WEBVTT 00:10:18.630 --> 00:10:20.020 - Good morning, everyone, 00:10:20.020 --> 00:10:23.680 and welcome to Steadfast Baptist Church. 00:10:23.680 --> 00:10:25.280 So great to see everybody here. 00:10:25.280 --> 00:10:30.600 If we can go ahead and find our seats, get started. 00:10:30.600 --> 00:10:31.670 We've all found a seat. 00:10:31.670 --> 00:10:32.890 Let's go ahead and grab a hymnal. 00:10:32.890 --> 00:10:34.900 And this morning, our first song will be 00:10:34.900 --> 00:11:00.180 song number 230, "Sunlight." 00:11:00.180 --> 00:13:19.340 Together, song number two. 00:13:19.340 --> 00:13:20.670 Everybody, let's open up the service now 00:13:20.670 --> 00:13:23.780 with a word of prayer. 00:13:23.780 --> 00:13:24.580 Love you so much. 00:13:24.580 --> 00:13:25.950 We just thank you so much for this awesome day, 00:13:25.950 --> 00:13:28.820 the awesome weather, great church, 00:13:28.820 --> 00:13:32.590 all the great people gathered here to sing unto you, Lord. 00:13:32.590 --> 00:13:35.050 We just ask now that you help us lift up our voices 00:13:35.050 --> 00:13:37.360 and fill us with your spirit as we sing unto you this morning. 00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:40.590 And it's in Jesus' name we pray, amen. 00:13:40.590 --> 00:13:43.240 All right, for our next song, 00:13:43.240 --> 00:13:48.100 let's go to song number 334. 00:13:48.100 --> 00:13:57.990 334, a blessing, somewhat of a newer song to us. 00:13:57.990 --> 00:14:00.090 So let's follow along. 00:14:00.090 --> 00:14:01.680 Second or third, we'll all get it together. 00:14:01.680 --> 00:17:09.230 It's song number 334. 00:17:09.230 --> 00:17:10.560 See you all here this morning. 00:17:10.560 --> 00:17:11.500 If you need a bulletin, 00:17:11.500 --> 00:17:14.090 please raise up your hand nice and high. 00:17:14.090 --> 00:17:17.420 We'll have the ushers come around and get that to you. 00:17:17.420 --> 00:17:19.680 On the front there, we have our Bible memory passage. 00:17:19.680 --> 00:17:21.450 We're in verse number five, 00:17:21.450 --> 00:17:23.360 getting really close to the end of this chapter. 00:17:23.360 --> 00:17:24.610 This was an easy one for you, 00:17:24.610 --> 00:17:27.060 so hopefully you guys are spending the time 00:17:27.060 --> 00:17:29.560 to get that memorized. 00:17:29.560 --> 00:17:33.400 On the inside, we do have a special announcement to make. 00:17:33.400 --> 00:17:36.660 Congratulations to Austin and Kaitlyn Shipman 00:17:36.660 --> 00:17:39.750 on the birth of their son, Luke Leon Shipman. 00:17:39.750 --> 00:17:43.810 Luke was born Wednesday, November 12th at 11.23 p.m., 00:17:43.810 --> 00:17:45.230 weighing eight pounds, three ounces, 00:17:45.230 --> 00:17:47.840 and measuring 21 inches long. 00:17:47.840 --> 00:17:55.280 So let's go ahead and give them a round of applause. 00:17:55.280 --> 00:17:57.180 If you haven't noticed in Step Fast Baptist Church, 00:17:57.180 --> 00:17:59.810 God's adding to the church daily, it seems like, right? 00:17:59.810 --> 00:18:02.720 It's just got all these babies being born, it's great. 00:18:02.720 --> 00:18:05.380 There on the inside, we have our service times 00:18:05.380 --> 00:18:06.980 and our sowing times. 00:18:06.980 --> 00:18:08.900 Of course, we'll have sowing this afternoon at two. 00:18:08.900 --> 00:18:10.500 We meet here at the building, 00:18:10.500 --> 00:18:12.160 and then we'll partner you up and send you out. 00:18:12.160 --> 00:18:14.000 Encourage you to be there for that. 00:18:14.000 --> 00:18:17.350 Below, we've got our church stats for the month and year. 00:18:17.350 --> 00:18:19.450 We're continuing to pray for our expecting ladies. 00:18:19.450 --> 00:18:22.190 Keep each one of those ladies in your prayers. 00:18:22.190 --> 00:18:25.910 Some upcoming events to look forward to. 00:18:25.910 --> 00:18:28.230 After the service this evening, 00:18:28.230 --> 00:18:30.350 we are gonna have our children's choir practice 00:18:30.350 --> 00:18:31.300 directly after. 00:18:31.300 --> 00:18:34.910 So if your children are gonna be participating in that, 00:18:34.910 --> 00:18:37.890 make sure that you're here for that. 00:18:37.890 --> 00:18:40.990 Also, next weekend, pastor is gonna be preaching 00:18:40.990 --> 00:18:43.040 in Oklahoma City at Anchor Baptist Church, 00:18:43.040 --> 00:18:45.830 celebrating their first year anniversary. 00:18:45.830 --> 00:18:47.680 So they've made it a full year 00:18:47.680 --> 00:18:50.120 and really excited for them and Pastor Oz. 00:18:50.120 --> 00:18:52.610 So definitely want to check that out. 00:18:52.610 --> 00:18:54.060 If you're able to make it, 00:18:54.060 --> 00:18:57.390 I know that would be a great blessing to them as well. 00:18:57.390 --> 00:18:59.340 Right after Thanksgiving on the 29th, 00:18:59.340 --> 00:19:01.040 we're going to have the Turkey Bowl. 00:19:01.040 --> 00:19:03.660 And Brother Lugo, he's going to be leading that 00:19:03.660 --> 00:19:06.240 and we'll play some flag football, get out there. 00:19:06.240 --> 00:19:09.600 You know, hey nuts to watching football on TV. 00:19:09.600 --> 00:19:11.210 Why don't you come out and play some real football 00:19:11.210 --> 00:19:12.350 with some men, right? 00:19:12.350 --> 00:19:15.020 So definitely show up for that. 00:19:15.020 --> 00:19:17.940 We've got our ladies Christmas party, December 5th. 00:19:17.940 --> 00:19:19.550 Encourage all of you ladies to attend that. 00:19:19.550 --> 00:19:21.670 They'll be here at the church. 00:19:21.670 --> 00:19:24.140 Christmas caroling will be December 8th. 00:19:24.140 --> 00:19:27.240 And honestly, it's one of my favorite events of the year 00:19:27.240 --> 00:19:29.160 is Christmas caroling. 00:19:29.160 --> 00:19:31.130 It's really well received. 00:19:31.130 --> 00:19:33.510 And if you have not participated in that in the past, 00:19:33.510 --> 00:19:35.810 you definitely want to put that on your calendar. 00:19:35.810 --> 00:19:37.270 You don't want to miss that. 00:19:37.270 --> 00:19:39.920 And then our children will be putting their practice 00:19:39.920 --> 00:19:43.980 to good use on the 21st for that service where they'll 00:19:43.980 --> 00:19:45.860 be performing for us. 00:19:45.860 --> 00:19:51.720 And then we'll have a cookie bake off as well the same day. 00:19:51.720 --> 00:19:53.170 Our Christmas candlelight service 00:19:53.170 --> 00:19:55.950 will be Christmas Eve, December 24th. 00:19:55.950 --> 00:19:58.050 And then on New Year's Eve, we're 00:19:58.050 --> 00:20:01.370 going to have men's preaching and pizza for that service. 00:20:01.370 --> 00:20:03.040 So lots of fun things. 00:20:03.040 --> 00:20:06.300 This is a great time of year for holidays and family, 00:20:06.300 --> 00:20:08.480 most especially our church family. 00:20:08.480 --> 00:20:10.510 And so I encourage you guys to take time out 00:20:10.510 --> 00:20:11.580 to come to each one of those. 00:20:11.580 --> 00:20:13.170 On the back, we've got a prayer list. 00:20:13.170 --> 00:20:15.000 Keep each one of these people in your prayers 00:20:15.000 --> 00:20:16.210 throughout the week. 00:20:16.210 --> 00:20:18.270 That's really all the announcements that I have 00:20:18.270 --> 00:20:19.340 for you guys this morning. 00:20:19.340 --> 00:20:21.040 Of course, Pastor Shelley, if you 00:20:21.040 --> 00:20:22.690 can think to pray for him this afternoon, 00:20:22.690 --> 00:20:23.450 he's going to be traveling. 00:20:23.450 --> 00:20:25.800 But he'll be here this evening preaching for us. 00:20:25.800 --> 00:20:28.030 So if you're a visitor, we're thankful that you're 00:20:28.030 --> 00:20:30.300 here, but you want to come back this evening. 00:20:30.300 --> 00:20:32.730 He's got a great sermon prepared for us this evening. 00:20:32.730 --> 00:20:35.200 With that, we'll go to our next song. 00:20:35.200 --> 00:20:46.780 In your black book, it's going to be Psalm 126, Psalm 126. 00:20:46.780 --> 00:22:21.180 "Pray thou, Psalm 126, Psalm 126." 00:22:21.180 --> 00:23:44.230 Chapter number six, that is John chapter six. 00:23:44.230 --> 00:23:52.370 In six, the Bible reads, "After these things, 00:23:52.370 --> 00:23:54.220 Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, 00:23:54.220 --> 00:23:55.760 which is the Sea of Tiberias. 00:23:55.760 --> 00:23:57.390 And a great multitude followed Him, 00:23:57.390 --> 00:23:59.410 because they saw His miracles, which He did 00:23:59.410 --> 00:24:01.190 on them that were diseased. 00:24:01.190 --> 00:24:02.870 And Jesus went up into a mountain, 00:24:02.870 --> 00:24:05.090 and there He sat with His disciples. 00:24:05.090 --> 00:24:08.190 And the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. 00:24:08.190 --> 00:24:09.960 When Jesus then lifted up His eyes 00:24:09.960 --> 00:24:12.240 and saw a great company come unto Him, 00:24:12.240 --> 00:24:14.490 He saith unto Philip, when shall we 00:24:14.490 --> 00:24:16.610 buy bread that these may eat? 00:24:16.610 --> 00:24:19.120 And this He said to prove Him, for He Himself 00:24:19.120 --> 00:24:20.510 knew what He would do. 00:24:20.510 --> 00:24:22.820 Philip answered Him, 200 penny worth of bread 00:24:22.820 --> 00:24:24.820 is not sufficient for them, that every one of them 00:24:24.820 --> 00:24:26.290 may take a little. 00:24:26.290 --> 00:24:28.790 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, 00:24:28.790 --> 00:24:32.080 saith unto Him, there was a lad here 00:24:32.080 --> 00:24:34.970 which hath five barley loaves and two small fishes, 00:24:34.970 --> 00:24:36.990 but what are they among so many? 00:24:36.990 --> 00:24:40.260 And Jesus said, make the men sit down. 00:24:40.260 --> 00:24:41.890 Now there was much grass in the place, 00:24:41.890 --> 00:24:45.040 so the men sat down in number about 5,000. 00:24:45.040 --> 00:24:47.510 And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks, 00:24:47.510 --> 00:24:49.790 He distributed to the disciples and the disciples 00:24:49.790 --> 00:24:52.700 to them that were set down, and likewise of the fishes, 00:24:52.700 --> 00:24:54.210 as much as they would. 00:24:54.210 --> 00:24:56.520 When they were filled, He said unto His disciples, 00:24:56.520 --> 00:25:00.230 gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. 00:25:00.230 --> 00:25:03.120 Therefore they gathered them together and filled 12 baskets 00:25:03.120 --> 00:25:05.290 with the fragments of the five barley loaves, 00:25:05.290 --> 00:25:08.600 which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. 00:25:08.600 --> 00:25:10.530 Then those men, when they had seen the miracle 00:25:10.530 --> 00:25:13.530 that Jesus did, said, this is of a truth that profit 00:25:13.530 --> 00:25:15.500 that should come into the world. 00:25:15.500 --> 00:25:17.690 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come 00:25:17.690 --> 00:25:19.880 and take Him by force to make Him a king, 00:25:19.880 --> 00:25:23.260 He departed again into a mountain Himself alone. 00:25:23.260 --> 00:25:25.680 And when even was now come, His disciples went down 00:25:25.680 --> 00:25:27.470 unto the sea and entered into a ship 00:25:27.470 --> 00:25:29.690 and went over the sea toward Capernaum. 00:25:29.690 --> 00:25:32.390 And it was now dark and Jesus was not come to them. 00:25:32.390 --> 00:25:36.650 And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew. 00:25:36.650 --> 00:25:39.670 So when they had rode about five and 20 or 30 furlongs, 00:25:39.670 --> 00:25:42.170 they see Jesus walking on the sea 00:25:42.170 --> 00:25:45.140 and drawing nigh unto the ship and they were afraid. 00:25:45.140 --> 00:25:48.640 But He saith unto them, "It is I, be not afraid." 00:25:48.640 --> 00:25:50.750 Then they willingly received Him into the ship 00:25:50.750 --> 00:25:52.720 and immediately the ship was at the land 00:25:52.720 --> 00:25:54.110 whither they went. 00:25:54.110 --> 00:25:56.270 The day following, when the people which stood 00:25:56.270 --> 00:25:57.540 on the other side of the sea, 00:25:57.540 --> 00:25:59.570 saw that there was none other boat there, 00:25:59.570 --> 00:26:02.430 save that one whereunto His disciples were entered, 00:26:02.430 --> 00:26:05.410 and that Jesus went not with His disciples into the boat, 00:26:05.410 --> 00:26:07.680 but that His disciples were gone away alone. 00:26:07.680 --> 00:26:12.500 Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh 00:26:12.500 --> 00:26:14.490 unto the place where they did eat bread, 00:26:14.490 --> 00:26:16.320 after that the Lord had given thanks. 00:26:16.320 --> 00:26:19.140 When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, 00:26:19.140 --> 00:26:21.950 neither His disciples, they also took shipping 00:26:21.950 --> 00:26:24.590 and came to Capernaum seeking for Jesus. 00:26:24.590 --> 00:26:26.140 And when they had found Him on the other side 00:26:26.140 --> 00:26:28.460 of the sea, they said unto Him, "Rabbi, 00:26:28.460 --> 00:26:30.380 when camest thou hither?" 00:26:30.380 --> 00:26:33.230 Jesus answered them and said, "Verily, verily, 00:26:33.230 --> 00:26:36.900 I say unto you, ye seek me not because ye saw the miracles, 00:26:36.900 --> 00:26:39.830 but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled. 00:26:39.830 --> 00:26:42.010 Labor not for the meat which perisheth, 00:26:42.010 --> 00:26:45.350 but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, 00:26:45.350 --> 00:26:47.300 which the Son of Man shall give unto you, 00:26:47.300 --> 00:26:49.770 for Him hath God the Father sealed." 