Who is On the Lord's Side 4-14-96 AM

4-14-96 AM

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Matthew 26 and John chapter 12. John 12 first. In John chapter 12, I want to introduce to you the topic this morning. It's going to be kind of a self-reflective type of thing that I even think will help those who have been, say, five years, ten years, you've been a Christian 15 years or beyond 20 years. John chapter 12, if you would. I believe God puts things in here for a purpose and a reason. There's no doubt about it. John chapter 12, and notice, if you would, in verse number 3. John chapter 12 and verse number 3. Holding your place now in Matthew chapter 26. In John chapter 12, verse 3, then took Mary a pound of ointment of spite knot, very costly, anointed the feet of Jesus, wiped his feet with her hair, and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment. I want you to focus in on verse number 4. Then said one of the disciples, who? Judas Iscariot. Say that again, who was it? Judas Iscariot. Simon's son, which should betray him. Why was not this ointment sold for 300 pence and given to the poor? Verse 6 exposes him. Then this he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a what? A thief and had the bag and bear what was put therein. Judas Iscariot had been with Jesus up coming to the end when he was going to betray him over three, three and a half years, if he would. And here's a situation where Judas says, hey, why wasn't that ointment sold and sold for 300 pence and then given to the poor? And it was almost like he was role-playing because he knew that there was a certain attitude that he had to have in this situation. And he said, Well, we should have sold this and given it to the poor, but in actuality, he was a thief. And he carried the bag, and he was concerned about getting the money so he could put it in the bag, and so if he would, he could steal from it. The idea behind it is this: even though Judas was chosen by the Lord as one of the twelve apostles, and even though he preached for him, please look up here, he was a fake. Let me say it again. He was a fake. Let me say it one more time. He was playing a role. He had the right words and the right actions, but brethren, his heart wasn't in it. Look if you would at Matthew chapter 26. Matthew chapter 26. Stay with me. In Matthew 26, you know what happens towards the end, if you would, and you know who it is that would betray him. In Matthew chapter 26, there's a verse of scripture that I want you to see. Look if you would, beginning in verse number 14. Verse number 14. Then one of the twelve, called who? Say it? Judas the Sagariot. Went unto the chief priests and said unto them, What will ye say it? Give me, and I will deliver him unto you. Now remember, he was the thief. He wanted to carry the bag. He was concerned about those three hundred pence that could have been sold. Judas, one of his problems was money. And that's not the message this morning. And they coveted, verse 15, with him for huh? Thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to do what? To betray him. The man he had been with for three and a half years, if you would, the man that he had seen do all the miracles, the one he had seen walking on the water one day when he was helping to row in a ship, the one who he had seen in so many different ways do miracles, now all he could think about was is the money or the Lord. The money or the Lord. Please look up here. He was in a dilemma. Even though he was a part of the, if you would, what we would consider to be the circles that would be following Jesus, he was playing a role. He was in fact a fake. Or am I genuine? Am I just going through the motions now? Or is am I really doing it with my heart? I'm talking about those of us who've been saved five years and ten years and fifteen years, and people who've been in church all the time. Every once in a while it's good for us to say, hey, am I just doing this because, you know, I'm supposed to play a role and I'm supposed to be these actions and do these things as a Christian, or is it really, genuinely me? I didn't mean to make it quiet in here. But it does cause us to reflect because even though us, you know, I've been preaching now at this church for uh coming up on 13 years, but every once in a while I have to look at myself and say, now, wait a minute, am I just going through the motions? Has it just become a job that I get paid for? And if it ever becomes that, brother, I ought to resign and take a sabbatical and go sit on a mountain for about a month and get my heart right again. Say amen. I don't mind that. Look, if you would, at the second pairing. Notice Matthew chapter 26, right where you're at. And notice a verse of scriptures here, and also would you pick up Matthew chapter 6? So the second pairing is Matthew chapter 26 and Matthew chapter 6. The problem Judas was having was the money or the Lord. Matthew 6, Matthew 26. Now watch this little word here. I want you to see it, please, if you would. And I'm on your side today. I want you to know that. I'm not here to condemn someone. I'm here to help us to reflect so we can become more what we need to be, or so we can get back to what we want were. Verse 20 uh Matthew 26. And notice if you would, we're beginning in verse 21. Verse 21, Matthew 26, 21. And as they did eat, he said, Verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. And they were exceeding sorrowful, and begin every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I? Now he goes on to tell them who it is, the one that dips his hand in the sop with him. And then look if you would in verse 24, the Son of Man goeth as it is, written of him, but woe unto the man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It hath been good for that man that if he had not been what? Born. Then Jesus, which betrayed unto him betrayed him, answered and said, What's the first word? That's an interesting comment. Master. What does master mean to you? Somebody that rules over us? Somebody that governs us? Somebody that controls us? That's the word master, what it means. He says what? Master. You know why he says that? That was the right word. Amen? But I asked you this question. Was Jesus really his master? Come on, talk to me. Somebody's having a good time with that rattler. Is that you, Brother Wade? Now, the idea behind it, verse 25, is this. He says the word master. You know why he says that? It's the right word to say in the group that he's in. All the disciples are there and he says, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said. But the word I want you to see there is master because he had all the right words. He had all the right verbiage. I have seven children grow up in church. They're my children that God's given, my wife and I, and they're going to grow up in church. You know, if they're not careful, they'll know all the right words to say, they'll know all the right things to say. They might even have professed salvation. They might have even got baptized. They may have even given the gospel out. But there's a good possibility, if we're not careful, that they didn't get saved.

