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amen so keep your place in Jeremiah chapter 6 that's going to be our our text for this morning sermon we're going to be coming back to it so we're going to go to other places in the Bible but always just put a bookmark in Jeremiah chapter 6 that is going to be what we're studying this morning so for this morning sermon we've been our soul winning ministry has kind of moved into into some some nicer neighborhoods and some nicer areas of Fresno and from time to time we're going to be doing this we're going to be going from you know different types of neighborhoods and you're going to notice that there's a difference in you know receptiveness to where we end up going depending on the neighborhoods that we go to and this morning I've been thinking about this for the last several weeks but this morning I want to talk to you about this problem that we see today and this problem before you think you know that it's you know it's just me that's seeing this problem this problem that we're seeing out there as far as receptiveness and soul winning let me just say that you know there is no new problems first of all in the world attorney Ecclesiastes chapter 1 there's no new problems in Ecclesiastes chapter 1 the Bible tells us this and so what we're seeing today as far as you know certain people not being receptive to the Word of God or to the gospel it is nothing new look at Ecclesiastes chapter 1 in verse number 9 look at Ecclesiastes 1 in verse 9 the Bible says the thing that hath been is that which shall be and that which is done that which shall be done and there is no new thing under the Sun so one you know one cool thing is that anything that we see today is nothing new that has happened before in the history of the world it's a pattern that's repeated itself through time if you get anything from Bible studies on Wednesday nights and things like that is is that you should see that there's patterns that are just coming up again and again with you know the children of Israel with God's people and with all people in general but most of all these patterns are documented in the Bible and the Bible tells us how to deal with them and the pattern I want to discuss and the problem that I want to discuss this morning is something that we've been seeing more than usual in this church especially as we go do the first works we go out soul winning we carry the gospel to our community is this this is the problem that I want to discuss why doesn't anyone care about eternity why doesn't anyone care about their eternal destination I mean look I mean I can tell you for sure that yes this is nothing new under the Sun but I can tell you for sure I'm really good at recognizing trends I'm not good at everything but I'm good at recognizing trends and I'm telling you that this trend in our local area about people just not caring about eternity has definitely gotten worse over the last year and you have probably maybe you know seen this as well I mean but it makes perfect sense when you think about it when you think about some of the things that have happened over the last year just in our area in our state in our country you know I mean people basically don't have to go to church anymore people have you know been kept from church you know not us but you know people in general have been told not to go to church many of them probably didn't like going to church anyway so they had a nice excuse to not go to church you know and they don't even seem to consider the thought of eternity anymore because at least if you were going to church you know whether whatever kind of church you were going to at least that put some sort of focus on you know your life past you know this earth or your life you know past just the life that we're living in the flesh but most people today you know they don't even consider the thought anymore when you ask them you know where do you go to church you know most people it's normal to hear now well we haven't gone to church for a long time or we used to go here or whatever but you know we just haven't gone for a long time I mean it's pretty bad I mean just think about this for a second it's pretty bad when you have a society that can basically you know be told by the government and TV on how they should behave but that is exactly what is going on I mean there's a main reason for not watching TV right there it's just it's changing who people are you know this this media I mean look it's literally stealing the fear of the Lord from people and putting it on you know things in this world that's what you know media TV is doing I can literally tell how much TV people consume or how much media people consume by you know just this point right here I mean look if you just think about this for a second you think how am I affected by media or how am I affected by the TV how different are you today than you were a year ago just do that little test on yourself you say no I'm not different I'm still doing exactly what I was doing a year ago then you're probably more focused on the things of God than the things of this world you know the media the TV all this stuff but look but the big one here the big one salvation I mean think about this salvation eternity most people still have a conscience out there most most people are not you know rejected by God you know thank God that most people aren't but what they know they're not going to live forever and they will go somewhere when they die most people know this so the question is why don't people care you know why don't people care today why don't people care when you ask them if they want to know where they're going for eternity and they just don't care just on a logical