WEBVTT 00:00:04.799 --> 00:00:08.080 This podcast is brought to you by Grand Parkway Fatter. 00:00:08.800 --> 00:00:12.480 Helping people to know, enjoy, and glorify God. 00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:18.000 For more information about Grand Parkway, visit GrandParkway.org. 00:00:19.039 --> 00:00:20.399 Let's pray together. 00:00:20.879 --> 00:00:24.559 Lord, it's uh we've not gathered today to demonstrate who knows the most. 00:00:24.719 --> 00:00:28.640 We've gathered today to remind ourselves that it's just a few things we have to know. 00:00:28.879 --> 00:00:32.640 A few eternally unchanging, forever true things. 00:00:32.719 --> 00:00:44.719 And if we know these things and we dig down deep past all the cultural sand down to the rock and we build and bank our life on those few things, we'll be a different people. 00:00:44.960 --> 00:00:50.479 And so we've gathered today to remind and reinforce in ourselves and for ourselves. 00:00:50.719 --> 00:00:52.560 For your glory, God, and for our good. 00:00:52.719 --> 00:00:57.039 Two things that are not mutually exclusive, but they pair well together. 00:00:57.439 --> 00:01:03.119 The Holy Spirit brood over us while the word of God finds us and unwinds us today. 00:01:03.359 --> 00:01:06.560 This is our prayer, God, make it our experience, we ask in Jesus' name. 00:01:06.640 --> 00:01:07.680 And everyone's head. 00:01:08.000 --> 00:01:08.319 Amen. 00:01:08.560 --> 00:01:09.200 You can have a seat. 00:01:09.280 --> 00:01:09.840 You can have a seat. 00:01:09.920 --> 00:01:13.280 If you've got a Bible, I invite you to take it and open up to 1 Corinthians chapter 6. 00:01:13.519 --> 00:01:14.799 First Corinthians chapter 6. 00:01:14.879 --> 00:01:17.519 I want to talk to you this morning about what our church believes. 00:01:17.760 --> 00:01:18.799 What our church believes. 00:01:19.120 --> 00:01:21.200 I mentioned it in the prayer, I kind of referenced it. 00:01:21.760 --> 00:01:27.120 The task of Christianity is not to be some religious know-it-all that has a take on everything, okay? 00:01:27.760 --> 00:01:38.560 But the task of Christianity is to know a few certain, eternally unchanging, always forever right things, and not just know them, but to be set on fire by them. 00:01:39.120 --> 00:01:42.079 Your life to be interrupted and altered because of them. 00:01:42.560 --> 00:01:45.200 And I want to point out just three things that our church believes. 00:01:45.280 --> 00:01:48.959 And if you would believe these three things today, your life would be different. 00:01:49.040 --> 00:01:50.480 You would never outgrow these things. 00:01:50.640 --> 00:01:52.159 You would never get past these things. 00:01:52.239 --> 00:01:55.439 You would never look at your kids on a Sunday morning and they say, We're going to church. 00:01:55.599 --> 00:01:58.480 No, we've kind of outgrown all this stuff. 00:01:58.879 --> 00:02:01.840 It would always be beyond you and better than you. 00:02:01.920 --> 00:02:08.159 And it would always be beckoning you Godward if you would just get your head around these uh three simple things from the text today. 00:02:08.319 --> 00:02:17.120 First Corinthians chapter 6, verse 1 says this When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? 00:02:17.280 --> 00:02:20.000 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? 00:02:20.159 --> 00:02:24.879 And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? 00:02:25.120 --> 00:02:27.439 Do you not know that we are to judge angels? 00:02:27.599 --> 00:02:30.960 How much more then matters pertaining to this life? 00:02:31.280 --> 00:02:36.479 So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? 00:02:36.639 --> 00:02:38.240 I say this to your shame. 00:02:38.479 --> 00:02:42.879 Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers? 00:02:43.039 --> 00:02:47.199 But brother goes to law against the brother, and that before unbelievers? 00:02:47.439 --> 00:02:51.039 To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. 00:02:51.199 --> 00:02:52.879 Why not rather suffer wrong? 00:02:53.039 --> 00:02:58.400 Why not rather be defrauded, but you yourselves wrong and defraud even your own brothers? 00:02:58.639 --> 00:03:01.840 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? 00:03:02.000 --> 00:03:14.240 Do not be deceived, neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 00:03:14.400 --> 00:03:15.840 And such were some of you. 00:03:16.080 --> 00:03:22.080 But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of God. 00:03:22.319 --> 00:03:25.199 Three things I want to point to in the text that our church believes. 