["In the Hall of the Mountain King"]
Amen, and we want to welcome you to the midweek service here at Ready Baptist Church.
We're so glad that you are with us. We call it the most encouraging service of the week.
And my wife and I, of course, want to say thank you to all of you who are praying for us as we were traveling.
We got in at 2 a.m. this morning, and we had all sorts of problems with our flights,
so we got in not at the time that we were expecting, but we appreciate all of your prayers,
and I want to say thank you to the men that preached for me while I was gone.
Of course, Pastor Bogart preached last Wednesday, and brother Oliver, brother Nate,
and I appreciate the fact that we have men that can step in and take care of preaching while I'm gone,
and thank you, of course, to those men.
Let's go ahead and take our bulletins this evening. We'll look at some announcements real quickly.
If you do not have a bulletin, you can raise your hand.
I think we've got some back there, and one of our ushers will get one for you.
The verse this week, Psalm 62, 1,
Truly my soul waiteth upon God, from him cometh my salvation.
And that's a good verse there. We like that.
If you open up your bulletin, you'll see our service time, Sunday morning service, 1030 a.m.
We do invite you to be with us on Sunday morning on the Lord's Day for church,
Sunday evening service at 6 p.m., and then, of course, our Wednesday evening Bible study.
We're glad you're here.
If you look at our soul-winning times, our main soul-winning times on Saturday mornings at 10 a.m.,
and then we have additional soul-winning times on Thursdays and Sundays.
We do want to encourage you to need—we need a bulletin up here.
If you guys can help us with that, I'd appreciate it.
Get somebody's attention there, Brother Oliver.
Thank you.
The 2 p.m. soul-winning time tomorrow, just so everybody knows, is going to be canceled.
We're going to postpone that for a couple reasons.
First of all, because of the church picnic, we're going to have the staff working on the church picnic
so they're not going to be available, but also it's a heat wave and all of that.
So we're just going to postpone that for now.
We'll let you know about Sunday, but Saturday we are planning on having a soul-winning time,
so make sure you're here on Saturday mornings.
Of course, for that, we are a family-integrated church.
Children and inventories welcome in the service.
We do not separate children from their parents for any reason.
We do have mother-baby rooms and daddy rooms available for your convenience,
so make sure you use those rooms as needed.
If you need to be baptized, of course, let us know.
If you look at the announcements and upcoming events, just a couple of things.
Of course, there's a heat wave.
My wife and I spent the last six days on an island that was 70 degrees,
and then we come here and it's, you know, this.
So, but we were in the middle of a heat wave, or you're in the middle of a heat wave.
We just showed up.
But due to that, we're moving the church picnic back, all right?
So usually we start the church picnic at 3 p.m.,
and we're going to actually just push it back to 6 p.m.
So just make sure you're aware of that.
Our church picnic, of course, is tomorrow.
You've got the address there.
We're still going to do all the things that we were going to do before the water balloon fight for the kids.
We'll just do that right at 6.
Volleyball game for the ladies.
Softball game, we're just going to have to shorten all those games to fit them all in.
And then, of course, we'll have fireworks in the evening.
But 6 p.m. is when we're going to start as opposed to 3 p.m.
So just make a note of that.
And I don't know what the temp, I think it's supposed to be like 112 or something tomorrow,
some crazy thing like that.
But at 6 p.m., it's supposed to be 106.
And at 7 p.m., it'll be 102.
And at 8 p.m., it'll be 95.
And at 9 p.m., it'll be 90.
So anyway, it's going to be hot.
If you don't want to come because it's hot, we understand.
You don't have to.
But some of you, I know, are still looking forward to it.
So it'll be at 6 p.m.
Just make a note of that.
And we apologize, of course, for that.
All the ladies are invited to a baby shower for Miss Ariel Sheboyian on Saturday, July 20th at 3 p.m.
She is having a girl.
She's registered on Amazon.
It is a potluck, so if you can, please bring a dish to share.
And, of course, sign up on your communication card and let us know you're planning on being there.
There's other things there for you to look at.
Please don't forget to turn your cell phones off or place them on silent during the service.
They're not a distraction to anybody.
And right now would be a good time to just look at your phone and make sure you do that.
If you look at the back of the bulletin, birthdays and anniversaries for this week.
Brother Salvador had his birthday on June 30th.
Miss Antonina Vokulcik had her birthday on July 1st.
Uriah Johnson also July 1st.
And Brother Luke Vincent had a birthday yesterday, July 2nd.
Praise Report, Money Matters, all those things are there for you to look at.
Of course, we are in the middle, like we've been talking about, in the middle of this heat wave.
And we're trying to shorten up the service tonight to be in the building as little as possible.
So we're not going to go through our prayer sheet tonight.
But we do want you to have a prayer sheet if you did not get one.
So if you did not get a prayer sheet on your way in, just raise your hand and one of our ushers can get one for you.
We hope you'll take some time to pray through these prayer requests on your own.
But we're not going to take the time to pray for them tonight just to not spend any more time in the building, of course.
Trying to tempt this air conditioner as much as possible.
We want to try to keep it. So we're not going to go through that.
But please take the time to go through that prayer sheet on your own course.
And I need to make sure that I go through some of these.
One thing I want to mention is when my wife and I were gone, we were having a really bad cell phone reception.
We were on an island off the east coast of Canada and the first two or three days were there, they were having all sorts of issues.
So if you were texting us or if you texted us and we didn't respond or we didn't get it, that was not us trying to be rude to you or whatever.
We were not getting any sort of reception or anything like that.
So if you tried to contact us while we were gone and you didn't get a hold of us, then just come tell us or let us know.
But I wanted to make that announcement.
We were supposed to be in earlier last night and our flight got canceled and they rebooked us for a flight 24 hours later.
And of course, that would have made us miss church tonight and all that. So we weren't okay with that.
So we found an airport that was two hours away.
We had to cross this confederation bridge. It's like a 10-mile bridge that gets you into the mainland of Canada.
I forget the name of the town. We went to an airport called Moncton and we caught a flight there to Montreal and we caught a flight there to San Francisco.
And then, of course, got in like 2 a.m. this morning. So we want to make sure we didn't miss church with you guys tonight.
So we I do appreciate all of you that were praying for us, of course, as we were out.
I'm trying to think if there's anything else that I need to tell you, but I think that's it for the announcement.
So let's go ahead. Tomorrow's 4th of July. So let's go ahead and sing page number 435.
Page number 435.
And let's sing Oh Beautiful for Spacious Skies.
And let's sing it out with some passion here on the first, 435 on the first.
