1 00:00:05,340 --> 00:00:08,581 Perhaps you've caught a little bit of this 2 00:00:08,581 --> 00:00:14,648 if you've been with us in our Sunday service 3 00:00:14,648 --> 00:00:23,457 the last two Sundays. 4 00:00:23,457 --> 00:00:27,441 You might have picked up a little bit of this. 5 00:00:27,441 --> 00:00:30,405 It's kind of come across in being alive, 6 00:00:30,405 --> 00:00:32,703 being raised up with Christ. 7 00:00:32,703 --> 00:00:36,944 And we're really going to get into this week 8 00:00:36,944 --> 00:00:41,151 just being seated in the heavenly places with Christ - 9 00:00:41,151 --> 00:00:46,668 this whole perspective on living the Christian's life. 10 00:00:46,668 --> 00:00:52,778 And as I made mention, 11 00:00:52,778 --> 00:00:56,373 maybe some of you are far more aware 12 00:00:56,373 --> 00:00:58,366 than I am. You probably are. 13 00:00:58,366 --> 00:01:00,914 Any of you that have Facebook, 14 00:01:00,914 --> 00:01:02,816 I don't have a Facebook account 15 00:01:02,816 --> 00:01:04,847 except whatever you see there 16 00:01:04,847 --> 00:01:06,023 was created by James. 17 00:01:06,023 --> 00:01:07,810 I don't have anything to do with it. 18 00:01:07,810 --> 00:01:08,810 I never look at it. 19 00:01:08,810 --> 00:01:10,137 I don't know what's on it. 20 00:01:10,137 --> 00:01:12,411 If material gets added, it's not me doing it. 21 00:01:12,411 --> 00:01:16,090 It's somebody else. 22 00:01:16,090 --> 00:01:25,304 But I know that our elders 23 00:01:25,304 --> 00:01:27,800 recently have become aware 24 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:30,475 just of a situation 25 00:01:30,475 --> 00:01:41,887 of professing Christians watching a movie 26 00:01:41,887 --> 00:01:45,549 that, in my estimation, 27 00:01:45,549 --> 00:01:48,088 is absolutely inappropriate 28 00:01:48,088 --> 00:01:51,139 for a professing Christian. 29 00:01:51,139 --> 00:01:55,051 And some of you may be aware 30 00:01:55,051 --> 00:01:59,014 of what's being called the New Calvinism 31 00:01:59,014 --> 00:02:00,900 or this Neo-Calvinism 32 00:02:00,900 --> 00:02:06,653 or this "Young, Restless, and Reformed" bunch. 33 00:02:06,653 --> 00:02:08,775 I don't know how much you folks here - 34 00:02:08,775 --> 00:02:10,218 some of you young people - 35 00:02:10,218 --> 00:02:13,022 I don't know how much you even know about that movement; 36 00:02:13,022 --> 00:02:15,593 how much you actually identify with that movement, 37 00:02:15,593 --> 00:02:18,894 but one of the things that I saw - 38 00:02:18,894 --> 00:02:20,565 it was months ago, but I saw 39 00:02:20,565 --> 00:02:23,061 where John Piper was addressing 40 00:02:23,061 --> 00:02:25,144 this New Calvinism. 41 00:02:25,144 --> 00:02:27,743 And one of the things that he feared about it 42 00:02:27,743 --> 00:02:33,869 was that it is breeding antinomianism - 43 00:02:33,869 --> 00:02:36,867 just a license for lawlessness; 44 00:02:36,867 --> 00:02:39,042 just a license for sin. 45 00:02:39,042 --> 00:02:41,612 This really seems to be abounding. 46 00:02:41,612 --> 00:02:43,310 These guys like to talk election. 47 00:02:43,310 --> 00:02:45,364 They like to talk predestination 48 00:02:45,364 --> 00:02:48,420 and talk all about the different 49 00:02:48,420 --> 00:02:50,588 high and lofty doctrines of Calvinism, 50 00:02:50,588 --> 00:02:55,093 but they seem to be really lacking 51 00:02:55,093 --> 00:02:57,686 when it comes to holiness. 52 00:02:57,686 --> 00:02:59,541 And anyways, like I say, 53 00:02:59,541 --> 00:03:00,958 our elders became aware of 54 00:03:00,958 --> 00:03:02,745 some professing Christians. 55 00:03:02,745 --> 00:03:05,595 And there was comment going back and forth 56 00:03:05,595 --> 00:03:07,278 on the Internet about this 57 00:03:07,278 --> 00:03:08,963 and about the appropriateness. 58 00:03:08,963 --> 00:03:10,362 Well, let me just tell you. 59 00:03:10,362 --> 00:03:17,197 I know from my wife used to bring up 60 00:03:17,197 --> 00:03:20,817 this website called pluggedin.com, 61 00:03:20,817 --> 00:03:25,395 where you can basically disect any movie 62 00:03:25,395 --> 00:03:28,293 as far as the content, explicit content, 63 00:03:28,293 --> 00:03:30,747 language, sex, violence, 64 00:03:30,747 --> 00:03:33,532 occultic things, anything like that. 65 00:03:33,532 --> 00:03:36,982 The movie that I have in mind here, 66 00:03:36,982 --> 00:03:39,973 pluggedin.com says it has 50 F-words, 67 00:03:39,973 --> 00:03:41,551 40 S-words, 68 00:03:41,551 --> 00:03:44,163 God's name is misused repeatedly, 69 00:03:44,163 --> 00:03:46,528 assorted other indecent language, 70 00:03:46,528 --> 00:03:49,363 sex, violence, occult, hypnotists. 71 00:03:49,363 --> 00:03:52,180 Pluggedin.com sizes up this movie 72 00:03:52,180 --> 00:03:57,382 by saying it is bloody and profane. 73 00:03:57,382 --> 00:04:02,541 And in the past, 74 00:04:02,541 --> 00:04:05,351 we've actually had situations 75 00:04:05,351 --> 00:04:08,345 where some of the communication back and forth 76 00:04:08,345 --> 00:04:10,965 has been about music. 77 00:04:10,965 --> 00:04:13,466 People listening to music 78 00:04:13,466 --> 00:04:16,002 that's got profanity, 79 00:04:16,002 --> 00:04:20,464 or these worldly rap guys. 80 00:04:20,464 --> 00:04:25,632 And this kind of discussion seems to come up 81 00:04:25,632 --> 00:04:27,933 where whether it's music, 82 00:04:27,933 --> 00:04:30,312 whether it's something people are watching on TV, 83 00:04:30,312 --> 00:04:33,520 whether it's something people are being exposed to on the Internet, 84 00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:35,152 or movies people are going to, 85 00:04:35,152 --> 00:04:36,726 and one of the things 86 00:04:36,726 --> 00:04:44,020 that came out in this discussion 87 00:04:44,020 --> 00:04:46,877 that I heard firsthand, 88 00:04:46,877 --> 00:04:50,620 is "show me in the Bible 89 00:04:50,620 --> 00:05:00,724 where it says I can't do that." 90 00:05:00,724 --> 00:05:03,318 Okay, we look at that and we say as Christians, 91 00:05:03,318 --> 00:05:08,318 well, shouldn't our life be guided by Scripture? 92 00:05:08,318 --> 00:05:09,541 Absolutely. 93 00:05:09,541 --> 00:05:12,360 I want everybody to totally understand. 94 00:05:12,360 --> 00:05:14,797 I, in no way, am downplaying 95 00:05:14,797 --> 00:05:16,432 the importance of Scripture 96 00:05:16,432 --> 00:05:18,473 in the life of a Christian. 97 00:05:18,473 --> 00:05:20,599 Not at all. 98 00:05:20,599 --> 00:05:23,258 In fact, I want to emphasize 99 00:05:23,258 --> 00:05:26,695 the necessity of Scripture to point out 100 00:05:26,695 --> 00:05:36,247 what's really important in the Christian life. 101 00:05:36,247 --> 00:05:39,277 When somebody comes along and says - 102 00:05:39,277 --> 00:05:40,990 you now, you want to talk to them 103 00:05:40,990 --> 00:05:46,059 about some activity in their life. 104 00:05:46,059 --> 00:05:53,467 (Brother, you want to jump over here?) 105 00:05:53,467 --> 00:05:55,194 But you know, we can talk to people 106 00:05:55,194 --> 00:05:57,606 about different things in their life 107 00:05:57,606 --> 00:05:59,633 that don't seem appropriate; 108 00:05:59,633 --> 00:06:00,773 seem out of place; 109 00:06:00,773 --> 00:06:01,969 seem unfitting; 110 00:06:01,969 --> 00:06:03,207 seem worldly; 111 00:06:03,207 --> 00:06:06,712 seem indecent; seem profane. 112 00:06:06,712 --> 00:06:08,696 And people want to say, 113 00:06:08,696 --> 00:06:11,789 "Show me in the Bible where it says that." 114 00:06:11,789 --> 00:06:15,221 It's like, "Show me the rules." 115 00:06:15,221 --> 00:06:18,892 "Show me the law." 116 00:06:18,892 --> 00:06:22,724 That kind of living of the Christian life - 117 00:06:22,724 --> 00:06:26,964 I want to attack that. 118 00:06:26,964 --> 00:06:30,083 I want to deal with that. I want to address that. 119 00:06:30,083 --> 00:06:32,965 Because to live your life that way 120 00:06:32,965 --> 00:06:37,313 is really to miss it. 121 00:06:37,313 --> 00:06:44,584 That's not living the Christian life 122 00:06:44,584 --> 00:06:47,140 according to New Testament principles. 123 00:06:47,140 --> 00:06:48,273 It's something else. 124 00:06:48,273 --> 00:06:51,783 In fact, it's a manifestation of legalism. 125 00:06:51,783 --> 00:06:53,651 It's a manifestation of people 126 00:06:53,651 --> 00:06:55,559 who want a list of rules, 127 00:06:55,559 --> 00:06:57,636 and show me the rule that says 128 00:06:57,636 --> 00:06:59,772 I can do that or can't do that. 129 00:06:59,772 --> 00:07:06,290 It's basically, always asking the question, 130 00:07:06,290 --> 00:07:08,154 "What's permissible?" 131 00:07:08,154 --> 00:07:09,204 What's permissible? 132 00:07:09,204 --> 00:07:11,052 How close to the line can I live 133 00:07:11,052 --> 00:07:12,907 and still be a Christian? 134 00:07:12,907 --> 00:07:15,526 How much of the world can I bring in? 135 00:07:15,526 --> 00:07:16,652 What's wrong with that? 136 00:07:16,652 --> 00:07:18,046 What's wrong with drinking? 137 00:07:18,046 --> 00:07:22,272 What's wrong with - the thing is today - marijuana? 138 00:07:22,272 --> 00:07:24,495 Or show me in the Bible where it says that. 139 00:07:24,495 --> 00:07:27,545 Show me in the Bible where it says I'm supposed to evangelize. 140 00:07:27,545 --> 00:07:29,250 Show me the rule. 141 00:07:29,250 --> 00:07:32,218 Brethren, living your life that way 142 00:07:32,218 --> 00:07:35,848 is a manifestation of nothing less 143 00:07:35,848 --> 00:07:37,402 than legalism. 