Let's pray, dear God. Just thank you for this day. Thank you for the free gifts of
salvation through your son Jesus Christ. Just ask that you would be with our pastor
now, fill him with your spirit as he preaches your word, and please just bless
the sermon. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.
All right, we're in Hebrews chapter number seven this morning. Happy Easter
once again. Thank you so much for joining us on this celebration, this important
celebration for us as Christians, and I want to talk a little bit about the
resurrection, but more so what it what it entails as far as changing. Look down
in your Bibles at Hebrews chapter number seven in verse number 11 it says,
If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, for under it the
people received the law, what further need was there that another priest
should rise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be called after the
order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a
change also of the law. And the title of the sermon this morning is, It's Time for a
Change. It's Time for a Change. And I want you to think about that as I go
through this sermon, as I preach this sermon, think about that phrase, It's Time
for a Change. Now here in Hebrews chapter number seven we see that the writer
inspired by the Holy Ghost is talking about the Levitical priesthood.
Obviously what we know is that this is referring to the spiritual leaders under
the Old Testament that were deputized by God to carry out the meads, drinks, and
diverse washings, carnal ordinances. Back in the Old Testament you had some
specific laws that God said they had to carry out as priests and they would have
to do the animal sacrifices, the Bible tells us meats, drinks, diverse washings,
etc. And they were the only ones designated to do that office, okay. So you
had a group of priests and more specifically you had a high priest who
was the only one who was sanctioned by God to go into the holiest of all, okay.
And this was the system that God had for hundreds of years. I mean this is what
God wanted, this is what he had, this is what's known as the priesthood. Now today
we don't have the Levitical priesthood, okay. Now we do have a priesthood, it's
just not the Levitical priesthood. You see in the Old Testament the only ones
that were sanctioned to be a part of that priesthood were those of Israel and
more specifically of the tribe of Levi and more specifically of the house of
Aaron. And even then they had to meet specific qualifications in order to
carry out that office. But today you don't need to be a part of Israel, you
don't need to be a part of the tribe of Levi or of the house of Aaron. In fact
all you have to do is be a part, be a believer in Jesus Christ. The Bible tells
us in 1st Peter chapter 2, but ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood and
holy nation of peculiar people that ye should show forth the praises of him who
hath called ye out of darkness into his marvelous light. So although in times
past the priesthood was made up of a specific tribe and a specific house, now
the Bible tells us it's actually a spiritual house. It's a spiritual house
and the spiritual tribe is really the tribe of Jesus, okay. So if you believed
on Jesus Christ for your salvation you can be a part of that royal priesthood,
okay. And obviously it's royal because Jesus Christ is king. And it tells us in
verse number 10, which in time past were not a people, this is in 1st Peter, but
are now the people of God which had not obtained mercy but now have obtained
mercy. So we see here that although the system worked, you know the system was
good in the Old Testament, it wasn't the best and that's why it was time for a
change. You see it went from a Levitical priesthood to a royal priesthood, it
changed. It went from the high priest known as Aaron who was able to go into
the holiest of all, to the high priest that now we have in the New Testament
which is Jesus Christ, which is better. It changed. Why? Because it's time for a
change. Sometimes in life it just calls for change, okay. And although the system
was set in place for hundreds of years it was necessary that something
should change. It says in verse 12 of Hebrews 7, for the priesthood being
changed there is made of necessity a change also of the law. Now go to Hebrew
chapter 8, the next chapter over, so we see that the priesthood changed, we see
that the law changed as well. Now this isn't referring to God's moral law, okay.
