilet and flush it all right you know
get put the Word of God on the coffee table but you know put something
intelligent at least put some intelligent reading material on your
coffee table because People magazine it's garbage US Weekly or is that one of
those entertainment magazines right is that it is that what it's called is that
the other one that's like People magazine glamour yeah there's a magazine
called glamour magazine right but I'm saying these back there there are whole
magazines I'm just like oh look we got the we got a zoom lens like seven feet
long and we were able to tune in to this beach where this celebrity went
swimming and and you know they looks like they gained about seven pounds you
know there are people who sit and read that junk they're not reading the King
James Bible that's what they're reading you know what they're gonna be a vain
and light stupid foolish person hey it's time to unfollow on Twitter unfollow on
Facebook unfollow on Instagram the Hollywood whores and whoremongers and
the stars of the music industry these vain and light person it's time to quit
trying to keep up with the Kardashians empty vain light meaningless people or
how about this keeping up with the royal family in England you know what outfit
princess whatever is wearing and Prince so-and-so bunch of freaks and weirdos
that print did you see that Prince of England just now had to step down okay
because of the fact that he's palling around with Jeffrey Epstein who by the
way did not hang himself in case you didn't get the memo like five million
times by now okay and so you know he's palling around with this guy who's a
convicted pedophile he's going to and he's going to his house and hanging out
there for days and days and days why because Jeffrey Epstein is procuring all
of his underage concubines okay this guy is just a sleazy say he's not that's not
royalty I'm royalty your royalty pastor person who in here is safe put up your
head it's the royal family this is the royal family he's made us kings and
priests I'm not a prince I'm a king down with Prince pervert whatever that
guy's name is I don't even know what his name is I don't even care what his name
is a little Epstein crony whatever that fool's name is you know I don't care the
Queen of England is wicked thank God for American independence amen you know what
those are people if people are just following the Royals and they're just
following the celebrities and just following the stars why figure out what
they're wearing so that I can wear the same thing and figure out what kind of
hairdo they have so I can get the same hairdo right no folks that's the wrong
role model you're gonna become a vain and light person don't follow glamour
here's what the Bible says about the royal family look at Isaiah 40 verse 23
he that bringeth the princes to nothing he maketh the judges of the earth as
vanity look at verse 17 all nations before him
are as nothing it's not just England and by the way England is a fag country all
right that's why I said anyway all nations before him as nothing and there
counted him less than nothing Oh and vanity I mean look I love the way
I mean the Bible is so poetic that's one of the reasons I hate the modern versions
they have no style the Bible's got style the King James Version has got style so
it's so beautifully written okay he says all nations are before him as nothing
and they're counted to him as less than nothing and vanity that's that's poetry
nothing less than nothing and vanity you know I've always loved the phrase in
judges and if you would turn to Jeremiah chapter 4 I've always loved the phrase
in judges chapter 9 where it talks about a bimilek who's a very wicked person he
murdered like his whole family just a bloodthirsty tyrannical King you know
during the period of the judges there's this one King that was anointed that
lasted about three years okay he's a wicked King named a bimilek he's the son
of Gideon and it talks about how a bimilek hired vain and light persons
which followed him and I love that term vain and light persons because that's
what these Hollywood people are and what does it mean to be light well the
opposite of light is heavy okay heaviness in this sense has to do with
honor or gravity seriously look someone that you take seriously is the opposite
of a light person now one of the qualifications for being a pastor is that
the the pastor must be grave the deacon must be great you know a grave person is
not just a person who's serious but it's a person you take seriously you know
have you ever heard people say well that guy doesn't really have a lot of
gravitas or hey you don't understand the gravity of the situation right and
gravity is that which makes things fall down because of their weight okay so a
person who's got some weight to their work you know when they when they speak
we're gonna listen to them they have some clout they're someone that we take
seriously the opposite has a light a vain and light person somebody who's
just a non playable character but anyway look at Jeremiah chapter 4 verse 30 and
when thou art spoiled what wilt thou do though thou cloth ist thyself with
crimson though thou deck is thee with ornaments of gold I love this phrase
though thou rent ist thy face with painting in vain shalt thou make thyself
fair thy lovers will despise thee they will seek thy life now it's kind of a