00:26:49.770 --> 00:26:51.930 Then said they unto Him, "What shall we do 00:26:51.930 --> 00:26:54.040 that we might work the works of God?" 00:26:54.040 --> 00:26:55.990 Jesus answered and said unto them, 00:26:55.990 --> 00:26:58.420 "This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him 00:26:58.420 --> 00:27:00.160 whom He hath sent." 00:27:00.160 --> 00:27:02.990 They said therefore unto Him, "What sign showest thou then 00:27:02.990 --> 00:27:04.630 that we may see and believe thee? 00:27:04.630 --> 00:27:06.930 What dost thou work? 00:27:06.930 --> 00:27:09.520 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert, as it is written. 00:27:09.520 --> 00:27:11.960 He gave them bread from heaven to eat." 00:27:11.960 --> 00:27:14.110 Then Jesus said unto them, "Verily, verily, 00:27:14.110 --> 00:27:17.380 I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven, 00:27:17.380 --> 00:27:20.360 but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. 00:27:20.360 --> 00:27:23.070 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven 00:27:23.070 --> 00:27:25.070 and giveth life unto the world." 00:27:25.070 --> 00:27:28.300 Then said they unto him, "Lord, evermore give us this bread." 00:27:28.300 --> 00:27:31.520 And Jesus said unto them, "I am the bread of life. 00:27:31.520 --> 00:27:34.600 He that cometh to me shall never hunger, 00:27:34.600 --> 00:27:37.010 and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. 00:27:37.010 --> 00:27:39.530 But I said unto you, that ye also 00:27:39.530 --> 00:27:41.350 have seen me, and believe not. 00:27:41.350 --> 00:27:43.330 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me, 00:27:43.330 --> 00:27:46.990 and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 00:27:46.990 --> 00:27:49.620 For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will, 00:27:49.620 --> 00:27:51.780 but the will of him that sent me. 00:27:51.780 --> 00:27:54.270 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, 00:27:54.270 --> 00:27:57.030 that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, 00:27:57.030 --> 00:27:59.460 but should raise it up again at the last day. 00:27:59.460 --> 00:28:01.320 And this is the will of him that sent me, 00:28:01.320 --> 00:28:04.400 that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him 00:28:04.400 --> 00:28:07.010 may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up 00:28:07.010 --> 00:28:08.470 at the last day. 00:28:08.470 --> 00:28:10.990 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, 00:28:10.990 --> 00:28:13.070 I am the bread which came down from heaven. 00:28:13.070 --> 00:28:16.380 And they said, is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, 00:28:16.380 --> 00:28:18.570 whose father and mother we know? 00:28:18.570 --> 00:28:21.900 How is it then that he sayeth, I came down from heaven? 00:28:21.900 --> 00:28:24.150 Jesus therefore answered and sent it to them, 00:28:24.150 --> 00:28:25.850 murmur not among yourselves, 00:28:25.850 --> 00:28:28.030 no man can come to me except the father 00:28:28.030 --> 00:28:29.970 which hath sent me draw him, 00:28:29.970 --> 00:28:32.090 and I will raise him up at the last day. 00:28:32.090 --> 00:28:33.730 It is written in the prophets, 00:28:33.730 --> 00:28:35.680 and I shall be all taught of God, 00:28:35.680 --> 00:28:37.260 every man therefore that hath heard 00:28:37.260 --> 00:28:39.610 and hath learned of the father cometh unto me, 00:28:39.610 --> 00:28:41.310 not that any man hath seen the father, 00:28:41.310 --> 00:28:44.690 save he which is of God, he hath seen the father. 00:28:44.690 --> 00:28:47.670 Verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me 00:28:47.670 --> 00:28:51.600 hath everlasting life, I am that bread of life. 00:28:51.600 --> 00:28:53.490 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness 00:28:53.490 --> 00:28:54.560 and are dead. 00:28:54.560 --> 00:28:57.190 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, 00:28:57.190 --> 00:29:00.310 that a man may eat thereof and not die. 00:29:00.310 --> 00:29:03.040 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. 00:29:03.040 --> 00:29:06.270 If any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever. 00:29:06.270 --> 00:29:08.330 And the bread that I will give is my flesh, 00:29:08.330 --> 00:29:10.950 which I will give for the life of the world. 00:29:10.950 --> 00:29:13.200 The Jews, therefore, strove among themselves, 00:29:13.200 --> 00:29:16.470 saying, how can this man give us this flesh to eat? 00:29:16.470 --> 00:29:18.640 Then Jesus said unto them, verily, 00:29:18.640 --> 00:29:21.830 I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man 00:29:21.830 --> 00:29:24.980 and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 00:29:24.980 --> 00:29:27.520 Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood 00:29:27.520 --> 00:29:31.520 hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 00:29:31.520 --> 00:29:35.320 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 00:29:35.320 --> 00:29:37.740 He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood 00:29:37.740 --> 00:29:39.950 dwelleth in me and I in him. 00:29:39.950 --> 00:29:41.920 As the living Father hath sent me, 00:29:41.920 --> 00:29:44.340 and I live by the Father, so he that eateth me, 00:29:44.340 --> 00:29:46.430 even he shall live by me. 00:29:46.430 --> 00:29:48.820 This is that bread which came down from heaven, 00:29:48.820 --> 00:29:51.930 not as your fathers did eat manna and are dead. 00:29:51.930 --> 00:29:55.150 He that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. 00:29:55.150 --> 00:29:59.020 These things said he in the synagogue as he taught in Capernaum. 00:29:59.020 --> 00:30:01.990 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, 00:30:01.990 --> 00:30:04.950 This is an hard saying, who can hear it? 00:30:04.950 --> 00:30:07.620 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, 00:30:07.620 --> 00:30:09.150 he said unto them, 00:30:09.150 --> 00:30:11.130 Doth this offend you? 00:30:11.130 --> 00:30:15.110 What and if ye shall see the Son of Man is sent up where he was before? 00:30:15.110 --> 00:30:19.540 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing. 00:30:19.540 --> 00:30:23.690 The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 00:30:23.690 --> 00:30:27.400 But there are some of you that believe not; for Jesus knew from the beginning who they 00:30:27.400 --> 00:30:30.690 were that believed not, and who should betray him. 00:30:30.690 --> 00:30:36.860 And therefore said I unto you, That no man can come unto me, except that were given 00:30:36.860 --> 00:30:38.790 unto him of my father. 00:30:38.790 --> 00:30:43.740 From that time many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him. 00:30:43.740 --> 00:30:47.380 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? 00:30:47.380 --> 00:30:51.130 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? 00:30:51.130 --> 00:30:53.850 Thou hast the words of eternal life. 00:30:53.850 --> 00:30:58.910 Can we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ the Son of the living God? 00:30:58.910 --> 00:31:03.660 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? 00:31:03.660 --> 00:31:08.530 He spake of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for he it was that should betray him, being 00:31:08.530 --> 00:31:09.530 one of the twelve. 00:31:09.530 --> 00:31:11.590 Let's bow our heads for a word of prayer. 00:31:11.590 --> 00:31:14.690 Father in heaven, we thank you for this day and for this church service. 00:31:14.690 --> 00:31:19.450 I pray that you fill Brother Fer with your spirit and enable him to preach the message 00:31:19.450 --> 00:31:22.650 you've laid on his heart with boldness and clarity of mind. 00:31:22.650 --> 00:31:28.240 Help us, Lord God, to apply this message to our lives and to serve you better. 00:31:28.240 --> 00:31:29.220 We love you. 00:31:29.220 --> 00:31:30.730 In Jesus' name, I pray. 00:31:30.730 --> 00:31:32.110 Amen. 00:31:32.110 --> 00:31:33.090 Amen. 00:31:33.090 --> 00:31:35.450 Well, I want to start off by just thanking Pastor Shelley for the opportunity to preach 00:31:35.450 --> 00:31:36.540 as always. 00:31:36.540 --> 00:31:40.270 We're going to look back at verse number 60. 00:31:40.270 --> 00:31:45.280 The Bible says, "Many, therefore, of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, 'This is an 00:31:45.280 --> 00:31:46.410 hard saying. 00:31:46.410 --> 00:31:47.990 Who can hear it?' 00:31:47.990 --> 00:31:51.470 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at him, he said unto them, 'Does 00:31:51.470 --> 00:31:52.960 this offend you? 00:31:52.960 --> 00:31:57.810 What, and if ye shall see, the son of man ascend up where he was before? 00:31:57.810 --> 00:32:01.960 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing. 00:32:01.960 --> 00:32:06.080 The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life. 00:32:06.080 --> 00:32:08.600 But there are some of you that believe not. 00:32:08.600 --> 00:32:12.940 For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray 00:32:12.940 --> 00:32:14.670 him. 00:32:14.670 --> 00:32:18.440 And he said, 'Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were 00:32:18.440 --> 00:32:21.220 given unto him of my father.'" 00:32:21.220 --> 00:32:28.460 Notice this in verse 66, "From that time, many of his disciples went back and walked 00:32:28.460 --> 00:32:31.590 no more with him." 00:32:31.590 --> 00:32:38.930 So Jesus is explaining a very difficult truth to the Pharisees, and of course his disciples 00:32:38.930 --> 00:32:40.980 are there, and they're hearing this. 00:32:40.980 --> 00:32:44.480 And even his disciples, they said, "Hey, this is a hard thing. 00:32:44.480 --> 00:32:46.170 Who can hear this? 00:32:46.170 --> 00:32:48.390 Who can comprehend this? 00:32:48.390 --> 00:32:51.120 What is it that you're saying, right?" 00:32:51.120 --> 00:32:52.080 And Jesus, what does he do? 00:32:52.080 --> 00:32:54.030 He just plainly tells them. 00:32:54.030 --> 00:32:57.240 The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, right? 00:32:57.240 --> 00:33:00.860 It's a spiritual saying that he was speaking unto them about eating his flesh and eating 00:33:00.860 --> 00:33:01.850 his blood. 00:33:01.850 --> 00:33:03.380 It wasn't literal. 00:33:03.380 --> 00:33:08.410 He explains this hard truth unto them, but yet what ends up happening? 00:33:08.410 --> 00:33:12.650 Many of the disciples departed from Jesus at this time. 00:33:12.650 --> 00:33:17.840 Many of them went away from him, and yet not all. 00:33:17.840 --> 00:33:23.060 The Bible, we'll continue reading, it says in verse 67, "Then said Jesus unto the twelve, 00:33:23.060 --> 00:33:25.390 will ye also go away? 00:33:25.390 --> 00:33:29.440 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? 00:33:29.440 --> 00:33:31.580 Thou hast the words of eternal life. 00:33:31.580 --> 00:33:37.350 And we believe and are sure that thou art the Christ, the son of the living God." 00:33:37.350 --> 00:33:42.390 And the title of my sermon this morning is "Loyalty to Christ." 00:33:42.390 --> 00:33:44.320 Loyalty to Christ. 00:33:44.320 --> 00:33:49.720 Notice that many disciples, when they hear difficult sayings, difficult doctrine in the 00:33:49.720 --> 00:33:51.470 Bible, what ends up happening? 00:33:51.470 --> 00:33:53.930 They end up being disloyal to Christ. 00:33:53.930 --> 00:33:56.860 They end up departing from Christ. 00:33:56.860 --> 00:34:04.020 But yet there are still some who, because of their faith, continue to be loyal to Christ. 00:34:04.020 --> 00:34:08.100 And this is something that you're going to notice in this sermon is that there is a strong 00:34:08.100 --> 00:34:15.480 correlation in the Bible between having great faith and being very loyal to Christ. 00:34:15.480 --> 00:34:17.680 They go hand in hand. 00:34:17.680 --> 00:34:21.330 And it's kind of interesting if you look at verse 66. 00:34:21.330 --> 00:34:24.860 This is John 6, 66. 00:34:24.860 --> 00:34:31.250 Now I get it that the chapter and verses are not inspired by God, but it is kind of interesting 00:34:31.250 --> 00:34:36.020 that this number that's kind of notorious in the Bible is indicating people who are 00:34:36.020 --> 00:34:37.960 not loyal to God. 00:34:37.960 --> 00:34:39.330 They're not loyal to Christ. 00:34:39.330 --> 00:34:41.220 They're departing from Christ. 00:34:41.220 --> 00:34:45.620 And the reality is that somebody who is disloyal to Christ is of Satan. 00:34:45.620 --> 00:34:50.460 There's somebody that is having a satanic mindset. 00:34:50.460 --> 00:34:55.220 And I'm not saying that somebody who departs or is disloyal to Christ is unsaved. 00:34:55.220 --> 00:34:56.390 Okay? 00:34:56.390 --> 00:34:57.450 That's not what I'm saying. 00:34:57.450 --> 00:34:58.430 But think about this. 00:34:58.430 --> 00:35:00.960 Jesus, what did he say to Peter? 00:35:00.960 --> 00:35:07.630 He said, "Get behind me, Satan, for thou savorest not the things that be of God, but of men." 00:35:07.630 --> 00:35:08.920 Right? 00:35:08.920 --> 00:35:15.850 So it is possible for a saved person to have a wicked heart or a heart of unbelief and 00:35:15.850 --> 00:35:18.330 not trusting in Jesus. 