144 00:07:37,402 --> 00:07:40,980 It's simply wanting to be under a code of laws, 145 00:07:40,980 --> 00:07:42,291 a code of ethics, 146 00:07:42,291 --> 00:07:43,782 a list of rules, 147 00:07:43,782 --> 00:07:46,128 and you need your whole life guided by that. 148 00:07:46,128 --> 00:07:49,251 Show me the rule. 149 00:07:49,251 --> 00:07:51,103 There's just something about that. 150 00:07:51,103 --> 00:07:58,700 When I hear that kind of language, 151 00:07:58,700 --> 00:08:03,010 sometimes I'm amazed. 152 00:08:03,010 --> 00:08:05,889 And I'm not the only one. 153 00:08:05,889 --> 00:08:07,260 Listen to this. 154 00:08:07,260 --> 00:08:11,280 Now, I know this quote isn't exactly 155 00:08:11,280 --> 00:08:13,771 along the line of what I'm talking about right now, 156 00:08:13,771 --> 00:08:14,696 but it's close. 157 00:08:14,696 --> 00:08:16,042 It's got some parallels. 158 00:08:16,042 --> 00:08:18,217 Listen to this. This is John Piper 159 00:08:18,217 --> 00:08:21,469 speaking actually about a quote 160 00:08:21,469 --> 00:08:27,123 that he got from J.I. Packer. 161 00:08:27,123 --> 00:08:28,401 Just hang with me here - 162 00:08:28,401 --> 00:08:30,133 there's a connection. You'll see it. 163 00:08:30,133 --> 00:08:31,700 Piper says this, "In the church, 164 00:08:31,700 --> 00:08:33,095 we've developed all kinds 165 00:08:33,095 --> 00:08:35,292 of Christ-coated remedies 166 00:08:35,292 --> 00:08:39,829 that are shallow and short-lived. 167 00:08:39,829 --> 00:08:43,055 We are not by and large the deeply grounded saints 168 00:08:43,055 --> 00:08:45,234 that some of our forefathers were. 169 00:08:45,234 --> 00:08:48,296 J.I. Packer compares the old English Puritans 170 00:08:48,296 --> 00:08:52,398 who lived and suffered from 1550 to 1700 171 00:08:52,398 --> 00:08:55,526 with the Redwoods of California. 172 00:08:55,526 --> 00:08:58,738 They were giants whose roots 173 00:08:58,738 --> 00:09:02,167 were incredibly deep in the Bible, 174 00:09:02,167 --> 00:09:05,767 and whose branches reached to the heavens, 175 00:09:05,767 --> 00:09:09,448 and whose trunks were so strong and durable 176 00:09:09,448 --> 00:09:11,538 they could endure forest fires 177 00:09:11,538 --> 00:09:13,814 that scar them but don't kill them. 178 00:09:13,814 --> 00:09:16,301 Packer says affluence seems 179 00:09:16,301 --> 00:09:18,659 for the past generation to be making 180 00:09:18,659 --> 00:09:21,765 dwarfs and deadheads of us all." 181 00:09:21,765 --> 00:09:24,330 You see, that's what I don't want. 182 00:09:24,330 --> 00:09:32,631 I don't want a room full of dwarfs and deadheads. 183 00:09:32,631 --> 00:09:34,778 Brethren, if regeneration is real 184 00:09:34,778 --> 00:09:36,658 and it's the work of Almighty God 185 00:09:36,658 --> 00:09:38,207 and He has actually taken people 186 00:09:38,207 --> 00:09:40,210 and made new creations out of them, 187 00:09:40,210 --> 00:09:42,593 and if indeed like we're going to see on Sunday 188 00:09:42,593 --> 00:09:45,855 we're seated in heavenly places with Christ - 189 00:09:45,855 --> 00:09:49,242 if that is true of us, 190 00:09:49,242 --> 00:09:53,158 why are there not more Redwoods today? 191 00:09:53,158 --> 00:09:57,190 Why deadheads? 192 00:09:57,190 --> 00:09:59,308 Anyway... 193 00:09:59,308 --> 00:10:01,703 "We do not have the patience 194 00:10:01,703 --> 00:10:04,902 to sink the roots of hospitality 195 00:10:04,902 --> 00:10:07,345 and brotherly kindness 196 00:10:07,345 --> 00:10:11,117 and authentic love in the deep rock 197 00:10:11,117 --> 00:10:14,046 of Romans 6-8." 198 00:10:14,046 --> 00:10:16,662 Piper was preaching through those chapters 199 00:10:16,662 --> 00:10:20,278 at the time that he said this. 200 00:10:20,278 --> 00:10:21,891 "We want to jump straight 201 00:10:21,891 --> 00:10:23,666 from the justification 202 00:10:23,666 --> 00:10:27,406 to the practical application of chapter 12. 203 00:10:27,406 --> 00:10:28,730 Just give us a list." 204 00:10:28,730 --> 00:10:31,418 The reason he goes to 12 - 205 00:10:31,418 --> 00:10:33,599 the reason he's talking 5 and 12, 206 00:10:33,599 --> 00:10:38,381 is because 5 deals with justification by faith. 207 00:10:38,381 --> 00:10:44,042 We have peace through God - if you think about 5:1. 208 00:10:44,042 --> 00:10:45,646 Our sins are forgiven 209 00:10:45,646 --> 00:10:49,230 based on the merits of what Jesus Christ did. 210 00:10:49,230 --> 00:10:50,816 Just tell me about my redemption. 211 00:10:50,816 --> 00:10:52,439 Tell me about my forgiveness. 212 00:10:52,439 --> 00:10:54,585 And then take me to the list of rules. 213 00:10:54,585 --> 00:10:57,316 Which, there are some lists of things 214 00:10:57,316 --> 00:10:58,963 if you remember, if you think, 215 00:10:58,963 --> 00:11:02,810 when you get 10 or 12 verses 216 00:11:02,810 --> 00:11:05,127 into Romans 12, 217 00:11:05,127 --> 00:11:09,006 you begin to get a list of various things 218 00:11:09,006 --> 00:11:10,246 that come at us. 219 00:11:10,246 --> 00:11:12,772 And he's saying that's how most people want to live. 220 00:11:12,772 --> 00:11:14,275 Tell me I'm forgiven. 221 00:11:14,275 --> 00:11:16,305 Now give me the list of things. 222 00:11:16,305 --> 00:11:18,482 So I can basically live my life that way. 223 00:11:18,482 --> 00:11:19,895 Do this. Don't do that. 224 00:11:19,895 --> 00:11:21,676 And just live our lives. 225 00:11:21,676 --> 00:11:25,048 But see, the thing that Piper's hitting at 226 00:11:25,048 --> 00:11:28,789 is that's what makes for shallow Christians. 227 00:11:28,789 --> 00:11:32,151 Tell me my sins are forgiven. Give me the list of things to do. 228 00:11:32,151 --> 00:11:37,595 That's not how we live the Christian life. 229 00:11:37,595 --> 00:11:38,856 "Just give us a list. 230 00:11:38,856 --> 00:11:40,357 Tell us what to do. 231 00:11:40,357 --> 00:11:41,966 But the Puritans were different. 232 00:11:41,966 --> 00:11:43,773 They looked at the book of Romans 233 00:11:43,773 --> 00:11:46,503 and saw that life is built another way - 234 00:11:46,503 --> 00:11:49,269 being a sage, being a redwood, 235 00:11:49,269 --> 00:11:51,514 being unshakeable in storm 236 00:11:51,514 --> 00:11:55,228 and useful in times of indescribable suffering - 237 00:11:55,228 --> 00:11:58,672 that does not come quickly or easily. 238 00:11:58,672 --> 00:12:01,032 Romans is not two chapters long. 239 00:12:01,032 --> 00:12:03,719 It's 16 chapters long. 240 00:12:03,719 --> 00:12:07,609 It does not skip from chapter 5 to 12. 241 00:12:07,609 --> 00:12:11,006 It leads us deep down into the roots 242 00:12:11,006 --> 00:12:14,107 of godliness, so that when we come up, 243 00:12:14,107 --> 00:12:16,578 we're not people with lists." 244 00:12:16,578 --> 00:12:18,046 You see, that's the thing. 245 00:12:18,046 --> 00:12:20,357 That's what's so amazing to me 246 00:12:20,357 --> 00:12:21,943 is when people say, 247 00:12:21,943 --> 00:12:24,276 "Show me in the Bible 248 00:12:24,276 --> 00:12:26,835 where I shouldn't do that." 249 00:12:26,835 --> 00:12:29,067 You see, that's where you want to say to them, 250 00:12:29,067 --> 00:12:33,255 "have you never read Romans 6-8? 251 00:12:33,255 --> 00:12:36,364 Have you never plunged down in the depths 252 00:12:36,364 --> 00:12:41,410 of 'sin no longer has dominion'?" 253 00:12:41,410 --> 00:12:45,344 Eternal life is at the end of: 254 00:12:45,344 --> 00:12:49,765 I've died to sin. I'm a slave to God. 255 00:12:49,765 --> 00:12:52,436 I'm now bearing this fruit 256 00:12:52,436 --> 00:12:54,153 unto sanctification. 257 00:12:54,153 --> 00:12:57,149 The end of all of this is eternal life. 258 00:12:57,149 --> 00:13:00,482 I'm not married to the law anymore. 259 00:13:00,482 --> 00:13:03,915 I'm married to Christ and there's freedom. 260 00:13:03,915 --> 00:13:06,486 Not freedom as a license to sin. 261 00:13:06,486 --> 00:13:08,956 A freedom to serve God. 262 00:13:08,956 --> 00:13:11,579 It's going through the depths 263 00:13:11,579 --> 00:13:13,380 of that kind of teaching 264 00:13:13,380 --> 00:13:21,954 before you ever get to any sort of list. 265 00:13:21,954 --> 00:13:25,770 It says, "It leads us down deep 266 00:13:25,770 --> 00:13:27,314 into the roots of godliness, 267 00:13:27,314 --> 00:13:28,617 so that when we come up, 268 00:13:28,617 --> 00:13:31,196 we're not people with lists, 269 00:13:31,196 --> 00:13:33,209 but people with unshakeable life 270 00:13:33,209 --> 00:13:34,615 and strength and holiness 271 00:13:34,615 --> 00:13:38,651 and wisdom and love." 272 00:13:38,651 --> 00:13:40,669 Now, listen to another Piper quote. 273 00:13:40,669 --> 00:13:45,267 This is Piper - I believe it's when 274 00:13:45,267 --> 00:13:52,341 he did his biographical sketch 275 00:13:52,341 --> 00:13:53,789 of C.S. Lewis. 276 00:13:53,789 --> 00:13:55,821 And he was actually talking about 277 00:13:55,821 --> 00:13:57,409 as a young Christian, 278 00:13:57,409 --> 00:13:59,017 trying to sort things out, 279 00:13:59,017 --> 00:14:00,799 and he got exposure to C.S. Lewis. 280 00:14:00,799 --> 00:14:03,559 And look, there's much that Lewis 281 00:14:03,559 --> 00:14:06,526 says, does, did, believed - 282 00:14:06,526 --> 00:14:11,993 I would not stand by it at all. 283 00:14:11,993 --> 00:14:14,956 But here's what Piper said. 284 00:14:14,956 --> 00:14:17,249 "Somehow there had been wakened in me 285 00:14:17,249 --> 00:14:20,486 a passion for the essence 286 00:14:20,486 --> 00:14:24,512 and the main point of life. 287 00:14:24,512 --> 00:14:26,710 The ethical question whether something 288 00:14:26,710 --> 00:14:28,998 is permissible..." 