00:03:25.280 --> 00:03:31.599 So if you're exploring a new church today, or if you've been here for years, I just want to remind you, we believe these things, okay? 00:03:31.759 --> 00:03:38.639 And we believe these things not to indict other people, but we believe these things to invite ourselves into what God is doing in the world. 00:03:38.800 --> 00:03:45.120 The first thing that our church believes is simply this that our fundamental problem is not being unwilling, but being unrighteous. 00:03:45.360 --> 00:03:51.120 Our fundamental problem in the world today, not in the church, but in the world today, is it's not being unwilling. 00:03:51.280 --> 00:03:52.879 It's not that, oh, I'm not willing to do that. 00:03:53.120 --> 00:03:54.319 That's not your biggest problem. 00:03:54.479 --> 00:03:58.479 Your biggest problem is that you by nature and I by nature are unrighteous people. 00:03:58.639 --> 00:04:03.039 To be unrighteous is to be a person who has violated God's standard of justice. 00:04:03.199 --> 00:04:05.520 We've fallen short of what God said is right. 00:04:05.680 --> 00:04:11.039 The Bible says it like this in Romans chapter 3 that we've all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. 00:04:11.120 --> 00:04:12.560 People say, Well, that's your opinion. 00:04:12.719 --> 00:04:16.240 No, it's my understanding that God determines what is right and wrong. 00:04:16.399 --> 00:04:22.000 One of the things you should ask yourself today is who determines right and wrong in my family and for my kids? 00:04:22.240 --> 00:04:26.240 Who determines does it come from TikTok, what they swipe up and down on all day? 00:04:26.480 --> 00:04:27.839 Or does it come from God? 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:28.879 Who determines? 00:04:28.959 --> 00:04:34.079 Because just to say our fundamental problem is not that we're unwilling, it's that we by nature are unrighteous. 00:04:34.240 --> 00:04:36.079 You say, I don't quite get what you mean. 00:04:36.160 --> 00:04:43.839 Let me just read a long section of Romans chapter 3, starting in verse 9, where the Bible lays it out very clearly that, hey, this is what we mean by this. 00:04:44.000 --> 00:04:45.680 This is what the Bible says in Romans 3. 00:04:45.759 --> 00:04:46.160 What then? 00:04:46.319 --> 00:04:47.759 Are we Jews any better off? 00:04:47.920 --> 00:04:48.879 No, not at all. 00:04:49.040 --> 00:04:55.519 We for we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written, none is righteous, no, not one. 00:04:55.680 --> 00:04:58.000 No one understands, no one seeks for God. 00:04:58.160 --> 00:05:00.720 All have turned aside, together they become worthless. 00:05:00.879 --> 00:05:02.800 No one does good, not even one. 00:05:03.040 --> 00:05:06.560 Their throat is an open grave, they use their tongues to deceive. 00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:11.439 The venom of asp is under their lips, their mouth is full of curses and bitterness. 00:05:11.519 --> 00:05:14.000 Now, you may be thinking at this point, oh, that's not me. 00:05:14.160 --> 00:05:18.959 Have you ever known something to not be true, but you just felt it anyway, and you said it? 00:05:21.040 --> 00:05:21.680 Yes. 00:05:22.319 --> 00:05:24.240 Yes, this is what the Bible says. 00:05:24.399 --> 00:05:30.959 He says, Their feet are swift to shed blood, and their paths are rooted misery, and the way of peace they have not known. 00:05:31.279 --> 00:05:32.959 Underline that phrase in your Bible. 00:05:33.120 --> 00:05:36.480 The way of peace they have not known. 00:05:36.639 --> 00:05:38.240 We call it anxiety. 00:05:38.480 --> 00:05:40.399 The Bible calls it separation. 00:05:40.639 --> 00:05:43.360 Now, I'm not saying if you've got anxiety, you're separated from God. 00:05:43.439 --> 00:05:47.680 I'm saying for people that do not have a relationship with God, God lets you feel that. 00:05:47.759 --> 00:05:49.519 And it's not hate, it's love. 00:05:49.759 --> 00:05:55.120 Because to feel this separation, this lack of peace, it ought to turn your head and your heart towards God. 00:05:55.600 --> 00:05:59.600 The way of peace they have not known, and there's no fear of God before their eyes. 00:05:59.759 --> 00:06:07.600 Now, we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 00:06:07.759 --> 00:06:14.399 For by the works of the law, no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. 00:06:14.560 --> 00:06:17.360 Now, that's a thick, dense section of the Bible. 00:06:17.519 --> 00:06:19.839 I just want to point out, okay, what does that mean? 00:06:20.000 --> 00:06:22.720 Let me just tick off about five or six things that means for all of us. 00:06:22.879 --> 00:06:24.639 Number one, religion will not change you. 00:06:24.720 --> 00:06:25.920 That's a reference to the Jews. 00:06:26.000 --> 00:06:27.519 He talks about the Jews and the Greeks. 