WEBVTT 00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:02.399 Hello, I am Anthony Garcia. 00:00:02.640 --> 00:00:07.919 I am so grateful that you tuned in to our social media or to our video ministry here. 00:00:08.240 --> 00:00:10.960 Thank you for taking the time to listen to these messages. 00:00:11.119 --> 00:00:12.640 I hope that they're a blessing to you. 00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:18.559 If you have any other questions or ways that we can minister to you, I would be glad to connect with you. 00:00:18.719 --> 00:00:21.440 You can do so through the information below. 00:00:21.679 --> 00:00:24.160 Thank you again, and I hope this message is a blessing to you. 00:00:24.480 --> 00:00:30.879 Now that you're here this morning, if you would take your Bibles with me, go to James chapter number one. 00:00:31.120 --> 00:00:32.640 James chapter number one. 00:00:33.039 --> 00:00:36.399 And then if I could ask for some help this morning. 00:00:36.560 --> 00:00:38.640 Jordan, would you mind helping me out, Brother Philip? 00:00:38.719 --> 00:00:39.359 Would you mind? 00:00:39.840 --> 00:00:48.399 If you need some notes here this morning for the message, if you would just place your hand in the air and these gentlemen will get you some notes to help you. 00:00:48.479 --> 00:00:54.640 And it has some cross-references for us and some of the main thoughts from the sermon here this morning. 00:00:54.960 --> 00:01:00.640 But James chapter number one today, and we're just gonna look at two verses here in just a moment. 00:01:01.119 --> 00:01:10.560 But perhaps in the Bible, one of the greatest stories of transformation is the story of the Apostle Paul. 00:01:10.879 --> 00:01:31.599 Many of us know the Apostle Paul, known as Saul, who in the initial mentioning of Saul, he is standing there holding the coat of those who would take Stephen outside the city, take giant rocks, and hurl them at Stephen until he was put to death. 00:01:31.680 --> 00:01:38.319 And Saul was there consenting, giving permission, allowing this to take place. 00:01:38.560 --> 00:01:40.959 This is who the Apostle Paul was. 00:01:41.280 --> 00:01:48.879 He was not just one that disdained Christianity, but he outright persecuted Christians. 00:01:49.200 --> 00:02:01.359 He went on his way with orders to be able to take others that believed in Christ, that preached Jesus, to take them, to throw them into prison, to put them to death. 00:02:01.599 --> 00:02:03.840 This was Saul's life. 00:02:04.079 --> 00:02:06.239 This was who he was. 00:02:06.959 --> 00:02:12.879 But on the road to Damascus, Jesus met Saul. 00:02:13.759 --> 00:02:17.120 Jesus encountered his life. 00:02:17.439 --> 00:02:26.080 Jesus rescued Saul from himself, and Jesus transformed him from the inside out. 00:02:26.319 --> 00:02:29.840 Acts 9 gives us the account of his testimony. 00:02:30.000 --> 00:02:37.039 And he fell on the earth and he heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 00:02:37.280 --> 00:02:39.520 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? 00:02:39.759 --> 00:02:43.280 The Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. 00:02:43.520 --> 00:02:46.719 It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 00:02:46.879 --> 00:02:53.360 And he, trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? 00:02:53.599 --> 00:03:00.240 And the Lord said unto him, Arise and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. 00:03:00.319 --> 00:03:10.719 And this man, Saul, who was a Christian persecutor, now becomes one who declares the good news of Christ to whoever would hear it. 00:03:11.039 --> 00:03:37.680 You see, true religion, true biblical Christianity, the gospel of Jesus Christ has the power to change everything, to change an individual from the inside out, and it will, true religion will have an impact on the whole person. 00:03:39.919 --> 00:03:44.159 Consider with me this morning what James says in chapter number one. 00:03:44.400 --> 00:03:48.479 Can I invite you to stand one more time together as we read God's word? 00:03:48.960 --> 00:04:01.520 James 1, and we're just gonna read two verses this morning, but of course we're gonna uh um replay a little bit of the previous verses because they all come together here. 00:04:01.680 --> 00:04:18.560 Verse number 26 says, if any man among you seem to be religious and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. 00:04:20.160 --> 00:04:39.120 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the fatherless and widows and their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. 00:04:39.360 --> 00:04:40.800 Let's pray together this morning. 00:04:40.879 --> 00:04:46.000 As I pray out loud, would you pray in your heart and ask the Lord to speak to you today from his word? 00:04:46.240 --> 00:04:49.279 Lord, I thank you again for your goodness to us. 00:04:49.600 --> 00:04:57.120 Lord, that you allow us to even be here this morning is by your grace you've given us the the breath of life in our lungs today. 00:04:57.279 --> 00:05:04.800 You've given us ears to hear this morning, you've given us a mind to think and to comprehend and to consider what your word says. 00:05:04.959 --> 00:05:15.519 And Holy Spirit, I trust that this morning you will take your word, you will convince us of the truth, you will convict our hearts, and you will change us by your grace today. 00:05:15.759 --> 00:05:18.160 Lord, I come before you this morning. 00:05:18.480 --> 00:05:27.680 Not as someone who is well learned or brilliant in my speaking capacity, I come before you this morning as one in need of you. 00:05:28.000 --> 00:05:30.560 God, I need your help to feed your flock. 