Stop 9 Church
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Stop 9 Church
Galloping Through Galatians: Part 6/6
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Introducing Galatians' Final Chapter
Speaker 1All right , we are studying the book of Galatians . This is the last . There we go . This is the last class Galloping through Galatians . This horse is just about worn out , headed to the glue factory . They still do that . They still send horses to the glue factory . If they still do that , they still send horses to the glue factory . The title of our lesson this morning is Keep in Step with the Spirit . We're going to be in chapter 6 of Galatians . We're going to rip through that and we will be done , but first , in keeping with the theme of the various people that we have looked at this class period , who are you Real name or stage name ?
Speaker 1You have to tell me , is this that person's real name or is this the fake name they adopted ? Okay , here we go . John Wayne , what do you think ? Pilgrim ? What's his real name ? Oh , my goodness , now everybody under 30 is already looking on Google . They got it . It's funny because my wife and I we'll ask each other something . We'll sit there and just ponder it , for you know , all day , every day , until we come up with the answer . All I have to do is look on your phone . Marion Morrison was his real name . There's very young John Wayne . Look how young he looks , jack . It looks like you . No Sort of . It does look like Addy Black . Yeah , marian Morrison , that was his real name . All right .
Speaker 1Conway Twitty Real or fake , fake ? How many say real ? Tom says real , nobody else . You're the bravest man in here , tom . That is not his real name . What is his real name ? Who said I heard it ? Somebody said it . I heard it .
Speaker 1Harold Jenkins . Look at that jelly roll . That looked like you back in the day . Maybe that style will come back . Isn't there a singer Jelly Roll now something ? Okay , I don't keep if it's after like 1990 , I don't know , I don't know . I don't know . Usually I know the 60s and 70s stuff . All right , harold Jenkins .
Speaker 1Johnny Paycheck greatest country and western singer in history Real name or fake name ? How many say real ? That is his stage name . He actually changed his name to Johnny Paycheck . He's from Greenfield , ohio , by the way . His real name Donald Little , young Johnny Paycheck . There , that's probably after he got out of the Navy . He served in the Navy . He spent more time in the brig than he did actually on the ship . I know that's a shocker . There he is . Donald Little . Dwight Yoakam , real or fake ? How many of you say real name . How many of you say fake name ? That is his real name , that's right . He is your brother in Christ .
Speaker 1In case you didn't know that , keith Stotts , down at OVU , was a close friend of theirs . He was born in Kentucky and lived there until he was I don't know . In his teen years . They moved to Columbus , graduated from Columbus North High School and it was up there , I think , that he met the Stottses and very close friends with him .
Speaker 1Yes , if you have never seen I've said this before most of the stuff I say I've said before , if you have not gotten on YouTube , okay , under 30 , listen . Get on YouTube and put in Dwight Yoakam . Listen . Get on YouTube and put in Dwight
Famous Names: Real vs Stage
Speaker 1Yoakam . Buck Owens funeral and Dwight sings I come to the garden alone at the funeral . Oh , it's fantastic . Give you chills . Fischinger and Kenny , is that right ? Okay , I'll take your word for it . Jelly Roll , conway West . Alright , we're going to start off this class going back through .
Speaker 1At the end of chapter 5 , paul talks about the differences between the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit . Remember that . So we're just going to revisit that very briefly here and then we're going to start the last two verses of chapter 5 and the first six verses of chapter 6 , because they kind of go together . So we're going to do the fruit of the spirit and the works of the flesh , redux , which is a word you don't see very often . Apocalypse Now did a . They had a version redux version , which is the director's cut , where they put in all the stuff . They took out and turned a what was what ? A two-hour movie into a five-hour movie when they took all the stuff , put all the stuff back in that they had cut out , and it's not very good . If you've ever seen it , it's a lot of stuff . It's like I can see why they left this on the cutting room floor . It wasn't very good . All right , so let's read this If we live by the Spirit , are we supposed to live by the Spirit ?
