Thank you for watching!
Acts chapter 15, this is our custom,
we'll read the entire chapter.
If you don't have a Bible,
it should be one in the seat in front of you.
Acts chapter 15, the Bible reads,
and certain men which came down from Judea
taught the brethren and said,
except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses,
ye cannot be saved.
When, therefore, Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them,
they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem
under the apostles and elders about this question.
And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Finisi and Samaria, declaring
the conversion of the Gentiles, and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.
And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received to the church and of the apostles and elders and they declared all things that God had done with them.
But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed saying that it was needful to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up and said unto them,
Men and brethren, you know how that a good while ago God made choice among us,
that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel and believe.
And God which knoweth the hearts, bear them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost,
even as he did unto us, and put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
Now therefore, why tempt ye, God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall be saved, even as they.
Then all the multitude kept silence and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.
And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying,
Simeon hath declared how God, at the first, did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
And to this agree the words of the prophets as it is written.
After this, I will return and will build again the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down,
and I will build up again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up.
that the residue of men might seek after the Lord and all the Gentiles upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.
Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world,
wherefore my sentence is that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God,
but that we write unto them that they abstain from pollutions of idols and from fornication and from things strangled and from blood.
For Moses of old time hath in every city, them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath day."
Then pleased it the apostles and elders with the whole church to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely
Judas, surname Barcebus, and Silas, chief men among the brethren.
And they wrote letters by them after this manner.
The apostles and elders and brethren send greetings,
greeting unto the brethren,
which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia.
For as much as we have heard,
that certain which went out from us
have troubled you with words,
subverting your soul saying,
you must be circumcised and keep the law,
to whom we gave no such commandment.
It seemed good unto us being assembled with one accord
to send chosen men unto you,
with our beloved.
Barnabas, and Paul, men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same thing by mouth,
for it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than
these necessary things, that ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and
from things strangled, and from fornication, from which, if ye keep yourselves, ye shall
So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch, and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle,
which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation, and Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves,
exhorted the brethren with many words and confirmed them, and
after that,
they had tarried there a space. They were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles,
notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still.
Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch teaching and preaching the word of the Lord with many others also and
Some days after Paul said unto barnabas
Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord and see how they do and
Barnabas determined to take with them John whose surname was Mark
But Paul thought not good to take him with them who departed from them
from Pamphylia and went not with them to the work
And the contention was so sharp between them
that they departed asunder one from the other,
and so Bonibus took Mark and sailed into Cyprus.
And Paul chose Silas and departed,
being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.
And he went through Syria and Silicia, confirming the churches.
The title of the sermon this morning is Our Response When Christians Fight.
Our response when Christians fight and if you're connected at all in social media
you probably know that there's a big fight going on between Pastor Jimenez and Pastor
Anderson Pastor Jimenez is my sending pastor. He ordained me. He started this church.
And of course, Pastor Anderson has had a big influence
on probably a lot of people in this room,
of course, and Pastor Jimenez has also.
And so both of them are friends of ours.
Both of them have had big influences on probably all of us.
And so it's probably not been fun
if anybody's been paying attention
to what's been going on for anybody.
And battle lines have been drawn and it's gotten pretty ugly.
And, you know, I just felt like after getting some questions about it that it's probably
something that I should probably weigh in on.
I did send a message on our WhatsApp group about people not railing and I don't care
if people have an opinion one way or the other.
I just don't want our church to delve into, you know, railing and, you know, backbiting
accusing pastors without having evidence and so on and so forth so that's
just my that's been my policy from day one when all this controversy broke out
over a little over a year ago. I haven't changed, I haven't changed my mind about
that.
And I think that, I think it was a few months ago when Pastor Jimenez
preached a sermon where he officially broke fellowship with the new IFB.
And we've remained friends, and I have not preached sermons against Pastor Jimenez.
I have not attacked him in any way, shape, or form.
We did just...
just for full disclosure, I did talk to him about when I preached against
Pastor Buzarski and Pastor Jimenez holds some of the same views as Pastor Buzarski
that I preached against and I think that he was under the impression that I was
preaching against him in that sermon in some ways but I was not preaching
against him because I just told him that I believe that Pastor Buzarski took the
things that he said and took them too far. So he used scriptures that were out
that it's wrong to spank your teenagers,
which I think that that's going over the top
and being meddlesome in other men's houses.
And that's something I wholly disagree with.
Whether you want to spank your teenagers or not,
that's up to the man of the house.
It's not a pastor's place to get into someone else's home
and take the authority away from the man of the house.
Again, whether you believe that or not.
So I don't believe that the Bible teaches that you shouldn't do that. I laid those things clearly out and
I believe that Pastor Razzarski used a couple verses out of context to preach a whole series just because he was mad at Pastor Anderson
So and again like I want to be friends with both of them and so
But as far as Pastor Jimenez is official
official stance with us and our church is that as long as I'm friends with
Pastor Anderson, I think, that he doesn't want me to preach for his church and he
will not preach for my church. So, but I can't control those circumstances. The
only way I can control him is probably to stop being friends with people he
doesn't want to be friends with. So, but that's not how I operate. I don't do
I'll just say this also. I don't believe that there's evidence to say that Pastor Ameson
did the things that he was being accused of. And as a matter of fact, the conversation was
brought up in Pastor Ameson's video where John told Mrs. Jimenez and another woman's testimony,
or another witness was there, another woman was there. That was my wife. Okay. And I think that
In front of both of them that Isaac was lying in most of what he said
so
Isaac made a video where he slandered me also and said things about me
That was the first video. So I
Already knew he was lying about the things he was saying because he said him about me. So
That wasn't hard for me to disprove but so if you have the first two witnesses
You know, then John came out with his video, and so it kind of contradicted the things that Isaac was saying.
So to me, that's two witnesses are not credible, okay?
If someone...
says things and then takes him back and what but he even John is now still
saying that those things that he said in that first video were not true so to me
that just cancels out the first two witnesses I never believed Mariam's
video from the start I thought it was I just didn't believe it it didn't seem
realistic to me at all and then when it came to Solomon he didn't really he just
said you know he's gonna rip my lizard in half or whatever fighting clean up the
He said that there was never any blood drawn
in any spanking that they ever got.
That's, there's a text message proving that.
So to me, it's just like to say all those things,
you know, and in front of my wife and Mr. Ann,
he, John said that he never,
Pastor Anderson never hit his wife.
So I mean, what am I supposed to do with that evidence?
The Bible says that we're not supposed to rise up
and accuse somebody of a sin without witnesses.
And if people say, well, those are four witnesses,
Are they credible though?
You have to do diligent inquisition of them
to make sure that those things are so.
So that's been my stance from day one.
If there's evidence that proves otherwise,
then I will follow that evidence and make a conclusion.
But to me, those things aren't conclusive.
They're not, they don't hold up.
They wouldn't hold up in a court of law.
In secular society, they don't hold up in biblical court of law.
In society, you can stand up with one witness and condemn somebody.
So I don't agree that's even true, but really by law, you're not supposed to be able to do that either.
