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[Music]

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well good morning again friends this is

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pastor david packer from international

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baptist church in stuttgart germany

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and we are going through the seven

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letters of seven churches today

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we are looking at the letter to the

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church in bhutira

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or thyatira or theater you can choose

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whichever way you want to pronounce this

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name of this church but is the second

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chapter of revelation

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verses 18 down to the end of the chapter

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we're going to read our text in just a

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minute and go through it bit by bit

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as we have the other text we're looking

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at how christ describes himself

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how he evaluates the church and then the

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overcomer how those people in this

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situation

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can overcome as we mentioned throughout

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this series this is seven letters to

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seven churches and this number seven

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indicates the the complete picture of

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the churches throughout the church

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age this is from the day of pentecost

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until the return of christ and we are in

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the church age today

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sometimes people looked at this as

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though it's a panoramic view

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of church history and this would be the

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era of the terror this is from the

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uh from about 600 a.d to the reformation

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leading up to the reformation and

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sometimes we call that the dark ages

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it wasn't all dark there were some good

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things that happened

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during that time but we see that what

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this text is dealing with

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is the issue of moral compromise

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last week we looked at doctrinal

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compromise and this week we're looking

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at

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moral compromise actually the two go

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hand in hand

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when we compromise doctrinally we will

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also compromise

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morally now let me just give a general

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introduction

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into this issue of morality or

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philosophies

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of morality throughout the centuries

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there have been

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endless a number of people that have

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come up with some philosophy

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of morality someone just mentioned a few

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of those and maybe you have

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you could be familiar with or you may

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have heard about now first of all there

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is the biblical position

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biblical law what does the bible say we

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should obey it

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but there's also uh there's comptia this

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is from emmanuel

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kant a categorical imperative

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that is his idea that there is an

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absolute requirement

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that must be obeyed in all circumstances

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it's very similar

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to biblical law in fact many have many

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have identified

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what kant taught is very similar if not

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identical to biblical law that is there

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is a moral

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absolute and we must obey that moral

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absolute

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but then we see there are many other

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ideologies that have come

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on on this day in this age many are

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familiar with situational

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ethics and we'll get to that in just a

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minute

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but uh there's also this idea of

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utilitarianism

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utilitarianism is used by many of the

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communist states

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and this is the moral concept that means

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the right thing to do is whatever would

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bring the greatest good

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to the greatest number of course you can

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see that's a slippery slope because who

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is determined who is to determine what's

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the greatest good

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for the greatest number that has led to

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abuse of power and sometimes even

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genocides against other people and then

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there's consequentialism

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proportionalism proportionalism has this

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idea it is never right to go against a

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principle

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unless there's a proportionate reason

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that would justify it again a very

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slippery slope

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in other words you should always obey

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your principles except when you

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shouldn't

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and who's to say what's right or wrong

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it's the moral relativism that we're

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seeing in the

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modern philosophies in the last few

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centuries

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now when it comes to situation ethics

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situation simply says

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it depends on the situation what's right

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and wrong

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it entirely depends on the situation

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many

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christians have taken up situation

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ethics and

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and they said that the guiding principle

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should be

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love or agape love that should be the

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guiding principle

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if you intend to love someone and care

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for them then that's all that matters

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and

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how you do that is immaterial but it has

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set up

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many very confusing and immoral

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scenarios

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for example joseph fletcher is one of

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those who

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promoted this teaching he is often

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called the father of

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situation ethics but he was a he was an

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episcopal priest he was born in 1905

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died in 1991 later he became an atheist

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even

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but he had this idea that even even

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agape love could also justify abortion

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uh killing of infants or infanticide

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euthanasia

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all of these things could be justified

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if the situation

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right on the argument of this is an

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expression

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of love um hell yeah a very slippery

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slope

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well we see in the bible there are moral

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absolutes there's things that are always

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wrong and

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god gave us the ten commandments in

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order to guide us and us we would know

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what we are to do and and trust him in

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all circumstances

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it's not a matter if i just mean well

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that it's okay

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rather i should do what is right and

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take the bible at face value and obey it

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there are going to be situations where

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it depends on what's right or wrong i

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mean

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always you have those situations in life

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uh

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but it's we are to be guided by god's

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moral principles see god calls us to be

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holy

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in the old testament and in the new

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testament this is a consistent message

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that we are not merely to believe in god

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and believe in grace and then do

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whatever we want

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often grace is used as an excuse for

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immoral and irresponsible living but

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grace

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receiving god's grace should lead us to

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live

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holy and pure lies for his glory

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that's what it means to receive grace

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means to live for him

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in the old testament in the sermon on

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the mount in the writings of the

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apostles we see this principle

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god says be holy just as i am holy

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that's our standard jesus christ his

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holiness and we're to maintain that

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at all times now let's look at our text

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we're in the second

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chapter and we're in the letter to the

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church and through it here with verse

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18.

