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James 5:19-20 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Take your copy of God's Word and join me in James chapter 5.
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Our text for today is James chapter 5, verse 19 and 20, which you'll note are the last two verses of the book.
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So we are concluding our verse-by-verse study of the book of James, which is always a little bittersweet.
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We have enjoyed our time together. I hope that's been true for you. I've enjoyed our time in James.
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It's also a little exciting to look toward what is next.
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So as you're getting there, I want to tell you what's next in our plan for preaching, which is always, to be sure, a little tentative.
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But as it stands right now, what we're planning on doing across this summer is doing some selected psalms.
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We're going to preach through some psalms.
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And right in the middle, I think it's the second Sunday of July, some months ago I preached a sermon on building a resilient church culture,
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what it was going to take for the church to stand in the face of soft totalitarianism and kind of the rising swell of push against the church.
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I'm going to re-preach that sermon and then talk across the following weeks about the specific things that we believe we need to be doing together as a church
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to build a resilient church culture that will weather the coming storm.
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And then we'll do a couple more psalms.
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And then in the fall, we're going to begin an exposition of the book of Romans.
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So I'll spare you all the details of what that will look like, but be praying for us as we're preparing both this summer, preaching psalms,
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preparing that study about resilient church culture, and then on into the fall, our future plans.
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So today, though, today before us is James chapter 5, verse 19 and 20.
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The conclusion of James' letter to Jews, specifically his original audience who had professed faith in Jesus Christ and had been dispersed across the Roman world.
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You can see chapter 1 and verse 1.
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James has developed across this letter the argument that if one has placed saving faith in Jesus Christ,
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then that faith will be evidenced in the way that person lives.
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So not works that save, but works that give evidence of that salvation.
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You see, he recognizes that it is altogether possible to say that you have Jesus as your Savior,
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and yet to functionally deny him as your Lord.
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And these two things are mutually inclusive.
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They must go together.
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That's a very good word for the Southeast, right?
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People who may call themselves Christian because they were born into a Christian household
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or because they may have been baptized in a church,
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and yet their life gives no evidence to God changing their hearts.
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These two things go together.
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Jesus as Savior and as Lord.
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You can only have Jesus on his terms.
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We have recorded for us in John chapter 14 and verse 15,
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Jesus saying,
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If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
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And James says it this way in James chapter 2 and verse 26.
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Faith apart from works is dead.
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It is no faith at all.
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And he has been concerned all throughout his writing that someone might think they are a Christian
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and turn out not to be.
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He states in chapter 1 and verse 22,
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Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
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He spends much of this letter then telling his readers how their lives ought to look.
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There are some 60 commands in the book of James.
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If, in fact, they have been saved.
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Not because he intends to stand over them as a judge.
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This is not the point.
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It's not what James is trying to accomplish.
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But because he loves them.
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And he wants them to have confidence that they are in Christ.
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With this in mind, I just love the way that this letter concludes.
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It's abrupt.
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We're going to read it in a moment.
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It's abrupt.
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He does not sign off.
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There is no postscript.
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But in the last two verses, he turns his readers' attention away from themselves,
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assessment of how they're living, how they ought to stay in the way of Christ,
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and sets their attention on how they ought to go after the one who has wandered.
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I think this, for us, this morning is a very good word.
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So James chapter 5, verse 19 and 20.
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Before I read it, I remind you, beloved, that this is God's word to us.
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It's for us today, for our benefit.
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It was written for his glory and our good.
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And so we would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and to obey its commands.
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James chapter 5, verse 19 and 20.
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My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back,
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let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death
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and will cover a multitude of sins.
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Now, we're going to consider this text today through three observations and five applications.
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So if you're a note taker, it's where we're headed.
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Three observations first and then five.
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Three observations.
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So first, the observations.
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And the first observation is this.
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It must be noted that James assumes that the wanderer is a Christian.
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And I think this should be of some encouragement to us.
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He says, my brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth.
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He refers to them collectively as brothers.
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And ladies, this does not exclude you.
