Latest / Meadows Baptist Church Podcast / The Sickness of Sinfulness Part 1 - 9/23/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch

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The Sickness of Sinfulness Part 1 - 9/23/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch · Meadows Baptist Church Podcast

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Welcome to the podcast of Meadows
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Baptist Church of Walnut Cove, North
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Carolina. We're so glad you joined us
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today. If you enjoy today's message, be
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sure to subscribe, follow, and share
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with your friends. Now, let's join
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Pastor Charlie Branch with a word from
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God.
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I had some folk ask me before, preacher,
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why is it when you preach from the book
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of Psalms that you never say chapter?
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You always say division. And to be real
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quite honest with you, it was something
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uh that I was taught in Bible college.
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And sometimes when I'm taught something,
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my OCD causes me never to be able to let
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loose of that. But uh it's still a
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chapter. Amen. Um but you'll notice in
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the book that there's no chapter
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mentioned here in Psalms. you look at
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every one of them uh in your Bible. Your
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Bible may have chapter in it, but mine
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doesn't. Uh you'll look at the heading
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there and it'll say Psalm number six.
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And there was a reason for that, but
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right off top of my head, I don't
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remember. Amen. And uh so anyway, it's
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just my OCD for tonight. I can't tell
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you if it's right or not. Amen. But uh I
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do appreciate uh the Lord. Appreciate
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each one of you being here tonight.
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Psalm number six. I want to read the
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whole chapter if we could tonight. the
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whole psalm and look at a thought here
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the Lord put on my heart late this
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evening. I studied all day uh to preach
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on Abraham tonight and I think it was
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about 4:00 the Lord started turning my
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thoughts and uh so this is about just a
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few hours of my meditations this
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evening. So this is a whole lot of
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outline. I hope there's some substance
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to it. Amen. And I tell you this, I
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don't ever want to come here with an
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outline without any help from God. Amen.
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and we need his help. So you pray for me
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tonight. Let's look at Psalm number six
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here in verse number one. The Bible
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says, David speaking here, "Oh Lord,
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rebuke me not in thine anger, neither
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chasten me in thy hot displeasure. Have
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mercy upon me, oh Lord, for I am weak.
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Oh Lord, heal me, for my bones are
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vexed. My soul is also sore vexed, but
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thou, oh Lord, how long? Return, O Lord,
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deliver my soul. Oh, save me for thy
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mercy's sake. For in death there's no
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remembrance of thee. In the grave, who
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shall give thee thanks? I am weary with
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my groaning. All the night make eye my
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bed to swim. I water my couch with my
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tears. Mine eyes consumed because of
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grief. It waxeth old because of all mine
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enemies. Depart from me all ye workers
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of iniquity, for the Lord hath heard the
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voice of my weeping. The Lord hath heard
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my supplication. The Lord will receive
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my prayer. Let all mine enemies be
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ashamed and so vexed. Let them return
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and be ashamed suddenly. Father, I come
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before you once more tonight, Lord, to
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ask again for your help. Lord, I cannot
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uh rightly divide the word of God
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without the Holy Spirit. And so, Lord, I
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ask you to fill me and I can I yield
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myself to you the best that I know how.
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Please speak through me tonight. clothe
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me in my call and get glory to yourself
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for what you do. Well, thank you because
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we ask it in Jesus name. Amen. Psalm
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number six. I want to point out if I
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could just a few phrases that are
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mentioned in this psalm here and then I
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will go back and deal with the text
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entirely this evening. Give you the
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title and then we'll deal with it in its
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entirety. I want you to notice verse
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number two. David says in the middle of
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verse number two, he says, "For I am
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weak." Then he says at the end of the
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verse, for my bones are vexed. Verse
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three, he said, my soul is sore vexed.
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And then again he mentions in verse six,
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I am weary with my groaning all the
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night. Make I my bed to swim. I water my
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couch with my tears. Mine eyes consumed
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because of grief. It waxeth old because
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of all mine enemies. And I was reading
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this psalm. I was honestly I was
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studying this afternoon and looking at
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the life of Abraham and put some things
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together on that and I just I sort of
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stopped. Sometimes you're in your study
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you you're just not getting anywhere.
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And so the Lord may be trying to
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redirect you. And I was just flipping
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through my Bible reading some different
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passages of scripture and the Lord spoke
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to me out of this text. And you say,
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"What was it that caught your
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attention?" Well, it was these phrases
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that I just read to you. And and I was
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thinking in this text that really this
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is a psalm of sickness. You say, 'What
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do you mean?' Well, notice it again.
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Verse number two. Have mercy upon me, oh
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Lord, for I'm what? Weak. Look what Look
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what's weak about him. Verse number two.
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For my bones are vexed. You know what
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that word vex means? It means to be
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troubled or to tremble. He literally
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says, "My bones are shaken." You know,
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you get them sicknesses and those fevers
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and you begin to tremble. This is where
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David's at in this text. And and he says
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not only that, he said in verse six,
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"I'm weary with my groaning." That
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groaning is a sigh. And so David is in
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pain in this text. But when I begin to
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study this chapter, I begin to see not
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just David's sickness, but I began to
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see the source of David's sickness. And
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really what you'll see in this chapter,
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I want to give you four things and some
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some things after those four things
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tonight out of this text on the thought
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the sickness of sinfulness.
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The sickness of sinfulness. You say,
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'What do you mean?' Well, I I think
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tonight if we could if we could look at
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this chapter and see what David is
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dealing with, this chapter tonight is
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one is the first in in the order of the
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Psalms as it's given in our King James
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Bible. The first of seven that are
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called the penitent psalms or or
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penitential psalms. And then would
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proceed after this Psalm 732, 3851,
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102, 130, and 143. And all of those
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psalms are are psalms of David that
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express an attitude of repentance. And
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when I think about the sickness of
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sinfulness, I think about two things.
