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I ask you to hear me as I

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make a statement that I've been making, but

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I won't make it again so that you

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can...

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I hope it'll be of help to you

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in hearing me.

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If I am a God-called evangelist, then

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I am one of the group of five

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men whom the Risen Lord gives to the

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Church.

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The five or four, I've never known, in

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Ephesians 4, he gave some, that's the Risen

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Lord, he gave some apostles, that's not the

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twelve, and these men are the gifts to

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the Church, gifts of the Ascended Lord.

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He led captivity and gave gifts.

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Barnabas was one of them, Paul was one,

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Timothy was one, Titus was one, so forth,

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Apollos, so forth.

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He gave some apostles and he gave some

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prophets.

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Now these are gifted men.

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When I say gifted men, that doesn't mean

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that they are gifted, but that he has

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gifted them.

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The book of Proverbs says, a man's gift

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shall make room for him.

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And if you're a Christian, you have a

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gift so that you can prosecute the ministry

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that the Lord has called you into.

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There's no way on earth you can be

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a Christian unless you've been given a ministry

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and a gift so that you can do

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the job that the Commander-in-Chief has

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appointed you to do.

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So these are gifts of the Risen Lord.

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He gave some apostles and he gave some

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prophets.

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These are not the Old Testament prophets, they

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are men that we have today, but we've

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kept our prophets in exile all the days

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of our lives.

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And if we haven't exiled them, we've stoned

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them, we've built monuments to them after we've

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killed them.

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He gave some apostles and he gave some

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prophets and some evangelists.

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The Church has been getting along now for

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sixty-odd years without any evangelists.

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And some pastors and our teachers.

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I do not know whether five men there

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or four.

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I'm inclined to think there are five, but

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many good men say there are just four.

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The play is on whether the pastor is

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the pastor and teacher or whether the pastor

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is one man and the teacher is another.

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But the work of these men, like that,

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they just have one job to do.

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All five of them have the same job.

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And that is to perfect or mature the

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saints for the work of the ministry.

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The apostle, the prophet, the evangelist, the pastor,

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and teacher, or the pastor or a teacher.

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These are offices.

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There's a difference between the office of a

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pastor, the office of an apostle, and the

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ministry of God's people.

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I labor that a little bit.

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I say that every child of God is

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called to be a preacher.

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That's different from being an evangelist, an apostle,

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a prophet, a pastor, a teacher.

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That's a proclaimer of the gospel.

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That's a preacher.

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They have one job, and that's to mature

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you.

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Start out, you're genuinely committed to Christ, you're

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still a little baby, but you'll not stay

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that way.

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Amen?

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And their job is to make mature saints

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of God, perfect them, mature them, so they

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can perform the ministry that God has given

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to them.

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And in this way, if you'll continue to

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read in the fourth chapter of Ephesians later,

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if you're interested, we're going to have a

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full-grown man.

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We're going to have a church come to

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the fullness of the stature of Jesus Christ.

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A church through which Jesus Christ can manifest

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himself in fullness.

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And that is to take place right here

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on this earth.

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And that must be the goal to which

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every public preacher, whether he be apostle, prophet,

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evangelist, pastor, teacher, will work together until the

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time when once again Jesus Christ will come

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back and attend our services.

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It's been so long since he's graced our

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services with his presence.

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We tear into pieces at Beshoga.

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We've been having church all of these decades

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of time in the absence of the living

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Lord and the Lord of life.

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Now I said that to say this.

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I just have one message, and that's repent.

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I stick to it.

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I have said to you that we desperately

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need that God would be merciful to our

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assemblies and bring, make manifest the desperate division

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in all of our congregations over the work

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of the Lord Jesus Christ.

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That was the Sunday morning message.

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Sunday night, I said that we desperately need

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it to become manifest.

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It's already here.

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This church split wide open over who Jesus

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is.

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It's just that the lion and the lamb

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have made peace where there is no peace.

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And in order to preserve harmony, we have

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exiled the Holy Spirit, and we have harmony

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in our churches at the cost of the

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absence of the living Lord and the demonstration

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and power of the Holy Ghost.

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God knows I'm telling the truth folks.

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And then I said that we are desperately

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divided and we're hauled.

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And the churches now are fast becoming the

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greatest enemies of the souls of men on

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topside of God's earth.

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Christ is being wounded in the house of

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his so-called friends, and he's clearly not

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welcome in the assembly of the people because

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we are desperately divided over the meaning of

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what it is to be saved.

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And most folks, it's a joke instead of

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a commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ and

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his program of redemption.

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And then I said since I've been here

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that we are desperately divided and thus we're

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hauled deep and we're sick as congregations and

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we're well now helpless.

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Most of us can't even win our own

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families to Christ because long since

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we've come to where we down deep in

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our hearts do not believe that Christ is

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an utter necessity.

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To us he's a convenience but not a

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dire necessity.

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And then last night the message on Christ's

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demand and certainly that demand is ignored or

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effaced.

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It is evaded and rebelled against an all

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-out utter capitulation to his person and commitment

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to his program.

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Now tonight, tomorrow night I'm going to bring

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half of a message tonight.

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It's not exactly fair to some of you

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who come from everywhere but I can't bring

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it all tonight.

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And I want to bring you an optimistic

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note.

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Mine's not a very popular ministry.

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I'm saying you're all wrong.

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Repent, see that's not very popular.

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And then now Andrew Carnegie says it's a

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good way to win friends and influence people

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but that's the task God's given me to

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do.

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And I do not consider myself a visitor.

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I'm a gift if I am an evangelist

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to the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ

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and I consider this to be a local

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expression of the Church of Christ.

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I think you're like our Baptist churches to

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whom I've ministered most of my life.

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You're terribly out of order.

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I don't think you need to stay that

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way.

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And I want to address myself tonight to

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an optimistic note since I've been telling you

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everything's wrong with you.

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I want to suggest a remedy because I

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believe there is a remedy.

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And I want you to hear me tonight,

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not agree with me, but listen to me.

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Without any pious religiosity I claim that I

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could not have lasted 36 years as an

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evangelist crossing the grain of what's called evangelism.

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I am known in the South by what

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passes as evangelists today as the greatest enemy

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of evangelism in America.

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That's how they're branded.

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I am an enemy of what we've called

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evangelism and I have lifted up my voice

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all the days of my ministry against it.

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And yet, subject to pastors for I can't

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call Brother Duvall and say, I'll come down

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and preach to you next Sunday.

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I have to wait for him to call

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me.

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I'm content to do it.

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But I've never gone anywhere yet to preach

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except by invitation.

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And I have to wait, you see, until

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God or the devil moves on some preacher

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and says, come over and preach to us.

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Now, it wasn't that way in the New

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Testament, but it is now.

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I'm saying it's utterly unscriptural that I'd have

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to wait for an invitation to come and

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minister here, but it's what we're used to.

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We've got to do the best we can

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with what we have until it gets better.

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I said that, say this, I want you

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to listen to me tonight because I think

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the 36 years entitles me to say it's

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just possible I may be a God-called

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evangelist.

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If so, you need to listen to me.

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Is that right?

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And I'm not a visitor.

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I'm not an intruder.

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I'm not meddling.

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I have a part with the other four

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in the ministry to God's people.

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Isn't that right?

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So I want you to do your death

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-level best to hear me, whether you agree

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with me or not.

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I believe that the time of glory for

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the Church of God is future.

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Our old gray-beard Baptist preachers two generations

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ago, hardly ever preached a sermon, then they

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quoted that text from the New Testament.

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To Him, that's God, be glory by Christ

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Jesus in the Church, world without end.

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Amen!

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To Him, that's God, be glory by Jesus

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Christ.

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In the Church, world without end.

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I don't believe that fits us to be

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there well.

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And I'm not satisfied with things as they

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are.

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And I don't believe they have to stay

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as they are.

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I believe that God's people could begin to

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mind God and God would quit hiding His

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face and would come and visit us again.

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I believe that with all of my heart.

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And I want to talk tonight and tomorrow

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night of what light I think I have

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and share it with you as to how

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that's going to come to pass.

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And I want to begin reading in the

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book of Isaiah, chapter 4.

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I'd appreciate it if you'd turn with me

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now and we'll not stay in Isaiah but

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this will introduce my thinking to you tonight.

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I'm going to speak to you tonight on

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what it means to be under the discipline,

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the authority of Jesus Christ in the Church.

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And tomorrow night I'm going to speak to

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you on the subject what happened on the

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day of Pentecost can happen in every church

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and must in your day and mine.

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We must have Pentecost again and again and

272
00:15:52,900 --> 00:15:54,840
again and again and again.

273
00:15:55,120 --> 00:15:58,060
We ought never to meet together if the

274
00:15:58,060 --> 00:16:01,440
same thing that happened on Pentecost doesn't take

275
00:16:01,440 --> 00:16:02,600
place in our assembly.

276
00:16:02,900 --> 00:16:03,420
That's right.

277
00:16:05,590 --> 00:16:07,850
In the book of Isaiah, chapter 4, I

278
00:16:07,850 --> 00:16:11,190
read two or three verses, verse 1.

279
00:16:11,270 --> 00:16:14,390
And in that day Now here's my interpretation

280
00:16:14,390 --> 00:16:16,150
where it's riding off.

281
00:16:16,250 --> 00:16:19,750
In that day, that's the day of Antichrist.

282
00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:27,820
When that enemy of the gospel that creation

283
00:16:27,820 --> 00:16:34,100
of Satan that one who is against Christ

284
00:16:35,080 --> 00:16:37,380
that one of whom my Lord spoke when

285
00:16:37,380 --> 00:16:40,500
he was here in the flesh I come

286
00:16:40,500 --> 00:16:43,240
in my Father's name and you receive me

287
00:16:43,240 --> 00:16:45,560
not if another shall come in his own

288
00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:48,120
name him you shall receive.

289
00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:56,280
That one for whose appearance I believe nearly

290
00:16:56,280 --> 00:17:05,579
every preacher and every church is contributing to

291
00:17:05,579 --> 00:17:09,520
the condition that will obtain when Antichrist makes

292
00:17:09,520 --> 00:17:12,900
his appearance this world of church members will

293
00:17:12,900 --> 00:17:16,180
embrace him and worship his saint.

294
00:17:17,300 --> 00:17:20,300
I believe that you and I will see

295
00:17:20,300 --> 00:17:22,380
the day when there'll just be two kinds

296
00:17:22,380 --> 00:17:25,819
of people in this earth worshipers of the

297
00:17:25,819 --> 00:17:30,040
true God and worshipers of Satan.