complicated scripture so let me just put it in context for you to explain it
before I talk about it here's the context okay God's about to bring
judgment in Jeremiah chapter 4 he's prophesying doom and destruction and
judgment and he's explaining that you know although being right with God and
seeking the Lord would have spared them from judgment would have allowed them to
be protected in the judgment like Jeremiah himself is gonna make it
through this thing and and come out right God's gonna protect Jeremiah God's
gonna protect Baruch through this so taking care of things spiritually would
have spared them from judgment instead they're focused on their outward
appearance and he's saying your outward appearance your fancy outfits your
jewelry your makeup it's not gonna do anything for you when the enemy heathen
hordes come in it's not gonna help that you look good on that day you're gonna
get tore up but look what he says here in verse 30 there he says when thou art
spoiled what would thou do though thou clothes thyself with crimson that's the
most expensive outfit you could get back then the expensive dyes are like
purples and reds and crimson and magenta those are the most expensive colors
though thou deck is thee with ornaments of gold though thou rent is thy face
with painting here's what's so much he's saying like you're putting on so much
makeup you're gonna like tear a hole in your face right I mean what does what
doesn't mean to rent to rend is to tear something he's saying like you're
putting on makeup so vigorously so vehemently that you're actually like
tearing into your flesh like that's you know he's basically making a mockery of
the lengths that these women are going to for their appearance and he says you
you rend your face with painting in vain shout thou make thyself fair thy lovers
will despise thee they will seek thy life you know you need to spend time on
that which is on the inside ladies and not on the vanity of your outward
appearance and how much time did you spend today reading your Bible or
praying unto the Lord versus how much you spent doling yourself up in front of
the mirror okay and and you know what if you're spending an hour in front of the
mirror it's been an hour and a half in front of you spend five minutes in your
Bible you know what that's a joke at least turn on an audio Bible while you
spend three hours rending your face all right let's move on from that 1st
Corinthians chapter 3 if you would 1st Corinthians chapter 3 so number 1 we
said that the vain things that the world follows are number 1 they fall after
riches they're seeking riches boy you're chasing wind you're chasing vanity there
number 2 we said seeking glamour is vanity the outward appearance is vanity
but number 3 seeking scholarly accolades master's degree PhD is vanity because
you know not everybody's just out there to make money not everybody's got a
whole row of books on their shelf that's just you know Kiyosaki and Donald Trump
and you know you think big and kick whatever and and you know we're gonna
make money in the real estate market and you know not everybody's just going from
one seminar to another and and just trying to just spend their whole life
making money and and into that and you know what not everybody's just all into
their appearance right because different people go after different vain things
there's not one path toward becoming vain there are many paths that lead
toward becoming vain there's one path toward being a person whose life matters
and that's following the Lord serving the Lord so it's not always gonna be
money number one it's not always gonna be glamour and beauty number two it's
also going to often be those who worship the mind and they worship the
educational institutions and academia of this world so instead of idolizing Brad
Pitt and Angelina Jolie and instead of idolizing you know Donald Trump and and
Bill Gates and these millionaires and Ted Turner you know they're idolizing
those who are the professors and the scholars and the you know and they're
basically dedicated to academic distinction it's vanity being recognized
by this world as a scholar receiving accolades and degrees and and and
academic prestige is vain it's it's just as vain as getting getting on some red
carpet and getting out of a limo and walking into some movie premiere it's
the same thing when you put on some stupid hat and some flowing Freemasonry
looking outfit and you know you know you're semi cum laude or whatever I know
it's not pronounced like I was just kidding but yeah you know I graduated
semi cum laude you know I know it's summa cum laude it was a joke but you
know what it's just it's just as vain you know just as vain as trying to get a
star on the sidewalk in Hollywood yeah it's just as vain as trying to get your
name in some academic journal as being the foremost scholar on you know
Semitic studies or whatever look at 1st Corinthians chapter 3 verse 18 let's see
what the Word of God has to say let no man deceive himself if any man among you
seemeth to be wise in this world let him become a fool that he may be wise for
the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God for it is written he taketh the
wise in their craft in their own craftiness and again the Lord knoweth
the thoughts of the wise that they're vain therefore let no man glory in men
