WEBVTT 00:00:01.760 --> 00:00:04.559 Welcome to this week's message from the Church at Chelsea Westover. 00:00:04.959 --> 00:00:10.480 Our core values are vibrant worship, intimate fellowship, fulfilling service, and clear biblical truth. 00:00:11.119 --> 00:00:13.199 We pray that this message changes your life. 00:00:13.599 --> 00:00:17.359 Let's tune in to today's message and see what God has in store for you. 00:00:18.480 --> 00:00:20.000 Philippians chapter one. 00:00:21.519 --> 00:00:24.160 Boy, that's good to have Todd on the front row. 00:00:24.399 --> 00:00:24.800 Amen. 00:00:25.519 --> 00:00:27.359 Chris on the front row. 00:00:27.679 --> 00:00:31.440 Man, y'all's I can see my reflection in y'all's hairdo. 00:00:31.839 --> 00:00:33.200 That's awesome, man. 00:00:33.920 --> 00:00:34.960 That's right. 00:00:36.079 --> 00:00:38.880 Yeah, we need to make us a picture together. 00:00:39.439 --> 00:00:45.119 If you do not have an outline, would you raise your hand, make sure everybody has an outline as we get ready? 00:00:45.200 --> 00:00:46.000 Uh Amen. 00:00:46.320 --> 00:00:47.439 Brother Ronnie back there. 00:00:47.520 --> 00:00:48.880 Good to see you, Ronnie. 00:00:49.759 --> 00:00:50.399 Amen. 00:00:50.799 --> 00:00:55.280 We need uh Ronnie was gone a day or a couple of Sundays and I missed him. 00:00:55.759 --> 00:00:58.799 Hey, when you're not here, I'm gonna find out what's wrong. 00:00:58.960 --> 00:00:59.600 I love you. 00:00:59.679 --> 00:01:00.719 I can't help it. 00:01:00.960 --> 00:01:02.240 And I'm a shepherd. 00:01:02.399 --> 00:01:04.719 And like Ryan said, I really do. 00:01:05.040 --> 00:01:06.879 I love you more than you'll ever know. 00:01:07.120 --> 00:01:09.359 And uh God has put us here. 00:01:09.599 --> 00:01:25.599 I will stand before the Lord one day and give an account of how I have a shepherd, not just this body, which is very important to me for this community, because he has placed us in this community now. 00:01:25.760 --> 00:01:28.959 We're to be the lighthouse, and you are part of that. 00:01:29.200 --> 00:01:40.640 And uh it is so good to have uh Scott's mother with us today, uh Miss Minor, but I call her, I hope she doesn't mind me telling I like Ma. 00:01:41.040 --> 00:01:41.840 I like Ma. 00:01:41.920 --> 00:01:45.599 That's what the boys call her, so I'm gonna call her Ma too. 00:01:45.760 --> 00:01:47.519 And uh I love you, Ma. 00:01:47.760 --> 00:02:08.879 And she wanted to express to our church just the unbelievable uh joy uh for the way we reached out and the expression of love we gave to the minor family, Darren Scott's uh uh tough tough time losing his dad and Ma's husband of 66 years. 00:02:09.680 --> 00:02:10.639 Did you hear me? 00:02:10.960 --> 00:02:13.520 66 years. 00:02:13.840 --> 00:02:14.400 Wow. 00:02:14.800 --> 00:02:21.599 And I've been married 32 wonderful years, so that's double the time I have spent with uh Susan. 00:02:21.680 --> 00:02:24.000 But Ma and I were talking the other night on the couch. 00:02:24.240 --> 00:02:26.560 The exciting thing is we're gonna see each other again. 00:02:26.719 --> 00:02:28.319 We're gonna see him again. 00:02:28.639 --> 00:02:33.199 And uh the family reunion, as Squire Parson used to say, right? 00:02:34.000 --> 00:02:35.360 The family reunion. 00:02:35.599 --> 00:02:36.240 Amen. 00:02:36.800 --> 00:02:40.960 And Greg, we'll be praying for Greg today with an invitation. 00:02:41.120 --> 00:02:42.879 I want you to come up on and pray with you. 00:02:43.039 --> 00:02:45.439 His surgery is in the morning at 6 30. 00:02:45.680 --> 00:02:48.400 So we'll be lifting him up as well. 00:02:48.879 --> 00:02:50.319 Philippians chapter 1. 00:02:50.400 --> 00:02:58.240 We've been looking at the importance of how the title of this series has been walking in the joy of the Lord. 00:02:58.560 --> 00:03:07.360 And we said that we walk in the joy of the Lord regardless of our circumstances, regardless of our situations. 00:03:08.000 --> 00:03:18.319 Because if Jesus is filling our heart with his Holy Spirit, it doesn't matter if we're on the mountaintop or we in the valley, there still is the joy of the Lord. 00:03:18.400 --> 00:03:19.599 Can I get an amen? 00:03:19.840 --> 00:03:22.719 Because he is our strength, Nehemiah 8:10. 