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3 Types of People in a Fellowship | Pastor Daniel Batarseh (Gospel of Mark Bible Study Series) · Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago

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Mark chapter 3 in our Bibles today.
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Mark chapter 3. Mark, 3 verse 1 verse 2.
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Again, he entered the synagogue and a man was there with a
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withered hand and they watched Jesus to see whether he would
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heal him on the Sabbath so that they might accuse him.
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Lord with these two verses help us.
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We are unable to fully grasp. What you have to say part from
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the teaching work of the Holy Spirit.
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And so Lord. We come with hungry Hearts, we
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hunger and thirst for righteousness and Lord.
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We admit, that we are distracted bunch.
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And that there is a war for our affections.
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But Lord with this message today win us again and Keep us.
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Keep us where we're supposed to be beholding, the glory of the
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Lord. And as we behold O Lord, you
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promised that we would be transformed into that very same
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image of moral Glory. We give ourselves to you with,
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trust that you are in the midst and your name we pray.
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Amen. This new chapter in The Gospel
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of Mark, really just continues the theme that we concluded with
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in the last verses of the previous chapter.
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And in case we may have forgotten what it was that we
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heard last week, the spirit of God opened up to us, the
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beginnings of a new friction between Jesus and the Pharisees
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around the Sabbath observance. And as we heard the Pharisees
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through their tradition violated This holy weekly day that was a
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gift to the people for rest to the point that it was absolutely
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mangled from the original purpose that God intended for
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it. But Jesus on the other hand, we
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see Rebuked the Pharisees for their misapplication and and
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even corrected them. When they sought to try to
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condemn him and his disciples for their behavior on the
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Sabbath. And the Lord concluded.
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His argument by declaring his sovereignty, over the Sabbath,
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and we can imagine how this made the Pharisees feel.
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Since this holy day was the Apex of their empty religious
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exhibition. No, there was no recorded
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reaction from the Pharisees after Jesus statement of
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sovereignty, there will be one in this section of scripture and
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it will reveal just how Central their Twisted view of the
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Sabbath was to their empty Hollow system.
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But as always, the Lord Jesus has much more to offer Us in his
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word than just a mere history lesson.
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Every single time we come to a text like this every every time
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you come to any portion of the Of God these events, these
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interactions are intended to convey truths, that will cross
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cultures and that will travel throughout the generation so
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that God's people would understand what he asks of them.
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Therefore, let him who has ears to hear hear.
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And what we will hear is what God wants to say through these
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two verses and why just these two verses you notice?
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I didn't continue to the rest. Other verses that complete the
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picture and it is because to attempt to try to cover all
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these things in one setting, I believe would be an injustice to
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the rich truths that we can cultivate.
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If we just take our time and meditate on what these things
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imply. And so we can read the rest just
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to understand the context but we will meditate on the first two
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verses. So we see again, he entered the
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synagogue and a man was there with a withered hand and they
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watch Jesus to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath so
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that they might accuse him. And he said to the man, with the
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withered hand come here and he said to them is it lawful on the
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Sabbath to do good or to do harm to save life, or to kill, but
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they were silent. And he looked around at them
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with anger. He looked around with them with
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anger grieved at their Hardness of Heart and said to the man
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stretch out your hand, he stretched it out and his hand
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was restored. The Pharisees went out and
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immediately held counsel with the herodians against them.
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How to destroy him in a parallel passage.
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Luke tells us that Jesus entered a synagogue in an undisclosed
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town on another Sabbath. It's possible that this took
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place not too far along after Jesus was confronted by the
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Pharisees in the grain Fields because this unpredictable Rabbi
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was surely on the radar of these men who lived to expose those
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who would defy the rules. And with a new level of tension
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in the air, our Lord is in a public house of worship,
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unconcerned about the lurking eyes of these agitated scribes
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and we see here that the Pharisees end up being in the
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same service. On this particular day, in fact,
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in the first two verses we read of and we are told of three
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Different people. Who attended the synagogue on
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this sabbath morning or afternoon.
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And here's what I want to present to you today.
