Latest / Meadows Baptist Church Podcast / Preserving Purity - 3/4/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch

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Preserving Purity - 3/4/26 - 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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All right. as you find in your seek if
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you could find Matthew's gospel.
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Matthew's gospel chapter number five
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and uh
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felt impressed the Lord to go back to
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this text. I started a series and I had
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uh I think it's six messages laid out in
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this series and I think it was over I
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guess it's probably been about a year
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ago 10 months ago I started it and uh
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God just directed me away from it and I
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never went back to it. So we're going to
1:00
look at it tonight. Just felt impressed
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the Lord to go back here and I don't
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know for what reason but I'm just going
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to be obedient to the Lord. So,
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Matthew's Gospel, chapter 5
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this evening. And uh I'm going to do my
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best to try to keep it in Bible study
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trim tonight, but that may not happen.
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So, you pray for me and uh we'll just
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preach. Do whatever God says. Amen.
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>> Matthew's Gospel chapter 5. And uh I
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want to preface this tonight by saying I
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don't have any um inkling of anything
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going on tonight. not not preaching this
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just just just because um I think
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there's something happening. If there
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is, I guess the Holy Ghost should bear
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witness to that, but I'm just preaching
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what God put on my heart tonight. And I
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hope it's just preventative maintenance
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to us. All right? And we'll deal with
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this subject tonight. Matthew's Gospel
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chapter 5 verse number 27.
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Matthew's Gospel chapter number 5 verse
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number 27. Our first message in this
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series, those you was here uh last year
2:03
during this time. Thankfully, we got
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some visitors in here, has been coming
2:06
with us since then. We we let off the
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first message of this uh series of of
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this chapter here talking about uh pres
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preservation. The first message there
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was uh entitled preserving peace. I
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don't know if anybody remembers that. Um
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but we dealt with verse number 21 uh of
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the chapter down through verse number
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26. and uh talked about preserving peace
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and unity. And tonight we're going to
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talk about preserving purity. And uh I
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want pray ask the Lord to help us one
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more time, then we'll read the text.
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Father, thank you for this time tonight.
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Thank you, God, for your many blessings.
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And Lord, for allowing us to study this
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scripture together tonight. I pray you'd
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give us uncction and liberty. And I pray
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you'd help us preach and demonstration
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the spirit with power. And God, I ask
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you, Father, that you'd remove any
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hindrance tonight. And Lord, I pray God
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tonight this is just preventative
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maintenance for us. But God, you know
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what we need. And so I pray that uh
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you'd help us be obedient to the word of
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God tonight. And we'll be sure to give
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you thanks for what you do because you
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alone are worthy. And we ask it in
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Jesus' name. Amen. Verse number 27 of
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Matthew chapter number five. Jesus says
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here, words of read, ye have heard that
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it was said by them of old time, thou
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shalt not commit adultery. But I say
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unto you, that whosoever lookth on a
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woman to lust after her, hath committed
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adultery with her already in his heart,
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and if thy right eye offend thee, pluck
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it out, and cast it from thee. For it is
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profitable for thee that one of thy
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members should perish, and not that thy
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whole body should be cast into hell. And
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if thy right hand offend thee, cut it
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off, and cast it from thee. For it is
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profitable for thee that one of thy
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members should perish and that and not
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that thy whole body should be cast into
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hell. Now you say, preacher, where does
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the subject come in for preservation in
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this text? Well, if you look back with
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me into this chapter, you notice verse
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number 17. Jesus makes a statement
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concerning his ministry on the earth.
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And I want you to listen what he says.
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Verse 17 of chapter 5. He says, "Think
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not that I'm come to destroy the law or
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the prophets." Look what he says. I'm
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not come to destroy, but to fulfill. And
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so, the ministry of Christ on the earth
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was that he was to fulfill all the law
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of God. Now, we know tonight he's the
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only man that's ever been born of woman
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that has kept the entire law. And thus,
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in his perfection, he fulfilled the law.
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And thankfully for you and I tonight, he
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went beyond the law. after that he
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fulfilled it dying as the sacrifice on
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Calvar's cross he arose again not only
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to be the sacrifice but to be our great
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high priest and to offer that sacrifice
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upon the throne in heaven thus offering
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us the grace of God and that is why John
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could say in John chapter number one
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that the law came by Moses but grace and
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truth came by Jesus Christ and so the
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offering of salvation that beyond the
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law came to us because Jesus was the the
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only one to ever fulfill the law. And so
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here in this preser preserving thought
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here, he's dealt with the subject here
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in verse number 18. He says, "For verily
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I say unto you, till heaven and earth
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pass, one jot or one tit shall no wise
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pass from the law till all be
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fulfilled." And so all of this truth
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Jesus is expounding. And the greatest
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sermon that's ever been given in all of
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history is these three chapters, Matthew
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chapter 5 down through chapter number
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seven. and he is preaching to them the
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principles of the kingdom. Now, it's
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applicable to you and I tonight. And he
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has dealt with the subject there of
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murder in verse number 21. Thou shalt
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not kill. We know that there in the ten
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commandments. And now he's going to list
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another one here in the text in verse
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number 27. Notice what your Bible says.
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Ye have heard that it was said by them
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of old time, thou shalt not commit
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adultery. So here he has listed of
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course this being I believe it's the
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sixth commandment in number here uh in
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the numeric of the ten commandments and
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I want to give you three things out of
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these verses tonight concerning this
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subject on preserving purity. Now, in a
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personal sense tonight, if there's
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anything that we need to be holding up
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in a in a big way in this day and time,
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it's this matter of purity.
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Especially in our church, amongst the
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ranks of our leadership and all of the
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congregation, this should be our utmost
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priority that we be blameless in every
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respect. Nobody should be able to bring
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an accusation against us and then they
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have to question and say, "Well, we just
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don't know about him. We've seen the way
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he's acted before.