289 00:14:28,998 --> 00:14:31,272 See, that's what he was dealing with. 290 00:14:31,272 --> 00:14:34,246 As a young Christian, this idea 291 00:14:34,246 --> 00:14:36,573 of asking that question all the time, 292 00:14:36,573 --> 00:14:38,486 just looking at something and saying, 293 00:14:38,486 --> 00:14:41,373 "is it permissible?" 294 00:14:41,373 --> 00:14:44,827 "...faded in relationship to the question: 295 00:14:44,827 --> 00:14:47,413 what is the main thing? The essential thing? 296 00:14:47,413 --> 00:14:49,290 The thought of building a life 297 00:14:49,290 --> 00:14:51,353 around minimal morality 298 00:14:51,353 --> 00:14:53,299 or minimal significance - 299 00:14:53,299 --> 00:14:55,713 a life defined by the question: 300 00:14:55,713 --> 00:14:57,081 what is permissible? - 301 00:14:57,081 --> 00:14:59,992 felt almost disgusting to me. 302 00:14:59,992 --> 00:15:01,576 I didn't want a minimal life. 303 00:15:01,576 --> 00:15:04,888 I didn't want to live on the outskirts of reality. 304 00:15:04,888 --> 00:15:08,207 I wanted to understand the main thing about life 305 00:15:08,207 --> 00:15:11,120 and pursue it." 306 00:15:11,120 --> 00:15:13,451 Now, I know I've been quoting Piper. 307 00:15:13,451 --> 00:15:17,657 We're going to get to Scripture now. 308 00:15:17,657 --> 00:15:20,616 But brethren, if you think about it. 309 00:15:20,616 --> 00:15:24,238 Just think about the arguments 310 00:15:24,238 --> 00:15:26,024 of the epistles, 311 00:15:26,024 --> 00:15:28,260 or the way Jesus, when He had opportunity 312 00:15:28,260 --> 00:15:29,910 to pull His disciples aside - 313 00:15:29,910 --> 00:15:32,740 and He began teaching them. 314 00:15:32,740 --> 00:15:34,668 Where in the world do you ever find 315 00:15:34,668 --> 00:15:36,714 just a list of ethics? 316 00:15:36,714 --> 00:15:38,009 A list of morality? 317 00:15:38,009 --> 00:15:39,644 Christianity in the New Testament 318 00:15:39,644 --> 00:15:43,797 is not just a list of rules. 319 00:15:43,797 --> 00:15:46,408 "Show me in the Bible where it says I can't do that." 320 00:15:46,408 --> 00:15:48,413 Always looking for what's permissible. 321 00:15:48,413 --> 00:15:52,393 That's dismal, horrible kind of religion. 322 00:15:52,393 --> 00:15:55,006 Here's what Scripture says as we're thinking 323 00:15:55,006 --> 00:15:56,491 about the book of Romans. 324 00:15:56,491 --> 00:15:58,151 You know what's interesting? 325 00:15:58,151 --> 00:15:59,925 When you get to Romans 14 - 326 00:15:59,925 --> 00:16:05,359 and what do we all know Romans 14 for? 327 00:16:05,359 --> 00:16:07,359 What jumps out at you as being 328 00:16:07,359 --> 00:16:18,502 one of the key characteristics of Romans 14? 329 00:16:18,502 --> 00:16:23,902 Romans 14 is where it talks to us 330 00:16:23,902 --> 00:16:28,525 about having differences, right? 331 00:16:28,525 --> 00:16:31,040 Some eat. Some don't eat. 332 00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:32,485 Some observe the day. 333 00:16:32,485 --> 00:16:35,045 Some don't observe the day. 334 00:16:35,045 --> 00:16:37,525 Well, isn't that interesting? 335 00:16:37,525 --> 00:16:40,531 Let's just think right there. 336 00:16:40,531 --> 00:16:42,902 Is that a list of rules? 337 00:16:42,902 --> 00:16:45,587 Actually, that's Paul telling people: 338 00:16:45,587 --> 00:16:46,835 you know what? 339 00:16:46,835 --> 00:16:48,548 That guy over there can do it. 340 00:16:48,548 --> 00:16:51,188 That guy over there can't do it. 341 00:16:51,188 --> 00:16:54,143 She can eat. She doesn't eat. 342 00:16:54,143 --> 00:16:55,825 No list of rules. 343 00:16:55,825 --> 00:16:57,993 There's much bigger things 344 00:16:57,993 --> 00:16:59,934 than a list of rules. 345 00:16:59,934 --> 00:17:01,045 Isn't that right? 346 00:17:01,045 --> 00:17:03,204 And see, when he gets done with it, 347 00:17:03,204 --> 00:17:06,265 you know what he says? 348 00:17:06,265 --> 00:17:09,140 This is what? 14:17? 349 00:17:09,140 --> 00:17:13,428 He says the kingdom of God 350 00:17:13,428 --> 00:17:19,320 is not all about eating and drinking. 351 00:17:19,320 --> 00:17:20,808 What's that? 352 00:17:20,808 --> 00:17:23,453 That's rules. 353 00:17:23,453 --> 00:17:25,351 It's not about a list of rules 354 00:17:25,351 --> 00:17:28,415 as to whether I can drink alcohol or not. 355 00:17:28,415 --> 00:17:30,896 That's not how you live your life. 356 00:17:30,896 --> 00:17:32,234 It's not simply: 357 00:17:32,234 --> 00:17:35,198 is it permissible for a Christian to drink wine? 358 00:17:35,198 --> 00:17:37,254 After all, Jesus Christ - look what He did 359 00:17:37,254 --> 00:17:38,675 over there at the wedding. 360 00:17:38,675 --> 00:17:40,595 That's not how you live. 361 00:17:40,595 --> 00:17:44,603 Yes, we take those things into consideration. 362 00:17:44,603 --> 00:17:48,160 We look at them, but as we live out our life, 363 00:17:48,160 --> 00:17:50,331 the question we're not always asking 364 00:17:50,331 --> 00:17:51,858 is: is it permissible? 365 00:17:51,858 --> 00:17:53,422 Can I eat? Can I not eat? 366 00:17:53,422 --> 00:17:54,883 Yes, there are verses that say 367 00:17:54,883 --> 00:17:56,622 that if you forbid people to eat, 368 00:17:56,622 --> 00:17:57,900 it's demonic doctrine. 369 00:17:57,900 --> 00:17:59,808 There are those who come along and say 370 00:17:59,808 --> 00:18:01,422 you can't eat, you can't marry. 371 00:18:01,422 --> 00:18:03,494 We know. There's demon doctrine out there. 372 00:18:03,494 --> 00:18:05,777 We need to be able to distinguish between them. 373 00:18:05,777 --> 00:18:07,962 But brethren, can't you hear Paul here? 374 00:18:07,962 --> 00:18:09,649 He's saying to the Romans 375 00:18:09,649 --> 00:18:11,609 there's bigger issues 376 00:18:11,609 --> 00:18:14,392 than rules around eating and drinking. 377 00:18:14,392 --> 00:18:17,279 That's not the issue. 378 00:18:17,279 --> 00:18:24,580 The kingdom of God is about righteousness. 379 00:18:24,580 --> 00:18:26,901 What else? 380 00:18:26,901 --> 00:18:29,765 It's about peace. 381 00:18:29,765 --> 00:18:35,141 It's about joy in the Holy Spirit. 382 00:18:35,141 --> 00:18:38,510 You see, joy in the Holy Spirit. 383 00:18:38,510 --> 00:18:41,152 I just had a meeting not too long before 384 00:18:41,152 --> 00:18:43,115 the Bible study tonight. 385 00:18:43,115 --> 00:18:46,649 And a sister was telling me about 386 00:18:46,649 --> 00:18:48,254 a season in her life 387 00:18:48,254 --> 00:18:51,828 where she lacked assurance. 388 00:18:51,828 --> 00:18:55,795 And she told me right off, 389 00:18:55,795 --> 00:18:59,308 she'd grieved the Spirit. She knew it. 390 00:18:59,308 --> 00:19:00,858 Joy in the Holy Spirit. 391 00:19:00,858 --> 00:19:03,642 See, those are the kind of questions to be asking. 392 00:19:03,642 --> 00:19:06,354 Is this going to bring any shadow 393 00:19:06,354 --> 00:19:08,522 between me and the Lord? 394 00:19:08,522 --> 00:19:09,814 Because I don't want that. 395 00:19:09,814 --> 00:19:12,871 See, it's not, "is it permissible?" 396 00:19:12,871 --> 00:19:14,689 I feel like Piper - 397 00:19:14,689 --> 00:19:18,867 that kind of thinking is disgusting 398 00:19:18,867 --> 00:19:22,206 for a Christian to even think on that level - 399 00:19:22,206 --> 00:19:24,833 or professing Christian. 400 00:19:24,833 --> 00:19:27,666 In the end, what we're going to find 401 00:19:27,666 --> 00:19:29,527 is many people who talk that way - 402 00:19:29,527 --> 00:19:30,954 the reason they talk that way 403 00:19:30,954 --> 00:19:32,665 is because they're under the law. 404 00:19:32,665 --> 00:19:34,761 And that's how people under the law think. 405 00:19:34,761 --> 00:19:36,825 That's how slaves think. 406 00:19:36,825 --> 00:19:38,981 (incomplete thought) 407 00:19:38,981 --> 00:19:41,079 See, the slave doesn't enjoy 408 00:19:41,079 --> 00:19:45,742 what the master tells him to do. 409 00:19:45,742 --> 00:19:48,811 But he's always aware of the law, 410 00:19:48,811 --> 00:19:50,189 of the rules. 411 00:19:50,189 --> 00:19:51,896 Because if he doesn't do the rule, 412 00:19:51,896 --> 00:19:53,760 what's going to happen? 413 00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:55,516 He's going to get punished. 414 00:19:55,516 --> 00:19:56,775 He's going to get whipped. 415 00:19:56,775 --> 00:19:57,898 He's going to get beat. 416 00:19:57,898 --> 00:20:01,215 He's going to get his leg chopped off. 417 00:20:01,215 --> 00:20:02,695 You do what the master says 418 00:20:02,695 --> 00:20:04,307 or there's consequences. 419 00:20:04,307 --> 00:20:07,415 See, you're always mindful of the rules. 420 00:20:07,415 --> 00:20:09,425 The rules, the rules, the rules. 421 00:20:09,425 --> 00:20:12,632 That is to be under the law. 422 00:20:12,632 --> 00:20:14,395 (incomplete thought) 423 00:20:14,395 --> 00:20:18,015 The legalist is absorbed with rules 424 00:20:18,015 --> 00:20:21,186 rather than with God; 425 00:20:21,186 --> 00:20:23,738 rather than with his fellow man 426 00:20:23,738 --> 00:20:25,047 in true holiness. 