Oh beautiful for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain, for purple mountain majesties above the fruited plain.
America, America, God shed His grace on thee and crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea.
435. Let's sing it out on the third.
Oh beautiful for heroes full of liberating strife, who more than self their country lot, and mercy more than life.
America, America, thy gold refined till all success and every gain deep.
435. Let's go ahead and sing it on the last.
Brother Christian, can we just slow it down? Let's slow it down just a little bit as we sing it out on the fourth.
Sing it on purpose with passion. Think of these words as we sing it out. 435 on the last.
Oh beautiful for patriot's dream that sees beyond the years.
Vine alabaster sea, undimmed by human tears.
America, America, God shed His grace on thee and crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea.
Amen. All right, we'll have the guys come up and help us with the offering at this time.
And let's go ahead and bow our heads and have a word of prayer.
Heavenly Father, Lord, we do love you.
We thank you for allowing us to gather together on a Wednesday night.
Lord, we pray that you bless the offering, the gift and the giver.
We do thank you for these freedoms we have in this country.
Lord, I pray you'd help us to exercise them, to not waste them, not waste the opportunities.
Pray that you'd bless the time set aside for the preaching of your word.
In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Praise the Lord.
Amen.
Please open your mouths to Hebrews 13.
Hebrews chapter number 13, if you didn't have a Bible please raise your hand and I should bring your Bible.
Hebrews chapter number 13, just keep your hand up and I shall come by.
Hebrews 13, the entire chapter has our custom.
Hebrews 13, verse number 1.
Hebrews 13, verse number 2.
We have an altar where they have no right to eat which served the tabernacle.
For the bodies of those beasts whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin are burned without the camp.
Wherefore Jesus also that he might sanctify the people with his own blood suffered without the gate.
Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp bearing his reproach.
For here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come.
By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
But to do good and to communicate forget not, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves, for they watch for your souls,
as they that must give account, that they may do with joy, not with grief, for that is unprofitable for you.
Pray for us, for we trust we have a good conscience and all things willing to live honestly.
But I beseech you that rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.
Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, Jesus,
that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
make you perfect in every good work to do his will,
working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
And I beseech you brethren, suffer the word of exhortation,
for I have written a letter unto you in few words.
Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty, with whom, if ye come shortly, I will see you.
Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints.
They of Italy salute you. Grace be with you all. Amen.
Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for this evening.
God, I thank you for your word, for our church.
I ask that you please give us all a tender heart to the message,
and as to be their pastor, please strengthen him and fill him with your spirit.
We love you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Amen. All right, we're there in Hebrews chapter number 13.
And of course, on Wednesday nights, we've been going through the book of Hebrews together, chapter by chapter,
and we find ourselves tonight starting in the last chapter of the book of Hebrews,
and we're probably going to spend several weeks in Hebrews chapter 13 as we finish up this Bible study,
but tonight I'm going to focus in on just the first six verses.
I'm going to try to preach this sermon as quickly as I can for, again, a couple reasons.
Number one, it's very hot. We don't have our new air conditioning in yet,
so we're still making do with what we've got.
We've got more than 200 people in the room, and we want to try to not spend too much time here if possible.
Not only that, but of course, my wife and I got in at 2 a.m.,
so we didn't get very much sleep last night,
and for us right now it feels more like 11, 20 than it does 7, 20,
so maybe it'll be good for me to not preach too long.
But we'll see how that goes. Maybe the Holy Spirit will wake me up a little bit.
We're there in Hebrews chapter 13, and in verses 1 through 6,
there is this theme that the writer of the book of Hebrews begins to deal with.
Of course, the book of Hebrews has dealt a lot with doctrinal issues.
It's a book that's very heavy on doctrine,
and at the end of the book we begin to get these applications and these very practical things,
and the writer of Hebrews here in the first six verses is dealing with this idea of love.
In fact, in Hebrews 13, what he does is he gives a series of exhortations.
He's giving all sorts of these applications, these lessons in regards to Christian living,
but in the first six verses, the lessons or the exhortations have to do with love,
and what I'd like to do tonight is give you three headings.
If you're taking notes, then maybe you can write this down on the back of your course a week.
There's a place for you to take notes,
and I'd like to give you these three headings or these three thoughts regarding lectures on love
and some thoughts that the writer of Hebrews is giving us.
The first one we find there in Hebrews 13 and 1,
and if you'd like to outline this, then you can write down,
number one, we see this concept of mutual love, mutual love,
or you could say the love of Christian brother.
Notice it there in Hebrews 13 and verse 1.
The Bible says, let brotherly love continue,
and again, notice these are just short exhortations.
These short just statements of application.
He says, let brotherly love continue,
and I'd like you to notice that in that statement,
there is an assumption being made.
He's not telling us to have brotherly love,
and there are other passages, and we'll see them here in a minute,
that do tell us to have brotherly love,
but here the writer of Hebrews is making an assumption.
The statement, brotherly love, he is assuming that this is already happening.
He's not telling them to have brotherly love.
He's exhorting them to continue something that he assumes they're already doing,
and it's this idea of having brotherly love.
Let brotherly love continue.
Now, keep your place there in Hebrews 13.
Of course, that's our text for tonight,
but go with me if you would to the book of 1 Peter,
1 Peter chapter number 2.
I'm going to pass the book of James into the book of 1 Peter,
1 Peter chapter number 2,
and I'd like you to look down at verse number 17.
1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 17.
Do me a favor when you get there,
put a ribbon or a bookmark or something there,
because we're going to leave it,
and we're going to come back to it.
I'd like you to get to it quickly.
I also feel like I might be a little rusty.
I don't know that I've ever gone this long without preaching.
Last time we were with you was the Red Hot Preaching Conference,
and of course at the conference,
I did very little preaching.
I only preached one time that week,
so I'll have to warm up, I guess, a little bit tonight.
1 Peter 2, look at verse 17.
Notice what the Bible says,
honor all men, and I want you to notice in 1 Peter 2,
we also have this same concept
of these just short exhortations,
and here's what God says.
He says, honor all men.
I just want you to notice this phrase,
love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.
I want you to notice that in the Bible,
there is this command to Christians
that we ought to love one another,
that we should have love for our Christian brothers
and sisters in Christ.
Hebrews 13 one says, let brotherly love continue.
1 Peter 2 17 says, love the brotherhood.
Go to 1 Thessalonians.
Keep your place there in 1 Peter.
We're going to come back to it.
Go to 1 Thessalonians chapter four.
