WEBVTT 00:00:00.560 --> 00:00:04.879 1 Chronicles chapter 11, not Corinthians, 1 Chronicles chapter 11. 00:00:05.120 --> 00:00:08.240 And also, would you pick up Genesis chapter 8? 00:00:08.400 --> 00:00:10.880 1 Chronicles 11, Genesis chapter 8. 00:00:10.960 --> 00:00:15.039 While you're turning there, I want to thank those who prayed for me this last Monday. 00:00:15.279 --> 00:00:32.479 Had a unique opportunity to uh speak on a at a memorial service at a cemetery up in Wilman Wildemar, and it went very, very well, had some uh good results, and I just wanted to tell you if you're laboring together in that in prayer, or you pray for me, uh you'll have a part of that uh later on. 00:00:32.640 --> 00:00:35.200 You won't see it until we get to the judgment seat of Christ. 00:00:35.280 --> 00:00:38.560 But you know, nothing we do falls to deaf ears with the Lord. 00:00:38.719 --> 00:00:40.560 1 Chronicles chapter 11. 00:00:40.799 --> 00:00:43.600 1 Chronicles chapter 11 and Genesis chapter 8. 00:00:43.759 --> 00:00:45.200 You ready for a Bible study tonight? 00:00:45.679 --> 00:00:46.799 All right, good, good. 00:00:46.960 --> 00:00:48.799 1 Chronicles chapter 11. 00:00:48.960 --> 00:00:50.640 And if you're not, get yourself ready. 00:00:50.719 --> 00:00:58.159 Just kind of gear yourself in, and by about halfway through it, it may just kind of engage in gear, and everything will be fine. 00:00:58.320 --> 00:01:00.479 1 Chronicles 11, look at verse 15. 00:01:00.719 --> 00:01:02.240 Verse 15, if you would. 00:01:02.719 --> 00:01:18.239 Now three of the thirty captains went down to the rock to David into the cave Adalam, and the host of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Raphael, and David was then in the hold, and the Philistine's garrison was then at Bethlehem. 00:01:18.480 --> 00:01:26.560 And David longed and said, Oh, that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, that is at the gate. 00:01:26.799 --> 00:01:35.040 And the three, talking about mighty men, the three broke through the host of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem. 00:01:35.120 --> 00:01:43.519 Evidently they were somewhat surrounded, or if you would, down at Bethlehem was where the Philistines' garrison was, if you look at verse 16. 00:01:43.680 --> 00:01:50.959 And those three risked their life, and they broke right through the garrison there, and they went for one purpose to get what? 00:01:51.599 --> 00:01:52.000 Water. 00:01:52.239 --> 00:01:55.200 Water for their leader, the king. 00:01:56.000 --> 00:02:02.640 And so they break, they get the water out of the well at Bethlehem in verse 18 that was by the gate and took it and brought it to David. 00:02:02.719 --> 00:02:03.359 Isn't that something? 00:02:03.439 --> 00:02:10.159 David's kind of daydreaming, I guess, and he says, Man, if I could just get some water out of that spring down at the gate thereof. 00:02:10.479 --> 00:02:12.479 Three guys heard it and said, Sure. 00:02:13.120 --> 00:02:16.719 Down they go, risk their life, bring it back, and say, Here, David. 00:02:18.639 --> 00:02:19.919 And brought it to David. 00:02:20.000 --> 00:02:20.639 Look at it. 00:02:20.800 --> 00:02:23.280 But David would not drink of it. 00:02:23.520 --> 00:02:26.800 Now remember, we're talking about a man after God's own heart. 00:02:27.039 --> 00:02:28.879 But poured it out to the who? 00:02:29.280 --> 00:02:30.159 To the Lord. 00:02:30.400 --> 00:02:35.039 And said, My God forbid it me that I should do this thing. 00:02:35.280 --> 00:02:39.120 Shall I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives in jeopardy? 00:02:39.360 --> 00:02:42.560 For with the jeopardy of their lives they brought it. 00:02:42.719 --> 00:02:44.639 Therefore he would not drink it. 00:02:44.960 --> 00:02:47.280 These things did these three mightiest. 00:02:47.520 --> 00:02:50.000 Now listen, think about this from a logical standpoint. 00:02:50.159 --> 00:02:52.560 These guys come up and bring the water to David. 