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Amen. All right. The title of the sermon tonight is two or three witnesses, two or three witnesses. When I was in the UK, I was preaching a sermon about... Actually, I preached a sermon called Have Fun Deconstructing in Hell. If you haven't seen it, it's up on the YouTube page of Strong Tower Baptist Church. It's basically just kind of preaching against the concept where people need to deconstruct from fundamentalism. There's a whole movement of people that are just... This is kind of like a new thing where people feel like they need to deconstruct from fundamental Baptist beliefs or just fundamentalism in general. They'll just cast aside their Christianity and say, well, I just don't believe in God anymore. In that sermon, though, I brought up talking about two or three witnesses, and I thought it'd be a good topic for a full length sermon. I went to four or five different sections of scripture where it has the standard for God to hold people accountable in investigations, in accusations, and when there's controversies. That's the section we're going to look at here in Deuteronomy chapter 17, but the Bible is consistent about this from Deuteronomy all the way to the book of Hebrews. It talks about this concept of needing to have two or three witnesses before you can put somebody to death, before you can charge somebody with something, and when there's controversial things that are happening, when there's something that needs to be judged between brethren, these things must be... There's things that God puts in place so that innocent people don't get condemned and so that people don't get slandered without having the proof for it. There's always these instances where someone could sneak by that and end around that, but usually it's... We'll look at some examples where people misuse the system, but you have to be a really evil person to accuse somebody of something that would be a death penalty situation and your hand is the first person to touch that person when you know that they're innocent. The people that witnessed a murder, they had to be the first ones to touch them to be the ones that throw the first stones, basically, and then the whole congregation would do it. But we'll look at that. Let's look at verse 2 in Deuteronomy 17. You know what the Bible says? If there be found among you within any of thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee, man or woman that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the Lord thy God in transgressing his covenant, and hath gone and served other gods and worshiped them, either the sun or moon or any of the hosts of heaven which I have not commanded, and it be told thee, and thou hast heard of it and inquired diligently. So notice that someone has said, hey, this person's worshiping other gods, this person's deviated from the covenant, and of course this is in Old Testament Israel where this is the law, right? This is not something that's optional. You don't worship other gods. So it says, and thou hast heard of it and inquired diligently. It's not just a rumor that so and so, you know, it's like these people with the Salem Witch Trials, like, I heard this person's a witch, and next thing you know, they're burning them at the stake or something. Like, you have to have evidence, you have to do a diligent search. It says, and behold it be true, and the thing certain, and such abomination, that such abomination is wrought in Israel. So you have to know that it's true. And then it says, then shalt thou bring forth the man or that woman which have committed the wicked thing unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shall stone them with stones till they die. So the, look, there has to be an investigation. You know, if someone's brought forth to the, whoever is in charge, and you've heard of it, you inquired about it, you questioned about it, and it's true, there's no doubt about it, it's a done deal, then what's the sentence? There's stone with stones until they die. And it says, verse six, at the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death. But at the mouth of one witness, he shall not be put to death. So what is God's standard of putting someone to death, the death penalty in the Old Testament, and I would say, you know, God's standard is still the same, because you'll see it in the New Testament too, but what is the standard? One witness is not enough, because one person's word against another, that other person, that person could just be lying, right? So the standard is two or three witnesses. Three is probably better than two, isn't it? But two is still enough, if diligently inquired. You still have to question, it's not like, yes they did it, and then it's a done deal. No, you have to still inquire whether these things are so, because people lie. And so it says, in verse seven here, it says, the hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death. You see that? And so look, that's why I said, you have to be a real evil person to accuse somebody of something that you know is gonna get them put to death, and then you know your hands are the first ones upon them. I mean, that's like almost reprobate status, if not reprobate status, right? That someone would do that. And it says, and afterward the hands of all the people. So it's like they're basing what they do off of those witnesses that said, yes this is true, the judges found that this is credible, the evidence has been presented, and these people are guilty. So like when we preach sermons, or like these people shall surely be put to death, we're always gonna say, hey, there has to be an investigation, there has to be two or three witnesses, it's not just willy-nilly go shoot them in the back of the head or whatever. We've never preached anything like that. That's not what we believe. We believe that everybody deserves to have a fair trial, right? So it says in verse eight, if there arise a matter too hard for the in-judgment. So sometimes matters are just like, I'm just really not 100% sure, and there's cases like in law where it's a hard decision, where there's like hung juries and things like that, but it says between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke. Like they're just not really sure how to proceed, and it says, being matters of controversy within thy gates, then shalt thou arise and get thee up into the place which the Lord thy God shall choose. Now, it's talking about the place at that time that would have been what, the tabernacle, or would have been the temple. And it says, and thou shalt come unto the priests and the Levites, so you come to the priests and the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days. Because this is the system that God set up, the Levites and the judge, and both are supposed to be taking part in this, and it says, and inquire, and they shall show thee the sentence of judgment. So you present all the evidence, you tell them this is what happened, this is the witnesses, I'm not really sure what to do, and then they're gonna say, this is what you do, this is what the Bible says, this is what God has told us. And it says, and thou shalt do according to the sentence which they that place, they of that place which the Lord shall choose shall show thee, and thou shalt observe to do according to all that they inform thee. So once they've made the decision, you have to do whatever that sentence is. You know, and when it says blood, you know, maybe it's your relative, maybe you're in charge and it's your relative and you don't want to have to choose, it's a hard decision or whatever. Or you know, you're just not sure, it's a controversial situation, whatever the Levites and the judge came up with, that's what you have to do, that's the sentence that has to be passed. Okay, it says in verse 11, according to the sentence of the law, it's not just whatever people make up in their mind, it's the sentence of the law which they shall teach thee. So they're gonna say, this is what the Bible says, this is what the law of God says, and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, thou shalt do. Thou shall not decline from the sentence which they shall show thee to the right hand nor to the left. So today you got like judges where they'll sentence somebody that's a pedophile or a rapist or some murderer and they'll give them a lesser sentence, they'll give you