If you go backwards, you go past 1 Peter,
past James, past Hebrews, Philemon, Titus,
2 and 1 Timothy, 2 and 1 Thessalonians.
1 Thessalonians chapter four and verse nine,
1 Peter, James, Hebrews, Philemon, Titus,
2 and 1 Timothy, 2 and 1 Thessalonians.
Notice 1 Thessalonians four and verse nine.
The Bible says this, but as touching,
notice these words, brotherly love,
ye need not that I write unto you,
for ye yourselves are taught of God
to love one another.
And the Bible teaches this concept
that the love of the brotherhood,
the love of the brethren,
is actually something that should come
from the love of the brotherhood.
The love of the brethren
is actually something that should come
naturally to a believer.
The reason for that is this,
if you are saved, you have
the Holy Spirit of God indwelling you.
You may not be filled with the Holy Spirit,
but you have a seal
of the Holy Spirit inside of you.
And when that Holy Spirit
comes into contact or into communion
with another person that is also saved,
that has the Holy Spirit,
there is a fellowship there
that happens within the Spirit.
My wife and I were just
spent several days out overseas
on Prince Edward Island.
While we were there we went to church
and we met people
in a very lovely church,
very nice church.
We met people there we never met before,
but just instantly there was
this communion, this fellowship.
I've always loved the fact
that in the Christian world
you can travel the country,
you can travel the world
and meet other believers in Christ
and we went there and we
fellowshiped with several people
after the service.
My wife was talking with the pastor's wife
and I was talking with the pastor
and you could just tell
and these people never,
as far as I know,
they never heard of us
or even of the new IFB,
but he's talking to me about
how he doesn't like Peter Ruckman.
I'm like, I don't like Peter Ruckman either.
And we're having this conversation,
this fellowship,
and I'm going to tell you
for ye yourselves are taught
of God to love one another.
There is an exhortation
for mutual love,
the love of the brotherhood.
And we are commanded
all throughout the Bible
to love our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Now I'll be the first to admit
there are some Christians
that make it difficult.
There are some Christians
that are not the easiest to love.
The Bible commands us
to love one another.
And some people make that task
as difficult as possible I feel.
But you know the truth is
that you and I should make a decision
that we're going to love
the people of God.
We should just decide.
And it's disheartening to me
from time to time
when I realize how comfortable
some Christians are
at having animosity
towards their fellow
brothers and sisters in Christ.
Having good speaking,
having ill will,
being indifferent
towards other believers.
Look I realize the Christian life
can be a difficult life
and some people are not
the easiest to love.
But let us never forget
that it is our job
to love one another.
And you should not be part
of a church where you're
just constantly criticizing,
constantly down on,
constantly towards other believers.
You really need to ask yourself
you know, what's wrong with you?
Because the Holy Spirit of God
that supposedly indwells you
loves that other person in Christ.
So are you quenching the Spirit?
Are you grieving
the Holy Spirit of God?
There's an assumption here made
by the writer of Hebrews
that you will love the brethren.
He doesn't command you to love the brethren.
He's assuming you already love the brethren
and he says let brotherly love continue.
Go back to Hebrews 13 if you would.
I want you to notice that in verse 2
we see what does brotherly love look like?
If we are supposed to love the brethren
and I want to encourage you to love the brethren
I realize there are some brethren
that are difficult to love
and difficult to like
and sometimes there are certain people
that we butt heads with
and there are certain people
that it's just hard to get along
and you should not have animosity
towards each other.
You should not have an enemy
who's a fellow Christian
or a fellow believer
or a fellow church member.
You should not dislike,
look you should not dislike anyone
in church.
Now there might be people
you don't like as much as you like others.
You should not have ill will towards.
You should not be indifferent towards.
We should not have this adage
that says well if so and so quits
I don't care.
Well there's something wrong with you.
You ought to love your fellow
brothers and sisters in Christ.
Let brotherly love continue.
So what does this look like?
Notice there in verse 2
we see what it looks like.
What does it look like?
What does brotherly love look like?
First of all it looks like hospitality.
Look at verse 2.
I think this is one of the most
interesting verses in all the Bible.
Here the writer of Hebrews says
an assumption being made
that you are loving the brotherhood.
And then he says here's why
you want to let brotherly love continue.
Here's why verse 2.
Be not forgetful to entertain strangers
for thereby some have
entertained angels unawares.
Within the context of
loving the brotherhood he says
make sure that you're hospitable.
Make sure that you're respectful.
Make sure that you are kind to people.
And here he says
be not forgetful to entertain strangers.
This is somebody you don't even know.
You don't know who they are.
He says be not forgetful to entertain
to be hospitable towards
to love and care for strangers.
You say why?
For thereby some have entertained
angels unaware.
What is this verse saying?
This verse is saying
that God from time to time
allows angels.
We're talking about angelic beings
from heaven.
They come in contact with us
and cross our paths
and we don't realize they're angels.
We think they're just a stranger.
We think they're just somebody
that we happen to come in contact with
and God is watching to see
how we treat strangers.
Think about that.
Last time you yelled at a cashier
at a restaurant.
Last time you got upset
with somebody driving down the road.
I'm constantly thinking to myself
as I come across individuals
and I'm constantly thinking to myself
like could this be an angel?
Somebody talks to me or whatever
on the street or in a parking lot
somewhere and I'm thinking to myself
is this an angel?
Sometimes I think to myself
well no that guy has long hair
I don't think an angel would have long hair.
I don't think an angel would look like that.
But the truth is this
that God cares about
how we treat people
and we have to treat people
and the idea here is not
oh what if they're a reprobate?
Look if they're an enemy of God
that's a different story.
But here we're talking about people
you don't even know.
You don't know anything about them.
God cares about how we treat people
and the idea is that
we ought to treat people
who we do not know
with dignity and respect
and here's all I'm saying is
would you pass the angel test?
I mean I'd hate to get to heaven one day
and have God tell me
in your lifetime
you came in contact with
14 different angels
and you were rude to all of them.
You were just always in a bad mood.
You were just always
rude and disrespectful.
The Bible says
that we ought to treat strangers
and the idea is this
if we ought to treat strangers
with dignity and respect
and love how much more
a fellow brother or sister in Christ?
So what does brotherly love look like?
It looks like hospitality.
You should treat people
as though they might be an angel unawares.
Go to Romans chapter 12 if you would.
Romans chapter 12 look at verse 10.
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, Romans 12.
I ask you to keep your place in Peter.
Please continue to do that.
But also keep your place in Romans.
Keep your place in Romans and Peter
and of course Hebrews.
Look at verse 10.