298
00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:32,160
That's what Scripture's coming sometime.

299
00:17:35,020 --> 00:17:37,220
And I believe what we've called evangelism.

300
00:17:38,160 --> 00:17:41,440
I believe what we've called the pattern and

301
00:17:41,440 --> 00:17:46,680
the order and the rebellion that constitutes the

302
00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:49,420
way we conduct ourselves in our churches.

303
00:17:50,080 --> 00:17:52,220
Not in the building but as God's professing

304
00:17:52,220 --> 00:17:52,560
people.

305
00:17:52,740 --> 00:17:57,360
I believe it's all contributing not to the

306
00:17:57,360 --> 00:18:01,320
reception of Christ when he comes back but

307
00:18:01,320 --> 00:18:03,340
to the reception of Antichrist.

308
00:18:03,900 --> 00:18:04,900
I don't know where it's going now but

309
00:18:04,900 --> 00:18:06,220
I believe it with all my heart.

310
00:18:07,220 --> 00:18:10,320
I believe these are the days of confusion

311
00:18:10,320 --> 00:18:15,840
and battle when the world is made drop

312
00:18:15,840 --> 00:18:18,260
with the fornication of hell.

313
00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:21,760
I believe these are serious hours.

314
00:18:23,140 --> 00:18:29,040
In that day seven women I believe the

315
00:18:29,040 --> 00:18:32,700
seven women stand for what we call Christendom,

316
00:18:32,980 --> 00:18:39,300
Church Anity, Presbyterianism, Baptist, Methodist, Congregational, Catholic,

317
00:18:39,400 --> 00:18:40,040
just name it.

318
00:18:42,770 --> 00:18:48,490
I believe that Almighty God has spewed out

319
00:18:48,490 --> 00:18:53,710
Presbyterianism, Baptist, Methodist, the whole outfit.

320
00:18:57,500 --> 00:18:58,260
I believe it.

321
00:18:58,300 --> 00:19:01,120
I believe the seven women, seven is the

322
00:19:01,120 --> 00:19:03,160
number of fullness.

323
00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:08,700
When what passes for Christianity comes to the

324
00:19:08,700 --> 00:19:10,540
place the cup is full.

325
00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:15,000
And religion has done its duty.

326
00:19:15,380 --> 00:19:16,600
And you know what's going to do it?

327
00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:20,580
It's going to give birth to Antichrist.

328
00:19:21,400 --> 00:19:23,380
He's going to be the greatest religious leader

329
00:19:23,380 --> 00:19:24,540
this world ever saw.

330
00:19:24,720 --> 00:19:25,180
Isn't that right?

331
00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:30,540
And this religious world is going to embrace

332
00:19:30,540 --> 00:19:34,320
him, have his mark put on their foreheads

333
00:19:34,320 --> 00:19:35,580
and bow down and worship.

334
00:19:35,940 --> 00:19:36,580
Say Amen.

335
00:19:36,740 --> 00:19:38,380
God knows that's awful but it's so.

336
00:19:39,120 --> 00:19:44,160
In that day, seven women shall take hold

337
00:19:44,160 --> 00:19:46,980
of one man as Antichrist.

338
00:19:49,160 --> 00:19:50,420
And they say, now we're going to keep

339
00:19:50,420 --> 00:19:53,820
on being Presbyterians and Baptists and Catholics and

340
00:19:53,820 --> 00:19:54,240
Congregationalists.

341
00:19:54,900 --> 00:19:57,920
We're going to keep our little doctrines and

342
00:19:57,920 --> 00:19:59,320
have our own little programs.

343
00:19:59,440 --> 00:20:02,180
We'll eat our own bread and wear our

344
00:20:02,180 --> 00:20:02,900
own apparel.

345
00:20:03,860 --> 00:20:05,660
There's just one thing we ask of you.

346
00:20:06,540 --> 00:20:10,440
Let us be called by thy name to

347
00:20:10,440 --> 00:20:12,540
take away our reproach.

348
00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:16,680
You know, the leaders of the World Council

349
00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:19,360
of Churches are serious men.

350
00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:23,240
They've got sense enough to know that if

351
00:20:23,240 --> 00:20:25,940
this generation of church energy don't hang together,

352
00:20:26,020 --> 00:20:27,040
we're going to hang separately.

353
00:20:28,820 --> 00:20:31,200
They're saying we must get together.

354
00:20:33,630 --> 00:20:36,770
My conviction is that they're going to succeed.

355
00:20:38,770 --> 00:20:41,830
And that that will form the platform upon

356
00:20:41,830 --> 00:20:43,910
which Antichrist will be embraced.

357
00:20:45,410 --> 00:20:46,570
I don't know whether that's sure or not.

358
00:20:48,010 --> 00:20:50,910
I don't think you're going to, Carl McIntyre

359
00:20:50,910 --> 00:20:52,770
and the rest of them, they're fighting them.

360
00:20:52,810 --> 00:20:54,070
I don't think they're going to make a

361
00:20:54,070 --> 00:20:54,670
dent in them.

362
00:20:54,830 --> 00:20:56,130
I think they're going to get bigger all

363
00:20:56,130 --> 00:20:56,470
the time.

364
00:20:57,730 --> 00:20:58,530
But that ain't all.

365
00:20:58,630 --> 00:21:01,350
The chapter, verse two, says there's going to

366
00:21:01,350 --> 00:21:02,270
be another movement.

367
00:21:02,830 --> 00:21:10,750
Who knows what this ecumenical movement is?

368
00:21:10,830 --> 00:21:12,710
It's growing beliefs and bounds.

369
00:21:14,630 --> 00:21:18,510
And it meets a tremendous scandal, a scandal

370
00:21:18,510 --> 00:21:21,510
of divided so-called Christendom.

371
00:21:21,730 --> 00:21:24,630
Two, three different kinds of Presbyterian congregations, I

372
00:21:24,630 --> 00:21:25,770
think, right here in this town.

373
00:21:25,850 --> 00:21:26,290
Isn't that right?

374
00:21:27,710 --> 00:21:29,450
Baptists, they've got, I don't know how many,

375
00:21:29,970 --> 00:21:31,310
Methodists, just name it.

376
00:21:31,310 --> 00:21:31,950
They're societal.

377
00:21:32,310 --> 00:21:34,590
They've got a church on every corner and

378
00:21:34,590 --> 00:21:35,350
one in between.

379
00:21:35,710 --> 00:21:37,990
They've got splits from splits from splits from

380
00:21:37,990 --> 00:21:38,370
splits.

381
00:21:39,450 --> 00:21:40,130
That's awful.

382
00:21:40,290 --> 00:21:41,070
That's a scandal.

383
00:21:43,050 --> 00:21:45,330
And their ecumenical leaders know it.

384
00:21:46,510 --> 00:21:48,910
And they also know that what we call

385
00:21:48,910 --> 00:21:51,390
nations, you folks give money and send somebody

386
00:21:51,390 --> 00:21:52,190
to town.

387
00:21:53,070 --> 00:21:54,730
There are men over there preaching the gospel.

388
00:21:54,910 --> 00:21:56,430
There are men over there making little miniature

389
00:21:56,430 --> 00:21:58,030
churches like we've got here.

390
00:21:59,010 --> 00:21:59,870
Too much of it.

391
00:22:00,870 --> 00:22:02,850
And the folks over in their countries are

392
00:22:02,850 --> 00:22:04,250
saying, you ain't going to go to hell.

393
00:22:05,610 --> 00:22:07,530
And the sooner they come home, the better

394
00:22:07,530 --> 00:22:09,790
it will be for the salvation of souls.

395
00:22:10,430 --> 00:22:13,790
The biggest scandalous site of hell is what's

396
00:22:13,790 --> 00:22:15,750
called our foreign missionary program.

397
00:22:16,730 --> 00:22:18,950
That's an awful hard thing, but God knows

398
00:22:18,950 --> 00:22:19,390
it's so.

399
00:22:20,830 --> 00:22:22,770
You folks can put your money into it.

400
00:22:22,810 --> 00:22:23,830
You ain't going to get nothing of mine,

401
00:22:24,010 --> 00:22:24,170
brother.

402
00:22:24,250 --> 00:22:26,570
This world is in bad enough shape without

403
00:22:26,570 --> 00:22:29,370
sending some little Presbyterians and Baptists and stuff

404
00:22:29,370 --> 00:22:31,150
over here to make them just like us.

405
00:22:31,710 --> 00:22:34,190
They're bad enough shape, but God knows I

406
00:22:34,190 --> 00:22:35,330
don't want to be like us.

407
00:22:38,530 --> 00:22:41,470
But during that time, running right along by

408
00:22:41,470 --> 00:22:44,430
it, there's another movement, and it's described in

409
00:22:44,430 --> 00:22:45,130
verse 2.

410
00:22:46,190 --> 00:22:48,410
And this is my theology, whether it's right

411
00:22:48,410 --> 00:22:48,810
or not.

412
00:22:48,930 --> 00:22:58,460
In that same day, while religions flourished world

413
00:22:58,460 --> 00:23:05,440
around, and we've established Presbyterianism and Baptists and

414
00:23:05,440 --> 00:23:07,840
Methodists and the whole shoot mass in the

415
00:23:07,840 --> 00:23:10,000
isles of the sea and the continents of

416
00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:10,560
the earth.

417
00:23:13,340 --> 00:23:18,740
In that day shall the branch of the

418
00:23:18,740 --> 00:23:24,060
Lord be beautiful and full of glory.

419
00:23:24,200 --> 00:23:26,080
That's the movement I'm interested in.

420
00:23:29,390 --> 00:23:31,830
And the fruit of the earth shall be

421
00:23:31,830 --> 00:23:36,690
excellent and comely for them that are esteemed

422
00:23:36,690 --> 00:23:37,510
of Israel.

423
00:23:38,730 --> 00:23:41,510
I believe that's the movement of the Spirit

424
00:23:41,510 --> 00:23:43,570
of God in your day and mine.

425
00:23:45,030 --> 00:23:46,690
I don't believe he's going to pay attention

426
00:23:46,690 --> 00:23:50,030
to Presbyterianism or Baptists or Methodists or nothing

427
00:23:50,030 --> 00:23:50,290
of that.

428
00:23:50,970 --> 00:23:52,150
It's been what I don't believe.

429
00:23:52,810 --> 00:23:54,690
I see it breaking out all over the

430
00:23:54,690 --> 00:23:55,050
world.

431
00:23:58,240 --> 00:23:59,540
That's the movement I need.

432
00:24:00,180 --> 00:24:01,620
And I won't be in on that.