427 00:20:25,047 --> 00:20:30,511 Life is viewed as primarily what I do. 428 00:20:30,511 --> 00:20:32,802 It's breaking all my actions down. 429 00:20:32,802 --> 00:20:34,360 The do's, the don't's, 430 00:20:34,360 --> 00:20:39,791 the particular actions all in terms of: 431 00:20:39,791 --> 00:20:41,279 is it permissible? 432 00:20:41,279 --> 00:20:42,876 Is it not? 433 00:20:42,876 --> 00:20:50,304 Versus: the kingdom of God 434 00:20:50,304 --> 00:20:54,451 is about righteousness. 435 00:20:54,451 --> 00:20:58,159 It's about what pleases the King. 436 00:20:58,159 --> 00:20:59,362 See, righteousness - 437 00:20:59,362 --> 00:21:01,364 that's the character of the King, 438 00:21:01,364 --> 00:21:02,640 the Kingdom of God. 439 00:21:02,640 --> 00:21:04,688 That's the character of the King Himself. 440 00:21:04,688 --> 00:21:06,599 What is the character of God? 441 00:21:06,599 --> 00:21:07,857 How can I be like Him? 442 00:21:07,857 --> 00:21:09,769 What does Peter say? 443 00:21:09,769 --> 00:21:12,054 Does Peter not call us to be holy? 444 00:21:12,054 --> 00:21:15,761 Why? 445 00:21:15,761 --> 00:21:22,952 Be ye holy. Why? 446 00:21:22,952 --> 00:21:24,936 What's the argument? 447 00:21:24,936 --> 00:21:26,401 Come on, folks. 448 00:21:26,401 --> 00:21:28,251 James: They're whispering back here. 449 00:21:28,251 --> 00:21:29,901 Tim: Let's be aggressive. 450 00:21:29,901 --> 00:21:34,172 What was it? 451 00:21:34,172 --> 00:21:44,311 Yeah, you shall be holy, for I am holy. 452 00:21:44,311 --> 00:21:49,375 Listen to Ephesians 4. 453 00:21:49,375 --> 00:21:51,307 Ephesians 4:17 and following. 454 00:21:51,307 --> 00:21:53,998 We're going to come to this in our studies, 455 00:21:53,998 --> 00:21:55,806 but you know what? 456 00:21:55,806 --> 00:21:58,009 Paul comes along and he says 457 00:21:58,009 --> 00:22:01,050 you shouldn't walk like Gentiles any longer. 458 00:22:01,050 --> 00:22:02,895 You shouldn't act like them. 459 00:22:02,895 --> 00:22:06,888 You shouldn't live your lives that way, 460 00:22:06,888 --> 00:22:08,384 walk like the Gentiles do 461 00:22:08,384 --> 00:22:09,876 in the futility of their mind. 462 00:22:09,876 --> 00:22:12,314 He basically breaks down how they live. 463 00:22:12,314 --> 00:22:14,342 They're alienated from the life of God. 464 00:22:14,342 --> 00:22:16,900 They're living in all this sensuality. 465 00:22:16,900 --> 00:22:19,331 What's the reason? 466 00:22:19,331 --> 00:22:21,158 Because Jesus Christ gave you a list 467 00:22:21,158 --> 00:22:22,956 of do's and don't's? 468 00:22:22,956 --> 00:22:25,264 You know what he says? 469 00:22:25,264 --> 00:22:31,177 That is not the way you learned Christ, 470 00:22:31,177 --> 00:22:34,192 assuming that you have learned Him. 471 00:22:34,192 --> 00:22:36,747 Isn't that interesting? He tacks that on the end. 472 00:22:36,747 --> 00:22:39,234 You see, that's the issue. 473 00:22:39,234 --> 00:22:43,388 How did you learn Christ? 474 00:22:43,388 --> 00:22:48,637 Let me ask you this - 475 00:22:48,637 --> 00:22:52,903 I would just ask you all this: 476 00:22:52,903 --> 00:22:56,927 When you do something with your life, 477 00:22:56,927 --> 00:23:01,717 how did you learn Christ? 478 00:23:01,717 --> 00:23:03,564 I mean, that's the kind of question 479 00:23:03,564 --> 00:23:05,654 that needs to be going through your mind. 480 00:23:05,654 --> 00:23:07,541 You know what I learn about Him? 481 00:23:07,541 --> 00:23:10,560 I learn when I get to the book of Acts, 482 00:23:10,560 --> 00:23:15,062 He came and He went about doing good. 483 00:23:15,062 --> 00:23:16,513 You know what's amazing to me? 484 00:23:16,513 --> 00:23:19,197 Well, you think about this. 485 00:23:19,197 --> 00:23:21,141 You all now what's happening out there 486 00:23:21,141 --> 00:23:23,768 in social media and what the discussions are about 487 00:23:23,768 --> 00:23:24,926 far more than I do. 488 00:23:24,926 --> 00:23:28,549 Let me ask you a question. 489 00:23:28,549 --> 00:23:33,809 The people who it seems like 490 00:23:33,809 --> 00:23:36,248 are legalists - 491 00:23:36,248 --> 00:23:37,810 show them a rule. 492 00:23:37,810 --> 00:23:39,547 That's how they talk all the time. 493 00:23:39,547 --> 00:23:40,830 Show me a rule for that. 494 00:23:40,830 --> 00:23:45,151 Show me a rule for that. 495 00:23:45,151 --> 00:23:49,740 Is that who you want for a husband or wife? 496 00:23:49,740 --> 00:23:56,305 "I want you to hug me." "Show me a rule for that!" 497 00:23:56,305 --> 00:23:58,756 Look, if you start to even contemplate 498 00:23:58,756 --> 00:24:00,587 that on that level - 499 00:24:00,587 --> 00:24:02,902 a wife says, "I want my husband to hold me," 500 00:24:02,902 --> 00:24:06,449 and the husband says, "show me a rule for that." 501 00:24:06,449 --> 00:24:08,413 You don't want a husband like that. 502 00:24:08,413 --> 00:24:10,007 Can you see how God would be 503 00:24:10,007 --> 00:24:11,550 absolutely disgusted 504 00:24:11,550 --> 00:24:16,225 with that kind of life? 505 00:24:16,225 --> 00:24:17,846 Listen, there is a huge difference 506 00:24:17,846 --> 00:24:21,414 between morality and holiness. 507 00:24:21,414 --> 00:24:24,052 This idea of just basically living your life 508 00:24:24,052 --> 00:24:26,017 according to some moral code: 509 00:24:26,017 --> 00:24:27,415 "Show me where it says that." 510 00:24:27,415 --> 00:24:29,381 "Show me where I have to do that." 511 00:24:29,381 --> 00:24:35,290 Like this argument against evangelism. 512 00:24:35,290 --> 00:24:36,412 People who say, 513 00:24:36,412 --> 00:24:37,705 "Show me in the Bible..." 514 00:24:37,705 --> 00:24:39,360 Back in William Carey's day, 515 00:24:39,360 --> 00:24:40,779 that was a big thing. 516 00:24:40,779 --> 00:24:43,008 They wanted to downplay the Great Commission 517 00:24:43,008 --> 00:24:45,803 as though it was only for the apostles. 518 00:24:45,803 --> 00:24:47,739 Carey came along and said - 519 00:24:47,739 --> 00:24:49,465 he used numerous arguments, 520 00:24:49,465 --> 00:24:50,589 but his main one being, 521 00:24:50,589 --> 00:24:52,871 look, the promise is that Christ will be with us 522 00:24:52,871 --> 00:24:54,372 to the end of the age. 523 00:24:54,372 --> 00:24:57,115 Doesn't that mean that our responsibility 524 00:24:57,115 --> 00:24:58,489 to go to all of the nations 525 00:24:58,489 --> 00:25:00,244 is a responsibility that lasts 526 00:25:00,244 --> 00:25:02,094 as long as the promise does? 527 00:25:02,094 --> 00:25:03,668 Certainly so. 528 00:25:03,668 --> 00:25:06,917 But look, let me just ask this. 529 00:25:06,917 --> 00:25:10,568 It's the old: if you have the cure for cancer, 530 00:25:10,568 --> 00:25:15,647 and the world all around you is dying of cancer... 531 00:25:15,647 --> 00:25:17,942 "Show me a rule where it says I have to go share 532 00:25:17,942 --> 00:25:21,154 the remedy with everybody else." 533 00:25:21,154 --> 00:25:22,980 See, that's what the legalist does. 534 00:25:22,980 --> 00:25:24,220 Show me the law. 535 00:25:24,220 --> 00:25:26,617 Show me the rule. 536 00:25:26,617 --> 00:25:31,057 I don't care if the rest of the world goes to hell. 537 00:25:31,057 --> 00:25:34,750 You see what's operating there? 538 00:25:34,750 --> 00:25:38,450 The kingdom is not about a list of rules. 539 00:25:38,450 --> 00:25:42,047 It's Jesus saying love one another 540 00:25:42,047 --> 00:25:43,411 the way I loved you. 541 00:25:43,411 --> 00:25:45,303 Now, I know that's among Christians, 542 00:25:45,303 --> 00:25:48,578 but we have a responsibility to love our neighbor as ourselves 543 00:25:48,578 --> 00:25:50,448 out there in this world. 544 00:25:50,448 --> 00:25:54,054 If I have the remedy 545 00:25:54,054 --> 00:25:57,641 to save people's souls from hell, 546 00:25:57,641 --> 00:26:01,518 am I going to sit there and debate? 547 00:26:01,525 --> 00:26:05,000 "Show me in the Bible where I have to go do that!" 548 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:09,844 It's like what is wrong with you? 549 00:26:09,844 --> 00:26:13,169 Something is wrong with that person. 550 00:26:13,169 --> 00:26:15,775 Just like something is wrong with the person 551 00:26:15,775 --> 00:26:17,350 that can come out of a movie 552 00:26:17,350 --> 00:26:20,853 with 50 F-bombs dropped in the middle of it - 553 00:26:20,853 --> 00:26:23,992 "Show me in the Bible where I can't do that." 554 00:26:23,992 --> 00:26:25,448 It's like seriously? 555 00:26:25,448 --> 00:26:30,377 Let me ask you guys a question. 556 00:26:30,377 --> 00:26:33,369 If you were in the worst part - 557 00:26:33,369 --> 00:26:35,783 not of this city, this is a rather tame city - 558 00:26:35,783 --> 00:26:39,984 let's talk St. Louis or Detroit or Chicago. 559 00:26:39,984 --> 00:26:42,196 You imagine you're in one of the worst parts 560 00:26:42,196 --> 00:26:43,998 of one of those cities. 561 00:26:43,998 --> 00:26:47,521 You're in an alley. 562 00:26:47,521 --> 00:26:49,002 And you see four guys - 563 00:26:49,002 --> 00:26:51,611 all you can see is their silhouette 564 00:26:51,611 --> 00:26:53,531 from the streetlight behind them. 565 00:26:53,531 --> 00:26:55,582 They're walking down the alley towards you 566 00:26:55,582 --> 00:27:00,506 and they're huge. 567 00:27:00,506 --> 00:27:03,739 Would it comfort you more 568 00:27:03,739 --> 00:27:06,681 to know that they had just come out of a Bible study? 569 00:27:06,681 --> 00:27:09,293 Or that all four of them just came out of a movie 570 00:27:09,293 --> 00:27:10,886 where 50 F-bombs were dropped? 