So anyway, I just kind of want to say those things first off, but I love Pastor Jimenez.
I don't want to be enemies with Pastor Jimenez at all.
But, you know, I don't want to be enemies with Pastor Anderson either.
I mean, I love both of these men.
I love Pastor Shelley, I love Pastor Oz, and I'll just say this for Pastor Oz, I've never heard him.
ever say anything bad about Pastor Jimenez.
Pastor Oz is my son-in-law.
Pastor Oz went to our church.
I love him.
I know what he's saying is true.
He's never said a bad word about Pastor Jimenez
ever that I've ever heard.
So I know he, I just want to just vouch for him
in those things.
And, you know, because Pastor Shelley and Pastor Oz
are kind of involved in this fight a little bit too,
but
All all these men I'm friends with and I love and as the pastor of the church, like I said
I just feel like I need to deal with this a little bit, but
First though before I get into the me to the sermon here first I
Just you know, I want you to know what's kind of going on
And I'd recommend before you make some kind of decision of you know, what side you're gonna choose or whatever that you'd make an informed decision
You kind of have to look at all the facts before, you know, because there's a lot of videos being made on both sides
Okay, but I wouldn't just watch one person's video and then make a decision based upon that if you're trying to make a decision at all
secondly, you know
Who is saying you have to choose a side anyway, you know, if you love both people, why do you have to choose a side?
Because really a lot of this goes down to what doctrine you believe
And if it boils down to doctrine,
it just depends on what you believe about those doctrines.
Because when it comes to raising children
and divorce and remarriage and all this other,
these fights are kind of about this.
Because there's a verse that says,
train up a child the way you should go.
And when he's old, he will not depart from it.
Now, if you believe that that is a promise
that no matter what,
If you're the perfect parent, your kids will always turn out right, then you're going to
believe that.
And then if your kid turns out wrong somehow, there's something you did, it's your fault
as a parent, well then you might choose the side of, well yeah, it's Pastor Anderson's
fault that all those kids, you know, those four kids did these things to him, and that's
going to be how you choose your decision.
That if you raise your kids or you train up your children the way they should go when they're old they won't depart from it
Then generally yes, this is true
but
And it's just like I said, it's it depends on what you believe, you know, what do you believe about that?
so
I'm just kind of giving you examples of
You know some of this just boils down to doctrine and what you actually believe so and then
Thirdly social media connects us in ways that are unhealthy at times
You can just jump into social media and just start looking at all these comments and stuff
and it can get real ugly real quick.
You start seeing people just throwing around things and saying things about pastors that they ought not be saying
and it can make monsters out of us too.
It's real easy to type up things on a keyboard and push send
and say ugly stuff to each other, people that you've been friends with for a long time, family members,
other pastors you've been friends with for a long time.
and get caught up in the, you know, the rah-rah that's going on.
But, you know, you'll say things to people that you would normally not say to their face on the internet.
It's kind of what we call a keyboard warrior, you know.
Some people become keyboard warriors on things that they would normally not say things to your face.
So...
And then people are stalking other people.
What are they liking?
What are they sharing?
And, you know, it becomes this like private Gestapo
where you're turning people in
for everything that they like and share or whatever.
And you know what?
I'm not on the internet as much as I used to be.
And I'm, believe it or not, I'm not.
Following what everybody does and what everybody likes and what everybody shares so when people send stuff like that to me
I'm like, okay, like
Believe it or not. I'm not I'm not on Facebook 24 seven trying to figure out what everybody's liking and sharing so
but
You know if you're following every twist and turn
you know and
then just
Causing problems and just making everybody know what your opinion is on everything
I just, I think, why does it matter what you think?
If pastors are fighting, let the pastors duke it out.
Is it ugly?
Is it discouraging?
It is.
And especially the people that you like both people,
or you liked one and times past,
now you don't like the other one, whatever.
It's discouraging.
And I don't want people to be discouraged,
but what church do you go to?
I mean, do you go to Sherr Foundation Baptist Church,
the church in Sacramento. Do you go to Variety Baptist Church or you go to Faithful Word?
I mean, do you have to draw such a deep battle line? Or can we just let these things play out
and see what happens and then still try to root for both people in the end? Because believe it or
not, pastors can make mistakes and still come back from them, just like you can make mistakes and
come back from them. We don't, just because a pastor preaches a bad sermon.
Does that mean that that person is thrown in the trash forever?
I mean, unless it's like damnable heresy, okay?
I'm just saying someone can preach a bad sermon
or say something that they regret in a sermon
and still come back from it.
You know, people can change their minds,
people can get right with God,
and pastors can do that too.
I'm just going to read this from 1 Timothy 5.
It says,
And so just because you disagree with the pastor doesn't give you carte blanche to just go and start railing against that pastor
Especially if they're saved there, you know, it's not like they're some kind of a reprobate because they disagree with your favorite pastor
Okay, and so we shouldn't draw battle lines like that necessarily you can disagree with their doctrine
Think that their doctrines garbage or whatever or you can say in your heart
Well, I don't know if I really believe this but unless you have evidence you should you should not just
just throw that person in the trash and think that there's some kind of a reprobate or that you
have the right to just go after them online and call them all kinds of names. The Bible says in
1 Timothy 5 19 it says, against an elder receive not an accusation but before two or three witnesses.
You're not even supposed to receive an accusation. You're like, well, I disagree with you pastor
about the witnesses in this situation. Well, that's cool. You can disagree all you want,
You know, was there, after the accusations,
did you get a chance to inquire of them
or did somebody inquire of them?
Because all I saw was interviews that were kind of like
Joe Biden's interviews with CNN or something.
You know, just putt-putt golf ones.
So Deuteronomy chapter 19 verse 15,
go ahead and turn there.
This is kind of just a layup or, you know,
I'm just trying to set the stage here
for the rest of this sermon.
And if you don't know what I'm talking about at all and you've never even heard of these people, that's cool
You know, but this is still good stuff to know, you know, we're not supposed to attack elders and
rebuke them
We're not supposed to receive accusations against them without two or three witnesses and really that should be anybody
you shouldn't just attack people and
Think something's true
Without actual evidence and that's just receiving an accusation. That's not saying that they did it for sure
because two or three witnesses rose up against Naboth
and put him to death and stoned him to death.
So were they right?
No, they're aligned, sons of Belial.
Look at Deuteronomy 1915, it says,
one witness shall not rise up against a man
for any iniquity or for any sin,
in any sin that he sineth.
At the mouth of two witnesses
or at the mouth of three witnesses
shall the matter be established.
If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong
Then both the men between whom the controversy is shall stand before the Lord
Before the priest and the judges which shall be in those days. So we're not in those days
So how would that work? Well, they'd probably stand before their church and their church, you know in front of their church members in
This situation so and it says in the judges shall make diligent inquisition
So see how it's not just about three about the witnesses. There has to be an inquiry done after that and
Behold of the witness be a false witness and has testified falsely against his brother
Then shall you do unto him as he thought to have done unto his brother so shall that put evil away from among you
Now, you know today we can't put people to death and you know if they wanted someone to be killed
You know if it was a crime they accused them of that would put them to death that person will be put to death
I for an eye hand for you know all that stuff
But today we would just throw them out of the church or you know, let the devil have his way with them
It says in verse 20 and those which remain shall hear and fear and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you
and thine eye shall not pity, but life shall go for life,
eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot."
