1 00:00:08,570 --> 00:00:09,970 If you have your Bibles, you can turn 2 00:00:09,970 --> 00:00:11,430 to James chapter 4. 3 00:00:12,050 --> 00:00:14,190 James chapter 4, we've been going through the 4 00:00:14,190 --> 00:00:16,150 book of James, and I believe this is 5 00:00:16,150 --> 00:00:17,750 part 8, if I have it right here 6 00:00:17,750 --> 00:00:19,450 on my notes, I forgot to go back 7 00:00:19,450 --> 00:00:19,870 and check. 8 00:00:20,390 --> 00:00:22,850 But we've talked through, we've been going through 9 00:00:22,850 --> 00:00:24,530 the book of James, this is part 8, 10 00:00:24,670 --> 00:00:26,950 so if you haven't been here, make sure 11 00:00:26,950 --> 00:00:28,730 to go on our website and we can 12 00:00:28,730 --> 00:00:30,450 get you the last 7 messages. 13 00:00:31,170 --> 00:00:33,650 And the topic tonight is do not judge 14 00:00:33,650 --> 00:00:34,270 a brother. 15 00:00:34,810 --> 00:00:36,750 Do not judge a brother. 16 00:00:36,950 --> 00:00:39,770 And this is a very interesting topic because 17 00:00:39,770 --> 00:00:42,350 you're going to see this actually more and 18 00:00:42,350 --> 00:00:45,730 more throughout the probably at least through the 19 00:00:45,730 --> 00:00:48,670 next 4 years of Trump's presidency, whoever is 20 00:00:48,670 --> 00:00:50,470 elected after him, it just seems to be 21 00:00:50,470 --> 00:00:52,910 a bigger, bigger issue on judging. 22 00:00:53,090 --> 00:00:55,410 Because when you talk about gay marriage, they 23 00:00:55,410 --> 00:00:58,630 say, oh don't judge, don't judge, be quiet. 24 00:00:59,030 --> 00:01:00,550 When you talk about abortion, who are you 25 00:01:00,550 --> 00:01:01,130 to judge? 26 00:01:01,570 --> 00:01:02,850 And that's how they silence Christians. 27 00:01:03,090 --> 00:01:05,190 You can't judge me, the Bible says judge 28 00:01:05,190 --> 00:01:08,390 not, and as we know, context is king. 29 00:01:09,170 --> 00:01:10,690 When you look at a scripture in the 30 00:01:10,690 --> 00:01:13,190 Bible, the context is the king. 31 00:01:13,350 --> 00:01:15,090 The context, what I mean by that is, 32 00:01:15,350 --> 00:01:17,330 you can make the Bible say anything you 33 00:01:17,330 --> 00:01:19,410 want, if you just take out little pieces 34 00:01:19,410 --> 00:01:21,110 here and there, so you look at the 35 00:01:21,110 --> 00:01:24,990 entire context of that famous scripture, judge not. 36 00:01:25,190 --> 00:01:27,070 Jesus says judge not lest you be judged, 37 00:01:27,210 --> 00:01:27,750 it's in Matthew. 38 00:01:28,390 --> 00:01:30,370 And we'll get to that in a minute, 39 00:01:30,530 --> 00:01:33,230 but that's what James is actually going to 40 00:01:33,230 --> 00:01:35,870 be touching base with as well to his 41 00:01:35,870 --> 00:01:37,710 readers back then, it was his listeners reading 42 00:01:37,710 --> 00:01:41,530 through, they would have letters passed out, James 43 00:01:41,530 --> 00:01:43,030 would write to the church and they would 44 00:01:43,030 --> 00:01:45,050 read these letters in their church services. 45 00:01:45,850 --> 00:01:48,930 So verse 11 in chapter 4, James says, 46 00:01:49,090 --> 00:01:52,950 do not speak evil of one another, do 47 00:01:52,950 --> 00:01:54,730 not speak evil of one another. 48 00:01:54,930 --> 00:01:59,050 Brethren, he who speaks evil of a brother 49 00:01:59,050 --> 00:02:03,050 and judges his brother, speaks evil of the 50 00:02:03,050 --> 00:02:04,670 law and judges the law. 51 00:02:05,210 --> 00:02:07,430 But if you judge the law, you are 52 00:02:07,430 --> 00:02:09,370 not a doer of the law, but a 53 00:02:09,370 --> 00:02:09,949 judge. 54 00:02:10,370 --> 00:02:12,730 There is one lawgiver who is able to 55 00:02:12,730 --> 00:02:16,310 save and to destroy, who are you to 56 00:02:16,310 --> 00:02:17,630 judge another? 57 00:02:18,290 --> 00:02:20,710 Paul actually says in Romans, that who are 58 00:02:20,710 --> 00:02:22,870 you to judge another servant to his own 59 00:02:22,870 --> 00:02:24,430 master, he stands or falls. 60 00:02:24,650 --> 00:02:28,550 So there's this theme of judgment and judging 61 00:02:28,550 --> 00:02:30,910 others and it's an interesting topic and here's 62 00:02:30,910 --> 00:02:31,170 why. 63 00:02:31,950 --> 00:02:34,490 On this side, the carnal side, I want 64 00:02:34,490 --> 00:02:35,430 to judge everybody. 65 00:02:36,110 --> 00:02:37,150 You know, I just want to put them 66 00:02:37,150 --> 00:02:39,190 down, judge, judge, judge, judge, judge. 67 00:02:39,330 --> 00:02:41,090 But on this side, the Holy Spirit says 68 00:02:41,090 --> 00:02:43,230 no, don't judge, as a matter of fact, 69 00:02:43,470 --> 00:02:44,750 err on the side of grace. 70 00:02:45,410 --> 00:02:46,810 And you'll see that throughout the New Testament, 71 00:02:46,930 --> 00:02:48,450 if we're going to err, we want to 72 00:02:48,450 --> 00:02:49,870 err on the side of grace. 73 00:02:50,650 --> 00:02:53,770 However, this is a different type of judgment. 74 00:02:53,910 --> 00:02:55,710 This is the type of judgment that a 75 00:02:55,710 --> 00:02:57,970 judge would render in a court of law 76 00:02:57,970 --> 00:02:59,750 guilty, making a judgment. 77 00:02:59,990 --> 00:03:01,190 And we're not in a position to do 78 00:03:01,190 --> 00:03:01,590 that. 79 00:03:02,410 --> 00:03:05,050 But Jesus would say when he says, do 80 00:03:05,050 --> 00:03:08,870 not judge, in Matthew, as he's going through 81 00:03:08,870 --> 00:03:11,750 and putting everything in context, he's saying before 82 00:03:11,750 --> 00:03:15,330 you actually make a judgment, remove the plank, 83 00:03:15,450 --> 00:03:17,850 this huge plank from your eye, remove that 84 00:03:17,850 --> 00:03:20,230 from your eye and then you can go 85 00:03:20,230 --> 00:03:22,150 and remove the speck from your brother. 86 00:03:22,270 --> 00:03:25,030 So there's self-examination that takes place. 87 00:03:25,330 --> 00:03:27,750 So what he's talking about here is this 88 00:03:27,750 --> 00:03:31,290 eagerness to criticize, this eagerness to put down. 89 00:03:32,210 --> 00:03:35,970 Speaking evil is not constructive criticism or loving 90 00:03:35,970 --> 00:03:36,770 admonishment. 91 00:03:37,530 --> 00:03:40,430 When he says, do not speak evil, sometimes 92 00:03:40,430 --> 00:03:42,570 people jump to the conclusion, well, I can't 93 00:03:42,570 --> 00:03:43,110 say anything. 94 00:03:43,230 --> 00:03:47,670 No, that's not being constructive in your criticism 95 00:03:47,670 --> 00:03:49,790 of someone or love is a loving admonishment. 96 00:03:49,990 --> 00:03:52,050 When you truly love someone, you want to 97 00:03:52,050 --> 00:03:55,430 judge sometimes their lifestyle and make an assessment. 98 00:03:55,690 --> 00:03:58,910 That's why Jesus covered Matthew 18 in the 99 00:03:58,910 --> 00:04:00,830 Bible, where you're supposed to go to a 100 00:04:00,830 --> 00:04:02,110 brother who's caught in sin. 101 00:04:02,610 --> 00:04:04,630 You bring a couple witnesses and you go, 102 00:04:04,750 --> 00:04:06,150 brother, we want to restore you. 103 00:04:06,230 --> 00:04:07,510 That's the whole point is restoration. 104 00:04:08,190 --> 00:04:10,570 And then if he ignores that, then you 105 00:04:10,570 --> 00:04:12,170 bring it to a larger group, the church 106 00:04:12,170 --> 00:04:14,850 body, and they have to treat him much 107 00:04:14,850 --> 00:04:16,970 like an unbeliever, not because they're being mean 108 00:04:16,970 --> 00:04:19,709 and judgmental, but it's because it's the process 109 00:04:19,709 --> 00:04:23,150 that Jesus gave us to lovingly, hopefully restore 110 00:04:23,150 --> 00:04:24,110 somebody to fellowship. 111 00:04:24,730 --> 00:04:26,370 Now that doesn't work as well now in 112 00:04:26,370 --> 00:04:27,370 the 21st century. 113 00:04:27,990 --> 00:04:28,850 Are we in the 21st century? 114 00:04:28,870 --> 00:04:29,770 Yeah, I did think there for a minute. 115 00:04:30,450 --> 00:04:33,430 But back then when you were taken out 116 00:04:33,430 --> 00:04:35,490 of a church, as far as, I don't 117 00:04:35,490 --> 00:04:37,350 know if excommunicated is the right word. 118 00:04:37,370 --> 00:04:38,430 I don't like to use that word. 119 00:04:38,550 --> 00:04:40,710 But if you were shunned and say, listen, 120 00:04:40,790 --> 00:04:43,530 we can't fellowship with you anymore until you 121 00:04:43,530 --> 00:04:44,230 turn from this. 122 00:04:44,370 --> 00:04:47,010 You can't date your father's girlfriend. 123 00:04:47,490 --> 00:04:49,950 Until you turn from that, we can't as 124 00:04:49,950 --> 00:04:51,550 a church fellowship with you. 125 00:04:51,950 --> 00:04:54,610 And they really wouldn't have another person to 126 00:04:54,610 --> 00:04:55,370 fellowship with. 127 00:04:55,410 --> 00:04:56,870 The church was their whole life. 128 00:04:57,170 --> 00:04:58,850 Now when we say, you know what, Matthew, 129 00:04:58,970 --> 00:05:00,790 you're walking down a dangerous path. 130 00:05:00,870 --> 00:05:01,590 Here's what we have to go. 131 00:05:01,670 --> 00:05:02,890 Okay, I'll just go to the church down 132 00:05:02,890 --> 00:05:03,230 the street. 133 00:05:04,270 --> 00:05:05,950 They'll just switch to a different church or 134 00:05:05,950 --> 00:05:06,830 switch to somewhere else. 135 00:05:06,970 --> 00:05:11,350 And so the effect really hasn't, it's really 136 00:05:11,350 --> 00:05:14,470 not as well as it was back in 137 00:05:14,470 --> 00:05:15,270 Jesus's time. 138 00:05:15,610 --> 00:05:17,670 But we still follow the course and it 139 00:05:17,670 --> 00:05:18,210 does work. 140 00:05:18,310 --> 00:05:20,350 The whole goal is restoration, not to hurt 141 00:05:20,350 --> 00:05:20,850 somebody. 