don't glory in men why because the thoughts of the wise are vain you know
you could you could present the Lord Jesus Christ or the copy of you know
Stephen Hawking's latest book or whatever or Michio Kaku's book and you
know what it's dung unto him he'll write a poem about how it's less than nothing
and and vanity okay so don't be deceived by these things because I'm telling you
these are the things that are trying to seduce us away from serving the Lord
right I mean there are people in this world that are serving the Lord I mean
there are people in this world they get up in the morning to serve God you know
it's like every day it's like all right you know what this is the day that the
Lord has made we will rejoice and be glad hey let's read the Bible let's do
our duties you know let's a Sunday let's go to church all right hey let's go out
and do some soul winning hey I'm gonna win somebody to Christ I'm studying this
book of the Bible I'm studying that book of the Bible hey I'm discipling this guy
over here I'm trying to I'm praying for this person here's what I'm reading
here's what I'm soul winning here's where I'm going to church here's my
missions project hey here's my missions trip that I'm looking for look some
people that their life you know is revolving around what church and things
of God that's that's who they are you know you get to know them and and you
couldn't really describe them without mentioning hey he's really active in his
local church he really loves the Lord he's big on soul women he's big on the
body you know when you talk to him he cites and references the Bible there
people like that right but then there are other people whose life isn't like
that what are they following well some of them are following money you know
some of them are just really into just fashion and appearance and keeping up
with this star and that star and this royal and oh that's the dress and that's
the hairstyle and whatever and then others are falling academia look the
devil has all these things out there all these different thorns of this world
that are ready to just choke the word and make it unfruitful okay all these
things that are competing for your attention in life trying to distract
you to where you're not keeping the main thing the main thing to where you're not
keeping the Lord always before you you know just have it I've set the Lord
always before me because he's at my right hand I'll not be moved but there
are a lot of other things that are competing to be right in front of you
right you know the virtual reality headsets that want to just take over
your life to where instead of getting up in the morning and looking forward to
being with family or looking forward to fellowship with brethren in Christ
looking forward to reading the Bible looking forward to going out so winning
going to church or doing something that that matters with our life it's just
when can I get off work so I can log on to the video games you know when can I
get to the next movie the next virtual reality headset the next whatever
okay there are all these things competing for our attention seek first
the kingdom of God so number one did I return to Romans one you all have a
memorized turn there hey professing themselves to be wise they became fools
the wisdom of the wise of this world foolishness it's vanity seeking at look
why would I want to be set you know without here's a here's a bit this just
popped into my mind without all contradiction the less is blessed of the
better okay let that sink in for a minute without all contradiction the
less is blessed the better so I'm a child of God why do I want some with
ungodly heathen whose vanity who's gonna burn in hell to to be like here let me
move your tassel and tell you that you are now the master of divinity the
master of theology or folks without all contradiction the the the the less is
blessed of the better so so why would I look I'm not lifting myself up folks the
least the least person in this room who saved the least person in this room who
saved is greater than the president of Princeton University Harvard University
Yale University Stanford University so why do I need the these these heathens
okay who they don't have the beginning of knowledge which is the fear of the
Lord confer distinction upon me when I'm better than them okay and I'm not better
than them because I'm personally better than them because any child of God is
better than them any child of God and don't you know don't take what I'm
saying out of context the context here is that we as Christians don't need to
get our approval from this world when it comes to knowledge wisdom and
understanding because these are things that God dominates it so I'm not gonna
go to some glorified monkey down at Yale University a glorified monkey down at
Harvard a glorified monkey died just ask him that he'll tell you that that's what
he is he will tell you I am homo sapiens sapiens I'm not just a homo sapien buddy
I'm homo sapien sapiens well you know what just by virtue of being saved and
reading the Bible I'm homo sapien sapien sapien and I've got three sapiens for
your little two sapiens I think you're one and a half sapiens because I've got
more sapiencia in my little finger than you've got in your whole body because
I'm a child of God because I have the mind of Christ because I have the Holy