00:35:18.330 --> 00:35:21.480 And that's exactly how God feels about it is that it's satanic. 00:35:21.480 --> 00:35:22.980 It's something that we should not do. 00:35:22.980 --> 00:35:26.990 God expects us to be loyal to Him. 00:35:26.990 --> 00:35:28.340 He expects us to be loyal to Him. 00:35:28.340 --> 00:35:32.550 Go to Hebrews chapter number three, go to Hebrews chapter number three. 00:35:32.550 --> 00:35:40.510 I want to prove this again in another verse, Hebrews chapter number three, of course, this 00:35:40.510 --> 00:35:47.810 is talking about the children of Israel that had a disbelief in God or they didn't trust 00:35:47.810 --> 00:35:50.470 in God to bring them into the promised land. 00:35:50.470 --> 00:35:55.800 Notice what the Bible says in verse number 12, "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in 00:35:55.800 --> 00:36:02.060 any of you an evil heart of unbelief and departing from the living God." 00:36:02.060 --> 00:36:07.970 So notice this correlation of unbelief and disloyalty, right? 00:36:07.970 --> 00:36:11.990 Not only that, what does the Bible say is that if you are departing from Christ, if 00:36:11.990 --> 00:36:16.050 you're not loyal to Christ, you have an evil heart. 00:36:16.050 --> 00:36:20.280 It's satanic to be disloyal to Christ. 00:36:20.280 --> 00:36:24.610 And really what I want to preach to you this morning are three areas in your life where 00:36:24.610 --> 00:36:28.060 you should be loyal to Christ, where you should be loyal to Christ. 00:36:28.060 --> 00:36:33.360 But before I even get to there, I want to kind of give you just a kind of a silly illustration 00:36:33.360 --> 00:36:37.230 or a silly anecdotal point to this, right? 00:36:37.230 --> 00:36:38.730 What is loyalty? 00:36:38.730 --> 00:36:43.620 You know, those who know me know that I love college football, right? 00:36:43.620 --> 00:36:46.640 And especially Oklahoma State University. 00:36:46.640 --> 00:36:48.270 The only reason why is because that's where I grew up. 00:36:48.270 --> 00:36:51.730 I grew up in Stillwater, a little town outside of Stillwater. 00:36:51.730 --> 00:36:57.380 So from a little boy, I watched and listened on the radio with my dad to the football games. 00:36:57.380 --> 00:37:00.220 And back when I was a kid, they were terrible. 00:37:00.220 --> 00:37:02.210 They were awful. 00:37:02.210 --> 00:37:06.620 And you know, as I got older and then I ended up going to college, that's actually where 00:37:06.620 --> 00:37:09.710 I ended up getting my degree at was at Oklahoma State University. 00:37:09.710 --> 00:37:13.670 And when I was there, I had season tickets, I was eight up with it. 00:37:13.670 --> 00:37:15.620 And I would go to every game. 00:37:15.620 --> 00:37:18.570 And I was very loyal to Oklahoma State. 00:37:18.570 --> 00:37:22.900 And you know, of course, anybody who follows college football knows that Oklahoma State 00:37:22.900 --> 00:37:25.310 is awful again this year. 00:37:25.310 --> 00:37:26.270 They're terrible. 00:37:26.270 --> 00:37:28.260 I think the record's like one in nine. 00:37:28.260 --> 00:37:29.660 I mean, it's bad. 00:37:29.660 --> 00:37:31.490 They couldn't even beat Tulsa. 00:37:31.490 --> 00:37:35.440 I mean, and again, if you don't watch college football and you don't care, that's fine. 00:37:35.440 --> 00:37:39.620 You're probably just going to go, you know, you're blanking out right now and that's fine. 00:37:39.620 --> 00:37:40.920 But they're awful. 00:37:40.920 --> 00:37:46.860 But you know, the motto for Oklahoma State is loyal and true, loyal and true. 00:37:46.860 --> 00:37:54.760 And you know, I've noticed with the younger generations, you know, that would be, you 00:37:54.760 --> 00:38:02.440 know, from that area that, you know, they'll root for the enemy as long as we're not facing 00:38:02.440 --> 00:38:03.420 the enemy. 00:38:03.420 --> 00:38:04.400 Right. 00:38:04.400 --> 00:38:05.380 They'll root for it. 00:38:05.380 --> 00:38:06.350 And you say, well, who's the enemy? 00:38:06.350 --> 00:38:07.740 Oklahoma University. 00:38:07.740 --> 00:38:12.940 And it's funny is like there's one game out of the year where I root for the Texas Longhorns. 00:38:12.940 --> 00:38:13.850 You know what game that is? 00:38:13.850 --> 00:38:16.320 It's the Red River rivalry. 00:38:16.320 --> 00:38:17.280 You know why? 00:38:17.280 --> 00:38:21.650 Because I could care less about anything other than, oh, you losing. 00:38:21.650 --> 00:38:23.010 Why? 00:38:23.010 --> 00:38:24.520 Because I'm loyal to Oklahoma State. 00:38:24.520 --> 00:38:28.010 I'm loyal to my alma mater, if you will. 00:38:28.010 --> 00:38:32.670 And of course, I'm not up here promoting college. 00:38:32.670 --> 00:38:33.660 Don't get me wrong. 00:38:33.660 --> 00:38:36.700 Obviously, this is kind of a silly example. 00:38:36.700 --> 00:38:39.620 But at the end of the day, I'm never going to root for OU. 00:38:39.620 --> 00:38:42.570 I root for every team that they're playing against. 00:38:42.570 --> 00:38:43.760 Right? 00:38:43.760 --> 00:38:44.710 Why? 00:38:44.710 --> 00:38:45.940 Because I hate OU. 00:38:45.940 --> 00:38:47.380 Because I'm loyal to Oklahoma State. 00:38:47.380 --> 00:38:53.240 And that's what it means to be loyal, is even when things aren't going well, even when 00:38:53.240 --> 00:39:02.370 things are going as bad as they could possibly be, you stay loyal to whoever it is that you're 00:39:02.370 --> 00:39:03.600 loyal to. 00:39:03.600 --> 00:39:04.560 Right? 00:39:04.560 --> 00:39:07.210 And so in this case, we're talking about Christ. 00:39:07.210 --> 00:39:11.020 Whether you're having the highest point in your life as a Christian, or you're at the 00:39:11.020 --> 00:39:15.620 lowest point in your life as a Christian, you know what God expects of you? 00:39:15.620 --> 00:39:18.870 Is you to be loyal to Christ. 00:39:18.870 --> 00:39:20.190 Loyal to God. 00:39:20.190 --> 00:39:23.160 Loyal to the Scriptures, the Word of God. 00:39:23.160 --> 00:39:25.270 That's what God expects of us. 00:39:25.270 --> 00:39:30.580 And I want to show you three areas in your life where you should be loyal to Christ. 00:39:30.580 --> 00:39:40.270 Go ahead and turn to 1 Samuel chapter number 18, 1 Samuel chapter number 18. 00:39:40.270 --> 00:39:46.140 The first area is that you should be loyal in service. 00:39:46.140 --> 00:39:48.150 You should have loyalty in service. 00:39:48.150 --> 00:39:53.700 And we see a great example of this with Jonathan towards David. 00:39:53.700 --> 00:39:58.660 Jonathan was somebody who was very loyal to his friend, David. 00:39:58.660 --> 00:40:02.840 And I want to show you the extent of his loyalty. 00:40:02.840 --> 00:40:08.880 Notice there in verse number 1, 1 Samuel 18 verse 1, the Bible reads, "And it came to 00:40:08.880 --> 00:40:17.660 pass when he had made it end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with 00:40:17.660 --> 00:40:19.500 the soul of David. 00:40:19.500 --> 00:40:24.020 And Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 00:40:24.020 --> 00:40:30.220 And Saul took him that day and would let him go no more home to his father's house." 00:40:30.220 --> 00:40:34.590 Notice this in verse three, "Then Jonathan and David made a covenant because he loved 00:40:34.590 --> 00:40:37.670 him as his own soul. 00:40:37.670 --> 00:40:43.310 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him and gave it to David and 00:40:43.310 --> 00:40:50.280 his garments, even to his sword and to his bow and to his girdle." 00:40:50.280 --> 00:40:56.590 You see this picture of loyalty that Jonathan has for his friend David. 00:40:56.590 --> 00:40:59.560 And what is it that Jonathan does? 00:40:59.560 --> 00:41:06.140 He's willing to give and sacrifice everything that he has to be loyal to his friend David. 00:41:06.140 --> 00:41:11.670 He's sacrificing his sword, his bow, his girdle. 00:41:11.670 --> 00:41:13.130 He loved David. 00:41:13.130 --> 00:41:14.430 David was his friend. 00:41:14.430 --> 00:41:16.100 It was his best friend. 00:41:16.100 --> 00:41:20.540 And he was somebody who was very loyal to David, even though it was going to cost him 00:41:20.540 --> 00:41:24.780 his position, his future inheritance of the throne. 00:41:24.780 --> 00:41:27.450 I mean, Saul was king. 00:41:27.450 --> 00:41:35.280 He could have just sided with his dad thinking, hey, I'm going to gain the kingdom. 00:41:35.280 --> 00:41:36.240 But did Jonathan? 00:41:36.240 --> 00:41:38.280 Jonathan is somebody who's very humble. 00:41:38.280 --> 00:41:41.910 He didn't really necessarily care about the accolades or the position. 00:41:41.910 --> 00:41:45.780 He cared more about just being loyal to his friend, David. 00:41:45.780 --> 00:41:47.580 That's a great example for us as Christians. 00:41:47.580 --> 00:41:51.620 Of course, David pictures the Lord Jesus Christ, right? 00:41:51.620 --> 00:41:56.680 And so us as the friend of Jesus, what should we be to Jesus? 00:41:56.680 --> 00:42:03.300 We should be as loyal as Jonathan was to David, being willing to sacrifice any position in 00:42:03.300 --> 00:42:08.510 this life, being willing to sacrifice family. 00:42:08.510 --> 00:42:13.020 Jonathan sided with Saul over his own father. 00:42:13.020 --> 00:42:22.200 He was willing to sacrifice his family, his position, his possessions, his safety, all 00:42:22.200 --> 00:42:24.310 because he wanted to remain loyal to David. 00:42:24.310 --> 00:42:30.140 It's a great example for us as Christians is that we should have this mindset that I'm 00:42:30.140 --> 00:42:34.990 going to serve Christ and I'm going to be loyal in service to Christ. 00:42:34.990 --> 00:42:42.820 Flip over to chapter number 19, just the next chapter, notice what the Bible says in verse 00:42:42.820 --> 00:42:48.800 one and Saul spake to Jonathan his son and to all his servants that they should kill 00:42:48.800 --> 00:42:51.130 David. 00:42:51.130 --> 00:42:57.200 But Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted much in David and Jonathan told David saying, "Saul, 00:42:57.200 --> 00:42:59.340 my father seeketh to kill thee. 00:42:59.340 --> 00:43:05.850 Now therefore I pray thee, take heed to thyself until the morning and abide in a secret place 00:43:05.850 --> 00:43:11.810 and hide thyself and I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art 00:43:11.810 --> 00:43:17.520 and I will commune with my father of thee and what I see that I will tell thee." 00:43:17.520 --> 00:43:24.740 So Jonathan again is willing to put his life on the line to remain loyal to his friend 00:43:24.740 --> 00:43:26.350 David. 00:43:26.350 --> 00:43:32.120 It's a great example of how we as Christians, we should be willing to sacrifice the things 00:43:32.120 --> 00:43:41.740 that we have in this life to be loyal to Christ, to have that kind of faith to do that. 00:43:41.740 --> 00:43:46.570 And again, remember, faith and loyalty, they go hand in hand. 00:43:46.570 --> 00:43:53.550 Jonathan would not be able to have accomplished these things that he did for David if he didn't 00:43:53.550 --> 00:43:59.170 have a lot of faith in God. 00:43:59.170 --> 00:44:01.640 So we have a great example here of Jonathan and David. 00:44:01.640 --> 00:44:13.170 Go to Matthew chapter number four, Matthew chapter number four. 00:44:13.170 --> 00:44:18.370 Look at another example of those that were loyal in service. 00:44:18.370 --> 00:44:28.060 Matthew chapter number four, the Bible says in verse number 18, it says, "And Jesus walking 00:44:28.060 --> 00:44:34.230 by the sea of Galilee saw two brethren, Simon called Peter and Andrew his brother, passing 00:44:34.230 --> 00:44:37.890 a net into the sea, for they were fishers. 00:44:37.890 --> 00:44:42.640 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." 00:44:42.640 --> 00:44:47.270 Of course, he's referring to the fact that they're going to win souls for Christ, right? 00:44:47.270 --> 00:44:52.060 Instead of doing carnal fishing, which is fun and great, and they've got to do this 00:44:52.060 --> 00:44:54.210 as a job, right? 00:44:54.210 --> 00:44:59.440 Jesus said, "Hey, I'm going to make you a fisher of men," going out and preaching the 00:44:59.440 --> 00:45:03.580 gospel and getting people saved, something that has more eternal value. 00:45:03.580 --> 00:45:07.890 Verse 20, it says, "And they straightway left their nets and followed him." 00:45:07.890 --> 00:45:10.370 I love that word straightway. 00:45:10.370 --> 00:45:15.220 My son, because we'll read the Bible and stuff, my son uses that word in his vocabulary 00:45:15.220 --> 00:45:16.200 a lot. 00:45:16.200 --> 00:45:17.640 It always cracks me up. 00:45:17.640 --> 00:45:18.620 He's just like straightway. 00:45:18.620 --> 00:45:20.110 It doesn't matter what he's talking about. 00:45:20.110 --> 00:45:21.170 He's always using that word. 00:45:21.170 --> 00:45:22.150 I love that word. 00:45:22.150 --> 00:45:23.810 Why? 00:45:23.810 --> 00:45:25.130 It means immediately. 00:45:25.130 --> 00:45:27.240 It means they didn't hesitate. 00:45:27.240 --> 00:45:30.380 They went and they straightway followed Jesus. 