142 00:05:21,830 --> 00:05:24,630 So speaking evil is not constructive criticism or 143 00:05:24,630 --> 00:05:25,670 loving admonishment. 144 00:05:25,670 --> 00:05:28,090 It's talking about somebody negatively. 145 00:05:28,530 --> 00:05:29,870 It's putting them down. 146 00:05:29,890 --> 00:05:32,350 So you're raised up, it's tarnishing their image 147 00:05:32,350 --> 00:05:34,450 and hurting their reputation. 148 00:05:34,610 --> 00:05:35,910 It's basically lying. 149 00:05:36,270 --> 00:05:39,150 Or you're telling something about someone that's might 150 00:05:39,150 --> 00:05:40,490 be true, but they don't need to know. 151 00:05:40,910 --> 00:05:42,910 They don't need to know what that person 152 00:05:42,910 --> 00:05:44,670 did or what they went through. 153 00:05:44,770 --> 00:05:46,590 So you're speaking evil of them. 154 00:05:46,830 --> 00:05:48,610 Gossiping is what the Bible would say or 155 00:05:48,610 --> 00:05:50,350 backbiting or slandering. 156 00:05:50,910 --> 00:05:52,530 So I guess this was happening in the 157 00:05:52,530 --> 00:05:52,930 church. 158 00:05:54,110 --> 00:05:55,670 That's who James is writing to. 159 00:05:56,430 --> 00:05:57,790 So does it happen in the church? 160 00:05:57,930 --> 00:05:58,870 Not this church, Shane. 161 00:06:01,470 --> 00:06:05,910 Well, not actually, not that bad. 162 00:06:06,050 --> 00:06:07,770 Not that I'm aware of at least, but 163 00:06:07,770 --> 00:06:08,490 it does happen. 164 00:06:08,910 --> 00:06:11,350 Because we're all guilty at some point of 165 00:06:11,350 --> 00:06:12,950 saying things we probably shouldn't. 166 00:06:13,330 --> 00:06:14,250 So back to that question. 167 00:06:14,410 --> 00:06:16,250 Doesn't the Bible say judge not? 168 00:06:16,750 --> 00:06:18,210 Who are you to tell people what they 169 00:06:18,210 --> 00:06:19,550 can and cannot do? 170 00:06:20,110 --> 00:06:21,970 Well, if we look at John 7 24, 171 00:06:22,290 --> 00:06:26,570 Jesus actually encourages his followers to judge with 172 00:06:26,570 --> 00:06:27,850 righteous judgment. 173 00:06:29,510 --> 00:06:31,990 This misconception of judging is an attempt to 174 00:06:31,990 --> 00:06:34,290 conform the scriptures to support opinions. 175 00:06:34,770 --> 00:06:36,810 So when people say, listen, about gay marriage 176 00:06:36,810 --> 00:06:39,510 or abortion or all these hot topics that 177 00:06:39,510 --> 00:06:41,110 the church isn't supposed to talk about, I 178 00:06:41,110 --> 00:06:42,730 guess, because they're hot topics. 179 00:06:42,830 --> 00:06:43,750 So keep your mouth quiet. 180 00:06:43,810 --> 00:06:44,710 Don't talk about these things. 181 00:06:44,790 --> 00:06:45,990 Who are you to judge? 182 00:06:46,110 --> 00:06:48,750 It's because they don't want God's word to 183 00:06:48,750 --> 00:06:50,850 shine into the light of their sin and 184 00:06:50,850 --> 00:06:51,870 turn from that sin. 185 00:06:52,230 --> 00:06:53,590 They want to say, don't judge me. 186 00:06:53,690 --> 00:06:55,670 I want to continue in my sin. 187 00:06:56,150 --> 00:06:57,550 So most people that don't like to be 188 00:06:57,550 --> 00:07:00,610 judged are caught in this lifestyle and they 189 00:07:00,610 --> 00:07:03,070 don't want the spotlight of God's word put 190 00:07:03,070 --> 00:07:03,590 on them. 191 00:07:04,590 --> 00:07:06,290 We tend to pick and choose certain scriptures 192 00:07:06,290 --> 00:07:08,050 as if they are choices on a menu, 193 00:07:08,250 --> 00:07:10,590 but we can't choose those we like and 194 00:07:10,590 --> 00:07:11,590 discard the rest. 195 00:07:11,930 --> 00:07:14,370 So judging back to Matthew 7 within the 196 00:07:14,370 --> 00:07:17,790 context of Matthew 7 refers to the type 197 00:07:17,790 --> 00:07:20,150 of judgment, like I said earlier, that a 198 00:07:20,150 --> 00:07:21,950 judge would render in a court of law, 199 00:07:22,410 --> 00:07:24,070 such as Romans 14 4. 200 00:07:24,290 --> 00:07:27,090 Who are you to judge another servant? 201 00:07:27,750 --> 00:07:30,030 A judge hears the evidence and pronounces a 202 00:07:30,030 --> 00:07:30,410 judgment. 203 00:07:30,550 --> 00:07:33,450 It has to do with sentencing, not discerning. 204 00:07:34,330 --> 00:07:36,450 So we're not supposed to sentence someone, but 205 00:07:36,450 --> 00:07:37,910 we are called to discern. 206 00:07:38,430 --> 00:07:41,350 I like to use the term fruit inspector. 207 00:07:42,270 --> 00:07:43,990 It's okay to be a fruit inspector. 208 00:07:45,770 --> 00:07:49,150 What I've noticed, I've written articles, many of 209 00:07:49,150 --> 00:07:50,630 you know I write articles for the Christian 210 00:07:50,630 --> 00:07:52,350 Post and different news organizations. 211 00:07:53,010 --> 00:07:55,390 On this whole thing of judging, it's not 212 00:07:55,390 --> 00:07:57,810 real difficult because as Christians we are called 213 00:07:57,810 --> 00:07:58,790 to be the salt and the light. 214 00:07:58,870 --> 00:08:00,970 We are called to discern what is right 215 00:08:00,970 --> 00:08:01,210 and wrong. 216 00:08:01,310 --> 00:08:02,970 We are called to say this is not 217 00:08:02,970 --> 00:08:03,250 right. 218 00:08:03,370 --> 00:08:04,570 This is what's happening in our nation. 219 00:08:04,930 --> 00:08:05,750 This is not right. 220 00:08:05,830 --> 00:08:07,450 The pulpit used to set the tone of 221 00:08:07,450 --> 00:08:07,850 the nation. 222 00:08:07,950 --> 00:08:08,870 I've talked about that before. 223 00:08:09,250 --> 00:08:10,630 We are to judge and to call things 224 00:08:10,630 --> 00:08:13,350 into question, but as I said before, the 225 00:08:13,350 --> 00:08:16,990 truth will offend but my attitude shouldn't. 226 00:08:17,230 --> 00:08:18,150 That's the difference. 227 00:08:18,470 --> 00:08:20,950 The truth will offend but my attitude shouldn't. 228 00:08:21,170 --> 00:08:23,290 It shouldn't be a judgmental, go get them, 229 00:08:23,450 --> 00:08:24,270 angry person. 230 00:08:24,370 --> 00:08:25,810 You've seen those people on TV, right? 231 00:08:26,290 --> 00:08:28,630 You're like, oh, please don't be representing Christianity 232 00:08:28,630 --> 00:08:29,310 right now. 233 00:08:30,290 --> 00:08:30,770 Please. 234 00:08:31,150 --> 00:08:34,929 They're just mean and nasty and they picket 235 00:08:34,929 --> 00:08:39,450 and they protest the soldiers funerals and just 236 00:08:39,450 --> 00:08:41,770 groups out there that are terrible. 237 00:08:43,270 --> 00:08:46,710 It's all about judgment and being mean and 238 00:08:46,710 --> 00:08:47,950 nasty and arrogant. 239 00:08:48,110 --> 00:08:50,470 I believe you can speak the truth boldly, 240 00:08:50,830 --> 00:08:52,950 but you can speak it and underscore it 241 00:08:52,950 --> 00:08:53,510 with love. 242 00:08:54,110 --> 00:08:55,890 But then you have the complete other side 243 00:08:55,890 --> 00:08:58,510 and that's why I mention sometimes, and I 244 00:08:58,510 --> 00:09:00,870 do talk about Joel Steen a little bit, 245 00:09:01,270 --> 00:09:04,570 because he doesn't upset anybody. 246 00:09:05,230 --> 00:09:06,310 There's no offense. 247 00:09:07,770 --> 00:09:08,550 Nobody's offended. 248 00:09:08,670 --> 00:09:09,230 Nobody's upset. 249 00:09:09,730 --> 00:09:11,490 So you can't have that extreme either because 250 00:09:11,490 --> 00:09:13,550 the word of God by its nature, truth 251 00:09:13,550 --> 00:09:14,950 by its nature will offend. 252 00:09:15,330 --> 00:09:17,470 When you're calling sinners to repentance, when you're 253 00:09:17,470 --> 00:09:19,350 talking about the judgment of God, the righteousness 254 00:09:19,350 --> 00:09:21,830 of God, the holiness of God, it's going 255 00:09:21,830 --> 00:09:23,530 to offend and rightly so. 256 00:09:23,890 --> 00:09:25,350 The gospel offends. 257 00:09:26,470 --> 00:09:28,310 If it doesn't offend, there might be something 258 00:09:28,310 --> 00:09:32,390 wrong because if we're trying to distort and 259 00:09:32,390 --> 00:09:35,350 soften it up and candy coat it and 260 00:09:35,350 --> 00:09:37,350 make it easy, that's not the gospel. 261 00:09:38,590 --> 00:09:39,630 But we also don't want to make it 262 00:09:39,630 --> 00:09:42,550 hard and in your face type of an 263 00:09:42,550 --> 00:09:42,810 approach. 264 00:09:42,990 --> 00:09:44,850 You have to find that balance. 265 00:09:45,750 --> 00:09:47,910 So Romans 14 is very interesting on this 266 00:09:47,910 --> 00:09:48,750 topic of judging. 267 00:09:50,730 --> 00:09:54,390 Romans 14 is based on convictions. 268 00:09:55,090 --> 00:09:57,430 Who are you to judge another servant? 269 00:09:57,570 --> 00:09:59,470 To his own master he stands or falls. 270 00:10:00,190 --> 00:10:01,190 And you're probably going, Shane, do you have 271 00:10:01,190 --> 00:10:01,890 a few examples? 272 00:10:02,090 --> 00:10:02,910 I'm glad you asked. 273 00:10:03,870 --> 00:10:05,530 I've got quite a few examples. 274 00:10:05,770 --> 00:10:08,330 And believe it or not, yours truly has 275 00:10:08,330 --> 00:10:11,430 fallen in this area before of being judgmental. 276 00:10:12,290 --> 00:10:14,970 The truth, guys, you know who you are. 277 00:10:15,030 --> 00:10:16,090 It's all about truth. 278 00:10:16,350 --> 00:10:17,370 It's all about truth. 279 00:10:17,390 --> 00:10:19,030 And you've got to be careful because you 280 00:10:19,030 --> 00:10:20,190 can be the arrogant one. 281 00:10:20,410 --> 00:10:21,750 You can be the judgmental one. 282 00:10:21,830 --> 00:10:23,010 And all of you that are all, it's 283 00:10:23,010 --> 00:10:23,950 all about love. 284 00:10:23,990 --> 00:10:25,650 And it's only Jesus' love and just His 285 00:10:25,650 --> 00:10:25,910 love. 286 00:10:26,190 --> 00:10:26,790 Be careful. 