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All the brother language in the scripture most readily is about inheritance.
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So this includes you too.
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And it points out that the wanderer has wandered from somewhere.
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There's a place that the wanderer has come from.
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And that is specifically from among you.
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So this wanderer is a person who has said to have faith in Jesus Christ and yet is now finding themselves in a way that is not the way of the truth.
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So this text is not particularly about evangelism.
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Although when pursuing a wanderer from the truth, in reminding them of the truth, we may become party to their initial conversion.
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It's altogether possible that somebody would become a Christian having once thought they were a Christian.
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And we'll talk more about that in some coming moments.
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But first observation, it must be noted that James assumes that the wanderer is a Christian.
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They have made a profession of faith in Christ.
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Second observation, regardless of the status of their soul, the person James has in mind has wandered from the truth.
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So the truth was the place that they have wandered away from, from the truth to falsehood.
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James says nothing about the particular circumstances of the wandering.
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Neither does he say anything about the particular methods of bringing the wanderer back.
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And I think that he is particularly ambiguous as there are in many ways that someone can wander from the truth.
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Under the inspiration of the Spirit, James means for us to have a category to think within, but then to understand that there's lots of ways that someone can wander from the truth.
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Perhaps they have erred in doctrine or perhaps in some matter of obedience.
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And it ought to be understood that right doctrine leads to right practice and wrong living will often produce justifying wrong doctrine.
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The two will feed each other in a vicious loop unless that loop is broken and it must be divinely broken.
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This wandering verse 20 tells us is sin.
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You shouldn't mistake it as anything else.
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It is in fact sin because James says whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering.
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So our text has a wanderer, a person who has claimed to be a Christian, but is now living in contradiction to that claim.
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This wandering is not unknown to us.
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We in our own hearts can feel the wandering prone to wander.
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Lord, I feel it prone to leave the God I love.
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None of us are perfect.
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But here James has in mind a person who is visibly wandering, a person who is in great danger.
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And we have all known someone who has professed faith in Jesus Christ and has wandered from that profession of faith.
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Perhaps somebody who even now thinks they're in Christ and yet everything about their life screams that they're not.
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And we can often treat this as confusing or shocking.
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The Bible has a lot to say about the false convert, about the apostate.
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And it's doing so to warn us, to help us to be careful that we remain in the way of the truth.
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Jesus in Mark chapter 4 kind of normalizes this for us, teaches us that we ought to expect it to be the case as we walk in this world.
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So if you would, please join me in Mark chapter 4.
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Keep James on your thumb and go to Mark chapter 4.
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You're likely familiar with this parable.
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I think it'll serve us as we think about this text in James.
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Mark 4 beginning in verse 3 and following.
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Jesus tells a parable.
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He says,
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So we see in this parable, verses 3 through 8, we see four different types of soil.
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And there's a sowing that's going on.
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And we're going to find out what all of these soils mean.
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The sowing is happening in these soils in the hearts of men.
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So the truth being taught and how that truth is received is what's being taught here in this parable.
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This is one of those wonderful, fortunate parables where Jesus goes on to tell us exactly what he means by the parable.
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So we don't have to guess at all.
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If you go on down to verse 14, he explains.
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He explains.
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Verse 14, Mark chapter 4.
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The sower sows the word, the truth, the gospel.
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And these are the ones along the path where the word is sown.
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When they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them.
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It yields nothing.
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Nothing happens at all because it's taken snatched away.
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Verse 16.
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And these are the ones sown on rocky ground.
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The ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy.
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It seems to produce in them an emotional response to this truth of salvation.
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Verse 17.
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And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while.
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Then when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.
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So when their supposed salvation brings trouble to them, walking in the way of truth becomes difficult.
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They no longer weave on the way, they want to get off the way as fast as they can.
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Verse 18.
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And others are ones sown among thorns.
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They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word.
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And it proves unfruitful.
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So they hear the word, they're receptive of the word.
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The parable, which we didn't read, but previously in the chapter said, he who has ears to hear, let him hear.