00:05:30.800 --> 00:05:37.519 God, I need your help to feed these that have come to not hear man's opinions, Lord, but to hear your word. 00:05:37.680 --> 00:05:39.680 And so, God, would you fill me this morning? 00:05:39.920 --> 00:05:44.160 Holy Spirit, would you take me and use me as an instrument in your hands? 00:05:44.319 --> 00:05:46.959 And would you help each of us to have ears of faith? 00:05:47.199 --> 00:05:50.560 God, as you've already spoken to me, would you change me? 00:05:50.720 --> 00:05:52.160 Would you transform my life? 00:05:52.319 --> 00:05:55.279 And would you transform all those that are here this morning? 00:05:55.519 --> 00:05:59.360 God, perhaps our greatest need here today is to know you in salvation. 00:05:59.600 --> 00:06:05.439 God, I pray that you would open up your word to the heart that needs to know you today and to be saved. 00:06:05.519 --> 00:06:08.000 And I pray that today would be that day of salvation. 00:06:08.240 --> 00:06:15.199 God, to the believer, to the Christian that needs to be encouraged today, that we need to be corrected, we need to be instructed. 00:06:15.360 --> 00:06:17.600 Oh God, would you help us this morning? 00:06:17.839 --> 00:06:19.759 We ask for your blessing on your word. 00:06:20.079 --> 00:06:21.839 We know that it won't return void. 00:06:22.000 --> 00:06:24.399 We trust it to accomplish your purposes. 00:06:24.560 --> 00:06:26.319 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:06:26.639 --> 00:06:27.279 Amen. 00:06:27.759 --> 00:06:28.160 Thank you. 00:06:28.319 --> 00:06:30.240 You may be seated this morning. 00:06:31.199 --> 00:06:33.519 James writes these two verses. 00:06:33.680 --> 00:06:46.000 We must remember, in light of the new birth in Jesus Christ, I'm going to continue to point us back to the fact that we have to be born again. 00:06:46.160 --> 00:06:48.560 We have to be born into the family of God. 00:06:48.720 --> 00:07:01.199 We have to be begotten by the word of truth, lest we go into some form of moralism or just behavioral change on the outside. 00:07:01.600 --> 00:07:04.959 We must look to the transformation. 00:07:05.120 --> 00:07:11.759 The reason why Saul was changed was not because he had more religion at this point in his life. 00:07:11.920 --> 00:07:20.319 The reason why he was changed is because he had now a relationship with Jesus Christ the Savior. 00:07:23.439 --> 00:07:30.160 Philip was telling me on Wednesday night how much uh uh Anderson and I kind of look alike. 00:07:30.399 --> 00:07:36.000 And uh if you look back in some pictures, we do have quite a bit of resemblance to one another. 00:07:36.160 --> 00:07:43.199 We look quite alike, and the reason why Anderson looks like me is because he has my DNA, right? 00:07:43.519 --> 00:07:56.639 The reason why our kids look like me and some of them look more like Liv is because they have their parents' DNA that has been passed on to them and so affects the way they look. 00:07:57.199 --> 00:08:01.120 It affects the way they act, it affects their personality. 00:08:01.279 --> 00:08:08.800 All those things, for better or for worse, were passed on from me and from my wife to our children. 00:08:09.040 --> 00:08:16.639 And so when we take that understanding and we apply it to a spiritual likening, we apply it to the spiritual birth. 00:08:16.800 --> 00:08:33.919 If you've been born again, you've been born into the family of God, you've placed your trust in Jesus Christ, then there should be, because his DNA is now in you, a new resemblance of your likeness to his likeness. 00:08:34.399 --> 00:08:52.399 And this is what James gets at throughout this epistle, throughout his preaching and his encouragement to these Christians that were scattered abroad, that if you have the new birth, if you've been begotten of God, then it should be lived out within your life. 00:08:52.720 --> 00:08:54.639 There should be a resemblance. 00:08:54.879 --> 00:09:01.200 And so, what we find in the text this morning is we find true religion. 00:09:01.440 --> 00:09:03.840 We find true religion. 00:09:04.000 --> 00:09:15.039 And true religion is not found in what you can do to earn a spot in heaven, but true religion is found in what Jesus has done for you. 00:09:16.320 --> 00:09:22.159 It's by faith in Christ that saves an individual. 00:09:22.399 --> 00:09:29.919 That means that you now have a new destination, but it also means that you can have a new way of living. 00:09:30.559 --> 00:09:37.279 True religion is powerful enough to change me. 00:09:37.600 --> 00:09:39.519 That's our first point this morning. 00:09:39.840 --> 00:09:46.639 True religion, it is powerful enough to change me. 00:09:48.320 --> 00:09:56.080 Again, we have to look at this in the backdrop instead of looking at it and beating ourselves up and saying, man, I've got to be a better person. 00:09:56.240 --> 00:10:00.080 We have to look at it from have you been born again? 00:10:00.399 --> 00:10:02.320 Are you a new creature? 00:10:02.480 --> 00:10:24.799 Even as Brother Philip encouraged us to look to what is true concerning the word of God, even fighting for it, preaching it to ourselves without the new birth, without the word of truth, we have no religion, we have no true gospel, we have no hope, and we will see no change in our lives. 00:10:25.120 --> 00:10:30.639 The fact of salvation is this that you and I, we were hopelessly sinful. 00:10:31.200 --> 00:10:36.320 We were enemies of God and full sin and wickedness against him. 00:10:36.799 --> 00:10:49.440 It's not that we were mostly good people, we were mostly nice people, and we just needed Jesus to kind of be added on to our kindness and our goodness. 