["Pomp and Circumstance"]
The preaching of your word, Lord, and we thank you for all of our mothers as well, Lord, that you've given us as an admonition, as a guide in our life, Lord, and we thank you for them, and we thank you for giving us this day to take to honor them.
I thank you, Lord Father, for the souls that were saved this afternoon and for the service this morning, and I ask that you please just bless this service as well, Lord.
Please bless the singing, but most of all, Lord, please bless the preaching of your word.
Fill Pastor Mahieu with your spirit as he preaches, and fill us also with your spirit that we may leave here edified.
In Jesus' name I pray, amen.
All right, turn in your song books to song number 197, you may be seated.
Song number 197, Singing I Go, The Trusting Heart to Jesus Clings.
Song number 197, all together nice and strong on that first verse.
The trusting heart to Jesus clings, nor any ill or foes, but at the cross of Calvary sings praise God for lifted loaves.
Singing I go, a long life's prone, praising the Lord, praising the Lord, singing I go, a long life's prone, for Jesus has lifted my load.
The passing days bring many cares, fear not, I hear Him say, and when my fears are turned to prayers, the burdens slip away.
Singing I go, a long life's prone, praising the Lord, praising the Lord, singing I go, a long life's prone,
for Jesus has lifted my load. He tells me of my Father's love, and never slumbering I.
My everlasting King above will all my needs supply.
Singing I go, a long life's prone, praising the Lord, praising the Lord, singing I go, a long life's prone, for Jesus has lifted my load.
When to the throne of grace I flee, I find the promise true. The mighty arms upholding me will bear my burdens too.
Singing I go, a long life's prone, praising the Lord, praising the Lord, singing I go, a long life's prone, for Jesus has lifted my load.
Sunday evening is at 5 p.m. and then we have our Thursday night Bible study at 7 o'clock.
You see the soul winning times and teams, the list of expecting mothers, if you can continue to keep them in prayer, and the important reminders there at the bottom.
Some of the upcoming church events, of course today is Mother's Day, so happy Mother's Day to you all.
All the mothers who came, it was an honor to have you, and I hope you got your gift as well as your chocolate.
And then we do have Sarah Solis' baby shower coming up on Sunday, May 15th. You can see my wife for more details regarding that.
The P.E. end of school picnic, it's coming up on Wednesday, May 25th. You can see Brother Ulysses for the details on that.
And then on Sunday, May 29th, the Sunday evening service, we're going to have a graduation service for Giovanni Franceschini.
And just to celebrate with him as he concludes his schooling or high school, right? So congratulations. Are you excited or what?
Very. You sound very excited. And then Father's Day, of course, is coming up on Sunday, June 19th.
We'll have a gift for all the dads, and of course the service will be geared towards fathers as well as the sermon.
And then just the important reminders here at the bottom. No food or drink allowed in the main auditorium except for water and coffee.
No loitering in the foyer or fellowship hall during the preaching service. And of course, I want to kindly remind everyone just to kind of reiterate this rule here,
you know, that quiet time is from 3 p.m. to 4 15 throughout the entire building, including the fellowship hall.
OK, now we grew a little lax and left one of the lights on so people can hang out in there.
But, you know, after a while, you know, it got kind of lively in there.
And so just as a reminder to everyone that if we're going to keep that light on, we need to make sure that we keep it down and or else we're just going to have to turn all the lights off.
And so just keep that in mind. Please make sure you silence your phones during the preaching so as to not be a distraction during the service.
It's going to take some so many numbers from this past week. Salvations from Monday to Thursday.
Any salvations from Monday to Thursday? One. OK, anybody else? OK, how about Friday and Saturday?
Salvations for Friday and Saturday. Four for Riverside. Anybody else? And then this afternoon,
Salvations for this afternoon. One. Anything else? Seven for brother Elise's team.
Eight for brother Morrie's team. One from the service. OK.
And three for brother Marcus's team. Three for brother Marcus's team. OK, great.
Anybody else? OK. Keep up the great work on soul winning. Let's go to sing our next song. Song number one hundred and twenty one.
Like a river glorious.
Song number one hundred and twenty one. Like a river glorious.
All together, nice and powerful on that first verse.
Like a river glorious.
Is God's perfect peace.
Over all victorious.
In its pride and grace.
Perfect can it flow away.
Fuller every day.
Perfect can it flow away.
Deeper all the way.
Stayed upon Jehovah.
Hearts are fully blessed.
Finding as He promised.
Perfect peace and rest.
Hidden in the hollow.
Of His blessed hand.
Never folk and follow.
Never traitors stand.
Not a surge of worry.
Not a shade of fear.
Not a blast of hurry.
Touch the Spirit there.
Stayed upon Jehovah.
Hearts are fully blessed.
Finding as He promised.
Perfect peace and rest.
Every joy or trial.
Fallen from above.
Traced upon our dial.
By the Son of God.
We may trust Him fully.
All for all.
For us to do.
They who trust Him wholly.
Find Him wholly true.
Stayed upon Jehovah.
Hearts are fully blessed.
Finding as He promised.
Perfect peace and rest.
Amen. Wonderful singing.
At this time the ushers will come forth to collect the offering and you can turn in your Bibles to Acts chapter number 20.
Thank you.
Good evening. Tonight we're in Acts chapter 20.
Acts chapter 20 and the Bible reads,
And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples and embraced them, and departed forth to go into Macedonia.
And when he had gone over those parts, and had given them much exhortation,
Paul called unto him the disciples and embraced them, and departed forth to go into Macedonia.
And when he had gone over those parts, and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece.
And there abode three months, and when the Jews laid weight for him,
as he was about to sail into Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia.
And there accompanied him into Asia, Sopater of Berea,
and of the Thessalonians Aristarchus and Secuntus and Gaius of Derbe and Timotheus,
and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus,
and going before Terry for us at Troas.
And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread,
and came unto them to Troas in five days, where we abode seven days.
And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread,
Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow, and continued his speech until midnight.
And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together.
And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep.
And as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep,
and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.
And Paul went down and fell on him, and embracing him, said,
Trouble not yourselves, for his life is in him.
When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten,
and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.
And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.
And we went before to ship, and sailed unto Essos,
there intending to take on Paul,
for so he had appointed, minding himself to go afoot.
And when he met with us at Essos, we took him in, and came to Mytilene.
And we sailed thence, and came the next day over against Chios,
and the next day we arrived to Samos, and tarried at Trigylium,
and the next day we came to Miletus.
For Paul had determined to sail to Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia,
for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.
And from Miletus he said to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church,
and when they were come to him, he said unto him,
Ye know from the first day that I came into Asia,
after what manner I have been with you at all seasons,
serving the Lord with all humility of mind,
and with many tears, and temptations which befell me
by the lying and weight of the Jews.
And now I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you,
but have showed you, and have taught you publicly,
and from house to house, testifying both to the Jews,
and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God,
and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
And now behold I go bound in the Spirit unto Jerusalem,
not knowing the things that shall befall me there,
save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city,
saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.
But none of these things move me,
neither count I my life dear unto myself,
so that I might finish my course with joy,
and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus
to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
And now behold I know that ye all,
among whom I am gone preaching the kingdom of God,
shall see my face no more.
Wherefore I take you to record this day,
that I am pure from the blood of all men.
For I have not shunned to declare unto you
all the counsel of God.
Take heed therefore unto yourselves,
and to all the flock, over the which
the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers,
to feed the church of God,
which he hath purchased with his own blood.
For I know this, that after my departing
shall grievous wolves enter in among you,
not sparing the flock.
Also of your own selves shall men arise,
speaking perverse things,
to trawey disciples after them.
Therefore watch and remember
that by the space of three years
I cease not to warn every one night and day with tears.
And now brethren I commend you to God
and to the word of his grace,
which is able to build you up,
and to give you an inheritance
among all them which are sanctified.
For I have not coveted no man's silver
or gold or apparel.
Yet ye yourselves know that these hands
have ministered unto my necessities
and to them that were with me.
I have showed you all things,
how that so laboring you ought to support the weak
and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus,
how he said it is more blessed
to give than to receive.
And when he had thus spoken he knelt down
and prayed with them all.
