[0:00] Hope you've had a great day. I'm so glad you made it to church tonight. What a blessing it is to see all these young ladies down here playing the violin. You know, there's more music for the violin and piano than any other instrument out there.
[0:12] And the reason for that is way back during the medieval ages, the Catholic Church, which was the predominant ruling power in the world, sanctioned the violin because they felt that it was the instrument that sounded most like the human voice.
[0:25] So there's been writing for violin for just centuries and centuries. We trumpet players are kind of jealous, so we will often steal their music. And, of course, it sounds better on a trumpet. So it's such a blessing to hear them play like that and then using their talents for the Lord.
[0:41] I got humored by Ava. She's playing a violin, one stanza, the next stanza she's doing a recorder. And I went to see her pull out her trumpet. That would have been cool. But, you know, folks, seriously, music.
[0:54] And I love to emphasize this in churches. Music is so vitally important to your life. You are told in Scripture to teach and admonish one another.
[1:06] You're told in another verse to speak to yourselves. In Psalms, music always teaches. You teach it yourself. You teach others who hear you. Music is vitally important to a Christian.
[1:17] And what's so interesting, people, is that music always teaches, no matter who you're listening to, or Ron Hamilton or whoever, whoever you're listening to at that moment, they're your teacher.
[1:31] Music always teaches. Even the unsaved world understands that. That's why whenever you see a Coca-Cola commercial or a McDonald's commercial, there's always a jingle. I can sing to you a song about motor oil that I haven't heard in decades.
[1:43] But there's something about putting that message to music. It sticks. Music always teaches. Yes, it's entertaining. It's enjoyable. Sure, if it's the right kind. It can also be sinful.
[1:54] But music is so vitally important. And I'm so thankful to see young people learning how to play an instrument. I think that's a great training for the future. I tell young men all the time, enjoy sports.
[2:04] Young ladies, too, enjoy sports. Play your basketball, play your whatever. But don't quit music. You can do both. Don't quit. Because someday statistics say you're going to get married. And life as you know it will end.
[2:17] You won't have time for sports anymore. But you'll always be able to use music for the rest of your life. I was telling somebody recently that I was giving a trumpet lesson one time to a man who was taking from me.
[2:28] And I said something funny. And he went, ha! And his false teeth came shooting out. He was in his 60s taking trumpet lessons. It's never too late. And he just wanted to be better for the Lord.
[2:40] And so music, it's so vitally important. And may I just underscore this. You have just enjoyed the best music you've heard all day. It may not have the same caliber and the talent that the world has.
[2:51] But the message and what it's all about is far better than anything you've heard today. I hope you took advantage of it. Coming to church, one of our highlights, along with the preaching, is music. I'm glad that you sang so well tonight.
[3:03] It was good to hear you. Billy Sunday, that great revivalist, used to stand in front of a congregation like you and he'd say, let me hear your congregational singing and I'll tell you how hot your church is. Kind of interesting.
[3:14] So glad that you sang so well tonight. Hope you love the songs of heaven, the songs of God, the hymn book. I have a good friend with the Lord now, but he was an evangelist, but he was from home church. And whenever it was time to have a congregational song, he would never take the hymn book.
[3:28] He didn't need it. He had everything memorized. Because in his devotions, every day in his devotions, he'd read his Bible. He'd try to read his Bible through once every year. I'd do the same thing. And then along with that, he would read through an entire hymn and sing it to himself.
[3:42] And that's a great thing to do. And I'd encourage you to memorize those songs and know them as a family. Sing them to the car. Sing them to yourself. That's a very spiritually healthy thing to do.
[3:53] All right? Come and get an amen. All right. All right. Let's get into it tonight. You ready? We'll memorize the verse. Remember what the first word is? Oh, yeah. It's emotional. Oh, it is wonderful. Oh, how love I thy law.
[4:04] It is my meditation all the day. Let's say it together. Psalm 119.97, right? Here we go. Reference before and after. Psalm 119.97. Oh, how love I thy law.
[4:16] It is my meditation all the day. Psalm 119.97. Let's do it again. Psalm 119.97. Oh, how love I thy law.
[4:27] It is my meditation all the day. Psalm 119.97. What a great verse that is. Let's have a word of prayer. Heavenly Father, Lord, thank you. For a good crowd on a Tuesday night.
[4:37] Thank you for the safety you gave us getting here. Lord, thank you for the privilege of being in a Bible-believing church on a Tuesday night. None of us deserve it. We all deserve to be lost on our way to hell with absolutely no appetite for things that are spiritual.