00:03:22.879 --> 00:03:30.560 But what we looked at at the very beginning of this chapter, we saw the fellowship of the gospel. 00:03:30.800 --> 00:03:45.039 We said that we have the joy of the Lord and we walk in the joy of the Lord because of the fellowship, the Koinia, the Koania of the Gospel, of the fellowship of the gospel and all that the gospel means to us. 00:03:45.120 --> 00:03:48.080 And we're going to look a little bit more about that gospel today. 00:03:48.240 --> 00:04:04.000 And then we said, and that was verses 1 through 11, and then verses uh uh basically 11 through 26, we saw last week that the walking in the joy of the Lord was for the purpose of not only the fellowship of the gospel, but the featherance of the gospel. 00:04:04.319 --> 00:04:13.919 And many of you text me and said, Thank you for that message, and God just so taught us last week of the importance of fothering the gospel. 00:04:14.000 --> 00:04:16.319 That's why we do the live screen truck. 00:04:16.399 --> 00:04:17.199 That's why we go out. 00:04:17.360 --> 00:04:26.959 And by the way, what I didn't tell you a while ago for you visitors, not only the numbers have been fantastic, but we've seen over 70 people come to know Christ this past year. 00:04:27.120 --> 00:04:28.319 Let's give the Lord a hand. 00:04:28.480 --> 00:04:28.959 Amen. 00:04:29.199 --> 00:04:40.000 And you say, well, what's so exciting about that is the average Southern Baptist church, and I hate to say this, is three and a half people baptized and saved a year. 00:04:40.240 --> 00:04:42.720 God help us, we need revival. 00:04:43.439 --> 00:04:49.839 So we are in the top percent of uh of baptisms and everything, and we're just a year and a half old. 00:04:54.480 --> 00:04:55.839 That's unheard of. 00:04:56.959 --> 00:05:00.240 When most churches are declining or have plateaued. 00:05:00.560 --> 00:05:01.360 Lord help us. 00:05:01.519 --> 00:05:02.639 We need revival. 00:05:02.800 --> 00:05:06.959 We need to understand what it means to walk in the joy of the Lord. 00:05:07.120 --> 00:05:10.160 The radiant, I call it radiant living. 00:05:11.199 --> 00:05:14.480 Those who look to Him are radiant, they should never be ashamed. 00:05:14.639 --> 00:05:16.240 Psalms 34, verse 5. 00:05:16.480 --> 00:05:25.199 So Paul then ends this chapter and he ends it with the exhortation of if we're gonna walk in the Spirit, then we must what? 00:05:25.519 --> 00:05:28.399 Portray the faith of the gospel. 00:05:28.800 --> 00:05:32.879 Not just the fellowship and the featherance, but the faith of the gospel. 00:05:33.279 --> 00:05:42.959 And we see to this great apostle, the faith of the gospel represented the whole sum and substance of his message and ministry. 00:05:43.120 --> 00:05:45.759 It just constantly flowed from him. 00:05:46.160 --> 00:05:48.319 It constantly just came out of him. 00:05:48.639 --> 00:05:51.040 And it has encouraged the church. 00:05:51.199 --> 00:05:54.000 And by the way, he's writing to the church, the church of Philippi. 00:05:54.079 --> 00:06:05.519 So he's writing to us as a young church, and he says, as Christian people, there ought to be three evidences of that joy of, hey, what? 00:06:05.759 --> 00:06:10.160 Expounding the faith of the gospel, living out that gospel in our lives. 00:06:10.319 --> 00:06:11.519 There ought to be three things. 00:06:11.680 --> 00:06:19.439 Number one, we're going to be looking at, he says, and that is that our belief is worthy of the gospel. 00:06:19.680 --> 00:06:21.199 What we believe is important. 00:06:21.279 --> 00:06:22.560 Can I get an amen? 00:06:23.040 --> 00:06:25.439 Because what you believe, guess what? 00:06:26.480 --> 00:06:29.439 Hey, it determines how you behave. 00:06:30.079 --> 00:06:31.279 Let me repeat that. 00:06:31.519 --> 00:06:34.639 What you believe determines how you behave. 00:06:35.040 --> 00:06:37.360 That's very important you understand that. 00:06:37.600 --> 00:06:39.360 There is no doubt in my mind. 00:06:39.680 --> 00:06:45.839 So look at what Paul says in verses 27 and 29. 