March 17, 2024 Service
Well, good morning everybody. Phil. Did you turn this off a while ago? Thank you. I didn't want to sing a solo.
That's why you got to have competent people back there. I'll tell you it is so good to see you this morning. I said deliteful crowd this morning as announced earlier. We have a youth Revival starting Saturday night 3 service Saturday night Sunday morning and Sunday night. And I have a challenge you for the last few weeks to have 150 here next Sunday morning. I work at skate. We're capable. It's not quite that many this morning, but we were approaching it and y'all come back. We're going to have a good time. Find discussion with the young man is going to preach Trevor Bowers and Morrow. I choose me and but anyhow. Come back Saturday and Sunday night and Sunday night. Just Sunday morning. This morning. We are in 1st Peter chapter 4.
We're continuing our journey through this marvelous book.
the living Bible
I had one of those when I was younger.
I'm not sure. I don't think I have it amongst my things anymore. I do have one.
That my parents gave me when I was 19 years old was the Amplified Bible. I have it beside my chair. It's falling apart. But my easy chair, but nonetheless, it's marvelous to have those things great memories. Actually one of my favorite pastors phone know some of you know him cuz he's been here for Revival when he does a funeral. He takes the Bible of the individual if at all possible and uses that to preach their their funeral there's a memorial service and he'll look for things have been highlighted and marked. I don't mark my bottle of mush yesterday for a little bit, but nonetheless. Wonderful to have them there. I have my dad's Bible in in my study at back here and he's been in heaven for over twenty years now.
1st Peter chapter 4 therefore since Christ suffered in his body arm yourself also with the same attitude. Because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live like the rest of the Earthly life for human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what Pagan shoes to do living in debauchery Lodge drunkenness orgies carousing and detestable idolatry. I think it's strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation and they Heap abuse on you. But they will have to give account to him who is already too ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is a reason the gospel is preached even to those who are now dead so that they might be judged according to men and regards to the body but live according to God in regards to the spirit.
Hey, he starts this text by saying arm yourself.
what when we look through the New Testament Over and over again. We will come up on people whose lives were radically changed because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What an individual understands that they are a center they're separated from God and they come by face to accept Jesus Christ. Their lives are radically changed because number one they understand there for you. Number to the Holy Spirit comes into their life to be their guide and to direct them and encourage them and convince them of sin.
And when that happens the former life a life that was lived in sin starts to die off some things quickly other things. It's a process and it takes time but but major changes occur. We see that the men illustrations within the New Testament that we not only see that in the Bible, but we see that in the lives of men and women and young people around us.
the world around us lives 4th South but when Christ comes into their life change happens there.
Paul starts this with the word therefore which basically ties into chapter 3, by the way in and the last section of chapter 3 talked about our Witness. A quiet witness tonight verbal testimony in that we are to take that was witness into the world and I believe what Peter is saying here to us it is that when we understand that were saved and weight are different from the world. He said we need to arm ourselves because it is clear to us that Christ didn't die for us to take a vacation. To sit back and do nothing.
Just heard on the front porch and watch the beautiful sunsets are sunrises. He's saying we are in a battle. And we are to be prepared for that battle. We're not used to sit back and enjoy the view of life and he gives us a picture here of a soldier. And basically he was saying arm yourselves that if a soldier doesn't prepare for battle if he doesn't make sure his sword in that case is sharp if it Today if it doesn't have the physical strength if he is not working out if he is working with his Firearms. He knows if he goes into battle, he's ill prepared and he could very easily lose his life. So here are text tells us that we should have the same attitude that Jesus Christ did towards this world. And makes it very simple. Verse 1 he says be done with sin. If you're a Christian today, you are to be done with sin. He also says there are first two that you are to live for the will of God.