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So they hear the word, but they love the world far too much.
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And it chokes out fruitfulness in their lives.
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Verse 20.
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But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit.
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Thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.
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So while Jesus here normalizes the wanderer, he does so for the benefit of the faithful.
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That we might understand what is happening to people that we love and why.
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That we might know what is going on in the hearts of these people.
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This text in Mark 4 in no way trivializes the wandering or makes the wandering any less sad.
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Which is why James is exhorting those who are not wandering to go.
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To go to the one who wanders with the intention of bringing them back.
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There are those who are good soil, right?
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Who will begin to wander.
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And we go to them.
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And we say to them the word and they remember, oh yes.
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Oh, the good commands.
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Oh, the gospel.
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And they come back.
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They show themselves to be the good soil.
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This is much of the life of the church.
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Trying to sort out.
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Trying to assess by God's good instruction.
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Sowing the word and figuring out the soils.
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So that's the second observation.
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There is a wanderer.
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Somebody who has wandered from the truth.
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The truth of their salvation.
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Third observation.
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God uses human means to accomplish divine purposes.
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God uses human means to accomplish divine purposes.
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We see the very end of verse 19.
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Go to them.
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And this person brings the wanderer back.
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Right?
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Brings them back.
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Let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death.
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And will cover a multitude of sins.
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Now on the surface, this ought to get the hairs on the back of your neck rising.
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You ought to have a high view of the sovereignty of God.
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His powerful working in the lives of people.
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We ought to know.
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I can't change a person.
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Only God can change hearts.
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Right?
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Only God brings people into conformity with Christ.
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And so there's a lot about this that ought to make you go, wait, what?
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How is it that me as a goer to bring somebody back brings them back?
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Helps them?
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Brings back a sinner from wandering from the truth?
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Saves his soul from death?
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And to be clear here, we are not talking about temporal death.
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We're talking about eternal death.
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Saving of his soul.
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We're saving a person from damnation.
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Can't only God do that?
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Cover a multitude of sins?
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This expression in the Greek does not mean hide away the sins.
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This isn't like if you bring them back, they can avoid the embarrassment of their sins.
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This is a word used to forgive sins.
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Isn't this the saving work of Christ?
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Only by the precious blood of Christ that people's sins are forgiven.
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And the answer to all of that is yes.
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Yes.
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But God uses human means to accomplish divine purposes.
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He uses Christians to help one another walk faithfully.
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So I think some helpful points to get us to think about this.
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Some biblical truths that I'd like to show you to help you understand what it is that James is trying to communicate here.
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God uses human means to accomplish divine purposes.
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Number one, we are justified by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
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We're declared righteous before God, restored to him, justified by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
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There's no way by your works that you can earn your salvation.
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And the scripture is abundantly clear on this.
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I'm going to give you one reference.
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It was part of our text from last week, Ephesians 2, verse 8 and 9.
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Right.
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For by grace, you have been saved through faith.
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And this referring to the faith is not your own doing.
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It is the gift of God, not a result of works so that no one may boast.
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You cannot with your greatest effort, save yourself.
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You cannot by your greatest effort, save anybody else.
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Right.
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If the person is to be saved, they are to be saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
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This is the gospel.
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This is the good news.
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We can't save ourselves, but God graciously saves.
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That's number one.
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Number two, those who are justified, saved, declared righteous in Christ will persevere to be glorified.
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Having been saved by God, they will be kept by God to the end, to be glorified, to put off our flesh and our sin forever.
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Romans chapter 8, verse 30.
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And those whom he predestined, he also called.
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And those whom he called, he also justified.
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And those whom he justified, he also glorified.
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Now, if you're a guest this morning and you are not beating the same drum I'm beating when it comes to doctrines of salvation, that's okay.
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You don't have to be quite on the same page where I am and get all wrapped up into the word predestined in this text.
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But the thing you cannot avoid in this text is to see that the people that God justifies, he glorifies.
