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["Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy"] Welcome to Faith-Award Baptist Church, will you please find our shofar on the right side Will you please find our seats and open up our hymnals to song number 288 We'll be getting our Thursday Hanging Servers by singing song number 288 I am resolved to give that a song number 288 Let's get out I am resolved to give that a song number 288 We'll be getting our Thursday Hanging Servers by singing song number 288 I will be singing with wisdom as we go He is the greatest, the best I will ever be I am resolved to come to this faithful meeting, listening and watching He is the true one, He is the destiny and the words of God I will always give to Him, always give to one and three In Jesus' grace, God is all you're given to me I am resolved to come to this faithful meeting, listening and watching I will always give to Him, always give to one and three I will always give to Him, always give to one and three In Jesus' grace, God is all you're given to me I will always give to Him, always give to one and three In Jesus' grace, God is all you're given to me I am resolved to give to one and three I am resolved to give to one and three In Jesus' grace, God is all you're given to me I am resolved to give to one and three I am resolved to give to one and three In Jesus' grace, God is all you're given to me I am resolved to give to one and three I am resolved to give to one and three In Jesus' grace, God is all you're given to me I am resolved to give to one and three I am resolved to give to one and three In Jesus' grace, God is all you're given to me I am resolved to give to one and three In Jesus' grace, God is all you're given to me I am resolved to give to one and three In Jesus' grace, God is all you're given to me I am resolved to give to one and three We will follow the steps of Jesus where there they go We will follow the steps of Jesus where there they go We will follow the steps of Jesus where there they go We will follow the steps of 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don't get the wrong idea here. Shechem is still a fornicator. But let me make this point. He's an unsaved person. The unsaved, they're not going to have a lot of problems with this kind of stuff. Oh, that's not a big deal. It's not even sin to them. They know not God. And that's pretty prevalent in our society today. Where everyone's just told, just be safe about it. Just use protection. Well, you can't protect yourself from the fact that it's a sin. And that God says that adulterers and fornicators and whoremongers, He will judge. So Shechem, he is just a worldly guy. And in his mind, it's not that big of a deal. Well, don't be a dino. Don't be naive about the fact that this is how people are out in the world. They don't have any problem committing sin. Because it's natural to them. It's just what sinners do. So that's why He takes her and He defiles her. And I love the fact that the Bible uses that word, defiled. It doesn't just say that He lay with her. And in the process of doing that, defiled her. Meaning she's no longer pure, she's no longer virgin. And that's something that our society does not place enough emphasis on today. In fact, it's something that they mock and ridicule. It's something that they devalue. But it's actually something that is very precious and something that is very valuable and something that should be cherished and treated as very special. And the Bible says that in this instance, it's the same physical act as would take place in marriage. The Bible says that marriage is honorable in all and the bed undefiled. But whoremongers and adulterous God will judge. It's the same physical act, but the only difference is that one's in marriage and one's outside of marriage. One people have vowed one to another before a God that they will keep themselves unto one another. And the other one is just this kind of open perhaps. Maybe there's some commitment there, but it could end at any minute. They could decide they don't love each other or whatever. And some people, there's not even that. There's not even a boyfriend, girlfriend, living together relationship. Sometimes it's just meet up at the club, just meet up wherever you meet up. Now today it's getting the dating app out and just hooking up the hook up culture that's out there. And the Bible says that when that physical act is taking place in that context, that the people that are doing it are defiling themselves. And it's interesting in the New Testament how often the word fornication and uncleanness are used literally back to back. Because that's what it is. It's uncleanness. You say, what do you mean by unclean? As in dirty, as in defiling, as in disgusting. That's the picture that the Bible paints of fornication. It's not cool. It's not exciting. It's not fun. It's not everyone's doing it. The Bible says it's defiling yourselves. The Bible says it's unclean. It's an unclean act. Look at Galatians chapter 5 where you are in verse 19. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these. So He's going to give us a list of the works of the flesh. This is what people, unsaved people, sinners, this is what they do just naturally. This is what comes to them. So don't be naive about this. Why does the Bible give us a list of sins like this? Because people do this stuff. Don't be naive. Don't be Dinah. Oh, I'm just going out there. Everyone's good. Everyone's pure. Everyone has right intentions. Nobody would ever do me any harm. Wrong. The world is full of evil, wicked people who want to just commit their sin and they don't care who they harm and move on with their life. The works of the flesh are manifest, which are these. It says adultery, which is having a physical relationship with someone other than your spouse, which is different than fornication. Fornication, which is having that physical relationship outside of the bonds of marriage. But what follows that uncleanness? Now go to Ephesians chapter number 5. And it's interesting too that these top the list. Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, which I think he's being redundant. Because adultery is one type of sin, but it's the same act physically as fornication. It's just a different context. And they're both unclean. I think he's just using uncleanness to kind of tell us that that's what these things are. This is uncleanness. Really if you just want to get down to it, it's just not hygienic. It's just not healthy. Physically it's not healthy to be like that. To be a fornicator. To be somebody who just sleeps around with people. That's how you end up with all kinds of diseases. And that's not what they show you in the movies. That's not what they sing about in the rap songs and the rock songs and the country music songs. That's not what the music industry puts out there. That's not what Hollywood puts out there. Oh, they fell in love and they had a summer fling and they both got gonorrhea. What a beautiful story. Now he's got chlamydia for the rest of his life. Now they've got herpes. That's not in the story, is it? Because that doesn't sell. But that's what's out there. I mean, think about communicable diseases. You're told to cover your mouth when you cough. Cough into your elbow. We all remember COVID. Wear a mask. Don't go to work when you're sick. Why? Because you might breathe the same air as someone that's sick. You might communicate that disease just through breathing. How much more so when you're committing the act of fornication, the physical act? I mean, you want to talk about swapping germs. It's disgusting. You say, oh, you're being graphic. Well, you know, I'm trying to get across that this sin is called unclean in the Bible. You know, he defiled her. He did something dirty. He did something disgusting. This is the view that we have to have of fornication. And this message, this point of view, which is biblical, is not the popular one. It's not what's being just, our youth is just being bombarded with. They're just being told repeatedly, oh, there's nothing wrong with it. I mean, they're handing out prophylactics in the public school. Just be safe about it. You know, they're having the sex ed class at school and teaching how to do all this weird stuff. I mean, it's just bizarre out there, some of the stuff that's going on. You know, and they're encouraging each other to do this stuff, and it's just, it's disgusting. That's what the Bible says. It's uncleanness. You know, I'm just trying to bring that word to life tonight, to unclean, right? This isn't, like, unclean, like, you know, you dropped your donut on the ground. It's unclean now. You're still going to eat that donut. Come on. If no one saw you, right? A little dirt never hurt, a little vitamin D, right? It's going in, right? This is not what we're talking about. Like, uncleanness. Like, oh, you know, you got a little dirt, you know, you found a hair in your taco or whatever, right? Although that is disgusting, okay? It's not so bad when it's, like, homemade food because you kind of know, like, it's like, okay, at least I know whose hair that is. It's another story when it's, like, a total strain. That is gross, okay? But, you know, that's, like, even that's so mild, right? The uncleanness that we're talking about here, I mean, I don't want to be graphic. I don't want to go into these details, but it's, if you know what takes place in this situation, in this act, you can see why the Bible calls it unclean. When you're doing it with this person, then you're going there and doing it with that person, you're going there and doing it with that person, you're doing it with that person. When you're having just, like, when you have your body count and it's in the dozens or whatever, I mean, at what point does it become unclean? Pretty quick, right? That's the kind of uncleanness we're talking about. It's not just, you know, a fly landed on your salad for half a second and flew away. It's unclean, it's defiled, throw the whole thing away. No, you finish that salad or take that leaf out, you know, or whatever. Some of you are, like, are just disgusted that I even mentioned salad, right? Can't you find a less disgusting food for your illustration? It's not that level of disgusting. This is, like, like, it's hard, you know, without going into, like, being graphic about it, you know, like, I'm trying to find, like, on what level of uncleanness would this be on? What would be on par with this? Maybe go, how about this? How about it be on par with going into a public restroom and, like, licking a toilet bowl? Oh, it's a bunch of strangers, bodily fluids. Yeah, I know. Well, what do you think is taking place in fornication? It's just, you know, you don't know who that person's been with, how many other strangers, how many other people, just random people that you don't know, have just, you know, exchanged bodily fluids like that. And you're gonna, and you're gonna get involved with that. You see, that's disgusting. I know, that's why the Bible says it's uncleanness! That's why the Bible uses this word, defiled, unclean, lascivious! It's disgusting! It's the impression you should have of that sin. You know, and I gotta preach this stuff and bring this home because the youth in this country today, and even the adults, obviously, for many generations now, have just had this crap pumped into their heads through the media and the culture and everywhere else. You know, and I'm just trying to just pump it back out, and I can't keep up with it half the time. That's a lot of work. Try to undo all that brainwashing that's going on. You can even get a biblical perspective of this sin and understand that it's unclean. And don't, you know, don't let that be like a light term. That's the Bible term, but it's, you know, that's a heavy use of the word. That should, that's another word for disgusting. It's filth. I mean, just over and over again, this is what's emphasized with this sin. Look at Ephesians chapter 5 verse 3. But fornication and all uncleanness, that everything that comes along with that sin, all this uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not once be named among you has become a saint. It's not one time. It should never be named among us. You know, fornication will get you kicked out of church. First Corinthians 5. There's not a whole lot of sins that will get you kicked out of church. There's certain sins that, you know, you're still wrong, you should still get right. But not every sin gets you kicked out of church, does it? Fornication is one of them. You know, drunkenness, you know, idolatry, extortion, so