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to the angel of the church in etira

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write

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these are the words of the son of god

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whose eyes are like

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blazing fire and whose feet are like

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burnished

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bronze let's stop there just for a

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second christ describes himself

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as the holy one his eyes like flaming

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fire

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blazing fire this has the idea of a

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purifying

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gaze um fire is associated with

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purifying

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in the new in the bible the new

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testament and it was the idea of

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fire burning up that which was impure

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and it has the idea that his gaze

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through his word by his spirit he looks

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into our soul

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convicts us of sin and he he

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leads us to repentance and to receiving

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his forgiveness receiving his cleansing

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that's what

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he desires us to do first john 1 9-10 if

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we confess our sins

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god is faithful and just will forgive us

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our sins and cleanse us from

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all unrighteousness if we say we have

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not sinned we make him out to be a liar

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and his word has no place in our hearts

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so we are to listen to his voice confess

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our sins

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and receive the forgiveness his eyes

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are like a blazing fire that penetrates

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into our hearts and our souls

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but then the next statement about his

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feet are like burnished

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bronze again that's apocalyptic language

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that is a symbol of stability means he

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knows where he stands

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he's not going to change he's not going

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to change his doctrine his teaching

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nor his moral absolutes he knows where

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he stands

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and he will not change he's not a god

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that changes like

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like shifting shadows he is steady he is

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consistent

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in his character in his standard and his

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holiness

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well this is a wonderful statement about

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who christ is for

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us and as his followers we should simply

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seek to obey him

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and follow him years ago after i came as

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pastor here at the church we adopted new

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constitution and in that constitution

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have a

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a church covenant it's one of the most

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common

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church covenants among baptists

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throughout the world

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but in that standard of morality it

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simply

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described the character of christ what

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are we to do

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how are we to act and

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when we're going through the process of

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looking at it one of the members of the

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church came to me

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and said this standard is too high no

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one can do that

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and i responded well that's the standard

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of the bible that's the standard of

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jesus christ

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we must maintain this standard surely

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we're going to fail

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and we need to come to him confess our

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sins receive his forgiveness but we

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must maintain this standard we can't put

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a standard sound

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my goal is to be not so bad no god's

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standard

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is holiness and that is what we must do

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well they didn't like my answer they

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eventually left the church

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but that's the biblical requirement we

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must aim

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for holiness and aim to be all we can be

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for god by his spirit by the guidance of

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his word with the encouragement of our

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brothers and sisters in christ but still

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that's the standard now let's look and

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see the evaluation of christ of this

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church

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00:09:59,440 --> 00:10:03,200
through a terror he says i know your

289
00:10:01,759 --> 00:10:05,679
deeds your love

290
00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:07,278
and faith your service and perseverance

291
00:10:05,679 --> 00:10:09,838
and that you are doing

292
00:10:07,278 --> 00:10:11,439
uh that you are now doing more than you

293
00:10:09,839 --> 00:10:13,120
did at first well

294
00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:15,200
that was a good statement they had

295
00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:16,399
persevered in service they had actually

296
00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:18,320
grown

297
00:10:16,399 --> 00:10:19,919
in their christian activity they were

298
00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:21,680
doing more

299
00:10:19,919 --> 00:10:23,919
uh they had grown they didn't say we're

300
00:10:21,679 --> 00:10:25,679
going to do less we're going to do more

301
00:10:23,919 --> 00:10:28,399
and that's a great ambition for any

302
00:10:25,679 --> 00:10:31,359
christian and any church to continue

303
00:10:28,399 --> 00:10:31,679
to grow in service some churches and

304
00:10:31,360 --> 00:10:33,919
some

305
00:10:31,679 --> 00:10:36,239
christians become content and they say

306
00:10:33,919 --> 00:10:37,919
i'm doing all i want to do and that's

307
00:10:36,240 --> 00:10:40,799
all i'm going to ever do

308
00:10:37,919 --> 00:10:42,078
but every christian every church should

309
00:10:40,799 --> 00:10:44,799
seek to do more

310
00:10:42,078 --> 00:10:46,479
every year seek to do more seek to grow

311
00:10:44,799 --> 00:10:48,399
seek to reach more people

312
00:10:46,480 --> 00:10:50,079
and never be content with saying we're

313
00:10:48,399 --> 00:10:52,879
just going to stop right here

314
00:10:50,078 --> 00:10:54,958
we need to continue to grow continue to

315
00:10:52,879 --> 00:10:57,039
share the gospel continue

316
00:10:54,958 --> 00:10:58,078
to love one another continue to seek to

317
00:10:57,039 --> 00:11:00,559
grow in our

318
00:10:58,078 --> 00:11:01,679
knowledge and our wisdom in our maturity

319
00:11:00,559 --> 00:11:05,039
in our faith

320
00:11:01,679 --> 00:11:06,399
in our giving in our numbers continue to

321
00:11:05,039 --> 00:11:10,000
grow

322
00:11:06,399 --> 00:11:12,480
each year become more and more in christ

323
00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:13,120
but then he says this nevertheless i

324
00:11:12,480 --> 00:11:15,680
have this

325
00:11:13,120 --> 00:11:17,440
against you he has something that's a

326
00:11:15,679 --> 00:11:19,439
problem with the church and this is this

327
00:11:17,440 --> 00:11:21,920
issue of moral compromise

328
00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:23,839
you tolerate that woman jezebel who