00:02:52.800 --> 00:02:59.520 How would you uh think they might feel if David says, No, I can't drink of this water, you guys just risk your life, and then he pours it out. 00:02:59.919 --> 00:03:03.360 If you weren't spiritual, you'd say, Well, how do you like that? 00:03:03.840 --> 00:03:07.360 Man, we risk our lives, we go get the water David wants, and what does he do? 00:03:07.520 --> 00:03:08.639 He dumps it out. 00:03:08.879 --> 00:03:23.120 But what you see there is this they sacrificed themselves to do something for David, and David, in turn, even though he longed for the water, he sacrificed and denied self and gave it as an offering to the Lord. 00:03:23.360 --> 00:03:26.560 In fact, what he did was honor them in the greatest way he could honor them. 00:03:26.639 --> 00:03:27.280 Wouldn't you agree? 00:03:27.520 --> 00:03:30.400 He says, No, listen, you guys have risked your life for this. 00:03:30.639 --> 00:03:33.759 Man, I'm not gonna satisfy my little old self with this. 00:03:33.919 --> 00:03:38.719 I'm gonna dump this thing out to the Lord, and in that way I'll give you honor. 00:03:38.879 --> 00:03:43.840 They sacrificed, he sacrificed, and I'm just gonna tell you, I think the Lord was pleased. 00:03:44.159 --> 00:03:45.360 Sacrifice. 00:03:46.159 --> 00:03:49.039 A lot of it has to do with denying self, doesn't it? 00:03:49.439 --> 00:03:57.360 When we start thinking of sacrifice, we start thinking of putting self in second place to whatever it is we're doing for the Lord. 00:03:57.520 --> 00:04:00.319 Now, if you would look at Genesis chapter 8, stay with me. 00:04:00.479 --> 00:04:02.240 Genesis chapter 8. 00:04:03.199 --> 00:04:06.719 In Genesis chapter 8, Noah gets off that boat. 00:04:06.879 --> 00:04:13.439 He's been on that ark for quite some time, went through uh quite a wild ride with those animals, I'm sure. 00:04:13.599 --> 00:04:23.360 I don't know if you've ever been in a boat before about this size and locked up in there, but I'll guarantee you there was some uh there were some moments where you say, oh no, they were just all common there, playing Monopoly or something. 00:04:23.439 --> 00:04:24.399 I don't think so. 00:04:25.040 --> 00:04:38.560 I think it was quite a ride in there, and uh I understand where you know that hibernation comes in and all that type of thing, and I understand uh why God started hibernation, and some of those animals don't hibernate, amen. 00:04:39.120 --> 00:04:41.040 They just had a lot of work to do all the time. 00:04:41.120 --> 00:04:48.560 And you you talk about the storms and the windows of heaven and the waters from the deep coming up and everything, and rocking back and forth and taking care of those animals. 00:04:48.800 --> 00:04:51.040 Finally, you know, the thing of baits and they come out. 00:04:51.199 --> 00:05:00.399 First thing Noah does in verse 20, and Noah built an altar unto the Lord, and took of every clean beast and of every clean fowl, and offered what? 00:05:00.639 --> 00:05:03.199 Burnt offerings on the altar, sacrificed. 00:05:03.360 --> 00:05:17.920 And the Lord smelled a sweet savor, and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake, for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth, neither will I again smite any more everything living as I have done. 00:05:18.160 --> 00:05:24.560 While the earth remaineth seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall not cease. 00:05:24.800 --> 00:05:25.120 Why? 00:05:25.279 --> 00:05:28.160 The Lord, the first thing Noah did, he says, You know what we're gonna do? 00:05:28.240 --> 00:05:30.240 We're gonna sacrifice to God right there. 00:05:30.399 --> 00:05:33.839 And you know that's why God put them on in uh in how many pairs? 00:05:34.720 --> 00:05:36.240 Two by two, but how many? 00:05:36.480 --> 00:05:38.959 Of clean and of yeah, of seven. 00:05:39.120 --> 00:05:41.759 Because there was going to be a sacrifice, and God knew that. 00:05:41.839 --> 00:05:48.879 And evidently, Noah, evidently, when he came out, the first thing he thought about was, I'm gonna do sacrifice here unto the Lord. 00:05:48.959 --> 00:05:53.279 Now, let me talk to you a little bit, just a little bit about practical sacrifice tonight. 00:05:53.600 --> 00:05:58.319 David's sacrifice, and it he had to deny himself from some pleasure, if you would. 