You know a lot of people like to say we're under grace, we're not under the
law and that's definitely true, but here's the thing is that it's not
referring to thou shall not murder, thou shall not kill. You know murder today is
still wrong, okay. Theft is still wrong, adultery is still wrong, everything that
God said was wrong in the Old Testament is still wrong today. All of the moral
laws that we see in the Old Testament are still set forth today regardless of
what the government may say, regardless of what the laws of the land may say. The
highest law of the land is obviously the Bible and the Bible tells us that these
things are still wrong and those are still set in place. He said well what is
he referring to when he says that the law changed? Well it's referring to the
animal sacrifices, the observing of special days such as the Sabbath, the
meats, drinks, and diverse watchings, the purification laws that they had in those
days, what's known as the ceremonial laws, those are changed and thank God for
that. You know in those days you have to do animal sacrifices like all day long
and so if you're like a squeamish person good luck because that's that's how you
obey the Lord in the Old Testament. They would do animal sacrifices you know in
the morning and at night, every day, every week, every month, throughout the year
this was something that God did. You know we don't have to do that today. Now why
is that? Well because of the fact that 2,000 years ago the Lamb of God you know
who is the Son of God, Jesus Christ, was sacrificed to take away the sins of the
world. Every single one of those sacrifices pictured Jesus Christ. They
were symbolic of the Lamb of God who should take away the sins of the world
and so we see that there was a change made for something less, no for something
better okay. Look at Hebrews chapter number 8 verse number 6 it says, but now
hath he, referring to Jesus, obtained a more excellent ministry. Now wouldn't you
say if you read the Old Testament I mean it's a pretty lengthy part of our
Bible it was fairly excellent but you know what the New Testament is more
excellent. He says by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant which
was established upon better promises. So not only is the covenant better the
promises are better too. He says for if that first covenant had been faultless
then should no place have been sought for the second for finding fault with
them he saith behold the days come saith the Lord when I will make a new
covenant with the house of Israel with the house of Judah not according to the
covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them out took
them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt because they continue not
in my covenant and I regarded them not saith the Lord. Now in the Bible that
word covenant is used interchangeably with Testament and if you look at your
Bible it's broken up into two parts Old and New Testament. A different way of
saying that is Old Covenant and the New Covenant. Old Covenant was great many
things took place in the Old Covenant that was necessary to take place but the
New Covenant according to the Bible is better and the Bible tells us that there
was a necessary change that had to come about in order to make something better.
I mean wouldn't you agree that Jesus is better than Moses? Wouldn't you agree
that Jesus is better than the high priest of the Old Testament? He's the
Savior he's God and you know what he's better and a change needed to come about
look at Hebrews chapter number 9 go to the next chapter if you would Hebrew
chapter number 9 so when was it made better when did the quality of you know
the laws change when did that improve when did that take place well look at
Hebrews chapter 9 and verse number 13 it says for if the blood of bulls and of
goats and the ashes of the heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctified to
the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ who through
the eternal Son eternal spirit excuse me offered himself without spot to God
purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God and for this cause
he is the mediator of the New Testament that by means of death for the
redemption of the transgressions that were under the First Testament they
which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance so what
do we see here we see that in the Old Testament the animal sacrifices were
made in order to atone for daily sins you know we make mistakes every single
day right we sin every single day and the Bible tells us that those
sacrifices were made in order to atone for those daily sins whereas the
sacrifice of Jesus actually takes away sins period and the proof of that is the
fact that the blood of bulls and goats they were sacrificed every single day
why because people sin every single day you sin today we sinned yesterday we're
gonna sin tomorrow sin every single day therefore sacrifices were necessary
every single day but when Jesus Christ came and he sacrificed himself he took
away the totality of sin past present and future okay he says in verse 16 for
where a testament is there must also of necessity be the death of the testator
for a testament is a force after men are dead otherwise it is no strength at
all while the testator liveth this is another way of saying the will you know
you think of people who are gonna pass away often in preparation for that they
will create a will right and it's basically what they want for their
family whether that's you know property or their their possessions or whatever
it may be that's what's known as a testament and the will of an individual
has no force has no authority until that person passes away well in like
manner the New Testament did not begin until Jesus Christ died because he is
that testator so we see that everything became better when Jesus Christ was
crucified on the cross that's when the New Testament actually began that's when
the Old Testament finished and that's when everything changed okay you said
what's the point of everything you just said I just want to teach you the Bible
because it sounds great doesn't it I mean it's great teaching but there's a
lot of great significance behind it what is it what is a good application to this
well here's an application God is in the business of change he's constantly in
the business of change he's about making necessary changes in order to improve
people organizations churches etc and it's never a change for the worse it's
never a change that entails lowering the standard of something we would never
look at the New Testament say oh it's a lower standard than what we actually see