00:45:30.380 --> 00:45:36.160 Notice verse 21, "And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of 00:45:36.160 --> 00:45:42.550 Zebedee and John his brother in a ship with Zebedee, their father mending their nets. 00:45:42.550 --> 00:45:49.270 And he called them and they immediately left the ship and their father and followed him." 00:45:49.270 --> 00:45:55.520 So again, we have this example of four men, they were in a family business, you know, 00:45:55.520 --> 00:46:02.900 they're probably well off, they were serving alongside their father, you know, they had 00:46:02.900 --> 00:46:07.480 this business that's going to be handed down to them and what was it that they were willing 00:46:07.480 --> 00:46:12.950 to do when Jesus told them to follow them is they were willing to remain loyal to Christ 00:46:12.950 --> 00:46:17.640 as opposed to loyal to their family, loyal to those that were close to them. 00:46:17.640 --> 00:46:23.160 So they took up, you know, they dropped the things that they were doing and they left 00:46:23.160 --> 00:46:26.360 immediately and followed Christ. 00:46:26.360 --> 00:46:30.940 And so again, we see this example of, you know, there's a sacrifice, there is often 00:46:30.940 --> 00:46:35.710 a cost to remaining loyal to Christ. 00:46:35.710 --> 00:46:40.070 To being loyal to Christ, there is a cost associated with that, right? 00:46:40.070 --> 00:46:42.670 That could be a career. 00:46:42.670 --> 00:46:44.970 It could be family members. 00:46:44.970 --> 00:46:50.280 You know, I know many people in here, personal testimonies where their family will not have 00:46:50.280 --> 00:46:54.210 anything to do with them because they want to come serve at a church like Steadfast Baptist 00:46:54.210 --> 00:46:55.950 Church. 00:46:55.950 --> 00:47:01.320 I mean, that's just a reality, is that your family often will not be on your side when 00:47:01.320 --> 00:47:04.990 it comes to wanting to serve God. 00:47:04.990 --> 00:47:06.610 And praise God if your family does. 00:47:06.610 --> 00:47:11.520 You know, I have family members in my immediate family that are going to a new IP church, 00:47:11.520 --> 00:47:16.880 that are so wanting that are, you know, increasing and getting better and trying to get sent 00:47:16.880 --> 00:47:17.870 out of their life. 00:47:17.870 --> 00:47:20.610 Hey, praise God for family members that are willing to serve Christ. 00:47:20.610 --> 00:47:25.250 But you know, we should not allow our family members to drag us down with them. 00:47:25.250 --> 00:47:33.980 We should be willing to forsake those things and be remain and be loyal unto Christ. 00:47:33.980 --> 00:47:38.500 Oftentimes true loyalty requires us to forsake all to follow him. 00:47:38.500 --> 00:47:58.690 Go to Luke chapter number nine, Luke chapter number nine, Luke chapter number nine and verse number sixty one. 00:47:58.690 --> 00:48:06.440 Another example of the cost to being loyal to Christ in service, it says in verse sixty one. 00:48:06.440 --> 00:48:10.140 And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee. 00:48:10.140 --> 00:48:17.260 But let me first go bid them farewell, which are at my house, which are at home at my house. 00:48:17.260 --> 00:48:23.770 And Jesus said unto him, no man, having put his hand to the plow and looking back, 00:48:23.770 --> 00:48:27.210 is fit for the kingdom of God. 00:48:27.210 --> 00:48:30.130 Now this can be a hard saying for some people, right? 00:48:30.130 --> 00:48:35.620 Now what the Bible is not saying, some people, especially those who preach works for salvation, 00:48:35.620 --> 00:48:40.780 they love to use verses like this to show like, hey, if you're not completely repentant 00:48:40.780 --> 00:48:46.650 of all your sins and willing to drop and become a disciple of Jesus and to give your life 00:48:46.650 --> 00:48:47.960 to Christ, you can't be saved. 00:48:47.960 --> 00:48:50.680 That's not what the Bible is teaching here. 00:48:50.680 --> 00:48:55.100 This word fit, and this is kind of why they say this is because it says you're not fit 00:48:55.100 --> 00:48:56.080 for the kingdom of God. 00:48:56.080 --> 00:49:01.110 But the word fit has a synonym like appropriate, right? 00:49:01.110 --> 00:49:06.280 So obviously Christ expects a lot from us, but you know, nobody gets to heaven because 00:49:06.280 --> 00:49:08.980 we deserved going to heaven, right? 00:49:08.980 --> 00:49:10.980 Nobody gets to heaven because they earned it. 00:49:10.980 --> 00:49:15.650 The Bible says, you know, where we're not going to be boasting about the fact that we 00:49:15.650 --> 00:49:16.640 have salvation. 00:49:16.640 --> 00:49:19.840 It's only by God's grace and his mercy that we're saved. 00:49:19.840 --> 00:49:23.010 But you know, this is what God expects of us, right? 00:49:23.010 --> 00:49:27.670 This is what is appropriate for the kingdom of heaven is being willing to remain loyal 00:49:27.670 --> 00:49:34.160 to Christ, being willing to forsake the things of this world and to follow him. 00:49:34.160 --> 00:49:36.600 I mean, that this is a key element. 00:49:36.600 --> 00:49:42.220 Notice that it's again referring to family and this is just reality is that many times 00:49:42.220 --> 00:49:49.100 it is our own family that ends up causing us to look back, you know, to want to go 00:49:49.100 --> 00:49:54.140 back to the way it was before you were serving God. 00:49:54.140 --> 00:49:59.960 Jesus said, "Hey, no man that puts his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the 00:49:59.960 --> 00:50:00.950 kingdom of heaven." 00:50:00.950 --> 00:50:01.940 What does that mean? 00:50:01.940 --> 00:50:04.970 Well, if your hands on the plow, that means you're already working, right? 00:50:04.970 --> 00:50:09.800 You're already out there in the field, you're in the Lord's vineyard working and then, oh, 00:50:09.800 --> 00:50:15.250 you start to turn back to, you know, the life you once lived. 00:50:15.250 --> 00:50:21.530 You start to turn back to those unsaved family members, you know, and we are getting to, 00:50:21.530 --> 00:50:26.700 you know, these times of the year where, you know, the world kind of centers the holidays 00:50:26.700 --> 00:50:31.950 around family. And again, there's nothing wrong with spending time with your family, 00:50:31.950 --> 00:50:38.200 your flesh and blood, right? But the reality is, is that oftentimes when it comes to Thanksgiving 00:50:38.200 --> 00:50:45.240 and Christmas, if they're unsaved, you know, I know this is true in my family and extensions 00:50:45.240 --> 00:50:49.220 of my family is that there are a lot of people who like to drink alcohol. There are a lot 00:50:49.220 --> 00:50:56.750 of people who like to get involved in ungodly things, and they expect you to come and eat 00:50:56.750 --> 00:51:03.050 turkey and eat, you know, food with them and also while they got a glass of wine at the 00:51:03.050 --> 00:51:07.460 table or they've got alcohol or some booze or whatever, right? You know, and this can 00:51:07.460 --> 00:51:11.910 be a really difficult season of life for many Christians. Why? Because they have to make 00:51:11.910 --> 00:51:17.920 that difficult choice. Hey, am I going to be loyal to Christ or am I going to be loyal 00:51:17.920 --> 00:51:24.640 to my family? And listen, I'm not telling you to not go eat Thanksgiving dinner with 00:51:24.640 --> 00:51:29.420 your family. But what I am telling you is that what Christ expects of you is to make 00:51:29.420 --> 00:51:34.400 the right decision, right? You don't need to be in that type of environment. You don't 00:51:34.400 --> 00:51:41.180 need to be around that type of, you know, things that are going on, sin that's taking 00:51:41.180 --> 00:51:48.530 place. You have to make those difficult decisions. And being loyal to Christ requires sacrifice. 00:51:48.530 --> 00:51:56.060 It requires tough decisions that you have to make. But the great thing is that when 00:51:56.060 --> 00:51:59.610 you serve Christ and you're loyal to Christ, guess what, there are rewards that are also 00:51:59.610 --> 00:52:04.090 associated with it. Even though there are great sacrifices, there are also great rewards 00:52:04.090 --> 00:52:11.920 that far outweigh any type of, you know, benefit or any type of, you know, comfort you might 00:52:11.920 --> 00:52:19.030 have in being around those that would maybe bring you down. You know, it's kind of an 00:52:19.030 --> 00:52:24.740 interesting example here that the Lord is bringing up. No man putting his hand to the 00:52:24.740 --> 00:52:30.880 plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of heaven. And we have almost an example of 00:52:30.880 --> 00:52:35.250 this that teaches us and helps us to understand what this passage is saying. Let's go back 00:52:35.250 --> 00:52:41.270 to 1 Kings chapter number 19, because the third example I want to teach you in loyalty 00:52:41.270 --> 00:52:55.060 of service to Christ is about Elisha's loyalty to Elijah. Elisha's loyalty to Elijah. 1 Kings 00:52:55.060 --> 00:53:06.970 chapter number 19. I like going to this verse, or this passage, when we're talking about 00:53:06.970 --> 00:53:11.450 what Jesus spoke of here, because it kind of gives us a real picture as to what this 00:53:11.450 --> 00:53:19.830 looks like. It gives us a good example of this. Because Elisha, once he was given the 00:53:19.830 --> 00:53:26.470 opportunity to follow Elijah, he sacrificed everything that he had. He sacrificed his 00:53:26.470 --> 00:53:35.380 land. He sacrificed his possessions and he sacrificed his family to follow Elijah. Notice 00:53:35.380 --> 00:53:41.610 what the Bible says in verse number 19. Let's read this section of passage here. The Bible 00:53:41.610 --> 00:53:47.180 says, "So he departed thence and found Elisha, the son of Shafed, who was plowing with twelve 00:53:47.180 --> 00:53:53.870 yoke of oxen before him. And he with the twelfth, and Elijah passed by him and cast his mantle 00:53:53.870 --> 00:54:01.390 upon him. And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, 'Let me, I pray thee, kiss 00:54:01.390 --> 00:54:08.100 my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee.' And he said unto him, 'Go back again, 00:54:08.100 --> 00:54:14.100 for what have I done to thee?' And he returned back from him and took a yoke of oxen and 00:54:14.100 --> 00:54:18.850 slew them and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen and gave unto the 00:54:18.850 --> 00:54:25.750 people and they did eat. Then he arose and went after Elijah and ministered unto him." 00:54:25.750 --> 00:54:29.800 Now you might be thinking in your mind, it could be really easy to get confused on this 00:54:29.800 --> 00:54:36.120 and to think, well didn't Elijah just break what Jesus was commanding them not to do? 00:54:36.120 --> 00:54:41.580 But if you think about it, Jesus said no man putting his hand to the plow. So this guy's 00:54:41.580 --> 00:54:49.130 actively working, then he starts to go back to where he came from. What does Elisha do? 00:54:49.130 --> 00:54:56.200 Elisha, after he's basically given this opportunity to follow Elijah, he takes his yoke of oxen, 00:54:56.200 --> 00:55:06.620 he kills it, prepares it for eating, he has his last final meal with his family, and then 00:55:06.620 --> 00:55:12.220 he goes to the work. And what you're going to see is that Elisha never turns back to 00:55:12.220 --> 00:55:20.160 go back to his family, right? So it can be kind of confusing trying to compare these 00:55:20.160 --> 00:55:26.330 scriptures together, but what Jesus, I believe, is saying is that the person asked, "Hey, 00:55:26.330 --> 00:55:30.850 can I go back and tell my parents that I'm leaving, that I'm going to go follow you?" 00:55:30.850 --> 00:55:35.590 What Jesus is saying is, you know, once you start working, once you start following me, 00:55:35.590 --> 00:55:39.780 there's no going back, right? Or else you're not fit for the Kingdom of God. That's not 00:55:39.780 --> 00:55:46.070 appropriate. You should remain loyal to Christ. And so you have this turning point in Elisha's 00:55:46.070 --> 00:55:52.810 life where he has this opportunity to serve God greatly. And what does he do? He sacrifices 00:55:52.810 --> 00:55:59.340 what he has. He basically burns those bridges and there's no going back, right? He decides 00:55:59.340 --> 00:56:05.240 to follow Elijah until the very end. And that's exactly what ends up happening. Elisha is 00:56:05.240 --> 00:56:11.450 loyal to Elijah to the very end. Skip forward just a couple of chapters to second Kings 00:56:11.450 --> 00:56:19.870 chapter two, second Kings chapter number two. And we get to see this play out. Of course, 00:56:19.870 --> 00:56:25.440 up until this point, Elisha has been Elijah's right hand man. He's been there with him. 00:56:25.440 --> 00:56:30.960 But you know, this is the definition of loyalty is loyalty is to the very end. Loyalty does 00:56:30.960 --> 00:56:39.820 not stop. Loyalty does not quit on Christ or serving God. Loyalty's to the very end. 00:56:39.820 --> 00:56:46.260 Notice what the Bible says in verse number one, second Kings two, one, the Bible says, 00:56:46.260 --> 00:56:51.590 and it came to pass when the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind that 00:56:51.590 --> 00:57:00.060 Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. And Elijah said unto Elisha, Terry here, I pray thee, 00:57:00.060 --> 00:57:05.520 for the Lord has sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, as the Lord liveth and as thy 00:57:05.520 --> 00:57:13.030 soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel and the sons of the prophets 00:57:13.030 --> 00:57:17.140 that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha and said unto him, knowest thou that the Lord 00:57:17.140 --> 00:57:22.280 will take away them by master from my head today? And he said, yeah, I know it. Hold 00:57:22.280 --> 00:57:29.310 you your peace. And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, Terry here, I pray thee, for the Lord 00:57:29.310 --> 00:57:35.250 has sent me to Jericho. And he said, as the Lord liveth and as thy soul liveth, I will 00:57:35.250 --> 00:57:40.620 not leave thee. So they came to Jericho. And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho 00:57:40.620 --> 00:57:45.890 came to Elisha and said unto him, knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master 00:57:45.890 --> 00:57:49.910 from my head today? And he answered, yeah, I know it. Hold you your peace. That was kind 00:57:49.910 --> 00:57:56.060 of interesting. He's like, these guys, they're basically telling Elisha, you know, Elijah's 00:57:56.060 --> 00:58:02.300 not going to be around anymore, right? And to somebody who's not loyal, this could be 00:58:02.300 --> 00:58:07.100 an open door for them to just kind of go back and do what they were doing before, right? 