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There's no wiggling out of that.
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And I don't know why you'd want to.
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Those who are, in fact, saved cannot lose their salvation.
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It's an impossibility.
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God saved you.
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God will keep you.
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If you show yourself not to be a Christian, right?
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If you apostatize, you walk away from the faith, all that is is evidence that you were never saved to begin with.
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If you are truly saved, it's a work of God and it will remain a reality.
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Okay.
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So number one, we're justified by graceful and faithful and Christ alone.
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Number two, those who are justified will persevere to be glorified.
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Number three, no one will be glorified if they do not persevere in faith.
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Evidence the fact that they are saved.
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Colossians chapter one, verse 21 and following.
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And you who once were alienated and hostile in mind doing evil deeds.
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So this is status who you once were.
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Verse 22.
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He has now reconciled, right?
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Made right with God in his body of flesh by his death in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him.
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So there's two statuses here.
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There's a pre alienated, hostile in mind, doing evil deeds.
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Now reconciled, right?
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Made right with God by the death of Christ.
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Then verse 23 says, if.
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If indeed you continue in the faith.
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Stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven and of which I, Paul, became a minister.
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If.
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If.
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If.
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You don't.
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Wander ultimately away from the truth.
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It evidences.
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That we're in Christ.
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So again, you cannot earn your salvation.
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The first thing I said.
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You cannot, if you're saved, lose your salvation.
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The second thing stated.
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But you can prove that you were never saved to begin with.
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You can wander away from the truth.
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Ultimately and finally and never be brought back.
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And I think this should make us all serious about our faith.
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That happens from time to time.
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Vultures on the porch.
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Maybe they'll.
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Between that and the cardinal that smashes into the window.
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We've got.
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Like we're running a bird sanctuary here.
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Okay.
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Point number three.
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Let me get us back on track.
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No one will be glorified if they do not persevere in faith.
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Right.
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This should make our Christianity serious.
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Right.
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We ought to be concerned.
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Work out your salvation.
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Fear and trembling.
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For it's God who works in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
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Fourth point.
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God is the one who sustains those who are saved.
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God is the one who saves those who are saved.
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Very similar to point number two.
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Those who are justified will persevere to be glorified.
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But the point here being that God is working by grace in us to sustain us to the end.
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Paul writes Philippians chapter one and verse six.
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I'm sure of this.
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That he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion.
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Glorification at the day of Christ.
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Right.
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Many of you have young children who are just learning to walk or who have just learned to walk.
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When they're walking seems more treacherous than usual.
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The ground is uneven or they're on the edge of a curb or they've learned that bouncing along a retaining wall is fun.
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We often say hold my hand.
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Hold my hand.
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If our children know what's good for them they'll take our hand at that time.
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But if our children lose their footing and take a tumble.
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It is not because they are holding on to our hands that they don't go down hard.
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Right.
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Their grips are not so strong.
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Right.
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But it is because we are holding on to their hand.
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They put their hand in ours and we hold their hand.
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Don't offer your child your finger and expect them to grip it and not fall off the retaining wall.
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You hold their hand.
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And this is what keeps them safe.
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God is ultimately the one who sustains us to the end.
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Right.
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Our hands are merely resting in his.
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And fifth.
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And this is the main point that I'm making.
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God uses human means to accomplish divine purposes.
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That sustaining work in our lives.
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He uses human means to do it.
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And it's not the only but a primary mean that he uses is the church.
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Christians who are committed to one another to walk out the Christian life together.
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The author of Hebrews writes chapter 3 verse 13 and following.
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But exhort one another every day.
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As long as it is called today.
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That none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness.
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Of sin.
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For we have come to share in Christ.
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If indeed.
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We hold our original confidence firm.
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To the end.
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That there it is.
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Right.
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Encapsulated for us.
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God intends for us.
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To be together with other Christians.
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Who are going to encourage us.
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To warn us.
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Right.
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To persevere.
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To the end.
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And beloved.
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God of this.
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Is the thing we call congregationalism.
