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#14 How to Know If My Works Count (Teaching Series in Galatians) - Pastor Daniel Batarseh · Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago

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Give me in the book of Galatians, Galatians chapter 6.
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It's been quite some time since we do of into the book of
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Galatians. but here we are were finding ourselves near the end
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chapter 6 where we left off was verse 1 and 2.
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We're going to pray again in a moment, but I want you to just
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put your finger there. Galatians 6, chapter 6, verse 1
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and 2. Let's pray again.
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Can we father in Jesus name? Thank you for the honor of being
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in your house, with God's people.
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We pray that you would take this word drive it deep into our
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hearts Lord, we pray for freedom from confusion, distraction,
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Lord, let there be just the pure word empowered by your Holy
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Spirit. We ask that Jesus Christ would
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be loved and adored obeyed as a result of this word in your
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name. We pray.
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Amen, where we left off? Galatians in our series of this
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book is Paul's instruction in a very practical way of how you
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and I as Christians should deal with other Christians, not just
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in service, not just in Fellowship, but when another
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believer falls into sin, when another Christian actually fails
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to Bear the fruit of the spirit is actually Walking In the
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Flesh. What do we do?
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When that happens? And we summarized it in this way
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that the goal is always one thing.
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Restoration, restoration is always the goal.
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No matter how Grievous, no matter how dark, no matter how.
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Filthy the sin might be, our hearts must be like the hearts
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of Jesus. Say, I long to see you made
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whole again, I long to see you made clean again.
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And yet restoration must be coupled with a specific type of
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attitude and that attitude is always gentleness.
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And we use the illustration of a person who has broken a leg or
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an arm. You and I would not rush up to
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that person and grab them by the shoulder of grab them by the
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foot and say, get up and get. Well, we take our time, we are
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gentle in our approach, we are careful and so it is in this
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Spirit. We know how to come with a
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sincere. Yes.
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But also a very soft and sometimes Stern.
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But always with an attitude of humility and love to show that
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we long for this. And to be coming back to Jesus.
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With that in mind, actually many of us are familiar with Jesus in
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John Chapter 13 when he showed his humility and striking
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fashion as he after-dinner stepped on the scene by washing
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what the feet of his followers. And I want us to turn there just
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for a moment in light of this teaching, to see something very
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important. We're very familiar with it.
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But in John 13. Verse 6.
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Jesus, it says, he came to Simon Peter.
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Who said to him? Lord.
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Do you wash my feet? So, Jesus went to each of those
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disciples one by one, and then he comes up to Simon, Peter and
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Peter is going Lord. Are you seriously going to wash
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my feet right now? You're the king of glory.
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You're the Messiah. You're the leader.
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You're the master and you're going to step down and clean my
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feet. Jesus answered him.
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Verse 7. What I am doing?
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You do not understand now, but afterward, you will understand.
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And Peter said to him, you shall never wash my feet.
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Look at Jesus answers. Jesus answered.
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If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.
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Then he goes on to say, Simon Peter said to him, Lord, do not
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my feet only but also my hands and my head.
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And Jesus said to him in summary, listen, if you've
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already been bathed, you're clean.
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If you've been bathed your clean, except for your feet,
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your feet and mind continually need to be washed house.
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Jesus is speaking symbolically here.
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And this act is symbolic, and we know this in that if we are
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saved, if we've been washed, we're clean.
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We do need to take another bath again.
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We don't keep on getting saved. We are saved once but it is our
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feet as we Trek through this world, that picks up dirt.
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That Strays away that gets cut that picks up twigs and and
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Thorns that need to be washed and cleansed continually by
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Jesus. And notice that Jesus is not
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just eager to wash Us, in the sense of bathing, has
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completely, but continually washing us. he's just as eager
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to wash our feet as he was, when he first bathed us, But we
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stopped at teaching there and we fail to realize that Jesus gave
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an ordinance. Jesus gave an instruction from
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this symbolic act, you scroll down your Bibles.
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He says here in verse 14, if I then your lord and teacher have
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washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet for.
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I have given you an example that you should also do just as I
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have done to you. And so up to this point, we
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understand the symbolism, we understand that teaching that
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Jesus is bringing through this in the spiritual sense.
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But then when we come to when Jesus gives the ordinance, we
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make it purely physical. And so you know what some people
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do, some people in local churches, actually practice
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this, they They met in a in a expression of their humility,
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wash other people's feet, and sometimes we've done that here
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even. But the Jesus really teach this
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for us to just wash each other's feet or is this principle still
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continuing and understanding that?
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Just as Christ was, eager to cleanse us from our filthiness
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as we walk through this world. That you also ought to be just
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as eager to cleanse another that you.
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And I towards one another, when we see another person picking up
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filth Gathering dirt or walking, another way.