00:58:07.100 --> 00:58:13.830 To kind of just, okay, this is it. This is the end. But no, Elisha showed great loyalty 00:58:13.830 --> 00:58:20.370 to Elijah because of his faith, right? It was his faith in God that allowed him to keep 00:58:20.370 --> 00:58:26.790 going and to not allow these opportunities to leave Elijah. We'll keep reading. Notice 00:58:26.790 --> 00:58:31.540 in verse number, verse number six, the Bible says that Elijah said unto him, "Terry, I 00:58:31.540 --> 00:58:36.970 pray thee here, for the Lord has sent me to Jordan." And he said, "As the Lord liveth 00:58:36.970 --> 00:58:42.580 and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee." And they too went on. And 50 men of the sons 00:58:42.580 --> 00:58:48.850 of the prophets went and stood to view afar off and they stood by Jordan. And Elijah took 00:58:48.850 --> 00:58:53.690 his mantle and wrapped it together and smoked the waters and they were divided hither and 00:58:53.690 --> 00:59:01.230 thither so that they too went over on dry ground. And it came to pass when they were 00:59:01.230 --> 00:59:07.580 gone over that Elijah said unto Elisha, "Ask what I shall do for thee before I be taken 00:59:07.580 --> 00:59:12.750 away from thee." And Elisha said, "I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be 00:59:12.750 --> 00:59:20.570 upon me." And he said, "Thou hast asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if thou see me when 00:59:20.570 --> 00:59:27.070 I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee." Notice this, "But if not, it shall 00:59:27.070 --> 00:59:35.260 not be so." So, in order for Elisha to have received this double portion of the spirit 00:59:35.260 --> 00:59:43.260 of Elijah, what was required of Elisha? His loyalty. He had to remain loyal to Elijah 00:59:43.260 --> 00:59:48.900 all the way to the bitter end. Even though Elisha had to give up many things, he had 00:59:48.900 --> 00:59:55.810 to give up his possessions, his family. There were sacrifices involved with being loyal, 00:59:55.810 --> 01:00:02.290 yet there was also reward. And the reward far outweighed any sacrifice that he had to 01:00:02.290 --> 01:00:09.610 give up, isn't it? I mean, he got a double portion of the helping of the spirit of Elijah. 01:00:09.610 --> 01:00:13.190 But here's the thing though, if he didn't remain loyal until the end, he was not going 01:00:13.190 --> 01:00:18.200 to get that, right? And you know, there are some things, some rewards that we will not 01:00:18.200 --> 01:00:24.530 receive from God unless we remain loyal to Christ and to the bitter end. Right? The Bible 01:00:24.530 --> 01:00:30.580 teaches this concept of, of finishing the race that is set before us. Right? There's 01:00:30.580 --> 01:00:37.830 no reward for, for, you know, getting out early, right? For stopping halfway. They don't, 01:00:37.830 --> 01:00:43.940 they don't hand out the 13.1 reward to the marathon runner in, you know, the kingdom 01:00:43.940 --> 01:00:49.340 of God. Right? Now I get it. You run a half marathon, you can get a reward. But in God's 01:00:49.340 --> 01:00:57.040 kingdom, there's no reward for stopping halfway. You got to finish the whole race. Right? And 01:00:57.040 --> 01:01:04.900 so you see this great example of Elisha's loyalty to Elijah, even maybe it wasn't even 01:01:04.900 --> 01:01:10.850 convenient, right? Maybe in times where he had these opportunities to leave. And this 01:01:10.850 --> 01:01:17.220 is what I believe God is trying to get across to us is that once we decide to follow him, 01:01:17.220 --> 01:01:21.810 once we decide to be loyal to him, we should remain loyal. You know, there's that song, 01:01:21.810 --> 01:01:32.070 "I've decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back." Right? So, you know, 01:01:32.070 --> 01:01:39.250 this is a concept that we as Christians, we need to embrace is to remain loyal to Christ. 01:01:39.250 --> 01:01:43.620 And even though there might be sacrifices involved with that, there are also going to 01:01:43.620 --> 01:01:49.680 be great rewards. Elisha received a double portion of Elijah's spirit. Go to Mark chapter 01:01:49.680 --> 01:02:01.400 number 10. Let's look at another passage on this. Mark chapter number 10. I do think a 01:02:01.400 --> 01:02:09.070 lot of people struggle with making that decision to get all in and serve God. And this is just 01:02:09.070 --> 01:02:14.340 the reality is that the Bible says every man will proclaim his own goodness, but a faithful 01:02:14.340 --> 01:02:20.800 man who can find. The reality is that most people are not willing to remain loyal until 01:02:20.800 --> 01:02:25.230 the very end. They're not willing to make those sacrifices that are required to be loyal 01:02:25.230 --> 01:02:33.490 to Christ. But the good news is that there's rewards at the end of that, not even just 01:02:33.490 --> 01:02:39.970 once we've finished our race. Even in this life now, we can still be and have great things 01:02:39.970 --> 01:02:46.170 that God can bless us with. You know, I feel so blessed to live in America, you know, to 01:02:46.170 --> 01:02:50.660 have the job that I have to have, you know, to be able to do all the things I get to do. 01:02:50.660 --> 01:02:57.210 I mean, we live in a great time to serve God. We're extremely blessed by God. And even though 01:02:57.210 --> 01:03:03.030 there's sacrifices involved with serving him, hey, the rewards, the benefits far outweigh 01:03:03.030 --> 01:03:08.720 those sacrifices. They don't even come close. Notice what the Bible says here in verse number 01:03:08.720 --> 01:03:18.210 28, Mark 10 28, the Bible says, "Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all 01:03:18.210 --> 01:03:23.050 and have followed thee. And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, there is 01:03:23.050 --> 01:03:30.430 no man that hath left house or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children 01:03:30.430 --> 01:03:37.690 or lands for my sake and the Gospels. But he shall receive in hundredfold now in this 01:03:37.690 --> 01:03:45.880 time houses and brethren and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions and 01:03:45.880 --> 01:03:52.440 in the world to come eternal life." You know, eternal life, we can't even comprehend the 01:03:52.440 --> 01:03:59.690 amount of riches that we are going to possess and be able to enjoy in eternal life. You 01:03:59.690 --> 01:04:06.030 know, the Bible describes salvation as being the unsearchable riches, right? But not even 01:04:06.030 --> 01:04:11.950 that. How about the fact that I have a room full of brothers and sisters that would, you 01:04:11.950 --> 01:04:18.610 know, most of you, hopefully all of you would help me at a moment's notice, right? And that's 01:04:18.610 --> 01:04:26.710 just true for all of us, right? We have this excellent opportunity, this excellent reward 01:04:26.710 --> 01:04:33.090 of just being brothers and sisters in Christ, right? Serving along one another. And, you 01:04:33.090 --> 01:04:37.710 know, if one of us gets in a bad spot in our life, often there's so many people that are 01:04:37.710 --> 01:04:43.690 just willing to come and help and come alongside that person, offer prayers, offer financial 01:04:43.690 --> 01:04:48.810 help, offer, you know, whatever it is that is needed. And, you know, that's what I believe 01:04:48.810 --> 01:04:53.930 Jesus is talking about here. When he's talking about those who have sacrificed family members 01:04:53.930 --> 01:05:01.840 or they sacrificed careers, they sacrificed possessions in this world, that sacrifice 01:05:01.840 --> 01:05:06.390 isn't even compared to the reward of serving God. And it's funny. It's like the prosperity 01:05:06.390 --> 01:05:09.840 preacher, they forget this verse, you know, they want to tell you, oh, well, if you serve 01:05:09.840 --> 01:05:13.410 God and you give money to the church, you're going to just going to get all this abundance 01:05:13.410 --> 01:05:17.110 and blessings. And, you know, that is true, but they leave out the part where it says 01:05:17.110 --> 01:05:21.430 with persecutions, right? It's like when you're actually serving God, there is going 01:05:21.430 --> 01:05:28.320 to be persecutions, right? But even in persecutions, there's great rewards, right? 01:05:28.320 --> 01:05:32.790 The Bible says that when we're persecuted, we should leap for joy. We should count it 01:05:32.790 --> 01:05:38.060 a joy to go through persecutions because we know that great is our reward in heaven for 01:05:38.060 --> 01:05:43.370 going through those things. So even though being loyal and remaining loyal in service 01:05:43.370 --> 01:05:50.550 to Christ is going to require sacrifice, there's also rewards that come with that. And that 01:05:50.550 --> 01:05:56.580 should give us comfort, that should give us a desire to want to serve God with all our 01:05:56.580 --> 01:06:03.760 heart, mind, and soul, right? To give everything to Christ. Just like these examples of Jonathan, 01:06:03.760 --> 01:06:09.920 of the disciples, of Elisha, where they're willing to just sacrifice everything just 01:06:09.920 --> 01:06:16.230 to remain loyal to Christ. The second point that I have for you this morning is loyalty 01:06:16.230 --> 01:06:25.920 and doctrine. We should remain loyal in doctrine. Go to 2 Thessalonians chapter number two, 01:06:25.920 --> 01:06:36.400 2 Thessalonians chapter number two. And the importance of remaining loyal in doctrine 01:06:36.400 --> 01:06:41.620 is this is going to keep us from going astray, right? This is going to keep us from, you 01:06:41.620 --> 01:06:48.570 know, believing something that's false, believing something that's wrong. We should care about 01:06:48.570 --> 01:06:52.970 the truth. You know, there are plenty of people out there that say, "Oh, well, there is no 01:06:52.970 --> 01:06:59.170 absolute truth." And it's funny, it's like, well, is that statement even real? If there's 01:06:59.170 --> 01:07:03.090 no absolute truth, then are you sure that there is no absolute truth? But the reality 01:07:03.090 --> 01:07:07.560 is there is absolute truth and it comes from the word of God, comes from the doctrine. 01:07:07.560 --> 01:07:13.570 And so in order to remain loyal in doctrine, we need to always be identifying the source 01:07:13.570 --> 01:07:19.270 of that doctrine, right? It's the source is what matters. And I believe it was on Wednesday 01:07:19.270 --> 01:07:24.430 night, pastor was bringing this up about Bible versions, right? What matters is the source. 01:07:24.430 --> 01:07:28.580 It doesn't matter how old it is. It doesn't matter who it's coming from. What matters 01:07:28.580 --> 01:07:36.500 is the source. Second Thessalonians chapter number two, look at verse 15. It says, therefore, 01:07:36.500 --> 01:07:43.060 brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you have been taught, whether by word 01:07:43.060 --> 01:07:49.220 or epistle. So you have this commandment by Paul, he's saying, Hey, be loyal to the doctrine, 01:07:49.220 --> 01:07:54.100 be loyal to the traditions which you have been taught by word or epistle, by the word 01:07:54.100 --> 01:07:59.250 of God. Those are the things that you should be loyal to is being loyal to the word of 01:07:59.250 --> 01:08:04.790 God. And you know, there's nothing wrong with tradition, as long as the source of that tradition 01:08:04.790 --> 01:08:09.080 comes from the word of God, right? That's what we should always be testing. That's what 01:08:09.080 --> 01:08:13.980 we should always be identifying is, Hey, what's the source of the doctrine that I believe? 01:08:13.980 --> 01:08:18.870 You know, is the source coming from the word of God and epistle by Paul? Or is that source 01:08:18.870 --> 01:08:26.410 coming from a church father? Is that source coming from somebody who wrote a commentary, 01:08:26.410 --> 01:08:30.330 but in Matthew chapter number 15. So that would be an example of a good tradition, good 01:08:30.330 --> 01:08:36.720 doctrine, right? That we should hold on to. Let's look at an example of a bad tradition. 