two months suspended sentence and rehab or something. For a pedophile, for someone that violated someone else's child and they'll put them on a suspended sentence. There was a man that was stabbed in downtown Portland a couple years ago for wearing a Trump hat, a black guy by the way, and he was stabbed for what? Wearing a Trump hat. The guy that did it, it was on film. He stabbed him five times and the guy was on film and they gave him a suspended sentence, time served, it was like three months in jail. How's that justice? And there's people from the January 6th trials or whatever, they didn't even see a courtroom for years. There was a guy that was just sentenced and he broke a window and went in for 10 minutes and came back out. And he was sentenced to four years in prison and he was already in a holding tank for four years without seeing any trial or anything. So now he's doing eight years in jail for breaking a window. I mean people in downtown Portland were throwing Matov cocktails at police officers and shining lasers in federal officers' eyes trying to blind them permanently. They were bringing stacks of bricks into downtown and then they were throwing bricks at people, throwing bricks at police officers and this guy broke a window and went into the Capitol building. Nobody got hurt, no police officers died even though they tried to lie and say that police officers died. You have natural causes later on but it wasn't because of the riots or whatever. It's funny they won't call those things a riot but they'll call what happened on January 6th a riot. What was our verse of the week here? He is the rock. His work is perfect for all his ways are judgment. A God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. I'm glad that we have a God that we can count on for having justice. He's right about his judgments and he's always going to do the right thing. He's always going to judge that which is right. So when he says hey, they're going to judge according to the sentence of the law and they're going to teach you what it says and then you're not going to decline from that sentence and you're not going to change it and say two months suspended sentence when somebody murders somebody and there's witnesses to see it happen. Not going to happen. That's not the way God does things. And it says and the man that will do presumptuously and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to minister there before the Lord thy God or unto the judge, even that man shall die and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel. So who's going to die? The man that doesn't do the sentence. He doesn't carry out the sentence that God's priest and the judge tells him to do. So that's the death sentence to not carry out God's judgment is what it is. And it says in all the people shall fear or excuse me hear and fear and do no more presumptuously. What does that word mean presumptuously? I'm sure you've heard it a lot but maybe you just don't know the definition so let me help you. It means showing little respect for others by doing things you have no right to do is a good definition for it. Showing little respect for others by doing things you have no right to do. So when it comes to judgment if that person deserved to have the death penalty and you're like no I don't think so. I don't think he deserves it. I think he deserves a one month in jail suspended sentence. That's a travesty of justice. There's people that are going to be missing that relative that you murdered and they have to watch as a judge doesn't put the right judgment down. That's wicked. That is wrong. So they don't have the right to do that and so the right thing to do is to judge righteous judgment but it's still under the mouth of two or three witnesses. Let's go to Deuteronomy chapter 19. Just a couple chapters down the road there. Deuteronomy chapter 19 verse 15 the Bible says one witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity. What does that mean? One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity. So if you're going to try to bring something and you only have one witness you just shouldn't do it. Isn't that what it's saying? Or for any sin in any sin that he sinneth. At the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth of three witnesses shall the matter be established. Now this carries forward into the New Testament. This is the same exact thing Jesus teaches in Matthew chapter number 18. It's not like God has changed the way he wants to do things. It's still in the mouth of two or three witnesses. You can't just go around accusing people of things without having the facts. Without having the witnesses. You cannot do that. Now if somebody does something wrong to you and you want some kind of inquiry to ask about the person. You know the person's denying it and you want someone to ask them and if they lie you know there's nothing you can really do about that. But if they tell the truth then you can because they've admitted it. But without the witnesses you have nothing. So and it's saying any iniquity any sin that someone sins. So this is what this you know the first one was talking about crimes that are actual crimes in society. This one's talking about things that would probably happen just you know things that you would do to each other. Things that you would sin against each other. And where you're having an issue with the people in the congregation. So which you know back then was different than it is in the New Testament. But still a lot of things transfer over and are the same. It says if a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong then both the men between whom the controversy is shall stand before the Lord before the priest and the judges which shall be in those days. So I mean if someone's just lying about somebody then the controversy gets you know it gets a little amp up here and you're actually standing now it's become a big deal. Now you're standing before the Lord the priest and the judges. So I mean do you see how things would be a little bit more fearful to lie about people and to just bring up fake reports on people. I mean you're standing before the Lord. Like that would be a scary situation because these people have already seen what God does to people that just sin willfully and you know they've watched people drop into hell. You know I'm sure it was pretty scary to sit there and try to say yeah that guy took my you know he took my money. And then you're like you just oh you want to carry this up to the judges. Is that what you really want to do. You really want to go before the Lord with this. It's like no never mind. It's just like it would be a little more scary wouldn't it if you had you know this situation happen back then it says and the judge judges shall make diligent inquisition. What does that mean. Diligent means that they're going to really search out the matter and they're going to ask a lot of hard questions. It's not just going to be you know some willy nilly thing. They're going to really ask and it says and behold if the witness be a false witness and have testified falsely against his brother then shall you do unto him as he thought to have done unto his brother. So shalt thou put the evil away from among you. And I believe that this principle still exists today. You know I don't think that this is something that is done away in the law. I think that this is something that still applies today because Jesus talks about this in the New Testament. Again some of the operations are different but you know ultimately we still have to have two or three witnesses. When we Matthew 18 someone's you know quote unquote we still have to have the same thing two or three witnesses right. But and diligent inquisition still has to happen and when you take it up another level you know so you go to your brother you try to make it right and then what you get two or three witnesses and if that doesn't work then you take it before the church. Then what are you doing. You're bringing it before the Lord and you're bringing it before the rest of the congregation who are all priests and kings unto the Lord right. So I mean really it's amped up even more in my opinion. You're not just between a couple people it's like the whole congregation is seeing this and so it's really I mean in my mind maybe even more serious than before. It's not like it's the different God or something. It's just