329
00:11:21,919 --> 00:11:26,240
calls herself a prophetess

330
00:11:23,839 --> 00:11:28,560
by her teaching she misleads my servants

331
00:11:26,240 --> 00:11:30,639
into sexual immorality and the eating of

332
00:11:28,559 --> 00:11:32,719
food sacrificed to idols

333
00:11:30,639 --> 00:11:34,319
i've given her time to repent of her

334
00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:36,879
immorality but she is

335
00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:38,560
unwilling so i will cast her on a bed of

336
00:11:36,879 --> 00:11:40,399
suffering and i will make those who

337
00:11:38,559 --> 00:11:41,679
commit adultery with her suffer

338
00:11:40,399 --> 00:11:45,120
intensely

339
00:11:41,679 --> 00:11:48,078
unless they repent of her ways

340
00:11:45,120 --> 00:11:50,078
well this is a statement of moral

341
00:11:48,078 --> 00:11:53,359
failings of the church

342
00:11:50,078 --> 00:11:55,519
the the doctrinal failings also

343
00:11:53,360 --> 00:11:58,000
lead to moral failings but here in this

344
00:11:55,519 --> 00:12:00,799
situation the moral failings

345
00:11:58,000 --> 00:12:02,720
come first that the church had failed

346
00:12:00,799 --> 00:12:04,559
and he knew they had failed now

347
00:12:02,720 --> 00:12:05,920
if we look at it historically from

348
00:12:04,559 --> 00:12:08,399
historical picture

349
00:12:05,919 --> 00:12:10,559
we're going to say this is the church

350
00:12:08,399 --> 00:12:11,440
during the dark ages leading up to the

351
00:12:10,559 --> 00:12:14,719
reformation

352
00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:15,519
and we can see there were terrible moral

353
00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:18,240
failings

354
00:12:15,519 --> 00:12:20,560
during those years in fact in many times

355
00:12:18,240 --> 00:12:22,959
uh the church was led by people who

356
00:12:20,559 --> 00:12:26,479
really had no faith themselves

357
00:12:22,958 --> 00:12:27,039
it was not uncommon to hear cardinals

358
00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:29,839
and even

359
00:12:27,039 --> 00:12:30,480
popes and and bishops to say such things

360
00:12:29,839 --> 00:12:33,279
as how

361
00:12:30,480 --> 00:12:34,720
profitable is the myth of jesus of

362
00:12:33,278 --> 00:12:36,159
nazareth they didn't even believe

363
00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:38,720
themselves

364
00:12:36,159 --> 00:12:41,120
but they made a lot of money in wearing

365
00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:42,800
these wonderfully beautiful ropes and

366
00:12:41,120 --> 00:12:45,278
holding positions and

367
00:12:42,799 --> 00:12:46,799
leading in the exercise of the rituals

368
00:12:45,278 --> 00:12:48,480
of the church

369
00:12:46,799 --> 00:12:50,559
but they had no faith themselves and

370
00:12:48,480 --> 00:12:54,079
this is a great tragedy

371
00:12:50,559 --> 00:12:55,039
now there were pockets of very devout

372
00:12:54,078 --> 00:12:57,439
faith

373
00:12:55,039 --> 00:12:58,240
we see many of the devotional writings

374
00:12:57,440 --> 00:13:00,880
of the church

375
00:12:58,240 --> 00:13:01,759
are very inspiring even to this day that

376
00:13:00,879 --> 00:13:03,278
came out of that

377
00:13:01,759 --> 00:13:05,039
period we will go on to all the

378
00:13:03,278 --> 00:13:06,078
theologians or all the devotional

379
00:13:05,039 --> 00:13:09,599
writings but let me mention

380
00:13:06,078 --> 00:13:12,078
just one thomas a campus he lived around

381
00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:15,360
duesberg and dusseldorf in that area

382
00:13:12,078 --> 00:13:16,319
he was actually ethnically he was dutch

383
00:13:15,360 --> 00:13:19,200
not german

384
00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:20,000
but he wrote this wonderful book the

385
00:13:19,200 --> 00:13:22,000
imitation of

386
00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:24,399
christ and it's still being used today

387
00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:27,360
one of the most widely read books

388
00:13:24,399 --> 00:13:29,120
in all the all the world so we see

389
00:13:27,360 --> 00:13:31,039
others coming out of that martin luther

390
00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:33,039
for example philip lincoln

391
00:13:31,039 --> 00:13:35,199
they came out of that we're going to

392
00:13:33,039 --> 00:13:37,838
look next week at the reformation

393
00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:39,040
but also john wycliffe and john hoos we

394
00:13:37,839 --> 00:13:42,320
see some great

395
00:13:39,039 --> 00:13:45,519
bright lights of faith and devotion

396
00:13:42,320 --> 00:13:46,800
during that time but still the church as

397
00:13:45,519 --> 00:13:49,839
a whole

398
00:13:46,799 --> 00:13:53,599
was a an apostate church

399
00:13:49,839 --> 00:13:56,720
not believing and uh not living

400
00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:57,440
the faith now he mentions this bed of