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If you're a member of this church.
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This is part of your work.
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To engage one another.
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This is not a consumer event.
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Right.
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Where you just come and get some information.
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Information is being shared.
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But the church.
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Is to be doing this work together.
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Right.
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Not just showing up and voting on a budget.
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That's not what congregationalism is.
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Congregationalism is helping one another.
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To faithfully follow.
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Jesus to the end.
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John Piper.
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If you happen to be unfamiliar with him.
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As a contemporary pastor.
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Once said.
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Eternal security.
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Is a community project.
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It is sure.
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For God's elect.
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But it is not without means.
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Therefore.
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We should take.
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One another.
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With ultimate.
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Seriousness.
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Now.
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When people are wandering.
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In our fellowship.
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This is not.
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A thing that we typically.
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See happen.
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With severity.
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Usually doesn't happen.
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Quickly.
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James uses the term.
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Wandering from here.
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Right.
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It's like a.
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Meandering off.
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The path of the truth.
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Right.
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He doesn't say that they're running.
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They're not bolting.
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Or sprinting away.
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From the truth.
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But they've.
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Wandered.
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It's a.
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It's a drifting away.
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From that profession of faith.
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That they once.
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Made.
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Which means.
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We have to be watchful.
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We have to be paying attention.
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To be careful.
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In our help.
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Of one another.
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Again.
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The author of Hebrews.
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Chapter 2.
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Verse 1.
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Said.
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Therefore.
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We must pay much.
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Closer attention.
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To what we have heard.
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Lest we.
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Drift away.
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From it.
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Altogether possible.
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For ourselves.
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And for others.
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To drift.
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Imperceptively.
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Out of the safety.
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Of the cove.
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And out into the storm.
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Of the sea.
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We want to be.
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Rescuing one another.
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From that.
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Drift.
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We want to be.
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Holding each other.
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In.
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The faith.
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And we've been given.
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A process.
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By which we do this.
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It's outlined.
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In Matthew.
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Chapter.
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18.
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This process.
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That we call.
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Church discipline.
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And most likely.
29:10
When you hear this term.
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You think.
29:11
To the very end.
29:12
Of that process.
29:13
It's where my brain.
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Went.
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For a decade.
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Which is the.
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Excommunicating.
29:17
Of a person.
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Right.
29:18
Declaring them.
29:19
Not in the faith.
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But there's a whole process.
29:20
Outlined.
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Before that.
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Which is also.
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Church discipline.
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Right.
29:25
Discipling.
29:26
Helping each other.
29:27
Remain.
29:29
Faithful.
29:30
But here's what's.
29:31
Phenomenal.
29:32
About Matthew.
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Chapter 18.
29:33
Right.
29:34
If your brain goes there.
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And you know it.
29:35
We're going to read it.
29:35
In just a moment.
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Right.
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But what comes right before that.
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What comes right before.
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What is Jesus saying.
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Right before that.
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In Matthew.
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Chapter 18.
29:43
This is the last half.
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Verse 12.
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And following.
29:46
He says.
29:47
If a man has a hundred sheep.
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And one of them.
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Has gone astray.
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Has wandered.
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Away from the truth.
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Does he not leave the ninety-nine.
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On the mountains.
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And go in search of the one.
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That went astray.
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And if he finds it.
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Truly I say to you.
30:03
He rejoices over it.
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More than over the ninety-nine.
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That never went astray.
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So it is not the will of my father.
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Who is in heaven.
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That one of these little ones.
30:13
Should perish.
30:13
And then.
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Verse 15.
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It is right after that.
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That he says.
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If your brother sins against you.
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Go and tell him his fault.
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Between you and him alone.
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If he listens to you.
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You have gained your brother.
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Right.
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Why?
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Because he is good soil.
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Because maybe he was blind to his sin.
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Or.
30:37
Is becoming self-deceived.
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And was justifying.
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His sin.
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If he is good soil.
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He will come.
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Back.
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Jesus says in John 10.
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27.