now it's a lot more witnesses. So let's see it says then shall you do unto him as he had thought to do unto his brother. So shall thou put evil away for among you. Now this actually situation happened at Strong Tower Baptist Church and we had a situation where a guy said I got some witnesses and they stood up in front of the congregation and bore false witness against Pastor Taverner who was brother Ian at the time. And you know one of the guys wasn't even in the room when the supposed infraction had happened and really it wasn't that big of a deal. He just kind of brought a couple two couples in to just say hey you know you said some insensitive things you know we could do better. And then they just like dug in and you know just were acting really weird and he had recorded the conversation because in England you can do that. Here I couldn't do that but there you could. And they didn't realize that he had recorded the conversation and so they all got up in front of the whole church and bore false witness and then they thought they had him. Like they're like when they came to church that day they're like yeah you know like they really thought that they're going to get rid of brother Ian and you know they were wrong because then he began to play the recording. And you know what the accusation was? The accusation was that brother Ian who was brother Ian at the time that he shouted at this guy's wife and made her cry. So shouting over there is yelling to us. And first of all where's the Bible say that's like some kind of you know infraction all right. But the other thing is is that you can tell right from the very beginning of it that it's just not true. You can hear her crying but he never raises his voice. At the end maybe slightly but it's just a talk over someone that's talking over him. But like it's like almost 30 minutes long. And then the accusation was that he doctored the recording. It's like first of all he doesn't know how to do that. I don't know how to do that either. So but you can you can hear the door open and close. You know you can hear the recording and then like now the accusation is it's doctored. They didn't really deserve to get kicked out. Look if you stand up in front of the congregation of the Lord and you lie about someone and you're in what your plan was was to overthrow him. Do you think that they would have said oh we forgive you brother. You can just stay as a leader. No they were trying to overthrow him as the leader and they thought they had it in the bag. But what they didn't realize is that God was on Pastor Tavener's side and that they were the ones that had to go. And my judgment was based upon this passage right here that as they thought to do to him that's what I did to them. I permanently kicked them out and marked them and they're never welcome back at that church. And if anybody wants to tell that little tale and spin that little tale and say oh no it wasn't really that big of a deal. It was a big deal. It was a huge deal. And to just sit there and boldface lie in front of God. And you know look it was played in front of the church and he was like did I yell or did I shout. And the whole congregation is like no in unison. And then like when they kicked him out they're all like Amen. So look people can say whatever they want but the truth is they got what was coming to them. They got the right judgment. The right judgment was you're out of here. Look at verse 20 it says and those which remain shall hear and fear and shall henceforth commit no more such evil among you. That's the point. So like you know people get mad when things like that happen and it's you know it's unfortunate. You know it's not like we just get in the business of pastoring or you know to do God's work and just think I can't wait till I can kick out my first person. Like you think that that's actually how how we think as pastors or something. It's not. It's like we just were like man I wish just you know these weirdos would quit coming to our churches and causing trouble that's what we really think. Look at verse 21 says and thine eye shall not pity but life shall go for life. Eye for eye tooth for tooth hand for hand foot for foot. Now in the New Testament we of course cannot put anyone to death nor would we do that when we deal with a matter not on the books of human government. Our judgment is to cast them out of the church once all the matter is established and proven. What do I mean well if someone is a child molester we can't we can't throw rocks at them until they die or what do we have to do. We have to call the local police. Here's the evidence. Here's what we have. You know take them away book them or whatever. But unfortunately today they're going to get a two month suspended sentence but that's we're bound to have to do those things. But you know this is late in the game. This isn't how it used to be. You know people used to just do whatever they want. Like I watch videos on Twitter sometimes just if I'm just like I need to like you know kick back and let my hair down so to speak and I'll watch these pedophile videos where they're they're catfishing these these pedophiles and then they show up and they just start slapping them around and stuff. And I'm just like Amen. You know hit them again. You know and they deserve to die. But like it's funny that there's you know sometimes these guys are pretty tough that they come and mess with but I just I don't feel sorry for them. You know they get socked in the face by somebody that person was trying to meet a little boy that person that man was trying to meet a little boy for you know what. And so when they get smacked around by some grown man it's just like trying to protect kids. I mean I wouldn't do it but I don't want to be around them but like I mean they're doing it's not right that they're like being vigilantes but I don't feel sorry for him. So anyway so it is a serious if it is a serious matter in which the crime would be in the realms of man to punish. We have to call the police in those situations. We have to present the evidence. Now if we don't have evidence then we can't report it right. So you have to have again you have to have evidence when you're reporting a crime or at least you know we have to know or have a good reason to call the police. Now because if I wasn't sure then why would I call the police on somebody because then what are you doing. You're just saying oh one witness is OK. Well then I'm being a hypocrite by doing all right. So let's see. Yeah. So like in twenty twenty four like if so like say say we knew that someone murdered somebody and I called the police. Unfortunately there's a moratorium on the death penalty and you know I know Trump's trying to bring the death penalty back. He says a lot of things but when it comes to actually implementing them when he's president he doesn't really actually do them. But you know we'd like we like to hear that kind of talk right. That gets us like yeah maybe I will vote or something you know. But you know so you know here's here's the thing. These liberals and these weirdos they'll go and pick it at a you know where someone is going to get put to death. They'll call the governor they'll they'll raise awareness they'll sign all these signatures to try to get some freak you know not to not have to be put to death. But you know it's open warfare on women's wombs all across America all across this world where premeditated murder is happening. And you know it's not safe in a mother's womb. But these predators and these weirdos that are sentenced to death they're more safe than a baby in a womb. That's sad. That's not justice. That's not judgment is it. And it's premeditated. It's not like they just stumble into the abortion clinic and go oh man I'm a while I'm here I might as well just get an abortion. You know second degree murder. No it is premeditated. They choose to do it. Look at Matthew chapter 18. Now we'll go over to the New Testament. So far we've seen two big passages where it's talking about it. Two or three witnesses now look at Matthew chapter 18. And people act like Matthew 18 like we're all just one big universal church. Like I'm supposed to Matthew 18 someone from another church or something. It's like when I preach against false prophets like Billy Graham and whoever else. How come you didn't call Billy before he died and you know stuff like that. I'm just like first