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<inaudible> Good morning. I told you he turned knobs. You can probably turn it down a little bit.<inaudible> I think Mike had got loose in the booth. Okay. We have a few lessons worth of questions to catch up on three as if I’m correct. And if not, we’ll catch up on more, but we’ll do that as we get started,

it is good to be home. My grandmother is still with us. She’s at home and we’ll make an announcement during the worship. Just going to give everybody an idea of where things are at. We will be headed back up some point this week, probably the first of this week. She didn’t have a good day yesterday. We haven’t heard how today’s gone yet.

So, but anyway, we appreciate your prayers and your thoughts and your willingness to allow us to, to be up there. Anybody who’s given at least 24 hour presence for someone who’s in, in that situation knows that takes quite a few people to be able to maintain for longer than a day or two. So we appreciate the, the extending of that courtesy.

All right, we are going to begin with a prayer and then we’ll get into a few of these questions. And if anybody needs a sheet of the questions there, of course they’re in the back. Let us pray. Our gracious heavenly father, We bow before you grateful for this day that you’ve blessed us with grateful for the love, the care and the concern that you have showed us each and every day by the sunshine and the rain by the nature that is around us and the universe that you’ve placed us in all these things that declare your glory and praise your existence.

We are so grateful for each and every one of them. And yet do not even fully comprehend all the things that you do for us on a daily basis. We’re mindful of those who are struggling with illness, with difficulty, with pain. We pray that they will have comfort. We pray that if possible, they will be returned to their health. We pray for all those who are caregivers and the extremely difficult job that they have in their own day to day lives.

We pray that you watch over this congregation may its works flourishing grow, may the things that we do be acceptable in your sight and sound and doctrine. And may we always strive to reach out to those around us, to be a helping hand, to be an encouragement and uplifting to those who are in need all this. We pray in Jesus name. Amen.

So Ava and I were talking about it. And we think that the last set of questions that we went over was two 46, which means we’re going to start with two 47. But if somebody says, otherwise we’ll start Further back. Yeah, But I think two 47 sounds about right. That would be Luke chapter 12 verses 22 through through Luke chapter 13,

verse nine. First question comes from Luke chapter 12, verses 24, 27, 28 and 31. Jesus discussed anxiety over food by telling how God feeds blank birds and specifically what, what kind of birds were mentioned? Ravens. Okay. Jesus discussed anxiety over clothing by telling how God clothed blank. The grass in Luke’s account Lily’s is, is what’s referenced in Matthew’s account.

The grass is what’s mentioned in Luke’s instead of being anxious, concerning food and clothing, we should seek blank kingdom of God. All right. Where did Jesus say? A person’s heart will be according to verse 34 where his treasure is according to verse 40 of chapter 12. What hour can we expect Jesus to return The hour? Do not expect Luke chapter 12 verses 47 and 48.

Yes or no. Does Jesus require greater service out of those with greater abilities and opportunities? Yes. Luke chapter 12, verse 51 through 53. How did Jesus say he would cause divisions in families?<inaudible> All right. Three against two, two against three father versus son, son versus father, mother versus daughter mother-in-law versus daughter-in-law daughter-in-law versus mother-in-law et cetera.

What did Jesus say? According to Luke chapter 13, verses three and five would happen to individuals who did not repent. They would perish. All right. Luke chapter 13, verses six through nine explained Jesus’ parable of the barren fig tree, which he used to further emphasize the need for repentance.<inaudible> What happens to something that doesn’t bear fruit, all right,

gets chopped down and cast it in the fire. Mark chapter four verses one through 29 quest lesson two 48, Mark chapter four verses one through 29.<inaudible> According to Mark chapter four, verse one. When preaching by the seashore, where did Jesus stand? Because of the large crowd. All right. In a boat loop, that’s supposed to be Mark chapter four,

Mark chapter four, verses three through eight in Jesus’ parable of the sower. What happened to the seed that fell by the road? All right. The birds came and devoured it. The seed that fell on the Rocky ground Sound okay. Sprang up, but then was withered by the heat of the day that heat of the sun, because it had no root seed that fell among the thorns.

All right. Spraying up, began to grow, but produced no fruit because it was choked out by the thorns. See that fell on the good soil. All right. Produce fruit in what capacities? 36, Steve. A hundred fold. Luke chapter four, verse 11. Yes or no. Did Jesus make a distinction in his teaching to his disciples and outside?

Did I say Luke again? Because I apparently a few of these. I forgot to change when I was converting the, the name Mark chapter four, verse 11 in explaining the meaning of the parable do. Now, now I’m reading the wrong one. Did Jesus make a distinction? Is in his teaching to his disciples and outsiders? The answer is yes.

And I think Yes, but it was really quiet. All right, Mark. Chapter four, verse 14 in explaining the meaning of the parable. Jesus said the sower, sows, the blank, the word Mark chapter four, verses 15 through 20 and explaining the meaning of the parable of the sower. What is the meaning of the ones who hear beside the road?

All right. Satan takes it away on the Rocky places. Say what? Okay. Okay. They receive it with gladness, but they have no root. And as we pointed out, they have no root in themselves is what the passage says among thorns. All right. Cares the world and the desires for other things, choke out the word and then Good ground.

All right. Receive it with gladness and bring forth fruit. Jesus said Mark. Chapter four, verses 21 and 22. Jesus said a lamb is brought to put a under APEC measure, be under a bed. See on a lampstand C On a lampstand. Jesus was referring to his teachings as the light of the lamp. Explain. Okay. There’s nothing,

Nothing hidden that won’t be revealed. And his teachings, The light. Okay. The light is the word of God. Yes. Mark chapter four, verse 27. Yes or no in Jesus’ parable. Did he say that the man knows when the seed he has sewn sprouts up and grows? No. Okay. 49, Matthew chapter 13 verses 24 through 52.

And this is our text for this morning, Matthew chapter 13, verses 24 through 52. All right. You get some, some Of these papers out of here. So I don’t get confused. Well, I mean, any more confused than I always am. So, all right. Matthew chapter 13, beginning verse 24. Now, as we get into this bear in mind,

a few things. If you go back into the previous chapters, go back into verse or chapter 12, you’ve got the discussion that we’ve had previously. So that just kind of keeping Matthew’s context here. You’ve got Jesus who heals a man who is a mute and blind. He can’t see, he can’t speak, Jesus heals him and cast out the demon that was in him because he was demon possessed and the Pharisees and the scribes said he did it by what?

The power of Satan. Okay. In this context, we have already Matthew identifying that these individuals are so willing to confront and oppose Jesus, that they will witness a miracle. A man who was blind, who could see a man who couldn’t speak, who received the ability to speak the man who was demon possessed, who had that demon cast out, they would witness that.

And they would claim it was the power of Satan that did it. That’s how dead they were Against Jesus and against anything that he was in favor of and against any admittance that what he was teaching was True. We need to be careful when we come to a context, especially a context where Jesus says that the parables are being given to hide the truth from some and provide the truth to others.

We need to be careful to understand the situation She’s working. This isn’t how Jesus began teaching. Was it? I mean, we, You already covered Matthew chapters five through seven. How many parables There? None that was playing teaching That was confronting the error of their understanding of the old Testament. But now he’s beginning to reveal things concerning the kingdom. He’s beginning to take what the old Testament prophets told them about the kingdom and expound on It.

And in Doing so, he’s hiding the explanations from those who are unwilling To learn those Who are unwilling to hear the truth and believe it while revealing that same truth to those who would, I did hear it, learn it and believe it In the midst of the controversy, in the midst of the opposition, in the midst of, of the warfare and the onslaught from the scribes and the Pharisees who were seeking anything,

they could catch him in anything they could find to accuse him. Jesus packaged up these truths Into it Form. They couldn’t argue with, see one of the things about illustrations and stories when used properly is number one, they’re incorrect, Powerful. It is fun, Mentally true that we, we, as humans respond to stories. Here’s an example, man comes to a King and says,

there’s a man in your kingdom who was rich, had flocks and herds and abundance. And Someone was traveling from a far country and came to him and he decided he wanted to provide a feast for this man. So instead of going to his own flocks and his own herds and getting a lamb from his own flocks and herds, he goes, his neighbors Flock,

but his neighbors flock consists of one single you lamb. And that you lamb treated as a child. It, it was, it had all the, the care and love and concern its master could given. It was the only lamb he had. And yet this rich man comes and he takes that one little Ulam and he kills it and feeds his guest with it.

And the King responds, this man is going to die. We all know the story. This is the parable that Nathan gave to David. And the story provoked such a response as to bring about a death sentence from a King only to then be revealed to the King. Notice the hiding of truth than the revealing of truth. Nathan responds to David. You are the man.

Now there would be a number of times where the scribes, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the, the lawyers would identify themselves in the parable. They would know what it was Jesus was saying. And so would the people. And so it’s not always obscuring every aspect of the truth. Quite often, it’s revealing a part of the truth while also providing a further truth to those willing to hear.

Okay. So Jesus, as the master teacher, he was uses these things in the midst of opposition because it protected him insulated himself. And yet also provided clarity about those who opposed him. Verse 24 on there, another parable he put forth to them saying the kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while men slept,

his enemy came and sewed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have terrors? Okay. So VIN a landowner prepares his soil,

has his servants go out and sow seed he’s bought as it were the seed for reputable dealers. He’s, he’s gotten it from, from reputable sources. He paid for good seed. This story only slightly reminds me of the movie. If you’ve ever seen it, secondhand lions, if you’ve ever seen that movie, they, a traveling salesman comes out to these two guys,

these two older gentlemen and convinces them. They need to grow their own food. And he sells them all different kinds of seeds. You know, every pack in a dif different pack. This, this is tomatoes, and this is this, this is, this, this, this. And then they plant all of it. And in a little while they find out they have corn and corn and corn and corn,

and they have nothing but corn. Okay. So good seed that they didn’t identify the seed. And so the proper thing. So here, Jesus illustrates here’s this man who took care to sow good seed. He was careful to provide the right thing in the process. He wasn’t negligent. He wasn’t careless. He sowed good seed, but then his opponent,

his adversary, the one who sought to do him harm comes along in the night and sows tears. Now here in the illustration, we’ve got wheat and we’ve got tears. What is it that we understand to be true about these two plants as they’re beginning to grow? What do they look like? They look identical to each other. They, they have no real substantive difference in the growth process until you come to the bearing fruit process.

And then when harvest time comes, you begin to see the difference between the wheat and the tares. Now, someone as obviously the servants here who’s, who are closely and carefully inspecting, they notice the difference it’s to the, the person who’s just casually looking. They seem identical. Okay? But to the close inspection, you can tell the difference because they identify,

wait a minute, something’s wrong here. But then notice what we read. So servants of the owner came and said to him, verse 27, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares? He said to them, an enemy has done this. The servant said to him, do you want us then to go and gather them up?

So the servants asked the owner, do you want us to go and pull out the tailors, but notice the response. But he said, no less. You gather up the tares. You also uproot the wheat with them. The owner says in the growth process, you’ve because of what the adversary has done. You’ve got the wheat, its roots in tangled with the terrors roots.

You can’t pull up one without destroying at least some portion of the other. And he doesn’t want the, the wheats, the wheat destroyed. He wants it to grow and bear fruit. So notice his, his decision verse 30, let both grow together until the harvest. And at the time of harvest, I will say to the reapers first gathered together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them,

but gather the wheat into my barn. Jesus says this landowner, this farmer decides I’m not going to uproot the tares. Now I’m not going to pull them out while they’re still growing. I’m going to separate them at the harvest. But at that point, it will be obvious and clear to everyone. The difference between the two now, for the sake of discussion and continuity,

we’re actually going to skip down to verse 36 to the disciples, asking Jesus about this parable. Then we’ll come back up and deal with the next section, verse 36. And Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And his disciples came to him saying, explain to us the parable of the tares of the field he answered and said to them,

he who sows. The good seed is the son of man. The field is the world. The good seed are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. The enemy who’s showed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age. And the reapers are the angels. Therefore, as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire.

So what will be at the end of this age, the son of man will send out his angels and they will gather out of his kingdom, all things that offend and those who practice lawlessness and we’ll cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun and the kingdom of their father.

He who has ears to hear, let him hear. This is one of those parables where there is not consensus. Even though the explanation of Jesus is here. There’s not consensus on exactly how to apply it. I’ve known teachers and preachers who have understood this to be more specifically concerning the church, that there would be those within the body of Christ, living in the world,

who during the time that they’re in the world, they might appear to be those who are righteous, but not actually be. They might be hypocrites. They might appear to be those who are serving gone, but aren’t actually doing so. And that when the judgment comes, God’s going to know the difference. They’re not pulling the wool over God’s eyes, even though they may be pulling the wool over somebody else’s eyes.

And there may be an, and one of the valid and instructive in implications of that is there are individuals in times and situations in congregation where those who are shepherds, those who are elders, look at these individuals and go, I just don’t think they’re doing what they need to be doing. I don’t think they’re living the way they need to be living,

but they’re not blatantly departing from the truth. They’re not walking away. They’re, they’re not, they’re not forsaking the church in the sense of not showing up. They’re not assembling. They’re not worshiping. They’re not praising God. They’re not, they’re not doing any of those things. They’re literally departing Hebrews chapter 10, verse 25. They’re not doing that.