level you would think more people would care you know the fact that they still have that law written in their heart they still have a conscience that's at least somewhat intact so that's what I want to look at this morning I want to look at you know some reasons this morning that people don't care I want to show you some reasons that you know not only we are dealing with but the prophets have dealt with that other soul winners in the past have dealt with but I want to give you reasons this morning three specific reasons from Jeremiah chapter 6 on why people at the door will have zero interest some people Jeremiah dealt with the same thing look at Jeremiah chapter 6 in Jeremiah chapter 6 he was dealing with this exact same thing that we are dealing with today look at Jeremiah chapter 6 and look at verse number 10 look what the Bible says here it says to whom shall I speak and give warning that they may hear behold their ears uncircumcised and they cannot hearken behold the word of the Lord is unto them a reproach they have no delight in it I mean if you if you're a soul winner you felt like this before you felt like this you're like these people they just you've gone soul winning and you've knocked 60 homes or you've knocked 40 homes or 80 homes or whatever the map is and no one had any interest and that's exactly what Jeremiah is saying right here it's just that they they have no delight in the Lord nobody wants to hear anything their ears can't hear what's going on with these people but then he gives you know the Bible gives us some explanation therefore my full of fear a full of the fury of the Lord I am weary with holding in I will pour it out upon the children abroad upon the assembly of young men together for even the husband with the wife shall be taken the aged with him that is full of days and their houses shall be turned unto others with their fields and wives together for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land say at the Lord for from the least of them even unto the greatest of them everyone is given to covetousness and from the Prophet even unto the priest everyone dealeth falsely they have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly saying peace peace when there is no peace when they were ashamed and they'd where were they ashamed when they had committed abomination name they were not at all ashamed neither could they blush therefore they shall fall among them that fall and at the time that I will visit them they shall be cast down say it the Lord so here in Jeremiah chapter 6 you have a very frustrated prophet you have a very frustrated prophet in verse number 10 he basically says these people don't want to hear anything that I am telling them nothing so this morning I want to give you three reasons that people don't care about eternity the first answer the first reason I want to give you is in the first part of verse number 13 I like to call this reason you know thorns look at Jeremiah 13 and look at the first part of this verse the Bible says in Jeremiah 6 13 for from the least of them even unto the greatest of them this means everybody he's saying he's saying the poor people even to the rich people in this country are just obsessed with what he's saying they're given to covetousness they're obsessed with things money worldly items these people are just wrapped up in the things of this world look we see the exact same thing today you will find people in the United States and you will find people that have a lot of money obsessed with money but then you will find people that have no money obsessed with money it doesn't even matter how much money you actually have you'll find people that are just obsessed with it it doesn't make a difference and that's what he's saying here people are just wrapped up in the things of this world that is what's going on out here people are wrapped up in making money they are wrapped up in you know cars I mean we're just talking about this yesterday like it's just I can't even explain what's happening in the economy in California right now it's it's it's like this and tiff assist of logic and reason it's weird everyone's buying cars there is no cars you know I thought the economy was bad but then everyone's just spending spending spending borrowing borrowing borrowing but everyone's just obsessed with it everyone's just obsessed with it I mean it seems like nothing can stop the economy here it seems like it but you know something will stop it at some point turn to Matthew chapter 19 so look that's one reason right there that people just have no interest in eternity is because they're obsessed with stuff and you know money and making you know worldly possessions you say that does that that doesn't make sense to not even worry about it but that it blinds them they're completely blinded to eternity look at Matthew chapter 19 in verse 24 the Bible says in Matthew chapter 19 verse 24 and I say and again I say unto you it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God go to 1st Corinthians chapter 1 1st Corinthians chapter 1 and we're gonna look at a few verses here but the Bible says you know that being obsessed with worldly things can be an impediment to your salvation to someone getting saved that's what Jesus is talking about in Matthew 19 24 he's saying look somebody that's just got all these possessions it is just wrapped up with all these thorns of the world the Bible will call it in the parable of the sower you know it's gonna be very difficult for that person to you know get into the kingdom of heaven for them to get saved that's what the Bible is talking about Matthew 19 24 look at 1st Corinthians chapter 1 and look at verse number 23 now this is talking about