Romans 12 and verse 10.
Be kindly affection one to another.
Look at the words.
With brotherly love.
In honor.
Notice these words.
In honor preferring one another.
This is the same idea
that we read about
in the book of Philippians
where the Bible says esteeming other
better than ourselves.
You know that so many problems
and I just decided
that we're going to in honor
prefer one another
and that we're going to esteem
others better than ourselves.
What does that mean?
That means that you decide
look if one of us
there's a situation where
I either win and you lose
or you win and I lose
then I'm just going to decide
to prefer you better
to esteem you better
than myself.
That's sacrificial love.
Be kindly affection one to another
with brotherly love.
In honor preferring one another.
Kindly affection.
Perfering one another.
Go back to Hebrews 13.
So in verse 2, in verse 1
we see the exhortation
for brotherly love.
Let brotherly love continue.
In verse 2 we see
what does brotherly love look like?
We see again another description
what does brotherly love look like?
It looks like empathy.
Now we've actually talked
quite a bit about empathy
not too long ago
when we were going through
our emotional intelligence series
so this shouldn't be new for you
if you've been with us
but I want you to see it here
in Hebrews 13 and verse 3.
He says remember them
that are in bonds.
In bonds is referring to
somebody in prison for the cause of Christ.
He says remember them that are in bonds
but notice how he says
here's how I want you to remember them
that are in bonds.
I don't want you to just remember them
that are in bonds.
He said I want you to remember them
as bound with them.
That's empathy.
If you remember when we learned about empathy
in our emotional intelligence series
we learned that empathy
is not feeling for someone
but it's feeling with someone
as bound with them
and them which suffer adversity,
look at the words,
as being yourself also in the body.
See the way that we ought to
love one another
within Christianity
is not just feeling for someone,
feeling sympathy for someone
but feeling with someone
as bound with them,
as being yourselves also in adversity.
So when someone's going through
a major trial in their life,
maybe a health problem
or some sort of financial situation,
the way that you and I ought to respond,
the way that brotherly love responds
is not to say oh I feel so sorry for them
but to sorrow with them,
to put ourselves in their shoes
and to love them,
to have empathy.
That's what brotherly love looks like.
Go back to 1 Peter chapter 3.
I think I asked you to keep your place
1 Peter 3.8.
Look at the words here.
1 Peter 3.8.
Finally be all,
notice these words,
of one mind,
speaking of unity,
having, look at the words,
compassion,
one of another.
And then of course we see this again,
love as brethren.
Be pitiful,
that's compassion, that's love,
that's empathy
and what does brotherly love look like
in the Christian life?
It looks like hospitality
and it looks like empathy.
It looks like we treat people
with dignity and respect
even if we don't know them
and especially if they're
the household of faith
and then we feel with them,
we have empathy for them,
we love them.
Go back to Romans chapter 12.
You kept your place there in Romans.
Romans chapter 12.
Romans chapter 12 and verse 15.
I just want you to see
that this is what the Bible teaches
and by the way, Romans chapter 12
and we're going to look at 1 Corinthians chapter 12 here in a minute.
Both of these chapters have to do with
the body of Christ, the church,
the local church and how we are
to relate one with another.
Notice what it says in Romans 12 and verse 15.
Rejoice,
not for them,
but rejoice with them
that do rejoice.
Notice and weep,
not for them,
but weep with them that weep.
This is empathy.
This is remember them that are in bonds
as bound with them
and them which suffer adversity
as being yourselves also
in the body.
Go to 1 Corinthians chapter 12.
Just flip over from Romans
to the book of 1 Corinthians.
1 Corinthians 12.
It's easy to remember.
Romans chapter 12 has to do
with the body of Christ.
By the Apostle Paul,
Romans 12, 15,
Rejoice with them that do rejoice
and weep with them that weep.
1 Corinthians 12, 26,
and whether one member suffer,
look at it,
whether one member suffer,
all the members suffer with it
or one member be honored,
all the members rejoice with it.
This is what brotherly love looks like.
You got to ask yourself the question,
do you have brotherly love?
Do you have love for the brethren?
Will you rejoice with them
and you suffer with them
and you weep with them
and you're kind and respectful
to all of them?
Because some of you,
and I'm sure that myself is included,
have maybe ill-treated angels unawares.
And it's interesting to me,
it's interesting to me
that God cares so much
about how you and I treat each other
that he has a quality assurance program
from heaven.
You know, quality assurance
in companies will often test things
and open things
and make sure they randomly work properly.
Sometimes in a restaurant
they'll send some sort of,
or in a store like a secret shopper
where they'll come in
and try the restaurant
or try the experience
and treat, well God does that
with you and I.
He sends angels unawares
to see how you'll treat them,
how you'll speak to them,
how you'll be around them,
what kind of testimony you'll have.
I don't know about you,
but I don't want to fail those tests.
So we see this concept
of mutual love
or love of Christian brothers
and sisters in Christ.
Go back to Hebrews 13
if you would.
Verse three, love the brotherhood.
Verse two we see that
brotherly love looks like hospitality.
Verse three we see
that brotherly love looks like empathy.
Now I want you to notice
in verse four we have a different,
remember these are lectures on love,
these are exhortations regarding love.
The first exhortation is mutual love,
love of Christian brethren.
We see that in verses one through three.
And then in verse four
we see marital love
or love of your spouse.
In Hebrews 13 and verse four
we read these words,
marriage is honorable in all
and the bad undefiled,
but whoremongers and adulterers
God will judge.
I want you to notice
that God has always placed
marriage in a good light.
The Bible says that
he that findeth a wife
findeth a good thing.
Marriage is honorable in all,
today we live in a society
where marriage is being despised,
people are choosing not to get married
or they're perverting
the concept of marriage,
but marriage was instituted by God.
God is the one who created marriage.
The Bible tells in the book of Genesis
that he created male and female
and he brought them together,
he made them one flesh,
therefore shall a man leave father and mother
and cleave unto his wife
and they twain shall be one flesh.
God instituted this idea of marriage
is honorable,
in the context here
he says in all
and the idea of in all
is within this concept
of this physical relationship
between a man and a woman.
Notice there marriage is honorable in all
and just so you can see
the context and the bad undefiled.
What is it that God is telling us here?
What is it that the writer of Hebrews is telling us?
We learned about brotherly love
or mutual love,
and what he's telling us is this,
that a physical relationship
within the bounds of marriage
is a good thing.
God created the concept
of a physical relationship
and within the bounds of marriage
it's not dirty,
it's not a bad thing,
it's not a sinful thing,
marriage is honorable in all
and the bad undefiled.