They’re still giving the signs of being those who are righteous, but something’s not right. And the lesson is sometimes it’s beyond the capability of the person or the human or the elder or the preacher or the teacher to determine that because they might think they’re getting a tear when all they’re really getting is a wheat that struggling and you rip out the wrong thing, and God says,

you’re doing something you shouldn’t be doing. And so the need to be careful in judging that we don’t destroy what belongs to God valid lesson. And I know some preachers, that’s where they land. I know others who look at this and say that particular implication of this, the particular instruction here is very similar to that. But instead of you, of the entire world,

that God knows those who belong to him and those who don’t. And we don’t have to worry about going through our entire lives judging who’s right, and who’s wrong, but God will judge. And the final day. And I think that’s an okay explanation. But I think actually both of them miss the immediate context when Jesus speaks concerning the end of the age,

when Jesus speaks concerning the world, when Jesus speaks concerning the judgment in this context, I don’t think he’s talking about the judgment there. All of this has set behind it, a context of the kingdom of God. Okay? And when Jesus speaks to the Jews about the kingdom of God, the Jews understood and including the disciples, understood him to be speaking concerning the kingdom that God would create.

When the Messiah came, that would be Israel and Israel’s kingdom that the restoration of their power, their presence, their physical kingdom would be what the promise was all about. And it wasn’t. But here’s the thing, as Jesus is teaching them concerning these things, as he is teaching them concerning the kingdom, he does specifically say, this is the world that revolves around the field though,

the term for world and the term for age, both have similar ideas. But I believe in this context, Jesus is specifically referencing the nation of Israel and what he would do in judging that nation. Think about it. As we go back into the old Testament prophets, as we go back into the old Testament age, you’ve got the prophets telling Israel,

you need to repent. You need to repent. You need to repent. You need to repent, or you will be judged and God will make sure his remnant is saved. You remember Habakkuk would tell Israel the just shall live by faith. And Jesus points out that at the end of the age, when God brings judgment upon this group of individuals who would shine forth the righteous now is he saying the righteous are going to shine forth in heaven.

Oh, now finally, the world’s going to see who the righteous are. I don’t think that’s what he means. Think then instead about what Jesus said, Matthew chapter 24 and other passages is going to happen when he brought judgment on Israel. When the nation of Rome comes in and decimates, Jerusalem and tears down the, the, the temple and dismantles the entire Jewish religion,

because they can no longer prove who’s, who’s a Levis. Who’s, who’s from the tribe of Judah. Who’s a priest. Who’s not a priest that all of that’s gone. The entire structure is dismantled. But as we think from history, and as we look back at what we know from history, we remember that Jesus warned those who were righteous. When you see these things coming,

what were they supposed to do? Get out Josephus and others tell us that when Rome came and besieged the city, and then for a period of time relented and pulled back that every single Christian departed out of Jerusalem, every single person who was listening to Jesus, obedient to Jesus and had repented and change their ways exited the city. And yet city didn’t empty.

Those still, there were everyone else. So there’s a possibility and throw it up here as a third option. And I don’t have a problem with which ones you take, or if you choose option number four, but there’s a real possibility that the message Jesus is saying is these teachers, these individuals who claim to be my God, the father’s teachers, the scribes,

the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the lawyers who are teaching you, how to disobeyed God, if you follow them, what did he say? The blind leading the blind. Who’s going to fall in the pit. Just the leaders, everybody they’re all gonna fall in the pit. They’re all going to be destroyed. They’re all going to receive the end, their destruction,

which is death. John chapter eight, Jesus speaks to the Jews. And he says, you are of your father, the devil. They said, we’re the children of Abraham. He said, no, you’re the father. You’re your, father’s the one. Who’s a liar from the beginning. Well, if their father is the devil, if we put that context here who sowed their seed,

Satan did. So just an alternative, an option here is Jesus may be speaking concerning the end of the Jewish, a age and the destruction of them as a nation. And yet the destruction in which his righteous ones would shine forth. It would be obvious and apparent who belonged to Christ because they heard and received. And no, babe. Okay. So throw that in there.

Let you chew on that for a little while. Let’s go back to verse 31, another parable, he put forth say the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds. But when it has grown, it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.

Another parable, he spoke to them. The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all, all 11. If this<inaudible> some questions here, like there often are with parables. What exactly is Jesus? Meaning? Because some of these, we have the explanation and we still have questions.

And some of them, we don’t have the XPLAN. We have the parable, Jesus describes a seed. That’s one of the smallest of seeds yet grows into a plant, grows into something larger than the herbs. We have the condoms next to the PA of the Levin Levin. Of course, when you take it, you put it inside the bread, you let it rise.

You let it there. It infects the entire loaf. Paul uses the illustration. When he’s talking about the sin in the church in Corinth, he says, if you allow sin to continue in the body of Christ, it’s going to infect the entire congregation, the entire assembly. We’ve got to pull it out. You’ve got to get rid of the sin,

but it would be interesting if Jesus is using leaven in a positive sense. It’s the only time in the new Testament that it’s used that way. If G is, is using Levin in the sense of those who are taking the seat, taking the word of God and spreading it, and they’re going to go throughout the entire world. It would be the only context,

probably, maybe in all of scripture, but at least in the new Testament where Levin is ever spoken of in a positive you sense because in scripture, Levin is always viewed as a corruption. That’s why the Israelites were told when you prepare for the fees, when you prepare for the Holy days, when you prepare for these things, you to do what sweep the house,

get all the 11 out. Every little leavening agent was an agent that changed and corrupted that, which was originally there, that’s the description. So I don’t have a problem with someone who understands it in a positive sense, but what if he’s speaking about sin in the, and the result of sin in the kingdom, then it would match the same use of Levin all throughout the new Testament.

Just a thought, okay. But either way, I think one of the things you definitely see in the mustard seed illustration is the growth. What Jesus would do with 12 disciples would result in a kingdom that would spread throughout the world. Let’s go down to verse 44. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field which a man found and hid and for joy over it,

he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls who, when he had found one Pearl of great price when and sold all that he had and bought it. Now this, these two parables, it is of interest that quite often, these are used to describe the reaction of a person who seeking the truth,

finds the truth, finds the kingdom, the church, and enters into it, gives up everything necessary to obtain the kingdom. And that’s a perfectly valid explanation, but an alternative one that you might consider is what did God give up to purchase the kingdom? His only son, the price of the kingdom was the blood of Christ. The price of the church,

the purchasing of the church was done not by us, but by him. And here we see if we look at it from that perspective, the value that God places on his church, his kingdom. So there’s another parable verse 47. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a Dragnet, which was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind,

which when it was full, they drew to shore. They sat down and gathered the good into vessels and through the battle way. So it will be at the end of the age, the angels will come forth, separate the wicked from the just and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Jesus said to them,

have you understood all these things? They said to him, yes, Lord. Then he said to them, therefore, every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old Jesus gives these illustrations, gives these parables, gives these throw besides these trues wrapped in these stories. And then he asked them,

do you understand these things? And they say, they do. I’m going to take them at their word because quite often they’ll say, Nope, but here they did. They got it. Now, part of the reason why I think they may have gotten it is four of them were what fishermen may were very familiar with this process. They knew how to handle this.

All right. Now we were out of the field. We can at least deal with some fish. We know how to deal with that. So they, they know the difference. They they’ve dragged the, the sea of Galilee before and gathered the fish in and taken the good fish and, and, and kept them and thrown the, the terrible fish,

whatever kinds of fish were bad and cast them aside. Okay. So here again, you’ve got judgment though. You’ve got a picture of judging and discerning between that, which is good and that which isn’t and all throughout the context, let’s go all the way back to the sermon on the Mount. Jesus said that, which is good. Or the one in the kingdom who is good as the one who does what does,

what God tells him to the one who hears and obeys. And the one who is evil, the one who is a fool, the one who will be judged as the one who hears and doesn’t obey. So all throughout this context, going all the way back to the sermon on the Mount, we’ve got this continual picture of God is going to judge.

Those who refuse to obey, and God is going to bless those who hear and keep his word. Okay. There is a Mark or Sarah Matthew chapter 13 verses 24 through 52. I don’t even know what context for it. You’ll have to forgive me. I’ve got Mark, Luke, Matthew and everything all confused this morning. So thank you for your attention will be dismissed to the horsepower<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> Good morning and welcome to the Collierville church of Christ.

Sunday morning, worship service. It’s great to see each of you here, if you’re visiting with us. So we want you to know that you are our honored guest, and if he would give us just a few moments after the services over to let us have a moment or two to talk with you. And also if you would fill out a visitor’s card,

it’s on the Pew in front of you and hand it to one of us or leave it on the, on the Pew, we would appreciate it. And also, as you came in, if you haven’t picked up your Lord supper, it’s on the table, just as you walk in the door, big, good time to go get your a communion.

If you haven’t picked it up, we need to remember our sick Sheriff’s dad, ed Richardson. He’s as I understand, probably doing about the same Barbara Dillard is improving from her shoulder procedure. Dale’s friends, Ken and Frankie Phillips are recovering from COVID. The Cozort family errands, grandmother. Shirley Cozort is on hospice care. And Aaron is back with us. I think I understand that.

He’s probably going to go back again shortly here to be with her, but she’s hanging in there. Dorothy Wilson with her blood pressure problem has improved. And she’s going for an ultrasound and blood work to see about her stage three chronic kidney disease. And apparently she’s doing a little bit better and Rodale Wilson will have her older sound and the stress test this week.

Joan Springer. I got a message from Lisa this morning, and I see that Marie and his son are here. So we’ll get the straight story from then after church I’m sure, but she had a stint put in last week and Angie will plasty, but she has some problems with the swelling in the left ventricle of her heart. And she’ll be having some more tests today,

but she’s was improving this morning. According to Lisa Donnie Flanagan dies, brother is recovering from a hip surgery and he will be sent to rehab, hopefully sometime this early next week. Okay. Alena sharp, Shelley stacks, mother is on hospice care and she’s hanging in there. And Shelly told him that this morning she’d been 20 days without any food, but she’s still with us.

That’s all the sick that I’m aware of. Don’t forget our pantry items for the children or the potters children’s home. This month is shampoo. They will be here about the 15th of the month to pick up our commodities. And so if you’re kind of behind on that or something, keep that in mind for the first couple of weeks here. That’s all the announcements that I have our song later this morning will be North Olsen.

Michael Dale will have the opening prayer. Eric Halvorson will be siding over the Lord’s supper. Aaron has a sermon and Joe caisson has the closing prayer. Thank you for your attendance. Good morning. Our first song is going to be off. We come together. There’ll be on the slides, but not in the song. Book off would come together. We’re saying verses one,

two, and three, let us sing Off. We come to<inaudible> sing and pray. Aim here. We bring our offering this all the<inaudible>.<inaudible> mainly Alina Andrews. And<inaudible> the may. We<inaudible> all that Hass. And mainly, truly worship has me.<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> to sing mainly Arlene truth and spirit where ship the may. We all,<inaudible> all<inaudible> take this.<inaudible> sing did by the lawn up to see Maley lane truth and spirit where she,

the, Our next song will be number 634. Number six, three, four we’ll work until Jesus comes. We’ll sing verses one, two and three. And after which brother Michael Dale will lead us an opening prayer number 634 We’ll work till Jesus comes all three verses, let us say, Hmm. Oh, Landa brass for the, I saw when, well,

the mom and when I chalet my arm or by and well and P side home, well<inaudible> well where Dell GS<inaudible> till Jesus comes and with being guided home to Jesus Christ died for RAs. He paid me cease to roar and leave or soccer on his breast until he gunned dog to me. Well<inaudible> jeez us comes, we’ll work till Jesus comps.

Well work till Jesus comes and will be a guy, either at home. I saw that once my safe VR side, no more, my staff shout wrong with him. Bred DAS, chilling tide, and reach my hand ni home. Well more<inaudible> well, till Jesus comes and will be a Geyser, Please bow with me, our father in heaven.

How awesome and Holy you are. We humbly bow before your throne this morning. And we thank you so much that you have given us this Avenue to be able to lift our voices and prayer to you and know that we are being heard. Father, we ask at this time that you’d be with all of those many that are ailing. Those that are those that have passed away their families.

And we ask that you put your comforting hand on them and, and help them to see that all is done to the glory of your name, father. We thank you so much for the opportunity that we have to come together and worship you in this country. And we ask that it continues on this path and that we can continue to serve you openly and take your word throughout this country without any roadblocks in our way.

And we thank you so much for everything you’ve blessed us with for the death of your son and in his, it is in his name. We pray, amen. Help prepare our minds for the Lord’s supper. We’re going to sing number 332 for 332 lead me to Calvary. We’ll sing the first, second and fourth verses number 332 lead me to Calvary listen,

King of my life. I crowning nine chow. The chlorine being last I four, and I thought one ground Brown lead me to kind of a three last<inaudible> money.<inaudible> money.<inaudible> for me, laid me to kowtow the three. Show me the tomb where<inaudible> tender the Marne and where angels and robes.<inaudible> the Wells<inaudible> money. Last<inaudible> gunny<inaudible> for me,

they made me to<inaudible> may I be willing to<inaudible> day the, my Crosse for the he then grieve<inaudible> high score and all for me,<inaudible> money.<inaudible> money<inaudible> mean laid me to Rory. At this time, we’d like to take an opportunity to thank God for the ultimate sacrifice that he and his son Jesus did for us. And that was to die on the cross for us to center.

Join me as we pray for the bread, God, our father in heaven, we come to you at this time, thanking you for the sacrifice that you made of sending your son Jesus here to live on earth with us to teach us, but ultimately for him to commit himself to that cross and let his body hang on that cross until he died for us.