Spirit living inside of me and if without all contradiction the less is
blessed to the better why do we seek the blessing of the lesser and don't want to
don't take what I'm saying out of context because within context I'm right
and you know I'm right within context with what I'm saying right now Oh Pastor
Anderson thinks he's better than everybody else well you know what by the
grace of God I am what I am and you know what my life has meaning and value and
the professor of Harvard and Yale and Princeton and Stanford I don't even have
to know them to know that they're living a vain life because of the institutions
that they govern okay those are not godly places but you know all of them
have a theology department they all have a theology department where they say the
Bible all day long but you know what I don't need a piece of paper telling me
hey you know we certify that Pastor Anderson knows the Bible I don't need a
monkey to certify me everybody understand what I'm saying now look if
one of my if one of my fellow pastors said hey here's what I love about Pastor
Anderson he knows the Bible you know I'd be like wow you know that's an honor for
you know to for someone to feel that way about me but now when some monkeys
telling me that I don't care what you think you're a monkey you're a beast
that's what you that's what you think you are you know so anyway let's move on
to the fourth point number one we said seeking wealth is following vanity
number two seeking glamour is following vanity number three seeking scholarly
accolades master's degree PhD etc is following vanity and number four
dedicating your life to the environment is vanity look this is what some people
folks you laugh but this is what something I mean some people you say hey
what is your life about they would say you know what I just want to leave this
planet better you know and they're talking about nature am I right please
don't even begin to try to tell me that there are not people in this world whose
life is dedicated to the environment and they are falling after that that is
their religion that is their God that is who they wake up every morning to please
Mother Nature instead of God the Father you know that's true very serious it's
not just money it's not just fashion it's not just intellect no it's the
environment go to Genesis chapter 8 you say why is it vain to dedicate my life
to the environment well a couple of reasons number one is that the entire
purpose of the environment is for us to use it it's the only purpose you say
prove that from the Bible okay I will Isaiah 45 verse 18 says that you're
turning to Genesis 8 Isaiah 45 18 says this thus saith the Lord that created
the heavens God himself that formed the earth and made it now this is the person
who has the right to tell us what the purpose is the one who made the earth
the one who made the heavens he hath established it watch this he created it
not in vain now he's gonna explain what that means he created it not in vain you
ready for the rest of the sentence he formed it to be inhabited and you know
what that's saying is that if it's not inhabited it's in vain did we get that
he formed it not in vain he created it not in vain he did not created in vain
why is it not a vane God why does it matter it matters because he formed it
to be inhabited if it's not inhabited there'd be no point if this earth were
just this earth of just animals and flowers and trees and California condors
and spotted owls and and and three-toed sloths the whole thing would be a waste
that's what the Bible says if it's not formed to be inhabited then it's in vain
say what about all the natural beauty right you know why the natural beauty is
not in vain because we get to look at it but you know if a tree falls in the
woods and nobody's there to hear it does it even make a sound you know if you
have this beautiful valleys and beautiful hills and beautiful flowers
and beautiful trees and no one's there to look at them it's a waste he formed
it to be inhabited that's why he didn't create it in vain and he said oh by the
way I'm the Lord and there's nothing else so it doesn't matter what anybody
else says I'm the one who created it and I didn't create it in vain because I
formed it to be inhabited not for the government to come in say oh don't
inhabit this don't don't go there you can't go there rope that off for the
section no no he formed it to be inhabited why is it vain to dedicate
your life to saving the environment look at Genesis chapter 8 verse 21 and the
Lord smelled a sweet savour and the Lord said in his heart I will not again curse
the ground anymore for man's sake for the imagination of man's heart is evil
from his youth neither will I against might anymore every living thing as I've
done while the earth remaineth seedtime and harvest cold and heat and summer and
day and night shall not cease okay why is it vain it's vain because the
environments not in danger oh we gotta save the word the earth's not going
anywhere you know it reminds me of I saw this meme or something on Facebook where
it was this it said hey if you ever feel like your life is vain and meaningless
and pointless just remember this guy's the lifeguard at the Olympics you know
so they show his lifeguard he's sitting there you know you have these Olympic
swimmers they're not gonna drown you have a room full of Olympic swimmers he