01:08:36.720 --> 01:08:42.870 Matthew 15. And of course, I mean, I could spend a whole and preach a whole sermon on 01:08:42.870 --> 01:08:47.640 this topic, right? Bad traditions in the Bible. The Pharisees are kind of just known for 01:08:47.640 --> 01:08:52.990 preaching a lot of bad traditions, a lot of bad doctrine. Why? Because they didn't remain 01:08:52.990 --> 01:09:00.140 loyal to the word of God. They didn't remain loyal to the doctrine of Christ. Matthew chapter 01:09:00.140 --> 01:09:05.760 number 15, the Bible says in verse 1, "Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees which 01:09:05.760 --> 01:09:12.520 were of Jerusalem saying, 'Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?'" 01:09:12.520 --> 01:09:16.830 You know, that's where they kind of messed up, right? Starting with that as their statement 01:09:16.830 --> 01:09:21.830 to Jesus. It says, "For they washed off their hands when they eat bread. But he answered 01:09:21.830 --> 01:09:29.100 and said unto them, 'Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?'" 01:09:29.100 --> 01:09:35.740 So notice that it's possible to not remain loyal to the doctrine of Christ through traditions, 01:09:35.740 --> 01:09:47.900 right? Through these, you know, made up ideologies that come from man. He says, "Why do you transgress 01:09:47.900 --> 01:09:51.870 the commandment of God by your tradition?" Verse four, "For God commanded saying, 'Honor 01:09:51.870 --> 01:09:56.670 thy father and mother.' And he that curseth father and mother, let him die the death. 01:09:56.670 --> 01:10:02.270 But ye say, 'Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, 'It is a gift by whatsoever 01:10:02.270 --> 01:10:07.970 that mightest be profited by me.' And honor not his father or his mother, he shall be 01:10:07.970 --> 01:10:15.700 free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition." And 01:10:15.700 --> 01:10:21.080 the fact is, is that many people today claim to be Christians, claim to preach the Word 01:10:21.080 --> 01:10:25.240 of God, but yet what are they doing then making the Word of God of none effect through their 01:10:25.240 --> 01:10:29.730 traditions? You know, just look at the Catholic Church. I mean, just pretty much any tradition 01:10:29.730 --> 01:10:35.340 of the Catholic Church is, is in contradiction of the commandments of God. It's the complete 01:10:35.340 --> 01:10:40.810 opposite. You know, it's as if they're not saved. Could you imagine that? Right? It's 01:10:40.810 --> 01:10:45.430 as if they're a bunch of reprobate pedophiles preaching the Word of God, reading the Bible 01:10:45.430 --> 01:10:51.320 with a bunch of blindfolds on. And these Pharisees are no different. You know, they're, they're 01:10:51.320 --> 01:10:56.440 teaching this idea that you shouldn't provide for your father and mother when the, you know, 01:10:56.440 --> 01:11:00.610 if that time ever comes, right? And that's what it means to honor. If you kind of study 01:11:00.610 --> 01:11:05.110 this passage, obviously we could look at honoring as like respecting our, our father and mother. 01:11:05.110 --> 01:11:09.980 Of course we should do that. But it even goes beyond that to where we should provide financial 01:11:09.980 --> 01:11:15.370 help to our, our, our father and our mother if they so need it, right? Not sending them 01:11:15.370 --> 01:11:21.290 off to the nursing home, but opening up our own home and, and being a, a help to them. 01:11:21.290 --> 01:11:25.270 But yet what were these Pharisees doing? They're basically saying, oh, well, this is a gift 01:11:25.270 --> 01:11:31.430 for the house of God, right? This is, this money is set aside. And so, you know, I can't 01:11:31.430 --> 01:11:37.080 give it to you. You can't be profited by me because of this money, because it's dedicated 01:11:37.080 --> 01:11:42.720 to the house of God or is dedicated to God. And Jesus rebuking them for their stupid tradition, 01:11:42.720 --> 01:11:49.780 right? And so you have a lot of people today that are basing their doctrine on the traditions 01:11:49.780 --> 01:11:54.540 of men instead of the timeless traditions of the word of God. You know, the word of 01:11:54.540 --> 01:12:01.790 God is timeless. You know, it's not old. It's timeless. It has no expiration date. It has 01:12:01.790 --> 01:12:09.070 no beginning. It's always existed. You know, the Bible says in a very well-known verse, 01:12:09.070 --> 01:12:12.990 you might use out so many in 1 Corinthians 15, "For I delivered unto you first of all 01:12:12.990 --> 01:12:20.840 that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to men, according 01:12:20.840 --> 01:12:28.370 to tradition, according to the scriptures." Why? Because Paul was loyal to the word of 01:12:28.370 --> 01:12:33.890 God. He was loyal in doctrine. You know, and so many people today, you see them splintering 01:12:33.890 --> 01:12:39.560 off and coming up with all their weird doctrines or following the doctrines of the blowing 01:12:39.560 --> 01:12:44.540 winds of the Catholic Church or whatever church father. Why? Because they did not remain loyal 01:12:44.540 --> 01:12:50.250 to the doctrine of Christ. They decided that they're going to come up with their own method, 01:12:50.250 --> 01:12:55.690 their own ideology, instead of just staying true to the word of God. And listen, I believe 01:12:55.690 --> 01:13:03.650 this is possible or save people to even do this. Save people to get off on doctrine, 01:13:03.650 --> 01:13:08.080 to believe things that are just completely wrong, contradiction. I mean, you see this 01:13:08.080 --> 01:13:13.430 happen all the time. If you've been paying attention for the last year in this church, 01:13:13.430 --> 01:13:17.770 all you would see is the people who stopped being our friends, it just seems like they're 01:13:17.770 --> 01:13:22.350 just getting off into some weird doctrine. They're not remaining loyal to the doctrine 01:13:22.350 --> 01:13:30.050 of Christ. And it's not because they stopped being friends with our church necessarily, 01:13:30.050 --> 01:13:36.170 I mean it's kind of interesting how obviously as a church what do we strive to do? We strive 01:13:36.170 --> 01:13:40.950 to believe every word of God regardless of what the rest of this world thinks, regardless 01:13:40.950 --> 01:13:45.070 of what commentaries there are. I mean most independent fundamental Baptist want to be 01:13:45.070 --> 01:13:50.910 friends with us because we believe what the Bible actually says about the tribulation, 01:13:50.910 --> 01:13:56.430 about Zionism. Why? Because they care more about their Schofield reference Bible than 01:13:56.430 --> 01:14:03.770 they do staying loyal to the words of Christ. Jesus literally said after the tribulation. 01:14:03.770 --> 01:14:09.850 It's like what in the world, dude? But yet they don't want to be our friends. They don't 01:14:09.850 --> 01:14:15.380 want to, you know, be affiliated with us. And it's kind of interesting that everybody 01:14:15.380 --> 01:14:20.120 that goes and just, you know, stops being our friend, they all of a sudden just start 01:14:20.120 --> 01:14:25.580 getting weird on doctrine too. They kind of go hand in hand because, you know, and you 01:14:25.580 --> 01:14:29.770 know what that is for me? That's an evidence that we are remaining loyal to the doctrine. 01:14:29.770 --> 01:14:36.960 We are remaining loyal to Christ as a church. Go to Galatians chapter number one. Galatians 01:14:36.960 --> 01:14:42.610 chapter number one. Let me just show you another example of this. Of course, the churches of 01:14:42.610 --> 01:14:47.980 Galatia, they had a lot of issues mainly dealing with circumcision and allowing a twist. I 01:14:47.980 --> 01:14:53.430 mean, think about the most basic doctrine in the Bible, salvation, for by grace you 01:14:53.430 --> 01:14:56.630 are saved through faith and that not of yourselves is the gift of God, not of works, let's not 01:14:56.630 --> 01:15:01.850 mention both. So, you know, the Bible is super clear, you know, the teaching of Christ was 01:15:01.850 --> 01:15:06.200 super clear on salvation, but yet you even had churches that were getting off on such 01:15:06.200 --> 01:15:13.950 a basic doctrine like salvation. And notice what he says there in verse number 10, it 01:15:13.950 --> 01:15:19.850 says, for do I now persuade man or God or do I seek to please men? And this is the question 01:15:19.850 --> 01:15:25.280 that these pastors and these teachers that are preaching doctrines that are from the 01:15:25.280 --> 01:15:30.720 traditions of their church fathers or, you know, some commentary, they need to ask themselves, 01:15:30.720 --> 01:15:36.140 who is it that they're seeking to please? Are they seeking to please a potential friend 01:15:36.140 --> 01:15:43.910 like Tyler Baker? I mean, who wants to be friends with that freak? Good night. Or do 01:15:43.910 --> 01:15:49.540 they care about pleasing God? Right. And it seems evident that a lot of people, they're 01:15:49.540 --> 01:15:54.970 going off and they're being disloyal to Christ in doctrine. Why? Because they care more about 01:15:54.970 --> 01:16:01.000 pleasing men than they do caring about pleasing God. Says, or do I seek to please men? For 01:16:01.000 --> 01:16:06.500 if I yet please men, I should not be the servant of Christ. Listen, you cannot, you cannot 01:16:06.500 --> 01:16:13.920 serve two masters. That's what Jesus said. And so, you know, we can't put our, uh, our 01:16:13.920 --> 01:16:19.160 loyalty in man. We need to put our loyalty in the timeless doctrine of Christ. Verse 01:16:19.160 --> 01:16:24.540 11, it says, but I certify you brethren that the gospel which was preached of me is not 01:16:24.540 --> 01:16:30.880 after man. For I neither received it of men, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation 01:16:30.880 --> 01:16:36.400 of Jesus Christ. You know, we as, you as an individual and we as a church, we need to 01:16:36.400 --> 01:16:41.170 remain loyal to the doctrine of Christ. And you say, well, how do you do that? Well, you 01:16:41.170 --> 01:16:46.460 check the source of what you believe. If the source is the King James Bible, the inspired 01:16:46.460 --> 01:16:51.180 word of God, hey, you're probably doing pretty good, right? And I'm not saying that, you 01:16:51.180 --> 01:16:56.850 know, I have everything figured out. I'm not saying that, you know, we're always going 01:16:56.850 --> 01:17:02.470 to be 100% right on every little nuance of the Bible, but you know, there's some easy 01:17:02.470 --> 01:17:06.600 and clear doctrines in the Bible that you just can't go wrong on, right? The Bible 01:17:06.600 --> 01:17:12.690 is just so clear, you know, when the, when, when Jesus says, Hey, I came not to do my, 01:17:12.690 --> 01:17:16.050 to do my own will, but the will of the one, him that sent me, it's like, you can kind 01:17:16.050 --> 01:17:20.280 of figure out, Hey, these people have two different wills, right? It's not that hard 01:17:20.280 --> 01:17:28.580 to figure out when Jesus told the disciples, we read that passage in chapter number six, 01:17:28.580 --> 01:17:32.450 he told the disciples about being offended. He said, will you be offended if the son 01:17:32.450 --> 01:17:38.080 of man is sent up from where he was before? It's like, well, where do you think, who's 01:17:38.080 --> 01:17:42.790 the he that he's talking about? The son of man, because the son of man was in heaven 01:17:42.790 --> 01:17:48.600 before he came down as the incarnate Christ. I mean, these things are not hard to figure 01:17:48.600 --> 01:17:55.400 out if you care about doctrine and remain loyal to doctrine. Go to Ephesians chapter 01:17:55.400 --> 01:18:07.850 number four, Ephesians chapter number four, he say, well, you know, I'm a new Christian. 01:18:07.850 --> 01:18:13.310 So one way to get up to speed on a lot of doctrine is to listen to a lot of good preaching. 01:18:13.310 --> 01:18:17.750 Come to church. You know, there's a great sermon out there. It's called go to church 01:18:17.750 --> 01:18:22.770 with all thy might. That means you should be in church three times a week. Why? Because 01:18:22.770 --> 01:18:27.900 you're going to get three times the preaching every single week. It's what you need as a 01:18:27.900 --> 01:18:34.090 Christian to grow and to not be led astray by every wind of doctrine. And this is what 01:18:34.090 --> 01:18:38.880 we're being taught here in this passage. If you look there, verse number 11, he says, 01:18:38.880 --> 01:18:44.650 I gave and he gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists and some pastors 01:18:44.650 --> 01:18:50.450 and teachers for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying 01:18:50.450 --> 01:18:55.270 of the body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge 01:18:55.270 --> 01:19:00.870 of the Son of God unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness 01:19:00.870 --> 01:19:08.300 of Christ. So the purpose for pastors, evangelists, teachers, prophets is so that way we can all 01:19:08.300 --> 01:19:15.810 grow in unity in Christ. We can all start to get the sin out of our life. We can get 01:19:15.810 --> 01:19:21.260 roots of bitterness out. We can stop having evil thoughts. That's the whole purpose of 01:19:21.260 --> 01:19:25.670 listening to hard preaching, is to clean up your life, to make you a perfect man, a complete 01:19:25.670 --> 01:19:30.840 Christian. That's the goal. At least that should be your goal. And you're going to 01:19:30.840 --> 01:19:35.690 get a lot of that teaching from the pulpit, from listening to good men of God who are 01:19:35.690 --> 01:19:42.170 loyal to the doctrine. But notice this, that not everybody's loyal to doctrine. 