The center, we pray this through your son, Jesus name. Amen. Thanks for the fruit of the vine God, our father in heaven, we come to you thanking you again for your son, Jesus. And as we prepare to partake of this fruit of the vine, help us to remember that it represents the blood that Jesus shed for us, the center on that cross of Calvary so that our sins may be forgiven so that we may have that opportunity to live with you in eternity.

In heaven, we pray this through your son, Jesus name, amen. Take this opportunity to do, ask for blessings on the offering. God, our father in heaven. We come to you again, thanking you because we truly understand that everything we have is from you and through you. And we cannot thank you enough for the material blessings that we have here on earth.

And as we prepare to give back a portion of these, that we’ve been so richly blessed with, we ask that you help each and every one of us do it with a cheerful heart. And we also ask that you help the men who oversee the funds here at the Collierville church of Christ, ensure that these funds are used in such a way to better your kingdom here on earth.

We pray this through your son, Jesus name, amen. You’re using a songbook this morning. If you want to Mark number 904 Will be the song limitation following or their errands lesson. Okay? The song before the lesson would be number 853, and we all get to heaven. We’re eight five, three. We’ll sing the first three verses of the song.

We all get to heaven. Let us say, seeing no Andress love of jeez, seeing his mercy and his grace and mansions bride and bless and prepare for a blaze.<inaudible> what a day of rain joys saying that<inaudible> the, wow. We walk up Pilgrim pathway clouds, Willow spread the sky mud man drive lane days are over. Nah,<inaudible> man.

We get to have what a damn rain joining that little beam. When we see Jesus we’ll sing,<inaudible> let us then be true and faithful, trusting, serving every day. Just one glimpse of<inaudible> when we all get to and what a day of rain Joy’s saying that well being when we see GS swill seeing<inaudible> Good morning, it is good to be here.

It is good to be home. It’s good to see each and every one of you, couple of things that I want to take care of before we get into the lesson. Number one, sister, Dorothy Wilson called me last night and said, even though that she was not going to be able to be here this morning, she did want to call me and have me express for her,

her desires for the prayers of the church. Her request was that she desired that our prayer be that there is nothing between her and God and that she doesn’t know how long she has in this life. But when this life is over, she wants to be ready whenever that day is. And so we’re going to take a moment and we’re going to pray on sister Dorothy’s behalf,

bow your Heads, Great and gracious, merciful, and caring father in heaven. We bow our heads and our hearts at this time, lifting up our sister, Dorothy, to you, praying that if there is any sin, if there is anything in her life that is between you and her, that it will be forgiven. We know that we each and every one of us have struggles and difficulties,

but we also have confidence and assurance in the blood of Christ that cleanses all sins. For those who are willing to continually seek that cleansing, that repentance and walk in the light. As you were in the light, we pray for sister Dorothy and the upcoming tests and, and procedures that she has, that she will have comfort and strength in those as well.

And that we each might learn from her example to seek help, to seek the care and the thoughts and the prayers of the church as we need them. And that we might always look to you for that mercy and grace that we need in time of need all this. We pray in Jesus name. Amen. Also want to give just a brief update on my grandmother.

She is, as was mentioned, she is at home. She’s under hospice care. They’re coming out once or, or once every day or two, depending upon as needed. But primarily my uncle who lives with my grandmother and has for the last about 10 years is, is taking care of her. And then my parents live right there nearby. And so they’re helping with that as well.

My brother’s wife is down and staying with my parents and helping. And then the rest of us are, are supporting in those needs. So keep us in your prayers. As was mentioned, we will be traveling back this week. So Kiva is in your prayers, both in traveling and in her needs. We appreciate that very much. And it is very much something that we count on on a daily basis.

The importance of prayer, Jesus, we read, Read in Luke chapter 11 and verse one came to pass. As he was praying in a certain place. When he ceased, one Of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray. Notice there. They said, teach us to pray. As John also taught his disciples to pray, It seems From this context that John,

when John the Baptist was preaching and teaching before Jesus began his ministry, that those disciples who had followed him had asked very much the same thing. And John had taught his disciples how to pray. And so Jesus’s disciples come to him and they say, teach us to pray. I believe every new Christian at some Point Has reached a time in their lives where they said into themselves,

maybe publicly, maybe privately, but predominantly privately. I need to pray better. I need to do better in my prayers. I need to pray deeper. I need to be more thoughtful. I need to, I need to be more forthcoming with God in my life. And that’s a good desire. The disciples will ask this of Christ. And we re if we turn over to Luke chapter 11 and verse one,

we’ll see there that Jesus responds to them. Verse two, when you pray, say our father in heaven, hallowed, be your name, your kingdom, come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us day by day, our daily bread and forgive us our sins. As we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us and do not lead us into temptation,

but deliver us from the evil one. Now Jesus, here, we’ll present to them. What some have termed the model prayer. It is short. It is concise. It is to the point. And yet he exemplifies in it. Many of the basic needs and functions of prayer. Prayer is to be that which we use in order to seek those things that we need.

It is also to be that, which we use to praise and recognize God for all that he has done. Notice Jesus began our father in heaven. Prayer is also supposed to express a relationship that we have. And yet we see in all of this, This prayer’s importance. We’re not going to stay necessarily in this context, but we’re going to go to a few other contexts throughout scripture.

And we’re going to notice the importance of prayer beginning first with the fact that this is God’s chosen method for man to communicate to him. Now, this is not prayer. That is, is not God’s chosen method for him to communicate to us. And we need to be clear on that. We do not sit down to pray. We do not go into a closet to pray.

We do not come public leave before an assembly to pray so that God might speak to us. We do not pray. And then Wade for a small, still voice to answer us, we do not pray. And imagine that in some moment of time, in some flash or blink of the eye, God will miraculously present an answer that is not the function of prayer.

Instead, the function of prayer is God’s chosen method for man to communicate to him, turn with me. If you will, to Philippians chapter four. As Paul writes to the church at Philippi, he writes to these brethren, as he is sitting in a Roman prison, he writes to them as he is in chains and in bonds and in persecution. And yet they are in a good place at the time.

And he writes to them in chapter four, beginning in verse six, he says, be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. We’re going to notice first a number of aspects of this, but we want to notice first and foremost, in the overarching view of this, that prayer is a powerful Course in Daniel.

We read in Daniel chapter four, As Nebuchadnezzar has come to a place where he looks out at his kingdom and he looks out at all that he’s done and looks out at all that he’s built. And he begins To Pat himself on the back at all that he’s accomplished God through. Daniel will make it clear, to never can answer that the God most high rules in the kingdom of men and gives to whomever he will.

Those positions of power. We live in a society that, Yeah, In somewhat of our own, conceitedness believes that we have conjured up a way to control who has power Or in our world. And Yet we in our own Fallacy May be in the same situation as Nebuchadnezzar, where we believe that we have designed the method whereby we choose Who rules in the kingdoms of men,

whether they Be in our, the actions of our government or our society or the governments around the world, as they seek to overthrow one ruler and put a new one in its Place to change The policies and the functions of one nation by putting someone else in charge. And yet the reality is when we look at what scripture says, God makes it clear,

no matter who sits on the throne, he’s in charge and Prayer is our Avenue of communicating to him. And I go through all of that to emphasize this singular point. What if you Today sitting, Being at your house had a phone that you could pick up and it only dialed one number. The moment you reached for it and dialed it. It only went to one place.

It was a direct line to the president of the United States. Now whether you like the person in office or not, the reality is the position. The office has power that comes with it. And if you have a direct line to that office, guess what? You have Power. If you Call that number and it goes through, and the first thing that happens is he’s right here.

We’ll put him on the phone. Then You have a line of communication That has power. But now Let us understand that when we bow our knee in prayer, when we bow our head in prayer, when we bow our heart and our mind in prayer and pray to God in humility, and he hears those prayers, we are speaking to someone who has infinitely more power than the man who sits in the White house.

And unlike the man who sits in the white house in four or eight years, Still be there. So we understand that prayer has power. Paul calls upon these brethren to pray. And he says in everything by prayer and supplication, that his request with Thanksgiving make or let your requests be made known to God and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ.

Jesus, let us notice a few things. The power of prayer, first and foremost, from Luke chapter 11, verses nine through 11. Prayer has the power to make requests known of the God. Jesus has. He gives that example prayer. And then as he continues in that discussion concerning asking God for what we need, whosoever asks shall receive who,

whoever seek shall find whoever knocks the doors will be open to him as he illustrates this. He makes it clear to us that prayer has power to make requests. There are people in this life who, you know, who Are close friends of yours, that, you know, if you have a good relationship with them, that if you pick up the phone and say,

so-and-so, I need, you can Fill in the blank. And if it is in their power to do it, They’ll do it. And it is The blessing to have people like that in your life. It is a blessing in times of need that you can reach out to someone and say, I need help And you’ll get it. And yet God says that When we have needs,

that is exactly what we’re here to do. We are to seek his help. So then we might ask for what should we pray if we have a mode of communication, if we have a means and a method of communication that has such great power with great power comes great responsibility. We need to be careful how we use it. So then for what should we pray?

Let’s begin in James chapter five, James chapter five beginning in verse 13, we read is any among you suffering. Let Him pray. Is anyone Cheerful? Let him sing. Psalms. One of the things that we are to pray for, one of the things that the Bible specifically tells us to pray for is to pray for those who are sick. And even for the one who is sick to pray for themselves.

We also notice if we continue down verse 14, if anyone among you is sick, let him call for the elders of the church and let them pray over him. Notice it’s not just the one who’s sick, who has to pray, but also the church is to be praying for the one who is sick, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.

And the prayer of faith will save the sick and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another and pray for one another that you may be healed the effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much notice. Not only are we to pray for those who are sick, but we are to pray for those who need forgiveness.

We, When we are in need of forgiveness are to pray. We read over in the book of acts where Simon the sorcerer would ask or would seek to buy the gifts of the Holy spirit and the ability to infer or convey gifts of the Holy spirit. And he asked that and, and, and seeks that of, of Peter and Peter will tell him he needs to repent and pray that the wickedness of his heart will be forgiven him.

So prayer for forgiveness of sins is another thing that we are to pray for. But also we are to pray confessing and asking forgiveness for our own sins, not just praying for others. We are also to pray for wisdom. If we turn over to James chapter one, James begins his a pistol, his letter, James, a bond servant of God,

and of the Lord Jesus Christ to the 12 tribes, which are scattered abroad. My brethren counted all joy. When you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience, but let patience have its perfect work that you may be perfect and complete lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all liberally and without reproach.

And it will be given to him here. James also points out as he discusses at the end of the book, the need for praying, for those who are sick, the need for praying, for those who need forgiveness, that he also says we are to pray for Wisdom, but careful, Cause you might get the answer Of getting wisdom. And yet you No what proceeded that,

right? Right. Before you got wisdom, you got trials and tribulations. My mother has said on numerous occasions, I prayed for wisdom once and I got three children. She said, I didn’t pray for it anymore. But in all seriousness prayer has power to make requests to God and Ephesians chapter six, As Paul is writing to the church at Ephesus,

as he is closing out his letter to this church, he will say to them beginning in verse 18, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, being watchful to this end, that with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints and for me, that utterance may be given to me and that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel for which I am an ambassador in chains that in it,

I may speak boldly. As I ought to speak. One of the things that we are to pray for is the spreading of the gospel and those who are doing it, that they might have boldness that they might have a willingness to speak no matter what, But something we need to be mindful of As we pray. And this doesn’t need to be a cause of hesitancy.

This doesn’t need to be something that we hold back our prayers because of it needs to be something that motivates us to pray is that when we pray for something on a daily basis, when we pray for something, we also are reminding ourselves to put forth effort toward that Thing. What if you were to pray, Lord, I need a better job. I needed a job that better supports my family.

I need a job that better pays the bills that we, we, we have needs and things that we can’t handle. I need a better job, but then you never look for a job, but you go on day after day, praying for a better job what’s missing in the equation. Your request has been made known, but your action doesn’t match your request.

You see James and James chapter one further discusses. The not only the request that we need to make to God, but also the faith we are to have that God can fulfill that request. But if we have faith that God will fulfill the request, we act on that faith. We need to be careful that we don’t pray Without having faith. That God will do what we have said.

But then also consider John chapter 12, excuse me, John chapter 17, John chapter 17, beginning in verse 20 Jesus as he is beginning or as he is concluding his prayer to God in the upper room. As he is about to go out to the garden of guests. So many, he is about to be betrayed. He is about to go to Who is deaf.

He prays for unity among those who follow him verses Plenty. I do not pray for these alone, the disciples, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they all may be one as you father are in me and I in you that they also may be one in us that the world may believe that you have sent me and the glory,

which you gave me. I have given them that they may be one just as we are one I in them and you and me, that they may be made perfect in one. And that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them. As you have Me father, I desire that they also, whom you gave me may be with me where I am,

that they may behold my glory, which you have given me for. You loved me before the foundation of the world. Jesus prays for unity among believers. And If we’re going to pray for unity among believers, then just like that last, where we need to pray and then act on that prayer. We need To seek unity among believers, but yeah,

Unity among believers must always be predicated upon obedience to The word of God. We do Not pray for nor seek unity as some have called it in diversity, unity in our differences, unity in our separate beliefs, unity in separate denomination. Oh, we are to seek unity by returning Burning to the word of God and holding fast To it alone as the standard of authority in practice and in worship,

but then consider as well. Prayer has the power to deliver us From temptation. Jesus would tell his disciples in Matthew chapter 26, is there there in that garden? Not long after he told them or he prayed for unity, he tells them to wait a little while. And then as they’re waiting, he will tell them to pray and watch that they enter not into temptation.