571 00:27:10,886 --> 00:27:13,727 Which would make you feel more comfortable 572 00:27:13,727 --> 00:27:18,272 walking down that alley? 573 00:27:18,272 --> 00:27:20,272 There's testimony issues. 574 00:27:20,272 --> 00:27:23,429 Let me ask you this. 575 00:27:23,429 --> 00:27:25,992 The guy who's always arguing about why 576 00:27:25,992 --> 00:27:28,735 he doesn't have a biblical responsibility 577 00:27:28,735 --> 00:27:32,490 to evangelize, 578 00:27:32,490 --> 00:27:34,157 or just questions like that: 579 00:27:34,157 --> 00:27:36,708 "Show me in the Bible where I'm supposed to do that." 580 00:27:36,708 --> 00:27:39,870 If you were sick at the end of your life 581 00:27:39,870 --> 00:27:43,532 and you had to be cared for by somebody, 582 00:27:43,532 --> 00:27:45,327 is that the kind of person you want 583 00:27:45,327 --> 00:27:47,843 caring for you? 584 00:27:47,843 --> 00:27:51,464 "Show me in the Bible where it says that!" 585 00:27:51,464 --> 00:27:55,809 That doesn't produce righteousness 586 00:27:55,809 --> 00:28:01,382 and peace and joy and love. 587 00:28:01,382 --> 00:28:02,801 You know what does that? 588 00:28:02,801 --> 00:28:04,152 Learning of Jesus. 589 00:28:04,152 --> 00:28:08,506 Jesus said, "Learn of Me." 590 00:28:08,506 --> 00:28:11,472 He said, "Take My yoke." 591 00:28:11,472 --> 00:28:13,464 He said, "Learn of Me." 592 00:28:13,464 --> 00:28:15,878 You see, that's where Paul's coming from. 593 00:28:15,878 --> 00:28:20,211 That's not the way you learned Jesus Christ. 594 00:28:20,211 --> 00:28:22,873 Oh brethren, think with me here. 595 00:28:22,873 --> 00:28:24,932 Many of you know from Brother Charles' book 596 00:28:24,932 --> 00:28:28,114 about the story of Evangeline Booth. 597 00:28:28,114 --> 00:28:30,917 William Booth, Salvation Army - 598 00:28:30,917 --> 00:28:32,831 his daughter. 599 00:28:32,831 --> 00:28:36,089 You know the story if you've read the book. 600 00:28:36,089 --> 00:28:38,814 Perhaps some of you know it beyond there. 601 00:28:38,814 --> 00:28:40,793 Where they were bringing the woman - 602 00:28:40,793 --> 00:28:44,008 prisoner, guards carrying her. 603 00:28:44,008 --> 00:28:46,675 There's Evangeline standing off to the side. 604 00:28:46,675 --> 00:28:48,079 "How can I reach this woman?" 605 00:28:48,079 --> 00:28:51,102 Suddenly, she just steps out there 606 00:28:51,102 --> 00:28:55,695 and kisses the woman on the cheek. 607 00:28:55,695 --> 00:29:00,128 Show me a law that says you have to do that. 608 00:29:00,128 --> 00:29:02,397 There's no law. 609 00:29:02,397 --> 00:29:06,317 There's no rule. 610 00:29:06,317 --> 00:29:09,345 I can tell you if I'm at the end of my life 611 00:29:09,345 --> 00:29:10,998 and you're saying, 612 00:29:10,998 --> 00:29:13,020 who do you want to care for you? 613 00:29:13,020 --> 00:29:15,035 The person who could go 614 00:29:15,035 --> 00:29:22,421 watch filthy, bloody, profane, 615 00:29:22,421 --> 00:29:26,240 God's name dragged through the mud movies, 616 00:29:26,240 --> 00:29:28,744 sex - and want to defend their right 617 00:29:28,744 --> 00:29:31,974 to go watch it. 618 00:29:31,974 --> 00:29:33,493 You're at the end of your life. 619 00:29:33,493 --> 00:29:35,474 Do you want that person to care for you? 620 00:29:35,474 --> 00:29:39,196 Or Evangeline Booth? 621 00:29:39,196 --> 00:29:42,098 Brethren, it speaks volumes. 622 00:29:42,098 --> 00:29:48,005 There is a kind of New Testament Christianity - 623 00:29:48,005 --> 00:29:54,234 do you learn from Christ 624 00:29:54,234 --> 00:29:57,059 that going to movies like that - 625 00:29:57,059 --> 00:30:00,345 would He do it? 626 00:30:00,345 --> 00:30:08,777 Look, if you say yes, I believe He would, 627 00:30:08,777 --> 00:30:12,114 then you have a different Christ than the One I have. 628 00:30:12,114 --> 00:30:14,626 What I have isn't the issue. 629 00:30:14,626 --> 00:30:17,799 That's a different Christ than the One here. 630 00:30:17,799 --> 00:30:22,817 Here's the problem with people like that. 631 00:30:22,817 --> 00:30:26,297 They go through their life constantly asking what's permissible, 632 00:30:26,297 --> 00:30:30,030 rather than what can I do? 633 00:30:30,030 --> 00:30:36,832 You see, when I hear about the fact 634 00:30:36,832 --> 00:30:39,498 that we're supposed to let our good works 635 00:30:39,498 --> 00:30:42,304 be seen before men 636 00:30:42,304 --> 00:30:44,539 that they might glorify our Father in Heaven; 637 00:30:44,539 --> 00:30:45,636 or like Peter says, 638 00:30:45,636 --> 00:30:47,638 "glorify God in the day of visitation," - 639 00:30:47,638 --> 00:30:50,290 again, it's got to do with them seeing our good works. 640 00:30:50,290 --> 00:30:54,626 And Jesus saying, "The works I did, you will do..." believer. 641 00:30:54,626 --> 00:30:55,858 Greater works. 642 00:30:55,858 --> 00:30:57,368 You see, one of the things is, 643 00:30:57,368 --> 00:30:58,900 people that are always asking, 644 00:30:58,900 --> 00:31:01,162 "Where's the line?" "Where's the minimal line?" 645 00:31:01,162 --> 00:31:02,647 "What's permissible?" 646 00:31:02,647 --> 00:31:04,360 "What can I get away with?" 647 00:31:04,360 --> 00:31:08,059 "Show me in the Bible where it says that." 648 00:31:08,059 --> 00:31:14,211 You know what people like that are not doing? 649 00:31:14,211 --> 00:31:16,461 All they're doing is walking through life 650 00:31:16,461 --> 00:31:21,739 constrained by legalistic codes, 651 00:31:21,739 --> 00:31:27,787 and they're not people who just freely fly 652 00:31:27,787 --> 00:31:33,189 on the wings of an eagle to do good. 653 00:31:33,189 --> 00:31:37,581 Brethren, the life of the Christian is not just: 654 00:31:37,581 --> 00:31:40,611 "Show me where I can't do that." 655 00:31:40,611 --> 00:31:42,588 (Incomplete thought) 656 00:31:42,588 --> 00:31:45,597 I met with a couple today 657 00:31:45,597 --> 00:31:49,082 who were telling me about their desires 658 00:31:49,082 --> 00:31:57,608 to help care for inner city kids. 659 00:31:57,608 --> 00:32:01,015 Again, I ask you, 660 00:32:01,015 --> 00:32:05,207 you're 89 years old. 661 00:32:05,207 --> 00:32:07,731 A family member, somebody from the church, 662 00:32:07,731 --> 00:32:10,912 somebody's going to take care of you. 663 00:32:10,912 --> 00:32:12,702 You want it to be the person 664 00:32:12,702 --> 00:32:15,994 who is thinking: how can I care for children? 665 00:32:15,994 --> 00:32:20,385 Versus living their life like: 666 00:32:20,385 --> 00:32:21,692 "I can go to that movie." 667 00:32:21,692 --> 00:32:25,957 "Show me in the Bible where it says I can't." 668 00:32:25,957 --> 00:32:29,331 What kind of Christianity do you all want? 669 00:32:29,331 --> 00:32:32,379 What kind of person would you want caring for you? 670 00:32:32,379 --> 00:32:39,783 What kind of person would you want to meet in that alley? 671 00:32:39,783 --> 00:32:41,368 Righteousness, peace, 672 00:32:41,368 --> 00:32:44,691 joy in the Holy Spirit. 673 00:32:44,691 --> 00:32:47,069 Morality - it's always concerned 674 00:32:47,069 --> 00:32:49,790 with specific actions. 675 00:32:49,790 --> 00:32:53,912 Where holiness is a life picture. 676 00:32:53,912 --> 00:32:58,201 Am I being conformed to the image of God? 677 00:32:58,201 --> 00:33:01,213 Am I being conformed to the image of Christ? 678 00:33:01,213 --> 00:33:06,022 Is true righteousness all of my life? 679 00:33:06,022 --> 00:33:07,731 Is it there? 680 00:33:07,731 --> 00:33:11,833 Brethren, everything in the legalist's mind 681 00:33:11,833 --> 00:33:14,946 just gets boiled down to individual actions. 682 00:33:14,946 --> 00:33:16,027 "Is it permissible?" 683 00:33:16,027 --> 00:33:17,440 "Is it right? Is it wrong?" 684 00:33:17,440 --> 00:33:20,232 "Give me a rule." "Give me rules." 685 00:33:20,232 --> 00:33:22,795 You see, that's what Packer was saying 686 00:33:22,795 --> 00:33:23,982 about the Puritans. 687 00:33:23,982 --> 00:33:26,138 Their lives are buried deep. 688 00:33:26,138 --> 00:33:29,387 It's kind of like the doctrines we're going through in Ephesians. 689 00:33:29,387 --> 00:33:32,504 You notice, this is not a list of rules. 690 00:33:32,504 --> 00:33:34,691 What we're dealing with is Paul 691 00:33:34,691 --> 00:33:35,971 saying to Christians, 692 00:33:35,971 --> 00:33:39,341 as you live your life, live in the reality: 693 00:33:39,341 --> 00:33:41,924 alive with Christ, raised up with Christ, 694 00:33:41,924 --> 00:33:44,583 seated with Christ in the heavenly places 695 00:33:44,583 --> 00:33:45,914 in Christ Jesus. 696 00:33:45,914 --> 00:33:47,345 That's the reality. 697 00:33:47,345 --> 00:33:49,653 We're living life on another plane. 698 00:33:49,653 --> 00:33:52,265 We're going to look at texts 699 00:33:52,265 --> 00:33:54,971 that tie in over to Colossians. 700 00:33:54,971 --> 00:33:57,592 But you're setting your minds on things above 701 00:33:57,592 --> 00:33:59,202 where Christ is seated. 702 00:33:59,202 --> 00:34:01,018 You're living on another plane. 703 00:34:01,018 --> 00:34:02,593 You're living in another realm. 704 00:34:02,593 --> 00:34:08,190 You're outside of this minimal morality mentality. 705 00:34:08,190 --> 00:34:09,970 (incomplete thought). 706 00:34:09,970 --> 00:34:12,706 Brethren, don't you see 707 00:34:12,706 --> 00:34:14,826 when you come to the New Testament, 708 00:34:14,826 --> 00:34:19,787 and you find the legalists were always like: 709 00:34:19,787 --> 00:34:22,187 "Hey! Hey! Put down your bedding! 