[4:52] But God, when we got saved, we know that changed. You gave us a new nature. You gave us a new appetite, a new hard drive, a new frame of mind. Lord, we love your word. And Lord, what a privilege it is to be here tonight.
[5:05] God, I pray that you would help me to connect. Lord, help me to do justice to this verse. Help these dear friends to get out of this message tonight what you would want them to get out of it. Lord, I pray that every heart would be humble.
[5:17] For God, we know that you resist the proud. May we be humble as we look into your word together tonight. In Jesus' name, amen. Amen. All right. May I take you tonight to the book of Philippians.
[5:29] The book of Philippians. And I'd like you to go. Before I tell you what address you were going to go to, let me just review with you tonight, with your permission or entirely without it, let me just review with you why Philippians is in your Bible.
[5:43] Do you remember why? Let me refresh your memories. Let me just review with you tonight.
[6:15] We don't have visions anymore because we don't need them. We've got the completed word of God. But Paul had a vision. And in that vision, there was a man standing in Macedonia. And he said, Paul, would you please come to Macedonia?
[6:27] Folks, what's so wonderful about that is that Macedonia is not the Middle East. The gospel had been an entirely Middle East dynamic. But for the first time, God is calling his word, his message to Europe.
[6:42] Most of us have our heritage through some kind of European country. I know I'm very, Schrock is very German. I'm probably about as much German as I am Cocker Spaniel. But Schrock is German. But anyway, God is calling his message with God's messenger to Europe.
[6:58] Macedonia was a European country. Well, Paul immediately the next day set sail. You might find this kind of interesting. That because Paul was going in a northwesterly direction across what I believe is the Aegean Sea, because of the trade winds, he did it in one day.
[7:12] Had he been going the other way, it would have taken him three. So within one day, he's on the shore of Macedonia. And when he got there, the Bible tells us he made a beeline to a very significant city called Philippi.
[7:24] It was called Philippi, people, because it was named after Alexander the Great's daddy. It was a military outpost when it was first found. And like many military outposts, there was all kinds of carnality, all kinds of flesh-honoring stuff that was going on there.
[7:40] But it grew and grew and grew. But by the time Paul got there, it was a very significant city. And I'll tell you just how significant here in a few moments. But when Paul got there, it was always his custom, always his habit.
[7:51] And I know many of you know this. It was always his habit to go to the synagogue to preach the gospel. But there was no synagogue in Philippi. I am told that you need at least 10 Jewish males, 13 years of age and older, to have a synagogue.
[8:07] So evidently, there weren't that many in Philippi. However, Paul heard about a group of Jewish women who met down by the river for fellowship and prayer, the Bible says.
[8:19] Jews, if they don't have a synagogue, like to meet near water. They've always been attracted to water because when somebody converted to Judaism, they were baptized by immersion. So they've always had an affinity to water.
[8:31] So Paul heard about this Bible study, if you will, down by the river with Jewish women. So he showed up one Sabbath morning, showed up. Now, would you just think about this in your mind's eye? There's a document that has survived from the second century that describes what Paul looked like.
[8:48] Now, whether or not it's accurate, that's debatable. We don't know. But let me tell you what the document said. The document said that Paul was very short. He was bald. All godly men are. He was bald.
[8:59] He had a huge nose. He had scars all over his face. He was bow-legged and very short. I think I already said that. Can you imagine, folks, a man looking like that, showing up at a lady's Bible study?
[9:12] Hi, ladies. Can I take it today? Well, evidently they said yes because he took it. And he preached the gospel. He preached the gospel just like your pastor and I did today to Mike in the prison.
[9:24] We preached the gospel. And you know what happened? All kinds of those women got saved. You know about one. Her name was Lydia. Lydia. She was a successful businesswoman, no doubt a woman of means because the Bible tells us that the church that got started in Philippi met at her house.
[9:39] So she used her wealth for the Lord. Nothing wrong with wealth as long as we have the right priority. Amen? Well, so that church got planted. And folks, let me tell you about that church. They absolutely adored Paul.
[9:51] And men got saved. And we know that because Philippians is written to the bishops and deacons at the church at Philippi. So men got saved. All because of godly saved women.
[10:02] Isn't that interesting? Well, we don't know how long Paul was there, but he left behind a good church. It was a nucleus. And I repeat, they absolutely adored Paul. And we know that because the Bible tells us that they kept sending him money over and over and over again.
[10:15] Folks, if you adore me, send money over and over and over again. But anyway, anyway, that's what they did with Paul. Well, folks, let me tell you what happened. Roughly about 14, 15 years later, word got back to that church at Philippi that their beloved Paul was now a prisoner of Nero.