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Number one, I think that sinfulness
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could be number one described as a
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sickness.
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>> Say, what do you mean? Well, it's
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infected all of humanity more than any
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disease that's ever been, more than any
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virus that's ever spread. Sin has almost
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a 100% infection rate. Aren't you
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thankful that Jesus was not infected
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with it? Amen. But I will tell you this
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tonight, he who knew no sin became sin
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for us. And so, the truth is tonight,
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really, if you want to call it that way,
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it hasn't 100% infection rate this
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evening. And so, sin has infected the
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human race. And so I think sin as a a
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sickness is a description. But I also
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think sin as a sickness has to do with
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its uh its deriving where it comes from.
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You say, "What do you mean?" Well, a
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sickness is something that starts within
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that begins to cause problems on the
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outside. You think about uh a sickness
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in the body. You say, "Well, preacher,
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that comes with without." Well, you
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don't realize the effects of it until it
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gets on the inside. Ain't that right?
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Cancer is not hurting you until it's on
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the inside. And so that that si that
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sinfulness, the sickness as it's within,
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that sinfulness is within. I guess you
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would say not that it deres within, but
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that it dwells within. Let's put it that
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way this evening. You say, "What do you
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mean?" Well, Jesus said it this way in
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Mark's gospel. He said, "For out of the
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mouth are the things that defile the
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man." He said, "It's the fornications
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and the adulteries, the wickedness that
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proceedth out of the man." He said,
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"It's not what goes into the man, but
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what proceedth out that defileth him."
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them. And so you say, "Preacher, how
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does that fit in this text?" Well, let's
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note David's condition in this text
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number one this evening. In verse number
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one, we'll see we'll see David's
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condition is described number one
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tonight as fearful. You say, "What do
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you mean?" Well, notice the text in
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verse one. David says, "Oh Lord, rebuke
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me not in thine anger, neither chastise
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me, chasten me in thy hot displeasure."
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And so immediately we find David here is
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crying out to the Lord. And this this uh
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fearfulness that we see here, he's in
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sin. Say, "What do you mean?" Well, he's
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asking the Lord not to rebuke him. Why
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is he doing that? Because he knows he's
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done something worthy of rebuke.
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>> Truth is, tonight, if you're his child,
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when you come to him, you're not going
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to get any help until you realize you've
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done something.
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>> And so, David is crying unto the Lord in
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this text, he's fearful because of his
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sin. Now, we don't have a direct uh
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implication in this text as to what sin
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is being dealt with. Some writers say
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that it it's the sin with Ba Sheba. We
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know Psalm 51 is directly derived from
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that the the instance of the sin that he
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commits with Ba Sheba. And so, this
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psalm could be that. It could be uh that
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sin. It could be other sins. It could be
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in that period. Some say it's in the
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period between David's sin with Ba Sheba
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and and David's issue uh with Abselum
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that would arise years down the road,
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some many years down the road in David's
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life. But what is told to us in this
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text is not only David is fearful
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because of sin because he's asking the
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Lord here to uh to slow down his rebuke.
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I'll say more about that in a minute.
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But in verse number two, not only he's
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fearful because of his sin, but number
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two, David is frail because of his
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sickness. Notice this. Have mercy upon
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me, oh Lord. Why is he asking for mercy?
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Look what he says again. For I'm weak.
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David says, "My body's failing." And so
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evidently what I've what I've studied on
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this, we discover that David's sickness
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in his body is causing him the feeling
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of his flesh. He is relating this to the
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sinfulness in his heart. He's saying
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that this sickness has come upon me
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because of the sin that's in my life.
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Now, I want to say this, all right? We
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know that not all sickness is comes upon
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men because of their sin.
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>> But we can agree tonight and I hope you
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would agree with me that all sickness is
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because of sin.
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>> Say, how is that? Well, it's the effects
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of sin on the human race that have
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brought about sickness into the world.
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But let's let's bring this back to a
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scriptural point of view tonight. When
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we think about sickness is not
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necessarily caused directly by sin. We
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think about what Jesus said when the
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disciples asked him that man that was
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born blind. You remember they asked
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Jesus, they said, "Uh, master, who did
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sin, this man or his parents that he was
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born blind?" Now, think about the
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foolishness of that question.
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Who did sin this man or his parents?
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Well, they're saying that this man was
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born blind because of his sin. Well, let
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me ask you something. Is that sin
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imputed before the age of
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accountability?
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And so really their their question is
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futile. All right, I know this is just
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just stay with me, okay? And so when we
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look at this sickness, David is
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describing a unique form of punishment
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from the Lord. You say, "What do you
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mean?" Well, David is the highest
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authority in the land. Wouldn't you
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agree with that? He's king and under him
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there's the rest of all of Israel and
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Judah's society is under him. And so
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really when David is to be punished the
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Lord does two things. He uses his family
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but he also uses his flesh. And when D
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when you look at the lives of men when
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when you see the picture now we we can
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think this over into Job's life. We know
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it was not Job's sinfulness that brought
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about his sickness. But what what were
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the two things that that really really
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pushed Job the farthest? It was not his
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fortune, but it was when his family was
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lost, number one. But you know what
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happened after that? What did the devil
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do? He touched his flesh. And so there's
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two things that in that judgment in in
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in in condemnation, the worst feeling
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that you can experience in the flesh,
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number one, is the pain of the family,
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but then after that, the pain of your
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own physical body, that judgment. And so
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David has experienced this. He tells us
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about this in other psalms when he talks
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about Abselum's rebellion. He says, "If
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it was somebody else, I could have borne
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it." He said, "But it was a man mine
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equal." What is he referring to? He's
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referring to his son. He's referring to
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somebody who was close to him. And David
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in this text, he is fearful because of
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his sin. Because he is now frail in his
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sickness. He feels like death is near.
