1 00:00:00,970 --> 00:00:02,570 Well, it's good to be with you again. 2 00:00:03,870 --> 00:00:06,070 It's been a couple years since I've been 3 00:00:06,070 --> 00:00:08,430 down here and I can echo the words 4 00:00:08,430 --> 00:00:11,750 of our leader earlier when he said that 5 00:00:11,750 --> 00:00:14,070 the changes that have been going on are 6 00:00:14,070 --> 00:00:16,390 just something really to behold. 7 00:00:16,970 --> 00:00:18,290 I know it's going to be a good 8 00:00:18,290 --> 00:00:18,750 weekend. 9 00:00:19,550 --> 00:00:21,690 I understand that there's going to be people 10 00:00:21,690 --> 00:00:24,190 adding to our numbers throughout the day and 11 00:00:24,190 --> 00:00:26,850 through tomorrow, and I'm sure that we'll have 12 00:00:26,850 --> 00:00:27,450 a good time. 13 00:00:31,110 --> 00:00:34,070 How many of you here know me? 14 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:39,280 How many of you don't know me? 15 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:42,420 All of you that know me, stay away 16 00:00:42,420 --> 00:00:43,200 from those people. 17 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:49,840 Don't listen to anything that Mike has to 18 00:00:49,840 --> 00:00:54,120 say because he's a misplaced Omahaan down here 19 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:54,780 helping out. 20 00:00:55,980 --> 00:00:58,420 He's been a real big help to us 21 00:00:58,420 --> 00:00:58,780 in Omaha. 22 00:01:03,690 --> 00:01:08,130 This weekend, we're going to share from the 23 00:01:08,130 --> 00:01:12,550 word of God some practical lessons on the 24 00:01:12,550 --> 00:01:13,810 Christian's walk of faith. 25 00:01:14,510 --> 00:01:16,050 We're going to look at a number of 26 00:01:16,050 --> 00:01:17,410 things this weekend. 27 00:01:18,510 --> 00:01:20,810 Basically, I'm going to share with you six 28 00:01:20,810 --> 00:01:24,170 character studies, three from the Old Testament and 29 00:01:24,170 --> 00:01:25,170 three from the New Testament. 30 00:01:25,170 --> 00:01:28,810 If I look around, I see we're pretty 31 00:01:28,810 --> 00:01:32,090 evenly divided between men and women. 32 00:01:33,130 --> 00:01:34,490 I hope it stays that way over the 33 00:01:34,490 --> 00:01:34,770 weekend. 34 00:01:35,130 --> 00:01:36,750 I work for a company that is very 35 00:01:36,750 --> 00:01:39,290 conscious, because the government has made them conscious, 36 00:01:39,690 --> 00:01:41,170 of equal opportunity. 37 00:01:42,590 --> 00:01:46,550 This weekend, so I wouldn't be in trouble, 38 00:01:47,030 --> 00:01:50,010 our character sketches will be three women and 39 00:01:50,010 --> 00:01:50,550 three men. 40 00:01:52,370 --> 00:01:54,490 I didn't want the women to feel that 41 00:01:54,490 --> 00:01:55,450 they come for naught. 42 00:01:55,910 --> 00:01:58,690 We have some character studies, and the lessons 43 00:01:58,690 --> 00:02:00,250 that we'll learn from the women are three 44 00:02:00,250 --> 00:02:03,410 positive lessons, so you can be encouraged in 45 00:02:03,410 --> 00:02:03,610 that. 46 00:02:03,610 --> 00:02:04,790 The men are not so lucky. 47 00:02:05,770 --> 00:02:08,110 Out of the men that we're going to 48 00:02:08,110 --> 00:02:10,830 study, only one out of the three really 49 00:02:10,830 --> 00:02:12,190 gives us a positive lesson. 50 00:02:12,970 --> 00:02:15,410 But nonetheless, we're going to have some positive 51 00:02:15,410 --> 00:02:17,830 lessons, even from those that we sometimes look 52 00:02:17,830 --> 00:02:20,110 at with a negative type of look. 53 00:02:20,110 --> 00:02:25,930 We're going to be looking at a man 54 00:02:25,930 --> 00:02:28,690 who was a priest before God. 55 00:02:29,530 --> 00:02:31,930 We'll look at a woman who served God, 56 00:02:32,810 --> 00:02:37,070 a man who was dissatisfied with God, a 57 00:02:37,070 --> 00:02:41,730 woman who gave all to God, a man 58 00:02:41,730 --> 00:02:46,370 who walked with God, and a woman who 59 00:02:46,370 --> 00:02:48,710 pleaded with the Son of God. 60 00:02:49,370 --> 00:02:50,850 We'll be looking at those six. 61 00:02:50,930 --> 00:02:51,950 I'm not going to tell you their names. 62 00:02:52,050 --> 00:02:53,530 You probably already guessed a few of them. 63 00:02:54,350 --> 00:02:56,270 We're going to be looking at these six 64 00:02:56,270 --> 00:02:58,970 people, and these lessons that we're going to 65 00:02:58,970 --> 00:03:01,690 look at over this weekend are not six 66 00:03:01,690 --> 00:03:03,390 people that we normally study. 67 00:03:04,530 --> 00:03:06,310 They're not the big names of Scripture. 68 00:03:06,850 --> 00:03:08,810 One of them might be, but they're not 69 00:03:08,810 --> 00:03:09,850 the big names of Scripture. 70 00:03:09,850 --> 00:03:14,050 I read an interesting verse in Timothy, and 71 00:03:14,050 --> 00:03:14,830 it says this. 72 00:03:15,550 --> 00:03:20,630 All Scripture is inspired by God, spoken by 73 00:03:20,630 --> 00:03:22,730 God, and it is profitable. 74 00:03:23,990 --> 00:03:26,050 If those men and women's lives are in 75 00:03:26,050 --> 00:03:28,530 the word of God, they're there for our 76 00:03:28,530 --> 00:03:29,070 profit. 77 00:03:29,070 --> 00:03:31,830 But what happens so often is that we 78 00:03:31,830 --> 00:03:32,710 take those... 79 00:03:32,710 --> 00:03:34,390 I forgot about you people over here. 80 00:03:34,910 --> 00:03:36,210 I won't do that anymore. 81 00:03:38,420 --> 00:03:41,540 So often we look at people when we're 82 00:03:41,540 --> 00:03:44,060 going through Scripture, and unless something is really 83 00:03:44,060 --> 00:03:45,880 dynamic and we've heard it a number of 84 00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:48,320 times, we tend to gloss over their lives. 85 00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:51,420 In the last several months, since our brother 86 00:03:51,420 --> 00:03:53,500 called me and asked me to come and 87 00:03:53,500 --> 00:03:56,240 share the word with you, I've been looking 88 00:03:56,240 --> 00:03:59,420 at these people in depth, dissecting their very 89 00:03:59,420 --> 00:04:01,080 lives from the word of God to see 90 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:03,860 what has God got for us in their 91 00:04:03,860 --> 00:04:04,460 lives. 92 00:04:04,980 --> 00:04:08,120 He's got something for us, lessons to learn, 93 00:04:08,620 --> 00:04:10,140 principles to hang on to. 94 00:04:10,140 --> 00:04:13,440 You know, so often today as I minister 95 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:16,019 among the children of God, is that I 96 00:04:16,019 --> 00:04:19,019 see so many people today that don't have 97 00:04:19,019 --> 00:04:22,000 a set of handlebars on their bicycle as 98 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:23,160 they pedal through life. 99 00:04:23,380 --> 00:04:25,100 They have nothing to guide them. 100 00:04:25,700 --> 00:04:27,640 They understand that there is the word of 101 00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:30,540 God, but getting a hold of it and 102 00:04:30,540 --> 00:04:32,640 making use of it in their lives is 103 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:36,360 a sad tragedy that is so prevalent today 104 00:04:36,360 --> 00:04:37,400 among many Christians. 105 00:04:38,140 --> 00:04:40,680 They read the word of God, but they 106 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:42,780 don't grasp hold of it and put it 107 00:04:42,780 --> 00:04:43,960 to use in their lives. 108 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:45,960 And this weekend I'd like to share with 109 00:04:45,960 --> 00:04:49,120 you these six lessons from these biblical characters. 110 00:04:49,540 --> 00:04:51,360 This morning will be kind of an opening 111 00:04:51,360 --> 00:04:51,840 lesson. 112 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:54,900 We're going to be looking at several men 113 00:04:54,900 --> 00:04:58,060 this morning, one that our Lord Jesus Christ 114 00:04:58,060 --> 00:04:59,920 said was special to him. 115 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:01,220 He chose them. 116 00:05:01,740 --> 00:05:03,960 We'll be looking at their lives from the 117 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:04,740 book of Matthew. 118 00:05:05,340 --> 00:05:08,920 Now, this morning, so as not to tire 119 00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:11,340 you, I don't know about you, but I 120 00:05:11,340 --> 00:05:13,400 was after getting done singing with our brother 121 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:14,500 Glenn. 122 00:05:14,620 --> 00:05:17,000 And from now on it's Larry, not Mr. 123 00:05:17,060 --> 00:05:18,500 Ainsworth or Brother Ainsworth. 124 00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:19,460 It's Larry. 125 00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:21,380 And all of you that don't know me, 126 00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:23,860 be sure and come by and introduce yourselves 127 00:05:23,860 --> 00:05:24,920 because I want to get to know all 128 00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:25,100 of you. 129 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:26,760 That's what this time together is about. 130 00:05:27,740 --> 00:05:29,460 And I hope you won't look at me 131 00:05:29,460 --> 00:05:31,160 as being an old fuddy-duddy speaker. 132 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:34,000 I may be fuddy-duddy, but I don't 133 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:35,600 want to be old and I don't want 134 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:36,640 to be fuddy-duddy either. 135 00:05:37,820 --> 00:05:39,520 I'm like Brother Glenn. 136 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:42,060 I'm just a little nigh over 16. 