Automated Transcript
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our father in heaven, hallowed be thy name, father. It is with humble hearts. We come before your throne this hour, acknowledging you as our creator and the creator of this entire universe. And we realize father with our feeble minds, that we cannot begin to comprehend how magnificent your intellect truly is, but we give you all our praise and glory.
We’re so very grateful that you chose to send your son to this earth. That gives us the possibility of a home forever with you. We’re grateful for this congregation, that assembles here in Collierville and all the many attributes that come along with it. We’re mindful also of the number of people that are suffering at this time, especially within our congregation. And those mentioned here in the announcements,
we pray for them a speedy recovery. If it be thy will, and those that have lost loved ones, we pray that you comfort them as only you can, where mindful also father of the turmoil it is in this country, the divisions we pray for unity, and that you allow us the opportunity and the wisdom and the knowledge to correct these problems.
We pray, especially for our president, that he will have the wisdom to continue to draw this country together, to solve the many problems and grant him the strength and the health to accomplish these things. As we go through the further exercise of this meeting, we ask that you bless it, that all things will be done in your will. That all will be to your grace and glory.
It’s in his name that we pray amen To prepare our minds for the Lord’s supper. We will be singing when surveyed the wondrous cross. When I survey the wondrous cross And I serve, Hey<inaudible> Yes. On which the prin, uh, Sorry. Uh huh. Ma hi, rich. Yay. Uh, I can, um, uh,<inaudible><inaudible> Mmm,
uh huh. Uh huh. Oh,<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> Say, Hey man. Uh, dad, uh, CRA nice. Ah, Uh huh. Oh the then dang. Uh, Sure Me<inaudible> Uh, I sacrifice a nice<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> Uh huh. See<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> Okay. Mmm<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> and<inaudible> Me. Oh, thorns come<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> Mmm<inaudible><inaudible> Uh,
Nah.<inaudible> uh, for two years.<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> So<inaudible> Uh,<inaudible> uh,<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible>. We are commanded that as we assemble at the first of each week to celebrate the ultimate sacrifice that God did in sending his son Jesus to live here on earth to teach us, but most importantly die for us the center. So join me in prayer.
As we go to our Lord, God, our father in heaven, we come to you at this time, thanking you for having sent your son Jesus here on earth to live with us and teach us. But most importantly, to sacrifice his body for us, the centers, as we prepare to take this bread, which resembles his body, which hung on that cruel cross at Calvary,
help us to remember exactly the pain and suffering that he endured for us. The center, we pray this through your son, Jesus name. Amen. Let us continue in prayer. God. As we prepared to take this fruit of the vine, which represents Jesus’ blood, the blood that he shed for us in our sins, help us to remember exactly that,
that it was shed his blood for us, the center here on earth. So we may have that opportunity to one day live with you and glory in heaven. We pray this through your son, Jesus name, Amen. This time we’re going to take an opportunity to give back. As we each have been blessed God, our father in heaven, we come to you once again,
thanking you for all that you do. We truly do realize that each and everything we have comes through you from you. And if it weren’t for you, we would have nothing now as each and every one of us prepares to give back a portion of what we’ve been so greatly blessed with. We ask that you help each and every one of us do with cheerful hearts.
We ask also let you help the men of the congregation be thoughtful and mindful of your works and deeds that need to be done on this earth here. As we plan how to spend these fruits that are given back to you, we pray this through your son, Jesus name. Amen.<inaudible> The song before the lesson will be break thou the bread of life break thou the bread of life.<inaudible><inaudible> Dan Lord<inaudible> Uh,
uh,<inaudible> bees.<inaudible> I see<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> um,<inaudible> the thing<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> uh, uh, dad, uh, bruh.<inaudible><inaudible> Did see this. Oh,<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> uh, find my peace<inaudible> Oh,<inaudible> Good morning to those present to those absent and yet present and assembled with, uh, those in their own houses.
