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Your song books and turn to song 182. Song 182 in your song books. We'll sing Wonderful Story of Love. If you would stand, we'll sing song 182. Wonderful story of love. Tell it to me again. Wonderful story of love. Wake the immortal stain. Angels with rapture announce and Shepherds with wonder receive and Sinner, oh won't you believe in Wonderful story of love. Wonderful, wonderful, Wonderful, Wonderful story of love. Wonderful story of love. Though you are far away, Wonderful story of love. Still he doth call today. Calling from Calvary's mountain Down from the crystal bright fountain Heed from the dawn of creation Wonderful story of love. Wonderful, wonderful, Wonderful, wonderful, Wonderful story of love. Wonderful story of love. Jesus provides a rest Wonderful story of love. For all the pure and blessed Rest in those mansions above us With those who've gone on before us Singing the rapturous chorus Wonderful story of love. Wonderful, wonderful, Wonderful, wonderful, Wonderful story of love. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, Lord, again, we just want to thank you, God, for the privilege and honor that it is to be in your house in such a good church, God. I pray, Lord, that you would just bless in everything that's said and done and fill our past with your power and your spirit. For it's in Jesus' name we ask all, amen. You may be seated and turn in your songbooks to song 149. Song 149, we'll sing Trusting Jesus, song 149. Simply trusting every day Trusting through a stormy way Even when my faith is small Trusting Jesus, that is all Trusting as the moments fly Trusting as the days go by Trusting Him what e'er befall Trusting Jesus, that is all Brightly doth His Spirit shine Into this poor heart of mine While He leads I cannot fall Trusting Jesus, that is all Trusting as the moments fly Trusting as the days go by Trusting Him what e'er befall Trusting Jesus, that is all Singing if my way is clear Praying if the path be drear If in danger for Him call Trusting Jesus, that is all Trusting as the moments fly Trusting as the days go by Trusting Him what e'er befall Trusting Jesus, that is all Trusting Jesus, that is all Trusting Him while life shall last Trusting Him till earth be past Till within the jasper wall Trusting Jesus, that is all Trusting as the moments fly Trusting as the days go by Trusting Him what e'er befall Trusting Jesus, that is all Amen. So welcome to Mount Baptist Church on this Wednesday evening. And just some announcements here. As you see the service times on the bulletin, everything should be normal this week. So as far as Sunday is concerned, everything should be normal. It's a winning time at 1 p.m. And then we have the regional times throughout the week as well. So just note that the Thursday went to Wednesday. That's the only thing that's really different on there. And then we have the men's prayer meeting at the end of the month here on the 26th. And then beginning in June we have the women's prayer meeting there. We have the sowing marathons coming up in June. I'm going to be doing a video on the Philadelphia one to kind of give some info and put that out there. And so get with Brother Charles if you want to go to that one. And then on the 24th we're going to be going into Indianapolis. So if you're wanting to go and you haven't already, let us know that you're going to be planning on going. Let Brother Dave or I know so that we're trying to make sure that we have basically lodging, you know, hotel rooms prepared for all those that will be going out. So, anyway, just let us know. And obviously everybody's welcome to come and we'll figure it out. But just let us know on that. And that'll be on the 24th of June. And so, and then chapter memory of the month we have Psalm 120 and then Philippians 2 four, look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others is the memory verse for the week. And then just on the pregnancy list there, be in prayer for Miss Tiara, Amanda, and Jennifer on the pregnancy list there. Pray everything goes well there. I think that's about all I have for announcements. Just be in prayer for those that maybe aren't feeling well. Sickness is going around, allergies, all that stuff. Brother Lane, congratulations on the graduation. So, that's exciting. So, I was gonna congratulate you in person. But you know what, I'll just do it in front of everybody. But yeah, that's pretty awesome. And then that's about all I have right now. We're gonna be doing part two of Luke chapter 12. So, I didn't get through it all last week. So, we're gonna finish it up tonight, Lord willing. And then offering boxes in the back there, if you wanna give a tie to their offering by the baby rooms for the mothers and babies only. I believe Brother David, you're gonna be reading. So, we're gonna be reading the whole chapter again. So, and so, but before that, Brother Dave's gonna lead us in one more song. All right, take your songbooks and turn to song 231. Song 231. We'll sing Sunlight. And we'll sing song 231. I've wandered in the shades of night till Jesus came to me. I've wandered in the shades of night till Jesus came to me. And with the sunlight of His love bid all my darkness flee. Sunlight, sunlight in my soul today. Sunlight, sunlight all along the way. Since the Savior found me, took away my sin, I have had the sunlight of His love within. Though clouds may gather in the skies, I have had the sunlight of His love within. While the sky and bellows round me roll, however dark the world may be, I've sunlight in my soul. Sunlight, sunlight in my soul today. Sunlight, sunlight all along the way. Since the Savior found me, took away my sin, I have had the sunlight of His love within. While walking in the light of God, I speak communion fine. I press with holy wind and leave the world behind. Sunlight, sunlight all along the way. Sunlight, sunlight all along the way. Since the Savior found me, took away my sin, I have had the sunlight of His love within. I cross the wide extended fields, I journey o'er the plain. And in the sunlight of His love, I reap the golden grain. Sunlight, sunlight in my soul today. Sunlight, sunlight all along the way. Since the Savior found me, took away my sin, I have had the sunlight of His love within. Soon I shall see Him as He is the light that came to me. Behold the brightness of His face through eternity. Sunlight, sunlight in my soul today. Sunlight, sunlight all along the way. Since the Savior found me, took away my sin, I have had the sunlight of His love within. All right, take your Bibles and turn to Luke chapter number 12. Luke chapter number 12. In your Bibles we'll have Brother Dave read that for us. Luke 12, if you found your place, amen. And the Bible reads, In the meantime, when they were gathered together in an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they twirled one upon another, He began to say unto His disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. If there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed. By the head, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light, and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. And I say unto you, my friends, be not afraid of them that kill the body, and have to have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you, that whom ye shall fear, fear him, as art he that hath killed, hath power to cast into hell. Ye are saying to you, fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two fathoms, and not one of them is forgotten before God? Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore, you are of more value than many sparrows. Also I say unto you, Whoso shall confess me before man, and shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God? Be that denieth me before man shall be denied before the angels of God. And whoso shall speak a word against the Son of man but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven. And when they bring you under the synagogues and the magistrates and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer or what ye shall say. For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say. And when the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider of you? And he said unto them, Take heed and beware of covetousness, and he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do. I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say unto my soul, Soul, thou hast much good laid up for many years, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy souls shall be saved. And he said to his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, neither for the body what ye shall put on. The life is more than me, and the body is more than raiment. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, for it is neither have storehouse nor barn, and God feedeth them, how must mow ye better than the fowls? And wish of you, with taking thought, given to you that Solomon in all his glory was not afraid like one of these. If then God shall clothe the grass as is today in the field, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, how much more would he clothe you, O ye of little faith? And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after, and your father knoweth that ye have need of these things, but rather seek ye the kingdom of God, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approaches, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Let your loins be gated about, and your lights burning, and ye yourselves, like under men, not wait for their load, when ye will return from the wedding, that when ye come at the knocketh they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he cometh have blessed all those servants. In this note, that if the government of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered, his house would be broken through. Be therefore ready also, for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when ye think not. Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all? And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and right steward in all that he hath? But and if that servant saith unto himself, My lord delayeth his coming, and shall begin to beat the men servants and the maidens, and to eat, drink, and to be drunken. And the Lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him on Sunday, and appoint him his person with the unbelievers. And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, but said unto him, of him shall must be required. And to whom men have committed months, of him will they ask them earth. I am come to send fire on the earth, and what will I if it be already kindled? But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straight until it be accomplished? Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth, I tell ye nay, but rather division. For from henceforth there shall be five and one house divided, three against two and two against three. The fathers shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father, and he shall also to the people. When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straight ye say, that cometh a sower, and so it is. And when ye see the south wind, below ye say, there will be heat, and it cometh the past. He hypocrites. He can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it that ye do not discern this time? Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right? When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, I tell thee that thou shalt not depart then till thou hast paid the very last night. Let's pray. Dear Lord, I thank you for this opportunity to come back to church, pray that ye feel past with the Spirit, help us all be at a fight in Jesus' name. Amen. So you're there in Luke chapter 12, and last week we got about halfway through. Actually, we're gonna be starting there in verse 35. Verse 35. And I just wanted to spend a little more time. I probably could have rushed through this last portion of the chapter, but there's a portion in here that I kind of wanted to hit on. You probably could do a whole sermon about it, but it has to do with being ready and dealing with, you know, when Jesus comes back again and all this. And so I just wanted to hit on this and really kind of explain this because sometimes it's taken out of context. People will, you know, try to say you can lose your salvation, like all these different things and just misunderstanding what's being said. Let your loins be girded about and your lights burning and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for the Lord when he will return from the wedding then when he cometh and knocketh they may open unto him immediately. So what it's stating here is being ready, obviously, your loins girded about and the idea is that you're ready to go, right? That you're not in your pajamas, right? You know, you got your Duluth pants on and you got your leather you know, girdle, you know, or leather belt, you know, that's holding those things up. And, you know, all joking aside, but basically the idea here is that you are ready to go and the Bible talks about, you know, girding up the loins of your mind and obviously when we're talking about your lights being burnt, your lights, as it says here, let your lights be burnt, let your lights, let your loins be girded about and your lights burning. And so the idea is that you're awake, right? You're watching, you're waiting, you're ready to go. That's pretty much the premise is that you're ready to go, that you're not sleeping, you're awake. Now, obviously, this isn't stating that you can never sleep, right? And what we're talking about is basically being spiritually ready. Obviously, both in the inner man and obviously putting on the inner man and putting on the new man at all times as much as possible. But keep reading there in verse 37, it says, blessed are those servants whom the Lord, when he cometh, shall find watching. Verily I say unto you that he shall gird himself and make them to sit down to meet and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch or come in the third watch and find them so, blessed are those servants. And know that if the good men of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not have suffered his house to be broken through. Be therefore ready also for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when ye think not. Now, go to 1 Thessalonians 5 because what I really want, I'm just gonna lay out exactly what I believe on this subject, okay? Is that when you get saved, when you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, spiritually speaking, you're ready. Does that make sense? You're ready. You're ready to go. It's not a matter of, like, one day you're ready and the next day you're not, spiritually speaking. No, your spirit and your soul is ready at all times the moment you believe. But what's not always ready is your flesh, okay? You're not always physically ready, okay? And I want to show a distinction because if you remember Jesus says the Spirit truly is what? The Spirit truly is, actually in Mark it says ready. In other places it'll say willing, right? The Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Well, in Mark it says the Spirit truly is ready. Like, it is ready but the flesh isn't necessarily ready. And what does he say to him? Watch, right? Because the question is, you know, when you get into these passages and watching and waiting some people will say, well, if you're not watching then you're going to miss the boat, right? If you're, like, if you're not doing what you should be doing then you're going to miss the boat and you're not going to be not going to be in the rapture, you know, you're going to be thrown with the hypocrites and all this other stuff, right? And what you have to understand is that there's being spiritually ready which all believers are already there, okay? And in some places it'll say you're ready, right? And in other places it'll say be ready. It's like, well, I thought I was already ready, right? The idea is, like, well, if I'm ready then why do I need to be ready? Why is this commandment here, right? And it really comes down to this is that if you've received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him. Now are you light in the Lord so walk ye as children of light? If you live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit and there's the difference, okay? Is the fact that spiritually speaking you're ready, you're light, you're good to go, you're awake, right? You're illuminated. But are you walking in it, though? Are you actually ready physically, right? Are you walking in the Spirit on a daily basis, right? Are you dying daily and putting on the new man on a daily basis and when Jesus comes are you that person? Or are you the person that's just saved but you're not doing anything, you're not actually watching or waiting physically, okay? So in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 and verse 1 here, clearly dealing with the rapture, okay, because chapter 4 is the famous rapture passage, okay, the coming of the Lord, him coming in the clouds, us being caught up together and also cometh as a thief in the night. And even states in Luke that it's like, well, is it in the third watch, in the fourth watch? You know, we don't know. Mark even talks about is it in the morning, is it cock crowing, is it, you know, is it midnight? We don't know. And by the way, depending on what part of the earth you're on, because the earth is round, it's going to be different depending on what part of the world you're at. So we don't know and that's why the Bible doesn't say, well, I'm coming in the morning. It's like, well, then everybody better be congregated in that one area where it's morning on the earth, okay? But obviously, it's going to be different depending where, what part of the globe you're on when this happens. But keep reading there. It says in verse 3, it can happen at any moment, right? Because he comes as a thief in the night. But that's not what it's stating. Actually, notice what it says here in verse 3. It says, Then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a woman with child and they shall not escape. Notice, they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, notice the separation here. It's going to come upon them as a thief in the night, but ye, brethren, are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief. Now, notice that it's, should overtake you as a thief, meaning that it could end up taking you over as a thief if