01:19:42.170 --> 01:19:48.920 Verse number 14, that we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried 01:19:48.920 --> 01:19:56.180 about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness. Notice this, 01:19:56.180 --> 01:20:01.700 whereby they lie in wait to deceive. Now, I don't know, I could think of a couple of 01:20:01.700 --> 01:20:08.030 examples of some guys who come into our church and what do they do? They lie in wait with 01:20:08.030 --> 01:20:15.090 cunning craftiness to deceive. They'll get up after they're ordained and say, "Well, 01:20:15.090 --> 01:20:20.150 now I can preach all the things I really want to preach. I can preach the things that are 01:20:20.150 --> 01:20:26.810 really in my heart." Listen, I'm not making this stuff up. This stuff really happens that 01:20:26.810 --> 01:20:33.600 there are men that are not loyal in doctrine to Christ, but rather they're following the 01:20:33.600 --> 01:20:41.770 traditions of other men. Their source is a bad source. It's some trash can source. Like 01:20:41.770 --> 01:20:47.580 many of the commentaries out there, especially the Schofield Reference Bible. I grew up in 01:20:47.580 --> 01:20:53.340 a fundamental Baptist church, and that was just common in IFB churches, because everybody 01:20:53.340 --> 01:20:57.800 just had their Schofield Reference Bible. Of course, the guy was bought and paid for 01:20:57.800 --> 01:21:07.710 by the Jews. Imagine that, the Jews trying to corrupt God's Word. This is why so many 01:21:07.710 --> 01:21:14.670 people get astray, is because there are evil men, there are evil workers that want to deceive, 01:21:14.670 --> 01:21:19.570 and they'll come in with cunning craftiness, waiting for their opportunity, waiting for 01:21:19.570 --> 01:21:24.640 an opportunity to deceive those that are simple, to deceive children, because notice it's the 01:21:24.640 --> 01:21:27.610 children that are tossed to and fro with everyone's doctrine. You know, if you see 01:21:27.610 --> 01:21:31.880 somebody who's just like constantly changing on their doctrine, you know what that tells 01:21:31.880 --> 01:21:35.890 me is they're not a very mature Christian. It's somebody who actually hasn't studied 01:21:35.890 --> 01:21:41.430 a whole lot of the Bible. It's somebody who is, is, uh, has the mentality of a child. 01:21:41.430 --> 01:21:44.890 And listen, there's nothing, there's, it's not negative be a child because everybody's 01:21:44.890 --> 01:21:50.320 a child. Everybody starts off somewhere, right? But we shouldn't stay a child. I mean, how 01:21:50.320 --> 01:21:56.190 weird would it be if I got up here and I'm wearing a diaper and I've got a little binky 01:21:56.190 --> 01:22:02.750 in my mouth? I mean, you would be like, pastor, I'd be out of the church. Like you're a weirdo. 01:22:02.750 --> 01:22:09.230 Get out of here. Why? Because as an adult, it's not cool to be a baby or a child. You 01:22:09.230 --> 01:22:17.350 should grow unto an adult, right? You should desire to grow and to be a perfect man. And 01:22:17.350 --> 01:22:22.020 you know, the reality is it's just going to be people out there who don't love you. You 01:22:22.020 --> 01:22:27.780 know, the people who just want to tell you what you want to hear, they don't love you. 01:22:27.780 --> 01:22:31.780 And we live in a weird society today where it's like people just want to hear, they want 01:22:31.780 --> 01:22:35.740 to have itching here, ears, right? They want to hear the things that they want to hear. 01:22:35.740 --> 01:22:39.330 They don't want their toes to be stepped on. But let's finish this passage here. Look 01:22:39.330 --> 01:22:45.810 at verse 15. It says, "But speaking the truth in love." You know it's loving to say the 01:22:45.810 --> 01:22:51.750 truth. You know it's loving to tell you that you're fat and disgusting and you need a change. 01:22:51.750 --> 01:22:58.370 You know it's loving to tell you that you need to get the alcohol out of your life. 01:22:58.370 --> 01:23:02.180 You know it's loving to tell you to quit, you know, beholding things with your eyes 01:23:02.180 --> 01:23:06.550 that you shouldn't behold. You know it's loving to tell you to take the pants off and put 01:23:06.550 --> 01:23:13.910 on a dress. Listen, these are loving doctrines. Why? Because it's the truth. And what is the 01:23:13.910 --> 01:23:20.760 Bible saying? Speaking the truth in love. You know, we correct our children and we spank 01:23:20.760 --> 01:23:25.010 them because we love them. Not because we, if you don't spank your child, you hate your 01:23:25.010 --> 01:23:31.670 child. Just in the same way, if you don't tell people the truth, you hate them. If I 01:23:31.670 --> 01:23:35.560 have a booger hanging on my nose, the first thing I want somebody to do is tell me that 01:23:35.560 --> 01:23:41.180 I have a booger hanging on my nose. I don't want to walk around looking like an idiot. 01:23:41.180 --> 01:23:46.810 I want somebody to tell me. You know, that's the attitude we all should have. We should 01:23:46.810 --> 01:23:52.180 have that attitude, "Hey, I want somebody to tell me the truth." And yet so many people 01:23:52.180 --> 01:23:56.360 they hate Pastor Shelley because he's willing to tell them the truth. You know, and I'll 01:23:56.360 --> 01:23:59.640 tell you what, that's why I love Pastor Shelley. That's why I love Steadfast Baptist Church. 01:23:59.640 --> 01:24:04.760 Because he's not afraid to tell people the truth. You know, and those are things that 01:24:04.760 --> 01:24:10.150 are good for us. That's what's going to help us to be a perfect Christian. It says, "But 01:24:10.150 --> 01:24:14.160 speaking the truth in love may grow up unto him into all things which is the head, even 01:24:14.160 --> 01:24:19.090 Christ." You know, and I think about Pastor Shelley and so many people hate Pastor Shelley. 01:24:19.090 --> 01:24:24.790 I don't know if you've noticed this or not. Man, a lot of people hate Pastor Shelley, 01:24:24.790 --> 01:24:28.020 and you know, to those who hate the truth, of course, they're going to hate the person 01:24:28.020 --> 01:24:33.630 speaking truth. That's why they killed Jesus, because all he did was speak truth. You know, 01:24:33.630 --> 01:24:37.970 people have a weird idea of what Jesus was like in his ministry and what he taught. It's 01:24:37.970 --> 01:24:43.890 like Jesus taught some hard things. You know, even his disciples sometimes were like, "It's 01:24:43.890 --> 01:24:49.570 not good to get married if that's, you know, what it means to be married for life." Right? 01:24:49.570 --> 01:24:54.610 And they couldn't receive some of those things. They struggled with some of those things. 01:24:54.610 --> 01:24:59.200 But the reality is that we should love those that tell us the truth. We should want to 01:24:59.200 --> 01:25:04.770 embrace those things. And I want to go to another place. Go to 2 Corinthians chapter 01:25:04.770 --> 01:25:18.650 number 12 before I lose my thought here. Go to 2 Corinthians chapter number 12. 2 Corinthians 01:25:18.650 --> 01:25:25.250 chapter number 12. You know, Paul understood this concept too because a lot of people hated 01:25:25.250 --> 01:25:31.580 Paul because he told them the truth. You know, even saved people hated Paul. You know, he's 01:25:31.580 --> 01:25:35.780 calling out fornication. He's calling out all these, you know, wicked things that are 01:25:35.780 --> 01:25:40.520 going on in the church of Corinth. And a lot of people did not like him. They were talking 01:25:40.520 --> 01:25:47.500 crap behind his back. They're saying all kinds of, you know, negative things about Paul. 01:25:47.500 --> 01:25:53.700 Notice there in verse number 15, it says, "And I will very gladly spend and be spent 01:25:53.700 --> 01:26:01.090 for you, though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved." You know, and this 01:26:01.090 --> 01:26:06.770 is true for our pastor. You know, the more he loves us, the more he preaches truth and 01:26:06.770 --> 01:26:11.780 sermons that are going to help us to be better Christians, it seems like the more people 01:26:11.780 --> 01:26:17.680 don't love him. You know, and he sacrifices so much time, energy, effort. You know, he 01:26:17.680 --> 01:26:23.200 sacrifices many of the time that you get to have with your families to get up and preach 01:26:23.200 --> 01:26:28.570 sermons and deliver good sermons of truth so that way you can change and be better. 01:26:28.570 --> 01:26:36.720 And yet he does that, and yet it seems like he's loved even less, right? Even less people, 01:26:36.720 --> 01:26:42.750 you know, want to invite them to their Red Hot Preaching Conferences. It says, it goes 01:26:42.750 --> 01:26:48.190 on it says, verse 16, "But be it so, I did not burden you. Nevertheless, being crafty, 01:26:48.190 --> 01:26:53.560 I caught you with guile." You know, I'm thankful for a pastor who's willing to do the hard 01:26:53.560 --> 01:26:58.850 things, who's willing to say the hard things, to preach the hard things. And, you know, 01:26:58.850 --> 01:27:03.970 I'm thankful for pastors willing to root out the bad people. You notice what the Bible 01:27:03.970 --> 01:27:08.090 says? I just found this kind of interesting. Paul, he says being crafty, he's talking about 01:27:08.090 --> 01:27:14.530 being crafty, I caught you with guile. You know, and I'm thankful for a pastor that roots 01:27:14.530 --> 01:27:18.570 out people who are talking crap behind his back, that roots out people who are talking 01:27:18.570 --> 01:27:25.020 crap about our church. And, and he, he deals with it. You know, you think he likes dealing 01:27:25.020 --> 01:27:29.640 with those things? He doesn't like having to have those conversations and do those things, 01:27:29.640 --> 01:27:34.060 but you know what? He does it and praise God for them. You know, and you should have a 01:27:34.060 --> 01:27:39.900 more thankful attitude for a pastor that cares about the truth, that is loyal in doctrine. 01:27:39.900 --> 01:27:47.830 Right? You should be thankful for a pastor that's willing to do that for you. Last point 01:27:47.830 --> 01:27:53.420 that I have for you this morning is loyalty in battle. Loyalty in battle. Go to Judges 01:27:53.420 --> 01:28:15.280 chapter number seven, Judges chapter number seven. Loyalty in battle. Now, you know, I 01:28:15.280 --> 01:28:20.120 think this is really a good point for people who are new to our church, maybe in the last 01:28:20.120 --> 01:28:24.840 year or so. And of course we've had some battles, but the battles we've had recently are kind 01:28:24.840 --> 01:28:31.320 of more internal. They're things that are honestly a little bit closer to home, but 01:28:31.320 --> 01:28:34.830 even in times past, if you know anything about the history of our church, our church has 01:28:34.830 --> 01:28:41.150 been through some really hot battles, right? Some really difficult battles. And there are 01:28:41.150 --> 01:28:46.730 a lot of people who did not remain loyal to Christ in battle. Many people stopped serving 01:28:46.730 --> 01:28:51.490 God. And I want to, you know, especially for the new people here that maybe haven't been 01:28:51.490 --> 01:28:56.300 through those fiery trials, which are to try you, you know, that's the reality is we go 01:28:56.300 --> 01:29:03.400 through persecutions, difficulties, battles in his life as if it's a test from God, right? 01:29:03.400 --> 01:29:10.550 God is testing us. He's giving us this trial that we're facing, but it's for our benefit. 