We appreciate your presence. We appreciate your time, your energy, your effort, your diligence to the Lord and your service to him. Do you want to make mention of one additional announcement that was sent to us? Uh, and that is, um, that ms. Gladys has gone to Huntsville, Alabama with her son until tomorrow night. So we just wanted to make people aware of that in case you call her and she doesn’t answer,
uh, nothing’s wrong. Don’t don’t uh, think that there’s an issue there. Uh, she is in Alabama for, for right now. Take your Bibles if you will. And let’s begin in first, John first, John chapter one Is where we’re going to jump off this morning. The focus of our lesson is entitled. Real Christians want to utilize this word real,
both this Sunday and next Sunday, as we examine the idea of real Christians. Now we’re not going to approach this from the perspective of what is necessary in order to become a Christian. I want us to focus on what are the things that make a real Christian? What are the things that a real Christian actually cares about and actually does. So we’re going to notice this through a series of points as we go through this,
but we’re going to begin in first, John chapter one, with this fundamental thing, you cannot be a real Christian. You cannot be what the new Testament talks about. If you do not comprehend, appreciate and live your life based around real communication. This idea of real communication is to say that what is stated, that, which we speak about that,
which is the foundation of Christianity, is that, which is true. We do not base our lives and our faith, our whole Bonnie eternity on fables on myths, on things that are not real. The foundation of all Christianity is truth and facts and reality. First John chapter one, we begin in verse one and we read this, that, which was from the beginning,
Which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and our hands have handled concerning the word of life. John uses the beginning of his first writing. That is the book of John John chapter one. He uses that as the foundation for his writing of first John, because in John chapter, one he begins with in the beginning was the word and the word was with God.
And the word was God. And he goes through a discourse concerning who Jesus really was. Jesus was deity Jesus existed before anything else was created. Jesus was the one who did the creating Jesus is God, But not only is Jesus. God, Jesus became or took on flesh John chapter one, verse 14. And so John begins this letter of first John with this declaration,
that, which was from the beginning, that which was declared from the outset, the message, which we have told you, and we have repeated to you. And you have believed that, which was from the beginning was that, which we touched that, which we laid our hands upon that, which we looked upon, that which we have handled and seen and heard and witnessed to personally.
And that is the existence of Jesus Christ and his walking this earth, The foundation of all Christianity and the foundation of every real Christian is this singular fact. Jesus was a real person. And Jesus really is God. And Jesus really did come to this earth and walk. This earth was born of a Virgin and died on a cross. He had a mother Who,
while he was hanging on that cross, he looked down at this apostle John and looked down at his mother, Mary and told John she’s in your hands. Now<inaudible> John says, We know The truth. We were there, But he goes on in verse Two, the life was manifested this life. Speaking of Christ, the life was manifested and we have seen and bear witness and declare to you that eternal life,
which was with the father was manifested to us. John says, we didn’t just see him live. We didn’t just see him walk the earth. We didn’t just touch him with our hands and hear his voice and witness him being present. But then we saw him raised from the grave. Then we saw him ascend up into heaven. We saw eternal life inaction Recognize the fact that no one else had done that before.
No one else had ever witnessed eternal life in action. Someone who had gone to the grave and then resurrected and never died again. That’s why the Hebrew writer calls Jesus Christ, the firstborn from the dead, because he was the first one, not the first one ever raised up from the dead. The first one to raise up from the dead, never to die again.
Yeah. They witnessed eternal life that it was manifested in their presence. That which was with the father and was manifested to us that which we have seen and heard. We declare there’s your communication to you that you also may have fellowship with us. And truly our fellowship is with the father and with his son, Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full Foundation of every real Christian begins with real communication.
A real message that came from God declared through the power of the Holy spirit, through the apostles, to us in this book That we might know the truth and that we might believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God. If you don’t have that foundation, You’re not a real Christian. Jesus said, except you believe that I am. He, that is the one who is self existing deity in the flesh,
except you believe that I am, he, you shall die in your sins. Now, the second thing that makes up a real Christian goes beyond communication. It goes to choices. Real Christians Make real substantive choices. Every single person who has ever put Christ on in baptism has made a choice. They have made a choice that should have determined the direction of their life.
Beginning at that day. And every day they would walk the earth moving forward. No First Thessalonians chapter one First Thessalonians chapter one, Paul writes to these Christians at Tesla and ICA. It is believed by many commentators, many scholars that first Thessalonians may have been the very first of pistol written in the new Testament. We certainly know that the, the, uh,
stop in vessel Annika was one of the early stops and that this church was one of the early churches in Paul seems to have written this letter very close to the time that he left there. We begin reading in verse two. We give thanks to God, always for you, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith,
your labor of love and patience of hope in our Lord, Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and father knowing beloved brethren, your election by God, Okay. Paul begins as he and these others are writing to these Christians and they’re going to speak to them about a mint by many different things. He writes to them sent and says, we have been praying for you.