Speaker 1Paul just got done talking about that right , the difference between living by the flesh and the works thereof versus living by the Spirit and the fruit that the Spirit produces . And again , this is the English Standard Version . If we live by the Spirit , let us also keep in step with the Spirit . Let us not become conceited , provoking one another , envying one another . Brothers , if anyone is caught in transgression . You who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness . Keep watch on yourself lest you too be tempted . Bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ , for if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing , he deceives himself . But let each one test his own work , and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor , for each will have to bear his own load . Okay , so we talked about works of the flesh versus the fruit of the Spirit last week , works of the Flesh versus the Fruit of the Spirit last week , which really , as I think we mentioned last time , is the difference between doing and being .
Speaker 1I don't want this to be a philosophical class , but I think it's important to know that . Bob Fett has said this one time , and I thought it was one of the most brilliant things I've ever heard Before you can do , you have to be . You must be . Before you can do , you must be a disciple . Before you can do disciple stuff , you must be in Jesus before you can do Jesus stuff . Historically , we tend to get that backwards . We're so concerned about the doing part that we forget all about the being part . We are constantly talking about what you're doing instead of what you're being . And if you try to do stuff without being something , you're going to hate it . You're going to hate it and you're going to try not to do it as much as possible .
Speaker 1You know , when I finally decided to be a student , school got a lot better for me . When I actually had an interest in what I was studying , I became a pretty decent student .
Keeping in Step with the Spirit
Speaker 1Did you hear that ? Okay , good , you did . It's different than the noises . I normally hear , the voices and stuff . You know . Oh , my goodness , okay , physical existence , yes , yes , when we finally decide , you know , I want to be a disciple , I'm going to let the Holy Spirit work in me . Then we start producing those fruits of the Spirit that everybody tries to work so hard to produce . You can't . You cannot work your way into patience , you cannot work your way into love , you cannot work your way into peace , you cannot work your way into any of that stuff . It is fruit that is born of the Spirit . So what I should be concerned about is being , and once I learn to be , then I can do . Does that make sense ? Now ?
Speaker 1He talks about the works of the flesh in chapter 5 , and they literally include circumcision , a work of the flesh among other methods of law-keeping . Those are all works of the flesh and , as he has told us repeatedly , they are of no value to you . No value , no value . So what are the dangers of focusing on the works of the flesh ? Well , when you're constantly looking at your works , trying to justify yourself through the things that you do , your attention is on the physical to the detriment of the spiritual , which is , I think , what we just said . And because that's what we're focusing on , I believe that , paradoxically , that makes you vulnerable to the weaknesses of the flesh , and that's what you're constantly thinking about . It makes you vulnerable to the weaknesses , to the bad stuff that Paul talked about , that are of the flesh .
Speaker 1Focusing on your own works , whether good or bad , diverts your attention from the opportunities for growth , spiritual growth , that God gives us through the Holy Spirit . Does God give you opportunities to grow spiritually ? Yes , all right . Now you know what the next question is going to be how ? Okay , you said yes . Now answer me how . How does he give you opportunities to grow spiritually , to grow spiritually ? Church service Okay , what are the fruits of the Spirit that we want to produce through the Holy Spirit . Okay , say them , sharon , you're singing the song oh shoot . Now say them , sharon , you're singing the song oh shoot , now you're on . Oh , okay , very good , how do you produce those fruits of the Spirit ? Very carefully , very carefully . Okay , do you get out in your workshop and make bent nails and sawdust , like I do ? Yes , my biggest one is patience . That's the one I struggle with . Okay , he's sitting right beside you .
Speaker 1You know what did you say ? You said life experience . Yeah , if life presents you an opportunity , you need to experience it . Yeah , here's the prayer that we pray , and we do this all the time . I've done it since I was a kid . I still do it today . We all do it . I'm repentant of it and trying not to say it again Lord , keep us safe , right Along with Guide , guard and Direct and other things like that . Keep us safe . We don't want anything bad to happen . We don't want to experience anything bad . We don't want to encounter anything bad . And yet it is only through those encounters and experiences that any of that fruit of the Spirit gets produced , and yet we want to avoid it at all costs . Right , how do you learn patience ? By being in situations that test your patience , by having Randy in your class . I'm teasing , but you see my point . I'm teasing , but you see my point . How do you God bless , Shirley .