401
00:13:56,720 --> 00:14:00,160
suffering

402
00:13:57,440 --> 00:14:00,800
and we don't know all that that means

403
00:14:00,159 --> 00:14:03,039
but

404
00:14:00,799 --> 00:14:03,838
as we mentioned over the last few weeks

405
00:14:03,039 --> 00:14:06,559
sin

406
00:14:03,839 --> 00:14:08,480
leads to consequences and if we are

407
00:14:06,559 --> 00:14:11,599
going to be immoral especially

408
00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:12,159
in the area of sexual immorality there

409
00:14:11,600 --> 00:14:15,040
are very

410
00:14:12,159 --> 00:14:17,278
likely going to be diseases that will

411
00:14:15,039 --> 00:14:19,919
contract and we will spread

412
00:14:17,278 --> 00:14:22,000
so he's warning them he says don't do

413
00:14:19,919 --> 00:14:24,240
that because that's not how i created

414
00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:24,879
the world i created the world so one man

415
00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:26,799
would be

416
00:14:24,879 --> 00:14:29,439
married to one woman and they would be

417
00:14:26,799 --> 00:14:32,479
faithful one another their entire lives

418
00:14:29,440 --> 00:14:34,720
and when you are sexually immoral it

419
00:14:32,480 --> 00:14:37,440
will not work out well for you

420
00:14:34,720 --> 00:14:39,440
or for the world we're also aware that

421
00:14:37,440 --> 00:14:41,680
the bubonic plague or the black death

422
00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:43,920
came into church at that time in fact

423
00:14:41,679 --> 00:14:45,679
we see that was a turning point in the

424
00:14:43,919 --> 00:14:48,799
church because

425
00:14:45,679 --> 00:14:50,559
to deal with the crisis of people dying

426
00:14:48,799 --> 00:14:52,879
they had to deal with this issue of

427
00:14:50,559 --> 00:14:54,479
death in the christian context and many

428
00:14:52,879 --> 00:14:57,439
of the priests died

429
00:14:54,480 --> 00:14:59,278
others were unwilling to to offer last

430
00:14:57,440 --> 00:15:01,839
rites to a dying soul

431
00:14:59,278 --> 00:15:03,679
so the catholic church actually made

432
00:15:01,839 --> 00:15:05,680
this provision they said you know if you

433
00:15:03,679 --> 00:15:06,399
don't have a priest if you'll simply

434
00:15:05,679 --> 00:15:09,439
confess

435
00:15:06,399 --> 00:15:10,078
christ you'll still be saved and that

436
00:15:09,440 --> 00:15:12,160
was a

437
00:15:10,078 --> 00:15:13,519
precursor to the reformation because

438
00:15:12,159 --> 00:15:15,838
then they began thinking

439
00:15:13,519 --> 00:15:16,560
now wait a minute if the church can do

440
00:15:15,839 --> 00:15:19,519
that

441
00:15:16,559 --> 00:15:21,679
during a crisis why can't it do that at

442
00:15:19,519 --> 00:15:24,560
other times and what is the truth

443
00:15:21,679 --> 00:15:26,879
the bible was hidden from the people so

444
00:15:24,559 --> 00:15:28,879
it's a time of moral compromise and

445
00:15:26,879 --> 00:15:30,958
moral bankruptcy in the church

446
00:15:28,879 --> 00:15:33,919
although there were pockets of great

447
00:15:30,958 --> 00:15:36,399
light there was a lot of darkness

448
00:15:33,919 --> 00:15:37,039
now for us today though we also live in

449
00:15:36,399 --> 00:15:39,519
a time

450
00:15:37,039 --> 00:15:40,078
where many people even though they call

451
00:15:39,519 --> 00:15:43,039
themselves

452
00:15:40,078 --> 00:15:44,879
christian compromise their faith we see

453
00:15:43,039 --> 00:15:45,919
the acceptance of some things very

454
00:15:44,879 --> 00:15:48,720
clearly taught

455
00:15:45,919 --> 00:15:50,159
against in the bible uh homosexuality

456
00:15:48,720 --> 00:15:52,800
for example

457
00:15:50,159 --> 00:15:54,480
to have homosexual desires they may come

458
00:15:52,799 --> 00:15:54,879
from different sources and that can be a

459
00:15:54,480 --> 00:15:56,800
very

460
00:15:54,879 --> 00:15:58,639
complicated development in someone's

461
00:15:56,799 --> 00:16:01,679
life but the bible

462
00:15:58,639 --> 00:16:03,198
clearly says that homosexual behavior is

463
00:16:01,679 --> 00:16:05,679
not the will of god

464
00:16:03,198 --> 00:16:07,919
and we can expect god to give us

465
00:16:05,679 --> 00:16:10,000
strength and grace

466
00:16:07,919 --> 00:16:11,360
and to be able to overcome all those

467
00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:13,519
desires

468
00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:15,600
i spoke with the walk with a man years

469
00:16:13,519 --> 00:16:19,039
ago who was not homosexual

470
00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:20,000
at all he was heterosexual and he

471
00:16:19,039 --> 00:16:23,360
thought that

472
00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:25,120
he just to had to have sex with with uh