And we are thankful every time we are mindful of you in our prayers, because we know your work. We know that you didn’t take in the gospel and then do nothing with it. We know you didn’t accept that communication and then do nothing. We know your choices. We know the decisions that you’ve made, how you’ve determined to work, how you’ve determined to have faith,
how you’ve determined to labor, how you have determined to love, how you have determined to stand up under or be patient in the trials of life and how you have determined to hope. But then he goes on to say, verse five for our gospel. There’s that communication again, did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy spirit.
And in much assurance, as you know, what kind of men we were among you for your sake, and you became followers of us and of the Lord. Notice the choice. These Christians made known as what these at Thessaloniki determined to do. They determined when they heard the gospel and when they obeyed it, they said, we a pattern to follow.
We have an example before our eyes in Paul and those who were present with him and with the Lord, and we are going to follow them. We are going to walk in their steps. We are going to pattern ourselves after their lives and we are going to serve God. One of the greatest assets, a novice or a babe in Christ or a young Christian can have Is a close companion,
who is a faithful member of the body of Christ, a Christian who has already determined years before that they’re going to live their lives. The way the new Testament actually describes that they’re going to serve others. As Jesus talked about that, they’re going to teach others. As Jesus talked about, they’re going to live their lives with every decision and every choice and every path focused on eternity as the ultimate goal,
Young Christians need to learn and need to see that example. So they can pattern their life after someone who’s already doing it. Right? But always being reminded just as Paul did with those at Corinth. When he told those at Corinth, you follow me as I follow Christ, always being reminded that they don’t follow any man. They might step in those steps that have been tried before them by faithful Christians,
but they always follow the Lord. And if ever those paths, diverged, if ever those paths of that one, who they followed for so many years, who was a Christian and a faithful Christian, when they became a Christian and they followed them and they’ve patterned their life after them, if ever those paths, diverged and the Lord’s going one way, and this person’s going another way,
they’re going to follow the Lord. But he goes on to say this. He says, and you became followers of us and of the Lord having received the word in much affliction with joy of the Holy spirit that you, so that you became examples of all in Macedonia and Acadia who believe from, for, from you. The word of the Lord has sounded forth not only in Macedonia and a K a,
but also in every place, your faith toward God has gone out so that We do not need to say anything. These Christians in Thesla Nika took the communication. They made the choice, and then they didn’t just live that choice privately. They didn’t just enact that work in their home. They didn’t just determine to be Christians in their own private settings. They determined they were not only going to be Christians in public,
but they were going to teach others to do the same. And so those Christians went out into Macedonia and they converted more people and more people followed them. And they went into Acadia and they converted more people in more people follow them. And their influence kept growing Because they made a choice because they made a choice that they would never turn back And they would obey the gospel And they would teach others as well.
But then consider real Christians are made up not only through real communication, not only of real choices, but also those who come<inaudible> and fully realize real consequences. We are living in a day and in a time, Which is probably very similar to the rest of the days and the rest of the time that’s come before us and will come after us where people by and large reject the idea of consequences,
They don’t want to correct someone. They don’t want to allow anyone to suffer for bad choices. They don’t want others to have any consequences. And they certainly don’t want to raise their children in such a way where those children suffer consequences for wrongdoing. And this is just supposed to be normal. But the reality is based upon the real communication that we have from God.
And the real choices we make as Christians, real conflict Quinces are absolutely necessary. Both consequences when we don’t do what’s right And consequences. When we do consider Matthew chapter 16, Matthew chapter 16, Jesus talks about choices. He talks about choices that will have Consequences, but he sums that up in a passage that most of us I believe are, are intimately familiar with in Matthew chapter 16 in verse 28,
when he’s spoken about the son of man returning, he says, assuredly, that word carries the substance to say you the listener, the one who was present the disciples as well, who were hearing this from Jesus could rest their assurance on this fact. And it was rock solid. They could know beyond a shadow of a doubt. This communication was true.
He says, assuredly. I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death until they see the son of man coming in his kingdom. Jesus said, here’s what you can know to those who were present in that day, the kingdom’s coming. And there are some of you who are going to be standing here. There are some of you who will not taste death,
who will not see the end of their life till that kingdom comes Mark chapter nine, verse one, that parallel reference to this Jesus said, and it will come with power, But you go back to verse 26 and notice the context in which he tells these people, the kingdom’s coming. And some of you, the disciples are going to be present. When it comes.