got a lifeguard on duty you know what Al Gore is like that lifeguard he's there
to save people that don't need to be saved you know none of those Olympic
swimmers are need to be pulled out of that pool there they can get out of that
pool on their own no matter how bad of a day they're having I don't care if they
ate less than a half hour before the race or whatever they get a cramp you
know what they're getting out of that pool because you could they could
probably just use one of their four limbs and get themselves out of that
pool and and if they did have an issue they got the whole team there to pull
them out that lifeguard doesn't matter now I don't know if that was just a joke
or if there really is a lifeguard I don't know if any of this is true but
this parable explains the lives of these environmental people it's like we are
gonna say there the Earth's gonna be here forever okay hey the earth abideth
forever now look it's all gonna be changed it's all gonna be it's gonna
wax old as a garment it's gonna be burned up it's gonna be completely
torched and and baptized in fire and there's gonna be a new heaven and a new
earth but let me tell you something hey as long what does the Bible say look at
your Bible while the earth remaineth seedtime and harvest and cold and heat
and summer and winter and day and night shall not cease so is ever gonna get to
the point where the crops just don't grow anymore and where there's no more
there's no more cold it's just all global warming no there's gonna be cold
and heat all the way until the bitter end so why would you spend your life
trying to save something that doesn't need to be saved that's vain yes folks I
the world's gonna end and we already know how it's gonna end it has nothing
to do with the climate yeah has to do with the spirit has to do with an angry
God raining his wrath so that's why falling after Al Gore is vanity that's
why falling Alexandra whatever the O stands for Cortez is vanity and falling
that little sniveling Swedish brat is vanity and actually it's worse than
vanity because by the way it's also part of a one-world system because this
is what they this is what they're using this scare tactics about the climate to
say hey we need a global government to enforce environmentalism because you
know if this country over here is using up all the carbon credits well we're all
gonna be affected so we all got joined together for the environment this is
gonna be one of the major justifications for a one-world system it's like hey we
got joined together for the environment we gotta all pitch in here I guarantee
you that if you took that little Swedish brat and sat her down you say oh you're
picking on a little kid she's like 16 she just looks like a little kid she
looks like she's like 10 but she's actually 16 okay anybody know that how
dare you you know if you sat her down and said hey what do you think about the
United Nations what do you think about one world oh it's great and she'd be
for it no that's true she's part she's one of
them she's part of their agenda agenda 21 as in the 21st century an agenda of
using environment and climate to do what to put people into big cities to where
they're under control and to enforce rules on other nations and take away
their sovereignty and yada yada no look let me say this you know I'm actually
such a green person in the way that I live my life it's funny one time I was
at about ten years ago I was sitting in Whole Foods of all I mean of all hey am
I green or what am I a greenie or what I mean I was sitting at Whole Foods all
right and I'm sitting there and this Asian woman comes up me she was like a
college student age and and she was in a college class and she said hey I would
like to interview you for my school project about ways in which you are
green and you are protecting the environment I'm just saying to myself
like you're talking the wrong person because I don't give a crap about the
environment that was I'm just telling you that was my first thought but that's
what that was my thought but you know I didn't I'm not gonna say it like that so
I just said to her you know I don't think I don't know I don't really think
you know I'm what you're looking for you know you may want to just find someone
else and she said well no you know she was patient with me you know and she
said you know and she started asking me questions turn out was like one of the
greenest people she ever talked to
without even trying all right now look because here's the thing you know all
this junk about the environment you know we're just like I don't you know but
here's the thing obviously we don't we don't we're not into destroying the
environment are we you know if you think about it I mean just by just by buying
healthy food and organic food you're actually helping the environment by
doing that because all what's really messing up the environment is all this
genetically modified junk that's getting out into nature all the roundup ready
Monsanto corn that's getting out into nature and the genetically modified
organism look if you had two products on the shelf and one of them says hey this
one's GMO free and the other one said like hey warning this one's been
genetically modified which one are you gonna grab who's gonna grab the GMO free
in this room yeah see how green we are okay and look why we don't litter and by