00:05:58.480 --> 00:06:02.560 Noah's sacrifice, and maybe it didn't cost him a whole lot, but please look up here. 00:06:02.720 --> 00:06:04.879 He did it because his mind was on the Lord. 00:06:06.079 --> 00:06:09.680 When we get our mind off the Lord, you know we don't sacrifice like we normally do. 00:06:10.240 --> 00:06:15.360 When we get our mind off the Lord, we don't sacrifice that time in the morning to his word or that time at night to his word. 00:06:15.600 --> 00:06:16.079 Amen? 00:06:16.399 --> 00:06:19.360 Now we some of us could bow our heads right here and have an altar call. 00:06:20.240 --> 00:06:20.720 Amen. 00:06:20.959 --> 00:06:27.279 And all I'm saying is when self comes up and gets in the way, sacrifice is not as prevalent. 00:06:28.079 --> 00:06:31.120 And it starts, you know, with the basic things like reading our word. 00:06:31.360 --> 00:06:37.519 Uh, you know, sometimes I'm sure people come to our church and they say, Man, they require so much of you there. 00:06:39.120 --> 00:07:00.079 I mean, you know, the the pastor uh expects you to be there Sunday morning, and then he tries to encourage you back Sunday night, and then he tries to encourage you back Wednesday night, and then he tries to encourage you out souling, then we try to encourage you to get into a ministry, then we try to encourage you to tithe and give offerings, then we try to encourage you to get in your Bible in prayer every day. 00:07:00.240 --> 00:07:01.360 You know what we're talking about? 00:07:01.519 --> 00:07:02.319 Sacrificing. 00:07:03.120 --> 00:07:07.120 And after a while, it doesn't seem like a sacrifice anymore, it's just a way of life. 00:07:08.240 --> 00:07:17.600 I mean, you wake up and sometime during the day you do some prayer and you do some Bible study, and and Wednesday night comes around, and I know some of our people work, you're not working, you're in church. 00:07:17.839 --> 00:07:19.519 Hey, some of our speakers have been amazed. 00:07:19.600 --> 00:07:21.600 He said, Man, you got a pretty good Wednesday night crowd. 00:07:21.680 --> 00:07:24.560 Well, our people is just normal and should be normal. 00:07:24.639 --> 00:07:26.399 You know what'll happen over the summertime? 00:07:26.560 --> 00:07:30.879 Not only I'm talking about people who have vacations, but you'll see some people dropping off on Wednesday night. 00:07:31.920 --> 00:07:32.319 Yeah. 00:07:32.560 --> 00:07:33.120 Why? 00:07:33.439 --> 00:07:33.920 Self. 00:07:35.680 --> 00:07:40.160 Now, if they got a job or something like that, but I'm talking about some of our people will be home watching TV. 00:07:40.800 --> 00:07:41.680 You know what the problem is? 00:07:41.839 --> 00:07:42.240 Talk to me. 00:07:42.480 --> 00:07:42.800 Self. 00:07:43.120 --> 00:07:43.360 Yeah. 00:07:43.519 --> 00:07:45.040 Self rises back up again. 00:07:45.199 --> 00:07:49.199 The more we can keep self dead, the more we're able to sacrifice willingly. 00:07:49.920 --> 00:07:51.360 And it's not that laborious. 00:07:51.519 --> 00:07:53.680 It's not labor to us, it's just we do it. 00:07:54.000 --> 00:07:54.639 Amen? 00:07:55.279 --> 00:07:58.079 So uh this part uh was no big deal to him. 00:07:58.160 --> 00:07:59.759 He just he just sacrificed. 00:07:59.920 --> 00:08:03.040 Look if you would with me at 1 Samuel 15. 00:08:03.279 --> 00:08:04.879 1 Samuel 15. 00:08:05.360 --> 00:08:09.199 Some sacrifices take more than others when you start thinking about it. 00:08:09.360 --> 00:08:17.439 And God certainly hasn't asked many of us, some of us may, but he hasn't asked many of us to sacrifice like some in this Bible. 00:08:17.680 --> 00:08:19.600 1 Samuel 15, hold your place there. 00:08:19.680 --> 00:08:21.439 And uh, think with me just for a moment. 00:08:21.600 --> 00:08:25.759 Uh, Abraham, God said to Abraham, Take thy son, thine only son, who? 00:08:26.160 --> 00:08:26.639 Isaac. 00:08:26.720 --> 00:08:28.240 Take him up, and I want you to do what? 00:08:28.480 --> 00:08:29.120 Sacrifice. 00:08:29.279 --> 00:08:31.199 Don't you think that caused some mental turmoil? 00:08:32.159 --> 00:08:38.159 His only son, the one he waited for for for years and years and years to be born the promised seed. 00:08:38.320 --> 00:08:44.159 There was mental sacrifice, and maybe it didn't seem logical, and yet sometimes with sacrifice we fight. 