The idea there is that there is to be a determination on our part to no longer to allow send to dominate our lives. You say as a Christian our values are no longer the values of the world around us. Peter's here is saying it'd be ready to face suffering if you're going to be a witness for Christ. And if you're going to be ready to suffer you have to be armed. the face that battle He wants to let us know that the important things in life are not Earthly, but they are Eternal. They're not of this life. They are out of the heavens. Do I have to say this in my say it sadly? But sadly so many Christians are still controlled by sin. I didn't say tempted because all of us are tempted. None of us get past that. But I'm talking about controlled by sin. It is unnatural for a Christian to be controlled by saying it's it's the opposite of Who We Are. The goal of being saved in the follower of Jesus Christ is to be a witness and to serve him not to flounder around in the mud.
today
being an immature Christian is not look down upon any longer. I consider that sad cuz that ought not be the case. We are all too good at excusing our sin. We're all too good at ignoring our sin. We're all too good at trying to justify our sin and defend it but the text tells is here. If we're going to have that attitude that Christ that we are to be done with send Jesus suffered because of our sin he died because of our sin and we ought to put sin away from us. We also have to realize that sin is a source of all evil. We have horrible relationships in our world today. Why because of sin? Our country is in a mess today. Why because it's in
if you're having problems on your job why because
Is your home a mess today and chaotic? Why because it said Now, let me get real personal is your life a mess today? I'll tell you why singing.
Last Sunday night, but we've been going through some of the Psalms Psalm 90. So where to take sin seriously somebody remember that shake your head? Yes, please. Okay. Thank you. We talked about that sin robs us it robs the life it robs us of our dreams it robs us of our hope. They can rob us of our joy at the list and Robinson peace in our life. The list goes on sins going to Robeson. Just going to give us a life less effective and less peaceful and the less fun. Then a life is committed to Jesus Christ. So he tells us we are to have the same attitude that Jesus did. was saying first three verses he tells us that Soon as destructive we must never forget that soon as destructive. And again Peter Gazette illustration of the soldier.
For you and I it means this we have to be ready when Satan throws his fiery darts at us. We have to be ready when our flesh rears its ugly head. We have to be ready when that Temptation comes to us because if we're not ready to do battle we're going to lose. It's just that simple. It takes an attitude of Readiness on our part to do battle with sin Paul put it this way over in Ephesians 6:11 put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the schemes of the devil.
Again, we are living in a world today. That the church is under attack Christians are under attack. You have a church that stands up for the values in the morals of the and principles of scripture. You're going to come under attack. You're going to be called that you hate people or something of the sort and even some church leaders today and I can't compute this but even some leaders today say it is no longer necessary to live a holy righteous Godly moral life in our world.
Again, I'm going to get up close and personal.
It doesn't matter. What anybody says? Doesn't matter what your family says doesn't matter what your co-workers say doesn't matter what your friends say doesn't matter what your political leaders say. It doesn't even matter what some preachers say. It matters What God Says.
How do we arm ourselves? Well, when you go back to the text there and Ephesians chapter 6 or we can just take a quick look at what Peter says here. He basically says make a commitment. Make a commitment to a longer wire and send to arm ourselves and that have that same attitude that Christ had. What I believe that means to us is that we have to think clearly can I put it this way? We we have to grow up mentally. We have to make up our mind that certain things are history in our life. A motive for the even more clearly. We need to learn to hate sin. Can I get by with that? Say, huh? Okay. Thank you. Let's face it you and I live in a world where it is a weak become a custom. Descend because work bombarded with it every which way we turn you can't pick up a magazine. You can't turn on TV without hearing things that are compromising to the Christian faith. You can't go to the movie hardly anymore and great days. Don't even think about what the internet has on it. We are bombarded with trash on every side of us.
and we have to Stand and be encouraged and to encourage each other to focus on Godly things on things that are good again. Paul makes it fairly easy over in Philippians 4:8. He says finally Brothers whatever is true. Whatever is Noble whatever is right, whatever is pure whatever is lovely. Whatever is a marble if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things. In other words, let our minds focus on Godly things and ungodly stuff. And so the bombardment of the junk around this doesn't affect his of it as much what Jesus Christ and living for him be our Focus.
You see when we do that. It's easier to walk away from some things that tempt us. It's easier to turn away from sin that keep bombarding us. It's easier for us to oppose evil that comes develop a hatred towards sin. That helps us to have an attitude that Jesus did for it. Well again, we realize that would send did to Jesus it put him on the cross. He suffered and died there so that you and I could be forgiven and have victory over sin.
Again, our our our heart and mind are to be saying how can I practice such a thing when I know it's offensive to Jesus and he suffered for me.
So I don't have to live this way. How can I practice that?