Speaker 1How do you develop peace in your life ? By being placed in situations that test your peace , by trying to find peace in an unpeaceful situation . But , lord , don't put me in a bad , I don't want to do that . Oh , I can't be around those people . They drive me crazy . Oh , if I talk to those people , oh , I can't do it , I can't do it , I can't do it . So we isolate ourselves and then wonder why I struggle with the works of the flesh , because that's what I'm focused on , instead of focusing on letting God produce that fruit in my life , because I'm avoiding all the stuff that would allow me to produce that . Does that make sense ? Ross , go ahead . Yes , yeah , to be patient , you know so . An apple tree isn't going to produce oranges , so you have to be first what you want to produce . Okay , let me think about that one a little bit . No , no , I'll have to think about that . Okay , not saying it's wrong , I'm just thinking I've learned not to answer too quickly . I will give an answer and then go back later and think to myself that was not a very good answer , so I'm going to think about that a little bit .
Speaker 1Now he tells us to keep in step with the Spirit . That's one of the things that Paul says here . Keep in step with the Spirit . That's one of the things that Paul says here . Keep in step with the Spirit . What does that phrase say to you ? I have a vision . I have lots of visions . My wife calls them hallucinations . What vision ? What do you see ? When you hear keep in step with what do you see ? I'll tell you what I see . I see Gene , and I see . Well , think who else ? A lot of you guys have served I don't want to single out people . A lot of you guys have served in the military . Keeping in step , what do you have to do ? March , right , marching together . What happens if you're not in step ? The DI says Jim , what did the DI say if you were not in step ? Well , you can't repeat it in public , right , can't repeat it in mixed company . Right , keep in step . You're going the same direction . The spirit is going . You are walking together , right ? Gober Pyle had trouble walking in step . Yes , golly , sergeant Carter .
Speaker 1Now he talks about keeping in step with the Spirit and he talks about it in connection with conceit . He says do not become conceited , provoking one another and envying one another . What does he mean by that ? Don't be conceited , provoking each other and envying each other . I'm no better marcher than you are . No , you're no better marcher than I am . I don't know , maybe you are a better marcher than me . I don't know what's he mean by that . Do you think Go ahead ? Okay , very good , I would not argue with that whatsoever . I would not argue with that . You don't know what , without studying the Word which we believe comes from the Holy Spirit , comes through the Holy Spirit , then it's difficult to know how to keep in step with the Holy Spirit . Okay , I can't argue with that .
Flesh vs. Spirit: Being Not Doing
Speaker 1How about this ? There's some ideas that I have Could be right , could be wrong . You'll have to figure it out yourself .
Speaker 1Conceit comes from my own erroneous belief that any spiritual fruit that I bear all the ones that Sharon told us about is the result of what my good works . My good works , I'm such a good person , I'm gooder than you . Look at all the fruit that I bear . I'm a better tree than you are . Ha , I have to buy a new microphone , oh dear . Instead of recognizing that the Holy Spirit is bearing this fruit for me through me . I think I did it myself .
Speaker 1Poor Ross , he just has no patience . If only he was patient like me . You know , have you thought about my answer long enough ? I have , and it's totally wrong , but I don't want to go there . Just kidding , dave got a very good . Well , yeah , I become conceited . I think it's all me . Well , yeah , I become conceited . I think it's all me . I did it . All you know Ever .
Speaker 1Teach your kids how to ride a bike . Teach your kids how to ride a bike . I can remember teaching jason how to ride a bike . Have my hand on his back , okay , and I'm , I'm guiding him . I'm the one keeping the bike up , you know , and I'm guiding him along and he's pedaling away . And mom , look at me , look me , look at me , look at me . He thinks he's doing it all . You know , if Dad takes his hand away , you know we can be that way , can't we ? It's the Holy Spirit doing the work in us . If the Holy Spirit takes his hand off our back , I'm going to crash , but I'm too conceited to know it Provoking each other .