So we see that a physical relationship
within marriage is a good thing.
Go back to 1 Corinthians chapter 7 if you would.
Do me a favor,
just keep your place there in 1 Corinthians as well.
You can lose your place in Romans
and you can lose your place in 1 Peter.
We're not going to go back to those places
but keep your place there
in 1 Corinthians chapter 7.
And you know it's crazy
that you'd even have to preach these things
but the Bible actually gives
a lot of real estate to this concept
because you would be shocked
how many married couples don't,
don't what?
Don't.
Marriage is honorable in all
and the bad undefiled.
You know God is telling us
that a physical relationship
within marriage is a good thing.
It's something that should be embraced
by married couples.
1 Corinthians 7, look at verse 4.
The wife hath not power
of her own body
but the husband.
And likewise also the wife
and so the husband
hath not power of his own body
but the wife.
Look what the Bible is teaching here
is that when you got married
and when you stood at an aisle
and you said to have
and to hold till death do us part
you at that moment gave consent
for a physical relationship
till death do us part
with that individual that you married.
And the wife hath not power
of her own body but the husband
and likewise the husband
hath not power of his own body
but the wife.
And then he says this in verse 5.
Defraud ye not one another.
The word defraud means
to have wrongful
or criminal deception.
He says defraud ye not one another
except it be with consent for a time
that ye may give yourselves
to fasting and prayer
and come together again
that Satan tempt you not
for your incontinency.
The reason it is acceptable
for a husband and wife
to withhold from each other
the physical relationship
is during a time of fasting and prayer.
Now let's be honest.
I doubt anybody here
has gotten 40 days fasting and praying.
Some of you can't go
a couple hours without
making sure you eat something.
And this idea, the idea is this
that God wants married couples
to be engaged in this
because it's good for them.
The Bible says that
Satan tempt you not
for your incontinency.
And the word incontinency
means your lack of self-restraint
or uncontrolled.
And look, in marriage
this should not be something
that husbands withhold from their wives
or that wives withhold from their husbands.
This should not be something
that you're just going a long time
without engaging in.
Look, the Bible says
marriage is honorable law
in the Hebrews.
And while you go there,
let me just read to you
from Proverbs chapter 5.
You don't have to turn here.
I'll just read this for you.
Proverbs 5 18 says this,
Let thy fountain be blessed
and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.
Let her be as the loving hind
and pleasant roe.
Let her breast satisfy thee
at all times
and be thou ravished
always with her love.
And what the Bible is teaching here
is that within the bounds of marriage
this is a good thing.
But then on the flip side
he says this.
He says a physical relationship
within marriage is a good thing.
But then he says
a physical relationship
outside of marriage
is a bad thing.
Look at Hebrews 13 verse 4.
Marriage is honorable in all.
In marriage it's honorable in all.
The bed on the fowl.
Here's the contrast though.
But whoremongers.
What's a whoremonger?
And look, don't let the Bible
scare you. It's a biblical word.
What's a whoremonger?
A whoremonger is the male version of a whore.
I don't think you should use that word.
That's the Bible.
The Bible uses the word whore.
The Bible uses the word whoremonger.
But whoremongers
and adulterers
God will judge.
Why does he say
marriage is honorable in all
and the bed on the fowl?
And then in that context says
but whoremongers and adulterers
will be judged.
Because he's making the point
that outside of marriage
the physical relationship
is a wicked thing.
A whoremonger is someone who
engages in a physical relationship
before marriage.
An adulterer is someone
who engages in a physical relationship
before marriage is honorable in all
and the bed on the fowl.
But outside of marriage
whether you're married or not
if you're not married
engaging in that relationship
before you're married
makes you a whoremonger.
You say I don't think you should say
that's what the Bible says.
And adulterers
engaging in that physical relationship
outside of the bounds of marriage.
The Bible says God will judge.
These are wicked things.
There's nothing wrong with
the physical act within marriage.
In fact God says
he wants you to do it
but he says outside of marriage
you should never engage
in this sort of relationship
outside of marriage.
Whether it be
before you're married
being a whoremonger or a whore.
The Bible calls this also fornication
or whether it's outside of marriage
in regards to marriage
in regards to adultery.
Go back to 1 Corinthians real quickly.
1 Corinthians chapter 7.
Here's what I think is funny.
Let me rephrase that.
I don't think it's funny.
I think it's sad.
But if I wasn't a pastor
maybe I would think it's funny.
What I think is interesting is this
that as a pastor
I spend my time telling couples
do it!
You know what I'm talking about.
I'm telling non-married couples
don't do it!
And you've got to tell people
that are married
you've got to just be going
weeks and weeks and weeks
without engaging in that.
I'll tell married couples that.
But then married couples
that aren't married I'm like
don't do it, don't do it,
it's wicked, it's wrong.
Hey, let me tell you something.
You will be the most happy
and the most satisfied
and then
marriage is honorable and all
and the bed undefiled.
You say well what do I do
if I'm not married?
1 Corinthians 7, look at verse 1.
Now concerning the things
whereof ye wrote unto me
it is good for a man not to touch a woman
nevertheless to avoid fornication
that's the context
of it's good for a man not to touch a woman
it's not talking about shaking someone's hand here.
Nevertheless to avoid fornication
let every man have his own wife
and let every woman
have her own husband.
You say how do you avoid fornication?
Here's how you avoid fornication.
You get married.
You say well I don't know
that I want to marry the person
that I'm currently with.
Then you shouldn't be going
to bed with them.
You should have more respect for yourself.
Don't be the type of person
that will have this title
whore or whore monger.
Look I'm constantly telling people
be careful who you marry
make a wise choice
take your time
it's till death do us part
I'm all for that
but also I'm also for this
once you find the one
don't drag this thing out.
All you're going to do
the Bible says
the Bible says make not provision
for the flesh.
So what do we do?
So if you're not married
don't be driving around
in vehicles by yourself.
Just you and your girlfriend
or you and your boyfriend.
Don't be in bedrooms alone.
You say why?
Because you're just setting yourself up
for failure.
You're making provision for the flesh.
Look we want you to date
we want you to have a good time.
Make sure you're in public places
make sure you're in places
where you can keep your testimony.
You say but we love each other so much
we just can't wait.
Then get married!
To avoid fornication
the Bible says get married.
Marriage is a good thing.
Get married, have babies
it's a church growth concept
praise God for it.
Don't be alone.
If you're not married
don't be just
oh we're just going to hang out in this bedroom
and watch a movie together.
No.