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>> Amen.
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>> No, it ought we ought to be blameless.
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Amen.
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>> And so when I consider this text, Jesus
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deals first of all with the commandment
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here in the text. And let me say this,
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Christ is dealing in this chapter with
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generational decay. Now, that's what
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we're dealing with. You say, "What do
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you mean by generational decay?" Well,
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the truth here in this text was
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expressed, of course, that is the the
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commandment there that thou shalt not
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commit adultery. But you understand the
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truth did not minim was not minimized,
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but the truth had become watered down.
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Now, we know that that's the way it is
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in our day and time. And we've you've
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heard it said by from this pullpit, and
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you're hearing it said from anybody that
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desires to preach the word of God and do
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it properly, that the people who are
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defining the terms in this day and time
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are winning the battle. And what's
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happened in this text is is that there
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has been a redefinition of terms. And
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Jesus is going to deal with that in the
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text. And so he takes this truth here
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directly from the law of God, the book
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of Leviticus chap of Exodus chapter
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number 20. And he deals with this truth
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here in verse number 27. And uh I'll say
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this, he's already dealt with the
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subject of murder, but now he's going to
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deal with a subject of adultery, wanting
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to preserve purity. So note number one
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tonight with me, the quotation from
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verse number 27. He says, "Ye have heard
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that it was said by them of old time,
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thou shalt not commit adultery." So you
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notice first of all there the last
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phrase of the verse. We're going to
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start there and work backwards. You know
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the precept that's mentioned. Exodus 20
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and verse number 14 literally declares
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the same fate there or the same law that
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Moses recorded that God inspired given
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give to him that was wrote down on those
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tablets of stone that thou shalt not
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commit adultery. And so that is found
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there in Exodus 20 and verse14. But then
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there's not only the precept in verse
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27, but there is the patriarchs. And
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notice that he have heard that it was
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said, notice that phrase, by them of old
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time. Who's he referring to? Well, he's
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referring to the fathers. He's referring
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to Moses. He's referring to the Old
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Testament patriarchs. Amen. And this was
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the law that had been passed down. And
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really, it comes even to their own
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fathers, those that were older than
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them. It had been passed down. He said,
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"You've heard by them that were of old
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time." But here's what I want to deal
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with for just a minute of time in this
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quotation. You note the precept, the end
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of the verse, the patriarchs that he
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mentions in the middle of the verse. But
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notice the problem. You say, "What is
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the problem that you see in this verse?"
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Well, notice verse 27. What's that first
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phrase? Ye have heard.
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Now, you may not see the problem on the
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face of the text, but when you study
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history, Jewish history, what you're
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going to discover is, and really, if you
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study your Bible, and you look at the
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Pharisees from a biblical standpoint,
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you're going to see a people who had
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engrossed themselves in this sin. Say,
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"What do you mean by that?" Well, what
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they had done is is they had redefined
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adultery. for it to own the sin of
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adultery was only the action of uh
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sexual relations outside of marriage.
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That's all adultery was to the Pharisee.
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And you can look at Roman uh culture
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during this time and Greek culture.
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Greek culture was especially bad in this
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culture. Women were pretty much just
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thrown to the dogs in Greek culture. Um
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I read a little bit on that today just
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to give you a little illustration. Um,
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we're kind of seeing some of that crowd
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over there in the Middle East right now
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getting their uh their socks bombed off.
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Amen. But Greek culture, this is the way
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that they treated women. Men would marry
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wives and their wives were expected
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never to leave home to stay there. And
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if they were if they were just any bit
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out of the way toward their husband at
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home, their husband could divorce them
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for any reason at all. But what you know
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about the Greek culture is is that those
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men would go to that temple of that
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goddess and they would commit lwdness
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there in the temple with those go with
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those women those prostitutes that would
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work in the temple. They wouldn't think
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nothing about that. But the women were
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treated like dogs in the Greek culture.
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And so this is all around Roman culture,
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Greek culture. It's all around the
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Pharisees. And because of the
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degradation I remember I said the
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generational decay sin has crept in. And
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so the Pharisees have defined they
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really believe that they can put away
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their wife for any reason.
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But Jesus says in this text he reminds
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them. He says thou shalt not commit
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adultery. Now here's the truth about it.
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They all would have said amen to that.
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We would say amen to that, wouldn't we?
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But the truth is Jesus knew that what he
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says in the next verse applies to the
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verse before it
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>> without even having to say it. You say,
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"What do you mean?" Well, I'm going
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somewhere. Stay with me. You see the
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quotation of the verse. And that's
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that's quickly the first point. But
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notice second of all this seed and
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notice the quickening in verse number
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28. What do I mean by that? Well, it
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means to that word quicken means to
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bring to light. Well, look what Jesus
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said. Verse 28. He says, "Ye have heard
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in verse 27, verse 28, look what he
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says." But I say unto you that whosoever
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lookth on a woman to lust after her,
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hath committed adultery with her already
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in his heart. So obviously here we need
12:25
to know first of all that in the context
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Jesus is speaking to a group of men.
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From what I've studied, there's not
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women present at this time. Jesus is
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speaking to his disciples, to the
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Pharisees, and to the men that were
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congregated around him. And this is what
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he says. He says, "Whosoever lookth on a
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woman to lust after her hath committed
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adultery." So what he has done is is he
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has taken the Old Testament commandment,
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"Thou shalt not commit adultery." And
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what he has done is is he's not added to
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it. All right? He's not adding to the
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commandment. You know what he's done?
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He's he's shined the light on it.
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>> Right?