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I want to say this. You get deep enough
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in sin, you'll get to a place of
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sickness. Say, 'What do you mean? Well,
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let's just be real. There's been a lot
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of men and women alike, and to give a
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simple example, they get addicted to the
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bottle far enough along. What happens to
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them? It ends up taking their life. My
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grandpa was one of those men. He drunk
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himself to death. He was as brown as the
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top of that communion table right there
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when he died. And so, we can agree
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tonight that sinfulness has a sickness
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that comes along with it. And you think
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about the sexual sins of society in this
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day and time. All of the the diseases
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that are transmitted sexually in the
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world today. When men and women decide
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to walk away from what God has commanded
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in the scriptures, that sinfulness
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brings about a sickness. But let me say
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this, the real sickness is the sin.
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>> Because you know what? That sickness may
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not kill them. We can treat sexually
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transmitted diseases. You shouldn't
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Amen. shouldn't have to.
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You can treat an alcoholic.
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You can make him quit drinking. But you
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know what? The sin problem is something
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you have to deal with yourself.
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>> And I noticed this in this text. Out of
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this, you see, David is fearful because
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of his sin. He's frail because of
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sickness. But thirdly, I see David is
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flustered. You say, "What do you mean?"
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Well, notice verse three or verse two.
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He says, "For I am weak, oh Lord, heal
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me for my bones are vexed." He's
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trembling. Just picture David. David,
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his sin has become so great to him. He
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is sick in body. He is sick in mind. But
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in verse three, look what he says. My
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soul, listen to this now. My soul is
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also sore vexed.
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This sin has got David to a point where
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he's literally going insane. You say,
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why is that? Well, notice the text.
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David is fearful because of his sin.
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He's frail because of his sickness, but
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he's flustered because of silence. Say,
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what do you mean? And notice verse three
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again. My soul is also sorvex. What's
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that last phrase in verse three?
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But thou, oh Lord, what's them last two
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words? How long? One writer said this
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that this is an incomplete statement.
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Well, I don't believe that this is an
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incomplete statement. I tell you what I
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believe tonight. I believe David is
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crying out because it's been a while.
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Said, "What do you mean?" Well, he's the
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sweet psalmist.
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You see, when Saul got that evil spirit
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from the Lord, who' they send for? They
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sent for David, didn't they?
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>> Because what was on him, the same spirit
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that Saul had on him was on David. And
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David went and played his heart. The
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Bible says he played skillfully. And
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that comforted Saul. But I want to tell
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you this in this text, the sweet
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psalmist is now flustered.
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You say, "How is that?" Well, I'm saying
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the greatest the probably the greatest
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rider in all the Bible because of his
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sin is now at a point where he cannot
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hear the voice of God.
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And so he's afraid. Notice it again.
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With all of this in mind, rebuke me not
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in thine anger, neither chasen me in thy
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hot displeasure. Have mercy upon me.
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He's fearful. He's frail, BUT HE'S
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FLUSTERED. HE DOES NOT UNDERSTAND where
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God is. And let me say this, child of
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God. This is where you will be
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if you find yourself in a place where
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spiritually you're low. Physically
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you're low, but in your heart there's no
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communication between you and God.
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>> Amen.
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>> You know, I've been in some low places
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spiritually in my life, but I know God
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was still there. But you know what
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David's trouble is?
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God's not there. You say, "Preacher, but
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God is there." And you're right. He is.
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But David can't find it.
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So, we see David's condition. I think we
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could all agree the worst part of his
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condition is not his fear and his
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frailty, but it's that he's flustered
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because where's God?
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You say, "Preacher, I don't see that
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that's him asking for the Lord." Well,
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look, look at verse three again. But
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thou, oh Lord, how long? Then notice the
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first three words of verse four. Return,
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O Lord. This begins. We see David's
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condition, but this begins David's cry.
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David begins crying out to God all
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through this chapter. This chapter is a
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cry. And I read one writer said this, Le
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Moine Sharp, he was quoting another
17:05
writer and he said this, the psalm many
17:08
times he says we describe the psalms as
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psalms of praise. He said they're psalms
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of praise because they're so full of
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prayer. You really want to praise God.
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It ain't so much your testimony in
17:17
church and I'm for testifying. It ain't
17:20
so much raising your hand or saying amen
17:22
in church, but I want to tell you this.
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It's what you do in that private place
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before God.
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>> And let's be real, we're all failing in
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our praise department.
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>> And so, we see David's cry in this text.
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What is he crying for? Well, number one,
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he's crying out for the Lord to calm
17:37
down. Say, how is that? Well, notice
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verse one. Oh Lord, rebuke me not in
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thine anger, neither chasten me in thy
17:43
hot displeasure. Now, if you look at
17:45
that, you would say David is asking for
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the Lord not to correct him. But what do
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we know the Bible teaches? It says,
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"Despise not the chastening of the
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Lord." We're not to stand against the
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rebuking hand of God. When God sticks
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his hand of judgment on you, if you're a
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child of God, you're not supposed to
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rear up to that. You know why? Because
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the same hand that saved you is the same
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hand that'll correct you and keep you.
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And you're not supposed to back up
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against that.
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>> Amen. Notice this. He says, "Rebuke me
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not in thine anger, neither chasen me in
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thy hot displeasure." What David is
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asking for, not that God would remove
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the remove the rebuke, but he's saying,
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"Lord, while you're
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still hot in me, o hot at me over my
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sin, would you just hold off with your
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judgment?" You say, "Preacher, how could
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David say that?" Well, this ain't the
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first time that's been said. Turn with
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me to the book of Exodus. Write it in
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your margin. Exodus, chapter number 32.
