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Matthew chapter 5 verse 1, and seeing the

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multitudes, he went up on a mountain.

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And when he was seated, his disciples came

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to him.

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Then he opened his mouth and taught them,

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saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for

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theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

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Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall

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be comforted.

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Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit

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the earth.

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Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for

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righteousness, for they shall be filled.

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Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain

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mercy.

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Blessed are the pure in heart, for they

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shall see God.

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Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be

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called sons of God.

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I think one of the greatest ways that

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we are called to be peacemakers is the

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very fact that we are ambassadors of Christ,

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and we call people to be reconciled to

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our God.

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That comes right off the pages of 2

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Corinthians 5.

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But of course, peace, calling people to peace

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with God, is one way we are peacemakers.

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There's a lot of peacemaking that happens within

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the context of the church, and even as

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I was talking about in the Lord's Supper.

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There's divisions that crop up in the church

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that we have to resist.

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Peacemakers are the people that, as soon as

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they see any cracks in the church, they're

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attacking them.

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And listen, it's not like there are some

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peacemakers in the church.

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Not the true church.

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In the true church, they all are peacemakers.

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Because what it says here is, peacemakers are

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the ones who are called the sons of

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God.

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In other words, it's exclusive.

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It's only them.

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In fact, if you have people in the

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church that are given to divisiveness, it may

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be momentary carnality, but oftentimes it's a demonstration

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of the fact that they're sons of a

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different father.

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So, I want us to think today, dive

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into Scripture.

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Again, when we come to these Beatitudes, we're

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considering what Christ said, but we are really

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the ones that are under the microscope.

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We're examining His Word, but what you find

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is, you're the one who's really being examined.

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So let's pray as we dive in.

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Father, I pray, help us in this place.

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Help us to handle Your Word of God.

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I want to rightly divide it.

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I pray that You'd give us ears to

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hear what we need, what each one of

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us needs to hear from this.

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I ask this in the name of our

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Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

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So, I stuck a lot of verses in

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my notes.

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So I don't know how far we'll get,

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but I don't plan on doing another message

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here, so bear with me.

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I know I've been looking at some of

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the messages from this series being posted, and

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I've been averaging about an hour and 10

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or 15 minutes.

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That's not...

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I don't...

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I'm sorry.

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But anyway, if it's not killing you and

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about at the 60 minute mark, if I

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don't see tongues hanging out or eyes closing

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and people falling over in their seats, I

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typically keep going.

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But I want to show you a verse.

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Hebrews 12.14. Hebrews 12.14. We often

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look at this text because we are concerned

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with holiness.

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We're concerned with a separateness, or righteousness, or

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purity in the life.

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And so we like to quote, if you

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don't have holiness, you're not going to see

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the kingdom.

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And that is definitely what the verse teaches.

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But there's another aspect to the verse that

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we often crop off, simply because peacemaking doesn't

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get a lot of mileage in the church.

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We talk a lot about holiness, but peace,

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it is kind of like the first message

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I did.

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We don't often think about peacemaker as being

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one of the primary definitions of what a

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Christian is, or even one of the primary

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attributes of God being a peacemaker.

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And yet that's what characterizes us as sons

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of God.

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Now notice Hebrews 12.14. Pursue peace.

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Now see, in the Beatitudes, no imperatives.

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It's all indicative.

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It just says, hey, if you're a peacemaker,

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you're blessed, and you're going to be called,

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you're already called, and you will be called,

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you shall be called a son of God.

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And no one else will.

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It's not like you can have sons of

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God that aren't peacemakers.

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It's not like there's two categories of sons

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of God.

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Some are peacemakers, some aren't.

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What he's saying is, peacemakers, sons of God.

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And the same truth is right here, although

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right here we do get an imperative.

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Over in the Beatitudes, you're not told to

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do anything.

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You're just basically told, if you're a peacemaker,

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you're going to be called a son of

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God.

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If you're not a peacemaker, not going to

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be called a son of God.

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Over here, there's an imperative.

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An imperative is a commandment.

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Pursue peace.

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That's an imperative.

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Pursue, with all people, and holiness, without which

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no one will see the Lord.

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And you see, you have a conjunction there.

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You pursue peace, and you pursue holiness, without

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which no one will see the Lord.

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And you know, we could say, well, which

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one does that apply to?

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Since holiness is last, is it only...

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No, I don't think you want to take

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it that way.

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The reality is, you want to take both.

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It's pursuing peace, without which no one will

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see the Lord, and pursue holiness, without which

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no one will see the Lord.

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That's what you want to do with that

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verse.

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And it's very consistent with what we find

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in the Beatitude.

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That if you don't, you won't inherit the

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kingdom.

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You won't be a son of God.

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And see, this is again, I'm emphasizing, these

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Beatitudes cause us to look at ourselves.

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Are you a peacemaker?

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The truth is, strife follows some people on

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their heels.

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You look at their life.

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Basically, strife follows them where they go.

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It happens...

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You know what?

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It's not just strife.

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Because the people that aren't peacemakers are not

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just people who fight.

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They're often people who run.

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You see, this is pursuing peace.

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And you get people who want to put

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up their fists, and they want to go

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to fight.

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But you get other people when there's conflict,

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they just run away.

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They're not pursuing peace, and they're not peacemakers.

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They're just...

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they run away.

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They don't want to be involved in the

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fight at all.

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And so, that's not a peacemaker either.

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And so, remember peace.

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Remember peace.

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It's not just the absence of something.

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It's not just the absence of war, and

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strife, and quarreling, and conflict.

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It's not that.

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Peace actually has to do with harmony, and

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fellowship, and love, and closeness, and intimacy, and

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friendship.

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That's...

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If you're going to pursue peace, you've got

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to pursue the whole thing.

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It's not just you want to be in

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the state where you're making sure that there's

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no conflict around you.

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You actually want to pursue the things that

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make for harmony.

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The things that make for closeness.

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The things that draw things together.

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So, here we are.

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Peacemaking.

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This is what you need to recognize.

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Peacemaking is non-negotiable in both these passages.

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Listen, I remember when...

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way back.

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When after we'd started the church there in

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San Antonio, we had a conference.

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And a certain woman was saved.

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And she said that what bothered her while

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she was trying to live the life of

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a Christian.

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What bothered her was she couldn't get along

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with her mother-in-law.

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You see, no peace.

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And God convicted her and saved her.

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Peacemaking is just not negotiable.

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So, let's dive in here a bit further.

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A little bit of a theology of war.

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Theology of what's behind quarrels.

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And of course, that ought to take us

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to James.

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Because James chapter 4, he wants to deal

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with this very thing.

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What's behind wars?

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What's behind fights?

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Why does it happen among us?

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And so, if you go to James 4,

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just a bit of a theology of peace

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and strife.

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This is very helpful.

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As we're examining ourselves and we're thinking on

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this subject, we want to dissect this animal

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of warring, fighting, quarreling, striving.

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So, James says this, Where do wars and

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fights come from among you?

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This portion of Scripture is intense.

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There's no question.

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And it's graphic.

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There's no question.

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Where do wars and fights come from among

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you?

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Do they not come from your desires for

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pleasure?

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Now, I'm reading this from the New King

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James.

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And I recognize different translations are going to

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say this a little bit differently.

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But do you recognize when it talks about

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pleasure?

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It's the idea of that which pleases.

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It's like, I want my way.

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I want what pleases me.

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So, where do they come from?

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Strife, fighting, quarreling.

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Don't they come from your desires?

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You want something.

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You want what pleases you.

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And these desires are at war in your

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members.

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The idea is your members.

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But it's the kind of thing where your

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eyes see things and you want it.

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You've got desires of the body, desires of

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the flesh, and they want things.

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You lust and do not have.

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You murder and covet and cannot obtain.

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And you know, you don't want to just

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write yourself off here.

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I'm no murderer.

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Yeah, but when he throws it out like

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this, you understand.

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He's talking about strife.

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What's the root of strife?

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We don't love others.

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We love ourselves.

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We actually hate each other.

275
00:12:08,440 --> 00:12:09,800
Paul talks that way to Timothy.

276
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Hating and hated.

277
00:12:12,300 --> 00:12:14,700
That's basically what categorizes mankind.

278
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We tolerate others as long as they are

279
00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:20,960
valuable to us.

280
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I mean, when we're lost, we will tolerate

281
00:12:23,580 --> 00:12:26,360
things from other people as long as it

282
00:12:26,360 --> 00:12:27,780
really serves us.

283
00:12:28,220 --> 00:12:32,520
And even the love we do, the love

284
00:12:32,520 --> 00:12:35,060
we have, and the way we care for

285
00:12:35,060 --> 00:12:38,940
people as lost people, it really is, in

286
00:12:38,940 --> 00:12:40,740
the end of it, it's self-serving.

287
00:12:44,830 --> 00:12:45,390
But you murder.

288
00:12:47,950 --> 00:12:49,930
John says whoever hates his brother is a

289
00:12:49,930 --> 00:12:50,250
murderer.

290
00:12:51,430 --> 00:12:52,670
And you know, Jesus said, we're going to

291
00:12:52,670 --> 00:12:53,870
get to it in the Sermon on the

292
00:12:53,870 --> 00:12:54,070
Mount.

293
00:12:54,350 --> 00:12:56,990
He says, you've heard that, you know, if

294
00:12:56,990 --> 00:12:59,850
you murder, well, you shall not murder.

295
00:13:00,290 --> 00:13:01,890
But he says, I say to you, whoever's

296
00:13:01,890 --> 00:13:02,830
angry with his brother.

297
00:13:03,230 --> 00:13:05,290
And so this is the issue here.

298
00:13:05,370 --> 00:13:07,510
When you're angry without a cause, when you

299
00:13:07,510 --> 00:13:09,710
hate your brother, I mean, you don't want

300
00:13:09,710 --> 00:13:11,050
to say, well, I've never driven a knife

301
00:13:11,050 --> 00:13:11,530
at anybody.

302
00:13:11,790 --> 00:13:13,430
But in your heart, you have.

303
00:13:13,530 --> 00:13:14,730
That's the issue.

304
00:13:15,130 --> 00:13:16,130
You've hated people.

305
00:13:17,410 --> 00:13:21,450
And so he says, you fight and war.

306
00:13:22,370 --> 00:13:24,270
Yet you do not have because you do

307
00:13:24,270 --> 00:13:24,850
not ask.

308
00:13:25,170 --> 00:13:26,490
And then he says, you ask and you

309
00:13:26,490 --> 00:13:27,250
do not receive.

310
00:13:27,550 --> 00:13:28,850
And so, well, which is it, James?

311
00:13:29,050 --> 00:13:30,230
Well, you see what he's doing.

312
00:13:30,470 --> 00:13:32,810
He sees different responses to this.

313
00:13:33,130 --> 00:13:37,210
He recognizes some people, it's like, well, maybe

314
00:13:37,210 --> 00:13:39,730
they're ashamed enough that they recognize they're selfish

315
00:13:39,730 --> 00:13:41,790
enough that they're not even going to dare

316
00:13:41,790 --> 00:13:42,690
take it to God.

317
00:13:42,750 --> 00:13:44,930
Or they're atheistic enough, or they're just God

318
00:13:44,930 --> 00:13:46,470
-hating enough that they're not going to take

319
00:13:46,470 --> 00:13:46,870
it to Him.

320
00:13:46,870 --> 00:13:50,050
Other people are bold enough where they just

321
00:13:50,050 --> 00:13:52,330
look at God as some celestial Santa Claus,

322
00:13:52,630 --> 00:13:54,090
and they're like, give me what I want.

323
00:13:54,490 --> 00:13:55,950
And so some people might shy away.

324
00:13:56,130 --> 00:13:57,170
Some people might go there.

325
00:13:57,390 --> 00:13:58,910
But in the end, neither gets it.

326
00:13:59,270 --> 00:14:00,250
And their hearts are...

327
00:14:00,250 --> 00:14:01,830
And the reason that God would not even

328
00:14:01,830 --> 00:14:04,130
think of giving it to them is they're

329
00:14:04,130 --> 00:14:04,930
asking to miss.

330
00:14:05,210 --> 00:14:06,950
That they might spend it on that which,

331
00:14:07,130 --> 00:14:09,290
again, pleases them, their own pleasures.

332
00:14:11,250 --> 00:14:12,130
Adulterers, adulteresses.

333
00:14:13,950 --> 00:14:14,810
Strong language.

334
00:14:15,430 --> 00:14:16,810
Do you not know that friendship with the

335
00:14:16,810 --> 00:14:18,090
world is enmity with God?

336
00:14:18,290 --> 00:14:20,710
And we see that's what's being exuded here.

337
00:14:21,070 --> 00:14:25,110
There's this desire after things, after stuff, after

338
00:14:25,110 --> 00:14:26,390
that which pleases us.

339
00:14:26,730 --> 00:14:28,030
Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of

340
00:14:28,030 --> 00:14:29,670
the world makes himself an enemy of God.

341
00:14:30,570 --> 00:14:32,130
And so, I want you to see what's

342
00:14:32,130 --> 00:14:33,910
at the root of those who are not

343
00:14:33,910 --> 00:14:34,930
peacemakers.

344
00:14:35,490 --> 00:14:41,450
Those who are not peacemakers have an adultery

345
00:14:41,450 --> 00:14:42,250
problem.

346
00:14:45,480 --> 00:14:47,440
Verse 2 says lust.

347
00:14:48,040 --> 00:14:48,900
You lust.

348
00:14:49,320 --> 00:14:50,380
See, it's a lust problem.

349
00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:52,280
Conflicts and quarrels.

350
00:14:52,660 --> 00:14:54,940
Whether it's between a man and his wife.

351
00:14:55,780 --> 00:14:58,040
Whether it's in the church context or whether

352
00:14:58,040 --> 00:14:59,080
it's nations.

353
00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:00,340
Do you recognize?

354
00:15:00,660 --> 00:15:02,120
It is a lust issue.

355
00:15:02,440 --> 00:15:04,460
It is an adultery issue.

356
00:15:04,720 --> 00:15:05,820
That is the issue.

357
00:15:06,240 --> 00:15:08,260
Now look, if some man came into this

358
00:15:08,260 --> 00:15:13,220
church and was obviously looking with lust at

359
00:15:13,220 --> 00:15:14,820
the sisters in this church.

360
00:15:14,900 --> 00:15:16,820
Even the mention of that sounds ugly.

361
00:15:17,100 --> 00:15:17,940
It feels dirty.

362
00:15:18,540 --> 00:15:20,980
But those who constantly have strife following them.

363
00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:22,300
You know what James is saying?

364
00:15:22,640 --> 00:15:27,060
Same sort of ugliness is truly following that

365
00:15:27,060 --> 00:15:27,500
individual.

366
00:15:27,660 --> 00:15:29,880
They come in here and they are lusting.

367
00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:32,620
Men and women who will cause problems.