Jesus came to deal with our sin problem. That's a problem everyone in this room has by the way, no one escapes that young and old we have a sin problem and Jesus came to conquer that sin problem. He came to give us Victory. He came to give us forgiveness. He came to give us the power to have that Victory you say our goal is to be done with sin to get let me turn to what Paul had to say about that older Romans chapter 6 starting with verse 64. We know that the old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with that. We should no longer be slaves to sin because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. That's what the scriptures tell us that we can be done with send you seize the moment you trusted Jesus Christ the Savior you identified with him. you are Identifying with his suffering you're identifying with this death. You're identifying with his resurrection. You're identifying with the victory he has one for you.
Quite honestly when our focus is if on Godly things are good things and we understand what Christ did for us. The things of this world become less attractive the sins of this world become less of a problem.
Yeah, very human. I know that there's pleasure in sin for a season as a scripture say but they don't last but the relationship you have with Jesus in the love that you can have in your heart for him and he has for you will be more satisfying than anything in this world offers.
Weird I have that same attitude of Christ. We are to arm ourselves to do battle.
We are to make a commitment to put away our sinful Passions. Not all human desires are wrong, obviously not. but some are
and then again, he says it helps her earlier. Do not waste your time. on things that are sinful
Adventure Time following the Lord Jesus Christ spend your time in his will find your place in his plan and purpose.
43 tells us we are to remember where we came from. You say where we came from helps us focus on the future and help us focus on the Lord. Don't ever forget who or what you were before. You became a Christian.
No, I was saved at 10 years of age. I said this a dozen times since I've been here, but I was saved when I was 10 years old and Bible School.
I was a mean little snot.
What that's me.
No offense, that's probably quite a few of us in this room. All right.
Born on June 18th 1958 is Jesus Christ and be my Lord and Savior cuz I knew that the only way I've ever get to heaven with receiving him savior.
I lost that temper. I had a violent temper. If I was mad at everybody in the neighborhood knew it. The Lord delivered me from that instantly.
I've testified that my dear father was a problem drinker.
On the day, he knelt at an alternate Gospel Center Church in South Bend Indiana. When I was about five years old the Lord delivered him from that drinking problem and I must admit for the next 50 years of his life. He hated the even thought of alcohol.
When I played Sports my nickname was Big D. Now knowing that none of you have any idea what that means. But if you grew up in South Bend, Indiana Big D was the commercial for drewrys beer that was made in South Bend. My dad hated. That was my nickname.
We need Jesus. He changes us. We no longer go and do the things that the world thinks are interesting. We remember who we were and we must never forget that because we'll be repeated if we don't
We are all sinners saved by grace and each and every one of us in this room needs Jesus. And if you've never asked Jesus Christ to be your lord and savior today is the day you need to do that. Not tomorrow you need to do it right now you can do it right now is I'm preaching cuz we got a few more minutes, but you can say right now and you refuse a Lord I need you as my savior forgive me of my sins come into my life. If you can do that right now and then a few minutes when we get visitation, you can make it public.
Never forget where you came from. We've all spent enough time wasting life. Let's not waste any more. Let's send base in the rearview mirror of our life. We are no longer who we used to be.
He gives a list here, and I'm going to just text you on it for a moment. But before I do that over and 1st Corinthians chapter 9 a 6 verses 9 through 11 Paul riding. There is a long list of sins. And I love what he has to say there. This is what some of you were.
If you were Christian here today. All of us can say that's what I used to be. I am no longer that man. I'm no longer that boy. I am no longer controlled by that thing whatever that sin was on the list as long if he mentions here is not not even close to being exhausted and he talks about the term to buy trees are some translations. They sent you a letter that basically means there's no moral restraint in that person's life talks about lust that needs no definition that's uncontrolled passions drunkenness in our culture is probably more than alcohol. It's also with it the recreational drugs that put them clothes. I have orgies. We know what that is all about crowds and basically is that talk about drinking parties, and then he talks about detestable idolatry or Flawless idolatry. And what he is saying here and why he includes this idolatry is the Pagan religions of that day included the five things that he already mentioned.
Going there and getting drunk was part of their religion going there and visiting a temple prostitute or being a temple project was part of their religion. It was they did it part of their worship. Peter says that lifestyle is just the opposite of what it is for a Christian. And then it goes on in Reverse for the unsaved have no idea what's going on in your life. They don't understand you.