you're not watching and waiting, okay? But it says, Ye are the children of light and the children of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. So notice the present tense, ye are the children of light, ye are the children of the day. And it's just like ye are light in the Lord, so walk ye as children of light. And that's where it gets into the fact that, okay, why are we being commanded to watch? Why is there a commandment to be ready? And we get to the consequences if you're not, okay? It's not hell, okay, if you're not ready. But there is consequences for the believer that's not watching and waiting, okay? And, but, so it says, Therefore let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep, sleep in the night, they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love and for in helmet the hope of salvation. Putting on the whole armor of God, right? And the idea here is that ye are children of light, we're children of the day, we're saved, that day shouldn't take us over as a thief. It's gonna take the unsaved world over as a thief, right? But it shouldn't take us over as a thief. So this whole idea of like, well, he comes as a thief in the night, brother, it's like, well, then that's a rebuke against you then if it does, because the Bible says it shouldn't. Okay? So this isn't talking about him immanent, it's just the fact that we don't know when he's coming, but if you're watching and waiting, then it's not gonna just be a surprise to you when it happens. I mean, if you see the abomination of desolation and then you see Jesus coming in the clouds after that, are you just gonna be like, man, I had no idea this was about to happen. I mean, when you're in that, it's gonna be, you're gonna be looking for it, right? At that point, you're gonna be, you know, lift up your heads, look up for your redemption, draw an eye, which, you know, Luke 21, we'll get to eventually. But when it comes to this, you say, well, what's the problem if I'm not watching and waiting, right? Physically, like, you know, I'm walking in a new man and all that. Well, one, there's promises given to those that are keeping the word of his patience and those that love the Lord and that are serving him that you won't be hurt during that time. That he'll keep you from the hour of temptation that's gonna come upon the whole world. That I believe that you'll actually be able to stand there and look up and see Jesus coming in the clouds because he that endureth unto the end, the same shall be saved. But you have to endure. You have to be watching and waiting and, you know, serving the Lord at that time, okay? And that promise is given to them, right? But also, in context, what is it stated here as far as why you should be watching? In verse 12 there, it says, he would have watched, in the end of verse 12, or I'm sorry, verse 39, so chapter 12, verse 39, at the end of that verse, it says, he would have watched and not have suffered his house to be broken through. Now, you can obviously see how that would apply just in a physical manner, right? That if you knew what time the thief was coming, you wouldn't have, you would have, like, you would have, you know, made sure that thief wasn't gonna break through, right? Shoot him in the face, I don't know, you know, whatever you have to do to make sure they don't do what they're doing. But think about this, though. There's two different men that are given as examples when it comes to the coming of the Lord. Two different time periods and two different men. If you remember Noah, right? Noah and the flood is given and Lot is given as an example. Now, Noah, you know, it says in the days, it'll be like the days of Noah and it'll be like the days of Lot. So we can obviously understand that there's gonna be great violence because that's why God flooded the earth because there's violence and their thoughts were continually evil at that time. But then, Noah, or Lot, you can definitely understand because it's Sodom and Gomorrah, right? So the awakeness is Sodom and Gomorrah. But look at the two men. Noah and the flood is gonna be great. Noah and his whole house was saved, physically, from the flood, okay? Lot, not so much. Lot had, you know, at least two daughters that died because it talks about his sons-in-law, plural. Like, so he had at least two daughters that died there because they didn't go with him. So he had two daughters that died there because they didn't go with him. And then he had two daughters that went out with him and his wife ended up turning into a pillar of salt. So think about, okay, what's the consequence, Christian, if you're not watching and waiting? Is that your house might be broken up, meaning that some of your house may not make it through there. Just thinking about the physical manner. Let's say all your house is saved, okay? Let's say Noah is saved. Okay? Let's say both, you got two groups, you got two different families here. They're both, everybody's saved in the family. Everybody's believers. But the one family's going to church, living for the Lord, watching, waiting, trying to walk in a new man, raising their children up in the nursery and admonition of the Lord. The other family, they're saved, but they're not going to church, not doing what they should be doing. They're just living for the world, all of that, right? Well, do you think that same protection is going to be on this one, when it comes to physically making it through that horrible time of pestilence, famine, and that time of great tribulation such as the world has never seen before? And it says that no flesh would be saved, except those days would be shortened, meaning like every Christian would die unless he shortened those days. But also think about this. Think about the fact that if you were to look at this more of a, let's say we're not talking about when Jesus comes, we're talking about just in your lifespan, right? Those that go to church and are doing what they should be doing are more likely going to get their family saved than those that don't, okay? Meaning that he may come and then some of your family members aren't even saved. But even if they are saved, I don't know about you, but I want to have that level of protection that I'm like Noah in that time that I can be saved out of that great tribulation that my family will be saved during that whole time and that we'll all be standing there and I could be holding my children, well, if they're older, then I won't be holding them, but I could be around my whole family and we could be looking up as Jesus comes in the clouds and we'll be caught up together and we'll be the ones that are alive and remain until the end and we're saved physically So there is a reason for being ready because the person that thinks you can lose, well, what do you need to be ready for then? What's the consequence? It's not hell. It's like there's a lot of consequences and when it comes to this, your house being broken up, I don't want to be Lot, I want to be Noah. Okay? So go to Matthew chapter 25, Matthew chapter 25. Now as you're turning there, if you can keep your finger in Luke chapter 12, there's going to be two different groups that are going to be spoken about here, meaning this is that in Luke 12, 35 down to 40, I believe he's just speaking, he's speaking about saved people but not just saved people but at a different level, the wise and faithful servant, right? We're dealing with, we're dealing with someone that's watching and waiting, okay? And we're just dealing with saved people. We're just talking about saved people here, okay? But the thing that's mentioned there that's very interesting, right, is that it's talking about, you're there in Matthew 25, we're going to be talking about the 10 virgins, right? But in Luke 12, verse 36, it says, And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord when he will return from the wedding, so notice that it's likening this unto a wedding, okay? That when he cometh and knocketh they may open unto him, immediately, okay? What do you think about this when you're looking at the story of the 10 virgins, okay? Notice what it says in verse 1. It says, Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto 10 virgins which took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom. So we're talking about a wedding, talking about the bridegroom, same kind of context here. It says, But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. Now, I preached on this. This is as clear as the noses on my face that the five wise virgins are saved and the five foolish are not saved, okay? I don't see any other way to look at this besides the fact that the wise ones are saved, they have the Spirit of God, the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, okay? The anointing, you know, the oil, right? The Holy Ghost, the Spirit of God and that the foolish didn't have oil. Now, some people say, well, you know, well, you know, they didn't, it's the fact that they just didn't bring extra oil. Does it say extra oil? Or does it say they didn't have oil, okay? They didn't bring oil. The foolish took no oil with them. No oil, okay? It doesn't say they had oil in their lamp, they just didn't bring extra. No, they had no oil, okay? The thing that I want you to notice here is verse five, it says, while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. Do you notice that? That means the wise ones slept too. They all slumbered and slept, okay? And at midnight there was a cry made, behold, the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps and the foolish said unto the wise, give us of your oil for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered saying, not so lest there be not enough for us and you but go ye rather to them that sell and buy for yourselves. So obviously they don't have their lamps, they don't have oil, they're not saved, they're going to go buy oil. But by the time they get back, notice what it says in verse 10. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, notice this, and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage and the door was shut. So notice that the wise ones slept but they were ready. Why? Because they had oil in their lamps, okay? But they slept. Did they go in immediately? No, they had to be waken up. That make sense? They had to be, they were all slumbering and it was the Bible say that we are not, we are not to be asleep. We're not to be those that sleep but we're to be awake and watch and be ready, right? So they weren't physically ready but they were spiritually ready. They didn't open, you know, they didn't open the door immediately, right, when he came and knocked but the door was open and they went in. But it says the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch ye therefore for you know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh. So spiritually speaking, those virgins were ready, right? They were ready but they had the oil in their lamps but they weren't physically watching like they should have been, right? They were sleeping, okay? They were slumbering but guess what? They went in because you know what mattered? They had oil in their lamps, right? That's what matters. Now, Luke 12 is hitting on the fact of not only do you have oil in your lamps but you're also physically watching and waiting. Your lights are burning and your loins are girded about, right? That's the premise there is that your loins are girded about, and when he comes, it's not a matter of like, oh, I gotta get my bearings, I gotta figure out what's going on. No, it's just like, boom, open that door, let's go. And that's the state that you wanna be in. Now obviously, I'd rather you be in the state that you're saved, right? And you're sleeping when he comes than be the foolish ones that don't have oil in their lamps, okay? So when you're dealing with being ready, spiritually speaking, all safe people are ready. Whether they're sleeping or watching when he comes, they're all going in, right? Because we all have oil in our lamps, we all have the Holy Ghost inside of us, we're all saved, and all believers are gonna be caught up together with him in the clouds. But God wants us to not be slumbering, okay? And so when you get to, what I wanna make a note here is that, go back to Luke chapter 12, is that sometimes when you're talking about being ready and it's talking about being ready, sometimes it's talking about being physically ready and the contrast of who he's talking about sometimes you have to look at, right? Are we talking about Christians that are ready and Christians that are not ready? Are we talking about Christians that are not ready and then unsaved people that are not ready, kind of like the virgins, right, where they're spiritually ready, right? The virgins are spiritually ready, the five are and the other five aren't. But they're both spiritually ready. They're both kind of sleeping when he comes, right? Physically speaking. Kind of like Peter and all them, when Jesus comes back, they're asleep. And he says what? The spirit is ready but the flesh is weak. Pray ye therefore that you go not into temptation, right? So that's why we should be praying, watching and being physically ready as well, right? Not just spiritually because there's an added blessing on that. Now in Luke chapter 12, verse 41, what's gonna happen here is really Matthew 25 where you're gonna have the first group he's talking about saved people. The second group he's talking about unsaved people, okay? And notice what it says in verse 41. And I believe verse 41 really does set us up to understand that we're not just talking about saved people, right? Because what does Peter ask here? It says then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us which is a testament to all? And that's kind of setting you up to say, hey, is this just for us or is this for everybody? So think about who is he speaking to to begin with? He's speaking to like the 12, right? He's speaking to his disciples. He's speaking to those that we would consider to be the ones that are walking in the spirit and watching and waiting. Their loins are good about and their lights are burning, right? They're doing what they should be doing. He's speaking that directly to them, right? But then he's saying is this just to us or is this to all? So now it's kind of like a broader, broader brush of I believe he's gonna be dealing with saved people, unsaved people, okay? But I think that this dichotomy, if you will, is more of a saved children of God, unsaved, like children of the devil type of dichotomy. And you'll see this a lot where you'll see the sheep and the goats or you'll see this talking about like false prophets and good prophets. A good tree and a corrupt tree, right? And it's really dealing with children of God, children of the devil, right? And then the group of just unsaved people in general is not really being talked about, okay? Because, and I'm gonna give you my reasons why I believe it's more of the extreme when you're dealing with the unsaved. You're not just dealing with the typical unsaved, okay? But in Luke chapter 12 and verse 41, it's kind of setting us up, you know, that hey, this isn't just to his disciples that are doing what they should be doing, all this stuff. This is also the saved and unsaved. He's kind of, this is, he's talking to everybody, right? But in verse 42, which obviously Matthew 25 would be talking to a bigger group too. It's not just talking about the saved. But it says in verse 42, it says, and the Lord said, who then is that faithful and wise steward whom his Lord shall make roll her over his household to give them their portion or meat in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath. So he's kind of drawing back to what he was just talking about, right? And there's that servant, right? But what about this other servant? But if that servant say in his heart my Lord delayeth his coming and shall begin to beat the men servants and maidens and to eat and drink and to be drunken, the Lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him and at an hour when he is not aware and will cut him in sunder and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. Now, you could say, well, I think this is a saved person that's basically gonna be thrown to the wolves, you know? But it says the Lord of that servant will come in a day. So it's talking about when he comes, right? So I don't believe this is like talking about the fact that, well, if you're not doing what you should be doing, you're doing all this stuff, then basically during that tribulation you're gonna have a hard time. Because we're talking about ad is coming, right? Ad is coming this is happening and he's being given his portion with the unbelievers. I believe you're dealing with an unbeliever, okay? He's just having his portion with them because he's an unbeliever. But the question would come is like, well, you know, it says servant and you may look at it and be like, well, see, is it the same servant? I think he's just speaking generalities, right? That there's a servant. If that servant is faithful and wise, then this is gonna be the case. But if that servant, that person, right? Just think of like a person, right? That person's faithful and wise. Boom, here's their reward. If that person is not that and all that stuff then here's what they're gonna get. And in Matthew 24 the same type of thing is stated but instead of just saying that servant it says that evil servant and if that evil servant shall say in his day. So it's really showing you that there's two different types of servants, right? It's not like the same servant and it's just giving you two different ways that that servant can go. It's just stating that there's a wise and faithful servant and then there's an evil servant. So it's just descripting two different types of servants, okay? You say, well, it says it's a servant therefore that person must be saved, okay? Well, let me give you an example of a servant that wasn't saved when it was stated that he was a servant and that's Nebuchadnezzar, okay? And you can turn there if you want but Jeremiah 27 in verse six. Jeremiah 27 verse six. Now, I believe that Nebuchadnezzar got saved eventually but he was not saved at this moment, okay? When he's taking over Jerusalem or that he's gonna be basically destroying Jerusalem and all that stuff. He was not saved during that time. I mean, but I believe he got saved later on after, even after the whole story with the burning fiery furnace, right? I don't believe he even got saved there. I