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The actions and the attitudes of each person and the first two,
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verses teach us something about the range.
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Of reasons that people make way into the house of worship today.
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In other words, when you just really look at the heart posture
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of each party that are represented in this text. we
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will see something of Why it is people come to the house of God?
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Why they should come to the house of God and how being in
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the house of God doesn't necessarily mean that they are
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in Christ. And so as you hear what I
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present you today in these first two verses, this will either
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encourage you or it will challenge you and I will all
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really depend on where you are at in terms of your relationship
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with the Assembly of God's people and how you understand,
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God's house and how you fellowship with people where you
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stand The Lord. And so, I just just look at
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this, through the lens of Maranatha, Bible Church the
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assembly, this local congregation that God has
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birthed. And by his grace will maintain.
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And here, what we see in these two verses and how these
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different people represent again, different heart, postures
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in the house of God. The first person that we read of
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his Jesus himself again, he entered the synagogue, for the
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word again, to be brought up, implies that Jesus made it a
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habit to come into the synagogue.
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In fact, Luke tells us in chapter 4 of his text, that it
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was his custom and it's no mystery.
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Why Jesus would find himself in these synagogues.
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Remember these these community centers Were helpful to the
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Israeli Community, because for those who are too distant from
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the temple, this is where they could come for regular worship.
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This is where they could come gather and receive the, the
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reading of God's word and even singing and even praying to a
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certain extent. And it was for those who long to
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remain in an atmosphere where worship was being offered to God
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and the Lord Jesus would make his way into these places so
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that he would take advantage of this environment.
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And Claimed his truth, the truth, but when you collect the
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data of Jesus and his interactions with this setting,
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what you will notice is that the Lord strategically and joyfully
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exercised his gifts within within those arenas.
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And I bring this point up because Jesus here is our
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example. He would come into these
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synagogues and he would teach, yes.
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But besides teaching, some of the most memorable and Powerful
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Miracles took place in these places.
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Remember in Mark chapter wanted a man possessed with a demon was
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delivered in Mark chapter 3. We see that a man with a
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withered hand is going to be restored.
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And in Luke 13, we read of a woman who was hunched over for
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so many years because of a disabling spirit and Jesus with
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his authority will rescue her All to say, what with this brief
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observation, the Lord in his loving and sacrificial approach
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in the Assembly of God at this time, which was the synagogue's
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is an inspiration to us because his attitude contrast so
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strongly with the attitude of the Pharisees.
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You want to see how the Pharisees saw the synagogue's.
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We're gonna have to turn with me to Luke and 11:43 as Jesus
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pronounces. Woes To the Pharisees.
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Notice this particular condemnation from the Lord
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himself. Luke 11:43.
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We read the Lord saying something very powerful.
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Woe to you Pharisees for you. Love the best seat in the
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synagogues, and greetings in the marketplaces.
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You love the best seat in the synagogue.
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The Pharisees had a habit of being present in the synagogues
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as well. But for completely different
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reasons these men saw these God focused places as a Them to be
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celebrities. The best seats that Jesus is
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referring to here. We're positioned in a way that
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they would face the congregation, and they were
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designated for distinguished guests and the Pharisees, love
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those seats. Because they had an insatiable
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yearning for recognition and for status and there was something
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about those chairs that fed that carnal craving.
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And it's sad to say that these leaders did not see the
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synagogues as a context where they could serve, others know,
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because it was a site where they could be lavished with praise
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and tribute than Jesus said, woe to you for that.
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And unfortunately, the same can be said for those who approach
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and engage with local Ministries today, they perceive the holy
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Assembly of God as a platform for their selfish opportunities
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and desires where they can attain positions and titles with
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little to no regard of the true purpose of when God's people
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come together as we are this afternoon.
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But our Lord was not like the Pharisees, our Lord did not look
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for the best seat, you know what our Lord did.
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He stooped to the lowest ground and wash the feet of his
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servants? And in these synagogues, he was
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no different. He came in to proclaim the news,
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the good news to the poor, he came to preach that, which would
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set the captive, free to recover, the side of the blind
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to Proclaim, Liberty to those who were oppressed.