on and so forth. And fornication is right there. You know, if it's ever found out that any member in this church is a fornicator, they will be kicked out of this church. They will be told to leave and not come back until they have it right. That's biblical. If you don't understand that or believe that, then go read First Corinthians 5. That's your homework assignment for the rest of the week. To read First Corinthians 5 and get that figured out. You know, Paul said to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh. And the purpose of church discipline is that people will wake up and get it right. You know, it's not to be named among the saints. So how do you get people from committing a sin when it's something that's just being, you know, just waved in front of their faces just constantly today? And it's out there. You think it's that hard to go find some other person to commit fornication with? It's not. It's not. You should tell people that. Well, don't be naive. Don't be Dinah. People are doing it all the time. Don't be naive about this stuff. What you need to do is understand that it's real and that it's a wicked sin that's on par with adultery, it's on par with all these other sins, all these works of the flesh. And the Bible calls it uncleanness, it's disgusting, and it's punished even with church discipline, which not every sin is. Now if you would, keep something in a, keep a finger in Ephesians, we'll come back over to Colossians. You're going to want to keep something in Ephesians and Colossians. We're going to come back to both of these books tonight. But let's look at it again. He says in verse 5, mortify, which means to kill, right? Mortify means basically to kill. Think of, you know, somebody who deals with dead bodies, the deceased, excuse me. Is it called what? A mortician, right? When someone dies, you take them to a mortician, right? To mortify means to kill. It's to bring death, right? To mortify, therefore, your members which are upon the earth. I just really want to commit this sin. Well, you need to die. You need to kill that. I'm really tempted to go commit this sin. Die. Kill that. That's what Paul said. I die daily. He said, I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ which liveth in me. In the life which I now live, I live by the faith of the Son of God who gave himself for me. You need to realize you're not your own. Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. It's not some playground that you just have to go out there and mess around with. Mortify, therefore, your members which are upon the earth. Fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness which is idolatry. One of the biggest reasons to not commit fornication is because God will judge you for it. Do you believe the Bible tonight? Whore mongers and adulterers, God will judge. God will judge them. Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. You know, one of the main reasons you should mortify your members is not just because it's disgusting, not just because you're sparing yourself a bunch of heartache, not just because you're, you know, avoiding a bunch of potential long-term consequences like disease, unwanted children, broken relationships, not just that, but how about the fact that God will judge you for it? I mean, sometimes people weigh the consequences of sins that they commit, and they think, well, I could live with this consequence, I could live with this consequence, and I could live with this consequence. All these worldly ramifications that could actually play out in their lives. But it's just mind-boggling how often people who are contemplating sin just rule out God's judgment. You know, they get more worried about how I'm going to react if they get kicked out of church, what mom and dad are going to think, you know, what might happen to them if they get into this sin physically, you know, maybe they'll get into a disease, maybe there will be an unwanted pregnancy, maybe I could live with that. Well, can you live with the judgment of God in your life? Can you live with God bringing down the hammer? Because He does. How much more so is that person going to be judged by God? Look, if you're saved and you go out there and commit that sin, God will judge you. Mark it down. Mark it down. God will judge you. You know, that's not a threat from God, that's a promise. Now look at, you're at Colossians, right? Go to 1 Thessalonians 4, I think we just read. Did we read Colossians? Or did I just start ranting again? 1 Colossians 5, mortify your members which are upon the earth. Fornication uncleanness. There it is uncleanness. Fornication uncleanness. Fornication uncleanness. I wonder what God thinks about, you know, having physical relationships outside of marriage. He thinks it's disgusting. He thinks it's unclean because that's what it is. And it's not just that, well that's God's opinion on it. No, that's what it is. When you really think about what's going on in that situation where people are just fornicating and hooking up with one another, it's disgusting. It's gross. It's gross. I mean gross is like something, you know, your sibling does. That's gross, stop. I mean that's such a light, not even a good term to use. It's vile, unclean, and disgusting. So again, I know we're in verse 2. We're going to go back to the story here in a minute, but we're in 1 Thessalonians 4. That's the first point right there tonight. One, you know, don't be naive about sin. Don't be naive about how people are in this world. It doesn't matter how disgusting and vile it is, there's some people, the unsaved of this world who know not God, as we'll see here in a minute, that think that's just perfect, that's just what you do. You just go out and commit sin. We don't even think it's a sin. We don't think there's anything wrong with it at all. You know, it's amazing sometimes when I think about it, like the things that people do, the unsaved do, that we've all done, the sins that we commit, it's amazing to me that God even looks at us twice. A holy and righteous God. You'd think he'd just be like, why would I even bother with these people? This is disgusting. The stuff that they're into. The stuff that they do. And yet he does. God is very merciful. Look at 1 Thessalonians 4, verse 3. For this is the will of God. This is what