Pray this all in jesus name. Amen
Amen, okay, we're in jeremiah chapter 20 look down at your bibles at verse number seven
It says oh lord thou hast deceived me and I was deceived
Excuse me thou are stronger than I and has prevailed. I am in derision daily
Everyone mocketh me for since I spake I cried out
I cried violence and spoil because the word of the lord was made a reproach unto me and a derision daily
Then I said I will not make mention of him nor speak anymore in his name
But his word was in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones and I was weary with forbearing
And I could not stay in the title of this sermon this evening is when doing right doesn't work when doing right
Doesn't work, you know
There's times in the christian life that you can feel as though
Doing right isn't necessarily yielding the results that you thought it would right
You don't feel as though you're reaping as much or what you thought you would be
And sometimes doing right doesn't seem to work
Okay, and we look at this example of jeremiah in jeremiah chapter 20 where he's doing right
I mean he's preaching god's word. He is proclaiming the word of the lord
He's bringing a very negative message to his own nation
And the reality is this is that you know, like any preacher or any man of god who's preaching god's word, you know
He would expect some people to follow him or some people to adhere to what he's saying
But it looks like when you really study the book of jeremiah that not a whole lot of people
Were really adhering or listening to jeremiah. He was actually a reproach. They mocked him
They ridiculed him and he got to a point where he felt like you know what?
I don't even want to speak anymore in his name. I don't want to preach anymore
And he even got to the point if you look down at your bibles at verse 14
He says cursed be the day wherein I was born
I mean, that's some pretty strong language. And in fact, it's very similar to what job said when he was going through his trial
He's basically saying the same thing. He wish he was never born
He says let not the day wherein my mother bear me be blessed cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father
He's like man. It was it's even bad whoever told my dad that my wife my mom was expecting. I mean, that's a curse
You know, that's all bad he's feeling here he said a man child is born unto thee making him very glad
And so on and so forth. So basically he's feeling such sorrow and it's a result of doing god's will it's a result of doing right
Jeremiah's not doing anything wrong. He's not suffering the consequences of his sinful actions
He's not you know, uh being chastised of the lord. He's actually doing exactly what god wants him to do
But it's not necessarily yielding the results and in his mind he's thinking
It's not working
Doing right
Doesn't seem to be working for me and he's becoming somewhat disillusioned now, obviously
Jeremiah loves the lord. He loves the bible and because he loves the word of god
We see that he says, you know
I was weary with forbearing and I could not stay he says his word was within my heart
As a burning fire shut up in my bones
So in other words, he's basically saying, you know in spite of the fact of how I feel at the end of the day
I know what's right and i'm going to continue to do right in spite of how I feel
Or in spite of the outcome of my preaching the outcome the results of my ministry, etc
And you know, there's a temptation
To become disillusioned in the christian life. This happens a lot. Okay. And in fact, I think of asaph
In psalm 73 where he said barely I have cleansed my heart in vain
I mean think about that
Anybody who cleanses their heart you really think it's in vain, but this is exactly how he feels
He's like i've cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency
And obviously we know that asaph is feeling this way because of the fact that he's looking at the wicked prosper
And it doesn't look like he's the you know, the right that he's doing is yielding any results. He's feeling bad about it
And so there's times when you can feel that things are just not turning out the way you thought they would
Okay, you feel like your expectations have failed, you know, you've been sold a bill of goods
Or you're just shortchanged, okay, and this often happens to christians when they're just consistent in doing right
They're just doing right. They're doing right. They're coming to church. They're reading the bible. They're under authority
They're not, you know involved in any sin per se, you know, they're just kind of
Faithfully serving the lord and it doesn't seem as though they're reaping the benefits of it
This is a common thing that can happen and these are the often the thoughts that a person can think
When they do right and get nothing in return they can feel like well i'm not going to make mention of him anymore
Then i'm gonna stop going to church. I'm gonna stop reading my bible. What's what's it even worth?
Keep serving god if i'm not even reaping the benefits all my friends
They're just kind of sowing their wild oats or you know, they're not in church on sunday
They seem to be succeeding or they're being blessed and here I am struggling in the christian life. Is it even worth it?
Well, let me give you a couple things here regarding this thought go to galatians chapter number six if you would galatians chapter six
I'm going to give you some scattered thoughts
having to do with this matter of
You know, uh the fact that when you do right, sometimes it doesn't work. Okay. Sometimes it doesn't work when you do, right
First and foremost, let me say this when doing right doesn't work
Letter a doing right doesn't work when you quit too soon
So, yeah doing right does not work if you actually decide to quit
Because a lot of the benefits that you reap a lot of the rewards that you get
Actually come in the long run are the rewards immediately sometimes are there immediate results that you see?