He says in verse 26, for what profit is it to a man. If he gains the whole world and loses his own soul, Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? The reality is this. There are consequences to the choices that we make based upon the communication that we’ve heard, that the choices that we then determined to make,
have consequences, and those consequences are tied up. In this reality, the kingdom has come. There are not people walking around this earth who are more than 2000 years old, still alive waiting for the kingdom to show up. The kingdom is already here. The kingdom came in, acts chapter two. The kingdom was established when Jesus Christ went to his death was resurrected again and established his reign.
He sat down at the right hand of God. He is reigning. He is the lamb who was dead and who is alive. He is the one who is worthy. He is the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the eye Elm, the alpha and the Omega. He is all of those things. And he reigns now. But right before Jesus talked about the kingdom coming,
he made it clear that people make a choice. When they determined to choose riches, when they determined to choose anything in this life over eternity, they make a choice that loses them Any eternity. They lose in eternity because they didn’t determine to lose. Here. You say, well, wait a minute aired. Are you saying there can’t be rich Christians?
No, I’m not saying that. Are you saying there can’t be successful people who are Christians? No, I’m not saying that. What are you saying that I’m saying every single, rich Christian, every single Christian who’s successful in business or in money has something that’s far more important to them than business or money And that’s eternity. And Luke chapter 14, Jesus said,
So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has Can not Be my disciple. Jesus said, here is an impossibility. If you will not forsake everything, if you will not take everything, every substance and everything in his life, every sin and every person that you know, and place them beneath me, You cannot be my disciple, But then consider as well.
As I mentioned before, there’s not just real consequences for one who chooses not to be obedient to God, there are certainly consequences for one who chooses not to obey the Lord first Thessalonians, uh, again, Paul, or excuse me, second Thessalonians. Paul writes to these brethren and says in verses seven through nine of chapter one, he says, there are those who will not obey God who will not obey the gospel and will suffer eternal punishment as a result.
That’s just the reality of the matter. But in Hebrews chapter 10, we learn there are also consequences for the right choice. There’s not only real consequences as Christians. When we make the wrong choice. When we determine not to obey God, there are real consequences. When we determine to obey God, Hebrews chapter 10, The Hebrew writer has written to these Christians about a new and a living way.
That’s the salvation that Christ has provided by going into eternity and being the sacrifice one time for all humanity, that new and living way through the waters of baptism, rising up to walk and news of life. Having been washed spiritually from your sins, being a new creature, That new and living way is available to every individual who will here, who will believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God will repent of their sins and confess his name and be immersed in water,
buried in water for the remission of their sins. That way is available, but it has consequences. Jesus told those who would hear him to count the cost before they chose to be as discipled. He illustrated it with a man who was preparing to build a great building. And he went to go build the building, but he first counted whether or not he had enough money to complete the building project,
the King who had 10,000 soldiers and was going out to face another army of 20,000, who first examined, could he, with 10,000 defeat the army with 20,000, Jesus told people, you count the cost before you decide to become my disciples. Cool, Because there are consequences to that choice. Hebrews chapter 10, not only discusses those who sin, willfully verse 26,
who turned their back on God, but go down to verse 31. He says it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living. God, that’s talking about those who are disobedient, but then he says, but recall, recall the former days in which after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with suffering. Partly while you were made a spectacle,
both by reproaches and tribulations. And partly while you became companions of those who were so treated, he says, do you remember that after you were eliminated after you became Christians after you were enlightened by God, because you heard the truth and came to know what it meant to be walking in the light, to be obedient to God. He says, after that happened,
everything didn’t turn out well for you. Things didn’t suddenly start going your way. He said, you endured a great fight of afflictions. And then you endured with those who also were struggling. He goes on in verse 34. He says for you had compassion on me in my chains and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven,
therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. The Hebrew Writer, as he writes to these Christians, he says, there are consequences to your choices and there is suffering that you’re going to endure. But you remember you used to endure it joyfully. You use to go through that pain, that anguish, that suffering and that struggle of being a Christian joyfully,
because you remembered Eternity, You focused on your eternal goals and your eternal reward. You stayed faithful, But in verse 36, he says for you have need of endurance. So then after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise for yet a little while. And he who is coming will come And will not. Terry. Now the just shall live by faith.
But if anyone draws back, my soul has no pleasure in him. Then verse 39. But we, one of the things I love about the book of Hebrews is the Hebrew writer never divined himself all from these Christians, these Christians that are thinking about going back to the law of Moses, these Christians that are thinking about turning themselves back to their old ways.