00:10:49.600 --> 00:11:05.120 No, the fact of the matter is that we were sinners away from God, wicked, no way of earning our spot in heaven, and we needed Jesus to rescue us, to implant in us the word of truth. 00:11:05.519 --> 00:11:15.840 You see, true religion, it is not a works to earn salvation, but it is salvation that changes our works. 00:11:16.159 --> 00:11:30.159 True religion, it's not I do these things to earn salvation, but when we found true religion, when we found true salvation, it will change the way we live. 00:11:32.720 --> 00:11:44.240 The new heart is it's a completely new life that could only be gifted by faith. 00:11:45.600 --> 00:12:00.559 Ezekiel 36 26 says, A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 00:12:00.799 --> 00:12:02.639 2 Corinthians 5 17. 00:12:02.799 --> 00:12:08.000 We've been looking at this verse quite a bit because it's so wonderful and it speaks to what we're talking about. 00:12:08.080 --> 00:12:15.039 Therefore, if any man be in Christ, you have your salvation in him, you've trusted in Jesus. 00:12:15.279 --> 00:12:18.960 The Bible says, you are a new creature. 00:12:19.279 --> 00:12:21.120 Old things are passed away. 00:12:21.279 --> 00:12:25.200 Behold, all things are become new. 00:12:25.600 --> 00:12:30.720 True religion is powerful enough to change me. 00:12:31.519 --> 00:12:42.320 Even the most deeply rooted habits and heart issues that have been a part of my life for so long. 00:12:43.759 --> 00:13:00.320 And here, James speaks concerning the tongue, concerning our conversation, concerning what bubbles out from the heart, out through our words and our mouth. 00:13:00.639 --> 00:13:09.360 And we won't touch on everything that James has to speak about the tongue because in chapter number three he's gonna go into it in more detail. 00:13:09.759 --> 00:13:50.480 But here he says, if any man among you, he seems to be religious, he says that he has religion, he says that he worships God, but he doesn't bridle, keep in check, hold in check what comes out from the mouth, what his tongue says, the religion that he supposes he has is one that is vain, empty, it is devoid of force, it is useless. 00:13:51.120 --> 00:14:10.879 We can say it this way: it is a powerless religion, and there are many powerless religions that preach enlightenment, that preach you can change yourself, that preach this self-improvement type of theology. 00:14:11.039 --> 00:14:25.440 But the religion that Jesus invites us to is one that transforms not just the exterior, not just the outward words that we say, but he transforms us all the way in the deepest part of us, all the way in the inner man. 00:14:25.679 --> 00:14:37.759 He transforms us in the heart, and by transforming our heart, that's what changes what comes up in the bucket, what comes out in our words. 00:14:38.879 --> 00:14:55.120 When our speech goes everywhere, and when we say whatever, when we're not mindful of our words, it is not just a slip-up, it's a revealing of what's in the heart. 00:14:55.600 --> 00:15:08.960 Luke 6 45, Jesus says, A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good, and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil. 00:15:09.200 --> 00:15:14.879 For of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaketh. 00:15:15.360 --> 00:15:32.879 And so when we look at true transformation, true religion, the gospel, what Jesus Christ promised to give us life and life more abundantly, it is a religion that is powerful enough to change me. 00:15:34.799 --> 00:15:48.480 My exterior behaviors, my conduct and way of living changes not because I'm more of a moral person now, but because I'm a saved person. 00:15:50.639 --> 00:15:53.279 I want to continue to emphasize this. 00:15:54.720 --> 00:16:06.080 We sometimes think it's just a oh, don't say that and don't do that, when really what Jesus desires to do is to transform us from the inside out. 00:16:06.320 --> 00:16:08.799 He desires to give us a new heart. 00:16:09.200 --> 00:16:12.399 And true religion is powerful enough to change us. 00:16:12.720 --> 00:16:27.679 Paul, that I mentioned earlier, before he used to condemn Christians, now he preaches for everyone to become a Christian, before he used to persecute Christians, now he's willing to suffer for the gospel's sake. 00:16:27.840 --> 00:16:35.039 Before he used to hate people that didn't believe his way, now he weeps for people that don't believe on the gospel. 00:16:35.279 --> 00:16:44.960 Before he used to account himself worthy of God, now he knows the truth, that he is the chief of sinners. 00:16:45.279 --> 00:16:49.840 The gospel message is not a message that we preach in vain here this morning. 00:16:50.000 --> 00:16:57.120 We believe this morning that the gospel message is powerful enough to transform our lives. 00:16:57.360 --> 00:17:05.359 And we can look into our life and we can testify that there's been a great change since I've been born again. 00:17:05.759 --> 00:17:09.200 There's a change in your heart, a growth in your life. 00:17:09.440 --> 00:17:16.000 I know I've heard the testimonies of some in this room of how God has transformed you. 00:17:16.240 --> 00:17:25.599 And it's not by any power of our own, it's by the power of true religion, the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:17:26.559 --> 00:17:28.720 My words can be different now. 00:17:29.039 --> 00:17:31.599 My conversation can be different now. 00:17:31.680 --> 00:17:45.039 I can put off gossip, I can put off complaining, I can put off lying, I could put off these thoughts that I have, I can put off these actions that I have because my heart is different. 