368
00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:33,940
They'll wag their tongues.

369
00:15:34,340 --> 00:15:35,080
They'll gossip.

370
00:15:35,260 --> 00:15:35,960
They'll slander.

371
00:15:36,120 --> 00:15:37,460
They'll split friendships.

372
00:15:38,060 --> 00:15:39,520
They'll say ugly things.

373
00:15:39,620 --> 00:15:40,880
They'll repeat matters.

374
00:15:40,880 --> 00:15:43,000
They come in here and they're not trying

375
00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:44,020
to bring people together.

376
00:15:44,260 --> 00:15:45,760
It's a lust problem.

377
00:15:45,860 --> 00:15:47,200
It's an adultery problem.

378
00:15:47,580 --> 00:15:49,120
You know what?

379
00:15:49,300 --> 00:15:52,300
It might be a little bit perhaps more

380
00:15:52,300 --> 00:15:54,840
respectable than a guy that came in here

381
00:15:54,840 --> 00:15:57,180
and he's just glaring at all the ladies.

382
00:15:57,640 --> 00:15:59,800
But listen, it's just as ugly.

383
00:16:00,020 --> 00:16:02,140
And that's why he's using this kind of

384
00:16:02,140 --> 00:16:02,620
language.

385
00:16:02,960 --> 00:16:04,740
Because it is that.

386
00:16:04,880 --> 00:16:05,740
It's lust.

387
00:16:06,220 --> 00:16:07,320
It's adultery.

388
00:16:07,600 --> 00:16:08,620
There is ugliness.

389
00:16:08,780 --> 00:16:09,740
There is dirtiness.

390
00:16:09,740 --> 00:16:13,480
And listen, people who constantly have strife following

391
00:16:13,480 --> 00:16:17,040
them, it's written across their foreheads.

392
00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:20,640
This kind of graphic reality.

393
00:16:21,740 --> 00:16:23,220
And so, their hearts.

394
00:16:23,420 --> 00:16:24,900
You know what it basically says?

395
00:16:25,100 --> 00:16:26,360
They're not intimate with God.

396
00:16:27,820 --> 00:16:30,580
They're not developing a friendship with God.

397
00:16:31,280 --> 00:16:33,260
That's what he's...

398
00:16:33,900 --> 00:16:40,740
They're greedily, adulterously making love with their idols.

399
00:16:41,120 --> 00:16:43,720
And oftentimes it's just their own self being

400
00:16:43,720 --> 00:16:44,820
thought highly of.

401
00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:46,320
And you know what?

402
00:16:46,420 --> 00:16:49,880
The Bible is not afraid of being graphic

403
00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:50,720
about this.

404
00:16:53,130 --> 00:16:55,850
Listen, do you know what we didn't get

405
00:16:55,850 --> 00:16:57,730
to in 1 Corinthians 11?

406
00:17:00,190 --> 00:17:03,130
Do you know what happens when even true

407
00:17:03,130 --> 00:17:06,829
Christians will not repent of divisiveness?

408
00:17:08,950 --> 00:17:10,270
God killed them.

409
00:17:11,349 --> 00:17:12,430
God killed.

410
00:17:13,510 --> 00:17:14,470
They slept.

411
00:17:16,010 --> 00:17:18,069
And you can't get away from the reality

412
00:17:18,069 --> 00:17:21,170
that when there's division in the church, the

413
00:17:21,170 --> 00:17:23,530
Spirit of God caused some of those people

414
00:17:23,530 --> 00:17:25,510
to be sick and some of them to

415
00:17:25,510 --> 00:17:26,150
die.

416
00:17:27,089 --> 00:17:30,030
Because of that rift that was in that

417
00:17:30,030 --> 00:17:30,470
church.

418
00:17:32,130 --> 00:17:34,230
Folks, blessed are the peacemakers.

419
00:17:34,910 --> 00:17:37,090
They shall be called the sons of God.

420
00:17:37,590 --> 00:17:39,050
Now, I want you to look at something.

421
00:17:40,530 --> 00:17:42,530
You recognize that Romans 14.

422
00:17:42,690 --> 00:17:44,050
We often think of Romans 14.

423
00:17:44,230 --> 00:17:45,070
There's a whole chapter.

424
00:17:45,490 --> 00:17:48,990
It's devoted to how people can have differences

425
00:17:48,990 --> 00:17:52,110
of opinion in the same church and yet

426
00:17:52,110 --> 00:17:53,370
dwell together in harmony.

427
00:17:54,110 --> 00:17:55,350
So let's look at this portion.

428
00:17:56,030 --> 00:17:57,770
Romans chapter 14.

429
00:17:59,570 --> 00:18:03,050
Because there's some very instructive peace language here.

430
00:18:03,770 --> 00:18:07,490
Romans 14.

431
00:18:10,730 --> 00:18:12,290
Very instructive.

432
00:18:18,880 --> 00:18:21,780
I don't doubt that in our ethics class,

433
00:18:21,920 --> 00:18:25,600
we will probably walk through this chapter.

434
00:18:26,380 --> 00:18:28,880
Because there's so much that has to do

435
00:18:28,880 --> 00:18:34,340
with just determining what's right and wrong before

436
00:18:34,340 --> 00:18:34,840
the Lord.

437
00:18:34,840 --> 00:18:37,220
And the fact is, we are not always

438
00:18:37,220 --> 00:18:38,720
going to agree on what that is.

439
00:18:39,060 --> 00:18:39,700
And you know what?

440
00:18:39,820 --> 00:18:41,180
Scripture itself says that's okay.

441
00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:43,240
Look, there are certain truths.

442
00:18:43,780 --> 00:18:46,220
Truths about who God is.

443
00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:49,700
Truths about how a man can be saved.

444
00:18:50,060 --> 00:18:52,080
We can't budge on these things.

445
00:18:52,600 --> 00:18:54,820
For the sake of peace, we will not

446
00:18:54,820 --> 00:18:59,020
sacrifice the core doctrines of our faith.

447
00:18:59,720 --> 00:19:01,020
But you know, there are all sorts of

448
00:19:01,020 --> 00:19:05,620
areas of life that it's not so plainly

449
00:19:05,620 --> 00:19:07,220
spelled out in Scripture that we have to

450
00:19:07,220 --> 00:19:07,900
wrestle through.

451
00:19:08,900 --> 00:19:11,280
And in the context of dealing with this,

452
00:19:11,360 --> 00:19:12,460
notice verse 17.

453
00:19:15,180 --> 00:19:17,560
You see, the kingdom of God is not

454
00:19:17,560 --> 00:19:19,940
just about being right and getting your way

455
00:19:19,940 --> 00:19:20,660
in the church.

456
00:19:21,700 --> 00:19:25,240
The kingdom of God is not just about,

457
00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:29,000
you know, your own opinion about vaccinations, or

458
00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:31,700
your own opinion about vegetables, or whether you

459
00:19:31,700 --> 00:19:34,280
should eat meat, or be vegetarian, or vegan,

460
00:19:34,420 --> 00:19:34,660
or whatever.

461
00:19:34,940 --> 00:19:37,760
The kingdom of God is not eating and

462
00:19:37,760 --> 00:19:38,140
drinking.

463
00:19:38,660 --> 00:19:39,620
But notice what it is.

464
00:19:39,740 --> 00:19:44,180
It's righteousness and peace, and joy in the

465
00:19:44,180 --> 00:19:44,880
Holy Spirit.

466
00:19:45,600 --> 00:19:46,040
Peace.

467
00:19:46,540 --> 00:19:47,600
Now, see, you could look at that and

468
00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:49,300
you could say, well, I think that means,

469
00:19:49,400 --> 00:19:53,100
like, tranquility in my own heart.

470
00:19:54,160 --> 00:19:56,660
Okay, well, peace does sometimes get used that

471
00:19:56,660 --> 00:19:56,860
way.

472
00:19:57,160 --> 00:19:59,260
Problem is, context won't let you think that

473
00:19:59,260 --> 00:19:59,500
way.

474
00:20:00,020 --> 00:20:00,880
Let's keep reading.

475
00:20:02,060 --> 00:20:06,400
It says, He who serves Christ in these

476
00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:09,640
things is acceptable to God and approved by

477
00:20:09,640 --> 00:20:09,880
men.

478
00:20:10,060 --> 00:20:13,440
Therefore, let us pursue the things that make

479
00:20:13,440 --> 00:20:16,000
for peace, and the things by which we

480
00:20:16,000 --> 00:20:17,100
may edify one another.

481
00:20:17,120 --> 00:20:18,840
You see exactly what he's talking about.

482
00:20:18,920 --> 00:20:20,200
And this is the context of the whole

483
00:20:20,200 --> 00:20:20,640
chapter.

484
00:20:21,120 --> 00:20:23,900
You've got people who come to different convictions

485
00:20:23,900 --> 00:20:26,920
about observing days or eating meat.

486
00:20:26,920 --> 00:20:28,260
And that can...

487
00:20:28,860 --> 00:20:29,980
Ah, I've seen it.

488
00:20:30,080 --> 00:20:31,920
The reason I already mentioned vaccinations.

489
00:20:32,360 --> 00:20:34,480
Listen, this new thing with the vaccinations and

490
00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:37,520
COVID, this is just another chapter of the

491
00:20:37,520 --> 00:20:40,320
vaccination argument that goes on within churches.

492
00:20:40,760 --> 00:20:42,340
Oh, I've seen it and said, well, are

493
00:20:42,340 --> 00:20:43,440
we going to vaccinate our children?

494
00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:45,160
Are we not going to vaccinate our children?

495
00:20:45,580 --> 00:20:47,940
And I mean, people can become heated over

496
00:20:47,940 --> 00:20:48,860
some of these things.

497
00:20:49,160 --> 00:20:51,200
We never had heated disputes over Christmas.

498
00:20:51,760 --> 00:20:54,080
We had heated disputes over vaccinations.

499
00:20:54,080 --> 00:20:56,400
There's different things that come up and arise

500
00:20:56,400 --> 00:20:57,080
in the church.

501
00:20:57,580 --> 00:21:02,220
And what clearly is being said here, is

502
00:21:02,220 --> 00:21:04,700
that the righteousness and the peace and the

503
00:21:04,700 --> 00:21:07,820
joy of the Holy Spirit, the things that

504
00:21:07,820 --> 00:21:10,840
the kingdom of God is really all about.

505
00:21:11,280 --> 00:21:13,480
We know the peace he means from verse

506
00:21:13,480 --> 00:21:14,100
19.

507
00:21:14,440 --> 00:21:17,600
Let us pursue the things that make for

508
00:21:17,600 --> 00:21:20,120
peace, and the things by which we may

509
00:21:20,120 --> 00:21:21,180
edify one another.

510
00:21:21,180 --> 00:21:22,860
And notice verse 18.

511
00:21:23,260 --> 00:21:26,520
He who serves Christ in these things is

512
00:21:26,520 --> 00:21:27,680
acceptable to God.

513
00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:29,880
As a servant of Christ, if we would

514
00:21:29,880 --> 00:21:32,920
serve him in a manner acceptable, there's something

515
00:21:32,920 --> 00:21:34,100
that you must pursue.

516
00:21:34,640 --> 00:21:37,960
You need to pursue peace, even when you

517
00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:39,820
don't exactly agree.

518
00:21:41,860 --> 00:21:45,900
There is a way to tell people why

519
00:21:45,900 --> 00:21:47,780
I think...

520
00:21:47,780 --> 00:21:49,000
Let's see, this is part of ethics.

521
00:21:53,140 --> 00:21:55,840
We're not always going to agree on whether

522
00:21:55,840 --> 00:21:57,640
we should wear masks, whether we should socially

523
00:21:57,640 --> 00:22:01,160
distance, or whether the government ought to be

524
00:22:01,160 --> 00:22:02,240
obeyed or not to be...

525
00:22:02,240 --> 00:22:04,800
Oh, if ever in the life of...

526
00:22:04,800 --> 00:22:06,740
Since I've been a Christian, to see something

527
00:22:06,740 --> 00:22:10,440
that Christians have divided on, it's at what

528
00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:13,700
point do we stop obeying the government when

529
00:22:13,700 --> 00:22:16,880
it comes to them trying to restrict what

530
00:22:16,880 --> 00:22:19,080
the church clearly is told in Scripture to

531
00:22:19,080 --> 00:22:19,400
do.

532
00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:22,740
And oh, there's churches that still are not

533
00:22:22,740 --> 00:22:23,760
meeting in your country.

534
00:22:25,380 --> 00:22:27,220
There are still churches not meeting in the

535
00:22:27,220 --> 00:22:30,460
U.S. And what you have is...

536
00:22:30,460 --> 00:22:32,580
Why do some people decide to start meeting

537
00:22:32,580 --> 00:22:33,520
at a certain time?

538
00:22:34,220 --> 00:22:35,760
Why is it we're even talking about whether

539
00:22:35,760 --> 00:22:37,120
to go back to Middleton or not?

540
00:22:37,160 --> 00:22:38,700
Because we've got people in the church over

541
00:22:38,700 --> 00:22:40,440
there that are of a mindset that they

542
00:22:40,440 --> 00:22:42,180
need to more strictly follow what the government

543
00:22:42,180 --> 00:22:42,640
says.

544
00:22:43,160 --> 00:22:44,640
You see, these...

545
00:22:44,640 --> 00:22:47,100
And what happens is, we can have our

546
00:22:47,100 --> 00:22:48,900
opinion, and we do it, and we need

547
00:22:48,900 --> 00:22:49,380
to have our opinion.

548
00:22:49,380 --> 00:22:51,940
I mean, you start looking here, Paul wants

549
00:22:51,940 --> 00:22:53,300
everybody fully persuaded.

550
00:22:53,740 --> 00:22:55,580
He wants people of strong conviction.

551
00:22:55,940 --> 00:22:58,880
You could almost say, Paul, seriously?

552
00:22:59,860 --> 00:23:02,980
Do you really want people that are that

553
00:23:02,980 --> 00:23:03,500
convinced?

554
00:23:04,740 --> 00:23:09,080
You see, he says, verse 5, One person

555
00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:11,040
esteems a day above another, another esteems every

556
00:23:11,040 --> 00:23:11,500
day alike.

557
00:23:11,600 --> 00:23:13,880
Let each be fully convinced in his own

558
00:23:13,880 --> 00:23:14,200
mind.

559
00:23:14,300 --> 00:23:14,660
Wow!

560
00:23:15,440 --> 00:23:16,280
Don't you love that?

561
00:23:16,840 --> 00:23:19,600
He wants Thomas to be convinced about things.

562
00:23:19,780 --> 00:23:21,800
And he wants Adam convinced about things.

563
00:23:21,960 --> 00:23:23,900
He wants us to be people of conviction.

564
00:23:24,260 --> 00:23:25,740
But you know what the amazing thing is?