01:29:10.550 --> 01:29:19.160 It's for our good. It's like putting a clump of metal or a clump of rock in a fiery furnace 01:29:19.160 --> 01:29:22.850 to then purge out all the infirmities, to purge out all the bad stuff, to purge out 01:29:22.850 --> 01:29:28.120 the dross, so that way you come through as gold, right? That's the whole idea of that 01:29:28.120 --> 01:29:35.630 process. And so, going through difficult battles, going through persecutions, these are things 01:29:35.630 --> 01:29:41.530 that are necessary for a Christian to grow, but the reality is that many people aren't 01:29:41.530 --> 01:29:46.900 willing to go through those battles. And I want to kind of show you a couple of verses 01:29:46.900 --> 01:29:52.800 about this to help you, because I guarantee you, even though it might be really quiet 01:29:52.800 --> 01:29:58.910 outside now, hey, that may not always be the case. You know, that battle with the sodomites, 01:29:58.910 --> 01:30:03.890 the fags, the dykes, hey, that battle could come back at any point, right? Right now, 01:30:03.890 --> 01:30:07.660 we're living in a time of peace. It seems like the cultural winds have kind of blown 01:30:07.660 --> 01:30:13.390 our direction at least when it comes to hating the Jews and the wickedness of the Jews and, 01:30:13.390 --> 01:30:18.080 you know, them employing all the faggots and, and disgusting reprobates to come and attack 01:30:18.080 --> 01:30:25.270 our church. And we're kind of through that season, and we're in a season of peace, if 01:30:25.270 --> 01:30:31.000 you will. But you know, there's always going to be battles on the horizon. And it's important 01:30:31.000 --> 01:30:35.790 that you remain faithful to God, because if you don't have faith in God now, when the 01:30:35.790 --> 01:30:40.430 battle rages, you're not going to have faith, right? You're going to struggle in that area. 01:30:40.430 --> 01:30:44.210 And listen, if you don't have faith, remember, faith and loyalty are closely tied to one 01:30:44.210 --> 01:30:51.860 another. Notice there in verse number three, this is Gideon's army that he's going to eventually 01:30:51.860 --> 01:30:55.800 gets whittled down to 300. But just for sake of time, we're not going to go through all these 01:30:55.800 --> 01:31:00.880 passages. We're just going to look at verse three, the Bible says, "Now therefore, go to proclaim in 01:31:00.880 --> 01:31:07.700 the ears of the people, saying, 'Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early 01:31:07.700 --> 01:31:13.030 from Mount Gilead, and there return to the people twenty and two thousand, and there remain ten 01:31:13.030 --> 01:31:18.660 thousand.'" So notice the first phase of God weeding out his army to where he could get it 01:31:18.660 --> 01:31:25.260 down to a useful number, a useful group of people, to get that useful group that's of quality instead 01:31:25.260 --> 01:31:31.780 of quantity. He first weaves out all those that were fearful and afraid, right? Because you don't 01:31:31.780 --> 01:31:39.530 want to go to battle with people who are double-hearted, with people who are afraid of battles, 01:31:39.530 --> 01:31:46.930 they're afraid of the enemy. Go to Deuteronomy chapter number 20. Let's look at a couple other 01:31:46.930 --> 01:31:58.210 passages here. Deuteronomy chapter number 20. Bible says in verse number eight, "When thou 01:31:58.210 --> 01:32:04.350 goest out to battle against thine enemies and seest horses and chariots and a people more than thou, 01:32:04.350 --> 01:32:10.480 be not afraid of them, for the Lord thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land 01:32:10.480 --> 01:32:17.550 of Egypt. And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach 01:32:17.550 --> 01:32:24.400 and speak unto the people." Notice this. "And shall say unto them, 'Hero Israel, ye approach 01:32:24.400 --> 01:32:30.910 this day unto battle against your enemies. Let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, 01:32:30.910 --> 01:32:38.960 neither be ye terrified because of them. For the Lord your God is he that goeth with you to fight 01:32:38.960 --> 01:32:45.320 for you against your enemies, to save you.' And the officers shall speak unto the people, saying, 01:32:45.320 --> 01:32:50.730 'What man is there that hath built a new house and not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his 01:32:50.730 --> 01:32:55.130 house, lest he die in battle and another man dedicate it. And what man is he that hath planted 01:32:55.130 --> 01:33:00.050 a vineyard and have not yet eaten of it? Let him also go and return unto his house, lest he die 01:33:00.050 --> 01:33:04.050 in battle and another man eat of it. And what man of you is there that hath betrothed the wife and 01:33:04.050 --> 01:33:09.820 hath not taken her? Let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in battle and another man take 01:33:09.820 --> 01:33:17.130 her.' And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, 'What man is there 01:33:17.130 --> 01:33:24.880 that is fearful and faint-hearted? Let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren's heart 01:33:24.880 --> 01:33:32.220 faint as well as his heart.'" So God, he's basically giving this commission to the priest 01:33:32.220 --> 01:33:39.860 to go and to give opportunity for those that had an excuse to go home. Now listen, they didn't have 01:33:39.860 --> 01:33:43.470 to go home. If they just betrothed the wife, if they just planned a wedding, they didn't have to 01:33:43.470 --> 01:33:50.490 go home. But he's giving them this opportunity to go. Why? Because being fearful and turning back, 01:33:50.490 --> 01:33:57.100 it's contagious. It's going to affect other people, right? So when you see someone, when somebody is 01:33:57.100 --> 01:34:04.130 fearful in battle, it often causes other people to be afraid. It causes other people to be drawn away 01:34:04.130 --> 01:34:08.560 from the battle. I mean, this is what the Bible says there in verse eight. It says, "Less his 01:34:08.560 --> 01:34:15.810 brethren's heart faint as well as his heart." So God, he's basically, you know, given this commission 01:34:15.810 --> 01:34:20.180 or he's given this, this commandment to the priest to go out and to speak these things into the ears 01:34:20.180 --> 01:34:24.710 of the people. Why? Because God cares more about the quality of the people that are going to battle. 01:34:24.710 --> 01:34:29.330 The people who had great faith in him rather than just having a bunch of people out there, 01:34:29.330 --> 01:34:35.040 right? And you know, that's how we feel in this church, right? In this church, what do we want? 01:34:35.040 --> 01:34:41.110 We want people of quality. We don't care so much about the quality. I'm sorry, the quantity. You 01:34:41.110 --> 01:34:46.110 know, Pastor Shelley's constantly preaching people out the door, right? And he's constantly 01:34:46.110 --> 01:34:50.510 giving you that opportunity, just like God commissioned the priests. Listen, that's a 01:34:50.510 --> 01:34:56.490 biblical concept. Why? Because we could be going to battle and we don't want people who are fearful, 01:34:56.490 --> 01:35:03.040 people who do not have faith, they're going to draw away other disciples with them. It's 01:35:03.040 --> 01:35:10.640 important that as Christians, you know, we are loyal to Christ in battle and it requires faith. 01:35:10.640 --> 01:35:16.260 You know, there can be some difficult times and I know many of you have stories or, you know, 01:35:16.260 --> 01:35:21.090 testimonies where, especially when the battle is raging, where you're being persecuted on an 01:35:21.090 --> 01:35:27.030 individual level. You know, I'm sure many people have already heard this story, but when I was in 01:35:27.030 --> 01:35:34.010 Oklahoma City, you know, I was leading the church there, just boots on the ground, and doing a lot 01:35:34.010 --> 01:35:40.690 of the preaching. And one day, just out of the blue, I was called into my employer's office, 01:35:40.690 --> 01:35:46.800 the big office with all the owners, and they just fired me on the spot. And they literally told me 01:35:46.800 --> 01:35:51.150 it's because of my preaching. And they brought a reference videos and things, and I guess some 01:35:51.150 --> 01:35:57.920 stuff had been shared. I don't really know exactly how it got back to them. But, you know, in that 01:35:57.920 --> 01:36:03.980 particular time, you know, that could have been an opportunity for me to just exit, right, to just 01:36:03.980 --> 01:36:09.460 leave, to get out of the battle. You know, I decided, hey, I'm just going to double down. 01:36:09.460 --> 01:36:13.200 I'm just going to get, I mean, at this point, I'll have a job. So what does it matter? Right? 01:36:13.200 --> 01:36:19.360 I mean, I honestly, I just decided I'm going to put my faith in God, you know, because if God can 01:36:19.360 --> 01:36:25.740 be for us, who can be against us? Right? The Bible says in all things, all things work together for 01:36:25.740 --> 01:36:30.560 good to them that are called according to His purpose. And I know I'm paraphrasing that verse, 01:36:30.560 --> 01:36:35.440 but you know, the Bible teaches that all things are going to work out even though it may seem like 01:36:35.440 --> 01:36:40.150 there's no way to win that battle. What does the Bible say? What did God tell them? Hey, I'm on 01:36:40.150 --> 01:36:46.250 your side. I'm fighting that battle for you. And you know, the end of that story, what's really 01:36:46.250 --> 01:36:51.110 great about that is that when they fired me, they gave me a two month severance. I got two months 01:36:51.110 --> 01:36:57.500 worth of pay. And about a week later, my former boss called me and he hired me on the DL as a 01:36:57.500 --> 01:37:03.720 third party consultant. So I was not only getting paid severance, but I was also getting paid more 01:37:03.720 --> 01:37:08.700 than I was being paid before to work as a consultant for them. And then after about a month, 01:37:08.700 --> 01:37:13.860 I found another job. And you know, that opened the door to where I able to start my own business. Now 01:37:13.860 --> 01:37:20.310 all things work together for good. And you say, well, what if I quit? Well, none of those things 01:37:20.310 --> 01:37:27.080 probably would have happened. I wouldn't have the blessings that I have now if I didn't remain loyal 01:37:27.080 --> 01:37:35.400 in battle. And listen, the sacrifices that might come along with remaining loyal to Christ are not 01:37:35.400 --> 01:37:40.000 going to be even compared to the riches. And listen, the fact that I was getting paid like, 01:37:40.000 --> 01:37:44.920 I don't even care about that. You know what? What I care about is I can't wait to see the 01:37:44.920 --> 01:37:50.560 rewards that I was able to get just by being faithful through that time in my life. You know, 01:37:50.560 --> 01:37:56.010 I can't wait to see the rewards that are awaiting when our time here on earth is done. 01:37:56.010 --> 01:38:01.030 You know, all the soul winning, the mission trips, you know, I wouldn't have the opportunity to have 01:38:01.030 --> 01:38:09.300 now possibly. And so, you know, we don't want to lose faith when the battle is raging. And listen, 01:38:09.300 --> 01:38:14.580 if you're somebody who's like, man, if we're being protested, you know, the battle's hot, 01:38:14.580 --> 01:38:19.120 you know, I just don't know if I want to bring my kids to that kind of environment. 01:38:19.120 --> 01:38:25.690 Well, you know what? The door's that direction. You know, don't let the door hit you where the 01:38:25.690 --> 01:38:33.540 good Lord split you. You know, that's what I believe. Why? Because if we're going to go through 01:38:33.540 --> 01:38:39.030 a battle, I want to go with people I can trust, people that I can put my faith in. You know, 01:38:39.030 --> 01:38:42.870 and that's the type of person Christ is looking for. You know, this isn't my idea. This is what 01:38:42.870 --> 01:38:48.960 the Bible says. This is what God said. You know, I could look at other verses. I know I'm getting, 01:38:48.960 --> 01:38:54.030 you know, I know you guys are used to long sermons, but just to kind of quickly 01:38:54.030 --> 01:38:58.420 read a couple of verses for you. First Chronicles chapter number 12, the Bible says in verse 38, 01:38:58.420 --> 01:39:05.200 all these men of war that could keep rank came with a perfect heart to Hebron to make David King 01:39:05.200 --> 01:39:11.660 over all Israel and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David King. You know, 01:39:11.660 --> 01:39:18.000 as a Christian, you should have loyalty in battle enough to keep rank, right? And to have faith in 01:39:18.000 --> 01:39:24.360 God, that God is on your side. God's going to help you win that battle and it's in his hands. 01:39:24.360 --> 01:39:30.870 And if God be for us, who can be against us? We should remain loyal to Christ. We should remain 01:39:30.870 --> 01:39:37.510 loyal to our pastor. We should remain loyal to Steadfast Baptist Church. You know, and there's 01:39:37.510 --> 01:39:42.530 a trend of people who have not been loyal. And guess what? You know, they're going down a really 01:39:42.530 --> 01:39:48.430 bad path right now. You know, they're heading for bad things. And I'm not saying we're the only 01:39:48.430 --> 01:39:55.510 church, the only game in town, right? But I believe that Steadfast Baptist Church is being led by a 01:39:55.510 --> 01:40:05.050 man who cares about the truth. He's loyal in doctrine and in battle and in service. You know, 01:40:05.050 --> 01:40:10.700 and that's somebody we can follow. 1 Corinthians 11, Paul's writing here, he says, "Be ye followers 01:40:10.700 --> 01:40:18.750 of me, even as I also am of Christ." We should follow pastor as he follows Christ and continue 01:40:18.750 --> 01:40:27.120 to remain loyal in our service, loyal in doctrine, loyal in battle. Let's end with a word of prayer. 01:40:27.120 --> 01:40:32.700 Heavenly Father, Lord, thank you for your word. Lord, hopefully that this sermon would have been 01:40:32.700 --> 01:40:41.580 edifying and would encourage people to possess this great characteristic, this attribute of being 01:40:41.580 --> 01:40:46.970 loyal to you. Lord, that we would remain loyal to your word and we're thankful for all the blessings 01:40:46.970 --> 01:40:51.940 and the great things you do for us. God, I pray that you would bless the remainder of the day 01:40:51.940 --> 01:41:01.090 and we pray all these things in your son's name. Amen. All right, for our last song this morning, 01:41:01.090 --> 01:41:21.890 we will go to song number 62. Song number 62, Saved by Grace. Song number 62, let's all sing that out.