433
00:24:02,740 --> 00:24:04,300
I know about you, but I'm not going

434
00:24:04,300 --> 00:24:06,340
to waste one minute fighting that great big

435
00:24:06,340 --> 00:24:06,880
ecumenical.

436
00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:08,400
Every time I throw a stone at it,

437
00:24:08,420 --> 00:24:09,480
it gets twice as big.

438
00:24:09,620 --> 00:24:11,540
Somebody else, maybe God wants them to do

439
00:24:11,540 --> 00:24:11,700
that.

440
00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:12,220
I don't know.

441
00:24:12,280 --> 00:24:14,540
But for me, I'm just interested in this

442
00:24:14,540 --> 00:24:15,340
little movement.

443
00:24:16,580 --> 00:24:19,980
Because the Lord has always been the God

444
00:24:19,980 --> 00:24:20,680
of the rare.

445
00:24:24,140 --> 00:24:27,060
And I'm interested, and I see it springing

446
00:24:27,060 --> 00:24:27,760
up everywhere.

447
00:24:27,960 --> 00:24:30,480
This is the most optimistic hour I ever

448
00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:32,660
saw in my 64 years.

449
00:24:34,020 --> 00:24:36,300
It's not all black now.

450
00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:43,180
Thank God in that day when all hell's

451
00:24:43,180 --> 00:24:48,720
popping, when Antichrist is raised again, when the

452
00:24:48,720 --> 00:24:54,740
harlot and her daughters are riding, giving that

453
00:24:54,740 --> 00:24:57,040
fellow a ride on the back of the

454
00:24:57,040 --> 00:24:57,700
nations.

455
00:24:59,280 --> 00:25:01,140
God's going to be working too.

456
00:25:01,140 --> 00:25:05,810
The branch of the Lord shall be glorious

457
00:25:05,810 --> 00:25:07,030
and beautiful.

458
00:25:08,350 --> 00:25:11,030
And I think that's what I just talked

459
00:25:11,030 --> 00:25:12,790
to you about in Ephesians 4.

460
00:25:13,830 --> 00:25:17,930
I believe the church of Jesus Christ is

461
00:25:17,930 --> 00:25:20,310
going to be made manifest here on this

462
00:25:20,310 --> 00:25:20,670
earth.

463
00:25:22,770 --> 00:25:24,670
I ain't talking about the Presbyterians or the

464
00:25:24,670 --> 00:25:26,350
Baptists, because this ain't a church.

465
00:25:26,730 --> 00:25:28,590
I hope there's a church within it.

466
00:25:32,300 --> 00:25:34,260
Baptists ain't a Baptist church on earth.

467
00:25:34,380 --> 00:25:35,200
It's a church.

468
00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:36,340
It's a congregation.

469
00:25:36,780 --> 00:25:38,700
This is a Presbyterian congregation.

470
00:25:39,500 --> 00:25:41,540
Maybe the Lord's got a church.

471
00:25:41,740 --> 00:25:45,020
If he's got two people in here that

472
00:25:45,020 --> 00:25:48,120
know him, then he's got a church in

473
00:25:48,120 --> 00:25:48,840
the congregation.

474
00:25:48,960 --> 00:25:49,360
Is that right?

475
00:25:51,240 --> 00:25:54,320
And I'm interested in that church within our

476
00:25:54,320 --> 00:25:55,240
congregation.

477
00:25:55,560 --> 00:25:57,040
Don't pay attention to your denomination.

478
00:25:58,540 --> 00:26:00,100
I guess I've been troubled with my Baptist.

479
00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:02,880
I got a cancellation the day before I

480
00:26:02,880 --> 00:26:06,020
got up here because Baptists found out I

481
00:26:06,020 --> 00:26:08,000
preached for folks like you.

482
00:26:09,240 --> 00:26:10,080
That's the truth.

483
00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:12,420
That's the truth.

484
00:26:13,760 --> 00:26:14,760
We've got Baptists.

485
00:26:15,740 --> 00:26:17,540
I did what they said I couldn't preach

486
00:26:17,540 --> 00:26:18,880
to them but I was a Baptist and

487
00:26:18,880 --> 00:26:21,220
Bible Presbyterian the same way down our way.

488
00:26:21,360 --> 00:26:23,040
Boy, they won't hardly speak to you unless

489
00:26:23,040 --> 00:26:24,520
you're a Bible Presbyterian.

490
00:26:24,560 --> 00:26:25,120
That's right.

491
00:26:26,680 --> 00:26:27,840
Well, you won't be that way.

492
00:26:27,920 --> 00:26:28,940
I can't see that.

493
00:26:30,900 --> 00:26:33,380
I'm interested in this little group here and

494
00:26:33,380 --> 00:26:36,360
that little group over there and getting together,

495
00:26:36,540 --> 00:26:36,860
brother.

496
00:26:37,720 --> 00:26:38,060
Amen?

497
00:26:38,960 --> 00:26:41,080
That community is trying to get everybody together

498
00:26:41,080 --> 00:26:42,060
and they're going to do it.

499
00:26:42,760 --> 00:26:44,180
And I want to be in that little

500
00:26:44,180 --> 00:26:47,180
gang of people that are the called-out

501
00:26:47,180 --> 00:26:48,560
saints of God.

502
00:26:50,220 --> 00:26:54,000
And we're scattered and outnumbered and defeated.

503
00:26:55,480 --> 00:26:57,720
Bless God, I believe God is going to

504
00:26:57,720 --> 00:27:00,180
make His people manifest.

505
00:27:01,100 --> 00:27:04,560
And the branch of Jehovah is going to

506
00:27:04,560 --> 00:27:09,720
be beautiful and glorious right in the time

507
00:27:09,720 --> 00:27:12,760
when hell is popping here on this earth.

508
00:27:12,840 --> 00:27:14,080
Now, I don't know whether it interferes with

509
00:27:14,080 --> 00:27:15,220
your doctrine or if it does.

510
00:27:15,600 --> 00:27:18,480
You come up at the service and apologize

511
00:27:18,480 --> 00:27:20,180
and then I'll forgive you.

512
00:27:20,260 --> 00:27:20,820
Is that all right?

513
00:27:22,780 --> 00:27:24,420
Now, that's just the introduction.

514
00:27:24,520 --> 00:27:26,020
Let's turn to the Book of Acts, will

515
00:27:26,020 --> 00:27:26,120
you?

516
00:27:27,340 --> 00:27:30,420
I want to tell you what discipline I'll

517
00:27:30,420 --> 00:27:31,060
just show you.

518
00:27:31,100 --> 00:27:31,720
It's in the Bible.

519
00:27:31,840 --> 00:27:32,580
It's not mine.

520
00:27:33,800 --> 00:27:37,380
But I believe that the Lord is going

521
00:27:37,380 --> 00:27:40,540
to make His true church That's silly.

522
00:27:40,660 --> 00:27:41,840
His true church.

523
00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:44,560
Well, His church is the one that is.

524
00:27:45,480 --> 00:27:46,960
But I'm going to believe He's going to

525
00:27:46,960 --> 00:27:48,580
manifest it so you can tell it.

526
00:27:48,640 --> 00:27:49,180
See what I mean?

527
00:27:49,300 --> 00:27:51,740
So the world Those are the people of

528
00:27:51,740 --> 00:27:52,300
God.

529
00:27:54,390 --> 00:27:56,010
That's what my Lord prayed for.

530
00:27:56,130 --> 00:27:58,470
I pray that they may be one so

531
00:27:58,470 --> 00:28:00,530
that the world may know what the Thou

532
00:28:00,530 --> 00:28:01,470
hast sent me.

533
00:28:02,970 --> 00:28:04,310
That's what I'm asking.

534
00:28:04,470 --> 00:28:05,890
I believe the Lord's going to do it.

535
00:28:07,530 --> 00:28:09,750
And I believe He's going to use me

536
00:28:10,850 --> 00:28:14,050
just a little bit to make it possible.

537
00:28:16,450 --> 00:28:18,030
I invite you to get in on that

538
00:28:18,030 --> 00:28:18,350
too.

539
00:28:19,110 --> 00:28:23,770
Wonderful if the Lord used you to do

540
00:28:23,770 --> 00:28:24,610
something, wouldn't it?

541
00:28:25,130 --> 00:28:26,890
But that's what He does, isn't it?

542
00:28:29,070 --> 00:28:31,210
I believe it's going to come to pass

543
00:28:31,210 --> 00:28:36,990
by the Lord Jesus Christ reasserting and enforcing

544
00:28:38,330 --> 00:28:45,830
His headship, His discipline, His authority in the

545
00:28:45,830 --> 00:28:47,570
local congregation.

546
00:28:49,470 --> 00:28:51,310
I believe the Lord's going to split our

547
00:28:51,310 --> 00:28:52,930
congregation wide open.

548
00:28:53,830 --> 00:28:56,310
And there's one way to split a crowd

549
00:28:56,310 --> 00:28:57,890
quicker than any other way.

550
00:28:59,570 --> 00:29:00,850
Exercise authority.

551
00:29:03,920 --> 00:29:08,660
You'll either bow to it or you'll rebel,

552
00:29:08,800 --> 00:29:09,200
won't you?

553
00:29:10,160 --> 00:29:10,340
Huh?

554
00:29:11,960 --> 00:29:15,000
A child will either submit to the authority

555
00:29:15,000 --> 00:29:16,880
of his father and mother or he'll rebel.

556
00:29:17,020 --> 00:29:17,480
Is that right?

557
00:29:20,400 --> 00:29:23,140
A citizen will either submit to the authority

558
00:29:23,140 --> 00:29:24,760
of the government or he'll rebel.

559
00:29:24,900 --> 00:29:25,360
Is that right?

560
00:29:27,610 --> 00:29:30,850
A human being will submit to the authority

561
00:29:30,850 --> 00:29:33,670
of Jesus Christ or he won't!

562
00:29:33,670 --> 00:29:35,990
In this life, is that right?

563
00:29:37,170 --> 00:29:40,990
And the best index to the character of

564
00:29:40,990 --> 00:29:45,390
a nation, a home, a congregation or a

565
00:29:45,390 --> 00:29:50,690
nation is their reaction to properly constituted authority.

566
00:29:51,710 --> 00:29:52,290
Isn't that right?

567
00:29:53,170 --> 00:29:55,430
And I wish that I could say now

568
00:29:55,430 --> 00:29:59,570
that it's just our nation socially that's being

569
00:29:59,570 --> 00:30:04,450
torn to pieces because men and women, boys

570
00:30:04,450 --> 00:30:08,230
and girls are rebelling against everything that smells

571
00:30:08,230 --> 00:30:09,370
like authority.