565
00:23:26,140 --> 00:23:30,760
He's acknowledging we will come to different positions

566
00:23:30,760 --> 00:23:32,620
on some of these things.

567
00:23:32,920 --> 00:23:35,420
And yet, he wants us fully convinced.

568
00:23:35,740 --> 00:23:37,980
You see, Paul, if anything seems like it

569
00:23:37,980 --> 00:23:39,880
was going to create turmoil and trouble in

570
00:23:39,880 --> 00:23:42,060
the church, it's to have people of really

571
00:23:42,060 --> 00:23:44,740
strong convictions, and that guy's come to one,

572
00:23:44,920 --> 00:23:47,100
and that sister's come to a different one.

573
00:23:47,540 --> 00:23:49,360
Isn't that the very kind of thing that

574
00:23:49,360 --> 00:23:50,160
creates volatility?

575
00:23:50,720 --> 00:23:51,020
No.

576
00:23:51,720 --> 00:23:53,620
Because I'll tell you this, if it's not

577
00:23:53,620 --> 00:23:57,160
just you trying to be, you know, Mr.

578
00:23:57,260 --> 00:24:00,200
or Mrs. Great, and be absolutely convinced that

579
00:24:00,200 --> 00:24:03,340
your opinion has to be obeyed and be

580
00:24:03,340 --> 00:24:05,900
bowed down to, if you're really of the

581
00:24:05,900 --> 00:24:08,100
mindset that we all need to be people

582
00:24:08,100 --> 00:24:11,060
of the Word of God, you know what

583
00:24:11,060 --> 00:24:11,960
I really appreciate?

584
00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:13,160
Spurgeon said it.

585
00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:15,560
Spurgeon said he'd rather have somebody in his

586
00:24:15,560 --> 00:24:19,460
church that he knew was wrong about what

587
00:24:19,460 --> 00:24:21,060
they believed on a certain point.

588
00:24:21,920 --> 00:24:25,980
And yet, they could present a solid biblical

589
00:24:25,980 --> 00:24:27,640
argument for why they believed it.

590
00:24:27,800 --> 00:24:29,620
He said, give me that guy.

591
00:24:30,580 --> 00:24:32,380
Because he sold out to this book.

592
00:24:32,880 --> 00:24:34,680
I just heard one of the FBC guys

593
00:24:34,680 --> 00:24:39,420
last Tuesday, he was talking about why he

594
00:24:39,420 --> 00:24:41,760
made the decisions that he made.

595
00:24:42,160 --> 00:24:46,080
And he walked us FBC guys through the

596
00:24:46,080 --> 00:24:47,720
different portions of Scripture.

597
00:24:47,960 --> 00:24:48,400
And you know what?

598
00:24:48,420 --> 00:24:49,220
I wrote him afterwards.

599
00:24:49,320 --> 00:24:50,700
I said, I appreciated that.

600
00:24:50,960 --> 00:24:53,180
Because whether I agreed with him or not,

601
00:24:53,820 --> 00:24:57,240
he had a solid biblical argument.

602
00:24:57,740 --> 00:25:00,700
And he was telling us the verses that

603
00:25:00,700 --> 00:25:02,180
weighed on him.

604
00:25:02,680 --> 00:25:03,620
You see, this is what we're going to

605
00:25:03,620 --> 00:25:04,580
get into in ethics.

606
00:25:04,580 --> 00:25:07,720
What are the verses in Scripture that weigh

607
00:25:07,720 --> 00:25:09,260
on us, that impact us?

608
00:25:09,440 --> 00:25:12,000
Because God says this, the man, the woman

609
00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:13,860
I'm going to look to trembles at My

610
00:25:13,860 --> 00:25:14,180
Word.

611
00:25:14,400 --> 00:25:15,760
We want to be people that are glued

612
00:25:15,760 --> 00:25:18,260
to this Word, that are examining everything through

613
00:25:18,260 --> 00:25:19,160
the lenses of it.

614
00:25:19,380 --> 00:25:19,980
And you know what?

615
00:25:20,200 --> 00:25:21,480
You can come to one conviction.

616
00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:22,900
I can come to another conviction.

617
00:25:23,220 --> 00:25:25,440
But there's a way to pursue peace in

618
00:25:25,440 --> 00:25:26,300
the midst of that.

619
00:25:27,620 --> 00:25:29,560
And to respect one another.

620
00:25:29,720 --> 00:25:30,980
And to love one another.

621
00:25:31,420 --> 00:25:33,320
And I'll tell you this, I feel like

622
00:25:33,320 --> 00:25:33,940
Spurgeon does.

623
00:25:33,940 --> 00:25:36,760
If you tell me this is why I

624
00:25:36,760 --> 00:25:38,740
came to the conviction that I did.

625
00:25:39,120 --> 00:25:40,300
And here are the verses.

626
00:25:40,820 --> 00:25:41,480
Now you know what?

627
00:25:41,620 --> 00:25:43,760
We're free to say, well, did you consider

628
00:25:43,760 --> 00:25:44,440
these verses?

629
00:25:45,340 --> 00:25:46,980
The reality is maybe they haven't.

630
00:25:48,980 --> 00:25:50,880
There's a place for us to be mutually

631
00:25:50,880 --> 00:25:52,460
instructing and challenging.

632
00:25:52,700 --> 00:25:53,800
There's no problem.

633
00:25:53,880 --> 00:25:55,020
But you know there's a way to do

634
00:25:55,020 --> 00:25:59,220
that, that fosters strength and edifies.

635
00:25:59,460 --> 00:26:00,760
See, we're supposed to be building up.

636
00:26:00,820 --> 00:26:02,800
That was there too as we're pursuing peace.

637
00:26:02,800 --> 00:26:06,080
Edification means building each other up.

638
00:26:06,700 --> 00:26:07,700
And so, you know what?

639
00:26:07,840 --> 00:26:09,400
Perhaps you've thought about a verse that I

640
00:26:09,400 --> 00:26:10,160
didn't think about.

641
00:26:10,440 --> 00:26:11,320
Have you ever had that happen?

642
00:26:11,460 --> 00:26:14,160
Somebody says, you know, in fact the FBC

643
00:26:14,160 --> 00:26:14,560
guy.

644
00:26:14,820 --> 00:26:16,920
You know what he really has been challenged

645
00:26:16,920 --> 00:26:17,300
by?

646
00:26:18,860 --> 00:26:19,380
Mordecai.

647
00:26:21,240 --> 00:26:26,580
Because Ahasuerus told everybody to bow to Haman.

648
00:26:27,900 --> 00:26:30,520
And Mordecai refused to do it.

649
00:26:30,520 --> 00:26:34,340
And this man was saying how he wrestled

650
00:26:34,340 --> 00:26:38,300
with, when do you bow to Haman and

651
00:26:38,300 --> 00:26:41,580
when don't you when the emperor of the

652
00:26:41,580 --> 00:26:43,660
land has told you to do it?

653
00:26:44,340 --> 00:26:46,460
And there was no obvious reason why he

654
00:26:46,460 --> 00:26:47,040
did it.

655
00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:50,560
Why he refused to bow.

656
00:26:51,080 --> 00:26:53,240
There's no obvious reason given in the letter.

657
00:26:54,720 --> 00:26:57,940
And in fact, there's no commentary from God

658
00:26:57,940 --> 00:27:00,380
that says Mordecai did right or wrong.

659
00:27:01,000 --> 00:27:02,620
And so he said he was wrestling.

660
00:27:02,900 --> 00:27:04,820
That was helpful because that is a text

661
00:27:04,820 --> 00:27:07,160
that I had not really wrestled with that

662
00:27:07,160 --> 00:27:07,440
way.

663
00:27:07,880 --> 00:27:09,380
And so, see, we can help each other

664
00:27:09,380 --> 00:27:09,920
that way.

665
00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:13,140
But that produces peace rather than just attacking

666
00:27:13,140 --> 00:27:13,840
each other.

667
00:27:14,940 --> 00:27:16,280
Because you know what happens?

668
00:27:16,600 --> 00:27:18,060
Well, you don't vaccinate your kids.

669
00:27:19,380 --> 00:27:20,760
You don't love your kids.

670
00:27:22,160 --> 00:27:22,620
Well, no.

671
00:27:22,900 --> 00:27:26,720
Actually, the reason I don't do that is

672
00:27:26,720 --> 00:27:28,620
because I do love them.

673
00:27:28,620 --> 00:27:31,400
And I mean, I have reasons.

674
00:27:32,220 --> 00:27:35,000
You see, our first thought should not be

675
00:27:35,000 --> 00:27:37,400
that we're each ignoramuses.

676
00:27:38,380 --> 00:27:39,820
Like, oh, you know, look at...

677
00:27:41,620 --> 00:27:43,420
But look, there are all sorts of things

678
00:27:43,420 --> 00:27:44,440
we have to sort through.

679
00:27:44,800 --> 00:27:45,540
And you know what, if we're going to

680
00:27:45,540 --> 00:27:47,320
be honest with Scripture, you know what's a

681
00:27:47,320 --> 00:27:48,540
good thing to do sometimes?

682
00:27:48,720 --> 00:27:50,500
Is to put yourself in the feet of

683
00:27:50,500 --> 00:27:50,940
other people.

684
00:27:51,200 --> 00:27:53,600
In fact, I've already considered this.

685
00:27:53,700 --> 00:27:55,140
So be on guard, guys.

686
00:27:55,720 --> 00:27:58,380
That in our ethics class, if I see

687
00:27:58,380 --> 00:28:00,860
that two guys are diametric...

688
00:28:00,860 --> 00:28:02,280
And I hope this happens because we need

689
00:28:02,280 --> 00:28:03,220
to be fully convinced.

690
00:28:03,600 --> 00:28:04,900
And we're going to talk about things that

691
00:28:04,900 --> 00:28:06,220
we are not going to agree on.

692
00:28:06,460 --> 00:28:07,400
But you know what I'm going to do

693
00:28:07,400 --> 00:28:07,860
sometimes?

694
00:28:07,960 --> 00:28:09,560
I'm going to say, hey, you two guys

695
00:28:09,560 --> 00:28:11,160
are obviously at the ends of the spectrum.

696
00:28:11,500 --> 00:28:12,680
What I want you to do is come

697
00:28:12,680 --> 00:28:14,000
next week and I want you to defend

698
00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:14,620
his position.

699
00:28:14,700 --> 00:28:16,320
And I want you to defend his position.

700
00:28:16,940 --> 00:28:20,620
And make the best possible argument you can.

701
00:28:20,880 --> 00:28:22,920
I mean, in all honesty and sincerity.

702
00:28:22,920 --> 00:28:24,420
Because if we really want to deal with

703
00:28:24,420 --> 00:28:26,600
truth, we ought to be willing to do

704
00:28:26,600 --> 00:28:26,880
that.

705
00:28:27,120 --> 00:28:29,040
It shouldn't be, I'm right and I'm right

706
00:28:29,040 --> 00:28:30,800
and that settles it.

707
00:28:30,820 --> 00:28:32,300
And I'm digging my heels in and I'm

708
00:28:32,300 --> 00:28:33,620
not going to consider anything else.

709
00:28:33,940 --> 00:28:35,560
Well, that's the kind of thing that causes

710
00:28:35,560 --> 00:28:37,440
the disunity in the church.

711
00:28:37,460 --> 00:28:39,460
That we want to abhor and run from.

712
00:28:40,720 --> 00:28:42,020
So, you see this.

713
00:28:42,100 --> 00:28:43,180
We have to edify one another.

714
00:28:43,500 --> 00:28:44,680
Brethren, you know what?

715
00:28:45,920 --> 00:28:48,460
You'll never pursue peace unless you're pursuing people.

716
00:28:49,120 --> 00:28:50,860
You have to pursue people to build them

717
00:28:50,860 --> 00:28:51,080
up.

718
00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:52,340
Because that's really the agenda.

719
00:28:52,340 --> 00:28:54,480
Brethren, do you recognize we're in this together?

720
00:28:55,340 --> 00:28:56,780
One of the reasons that God calls us

721
00:28:56,780 --> 00:28:58,740
to meet together in a church is because

722
00:28:58,740 --> 00:29:00,820
as we come together, we stir up one

723
00:29:00,820 --> 00:29:01,080
another.

724
00:29:01,220 --> 00:29:02,600
As we come together, we don't let each

725
00:29:02,600 --> 00:29:04,720
other be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

726
00:29:05,020 --> 00:29:06,660
As we come together, we comfort one another.

727
00:29:06,740 --> 00:29:07,740
We instruct one another.

728
00:29:07,960 --> 00:29:10,320
We use our spiritual gifts on one another.

729
00:29:10,640 --> 00:29:12,360
Do you realize the task we have?

730
00:29:13,460 --> 00:29:17,540
We are each responsible for helping the other

731
00:29:17,540 --> 00:29:20,400
people in this church get to the finish

732
00:29:20,400 --> 00:29:20,780
line.

733
00:29:21,340 --> 00:29:23,140
And see, when you're in it like that,

734
00:29:23,260 --> 00:29:25,120
and you're running along, and you look around,

735
00:29:25,160 --> 00:29:27,360
and you recognize, hey, you know what?

736
00:29:27,440 --> 00:29:31,780
Our militia here, our regiment is, somebody's missing.

737
00:29:32,580 --> 00:29:34,040
And they're straggling back.

738
00:29:34,120 --> 00:29:36,300
Wait, we got three that are lagging back.

739
00:29:36,360 --> 00:29:37,700
Well, if you're really wanting to win the

740
00:29:37,700 --> 00:29:40,680
war, I mean, you know, they have a

741
00:29:40,680 --> 00:29:40,940
thing.

742
00:29:41,100 --> 00:29:43,280
I don't know how it is in the

743
00:29:43,280 --> 00:29:49,440
UK, but among the American Marines, especially special

744
00:29:49,440 --> 00:29:52,920
forces, I mean, even if you're dead, they

745
00:29:52,920 --> 00:29:56,380
will not leave one of their comrades' bodies,

746
00:29:57,220 --> 00:29:59,560
let alone if you're taken prisoner.

747
00:30:00,180 --> 00:30:02,820
They will give their lives to try to

748
00:30:02,820 --> 00:30:05,620
rescue that person, rather than to leave them

749
00:30:05,620 --> 00:30:07,360
in the arms of the enemy, even if

750
00:30:07,360 --> 00:30:08,560
the body is dead.

751
00:30:10,400 --> 00:30:12,900
And so, that's how we need to be,

752
00:30:13,120 --> 00:30:14,140
watching out for one another.

753
00:30:14,220 --> 00:30:15,460
We're trying to get each other to the

754
00:30:15,460 --> 00:30:16,180
line here.

755
00:30:16,740 --> 00:30:18,420
We're trying to help each other to not

756
00:30:18,420 --> 00:30:19,620
fall out of this race.

757
00:30:19,620 --> 00:30:22,260
That's what's really behind this kind of peace.