unknown 7:41

Amen.

SPEAKER_00 7:46

Or maybe they got saved at a young age. And they got baptized and they went out and started giving the gospel out. But somewhere along the line at 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, they stopped doing it really as unto the Lord, and they begin to go through the motions, but they know everything to do. They've done it all their life. Are you listening to me? You see, he said there after three and a half years, Master, is it I? Look with that verse of Scripture, the pairing, look at Matthew chapter 6. Stay with me, I'm for you this morning. Matthew chapter 6. And you know this, but correlating it here. Look at verse 24. Verse 24. No man can serve what? Two what? You see, we can't have two masters. Because a master means he's in control, he's dominating us, uh, he's he's governing us, he's influencing us. No man can serve two masters, for he will either uh he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. And then he says this. Look at it. You cannot serve who? God and who. That's what Judas was trying to do. What is mammon here? Money. Is that right? Judas was trying to serve God and he was trying to serve money. What one out? Money. Amen? Why are we quiet? Come on, it's okay. We're not condemning each other this morning. I'm just saying every once in a while, we need to take a look at our Christianity and say, now let me ask myself something. Who am I really down here to serve? And who am I serving not just by word, but by deed and action? The very fact that you're in church this morning tells me that you want to do something for God. And I'm not judging you this morning. I'm judging myself. But you know what these scriptures do? They do have a tendency to say, oh, alright, am I trying to do two masters here? Am I trying to, am I trying to do this? Am I trying to somehow get up here and and and and abide and hold hands with God while I'm trying to hold hands with the world? The Bible says I can't do that. Lord, I want to walk together with you. Can two walk together except they be what? Agreed. Well, the problem is to try to hold on to his life for me, and to try, if you would, to abide with him and walk with him means I'm gonna have to let go of something down here. How do I know that? Third pairing of Scripture. Look at James chapter 4, please. James chapter 4 and 1 John chapter 2. Seven pairings, we're at the third one. James chapter 4 and 1 John chapter 2. I'm talking to people in here. Maybe we've been saved for a while. We need just to make sure that we're not just going through the motions. I'm talking to young Christians in here that you're growing, and boy, I wish, and I did, I had good preaching when I was coming up to the Lord. I got saved at a later age, and I stayed in good preaching. If you would, James chapter 4 and 1 John chapter 2. In James chapter 4. Notice a scripture that needs to be analyzed in relation to another scripture. James chapter 4. Look, if you would at verse number 4. Ye adulterers and adulteresses. You say, why did he say that? Because that covers the men and the women. Come on, look at it, brethren. Say amen, just so I know you're okay. I know when we think we're quiet, that's okay. But if you're sleeping and you're quiet, that's not okay. Amen. Verse 4. Ye adulterers, that's the men, and adulteresses, that's the women. Know ye not that the friendship of the what? Say it again, the what? The world is enmity, that's an enemy, with God. Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the what? Enemy of God. You say that's your opinion. No, that's the Bible's opinion. Now stay with me. Now, what he says is that we have to be careful with our friendship with the what? Look up here. We have to be careful about this. We have to be careful about trying to hold on to him and abiding with him and still trying to hold on to the what? Say it. The world and the things of the world. But the world has to be defined. Hold your place in James and look at 1 John chapter 2. 1 John chapter 2. Let's define the world according to the Scriptures. Not according to what you and I think, but according to what the Scripture says. Holding your plates in James still. 1 John chapter 2, and look at verse 15. Love not the world. Oh, you remember it now, huh? Love not the world. Neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the what? The world. The love of the Father is not in him. Here's the explanation. For all that is in the what? The world. And here's what is in the world the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father, but is of the what? So here's what I have to be careful of, even as a pastor. Here I am trying to abide with Christ. And I realize this: I'm not holding on to him, he's holding on to me. I understand that. But I'm supposed to abide, amen. So as I'm trying to do what he wants me to do, I've got to be careful not to let the love of this world creep into my life. And the love of the world is the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the what? The pride of life. Those are the things I'm not supposed to love because I can't serve two. I will either love the one and despise the other. It'll put me in a conflict. I'll be in a constant struggle. Please look up here. I can't say, oh, how I love Jesus and have this thing going on down there that's that's just gross and grotesque and fleshly and things, and I don't want to let go of that because sooner or later I'm in a struggle. Is that right? So here I am. Please look up here. And when I'm in this position where I'm trying to hold on both, the Bible says I'm double-minded. Is that right? Look back at James 4 real quick. You doing all right? Look back at James 4. In James 4, let's read it again. He says this. Verse 4, ye adulterators and adulteresses, know ye not that friendship of the world, that's the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. That's an enemy with God. Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world. What? A friend of the lust of the flesh, a friend of the lust of the eyes, a friend of the pride of life, is an enemy of God. And then look at James chapter 1 real quick. And notice what he says about verse 8. Would you read it with me? Verse 8 of James chapter 1. Ready? Begin. A double-minded man is unstable is on his way. Please look up here. Would you say that Judas was double-minded? Was he unstable? There was a man who had a son named Reuben. He said, Reuben, unstable is water, thou shalt not excel. A Christian that when we try to do this, we're not going to excel for the Lord. He's going to work on us to do what? To let go. And he's not going to work on us to let go of him. He's going to work on us to let go of these things down here that's hindering us from serving him as the creator. Amen? Amen? That's the third pairing. The fourth pairing. Stay with me. Look if you would at Exodus chapter 32. We've got to get in the Old Testament just a little bit. Exodus 32 and Joshua 24. Exodus 32 and Joshua 24. We had a person come to church last week. And he said to me after the service, he said, I grew up in such and such a church for many, many years. He said, Man, this is the first time I've ever been to a church like this. I didn't fall asleep. He said, you know, that was kind of interesting. I said, good. Amen. Glory to God. Hallelujah. Amen. I mean, I grew up in those churches where you fall asleep too. This is not one of them. Look, if you would at Exodus chapter 32 and Joshua 24. Exodus 32 says this. What are we on? The fourth pairing, and I said we'd look at seven. Exodus chapter 32. Moses was up on the mount, him and Joshua. He comes down, and Joshua hears a noise going on in the camp. Verse 18 of Joshua of Exodus 32. I'm sorry. Exodus 32, verse 18. You're doing great this morning. And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery. This is Moses. Neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome. But the noise of them that do what? Sing do I hear. And by the way, they weren't singing the songs of Zion, amen. It came to pass as soon as he had come nigh into the camp that he saw the calf. Where'd they get the calf from? Egypt. And the dancing. And Moses' anger waxed hot. And he cast the tables out of his hand and broke them beneath the mount. He took the calf which they had made and burned it in the fire and ground it into powder and straw it upon the water and made the children of Israel to drink of it. And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people? And Aaron goes on to blame shift how the people you know did all this and forced him to do it and everything, and tried to weasel out of it, amen? Verse 25. And when Moses saw that the people were what? Say it. Naked. Wait a minute. Lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Is that right? Please look up here. What were they doing? The children of Israel right there were trying to do this. While Moses was on the mountain getting ready to get the tabernacle instructions and the priest's instructions and everything like that, what were the children down there doing? They were all naked. They were trying to do this. Moses was hot against them with anger, and he says this, for Aaron had made them naked into their shame among their enemies. Verse 26. Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, Who is on the Lord's side? You know what he's saying? Make a choice. It's time to make a choice. Make a choice. Who is on the Lord's side? Let him come unto me, and all the sons of Levi gather themselves unto them. And then he said, Alright, now if you're on the Lord's side, I got something I want you to do. And he said unto them, Thus saith the Lord of God of Israel, put every man his sword by his side and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp and slay every man his brother. Please look up here. You know what Moses said to do? Alright, who's on the Lord's side? Come on, who's on the Lord's side? The Levites said, Look up here, please. We are. They let go. And he said, Alright, prove it. Put some actions behind it. And out they went with actions, is that right? Read it sometimes. Who is on the Lord's side? Sooner or later there has to be a choice, and sooner or later we as Christians have to look at ourselves and say, Am I still on the Lord's side? Not just in word, but in action. Look at Joshua 24. Joshua 24. And I'm not preaching this with the idea of you, you, you. This is we, we, we. Usens. Amen? Joshua 24. Joshua 24, Joshua's getting ready to die. And you know, when someone's getting ready to die and they got they want to say something at the end of their life, it's very important. Look