00:06:27.680 --> 00:06:29.120 Religion will not change you. 00:06:29.199 --> 00:06:32.480 I say this a lot, like people say, Well, I'm not very religious, and I say, Well, neither am I. 00:06:32.560 --> 00:06:34.079 And they go, Well, aren't you a preacher? 00:06:34.240 --> 00:06:36.720 Yeah, and it's my job to not be religious. 00:06:36.959 --> 00:06:38.319 And then they're really confused. 00:06:38.399 --> 00:06:39.839 One person gets it back here. 00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:43.519 I was in the med center in an elevator, and the guy said, So you visiting a family or friends? 00:06:43.680 --> 00:06:45.600 And I said, Actually, I'm visiting one of my prisoners. 00:06:45.680 --> 00:06:46.879 And he goes, Oh boy. 00:06:47.040 --> 00:06:47.680 I said, That's right. 00:06:47.759 --> 00:06:49.759 You're trapped in an elevator with a preacher. 00:06:50.160 --> 00:06:53.199 And then I just reached over and just smashed all the buttons. 00:06:54.240 --> 00:06:58.480 Now that I've got your captive attention, he's like, Seriously, bro, are you really a pastor? 00:06:58.639 --> 00:06:58.879 I am. 00:06:59.040 --> 00:07:00.160 He goes, I'm not very religious. 00:07:00.240 --> 00:07:01.040 I said, Neither am I. 00:07:01.199 --> 00:07:01.920 My name's Neil. 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:08.480 And he's like, uh, yeah, anyway, uh, yeah, so when I say that religion won't change you, that's the Jews. 00:07:08.639 --> 00:07:10.959 The Jews, they kind of appeal to their religious heritage. 00:07:11.120 --> 00:07:13.759 Some of you may be thinking, well, my grandpa was a Baptist preacher. 00:07:13.920 --> 00:07:15.439 What's that got to do with you? 00:07:16.240 --> 00:07:16.959 Nothing. 00:07:17.199 --> 00:07:17.600 Nothing. 00:07:17.759 --> 00:07:19.120 So religion won't change you. 00:07:19.279 --> 00:07:21.759 What changes you is a relationship with God. 00:07:21.920 --> 00:07:22.959 Not being religious. 00:07:23.040 --> 00:07:23.920 So religion won't change you. 00:07:24.000 --> 00:07:26.000 Secondly, intelligence cannot excuse you. 00:07:26.079 --> 00:07:27.199 That's the Greeks. 00:07:27.519 --> 00:07:28.560 They were like, we're so smart. 00:07:28.639 --> 00:07:33.920 This is why Paul, in verse 5, he's really kind of being sarcastic, which I love that the people in the Bible are human. 00:07:34.079 --> 00:07:35.680 He said, I say this to your shame. 00:07:35.839 --> 00:07:38.959 Can it be that there's no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute? 00:07:39.199 --> 00:07:43.920 Because the people here in Corinthians, the Corinthians, they prided themselves on their intellect. 00:07:44.000 --> 00:07:49.360 And Paul kind of he kind of kicks the pig like Gus and Lonesome Dove and says, Hey, are you not wise enough to settle disputes? 00:07:49.519 --> 00:07:51.199 You people that are smarter than everybody else? 00:07:51.360 --> 00:07:52.160 Here's the third thing. 00:07:52.240 --> 00:07:53.600 Everybody does their own thing. 00:07:53.759 --> 00:07:55.519 He says, We've all turned aside. 00:07:55.759 --> 00:07:57.040 Isaiah says the same thing. 00:07:57.120 --> 00:07:59.360 Isaiah, I believe chapter 50 said we are 53. 00:07:59.439 --> 00:08:02.079 We've all turned aside to our own way. 00:08:02.240 --> 00:08:03.279 We've all turned aside. 00:08:03.360 --> 00:08:04.319 We've done our own thing. 00:08:04.480 --> 00:08:07.680 Because you think your idea for your life is better than God's. 00:08:07.839 --> 00:08:09.120 Here's the fourth thing I'd point to. 00:08:09.199 --> 00:08:11.120 Our preferred behaviors don't bring us peace. 00:08:11.360 --> 00:08:14.480 The way of peace they have not known. 00:08:14.720 --> 00:08:17.600 The way of peace they have not known. 00:08:17.839 --> 00:08:18.639 Here's another one. 00:08:18.720 --> 00:08:20.800 Because we don't know God, we don't fear God. 00:08:21.120 --> 00:08:27.279 If you want to see who really knows God and then just come to church, see if they have a posture towards God that's kind of fearful. 00:08:27.360 --> 00:08:31.439 Not out of how I'm afraid, but this fearful is that I don't want to miss out. 00:08:31.839 --> 00:08:34.240 Okay, it's not there's two kinds of fear in the Bible. 00:08:34.320 --> 00:08:38.480 There's servile fear, it's the fear of a servant who thinks if I mess up, I'm gonna get beat. 00:08:38.559 --> 00:08:39.919 That's not what the Bible talks about. 00:08:40.080 --> 00:08:41.440 It's filial fear. 00:08:41.600 --> 00:08:49.120 It's the fear of, hey, my father is so good that if I disobey him, I might miss out on what only my father can do. 00:08:49.360 --> 00:08:52.159 This is the kind of fear the Bible calls us to, okay? 00:08:52.320 --> 00:08:53.759 Uh here's the next thing. 