God wants. You know, the will of God, the commandment of God. Right? You know, Paul wrote to Timothy, he said, Paul an apostle by the will of God. He told the Ephesians he was an apostle by the commandment of God. So the will of God is the commandments of God. What's God's will for your life? His commandments? That's it. What does God expect from you? Keep his commandments. This is the whole duty of man, right? To keep his commandments. To keep his will. And what is the will of God? Your sanctification that you should abstain from fornication. Well, I just don't think God should get involved in my personal life. Well, too bad he did. Well, too bad. He just did. When he said that God's will for you is to abstain from fornication. Abstain means go without it. Not participating. And you know, this is especially, obviously this is a sin that anybody can fall into. This is a sin that anybody can be tempted by. But it's especially a temptation for young people. Right? Young people who are just coming into their adult years, their early adult years. You know, they've just got all these hormones just raging through their body. They want to know what this is like. They are being told this is something they should go do. This is a very strong temptation for them. And this is something that they need to abstain from and not get involved in. You know, you need to abstain from fornication. And here's what I was beginning to say is that, you know, you think as a young person that you've got to hurry up and go out and find out what all this stuff is like. It's like you've got your whole rest of your life to see what that's like. Well, I just really want to know what it's like to have that, to commit that act. I just got to figure that out. You know, everyone's been talking about it. They told me about it at school. You know, saw it in all these movies and whatever. Just, you know, but here's the thing. Curiosity killed the cat. Right? And it's like you're going to throw that away. You're going to go ahead and commit that. And then it's like if you would just wait. You've gone like 18, 20, whatever years it's been. Right? And the vast majority of that, you know, the opposite gender was somebody that disgusted you. Right? Boys, ew. Right? And boys, you know, we're more interested in things boys are interested in. Right? It's not until you get into your teen years that you really start to even have an interest in the opposite gender and start wondering about these things. Right? So it's not like you've even gone that long as a young person. But here's the thing. Like if you get married like you're supposed to, if you leave father and mother and cleave unto your spouse like the Bible commands you to, now you have decades, literally decades to enjoy that relationship and God will honor it. There will be no judgment from God. You won't have to worry about any of the consequences. Right? Because you're in a committed relationship. You're married to this person. And it's going to be, you know, a beautiful relationship that you can have. And it's like the rest of your life. And, you know, the Bible says that husband and wife are to render due benevolence one unto another. You know, if you're both keeping God's commandments, you know, you can partake in that relationship very often. You can find out all what it's like. You can find out everything about it. Doesn't that sound nice? You can say amen. No one will think you're weird. Right? It's a natural God-given impulse and God has given us a place to fulfill that desire in marriage. You know, but you're just going to run out there on some Friday night, some Saturday night. You're just going to open up some dating app. You're just going to go hook up with somebody. Have some one-night stand. Go have another one-night stand with somebody. And you're just going to do that multiple times. And then you're going to have all the consequences that come with it. It's a shame. What a loss. For what? Because you couldn't wait another year? Because you couldn't wait another two, three years? Oh, I can't believe. I was 29 when I got married. And I was virgin when I got married. I was 29. So excuse me if I don't feel a lot of sympathy for, you know, someone in here who is maybe lamenting the fact that they're, you know, 19, 20 something years old. It's like, well, give it another nine years, buddy. Then come talk to me. Then I'll feel sorry for you. You know, and I'm glad I waited. I'm glad I waited. And you know what? Now I get to have that relationship and I don't have any of the guilt. I don't have any of the shame. I don't have any diseases. I have mostly, none of my children are unwanted. I was trying to make a joke, but I'm not going to. I want every single one of them. I'm just kidding. I want more, right? You know, that was a blessing, but you know what? Had to wait to get it. Nothing wrong with waiting. Well, that doesn't sound easy. Well, it'd be a real shame if God expected you to do something hard, like mortify the deeds of the flesh, to do the will of God, to be sanctified and set apart, to abstain from fornication. Well, it's not easy. So what? It's God's will. Do it. Okay. I think I've ripped on fornication here. Okay. I've got to hurry up and make some other application here in the story. Verse three, right? We're still in 1 Thessalonians, if you're still there. Now, I want to point out one other thing here. In verse five, it says not, we're to abstain from fornication. We're to possess our vessel, it says in verse four, in sanctification and honor. Like, have some self-control over your body. Don't just give in to every whim of the flesh. Not in the lust of concupiscence, which is like, think of like, you know, concupiscence is just no control. Anything that comes to you, yeah, this sin, that sin, gimme, take that, want it, got it, need it, just whatever. Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God. So again, going back to my first point, don't be naive about the Gentiles that know not God. This is what they're like, to some degree or another. Some worse than others. I get it, some people are tempered by morality. But, unsaved people don't have the Holy Spirit. They know not God. You know, they're not worried about God coming down on them. They're not worried about the judgment of God in their life, often. This is who Shechem was. Okay, now let's go back to our story very quickly. You know, it says that his soul clave unto Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, verse three, and he loved the damsel and spake kindly unto the damsel. Well, you know what? Dinah kind of dodged a bullet here. Because not every guy is going to fall in love with you. Some guys just want that one thing and then that's it. But apparently he really loved her. And he speak unto the father Hamor, get me to this damsel to wife. And he heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter. Now his sons were come with his cattle in the field and Jacob held his peace until they were come and Hamor the father of Shechem went out unto Jacob to commune with him. The sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard it and the men were grieved and they were very wroth because he had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob's daughter which thing ought not to be done. Now these guys, the sons here of Jacob, they're right to be upset. This is not how we do things. This is wrong. Right? They defiled our sister. They defiled Jacob's daughter. They're upset. Okay? And they were right up to this point. However, we know how the story goes. They cross a line. Okay? So they're trying to do the right thing at least, right? At least Shechem here is in love with her, wants to marry her, wants to make an honest woman out of her, whatever you want to call it. Right? This isn't a shotgun wedding. You know, where he's being forced into it. This is something he wants to do. So Dinah, again, she was very fortunate. And, you know, these guys have the right intention but notice they're not like apologizing for anything that's just happened. They're just kind of like, well, you know, let's just work this out. Why? Because they're Gentiles which know not God. This is how the world is. They're just like, oh, you know, yeah, they slept together but, you know, who doesn't? Right? They're Gentiles which know not God. This is how the world is. They're just like, oh, you know, yeah, they slept together but, you know, who doesn't? Right? So what? What's the big deal? You know, let's think about the future. You know, let's just get married and move on. Right? Which, you know, to some degree is the right response. Okay? They're just trying to move on, do the right thing, make things right, whatever. And they even say, verse 11, and Shechem said unto her father and unto her brethren, let me find grace in your eyes and what you shall say unto me I will give. He said, and the sons of Jacob, verse 12, ask me never so much dowry and gift and I will give according as you shall say unto me but give me the damsel to wife. Right? So he's saying, whatever the cost, whatever you want, I just really want Dinah as my wife. Please, what can we do here? You know, and they should have struck a deal and they should have, you know, let things proceed but unfortunately they crossed the line because somebody forgot that this is what Gentiles are like. Now, this is something we have to keep in mind about the unsaved is that they don't know God. And they're going to do things that we're going to find upsetting. They're going to do things that are sinful and wicked and wrong. But that's because they don't know God. Okay? That's because they're just doing what comes naturally to them. And yeah, we should be disgusted by some of these things. We should be appalled by some of these things. They should never once be named among us. But let's not get this air of, you know, of being high and mighty and looking down on people that aren't saved. Because they're just natural, you know, they're just a natural man. It's what they do. So the warning is don't be naive about how they are. That's the way they are. But also don't be malicious towards them. Don't be unloving, uncaring. Don't be patient and kind. And patient and understanding with these people because they don't know God. Don't be naive about that but also don't use it as an opportunity to, you know, do them harm. Which is exactly what happens in the story. I know I got to move along here. It says in verse 13, And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully. Right? So right out of the gate, they're already thinking. They're two steps ahead of them. This is all premeditated. Everything that happens. It's not like they strike the deal. They go along with it. Hey, if you guys get circumcised, we'll dwell with you. Everything will work out great. And then they're like, you know, now that we think about it, we got them right where we want them. You know, now they're sore. Now let's go in there and destroy them. They plotted this out. They're like, hey, let's tell them this is what they need to do because we've all done it and we know what it's like. It's no fun. And we know that three days into it, they're going to be sore and not able to move around and they're going to be weak and we can take advantage of that. And we'll go in there and kill them all. That's what they're thinking. That's why it says that they answered them deceitfully. They answered Hamor, his father, deceitfully. They were using deceit. They were setting him up. Because they're upset that he laid with Dinah. Are they right to be upset? Absolutely. You know, I'm upset that their fornication is just rampant. You know, I'm not pleased when people start to come to this church, perhaps, and they're in a relationship where they're committing fornication. But you know what that doesn't mean is that the first Sunday, the first time they ever step through the door, you know, I'm going to just like grill them. You know, you see a couple walk through here, you know, hand in hand. And it's like, well, you don't see the ring. You know, I'm not just going to, you know, grill them. You know, I'm going to preach some sermons. I might take them aside, talk to them, explain things to them that, hey, this is what the Bible says. Give them a space to get married, separate, or get out of church. Those will be their options. Okay? That's not the attitude these guys had, though. They weren't being patient. They were upset. They were mad. And they're like, now they're going to exact revenge. And I know I just spent the vast majority of this sermon just foaming at the mouth and trying to emphasize how