at Joshua 24, notice verse 14. Verse 14. Here's the charge he gives to the children of Israel after he's led them so many years. Now, therefore, do what? Fear the Lord. And serve him in what? Sincerity and in truth. Put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood. And in Egypt. That includes that golden calf, amen. And serve ye the Lord. And if it be if it seem evil unto you this to serve the Lord, look what he says. Choose you this day whom ye will what? You know what he says? Please look up here. Make a choice. You can't walk like this. Make a choice. Judas made a choice. He made the wrong choice. Is that right? Make a choice. What are we going to let go of? Because we can't serve God and this world. Why? The two are enemies against each other. Amen? So he says, come on. Fear the Lord. Choose you this day who you will serve. Make a choice. Look at the sixth pairing, if you would. I'm sorry, the fifth pairing. Look at 1 Kings chapter 18. You're doing great. 1 Kings chapter 18 and 2 Kings chapter 9. 1 Kings 18. 2 Kings chapter 9. Choose you this day whom you will serve. 1 Kings 18, 2 Kings chapter 9. I want you to do something for me here real quick, and this is just to make sure that everybody's still with us. I want everybody to turn, if you would, to uh your right or your left. And I want you to just ask you this question to the person next to you. And I want you to do this now. I want you to look at them square ball, eyeball to eyeball, husband to wife, friend to friend. If you don't know the person next to you, say it softly. And just say, are you on the Lord's side? Go ahead. Ask them. Ask him. I mean it, ask them. The deaf were doing it too. Ask them. Oh yeah. You know what? Somebody says, I don't like to be confronted like that, but we need to be. We need to be, amen. Hey, you know what? God put my wife and I together to keep each other straight. Amen? My wife and I were put together to exalt the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. And it's good for us to look at each other once in a while and say, Are you still on the Lord's side? You know what she'll say? I am if you are, baby. That puts it right back on me, amen. That's a good answer, ladies. You ought to say, Well, I am if you are. No, ladies, you know what you say? Yes, I am. Because really what it comes down to is we are on the Lord's side first. Amen. So he says, Are you on the Lord's side? That's a good question. You know what? When we come in here, we ought to ask ourselves the question: Am I still on the Lord's side? You know why? We've got a next generation watching us. I see some of you out here, you got grandchildren. We got the next generation watching us, and the next generation after that watching us. We need to give them a heritage. They need to see it more than just our words. They need to see it in action. If you would, look at 1 Kings chapter 18. 1 Kings 18. And also you picked up 2 Kings chapter 9. In 1 Kings chapter 18, We won't go through the whole thing, although I'd love to, because I love this little portion of scripture here. It's where Elijah goes out to challenge, if you would, the prophets of Baal. And verse 21. Elijah came unto all the people and said, Look what he says. How long halt ye between what? Two opinions. If the Lord be God, follow him. If Baal, then do what? Follow him. And look what the people said. Nothing. You know why? Because the people at this time were doing this. Please look up here again. They were like this. At this time, the people were trying to serve God in one way and holding on to Baal. They were doing two things. And Elijah came and said, How long halt you between two opinions? If God be God, serve him. If Baal, then serve him. And all the people went. Kind of like when I started this message. Amen. Because we have to look at ourselves, don't we? Say, man, I don't like this. We ought to like it because it produces growth. Makes us get off the fence. So he goes on and he says, This, all right, let's have a showdown. I mean, it's the okay corral, Dodd City at high noon, amen. And there's a showdown that goes on and he says, Alright, uh, you know, here's what we're gonna do. Go get those 450 prophets of Baal, and uh, you guys do your offering and your sacrifice, and and then I'll wait, and then I'll do mine. And they say we're gonna sacrifice, and you know the story, we won't go into it, but they do theirs and they they do all their altar and their sacrifice, and they get up and cut themselves and and do all the things that uh they're gonna do. And uh right in there, Elijah gets a little sarcastic, you know, if he would, in verse 12, 27. And it came to pass at what? At noon. That's a good time. Amen. That Elijah mocked them and said, Cry aloud, for he is a God. Either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey. Or peradventure he what? He sleepeth and must be awake. You know what he's doing? He's mocking them. Where is your God, big boys? Now, when it's God, when Elijah turns, look at verse 30. And Elijah said unto all the people, What? Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto them, unto him. He repairs the altar, he gets the stones all set up, he cuts the bullock up, the cow upright, he tells them to dump the water on once, dump the water on twice, dump the water on the third time. And then, if you would, in verse 36, look at it. And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice that Elijah the prophet came near and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, that I have done all these things at thy word. Sixty-three words he says, Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their back again, or turned their heart back again. Then the fire of the Lord did what? Fell, consumed the burnt offering. Verse 39. When all the people saw it, they fell on their face and they said, The Lord, he is God, the Lord, he is God. You know what they did right there? They made a choice. But he wasn't done with it. Please look up here. He said, How long hunt you between the two opinions? You've been doing this. Now look up here. You've just seen the bar from what you're going to do. You know what they did? They did this. The Lord, he is God. The Lord, he is God. But look up here. Then God, then Elijah said, Alright, now let's put some actions to it. Verse 40. And Elisha said unto him, Take the prophets of Baal and let not one of them escape. You know what he says? Kill them. Hey, faith requires some actions from time to time. Look, if you would at 1 Kings, if you would, I'm sorry, 2 Kings chapter 9. 2 Kings chapter 9. Our fifth pairing. 2 Kings chapter 9. And notice if you would in verse 30. Verse 30. If not, the most wicked woman in the Bible is going to get her just dues here. 2 Kings chapter 9. Look at verse 30. And when Jehu was come to Jezebel, I'm sorry, to Jezreel. Jezebel heard of it. Jezebel was responsible for killing God's prophets. She was responsible for wickedness all over in the Old Testament. Jezebel heard of it. She painted her face, tired her head, looked out the window. And as Jehud entered into the gate, she said, Has Dimrai peace? Who's flu his master? You know where she's doing a little sweet talk here. And he lifted up his face to the window and said, say it, who is on my side? Who? You know what he does? Here she is, way up there in this tower, and she's turning the sweet talk him a little bit, and he calls up, who is on my side! And just about that time, two eunuchs look out over. You know what they were gonna do? They were gonna make a choice right there. They were gonna make a choice right there. And they had to make a choice. He said, Who's on my side? And they're looked, verse 32, they're looking out to him, two or three eunuchs, and he said, Well, throw her down. He said, Hey, it's not just enough for words, do something about it, boys. Do something about it. So they did one, they threw her down. You know what they did? They let go of her domination, they let go of her control, and they decided we're gonna serve the Lord. And we said, You know what? They looked. No words were spoken. He just said, they chucked her over, amen. You said, I don't like that. It's in the Bible. Prophet said it was gonna happen. You say, that's that's terrible. You ought to see what happened to her next. Read about it, amen. You think that's bad. The idea is they made a choice. Now, brethren, every once in a while we have to go back and make a choice. We've got to decide whose side we're on. You say, wait a minute, wait a minute. I'm saved. I'm on the Lord's side, by words or by actions? By role-playing or by deed? I'm not trying to put anybody down. Because at the judgment seat of Christ, we will be judged by what we've done in our bodies, whether it be good or bad. And if we're role-playing, he knows it. This should have been sold for 300 pence and given to the poor. You know what it's doing? Acting. 2 Timothy 2, please, six pairing, and Matthew 12. I'm watching your time, but you don't have to. 2 Timothy chapter 2, Matthew chapter 12. You say, man, this is pretty point blank. The Bible's pretty point blank, amen. Say with me. 2 Timothy 2, Matthew chapter 12. Let's get back to where we are just for a moment. 2 Timothy 2, Matthew 12. Six pairing. One more to go after this. 2 Timothy chapter 2. Matthew chapter 12. Would you look at each other again and say, are you on the Lord's side? Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. I mean it. You say, oh, that's that's silly. That's ridiculous. That's that's that's that's terrible. You know what we do sometimes? You know what we do in preaching? Oh, he's not talking to me. This is not for me. And every once in a while it says, no, no, it is for you. You say, man, I come in here and I had a great week and I did for the Lord and everything. Praise the Lord, glory to God. Let's make sure we do it again next week. 2 Timothy chapter 2 and Matthew 12. In 2 Timothy 2, look at it, please. Look, if you would, at verse number 19. Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal. The Lord knoweth them that are his. And let every one that does what? Nameth the name of Christ depart from what? Iniquity. I receive Christ as my Savior. Alright? My sins are forgiven. And then I begin to call myself a what? Christian. Now when I get saved, he's hanging on to me, but when I begin to call myself a Christian, now I'm saying I'm Christ-like. That's what Christian means. And he says, let him that nameth the name of Christ, if I call myself a Christian, you know what I'm supposed to do? Let go of this what? Iniquity. Let him that nameth the name of Christ depart from what?