00:08:53.919 --> 00:08:57.519 Everyone has fallen short of God's standard and is that accountable to God. 00:08:57.840 --> 00:08:59.679 Everyone has fallen short of God's standard. 00:08:59.840 --> 00:09:06.240 Everyone, everyone in this room, everyone in this world has fallen short of God's standard, and therefore you're accountable to God. 00:09:06.399 --> 00:09:10.960 Here's the last thing that Romans 3 points out there's nothing you can do to change this reality. 00:09:11.600 --> 00:09:18.159 There's nothing you can do to change this reality because the Bible reinforces what God knows to be true. 00:09:18.399 --> 00:09:26.320 And so when I start off with this big long kind of uh nerdy-sounding thing to say, our fundamental problem is not being unwilling, but being unrighteous. 00:09:26.559 --> 00:09:30.960 The Bible builds this case, not just in Romans 3, but all through the Bible. 00:09:31.120 --> 00:09:31.440 Okay. 00:09:31.600 --> 00:09:36.159 So if you're here today, it's not that, man, I made a resolution, I want to get back in church, whatever. 00:09:36.320 --> 00:09:43.200 That's great, and I applaud that, but I just want to say to you, your problem, your core issue is not that you're unwilling, it's that you're unrighteous. 00:09:43.360 --> 00:09:48.000 Here's the second thing the Bible, our church believes the Bible teaches everybody has a past. 00:09:48.399 --> 00:09:49.840 Everybody has a past. 00:09:49.919 --> 00:09:52.240 You say, Well, I don't know what you mean. 00:09:52.720 --> 00:09:59.679 I often tell people in counseling, if you would meditate on your past, now when I say everybody has a past, if you know what I mean, say amen. 00:10:00.080 --> 00:10:04.799 Now, if you've got things in your past that you wish to God you would never have to think about again, say amen. 00:10:05.120 --> 00:10:07.919 You should be the loudest worshiper in the room. 00:10:08.320 --> 00:10:10.879 Because I tell people, people say, Well, I'm just not feeling it this day. 00:10:11.039 --> 00:10:13.840 And I say, Have you meditated on your depravity lately? 00:10:14.240 --> 00:10:16.639 And they always look at me like, What do you mean? 00:10:16.960 --> 00:10:18.159 Clearly you haven't. 00:10:18.320 --> 00:10:20.159 Uh you say, What do you mean everybody has a past? 00:10:20.320 --> 00:10:25.120 They've come to realize that they were saved from these behaviors, they're not saved for these behaviors. 00:10:25.279 --> 00:10:32.960 Because if you're not careful, you read the list in verses 9 and 10, and you're like, Whew, wow, I've done that, I've done that, that one's got my name on it right there. 00:10:33.360 --> 00:10:38.000 What the people in Corinth realize, and he's not like, hey, these are a list of sins that keep you out of heaven. 00:10:38.080 --> 00:10:39.919 No, no, no, that's not what he's saying at all. 00:10:40.080 --> 00:10:44.399 They they've come to realize that they were saved from these behaviors, they were not saved for them. 00:10:44.480 --> 00:10:44.960 What do you mean? 00:10:45.120 --> 00:10:49.200 Coming to faith doesn't ensure forgiveness for the things you want to keep doing. 00:10:49.840 --> 00:10:50.960 Let me say that again. 00:10:51.120 --> 00:10:56.960 Coming to faith does not guarantee forgiveness for the things that you just know you're never gonna stop doing. 00:10:57.120 --> 00:11:00.879 I've had countless people say to me over the years, Well, I'm probably not gonna stop. 00:11:01.039 --> 00:11:05.360 And I say, that's probably an indication that you don't really have a conversion experience. 00:11:05.600 --> 00:11:07.679 And then they say back to me, Well, how can you be judged? 00:11:07.759 --> 00:11:09.039 Oh, God should judge me. 00:11:09.360 --> 00:11:10.720 He can and he will. 00:11:11.840 --> 00:11:17.120 Because here's the thing salvation is not the guarantee of forgiveness. 00:11:17.360 --> 00:11:22.080 Salvation is the guarantee that this person has been changed, and I'm not saved for these things. 00:11:22.159 --> 00:11:25.279 So I'm not saved so I can just keep doing these things I want to keep doing. 00:11:25.360 --> 00:11:27.279 No, I'm saved from these things. 00:11:27.440 --> 00:11:30.159 These things do not have power over me anymore. 00:11:30.320 --> 00:11:32.000 He says, look at verse 9 and 10. 00:11:32.080 --> 00:11:33.200 Uh spells it out. 00:11:33.279 --> 00:11:36.480 He says, or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? 00:11:36.720 --> 00:11:38.799 Do not be deceived. 00:11:39.039 --> 00:11:40.240 That's the key phrase. 