Prayer has the ability to help us come bat temptation, and we need to be careful and observe to do exactly that. So pray for ourselves that we avoid temptation, but also prayer has the power to grant us the peace of God. If you turn your minds back over to the Philippians chapter four, verse six and verse six through seven, Paul not only says with all diligence pray,

but he also says, and the peace of God, what’s he saying? He says that prayer begins. The peace continues that prayer, which starts is a, that which brings forth a peace that surpasses all understanding. Now, just as we observe that very idea, we understand that prayer has the ability to affect things that we do not Comprehend. There are things and aspects of this life that we do not see.

We do not feel we do not touch and yet they exist and can be affected, Did by prayer. And so we need to be diligent to understand the power of prayer, but then consider. Secondly, we need a Understand the conditions prayers must meet to be heard. See, it’s not enough for us to understand the power of prayer. If we are not meeting the conditions To have those prayers heard by God,

God does not say I will hear any requests made by anyone under any circumstance. For any reason, No King does that. And the King of Kings Lord of Lords, doesn’t do it either. So now let us notice a few of these conditions. First and foremost, they must be prayed by those who are Christians. Now there’s an interesting aspect of this,

that there are prayers which come before God, by those who are not Christians in that he observes their desire for obedience. We see over in the situation with Cornelius and the book of acts where his actions and his deeds and his desire for salvation were observed and came before God. And those prayers were answered. And yet there is a relationship that exists in general between God and his children by between God.

And those who are Christians that is different is separate from everyone else. One of the conditions of prayer is obedience to God, turn to John chapter nine, John chapter nine, beginning in verse 30.<inaudible>. This is in the situation where Jesus has healed a man on the Sabbath day. And the man has been brought before the council he’s been, his parents have been questioned first and they said,

well, he’s of age, ask him because the council wants to know who healed you, who did this work on the Sabbath day? And so they will inquire with this man. And he will respond to them because they will accuse Jesus of being one who is doing wrong. And he says, verse 30, the man answered and said to them why this is a marvelous thing that you do not know where he is from this discussion of where Jesus originated,

where is power? Where is thorny originated? The man said, this is a marvelous thing that you don’t know where he’s from. And he says, he goes further to say yet he has opened my eyes. Now we know that God does not hear sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his, will he hears him? Now,

this man gives an observation to the teachers, the council leaders of the synagogue. He says, we know this, we’re already settled on this. God hears those who obey him. God does not hear sinners who reject him, but we consider further as we go over to Matthew chapter seven, Jesus builds upon this very idea in Matthew chapter seven, beginning in verse 21,

where he says, not everyone that says to me, Lord, Lord shall enter the kingdom of heaven. But he who does the will of my father in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, cast out demons in your name, done many wonders in your name. And then I will declare to them.

I never knew you depart from me. You who practice lawlessness. If there is not first and obedience to God, there will not be a community Education with God. First, John chapter one, as John On his speaking and writing to these brethren about walking in the light as he is in the light, having fellowship with God as those who are his children,

he Rives to them and inverse, Or he said, As these things we write to you that your joy may be full. This is the message which we have heard from him and declare to you that God is light. And in him is no darkness. Yes, at all. If we Say that we have fellowship with him, we walk in and walk in darkness.

We lie and do not practice the truth. If we walk in the light, as he is the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ. His son cleanses us from all sins. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. And the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just forgive us our sins,

and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar. And his word is not In us. John Emphasizes not only the need for us to pray to God, to confess our sins, but that our willingness to confess our sins has an impact on our fellowship With him. So we see that we must be careful about the conditions and our condition.

If we are Pray and hear, have our prayers heard. But we must also, as we’ve already mentioned, ask in faith. James tells those who he writes to that if they pray and yet do not have faith, that their prayer will be answered. Then their prayer won’t even be heard. Instead He calls them Double minded men. Those type of prayers are not heard.

And we also need to be mindful of the fact. There are things that hindered Our prayers, our relationships, my Hinder, our prayers, as Peter writes in first Peter chapter three, he says to those who were husbands, he says husbands, likewise dwell with them that his wives with understanding giving honor to the wife as to the weaker vessels, as being heirs together of the grace of life.

And notice this phrase that your prayers may not be hindered our relationships with one another. How we treat one another, how we interact and handle one another. How we live together with one another affects Our prayers. Jesus, This makes it clear. As he speaks there in the sermon on the Mount, that if a person has odd against you and you’re going to worship God,

he says, you put your sacrifice down over there and you go deal with the problem you have with your brother first, because that sacrifice is going to do you no good. While you still have something against your brother. He says, you go deal with that first. Then you go take your sacrifice to God. Because as long as you are unwilling to resolve the problem with your brother,

God will be unwilling to resolve his problem with you. And we’re mindful again, of what Jesus said in the model. Prayer, forgive us, our debts. As we forgive Our debtors, if we will Forgive, Jesus makes it clear that he will not forgive. And so our relationships can hinder our prayers. If we turn over to verse 12 of that same chapter we read for the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are open to their prayers.

But the face of the Lord is against those Who do evil sin in our lives will Keep our prayers from being heard. But there’s also another 0.1 worthy to be made. And that is from Luke chapter 18, Luke chapter 18, We read in verse one, Jesus spoke a parable to them that men ought always to pray and not lose heart. He says there was a certain city,

a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city and she came to him saying, get justice for me from my adversary. And he would not for a while, but afterward he said within himself though, I do not fear God nor regard man yet, because this widow has trouble or troubles me. I will avenge her less by her continual coming.

She weary me. Then Jesus said, hear what the unjust judge said and shall God not avenge his own elect, who cry out day and night to him though. He bears long with them. I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the son of man comes, will he really find faith on the earth? Jesus makes the point here in this parable,

that there is a need for persistence in prayer. There is not. And then are examples of this are abundant throughout scripture. There is not an example of us coming to God in prayer, seeking deliverance from some trouble. And then expecting that. The first time we ask is just going to magically be answered. That’s not what we see. We even see example after example,

Paul being one of them where repetition is involved. And sometimes still the answer is No, but a lack Of persistence. Mike, keep our prayers from being Answered. But then just as we close some examples of where we should pray Because throughout scripture, there are numerous examples of where and in what times and places we should pray. We notice first and foremost,

that Christ prayed in public. He prayed in pie, private. He prayed in the wilderness. He prayed on a mountain. He prayed in the garden. Jesus, as our example of prayer throughout his time on this earth shows us that prayer is just to be an every day aspect of our lives. Daniel we see in Daniel chapter six is praying in his house.

He is observing something from the old Testament, from the law and from the covenant that Solomon makes with God and the children of Israel there as the temple is being established, that when those who had been taken away from the land of Israel, those who have been taken into captivity because of their sin, because of their wickedness, because of their failure to obey God,

when they would look back towards that temple and pray towards that temple, the covenant was that God would hear them. So we find Daniel and Daniel chapter six, as he is there in Babylon, praying to God in accordance with that covenant, we find Paul and Silas, as they’re in prison, singing and praying at midnight, they could have been sleeping or trying to in their chains.

But the reality was they knew there was something more important for them to be doing something more impactful for them to be doing. And so, instead of trying to sleep, instead of trying to, you know, just forget about the situation they were in for awhile, they were taking the situation that they were in to the one who could do something about God,

David Psalm chapter three will prey on the battlefield. Stephen will pray while being stoned to death. Jonah, we’ll pray Probably in one of the most unique places in all history From the belly of a fish, but always, always the prayer is to be that which is coming from a humble heart. Coming from an understanding that God’s will, is what must be done.

And that sometimes That won’t work out for us the way we think Will Paul Writes to Timothy and says, I would that men pray Everywhere, Lifting up Holy hands without running And doubting. As we look at these things we need We’d understand. We’ve seen the power of prayer, the conditions prayers must meet and where we should pray. We’ve seen that without prayer,

we cannot have peace With God or the peace of God Without being a child of God. God will not hear Our prayers, but we also understand that to be a child of God, we must Must be born again by the power of the word of God, by the spirit of God, by coming into contact with the blood of Jesus Christ, which occurs in baptism,

Romans chapter six, verses three through four, We cannot pray. And I think our prayers will be answered if we pray Covered in our sins With only our sins to represent us before God. One of the Things that the scripture makes clear about prayer is that if we are going to pray and if we are going to pray the way we ought, we are going to pray with an advert Kit on our side,

Jesus Christ, the righteous Jesus Christ, the high priest, Jesus Christ, the mediator. And if we, We are going to have him as our advocate, it begins first with us.<inaudible> to him As a member of the body of Christ, you have access Yes to God and we owe so much needed and we should be using it. And we must understand it To the ability and the extent of our human mind to understand it.

And we must Just have faith in its ability to change today, tomorrow and forever. If you have need of the power of prayer, that can be something that is made available to you today. Whether by responding to the invitation, as one who is faithful, one who is righteous and yet has needs that have not been expressed or as one who has fallen away and has a need for forgiveness.

James says the fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. And the prayers of those who are righteous, cover a multitude of sins or as one who’s outside the body of Christ and needs to put Christ on in baptism having then access to pray to your heavenly father. All these things can be made available to you today. If you have need of the power of prayer,

why not come now? As we stand in, as we sing<inaudible> are you fully trusting? And his grace is a car you washed and the blonde, the lamb<inaudible>. And so cleansing<inaudible> or your Gorman spotless, are they wide ass know, are you are washed in the blood of the lamb? Are you walking day? The, by the savior side,

are you washed in the blood of the lamb? Do you resting each moment? And the crucified are you wash and<inaudible> are you in blah? And the so cleansing<inaudible> are your garments spotless? Are they wide ass? No. Are you all washed in the blood of the<inaudible> lay a side, the garments that stained with sin and been washed in the blood of the lamb.

There’s a fountain flowing for the so clean. Oh, being washed and blah, are you stand up? And so cleansing<inaudible><inaudible> garments spotless. Are they white? A yes, no. Are you a washed in the blood of the lamb? Right? Our closing song for this morning, excuse me. For this morning, he was going to be number 867,

eight, six seven to Canaan’s land. I’m on my way. We’ll sing the first verse and then we’ll have our closing prayer at eight, six, seven, the Canaan Canaan’s land I’m on my way to Kane and land I’m on my way where the so never a nice my dark as night. Well, turn to dang where the so never a guys,

no side<inaudible> no<inaudible> where<inaudible> and the so never, It was about our God and our father in heaven. It is truly a privilege that we have to come before you and ask you father to continue to watch over us. And thank you father for loving us so much and your precious son dying on the cross of Calvary, that we might have that hope of eternal life with the in heaven father,

we’re mindful of the many that are ill of this congregation, as well as others outside the church and not a part of this body here. We pray father that you help us each day, that we remember them often in our prayers and that we fervently asked that you be with them and those that are ministering to them, that they might regain their health while we’re also mindful of those that are struggling spiritually.

And we pray father that we, as your children might reach out to them and try to encourage them and help them any way that we can. That we’ve mentioned them often in prayer to you, that you will continue to watch over them and bless them. And as they go through life that they, their hearts might be softened, that they want to come back to you and serve you as a faithful child of yours.

Father help us to not take prayer for granted, but realized that we must use it every day of our lives to try to draw closer to you and to try to overcome the things that sometimes come before us and this lie, we might be able to be better servants in the kingdom that we might be more effective, not only in this community, but in our nation and in the world.

We pray father that we take this lesson and we let it strengthen us that we would look to our lives first and try to improve them. And we try to pray for others that might be struggling with various things in their lives while they we’re grateful for the time and the privilege we’ve had to come and worship you this day, we pray that has been acceptable.

And to you that we will take much from what we’ve learned today and what we’ve studied. It might strengthen our faith and that we might draw closer to you and to one another, help us to always be about trying to reach those that are outside your body with the gospel and strengthen us as we go through life that we might have that home and have him with the one day and Jesus,

we pray. Amen.

Automated Transcript:

<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> Welcome to our Sunday morning Bible class. I’m recording this according this Saturday night, Saturday night. Want to want to let all of you know that right now, my grandmother is still with us. They’ve given her meds and she finally has started sleeping. She really hasn’t slept any of the last 20 hours, 20 hours in any substance,

in any substantive way, but appreciate, appreciate your all’s prayers for us. She’s in a lot of discomfort at this point, at this point in time, but thankfully the, the medication has made it to where she could sleep. So thank you for your, thank you for your thoughts, your prayers, and all the, all the contacts and the messages that we’ve received,

letting us know, letting us know that you’re thinking about us and her and praying for us. And we appreciate it. Greatly. Also want to say also want to say thank you to Noah for filling in for me preaching this morning. Let’s get in, let’s get into Luke chapter 12. We’re going to continue our study in Luke chapter 12, beginning verse 22 as we get started,

but let’s begin with a word of prayer. Our gracious father gracious father in heaven. Rebal before you incredibly incredibly grateful for all of your many gifts, your many blessings, most especially most, especially your son who died on the cross for our sins and has delayed as delivered to us the hope of eternal life. We pray that as we pray that as we go through this period of study,

the things which Christ Christ spoke while he was on this earth will enlighten our hearts and help us to incur, to be encouraged by the things that we read, but also to be provoked, to be, to be what you would have us to be. We ask that you forgive us. When we sin and fall short of your glory, we pray all this.