So this is how God judges everything.
In the New Testament, he makes it very clear
in the pastor's, I just showed you about pastors
and it says it about other people too.
It's not just pastors, but two or three witnesses
is still required to make accusations.
So let's get into the story about Paul
and Barnabas in Acts chapter 15.
I mean, Paul and Barnabas were like two peas in a pod.
Barnabas actually vouched for Paul
when nobody wanted to receive him.
They were all scared of him
because he was persecuting the church really heavily.
And Barnabas kind of stepped in and said,
no, I've seen Paul.
He has changed.
And Barnabas was an apostle also.
He was one of the 70 that got ordained after the 12.
Okay.
And Barnabas was, you know, his nephew was John Mark.
And so, apparently John Mark was on a missions trip with them, and then he at one point stopped working with them.
He left them, and Paul, you know, then he's going to try to take them with them again even though he stopped the work.
So, let's look back in our Bibles at Acts 15, 36, and we'll pick up the story from there.
So, point number one of the sermon is, Split Happens.
sometimes preachers fight and you know they split in part ways and our Paul and
Barnabas both saved yeah did Paul and Barnabas do great works together start
churches together yes and even at this point they're still good friends
But look at verse 36 it says in some days after Paul said to barn under Barnabas
Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of God and see how they do and
Barnabas determined to take with them John whose surname was Mark
But Paul thought not good to take him with them who departed from them from Pamphylia and went not with them to the work.
So what did he do? He quit on them and he wasn't a good worker.
He wasn't a good person, a good fit for the ministry according to Paul.
And you know, there's people like that.
People in the workplace have had a job where you were late one time and got fired for it.
Some bosses will not put up with that.
Some bosses will not put up with you
just having one lazy day or calling in sick for, you know,
that you're supposed to take a vacation
but your boss canceled your vacation
and said, no, you need to come into work
and then you're like, forget it,
I'm gonna call in anyway.
They'll fire you for that
and never give you another chance.
Some employers like that,
seems like that was Paul's attitude too.
Hey, you're gonna quit on us?
Maybe their lives were in jeopardy for what he did.
I don't know.
But Paul was, you know,
Barnabas was determined to take John with him.
John was, John Mark was family with Barnabas,
blood relatives.
And Paul was like, I don't care who he is,
he's not coming with.
And so,
The problem is that John Mark was not dependable and you know he bailed on them.
So look at verse 39, it says and the contention was so sharp between them so they're fighting.
That's what contention is. You're fighting with somebody, you're arguing with them.
It was so sharp.
that they departed asunder one from the other.
They split, that's what it is.
So split happens, right?
And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed unto Cyprus.
So Barnabas split with Paul,
he took Mark and went to Cyprus.
And Paul chose Silas and departed being recommended
by the brethren unto the grace of God.
And he went through Syria and Selecia confirming the churches.
So who's right in this situation?
Well, they're both saved. They both did great works together. They both started many churches. They saw many saved
Barnabas, like I said, vouched for Paul when nobody trusted him
But then you have Barnabas being carried away with the Judaizers
You know according to the book of Galatians, you know Barnabas kind of you know was slipping and some of his doctrine and
Barnabas chose to give his nephew a second chance
Paul was not and the Bible who's the Bible continue to follow though is it the rest of the acts of
Barnabas in the book of Acts or is it the rest of the books of Paul?
You know Paul is the one who's followed after that
So like who do you think that God is actually choosing the sight of in this instance?
He's choosing Paul. What does that mean that Barnabas?
is not a good guy? No, it doesn't mean that at all.
Because later on, we'll see, I'll turn back to it here in a minute, but
the Bible continues to follow Paul.
So, that doesn't mean that Barnabas is wicked.
And that doesn't mean that Barnabas needs to be railed against.
Does one bad decision define the rest of who Barnabas is?
Does one bad decision, you know,
does that mean that he's just not saved
and he should be railed on?
No.
So, a great team is broken up and no doubt a great friendship because of an argument
over family members and the ministry decision.
But Paul kind of would back this up by saying, and I'm not going to have you turn there,
but I'll have you turn to Matthew 18.
But 1 Corinthians chapter 4 verse 1 says, Let a man so account of us as of the ministers
of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
This is how Paul looks at it.
Hey, our job is so important that, hey,
men should be able to take account of us
as the ministers of Christ
and the stewards of the mysteries of God.
So when someone just goes and says, you know what,
I'm done and quits on them
out in the middle of the mission field,
then Paul thinks that's a big deal.
Moreover, it's required in stewards
that a man be found faithful.
Was John Mark faithful?
No.
kick rocks, John Mark, that was his attitude.
But should we give people second chances?
I mean, God's a God of second chances, isn't he?
But it doesn't mean Paul's wrong.
Cause look at Matthew 18, 21, it says,
then came Peter to him and said,
"'Lord, how off shall I, shall my brother sin against me
and I forgive him?'
Tell seven times, Jesus sayeth unto him,
"'I say not unto thee until seven times,
but until 70 times seven.'"
So if John Mark came hat in hand to the Apostle Paul after that,
the Bible doesn't say he did, but if he did that, should he forgive him?
Yes, but does that mean he has to have him back as a full-time worker?
No, it doesn't, but he should still forgive him.
And so now let's look at 2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 10.
2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 10.
Because ultimately, I think a lot of people believe and I happen to be one of those people that the book of Mark was written by John Mark.
So was he actually useful? Yeah, he was.
And the Apostle Paul later on in his life...
He actually likes John Mark again.
They actually restore their fellowship again.
Look at 2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 10.
It says,
Having loved this present world
and is departed unto Thessalonica,
Cretians to Galatia,
Titus unto Dalmatia,
only Luke is with me.
Take, what does it say there?
Mark.
And bring him with thee,
for he is profitable to me
for the ministry.
So in the end,
he's specifically asking for Mark.
So, his first, I mean, him and Barnabas broke up their partnership and their friendship over this guy, who failed him, and didn't go with him to the work.
But in the end, the Apostle Paul, you know, John Mark turned it around. John Mark became faithful. John Mark wrote the book of Mark.
And then, you know, at least, that's what I believe anyway, I don't know, a lot of other people believe that too.