758
00:30:22,780 --> 00:30:24,120
So, listen to this.

759
00:30:25,380 --> 00:30:27,800
A little bit before this in Romans, it

760
00:30:27,800 --> 00:30:32,940
says, if it is possible, as much as

761
00:30:32,940 --> 00:30:38,920
depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

762
00:30:39,040 --> 00:30:40,420
As much as it depends on you.

763
00:30:42,400 --> 00:30:45,780
Sometimes there's aspects of peace, obviously, that are

764
00:30:45,780 --> 00:30:48,100
out of your hands, because peace is had

765
00:30:48,100 --> 00:30:52,400
between two parties, and if you've done everything

766
00:30:52,400 --> 00:30:55,800
you can, sometimes still the other individual is

767
00:30:55,800 --> 00:30:58,000
not wanting to make peace.

768
00:30:59,040 --> 00:31:01,680
Pursue peace with all people.

769
00:31:02,060 --> 00:31:03,300
That's what Hebrews 12 says.

770
00:31:03,860 --> 00:31:07,140
Romans 12 says, live peaceably with all men.

771
00:31:08,880 --> 00:31:10,520
And these are the sons of God who

772
00:31:10,520 --> 00:31:10,880
do this.

773
00:31:10,940 --> 00:31:11,560
None else are.

774
00:31:12,120 --> 00:31:13,920
And so, this allows for no neutrality.

775
00:31:14,400 --> 00:31:16,240
Jesus never said, by this the world is

776
00:31:16,240 --> 00:31:17,640
going to know that you're my disciples.

777
00:31:17,920 --> 00:31:23,800
Simply that you avoid quarrelsomeness, or fights.

778
00:31:25,140 --> 00:31:25,720
It's not that.

779
00:31:26,020 --> 00:31:28,120
It's, by this you'll be known to be

780
00:31:28,120 --> 00:31:30,120
a son of God, your peacemaker.

781
00:31:30,420 --> 00:31:34,400
And if you don't pursue peace, you won't

782
00:31:34,400 --> 00:31:34,940
see the Lord.

783
00:31:36,140 --> 00:31:38,340
And so, remember, peace isn't merely an absence

784
00:31:38,340 --> 00:31:38,980
of conflict.

785
00:31:39,140 --> 00:31:41,860
It's all about intimate harmony and fellowship.

786
00:31:42,200 --> 00:31:43,440
We need to be pursuing this.

787
00:31:43,440 --> 00:31:45,940
Now, let me tell you something.

788
00:31:47,880 --> 00:31:51,200
You know the scripture says, don't grieve the

789
00:31:51,200 --> 00:31:51,840
Holy Spirit.

790
00:31:54,660 --> 00:31:56,500
I don't want to get into this, because

791
00:31:56,500 --> 00:31:59,000
it would be more extensive than I think

792
00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:00,320
what our time right now is going to

793
00:32:00,320 --> 00:32:00,900
allow for.

794
00:32:02,260 --> 00:32:03,040
But here's the thing.

795
00:32:04,380 --> 00:32:05,560
You just hear that.

796
00:32:06,260 --> 00:32:07,620
Don't grieve the Holy Spirit.

797
00:32:09,100 --> 00:32:10,460
Sealed for the day of redemption.

798
00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:14,080
But, if you ever stop and think, well,

799
00:32:14,160 --> 00:32:16,580
I wonder what grieves the Spirit.

800
00:32:18,420 --> 00:32:20,780
You know what's very interesting about Ephesians 4,

801
00:32:20,860 --> 00:32:21,660
where that's stated?

802
00:32:22,720 --> 00:32:29,160
If you look at the context, it basically

803
00:32:29,160 --> 00:32:30,000
says this.

804
00:32:30,180 --> 00:32:31,380
Hear this very carefully.

805
00:32:33,380 --> 00:32:41,740
It says, Therefore, putting away lying, Let each

806
00:32:41,740 --> 00:32:43,140
one of you speak the truth with his

807
00:32:43,140 --> 00:32:45,940
neighbor, for we are members of one another.

808
00:32:47,080 --> 00:32:48,400
Okay, you just think about that.

809
00:32:48,660 --> 00:32:49,060
You know what?

810
00:32:49,320 --> 00:32:51,780
Lying, not telling each other truth, that does

811
00:32:51,780 --> 00:32:54,280
not make for peace.

812
00:32:55,160 --> 00:32:57,060
You lie to each other, that makes for

813
00:32:57,060 --> 00:32:58,040
hostility.

814
00:32:58,520 --> 00:32:59,800
But notice what it says.

815
00:32:59,800 --> 00:33:03,400
It says, Speak truth with your neighbor, for

816
00:33:03,400 --> 00:33:05,520
we are members of one another.

817
00:33:07,380 --> 00:33:08,780
Or it says this.

818
00:33:09,060 --> 00:33:11,440
Let him who stole, steal no longer.

819
00:33:11,640 --> 00:33:13,880
You start stealing, and you can steal other

820
00:33:13,880 --> 00:33:14,980
things than just possessions.

821
00:33:15,080 --> 00:33:17,760
You can steal somebody's reputation by just flapping

822
00:33:17,760 --> 00:33:20,320
your lips in a way that does damage

823
00:33:20,320 --> 00:33:21,200
to other people.

824
00:33:21,580 --> 00:33:22,460
But it says this.

825
00:33:24,400 --> 00:33:28,080
Stop stealing, but rather labor, working with your

826
00:33:28,080 --> 00:33:29,940
own hands, what is good, that you may

827
00:33:29,940 --> 00:33:32,680
have something to give to him who has

828
00:33:32,680 --> 00:33:33,120
need.

829
00:33:34,120 --> 00:33:36,680
Let no corrupt word proceed out of your

830
00:33:36,680 --> 00:33:40,000
mouth, but what is good for necessary edification,

831
00:33:40,340 --> 00:33:42,140
that it may impart grace to the ears.

832
00:33:43,960 --> 00:33:45,540
You keep going along here.

833
00:33:46,400 --> 00:33:50,680
It says, Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor,

834
00:33:50,800 --> 00:33:52,540
evil speaking be put away from you with

835
00:33:52,540 --> 00:33:55,660
malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted,

836
00:33:55,820 --> 00:33:57,780
forgiving one another, even as God and Christ

837
00:33:57,780 --> 00:33:58,360
forgave you.

838
00:33:58,980 --> 00:34:01,400
Sandwiched in the middle of that is don't

839
00:34:01,400 --> 00:34:02,240
grieve the Spirit.

840
00:34:02,700 --> 00:34:03,540
It's very interesting.

841
00:34:03,700 --> 00:34:05,960
If you take that in context, do you

842
00:34:05,960 --> 00:34:07,920
recognize what Paul is saying to people?

843
00:34:08,440 --> 00:34:12,780
Stop with the wicked conduct that is destructive

844
00:34:12,780 --> 00:34:17,360
to one another, and do that which helps

845
00:34:17,360 --> 00:34:18,199
one another.

846
00:34:18,460 --> 00:34:19,719
See, it's not just out there in a

847
00:34:19,719 --> 00:34:20,139
vacuum.

848
00:34:21,280 --> 00:34:25,360
He's basically saying, Stop using your mouth to

849
00:34:25,360 --> 00:34:26,100
destroy.

850
00:34:26,780 --> 00:34:28,600
Use it to help each other.

851
00:34:28,800 --> 00:34:31,920
Stop using your hands to steal from each

852
00:34:31,920 --> 00:34:33,820
other, and use them to be able to

853
00:34:33,820 --> 00:34:35,080
give to each other.

854
00:34:35,440 --> 00:34:36,460
Don't be bitter.

855
00:34:36,719 --> 00:34:38,000
Don't be clamorous.

856
00:34:38,320 --> 00:34:40,300
Rather, forgive one another.

857
00:34:41,260 --> 00:34:43,060
And in the midst of all this, you

858
00:34:43,060 --> 00:34:46,159
get, Don't grieve the Spirit.

859
00:34:46,520 --> 00:34:48,000
Remember the Lord's Supper.

860
00:34:48,820 --> 00:34:52,460
Division, the Spirit of God starts killing people.

861
00:34:54,100 --> 00:34:55,699
Do you want to know what grieves the

862
00:34:55,699 --> 00:34:56,040
Spirit?

863
00:34:57,400 --> 00:34:58,740
This type of thing.

864
00:34:59,720 --> 00:35:02,180
And Paul deals with the Corinthians.

865
00:35:02,460 --> 00:35:03,060
Listen to this.

866
00:35:04,020 --> 00:35:04,300
What?

867
00:35:05,500 --> 00:35:08,260
Do you not have houses to eat and

868
00:35:08,260 --> 00:35:08,940
drink in?

869
00:35:13,520 --> 00:35:16,560
Remember, Assuredly I say unto you, As much

870
00:35:16,560 --> 00:35:17,660
as you have done it unto one of

871
00:35:17,660 --> 00:35:20,120
the least of these, you have done it

872
00:35:20,120 --> 00:35:21,540
unto him.

873
00:35:22,220 --> 00:35:22,940
Listen to this.

874
00:35:23,200 --> 00:35:25,880
He wraps up with the Corinthians saying, Finally,

875
00:35:26,140 --> 00:35:27,460
brethren, farewell.

876
00:35:28,180 --> 00:35:29,240
Be complete.

877
00:35:29,720 --> 00:35:30,660
Be of good comfort.

878
00:35:30,900 --> 00:35:31,780
Be of one mind.

879
00:35:32,700 --> 00:35:34,920
Live in peace.

880
00:35:35,700 --> 00:35:38,140
And the God of love and peace will

881
00:35:38,140 --> 00:35:39,140
be with you.

882
00:35:39,460 --> 00:35:40,680
Now that's conditional.

883
00:35:42,160 --> 00:35:43,760
You have to hear it that way.

884
00:35:44,120 --> 00:35:44,960
Live in peace.

885
00:35:45,720 --> 00:35:48,520
And the God of love and peace will

886
00:35:48,520 --> 00:35:49,820
be with you.

887
00:35:50,440 --> 00:35:51,760
Do we want God with us?

888
00:35:51,920 --> 00:35:53,620
Do we want God manifestly with us?

889
00:35:53,620 --> 00:35:55,800
Well, then live in peace with one another.

890
00:35:56,120 --> 00:35:57,820
You know what's very conducive to the Spirit

891
00:35:57,820 --> 00:35:58,980
of God moving in here?

892
00:35:59,360 --> 00:36:00,640
It's us loving each other.

893
00:36:00,960 --> 00:36:01,360
It's peace.

894
00:36:01,480 --> 00:36:02,480
You want to grieve the Spirit?

895
00:36:03,120 --> 00:36:04,880
You want people sick and dying?

896
00:36:06,880 --> 00:36:08,660
Brethren, this is what we're dealing with.

897
00:36:09,260 --> 00:36:12,180
God will do things, and He'll reveal Himself,

898
00:36:12,720 --> 00:36:15,820
and He'll be with us in ways He

899
00:36:15,820 --> 00:36:18,020
won't when there's strife, quarrel, and conflict.

900
00:36:18,160 --> 00:36:18,800
Listen to Paul.

901
00:36:20,460 --> 00:36:25,600
You are still carnal for where there is

902
00:36:25,600 --> 00:36:28,380
envy, strife, divisions among you.

903
00:36:28,640 --> 00:36:31,280
Are you not carnal and behaving like mere

904
00:36:31,280 --> 00:36:31,620
men?

905
00:36:32,460 --> 00:36:32,940
You know what?

906
00:36:34,160 --> 00:36:37,920
Christians are not mere men.

907
00:36:39,160 --> 00:36:41,700
People that are merely man, we expect them

908
00:36:41,700 --> 00:36:43,120
to fight or run.

909
00:36:43,860 --> 00:36:45,260
Fight or take flight.

910
00:36:46,080 --> 00:36:47,440
That's what mere men do.

911
00:36:48,360 --> 00:36:48,780
You know what some Christians do?

912
00:36:48,780 --> 00:36:49,660
The sons of God do.

913
00:36:50,880 --> 00:36:52,220
They pursue peace.

914
00:36:54,440 --> 00:36:58,000
And he says you're acting like mere men

915
00:36:58,000 --> 00:37:00,540
when you allow this in the church.

916
00:37:01,940 --> 00:37:03,140
Paul, you know what?

917
00:37:03,600 --> 00:37:05,760
He warns them to stop, and he warns

918
00:37:05,760 --> 00:37:06,760
them to stop at once.

919
00:37:06,980 --> 00:37:08,400
Listen to what he says.

920
00:37:09,380 --> 00:37:11,820
He says, brother goes to law against brother.

921
00:37:12,180 --> 00:37:13,040
You see the strife.

922
00:37:14,740 --> 00:37:16,420
And you're doing that before unbelievers?

923
00:37:18,780 --> 00:37:21,840
It's already an utter failure for you that

924
00:37:21,840 --> 00:37:23,300
you go to law against one another.

925
00:37:23,640 --> 00:37:25,220
Why do you not rather accept the wrong?

926
00:37:25,820 --> 00:37:27,880
Why do you not rather let yourselves be

927
00:37:27,880 --> 00:37:28,260
cheated?

928
00:37:29,160 --> 00:37:32,340
No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat.

929
00:37:32,580 --> 00:37:35,660
And you do these things to your brethren.

930
00:37:37,120 --> 00:37:38,480
You see, it's how he argued to the

931
00:37:38,480 --> 00:37:38,920
Ephesians.

932
00:37:39,040 --> 00:37:40,140
You're members of one another.

933
00:37:40,420 --> 00:37:41,920
You're doing this to brethren.

934
00:37:42,400 --> 00:37:44,260
You're taking the Lord separate.

935
00:37:44,400 --> 00:37:46,960
These are people for whom Christ has died.

936
00:37:46,960 --> 00:37:48,840
You're doing this to them, and in front

937
00:37:48,840 --> 00:37:51,760
of unbelievers, he says, do you not know

938
00:37:51,760 --> 00:37:53,900
that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom

939
00:37:53,900 --> 00:37:54,300
of heaven?

940
00:37:54,460 --> 00:37:55,560
You see where he takes it?

941
00:37:56,180 --> 00:37:58,600
Yeah, you're acting like mere men, but I

942
00:37:58,600 --> 00:37:59,600
want you to know this.

943
00:38:00,840 --> 00:38:02,940
People that act like that don't inherit the

944
00:38:02,940 --> 00:38:03,600
kingdom of heaven.

945
00:38:03,900 --> 00:38:05,240
And what he recognizes is this.

946
00:38:05,300 --> 00:38:06,920
If these people are genuine, they're going to

947
00:38:06,920 --> 00:38:07,320
respond.

948
00:38:07,420 --> 00:38:08,360
And you know when you get to the

949
00:38:08,360 --> 00:38:09,700
second letter, they did.