wicked a sin fornication is. And as wicked as it is, and hopefully I'm not going to undo all that, these guys overreacted. Wouldn't you say? Wouldn't you slaughter an entire village of people over, you know, one act of fornication? It's a little bit of an overreaction. Okay? Because they're wicked. You know, they have a bad attitude. I know I've got to move along. Just go to Colossians 3. Okay, Colossians 3. I've got to wrap this up. But the Bible says in Ephesians 2, and you have to be quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins, wherein time passed, ye walked according to the course of this world. You know, we've all committed sin. We've all been, you know, especially if we got saved later in life, we've all got skeletons in our closets. Maybe if we grow up in a Christian home, maybe we're young, we all have the potential to go out there and be just as wicked as anybody else, practically. You still have the flesh just like anyone else. Right? And Paul's telling you in Ephesians, hey, don't forget, you walked according to the course of this world. You know, and it's this weird thing sometimes that you see with people that get saved, especially when they get saved later in life, is they start to look down on people for sins that are lesser than the ones they've actually committed. It's bizarre. But what it is, is that sometimes people try to overcompensate for a wicked past by being holier than thou. And they'll actually, you know, go after people who haven't even, maybe even committed sins. Maybe they just joked about sins. Maybe they just talked about sins. Or maybe they committed sins that are just on such a much lower degree than anything other people have done, and yet those people will turn around and turn on them. Hey, don't forget, you also walked according to the course of this world. That you were one time without God. You know, we don't want to be like the sons of Jacob here, who are just trying to be wrathful and cruel to somebody who's just a sinner. You know, we need to save men's lives, not to destroy them. That's what Jesus came for. We all had our conversation, times past, the lust of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and we're by nature the children of wrath, even as others. That's all of us. Every single person in this room. You know, if you didn't, you know, I got saved young. Yeah, but if you didn't, you were going to go down that same path that everybody else does to some degree. You were a child of wrath, you were a child of disobedience, you would have walked in the flesh just like anybody else. You know, so thank mom and dad that they take you to a Bible believing church and got you saved. But God who is rich in mercy, for his great love with where he loved us, right? Who's the merciful one, right? It's God. But it's crazy to me that people can be shown such mercy by God, who also walked according to the course of this world, and then fail to show that same mercy to somebody else. It's like they forget, well you were going to go to hell too. You were guilty of sins too. Let's never forget that. Because that's what's kind of taken place in the story. Hopefully you see that, right? They're rightfully upset, but then they answer deceitfully and they plot and scheme just to exact vengeance and they overreact. These people are cruel. And so they strike this deal with them and, you know, they respond and say, these men are peaceable. They tell everybody, let's go along with this. And it says, I know you're in Colossians 3, and they said, hey, you know, their cattle and their substance will be ours. Let us consent and they will dwell with us. They hearkened to all that went out of the gate of the city and every male was circumcised, all that went out of the gate of the city. So it wasn't just Shechem and his sons, it was every male. Hundreds, potentially thousands of people, right? A lot of people. Because it's called the gate of this city, right? It's not just like a few guys in a mud hut somewhere. This is, you know, like a city, right? There's establishment, there's people here. There's a multitude. And all the males are circumcised. And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that the two sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brethren, took each man his sword and came upon the city boldly and slew all the males. I mean, they're weak, they're sore, they can't fight back. This is cruel, right? Look, fornication is a wicked sin, they shouldn't have done it. But this is an overreaction, right? Just like when Paul said in 1 Corinthians 5, right, where he said, to deliver such a one as a saint for the destruction of the flesh. The guy that was guilty of that sin was to be kicked out of church and punished. But then, in 2 Corinthians, he then says, of that same guy, to not let him be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow, right? To show him love. Because the guy repented and got right, and he's saying, don't hang it over his head, forgive him, lest such a one be, I'm forgetting exactly how he stated it, but be overtaken with overmuch sorrow, right? People commit sins, but when they want to get it right, you should let them get it right, and you should let them live it down. And not hold people's sins over their head. Is that what God does to us? Does God go, remember that time, you? No, the Bible says he casts our sins behind the back, as far as the east is from the west, so much as he separated us from our sins. We spend more time thinking about our old sins than God does. You end up confessing for the same sin for the umpteenth time, and God's like, what are you talking about? Oh, that thing that's under the blood of my son, Jesus Christ? I don't know what that is. I don't even know what you're talking about. That's God. I'm not even exaggerating. That's how God works. He shows mercy. He's like, I'm going to have that in my back pocket to pull out and remind you whenever you do something I don't like. That's not God. God forgets about these things. We ought to be the same way. When people do things that are wrong, when they commit sins, and they get right, it needs to be forgiven and it needs to be forgotten. And I understand that's easier said than done, but that is the way it's supposed to be. That's mercy. Forgive and forget. Do you really see that in the