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In other words, Jesus came into the Assembly of God's people.
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To serve in the capacity in which the Holy Spirit has
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anointed him. As the selflessness of Christ,
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not inspire you. This is not stir you to reflect
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the same lowliness and humbleness in our attitude and
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how we relate to one another as a fellowship of brothers and
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sisters. We see that the Christian life
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is really a continual training of the spirited to help us take
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our eyes off of what is best for us and to see what is best for
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others. That's what the Holy Spirit
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speaks to cultivate in us. Not to look for the best for us,
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but to look for the best for others, how we can, how we can
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bless them, and honor them, and and comfort them and uphold
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them. And a friend.
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The other night send me a verse not knowing what I Was preparing
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that knowing what message I was going to share today.
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And I thought it fits so perfectly with this point.
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Because if there was a man in the scriptures that had such a
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deep work done in him by the Lord Jesus Christ, if there was
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such a miracle that took place in conversion, anybody in
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history was the Apostle Paul. Have you ever considered that
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the great and deep significant thing that God had cultivated in
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this man? You see it in so many places and
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this man dared to say by the spirits Authority, follow me as
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I follow Christ, follow me as I follow Christ, and you have
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people who live, That to missionary work and to preaching
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and to Holiness, and abstinence from the things of this.
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Yes, sure. But have you looked at the
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specifics, the attitude, the mindset, the way he related to
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other believers. I want you to see one place that
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stimulates me and I hope it stimulates you.
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I want you to see place that will challenge you to Greater
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Heights of Christian love. Love that.
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Jesus calls us to it's in a very Very obscure passage in 2nd
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Corinthians, chapter 12, verse 15, turn there with me because I
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want you to see this with your eyes.
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This is Paul addressing the Corinthians.
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And we see here that as he addresses them, he makes a
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statement. And we'll begin in verse 14
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here. For the third time, I am ready
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to come to you and I will not be a burden for I will seek.
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Not what is yours? But you I will seek not what is
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yours, but you in other words what he's saying here is I'm not
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here. I'm not here to relate to you to
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get something from you. I'm here for you.
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What? I can add to you.
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Don't be distracted. That's okay.
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Somebody will take care of that. For children are not obligated
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to save up for their parents but parents for their children.
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Now, notice verse 15, I will most gladly spend and be spent
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for your souls. If I love you, am I to be loved
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less? I'm not here to be a burden to
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you. What?
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He's speaking here is, I'm not here to exercise.
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My gifts, my presence in your midst, my involvement in your
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lives is not so that I can retrieve some monetary gain,
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that's the context. I'm not here to be a burden to
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you because as Believers were called to be burden bears.
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Not burden creators burden beerus, right.
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But look at verse 15. I will most gladly spend And be
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spent for your souls. That's the great Apostle.
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Yes this great Apostle said follow me as I follow Christ.
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What is he saying here? He's saying I will most gladly
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offer, whatever physical means I need to in order to contribute
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to your sanctification, your comfort, your blessing, I will
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gladly spend and he's talking about literal spending.
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But then too, he says, if it means that I have to give
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something of myself, I will gladly do that as well.
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And and this is the thing, sometimes acts of service are
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what we do by extending our belongings or making acts of
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purchases or supplying in order to help another brother or
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sister and to support them in various ways.
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And that is not a lesser way of being a servant.
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But if we're honest with ourselves, when it comes to
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hesitation to be loving in our sacrifice, we are more hesitant.
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When we realize that it requires something, Of our time of our
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energy. When it expends us personally.
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Paul says I'll gladly do either. if I need to send something your
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way, if I need to send myself to you, I will gladly do either but
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it doesn't end there because he goes further by stating
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something that so glad the Holy Spirit left in the Bible.
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And the second party says, if I love you more, am I to be
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Loveless? There's hurt behind those words,
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there's pain. Because what he's saying here is
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The intense love that I have for you is not reciprocal.
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The more I love you. The same, the less you love me.