Yeah, every once in a while, but for the most part the greatest reward that you receive is at the end of your life
Right is when you know you die you go home to be with the lord or the lord comes back, you know
There is a reward waiting at the end of your life and a lot of people, you know, they quit
Because they think well i'm doing right, but i'm not getting anything for it. I'm serving god
Why is that? Well, it's because you threw in the towel a little too fast
Okay, you quit too soon and you didn't wait to see the results of your obedience unto the lord. Look at galatians chapter six
verse number seven
It says in verse number seven be not deceived
God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap. So what is he saying? Look
How can people mock god they can mock him
By basically throwing in his face. Well, you said this and this didn't happen, right? He's being mocked
He's being called a liar. He's being ridiculed
But god isn't mocked because at the end of the day whatever you sow
You are going to eventually reap verse eight says for he that soweth to his flesh
Shall of the flesh reap corruption
But he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting look what verse nine says
And let us not be weary. What does it mean to be weary means tired?
tired
Burdensome just kind of lacking energy. Just I don't really want to go forward anymore
Don't really want to put in the effort to do right anymore. He says let us not be weary in well-doing
For in due season we shall reap if we faint not, you know what the bible says
If we faint in the day of adversity our strength is small
And he's saying here. Hey, don't be weary. Don't get tired of doing right
Because of the fact that the due season is coming where you shall receive the reward of your efforts
But if you quit too soon, you're not going to be able to see it
You're not going to be able to see it. He says as we therefore have opportunity
Let us do good unto all men
Especially to them who are of the household of faith you think of the fact that you know a farmer
Sow seeds he's not going to see a crop and harvest the night the day after
Right, he's going to sow seeds. He's going to water it. He's not going to see it in two weeks
He's not necessarily going to see in three weeks or four weeks. He's going to have to wait a while
To see any type of harvest he's going to have to wait a year
He's going to have to wait six months or whatever it may be, you know
He's he's going to have to wait for a long period of time
In order to reap the benefits of what he's sowing and this is why verse 10 tells us as we therefore have opportunity
Let us do good unto all men, what does that mean whenever the opportunity arises sow that seed
Because of the fact that you'll sow it you'll forget about it you'll water it you walk away
You go keep yourself busy with other opportunities to do good and then when you come back to it
It's gonna you're gonna reap a harvest
Okay, but a lot of times
Doing right doesn't work not because it doesn't work but because you quit too soon
You quit church too soon you quit the bible too soon you quit doing god's will too soon
You just kind of throw in the towel and give up on the things of god. No, you need to learn how to
push through adversity
Push through depression push through discouragement push through disillusionment
Push through your emotions and your feelings and just allow yourself to feel the pain
Allow yourself to feel the anguish and allow yourself to feel
Sad and just kind of push through it and serve god anyways so that you can reap the benefits
Thereafter a lot of people they feel depressed and sad and angry or whatever and they act on those emotions
They quit on god and therefore that's why they keep thinking
Well, is it even right to do right anymore?
Because doing right doesn't seem to work or it doesn't work for you because you quit too soon
Okay, go to john chapter three if you would john chapter number three
So doing right doesn't work when you quit too soon
And one of the things that I feel like as a pastor I constantly have to like teach
Believers and church members is just to stay in the fight
Learn how to have some consistency
Learn how to face adversity
Learn how to serve god in spite of you know weaknesses and pains and sorrows and tribulations of this life
Learn how to be a christian and how to you know act like a christian even when it's hard to be a christian
Push through those times
Well, you don't understand everything's going wrong for me. Well do right anyways, I mean, what do you got to lose?
And here's the thing people who quit when it gets hard it actually gets harder
when you quit
Because before it's like oh i'm quitting because it's just I don't feel like i'm reaping the benefits
But now you got god against you
Because when you backslide you go to the world you start serving your flesh now, you're going to get chastised
So aside from the fact that you're not going to reap the benefits of the work that you put into the christian life
Now you have god working against you because now you're going to be chastised for getting away from god
It's not worth it. Just push through it and recognize that doing right sometimes doesn't work
Only because you decide to quit on the lord, but not only that
Doing right doesn't work
When you're the main character of your story
You guys know what I mean by that
A lot of people out there. They think like they're they're like the main character of the story, right?
I saw this really funny reel the other day
It was some sodomite, you know protest or something
And and you know this guy he's like holding up a flag
Right and the police are I think it was like in russia or something like that. It had to be in russia
Actually now that I think about it and you know the the the the the police or whatever. They're like hosing people down like this
pressure hose right
and
I'm not even done. I wasn't even the pun yet
Good night
So he's like he's he's like, you know
Shooting this pressure hose and people are like flying all over the place and only one guy remains
And he's holding up that that flag and he's like the main character of the story and boom it just hits him
And he just goes off the scene, you know what I mean? Like
And I think the caption read like when you think you're like the main character of the story or something like that
you know
But what i'm saying is, you know, some people think that some people think like they're in a movie or something
And they're the main character of their own movie
You're driving in your car and you're just looking out the window and you're looking yourself in the mirror
And it's like credits close
scene end
You know what I mean scene two or whatever, you know
And they listen to the song and they're just they feel like they're like the main character or something like that as cheesy as that sounds
Well doing right doesn't work when you are the main character of your story because you're not the main character
Okay. Yeah, you know, I hate to I hate to break it to you
But you know the main character is jesus christ
And you are simply an instrument in god's hand to fulfill his will
But I want to be the main character, but you're not
Okay
You know the bible tells look at john 326 and they came unto john
And said unto him rabbi he that was with thee beyond jordan to whom thou bears witness behold the same baptize it
And all men come to him
John answered and said a man can receive nothing except to be given him from heaven
So, you know these guys are coming and they're telling john the baptist this because you know, john the baptist is like the man
He's getting stuff done. He's preaching. He's getting people saved. He's baptizing but then jesus shows up on the scene
And they're kind of like, you know, they're kind of trying to compare
Right. He's like he's baptizing
You know and all men come to him
And he's like well no no man can receive anything except to give it to him from above look at verse 28
Ye yourselves bear witness to me that I said I am not the christ
But that I am sent before him he that hath the bride is the bridegroom
But the friend of the bridegroom which standeth in here with him rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice this my joy
Therefore is fulfilled he must increase
But I must decrease
All right
He that cometh from above is above all and uh
He that is of the earth is earthly and speaketh of the earth. He that cometh from heaven is above all
What is he saying? I'm not the main character
And john the baptist was awesome
I mean, he's the greatest that's born of women. I mean, he's a great prophet preached the word of god
We're talking about him two thousand years after but why is that?