287 00:10:27,030 --> 00:10:28,230 Come back to the truth side. 288 00:10:28,290 --> 00:10:29,550 You've got to get a little boldness in 289 00:10:29,550 --> 00:10:29,730 you. 290 00:10:30,030 --> 00:10:31,910 You've got to balance truth and love. 291 00:10:32,450 --> 00:10:34,150 So here's, I believe, what Paul is talking 292 00:10:34,150 --> 00:10:35,750 about, how it applied to us today and 293 00:10:35,750 --> 00:10:38,950 not judging in our convictions. 294 00:10:39,190 --> 00:10:40,690 And this topic has actually come up. 295 00:10:40,790 --> 00:10:43,290 I've gotten emails with people who don't live 296 00:10:43,290 --> 00:10:44,950 in this area per se, out of the 297 00:10:44,950 --> 00:10:45,350 state. 298 00:10:46,330 --> 00:10:47,570 One guy's up in Canada. 299 00:10:47,710 --> 00:10:48,590 We kind of go back and forth. 300 00:10:48,650 --> 00:10:50,930 But on this whole issue of holidays, does 301 00:10:50,930 --> 00:10:53,510 a person, people don't celebrate Easter? 302 00:10:54,050 --> 00:10:54,890 You know, if they don't want to celebrate 303 00:10:56,450 --> 00:10:56,770 Christmas? 304 00:10:56,770 --> 00:10:57,090 Halloween? 305 00:10:57,250 --> 00:10:58,870 I wouldn't celebrate Halloween, by the way, but 306 00:10:58,870 --> 00:11:00,430 just, you know, maybe turn it into a 307 00:11:00,430 --> 00:11:02,190 good day, but not what people celebrate. 308 00:11:02,710 --> 00:11:04,310 But this issue of holidays, you've got to 309 00:11:04,310 --> 00:11:07,550 allow some flexibility and freedoms because there are 310 00:11:07,550 --> 00:11:09,970 convictions that maybe I don't share that you 311 00:11:09,970 --> 00:11:11,410 share, or you share and I don't share. 312 00:11:11,730 --> 00:11:14,190 And I'm, I can't believe you're celebrating Easter. 313 00:11:14,390 --> 00:11:15,090 It's Estar. 314 00:11:15,230 --> 00:11:16,150 It's a goddess of Estar. 315 00:11:16,230 --> 00:11:17,890 And those fertility eggs, and you're putting little 316 00:11:17,890 --> 00:11:19,890 eggs around, and you're letting your kids collect 317 00:11:19,890 --> 00:11:21,030 the Easter eggs. 318 00:11:21,110 --> 00:11:22,370 You're just so off base. 319 00:11:22,870 --> 00:11:24,150 My goodness, what are you thinking? 320 00:11:24,930 --> 00:11:25,930 And then I'm judging. 321 00:11:26,030 --> 00:11:26,990 Then I'm forming an attitude. 322 00:11:27,250 --> 00:11:28,150 I'm speaking evil. 323 00:11:28,650 --> 00:11:29,730 And I'm like, tell my wife, can you 324 00:11:29,730 --> 00:11:30,430 believe these guys? 325 00:11:30,990 --> 00:11:31,730 This is unbelievable. 326 00:11:32,190 --> 00:11:33,030 They're celebrating this. 327 00:11:33,130 --> 00:11:33,570 They're doing this. 328 00:11:33,610 --> 00:11:34,730 So we can do that in holidays. 329 00:11:34,910 --> 00:11:36,390 What about schooling? 330 00:11:38,660 --> 00:11:42,040 Public school, charter school, homeschool? 331 00:11:43,300 --> 00:11:43,700 Hmm. 332 00:11:44,440 --> 00:11:46,200 Getting some good arguments there, can't we? 333 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:47,920 Well, how could you use it? 334 00:11:48,220 --> 00:11:50,600 I mean, I've got good friends in all 335 00:11:50,600 --> 00:11:51,560 three of those. 336 00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:53,900 Pastors I look up to, I could name 337 00:11:53,900 --> 00:11:54,360 them now. 338 00:11:55,220 --> 00:11:56,920 Many of you have read Francis Chen's book, 339 00:11:57,060 --> 00:11:57,280 I believe. 340 00:11:57,840 --> 00:11:59,440 And there's other pastors that their kids are 341 00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:00,540 in the public school. 342 00:12:01,020 --> 00:12:01,760 They're just in it. 343 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:04,180 In San Francisco, up in that area, the 344 00:12:04,180 --> 00:12:05,920 Bay Area, or Texas, or California. 345 00:12:06,380 --> 00:12:07,900 And people are like, oh, how can they 346 00:12:07,900 --> 00:12:08,660 do that? 347 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:10,880 Well, you talk with them, and they believe 348 00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:11,980 it's a mission field for them. 349 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:13,520 And they're teaching their kids and training in 350 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:14,000 that environment. 351 00:12:14,580 --> 00:12:16,080 And, you know, and I have some thoughts 352 00:12:16,080 --> 00:12:16,620 on that. 353 00:12:16,980 --> 00:12:18,980 But I, you know, you can't be judgmental. 354 00:12:19,320 --> 00:12:22,040 You don't know that, that the own, a 355 00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:24,680 person's convictions, charter schools, well, Shane, it's part 356 00:12:24,680 --> 00:12:25,140 of the government. 357 00:12:25,320 --> 00:12:27,020 Yeah, but, you know, if a person has 358 00:12:27,020 --> 00:12:29,360 a conviction that they don't feel wrong about 359 00:12:29,360 --> 00:12:31,640 doing this, and they're able to teach their 360 00:12:31,640 --> 00:12:34,080 kids, and they're able to use that resource, 361 00:12:34,120 --> 00:12:36,120 and then there's homeschooling, and then homeschooling gets 362 00:12:36,120 --> 00:12:37,960 a bad rap, and everybody, we have this 363 00:12:37,960 --> 00:12:39,180 judgmental spirit. 364 00:12:39,940 --> 00:12:42,580 So when it comes to convictions like this 365 00:12:42,580 --> 00:12:44,400 of the conscience, we can't, we can have 366 00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:45,120 strong opinions. 367 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:48,520 But I have a feeling that it applies 368 00:12:48,520 --> 00:12:48,880 here. 369 00:12:49,220 --> 00:12:52,540 Because we're putting our own convictions on other 370 00:12:52,540 --> 00:12:52,980 people. 371 00:12:53,460 --> 00:12:57,040 And I've noticed too, that a person seasoned 372 00:12:57,040 --> 00:12:59,720 in their faith, 20 years, very mature, they're 373 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:01,680 gonna have stronger convictions than a person who's 374 00:13:01,680 --> 00:13:04,160 been a Christian two years or a year. 375 00:13:04,660 --> 00:13:06,200 Like how can they go to that movie? 376 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:08,040 Oh, my goodness, don't they know? 377 00:13:08,500 --> 00:13:12,740 And judgmental, and mean and arrogant and backbiting, 378 00:13:12,940 --> 00:13:14,780 and we can start to have that critical 379 00:13:14,780 --> 00:13:15,880 spirit come up. 380 00:13:15,940 --> 00:13:17,800 And I've repented of this many times before. 381 00:13:18,180 --> 00:13:19,120 I'm sure I'll have to again. 382 00:13:19,260 --> 00:13:20,720 What about food? 383 00:13:21,780 --> 00:13:23,660 There are people who don't think we should 384 00:13:23,660 --> 00:13:25,220 eat meat. 385 00:13:25,640 --> 00:13:27,760 Vegan, I know vegan Christians who are very 386 00:13:27,760 --> 00:13:29,560 adamant about this, and they'll have a case, 387 00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:30,840 you know, a good case. 388 00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:32,560 And then I say, well, Jesus ate fish, 389 00:13:32,580 --> 00:13:34,040 and it kind of throws a monkey wrench 390 00:13:34,040 --> 00:13:35,400 into that thought. 391 00:13:35,820 --> 00:13:40,100 But they see how the government, I mean, 392 00:13:40,140 --> 00:13:41,840 if I showed you clips of how our 393 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:43,480 meat is processed, you would vomit. 394 00:13:44,740 --> 00:13:45,660 It's terrible. 395 00:13:45,820 --> 00:13:47,900 So they have strong convictions in that area. 396 00:13:47,900 --> 00:13:49,720 And I respect those convictions. 397 00:13:50,100 --> 00:13:52,660 And it can go down the list, a 398 00:13:52,660 --> 00:13:53,300 lifestyle. 399 00:13:54,280 --> 00:13:56,500 I mean, sometimes, you know, like, how can 400 00:13:56,500 --> 00:13:57,720 they be a Christian, live in that home 401 00:13:57,720 --> 00:13:58,600 and drive that car? 402 00:13:59,660 --> 00:14:01,300 Wow, a Corvette? 403 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:04,660 $50,000 Corvette? 404 00:14:04,880 --> 00:14:05,460 Wow, what? 405 00:14:05,680 --> 00:14:07,040 How is that possible? 406 00:14:07,260 --> 00:14:08,420 What about if I rolled up in one 407 00:14:08,420 --> 00:14:08,780 of those? 408 00:14:09,660 --> 00:14:11,080 No, it wouldn't look good, would it? 409 00:14:11,600 --> 00:14:16,300 Perception, but we start to form these, and 410 00:14:16,300 --> 00:14:17,940 people look at their neighbors when the garage 411 00:14:17,940 --> 00:14:19,240 doors open, they draw, what's in there? 412 00:14:19,280 --> 00:14:20,760 Oh, my goodness, three Harleys. 413 00:14:21,400 --> 00:14:22,360 Three Harleys. 414 00:14:22,440 --> 00:14:24,060 He's got $75,000. 415 00:14:24,840 --> 00:14:26,440 I remember one guy, he claimed to be 416 00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:27,740 a Christian, and I didn't see a lot 417 00:14:27,740 --> 00:14:29,880 of fruit, but he spent, and he doesn't 418 00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:30,740 have a lot of money. 419 00:14:30,920 --> 00:14:32,680 He took out a loan of $40,000 420 00:14:32,680 --> 00:14:35,720 on a chopper that they custom-made for 421 00:14:35,720 --> 00:14:35,980 him. 422 00:14:36,420 --> 00:14:39,220 And I'm like, oh, what is, Lord, help 423 00:14:39,220 --> 00:14:39,440 me. 424 00:14:40,160 --> 00:14:43,480 But I saw this judgmental spirit coming up. 425 00:14:43,560 --> 00:14:45,020 Now, there's nothing wrong with saying, in my 426 00:14:45,020 --> 00:14:46,480 mind, that's not wise investment. 