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Here in Titus chapter 2 and I want to preach a sermon. I've actually wanted to preach a sermon for a long time now, but especially as I've been going through these false religions, the one thing that I notice is how weird they are and just how it just makes the people that are in them weird. And what I wanted to preach on is a subject called be peculiar, not weird. OK, now this can go into a lot of different realms, but this is something I see a lot in Christianity and in our movement even, where people are really backward and weird about religion or about Christianity. OK, and I've heard people say, well, the Bible says to be peculiar. And I've heard this in old IFB Baptist churches, too. It's like, oh, we're supposed to be peculiar. It's not what it means. OK, so I first want to talk about what it means to be peculiar, because here, if you're in Titus, it says that who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. OK, so obviously we are a peculiar people to the Lord. But what does that mean? What does that word peculiar even mean? OK, well, if you just looked up dictionary.com, actually the first mention of it is going to be strange, queer, or odd. OK, now this is where you can't always just go to a dictionary and just see up the first definition and see what it's talking about. OK, but here's some other definitions. Distinctive in nature or character from others, belonging exclusively to one person, group, or thing. OK, or uncommon or unusual, like these are just different definitions. And so sometimes when you're looking up a definition, first of all, what I'm going to show you is that the Bible is actually going to define this. OK, so that's the first key. If you want to see a word that maybe is not that common, like reprobate, you could look at the first place mention that says, reprobate, silver, shem, and chol them, because the Lord hath rejected them. So he gives you a very clear idea of what reprobate means. But same thing with peculiar, but if you look up the etymology of the word, meaning this, sometimes you can look up the etymology and see if the word has changed throughout time. OK, and etymology doesn't necessarily mean definition, OK, depending on what you're reading, because words can change throughout time. But the etymology of, and what is etymology? It's basically the root of it, right? If you were thinking about what's the root of this word, like psychology, like psyche, it comes from a Greek word that means like soul or person, right? And so that gives you the etymology, where it came from. Now, in the etymology of it, it says belonging exclusively to one person, from Latin, peculiaris, of one's own property. And it says private property, literally. So just from the very beginning, the way it comes from is basically you're belonging to somebody, and you're their property. Well, we're bought with a price, we're not our own. So that actually lines up perfectly with scripture. But even going on from that, it says this, because it says meaning unusual is first attested circa 1600. Now, I know the King James Bible was translated around 1604 to 1611, as far as the seven years of them translating it. But there was also other Bibles before that in the 1500s, and all this other stuff that were using this word, and all this other stuff. So all I have to say is that around that time is when it was starting to be used in that manner. But it says earlier, it means distinguished or special, like around the 1580s. And so you say, what's your point on this? Well, meaning this is that the word has changed over time. It's kind of like the word shambles has changed. So when you look in the Bible, it talks about whatever you buy in the shambles, then eat, taking no thought. Now, what do you think of when you think of the word shambles? You think of something that's just completely in disarray, it's completely falling apart. But shambles actually means like a slaughterhouse. Now, you can think about how it came to be to talk about, this place is like a slaughterhouse over here. And you can see how it transitioned into that meaning, but that's not originally what it meant. So all I have to say is that peculiar, I attest to you, is pretty much basically being a certain group of people that's a set of a bigger group of people. And that's basically a special group of people. Now, go to Exodus chapter 19. We're actually going to see the first mention of the word peculiar. Actually, most of the time when it uses the word peculiar, it is talking about like the subject in Titus, where it's talking about how he is purified into himself a peculiar people. So I first want to mention, what does it mean to be the peculiar people of God? But then I'm going to get into the fact of, okay, we need to be that peculiar people, but not be weird, okay? And this is something I've wanted to preach for a while, because there's definitely been weird people that you run into in Christianity. And what it comes down to is people take things way too far a lot of times. And so in Exodus chapter 19, Exodus chapter 19 verse 5, it says, Now therefore, if you will obey my voice indeed and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people, for all the earth is mine. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. So this is actually when he's making the first covenant with the children of Israel. He brought them out of Egypt, and chapter 19 is where he's making that covenant with them. And basically it was a conditional covenant, basically saying that you have to keep these commandments if you want to be this peculiar people unto me. And he's, notice that it's a subset, it's a peculiar treasure for all the earth is mine, meaning this is that you're a certain group of people I'm pulling out of all the earth. He's basically saying all the earth is mine, but you're going to be a peculiar treasure out of that, okay? So it's kind of like a, kind of putting it on, you know, taking the subset and putting it somewhere else, even though there are still people just like other, you know, the rest of the world. Now, go to Deuteronomy chapter 14 because this is something that keeps being repeated in the law here, but I'm going to prove to you that peculiar is synonymous with being a special people, okay? Not weird, not odd, not queer, okay? Now even the word strange in the Bible is a little different than what we would think of, strange means like foreign, okay? So like the strange wife, it doesn't mean that she's weird, it means she's foreign, she's not belonging to you, okay? And so a lot of times when it uses the word strange, it's talking about that, okay, it's talking about being foreign, okay? Even those that went after strange flesh, they're going after foreign flesh, okay, and even in that case, you know that it's not something that's, you know, ordinary or basically what's accustomed to them, right? But in Deuteronomy 14 and verse 1, it says, ye are the children of the Lord your God, ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead. For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God, and the Lord had chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself above all the nations that are upon the earth. So out of all the nations he picked Israel to be his peculiar people. Now go to Deuteronomy 7, okay, because this same exact phrase, the same exact sentence is being said in Deuteronomy 7, but notice instead of peculiar people, it's gonna say something else. In Deuteronomy 7 verse 6, it says, Deuteronomy 7 verse 6, for thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God. The Lord thy God had chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. So notice it's the same sentence, but some words are a little different. They're special people instead of nations that says all the people. And so it's just giving you some definitions here as far as what he's talking about, okay? So, and, you know, there's other places where it talks about peculiar. If you go to Deuteronomy 26, Deuteronomy 26, and this is always being talked about as far as this covenant he's making with that nation, okay? And no marvel that the two places that peculiar is mentioned in the New Testament I'm gonna show you is dealing with the New Testament, okay? So it's talking about being God's people, God's chosen people, okay? Now in the Old Testament, to be this peculiar people, you didn't necessarily have to even be saved. You just had to be a part of that nation and keep his commandments and do all these other things, right? This doesn't mean that you were gonna go to heaven, okay, as far as his physical people on the earth. But in the New Testament, it's only the saved that are considered to be God's people on this earth, okay? So, but that's another sermon for another day as far as the physical people of God and then, you know, the spiritual and just how now in the New Testament it's just the spiritual, okay? But in Deuteronomy 26 and verse 17, it says, Thou hast avoused the Lord this day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways, and to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and to hearken unto his voice, and the