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The more I'm willing to sacrifice for you, the more you
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are willing to pull back from me.
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Why is my love for you? Only causing you to value and
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care for me, less? That's what Paul is saying.
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What a word what a word for those who serve in the church
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and feel like they are not being recognized.
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Listen very closely what a word for husband's, what a word for a
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wives who are trying to be a Godly spouse but they cannot
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find any clue of even just basic respect in return.
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The word, what a word. Because what we see here is that
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the Apostle knows that kind of pain.
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He knows what it's like to give and give and not receive and
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return. But here's the beauty of this
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truth. Paul could still say that he
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would greatly spend and be spent even though his love was
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unappreciated even though it was not returned.
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And what I want to tell you today that in Christ Jesus, such
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a miracle is possible in our lives that we can arrive to such
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great love for others. And Paul is very human here.
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He still feels that pain where he realizes that this is not a
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mutual thing and yet he can still confidently say because of
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Christ in him, I'll still gladly serve.
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I'm more than willing to give myself.
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You say impossible, you say impossible.
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You don't know who I'm married to you say impossible.
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You don't know how stubborn people are in my family.
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You don't understand how people in my church, don't really
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recognize me. They don't even greet me.
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And I tell you what is impossible for man is possible
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for God, it's possible. If there's any miracle that you
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would covet, would you covet this one?
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There's any work of God that you would yearn for would it not be
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a burning bush, or the Red Sea splitting in half?
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Would it be your heart coming to this christ-like?
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Love? Arriving to such a state of
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Splendid sacrificial giving of self.
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This was Jesus. I refuse to believe that Paul
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loved more than Jesus loved and we see in this man, a work of
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Christ that is available to you and I when you look around and
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you see these people to your left and to your right before
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you and behind you, as you do life with brothers who come
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together as a church as a congregation, Would we not look
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for the best for ourselves? But the best for those who are
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before us, this is Paul's heart. This is Jesus heart wherever he
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went, people left blessed. The second person I want to
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bring to your attention in. This synagogue is a man with a
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withered hand. We don't know the cause for his
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lifeless limb we're not told if it was an accident or disease
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that brought about this dysfunction but the severity of
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this man's disability is highlighted by no other than dr.
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Luke. Dr. Luke, if you remember told
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us that the man that was healed from leprosy early on a few
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weeks ago and Mark was full of leprosy, Mark, doesn't say that
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Luke does and when you come to this text that Luke also
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records, he gives us another observation that only of
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physician would find necessary to make note of it's in.
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Luke 6 verse 6 On another Sabbath.
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He entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there
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whose right hand? Was withered, Mark, doesn't say
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that just his hand. Luke dr.
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Luke good Doctor Luke by the spirit says, no.
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No more specifically. It was his it was his right
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hand. Why would the Holy Spirit want
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to mention that? Well, because most people are
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right-handed. And it could be that the spirit
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of God mentions this as a hint that it was this man's dominant
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hand, that was damaged making his Affliction all the more
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challenging to live with perhaps some of us know how annoying it
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is to have one of our fingers out of 10 out of service.
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Imagine your whole hand hanging there.
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Lifeless paralyzed for good and we might feel empathy for this
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man. But I say, let's let's be
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inspired by him because despite his handicap he is in a place of
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worship. He is in a place of worship.
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And I was looking at this and I was meditating on this.
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And this is the phrase that came to my mind.
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This man was withered but he was worshipful withered, but
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worshipful. Now here's the point that I make
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from this, what kind of Revelation that this man had
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that most Believers can't seem to come to terms with in other
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words, why is it so hard to convince Christians to
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comprehend the absolute gift that the Gathering of the Saints
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is Why is it that when people are shriveled up, if I can use
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that word, symbolically shrivel up, spiritually, shriveled up,
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emotionally shriveled up financially, they avoid the very
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place that was divinely designed to provide strength and
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encouragement. That's my question, we're not
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told whether or not this man was a regular member of the
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synagogue, but this is the thing that we see because he
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prioritized worship. Oh, he encountered a blessing.
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That was unimaginable. What if this, man?