I'll tell you why because he understood I must decrease that he may increase
He understood that jesus christ was the preeminent one. He's the most important person of the story
You understand and when you start making it about yourself you start increasing yourself then you know what when you do, right?
It's going to seem as though it doesn't work because you think it's all about you
It's not all about you. Okay, it's not all about you and obviously we you know
I preached this morning about accomplishing things and making sure we have goals
But this is so we can be become more effective for the lord
Because at the end of the day, you know, we might live 80 years in this world
But 80 years is only allotted for us so we can serve god and lift jesus up not ourselves
He's the most important person
he you know
Beginning of moses and all the prophets he expounded unto him and all the scriptures the things concerning himself
The whole bible is about jesus not about us my name's not in the bible my character is not in the bible
Your character is not in the bible, you know, and even the characters who are in the bible
They get a certain little section there and it's all for the purpose of lifting up the lord jesus christ
That's who it's all about and you know, sometimes people become disillusioned with the christian life because they think it's all about them
They want you know, they want to reap the benefits. They want to be the star
They want to be the star they want god to bless them and there's nothing wrong necessarily with those things
But just keep in mind that if it doesn't work out it's okay because it's not about you anyways
Whatever it is that you get that's good in this in this world in this life is just the cherry on top
right
I mean we got salvation shouldn't that be enough?
We have eternal life. Shouldn't that be enough everything else on top of that is just an extra
If we get married if we get kids if god blesses us financially
If he blesses us with possessions if he blesses us with material things if he blesses us with talents and gifts
These are all extras
We don't deserve them
And they're given to us so we can serve the lord more effectively so we can glorify god
What i'm saying is that he must increase and we must decrease, you know, we're not even like an extra in god's movie
You know, I mean we're not even like a light guy we're not even the ones doing the lighting
We might be the ones who might be like the water boy
If they're easy even a water boy on a movie set or something, we're the guy who's not even on screen
We don't get our name in the credits either
That's how insignificant we can be now here's the thing obviously we play a major role in god's plan
Right, we are his workmanship created in christ jesus unto good works and obviously we desire the praise of god
More than the praise of man
We want god to recognize us for the things that we do and he is going to recognize us and he does
Recognize when we do good things, but what i'm saying is this is that it's not all about us and our works
It's about the lord. Jesus christ
Okay, it's not about what you can get out of it or what benefits you can get all those things are extra
And you know, it's it's about how can we proclaim the name of christ even more
How can we get more people to know about the lord? Jesus christ get more people saved make jesus their god
I mean literally our goal in life
Is to make jesus the god of others
Isn't that true?
That's literally basically what we're living for
We're living so we can proclaim to a world that jesus is god and he needs to be your god
And you need to obey him and obey everything that he says that's literally what our lives are for
Now fortunately, you know god, even though that is god's will for our life. He allows us to enjoy life. Does he not?
We enjoy life. We have all types of blessings
He gives us so many things every good gift and every perfect gift coming from above from the father of lights
And we know that god blesses us and we're thankful for that, you know, it makes serving him that much more enjoyable
But the point is is that you know doing right doesn't work if you think you're like the main character of the story
If you think your name should be on the cover of the movie if you think you should play a major role
In this story, it's not about you. It's not about me. It's about the lord. Jesus christ
Okay, go to roman seven if you would roman chapter seven
Doing right doesn't work
When you quit too soon doing right doesn't work when you're the main character of the story
Don't try to steal the spotlight
He says he'll share his glory with no one
You understand we're here to glorify god
And and and serve him not only that but how about this doing right doesn't work when you're doing it wrong
Right
Doing right doesn't work when you're doing it wrong
So you could think that you're doing it right, but the reality is this is that if you're not doing according to god's word
It's wrong
You can do it with the best of intentions, but you know, good intentions are not enough
We need to be able to do it god's way, right? The bible tells us you're in roman seven isaiah chapter 1 verse 17 says learn
to do well
Seek judgment relieve the oppressed judge the fatherless plead with the widows
I mean so many examples of people who did right the wrong way. How about uzzah?
Right uzzah did something right, but he did it the wrong way and it cost him his life
He died
You know the the arc of the covenant was about to fall over and he wanted to do right
So he wanted to hold it up, but he did it the wrong way
So there's plenty of people out there who think who are doing right or they think that they were doing right?