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>> You see what the Pharisees had been
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doing so long as they'd muddied the
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waters of this thing. They would say,
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"Well, just just adultery is just the
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act outside of marriage and nothing
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else." But the truth is on the pages of
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scripture, Jesus is shining light on
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their sin. What is the problem? The
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problem is is that the Pharisees always
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only looked on the external. And you
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know what? If we're not careful, we'll
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do the same thing.
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>> You're right.
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>> We'll always just look on the external.
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But the truth is, the greatest sins are
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the sins of the heart. And I notice in
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this text, Jesus here is reigniting the
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inner workings of this command. You see,
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this principle was in the mind of God
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when he pinned the commandment. Jesus is
13:45
not revealing new truth to them.
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You know what he's doing? He's bringing
13:50
back to light what they had put swept
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under the rug.
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>> Right?
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>> And you know what preachers are dealing
13:56
with in this day and time?
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>> Generational decay
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>> where truth has been watered down.
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right?
14:03
>> And muddied up
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>> and said, "Well, it just means this and
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nothing else,
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>> right?
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>> But it's so much more than that."
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>> And so Jesus here begins concerning this
14:14
quickening. Notice what he says. We
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we've seen the the precept in the
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quotation in verse number 27, but notice
14:20
the look that's mentioned in verse 28.
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Very simple stuff tonight. And look what
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he says. But I say unto you that
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whosoever lookth lookketh. Now that word
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lookketh in in this text, this context
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here, there's several different words in
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the New Testament for this word look.
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But this word look here in verse number
14:38
28, it means to look as a voluntary
14:42
observation.
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It's an act of the will. It's a willful.
14:48
It is a decision to behold. Fyer's
14:51
dictionary says this to turn the eyes to
14:54
anything to look at, to look upon or to
14:58
gaze at. So this is not a glance. This
15:02
is not just a something that runs into
15:04
the line of the sight but then
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disappears never to see it again or
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never to give it another glance. But
15:10
this is a willful gaze. This is a
15:13
desirefilled look. It's not just a
15:16
moment, but it is a period. It's a it's
15:18
extended. It's not just a short glance.
15:22
And you say, "Well, what's the truth of
15:23
that?" Well, remember the Pharisees when
15:25
they would look at this commandment,
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they would say only the action was a
15:29
sin.
15:30
>> Right?
15:31
>> But you said Jesus says the look,
15:36
write this in the margin of your Bible
15:38
if you like to do that. I wrote this
15:40
down this afternoon. The act is is never
15:43
committed before the acquisition.
15:46
>> Right?
15:47
>> I'll say it again. The act is never
15:50
committed
15:52
before the acquisition. What do you mean
15:54
by that? Well, acquisition is that
15:56
zeroing in.
15:59
Only then and only then. You can't
16:01
commit something that you've not first
16:03
latched on to.
16:04
>> You're right.
16:04
>> Amen. You can't commit a sin that you've
16:07
not first already decided in your mind
16:09
that you're going to do that. Jesus is
16:12
bringing to light the will problem. Now,
16:14
what is this? Well, I I think about this
16:16
sin. And you think about this look is
16:18
illustrated all throughout the word of
16:20
God. When David, the Bible says 2 Samuel
16:22
chap 11 and verse number two, he went
16:24
out upon his housetop. Now there's a
16:26
host of other sins that surround what
16:28
David did. But what happened was the
16:30
Bible says when David saw,
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>> right?
16:33
>> What did he see? He saw Ba Sheeba.
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He saw her. And because he saw her, he
16:40
then sent for her. HIS HIS SEEING her
16:42
was not momentary, but it was
16:44
lengthened.
16:46
I thought about this. Not only David
16:48
seeing Bath Sheba, but Achen seeing that
16:51
garment in the book of Joshua chapter 7
16:53
and verse number 21.
16:55
Achen, the text literally says, "When I
16:57
saw," you can look at the verse, first
16:59
three words of verse, "when I saw," he
17:02
laid be laid eyes on that Babylonian
17:04
garment and that wedge of gold and all
17:07
of that other stuff. And what it did is
17:08
it caused Israel to be defiled. And
17:11
Israel lost the battle and men died
17:13
because of his sin,
17:14
>> because of what he saw. When Piper's
17:18
wife, the Bible says, Genesis chapter 39
17:21
and verse number 7, she laid her eyes
17:24
upon Joseph. She cast her eyes upon
17:27
Joseph. It was a look.
17:31
Let me say this. If you got problem with
17:33
wondering eyes, I got more to say to you
17:36
in just a minute. You need to deal with
17:38
that.
17:39
>> You're right. You see these looks here
17:42
is mentioned. He says in verse number
17:44
28, "Whosoever look," let me let me just
17:46
say this. Back up and just say what the
17:48
text says. Ver notice in verse 28,
17:50
what's that word right before lookth?
17:53
Whosoever. Let me say this context is to
17:56
men, but the the same truth applies to
17:58
women. You're
17:58
>> right.
18:01
>> Because this matter of adultery, it is
18:04
physical between a man and a woman, but
18:06
it is psychological as well.
18:08
>> You're right. Adultery before it's ever
18:10
a physical act. It's a psychological
18:13
acquisition. It's a holding on to the
18:16
mind.
18:17
You create a fantasy in your mind with
18:19
somebody that you've never even met
18:21
before. It happens all the time in this
18:23
day and time.
18:24
>> Right?
18:24
>> I heard a story about a man, his wife.
18:27
She got hooked up with a man online.
18:29
Never saw him before in her life. And
18:31
and this man and wife, they had a
18:33
ministry in a marriage. and and she
18:35
journeyed out of town one weekend, made
18:37
up some kind of lie, journeyed out of
18:39
town, and when she went out of town, she
18:41
met up with this man that she'd never
18:42
met before, and they had an affair
18:45
because she had generated an image in
18:47
her mind, somebody that she'd never even
18:49
seen before.
18:50
>> Right?