00:08:44.320 --> 00:08:47.120 How logical or illogical is this thing up here? 00:08:47.279 --> 00:08:48.879 And there's going to be some mental turmoil. 00:08:48.960 --> 00:08:50.399 I was thinking about Jephthah. 00:08:50.480 --> 00:08:52.080 Remember Jephthah in the book of Judges? 00:08:52.240 --> 00:08:58.559 He said the Lord, if you'll deliver me in this battle, first thing that comes out to greet me when I come home, I'll sacrifice it. 00:08:59.039 --> 00:09:00.159 You know what he was thinking? 00:09:00.480 --> 00:09:01.120 Animal. 00:09:02.399 --> 00:09:04.080 Don't you know he was thinking animal? 00:09:05.039 --> 00:09:05.759 Absolutely. 00:09:05.919 --> 00:09:11.360 He was thinking, hey, there's some little animal that'll run out, and I'll sacrifice that thing, whatever it is. 00:09:11.600 --> 00:09:12.960 What came out of the house? 00:09:13.519 --> 00:09:15.679 His daughter, his only daughter. 00:09:16.480 --> 00:09:18.960 And he said, I've got to perform my vow. 00:09:19.840 --> 00:09:27.440 Now, the the part of that must have been a lot of anguish and and and and turmoil, if you would. 00:09:28.240 --> 00:09:34.480 Sacrifice when self is dead is easier than when self rises up again. 00:09:34.639 --> 00:09:40.080 So the more we can keep self under submission, the easier it is to attend church regularly. 00:09:41.039 --> 00:09:42.000 And tithe. 00:09:42.159 --> 00:09:43.759 And not be grievous about it. 00:09:44.159 --> 00:09:46.159 Man, I'm not going to be able to pay my bills this month. 00:09:46.320 --> 00:09:46.799 Here. 00:09:48.399 --> 00:09:49.759 Man, that don't work. 00:09:50.399 --> 00:09:53.519 Man, when you when you really look at it and say, this is just a way of life. 00:09:53.679 --> 00:09:56.240 Hey, we come off the ark, we burn the sacrifices. 00:09:56.399 --> 00:09:58.799 We we have a victory, we burn the sacrifices. 00:09:59.200 --> 00:10:01.279 We get a paycheck, we pay the tithe. 00:10:02.320 --> 00:10:03.679 It's no big deal. 00:10:04.080 --> 00:10:04.559 Amen? 00:10:05.519 --> 00:10:11.039 Now, if that's a big deal to you, uh, please don't expect God to give you big things. 00:10:12.399 --> 00:10:15.120 If God can't trust you with that which is least. 00:10:15.919 --> 00:10:16.960 And see, here we go again. 00:10:17.039 --> 00:10:18.559 Somebody says, well, you're putting the pressure on. 00:10:18.720 --> 00:10:19.919 I'm not putting the pressure on. 00:10:20.000 --> 00:10:21.679 This is just normal Christianity. 00:10:22.240 --> 00:10:23.600 This shouldn't be abnormal. 00:10:23.679 --> 00:10:24.480 This is normal. 00:10:24.720 --> 00:10:34.080 To me, coming to church Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night, going soul-winning, working in a ministry, uh, tithing, prayer, and Bible study, that's just that's just normal stuff. 00:10:35.200 --> 00:10:35.919 We haven't got. 00:10:36.080 --> 00:10:36.960 Now, I understand this. 00:10:37.039 --> 00:10:38.879 I'm not talking to a Sunday morning crowd. 00:10:39.039 --> 00:10:40.720 I wouldn't put them down this way. 00:10:40.879 --> 00:10:46.159 Because the Sunday morning crowd would be going, Amen? 00:10:47.120 --> 00:10:48.720 Well, what do you mean you want us to do all that? 00:10:48.879 --> 00:10:54.799 And they'd be offended and walk out, say, well, you know, uh, they don't have any love there or something, you know. 00:10:57.360 --> 00:11:03.200 But it's nice to see some of those Sunday morningers starting to come Sunday night and slipping in Wednesday night. 00:11:03.679 --> 00:11:06.480 It's nice to see people coming out soul winning for the first time. 00:11:06.879 --> 00:11:07.279 And why? 00:11:07.440 --> 00:11:08.559 Because you just want a bunch of numbers? 00:11:08.639 --> 00:11:10.720 No, because they're sacrificing to God. 00:11:11.120 --> 00:11:13.200 By the way, that's why we're teaching our teenagers. 00:11:13.360 --> 00:11:15.679 Get involved, get involved, get involved. 00:11:15.759 --> 00:11:17.679 Look at 1 Samuel 15, please. 00:11:17.919 --> 00:11:19.120 1 Samuel 15. 