But they're doing it the wrong way
And they're not going to get the same results that they thought that they would get you understand so in order for us to
Reap the benefits of doing right
We got to make sure we're actually doing right according to the bible
Look what the bible says in roman seven verse 18 for I know that in me that is in my flesh
Dwelleth no good thing for to will is present with me
But how to perform that which is good I find not well, this is the reason why because of the fact that
The carnal mind is not subject to the law of god. Neither indeed can be
So in order for us to serve god appropriately we have they that worship god must worship him in spirit and in truth
Understand so, you know in order for us to do right we need to make sure we know what the bible says
So look someone could open up a church down the street if they wanted to
Put lasers and smoke bombs or whatever it is that they do and and have all the best intentions, but you know what not biblical
Not going to yield the results that they would like for it to yield
Unless they're like a false prophet or something
You know, but if it's a person who you know wants to do right they need to make sure they do it the right way
And there is a right and wrong way to do it. There's people in the little testament
That died because they offered strange fire before the lord
Right able cane and able able offered the right sacrifice cane did not he brought he brought you know vegetables
God is a carnivore folks. He's like not I don't respect that that salad
What is what is this, you know
He had not respected to cane sacrifice or canes offering because of the fact that it was vegetables
Doing right didn't work because of the fact that he didn't know how to do right
You understand able on the other hand
His gifts testified that he was righteous. Why because he did it the right way
He served god exactly the way god wanted him to serve him and that's why he reaped the benefits of it
And that's why we read about him in hebrew chapter 11 in the hall of faith
Okay
And so doing right doesn't work
Doing right doesn't work when you quit too soon, you know learn how to endure
Learn how to have patience
Learn to suck it up
Sometimes we just got to suck it up
You know and if you feel bad you feel emotional just suck it up and keep trucking along
Keep serving the lord and you know what when you when when you're when you're going through a tough time and you want to quit
Just remember well, I guess i'm it doesn't really matter because i'm not even the main character anyways
But you do play a role in god's will
So just because you're not the main character doesn't mean you're just completely irrelevant
Because you have a role god has a will for your life that he wants you to fulfill, okay?
But don't try to steal the spotlight from him and doing right doesn't work if you're doing it wrong, that's just the bottom line
You know, there's plenty of churches even independent fundamental baptist churches that have different ministries and they have people who with a sincere heart
Serve in these ministries, but it's just not the right way to serve god
I'll give you an example of this. Okay. How about altar calls?
Right that is a common practice in old ifb churches
You know many people and let me just say your pastor got saved at an altar call
Don't hold it against me. I I called upon the name of the lord though
I asked jesus to save me. Okay
I just did it at an altar unfortunately, you know, but I don't know I was not saved
They say, you know if you want to get saved come down to this old-fashioned altar
You know and they're playing the music as the music plays as the third verse sounds come down into the all this old-fashioned altar
the sawdust road
And I just see everyone walking up like okay
Well, I guess that's where I got to go if I want to get saved. I don't know what a sawdust road is
I'm from i'm from cali boy sawdust road
And I came down and I met a soul winner there
And he led me to the lord right then and there and I called upon the name of the lord. I got saved
But i'll be honest the altar calls are not biblical, right?
And you know, I was sincere
And you know what but even thereafter
I went to the altar many times
I mean
Pretty much I went to the altar every service because every service is when they have an altar call if I remember correctly
And every service, you know after they'd preach they have an altar call and it was just traditional
For us to go to the altar and make some sort of decision for the lord
every single time
And look I was sincere i'm not like oh, you know, i'm just gonna go to the altar and just think about you know
Some other stuff or whatever, you know, I went there with a sincere heart thought thinking that I was doing well
But here's the thing is that i'm sure there were times when I went to the altar and I made a vow that I didn't
keep
Because that's what happens a lot of the times
People go to an altar and they make a vow unto the lord. I mean think about this youth conferences, for example
Hundreds and hundreds of teenagers go to the altar
To make a vow that they cannot keep they say they're going to serve god. They're going to go to the mission field
I'm called to the 1040 window. I'm called to china i'm called to russia
I'm called to all these all these places, but it's an emotional thing
And then next week, they're like, I don't really even feel like going to china. I didn't even like chinese food
Because the you know, it's like they they surrender to go to china and they're like wahakan or something
Sorry, you like
It's like they don't speak mandarin, but they made this vow
See what i'm saying? So doing right there did not work. Why because they did it wrong
See the right thing to do would be to just say well i'm just open to go anywhere and i'll just go to belize for a
Week and preach the gospel there i'll go to
You know, whatever aruba to go preach. I'll go to greece to go preach the gospel
I'll go to cyprus to go preach the gospel there for a week
You know and that way you're not tying yourself to a vow
But what i'm saying is a lot of people just because they're sincere doesn't mean it's right
Sincerity does not equal
Correct way to serve god
Just because you're sincere you understand you have to you have to have both sincerity
And the right way of doing things
Who in the world?