We pray in Jesus name. Amen. So as a result, so as a result of not being there and not having them in front of me, I’m going to leave the review of the questions Wednesday night for another period. Hopefully this coming Wednesday night or Sunday, we can go over those. So I encourage you to study those on your own. We’re going to begin in Luke chapter 12,

verse 22. Then he, then he Christ said to his disciples, therefore I say to you do not worry about your life. What you will eat nor about the body. What you will put on life is more than food in the body. More than clothing. I remember the context of this that actually began in our, in our study on Wednesday night,

there is a man who came to Jew, came to Jesus and said, tell my, tell my brother to give me or to divide with me, inherit the inherited. He said, Jesus said, may have I been made a judge or a arbitrator between you and your brother, and then gave the parable of the rich fool follows. He follows the parable of the rich fool up with this statement,

therefore, or do not be worried, do not worry about your life. This is a, this is a similar statement that is made over in. We saw in the sermon on the mountain, made over in Matthew chapter six. But Jesus said, as he speaks to this man, as he speaks to those who are around, as he speaks to his disciples who are listening to this,

and they’re seeing this, he says, do not worry, do not worry for the things of this world. Life do not focus, do not focus on this life, especially, especially in this context to the neglect of these next life of eternity. This man, this man is standing before Christ. He standing before the Messiah, he’s standing before the one who the Israelites were waiting to arrive for 1600 years.

And what is he? What is he worried about? His inherit, his inheritance he’s missed. He’s missed the importance of everything that is right in front of him because he’s because he’s too worried about physical possession. So then Jesus. So then Jesus says this life is more than food. Verse 23 and the body more than clothing. Consider the consider the Ravens for they neither sow nor reap,

which have, which have neither storehouse nor barn. And God feeds them of how much more value are you than the birds. And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature. If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? Jesus, Jesus lays upon them. The reality that they’re not in control,

they’re not, they’re not in charge and much effort as they might expand, expand in order to, in order to achieve their own goals, they can’t do the smallest of things in view of God’s ability, God’s power and God’s power with a word, with a word. God spoke the universe into existence with all, with all of our thought and being an effort we can’t fall by fault,

extend our life even for an, even for an hour. And here and here, Jesus let Jesus lays for reality. The reality that This person is missing greatest thing, the thing of greatest value in his own, in his own life, the value of his soul, if he has, if he has his soul and he has salvation and he has the kingdom,

then the inheritance and the inheritance is of little consequence in the grand scheme of things. But instead, it’s the only thing he’s thinking about. And notice he then notice he goes on. If then you are not able to do the least, why are you anxious to do the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow. They neither toil nor spin.

And yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed. Like one of these, if then God. So clothes, the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven. How much more will he clothe you? Oh, you of little faith and do not do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink,

nor have an anxious mind for all of these things. The nations of the world seek after. And your father knows that you need these things. See, but see the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added to you. Jesus, Jesus emphasizes that we need that. We need to prioritize correctly. I need to learn. We need to lay forth our priorities in the right order.

And when we do that, God can, God can take care of the rest and is knowledgeable and understanding of what it is that we need. He created us to begin with. Of course he knows what we mean. Of course he knows what is required to sustain our daily life. So Jesus, so Jesus is saying you’ve, you’ve lost the Hey and the confidence you have in your father,

your eternal father. And instead you buy your own mind and your own ability or striving to accomplish these things. And you can Can’t do it, not on your own, Not on your own. And if you try, you will miss. You will miss. What is of the greatest value to you. And that is eternity. Do not fear, do not fear.

Little flock, 32 verse 32, four. It is your father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Jesus said, Jesus said, not only will God give you the things that you need. Not only will God take care of your daily provisions, but he will also give you, which is that, which is of greatest value His kingdom. And he will,

and he will do it gladly. Now here’s the contract. Now here’s the contrast. There’s the, there’s the brother who has an inheritance that he won’t share with his brother and the other brother. The other brother wants the inheritance to be shared with him. And he’s looking for anybody who can get him. Part of that inheritance yet. He’s missing it.

He’s missed out on the opportunity to receive the kingdom. God is God is over here with the kingdom of greater value than his inheritance. And he’s waiting anxiously desiring to give it to the man, but the man’s not, but the man’s not interested because he’s interested in Fashions in, in this life. Jeez, Jesus said, Jesus said, sell what you sell,

what you have. You have all and give alms, provide yourselves money bags, which do not grow old treasury, a treasure in heavens that does not fail. No where no thief approaches nor moth destroys for where your treasure is there. Your heart will be also, I don’t believe. I don’t believe this is a blanket statement by Jesus. That every person,

every person who’s going to have entrance into the kingdom has to go sell all of their possessions and give it to the poor. It’s not, that’s not what Jesus is saying here. Remember, remember, he’s talking to his disciples, but he’s also talking to this man, this man wants more possessions. And Jesus said for fit what you Have first forfeit,

Forfeit, what you have for the sake of the kingdom. And then we’ll, and then we’ll see where your treasure, where your treasure is there. And then we’ll see where your heart is. Get your, get your heart right first or all, or all the, all the, the substance, all the possessions, all the treasures in the world.

Won’t do you Any good because one of these, because one of these days, you’re Going to, you’re going to leave this Life and you’re not taking, you’re not taking any of it with you and yet, And yet do what you do with it. Now can as hand as he makes this, as he makes the statement here, create or provide yourselves money Bags and account and account.

As I think, as I think Peter States it as Paul certainly States it in Philippians four in heaven that cannot be touched. It cannot be, it cannot be stolen. The, the dollar us dollar currently, currently, and in, in the upcoming years, the, the federal reserve has said that they are going to try and wholly inflation to around two to two and a half percent.

That means I means every year, you’re the, you’re the value of a dollar. You have decreases by two and a half Per cent. Now think about now, think about that. If, If you have a hundred dollar bill, how many, how many years until that hundred dollar bill at a decreasing rate of two and a half percent, every year is value is valueless.

And it wasn’t even, it wasn’t even stolen. It was stolen. It was stolen by inflation. It was inflated. It was inflated to the point where it had no real U value. There was a time and there was a time in American history where Penny’s could actually could actually buy something. And now we, and now we regularly hear the discussion about whether or not we should even have pennies anymore because,

because they have been flayed inflated out of value, the value that is worth anything Substantive. Now, now Jesus, Jesus said where your, where your treasure is there. Your heart will be also where you, where you make preparations for your treasure to be where you actually store up. Your treasure is where your heart is, where your heart is. So if also,

if all your efforts in all of your game and all of your prosperity and all of your, your use of time and money in substance goes towards achieving more possessions in this life, more accounts or accounts, larger dollar amounts and larger things, more possessions, all of these things. Then Jesus said, you’ve put, you’ve put your heart into a treasure that has,

that has no Lasting value, but 35 versus 35. Okay? He says, he says, let your waist be girded. And your lamps burning. Luke gives us, gives us a transition here from, from the dizzy discussion of possessions, to the discussion, to the discussion of the kingdom And preparation. He says, He says to his disciples, let your waist be girded.

This was an action done in preparation for battle. Quite often, he said, let your, let your waist be girded. And your lamps burning, familiar were familiar with the parable of the, of the first verge, the 10 virgins. Some of them had burning lamps ready to go. Others did and others didn’t. And you yourselves be like men who wait for the master when he will return for the w excuse me,

who will, excuse me, who will wait for their master? When he will return from the wedding, that he may know that when he comes and knocks, they may open to him immediately. It’s an interesting statement That they will open to him immediately. Immediately. Why would a servant not open to his master when the, the master arrives at the door and knocks,

why would a servant not open immediately think about it this way. This is pointed out by brother Franklin camp. And in this passage, he said, you know, sometimes someone comes over to visit the house and you’re not ready for them. You weren’t planning on them and, and their stuff everywhere. And the house looks lived in. And, and,

and you just, before you even go answer the door, you’re shoving stuff in the closet. You’re putting stuff in our room. You’re tidying up. You’re not prepared. And so where are they? They’re standing at the door waiting. You didn’t open the door immediately. Why? Because you weren’t prepared here. The illustration Jesus gives is that type of servant who is not ready for the master’s return.

And so instead of immediately opening the door, he’s scurrying around to become prepared at the last minute. But notice what Jesus says blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, we’ll find watching assuredly. I Say to you that he will gird himself and Have them sit down to eat and we’ll come and serve them. Jesus goes so far to say this.

Jesus said, I am looking for a servant, not who’s got the house prepared for when I return. I’m looking for a servant. Who’s watching for my return. The master doesn’t even come and knock. The master. Doesn’t spend any time outside waiting. The servant, sees him coming and opens the door. No wait time. But then the reaction of the master is to serve the servant.

Now, yes, I know that Jesus will say in Luke chapter 19, that, or chapter 17, that when we’ve done all that we’ve been commanded to do, we are still unprofitable servants. I understand that. But Jesus is saying the master in the kingdom will serve the servants to do what they need because they sought first. The kingdom goes right back to what he was just saying.

If you will seek first the kingdom. Yeah. If you will be prepared, if you will be watching, if you will be a good servant, then your heavenly father will serve. You will provide for you. But know this verse 39. That is if the master of the house had known what hour the thief let’s actually go back to verse three.

And if he, you should come in the second watch or come in the third watch and find them so blessed are those servants. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, had not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore, you also be ready for the son of man is coming at an hour.

You do not expect. He’s telling me these people and he’s telling his disciples. And he’s telling those who will listen. You be ready, always because when Christ returns there won’t be any signs. There won’t be in a great announcement. There won’t be any seasons to look at the forecast. There will be no signs of Christ return. Instead they are to be,

be prepared. Always. Then Peter said to him, Lord, do you speak this parable only to us or to all people? It’s interesting to notice when Jesus gets asked a question, how sometimes, sometimes he doesn’t just answer the question he answers what’s needed. And not necessarily what’s. I asked the Lord said, who then, then is a faith.

Is that faithful? And why steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household and to give them their portion of food doozies season, bless it is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. But if that servant says in his heart, by master is delaying his coming and begins to beat the male servants and female servants and to eat and to drink and to be drunk.

The master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour, when he is not aware and will cut him into an appoint him, his portion with the unbelievers and that servant who knew his masters will and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know yet committed things,

deserving of stripes shall be beaten with view. For everyone to whom much is given from him, much will be required. And to whom much has been committed of him, they will ask the more Jesus replies to Peter, that God has entrusted to individual’s responsibility and has entrusted to them, the work of the kingdom, the care, and providing for of the kingdom,

the function of the kingdom. And if those servants failed to carry out their obligation, or if they become those who think, you know what Christ isn’t returning anytime soon, I’ve got time to fix it later. I can glorify myself right now and I can do his will later crisis. That’s not going to work out for that person. That individual will be judged.

Now think about it. This is truly an accusation against the scribes and the Pharisees, the chief priests, the Sadducees, and the religious leaders, because prophetically speaking, the prophets would look forward to the days of Christ. And they would proclaim that the shepherds that were supposed to be shepherding Israel had instead chosen to consume the flock. And he’s about to transition to a discussion of a flock.

He’s about to use the old Testament analogy of the shepherds and the flock and the evil shepherds who would be judged. And that was the scribes, the Pharisees, the chief priests and the religious leaders of the day. So verse 49, I came to send fire on the earth and how I wish it were already kindled, but I have a baptism to be baptized with and how distressed I am till it is accomplished at,

at times, Jesus will begin to give insight into what’s coming his crucifixion and the things that would happen, but they wouldn’t understand it. His disciples wouldn’t comprehend what he was saying. And yet would say in any way, and later on, as John will point out, they’ll remember all of these things and they’ll understand, but they didn’t at this point.

Note is also that Jesus is speaking about a judgment, a judgment that would come. And I believe this is specifically referencing the judgment of the Jewish nation, the judgment against Israel for their unfaithfulness. And again, that goes back to those shepherds that were not faithful. Verse 51. Do you suppose that I came to give peace on the earth? I tell you not at all,

but rather division four from now on five in one house will be divided to three against two and two against three. Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her. Mother-in-law Jesus came to bring peace. But the kind of piece that it bring is brought about when individuals obey God,

that is they hear the truth. They obey the truth. They hold fast to the truth and they don’t depart from the truth. When they do that, they have peace with God, but Jesus did not come to bring peace to those who refuse to obey the truth. And so Jesus said, I did not come to bring peace, but division. He came to bring judgment and the vision against those who would not hear the truth and who would not obey the truth.

So to in congregations today, if the choice is between holding fast to the truth and maintaining the doctrine of Christ and living out what Christ has said, or getting along with a group that wants to change the doctrine, or wants to change the practice of the church, or wants to change the worship of the church, we don’t need unity. We need division.

You say, well, wait a minute. Jesus said we weren’t to divide the church. Paul said that the Christ didn’t want the church divided or correct, but he also doesn’t want an unfaithful church. It’s not enough to have unity. It must be unity based upon obedience to the truth or it’s unity that will never matter in eternity. He goes on to say,

then he also said to the multitudes verse 54, whoever, excuse me, whenever you see a cloud rising out of the West, immediately, you say a shower is coming. And so it is, and when you see the South wind blow, you say there will be hot weather. And there is hypocrites. You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth,

but how is it? You do not discern this time. Jesus looks at the multitude. Who’s regularly pictured as those who, well, they think Jesus is the, is the Messiah. Well, they maybe he’s the prophet. Maybe he’s Alijah. Maybe he’s he’s John, the Baptist, maybe he’s somebody else. And he said, you can look at the sky and understand what the weather is going to be.