30:48
My sheep hear my voice.
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And I know them.
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And they follow me.
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And verse 16 says.
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But if he does not listen.
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Maybe he is particularly stubborn.
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Or particularly blind.
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Take one or two others along with you.
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That every charge may be established.
31:04
By the evidence.
31:05
Of two or three.
31:06
Witnesses.
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So.
31:10
Gang up a little.
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In love.
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For this wandering.
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Brother.
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Verse 17 says.
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If he refuses to listen to them.
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So there is assumption here.
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That he may listen to them.
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And come back.
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And be restored.
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And you have gained your brother.
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But if he refuses to listen to them.
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Tell it to the church.
31:30
And if he refuses to listen.
31:31
Even to the church.
31:32
The full witness of the church.
31:34
Let him be to you.
31:35
As a Gentile.
31:36
And a tax collector.
31:37
Let him be cut out.
31:39
Of that fellowship.
31:40
For his good.
31:42
For the witness of the gospel.
31:44
The high hope of his.
31:45
Restoration.
31:47
In Christ.
31:49
So this is the work.
31:50
That we are meant to be doing.
31:52
It is the means.
31:53
That God intends.
31:54
To rescue.
31:55
This wanderer.
31:56
This is divine purpose.
31:57
To rescue.
31:58
All who are in the faith.
32:00
And we are meant to go.
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After them.
32:02
Right.
32:02
As that.
32:03
That.
32:04
Solitary.
32:05
Sheep.
32:07
So here.
32:07
In brief.
32:08
Our applications.
32:10
If you are taking notes.
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You got worried.
32:12
Three observations.
32:13
Five applications.
32:14
You went.
32:15
We are going to be here another hour.
32:16
We are not.
32:17
These will be fast applications.
32:18
Okay.
32:19
So first application.
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Love one another.
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This will be difficult.
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This will be patient.
32:27
Work.
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And church is not meant to be easy.
32:31
And comfortable.
32:32
It will be difficult.
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Patient.
32:35
Work.
32:35
Right.
32:36
To decide.
32:37
To love.
32:38
Somebody.
32:39
Right.
32:39
To seek their highest good.
32:41
To do this.
32:42
We will have to be motivated.
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Right.
32:45
By that highest good of others.
32:47
To go after them.
32:48
Right.
32:49
To be patient.
32:49
To have hard conversations.
32:52
Right.
32:52
This often happens at our expense.
32:57
First Corinthians.
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Thirteen.
32:59
And verse six.
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Not just a text for weddings.
33:03
Love.
33:04
Does not rejoice.
33:05
At wrongdoing.
33:07
But rejoices with.
33:09
The truth.
33:11
Desires for people to walk in.
33:13
The truth.
33:14
Because it's for their good.
33:15
And it's for the worship.
33:16
Of our God.
33:17
So love one another.
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Secondly.
33:21
Love one another.
33:22
By.
33:23
Knowing the truth.
33:25
If we are to go after the one.
33:27
Who has wandered from the truth.
33:28
We will have to know.
33:29
That they have wandered from.
33:30
The truth.
33:32
And this may seem.
33:33
Too obvious.
33:35
But my concern here.
33:36
Is that we.
33:36
Do not call someone.
33:37
A wanderer.
33:39
Who is simply wandering.
33:40
From.
33:41
Our.
33:42
Personal preferences.
33:44
Or our particular.
33:45
Applications.
33:46
Of a biblical truth.
33:47
Right.
33:48
They're not.
33:49
Doing it exactly.
33:49
The way we.
33:50
Might.
33:51
Do it.
33:53
We need to recognize.
33:54
That the Bible.
33:55
Contains some gray areas.
33:57
And we need to be careful.
33:58
That we are dealing.
33:59
In the black and the whites.
34:00
Of the Bible.
34:01
As we seek out.
34:02
That wanderer.
34:03
Right.
34:03
You need to be able to.
34:04
Open up the text.
34:05
And say.
34:05
Brother.
34:06
Sister.