00:11:19.279 --> 00:11:21.120 And notice what it says in verse 3. 00:11:21.279 --> 00:11:22.720 Saul was commanded. 00:11:23.759 --> 00:11:26.000 Now go and smite Amalek. 00:11:26.559 --> 00:11:27.440 And do what? 00:11:27.919 --> 00:11:30.639 Utterly destroy all that they have and spare them not. 00:11:30.799 --> 00:11:36.240 But slay both man and woman, infant suckling, oxen sheep, cam on ass. 00:11:36.399 --> 00:11:40.080 Now you look at that, and logically you say, Why? 00:11:40.320 --> 00:11:44.960 Why would the God of love tell them to wipe out a whole culture? 00:11:45.200 --> 00:11:46.320 Look what he says there. 00:11:46.480 --> 00:11:50.480 I want you to go in, I want you to slay every man, woman, and what? 00:11:51.200 --> 00:11:51.759 Infant. 00:11:52.960 --> 00:11:54.399 And suckling. 00:11:54.639 --> 00:11:56.559 Ox and sheep, cam on ass. 00:11:56.639 --> 00:12:00.000 You say, do you mean God said destroy the people? 00:12:00.320 --> 00:12:01.600 And everything in there? 00:12:01.679 --> 00:12:03.519 I'm just telling you what the Bible says. 00:12:04.159 --> 00:12:08.720 This was a wicked, evidently, culture that God did not want to infiltrate Israel. 00:12:08.960 --> 00:12:11.360 So he says, go in and wipe the whole thing out. 00:12:11.519 --> 00:12:12.639 You say, Well, I don't know. 00:12:12.720 --> 00:12:14.000 That just doesn't sound logical. 00:12:14.240 --> 00:12:15.679 Doesn't have to sound logical. 00:12:16.000 --> 00:12:19.519 If it doesn't sound logical, praise the Lord, you're in the dispensation of grace. 00:12:20.399 --> 00:12:24.480 I don't expect God to command me to command you to go destroy El Cahon. 00:12:27.039 --> 00:12:27.360 Okay? 00:12:29.600 --> 00:12:30.399 We'll stop there. 00:12:30.639 --> 00:12:31.279 Verse 15. 00:12:31.440 --> 00:12:32.799 Somebody says, How about North Park? 00:12:32.879 --> 00:12:34.000 We'll stop there, anyway. 00:12:34.159 --> 00:12:34.480 All right. 00:12:34.720 --> 00:12:36.799 Verse 15, stay with me. 00:12:37.039 --> 00:12:39.360 If you live in North Park, my apologies. 00:12:39.519 --> 00:12:40.320 Verse 15. 00:12:40.559 --> 00:12:43.120 And Saul said, look at it. 00:12:43.360 --> 00:12:46.799 So Samuel comes up and he says, Hey, what's this verse 14? 00:12:46.879 --> 00:12:49.840 What's this bleeding of the sheep in mine ears and lo in the oxen which I hear? 00:12:49.919 --> 00:12:55.759 And Saul said, now stay with me, they have brought them from the Amalekites. 00:12:56.080 --> 00:12:56.720 For who? 00:12:57.440 --> 00:13:00.639 The people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen. 00:13:00.879 --> 00:13:01.600 To do what? 00:13:02.159 --> 00:13:02.799 Sacrifice. 00:13:02.960 --> 00:13:03.759 Hey, listen. 00:13:04.000 --> 00:13:07.120 Hey, Samuel, what what why you got a problem with this? 00:13:07.600 --> 00:13:15.759 The people, they decided it'd be a good idea to just to save the best sheep and the best oxen, and we're going to sacrifice it to God. 00:13:15.919 --> 00:13:18.320 And listen, the rest who? 00:13:20.240 --> 00:13:22.799 We have utterly destroyed. 00:13:22.879 --> 00:13:23.919 That's the way it goes. 00:13:24.240 --> 00:13:25.840 Saul is a great politician. 00:13:27.440 --> 00:13:35.759 They kept everything, but only the best to sacrifice, but the rest, we, me and them, have utterly destroyed. 00:13:35.840 --> 00:13:41.039 So what he was saying is, they they did wrong, but me, I did everything that was right. 00:13:42.240 --> 00:13:43.360 Verse 21. 00:13:43.519 --> 00:13:44.799 Look what he says. 00:13:45.120 --> 00:13:48.080 But the people took the spoil. 00:13:48.799 --> 00:13:55.519 Took of the spoil sheep and oxen, the chief of things, which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice the Lord thy God in Gilgal. 00:13:55.919 --> 00:13:57.440 So again, but here's the point. 00:13:57.600 --> 00:13:58.639 Who was responsible? 00:13:59.519 --> 00:14:00.080 Saul. 00:14:00.320 --> 00:14:05.440 Saul was responsible for the actions of the people and the sacrifice that was supposed to go on. 00:14:05.600 --> 00:14:08.240 It wasn't supposed to be a sacrifice like they thought. 00:14:08.399 --> 00:14:13.840 It was supposed to be back at the city that was supposed to destroy everything there. 