427 00:14:46,620 --> 00:14:48,160 I don't think I would do that, but 428 00:14:48,160 --> 00:14:49,280 then leave it at that. 429 00:14:50,040 --> 00:14:51,420 I can keep going if you like. 430 00:14:51,660 --> 00:14:52,600 What about movies? 431 00:14:53,580 --> 00:14:55,560 How can people watch certain movies? 432 00:14:55,760 --> 00:14:59,080 Now, I think that some of these things 433 00:14:59,080 --> 00:15:00,900 aren't necessarily a gray area. 434 00:15:01,240 --> 00:15:02,680 Like, yeah, you can go watch a new 435 00:15:02,680 --> 00:15:06,420 movie, Ouija, or all this darkness and seance, 436 00:15:06,580 --> 00:15:09,340 and all this, you know, vampires and a 437 00:15:09,340 --> 00:15:09,660 cult. 438 00:15:09,820 --> 00:15:11,180 I mean, that's their choice, and I think 439 00:15:11,180 --> 00:15:12,740 things like that, you're crossing the line. 440 00:15:13,480 --> 00:15:15,720 Darkness should not entertain the church. 441 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:17,340 But there are people who say you shouldn't 442 00:15:17,340 --> 00:15:19,780 go to a cinema at all. 443 00:15:19,860 --> 00:15:20,760 You shouldn't go to the movies at all. 444 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:22,700 It's of the devil, any type of movie. 445 00:15:24,420 --> 00:15:26,020 I haven't recently, but I used to get 446 00:15:26,020 --> 00:15:29,040 emails monthly that said, I need to repent 447 00:15:29,040 --> 00:15:30,980 and put on a suit and tie, because 448 00:15:30,980 --> 00:15:33,480 real pastors preach in a suit and tie. 449 00:15:34,200 --> 00:15:35,360 And you've got to be in your suit 450 00:15:35,360 --> 00:15:35,620 and tie. 451 00:15:35,740 --> 00:15:37,220 You've got to have your King James Bible 452 00:15:37,220 --> 00:15:40,240 version, and judging and judging and judging. 453 00:15:41,380 --> 00:15:44,440 And should we present ourselves the best we 454 00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:45,220 can in God's house? 455 00:15:45,260 --> 00:15:46,020 Of course. 456 00:15:46,620 --> 00:15:48,440 You know, you'll walk into Flip Flops and 457 00:15:48,440 --> 00:15:50,020 your hair undone, and when I had hair, 458 00:15:50,220 --> 00:15:52,160 and you know, it's just, oh, I don't 459 00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:52,400 care. 460 00:15:52,640 --> 00:15:54,960 So we should present ourselves well. 461 00:15:55,240 --> 00:15:57,680 But it's conviction, conviction of our own hearts. 462 00:15:58,320 --> 00:16:01,860 I'm reading a 1957 commentary on James, and 463 00:16:01,860 --> 00:16:03,780 one of the gentlemen is talking about this 464 00:16:03,780 --> 00:16:04,420 topic. 465 00:16:04,900 --> 00:16:06,240 He had a friend of his that didn't 466 00:16:06,240 --> 00:16:08,480 want any slides in church at all. 467 00:16:09,040 --> 00:16:10,240 Back to the movie thing again. 468 00:16:10,600 --> 00:16:13,080 No slides, nothing in church at all. 469 00:16:13,160 --> 00:16:14,620 Don't put any slides up there. 470 00:16:15,040 --> 00:16:17,560 But this commentator didn't agree, because when missionaries 471 00:16:17,560 --> 00:16:19,840 would come in and want to show slides, 472 00:16:20,340 --> 00:16:22,080 he saw there's nothing wrong with that. 473 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:24,460 But this friend was adamant, that does not 474 00:16:24,460 --> 00:16:25,480 belong in God's house. 475 00:16:25,940 --> 00:16:27,460 So you see, you've got to have a 476 00:16:27,460 --> 00:16:29,380 little bit of leeway there. 477 00:16:29,560 --> 00:16:32,540 And I've seen, I've seen movie clips that 478 00:16:32,540 --> 00:16:35,600 have played in church and inappropriate. 479 00:16:37,200 --> 00:16:38,000 They don't need it. 480 00:16:38,060 --> 00:16:39,420 A lot of times the pastors need to 481 00:16:39,420 --> 00:16:41,140 be filled with the fire and the spirit 482 00:16:41,140 --> 00:16:42,420 of God and the spirit of truth. 483 00:16:42,520 --> 00:16:43,700 You don't need a lot of gimmicks. 484 00:16:43,800 --> 00:16:44,820 And look at that, isn't that cool? 485 00:16:45,240 --> 00:16:46,900 And trying to make people laugh and trying 486 00:16:46,900 --> 00:16:47,840 to relate to the culture. 487 00:16:48,340 --> 00:16:49,940 And so I have opinions about that. 488 00:16:50,040 --> 00:16:52,100 I think I'm kind of careful in that 489 00:16:52,100 --> 00:16:52,340 area. 490 00:16:52,500 --> 00:16:55,660 We don't, I remember, I don't even know 491 00:16:55,660 --> 00:16:56,500 if I should say anything. 492 00:16:56,740 --> 00:16:57,980 It's been a while, so I probably should. 493 00:16:58,400 --> 00:16:59,780 But there's a church in town. 494 00:16:59,880 --> 00:17:00,900 I actually talked to the pastor. 495 00:17:00,900 --> 00:17:02,180 He was talking about lying. 496 00:17:02,900 --> 00:17:04,760 And he played a clip from Jim Carrey's 497 00:17:04,760 --> 00:17:06,760 movie, Liar Liar. 498 00:17:07,319 --> 00:17:10,119 And the clip was so inappropriate. 499 00:17:10,380 --> 00:17:11,700 I could not even, I looked at my 500 00:17:11,700 --> 00:17:13,339 wife, I'm like, I'm in a church. 501 00:17:13,660 --> 00:17:14,560 This is unbelievable. 502 00:17:15,119 --> 00:17:16,319 And he goes, oh, I didn't really see 503 00:17:16,319 --> 00:17:16,599 that. 504 00:17:16,760 --> 00:17:18,420 You know, the talent, this tech guy must 505 00:17:18,420 --> 00:17:18,839 have did that. 506 00:17:18,900 --> 00:17:21,060 And I'm like, I can't believe it. 507 00:17:21,960 --> 00:17:23,160 So I was judgmental. 508 00:17:23,240 --> 00:17:24,720 But in that case, I think in the 509 00:17:24,720 --> 00:17:27,560 right way, you don't need to see barely 510 00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:29,920 clad women in a post up there as 511 00:17:29,920 --> 00:17:30,900 you're explaining about lying. 512 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:32,880 Just talk about lying from God's word. 513 00:17:33,020 --> 00:17:34,760 You don't need to show all these little 514 00:17:34,760 --> 00:17:36,580 bells and whistles and things like that. 515 00:17:37,040 --> 00:17:39,780 So judgmentalism. 516 00:17:39,780 --> 00:17:43,520 People, even about television, you know, we shouldn't 517 00:17:43,520 --> 00:17:44,480 have a TV in the lobby. 518 00:17:47,140 --> 00:17:49,620 Well, it's not running Netflix all day long. 519 00:17:49,700 --> 00:17:51,880 It's showing our missionaries and our bulletin and 520 00:17:51,880 --> 00:17:53,140 things that they did in the Kids Connection 521 00:17:53,140 --> 00:17:53,360 building. 522 00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:55,200 See, I believe the media and things like 523 00:17:55,200 --> 00:17:56,880 that can be used for good or evil. 524 00:17:57,060 --> 00:17:58,120 It's a neutral source. 525 00:17:58,300 --> 00:17:59,780 It's what you do with it. 526 00:17:59,840 --> 00:18:00,840 You've got to be careful. 527 00:18:01,780 --> 00:18:05,560 Religious pictures up in different places. 528 00:18:06,220 --> 00:18:10,800 And because of my knowing a lot about 529 00:18:10,800 --> 00:18:13,520 Roman Catholicism, I'm kind of, you know, leery 530 00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:15,740 with having a lot of those little relics 531 00:18:15,740 --> 00:18:18,500 and pictures up and things like that. 532 00:18:18,640 --> 00:18:19,820 I kind of, you know, I just, I 533 00:18:19,820 --> 00:18:20,820 don't like that personally. 534 00:18:20,860 --> 00:18:22,280 But there are people I know that love 535 00:18:22,280 --> 00:18:23,600 the Lord that they've got them all over 536 00:18:23,600 --> 00:18:24,340 their house. 537 00:18:25,040 --> 00:18:26,260 And so you have to kind of, you 538 00:18:26,260 --> 00:18:28,260 know, just get rid of that judgmental spirit 539 00:18:28,260 --> 00:18:33,040 and realize that people have their own convictions. 540 00:18:33,340 --> 00:18:33,900 A communion. 541 00:18:34,540 --> 00:18:36,740 There's a big, there's convictions about that as 542 00:18:36,740 --> 00:18:36,840 well. 543 00:18:36,900 --> 00:18:37,560 How should we do it? 544 00:18:37,600 --> 00:18:40,300 There's people adamant that you use real wine 545 00:18:40,300 --> 00:18:41,860 and a certain kind of unleavened bread. 546 00:18:42,100 --> 00:18:44,260 And that's probably not a good idea. 547 00:18:44,360 --> 00:18:46,520 If you've got 30 people who are former 548 00:18:46,520 --> 00:18:48,400 alcoholics and one taste of that's going to 549 00:18:48,400 --> 00:18:50,280 set them back in that direction. 550 00:18:50,680 --> 00:18:52,700 Or do you take communion in this type 551 00:18:52,700 --> 00:18:53,940 of setting and pass the plate? 552 00:18:54,120 --> 00:18:55,300 Or the kind that we used to do 553 00:18:55,300 --> 00:18:56,760 in Lancaster, that type of setting. 554 00:18:57,240 --> 00:18:58,560 And really if you look at the Bible, 555 00:18:59,060 --> 00:19:02,600 communion was when believers are coming together, they're 556 00:19:02,600 --> 00:19:04,900 fellowshipping, they're breaking bread, they're having a meal 557 00:19:04,900 --> 00:19:05,320 together. 558 00:19:05,400 --> 00:19:06,920 The right way to probably do it is 559 00:19:06,920 --> 00:19:07,900 to have a potluck. 560 00:19:08,420 --> 00:19:10,800 And where believers coming together were remembering what 561 00:19:10,800 --> 00:19:11,680 Christ did on the cross. 562 00:19:11,780 --> 00:19:13,280 But there's no wrong way to do it. 563 00:19:13,520 --> 00:19:15,880 But we can become judgmental. 564 00:19:16,280 --> 00:19:17,400 Can't churches do that? 565 00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:18,740 Why are they standing? 