00:11:40.399 --> 00:11:43.360 Don't hear, oh, the unrighteous not here inherit the kingdom. 00:11:43.440 --> 00:11:45.519 Here, do not be deceived. 00:11:45.600 --> 00:11:45.840 Why? 00:11:46.000 --> 00:11:53.600 Because to be deceived is to basically step away, like, hey, I know this is the truth, and I'm gonna kind of step a little bit to the right or the left of that. 00:11:53.679 --> 00:11:55.679 I'm gonna deviate off course a little bit. 00:11:55.759 --> 00:12:01.039 In the Old Testament, the way it describes it is like this it says that we've moved the ancient boundary stone. 00:12:01.200 --> 00:12:07.279 They used to mark their property, like if you look at a map of the United States, you look at the East Coast, you ever notice the state lines are kind of squiggly? 00:12:07.600 --> 00:12:08.960 It's kind of all over the place. 00:12:09.120 --> 00:12:15.840 But as you move west, it's like New Mexico, very, you know, it's it's it's Colorado, very, because they developed surveying tools. 00:12:16.000 --> 00:12:18.159 But like in the Bible, they did not have surveying tools. 00:12:18.240 --> 00:12:21.279 They couldn't shoot a line and say, hey, here's your property line right here. 00:12:21.360 --> 00:12:27.679 Uh but what they would do is they'd have stones, they'd mark their property with these bounds, they were called boundary stones or boundary markers. 00:12:27.840 --> 00:12:32.399 And the Bible says in Proverbs, do not move the ancient boundary marker of ancient boundary stone. 00:12:32.480 --> 00:12:35.679 We have, as a culture, have picked it up and not just moved it. 00:12:35.759 --> 00:12:39.679 We've kind of thrown off a cliff and said, hey, we'll draw the lines where we see fit. 00:12:39.840 --> 00:12:42.720 And the Bible comes along and says, Well, it doesn't change anything. 00:12:42.960 --> 00:12:45.279 He says, Do not be deceived. 00:12:45.440 --> 00:12:47.039 Don't not be led away, okay? 00:12:47.200 --> 00:12:50.799 These behaviors characterize their life before they came to faith in Christ, all right? 00:12:50.879 --> 00:12:53.919 And once they came to faith in Christ, they gave up these behaviors. 00:12:54.080 --> 00:12:58.559 Now, when I say everybody has a past, that is not a wink wink, who am I to judge you? 00:12:58.720 --> 00:13:01.279 Uh, this may or may not surprise you, but I don't get up. 00:13:01.360 --> 00:13:05.279 I've never gotten up a day in my life and thought, who can I judge today? 00:13:06.240 --> 00:13:08.000 It's never crossed my mind. 00:13:08.320 --> 00:13:15.679 But see, when we say everybody has a past, you some, it's easy to think, well, see, who am I to because the Bible teaches at all. 00:13:15.759 --> 00:13:18.240 Here's what the Bible teaches that two things about people of the past. 00:13:18.399 --> 00:13:20.240 Number one, they're very loving. 00:13:20.720 --> 00:13:22.320 They're very loving people. 00:13:22.480 --> 00:13:29.200 When I say you have a past, not that you have a past, but Christ has dealt with your past in a way that only the Bible says God can. 00:13:29.279 --> 00:13:34.879 Because, see, if you have a problem loving people and forgiving people, you're probably morally self-righteous. 00:13:36.799 --> 00:13:38.080 You feel that? 00:13:38.720 --> 00:13:45.440 Some of you are like, uh, I just these can some of you are like, we're visiting today, we'll be at Houston's First Baptist next Sunday. 00:13:45.519 --> 00:13:50.480 Uh people of the past that's been dealt with by God, uh, they're they're very loving. 00:13:50.559 --> 00:13:51.919 You say, I don't know what you mean. 00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:54.320 Uh, don't turn over, just write down Luke chapter 7. 00:13:54.559 --> 00:13:57.759 Luke chapter 7 tells a story of Jesus and a sinful woman. 00:13:57.919 --> 00:14:08.559 And Jesus is at the house of a Pharisee named Simon, and this woman comes in, and she behind Jesus, she just starts wiping his feet and washing his feet and wiping his feet with her hair. 00:14:08.639 --> 00:14:10.080 That's a little creepy right there. 00:14:10.240 --> 00:14:12.720 And Jesus is looking, and the people are thinking to themselves. 00:14:12.799 --> 00:14:22.480 You can read later the Bible says, and they're thinking to themselves, if this guy was a prophet, he would know what kind of woman this is, because good there's a good chance she was a woman who engaged in the world's oldest profession. 00:14:22.639 --> 00:14:23.279 Does that make sense? 00:14:23.360 --> 00:14:24.000 Say amen. 00:14:24.480 --> 00:14:25.279 There you go. 00:14:25.759 --> 00:14:38.159 And so she's wiping his feet, which is creepy with her hair, and all the righteous people, I'm excuse me, all the religious people are like, Well, if Jesus was really a prophet, and Jesus looks at one of the ringleaders, got him Simon, he says, Simon, I have a story to tell you. 00:14:38.240 --> 00:14:40.639 And Simon's like, Yes, Lord, do tell. 00:14:40.799 --> 00:14:44.720 And Jesus says, Hey, a guy basically owned 50,000 bucks. 