00:17:45.279 --> 00:17:51.759 Not because I'm just trying to add a bunch of rules to my life and say, okay, I'm gonna do this and I'm not gonna do this, I'm gonna do this, I'm not gonna do this. 00:17:51.839 --> 00:17:59.440 No, there's a heart change that takes place, and Jesus can give you the power to be transformed. 00:17:59.839 --> 00:18:02.640 And this doesn't mean that we're perfect. 00:18:03.920 --> 00:18:05.519 Doesn't mean that we're perfect. 00:18:05.839 --> 00:18:14.160 It doesn't mean that once you slip up, man, you lose your salvation because all of us would be have lost our salvation immediately after we gained it, right? 00:18:14.240 --> 00:18:18.240 I would have lost my salvation some hundred times by now, right? 00:18:18.319 --> 00:18:20.079 Just in this last week. 00:18:20.880 --> 00:18:28.400 Doesn't mean that we're perfect, but it certainly means that we're growing, that we're changing, that we're becoming more like Jesus. 00:18:28.640 --> 00:18:33.279 See, a religion that can't change you is not a real religion. 00:18:33.519 --> 00:18:39.359 It's not powerful, it's not worthy of following, it's not worthy of living out. 00:18:39.519 --> 00:18:43.680 But the message of the gospel is one of transformation. 00:18:44.880 --> 00:18:49.599 Later in James 3, he'll go into more depth concerning the tongue. 00:18:50.160 --> 00:18:57.599 But I want us to also see this this morning that true religion is pure religion. 00:18:58.000 --> 00:19:06.480 True religion, it's powerful enough to change us, but it's also pure religion. 00:19:06.880 --> 00:19:15.440 It meaning that it's it's ethically, it's without corrupt desire. 00:19:16.559 --> 00:19:20.640 It's living morally right and undefiled. 00:19:20.880 --> 00:19:28.400 Pure religion and undefiled before God, verse 27, and the father is this to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction. 00:19:28.559 --> 00:19:35.200 We'll get to that on our last point, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. 00:19:36.640 --> 00:19:45.680 Now, unless we tie these verses back to the ones that we looked at last week, how can we know what is pure? 00:19:46.480 --> 00:19:47.920 What is moral? 00:19:48.480 --> 00:19:59.920 What is right, what is accepted in God's eyes, unless we look back at the fact that we need to look into the perfect law of liberty. 00:20:00.079 --> 00:20:05.599 We need to look into the word of God and continue therein. 00:20:05.839 --> 00:20:30.720 It is God that sets the standard, it is God that outlines what is holy, it is God that outlines what is righteous, not man, not the culture, not the cinema, not the friends, not whatever influential person there is that says, you know, that was wrong maybe back then, but it's not so wrong anymore. 00:20:30.960 --> 00:20:33.759 No, my friend, God is the standard. 00:20:34.319 --> 00:20:40.079 God is the one that has given us the perfect law of liberty. 00:20:42.400 --> 00:20:51.599 True and pure religion is not what we deem in our own eyes as right in dismissing what God declares as holy. 00:20:52.000 --> 00:20:59.920 As, unfortunately, some so-called religious people would like to do. 00:21:00.400 --> 00:21:09.039 There is all sorts of corruption that you know this isn't really wrong, and this is actually right and actually fine. 00:21:09.200 --> 00:21:12.720 But what we have to do is study out the word of God. 00:21:12.880 --> 00:21:35.039 Because 2 Timothy tells us all scripture, it's given by inspiration of God, and it's profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, mature, and thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 00:21:35.680 --> 00:21:40.480 God's the one that sets what is right and what is wrong. 00:21:40.799 --> 00:21:45.839 God's word informs us how we are to live. 00:21:46.640 --> 00:21:51.599 What is to be put off in our lives, and what is to be put on. 00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:58.640 Another passage of scripture that you can read later on, we won't take the time to read it this morning, is Colossians chapter number three. 00:21:58.799 --> 00:22:04.720 In Colossians chapter Chapter number three, God tells us what's to be put off and what's to be put on. 00:22:05.119 --> 00:22:24.799 See, true religion does not allow for sin to remain or to hide it under the rug or in the heart's closet or to excuse it because true religion, pure religion, is just as Jesus lived. 00:22:25.440 --> 00:22:35.279 True religion calls us to purity, to confession of sin, and an alignment of our lives under the word of God. 00:22:36.559 --> 00:22:39.279 Yes, forgiveness is offered. 00:22:39.599 --> 00:22:43.039 Yes, grace can be obtained. 00:22:43.599 --> 00:22:49.920 Romans 6, 1 and 2, Paul writes to the Christians at Rome and he says, What shall we say then? 00:22:50.079 --> 00:22:53.599 Should we continue in sin that grace may abound? 00:22:53.759 --> 00:23:03.200 And we'll just continue to live in sin and God's gonna forgive it, and there's more grace to be heaped on me, and he's gonna understand, and I can get away with it. 00:23:03.359 --> 00:23:07.759 No, he says, verse number two, God forbid. 00:23:08.319 --> 00:23:13.200 How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein? 00:23:13.440 --> 00:23:24.160 Your life, if you're a believer, if you're a Christian, if you know Jesus, you now have a new life. 00:23:24.799 --> 00:23:28.000 You're dead to sin, you're alive unto God. 00:23:28.160 --> 00:23:31.359 And so God calls us on to holiness. 00:23:31.599 --> 00:23:33.839 He calls us to live righteously. 