And they all wept sore and fell on Paul's neck
and kissed him, sorrowing most of all
for the words which he spake,
to see his face no more
and they accompanied him unto the ship.
Let's pray.
Dear Lord God we thank you for our salvation Lord
and Lord we thank you for the church
that you've given us Lord
and the congregation here Lord.
We thank you for all the people
within this church and Lord we thank you
for pastor as well.
We pray that you bless him
and fill him with your spirit
as he preaches your word
and I pray that the people here
are edified by the preaching Lord.
It says take heed therefore unto yourselves
and to all the flock over the which
the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers
to feed the church of God
which he hath purchased
with his own blood.
Of course here the Apostle Paul
is simply instructing the elders
of these different churches here
and before he leaves more specifically
the church of Ephesus and he's telling him
take heed to yourselves,
make sure you take heed to the flock,
make sure you are an overseer
of the local ascension,
take heed to the local assembly there
and feed the church of God,
give him the word of God,
understand the importance of the local assembly
because of the fact that the church
was purchased with the blood of Jesus Christ
and he's placing an emphasis there
on that local assembly.
Now the title of my sermon this evening
is what a church should do,
what a church should do
and the reason I want to preach this
this evening is really to emphasize
or really bring us back to what the Bible
says on what a church should do
and what a church should do.
A lot of Christians have different priorities
so to speak, you understand.
They basically see church as only
a place to socialize,
it's just a club for people
to hang out with, other people
and they just see it not necessarily
as what the Bible defines as being a church
whereas the Bible actually clearly lays out
what a church is actually for
and what the responsibilities
of a church are.
Now go with me if you want
to Acts chapter 11, go to Acts chapter 11,
it says here,
Then they that gladly received this word
were baptized, and the same day
they were added unto them
about three thousand souls
and they continued steadfastly
in the apostles' doctrine
and in fellowship and in breaking bread
and in prayers, verse 46 tells us,
and they continued daily
with one accord in the temple
and breaking bread from house to house
and did eat their meat with gladness
and singleness of heart, praising God
and having favor with all the people
who should be saved.
Now the first thing I want to mention here
of what a church should do
or what is the purpose of a church,
number one is that the local church
should have, listen to this,
a physical, centralized location.
And what I mean by that,
there should be a visible,
local, New Testament location
that's called a church.
Now why make a big deal about that?
Well, you know, a lot of people
will say, well, you know,
the church is not a building though,
and you can say, amen,
but only halfway, okay?
Because of the fact that the church
is not just for believers
or is not just made up of believers,
the church is a local called out
assembly of baptized believers, okay?
They're called out, they're baptized,
they are meeting in a centralized location
to fulfill the commandments
that God has given to them.
Now one of the reasons why Christians today
will try to undervalue the importance
of an actual physical centralized location
for a church is because
of this false teaching known
as the universal church, okay?
You know, you often hear people say,
well, every believer is part of the church, right?
They'll talk about the church
and anytime you hear preaching,
for example, on social media
or on YouTube, you know,
they'll say, well, the church
needs to listen to this message.
The church has this problem.
We need to fix this in the church.
Well, my question is this,
what church?
Because, you know, let's say,
well, the church is so lukewarm today.
Well, not my church.
So who are you talking about?
Oh, the church is just filled with sin
and they need to get this right.
Yeah, but what church are you talking about?
Because my church is not filled with sin.
Oh, but then, you know,
the church needs to wake up.
Oh, we're awake.
You know, the Bible says awake to righteousness
is sin not for some have not the knowledge of God.
I speak this to your shame
and I'm not referring to our church.
You know, when people say the church,
they're referring to this invisible
universal church that every believer is a part of.
But folks, it's not a biblical doctrine.
Okay.
This teaching is nothing more
than a diet version of the Catholic Church.
Right?
And where they get it from
is actually dispensationalism.
Okay.
You say, well, how did dispensationalism
introduce this into, you know,
this, this concept of the universal,
you know, invisible church?
Well, they introduced it by perverting
the teaching of the seven churches
which are in Asia in the Book of Revelation
because of the fact that in order
for them to prop up their false
doctrine of dispensationalism,
the pre-tribulation rapture,
and even this false doctrine of Zionism,
the Jews being God's chosen people,
they have to explain away
what God is talking about in Revelation
chapter two and three,
where he's literally writing to seven
local separate churches.
Well, they interpret Revelation
two and three as seven different
church ages.
So you have the church at Philadelphia,
you have the church at Ephesus,
Smyrna, Thyatira,
all these churches they interpreted as,
well, that actually highlights
the church age.
Okay.
Now, the funny thing is,
is that when you ask them what
church age are we in,
they'll tell you, oh, we're part
of the church.
So this is basically a personal testimony
for themselves.
What church should we pick for our age?
Laodicea.
Because they're lukewarm,
but I don't know about you,
but I'm not lukewarm.
I don't think my church is lukewarm.
As far as I can see,
the people in our church are fired up
about the things of God,
they're preaching the gospel,
they love doctrine,
they ardently defend the faith,
and that's why the church,
two and three, are actual churches.
And it's for that reason that God
told them to read those letters
in each of those churches.
So the letter that the church
at Ephesus got,
they had to read that at Laodicea.
The church that Thyatira got,
they had to read that at Pergamos.
Well, that doesn't really jive
if you're dealing with church ages,
you understand?
And so it's a false doctrine
and it doesn't work.
The Bible is referencing churches,
it's actually talking about
physical, local, New Testament churches.
You're in Acts 11,
I'm going to read to you from Acts chapter 8.
It says, And Saul was consenting
unto his death, and at that time
there was a great persecution
against the church,
which was at Jerusalem.
Now, you have a problem here
if church means the church,
a universal church, because of the fact
that it's actually describing
a local assembly at a centralized
location in Jerusalem.
And they were all scattered abroad
throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria
except the apostles.
Now, why would they call it the church at Jerusalem
if they're already scattered
and the church goes everywhere?
You understand?
No, the reason it's calling it that
is because there's a centralized location
for this specific assembly.
Look at Acts 11 and verse 19.
We're going to read a lot of verses here.
It says, Now they which were scattered abroad
upon the persecution that arose
but unto the Jews only,
and some of them were men
of Cyprus and Cyrene,
which when they were come to Antioch
spake unto the Grecians,
preaching the Lord Jesus.
And the hand of the Lord was with them
and a great number believed
and turned unto the Lord.
This is basically another way
of saying they got saved, amen.
It says in verse 22,
Then tidings of these things came
into the ears of the church
which was in Jerusalem,
and came and had seen the grace of God,
was glad, exhorted them all,
that with purpose of heart
there was Cleveland to the Lord.
For he was a good man
and full of the Holy Ghost
and of faith and much people
was added to the Lord.
Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus
for to seek Saul.
Saul referred to Paul the Apostle.
Verse 26 says, And when he had found him
he brought him unto Antioch
and it came to pass
that a whole year
Now hold on a second,
if we see the church as being
a universal invisible church,
how is it that they could assemble
with the church for an entire year?
That doesn't make sense at all.
How can you say,
well I'm not part of the church,
does that mean you're not saved anymore
or what does this mean?
Because according to their definition
of what a church is,
an invisible universal church,
doesn't matter if you're right with God or not,
Barnabas and Saul, known as Paul,
assembled themselves to the church
for an entire year,
referring to the fact that
they were with a local visible
physical assembly there.
It says, And taught much people
and the disciples were called Christians
first at Antioch.
Go to Acts chapter 18,
if you would, Acts chapter 18.
And it doesn't take much to prove this
but this is something that should be emphasized
because of the fact that
we consider ourselves to be
an independent Baptist church.
This is why we call ourselves
an independent fundamental Baptist church.
It's not just a cool way
of saying Baptist folks, okay?
You know, it's like, oh man,
IFB, independent fundamental Baptist,
independent means we're autonomous,
just like the churches were in the book of Acts.
In other words, we don't have
a centralized location that watches after us.
You know, that funds us
or tells us what to preach
and governs our church.
We are self-governing,
look at Acts 18 verse 19.
It says, And he came to Ephesus
and left them there.
But he himself entered into the synagogue
and reasoned with the Jews.
When they desired him to tarry longer
time with them, he consented not,
but bade them farewell saying,
I must by all means keep this feast
that cometh in Jerusalem.