These Christians that are thinking about turning their back on Christ, and this writer never separates himself from them All throughout the book, we need to do this. We need to do this. We need to hold fast. We need to take charge of these things. We need to do this and that, but verse 39, he says, but we are not those who draw back to perdition,
but of those who believe to the saving of the soul,<inaudible> The next week. We’ll talk about the real character of a Christian, But understand this. Every Christian knows there are real consequences. There are real consequences to unfaithfulness. There is a fearful thing called falling into the hands of a living God, Because he will bring justice and vengeance on those who do not obey,
who reject him and serve and love. Only themselves. There are consequences to being faithful to. There are consequences to being one who is a Christian, because this life’s not going to be easy. And you will have to forsake things that you would have accepted. Otherwise you will have to make choices that hurt you instead of help you, Because that’s what a Christian does.
How do I know You skip over just a chapter to chapter 12 verses one and two in the same conversation. The Hebrew writer says it was with joy that our Lord and savior went to the cross. He went to the cross and suffered for us because there are consequences for doing what’s right. And he suffered them for us. If you’re outside of the body of Christ today,
don’t stay that way. There is truth. And it’s right here. If a man tells you, what’s here is wrong. He’s got 3,500 years worth of truth. He’s got to reject before he can hold that position.<inaudible> But if man tells you what here is, right, and then tells you to do something different than what’s right here. He doesn’t really believe what he said because he doesn’t hold to the truth of the communication.
If you’re going to be a Christian and I encourage you to be one, You’re going to have to choose that this book and this book alone is going to guide your life into eternity because he turned it he’s coming. Whether you’re ready for it or not. What are you doing today to become ready for eternity? If you’re outside the body of Christ, you need to be immersed in water for the remission of your sins.
Having repented of your sins, having confessed, his name, having believed that Jesus Christ is the son of God. And you need to rise up added to the body of Christ added to the kingdom that we read about next chapter to add it to the church. And then you need to live faithful until this life is over. You need to live faithful,
no matter the cost, you need to be prepared for that real communication to drive your real choices in view of real consequences. But if you’re a member of the body of Christ, and maybe you got started with that communication, and you got started with those real choices, and then you’ve drifted away. Don’t forget there are real consequences. But if you’re a faithful member of the body of Christ,
don’t ever be dissuaded from the reality, there are real consequences for right choices. There is real suffering in this life. There is the necessity of forsaking, what this life has to offer for what the next life has to offer. And so be like those that the Hebrew writer wrote to and says, we’re not going to draw back. We’re not going to turn around.
We’re not going to go anywhere, but towards Christ, We appreciate your time, your attention and your focus this morning. If you have need of entering into the body of Christ, if you have need of encouragement or exhortation or a better understanding of the truth, we’d be happy to help feel free to reach out to us online or offline through our phone.
However you would like to. We thank you for your time.<inaudible> The song before our closing prayer will be number 749. The battle belongs to the Lord 749. Yeah. In heaven, the<inaudible> a battle being long series. No, No weapons. That’s fashioned against us was Dan the battle being longs to the Lord and we, sorry. Oh,
no power and string to them. We see sorry, power and string to the<inaudible>. When the power of darkness comes in like a FLA the battle being longs too, though,<inaudible> He was raised up a standard, the power of his blah and the battle being longs to the Lord. And we seeing glory. Oh no. Hello and string to the Lord.
We see, sorry. Oh, power and drink too though.<inaudible> When yo man, I mean he presses in har do not fear the battle being long.<inaudible> Take courage. My, you already damn shun his knee here. The bad time have been long. So you’re the Lord. And we seen glory, Oh, power and string to the Lord.
We seen glory O Hauer and string to the<inaudible>.<inaudible> Let us pray. Our gracious father in heaven. We bow before you at this time, humbled and grateful for all that you do for us on a daily basis. Mindful of all those who have endured hardship and suffering throughout the entire world. We know the suffering that is in this world is ultimately a result of sin.
And we pray that we do all that we can each and every day to push back against the effects of sin, to push back against the effects of disease and destruction, to bring comfort and hope, joy and eternal values to this world. We pray for all those who are missionaries, who are throughout the world, who are teaching and struggling, maybe in many,
much more difficult places than here in this country. But we also pray for those in leadership in this country, we pray that they might make choices that open up greater avenues of teaching and instruction and evangelism. Instead of closing them down, we pray for wisdom from every leader in every nation. They might look to your word for that wisdom, understand it,
and be obedient to it themselves. We ask that you be with those who are traveling, especially with ms. Gladys when she comes home and with the Richardsons, as they’re up in Missouri, pray that each and every one will come home safely. All this we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.