of all I don't think he's taking my calls. You know but he's not a member of my church. You know and last time I checked Paul didn't have to ask for permission before he was ripping on Hymenaeus and all those other guys right. Alexander the coppersmith and you know their names are permanently marked in the Bible for us to read. And I don't think he had to you know do a Matthew 18 on them. So anyway it says moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone. So this is what the New Testament Jesus is saying that we should do when we have controversies amongst ourselves. So we're supposed to go to the person that offends you right. If he shall hear thee thou ist gain thy brother. So you clear up the controversy by saying hey you know what you really you know you offended me or you know you ripped me off or whatever it is. And if they hear you and you settle things and everything's all good. No other steps have to be taken. It says but if he will not hear thee then take with thee one or two more that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. So here it is again our third passage where it says the same exact thing. God's standard does not change for needing to have evidence or that words be established that make it true. And it says and if he shall neglect to hear them tell it unto the church. But if he neglect to hear the church let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican. So you know if the controversy isn't settled with the two or three witnesses judging that situation say no you're wrong you need to fix this then that situation gets amped up to the next level which is to the church. Now I know people just get weird with this kind of stuff but look don't ever come up here and say hey I got a matter to bring before the church. You need to come to me first okay. I'm going to I'm going to have these things take place. It's not you know a free for all up here. So anyway I think you all know that but it says and if he shall neglect to hear them hear them tell it to the church. But if you neglect to hear the church let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican. So at that point you know you you would treat them as a heathen man publican barely I say unto you whatsoever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven whatsoever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. So you know whatever the judgment is of the church if that person is to be cast out then that person that is bound in heaven. God you know looks at that and he's like hey that person's kicked out. And then what what happens after that. Well they're given over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh until they get things right and then they can come back you know unless they've just done so much that there is no coming back. So it says again I say unto you that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask it shall be done for them of my father which is in heaven. So again these are serious judgments it's not like you know these things don't mean anything but people act like when we mark somebody or kick somebody out like oh that's just your church it doesn't really matter. No God pays attention to this stuff and he marks it and he says hey I agree with you I'm going to I'm going to do what you as long as you're doing things right as long as the witnesses agree as long as it's true then God is going to see that and he's going to agree and he said it's going to be done for them of my father which is in heaven. Look at verse 20 for where two or three are gathered together in my name there I am in the midst of them. So what is that referring to you know people will say that's the church right that's the basic church that's not what it's saying though it's referring back to when you get the two or three witnesses to try to settle the controversy. That's what it's referring back to so if this is like hey we're going to get two or three witnesses and then those two or three witnesses say this is the judgment that needs to take place and then the guy doesn't hear it then you know God still honors what those two or three people were saying and Jesus Christ said what there I am in the midst of them. He's not saying this is the basic church that's not I mean that's completely out of the context of what is being talked about here. Do you see what I'm saying. Now go to Second Corinthians Chapter 13. So that's the New Testament famous Matthew Chapter 18 it's just telling you how to deal with controversies in church with God's people. Now of course you do have you know First Corinthians Chapter 5 where it tells you to kick people out but same thing you still have to have witnesses you still have to have evidence of these things happening before you can just throw people out. OK so even if I suspect something or you know if I hear a report I still have to do so you can't just say pastor you need to kick so and so out because I saw them doing this or that like that that isn't necessarily going to cause me to kick somebody out just because you said something to me because what you have to have two or three witnesses don't you know. So I would probably inquire about that and ask that person and if they tell me yes then that's all I need. If they admit what they've done then I don't need to have that witness anymore because they've admitted it so but don't go around telling everybody else bring that controversy to the person that can actually judge the situation and take care of it. Now look at Second Corinthians Chapter 13 verse number one the Bible says this is the third time I'm coming to you. This is the Apostle Paul speaking and it says in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. So what's going on here. Paul's just keeping up with tradition. This is what the Bible says to do. And what's happening here is that they're calling Paul into question about his apostleship about his works and about whether Christ is really speaking in him. Like Paul started this church. Paul's the one that initially started everything here and you got people there apparently just questioning everything about him which is just really strange isn't it. Because you know how are you going to say is Paul really speaking for Jesus. It's like Paul got you saved bozo what are you talking about. But anyway it says I told you before and foretell you as if I were present the second time and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned and to all other that if I come again I will not spare. Since you seek a proof of Christ speaking to me which to you word is not weak but is mighty in you for though he was crucified through weakness yet he liveth by the power of God for we also are weak in him but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you. He's like you know since you know you're saying you want some proof now he's going to flip the tables on them right here and he says examine yourselves why don't you examine what's wrong with you first. Whether you be in the faith are you even saved. Prove your own selves. Know you not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except you be reprobates. So what's he saying he's like well hey if you're not saved by now you're reprobates. But I trust that you know that we're not reprobates now I pray to God that you do know evil not that we should appear approved but that you should do that which is honest though we be as reprobates. Like they're saying he's saying that like even though you know you're acting like we are for we can do nothing against the truth but for the truth. So again Paul is saying hey I'm going to come to you and you know what every word is going to be established with what two or three witnesses. So here we have the fourth passage in the Bible that directly covers the two or three witnesses and in this situation you have people speaking against the apostle and this this this isn't just a one time thing where people are messing with Paul and saying he wasn't really an apostle you know because he's one born out of due time he didn't follow Jesus at the time when he was on the earth he appeared to Paul on the road to Damascus as he was going to round up more Christians and have them killed. So Paul was just like you know he was trained and taught by the Lord through special revelation but he was after he saw the risen Christ and so apparently the test that the apostle said for in Acts chapter one was not exactly 