But anyway, so but what does he suppose the apostle Paul say for he is profitable to me?
for the ministry and
What do you think before though? He wasn't profitable for him for the ministry
So John Paul had a change of heart about John Mark didn't he so look things can be reconciled
Just because he wasn't you know, but just because him and Barnabas weren't friends. Maybe they weren't never friends again
Maybe maybe Barnabas
Died and this is why John Mark is available now. I don't know Bob doesn't really say but
You see all is not lost. Just because two preachers start fighting
All is not just because two preachers split ways
It doesn't mean you have to hate one and love the other. That's not what it means
Especially if they're both saved. They both have good ministries. They're both still serving the Lord
Not all is lost things can seem really bad, but the truth is with God all things are possible, you know
So here's another one and it seems like Paul is always getting into fights with people. He's always being forsaken
He's always people are always getting on to him
Let's look at Galatians chapter 2 verse 11. So Paul actually rebukes Peter in front of everybody
In front of everybody, look at Galatians 2.11, we kind of just went through this not too
long ago because we were in the book of Galatians, so it should be fresh in your mind, but let's
look at Galatians 2.11, the Bible says, but when Peter was come to Antioch, I was stood
him to the face because he was to be blamed.
Paul didn't care who it was.
He was not a respecter of persons.
And when someone did something wrong, he called him out.
And Peter was like, he was basically kind of like
the leader of the New Testament church.
He was definitely the apostle that was the leader
of the ministry to the Jews.
And the apostle Paul was the leader
of the ministry to the Gentiles.
That's what the Bible says, okay?
And who's the first one that got up and preached
to everybody?
Peter right he preached that sermon on the day of Pentecost and he was also the first
one to go to the Gentiles too remember as far as like having that dream remember in the the
the napkin or the tablecloth came down it had you know the lobster and the shrimp and the bacon
and the ham and all that stuff and he's like no Lord I've not eaten anything uncommon or
And he was like, all right, you talked me into, you know,
and we've been eating pork and shrimp and lobsters ever since, amen.
But in scallops, yes, scallops, the steak of the sea.
But anyway, so Peter, you know, he got the best of both things.
And, you know, he goes to the Cornelius and the Italian band, they were rocking out, right?
You know, Peter was the rock. But anyway, I'm just kidding.
So it was a dumb joke. But he gets them saved, right?
that God wants the Gentiles to be saved.
It was a great day when that happened.
But look at what it says, Galatians 2, 11.
It says, but when Peter was come to Antioch,
I was stood him to the face, because why?
Because he was to be blamed.
For before that certain came from James,
he needed to eat with the Gentiles.
But when they were come, he would drew and separated himself,
fearing them which were of the circumcision.
and the other Jews dissemble likewise with him
and so much that Barnabas, see, there's Barnabas,
also was carried away with their dissimulation.
So what is happening here?
Well, they're being respecters of persons,
they're scared to upset the Jews,
but Peter was already eating with the Gentiles.
And so then when they come,
those guys that came from James,
they're getting carried away with their dissimulation.
and so was Barnabas. It was causing Levin to be brought into the church. It was, it was,
it was not right. It says, but when I saw that they walked not uprightly, according to the
truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter, before them all, he didn't take them aside into a private
room and say, Hey man, you're not doing anything right. No, he said before them all. If thou being
a Jew, live us after the manner of Gentiles and not as do the Jews. Why compel us now the Gentiles
So, here again we have Paul again confronting a situation where he seems to be the lesser
pillar in the situation.
Remember, he says, well, they were, who seemed to be pillars, you know, when he's talking
about the rest of the apostles, but, and he says how he's the least of the apostles,
but he's, you know, he's equal with the other apostles in actuality.
They're all at the same station.
But he has been given a higher station in the fact that he's the leader of the movement to preach to the Gentiles and Peter is the leader of the movement to the Jews.
So they're in a higher rank as far as that goes, but Paul doesn't care if Peter walked with Jesus literally through his whole ministry.
You know, I mean, Peter's also known for making a lot of mistakes.
Put his foot in his mouth when he shouldn't have been saying things.
He also says some great things.
And Paul was one born after due time.
He never walked with Jesus.
He was responsible for persecuting the church and all sorts of other things.
Holding the close of Stephen while he was stoned to death.
So but calling out Peter in a very public way for not walking uprightly for the to the gospel
For the truth of the gospel the truth is that we're all one in Christ Jesus
So that's why he wasn't walking in the truth according to the gospel because what's the truth of the gospel?
There is no Jew or Greek. There is no male or female. We're all one in Christ Jesus. So why?
Peter are you sitting with the Gentiles and eating with them and then when the Jews come
you separate yourself from them and make it seem like the Jews are more holy than the Gentiles
and you separate yourself from them.
So what's he doing?
He's making it seem like the gospel is not for everybody and that the Jews are at a
higher standard than the Gentiles.
So
That's the problem. That's why Paul had to do that and you know, he's being what a hypocrite
He's eating with them first and now you know and again
He he saw the Gentiles get saved. He knows that they're in on the plan themselves
Jesus told them to go to the uttermost parts of the earth
so
But here Peter gets rebuked by Paul in front of everybody
So does that mean that they're not friends for the rest of their life because of this?
No when people fight when Christians fight when preachers fight
What is the right attitude to have? Sometimes you got to get rebuked sometimes preachers gonna preach against you and sometimes it might just be an accident
Maybe you know look if I got up and just made sure that everything I believed was in line with all my friends
Then I would never preach anything because we will I mean not anything, but I'm just saying I would step on toes
Because we believe different things despite what people accuse us of that we all have to run our sarmans through some through the Pope or whatever
That's not true. I've never been told what to preach and
Sometimes I disagree with things that my friends preach
But you know what?
Who cares but you know what I don't do I don't go well
I better not preach this because my friends disagree with me or whatever
That's not how we should do it. We should do look my job as a pastor is to preach what I believe the Bible says
You know and not not by my private interpretation
but look I
Have to preach what the Bible says and that's all there is to it
So what does Peter do though turn to 2nd Peter chapter 3 verse 15? He's like
Paul, I'm never gonna be friends with Paul again. How dare he rebuked me? I'm Peter, the great apostle!
Is that what he said? No? In 2 Peter 3 15, it says this,
account
that the long suffering of our Lord is salvation,
even as, what's it say there? Our beloved brother Paul.
Well, doesn't sound like he's holding the grudge, does it?
Also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you. What's he doing? He's giving him props
He's saying he's our beloved brother
Paul do you think he just wrote that in there because he just wanted to throw him a bone?
No, he's saying that because he actually believes he's his beloved brother
As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which some things are
hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned an unstable rest, as they do also
the other scriptures unto their own destruction.
He's saying, hey, Paul writes some things that are hard to be understood because Paul,
you know, Paul's a major theologian here.
He knows the Bible really well and some of the things that he writes are pretty complicated and hard to understand
but he's saying that people will twist the things in his epistles and
under their own destruction
But I'm just saying this Peter got rebuked and he you know
He's kind of used to getting rebuked because the Lord himself rebuked him many times one one minute. He's saying
You know, blessed are you because God has revealed this to you when he says, Thou art the Christ and then like a couple sentences later, he's calling him Satan.
So, you know, so he's, you know, he's saying, you know, get me, get, get the behind me Satan when Peter says something.
So, you know, Peter's just used to being rebuked.
So maybe he just has thick skin when it comes to this, but, you know, he probably just got right.