us right here 1st Corinthians 1 23 but we preach Christ crucified unto the Jews a stumbling block and under the Greeks foolishness but unto them which are called both Jews and Greeks Christ the power of God underline which are called I'm going to explain that just as a side note here because the foolishness of God is wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than men that means God is so strong that you know even his weakness is stronger than anything that we have even God's even God's foolishness it's just a it's not saying God's foolish it's saying even the lowest thought God has is higher than any thought that the wisest person could have look at verse 26 for see your calling brethren that how many that how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called now called here let me explain this called here in this passage means if if you heard the word and you listen to the word and you got saved you're called that that's what the definition of called is in 1st Corinthians chapter 1 but God just to you know just dismay all that Calvinistic teaching that comes from these types of words but called called means hearing and responding hearing and believing is what called means so it says that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called look not many of these types of people hear the word and believe the word that's what the Bible is saying here look at verse 27 but God had chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God had chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty and the base things of the world and the things which are despised hath God chosen yay and things which are not to bring to bring to not things that are that no flesh should glory in his presence here's what God is saying here here's what God is saying here he's saying because of the way salvation is designed because of the way salvation is designed by belief alone that you must humble yourself and put your trust completely in the Lord Jesus Christ because of that design the base things of the world meaning the immoral things of the world the sinful things of the world you know the the foolish things of the world your cars your houses all these things people are obsessed with those things will confound the gospel for people that's what the Bible is saying here because of the way that that salvation is designed by by that requirement that you must trust all in Jesus these things will confound that is what the Bible is saying that no flesh should glory in his presence because look if I could be saved by how awesome I am or how much stuff I had which it seems silly to even say that but if I could be saved by even just a little bit a little bit of my own doing or you know anything that I could possibly do or say or whatever then I could glory that then this flesh would have something to glory in but Jesus here is saying the Bible here is saying is that you know these things will confound the gospel it will confound the gospel it's geared it's geared and this matches up with Matthew 19 24 this is why this is why the gospel is geared towards the meek it is geared towards the humble now can you be a rich man and be humble yes that's possible but you don't usually see it okay it's not the norm okay the foolish things of this world will confound people to the point where they won't believe the gospel we see this all the time we see this all the time look we are out there we are out there and we are calling we are calling everybody we're calling we're knocking we're we're asking we're asking the noble we're asking the wise they're just not going to answer so they're not going to be so we're calling they're not going to listen so therefore they're not going to be the called does that make sense that's what this verse these these passages are talking about here but look why aren't they going to answer because they're confounded with the foolish things of this world they're confounded with the base things of this world but look it's their choice to be confounded by those things that's what you have to remember they are wrapped up in the foolish things verse 27 they're wrapped up in the base things verse 28 base meaning you know without morality base meaning you know sin they're wrapped up in sin look sin you know stopping sinning is not going to get you saved but being wrapped up in sin could confound you from believing the gospel we met a guy like I'm pretty sure we met a guy like this on Wednesday I was with brother Frank and I kind of mentioned something I don't know if brother Frank knew exactly I didn't get into detail explaining it but we met this young man and he kind of popped his head around the door and seemed like a super nice guy super nice guy and brother Frank was talking to him he's like I could I could explain it to you super and sincere guy but you just had this feeling that he was just he was wrapped up in that moment was something that he shouldn't have been wrapped up in you just kind of had this feeling that whatever he was doing you know behind the door you know you know as he peeked his head around the door you know it was just kind of keeping him from listening to what brother Frank had to say and it was so obvious that I mentioned something to brother Frank that you know cuz I mean I thought maybe maybe this kid will listen you could tell sincere kid nice kid and but just some you know so look being wrapped up in sin can definitely keep you from wanting to hear the truth you know turning from that sin is not going to save you but being wrapped up in the base things of the world may very well keep you from becoming the called that's what first Corinthians chapter 1 is talking about look if Calvinism if Calvinism this