710 00:34:22,187 --> 00:34:23,703 What do you think you're doing? 711 00:34:23,703 --> 00:34:25,251 It's the Sabbath! 712 00:34:25,251 --> 00:34:29,932 Not permissible to do that!" 713 00:34:29,932 --> 00:34:33,277 You see, we can look and we can say, 714 00:34:33,277 --> 00:34:36,520 yeah, how did David eat the show bread 715 00:34:36,520 --> 00:34:40,827 which he was not supposed to eat? 716 00:34:40,827 --> 00:34:43,136 Because brethren, that right there 717 00:34:43,136 --> 00:34:45,627 goes to the heart of the matter. 718 00:34:45,627 --> 00:34:48,641 Paul made as strong a case as anybody in the Scriptures 719 00:34:48,641 --> 00:34:52,309 that you should pay those who minister the gospel. 720 00:34:52,309 --> 00:34:54,454 And yet, he was the first one to say 721 00:34:54,454 --> 00:34:58,009 to the Corinthians and to the Thessalonians, 722 00:34:58,009 --> 00:35:00,415 "I'm not going to take anything." 723 00:35:00,415 --> 00:35:02,541 Wait! 724 00:35:02,541 --> 00:35:04,428 You set down a law! 725 00:35:04,428 --> 00:35:06,542 Don't muzzle the ox! 726 00:35:06,542 --> 00:35:08,253 That's the law! 727 00:35:08,253 --> 00:35:11,339 You better pay me! 728 00:35:11,339 --> 00:35:13,378 (incomplete thought) 729 00:35:13,378 --> 00:35:15,515 You see, you miss it. 730 00:35:15,515 --> 00:35:20,851 You miss it if you don't recognize 731 00:35:20,851 --> 00:35:23,836 that Jesus let the adulteress walk. 732 00:35:23,836 --> 00:35:25,590 You say, hey, wait a second. 733 00:35:25,590 --> 00:35:28,835 The law said stone her. 734 00:35:28,835 --> 00:35:31,292 Or He healed on the Sabbath. 735 00:35:31,292 --> 00:35:35,221 Or He let His disciples pick grain, 736 00:35:35,221 --> 00:35:38,761 rub them in their hands and eat. 737 00:35:38,761 --> 00:35:40,954 Or He told the lame 738 00:35:40,954 --> 00:35:44,345 to pick up their bedding and walk. 739 00:35:44,345 --> 00:35:50,546 They were "breaking the rules." 740 00:35:50,546 --> 00:35:53,076 (Incomplete thought). 741 00:35:53,076 --> 00:35:56,012 But you see, if you're just 742 00:35:56,012 --> 00:36:00,036 contrained by rules, 743 00:36:00,036 --> 00:36:06,052 you don't get it. 744 00:36:06,052 --> 00:36:08,462 Jesus looked at those Pharisees and He said, 745 00:36:08,462 --> 00:36:11,411 "That's exactly your problem. 746 00:36:11,411 --> 00:36:13,292 You're all about rules." 747 00:36:13,292 --> 00:36:16,211 And all rules do is they leave you on the surface - 748 00:36:16,211 --> 00:36:17,945 this thin veneer of morality. 749 00:36:17,945 --> 00:36:21,176 That's all it is, because in the heart, it's a person under the law. 750 00:36:21,176 --> 00:36:23,164 Because in the heart, they really don't want to do it. 751 00:36:23,164 --> 00:36:24,356 They're just keeping the rule 752 00:36:24,356 --> 00:36:26,054 because they're afraid of the punishment; 753 00:36:26,054 --> 00:36:28,607 they're afraid of the consequences if they don't do it. 754 00:36:28,607 --> 00:36:34,302 They're just trapped in there. 755 00:36:34,302 --> 00:36:38,110 Rather than standing back and saying: 756 00:36:38,110 --> 00:36:43,623 Look, I want mercy, not sacrifice. 757 00:36:43,623 --> 00:36:48,287 That's all the rule keeping is is sacrifice. 758 00:36:48,287 --> 00:36:50,364 If you could prove to that person, 759 00:36:50,364 --> 00:36:52,590 like, you go over to Ephesians 5 760 00:36:52,590 --> 00:36:57,121 and you say, look, filthiness, 761 00:36:57,121 --> 00:37:03,553 crude jesting, it's not appropriate. 762 00:37:03,553 --> 00:37:05,549 Oh, okay, you showed me the rule. 763 00:37:05,549 --> 00:37:07,896 Okay, the movie that I wanted to go see, 764 00:37:07,896 --> 00:37:14,119 now I can't because I've got a law. 765 00:37:14,119 --> 00:37:17,963 That is such the wrong way. 766 00:37:17,963 --> 00:37:20,247 The wrong way. 767 00:37:20,247 --> 00:37:23,234 Brethren, you know what you find? 768 00:37:23,234 --> 00:37:25,659 The Apostle Paul - think of Philippians 3. 769 00:37:25,659 --> 00:37:29,489 The Apostle Paul, when he was lost - 770 00:37:29,489 --> 00:37:34,432 religious, moral. 771 00:37:34,432 --> 00:37:36,912 It's all about the rules. 772 00:37:36,912 --> 00:37:41,960 Boy, I was circumcised on the right day 773 00:37:41,960 --> 00:37:44,358 according to the rule. 774 00:37:44,358 --> 00:37:47,075 I mean, when it came to the law, 775 00:37:47,075 --> 00:37:50,872 I dotted every "I", I crossed every "t." 776 00:37:50,872 --> 00:37:52,478 I was right on. 777 00:37:52,478 --> 00:37:56,436 I was blameless. 778 00:37:56,436 --> 00:37:59,068 Give me a rule - I was right there. 779 00:37:59,068 --> 00:38:01,890 I kept them. 780 00:38:01,890 --> 00:38:05,741 But what happens once he's saved? 781 00:38:05,741 --> 00:38:08,038 You see how his attitude changed? 782 00:38:08,038 --> 00:38:09,180 What does he say then? 783 00:38:09,180 --> 00:38:13,283 Oh, that I might know Him 784 00:38:13,283 --> 00:38:18,471 and the power of His resurrection. 785 00:38:18,471 --> 00:38:22,815 Look, we live our lives; 786 00:38:22,815 --> 00:38:25,473 we do things. 787 00:38:25,473 --> 00:38:27,975 But it's not a matter of a list of right or wrong, 788 00:38:27,975 --> 00:38:29,759 just like Romans 14. 789 00:38:29,759 --> 00:38:37,643 It's not: could I in certain circumstance 790 00:38:37,643 --> 00:38:40,384 drink wine? 791 00:38:40,384 --> 00:38:45,156 It's not just the rule. 792 00:38:45,156 --> 00:38:47,122 Paul's looking back and he's looking 793 00:38:47,122 --> 00:38:49,330 at how this affects people; 794 00:38:49,330 --> 00:38:52,892 how your decisions are a reflection 795 00:38:52,892 --> 00:38:54,366 of God Himself; 796 00:38:54,366 --> 00:38:57,266 how it reflects what you've been taught of Christ; 797 00:38:57,266 --> 00:38:59,130 how it reflects righteousness; 798 00:38:59,130 --> 00:39:01,267 how it reflects peace; 799 00:39:01,267 --> 00:39:03,999 how it reflects joy in the Holy Spirit. 800 00:39:03,999 --> 00:39:12,762 It's just living on an entirely higher plane. 801 00:39:12,762 --> 00:39:15,013 It's got to do with what does God think? 802 00:39:15,013 --> 00:39:16,358 What's His will? 803 00:39:16,358 --> 00:39:17,793 What's going to be pleasing? 804 00:39:17,793 --> 00:39:19,968 What's going to bring His smile? 805 00:39:19,968 --> 00:39:26,825 It's living on that level. 806 00:39:26,825 --> 00:39:29,322 (incomplete thought) 807 00:39:29,322 --> 00:39:31,335 Listen, you know the Bible talks about 808 00:39:31,335 --> 00:39:33,000 bad companionship 809 00:39:33,000 --> 00:39:35,341 corrupts good manners. 810 00:39:35,341 --> 00:39:36,914 And you can go to the Proverbs 811 00:39:36,914 --> 00:39:38,672 and you could find: 812 00:39:38,672 --> 00:39:40,335 you want to be wise? 813 00:39:40,335 --> 00:39:41,599 Walk with the wise. 814 00:39:41,599 --> 00:39:44,387 You want to be a fool? Walk with fools. 815 00:39:44,387 --> 00:39:46,259 You know what? 816 00:39:46,259 --> 00:39:51,650 It's almost like with the invention of electricity, 817 00:39:51,650 --> 00:39:58,745 we don't define companions 818 00:39:58,745 --> 00:40:00,700 the right way anymore. 819 00:40:00,700 --> 00:40:02,637 I read a story one time 820 00:40:02,637 --> 00:40:08,921 about a family that let an old man 821 00:40:08,921 --> 00:40:10,779 move into their house. 822 00:40:10,779 --> 00:40:13,431 And he sat over in the corner. 823 00:40:13,431 --> 00:40:16,266 And he was filthy. He was lewd. 824 00:40:16,266 --> 00:40:18,690 He used God's name in vain. 825 00:40:18,690 --> 00:40:23,794 He just did graphic things, 826 00:40:23,794 --> 00:40:26,784 and the whole gist of the story 827 00:40:26,784 --> 00:40:29,692 was that old man sitting in the corner 828 00:40:29,692 --> 00:40:33,426 doing all those things and being tolerated by the family 829 00:40:33,426 --> 00:40:38,311 was a picture of the television. 830 00:40:38,311 --> 00:40:40,957 The thing is it's almost like 831 00:40:40,957 --> 00:40:44,199 we have come to the place where we think 832 00:40:44,199 --> 00:40:49,084 that a person isn't a companion 833 00:40:49,084 --> 00:40:53,924 if a TV screen or a computer screen separates us. 834 00:40:53,924 --> 00:40:55,700 That's not true. 835 00:40:55,700 --> 00:40:58,857 What is a companion? 836 00:40:58,857 --> 00:41:00,385 This has to do with the idea 837 00:41:00,385 --> 00:41:02,655 of people we surround ourselves with. 838 00:41:02,655 --> 00:41:07,555 People who we allow to influence us. 839 00:41:07,555 --> 00:41:08,827 You may not have a person 840 00:41:08,827 --> 00:41:10,871 come into your house, 841 00:41:10,871 --> 00:41:13,411 but you may expose yourself 842 00:41:13,411 --> 00:41:15,653 on the Internet to people who end up 843 00:41:15,653 --> 00:41:17,372 influencing you; 844 00:41:17,372 --> 00:41:19,175 people that end up saying things; 845 00:41:19,175 --> 00:41:21,501 people that end up injecting 846 00:41:21,501 --> 00:41:23,467 a worldview into your mind; 847 00:41:23,467 --> 00:41:27,526 people that end up being a worldly example; 848 00:41:27,526 --> 00:41:29,936 people that do things 849 00:41:29,936 --> 00:41:34,281 (incomplete thought). 850 00:41:34,281 --> 00:41:37,996 Listen, there was a reason why 851 00:41:37,996 --> 00:41:39,569 way before movies, 852 00:41:39,569 --> 00:41:42,657 way before TV, way before Internet, 853 00:41:42,657 --> 00:41:45,430 you put people out of the church. 