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We just like our Master must be wanting and longing to cleanse
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the other to play any part that I can to make sure that I can
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see your feet be like the feet of Jesus again.
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So we don't, we don't take this just in the physical sense that
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okay, just like Jesus, humbled himself and physically wash
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their feet. Let's do the same.
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That's the easy part. It's not hard for you to take
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off your shoes and for some, maybe it's harder for some than
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others. But what Christ had in mind here
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was for us to do. So, in the spirit, But you know,
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the other person willing to receive that must be humble
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enough to receive it. Peter said don't wash my feet.
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Jesus, if I don't wash your feet, you have no part of me.
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And so we can't force people's feet to be washed.
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In the spiritual sense, people must be willing and repentant
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and open to Restoration and cleansing from another brother
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or sister. this is where as we go back to Galatians 6 with a
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rubber, really meets the road when it comes to our Christian
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walk weeping with those who weep Praying for those who request it
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counseling with those who are confused.
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Restoring someone who has fallen all these things are categorized
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under the Christian mandate as what we see here in Galatians 6.
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Verse to Bear one another's burdens.
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That's a mandate you and I as Believers are called to carry
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the load for another person and help them carry.
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The burdensome task that they might be facing.
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And I love this past weekend. As we re at the conference where
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Pastor Madison gave us the very practical teachings that he gave
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us. Because we understand bearing.
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One another's loads as yes, coming and interceding for
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somebody. That is burying somebody else's
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load and yes counseling and yes restoring yes, speaking
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exhortations. But when it comes to the
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practical We shy away from it, don't we?
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There are physical burdens and I love the examples he gave
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because there are very convicting.
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You think about the burden of somebody who is moving.
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From one house to another. and we think to ourselves, I'll pray
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for you but I don't know about that.
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Just different little practical things that he was giving, but
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it is yet, we have to understand that it is the Christian mandate
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to Bear one another's. Heavy loads and it's not easy.
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It's not easy. That's why we need of
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empowerment of the Holy Spirit to do this, to come to that
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place of bearing. One another's.
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Burdens is tiring, is exhausting.
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Sometimes it takes up my time. It takes up my energy and if
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we're honest, sometimes it gets downright messy.
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So I just rather altogether avoid It.
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But it is the Fulfillment of something called The Law of
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Christ that listen, if you. And I, as we just read earlier
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in chapter 5, want to Bear the fruit in the spirit, we better
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believe that a part of that packages were going to Bear each
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other's loads. In fact, the manifestation of
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the fruit of the spirit will be shown as Galatians. 6, is the
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sequence and how we deal with one another.
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And the beautiful thing is this that I'm not just called to Bear
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one another's. Burdens and neither are you?
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There's a calling in which you and I are supposed to let others
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bear my My burdens. And help me and pray for me and
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exhort me and Council me and come to my assistance as well.
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It's not just a one-way Street. I have to be open for that to be
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true as well. But with keep someone from
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doing, this is one main thing and that's what Paul is about to
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speak on. We don't touch on this last
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time, but there is something that keeps me from bearing,
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somebody else's burden. And there is something within me
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that keeps me from letting somebody else bear my burden.
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We're tempted to live in this individual individualistic,
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understanding in this sense of isolation in our Christian walk
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and pauses, there's no room for that.
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In fact, he categorises it something that's kind of scary.
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He says here, look in verse 34. Anyone thinks he is something,
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when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
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That's just not a random statement.
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He's saying this in light of what we call Bearing one
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another's, burdens he goes, listen to me.
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If you have convinced yourself that you should not for some
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reason, help somebody else or you fail to understand that you
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yourself, need help, you're deceiving yourself.
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You're not actually walking in light as much as you think that
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you might be strong. As much as you think.
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You might be spiritual, you are, in fact, under a spell, You've
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missed it. Paul saying you've lost track of
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what this whole thing is really about.
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And then he goes on to say that. True Christianity will be shown
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and how we understand this truth of bearing one another's,
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burdens. Do you ever think that thought
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that's important as we move on as a thought ever occurred to
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you that especially in this context?
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if somebody else is under a burden, even under the burden of
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their own sin, suck it up and carry your own cross and Shake
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It Off. Get it together, man.
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You got to learn how to do this thing on your own.
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Pick up yourself. or is there ever the thought of I can't have
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somebody pray for me. I can't call somebody.
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I can't let somebody speak into my life.
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I can't ask questions. How are they going to know?
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I'm spiritual? I'm not actually spiritual if
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I've come to that place. What Paul means when he says
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that we are deceiving ourselves when he's actually trying to say
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is that those two things are actually two faces of pride,
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those are two faces of Pride to say that I and to spiritual to
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help you in the practical. Or I am too spiritual for you to
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help me in any way is deception and one of the greatest ways of
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being deceived as when we're proud.