18:54
>> You say, "What is that?" Well, it was a
18:56
look of the heart along before it was a
18:57
look with the eyes.
18:58
>> Right?
18:59
>> Oh, friend, that's good preaching
19:01
tonight.
19:02
The look is what is the con is where it
19:04
begins. And you notice what he says here
19:07
in the text. He says, "Whosoever lookth
19:09
on a woman." Now, I remind you, he's
19:12
talking to men here in the text. But the
19:14
truth applies the same way. It is the it
19:16
is that look, it's the lust. It's a gaze
19:19
filled with desire for that which is
19:22
forbidden. Now, the Jews would say this
19:24
that it was only a adultery was only sin
19:28
when it was committed with somebody who
19:30
was who was already married.
19:32
But we know that's not true.
19:34
>> Right?
19:35
>> Adultery is if you're married, it has to
19:37
do with any
19:39
other person.
19:40
>> Right?
19:42
>> I'll say this. It goes beyond that. It
19:44
goes beyond all the way to those who are
19:46
not married.
19:47
>> You say, "How can it be adultery and
19:49
somebody not be married?" The truth is
19:51
before you get married, you already
19:53
belong to somebody else. You're
19:54
>> right.
19:56
>> Oh, you don't hear that much preached in
19:57
this day and time.
19:59
>> You belong to somebody else. You say,
20:01
"Preacher, well, I've not committed
20:02
those vows." But you ought to be
20:04
preserving yourself,
20:05
>> right?
20:06
>> For that person. When you when you go
20:08
out and and I've heard stories like
20:10
this, men and and girls alike, they'll
20:12
go out on the night before their wedding
20:13
and they'll live it up and do all kinds
20:15
of unspeakable things.
20:18
You know what they've done? They've
20:19
committed adultery. You say, "Preacher,
20:20
well, they weren't married." Well, they
20:23
just sinned against the spouse. They
20:24
were just fixing to marry.
20:25
>> Right?
20:26
>> Adultery is any sexual sin outside of
20:28
marriage. You say, "Preacher, that's
20:30
fornication." Same definition.
20:32
>> Right?
20:33
>> You say, "Where does it start?" It
20:35
starts in the mind.
20:37
>> Notice this. There's the look, there's
20:39
the lust that's mentioned. Verse number
20:41
28. Whosoever lookth on a woman to lust
20:44
after her. Now this defines here the
20:48
will in the text. This lust it means
20:51
there he's determined or he's made a
20:53
decision in his heart. That lust means
20:55
to set the heart upon that is to long
20:58
for. James said this James chapter
21:01
number one concerning the matter of
21:02
lust. The Bible definition of the word
21:06
lust. If you don't have it in your
21:08
margin I encourage you to put it there.
21:09
Listen to what he says. James chapter 1
21:11
verse number 14. But every man is
21:13
tempted when he has drawn away of his
21:14
own lust and enticed. Verse 15. Then
21:17
when lust hath conceived, it bringeth
21:19
forth sin. And sin when it is finished
21:22
bringeth forth death.
21:24
>> So lust is the entrance. You've heard
21:26
people talk about a gateway drug. Lust
21:28
is where it starts.
21:29
>> Right?
21:30
>> It's what enters it's it's the entrance
21:32
of your heart into that decision for
21:35
sinfulness. Now see these Pharisees,
21:38
they they they think sin's external.
21:40
Well, let me remind you this. This is
21:42
not a New Testament thought that sin is
21:44
first internal. You say, "What do you
21:47
mean by that?" Well, David knew that sin
21:49
was internal.
21:50
>> Turn with me to Psalm 19.
21:53
Psalm 19. You say, "Preacher, I I don't
21:55
believe that sin is an external. It's
21:57
what I commit." Well, let me tell you
21:58
this. Bible definition of sin is
22:00
anything I think, say, or do that
22:02
displeases God.
22:03
>> Amen.
22:04
>> Listen to what David says in Psalms 19
22:06
verse number 12.
22:10
Psalms 19:12. Who can understand his
22:13
errors? Cleanse thou me from what?
22:17
Secret faults. Verse 13. Keep back thy
22:21
servant also from what?
22:24
Presumptuous sins. Let them not have
22:27
dominion over me. Then shall I be
22:29
upright, and thou shalt be innocent from
22:31
the great transgression. What that
22:33
describes is is sin on the inside before
22:36
it becomes on the outside. Let me say
22:40
this. The truth is is that our our sin
22:42
our sin the truth about our sin is that
22:45
before the conclusion ever comes the
22:47
consideration is exceeding sinful.
22:49
You're
22:49
>> right.
22:50
>> Before you commit the sin, the
22:53
consideration of committing the act is
22:55
sinful. You're
22:56
>> right.
22:58
>> That's what Jesus is saying.
23:02
Look what he says again. Whosoever
23:04
lookth on a woman to lust after her.
23:07
What's he saying? That set the heart
23:09
upon
23:10
means the innermost being of man has
23:13
decided this is what I want.
23:16
>> Right?
23:16
>> You know what? You may not get that
23:17
thing, but you know what? The decision
23:19
that you made in your heart is sinful.
23:22
>> Right?
23:22
>> You say, "Preacher, what does that
23:24
illustrate? I've never done anything
23:25
like that. I I've never committed
23:28
adultery, anything like that." But
23:29
here's here's what he's illustrating.
23:31
He's illustrating how sinful your flesh
23:33
is,
23:33
>> right?
23:35
>> That by look, you're condemned not by
23:38
the action, but by the acquisition. I
23:41
can't I feel like I can't say that
23:42
enough. Even before it ever happens.
23:48
Notice what he says here in the verse.