Lord hath avoused thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments, and to make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in praise and in name, and in honor, and that thou mayest be holy people unto the Lord thy God as he hath spoken. Now, this should seem very familiar to what we just read in Titus. Go back to Titus, chapter two, because what do you keep seeing? You know, that you walk in his ways, that you keep his commandments as his peculiar people. Now, in the New Testament, as far as to be his peculiar people, all you have to be is saved, okay? Just believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. But what you're supposed to be doing as his peculiar people, or his special people, or his chosen people, is to do good works, okay? This isn't to be saved or anything like that, but this is what we're supposed to be doing as his peculiar people. If you want to say he's like set apart people out of the world, you know, his sanctified people, if you will, that our job, or what he's doing there, is setting us apart, making us peculiar, so that we can go out and do his works, and keep his commandments, okay? And so in verse, in Titus chapter two, look at verse 11. Cuz this is all, you know, one sentence that's being said here. In verse 11, it says, for the grace of God that brings salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us, now this isn't teaching us how to be saved. It's just basically saying, once you're saved, it's also, you know, it's teaching us that this is what we need to do as believers, okay? Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. And I've heard people like James White, and these Calvinists, and all these different people always say, well, what do you do with Titus 2, 12? You don't want to finish Ephesians chapter 2, when it's verse 10. It says should, in all those cases, you know, that, you know, that in Titus 2, 8 and 9, for by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, and not of works that sin and man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we, what, should walk in them. And what does it say here? What does it say in verse 12? Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. So it's teaching us that, but it's saying you should do these things, as believers, okay? Says verse 13, looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifying to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. So what does it mean, you know, when it says to be peculiar, be zealous of good works? That you should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. That's what it means to be peculiar, okay, to be his peculiar people. You say, well, I thought you said that you are the peculiar people when you believe on Christ. Yeah, because the inner man is always there, okay? Your new man is peculiar no matter if you walk in it or not, okay? But this is another aspect of having that new man and that spirit that has no guile. That inner man is the peculiar person that God has redeemed. Now walk in it. Be that peculiar person, be that new man, be that new creature that God has already redeemed you from all your iniquity, okay? And go to 1 Peter 2, because it's gonna use that phrase peculiar as well there. So again, this first part of the sermon just kinda explain to you what it means when it means peculiar, you know, this is just what the Bible teaches on this. And when you read the context of the Old Testament, when it says a peculiar treasure, a chosen people, the whole point is that he's contrasting that with the whole rest of the world, right? He's basically saying, I chose your nation out of the rest of the world. And what does he mean by that? You're a peculiar treasure in this world to God, meaning that you are the people that God's using. They are the people that the oracles of God came to, right? Think of all the prophets, the oracles, the word of God came to him. The Lord Jesus Christ came through that nation, okay? So obviously God used that nation and chose that nation for that to happen. In the New Testament, all believers make up that nation, and all believers are a peculiar people, but if you choose to walk in the flesh, then you're not being that peculiar person that God redeemed, you know what I mean? You're being that old man, that child of wrath, that child of disobedience, right, the child of darkness. Now in 1 Peter 2, in verse 7, it says, unto you therefore which believe he is precious, but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner. And a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient, even where unto also they are appointed. Now this is a great verse, first of all, because there's some places in the Bible where it say, you know, he is the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him. What is that talking about? Obeying the gospel and not being disobedient unto the word to believe on him, right? Because unto you therefore which believe he is precious, but unto them which be disobedient. So what's the contrast of being, what do we mean to be disobedient? Not believing, okay? Now, I wanted to show you that first because how do you become this chosen people, by believing? Now it says in verse 9, but ye are a chosen generation of royal priesthood and holy nation of peculiar people that you should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light which in time past were not of people but are now the people of God which had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. Notice the shift in the New Testament that it's not just the people of Israel that God is giving this promise to and all these different things that are going on or that these people are the ones that are supposed to be doing the great exploits. He's saying it's people that were not of people before and were not of that nation, but that holy nation is all believers, okay? And notice how being a peculiar person is coupled with being zealous of good works and that you would also show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light and so obviously being that peculiar people, you know, is doing the works of God. So, and when I get through the, when I go through this sermon, I don't want you to misunderstand me. Obviously, people are gonna think we're weird, okay? Going out and preaching the gospel, outdoor knocking, people are gonna think that's weird. It's not really weird though, okay? And just because you do that doesn't mean you have to be weird about it, okay? Meaning this, you can be normal. And actually, I think people that go out soul hunting are probably the most down-to-earth normal people that you can run into. They're very outgoing. Actually, the people that you run into at the door are the most, the weirdest people you run into, right? You know, you go up to the door, you knock, and you're like, hey, how you doing? Just inviting you out of the church, and they just stare at you and don't say anything. I'm like, that's weird. You don't even know how to say I'm not interested or get off my porch or something like that, you know, whatever. But what I want to get into is kind of like this balance of being basically set apart from the world, being a Christian, and being on fire for God, but also not going too far with that to where you're really strange or weird, okay? And so you can't use these verses and say, well, the Bible says to be peculiar. That means I could be a weirdo, you know? No, the Bible says to be peculiar because you're zealous on the good works, because you're set apart onto God, because you are his chosen people outside the whole world, okay? That's why you're peculiar. And again, the word has changed meaning over time. So when you read that and you're like, well, that means weird. Well, then shambles means, you know, it's in disarray, you know? And like some words have changed meaning over time, okay? And so anyway, all that to say, go to John chapter 17, because the one point I want to make is that we are to be in this world, but we're not to be of the world, okay? But as we're going through these cults like Mormonism, Jehovah Witnesses, and I'll probably be getting into like the Mennonites and the Amish and just different things like that. The thing that you usually see with this is that they're basically pulling themselves out of the world and they're not even in the world. They're basically wanting to have their own little convent somewhere. And you can get into the real crazy stuff with like Jim Jones and like these cults where they're going off into like, where did Jim Jones go? Did he go to Guyana, Georgetown? Yeah. And so they like had this like, they bought this land out somewhere in like some other country and then they ended up drinking a Kool-Aid and everybody killed themselves. That's weird, okay? You know, there's different things like that. That's really weird, but here's the thing. When it comes down to this, you need to understand that we don't want to go that far, okay? And you say, well, the world thinks I'm weird. It should be weird, they should think you're weird because of what you're doing according to what the Bible says, okay? The more strange the world gets, the more normalcy or basically being normal