00:06:46.079 --> 00:06:47.839 He says, stand fast. 00:06:48.800 --> 00:06:51.040 Stand fast, he says in verse 27. 00:06:51.120 --> 00:06:53.680 In other words, that's a tremendous exhortation. 00:06:53.839 --> 00:07:07.120 When he says, stand fast, he says, well, first of all, he says, only let your conversation be as becoming the gospel of Christ, that whether I come and see you or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye. 00:07:07.279 --> 00:07:15.360 Here it is, stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving for the faith of the gospel. 00:07:15.519 --> 00:07:16.480 This is huge. 00:07:16.639 --> 00:07:18.399 This one verse is packed. 00:07:18.639 --> 00:07:24.639 In other words, he's saying that our belief system, and I love what he says in verse 29. 00:07:24.800 --> 00:07:25.759 Look at what he says. 00:07:26.000 --> 00:07:33.839 For unto you is given, it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake. 00:07:34.000 --> 00:07:39.600 So he says, if you really believe on him, there's going to be evidences of that salvation. 00:07:39.759 --> 00:07:50.720 And the evidences of that salvation is going to be through the way you, one, believe, two, the way you behave, and three, your boldness. 00:07:51.519 --> 00:07:54.160 That's what he's saying in these last three verses. 00:07:54.319 --> 00:07:57.120 So let's look, first of all, at our belief. 00:07:57.360 --> 00:08:03.600 In other words, what characterizes our belief in the gospel, in this faith of the gospel? 00:08:03.759 --> 00:08:06.879 Number one, evangelistic unity. 00:08:07.759 --> 00:08:08.399 Unity. 00:08:08.720 --> 00:08:10.160 Folks, let me say something. 00:08:10.399 --> 00:08:15.600 The greatest deterrent to the gospel of Jesus Christ in any church is what? 00:08:15.839 --> 00:08:22.000 The lack of unity, discord, division, gossiping, backbiting. 00:08:22.480 --> 00:08:23.759 And I could go on and on. 00:08:23.839 --> 00:08:30.000 I hear every week I hear about some church in our community, something's going on in the church. 00:08:30.240 --> 00:08:32.639 And when they start to try to tell me, I stop them. 00:08:32.720 --> 00:08:33.600 I say, I don't want to hear it. 00:08:33.679 --> 00:08:34.320 I don't want to hear it. 00:08:34.399 --> 00:08:35.039 I don't want to hear it. 00:08:35.279 --> 00:08:36.399 I'm not interested in that. 00:08:36.559 --> 00:08:39.360 Let me tell you about what God's given, our vision. 00:08:39.600 --> 00:08:45.840 And Paul, throughout these four short chapters, talks about the importance of this evangelistic unity. 00:08:46.080 --> 00:08:46.639 Stand fast. 00:08:46.960 --> 00:08:51.600 The Greek word there is steko, and it literally means to persevere. 00:08:51.759 --> 00:08:59.679 It means to hold your ground regardless of the danger, like a soldier defending his position at all cost. 00:09:00.240 --> 00:09:06.559 In other words, we are to stand head to head, hand to hand, heart to heart. 00:09:06.799 --> 00:09:09.440 We are one in spirit. 00:09:09.600 --> 00:09:10.960 We are one in purpose. 00:09:11.200 --> 00:09:13.759 We are one in loving God and loving people. 00:09:14.000 --> 00:09:20.159 We are one in clear biblical truth, vibrant worship, fulfilling service, and intimate fellowship. 00:09:20.320 --> 00:09:23.360 This is who we are and we will not waver. 00:09:24.720 --> 00:09:25.840 We will not waver. 00:09:25.919 --> 00:09:27.200 We're standing firm. 00:09:27.440 --> 00:09:33.360 People may come and go, and they will, but we are standing firm on the gospel. 00:09:33.679 --> 00:09:34.320 Amen. 00:09:34.559 --> 00:09:37.440 And that is so important that we understand that. 00:09:37.679 --> 00:09:40.480 Because listen, here's what he's talking about. 00:09:40.639 --> 00:09:43.440 We are one in purpose and greatness of power. 00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:47.919 Psalms 133, verse 1, he says, Behold, how pleasant. 00:09:48.080 --> 00:09:49.120 Ooh, this is good. 00:09:49.360 --> 00:09:54.240 How pleasant it is for brethren to live together in unity. 