23:50
Whosoever lookth on woman to lust of her
23:52
committh adultery with her already,
23:54
notice this, in his heart. Now, I'm
23:58
butchering this outline tonight. I got
23:59
so much I want to tell you, but I'm just
24:01
I'm just rolling through here. Okay? You
24:04
see the look in this this thought, the
24:06
quickening I'm talking about. He's
24:07
bringing this commandment to light. All
24:09
of this was already there. Okay? All of
24:11
this was already there. Jesus is not
24:14
telling them something that they should
24:16
not have known.
24:17
>> You're right.
24:19
>> The truth is, if it's wrong to commit
24:21
the action with somebody, wouldn't we
24:23
know that it's wrong to think about it?
24:25
>> You're right.
24:26
That's our own nature. We We know that
24:28
by salvation. The Holy Ghost when you
24:30
when you start to think of a a cuss word
24:33
or something like that, the Holy Ghost
24:34
said,
24:38
>> "What is that?" That's new life on the
24:40
inside telling you, "HEY, THAT AIN'T
24:42
RIGHT NO MORE."
24:43
>> RIGHT?
24:43
>> Never was right. But you know what I'm
24:45
saying.
24:47
The verse you see, you see the look, the
24:49
lust, but now notice the location. What
24:51
What is the location? Verse 28. He's
24:53
committed adultery with her already in
24:56
his heart. His heart. And I said this
25:00
already, but this this word here has to
25:02
do with the innermost being a man. It's
25:04
the center and seat of spiritual life
25:06
there, sis. And I thought about this.
25:08
You study the word heart in the New
25:10
Testament. It literally is the same
25:12
across the board. Romans chapter 10
25:14
verse number 10. The Bible says, "With
25:16
the heart man believeth under
25:17
righteousness. With a mouth confession
25:20
is made under salvation." You know that
25:22
same word translated is the same word
25:24
heart that's in this verse.
25:25
>> You're right.
25:27
>> It's the same word for heart that's used
25:30
just over a few chapters here. Let me
25:32
find it in my notes here. It's in the
25:34
book of Matthew, chapter number 15.
25:42
Matthew chapter 15 verse number 19.
25:47
Listen to what Jesus says about the
25:48
heart.
25:51
Same word. Same word used for salvation.
25:53
Romans 10:10 19. For out of the heart
25:57
proceed evil thoughts, murders,
26:00
adulteries, fornications, thefts, false
26:03
witness, blasphemies. These are the
26:06
things which defile a man. That heart,
26:09
it is the innermost part. And this is
26:12
where that originates. You say,
26:13
"Preacher, well, what does it have to do
26:15
with the look?" Well, you see, it was
26:16
the look that that started the heart
26:19
wheels turning. You ever seen the image,
26:21
you know, you heard people talk about,
26:22
you know, the little squirrel in their
26:24
brain on the hamster wheel, you know,
26:25
the little squirrel on the wheel.
26:27
The imagery here is this is that the
26:29
eyes, just like you would put a nut in
26:32
front of that squirrel and it would
26:33
start running or you know, you get the
26:36
imagery.
26:37
The look is what starts the work
26:40
turning.
26:41
>> Right
26:42
>> now, stay with that. Don't lose that
26:44
thought. Okay, this this location
26:46
reveals in the centermost being a part
26:49
of the heart. Number one, man's heart is
26:51
deceitful. We know the text. The Bible
26:53
says that uh that the heart's deceitful
26:55
above all things and desperately wicked.
26:57
Who can know it? But I want to remind
26:58
you again, the desire is just as sinful
27:01
as the deed.
27:02
>> You're right.
27:04
>> The desire to commit sin is just as
27:07
sinful in the eyes of God. You say,
27:09
"Preacher, well, God wouldn't look upon
27:11
a man who wants to kill his brother and
27:12
a man that did kill his brother the same
27:14
way." No, you're wrong about that.
27:17
Because what did he say in the chapter
27:18
just before or the text just before?
27:20
Look what he says. Verse number 21, he
27:24
said, "Ye have heard that it was said by
27:25
them of old time, thou shalt not kill,
27:27
and whosoever shall kill shall be in
27:29
danger danger of the judgment." Verse
27:30
22, "But I say unto you that whosoever
27:32
is angry with his brother without a
27:34
cause shall be in danger of the
27:37
judgment. You say, "Preacher, how is
27:39
that?" Well, you see, God's judicial
27:42
standpoint for sin ain't the same as
27:44
ours.
27:44
>> You're right.
27:46
>> We measure sin a lot differently than
27:47
God does. You just say, "How is that,
27:50
preacher?" Well, the truth is tonight,
27:51
if go if we were measured up by God's
27:54
standards, you know what? We would all
27:55
be guilty of the same sins that the
27:57
people on death row were guilty of.
27:59
>> You're right.
28:00
>> Think about that for a minute.
28:03
the murderer that's on death row,
28:07
the adulterer, the fornicator, the
28:10
idoltor. You know what Jesus is telling
28:12
us? By our thoughts, we're just as
28:15
guilty.
28:16
>> Right?
28:17
>> So the next time you judge somebody,
28:19
>> come on.
28:20
>> Because of how they look or what they
28:21
did, you just remember you're guilty of
28:23
the same things.
28:24
>> Right?
28:25
>> You say, "Preacher, but I'm not."
28:26
Listen, listen to me. You got to
28:28
understand what I'm saying. In the eyes
28:30
of God, this is how sinful your sin is.
28:33
That's
28:33
>> right.
28:33
>> This is how much it stinks in his
28:35
nostrils.
28:37
This is why Jesus had to die.
28:40
Because the the preacher's kid on on the
28:43
church row is just as bad off as the man
28:47
on death row
28:49
because of his sin. See, this the
28:51
thought the sins of the mind. We think
28:53
so much. We think so many times that
28:56
that it's, you know, we're we're here
28:57
and that you or we're here and they're
28:59
over here. You know, that's the way. But
29:01
it's not the case.