Speaker 1I think what Paul may be talking about here is telling your brother . You're not working hard enough , right ? I see a brother who is not bearing the fruit of the Spirit and I tell him well , you just need to work harder , you just need to work , you need to knuckle down , you just need to bear down , right , you just need to resolve to work harder . That was always the answer . Okay , when I was a kid . Just you got to work harder . That was always the answer . Okay , when I was a kid , just you got to work harder . Or it could mean that I'm telling him hey , you know , I'm glad you're doing that , I'm glad you're bearing that fruit , but my fruit's better than yours . It's just the way it is . I'm sorry , I'm just telling a fact , just a fact , just a plain fact . My fruit's better than yours . Would Christians do that to each other ? Yes , they would . Why ? Because they're people , because they're people Envying each other . Maybe that's believing that the fruit that your brother bears is better than yours .
Speaker 1Some people have gifts . We all have different gifts , right ? Some people are really good at something and not very good at others . Maybe I look at the guys ladies up here and they're singing and they're doing a great job with the praise team and I think , you know , they've got that gift . I can't sing . They're better than me , you know . So I start envying them and I start trying to find ways to knock them down . You know , or maybe I think God doesn't approve of me . You know , I must not be very good because I don't have those gifts myself . Maybe I'm just not a very good Christian , maybe I'm just not a very good person .
Speaker 1We think things like that . These are from the devil , but we think them . And you know , bearing one another's burdens as he talks at the end of that little passage there , bearing each other's burdens and restoring a fallen brother gently , are evidence of the Holy Spirit working in you . That is fruit being produced by the Holy Spirit . When you see somebody who can bear somebody else's burden , whatever it is , without complaint , without attention seeking , that's a mature Christian . That's somebody bearing fruit . When you see somebody who is willing to go to somebody who's having some spiritual trouble and work with them quietly , without fanfare , without judgment , that's a mature Christian . That's somebody bearing fruit of the Spirit . Does that make sense ? A mature Christian ? That's somebody bearing fruit of the Spirit . Does that make sense ? You know , quite honestly , when we're looking for elders and deacons , that's the sort of thing that I think of .
Speaker 1I can't speak for my fellow workers , but that's one of the things I look for . Who's already doing the things that would be necessary ? Who's already doing deacon work ? Who's already doing elder-type work ? I forgot an S , vanna , can , I guess an S ? Let each one tet his own work . Who knew a missing S could be so funny . Carol's not here . I sent these to Carol the night before . She didn't catch that . She would usually tell me I've done something wrong . Test your own work . Don't look at your brother . Test yourself . Test your own work .
Speaker 1Focusing on my works leads me to focus on the same thing in others , and I mean that in a negative way . If I'm busy looking at what I'm doing and thinking I'm doing such a good job , I will know I'm doing a good job because I'm comparing it against what Doug is doing . Doug doesn't do it as good as I do . Doug doesn't do it as good as I do . You know , becky doesn't do it as good as I do . Cliff's pretty good . I don't know . I want to compare myself to Cliff , but it's dangerous . It's dangerous because it leads me to what ? Judge my brother while excusing myself .
Speaker 1Right , I have reasons for the reason for why I don't do things as well as I should , why I'm not bearing the fruits of the Spirit . You don't , as far as I'm concerned , and I think this is maybe brought forth in the statement he makes , for if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing , he deceives himself . Don't think too highly of yourself . If you are bearing fruit , that is the spirit bearing fruit in you , not you working to do it yourselves . Does that make sense ? All right , any missing letters there ? Reed Ross , and the sad thing is I proofread for a living . This is what I do Every day . I'm proofreading Wrong . You had too'm proofreading Wrong . I had too many cups of coffee yesterday .
Speaker 1Chapter 6 , verses 6 through 10 . Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches . Do not be deceived . God is not mocked , for whatever one sows , that will he also reap . For the one who sows to his own flesh will to the flesh versus sowing to the Spirit .