And just because a preacher is mad at me or says something in a sermon that I disagree with or maybe I think that might be directed towards something I preached, I don't just go, I'm never going to be friends with that preacher again.
And look, just because your favorite pastor got something said about them or got something that they believe got rebuked, it doesn't mean that you have to hate that other pastor.
That's all I'm saying. Our response shouldn't always be, this person bad.
You know, they're cast off forever.
That should not be our attitude as a Christian.
You know, when you get rebuked by some kind of a sermon,
it shouldn't be your knee-jerk reaction,
most leave church.
You know, because, look,
I'm probably going to offend you sometimes.
You're probably going to think,
why is he preaching that?
He's preaching that right against me.
No, I'm not.
But if I am, so what?
I mean, I'm not intentionally preaching against people,
but you might take it that way,
because the Holy Spirit, that's how the word of God works.
You know, the word of God is quick, powerful,
sharpening in a two-edged sword, piercing even
through the dividing asunder of soul and spirit
and of the joints and marrow,
and it's a discerner of the thoughts
and intents of the heart.
It's gonna slice and dice you,
and it's gonna cut you to the quick,
and it's the word of God that does this.
It's not the preacher.
So if the word of God is slicing you up, then don't get mad. Don't shoot the messenger is the is the famous proverb, right?
So look and I've mentioned this before but it does amaze me sometimes
Just how weak Christians are when it comes to getting reproved and rebuked
It's like, you know, you got these ex-army ranger type and they're actually ex-army military guys
And then they get rebuked by a pastor and they're like, I can't handle the rebuked. It's like dude
You're in Afghanistan
Why you can't handle getting reproved by the word of God?
Why you have you had you?
killed people in military people shot at you you went through boot camp and you can't you I mean a
Probably some drill sergeant was calling you a maggot in a puke and all kinds of other things
I can't say from the pulpit and you can't handle some rebuked from the word of God really I
Thought you were tougher than that
I've been rebuked. I've had I've had preachers preach against me. I've had preachers preach against me
And I knew that they were preaching against me in the service
And you know what?
You just sit there and feel that feeling and it sucks.
But you know, you don't just quit the church over it.
You're a little baby.
Get some tough skin.
Develop a little bit of a leathery skin
and just deal with it and just fix the problem.
I mean, that's what the, you know,
look, if nobody ever got their sins preached against,
then we would just be any other church.
But this type of church,
is not going to caudle your feelings. So,
you know a pastor marries you he you know baptized all your kids get saved at
the church your kids get baptized at the church your children get married at the
church you know funerals are done for your loved ones you know all you know
the pastor does all these things in your life and it's like oh the pastor
preached against me or he stuck up for this preacher that I don't like this is
When it when Christians fight sometimes it's if you can't handle the fight then stay off the internet and just don't don't get involved in it
What where's the Bible verse that says get involved in every pastor's fights?
Show me the verse
Actually, the Bible actually says the opposite says don't get involved in strife not belonging unto you
If it doesn't belong on to you, you know, and look, you're see, you know, I've shown you a couple of examples
It's like these are men of God that are fighting against each other. It doesn't say and then Paul
Had all the other people on his side of the congregation, you know making memes about that pastor or about the about the Apostle Peter
Look, let the pastor make memes against him. Then Paul made memes against Peter, you know, whatever
But like why are people in the congregations?
railing against pastors like when did that become a thing I mean I've had the
same policy about that for years but yet I still see people in our churches
doing it and you know it's just disgusting quite frankly you know I mean
Pastor Minnes did start our church
And you know who I learned to not go after my own pastor from?
Pastor Jimenez and Pastor Anderson.
Pastor Nichols won't claim them.
He broke all fellowship with them.
He broke all fellowship with Pastor Anderson six months into his ministry.
But you'll never catch Pastor Anderson talking trash against Pastor Nichols.
He might defend the fact that, yes, he did get ordained by him.
He did get sent out by him or whatever.
But he's never going to sit there and trash him.
So, I'm not going to get up and trash Pastor Ramirez either.
No matter what he does, no matter what he says to me or about me.
And I'm not saying he is saying stuff about me.
I'm just saying that I'm just never going to do it.
You're never going to catch me doing it because I'm not going to.
I'm not going to just get up and rip on him or anything like that.
So, you know, if you're looking for that to happen, it's not going to happen.
But I also don't expect the people who go to my church to do the same thing either because this church wouldn't exist without him
But also this church wouldn't exist without you know the influence of pastor Anderson
So whether you like that or not
Then it doesn't matter because pastor Anderson has helped this church a lot too
In a lot of ways that you might not even realize
But I learned things from both of them. I've learned things from pastor Shelley, you know and and
I just, I'm not gonna turn against my friends.
Just not gonna do it.
So, and who says that you have to?
Who says that you have to?
It's like, people get this idea that you have to,
and look, if you've picked a side
or you don't like one of them, that's fine.
But who says that Joe Church member,
no offense if your name is Joe,
but who says that Joe Church member
Has to get up and make their opinion known to everybody. I
Need you to know where I stand
This is my this pastor is not qualified who asked you
Who asked you I?
Don't remember anybody you know hey guess what we need to know your opinion. I
Don't care what your opinion is
Because the opinion that your opinion doesn't mean anything
You can hold that opinion all you want. I already told you I don't care if you hold it an opinion, but
Nobody asked you we don't care what your opinion is the internet doesn't care either. So it's just gonna make you look like a fool
When you're just sitting there railing on passers no matter which one it is
So and if you're just mobbing up and look there's been there's people that I've been friends with at both churches for a long time
And it's like people get this Antifa mentality
It's like, have you seen what's going on over in Portland?
Or they're just like, anybody that has any opposing?
If they're just a camera guy that's just
like filming what they're doing, they walk up and start
pushing them, and they'll push them,
and try to take their camera.
Don't have an opposing opinion, because they'll try to fight
them, and they'll threaten them.
They'll like get up really close to them and say, don't touch me.
Don't touch me.
And it's like, I'm not touching you, dude.
And like, if you touch me, I'm going to beat you up or whatever.
Look, we shouldn't have an antifa mentality, OK?
Or we're just mobbing up and trying
to destroy someone that has a difference of an opinion.
So anyway, let me move on here.
Let's go to Colossians chapter 4, verse 14.
Colossians chapter 4, verse 14.
Let's look at another
Another forsaking of Paul and Paul Paul why are you getting so many fights? Why does everybody hate you Paul?
well
Look if you're doing things for God people are gonna hate you doesn't matter who you are
Luke chapter 4 verse 14 the Bible says
Luke the beloved physician and Demas greet you
Do that and look at so so what okay?
look at 2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 9. So Demas was a soldier of Paul's, he worked in the ministry with Paul.
And of course we have this famous passage in 2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 9 and Demas's name gets thrown out a lot
as someone that is not necessarily a good character in the Bible.
But at a time he was with Paul in the trenches doing the work.
Now look at 2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 9, it says,
for Demis hath forsaken me." So then Demis gets the bad rap because he forsake, he forsake in Paul.