473
00:16:23,360 --> 00:16:25,919
with women he just said i've got to do

474
00:16:25,120 --> 00:16:28,879
this and he

475
00:16:25,919 --> 00:16:30,639
he says because of my nature and he

476
00:16:28,879 --> 00:16:32,399
claimed to be a christian

477
00:16:30,639 --> 00:16:34,159
you know i prayed together i counseled

478
00:16:32,399 --> 00:16:36,320
with him but he said it's just because

479
00:16:34,159 --> 00:16:38,078
i'm italian you have to be italian

480
00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:39,519
i'm italian i have to do these things

481
00:16:38,078 --> 00:16:41,039
and i said i didn't think that was an

482
00:16:39,519 --> 00:16:42,959
excuse

483
00:16:41,039 --> 00:16:45,360
i thought that he could by the power of

484
00:16:42,958 --> 00:16:47,119
god resist temptation

485
00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:49,039
and he and i lost contact i don't know

486
00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:51,839
what happened to him but it's still a

487
00:16:49,039 --> 00:16:54,240
a picture of the excuses people give i

488
00:16:51,839 --> 00:16:55,199
just got to do this i can't stop but let

489
00:16:54,240 --> 00:16:58,560
me tell you friend

490
00:16:55,198 --> 00:17:01,519
you can you can the power of christ

491
00:16:58,559 --> 00:17:02,638
you can there's no sin that god cannot

492
00:17:01,519 --> 00:17:06,078
forgive and there's

493
00:17:02,639 --> 00:17:08,798
no addiction to sin or are no weakness

494
00:17:06,078 --> 00:17:11,038
in an area or no satanic stronghold

495
00:17:08,798 --> 00:17:12,720
that god by his truth and by spirit

496
00:17:11,038 --> 00:17:16,078
cannot enable you

497
00:17:12,720 --> 00:17:18,240
to overcome god is a god of power and

498
00:17:16,078 --> 00:17:21,918
might and he can lead us

499
00:17:18,240 --> 00:17:24,318
to say no to addictions no to sin

500
00:17:21,919 --> 00:17:25,839
and live in the freedom of the spirit

501
00:17:24,318 --> 00:17:29,440
and the power

502
00:17:25,838 --> 00:17:31,359
and the authority of his word now

503
00:17:29,440 --> 00:17:32,798
let's go into this the statement about

504
00:17:31,359 --> 00:17:34,879
the one who will overcome

505
00:17:32,798 --> 00:17:36,240
he says now i say to the rest of you and

506
00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:38,960
theater

507
00:17:36,240 --> 00:17:40,640
this is verse 24 to you who do not hold

508
00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:43,919
to her teaching and have not

509
00:17:40,640 --> 00:17:47,520
learned satan's so-called deep secrets

510
00:17:43,919 --> 00:17:49,360
and uh private organizations

511
00:17:47,519 --> 00:17:51,759
secret organization learning great

512
00:17:49,359 --> 00:17:53,759
secrets and intrigue thinking that's the

513
00:17:51,759 --> 00:17:56,160
way you get spiritual power

514
00:17:53,759 --> 00:17:58,240
all this is contradiction to the truth

515
00:17:56,160 --> 00:17:59,440
and it doesn't lead to the freedom of

516
00:17:58,240 --> 00:18:01,279
christ

517
00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:02,640
but he says if you have not given into

518
00:18:01,279 --> 00:18:04,639
that

519
00:18:02,640 --> 00:18:06,559
he says i was going to tell you about

520
00:18:04,640 --> 00:18:08,400
how you can experience freedom

521
00:18:06,558 --> 00:18:09,759
but he makes this comment it's in a

522
00:18:08,400 --> 00:18:13,360
parenthesis in the

523
00:18:09,759 --> 00:18:16,640
niv it says i will not impose any other

524
00:18:13,359 --> 00:18:19,439
burden on you now let me just say a word

525
00:18:16,640 --> 00:18:21,440
about the gentleness of our savior

526
00:18:19,440 --> 00:18:23,440
we are not to go beyond what is written

527
00:18:21,440 --> 00:18:26,880
or go beyond what is commanded

528
00:18:23,440 --> 00:18:29,200
where to uphold and teach and and

529
00:18:26,880 --> 00:18:31,520
and live out the faith what is in the

530
00:18:29,200 --> 00:18:33,759
bible but we're not to go beyond that

531
00:18:31,519 --> 00:18:35,679
and here we see these gentle words of

532
00:18:33,759 --> 00:18:36,400
christ that say i'm not gonna impose on

533
00:18:35,679 --> 00:18:38,798
you

534
00:18:36,400 --> 00:18:40,720
uh anything that that you may have been

535
00:18:38,798 --> 00:18:41,599
taught or been been warned of you're

536
00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:44,640
gonna have to do

537
00:18:41,599 --> 00:18:47,359
no i will just say you

538
00:18:44,640 --> 00:18:49,360
follow me and i'll bless you and i'll

539
00:18:47,359 --> 00:18:52,240
guide you that's all that's required you

540
00:18:49,359 --> 00:18:53,038
follow me he says hold on to what you

541
00:18:52,240 --> 00:18:55,679
have

542
00:18:53,038 --> 00:18:56,400
until i come and there is a wonderful

543
00:18:55,679 --> 00:18:59,600
promise

544
00:18:56,400 --> 00:19:02,400
that we are simply to obey him every day

545
00:18:59,599 --> 00:19:04,558
to live every day following christ and

546
00:19:02,400 --> 00:19:07,519
he'll guide us he'll lead us

547
00:19:04,558 --> 00:19:08,558
now verse 26 he says to him who

548
00:19:07,519 --> 00:19:12,400
overcomes

549
00:19:08,558 --> 00:19:14,960
and does my will to the end

550
00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:17,360
a statement of a complete commitment