Is vacuuming in the back
You see he's doing right
That's a great illustration right there
Folks it's good to vacuum
Just now right now
You see what i'm saying
That worked perfectly right there that's a great illustration right there
And so, you know, we need to recognize and you know, a lot of christians do not that but a lot of christians
They do things where they they're sincere
But you let me say this they're sincerely wrong
They're sincere, but they're sincerely wrong
And so doing right sometimes does not work because of these reasons here go to hebrew chapter 11 if you would hebrew chapter 11
hebrew chapter number 11
I mean he's he took the initiative though took the initiative
Let me give you some more thoughts here before we conclude and i'm not done yet
But i'm gonna give you about three more points
Doing right always is excuse me doing right is always right no matter the immediate result
Because sometimes we think well I do right because I want something out of it
And I think that's like a natural thing for us to think
You know, we the cause and effect we want to we want to reap the benefits of serving god and and reading the bible
And doing that which is right
But here's the thing is that you need to do right
In spite of the immediate results
Even if you suffer greatly for it, you should just do right
Look at hebrews 11 verse 11 through faith. Also, sarah herself received strength to conceive seed
And was delivered of a child when she was past age because she judged him faithful who had promised
Therefore sprang there even of one and him as good as dead so many as the stars of the sky in multitude
And as the sand which is by the seashore innumerable, obviously we understand that the promise was given to abraham and to sarah
to basically have
Many, you know a large amount of seeds right referring to christians
Looking first 13 says these all died
in faith
What does it mean to die in faith? Well, look what it goes on to say not having received the promises
So think about this they were given this promise
To have seed as the sand as the stars in the sky, but they never saw it
They died in faith
Not having received the promises now that they do right even though they didn't get the promises. Yeah
Did they keep serving god? Yes, they did
Did they still exercise their faith in the lord? Absolutely. Did they please the lord? Yes, that's why they're in hebrews 11
Because without faith it's impossible to please him, right?
But what do we see here in verse 13? They all died in faith not having received the promises
So, what does that tell us doing right is always right no matter the immediate result
Now obviously they're in heaven
And abraham might be listening to this sermon right now
And saying hey, that's a pretty good point. That's true because we are all spiritual children of abraham
I'm not going to sing the song. I want to but i'm not going to
He says these all died in faith not having received the promises look what it goes on to say
But having seen them afar off
And were persuaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth
This is powerful wording here because of the fact that he's it says
That they saw them afar off, but it also says that they embraced them. How do you embrace something that's a far off by faith?
You think you think of embracing something has to be in close proximity
But when it comes to that which is going to take place in the future something that's a far off
You have to embrace it by faith
So if your situation is hopeless, you're just like, I don't know how anything's going to be fixed
Well, you know what? You need to see these things are far off be persuaded embrace it
And recognize that you're just a stranger and pilgrim on this earth
And it's always right to do right
No matter the immediate result
So you basically need to set on your mind. I'm just going to keep doing right
Even if nothing ever works out for me from here on out
I'm just going to keep doing right
That seems a little hard. It seems a little cold
And thankfully, you know god often allows us to see a reward
Maybe not tomorrow, but in the next couple months in a year
in two years
He doesn't just like leave us up high and dry or whatever. But what i'm saying is, you know do right
Regardless of what immediately happens, okay?
Look at verse 32
He says what shall I more say for the time would fail me to tell of gideon
and of barack and of samson of jept of david also and samuel and of the prophets
Who through faith subdued kingdoms wrought righteousness obtained promises stopped the mouths of lions quenched the violence of fire
Escaped the edge of the sword out of weakness were made strong wax valiant and fight
Turned to flight the armies of the aliens women received their dead race to life again
And others were tortured not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection
Others had cruel
Excuse me had trials of cruel mockings and scourgings
Yay, moreover of bonds and imprisonments. They were stoned. They were sawn asunder were tempted were slain with the sword
They were wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins being destitute afflicted tormented
Of whom the world was not worthy
They wandered in deserts and in mountains and in densities of the earth. Look what it says in verse 39
And these all
Having obtained a good report through faith
Received not the promise now what promise are they refer is he referring to the promise of being delivered?