572
00:30:10,050 --> 00:30:12,450
But that's what's tearing our churches up too.

573
00:30:13,970 --> 00:30:16,110
That's what's tearing our homes up too.

574
00:30:18,010 --> 00:30:20,830
That's why I wonder it'd be interesting if

575
00:30:20,830 --> 00:30:23,130
I was smart and I could unlock what's

576
00:30:23,130 --> 00:30:23,770
going on.

577
00:30:24,110 --> 00:30:27,170
How many broken-hearted parents there are in

578
00:30:27,170 --> 00:30:32,390
this house tonight because your children utterly rebel

579
00:30:32,390 --> 00:30:37,290
against the authority God has demanded that you

580
00:30:37,290 --> 00:30:38,790
exercise over them.

581
00:30:40,050 --> 00:30:43,290
All hell's taking place in our homes.

582
00:30:44,010 --> 00:30:46,190
Broken-hearted mothers and fathers.

583
00:30:47,110 --> 00:30:49,330
All the rules seem to have gone out

584
00:30:49,330 --> 00:30:49,890
the window.

585
00:30:50,270 --> 00:30:52,350
All the platitudes are gone.

586
00:30:53,150 --> 00:30:55,090
And God knows what a day will bring

587
00:30:55,090 --> 00:30:56,350
forth in this nation.

588
00:30:56,350 --> 00:30:58,270
They're liable to tear the whole thing up

589
00:30:58,270 --> 00:30:59,050
tomorrow night.

590
00:30:59,210 --> 00:30:59,950
You never know.

591
00:31:01,250 --> 00:31:06,910
And our churches are hotbeds of lawlessness.

592
00:31:09,670 --> 00:31:15,490
People who are in terrible rebellion against that

593
00:31:15,490 --> 00:31:22,270
doctrine that every denomination and every congregation swears

594
00:31:22,270 --> 00:31:26,050
on a stack of Bibles they desperately and

595
00:31:26,050 --> 00:31:30,690
really believe that the great head of the

596
00:31:30,690 --> 00:31:33,750
church is the Lord Jesus Christ.

597
00:31:34,930 --> 00:31:37,690
That it belongs to him that he purchased

598
00:31:37,690 --> 00:31:38,850
it with his own blood.

599
00:31:41,580 --> 00:31:46,620
And that he rules it.

600
00:31:49,640 --> 00:31:54,080
And that to be a member of the

601
00:31:54,080 --> 00:31:58,240
body of Christ is to be under the

602
00:31:58,240 --> 00:32:01,980
rule and authority of the great head of

603
00:32:01,980 --> 00:32:02,520
the church.

604
00:32:04,980 --> 00:32:08,960
And I verily believe that the Lord is

605
00:32:08,960 --> 00:32:11,400
going to come to the rescue of the

606
00:32:11,400 --> 00:32:11,660
church.

607
00:32:11,780 --> 00:32:16,520
I believe he's going to reassert and exercise

608
00:32:17,220 --> 00:32:18,380
his authority.

609
00:32:19,980 --> 00:32:23,780
And he's going to do that by raising

610
00:32:23,780 --> 00:32:29,520
up pastors and people who will no longer

611
00:32:29,520 --> 00:32:35,340
evade the fact that he delegates some of

612
00:32:35,340 --> 00:32:41,180
his authority to his church and demands that

613
00:32:41,180 --> 00:32:49,220
the church exercise the authority he's delegated to

614
00:32:49,220 --> 00:32:49,540
it.

615
00:32:50,320 --> 00:32:51,560
Not evade it.

616
00:32:51,640 --> 00:32:52,200
See what I mean?

617
00:32:54,460 --> 00:32:56,640
And that brings us to discipline.

618
00:32:57,480 --> 00:32:58,040
Authority.

619
00:32:59,740 --> 00:33:01,760
And here we have it in Acts chapter

620
00:33:01,760 --> 00:33:02,220
2.

621
00:33:03,240 --> 00:33:06,140
I'm going to give you a brief outline

622
00:33:06,140 --> 00:33:08,100
of it tonight and tomorrow night.

623
00:33:08,840 --> 00:33:10,200
We're going to pursue it a little further.

624
00:33:10,200 --> 00:33:11,400
I think this is fundamental.

625
00:33:12,800 --> 00:33:14,440
I think this is hopeful.

626
00:33:17,180 --> 00:33:18,500
Acts chapter 2.

627
00:33:20,020 --> 00:33:22,780
I think you'd scarce find a Bible teacher

628
00:33:22,780 --> 00:33:24,400
that wouldn't agree to this.

629
00:33:25,220 --> 00:33:29,660
Gives us the divine order of the church

630
00:33:29,660 --> 00:33:31,040
of Jesus Christ.

631
00:33:33,920 --> 00:33:36,340
The church, of course, was not organized as

632
00:33:36,340 --> 00:33:38,200
started on the day of Pentecost.

633
00:33:39,500 --> 00:33:41,140
It was in existence.

634
00:33:41,440 --> 00:33:43,700
It's the creation of the Lord in the

635
00:33:43,700 --> 00:33:46,200
days when he was here in the flesh.

636
00:33:47,680 --> 00:33:51,200
I believe the church became a church in

637
00:33:51,200 --> 00:33:53,920
the 20th chapter of John when the risen

638
00:33:53,920 --> 00:34:01,240
Lord breathed life, breathed on them and said,

639
00:34:01,380 --> 00:34:04,180
Receive ye the Holy Ghost.

640
00:34:04,900 --> 00:34:05,740
That's what I believe.

641
00:34:05,940 --> 00:34:06,200
I don't know.

642
00:34:07,139 --> 00:34:10,199
I believe it was formed as a church

643
00:34:10,199 --> 00:34:13,280
for witness empowered on the day of Pentecost.

644
00:34:14,000 --> 00:34:15,500
And so in the book of Acts, the

645
00:34:15,500 --> 00:34:17,460
church is a group of people who've been

646
00:34:17,460 --> 00:34:20,159
filled with the Spirit as a group.

647
00:34:21,540 --> 00:34:23,780
For the church that is not as a

648
00:34:23,780 --> 00:34:27,659
congregation full of the Spirit is not a

649
00:34:27,659 --> 00:34:28,120
church.

650
00:34:31,469 --> 00:34:35,469
God knows the Lord never authorized any group

651
00:34:35,469 --> 00:34:37,969
call himself a church if they haven't been

652
00:34:37,969 --> 00:34:40,030
made full of the Holy Ghost.

653
00:34:41,409 --> 00:34:43,630
This world's in bad enough shape without us

654
00:34:43,630 --> 00:34:45,530
operating on them in our own strength.

655
00:34:47,389 --> 00:34:49,810
And of course, filled with the Holy Ghost,

656
00:34:50,469 --> 00:34:52,810
they were full of Christ and they just

657
00:34:52,810 --> 00:34:56,410
filled the city of Jerusalem with the wonderful

658
00:34:56,410 --> 00:34:59,230
works of God.

659
00:34:59,390 --> 00:35:00,670
That's the gospel, isn't it?

660
00:35:02,270 --> 00:35:04,510
And the folks said, What in God's name

661
00:35:04,510 --> 00:35:05,530
is the matter of these folks?

662
00:35:05,610 --> 00:35:06,610
They must be drunk.

663
00:35:08,030 --> 00:35:09,910
And Peter said, No, we're not drunk.

664
00:35:10,050 --> 00:35:11,450
We haven't had time to get drunk.

665
00:35:11,570 --> 00:35:13,610
But this is that which Joel said.

666
00:35:13,610 --> 00:35:15,590
And they got a little taste of it.

667
00:35:16,990 --> 00:35:18,790
And then Peter got up and this is

668
00:35:18,790 --> 00:35:20,670
the first time a church ever preached the

669
00:35:20,670 --> 00:35:21,010
gospel.

670
00:35:21,850 --> 00:35:24,810
I remind you that the man who stands

671
00:35:24,810 --> 00:35:27,910
behind this pulpit isn't the fellow who's called

672
00:35:27,910 --> 00:35:28,990
to preach the gospel.

673
00:35:29,410 --> 00:35:31,890
It's this church that has given the commission

674
00:35:31,890 --> 00:35:32,870
to preach the gospel.

675
00:35:34,510 --> 00:35:36,010
If you're paying a man to preach the

676
00:35:36,010 --> 00:35:37,950
gospel, far are you a million miles wrong.

677
00:35:38,030 --> 00:35:39,650
That's your job as a church.

678
00:35:39,790 --> 00:35:40,050
Amen?

679
00:35:42,130 --> 00:35:43,050
That's the truth.

680
00:35:43,090 --> 00:35:44,510
You don't believe that, but that's so.

681
00:35:45,230 --> 00:35:47,270
We got that from the Puritans, but they're

682
00:35:47,270 --> 00:35:48,030
dead wrong.

683
00:35:49,770 --> 00:35:52,450
The only man in this congregation not supposed

684
00:35:52,450 --> 00:35:53,610
to preach is your pastor.

685
00:35:53,710 --> 00:35:55,370
He's supposed to make preachers out of you.

686
00:35:56,770 --> 00:35:57,970
That's right, folks.

687
00:35:58,630 --> 00:35:59,730
That's his job.

688
00:36:01,950 --> 00:36:04,990
The folks to be preached to are out

689
00:36:04,990 --> 00:36:05,510
yonder.

690
00:36:05,950 --> 00:36:06,710
They're not here.

691
00:36:09,390 --> 00:36:12,330
The day when people crowded our church buildings

692
00:36:12,330 --> 00:36:14,790
to hear the gospel is now.

693
00:36:18,730 --> 00:36:23,070
Maybe we'll face that someday and we'll start

694
00:36:23,070 --> 00:36:24,810
doing what God's been trying to tell us

695
00:36:24,810 --> 00:36:26,090
to do all the time.

696
00:36:26,310 --> 00:36:27,790
The place to preach the gospel.

697
00:36:28,490 --> 00:36:30,270
Every time you need a fellow, get him

698
00:36:30,270 --> 00:36:32,170
to stand still long enough to listen to

699
00:36:32,170 --> 00:36:32,290
you.

700
00:36:32,290 --> 00:36:32,590
Amen?

701
00:36:32,770 --> 00:36:33,490
Where he is.

702
00:36:34,230 --> 00:36:35,790
That's where the gospel goes.

703
00:36:40,710 --> 00:36:43,550
And after the first gospel sermon was preached,

704
00:36:43,670 --> 00:36:45,310
Peter stood up and who stood up?

705
00:36:45,410 --> 00:36:47,050
The 11 stood with him.

706
00:36:47,770 --> 00:36:49,970
It wasn't one man message, see?

707
00:36:50,570 --> 00:36:51,630
And he preached.

708
00:36:52,270 --> 00:36:53,270
Who'd he talk about?

709
00:36:53,950 --> 00:36:56,210
He talked about that fellow they'd just crucified,

710
00:36:56,470 --> 00:36:56,810
didn't he?

711
00:36:57,970 --> 00:37:01,150
And after he'd wound up his sermon with

712
00:37:01,150 --> 00:37:05,090
verse 36, he told them who that Jesus

713
00:37:05,090 --> 00:37:07,730
that had been recently crucified by them right

714
00:37:07,730 --> 00:37:08,590
there in that city.

715
00:37:09,630 --> 00:37:12,390
What this was all about, he brought his

716
00:37:12,390 --> 00:37:15,030
message to a conclusion in these words.

717
00:37:16,230 --> 00:37:18,850
Verse 36, Therefore let all the house of

718
00:37:18,850 --> 00:37:21,210
Israel know as a matter of fact that

719
00:37:21,210 --> 00:37:26,660
that same Jesus whom ye crucified, God's made

720
00:37:26,660 --> 00:37:29,800
Him both Lord and Messiah.

721
00:37:33,490 --> 00:37:35,610
Then, I want to give you an outline

722
00:37:35,610 --> 00:37:36,910
so I'll have time to do tonight.

723
00:37:37,030 --> 00:37:38,810
Then, Peter said unto them.

724
00:37:40,290 --> 00:37:40,870
Unto who?

725
00:37:41,270 --> 00:37:43,670
Well, verse 37, Now when they heard this,

726
00:37:43,790 --> 00:37:44,370
Heard what?

727
00:37:45,190 --> 00:37:49,830
That the man approved of God, Jesus Christ,

728
00:37:49,990 --> 00:37:52,510
the man sent from God, Jesus Christ, the

729
00:37:52,510 --> 00:37:55,710
man they crucified, Jesus Christ, God had raised

730
00:37:55,710 --> 00:37:59,390
Him, Jesus Christ, and made Him Lord and

731
00:37:59,390 --> 00:37:59,710
Messiah.

732
00:37:59,790 --> 00:38:02,270
When they heard that, they were stabbed in

733
00:38:02,270 --> 00:38:02,810
their hearts.

734
00:38:02,990 --> 00:38:04,350
And they said unto Peter and the rest

735
00:38:04,350 --> 00:38:07,170
of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall

736
00:38:07,170 --> 00:38:07,670
we do?

737
00:38:08,830 --> 00:38:09,750
Note the answer.

738
00:38:10,630 --> 00:38:14,350
This may invade you in theology, but note

739
00:38:14,350 --> 00:38:14,910
the answer.

740
00:38:16,170 --> 00:38:19,690
Here's the first thing about the order of

741
00:38:19,690 --> 00:38:20,250
the church.

742
00:38:21,070 --> 00:38:24,350
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be

743
00:38:24,350 --> 00:38:24,910
baptized.

744
00:38:27,900 --> 00:38:29,580
Now I was taught that this was a

745
00:38:29,580 --> 00:38:32,040
transition period, and that's just for the Jews.

746
00:38:32,220 --> 00:38:33,440
Don't you believe a word of it.

747
00:38:33,520 --> 00:38:34,920
This is the divine order.

748
00:38:36,380 --> 00:38:38,180
And this is what God's going to bring

749
00:38:38,180 --> 00:38:39,440
His churches back to.

750
00:38:40,360 --> 00:38:41,440
Listen to me now.

751
00:38:42,100 --> 00:38:43,820
If this is strange to you, I don't

752
00:38:43,820 --> 00:38:44,120
know.

753
00:38:44,720 --> 00:38:46,520
But don't spit it out until you chew

754
00:38:46,520 --> 00:38:47,480
it just a little harder.

755
00:38:47,880 --> 00:38:48,740
This is serious.

756
00:38:49,400 --> 00:38:52,540
Repent, and be baptized, every one of you,

757
00:38:52,600 --> 00:38:55,940
in the name of Jesus Christ, for the

758
00:38:55,940 --> 00:38:57,220
remission of sins.

759
00:38:58,180 --> 00:38:58,960
And what will happen?

760
00:38:59,760 --> 00:39:02,020
You shall receive the gift of the Holy

761
00:39:02,020 --> 00:39:02,360
Ghost.

762
00:39:02,440 --> 00:39:04,860
How is it that people still trying to

763
00:39:04,860 --> 00:39:06,200
get the gift of the Holy Ghost have

764
00:39:06,200 --> 00:39:07,140
to claim their saves?

765
00:39:07,240 --> 00:39:08,080
That's their price.

766
00:39:08,180 --> 00:39:11,000
If you'd repented and been properly baptized, that

767
00:39:11,000 --> 00:39:12,440
would have been settled, Johnny, on the spot.

768
00:39:14,180 --> 00:39:16,340
In the New Testament, when people got filled

769
00:39:16,340 --> 00:39:17,280
with the Holy Spirit, when?

770
00:39:17,580 --> 00:39:18,880
When they came up out of the waters

771
00:39:18,880 --> 00:39:21,300
of baptism, you sprinkled, you spread the tear,

772
00:39:21,400 --> 00:39:22,580
just so it meant the same thing.

773
00:39:23,000 --> 00:39:25,180
It's happening on the mission fields now, where

774
00:39:25,180 --> 00:39:26,820
the real gospel is being preached.

775
00:39:29,230 --> 00:39:31,330
And how long is this going to last?

776
00:39:34,560 --> 00:39:36,980
How long is this to be the way

777
00:39:36,980 --> 00:39:41,440
to become a member of a group that's

778
00:39:41,440 --> 00:39:45,440
already got the gift of the Spirit and

779
00:39:45,440 --> 00:39:47,100
doing business for the Lord?

780
00:39:48,300 --> 00:39:50,240
Well, it's going to last this far, for

781
00:39:50,240 --> 00:39:53,160
the promise is unto you, and then it's

782
00:39:53,160 --> 00:39:56,040
to your children, and then it's to all

783
00:39:56,040 --> 00:39:58,840
that are far off, and then it's even

784
00:39:58,840 --> 00:40:03,040
as many as the Lord our God shall

785
00:40:03,040 --> 00:40:03,400
what?

786
00:40:04,360 --> 00:40:04,840
Call.

787
00:40:05,700 --> 00:40:07,960
If you still call in sinners, the promise

788
00:40:07,960 --> 00:40:09,120
is good for the day.

789
00:40:12,560 --> 00:40:13,080
Repentance.

790
00:40:13,360 --> 00:40:16,200
Repentance looks to what God's done about Jesus

791
00:40:16,200 --> 00:40:16,700
Christ.

792
00:40:17,380 --> 00:40:19,980
What men do, you had a part in

793
00:40:19,980 --> 00:40:21,900
it, you crucified the Son of God.

794
00:40:22,440 --> 00:40:22,680
Amen?

795
00:40:23,560 --> 00:40:25,660
What God do, he raised him, made him

796
00:40:25,660 --> 00:40:26,860
Lord and Messiah.

797
00:40:27,940 --> 00:40:28,740
What repentance?

798
00:40:29,760 --> 00:40:31,640
Agreeing with God's act.

799
00:40:32,700 --> 00:40:35,400
I bow to it.

800
00:40:36,080 --> 00:40:36,980
What's baptism?

801
00:40:39,280 --> 00:40:46,160
It's submission to the Lord as his authority

802
00:40:46,160 --> 00:40:49,400
is exercised on the church.

803
00:40:49,620 --> 00:40:51,320
That's exactly what baptism is.

804
00:40:51,840 --> 00:40:53,840
You Presbyterians better get baptized.

805
00:40:54,420 --> 00:40:55,940
Most of us Baptists never have.

806
00:40:56,660 --> 00:40:58,040
To us it's just a ritual.

807
00:40:59,500 --> 00:41:02,020
And our Baptist churches are full of people

808
00:41:02,020 --> 00:41:07,040
in rebellion against the discipline of Jesus Christ

809
00:41:07,040 --> 00:41:09,900
as it's exercised in the local church.

810
00:41:10,480 --> 00:41:11,820
So they've never been baptized.

811
00:41:11,820 --> 00:41:15,720
How do you know that baptism means to

812
00:41:15,720 --> 00:41:18,700
come under the rule and the authority of

813
00:41:18,700 --> 00:41:19,520
Jesus Christ?

814
00:41:20,040 --> 00:41:20,900
Well, three reasons.

815
00:41:21,040 --> 00:41:23,200
Baptism is the only way you can make

816
00:41:23,200 --> 00:41:25,300
a public profession of faith in Christ.

817
00:41:26,820 --> 00:41:28,760
You walk in the aisle and say, Jesus

818
00:41:28,760 --> 00:41:29,360
saved me.

819
00:41:29,480 --> 00:41:30,320
That don't count.

820
00:41:30,640 --> 00:41:34,220
I'm going, let's make God willing, back to

821
00:41:34,220 --> 00:41:36,100
the Virgin Islands where I was several years

822
00:41:36,100 --> 00:41:36,440
ago.

823
00:41:37,340 --> 00:41:40,160
They rented the ballpark and all the Baptist

824
00:41:40,160 --> 00:41:41,840
churches on the islands are going to get

825
00:41:41,840 --> 00:41:42,840
together and we're going to try to get

826
00:41:42,840 --> 00:41:43,660
somebody to God.

827
00:41:44,940 --> 00:41:48,080
And I was there years ago and they

828
00:41:48,080 --> 00:41:52,020
took me out to the Caribbean Sea where

829
00:41:52,020 --> 00:41:57,140
anybody who asks for baptism on that island

830
00:41:57,840 --> 00:42:01,080
knows that he can't get married or buried

831
00:42:03,200 --> 00:42:04,540
if he's ever baptized.

832
00:42:07,370 --> 00:42:11,370
And when a Christian who's been baptized dies,

833
00:42:11,650 --> 00:42:13,050
they take him and throw him in the

834
00:42:13,050 --> 00:42:16,130
waters of the Caribbean and the sharks and

835
00:42:16,130 --> 00:42:17,230
the alligators eat him.

836
00:42:17,310 --> 00:42:18,530
That's the God's truth.

837
00:42:22,500 --> 00:42:24,980
They don't count your profession over there.

838
00:42:25,580 --> 00:42:27,760
It's just like we all hear about Christian

839
00:42:27,760 --> 00:42:29,200
over there living like the devil.

840
00:42:29,980 --> 00:42:32,340
But when you come to the place that

841
00:42:32,340 --> 00:42:36,740
you're willing and anxious for it to be

842
00:42:36,740 --> 00:42:41,700
publicly known that you've been captured and conquered

843
00:42:41,700 --> 00:42:45,140
and brought in under the sweet rule, I'll

844
00:42:45,140 --> 00:42:48,780
be rejected, Lord of glory, Jesus Christ.

845
00:42:49,720 --> 00:42:51,160
It's a white horse, a different color.

846
00:42:51,600 --> 00:42:52,700
It's got to come back now.

847
00:42:55,090 --> 00:42:56,670
I'm going back over there and on the

848
00:42:56,670 --> 00:42:58,570
kind of invitation I won't ask anybody, they'll

849
00:42:58,570 --> 00:43:00,150
walk by and say, Jesus saved them.

850
00:43:00,330 --> 00:43:07,590
I'll say, ask these churches to baptize you.

851
00:43:09,230 --> 00:43:11,430
The world can't see your faith, but it

852
00:43:11,430 --> 00:43:12,670
can see your baptism.

853
00:43:15,180 --> 00:43:18,140
And baptism means that I'm another captive of

854
00:43:18,140 --> 00:43:23,580
King Jesus and I'm coming willingly under his

855
00:43:23,580 --> 00:43:27,500
rule in the church.

856
00:43:29,940 --> 00:43:32,820
I say, you Presbyterians, you tickle death by

857
00:43:32,820 --> 00:43:34,620
Jesus being at the right hand of God

858
00:43:34,620 --> 00:43:35,420
and he's there.

859
00:43:36,540 --> 00:43:39,120
But in the spirit, he's the head of

860
00:43:39,120 --> 00:43:39,900
the church.

861
00:43:40,480 --> 00:43:42,500
And it's my nice to say, oh boy,

862
00:43:42,580 --> 00:43:43,860
I'm glad he's Lord.

863
00:43:44,420 --> 00:43:46,880
It's a white horse, a different colored mind

864
00:43:46,880 --> 00:43:49,700
in the local church.

865
00:43:51,180 --> 00:43:53,200
That's what it means to be baptized.

866
00:43:55,000 --> 00:43:56,740
Now, you know that's what it means.

867
00:43:56,800 --> 00:43:58,320
That's something you've sunk up, oh no.

868
00:43:59,660 --> 00:44:02,080
Of course, this goes on as long as

869
00:44:02,080 --> 00:44:05,500
God's still calling sinners in the second place.

870
00:44:05,900 --> 00:44:07,660
First place, it's the only way you can

871
00:44:07,660 --> 00:44:10,440
publicly profess faith.

872
00:44:11,120 --> 00:44:13,800
Second place, it's to continue to live this

873
00:44:13,800 --> 00:44:14,320
good hour.

874
00:44:14,320 --> 00:44:18,900
And the third place, look what happened to

875
00:44:18,900 --> 00:44:20,400
the ones that were baptized.

876
00:44:21,840 --> 00:44:22,740
They joined.

877
00:44:22,800 --> 00:44:24,320
They were joined to something.

878
00:44:25,380 --> 00:44:29,620
And they were prepared to fit right in.

879
00:44:31,820 --> 00:44:34,000
Skipping a few verses, well, and with many

880
00:44:34,000 --> 00:44:36,740
other words, did he testify and exhort, save

881
00:44:36,740 --> 00:44:40,020
yourselves from this untoward generation.

882
00:44:40,420 --> 00:44:40,720
How?

883
00:44:41,160 --> 00:44:43,640
He's explaining what he meant by repentance and

884
00:44:43,640 --> 00:44:44,200
baptism.

885
00:44:46,180 --> 00:44:50,620
Then they that gladly received his word were

886
00:44:50,620 --> 00:44:53,480
baptized, and the same day there were added

887
00:44:53,480 --> 00:44:55,260
unto them about three thousand souls.

888
00:44:55,320 --> 00:44:55,980
And what did they do?

889
00:44:56,940 --> 00:44:58,260
Well, I'll tell you what they do down

890
00:44:58,260 --> 00:44:59,800
at the church in Winston-Salem, where I

891
00:44:59,800 --> 00:45:02,600
remember they get converted Sunday morning, devote them

892
00:45:02,600 --> 00:45:04,920
in as candidates for baptism, and they ain't

893
00:45:04,920 --> 00:45:06,440
even back preaching that night.

894
00:45:08,080 --> 00:45:10,340
I know a Baptist church in the South

895
00:45:10,340 --> 00:45:13,000
that baptizes over a thousand people every year,

896
00:45:13,540 --> 00:45:15,980
and they don't have a bit more in

897
00:45:15,980 --> 00:45:18,340
the congregation of any service than they had

898
00:45:18,340 --> 00:45:19,260
ten years ago.

899
00:45:22,100 --> 00:45:25,120
Why, bless God, listen to me.

900
00:45:26,300 --> 00:45:30,880
These folks repented and got baptized, got baptized

901
00:45:30,880 --> 00:45:31,540
into something.

902
00:45:32,840 --> 00:45:34,760
And when they got in it, the scriptures

903
00:45:34,760 --> 00:45:35,880
say they did what?

904
00:45:36,740 --> 00:45:42,740
They continued steadfastly in four things.

905
00:45:42,740 --> 00:45:46,340
These four things describe the authority and the

906
00:45:46,340 --> 00:45:47,980
discipline of Christ's church.

907
00:45:52,110 --> 00:45:54,050
I wish I hadn't taken all my time,

908
00:45:55,710 --> 00:45:57,770
but I'm going to continue tomorrow night if

909
00:45:57,770 --> 00:45:58,190
you're interested.

910
00:45:58,430 --> 00:45:59,810
This is vital to me.

911
00:46:03,220 --> 00:46:05,760
All over the world now, anybody's got sense

912
00:46:05,760 --> 00:46:07,420
enough coming out of the rain to recognize

913
00:46:07,420 --> 00:46:10,100
there's no such thing as heathen lands and

914
00:46:10,100 --> 00:46:12,080
Christian lands, and no more heathen land in

915
00:46:12,080 --> 00:46:13,100
the world than this one.

916
00:46:15,070 --> 00:46:16,910
There isn't a spot of ground on this

917
00:46:16,910 --> 00:46:19,070
earth that isn't pagan to the core now.

918
00:46:20,730 --> 00:46:23,450
There isn't a congregation on earth that isn't

919
00:46:23,450 --> 00:46:24,250
in a missionary situation.

920
00:46:25,110 --> 00:46:26,450
You're next door neighbors.

921
00:46:26,610 --> 00:46:28,410
You can't even reach them with the gospel,

922
00:46:28,570 --> 00:46:28,830
can you?

923
00:46:30,790 --> 00:46:31,590
Wait a minute.

924
00:46:34,620 --> 00:46:37,920
We baptize people in our churches, us Baptists

925
00:46:37,920 --> 00:46:38,160
do.

926
00:46:38,220 --> 00:46:39,420
I don't know enough about you to talk

927
00:46:39,420 --> 00:46:39,980
about you.

928
00:46:40,940 --> 00:46:42,620
But from what I've seen in a week

929
00:46:42,620 --> 00:46:44,420
as your guest, I kind of think you're

930
00:46:44,420 --> 00:46:45,540
about as guilty as we are.

931
00:46:46,920 --> 00:46:49,520
You baptize folks into the fellowship of your

932
00:46:49,520 --> 00:46:52,840
church just at having the slightest idea of

933
00:46:52,840 --> 00:46:54,620
what it means to be a member of

934
00:46:54,620 --> 00:46:55,180
the church.

935
00:46:58,140 --> 00:47:00,220
And whatever else can be said, these Jews,

936
00:47:00,340 --> 00:47:02,640
they could baptize them the same day because

937
00:47:02,640 --> 00:47:05,360
they are raised on the meaning of repentance

938
00:47:05,360 --> 00:47:06,060
and baptism.

939
00:47:06,360 --> 00:47:07,000
That's right, huh?

940
00:47:07,960 --> 00:47:09,140
They knew what it meant.

941
00:47:10,380 --> 00:47:12,800
And all over the country now, churches are

942
00:47:12,800 --> 00:47:14,940
having to come to what our missionaries, as

943
00:47:14,940 --> 00:47:16,560
any count, did long years ago in what

944
00:47:16,560 --> 00:47:17,860
we call the mission fields.

945
00:47:18,580 --> 00:47:20,060
You walk down the aisle and say, I'm

946
00:47:20,060 --> 00:47:20,640
going to be baptized.

947
00:47:20,640 --> 00:47:21,660
I'm going to be a member of this

948
00:47:21,660 --> 00:47:21,940
church.

949
00:47:22,080 --> 00:47:22,580
It's okay.

950
00:47:23,920 --> 00:47:26,860
We'll teach you for about a year.

951
00:47:31,280 --> 00:47:33,720
That blessed young Stephen Oldford in Calvary Church

952
00:47:33,720 --> 00:47:35,960
in New York City takes eight months now.

953
00:47:36,560 --> 00:47:37,860
One of you pressed in, go over there

954
00:47:37,860 --> 00:47:38,620
and join up.

955
00:47:38,660 --> 00:47:40,500
He'll teach you if you'll come to their

956
00:47:40,500 --> 00:47:41,880
school for eight months.

957
00:47:43,400 --> 00:47:45,020
And then after eight months, if you kind

958
00:47:45,020 --> 00:47:46,400
of act like you know what it's all

959
00:47:46,400 --> 00:47:48,040
about, they'll make you a member.

960
00:47:48,120 --> 00:47:49,260
If you don't, they won't.

961
00:47:50,280 --> 00:47:51,840
For the worst thing that can happen to

962
00:47:51,840 --> 00:47:54,780
any person is to have him think that

963
00:47:54,780 --> 00:47:57,360
he's a member of the church that Jesus

964
00:47:57,360 --> 00:47:59,840
bought with his own blood when he don't

965
00:47:59,840 --> 00:48:00,680
know what it's all about.

966
00:48:01,120 --> 00:48:02,600
Because he's as sure for hell and hell

967
00:48:02,600 --> 00:48:03,320
as he can be.

968
00:48:03,940 --> 00:48:05,180
There's one thing that's certain.

969
00:48:05,260 --> 00:48:06,940
This generation of church members are going to

970
00:48:06,940 --> 00:48:08,600
go to hell unless they're already saved.

971
00:48:08,940 --> 00:48:11,640
Because there ain't no voice except the voice

972
00:48:11,640 --> 00:48:14,260
of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit that

973
00:48:14,260 --> 00:48:15,600
can do anything for you and you won't

974
00:48:15,600 --> 00:48:16,260
listen to him.

975
00:48:18,820 --> 00:48:19,260
Hear me?

976
00:48:19,400 --> 00:48:25,180
It's time we start and start it all

977
00:48:25,180 --> 00:48:27,740
over again and see to it that we're

978
00:48:27,740 --> 00:48:29,280
true to the souls of men.

979
00:48:30,260 --> 00:48:34,820
That they understand what repentance and baptism means.

980
00:48:35,400 --> 00:48:38,860
It means bowing to the rule of Christ

981
00:48:38,860 --> 00:48:41,160
and coming under that rule in a local

982
00:48:41,160 --> 00:48:41,760
church.

983
00:48:42,820 --> 00:48:44,980
And a fellow who's bowed and is willing

984
00:48:44,980 --> 00:48:48,180
to be taught so that the Lordship of

985
00:48:48,180 --> 00:48:50,580
Christ will mean more to him tomorrow than

986
00:48:50,580 --> 00:48:52,280
it does today and more to him the

987
00:48:52,280 --> 00:48:54,000
next day than it does that day.

988
00:48:54,980 --> 00:48:57,360
Until he grows more and more into the

989
00:48:57,360 --> 00:48:58,540
likeness of Christ.

990
00:48:59,320 --> 00:49:01,240
That's what salvation's all about.

991
00:49:02,220 --> 00:49:03,900
That's got to be done again.

992
00:49:04,120 --> 00:49:05,020
See what I'm talking about?

993
00:49:08,380 --> 00:49:10,300
And this is happening all over the country.

994
00:49:12,240 --> 00:49:14,560
These folks continued steadfastly.

995
00:49:16,820 --> 00:49:17,720
I'll quit.

996
00:49:18,100 --> 00:49:22,500
They continued steadfastly in the activity of Christ's

997
00:49:22,500 --> 00:49:22,740
church.

998
00:49:22,840 --> 00:49:24,880
The activity of Christ's church is four things.

999
00:49:25,720 --> 00:49:28,400
The learning, the proclamation of what?

1000
00:49:29,000 --> 00:49:30,520
The Apostles' Doctrine.

1001
00:49:31,820 --> 00:49:36,560
Second, in fellowship, that koinonia, partnership.

1002
00:49:38,480 --> 00:49:39,560
The priesthood of believers.

1003
00:49:40,620 --> 00:49:43,900
Third, worship, the breaking of bread.

1004
00:49:45,140 --> 00:49:49,180
Worship in the New Testament church always is

1005
00:49:49,180 --> 00:49:50,440
around the Lord's table.

1006
00:49:51,740 --> 00:49:53,500
You can call this eleven o'clock hour

1007
00:49:53,500 --> 00:49:56,000
Sunday morning worship service, but it ain't so.

1008
00:49:56,800 --> 00:49:59,460
You worship around the Lord's table.

1009
00:50:02,040 --> 00:50:04,980
Boy, we might have sinned because we don't

1010
00:50:04,980 --> 00:50:07,900
worship around this table.

1011
00:50:10,610 --> 00:50:11,330
And prayer.

1012
00:50:13,660 --> 00:50:14,160
Prayer.

1013
00:50:14,900 --> 00:50:17,020
That's all there is to a church.

1014
00:50:18,580 --> 00:50:19,720
I'm going to ask you to stay with

1015
00:50:19,720 --> 00:50:20,700
me another minute or two.

1016
00:50:22,950 --> 00:50:25,370
How's the Lord going to bring blessing?

1017
00:50:26,810 --> 00:50:29,790
And he's going to fix it so that

1018
00:50:29,790 --> 00:50:31,870
you can't be a member of his church

1019
00:50:31,870 --> 00:50:34,690
if they ever have a meeting and you

1020
00:50:34,690 --> 00:50:35,430
ain't there.

1021
00:50:39,220 --> 00:50:41,160
Isn't it something to claim to be a

1022
00:50:41,160 --> 00:50:44,180
member of the Bible Christian church, and there's

1023
00:50:44,180 --> 00:50:48,080
been one service this week, that any member

1024
00:50:48,080 --> 00:50:50,480
of this church could have been present, and

1025
00:50:50,480 --> 00:50:50,940
he wasn't.

1026
00:50:53,140 --> 00:50:56,100
See, that member is in rebellion against the

1027
00:50:56,100 --> 00:50:58,420
discipline of this church.

1028
00:50:59,500 --> 00:51:00,440
Isn't that right?

1029
00:51:02,240 --> 00:51:04,160
I want to read you what one of

1030
00:51:04,160 --> 00:51:05,960
the early church fathers said, before I let

1031
00:51:05,960 --> 00:51:07,460
you go, about church attendance.

1032
00:51:09,080 --> 00:51:12,060
In an early church document, the old father

1033
00:51:12,060 --> 00:51:15,100
said, When thou teachest, command and remind the

1034
00:51:15,100 --> 00:51:18,160
people that they be constant in the assembly

1035
00:51:18,160 --> 00:51:21,740
of the church, so that ye be not

1036
00:51:21,740 --> 00:51:25,500
hindered and made smaller by one little member

1037
00:51:25,500 --> 00:51:26,580
of the body of Christ.

1038
00:51:27,340 --> 00:51:30,700
Do not deprive our Savior of his members.

1039
00:51:31,760 --> 00:51:35,700
Do not mangle and scatter his body.

1040
00:51:37,500 --> 00:51:42,480
Now, staying away when the church meets sounds

1041
00:51:42,480 --> 00:51:43,280
mighty innocent.

1042
00:51:43,460 --> 00:51:44,140
You got a headache?

1043
00:51:44,280 --> 00:51:46,600
Well, if you have, come to the Lord's

1044
00:51:46,600 --> 00:51:46,960
house.

1045
00:51:47,120 --> 00:51:48,160
The headache will go away.

1046
00:51:52,340 --> 00:51:53,640
Well, I've got to stay home with the

1047
00:51:53,640 --> 00:51:54,020
kids.

1048
00:51:54,180 --> 00:51:55,660
Well, you and the kids just have to

1049
00:51:55,660 --> 00:51:56,800
go on to hell, I reckon.

1050
00:51:59,580 --> 00:52:01,600
We're talking about discipline now.

1051
00:52:02,420 --> 00:52:04,880
Well, now, you Presbyterians wouldn't be a member

1052
00:52:04,880 --> 00:52:06,760
of the church where you had to be

1053
00:52:06,760 --> 00:52:09,560
present when the church met, would you?

1054
00:52:10,460 --> 00:52:12,880
So you'll quit and just leave God's people

1055
00:52:12,880 --> 00:52:13,200
there.

1056
00:52:13,360 --> 00:52:14,620
Then we'll start getting somewhere.

1057
00:52:19,820 --> 00:52:21,660
So that's what it means to be under

1058
00:52:21,660 --> 00:52:23,260
the discipline of the Lord.

1059
00:52:26,590 --> 00:52:29,250
Now, I'm not saying that this church has

1060
00:52:29,250 --> 00:52:30,250
perfect discipline.

1061
00:52:31,170 --> 00:52:33,210
But I'm saying this congregation has got to

1062
00:52:33,210 --> 00:52:34,390
start with what you've got.

1063
00:52:36,430 --> 00:52:38,510
And if you wouldn't be under the authority

1064
00:52:38,510 --> 00:52:40,490
of Christ as far as you've got light,

1065
00:52:41,350 --> 00:52:42,470
He ain't going to give you no more

1066
00:52:42,470 --> 00:52:42,830
light.

1067
00:52:43,790 --> 00:52:47,750
But I'm saying that when you absent yourself

1068
00:52:47,750 --> 00:52:50,470
from any meeting when the people of this

1069
00:52:50,470 --> 00:52:52,190
congregation say we'll meet.

1070
00:52:53,470 --> 00:52:54,050
See what I mean?

1071
00:52:55,490 --> 00:52:58,730
I've actually talked to church members of congregations

1072
00:52:58,730 --> 00:53:00,470
where I've preached and said they haven't meeting.

1073
00:53:00,690 --> 00:53:00,910
They.

1074
00:53:01,130 --> 00:53:02,170
Not me, but they.

1075
00:53:07,230 --> 00:53:10,210
Why, this generation of church members decides whether

1076
00:53:10,210 --> 00:53:14,850
or not they'll attend the services they're committed

1077
00:53:14,850 --> 00:53:16,370
to attend.

1078
00:53:16,510 --> 00:53:17,150
Did you know that?

1079
00:53:18,150 --> 00:53:19,050
They're in rebellion.

1080
00:53:20,510 --> 00:53:23,690
And the Lord starts enforcing that, honey.

1081
00:53:23,790 --> 00:53:25,910
And He'll enforce it by the pastor and

1082
00:53:25,910 --> 00:53:28,550
the elders and whoever has authority around here

1083
00:53:28,550 --> 00:53:29,750
enforcing it.

1084
00:53:30,790 --> 00:53:32,970
And you say, ain't no pastor and elders

1085
00:53:32,970 --> 00:53:34,590
going to tell me what to do.

1086
00:53:34,630 --> 00:53:35,330
I know.

1087
00:53:35,610 --> 00:53:37,410
You're going to split hell wide open, too.

1088
00:53:39,720 --> 00:53:42,020
You ain't going to let God or nobody

1089
00:53:42,020 --> 00:53:45,040
else tell you you've got to do something.

1090
00:53:45,200 --> 00:53:46,780
But if you was under the rule of

1091
00:53:46,780 --> 00:53:51,760
Christ in the local church, you would.

1092
00:53:53,340 --> 00:53:55,620
And you'd be tickled to death about it.

1093
00:53:56,340 --> 00:53:59,020
Who was supposed to have the meetings this

1094
00:53:59,020 --> 00:53:59,380
week?

1095
00:54:01,800 --> 00:54:04,360
Just me and the pastor and some of

1096
00:54:04,360 --> 00:54:06,280
the members if their belly didn't ache and

1097
00:54:06,280 --> 00:54:06,920
they'd show up?

1098
00:54:08,360 --> 00:54:12,040
Or was the Bible Presbyterian congregation supposed to

1099
00:54:12,040 --> 00:54:12,800
have these services?

1100
00:54:13,300 --> 00:54:13,400
Huh?

1101
00:54:14,260 --> 00:54:14,860
Is that right?

1102
00:54:17,540 --> 00:54:19,480
Now, boy, wouldn't we have lots of fun

1103
00:54:19,480 --> 00:54:22,220
if the Lord raised up some elders and

1104
00:54:22,220 --> 00:54:27,480
some deacons and some pastors that start discharging

1105
00:54:27,480 --> 00:54:31,060
the authority that God's invested in them.

1106
00:54:32,760 --> 00:54:35,360
Man, I'd see you Presbyterians running, you wouldn't

1107
00:54:35,360 --> 00:54:35,900
stop.

1108
00:54:37,520 --> 00:54:39,760
And you'll run right smack into hell and

1109
00:54:39,760 --> 00:54:41,480
go across the street and join a church

1110
00:54:41,480 --> 00:54:43,260
where it's a joke to be a professing

1111
00:54:43,260 --> 00:54:43,720
Christian.

1112
00:54:45,660 --> 00:54:47,700
But that's how God's going to start doing

1113
00:54:47,700 --> 00:54:48,480
something, brother.

1114
00:54:49,880 --> 00:54:51,580
You mean tell me when the saints meet

1115
00:54:51,580 --> 00:54:53,280
together that you ain't one of them and

1116
00:54:53,280 --> 00:54:55,220
you don't like the company of the saints?

1117
00:54:55,580 --> 00:54:55,740
Huh?

1118
00:54:56,560 --> 00:54:56,860
Huh?

1119
00:54:59,380 --> 00:55:01,560
Thirty-five years ago I went to Toronto,

1120
00:55:01,760 --> 00:55:04,320
Canada to preach for Dr. Shields in Jarvis

1121
00:55:04,320 --> 00:55:04,720
Street.

1122
00:55:05,100 --> 00:55:05,940
I just a kid.

1123
00:55:06,660 --> 00:55:09,340
And he was the white-haired orator of

1124
00:55:09,340 --> 00:55:11,060
Canada, the Spurgeon of Canada.

1125
00:55:11,640 --> 00:55:13,560
And he was so gentle with a young

1126
00:55:13,560 --> 00:55:13,940
preacher.

1127
00:55:15,140 --> 00:55:16,100
And God blessed.

1128
00:55:17,620 --> 00:55:20,040
He told me how every Sunday night they

1129
00:55:20,040 --> 00:55:23,640
come to the Lord's table and all the

1130
00:55:23,640 --> 00:55:25,100
members sign the register.

1131
00:55:26,820 --> 00:55:28,760
And if you miss three of them purposely,

1132
00:55:28,960 --> 00:55:30,600
you're no longer a member of the church.

1133
00:55:31,920 --> 00:55:33,600
They don't have to have a meeting, you're

1134
00:55:33,600 --> 00:55:34,220
just out.

1135
00:55:38,440 --> 00:55:38,540
Huh?

1136
00:55:39,300 --> 00:55:40,760
You mean tell me it wouldn't be a

1137
00:55:40,760 --> 00:55:43,540
wonderful, wonderful privilege if the Lord said I'm

1138
00:55:43,540 --> 00:55:45,500
going to spread the table, folks.

1139
00:55:45,600 --> 00:55:47,200
Won't you come have supper with me?

1140
00:55:48,040 --> 00:55:50,500
You mean tell me you wouldn't say, Oh,

1141
00:55:50,720 --> 00:55:52,840
we're going to have the Lord's table tonight.

1142
00:55:54,760 --> 00:55:56,120
He's going to sit the head out of

1143
00:55:56,120 --> 00:55:56,220
it.

1144
00:55:56,220 --> 00:55:56,780
He's the host.

1145
00:55:56,980 --> 00:55:58,860
We're his guests through his shed blood.

1146
00:55:59,100 --> 00:55:59,320
Hallelujah.

1147
00:56:00,520 --> 00:56:03,120
Us Baptists, we have the Lord's table about

1148
00:56:03,120 --> 00:56:04,440
once a year and get through it just

1149
00:56:04,440 --> 00:56:05,440
quick as we can.

1150
00:56:05,700 --> 00:56:06,000
You know.

1151
00:56:06,520 --> 00:56:06,620
Huh?

1152
00:56:11,670 --> 00:56:16,770
Just to be absent is to mangle and

1153
00:56:16,770 --> 00:56:18,890
scatter the body of Christ.

1154
00:56:18,930 --> 00:56:19,210
Amen?

1155
00:56:21,540 --> 00:56:24,240
That has the trumpet sound of judgment day.

1156
00:56:25,900 --> 00:56:27,800
Well, I've got to quit.

1157
00:56:27,940 --> 00:56:29,020
I've preached too long.

1158
00:56:29,100 --> 00:56:29,860
I haven't got started.

1159
00:56:31,000 --> 00:56:33,780
I hope you can hear me, whether so

1160
00:56:33,780 --> 00:56:35,880
or not, tomorrow night.

1161
00:56:36,000 --> 00:56:36,640
Let us stand.

1162
00:56:54,660 --> 00:56:57,600
How new or strange anything I said tonight

1163
00:56:57,600 --> 00:56:58,580
is to you.

1164
00:56:58,580 --> 00:57:02,220
Sometimes the preacher just doesn't know.

1165
00:57:03,140 --> 00:57:04,300
I would not hurt you.

1166
00:57:04,400 --> 00:57:06,360
I would help you if I knew how.

1167
00:57:08,040 --> 00:57:09,720
But I dismiss you tonight.

1168
00:57:10,080 --> 00:57:11,460
You're kind to listen.

1169
00:57:12,360 --> 00:57:13,580
Well, this one's all.

1170
00:57:13,720 --> 00:57:20,010
I don't see why every congregation in the

1171
00:57:20,010 --> 00:57:25,490
world couldn't say, By the grace of God,

1172
00:57:25,690 --> 00:57:28,950
as God will give us life, we're going

1173
00:57:28,950 --> 00:57:34,930
to start moving in the direction of being

1174
00:57:34,930 --> 00:57:38,070
under Christ's discipline and the proclamation of his

1175
00:57:38,070 --> 00:57:40,690
gospel, the apostolic doctrine.

1176
00:57:41,790 --> 00:57:47,410
All of us joining hands in partnership, fellows

1177
00:57:47,410 --> 00:57:48,730
in the same ship.

1178
00:57:49,210 --> 00:57:49,370
Amen?

1179
00:57:51,090 --> 00:57:53,770
His program, I'm a part of it.

1180
00:57:53,830 --> 00:57:54,010
Amen?

1181
00:57:55,390 --> 00:57:57,310
If he wants me to just sweep the

1182
00:57:57,310 --> 00:57:59,170
church building, that's all right.

1183
00:57:59,170 --> 00:58:00,870
Somebody's got to sweep it, but I'm going

1184
00:58:00,870 --> 00:58:02,070
to get in on this thing.

1185
00:58:02,890 --> 00:58:03,210
Amen?

1186
00:58:04,430 --> 00:58:04,870
Worship.

1187
00:58:06,430 --> 00:58:09,090
Where we examine ourselves, get right with our

1188
00:58:09,090 --> 00:58:09,410
brothers.

1189
00:58:09,530 --> 00:58:10,910
You couldn't have a church for us if

1190
00:58:10,910 --> 00:58:12,850
you observed the Lord's table rightly, could you?

1191
00:58:13,730 --> 00:58:16,270
Couldn't have these splits that are the scandal

1192
00:58:16,270 --> 00:58:18,290
if we properly came to the Lord's table,

1193
00:58:18,410 --> 00:58:18,730
could we?

1194
00:58:19,050 --> 00:58:21,990
That's time to examine ourselves and to discern

1195
00:58:21,990 --> 00:58:23,910
the Lord's body and that the Lord's body

1196
00:58:23,910 --> 00:58:27,330
is his church, you know, and not produce

1197
00:58:27,330 --> 00:58:28,630
schism in it.

1198
00:58:28,630 --> 00:58:29,810
That's awful, isn't it?

1199
00:58:30,590 --> 00:58:31,570
And then prayer.

1200
00:58:32,770 --> 00:58:36,930
Ladies and gentlemen, why couldn't we have congregations

1201
00:58:37,730 --> 00:58:40,530
that part of their activity was to meet

1202
00:58:40,530 --> 00:58:42,850
together, not some of them, but the congregation,

1203
00:58:46,460 --> 00:58:53,220
and pray, O God, visit thy people.

1204
00:58:54,500 --> 00:58:56,240
That's the activity of the church.

1205
00:58:57,120 --> 00:58:59,960
And to be under Christ's discipline is to

1206
00:58:59,960 --> 00:59:02,600
be under the discipline of the apostles' doctrine.

1207
00:59:02,880 --> 00:59:03,360
That's Christ.

1208
00:59:04,800 --> 00:59:07,700
Partnership, worship, prayer.

1209
00:59:09,460 --> 00:59:10,520
God bless you.

1210
00:59:10,820 --> 00:59:14,940
Now, Father in bloodstained Jesus' name, we commit

1211
00:59:14,940 --> 00:59:18,040
ourselves to this service.

1212
00:59:18,900 --> 00:59:21,060
Take out of it all that's just of

1213
00:59:21,060 --> 00:59:22,980
the preacher, but we think some of it's

1214
00:59:22,980 --> 00:59:23,700
of the truth.

1215
00:59:24,940 --> 00:59:26,740
And we believe it can be done, we

1216
00:59:26,740 --> 00:59:29,900
see it done in some places, and we're

1217
00:59:29,900 --> 00:59:34,920
hungry for the presence of the living Lord.

1218
00:59:36,040 --> 00:59:39,000
It's only when men are confronted with him

1219
00:59:39,000 --> 00:59:42,320
that they'll say, woe is me.

1220
00:59:43,260 --> 00:59:45,400
Have mercy on me, O God.

1221
00:59:47,360 --> 00:59:51,440
Once again assert and exercise the authority of

1222
00:59:51,440 --> 00:59:55,780
the Lord Jesus Christ as he delegates it

1223
00:59:55,780 --> 00:59:56,800
to his church.

1224
00:59:58,840 --> 01:00:01,660
Make the church once again a company of

1225
01:00:01,660 --> 01:00:05,120
people who are tickled to death to be

1226
01:00:05,120 --> 01:00:08,840
under the rule of Christ and find that

1227
01:00:08,840 --> 01:00:12,400
his yoke is easy and his burden is

1228
01:00:12,400 --> 01:00:12,700
light.

1229
01:00:12,820 --> 01:00:14,200
We pray in Jesus' name.

1230
01:00:14,780 --> 01:00:15,160
Amen.

1231
01:00:15,440 --> 01:00:16,300
Thank you so much.