idea is this dumb idea that's not that you can't logically put together in the Bible if it were true then we would not first of all we would not be required to preach the gospel to all which is why a lot of you know most Calvinists don't go soul winning by the way because it's God's you know God picks them God picks them what do we what are we doing but no folks God uses us to call all we're calling all these people have confounded themselves with this first thing where you know these people wrapped up in covetousness look if you believe in free will you cannot believe in Calvinism they do not go together and how could you possibly believe the right gospel of you know belief alone on Jesus Christ because that is that's the definition of free will your belief is completely yours it's the one thing that you freely have that's all yours they just don't go together folks so your own sin also those baser things can stop you from being the call we see here the Bible's teaching that the foolish things of the world the base things sin can keep you from believing the gospel God has nothing to do with causing you to sin that is your choice that is your free will or to get into covetousness by the way these are choices that people make and the reason that you will one of the reasons that you will find that people have no interest in eternity is because they have chosen to be wrapped up in sin they have chosen to be wrapped up in covetousness and it's blinded their eyes go back to Jeremiah chapter 6 go back to Jeremiah chapter 6 I'll give you a second reason a second reason or maybe a third because we looked at we looked at covetousness we looked at baser things sin let's look at a third reason look at the second part of verse 13 in Jeremiah chapter 6 the second part of verse 13 look what the Bible says read the whole verse for that from the least of them even unto the greatest of them everyone is given to covetousness we talked about that and then look at this reason and from the Prophet even unto the priest everyone dealeth falsely and then in verse number 14 the Bible says they have healed how did how did they deal falsely because they have healed also the hurt of my daughter of my people slightly saying peace peace when there is no peace so they what they've done is these people dealing falsely these men dealing falsely they've gone and they've they've made the people feel a little better here it tells them it's that they've made the people they've healed them slightly by that he means they they've made them you know they've kind of told them what they wanted to hear and made them feel better temporarily saying peace peace I mean that sounds good right peace peace oh yeah yeah I mean you're worried about stuff peace no peace you're really worried about you know wrath and terrible things and consequences and chastisement no no no peace peace there's nothing to worry about there's nothing to worry about that's what people want to hear but the problem is this they're saying that and there is no peace they're saying that and God is mad God is full of wrath they're telling people things that are not true is what it comes down to meant turned Ezekiel chapter chapter 11 now we could go on and on and on and on with Bible verses on this one I'll just give you one more in Ezekiel chapter 11 look at verse number one this is a constant pattern you see with the prophets the prophets that are coming in and they're warning the nation there's like judgment is coming God is angry God is angry for this reason and this reason and this reason and all these wicked things that you've been doing and there's always these these other people that are coming in and say no no no no no God's not mad God's not mad at all these are men that are dealing falsely look at Ezekiel 11 one moreover the Spirit lifted me up and brought me under the east gate of the Lord's house which looketh eastward and behold at the door of the gate of five and twenty men whom I saw Jazaniah the son of Azar and Pelotia the son of Benaiah princes of the people then he said unto me son of man these are the men that devise mischief and give wicked counsel in the city and what does that wicked counsel which say it is not near let us build houses the city is the cauldron and we be the flesh look at what these men say Ezekiel is out there and he's preaching judgment he's like God's gonna destroy this nation God is gonna wipe this nation off the earth he's like this is gonna be terrible he's like this is gonna be terrible these men oh no no no no it is no judgment is not near judgment is not near build houses buy cars go you know make you feel better you're you're feeling so stressed out go buy yourself a new pickup he's like go just going I mean we are we're the you know the city is the cauldron and we are the flash in this pot I mean look I mean they were like it was the cauldron and they were the flash in the water was boiling already they didn't realize it this is that this is the proverbial frog in the in the boiling pot right here and guess what it's us it's us too but these people right now everything's fine they're preaching the exact opposite they're lying they're lying to the people they're saying peace peace there is no peace I mean how many times have you heard that how many times have you heard that I mean I mean I don't I mean how many how many times you heard that I don't believe in a God that would I mean you believe in this magic magic sky being that would throw us all in hell I mean what why would you believe that I mean so first of all let me let me explain something from from Romans 1 and Romans 2 that we studied through we know for sure that everybody started with a conscience that knows that