100% true because Jesus picked Paul didn't he. Jesus is the one that picked Paul they picked Matthias and you never hear about Matthias again for the rest of the Bible do you but you hear a lot about Paul and the fact he wrote a lot of the New Testament didn't he. Now let's go to first Timothy chapter five first Timothy chapter five so Paul is defending himself and this is kind of a theme in the New Testament where the apostles are getting accused of things that they're not doing. Big surprise right I mean Jesus Christ was accused of a lot of things that he did not do that I mean his everywhere he go everywhere everything he did there was false accusation made against him false things were said about him and even up to the bitter end they're they're just railing on him you know they're stalking him they're going every place he goes I mean they're just popping up asking them all these questions they're sending people to him with all these loaded questions trying to catch him in his words I mean they're very crafty they would have caught anybody else with you know they probably would have tripped up other people but you know Jesus was too smart for them he's God after all and he just knew the right thing to say in every situation and you know of course he's God so and he's righteous so now look at what it says in first Timothy chapter five verse 19 it says against an elder received not an accusation but before what two or three witnesses so what is an elder that's like a pastor okay that's another word for pastor a pastor bishop elder shepherd whatever you want to call it but it says and against an elder received not an accusation but before two or three witnesses so if someone just says something about a pastor to you what are you supposed to do not receive the accusation isn't that what it says then that sin rebuked before all that others also may fear now this is an epistle that's written to Timothy by the Apostle Paul and he's saying hey if some other person comes up to you Timothy and starts accusing another pastor of something you are not to receive that accusation but before two or three witnesses and these witnesses you know this is like probably it's not just random people just run up the Paul you know this is probably some kind of organized deal that happens it's not just random rumors and tale bearing so it says I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that thou observe these things without preferring one before another doing nothing by partiality so here's the thing like sometimes you have favorite people you know people you prefer more than others but when it comes to these types of things you can't have you can't prefer somebody and then avoid judging correctly in that situation so that's what he's saying here I charge you before God the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without preferring one another before one another doing nothing impart impartially by partiality excuse me so partiality is by is by choosing someone that you like oh I don't believe that they did that because I like them like that that cannot be how you operate your mind and judgment just because you don't like someone doesn't mean that every time you hear something bad about them that they actually did it you know what I'm saying like even with people that we hate even with you know Barack Obama or something right even with the worst scum on the face of the planet just because you know because the Bible talks about not railing even against the devil not to receive a railing accusation against even the devil himself because you know if it's not true you shouldn't be saying it and you shouldn't be repeating something and look we live in a time where people are found guilty based upon social media they're instantly found guilty based upon somebody posting something on social media or based upon what the news says you know the news lies you know how do you know the news is lying well the moment they open up their yap then you know that something a lie is going to come out of their mouth I mean they are in the bag for the new world order they're in the bag for the established shadow government that rules over us I mean who do you think has actually been running our nation do you think is actually Joe Biden with his ice cream cones I mean seriously do you actually believe that it's like well if he has had all this cognitive slip this whole time which everybody's known this everybody's known this for years and then they just are pretending that it's not true and then when he finally gets exposed on national television because they tried to drug him up as much as they can but he still got you know got caught in the bait just not knowing what he was talking about and you know then they're like finally admit okay yeah he is slipping but you've known this the whole time so anyway I don't want to get all political but I'm just saying that there are people out there that have an agenda and their agenda is to usher in a new a one world government a one world religion and you know along the way they want to smash Christianity along with it I don't know if you've noticed this lately but there is a big dark shift and it's zeroed in on Christianity and they want to destroy the foundations of Christianity and the Bible says that the foundations be destroyed what can the righteous do and so we are in a big spiritual battle right now and you know the apostle Paul's like why is why is it why is he talking about you know out of all these things he's just like saying hey against an elder don't receive an accusation you know why I think he's saying it because I think that pastors that are actually doing God's work are the most accused people that I've ever seen like I never would have believed it I've heard it but before I became a pastor I knew it was going to happen but I just didn't know I just you just can't prepare yourself for it and when people just start to just make up completely just make up false accusations against you all the time at first it does bother you but now it's just like you know okay you know they're just going to keep doing it right but this is just I think that this is why Paul's saying it you know you just can't receive accusations against an elder without two or three witnesses why because they're constantly being accused of stuff that's why and look people that think that being a pastor is an easy job maybe the pastor that of the church that you go to maybe it is an easy job if you're just preaching one sermon a week and like that you're playing scratch golf games for the rest of the week maybe that is the easy job and that you know like society really thinks that being a pastor is an easy job in general I guarantee if you put like all the hard jobs in the world next to each other and then you put like pastor there people would always pick the pastors the easiest one but they don't they don't take into consideration you know all the you know if you're actually doing what you're supposed to be doing as a pastor you're going to get maligned you're going to get accused you're going to have people say all kinds of evil things about you and you just have to kind of take it on the chin and keep going you know and if you can't handle that then you should never be a pastor you know and I remember the first feelings of anxiety that I got over over accusations and it you know it's it's not the best feeling in the world but you know the more it happens the easier it gets okay you know the first time you get persecuted as a Christian over something that feels it feels like an anxiety attack almost right I don't know if anybody's ever had an anxiety attack but that's what it feels like when you're getting persecuted for something when you're standing up for something that's right and you know it's just but look Christians get persecuted so you should understand you know what what it's saying here but of course nobody should receive an accusation against anybody without two or three witnesses but it's specifically saying an elder here so I'm an elder and I didn't write the Bible right so people oh he's just like you know trying to make himself like look no Bible says this okay I didn't write this but I do believe it is because of all the false accusations and you know it is a hard job it's not just all it's not just preaching preachings you know the fun part and the easy part for the most part and there's