And you can’t understand all of this old Testament, scripture that tells you the time of the kingdom is at hand. And that the Messiah is here. Yes. And why verse 57, even of yourselves, do you not judge? What is right? When you go with your adversary to the magistrate and make every effort along the way to settle with him,

lest he drag you to the judge. The judge deliver you to the officer. The officer throw you into prison. I tell you, you shall not depart from there until you have paid. The very last mite. Jesus said there are consequences for not observing the truth. There are consequences for not putting first the kingdom. There are consequences for not being obedient to God and Christ and being ready for his return.

And all of that is used here in an analogy of a person who owes a debt. They will not have not paid. And they’re going to have to pay it by being put in prison until the debt is paid. There were present at that season. Some who told him about the Galileans whose blood pilot had mingled with their sacrifices and Jesus answered and said to them,

do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered such things. Having been told you can’t, you can look at the sky and you can determine the weather, but you can’t understand what’s right in front of you. Some people say, well, didn’t you hear about those? Galileans didn’t you hear what happened to them? That,

that, that these Galileans pilot took their blood and he sprinkled it with their sacrifices and abomination that God, that’s a clear indicator. This is kind of in the subtext here, the implications, this is a clear indicator that these Galileans, who were offering the sacrifices were evil, bad people, otherwise, such a terrible thing would never happen. Had them.

Jesus said, do you suppose that these Galileans were right? Worse, sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered such things. I ain’t tell you. No, but unless you repent. Yeah, you will all likewise perish or those eight keen on whom the tower of Salone fell and killed them. Do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem?

I tell you no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise as perish Jesus, and it’s time for you to start cleaning your own house. It’s time for you to start getting right in your own heart, in your own life and repeating hinting or yeah. This example, not a tower falling on you, not a Roman ruler coming and killing you and mingling your,

your blood with the sacrifices. That’s not what Jesus said. Coming destruction, judgment, death. That’s what’s coming unless you repent. And we’re reminded that the message of repentance is what John came preaching. He came preaching to Israel. The people of God who the Messiah would be born among them and was among them. He came preaching, repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

And Jesus preaches the same, the message, repent or perish. There are, are no other alternatives. We need to examine our hearts and our right minds. We need to examine our lives and figure out are we in need of repentance? Is there something in our lives that we’re ignoring? Is there a motivation that desire for riches, for glory, for possessions,

for, for the things of this earth that we can’t let go? Yeah. He spoke this bearable, sorry, man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. Then he looked or said to the keeper of his vineyard, look for three years, I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and found none.

Cut it down. Why does it use up the ground? Interesting principle here is Jesus fully comprehends and illustrates within his teaching that a plant exists and pulls nutrients from the ground. It, yes, with this example, the fig tree pulls the nutrients from the ground, but produce it. It is nothing. It produces no fruit. It uses up resources,

but has no productive value. So the vineyard owner says, cut it down and get rid of it. But he, the vineyard keeper answered and said, sir, let it alone this year. Also until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit well, but if not after that, you can cut it down. I want to remind us that we’re in the second year of Jesus’ ministry.

And in the second year of Jesus’ ministry, Jesus uses the illustration of one who has taken three years to come find any fruit born by this nation of Israel. And he’s not finding any, that’s not to say he’s not finding an individual and individuals who would be obedient to him, but the nation, the nation was not producing the fruit of the kingdom and the nation was going to be judged.

So notice Jesus said, I didn’t come to bring peace, but a sword. I didn’t come to bring peace, but division, I came to bring fire. He says, and then he says repent or perish. And then he says, if you produce no fruit for my kingdom, I will cut you down. I will destroy you. We need to learn the necessity of bearing fruit.

And that fruit must be righteousness and the producing of righteousness, not only in our own lives, but in the lives of others, hope you all have a good class and have a good worship this morning. And I pray that everything will be well with you until we’re with you. Again, we love you very much. You’re dismissed.<inaudible><inaudible> Good morning and welcome to the Collierville church of Christ.

Sunday morning, worship service. It is so good to see each of you here this morning. We have several visitors with us and especially the Olsen family that came all the way from central Missouri to, I think they have some special interest here, but anyway, it’s good to have them. And the hatchers are with us. They once worshipped here several years ago and quiets back with us again today,

appreciate him. And we appreciate our minister from Holly Springs. Good, good to have you folks here, if you haven’t, we wouldn’t like for you to take a card from the Pew in front of you and fill it out and just leave it on the Pew or drop it in the collection plate or hand it to one of us, just get it,

get it to here so that we have a record of your attendance. And as you came in, if you did not pick up the Lord’s supper on the table, as you walked into the auditorium, this is good time to do it. We’re just going to go through a few administrative announcements. And so go back and pick up the little cup of bread and grape juice,

and we’ll be ready for the Lord separ when it is offered, need to remember our sick Joan sprayer, still very weak at home. Dorothy Wilson is doing better with her heart blood pressure problem that she has. And we have a note here that her blood pressure is, is stabilizing. And she is scheduled the 1st of February, which is Monday to have ultrasounds and blood work to see if her stage three chronic kidney disease has improved since her last hospital stay.

When her count was 43, where it should be around 70. So let’s keep definitely her in our prayers and ed Richardson, which is the Halvorson’s father-in-law is doing about the same. As I understand, Barbara Diller is still at home suffering with the recovery of her shoulder, from a procedure that was done on it. It has to be a mobilized for a period of about two weeks or better.

And she’s still working on that need to remember her Elena sharp as well. And Ken and Frankie Phillips that’s Dale’s the Dale’s friend. They are recovering from COVID. That’s all of the sick that I’m aware of as you came in the auditorium, there’s a basket of names we’ve been working on this for awhile. It’s names of people that previously worshiped here, or have we have some record of them having visted.

If you’d pick up one of those names out of the basket and make contact with that person and just invite them back to the church is what it’s all about. The Potter’s children home up in Kentucky, that we helped support. We’ll be here to pick up the commodities that we assemble the week of February 15th. So if you haven’t been bringing your commodities, this is a good time to get update on that.

The Nesbitt church of Christ congregation is hosting the 22nd standing in the gap lectures Wednesday through Sunday in January 27th through the 31st, there are details on the bulletin board. If you’re interested in attending there. And then I have a card from Francis Redmond that I’m going to read for you. I’ll post the code card back on the bulletin board, but it says to all my brothers and sisters in Christ,

I want to thank you for all the help you have given me. Thank you for all the prayers over all right, stays food calls, cards. Your kindness has been such a blessing to me. May God bless you all Francis Redmond. That’s all the announcements. I have the order of service today. We’re totally blessed to have so much talent in the congregation.

The song leader will be Michael Dale. He’s also a student over to Memphis school of preaching and no else. Noah Olson will be bringing us the message. The opening prayer will be Eric Halvorson. Joe caisson will be officiating on the Lord’s supper and the closing prayer will be Terry Sanderson. Thank you all for your attendance. Our opening song this morning will be number 75.

I seen the power of God, number 75, Seeing my T power of God that<inaudible> that<inaudible><inaudible>. Ah, I see where’s John dad or Dan<inaudible> the moon shines for that is a man. Oh, the stars. Oh, Hey, seeing goodness of the Lord.<inaudible> he form creatures with his word and then<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> ground tread or gaze upon<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> and clouds.<inaudible> burst.

Blow by<inaudible> from<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> and every where that man can be. God,<inaudible> The song before the opening prayer will be number 797. Lord, we come before the now seven 97 Lord we come before the ah, ah,<inaudible> ah, Oh, dune. Ah.<inaudible> shall we? The Lord in vain. We see the Lord and<inaudible><inaudible> and calm passion.<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> to<inaudible> and I know<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> the God<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> Please bow with me.

God, our father in heaven, we come to you at this time, thanking you for the opportunity to assemble here this morning, to sing songs, appraised your great name and study another portion of your word Lord. We’d like to thank you for those amongst the members of this congregation that have found and had improvements in their health, because we know that you are in control of everything.

And we thank you for those that have had improvements. But Lord, we also know that there are many amongst us that are suffering from various illnesses and ailments. And we ask that you wrap your loving arms around each and every one of them. Lord, we, especially at this time would ask you that you wrap your loving arms around Shirley Cozort and ease her pain.

If it be your will. And if it be your will restore her to a measure health that she so desires. We also ask that you wrap your loving arms and comfort the entire Cozort family at this time of their need and comfort. Also each and every one of those that are suffering with loved ones that have illnesses. God. Now, as we prepare to study another portion of your word,

we ask that you help each and every one of us assembled here this morning to have open hearts and open minds so that we can understand the message that Noah brings to us this morning, your message, your word, and we can take and apply that to our lives so that we can be better servants to yours while we’re here on this earth. And we want to thank you for your son,

Jesus, because we know that the sacrifice that he and you made for us, make it possible for us to live with you in eternity. One day we pray all this through his name, amen Song to prepare our minds for the Lord’s supper will be number 332. Lead me to Calvary three, three to King of my life. Crown me, ah,

nah, nine shout Kamari bee. Last for good thorn crown bruh. Ah, me too.<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> for me, the me too.<inaudible> show me the two<inaudible><inaudible> and, and Joes and robes Ray. Hey God. At the Watts<inaudible> money.<inaudible><inaudible> me, the me too.<inaudible><inaudible> through the glue, calm with a gift to the show to mean,

ah,<inaudible> the me too.<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> for me, the me too.<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> for the<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> for<inaudible> for again<inaudible> for me, the me too.<inaudible> As we come together this day, we often sometimes take things I think too lightly about our Savior’s death. And as we look back to the time that he was ready to cue and spit upon the time that he was beaten in the time he was led to the cross and hung there on the cross of Calvary to die for us.

And as we think about that, we need to reflect upon what he’s done for us and the hope that we have through him, that by his dying for us, he made us a way of redemption from our sins and be able to turn back to our God and to our savior, to hopefully have that home and having one day, we want to reflect upon that now,

as we protect the Lord’s supper, and as we have sung this beautiful song to remind us that he did die for us, and he’s always there for us and we gain our strength by going to him, that is pray father, I got in heaven. We know that it was a sad time when your precious son had to go to the cross of Calvary.

We know it was by his own wheel that he went and that he suffered and died for us. And as we reflect upon that father, we’re so grateful and so thankful that we are able to be your children and able to receive that blessing. While there we pray that as we partake of this bread, that we might examine ourselves and make sure that we’re taking of it in a manner worthy Jesus,

we pray amen.<inaudible> Oh God, our fathers. We continue to look to the cross where our savior hung there and he shed his precious blood upon that cross. And there’s through that blood that we have the forgiveness of our sins, opposed to always be mindful, that sacrifice that was made for us. And as we go through life that we will let it show in the way that we conduct ourselves before our fellow man,

they do know that we are your children. And then we have redemption through his blood, right? As we protected this fruit of the vine that we might do. So in a way pleasing is it represents that blood of our savior Jesus, we pray. Amen. Well, I had the opportunity to think about us giving back to the Lord and to be able to continue to conduct the work of the church,

to do our benevolent activities and also to help further the kingdom and supporting those that are teaching and preaching. Not only here, but throughout the world, that they too might come to the knowledge of God’s word and want to be a child of, he is let us pray. Father in heaven, we’ve been so blessed in this country and we’ve been blessed beyond what we really need.

And we pray father that we’re being good stewards of those blessings that we have determined in our hearts to give. And as we’ve been prospered that we’re so thankful to be able to give, to help the work of the church here, as well as in other places in the world that we played pray that we would be liberal with our giving and that we are trying to take care of the needs of those that perhaps are having difficulties with different things in their lives and,

and be very benevolent and how, how we tried to help them, bless us in our efforts, continue to strengthen us as the days, go by help us always to do all to the names honor and glory in Jesus. We pray amen. If you’re using the song book and we’d like to Mark the song of invitation is number 945. Number nine,

four five. It will be on the slides though. The song for our lesson will be number 616, the way of the cross. If you’re able to let stand for this song, please, number 616.<inaudible> I must needs go home by the way of the cross. There’s no other way, but it is shown again outside of the Gates, if the way of the cross,

the way of the<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> Sneads go on and blah sprinkles were, Hey, Pat, that save<inaudible><inaudible> to the it’s where the<inaudible> at home with. Ah,<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> then I bet to the way to walk<inaudible> for my Lords. And I see my<inaudible> no way of the cross<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> cross<inaudible>. It was a privilege to be able to be with you this morning.

You able to give you a lesson from God’s word again. I want to thank you all for that opportunity. So we want to be praying for the Cozort family continually and hope everything can go. Well, our lesson this morning is very simple. Our lesson is how to get to heaven, how to get to heaven. This question is the most important question that one can never ask.

What must I do to be saved? What must I do to get to heaven? What must I do to be saved from eternal damnation? That’s the question that we’re going to look at this morning, how to get to heaven. I want to say You to turn over to Matthew chapter seven, this is where we’re going to be this morning, Matthew chapter seven.

And we’re going to see what Jesus can teach us about how to get, how the, the path To heaven. You know, there Is a story of a preacher who, who would tell his, his congregation next week, I’m going to preach the best sermon You’ve ever heard. Of course the congregation, right? They’re excited. Next week Comes around.

The preacher gets up to the pulpit. He reads Matthew five. He reads Matthew six and he reads Matthew seven. And he has preached the best sermon that one could ever preach. And who sermon? It’s not the man’s sermon, but it’s Christ’s sermon. Matthew Five through seven often called the sermon on the Mount is The greatest sermon that anyone has ever preached.