in the Old Testament right because right you know doesn't the Bible say in the
Old Testament thou shall not commit adultery but in the New Testament what
did Jesus say you have heard that have been said of them of old thou shall not
commit adultery adultery but I say unto you that whosoever looketh upon a
woman to lust after hath committed adultery with her already in his heart
the the standard has been raised it's not a lower quality of a will it's not a
lower quality of a testament when God changed something he made it better and
improve the quality and the standard thereof he didn't remove morality it was
a change for the better and in order to improve anything something has to change
folks God will often remove a leader in the Bible to change him for someone
better you see that was Saul Saul was a great leader he messed up David was
better he will change Kings kingdoms individuals in order to make them better
and we see this concept in Bible John chapter 12 you don't have to turn to
verse 24 says this verily verily I say unto you except the corn of wheat fall
into the ground and die it abideth alone but if it died it bringeth forth much
fruit what is he saying something has to change change is often necessary in
order to improve our lives and that's what I really want to what I want to
talk to you about this morning is this it's time for a change folks and that
may mean something different for each and every individual in this room but it
does mean something for every single one and when I say it's time for a change
there's something in you that says yeah you're right there's something that
needs to change in my life it's time for a change and here's the thing you know
Albert Einstein who's that great like hero of the faith and I'm joking he's
not a hero of the faith but he actually you know said something good he said
this and he defined what insanity was he said insanity is doing the same thing
the same way and expecting different results he says that's insanity it's
like well I need to change so I'm gonna keep doing exactly what I've always done
I'm gonna keep you know getting involved with the same people that I get involved
with keeping the same people around me staying in the same organization doing
the same exact thing thinking the same exact way and I bless God I'm gonna get
a different result that's called insanity it's not gonna happen insanity
is doing the same thing the same way and expecting different results the only way
you're gonna get a different result if it is if you do something different it's
time for a change it's time for something to change and this morning I
want to go over a list of things that probably need to change in your life I
know needs to change in my life from time to time and every single person's
life these things need to be altered a little bit these things need to be
modified to a certain extent okay go with me if you would to the book of
Isaiah chapter 55 Isaiah chapter 55 if you would it's in the Old Testament
Isaiah chapter 55 number one it's time for a change in perspective it's
time for a change in your perspective it's time to change the way you see
certain things you said what are you talking about well it's time for us to
see things the way God sees them you see sometimes we come to the things of God
whether that's church or the Bible or Bible teaching with our preconceived
ideas things that we grew up believing things that we were taught whether by a
religion or parents or whatever it may be or some sort of earthly authority but
here's the thing at the end of the day we need to align our way of thinking
with God's way of thinking because God obviously is a greater authority than
even our parents God is a greater authority than any organization that
exists God is a greater authority the greatest authority in the universe and
it's for that reason that we need to change our perspective to see things the
way he sees them you know sometimes you might hear some preaching or some
teaching on the Bible and you're like whoa that's like what in the world
that's not what I believe well you might just need to change your
perspective it's not that the person saying it is crazy it's just that this
world is just crazy hey God is not crazy folks the Bible is not crazy it's this
world that has lost its mind but we live in this world and so our mind frame is
molded by this world our morality is molded by this world and you know what
sometimes it's just time for a change of perspective look at Isaiah chapter 55 in
verse number 6 it says seek ye the Lord while he may be found this isn't the
sermon today but you know there comes a time when you can no longer seek after
God there could come a time when it's actually too late for you to seek after
the Lord and a lot of people want to put things off till tomorrow but you know
what I've noticed about tomorrow it really never comes when it comes to
things like that tomorrow never comes Oh tomorrow I'll go to church tomorrow
I'll read the Bible tomorrow I'll get right with God tomorrow I'll get saved
tomorrow tomorrow and tomorrow often never comes the Bible tells us he doesn't
say wait till tomorrow he says seek ye the Lord while he may be found you know
what the insinuation there is is that there's gonna come a time when he's not
gonna allow you to find him isn't that a scary thought and you and I both know
that there are times in our life when we really need God when we're going through
a difficult time we're in a foxhole so to speak we're going through a hard
difficult time and we're seeking after God there could come a time in your life
when you could no longer find God seek you seek ye the Lord while he may be
found call ye upon him while he is near look what it says in verse 7 let the
wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him
return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he
will abundantly pardon verse 8 for my thoughts are not your thoughts neither
are my ways your way saith the Lord for as the heavens are higher than the earth
sore are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts now
people have often used this to teach and I don't I'm not I don't have
anything against it because obviously it's a good application you often say
you know when they go through a difficult time to have a loss to their
family or they don't really understand what's going on they often say well you
know what his thoughts are not our thoughts his ways are not our ways we
don't really understand how God works sometimes but that's not actually what
it's talking about what he's saying is this it's in context of verse 7 where he
says let the wicked forsake his way why because your way is not like my way he's