34:06
This.
34:08
The Lord has spoken.
34:09
Right.
34:10
Thus saith the Lord.
34:11
He has spoken.
34:12
To this.
34:13
Very.
34:15
Issue.
34:16
This is why.
34:17
I've been pressing.
34:17
Upon you all.
34:18
The idea of theological.
34:19
Triage.
34:19
Which I won't get into.
34:20
At all.
34:20
But I just want to insert.
34:21
Another plug.
34:22
For the theological.
34:23
Triage.
34:24
Right.
34:24
We need to be able.
34:24
To quickly assess.
34:26
What things.
34:27
Need to be addressed.
34:28
What things.
34:29
Places in which.
34:30
We can.
34:30
Disagree.
34:31
And still have.
34:32
Unity.
34:32
And call one another.
34:33
Brother.
34:34
Or sister.
34:36
Those who are in Christ.
34:38
Will heed.
34:39
Loving.
34:40
Wise counsel.
34:41
And they will return.
34:42
To the way.
34:43
Of the truth.
34:45
They'll stop.
34:46
Wandering.
34:46
From.
34:47
The truth.
34:49
On your bulletin.
34:50
This morning.
34:51
There's a quote by.
34:52
Puritan.
34:53
Nathaniel Vincent.
34:54
He once said.
34:56
He who despises.
34:56
The word of God.
34:57
And its commands.
34:58
Is not.
34:59
Sincerely converted.
35:01
But damnably.
35:03
Deluded.
35:04
Deceived.
35:05
Deceived.
35:07
Third application.
35:08
Love one another.
35:08
By living.
35:10
An exemplary life.
35:12
We ought not be hypocritical.
35:14
In our correction.
35:15
We are not perfect.
35:16
Any one of us.
35:17
Right.
35:17
But we ought to be setting.
35:19
An example.
35:21
A wanderer is not fit.
35:22
To help someone.
35:23
Not wander.
35:24
Right.
35:24
You can't yourself.
35:25
Be wandering.
35:26
And help a wanderer.
35:28
None of you.
35:28
Know the way.
35:30
So you have to not be a wanderer.
35:32
To help a wanderer.
35:34
Right.
35:35
You need to be setting.
35:36
An example.
35:36
Of what it looks like.
35:38
To faithfully.
35:39
Follow Jesus.
35:40
Even as we fail.
35:41
To follow Jesus well.
35:42
What does it look like.
35:43
To return.
35:44
To him.
35:45
For the grace found.
35:47
At the cross.
35:48
Paul wrote.
35:49
First Corinthians.
35:50
Eleven.
35:51
Verse one.
35:52
Be imitators of me.
35:53
As I am.
35:54
Of.
35:55
Christ.
35:56
Fourth application.
35:57
Love one another.
35:58
By being willing.
35:59
To confront.
36:00
One another.
36:00
Right.
36:01
So if you love somebody.
36:03
If you're really.
36:04
Going to love them.
36:05
You're going to have to do this.
36:06
In your life.
36:07
Right.
36:07
It is work.
36:08
Right.
36:09
This is.
36:10
Congregationalism.
36:11
Right.
36:11
If you're going to be a meaningful member.
36:13
Of.
36:14
A church.
36:15
I hope this one.
36:16
Many of you are already.
36:18
And this is a work.
36:19
That you're going to be.
36:20
About the work.
36:22
Of.
36:23
Paul writes in Ephesians.
36:24
Chapter four.
36:26
Beginning in verse 11.
36:27
About the gifts.
36:28
That Christ gave.
36:29
To the church.
36:30
He gave apostles.
36:31
Prophets.
36:31
Evangelists.
36:32
The shepherds.
36:32
And teachers.
36:33
For something.
36:35
To.
36:35
Equip the saints.
36:37
For the work of ministry.
36:38
For building up the body of Christ.
36:41
Until we all attain.
36:42
To the unity of faith.
36:43
And of knowledge of son of God.
36:45
To mature manhood.
36:46
To the measure of the stature.