551
00:19:14,960 --> 00:19:20,880
does my will to the end it means that we

552
00:19:17,359 --> 00:19:22,879
commit ourselves to follow christ

553
00:19:20,880 --> 00:19:25,360
we have this doctrine the presbyterians

554
00:19:22,880 --> 00:19:27,360
call the perseverance of the saints but

555
00:19:25,359 --> 00:19:29,599
let's be clear it's not the perseverance

556
00:19:27,359 --> 00:19:31,119
of the saints it is the perseverance of

557
00:19:29,599 --> 00:19:33,839
the holy spirit

558
00:19:31,119 --> 00:19:35,359
in believers that's what happens when he

559
00:19:33,839 --> 00:19:37,599
comes into us

560
00:19:35,359 --> 00:19:39,439
we do his will because he never leaves

561
00:19:37,599 --> 00:19:41,759
us he doesn't give up on us

562
00:19:39,440 --> 00:19:43,759
he says this three things he promises he

563
00:19:41,759 --> 00:19:45,839
said i will give authority

564
00:19:43,759 --> 00:19:48,319
over the nations and this is a statement

565
00:19:45,839 --> 00:19:49,199
to the victory we have in christ to his

566
00:19:48,319 --> 00:19:51,519
authority

567
00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:52,640
to share in the glorious victory we see

568
00:19:51,519 --> 00:19:54,879
in psalm

569
00:19:52,640 --> 00:19:56,720
2 verses 8 and 9 speaks about this

570
00:19:54,880 --> 00:19:59,039
prophetic word of christ

571
00:19:56,720 --> 00:19:59,759
ruling the nations but the rod of iron

572
00:19:59,038 --> 00:20:04,000
and then that

573
00:19:59,759 --> 00:20:07,119
very phrase the rod of iron is the idea

574
00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:08,079
of the authority the irresistible power

575
00:20:07,119 --> 00:20:11,359
of god

576
00:20:08,079 --> 00:20:14,879
uh to enforce his will and to do what he

577
00:20:11,359 --> 00:20:18,000
what he says he will do uh god leads us

578
00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:20,159
by spirit and friend in in heaven

579
00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:21,839
he will make us perfect and he wants to

580
00:20:20,159 --> 00:20:23,760
do this now in our life

581
00:20:21,839 --> 00:20:25,519
and every part of our life that we

582
00:20:23,759 --> 00:20:28,079
surrender to him

583
00:20:25,519 --> 00:20:30,319
he will take that and he will bless it

584
00:20:28,079 --> 00:20:32,079
he will grow it he will mature it

585
00:20:30,319 --> 00:20:34,480
and that's what he's doing he's getting

586
00:20:32,079 --> 00:20:37,119
us ready for eternity

587
00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:38,720
in heaven so this idea of a rod of our

588
00:20:37,119 --> 00:20:42,158
means the irrepressible

589
00:20:38,720 --> 00:20:45,360
righteous loving power of god

590
00:20:42,159 --> 00:20:46,320
in our life now he wants us to choose

591
00:20:45,359 --> 00:20:48,558
his authority

592
00:20:46,319 --> 00:20:50,558
he wants us to choose his authority he

593
00:20:48,558 --> 00:20:52,720
wants to say lord because your love

594
00:20:50,558 --> 00:20:55,359
i trust you with my heart and my life

595
00:20:52,720 --> 00:20:58,079
and my choices i'm going to put my life

596
00:20:55,359 --> 00:20:59,038
in your hands now let me let me simply

597
00:20:58,079 --> 00:21:01,439
say something is

598
00:20:59,038 --> 00:21:02,079
very important i feel impressed that

599
00:21:01,440 --> 00:21:04,240
many

600
00:21:02,079 --> 00:21:05,439
people in our church that i preach to

601
00:21:04,240 --> 00:21:09,038
weekly are faced

602
00:21:05,440 --> 00:21:10,640
daily with compromising situations

603
00:21:09,038 --> 00:21:12,798
when you're facing a compromising

604
00:21:10,640 --> 00:21:14,320
situation whether it's in your private

605
00:21:12,798 --> 00:21:16,720
life about what you're going to do or

606
00:21:14,319 --> 00:21:18,798
where you're going to go or maybe in

607
00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:20,240
your professional life or maybe your

608
00:21:18,798 --> 00:21:22,639
family life

609
00:21:20,240 --> 00:21:24,880
in those situations it's very important

610
00:21:22,640 --> 00:21:26,080
to simply trust the lord and say i'm

611
00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:28,480
going to do

612
00:21:26,079 --> 00:21:29,359
the right thing and trust the lord with

613
00:21:28,480 --> 00:21:31,440
results

614
00:21:29,359 --> 00:21:33,119
as god leads me i'm going to do the

615
00:21:31,440 --> 00:21:35,600
right thing

616
00:21:33,119 --> 00:21:37,279
and trust him i'm going to be right i'm

617
00:21:35,599 --> 00:21:38,158
going to be gracious i'm going to be

618
00:21:37,279 --> 00:21:40,240
faithful

619
00:21:38,159 --> 00:21:43,200
and i'm going to follow him so when you

620
00:21:40,240 --> 00:21:46,240
face these consequences confusing

621
00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:49,600
and uh and even