God exists everybody can see what everyone can see you know we have two things we all start I don't care if you're the most wicked reprobate rejected person at this moment in your life everybody started with a conscience and everybody started with a view of creation around them with evidence that God is there you have to be taught otherwise and this is what Jeremiah chapter 6 is saying is that men are out there teaching otherwise you say what that's happening today how about the public school I mean what are they teaching God doesn't exist they're teaching God doesn't exist you're an animal like all the other animals you came from animals you're just another you know link in the chain of animals you know God is not your father the earth is your mother is that's what they teach that's what they're teaching why do you think we're like you know you have to homeschool your kids if there's no option they're literally teaching in so many different brilliant ways it would shock you that there is no God that you know that not only is there no God but here's the explanation of Holland how it all happened and they teach all these other wicked philosophies look there is no absolute truth there's no absolute because if there's no God there's no absolute truth folks I mean more on I mean more on this later but you know everything you feel or see is okay look at the verse of the week everything that you that comes in front of your eyes or you feel as good as fine if that's what you think that's what they're teaching that's what they're teaching no God no absolute truth anything goes is that not what you're seeing today so I mean there's there's the no God right there how about this one though false churches preaching a false God because I mean the devil's plan a is like hey there's no God you're your own God that's plan a but he's like okay some people aren't buying that one some people have the Bible he's like all right false God will twist the Bible will what what are we seeing from Galatians will pervert the gospel we will take what God wrote and we will twist it and change it and people will believe it God is love there is no wrath people have literally been convinced and you will meet these people out soul winning that they they have created their own God turn to 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 they fear nothing they fear nothing from God turn to 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 and look at verse number 11 but we know different and that's why we're there look at 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 in verse number 11 look what we know look what we know I mean people I I don't believe you know maybe they believe in a God but they believe in a God where you know do you think anybody will go to hell no I'm pretty sure that God will forgive everybody you ever met these people they're everywhere all you have to do is ask for forgiveness what if I never asked for forgiveness I think God will forgive you anyway I mean you take their own you take their own weird gospel that they believe and you say that okay you violate your own weird workspace gospel and they're just kind of like yeah but you know God is just you know he's not gonna send people to hell I don't believe in hell there's just different levels of heaven it's like a hotel and you know it's just all kinds of weird made-up God stuff look at 1st Corinthians chapter 5 and verse number 11 but what do we know knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we persuade men but we are made manifest unto God and I trust our made and I trust also are made manifest in your consciousness look we know the terror of the Lord we know we know the wrath that is upon people that are not saved we know that so therefore for that reason we go and we try to persuade people I mean you ever been you ever been at the door and you're just like you can tell that maybe they're just on the edge and you're just like how could I that's why the better people person you can be the more the more comfortable you can be talking with people look it's one thing to be able to give the gospel but look we're really out there persuading people and the better you know the the better of a you know the better at connecting with people and the more in tune you are with different people and different scenarios the better soul winner you were you will be because we're there to persuade people we're there to persuade people to listen look we're out there and we're advocating for people's own souls we're at their door because we're out we're trying to beg them to care about themselves we're trying to beg them to care about their own families hey could you please care about your own children please we're trying to persuade them I mean we will walk away from people and we will just be like what could I have possibly said better and I know that there's things that I could say better to people I know that I can get better at this I know that I can get better at persuading people that's why you know you just need to you need to take every individual person as as an individual person and just how can I persuade this person because that's what we're doing because we know that God is not just this you know I just love everything all the time and everybody's going to heaven no most people are going to help Jesus said we know the terror of the Lord folks we know the terror of God's judgment so we're out there we're advocating for people turn to Zephaniah chapter 1 Zephaniah chapter 1 this is another one we can just read Bible for 10 hours 11 hours on the wrath of God there's a lot of wrath in this book if you're saying I don't know you know it is does God have wrath what you are you have not