137 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:48,640 A couple times, maybe almost three times. 138 00:05:50,140 --> 00:05:51,360 Now that's sad, you know. 139 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:56,360 But anyhow, I want us all to get 140 00:05:56,360 --> 00:05:58,380 acquainted together and it's good to see. 141 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:00,360 Denise, how are you? 142 00:06:01,340 --> 00:06:04,280 Here's my little lovely girl from Omaha down 143 00:06:04,280 --> 00:06:06,520 here helping out this summer. 144 00:06:08,540 --> 00:06:09,860 I want to get to know all of 145 00:06:09,860 --> 00:06:12,740 you that I can and I would pray 146 00:06:12,740 --> 00:06:15,480 that if there's any of you here this 147 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:18,500 morning and as we go through the weekend, 148 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:22,040 if you're experiencing some problems in your life 149 00:06:23,580 --> 00:06:26,140 and there's just a wealth of help around 150 00:06:26,140 --> 00:06:26,300 here. 151 00:06:26,300 --> 00:06:27,780 As I look around I see some people 152 00:06:27,780 --> 00:06:30,340 that I know and there's just a wealth 153 00:06:30,340 --> 00:06:31,300 of help around here. 154 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:34,440 And if you would like to speak to 155 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:37,200 somebody that you need some help in your 156 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:38,420 life, be sure, don't go away. 157 00:06:38,540 --> 00:06:40,160 Don't let the weekend be unprofitable. 158 00:06:40,280 --> 00:06:41,680 Make it a profitable one for you. 159 00:06:42,340 --> 00:06:44,760 We just want Christians to be built up 160 00:06:44,760 --> 00:06:47,300 in the faith and encouraged in these last 161 00:06:47,300 --> 00:06:47,720 days. 162 00:06:48,060 --> 00:06:50,380 We were singing just a few moments ago. 163 00:06:51,140 --> 00:06:52,300 The day is coming. 164 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:53,620 It won't be very long. 165 00:06:54,620 --> 00:06:57,600 This life of toil here will be ended 166 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:00,360 and we're going to be standing facing him. 167 00:07:01,860 --> 00:07:03,740 And dear Christians this morning, I want to 168 00:07:03,740 --> 00:07:05,920 ask you, what are you going to have 169 00:07:05,920 --> 00:07:07,840 to put into his blessed hands? 170 00:07:08,860 --> 00:07:11,240 What kind of crowns are you going to 171 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:12,640 be able to cast at his feet? 172 00:07:13,540 --> 00:07:15,580 The day of toil I firmly believe. 173 00:07:15,980 --> 00:07:17,940 As we see the world events shaping up 174 00:07:17,940 --> 00:07:20,720 around us, how can we have any other 175 00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:24,080 thought in our mind but he is coming 176 00:07:24,080 --> 00:07:24,560 soon. 177 00:07:24,940 --> 00:07:26,260 He will be here soon. 178 00:07:29,530 --> 00:07:31,550 Now, I don't know about you, but after 179 00:07:31,550 --> 00:07:34,610 singing with our brother Glenn, I was about 180 00:07:34,610 --> 00:07:35,010 woofed. 181 00:07:36,390 --> 00:07:38,190 And I was going to have you all 182 00:07:38,190 --> 00:07:40,210 stand up and kind of shake it loose, 183 00:07:40,310 --> 00:07:44,490 but I know that he kept us going. 184 00:07:45,090 --> 00:07:47,330 And our brother that was over here tickling 185 00:07:47,330 --> 00:07:49,450 the iris, boy, if you need a job, 186 00:07:49,610 --> 00:07:51,050 come up to Omaha, man, we'll put you 187 00:07:51,050 --> 00:07:51,210 there. 188 00:07:51,970 --> 00:07:53,530 He does a beautiful job, doesn't he? 189 00:07:55,910 --> 00:07:57,470 And I know that you're going to have 190 00:07:57,470 --> 00:07:58,850 some people that are going to come and 191 00:07:58,850 --> 00:08:00,490 talk to you about singing because, boy, I 192 00:08:00,490 --> 00:08:01,710 don't know who was over in here, but 193 00:08:01,710 --> 00:08:04,090 I heard some real nice voices coming from 194 00:08:04,090 --> 00:08:05,290 over in here and I'm sure if I'd 195 00:08:05,290 --> 00:08:06,230 have said over here the same. 196 00:08:06,770 --> 00:08:08,890 So you ladies and some of you men, 197 00:08:09,490 --> 00:08:11,070 you guys can't sing as well as the 198 00:08:11,070 --> 00:08:14,230 women, but give it a shot, man. 199 00:08:14,470 --> 00:08:15,690 Show them that we can do a good 200 00:08:15,690 --> 00:08:15,950 job. 201 00:08:16,070 --> 00:08:18,850 Don't look to me because I can't read 202 00:08:18,850 --> 00:08:19,270 a note. 203 00:08:19,270 --> 00:08:22,370 In fact, in Omaha, they give me a 204 00:08:22,370 --> 00:08:23,470 little stipend each month. 205 00:08:23,550 --> 00:08:25,110 They say, just don't sing. 206 00:08:26,930 --> 00:08:29,010 Keep it down because I have a tendency. 207 00:08:29,970 --> 00:08:30,910 He had me going this morning. 208 00:08:30,970 --> 00:08:31,970 I was about ready to jump up and 209 00:08:31,970 --> 00:08:32,590 say hallelujah. 210 00:08:32,770 --> 00:08:34,309 And I said, no, you remember, you're the 211 00:08:34,309 --> 00:08:35,230 dignified preacher. 212 00:08:35,530 --> 00:08:36,850 Keep it cool. 213 00:08:38,169 --> 00:08:40,049 So we want to have a good time 214 00:08:40,049 --> 00:08:40,590 this weekend. 215 00:08:40,809 --> 00:08:43,250 And so sharing your gifts that you have 216 00:08:43,250 --> 00:08:44,650 truly will make it a good weekend. 217 00:08:45,290 --> 00:08:47,270 When you turn in your Bibles to the 218 00:08:47,270 --> 00:08:48,510 book of Matthew, please. 219 00:08:48,690 --> 00:08:49,950 Matthew chapter four. 220 00:08:51,810 --> 00:09:02,900 And it's 221 00:09:02,900 --> 00:09:05,960 terrible when we have to use other things 222 00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:07,500 so we can see better, but this is 223 00:09:07,500 --> 00:09:08,140 a necessity. 224 00:09:09,340 --> 00:09:11,060 The words have a tendency to dance if 225 00:09:11,060 --> 00:09:11,680 I don't use them. 226 00:09:11,820 --> 00:09:13,260 And like I said, Glenn, it's terrible to 227 00:09:13,260 --> 00:09:14,140 get old, isn't it? 228 00:09:15,420 --> 00:09:16,900 I feel sorry for those of you that 229 00:09:16,900 --> 00:09:17,160 are. 230 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:21,220 Matthew chapter four. 231 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:25,160 We're going to look at some verses in 232 00:09:25,160 --> 00:09:26,120 the book of Matthew. 233 00:09:27,740 --> 00:09:29,180 And I would like you to turn to 234 00:09:29,180 --> 00:09:31,460 the fourth chapter and we'll begin reading at 235 00:09:31,460 --> 00:09:32,320 verse 18. 236 00:09:34,060 --> 00:09:35,660 I'm going to be reading to you from 237 00:09:35,660 --> 00:09:36,620 the New American Standard. 238 00:09:36,720 --> 00:09:38,220 If you have the King James or anything 239 00:09:38,220 --> 00:09:40,000 else, that's fine. 240 00:09:40,100 --> 00:09:41,500 King James, you won't have any problem if 241 00:09:41,500 --> 00:09:42,320 you have any other version. 242 00:09:42,420 --> 00:09:44,020 It may be a little bit different, but 243 00:09:44,020 --> 00:09:45,200 the intent is still the same. 244 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:48,660 And walking by the Sea of Galilee, he, 245 00:09:48,860 --> 00:09:52,340 that is, Jesus, saw two brothers, Simon, who 246 00:09:52,340 --> 00:09:54,760 was called Peter, and Andrew, his brother, casting 247 00:09:54,760 --> 00:09:56,620 a net into the sea, for they were 248 00:09:56,620 --> 00:09:57,060 fishermen. 249 00:09:58,020 --> 00:10:00,940 And he said to them, Follow me. 250 00:10:02,340 --> 00:10:04,160 Follow me and I will make you fishers 251 00:10:04,160 --> 00:10:04,580 of men. 252 00:10:05,480 --> 00:10:07,480 And they immediately left the nets and followed 253 00:10:07,480 --> 00:10:07,800 him. 254 00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:10,060 And going on from there, he saw two 255 00:10:10,060 --> 00:10:12,020 other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and 256 00:10:12,020 --> 00:10:13,700 John, his brother, in the boat with Zebedee, 257 00:10:13,740 --> 00:10:15,620 their father, mending their nets. 258 00:10:16,200 --> 00:10:17,200 And he called them. 259 00:10:18,140 --> 00:10:20,920 And they immediately left the boat and their 260 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:24,360 father and followed him. 261 00:10:28,040 --> 00:10:31,520 We see on the shore of the Sea 262 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:33,220 of Galilee a solitary figure. 263 00:10:35,890 --> 00:10:37,190 He comes down the beach. 264 00:10:38,230 --> 00:10:40,370 Those that are sitting in the boat, mending 265 00:10:40,370 --> 00:10:43,110 their nets, know who he is. 266 00:10:44,940 --> 00:10:47,180 They've been very impressed by him. 267 00:10:47,220 --> 00:10:48,000 They've heard him. 268 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:51,560 They've been involved somewhat with him. 269 00:10:53,420 --> 00:10:54,400 And they see him coming. 270 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:58,680 And he stops and speaks to them a 271 00:10:58,680 --> 00:10:59,860 very important message. 272 00:11:03,140 --> 00:11:07,660 It's a request, a challenge to them. 273 00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:10,020 Follow me. 274 00:11:11,540 --> 00:11:16,000 Follow me and I will make you fishers 275 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:16,840 of men. 276 00:11:16,840 --> 00:11:23,820 They leave their nets and follow him. 277 00:11:26,760 --> 00:11:30,340 The solitary figure continues down the beach. 