But I will return again unto you if God will.
And he sailed from Ephesus
and when he had landed at Caesarea
and gone up and saluted the church,
he went down to Antioch.
And after he had spent some time there,
he departed and went over all the country
of Galatian and Phrygia in order
strengthening all the disciples.
Again, he's going somewhere
to a centralized location.
He's saluting the church,
referring to the fact that once
he landed in Caesarea,
there was an actual local physical assembly
for him to address.
Go to Acts chapter 14, if you would,
Acts chapter 14.
And so the first thing that a church should do
is have a centralized location.
I see that in the book of Acts
where they met in a house,
you have different believers
that actually met in someone's house
because of the fact that
if it's a small enough congregation
that there's not a whole lot
of resources coming through,
not a whole lot of tides,
the pastor might need to use his house.
And in fact, when we started our church,
we started at someone's house.
We didn't start at my house
because my house is not big enough.
But we had someone in our church
that we can assemble there
for a couple weeks until we can find a building.
But then after that, as the church
begins to grow, at that point,
we need to move to actual physical building.
You understand? And in fact,
the next chapter one, when you see
the church is being assembled there,
there's about 120 people
that are meeting together in a house.
And of course, as they began to grow,
3,000 to 5,000 people
were being added daily to that church.
They would obviously have to move
from that location to somewhere else.
So what a church is supposed to do
is have somewhere to meet.
You say, why is that important?
Well, because there's certain ordinances
that God has commanded us to do
that can only be carried out
at a centralized location.
You can't do it at a house church.
And when I mean a house church,
I'm talking about this movement
that seeks to have five different leaders
and no one has, there's not one leader.
They have a board of people
and they share what they think the Bible means
or what it's saying
or what it's being interpreted as.
No, we need a physical centralized location.
And I'll get into it later on,
but one of the reasons it's important
to have a centralized location
is because how do you exercise church discipline?
How do you put away from among yourselves
that wicked person
if there is a universal church?
It doesn't make any sense.
So number one is that a church
is supposed to have a centralized location to meet in.
Number two is a church is supposed
to have an ordained leader.
Now this can come in the form of a pastor
or an evangelist.
Someone who is temporarily taking over
until a qualified leader can then take the reins
and become the pastor of that local assembly.
Look at Acts chapter 14 verse 21.
It says,
And when they had preached the gospel to that city
and had taught many,
many of them in Antioch
confirming the souls of the disciples
and exhorting them to continue in the faith
and that we must through much tribulation
enter into the kingdom of God.
And when they had ordained them elders
in every church
and had prayed with fasting,
they commended them to the Lord
on whom they believed.
Now a lot of times in the New Testament,
the Bible will actually use elders
way more than pastor,
use them more than bishop
because elder simply means someone
who is spiritually mature.
You think of someone who's elderly,
physically speaking, means that they're older.
Well when the Bible uses that term,
it's referring to someone who is older in the faith.
And in order for someone to lead a congregation,
you don't just need someone who is older,
you need someone who is older in the faith.
Not a novice,
less being lifted up with pride,
he falls into condemnation of the devil, the Bible says.
And so every time you see the term elder there,
they'll let that throw you off
and you'll be like, oh man, don't the Mormons
call each other elders?
Those are elder berries, okay,
because they're fruits.
It's really referring to pastors.
And you'll see this is a common thing
throughout the New Testament,
you'll see this in the book of Titus,
that elders are being ordained
to oversee congregations and assemblies.
Go to 1 Timothy chapter number 5,
1 Timothy chapter number 5 if you would.
So a church is supposed to have
an ordained leader, whether that's an evangelist,
whether that is a pastor.
A lot of churches will start satellite church plants
and they will not ordain a pastor there,
but they will ordain an evangelist,
someone who can lead the congregation
and lead them in soul winning,
preach to the congregation, et cetera,
until they are either qualified themselves
or someone else is selected to take over that church.
Now you're in 1 Timothy chapter 5
I'm gonna read to you from Titus 1 verse 5,
it says, for this cause left I thee in Crete,
that thou shouldest set in order
the things that are wanting
and ordain elders in every city
as I had appointed thee.
Now let me ask you this,
if he's saying that elders are needed
in these churches and he's saying
to set things in order,
that means if there's no leader,
things are what?
Disorderly, right?
So according to the Bible, God's order
is that there is a leader there
to basically rule over the congregation,
oversee the congregation,
fulfill the ordinances
of the local New Testament church,
that's what the Bible tells us.
Look at 1 Timothy chapter 5,
now you say, well no, you know,
I don't agree with that,
I think we need to have multiple leaders
and then you can pow wow with them
and you can vote on, you know,
what the church should do
or vote on where the finances should go,
where the resources should be spent,
you know, what areas we should go
and what the church should come up with,
I think we all need to collectively
have the authority over the church.
Well look what the Bible says
in 1 Timothy 5 verse 17,
let the elders that rule well
be counted worthy of double honor.
Now how do you do this
if there's multiple elders, right?
How do you do this
if there's multiple leaders?
Here it's telling us
that the elder that is ruling well,
he's studying to show himself
and prove them to God,
the good and doctrine.
So the Bible's specifically commanding
churches to honor their pastor, okay?
Gotta honor him, man, you know?
You know, give me a Coke or something
and give me double,
instead of double honor,
I'll take a double double
and I'll consider that double honor, okay?
Well more specifically,
Luther says in verse 18,
For the scripture said,
Thou shalt not muzzle the ox
that treadeth out the corn,
against an elder,
receive not an accusation,
but before two or three witnesses.
Now how do you do that
in a universal church?
How do you do that
in an invisible universal church
that only works in a physical,
local assembly?
You know sometimes people gossip
and they talk trash
behind the pastor's back,
they'll go to someone in the church
and say I don't like his beard,
I don't like what he said in that sermon
and there's no specific instruction
to a church member
regarding such an accusation, okay?
Which can only be done
in a physical church
that has a leader, you understand?
Go to 1 Peter,
actually go to 1 Corinthians chapter 1,
1 Corinthians chapter 1
and then we'll go to chapter 14.
This is why we'll never have
a deacon board
and it's funny because
it's kind of sad actually,
because the pastors are supposed
to be the spearhead of this thing, right?
Because they're the ones
who are right on salvation,
they know how to soul win,
they have the King James Bible,
they have the right doctrine,
but they have allowed themselves
to be influenced by these Protestants.
By these Protestants they basically say
well you know we have to have
a deacon board, we have to vote
and look in some fundamental
Baptist churches it's really bad.
Where the pastor's hands
his congregation as he would want to
for fear of the deacon board.
I'm talking about something
as simple as what color
of the carpet should the carpet be
or whatever, you know?
What kind of flowers should we put
for the spring program?
You know, what kind of lights
should we have?
Like they literally have a deacon board
which sometimes they're filled with women, okay?
Determining what the pastor
should earn as a salary,
what kind of lights should be used,
what kind of chairs,
what kind of decorations,
and they'll literally have
a business meeting in church
to determine those things.
Phooey on that.
I don't see anything in the book of Acts
that states that that should happen.
I don't see anything in the book of Acts
that there should be a board of deacons
supposed to serve the pastor.
Where in the Bible does it say
that a deacon is supposed to determine
where the resources of the church
are supposed to be allocated?
Where the position of a deacon
was even created in the book of Acts
is to alleviate the pastor
so he can study the word of God and pray
and they have to go visit
those who are sickly,
those who are widows,
those who are in need of encouragement
and discipleship.
That's actually the responsibility of the deacons.
Not to meet together
and pow wow together to control the pastor, okay?
And look, there's times when
there's been churches out there
that have pastors that
they can't preach certain things
because of their deacons.
They won't allow it.
I'm thinking of one in particular.
I don't remember if it was a deacon board
but I remember this guy,
his name is Patrick Boyle, okay?
And he had enjoined himself to the new IFB
and became, started believing like us
and preaching like us
and he had this church
and he couldn't say certain things from the pulpit
because, you know, his deacon board
or his church members would just,
you know, they might fire him or something like that
and he would literally,
he was like restrained from teaching
the book of Revelation
and he couldn't say certain things
and hold certain positions
because he just might get in trouble, you know?