622
00:21:46,240 --> 00:21:52,558
very difficult temptations

623
00:21:49,599 --> 00:21:54,798
when you face satan's deception and you

624
00:21:52,558 --> 00:21:57,440
feel that stronghold of satan has

625
00:21:54,798 --> 00:21:58,079
built up in your life bearing down on

626
00:21:57,440 --> 00:22:01,120
you

627
00:21:58,079 --> 00:22:03,199
remember that in christ we have freedom

628
00:22:01,119 --> 00:22:04,879
we shall know the truth of christ we

629
00:22:03,200 --> 00:22:07,919
shall know the teachings of christ

630
00:22:04,880 --> 00:22:08,559
and his truth his teachings will set us

631
00:22:07,919 --> 00:22:10,480
free

632
00:22:08,558 --> 00:22:14,079
and by spirit we can live above these

633
00:22:10,480 --> 00:22:16,798
things now the final thing is i will

634
00:22:14,079 --> 00:22:18,000
give him the morning star morning star

635
00:22:16,798 --> 00:22:20,720
refers to the

636
00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:22,159
planet venus and in the morning is very

637
00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:25,519
bright in the sky often

638
00:22:22,159 --> 00:22:28,159
it's a precursor to the to the

639
00:22:25,519 --> 00:22:29,918
bright day and the morning star is the

640
00:22:28,159 --> 00:22:31,200
promise of the return of christ the

641
00:22:29,919 --> 00:22:33,360
coming kingdom

642
00:22:31,200 --> 00:22:34,319
and in these situations whenever we're

643
00:22:33,359 --> 00:22:36,879
faced with

644
00:22:34,319 --> 00:22:38,000
uh with a compromise a christian

645
00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:40,960
community

646
00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:41,839
morally compromised we can trust in god

647
00:22:40,960 --> 00:22:45,120
and trust that

648
00:22:41,839 --> 00:22:47,439
christ is returning and we can live in

649
00:22:45,119 --> 00:22:49,359
victory and in peace he will give us

650
00:22:47,440 --> 00:22:52,558
that assurance and we'll live

651
00:22:49,359 --> 00:22:54,240
confidently before him now let me just

652
00:22:52,558 --> 00:22:55,839
mention about a couple of these people i

653
00:22:54,240 --> 00:22:58,640
mentioned earlier that were

654
00:22:55,839 --> 00:23:00,319
bright lights during this dark period of

655
00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:03,400
the middle ages

656
00:23:00,319 --> 00:23:06,720
john wickliffe he was from england

657
00:23:03,400 --> 00:23:09,759
1320 to 1384 he lived

658
00:23:06,720 --> 00:23:12,319
he died from a stroke 54

659
00:23:09,759 --> 00:23:13,440
50 excuse me 64 years of age he died of

660
00:23:12,319 --> 00:23:17,038
a stroke

661
00:23:13,440 --> 00:23:20,159
but in 1382 two years before his death

662
00:23:17,038 --> 00:23:22,240
he translated the bible into english

663
00:23:20,159 --> 00:23:23,520
see the roman catholic church i wanted

664
00:23:22,240 --> 00:23:26,240
to to

665
00:23:23,519 --> 00:23:26,960
to suppress the teaching of the word of

666
00:23:26,240 --> 00:23:29,120
god

667
00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:31,679
uh the vulgate which was actually

668
00:23:29,119 --> 00:23:33,759
originally written to put the bible in

669
00:23:31,679 --> 00:23:36,000
the language of the people

670
00:23:33,759 --> 00:23:37,759
got to be the only official bible that

671
00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:40,480
could be taught but it was not

672
00:23:37,759 --> 00:23:42,240
understandable by the people of that day

673
00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:43,440
it had been translated in the fifth

674
00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:46,000
century

675
00:23:43,440 --> 00:23:47,278
and a few hundred years later people

676
00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:49,679
didn't know what it was saying

677
00:23:47,278 --> 00:23:51,038
the priest had to study latin but the

678
00:23:49,679 --> 00:23:54,400
common person could not

679
00:23:51,038 --> 00:23:56,319
understand it so john wycliffe

680
00:23:54,400 --> 00:23:57,919
translated the bible into english and

681
00:23:56,319 --> 00:24:00,558
his translation

682
00:23:57,919 --> 00:24:01,919
even to this day it was influential in

683
00:24:00,558 --> 00:24:06,000
so many areas

684
00:24:01,919 --> 00:24:08,720
of our english translations today and

685
00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:11,119
his his affirmation was this that only

686
00:24:08,720 --> 00:24:13,759
the bible was the reliable guide

687
00:24:11,119 --> 00:24:15,199
to the faith and that's exactly what we

688
00:24:13,759 --> 00:24:19,038
believe here in our church

689
00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:22,080
that the bible is the soul guide that is