278 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:33,680 He comes a little farther and he comes 279 00:11:33,680 --> 00:11:34,900 upon another boat. 280 00:11:36,340 --> 00:11:38,240 This time there are three in the boat. 281 00:11:39,560 --> 00:11:42,220 A father with his two sons. 282 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:46,440 And he gives them the same challenge. 283 00:11:47,820 --> 00:11:48,840 Follow me. 284 00:11:50,340 --> 00:11:51,380 Follow me. 285 00:11:54,500 --> 00:11:56,560 It is said that during the Civil War, 286 00:11:57,940 --> 00:12:01,940 General Philip Sheridan, while engaged in the fierce 287 00:12:01,940 --> 00:12:05,560 battle of the Shenandoah Valley, came out to 288 00:12:05,560 --> 00:12:08,420 see his troops one morning in the midst 289 00:12:08,420 --> 00:12:08,960 of battle. 290 00:12:10,740 --> 00:12:12,920 And as he came upon them, he saw 291 00:12:12,920 --> 00:12:18,800 his troops in hasty retreat before the onslaught 292 00:12:18,800 --> 00:12:20,680 of the Confederate soldiers. 293 00:12:22,220 --> 00:12:26,020 Standing tall in his saddle and riding to 294 00:12:26,020 --> 00:12:29,000 the forefront, he said this to his men. 295 00:12:30,040 --> 00:12:30,760 Stop. 296 00:12:31,820 --> 00:12:33,820 You're going the wrong way. 297 00:12:34,900 --> 00:12:36,500 You're going the wrong way. 298 00:12:37,580 --> 00:12:38,460 Follow me. 299 00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:43,900 And he charged into the midst of the 300 00:12:43,900 --> 00:12:44,680 Confederate army. 301 00:12:45,980 --> 00:12:49,980 His men stopped in their retreat and they 302 00:12:49,980 --> 00:12:50,760 saw their leader. 303 00:12:51,720 --> 00:12:56,980 And they turned and they challenged the Confederate 304 00:12:56,980 --> 00:13:01,420 foe and defeated them that day. 305 00:13:05,410 --> 00:13:05,970 Follow me. 306 00:13:07,270 --> 00:13:08,230 Follow me. 307 00:13:09,610 --> 00:13:15,290 Many people today are challenging you to follow 308 00:13:15,290 --> 00:13:15,610 them. 309 00:13:18,670 --> 00:13:22,070 Are you going to follow those whom you 310 00:13:22,070 --> 00:13:22,810 know and trust? 311 00:13:23,530 --> 00:13:25,430 Or are you just going to follow anybody? 312 00:13:29,940 --> 00:13:34,920 As this solitary figure came to speak to 313 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:38,800 Peter and Andrew, their hearts had already been 314 00:13:38,800 --> 00:13:43,240 touched by the Holy Spirit and by the 315 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:45,340 very Lord himself while he was here upon 316 00:13:45,340 --> 00:13:45,680 Earth. 317 00:13:48,540 --> 00:13:51,560 They gained that day by his challenge. 318 00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:53,520 Thoughts of eternity. 319 00:13:55,340 --> 00:13:56,480 Thoughts of eternity. 320 00:13:57,920 --> 00:14:01,480 The eternal souls of men. 321 00:14:03,100 --> 00:14:04,100 What about you? 322 00:14:04,880 --> 00:14:06,640 Ever think about eternity? 323 00:14:07,720 --> 00:14:10,540 The eternalness of a soul? 324 00:14:11,780 --> 00:14:15,600 The eternalness of a life around you? 325 00:14:19,180 --> 00:14:23,460 Some five years ago, I had the very 326 00:14:23,460 --> 00:14:28,200 precious privilege of accompanying my wife into the 327 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:31,700 delivery room when our last daughter was born. 328 00:14:33,140 --> 00:14:37,100 There has been no other experience, physical experience 329 00:14:37,100 --> 00:14:39,340 in my life, to equal that. 330 00:14:40,500 --> 00:14:42,640 To see one come in and take that 331 00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:46,920 first gasp of air and let out that 332 00:14:46,920 --> 00:14:54,060 cry and to see her there, life beginning 333 00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:58,660 in the wee hours of a Sunday morning. 334 00:14:58,660 --> 00:15:03,570 I thought about that soul many times. 335 00:15:04,750 --> 00:15:06,470 Here is one who has come into the 336 00:15:06,470 --> 00:15:11,050 world whose soul will be eternal. 337 00:15:14,360 --> 00:15:16,800 On that day when our Lord Jesus Christ 338 00:15:17,500 --> 00:15:22,850 talked to Peter and Andrew, the thought was 339 00:15:22,850 --> 00:15:23,470 of eternity. 340 00:15:24,650 --> 00:15:26,990 I will make you fishers of men. 341 00:15:28,170 --> 00:15:34,270 Those two men arose to the challenge because 342 00:15:34,270 --> 00:15:38,710 eternity was now emblazoned upon their lives and 343 00:15:38,710 --> 00:15:39,310 their hearts. 344 00:15:41,780 --> 00:15:43,280 For we read later in the book of 345 00:15:43,280 --> 00:15:47,980 Acts that Peter, oh, we think of that 346 00:15:47,980 --> 00:15:49,960 life that Peter lived while he was walking 347 00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:51,820 with our Lord Jesus Christ here upon this 348 00:15:51,820 --> 00:15:52,040 earth. 349 00:15:52,760 --> 00:15:55,660 We see all the failures of Peter. 350 00:15:56,980 --> 00:15:59,060 We see so little of the triumph in 351 00:15:59,060 --> 00:16:01,860 his life until we come to the book 352 00:16:01,860 --> 00:16:02,480 of Acts. 353 00:16:03,520 --> 00:16:05,700 And then we begin to notice some changes, 354 00:16:06,920 --> 00:16:10,000 some dynamic changes in a life. 355 00:16:10,500 --> 00:16:12,860 But the seeds of these changes were made 356 00:16:12,860 --> 00:16:15,460 that day there by the Sea of Galilee. 357 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:19,100 When Peter and Andrew step forth from that 358 00:16:19,100 --> 00:16:23,600 boat never again to enter into that work, 359 00:16:24,300 --> 00:16:27,620 but to enter into an eternal work for 360 00:16:27,620 --> 00:16:30,180 the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. 361 00:16:32,580 --> 00:16:39,500 Many of us, as we walk life, we 362 00:16:39,500 --> 00:16:41,500 try to put eternity to one side. 363 00:16:42,460 --> 00:16:44,320 We really don't want to think of the 364 00:16:44,320 --> 00:16:49,020 things of eternity because they have a tendency 365 00:16:49,020 --> 00:16:52,080 sometimes to bring up within us a fear, 366 00:16:54,350 --> 00:16:54,850 a fear. 367 00:16:56,930 --> 00:17:01,050 Yes, there are souls perishing around us. 368 00:17:01,730 --> 00:17:07,310 There are those that are hitting in a 369 00:17:07,310 --> 00:17:12,270 mad dash for eternity to the broad road, 370 00:17:12,369 --> 00:17:15,470 going down the broad road that leadeth to 371 00:17:15,470 --> 00:17:16,109 destruction. 372 00:17:19,119 --> 00:17:23,940 So oft times when we see this, our 373 00:17:23,940 --> 00:17:26,060 lips remain silent. 374 00:17:28,280 --> 00:17:31,580 For we find it very difficult to say 375 00:17:31,580 --> 00:17:35,900 a word, but the thoughts of eternity are 376 00:17:35,900 --> 00:17:36,480 still there. 377 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:42,390 But when will they come forth to speak 378 00:17:42,390 --> 00:17:45,010 to others of eternity? 379 00:17:46,150 --> 00:17:50,990 Of an eternity that will be with Him 380 00:17:50,990 --> 00:17:53,350 who is the lover of our souls. 381 00:17:56,320 --> 00:17:58,260 We read in the book of Acts that 382 00:17:58,260 --> 00:18:02,500 Peter stood one day emboldened by the power 383 00:18:02,500 --> 00:18:05,580 of the Holy Spirit and he spoke. 384 00:18:06,480 --> 00:18:10,420 And 3,000 souls were added that day 385 00:18:10,420 --> 00:18:12,260 to the kingdom of God. 386 00:18:14,800 --> 00:18:16,180 3,000 souls. 387 00:18:18,420 --> 00:18:20,380 Boy, we don't hear preaching like that anymore. 388 00:18:21,700 --> 00:18:24,240 It is very difficult to get good preaching 389 00:18:24,240 --> 00:18:25,260 anymore, isn't it? 390 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:31,220 But yet, you know, God uses these feeble 391 00:18:31,220 --> 00:18:34,160 lips of clay to do His work. 392 00:18:34,900 --> 00:18:36,680 For it is by the preaching of the 393 00:18:36,680 --> 00:18:41,520 gospel that souls come to a knowledge of 394 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:42,080 eternity. 395 00:18:43,830 --> 00:18:48,730 Of an eternity lost or an eternity gained. 396 00:18:50,430 --> 00:18:54,390 For that day, Peter and Andrew came to 397 00:18:54,390 --> 00:18:57,490 a knowledge of the eternity of man. 398 00:18:59,190 --> 00:19:02,470 One author has so aptly put it, that 399 00:19:02,470 --> 00:19:06,570 day they found an everlasting kingdom, an eternal 400 00:19:06,570 --> 00:19:10,270 influence, an enduring name. 401 00:19:12,790 --> 00:19:13,770 An enduring name. 402 00:19:15,390 --> 00:19:17,310 For it is one who calls us. 403 00:19:18,130 --> 00:19:18,910 Follow me. 404 00:19:20,250 --> 00:19:21,910 He's not just anybody. 405 00:19:23,270 --> 00:19:25,350 You know, I'm amazed at the people today 406 00:19:26,170 --> 00:19:27,550 as you pick up the paper. 407 00:19:28,210 --> 00:19:30,970 You read about guys like Sun Yung Moon 408 00:19:30,970 --> 00:19:32,810 who speaks. 409 00:19:32,810 --> 00:19:37,390 And the millions around the world flock to 410 00:19:37,390 --> 00:19:37,570 him. 411 00:19:38,910 --> 00:19:40,630 I was amazed that when he was in 412 00:19:40,630 --> 00:19:44,990 New York, 400,000 people come to hear 413 00:19:44,990 --> 00:19:45,650 this man. 414 00:19:47,190 --> 00:19:49,750 Thousands commit their lives to following him. 415 00:19:53,230 --> 00:19:57,030 We hear of others that draw people to 416 00:19:57,030 --> 00:19:57,270 them. 417 00:19:57,390 --> 00:19:59,890 Follow me, and I will show you what 418 00:19:59,890 --> 00:20:00,890 utopia is. 419 00:20:03,150 --> 00:20:06,050 Hundreds of people found what utopia was like 420 00:20:06,670 --> 00:20:07,750 in Guyana. 421 00:20:09,350 --> 00:20:11,670 As they gave their lives to follow their 422 00:20:11,670 --> 00:20:14,550 Savior who ordered their execution. 