566 00:19:18,920 --> 00:19:19,660 Why are they sitting? 567 00:19:20,320 --> 00:19:21,580 Why are they raising their hands? 568 00:19:21,660 --> 00:19:23,020 Why aren't they raising their hands? 569 00:19:23,100 --> 00:19:24,060 They're too charismatic. 570 00:19:24,240 --> 00:19:25,500 They're not charismatic enough. 571 00:19:25,620 --> 00:19:26,840 Why is he not wearing a suit and 572 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:26,980 tie? 573 00:19:27,240 --> 00:19:28,740 Why is he wearing a suit and tie? 574 00:19:28,820 --> 00:19:29,960 Why are they using hymnals? 575 00:19:30,240 --> 00:19:31,720 Why aren't they using hymnals? 576 00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:32,860 Why do they have pews? 577 00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:34,860 Why don't they have chairs? 578 00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:35,500 Why don't they? 579 00:19:35,840 --> 00:19:41,640 And we just, this judgmentalism, this what Paul 580 00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:43,560 would say here, who are we to judge 581 00:19:43,560 --> 00:19:44,620 another man's conscience? 582 00:19:44,860 --> 00:19:46,260 Alcohol is another big one. 583 00:19:46,260 --> 00:19:48,140 You know, then the church, and you've got, 584 00:19:48,240 --> 00:19:49,580 you've asked Baptists, they say never. 585 00:19:49,720 --> 00:19:51,420 You ask Presbyterians, they say every night, brother. 586 00:19:53,060 --> 00:19:55,720 And we know the Bible's clear that in 587 00:19:55,720 --> 00:19:58,400 moderation, very limited, don't post on Facebook, don't 588 00:19:58,400 --> 00:19:59,920 make it a big deal, burying up, it 589 00:19:59,920 --> 00:20:01,720 shouldn't be too often or you're addicted, you're 590 00:20:01,720 --> 00:20:02,240 hooked to it. 591 00:20:02,480 --> 00:20:03,320 It's pretty clear. 592 00:20:03,860 --> 00:20:05,500 But when we start to put, you know, 593 00:20:05,820 --> 00:20:07,660 now there's a lot of, well I wouldn't 594 00:20:07,660 --> 00:20:08,900 say a lot, but friends I know who 595 00:20:08,900 --> 00:20:12,180 are young pastors, it's scary because they like 596 00:20:12,180 --> 00:20:14,040 to have now, make their own beer and 597 00:20:14,040 --> 00:20:17,020 have beer tasting at the Bible study, and 598 00:20:17,020 --> 00:20:19,040 it's not tasting, it turns into a six 599 00:20:19,040 --> 00:20:19,960 pack per person. 600 00:20:20,360 --> 00:20:21,460 I mean, that's just not working. 601 00:20:21,560 --> 00:20:22,480 That's not wise. 602 00:20:22,680 --> 00:20:24,600 That's not a good thing. 603 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:27,420 So we can take these areas and become 604 00:20:27,420 --> 00:20:28,880 judgmental about them. 605 00:20:29,060 --> 00:20:31,780 So I think that's what Paul was talking 606 00:20:31,780 --> 00:20:32,620 about in Romans 14. 607 00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:34,240 Take Romans 14 and read it. 608 00:20:34,300 --> 00:20:35,920 He talks about, you know, if you don't 609 00:20:35,920 --> 00:20:37,900 want to eat meat because your brother will 610 00:20:37,900 --> 00:20:40,540 stumble and this whole idea of our own 611 00:20:40,540 --> 00:20:41,020 conscience. 612 00:20:41,700 --> 00:20:43,160 So here's a few things that have helped 613 00:20:43,160 --> 00:20:43,820 me over the years. 614 00:20:44,120 --> 00:20:45,800 The Bible talks about erring on the side 615 00:20:45,800 --> 00:20:46,560 of grace. 616 00:20:46,940 --> 00:20:48,560 If I'm going to err, I'm going to 617 00:20:48,560 --> 00:20:49,900 err on the side of grace. 618 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:51,640 Unless it's an issue that needs to be 619 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:53,400 dealt with, unless it's a pretty big issue, 620 00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:55,760 we're going to err on the side of 621 00:20:55,760 --> 00:20:56,200 grace. 622 00:20:56,660 --> 00:20:58,140 Also, know the facts. 623 00:20:58,660 --> 00:20:59,560 Know the facts. 624 00:20:59,680 --> 00:21:00,480 Hear both sides. 625 00:21:00,820 --> 00:21:02,820 I've been embarrassed so many times when I've 626 00:21:02,820 --> 00:21:04,920 rushed to a judgment hearing only one side 627 00:21:04,920 --> 00:21:08,460 and not waiting to hear both sides. 628 00:21:08,620 --> 00:21:10,440 And is it necessary to say something? 629 00:21:10,980 --> 00:21:13,680 When he says, speak evil of no one. 630 00:21:14,040 --> 00:21:15,740 So if we're going to say something, I 631 00:21:15,740 --> 00:21:17,340 often ask myself, is it necessary? 632 00:21:17,900 --> 00:21:19,180 Does this need to be said? 633 00:21:19,280 --> 00:21:21,100 Is it going to build this person up? 634 00:21:21,420 --> 00:21:22,940 Is there a reason why I need to 635 00:21:22,940 --> 00:21:24,460 bring this to somebody's attention? 636 00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:27,340 And the biggest one of all, what I 637 00:21:27,340 --> 00:21:29,600 said earlier, Jesus said, remove the plank from 638 00:21:29,600 --> 00:21:31,920 your eye first. 639 00:21:32,840 --> 00:21:35,160 See, you can rightly judge others if you 640 00:21:35,160 --> 00:21:37,180 move the plank from your eye first. 641 00:21:37,360 --> 00:21:38,260 Well Shane, what is that? 642 00:21:38,420 --> 00:21:39,820 That is humbling yourself. 643 00:21:40,940 --> 00:21:42,920 It's when we humble ourselves and we say, 644 00:21:43,120 --> 00:21:43,600 you know what? 645 00:21:44,060 --> 00:21:45,820 I haven't mastered certain areas. 646 00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:49,860 I need help in this area or I 647 00:21:49,860 --> 00:21:51,460 want to be humble about this and loving. 648 00:21:51,880 --> 00:21:54,220 And you go to the person or whatever 649 00:21:54,220 --> 00:21:57,120 this involves and there's humility there. 650 00:21:57,200 --> 00:21:58,520 You're not rushing to judgment. 651 00:21:58,680 --> 00:22:01,280 I'm always concerned about those who want to 652 00:22:01,280 --> 00:22:02,180 rush to judgment. 653 00:22:02,180 --> 00:22:03,440 Shane, you go get them. 654 00:22:03,520 --> 00:22:03,980 Go get them. 655 00:22:04,060 --> 00:22:04,980 Let the church get them. 656 00:22:05,380 --> 00:22:06,780 Let's apply Matthew 18. 657 00:22:06,880 --> 00:22:07,300 Wait a minute. 658 00:22:07,440 --> 00:22:08,180 It's just been a week. 659 00:22:08,720 --> 00:22:09,860 What are you talking about? 660 00:22:09,880 --> 00:22:11,320 There's a process here. 661 00:22:11,920 --> 00:22:14,620 So those who are eager to judge, we 662 00:22:14,620 --> 00:22:16,040 shouldn't be eager. 663 00:22:16,220 --> 00:22:17,620 It should break our heart. 664 00:22:18,300 --> 00:22:20,020 We shouldn't be eager to judge and yeah, 665 00:22:20,120 --> 00:22:22,500 go get them Shane or go get them 666 00:22:22,500 --> 00:22:22,880 whoever. 667 00:22:23,140 --> 00:22:25,400 And there has to be this loving humility 668 00:22:25,400 --> 00:22:25,860 there. 669 00:22:26,460 --> 00:22:28,620 And we also should, it's a little uncomfortable, 670 00:22:28,800 --> 00:22:31,140 but call others out when they are gossiping. 671 00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:33,180 Say something. 672 00:22:33,320 --> 00:22:34,160 I usually say, well, you know what? 673 00:22:34,180 --> 00:22:35,320 You need to go talk to that person. 674 00:22:35,520 --> 00:22:36,600 We don't need to talk about it right 675 00:22:36,600 --> 00:22:36,820 now. 676 00:22:36,920 --> 00:22:37,980 You need to talk about it. 677 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:39,380 You need to go to them directly if 678 00:22:39,380 --> 00:22:40,420 they've bothered you. 679 00:22:40,480 --> 00:22:42,560 Well, yeah, but no, you need to take 680 00:22:42,560 --> 00:22:44,480 it and you, because you can be the 681 00:22:44,480 --> 00:22:47,360 catalyst for gossip or you can stop it. 682 00:22:48,740 --> 00:22:51,160 Have you ever put gasoline on a fire? 683 00:22:53,280 --> 00:22:55,620 Keep that imagery in your mind about this 684 00:22:55,620 --> 00:22:55,900 topic. 685 00:22:56,060 --> 00:22:57,380 That's what we do with gossip. 686 00:22:58,320 --> 00:23:00,240 Gasoline on the fire or water. 687 00:23:01,080 --> 00:23:02,360 We can stop it. 688 00:23:02,420 --> 00:23:03,960 We can stop it dead in its tracks. 689 00:23:04,080 --> 00:23:06,960 There's no reason in a true blood bought 690 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:11,040 spirit filled church of God that gossip should 691 00:23:11,040 --> 00:23:14,340 be traveling like this and just all over 692 00:23:14,340 --> 00:23:14,680 the place. 693 00:23:14,720 --> 00:23:16,600 It should be stopped dead in its tracks. 694 00:23:17,520 --> 00:23:19,060 And I know if there's been churches who 695 00:23:19,060 --> 00:23:22,900 have actually church disciplined people because they were 696 00:23:22,900 --> 00:23:25,760 gossipers and they would not stop and they 697 00:23:25,760 --> 00:23:27,500 kept putting down the church and putting down 698 00:23:27,500 --> 00:23:27,820 others. 699 00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:29,040 And they, it finally came to a point. 700 00:23:29,140 --> 00:23:30,660 That's how bad gossip is. 701 00:23:30,920 --> 00:23:33,060 So to sum it up, this passage, James 702 00:23:33,060 --> 00:23:37,380 is saying, it's really about fault finding, fault 703 00:23:37,380 --> 00:23:38,280 finding. 704 00:23:40,730 --> 00:23:42,650 Many of you, I talked about John Calvin 705 00:23:42,650 --> 00:23:44,870 before the reformer, John Calvin, who lived in 706 00:23:44,870 --> 00:23:47,830 Geneva, wrote a good set of commentaries. 