Having loved this present world, what was Demis' problem?
He got back slidden. He went back into the world.
And says, in his departure to Thessalonica, creations to Galatia, Titus, unto Dalmatian.
Dalmatia, excuse me.
So, but Demis is also mentioned
That excuse me, let me have you go to
Philippians, oh excuse me
Philemon chapter 1 the only chapter in there so Philemon 1
It's right after the book of Titus
It was Titus and Philemon first first and second Thessalonians first and second Timothy Titus
Philemon
That helps you find it. It's just one chapter
Philemon 1 23 says
There salute thee a path for us my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus
Marcus Aristarchus
Demis
Lucas my fellow labors the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen
So at some point Demis came back
Demas got right.
So I mean, I'm just trying to show you a silver lining.
Demas was good, and then he was forsaken Paul,
but after he forsook Paul, then he came back
and was working with Paul once again,
at least according to the order of the books.
the New Testament and so they called that a prison epistle where Paul was in
prison at that point so and I think that maybe it's possible that Second Timothy
was written from prison also but but you know Deimos has forsaken him
apparently he comes back at one point nobody stood with the Apostle Paul says
all people have forsaken me and I pray that you lay it not to their charge
So at some point everybody turned our back on Paul
You know because the just everybody just you know, I mean look Paul
But apparently Paul could take it, you know, and it stinks when everybody turns against you
but my point is showing you this is that is
that
friendships can be renewed
Friendships and partnerships can be restored and I've shown you multiple examples of this already, you know, John Mark
he was a good in the end and
Peter and Paul
You know Paul rebuked Peter, but Peter still respected and highly respected and called him a beloved brother
Demis for sook Paul, but in the end still served with him
Now look at Philippians chapter 4 verse 2 Philippians chapter 4 verse 2
Philippians 4 verse 2
Bible says in Philippians 4 verse 2 it says I beseech thee
I'm going to have trouble with these names, Iodias and Basisi Sinti that they be of the same mind in the Lord.
They're like, well, who are these people?
And it says, and I treat the also true Yoke fellow.
And I think if that's a name, true Yoke fellow, help those women which labored with me in the Gospel.
with Clement also, and with other my fellow laborers whose names are in the book of life.
So this Yodias and Sintica, or Sintichi, or however you pronounce it,
that they be of the same mind in the Lord.
I believe that these are two women that we're fighting.
And it says, and I entreat the true Yoke fellow to help those women which labored with me in the Lord or in the Gospel.
Because it says that they be of the same mind in the Lord.
So we're supposed to have unity. We're supposed to have fellowship and unity.
And I think that the Apostle Paul is like, help these people.
And true Yoke fellow...
is probably, you know, the pastor of this church or he's a brother that Paul
depends on, but he's saying help these women because they help at one point
they're laboring with me in the gospel and now they seem to not be of the same
mind, maybe they have some kind of a spat that they're having, a Christian spat,
but he's like help, help them, you know, help them that they labored with me in
the gospel, help them be of the same mind.
That's my interpretation of it. I mean, I think that other people hold that view also
But you know, it's not just pastors that fight but Christians fight too
You know just and Christians are pastors or Christians too. So don't don't get me wrong
I'm just saying that I was just trying to give in another example
And of course, there's tons of examples in the Bible where people were fighting
So I was just trying to show some but and then the though another example third John third John
I'm getting close to wrapping up here but 3rd John 1 9 now you have this guy
deotrophies now I believe that deotrophies is not saved but look
sometimes you don't know that someone's not saved until you know you know there's
been people that have attached themselves to our movement at first you know
maybe people thought they're maybe not qualified tower doka but then it turns
out that he is Jesus right he believes he's Jesus and gets Alpha and Omega
So, we'll do with that what you want but you know he was kind of a part of our movement
for a while and then it's very clear that he's not saved now because if you think that
you're Jesus and then you're insane and you're an antichrist.
But 3rd John 1 9 says, I wrote unto the church, but deotrophies who loveth to have the preeminence
among them receiveeth us not.
or at least is friendly with this church,
but Deotrophes, who's the pastor
or the leader of this church,
he loves to have the preeminence.
Who's supposed to have the preeminence?
Jesus Christ is supposed to have the preeminence.
So, he wants to have the premenace among them.
It says, receive with us not.
He won't allow the apostle John to come visit the church.
How wild is that?
Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds,
which he doeth,
prading against us with malicious words
and not content therewith,
neither doth he himself receive the brethren.
So, he won't even have,
let the brethren, the saved people come to the church.
Where have you seen this happen before in our movement?
where you're like, Oh, no, I knew I'd be people are allowed to come to my church.
I don't want no IP people in my church.
And that's how you built the church in the first place is off the backs of the movement.
So it says and forbid them that would and casted them out of the church.
So I've seen this happen lots of times since, you know, I've been a pastor.
It says.
Beloved follow not that which is evil. Why do I think he's not saved because right after he gets on talking about him?
It says beloved follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. So his deotrophies evil or good
He's evil. All right
He that doeth good is of God, but he that doeth evil hath not seen God
So he just gets on talking about deotrophies. So his deotrophies good or evil and it says
He that is of he that doeth good is of God now
Again, you have to take this in the context, just because you do good things doesn't mean
you're saved, okay?
But he's just saying that this is the principle, you know, look at this principle.
If this guy's a pastor and he's like doing all these things and won't allow the apostles
to come to the church, that's pretty weird, right?
I mean, the apostles are saved for sure.
And if you're not letting the apostles come, you're not letting them save people.
come to church then there's something wrong with you. I mean Moses had a fight
with Korah and Korah said we're all holy you know we're let up and then most
said we'll bring the censors forth you know fill up you know you can bring
bring your incense and we'll see you know who God's chosen and who he's not
and what happened to Korah and his rebellion well they all went kicking and
screaming snot tears and everything right into hell
He opened up the earth and they went straight to hell. So who did God choose? He chose Moses very obvious
So I you know some of the fights that we get into as
Preachers are against people that you're not really sure at the time what they really are, but it's made manifest
throughout time
Who's right and God's always going to show us who's right when it comes to those situations
But I'm not talking about this situation. I don't believe either one of these guys that I'm talking about today are that way
I'm just giving you an example that sometimes people like, you know, like Tyler Baker, for instance
There was a lot of people that got drawn away with his garbage his trinity
trinity denying stuff and then he's just flip-flopped on all this kind of stuff
in the entire doke is an easy slam dunk, right?
But I'm just saying that at one point, people don't know.
But we should have discernment.
And even in this situation, discern what the truth is.
What is the truth of the matter?
We should still be able to discern the truth via doctrine.
So what is the doctrine?
Well, we should be able to see that for ourselves
and see what the truth is about it.
So, and then, so I'm just going to show you a couple of verses about judgment, and then, I'll wrap it up, okay?
So, this question is asked in 1 Corinthians, and it's talking about taking the saints to law to judge.
Look at 1 Corinthians chapter 6, and so this point is, is there not one among you that can judge?
And so we should be able to judge things by looking at what the Bible says.