Speaker 1When I was growing up , this was always cited in terms of sin , sinful behavior . We sow wild oats and then hope for crop failure . Right , it was always you reap what you sow , and it's always in terms of sinful behavior . And while that is a true statement , I don't think that's what Paul's talking about here at all . What's he been talking about throughout this whole letter to the Galatians ? Circumcision and the idea that by keeping the law , by keeping the physical law of Moses , that you can justify yourself .
Bearing Burdens and Testing Yourself
Speaker 1So , in that context , what I think he's talking about is , if you want to live by legalism , you're going to die by legalism . If you want to live , if you think that by keeping the law , keeping whatever rules you want to keep , that's going to make you righteous , then you're going to die by that , because you can't do it . I don't care what the rule is . Think about the stuff that you set down for yourself as rules . Do you keep them all ? No , there's no way you do .
Speaker 1How many of you had New Year's resolution ? I did . My resolution was that I was not going to have a resolution . So far , I've kept it . I set the bar super low . I set it super low and I always achieve my goals .
Speaker 1That was a joke , by the way . I did this before . I remember one year my resolution was that I was going to get myself in shape . Now that's not even a resolution . That is a goal , that's not an action , and that's one of the reasons that resolutions fail . We set a goal without any actions to achieve the goal . I'm going to get in shape . The only thing I know how to do is run . Now don't look at me and laugh , mackenzie . Okay , this is a long time ago . This is a long time ago . I'm going to run . I'm going to run to get my .
Speaker 1This is when we lived in Dover . Okay , I used to run cross-country . That was three miles , that was a three-mile course , and we trained , we would do training , we'd run . You know , five , seven , eight , ten miles in training . How hard can this be ? Right ? The struggle is real . I got two blocks away and I was dying . I was dying . I mean , I am like short of breath and my legs hurt . Why are you laughing ? I mean I'm like , and it was early . I mean this is , this is early in the morning , this is like before the sun's up , it's freezing , cold . It's January .
Speaker 1You know , I'm running around the block and I'm thinking I hope nobody sees me . So I get half , I get the third block and I stop . You know I'm like you , me . So I get the third block and I stop and then I'm stretching . It's like I didn't really stop because I was tired , I needed to stretch , and this went on for maybe a week and then , jake , I was done . I could not do it anymore . I had set a rule for myself I'm going to get up every morning and I'm going to run First . It's going to be two or three blocks , and it's going to be three or four blocks , and I'm thinking I'm going to run a half marathon before the end of the year . Right , yeah , it's back to the Twinkies and Ho-Os .
Speaker 1But that's what we get , don't we ? When we try to set our own rules , we can't keep them . And that's what Paul is trying to tell them . No matter how hard you work , you can't keep them . It ain't going to work . You want to live by them , you're going to die by them and you will be judged by them , because people will say didn't you say you were going to get yourself in trouble ? Well , yeah , hey , how's that running going ? Oh , it's going . In fact it's gone .
Speaker 1Let us not grow weary . Paul says Let us not grow weary . Is it tiring to sow to the Spirit ? He says you can either sow to the flesh or you can sow to the Spirit . Is it tiring to sow to the Spirit ? Yes , letting the
Sowing and Reaping Spiritual Fruit
Speaker 1Spirit . When I say sow to the Spirit , what I mean is to rely on the Holy Spirit to do the work . Is that hard to do ? Yes , and it makes you tired , because the Holy Spirit doesn't generally produce fruit in you immediately . How long does it take for a ?
Speaker 1I've heard it said before the man who plants an orchard plants it for the next generation , because it takes a long time . Right , we have two sickly blueberry plants in our garden . We started out with one , now we have two , and I remember when we planted them . I have visions in my head , right Of these beautiful , luscious , ripe blueberries on my cereal in the morning , you know , and oodles of them . I'm putting them on my waffles and you know all that stuff eating them before my three-mile run . What ? What are you laughing at ? We have now two sickly bushes that will occasionally produce a berry or two .