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And sometimes we think those thoughts.
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But if I can give some personal advice according to the word of
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God, I think one of the greatest ways to filter our faulty
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understanding of helping others are letting others help us.
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Is when we look at Paul himself, I love the Apostle Paul.
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The greatest Theologian of all time, But this Theologian is one
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of the most practical Christians, an example of for us
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today. So think of a person who might
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be struggling to do the little things and to do the Practical
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things and to extend a hand for burden or for assistance Who
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here has read the book of Romans?
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We were talking about this early on in prayer that you have to
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read that book, verse-by-verse very slowly or else you'll miss.
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The thought you have to rehearse and you have to return to that
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chapter again and again it is a theological Masterpiece
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concerning justification by faith.
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And then you come to chapter 16. and I would encourage you to to
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go there and not sure if you realize this, but you come to
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Romans chapter 16 and there's a turn in the writing at least for
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a moment. Look at verse 1 and scroll down
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to verse 16. Romans 16 12, 16.
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And you would think that Paul could have continued to exhaust
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the truth of the Gospel. You think the Holy Spirit would
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want to continue to Pummel this truth about how we are saved by
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faith through the finished work of Jesus Christ.
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But you know what, Paul does by the spirit, he takes the time to
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verses, 1 to 16 to name people by name into simply greet them.
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And he goes on to just say, greet Mary greet this person,
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Rita pelas greet Rufus and to commend them and to thank them.
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and I look at that and to be honest, it's a little convicting
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Because, as much as this man was caught up in Theology and
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teaching and preaching, and traveling, he still had a heart
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for the individual. And he knew them by name, and he
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took the time out of his letter to make sure that they were
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greeted to. Whoever would read this letter,
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how encouraging would that have been from Rufus and stakus to
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say? Paul is asking about me.
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Paul is greeting me Paul, is thanking me?
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So, you see, a man who is more spiritual than we can.
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Imagine concerning the miraculous concerning Revelation
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concerning preaching power and yet he proves his spirituality
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in this, he knew how to greet people, it is, simply make sure
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that they knew that they were on his mind.
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Wow. Is that spiritual to us?
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Is this spiritual to thank someone is a spiritual to let
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someone know that you're thinking about them is a
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spiritual to let them know that you are for them and that you
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are ready to serve them in any way possible.
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Look at Paul and how he considered the other.
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Now, look how Paul how he himself knew he was in need of
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the other. That's the second face.
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So you have a verse here in 2nd Corinthians, 7 6.
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You know, sometimes in our pursuit of spirituality, we
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really have trouble understanding this idea of
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needing one another. We think that if we're truly
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spiritual, we can do this on our own.
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Forget you, I can do this. You need me.
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Actually, you need me to pray for.
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You need me to quote, scripture to you.
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You need me to comfort. You, you need me to counsel you,
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okay? Is anybody in here more
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spiritual than Paul? I doubt it yet.
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Paul says in 2nd Corinthians 7 verse 6. he says but God who
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comforts the downcast comforted Us by the coming of Titus, I
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love that he says God comforted us how When we were down cast,
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he brought Titus on the scene. And so, if you and I need help
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to be humbled in our understanding of our need, one
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for one, another, let us understand it this way, Paul
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knew that when Titus came to comfort him, it was actually God
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who sent Titus. So my relationship to my
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brothers and sisters and my need for them is actually at the Ruth
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my need for God because the body of Christ is connected to the
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head and you being the Hands of Christ and you being the feet of
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Christ and you being the ears of Christ are actually an extension
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of who he is. So to say that I don't need use
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to say that, I don't need Christ.
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Paul knew that this man Titus Flesh and Blood, who came to
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comfort him was actually God, many people, pray God comfort.
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Me and a brother calls, and they still say, brought God come for
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me. God, I need you.
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And we come to church and somebody speaks a word of
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encouragement. And as though, we think that we
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need a specific Divine, showering of God's revelation
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upon our minds and hearts for us to experience that when it is
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God. Who uses others?
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To do that. To express that, touch our
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hearts. And so, the mentality of I don't
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need so-and-so. I don't need this.
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I don't need that because of the fear of seemingly to be less
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spiritual or dependent is false. Because to reject the bodies to
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ultimately reject the head. God comforted Us by the coming
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of Titus. Paul a prayer Warrior.
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An intercessor. One, who knew how to count all
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things with Joy, says in Romans 15:30, I appeal to you to the
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Romans. He goes, I beg you.
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I plead with you Brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ.
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And by the love of the spirit to strive together, with me, in
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your prayers, to God on my behalf.
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Paul, can you done it by yourself, aren't you spiritual?
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Can you have cried out to God by yourself?