423 00:20:17,410 --> 00:20:18,970 Who are you following this morning? 424 00:20:20,430 --> 00:20:21,370 Who are you following? 425 00:20:22,550 --> 00:20:24,710 Are you following Him who says, follow me, 426 00:20:24,970 --> 00:20:26,930 and I will make you fishers of men? 427 00:20:28,230 --> 00:20:32,230 Or are you following some other leader that 428 00:20:32,230 --> 00:20:33,530 this world has to offer? 429 00:20:34,890 --> 00:20:36,930 Maybe it's not a flesh and blood leader. 430 00:20:38,130 --> 00:20:42,210 Maybe it's just a leader that says self 431 00:20:42,210 --> 00:20:42,670 first. 432 00:20:46,050 --> 00:20:49,790 But that morning, or on that day, that 433 00:20:49,790 --> 00:20:52,310 this solitary figure walked. 434 00:20:53,230 --> 00:20:54,890 It wasn't just Peter and Andrew he brought 435 00:20:54,890 --> 00:20:55,690 the message to. 436 00:20:56,530 --> 00:20:57,670 It was two others. 437 00:20:59,290 --> 00:21:02,370 A father and his two sons. 438 00:21:04,390 --> 00:21:06,630 James and John that morning were sitting there 439 00:21:06,630 --> 00:21:07,410 mending their nets. 440 00:21:09,890 --> 00:21:12,590 They too had heard of him. 441 00:21:14,410 --> 00:21:16,230 Maybe they had interacted with him before. 442 00:21:16,650 --> 00:21:18,110 Scripture doesn't really give us a whole lot 443 00:21:18,110 --> 00:21:19,690 to base our fact upon. 444 00:21:22,350 --> 00:21:23,810 But he said, follow me. 445 00:21:25,630 --> 00:21:28,050 What did James and John hear in that 446 00:21:28,050 --> 00:21:31,070 message that morning or on that day when 447 00:21:31,070 --> 00:21:33,310 the Lord Jesus Christ said to them, follow 448 00:21:33,310 --> 00:21:33,750 me. 449 00:21:35,430 --> 00:21:37,130 Now when a man comes by and says, 450 00:21:37,250 --> 00:21:38,610 follow me, we said, why? 451 00:21:39,310 --> 00:21:41,510 For what reason would I follow you? 452 00:21:44,210 --> 00:21:46,030 But he spoke to them and he says, 453 00:21:46,150 --> 00:21:46,870 follow me. 454 00:21:48,550 --> 00:21:53,350 And they understood from him who he was. 455 00:21:54,350 --> 00:21:54,670 Here. 456 00:21:55,630 --> 00:21:59,770 Here in this man by following him is 457 00:21:59,770 --> 00:22:02,450 an opportunity for us to live. 458 00:22:03,190 --> 00:22:04,310 To live. 459 00:22:05,090 --> 00:22:06,530 To be alive. 460 00:22:09,460 --> 00:22:13,260 Some years ago, the Peace Corps had this 461 00:22:13,260 --> 00:22:14,020 advertisement. 462 00:22:15,320 --> 00:22:18,240 If you're not doing something with your life, 463 00:22:19,100 --> 00:22:21,520 it doesn't matter how long it is. 464 00:22:23,920 --> 00:22:27,020 If you're not doing something with your life, 465 00:22:28,080 --> 00:22:30,720 it doesn't matter how long it is. 466 00:22:32,290 --> 00:22:34,530 I was reading a book not too long 467 00:22:34,530 --> 00:22:36,350 ago and the author made this comment. 468 00:22:37,370 --> 00:22:39,890 He said the sad tragedy of many people 469 00:22:39,890 --> 00:22:44,870 dying today is that they have never really 470 00:22:44,870 --> 00:22:45,830 lived. 471 00:22:46,970 --> 00:22:48,210 They've never lived. 472 00:22:50,850 --> 00:22:52,230 Let me ask you this morning. 473 00:22:53,090 --> 00:22:54,010 Are you alive? 474 00:22:56,320 --> 00:22:57,960 And when I got in here this morning 475 00:22:58,900 --> 00:23:02,000 at a little after, a little before nine 476 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:05,400 o'clock, I wasn't too sure I was 477 00:23:05,400 --> 00:23:05,900 alive. 478 00:23:06,840 --> 00:23:09,480 We didn't go to bed until almost two 479 00:23:09,480 --> 00:23:11,340 o'clock and then it was back up 480 00:23:11,340 --> 00:23:14,700 by four and on the road to cover 481 00:23:14,700 --> 00:23:15,580 the last part of the journey. 482 00:23:15,740 --> 00:23:17,400 We had made some commitments in Kansas City 483 00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:18,720 yesterday. 484 00:23:19,720 --> 00:23:22,040 And you know, when you meet old friends 485 00:23:22,040 --> 00:23:24,960 and relatives, you know, you've got to get 486 00:23:24,960 --> 00:23:26,100 it all in while you can. 487 00:23:27,140 --> 00:23:30,200 And so this morning when I arrived, I 488 00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:32,040 said I'm not too sure that I'm all 489 00:23:32,040 --> 00:23:32,380 here. 490 00:23:33,220 --> 00:23:34,380 I said when I told Tim when I 491 00:23:34,380 --> 00:23:35,800 walked out the door, I was telling his 492 00:23:35,800 --> 00:23:37,340 wife, I said I think I've got everything. 493 00:23:37,420 --> 00:23:38,900 I've bowled in all the right places. 494 00:23:39,300 --> 00:23:43,400 So I must be ready to go. 495 00:23:45,260 --> 00:23:47,120 But are we alive spiritually? 496 00:23:49,670 --> 00:23:52,430 To be alive spiritually is to hear that 497 00:23:52,430 --> 00:23:55,150 same one who ordered those words to the 498 00:23:55,150 --> 00:23:58,310 apostles that morning, follow me, is still speaking 499 00:23:58,310 --> 00:23:59,770 today to you and I. 500 00:24:01,310 --> 00:24:03,130 He's speaking to us today. 501 00:24:03,530 --> 00:24:05,670 And are we hearing the words of life? 502 00:24:05,930 --> 00:24:07,630 He says, I am come that you might 503 00:24:07,630 --> 00:24:09,090 have life and that you might have it 504 00:24:09,090 --> 00:24:11,650 more restricted. 505 00:24:13,620 --> 00:24:16,260 If you might have a life that is 506 00:24:16,260 --> 00:24:20,460 burdened down with the cares of eternity. 507 00:24:21,660 --> 00:24:24,000 No, he tells us this. 508 00:24:24,040 --> 00:24:25,620 He says, I am come that you might 509 00:24:25,620 --> 00:24:27,440 have life and that you might have it 510 00:24:27,440 --> 00:24:29,020 more abundantly. 511 00:24:30,980 --> 00:24:37,600 Not a life that is burdened to a 512 00:24:37,600 --> 00:24:41,400 care so great that we cannot walk. 513 00:24:42,920 --> 00:24:44,920 Have you ever seen people that were so 514 00:24:44,920 --> 00:24:47,180 burdened that you knew they weren't walking in 515 00:24:47,180 --> 00:24:47,440 life? 516 00:24:47,600 --> 00:24:50,040 They were just barely able to shuffle through 517 00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:53,920 life because the burden that they bore were 518 00:24:53,920 --> 00:24:54,700 so great. 519 00:24:54,700 --> 00:24:58,500 I think we've all come across people like 520 00:24:58,500 --> 00:25:00,880 that and our hearts go out to them. 521 00:25:00,960 --> 00:25:03,640 Oh, if there was only something I could 522 00:25:03,640 --> 00:25:05,780 do to help them. 523 00:25:06,280 --> 00:25:08,980 And many times we can't. 524 00:25:11,970 --> 00:25:14,990 Well, you know, the problem today is that 525 00:25:14,990 --> 00:25:17,090 many of us avoid responsibilities. 526 00:25:18,010 --> 00:25:22,110 We avoid the opportunity to live for Jesus 527 00:25:22,110 --> 00:25:22,810 Christ. 528 00:25:24,130 --> 00:25:29,170 We avoid the responsibility of drawing alongside of 529 00:25:29,170 --> 00:25:32,670 those in need and undergirding them and lifting 530 00:25:32,670 --> 00:25:33,250 them up. 531 00:25:36,680 --> 00:25:40,650 You know, there's times when I come home 532 00:25:40,650 --> 00:25:41,230 from work. 533 00:25:43,990 --> 00:25:47,370 Our company right now is not putting any 534 00:25:47,370 --> 00:25:48,030 plugs in. 535 00:25:48,310 --> 00:25:50,970 I don't want sympathy and I don't want 536 00:25:50,970 --> 00:25:52,170 you to come with your complaints. 537 00:25:52,650 --> 00:25:55,390 I work for American Telephone and Telegraph. 538 00:25:56,250 --> 00:25:59,770 And you understand that we've undergone a dynamic 539 00:25:59,770 --> 00:26:02,070 change in our corporate structure. 540 00:26:03,050 --> 00:26:05,550 I work for AT&T Technologies. 541 00:26:05,870 --> 00:26:08,770 We're the manufacturing part of the AT&T 542 00:26:08,770 --> 00:26:09,290 system. 543 00:26:10,430 --> 00:26:12,730 But we're undergoing, along with the rest of 544 00:26:12,730 --> 00:26:15,130 the corporation, we're undergoing some dynamic changes. 545 00:26:16,330 --> 00:26:18,590 And they're placing a lot of demands on 546 00:26:18,590 --> 00:26:18,850 us. 547 00:26:20,290 --> 00:26:21,670 I know many of you have gone under 548 00:26:21,670 --> 00:26:23,010 the same thing in your jobs. 549 00:26:23,010 --> 00:26:25,370 12-hour days, 7 days a week. 550 00:26:26,290 --> 00:26:29,210 And you know the burdens you carry out 551 00:26:29,210 --> 00:26:29,650 with you. 552 00:26:29,950 --> 00:26:31,770 You go home and you're carrying these things 553 00:26:31,770 --> 00:26:32,250 with you. 554 00:26:33,570 --> 00:26:35,210 You know, sometimes I walk in the door 555 00:26:36,130 --> 00:26:38,590 and my wife says, what kind of a 556 00:26:38,590 --> 00:26:39,170 day was it? 557 00:26:40,090 --> 00:26:41,210 And I tell her. 558 00:26:42,530 --> 00:26:44,170 She wants to carry a burden. 559 00:26:45,290 --> 00:26:47,410 But you know, there's one there in our 560 00:26:47,410 --> 00:26:51,830 family that she doesn't know what's going on 561 00:26:51,830 --> 00:26:53,410 as far as what kind of day I've 562 00:26:53,410 --> 00:26:53,650 had. 563 00:26:56,380 --> 00:26:59,300 But she, with a couple of words, can 564 00:26:59,300 --> 00:27:01,980 pick up my whole day. 565 00:27:03,780 --> 00:27:05,460 That little 5-year-old, all she has 566 00:27:05,460 --> 00:27:06,380 to do is look up at me and 567 00:27:06,380 --> 00:27:07,280 say, Hi, Dad. 568 00:27:09,160 --> 00:27:09,820 Hi, Dad. 569 00:27:12,880 --> 00:27:14,900 And my teenagers, you know how they are. 570 00:27:14,980 --> 00:27:17,220 Now, they're with us and they won't acknowledge 571 00:27:17,220 --> 00:27:18,720 that I'm their father, so you know. 572 00:27:19,480 --> 00:27:21,020 They'll only give their first names. 573 00:27:21,060 --> 00:27:21,980 They won't say anything. 