opened the King James Bible look at Zephaniah chapter 1 this is God Zephaniah chapter 1 and look at verse number 12 look at verse number 12 of Zephaniah chapter 1 and it shall come to pass at that time that I will search Jerusalem with their candles and punish the men that are settled on their leaves these are men that are just they're just back and they're just relaxing that they say in their heart the Lord will not do good neither will he do evil what does that mean these people are sitting back and they're relaxed and they're saying you know what God doesn't care what's going on down here God's not gonna do good to us he's not gonna do bad to us like God that's how I know that's how I know by the way this should give you great faith right here because this here is saying that God is the opposite of this so personally for your own personal faith just remember God's plugged into this thing God is in this game God is in control of everything and look he will do good and he will do evil meaning hurt meaning he will judge and these people were sitting back and they're saying God's not he's not he's not in this thing he doesn't care what we do look at verse 13 therefore this is interesting therefore their goods shall become a booty what are the one of the things that people is keeping people from being saved their goods their covetousness and their houses of desolation Jeremiah chapter 6 goes into the same thing they shall also build houses but not inhabit them so all these people from Ezekiel that were saying no it's fine build houses there's nothing going on where the pot where the flesh the city is the cauldron where the flesh he's like they'll build houses and then you know somebody else gonna live in him all their stuff gonna be somebody else's the great day of the Lord is near it is near and hasten it hasteth greatly even the voice of the day of the Lord the mighty men shall cry there bitterly the strongest men in the city will be weeping that day well what does that mean maybe they're weeping because they lost their house no that day is a day of wrath a day of trouble and distress a day of waste ness and desolation a day of darkness and gloominess a day of clouds and thick darkness a day of trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities against the high towers and I will bring because why because who's doing it and I will bring distress upon them they that shall walk should be like blind men because they have sinned against the Lord and their blood shall be poured out as dust and their flesh as dung have a nice day I mean that is wrath right there neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord's wrath but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy God is jealous God is jealous jealous is a good thing jealousy means you know wanting something that's yours God was jealous of his people he was jealous you can be jealous of your wife because she's yours she belongs to you a husband and wife belong to each other that jealousy is good envy is something different envy is wanting something that's not yours but God is jealous of you and when you go chasing after all these other things especially to the point where you know people are not getting saved because they've made idols of all these other things what God will destroy your idols that's what he's doing here people have been convinced by evil men this is the second thing that either God doesn't exist or the devil's plan be that he doesn't care that he's not involved that he's that he's not this God that he's some sort of different God so they have no fear of the of the true God I mean this is scary it's a scary bunch of verses if you're not saved that's a scary bunch of verses even if you are saved and you're in sin that's a scary bunch of verses they have no fear of the true God this this was we talked about somebody preached about this brother Frank this is what happened in Josiah's time there was no fear of the true God they had some sort of God made up in their mind and then they read the Bible and they read the Bible and they're like oh this is really what God is they're like oh man and and look we need more moments like that we need more Josiah moments you'll see this look you'll see this with people that just get saved and then you know or just have not been in church and then they get in a Bible preaching Church and they listen to stuff like this and they're just like there it's like their hair is like it's like they're going in a car like a hundred miles an hour there's like whoa yeah but that's that's God and he's not changed it's just men dealing falsely men not preaching the Bible men having Church and not preaching the whole Bible but they've dealt falsely with people so people have lost that fear of the Lord third reason or maybe right where are we on for fourth reason turn to Ecclesiastes chapter 11 or look at the front of your bulletin the fourth reason that people won't get saved when you're out there and you're going solo winning and they won't even seem to have a care in the world about salvation is one word youth youth look at Ecclesiastes chapter 11 or verse number 9 the Bible says rejoice oh young man in thy youth and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth and walk in the ways of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes but know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment therefore remove sorrow from thy heart and put away evil from thy flesh for childhood and youth are vanity here he is telling them at the beginning of verse number nine he's like walk in the ways of your heart turn to Jeremiah chapter 17 he's saying walk in the ways of your heart what sounds like I mean what's wrong with that I