looks weird, okay? But in John chapter 17, one of my favorite, if not my favorite, chapter in the Bible, this is where Jesus is praying to the Father and praying for us. But in verse 11 there, it says, and now I am no more in the world. But these are in the world, and I am come to thee, Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou has given me, that they may be one as we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name. Those that thou gavest me, I have kept, and none of them is lost. But the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled. And now, come I to thee. And these things I speak in the world that they might have, or I'm sorry, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them thy word, and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. So this is very clear that we're supposed to be going into the world. Okay, we're supposed to be going into the world, but we're not to be of the world, okay? So that's the thing, that's the balance, if you will, is that we're in the world, but we're not of the world. And it's very tempting to basically say, I wanna get away from the whole world and all this other stuff and just not be around people and kinda cut yourself off. But how are you gonna preach the gospel to every creature then? How are you gonna fulfill the great commission? How are you gonna make a difference in the world if you're not in the world? Okay? And so, but Jesus is making this very important point. He's saying, I'm not saying to take them out, okay? So all these religions that are saying come out of the world and just separate yourself completely from it, physically and everything, that's wrong. That's not what Jesus taught. Because he's saying, I was in the world, and now I'm not in the world, and I'm sending them into the world. So that means if we don't go into the world, then no one's in the world preaching the gospel. No one's doing what Jesus did when he was here on the earth. And so, we're not to be of the world as far as being unequally yoked, okay? So go to 2 Corinthians chapter 6, 2 Corinthians chapter 6. A lot of this is balance, okay? I'll give you a kind of a more of a worldly example of not being weird. I'm an engineer. Now engineers have a reputation for being very backward and very non-social and weird, okay? Now, there's a lot that are, okay? But here's the thing, it doesn't have to be that way. And I remember being in college and people were like, yeah, we're engineers, we're just weird. I'm like, speak for yourself. You're like, we're not good with women or we're not good with all this other stuff. I'm like, that's not gonna be me then. You can keep that part of it. But here's the thing, you can still know math and know how to do engineering and get through school. You can still be smart and not be weird, okay? And I'm not saying I'm the most intelligent person in the world. I'm definitely not, and I'm sure smarter people in this room than me. What I'm saying with that is that just because you're on this one side of the realm here doesn't mean you have to take all the attributes with other weird people, okay? Cuz there's people that are like these high intellectual mathematicians, they're weird, okay? Really strange people, they have no social skills, right? And if you have a disability, I'm not talking about that. I have a cousin who has Asperger's and I have people that have disabilities when it comes to social skills and stuff like that, that's not what I'm talking about. I'm just talking about the fact that you entrench yourself into this weird culture and the way that you speak and talk to people. You should be able to hold a conversation with anybody as far as whether they're saved or lost. And what I really want to get to this point here is that if you can't go to work and have a normal conversation with somebody without them thinking you're crazy or weird, then there's something wrong, okay? Cuz I don't go to work and I don't talk to my clients like I talk to, like I don't preach to them like I'm preaching to you guys right now. And I don't talk to them like I talk to most Christians. Does that mean that I'm filthy and I use foul language and I'm sinning when I'm talking to them? No. But I talk to them on things that are about work related things or just things that, now if they ask me, they're like what do you think about this drag queen story time? I'll tell them what I think, okay? They gotta bring it up though. But I'm not coming into a meeting about a building design and be like, what do you guys think about that drag queen story time? That's wicked as hell, isn't it? Now is it not true that that's wicked as hell, okay? And that everybody should be on the same page with you? But do you see how that's weird? And they're just like, what in the world are you doing, man? Who brought that up? And what I'm saying with that is that you need to be normal, okay? Normal in the fact that you need to be able to converse with people that are lost. And you're in this world, okay? So not everybody's on the same page with you on this type of stuff. If you're in a group of people, when we're talking, our conversation's about the Bible, it's about different things like that. But when you're in the workforce, you're not gonna be talking like that to a lot of people. They're just not gonna get it. And it's almost like going into a conversation with a whole bunch of inside jokes and they don't get it, right? If you came up to somebody and started talking to them about these inside jokes that we have, in the new IFB or anything like that, they're gonna be like, what are you talking about? It's just gonna seem really weird, okay? Now in 2 Corinthians chapter 6 and verse 14, 2 Corinthians chapter 6 verse 14, it says, be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? And what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God. As God hath said, I will dwell in them and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore, come out from among them and be ye separate, said the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing. And I will receive you, and I will be a father unto you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, said the Lord Almighty. This is very closely tied to what we're talking about as far as being a peculiar people, zealous of good works, because we're all saved by faith, and we're all sanctified and separated spiritually, but this is where you walk in it. Walk in a new man, and you'll walk as children of God, okay? And this is as true today as long, we usually use this verse here to talk about getting married. That's definitely true, but even in life, we're not to be best friends with people, really good friends with people, and hang out with people all the time that are not saved, okay? But, at the same time, you're gonna be working with people that aren't saved. You say, well, then I need to work with only saved people. Good luck with that, and see how that works out. And see if the Bible ever teaches that you can't work with people that are unsaved. Actually, the Bible says that you're supposed to be a servant unto a master. It actually teaches the opposite, that you need to obey them as unto the Lord. And then it says, and believing masters. So you know what that's saying, is that not all masters are believing, okay? So that means you're supposed to obey people that aren't even saved in the workforce, okay? So does that mean that you need to be best buddies with that person? Does that mean you need to do what they do outside of work and all that stuff? You say, well, in work, they're telling me to do unlawful things. You can get a different job, okay? You shouldn't be working at a job where you're doing unethical, wrong things anyway, okay? But all I have to say is that you still need to basically be in that realm of things. Go to First Corinthians chapter nine. I'm trying to get the point across here is that we're supposed to be separate, spiritually speaking, in our conversation. But at the same time, if we're going to win the lost, we have to meet them where they're at, okay? One of the biggest things when we go to the door of sowing is we're trying to break down that barrier that we're not saying we're up here, you're down here, and lick my boots, you know what I mean? Like it's this attitude of I'm more spiritual than you. What you need to do is say, hey, we're all sinners. We all deserve hell, and what does that do? You're right there with them, okay? And notice what Paul says here. So First Corinthians chapter nine, verse 19, it says, for though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. Notice this, and unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews, To them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law. To them that are without law, as without law, being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ, that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak. I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you. So what is he talking about here? Is he saying just throw off the commandments of God? No. What he's saying here is, think about the first thing he says, and unto the Jews I became as a Jew, okay? So