29:04
God looks at our sin and he sees the
29:06
desire, not only the deed.
29:08
>> You know, we we look on the outward
29:09
appearance. What What does the Bible
29:11
say? God lookth on the heart.
29:13
>> Right?
29:14
>> I got somewhere something I want to give
29:16
you tonight. Okay? And I want you to
29:17
remember what I'm going to tell you. All
29:18
right? We we got the quotation. We see
29:20
the quickening. the quotation of the
29:22
commandment, the quickening of this
29:25
commandment. Jesus has brought it to
29:26
light. He's he's he's he's shined the
29:28
light on this commandment. Said, "Look,
29:31
boys, it ain't just the action, but it's
29:34
it's down to your thinking,
29:35
>> right?"
29:36
>> And the truth is, if we'd be honest,
29:39
look, you say, "Preacher, you can't say
29:41
everybody in here has done this." Pretty
29:43
much yes.
29:46
>> Actually, I can say yes. You say, "How
29:48
is that?" that. Well, the Bible says if
29:49
you offend in one point, you're guilty
29:51
of all.
29:53
>> So, I can say yes. We're all guilty.
29:57
>> Well, that'll change your perspective,
29:59
won't it? Notice this third one. I'm
30:02
done. We see the quotation of the
30:03
commandment, the quickening of the
30:04
commandment. Notice the query in the
30:07
commandment. You say, "What do you
30:09
mean?" Well, notice what Jesus says in
30:11
verse 29.
30:13
He puts that word and in there,
30:15
continued statement. Look what he says.
30:17
And if, notice that next word, if.
30:20
What does if always imply? There's a
30:22
question. Look what he says. And if thy
30:25
right hand, right eye offend thee, pluck
30:27
it out. Now, we we stumble over this
30:30
verse. I'm telling you, I've listened to
30:32
people fall over this. I fell over this
30:35
verse. The truth is, it's not that hard
30:37
to understand. Listen to what he says.
30:40
And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck
30:42
it out, cast it from thee. For it is
30:44
profitable for thee that one of thy
30:46
members should perish, and not that the
30:48
whole body should be cast into hell. And
30:50
if thy right hand offend thee, cut it
30:52
off, and cast it from thee. For it is
30:54
profitable for thee that one of thy
30:56
members should perish, and not that thy
30:57
whole body should be cast into hell.
30:59
Now, remember, we're talking about
31:00
preserving purity here. This is number
31:03
one. I want you to understand this is
31:05
how serious God looks at this matter of
31:08
purity.
31:10
If it's going to cause you to sin, what
31:12
God created you with, he would rather
31:13
you not have it.
31:15
>> Right?
31:17
>> Now, what's the truth in this? You
31:19
notice two things. And I've already used
31:21
the word a bunch through this message,
31:22
but you notice first of all, verse 29,
31:24
the query, there's the acquisition that
31:26
has to do with the sight. Is that zoning
31:29
in on? You need to be careful what
31:31
you're zeroing in on.
31:34
Amen.
31:35
>> Be careful what you zoning your sight in
31:37
on. Now, now notice what he says about
31:39
this. If thy right eye offend thee. Now,
31:41
what does that mean? That that means
31:43
simply means he's saying if your right
31:44
eye causes you to sin,
31:48
if it causes you to stumble, if it is a
31:51
stumbling block to you, if it if your
31:53
right eye is scandalous, that's the
31:54
literal word that's used. If it's
31:56
scandalous to your body, notice what he
31:59
says. Pluck it out
32:02
and cast it from thee. Now, I want you
32:05
to think about this with me. He mentions
32:08
what he notice what he says verse 29
32:10
just to make it make it even more
32:12
emphasized. If thy right eye
32:16
now for most of us that's the strong eye
32:19
>> right
32:19
>> for most of us that's the dominant eye.
32:23
It's the one if you you're a man you
32:25
shoot a gun you look down a barrel what
32:26
do you look with?
32:30
It's the one you lean on.
32:34
>> But it's not only the strong one. It's
32:36
the sinful one. Look what he says. If it
32:38
offend thee,
32:40
though it be the best, if it is sinful,
32:43
it is still deserving of being removed.
32:48
Doesn't that teach you a truth?
32:51
Just because you're the best, let me
32:53
just put this out there. It's not really
32:55
in the text, but just because you're the
32:57
best in the flesh, if you're sinful,
33:00
all righteousness is as what? Filthy
33:03
rags. If thy right, I offend thee, pluck
33:06
it out. Now you say, preacher, it says
33:09
in the verse, he says, it's better if
33:11
the one of thy members should perish,
33:12
not that thy whole body should be cast
33:13
into hell. You say, preacher, I'm saved.
33:15
I can't go to hell. How does this apply
33:18
to me? Well, I I thought about this.
33:21
Okay, just just because you you may say,
33:24
I'm saved so I don't have to live in
33:26
fear as hell as Jesus says in this text.
33:29
This may be true, but your eyes are
33:31
already supposed to be plugged out.
33:35
You say, "Preacher, I still got both my
33:37
eyes."
33:39
No, matter of fact, your eyes are
33:40
supposed to be plucked out and both your
33:41
arms supposed to be cut off. Matter of
33:43
fact, you're supposed to be dead,
33:46
>> right?
33:47
>> What Romans 6 say?
33:50
>> Shall we continue in sin that grace may
33:52
abound?
33:53
>> God forbid. How shall we that are what?
33:57
Dead to sin live any longer therein. You
34:01
say Jesus is emphasizing a physical
34:04
fact, preacher. Well, he is. This is how
34:06
serious he is about sin. But the truth
34:08
is, just because that he is this serious
34:11
about it, he doesn't want us to go to
34:13
cutting our limbs off and plucking our
34:14
eyes out.