00:23:34.079 --> 00:23:42.480 At the end of verse number 27, he tells us to that we are to keep ourselves, pure religion, undefiled before God. 00:23:42.640 --> 00:23:47.759 It's keeping himself unspotted from the world. 00:23:48.160 --> 00:23:52.400 To keep is to attend carefully, it's to guard. 00:23:52.720 --> 00:23:58.559 Unspotted, it means to be irreproachable, spotless, there's no holds on us. 00:23:58.880 --> 00:24:03.440 Is anyone else like me that you just are like a stained magnet? 00:24:03.680 --> 00:24:04.640 Anyone else, man? 00:24:04.720 --> 00:24:16.960 You're a stained magnet, you eat, you go throughout the day, you're just all of a sudden you go to pull out the shirt that you just got and you're getting ready to iron it, and it's like, oh man, there's a stain on it again. 00:24:17.359 --> 00:24:18.400 That's me. 00:24:18.640 --> 00:24:21.839 I get stains on all my pants, all my clothes. 00:24:21.920 --> 00:24:22.880 I'm like, how did that end? 00:24:23.119 --> 00:24:24.400 I just don't even try anymore. 00:24:24.880 --> 00:24:25.759 We'll try to get it out. 00:24:25.920 --> 00:24:27.680 It's like, uh, I'm just gonna live with it. 00:24:27.759 --> 00:24:31.440 I got little kids and I'm a messy eater, it's just gonna happen. 00:24:31.839 --> 00:24:36.400 But there are times where you take those extra precautions, right? 00:24:36.559 --> 00:24:39.440 Maybe it's when you're wearing the white shirt. 00:24:39.599 --> 00:24:42.960 And those are the times when you always seem to get something on, right? 00:24:43.200 --> 00:24:44.640 But it's the white shirt. 00:24:44.799 --> 00:24:50.480 So when you sit down for the meal, and it always has to be spaghetti when it's the white shirt, right? 00:24:50.640 --> 00:24:57.680 And you sit down for the meal, and and usually instead of inhaling my food, I'm a little bit slower, right? 00:24:58.000 --> 00:25:04.960 A little more delicate at the dinner table to kind of make sure that I don't get a stain on me. 00:25:05.119 --> 00:25:05.440 Right? 00:25:05.599 --> 00:25:10.720 And usually it's not, it's not even always, I don't want to blame it on my kids, but I'm gonna blame it on my kids, okay? 00:25:10.880 --> 00:25:12.559 It's not always me. 00:25:13.200 --> 00:25:17.200 Sometimes it's the kiddos who they'll eat with their hands, right? 00:25:17.440 --> 00:25:20.160 They'll get something on it, and they go, Daddy, right? 00:25:20.240 --> 00:25:23.440 And they'll try to hug me or put their, they'll try to climb on me. 00:25:23.599 --> 00:25:27.920 Brandon's dealt with this too, or they'll try to go cry, climb on your brand new shirt, right? 00:25:28.240 --> 00:25:31.119 Those are the times where like hold them like they have a stinky diaper, right? 00:25:31.200 --> 00:25:34.079 I'm like, I love you, but I'm gonna love you from over here, okay? 00:25:34.240 --> 00:25:41.680 I'm gonna hold you out this way and turn them around, take them to the sink, wash them off, and then sure enough, I still have a stain on me. 00:25:43.279 --> 00:25:50.559 But you know when you get like a new shirt or you're trying to be extra careful and extra cautious. 00:25:51.839 --> 00:25:53.599 You're you're you're on guard, right? 00:25:53.680 --> 00:25:55.440 You might even put the extra napkin. 00:25:55.680 --> 00:25:58.720 You might even, if you have it, put on the apron, right? 00:25:58.880 --> 00:26:01.759 Like, I'm not gonna get a stain on this clothes. 00:26:02.000 --> 00:26:03.839 And you're careful about it. 00:26:04.319 --> 00:26:06.400 You're guarding yourself from it. 00:26:06.640 --> 00:26:13.599 You're waiting for that piece of food to fall or for the kiddo to wipe their hands on you, and you're trying to avoid it, right? 00:26:13.759 --> 00:26:19.599 You're doing all you can to be careful so that you remain spotless. 00:26:20.240 --> 00:26:21.680 Now, Jet's little. 00:26:22.720 --> 00:26:25.359 He does not care if he has any stains on him. 00:26:25.759 --> 00:26:27.200 He does not care, right? 00:26:27.440 --> 00:26:30.960 You put him in the high chair and there's food, you don't have to put him in the high chair. 00:26:31.039 --> 00:26:31.920 He'll find food. 00:26:32.079 --> 00:26:34.160 He is a hungry boy all the time, right? 00:26:34.240 --> 00:26:38.079 And you put him in the high chair, and man, he'll have food all over him. 00:26:38.240 --> 00:26:39.920 The other day he had paint all over him. 00:26:40.079 --> 00:26:47.119 I don't know if that tasted as good, but uh, he had food all over him, he'll have paint all over him, he'll have whatever all over him, right? 00:26:47.440 --> 00:26:49.839 He doesn't care if he's all stained up. 00:26:50.079 --> 00:26:50.960 He doesn't care. 00:26:51.279 --> 00:26:53.839 Mama's gonna come along and wash him up, right? 00:26:53.920 --> 00:26:58.960 He has no concern if he is spotless. 00:26:59.680 --> 00:27:12.960 I'm afraid that sometimes we as Christians we live without any concern of being spotted and dirtied and living immorally like the world does. 00:27:13.200 --> 00:27:44.480 And we have no concern of it because, well, God's just gonna clean me up, anyways, and and and I know God's just gonna forgive me, and he's just gonna offer me grace when instead we should be careful that we don't fall into sin, go into sin, live a life that is displeasing to God Almighty because He is holy, He is forgiving, He is gracious, but when we live to where we don't care, anything goes, it's all fine. 00:27:44.720 --> 00:27:51.359 We have misunderstood what it cost Jesus to give his life for our sakes. 