saying so what is he telling you what is he telling us you need to change the
way you think you think wickedly you do wickedly you're involved in things you
shouldn't be involved in it's time to forsake that way it's time to get right
with God it's time to recognize that you need to change your perspective on
certain things now look obviously the Bible teaches us that there's a milk
there's the milk of the word there's the meat of the word there's certain things
that are a little harder to digest in the Word of God and we need to be able
to take it and pace ourselves when we read the Word of God when we're here
preaching but at the end of the day we just need to have the attitude that well
if it's in the Bible I'm just gonna believe it if it's in the Word of God
I'm just gonna believe it no matter how crazy or radical people may say it is if
it's biblical I need to close the gap between the way I think and the way God
thinks you know I've noticed the more people have a knee-jerk reaction to the
Bible the more I realize how far or how large that gap really is between the way
God thinks and they think and anytime I read the Bible anytime you know I listen
to the thoughts of God as I'm reading the Word of God and I think well that's
crazy you know it shows me it shows me that that gap is getting a little too
big and I need to change my perspective you see a lot of people's perspective
today is well you know what I mean just we're just here on this earth and we
just gotta work and and and just kind of live life and just kind of do whatever
and not be a part of religion just kind of follow your heart but really you got
to ask yourself this is that God's perspective God's perspective is there's
an end to these things right let me hit you with a little bit of reality on a
Easter Sunday you're all gonna die every single one of you are gonna die me
too everyone in this room will die I don't like that perspective but that's
actually a biblical perspective let me tell you this every single one of the
people in this room will go to one of two places heaven or hell there's a
literal heaven which God often synonymous he calls eternal life he
calls it everlasting life he calls it salvation and there's a place called
hell I don't like that perspective well you it's okay if you don't like it but
you got to change your perspective to understand that this is reality don't
live in a fantasy world with this perspective that well when I die I'm
just gonna reincarnate to a butterfly or something do you really want to roll the
dice on that that's a scary thought I think I'm gonna reincarnate I think we
just go into the grave and nothing ever happens yeah but here's the thing okay
and this is what I often tell people when I talk to them about salvation when
they tell me you know I think that when I die I'm just gonna go into the grave
I'll just stop existing everything just goes black and you know I just no longer
think and this is what I tell them okay if you're right then you and I both just
go into blackness and just stop existing and that's it like nothing really
happens there's nothing really crazy about that I said but if I'm right the
Bible says that you lift up your eyes in hell being in torment and the smoke of
your torment shall ascend up forever and ever do you really want to risk that you
want to risk thinking well well my perspective is that you know there is no
God and there is no devil and there is no heaven there is no hell there is no
punishment for those things okay do you want to risk that though I rather just
align my thinking with God's Word and he says that the fearful and unbelieving
and the abominable and murderers and whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters
and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and
brimstone which is the second death that's the right perspective
it's time for a change in perspective but how about maybe some of you are
saved and your perspective has been shifted to think of these things the
things of this world more than the things of God you set your affection on
your for your affections on the things of this earth more than the things that
of God it's time for your perspective to change it's time to make God a priority
in your life the Bible tells us to seek ye first the kingdom of God and these
things shall be added unto you it's time to change your perspective go with me if
you would to Romans chapter 12 Romans chapter number 12 now the first way to
change your perspective is obviously number one is you got to get saved you
have to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and did you know that even though this
truth may be new to you it's not a new truth at all you may have grown up being
taught a different way but learning a different way growing up does not change
the reality of God's Word doesn't change the Bible tells us in Romans chapter 2
in verse 28 you're in Romans chapter 12 I'm gonna read to you from Romans 2 it
says for he is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that circumcision
outward in the flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision
is that of the heart and of the spirit and not of the letter whose praise is
not of men but of God so what do we see first when it comes to changing our
perspective we need a heart transplant you need a different heart you need a
Jewish heart so to speak right a heart that is circumcised according to the
Bible which is just synonymous with believing on Jesus Christ you've placed
your faith in Christ the Bible says that if that if thou shalt confess with thy
mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in thine heart that God hath raised them
from the dead thou shalt be saved a heart transplant is necessary you're in
Romans 12 I'm gonna reach you from Ezekiel 11 verse 19 says I will give
them one heart and I will put a new spirit within you and I will take the
stony heart out of their flesh and we'll give them a heart of flesh that they may
walk in my statutes and keep my ordinances and do them and they shall be
my people and I will be their God but we not only that not only do we need a
heart transplant we meet it we need a mind transformation look at Romans 12
verse 1 I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God they present your
bodies a living sacrifice wholly acceptable and to God which is your
reasonable service and be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind they may prove what is that good and acceptable and
perfect will of God what is God saying you have to change your mind which
ultimately changes your perspective
today we need this more than ever why cuz this world is crazy folks this