By the way, this is the same guy, by the way,
who condemned churches like us
for closing down during COVID for like a week
when this is the guy
who's actually afraid of his own church members
firing his rear end for preaching the word of God, okay?
It's called projecting, folks.
But you know, he's not the only one.
There's plenty of churches out there
that are just like that
where, you know, the pastor is just not free.
Folks, at this church,
I'm free to say whatever I biblically want.
Right?
And you say, well, what if like
99% of the church doesn't agree?
Well, I'm still gonna preach it
because my hands are not tied here, okay?
Well, we'll vote you out.
You can take a vote.
Folks, El Mani took a vote
of 15,000 signatures and petitions
and didn't do nothing.
They had to blow up my building
to get me out of there.
Signing petitions and voting
won't do nothing here.
But in certain churches, it does, okay?
And so, you know, we don't see
that type of structure or administration
being given out in the book of Acts.
According to the Bible,
there's one ordained leader that leads the flock.
And in fact, the Bible says in 1 Peter 5,
let me read to you verse number 1,
says, The elders which are among you I exhort,
who am also an elder
and a witness of the sufferings of Christ
and also partaker of the glory that shall be revealed.
Feed the flock of God which is among you,
listen to this, taking the oversight thereof,
not by constraint,
but surprisingly, not for filthy lucre,
but of a ready mind,
neither as being lords or for God's heritage,
but being examples to the flock.
So here it says that the pastor,
the shepherd, the elder,
is supposed to oversee the congregation.
That would mean that there's one leader, right?
Now let me ask you this.
How is it that if there's supposed
to be multiple leaders
and not one pastor,
everyone is just kind of ruling over the congregation,
then how does this make sense?
Verse 4 says, And when the chief shepherd shall appear,
he shall receive a crown of glory
that faith is not a weight.
So according to the Bible,
there's actually a crown, a reward,
that is designated for pastors.
Well, that doesn't work if there is no pastors allowed.
That doesn't work if you have a group of people
who are leaving the congregation.
It doesn't work that way.
Now, don't misunderstand me.
I'm not saying there can't be leaders in the church, right?
We have leaders in the church.
We have team leaders that are put in place by myself, right,
to lead the congregation
to be an extension of the pastor.
But let me just say this.
None of them are ordained.
It's not like I laid hands on them
and say, I now ordain you to be a team leader
and you have the power over all serpents
and to tread upon scorpions
and if you drink any deadly thing,
you know, it doesn't work that way, okay?
Obviously, we have an administration here
where we have somewhat of like under shepherds
under the pastor to be an extension of the pastor
to help people and disciple them
and train them and lead them
but it's not an official title, so to speak,
where we see something in the Bible
that the Bible's telling us to do that.
That's obviously a preference of mine
to help our church, okay?
Now, what's another thing that a church should do?
Well, I believe a church should baptize believers.
I think that's very important, okay?
And in fact, that's one of the reasons
why we're called what?
Baptists!
I'm not a freaking Presbyterian.
I'm not a Lutheran up here.
I don't baptize babies.
I don't baptize believers!
Folks, the Great Commission is still the Great Commission
and within that Great Commission
is the mandate to teach all nations
and then it says, baptizing them.
Now, every time we baptize someone,
we film it, I put it on YouTube
and there's always someone who says,
oh, you're doing it wrong.
Supposed to baptize in the name of Jesus.
Acts 2 38, in the name of Jesus.
Let's just ignore Matthew 28 then, right?
Let's just forget that Matthew 28 is just there, right?
Let's just forget that it's there.
No, let's not forget that it's there.
Jesus said, baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,
teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I've commanded you.
So according to the Bible, we get people saved
and then we have the responsibility to do what?
To tell them, hey, you need to get baptized.
Now, thankfully, at our church,
we have a lot of baptisms.
In fact, I think we got a baptism tonight.
We had two in the morning, we have one tonight,
and if that person tonight was reconsidering
to get baptized, it's too late.
Too late!
No, I'm just kidding.
I think it's important.
And let me just say this.
Let me tell you what I personally believe,
and if you don't agree with this,
I'm not mad at you.
It's okay, we can agree to disagree,
but this is how we do it at our church.
I personally believe based upon what the Bible says,
that only ordained people should baptize.
And I'll take it a step further.
I think that only saved people should baptize.
So saved, ordained people should baptize.
Now look, I have pastor friends
who disagree with that,
and I wouldn't say that they're wrong
on their part.
That's what they do in their administration.
That's perfectly fine.
That's why we're independent, amen?
We're independent because we have different administrations.
I'm just saying, and by the way,
it's not a hill that I'm gonna die on.
I'm not going on some crusade to say,
I'm gonna baptize.
I'm talking about in our local assembly.
That's what I believe.
That's what we're gonna do.
You know, because sometimes people take it
upon themselves to baptize believers
even though they're not ordained,
or sometimes they're not even saved or something.
And in fact, you know,
I saw a story yesterday,
and someone was standing in front of a church
that was started by Roger Williams, okay?
And Roger Williams is like one of these Baptists
from like one of the first Baptists in America,
and you know, he kinda kick-started a lot of churches.
But what a lot of people don't know about this guy,
because a lot of Baptists actually esteem him
as being like a really godly person,
and this guy is just,
because he's like one of the first Baptists
to come to America.
But what a lot of people don't know about this guy
is he actually baptized himself.
Yeah.
This guy baptized himself.
Now, how do you do that?
I don't know.
It's like,
like,
I mean, like,
you just get in the pool,
and you're just like,
how do you do that?
Silly.
And obviously, that's an extreme example.
But what I'm saying is that
a local assembly should baptize believers,
and obviously, you know,
the most important thing for us
is that people get saved, amen?
We want to get people saved
and give them the gospel,
but we also want to take the other commandments
into consideration and put an effort
into actually executing them.
That's why we added this step
that when we get someone saved,
we immediately follow up with,
do you want to get baptized?
We follow with, you need to get baptized.
We want to strike while the iron is hot,
and in our church, we've created a culture
that when someone gets saved,
we immediately ask them to get baptized.
And so that's why we get a lot of people baptized.
You know, and sometimes they say no,
and it's just like, all right, well,
then we move on or whatever, you know?
But you get what you emphasize, amen?
Look what it is,
1 Corinthians 1, verse 12.
Actually, let's skip that.
Go to chapter 14,
because I got some more points
I want to go over here.
And look, my personal preference
is simply this,
is that people should get baptized
as soon as they get saved.
I don't think people should wait.
I don't think, you know,
you need to throw a big old party.
You need to have this whole baptism
celebration thing going on.
And the reason I say this,
because that's a very common thing
amongst Christians sometimes.
I mean, I remember when I first got saved,
it's just like someone told me,
all right, you need to get baptized.
And I'm like, well,
I'm still going to wait till next week.
I told them.
And then I brought my family
and I got baptized,
but I should have done it right then and there,
looking back, obviously.
People want to throw these parties.
And here's the thing,
this comes from the liberal churches,
by the way.
Baptism Sunday,
come join us where God happens
and baptisms.
You know what I'm talking about?
Baptism Sunday.
It's code four.
We don't get anybody baptized.
So we're just going to choose
one Sunday out of the year
something to baptize everyone
to make it look like we're just
getting a bunch of people baptized.
OK, that's what it's code for.
OK, whereas here it's baptism Sunday
every Sunday.
I'm not saying every Sunday we get
baptized, but for the most part,
we get a lot of people baptized.
And it's not like, oh, you know,
we're just going to throw this huge party.
This is what you get when you get baptized.
I tell everyone to just look over at you
as you're being dunked in the water.
And then I tell them to go to,
you know, talk amongst yourselves
and they're dismissed and all that.
And I'm not saying baptism is not special.
Obviously it's important.
That's why we emphasize it.
I'm just saying that we're not going
to go down this liberal route
where we keep the baptismal empty,
you know, because we're just not
getting anybody baptized.
And in fact, I was part of a church plant
where I say this to my shame.
They're like, you know, we shared
this building with Southern Baptists.
They would rent us.
I wasn't in charge, you know,
but I was serving there and
these were Southern Baptists.
They were NIV toters and whatnot.
And they said, you know,
you can't baptize every week here
because we use the baptismal for storage.