I used to be concerned about that and I finally grew up enough matured enough to realize. The world can't think like a Christian. I used to get angry at TV shows that had a preacher. That was just a doofus. Well, that's probably what the world thinks about me. And that's okay because I don't understand they don't understand why I Godly person doesn't do the six things that were just mentioned. Christian and Christianity is what strange? to the Lost person They expect everybody to have foul language to tell dirty jokes to go out drinking with the boys on Friday night. They expect us to have the world expects everybody to have low morals. Are getting high and getting stoned is not a big deal.
Do say what Peter really is saying here? This is what the world calls just having a good time.
Now if you got saved late in life, and I'm sure some of you have you found that. some of your friends family and friends think you're strange.
And quite honestly, probably some of them finally stopped coming around. Because you don't party with them like it used to.
I think it's abnormal to live for Christ. Where they want to jump into sin with both feet.
That don't say something's wrong with you. You know, they said that about the Apostle Paul over there and Acts chapter 26 Festus said to him you are out of your mind Paul. Your great learning is driving you insane.
But you see they said the same thing as Jesus Christ. Mark 321 when Jesus started his public Ministry they said of him he is out of his mind.
The world doesn't understand what it means to be a Christian and a follower of Christ.
He goes on there to say that some of the world will hip-hip abuse on you. They will call you names. They will mock you they will laugh at you. They will call you any name except. I don't know.
But here's the thing and what we talked about the last 2 weeks some people are going to see you.
And they're going to say bubba. Why are you not going out. Going out with this Friday nights anymore? Why did why do you walk away when a dirty joke is told at work? They're going to notice and not mock you but noticed that the change in your life has been for the better.
And I'll give you an opportunity cuz of the Lord open the door for you to witness for him. and others will stop coming around because your righteous living literally condemns that And it goes on in verses 5 and 6 and tells us that it's a judgement coming.
They're going to be a judgment for everyone every one of us is going to stand before God and give an account of how we lived.
The living in the dead and on again. I just had to say this the only hope that we have is Jesus Christ. Not not more than one choice only one. 100 different ways to make eggs But one way to heaven.
Now the world at times acts as if we're judging them. And sometimes when we are using the sermon about certain things and certain activities, it seems like that but you see what they need to be worried about is the Bible tells us. That is appointed unto man wants to die and after that the judgment.
For us who are Christians, it's the Judgment seat of Christ. And we're going to be judged on how we lived in the works that we did for him. To the non-Christian. It's going to be the great white Throne found in Revelation 2011 and their your life is going to be judged and you're going to experience the wrath of God. And condemnation to Hell forever.
The Bible tells us over and John chapter 3 verses 17 and 18 and I'm not going to read it, but it tells us there that we stand man stands condemned already because I don't believe in Jesus Christ.
Jesus came into this world so that no one ever has to go to hell.
God sending no one to hell he has provided the opportunity for every living human being to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ to come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. And it becomes a choice that every individual makes. young and old alike
today your life and be radically changed. Vice turning to Jesus Christ asking him to forgive you of your sins repenting of your sins walking away from your sins and following him. Acts 4:12 salvation is found in no one else for there is no other name under Heaven given to Men by which we must be saved.
If you stand with Jesus Christ today as a Christian. expect people
Damak, you expect them not to understand you. Be prepared because of your in a war. People will shun you. But again a good part. Some will ask what happened in your life? Cuz I need what you have.
I just want to encourage you to say. If you know Christ. You're struggling with send you just need to that repent ask God to forgive you and move on. He will forgive you. Sometimes hard to forgive yourself, but the Lord will forgive you. You got brothers and sisters here in this church of wrapping arm around you and pray with you and let you know they've gone through the same struggles you have because they put their pants on one leg at a time just like you do. I love you. Nor to forgive you and if you're a Christian and you're struggling with some things you might need to come and kneel at an altar got two beautiful benches here on it one on each side of the knee land and ask the Lord to touch your life. Help you to make the course correction was that you need to make?
Whatever the spirit of God is saying to you today. Whether you're a member here been here for a long time whether you're a guest today because of the baby dedication would have doesn't matter do with the spirit of God. Is he asking you to do we're going to stand in the invitation number 305 in this the Lord has spoken to you and I'll be glad to meet you down front. If you need to talk with me if you just need to pray the as I said the altar is open.