36:47
Of the fullness of Christ.
36:49
So that we may no longer be children.
36:51
Tossed to and fro.
36:52
By the waves.
36:53
And carried about.
36:54
By every wind of doctrine.
36:55
By human cunning.
36:57
By craftiness.
36:58
In deceitful.
36:59
Schemes.
37:00
Rather.
37:03
Speaking the truth in love.
37:05
We are to grow up in every way.
37:06
Into him.
37:07
Who is the head.
37:08
Into Christ.
37:09
From whom the whole body.
37:10
Joined and held together.
37:11
By every joint.
37:12
With which it is equipped.
37:13
When each part.
37:15
Is working.
37:15
Properly.
37:16
When you're doing.
37:17
What you're supposed to be doing.
37:18
As a member of.
37:19
A church.
37:20
Makes the body grow.
37:21
So that it builds itself up.
37:23
In love.
37:26
God has placed you.
37:27
In the life of this fellowship.
37:28
Or perhaps another.
37:29
Right.
37:30
That you might be a joint.
37:31
Working in the process of.
37:34
The divine purpose.
37:35
Of sustaining.
37:36
Those who have been justified.
37:38
To the end.
37:41
Fifth and final.
37:43
Application.
37:44
Love one another.
37:45
By restoring.
37:46
The wanderer.
37:48
Gently.
37:49
Let's talk about confrontation.
37:51
Some of you might have said.
37:52
Ooh.
37:53
I got permission.
37:54
Let's go.
37:56
Galatians chapter 6.
37:57
In verse 1.
37:58
Paul says.
37:59
Brothers.
38:00
If anyone.
38:01
Is caught.
38:02
In any transgression.
38:04
You who are spiritual.
38:05
Should restore him.
38:06
In a spirit.
38:08
Of gentleness.
38:09
And then he says.
38:11
Keep watch on yourself.
38:13
Lest you too.
38:15
Be tempted.
38:16
And he's not explicit.
38:18
About what the temptation.
38:19
Would be there.
38:20
But I think.
38:21
Contextually.
38:23
It's likely.
38:24
That the temptation.
38:25
Would be to become.
38:25
Proud.
38:27
In the restoration.
38:29
Right.
38:29
That we would.
38:30
Forget.
38:31
That we did not.
38:32
Save ourselves.
38:33
Right.
38:34
We are not.
38:35
Staining ourselves.
38:37
We are.
38:38
Being shown.
38:38
Grace.
38:39
Anything I do.
38:40
That's ever obedient.
38:41
Is a wonderful grace.
38:42
Of God to me.
38:43
Right.
38:44
We ought not.
38:45
Ever be proud.
38:45
As we restore.
38:47
A brother.
38:48
Or a sister.
38:48
So love one another.
38:50
By restoring.
38:50
The wanderer.
38:52
Gently.
38:54
So.
38:55
In the.
38:56
Letter.
38:56
That we call.
38:57
The book of James.
38:58
James.
38:59
Warns his readers.
39:01
Be careful.
39:02
Not to wander.
39:02
From the truth.
39:04
And.
39:05
Go after.
39:05
The wanderer.
39:07
From the truth.
39:09
And then it ends.
39:11
That's it.
39:12
He stops it.
39:12
Right there.
39:14
And I.
39:15
I really think.
39:16
It's poignant.
39:16
The way he stops it.
39:17
I really think.
39:18
He means for us to go.
39:20
Right.
39:21
There's a lot of places.
39:23
A lot of ways.
39:24
That I can go.
39:26
And do this.
39:27
So I'm going to read.
39:28
Those last two verses.
39:29
And then I'll pray.
39:30
My brothers.
39:30
If anyone among you.
39:31
Wanders from the truth.
39:33
And someone brings him back.
39:35
Let him know.
39:36
That whoever brings back.
39:37
A sinner from his wandering.
39:38
Will save his soul from death.
39:40
And will cover a multitude.
39:42
Of sins.
39:43
Let's pray together.