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This unnamed fellow skipped. Synagogue this day.
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You might debate me. I say he wouldn't have been
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healed. What if he thought to himself?
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Yeah, really in the mood. To go to synagogue today.
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I'll just live stream it. And this actual healing.
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Provides a symbolic lesson to encourage us not to miss the
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blessings that can only be found in public worship.
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And The Fellowship of the brethren.
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Thomas did that to remember when the disciples were gathered in
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the upper room and Jesus showed up, guess who was missing
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Thomas, Thomas chose to live stream that day.
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I don't want to miss when Jesus will show up.
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And he has a habit of showing up where God's people Gather in his
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name. This man again, was his first
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time that he heard. Jesus coming to his synagogue.
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So he made a first appearance or was he there regularly?
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I don't know, but I like to visualize this man with his
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right hand tucked. Maybe wearing a longer sleeve
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because he was embarrassed about it and yet still coming to the
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house of God with faith in his heart because he knew that there
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was something more important than his body being whole, but
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his soul being blessed. You and I are charged to come in
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here whether we are broken or whether we are blessed.
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Because when we come in here, God wants to bless us again.
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And again, and again, I don't want to show you the variations
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of spiritual. handicaps and the instruction that are given to
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them and one simple verse it's in the book of First
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Thessalonians, chapter 5, This is one of my favorite verses
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when it comes to relating to the Brethren and fellowship. 1st
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Thessalonians. Chapter 5.
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Verse 14. 1st Thessalonians. Chapter 5.
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Verse 14. May this verse be chained around
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our hearts and we urge you, Paul saying this is urgent.
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This is like emergency stuff and we urge you Brothers, admonish
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the idol, encourage the faint-hearted, help the weak, be
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patient with them all, or how we need, that one be patient with
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them. All this verse proves, that even
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among believers who are committed to one another, you
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have Um, who are in Covenant with Christ, who might be idle,
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who might be faint-hearted, who might be weak?
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What does it mean to be idle? Another way of understanding it
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is to be unsupportive to be. Idle means to be unsupportive
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because of carelessness or because of criticism, it speaks
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of a Believer who is not involved, not engaged but who is
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distant due to distraction or even because of bitterness, so
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their Idol, they're not active, they're not here, really,
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they're here. But they're not here.
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They're kind of on the horizon, the kind of on the And they are
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idle and impulses, hey, you Believers Brothers, you gotta
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warn these ones and you got to let him know that danger of
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remaining in such a place of complacency and contempt, it's
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dangerous. So admonish them.
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Then he goes on to speak about the faint-hearted, describing
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those who are easily feared, those who are given to worry,
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they don't deal well with transitions in life.
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They don't deal well with missions and ministry, right?
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It's like when something happens in the church it's like it
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messes them up for months. They're shaken easily by the
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news of the threat of persecution, and they can't seem
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to stomach and they can't seem to stand firm when their
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spiritual warfare within. And Paul tells these brothers.
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Oh, would you encourage the faint-hearted?
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Would you come alongside them and remind them of the
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faithfulness of God of the presence of God and all of our
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troubles? And he says the week, help the
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weak who are the week? Those who are not spiritually
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disciplined. So they are, there are wobbly
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and their defense against Temptation.
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They seem to always be tempted to lapse into a more reality and
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they don't seem to graduate at the desired Pace in godliness.
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They need special attention. These guys need like 24/7.
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Around-the-clock accountability. They need to be reminded of
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God's goodness and God's warnings about Sin and really
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just rehearsing the basic truths of the faith.
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Paul says, to the brothers help these guys help them lock arms
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with them. Give your number to them, be
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available to them. And what I love is when it comes
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to the idle, when it comes to the faint-hearted, when it comes
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to the week, you know what our temptation is as brothers, who
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might not be caught Either of those things is to be frustrated
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with them. When will you get it?
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I wouldn't you snap out of it. It's been so long the holy
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spirit says be patient. Growth is not overnight.
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Healing is not immediate. Oh we wish it was but be
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patient, it will come. Don't give up.