00:14:44.799 --> 00:14:47.840 And the guy he owed the money to, he forgave him. 00:14:48.080 --> 00:14:51.120 And then another guy owed 50 bucks. 00:14:51.519 --> 00:14:53.840 And the guy that owed 50 bucks got forgiven. 00:14:54.000 --> 00:14:55.759 Which one of them is more grateful? 00:14:56.000 --> 00:14:58.799 And he's like, Well, the guy that owed 50 grand, come on. 00:14:58.960 --> 00:15:04.240 And Jesus, only then, and Jesus kind of gestures and says, Hey, that explains this woman's behavior. 00:15:04.320 --> 00:15:07.679 She's been forgiven much, and so she loves much. 00:15:08.159 --> 00:15:15.279 So when I say you're not very loving and you're morally self-righteous, it's probably because you've never really pondered all that you've been forgiven for. 00:15:15.440 --> 00:15:21.200 You got your act together, you did Dave Ramsey, you married a good Republican girl who watches Fox News. 00:15:23.039 --> 00:15:26.399 Yes, yes, and there are my Democrats. 00:15:26.639 --> 00:15:29.200 Or you married a good Democrat that watches CNN. 00:15:29.279 --> 00:15:29.840 I don't care. 00:15:30.480 --> 00:15:33.360 Now I've been to both sides of the aisle, have I not? 00:15:33.759 --> 00:15:34.559 Look at me. 00:15:34.799 --> 00:15:38.240 To what do you attribute the well-being of your life? 00:15:38.639 --> 00:15:41.360 This is the question you should ask yourself over lunch today. 00:15:41.600 --> 00:15:50.080 Because if you're thinking, well, I got the right sorority, I got the right fraternity, and my fraternity brother gave me a lead on a job, and I'm working my way up to being a partner, you don't understand. 00:15:50.240 --> 00:15:54.399 See, people that have a past that's been forgiven by God, they're very loving. 00:15:54.480 --> 00:15:57.840 They've been forgiven much, and because of that, they love much. 00:15:58.159 --> 00:16:01.039 Here's the second thing about them: they're very worshipful. 00:16:01.279 --> 00:16:04.080 Notice the sentence, and such were some of you. 00:16:04.320 --> 00:16:05.840 And such were some of you. 00:16:05.919 --> 00:16:08.720 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? 00:16:08.879 --> 00:16:13.519 Do not be deceived, and then listen to this list of uh of great sins and sinners. 00:16:13.679 --> 00:16:20.000 Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, no men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy. 00:16:20.159 --> 00:16:22.720 Have you heard any sermons about being greedy lately? 00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:26.320 We talk a lot about homosexuality in the church. 00:16:26.399 --> 00:16:28.159 We never talk about greedy people. 00:16:29.200 --> 00:16:31.919 There's a lot more greedy people than there are gay people in the church. 00:16:32.000 --> 00:16:32.960 You know that, right? 00:16:34.559 --> 00:16:35.600 So many more. 00:16:35.840 --> 00:16:37.440 Somebody said so many more. 00:16:37.600 --> 00:16:38.080 Yes. 00:16:38.720 --> 00:16:40.960 But you never hear sermons about greed. 00:16:43.039 --> 00:16:45.679 Y'all are like, and get back to talking about the gays. 00:16:47.759 --> 00:16:48.399 Yes. 00:16:48.799 --> 00:16:49.440 Yes. 00:16:50.159 --> 00:16:50.559 Yes. 00:16:50.799 --> 00:16:54.960 The greedy, nor the drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers. 00:16:55.440 --> 00:16:58.159 You ever charge anybody more than you know it costs? 00:16:59.120 --> 00:17:00.639 You swindled somebody. 00:17:00.879 --> 00:17:02.159 And the Bible's very clear. 00:17:02.240 --> 00:17:04.559 You're in the same category with the homosexuals. 00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:09.200 Happy New Year, kids. 00:17:10.559 --> 00:17:14.799 Now, if you've got guests with you right now, you're leaning over and going, he's in a bad mood. 00:17:16.559 --> 00:17:18.480 I'm just reading what the Bible says. 00:17:18.799 --> 00:17:19.839 Swindlers. 00:17:20.079 --> 00:17:23.279 Have you heard a sermon lately about people who swindle? 00:17:23.519 --> 00:17:27.759 Who love money so much that you'll lie to get more? 00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:30.079 That's what a swindler is. 00:17:34.000 --> 00:17:35.119 I'm not making eye contact. 00:17:36.880 --> 00:17:43.839 By the way, the people who practice homosexuality and the swindler, neither one will inherit the kingdom of God. 00:17:44.079 --> 00:17:45.519 Now look at verse 11. 