574 00:27:22,820 --> 00:27:24,600 But I love them anyway. 575 00:27:27,740 --> 00:27:33,100 But anyhow, they acknowledge our greetings. 576 00:27:33,920 --> 00:27:35,740 But they've had their own cares of the 577 00:27:35,740 --> 00:27:38,060 day with school and so forth, their challenges. 578 00:27:39,440 --> 00:27:44,710 But here's one that doesn't really realize what 579 00:27:44,710 --> 00:27:46,470 she can do with those two little words. 580 00:27:49,610 --> 00:27:50,750 And a lot of times she'll just come 581 00:27:50,750 --> 00:27:52,250 in when I'm sitting at my desk going 582 00:27:52,250 --> 00:27:54,710 over things and she'll just open that door 583 00:27:54,710 --> 00:27:57,050 and she'll come in real quietly and she'll 584 00:27:57,050 --> 00:27:57,870 just stand there. 585 00:28:00,590 --> 00:28:02,450 She'll come over and she'll say, Can I 586 00:28:02,450 --> 00:28:03,050 sit on your lap? 587 00:28:03,790 --> 00:28:04,170 Sure. 588 00:28:05,310 --> 00:28:07,390 Put her arm around me and say, Love 589 00:28:07,390 --> 00:28:07,530 you. 590 00:28:12,030 --> 00:28:14,390 You know, those are the experiences we as 591 00:28:14,390 --> 00:28:16,150 the children of God need to share with 592 00:28:16,150 --> 00:28:16,730 one another. 593 00:28:18,090 --> 00:28:21,430 To tell one another, We love you. 594 00:28:22,950 --> 00:28:26,950 And when you're going through experiences, sometimes we 595 00:28:26,950 --> 00:28:28,550 just need somebody to put an arm around 596 00:28:28,550 --> 00:28:28,950 us. 597 00:28:30,390 --> 00:28:32,250 To be an encourager. 598 00:28:35,470 --> 00:28:37,690 I was listening to a tape by a 599 00:28:37,690 --> 00:28:41,110 Christian woman here a few weeks ago that 600 00:28:41,110 --> 00:28:41,930 my wife had. 601 00:28:43,470 --> 00:28:47,850 And I'd heard about this through Chuck Swindoll. 602 00:28:49,430 --> 00:28:51,350 And she said, You know, there's two types 603 00:28:51,350 --> 00:28:52,970 of people in the world today. 604 00:28:53,810 --> 00:28:56,550 There's basement people and there's balcony people. 605 00:28:57,610 --> 00:28:59,430 There's people that are up there in the 606 00:28:59,430 --> 00:29:01,730 balconies that are cheering us on. 607 00:29:02,570 --> 00:29:04,210 And there are those that are down in 608 00:29:04,210 --> 00:29:06,250 the basement and they just want to drag 609 00:29:06,250 --> 00:29:07,250 us down there with them. 610 00:29:09,820 --> 00:29:12,060 I ask myself so many times, Larry, what 611 00:29:12,060 --> 00:29:13,140 type of person are you? 612 00:29:14,560 --> 00:29:16,120 Are you a balcony person? 613 00:29:16,700 --> 00:29:19,100 Are you up there cheering your brothers and 614 00:29:19,100 --> 00:29:21,060 sisters in the Lord in their walk through 615 00:29:21,060 --> 00:29:21,520 life? 616 00:29:21,880 --> 00:29:23,680 Are you being an encouragement to them? 617 00:29:24,800 --> 00:29:27,140 Are you a basement person dragging them down? 618 00:29:28,160 --> 00:29:30,680 You know, it seems it's almost ironical. 619 00:29:32,000 --> 00:29:34,220 When we're a basement person, we seem to 620 00:29:34,220 --> 00:29:35,760 want to drag everybody else down in the 621 00:29:35,760 --> 00:29:37,660 basement so everybody else can be miserable along 622 00:29:37,660 --> 00:29:38,200 with us. 623 00:29:39,780 --> 00:29:41,120 Misery does love company. 624 00:29:43,720 --> 00:29:46,100 But you know, the Lord has called us 625 00:29:46,100 --> 00:29:47,100 to be encouragers. 626 00:29:48,660 --> 00:29:53,530 To be those that can encourage another in 627 00:29:53,530 --> 00:29:54,390 a time of need. 628 00:29:56,530 --> 00:29:57,230 That's living. 629 00:29:59,640 --> 00:30:03,600 You know, as I said in my chair 630 00:30:03,600 --> 00:30:07,680 as a counselor on many occasions, especially in 631 00:30:07,680 --> 00:30:12,070 the area of marriage and premarital counseling, I 632 00:30:12,070 --> 00:30:15,550 think it's very important today that young people 633 00:30:15,550 --> 00:30:20,110 especially understand the principles and the precepts of 634 00:30:20,110 --> 00:30:21,510 marriage as laid down in the Word of 635 00:30:21,510 --> 00:30:21,810 God. 636 00:30:24,350 --> 00:30:26,610 And to me, it's absolutely just one of 637 00:30:26,610 --> 00:30:29,050 the most enjoyable things is when we're talking 638 00:30:29,050 --> 00:30:29,810 about marriage. 639 00:30:30,070 --> 00:30:32,790 It's to see young people take a principle 640 00:30:32,790 --> 00:30:34,150 from the Word of God and all of 641 00:30:34,150 --> 00:30:35,250 a sudden, it comes clear. 642 00:30:37,070 --> 00:30:38,550 It comes clear to them. 643 00:30:40,190 --> 00:30:42,370 And they understand what God is talking about 644 00:30:42,370 --> 00:30:43,070 in His Word. 645 00:30:44,930 --> 00:30:47,110 About the two becoming one flesh. 646 00:30:48,350 --> 00:30:50,070 And how it is for a lifetime. 647 00:30:51,870 --> 00:30:52,690 It's a commitment. 648 00:30:53,510 --> 00:30:54,430 It's a work. 649 00:30:54,590 --> 00:30:55,770 It's a responsibility. 650 00:30:57,630 --> 00:30:58,930 And to lay hold of that. 651 00:31:01,040 --> 00:31:02,800 To me, that's living is to see the 652 00:31:02,800 --> 00:31:06,120 Word of God becoming important to other people. 653 00:31:06,200 --> 00:31:07,860 Becoming a part of their life. 654 00:31:10,650 --> 00:31:13,050 These two men, James and John, saw the 655 00:31:13,050 --> 00:31:14,270 opportunity to live. 656 00:31:17,520 --> 00:31:19,500 Where would we be this morning in the 657 00:31:19,500 --> 00:31:23,200 Word of God without John? 658 00:31:25,960 --> 00:31:32,480 Dear John, the one whom Jesus loved. 659 00:31:34,430 --> 00:31:38,290 Whoever just loved to lean upon the breast 660 00:31:38,290 --> 00:31:39,350 of His beloved Savior. 661 00:31:42,690 --> 00:31:46,730 Wonder what His thoughts were in the final 662 00:31:46,730 --> 00:31:48,190 years of His life as He sat on 663 00:31:48,190 --> 00:31:52,620 the Isle of Patmos and through the power 664 00:31:52,620 --> 00:31:56,580 of the Holy Spirit penned the words of 665 00:31:56,580 --> 00:31:59,180 the revelation of Jesus Christ. 666 00:32:04,030 --> 00:32:07,250 Where would we be without the Apostle of 667 00:32:07,250 --> 00:32:07,550 Love? 668 00:32:10,630 --> 00:32:13,650 What would we be without the great Gospel 669 00:32:13,650 --> 00:32:14,270 of John? 670 00:32:15,510 --> 00:32:18,670 The Gospel of the Son of God. 671 00:32:20,450 --> 00:32:26,130 Jesus become flesh to die upon a cross 672 00:32:26,130 --> 00:32:26,750 for us. 673 00:32:29,200 --> 00:32:30,920 For God so loved the world. 674 00:32:33,060 --> 00:32:35,760 John 3.16 is probably the most memorized 675 00:32:35,760 --> 00:32:37,380 verse in all of the world. 676 00:32:40,740 --> 00:32:44,460 And here, on a day, He hears the 677 00:32:44,460 --> 00:32:50,690 Son of God made flesh say, follow me 678 00:32:51,690 --> 00:32:53,690 and I will make you fishers of men. 679 00:32:54,890 --> 00:32:55,750 Follow me. 680 00:32:55,750 --> 00:33:02,420 You know, failing to trust God, failing to 681 00:33:02,420 --> 00:33:06,180 trust Him and to follow Him, we miss 682 00:33:06,180 --> 00:33:07,560 the opportunity to live. 683 00:33:09,080 --> 00:33:10,220 Are you alive today? 684 00:33:10,360 --> 00:33:10,900 Are you living? 685 00:33:11,820 --> 00:33:13,100 Or are you existing? 686 00:33:16,160 --> 00:33:18,800 Well, let's not get too convicting for it's 687 00:33:18,800 --> 00:33:20,020 a beautiful morning, isn't it? 688 00:33:20,020 --> 00:33:21,420 And we come here to have fellowship. 689 00:33:22,560 --> 00:33:24,220 But we need to hear the Word of 690 00:33:24,220 --> 00:33:24,520 God. 691 00:33:25,080 --> 00:33:26,980 We need to hear the Lord Jesus Christ 692 00:33:26,980 --> 00:33:31,560 say, follow me for following me, you live. 693 00:33:33,000 --> 00:33:34,280 Matthew 8. 694 00:33:34,860 --> 00:33:36,700 Let's look at another event. 695 00:33:37,760 --> 00:33:38,940 Matthew 8. 696 00:33:47,260 --> 00:33:49,600 We begin reading at verse 18. 697 00:33:49,700 --> 00:33:55,720 Matthew 8.18 Now when Jesus saw a 698 00:33:55,720 --> 00:33:57,500 crowd around Him, He gave orders to depart 699 00:33:57,500 --> 00:33:58,420 to the other side. 700 00:33:59,280 --> 00:34:00,960 And a certain scribe came to Him and 701 00:34:00,960 --> 00:34:05,280 said to Him, Teacher, I will follow you 702 00:34:05,280 --> 00:34:07,060 wherever you go. 703 00:34:08,480 --> 00:34:11,920 And Jesus said to him, The foxes have 704 00:34:11,920 --> 00:34:14,020 holes and the birds of the air have 705 00:34:14,020 --> 00:34:16,659 nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere 706 00:34:16,659 --> 00:34:18,340 to lay His head. 707 00:34:19,520 --> 00:34:21,560 And another of the disciples said to Him, 708 00:34:21,679 --> 00:34:25,860 Lord, permit me first to go and bury 709 00:34:25,860 --> 00:34:26,540 my father. 710 00:34:27,920 --> 00:34:31,719 But Jesus said to him, Follow me. 711 00:34:33,570 --> 00:34:37,250 Follow me and allow the dead to bury 712 00:34:37,250 --> 00:34:38,270 the dead. 713 00:34:43,639 --> 00:34:46,360 Did you notice the first scribe? 714 00:34:50,330 --> 00:34:56,050 Jesus, I'll follow you wherever you go. 715 00:34:59,410 --> 00:35:00,430 How about you this morning? 716 00:35:01,710 --> 00:35:03,130 Would you make that statement? 