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Now, I need the church in Rome to get together and rally in
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intercession for me. Because I realize that I'm in
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need of them. If we do not believe these
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things that we need to help others in the most practical
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ways. And that we need to be helped
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ourselves in every way. We are deceived.
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If Paul showed it surely, we can exemplify it as well.
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One proof that I am not walking a deception is that I believe
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those things about myself. then we come back to Galatians 6, and
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Paul takes a turn in his teaching, he says here in verse
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4, but let each one test his own work and then his reason to
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boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor.
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We thinking, what is he trying to say here?
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The danger of deception is so real.
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The danger of me telling myself something to be true when it is
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actually false can extend to a Paul is saying now, it could
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extend to the place in which, I believe, not only that, I am not
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in need of somebody else or that, I don't need to help
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somebody else in their fallen state or their broken state.
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It can go to the point where I believe listen to this, where my
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works are something. When in fact, they are nothing.
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Paul doesn't want to just now teach about how we are called to
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carry each other's. Loads here, me very carefully.
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He now wants to teach the importance of understanding that
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we each have a load to carry. Look at verse 5 for each will
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have to bear his own load, and so right now, the Holy Spirit
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wants to use this opportunity of talking about burden and
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responsibility to not just keep it at the other that I'm called
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to help carry their burden for know.
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Plus has check it out, listen very carefully.
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You realize that as much as your call to help somebody else, you
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yourself have a load to carry, right?
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That you have a responsibility that as much as your responsible
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for somebody else to certain degree, ultimately you.
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And that other person will be held accountable for how they
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live their lives. Will be held responsible and I
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want to touch on this pauses. I want to remind you that each
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of us has their own load to bear.
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Exception of me. Think that I'm someone when I
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actually nothing. We're all nothing.
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That's what Paul is trying to say, don't think you're someone,
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but that extent of, that deception can come to the place
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where it affects how I view my life, and how it is live for
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Christ. I can actually believe that my
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Works. My load, my responsibilities, my
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Ministry is something. When, in fact, it is nothing.
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Do you think about that? Can you imagine?
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Because here is a Christian doctrine that is stable that is
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pillar very carefully. We have to understand this, we
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know this most of us, maybe we don't, so let's rehearse it
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again. There is a day in which Jesus
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Christ will judge not the World by his People based on how they
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live their lives. We sang the beautiful songs
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about the cross about the Divine exchange about how he has given
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us salvation by faith solely based on his finished work.
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Praise God. But there is a judgment that
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will Upon something called our works.
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Each of us will be examined evaluated and ultimately judge
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based on how we live, this thing called the Christian walk, and
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what that will do is not determine whether we get to
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heaven or not, that's determined by Jesus Christ.
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What it is determining, though is how you and I will experience
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rewards in the next life. And what he's saying here in
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verse 4 is that I really want you to come to a place where you
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are living your life, to a degree and with Clarity.
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And with assurance that when you are being tested at the end of
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the day, you will rejoice. You will rejoice.
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None of us. I hope want to know the
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disappointment of coming before the Lord and in the end finding
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out as I stand before, the judge of the earth that my whole
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Christian Life was actually nothing when I thought it was
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something. And if this is going to produce
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any sense of fear or guilt, we have understood it wrong because
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there is no guilt or fear in Christ.
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We have salvation. We have eternal life.
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But again that does not negate the truth that we will be judged
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based on how we bear fruit. So Paul wants to assure that the
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load that you're carrying, which is your life.
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Is actually a value and is not brought down to dust when it is
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tested by fire. And if you and I want to know
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how we can make sure before that day, that our works and our life
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and our character, and our days spent on the earth will have
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some value. All we have to do is what he
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said in verse 4. Look at your Bibles and see what
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it says. He says here, but let each one
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test his own work. Just test it.
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So it's possible for me in this life to test my own work before
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it is ultimately brought to Christ who will ultimately test
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it and see if it actually has value.
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So that here's the biblical question that we can all.
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Ask remember Revelation comes from questions, asking the text
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questions, I'm reading this last night and I go but let each one
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test his own work. And here's the question I have,
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how do I test it? What questions do I ask my Works
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in order to know if they will pass the ultimate test before
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the judge of the Earth. How can I assure that?
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What I'm doing on a day-to-day basis is actually going to be
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pleasing to the master and I think there are three simple
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questions that you and I can ask, but before we get there, we
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have to determine this truth As Christians, we bear fruit, as
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Christians. We actually do something called
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works as Christians. We actually live out in a
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different way when we receive Christ.
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Do you know when Jesus came on the mission to die on the cross?