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Listen to the plea of Moses in Exodus
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32. Moses has heard the voice. Joshua
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has heard the voice of the children of
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Israel crying out. Verse number 17 of
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Exodus 32. When Joshua heard the noise
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of the people as they shout, he said
18:57
unto Moses, there is noise of war in the
18:59
camp. What have they done? You know the
19:02
story. They Aaron had they had cried
19:04
out, you know, where's Moses? Where's
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our God? We need something else to
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worship. So Aaron says, y'all bring me
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all your earrings of Egypt. They melt
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him down and they build the calf. Ain't
19:13
that how the story goes? Look what
19:15
happens in the text. Verse number verse
19:18
number eight. Verse number seven. Let's
19:20
read the whole thing. And the Lord said
19:22
unto Moses, "Go get thee down. For thy
19:24
people which thou broughtest out of the
19:26
land of Egypt have corrupted themselves.
19:28
They have turned aside quickly out of
19:30
the way which I commanded them. They've
19:31
made them a molten calf and have
19:33
worshiped it and have sacrificed there
19:34
unto, and said, These be thy gods, O
19:37
Israel, which have brought thee up out
19:38
of the land of Egypt." And the Lord said
19:40
unto Moses, I have seen this people and
19:42
behold it is a stick ne stick neck stiff
19:44
necked people. Notice verse 10. Now
19:47
therefore, listen to this. Let me alone
19:50
that my wrath may wax hot. Notice that.
19:53
That my wrath may wax hot against them
19:55
and that I may consume them and I will
19:58
make of thee a great nation. Listen to
20:00
what Moses says in verse 11. And Moses
20:03
besought the Lord his God, and said,
20:05
Lord, why do thy wrath wax hot against
20:07
thy people, which thouast brought forth
20:09
out of the land of Egypt with great
20:11
power, with a mighty hand? Wherefore
20:12
should the Egyptians speak, and say, for
20:14
mischief did he bring them out to slay
20:16
them in the mountains, and to consume
20:17
them from the face thereof, turn from
20:19
thy fierce wrath, and repent of this
20:21
evil against thy people. Now, there's so
20:24
many people that stumble over those
20:26
verses. I had one gentleman, and matter
20:29
of fact, probably one of the greatest
20:32
conflicts that I ever got in in church
20:34
was over those very verses. Had a
20:36
gentleman say that the Lord that God,
20:38
the God of heaven, now you read those
20:40
verses, that's Elohim. That's Jehovah,
20:42
the self-existent one. And this is what
20:45
he said. He said, "God had to repent. So
20:47
that means God sinned in that text."
20:50
I said, "You've lost your mind."
20:54
>> He said, "Well, what does it mean then?"
20:56
I said, "It means God turned his mind."
20:58
That's right.
20:59
>> I said, "I don't mean God was wrong."
21:02
>> God can't do wrong.
21:05
>> You know what? You listening to me? If
21:07
God had killed him right there, he'd
21:09
have been perfectly just in doing so.
21:10
>> That's right.
21:12
>> So, you know what happened? It was not
21:14
that God was unjust or that God was
21:16
unfair. He ought to have wiped him out.
21:18
He ought to have wiped us out. Amen.
21:21
>> It's It's pride that says that God would
21:23
ever be wrong.
21:25
Bible said Paul said, "Yeah, let God be
21:27
true and every man a liar."
21:30
>> And so what this text is, Moses here,
21:33
his great intercession, he doesn't get
21:36
God to repent of evil. This is what he
21:39
gets God to do. You say, "Preacher,
21:41
well, it says the Lord repented of the
21:42
evil." That word evil in that text is
21:45
not talking about God doing wrong.
21:47
>> That's right. It's talking about God
21:49
bringing judgment on an ungodly evil pe
21:52
people who deserve judgment.
21:55
>> And so he prays. God said, "Let my wrath
21:57
wax hot." Moses said, "No, Lord, don't
22:00
let your wrath wax hot." You say, "So,
22:02
preacher, what was David asking for?"
22:05
He's asking for God to calm.
22:08
You say, "Preacher, does God need to
22:11
calm certain aspects of our life?"
22:15
I don't know about you, but I got saved
22:18
at seven years old. And all of my
22:21
mistakes in my Christian life have been
22:23
pretty much since I got saved. In my
22:26
life, they've been in my Christian life,
22:28
I should say. And I remember at one
22:31
point as a young man, I was probably 14
22:35
years old, and my mind was utterly
22:38
depraved. And I thank God that I didn't
22:40
wasn't able to go after the thoughts of
22:41
my heart because what Jesus had done on
22:44
the inside of me and the parents he had
22:46
give me kept me from those things. But I
22:49
remember in the bitterness that I had at
22:52
one point in my life some things some
22:54
plans that I have and let's before you
22:56
look down at me you just think about the
22:58
plans that you had
22:59
>> to do wickedness. Amen. Because that's
23:01
way that's the way we are.
23:05
But I remember one night some plans that
23:08
I had got found out.
23:11
And for a long time, Brother Shane, I
23:13
wrestled with this. I I wrestled with
23:15
did I get brokenhearted because I got
23:18
found out. But what I realized was that
23:21
night that I got found out, it was a
23:22
mercy of God.
23:26
Because just like Egypt or just like the
23:30
Israelites when Moses come down off that
23:32
mountain, God had found out about it.
23:34
>> And so what had happened was God knew
23:36
what I done. He went to mom and daddy
23:37
and mom and daddy come to me.
23:41
And I can take you to a spot in my yard.
23:44
I can take you to the place where I got
23:46
saved, but I can take you to the spot in
23:47
my yard. And as far as I know, I've
23:50
never told this story anywhere, but I
23:52
can take you to the spot in my yard
23:54
where a little concrete whalehouse, a
23:56
3x3 round whalehouse. I bowed over that
23:58
thing and I cried and begged God
24:01
>> to have mercy on my soul. You say,
24:04
"Preacher, you saved." I know I was, but
24:06
I felt like GOD WAS GOING TO TAKE ME
24:08
OUT.