34:15
>> You're right.
34:17
>> The acquisition of the text. There's
34:19
also the apprehension that taking hold
34:22
in verse 30. If thy right hand offend
34:24
thee, the strong hand, the dominant
34:26
hand, but it's still the sinful hand.
34:28
Why? Because it offends. It is it's
34:30
scandalous to you. Cut it off. Matthew
34:34
Henry said this. He said, "If it were
34:36
indeed impossible to govern the eye and
34:39
the hand, as they have been so
34:41
accustomed to wicked practices for so
34:44
long that they will not be restrained
34:46
from them, if there be no other way to
34:48
restrain them." In par parenthesis he
34:51
says which blessed be God through his
34:53
grace there is. It were better for us to
34:55
pluck out the eye and cut off the hand
34:58
than to save them and indulge them in
35:01
sin to the ruin of the soul.
35:06
You say, "What does that mean,
35:07
preacher?" Well, let me illustrate it to
35:08
you this way. There's been many a man
35:11
that's been close to the cross. There's
35:14
been many a woman that's been close to
35:15
the cross. And you know what? standing
35:17
at Calvary where salvation is reaching
35:20
out for them and they're reaching out
35:21
for salvation. You know what many of
35:23
them have left from because they saw
35:25
something. You're right
35:28
>> in their mind they were going to have to
35:30
leave behind.
35:32
And so you know what they did instead of
35:35
reaching out to Jesus and allowing Jesus
35:38
to reach them, you know what they did?
35:39
They decided to let their heart follow
35:41
their eye.
35:42
>> Right?
35:43
>> And you know what they did? They walked
35:44
away from Calvary and walked down the
35:46
road to hell.
35:47
>> Amen.
35:49
>> You say, "How is that, preacher?" Well,
35:51
the truth is that every person that dies
35:54
and goes to hell, regardless of whether
35:55
they strut there or whether they stumble
35:57
off in there, the truth is it's the lust
35:59
of the flesh that sends them there.
36:01
You're
36:02
>> right.
36:05
>> You say, "How does that apply in other
36:06
areas?" Well, just think about this.
36:08
There's been many a man that's an
36:09
alcoholic when they're sober. Man, you I
36:12
mean, we can all think about men like
36:14
this. When they're sober, they're good
36:15
as gold. Man, couldn't meet a nicer
36:17
person.
36:19
But when they get drunk, you know what?
36:21
They're just controlled by it.
36:22
>> You're right.
36:23
>> And those being so close to
36:25
righteousness, allowing their taste buds
36:28
to control them, they just never could
36:29
put it down.
36:31
And so, you know what Jesus is saying?
36:34
It's better you pluck your eye out if
36:35
that sight, what you can see is going to
36:37
take you away.
36:38
>> You're right.
36:39
>> It's better you cut your hand off.
36:41
Because here's the thing about it. More
36:42
important than physical health is
36:44
spiritual health.
36:45
>> Amen.
36:46
>> God is more concerned about you being
36:48
pure than he is about you being
36:50
physically healthy.
36:51
>> You're right.
36:53
>> Fanny Crosby talks about her blindness.
36:56
She said she felt like she never could
36:57
have served the Lord the way that she
36:58
should if she hadn't been blind. You're
37:00
>> right.
37:01
>> I've known ladies and miss Margaret
37:03
Strainer come in here. I was looking at
37:04
her book back there in office my office
37:06
just a little while ago. She was talking
37:08
about how that um I I believe she'd
37:10
never been married. I think I don't
37:12
think she'd ever been married. She when
37:13
she was young, she just said, "I just
37:15
felt like God called me to the mission
37:17
field. Never never thought about being
37:19
married." And you know what she did? She
37:22
left and went and served in Papa U
37:26
Indonesia, I believe it is. Yeah, I
37:28
think it is. For 40 years by herself,
37:32
winning people to God.
37:35
what the world would have looked at her
37:36
and said, "You're a fool."
37:39
What I'm saying is is the truth is when
37:42
something's going to hinder us, God
37:43
says, "I we we need to get it out of the
37:45
way,
37:45
>> right?
37:46
>> Even if it is your best hand or your
37:49
best eye." You say, "Well, how does that
37:52
apply to me?" Well, let me just say
37:54
this. What is it that's effective in
37:56
your life?
37:59
What is it that you're productive with?
38:05
What is it that you use the most? But
38:08
even in that, it's sinful.
38:12
Jesus says it's better
38:15
that you pluck it out and cast it from
38:17
thee. Because notice what he says. It's
38:18
profitable for thee
38:21
that one of thy members should perish.
38:23
It's profitable for thee that you should
38:24
lose your eyesight and go to heaven than
38:26
have your eyesight and go to hell.
38:28
>> Amen. And for those of us who are saved
38:30
tonight, it's more profitable for you
38:32
that you be maimed and enter into heaven
38:35
with rewards than it be that you live
38:37
this life blessed physically but enter
38:40
into heaven with nothing to offer the
38:41
king.
38:42
>> Right?
38:43
>> You know Paul said this, remember he had
38:45
that thorn. You remember him talking
38:46
about that? He said, "I besought the
38:48
Lord thrice." You remember him saying
38:50
that? He said, "I besought the Lord
38:51
thrice. He'd remove this thorn from me."
38:54
Said, "But God God told him, no, not
38:56
going to remove that, Paul." He said,
38:58
"My grace is sufficient for thee."
39:01
That's right.
39:01
>> What did he say? My strength is made
39:04
perfect in what? In weakness.
39:08
What did Paul say after that? He said,
39:10
"Therefore, will I must glory in my
39:12
infirmities that the power of Christ may
39:15
rest upon me."
39:18
>> The truth in our life is is God wants to
39:20
take our handicap.
39:22
>> You're right.