a lot of other things that are just a lot more difficult so but yeah I mean I think that being a pastor is a hard job and it takes a toll on you and it's hard to explain unless you actually experience it I'm not trying to scare you out of it either like I want people to become pastors too so but you know and it's not like I that I don't like it I love it it's very rewarding job it really is and and it's good to see the blessings that come from being a pastor but it is also sometimes you know a heart it's just it's just hard on you it's hard on your I don't know it's just hard to explain like I said but you know people say like oh you know quit whining and crying it's not that hard it's like I'm not whining and crying I'm just saying that it's not as easy as people think it is turn to Hebrews 10 Hebrews 10 it says in Hebrews 10 26 now in context this is talking about you know people that would forsake church and I'm not going to read those verses because we know really well but we're not supposed to forsake the assembly and then it says in Hebrews 10 26 for if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth there remains no more sacrifice for sins but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries he that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses so and then it's really interesting all the stuff that it says underneath this it says of how much more sore punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the son the son of God and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite unto the spirit of grace for we know him that has said vengeance belongeth unto me I will recompense sayeth the Lord and again the Lord shall judge his people it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God so really I mean when it comes down to it what's he saying well you know I know what you're doing and God doesn't really need two or three witnesses because he can see everything that we're doing so it really is a fearful thing once you're falling to the hands of the living God I mean you think it's scary to stand up in front of a bunch of people and be judged for something but how much more fearful is it to know that God is going to judge you and he knows everything about you he you're stripped like you can't you cannot cover what you've done at all it says but call to remembrance the former days in which after you were illuminated you endured a great fight of afflictions partly whilst you were made a gazing stock both by reproaches and afflictions so what's he talking about here made a gazing stock well that's when someone is focusing in on you so what is he talking about people that were focused in on by bad people by reproaches and afflictions they were made a gazing stock he's talking about the people he's talking to here and partly whilst he became companions of them that were so used so he's talking about these people you know joined up with Paul they joined up with leadership and because they joined up with them they also became partakers and gazing stocks and reproaches and afflictions because they attached themselves to these men of God and it says whilst he became companions of them that were so used for he had compassion of me in my bonds and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods knowing in yourselves the they have in heaven a better and enduring substance so what's he saying well why did this happen well because they had compassion on Paul see and look if you stand with a man of God and that man of God is being this this target for the devil and for all the enemies and they're just like taking all this you know taking all this flack and you like that's my pastor that's my guy then you're gonna deal with the wrath of other people too have you ever noticed that that like you know they're not just taking pictures of me when I'm walking in they're taking pictures of all you because you dare to come to this church when that happened that day and so they're not just gonna be after me even though a lot of the targeting is towards me they're calling me on the phone they're emailing me and threatening me and all this other stuff and you're not probably not having to deal with that much of that stuff but you're still getting targeted to a certain extent I mean at steadfast they're having these freaks are contacting all the people in their neighborhoods and putting flyers and saying these hate church people are living in your neighborhoods and putting flyers all around their doors I mean that I mean you got some time on your hands if you got time to do that that's some true hatred that's some that is persecution I mean when you first move into a house and then the people come you know once they know you bought I mean they must be following them they must be stalking them and why are they doing that because they hate pastor Shelley they hate steadfast Baptist Church and they therefore hate those people that go there and they want to accuse us of all kinds of wicked things look at first Corinthians four first Corinthians four first Corinthians four verse number five it says and these things brethren I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollo's for your sakes that you might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written we got to keep things in perspective of okay men are men they're not God but it's good to follow men that are following God right but he says hey don't don't think of us or don't think of other people that are men of God to be you know think of them above what that which is written that not that no one of you be puffed up for one against another for who may get thee to differ from another and what has thou that thou didst not receive now if thou didst receive it why does thou glory and if thou hadst not received it now you're full now you're rich you have rained as kings without us and I would to God you did rain that we also might rain with you he's talking about you know the people that are there that are serving God that like they're getting to enjoy their Christian life so to speak and he's talking about as the apostles they're not really enjoying life very much because they're being targeted it says for I think that God has set forth us the apostles last as it were appointed to death for we are made a spectacle unto the world and to angels and to men they're you know they're seen with the apostles or the leaders that Christ sent out to start you know all these churches and things and so the world is just focusing on what they're doing and so he's like I think that we're the last I think that people are treating us like we're the last we're and we're appointed to death and of course a lot of them did die martyrs deaths it says we're fools for Christ's sake but you're wise in Christ we're weak but you're strong you're honorable but we're despised so this is how Paul's you know Paul's feeling I think he's right you know sometimes people just don't realize what men of God go through in the ministry it says even unto this present hour we both hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffeted and have no certain dwelling place and labor working with our hands being reviled we bless being persecuted we suffer it being defamed we entreat and look you know people are defamed defaming pastors all the time pastors that don't deserve to be defamed what does defamed mean it means damaging the reputation of someone by saying or writing things about them that are not true the apostle Paul is saying this being defamed we entreat we are made as the filth of the world and are the off scouring of all things unto this day what's he saying hey you guys are living you know a great life in Christ but we're kind of taking some damage here we're treated like garbage we're being persecuted we're being defamed I mean they people Paul had his own fan club too and it seems like a lot of pastors that I know have their own fan clubs of demons that follow them around to demons and evil workers and wicked people and they're constantly just popping up with new stuff to try to mess around with us right it says in verse 14 I write not these things to shame you but as my beloved sons I warn you so again I'm not trying to like make it seem like oh pastors poor pastors poor leaders whatever we signed up for it but it says I write not these things to shame you but as my beloved sons to warn you why it says for though you have 10,000 instructors