24:10
>> You know why? Because his anger had rat
24:12
waxed hot.
24:14
>> You say, "Preacher, how did you know
24:15
that?" Because I could feel it. Amen.
24:20
>> I remember that.
24:23
You say, "Preacher, oh, that was that
24:25
was guilt as a child from your mom and
24:27
daddy." No, mom and daddy, it broke my
24:29
heart. But I tell you this, long after
24:30
they got they got done with me, God
24:32
wasn't done with me.
24:36
>> I remember that whooping.
24:39
And not the one the parent my parents
24:41
gave me. I'm talking about the one the
24:43
Lord gave me for months.
24:46
I'm saying his wa his wrath waxed hot.
24:51
And I remember praying to God. I said,
24:53
"Lord, I don't know if you could ever
24:55
use me." And I remember daddy telling me
24:57
that night, he he told me, he said, he
25:00
looked at me in the eyes and he said,
25:01
"Son, there ain't much hope for you if
25:04
you can't get past these thoughts."
25:07
You say, "Preacher, that's awful." No.
25:08
He told me the truth, and it was
25:10
straight from heaven.
25:12
them thoughts would have sent me to jail
25:14
and to prison and I'd have been there
25:17
for a long time. Are you listening? You
25:20
say, "Preacher, I ain't never had no
25:22
thoughts like that." Well, you better do
25:23
some self inventory.
25:28
>> But I remember God's wrath waxing hot in
25:31
my life. And I remember praying, Lord,
25:34
would you please, IF YOU CAN, I know you
25:36
CAN, BUT LORD, IF YOU WILL, PLEASE
25:38
FORGIVE ME AND RESTORE ME.
25:43
>> I remember that. Matter of fact, I can I
25:46
can see it now.
25:49
You say, "Preacher, I don't know what
25:51
that's like." Well,
25:57
you just better thank God most of your
25:59
failures was on the other side of
26:00
Calvary.
26:03
cuz he don't deal softly with his
26:05
children.
26:08
>> Say, "Preacher, well, it was awful that
26:09
night that I got saved. God hung me out
26:11
over hell. He did me the same way." I'm
26:13
telling you, I felt like I was going to
26:15
bel melt alive.
26:17
>> You say, "Why?" Because the combination
26:21
of that wrath of the sovereign on his
26:24
child. You say, "Preacher, you were
26:25
saved by the grace of God. Jesus took
26:27
your wrath. His displeasure with me was
26:30
just the same. because I had sinned and
26:32
removed myself from fellowship.
26:35
And so, you know what had happened in my
26:37
life? Here's what happened. Here's
26:38
what's different for when a saved person
26:40
gets out in sin versus a lost person. A
26:43
saved person has a two-fold punishment.
26:46
You have a part on the inside of you
26:47
that's grieved. And so, within you're
26:49
just burning,
26:51
>> right?
26:52
>> But then on the other side of that, you
26:54
also have the God of heaven.
26:56
>> Yes.
26:58
You see, when a lost person sins, they
27:01
don't experience that
27:03
outward
27:05
condemnation.
27:07
When a saved person does
27:10
different say, how is that? Well,
27:11
David's experiencing it. He's crying out
27:14
for calming. You see that from the text,
27:16
verse one, rebuke me not in thine anger,
27:19
neither chasten me in thy hot
27:21
displeasure. I believe it's Psalm 38,
27:22
David says the same words.
27:26
calming. He's asking for the Lord to not
27:29
chasing him. You remember, I don't feel
27:32
like I can get past this tonight. One of
27:34
the writers gave this illustration on
27:35
this verse. He said a a younger brother
27:38
had done something at school one day and
27:41
his dad, you know, as the way it used to
27:45
be, the way it used to be when dad got
27:47
home. If the kid done something at
27:49
school, they got punished for it at
27:50
school, then they got punished for it
27:51
when they get home. Y'all live through
27:53
that. Amen.
27:55
And so I did too. Amen. Oh man. Anyway,
27:58
I'm going to try not to try to forget
28:00
those memories.
28:03
But uh this older brother tells his
28:06
younger brother he'd done something at
28:07
school and he knew dad was going to
28:08
punish him when he got home. Older
28:10
brother said this, "Hey bud, if you'll
28:11
go to sleep before daddy gets home,
28:14
it'll be laid over till tomorrow."
28:18
And uh illustration is that he went
28:21
home, went to sleep, and his dad didn't
28:24
bother him that night. Because the truth
28:26
is any individual with time, they do
28:29
cool off, don't they?
28:32
You say, "Preacher, but God's outside of
28:33
time." Let me ask you something. We're
28:35
made like he is.
28:39
And so if God thought he was going to
28:42
destroy Israel, but Moses said, 'Lord,
28:47
please don't destroy him. Please don't
28:50
destroy him. And God, what did it say?
28:51
He repented. He changed his path. Just
28:55
like your earthly father, you give them
28:58
time. And I'm thankful that my dad, I
29:02
remember this as a young man. I remember
29:04
my dad in the heat of his anger, he
29:06
wouldn't take out his punishment on me
29:08
cuz I I mean he could have, you know,
29:10
done some damage. You know what I'm
29:12
saying? But he would wait till he was
29:15
back in his
29:18
he had a right to be angry. I want to
29:21
say this. He didn't take out that
29:22
punishment on me when he was at the
29:24
height of his anger.
29:26
Let me just give you some food for
29:27
thought here. Do you realize that
29:29
there's coming a day when God at the
29:32
height of his anger
29:35
>> because the sin of all generations is
29:38
piling up and piling up and piling up
29:42
and one of these days God's going to
29:43
unleash his wrath.
29:46
The height of God's anger.
29:52
You say, "Preacher, I just don't believe
29:54
it's really that bad." I won't say this.
29:55
David was the man after God's own heart.