707 00:23:48,650 --> 00:23:51,630 He said these words of Christ do not 708 00:23:51,630 --> 00:23:54,750 contain an absolute prohibition from judging, but are 709 00:23:54,750 --> 00:23:56,450 intended to cure a disease. 710 00:23:57,210 --> 00:23:58,530 That disease is criticism. 711 00:23:59,450 --> 00:24:02,230 So he's going back to Matthew 7 when 712 00:24:02,230 --> 00:24:03,830 Jesus says, judge not. 713 00:24:04,370 --> 00:24:06,110 He said, these words of Christ do not 714 00:24:06,110 --> 00:24:08,910 contain an absolute prohibition from judging because we 715 00:24:08,910 --> 00:24:11,270 are supposed to judge, but they are intended 716 00:24:11,270 --> 00:24:13,930 to cure the disease of criticism. 717 00:24:15,410 --> 00:24:17,090 Now we all know what a critical heart 718 00:24:17,090 --> 00:24:17,730 is, don't we? 719 00:24:19,750 --> 00:24:21,650 Nobody in this room knows what a critical 720 00:24:21,650 --> 00:24:22,250 heart is. 721 00:24:22,330 --> 00:24:23,150 My Lord. 722 00:24:24,210 --> 00:24:25,290 Nobody's being honest. 723 00:24:25,790 --> 00:24:27,650 We know what a critical heart is. 724 00:24:27,750 --> 00:24:30,210 It's a heart that's critical and pointing out 725 00:24:30,210 --> 00:24:31,090 flaws in others. 726 00:24:31,510 --> 00:24:33,270 And often the reason we do that is 727 00:24:33,270 --> 00:24:35,350 as I pull you down, I'm built up. 728 00:24:36,050 --> 00:24:37,690 Or as I pull you down, I look 729 00:24:37,690 --> 00:24:38,410 more spiritual. 730 00:24:39,230 --> 00:24:41,070 And that's the whole point of this, is 731 00:24:41,070 --> 00:24:43,450 to kill the disease of criticism. 732 00:24:44,510 --> 00:24:47,310 Now regarding moral issues that destroy lives and 733 00:24:47,310 --> 00:24:49,110 dishonor God, we are to judge. 734 00:24:49,250 --> 00:24:52,450 We are to call into question behaviors, choices, 735 00:24:52,630 --> 00:24:55,370 and lifestyles that lead people in a dangerous 736 00:24:55,370 --> 00:24:58,590 direction, especially if these issues are to become 737 00:24:58,590 --> 00:25:01,530 social policy and legally sanctioned. 738 00:25:01,570 --> 00:25:03,630 So I believe the church should be able 739 00:25:03,630 --> 00:25:06,090 to judge and say, you know, target wanting 740 00:25:06,090 --> 00:25:08,110 a grown man to use a restroom with 741 00:25:08,110 --> 00:25:10,290 my daughter is not a good idea. 742 00:25:10,470 --> 00:25:11,670 I'm not buying that. 743 00:25:12,010 --> 00:25:13,050 I'm going to speak out. 744 00:25:13,110 --> 00:25:14,310 Who are you to judge, Shane? 745 00:25:14,350 --> 00:25:15,530 I'll tell you why I'm a judge. 746 00:25:15,690 --> 00:25:17,490 I'm a father of three girls and I'm 747 00:25:17,490 --> 00:25:19,230 going to judge that issue big time. 748 00:25:19,410 --> 00:25:20,590 But what about gay marriage? 749 00:25:20,670 --> 00:25:21,410 You shouldn't say anything. 750 00:25:21,510 --> 00:25:22,150 Sure we should. 751 00:25:22,230 --> 00:25:23,790 The Bible is crystal clear. 752 00:25:24,110 --> 00:25:25,690 Not be mean and in your face, but 753 00:25:25,690 --> 00:25:26,770 to hold the ground. 754 00:25:27,090 --> 00:25:29,270 Do you realize that's the reason all these 755 00:25:29,270 --> 00:25:30,710 things have been able to be passed is 756 00:25:30,710 --> 00:25:32,070 because the church is silent. 757 00:25:32,810 --> 00:25:34,010 We don't want to offend anybody. 758 00:25:34,150 --> 00:25:35,230 We don't want to upset anybody. 759 00:25:35,790 --> 00:25:37,610 But the church is called to be that 760 00:25:37,610 --> 00:25:39,550 beacon of light to point people in the 761 00:25:39,550 --> 00:25:41,770 truth and to judge rightly. 762 00:25:42,410 --> 00:25:44,390 That's what we're supposed to do, to judge 763 00:25:44,390 --> 00:25:44,910 rightly. 764 00:25:45,370 --> 00:25:47,750 Any type of social issue, judge rightly. 765 00:25:47,950 --> 00:25:52,490 Shane, everything from immigration to tax reform to 766 00:25:52,490 --> 00:25:56,170 abortion to gay marriage, God's word is clear 767 00:25:56,170 --> 00:25:58,690 that we're able to judge rightly and say 768 00:25:58,690 --> 00:26:01,070 this is right or this is wrong. 769 00:26:01,810 --> 00:26:04,790 That's very clear in the scriptures. 770 00:26:05,610 --> 00:26:07,730 Now on a different note, within the church 771 00:26:07,730 --> 00:26:09,790 itself, we are to judge. 772 00:26:09,830 --> 00:26:11,590 I talked about that in Matthew 18. 773 00:26:12,630 --> 00:26:15,470 So a healthy church is a church that's 774 00:26:15,470 --> 00:26:18,010 loving and graceful, but when they hear about 775 00:26:18,010 --> 00:26:21,950 something it's like, many examples, I don't want 776 00:26:21,950 --> 00:26:24,230 to list too many, but it hasn't happened 777 00:26:24,230 --> 00:26:26,630 here per se, but other churches where somebody 778 00:26:26,630 --> 00:26:27,930 is caught in adultery. 779 00:26:28,890 --> 00:26:30,630 They're not wanting to work it out with 780 00:26:30,630 --> 00:26:31,910 their wife and the church has to get 781 00:26:31,910 --> 00:26:33,530 involved and step it up a notch and 782 00:26:33,530 --> 00:26:34,270 talk to this person. 783 00:26:34,350 --> 00:26:35,670 Listen, we don't want to go this route. 784 00:26:36,070 --> 00:26:37,090 Well, who are you to judge me? 785 00:26:37,150 --> 00:26:38,290 I'll tell you who I'm going to judge 786 00:26:38,290 --> 00:26:38,490 you. 787 00:26:38,750 --> 00:26:41,470 According to Matthew 18, we have to judge 788 00:26:41,470 --> 00:26:42,190 this lifestyle. 789 00:26:42,710 --> 00:26:45,350 Or somebody, maybe they're living together, they're not 790 00:26:45,350 --> 00:26:46,710 married, they don't want to get married and 791 00:26:46,710 --> 00:26:48,690 like, well, I'll keep ignoring it. 792 00:26:48,730 --> 00:26:50,370 Hopefully they stumble on a verse someday. 793 00:26:51,830 --> 00:26:53,590 Don't want to upset people. 794 00:26:54,150 --> 00:26:55,530 But you don't run right at them. 795 00:26:55,650 --> 00:26:57,090 You see, what's their situation? 796 00:26:57,210 --> 00:26:57,950 What are they doing financially? 797 00:26:58,090 --> 00:26:58,790 Are they believers? 798 00:26:59,110 --> 00:27:01,170 Because you treat believers and unbelievers differently. 799 00:27:02,290 --> 00:27:04,350 Paul says, if somebody is engaged in sexual 800 00:27:04,350 --> 00:27:06,150 morality or all these other things and they're 801 00:27:06,150 --> 00:27:07,930 a believer, have nothing to do with them 802 00:27:07,930 --> 00:27:08,830 if they're not going to repent. 803 00:27:09,490 --> 00:27:11,830 But what about believers or unbelievers, Paul? 804 00:27:11,910 --> 00:27:12,970 He said, no, you'd have to go out 805 00:27:12,970 --> 00:27:15,130 of this whole world to do that. 806 00:27:15,750 --> 00:27:17,930 You're supposed to engage the unbeliever and help 807 00:27:17,930 --> 00:27:19,910 them turn and see their need for Christ. 808 00:27:20,210 --> 00:27:23,010 But the believer who's representing Christ and they're 809 00:27:23,010 --> 00:27:24,610 continuing in the sin of the church is 810 00:27:24,610 --> 00:27:26,870 to shun that, not to be mean and 811 00:27:26,870 --> 00:27:28,570 I can't believe you, I'm judgmental. 812 00:27:28,850 --> 00:27:30,630 I could say, I take heed lest I 813 00:27:30,630 --> 00:27:33,210 fall, but I can't endorse this and we 814 00:27:33,210 --> 00:27:35,470 have to bring this up so that restoration 815 00:27:35,470 --> 00:27:36,350 takes place. 816 00:27:36,630 --> 00:27:39,550 The whole goal of confrontation is restoration. 817 00:27:40,670 --> 00:27:41,490 That's the goal. 818 00:27:41,610 --> 00:27:42,350 That's the purpose. 819 00:27:42,570 --> 00:27:44,210 It's never to kick somebody out and get 820 00:27:44,210 --> 00:27:44,810 rid of them. 821 00:27:45,230 --> 00:27:46,290 It's for restoration. 822 00:27:47,110 --> 00:27:48,310 But what I was saying on a different 823 00:27:48,310 --> 00:27:53,090 note, Titus 3.10 says to warn a 824 00:27:53,090 --> 00:27:55,930 divisive person a few times and after that 825 00:27:55,930 --> 00:27:57,470 have nothing to do with them. 826 00:27:58,630 --> 00:28:01,150 So we are to judge in different areas. 827 00:28:02,010 --> 00:28:03,430 But here's what I want to talk about 828 00:28:03,430 --> 00:28:04,270 on a different note. 829 00:28:04,610 --> 00:28:07,510 In the church, we can become wrongly judgmental. 830 00:28:07,510 --> 00:28:09,750 I've seen this before many times. 831 00:28:10,730 --> 00:28:14,210 Because we have a certain gifting or a 832 00:28:14,210 --> 00:28:16,790 certain calling, we tend to judge others that 833 00:28:16,790 --> 00:28:17,330 don't. 834 00:28:18,350 --> 00:28:23,110 For example, those who have a calling towards 835 00:28:23,110 --> 00:28:28,190 politics, Dobson, Tony Perkins, Family Research Council, David 836 00:28:28,190 --> 00:28:30,650 Barton, Wall Builders, and all these people you're 837 00:28:30,650 --> 00:28:30,790 seeing. 838 00:28:30,990 --> 00:28:32,290 Thank God for them. 839 00:28:32,830 --> 00:28:33,630 Thank God for people. 840 00:28:33,710 --> 00:28:35,090 Can you imagine we just give up on 841 00:28:35,090 --> 00:28:35,530 everything? 842 00:28:36,790 --> 00:28:38,770 We don't have Christian judges. 843 00:28:39,410 --> 00:28:40,650 So thank God for them. 844 00:28:40,750 --> 00:28:42,410 But then you have people who are primarily 845 00:28:42,410 --> 00:28:45,150 called to pastor and to teach. 846 00:28:45,390 --> 00:28:47,010 They have a different calling. 847 00:28:48,010 --> 00:28:49,990 They're not going to have that same desire 848 00:28:49,990 --> 00:28:51,110 for all these political things. 