this would be like if you were trying to talk to a Jew, you don't just go up to him and be like, listen, I'm gonna eat bacon right in front of you, and you're gonna like it, you know what I mean? You're trying to be not offensive to them, okay? And you're not gonna say, listen, all the Jews are for the Jewish bankers, and you just go into all this stuff, and listen. I'm not against what you're saying in a lot of these cases, but what I'm saying is that you don't do that. You don't go up to them and just make it really awkward when you're talking to them. You're just gonna come at them where they're at, and just say, hey, you need the gospel, and preach the gospel to them. So if they invite you over for dinner or something like that, and you don't bring over something that they can't eat. You know, that goes into Romans chapter 14. You know, the fact that they think it's wrong and they eat it, it doesn't matter if it's not wrong. They're not eating it of faith, and you're causing them to stumble. You know, there's those aspects too, but you're also just kind of meeting them where they're at. Now, if you go into someone's house and you're trying to win them to Christ, and they give you a glass of wine, I'm not saying drink it, okay? So there's obviously limits because it says, you know, them that are without law, as without law, being not without law to God, okay? What does it mean, meaning that they have certain laws that are against the laws maybe of the land that you do, or, you know, like if you're going into another country, it may be just different there, okay? And how you do things or whatever, you know, go with the flow. You know, the old saying, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. What it's saying is, you know, do as they do as long as it's not against God's laws, okay? Because you're trying to basically assimilate with them to win them, okay? But if you're in this holier than thou, and that's kind of what I'm getting to, this holier than thou attitude when you're talking to everybody, or if you go somewhere, or, you know, just in conversations at work, different things like that, people aren't going to like you, okay? And people are gonna think you're weird, okay? And some of this stuff, I'm just gonna be honest with you, I think it's weird, and I'm a Christian, okay? So, what I'm saying with this is this takes balance. It's kind of like the, you know, we need to love our neighbor, but we also need to hate those that hate the Lord. There's a balance there, okay? And so, with a lot of these things, and what I'm getting to is that there's some things in the Bible, you see it said this way, and then over here, it says something completely opposite. Why? Because there's a balance to it, okay? Meaning that it applies in this one area, you know, being separate, meaning that you're trying not to sin, you're keeping God's commandments. But over here, you might be a little lax on your preferences and different things like that that have nothing to do with what the Bible teaches. It's just how you do things to be acclimated and to become as them, okay? So, you know, it's kind of like if you went out to another country and the way they dress, as long as it's not against God, you should probably try to acclimate to that. You don't want to just stick out like a sore thumb. Cuz what it looks like, you say, well, I'm not trying to do that, I'm not trying to look showy, I'm not trying to do this or that. It looks like you're trying to. Cuz it doesn't really matter what you think it looks like, it matters what they think it looks like. It's just like the whole repentance thing. It's like, well, I don't mean repent of your sins. I don't mean it to mean that you need to turn from your sins. Well, it doesn't matter what you think it means. That's what they're perceiving it to mean. You know, when it comes to the fact that you are gonna repent of all my sins. Well, I just meant that you need to acknowledge you're a sinner. Well, everybody thinks that you're saying they need to turn from all their sins. So, you know, you gotta be thinking about how do people perceive you, okay? You know, if I went to your workplace and I went to your employer and I said, well, what do you think of so and so? What would they say? Say, well, he's a little strange, you know? Keeps telling me that the Jews are the cause for all the problems in the world. And I'm kind of using that one. Obviously, you know, that's kind of a, you know, just a, there's a lot of things, though, that you need to be thinking about here with that. But go to 1 John chapter two, 1 John chapter two. We need to be normal but peculiar to God. And listen, the thing that we do as far as going to church three times a week and going out soul winning, being King James only, you know, preaching what the Bible teaches on certain things. People are gonna think that's strange, but that's not what I'm talking about, okay? Cuz I want people to think I'm weird or strange because I'm just doing what the Bible teaches. I don't want them to think I'm weird or strange because of who I, my personality, okay? And how I, how I handle everything. And what people usually do with this is they justify it with the Bible. They're like, wow, the Bible says this. Now, the Bible doesn't say to be obnoxious. The Bible doesn't say to be flowery in everything that you say. The Bible doesn't say that you need to be weird at your workplace. You know, the Bible doesn't say this or that when it comes to all these things. And so there needs to be balance in that, okay? And 1 John chapter two, and what I'm showing you here is that there's gonna be a place where it says love not the world, but then we're also supposed to love the world, okay? So when you're reading through the Bible, sometimes there's gonna be these contradictory statements, if you will. You know, and obviously it's not contra, it's not a contradiction. It's just showing you two different aspects. Just as much as it says, whose heart is born of God doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin because he is born of God. And it says, and we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves from the truth that is not in us. Seems contradictory until you understand that you're talking about the flesh and the spirit, okay? Now, in 1 John chapter two and verse 15, it says, love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world, and the world passeth away, and the lust thereof. That he that doeth the will of God abideth forever, okay? Now, it actually defines for you what it means by love not the world here. It says, for all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. That's what we're not supposed to love, okay? But then, most famous verse in the Bible. John 3, 16, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life. Or have everlasting life, I'm sorry. For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved, okay? So which one is it? Well, when we're talking about the world there, we're talking about the lost. God so loved, God commendeth his love toward us, and that while we are yet sinners, Christ died for us. But it doesn't mean that he loved the wickedness that was going on, or the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes. We're supposed to not love that, okay? We're supposed to hate that. But we're supposed to love the world, meaning love the lost, okay? And this is where you can get too far and say, well, I just hate the world so much that I just can't stand these people and what. Now listen, it reprobates, it's a different story, okay? But I do feel like sometimes this gets out of balance where the hate for people is way more than it needs to be. Meaning this, that the majority of the people in the world we need to love. Whether they're doing wicked things or whatever, we need to love them. Now there is a certain percentage of people that are reprobate, that are doing reprobate things. I'm not saying to love that or love them, okay? But do you see how much of a different percentage that is? It's not 50-50, okay? So most of the time, I was talking to a Muslim lady with brother Aaron, this young girl, and she was kinda still, kinda hardcore into it. She says she wasn't versed on it, but she still knew a lot of stuff. Super nice, listening to the whole gospel, all that stuff. At the end of the conversation, I'm like, well, think about it, God bless you. Have a good day. Now you'd say, well, I thought that you're not supposed to bid them Godspeed. She's not preaching to me her gospel. She didn't come to my door. And she's not a prophet out there preaching that, okay? So if you run into a Mormon, or you run into even a Jehovah Witness. Now if they're saying, well, I'm going out and doing all this stuff, then I'm not saying to go say Godspeed to that person. But this girl was not out there preaching the gospel of Islam, okay? But she was definitely searching for things. And so when it comes to that, you need to meet them where they're at. And if she asked me what I thought about certain things, I'm gonna tell her. But I didn't just come in and be like, oh, you're Muslim? Did you know that Muhammad's a pedophile? You know what I mean? You