unknown 30:42

Iniquity.

SPEAKER_00 30:43

Iniquity. That means I'm supposed to be willing to let go of it. You know what some people do? Okay, okay, okay, okay, all right. I need to become a Christian. So I'll let go of this, and then I'll get saved, and then I'll become a Christian. It doesn't work that way. You first of all realize that you can't let go of it of your own accord. Or you might turn over a new leaf for a while, that sin nature is still there. That's what we all had to come to realize. Is that right? The first step is salvation. Forgiveness from holding on to this. Is that right? And then we establish a relationship with Christ, and then the Holy Spirit of God says, let go of it. Let go. Let go.

SPEAKER_01 31:25

That's right, let go. That's right, let go, let go, let go.

unknown 31:28

Ah!

SPEAKER_00 31:29

Just about time we let go of one. He's working on another one, is that right? You know what this life is all about for us as Christians? We constantly, in our old nature, we want to, well, just a little bit. He says, no, let go of it again. It's just this constant struggle. As we walk closer and closer to him, all of a sudden, you know what? When we're looking at him and just right up there, we forget that that even ever existed. Why do we have that desire? Oh, it's ugly, it's wicked. Why did I ever do that? I can't believe I used to do that. Because the desire is gone. Who took the desire away? He did when we looked towards him. So if we're going to name the name of Christ, the Bible says we're supposed to depart from iniquity. And look at Matthew 12. Second part of the sixth parade. Matthew chapter 12. And it's pretty clear. Matthew chapter 12, you're doing great? Look at verse 30. Verse 30. Verse 30. He that is not with me is what? That's pretty clear. Either we're with him or we're not. Well, you know what? I'm kind of looking for a church that says, you know, walk with God, but, you know, they're not so, you know, fanatical. And and so what's the big deal? I'd do a little bit of this, a little bit of that, a little bit of this, a little bit of that. I mean, you know, I want a church that I'm comfortable in. You know what? I have never got comfortable with that book. Every time I read it, it seems like something in there pricks my conscience. You know what I'm talking about? Now, if I'm looking for a comfortable church, then they're not going to preach the Bible. Not the whole thing. Because if I read that whole thing year by year and read the entire thing, it just seems like there's so much in there that says, look what you're doing. And I don't get comfortable. So if we preach the whole book in church, we're all not going to be just comfortable. Sooner or later we're going to get convicted. Is that right? Amen? And that promotes growth. That promotes us, how long halt you between the two opinions? Who is on the Lord's side? Then he says again, who I think the Lord looks down once in a while and says, Children, are you still on my side? You're naming my name. Oh, you're still on my side. Well, yeah, sure, sure I am. Well, your heart's with me, or your lips they honor me, but your heart's far far from me. And every once in a while, even we as Christians can get that way. I mean, you come to church and I've done it before. Oh, man. All right, all right, I'm here. Oh, it's over? Oh, hey. Good message, Pastor. You know why? That's the right words. How was church today? Oh, it was great. That's the right words. How are you doing today? Praising the Lord. That's the right words. If we're not careful, we do the right words and say the right words, and we dress the flesh up and the whole bit, but in our heart. Needs to be challenged. Last pairing. Revelations. Chapter 3 and Matthew 27. You're doing great this morning. Revelations 3 and Matthew 27. In Revelations 3, you're going to say, oh, I knew that, but I want you to see it in context. Revelations chapter 3. You say, that's just your opinion, preacher. I don't know how you can get any more point blank than what we're going to read. Revelations chapter 3 and Matthew chapter 27. In Revelations chapter 3, verse 14. Thanks for turning there and staying right with me. And under the angel of the church of Laodiceans, write these things, saith the Who. Amen. Do you see that capital A? That's God. The faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God. I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor what? Huh? You know what he says? I would that thou wert cold or hot. I wish you'd just decide, are you cold or are you hot? So then, look up here. Because thou art. Say it. Look right up here, please. Thou art what?