00:09:54.399 --> 00:09:55.600 How pleasant it is. 00:09:55.840 --> 00:10:02.960 You know, when you hear discord or you hear gossip or you hear things going on in a church, there's nothing pleasant about that. 00:10:03.039 --> 00:10:03.679 You know why? 00:10:03.919 --> 00:10:06.320 Because it defames the cause of Christ. 00:10:07.039 --> 00:10:07.679 Amen. 00:10:08.000 --> 00:10:12.480 And whether we eat or drink of whatsoever we do, we do all to the glory of God. 00:10:12.639 --> 00:10:14.159 1 Corinthians 10, 31. 00:10:14.320 --> 00:10:24.480 Now listen, that does not mean, and I really believe this, when we talk about this unity, we're not talking about uniformity, and we sure are not talking about uh impotency. 00:10:24.720 --> 00:10:31.039 What we're talking about is one in purpose, one in calling, one in who we are. 00:10:31.600 --> 00:10:34.960 You know, there's probably 150 plus people here today. 00:10:35.039 --> 00:10:40.639 We are there's not one, no two DNAs alike in this building today. 00:10:40.879 --> 00:10:49.200 We're all different creatures, we're different makeups, we're different personalities, we're different giftedness, we're different talents. 00:10:49.440 --> 00:10:51.360 Thank God we're not robots. 00:10:52.320 --> 00:10:52.960 Amen. 00:10:53.440 --> 00:10:54.399 Thank God. 00:10:54.639 --> 00:10:56.559 And you say, but you don't understand. 00:10:56.639 --> 00:10:58.399 My wife and I are totally opposite. 00:10:58.559 --> 00:11:01.679 I do understand 32 wonderful years of it. 00:11:02.080 --> 00:11:03.759 Totally opposite. 00:11:04.399 --> 00:11:08.000 But we compliment each other, we don't tear each other apart. 00:11:08.240 --> 00:11:08.639 Amen. 00:11:08.799 --> 00:11:10.960 Now we've thought about it a time or two. 00:11:11.759 --> 00:11:15.440 We've never, the word divorce has never been in our vocabulary. 00:11:15.679 --> 00:11:17.679 Murder, couple of times. 00:11:21.120 --> 00:11:23.279 And I'm sure she'd say the same thing. 00:11:23.519 --> 00:11:28.320 But she'd just say, no, she wouldn't say it, she'd just smile, but I know what that means. 00:11:30.399 --> 00:11:31.039 Amen. 00:11:31.919 --> 00:11:34.159 So we see how important it is. 00:11:34.320 --> 00:11:35.919 No, will we all agree? 00:11:36.159 --> 00:11:39.360 No, not in our different colors, our preference. 00:11:39.600 --> 00:11:44.000 We'll never all agree in our preferences, but we all have to agree in our purpose. 00:11:46.000 --> 00:11:49.600 And that purpose is the faith of the gospel. 00:11:49.759 --> 00:11:54.639 It's the featherance of the gospel, it's the fellowship of the gospel. 00:11:55.440 --> 00:11:56.720 That is the truth. 00:11:56.879 --> 00:12:02.960 Now, one spirit here totally means all members of the church must be born again. 00:12:03.200 --> 00:12:07.759 You can't be one in spirit with your church family if you're not saved. 00:12:08.720 --> 00:12:12.799 For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body. 00:12:12.960 --> 00:12:14.799 1 Corinthians 12, 13. 00:12:15.120 --> 00:12:19.279 Because you are saved, you've asked the Lord Jesus Christ to come into your heart. 00:12:19.600 --> 00:12:24.960 We have the same spirit abiding in our hearts, which means we're one in spirit. 00:12:25.120 --> 00:12:26.159 Can I get an amen? 00:12:26.559 --> 00:12:30.720 If you don't have that spirit, you can't be one in spirit with a Christian. 00:12:30.960 --> 00:12:37.600 You can't be one in spirit with your church body or the ultimate church body, the world church body. 00:12:37.840 --> 00:12:38.559 You can't. 00:12:38.799 --> 00:12:45.279 But because the spirit, hey, Romans 8 says, the spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. 00:12:45.519 --> 00:12:46.000 Amen? 00:12:46.080 --> 00:12:46.960 Isn't that good? 00:12:47.759 --> 00:12:57.440 I can go to, when I go to Africa, when I go to these third world countries and we're training those pastors in Africa, my spirit so bears witness with them, and I don't even know them. 00:12:57.600 --> 00:12:58.480 You know why? 00:12:58.799 --> 00:13:01.919 Because of the Spirit of the living God dwelling in them and in me. 00:13:02.080 --> 00:13:03.519 I know we're one. 00:13:04.159 --> 00:13:07.519 And we can't even speak the same language, but we're one. 00:13:08.399 --> 00:13:09.919 Man, that's exciting. 