don't start off with that. But think about this when you're in your daily conversation, if you're at work. And let's say you worked with someone that was a Muslim. Do you go up to them and just say, do you know your prophet's a pedophile? I hate Muhammad. You know, it's true that he's a pedophile and that you hate Muhammad. But at the same time, do you understand that that's weird? That's not the way that you're supposed to be approaching that, okay? And so, and like I said, a lot of this stuff I'm just kind of seeing. I see out there, and I saw it before the new IFB, as far as people that are strange. I saw this when I was going to Campus Crusades when I was in college. I just started going to college, and I just remember the guys being really weird. And by the way, this contemporary Christian, these megachurches, they're weird, okay? They're really weird. It's this over spiritual, emotionalistic garbage, and it's weird, okay? And I remember seeing this for the first time, because I didn't grow up in some contemporary Christian-type church, okay? I grew up Catholic, and then I went to non-denominational churches. We're more conservative singing hymns, right? So when I came to college, and I went to this Bible study thing, and you see these people, and I'm like, this is weird. The guys seem effeminate, and the girls are more of the leaders than the guys. And all I could think of when I went to that is, if I was an outsider looking at this, I'd be like, I don't want to be a Christian because I don't want to be weird like this, okay? And you say, well, but you know that the gospel has nothing to do with the people. Yeah, but they're going to behold your good works so they may glorify God in the day of visitation. Meaning this is that, yeah, we know that salvation's not by works. It's not a matter of what your personality's like or whatever, but that's what they see, okay? So if they came into this church, and everybody was just acting like a bunch of weirdos, they're going to be like, I don't want to come to this church, and I don't want to be a part of that group of Christianity. And they're going to be turned off from the very onset before you even get to the gospel, okay? So the moral is that when you go up to somebody or you're talking to people, whether at work or even out soul winning, you want to act like a normal person that's not like this over-spiritual Christian or even like in the contemporary world, you know, like very emotionalistic and all this other stuff, you know, just be normal. Just be a normal, you know, guy or a normal girl that's coming up there. They're already going to think you're a little strange because you're coming up to their door with the gospel. You know, don't add to that, okay? Now, like I said, you know, we're supposed to love the world and love them to give them the gospel, okay? And we need to be compassionate on this because not everybody's going to accept it, not everybody's going to be ready to hear it. And even if they persecute us or mock us, you know, stuff like that, the Bible says to bless them that persecute you. And people take that too far, I understand. I understand they take that too far when they say, you know, we're supposed to love our enemies and bless them that persecute us and all that. We're not talking about reprobates, put them on the back burner. And keep turning it up, you know? But at the same time, when you're dealing with this, you're going to run into a lot of people that aren't going to be nice to you. You're going to run into a lot of people that don't want to hear what you have to say, and you never know. They may end up getting saved later on. But in the end, we need to be nice to them, say, you know, we'll have a nice day, hope you'll look at that later. And, you know, just go on from that. Because here's the thing, if they're turned off because of the word of God, so be it. But I don't want them to be turned off just because of me. Okay? And you say, well, you're putting all these different things on us as far as, I can't think about all this stuff when I'm going through the door. Listen, I understand that, you know? When it comes to going out soul wanting, you just need to keep it simple, okay? Don't like to think about, well, pastor said I need to be like this, not like this. Listen, that takes time and discernment to know when you're dealing with certain people how to talk to that person and how not to say certain things. That takes time and discernment, okay? But why I'm preaching this is because it needs to be something that you're trying to do better. We should all try to do this better, okay? Now, go to James chapter four, James chapter four, because here's kind of another contrast as far as not being a friend of the world, but also making friends in the world, okay? This kind of goes into the workplace a little bit. And I'm not saying in the workplace that you're like a whole different person, okay? I'm not saying to be bipolar, okay? Don't get me wrong here. But what I'm saying is that your conversation's gonna be different with a co-worker than it's gonna be with your brother in Christ, because there's different things you're talking about, okay? So don't take this sermon the wrong one and be like, well, I need to be a bipolar Christian. That's not what this sermon's about. This is about being peculiar in the fact that you're doing great works for God, and you're living for God, you're being separate from God, but you're not being weird about it, okay? And Pastor Jimenez, I still think of this, this is from a long time ago, but he actually mentioned it when we were at the retreat last year. He said that there's just a lot of people that come to his church when he first started that was really weird. And I met some of these guys, and they're just a nice guy, you know? I'm not gonna say who they are, but they're just a little strange. They're socially awkward, all these different things. And his wife, I forget if it was him or his wife said it, but basically said, if Pastor Jimenez said, well, when are we gonna get normal people to start coming to our church? And then she says, well, I think it's our job to make them normal, or something like that. And it's true, because we all have different personalities and stuff like that. And I'm not saying everybody just lock and step, be like me and have my personality, we all have different personalities. But really what you should be doing is saying, okay, how was Jesus? Cuz we're supposed to be following his steps, right? How did Jesus talk to people? How did Jesus deal with certain situations? And if you're being above and beyond what Jesus did, then you're wrong, okay? It's like people are saying, well, shouldn't we do this or that? And shouldn't we love this person? Well, Jesus says not to do that. Are you better than Jesus, okay? Now in James chapter four and verse four, it says this. It says, ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. So this is a strong statement, because this is as a believer you can be an enemy of God. This is why it's important also to know that being an enemy of God doesn't equate to reprobate. Being a hater of God does, okay? So if you're a hater of God, yes, you're an enemy of God. But also a believer can be an enemy of God because you're not doing what he's telling you to do, and you're obviously hurting the cause of Christ, okay, by not keeping his commandments and all this. Go to Luke chapter 16, Luke chapter 16. Luke chapter 16, I think about this when I think about work, okay? Cuz people say, well, I'm just gonna be honest with you, you're around your coworkers a lot, okay? You spend a lot of time with coworkers. I mean, back before I was married, I saw my boss and my coworkers more than I saw the rest of my family. I just saw them on a more frequent basis, because you're there at least eight hours a day, or five days a week. I mean, you're spending a lot of time with these people, and if they're not saved, that's a lot of time with unsaved people that you're spending time with. And I don't believe there's anything wrong with that, okay? That's what I'm trying to get at here is that, if you're in a delusion to think that you're gonna just work with a bunch of saved people your whole life and never have to deal with unsaved people, then you're in la-la land somewhere thinking that's gonna happen, okay? And it's not what the Bible teaches as far as that we're supposed to be striving to do that, okay? Now if you work with all saved people, well, God bless you for having that opportunity. But you know what, I think most everybody in here would say that there's unsaved people at their workplace, okay? Now, in Luke chapter 16 and verse 9, notice what it says. And Jesus is talking, he says, I say unto you, make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness. That when ye fall, or when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much, and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own? So this is kind of a passage where people are like, what is this talking about? Well, especially when you think about the fact that we're not supposed to be friends with the world, okay? And we're not supposed