So you just let us know a date
when you would like to baptize people
and then we'll get the water ready
and all that.
Because that church would know,
they wouldn't baptize all the time.
I'm talking about the Southern Baptists.
They'd baptize like once a year
or something, maybe like one person.
And I guarantee maybe that one person
would probably not even say it,
to be honest.
And it's just like, well,
what if people just want to get baptized now?
You know what I mean?
Like, we should just do it now.
It's like, well, we got to let them know
in advance and we have to pick a date.
Make it, you know, real special
and have the lights and the smoke
and the mirrors and have Eminem
playing in the background, lose yourself.
And I'm not joking.
It's out there.
I'm not messing around.
Okay, they actually do that.
Folks, the only music we have here
is like, you know, whatever's playing
on the computer or Eric's playing
something on the piano.
And we just dunk them right then and there.
Okay.
When you don't baptize consistently
or at least try to baptize consistently,
ask people about baptism,
people start getting a little wonky
on their baptism doctrine.
Because then they start getting
baptized again and again and again
to kind of like recommit their lives
into the Lord.
I haven't even heard that before.
I just need to recommit my life.
I need to rededicate my life to God.
I mean, just people who get baptized
like twice a year or something like that
because they backslide and they go back
to baptizing.
Baptism is not to dedicate your life, folks.
You dedicate your life on a daily basis
when you die daily.
Okay.
Now when you get baptized,
if you're getting baptized
to rededicate your life,
all you're doing is washing away
all the dirt from your skin.
Okay.
That's all you're doing.
There's nothing spiritual about
getting dunked in the water
to rededicate your life.
It's death, burial, and resurrection
of Jesus Christ.
Okay.
It's a public profession to say
I believe on Jesus Christ,
I'm saved, and I want to identify
with my Savior through water baptism,
immersion.
And so I believe a church
should baptize believers,
and I want to keep that culture
in our church.
I think it's an awesome thing
where it's just like the norm here
where people get saved.
There are people who get saved here,
and they get baptized.
That happens a lot.
Okay.
And so a church should baptize believers.
Also,
a church should be geared
towards Christians.
Okay.
What do I mean by that?
This church should seek to benefit
and help Christians,
people who are saved,
people who are believers.
Now, that's not to say
that unsaved people are not going
to waltz in here,
because obviously they do.
But when they come in here,
we want to get them saved
and help them to assimilate
to the local New Testament church.
But we're not going to gear
the service to the unsaved.
That's why we don't have purple lights
and the smoke machines
and the concert and whatever,
because it's not geared
towards the unsaved.
Verse 22 says,
Wherefore tongues, verse 22,
Wherefore tongues are for a sign,
not to them that believe,
but to them that believe not.
But prophesying, referring to preaching,
serveth not for them that believe not,
but for them which believe.
So we're saying, you know,
biblical preaching doesn't really benefit
an unsaved person,
because the unsaved person,
also known as a natural man,
receiveth not the things
of the Spirit of God.
It doesn't really help unsaved people.
It just goes over their head.
I mean, sometimes it even goes
over saved people's heads, right?
As this prophesying will serve
them that believe.
It says in verse 23,
If therefore the whole church
be come together into one place,
and all speak with tongues,
and there come in those that are unlearned,
in other words, a person who doesn't
know that language, or unbelievers,
will they not say here, Matt,
you know, if someone comes in here
and says, this is weird,
this is not a Chinese person in sight,
but everyone's speaking Mandarin.
But if I'll prophesy,
in other words, preaching God's word
in a known tongue,
and there come in one that believeth not,
or one unlearned,
he is convinced of all,
he is judged of all,
and thus are the secrets of the heart
made manifest, and so falling down
in his face he will worship God
and report that God is in you of a truth.
This is one of the reasons
why we call them doctrines.
Because when we go out and preach the gospel,
that's what we're doing,
we're preaching the gospel.
Now if they come here,
they're coming here on our terms.
This is our turf,
because this local assembly
is meant to preach God's word
and the entire counsel of God,
the deep things of God,
doctrine, and so when someone comes here
and they hear that,
there's a little bit of peer pressure,
good peer pressure from the church
that is supposed to be geared towards believers.
Now, they often say
this is a difference between
an evangelistic service
and a soul winning church.
Because I often say
a soul winning church or an evangelistic service
is more like a service where
we only bring people here
and get them saved here.
Whereas a soul winning church
will seek to basically get their people out
to go and preach the gospel
and get people saved out there.
Okay, amen.
I would be against a church
that only does evangelistic services
and does no soul winning.
Because they're only depending on the track,
they're depending on the door hanger,
they're depending on whatever gimmick
they're throwing out there
to try to get people to come here
and then the numbers aren't necessarily
always clear on that.
When you're given a gospel presentation,
are there people that are equipped
to know if people are saved?
There's a lot of things
meaning that the individuals in your church
are equipped to preach the gospel
then there's nothing wrong with having
an evangelistic service
because the people know how to go soul winning.
So you bring in the sinners here,
you bring the unsaved here
and the soul winners who are already equipped
can check on their salvation.
So there's nothing wrong with
having an evangelistic service
but there is something wrong with
having an evangelistic service
at the expense of just not doing
any soul winning whatsoever.
Even when we have an evangelistic service,
it's not going to be geared towards the unsaved.
The only thing that will be geared
towards the unsaved is the fact
that we preach the gospel to them
because that's the message for the unsaved, amen?
But we're not going to have,
I don't know,
hoochie mamas up here
and a rock band,
a punk rock band up here
and a pony up here.
We're not going to have farm animals
up here so the kids can come
and we're not going to be giving out
goldfish or whatever.
Go to Ephesians chapter 4.
What is the church supposed to do?
Well number one
is that it's supposed to have
a centralized location.
Number two is that it's supposed
to have an ordained leader.
Number three is supposed to baptize believers.
Number four is that it should
be geared towards believers.
It should equip Christians.
You see we don't just meet here
just to say, hey what's up Moses?
Good to see you once a week
or twice a week or something.
There's actually a method
to the madness here
and the method is to equip you.
Now here's four simple things
that you can basically,
we can summarize what we do here
at First Works Baptist Church.
And here's a good way,
you'll remember this
for the rest of your life.
You'll remember this for the rest of your life forever.
It's not really, but now that I say that
you'll never forget it.
We're here to normalize,
evangelize,
discipleize,
and socialize.
So we're here to normalize.
What does that mean?
We're here to bring Christians
to spiritual maturity
through the preaching of God's word.
Why are you saying normalize though?
Are you saying that we're not normal?
All of us come to Christ not normal.
Because normal to God
is not what's normal to the world.
You understand?
And so when we come to Christ
and when we get saved
and then we get in church
and we start learning the Bible
we start hearing preaching
we need some of these gears
to start turning a little bit
to become normal.
Things that we would accept in times past
become unacceptable
Things that were unacceptable
back when we were in the world
are now acceptable to us now.
It's unacceptable to go to church
on a Sunday morning or something.
Well now it's not only acceptable
it's necessary.
It's a conviction that we have.
So we're here to really stabilize
and normalize people
from seeing things the worldly way
to seeing it through a biblical lens.
To behave like a Christian.
Well if you have a rebellious wife
for example,
become an obedient wife.
Thank you to the 15 year old
back there without a wife.
Hey you got guts my friend.
Yeah we gotta normalize them.
Gotta normalize them.
Yup gotta normalize them.
You know if there's a weak leader in the home
if the man is a weak leader
we're here to normalize that.
Biblically normalize him
to become a strong leader.
And we can go on and on
as far as what that spiritual maturity
looks like but of course Ephesians 4
verse 12 says for the perfecting
of the saints for the work
of the ministry for the edifying
of the body of Christ.
So we want to make a good Christian
out of you.
We want to fulfill your biblical role
but not just that.
Because look there's churches out there
that are great at doing that.
You know there's churches out there
that preach on the family
and they preach on how to be a good husband
and how to have godly children
and how to be a godly wife
and how to have a godly home
and I'm all for that preaching
but that's not the only preaching
that you need.
We don't want to be a one sided show
so to speak.
God puts the focus on.
And you know when it comes to the Bible
we have to focus on a myriad of things.