00:13:10.240 --> 00:13:11.279 Really is. 00:13:12.000 --> 00:13:15.919 So, the evangelistic unity is so important. 00:13:16.080 --> 00:13:17.279 I want you to see this. 00:13:17.360 --> 00:13:22.480 I have so many, I'm not going to take time to read them, but I want you to see what Jesus said in John 17. 00:13:22.559 --> 00:13:23.440 This is very important. 00:13:23.679 --> 00:13:25.360 Verses 15 through 21. 00:13:25.440 --> 00:13:27.600 This is the real Lord's Prayer. 00:13:28.080 --> 00:13:37.759 Matthew 6 is the disciples' prayer, even though we call it the Lord's Prayer, and that's okay because the Lord taught, teaches us to pray, and we call it the Lord's Prayer. 00:13:38.000 --> 00:13:45.440 But in actuality, he was writing, he was teaching the disciples how to pray in Matthew 6 when we quote the Lord's Prayer, which is great. 00:13:45.679 --> 00:13:53.600 But the real Lord's prayer is John 17, where he's praying to God the Father for his children, for the body of the church. 00:13:53.840 --> 00:13:56.159 And look at what he says in verse 15. 00:13:56.399 --> 00:14:07.519 I pray not that thou, and he's praying to God the Father, should take them out of the world, but thou should keep them from the evil one, from the evil. 00:14:07.759 --> 00:14:10.240 They are not of the world, even as I'm not of the world. 00:14:10.320 --> 00:14:15.039 In other words, children, hey, the children of God, they live in the world, but they're not part of the world. 00:14:15.120 --> 00:14:18.000 There is a difference in a born-again Christian. 00:14:18.080 --> 00:14:19.039 Can I get an amen? 00:14:19.679 --> 00:14:24.159 And then he goes on and he says, They're not of the world, even as I'm not of the world. 00:14:24.240 --> 00:14:25.679 Then I love verse 17. 00:14:25.919 --> 00:14:27.360 He says, Sanctify them. 00:14:27.440 --> 00:14:28.720 That means set them apart. 00:14:28.960 --> 00:14:29.679 Set them apart. 00:14:29.840 --> 00:14:30.879 Let them be a testimony. 00:14:30.960 --> 00:14:32.639 Let them be a living testimony. 00:14:32.799 --> 00:14:33.919 Let them be an example. 00:14:34.080 --> 00:14:35.360 Let them stand fast. 00:14:35.519 --> 00:14:37.279 Let them be striving together. 00:14:37.440 --> 00:14:41.759 Let people look at them and say, Man, I don't know what they got, but I want it. 00:14:43.279 --> 00:14:44.240 Sanctified. 00:14:44.399 --> 00:14:46.720 And how does that take place? 00:14:46.960 --> 00:14:49.120 Through the truth, the word of God. 00:14:49.279 --> 00:14:51.840 Thy word is, say it with me. 00:14:52.080 --> 00:14:52.399 Truth. 00:14:52.639 --> 00:14:54.399 Clear, biblical truth. 00:14:54.639 --> 00:14:59.120 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so I have sent them into the world. 00:14:59.279 --> 00:15:00.240 We have a mission. 00:15:00.480 --> 00:15:04.320 That mission is to go into the community of Chelsea, Westover. 00:15:04.480 --> 00:15:05.440 It's our mission. 00:15:05.600 --> 00:15:14.159 It's there at Vincent, Harpersville, Childersburg, all to fill this community with the what? 00:15:14.399 --> 00:15:16.000 Faith of the gospel. 00:15:16.720 --> 00:15:17.279 Amen. 00:15:17.840 --> 00:15:20.799 That is the featherance of the gospel. 00:15:21.120 --> 00:15:22.480 That is what we're to do. 00:15:22.559 --> 00:15:24.399 And then notice what he says. 00:15:24.960 --> 00:15:29.919 And for their sakes, they have sent me into the Word, even so I have also sent them. 00:15:30.000 --> 00:15:36.799 Now, and for their sakes, I sanctify myself that they also might be sanctified through the truth. 00:15:37.200 --> 00:15:42.080 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through the Word. 00:15:42.159 --> 00:15:44.720 In other words, I am praying for my church. 00:15:44.879 --> 00:15:52.799 I am praying for those that have been saved personally, that they all may be one. 00:15:54.240 --> 00:16:04.960 That they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 00:16:05.279 --> 00:16:14.159 In other words, one of the greatest testimonies of the love of Christ, the gospel of Christ, is the unity of his church. 