You know, sometimes people can be right about something and be wrong in the way that they handle the situation.
And some people can be wrong about something and be right in the way that they handle it.
You know, not everything is just a cookie cutter by the way that, you know,
but we still should be able to perceive, you know, what is right and what is wrong.
look at 1 Corinthians chapter 6-2 and Paul kind of throws this in their face,
the Corinthians. They have a lot of problems with this church in Corinth. And Paul's constantly
just how it's almost like every chapter in 1st and 2nd Corinthians, he's like
correcting something that they're doing wrong. But you know, it's still a great church. But it says,
1 Corinthians 6-2 says, do you not know that the saints shall judge the world? Don't you think
And I don't think it's talking about necessarily judging people to hell because that's what God does
He's talking about judging in the millennial reign. I
Think and if the world shall be judged by you are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
You know things in the church that might need to be judged or whatever know you not that we shall judge angels
how much more things that pertain to this life.
And you know, maybe we are going to be judging the angels to be thrown into hell.
I don't know. Maybe, you know, God's going to allow, I don't know how all that's going to work.
But it says, if then you have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.
Again, this is in context of, you know, someone hits your car in the parking lot and instead
of suing them or whatever, you would handle that stuff in-house or somebody defrauds you
in some kind of money outside the church and then they're like, hey, so-and-so won't pay
me back and then that can be judged in the church.
But if somebody, you know, kills one of your family members, call the police, okay?
We can't judge those things.
But it says, I speak to your shame.
Is it so that there is not a wise man among you?
No, not one that shall be able to judge
between his brethren.
So we should be able to judge what the right thing
in an argument is.
So if you are inclined to judge the things that are going on
and you just want to, you have to know what the truth is,
well, you should be able to see the facts as they're laid out.
judge what is the right thing not who you like more because what is that that is
having respect in regards to the person that you like better and the Bible says
in Deuteronomy 117 it says you shall not respect persons in judgment but you
shall hear the small as well as the great you should not be afraid of the
face of man for the judgment
God's and the cause that is too hard for you bring it unto me, and I will hear it
Sometimes we just don't really know what the truth is. There's not enough facts. So in that case you just don't judge
You let God judge
So everybody's just like no we have to know the truth. We I need to I need to be able to pass my judgment
No, you don't
You don't need to do that. You look just like God judge
Because God is gonna judge
So it's just that simple so it's like it's like what you're like. Well, you know someone murdered so-and-so, and there's only one witness
Well, we can't put that person to death. I'm talking about Old Testament, right?
Well, do you think God's gonna make sure that person gets punished?
Well, then why are you worried about it?
That kind of thing obviously God wanted people to be judged, but you know in Jerusalem
Why did he end up wiping it out? Because the blood on
people's hands
You know the blood on it was the last straw was Manasseh
He had shed so much blood that God had to destroy them. He just couldn't stave off the judgment anymore
Even though Josiah was a great king after him. It wasn't enough to make it up
And Josiah had made a foolish mistake by continuing to fight with the king of Egypt and he was killed
Look at Leviticus chapter 19 verse 15
Leviticus chapter 19 verse 15
The Bible says,
He shall do no unrighteousness and judgment.
Thou shalt not respect the person of the poor,
nor honor the person of the mighty.
But in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbor.
Thou shalt not go up and down
as a tail bearer among thy people.
Neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbor.
I am the Lord.
Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart.
Thou shalt not in any wise rebuke thy neighbor
and not suffer sin upon him.
Thou shalt not avenge nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people
But thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. I am the Lord and he has to
Keep reminding this
Why because he's the Lord we're not
He's the judge we're not but you know, this is a pretty key passage right here
Don't do unrighteousness in judgment.
Don't respect people as a person in respect to judgment.
Because it's not, you know, even when it comes down to your own family,
we are not supposed to respect them in regards to judgment.
If they're doing wrong, they're doing wrong.
It's not, oh, that's my family member.
They're doing wrong.
You're not supposed to respect that in judgment.
We're not supposed to stand against the blood of our, look we're not supposed to hate our brothers in our heart and
You can just make up any excuse you want to to do that, but we're not supposed to do that
We're not supposed to hate them. You're like well. I don't hate them. I just don't like them
It's kind of the same thing though
It's kind of the same thing especially if you're just rebuking that person and suffering sin upon them
They also don't avenge or bear grudge against the children of thy people look the Bible is real clear about this
People like oh, it's Leviticus, but it's funny. You get love thy neighbor as I self from Leviticus chapter 19
They also love thy neighbor as I self
Now people get mad because Leviticus 20 verse 13. It's in this chapter before this it says love thy neighbor as I self
God's the same yesterday today and forever
Proverbs 24, verse 23.
While you're turning there, I'm gonna read James 2-8.
It says, if you fulfill the royal law
according to the scripture, that's the Bible,
thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well.
But if you have respect of persons you commit sin and are convinced of the law as transgressors
It is a sin to commit to to have respect of persons. It is sin
So to just take somebody side because you don't like the other person it's sin
You have to judge the situation correctly and if you haven't done that then you're sinning
So what the Bible says, so Proverbs 24 verse 23 says,
these things also belong to the wise.
It is not good to have respect to persons in judgment.
He that saith unto the wicked thou art righteous,
him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him.
But to them that rebuke him shall be delight
and a good blessing shall come upon them, excuse me.
So look, I mean again, I have my own opinions about some of these things you can have yours to just don't cross the line and
We won't have issues. So what is crossing the line making accusations?
You can't prove what is crossing the line mocking men of God that is crossing the line with me and
Saying things that you can't prove is also that's railing. It's evil surmising. Okay on either side
But again, do we have to take sides?
Do you have to take sides?
You don't have to.
But again, you know, if you have,
it's not, I'm not saying it's wrong to take a side.
Just saying don't sin while you're doing it.
And don't make uninformed decisions when you don't,
when you have, if you haven't diligently inquired,
if you haven't looked at all the evidence,
then don't make a decision based upon your feelings.
Because the last time I checked there's nothing in this book that says that we make decisions based upon our feelings
If you want to make decisions based upon your feelings and go to the Pentecostal Church down the street
And they'll let you just make all kinds of decisions and all kinds of prop
Proclamations about your feelings and they'll be rolling in the aisles and barking like a dog
Okay, if that's how you want to if that's how you want to live your Christian life is based upon why just feel this way?
No, the Bible doesn't tell us to do that
It tells us to make decisions based upon what this book says
I get so sick and tired of people to say well, I just think this well nobody asked you what you think
Well, I just feel this way. Well, the Bible doesn't say to do that says to make decisions based upon what this book says
If you're going to just throw out accusations and you're going to just take a stand because this is my favorite guy or whatever
Then at least make decisions based upon what the Bible says
Because look we're all
capable of making mistakes and
Even good men make mistakes. It doesn't have to be coke or Pepsi. You can like both of them. I
mean
Pepsi zero is even better than than diet Pepsi or Diet Coke, but that's my preference based upon trying them both
You're like well, I don't even like Pepsi zero. I like Coca-Cola in the bottle. Okay, well fine
But have you tried Pepsi?