unknown 36:21

Lukewarm.

SPEAKER_00 36:22

You know what lukewarmness is? Trying to hold on there and trying to hold on there. That produces lukewarmness. Come on, say amen. We all can get that way. Doesn't matter if you've been saved 15 years or five years or 10 years or one year or six months. We can all get that way. Because that's lukewarm trying to hold on to both. You know what? I wish you were cold or hot. But because you're lukewarm, you know what he says? I'm sick of it. Look at it. And this is for me too. So then, because thou art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth. You say, isn't there an example of that? Yeah, look at Matthew 27. Last scripture of the last parry. I didn't say the message is over. Stay with me. Matthew 27. You're doing great this morning. Matthew 27. We read about a man named Judas. He had heard Jesus speak, he had seen the miracles, he had gone out and preached for him. He knew all the right things to say. He said, Master, is it I? It's the right thing to say. Matthew 27, he betrayed the innocent blood. And look at the end of Judas in verse 3. Then Judas, which had betrayed him. When he saw that he was what? Condemned. Who condemned him? Hmm. Repented himself and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, I have what? Sin. And then I betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? What'd they say? What is that to us? What'd they say? What is that to us? Please look up here. Here we go. We hold on like this. It slows us down from being what God wants us to be. He can't use us the way he wants us to. And when it's all over, you know what this world down here will say to us? Who cares about you? What is that to us? Oh, so you tried to hold hands with God and you took the 30 pieces. Why do we care about that? We don't care about you. Brother, I want to say something to you. The world, the people in this world, they care about themselves. God cares about us. The people in this world care about themselves. It's like a terrible statement. Because for 24 years I've been living as a person without Christ, and the only one that really cared about was me. And so did many of us in here. We get in our old natures. You know who we care about? Ourselves. You know who God cares about? Us. You know who the world will care about when it's all over? Themselves. Amen. He says, they say to him, What is that to us? See thou to that. Look what Judas does. He cast down the pieces of silver. Didn't mean much to him now. Throws that bag down, departed, and went out and did what? He hung himself. I'm not saying somebody's going to commit suicide, but please look up here. There was the dilemma. Please look. The money or God? This was temporal. That was eternal. Later on, as we get farther into our life, we get down to our deathbed and we know it's our last breath. You know what? This stuff here won't make a whole lot of difference. I'm not preaching about money. I'm preaching about whatever it is that we're holding on to. I don't know what it is today because you know what? God needs to tutor us, and we just need to look at our own lives and say, what's taking me away from God if something is? I'm not here to judge you and follow you around and name things and all that kind of stuff because of the time. Please look up here. But right now, my prayers that the Holy Spirit of God will say, okay, Doug, here's what's getting in your life too much. Here's what's entangling you a little bit too much. Here's what, if you're not careful, the cares of this world choke the Word of God. Is that what the Bible says? Let me say it again: the cares of this world can choke the Word of God. The parable of the sower, is that right? We're not supposed to be entangled with the affairs of this life. Well, wait a minute, preacher, I gotta live down here. I know. We've got to take care of this stuff, but we don't have to get entangled. God can unentangle us. You say, what is unentangling? Well, everybody's got to make some money to live by, right? If a man doesn't work, he shouldn't want. But we don't have to get entangled with it to where we serve it and love it, and it becomes a conflict. Many of you in here are businesses. There's business shop owners in here, there's different people in here that are involved in business. I'm not saying you can't do that. Of course you can't. Absolutely. It's just can't get to the place where we love it more than we love him. It gets to the place where my job is more important than coming to church, there's a problem. Say amen. If it gets to the place where sports is more