It's not just one thing.
You know a lot of people they only want
to talk about Bible prophecy.
Or other people they only want to talk
about the Jews.
Other people are like well just tell me
about the family.
Other people are like well let's just
talk about soul winning.
Other people are just like well let's
just talk about X, Y, and Z.
No we got to talk about it all.
About Christian or about reprobates.
You know we have to talk about it all.
We have to be a well balanced
Christian my friends.
And so that's part of normalizing
someone is teaching them to be
a well balanced Christian.
But then we have to teach them
how to evangelize as well.
Because again the church is out there
to know how to do the first part
but they neglect the second part
which is equipping believers
on how to preach the gospel.
Churches out there think that
this is my job.
Well that's what you're supposed
to do pastor.
You're supposed to be the the
soul winner here.
Yeah well so are you.
That's your job too.
That's every man woman boy
and girls responsibility in our
church my friends.
This isn't a church where God's
like only the pastor is supposed
to be the soul winner.
Let me just say this.
I'm not the only one who can
teach other great people here
who know how to win souls to
Christ on a weekly basis and
they do a great job at it as
well. OK why because we're a
church that not only wants to
normalize people but we also
want to teach them how to
evangelize as well how to
preach the gospel.
And you know don't become this
Christian don't become this
family don't become this
individual in our church where
it's just like well I go to a
church or something.
You should be on board with the
rest of the church.
Be a team player and
recognize that the church is
responsible to send you out.
OK. We don't have Ronan
Christians here.
You know Ronan samurais out
there just without a master or
something like that. You know
you have a church here and so
be equipped learn how to preach
the gospel get on board get on
a team.
Start getting serious about
this stuff.
OK.
So we equip believers to
normalize.
We equip them to evangelize.
We equip them to disciple
eyes. I know that's not
really a word but I mean it
goes with it though.
What does that mean.
It means you need to learn
how to invest in others.
That means that you help
someone else normalize.
Right.
You take someone else.
Hey that means you hit you
hang out with someone outside
of church.
You go have a bite with someone
outside of church you go have
a coffee with someone you go
shooting with brother.
I don't want to you know I
don't want to you know call
you out brother T but I
guess too late now.
You know you you go learn
about things externally outside
of the church you go hang
out with other believers.
Spend time with them.
Love them.
Create bonds with them.
Right.
Ladies that means you know
you don't just like.
This church ends.
You actually get to know some
of the ladies in our church.
Right.
Join a chat on on social
media with the ladies in our
church get to know some of
the ladies in our church
befriend some of the ladies
in our church allow them to
exhort you and to confirm you
in the Lord.
Amen.
Invest in other people.
You say well that sounds kind
of you know I'm not really
into that kind of stuff.
Oh you mean not into the
Bible and stuff is that what
you're saying.
That's what the Bible teaches
though you know.
Do good into others but
especially of those of the
household of faith.
I mean that's in the Bible
right.
Yeah that sounds kind of soft.
I don't know.
I'm just not really.
I'm more into like just you
know I just just tell me how
it is or I'll tell you how
it is going best in someone.
That's how it is.
So normalize evangelize
disciple lies and believe it
or not we're here to
socialize too.
Now again here's the problem
sometimes is that churches only
some people only go to
church just to socialize
because they got their best
friends there and you know
they have their their
comrades there and their
buddies there and that's all
they want to do for.
And you know what that's
wrong when it only becomes a
social club.
Now I would say First Works
Baptist Church is somewhat of
a social club.
Right.
We come here we want to hang
out with each other.
But let me say this there's a
reason why this is last on
the list.
It should be a byproduct of
being normalized.
It should be a byproduct of
evangelizing.
It should be a byproduct of
disciplizing.
That's what it should be a
byproduct of.
Some of the greatest
fellowship that you have is
when you go sowing with
somebody.
Some of the greatest
fellowship that you have is
when you hang out after
church and talk about the
sermon.
Talk about doctrine.
Talk about prophecy.
Talk about the Bible.
Talk about the Lord.
Amen.
And so what is socializing
means we provide fellowship.
That's why we have food
sometimes folks.
So that you can break the
ice with someone and say oh
you you like donuts too.
Oh is that your fifth one
too.
It's just a way to break
the ice.
Oh you're breaking your diet
too.
You know.
Yeah.
Just a way to break the ice
and then by breaking your
diet.
And so you know we
normalize we evangelize we
disciple as we socialize.
That's what a church should
do.
You know there's a lot of
holier than dows out there
aren't there.
There's I don't know about
that we should be here for
God's word brother.
Well isn't that what you're
doing now.
I scream and yell at you
about doctrine for an entire
hour.
Can we have like 30 minutes of
fellowship too.
Sometimes we even have more
than that.
But all of these things are
biblical my friends.
OK.
All of these things are
biblical all of these things
are necessary and in fact this
is the example and model that
we see in the New Testament.
Is that they're fellowshipping
together they're exhorting one
and in fact how can you
exhort one another daily
without having friends.
Because we don't meet daily.
Right.
We have church on Sunday
morning Sunday night Thursday
evening and there's the
Bible saying to exhort one
another daily if it says for
sake not the assembling of
ourselves together as the
manner of some is.
And previous to that it says
exhort one another daily
it means you have to develop
relationships in the church to
keep in contact with
throughout the week.
Hey let me say this your
friends should be Christians.
Well I don't know about
that you know I got to kind
of have my friends here and
my friends here and you know
know the Bible says that we
should not be unequally yoked
together with unbelievers.
And if you have a friend
who's a believer who's not a
believer try to win the
Christ.
But if not you know you
should probably move on from
that.
And that's another sermon in of
itself go to Matthew chapter
18 if you would.
Matthew chapter 18.
Talk about the things that a
that a church should do.
OK.
It should meet at a
centralized location.
It doesn't have to be a fancy
church building.
I mean I mean I said
everything but you know this
is just as good a man.
This is providing everything that
we need.
A church should baptize
believers.
It should be geared towards
believers.
It should provide
preaching for believers.
The services should be geared
towards them it should equip
believers but also a church
should provide disciplinary
structure.
A church should supply
disciplinary structure.
OK.
And what I mean by that.
Well.
A church should be a place
where believers can hash out
their differences between one
another.
In a civil manner.
OK.
You know if there is a
financial things or you know
odd against one another.
U.S. Christians should be able
to hash that out as a church.
Because God has actually
ordained this institution to
have people that have enough
discernment and sense in the
Bible.
To actually you know resolve
conflicts.
Now obviously when there's like
legal things such as like you
know.
Pedophilia or something like
that.
At that point we designate that
to the law.
But again that's a that's
because our church is structured
in that way.
So if there's some pedophile in
our church and we find out
about it we just.
We just called 911.
I have.
A freaking reverberate here
and if you don't know what
that is that's a pedophile.
And I need you to come pick
him up because he's on church
premise right now.
We're throwing him out.
You can pick him up.
We don't want nothing to do
with him.
But we're not talking about
those things though.
Talk about just conflicts
between believers with
another believer.
And you know just things just
arise because of relationships
business woes or whatever it
may be.
We need to provide
disciplinary structure.
Look what it says in Matthew
18 verse 15.
Moreover if thy brother shall
trespass against thee.
What does that mean.
It means he wrongs you.
He sins against you.
He borrows money from you
telling you he'll pay you
back and he doesn't pay you
back.
Go and tell him his fault
between thee and him alone.
Go and tell him his fault
between thee and him alone.
You go confront him to his
face.
Hey bro you owe me money you
say you're gonna pay me back
what's up.
If he says what money.
I don't know what you're
talking about.
Well if he shall hear thee
thou wast gained thy brother.
But if he will not hear thee
then take with thee one or
two more that in the mouth
of two or three witnesses
every word may be
established.
So you go take another brother
with you to go confront that
individual because a church
provides this disciplinary
structure of taking another
believer to go confront this
individual over their offense.
OK.
Because you know two or
three witnesses there's some
pressure there for that person
to just humble themselves and
get right.
Right.
It's just like oh man he's
bringing his buddies all right.
I did wrong.
I'll give you those 20 bucks.
Whatever.
Tomorrow.
Verse 17.
And if he shall neglect to
hear them.
Tell it unto the church.