think it was later on, okay? But Jeremiah 27 verse six says, Jeremiah 27 verse six says, and now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon my servant and the beast of the field have I given him also to serve him, okay? So God will call someone a servant even if they're not saved, okay? Because they're doing, you know, and you say, well, why is it saying a servant here? Why is it saying that? Well, what if I put in the term disciple? Does that mean they're saved? Judas was a disciple, wasn't he? He was stated to be one of the 12 disciples. He was actually called an apostle. But guess what he was? He was a traitor. He was one having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof. He's what you'd call a hypocrite, someone that says they believe but they don't actually believe, okay? And in Matthew 24, you know what I mean? In Matthew 24, you know what it says? Instead of saying given, he'll be basically appointed his portion with the unbelievers, it says, appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. So what you're dealing with with his servant is that he's an unbeliever and a hypocrite on top of that because this person is claiming to be a servant of Christ. Now, I don't know if you know this but there's a lot of so-called Christians that aren't actually believers. Are you shocked? Actually, the majority of those that even claim to be Christians or disciples for Christ, guess what? Not saved. I'm not saying they're all reprobate, okay? I'm just saying that there's a lot of self-professing servants of Christ, if you will, that are not saved but there are a lot that are Judases. Go to 2 Peter 3. So in this passage, it's clearly you're dealing with a saved person but not just a saved person, a faithful saved person, right? Someone that's walking in the Spirit, they're watching and waiting and there's a blessing waiting for them, right? That's why, you know, this goes well with Matthew 25 with the talents, right? Because you have those two servants that basically gained on the talents and he says, Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Thou hast been faithful over a few things and I will make thee ruler over many things. But then there's that servant that basically hid his talent in the ground and some would say, well, that's a Christian. No, that's not a Christian. That's an imposter. What that is is a Judas, okay? A Judas that claimed to be a believer but was a hypocrite, meaning that he didn't actually believe what he said he believed. And that person was thrown into outer darkness where there's weeping and gnashing of teeth, okay? And by the way, that's what it says in Matthew 24 about when he says, you'll give him a portion with the hypocrites, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. You know where that takes place? The lake of fire, okay? So this isn't talking about, this isn't talking about Christians here. This evil servant or this servant that's beating the men servants. Notice what it says in Second Peter chapter three, Second Peter chapter three and verse three. It says, knowing this first that there shall come in the last days scoffers walking after their own lusts and saying, where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. There's gonna be people that are questioning, you know, like, he's not coming, right? And that's what it's kind of talking about with this evil servant is the fact that he's delaying his coming and they're just like, they just start beating everybody and they're basically persecuting Christians. And go to Jude, Jude in verse 17, Jude in verse 17, same kind of language that's used here. And we know this is talking about the coming of the Lord in Jude because it says, behold, the Lord cometh with 10,000 of the saints, right? That's the premise of Enoch prophesying about that and how he's gonna execute judgment upon the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and all their ungodly speeches which they have spoken against them, right? If you wanna see the word ungodly used a lot, go to Jude, okay? But in Jude in verse 17 here, notice what it says, it says, but, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. How have they told you there should be mockers in the last time who should walk after their own ungodly lusts? These be they who separate themselves, having not the spirit. So what do you have? You have people that don't have oil in their lamps. You have these people that are claiming they're actually scoffers and mockers that are basically in context with Luke 12 and Matthew 24. They're not just, it's not like they're just not waiting, right? They're not watching and waiting, they're sleeping, that's not what it says. It says they're beating and like evil and treating believers, okay? Do you see how that's a different level? That's not just like, well, this person just isn't, they're not watching and waiting like they're doing. It's like, no, that'd be like me like literally trying to like do harm to Christians in the end times. Do you see how we're dealing with a different level of a person? But the reason it's a servant is because this is someone that's thinking they're doing God's service in a lot of cases, right? Is, you know, has a form of godliness but they deny the power thereof. This is someone that, as the Bible would say, unto the pure all things are pure but unto the defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure, but even their mind and conscience is defiled. And it says they profess that they know God but in works they deny of being abominable and disobedient unto every good work reprobate. So when you're dealing with this, don't, you know, when you look at this passage it's really not that hard to really decipher. It's just the fact that you have to understand that in the end times you're gonna have believers that are doing what they should be doing, watching and waiting, and those are gonna receive a blessing. They're gonna have rewards in heaven. Their house won't be broken up, right? That's where we wanna be. But then you'll have those that are saved that are, they're ready spiritually but they're slumbering, right, you know, when he comes. They're not watching and waiting. You know, those five virgins that were sleeping, they had oil in their lamps and they went in. They didn't go in immediately. You know, they weren't like ready and just like boom, the door's open, let's open immediately, right? That's where we wanna be. But then you have people that aren't ready. You think about the five virgins that don't have oil in their lamps and I don't think necessarily that they were reprobate, you know, at that time, you know, when that happened but they weren't saved. They had lamps. They were claiming to be virgins waiting for the bridegroom, right? But they weren't legit. They weren't actually saved and you'll have a lot of those. But when they come back with their oil, right, you know, so to speak, the door's shut and they can't go in. And this gets into the idea of God sending them strong delusion, okay? Meaning this is that those that knew the truth knew how to get saved. The Bible says in 2 Thessalonians chapter two, and you can turn there if you want, 2 Thessalonians chapter two that when Christ comes, those that are unbelievers but knew what they needed to believe, right, God's actually gonna send them strong delusion, okay? Notice what it says in verse 11. It says, and for this cause, God shall send them strong delusion. That they should believe a lie. That they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure and unrighteousness. Notice how that door's shut, isn't it? Right, I mean those that knew what they needed to believe but didn't believe it, and when he comes, those people are done at that point. Now there's definitely gonna be reprobates that are gonna be already done before they get to that point. Does that make sense, right? But at the same time, there's gonna be reprobates that are gonna be cut off, spiritually speaking. They're gonna lose that hope of salvation. Now look at Luke 12 and verse 47 because it kind of sets you up, you know, this kind of sets you up for this, right? Meaning this is that those that knew his Lord's will when he comes and those that didn't, right? So when you think about this, we're now, I believe verse 47, verse 48, we're dealing with unbelievers here but we're dealing with two different groups of unbelievers, okay? So imagine Jesus Christ comes, comes in the clouds, and then there's people that were ignorant, okay? There's a different, I don't believe strong delusions put on that person, right? But then there's people that knew the truth and refused to believe it and at that point, there's a bigger punishment. Obviously, you can think about this with the punishment in hell, that punishment there as well. This could also apply to save people, right? And the fact of if you're ignorant of sin but you do it, you're still gonna get punished but if you know that you shouldn't be doing it, you know what the Bible says about it and you do it anyway, there's more of a punishment on that, okay? So this principle can be applying to Christians in general and chastening and all that and if they're gonna die and go to hell, they're gonna be judged according to their works and depending