the way you know what I share one vehicle with my wife and I typically
walk or ride a bike like almost everywhere I go okay so I'm not saying
hey let's just go out and destroy the environment by just throwing our trash
on the ground and hey let's just dump nuclear toxic waste into the ocean but
folks this environment agenda is not really about saving the environment it's
about the government getting more control because who's the biggest
polluter in the world is the government talk about a wolf guarding the henhouse
if you're gonna let the government have all these environment policies they're
the ones just setting off nukes in Nevada and and Utah and and during the
Cold War just to see what they would do just releasing all this radioactive
garbage into the environment okay so look I'm not saying hey go out and
litter and and trash things and and chemicals and GMOs hey I'm not into that
stuff I'm into living clean and keeping your neighborhood nice and and and
keeping your area clean and not polluting your water supply I get all
that you know go bury that which cometh from you outside the camp and all that
you know let's be sanitary and clean and but but folks that's not what the
environmental movements about the environmental movement is about the
world's gonna end if we don't do it and I'm here to tell you that Genesis
chapter 8 verse 21 promises that that will not happen and if you're here to
save the planet then you are like that lifeguard at the Olympics because it
doesn't need saving because it's gonna be here forever and and it's not going
to stop having days and nights and seed time and harvest summer winter it's all
gonna keep going that's not the problem you want to save the planet it's time to
do some soul winning okay that's what needs the saving is the soul not the
planet God's got the planet under control and so if you dedicate your
life to environment it's vanity I'm not saying not to use common sense about
you know just not just polluting and corrupting your area and corrupting
nature you know if I go to a nature preserve or something hey if I pack it
in I pack it out not a slob not like these derelict bums that just leave
their food and trash everywhere okay we want to be clean and orderly and and and
be a good steward of things but you know what to sit there and dedicate your life
to saving the environment's a waste of your life and number five and the final
point is dedicate your life to feminism is vanity go to job chapter 39 now look
it's true folks this is what people dedicate their life to I just just last
week I was speaking at a local community college and and you know this this young
lady was asked to get up and talk about what her values were what is important
to her what her beliefs are what her practices are what her religious
institutions are what her interests are I mean she was given literally like 15
categories in which to talk about who she is as a person and she literally got
up and all she only had three points and they were all about how she's a feminist
that's just that's all she that's who she is that is what and who she is what
she lives for I mean she was just a feminist to the core and that's all that
that was her religion that's what mattered to her why because she was
given a chance to talk about anything and that's all she wanted to put forth
and she said that's it here's three things and they all they all were the
same three different ways to say that she was a feminist it's vanity and you
know I have some reasons why that's vanity but you already know that it's
vanity so we're gonna skip it because the food is here all right so let's just
conclude in Deuteronomy chapter 32 if you need me to explain to you why
dedicating your life to feminism is vanity then you know you are not very
smart but anyway so but I was gonna you know I was gonna turn to you know just
just so you know you know so you can do a little further study all right I was
gonna turn to job 39 verses 13 through 17 and lamentation chapter 4 verse 3
and talk about how the one who who leaves her young leaves her offspring
neglects her children her labor is in vain you know so she needs to do that
job in the home and seek that first rather than seeking you know a worldly
career and you know what you know what's so funny is that there are literally
here's the thing I learned last week when I was preaching the gospel at the
college and I was able to present the gospel and everything but then you know
we're also discussing other things and having a bit of a interaction with the
students and so forth and and you know preaching them the things of God giving
them a biblical perspective on other things okay one of the things one of the
things that I learned from that when when just kind of listening to what they
have to say about these these different issues is that there were many people
who in their heart they actually understand that God's way is right but
they're afraid to admit it because they're afraid of what people are gonna
think there was even a guy who literally said you know what I actually agree a
hundred percent with what pastor Anderson's saying right now but I'm just
you know I was just ashamed to say it because I was afraid of what the other
students in the class would think about me if I just openly said that I agreed
with him and then another and then another young lady piped up and said yeah