Now let me explain what that
means because this is not
saying you should go around
and gossip about that.
Dude owes me like 20 bucks man.
I'll talk to you in a bit.
That dude owes me like 20
bucks.
He's just like recruiting
people.
What this is referring to is
the pastor should come before
the church.
Because we need to follow this
structure of disciplinary
discipline in our church where
you know if this is taking
place the leader should
rebuke that person before all.
You know.
If G owes me 20 bucks or
owes John 20 dollars and
John's like he's not willing
to give me those 20 dollars.
We already confronted him.
He's not repenting.
You know and I go up to G
and I'm like you need to
give him those 20 bucks.
He's offended by that.
And he's like John can go
jump in the lake.
OK.
We're not friends anymore.
Ever since he stopped
sitting by me I stopped sitting
by him.
We just never been the same.
And so I'm not giving him
nothing.
And I'm like you're not going
to repent of that.
He's like no because I don't
think I owe him that money.
Then at that point I come
before the church and I
rebuke Gio in front of the
entire congregation.
You get picked on because
you're in the front.
And I said this delinquent
Christian here
is not willing to pay John
back the 20 dollars that he
owes him.
We've already confronted him
about it.
And he's unrepentant.
You know this guy is going to
get thrown out of the church
tonight.
Get out of my face.
You know and just rebuke him
before the church.
That's what the Bible's
talking about.
He says if he shall neglect to
hear them tell it unto the
church.
But if he neglect to hear the
church let him be unto thee as
a heathen man and as a
publican.
So that means after service if
Gio comes to me and says
I'm sorry.
I got the 20 bucks right here.
And I repent.
I want to get right.
I don't want to be kicked out
of church.
And then you know it's all
good.
OK.
But if he's like you know I
got the 20 bucks here and I'm
about to go spend it right now.
Then he's unto us as a heathen
and as a publican in other
words he's he's like an
unsafe person to us.
I mean we're questioning his
salvation.
God just says treat him like
he's unsafe.
OK.
Verse 18.
Verily I say unto you
whatsoever you shall bind on
earth shall be bound in heaven
and whatsoever you shall
loose on earth shall be
loosed in heaven.
God is saying I support this
disciplinary structure of the
church.
So when a church makes that
call the leader of the church
makes that call.
We have God's backing on that
where God says yeah Gio's.
He's a delinquent like.
See a Gio you know.
And he supports the decision we
make as a church.
Why.
Because the church is supposed
to provide that disciplinary
structure.
OK.
It's not like well we hear no
evil see no evil speak no evil.
Go to First Corinthians six.
First Corinthians six.
Look at verse number one of
First Corinthians six it says
dare any of you having a
matter against another go to
law before the unjust and not
before the saints.
John are you seriously going to
sue Gio in a court of law for
20 bucks because you can't
resolve this here.
You're you're willing to go
before unsaved wicked judges
by the way who are super
wicked unrighteous people to
resolve a spiritual matter
between brethren.
He says Do you not know that
the saints shall judge the
world.
Don't you know that you're
going to be ruling and
reigning with Christ for a
thousand years.
You know if you can't rule a
small matter like this what
makes you think you're going
to be qualified to go rule in
the millennial reign.
Do you not know that the
saints shall judge the world
and if the world shall be
judged by you.
Are you unworthy to judge the
smallest matters.
No you're not that we shall
judge angels.
How much more things that
pertain to this life.
If then you have judgments of
things pertaining to this
life set them to judge who
are least esteemed in the
church.
God is saying you can choose
the most novice Christian in
the church to judge a
matter before you go to some
wicked unrighteous judge in
the court system.
They'll do a better job
because they don't
understand.
You know the judges don't
understand spiritual matters
but you at least know that
the Bible tells us to allow
ourselves to be defrauded or
to take this before the
church and to discipline this
person according to church
standards.
And so this is what a church
should provide.
It should provide a structure
for discipline.
OK.
Go to Malachi Chapter 3 if you
would.
Malachi Chapter 3.
I'm going to breeze through
these last three here
because we're simply out of
time.
The local church.
Here's another thing that a
church should do.
The local church should be the
object of our giving.
It is my personal belief based
upon the word of God that the
local church should be the
object of our giving as
Christians.
Look what the Bible says in
Malachi Chapter 3 verse 10.
Bring ye all the tithes into
the storehouse that there may
be meat in mine house and
prove me now here with say
the Lord of hosts if I will
not open the windows of
heaven and pour you out a
blessing that there should not
be room enough to receive it.
Go with me if you would to
Galatians Chapter Number 6.
I believe that the tithes and
offerings should go to the
local New Testament church.
And people say well you're
quoting Malachi that's in the
Old Testament.
Well Abraham gave tithes prior
to the Old Testament covenant
being instituted at Mount
Sinai.
Gave tithes into Melchizedek
prior to that law being
instituted.
OK.
Now what is a tithe?
That means 10 percent of your
gross income should go to the
local New Testament church.
And look I've been giving to
whatever church I've been in
of course now our church
since I became a Christian and
I love it because of the fact
that it alleviates me from
giving to some lame you know
organization out there who
knows what they're going to
do you know the people who
aren't get that they got
the entire white suit and the
white gloves and they got a
little bell the Salvation Army
and they want you to give them
a little donation.
Folks anytime people ask me
would you like you know how
you're purchasing something at
the store and they just love
putting you on the spot.
This is like would you like
to give two dollars to
starving children in Africa.
What a bunch of jerks.
How dare you ask me that in
front of this long line behind
me.
Because you know they do it
and they do it.
That's on purpose you know I
mean because it's just like
no you know.
Not me though.
I tell them I do all my giving
through my local church.
Or I'll tell them I already
donated all my money to the
local church.
I'm donating it to starving
souls.
That's what we should say right.
I've actually donated all my
money to starving souls.
And it's more than two dollars.
And you know the Bible God has
instructed us.
Obviously the church should be
the source of where we give
our resources to so we can
keep this thing going.
So we can keep preaching the
gospel so we can keep reaching
the law so we can put more
content out there so we can
continue to grow and reach the
world for Christ.
But even more than that is
that you know the Bible says
where your treasure is there
where your harpy also.
And so when you give to your
local New Testament church it
actually endears your heart to
that church.
It endears your heart to that
ministry.
The investment of your time does
that.
Absolutely.
But you know what.
Sometimes our hearts are
attached to our wallets.
That's the truth.
So wherever you place your
resources and your investment
your heart's going to follow.
And that's why I can tell.
And by the way you say well
who ties in our church
pastor.
I don't know.
But I would say this just
from that principle alone I
would say pretty much everyone
ties in our church.
You say well how do you know
that.
Because I see everyone's
invested in our church.
I see the people in our
church love our church.
They are invested in our
church.
You stay the whole day on
Sunday I would say you
probably tithe.
You know I turn off all the
lights in the building you
still stick around.
You probably already tithed to
our church.
I get up here and I scream and
yell about turning off all the
lights and stop fellowshipping
and do this and you still do
it.
It's probably because you're
already tied into our church.
Because you're already
invested in the church.
Understand.
And so the local church should
be the object of our giving.
And in fact if you want the
most bang for your spiritual
buck.
It's better to invest it in a
local church.
Not in some stupid
organization where you're not
going to know where that
money's going.
It's going in someone's
pocket.
I don't trust the Salvation
Army.
They're not preaching the
gospel and if they are I'm
pretty sure it's a false
gospel.
I'm not giving to Walgreens
little thing of feeding some
starving child in Mongolia or
whatever.
I don't believe it.
I'm not buying it.
You say why would you invest
in this church because I see
soul winners in this church.
I see the numbers.
You know what I'm more
concerned with than the actual
finances of how much is coming
in is how much salvation are
we getting.
How many baptisms we're
getting in.
How many new people are
coming.
How many people are being
changed.
That's what I see.
And so if I see people
getting saved.
If I'm seeing people getting
baptized.
If I see marriages are being
restored.
If I see people being
normalized.
If I see people just you know
living and serving the Lord.
For me it's like that's where
I want my investment to go.
And I'm not just talking
about my tithe either.
I tithe to this church.
Let me say this.
I also give my offerings to
this church as well.
My free will offerings go to
this church.
To missions in this church.