in Christ yet have you not many fathers for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel what's he saying I got you saved you're saved because I preach the gospel to you and you can have 10,000 people that have taught you things from the Bible but you only have one person that got you saved and are you going to treat me like garbage and treat me like the out all scouring of the world and treat me like a filthy piece of dung when I got you saved are you serious and he says I begotten you through the gospel wherefore I beseech ye be followers of me Paul's just saying hey follow me you know I'm still the same guy just because people are defaming me just because people are saying things that aren't true doesn't mean you still still shouldn't follow me hey again what is the sermon about two or three witnesses and look people are just constantly just accusing Christians of all these types of things and pastors and leaders and look it's never going to stop it's always going to happen and that's why it's terms like this need to be preached because look we can get gullible and just fall for anything look there's such deep fakes that they look real and I'm not saying that's happening to me or anybody I know but I'm just saying the technology is so good now it's hard to tell whether it really is something like you just know they wouldn't say that like there's a Trump one where he's saying pastor Shelley is the best pastor in the whole world you know I know Trump didn't say that so you know what I'm saying it's like so we live in a world where there's a lot of deception going on and we just have to really have our guard up and say hey how do we filter information how do we filter what's coming into our eyeballs into our ears all the time well you know if it's an accusation against an elder don't receive it unless you have two or three witnesses that are credible and look those witnesses have to agree you can't it's just not like well two or three witnesses let's chuck rocks at them no diligent inquisition has to be made and they have and those people have to agree in their witness so if their witnesses are all over the place and they're not agreeing then something something's not right something is wrong the bible says the simple believe every word but the prudent man looketh well to his going so which one are you are you a simple one are you a simple person that just believes everything that you hear I hope not because hopefully you've been going to this church long enough where you're able to filter things the correct way it says but the prudent man looketh well to his going what does prudent mean well it means marked with wisdom or it means a lot of different things but marked with wisdom or justice shrewd in management of practical affairs cautious and discreet so I would say that that last one's a really good one the prudent man looketh well to his going hey you know you better make sure before you start saying things before you start typing things on a computer that what you're saying is true because you know you really look dumb when something ends up not being true so and again the enemy's tactic is what to turn the world against us what does the devil do he has the world attack us over things and then what does he do well he turns the government against us he turns other churches and religions against us and really it's it's what the reproach of Christ it's the reproach of God's word and you know and then like then if that doesn't work then we fight each other he's got us fighting each other over over things and then he's got our own families attacking us you know our families are one of the first things that actually start attacking us our outside family but look that shouldn't surprise us we were told from the very beginning you don't get five chapters in the Bible before the Bible starts saying turn to Matthew chapter 5 before the Bible starts saying that we're going to be accused of things all the time we're going to be hated we're going to be persecuted people are going to revile us people are going to persecute us they're going to say false things about us and so when it happens it shouldn't be a big shocker it just shouldn't be look at Matthew 5 10 it says blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven blessed are ye when men shall revile you oh everybody hates you somebody put a comment on YouTube the other day was like even his family hates him it's like well how do you know maybe they do I don't know but and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you what does it say there falsely for my sake are people going to lie about us of course they are are people going to hate us yes are people going to persecute us absolutely it says rejoice and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you look it's happened all from Abel on Cain killed Abel why because he was righteous that's why turn to Matthew chapter 10 Matthew chapter 10 and look I mean these are things that are just hard to think about that will happen the Bible says will happen and have been happening since Christ's time and even before that even with the prophets but it says in verse 15 behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves be therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves but beware of men for they will deliver you up to the councils and will scourge you in their synagogues and you shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake isn't that what I just said they beware of men they're going to deliver you to councils you know the religious people and then the governments and kings and for testimony against them and the Gentiles but when they deliver you up take no thought of what you shall speak for it shall be given you in that same hour what you shall speak for it is not ye that speak but the spirit of your father which speaketh in you and the brothers shall deliver up the brother to death I mean to death your own brother I'm talking about your physical brother and the father the child imagine I mean I can't even imagine saying hey just kill my you know my my child's you know kill my kid really and the children shall rise up against their parents and cause them to be put to death I can't even imagine how horrific that would actually be but look when the Bible says it it's saying it because we should expect it and ye shall be hated of all men hated of all men for my name's sake but he that endureth to the end shall be saved but when they persecute you in this city flee you into another for verily I say unto you shall not have gone over all the cities of Israel to the son of man become the disciple is not above his master this is something that we need to understand whatever they did to Jesus they're going to do to us maybe even you know of course we're not going to go through what Jesus did necessarily but I mean look what it says nor the servant above his lord we're not better than him we're not above him it is enough for the disciple that he be as his master and the servant as his lord if they have called the master of the house Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his household we are his household we're his brothers in Christ and sister we're his we're his you know we're he's our lord he's our master and so what are they gonna do they're gonna treat us worse that's what it's saying isn't it skip down to verse 34 think not that I'm come to send peace on the earth nobody called the prince of peace but what's he saying don't think that I've not come to send peace upon the earth I came not I came to not to send peace but a sword for I am come to set a man at variance against his father and the daughter against her mother and the daughter in law against her mother in law and a man's foe shall be they of his own household this is your immediate household he that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me when you're faced in this situation what do you have to choose you have to choose the lord and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me who do you have to choose you have to choose the lord if your mother betrays you know but you know if your mother hates God and you have to make that choice you gotta choose God if your children hate God and and don't want to choose you know to be with you you got to choose God you can't say well I'm just gonna get out of the Christian life because I won't have a relationship with my kids that's