And you know you may not think it's a big deal
but this is a big deal to God.
In fact there's only certain things
that God says you're there in 1st Corinthians
go to 1st Corinthians 5.
There's only a handful of things
that God says cannot be allowed within church
and fornication is one of them.
You know the Bible teaches
that we are to kick people out of church
for engaging in fornication.
That's how bad God thinks about this.
In 1st Corinthians 7
first of all in verse
in 1st Corinthians 5 excuse me in verse 7
he says purge out therefore the old leaven.
He says a little leaven leaveneth the whole long.
But I want you to look at verse number 9
1st Corinthians 5 and verse 9.
I wrote unto you in an epistle
look at it.
To a local New Testament church
I wrote unto you in an epistle
not to company with fornicators.
So if somebody's engaging in fornication
we're not to accompany with them.
You want the theological term
or the term that's been used
we are to excommunicate them.
I know people use that term
people think it's a Catholic term
but it simply means to not fellowship.
Communicate or communion
has to do with fellowship
not to company with fornicators.
That's talking about the unsaved.
Look at verse 10.
Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world
or with the covetous or extortioners or indulgers
for then must ye needs go out of the world.
If we had to separate from every fornicator
we'd have to go become Amish.
We'd have to go by land on Prince Edward Island
and become Amish.
Which the Amish have recently moved
to Prince Edward Island.
My wife and I found out while we were there.
This is not something that's advertised
but while we were driving around
because we're kind of Amish experts anyway
we started researching and we found that there's
anyway there's a group of pilgrims
that moved to Prince Edward Island
and it has nothing to do with what I'm preaching about
you don't care anyway.
Verse 11.
But now I've written unto you
look at it
not to keep company
if any man that is called a brother
be a fornicator.
So look if someone has a testimony
of being a brother
and they're a fornicator
you know what God says?
An adulterer or a railer or a drunkard
or an extortioner
but look at it this is how serious God is
about these sins.
He says with such and one know not to eat.
You say past three minutes
I don't understand though
I didn't know the Bible taught this
and I've engaged in that sin.
What do I do?
Number one, stop it.
And if you're not going to stop it
then just get married.
And then marriage is honorable and all
and the bed undefiled
and of course God will judge.
Look at verse 12.
First Corinthians 5.12
For what have I to do to judge them
that are without
do not ye judge them that are within
verse 13
but them that are without
God judges these
don't you worry about the world
God will judge the world
therefore, look at what he says
put away from among yourselves
that wicked person.
Who's that wicked person?
That's the radiation among you.
This is a serious thing.
God says the physical relationship
within marriage is a good thing.
Let her be as the loving hind
and the pleasant roe.
Let her breath satisfy thee
at all times and be thou ravished
always with her love.
He says that's a good thing
within marriage.
It's not a good thing outside of marriage.
And it's something that so serious
that in the Old Testament
people over it, and the New Testament says it cannot even be tolerated within the congregation
of the church.
You say, why?
Why can't we just allow people that are just shocking up together to be part of our
congregation and just be members of the Baptist Church?
Here's why.
Because a little leaven leaveneth the whole lot, and we've got way too many young
people running around here for us to not promote marriage as an honorable thing.
It's honorable.
And look, you, as a young person, need to have enough respect for yourself.
You young man, if you're like, well, I want to marry her, but she won't marry me.
Then fight someone else!
I mean, what's wrong with her if she doesn't want to marry you, she just wants to drag
you along?
But you know where this is mostly, it's the other way around.
Young ladies, they think in this culture, they think, well, if I don't do that, then
he's not going to want to be with me or he's going to leave me.
Hey, have some respect for yourself.
Make him put a ring on your finger.
You need to have a commitment.
You need to get married.
It's a good thing within marriage.
It's a bad thing outside of marriage.
Not only that, go back to Hebrews 13, 4.
He says whore mongers, but then he says adulterers, adulterers.
Proverbs 5.20, and why wilt thou my son be ravished with a strange woman and embrace
the bosom of a stranger?
So we tell young people, hey, to avoid fornication, don't be alone with a member
of the opposite sex that you're not married with.
Don't be in a car alone together.
Don't be in a room alone together.
If you're going to spend time together because you're dating, make sure it's in a public
setting.
That's what we tell young people that are not married.
But let me tell you something, that's what we also tell married people.
Don't be in a car alone with someone you're not married to.
Don't be spending, look, I don't think that a man who's married or a woman who's
married, not to each other, needs to be having long conversations, needs to be spending
a lot of time together, needs to be engaging in sports or hobbies together.
This is a set up for disaster.
You say, well, who should I talk to?
Men fellowship with men.
Women fellowship with women.
You say, well, I want to fellowship with someone of the opposite sex.
Then fellowship with your wife.
Fellowship with your husband.
Look, you got women working with you at work.
Be respectful.
Show them dignity.
They're not an angel.
But don't get too chummy.
Don't get too friendly.
Don't be engaging and spending too much time with someone that you're not, you say, I
need a friend.
If you're a lady, then your friends need to be ladies.
If you're a man, then your friends need to be men.
And if you're like, well, my best friend was, I'm a girl and my best friend was this
guy or vice versa, well, that all ended the moment you got engaged, the moment you
got married.
If you're a married woman, you don't need to have male friends that aren't your husband.
You say, well, I don't like my husband.
Nobody made you marry him.
In fact, for many of you, I desperately tried to stop it.
When you're married, your only friend, close friend of the opposite sex needs to be your
spouse.
Now be friendly with the ladies in church, be cordial with the men in church, but don't
be engaging in these long conversations.
Don't be seeing each other outside of church.
Those, that's a recipe for disaster.
Make not provision for the flesh.
Marriage is honorable and all in the bed undefiled, but whoremongers and adulterers,
God will judge.
It's a serious thing, my friend, it's a serious thing.
Go back to Hebrews 13, look at verse five, Hebrews 13 and verse five.
We see in verses one through three, mutual love, love of Christian brethren.
And we see in verse four, marital love.
It's a good thing.
The physical relationship, the good thing within marriage is not a good thing outside
of marriage.
And then in verses five and six, we see material love, or you could say the love of money,
the love of things.
Now here's what's interesting to me about Hebrews 13, five, is that you have these
two concepts that seem to not go with each other.
You read the verse and you kind of think, what does this have to do with that?
But they're within context because they are closely knit together.
Look at it, Hebrews 13, five.
Let your conversation, the word conversation is an old word that means lifestyle or way
of being.
Let your conversation, let your lifestyle, look at it, be without covetousness, covetousness.
What does it mean to covet?