world has lost their mind the people in this world are crazy not you but the
people of this world outside of these walls of course I think no I'm just
kidding crazy watch the news crazy watch all the
murder that's taking place crazy people bombing churches crazy it's going crazy
out there you said what's the problem why why are people behaving this way
because of their mind and I want to encourage you this morning to change
your perspective on things and this is not some motivational speech believe in
yourself and you know buy this handkerchief or whatever and put your
hand on the window and send in your money or whatever this is buy into
God's Word is what it is believe what God's Word says allow the Bible to
brainwash you people don't like to hear that like oh you're brainwashed and I
accept that 100% like absolutely my brain has been washed from the filth of
this world from the disgusting filth of this world and the things that this
world has inserted into my mind since the day that I was born from the media
the world the devil everything that is working against us as human beings you
know my mind has been washed from that but it needs a continual washing by
reading the Bible hey get yourself into a church where they read the Bible get
yourself into a church where they preach the Bible get yourself into a church
where they'll actually tell you what the Word of God says not shy away from it
that they'll preach the Bible unapologetically but unapologetically
there you go well they'll tell you what the Bible says that you don't have to
worry if the pastor is gonna cut the sermon he's not gonna answer your
questions get into a church where they actually do tell you what the Bible says
regardless of how controversial it may be because at least we'll tell you the
truth don't you like the truth the Bible says in Ephesians 4 20 but ye have not
so learned Christ if so be they have heard him and have been taught by him as
the truth is in Jesus that he put off concerning the former conversation the
old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lust and be renewed in the
spirit of your mind what is it saying you need to change your mind your
perspective needs to change in life maybe you have a family member here
today who invited you to church and it's that crazy family member why are you
laughing it's that it's that that radical zealot Christian zealot family
member you know it may just be that they're just normal why are you laughing
it it may be that they just have a biblical perspective it may be that
they just believe the Word of God what might be crazy is what the world has
taught you yeah I think that's the crazy part
it may be just someone who has renewed their mind the three second Corinthians
chapter 3 Philippians chapter 4 verse 12 says I know both how to be obeying
through Christ which strengthen it me this is a proper perspective in the
Bible so a change of perspective needs to change but not only that a change in
purpose needs to change as well now look folks it's not bad to make money now
it's bad for me to try to make a whole lot of money because I'm a pastor okay
it's not bad for you to make money but it is bad for me so look anytime you
run into a pastor that's just bling-bling in he's got some what's a
fancy car out there right now Tesla who said that I'm just kidding Tesla you
know Bugatti hey how do you know that up Bentley all right we got a bunch of rich
people here you get the point you see a pastor who rolls up the church saying
God's man on the license plate he's got like a Tesla you need to run the other
way you like this is not a good place because the Bible actually says that a
pastor should not be greedy of filthy lucre doesn't mean he needs to be poor
doesn't mean he can't have decent nice things but he can't live lavishly and
luxuriously where he has like a yacht a helicopter a helipad a couple Tesla's
that's wrong but here's the thing you know people it's not bad for people to
make money but it's bad when people love money though and often a person who
loves money makes money their purpose in life it's what they want in life but you
know the Bible actually says he that loveth silver shall not be satisfied
with silver and if you've ever fallen into the trap of loving money you know
that's true it's like I just need one more dollar I need one more raise I need
one more this I need I just need just a little more but it never comes so what's
the answer changing your purpose changing what you're actually living for
Ecclesiastes 12 verse 13 says this let us hear the conclusion of the whole
matter fear God and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty
of man what's your purpose in life to serve God you say man that sounds boring
that sounds lame it's like serving God and living for God yeah but here's the
thing it first of all it's not lame okay it's not boring because I live a pretty
exciting life just just follow what happened to us over the last three
months it's very exciting here's the thing is that when you live for God
life there's never a dull moment and here's the thing when you serve God and
you live for God you receive certain promises in the life to come you see
every single individual in this life wants to live forever and how do we live
forever by believing on Jesus Christ according to the Bible but even aside
from that God says that when you inherit eternal life there's actually rewards on
the other side of that life you can receive there are rewards eternal
rewards that you can receive and you say why did you choose to become a pastor
well because of the fact that I want to earn those eternal rewards that's my
purpose in life the purpose of life is to serve God purpose in life is to earn
rewards your purpose in life obviously is to provide for your family right you
should provide for your family you should work the hours that you need to
work in order to provide for your family and and take your wife out to
provide things for your children to enjoy life but here's the thing the main
purpose should be to serve God your identity the Bible says in 2nd
Corinthians chapter 3 verse 18 but we all with open face beholding as in a
glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory
even as by the Spirit of the Lord you know one of the main purposes of a
Christian is to be more like Jesus now please do not get that confused with
what other preachers say about being like Jesus because often what people say
when they talk about being like Jesus it means like be really nice and be really
soft and just kind of let people step all over you that's actually not a
biblical concept of Jesus biblical concept of Jesus is Jesus is a man's man