29:58
Right?
29:59
>> He's crying out, "Lord, please."
30:02
>> Verse two, look what he says. Have mercy
30:04
upon me. What's he asking? He's asking
30:07
for the Lord, please don't give me what
30:08
I deserve. He's not asking for justice.
30:10
He's asking, "Lord, please, would you
30:12
have mercy?"
30:15
But notice this. What does he ask for
30:18
next? Verse two. For I am weak, oh Lord,
30:21
have mercy upon me, oh Lord, for I am
30:22
weak, oh Lord. What's the next two
30:24
words? Heal me. Not only does he ask for
30:26
the Lord to calm, but he asked for the
30:28
Lord to cure him. Why is that? Because
30:31
his sickness was because of his sin.
30:35
Now, y'all remember when we preached the
30:37
message on communion here at the church.
30:40
Had a lot of response out of that. I
30:42
need to preach it again just just
30:44
because it needs to be preached. But I
30:46
want you to listen to what Paul says
30:49
here in the book of Corinthians.
30:58
The book of Corinthians, Paul is
30:59
speaking of
31:02
communion and he's talking about if a
31:04
man take of it unworthily.
31:07
I'll find it here in just a minute.
31:08
Somebody tell me what chapter that's in.
31:10
The Lord just give brought that to my
31:12
mind. Here it is. 1 Corinthians 11. I
31:14
was thinking it was 2 Corinthians 11
31:17
verse number 29.
31:19
1 Corinthians 11 verse 28. But let a man
31:22
examine himself, so let him eat of that
31:24
bread and drinkketh that cup. For he
31:25
that eateth and drinkketh unworthily,
31:27
listen to this, eateth and drinkkeeth
31:29
damnation to himself, not discerning the
31:32
Lord's body. Now, let me give you this.
31:34
All right, those of you that think that
31:36
we have no judgment as a child of God,
31:39
notice verse 30. For this cause, many
31:42
are weak and sickly among you, and many
31:44
sleep.
31:46
All right. Now, let's let's draw this
31:47
back in here for just a minute.
31:50
Paul is talking to people who are saved
31:53
in this text. He that whosoever shall
31:56
eat this bread and drink this cup of the
31:58
Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the
32:00
body and the blood of the Lord. Now, you
32:04
can take this two ways. All right? You
32:06
can take this two ways. You can say he's
32:07
talking about lost people. But if you
32:09
look at the context, he's not. Notice
32:11
verse 30. For this cause many are weak
32:14
and sickly among you and many sleep.
32:15
Verse 31. For if we would judge
32:17
ourselves, we should not be judged.
32:19
Verse 32, but when we are judged, notice
32:21
this, we are chasened of the Lord that
32:24
we should not be condemned with the
32:26
world.
32:27
You see all them pronouns there? We,
32:32
he's describing the body, including
32:33
himself.
32:35
So when you got sin in your life, he
32:39
says, and you take of the Lord's supper,
32:42
he says you drink damnation.
32:46
>> Let me give you another verse.
32:49
Hebrews.
32:52
You may you may not believe it tonight,
32:53
but that's all right. Listen to what
32:55
Hebrews says.
32:58
Hebrews chapter number 10
33:04
verse 20 verse 38. Hebrews 10:38. Now
33:08
the just shall live by faith, but if any
33:10
man draw back, my soul shall have no
33:12
pleasure in him. Verse 39. But we are
33:14
not of them who draw back unto what?
33:17
predition. You know what predition is?
33:19
That's that damnation he was talking
33:21
about. You say, "Preacher, do I lose my
33:24
salvation?" No, you get destroyed in the
33:26
body.
33:28
Notice chapter 10 and verse number 26 of
33:31
Hebrews. For if we sin willfully after
33:34
that we have received the knowledge of
33:35
truth, there remainth no more sacrifice
33:37
for sins, but a certain fearful looking
33:40
for of judgment and fire fiery
33:42
indignation which shall devour the
33:44
adversaries. Notice what he says. That
33:47
judgment that's going to devour the
33:49
adversaries is going to be the judgment
33:50
that you face if you sin willfully.
33:55
>> Notice that
33:59
I'm saying this thing of sin in the life
34:01
of believers a little more than you know
34:04
just a well Lord knows my heart. I'll
34:08
get forgiveness and it'll be okay.
34:10
>> Come on preach. You see, people don't
34:13
preach this stuff because they say,
34:15
"Well, I don't want them to risk
34:17
thinking that they're going to lose
34:18
their salvation." We know we don't lose
34:20
our salvation,
34:21
>> right?
34:22
>> Jesus, that covenant was made with
34:24
Christ, the new covenant. It's
34:25
established. God made a covenant with
34:27
Abraham. We're going to learn about that
34:28
in the next study of Abraham. Been
34:30
studying it all day. No, I'm trying not
34:31
to preach it here. But he made an
34:33
unconditional covenant with Abraham that
34:35
they will get that land. That covenant
34:37
is representation of our salvation.
34:40
We're not promised a earthly land. We're
34:42
promised a heavenly land. We are
34:44
promised spiritual blessings in heavenly
34:46
places. Jesus took our condemnation. Let
34:48
me ask you something. You say,
34:49
"Preacher, well, the Bible says there is
34:51
therefore now no condemnation to them to
34:54
him who is in Christ Jesus." But do you
34:56
know what it says after that? To those
34:58
that walk after the spirit
35:01
>> and not after the flesh. Let's turn and
35:02
look at it. Romans 8. I'm not going to
35:05
get through the rest of the message
35:06
tonight. We're going to hang out right
35:07
here. Romans chapter 8.
35:11
Listen to what he says. Verse number
35:14
one. There is therefore now no
35:17
condemnation to them which are in Christ
35:19
Jesus who walk not after the flesh.
35:21
Notice that. But after the spirit.