to be unequally yoked with unbelievers. But this is talking about the fact that you're being friendly to people, right? You're being polite, you're being nice, you're being good workers. And you're being faithful in your job that's in the world, okay? And when it's talking about the unrighteous mammon, it's just talking about the fact that this is the temporary world that you live in, okay? And there's certain things that obviously we need to be, where your treasure is there, where your heart be also. So obviously you need to have your treasure as far as on eternal things. But at the same time, there are temporal things that you have to do. Because if you don't provide for your own, you're worse than an infidel, the Bible says. And so that means that you need to make money, you need to provide for your family. You need to go and do that temporal job, right? But what the Bible's saying is do it well and make friends with those people that you do it well with, okay? This isn't saying to be unequally yoked with them or just say, spend all your free time with them, go out to their parties and all this other stuff. That's not what it's saying, okay? It's not saying to hang out with them in your free time. If you're doing a job that is not a wicked job, then that's not doing something that's unequally yoked and doing wicked things with other people. Does that make sense? If you're out there, I think about taking out, picking up trash and stuff like that. You know, picking up trash with someone else and they're like helping do that or driving a truck or doing this stuff. That is not what second Corinthians six is talking about. Like, well, that guy's an unbeliever. You shouldn't be unequally yoked with that person. No, you need to be a good worker because what happens when you're a good worker? Then when you fail or something happens, they're gonna bring you up into everlasting habitations. What is that talking about? Well, how about an example of that if the world comes after you because you're a Christian and what you believe and everybody's asking them to fire you. Well, if you're a good worker and you can't be replaced because you're that needed as a worker, guess what they're gonna tell that person to do or those people that say they're gonna tell them to go pound salt. You know, it's kind of like when you think of, I think of Pastor Anderson many times with his building. The people would say, well, or the sodomites and all that stuff would come after him and say, and tell the landlord, be like, you need to evict him and throw him out and don't renew his lease. You know what the owner said? Because he doesn't agree with Pastor Anderson on like these issues. He's not like a fundamental Baptist. He said, okay, well, when you guys pay me $5,000 a month, then come talk to me. Because what does it mean? Meaning that Pastor Anderson's faithful to pay that unrighteous mammon, if you will, to someone that's not saved and guess what happens when someone's coming after you? They tell him to go pound salt because money's green and that person's faithful in what they do. So this is a very important point that, now, if you're this weird person that's just causing controversies all the time at work and you're just a liability to your company, guess what? Anytime persecution comes, they're gonna be like, yep, he's gone. And they're not gonna fight for you, okay? I think of Brother Jeff with his situation and how his whole department's rooting for him. They don't even agree with him on this subject. Most of them probably don't agree with him at all as far as why they're coming after him, but they say it's ridiculous, he's a good worker, he's done nothing that would suggest that he would do anything that would be against morality or anything like that or unethical and they're fighting for him. That's what this is talking about, but you have to be normal, you have to be a normal person that people are gonna say, you know, because I think about this, especially because people are constantly throwing attacks at me as far as like, well, he preaches that these people should be put to death, whether it's sodomites or adulterers or murderers or pedophiles or whatever. And I'm like, well, that's what the Bible says, first of all, but you know what you should have is a whole plethora of people, whether saved or lost, that's in your community that knows you and knows that you're a good person that's trying to do right, that you're not some psychopath, you're not some crazy person, you're just a normal person that believes what the Bible says. And they don't have to agree with you on that, but they can still look at you and say, that's a normal person, that's a normal human being that's raising his family that I've known for years and that is not what people are saying he is, okay? And what that's gonna do is kind of give you this, you know, God uses that. God uses those type of circumstances, but if you're not a good worker and you're a weird person in work or you're constantly causing problems and you're doing it under the guise of I'm super spiritual, I'm all this or that, then that's where you need to fix it, okay? So yeah, that's what it's talking about in Luke 16. It's not saying, you know, you need to go after filthy lucre, because obviously the Bible is against that. What it's saying though is being faithful in things that are temporal, and if you're faithful in that, God will put you over things that are eternal and also those people that you're faithful to will help you out, you know? They'll be there for you in the end in this world. And so we need to remember that as far as being peculiar but not weird, okay? Because if you're really weird and you're really weird about your Christianity, it makes people uncomfortable, okay? I know somebody, and the guy's a good guy and I like him and all that stuff, but do you ever have people that say things to you and they almost are putting you on, putting you to task, if you will? Kind of like, and this one guy would be like, you know, you call him up or you talk to him and they're like, I'm super blessed, are you blessed? And say things like that, and the guy saved it, I remember talking to him and stuff like that, and he would, and I'd say, yeah, I'm blessed, everything's going well and all this stuff. Be like, and that wouldn't be good enough though, like you didn't give him a good enough answer as far as like, why didn't you open up the conversation with that? You know, I don't wake up, I'm just gonna give you a little clue into how I wake up in the morning, I don't wake up in the morning and be like, to God be the glory, great things he hath done. I scare everybody in my house, my wife would punch me in the face, okay? But all that to say is that I don't go into work like that, okay? Because you gotta understand that that's gonna make people, one, feel a little uncomfortable, second of all, whether you're intending to do it or not, you're passing judgment on them for not being like you, or not being as spiritual as you, and it turns into that like, why aren't you as spiritual as I am in the way I talk, or why aren't you as spiritual as I am in the way that I praise God or do this or that, okay? And I'm not saying that the person that I'm talking to is like some really bad person, it's not, okay? There's no one in this building, okay? So I'm talking about brother Dave, okay? But all that to say is that, what I'm saying is that you may perceive it to be like I'm just trying to, you know, I don't know, show people that I love God, but what it turns into is this, you feel uncomfortable when you feel like they're judging you for not being like them, okay? And that's what you don't, you don't wanna have this, you don't want people to think that you're constantly judging them or making them feel like they're inferior spiritually, okay? A lot of the times, I'm just gonna be honest with you, you know, people will give me compliments, you know, either at work or something like that and be like, you know, I just remember talking, you know, people that I would work with for a long time and they're just like, like Jason's the real deal, you know, when it comes to Christianity, and I'm just like, man, I don't deserve that. And they're like, man, you're a believer too, and yeah, because there are people at my work that are believers and stuff like that. But I shouldn't be like, well, praise God, yes, you know, because I do this or that, you know, and you know, you need to not be flaunting it. They should see what you do by your consistency, by your hard work. And yes, I'm not saying that you can't sprinkle in some, you know, insight of the Bible, okay? But it shouldn't be to the point where there's like, listen, it's gonna be overboard where people are gonna be like, I don't wanna hear what the Bible says on all these different issues, okay? Now you may want to because you're here and you love the Bible and you're wanting to follow God. Unbelievers, they're gonna feel like you're judging them. They're gonna feel like you're trying to put them on blast or basically come down on them for not being as spiritual as you, okay? And I've felt that way and I'm a pastor