854 00:41:45,430 --> 00:41:48,719 Anybody remember what one of those reasons was? 855 00:41:48,719 --> 00:41:51,118 A little leaven leavens the whole lump? 856 00:41:51,118 --> 00:41:53,573 It's amazing how now 857 00:41:53,573 --> 00:41:58,816 with all of our electronic apparatuses, 858 00:41:58,816 --> 00:42:01,347 we allow people to influence us 859 00:42:01,347 --> 00:42:03,267 that church discipline was meant 860 00:42:03,267 --> 00:42:05,235 to eradicate from our lives, 861 00:42:05,235 --> 00:42:08,928 or right decisions about companionship 862 00:42:08,928 --> 00:42:14,556 were meant to eradicate from our lives. 863 00:42:14,556 --> 00:42:16,528 You start asking yourself: 864 00:42:16,528 --> 00:42:19,703 do you think you can sit in front of a movie 865 00:42:19,703 --> 00:42:26,465 with sex, a horror movie, 866 00:42:26,465 --> 00:42:32,687 with graphic language, God defamed, 867 00:42:32,687 --> 00:42:35,366 absolutely un-Christian values, 868 00:42:35,366 --> 00:42:38,233 worldly perspectives, 869 00:42:38,233 --> 00:42:41,884 and that you're going to be uninfluenced? 870 00:42:41,884 --> 00:42:44,992 Is that the way you learn Christ? 871 00:42:44,992 --> 00:42:48,901 Now, here's what I learn from Christ, 872 00:42:48,901 --> 00:42:51,906 that if I have the opportunity 873 00:42:51,906 --> 00:42:55,355 to find people like that 874 00:42:55,355 --> 00:42:58,135 and to see to be the one that's the aggressor; 875 00:42:58,135 --> 00:43:00,488 to seek to be the one on the offensive; 876 00:43:00,488 --> 00:43:04,765 to seek to be the one who goes to the sick 877 00:43:04,765 --> 00:43:08,611 bringing the message of the doctor, 878 00:43:08,611 --> 00:43:10,835 then that's good. 879 00:43:10,835 --> 00:43:15,023 Eating with publicans and sinners, 880 00:43:15,023 --> 00:43:19,246 tax collectors - that's good; 881 00:43:19,246 --> 00:43:22,179 when we're the one setting the agenda; 882 00:43:22,179 --> 00:43:24,712 when we're going in to bring light. 883 00:43:24,712 --> 00:43:26,695 But you know the problem is 884 00:43:26,695 --> 00:43:31,439 TV's, movie screens, Internet - 885 00:43:31,439 --> 00:43:34,013 Internet I guess you have some ability 886 00:43:34,013 --> 00:43:35,673 to communicate back and forth, 887 00:43:35,673 --> 00:43:38,112 but typically you don't have that. 888 00:43:38,112 --> 00:43:40,405 You don't go to the movie to positively 889 00:43:40,405 --> 00:43:44,147 influence the actors. 890 00:43:44,147 --> 00:43:51,480 (Incomplete thought). 891 00:43:51,480 --> 00:43:53,321 Many of you know, 892 00:43:53,321 --> 00:43:55,756 every Sunday afternoon, I'm watching - 893 00:43:55,756 --> 00:43:58,303 I've got all ten "Dispatches from the Front" in here, 894 00:43:58,303 --> 00:43:59,686 and I just go through them. 895 00:43:59,686 --> 00:44:06,823 It keeps my missionary juices flowing. 896 00:44:06,823 --> 00:44:09,457 Very often, Friday nights, 897 00:44:09,457 --> 00:44:12,901 I love to watch the Q&A times. 898 00:44:12,901 --> 00:44:18,267 Ligonier, oftentimes Sproul, MacArthur, 899 00:44:18,267 --> 00:44:22,341 different men. 900 00:44:22,341 --> 00:44:24,020 There's things that can be 901 00:44:24,020 --> 00:44:26,216 tremendously profitable. 902 00:44:26,216 --> 00:44:27,774 There can be things that can be 903 00:44:27,774 --> 00:44:28,993 tremendously profitable 904 00:44:28,993 --> 00:44:31,364 to bring the family together. 905 00:44:31,364 --> 00:44:33,896 You can watch certain documentaries on nature 906 00:44:33,896 --> 00:44:36,221 and you can see God's handiwork 907 00:44:36,221 --> 00:44:40,000 and get a perspective on some things in this world 908 00:44:40,000 --> 00:44:41,568 that just blow your mind 909 00:44:41,568 --> 00:44:44,518 and cause you to think bigger views of God. 910 00:44:44,518 --> 00:44:47,558 But you see, you're evaluating 911 00:44:47,558 --> 00:44:49,481 everything from that perspective. 912 00:44:49,481 --> 00:44:51,844 Is this going to cause me to worship God? 913 00:44:51,844 --> 00:44:53,004 To see God as bigger? 914 00:44:53,004 --> 00:44:55,102 Is this going to cause me to walk more holy? 915 00:44:55,102 --> 00:44:57,299 Is this going to cause me to learn of Christ? 916 00:44:57,299 --> 00:44:59,919 Is this going to somehow help me in my run? 917 00:44:59,919 --> 00:45:08,666 Or is this going to impact my joy in the Holy Spirit? 918 00:45:08,666 --> 00:45:15,033 This idea, brethren, what's permissible? 919 00:45:15,033 --> 00:45:16,897 Oh, if you've been saved 920 00:45:16,897 --> 00:45:19,810 by the blood of Christ, 921 00:45:19,810 --> 00:45:21,465 you can't get away from it. 922 00:45:21,465 --> 00:45:23,770 It's like every book in our Bible 923 00:45:23,770 --> 00:45:28,427 just calls us to recognize, 924 00:45:28,427 --> 00:45:31,025 we ought to be living on another plane. 925 00:45:31,025 --> 00:45:32,687 And we've got the power to live 926 00:45:32,687 --> 00:45:34,443 on that higher plane. 927 00:45:34,443 --> 00:45:36,675 This idea of just walking around 928 00:45:36,675 --> 00:45:40,976 all the time being guided by 929 00:45:40,976 --> 00:45:43,294 a list of rules. 930 00:45:43,294 --> 00:45:44,727 You don't need a list of rules 931 00:45:44,727 --> 00:45:46,043 for the refrigerator. 932 00:45:46,043 --> 00:45:48,192 No more than if you get married, 933 00:45:48,192 --> 00:45:49,664 you need a list of rules 934 00:45:49,664 --> 00:45:51,282 how to treat your wife. 935 00:45:51,282 --> 00:45:52,651 "Don't beat your wife. 936 00:45:52,651 --> 00:45:53,701 Kiss wife in morning. 937 00:45:53,701 --> 00:45:57,640 Say goodbye when you leave." 938 00:45:57,640 --> 00:46:02,124 Your wife would be appalled at that. 939 00:46:02,124 --> 00:46:06,365 Listen, don't try to construct God differently. 940 00:46:06,365 --> 00:46:09,058 God created relationships between man and woman - 941 00:46:09,058 --> 00:46:12,257 between us as a reflection 942 00:46:12,257 --> 00:46:14,921 of a greater relationship. 943 00:46:14,921 --> 00:46:16,028 He wants our heart. 944 00:46:16,028 --> 00:46:17,204 He wants our passions. 945 00:46:17,204 --> 00:46:21,067 He wants us to do things from love. 946 00:46:21,067 --> 00:46:23,977 He wants us to be spontaneous. 947 00:46:23,977 --> 00:46:26,413 It doesn't mean there isn't a place for thinking. 948 00:46:26,413 --> 00:46:29,388 It doesn't mean there isn't a place for studying Scripture. 949 00:46:29,388 --> 00:46:31,256 It doesn't mean there isn't a place 950 00:46:31,256 --> 00:46:32,925 to let the light of Scripture shine 951 00:46:32,925 --> 00:46:34,426 and to be moved and motivated 952 00:46:34,426 --> 00:46:36,423 by the Spirit of God through it. 953 00:46:36,423 --> 00:46:38,756 But brethren, living a life 954 00:46:38,756 --> 00:46:40,457 where righteousness becomes 955 00:46:40,457 --> 00:46:42,291 the spontaneous reaction 956 00:46:42,291 --> 00:46:43,512 and imitating Christ 957 00:46:43,512 --> 00:46:45,239 and walking because we love 958 00:46:45,239 --> 00:46:46,416 and we delight in Him. 959 00:46:46,416 --> 00:46:49,424 We appreciate our friendship, 960 00:46:49,424 --> 00:46:51,262 our relationship with Him. 961 00:46:51,262 --> 00:46:53,240 You read that - 1 John - 962 00:46:53,240 --> 00:46:54,646 we're walking in the light 963 00:46:54,646 --> 00:46:57,302 and we have fellowship. 964 00:46:57,302 --> 00:46:59,405 When you get to the place where you 965 00:46:59,405 --> 00:47:02,206 appreciate fellowship and you want to fast 966 00:47:02,206 --> 00:47:04,405 not because there's a law; 967 00:47:04,405 --> 00:47:07,313 not because Jesus said, 968 00:47:07,313 --> 00:47:09,553 "When you fast..." that means it's a law. 969 00:47:09,553 --> 00:47:11,800 Got to do the law. 970 00:47:11,800 --> 00:47:15,000 When the church fasts quarterly, got to do it. 971 00:47:15,000 --> 00:47:17,158 No, it's when you look and you say, 972 00:47:17,158 --> 00:47:20,738 "Lord, I just want to clear all the food out, 973 00:47:20,738 --> 00:47:22,688 because I need You, Lord. 974 00:47:22,688 --> 00:47:23,864 I need You. 975 00:47:23,864 --> 00:47:25,793 I feel like there is a dryness. 976 00:47:25,793 --> 00:47:28,459 I feel like a shadow has come between us. 977 00:47:28,459 --> 00:47:30,706 Lord, I want to quicken... 978 00:47:30,706 --> 00:47:34,837 Lord, I want You to draw near." 979 00:47:34,837 --> 00:47:35,848 Brethren, you know, 980 00:47:35,848 --> 00:47:38,149 that is what pleases the Lord. 981 00:47:38,149 --> 00:47:39,405 When it's all mechanical, 982 00:47:39,405 --> 00:47:40,774 when it's all rule keeping, 983 00:47:40,774 --> 00:47:44,017 that is not pleasing to Him. 984 00:47:44,017 --> 00:47:48,334 That is ugly religion. 985 00:47:48,334 --> 00:47:51,070 That is legalism. 986 00:47:51,070 --> 00:47:54,053 Legalists are always concerned 987 00:47:54,053 --> 00:47:57,119 with the rules - not with God; 988 00:47:57,119 --> 00:47:58,801 not with loving their fellow man. 989 00:47:58,801 --> 00:48:01,015 They're concerned with the rules. 990 00:48:01,015 --> 00:48:02,953 Show me the rule to keep. 991 00:48:02,953 --> 00:48:09,204 Rule keeping, rule keeping, rule keeping. 992 00:48:09,204 --> 00:48:13,565 Brethren, I know that there are laws 993 00:48:13,565 --> 00:48:15,385 in Scripture. 994 00:48:15,385 --> 00:48:16,968 I know that. 995 00:48:16,968 --> 00:48:18,735 But you know as well as I do, 996 00:48:18,735 --> 00:48:21,869 if you just let your mind go, 997 00:48:21,869 --> 00:48:23,396 you know - 998 00:48:23,396 --> 00:48:24,907 Jesus came along and He said, 999 00:48:24,907 --> 00:48:26,350 look, I know you had a law 1000 00:48:26,350 --> 00:48:29,804 that said not to commit adultery. 