849 00:28:51,230 --> 00:28:52,530 So the people on the political side say, 850 00:28:52,650 --> 00:28:53,850 why aren't you being more political? 851 00:28:54,230 --> 00:28:55,710 And the people on the side who aren't 852 00:28:55,710 --> 00:28:57,590 political say, why aren't you being more according 853 00:28:57,590 --> 00:28:59,070 to God's word and just preaching? 854 00:28:59,150 --> 00:29:00,230 Well, he hasn't called me a preacher. 855 00:29:00,290 --> 00:29:01,350 He's called me to get involved in here. 856 00:29:01,550 --> 00:29:03,570 Well, he's called me, and we wrongly judge 857 00:29:03,570 --> 00:29:04,010 each other. 858 00:29:04,150 --> 00:29:06,750 Why aren't you caring more about the mission 859 00:29:06,750 --> 00:29:09,690 field in Syria or Iraq or persecute a 860 00:29:09,690 --> 00:29:10,190 Christian chain? 861 00:29:10,230 --> 00:29:11,610 I can't believe your church. 862 00:29:11,750 --> 00:29:11,970 Why? 863 00:29:12,130 --> 00:29:12,230 Why? 864 00:29:12,330 --> 00:29:13,470 Because that's your passion. 865 00:29:15,420 --> 00:29:16,340 That's your passion. 866 00:29:16,500 --> 00:29:17,660 That's what God's called you to do. 867 00:29:18,120 --> 00:29:20,320 So we come alongside of each other and 868 00:29:20,320 --> 00:29:22,920 our giftings, we use our giftings together. 869 00:29:23,900 --> 00:29:25,900 Thank God for people like John MacArthur. 870 00:29:27,280 --> 00:29:28,440 But not real political. 871 00:29:29,040 --> 00:29:29,660 He's a teacher. 872 00:29:30,880 --> 00:29:31,960 And thank God for these people who are 873 00:29:31,960 --> 00:29:34,640 political because they're involved in policy. 874 00:29:34,800 --> 00:29:36,380 They're involved in what the world's going to 875 00:29:36,380 --> 00:29:38,580 look like for my children and your kids 876 00:29:38,580 --> 00:29:39,540 and your grandkids. 877 00:29:39,920 --> 00:29:42,080 God wants us in all areas of life 878 00:29:42,080 --> 00:29:42,940 making a difference. 879 00:29:43,400 --> 00:29:45,080 So be careful there because that's where I, 880 00:29:45,160 --> 00:29:47,740 and I sometimes have to pull back because 881 00:29:47,740 --> 00:29:50,080 I'm more the John the Baptist, not the 882 00:29:50,080 --> 00:29:50,880 John the Apostle. 883 00:29:51,420 --> 00:29:53,720 Lay on Jesus's breast and just sing a 884 00:29:53,720 --> 00:29:53,900 song. 885 00:29:55,120 --> 00:29:56,240 He's just real soft. 886 00:29:57,200 --> 00:30:00,940 So when those pastors that are kind of 887 00:30:00,940 --> 00:30:02,680 cowardly and don't want to say anything and 888 00:30:02,680 --> 00:30:04,780 they're just loving and smiling, I have to 889 00:30:04,780 --> 00:30:07,500 be careful because that's not quite my calling. 890 00:30:08,000 --> 00:30:09,500 And they need to be careful because, oh, 891 00:30:09,560 --> 00:30:11,740 he's just mean and spirited and he's just, 892 00:30:11,840 --> 00:30:13,240 you know, no, no, no, no, no. 893 00:30:13,360 --> 00:30:14,800 The God's Word is in my belly like 894 00:30:14,800 --> 00:30:15,640 a burning fire. 895 00:30:15,780 --> 00:30:16,840 I can't hold it back. 896 00:30:16,920 --> 00:30:17,940 Where's your burning fire? 897 00:30:19,460 --> 00:30:21,520 But there is a time, I believe, and 898 00:30:21,520 --> 00:30:24,160 a place that we do need to sometimes 899 00:30:24,160 --> 00:30:26,540 lovingly challenge because I think the pulpits have 900 00:30:26,540 --> 00:30:28,160 been silent in many areas. 901 00:30:28,320 --> 00:30:29,920 I think we've been not wanting to offend. 902 00:30:30,040 --> 00:30:31,300 We don't want to offend people with the 903 00:30:31,300 --> 00:30:32,540 truth so we candy coat it. 904 00:30:32,800 --> 00:30:34,160 We don't want to offend people with the 905 00:30:34,160 --> 00:30:35,780 truth so we don't say certain things. 906 00:30:35,900 --> 00:30:37,880 We don't, we don't talk about certain things 907 00:30:37,880 --> 00:30:39,420 and that needs to be challenged. 908 00:30:40,480 --> 00:30:42,440 So that's another thing that happens in the 909 00:30:42,440 --> 00:30:42,860 church. 910 00:30:43,920 --> 00:30:45,720 People, and I've seen this, people have such 911 00:30:45,720 --> 00:30:47,380 a desire for a certain thing. 912 00:30:48,080 --> 00:30:48,480 Abortion. 913 00:30:48,780 --> 00:30:51,380 There's people, we've had people that they want 914 00:30:51,380 --> 00:30:53,500 to go sit in front of Planned Parenthood 915 00:30:53,500 --> 00:30:56,200 and protest and pray for those people and 916 00:30:56,200 --> 00:30:57,320 thank God for that. 917 00:30:57,740 --> 00:30:59,680 But, Shane, why aren't you there every weekend? 918 00:30:59,740 --> 00:31:01,880 Well, because I'm preaching and because I've got 919 00:31:01,880 --> 00:31:05,400 kids and they become judgmental and then that 920 00:31:05,400 --> 00:31:07,140 person who's in Africa, why aren't you more 921 00:31:07,140 --> 00:31:07,960 African? 922 00:31:08,060 --> 00:31:09,480 I'm like, well, why aren't you this? 923 00:31:09,740 --> 00:31:10,940 Why aren't you more in the Word of 924 00:31:10,940 --> 00:31:11,140 God? 925 00:31:11,220 --> 00:31:12,120 Why aren't you more in worship? 926 00:31:12,240 --> 00:31:13,560 Why don't I ever see you at church? 927 00:31:13,860 --> 00:31:15,340 And see how we can start judging each 928 00:31:15,340 --> 00:31:18,720 other instead of using those God-given gifts 929 00:31:18,720 --> 00:31:20,480 to come alongside and be the body of 930 00:31:20,480 --> 00:31:20,760 Christ. 931 00:31:21,060 --> 00:31:23,920 How can I encourage the person whose gifting 932 00:31:23,920 --> 00:31:25,560 is that and mine might not be? 933 00:31:26,200 --> 00:31:27,860 So I've just seen this in the church 934 00:31:27,860 --> 00:31:28,180 a lot. 935 00:31:28,300 --> 00:31:29,900 That's why you'll see there's a big divide. 936 00:31:30,440 --> 00:31:32,020 That's why there's a big divide in the 937 00:31:32,020 --> 00:31:32,300 church. 938 00:31:32,440 --> 00:31:33,960 I believe on this issue, the whole issue, 939 00:31:34,020 --> 00:31:34,820 I don't want to keep bringing it up, 940 00:31:34,880 --> 00:31:37,620 but on politics, it's because God has clearly 941 00:31:37,620 --> 00:31:40,900 called some people to that arena without a 942 00:31:40,900 --> 00:31:41,600 shadow of a doubt. 943 00:31:42,180 --> 00:31:47,160 God instituted the government, the family institution, the 944 00:31:47,160 --> 00:31:47,740 church institution. 945 00:31:47,740 --> 00:31:49,580 He ordained the government. 946 00:31:50,100 --> 00:31:52,480 He said in Romans 13 to submit to 947 00:31:52,480 --> 00:31:52,860 the government. 948 00:31:53,200 --> 00:31:54,560 They are God's avengers. 949 00:31:54,740 --> 00:31:56,880 If you do evil, be scared. 950 00:31:57,040 --> 00:31:59,080 Be very afraid because they do not bear 951 00:31:59,080 --> 00:32:00,080 the sword in vain. 952 00:32:00,500 --> 00:32:03,080 So we want godly people in those positions, 953 00:32:03,080 --> 00:32:04,720 but we also want godly people in the 954 00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:05,120 pulpits. 955 00:32:05,260 --> 00:32:07,220 And we have to really just understand that 956 00:32:07,220 --> 00:32:08,920 there are different callings. 957 00:32:09,580 --> 00:32:10,600 Did I get that point across? 958 00:32:11,120 --> 00:32:11,960 Okay, good. 959 00:32:13,060 --> 00:32:14,300 Now we're going to get into this next 960 00:32:14,300 --> 00:32:15,040 week a little bit. 961 00:32:15,940 --> 00:32:17,020 Verse 13. 962 00:32:18,440 --> 00:32:19,720 I'm going to talk more about next week, 963 00:32:19,780 --> 00:32:20,820 but I want to leave you with this. 964 00:32:21,020 --> 00:32:21,640 Verse 13. 965 00:32:22,020 --> 00:32:24,540 This is about not boasting about tomorrow. 966 00:32:24,800 --> 00:32:27,060 This whole point is, if you look in 967 00:32:27,060 --> 00:32:29,820 your Bibles, James 4.13, it might say, 968 00:32:29,980 --> 00:32:31,500 do not boast about tomorrow. 969 00:32:33,480 --> 00:32:36,000 Come now, you say, you who say, tomorrow 970 00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:38,220 or today or tomorrow, we will go to 971 00:32:38,220 --> 00:32:39,840 such and such a city, spend a year 972 00:32:39,840 --> 00:32:41,840 there, buy and sell and make a profit. 973 00:32:42,340 --> 00:32:44,360 Whereas you do not know what will happen 974 00:32:44,360 --> 00:32:44,780 tomorrow. 975 00:32:44,780 --> 00:32:46,440 For what is your life? 976 00:32:46,800 --> 00:32:48,540 It is even a vapor that appears for 977 00:32:48,540 --> 00:32:50,380 a little time and then vanishes away. 978 00:32:50,640 --> 00:32:53,220 Instead, you ought to say, if the Lord 979 00:32:53,220 --> 00:32:55,580 wills, we shall live and do this or 980 00:32:55,580 --> 00:32:55,880 that. 981 00:32:56,400 --> 00:32:58,720 But now you boast in your arrogance, and 982 00:32:58,720 --> 00:33:00,400 all such boasting is evil. 983 00:33:00,980 --> 00:33:02,780 Therefore, to him who knows to do good 984 00:33:02,780 --> 00:33:05,000 and does not do it, to him it 985 00:33:05,000 --> 00:33:05,700 is sin. 986 00:33:06,460 --> 00:33:07,980 And at the first reading, people might say, 987 00:33:08,040 --> 00:33:09,060 boy, he's being hardcore. 988 00:33:09,240 --> 00:33:11,920 Can't we say, here's what I'm going to 989 00:33:11,920 --> 00:33:14,600 do today or tomorrow or next year. 990 00:33:14,740 --> 00:33:16,220 Here's how I'm going to spend my year. 991 00:33:16,580 --> 00:33:17,680 Well, the key is this. 992 00:33:18,160 --> 00:33:19,800 It doesn't say not to talk about or 993 00:33:19,800 --> 00:33:20,900 plan for the future. 