39:23
>> And use it for his glory. Now, some of
39:26
you, the truth of this text reveals
39:28
right here that some people's going to
39:31
have to make themselves handicapped.
39:36
Well, you say, "Preacher, that's that
39:38
doesn't sound too good." Well, let me
39:39
illustrate it this way.
39:42
If you got a problem looking at stuff,
39:43
you ought not to on the phone.
39:46
>> Maybe you ought to throw the phone out
39:48
the window.
39:48
>> That's right.
39:51
>> You say, "Preacher, but I can't live
39:52
without it." Well, you just might have
39:53
to.
39:54
>> That's right. You can't live it. Live
39:55
with it. You probably live better
39:57
without it than you could with it.
39:58
>> You're right.
39:59
>> Wouldn't you rather have your marriage?
40:04
>> Wouldn't you rather have your family?
40:08
>> You say, "Well, I can't communicate with
40:09
them." Oh, you Lord will work all that
40:11
out.
40:12
>> Right.
40:12
>> If you can't handle it, you don't need
40:14
it.
40:14
>> You're right.
40:15
>> Amen.
40:17
>> Say, "But everybody else has got one."
40:19
If you care enough about your your
40:22
salvation and your savior, you know
40:24
what? It won't matter to you what it
40:25
cost.
40:26
>> You're right.
40:27
>> Jesus said, "If it's a hand,
40:30
I don't know about you, that'd be
40:31
painful."
40:33
>> But he was serious.
40:36
He said, "Preacher, you're not asking me
40:37
to cut off my hand. No, I'm asking you
40:39
to do whatever it takes."
40:42
>> That's the only way we'll have revival.
40:45
When people get decided that I will do
40:47
whatever it takes, Jesus, whatever you
40:50
need out of me is what I will give.
40:54
How muchever it hurts. People talk about
40:56
this and I and I'm going to get off on
40:58
this tonight, but people talk about
40:59
tithe and preach, I just don't I don't
41:01
know that I can give 10%. That's that's
41:04
preach that's Old Testament. That tithe
41:06
is Old Testament. Well, I'll say this.
41:09
The tithe carries over in the New
41:10
Testament very very clearly. But I'll
41:13
say this. There's a principle in the New
41:14
Testament where one of them said, "Give
41:16
till it hurts.
41:22
>> Give until you've given until you can
41:24
give no more.
41:27
>> I'll take the tithe, won't you?"
41:29
>> Amen.
41:30
>> You say, "Does that mean Does that mean
41:32
I'm gonna have to give everything?"
41:33
Well, I'll tell you this. There's a man
41:34
in history named RG Lerno.
41:38
He operated off the reverse tithe
41:40
principle. You can read his book mover I
41:42
believe is the mover of man and
41:44
mountains I think is the name of his
41:45
book but he operated off of verse
41:48
reverse tithe principle and Lernno's
41:49
built some of the biggest equipment in
41:52
history hu I mean huge mining machinery
41:56
I mean was pioneer in all type of dirt
41:58
work and all of that and he operated off
42:01
of 90% he operated off 10% and tithe 90%
42:06
built his business
42:08
operating that
42:11
You say, "Preacher, it ain't possible."
42:12
Well, you can talk to him. You get to
42:13
heaven, he'll tell you.
42:17
I'm saying God, whatever he tells you to
42:18
do, what what's the old say? How's the
42:20
old saying go? Where God guides, he
42:21
what? Provides.
42:24
He provides. And uh I'll say this, if
42:26
they sin in your life, whatever you have
42:28
to do, get rid of it.
42:30
>> Amen.
42:30
>> Amen. That's for myself. That's for all
42:33
of us. I want revival.
42:36
>> I want it bad. And uh this what I've
42:39
come to decide if I'm going to have it,
42:41
I'm going to have to have it myself,
42:43
>> right?
42:44
>> Have to get it myself. But I'll tell you
42:46
this, as your pastor, I want you to have
42:47
it.
42:48
>> Amen.
42:48
>> I want all of us to have it.
42:50
>> It's going to cost us. Amen. Father,
42:52
thank you for this day. Thank you for
42:54
this time. And uh Lord, I pray you would
42:56
give us boldness and wisdom,
42:59
Lord, to uh complete the will of God.
43:02
Lord, I know that it's not always
43:04
pleasant. Lord, I know that much much of
43:07
the maintenance of the Christian life is
43:09
burdensome, Lord, and it's painful. But
43:11
God, I know, Lord, that it afterwards,
43:13
you told us in your word, it yields the
43:14
peaceable fruit of righteousness. And
43:16
Lord, I I thank you for that. God, I
43:18
pray you'd help us to bear that. And
43:20
Lord, for this fasting commitment, Lord,
43:22
that uh we've made to you here, Lord,
43:24
and some of this church has made. I pray
43:26
that they would keep up with that, Lord,
43:28
to fast today, Lord, before this
43:30
meeting. And God, I just pray you'd get
43:32
glory into yourself out of it. And um
43:35
Lord, I know you can do it. God, I know
43:37
you have your way in it. Lord, we should
43:39
be sure to give you thanks for it
43:40
because we ask it in Jesus name. Amen.
43:44
>> Thank you for joining our service today.
43:46
We'd love it if you'd join us in person
43:48
the next time you are able at Meadows
43:50
Baptist Church. Our physical address is
43:53
2988 Stewart Road in Walnut Cove, North
43:57
Carolina. Our service times are Sunday
44:00
school at 10:00 a.m., Sunday morning
44:02
worship at 11:00 a.m., Sunday evening
44:05
worship at 6:00 p.m., and Wednesday
44:07
evening Bible study at 700 p.m. For more
44:10
information, visit us at
44:12
meadowsbaptisturch.com.
44:14
Thanks again for tuning in.