1001 00:48:29,804 --> 00:48:34,884 But look, it's way beyond that. 1002 00:48:34,884 --> 00:48:37,525 It's way beyond that. It's learning of Jesus. 1003 00:48:37,525 --> 00:48:39,483 How do you learn Jesus? 1004 00:48:39,483 --> 00:48:42,018 Oh, He was pure. 1005 00:48:42,018 --> 00:48:45,793 He wasn't rude to women. 1006 00:48:45,793 --> 00:48:48,487 He was kind to them. 1007 00:48:48,487 --> 00:48:51,739 He treated them with the utmost of respect. 1008 00:48:51,739 --> 00:48:54,265 He revealed Himself to Mary first 1009 00:48:54,265 --> 00:48:56,537 when He was risen. 1010 00:48:56,537 --> 00:48:59,539 There He was - she thought He was the gardener. 1011 00:48:59,539 --> 00:49:02,021 They were gathered around the cross. 1012 00:49:02,021 --> 00:49:04,244 He took care of His mother. 1013 00:49:04,244 --> 00:49:08,084 "John, behold your mother." 1014 00:49:08,084 --> 00:49:11,367 You just watch the way He dealt with women. 1015 00:49:11,367 --> 00:49:13,981 It's not a rule. 1016 00:49:13,981 --> 00:49:16,013 It's not constantly living a rule. 1017 00:49:16,013 --> 00:49:19,047 Oh, if I look at this, 1018 00:49:19,047 --> 00:49:23,311 and I'm living in fear of the penalty. 1019 00:49:23,311 --> 00:49:26,253 See, slaves live in fear of the penalty 1020 00:49:26,253 --> 00:49:27,300 all the time. 1021 00:49:27,300 --> 00:49:29,407 It's purity. 1022 00:49:29,407 --> 00:49:33,304 Fleeing youthful lusts. 1023 00:49:33,304 --> 00:49:35,354 It's wanting to stay pure. 1024 00:49:35,354 --> 00:49:37,900 It's wanting to be holy. 1025 00:49:37,900 --> 00:49:39,511 It's not wanting these things 1026 00:49:39,511 --> 00:49:40,979 to impact my life, 1027 00:49:40,979 --> 00:49:45,141 because I don't want to lose sight 1028 00:49:45,141 --> 00:49:46,246 of God's face. 1029 00:49:46,246 --> 00:49:50,319 I don't want to lose power. 1030 00:49:50,319 --> 00:49:53,496 There is a power to do good. 1031 00:49:53,496 --> 00:49:55,385 There's an enabling. 1032 00:49:55,385 --> 00:49:57,212 The Spirit of God quickens us. 1033 00:49:57,212 --> 00:49:58,940 The Spirit of God gives gifts. 1034 00:49:58,940 --> 00:50:00,978 The Spirit of God gives grace. 1035 00:50:00,978 --> 00:50:04,061 The Spirit of God empowers us. 1036 00:50:04,061 --> 00:50:05,304 I don't want to lose that. 1037 00:50:05,304 --> 00:50:07,616 Quenching the Spirit. 1038 00:50:07,616 --> 00:50:09,939 You've got grieving the Spirit - 1039 00:50:09,939 --> 00:50:12,042 that's the idea of a person that's grieved. 1040 00:50:12,042 --> 00:50:13,628 That's more of the relationship. 1041 00:50:13,628 --> 00:50:16,332 Quenching is more of the power, 1042 00:50:16,332 --> 00:50:20,661 the fire, the light. 1043 00:50:20,661 --> 00:50:24,992 I don't want that. 1044 00:50:24,992 --> 00:50:32,419 And brethren, you know, 1045 00:50:32,419 --> 00:50:34,431 when we fail, when we fall, 1046 00:50:34,431 --> 00:50:35,600 when we do things, 1047 00:50:35,600 --> 00:50:38,322 He's faithful and just to forgive us. 1048 00:50:38,322 --> 00:50:39,585 Scripture says so. 1049 00:50:39,585 --> 00:50:41,654 And there's a place to run back to Him 1050 00:50:41,654 --> 00:50:43,047 and not to hesitate. 1051 00:50:43,047 --> 00:50:51,921 (Incomplete thought). 1052 00:50:51,921 --> 00:50:54,871 Brethren, we need to live 1053 00:50:54,871 --> 00:50:57,684 in the reality of that. 1054 00:50:57,684 --> 00:50:59,942 That we're justified 1055 00:50:59,942 --> 00:51:01,975 and that we have free access to Him 1056 00:51:01,975 --> 00:51:02,805 all the time. 1057 00:51:02,805 --> 00:51:04,694 And we can run back. 1058 00:51:04,694 --> 00:51:09,466 But we know that grievance 1059 00:51:09,466 --> 00:51:13,014 in our own heart of having offended Him, 1060 00:51:13,014 --> 00:51:18,484 losing sight of Him. 1061 00:51:18,484 --> 00:51:20,205 You now what Peter went through 1062 00:51:20,205 --> 00:51:24,130 after denying the Lord. 1063 00:51:24,130 --> 00:51:26,696 And seasons, if we quench the Spirit, 1064 00:51:26,696 --> 00:51:28,745 we can't find Him. 1065 00:51:28,745 --> 00:51:30,657 You remember how it was with Christian 1066 00:51:30,657 --> 00:51:33,702 when he lost his scroll? 1067 00:51:33,702 --> 00:51:35,282 He's just cursing himself. 1068 00:51:35,282 --> 00:51:38,838 Ugh! I had to walk the same ground three times 1069 00:51:38,838 --> 00:51:40,851 that I only needed to walk once. 1070 00:51:40,851 --> 00:51:42,877 Why? Because of his foolishness. 1071 00:51:42,877 --> 00:51:45,169 He went to sleep there 1072 00:51:45,169 --> 00:51:47,775 at the top of the hill of difficulty 1073 00:51:47,775 --> 00:51:49,710 at the stile that was made 1074 00:51:49,710 --> 00:51:52,768 for the rest of the weary pilgrim. 1075 00:51:52,768 --> 00:51:57,282 But he fell asleep there. 1076 00:51:57,282 --> 00:52:00,584 He had to walk the same ground three times. 1077 00:52:00,584 --> 00:52:04,544 See, it's living with a bigger picture. 1078 00:52:04,544 --> 00:52:05,929 I don't want to keep walking 1079 00:52:05,929 --> 00:52:07,693 the same ground over and over. 1080 00:52:07,693 --> 00:52:09,283 I don't want to fall backwards. 1081 00:52:09,283 --> 00:52:10,738 I don't want to lose ground. 1082 00:52:10,738 --> 00:52:12,300 I don't want to lose His smile. 1083 00:52:12,300 --> 00:52:13,708 I don't want to lose His fellowship. 1084 00:52:13,708 --> 00:52:15,217 I don't to lose a sense of His love. 1085 00:52:15,217 --> 00:52:17,007 I don't want to lose any of His power. 1086 00:52:17,007 --> 00:52:18,307 I don't want that. 1087 00:52:18,307 --> 00:52:19,797 I want righteousness. 1088 00:52:19,797 --> 00:52:21,273 I want it to be overflowing. 1089 00:52:21,273 --> 00:52:24,543 I want to be moving upward and upward and upward. 1090 00:52:24,543 --> 00:52:25,744 I want to see Him more. 1091 00:52:25,744 --> 00:52:27,442 Oh, that I might know Him. 1092 00:52:27,442 --> 00:52:28,653 Driven like that. 1093 00:52:28,653 --> 00:52:33,118 As I just mentioned on Sunday, 1094 00:52:33,118 --> 00:52:34,293 living like the psalmist 1095 00:52:34,293 --> 00:52:36,406 with a heart that pants after God 1096 00:52:36,406 --> 00:52:38,454 like the deer is panting after the water. 1097 00:52:38,454 --> 00:52:42,223 You see, when we live like that, 1098 00:52:42,223 --> 00:52:44,111 if you look up, 1099 00:52:44,111 --> 00:52:46,724 eyeball to eyeball with God, 1100 00:52:46,724 --> 00:52:47,897 I just have to believe, 1101 00:52:47,897 --> 00:52:51,332 people who can listen to foul, filthy music 1102 00:52:51,332 --> 00:52:55,188 and watch dirtbag movies, 1103 00:52:55,188 --> 00:52:58,323 are they on their knees before they go? 1104 00:52:58,323 --> 00:52:59,837 Are they asking the Lord, 1105 00:52:59,837 --> 00:53:02,500 "Help and guide me to do the most holy things today?" 1106 00:53:02,500 --> 00:53:04,418 "Help me to be like Evangeline Booth." 1107 00:53:04,418 --> 00:53:06,179 "Help me to look for opportunities 1108 00:53:06,179 --> 00:53:07,770 where I can love somebody; 1109 00:53:07,770 --> 00:53:09,141 where I can plant a kiss." 1110 00:53:09,141 --> 00:53:13,539 Oh, to have the grace to know 1111 00:53:13,539 --> 00:53:15,707 when to kiss a woman on the cheek 1112 00:53:15,707 --> 00:53:17,754 and when it's inappropriate. 1113 00:53:17,754 --> 00:53:19,572 And what's the kindest thing to do? 1114 00:53:19,572 --> 00:53:21,334 And to have the right words to speak? 1115 00:53:21,334 --> 00:53:25,945 My wife said when we got in a discussion 1116 00:53:25,945 --> 00:53:28,916 about this, she said, you know what? 1117 00:53:28,916 --> 00:53:31,260 She said, I think that there are 1118 00:53:31,260 --> 00:53:34,935 just some of God's people 1119 00:53:34,935 --> 00:53:38,032 who don't know what it's like 1120 00:53:38,032 --> 00:53:40,463 to actually have holiness in their life 1121 00:53:40,463 --> 00:53:42,275 and live in the power of that. 1122 00:53:42,275 --> 00:53:44,840 I'm probably not saying it exactly how she said it. 1123 00:53:44,840 --> 00:53:47,382 But she said it something like that. 1124 00:53:47,382 --> 00:53:51,869 And I think there's a reality there. 1125 00:53:51,869 --> 00:53:53,256 I think we have some - 1126 00:53:53,256 --> 00:53:55,346 whether they're just professing Christians 1127 00:53:55,346 --> 00:53:58,841 or whether they're just immature ones, 1128 00:53:58,841 --> 00:54:02,317 they just don't know what it is 1129 00:54:02,317 --> 00:54:08,666 to really experience the power of God 1130 00:54:08,666 --> 00:54:12,276 that comes with a truly holy life - 1131 00:54:12,276 --> 00:54:16,125 a consistently holy life. 1132 00:54:16,125 --> 00:54:17,765 It's like once you've tasted 1133 00:54:17,765 --> 00:54:20,211 certain things in the Christian life, 1134 00:54:20,211 --> 00:54:24,981 once you've tasted that the Lord is good, 1135 00:54:24,981 --> 00:54:27,078 you don't want to go back. 1136 00:54:27,078 --> 00:54:28,326 You don't want to go back. 1137 00:54:28,326 --> 00:54:30,036 You don't only not want to go back 1138 00:54:30,036 --> 00:54:32,074 to how it was when you were lost, 1139 00:54:32,074 --> 00:54:35,060 you don't want to go back to how it was 1140 00:54:35,060 --> 00:54:39,053 when you were a less mature Christian. 1141 00:54:39,053 --> 00:54:49,032 You want more. 1142 00:54:49,032 --> 00:54:53,131 Comments?