That’s Jesus, Jesus himself is the greatest preacher to ever live, But we’re going to look at Jesus as part of his sermon in Matthew seven on a couple of things, what we need to do in order To get to heaven, you know, Chapter seven details what we must do, but Jesus kind of summed it up in John chapter 14, verse number six,

he says The way the truth and the life, we must heed to the words of Jesus. And if we follow these basic teachings that we’re going to look at this morning, we can go to heaven. It’s a blessing to know that we have all things pertaining to life and godliness. We can know that we have eternal life. If we do what?

If we obey his commandments? The question that we must ask ourselves, is this, are we going to Follow the commandments from Christ as Christ did from his father in John chapter 12, notice verse 49, John chapter 12, verse 49 for I’ve not spoken of my Self, but the father which sent me, he gave me a commandment. What I should say and what I should speak.

Jesus himself, obey the father. Are we going to obey the commands of Christ? So let’s get it Nor less than firstly, our first point this morning, if we were going to get to heaven, we have to judge righteously. Let’s go back to Matthew chapter seven and look at it. Verse number one real quick notice Jesus says, judge, not that you may not judge.

How, how often or what context do you hear? People use this verse. You can’t judge me. You can’t Tell me what to do. Even Jesus himself has, Has said that. Looking at this context, Jesus is not condemning judging at all. He’s condemning hypocrisy. He’s condemning sinful judging. There is a difference. So we need to understand that.

But yet you’ve heard people say, stop judging me. Or Jesus says, don’t judge. You. Can’t tell me how My life. That’s not what Jesus is saying here for one year, Christian is commanded to discern right from wrong. Are we not Ephesians chapter five, notice Verse number 11 and have no fellowship With the unfruitful works of darkness. Rather what reprove them,

get them out. Expose them, expose the sin in the camp. We have to, we’re commanded to purge out the 11. Are we not? We need to, to, to purge out sin and we have to practice church discipline. Do we not? When my brother who is a Saint Or living in sin, Jesus gives us the commands. I want to turn to Matthew 18 for a bit.

A moment. Matthew chapter 18. I want you to notice 15 through 17 here on the commands. Here we are commanded To, to push sin out of the way because a little 11, 11, and it’s a whole lump. A little bit of sin can affect many people, but notice Matthew Chapter 18. Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee,

go in, go and tell him his fault between the and him alone. This is a, this is Personal. Notice how, as he continues, if he shall hear that Again, my brother, but if he will not hear the verse 16, then take then take with the one or two more. Then the mouth of two or three witnesses everywhere may be established.

Notice verse 17. And if he shall neglect to hear them tell under the church, but neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican. I thought Jesus said that we weren’t supposed to judge. Now we are, we are commanded to expose sin. And when one who is not going to repent the act of marking him and things such as that come into place.

Now, are we rude to this person? No, we’re not rude. Second desolate Chapter three verse 15 says yet, count him not as an Enemy, but admonish him as a brother when there was someone in the congregation or someone in the church that, that you know who is living in sin and they will not repent. You try to get them back as fast as possible.

Why? Because we don’t know when Christ is going to come. Yes, we are commanded to, to note the difference from wrong and right First Corinthians chapter five and verse number five. I want you to notice that real quick, first Corinthians chapter For five. Notice what Paul says to the Corinthians. First Corinthians chapter five in verse number five. Notice Liver is such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh That notice this why at the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.

Jesus. We expose sin. Not because we don’t like the person, not just to get back at the person. We judge to make sure that their soul is saved. That’s why we should judge righteously. But going back to our text in order for us to get to heaven, we have to judge righteously. But what does it mean to judge righteously?

Does that mean to judge off of opinions? No, that’s not what Jesus is saying. Let’s look, look ever. Verse number two as well. For, with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged. And with what measure you meet, it shall be measured to you again. Let’s look At verses three through five, continuing. And why behold is now the moat that is in my brother’s eye.

But consider is not the beam that is not Oh nine or how with outside of my brother, let me pull out the mote out of<inaudible> and behold, a beam is in nine Oh nine thou hypocrite first cast out the out of nine Oh Nine and then shot that clearly see to cast out the mote out of my brother’s eyes. Jesus, Jesus hear,

I love when Jesus uses uses humor. Just imagine this man with this two by four hanging out of his eye and trying to pick out the little tiny speck and his brother’s eye. Jesus said there was no logic to that. We need to make sure that if we were, if we were going to judge righteously in order to get to heaven, what must we first do?

Jesus says, fix yourself. Make sure that you as a Christian are living faithfully. I have no right to tell you to stop lying. If I have the same problem myself, I have no authority to tell you to, to, to live faithfully. If I can not do the same myself, we need to remember to fix our own selves. Notice first Corinthians nine in verse 27,

Paul says the same idea. He says, I keep my body under or excuse me. I keep under my body and bring it this objection. That’s the, by any means. But now I’ve preached to others. I myself should be a Castaway. I need to fix myself first. And then I can go in and judge, the word judge is to call into question to,

to distinguish. That’s what the word judge means to, to, to, to distinguish right from wrong. In this instance, we need to understand, I want you to notice Romans two verses 21 and following as well now, therefore, which teaches another teaches thou not thyself thou that preaches the man should not steal dust out. Steal thou that says to man should not commit adultery,

desktop committed adultery that at abortus aisles does document sacrilege. Now that make us the boast of the law, that through breaking the law dishonors thou God, we need to make sure that our lives as Christians are right before we go out until others, their fault. That’s how we judge righteously. Let’s make sure we are living faithfully before we go and preach and teach to others.

You know, the world is not going to listen. Someone’s not going to listen to a hypocrite. Someone’s not going to listen to them. We need to make sure our lives are and as Christians are right. But if we are going to judge righteously as well, not only must we fix your own selves, but also another requirement is we judge with righteous judgment.

What’s righteous judgment. Well, John chapter seven, verse 24, Jesus says don’t judge, according to the appearance, but judge, with what righteous judgment, what is righteous judgment? It’s not opinion opinion. Doesn’t matter to God, God didn’t. Didn’t ask Adam what? Well, how do you want me to form peeve? You, you choose. He didn’t ask Noah.

He said, you, you choose the wood. Whatever. You know, he, he gave a specific command opinion in most, in some instances does not matter to God. He’s given us some Liberty on some things, but there are specific things that he is required. But notice we ought to, to judge to call into question, according to how Jesus notice John 12,

verse 48, according to the Bible, notice John 12, verse 48. He that rejects me and receive. It’s not my words. Hath one that judges him. The word that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day we judge, we call him the question we speak from God’s word. Not my opinion. Not know his opinion,

not, not, not anybody’s opinion. It’s only from God’s word that we have the authority to do that. If I’m going to judge righteously and to get to heaven, I also must understand that my motive it has to be right. My motive is not to get back at the person. My motive is not just to make myself look good. My motive is not just to make everybody against that person.

Now my motive, again, as we stated this, to get that sold, I want you to notice. I love Galatians six and verse number one, Galatians chapter six and verse number one, I love what Paul says here. Notice what he says. Brethren. If a man be overtaken in a fault, you at your spiritual restore trust in one,

such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering myself less than I’ll also be tempted. Why do we go this brother-in-law or brother, why do, why do we go to this brother or sister and tell them their fault so that they can come back. But also, so we are not tempted to the congregation or the church abroad is not falling to sin,

but our motive must be not to, to our motive must be correct. And James chapter five also wants you to notice 1920. Notice what James says, James five, 19 and 20. He says brethren, if any of you do earth from the truth and one convert him, let him know verse 20. He which he would say she converted the sinner from the error of his way,

shall save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins. That is why, that is why we approach. And that is why we are to judge righteous land, to make sure that sin is out of the camp. And you go back to Aiken. What happened when, when akin sin, who is affected, not just akin whole congregation,

we need to make sure sin is out as soon as so destructive, Romans chapter six, verse 23 wages of sin is what death, spiritual death. And we need to make sure that sin is out of the camp every day. We need to purge that. Let’s go back to Matthew chapter seven. I want you to notice verse number six as well in the,

in the context, you’re still judging. Notice what Jesus says. Give not that, which is Holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before swine lest. They trample them under their feet and turn again and render you. What is Jesus meaning here? I think sometimes there comes a point in some people lives when, when you bring them to the gospel that they’re too stubborn,

too stubborn to, to, to, to listen. Jesus would say to the apostles in Matthew chapter 10, verse 14, that you just have to shake the dust off your feet and go your way. Because sadly, there are those who will just not repent. Who are, I don’t want to say they’re there. No one is ever too far gone.

But sadly, there were some who hardened their hearts. How much they, according to their will, according to their choices will not repent. Now could they? Yes, but they have to choose that. But we as Christians need to understand that we can not give up just because of one, we have to keep on, keeping on. We have to keep on doing the things that God would have us to do.

Yes. We need to judge righteous sleep. Let me ask you, let’s ask this question. When we judge, when we are calling into question, when we are discerning, as we’ll talk about here in a little bit as well, who should we go to for wisdom? I think we should go to God. Let’s look at verses seven through 11 here.

Notice in Matthew chapter seven, seven through 11, It says ask. And it shall be given you seek and you shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you for every one that asked to receive it. Then he, that seeketh findeth and to him that knock it, that shall be open or what man is there of you whom have his son asks for bread will give him a stone.

Or if he asks a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then being evil, know how to give good gifts to unto your children? How much more shall your father, which isn’t it. Kevin give good things to them to ask him, you know, as we, as Christians should, should note something in every situation we should always go before the father.

Should we not? We should come before the father. And specifically in this instance, when we are judging, when we are discerning, what is our motive? W w we need to ask ourselves, is this true biblical evaluation? Or is this just my opinion? We need to go before the father. And what’s interesting. I love what Jesus says here.

He says, if you, you, you is, is people can give good gifts to your children. Yet. The father Who is the most powerful being in the universe, How much more can he give you? James? One verse 17 tells us that every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the father of lights. Isn’t our father.

So awesome and awesome. God. He is. And we need to understand that we should always trust him. Matthew six, verse 33, but seek ye first, the kingdom of God and his righteousness and what all these things shall be added unto you. We love you. We should love what the father has done for us. Be thankful. And when we are In situations,

such as maybe approaching a brother, let’s go to God because we ask what does Jesus say? Verse eight, again, for everyone that asks<inaudible> I hate that. Seek it, find it. Isn’t him knocking the shabby, open James chapter one also. And the verses five Through eight, James would say, if any of you lack wisdom, Let him ask of God.

God has all the answers. And when we pray, how, how does he speak? It’s not going to be some miraculous endowment. No, we haven’t To study. Prairie is never a substitute for study. We need to understand that praying to God helps us a lot. And when you understand that every day, but yes, when we are judging,

when we are coming Up to a brother, maybe that is living in sin, Let’s pray about it as well. But also notice verse 12 of Matthew, chapter seven, therefore, all things whatsoever you would, that men should do to you do even so to them for this is the law and the prophets. What is this often called the golden rule,

right? I like the word to should here, because this means that how they ought to be how they ought to be biblically, how would I want to be judged? How would you want to be judged? According to man’s opinion? According to this brother’s Idea. No, I want to be judged from the Bible, whatever the Bible says. And that’s how we ought to judge.

According to God’s word questions we have to ask, are we binding where the Bible doesn’t bind? Are we losing where the Bible doesn’t lose? We need to ask ourselves when we are judging, when we are going up to a brother in the church, we need to go to them with humility and with God’s word in that alone. Yes. Firstly, if we were going to get to heaven,

we must judge, right? But secondly, if we are going to get to heaven, we must choose right? There is a choice. Let’s look at verses 13 and 14 of Matthew seven, enter you in at the straight gate for wide is the gate. And broad is the way that Leah’s to destruction and many there be which go in their own because Is the gate and narrow is the way which leads on to life.

And few there be that, find it. You know, since then Beginning, there’s always been a choice, right? There’s always been a choice. There’s not some unconditional election. God doesn’t well, I’m a choose you. And I won’t choose. You know, the God has always allowed us to choose. I like Joshua 24. And you know,

you’ve heard verse 15 before notice John Joshua 24 15. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord shoes, notice that word, choose you this day, whom you will serve, whether the gods, Which your father served that were on the other side of the flood Or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But notice what Joshua says.

He says, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. There’s always been a choice. God gives us that choice. That’s up to us. Yeah. We have two choices. There’s there’s not more than that. And you know, our denominational friends like to tell us, well, I’m just taking a different route to heaven.

No, Jesus says that. I’m the way, I’m the truth. And I’m the life. There’s either Christ’s way or there’s the world’s way. And, and there’s not partial obedience. I want you to notice this quote and I love this quote, notice to be almost persuaded as to be almost saved and to be almost saved as be entirely lost. There’s there’s either full for God or full for the world.

There’s not partial obedience with God. But with that choice, as we’ve talked about, we have a choice. You and I, we have the choice that we have. We’re given that there’s two choices. Again, firstly, as Jesus talks about going back to our text, Matthew seven, there’s a wide way. There’s, there’s a, there’s a wide,

the wide path. And this gate is broad and golfs many people, but guess what it is pleasurable, it feels good. First John two and verse 16 says for all those in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, all those things that man loves makes them feel good. That’s that’s this way.

And you, you get to enjoy the pleasures of sin. You get to, you don’t Have to feel bad about anything you do. You get to live for Yourself every day. It’s all about you. I want you to notice something and Hebrews chapter 11, Hebrews chapter 11, I want you to notice what the Hebrew writer says about Moses choosing rather To suffer affliction with the people Of God than to enjoy.