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It was not reduced to just simply redeeming us and bringing
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us to heaven, right? Him being nailed upon the tree
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that motive behind that is not simply wrapped up in this
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understanding that he's going to take us to a place in the
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future. It is true that he will do
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though, do that? But he is also having in mind
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that it will affect our present in the now I'm talking about the
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motive is not a byproduct. It is one of the motives than
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when Christ died that it would just go beyond Redemption and it
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would be practical in every sense of the word.
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Here's some scripture for that. Titus 2:14 Look at this verse
25:23
and realize the motive in which Jesus went to the cross and
25:27
maybe it will shock us more. And we thought who gave himself,
25:32
this is what the verse says, who gave himself for us to.
25:37
So, here's the reason who gave himself for us to do what redeem
25:42
us from all lawlessness. Let's sing about it to redeem us
25:45
from all lawlessness. Absolutely.
25:47
Not just that, though, to purify for himself, a people for his
25:50
own possession, or we know that he's going to call us his own.
25:53
He's going to take us home one day but it doesn't stop there.
25:58
Who are zealous for? Good works.
26:02
So he gave himself up for us to do.
26:04
What redeem us purify us and not just that make us a people that
26:09
are bubbling with Zeal to do. Good works.
26:13
That is a result of salvation. That now, your whole life is
26:17
centered the planning of your future.
26:21
How you view your outlook on your day-to-day is centered
26:25
around this truth, I long to serve him.
26:28
I long to do things for him. I long to walk like him Works.
26:32
Can I just simply be reduced to just doing Ministry.
26:35
It's also manifested in character character that are
26:38
ultimately manifested in Deeds. Yes, but it encompasses all of
26:43
that. See if you don't have a Zeal to
26:45
serve Christ, if you don't have a longing to walk in his ways,
26:49
if there's not a reprioritizing to how you You your day-to-day.
26:52
We have to understand that. I know true redemption in my
26:55
heart. Are there Seasons where there's
26:59
some more zealous times than others.
27:00
Absolutely. That's why there's exhortations
27:02
to be zealous. But you know, when you got saved
27:06
that, there is this Breath of Life that came into you, to say,
27:09
I long to do things for him, from this moment on with the
27:11
rest of my life. I love that because many people
27:14
that I've met, especially guys, when they first get saved, they
27:16
everybody thinks they're going to be a preacher.
27:19
Isn't that true? You talk to anybody that saved
27:21
up to the first two months? In the like, I'm called to
27:23
Ministry? And in four months, I was like,
27:25
I don't know about that. No, I think I'm gonna stick with
27:27
my career here, and that's not necessarily a bad thing, because
27:31
you see a desire to serve God in that there's this.
27:34
This is new beat in the heart, to say, I long to just live for
27:37
him. But that being establish, how do
27:42
I know now? If my works are going to be
27:45
something in which Christ will smile over and reward?
27:49
Very simple, it's not complicated.
27:50
I praise God. That it's not complicated.
27:53
Number one, here's a simple question to ask is my life,
27:57
being measured, according to God's word.
28:01
Am I measuring my life? According to God's word, look
28:04
what he says here in the second part of verse 4.
28:07
And then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not
28:12
in his neighbor. The reason for your joy will be
28:17
in your personal relationship with God and not in how you
28:21
compare yourself to your neighbor.
28:24
Unfortunately a lot of people have based their faithfulness to
28:28
God on how they see other believers and how they live
28:33
Faithfully for God. So many people try to soothe
28:36
their own conscience through comparison Without even
28:42
realizing they're doing it. And listen, if you, and I
28:46
compare our walk with the Lord, and the measuring the standard
28:49
in which we live for him, based on his how somebody else is
28:51
doing it. The Bible calls that unwise You
28:57
don't have to turn there, but let me read this verse To You,
28:59
Paul criticizes, these false teachers and second Corinthians
29:02
because they were doing. Just that in second, Corinthians
29:05
10:12, listen to this. And the second party says, but
29:09
when they measure themselves by one, another, and compare
29:11
themselves with one another, they are without understanding.
29:16
The King James, I believe it says they are unwise.
29:19
To look at my life and to compare it to somebody else's as
29:22
the measure of my faithfulness. To theirs is actually a person
29:25
who is walking with a failure of understanding.
29:29
What this is all about. So what is the wise thing to do?
29:33
Listen, the scriptures are the standard you continually come to
29:37
the word of God. And you see how the word of God
29:39
describes my speech, my axe, my thoughts, my ambitions, my
29:44
Pursuits, and you stay there because this is what you and I
29:47
are going to be judged by at the end of the road.
29:50
It's not going to be how so-and-so did it or how your
29:52
leader even Did It. Ultimately it's going to come to
29:55
this place. Does the word of God stated and
29:58
I've heard some people even make remarks like this.
30:01
Well, So and so doesn't do it and they're a Christian, so it's
30:06
not a big deal if I don't do it. Well sister.