It means to desire something that doesn't belong to you, to want something that is not yours.
Let your conversation be without covetousness and be content.
The word content means to be satisfied, look at it, with such things as ye have.
Now all of that makes sense up to this point, but then he says this, for, the word
for means because.
So he's connecting these thoughts.
He says, look, let your conversation be without covetousness and be content with such things
as ye have.
And he says, here's why, for he hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.
And you think to yourself, well what does I will never leave thee nor forsake thee have
to do with covetousness and contentment?
Because I'll never leave thee nor forsake thee sounds more like a statement about
eternal security.
And some of you are like, I'm eternally secure and I still want that car.
I'm eternally secure and I still want that house or that thing.
What does covetousness have to do with never leave thee nor forsake thee?
And here's what you and I need to understand, it is this, that our love for things will
always be in competition with our love for God.
Our love for things will always be at odds with our love for God.
Look at Matthew chapter six, Matthew chapter six.
Verse twenty four.
I got to finish this up quickly.
Matthew six twenty four.
Matthew six twenty four kind of explains Hebrews thirteen five.
No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other
or else he will hold to the one and despise the other.
Look at it, he cannot serve God and mammon.
What is mammon?
Mammon is an old word.
It means material goods.
The Bible says you cannot serve God and serve things.
You cannot serve, now if you and I would have wrote the verse, we would have said
you cannot serve God and the devil.
That's how we would have wrote it.
You cannot serve God and the flesh.
That's how we, that's what we would have said.
But God knows us better, he says you cannot serve God and mammon.
You cannot serve God and things.
Why?
Because our love for things will always be at odds with our love for God.
Our pursuit of things will keep us from pursuing God.
So he says let your conversation be without covetousness.
For he has said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.
The idea is this, that when Christ becomes enough, then all you need is Christ.
Now you say well what if I struggle with this idea of covetousness?
There's a couple of cures for covetousness that are brought up in scripture, I'd like
to just share them with you quickly.
Cures for covetousness, number one we've already talked about, contentment.
Look at Hebrews 13 5.
Let your conversation be without covetousness.
Here's the answer, and be content.
And be content with such things as you have.
When you and I complain about the car we drive, or the house we live in, or the
job you have, or the person you're married to, or whatever it is, you are complaining
about something that God gave you.
And God wants us to be content with such things as we have, not only that but God
wants us to be thankful for all that we have.
And everything gives thanks, for this is the will of God concerning you.
You say I don't know what the will of God is for my life, I don't know what the
will of God is for your life either, but I know this, the will of God for everyone's
life is to be thankful for everything we have, and everything that God has given
us.
And we have to be content with what we have.
That doesn't mean that we can't work hard and acquire more, there's nothing
wrong with having things, the problem is when things have you.
Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as you have.
Go to Philippians chapter 4 if you would, if you kept your place in 1 Corinthians,
after 1 Corinthians you have 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians.
Philippians chapter 4, 1 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians.
Here you have the famous passage on contentment, Philippians chapter 4.
And look, what I want you to notice here is that contentment, see the problem that
people have, is they think that contentment is something that happens.
Well once I get that job, once I move into that house, once I get that brand, once
I get that gadget, once I get that toy, then I'll be satisfied.
You'll never be satisfied.
There'll always be someone with a nicer house, there'll always be a new version
of that gadget, there'll always be a more expensive car, there'll always be something
else for you to want.
We need to learn to be content with such things as we have.
And what we really need to learn is to be content with God.
Philippians 4, 11, not that I speak in respect of, look at it, want.
What do you want?
I'm asking you, please don't answer out loud, but you should answer this question
in your mind.
What is it that you want?
You know what the psalmist wrote, psalmist said, the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not
want.
When the Lord is your shepherd, you don't want, because when you realize that he will
never leave thee nor forsake thee, when God becomes enough, that's all you need.
Not that I speak in respect of want, then he says this, for I have learned.
You think, well no, contentment is something that will happen to me.
Contentment is not something that will happen to you, it's a choice that you'll make.
It's something you can learn, for I have learned in whatsoever state I am there with
to be content.
I always think it's funny to be like, I can't be happy in California.
Really because I've learned in whatever state I am there with to be content.
I don't understand how people can be happy in Texas, but whatever, I'm just saying,
you can be happy anywhere, you can be content anywhere, if you can be content in Christ,
I can't be happy until I make this much money a year.
That's silly.
It's a silly way to live your life.
Not that I speak in respect of want, for I have learned in whatsoever state I am there
with to be content.
Paul says, I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound everywhere and
in all things I am instructed, notice something you learned, I am instructed both to be full
and to be hungry, both to abound and suffer need.
And then he says, I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me.
So how do we cure covetousness?
We cure it through contentment.
Contentment is being satisfied with what one has, not wanting more or anything else.
Look, maybe if you suffer with this idea of covetousness, maybe you need to get off
of social media.
Maybe you need to stop watching all these advertisements that are just making you want
things.
Be happy with what you have.
So cures for covetousness are contentment.
But there is another cure, because I know some of you are thinking, well that's never going to work.
There is another cure for covetousness and it says perspective.
Contentment and perspective.
Go to 1 Timothy chapter 6, 1 Timothy chapter 6, look at verse 9, I have only been bridging
for 50 minutes, I am doing good, alright, we will be done here in a minute.
1 Timothy chapter 6 verse 9, if you are there in Philippians you will go past Colossians
1 Thessalonians 1 Timothy, Philippians Colossians 1 Thessalonians 1 Timothy, 1 Timothy
chapter 6 verse 9, but they will be rich.
The idea there, the will is a desire wanting, they that want to be rich.
Some people live their lives saying, I need to make a million dollars.
You are just going to live your life to make a certain amount or to acquire a certain
amount of wealth.
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare.
It's a trap my friend, it will trap you, it's a snare.
Into many foolish and hurtful lusts which draw men in destruction and perdition.
Why?
For the love of money is the root of all evil.
It doesn't say that money is the root of all evil, people like to say money is
the root of all evil.
Money is not the root of all evil, money is a tool.
Money is a tool that we can use in life, but the love of money is the root of all
evil.
Which while some have, notice the word coveted after, they have erred from the faith and
pierced themselves through with many sorrows, but godliness with contentment, that's
great gain.
I want to make a lot of gain in the stock market, I need to make a lot of gain at
work, I need to make a lot of gain financially.
You know what God says, godliness with contentment is great gain.
Again, let me reiterate, God is not against you having money.
In fact, the sooner you stop loving money, then God can trust you with money, maybe
he'll start actually giving you some.