on, you know, whether they were ignorant, whether they weren't, you know, there's gonna be different levels of punishment for that, okay? Notice what it says in Luke 12, verse 47. It says in the servant, and that servant which knew his Lord's will and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. Say, what will we talk about? Maybe the will of the Father which is, this is the will of him that sent me and maybe that will, right? Maybe the belief on the Lord Jesus Christ and now shall be saved that you be ready when he comes, okay? And he's basically stating here that those that knew the Lord's will are gonna be beaten with many stripes and I believe there's gonna be this idea, this strong delusion that God's gonna put upon them to where they're gonna believe a lie. And verse 48, but he that knew not and did not commit things will not commit things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required and to whom men have committed much of him they will ask the more. So in context, I believe we're dealing with the fact that when Christ comes, those that knew the will compared to those that didn't know the will, there's different levels of punishment there and this can go in many different ways dealing with, you know, things like sins of ignorance and presumptuous sins, right? There's obviously a huge punishment on presumptuous sins or sinning willfully and then those on ignorance, right? Secret faults, if you will. Things that you don't even know you're doing that are wrong. Still punishment, but not as much, okay? So I hope that makes sense with being ready that sometimes in the Bible when it's talking about being ready it's talking about just being spiritually ready, right? You believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, you're ready, okay? So every believer will be spiritually ready when Jesus comes. But I would say this, most believers probably aren't going to be ready physically speaking when he comes. Most believers aren't walking in the Spirit and watching and waiting and you say, well, you know, woe unto them. It's like, well, yeah, but at the same time you know what, Peter wasn't watching and waiting. Neither were the disciples when Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane that even the best of us can fall asleep. But the idea here is that we're awake. We're awake, we're watching and this doesn't mean that you can't sleep tonight, okay? What I'm talking about is obviously that you're walking in a new man, okay? That when you wake up you're putting off the old man, you're putting on the new. And this is something that we just need to do on a daily basis because we don't know when Christ is coming. But how much more if you were seeing the abomination of desolation happen, right? You're walking down and you're like, hey, we're probably in it. And then you see we're like, we are in it. Like how much more should you be like ready to go, okay? But listen, I want to be ready before any of that stuff happens, right? Listen, I want to be ready before the pestilence happens, right? Before the wars happen. You know, before these earthquakes and diverse places happen, okay? Listen, I know West Virginia is not some tectonic plate that's shifting all the time because of the San Andreas Fault, you know, in California. But listen, earthquakes and diverse places means that. Meaning that you're gonna end up having earthquakes where you normally wouldn't, okay? So listen, you know, earthquakes can happen. There's gonna be obviously pestilences. There's gonna be wars, you know, all these different things that are going on. And listen, I want to be ready and watching and waiting before that even happens. And obviously, when you see the Great Tribulation, you know, going down, you want to be watching and waiting because I believe that there are promises of God keeping you safe through that, keeping your family safe through that and providing for you through that. But also the fact is, is that I want to make sure that my family is saved whether I'm in the time when Jesus comes back or not, okay? So let's say that we're not in the day that Jesus comes back and that doesn't happen for another 100 years. Well, listen. You want to live in a manner that you're watching and waiting so that your children all get saved. They grow up and they love the Lord and they're watching and waiting and raise up that generation that's doing that so then they can raise their kids to do that because I don't want to die and some of my children not be saved. I don't want to die and some of my children not love the Lord, not be serving the Lord, okay? So that should be our goal whether we're in the last days or, you know, we are in the last days. Whether we're actually going to be in that time where Jesus comes into the clouds and we'll be here for that, you know what? We can still live in this manner and it's still wise to live in this manner, okay? Now go to Luke chapter 12 and verse 49. Luke chapter 12 and verse 49. So honestly that was kind of the big thing I wanted to hit on and kind of get deeper on, okay? And obviously last week I didn't have time to do that. So we're going to get through the rest of the chapter here and I'm not really getting too deep on a lot of this stuff, okay? But in verse 49 here it says, I am come to send fire on the earth and what will I if it be already kindled? Now what was the whole subject matter before we got to this? Him coming again, right? Listen, when Jesus comes back, the day that he comes back, fire is coming down on the earth. And you're like, what's he talking about here? It's like, well, when he comes back, he's going to send fire on the earth, okay? But he's saying, what will I if it already be kindled? He's kind of like, it's already being kindled, okay? And then he goes on to say this. He says, but I have a baptism to be baptized with and how am I straight until it be accomplished? Now think about this, where is fire kindled in the first mention of that? But in Deuteronomy 32, 22, the first mention of hell and it says that what's kindled at the bottom of the earth is the Lord's anger. And that's where hell is at, right? So you can obviously see, I believe he's talking about, I have a baptism to be baptized with and how am I straight until it be accomplished? He's already been baptized with the Holy Ghost. What baptism is he talking about? What's he being baptized with? Well, he's talking about fire, being kindled, right? He's talking about fire, being kindled, right? And then he brings up this. I believe he's talking about his death, final resurrection. I believe he's talking about the baptism of why we even get baptized, you know, we dump people underwater is to represent the death, final resurrection and the Bible says his soul was not left in hell neither his flesh and sea corruption that we're talking about this baptism where he's gonna be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights and obviously that would apply to his body as well, you know, being in the tomb for three days and three nights and all that, okay? But keep reading there. It says, suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth, I tell you nay, but rather division. And you may say, well, this kind of seems, you know, opposite of why he came to begin with, right? You think about the virgin birth where it says peace on earth, good will toward men. Well, here's the thing. We would have peace on earth if everybody believed, right? God wants there to be peace. It's called the gospel of peace, okay? But here's the problem. Most people don't believe it or accept it, okay? So what are you gonna have then? Well, those that believe have peace. We have peace with God because by grace through faith we're saved and it's the gospel of peace and God wants everybody to get saved because he's not willing that any should perish but all should come to repentance who have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. So he wants everybody to have peace and he wants there to be peace on earth and he ultimately saying here, but you know, I didn't come to send peace because there's gonna be those that are at variance with each other. There's gonna be division. This is rather division from henceforth there shall be five and one house divided, three against two and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, the son against the father, the mother against the daughter and the daughter against the mother, the daughter-in-law against her daughter-in-law and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. Now in Micah it talks about the foes of, your enemy shall be those of your own household. You can see how that would apply in the end times because it talks about basically son and daughter giving up their parents to be put to death. And that's extreme, right? But that's an extreme case but here's the thing. When you get saved, guess what? If your parents aren't saved, there's gonna be division. If your siblings aren't saved, there's gonna be division. I mean, we don't have to do a raise of hands but I almost guarantee that my family, to some extent, maybe it's distant, maybe it's close or maybe there was division and now there's not because people got saved but I almost guarantee that everybody here that got saved felt that variance