No, I'm just kidding.
But look, I mean, everybody's capable of making,
of saying stupid things in sermons,
being wrong on issues, you know,
we're capable of being a bad friend from time to time.
Can you say actually in your heart that you've always been a great friend?
No.
Everybody's been a bad friend before.
Everybody's, you know, if you're a preacher,
everybody's preached a bad sermon
or said things that they wish they could take back
in a sermon or been a bad parent or been a bad pastor
or, you know, made a compromise
or gone, I've gone overboard in sermons.
I've gone overboard, you know, I've, nobody's perfect.
And I don't always agree with everything any pastor says.
I don't even agree with myself from, you know,
I'll listen to a sermon and I'll be like,
I don't even believe that anymore.
You know, I'm just talking about minor things mostly, but there's some things that I've changed my mind on
so and
Doesn't have to be the end of my friendship when when guys that I like are fighting. No, it doesn't
So I think that also the Bible teaches
You know when preachers are fighting let them fight
Let Paul fight Barnabas. Let Paul fight Peter
Let John fight deotrophies, let Jesus fight the Pharisees,
let Moses fight Pharaoh, let John the Baptist fight Herod,
let Jeremiah fight the false prophets
and the rulers. Did Elijah ask for the
crowd to update the status on Instagram or whatever while he was fighting
the prophets of Baal? I mean, it didn't exist back then. But you know what I'm saying?
You see the battles happening, it's usually the leaders against the leaders
Or whatever sometimes it's just good men fighting and good men fight sometimes, but what's the silver lining I?
Would just recommend this to you if you get time tonight or sometime this week
Listen to the sermon when preachers disagree by Jack Hiles. It's a great sermon
And it kind of just helps you keep it in perspective
And I mean if you have time to listen to it. I really highly recommend that sermon and I also recommend this
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.
You know, sometimes it's better to be a peacemaker than to be part of the mob.
And throughout this whole thing that's been going on, I have tried to be a peacemaker on both sides.
And that's just, you know, because who wants them to fight?
I don't want them to fight.
But would I say that there are people out there that want them to fight?
People have been trying to break up Pastor Anderson and Pastor Mendez's friendship for years.
And now it's finally happened.
And it's like, that's not what I want.
It's not what I've ever wanted.
And my whole thing has been trying
to get them to stay friends.
So it just didn't happen.
So I want there to be hope for Pastor Herman
and Pastor Anderson to reconcile their friendship.
Just like Paul and John Mark, just like Paul and Demis.
just like Paul and Peter I mean there was just you know they don't have to
stay enemies forever I'll just close on this last scripture if you want to turn
there with me you can this is the end of Galatians 5 14 says for all the laws
fulfilled in one word even that in this thou shalt love thy neighbor as
thyself but if you bite and devour one another take heed that you be not
If you're, if we're brethren, we shouldn't be biding and devouring one another and take you that you be not consumed one of another, we shouldn't be eating each other up.
That's what the workers of iniquity do.
The workers of iniquity eat up the children of God like bread, the Bible says.
But what went to us as Christians when we're doing this?
This I say then, walk in the spirit and you should not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
So is it a lust of the flesh to be eating up, biting and devouring other Christians?
For the luck for the for the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh
And these are contrary the one to the other so that you cannot do the things that you would
So, you know when it's your attitude to just eat up
Great men of God and eat up people that follow them even if they're not saying the things that you think they should be saying
Look, that's not that shouldn't be our attitude. Just because someone else is doing it doesn't mean you have to
You don't have to participate
And look, yeah, there's some bad actors involved in some of this, but you don't have to be
like them.
Be a peacemaker, you know, and if you can't handle all the negativity that's going on
online, just stay off of it, you know, and then it won't vex your righteous soul from
day to day.
Because you know what, I'm not really involved in it, but do I have to pay attention to it?
Yeah, I do.
But I don't want you guys, you ladies, you men, you, anybody in this church to just be
Just, why don't you just focus on the things that are good and just try not to just get
wrapped up into it, because it really doesn't affect our church as much as you might think
it does.
And what if you just hide your Facebook app at the very end?
You know, you got all these screens that you can turn to.
You can just hold your button on the Facebook app
and then just scroll it over to where it just goes really
far into the depths of your phone and just drop it there.
And then you have to scroll over that many times to find it.
But then you might just get used to doing that every time
you get on your phone.
But then hide it someplace else.
You don't have to be on it all the time.
And what if I told you you don't have
to actually be on Facebook?
You can you can hide hide yourself from your apps
You know take some time to just take a break
You know like that meme or the kitten
His hand is on the keyboard and or no is it a kitten's hand on the top of the person's hand saying it's time to stop or something like
It's time to stop posting
Anyway, well, I hope this was somewhat encouraging to you and I hope that
I'm very clear about what I don't want to see happening in our church.
I'm not your dad, but I will not tolerate railing and I will not tolerate evil surmising
and I'm not going to tolerate bashing pastors, period.
And if you're doing that, then we're gonna have a talk, okay?
So, but again, I'm not, I don't want to police people's social media,
but sometimes people send me stuff.
And if it's just some minor infraction or somebody liked something,
please just, that's like telling me you saw somebody smoking somewhere.
Don't just turn in, I don't want this to become the Facebook Gestapo or something.
So, anyway, let's pray.
Lord, thank you so much for this church.
And Lord, I just pray, Lord, that all the strife would cease, and Lord that any pride
or envy and strife would just stop, and that, Lord, I just pray for the men of God that
I love that are fighting.
I pray that they would be able to set aside their differences and maybe work things out
and be friends again someday, and that the people that are kind of jabbing them forward
Be pacemakers in our lives with our friends and with our church members and the pray that you'd help us
to not just fight in the flesh all the time and that Lord we'd be spirit-filled people that
Or just have our eyes on the prize and
Our eyes focused on the mission, which is to see can save that which is lost and to preach the gospel
Jesus name we pray amen
Closing hymns. Look and live. Number 142.
Look and live. Lift up. Lift up your voice on the first.
I have a message from the Lord.
Alleluia!
The message unto you, I'll give.
Tis recorded in his word, Hallelujah!
It is only that you look and live.
Look and live, my brother live!
Look to Jesus now, and live!
Tis recorded in his word, Hallelujah!
It is only that you look and live.
I have a message full of love, alleluia,
a message, oh, my friend, for you.
It is a message from above, alleluia.
Jesus said it, and I know it is true.
To Jesus now, un-live!
Tis recorded in his word,
Alleluia!
It is only that you look and live!
Life is offered unto you,
Alleluia!
Eternal life, thy soul shall...
Jesus, who alone can save.
Look and live, my brother, live.
Look to Jesus now and...
when he made me hope.
T'was me leaving on his name.
Hallelujah!
I trusted and he saved my soul.
Look and live!
My brother lived!
Look to Jesus now and live!
Tis recorded in...
that you look and live. Amen. This time we'll have a baptism.