00:14:14.159 --> 00:14:15.679 Saul's still responsible. 00:14:15.840 --> 00:14:19.679 And he could not shirk his responsibility and blame it on the people. 00:14:20.000 --> 00:14:21.759 God held him accountable. 00:14:22.000 --> 00:14:22.720 Yes or no? 00:14:23.120 --> 00:14:24.000 I believe this. 00:14:24.159 --> 00:14:27.360 I believe God holds me accountable for my family. 00:14:29.200 --> 00:14:30.320 I'm accountable. 00:14:30.480 --> 00:14:33.759 I'm accountable for whether my teenagers go soul winning or not. 00:14:34.159 --> 00:14:35.519 I'm accountable. 00:14:36.480 --> 00:14:40.399 I'm accountable for whether or not when they're able, they're working in the ministry. 00:14:40.559 --> 00:14:42.639 I've got a couple of children that are working now. 00:14:42.720 --> 00:14:45.600 I'm accountable to make sure that they tithe. 00:14:46.159 --> 00:14:47.600 And I ask them. 00:14:48.480 --> 00:14:50.080 I go into their room and ask them. 00:14:50.240 --> 00:14:53.039 Somebody says, you know, once they get a certain age, you don't go in your room. 00:14:53.200 --> 00:14:55.200 It's my house that God gave me. 00:14:55.279 --> 00:14:58.320 And if I want to go in their room, I'm going to knock on the door courteously. 00:14:59.039 --> 00:15:02.159 And if they don't let me in, I will break the door down and come in. 00:15:03.919 --> 00:15:04.559 Amen. 00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:09.039 Every once in a while I go in there and check, see what's going on in those rooms. 00:15:10.000 --> 00:15:10.559 Amen? 00:15:11.120 --> 00:15:16.080 Now I've never had to rip anything down off the wall or anything like that, because they know better than that. 00:15:16.320 --> 00:15:16.960 Amen. 00:15:18.639 --> 00:15:19.440 Where's my crew? 00:15:19.519 --> 00:15:20.799 There's part of them. 00:15:21.279 --> 00:15:22.799 Do you understand what I'm saying, though? 00:15:23.120 --> 00:15:24.720 It's my responsibility. 00:15:25.279 --> 00:15:29.919 Well, you know, my teenage daughter, you know, Lord, I just don't have any controls over here. 00:15:30.000 --> 00:15:30.720 What, what, you know. 00:15:31.120 --> 00:15:32.080 Man, you know what? 00:15:32.159 --> 00:15:33.360 I'm still responsible. 00:15:34.000 --> 00:15:35.519 I gotta do the best job I can. 00:15:35.679 --> 00:15:37.759 Now, I understand we all have prodigals. 00:15:38.080 --> 00:15:40.720 And if you have a prodigal, I'm not trying to get on your case. 00:15:41.919 --> 00:15:45.279 Give them grace, give them time, pray for them, wait. 00:15:45.600 --> 00:15:46.480 They'll come around. 00:15:47.200 --> 00:15:48.240 I believe that. 00:15:48.639 --> 00:15:56.720 Wait, I could point to prodigals in here that are now adults that were prodigal in their 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 22, 25, 22, 22, 28. 00:15:56.960 --> 00:15:57.279 Here. 00:15:58.320 --> 00:15:59.519 But they're back. 00:16:00.320 --> 00:16:00.960 Amen. 00:16:01.679 --> 00:16:02.000 Wait. 00:16:02.159 --> 00:16:12.320 But my point is, my job as the head of the home is to do my best to have some standards and some control over what they do in the areas of sacrifice. 00:16:12.799 --> 00:16:17.120 And I gotta tell you this, every once in a while I dump in a little extra money. 00:16:17.440 --> 00:16:19.440 Oh, you say, well, you just got it to dump in. 00:16:19.679 --> 00:16:20.320 Right. 00:16:21.039 --> 00:16:23.600 I dump in a little extra money because Job did. 00:16:24.960 --> 00:16:30.000 Every once in a while, Job did just a little extra sacrifice just in case his sons weren't. 00:16:31.200 --> 00:16:31.679 Amen? 00:16:32.399 --> 00:16:34.559 So every once in a while, I just toss a little bit extra in. 00:16:34.639 --> 00:16:37.360 Somebody, I get a 20 somewhere, I just dump it in. 00:16:37.600 --> 00:16:41.519 Just to say, boy, if one of those children, no, boy, that's a covering out. 00:16:41.759 --> 00:16:42.159 Why? 00:16:42.240 --> 00:16:43.759 I don't want to ache it in my house. 00:16:45.600 --> 00:16:47.039 You say you're taking that seriously? 00:16:47.120 --> 00:16:48.480 I certainly take it seriously. 