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Now it's clear that this verse is designated for the strong.
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It's an instruction for the brothers who are not in any of
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these pits but can reach down and pull somebody out of it.
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But I want us to see this verse and the opposite end.
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In other words, pay attention to this.
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If you are idle, if you are faint hearted, if you are weak.
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According to this verse from, where does a major aspect of
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your help come from your brothers?
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Your brothers. That's what I see out of it.
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You endanger yourself. When you remove yourself from
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the brothers and just like this withered, man, we are risk of
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remaining in that condition of weakness and disability.
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When we refuse to allow Christ, do to us what he did to that,
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man. And that's heal us through the
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members of his body, his hands and feet, the Church of Jesus
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Christ. So I hope this encourages every
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person in here to know that you can come you can come in your
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Brokenness. In fact you must come Because
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there are Elders here. And there are brothers here, and
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there are sisters here, who will admonish you and encourage you,
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and help you, no matter what you are withered with, no matter
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what it is, whether it's your faith, whether it's your heart
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that's been shattered, whether it's your marriage, whether it's
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your relationship with your children, do not miss how Christ
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can bring about life to you as you choose to be before him.
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You choose to throw yourself in his very presence and the
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presence of God's people, you beam a signal, how he can
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strengthen you and what seems to be without hope without life
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without a pulse. We come to the third party in
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the story. We looked at Jesus.
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What an example for us to look for the best in others, not for
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the best for ourselves. We look at this withered man.
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That even when we're not doing the best, We come to the
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brothers. Even if you come and limping,
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even if you come rolling in because you don't even have the
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strength to gird up, your loins come and this place which will
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be a, holy hospital, will bind you, and build you and be
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patient with you and care for you until you can walk again
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until you can serve again until you can see again.
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But there is a last last group. The first two are positive.
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The last is negative. Come back to Mark with me in
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chapter 3 again. He entered the synagogue verse
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one and a man was there with a withered hand and they watch
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Jesus to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath so that
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they might accuse him that they I'm sure you guessed it.
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According to Luke tells us that they were the scribes and the
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Pharisees and they came to watch Jesus.
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But not for the reasons that we would hope these men have
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reached the point. And their relationship with
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Jesus that they wanted to study his every move his every move
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they became spies to try to find fault in him.
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And when they came to, the synagogue to say, whether they
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followed Jesus, they were there in attendance.
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And Jesus knew they were there. They made the connection man,
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and one of the pews is withered Jesus, who can heal is in the
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midst of. Let's see if he will break one
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of our laws. Which I find funny because even
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in that thinking, you're indirectly admitting that this
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man Jesus of Nazareth has the ability to heal.
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It's incredible. And as these Pharisees observed,
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they knew who Jesus was to a degree.
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They knew what he was able to do, but listen to this, they
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still did not know him. What do I mean these Pharisees
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knew who he was knew what he was able to do, but they did not
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know him in a saving way. You know, what breaks my heart
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about this passage. This is the beauty about
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studying the word of God consecutively, and in order,
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prior to this Jesus corrected these men he exposed their
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hypocrisy. Pointing out the holes and their
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legalism. And yet based on verse 2 of
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chapter 3, no sign of conviction.
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No sign of change. No Brokenness no consideration
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about where they could be wrong, and they're standing with God,
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nothing of the sort. In fact, what you see with these
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men as that? They're just hardened, all the
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more and they heard his teaching and they beheld, his glory, and
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here, they are sitting in the presence of the best, teacher
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best preacher, best miracle worker.
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Unsaved. Lost is lost, can be.
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Here's my fear that, what was true for these Pharisees, as
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they find themselves in a spiritual atmosphere and
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surrounding can be possible for those even in a setting like
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this, this afternoon. Jesus.
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Is there the Pharisees are there?
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But there is no connection, no salvation, No Redemption, and it
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reminds me. It reminds me of the words of
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some of the people that will say at that final day, when the Lord
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will look and say, where did you come from?
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And they would come up with this amazing.
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Amazing argument that in their minds thought would persuade
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Jesus that they did know each other.