So they refused to be delivered because they wanted a better resurrection
And they could have been delivered
They didn't have to suffer being killed and you know being put to death
God would have delivered them but they what happened they received not the promise
Why because one day they would receive the promise of being delivered because one day they were going to partake of the better resurrection
That's a lot of faith
And let me say this they still haven't received the promise right because the resurrection hasn't taken place
It reminds me of daniel chapter three with mishak shadrach and abednego
Where they're going to be cast into the fiery furnace. They got the ruler against them
they're like, you know, you better fall down and worship when these instruments play and
They gave a pretty savage answer
They said we're not careful to answer the endless matter
He says in verse 17 if it be so our god who we serve is able to deliver us
From the burning fiery furnace. It's very bold statement and he would deliver us out of thine hand. Oh king
but if not
Be it known unto the oking that we will not serve thy gods nor worship the golden image which thou has set up
So he's like god's able to deliver us
He's able to deliver us from your hands from your persecution
But even if he doesn't
I'm, still not going to bow down to your false god
I'll just die
And that's the kind of attitude we need to have
Do right, even if it costs you your life
Do right, even if it costs you everything your life your possessions your family just do right
Man, that's that's these guys are bold
And you can tell it's just like god's able to deliver us, but I don't want to eat my words. So
if not
I'm, still not going to serve your false gods
But I know he's able to deliver us but if not though
And that's kind of how we all are
God can deliver us he can save us he can he can rescue us from persecution. But even if he doesn't though
Because he might not you know, it's like
But the attitude is we will we're still not going to bow down to your gods
What are they saying i'm going to do right regardless of the result
Your outcome and your result or what you're going to do to me has no weight on my decision
I'm going to do right regardless of the fact, okay
And that's a great attitude to have
Go to second timothy chapter four second timothy chapter four
You know another reason why
Doing right doesn't work
It's not necessarily because there's something wrong with you or because you're doing it wrong
or you know
because of x y and z or any points that we just gave
Sometimes doing right doesn't work
Not necessarily for you, but because the person you're doing right to decides to exercise their free will to do wrong
Sometimes doing right doesn't work because the person you're doing right to
Chooses not to do right and that's not your fault
You said what do you mean by that? Well, look at second timothy 4 verse 10
For dimas hath forsaken me having loved this present world now, let me ask you something something wrong with paul
Did he not like train demons good enough
Was he not a blessing maybe maybe he just didn't give enough attention to dimas
Maybe you know, he was too mean to dimas or something like that. Maybe he didn't uh, you know
Give him some new pair of sandals, you know
There's something he didn't do for you think there's something that was wrong with paul and that's why dimas ended up leaving the ministry. No
Paul probably did everything that was right to do
But dimas still forsook paul. He still forsook the lord. Why because he
Loved this present world
Go to act chapter 19 and this is an important point folks. I don't want you to miss this, okay
Because people can become disillusioned with serving god and doing right because the people around us are not doing right
Or the people that we invest in don't do right
And this is something I think every pastor has a tendency to struggle with I know myself. Sometimes I think about this, you know, um
Throughout the ministry here and ministries that i've been in in times past people come and go right
I've had people in this church and in churches before where I invested
I invested
A lot of time a lot of energy
A lot of of resources and then they just forsake god
And I remember when this initially started when I first started serving god, it was it was very painful
And I remember it first started with the bus ministry
Because the bus ministry I was a bus captain at one time
And you know, we had this this bus ministry in in um in wilmington the city of wilmington
And I had my gang of kids that I rounded up and I bring them to church and man I poured
Everything into those kids everything
I'm talking about everything we'd pick them up eight o'clock in the morning and they wouldn't come back home to like 10
And I I taught them the bible I fed them. I mean I'd make sure they took naps
I was like a parent unto them because I wanted them to just make it for the lord. I buy them bibles
I teach them how to read the bible. I teach them how to go soul winning. I would I invested a lot into these kids
and
You know, i'm talking about hours and hours even throughout the week. I got them into christian school
And i'm not for christian school, but at that time I was
And it's like man, we're gonna get you into christian school
i'm gonna take you candy selling so you can pay for your bills and and you know, just invest invest invest
And then years later, they're just not in church anymore
They don't want to come anymore. They're out and you just you kind of wonder like what did I do wrong?
Did I not invest enough?
i've had adults that would come to church and
You invest everything into them and then they just get out of church
And it's like man, is there something wrong with me? This is prior to even being a pastor
It's like is there something that that I was deficient in maybe I didn't invest in them enough
Is there something that I didn't help them with but you know, I came to the conclusion
that
Sometimes people just exercise their free will to do wrong in spite of the right that you do
That's just how it is. We're not calvinists
Right
We are not calvinists
People have their own will and sometimes people do wrong
In spite of the fact or in spite of how much effort you put in to do, right?
And as a pastor i've learned that you know people come and go from church and and the longer i'm a pastor
I don't want to say the more i'm callous because that sounds bad
But the more I recognize people come and go
Does it hurt? Yeah, it still hurts a little bit when people leave obviously because I love people. I love the people in our church
But the more the longer i'm a pastor the more I realize well, you know, I did everything I could
There's nothing more I could do. You know what I mean? I'm not god. I'm not
You know jesus i'm just an under shepherd i'm gonna do the best that I can and if that's not good enough for people
That's okay because I did everything that I could on my part
And so doing right doesn't work for me, excuse me doing right doesn't work
Not necessarily not for me, but it doesn't work for them because sometimes people
Exercise their free will to do wrong in spite of the effort that I put in to do right
Look at acts 19 verse 6
It says and when paul had laid his hands upon them the holy ghost came on on them and they spake with tongues and prophesied
and all
The men were about 12
He went into the synagogue and spake boldly for the space of three months
Disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of god. Let me ask you this
I think paul was a pretty good gospel preacher
Do you think this guy knew what he was talking about?
You giving this guy three months
You think he's I mean he's putting in some work for three months. This guy had a major work ethic, right?
Disputing persuading the things that concern the kingdom of god. I mean he's preaching he's getting he's he's preaching
Uh, the the gospel, you know, he's he's preaching god's word. Look at verse nine
But when divers were hardened and believed not
What?
So there's some people that didn't get saved. Do you think it's because of paul?
No
Because maybe he just could he could have used like a better better illustration or something. No
Some people just don't do they just don't they didn't want to believe
And this is important because of the fact that when you go soul winning and when I go soul winning
No matter how refined or good our gospel presentation is just know this some people just don't want to believe
They don't want to get saved
And it doesn't mean you're a bad soul winner
Now can we improve obviously we always want to improve
But don't become disillusioned with soul winning if you don't get someone saved every week or something like that
Because the reality is this is that people have their own will
And sometimes people will choose to reject the message even though the message is good
Even though the soul winner knows exactly what he's talking about even though he's prayed up
He's spirit filled. He knows the verses he gave it he gave it his best and they still reject the gospel
It's not because of the soul winner
The person just chose not to believe
Go to second john if you would second john second john
The
The reason I say that is because sometimes, you know as christians we can go through a dry spell
You guys know what i'm talking about?