994 00:33:21,320 --> 00:33:22,880 It says, don't boast in it. 995 00:33:24,400 --> 00:33:25,840 So the right way to do this is, 996 00:33:26,040 --> 00:33:27,380 Lord, here's what I'd like to do over 997 00:33:27,380 --> 00:33:27,940 the next year. 998 00:33:28,000 --> 00:33:29,260 I'd like to sell my house. 999 00:33:29,560 --> 00:33:30,800 I'd like to move here. 1000 00:33:30,900 --> 00:33:31,820 I'd like to do this. 1001 00:33:31,860 --> 00:33:32,900 I'd like to store here. 1002 00:33:33,100 --> 00:33:34,280 I'd like to get ready for this. 1003 00:33:34,420 --> 00:33:36,340 Lord, these are my plans. 1004 00:33:36,940 --> 00:33:39,280 My mind sets my plans, but it's your 1005 00:33:39,280 --> 00:33:40,240 ways that prevail. 1006 00:33:40,560 --> 00:33:42,300 God, would you show me in this area? 1007 00:33:42,520 --> 00:33:43,960 I'm giving you full control. 1008 00:33:44,340 --> 00:33:45,400 This is your life. 1009 00:33:45,740 --> 00:33:46,060 Show me. 1010 00:33:46,140 --> 00:33:47,780 This is my plan, but I'd like you 1011 00:33:47,780 --> 00:33:48,320 to show me. 1012 00:33:49,040 --> 00:33:50,300 And I'll listen to you and I'll obey 1013 00:33:50,300 --> 00:33:50,420 you. 1014 00:33:50,480 --> 00:33:51,360 That's the right way to do it. 1015 00:33:51,400 --> 00:33:53,600 The wrong way to do it is arrogantly 1016 00:33:53,600 --> 00:33:55,540 assuming that this is what you're going to 1017 00:33:55,540 --> 00:33:55,980 do. 1018 00:33:56,540 --> 00:33:59,420 Arrogance is self-willed, and being self-willed 1019 00:33:59,420 --> 00:34:01,780 is not God-centered and therefore evil. 1020 00:34:02,400 --> 00:34:03,840 Evil, that word, if you look it up 1021 00:34:03,840 --> 00:34:06,220 in the Greek or the Hebrew, is something 1022 00:34:06,220 --> 00:34:08,580 that opposes the character and nature of God. 1023 00:34:09,679 --> 00:34:11,420 So you think, evil, oh no, this is 1024 00:34:11,420 --> 00:34:12,239 like terrible. 1025 00:34:12,460 --> 00:34:12,960 Yes, it is. 1026 00:34:13,179 --> 00:34:15,880 But anything that opposes the character and nature 1027 00:34:15,880 --> 00:34:17,360 of God is evil or wicked. 1028 00:34:18,159 --> 00:34:20,020 So when a person says, here's what I'm 1029 00:34:20,020 --> 00:34:20,420 going to do. 1030 00:34:21,520 --> 00:34:23,460 This next year, I'm going to save up. 1031 00:34:23,540 --> 00:34:24,320 I'm going to store up. 1032 00:34:24,380 --> 00:34:26,100 I'm going to take three trips to all 1033 00:34:26,100 --> 00:34:26,719 around the world. 1034 00:34:27,040 --> 00:34:27,980 I'm going to plan this. 1035 00:34:28,340 --> 00:34:30,360 I don't really care what God says. 1036 00:34:30,360 --> 00:34:31,560 This is what I'm doing. 1037 00:34:31,880 --> 00:34:33,920 And you're probably like, Christians don't do that, 1038 00:34:34,000 --> 00:34:34,159 Shane. 1039 00:34:34,280 --> 00:34:35,860 Oh, you have no idea. 1040 00:34:37,440 --> 00:34:40,560 Yeah, we tell God, here's what we basically 1041 00:34:40,560 --> 00:34:42,020 do more often than not. 1042 00:34:42,500 --> 00:34:44,040 Lord, here's what I'm going to do. 1043 00:34:44,139 --> 00:34:45,280 Please bless my plans. 1044 00:34:47,659 --> 00:34:49,500 And come hell or high water, we are 1045 00:34:49,500 --> 00:34:50,960 going to fulfill those plans. 1046 00:34:51,199 --> 00:34:52,739 We're going to buy what we want. 1047 00:34:52,840 --> 00:34:54,159 We're going to sell what we want. 1048 00:34:54,239 --> 00:34:55,679 We're going to move where we want. 1049 00:34:55,900 --> 00:34:57,360 We're going to do all these things. 1050 00:34:58,500 --> 00:35:00,280 And this is a side note. 1051 00:35:01,640 --> 00:35:03,220 I hope nobody takes this the wrong way, 1052 00:35:03,300 --> 00:35:04,480 because I don't mean it the wrong way. 1053 00:35:04,700 --> 00:35:07,580 But I've seen a lot of people move. 1054 00:35:08,280 --> 00:35:09,640 And I don't know if God's in it. 1055 00:35:11,680 --> 00:35:12,940 They just want to get out of bad 1056 00:35:12,940 --> 00:35:13,700 old California. 1057 00:35:15,140 --> 00:35:16,000 Well, guess what? 1058 00:35:16,280 --> 00:35:18,740 Good old California is better than 99.9 1059 00:35:18,740 --> 00:35:19,940 % of the entire world. 1060 00:35:20,640 --> 00:35:23,360 And if you move, make sure it's God's 1061 00:35:23,360 --> 00:35:23,660 will. 1062 00:35:24,840 --> 00:35:26,760 Because I'd rather be in East Los Angeles 1063 00:35:26,760 --> 00:35:28,100 in the center of God's will. 1064 00:35:29,700 --> 00:35:32,180 Then move and be outside of his will 1065 00:35:32,180 --> 00:35:35,240 just because of some thing you read on 1066 00:35:35,240 --> 00:35:37,920 the media that that California is this or 1067 00:35:37,920 --> 00:35:38,180 that. 1068 00:35:38,300 --> 00:35:39,600 And yeah, it's a hard place to live 1069 00:35:39,600 --> 00:35:39,960 sometimes. 1070 00:35:39,960 --> 00:35:42,000 But we are so we are so blessed, 1071 00:35:42,020 --> 00:35:43,220 and we should be so thankful. 1072 00:35:43,760 --> 00:35:46,020 But I've seen people make decisions in their 1073 00:35:46,020 --> 00:35:47,360 flesh and not looking. 1074 00:35:47,640 --> 00:35:48,740 So that's what this all about. 1075 00:35:48,820 --> 00:35:49,880 Don't say here's what I'm gonna do here. 1076 00:35:49,960 --> 00:35:51,820 I don't care what really good because the 1077 00:35:51,820 --> 00:35:53,040 truth be told when we want to do 1078 00:35:53,040 --> 00:35:54,340 something, we don't want to know what God 1079 00:35:54,340 --> 00:35:55,060 says about it. 1080 00:35:56,680 --> 00:35:58,080 Now, will he call people to move? 1081 00:35:58,180 --> 00:35:59,460 Of course, he does it regularly. 1082 00:35:59,660 --> 00:36:01,400 He often does it, there's peace, there's assurance, 1083 00:36:01,500 --> 00:36:03,740 they're waiting on God, they're looking for opportunities 1084 00:36:03,740 --> 00:36:05,480 to serve that they're doing it according to 1085 00:36:05,480 --> 00:36:06,060 God's will. 1086 00:36:06,800 --> 00:36:09,220 But just be careful because often we make 1087 00:36:09,220 --> 00:36:10,800 our plans and we say, Come on, God 1088 00:36:10,800 --> 00:36:11,360 bless it. 1089 00:36:11,500 --> 00:36:12,880 Come on, you're not blessing it. 1090 00:36:13,100 --> 00:36:14,740 And you're still not blessing it. 1091 00:36:14,760 --> 00:36:16,740 But I'm still moving forward because I'm too 1092 00:36:16,740 --> 00:36:18,940 arrogant to admit that I was wrong. 1093 00:36:20,100 --> 00:36:21,480 So that's what he's saying here, all such 1094 00:36:21,480 --> 00:36:22,920 boasting saying here's I'm going to do and 1095 00:36:22,920 --> 00:36:25,860 being being being proud about what you're going 1096 00:36:25,860 --> 00:36:26,260 to do. 1097 00:36:27,580 --> 00:36:28,780 So the best thing to do is ask 1098 00:36:28,780 --> 00:36:31,900 God for his wisdom before you do anything 1099 00:36:31,900 --> 00:36:34,200 significant, even something little. 1100 00:36:34,780 --> 00:36:37,600 But the whole point here, he's talking about 1101 00:36:37,600 --> 00:36:39,760 those who say Come on, come now say 1102 00:36:39,760 --> 00:36:41,380 today or tomorrow, we will go to such 1103 00:36:41,380 --> 00:36:43,300 and such a city and spend a year 1104 00:36:43,300 --> 00:36:45,360 there buy and sell and make a profit. 1105 00:36:45,640 --> 00:36:47,840 He's also the second thing I was going 1106 00:36:47,840 --> 00:36:49,920 to get to next week is their focus, 1107 00:36:50,160 --> 00:36:50,800 their focus. 1108 00:36:50,960 --> 00:36:52,620 It has nothing to do with necessarily God's 1109 00:36:52,620 --> 00:36:53,900 will or helping people are serving. 1110 00:36:54,080 --> 00:36:56,640 It's all about money and making a profit. 1111 00:36:57,780 --> 00:36:59,540 And anytime you make a decision on money 1112 00:36:59,540 --> 00:37:01,820 alone, I guarantee nine times out of 10, 1113 00:37:01,880 --> 00:37:03,440 you are not going in a good direction. 1114 00:37:04,180 --> 00:37:06,100 Well, Shane, shouldn't we consider our of course, 1115 00:37:06,200 --> 00:37:07,240 it has to be a consideration. 1116 00:37:07,600 --> 00:37:10,700 But those who make decisions based on finances 1117 00:37:10,700 --> 00:37:14,800 alone, often have the wrong focus, because they'll 1118 00:37:14,800 --> 00:37:17,400 compromise their family, they'll compromise time with their 1119 00:37:17,400 --> 00:37:20,520 family, they'll compromise their marriage, they'll compromise. 1120 00:37:20,860 --> 00:37:22,240 I don't know if there's a good church 1121 00:37:22,240 --> 00:37:22,400 there. 1122 00:37:22,480 --> 00:37:22,980 I don't care. 1123 00:37:23,080 --> 00:37:24,620 I'm gonna make $10,000 more a year. 1124 00:37:24,680 --> 00:37:25,700 I know it's gonna be harder on my 1125 00:37:25,700 --> 00:37:26,760 family, but they'll get over. 1126 00:37:26,840 --> 00:37:27,960 I know my kids are resilient. 1127 00:37:28,320 --> 00:37:29,720 I'll spend more time with them in five 1128 00:37:29,720 --> 00:37:31,420 years when I can retire a little younger. 1129 00:37:33,040 --> 00:37:34,160 And that's how it goes. 1130 00:37:34,520 --> 00:37:36,580 Because we're chasing that almighty dollar. 1131 00:37:37,020 --> 00:37:38,800 Let that almighty dollar chase you. 1132 00:37:39,960 --> 00:37:41,000 Don't chase it. 1133 00:37:41,480 --> 00:37:43,360 Because when you start to make decisions based 1134 00:37:43,360 --> 00:37:46,160 on that, you'll sell something you shouldn't sell, 1135 00:37:46,300 --> 00:37:47,860 or you'll go somewhere you shouldn't go, or 1136 00:37:47,860 --> 00:37:49,820 you'll compromise your integrity. 1137 00:37:50,460 --> 00:37:51,840 You'll do things that he says here, they're 1138 00:37:51,840 --> 00:37:54,180 evil, they're wrong, they're self-centered, and they're 1139 00:37:54,180 --> 00:37:55,860 focused on me.