30:09
So and so talks like that and she dresses like that and she
30:13
goes to those kind of places. So what's the big deal?
30:15
If she calls herself a Christian she posted on Instagram reverse,
30:18
their numbers, their what's the big deal?
30:20
If I do it? Here's the problem, brother
30:24
so-and-so and sister. So and so is not the standard
30:27
Jesus. And so sometimes we can soothe
30:32
ourselves by saying the majority of Christians don't do it like
30:36
that so why do I need to do it? The Bible says hmm you are
30:41
actually not going by the curriculum so to speak.
30:44
You're not looking at what the word of God States and when you
30:48
come to facing him, he's going to bring this up and didn't
30:53
measure up to that. And the context here is that a
30:58
person might find joy in their walk with the Lord when they see
31:02
somebody else failing, right? This context speaks about
31:06
somebody who's fallen and some people can make the mistake to
31:10
say, look, he felt I didn't fall.
31:12
Praise God, more points for me, less points for them.
31:16
I'm more spiritual when you put a side-by-side.
31:19
Listen, if we all want to be humbled in this place and if we
31:21
all really want to walk and true spirituality, forget the person
31:23
who fails, forget the person who's inconsistent, forget the
31:26
person that preaches. One thing in this in practice
31:28
line yourself up beside the perfect man Christ, Jesus.
31:32
That is the standard to which you and I will be judged.
31:38
Have you ever wondered what were the final words of Jesus in The
31:40
Book of John? In that chapter, I love that
31:45
chapter 21. Peter is restored, and when
31:47
Peters restored Jesus prophesized him how he's going
31:50
to die. And as they're walking away,
31:53
Peter looks and he sees John the disciple and he goes, as he's
31:56
looking to goes, hey, Jesus what about him?
31:58
He told me how I'm gonna die. What about him?
32:00
What's going to happen with his life?
32:03
so many Christians are like that their eyes are off of Jesus in
32:06
the looking at John, And Jesus turns around as he staring at
32:12
John and these are some of the final words Jesus gives the
32:15
Peter in the whole book of John. Jesus said to him, it is my
32:18
will. If it is, my will that he remain
32:20
until I come. What is that to you?
32:21
Hear the words you follow me. Stop worrying about how I'm
32:29
going to lead somebody else. Stop wearing a Bahama to use
32:32
somebody else. Stop worrying about somebody
32:33
else's failures and their inconsistency.
32:35
All you need to do is follow me. That's your job.
32:41
You'd be amazed to know how many people are measuring their
32:43
faithfulness based on the faithfulness of others, or the
32:46
faithlessness of others. See, if you and I go there, we
32:49
put ourselves in danger into extremes.
32:51
One of the extremes is that we will find ourselves in extreme
32:54
legalistic rituals and recommend.
32:56
And rehearsing because why? Because a person here has come
33:00
to a place where they've taken the word of God beyond the
33:02
measure in this, and the standard that it is set and you
33:05
have people that are thinking that they are spiritual, when
33:07
they have placed tradition above, the word of God.
33:10
And the second issue is, if I continue to compare myself, I
33:14
can now follow someone's faithlessness who has little to
33:16
no, understanding of true biblical Holiness.
33:18
So just stick to the book. Is my life measured by the word
33:23
of God or by somebody else's walk with the Lord.
33:29
Secondly, it's not about now. Questioning other works.
33:36
But questioning my Works in terms of motive.
33:41
Turn your Bibles to First Corinthians 4.
33:44
And see what Paul says in verse 3.
33:49
The first question is, am I measuring my life according to
33:52
God's word, and secondly, am I motivated to live a certain way?
33:58
With the wrong purpose. First Corinthians 4 and 3.
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Look what Paul says, but with me it is a very small thing that I
34:08
should be judged by you. Or by any human Court.
34:12
In fact, I don't even judge myself.
34:14
You go to verse 5, therefore do not pronounce judgment before
34:18
the time before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the
34:22
things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes
34:26
of the heart. Then each one will receive his
34:29
Commendation from God. The test of our works will not
34:34
just be in quantity but will be in the quality in terms of the
34:39
reason why we're doing it, it's not just the action that Jesus
34:42
is looking for. It will be the motive.
34:44
Paul says, it here that there's a day in which the light will be
34:47
so bright that what's going to show?
34:49
Not just my Deeds, but the purposes of the heart will come
34:54
forth before him. So that's another terrifying
34:58
thing. I mean, you can have a person
34:59
who has a worldwide Ministry and they did it all for the wrong
35:02
reason. And when it comes to the
35:03
Judgment seat, he'll come down to nothing because they did it
35:06
for what for self-glory for money.
35:10
Oh, do you know how many people are Ministry for money?
35:15
They might have started out well but then the Love of Money took
35:18
root in their hearts and now their invitations and now
35:21
they're speaking and other worshipping for what the check
35:25
at the end of the meeting. The praise of, man.
35:32
Wanting to be wanted. Etc.
35:35
Etc. Etc.
35:37
Christ, at the end of the day is going to look at the purposes of
35:40
the heart and part of the battle of this is that we want to do it
35:46
for God's praise, but God's praise is not shown right away
35:48
in the moment, God's Commendation is not express.
35:52
Every time we come to church and we serve wouldn't that be nice
35:56
if he told us. Great job.
35:57
Wonderful. You're a faithful servant.
35:59
Well done. His Commendation of Reserve is
36:02
reserved for a specific day to come, but that does not mean he
36:07
is not currently observant. And the reason why people fish
36:12
for the praise of man, is because it provides immediate
36:15
satisfaction you're stroking. My ego now, you're feeling my
36:20
heart now. And what Paul saying is, there's
36:25
a day in which one person's praise will be louder than
36:29
anybody else's will have more weight and significance than the
36:33
person that you esteem to impress the most The beginning
36:42
of verse 3, look. But with me it is a very small
36:49
thing. That I should be judged by you.
36:52
Do you see that? It's a very small thing.
37:01
Of what you think about me. That's it.
37:07
Is it a small thing or is it a big thing?
37:11
DePaul little no significance for that matter.
37:15
I'm not concerned if you judge me or for human courts.
37:18
Judge, I know this one thing that there's a day coming in
37:21
which God will validate my Ministry.
37:24
God will put a ribbon so to speak on my efforts and my Works
37:27
in my life. So Corinthians, measure me up to
37:30
these false teachers Corinthians.
37:32
You can line me up to any other person.
37:34
You don't think I'm a good speaker.
37:36
That's fine. You think that I'm a better
37:38
writer than I do and that's okay.
37:40
If you're not impressed with this, you're not impressed with
37:42
my looks, you're not impressing my eloquence, that's totally.
37:45
Alright, what you say is very small to me, but what God says
37:51
is everything and that's what I'm ultimately living for.
37:55
So, here's a very practical thing if you and I want to test
37:58
our works, Paul says it in one simple, verse in a specific
38:01
context of First Corinthians 11 31, he goes.
38:04
But if we had judged ourselves, we ourselves would not be
38:08
judged. He's saying that in light of
38:11
approaching the Lord's table, he goes, examine your heart before
38:14
you come and partake of communion.
38:16
Lest you be judged by coming flippantly to this holy
38:20
ordinance. And I think that's a principle
38:22
not just for the Lord's table, but for everything.
38:24
If I had judged myself before performing something or before
38:29
doing something or continually evaluating my day-to-day life, I
38:33
would not be judged. It's as simple as that.
38:35
All the Lord is asking you and I to do is to look into our hearts
38:38
and say, why am I really doing this?
38:40
Why am I really talking, like this?
38:42
Why am I really serving in this way?
38:43
Why am I displaying myself in such a manner?
38:49
And if we judge ourselves, And see those things in our hearts
38:53
that are not truly for God's glory of God's praise.
38:56
You know. Awesome.
38:56
God has you and I can come into a place in which we open our
38:59
hearts before him with those motivations.
39:01
And God says, thank you for coming to me and I let me wash
39:04
your feet. Let me sanctify your motives and
39:08
let me sanctify your hard. Let me sanctify your mind.
39:13
It's going to be a struggle, but bring it before the Lord and let
39:16
him wash it. And guess what?
39:17
He does not just washes it. He builds in you, he builds
39:21
within you. A concrete desire, more and more
39:27
as the days go by to realize, it's simply for him, it's simply
39:31
for him. Am I measuring my life?
39:35
According to God's word? Am I motivated to live in a
39:37
certain way? But with the wrong motive,
39:43
Lastly. And my set on living
39:46
consistently in Good Works. Here's our last scripture Titus
39:51
Chapter 3 Verse 8, Look up. Paul says here.
39:58
Titus 3 and 8. The saying is trustworthy and I
40:03
want you to insist on these things.
40:05
He's talking to a pastor named Titus, he's saying Titus, when
40:08
you preach, can you bring this up a lot?
40:11
I want you to bring this up a lot in your sermons.
40:13
I want you to insist, I want you to hammer this point for your
40:17
people to hear. What are we supposed to insist
40:19
on that? Those who have believed in God,
40:22
may be careful to devote themselves to Good Works. so,
40:29
Pastor tea, Could you make sure that your congregation
40:34
continually hears from your mouth through the word of God?
40:38
That if they've chosen to believe in God that they have
40:41
the responsibility to be careful to make sure that not just in
40:45
one season but in all seasons I am swimming in.
40:49
Good Works. Why would he have to give that
40:52
instruction? Because we can have a season of
40:55
that and then offer sudden lose it, walk away from it and what
41:00
we can do is that our works were there and then for a good
41:05
portion of Our Lives Are not there.
41:08
And when it comes to our works being tested, there was so much
41:11
that God wanted us to do. There was so much that God
41:14
wanted us to develop in. There's so much gifting that God
41:16
wanted us to mature it. But because we've not been
41:19
careful to give ourselves to these things.
41:22
The measure of our reward will not be as great.
41:25
I must be careful. I must watch my life.
41:27
Listen, because you and I both know this.
41:32
That when we come to the Lord, It's All About the Lord.
41:35
My life is rearranged, but that can start in such a way but not
41:40
finish it. So he says, keep a watch on
41:43
yourself in All Seasons. Some of you in here, you're in
41:45
different seasons than others and that requires you to, maybe
41:48
pull back a little bit more, but that doesn't mean that you don't
41:52
in your mind. Still give God what you can give
41:56
him and plan for the future. I love when I meet a Christian
42:00
couple, that has a young family. I love when I hear from a
42:03
husband and a wife that they are planning where to live, they're
42:06
planning their jobs, everything around, how they're going to
42:09
solve serve the local church. How are we going to serve God as
42:12
a family? How are we going to give him?
42:13
What we can give him? And so marriage.
42:16
Didn't change that. Children didn't change that new
42:20
job. Didn't change.
42:21
That We must be careful because Seasons come and go and they
42:25
require different timing and different energy and different
42:29
Focus. That's fine.
42:30
And God is so gracious. But in my life, may everything
42:33
be planned and surrounded around how I can serve him with the
42:36
gift things that he has given me.
42:38
Why? Look what he says, these things
42:40
are excellent and profitable for people.
42:45
Because the reason why I want you to be careful is because
42:47
there's so much benefit for people, which people number one,
42:50
for the very ones that are doing The Works.
42:53
Can we all testify in this place that the greatest joy and the
42:57
greatest sense of purpose and the greatest sense of excitement
43:00
is when you and I know we're serving God, there's nothing
43:03
that can compare to that when you and I are doing something
43:06
with the knowledge that it's advancing, the kingdom of God
43:08
with a certain degree, that is excellent to us and it is
43:12
profitable for our own souls and for our own Lines of her own
43:15
sense of being and not just for me.
43:18
But for others who are receiving the works that I am giving it's
43:23
a process, you will fail to see that sometimes you fail to see
43:27
how it is profitable, and excellent for both yourself and
43:30
for others. So be careful and determined
43:32
that I am willing to be consistent in this thing walking
43:35
out with the Lord day by day, my character, and my Ministry.
43:40
So, that I have a full platter of fruit to give him at the end
43:43
of the road. Let each one test his own work
43:48
because we will all have a burden to bear for ourselves and
43:51
in the end, bring to the Lord himself.
43:55
And if you, and I simply asked those questions throughout our
43:58
lives, we can make sure that when we stand before him, he
44:01
will look at us and say you bore it.
44:03
Well, well done, you didn't compare yourself.
44:08
You stay to the word the motives, when I bit into that
44:12
fruit because sometimes people have fruit and outside, it looks
44:14
well. But when you bite into that
44:15
peach, it's all black and rotten inside.
44:17
He goes, no, but I see your motives and it was for my glory.
44:21
And lastly, you came with a lifelong?
44:27
Servanthood. And fruit.
44:32
You didn't give up, you didn't turn aside, you didn't have it
44:35
for a season and for most of the rest of your life, you walked
44:38
away from it. It's all here.
44:40
You finished. Well, that's it.
44:44
And the way you and I will be reward will blow our minds based
44:47
on our faithfulness, it'll be amazing.
44:51
Now, Paul is about to go into some more practical, teaching
44:54
concerning this law. Not just the law of bearing.
44:58
One another's burdens, but the law of sowing and reaping, it's
45:01
a law. Just like gravity is a law.
45:03
What I put into something, I will eventually reap, but that's
45:07
for another message for another time.
45:09
Let's pray Lord. In this moment, we choose to
45:14
test their own works. And the floor.
45:19
We've been looking at another disciple rather than looking, at
45:22
you, forgive us and Lord, if we've been doing something for a
45:27
long period of time for the wrong reason, forgive us.
45:31
And Lord if we've lost our Zeal for good works and I've kind of
45:34
walked away from the ambition and the pursuit of serving you
45:37
with our lives, forgive us. Wash your feet again.
45:45
And we pray and ask that you would receive our works as
45:48
something that would be fragrant that our lives would be an
45:51
incense unto you. And Lord help us hear the words
45:55
that you gave at the end of The Book of John, you, follow me.