717 00:35:05,220 --> 00:35:09,260 If the Lord Jesus Christ were to manifest 718 00:35:09,260 --> 00:35:14,120 Himself alongside of you this morning, would you 719 00:35:14,120 --> 00:35:18,080 be willing to tell Him, Jesus, I'll follow 720 00:35:18,080 --> 00:35:19,420 you wherever you go. 721 00:35:20,820 --> 00:35:23,400 Wherever you go, I will go with you 722 00:35:24,200 --> 00:35:25,800 no matter what the cost. 723 00:35:27,100 --> 00:35:31,040 I will follow you because I love you. 724 00:35:31,820 --> 00:35:33,340 I'm committed to you. 725 00:35:34,580 --> 00:35:37,840 You are my number one priority in life. 726 00:35:40,110 --> 00:35:42,990 And I will follow you wherever you go. 727 00:35:46,090 --> 00:35:51,090 I've often wondered why God in His Word 728 00:35:51,090 --> 00:35:54,110 never puts the answers to the questions I 729 00:35:54,110 --> 00:35:54,950 have to ask. 730 00:35:57,030 --> 00:35:59,770 I ask, what did the scribe do? 731 00:36:01,290 --> 00:36:03,430 When the Lord Jesus Christ gave him this 732 00:36:03,430 --> 00:36:09,830 answer, the foxes have holes, the birds of 733 00:36:09,830 --> 00:36:11,210 the air have nests, but the Son of 734 00:36:11,210 --> 00:36:12,370 Man has not where to lay His head. 735 00:36:13,030 --> 00:36:14,570 I wonder if that scribe sat there and 736 00:36:14,570 --> 00:36:15,250 scratched his head. 737 00:36:15,710 --> 00:36:17,270 What is he talking about? 738 00:36:18,850 --> 00:36:19,950 Or did he know? 739 00:36:21,290 --> 00:36:22,790 You can bet he knew. 740 00:36:24,210 --> 00:36:25,330 You can bet he knew. 741 00:36:26,210 --> 00:36:29,610 Because it was the greatest challenge that that 742 00:36:29,610 --> 00:36:30,990 scribe had probably heard. 743 00:36:32,920 --> 00:36:33,780 And it was this. 744 00:36:35,580 --> 00:36:37,600 If you say, I will follow you wherever 745 00:36:37,600 --> 00:36:39,800 you go, let me ask you the question. 746 00:36:40,480 --> 00:36:41,880 Have you counted the cost? 747 00:36:43,860 --> 00:36:45,680 For you see, it does cost something to 748 00:36:45,680 --> 00:36:46,400 follow Jesus. 749 00:36:48,280 --> 00:36:52,960 To follow Him, it cost the disciples their 750 00:36:52,960 --> 00:36:53,540 lives. 751 00:36:55,460 --> 00:36:57,440 For of the twelve we read in tradition, 752 00:36:58,480 --> 00:37:02,220 but one died a natural death. 753 00:37:02,840 --> 00:37:04,800 And even that being an exile. 754 00:37:05,740 --> 00:37:09,640 The other eleven all lost their lives in 755 00:37:09,640 --> 00:37:12,380 violent death to the man. 756 00:37:14,840 --> 00:37:18,460 You don't find their deaths recorded in scriptures, 757 00:37:18,620 --> 00:37:19,060 but a few. 758 00:37:20,380 --> 00:37:22,080 But if we go back and search the 759 00:37:22,080 --> 00:37:25,700 history and look at the ancients, we find 760 00:37:25,700 --> 00:37:27,420 they all died violent deaths. 761 00:37:31,360 --> 00:37:32,540 Some were flayed alive. 762 00:37:34,200 --> 00:37:36,240 Some were run through with a spear. 763 00:37:37,700 --> 00:37:39,340 Some were boiled in oil. 764 00:37:41,620 --> 00:37:44,020 Some were hung upon a cross upside down. 765 00:37:49,250 --> 00:37:52,050 They counted the cost and they followed Him. 766 00:37:55,130 --> 00:37:57,630 And that morning or that day, that scribe 767 00:37:57,630 --> 00:38:01,410 was challenged with a commitment and with a 768 00:38:01,410 --> 00:38:01,990 priority. 769 00:38:02,990 --> 00:38:04,230 Do you know what you're saying? 770 00:38:05,390 --> 00:38:06,390 Do you know what you're saying? 771 00:38:08,390 --> 00:38:12,070 For you see today, many of us count 772 00:38:12,070 --> 00:38:17,090 the cost and we say it's too great. 773 00:38:18,190 --> 00:38:20,190 It's too great to follow Him. 774 00:38:21,650 --> 00:38:26,250 I will only give up this much. 775 00:38:27,940 --> 00:38:31,160 But Jesus says to us, I want all. 776 00:38:34,220 --> 00:38:35,060 Follow me. 777 00:38:36,260 --> 00:38:37,360 But know the cost. 778 00:38:38,240 --> 00:38:39,440 Know that there is a cost. 779 00:38:40,100 --> 00:38:41,900 There is a cost in the commitment to 780 00:38:41,900 --> 00:38:42,780 Jesus Christ. 781 00:38:46,380 --> 00:38:50,660 When we look at that cost, do we 782 00:38:50,660 --> 00:38:51,640 say it is too great? 783 00:38:54,600 --> 00:38:56,040 Do you know what the greatest problem today 784 00:38:56,040 --> 00:38:56,300 is? 785 00:38:59,300 --> 00:39:00,720 People don't know how to add correctly. 786 00:39:03,210 --> 00:39:07,370 People have never understood the scriptural way to 787 00:39:07,370 --> 00:39:08,330 add up the cost. 788 00:39:11,630 --> 00:39:14,590 I was challenged, or I have been challenged 789 00:39:14,590 --> 00:39:19,210 many times in various ways, especially in the 790 00:39:19,210 --> 00:39:27,100 working area, to compromise my faith, to step 791 00:39:27,100 --> 00:39:30,640 out of line, to be one of the 792 00:39:30,640 --> 00:39:31,060 guys. 793 00:39:33,180 --> 00:39:34,680 Now I know none of you probably, and 794 00:39:34,680 --> 00:39:36,580 you aren't challenged with that I'm sure. 795 00:39:36,840 --> 00:39:38,720 I'm the only one that falls for that 796 00:39:38,720 --> 00:39:39,100 gimmick. 797 00:39:40,440 --> 00:39:41,840 Come on, be one of the guys. 798 00:39:43,220 --> 00:39:44,300 You ever have that problem? 799 00:39:45,740 --> 00:39:47,700 How about in the schoolrooms, young people? 800 00:39:49,000 --> 00:39:49,740 How about at school? 801 00:39:51,260 --> 00:39:55,200 Not so much in the schoolrooms, but how 802 00:39:55,200 --> 00:39:56,760 about when you're with your friends? 803 00:39:58,340 --> 00:39:59,780 Come on, be one of the guys. 804 00:39:59,940 --> 00:40:01,240 You know, everybody's doing it. 805 00:40:02,340 --> 00:40:03,380 Who's going to know? 806 00:40:03,460 --> 00:40:04,680 Who's going to care, you know? 807 00:40:05,740 --> 00:40:09,200 Nobody really digs that Christian stuff so much 808 00:40:09,200 --> 00:40:09,340 anymore. 809 00:40:09,340 --> 00:40:10,800 You know, you don't want to be a 810 00:40:10,800 --> 00:40:12,260 religious fanatic. 811 00:40:16,080 --> 00:40:19,640 I'm always interested in meeting other Christians at 812 00:40:19,640 --> 00:40:23,000 work and hear what people have to say 813 00:40:23,000 --> 00:40:23,420 about them. 814 00:40:26,100 --> 00:40:28,100 Oh, you know, he's a fanatic. 815 00:40:28,360 --> 00:40:29,880 He's one of them Christian guys. 816 00:40:30,240 --> 00:40:31,380 One of them holy guys. 817 00:40:32,500 --> 00:40:33,000 Oh really? 818 00:40:34,140 --> 00:40:34,900 What about him? 819 00:40:35,060 --> 00:40:37,180 Well, you know, he's a little bit weird. 820 00:40:38,380 --> 00:40:39,380 A little bit weird. 821 00:40:39,480 --> 00:40:40,360 Weird in what way? 822 00:40:41,380 --> 00:40:43,420 Well, you know, he doesn't drink and he 823 00:40:43,420 --> 00:40:45,460 doesn't smoke and he won't look at our 824 00:40:45,460 --> 00:40:50,520 dirty books and he doesn't cuss. 825 00:40:52,700 --> 00:40:54,660 You know, he's a nice person to be 826 00:40:54,660 --> 00:40:55,020 around. 827 00:40:56,640 --> 00:40:57,500 But he's weird. 828 00:41:00,380 --> 00:41:02,220 That is one of the hardest things for 829 00:41:02,220 --> 00:41:03,920 us to accept, is to be different. 830 00:41:04,940 --> 00:41:06,260 We don't want to be different. 831 00:41:06,920 --> 00:41:08,060 We want to fit in. 832 00:41:09,160 --> 00:41:12,800 We don't want to be noticed for something 833 00:41:12,800 --> 00:41:15,540 that will count. 834 00:41:16,560 --> 00:41:18,300 That's because we don't know how to add 835 00:41:18,300 --> 00:41:18,960 scripturally. 836 00:41:20,120 --> 00:41:25,440 We don't understand how God keeps score when 837 00:41:25,440 --> 00:41:27,960 it comes to adding up the essentials of 838 00:41:27,960 --> 00:41:28,360 life. 839 00:41:31,810 --> 00:41:34,070 Believe this from the Word of God. 840 00:41:35,610 --> 00:41:37,590 You make an idle commitment to God, He's 841 00:41:37,590 --> 00:41:38,550 going to challenge you on it. 842 00:41:38,830 --> 00:41:40,410 You make a commitment to God, you can 843 00:41:40,410 --> 00:41:43,470 rest assured that He's going to test you 844 00:41:43,470 --> 00:41:43,750 on it. 845 00:41:46,010 --> 00:41:48,210 You know, it's always very interesting to me, 846 00:41:48,270 --> 00:41:51,130 you know, I say, I'm not going to 847 00:41:51,130 --> 00:41:52,470 let this person bother me. 848 00:41:53,570 --> 00:41:55,410 You ever have anybody in life that bothers 849 00:41:55,410 --> 00:41:55,630 you? 850 00:41:58,190 --> 00:41:58,950 You don't have that problem? 851 00:41:59,070 --> 00:42:00,130 Okay, well, we won't go into it. 852 00:42:01,190 --> 00:42:02,970 But just listen from my standpoint, you know. 853 00:42:04,090 --> 00:42:09,530 In the workplace, being a supervisor over 40 854 00:42:09,530 --> 00:42:14,020 -some people, you know, there are days when 855 00:42:14,020 --> 00:42:15,400 people challenge me. 856 00:42:18,140 --> 00:42:22,920 And there are times when I say, Lord, 857 00:42:23,000 --> 00:42:24,420 if you don't do something with them, I'm 858 00:42:24,420 --> 00:42:25,040 going to. 859 00:42:29,660 --> 00:42:32,920 And you know, I say, I don't know 860 00:42:32,920 --> 00:42:34,260 about you, but I have to pray for 861 00:42:34,260 --> 00:42:34,860 patience. 862 00:42:37,390 --> 00:42:39,070 But then on the other hand, I go 863 00:42:39,070 --> 00:42:40,170 back and I read in the book of 864 00:42:40,170 --> 00:42:42,150 James that, you know, if you need it, 865 00:42:42,190 --> 00:42:44,310 ask from God and He will give it 866 00:42:44,310 --> 00:42:44,670 to us. 867 00:42:45,170 --> 00:42:47,110 But don't ask like the storm tossed in, 868 00:42:47,170 --> 00:42:47,330 you know. 869 00:42:47,330 --> 00:42:49,530 And I really don't think I trust God 870 00:42:49,530 --> 00:42:50,670 that He's going to give me patience. 871 00:42:52,750 --> 00:42:55,410 But I say, Lord, I need the patience 872 00:42:55,410 --> 00:42:56,510 to deal with this person. 873 00:42:58,530 --> 00:43:00,110 And I know that with You, I can 874 00:43:00,110 --> 00:43:00,510 do it. 875 00:43:00,970 --> 00:43:02,530 Because You tell me with Your strength, I 876 00:43:02,530 --> 00:43:03,410 can do all things. 