00:16:14.399 --> 00:16:20.000 And boy, do we see a bad testimony in most of our churches today. 00:16:20.159 --> 00:16:22.480 We can't even get along with each other. 00:16:23.360 --> 00:16:25.759 We're jealous, we're envious. 00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:27.679 Lord, help us. 00:16:29.039 --> 00:16:36.960 We are jealous, and even in the within the individual church, there's jealousy, there's envy, there's all kinds of stuff. 00:16:37.279 --> 00:16:39.279 Lord, hey, that's not of the Lord. 00:16:39.440 --> 00:16:46.000 The Lord said, People will know that you're my disciples by your love. 00:16:47.039 --> 00:16:49.120 John 13, 34 and 35. 00:16:49.279 --> 00:16:50.080 Your love. 00:16:50.399 --> 00:16:51.600 Let me tell you something. 00:16:51.840 --> 00:17:00.240 You can't really love somebody and and talk about them, beat them up, gossip about them, tear them down, and not help them. 00:17:00.320 --> 00:17:02.559 You can't really love somebody and do that. 00:17:02.799 --> 00:17:05.920 So don't tell me you love me and then talk about me. 00:17:06.240 --> 00:17:07.359 Don't do that. 00:17:07.599 --> 00:17:08.640 Don't do that. 00:17:09.279 --> 00:17:10.240 Don't do that. 00:17:10.480 --> 00:17:11.759 Because that's not right. 00:17:12.000 --> 00:17:13.519 That's not what the Lord says. 00:17:14.079 --> 00:17:16.160 This is God praying to God the Father. 00:17:16.400 --> 00:17:21.440 His greatest prayer was that we would be one, so we'd be a living testimony of who he is. 00:17:21.599 --> 00:17:22.559 Can I get an amen? 00:17:23.279 --> 00:17:24.079 Man, that's good. 00:17:24.160 --> 00:17:38.640 So with that said, He said, Jesus also said in Matthew 12, 25, He said, He says, I know your thoughts, and a kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation. 00:17:38.960 --> 00:17:44.240 And a city or a house divided against itself shall not stand. 00:17:45.279 --> 00:17:46.640 Matthew 12, 25. 00:17:46.799 --> 00:17:49.519 A church divided against itself will not stand. 00:17:50.480 --> 00:17:53.759 Lord help us to be one in spirit, one in purpose. 00:17:54.000 --> 00:17:54.559 Amen. 00:17:54.960 --> 00:17:55.759 One in purpose. 00:17:55.920 --> 00:17:56.799 What is our purpose? 00:17:56.880 --> 00:17:57.359 There it is. 00:17:57.440 --> 00:17:59.680 You can't leave here without not knowing who we are. 00:17:59.839 --> 00:18:02.319 Loving God, loving people, sharing at home and abroad. 00:18:02.480 --> 00:18:04.240 Loving God, loving people. 00:18:04.480 --> 00:18:05.119 There it is. 00:18:05.359 --> 00:18:09.359 For the Lord your God, love, hey, hey, endures forever. 00:18:09.519 --> 00:18:12.240 His faithfulness continues through all generations. 00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:16.079 Sharing the good news, the love of Christ to all generations. 00:18:16.480 --> 00:18:17.119 Amen. 00:18:17.440 --> 00:18:20.480 A place for every race, a place for every people. 00:18:21.440 --> 00:18:22.640 That's true love. 00:18:22.799 --> 00:18:25.039 Second thing, evangelistic clarity. 00:18:25.200 --> 00:18:26.960 Notice what he says in verse 27. 00:18:27.119 --> 00:18:28.960 Stand fast in one mind. 00:18:29.200 --> 00:18:30.720 Now, this is a belief. 00:18:30.960 --> 00:18:32.160 What do we believe in? 00:18:32.319 --> 00:18:35.920 This should be an unchanging, unchallengeable message. 00:18:36.160 --> 00:18:38.079 Paul, hey, maintained. 00:18:38.240 --> 00:18:45.519 He said, without unqualified dogmatism, he says, it's only the gospel that counts. 00:18:46.079 --> 00:18:49.599 Now, real quick, let me tell you what he meant by that. 00:18:49.839 --> 00:18:55.279 First of all, he said, with unqualified dogmatism, that the gospel is one divinely. 00:18:55.599 --> 00:18:57.680 Now, this is not in your notes, this little extra. 00:18:58.640 --> 00:19:00.160 I do this outline on Monday. 00:19:00.319 --> 00:19:05.279 By the time I get here on Sunday, I have got I could have you three more outlines, but I don't. 00:19:05.440 --> 00:19:11.680 But anyway, the dog, what he's talking about, he is dogmatic about the gospel is divinely complete. 00:19:11.759 --> 00:19:13.359 You need nothing else. 00:19:13.599 --> 00:19:15.440 Nothing plus, nothing minus. 