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Not Matthew 7:21, it's another place in it is extremely
34:51
insightful. I think it's important for
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churches to rehearse that truth from time to time, especially as
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new people come in. It's in Luke again.
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Luke 13:25. Luke 13:25.
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When Once to the Master of the House has risen and shut the
35:24
door and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door
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saying Lord open to us then he will answer you.
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I do not know where you come from.
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That's like a crushing statement, that's a crushing
35:39
statement but look at verse 26 then you will begin to say.
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We ate and drank in your presence.
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And you taught in our streets. But he will say, I tell you, I
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do not know where you come from depart from me all you workers
36:00
of evil. Such a sobering text.
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Do you see what Jesus says about these Eternal Outcast they will
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begin to say we ate and drank in your presence and you taught in
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our neighborhoods? Jesus and say you're lying.
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He didn't call them out because of a bluff.
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He and his silence acknowledges that.
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That is true. In other words, these people one
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day on the final day will appeal to the fact that they were those
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who, who sat under teachings about Jesus, and we're even in
36:46
Fellowship, eating and drinking, and feasting with those who did
36:51
so under the banner of Jesus. But Jesus will say aye, but
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you're a stranger to me, I don't know you but Lord.
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We were there. We were there to every pot luck
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and we were there and every service and we were there at the
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conference's, we were there in your presence.
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We were there eating and drinking with you and in our
37:13
context with God's people and there will be a thundering
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pronouncement, from the lips of the Holy judge.
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I don't know where you come from.
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Why? Because people make the Fatal
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mistake and thinking that being around, Jesus is the same as
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being in Jesus. But being in close proximity to
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the presence of Jesus Christ and the presence of Jesus Christ.
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And his people is not the same as the presence of Christ
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abiding in you and me, not the same.
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So, to qualify that we are in Jesus because we are with Jesus
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people. And we hear about Jesus, and we
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sing about Jesus is a dangerous dangerous place, to put your
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Assurance in mind. And this is my sincere prayer.
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That not one here, not 1111 not one here.
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Who watches what Jesus does in this place.
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And hears about Jesus week after week.
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Who doesn't have the assurance that they are numbered among the
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redeemed. That's my prayer every week
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before coming to this pulpit. That there would be no
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Pharisees. No Pharisees, who studied Jesus
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but not for the reason. That would save them.
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But here's the Hope because when you come to this group of
38:53
people, it's amazing how much attention is given to the
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Pharisees throughout the life of Jesus.
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It's just amazing. It makes you wonder if Jesus
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really wants us to know, to know the characteristics of such men
39:03
and the dangers of following in their steps, some would say that
39:07
these Pharisees were just like the destined enemies of Christ.
39:11
And there is no hope for them. And some of us might be
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discouraged even because we might know Pharisee like people
39:18
where they again. Watch what Jesus is doing there
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in the presence of Jesus to an extent.
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But there is no significant evidence that there is a saving
39:27
work done in their hearts. If there is any group in the
39:30
Bible that would be near impossible to being saved.
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It was the Pharisees, Jesus didn't pronounce woes to the
39:37
prostitutes or to the tax collectors or to the zealots, he
39:41
pronounced woes to one group of people and that was the
39:44
Pharisees. And in my reading, I'm currently
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an axe in my reading. I was just brushing Through acts
39:50
and it came to a certain chapter and there was this this little
39:53
hint and this hint just exploded from the pages.
39:57
And I thought to myself, maybe because we're going through
39:58
Mark, wow! What an awesome gospel.
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We have, what a powerful gospel we have, would you like to see
40:06
it? You have a choice.
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And I asked, and this is our final text this afternoon.
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Let this inspire you. That the most stubborn, those
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who are vehemently against our Christ.
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Those who seem unsavable though, they are in the midst.
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Of gospel, preaching of Gospel, Power of gospel.
40:30
Testimony, look at Acts chapter 15 with me, and notice a little
40:35
phrase that we might we might have not meditated on and
40:39
consider the implications of Verse 4, when they came to
40:44
Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and
40:47
the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them.