877 00:43:04,210 --> 00:43:04,610 Amen. 878 00:43:04,890 --> 00:43:05,930 And boy, I'm off to work. 879 00:43:07,450 --> 00:43:09,730 I remember one morning, I had gone to 880 00:43:09,730 --> 00:43:11,730 work and I was just... 881 00:43:11,730 --> 00:43:14,790 The morning quiet time was just great. 882 00:43:15,830 --> 00:43:16,750 You ever have those mornings? 883 00:43:17,490 --> 00:43:19,250 Get into the Word of God and the 884 00:43:19,250 --> 00:43:21,990 Lord just seems to empty the basket out 885 00:43:21,990 --> 00:43:22,550 all over you. 886 00:43:22,750 --> 00:43:24,350 Eat, you know, take it all. 887 00:43:24,510 --> 00:43:25,310 And you have a feast. 888 00:43:26,010 --> 00:43:27,530 And you're feeling so good and you go 889 00:43:27,530 --> 00:43:27,950 to work. 890 00:43:28,570 --> 00:43:30,250 I remember I was just feeling great. 891 00:43:30,350 --> 00:43:31,670 I thought, Oh Lord, this is going to 892 00:43:31,670 --> 00:44:25,990 be another great coat 893 00:44:25,990 --> 00:44:26,430 off. 894 00:44:28,350 --> 00:44:32,050 And one of my employees was going to 895 00:44:32,050 --> 00:44:33,510 do a biology job on me. 896 00:44:33,610 --> 00:44:34,830 That would dissect me. 897 00:44:35,570 --> 00:44:37,250 She says, I'm unhappy with you and I'm 898 00:44:37,250 --> 00:44:38,170 going to tear you apart. 899 00:44:38,170 --> 00:44:40,130 And she was working on it. 900 00:44:43,310 --> 00:44:44,590 And I thought, Lord, what happened? 901 00:44:46,370 --> 00:44:47,550 Where did I go wrong? 902 00:44:47,630 --> 00:44:48,830 All I said was good morning. 903 00:44:50,190 --> 00:44:54,690 You know, and we don't really think that 904 00:44:54,690 --> 00:44:56,050 God understands us. 905 00:44:57,450 --> 00:44:58,850 That He's committed to us. 906 00:45:00,790 --> 00:45:02,690 So we find it hard in our lives 907 00:45:02,690 --> 00:45:03,850 to be committed to Him. 908 00:45:05,130 --> 00:45:07,150 To accept the challenge that He lays before 909 00:45:07,150 --> 00:45:08,190 us, to follow Him. 910 00:45:08,970 --> 00:45:10,370 He says, I will never leave you nor 911 00:45:10,370 --> 00:45:11,050 forsake you. 912 00:45:11,790 --> 00:45:13,570 But He said, rest in this and know 913 00:45:13,570 --> 00:45:13,870 this. 914 00:45:15,070 --> 00:45:15,910 You will be tested. 915 00:45:17,510 --> 00:45:18,610 You will be tested. 916 00:45:19,930 --> 00:45:21,110 Hey, you ever think about Peter? 917 00:45:23,040 --> 00:45:24,620 Think of all the tests he went through. 918 00:45:26,870 --> 00:45:29,010 Lord, I'll never forsake you. 919 00:45:31,290 --> 00:45:33,110 Here's a cock crowed a little later on, 920 00:45:33,150 --> 00:45:33,410 remember? 921 00:45:34,550 --> 00:45:35,430 And he wept. 922 00:45:36,750 --> 00:45:38,670 For he had denied the one who said 923 00:45:38,670 --> 00:45:39,970 he would never forsake. 924 00:45:42,420 --> 00:45:43,400 You know, a good old Peter. 925 00:45:45,080 --> 00:45:48,200 The Lord came walking in the late hours 926 00:45:48,200 --> 00:45:48,600 of the night. 927 00:45:50,940 --> 00:45:52,360 Come walking up on the water and they're 928 00:45:52,360 --> 00:45:53,000 out there in the boat. 929 00:45:55,280 --> 00:45:56,220 You know, it was Peter that got out 930 00:45:56,220 --> 00:45:56,480 of the boat. 931 00:45:56,600 --> 00:45:57,500 None of the rest of them were dumb 932 00:45:57,500 --> 00:45:58,280 enough to get out of the boat. 933 00:45:58,460 --> 00:45:59,520 Peter got out of the boat, didn't he? 934 00:46:00,780 --> 00:46:02,200 Peter had a faith, though, didn't he? 935 00:46:03,820 --> 00:46:05,760 He said, Lord, bid me to come to 936 00:46:05,760 --> 00:46:05,960 you. 937 00:46:06,940 --> 00:46:08,520 He said, come on, Peter. 938 00:46:10,080 --> 00:46:10,880 Peter stepped out. 939 00:46:11,940 --> 00:46:12,940 He's just like us, isn't he? 940 00:46:13,400 --> 00:46:14,540 Man, I can relate to Peter. 941 00:46:15,180 --> 00:46:16,740 I'm so much like Peter. 942 00:46:19,160 --> 00:46:20,820 The Lord lays a challenge before me. 943 00:46:22,460 --> 00:46:23,320 And I walk out. 944 00:46:24,720 --> 00:46:25,800 One step. 945 00:46:26,580 --> 00:46:27,380 Two steps. 946 00:46:28,800 --> 00:46:31,200 Man, dig them ways. 947 00:46:34,880 --> 00:46:36,120 Look at that sky. 948 00:46:39,650 --> 00:46:39,950 Hmm. 949 00:46:42,480 --> 00:46:43,540 Lord, save me. 950 00:46:45,300 --> 00:46:49,920 And he's there, lifts me up. 951 00:46:52,450 --> 00:46:56,750 But oh, wouldn't it be wonderful to time 952 00:46:56,750 --> 00:46:59,690 after time after time when we're given a 953 00:46:59,690 --> 00:47:02,330 test of our faith to show our commitment 954 00:47:02,330 --> 00:47:08,800 to him to not fail, to be consistent 955 00:47:08,800 --> 00:47:10,780 Christians every time. 956 00:47:11,900 --> 00:47:13,920 Wouldn't it be great to be a consistent 957 00:47:13,920 --> 00:47:14,420 Christian? 958 00:47:16,420 --> 00:47:17,620 I'm here to tell you. 959 00:47:19,000 --> 00:47:20,540 We're not going to be consistent. 960 00:47:21,100 --> 00:47:23,040 Not until the day we're made like him. 961 00:47:23,120 --> 00:47:23,700 We're perfect. 962 00:47:26,350 --> 00:47:30,970 Only then will we be perfectly consistent with 963 00:47:30,970 --> 00:47:31,690 the Son of God. 964 00:47:35,840 --> 00:47:38,460 But as we encounter these tests of faith, 965 00:47:40,180 --> 00:47:44,220 as we encounter the tests of faith, and 966 00:47:44,220 --> 00:47:45,620 we do want to stand by our allegiance 967 00:47:45,620 --> 00:47:49,880 to him and our commitment to him, and 968 00:47:49,880 --> 00:47:51,700 we do want to stand fast in our 969 00:47:51,700 --> 00:47:55,240 priority that he is number one, number one 970 00:47:55,240 --> 00:47:55,620 in our lives. 971 00:47:55,620 --> 00:47:56,700 He's Lord of my life. 972 00:47:58,300 --> 00:47:59,860 We want to stand by that. 973 00:48:01,340 --> 00:48:03,200 But we must understand from the word of 974 00:48:03,200 --> 00:48:04,500 God that we're going to be tested. 975 00:48:05,640 --> 00:48:06,720 You don't believe that. 976 00:48:06,840 --> 00:48:09,640 I think James gives us a very good 977 00:48:09,640 --> 00:48:09,920 answer. 978 00:48:10,000 --> 00:48:11,140 Let's take a look at the book of 979 00:48:11,140 --> 00:48:11,460 James. 980 00:48:11,580 --> 00:48:12,600 James chapter 1. 981 00:48:14,520 --> 00:48:15,980 I'm sure you know, if you probably know 982 00:48:15,980 --> 00:48:17,380 these verses by heart. 983 00:48:17,460 --> 00:48:18,400 You've probably been through this. 984 00:48:18,800 --> 00:48:20,400 I'm probably telling you something you may already 985 00:48:20,400 --> 00:48:20,720 know. 986 00:48:21,640 --> 00:48:22,780 But let's go over it again. 987 00:48:25,670 --> 00:48:26,990 James 1 verse 2. 988 00:48:28,130 --> 00:48:30,690 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you 989 00:48:30,690 --> 00:48:34,030 encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of 990 00:48:34,030 --> 00:48:36,130 your faith produces endurance, and let endurance have 991 00:48:36,130 --> 00:48:38,130 its perfect result that you may be perfect 992 00:48:38,130 --> 00:48:40,190 and complete, lacking in nothing. 993 00:48:42,610 --> 00:48:43,670 Lacking in nothing. 994 00:48:45,110 --> 00:48:46,730 But if any of you lack wisdom, let 995 00:48:46,730 --> 00:48:47,910 him ask of God, who gives to all 996 00:48:47,910 --> 00:48:49,830 men generously and without reproach, and it will 997 00:48:49,830 --> 00:48:50,410 be given to him. 998 00:48:50,450 --> 00:48:53,110 But let him ask in faith without any 999 00:48:53,110 --> 00:48:53,590 doubting. 1000 00:48:54,930 --> 00:48:56,370 For the one who doubts is like the 1001 00:48:56,370 --> 00:48:57,830 surf of the sea, driven and tossed by 1002 00:48:57,830 --> 00:48:58,190 the wind. 1003 00:48:58,550 --> 00:48:59,930 For let not that man expect that he 1004 00:48:59,930 --> 00:49:01,630 will receive anything from God, being a double 1005 00:49:01,630 --> 00:49:03,090 -minded man and stable in all of his 1006 00:49:03,090 --> 00:49:03,450 ways. 1007 00:49:05,450 --> 00:49:07,070 How's your stability this morning? 1008 00:49:08,890 --> 00:49:09,950 How's your consistency? 1009 00:49:13,470 --> 00:49:15,770 Basically, our problem is if we're inconsistent, we 1010 00:49:15,770 --> 00:49:16,870 haven't counted the cost. 1011 00:49:19,260 --> 00:49:21,760 We haven't taken the time to say, this 1012 00:49:21,760 --> 00:49:23,380 is what God expects of me. 1013 00:49:24,660 --> 00:49:26,980 This is what is commanded of me in 1014 00:49:26,980 --> 00:49:29,640 order to meet the tests of faith. 1015 00:49:32,630 --> 00:49:34,030 But you know, some people look at the 1016 00:49:34,030 --> 00:49:36,890 cost, and they have done some good arithmetic, 1017 00:49:38,490 --> 00:49:41,730 and they just say, I'm sorry, but it's 1018 00:49:41,730 --> 00:49:42,370 not worth it. 1019 00:49:44,780 --> 00:49:46,600 Now, we've known them by a variety of 1020 00:49:46,600 --> 00:49:46,960 names. 1021 00:49:48,140 --> 00:49:49,780 We've known them as backsliders. 1022 00:49:51,200 --> 00:49:54,200 We've known them as those who slipped. 1023 00:49:59,260 --> 00:50:01,360 Sometimes as we look at ourselves, we say, 1024 00:50:01,460 --> 00:50:03,100 I'd have to count myself as one who 1025 00:50:03,100 --> 00:50:03,560 slipped. 1026 00:50:06,310 --> 00:50:09,430 One who's backslidden from the word of God 1027 00:50:09,430 --> 00:50:11,090 and from following him. 1028 00:50:14,720 --> 00:50:14,880 Daily. 1029 00:50:16,660 --> 00:50:18,320 Daily we count the cost. 1030 00:50:20,240 --> 00:50:22,560 Our Lord Jesus Christ himself said it very 1031 00:50:22,560 --> 00:50:23,040 appropriately. 1032 00:50:24,940 --> 00:50:26,180 Take up your cross. 1033 00:50:27,640 --> 00:50:31,260 Take up the cross and follow me. 1034 00:50:34,300 --> 00:50:35,680 You know, those are words that have a 1035 00:50:35,680 --> 00:50:36,980 tendency to scare us away. 1036 00:50:38,320 --> 00:50:40,080 We don't like words like taking up a 1037 00:50:40,080 --> 00:50:40,520 cross. 