Notice this, the pleasures of sin or seasoned sin. Doesn’t sin only lasts for a season and yes, this way might feel good. You might get to Do what you want to do, live how you want To live yet. Sadly, this one makes this, this way, makes me An enemy of God, James four in verse number four. He adulterers.

And adulteresses no you not that the friendship, The world is what enmity with God and whosoever is going to be a friend of the world is what an enemy of God being an enemy of God’s that’s a scary thing. It’s not, we need to understand that. No, we can’t choose this way. And sadly, many, many seek to enter the other way.

See they want th that the narrow way they want the straight way. Maybe they, they try. I seek it, but something’s holding them back from leaving this wide way. Sadly many will be lost. That’s a sad thing. Is it not this way is not this way. Again, as it was pleasurable, it might be easy. It’s big.

Many people go in. Yeah, sadly it’s eternal destruction. It’s not pleasant revelation 21. And verse number eight tells us that there’s going to be fire and brimstone. This is eternal damnation. This is, this is torments Burning and the fires of hell forever. It’s not going to last a thousand years, 10,000 years. It’s forever. But also this it’s going to be away from the presence of God.

That’s a sad thing. And to think, to replay in your head over and over again, Jesus walking away from you for ever. That’s a sad thing, but Jesus says there is another way. Going back to Matthew chapter seven, what does he say? He also says that there is a narrow way, a straight way. This word narrow is interesting.

When I was Looking at this word narrow, it means difficult. It means suffered. Tribulus. It’s a, it’s a hard way. This, this, this way. It requires endurance. Second Timothy four, six through eight. The title, No, my departure is at hand paraphrase and I fought a good fight. I finished the course. I’ve kept the faith.

What does Paul say? In verse eight henceforth, there is laid it for me. A crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge shall give me at that day and not to me only, but to all them that love his appearing this way is the way to go this way. Again, as we stated with Moses, it’s hard. Moses chose rather to suffer affliction with the people Of God and do enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.

And this way leads to an everlasting life with God. We should look forward to that. It’s going to be hard. You’re Going to have temptations. You’re going to have trials in your life. Of course, God does not promise perfection just to a perfect life. I will say this. The destination is a beautiful one. I heard a joke, a story choke about,

about the, the, the, the joys of heaven. There was a, an old man and his wife. They, they died and they went to heaven and Peter was, was showing them around heaven, right? And he’s like, he shows them this, this mansion. He says, this is, this is yours. You get this. And they said,

how much, how much do we have to pay for? And Peter says, no, no, that’s yours. It’s in heaven. This is yours. And he shows them a beautiful car. And how much do we have to pay for it? He says, no, it’s yours. They get to the golf course, golf course. And, and the man says how much you have to pay for it.

And Peter’s like, Nope, it’s all free. And the man looks to his wife and he says, why did you feed me those rice cake and vegetables? I could have been eating all this cake and gotten here to heaven sooner, funny thing. And we now understand doesn’t, haven’t going to be beautiful. I think it is no, we’re not going to have any material things,

just a little illustration there, but we need to choose, right. We need to choose the path to heaven. And if we do, man, it’s going to be beautiful. Number three third, let’s go back to our texts this morning. If we’re going to get to heaven for a third point, we have to discern, right? What does it mean to discern,

to discern means to recognize or identify? We did kind of talk about this a little bit. Let’s talk about this as Jesus. Notice Matthew seven, verse 15, but where are false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly, they are ravening wolves. There are going to be those who want to deceive, right? They’re going to be those who want to persuade men to do other things,

to do other things of the world, to go with false doctrine. And yet some are wolves in sheep’s clothing. False prophets are not going to have a sign on their shirt saying false prophet, false prophet with blinking lights. They’re not going to come up to the pulpit and say, hold on, be prepared. I’m a false prophet. I’m about to deceive.

You know, they’re going to come in sheep’s clothing. They’re going to look like the rest yet. They are deceiving us. Notice. Second Corinthians chapter 11, 13 through 15, second Corinthians 11, 13 through 15 for such are false apostles. Deceitful workers transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ and no Marvel for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

Notice that therefore it is no great thing. If his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works, even Satan himself comes into seat for ways. And sadly, there might even be those in the church. No, they look good. They might sound good. They might be the best and the outward.

And then the really, what does Jesus say? They’re ravening. What was, but yes, we, as Christians have to discern, we have to make sure that we are checking. You know, this morning has giving you the gospel. I hope that you just don’t take my word for it. Now. I, I’m not purposely teaching. I hope I’m not saying anything falsely.

Or there could be an instance that preachers say something accidentally that I don’t know, therefore each and every one should make sure the scriptures and the preacher that the teacher is saying something right now, we need to discern you acts chapter 17. Verse number 11 tells us that they searched the scriptures daily to what make sure that these things were were so, and we need to understand that,

but yes, we have to be adamant about testing. One another notice going back to our text verses 16 through 20. Notice what Jesus says about fruit. You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of missiles, even so every good tree bring it forth, good fruit, but a corrupt tree. Bring it forth.

Evil fruit, a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit. Neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that brings us not forth. Good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruit roots. You shall know them. We need to not only discern who is teaching or our brethren, we’ll have to discern ourselves.

We have to look at ourselves. Are we living righteously? Philippians two in verse 12 says work out your own salvation. Yes, we, we need to, to watch out for, for others to make sure that their souls are living faithfully as well. We’re responsible for us. We need to make sure of that. Second Corinthians 13 in verse number five,

examine yourself, make sure discern yourselves, make sure that you were living faithfully. As we talked about before, before you go out and tell others, you have to make sure you’re living faithfully as well. And yet, sadly, sometimes I think going back to talking about those who teach falsely thinking that they can hide thinking that they can blend in, Oh,

they might be able to fool you. They might be able to fool me, but they will never, ever, ever full gone their work will be. He brought out, I love numbers, chapter 32 and verse number 23 numbers, 32, 23 notice. But if you will not do so behold, you have sinned against the Lord. Notice this next phrase and be sure your sin will fall.

Sand’s going to be brought to light whether on this earth or whether in judgment, second Corinthians five verse number 10, we’re going to, to what? Up here before everyone is going to appear before the judgment seat of Christ. Yes, we have to discern. We have to make sure that we know right from wrong. We have to make sure that our lives as Christians are living faithfully.

And to say that that everything is okay. Now we need to discern, as Jesus talks about, you know, first John chapter one in verse number five, John says that this is the message, which we’ve heard in declarance to you. That God is light. Nim is no darkness at all in him is no darkness at all. We need to understand that we have to push out the 11 push out sin every day of our lives.

Bless notice our last point for this morning. If we we’re going to get to heaven, we fourthly and lastly must have to build, right? Let’s go back to our texts. Look at verses 24 Through 27, we’re going to come back to verses 21 through 23 at the end. But let’s look at verses 24 through 27, as Jesus is going to give a kind of analogy or illustration Here.

He says, therefore, whosoever, heareth these sayings of mine and do with them. I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock. And the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house. And it fell not for, it was founded upon a rock and everyone that hears these sayings of mine and do it.

Them not shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand. And the rain is descent and the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that. The house and it fell and great was the fall of it. Now, again, we talked about, we have two choices in reality, there’s only two choices,

the world Satan or gone. And so again, you look at these, these, these two people they both heard, right? They both, they both heard, they both built, but one of them didn’t do something. They both faced the storms of life, but one of them did not do the words of who? Of Christ. Yeah. He built his house.

He didn’t have a solid foundation. The outcome was different. Let’s look at the first man, the first person, the first man did what he built his house on Christ. And we, as Christians have to do that every day of loss, every single one of us have to do that. First Corinthians three, look at verse number 11, first Corinthians three and verse number 11.

Notice what Paul says here. He says for other foundation can no man, lay than that is laid, which is what Christ Jesus Christ. That’s where our foundation must be laid. We have to have him as our cornerstone. That’s our foundation. And this man, This man, he didn’t just hear The word. He also did the word James one in verse.

Number two says what we have to be doers of the word, not hearers only. We can’t be only those who hear. We have to do something about it. And yet, sadly those in Psalm and denominations, like to say faith alone, faith alone, go out. I like to use this analogy. When talking about that idea, last Noah,

how he built the Ark by faith alone. I don’t think, I don’t think he’d look at you like what he had to do something. There was a story about one who was golfing with his friend. Of course he was a Christian. And the other was, I believe of a denomination who taught faith alone and they are talking about faith and they got on the green.

And of course the, the faith alone preacher person got up to putt and The Christian was I no, no, no. Hold on, hold on. You. You have to put that in by what? Faith alone. Because faith alone doesn’t require action. Faith alone doesn’t require action. Does it? Doesn’t and the one was like, yeah, you got me there.

The faith plus works equals salvation. Not faith alone. I have to build, I have to do it upon Christ. I want you to notice also something about what this man faced. You know, he still felt face trials, even though his house was built upon the rock, even though it was built upon spiritually Christ, he still faced trials. Notice as we’ve talked about a second,

as we talked about the rains descended verse 25 and the floods came, the winds blew. He might’ve had some scratches. He might’ve even had some, maybe a minor damage on the house, but it never fell. Why? Because it was built on the rock. Second Timothy three verse number 12 year old that should live godly in Christ. Jesus will suffer persecution again.

As we’ve talked about, the way is hard. It’s narrow. It it’s difficult, but we, if we live faithfully, there’s, there’s a requirement we’ll never fall. Now, can we fall away if we choose to? Yes, but if we continue until our lives are over, I forgot is for us, who can, who can stand against us?

We got God on our side. We should be thankful for that. But what about the other man on the sand? He built his house upon the sand and this man, like, like the other Island, unlike the other, he had a faulty foundation. He didn’t build his foundation upon Christ. His foundation was tied to man known as Colossians two and number eight,

but where lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ, that’s where his foundation was. And this man forgot who he was spiritually. He didn’t, he didn’t, he didn’t build his foundation. Right? And, and when the trials of life were upon him, what happened?

He fell. He didn’t have a good foundation. He, he, he was destroyed. You know, pride comes before destruction and a haughty spirit before the fall. We’re going to be humble enough to do the necessary things, to build right. To make sure that our foundation is correct. Because if our foundation is correct, we can build upon that.

And that basically has a Christian, but yes, if we’re going to get to heaven, we have to build a right. But the question is, what are we going to do as Christians on this earth? And we’re going to judge, right? Are we going to choose the right path? Are we going to discern and build right as Christians? If we cannot do these simple things,

we will not be able to go to heaven. We need to choose the path and keep on that straight and narrow. But the question remains to each and every individual will we make that sacrifice. Galatians two verse number 20. I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, I live yet. Not I, but Christ liveth in me and the life that I now live in.

The flesh. I live by the faith in the son of God, loved me and gave himself for me. We need to live our lives as sacrifices. And perhaps there was one here this morning who has not chosen the, the, the path of heaven. Perhaps you have not started the journey. Maybe, perhaps you hearing the word now, do you believe that Jesus is the son of God?

Do you believe that that he came down to die for you so that you could have eternal life? Would you be willing to repent of your sins? Confess Christ before man, and be baptized for the remission of sins to start that journey? That’s just the start that’s, that’s just the beginning. And then you get to live faithfully forever. If you choose to do so,

and you get to go to heaven, but perhaps you’ve already done. So, and you have not been living as a Christian. You haven’t been judging, right? You haven’t chosen the right path. You haven’t discerned, right? And you have not built and continued there on, would you come back to God before it is? Everlastingly too late. I know I’ve used this analogy many times.

Imagine the, the father waiting every day for you to come home so he can have you a part of his fold. Once again, second Peter three verse nine. The Lord is not Slack concerning his promise as some men count slackness, but notice this as long suffering towards us, not willing to in any should perish, but that all should come back to repentance.

But it’s up to you to make that choice. If anyone is subject, and once you come as we stand and as we see<inaudible> lift up your voice, leave with him<inaudible> and began life<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> Jesus. Well, me<inaudible> Neil at the cross<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> Jesus. Well meet you there, Neil, at the cross,

give y’all ride<inaudible> to nada, to life. Sparkling cop trust always<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible>. Jesus will meet you.<inaudible> The song. Before our closing prayer will be number 867 to Canaan’s land I’m on my way, eight, six, seven, two Cain and land. I’m on my way where the<inaudible> never jog my dark ass. Nah, well,

turn to day where the<inaudible> never<inaudible> no,<inaudible> no,<inaudible><inaudible> and<inaudible> a Rose and this blew me there. Fuck me where the<inaudible> and<inaudible> where the<inaudible> never ah, no<inaudible> no,<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> never love light beams.<inaudible><inaudible> never de<inaudible><inaudible> no,<inaudible> no,<inaudible><inaudible> I’m on my way to that fan land where there’s<inaudible> where there will be no partying and where there’s<inaudible> never ah,

no,<inaudible> no,<inaudible><inaudible> and<inaudible> Let’s pray. Father who art in heaven. We thank thee for the freedom that we have to come and meet on the first day of the weekend for your children to worship fi and sang the songs of praise. And today we pray that we will always have these freedoms in this country. We always be able to come and,

and gather without fear of home. We pray that you would be with those that have been mentioned today that are sick and unable to be with us. We pray that you would be with the Cozort family and the health of Aaron’s grandmother. We pray that things will go well with her and keep them safe. As they travel back and forth, we pray that you would go with us now and keep us safe.

Do we meet again and crash? And we pray. Amen.