mean I mean isn't that what everyone tells you today follow your heart just follow your heart I mean follow your heart you know whatever whatever you feel is right you know whatever you feel is the right thing to do right isn't this what they'll teach you isn't this what the world will teach you look at Jeremiah chapter 17 verse number 9 Jeremiah chapter 17 verse number 9 the Bible says this oh it says the heart is deceitful it's not only just deceitful it's deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it you know I don't know how many times I have seen people say oh I was just I was just following you know following my heart or following this look how do I know if my heart is deceiving me because if it goes against what the Bible says it's deceiving me but here in Ecclesiastes chapter 11 somebody who was foolish foolish in his youth is saying hey follow your heart young man he's like follow your heart youthful person but look the heart is deceitful amongst all things he's saying that tongue-in-cheek and desperately wicked and then he says follow your sight like young man can you imagine if this was actual advice you were giving a young person he's basically saying deny yourself nothing young man in short what he's saying is here is that young people have foolish tendencies you know the teenager the teenager has maybe you know you've all been a teenager before but the teenager has this inherent foolish tendency that says you know what I'll never die I'll never die I mean eternity why I mean why would I have to worry about eternity I'm 18 I will never die this is how young men think I know I used to be one I mean God I mean God will bring me into judgment I mean these teenagers they just they're not focused on eternity because they're foolish because they're caught up in youthful wuss that's what Ecclesiastes chapter 11 9 is saying that if you do that young man you will be brought into judgment so look those are the you know those are three or four main reasons why you will find people don't be surprised there's nothing new under the Sun those are three or four main reasons that you'll find people out there today that just don't care about eternity they just could care less and you'll walk away as a Bible believing Christian and you know somebody that's in church three times a week and soul winning and you're growing in your faith and you just it'll just be shocking to you but it's not shocking because this is what the Bible says they're wrapped up in covetousness they're wrapped up in sin you know they're youthful they have youthful lusts and they just been taught a bunch of wicked false things that's why that's why but guess what all three of these things all four of these things they also apply to you so let me just end the sermon by just applying these four things to you as well and look this is how soul winning can help you grow as a Christian these things all every single one of them can apply to you they're all dangers to you it's not just about oh yeah these these you know unsaved people look it's gonna cost them eternity but it could cost you your life on this earth it could cost you you know your your fruitfulness on this earth turn to Matthew chapter 13 this is what the parable of the sower is talking about it's talking about a lot of these same things in the context of the believer in the context of someone who's saved look at Matthew 13 and look at verse 22 the one that we discussed was the thorns he that also received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word and the care of this world the deceitfulness of riches choke the word and he go to hell no it chokes the word and he becomes unfruitful he gets backslidden he cares about nothing but things in this world and making money and cars and houses and all these things look you're not gonna lose your salvation but you're gonna bear no fruit you're gonna all of a sudden when you care about those things look you can only care about one thing you can only have your heart you can only have you know your spirit in one place it can only be in one place it can't be in two so you will stop caring about the spiritual things you will stop wanting the spiritual things and you will start wanting and hungering more for those worldly things and it will choke you out and will choke you out the second one also applies men leading others astray men leading you know dealing falsely I'm not gonna get deep into this tonight because we're gonna talk about this one this evening when I talk about separation but you say what believers yes believers can lead you astray believers can lead you astray I'm gonna park this one here because we're gonna just we're gonna deep dive this one tonight believers can you know many people think that oh if I get somebody saved everything's all good that's all that matters no that's not what the Bible teaches this is absolutely not the case we'll talk about that this evening turn to 2nd Timothy chapter 2 but youth let me talk about the youth let me rip on the young people for a few minutes and then we'll be done this morning but 2nd Timothy chapter 2 look what the Bible says look youthful loss and foolishness in youth also affects the same it's not like I'm a young person and I get saved and all of a sudden I just have to worry about nothing anymore I'm fine like no Ecclesiastes chapter 11 applies 2nd Timothy chapter 2 look what the Bible says in verse 22 the Bible says flee also youthful us but follow righteousness faith charity peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart it's saying what flee youthful us and and pursue all these godly things with people that are pursuing these things so it's saying that youthful that youth should follow