Speaker 1Doesn't work . Doesn't work like that . We don't expect it to work like that . If I plant a garden today , we bought some tomato plants hoping to put them in the ground . If I plant those tomato plants today , are they going to have fruit tomorrow ? No , ain't going to have fruit tomorrow ? No , it ain't going to happen .
Speaker 1My friends , when your brothers and sisters in Christ say I want to be a disciple and the Holy Spirit begins to work , it may be long , long time before any fruit gets produced Long time . But I'm impatient and I want it right now . And the shortcut to that is to focus on works . Well , you need to get busy working and it doesn't work like that . Doesn't work like that .
Speaker 1It can be very discouraging to let the spirit work at his own pace . Sowing to the flesh gives you immediate rewards and it feels good because I feel like I'm accomplishing something , because I'm forcing these things to happen . But it doesn't last Because , as I said , if I am more focused on doing than being , eventually I'm going to get tired of it and I'm going to quit . Like running , instead of saying I am focused on this goal and I am not going to stop , I'm going to allow myself to work through these difficulties , same thing happens I quit . I don't want to do this . To begin with , I never wanted to do this . But he says don't give up . Paul says don't give up and instead continue as he says , doing good to everyone .
Speaker 1He finishes up chapter six . I got to get moving here . See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand . It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised , and only in order that they might not be persecuted for the cross of Christ . For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law . They desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh . But far be it for me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ , by which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world . For neither circumcision counts for anything , nor uncircumcision , but a new creation . And as for all who walk by this rule , peace and mercy be upon them and upon the Israel of God . From now on , let no one cause me trouble , for I bear on my body the marks of Christ , the marks of Jesus . The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit , brothers , amen .
Speaker 1What marks of Jesus did Paul bear on his body ? Did he have nails in his hands , nail prints in his hands and his feet ? Did he have that ? No , but what marks did he bear ? Scars from his beatings ? Maybe scars from the shackles in jail , splinters from the shipwrecks he was in , stripes on his back , scars on his back from the floggings that he took . He bears in his body marks that are better than any circumcision . That's what he's trying to tell them here .
Speaker 1So Paul emphasizes in the last part of this letter . He says look at my hand . I'm writing this with my own hand . I'm doing this myself . Why does he say that to them ? He had a . Yeah , do you know what that person would be called ? It's a word . Yes , can't put anything past you Neil Immanuensis , someone who was the scribe for him . He would dictate to them Remember , we went through this and we talked about how we got the Bible and how they would actually write on the papyrus with a stylus .
Speaker 1He wrote this one in his own hand . Why do you think he would tell him he's doing that ? Well , number one , it authenticates it right . Look , you know my writing . This is actually me writing this and this is important . I want you to know I care about you personally . You know they have these things now called auto pens . You ever heard of them before An auto pens ? You ever heard of them before An auto pen ? That's where most of the presidential stuff you get is signed by auto pen , okay , it's fake . But if the president actually signs something in his own hand and you get it , what does that tell you ? You are important to me . You and I have a relationship . You are important . This isn't just some machine doing this , this is me . I think that's what Paul's telling them . You mean something . You are important to me . You folks in Galatia , I'm writing this personally . This is a task for me , but I'm going to do it because you mean something . Does that make sense ? No , auto-pen .
Speaker 1Back then he says you know the people that are telling you to do this circumcision stuff and keep the law . They don't even keep it themselves . And so he points out to them the hypocrisy of what they're doing . And that's the inevitable result of law keeping . I tell you to do something , but I don't do it myself . But I don't do it myself . You know , in a very basic way , that is the reason why a lot of folks just get sick of the whole religion show . I'm going to use those words because that's sometimes what it is they get sick of the religion show . I know you're not doing what you're telling me to do . I know you don't do it . So why should I do it ? We all have weaknesses , we all have blind spots . We can't keep it , it's impossible , so why bother trying ? And that isyou know .