To whatever this church needs.
This is where our money goes
as far as my my wife and
I are concerned.
OK.
Because I tithe.
But you know what I want to
give a free will offering to.
You say why.
Because I want more rewards.
When I get to heaven.
I want more rewards at the
millennial reign of Christ.
OK.
And the more I invest into
this church that's producing
souls being saved.
Baptisms and people being
dedicated unto the Lord and
serving God.
You know what the more bang
for your buck that you're
going to get.
OK.
Now I'm not saying don't
invest in other churches
invest in other churches if
you want.
But it's my personal belief
that you should invest in
your local New Testament
church.
OK.
And by the way I do believe
that if you're coming to this
church you should tithe to
this church not tithe to
other churches.
I think that's a biblical
principle as well.
OK.
And in fact look what it
says in Galatians 6 6.
Let him that is taught in the
word communicate unto him that
teach it in all good things
that word communicate means to
basically distribute resources
too.
That's how the Bible is
using it there.
And it says there be not
deceived.
God is not mocked for
whatsoever man soweth that
shall he also reap.
In other words when you
invest resources into
something you're going to
reap the benefits or the
consequences of that.
You know there's people out
there that are like I knew
someone that told her family
and this person was very
wealthy and they got saved.
The reason I say this because
it's very questionable but
they said you know this
person was very wealthy and
they said I'm not giving a
single dime to any of you
and talking to their family.
I'm not giving a single dime
to any of you.
They said all my money is
going to the San Diego Zoo
wild animal park.
That's what they said.
Like when I die all my
money is going to all the
animals at the wild animal
park and you know whatever.
Well if that person is
saved first of all those
animals are going to burn.
Just read Revelation 8.
We're all going to die.
OK.
But secondly that person's
investment will burn with
that because we get no
rewards my friends for
investing in San Diego Zoo
wild animal park.
God doesn't look at that
as like oh you're investing
in my creation.
Wrong.
The church should also be
not only the object of our
giving but it should be
the object of our service.
This is the place where we
should learn how to serve
others.
OK.
The Bible says in Romans
chapter 16 verse 1 I
commend unto you Phoebe your
sister which is a servant
of the church which is in
Chantria that you receive
her in the Lord as
becometh saints and that
you assist her in
whatsoever business she
hath need of you for
she hath been a sucker of
many and of myself also.
Go to First Timothy chapter
number three if you would
and that'll be the
last portion of scripture
that we visit tonight.
The church should be the
object of our service.
This is where you should
learn how to sow in.
This is where you should
learn how to be a blessing
to others.
This is where you should
learn how to lead your
family.
This is where you should
learn how to be a
blessing to others.
And we try to provide as
many opportunities for that.
You know I'm thankful that
the pregnancy list is
always just always growing.
You know God's blessing our
church.
But one of the reasons I'm
thankful for that because
it gives our gives our
people an opportunity to be
a blessing to them by
you know sending them a
meal or you know just
providing some sort of
resource for them that
they need.
I mean that's a big
blessing.
OK.
And so this place should
be an object of our
service whether it's
bringing people to
Christ bringing people to
church getting people
saved helping love one
another.
I think it's a great
opportunity for us to do
so.
OK.
And then the church
should be the epicenter of
truth.
The Bible says in First
Timothy Chapter 3 verse 15
But if I tarry long that
thou mayest know how
thou oughtest to behave
thyself in the house of
God which is the church
of the living God the
pillar and ground of
truth.
And folks let me just say
this.
You know if you have a
local New Testament church
where the truth is being
spoken.
Why are you going to
like political news.
Why are you going to
some idiot on YouTube
that's probably not even
saved.
And if he is he's doing
the wrong thing to help
you to distinguish between
the left and the right.
Right.
The only left and right
we should be going to
is the left of our Bible
and the right of our
Bible.
Amen.
Right.
You know we don't need
to be listening to podcasts
of these unsaved people
who are trying to deceive
you with this false left
right paradigm.
OK.
I'm not left and I'm not
right because both of
those wings are part of
the same bird.
And I'm not on that bird.
You heard.
You know we as Christians
should have enough sense
and discernment to be
outside of that scope.
Let the Republican Fox
News Baptist fall for
that.
Let them be carried away
with the deception of this
world and the fake news
by you know what's that
Jews name Ben Shapiro.
OK.
Let them be carried away
with the the deception
of Ben Shapiro and all
these Republicans and
Fox News Baptist and even
some of these conspiracy
guys on YouTube.
Let them let them be
carried away with that
nonsense.
Folks we have the Bible.
Why are you going
before the unrighteous.
To judge these matters of
the world folks we have
the truth.
This is the pillar and
ground of truth.
The word of God is the
pillar and ground of truth
not some stupid YouTube
channel.
OK.
Where most of them are
probably flat earthers
anyways.
Lost credibility already
there.
Right.
You know the church should
be the source in the
pillar and ground of truth
that's what it should be.
And unfortunately you know
the reason why a lot of
conservatives or a lot of
Christians should I say
you know converted to the
religion of Republicanism
and being conservative is
because their pastor in
their church was not
wasn't preaching enough on
the truth.
So they need to go find
it somewhere else.
And unfortunately what they
think they found is not
the truth.
They think they found the
truth but it's not the
truth.
We as a church you say
well who are you voting
for.
Nobody.
You know that already.
I don't vote.
I don't care for those
things.
And look.
If you if that's your
thing and you like to vote
and you believe in Trump
and all that stuff or
whatever.
I'm not against you.
You know what I mean.
I think the guy is good.
As far as like
Collaris is concerned you
know.
I like him better than
Biden.
OK.
And if he becomes president
in 2024 you know
I think I told him I was
like I'm almost tempted to
vote for Trump just
because I want to be
entertained again.
You know because this
term is boring.
This guy's weird.
He just doesn't is
incoherent and he's not
as excited.
I'm almost tempted to vote
for Trump just to get
just to liven things up
around here you know.
But obviously I'm not even
going to do that.
What I'm saying is this
you know we as a church
should have enough sense
that when the world is
falling apart we don't
fall for that deception.
You know if the world
is getting darker.
We need to get into our
Bibles more is what it
means not into a podcast
more not into some YouTube
dude out there who's
trying to decipher you
know what's the next move
or what's going on in
this country.
Who cares.
I'm here to win souls to
Christ to preach the word
of God to look at things
in light of the Bible.
And be swayed by that.
You understand.
And so these are the
things that a church
should do.
All right.
Let's pray.
Thank you so much for your
word and I thank you Lord
for the truth.
And Lord I pray that you'd
help us as a church to
fulfill these responsibilities
Lord and take them to
heart.
And a lot of these virtues
a lot of these these
things that we see in the
word of God they're being
relinquished by many
churches.
And I pray that Lord you'd
help us to to continue
in them to continue to
practice them and not put
them away not put them
into practice not devalue
them but recognize their
importance and I pray these
things in Jesus name.
Amen.
Please turn your song
books to song number one.
Jesus I my cross have taken.
All to leave and follow
the song number one the
first song there and your
hymnals.
All together nice and
strong on that first verse.
Jesus I my cross have taken.
All to leave and follow
thee.
Destined to despise forsaken.
Thou from hence my all
shall be.
Perish every fond ambition.
All I've sought and hope
and known.
Yet how rich is my
commission.
God and him are still my
own.
Let the world despise and
leave me.
They have left my savior too.
Human hearts and
loves deceive me.
Thou art not like men
untrue.
And while thou shalt smile
upon me.
God of wisdom love and
mine.
Foes may hate and friends
may shun me.
Show thy face and all is
bright.
Men may trouble and
distress me.
It will but drive me to
thy breast.
Life with trials heart may
press me.
And will bring me sweeter
rest.
O, tis not in grief to harm
me.
While thy love is left to
me.
O, twere not in joy to
charm me.
Were that joy
unmixed with thee.
Haze beyond from
praise to glory.
Armed by faith and
winged by prayer.
Hence eternal days
before thee.
God's own hand
shall guide me there.
To shall close
thy earthly
mission.
Swift shall pass
thy pilgrim
days.
O shall change
to plan for
mission.
Faith to sign
and prayer to
praise.
Amen. Wonderful scene.
Now the baptism.
Amen.