story tonight? Do you really see that with the sons of the brothers of Dinah here? He's like, hey, whatever we need to do, whatever we got to do to make this right, I'm willing to make this right, marry her, I love her. And they're like, yeah, we'll go along with it. But they're answering deceitfully, and then they come and destroy them. And they kill everybody. They killed his son with the edge of the sword and took Dinah out of Shechem's house and went out. They slew all the males. Some guys are getting killed and they're like, why are you killing me? Because of what Shechem did. Who? Who are you? They're killing everyone. This is so wrathful and vengeful and cruel. You know, we'll read it and go, I can't believe those guys. And really, I can't believe these guys. And we might never go run someone through with the sword physically. But you know, we have every bit as potential to be cruel in other ways to other people. Be cruel to the unsaved just because, well, because they're unsaved. Well, yeah, but you knew no God at one point. We all walked according to the course of this world. Even if we don't have some checkered past, we could have. We could have all, you know, you know, why I grew up in a Christian? Yeah, but thank your lucky stars. Thank God that you did. Otherwise, who knows what would have happened? That doesn't give you a reason to just go treat people poorly. You know, or worse yet, some other child of God commits a sin and we just don't want to let them forget it. It's not right. It's cruel. So they came upon the slain, they spoiled the city, and the only reason why, they say, is because they defiled their sister. That's it. It was wicked. It was wrong. Dino was naive about how the world works, what people are really like. But, you know, we also need to learn this. This is another thing we need to not be naive about is that people can be cruel. People can go overboard. People can be wrathful and vengeful and it's not right and it's not of God. They took their sheep, their oxen, all their wealth, and then when Jacob says to Simeon and Levi in verse 30, He have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land. Even him, he's kind of just like, it doesn't even sound like he's lamenting what happened. I'm not saying he didn't. But he's just saying, you know, you made me stink among these inhabitants. Now everyone else is going to be pissed at me. Now they're going to come kill me. He's not like, what have you done, those poor people? He's just like, well great, now we're all in trouble. Now maybe he did probably feel that way, but it's still interesting that that's the details that we get here. I'm going to be destroyed too. And they said, should he deal with our sister as with in Harlot, totally unrepentant. They're saying, no, we're totally justified being this cruel. They wanted to make some deal and treat her like a harlot. No, really, like a harlot, because he wanted to marry her and was willing to pay dowry. I mean the guy, as a grown man, got circumcised. I can't imagine that's any fun. But he was willing to go along with whatever. He's like, whatever you want, I'll do it. But they're like, oh, you're just treating her like a whore. Why? Because they're just wrathful and cruel. Some people just want an excuse to be mean and vengeful and wrathful. And I know I'm going along tonight, but let's just skip Colossians, go to Romans 12. I promise I'll close there. The Bible says in Colossians 3, and we read it, mortify your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetous, which is idolatry, for which things sake the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience. God is not mocked. Whatsoever man soweth that shall he reap. God's wrath comes upon these children for these same sins. And you know what? The servant who knew his Lord's will and did it not shall be beaten with many stripes. More than the servant who knew not his Lord's will. He shall be beaten with stripes, but the person who knows God's will and does it not shall be punished even more severely. Yeah, those heathen got it coming. Yeah, but if we're guilty of these sins, we've got it coming even more because we know better. You know, maybe that's why people like coming to church here, because we preach the Bible and it just makes you more and more accountable. It's like, well, I learned more Bible, I learned more about what God's like and how I'm supposed to behave as God's child, and now I'm more accountable, so now if I go do those things, I'm going to get more punished. I don't know. Maybe it's just my tie. He says in verse 7, in which the witch he also walked sometime when he lived in them, but now put off all these anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. He's saying, you know what? You also walked in these same sins, but now put off all these sins, and one of the sins he mentions is wrath. And that's what we see in the story tonight. These guys are wrathful. They're taking vengeance into their own hands, and they blow it out of proportion. Fornication is a wicked sin, but to slay every male among them, a little extreme. That'd be like if one person committed fornication or I just kicked everybody out of church. You're all out! Would you say that's a little extreme? It's unbiblical, right? That's wrath. The Bible says in James 1, the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Do you think God looked down on what Simeon and Levi did and said, yeah, show those dirty heathens. No. God was not pleased with that. And we'll see it later when Jacob goes to bless, give his blessing, he brings this back up to them, and he says their wrath was cruel. And he's right. Here in Romans 12, look at verse 17, recompense no man, evil for evil. You know, someone does you wrong, don't recompense, no, that's not a license for you to like, well now I get to get them back, like you owe them one now, right? Well, you did this to me, now I'm going to do that something to you. Well, what if you both have that mentality though? Well, I did this to you, now I'm going to do this to you. Oh yeah, well now I'm going to do this to you. It could get out of hand, couldn't it? Next thing you know, you know, who knows where that leads? Now, then you're pouring sugar down their gas tank and calling their grandma dirty names. It's like, you're like, how did you get there? Well, you just got to keep one up at each other, right? Don't recompense evil for evil. If it be possible, as much like, then you live peaceably with all men. You know what they should have said is like, you know what you did? Shechem was wrong, you defiled our sister, it was wicked. And if you want to make it right, okay. And we're going to move on. Not, oh yeah, well, we'll consent in this one thing and answer deceitfully and start plotting and scheming. That's not trying to live peaceably, that's trying to render evil for evil. Say, well, you know, they deserve it. Well, look at the next verse. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place under wrath. Meaning if someone's being wrathful to you, give place under it. Don't feel like you need to defend yourself all the time. For it is written, vengeance is mine. I will repay, sayeth the Lord. I think a lot of Christians read that and they read vengeance is fine. It's not what it says. It says vengeance is mine, meaning his. I will repay, sayeth the Lord. You know, I'd rather let God get people back for me if he chooses to at all. Maybe that's why some people don't want to let God take it into his own hands. It's because they're afraid he won't do anything, because maybe God will show them mercy. What's wrong with that? What's wrong with that? If God says, you know, I know they did you wrong, but you're okay, you're going to be alright, you're still on your feet, and I'm going to give them a pass, and I'm going to show them grace and mercy, and maybe they'll get saved. Who knows, right? Maybe that's why some Christians don't want to let things go. They don't want to let God repay because they're afraid he won't. Because they just think, no, they deserve it. They have to be repaid. They did this. They did that. X, Y, Z. It's like, yeah, but vengeance is his. That's one reason to let God do it. And here's the other thing. If God does decide to pay them back, it'll be the perfect amount of payback, won't it? I mean, we'd all agree that what Shechem did was wrong, and there probably should have been some kind of consequences, but to slay every male among them? I mean, I would think the circumcision would be enough punishment right there. I don't know. But you know, if God pays back, it'll be exactly what's right. And no more, and no less. It'll be the perfect amount of vengeance that's given back to them. And maybe a lesson will be learned, maybe people will get right, whatever. That's another reason to let God take care of it, if He chooses to at all. So, you know, I know I went a little long tonight, but it's an important story. And there's a lot of important truths here. Don't be naive. That's the biggest lesson I get out of this story, is don't be naive about people. You know, you go out in the land, just kind of like Dinah, just go see the daughters, just kind of, ehh. Don't be a ditz. Maybe that's Dinah's problem, she's a little bit of a ditz. I don't know, maybe not. Maybe she wasn't dumb at all. But she certainly seemed naive. You know, she gets taken advantage of, she gets sweet-talked into committing fornication. That was not her intention. But the right guy comes along, Prince Charming, Prince Shechem comes along, says the right thing, gives you the compliment you've never gotten before, whatever. You know, you're going to be taken advantage of if you're naive. But don't be naive about people in the other sense that, you know, they're going to be committing sins, because that's the way they are. And the way we should react to it is not be naive about it, but also not go to this other extreme where we just, you know, want to look down on people or be vengeful towards them. You know, let God deal with these sinners, and let's just try to live peaceably with them. I mean, they had a good thing going there in the middle of the chapter. We're going to have marriages here. You know, I mean, they're jumping through all their hoops to be part of that nation, you know, to be part of that people, rather, and to identify with Jacob and his sons. They were going to prosper. They were going to have marriages. You know, it sounded like a good time. I mean, maybe got off to a bad start. Maybe its origins weren't the most godly thing in the world. But good night. I don't think it, you know, the answer was to kill everyone. A little extreme. Let's not run to extremes. Let's not be naive either. Let's close the word of prayer. Dear Lord, again, thank you for the time we have together in the middle of the week, Lord, for the preaching of your word. Lord, I pray that something that was said tonight would be edifying, would be a warning, would be an encouragement for people to desire to live a more godly life in Christ Jesus. Lord, help us to mortify our members. Help us to do the will of God, to be sanctified. Help us to abstain from fornication and all manner of sin. And help us to edify you. And, Lord, help us to glorify you and help us to be a good example to those around us, the unsaved, Lord. And, Lord, help us to show compassion and mercy and grace towards them, even as you have showed toward us. We ask these things in Christ's name, Amen. Alright, we'll go ahead and sing one more song before we... Alright, if you could please open up your hymnals for song number 64. At the river where the angels sing a song, With its crystal clouds forever flowing high above the ground, Yes, we'll gather at the river a beautiful, beautiful river, Gather with the saints at the river that flows by the power of the Lord. On the frozen water river, where the sacred peak we all love, We shall hear the sorrow never, in the glory of the Lord. Yes, we'll gather at the river a beautiful, beautiful river, Gather with the saints at the river that flows by the power of the Lord. Where we wish to shine the river, may we ever burn it out. Grace our spirit will deliver, in the light of the world and round. Yes, we'll gather at the river a beautiful, beautiful river, Gather with the saints at the river that flows by the power of the Lord. Soon we'll reach the shining river, soon our pilgrimage will cease, Soon our happiness will giver, in the melody of peace. Yes, we'll gather at the river a beautiful, beautiful river, Gather with the saints at the river that flows by the power of the Lord. Thank you for watching!