00:27:51.680 --> 00:27:55.599 We've misunderstood what grace really is. 00:27:56.160 --> 00:28:06.240 That grace was not offered to us so we can presume upon our sin, but grace was offered to us so that we could be free from our sin. 00:28:07.359 --> 00:28:11.279 Live the life that he has called us to live. 00:28:12.079 --> 00:28:21.039 Oh, sadly, we don't always take care because we presume upon it and we misunderstand the cost. 00:28:22.319 --> 00:28:25.599 We misunderstand all that it costs, Jesus. 00:28:26.799 --> 00:28:28.880 It's like when you're a child. 00:28:29.519 --> 00:28:33.359 And you don't understand when you're a kid how much stuff costs, right? 00:28:33.839 --> 00:28:42.559 You don't know how much your parents spend on taking you out to eat or buying you the new toy or uh paying rent or a mortgage, right? 00:28:42.799 --> 00:28:45.039 You don't comprehend those things, right? 00:28:45.279 --> 00:28:49.440 It's not until you get older and then you have those responsibilities on yourself. 00:28:49.680 --> 00:28:53.119 And then now it's not I'm not even counting it in money anymore. 00:28:53.200 --> 00:28:55.359 I'm counting it in hours worked. 00:28:55.519 --> 00:29:00.480 I'm like, oh man, that you know, fill your gas tank up, that's five hours of work, right? 00:29:00.799 --> 00:29:03.440 Man, that's a whole week worth of work. 00:29:03.599 --> 00:29:09.359 And you start to understand a little bit more the cost behind it. 00:29:09.920 --> 00:29:31.039 You see, when we are living lives that are unconcerned about holiness and unconcerned about the way that God calls us to live in light of who he says we are, we are living in an immature way that lacks understanding of just how much it costs. 00:29:34.559 --> 00:29:38.319 And it does cost on several fronts. 00:29:38.559 --> 00:29:41.200 You see, at first there's a cost for ourselves. 00:29:41.920 --> 00:29:48.880 We think at times, I can get away with that sin, and I can do that, and it's not a big deal, but there's a cost to yourself. 00:29:49.200 --> 00:29:55.200 God is not mocked whatsoever we sow, that is what we are going to reap. 00:29:55.279 --> 00:30:09.440 And so we think I can handle the consequences, not a big deal, but you are sowing to your flesh, you are sowing to sin, and the consequences may not be immediate, but they're always there. 00:30:10.720 --> 00:30:12.319 For your own life. 00:30:12.960 --> 00:30:14.880 Well, we have to remember something. 00:30:15.119 --> 00:30:17.200 We don't live this life in isolation. 00:30:17.440 --> 00:30:20.559 Your sin affects more than just you. 00:30:20.960 --> 00:30:24.160 My sin, it affects more than just me. 00:30:24.640 --> 00:30:32.160 My sin will have an impact on my dear wife, on my children, on my family, on you as a church. 00:30:32.400 --> 00:30:34.640 My sin is not an isolated thing. 00:30:34.799 --> 00:30:45.119 My sin has an impact on others, and our sin does affect and causes trouble, not just for ourselves, but for those around us. 00:30:45.920 --> 00:30:50.079 But there was also the great cost that Jesus paid for your sin. 00:30:53.039 --> 00:31:05.839 It was not something that was without penalty, difficulty, humiliation, suffering. 00:31:06.400 --> 00:31:10.160 This is what Jesus took upon himself for you and for me. 00:31:10.400 --> 00:31:27.839 He paid for that sin, he paid for that unrighteousness, he paid for that rebellion when he died on the cross of Calvary, a real physical death, where the nails were pierced into his hand, where they ripped out his beard and they beat him and they spit on him and they smote him and they whipped him. 00:31:28.240 --> 00:31:36.079 This Jesus took that punishment as an innocent individual for our sake. 00:31:39.599 --> 00:31:41.839 You have to understand the cost to it. 00:31:42.799 --> 00:31:44.400 The cost to our sin. 00:31:46.400 --> 00:31:48.240 We shouldn't be flippant. 00:31:50.240 --> 00:31:54.240 Misunderstanding grace itself and the great price that was offered. 00:31:54.480 --> 00:32:08.240 You see, true religion, it is a pure religion, ethically, morally, righteously, and not under our own rules, under the perfect law of liberty. 00:32:08.319 --> 00:32:13.680 If we don't look back to the word, then we can misunderstand what God expects. 00:32:14.000 --> 00:32:17.759 True religion is pure religion, and it isn't that we're perfect. 00:32:17.920 --> 00:32:19.839 Again, it's not, don't misunderstand. 00:32:20.000 --> 00:32:24.160 It's not that you're perfect, and it's not that you do these things in order to earn heaven. 00:32:24.319 --> 00:32:34.319 It's that you're already going to heaven, and when you get there, you want to be pleasing, you want to be a purified church, a bride that is ready for her groom. 00:32:34.960 --> 00:32:48.319 True religion, though, also, you see, it affects us deep within our within our character, within how we live, from the heart outside, but it also should impact our conduct. 00:32:48.480 --> 00:32:54.559 You see, true religion, it is purposeful enough to send me. 00:32:55.200 --> 00:32:56.640 True religion. 00:32:57.039 --> 00:33:07.440 Jesus did not come and die on the cross uh uh uh uh just so that we might, yes, I'm saved and now I'm good to go. 00:33:07.599 --> 00:33:09.279 I have my fire insurance. 00:33:09.440 --> 00:33:25.119 No, true religion, it's purposeful enough that Jesus came to save you and then in turn to change you so that you might live with his mission and his purposes to fulfill in this life. 00:33:25.839 --> 00:33:30.240 Otherwise, Jesus, as soon as you got saved, he would have just taken you home right away. 00:33:30.480 --> 00:33:34.000 Another one, man, you're saved, and you get to go to heaven right away. 00:33:34.079 --> 00:33:43.920 No, he leaves you on this earth so that you might be the hands, the feet, the voice, the care, the love, the compassion of Jesus Christ. 