Jesus was fierce Jesus was strong he's powerful yes he was kind yes he was
loving but he was also righteous and just and the Bible tells us that our
purpose in life as Christians is to be conformed to the image of Christ how do
we do that by reading the Bible by obeying his commandments the Bible says
that will be changed from that glory to glory but not only that we need to
change our appetites now be honest you don't have to say it and maybe you're a
Christian you're like I'm not really used to said DJ where's the next time
I'm just gonna come for the preaching you skip everything else but you know
why that is is because your appetites are different and appetites need to
change the Bible says speaking to yourselves in Psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs singing to make a melody in your heart unto the Lord so this is
actually a biblical thing and here's the thing when we begin to serve God
when we begin to live for the Lord we're not supposed to ask the Lord to appease
our appetites we need to change our appetites to what he wants us to hunger
and thirst for the Bible says bless are they which do hunger and thirst after
righteousness for they shall be filled hey the rap music is not gonna fill you
up the rock music is not gonna fill you up
tick-tock and reels and all these things they're not gonna fill you up what's
gonna fill you up the things of God so how do I change that you need to change
your purpose Psalm 37 verse 4 says the light thyself also in the Lord and he
shall give thee the desires of thine heart wouldn't you say it's time for a
change it's time for a change have you been doing the same thing the same way
and expecting different results if that's the case I got some really good
advice for you it's time for a change go to Ephesians chapter 5 if you would
how about a change in relationships relationships need to change sometimes
let's talk about marriage now I'm not saying change your spouse okay let me
get someone else instead the pastor said that should never change by the way in
our church we don't teach that you should divorce your spouse we teach you
know till death do us part and then no that's not a you know an excuse for
murder okay death do us part is basically saying hey we're in this to
the very end right and if and if your spouse fails you and and you know
doesn't meet your expectations you don't swap them out for someone new what do you
do you change you if it's not working out with your spouse and you're going
through a difficult time with your spouse it's a rocky relationship with
your spouse you don't quit on your spouse you change yourself now I'm not
speaking to those who may have already been divorced because obviously at that
you know that's too late for these people I'm talking about the people who
have not yet been divorced you say who our children we want to give our
children the right perspective in regards to these relationships right and
say hey stay with your wife stay with your husband no matter how difficult it
gets no matter how bullheaded he is no matter how many failures he has no
matter how many mistakes she has stick it out don't change your spouse change
yourself in order to improve your marriage you need to change yourself hey
it's time for a change maybe you came into church today you're just like we
barely made it here because we're just like fighting this entire time and I'm
having a hard time just paying attention to what's going on I kicked the dog and
you know just everything is just going bad right now well what needs to change
is your marriage not your spouse but yourself right and often one of the
biggest things that will change a marriage is simply following the
biblical order of what God says how things should be in the household look
at Ephesians chapter 5 verse 21 submitting yourselves one to another in
the fear of God what does that mean it means both of you are in unison
understanding in an agreement that we need to submit ourselves to God okay so
we start off the foundation of marriage knowing this this is all about God first
and foremost our marriage is for the Lord we need to submit ourselves one to
another in the fear of God verse 22 every man's life verse wives submit
yourselves unto your own husbands as unto the Lord now if you have a problem
with what I just read you need to reference the first point about your
perspective it's in the Bible it says wives submit yourselves unto your own
husbands as unto the Lord what does that mean it means let me just say this it
means the husband's the boss according to the Bible right now if you're like oh
you put your earbuds in you're like all right that's where I tune out you need
to change your perspective a lot of conflict in marriage comes when these
roles are just out of whack like yeah but he doesn't really deserve for me to
follow him and obey him the guy makes a lot of mistakes he's a lot of stupid
stuff fails a lot and messes up the finances and just does all these things
does this say unless he doesn't do all those things or something or what it
just says wife submit yourselves unto your own husbands and here's the thing
here's a formula ladies on how to get your husband to do what you would want
him to do number one don't nag let's pray now I'm just kidding number two
listen to this you submit to him and you know what that does when you submit to
your husband it actually lowers his guard and then he is desirous to do what
you would want him to do that's actually the formula that God has set forth in
his word because men resist when they're being told what to do you know
if you tell him to turn left he's gonna turn right tell him to do this he's
just gonna do the exact opposite cuz he's prideful he's arrogant he's a man
okay but if you submit unto your husband what that actually does is it softens
his heart and it says you know what you do whatever you want actually let's do
it let's go to Burger King then fine I won't get that PlayStation or whatever I
won't get that Xbox then or whatever you know no honey if that's what you want
whatever it is you want then he's just like all right I'll buy it then often
what it is is just roles that are being not fulfilled so wife submit unto your
husband you got to change your marriage and if you're having problems in your
marriage something needs to change it's time for a change and look if everything
else has failed before you criticize this have you tried this right I don't
know we've tried everything have you tried this though look at verse 23 for
the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church and
he is the Savior of the body therefore as the church is subject unto Christ so