950
00:38:12,540 --> 00:38:15,020
Brethren, people can act merely like men for

951
00:38:15,020 --> 00:38:17,000
a season, but if you act merely like

952
00:38:17,000 --> 00:38:18,820
a man habitually, you show that you're not

953
00:38:18,820 --> 00:38:19,540
a son of God.

954
00:38:19,760 --> 00:38:21,960
And he says, don't be deceived by this.

955
00:38:22,240 --> 00:38:25,320
The unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of

956
00:38:25,320 --> 00:38:25,700
God.

957
00:38:26,300 --> 00:38:27,260
So we warn.

958
00:38:27,680 --> 00:38:28,520
We admonish.

959
00:38:29,340 --> 00:38:30,660
And then we take action.

960
00:38:31,100 --> 00:38:32,760
Do you know that there's at least two

961
00:38:32,760 --> 00:38:35,140
very clear passages, one in Romans and one

962
00:38:35,140 --> 00:38:36,980
in Titus, that tells us if we've got

963
00:38:36,980 --> 00:38:40,640
divisive people in the church, do you know

964
00:38:40,640 --> 00:38:41,180
what we do?

965
00:38:41,400 --> 00:38:43,680
Now see, you might think this isn't peacemaking,

966
00:38:43,840 --> 00:38:45,220
but this is very peacemaking.

967
00:38:45,740 --> 00:38:47,600
If we've got somebody divisive in the church,

968
00:38:47,600 --> 00:38:51,000
and after we rebuke them and confront them,

969
00:38:51,420 --> 00:38:52,900
it's not repented of.

970
00:38:53,080 --> 00:38:54,800
It says, avoid these people.

971
00:38:55,020 --> 00:38:56,080
In other words, you put them out of

972
00:38:56,080 --> 00:38:56,580
the church.

973
00:38:58,400 --> 00:39:03,540
I know some seasons of eradicating the church

974
00:39:03,540 --> 00:39:06,780
of people, those seasons can be difficult, but

975
00:39:06,780 --> 00:39:12,520
oh, I have seen such peace come after

976
00:39:12,520 --> 00:39:15,380
people like that are eradicated from the church.

977
00:39:16,180 --> 00:39:20,260
And here's what it says, Romans 16, 17,

978
00:39:20,340 --> 00:39:23,240
I urge you, brethren, take note of those

979
00:39:23,240 --> 00:39:26,880
who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the

980
00:39:26,880 --> 00:39:28,840
doctrine which you learned.

981
00:39:30,020 --> 00:39:30,720
See, it's contrary.

982
00:39:30,840 --> 00:39:34,540
People that are creating division, they're basically going

983
00:39:34,540 --> 00:39:37,520
against what has been taught by the apostles.

984
00:39:37,940 --> 00:39:38,820
Avoid these people.

985
00:39:39,260 --> 00:39:41,920
Titus 3.10, Reject a divisive man after

986
00:39:41,920 --> 00:39:44,400
the first and second admonition, knowing that such

987
00:39:44,400 --> 00:39:47,580
a person is warped and sinning, being self

988
00:39:47,580 --> 00:39:48,280
-condemned.

989
00:39:48,640 --> 00:39:50,100
See, he doesn't inherit the kingdom.

990
00:39:50,360 --> 00:39:51,180
Self-condemned.

991
00:39:51,360 --> 00:39:52,300
He's not a son of God.

992
00:39:53,980 --> 00:39:56,120
This is what we're dealing with.

993
00:39:56,240 --> 00:39:57,360
So, what happens?

994
00:39:57,760 --> 00:39:58,410
We put a person...

995
00:40:00,970 --> 00:40:03,150
I'm going to talk a little bit here

996
00:40:03,150 --> 00:40:07,470
about disciplinary action in the church, because dealing

997
00:40:07,470 --> 00:40:09,270
with sins in each other, I mean, if

998
00:40:09,270 --> 00:40:11,610
we're really going to pursue peace, as much

999
00:40:11,610 --> 00:40:13,450
as possible, as much as lies in you,

1000
00:40:13,450 --> 00:40:15,450
if we're going to pursue peace, we have

1001
00:40:15,450 --> 00:40:18,270
to be people that are pursuing our brothers

1002
00:40:18,270 --> 00:40:21,950
and sisters in the way of purity.

1003
00:40:23,270 --> 00:40:25,790
We cannot allow sin upon one another.

1004
00:40:26,850 --> 00:40:29,350
And the Bible is very clear about that.

1005
00:40:29,810 --> 00:40:32,750
There are ways that we seek to address

1006
00:40:32,750 --> 00:40:33,030
this.

1007
00:40:33,170 --> 00:40:34,310
Blessed are the peacemakers.

1008
00:40:34,910 --> 00:40:36,330
So, how do we pursue peace?

1009
00:40:37,110 --> 00:40:39,570
If it is possible, as much as depends

1010
00:40:39,570 --> 00:40:41,210
on you live peaceably with all men.

1011
00:40:41,390 --> 00:40:42,170
How do we do that?

1012
00:40:42,710 --> 00:40:43,610
How do we do it?

1013
00:40:44,490 --> 00:40:46,170
I'll tell you right in the beginning.

1014
00:40:47,430 --> 00:40:49,170
You've got to abide in Christ.

1015
00:40:50,190 --> 00:40:51,930
Because Christ said, without me you can't do

1016
00:40:51,930 --> 00:40:52,370
anything.

1017
00:40:53,170 --> 00:40:55,730
One of the things that's absolutely critical for

1018
00:40:55,730 --> 00:41:01,210
the church is peacemakers are people who are

1019
00:41:01,210 --> 00:41:02,150
not mere men.

1020
00:41:03,030 --> 00:41:05,170
We're not mere men because we're plugged into

1021
00:41:05,170 --> 00:41:05,670
Christ.

1022
00:41:06,370 --> 00:41:07,950
You do recognize that, I hope.

1023
00:41:08,190 --> 00:41:11,370
We draw resources that mere men never draw

1024
00:41:11,370 --> 00:41:11,710
from.

1025
00:41:11,710 --> 00:41:15,450
We draw from wells of salvation that the

1026
00:41:15,450 --> 00:41:17,130
mere man cannot draw from.

1027
00:41:17,870 --> 00:41:22,370
Do you recognize that Christ gives love, and

1028
00:41:22,370 --> 00:41:26,070
he gives wisdom, and he gives strength, and

1029
00:41:26,070 --> 00:41:30,650
he gives power, and he gives mercy, and

1030
00:41:30,650 --> 00:41:36,650
grace, and forgiveness for us to approach conflict

1031
00:41:36,650 --> 00:41:39,210
with in daily life that the mere man

1032
00:41:39,210 --> 00:41:40,590
doesn't have access to?

1033
00:41:40,590 --> 00:41:42,730
I mean, you do realize that, right?

1034
00:41:42,830 --> 00:41:43,750
We're not mere men.

1035
00:41:44,630 --> 00:41:46,190
There's not a conflict that comes up in

1036
00:41:46,190 --> 00:41:49,630
this church that we can't go to Christ

1037
00:41:49,630 --> 00:41:51,690
for the resources to deal with.

1038
00:41:53,390 --> 00:41:55,330
And you know where those come from?

1039
00:41:55,350 --> 00:41:57,130
Those resources come from Christ.

1040
00:41:57,430 --> 00:41:59,270
They come from being like Mary and sitting

1041
00:41:59,270 --> 00:42:00,150
at Christ's feet.

1042
00:42:00,650 --> 00:42:03,450
They come from people who live day in

1043
00:42:03,450 --> 00:42:04,170
and day out.

1044
00:42:04,270 --> 00:42:07,270
They live day after day in the Word,

1045
00:42:07,270 --> 00:42:11,450
finding Christ, in prayer, speaking to the Father,

1046
00:42:11,570 --> 00:42:12,630
speaking to Christ.

1047
00:42:13,710 --> 00:42:16,810
That is absolutely essential.

1048
00:42:17,490 --> 00:42:17,990
You know what?

1049
00:42:18,250 --> 00:42:18,990
You get lazy.

1050
00:42:19,430 --> 00:42:20,350
You get distracted.

1051
00:42:21,010 --> 00:42:22,650
You know what it'll lead to?

1052
00:42:22,770 --> 00:42:23,310
Carnality.

1053
00:42:24,110 --> 00:42:26,250
Carnality, you start acting like mere men.

1054
00:42:26,930 --> 00:42:30,330
You start moving away from spending quality time

1055
00:42:30,330 --> 00:42:31,010
with Christ.

1056
00:42:31,430 --> 00:42:38,950
Don't be surprised that you move towards a

1057
00:42:38,950 --> 00:42:43,510
fleshliness that will begin to grow in you.

1058
00:42:44,110 --> 00:42:45,470
You'll be sharp with people.

1059
00:42:45,810 --> 00:42:47,110
You'll be short with people.

1060
00:42:48,110 --> 00:42:49,530
Thoughts will come up.

1061
00:42:50,990 --> 00:42:53,270
If you're going to really be a peace

1062
00:42:53,270 --> 00:42:55,910
pursuer, you need to be a Christ pursuer.

1063
00:42:57,110 --> 00:42:58,810
The next thing is this, faith.

1064
00:42:59,750 --> 00:43:00,310
You know what?

1065
00:43:00,310 --> 00:43:04,250
A peacemaker is somebody that can step back

1066
00:43:04,250 --> 00:43:10,050
and view conflict through the lens of faith

1067
00:43:10,050 --> 00:43:15,830
in a God who is absolutely sovereign altogether.

1068
00:43:16,450 --> 00:43:18,810
Who never allows anything to happen in my

1069
00:43:18,810 --> 00:43:20,810
life by chance.

1070
00:43:21,530 --> 00:43:23,850
Have you ever read about what happens with

1071
00:43:23,850 --> 00:43:24,310
sparrows?

1072
00:43:25,530 --> 00:43:26,310
He knows.

1073
00:43:27,010 --> 00:43:30,030
He knows all about the sparrows.

1074
00:43:30,310 --> 00:43:31,990
Not one of them falls to the ground

1075
00:43:31,990 --> 00:43:33,290
apart from your father's will.

1076
00:43:33,430 --> 00:43:35,650
The very hairs of your heads are numbered.

1077
00:43:36,010 --> 00:43:37,950
Do you know if every single hair on

1078
00:43:37,950 --> 00:43:44,030
your head is numbered, he also has numbered

1079
00:43:44,030 --> 00:43:49,670
the conflicts that he has designed to come

1080
00:43:49,670 --> 00:43:50,810
into your life.

1081
00:43:52,310 --> 00:43:54,750
And you need to recognize this.

1082
00:43:55,990 --> 00:43:59,790
In first Corinthians, just listen to this.

1083
00:44:01,790 --> 00:44:04,730
Paul said, first of all, when you come

1084
00:44:04,730 --> 00:44:06,210
together as a church, I hear that there

1085
00:44:06,210 --> 00:44:08,230
are divisions among you and in part I

1086
00:44:08,230 --> 00:44:08,870
believe it.

1087
00:44:09,650 --> 00:44:16,130
For there must be factions among you.

1088
00:44:16,270 --> 00:44:17,190
Have you ever read that?

1089
00:44:18,130 --> 00:44:18,690
What?

1090
00:44:19,630 --> 00:44:21,470
We're supposed to be trying to keep the

1091
00:44:21,470 --> 00:44:26,230
factions out and yet Paul says there must

1092
00:44:26,230 --> 00:44:27,710
be factions.

1093
00:44:29,430 --> 00:44:30,730
But listen, why?

1094
00:44:31,570 --> 00:44:35,790
That those who are approved may be recognized.

1095
00:44:36,190 --> 00:44:37,410
That's what the New King James says.

1096
00:44:37,470 --> 00:44:38,390
You know what approved means?

1097
00:44:39,510 --> 00:44:42,250
Those who are genuine.

1098
00:44:44,830 --> 00:44:47,570
Do you recognize what happens when strife comes

1099
00:44:47,570 --> 00:44:48,290
into the church?

1100
00:44:49,150 --> 00:44:53,230
Those who are genuine rise to the surface.

1101
00:44:54,270 --> 00:44:54,890
Why?

1102
00:44:55,030 --> 00:44:58,110
Because those who are genuine peacemakers and that's

1103
00:44:58,110 --> 00:45:01,810
who's genuine, the peacemakers, it's shown.

1104
00:45:01,970 --> 00:45:04,870
Have you ever recognized that you get problem

1105
00:45:04,870 --> 00:45:06,850
people in the church and there's certain other

1106
00:45:06,850 --> 00:45:09,030
people that are problematic in the church that

1107
00:45:09,030 --> 00:45:10,010
tend to side with them?

1108
00:45:10,790 --> 00:45:13,810
Even if they're not directly involved, they kind

1109
00:45:13,810 --> 00:45:15,350
of like them, they kind of sniffed each

1110
00:45:15,350 --> 00:45:16,990
other out, they kind of found each other.

1111
00:45:17,330 --> 00:45:19,230
I have very often found that to be

1112
00:45:19,230 --> 00:45:20,190
exactly the case.

1113
00:45:20,970 --> 00:45:23,010
But brethren, we need to recognize this.

1114
00:45:23,290 --> 00:45:25,690
God specifically is going to bring things into

1115
00:45:25,690 --> 00:45:27,130
this church to test us.

1116
00:45:27,130 --> 00:45:29,610
Even though right now, you all came through

1117
00:45:29,610 --> 00:45:31,770
a season of testing a little over a

1118
00:45:31,770 --> 00:45:32,250
year ago.

1119
00:45:32,390 --> 00:45:33,490
I recognize that.

1120
00:45:33,770 --> 00:45:35,110
I recognize things happen.

1121
00:45:35,530 --> 00:45:36,150
But you know what?

1122
00:45:36,230 --> 00:45:37,630
Even though we may have a season of

1123
00:45:37,630 --> 00:45:42,430
peace right now, especially if God begins to

1124
00:45:42,430 --> 00:45:45,930
save, if God begins to use this church

1125
00:45:45,930 --> 00:45:48,470
and the devil really sits up and takes

1126
00:45:48,470 --> 00:45:50,030
notice, I'm going to tell you something.

1127
00:45:50,490 --> 00:45:52,990
We heard a message last week, we have

1128
00:45:52,990 --> 00:45:55,250
an enemy and he is in the business

1129
00:45:55,250 --> 00:45:56,450
of sowing tares.

1130
00:45:57,130 --> 00:45:59,570
And there is nothing in that parable that

1131
00:45:59,570 --> 00:46:01,570
seems to indicate that God is going to

1132
00:46:01,570 --> 00:46:02,090
prevent it.

1133
00:46:02,370 --> 00:46:04,690
In fact, God is going to allow it

1134
00:46:04,690 --> 00:46:07,670
to show who is genuine among us.

1135
00:46:08,970 --> 00:46:10,610
That's what we find in Scripture.