But godliness with contentment is great gain.
Here's a perspective, look, cures for covetousness, what are they, contentment?
Learn to be satisfied with what you have, say that's not going to work.
Here's another one, perspective, perspective will cure covetousness.
Verse number 66, but godliness with contentment is great gain.
Verse 7, for we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we can carry nothing
out.
You know what perspective is?
Perspective is this, everything you have is going to be burned one day.
One day you're going to die and it's not going to matter how much money you had in
the bank, it's not going to matter where you live, but for we brought nothing into
this world and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
Nobody, nobody ends their life on their deathbed, they've done studies and they've
actually researched and documented what people ask for on their deathbed.
You know that the vast majority, I mean 99.9% of human beings all ask for the same
thing on their deathbeds, to see their family, to see their loved ones.
You know what everyone says on their deathbed?
Well let me tell you what nobody says on their deathbed.
Nobody says, I wish I would have just worked a few more hours, if I could have
just invested just a little more money, you know what they all say?
I wish I would have spent more time with my kids.
I wish I wouldn't have tried to hoard all that money and maybe just spent some
money with my wife, with my children, with my family.
Because the truth is, my friend, that it's silly to live your life for things that
you're going to leave behind.
For we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we can carry nothing out
and when you have that perspective, then you understand the next statement, verse 8,
and having food and raiment, let us be there with content.
You know what God says, you can be perfectly happy with food and raiment.
Food and raiment.
And we live in the United States of America, we've got more than enough food
and more than enough raiment.
We've got closets full of raiment.
We have cupboards full of food.
There's no excuse for us to not be content.
Cures for covetousness, contentment, perspective.
And here's the truth, contentment makes poor men rich and discontentment makes rich men poor.
Go back to Hebrews 13, we'll finish this up, look at verse 6.
So we've seen the lectures on love, what are they?
Verses 1 through 3, mutual love.
Love of the brotherhood.
Brotherly love looks like hospitality, it looks like empathy.
Make sure you treat people right, God might test you by sending angels unawares.
Then we see marital love in verse 4 and we learn that the physical relationship within
marriage is a good thing and outside of marriage it's a very wicked thing.
And then we see material love.
Our love for things will be at odds with our love for God and the way we cure that,
the way we combat that, the way we cure covetousness is through contentment, be satisfied,
be content with such things as you have and with perspective.
For we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
And I want you to notice verse 6, so that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper
and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
And you think to yourself, what does verse 6 have to do with all these things we've
been learning about in verses 1 through 5?
But again, I've already said it, it's the same reason why Paul and Philippians
after speaking about contentment and covetousness says, I can do all things through Christ
which strengtheneth me.
Here Hebrews 13, 6 is the Hebrews equivalent of I can do all things through Christ which
strengtheneth me.
It says so that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man shall
do unto me.
The idea is this, when we are satisfied in Christ, then Christ is all we need.
Look when Christ is all I want, then I'm a rich man because he won't ever leave
me nor forsake me.
Even if what I want is a job, is a certain amount of money, is a certain amount of land,
a certain amount of real estate, certain clothing, rent, those things come and go.
I may get them, I may not.
But once you get them, it won't be enough.
Bible says the eye is never satisfied.
You'll never be satisfied.
That's why these millionaires, they've got more money than they can spend in a lifetime.
They still waste their whole lives trying to get more.
Just one more dollar, one more dollar.
They're trying to fill a hole that only God can fill.
So you know what I'd rather say?
Then say look at my income, look at my house, look at my this, look at my that.
You know what I'd rather say is this, that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper.
I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
And Christ is all I need.
And Christ is enough.
Let's bow our heads in that word of prayer.
Heavenly Father, Lord we do love you.
We thank you for this portion of scripture, these lectures on love.
Lord, help us to take heed to them.
Help us to have brotherly love.
Help us not to be irritated, to be annoyed, to be at odds with our fellow brothers and
sisters in Christ.
Help us to realize that we are to love one another.
Lord I pray you help us have strong marriages.
Help the husbands and wives of Verity Baptist Church to guard their marriages, protect
their marriages.
Be careful how much time they're spending with other people's spouses.
To realize that there needs to be boundaries within marriage and provision must not be
made for the flesh.
Help these young people to make good decisions, to not fornicate, to get married, to avoid
fornication.
Marriage is a good thing.
Lord I pray you help us with regards to material things.
Help us not to live for things.
Help us not to make decisions based off the love of money.
Help us not to pursue money and pursue things.
Help us to be satisfied in Christ, to be able to truly say the Lord is my shepherd
I shall not want.
In the matchless name of Christ we pray.
Amen.
Let me just give you a couple announcements before Brother Moses comes to lead us in
a final song.
The main big reminder is that the church picnic is tomorrow, but we just want to make
sure you're aware that we're moving it from three to six.
We're moving it from three to six.
So if you show up at three, we'll know you weren't paying attention, number one.
And then you can help the staff then, help them set up or whatever.
But we're starting at six, just because of the heat waves, so just keep that in mind.
If it's too hot for you to come out, then we understand that, but I know that there
are many of you that will still want to come out.
I know some of you guys are still going to want to play softball, so we'll have all
of it.
We'll kind of shorten things up and try to do it all from six to nine.
Of course, we'll have fireworks.
So we want to encourage you to be with us, of course, for the Fourth of July picnic.
Again, thank you very much for those of you that were praying for my wife and I as we were gone.
We did go to church while we were gone.
We also tuned in to the live streams here.
We're here on a different time zone, so we're able to do that.
Of course, we miss you all.
We love you.
We're glad to be back.
We'll have Brother Moses come up and lead us in a final song.
Turn to your song books, page number three.
We're going to sing Jesus Paid It All.
Page number three.
And let's go ahead and sing it out on the first verse.
I hear the Savior say,
Thy strength indeed is small,
Child of weakness, watch and pray,
Find in me thine all in all.
Jesus paid it all,
All to him I owe,
Sin hath left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.
Page number three.
Let's sing it out on the third.
For nothing good have I,
Whereby thy grace to claim,
I'll wash my garments white,
In the blood of Calvary's Lamb.
Jesus paid it all,
All to him I owe,
Sin hath left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.
And when before the throne,
I stand in him complete,
Jesus died my soul to save,
My lips shall still repeat.
Jesus paid it all,
All to him I owe,
Sin hath left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.
Great singing. If you're a guest, if you have any questions about salvation, baptism, or church membership,
you can see Pastor in the front. And can I please, Brother Keith, close us in a word of prayer.
Amen.
.