you know what me too I feel the same way I was afraid that everybody's gonna jump
on me if I said that and you know not only are people afraid to speak out
because of what people think I guarantee you that there are there are young
ladies who are growing up and they want to be a wife and a mother and homemaker
and and live that that godly life there but but the world's telling them you
have to get a career and so they're they're literally like man I want to be
at home but you know what if I do that I'm just a doormat or if I do that I
don't have any power if I do that I'm wasting my life you know my wife was
told my wife was told in the early days of our marriage by someone from her past
she was literally told you know what a waste of all your education you know
you're so educated what they told her what a waste that your stay-at-home mom
they said to my wife like what a waste I mean you went to you know because my
wife excelled in school and and you know there are three school systems in
Germany and she was in the higher the highest of those three in the echelon
and she was in college and studying in college and you know all that education
were to waste folks everybody else is wasting it yeah everybody else that she
graduated with they're wasting it that's right you know the one that's using it
is the one that's raising godly children and being a helper to a man of God to
being a help meet for him that's not a waste of being intelligent but you know
this is the mentality though where people aren't even doing what they want
they're doing what the world tells them to do so the conclusion I have two parts
to my conclusion I'm only going to talk about the second part part number one
was that a vain society gets wiped out but you already knew that anyway so the
second part of the conclusion is that a life dedicated to the Word of God is not
me you know we spend the whole night talking about what is vain the one thing
that's not vain is serving God and I love the way that it says this in
Deuteronomy 32 47 for it is not a vain thing for you verse 46 talked about
setting your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day which
you shall command your children to observe and do all the words of this law
for it is not a vain thing for you and I love this next phrase because it's your
life it's a vain thing for you being at this service tonight's not a vain thing
nobody nobody's gonna go home tonight if they have any sense and say you know
that was a waste of an evening what a way I wish I had those three hours of my
time back nobody's gonna say that but you know what how many people walk into
a movie theater and they walk out and say that and if they don't then they
should or they go to a rock concert and say that you know what it's not a vain
thing for you to be dedicated to the Word of God getting up in the morning
and and and seeking the Word of God not in vain going to church listening to
preaching not in vain teaching the Bible to your children expounding the Word of
God them not invade your life my life it's our life isn't the life more than
meat isn't the life more than Raymond isn't it more than just how much money
is in your bank account how good you look in that dress you know what oh you
look so great in that dress Oh thou 25 year old 30 year old okay but you know
what your beauty is gonna fade let's see how you look when you're 65 70 85 now
maybe you're gonna look great when you're 65 I'm sure there are some great
looking 65 year olds here tonight no offense all right you look great tonight
all right but but let me say this looking fabulous out there senior
citizens but what I'm saying is hey guess what you know what though your
godliness can just keep increasing I mean you can be in your godly prime at
70 you're not gonna be in your fashion glamour prime at 70 I'm sorry you know
what I mean you're not gonna it doesn't it doesn't matter how well you age it's
not gonna be like oh man you're in you you're you're 80 and you're in your
prime you go girl it's not happening but you know what I do believe that you
could be in your spiritual prime at 70 say this is what I love about serving
God you can just keep on just pressing on the upward way new heights I'm gaining
every you think a professional boxer can say that you think a professional
sprinter can say that you think a swimmer can say that you think a runner
can say that how you think a runway fashion model can say that you think an
actor an actress can say that just I'll just keep on just getting better no but
with the Lord it's not vain and it has eternal value let's borrow doesn't have
a word of prayer father we thank you so much for this this opportunity to be in
your house tonight Lord I pray that we would all take the message to heart and
decide you know what we're not gonna be vain we're not gonna waste our lives and
Lord the first sermon about living above reproach that's not vain that matters you
know our behavior and and our adherence to your commandments and your word that
that matters you know cleaning up our life and being careful what we say and
what we do and and glorifying you and and being a good Christian that matters
what doesn't matter is all the junk that we often could spend hours of our day
following nonsense and vanity and becoming vain Lord help us to follow
that which matters and in Jesus name we pray amen