that's retarded what are you talking about we're supposed to love God above all things he that findeth his life shall lose it and he that loses the life for my sake shall find it look I mean it sounds horrific to have to you know not have you know relationship with these close types of family members but you know sometimes you know things like this happen and Jesus said it's gonna happen so it's something that you know we don't want to have to face or or think will happen but look you can't make people do things you can't make people love God you can't make people get saved in the end everybody has their own choice to make so and like I just want to show you a couple more things real quick and we'll get out of here but think about Naboth so there are people that will forgo you know that they'll use they use the two three witness system to get around and they what do they do they got children of Belial to to to take away Naboth's vineyard and give it to Ahab Jezebel did this right and they stoned him with stones that he died so there's one account where he because like some people say well like two or three witnesses it's a done deal that's it it's like no it's not because they were lying weren't they so still the diligent witness has to happen but think about Jesus let's go to Matthew chapter 26 and they'll be the last place I have you turn Matthew chapter 26 and while you're turning there I'm just gonna read Psalm chapter 27 this is a prophetic Psalm from Jesus he said deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies for false witnesses are risen up against me and such as breathe out cruelty Christ had false witnesses testify against him and Psalm chapter 35 verse 11 says he says false witnesses did rise up they laid to my charge things that I knew not they rewarded me evil for good wasn't Christ good to all the people he came to what he came to save people's lives not to destroy them and it says to the spoiling of my soul men that he did right towards he probably fed there were probably some of the five thousand that he fed the three thousand people he helped and ministered to and they rewarded him by what look at Matthew chapter 26 verse 59 now the chief priests and the elders and all the council sought false witness against Jesus to put him to death but found none yea though many false witnesses came yet they found they none so what happened all these people are coming forth to bear false witness against them it said many false witnesses came yet they found none so they weren't real witnesses were they at the last came to false witnesses so that's what they needed right and said this fellow said I am I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days did he say that destroy this temple and I'll build it in three days that's what he said right but what's the context he's talking about the temple of his body if they kill him then he's gonna rise again right says and the high priest arose and said unto him answer astound nothing what is it which these witness against thee but what to say there but Jesus held his peace what does that mean he didn't open his mouth he didn't say anything he didn't defend himself and sometimes the best thing you can do when people are accusing you of stuff that isn't true is just don't even acknowledge it just don't say anything and that's what Jesus did like what's the point because look the more you answer people like this these reprobate type people they're just gonna have another accusation to hurl at you right after that they're never gonna stop nothing's ever gonna suffice them no answer is ever gonna be good enough it's just gonna be one more accusation to throw at you right after that so the best thing to do is to starve them out and don't don't answer them that's what Jesus did but Jesus held his peace and the high priest answered and said unto him I jur thee by the living God that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ the Son of God now this he did answer Jesus sayeth unto him thou has said nevertheless I say unto you hereafter shall you see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven so he did after he I don't know if he had to answer but he did answer and told them he's the Son of God right he's the Son of Man and he told him he was gonna come with the clouds then the high priest rent his clothes saying he has spoken blasphemy which is not true what further need have we have witnesses and here's the thing when people want to accuse you of things and and lie about you and bring false witnesses like they did what what they really don't care if they have witnesses or not because they're just gonna bring another false accusation against you behold now you have heard his blasphemy what think ye they answered and said he is guilty of death and this is exactly how they're gonna deal with us it doesn't matter what we say you might as well just say the truth and let the chips fall where they may because there is gonna come a time when things get really ugly in this world we just have to be ready for it you have to understand that people are gonna do this they're already doing it and you know but but you know I want to give you a silver lining that say you're in a situation where you have to answer and you know that you know your answer is gonna get you killed the silver lining is that you get a better resurrection you know I mean that is a silver lining you might go through some horrific times at that point but you're still going to heaven with better rewards than you were gonna go with so I mean to me yeah it doesn't sound like fun I get that but you know and really the main point I want to I want to point out is look two or three witnesses are required that's what the Bible teaches and we ought to make sure that we filter everything through that lens that's how we receive information that's how we put forth information and we shouldn't just be talking about things willy-nilly that are first of all none of our business and second of all you know just thinking that accusations are true when you don't really know if they are or not for other people especially like a pastor but then you know just even amongst yourselves you know in our congregation look it's hurtful to people when when they find out they even talk about about him behind their back like that's just not what God wants us doing and behaving like so look we should we should have love for everybody in this church you know there might be somebody you don't get along with that good but you know you can still be decent to them you know just don't think that's right so the Bible is very clear though you know in matters of evidence for crimes wickedness wrongdoing sin you know establishing disputes between believers accusations against other believers especially again the elder that we are not to just believe things without having actual evidence in two or three witnesses period something someone just saying something and you believing it without having proof is wrong if you have an issue arise then you know if it's something that needs to be reported to you know the pastor it's a serious issue if you saw so-and-so smoking behind the building or something don't please don't come with that to me all right so that's not a kick-out type situation so anyway I don't think I need to explain it to you but and then you know when you begin to believe facts or things as facts without evidence then you're just being foolish and you ought to stop yourself before things begin to flow out of your lips and out of your fingers without merit so you know sorry if we're going so long tonight but I just want to make sure that we got that in there let's pray Lord we thank you so much for the Bible and the clear teachings Lord and Lord I pray that you just help us to have discernment when it comes to you know just receiving accusations and and Lord just how do we deal with each other as Christians how we deal when it comes to matters of dispute matters of criminality and just the two or three witnesses are required and Lord I pray that you just help us to just like retain this in our knowledge and when we you know hear something that we would just make sure that we're cautious in the way that we receive that information and the way that we distribute that information with discernment so pray that you just bless our church tonight as we go home in Jesus name we pray Amen you you you you you you you