00:17:45.839 --> 00:17:48.720 Underline these next six words. 00:17:49.359 --> 00:17:51.839 And such were some of you. 00:17:53.039 --> 00:17:56.799 Don't you want to be a part of a church that's full of swindlers who got forgiven? 00:17:57.519 --> 00:18:00.559 Don't you want to be a part of a church that has this greedy people? 00:18:00.640 --> 00:18:04.880 They're like, I used to love money more than anything, but I just I don't feel that way about it anymore. 00:18:04.960 --> 00:18:09.440 Don't you want to be a part of churches like men and women are like, and listen, I used to live in a homosexual lifestyle. 00:18:09.519 --> 00:18:13.119 I wasn't gay, I struggled with same-sex attraction, but God delivered me out of that. 00:18:13.279 --> 00:18:17.200 He didn't He didn't save me for this, He saved me from this. 00:18:19.599 --> 00:18:23.680 See, people that are with a past, they're very loving, and secondly, they're very worshipful. 00:18:23.839 --> 00:18:24.400 What do you mean? 00:18:24.559 --> 00:18:28.799 I wonder how these people worship once they got free of sexual immorality. 00:18:28.880 --> 00:18:32.720 By the way, he says sexual immorality, those who practice uh homosexuality. 00:18:33.119 --> 00:18:39.759 If your children are involved in immoral behavior with their boyfriend or girlfriend, they're in the same category with the homosexual. 00:18:45.440 --> 00:18:47.200 That's a pregnant pause. 00:18:48.640 --> 00:18:52.319 If your children live together, they're in the same category. 00:18:53.599 --> 00:18:58.480 You see, when you say things like the Bible actually says them, then it gets real up in here. 00:18:58.880 --> 00:19:00.960 And you go, uh, go back to beating upon the gays. 00:19:01.200 --> 00:19:02.960 The church doesn't exist to beat upon the gays. 00:19:03.839 --> 00:19:05.359 At least this church doesn't. 00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:08.640 God's against sin in all its manifestations. 00:19:10.319 --> 00:19:13.759 And I talk to people that struggle with same-sex attraction, they say, What is the Bible? 00:19:13.839 --> 00:19:14.559 What do Christians say? 00:19:14.799 --> 00:19:16.960 Oh, the Bible's against sin in all its forms. 00:19:17.119 --> 00:19:23.680 And I quote this passage the sexual moral, the greedy, the swindlers, and people go, Oh, what's that? 00:19:23.920 --> 00:19:24.640 Revilers? 00:19:24.799 --> 00:19:26.640 Revilers are people who talk too much. 00:19:28.079 --> 00:19:29.200 Like preachers. 00:19:31.039 --> 00:19:35.039 That's the guy said to me, like preachers, I said, Yeah, that can be the case. 00:19:35.200 --> 00:19:37.119 But but they're very worshipful. 00:19:37.200 --> 00:19:37.599 Why? 00:19:37.759 --> 00:19:40.000 Uh, you ever here's the question I'm trying to get at. 00:19:40.079 --> 00:19:44.720 You ever wonder that we don't want because one of the things I pray for our church is that we get more free in worship? 00:19:44.799 --> 00:19:46.160 Because we're not very free in worship. 00:19:46.240 --> 00:19:53.680 I consistently, if I have to go out and get a glass of water, I consistently see countless people in the lobby, three songs in, just talking and piston. 00:19:54.000 --> 00:19:55.519 Oh, let's get together, let's have a play down. 00:19:56.640 --> 00:20:04.640 And I just wonder if we don't worship with gusto and gravity and gladness because we aren't free or we don't understand all we've been forgiven for. 00:20:05.359 --> 00:20:07.119 That's just a curiosity of mine. 00:20:07.359 --> 00:20:10.640 Worship starts, and 10 minutes in, people are still coming in. 00:20:11.119 --> 00:20:16.640 No one gets here early except Jack Lee, who drives some Seeley. 00:20:17.440 --> 00:20:31.759 And he gets here, but a few people get here early that are kind of like, and I was in college, I went to a kind of a kooky, crazy church, and there was a guy that would get there early all the time, and he would sit with his elbows on his and his knees and his head in his hands, and finally I just said, Sir, are you okay? 00:20:31.920 --> 00:20:38.720 And he said, Yeah, I just I can't wait to just express back to God my gratitude for all he's forgiven me for. 00:20:38.960 --> 00:20:44.799 And I realized in that moment you think differently about church than I do because I'm scanning the room going, is my wife in here? 00:20:46.720 --> 00:20:49.680 Is the hot girl from computer class in here? 00:20:51.119 --> 00:20:53.839 You see, when I say everybody has a past, this is what I mean. 00:20:53.920 --> 00:20:58.640 Here's the third thing I want to say that the text says that our church believe God's power is bigger than your past. 00:20:58.799 --> 00:20:59.680 It's verse 11. 