40:52
But some believers who belong to the party of the, who the
40:57
Pharisees Rose up and said it is necessary to circumcise him and
41:04
to order them to keep the law of Moses.
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Now this is, this is so like almost contradicting to our
41:12
experience with the Pharisees that even some people who when
41:15
they read that phrase, but some believers who belong to the
41:18
party, the feels like, they're not true believers, they're
41:21
fake. They like acknowledge the
41:23
doctrines of Jesus, and they may be believed that he did raise
41:26
from that, but they were not truly regenerate, hold on, if
41:29
the Holy Spirit, It wanted to tell us that they weren't saved,
41:33
he would not. Have said they are believers.
41:37
He could have easily said but some who belong to the party of
41:39
the Pharisees, and the scene would have, made sense, still
41:44
Believers, Believers believers, who are not yet mature, clearly
41:49
because they were so gripped by their habit of observing
41:53
ceremonial laws and and being lawkeepers.
41:56
Yes that's clear here but Believers nonetheless.
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Christ can say, the Pharisee. This gospel can save the
42:05
Pharisee. Yes, even the one who has been
42:11
in the same place for years. And they're still heathens
42:16
self-righteous unfruitful. No testimony.
42:21
They laugh and talk and text during the sermons.
42:24
They don't participate in singing.
42:25
They have no inclusion and they just watch what Jesus is doing.
42:30
Even they can be saved. That's how powerful this truth
42:35
is. So I'm not intimidated nor am?
42:38
I discouraged when I look out and see different reasons to why
42:42
people come to the Assembly of God.
42:45
I am not shaken because I believe that Jesus can do
42:48
Miracles today. Still, he can do miracles in the
42:52
Christian who seeks to do, what is best for them and change
42:56
them, like, he changed Paul to say.
42:57
I will gladly spend and be spent for you.
43:00
Even if you don't love me, I will love you and lavish my love
43:03
upon you, he can do that and Is The Miracle Worker where
43:07
somebody can come in withered and broken and smash my life.
43:11
But then, through his members, through his hands and feet, such
43:14
a person can be sustained and strengthened for another day and
43:17
he can even save the Pharisee. Oh miracles happen here.
43:22
Week after week, do not take this assembly lightly when we
43:27
come together. God can do Miracles and I
43:30
encourage you don't miss the blessings.
43:31
That Jesus has reserved every week here at Maranatha Bible
43:35
Church glory. Be to God.
43:37
Let's pray. Lord with these two verses as
43:55
our portion. Thank you for feeding us.
44:00
Thank you for admonishing us. Encouraging us, helping us.
44:06
Lord, we just ask that. There would be I revived love.
44:12
For the house of God. Lord, it seems to be a very
44:16
consistent theme in the past few weeks for our church. so, we
44:21
take heed Help us be like your son who was anointed by the
44:28
spirit to serve anoint us to serve.
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Help us in our Brokenness like that, unnamed men.
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Do not remove ourselves from where you have proclaimed
44:40
healing. but in our idleness, in our weakness and our
44:46
faintheartedness, To give ourselves to your people.
44:51
And to experience a miracle in our faith and Lord for the
44:55
Pharisees. The Pharisees who might be in
44:58
attendance? Help us.
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Oh, God Trust. That your word proclaimed, and
45:04
our prayers can save a Pharisee and you can make a Paul out of
45:10
that Pharisee. But Lord, we don't want to be
45:15
those who are familiar with your presence.
45:20
And who eat and drink with God's people, but do not have your
45:22
presence living in us. So even if there's one in here
45:25
father, that that cannot attest to being born again.
45:32
That in this place where you do Miracles because your word is
45:34
preached and your people are gathered and Covenant with you.
45:38
Oh, Lord, change that person. Change that person.
45:44
We trust that you will in Lord, we rejoice in you, we rejoice
45:47
and how deep your word is and how rich it is.
45:50
And we want to just glorify glorify who you are even in
45:54
these two verses this afternoon in Jesus name, we pray.
45:57
Amen, let's stand and Worship the Lord.