important than church, there's a problem. If there's it gets to a place where the home and lawn care and painting and all the, oh, my house just looks like a Barbie doll house. Before it's been played with, amen. And and my car and all that stuff. Nothing wrong with having a polished car and a nice home and a neat home and a trim, all that. Just don't do it during church. Amen. Say amen. Why? Because if we're not careful, we're lukewarm. Trying to hold on to both. Who is on the Lord's side? Who? Somebody says, I am. You know what God would say? Prove it. Actions. Your words? Doug Fisher? Yeah, they honor me. You know what to say. You got that down. But you know what your heart right now, Doug Fisher? You know it. It's a little far from me. Go back and do your first works. Get back to your first love. Amen? If you've never received Christ as Savior, I want to say this to you. Just like many of us try to do. Rather than that, learn from our mistakes. We try to let go, we try to let go, we try to let go. Finally, we decided to come just like we were. Just like we were. All entangled with the affairs of this world, all just garbled up, messed up, and everything like that. God says, good, that's the way to come. That's the way to come. Receive me as Savior. Let me forgive you your sins. And then we'll begin the process of separation. Unto me. Every once in a while, you know what? We kind of look back at that golden calf. Kind of look back at that thing. Keep looking back. And then you know what happens? Look at the place. I'm finished. Somebody gets up and preaches a message like this, and we say, I don't want to look anymore. So I need to be right there. That's right, that's right, that's right. Amen. Glory to God. Our children are watching. You know, children learn to do by watching their parents' actions. Church's not important to us. Don't tell me that 23-year-old boy, church is going to be important to him by looking at our actions. Now I'm not saying just because, you know, I got seven children, just because I come to church and I'm passionate about that they're all going to grow up perfect. Absolutely not. We've already failed in that area for that. We're looking for perfection. But we ought to give them something to look at that's genuine. Perfect, no. Forgiven, yes. Hypocrite, we all are a little bit, but we just don't want to get too much. I'm glad you're in church this morning. Maybe this morning for yourself, you know, you know what? Father, I need to talk to you just a little bit. I'm not going to excel the way I'm doing it right now. I'm unstable. Maybe you know somebody this morning, a friend. You say, you know what, boy, it's for me, but you know what? I know somebody too. Man. Oh, I love them so much. I'd like to see them get going for the Lord. Lord, I just want to come and spend some time with you, either for their salvation or if you would, for their service. Let's all stand, please, without leaving. Just stand straight up without leaving. Stand straight up without leaving. Stretch just for a moment. Please look right up here at me. Please. If the Lord called out today, who is on the Larry's side? Who? In our hearts we'd say, I am. What if he said, All right, then do something? Put some actions to it. Get back to what you once were, or keep growing to what you can become. Because others are looking. Whether your need this morning is for yourself and your need of salvation, or your need is to pray for someone else's salvation. Or your need this morning is to get back in a closer walk with the Lord. How long halt you between two opinions? Joshua said, if the Lord be God, serve him. We need to make some decisions that we're just not going to go through the motions and play church and play the role of a Christian. Be what we can be. As unto the hymn with a genuine and a humble heart. With your heads bowed, please. And your eyes closed. Without moving, without leaving, please. Pastor, this morning, I listened. And this morning, the word of God has effect for me, or I know somebody that just is heavy on my heart this morning. Pastor, this morning. When we close in prayer, pray for me or God knows the name that's on my heart. Pray for that person also. Would you just lift up your hand and say, I was listening? That's for me. God bless you. May put him down. Pastor, I'm not sure if I'm saved if I'm on my way to heaven. If that's you, sir, or that's you, ma'am, we can show you how to get free. I said how to get free. I said how to get free from the burden of that sin guilt. If that's you, please, let's take a Bible and show you how.