35:26
So simply put tonight, David is crying
35:29
out. You say, "Preacher, that's Old
35:30
Testament." Still grace,
35:34
>> still faith. Right?
35:37
>> It's always been faith.
35:39
>> Abraham was the father of the faith. All
35:41
of the everybody that's in heaven, Old
35:43
Testament, New Testament, OR EVER WILL
35:45
BE, it will be by grace.
35:49
>> Nobody's ever done the works of the law
35:51
completely.
35:52
>> Nobody's ever completed that completely.
35:54
Nobody's ever done that. Jesus fulfilled
35:57
the law past, present, and future so
35:59
that you could be saved. So David the
36:02
same way.
36:03
>> What did he fear?
36:05
He feared the judgment of God. And you
36:08
know what? He was right to
36:11
remember what he told Nathan. He told
36:14
him the story. David, Nathan said, uh,
36:17
David, you know, there was a man that
36:20
all he had was one little U lamp.
36:22
>> There was a traveler. You know how the
36:24
story goes. He comes and that king takes
36:27
that one little ulam from that man and
36:30
he dresses it and gives it to the
36:31
traveler. It was the only little u lamb
36:34
that he had. And Nathan, you know, asked
36:38
David, in other words, you know, what
36:40
what's what should be done? David said,
36:42
"He shall restore him four-fold."
36:46
David pronounced his own judgment.
36:49
>> David lost four of his sons.
36:52
You say, "How is that?" Well, the baby
36:54
born in the relationship died. Amnan,
36:56
his firstborn, died. Abselum, his third
36:59
born, died. And then Adinijah would die
37:01
later because he would try to take the
37:03
throne from Solomon. You say, "What is
37:06
that?" That is the judgment of God on
37:09
the man after God's own heart.
37:12
You know what we have lost in this day
37:14
and time as the church? I'm talking
37:16
about those who are saved by the grace
37:18
of God. We have lost the fear of God.
37:21
>> Right?
37:24
I I don't understand. All right? And I'm
37:26
going to bear my heart to you right
37:27
here. I don't understand how people can
37:30
hop from church to church to church and
37:32
blow burn every bridge they cross
37:37
with every preacher with every church.
37:39
And I understand not every church is of
37:41
God. And look, we all make mistakes. I
37:43
get every bit of that. But this is the
37:45
only explanation I have cuz God wears me
37:48
out when I get out of line. Any I mean,
37:51
y'all with me?
37:52
>> Yeah.
37:53
>> I'm telling you. I remember I can take
37:55
you to the spot. I remember that night
37:58
his wrath waxed taught
38:01
and I don't understand people just seem
38:03
like they the only explanation I have is
38:05
they not really saved
38:09
and here's what I believe and I I
38:11
believe this and you say preacher but
38:15
some in their family probably is well
38:17
most time it's those ones that are older
38:20
that are leading and so what those ones
38:22
that are younger have to do they have to
38:24
follow behind those that are older what
38:26
I'm seeing is is a generation of
38:27
millennials that are lost
38:30
that know the ins and outs. My parents'
38:32
generation. They know the ins and outs
38:34
of the word of God. They know the ins
38:36
and outs of church, but they're not
38:38
saved. They know how it works, but they
38:41
have no desire to really be a part of
38:43
it. They will as long as it benefits
38:46
them. But here's what I'm saying. I'm
38:48
seeing my generation sick of it because
38:50
they see how mom and daddy act at
38:52
church, but then they go home and
38:54
daddy's a hothead.
38:57
yells and cusses and kicks at mom all
38:59
the time. And mama is a mouthy,
39:05
got a tongue from here to Dodgetown
39:07
Road.
39:09
And you know what? They're tired of it.
39:12
Come to church and smile. Act like
39:14
everything's all right. You know what
39:16
that is? No fear of God.
39:22
>> I tell you, and David got out of line.
39:24
He's upset.
39:29
When's the last time you got upset about
39:31
your sin?
39:34
What if your sin's what's got you sick?
39:40
Say, "Preacher, how dare you say that?"
39:41
That's between you and the Lord. Look,
39:43
I'm the messenger. I told somebody
39:45
today, "This is what the joy of my job
39:47
is. I have to do what God tells me, and
39:50
I and sometimes it's hard to deliver
39:52
it." But you know what? The same mailman
39:54
that brings the bills brings the checks.
40:03
>> He's got to bring it all.
40:06
>> It's food for thought tonight. You say,
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"Preacher, this is Wednesday night." I
40:09
know it is. That's why that's what I
40:11
know. If anybody's going to experience
40:13
that, it's going to be you.
40:21
Every head bowed, every eye closed. Just
40:23
a moment of time. I'll give an altar
40:26
call tonight if I can. We're in no hurry
40:29
this evening. I just want to ask you.
40:33
David said, "Rebuke me not in thine
40:36
anger.
40:38
Chasen me not in thy hot displeasure."
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If I was to be real honest with you to
40:48
church tonight, the Lord has already
40:50
convicted me over some things since I've
40:52
even been in this service.
40:56
Say, "Preacher, how is that?" Well, you
40:59
know what? We just we're we're human,
41:01
aren't we? No, it ain't gross sin. No,
41:04
I'm not, you know, doing anything that's
41:07
just repribate. I'm just telling you
41:08
just the little things that happen in
41:10
our everyday life. Cuz what? We fail him
41:12
daily, don't we? That's right.
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>> But I wonder tonight, just for the
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curiosity of my mind and the honesty
41:21
before you and the Lord, how many of
41:22
you's been in that place where you felt
41:24
his wrath wax hot?
41:28
You know what it's like, don't you?
41:30
Hands all over the building.
41:35
I got to ask you this.
41:38
Say, "Preacher, what do you mean?" Well,
41:41
did you just let that pass by?