00:19:15.599 --> 00:19:17.359 The gospel is complete. 00:19:17.519 --> 00:19:18.559 Look at what he said. 00:19:18.640 --> 00:19:22.079 And he says it in verse uh uh in Jude 3. 00:19:22.240 --> 00:19:26.960 He says, the faith once delivered unto the saints. 00:19:27.119 --> 00:19:40.319 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of this common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you and exhort you that you should earnlessly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. 00:19:40.640 --> 00:19:42.559 We are one in Christ. 00:19:42.720 --> 00:19:50.400 The gospel has been delivered to us through an intimate relationship through the person of the Holy Spirit of God, and we're one. 00:19:50.640 --> 00:19:52.960 And we're to contend for that unity. 00:19:53.119 --> 00:19:55.440 We're to contend for that oneness. 00:19:55.759 --> 00:19:56.400 Amen. 00:19:57.039 --> 00:20:01.920 Hey, yeah, red, yellow, black, and white, they're all precious in his sight. 00:20:02.160 --> 00:20:04.400 We are one in Christ. 00:20:04.799 --> 00:20:06.319 And we're to show that. 00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:09.119 Divinely completeness, the gospel. 00:20:09.440 --> 00:20:14.079 Jesus said, I'm the, quote it with me, I'm the way, the truth, and the lie. 00:20:14.240 --> 00:20:18.240 No man cometh unto the Father except by me. 00:20:18.480 --> 00:20:21.920 Neither is there salvation in any other, for there's none other salvation. 00:20:22.079 --> 00:20:26.880 Hey, there's none other salvation given among men whereby you must be saved. 00:20:27.119 --> 00:20:28.640 Acts 4.12. 00:20:29.039 --> 00:20:31.839 But notice secondly, it is divinely unique. 00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:34.000 Look at Galatians 1, 6 through 8. 00:20:34.160 --> 00:20:35.680 It's, hey, what do you mean? 00:20:35.920 --> 00:20:38.960 Paul felt so strongly about this. 00:20:39.839 --> 00:20:40.960 Oh, he did. 00:20:41.599 --> 00:20:44.240 That he was prepared to even. 00:20:44.480 --> 00:20:45.599 Now watch this. 00:20:45.839 --> 00:20:53.839 Curse the angels if they preached any other gospel than Jesus and him crucified. 00:20:54.079 --> 00:20:55.119 Look at what he says. 00:20:55.279 --> 00:20:56.480 This is powerful. 00:20:56.799 --> 00:20:59.359 Marvel that you are so soon removed from that. 00:20:59.519 --> 00:21:01.279 Hey, from him that called you. 00:21:01.359 --> 00:21:09.519 He said, It's amazing how so quick we can get saved and then turn around and just kind of ignore what we've just done. 00:21:09.759 --> 00:21:14.000 He says, from them that called you into the grace of Christ into another gospel. 00:21:14.160 --> 00:21:21.759 How is it that you, if you're really saved, can so easily turn away and start listening to false doctrine? 00:21:22.480 --> 00:21:23.119 Wow. 00:21:23.759 --> 00:21:31.119 And then he goes on and he says, verse 7, which is not of another, but there be some that trouble you and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 00:21:31.279 --> 00:21:38.480 Remember, they're going around trying to pervert the gospel of Christ while Paul's in jail. 00:21:38.720 --> 00:21:48.400 And then verse 8, he says, But though we are an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 00:21:48.559 --> 00:21:59.839 He said, If anything, hey, is added to or subtracted from the death, the burial, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. 00:22:01.119 --> 00:22:03.920 1 Corinthians 15, verses 1 through 4. 00:22:04.079 --> 00:22:06.240 Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. 00:22:06.480 --> 00:22:11.359 Well, he says, Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you that the gospel which I preached unto you, which we also have received. 00:22:11.519 --> 00:22:20.240 And wherein there's that word, standing fast, which also we are saved if you keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless you have believed in vain. 00:22:20.319 --> 00:22:27.599 In other words, if you really saved, you stand fast in the real gospel, for I deliver unto you first of all that which I received. 