690
00:24:19,038 --> 00:24:24,319
s-o-l-e the only guide

691
00:24:22,079 --> 00:24:25,439
to faith and practice for the church and

692
00:24:24,319 --> 00:24:27,359
for the believer

693
00:24:25,440 --> 00:24:29,679
and it shows us how to live what to

694
00:24:27,359 --> 00:24:33,278
believe and how to follow christ

695
00:24:29,679 --> 00:24:37,038
john huss in 1369

696
00:24:33,278 --> 00:24:40,159
he lived till born in 1369 lived to 14

697
00:24:37,038 --> 00:24:42,319
15. well he was active as a

698
00:24:40,159 --> 00:24:44,720
reformation as a pre-reformation leader

699
00:24:42,319 --> 00:24:45,519
this is a hundred years before martin

700
00:24:44,720 --> 00:24:47,919
luther

701
00:24:45,519 --> 00:24:49,599
came along but he was active or smaller

702
00:24:47,919 --> 00:24:53,440
today czechoslovakia or czech

703
00:24:49,599 --> 00:24:56,959
republic and he was active in

704
00:24:53,440 --> 00:24:59,440
bohemia moravia and he was

705
00:24:56,960 --> 00:25:01,278
really god's instrument to teach the

706
00:24:59,440 --> 00:25:03,679
truth that he simply wanted to have

707
00:25:01,278 --> 00:25:05,599
a biblical community a biblical faith

708
00:25:03,679 --> 00:25:07,519
people that gathered together to follow

709
00:25:05,599 --> 00:25:09,119
the christ of the bible

710
00:25:07,519 --> 00:25:10,558
and they did not go beyond what was

711
00:25:09,119 --> 00:25:13,199
written they didn't stop

712
00:25:10,558 --> 00:25:14,000
short of it either and he was opposed

713
00:25:13,200 --> 00:25:16,000
and was

714
00:25:14,000 --> 00:25:17,200
uh burnt at the stake his ashes

715
00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:20,880
sprinkled

716
00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:24,319
uh into the river and uh and he was uh

717
00:25:20,880 --> 00:25:26,640
supposedly extinguished and and uh

718
00:25:24,319 --> 00:25:28,240
forgotten uh all about but we still

719
00:25:26,640 --> 00:25:30,559
remember him today and

720
00:25:28,240 --> 00:25:31,440
his followers continued for many many

721
00:25:30,558 --> 00:25:34,480
years and

722
00:25:31,440 --> 00:25:36,320
and he and wycliffe laid a foundation

723
00:25:34,480 --> 00:25:38,558
uh for martin luther and philip

724
00:25:36,319 --> 00:25:41,599
burlington and others that came along

725
00:25:38,558 --> 00:25:43,440
in the 16th century to build upon

726
00:25:41,599 --> 00:25:45,839
so there were some bright lights and

727
00:25:43,440 --> 00:25:48,720
whenever someone stands for the truth

728
00:25:45,839 --> 00:25:50,639
no matter what stands for the truth god

729
00:25:48,720 --> 00:25:53,120
is going to bless that person

730
00:25:50,640 --> 00:25:54,720
and god can give him peace and joy so i

731
00:25:53,119 --> 00:25:56,719
pray that we'll be there as a church

732
00:25:54,720 --> 00:25:58,960
will not go along with the world will

733
00:25:56,720 --> 00:26:00,079
stand for the truth will follow christ i

734
00:25:58,960 --> 00:26:02,240
pray that you'll be that

735
00:26:00,079 --> 00:26:03,359
as a believer your family will be there

736
00:26:02,240 --> 00:26:05,599
as a family

737
00:26:03,359 --> 00:26:07,519
of believers let's pray father we thank

738
00:26:05,599 --> 00:26:09,599
you for your grace and your love we pray

739
00:26:07,519 --> 00:26:10,079
lord that we may stand strong for you

740
00:26:09,599 --> 00:26:12,240
and

741
00:26:10,079 --> 00:26:14,240
what you teach what your what your word

742
00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:16,960
says and also that we would

743
00:26:14,240 --> 00:26:17,839
live it out in our faith daily we would

744
00:26:16,960 --> 00:26:20,960
stand

745
00:26:17,839 --> 00:26:24,079
uh morally and ethically

746
00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:25,278
in your on your word and obey you give

747
00:26:24,079 --> 00:26:27,759
us the strength

748
00:26:25,278 --> 00:26:28,480
to be faithful to you give us the

749
00:26:27,759 --> 00:26:31,038
honesty

750
00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:31,839
to confess our sins daily and give us

751
00:26:31,038 --> 00:26:34,158
the grace

752
00:26:31,839 --> 00:26:36,158
where we understand we are accepted

753
00:26:34,159 --> 00:26:38,640
through our faith by your love

754
00:26:36,159 --> 00:26:40,559
and by the payment of our sins by christ

755
00:26:38,640 --> 00:26:42,240
our lord we pray that you bless us today

756
00:26:40,558 --> 00:26:47,519
we pray this in jesus name

757
00:26:42,240 --> 00:26:47,519
amen thank you god bless you today