the moment they got saved because they're like, well, they don't believe that and then you try to give them the gospel and they disagree and there's variance and there may be variance on the church that you go to and they're like, what are you doing? You're joining Nicole. There's all kinds of different things that are there to where there could be variance but no, this is that Jesus knew that and he's stating that and that he didn't come to send peace and for you to sing kumbaya with everybody in the world. So we're not to just hold hands with everybody whether it's even the saved because listen, those people that are in that household, they may not be unsaved. They just may be believers that aren't worth their salt. No pun intended or correlation but they're not the salt of the earth. They're good for nothing but you know what? Jesus says there's gonna be variance. So be it. I'll put division between believers that don't wanna serve the Lord. I'll put division between unbelievers because you know what? I'm not to be yoking up with unbelievers. I'm definitely gonna put division between me and reprobates but just know this is that Jesus is stating and in Matthew it states the same thing. It says that I didn't come to bring peace but the sword, okay? So go down to Luke chapter 12 and verse 54 and then he goes on to say here in verse 54 it says and he said also to the people when you see a cloud rise out of the west straightway you say there cometh the shower and so it is. And when you see the south wind blow you say there will be heat and it cometh the pass. Ye hypocrites, you can discern the face of the sky and of the earth but how is it that you do not discern this time? So he gives two examples of weather. You know like basically you see a cloud coming up it's like you see a storm cloud and you're like it's gonna rain and there it is, right? You can figure that out. Or the south wind's blowing, right? And it's like well it's bringing up heat from the south because it's warmer in the south and you can discern that. Go to Matthew chapter 16. Very similar but he uses two different examples. You probably heard that term red sky at night, sailor's delight, red in the morning, sailor's warning and that's actually in the Bible. I remember telling my friend, one of my friends one time, he was a Christian and all that stuff and I said you know that's in the Bible, right? Not the exact terminology but I said that concept is in the Bible. And he's like no it's not, what are you talking about, you know? It's like one of those things where you say something and they just automatically think you're lying. It's like why would I make that up first of all? Like that would be the most random thing to make up in the Bible. But in Matthew chapter 16 and verse one here it says the Pharisees also with the Sadducees came and tempting desired him that he would show them a sign from heaven and he answered and said unto them when it is evening you say it will be fair weather for the sky is red. So what's the saying? Red sky at night, sailor's delight. So it's a good thing, right? It means the next day is gonna be nice. And then it says and in the morning if it be foul weather, it will be foul weather today for the sky is red and lowering. Oh you hypocrites you can discern the face of the sky but can you not discern the signs of the times? So there it is, you know? It doesn't say sailor, but the idea is that that's a true statement. Generally speaking if it's red at night then it's gonna be nice weather. If it's red in the morning then a storm's coming. And obviously with the illustration in Luke chapter 12 as far as seeing the cloud and seeing the wind blowing from the south, right? And the whole premise here is that you can discern that type of stuff and you figure that out but how do you not understand the signs of the times, right? And I believe he's specifically talking about like his time, right? That they're not seeing, because they're asking for a sign, right? They're asking for a sign and you remember that he states in Matthew chapter 12, it's like there's no sign gonna be given to you but the sign of the son of the prophet Jonas, right? And really that gets down to the death, burial, and resurrection, right? That's gonna be your sign when you think of John 3 12 where Jesus is talking to Nicodemus and he's talking about physical things, right? And he says in verse 12, it says, if I have told you earthly things and you believe not, how shall you believe if I tell you of heavenly things? And it's like if you can't understand physical meanings, right? And with parables and different things like that in the Bible you really need to understand what the physical meaning's talking about before you jump into spiritualizing it. And just get that surface meaning and take away that this is talking about anything biblical or like spiritual or about heaven, hell, or anything like that and what are we dealing with here, right? And just see that surface meaning and then once you have that now let's look at what the spiritual application is. And obviously the spiritual is what we're looking for, right? That's what we're trying to get out of it is how that applies spiritually to us but at the same time if you don't understand the physical then you're gonna be off base on the spiritual. Okay? So, and then the last thing here is in Luke chapter 12 and verse 57 and that's what it says here in verse 57. It says, it says, Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right? You know what? This is a rebuke, right? Meaning this to people like judge not, judge not, we're not to judge. Jesus is literally rebuking them it's like why even of yourselves judging not what is right? Because we are to judge what's right. The Bible says to judge righteous judgment. Look not on the outward appearance but judge righteous judgment, right? And Leviticus 19 says that, it says that in John to judge righteous judgment and now he's gonna get into the reason of what he's talking about here but you can even think about the fact of like looking at the signs at the times and judge what's right, you know? Have discernment and when people are just like, how dare you judge that person? It's like, well, if the person's a murderer they murdered that person cold blood how dare you judge them? It's like, well, someone has to. Who's calling balls and strikes up here? I mean, like, you know, like who's gonna determine like what's right and wrong? Who has to say something? And I mean, don't we have things called judges? You know, the whole judicial system, right? But what this is gonna be getting into is that, listen, Christian, as much as possible try to stay out of courts. Try to stay out of this what I call the injustice system. Listen, no one wins except for the lawyers and the judges. No one wins, okay? So if at all possible stay out of the courtroom. You're better off just not being, dealing with that, okay? Now what does it say here in verse 58? When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate as thou art in the way give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him. So he's basically saying like before you get there, like try to get this thing settled, right? The idea is to settle this outside of court. And it says, lest he hail thee to the judge and the judge deliver thee to the officer cast thee into prison, I tell thee thou shalt not depart thence till thou hast paid the very last mite. Now the same thing is stated in Matthew 5, very similar. But in verse 25 of Matthew 5 it says agree with thine adversary quickly while thou art in the way with him. So the idea is like get this thing settled before you ever go to the court, okay? Now go to 1 Corinthians chapter 6 and I think about this a lot and listen, don't get me wrong there's times where, especially when dealing with work and you know that you're right and you know that they're just, they're banking on the fact that you don't want to go to court and they're trying to get money out of you and it's easier to just pay them off than go in the court and everything inside of you just wants to take them to court and take them to task. But you know what's going to end up happening is you're going to pay a bunch of court costs, you may win the case but guess what, they don't have any money so they can't pay the cost so now you're stuck with the bill. And now you're just paid tens of thousands of dollars just to prove that you're right. And listen, I could go off story after story both with Christians and just in the world and the work field on dealing with this idea of courts and how it is literally made for lawyers to make money. It is made for basically people to abuse it I mean there should be checks and balances that if you take someone to court and it was clearly just for you to make money and you were doing it knowing that it had nothing to do with them their name was just on there somewhere and they had insurance so you're like well let's just get money out of them that they should be prosecuted for that that there should be penalties for that but there's not and people can just do that or they just sue happy and in America everybody just sue happy they just want to sue everybody for anything and they're just basically suing until something sticks