A dry spell sometimes it's an area you go to and it's like man
I feel like I haven't seen someone saved in a while
Like i've been trying i've been going out there and preaching the gospel and then you kind of become
you know
Introspective you start examining yourself and wondering maybe there's something wrong with me
Which you know, it's not bad to think because then you examine yourself
But even thereafter sometimes you're like maybe i'm just not fit for this. Maybe i'm not good at what i'm doing
Maybe there's something wrong with me or something. But at the end of the day, you know, maybe not
Maybe you did everything you could
And the reality is this is you're doing right
and
People just don't want it. You can't necessarily blame yourself for that. Okay, look at second john verse six
Six
And this love that we walk after his commandments, excuse me
This is love that we walk after his commandments
And this is the commandment that as ye have heard from the beginning you should walk in it
For many deceivers are entered into the world who confess not that jesus christ has come in the flesh
This is a deceiver and an anti-christ look at verse eight look to yourselves
That we lose not those things which he which we have wrought but that we receive a full reward
Now think about this but let's read verse nine whosoever transgresseth and abideth on the doctrine of christ hath not god
He that abideth in the doctrine of christ. He hath both the father and the son. So think about this, you know, john is saying
You need to make sure you're you're saved and that you believe in the right doctrines because
I don't want to lose my reward period no, I don't want to lose my full
reward
Now, why does it say a full reward?
I'll tell you why because the labor of a christian
Yields rewards and he yields more rewards obviously if the person gets saved
However if the person
Believes in vain or something
Obviously they lose a reward in the sense that that person was never saved. Therefore that's not a crown of rejoicing in the latter end
But you know what?
They still get halfway of a reward because of the effort they placed into just serving god and giving that person the gospel
Trying to get that person saved
John is just saying I don't want to lose my full reward. So make sure you just you examine yourself
You keep yourself you look to yourself because I want a full reward
I don't want 50 I want 100
I want the full deal
you know
I want everything that's coming
but it's showing us that
Even if we don't get someone saved that we think we got saved or something. We still get a reward
Because
God is going to reward us for the effort that we put into serving him. Amen. You understand?
But obviously we want a full reward too. You understand?
Now this is big when it comes to raising children
Because you know parents can do their best to raise kids for the lord
They can they can do everything they could possibly could be in church teach them the bible get them saved. They can do everything
Keep the world out of the home
I mean just everything but you know what sometimes kids go astray
And sometimes it's not the parent's fault
You say man, I did everything. Yeah, but your child has a free will though
They're not robots
They have a choice whether they want to stay in the will of god or not
Now are there instances where it is the parent's fault? Yeah, because they're worldly. They're not in church. They're just inconsistent
They're just not reading their bibles they're they're talking crap about the pastor
They're criticizing leadership and authority and then the children grow up and they just hate church
But sometimes it's not that sometimes the parents train up a child in the way he should go
And sometimes they grow up and they just don't want to be in church anymore. That's not the parent's fault, right?
Because the child has their own will
Okay
And I say that because you know, there might be a time when your children my children
God forbid could possibly go astray when they get older
Become adults and they get away. That's not the goal and we don't look forward to that
We want to do everything we can to avoid that as much as possible
But here's the thing if you've done all that you could and it happens. It's not necessarily your fault, right?
Because children have their own, you know, your children have their own wills just as you have your own will okay?
I mean think of samuel samuel was a prophet of the lord
And we would say sam is a pretty great prophet. He's not perfect, but he's a great prophet, but his children didn't pan out
They didn't pan out
Right. I mean they turned aside after lucre. They took bribes
perverted judgment
It's pretty bad
Now was that samuel's fault? I don't know. I mean he looked like he tried the best he could some would say that
Maybe it's because he was a circuit preacher. He wasn't home a lot. We don't really know because the Bible doesn't tell us
But what we do know is that everyone has a free will and sometimes people choose to do wrong in spite of the fact
That you're doing right
Okay
Go to first corinthians, uh chapter 15 if you would first corinthians chapter 15
Here's my last point i'm done
Most of the sermon has been talking about making sure that you understand that
Sometimes you're going to do good and you won't reap the benefits of it because of someone else's decision, right?
But here's here's my last point is this is that just be a good steward of the right that is done to you
Make sure
You are a good steward of the right things that are done to you
So if you're a teenager and you have a parent in church who's doing their best to raise you
To get you in church to get you to love the lord. You better be a good steward of that
Don't be the person who uses their free will to get out of god's will
In spite of all the effort that your parents put into getting you in church and making sure that you're blessed with the lord
You understand
Be a good steward. Don't be a fool
Hey kids, don't don't be stupid
You make sure you appreciate the heritage
That your parents have worked so hard to work to have to get you to have a godly heritage stay in church
Love the lord love your parents
Be a man of god be a woman of god
Be a good steward of the favor that a person who's doing right is given to you
You understand?