1038 00:50:41,580 --> 00:50:43,760 Responsibility, commitment, priorities. 1039 00:50:45,620 --> 00:50:46,600 Those are heavy words. 1040 00:50:46,720 --> 00:50:48,280 Those are words that, you know, we don't 1041 00:50:48,280 --> 00:50:49,180 want to mess around with those. 1042 00:50:49,240 --> 00:50:50,500 We want to have fun in life. 1043 00:50:53,030 --> 00:50:54,010 But there will come a day. 1044 00:50:56,320 --> 00:50:57,480 There is coming a day. 1045 00:50:59,460 --> 00:51:02,160 And every one of us, every one of 1046 00:51:02,160 --> 00:51:03,080 us is here this morning. 1047 00:51:03,380 --> 00:51:06,340 Someday, and it may be a lot sooner 1048 00:51:06,340 --> 00:51:10,650 than we anticipate, we're going to stand before 1049 00:51:10,650 --> 00:51:15,510 him who bears the nail prints of Calvary. 1050 00:51:17,230 --> 00:51:22,530 Who bears the thorns, who bore the thorns 1051 00:51:23,170 --> 00:51:24,630 upon his head for us. 1052 00:51:26,070 --> 00:51:27,850 Someday we're going to stand before him. 1053 00:51:29,310 --> 00:51:31,230 We'll stand before him and look upon him 1054 00:51:31,230 --> 00:51:31,770 as Savior. 1055 00:51:33,390 --> 00:51:36,470 Or we're going to stand before him on 1056 00:51:36,470 --> 00:51:38,610 that day in the judgment. 1057 00:51:41,240 --> 00:51:44,800 I would trust this morning that each and 1058 00:51:44,800 --> 00:51:48,340 every one of you that is here knows 1059 00:51:48,340 --> 00:51:50,220 the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. 1060 00:51:53,580 --> 00:51:55,240 Now, maybe this morning I've said things that 1061 00:51:55,240 --> 00:51:56,760 you say, well, if that's true, I don't 1062 00:51:56,760 --> 00:51:58,660 really think I want to be involved with 1063 00:51:58,660 --> 00:52:00,360 him who would put that much of a 1064 00:52:00,360 --> 00:52:01,560 demand upon my life. 1065 00:52:04,710 --> 00:52:06,150 You can look at it this way. 1066 00:52:10,020 --> 00:52:12,200 Either way, we're going to stand before him. 1067 00:52:14,780 --> 00:52:16,480 But as I look at my Christian life 1068 00:52:18,020 --> 00:52:24,610 and living it for his glory, I haven't 1069 00:52:24,610 --> 00:52:25,370 lost anything. 1070 00:52:25,370 --> 00:52:29,060 For I believe that he is true. 1071 00:52:31,080 --> 00:52:32,700 But there are those who tell me he 1072 00:52:32,700 --> 00:52:33,400 is not true. 1073 00:52:34,500 --> 00:52:36,940 That this is just another figment of man. 1074 00:52:37,560 --> 00:52:41,280 That man has put before us to challenge 1075 00:52:41,280 --> 00:52:43,940 us in a spiritual way, to fulfill something 1076 00:52:43,940 --> 00:52:44,380 of man. 1077 00:52:45,120 --> 00:52:46,360 I don't believe that for a minute. 1078 00:52:48,560 --> 00:52:50,740 I believe Jesus Christ is everything that the 1079 00:52:50,740 --> 00:52:51,940 God's Word said he is. 1080 00:52:53,600 --> 00:53:00,030 And to follow him, I've lost nothing from 1081 00:53:01,340 --> 00:53:01,800 this world. 1082 00:53:01,800 --> 00:53:05,280 But let's say this. 1083 00:53:07,470 --> 00:53:11,730 If what he says is true, if all 1084 00:53:11,730 --> 00:53:13,730 the words that we find in the God's 1085 00:53:13,730 --> 00:53:19,920 Word are true and we reject him, what 1086 00:53:19,920 --> 00:53:20,560 have you lost? 1087 00:53:22,600 --> 00:53:23,280 Everything. 1088 00:53:24,760 --> 00:53:26,160 You've lost it all. 1089 00:53:27,740 --> 00:53:31,920 You've lost everything in rejecting him. 1090 00:53:34,120 --> 00:53:38,480 For you see, this life is but for 1091 00:53:38,480 --> 00:53:38,880 a moment. 1092 00:53:40,560 --> 00:53:41,280 But eternity? 1093 00:53:42,780 --> 00:53:44,160 How long is eternity? 1094 00:53:46,460 --> 00:53:47,700 As long as you want to believe. 1095 00:53:51,970 --> 00:53:55,190 For as you examine the word eternity, it 1096 00:53:55,190 --> 00:53:56,070 means without end. 1097 00:54:00,240 --> 00:54:03,660 This life here is but a prelude. 1098 00:54:07,720 --> 00:54:09,820 Remember when we were singing a few moments 1099 00:54:09,820 --> 00:54:12,260 ago as our brother was leading us in 1100 00:54:12,260 --> 00:54:13,460 these songs? 1101 00:54:14,400 --> 00:54:17,200 Our brother over here, he says, play a 1102 00:54:17,200 --> 00:54:17,860 little introduction. 1103 00:54:19,520 --> 00:54:21,060 Remember how beautiful it sounded? 1104 00:54:22,580 --> 00:54:27,960 But then, the voices came together and we 1105 00:54:27,960 --> 00:54:29,980 sang the whole song. 1106 00:54:32,350 --> 00:54:35,870 The introduction is just a little tiny bit. 1107 00:54:37,710 --> 00:54:39,590 This life here is just a little tiny 1108 00:54:39,590 --> 00:54:40,630 speck of eternity. 1109 00:54:42,960 --> 00:54:43,860 What of eternity? 1110 00:54:43,860 --> 00:54:51,410 As we think of these things this morning, 1111 00:54:53,150 --> 00:54:54,290 there are many more. 1112 00:54:54,430 --> 00:54:56,670 We could go on to discuss Matthew. 1113 00:54:58,030 --> 00:54:59,890 We could look at others as our Lord 1114 00:54:59,890 --> 00:55:02,270 Jesus Christ spoke to them and said, follow 1115 00:55:02,270 --> 00:55:02,610 me. 1116 00:55:03,390 --> 00:55:04,450 But our time is up. 1117 00:55:07,260 --> 00:55:08,900 And as we look at these things, just 1118 00:55:08,900 --> 00:55:10,600 a few of the things we've discussed this 1119 00:55:10,600 --> 00:55:14,240 morning, and considering what it means to follow 1120 00:55:14,240 --> 00:55:21,440 him, the touch of eternity, the thought of 1121 00:55:21,440 --> 00:55:27,940 living, the thought of commitment and priority, and 1122 00:55:27,940 --> 00:55:30,660 the challenge to my faith. 1123 00:55:32,360 --> 00:55:35,580 These are but a few things that we 1124 00:55:35,580 --> 00:55:37,500 can see in these verses that we've looked 1125 00:55:37,500 --> 00:55:40,300 at this morning from God's precious word. 1126 00:55:40,960 --> 00:55:42,720 They are viable words. 1127 00:55:43,020 --> 00:55:44,980 They are important to us as children of 1128 00:55:44,980 --> 00:55:45,300 God. 1129 00:55:46,860 --> 00:55:49,560 Will you listen this morning to the word 1130 00:55:49,560 --> 00:55:50,060 of God? 1131 00:55:50,800 --> 00:55:51,880 Don't listen to me. 1132 00:55:51,880 --> 00:55:53,000 I'm just a man. 1133 00:55:53,540 --> 00:55:55,460 I'm just flesh and blood like you. 1134 00:55:56,720 --> 00:55:59,840 If I die, I go the way of 1135 00:55:59,840 --> 00:56:01,240 all men to dust. 1136 00:56:02,180 --> 00:56:05,580 But I have a soul that lives eternally. 1137 00:56:06,560 --> 00:56:09,700 And that soul will be with Jesus Christ, 1138 00:56:10,160 --> 00:56:11,400 my Lord and Savior. 1139 00:56:12,180 --> 00:56:13,700 Can you say the same this morning? 1140 00:56:15,000 --> 00:56:16,900 Will you think about the things that we've 1141 00:56:16,900 --> 00:56:19,540 considered this morning in the Christian's walk of 1142 00:56:19,540 --> 00:56:19,820 faith? 1143 00:56:21,000 --> 00:56:22,240 Think about it. 1144 00:56:22,740 --> 00:56:23,460 Let's pray. 1145 00:56:31,450 --> 00:56:36,070 Again, our Father, we come into your presence. 1146 00:56:38,270 --> 00:56:41,310 Thou art the living and the true God. 1147 00:56:43,680 --> 00:56:45,880 You who have given life to all men, 1148 00:56:48,590 --> 00:56:50,430 we come to you this morning and we 1149 00:56:50,430 --> 00:56:51,850 thank you for giving us life. 1150 00:56:53,980 --> 00:56:55,400 And our Father, it would be our fervent 1151 00:56:55,400 --> 00:56:57,320 prayer this morning that every soul that is 1152 00:56:57,320 --> 00:57:00,120 here can say, Thou hast given me eternal 1153 00:57:00,120 --> 00:57:02,140 life through Jesus Christ, your Son. 1154 00:57:04,470 --> 00:57:06,270 And dear Father, we pray that as we 1155 00:57:06,270 --> 00:57:10,010 gather this weekend and as we look into 1156 00:57:10,010 --> 00:57:13,270 the Word, your Word, that it will speak 1157 00:57:13,270 --> 00:57:15,170 to our hearts for eternity's sake. 1158 00:57:17,370 --> 00:57:20,130 And Lord, we would count the cost to 1159 00:57:20,130 --> 00:57:20,770 follow you. 1160 00:57:22,740 --> 00:57:24,420 But can we give too much to Him 1161 00:57:24,420 --> 00:57:25,160 who gave us all? 1162 00:57:28,380 --> 00:57:31,220 For or not we challenge to follow Him 1163 00:57:32,600 --> 00:57:36,400 and to live for Him day by day. 1164 00:57:38,450 --> 00:57:39,950 For it was Paul who said, For me 1165 00:57:39,950 --> 00:57:41,810 to live is Christ, to die is gain. 1166 00:57:43,330 --> 00:57:45,270 Father, may it be our challenge this morning 1167 00:57:45,270 --> 00:57:49,230 as we would look at it that nothing 1168 00:57:49,230 --> 00:57:50,570 is too great to give to Him. 1169 00:57:52,610 --> 00:57:54,690 And Lord, we thank you again for these 1170 00:57:54,690 --> 00:57:57,070 blessed hearts that are here this morning. 1171 00:57:58,270 --> 00:58:00,130 And we pray, our Father, that the words 1172 00:58:00,130 --> 00:58:02,370 of thyself might speak to them for eternity's 1173 00:58:02,370 --> 00:58:02,610 sake. 1174 00:58:03,390 --> 00:58:05,070 May the words of man be set aside. 1175 00:58:05,170 --> 00:58:06,730 Only that which is living and true may 1176 00:58:06,730 --> 00:58:07,550 it be heard from thee. 1177 00:58:08,390 --> 00:58:10,370 May it prick their hearts and their consciences 1178 00:58:10,370 --> 00:58:11,370 for your name's sake. 1179 00:58:12,430 --> 00:58:13,870 We thank you for this beautiful day. 1180 00:58:14,730 --> 00:58:16,010 We thank you for this time in your 1181 00:58:16,010 --> 00:58:17,430 court, our time in your courts. 1182 00:58:18,370 --> 00:58:20,890 And we commend ourselves to you for the 1183 00:58:20,890 --> 00:58:22,790 remainder of this day, if our Savior be 1184 00:58:22,790 --> 00:58:23,310 not come. 1185 00:58:24,250 --> 00:58:25,990 We pray in His worthy and precious name.