1136
00:46:11,550 --> 00:46:15,370
And so know this, whether God has designed

1137
00:46:15,370 --> 00:46:17,310
there to be some tension in your marriage,

1138
00:46:17,790 --> 00:46:20,930
some tension in your workplace, or some tension

1139
00:46:20,930 --> 00:46:23,690
in this church, this is all by God's

1140
00:46:23,690 --> 00:46:24,130
design.

1141
00:46:24,930 --> 00:46:26,590
What happens is we get tested.

1142
00:46:26,590 --> 00:46:28,450
You see, what we're made of.

1143
00:46:29,450 --> 00:46:30,610
You might not think that.

1144
00:46:30,690 --> 00:46:32,150
You know, wow, there's a problem in the

1145
00:46:32,150 --> 00:46:32,510
church.

1146
00:46:32,630 --> 00:46:33,710
Yeah, you're being tested.

1147
00:46:34,630 --> 00:46:36,790
Even though it may be happening over on

1148
00:46:36,790 --> 00:46:37,570
the other side.

1149
00:46:38,530 --> 00:46:39,930
I mean, what I mean by that is

1150
00:46:39,930 --> 00:46:44,110
people that you're not so directly involved with,

1151
00:46:44,250 --> 00:46:47,250
or you're directly involved with them, but the

1152
00:46:47,250 --> 00:46:48,990
conflict doesn't really involve you.

1153
00:46:49,130 --> 00:46:51,730
It's between two other parties.

1154
00:46:52,830 --> 00:46:54,470
It still is going to test you.

1155
00:46:54,470 --> 00:46:57,590
Because peacemakers are always not the people that

1156
00:46:57,590 --> 00:46:59,090
are in the conflict.

1157
00:46:59,590 --> 00:47:01,970
Oftentimes, a peacemaker is a moderator that comes

1158
00:47:01,970 --> 00:47:04,650
from the outside, that helps in that sense.

1159
00:47:04,970 --> 00:47:06,550
But God specifically brings this.

1160
00:47:06,770 --> 00:47:07,930
And you know what Scripture says.

1161
00:47:08,610 --> 00:47:11,870
There's no temptation that has overtaken you except

1162
00:47:11,870 --> 00:47:13,390
that it's common to men.

1163
00:47:13,650 --> 00:47:14,570
And what does God do?

1164
00:47:14,690 --> 00:47:16,270
God promises you a way out.

1165
00:47:16,550 --> 00:47:19,270
God promises that He's faithful.

1166
00:47:19,570 --> 00:47:20,550
He's not going to allow you to be

1167
00:47:20,550 --> 00:47:22,070
tempted beyond what you're able.

1168
00:47:22,070 --> 00:47:25,450
God is always going to make available to

1169
00:47:25,450 --> 00:47:28,790
you the strength and the wisdom.

1170
00:47:29,210 --> 00:47:30,450
I mean, as a child of God, as

1171
00:47:30,450 --> 00:47:32,050
a son of God, He is going to

1172
00:47:32,050 --> 00:47:35,130
make available to you the things that you

1173
00:47:35,130 --> 00:47:38,830
need access to, to weather the storm.

1174
00:47:40,650 --> 00:47:41,970
And see, that's what proves us.

1175
00:47:42,270 --> 00:47:42,950
We're tested.

1176
00:47:43,430 --> 00:47:44,630
That's why the factions come.

1177
00:47:44,830 --> 00:47:45,470
They test.

1178
00:47:45,650 --> 00:47:47,190
Who is it that's really clinging to God

1179
00:47:47,190 --> 00:47:47,710
in faith?

1180
00:47:48,350 --> 00:47:50,750
Every time there's a conflict in this church,

1181
00:47:51,350 --> 00:47:54,350
or in your marriage, or wherever, there's an

1182
00:47:54,350 --> 00:47:58,310
opportunity that gets laid before you.

1183
00:47:58,990 --> 00:48:01,650
I mean, it shows what you believe about

1184
00:48:01,650 --> 00:48:02,050
God.

1185
00:48:02,690 --> 00:48:03,550
Is God in control?

1186
00:48:03,650 --> 00:48:05,370
Does God have the resources here?

1187
00:48:05,490 --> 00:48:07,450
Is God giving me a way out?

1188
00:48:08,270 --> 00:48:10,390
A way of escape that we may be

1189
00:48:10,390 --> 00:48:12,230
able to bear up under this?

1190
00:48:13,190 --> 00:48:15,110
It's up to us to accept and use

1191
00:48:15,110 --> 00:48:18,390
His assistance and His resources and His truths.

1192
00:48:18,990 --> 00:48:20,250
I mean, God can heal.

1193
00:48:20,390 --> 00:48:21,150
God can help.

1194
00:48:21,250 --> 00:48:22,870
And our faith needs to be locked into

1195
00:48:22,870 --> 00:48:23,210
this.

1196
00:48:24,130 --> 00:48:28,310
But, listen, I have watched.

1197
00:48:28,890 --> 00:48:30,810
I mean, I was thinking, even thinking about

1198
00:48:30,810 --> 00:48:31,110
this.

1199
00:48:31,870 --> 00:48:37,790
Like, I remember one time where Ruby told

1200
00:48:37,790 --> 00:48:41,630
me something that was really difficult to hear.

1201
00:48:43,970 --> 00:48:47,030
And I walked out and I was praying

1202
00:48:47,030 --> 00:48:48,630
and I was pleading with the Lord.

1203
00:48:50,590 --> 00:48:53,070
And supernaturally, something happened.

1204
00:48:55,490 --> 00:48:57,290
And I know, I can think of different

1205
00:48:57,290 --> 00:49:01,590
times when my wife has had some situations

1206
00:49:01,590 --> 00:49:03,630
where there's been conflict and she's gone to

1207
00:49:03,630 --> 00:49:07,530
prayer and just testified how God just took

1208
00:49:07,530 --> 00:49:08,150
it right away.

1209
00:49:09,110 --> 00:49:09,930
Hudson Taylor.

1210
00:49:10,810 --> 00:49:12,470
I remember reading about him.

1211
00:49:12,610 --> 00:49:13,870
He said there was conflict.

1212
00:49:14,350 --> 00:49:16,870
And he really believed prayerfully that he was

1213
00:49:16,870 --> 00:49:19,570
right in what he was wanting from certain

1214
00:49:19,570 --> 00:49:21,290
missionaries in the China Inland Mission.

1215
00:49:21,850 --> 00:49:22,810
And there was conflict.

1216
00:49:22,930 --> 00:49:24,170
They were disagreeing with him.

1217
00:49:24,290 --> 00:49:26,010
And so they basically separated.

1218
00:49:26,130 --> 00:49:27,030
He just went to prayer.

1219
00:49:27,510 --> 00:49:30,890
And God changed the hearts of all of

1220
00:49:30,890 --> 00:49:32,670
those other missionaries.

1221
00:49:33,230 --> 00:49:35,990
Listen, this is something we've got to be

1222
00:49:35,990 --> 00:49:36,610
convinced of.

1223
00:49:36,670 --> 00:49:38,230
Do we believe that God is able to

1224
00:49:38,230 --> 00:49:39,530
do what we cannot do?

1225
00:49:40,470 --> 00:49:44,150
And have you ever thought that God brings

1226
00:49:44,150 --> 00:49:47,650
us into these conflicts to put Himself on

1227
00:49:47,650 --> 00:49:48,170
display?

1228
00:49:48,730 --> 00:49:50,890
We need to cling to Him and plead

1229
00:49:50,890 --> 00:49:51,370
with Him.

1230
00:49:51,650 --> 00:49:54,550
See, conflict provides these kind of opportunities to

1231
00:49:54,550 --> 00:49:55,590
put God on display.

1232
00:49:55,910 --> 00:49:56,810
Not so much us.

1233
00:49:57,590 --> 00:50:00,130
If we're peacemakers, we're peacemakers by His grace.

1234
00:50:00,750 --> 00:50:03,690
And it's just going to be an opportunity

1235
00:50:03,690 --> 00:50:06,950
for God to demonstrate His power working through

1236
00:50:06,950 --> 00:50:07,470
the people.

1237
00:50:08,170 --> 00:50:09,950
And I'll tell you, a lot of times

1238
00:50:09,950 --> 00:50:12,950
you're doing this contrary to how you feel.

1239
00:50:13,630 --> 00:50:14,870
I mean, we have to be guided by

1240
00:50:14,870 --> 00:50:16,230
truth, not by emotion.

1241
00:50:16,350 --> 00:50:18,270
Because there are times our emotions...

1242
00:50:18,270 --> 00:50:22,250
I remember one time I butted heads hard.

1243
00:50:22,910 --> 00:50:24,410
And I don't even remember what all the

1244
00:50:24,410 --> 00:50:25,130
issues were.

1245
00:50:25,290 --> 00:50:29,290
Over my pastor in San Antonio, not at

1246
00:50:29,290 --> 00:50:29,790
Grace.

1247
00:50:30,230 --> 00:50:31,910
This is Community Baptist Church.

1248
00:50:31,990 --> 00:50:33,650
I sat under a brother.

1249
00:50:33,650 --> 00:50:36,250
And there was a season where Ruby and

1250
00:50:36,250 --> 00:50:38,350
I, there was some conflict.

1251
00:50:39,550 --> 00:50:44,670
And I wanted to leave that church.

1252
00:50:46,350 --> 00:50:47,390
So did Ruby.

1253
00:50:48,850 --> 00:50:50,690
But I was convinced of this.

1254
00:50:51,190 --> 00:50:53,890
The way I feel right now feels awful

1255
00:50:53,890 --> 00:50:54,370
carnal.

1256
00:50:55,190 --> 00:50:58,530
And I am not going to make this

1257
00:50:58,530 --> 00:51:01,910
kind of decision based on these feelings.

1258
00:51:03,090 --> 00:51:05,850
And I said, I'm going to fast until

1259
00:51:05,850 --> 00:51:08,450
God gives me an answer and shows me

1260
00:51:08,450 --> 00:51:09,030
what to do.

1261
00:51:09,230 --> 00:51:10,390
And you know what the answer was?

1262
00:51:10,490 --> 00:51:11,910
And this is typically His answer.

1263
00:51:12,790 --> 00:51:14,550
Stay and seek peace.

1264
00:51:15,390 --> 00:51:16,430
And I did.

1265
00:51:17,090 --> 00:51:19,150
And you know, in the not too distant

1266
00:51:19,150 --> 00:51:21,430
future, I was then ordained in that church.

1267
00:51:21,550 --> 00:51:23,330
And the not too distant future after that,

1268
00:51:23,710 --> 00:51:25,510
sent out to start Grace.

1269
00:51:25,850 --> 00:51:27,830
And you know, I've looked back on that.

1270
00:51:27,930 --> 00:51:28,910
And I have thought...

1271
00:51:28,910 --> 00:51:31,930
Often when I've counseled people that are in

1272
00:51:31,930 --> 00:51:34,610
conflict, I've brought this story up.

1273
00:51:35,050 --> 00:51:37,310
Because I am pretty convinced that I would

1274
00:51:37,310 --> 00:51:40,430
not be where I am now if I

1275
00:51:40,430 --> 00:51:42,150
had walked away from that church.

1276
00:51:45,070 --> 00:51:47,690
So I'm being transparent with you.

1277
00:51:49,190 --> 00:51:50,730
Don't act on emotion.

1278
00:51:51,050 --> 00:51:53,710
Sometimes the right way, the way according to

1279
00:51:53,710 --> 00:51:57,450
truth, is exactly opposite of what your flesh

1280
00:51:57,450 --> 00:51:58,310
wants to do.

1281
00:51:59,630 --> 00:52:01,750
We want to strike out or we want

1282
00:52:01,750 --> 00:52:02,190
to run.

1283
00:52:02,370 --> 00:52:04,030
Because that's what the mere man does.

1284
00:52:04,130 --> 00:52:07,630
And we've still got this stuff that clings

1285
00:52:07,630 --> 00:52:08,310
to us.

1286
00:52:08,970 --> 00:52:11,150
And there's tendencies here.

1287
00:52:11,710 --> 00:52:13,930
So, I'll tell you this.

1288
00:52:14,590 --> 00:52:16,270
One of the things Peter says, if you're

1289
00:52:16,270 --> 00:52:18,090
going to do everything possible, one of the

1290
00:52:18,090 --> 00:52:21,830
things Peter says is love covers a multitude

1291
00:52:21,830 --> 00:52:22,950
of sins.

1292
00:52:23,430 --> 00:52:25,270
One of the starting points is we need

1293
00:52:25,270 --> 00:52:26,310
thick-skinned people.

1294
00:52:26,450 --> 00:52:28,790
Thin-skinned people, easily offended people.

1295
00:52:28,910 --> 00:52:31,530
They're a blemish on the church.

1296
00:52:32,450 --> 00:52:32,550
Why?

1297
00:52:32,610 --> 00:52:34,090
Because they walk around all the time and

1298
00:52:34,090 --> 00:52:34,710
you just...

1299
00:52:34,710 --> 00:52:36,610
You know the kind of people I'm talking

1300
00:52:36,610 --> 00:52:36,810
about.

1301
00:52:36,870 --> 00:52:38,210
You've got to walk on pins and needles

1302
00:52:38,210 --> 00:52:40,510
around them because they're just so easily offended.

1303
00:52:41,130 --> 00:52:42,610
Brethren, we need to thicken up.

1304
00:52:43,050 --> 00:52:44,910
One of the ways to overlook sin...

1305
00:52:46,450 --> 00:52:48,410
I mean, look, overlooking sin.

1306
00:52:48,550 --> 00:52:50,170
Sounds easy in theory, right?

1307
00:52:50,350 --> 00:52:51,370
Oh yeah, we can do that.

1308
00:52:51,950 --> 00:52:56,270
But when somebody actually insults you, they snub

1309
00:52:56,270 --> 00:53:00,470
you, they ignore you, they hurt you, or

1310
00:53:00,470 --> 00:53:03,950
they hurt your child, or they hurt your

1311
00:53:03,950 --> 00:53:05,550
wife, or they hurt your husband.

1312
00:53:06,730 --> 00:53:08,290
You see, now we're touching the apple of

1313
00:53:08,290 --> 00:53:08,850
the eye.

1314
00:53:09,430 --> 00:53:11,210
You know, in theory, oh yeah, we can

1315
00:53:11,210 --> 00:53:11,790
do that.

1316
00:53:12,870 --> 00:53:16,830
Until it actually is that thing that slaps

1317
00:53:16,830 --> 00:53:19,110
you beside the face and it's...

1318
00:53:20,290 --> 00:53:24,170
And see, the Lord knows how to bring

1319
00:53:24,170 --> 00:53:31,880
the conflict that touches you in the sensitive

1320
00:53:31,880 --> 00:53:32,140
place.