people that are following faith charity and peace you know what saying it's saying young people need guidance is what it's saying because they have all these lusts that go against what's good for them they have they have this heart these young people they have this heart that is telling them that they want something and it's not what they should have they have these eyes that are telling them that you know I want these things and it's not what the Bible says that they should have I mean I'm gonna let me throw the the young people in our church under the bus for a few minutes yesterday yesterday at the barbecue nobody was had arrived yet except for three or four young people I won't name any names but I was just getting things together and putting things together for the barbecue and one of the lemon tree had dropped a lemon I picked it up off the ground and I was going to throw it away and I just threw it up in front of the young guys sitting around the table and I was like we're gonna have a lemon eating contest so you can eat this lemon the whole thing as fast as possible I mean I was joking right I was joking and then you know we went around you know we went you know through the day and a lot of the guys came over and you know the guys they came over we're discussing we're discussing politics we're discussing world events economics I just like to sit and just just talk and just fellowship about these things and then after most people had left the teenagers were still around and I went in the house and I was putting some things together in the house and I'm hearing through the wall the teenagers are having a lemon eating contest in the backyard they're eating lemons the whole thing and then after that after that they decided that oh well what should we do next what do you want to do next wise teenager oh well wise teenager let's have a belly flop contest so you know you have the men you know talking about their jobs and you know you know think business and things of the world you know things how we're gonna you know take care of this and maybe some things of the church and you have the teenagers you know making themselves sick in inflicting physical pain on themselves for fun now look amen amen no no no no no no amen amen and here's why because that's the important of church because if you're gonna be foolish let's be foolish and silly harmless ways okay and it is funny and I'm just I'm using it as an example there's nothing wrong with any of those things that happened yesterday but the point is that teenagers need counsel teenagers need counsel you didn't see a bunch of 50 year olds doing belly flops yesterday okay you didn't see you know brother Ryan and I sitting there and seeing who could eat the most lemons including the peel I mean what the world I mean I've never even heard of anything like that is that possible apparently it will not kill you because they're here today but the point is this the point is this in first Kings chapter 12 verse number 8 it's importance of church first of all it's the importance of wise guidance and what teenagers let me just say this in all seriousness in your life in your life you will have counsel you have the teenagers here I attest to this you have wise counsel available to you you have wise counsel available to you defer to that counsel don't pack up amongst yourselves and say we're a bunch of teenagers and we know what's best you know for us look at 2nd Kings chapter 12 in verse or first Kings chapter 12 in verse number 8 because this is what ray of bone did he packed up with his buddies but he forsook forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given to him and consulted with the young men that were growing up with him and they said let's eat a bunch of lemons and which stood before him look young people I'll just say this I'll just say this young people that aren't asking for counsel are in danger especially in this world I mean look you have counsel available to you if you are part of this church ask for it get guidance you have a lot of counsel here use it use it and like I said the things yesterday I'm joking nothing at all wrong with those things it was just an example I was using but please use the tools teenagers that God has given you God has given you wise counsel and guidance and a good church and the Bible just use it just use it use the tools God's given you so in conclusion folks this morning there's nothing new under the Sun don't let these types of things get you down think about the prophets think about Jeremiah Ezekiel think about these men Zephaniah think about what these men went through many of these men went through you know they were killed they were persecuted they were physically you know harmed but when you see this apathy out stolen it's just because of covetousness it's because of sin it's because of false teaching and it's because of youthful lust that's what it is for and these things are things that we also need to guard ourselves against but this is why because all these things this is what the covetousness the sin the false teaching the youthful lust that's what you're up against that's what you're trying to persuade through it's interesting it'll make you more persuasive by the way you know if you know what you're up against you know when you find out when you're talking to somebody and you realize you know maybe what their issue is it'll help you become a better soul winner and help you persuade people in a more effective way but remember these things for yourself as well because just because you're saved doesn't mean you can't fall into temptation and snares you know it happens all the time let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer you