1 00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:01,800 Let's open up our Bibles to the book 2 00:00:01,800 --> 00:00:06,540 of Galatians, the book of Galatians chapter 3, 3 00:00:11,260 --> 00:00:12,380 verse 27. 4 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:18,100 For all of you who were baptized into 5 00:00:18,100 --> 00:00:22,320 Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 6 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:25,000 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is 7 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:27,480 neither slave nor free man, there is neither 8 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:30,820 male nor female, for you are all one 9 00:00:30,820 --> 00:00:31,820 in Christ Jesus. 10 00:00:32,900 --> 00:00:33,540 Let's pray. 11 00:00:34,780 --> 00:00:40,510 Father, I come before you in the name 12 00:00:40,510 --> 00:00:44,600 of your Son, and I know that apart 13 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:48,140 from him I would have no part with 14 00:00:48,140 --> 00:00:48,440 you. 15 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:58,010 And as always, Father, you know me, you 16 00:00:58,010 --> 00:00:59,510 know who I am and you know what 17 00:00:59,510 --> 00:01:04,880 I am, that I stand in need of 18 00:01:04,880 --> 00:01:08,280 grace upon grace and mercy upon mercy. 19 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:15,620 I pray that in this day, Lord, you 20 00:01:15,620 --> 00:01:22,280 would prove yourself wise, prove yourself strong, in 21 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:25,040 using this day, the weakest among us. 22 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:30,620 Lord, I trust thee that you have been 23 00:01:30,620 --> 00:01:36,380 an ever-present help for me, and that 24 00:01:36,380 --> 00:01:38,180 you have done so for your own glory 25 00:01:38,180 --> 00:01:40,240 and because you are love. 26 00:01:44,300 --> 00:01:47,940 Father, I will preach a message today that 27 00:01:47,940 --> 00:01:50,220 I myself have trouble living. 28 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:56,720 Lord, do not allow me to be in 29 00:01:56,720 --> 00:01:59,340 the hypocrisy of making people believe I'm something 30 00:01:59,340 --> 00:01:59,980 I'm not. 31 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:02,600 For I know, Lord, there is no such 32 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:06,420 thing as a great man of God, only 33 00:02:06,420 --> 00:02:09,199 weak, pitiful, faithless men of a great and 34 00:02:09,199 --> 00:02:10,500 merciful God. 35 00:02:15,470 --> 00:02:18,050 But, oh Lord, if you would provide the 36 00:02:18,050 --> 00:02:23,190 power through your Holy Spirit to change my 37 00:02:23,190 --> 00:02:26,770 life through this message, and to make me 38 00:02:26,770 --> 00:02:28,910 more conformed to the image of Christ through 39 00:02:28,910 --> 00:02:31,330 this message, Lord, I would greatly appreciate it. 40 00:02:36,260 --> 00:02:38,040 Help us all, Lord, in Jesus' name. 41 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:38,920 Amen. 42 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:40,460 You may be seated. 43 00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:44,780 For all of you who were baptized unto 44 00:02:44,780 --> 00:02:47,720 Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 45 00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:49,760 Paul is speaking out of the book of 46 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:52,020 Galatians, a book in which the church is 47 00:02:52,020 --> 00:02:54,940 being attacked by Judaizers, legalists. 48 00:02:55,540 --> 00:02:57,640 Now, make no mistake about it. 49 00:02:57,660 --> 00:03:00,240 There is a need for law and rules 50 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:01,560 and wisdom in Scripture. 51 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:03,500 We have the law of Christ. 52 00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:04,820 We have the commandments of God. 53 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:06,080 All these things are true. 54 00:03:07,440 --> 00:03:08,860 But I'll tell you something. 55 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:12,980 It is so easy to cross all the 56 00:03:12,980 --> 00:03:15,340 T's and dot all the I's. 57 00:03:16,100 --> 00:03:18,500 It is a quite different thing to be 58 00:03:18,500 --> 00:03:23,740 clothed with the scent, with the life of 59 00:03:23,740 --> 00:03:24,560 Jesus Christ. 60 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:27,400 Usually when there is no power of God, 61 00:03:28,140 --> 00:03:29,880 we go to rules. 62 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:32,260 And we say, because we do this or 63 00:03:32,260 --> 00:03:33,900 don't do that, we're spiritual. 64 00:03:34,900 --> 00:03:39,480 My dear friend, the mark of spirituality is 65 00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:42,400 the fragrance of Christ in our lives. 66 00:03:42,860 --> 00:03:46,260 And the fragrance of Christ in every aspect 67 00:03:46,260 --> 00:03:49,380 of who we are as a person. 68 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:53,360 I have spent many, many years of my 69 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:55,440 life preaching the gospel around the world. 70 00:03:56,660 --> 00:03:59,760 I have known a measure of success, people 71 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:00,400 would say. 72 00:04:02,250 --> 00:04:04,510 But I want you to understand something. 73 00:04:04,650 --> 00:04:09,350 That preaching and ministries and great things are 74 00:04:09,350 --> 00:04:10,910 not the mark of success. 75 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:16,459 It's the fragrance of Christ on your life. 76 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:20,680 It's the love that you have for the 77 00:04:20,680 --> 00:04:21,380 people of God. 78 00:04:21,380 --> 00:04:27,320 Once I was preaching and after a move 79 00:04:27,320 --> 00:04:29,000 of the power of God in a certain 80 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:30,380 place, a lady came up to me and 81 00:04:30,380 --> 00:04:32,160 she said, surely you are a man of 82 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:32,400 God. 83 00:04:32,460 --> 00:04:33,940 I said, have you ever seen me with 84 00:04:33,940 --> 00:04:34,600 my wife? 85 00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:36,140 She said, what? 86 00:04:37,380 --> 00:04:39,200 I said, how can you say I am 87 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:41,380 a man of God by listening to one 88 00:04:41,380 --> 00:04:42,280 puny sermon? 89 00:04:44,220 --> 00:04:45,740 You must watch. 90 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:47,780 You must see. 91 00:04:48,580 --> 00:04:49,760 You must look. 92 00:04:51,260 --> 00:04:53,500 Any fool can preach. 93 00:04:57,900 --> 00:05:03,040 But to be like Jesus Christ, that's the 94 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:04,300 question of my life. 95 00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:06,700 I have got to the point where ministry 96 00:05:06,700 --> 00:05:08,840 matters very, very little to me. 97 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:11,960 I want you to know it matters very, 98 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:12,940 very little to me. 99 00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:16,140 Because if I look in the mirror with 100 00:05:16,140 --> 00:05:19,080 accolades hanging off my shoulders and medals around 101 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:20,700 my neck, but I look in the mirror 102 00:05:20,700 --> 00:05:22,280 and I do not see Jesus Christ. 103 00:05:22,280 --> 00:05:23,660 And I must confess to you that many 104 00:05:23,660 --> 00:05:25,260 times I look in the mirror of God's 105 00:05:25,260 --> 00:05:27,820 word and I do not see Jesus Christ 106 00:05:27,820 --> 00:05:29,480 in Paul Washer. 107 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:32,440 Then what does all the ministry matter? 108 00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:34,660 What does all the noise and the banging 109 00:05:34,660 --> 00:05:35,520 of drums matter? 110 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:37,920 The question for me is this. 111 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:41,840 Am I conformed to the image of Christ? 112 00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:46,540 And not just in the realm of church. 113 00:05:49,580 --> 00:05:51,280 I know how to put on a show 114 00:05:51,280 --> 00:05:57,580 with my wife and with my children. 115 00:05:57,580 --> 00:06:01,220 With your wife and your children, your husband 116 00:06:01,220 --> 00:06:03,480 and your children, those around you, those closest 117 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:04,020 to you. 118 00:06:04,340 --> 00:06:05,320 That will determine. 119 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:11,480 That will determine are you clothed with Jesus 120 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:12,420 Christ? 121 00:06:14,180 --> 00:06:15,940 This is the challenge. 122 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:17,940 God can win the world. 123 00:06:18,860 --> 00:06:21,020 God can do all sorts of things. 124 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:23,860 God does not need me. 125 00:06:23,860 --> 00:06:26,600 But he commands me to be like his 126 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:26,880 son. 127 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:28,800 And that is all. 128 00:06:30,280 --> 00:06:33,760 And my dear friend, that is enough. 129 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:35,800 That is enough. 130 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:38,260 Now what does it mean to be clothed 131 00:06:38,260 --> 00:06:39,880 with Jesus Christ? 132 00:06:40,980 --> 00:06:43,780 We're going to go back to our principal 133 00:06:43,780 --> 00:06:44,480 text now. 134 00:06:44,580 --> 00:06:46,020 I want us to go to Matthew chapter 135 00:06:46,020 --> 00:06:46,540 5. 136 00:06:51,650 --> 00:06:52,990 Look in verse 13. 137 00:06:57,440 --> 00:06:59,600 Matthew chapter 5 verse 13. 138 00:07:02,870 --> 00:07:05,350 You are the salt of the earth. 139 00:07:05,510 --> 00:07:07,210 Now I want to put special attention just 140 00:07:07,210 --> 00:07:08,490 for a moment on something. 141 00:07:08,890 --> 00:07:09,570 You are. 142 00:07:09,930 --> 00:07:10,830 It is an affirmation. 143 00:07:10,970 --> 00:07:12,670 He does not say that the Christian is 144 00:07:12,670 --> 00:07:13,490 to become. 145 00:07:14,850 --> 00:07:16,590 He does not even say in this point 146 00:07:16,590 --> 00:07:18,630 that the Christian is to act like. 147 00:07:18,990 --> 00:07:19,930 He says you are. 148 00:07:20,910 --> 00:07:22,250 What we have to realize today. 149 00:07:22,350 --> 00:07:24,130 There's a very important word in philosophy. 150 00:07:24,350 --> 00:07:25,890 Comes from a Greek word ontos. 151 00:07:25,970 --> 00:07:27,170 It is ontology. 152 00:07:27,390 --> 00:07:28,750 It is the study of being. 153 00:07:29,670 --> 00:07:32,170 Today we are too much about what we 154 00:07:32,170 --> 00:07:32,490 do. 155 00:07:32,670 --> 00:07:34,870 And not enough about who we are. 156 00:07:35,530 --> 00:07:36,690 What we are. 157 00:07:36,990 --> 00:07:38,390 What am I? 158 00:07:39,410 --> 00:07:40,570 Who am I? 159 00:07:41,770 --> 00:07:43,350 Am I like Christ? 160 00:07:43,970 --> 00:07:45,310 Am I this? 161 00:07:45,930 --> 00:07:47,030 In my own life. 162 00:07:47,730 --> 00:07:49,050 And even before you today. 163 00:07:49,210 --> 00:07:51,630 I appear much more spiritual than I actually 164 00:07:51,630 --> 00:07:52,030 am. 165 00:07:55,150 --> 00:07:56,570 It's not about what I do. 166 00:07:57,870 --> 00:07:59,450 It's about who I am. 167 00:08:01,210 --> 00:08:03,110 Being in the very depths. 168 00:08:03,610 --> 00:08:05,490 The core of my person. 169 00:08:07,210 --> 00:08:09,050 Says you are the salt of the earth. 170 00:08:09,090 --> 00:08:10,830 But if the salt has become tasteless. 171 00:08:11,030 --> 00:08:12,610 How can it be made salty again? 172 00:08:12,650 --> 00:08:14,730 It is no longer good for anything except 173 00:08:14,730 --> 00:08:16,970 to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by 174 00:08:16,970 --> 00:08:17,210 men. 175 00:08:17,690 --> 00:08:19,470 This text terrifies me. 176 00:08:21,010 --> 00:08:21,870 It truly does that. 177 00:08:21,910 --> 00:08:24,530 Now we all know of the doctrine of 178 00:08:24,530 --> 00:08:26,250 the perseverance of the saints. 179 00:08:26,250 --> 00:08:28,350 But at the same time, we cannot deny 180 00:08:28,350 --> 00:08:31,150 that throughout Scripture we are warned to be 181 00:08:31,150 --> 00:08:31,590 careful. 182 00:08:32,190 --> 00:08:33,630 We are warned to be careful. 183 00:08:34,630 --> 00:08:36,929 Now when this text is usually preached, it's 184 00:08:36,929 --> 00:08:38,169 all about doing something. 185 00:08:38,250 --> 00:08:39,590 We're the salt of the earth. 186 00:08:39,650 --> 00:08:40,970 So as the salt of the earth, we 187 00:08:40,970 --> 00:08:42,169 need to get out of the salt shaker. 188 00:08:42,470 --> 00:08:44,130 We need to be this influence in the 189 00:08:44,130 --> 00:08:44,450 world. 190 00:08:44,730 --> 00:08:46,690 We need to do all these things. 191 00:08:47,890 --> 00:08:49,570 I would like to submit to you that 192 00:08:49,570 --> 00:08:52,310 that's not the contextual interpretation of the text. 193 00:08:53,190 --> 00:08:56,810 When you pull a verse out and simply 194 00:08:56,810 --> 00:08:57,990 use it as a cliche. 195 00:08:58,290 --> 00:08:59,170 Lose its meaning. 196 00:09:00,110 --> 00:09:01,410 I want us to look at what he's 197 00:09:01,410 --> 00:09:01,650 saying. 198 00:09:01,710 --> 00:09:02,950 He says you are the salt of the 199 00:09:02,950 --> 00:09:03,150 earth. 200 00:09:03,210 --> 00:09:05,030 But if the salt has become tasteless. 201 00:09:05,170 --> 00:09:06,850 How can it be made salty again? 202 00:09:07,230 --> 00:09:09,130 Now the point that he is making is 203 00:09:09,130 --> 00:09:09,290 this. 204 00:09:09,330 --> 00:09:11,330 Now I'm not a chemist. 205 00:09:11,450 --> 00:09:12,770 As a matter of fact, I didn't do 206 00:09:12,770 --> 00:09:14,510 very well in chemistry at the University of 207 00:09:14,510 --> 00:09:14,770 Texas. 208 00:09:17,030 --> 00:09:19,090 But there are certain properties. 209 00:09:19,850 --> 00:09:20,990 Elements, if you will. 210 00:09:21,630 --> 00:09:22,150 To salt. 211 00:09:23,790 --> 00:09:25,810 If you take away those elements, you might 212 00:09:25,810 --> 00:09:28,090 and replace even put something better in their 213 00:09:28,090 --> 00:09:28,350 place. 214 00:09:28,410 --> 00:09:29,710 You might have a fine thing, but you 215 00:09:29,710 --> 00:09:30,570 no longer have salt. 216 00:09:30,910 --> 00:09:32,990 There are certain characteristics of salt. 217 00:09:33,070 --> 00:09:35,450 And if you take those characteristics away, it's 218 00:09:35,450 --> 00:09:36,350 no longer salt. 219 00:09:39,620 --> 00:09:40,840 So what is he telling us? 220 00:09:40,840 --> 00:09:43,000 There is certain. 221 00:09:43,240 --> 00:09:44,980 There are certain characteristics. 222 00:09:47,880 --> 00:09:49,660 To being Christian. 223 00:09:53,140 --> 00:09:54,560 That cannot be replaced. 224 00:09:56,180 --> 00:09:59,440 They are principle and necessary elements of what 225 00:09:59,440 --> 00:10:01,820 it means to be Christian. 226 00:10:02,580 --> 00:10:05,700 And those things cannot be replaced. 227 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:08,720 Without making the name Christian. 228 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:10,040 Without meaning. 229 00:10:11,180 --> 00:10:13,700 Now we ask ourselves, well, what are these 230 00:10:13,700 --> 00:10:15,800 necessary elements? 231 00:10:17,300 --> 00:10:17,980 To Christian. 232 00:10:18,700 --> 00:10:20,560 To being Christian. 233 00:10:20,760 --> 00:10:22,760 Not to doing Christian things, but what are 234 00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:25,600 the necessary elements to being Christian? 235 00:10:25,700 --> 00:10:26,940 Now this is not how do we enter 236 00:10:26,940 --> 00:10:27,900 into the Christian life. 237 00:10:28,140 --> 00:10:29,760 We enter into the Christian life through faith 238 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:30,500 in Jesus Christ. 239 00:10:30,780 --> 00:10:32,920 But once we're there, what is it really 240 00:10:32,920 --> 00:10:33,680 all about? 241 00:10:35,140 --> 00:10:37,740 It seems like every week it comes down 242 00:10:37,740 --> 00:10:38,200 the pike. 243 00:10:38,300 --> 00:10:41,000 Some new teaching about what Christianity is really 244 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:41,660 all about. 245 00:10:42,920 --> 00:10:44,940 But what is it really all about? 246 00:10:46,040 --> 00:10:47,260 According to Jesus. 247 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:49,620 Well, he's just laid for us that there 248 00:10:49,620 --> 00:10:50,620 are certain characteristics. 249 00:10:51,460 --> 00:10:52,000 To Christian. 250 00:10:52,280 --> 00:10:53,120 To being Christian. 251 00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:55,960 But if those characteristics are removed. 252 00:10:56,400 --> 00:10:57,480 Oh, my friend. 253 00:10:57,600 --> 00:10:59,760 As the English say, you might have a 254 00:10:59,760 --> 00:11:01,000 fine thing. 255 00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:03,240 But you don't have Christianity. 256 00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:05,200 So what are they? 257 00:11:05,560 --> 00:11:07,260 Now do we have to just ramble all 258 00:11:07,260 --> 00:11:09,060 through the Bible and pick out certain verses? 259 00:11:09,460 --> 00:11:11,160 No, again, context. 260 00:11:12,220 --> 00:11:15,260 What does it mean to be Christian? 261 00:11:16,500 --> 00:11:18,920 What does God want from you? 262 00:11:22,830 --> 00:11:26,130 Blessed are the poor in spirit. 263 00:11:27,390 --> 00:11:29,570 Blessed are those who mourn. 264 00:11:30,830 --> 00:11:32,210 Blessed are the gentle. 265 00:11:33,750 --> 00:11:36,350 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for 266 00:11:36,350 --> 00:11:36,950 righteousness. 267 00:11:38,270 --> 00:11:39,450 Blessed are the merciful. 268 00:11:40,950 --> 00:11:42,250 Blessed are the pure in heart. 269 00:11:43,350 --> 00:11:44,890 Blessed are the peacemakers. 270 00:11:46,230 --> 00:11:48,170 Blessed are those who have been persecuted for 271 00:11:48,170 --> 00:11:49,210 the sake of righteousness. 272 00:11:52,100 --> 00:11:56,980 I have just described the clothing, the fabric, 273 00:11:57,420 --> 00:11:59,600 the fragrance of Jesus Christ. 274 00:12:02,700 --> 00:12:08,360 I am so tired of just doing. 275 00:12:10,630 --> 00:12:14,730 So tired of having my Christian life reduced 276 00:12:14,730 --> 00:12:17,450 down to how I perform and what I 277 00:12:17,450 --> 00:12:17,850 do. 278 00:12:20,850 --> 00:12:22,490 Jesus Christ comes to me. 279 00:12:24,270 --> 00:12:25,330 His yoke is easy. 280 00:12:25,990 --> 00:12:27,470 And his burden is light. 281 00:12:27,750 --> 00:12:29,190 And he tells me this. 282 00:12:29,690 --> 00:12:31,210 It is not what you do. 283 00:12:31,210 --> 00:12:33,390 For I can raise up rocks to do 284 00:12:33,390 --> 00:12:34,930 what you do and do better than you 285 00:12:34,930 --> 00:12:35,230 do. 286 00:12:38,060 --> 00:12:39,040 But it is Paul. 287 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:41,320 The seal I have set upon you. 288 00:12:41,420 --> 00:12:43,520 The decree and the hope is that you 289 00:12:43,520 --> 00:12:47,300 be conformed to my image. 290 00:12:48,380 --> 00:12:49,820 That you be conformed. 291 00:12:49,920 --> 00:12:50,980 That is what he desires. 292 00:12:51,240 --> 00:12:53,280 And I submit to you today that all 293 00:12:53,280 --> 00:12:56,800 the problems, if not all, most of the 294 00:12:56,800 --> 00:13:00,500 problems in your life come from who you 295 00:13:00,500 --> 00:13:01,060 are not. 296 00:13:02,020 --> 00:13:03,860 From your character. 297 00:13:06,680 --> 00:13:08,280 Who you are as a person. 298 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:14,680 Our squabbles in our marriages come from fleshly 299 00:13:14,680 --> 00:13:15,880 outbursts. 300 00:13:18,080 --> 00:13:20,500 They come from not reflecting Jesus Christ. 301 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:23,960 The problem between brothers. 302 00:13:24,140 --> 00:13:25,000 The problem in life. 303 00:13:25,060 --> 00:13:26,980 The problem in the destruction of our own 304 00:13:26,980 --> 00:13:27,380 conscience. 305 00:13:27,560 --> 00:13:30,140 Everything comes down from we are not putting 306 00:13:30,140 --> 00:13:31,900 enough emphasis where emphasis belongs. 307 00:13:31,900 --> 00:13:34,060 And it is on becoming like Jesus. 308 00:13:37,180 --> 00:13:40,160 Everybody wants to do something when we ought 309 00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:42,100 to be wanting to be something. 310 00:13:45,340 --> 00:13:46,860 Now I want you to look at something 311 00:13:46,860 --> 00:13:49,420 that is very important in verses 1 and 312 00:13:49,420 --> 00:13:49,760 2. 313 00:13:50,680 --> 00:13:52,920 When Jesus saw the crowds he went up 314 00:13:52,920 --> 00:13:53,560 on the mountain. 315 00:13:54,100 --> 00:13:56,140 And after he sat down his disciples came 316 00:13:56,140 --> 00:13:56,440 to him. 317 00:13:56,560 --> 00:13:57,940 He opened his mouth and began to teach 318 00:13:57,940 --> 00:13:58,440 them saying. 319 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:00,840 Now there is something very important here. 320 00:14:01,420 --> 00:14:02,780 Something extremely important. 321 00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:04,160 Have you ever been to Jerusalem? 322 00:14:04,160 --> 00:14:06,800 There just aren't a whole lot of mountains. 323 00:14:08,500 --> 00:14:10,380 If we were in Colorado right now this 324 00:14:10,380 --> 00:14:12,200 church most definitely would not be called High 325 00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:12,480 Point. 326 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:15,460 You're not really sitting on a very high 327 00:14:15,460 --> 00:14:15,880 point. 328 00:14:18,400 --> 00:14:20,360 There are not many mountains in Jerusalem. 329 00:14:21,280 --> 00:14:24,980 Yet Matthew, inspired by the Holy Spirit, uses 330 00:14:24,980 --> 00:14:26,040 the word mountain. 331 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:27,820 He says Christ came up on a mountain. 332 00:14:28,080 --> 00:14:29,140 And why is he doing that? 333 00:14:29,200 --> 00:14:31,000 I'll tell you exactly why he's doing it. 334 00:14:31,060 --> 00:14:32,300 Matthew was written to the Jews. 335 00:14:32,680 --> 00:14:34,700 And Matthew is telling the Jewish people. 336 00:14:34,700 --> 00:14:35,760 Now listen to me. 337 00:14:36,060 --> 00:14:37,940 The one prophesied. 338 00:14:38,080 --> 00:14:38,560 The prophet. 339 00:14:38,800 --> 00:14:41,500 The one greater than Moses has come. 340 00:14:41,780 --> 00:14:43,860 He's gone up on the mountain. 341 00:14:44,260 --> 00:14:45,500 He opens his mouth. 342 00:14:45,820 --> 00:14:47,200 And God says this is my son. 343 00:14:47,340 --> 00:14:47,880 Hear ye him. 344 00:14:49,480 --> 00:14:51,680 What Matthew is doing for us is he's 345 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:51,940 saying. 346 00:14:52,300 --> 00:14:55,200 The one greater than Moses has come with 347 00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:58,720 a law greater than the law of Moses. 348 00:15:00,380 --> 00:15:02,760 He's not going to lower the bar. 349 00:15:03,820 --> 00:15:05,180 He's going to raise it. 350 00:15:06,940 --> 00:15:09,000 He's going to raise it. 351 00:15:09,740 --> 00:15:11,340 But he's going to raise it. 352 00:15:11,680 --> 00:15:15,320 Not in a rule keeping legalistic sort of 353 00:15:15,320 --> 00:15:15,700 fashion. 354 00:15:15,860 --> 00:15:17,600 As we go through the teachings of Christ. 355 00:15:17,720 --> 00:15:19,080 He's going to raise it in this way. 356 00:15:19,260 --> 00:15:20,920 It's going to come down to one thing. 357 00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:23,120 There's an old pastor who. 358 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:24,040 Well he's not that old. 359 00:15:24,120 --> 00:15:26,200 If he hears this message he'll be mad 360 00:15:26,200 --> 00:15:26,520 at me. 361 00:15:26,960 --> 00:15:29,740 But there's a pastor who's been a mentor 362 00:15:29,740 --> 00:15:32,120 of mine for years. 363 00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:35,600 Now I know men who have PhDs all 364 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:37,380 over the world and everything else. 365 00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:39,240 This man pastors a church of about 80 366 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:39,680 people. 367 00:15:40,640 --> 00:15:42,400 God's got his hand on his life like 368 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:43,360 no one I've ever met. 369 00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:46,340 And he always tells me this. 370 00:15:47,280 --> 00:15:48,200 He'll tell me Paul. 371 00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:51,100 In the new covenant. 372 00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:54,440 Love is not a thing. 373 00:15:54,620 --> 00:15:56,340 It is the thing. 374 00:15:56,340 --> 00:16:00,140 And everything Christ commands us comes down to 375 00:16:00,140 --> 00:16:02,160 this royal law. 376 00:16:02,480 --> 00:16:04,860 Of loving God and loving your neighbor. 377 00:16:05,160 --> 00:16:06,980 And being conformed to the image of Christ. 378 00:16:07,080 --> 00:16:09,260 Not on a mountainside where it's easy. 379 00:16:09,520 --> 00:16:11,760 But in the context of a bunch of 380 00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:14,040 people who are not very easy to love. 381 00:16:17,490 --> 00:16:19,170 This greater than Moses. 382 00:16:20,090 --> 00:16:21,990 This captain of the hosts of God. 383 00:16:22,150 --> 00:16:23,670 Is now standing before us. 384 00:16:23,750 --> 00:16:24,850 The scribe of scribes. 385 00:16:24,950 --> 00:16:25,410 The teachers. 386 00:16:25,770 --> 00:16:27,410 Let me just share with you something. 387 00:16:27,410 --> 00:16:28,830 Jesus makes this quite clear. 388 00:16:32,110 --> 00:16:34,510 There's never been a real teacher. 389 00:16:38,160 --> 00:16:39,080 Except one. 390 00:16:40,720 --> 00:16:41,540 And it's Christ. 391 00:16:42,540 --> 00:16:44,480 There's never been a real prophet. 392 00:16:44,620 --> 00:16:45,540 There are all types. 393 00:16:46,340 --> 00:16:48,080 Of one greater than themselves. 394 00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:48,980 Christ. 395 00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:52,220 There has never been on this earth a 396 00:16:52,220 --> 00:16:53,340 real king. 397 00:16:54,140 --> 00:16:55,360 Except for Christ. 398 00:16:55,900 --> 00:16:56,880 Hear ye Him. 399 00:16:59,170 --> 00:17:02,130 Recognize His voice and hear ye Him. 400 00:17:02,130 --> 00:17:04,810 He speaks to you through His word. 401 00:17:05,950 --> 00:17:07,849 But this king is going to come to 402 00:17:07,849 --> 00:17:08,170 you. 403 00:17:09,030 --> 00:17:11,810 With words quite different than you ever imagined. 404 00:17:14,810 --> 00:17:18,190 Words that at first will seem almost easier 405 00:17:18,190 --> 00:17:19,910 than the law of Moses. 406 00:17:22,170 --> 00:17:24,050 And then as you grow you'll begin to 407 00:17:24,050 --> 00:17:24,609 understand. 408 00:17:25,310 --> 00:17:27,450 These are the most difficult sayings I have 409 00:17:27,450 --> 00:17:28,170 ever heard. 410 00:17:28,630 --> 00:17:30,570 They cost more for me. 411 00:17:34,500 --> 00:17:37,340 Than the law of Moses ever could. 412 00:17:37,340 --> 00:17:39,900 Let me just give you a brief example. 413 00:17:40,060 --> 00:17:41,360 Law of Moses says tithe. 414 00:17:42,260 --> 00:17:44,320 Law of Christ says if your brother's sinning 415 00:17:44,320 --> 00:17:45,580 you sell everything you have and give it 416 00:17:45,580 --> 00:17:45,860 to him. 417 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:50,040 Law of Moses says give God a day. 418 00:17:51,040 --> 00:17:53,180 Jesus said give Him every moment of your 419 00:17:53,180 --> 00:17:53,640 life. 420 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:56,000 Every beat of your heart that does not 421 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:58,100 beat unto the glory of God is apostate. 422 00:18:00,650 --> 00:18:02,130 You see how the standards raised? 423 00:18:05,710 --> 00:18:09,050 We're throwing out all the elementary principles of 424 00:18:09,050 --> 00:18:09,590 the law. 425 00:18:10,850 --> 00:18:11,830 Because why? 426 00:18:11,830 --> 00:18:14,090 There's no need for shadows when the light 427 00:18:14,090 --> 00:18:14,610 has come. 428 00:18:14,890 --> 00:18:18,090 When the star and the sun have appeared. 429 00:18:18,430 --> 00:18:20,810 And Christ is both bringing light to day 430 00:18:20,810 --> 00:18:21,530 and night. 431 00:18:23,710 --> 00:18:24,990 Now the rule is this. 432 00:18:28,290 --> 00:18:32,390 Love each other as Christ loved you dying 433 00:18:32,390 --> 00:18:33,230 on a tree. 434 00:18:37,360 --> 00:18:38,960 That's why so many people would rather go 435 00:18:38,960 --> 00:18:39,840 back to rule keeping. 436 00:18:42,110 --> 00:18:44,090 Now let's look at these characteristics. 437 00:18:44,310 --> 00:18:45,830 We won't have time to go through all 438 00:18:45,830 --> 00:18:46,110 of them. 439 00:18:46,110 --> 00:18:49,230 But maybe we'll get through some of them. 440 00:18:49,990 --> 00:18:50,250 Blessed. 441 00:18:52,150 --> 00:18:54,450 You know, I've studied this word. 442 00:18:54,730 --> 00:18:57,430 I remember about 150 years ago when I 443 00:18:57,430 --> 00:18:58,250 was in seminary. 444 00:18:58,590 --> 00:19:01,110 Just, you know, we had to do this 445 00:19:01,110 --> 00:19:02,950 entire sermon on the mountain Greek. 446 00:19:02,950 --> 00:19:05,410 And looking at this word and sitting there 447 00:19:05,410 --> 00:19:07,030 with Greek scholars and such. 448 00:19:07,130 --> 00:19:09,350 And no one ever could really come up 449 00:19:09,350 --> 00:19:10,510 with a meaning. 450 00:19:13,900 --> 00:19:14,860 Well, I've got one. 451 00:19:16,740 --> 00:19:17,780 It's not very proper. 452 00:19:17,780 --> 00:19:19,620 It's not very eloquent. 453 00:19:20,740 --> 00:19:24,680 But the term blessed just seems to be 454 00:19:26,240 --> 00:19:30,080 God's face looking my way. 455 00:19:32,060 --> 00:19:32,720 Please. 456 00:19:35,620 --> 00:19:36,320 That's not. 457 00:19:37,800 --> 00:19:40,160 Why do we think that blessed has to 458 00:19:40,160 --> 00:19:42,620 mean all these things? 459 00:19:42,820 --> 00:19:44,080 Isn't God enough? 460 00:19:45,420 --> 00:19:47,460 A dear friend of mine was preaching in 461 00:19:47,460 --> 00:19:50,020 Romania and was speaking about heaven. 462 00:19:50,020 --> 00:19:52,140 And I was sitting there and I cried 463 00:19:52,140 --> 00:19:53,020 through the whole message. 464 00:19:53,240 --> 00:19:54,700 I just, I sat there and I go, 465 00:19:55,340 --> 00:19:57,380 This is wonderful because the whole thing was 466 00:19:57,380 --> 00:19:58,920 the glories of Christ. 467 00:19:59,500 --> 00:20:01,240 That's all he talked about was the glories 468 00:20:01,240 --> 00:20:02,220 of Jesus Christ. 469 00:20:02,320 --> 00:20:03,800 The presence of Jesus Christ. 470 00:20:03,900 --> 00:20:05,440 The life of Jesus Christ. 471 00:20:06,280 --> 00:20:08,260 And when he was done, a man raised 472 00:20:08,260 --> 00:20:10,440 his hand and said, This is wonderful, but 473 00:20:10,440 --> 00:20:11,600 what else do we get? 474 00:20:12,840 --> 00:20:15,680 And I saw that old preacher just, his 475 00:20:15,680 --> 00:20:17,120 heart just break in two. 476 00:20:17,120 --> 00:20:19,080 You've understood nothing. 477 00:20:20,580 --> 00:20:21,720 You've understood nothing. 478 00:20:22,960 --> 00:20:27,900 Blessedness is God looking down upon you. 479 00:20:28,200 --> 00:20:30,040 My little boy Ian is three years old. 480 00:20:30,700 --> 00:20:32,320 He doesn't do a whole lot right. 481 00:20:33,240 --> 00:20:35,100 But when he does do something right, I 482 00:20:35,100 --> 00:20:37,960 can be assured he's going to look up. 483 00:20:39,300 --> 00:20:40,440 Did you see that, Dad? 484 00:20:40,920 --> 00:20:43,220 Look hard because it probably won't happen again. 485 00:20:49,520 --> 00:20:50,040 Blessedness. 486 00:20:50,800 --> 00:20:51,780 Divine favor. 487 00:20:52,800 --> 00:20:53,700 Divine favor. 488 00:20:55,600 --> 00:20:56,980 This is my son. 489 00:20:58,760 --> 00:20:59,600 I'm pleased. 490 00:21:05,820 --> 00:21:09,480 Big cars and fine houses and prosperity teaching 491 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:11,080 is kind of weak in light of just 492 00:21:11,080 --> 00:21:13,700 having God look at you with light in 493 00:21:13,700 --> 00:21:14,200 his face. 494 00:21:17,190 --> 00:21:18,410 Another way you could look at it is 495 00:21:18,410 --> 00:21:21,390 take all the blessings, all the good things 496 00:21:21,390 --> 00:21:22,930 of God that come down from the Father 497 00:21:22,930 --> 00:21:25,310 of life, put them all in a bag. 498 00:21:25,670 --> 00:21:26,710 And that's what this means. 499 00:21:28,990 --> 00:21:29,990 That's what this means. 500 00:21:31,470 --> 00:21:36,770 How much blessedness do you and I miss 501 00:21:36,770 --> 00:21:37,990 out on? 502 00:21:39,780 --> 00:21:43,680 Not because we haven't done ten things to 503 00:21:43,680 --> 00:21:45,020 the victorious Christian life. 504 00:21:45,080 --> 00:21:47,320 Not because we haven't had our quiet time. 505 00:21:48,480 --> 00:21:51,600 But we miss out on it because we 506 00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:53,120 have not grown in character. 507 00:21:54,180 --> 00:21:57,580 We have not grown in conformity to Jesus 508 00:21:57,580 --> 00:21:58,120 Christ. 509 00:22:00,970 --> 00:22:02,550 Blessed are the poor in spirit. 510 00:22:04,350 --> 00:22:04,630 Poor. 511 00:22:05,210 --> 00:22:06,430 We don't like that word. 512 00:22:07,490 --> 00:22:09,050 We live in the Roman Empire. 513 00:22:10,830 --> 00:22:13,950 We brag about steel and metal. 514 00:22:14,970 --> 00:22:16,350 Strength and brawn. 515 00:22:16,990 --> 00:22:17,430 Power. 516 00:22:17,590 --> 00:22:18,610 Don't tread on me. 517 00:22:18,610 --> 00:22:19,770 Pride. 518 00:22:25,380 --> 00:22:26,240 Wealth. 519 00:22:27,340 --> 00:22:27,680 Fame. 520 00:22:27,900 --> 00:22:28,500 Reputation. 521 00:22:28,740 --> 00:22:29,080 Status. 522 00:22:32,450 --> 00:22:34,650 Some of you possibly tasted of that. 523 00:22:37,140 --> 00:22:39,900 Doesn't taste very good. 524 00:22:43,480 --> 00:22:43,780 Poor. 525 00:22:45,140 --> 00:22:45,580 Humble. 526 00:22:46,760 --> 00:22:47,080 Broken. 527 00:22:48,260 --> 00:22:49,120 Servant. 528 00:22:51,820 --> 00:22:52,480 Unassuming. 529 00:22:54,140 --> 00:22:56,880 Someone you would just pass over quickly. 530 00:23:01,220 --> 00:23:02,080 Poor in spirit. 531 00:23:02,200 --> 00:23:02,940 What does it mean? 532 00:23:05,720 --> 00:23:07,980 Well, let me just read a passage to 533 00:23:07,980 --> 00:23:08,800 you. 534 00:23:08,800 --> 00:23:12,750 It is one of my, as my little 535 00:23:12,750 --> 00:23:17,770 boy says, most favoritest verses in the whole 536 00:23:17,770 --> 00:23:18,130 Bible. 537 00:23:19,510 --> 00:23:21,270 I think I remember where it is. 538 00:23:26,610 --> 00:23:29,170 Thus says the Lord, Heaven is my throne 539 00:23:29,170 --> 00:23:30,710 and the earth is my footstool. 540 00:23:31,150 --> 00:23:32,630 Where then is the house you could build 541 00:23:32,630 --> 00:23:33,130 for me? 542 00:23:33,630 --> 00:23:35,450 He says, I don't need a thing from 543 00:23:35,450 --> 00:23:35,810 you. 544 00:23:36,330 --> 00:23:37,630 Now, to some of you, that might be 545 00:23:37,630 --> 00:23:37,990 offensive. 546 00:23:38,010 --> 00:23:39,530 To me, that makes me very, very happy. 547 00:23:42,970 --> 00:23:44,290 And where is the place that I may 548 00:23:44,290 --> 00:23:44,590 rest? 549 00:23:44,650 --> 00:23:46,170 For my hand made all these things. 550 00:23:46,290 --> 00:23:48,250 Thus all these things came into being, declares 551 00:23:48,250 --> 00:23:48,830 the Lord. 552 00:23:57,830 --> 00:23:59,350 But to this one I will look. 553 00:24:00,170 --> 00:24:03,110 To him who is humble and contrite of 554 00:24:03,110 --> 00:24:03,650 spirit. 555 00:24:04,450 --> 00:24:06,370 Who trembles at my word. 556 00:24:07,070 --> 00:24:08,470 You see, if it was any other way, 557 00:24:08,530 --> 00:24:09,650 there'd be no hope for me. 558 00:24:10,050 --> 00:24:11,590 I don't know about you, but for me, 559 00:24:11,650 --> 00:24:12,310 there'd be no hope. 560 00:24:12,470 --> 00:24:13,750 If he said, I will look to this 561 00:24:13,750 --> 00:24:14,030 one. 562 00:24:14,030 --> 00:24:17,010 The one with an exemplary prayer life and 563 00:24:17,010 --> 00:24:18,510 who knows the word of God like the 564 00:24:18,510 --> 00:24:19,290 back of his hand. 565 00:24:19,370 --> 00:24:20,710 If he said that, there'd be no place 566 00:24:20,710 --> 00:24:21,430 for me to go. 567 00:24:26,040 --> 00:24:27,900 If he said the one bold and courageous 568 00:24:27,900 --> 00:24:30,280 who can stand against the enemies without fear. 569 00:24:30,500 --> 00:24:32,000 Again, there would be no place for me 570 00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:32,320 to go. 571 00:24:32,560 --> 00:24:34,580 If he said the man of great faith, 572 00:24:34,740 --> 00:24:36,800 able to believe great things. 573 00:24:37,420 --> 00:24:39,780 Then I'd have to go somewhere else. 574 00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:41,720 That's not what he says. 575 00:24:42,860 --> 00:24:44,360 He says to this one. 576 00:24:44,560 --> 00:24:47,060 Who's humble and contrite of spirit and who 577 00:24:47,060 --> 00:24:48,200 trembles at my word. 578 00:24:50,360 --> 00:24:51,760 And why is he this way? 579 00:24:51,840 --> 00:24:53,700 Because he knows he's not. 580 00:24:55,880 --> 00:24:57,720 He knows he's not spiritual. 581 00:24:58,960 --> 00:25:00,040 As he ought to be. 582 00:25:01,980 --> 00:25:03,380 He knows he's not right. 583 00:25:07,980 --> 00:25:10,100 He looks at God's word. 584 00:25:11,360 --> 00:25:14,520 And he says, my failings, my shortcomings, my 585 00:25:14,520 --> 00:25:16,400 everything about me. 586 00:25:16,400 --> 00:25:22,290 And yet faith. 587 00:25:23,750 --> 00:25:26,010 Causes him not to fall into despair. 588 00:25:26,490 --> 00:25:28,930 Because he looks into the face of Christ. 589 00:25:29,870 --> 00:25:31,910 I had a seminary student write me a 590 00:25:31,910 --> 00:25:32,470 while back. 591 00:25:33,530 --> 00:25:35,690 He said, and I know this young man, 592 00:25:35,730 --> 00:25:36,670 he's very godly. 593 00:25:37,010 --> 00:25:40,090 It seems he's immature like young men are. 594 00:25:40,170 --> 00:25:41,930 But he's got God's hand on his life. 595 00:25:42,910 --> 00:25:45,730 And he said, Brother Paul, I'm just so 596 00:25:45,730 --> 00:25:48,910 unholy and unrighteous and so ignorant of the 597 00:25:48,910 --> 00:25:49,610 things of God. 598 00:25:49,610 --> 00:25:51,290 And I have the gift of mercy. 599 00:25:51,410 --> 00:25:52,070 So I wrote him back. 600 00:25:52,130 --> 00:25:53,390 And I said, young man, you are much 601 00:25:53,390 --> 00:25:55,270 more ignorant and much more unholy than you 602 00:25:55,270 --> 00:25:55,790 now know. 603 00:25:58,250 --> 00:26:00,670 He wrote me back and said, thanks. 604 00:26:01,950 --> 00:26:02,730 I think. 605 00:26:04,270 --> 00:26:05,750 And I called him up and I said, 606 00:26:05,830 --> 00:26:06,110 listen. 607 00:26:06,870 --> 00:26:08,310 I said, I've looked at your life and 608 00:26:08,310 --> 00:26:11,670 much of the way you live convicts me. 609 00:26:12,290 --> 00:26:14,950 Of how as an older prophet I have 610 00:26:14,950 --> 00:26:15,610 become dull. 611 00:26:15,610 --> 00:26:19,030 I said, young man, you're probably more spiritual 612 00:26:19,030 --> 00:26:19,790 than I am. 613 00:26:19,930 --> 00:26:21,210 We'll know probably about it. 614 00:26:22,210 --> 00:26:23,990 But I said, young man, I'm happier than 615 00:26:23,990 --> 00:26:24,510 you are. 616 00:26:25,950 --> 00:26:27,510 And he said, I don't understand. 617 00:26:31,160 --> 00:26:32,120 Now listen to me. 618 00:26:32,500 --> 00:26:34,220 This might set some of you free. 619 00:26:36,180 --> 00:26:37,380 Do you ever get up in the morning 620 00:26:37,380 --> 00:26:39,700 and you have your quiet time and feel 621 00:26:39,700 --> 00:26:40,760 the presence of God? 622 00:26:40,800 --> 00:26:43,980 And you're studying the Word and God seems 623 00:26:43,980 --> 00:26:44,900 to speak to you. 624 00:26:44,900 --> 00:26:46,740 And then, you know, you go out and 625 00:26:46,740 --> 00:26:49,520 you witness to everybody and you're obedient. 626 00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:52,040 And boy, you just you did it right 627 00:26:52,040 --> 00:26:52,580 that day. 628 00:26:52,640 --> 00:26:54,200 I mean, you were just on top of 629 00:26:54,200 --> 00:26:54,660 the world. 630 00:26:54,900 --> 00:26:56,000 You loved your wife. 631 00:26:56,040 --> 00:26:57,040 You didn't kick the cat. 632 00:26:57,120 --> 00:26:59,000 You're just you're walking with God. 633 00:26:59,560 --> 00:27:01,620 And you're so full of joy at the 634 00:27:01,620 --> 00:27:02,420 end of the day. 635 00:27:03,380 --> 00:27:04,580 And the next day you get up. 636 00:27:04,680 --> 00:27:05,780 Well, you overslept. 637 00:27:06,020 --> 00:27:07,960 You shouldn't have watched that program the night 638 00:27:07,960 --> 00:27:08,380 before. 639 00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:09,960 You should have been in the Word. 640 00:27:10,560 --> 00:27:12,660 You didn't witness when you had an opportunity. 641 00:27:12,660 --> 00:27:14,600 And there's a real sense in which you're 642 00:27:14,600 --> 00:27:15,380 filled with sorrow. 643 00:27:16,640 --> 00:27:17,800 You know what that is? 644 00:27:19,580 --> 00:27:20,020 Idolatry. 645 00:27:23,420 --> 00:27:25,640 You have become the source of your own 646 00:27:25,640 --> 00:27:25,960 joy. 647 00:27:30,300 --> 00:27:33,880 Your joy comes from you and your continuous 648 00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:34,460 work. 649 00:27:35,360 --> 00:27:37,660 My joy comes from the finished work of 650 00:27:37,660 --> 00:27:38,540 Jesus Christ. 651 00:27:39,020 --> 00:27:40,560 Now, I want to be obedient. 652 00:27:40,760 --> 00:27:41,580 I want to witness. 653 00:27:41,680 --> 00:27:42,920 I want to love my wife. 654 00:27:43,040 --> 00:27:44,220 And there is a real sense in which 655 00:27:44,220 --> 00:27:45,900 the Holy Spirit convicts me when I do 656 00:27:45,900 --> 00:27:46,660 not do those things. 657 00:27:46,660 --> 00:27:51,260 But the point is, poverty of spirit is 658 00:27:51,260 --> 00:27:54,060 a wonderful thing because when you realize... 659 00:27:54,060 --> 00:27:56,940 It's like I used to tell young preachers. 660 00:27:57,000 --> 00:27:58,460 I'd say, in order to preach, you've got 661 00:27:58,460 --> 00:28:00,080 to have the power of God on your 662 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:00,300 life. 663 00:28:00,360 --> 00:28:01,680 Now I tell them, in order to tie 664 00:28:01,680 --> 00:28:03,100 your shoes, you have to have the power 665 00:28:03,100 --> 00:28:04,060 of God on your life. 666 00:28:04,940 --> 00:28:06,340 You cannot breathe. 667 00:28:08,400 --> 00:28:10,760 Sometimes I get invited to church growth conferences. 668 00:28:10,800 --> 00:28:11,820 Not very often. 669 00:28:11,820 --> 00:28:15,640 But they'll talk about all these great things 670 00:28:15,640 --> 00:28:16,440 they're going to do. 671 00:28:16,620 --> 00:28:18,300 And then I'll get up and I'll say, 672 00:28:18,380 --> 00:28:19,360 let me ask you a question. 673 00:28:19,480 --> 00:28:23,020 I go, from where does every breath come? 674 00:28:23,980 --> 00:28:24,740 From God. 675 00:28:24,940 --> 00:28:27,000 Where does every beat of your heart, from 676 00:28:27,000 --> 00:28:27,840 where does it come? 677 00:28:28,320 --> 00:28:28,920 From God. 678 00:28:29,480 --> 00:28:31,860 Oh, so you characters out here, all you 679 00:28:31,860 --> 00:28:34,840 pastors and preachers and evangelists and missionaries with 680 00:28:34,840 --> 00:28:35,840 all these great plans. 681 00:28:35,960 --> 00:28:36,540 Now tell me something. 682 00:28:36,760 --> 00:28:38,420 You can't even breathe. 683 00:28:40,050 --> 00:28:43,170 Your heart will not even beat. 684 00:28:44,070 --> 00:28:46,910 Except for the power of God on your 685 00:28:46,910 --> 00:28:47,260 life. 686 00:28:48,710 --> 00:28:51,990 Apart from any measure of grace in my 687 00:28:51,990 --> 00:28:54,610 life, I will be here to you today. 688 00:28:54,910 --> 00:29:02,290 Nothing more than a seething demonstration of egotistical 689 00:29:02,290 --> 00:29:02,810 flesh. 690 00:29:03,630 --> 00:29:05,330 That's all I will ever be. 691 00:29:05,330 --> 00:29:08,850 I was reading through Galatians this morning. 692 00:29:10,610 --> 00:29:11,630 And I was so convicted. 693 00:29:12,630 --> 00:29:15,070 I was reading through Galatians and it talked 694 00:29:15,070 --> 00:29:19,350 about dissension and disputes, things like that. 695 00:29:19,990 --> 00:29:21,770 And I realized that sometimes I do that 696 00:29:21,770 --> 00:29:22,510 with my wife. 697 00:29:24,150 --> 00:29:26,190 And it just showed me, it wasn't that, 698 00:29:26,610 --> 00:29:30,370 well, you know, we just have a problem 699 00:29:30,370 --> 00:29:31,490 or we don't agree. 700 00:29:32,410 --> 00:29:34,450 Fact of the matter is, I'm in the 701 00:29:34,450 --> 00:29:34,930 flesh. 702 00:29:36,900 --> 00:29:37,980 I'm in the flesh. 703 00:29:38,400 --> 00:29:42,540 And I'm not relying upon the power of 704 00:29:42,540 --> 00:29:42,840 God. 705 00:29:42,960 --> 00:29:44,580 And the reason why I'm not is because 706 00:29:44,580 --> 00:29:45,760 I'm not poor in spirit. 707 00:29:46,020 --> 00:29:47,360 Someone says, well, I'm poor in spirit. 708 00:29:47,480 --> 00:29:48,540 How much do you pray? 709 00:29:50,180 --> 00:29:51,720 How much do you tremble? 710 00:29:53,160 --> 00:29:55,020 How much do you rely upon the wisdom 711 00:29:55,020 --> 00:29:56,540 of God revealed in His Word? 712 00:30:00,830 --> 00:30:02,110 Poverty of spirit. 713 00:30:03,050 --> 00:30:04,370 But isn't it wonderful, church? 714 00:30:04,370 --> 00:30:05,150 Listen to me. 715 00:30:08,740 --> 00:30:11,100 Isn't it wonderful that you don't have to 716 00:30:11,100 --> 00:30:14,620 be something big? 717 00:30:17,960 --> 00:30:20,380 Actually, what you have to be is something 718 00:30:20,380 --> 00:30:20,860 low. 719 00:30:23,600 --> 00:30:25,320 Something broken and humble. 720 00:30:28,500 --> 00:30:29,560 Take the back seat. 721 00:30:32,890 --> 00:30:33,610 Wash the feet. 722 00:30:36,620 --> 00:30:39,520 Be timid and afraid of any task put 723 00:30:39,520 --> 00:30:40,260 before you. 724 00:30:41,220 --> 00:30:44,300 So that it drives you to your knees. 725 00:30:46,480 --> 00:30:48,140 Realize when you wake up in the morning 726 00:30:48,140 --> 00:30:50,240 that I shall not move to my left 727 00:30:50,240 --> 00:30:51,760 or my right one quarter of an inch 728 00:30:51,760 --> 00:30:53,680 because without the power of God upon my 729 00:30:53,680 --> 00:30:55,020 life, surely I will fall. 730 00:30:56,940 --> 00:31:00,320 That's what the passage means in the prayer. 731 00:31:01,260 --> 00:31:02,820 Lead us not into temptation. 732 00:31:04,560 --> 00:31:09,470 It's a recognition of weakness and a recognition 733 00:31:09,470 --> 00:31:11,830 of a tremendous need of grace. 734 00:31:12,690 --> 00:31:13,130 Grace. 735 00:31:13,950 --> 00:31:16,750 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs 736 00:31:16,750 --> 00:31:17,570 is the kingdom. 737 00:31:19,800 --> 00:31:22,240 Oh, what a place. 738 00:31:23,280 --> 00:31:24,200 What a place. 739 00:31:24,920 --> 00:31:26,960 You know, back when I was a young 740 00:31:26,960 --> 00:31:31,160 man, not so much preaching about it anymore, 741 00:31:31,360 --> 00:31:34,160 but people used to preach all the time 742 00:31:34,160 --> 00:31:35,300 about crowns. 743 00:31:36,120 --> 00:31:37,340 You know, crowns. 744 00:31:37,440 --> 00:31:38,820 You're going to get your crowns. 745 00:31:38,820 --> 00:31:40,360 There's this crown of evangelism. 746 00:31:40,460 --> 00:31:41,840 There's this crown of this and a crown 747 00:31:41,840 --> 00:31:42,060 of that. 748 00:31:42,060 --> 00:31:43,740 I always wondered, would I really want to 749 00:31:43,740 --> 00:31:45,600 walk throughout all of eternity with like 400 750 00:31:45,600 --> 00:31:46,880 pounds of crowns on my head? 751 00:31:52,730 --> 00:31:54,290 Do you remember when Jesus said the first 752 00:31:54,290 --> 00:31:55,650 will be last and the last will be 753 00:31:55,650 --> 00:31:56,010 first? 754 00:31:57,190 --> 00:31:59,090 When the first is last and last is 755 00:31:59,090 --> 00:32:00,650 first, there is no first or last. 756 00:32:01,870 --> 00:32:03,490 You draw a rabbinical circle. 757 00:32:08,430 --> 00:32:10,110 I am an itinerant Bible preacher. 758 00:32:10,350 --> 00:32:11,330 That's all I am. 759 00:32:14,640 --> 00:32:16,100 No one's ever going to know your name 760 00:32:16,100 --> 00:32:16,440 either. 761 00:32:19,080 --> 00:32:19,900 You're not big. 762 00:32:20,240 --> 00:32:21,600 You're not Charles Spurgeon. 763 00:32:22,080 --> 00:32:23,440 You're not George Whitefield. 764 00:32:24,720 --> 00:32:26,400 You're not a great theologian. 765 00:32:26,840 --> 00:32:29,620 You haven't swum across swamps in the Amazon 766 00:32:29,620 --> 00:32:30,860 to preach the gospel. 767 00:32:32,040 --> 00:32:32,840 You're just you. 768 00:32:33,820 --> 00:32:36,060 So what does that mean, this kingdom of 769 00:32:36,060 --> 00:32:36,380 heaven? 770 00:32:36,900 --> 00:32:38,280 Is it a place that you almost ought 771 00:32:38,280 --> 00:32:40,920 to dread because, well, there's a pecking order 772 00:32:40,920 --> 00:32:41,260 there? 773 00:32:42,060 --> 00:32:43,860 You know, there's these big shots. 774 00:32:45,000 --> 00:32:45,760 And then there's you. 775 00:32:46,020 --> 00:32:47,080 You know, there's all places. 776 00:32:47,200 --> 00:32:48,900 There are places that all of us can't 777 00:32:48,900 --> 00:32:49,140 go. 778 00:32:49,880 --> 00:32:50,880 You realize that. 779 00:32:50,880 --> 00:32:52,320 I mean, I remember I was no good 780 00:32:52,320 --> 00:32:52,840 at sports. 781 00:32:52,940 --> 00:32:54,040 You know, I never got picked for the 782 00:32:54,040 --> 00:32:54,380 team. 783 00:32:55,620 --> 00:32:56,680 Felt bad about that. 784 00:32:56,760 --> 00:32:58,340 There's certain places I don't go because I 785 00:32:58,340 --> 00:32:59,700 don't have the reputation. 786 00:32:59,860 --> 00:33:00,700 I don't have the money. 787 00:33:00,860 --> 00:33:03,100 There's all these places where I'm shut out. 788 00:33:03,180 --> 00:33:05,740 There's this pecking order in this world where 789 00:33:05,740 --> 00:33:07,620 I always have to take at least fifth 790 00:33:07,620 --> 00:33:09,520 or sixth or seventh place or down at 791 00:33:09,520 --> 00:33:10,480 the bottom or something. 792 00:33:12,140 --> 00:33:15,140 And many people think that that same thing 793 00:33:15,140 --> 00:33:17,020 is going to be carried over into heaven. 794 00:33:17,020 --> 00:33:18,420 Well, you know, when I get to heaven, 795 00:33:18,480 --> 00:33:20,760 I won't even see George Whitfield or Charles 796 00:33:20,760 --> 00:33:22,900 Spurgeon or anybody like that because they'll be 797 00:33:22,900 --> 00:33:24,480 so close to the throne and I'll just 798 00:33:24,480 --> 00:33:26,800 have a cabin on a hillside somewhere. 799 00:33:27,040 --> 00:33:29,160 Do you really think heaven is that demonic? 800 00:33:32,940 --> 00:33:35,680 Kingdom of heaven brings such joy to me 801 00:33:35,680 --> 00:33:38,400 because it is a place where the poor 802 00:33:38,400 --> 00:33:43,080 and spirit finally find rest and absolute acceptance. 803 00:33:43,280 --> 00:33:44,080 Let me tell you something. 804 00:33:44,080 --> 00:33:46,860 If you're a Christian, you finally walked through 805 00:33:46,860 --> 00:33:49,780 a door where there's no longer any pecking 806 00:33:49,780 --> 00:33:51,800 order and where you no longer have to 807 00:33:51,800 --> 00:33:52,580 be anybody. 808 00:33:53,000 --> 00:33:54,520 And you don't have to score a perfect 809 00:33:54,520 --> 00:33:57,580 score or anything else because everybody is only 810 00:33:57,580 --> 00:33:59,480 there because of Jesus Christ. 811 00:34:01,240 --> 00:34:04,900 That is a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful place to 812 00:34:04,900 --> 00:34:05,260 be. 813 00:34:07,820 --> 00:34:10,219 I had a pastor friend of mine one 814 00:34:10,219 --> 00:34:12,260 time is also a teacher, a wonderful Bible 815 00:34:12,260 --> 00:34:12,600 teacher. 816 00:34:12,600 --> 00:34:14,860 And he looked at a group of of 817 00:34:14,860 --> 00:34:17,480 us who were young students and he said, 818 00:34:17,520 --> 00:34:19,239 how many of you have been called to 819 00:34:19,239 --> 00:34:21,120 preach and raised our hands? 820 00:34:21,159 --> 00:34:23,199 He says, first of all, he says, I'm 821 00:34:23,199 --> 00:34:24,460 not the prophet or the son of a 822 00:34:24,460 --> 00:34:26,199 prophet, but I can conclude this from your 823 00:34:26,199 --> 00:34:27,219 calling into the ministry. 824 00:34:27,500 --> 00:34:29,540 There's something terribly wrong with every one of 825 00:34:29,540 --> 00:34:29,679 you. 826 00:34:31,260 --> 00:34:34,480 He could not have spoken any clearer with 827 00:34:34,480 --> 00:34:41,159 regards to many broken. 828 00:34:43,199 --> 00:34:47,989 People, at first you get into Christianity and 829 00:34:47,989 --> 00:34:49,170 you think, boy, you know, I need to 830 00:34:49,170 --> 00:34:50,370 do this and I need to do that. 831 00:34:50,469 --> 00:34:51,770 And well, there are things we need to 832 00:34:51,770 --> 00:34:52,070 do. 833 00:34:53,469 --> 00:34:55,110 But then you get this idea that, well, 834 00:34:55,130 --> 00:34:57,370 the kingdom of heaven isn't much different than 835 00:34:57,890 --> 00:35:00,750 the kingdoms of this world have been shut 836 00:35:00,750 --> 00:35:01,630 out of most of them. 837 00:35:04,750 --> 00:35:06,290 My dear friend, it's not that way. 838 00:35:08,120 --> 00:35:15,000 The young person baptized here today has the 839 00:35:15,000 --> 00:35:19,200 same status and glory as the greatest missionary 840 00:35:19,200 --> 00:35:21,020 who ever walked on the face of the 841 00:35:21,020 --> 00:35:21,340 earth. 842 00:35:22,640 --> 00:35:23,880 I like that. 843 00:35:24,600 --> 00:35:26,280 Maybe if you're in first place, you don't 844 00:35:26,280 --> 00:35:26,680 like that. 845 00:35:26,740 --> 00:35:27,900 But if you're in last place where I 846 00:35:27,900 --> 00:35:29,580 usually come in, you like that a lot. 847 00:35:35,650 --> 00:35:41,870 Freedom from these morbid chains that the world 848 00:35:41,870 --> 00:35:44,730 puts upon us and find no place at 849 00:35:44,730 --> 00:35:47,070 all in genuine Christianity. 850 00:35:47,910 --> 00:35:49,690 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs 851 00:35:49,690 --> 00:35:51,950 is the kingdom of heaven. 852 00:35:53,650 --> 00:35:54,150 Wow. 853 00:35:55,710 --> 00:35:57,130 You say, well, I can't wait. 854 00:35:57,190 --> 00:35:59,630 Well, then don't, because he's talking about now. 855 00:36:01,350 --> 00:36:03,170 Oh, I can't wait till I get there. 856 00:36:03,210 --> 00:36:04,530 You're already there. 857 00:36:04,530 --> 00:36:09,100 It doesn't mean that because you're already there, 858 00:36:09,200 --> 00:36:13,280 there's no trials, no sicknesses, no struggling with 859 00:36:13,280 --> 00:36:15,060 finances, no other things like that. 860 00:36:15,220 --> 00:36:17,600 It means this because you're already there means 861 00:36:17,600 --> 00:36:18,060 this. 862 00:36:18,420 --> 00:36:19,540 This is eternal life. 863 00:36:19,660 --> 00:36:22,800 You know him now and he knows you. 864 00:36:22,920 --> 00:36:23,840 And that is not. 865 00:36:25,340 --> 00:36:26,260 That's not. 866 00:36:30,700 --> 00:36:32,320 Blessed are those who mourn. 867 00:36:34,020 --> 00:36:37,640 Why are we so in our generation of 868 00:36:37,640 --> 00:36:39,840 wanting to have self-esteem? 869 00:36:40,420 --> 00:36:42,600 We are so afraid of this word. 870 00:36:44,480 --> 00:36:46,060 Mourn, so afraid. 871 00:36:47,420 --> 00:36:50,020 Oh, my dear friend, God wants us to 872 00:36:50,020 --> 00:36:52,040 be whole and complete, but we will never 873 00:36:52,040 --> 00:36:55,800 be whole and complete by molding some false 874 00:36:55,800 --> 00:36:56,980 self-esteem in us. 875 00:36:57,540 --> 00:36:59,500 We will be molding complete as we look 876 00:36:59,500 --> 00:37:04,120 into his face and forget about ourselves and 877 00:37:04,120 --> 00:37:04,760 look to him. 878 00:37:05,860 --> 00:37:08,080 But what does this mean to mourn? 879 00:37:08,080 --> 00:37:09,520 Blessed are those who mourn. 880 00:37:13,960 --> 00:37:17,020 Let's say that I have a statue of 881 00:37:17,020 --> 00:37:21,000 this man right here in stone, stone statue. 882 00:37:21,520 --> 00:37:23,880 I can walk up to that stone statue 883 00:37:23,880 --> 00:37:26,080 and reach under that tender part of the 884 00:37:26,080 --> 00:37:29,040 human arm and pinch with all my might. 885 00:37:29,180 --> 00:37:30,240 And what's going to happen? 886 00:37:30,720 --> 00:37:32,540 Absolutely nothing. 887 00:37:33,820 --> 00:37:34,300 Why? 888 00:37:34,820 --> 00:37:35,840 He's inanimate. 889 00:37:37,320 --> 00:37:38,080 It's a stone. 890 00:37:38,960 --> 00:37:41,780 Has no life in it at all. 891 00:37:42,900 --> 00:37:46,000 But now, if I reach over and grab 892 00:37:46,000 --> 00:37:48,100 that man by the back of his arm, 893 00:37:48,200 --> 00:37:50,940 that man in the flesh right there and 894 00:37:50,940 --> 00:37:52,820 I pinch with all my might, I am 895 00:37:52,820 --> 00:37:55,240 sure we will have a fantastic reaction out 896 00:37:55,240 --> 00:37:55,820 of our brother. 897 00:38:00,910 --> 00:38:09,070 Why living mourning could be the greatest evidence 898 00:38:09,070 --> 00:38:13,850 of true conversion simply means this a sensitivity 899 00:38:13,850 --> 00:38:15,430 to sin. 900 00:38:17,150 --> 00:38:18,550 First of all, your own. 901 00:38:19,750 --> 00:38:22,490 And second of all, the sin of this 902 00:38:22,490 --> 00:38:24,790 sinful fallen world around you. 903 00:38:27,130 --> 00:38:29,630 I was preaching a while back in Tennessee 904 00:38:29,630 --> 00:38:32,110 and some people got sort of angry with 905 00:38:32,110 --> 00:38:32,230 me. 906 00:38:32,270 --> 00:38:33,970 I preach in a lot of places once 907 00:38:33,970 --> 00:38:39,520 and they actually these group of ladies and 908 00:38:39,520 --> 00:38:40,140 they were leaders. 909 00:38:40,180 --> 00:38:41,300 They came up to me and they said, 910 00:38:41,360 --> 00:38:42,840 brother boy, we're having a real spiritual battle 911 00:38:42,840 --> 00:38:43,040 here. 912 00:38:43,040 --> 00:38:43,660 We're just a debate. 913 00:38:43,800 --> 00:38:45,380 We're kind of we're in division and we 914 00:38:45,380 --> 00:38:47,520 don't know what really God would think about 915 00:38:47,520 --> 00:38:47,760 this. 916 00:38:47,800 --> 00:38:48,840 And we just want to hear from you. 917 00:38:48,860 --> 00:38:50,560 And I said, well, I'll do my best. 918 00:38:50,760 --> 00:38:51,440 What's the question? 919 00:38:51,540 --> 00:38:54,660 I'm bracing myself for some tremendous theological question 920 00:38:54,660 --> 00:38:56,300 that would probably take hours of study. 921 00:38:56,600 --> 00:38:59,260 And they said, we don't know whether or 922 00:38:59,260 --> 00:39:00,600 not it's the will of God that we 923 00:39:00,600 --> 00:39:03,820 take our daughters to a Britney Spears concert. 924 00:39:06,370 --> 00:39:08,610 I look at him, I said, you're all 925 00:39:08,610 --> 00:39:09,110 lost. 926 00:39:10,590 --> 00:39:12,550 You're lost and you're going to hell. 927 00:39:12,970 --> 00:39:15,590 Now, I said that, please understand, I didn't. 928 00:39:15,690 --> 00:39:17,250 I said that in a nice way. 929 00:39:17,330 --> 00:39:17,990 OK, I mean, I. 930 00:39:18,910 --> 00:39:21,390 But the fact of the matter is, I 931 00:39:21,390 --> 00:39:23,610 said, you have no sensitivity. 932 00:39:26,290 --> 00:39:27,630 Sensitivity to sin. 933 00:39:28,790 --> 00:39:30,470 You know, one of the marks of true 934 00:39:30,470 --> 00:39:33,250 Christianity, according to First John, chapter one, is 935 00:39:33,250 --> 00:39:35,290 not that the believer is sinless, but that 936 00:39:35,290 --> 00:39:37,690 the believer recognizes sin. 937 00:39:38,190 --> 00:39:39,310 Let me give you a perfect example. 938 00:39:39,310 --> 00:39:43,090 There have been times here when when the 939 00:39:43,090 --> 00:39:45,270 pastor has preached, I'm not sure, because the 940 00:39:45,270 --> 00:39:46,910 man who preaches the word of God, when 941 00:39:46,910 --> 00:39:49,510 the pastor is preached and the Holy Spirit 942 00:39:49,510 --> 00:39:51,590 has been moving in people's lives and begin 943 00:39:51,590 --> 00:39:52,810 to deal with people about sin. 944 00:39:52,850 --> 00:39:53,590 Is that not true? 945 00:39:53,750 --> 00:39:54,270 That's happened. 946 00:39:55,050 --> 00:39:55,790 Isn't it amazing? 947 00:39:55,910 --> 00:39:57,590 And if there are pastors here, they're all 948 00:39:57,590 --> 00:39:58,890 recognized that this is true. 949 00:39:59,550 --> 00:40:01,390 Isn't it amazing that when a pastor preaches 950 00:40:01,390 --> 00:40:03,290 a message and God begins to do a 951 00:40:03,290 --> 00:40:05,430 special sovereign work dealing with sin in the 952 00:40:05,430 --> 00:40:07,670 lives of the congregation, it is always the 953 00:40:07,670 --> 00:40:11,810 most holy, most devoted and most godly people 954 00:40:11,810 --> 00:40:14,710 in the church who come forward weeping and 955 00:40:14,710 --> 00:40:15,670 broken over sin. 956 00:40:15,910 --> 00:40:18,710 And it is always the most ungodly, carnal, 957 00:40:18,950 --> 00:40:20,970 wicked church members that sit back there cold 958 00:40:20,970 --> 00:40:21,590 as a stone. 959 00:40:22,990 --> 00:40:24,050 Why is there? 960 00:40:24,170 --> 00:40:26,570 We're seeing the difference between church membership and 961 00:40:26,570 --> 00:40:27,030 conversion. 962 00:40:28,650 --> 00:40:32,290 The one thing about a believer is they 963 00:40:32,290 --> 00:40:35,230 will be sensitive to sin. 964 00:40:35,610 --> 00:40:37,510 Now, sometimes as believers, we can become dull 965 00:40:37,510 --> 00:40:39,210 and we will need the rebuke of another 966 00:40:39,210 --> 00:40:41,050 and all sorts of things like that. 967 00:40:41,090 --> 00:40:42,430 But in the end, we will have a 968 00:40:42,430 --> 00:40:45,890 sensitivity to sin and God who began a 969 00:40:45,890 --> 00:40:47,510 good work in us will finish it and 970 00:40:47,510 --> 00:40:49,250 bring us some morning, even if he has 971 00:40:49,250 --> 00:40:50,650 to use extraordinary means. 972 00:40:51,010 --> 00:40:53,290 I remember it was probably 15 years ago. 973 00:40:53,410 --> 00:40:55,210 I was preaching a sermon and I want 974 00:40:55,210 --> 00:40:55,870 to tell you. 975 00:40:57,170 --> 00:40:59,870 It was it was powerful. 976 00:41:02,020 --> 00:41:03,680 And when I finished the sermon, a dear 977 00:41:03,680 --> 00:41:06,820 brother, an older, older Christian in the congregation, 978 00:41:08,120 --> 00:41:11,480 I stepped down and he said, Paul, you 979 00:41:11,480 --> 00:41:12,280 look at me like this. 980 00:41:12,280 --> 00:41:15,240 He said, you preach the truth today. 981 00:41:17,100 --> 00:41:18,820 And you did it in the flesh and 982 00:41:18,820 --> 00:41:20,500 you need to get down on your knees 983 00:41:20,500 --> 00:41:22,440 right now and ask God to forgive you 984 00:41:22,440 --> 00:41:24,000 because God did not place a whip in 985 00:41:24,000 --> 00:41:25,500 your hand to kill the people of God. 986 00:41:26,880 --> 00:41:27,840 You know what? 987 00:41:28,360 --> 00:41:34,120 He was absolutely right about me and I 988 00:41:34,120 --> 00:41:35,840 didn't see it when I walked down those 989 00:41:35,840 --> 00:41:39,240 steps, but I saw it when he told 990 00:41:39,240 --> 00:41:39,720 me that. 991 00:41:45,130 --> 00:41:48,110 Let me ask you a terrifying question. 992 00:41:48,910 --> 00:41:52,070 When was the last time you wept over 993 00:41:52,070 --> 00:41:52,690 your sin? 994 00:41:55,940 --> 00:41:57,760 You say, well, I haven't fallen. 995 00:41:57,960 --> 00:41:59,340 My friend, no one falls. 996 00:41:59,460 --> 00:42:00,100 We slide. 997 00:42:02,310 --> 00:42:05,170 You say, well, I haven't done the big 998 00:42:05,170 --> 00:42:05,490 stuff. 999 00:42:06,490 --> 00:42:07,610 Everything's big stuff. 1000 00:42:09,630 --> 00:42:12,830 Being insensitive to my wife needing to hear 1001 00:42:12,830 --> 00:42:14,370 I love you and a hug before I 1002 00:42:14,370 --> 00:42:16,330 walk out the door is big stuff. 1003 00:42:18,890 --> 00:42:20,290 When was the last time you wept? 1004 00:42:21,570 --> 00:42:23,150 When was the last time you were broken? 1005 00:42:25,640 --> 00:42:25,920 When? 1006 00:42:30,150 --> 00:42:31,710 I can only draw two conclusions. 1007 00:42:31,910 --> 00:42:34,230 If you haven't been one, you're perfect. 1008 00:42:34,230 --> 00:42:38,350 Or two, your heart, like mine does many 1009 00:42:38,350 --> 00:42:40,390 times, has become dull. 1010 00:42:43,390 --> 00:42:44,650 Blessed are those who mourn. 1011 00:42:44,890 --> 00:42:45,990 Now, why are they blessed? 1012 00:42:46,270 --> 00:42:47,530 This is very, very important. 1013 00:42:47,670 --> 00:42:48,650 And we're going to end here. 1014 00:42:48,830 --> 00:42:50,050 I was hoping to get through a lot 1015 00:42:50,050 --> 00:42:52,330 more, but we'll stop here. 1016 00:42:53,790 --> 00:42:56,950 Why is a person blessed in the Scriptures? 1017 00:42:57,090 --> 00:42:59,210 We understand there's a repentance unto life and 1018 00:42:59,210 --> 00:43:00,470 a repentance unto death. 1019 00:43:00,930 --> 00:43:04,490 We know that Peter had a repentance unto 1020 00:43:04,490 --> 00:43:04,910 life. 1021 00:43:04,910 --> 00:43:07,870 Judas had a repentance unto death, was not 1022 00:43:07,870 --> 00:43:10,070 mixed with faith and all sorts of other 1023 00:43:10,070 --> 00:43:10,470 things. 1024 00:43:11,550 --> 00:43:13,210 But here's the wonderful thing. 1025 00:43:13,870 --> 00:43:17,290 If you study the prophets, man, sometimes they 1026 00:43:17,290 --> 00:43:19,730 said things to Israel that literally I don't 1027 00:43:19,730 --> 00:43:22,470 feel comfortable even speaking about in mixed company. 1028 00:43:23,370 --> 00:43:24,710 And if you look at it in Hebrew, 1029 00:43:24,870 --> 00:43:28,510 you're really going to see some fantastic things 1030 00:43:28,510 --> 00:43:29,270 that they said. 1031 00:43:29,270 --> 00:43:31,270 Even Paul, the apostle in the book of 1032 00:43:31,270 --> 00:43:33,510 Galatians, makes a few statements that literally will 1033 00:43:33,510 --> 00:43:34,430 curl your toes. 1034 00:43:35,310 --> 00:43:37,450 But here's the wonderful thing about the mark 1035 00:43:37,450 --> 00:43:39,610 of a true prophet of God speaking a 1036 00:43:39,610 --> 00:43:40,390 true message of God. 1037 00:43:40,610 --> 00:43:42,190 He might come down like a hammer. 1038 00:43:42,550 --> 00:43:44,350 He might burn like a fire. 1039 00:43:44,470 --> 00:43:47,270 But God will never leave his people without 1040 00:43:47,270 --> 00:43:49,270 saying this comes to me. 1041 00:43:51,030 --> 00:43:52,410 And I will take it all away. 1042 00:43:53,450 --> 00:43:55,650 Come to me and I will fix you. 1043 00:43:55,650 --> 00:43:56,750 Come to me. 1044 00:43:57,210 --> 00:43:58,930 I am not done with you. 1045 00:44:00,090 --> 00:44:00,750 Come to me. 1046 00:44:05,320 --> 00:44:05,920 Come to me. 1047 00:44:06,720 --> 00:44:08,140 This is how the Christian life works. 1048 00:44:08,200 --> 00:44:09,540 Now, this is about as close I get 1049 00:44:09,540 --> 00:44:11,320 to a dramatic sermon as you're going to 1050 00:44:11,320 --> 00:44:11,580 see. 1051 00:44:12,660 --> 00:44:14,280 You begin the Christian life. 1052 00:44:14,880 --> 00:44:15,780 How do you begin it? 1053 00:44:15,880 --> 00:44:17,080 You begin it with a revelation. 1054 00:44:18,320 --> 00:44:20,400 The gospel of Jesus Christ is revealed to 1055 00:44:20,400 --> 00:44:21,840 you primarily through preaching. 1056 00:44:21,840 --> 00:44:25,200 You see God's holiness that you've never seen 1057 00:44:25,200 --> 00:44:26,780 it before, which causes you to see your 1058 00:44:26,780 --> 00:44:29,300 sin as you've never seen it before. 1059 00:44:29,480 --> 00:44:32,420 But in that revelation, you are not brought 1060 00:44:32,420 --> 00:44:34,740 to despair because although you see a revelation 1061 00:44:34,740 --> 00:44:38,100 of God and his holiness and a revelation 1062 00:44:38,100 --> 00:44:39,200 of your sin. 1063 00:44:40,360 --> 00:44:42,120 You also see a revelation of the grace 1064 00:44:42,120 --> 00:44:43,600 of God in the face of Christ and 1065 00:44:43,600 --> 00:44:45,600 you do not fall into despair, but you 1066 00:44:45,600 --> 00:44:47,260 run to Christ, the city of refuge. 1067 00:44:47,920 --> 00:44:48,640 All right. 1068 00:44:48,680 --> 00:44:49,980 And he makes all things new. 1069 00:44:49,980 --> 00:44:50,840 All right. 1070 00:44:50,920 --> 00:44:53,320 Now, after you become a Christian, here's a 1071 00:44:53,320 --> 00:44:54,380 unique thing that will happen. 1072 00:44:57,060 --> 00:44:59,180 You will think you're about the holiest thing 1073 00:44:59,180 --> 00:44:59,480 going. 1074 00:45:01,300 --> 00:45:02,560 I remember as soon as I became a 1075 00:45:02,560 --> 00:45:03,940 Christian, I would go out on 6th Street 1076 00:45:03,940 --> 00:45:04,420 and preach. 1077 00:45:04,500 --> 00:45:06,420 Man, I thought I was the prophet. 1078 00:45:07,740 --> 00:45:08,160 Prophet. 1079 00:45:10,700 --> 00:45:11,440 Muppet, maybe. 1080 00:45:12,720 --> 00:45:13,560 The prophet. 1081 00:45:14,340 --> 00:45:16,240 You know, and I'd look at preachers who 1082 00:45:16,240 --> 00:45:17,960 wouldn't preach on the streets and all these 1083 00:45:17,960 --> 00:45:19,400 things and fasting and prayer. 1084 00:45:19,540 --> 00:45:21,360 And boy, I thought I was just it. 1085 00:45:22,660 --> 00:45:24,360 And so God began to do what God 1086 00:45:24,360 --> 00:45:25,020 always does. 1087 00:45:25,100 --> 00:45:26,580 He began to work death in my life. 1088 00:45:26,940 --> 00:45:28,660 He began to pull back and show me 1089 00:45:28,660 --> 00:45:29,540 what I really am. 1090 00:45:29,720 --> 00:45:30,820 That's why if you talk to a man 1091 00:45:30,820 --> 00:45:32,740 of God who's walked with God for 60 1092 00:45:32,740 --> 00:45:34,880 years, he will see himself as much more 1093 00:45:34,880 --> 00:45:36,940 unholy now than he did when he first 1094 00:45:36,940 --> 00:45:37,280 started. 1095 00:45:37,960 --> 00:45:39,380 But he will be happier now. 1096 00:45:39,540 --> 00:45:40,600 And this is how it works. 1097 00:45:40,600 --> 00:45:42,940 As you begin to walk with Christ and 1098 00:45:42,940 --> 00:45:46,140 you truly begin to understand him and understand 1099 00:45:46,140 --> 00:45:49,140 his character and his grace, you begin to 1100 00:45:49,140 --> 00:45:50,940 see as you walk with him more and 1101 00:45:50,940 --> 00:45:52,360 more of the holiness of God. 1102 00:45:52,560 --> 00:45:54,320 You begin to see more and more of 1103 00:45:54,320 --> 00:45:56,300 your own failings, which leads you to greater 1104 00:45:56,300 --> 00:45:57,800 and greater and deeper mourning. 1105 00:45:58,240 --> 00:46:00,960 But you also see greater, greater revelations of 1106 00:46:00,960 --> 00:46:02,580 his grace that picks you up higher than 1107 00:46:02,580 --> 00:46:03,260 you've ever been. 1108 00:46:03,260 --> 00:46:06,020 And you continue that all throughout your Christian 1109 00:46:06,020 --> 00:46:07,760 life so that at the end of your 1110 00:46:07,760 --> 00:46:10,220 days, you are more sensitive over sin. 1111 00:46:10,360 --> 00:46:12,380 You are mourning greater over the small things 1112 00:46:12,380 --> 00:46:13,760 that you would have even dismissed when you 1113 00:46:13,760 --> 00:46:14,140 began. 1114 00:46:14,440 --> 00:46:17,320 But at the same time, you're happier because 1115 00:46:17,320 --> 00:46:19,320 it is all in the face of Christ. 1116 00:46:19,440 --> 00:46:25,960 It is all Christ, just Jesus, just Jesus. 1117 00:46:27,270 --> 00:46:28,850 I had a young man one time and 1118 00:46:28,850 --> 00:46:30,290 I didn't want to put out his fire. 1119 00:46:31,950 --> 00:46:35,150 He said, Jesus is all we need. 1120 00:46:36,870 --> 00:46:40,570 I said, young man, Jesus is all we 1121 00:46:40,570 --> 00:46:40,990 have. 1122 00:46:43,220 --> 00:46:43,720 That's all. 1123 00:46:44,360 --> 00:46:47,240 Now, I'm not going to give an invitation. 1124 00:46:48,140 --> 00:46:50,320 This is why I give invitations, but I'm 1125 00:46:50,320 --> 00:46:51,200 not going to give one now. 1126 00:46:51,640 --> 00:46:54,580 This is why I don't want you to 1127 00:46:54,580 --> 00:46:58,980 take 45 minutes worth of preaching and think 1128 00:46:58,980 --> 00:47:00,600 that the spirit of God is done with 1129 00:47:00,600 --> 00:47:05,960 you because psychologically you've left it on an 1130 00:47:05,960 --> 00:47:06,220 altar. 1131 00:47:07,300 --> 00:47:08,600 I don't want you to leave it on 1132 00:47:08,600 --> 00:47:08,960 an altar. 1133 00:47:09,460 --> 00:47:10,640 I want you to take this home. 1134 00:47:11,180 --> 00:47:13,080 I want the Holy Spirit to bother you. 1135 00:47:13,980 --> 00:47:15,460 I wanted to deal with you. 1136 00:47:16,000 --> 00:47:17,620 I wanted to be looking back at you 1137 00:47:17,620 --> 00:47:18,980 every time you see your reflection. 1138 00:47:18,980 --> 00:47:21,500 I want you to sit down and ponder 1139 00:47:21,500 --> 00:47:22,040 these things. 1140 00:47:22,180 --> 00:47:23,920 I don't want you just to superficially listen 1141 00:47:23,920 --> 00:47:25,420 to this and let it go, walk out 1142 00:47:25,420 --> 00:47:26,480 the door and go eat it. 1143 00:47:27,780 --> 00:47:29,800 You know, Ruby Tuesdays. 1144 00:47:30,680 --> 00:47:33,080 I want you to meditate on these things. 1145 00:47:35,380 --> 00:47:36,880 I mean, after all, if I had to 1146 00:47:36,880 --> 00:47:38,820 suffer this stuff all morning, surely you can 1147 00:47:38,820 --> 00:47:40,060 suffer it for an afternoon. 1148 00:47:41,680 --> 00:47:43,840 Pray with your husband, pray with your wife, 1149 00:47:44,120 --> 00:47:45,420 gather your children together. 1150 00:47:46,660 --> 00:47:47,540 Think about this. 1151 00:47:47,640 --> 00:47:48,600 Sit silent. 1152 00:47:48,600 --> 00:47:52,120 The psychologist, you one time said that hurry 1153 00:47:52,120 --> 00:47:53,060 is not of the devil. 1154 00:47:53,180 --> 00:47:53,780 It is the devil. 1155 00:47:53,820 --> 00:47:54,900 And I don't agree with him because I 1156 00:47:54,900 --> 00:47:55,860 believe in a personal devil. 1157 00:47:55,900 --> 00:47:57,140 But he had a truth in there. 1158 00:47:58,140 --> 00:47:59,480 Your hurry, busyness. 1159 00:48:02,220 --> 00:48:03,700 Truncates spiritual life. 1160 00:48:06,410 --> 00:48:08,670 So I'll pray and just ask God to 1161 00:48:08,670 --> 00:48:10,610 help us because we need help. 1162 00:48:11,490 --> 00:48:12,150 We need help. 1163 00:48:12,290 --> 00:48:12,770 Let's pray. 1164 00:48:15,750 --> 00:48:17,270 Father, please help us. 1165 00:48:20,060 --> 00:48:23,980 Help us to be like Christ in the 1166 00:48:23,980 --> 00:48:24,720 hidden places. 1167 00:48:25,460 --> 00:48:27,580 Help us to be like Christ among the 1168 00:48:27,580 --> 00:48:29,440 people who know us best. 1169 00:48:31,000 --> 00:48:32,780 Whatever it takes, Lord. 1170 00:48:33,600 --> 00:48:34,740 And it may take a lot. 1171 00:48:35,740 --> 00:48:36,780 Make us like Jesus. 1172 00:48:37,480 --> 00:48:38,340 In Jesus name. 1173 00:48:38,980 --> 00:48:39,240 Amen.