00:33:44.240 --> 00:34:01.440 And so here, James also points us to this pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction. 00:34:04.319 --> 00:34:11.679 Lest we think true religion is only about inner isolated character. 00:34:12.400 --> 00:34:21.840 We just gotta isolate ourselves from all the needs and from everyone around us and just live as a spiritual monk who's dedicated to purity. 00:34:22.400 --> 00:34:44.800 We see here that pure religion, undefiled, true religion, it's purposeful enough that it sends me into the far reaches of the world, into the those that are deeply hurting, those that are in the most need, those that are without the most protection. 00:34:45.519 --> 00:34:58.800 Because the fatherless, the orphans, and the widows, especially in the New Testament time, in the first century, these were those that would have been the most vulnerable in ancient society. 00:34:59.679 --> 00:35:12.480 One commentator he points out that because they had no male protector for the orphans and the widows, and the inheritance always went to the sons rather than the mother in order to continue the family dynasty. 00:35:12.639 --> 00:35:20.960 He says the widow was left only with her dowry and her parental family who often ignored her needs. 00:35:21.199 --> 00:35:26.320 Orphans were destitute because they had no family, and often no one cared. 00:35:26.639 --> 00:35:36.559 So these were the two most impoverished groups in ancient society, and God commanded special attention to be given to them. 00:35:37.199 --> 00:35:43.599 And as you study the Word of God, as you read through it, my eyes have been open to this in recent years. 00:35:43.760 --> 00:35:55.280 As you read through the Bible, in the Old Testament, God had a special care for those that could not protect themselves, care for themselves. 00:35:55.519 --> 00:36:12.159 He had certain laws within Israel that were to protect the most needy, the most vulnerable, and he was particularly upset with leaders in Israel who constantly took advantage of those who were the most needy. 00:36:12.320 --> 00:36:43.280 And again, in the New Testament, Jesus points his attention to the Pharisees, who often were taking advantage of those who were the most needy, like the widows, and excusing themselves from this true religion that aims us, points us to serve, to reach, to care for those in the most needful situations. 00:36:46.239 --> 00:36:49.679 True religion sends believers out. 00:36:51.199 --> 00:36:54.800 We don't stand by as people suffer. 00:36:55.199 --> 00:36:58.000 It's not just the responsibility of another. 00:36:58.239 --> 00:37:04.159 It's not just the responsibility of the government, though there could be good government programs that could be helpful. 00:37:04.239 --> 00:37:23.760 It's not just the responsibility of someone else down the road, but the responsibility is for Christians to look out and to see what needs are around them and to step in, to visit, to go, to enter into those areas and meet needs. 00:37:24.800 --> 00:37:27.840 At the heart of Christ is care for people. 00:37:28.159 --> 00:37:35.599 And at the heart of the Christian religion is that Jesus came to earth and he did good works. 00:37:36.880 --> 00:37:53.519 And lest we think that social justice is the only aim and good works is the only thing that Jesus came to do, we must recognize that he was pointing them to the greater need of their heart and the hearts of all. 00:37:54.079 --> 00:37:57.199 That we are all spiritually destitute. 00:37:57.440 --> 00:37:59.840 We are all spiritually in need. 00:38:00.000 --> 00:38:09.199 And so Jesus came and not only did good works, but Jesus came and he preached the good news that you and I can be saved. 00:38:09.599 --> 00:38:13.920 And so, true religion, it's purposeful enough, though, to send me. 00:38:14.239 --> 00:38:21.519 There is more eternal purpose for my life than the earthly things that I give myself to. 00:38:22.320 --> 00:38:30.320 There is more eternal purpose for your life than the earthly things that we give ourselves to at times. 00:38:30.559 --> 00:38:40.960 Those who are spiritually destitute need the good news of the gospel, and it will only be heard as we are sent to tell them this good news. 00:38:41.280 --> 00:38:49.679 But those who are physically destitute need also the good care of others who have much to share. 00:38:49.920 --> 00:38:52.400 Why has God blessed us with much? 00:38:52.960 --> 00:38:58.400 Is it so that we can lavish our lifestyle here on earth? 00:38:58.639 --> 00:39:08.880 Or is it that we might be a caring shoulder, a caring hand, a caring people for those that lack? 00:39:12.320 --> 00:39:17.039 To visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction. 00:39:18.159 --> 00:39:20.559 True religion, it cares for people. 00:39:22.719 --> 00:39:37.519 True religion is sent out to reach new people groups, new tribes, new tongues with the good news of the gospel, and it engages the community, it engages the most vulnerable with good works along with good news. 00:39:37.679 --> 00:39:41.039 They do not have to be opposed from one another. 00:39:41.360 --> 00:39:44.320 They do not have to be against one another. 00:39:44.639 --> 00:39:52.159 We can, as we have been attempting to do, take a bottle of water and go out into our community. 00:39:52.239 --> 00:40:08.800 And it may not be much, but it's what we can do at this point in time and say, hey, here's a bottle of water to help you as you're thirsty, as you're hot, and we'll try to do what we can with other resources, but this is what we can do, and let me point you to the good news of Jesus Christ who can rescue you. 00:40:08.880 --> 00:40:16.320 And though our lives may be difficult here, we can count on a place that's gonna be of eternal rest, eternal peace. 