of a church when I've talked to somebody that's a Christian and they've talked down to me, it's almost like they're talking down to you to be like, by being over spiritual. And it's almost kind of like they're looking at you like, well, what do you have to say about that? It's like, what do you want? You know, but it's that feeling, you know what I mean? And it's that weird kind of feeling where, and again, the person may not even be trying to do that. And some of the things that we do sometimes, we're not trying to be that way. Does that make sense? Like there's certain things that you can do to where you're not trying to come off that way. Some people have more of a blunt way of saying things and they're not trying to come off as being really crass or rude, just the way they talk. And different cultures are like this too where you need to be a lot softer with people. America's pretty blunt, so we're pretty up in your face as far as this is the way it is. But then there's other countries that are just like, you gotta be a little softer in how you approach it. Now go to Matthew chapter nine. Matthew chapter nine. And you know, this is something that Jesus dealt with where people were saying, you know, oh, if you're a prophet, then why are you doing this or that? Why are you hanging out with publicans and sinners? Okay, so again, this goes into the being in the world but not of the world. And Matthew chapter nine, verse 10, it says, and it came to pass as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, why eateth your master with publicans and sinners? But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, they that behold need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth. I will have mercy and not sacrifice for I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. So he's rebuking them because they're saying, well, why is he eating? I mean, if he's a prophet, and it's kind of like, remember when Mary Magdalene was washing his feet, you know, and wiping with her hair, and said, well, if he was a prophet, he'd know that this is a sinner right here. And he rebuked, you know, Simon, I have something to say to thee, right? And Simon, not Simon Peter, but different Simon. But all I'd say is that, you know, people are constantly coming down on Jesus for associating or being around unbelievers, and eating with them, okay? And so if Jesus is doing it, guess what, it's right to do, okay? Does that mean that Jesus is going off and drinking with these people and partying with the publicans and doing all this other stuff? No, they're coming unto him, and he's eating and drinking with them and socializing with them, okay? And I go to, are you in 1 Corinthians chapter five? 1 Corinthians chapter five. Now this is different when you're dealing with people in the church, or people that are believers, okay? So when we're talking about being in the world and being around that type of stuff, you might be around things that you don't want to see or hear and stuff like that as far as dealing with unbelievers. They're not, you know, fundamental Baptists that are the same stripe as you and all this other stuff. You know, you're gonna be, you know, kind of a little out of your element in those times. But when it comes to people that are believers, we're not to be hanging out with brothers that are in those sins. Does that make sense? So in 1 Corinthians chapter five verse nine, it says, I wrote unto you in an epistle not to accompany with fornicators. But he's making a point saying, this isn't just all fornicators, okay? It says in verse 10, yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world or with the covetous or extortioners or with idolaters, for then must we needs go out of the world. So he's talking about keeping company with people that are extortioners, idolaters, covetous, fornicators. But the point is, is that they're not brothers in Christ. They're not brothers and sisters in Christ. They're not saved, okay? But in verse 11, but now I have written unto you not to keep company if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator or covetous or an idolater or a railer or a drunkard or extortioner with such and one know not to eat. Now, first of all, that also shows you that someone can be saved and still do all those things but this is church discipline, right? We're not supposed to be, you know, if we find out someone is in one of these things like a habitual fornicator, covetous, idolater, all these different things, then, you know, church discipline takes place because we're not supposed to be keeping company with them. But at the same time, when it comes to unbelievers that are in those cases, guess what? I can go drink, not drink. I can go get food and drink, good night. No, no drinking at all, I've already preached on that. I can go eat and drink, that's what I meant to say. Eat and drink with people that are fornicators, with people that are covetous, with people that are idolaters. And that's fine because guess what? Jesus did that with people. You know, Mary Magdalene, you know, with the publicans and sinners and all that stuff. And what's the main purpose of that? To be in the world so that you can win them, okay? And you may not win them at the first chance, so you need, this may be something that you're doing to try to win somebody, okay? But if it comes to the point where they're now your best friend, and you're doing everything with them, that's where you're getting unequally yoked, okay? Or if you're ladies or young men that are wanting to get married, this is not what you're supposed to be doing as far as trying to find your significant other, okay? Meaning that if you're trying to get married, you're trying to find somebody to marry, then, now men, you could probably win a girl to Christ and all this stuff, and women, you can do that too, but at the same time, you should probably be starting off with someone that's saved, and then work on the things as far as what you believe on everything, okay? But go to Isaiah 65 is the last thing I'm gonna show you here. And when it comes to being weird, this is the number one thing I think of as far as Christianity goes, is being holier than thou. When I would think about what an unsaved person would think is weird about us is when we're really holier than thou, okay? Because honestly, they can't say much against what, I mean, when the Bible says something, they'll be like, oh, you're weird. It's what it says. You either don't understand grammar, or you don't like the Bible, but to say that I'm weird because I believe what it says, you're weird, okay? But when it comes down to this, I think of people that are holier than thou, and what does it mean to be holier than thou? I wanna show you the place where it says that in Isaiah 65. Isaiah 65 in verse one, it says, I am sought of them that asked not for me. I am found of them that sought me not. I said, behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name. I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts, a people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face that sacrifices in gardens and burneth incense upon altars of brick. Now, this is quoted, part of this is quoted in New Testament talking about Israel, okay? So if you wanna know who he's talking about here, that's what he's talking about. Now in verse four there it says, which remain among the graves and lodge in the mountains, which eat swine's flesh and broth of abominable things is in their vessels. So notice these people that he's talking about, okay? These are the same people that says they praise me with their lips, but their heart's far from me, right? But then it says, they're eating swine's flesh and abominable things. So obviously in the Old Testament, they were not supposed to eat swine or these abominable things, they were breaking those commandments. Verse five, which say, stand by thyself, come not near to me, for I am holier than thou. So when it's saying, being holier than thou, what it's talking about, if you wanna see a group of people, the Pharisees. And this isn't just the Pharisees, but throughout the Bible you can see this, but people that say, don't come near to me, I'm holier than you, but yet in their back closet, they have more skeletons than the person that they're saying that to, okay? So holier than thou, what's that talking about? Well go to Matthew chapter six, because this is what I think about people that are flaunting their Christianity, flaunting their spirituality. When I see that it's a red flag, because I automatically think of holier than thou and the fact that they have something in their closet that they're hiding, okay? Because when people flaunt things, it's kind of like when people are constantly on the defense to defend something, as far as like, well I didn't do this or that, and it's just like they're on the cuff trying to defend something, it's like you seem guilty, okay? You know if people, if let's say you're right on something, then you tend to just be like, yeah I'm right about that, you know? Like it or lump it. But if you're constantly just like, I need to defend this, I need to defend this, I need to defend this to