let the wives be to their own husbands and everything and I want you to notice
that it says why submitting yourselves to your husband's as unto the Lord
here's the great thing about that okay the Lord is always worthy of being
submitted to so if your husband's acting a fool and he's just making all kinds of
mistakes and you're just like ah then you think of yourself hasn't to the Lord
because God views me submitting to my husband as me submitting as unto the
Lord now the husband's verse 25 husbands love your wives how much even as Christ
also loved the church and gave himself for it what did Jesus do he died so in
other words the man supposed to be self-sacrificial towards his wife and
love his wife not be mean towards his wife not yell at his wife never harm his
wife never put down his wife never compare his wife right right love your
wife and it says even as Christ also loved the church so think about this
every church has a bunch of mistakes in it sinners right people that fail the
Lord we sin we do wrong and you know what God always takes us back he loves
us anyway so he's saying here husbands love your wives just the way I love the
church just the way I love your church you know what that means when your wife
doesn't meet your expectations you love her anyways and now with those words hey
you didn't meet my expectations but I just want to say that I still love you
you're not really you know you're not really up there yet but babe I still
love you that's not what it's referring to you know that means it means overlook
their flaws it means forgiving them it means being kind lovingly kind merciful
and gracious even when they fall short that's what it means to love your wives
he says in verse 26 that he may sanctify it and cleanse it with the washing of
water by the word that he might present it to himself a glorious church not
having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holding without
blemish so ought men to love their wives as their own bodies he that loveth his
wife loveth himself he said I need some practical advice how do I love my wife
well here's here's really good advice the way you would love your own body so
when the last pizza slice is there you would say well I'm taking that but love
and your wife would say this is for you okay and then he would also say but if
you want to submit to me though I'm kidding what it's saying is like you
love your wife the way you would love yourself you cherish your wife the way
you would cherish your own body
does something need to change it's time for a change if things have gone
difficult in your marriage if things have gone difficult with your spouse
maybe it's just something needs to change and the change needs to come
about from a biblical way not the secular way that you've been working on
oh no I read this secular book and it says this that we need a you know
separate for like six months and do a nonsense wife submit to your husband
husband love your wife you're good to go you'll make each other very happy if you
do those two things but I love my husband he's thankful for that but I'm
just I'm just telling you he prefers the submission more than anything else and
you're like well but I provide for my wife I get her stuff you know yeah but
she she likes for you to like to listen to her talk when you come home from work
right you know when you come home from work and you're all tired you're all
grumpy you're all mad and all that stuff when you sit down she has a lot of stuff
to tell you she has a whole day's worth of things to tell you and you need to be
interested in what she's telling you or at least act interested okay why because that's part of
loving your wife it's actually being interested in what she's saying it's
being concerned it's fellowshipping with your wife it's loving her and here's
like here's a good way to motivate you to do these things okay here's a great
way to do it just remember this your wife your wife and your husband they're
not always gonna be here so why don't you do that today because you you may
not even have tomorrow that's good motivation verse 33 says
nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as
himself and the wife see that she reverence her husband honey you look so
handsome today you look great in that suit you don't look fat you look great
reverence him and husbands love your wife it's time for a change it's time
for something to change how about friendships that need to change you know
why you keep going back to the same old habits the same old sin the same old
this and that it's probably because of the people that you surround yourself
with the Bible says in Proverbs 13 verse 20 he that walketh with wise men shall
be wise but a companion of fools shall be destroyed if you hang out with these
types of people long enough you hang out with the individuals that sin you hang
out with the individuals that are they're involved in that environment
that you came from eventually you will be like unto them
guarantee what I do well here's a bunch of friends that you can make here at
church you know we're a church and we preach God's Word but we're also about
fellowship so what's fellowship it's just a geeky way of saying you know
friendship yep geeky for you not geeky for me it's just a way of saying
friendship have relationships have friends in church and you know what the
great thing about that is you don't wake up tomorrow with a hangover yeah that's
great you don't wake up tomorrow morning after a church service unless it's like
I don't know you go to like a Calvinist churches you know with a having to mix a
club motto drink and doing all these things that for like go man only you
know cuz you got cruiser and all these things you don't have to worry about
that I mean you the only hangover you probably get is a sugar hangover but
maybe your friends need to change right maybe it's time for a change go to first
Corinthians chapter 15 you say well how do I know if I've changed my friends how
do I know if I've if I've successfully done that well the Bible tells us in 1st
Peter chapter 4 in verse number 3 it says for the time past of our life may
suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles when we walked in
lasciviousness lust excess of wine revelings banquetings and abominable
idolatries wherein they think it's strange they run not with them to the
same excess of riot speaking evil of you so this is how you know when you made
the change when your buddies are like you're acting weird you're acting
strange you're going to church on Sunday you're doing the church thing you're you
have a Bible where'd you get that suit you are like our church goer now or
something and they think it's strange that you're not running with them on a
Friday night to go do the Lord knows what that's how you know when you've
changed your relationships and here's here's the last motivation for you to
change the people you hang out with how about your children you know if it's not
enough for you if it's not enough for your wife it's not enough for your
spouse think about your kids do you want your kids to grow up to be like your
friends you're like whoa no way I never thought about that actually that's a
good idea yeah at that point it's time for a change and here's the last thing
talk about change here it's time for a change in your eternal direction let me
just say this is all the previous advice is completely just meaningless if you
don't do this part right here it's meaningless you can change your marriage
your purpose your friendships relationships children you can do all
these things to your life but if you don't get saved it's completely
meaningless why because the Bible says this what shall it profit a man if he
shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul what is it gonna be a profit to
you if you are able to improve your marriage but both of you die and go to
hell what profit is it to you if you become successful at your job your
perspective changes you change the way you rear your children you change your
friendships but then you die and you go to hell what shall it profit you here's
what it'll profit you nothing absolutely nothing so maybe it's time for you to
change them you know what the good news is if you're here today you can change
and here's the thing when I say you could change I'm not saying you can stop
sinning because guess what as soon as you leave these doors you're probably
gonna go sin some more when I say you can change I'm not saying oh you can do
all these great works in order to get into heaven because guess what there's
not enough good works that you can do to go to heaven when I say change I'm not
saying hey you can keep God's commandments why because no one can keep
God's commandments I'm a pastor and I can't keep all of God's commandments no
one can when I say change I'm not saying hey you can get baptized and be saved
because guess what if you get baptized and you're not saved all you did was
take a bath when I say things can change I'm referring to the fact that you can
place your faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior you can believe on Jesus Christ
for your salvation plus nothing minus nothing
the Bible says believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved and the
Bible makes it explicitly clear that if you add anything to that the gift is no
longer available it says in Romans chapter 11 verse number 6 and if by
grace then it is no more of work otherwise grace is no more grace and if
it be of work then there's no more of grace otherwise work is no more work
what is God saying it has to exclusively be on Jesus his death and his
resurrection recognizing that that is all you need to be saved it's all you
need plus nothing minus nothing and I don't think there's an individual in
this room that can admit or they can say well I'm a good person all the time
because there's none that do with good no not one I don't think there's an
individual here that can admit why do good works all the time because here's
the thing we all fail and don't do good all the time and here's often when I
tell people when I witness to them I say this when a judge judges a person who is
guilty of a crime you notice he never tells him so what good have you done
throughout your life you notice the individual who's guilty doesn't say hey
I know I'm guilty of this crime but I just want to let you know all the good
things that I've done one like manner God doesn't do that to us either because
he that keep it the whole law yet offended one point is guilty of all
James chapter 2 verse 10 the Bible tells us oh man then who then can be saved
well if you decide to place your faith in Christ for your salvation and only
your faith in Christ and only in Jesus you can be saved it is possible and you
can change your eternal destination I plead with you this morning if you don't
know where you're gonna go when you die don't leave before you figure that out
don't leave it before talking to me or one of the people in our church we'd be
overwhelmed with joy just to share that with you before you look at 1st
Corinthians chapter 15 you know because a lot of people they want to change they
want to they want to stop drinking they want to stop smoking they want to stop
doing this they want to stop you know it's doing X Y & Z X Y & Z sin and you
know they want to stop doing these things and you know what that's never
gonna happen this side of eternity but you know what if you're saved that
change is inevitable look what it says in 1st Corinthians 15 51 behold speaking
of the resurrection I show you a mystery we shall not all sleep but we shall all
be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye the last Trump for the trumpet
shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed so
unfortunate a lot of people in this life will spend their entire life trying to
live a holy life in hopes that they would be saved when in actuality you
don't have to do any of that to be saved and that change comes not at your effort
but because of the power of God known as the resurrection and that's what the
resurrection is about yeah it's it's an event that took place 2,000 years ago
yes it's a person Jesus Christ but you know what it is it's an event that will
one day take place only for those who have placed their faith in Jesus the
question I want to ask you this morning is this is it time for a change hope it
is let's pray father we thank you so much for your word thank you for
everyone who showed up today Lord I pray you place it upon the heart of
individuals here Lord I hope that you're tugging at their hearts to be saved and
Lord it would be worth everything if at least one person here who doesn't know
they're going to heaven would confirm that and solidify that before they leave
and thank you so much for the resurrection Lord we're so thankful that
Jesus Christ came to this earth 2,000 years ago he gave his life for us he
paid for all of our sins past present and future he resurrected on the third
day in order to justify us we're so thankful for the sacrifice that he made
and the power of God we're thankful that he has the keys of death and of hell and
Lord I pray God that you bless the remainder of our day and our visitors
keep them safe as they go back home in Jesus name we pray amen
amen if you just take your song sheets that you got there in your