00:20:59.839 --> 00:21:08.240 And such were some of you, but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 00:21:08.400 --> 00:21:09.680 Now, our culture says this. 00:21:09.920 --> 00:21:13.440 Our culture says, hey, why don't the church just accept people for how they are and love them? 00:21:13.599 --> 00:21:21.200 It is not love to allow people uh to live in unrighteousness when the scripture is very clear that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God. 00:21:21.359 --> 00:21:34.079 You have to be a people who not only knows it understands the kingdom, but enjoys life in the kingdom because then you do not want people, it is not love to let people that you love miss out on life in the kingdom. 00:21:34.160 --> 00:21:35.200 Does that make sense? 00:21:35.440 --> 00:21:38.079 It's not about, oh, you're gonna go to hell when you die. 00:21:38.720 --> 00:21:39.039 No. 00:21:39.599 --> 00:21:45.599 What's really tragic is you're never gonna know life in the kingdom in this world. 00:21:46.000 --> 00:21:48.720 And if you're a kingdom person, that should bother you. 00:21:48.799 --> 00:21:50.400 I want to draw your attention to three words. 00:21:50.480 --> 00:21:59.759 Now, when I say, hey, that God's power is bigger than your past, uh, there's three words in the English translation, it it doesn't do it justice because he says, and such were some of you. 00:22:00.480 --> 00:22:02.000 But you were washed, comma. 00:22:02.079 --> 00:22:04.000 You were sanctified, comma, you were justified. 00:22:04.160 --> 00:22:05.920 In the Greek, it's got that but. 00:22:06.480 --> 00:22:08.799 It's the adversative particle in the Greek. 00:22:08.960 --> 00:22:09.759 Write that down. 00:22:09.839 --> 00:22:12.079 I got a master's degree to learn that. 00:22:12.240 --> 00:22:17.200 Now, the adversive particle is basically it's the word but it's in the Greek, it's Allah. 00:22:17.359 --> 00:22:20.960 It's not like the Muslim or whatever reference to God. 00:22:21.200 --> 00:22:22.480 Allah is the word but. 00:22:23.119 --> 00:22:25.759 And in the Greek translation of the Bible, why do you talk about the Greek? 00:22:25.839 --> 00:22:27.119 The Bible's originally written in Greek. 00:22:27.200 --> 00:22:31.440 It says, but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified. 00:22:31.519 --> 00:22:39.920 Like when my children were little, especially my youngest, who's in the room today, on Sundays, she would say, not every Sunday, but pretty consistently would say, What do you want to do for? 00:22:40.160 --> 00:22:41.279 I want to go to Chick-fil-A. 00:22:42.160 --> 00:22:44.960 I want to go to Chick-fil-A too, but it's closed. 00:22:45.119 --> 00:22:49.599 Woo! Call truett Kathy and lodger to complaints with him. 00:22:50.000 --> 00:22:51.920 Why is Chick-fil-A not open on Sunday? 00:22:52.000 --> 00:22:54.559 Because they're Christians and they want their employees to go to church. 00:22:54.799 --> 00:22:59.680 And then my thinking four-year-old would say, Why are other places open? 00:23:02.079 --> 00:23:03.519 That's a great question, Sophie. 00:23:03.759 --> 00:23:04.880 I'll get back to you on that. 00:23:05.039 --> 00:23:07.680 All I know is that Chick-fil-A is closed on Sunday. 00:23:08.720 --> 00:23:10.160 I don't want to eat then. 00:23:10.400 --> 00:23:10.720 Okay. 00:23:11.759 --> 00:23:17.200 I would like to go to Chick-fil-A, Adverse of the Particle, but it is closed. 00:23:17.440 --> 00:23:19.839 Translation, that is not a possibility. 00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:21.119 Take it off the list. 00:23:21.279 --> 00:23:26.559 And what the Bible is saying to us is but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified. 00:23:26.720 --> 00:23:31.920 Because of these realities, some things are no longer on the list that used to be on the list of options. 00:23:32.000 --> 00:23:35.519 He says, first of all, uh, let me just point to three things what we've done this morning. 00:23:35.680 --> 00:23:36.480 But you were washed. 00:23:36.559 --> 00:23:37.920 This doesn't mean washed off. 00:23:38.079 --> 00:23:39.759 This means washed away. 00:23:40.319 --> 00:23:45.119 God didn't just wash you off like you got clean, and then when I get dirty, I'm going to come back to God. 00:23:45.279 --> 00:23:45.759 No, no. 00:23:45.839 --> 00:23:49.200 You your sin and your sin nature was washed away. 00:23:49.440 --> 00:24:04.319 Now, if you want to get a picture in your mind, if you watch the news when the hurricanes and the floods came through North Carolina, do you see houses getting washed off their foundation, just going down the river, whole houses, erosion would happen, the banks would crumble, and houses would fall in, okay? 00:24:04.559 --> 00:24:06.000