00:22:27.839 --> 00:22:31.119 Oh, and this is the next point we're going to look at, which I received. 00:22:31.279 --> 00:22:32.720 It didn't come from Paul. 00:22:32.880 --> 00:22:37.680 It wasn't about his intellect, it wasn't about the Grecian philosophies. 00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:41.359 He had received this revelation directly from God. 00:22:41.519 --> 00:22:44.160 It was from God to Paul to man. 00:22:44.880 --> 00:22:45.519 Wow. 00:22:45.839 --> 00:22:55.440 And then he went on and he said, Christ died for our sins according to scriptures and that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. 00:22:55.680 --> 00:22:56.319 Period. 00:22:57.519 --> 00:22:58.720 Amen, church? 00:22:59.359 --> 00:23:00.160 Period. 00:23:00.640 --> 00:23:09.200 It's divinely unique, divinely complete, and divinely authoritative, which I just read to you in 1 Corinthians 15, 1.4. 00:23:09.599 --> 00:23:12.640 And then it was divinely dynamic. 00:23:12.960 --> 00:23:15.519 Romans 1.16, I'm not ashamed of the gospel. 00:23:15.839 --> 00:23:19.039 Susan sings that, and she'll sing it before I finish this series. 00:23:19.359 --> 00:23:26.319 I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it's the power of God and to salvation to everyone that believeth to the Jew first and then to the Gentile. 00:23:26.480 --> 00:23:27.279 It has power. 00:23:27.359 --> 00:23:30.720 And that word there for power is dunamis, dynamite power. 00:23:30.880 --> 00:23:32.079 Whoa, I'm about to have a spell. 00:23:32.240 --> 00:23:34.640 Hey, hey, hey, the gospel, it's the gospel. 00:23:34.799 --> 00:23:44.160 The power of the gospel is what takes that hardened heart, that hardened, rejected heart, that bitterness, that hardness, that guilt, and that all that's garbage that's in there. 00:23:44.319 --> 00:23:49.599 And that gospel breaks that hardened heart and turns it into a loving, sweetheart. 00:23:50.000 --> 00:23:51.839 Because of the power of God. 00:23:52.640 --> 00:23:53.279 Amen. 00:23:54.720 --> 00:23:55.359 Amen. 00:23:56.799 --> 00:23:57.440 Amen. 00:23:57.839 --> 00:24:00.880 You know, if you've been saved, you know what I'm talking about. 00:24:01.200 --> 00:24:01.839 You know. 00:24:02.640 --> 00:24:03.200 You know. 00:24:03.759 --> 00:24:05.279 That's why somebody said, I don't know. 00:24:05.519 --> 00:24:06.720 I don't know if you can reach him or not. 00:24:06.799 --> 00:24:08.559 I know I can't, but the Holy Spirit can. 00:24:08.720 --> 00:24:09.839 The gospel can. 00:24:10.000 --> 00:24:12.960 I've seen the toughest, the roughest, the meanest. 00:24:18.160 --> 00:24:20.559 How many have you seen Mom Mom Out? 00:24:21.039 --> 00:24:21.680 What's his name? 00:24:22.240 --> 00:24:23.279 Mom's Night Out? 00:24:23.440 --> 00:24:26.640 That big old, that big old uh Harley guy. 00:24:27.200 --> 00:24:27.839 Bones. 00:24:29.440 --> 00:24:32.319 He started telling what his mother used to tell him. 00:24:35.599 --> 00:24:37.519 I think what's his name, Charles, I think. 00:24:37.920 --> 00:24:40.160 He said, Charles, Jesus loves you. 00:24:40.960 --> 00:24:42.480 He cares for you. 00:24:42.960 --> 00:24:46.799 I'm telling you, when you start to realize, you say, but you don't know. 00:24:46.960 --> 00:24:48.000 Yes, I do know. 00:24:48.160 --> 00:24:55.200 I don't know about your past, not interested in your past, but I know your future if you give your life to Jesus Christ. 00:24:56.000 --> 00:24:59.920 And it's a fantastic future for you. 00:25:00.880 --> 00:25:03.599 And it's not evil thoughts, but it's good thoughts. 00:25:03.680 --> 00:25:04.799 It's blessed thoughts. 00:25:04.880 --> 00:25:07.519 And it's a blessed hope, Jeremiah 29, 11. 00:25:07.599 --> 00:25:13.279 That I know he's got something that he wants to make wonderful and beautiful out of your life. 00:25:13.920 --> 00:25:15.119 That's the gospel. 00:25:15.279 --> 00:25:16.559 It's powerful. 00:25:20.799 --> 00:25:26.000 And then number three, it's evangelistic fervency, standfast striving together for the faith. 00:25:26.160 --> 00:25:28.799 Now let me tell you what that striving together means. 00:25:28.960 --> 00:25:33.039