00:40:17.440 --> 00:40:30.639 You see, the good news, true religion, it enters, it does not turn a blind eye to the needs that are around us. 00:40:32.480 --> 00:40:56.480 And unfortunately, we can at times be either so self-focused that we ignore the needs around us because it takes time, it takes resources, it takes sacrifice, and we can ignore those things. 00:40:58.159 --> 00:41:04.800 At times we can, unfortunately, not recognize the grace that was poured out on our own life. 00:41:05.119 --> 00:41:11.760 And we can look at needs and we can say, you know what, they should just do this, do that, do the other. 00:41:12.000 --> 00:41:13.840 And we don't know the story. 00:41:14.239 --> 00:41:21.760 And we're lifted up in pride, thinking, I did this, I account, I'm over here, why can't they just figure it out? 00:41:22.800 --> 00:41:28.480 When at times God has not blessed you just so that your life can be better here on earth. 00:41:28.639 --> 00:41:37.599 He has blessed you so that you can be his hands, his feet, his voice, his love to others. 00:41:39.280 --> 00:41:39.920 I know. 00:41:40.960 --> 00:41:43.199 We cannot do everything. 00:41:44.239 --> 00:41:45.760 There's too many needs to meet. 00:41:45.920 --> 00:41:47.199 We can't do it all. 00:41:47.920 --> 00:41:50.079 But we can certainly do something. 00:41:51.039 --> 00:41:52.800 We can't do everything. 00:41:53.360 --> 00:41:55.679 But we can certainly do something. 00:41:57.039 --> 00:42:24.480 And this is both, there are good organizations that help and good ministries, and we'll try to do what we can as a church, but understand that there's both a corporate way in which we can gather and help and serve and reach out, but there's also a personal responsibility that we can pray through, consider what we might be able to do. 00:42:27.440 --> 00:42:32.719 This is an intention of you entering into it, you physically going. 00:42:32.880 --> 00:42:36.239 It's not just, you know, hopefully they're taken care of. 00:42:36.400 --> 00:42:38.880 To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction. 00:42:39.199 --> 00:42:41.760 We can't do everything, but we can certainly do something. 00:42:41.920 --> 00:42:53.360 Maybe prayerfully, you're in a position where you could consider foster care or adoption. 00:42:54.000 --> 00:42:59.840 Maybe you're in a position where you can consider those that need a mentor. 00:43:00.880 --> 00:43:05.519 Maybe you can be involved in the street ministry that we'll continue to do. 00:43:05.760 --> 00:43:12.880 It's a small opportunity, a way for us to take something physical, tangible, and to share the good news of Christ. 00:43:13.119 --> 00:43:24.400 But maybe in your own life, your own way, you can look at different avenues and different people that you can serve, that you can maybe even share a meal with someone who's in need. 00:43:24.719 --> 00:43:29.760 Maybe you can consider helping a widow with some physical need. 00:43:30.559 --> 00:43:38.880 Washing her car, looking after her yard, taking care of her as you would your own mother. 00:43:39.599 --> 00:43:59.360 Maybe it's getting involved with some of the ministries that we have, the van ministries and the children and the teen ministries, to where you could come alongside and you could be a spiritual father, a spiritual mother, and you can come and help and mentor and encourage and build relationships. 00:43:59.599 --> 00:44:01.840 Maybe there's a need that God already placed on your earth. 00:44:02.000 --> 00:44:08.960 There's a person that you already know that's in your sphere of influence that you can be a blessing to. 00:44:19.360 --> 00:44:30.239 It is worthless for us to uh uh uh um give them a meal so that they're fed today, but not consider that they'll be suffering in eternity forever without the good news. 00:44:30.480 --> 00:44:33.119 And so let those things go hand in hand. 00:44:33.440 --> 00:44:35.199 Let them go hand in hand. 00:44:35.440 --> 00:44:46.480 Sometimes people mistake these areas of reaching out and serving people, and it could be a delicate thing and something that we should be walking wisdom with. 00:44:46.960 --> 00:44:55.440 Not every need is supposed to be met in the same way, but it won't help a person if we don't share the good news with them. 00:44:55.679 --> 00:45:05.280 And on the flip side, don't dismiss the power of serving someone and doing good works unto others that will open up their hearts to the good news of Christ. 00:45:05.599 --> 00:45:11.280 You see, true religion, it's purposeful enough to send me. 00:45:12.480 --> 00:45:15.519 We can't do everything, but we can do something. 00:45:16.320 --> 00:45:18.960 Would you bow your head and close your eyes with me this morning? 00:45:19.760 --> 00:45:21.760 I hope this message was a blessing to you. 00:45:21.920 --> 00:45:27.840 If you are in the Phoenix area, we would love to have you come in for a visit. 00:45:28.000 --> 00:45:31.360 We're located on Indian School and 23rd Avenue. 00:45:31.760 --> 00:45:36.639 If we can be a help to you in any other way, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. 00:45:36.880 --> 00:45:45.519 Or would love to answer any questions that you had about a sermon, or maybe a question that you have about eternal life and a relationship with God. 00:45:45.920 --> 00:45:49.760 We're here to serve you and to point you to try to do that. 00:45:50.239 --> 00:45:51.920 Thank you so much for watching this video.