Speaker 1When you finally say , I've given up on this , I'm going to keep my own law stuff , I've got a list of rules I have to follow , when you finally blow that up and throw it away , you are free . Boy , is that great . You are free , I can do . I can do whatever I want , not to please myself , but I can do as Paul told them . You've been freed so you can serve each other . Oh , this is great .
Paul's Final Words: Freedom in Christ
Speaker 1This is great . I am free to serve .
Speaker 1Now , this is kind of the heart of the whole message . You could boil down the book of Galatians to this For neither circumcision counts for anything , nor uncircumcision , but the new creation . This is the book of Galatians to this , for neither circumcision counts for anything , nor uncircumcision , but the new creation . This is the heart of the message . Don't focus on the flesh . Allow yourself to be led by and loved by the Holy Spirit , to become like , and love like , christ . Isn't that ? It Isn't that what we're here to do ? I'm not here to follow a bunch of rules Most of the arguments that people get into about religion are about which rules to follow .
Speaker 1I have no interest in that whatsoever . I've gotten to the point where I don't care anymore . I really don't . I'm not going to argue with you about it , because 90% I don't go further than that 99% of what we argue about ain't even in the Bible . To begin with , the stuff that separates us and the Assembly of God and the Baptist Church and the Methodists down the street has to do . 99% of it has to do with what goes on here on an hour on Sunday morning . Because your rules are different than my rules , I say blow it up , I don't care , I don't care , I really don't care . We allow that tiny little bit to separate us into different groups with different buildings and different this and different that . When Paul is telling these people blow it up , you're free , you're free . Oh no , you don't understand , mr Friend . Yeah , I think I understand too well . Oh no , you don't understand , mr Friend . Yeah , I think I understand too well .
Speaker 1One of the reasons that I have thought about kicked around the idea I'll end with this and this will shock you but we brought this up at one of our meetings . One time I thought about resigning as an elder before , not because of some scandal , but because sometimes I feel like I am asked to defend the brand . I'm asked to defend a particular rule of our fellowship . I am not interested in that . I am not interested in it . And if that's what you want out of an elder , then find somebody else . I am not going to do it anymore . I'm not going to do it anymore . I'm not going to do it . Tired of defending man-made rules , I have no use in it . It just wears me out . When we are so focused on that stuff , instead of focusing on I , want God to live in me through the Holy Spirit so I can serve others and that's the most important thing in my life . We get far away from that and say well , you know , we have to have songbooks with shape notes in the pews . I am done . I am tapping out friends . I'm not going to do it anymore . I'm not going to do it anymore .
Speaker 1I hope this has been helpful to you . I am so sick of legalism . It is a destructive way of living , it is destructive of you personally and it is destructive of your faith in Christ . That's what I think , and that and one dollar will get you a cup of coffee at Tim Hortons or McDonald's , or Seven Brew or whatever , I don't know . Is that Seven Brew ? Maybe next time . I don't want to get in trouble Now , what was your question again ?
Speaker 1No , is that seven brew ? Can you let us know how you really feel ? Maybe next time ? I don't want to get in trouble .
Speaker 1Now , what was your question again , ross , I never did answer . I've forgotten what it was . You got to be patient , to be patient . You can't remember either . Well , you said , before you can do , you have to be patient . Yeah , something like that . Yeah , so you said you have to be patient before you can practice patience . I don't know . I think you can be unpatient , but determine that I'm going to allow the Holy Spirit to work in me without identifying myself as being patient . I recognize that I'm not . I don't know . It's a good question .
Speaker 1The end , final scene from the Searchers . This is John Wayne , marion Morrison , walking away from the cabin after he has delivered Debbie from the hands of the Comanches that she had been held by , brings her back to the cabin and then walks away as the camera watches the door close . You ever seen it before ? You've got to watch it . Great movie . All right , next week we begin a series on the heroes of faith . A different guy every week teaching on a different hero of the faith , and if you don't like one week's lesson or teacher , come back next week because it's going to be somebody new , somebody different . So there you go . All right , Hope you've enjoyed the class . Hope you have . More importantly than that , I hope you have learned something about religion and I hope you have learned something about yourself . All right , you've been a very good class .