00:16:48.639 --> 00:16:50.799 Now, probably not as seriously as I should. 00:16:52.240 --> 00:16:56.159 I can't control what's going on in your home, nor do I want the control of your home. 00:16:56.799 --> 00:16:59.360 But you ought to search it out and see what's going on in there. 00:17:00.240 --> 00:17:04.960 If they're doing more sacrifice in front of the TV than there are in their Bible, you got a problem. 00:17:07.200 --> 00:17:08.640 Well, it's summertime. 00:17:08.799 --> 00:17:10.240 Well, it's Christianity. 00:17:14.079 --> 00:17:15.680 Look if you would at 1 Samuel 2. 00:17:15.759 --> 00:17:18.319 I'm not trying to be hard tonight, but this is a Wednesday night crowd. 00:17:19.200 --> 00:17:21.519 You say, come on, preacher, I want to walk out feeling good. 00:17:21.680 --> 00:17:22.319 You will. 00:17:23.039 --> 00:17:24.240 I'm going to feel good. 00:17:25.440 --> 00:17:26.799 1 Samuel 2. 00:17:26.960 --> 00:17:28.079 Look at this real quick. 00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:29.680 We're talking about sacrifice. 00:17:29.759 --> 00:17:35.599 And part of sacrifice is denying self some pleasure for God's purpose. 00:17:35.759 --> 00:17:36.480 Let me say it again. 00:17:36.640 --> 00:17:42.559 Part of sacrifice sometimes is denying self some pleasures for God's purpose. 00:17:42.880 --> 00:17:46.480 Look, if you would at 1 Samuel 2, and notice if you would, verse 12. 00:17:46.559 --> 00:17:48.160 You know this story, but I want to relate it. 00:17:48.319 --> 00:17:50.079 The sons of Eli were sons of Belial. 00:17:50.160 --> 00:17:51.039 They knew not the Lord. 00:17:51.279 --> 00:17:54.720 Priest customs with the people was that, when any man offered what? 00:17:54.880 --> 00:17:55.279 Say it. 00:17:55.440 --> 00:17:55.920 Sacrifice. 00:17:56.000 --> 00:17:56.880 Come on, everybody, say it. 00:17:56.960 --> 00:17:57.200 What? 00:17:57.359 --> 00:17:58.079 Sacrifice. 00:17:58.240 --> 00:18:05.680 The priest's servants came while the flesh was in seething, with a flesh hook of three teeth in a hand, stuck it in the pan, kettle, or cauldron, a pot. 00:18:05.839 --> 00:18:08.240 All that the flesh brought up, the priest took for himself. 00:18:08.319 --> 00:18:10.799 So they did in Shiloh and to all the Israelites that came thither. 00:18:10.960 --> 00:18:11.839 Verse 15. 00:18:12.160 --> 00:18:14.079 Also, before they what? 00:18:14.319 --> 00:18:15.119 Burnt the fat. 00:18:15.279 --> 00:18:19.680 Now, if you know, everywhere in Leviticus and Deuteronomy, the fat is the Lord's. 00:18:20.240 --> 00:18:22.400 You cut off the fat and you burn the fat. 00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:24.400 That's like God's tithe. 00:18:24.720 --> 00:18:26.319 He always gets the fat. 00:18:26.799 --> 00:18:28.000 You know what they were doing? 00:18:28.160 --> 00:18:34.000 They were robbing God's tithe, but worse than that, they were messing up the people's sacrifice. 00:18:34.559 --> 00:18:42.400 Because they were dipping this in and pulling this out and the fat wasn't getting burnt to the Lord properly, they were messing up these people's sacrifice. 00:18:42.640 --> 00:18:50.079 The priest servants came and said to the man that sacrificed, give flesh to Rose for the priest, for he will not have sod and flesh of thee, but raw. 00:18:50.240 --> 00:18:53.359 And he goes on to say, if you won't give it, nay, we'll take it by force. 00:18:53.519 --> 00:18:54.720 They were messing up the people. 00:18:55.119 --> 00:19:00.880 The leadership was messing up the people's sacrifice by greed and self. 00:19:03.359 --> 00:19:11.359 Now we have to look at ourselves sometimes in what we lead and say, hey, now how am I doing with this thing of leadership in my area? 00:19:11.519 --> 00:19:13.359 Wouldn't you agree with this as a church? 00:19:13.759 --> 00:19:19.759 I should preach the whole counsels of God, and I should be provoking people to love and good works. 00:19:20.079 --> 00:19:22.720 Listen, we're not a new evangelical church. 00:19:24.160 --> 00:19:27.680 And I'm not saying they're all wrong and going to hell or anything like that. 00:19:27.839 --> 00:19:28.480 Hey, you know what? 00:19:28.640 --> 00:19:29.440 You've got to learn something. 