41:46
Cuz you know what? Sometimes,
41:49
like her dad, when they would punish us,
41:53
you know, after a while, their wrath
41:55
would be gone.
41:57
We'd tell them that we were sorry. We'd
42:00
tell them that we were going to be
42:03
different, you know, and after a while
42:06
their wrath would pass and it would sort
42:07
of seem like things kind of returned to
42:09
normal.
42:11
Well, let me ask you,
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did you get over it?
42:17
You say, "What do you mean, preacher?"
42:18
I'm saying, "Well, did you really have a
42:20
change of heart or did you just want a
42:23
clear conscience?"
42:27
I couldn't leave here tonight and do the
42:29
will of God without telling you the
42:31
truth. There's been a lot of people
42:33
that's made a public show of repentance,
42:38
a public expression of of penitence
42:40
before people. Matter of fact, I
42:43
remember a specific in instance here at
42:45
the church. Some of y'all wasn't here
42:46
for this, but
42:49
I don't know, probably a year and a half
42:51
ago, we had a gentleman, him and his
42:52
wife was at odds.
42:55
They different things. Believe he'd been
42:57
running around on her. And he came to
43:00
church. They came to church one Sunday
43:01
morning. And he come to me and they were
43:03
both smiling,
43:05
happy like everything was all right. And
43:07
this is what he told me. He said,
43:08
"Preacher, I want to get up and
43:09
apologize to the church. Some of you
43:12
were here that day, son of you
43:14
remember." Then he grabbed the mic and
43:16
he said, "I just want to apologize to
43:18
the church for my sinfulness and we
43:20
going to try to do right and do better."
43:22
And it was literally the week after
43:25
he was back with another woman.
43:29
You say, "Preacher, how could he do
43:30
that?" Well, he never really meant it.
43:35
Let me ask you, did you mean it?
43:38
Say, "Preacher, how can I know that? I I
43:41
don't know my own heart." You say that
43:42
yourself, and you're right. You don't
43:44
know your own heart. But let me ask you,
43:45
when's the last time you done some
43:46
self-examination?
43:49
Paul said it this way. 1 Corinthians 11,
43:51
he said, "But let a man examine
43:52
himself."
43:54
You know how you do that? You look in
43:55
that mirror.
43:58
James said, he said, "That man that's a
44:01
hearer, not a doer, said he beholdeth
44:03
himself, and he goeth his way and
44:05
straightway forggetth what manner of man
44:07
he was." This mirror will show you. But
44:10
if you don't stop and say, 'Lord, would
44:12
you please fix the problem? You can go
44:14
your way and there'd never be any
44:16
change.
44:17
These altars are open tonight. I'm not
44:19
going to hold off much longer. Lord sent
44:21
this for a reason. You say, "Preacher,
44:22
well, I'd be admitting guilt if I come."
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Truth is, every one of us could be up
44:26
here.
44:27
I myself is
44:30
preacher, how is that? I'm telling you
44:32
the truth tonight.
44:35
It's where we live.
44:38
But you better not let his wrath wax hot
44:40
too long.
44:45
Father, Lord, I thank you for these
44:48
that's come tonight. Others need to
44:49
come. Lord, I pray that you'd help us to
44:51
be obedient to the word of God. Lord,
44:53
I'm not trying to get an emotional stir
44:55
tonight, but Lord, I just felt in my
44:57
soul tonight, just through the
44:59
leadership of the spirit, God, that you
45:01
really want to drive this point home.
45:06
Lord, I believe you're grieved with the
45:08
church in this day and time.
45:12
Lord, I believe that God, I myself,
45:14
Father, have failed you, Lord. I I've
45:17
been guilty of checking boxes.
45:21
Lord, saying that I'm doing enough.
45:22
Well, you know, I look around doing more
45:24
than everybody else is.
45:27
God, would you please forgive me of
45:29
that?
45:31
Oh God, would you cleanse me of that
45:32
attitude? Lord, what a devilish mindset
45:35
that is. Lord, forgive me.
45:40
Father, there's a world that's dying,
45:43
going to hell.
45:46
How dare could I ever say that I've done
45:48
enough.
45:50
I hope God, would you help us?
45:53
Give us urgency, Lord.
45:57
God, as I prayed on yesterday and on
45:59
today, Lord, my heart's desire is just
46:01
to make a difference, Lord.
46:05
God, you have done so much for our
46:07
church, God. And I just give you praise
46:08
for that.
46:11
But Lord, if we're going to have
46:12
anything done from you, Lord, in these
46:14
days, God, we're going to have to get
46:15
sick of sin
46:18
because Lord, it is a sickness.
46:21
And God, I don't want to know, Lord, the
46:23
people that's bound in this room.
46:26
But God, I know that you know.
46:28
And Lord, I pray they wouldn't leave
46:30
this place tonight without dealing with
46:31
it.
46:33
Oh God, I thank you for getting real
46:35
with us tonight.
46:37
Lord, I thank you, God, for manifesting
46:39
your presence. And Lord, I know it's a
46:41
convicting, correcting presence, but
46:43
Lord, I just thank you that I know it's
46:45
your presence
46:47
because Lord, there's plenty of places
46:48
that your presence is not there.
46:51
Lord, may we heed the word of God
46:52
tonight. I pray in Jesus name. Amen.
46:57
>> Thank you for joining our service today.
46:59
We'd love it if you join us in person
47:01
the next time you are able at Meadows
47:04
Baptist Church. Our physical address is
47:07
2988
47:08
Stewart Road in Walnut Cove, North
47:11
Carolina. Our service times are Sunday
47:14
school at 10:00 a.m., Sunday morning
47:16
worship at 11:00 a.m., Sunday evening
47:18
worship at 6:00 p.m., and Wednesday
47:21
evening Bible study at 700 p.m. For more
47:24
information, visit us at
47:26
meadowsbaptisturch.com.
47:28
Thanks again for tuning in.