1321
00:53:33,820 --> 00:53:35,260
And if we're going to be the kind

1322
00:53:35,260 --> 00:53:39,580
of people that can overlook this thing, do

1323
00:53:39,580 --> 00:53:41,220
you know what has to control us?

1324
00:53:41,700 --> 00:53:43,600
Again, the idea of love.

1325
00:53:44,060 --> 00:53:46,560
That we're watching out for each other and

1326
00:53:46,560 --> 00:53:47,500
we're trying to get to the end.

1327
00:53:47,700 --> 00:53:49,260
So you've got to attack these things with

1328
00:53:49,260 --> 00:53:49,620
truth.

1329
00:53:49,620 --> 00:53:52,460
Because, and here's the truth, if the person

1330
00:53:52,460 --> 00:53:55,660
that hurt me is lost, well there went

1331
00:53:55,660 --> 00:53:57,680
I, aside from the grace of God.

1332
00:53:58,280 --> 00:53:59,540
I was just like that.

1333
00:53:59,620 --> 00:54:00,860
I hurt people like that.

1334
00:54:00,940 --> 00:54:02,800
I was insensitive like that.

1335
00:54:02,920 --> 00:54:03,880
And they're lost.

1336
00:54:03,980 --> 00:54:05,260
They don't know what they do.

1337
00:54:06,240 --> 00:54:07,120
You remember Stephen?

1338
00:54:07,320 --> 00:54:09,520
He could do the same thing his master

1339
00:54:09,520 --> 00:54:09,980
did.

1340
00:54:10,800 --> 00:54:11,440
Forgive them.

1341
00:54:11,520 --> 00:54:12,600
They don't know what they do.

1342
00:54:12,780 --> 00:54:15,420
Even as they're bouncing stones off his head.

1343
00:54:15,880 --> 00:54:17,280
Because he cared for them.

1344
00:54:17,280 --> 00:54:20,200
See, brethren, it's like I said some weeks

1345
00:54:20,200 --> 00:54:23,200
back, we can afford to overlook sin.

1346
00:54:24,200 --> 00:54:25,960
Do you recognize in just a few more

1347
00:54:25,960 --> 00:54:28,300
years, if you're a child of God, you're

1348
00:54:28,300 --> 00:54:29,660
going to be in such glory.

1349
00:54:30,860 --> 00:54:32,100
And you know one of the things you'll

1350
00:54:32,100 --> 00:54:33,240
hear well done for?

1351
00:54:33,980 --> 00:54:38,180
Is when I brought that conflict into your

1352
00:54:38,180 --> 00:54:38,700
life.

1353
00:54:39,260 --> 00:54:40,740
You did well.

1354
00:54:41,820 --> 00:54:43,320
You clung to me.

1355
00:54:43,560 --> 00:54:45,060
You clung to grace.

1356
00:54:46,300 --> 00:54:48,500
You see, we're the richest people in the

1357
00:54:48,500 --> 00:54:49,320
face of the earth.

1358
00:54:49,660 --> 00:54:52,500
If somebody does us a slight snub, I

1359
00:54:52,500 --> 00:54:53,300
mean, you think about it.

1360
00:54:53,320 --> 00:54:54,360
Somebody ignores you.

1361
00:54:54,720 --> 00:54:55,380
Oh, I'm offended.

1362
00:54:55,480 --> 00:54:55,960
I'm hurt.

1363
00:54:57,340 --> 00:54:58,960
Christ didn't ignore you.

1364
00:55:00,480 --> 00:55:02,380
I mean, do you realize?

1365
00:55:02,540 --> 00:55:04,260
It's just you don't have to, you can

1366
00:55:04,260 --> 00:55:06,320
afford not to be like that.

1367
00:55:07,100 --> 00:55:08,660
We can overlook these things.

1368
00:55:09,060 --> 00:55:11,480
And if they're a Christian, it's like, well,

1369
00:55:11,660 --> 00:55:13,400
I got my own rough edges still.

1370
00:55:13,680 --> 00:55:14,420
And so do they.

1371
00:55:17,940 --> 00:55:20,040
And you know, the kind of church where

1372
00:55:20,040 --> 00:55:23,160
we're able to overlook things and go on,

1373
00:55:23,320 --> 00:55:24,980
we need, you know how water is off

1374
00:55:24,980 --> 00:55:25,680
a duck's back.

1375
00:55:25,980 --> 00:55:27,460
Just beads up, boom, it's gone.

1376
00:55:28,000 --> 00:55:29,220
That's how we need to be.

1377
00:55:29,740 --> 00:55:31,660
And we can be that way if we're

1378
00:55:31,660 --> 00:55:32,520
geared with truth.

1379
00:55:32,940 --> 00:55:33,900
We're thinking about this.

1380
00:55:34,340 --> 00:55:35,880
God is for, I mean, it's kind of

1381
00:55:35,880 --> 00:55:37,380
like the Lord's Supper we're thinking about.

1382
00:55:37,560 --> 00:55:38,660
Christ died for them.

1383
00:55:39,980 --> 00:55:41,760
God's Spirit is at work in their life.

1384
00:55:42,680 --> 00:55:43,720
I mean, I can look at them and

1385
00:55:43,720 --> 00:55:44,900
recognize, you know what?

1386
00:55:44,960 --> 00:55:47,240
Yeah, they've got rough edges, but God's not

1387
00:55:47,240 --> 00:55:48,280
going to leave them like that.

1388
00:55:48,660 --> 00:55:50,340
And I'm glad because He's not going to

1389
00:55:50,340 --> 00:55:51,420
leave me like that either.

1390
00:55:52,720 --> 00:55:54,820
And so we can forgive.

1391
00:55:55,280 --> 00:55:56,920
I mean, we can forgive because God has

1392
00:55:56,920 --> 00:55:58,240
forgiven us of so much.

1393
00:55:58,980 --> 00:56:00,720
I mean, look what we did.

1394
00:56:01,180 --> 00:56:04,600
And by the way, forgiveness is a decision.

1395
00:56:05,360 --> 00:56:06,680
It's something you decide to do.

1396
00:56:06,760 --> 00:56:07,560
It's deliberate.

1397
00:56:09,000 --> 00:56:13,200
And remember this, brother goes to law against

1398
00:56:13,200 --> 00:56:13,660
brother.

1399
00:56:13,660 --> 00:56:14,840
That before unbelievers.

1400
00:56:15,640 --> 00:56:17,660
It's already an utter failure for you that

1401
00:56:17,660 --> 00:56:18,880
you go to law against one another.

1402
00:56:19,140 --> 00:56:20,580
Why do you not rather accept wrong?

1403
00:56:20,780 --> 00:56:22,200
Why do you not rather let yourselves be

1404
00:56:22,200 --> 00:56:22,480
cheated?

1405
00:56:23,460 --> 00:56:24,420
You see what he's saying there?

1406
00:56:25,620 --> 00:56:29,220
You'd be better off to not take your

1407
00:56:29,220 --> 00:56:31,720
brother to court and just allow yourself to

1408
00:56:31,720 --> 00:56:32,540
be defrauded.

1409
00:56:33,120 --> 00:56:33,980
That's what he's saying.

1410
00:56:34,420 --> 00:56:35,140
He's better off.

1411
00:56:35,820 --> 00:56:37,940
In other words, you as Christians, you can

1412
00:56:37,940 --> 00:56:38,400
do that.

1413
00:56:38,520 --> 00:56:39,960
Do you recognize there's nothing so...

1414
00:56:40,640 --> 00:56:43,400
I hope we would never get to this

1415
00:56:43,400 --> 00:56:44,480
place in this church.

1416
00:56:45,100 --> 00:56:46,260
You know what he says?

1417
00:56:46,580 --> 00:56:48,480
Isn't there somebody among you that can judge

1418
00:56:48,480 --> 00:56:49,040
this matter?

1419
00:56:50,340 --> 00:56:53,600
You see, there does come a place where

1420
00:56:53,600 --> 00:56:57,160
we need to get involved with this, set

1421
00:56:57,160 --> 00:56:59,220
up tribunals in the church, or even bring

1422
00:56:59,220 --> 00:57:00,640
matters before the whole church.

1423
00:57:00,880 --> 00:57:01,820
But let me tell you something.

1424
00:57:02,380 --> 00:57:03,620
Do you know the first step to dealing

1425
00:57:03,620 --> 00:57:04,740
with problems in the church?

1426
00:57:05,200 --> 00:57:06,540
Even if you can't overlook it.

1427
00:57:06,860 --> 00:57:08,380
And you know when not to overlook it?

1428
00:57:09,440 --> 00:57:13,160
When that sin is harming that person and

1429
00:57:13,160 --> 00:57:14,520
you can't just let them go on in

1430
00:57:14,520 --> 00:57:14,760
it.

1431
00:57:15,340 --> 00:57:18,680
Or that person's sin is harming others.

1432
00:57:19,440 --> 00:57:21,000
And it's harming this church.

1433
00:57:21,320 --> 00:57:22,140
We can't let them go on.

1434
00:57:22,340 --> 00:57:25,320
Or it's doing such dishonor to God, we

1435
00:57:25,320 --> 00:57:27,080
can't allow that to continue.

1436
00:57:27,440 --> 00:57:28,440
You see, there are problems.

1437
00:57:28,540 --> 00:57:29,700
There's questions to ask.

1438
00:57:30,180 --> 00:57:32,840
And there is another time to not just

1439
00:57:32,840 --> 00:57:33,540
overlook sin.

1440
00:57:33,820 --> 00:57:36,440
And that's if you feel that this person's

1441
00:57:36,440 --> 00:57:38,900
sin against you has caused you to create

1442
00:57:38,900 --> 00:57:40,180
a wall in your heart.

1443
00:57:40,560 --> 00:57:41,600
You've prayed against it.

1444
00:57:41,700 --> 00:57:42,740
You've tried to overlook it.

1445
00:57:42,780 --> 00:57:45,140
But you just recognize it's not going away.

1446
00:57:45,820 --> 00:57:48,620
Those are times to not overlook it.

1447
00:57:49,440 --> 00:57:50,500
But here's the thing.

1448
00:57:50,740 --> 00:57:52,380
If your brother sins against you, you know

1449
00:57:52,380 --> 00:57:53,340
what Scripture says?

1450
00:57:54,300 --> 00:57:56,980
Go to him alone.

1451
00:57:59,390 --> 00:58:00,350
Do you know one of the things that

1452
00:58:00,350 --> 00:58:01,710
does not make for peace?

1453
00:58:02,230 --> 00:58:07,130
Is when somebody offends you and you have

1454
00:58:07,130 --> 00:58:09,030
to go tell other people.

1455
00:58:09,650 --> 00:58:13,230
What a carnal approach that is.

1456
00:58:13,650 --> 00:58:15,330
Contrary to peacemaking.

1457
00:58:15,850 --> 00:58:17,090
Somebody hurts you.

1458
00:58:17,790 --> 00:58:22,070
Well, you need pity from somebody.

1459
00:58:22,290 --> 00:58:23,290
You need allies.

1460
00:58:23,850 --> 00:58:24,730
And so you know what you do?

1461
00:58:24,870 --> 00:58:26,550
You go tell people.

1462
00:58:27,690 --> 00:58:29,850
And it can seem a very holy thing.

1463
00:58:29,850 --> 00:58:31,290
I'm going to go tell the pastor.

1464
00:58:31,950 --> 00:58:33,070
I'll tell one of the deacons.

1465
00:58:33,410 --> 00:58:35,090
Why, they're officers in the church, so this

1466
00:58:35,090 --> 00:58:35,870
is more formal.

1467
00:58:36,870 --> 00:58:37,670
You know what?

1468
00:58:38,210 --> 00:58:40,150
When people come to me and want to

1469
00:58:40,150 --> 00:58:42,570
rat out somebody else, first thing I'm going

1470
00:58:42,570 --> 00:58:44,270
to ask them is, have you gone to

1471
00:58:44,270 --> 00:58:44,550
them?

1472
00:58:45,510 --> 00:58:46,610
Because I'm going to throw it back in

1473
00:58:46,610 --> 00:58:48,230
your lap, because that's what Scripture does.

1474
00:58:48,430 --> 00:58:49,730
You're supposed to go alone.

1475
00:58:49,990 --> 00:58:51,670
You're not supposed to go telling other people

1476
00:58:51,670 --> 00:58:53,790
about how you got offended, how you got

1477
00:58:53,790 --> 00:58:56,010
hurt, how somebody did this to you, that

1478
00:58:56,010 --> 00:58:57,130
to you, or the other thing.

1479
00:58:57,130 --> 00:58:59,910
If you're really going to resolve conflict, you

1480
00:58:59,910 --> 00:59:01,750
go alone.

1481
00:59:03,030 --> 00:59:03,510
Alone.

1482
00:59:06,170 --> 00:59:08,450
And you know that if you come to

1483
00:59:08,450 --> 00:59:11,510
me and actually tell me, oh, I have

1484
00:59:11,510 --> 00:59:13,830
had this happen so often, people come to

1485
00:59:13,830 --> 00:59:15,310
me and they say, oh, you know what

1486
00:59:15,310 --> 00:59:16,610
happened in this person's life?

1487
00:59:16,850 --> 00:59:18,770
But please don't tell them that I'm the

1488
00:59:18,770 --> 00:59:19,610
one that told you.

1489
00:59:20,630 --> 00:59:22,910
Don't ever put me in that position, because

1490
00:59:22,910 --> 00:59:23,430
you know what?

1491
00:59:23,470 --> 00:59:26,490
I can't go to the person and dogmatically

1492
00:59:26,490 --> 00:59:31,250
address them about something when they're wondering, how

1493
00:59:31,250 --> 00:59:32,010
do I know?

1494
00:59:32,410 --> 00:59:34,030
And I say, I can't tell you.

1495
00:59:34,290 --> 00:59:35,750
You know what that promotes in the church?

1496
00:59:36,050 --> 00:59:36,530
Suspicion.

1497
00:59:36,890 --> 00:59:39,510
Because now they're just thinking all the, who

1498
00:59:39,510 --> 00:59:41,210
said that, you know, you know what Paul

1499
00:59:41,210 --> 00:59:41,530
did?

1500
00:59:42,150 --> 00:59:45,850
Chloe's people told me about what's going on

1501
00:59:45,850 --> 00:59:46,350
over there.

1502
00:59:46,670 --> 00:59:47,850
I just want you to know this.

1503
00:59:47,930 --> 00:59:50,770
You come tell me about something, somebody else,

1504
00:59:51,190 --> 00:59:53,470
I'm going to send you back there.

1505
00:59:53,890 --> 00:59:55,570
And if it is something I feel like

1506
00:59:55,570 --> 00:59:57,130
I have to get involved with, I am

1507
00:59:57,130 --> 00:59:59,690
going to tell the individuals, so-and-so

1508
00:59:59,690 --> 01:00:00,630
told me this.

1509
01:00:01,170 --> 01:00:02,570
That is being transparent.