00:19:29.599 --> 00:19:33.440 God has all kinds of churches out there to reach all kinds of different people. 00:19:33.680 --> 00:19:35.599 And God's spectrum goes a long way. 00:19:35.839 --> 00:19:37.920 But we're not a new evangelical church. 00:19:38.559 --> 00:19:40.079 We're a little more militant. 00:19:41.039 --> 00:19:43.119 And I want to tell you, we're going to stay that way. 00:19:44.319 --> 00:19:47.519 Now, that means not everybody who walks to the door will like it here. 00:19:50.400 --> 00:19:52.720 But we're not going to throw rocks at them on the way out. 00:19:52.960 --> 00:19:54.799 And we're not going to push them out. 00:19:54.880 --> 00:19:58.240 We're going to encourage them and say, come on, you know, because why? 00:19:58.400 --> 00:20:03.839 Because what we're trying to do is we're trying to teach people that sacrifice is a way of life. 00:20:04.799 --> 00:20:05.359 Get used to it. 00:20:05.519 --> 00:20:06.079 It's normal. 00:20:06.240 --> 00:20:09.839 Sunday morning church, Sunday night church, Wednesday night church. 00:20:10.319 --> 00:20:11.599 Soul winning sometime. 00:20:11.759 --> 00:20:16.079 A ministry, tithe, prayer, Bible study, special events. 00:20:16.960 --> 00:20:17.839 Bus days. 00:20:18.079 --> 00:20:18.960 Big days. 00:20:19.200 --> 00:20:22.799 Oh man, it seems like your whole life is wrapped around the church. 00:20:23.039 --> 00:20:23.599 Amen. 00:20:25.200 --> 00:20:29.759 So you wrap your life around a job for 30 years, and they give you a gold watch to say thank you. 00:20:30.960 --> 00:20:39.440 I'd rather wrap my life around a church, work a job, and you don't get a gold watch, you get crowns that are infallible and uncorruptible. 00:20:39.599 --> 00:20:40.000 Amen? 00:20:41.680 --> 00:20:56.400 So yeah, part of my job is to make sure that, number one, I don't rob you of your opportunity to sacrifice, but also to provoke the love of good works, but not to make it in such a way that you get to the place where you feel oppressed. 00:20:57.200 --> 00:20:58.880 I don't want you to feel oppressed. 00:20:59.039 --> 00:21:00.799 I want you to feel guilty. 00:21:03.519 --> 00:21:05.279 I say, what a terrible thing to say. 00:21:05.519 --> 00:21:06.960 God uses guilt. 00:21:09.200 --> 00:21:09.839 Amen? 00:21:10.640 --> 00:21:13.279 Not every message is a guilt-ridden message. 00:21:14.240 --> 00:21:16.000 Every Sunday night it is. 00:21:16.799 --> 00:21:18.000 Half of the Wednesday night. 00:21:18.319 --> 00:21:19.359 It comes Sunday morning. 00:21:19.440 --> 00:21:20.720 I'm a nice guy. 00:21:22.480 --> 00:21:23.519 For the most part. 00:21:23.759 --> 00:21:34.799 But the idea is, as leadership goes, it's supposed to be such that we provoke people to sacrifice, sacrifice correctly, and please look up here, sacrifice continually. 00:21:36.240 --> 00:21:39.039 Not just in for a while, out for a while. 00:21:39.279 --> 00:21:42.319 I'm talking about a way of life, a habit. 00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:47.920 When you come into church, you would be disappointed if there wasn't a preacher. 00:21:49.119 --> 00:21:49.680 Amen? 00:21:50.960 --> 00:21:52.000 Wouldn't you? 00:21:52.880 --> 00:21:53.839 Absolutely. 00:21:54.079 --> 00:21:55.359 You expect that. 00:21:56.240 --> 00:21:58.319 You know there are times when I don't feel like preaching. 00:22:03.359 --> 00:22:05.039 Bind them hand and foot. 00:22:10.000 --> 00:22:13.519 And there are f times you don't feel like listening. 00:22:17.039 --> 00:22:20.079 But but don't ever use the pulpit as a whipping post, amen? 00:22:22.319 --> 00:22:24.720 There are times you fall asleep on me. 00:22:26.240 --> 00:22:27.119 How much you know? 00:22:27.200 --> 00:22:29.039 I've never fallen asleep preaching to you. 00:22:30.319 --> 00:22:32.640 I've closed my eyes a few times. 00:22:32.880 --> 00:22:34.079 But that's so I wouldn't have to. 00:22:34.319 --> 00:22:35.599 Well, I won't go into that, amen? 00:22:37.759 --> 00:22:40.160 But there are times you don't feel like coming. 00:22:41.119 --> 00:22:42.480 It's all that way, isn't it? 00:22:42.640 --> 00:22:43.119 You know why? 00:22:43.359 --> 00:22:43.759