Some people they do not like that, you know
They just they just regardless of how much good is done to them. They just wasted look at first corinthians 5 15. Excuse me
Verse 9 says for I am the least of the apostles that I am not meant to be called an apostle because I persecuted the
Church of god, but by the grace of god, I am what I am
Now what is grace? Well a synonym for grace would be favor
God's favor by the grace of god. I am what I am and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain
Paul understood this
He came later. He was late to the party
He was the least of all the apostles yet
Look what it says, but I labored more abundantly than they all yet not I about the grace of god that was with me
The whole new testament is about the apostle paul
Even though he came later
Even though he was the least you know why because he was a good steward of the right that was done unto him. Amen
So right, he was a good steward of it
The grace of god was not in vain in his life. Hey, don't let this church
Go to waste in your life
You better be utilizing what you're learning in this church. Don't take it for granted learn doctrine get some character
Learn the bible learn soul winning be a good steward of the right that's done until you don't think just think well
This is just another church. No, sorry. It's not another church. This is first works baptist church
There's only one first works baptist church. I don't even know another church that's called first works
And you know what you're getting a lot of favor in this church
The fact that the church there this church is a king james only church. I mean just enough said
Yeah
The fact that it's family integrated enough said
The fact that it has the right gospel enough said but let's say some more
The fact that you know, there's hell-raising preaching going on behind the pulpit. There's great fellowship. There's people getting saved
There's people being turned to righteousness. It's a lot of favor. It's a lot of right that's being
Pushed your way. Amen
You better be a good steward of it
And don't let it be in vain don't be the person that we've been talking about these last couple of points
Where there's people is like they do right they do right for these people to do right
And then they just decide to just go to the world get involved in sin get out of god's will
Stop reading the bibles. They just don't appreciate anything
No, be the one who's a good steward of the favor be like paul where the grace of god was not in vain
I mean he doubled the work
You know the fact that the new testament is mainly about the apostle paul
It's kind of like a diss to the other apostles
Think about that
Most of the new testament is written by the apostle paul
Most of the stories of the new testament are about the apostle paul
Even though he came later
Peter's been around for quite some time
John he was good, you know, he wrote the book of revelation, which is an awesome book, you know
He got a couple books in what about the other apostles?
What about james?
You know, he got a book
But mainly we're mostly quoting paul most of the time
Because he just has the most scripture in it. You know what?
He was a good steward of the grace that was given to him
Be a good steward of that of the right that's done unto you
Go to philippians chapter 2 philippians chapter 2
And
And I feel like paul understood this concept very well
because
He saw the decision that he made and obviously he knew I labored more abundantly than they all this is something he knew
That's why he's writing it. You know, he's like and you know, then they all he's like fear james
John all these other guys, you know
These guys who's been here longer than I have they actually were walking with the lord. I actually labored more than them
So he knew this
and so frequently in his writings
He would often tell the people that he won don't let my labor be in vain
You know, let me read you from second corinthian 6 verse 1 it says we then as workers together with them beseech you
Also that you received not the grace of god in vain
He says in galatians 2 verse 2 he says and I went up by revelation and communicated unto them
That gospel which I preached among the gentiles but privately to them which were of reputation
Lest by any means I should run or had run in vain galatians chapter 4 and verse number 11. He says i'm afraid of you
Lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain
He's like I don't want the favor that i'm giving to you be in vain
Okay
Look at philippians 2
verse 14
Do all things without murmurings and disputings
Amen
That you may be blameless and harmless the sons of god without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation
Among whom also among whom ye shine as lights in the world
verse 16
Holding forth the word of life that I may rejoice in the day of christ that I have not run in vain
neither labored in vain
He's like don't let my work go to waste
Don't let my labor go to waste on you by just not enduring not growing not maturing
He's like be a good steward of the right that's being done unto you
And this would apply from a pastor to a congregant, but it also applies from parents to their children
Or people in church who have invested in other people in the church
You someone's been a blessing to you they helped you financially they encouraged you they discipled you they trained you they equipped you
Don't let that be in vain
Be a good steward of the sermon
I worked hard on this sermon
Don't let it be in vain
Don't just say oh man, that was entertaining. No, I mean, yes it was but
Like apply it be a good steward
Kids be a good steward of the favor that your parents have given to you
You're so blessed to be in a church at the age that you are
And I don't want to sound like a victim here, but I wish I would have grown up in church
I wish I would have grown up in church. And I mean like since I was like a little kid like these guys right here
That's awesome
to have that
Not a lot of people have that young people
Don't take that for granted. Don't let the favor being given to you be in vain. This is when
Doing right doesn't work
You know the the the right that your parents did the right that your pastor has done the right the others in the church have
done
Will not work if you choose not to be a good steward of the favor that's been given to you. Amen
Let's pray father. We thank you so much for your word and thank you for your favor lord
Thank you for all the resources that you've given to us to succeed to excel to be blessed
I pray lord that you'd help us lord to to remain in the fight
And to appreciate lord we're we're in a season of we're more conscientious about
Being thankful and uh, I pray that you'd help us as a church to be thankful lord for everything
That you've done for us everything that our parents have done for us everything that people
Spiritual leaders have done for us help us to just have a heart of gratitude
And and not just be grateful but apply what we've learned
Not to allow that labor to be in vain and in jesus name we pray. Amen
You