1510
01:00:03,050 --> 01:00:04,790
That is how you avoid suspicion.

1511
01:00:05,670 --> 01:00:09,130
That, listen, we got to operate that way.

1512
01:00:09,810 --> 01:00:10,830
But you go alone.

1513
01:00:11,770 --> 01:00:13,030
Don't go tell someone else.

1514
01:00:14,690 --> 01:00:17,170
And if they won't hear you, and you

1515
01:00:17,170 --> 01:00:18,590
can't gain your brother, oh, by the way,

1516
01:00:18,690 --> 01:00:21,710
when you go alone, Scripture does say a

1517
01:00:21,710 --> 01:00:22,210
few things.

1518
01:00:22,210 --> 01:00:26,530
One, it says get the log out of

1519
01:00:26,530 --> 01:00:27,250
your own eye.

1520
01:00:32,520 --> 01:00:36,460
A lot of times the person who goes

1521
01:00:36,460 --> 01:00:39,180
and addresses somebody else about sin, a lot

1522
01:00:39,180 --> 01:00:41,220
of times they're people that just simply can't

1523
01:00:41,220 --> 01:00:41,960
cover sin.

1524
01:00:42,800 --> 01:00:45,660
Because they're very proud, they're very thin-skinned,

1525
01:00:45,960 --> 01:00:49,040
and they've got this two-by-four just

1526
01:00:49,040 --> 01:00:52,240
sticking out of their own head, and they're

1527
01:00:52,240 --> 01:00:53,900
going to go try to help somebody else

1528
01:00:53,900 --> 01:00:54,840
with the speck.

1529
01:00:56,660 --> 01:00:58,420
You really need to examine yourself.

1530
01:00:58,620 --> 01:01:00,820
And I'll tell you this, if you come

1531
01:01:00,820 --> 01:01:04,000
in this condescending way, blasting somebody else about

1532
01:01:04,000 --> 01:01:05,340
their sin, you know what they're going to

1533
01:01:05,340 --> 01:01:05,460
do?

1534
01:01:05,520 --> 01:01:06,360
They're going to get defensive.

1535
01:01:07,220 --> 01:01:09,400
If you actually come to somebody, and you're

1536
01:01:09,400 --> 01:01:11,240
trying to talk to them about a problem

1537
01:01:11,240 --> 01:01:13,520
that they have, but you're also telling them

1538
01:01:13,520 --> 01:01:15,120
about the two-by-four that you've seen

1539
01:01:15,120 --> 01:01:17,300
in your own eye, either presently or in

1540
01:01:17,300 --> 01:01:18,880
the past that God has helped you deal

1541
01:01:18,880 --> 01:01:20,400
with, you know, as soon as you start

1542
01:01:20,400 --> 01:01:22,720
talking that way to people, it's amazing how,

1543
01:01:23,680 --> 01:01:25,800
right, they soften up.

1544
01:01:26,800 --> 01:01:28,780
Do you know what else we're told?

1545
01:01:29,360 --> 01:01:31,120
Is He going to restore a brother taken

1546
01:01:31,120 --> 01:01:31,660
in sin?

1547
01:01:31,960 --> 01:01:33,940
It says to do it with gentleness.

1548
01:01:35,020 --> 01:01:37,880
Sometimes we think we're being some kind of

1549
01:01:37,880 --> 01:01:40,200
these peacemakers, but we full well know the

1550
01:01:40,200 --> 01:01:42,940
thing we're saying is provoking to other people.

1551
01:01:43,520 --> 01:01:45,300
It is not the kind of thing that

1552
01:01:45,300 --> 01:01:47,580
is done in a gentle way.

1553
01:01:48,020 --> 01:01:50,580
I mean, a soft answer turns away wrath.

1554
01:01:50,920 --> 01:01:52,420
There's just a reality in Scripture.

1555
01:01:52,540 --> 01:01:54,560
And you know what it says there in

1556
01:01:54,560 --> 01:01:55,540
Galatians 1?

1557
01:01:55,540 --> 01:01:59,020
It says, you better be careful, because if

1558
01:01:59,020 --> 01:02:04,100
you're not gentle, you may fall into the

1559
01:02:04,100 --> 01:02:04,960
same temptation.

1560
01:02:05,280 --> 01:02:06,780
What you need to recognize is God is

1561
01:02:06,780 --> 01:02:08,760
very intimately involved in these things.

1562
01:02:09,060 --> 01:02:10,440
And do you realize if you don't deal

1563
01:02:10,440 --> 01:02:16,420
with gentleness, God who's watching may say, okay,

1564
01:02:16,420 --> 01:02:19,300
if you're going to deal proudly like that,

1565
01:02:19,880 --> 01:02:23,540
I'm just going to withhold the restraints, and

1566
01:02:23,540 --> 01:02:25,300
I'm going to let you be tempted in

1567
01:02:25,300 --> 01:02:26,760
a way that you fall flat on your

1568
01:02:26,760 --> 01:02:27,180
face.

1569
01:02:27,560 --> 01:02:28,920
Just be careful, brethren.

1570
01:02:29,080 --> 01:02:29,680
Be careful.

1571
01:02:30,260 --> 01:02:31,020
But here's the thing.

1572
01:02:31,820 --> 01:02:32,960
If you go to a brother and they

1573
01:02:32,960 --> 01:02:35,940
don't hear you, Scripture says to take two

1574
01:02:35,940 --> 01:02:38,060
or three, including yourself, you take one or

1575
01:02:38,060 --> 01:02:40,400
two others, and you go seek to resolve

1576
01:02:40,400 --> 01:02:40,640
it.

1577
01:02:40,920 --> 01:02:41,960
You know what you don't want to do?

1578
01:02:42,360 --> 01:02:43,760
Don't take your closest friends.

1579
01:02:43,920 --> 01:02:45,320
Don't take your closest allies.

1580
01:02:45,680 --> 01:02:47,560
For one, if you've got other people in

1581
01:02:47,560 --> 01:02:49,480
the church that have actually witnessed the same

1582
01:02:49,480 --> 01:02:51,120
sin in the person, they're good people to

1583
01:02:51,120 --> 01:02:51,420
take.

1584
01:02:52,540 --> 01:02:53,960
But if you really want to take the

1585
01:02:53,960 --> 01:02:56,040
people that are going to most help bring

1586
01:02:56,040 --> 01:02:57,920
peace, bring the people in the church that

1587
01:02:57,920 --> 01:02:59,720
you know to be peacemakers, not the people

1588
01:02:59,720 --> 01:03:02,440
that are most given to fighting and quarreling

1589
01:03:02,440 --> 01:03:05,420
and difficult to deal with, take peacemakers with

1590
01:03:05,420 --> 01:03:05,640
you.

1591
01:03:05,940 --> 01:03:08,220
Take people who are not afraid to find

1592
01:03:08,220 --> 01:03:10,820
fault in you, even though you're trying to

1593
01:03:10,820 --> 01:03:13,100
point out the sin in somebody else, they

1594
01:03:13,100 --> 01:03:15,820
are the kind of moderators that will be

1595
01:03:15,820 --> 01:03:17,720
faithful to everybody involved.

1596
01:03:19,460 --> 01:03:20,100
And then you know what?

1597
01:03:20,120 --> 01:03:21,500
If it doesn't work at that level, then

1598
01:03:21,500 --> 01:03:22,940
you bring it before the whole church.

1599
01:03:23,420 --> 01:03:26,960
And the whole church basically becomes the courtroom.

1600
01:03:27,720 --> 01:03:30,280
And the whole church goes after the person

1601
01:03:30,280 --> 01:03:32,040
and seeks to call the person to repentance.

1602
01:03:32,320 --> 01:03:33,600
And if at that point it doesn't work,

1603
01:03:33,980 --> 01:03:35,000
now these people are out.

1604
01:03:35,440 --> 01:03:36,740
You treat them like a Jew would have

1605
01:03:36,740 --> 01:03:38,240
treated a tax collector.

1606
01:03:38,540 --> 01:03:40,320
They were not welcome in the synagogues.

1607
01:03:41,020 --> 01:03:43,400
Or like they would have treated a Gentile.

1608
01:03:43,680 --> 01:03:44,780
You don't want to stay away from them.

1609
01:03:44,840 --> 01:03:45,960
You don't have them over to your house.

1610
01:03:46,020 --> 01:03:46,860
You don't eat with them.

1611
01:03:47,280 --> 01:03:48,940
That's what Scripture calls us to do.

1612
01:03:49,500 --> 01:03:50,900
And that is the greatest way to bring

1613
01:03:50,900 --> 01:03:52,800
peace, if you've got somebody that is just

1614
01:03:52,800 --> 01:03:55,820
absolutely opposed to peace in the church.

1615
01:03:55,960 --> 01:04:00,940
Now I know, again, I've probably overstepped my

1616
01:04:00,940 --> 01:04:03,500
bounds in how long I've gone.

1617
01:04:04,080 --> 01:04:08,580
But brethren, if we just close by this

1618
01:04:08,580 --> 01:04:12,060
reality, why did Jesus come into the world?

1619
01:04:12,380 --> 01:04:16,040
He came into this world to bring peace.

1620
01:04:16,680 --> 01:04:17,720
Prince of peace.

1621
01:04:17,720 --> 01:04:19,020
Peace between us.

1622
01:04:19,480 --> 01:04:22,480
The peace of His cross.

1623
01:04:23,320 --> 01:04:27,360
The peace that is bought by His blood.

1624
01:04:27,500 --> 01:04:29,480
Listen, we don't pursue peace at all costs.

1625
01:04:31,380 --> 01:04:33,820
We don't pursue peace at the cost of

1626
01:04:33,820 --> 01:04:35,020
truth or doctrine.

1627
01:04:36,000 --> 01:04:38,140
The foundations of our Christian faith.

1628
01:04:38,440 --> 01:04:38,960
No way.

1629
01:04:39,820 --> 01:04:40,520
But you know what?

1630
01:04:40,580 --> 01:04:43,640
We pursue peace at great cost to ourselves.

1631
01:04:43,760 --> 01:04:45,600
I mean, if you're going to pursue it,

1632
01:04:45,660 --> 01:04:46,880
you're going to put a great effort into

1633
01:04:46,880 --> 01:04:47,020
it.

1634
01:04:47,020 --> 01:04:48,740
And I want you to know, that's what

1635
01:04:48,740 --> 01:04:49,360
Christ did.

1636
01:04:49,440 --> 01:04:52,400
He put great effort into procuring peace for

1637
01:04:52,400 --> 01:04:52,620
us.

1638
01:04:52,980 --> 01:04:53,960
That's why He came.

1639
01:04:54,460 --> 01:04:58,560
God condescended in the person of the Son

1640
01:04:58,560 --> 01:05:02,060
of God to bring this peace.

1641
01:05:02,780 --> 01:05:03,540
And you know what?

1642
01:05:03,640 --> 01:05:05,600
This is where peacemakers come from.

1643
01:05:06,360 --> 01:05:08,580
He came to make us peacemakers.

1644
01:05:08,960 --> 01:05:12,000
We're sons of God because we imitate Him.

1645
01:05:12,360 --> 01:05:14,800
If God had simply stood on His rights,

1646
01:05:17,490 --> 01:05:18,350
we'd be in hell.

1647
01:05:18,650 --> 01:05:22,450
We'd be headed for a long damnation.

1648
01:05:23,310 --> 01:05:25,650
If He just simply said, you know, they've

1649
01:05:25,650 --> 01:05:26,450
wronged me.

1650
01:05:28,550 --> 01:05:30,070
Don't they know who I am?

1651
01:05:30,470 --> 01:05:31,890
I'm going to stand on my rights.

1652
01:05:32,430 --> 01:05:32,950
That isn't...

1653
01:05:32,950 --> 01:05:34,070
We have a God of peace.

1654
01:05:35,610 --> 01:05:39,330
And if we're children, we're going to bear

1655
01:05:39,330 --> 01:05:41,630
those same traits.

1656
01:05:42,650 --> 01:05:45,850
God help us to be truly children of

1657
01:05:45,850 --> 01:05:46,770
the God of peace.

1658
01:05:49,750 --> 01:05:52,130
Father, I pray for that grace, for that

1659
01:05:52,130 --> 01:05:52,470
help.

1660
01:05:53,070 --> 01:05:57,630
Lord, undoubtedly, You have ordained that there are

1661
01:05:57,630 --> 01:05:59,950
many battles ahead for us.

1662
01:06:01,930 --> 01:06:04,210
You're going to test those of us that

1663
01:06:04,210 --> 01:06:04,730
are genuine.

1664
01:06:05,150 --> 01:06:07,230
You're going to test all of us as

1665
01:06:07,230 --> 01:06:08,250
to what we're made of.

1666
01:06:09,030 --> 01:06:10,870
And I just pray for the grace of

1667
01:06:10,870 --> 01:06:15,090
God that we as a church would be

1668
01:06:15,090 --> 01:06:18,050
given the strength, the wisdom, the grace, the

1669
01:06:18,050 --> 01:06:21,770
mercy, the forgiveness to weather the storms.

1670
01:06:21,930 --> 01:06:24,390
That grace to overlook sin when we should

1671
01:06:24,390 --> 01:06:25,170
overlook it.

1672
01:06:25,590 --> 01:06:28,130
That boldness and courage to deal with it

1673
01:06:28,130 --> 01:06:29,770
when it needs to be dealt with, the

1674
01:06:29,770 --> 01:06:31,250
sin, disunity.

1675
01:06:31,750 --> 01:06:34,650
Help us to be strong, to put divisive

1676
01:06:34,650 --> 01:06:35,990
people out of the church.

1677
01:06:36,870 --> 01:06:38,670
Lord, we want this place to be a

1678
01:06:38,670 --> 01:06:42,230
place in our meetings where the Spirit is

1679
01:06:42,230 --> 01:06:45,210
not grieved, but where there is love and

1680
01:06:45,210 --> 01:06:48,710
intimacy and closeness, where the Spirit is fully

1681
01:06:48,710 --> 01:06:51,670
operating, moving among us.

1682
01:06:52,050 --> 01:06:54,690
We don't want the Spirit to be quenched.

1683
01:06:55,150 --> 01:06:58,290
Father, if there is anything here that is

1684
01:06:58,290 --> 01:07:00,530
quenching to the Spirit of God, I pray

1685
01:07:00,530 --> 01:07:01,630
You'd expose it.

1686
01:07:02,030 --> 01:07:03,690
I pray that You'd fix it.

1687
01:07:04,210 --> 01:07:05,710
I pray that You'd be a help to

1688
01:07:05,710 --> 01:07:06,250
us, Father.

1689
01:07:06,670 --> 01:07:08,170
In the name of the Lord Jesus, I

1690
01:07:08,170 --> 01:07:09,250
pray, Amen.

1691
01:07:10,750 --> 01:07:11,650
You're dismissed.