that's essentially what they're doing they're just like I'm going to sue this person, this person, this person and eventually I'm going to find a judge that's going to make it stick and I'm going to get some money out of it and it's disgusting and Christian there's nothing new under the sun and Jesus is teaching on this stating like just deal with it outside the court right? I don't believe Jesus had confidence in the court system that they're going to deal with this rightly but let's say you're wrong and your adversary is right still try to get that I mean you want to get that dealt with before you go to the magistrate but how much I mean if you're right and you're going there listen you're not going to win you may win the court case but you're going to end up paying tens of thousands of dollars in court fees and all these different things just to win that battle now if you have to go to court and it's like something that has to happen and there's no way out it is what it is, right? I hope that everything works out but we are not to go to law with brothers and sisters in Christ, okay? but listen if some brother or sister in Christ took me to court I don't really have a choice, do I? does that make sense? like if someone subpoenaed me and like said you got to go to court and here's your court date I can't just go up to them and be like well the Bible says I'm going to have to go to court with a brother or sister so you know what? Go pound salt like I'm going to have to deal with that and so that's what it says here in 1 Corinthians 3 and this is the last thing I'm going to say here and we'll be done it says dare any of you having a matter against another go to law before the unjust and not before the saints so notice that he's reiterating what Jesus is saying is basically like deal with this before you ever get to the magistrate before you ever get to the judge, deal with this and he's basically saying are any of you going to go before the unjust? and it says in verse 2 it says do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world and if the world shall be judged by you are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? guess what Christian? the Bible is telling us to judge in church these churches are full of judgmental people amen guess what? if you're judging righteous judgment and you're judging right matters that's what Jesus tells us to do that's what the Bible tells us to do now you're not supposed to be judging your brother because they don't drink the right soda that you drink like well they're not drinking Waterloo like me because I, you know because not all of us have been gaslit to think Waterloo actually tastes good listen I'm not against your Waterloo it just tastes like garbage okay and every once in a while praise the Lord thank you for that amen but but judging your brother but judging like things like that be like well if you were a really good Christian you'd be doing this and it's like nothing in the Bible there's no like actual commandment about it okay then you know that's what we're not supposed to be judging okay but if it's straight up a commandment in the Bible and the person's breaking that commandment you're like you shouldn't be doing that guess what? that's righteous guess what? you have some discernment and judgment in this world on righteous matters and you know what? this world can pound salt they're always telling you well you know is that what Jesus would do? yes! in a lot of cases everything that they're saying like Jesus wouldn't do that actually he would in a lot of those cases because they don't know the Bible but it says here it says know ye not in verse 3 that we shall judge angels how much more things that pertain to this life but we're going to be in we're going to be like Jesus' glorious body and we're going to be heirs with him and we're going to be ruling and reigning with him we're going to be judging everything all the creation, the angels, all of that and then in some cases depending on how much you live for the Lord you'll be ruler over different even believers and you'll be judging over that and ruling and reigning but the thing is that it's like if we're going to judge angels one day how much more the things that pertain to this life and verse 4 here says if then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life set them to be judged who are least esteemed in the church now he's kind of saying this tongue in cheek because he says I speak to your shame is it so that there is not a wise man among you know not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren what's he saying here? he's saying literally like listen listen all believers pick the worst person in your church to judge the matters no what he's stating though is that the least esteemed person in the house of God as a believer is better than going out to the unjust that's what he's stating so don't go out to these the injustice system that's out there willingly going out to that listen if you're forced to do it and you have to deal with it then I'll pray for you that you don't have to pay as much as you have to pay but listen if it's don't willingly go to court I'll say that don't make that something that's willingly unless it's something that has to be done and there's no way around it you have to do it to either protect your family or whatever the case may be right but then it goes on to say it says I speak this to your shame and in verse 6 there but brother goeth to law with brother and that before the unbelievers now therefore there is utterly a fault among you because you go to law one with another why do you not rather take wrong why do you not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded nay you do wrong and defraud and that your brethren listen what this is stating here is that let's say a brother let's say a brother extorts you out of money let's just say like a brother in Christ or a believer extorts you out of money and let's say it's like $5,000 for sake of argument and they extort you out of money now listen you know if they don't deal with that the way they should be dealing with that then we'll cast them out of the church until they get that right or at least that you guys you know that you're okay with the deal that's being done there but let's say that comes down and that person's an extortioner they're kicked out of the church and they don't pay you that money and you're out $5,000 well what the Bible's teaching is that don't take that person to law just suffer yourself to be defrauded and you know what it should be a lesson learned not to just be handing out thousands of dollars to somebody even if they call themselves a brother in Christ or even they are a brother in Christ the idea is just suffer yourself to be defrauded and not go to the unjust with it and by the way if you ever give money to anybody you should only give money if you're willing to kiss it goodbye right I don't recommend ever giving any money to anybody or anything to anybody that you're not willing to get rid of or be dealt with okay and that's just my policy on that if someone's like hey can you lend me this you know I may lend them that but in my mind it's a gift like it's gonna be something that's not gonna be like I'm not expecting it to be back if it comes back it's kind of like a bonus now if that person's saying I'm gonna pay you back then they should pay you back right but in my mind I'm just like in my state of mind I'd be like that money's gone if I ever see it again it's a bonus right and that's the way we should be looking at this but don't go to law unless you have to like for sake of someone actually pulling you into it and you don't have a choice but that's that with the word of prayer heavenly father we thank you today thank you for your word thank you for the book of luke and just pray that you'd help us to apply these principles in our lives rather than able to come and sing one more song and actually today is Anna's birthday the actual day of her birthday so let's sing happy birthday to her alright take your songbooks and turn to song 270 song 270 in your songbooks we'll sing just as I am but before we do that let me sing happy birthday to Anna your birthday is today how old are you? six wow you're getting so big I can't believe it you even have a shirt on that says it's my birthday that is how many candles on there more than six yeah it's alright it's alright alright we'll sing we'll sing happy birthday to you you know what we'll do we'll sing happy birthday to you today and then again on Sunday how about that sound good? alright let's sing happy birthday to Anna ready? happy birthday to you happy birthday to you happy birthday god bless you happy birthday to you happy birthday and we'll sing song 270 if you stand yes just as I am with the one plea but that thy blood was shed for me and that thou bitts me come to thee oh lamb of God I come I come just as I am and waiting not to rid my soul of one dark place I come I come I come I come I come just as I am and waiting not to rid my soul of one dark place I come I come I come I come I come I come I come I come just as I am though tossed about with men conflag many a doubt and fears within without oh lamb of God I come I come just as I am poor wretched blind side wretched