somebody, then you either don't believe that you're right about it, or you know, something's up there, does that make sense? When you're constantly trying to go overboard with trying to either defend something or to prove a point, okay? Now, you say well you're always up here preaching, listen, the foolishness of preaching is how God, you know, I'm preaching this because it needs to be preached over and over and over again. I'm not trying to convince myself, okay? Does that make sense? Like I already believe it. I'm trying to convince other people that don't know it, okay? But anyway, so in Matthew chapter six, there's a lot in here, but it's basically talking about the fact of being flaunting, having a facade that you're holy, and flaunting something but inside you're a hypocrite, okay? So in Matthew chapter six verse one it says, take heed that you do not your alms before men to be seen of them, otherwise you have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore, when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men, verily I say unto you, they have their reward, okay? But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth, that thine alms may be in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. So basically they're sounding a trumpet like, I'll give you an idea, when you see these little Facebook videos of people helping out people on the street, that's exactly what he's talking about. It always baffles me when people are like, when they'll videotape giving like some $100 tip to some waitress and think that's like, they should be praised for that. You're a hypocrite! Because what are you doing that for? Why are you videotaping that? Why are you videotaping that woman crying because you gave her a $100 tip? Why don't you just give it to her and do it in secret and just let the chefs follow where they may? And I can't stand that. When I see that type of stuff and people have whole like ministries where they're just like doing these videos where they go to homeless people, most of these people should not eat because they're not working by the way. That's unpopular but that's what the Bible teaches. But second of all, they're doing it to be seen of men because they're a bunch of hypocrites. And you know, what are they doing? They're showing their over spirituality. They're showing that they're holier than you, right? It's like when you get those commercials where it's like the child sitting in a puddle and be like, are you? Is this child worth a penny every month? And it's just this condescending, holier than thou attitude and this is show, okay? Now, going on from there, dealing with prayer as well. Verse five, it says, And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy father which is in secret, and thy father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions as the heathen do, for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them, for your father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him. So what is he saying here? Well, with prayer, you ever hear those people that have those flowery prayers and you're like, listen, shut this thing down. I'm hungry and my food's getting cold. Now, some people may not be realizing that they're doing this. But the question you have to ask yourself is if you're in any of these groups as far as sounding a trumpet or being over spiritual is why are you doing it? Because ultimately, is it because I wanna be seen? You know, I want people to know that I'm spiritual? You know, then that's the wrong attitude, okay? That's that holier than thou, like I'm trying to show you how spiritual I am, okay? And the last thing there in verse 16 is dealing with fasting, you know, as far as not being a show about it. This is funny because the Catholics literally do the opposite of this for Lent, right? That's what it says in verse 16. Moreover, when ye fast, be not as the hypocrites of a sad countenance, for they disfigure their faces that they may appear unto men to fast. Fairly I say unto you, they have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head and wash thy face, that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. Who here has seen the ashes that they put on their forehead? What does the Bible say? It says to wash your face. It's literally the opposite of what they do. Isn't that uncanny? So it's, but why are they putting the ash on their face? Look at me. You know, I am, you know, basically fasting for the Lord. And it's usually, a lot of these times, it's because they were out doing a bunch of lewd things the night before they did that, and then they put this ash on their face, and now they're a bunch of hypocrites. For now, they're being a big show about the fact that they're fasting. And they're not really fasting, they're like giving up like their favorite TV show for a month or something like that, you know? But all that to say is that you say, well, do you fast, or how long have you ever fast? I'm not telling you. I don't want to lose my reward. It's like if I fasted for 40 days and 40 nights, you better believe I'm not telling anybody about that. You know? I want my reward for that if I did that. I've never done it for 40 days and 40 nights. And I don't necessarily recommend that, that'd be a little dangerous. But at the same time, all that to say is that you should ask yourself in these situations, and I think workplace is probably a good place to judge this, okay? What do people think of me at work? Would someone say, yeah, that's just a normal, everyday guy right there. You know, he's a good guy, right? I don't think he doesn't drink or do this or that, but he's just a normal, everyday guy that's got the same, listen, Elijah had the same passions as we are, you know, and he was a great prophet of God, but he wasn't like some weird guy, okay? He was just a normal guy. Same with Paul, he was just a normal guy. And all of us can be normal people out in the world, we need to be peculiar because we're God's people, okay? And just by reading the Bible and doing what it says and living a straight laced life will make people think you're weird, okay? That's okay, okay? But what I'm saying is don't be weird on top of that. Don't like take it overboard to where you're now being a showy type of Christian, okay? I'd rather someone say, listen, that guy, he represents Christianity and I didn't say anything about it. You know, it's just in my conversation, it's the way I present myself, it's the way I carry myself. You know, people can know in meetings that I'm not, you know, I don't cuss. You know how they know? Because they haven't heard me cuss, okay? They can know that I don't drink because I go to certain events or whatever and I never get anything to drink. Alcoholic, right? I'll get something to drink, okay? But all I have to say is that they'll know. Listen, they'll figure this out. People aren't that dumb, okay? They'll figure out that you are a Christian and I'm not saying that you can't bring up the gospel and you can't win your co-workers to Christ because you can, okay? But if you're weird all the time to them and you're condescending in the way that you're bringing across your Christianity, they're not gonna wanna listen to you, okay? And so, all I have to say is that I've wanted to preach this for a while because I've seen this my whole Christian life, okay? I've seen this in the contemporary world. I've seen this in old independent Baptist church world. This gets into the clothing where people, the girls are like, oh, you gotta wear this frumpy clothing to be a good, godly Christian. No, you don't. You could wear a nice dress. There are plenty of ladies in here that are wearing very beautiful dresses that I think anybody in the world would say, that looks nice. And they're not looking at you and be like, ah, look at that Amish person over there. You know what I mean? You don't have to be weird. You can be normal, okay? No one's looking at my suit right now and saying, this is weird. I hope not. But they're not looking at me like, that's a weird outfit for him to wear, okay? And so, the way that we show people that we're Christians is that we open our mouth boldly and make known unto them the mystery of the gospel, okay? We don't have to do it with all this other stuff around it and we don't wanna be superficial when we do it. So, be peculiar, not weird. Let's end with a word of prayer. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for today and thank you for your word and just pray that you be with us throughout today as far as the fellowship that we have together but also as we go out soul winning, Lord, I pray that you would lead us to people that wanna get saved and Lord, I pray that you give us boldness. I pray that you deliver us from any unreasonable or wicked men. We pray that your word would have free course and Lord, we just thank you for, I thank you for this church and for all the soul winners here and all the families and just everybody and everything that they do for this church and just pray that you'd help us to be like you, Lord Jesus and to emulate you in everything that we can do and Lord, we love you and pray also in Jesus Christ's name, amen.