[10:36] For those of you that know history, you know very well that if you were a prisoner of Nero, it did not bode well. The guy was literally insane. Well, they were worried, as you can imagine.
[10:48] They were worried. They loved Paul. They were worried about two things, people. They were worried about what in the world is going to happen to Paul. We love that man. He's our church founder. He led us to the Lord.
[10:59] We love that man. What's going to happen to Paul? They were also worried, and rightfully so, what's going to happen to the gospel? You see, people, it was brand new. It was referred to in a cultic sort of way.
[11:10] They called it the way. They were so narrow-minded. They believed that they only knew the only way. So they referred to slangly as the way. They were very much described and looked down on. And so the church of Philippi was worried, and they were suffering persecution in Philippi.
[11:24] They were worried, what's going to happen to Paul, and what's going to happen to the gospel? The number one spokesman for the gospel in the Gentile world is now a prisoner of Nero.
[11:34] What's going to happen? They were very concerned. And I think you can understand that, can't you, saints? You can understand that. So evidently, I love this. Paul said, evidently, when Sunday morning, said, could I get a volunteer?
[11:49] Could I get a volunteer? Would somebody be willing to walk the 700-plus miles, take Paul some money, and minister to his needs for a while, and help him and see how he's doing?
[12:01] They had a volunteer. What a man with one of the coolest names in the Bible. His name was Epaphroditus. Epaphroditus. What a cool name.
[12:12] Can I stop there just for a second and digress? I love that name. I'm asking the Lord that before he takes me to heaven, should he tarry? I'd like to meet an Epaphroditus. I would love it.
[12:23] Those girls, women of marriageable, childbearing age, would you pray about naming a boy Epaphroditus? We could call him Epi. We could call him Di. We could call him Tusk.
[12:34] Whatever you would like. But what a cool name, Epaphroditus. By the way, there's a young couple about a year ago that was in a church. That couple came to me and they said, Brother Mike, we have taken you up on your offer.
[12:47] His wife was expecting. They knew it was going to be a boy. They told me we're going to name him Epaphroditus. But it's going to be his middle name. Not good enough. I want a first name Epaphroditus.
[12:59] Would you just pray about it? But anyway, Epaphroditus said, I'll go. And folks, he did. He did. He went the 700 plus miles all the way to Rome. And let me tell you what he found.
[13:10] Paul wasn't in prison. He was a prisoner. But we're told that the Roman government would often allow unique, special prisoners the privilege of renting a house and being under house arrest.
[13:24] If you were under house arrest, you were chained with about an 18-inch chain, wrist to wrist, to some praetorian guard. A praetorian guard. I'll tell you about them in a minute.
[13:35] Well, we don't know how long Epaphroditus was there, but he was there for a while and came back to Philippi. No doubt, people, carrying this letter that you and I know to be the book of Philippians.
[13:47] And let me tell you what happens. In the very first chapter, immediately, because no doubt Epaphroditus shared it with Paul, immediately Paul hits their two concerns. And first of all, he says, Don't worry about me.
[14:00] Don't worry about me. I'm right in the middle of God's will. I'm a prisoner of Jesus Christ. Don't worry about me. Please pray for my release. I'd like to see you again. But I am doing just fine. The Lord has me right where he wants me.
[14:12] I am doing fine. Don't worry about me. And he gives us that very well-known verse 12 in chapter 1, For the things that have happened unto me have happened rather unto the furtherance of the gospel. And my friend, the same promise applies to you.
[14:24] The things that happened to you have happened so that you can further your cause for Jesus Christ. Could I get an amen? Well, and then Paul addresses their second worry. And he says, let me tell you about the gospel.
[14:37] There is a revival going on in the Roman government. There is a revival going on in the Roman government. Well, folks, even tradition says that even Nero's wife got saved.
[14:50] How in the world did that happen? How did that happen? Well, let's go back to these Praetorian guards. Let me tell you about the Praetorian guards. A Praetorian guard was a special, elite, specially chosen man.
[15:02] His number one purpose was to stay in Rome and protect the Caesar. These guys were very distinguished. They were specially chosen. They were specially trained. They would serve anywhere from 15 to 20 years.
[15:13] When their time was up, they were given a pension and property anywhere in the Roman Empire they wanted. They were very, very elite. Historians also tell us that a Praetorian guard would be chained to a prisoner like Paul in six-hour increments, which means that's four different men every day Paul was chained to.
[15:30] Well, folks, those men, those Praetorian guards saw everything. The Bible tells us that Paul was working miracles in Rome. People were getting saved. You know about one by the name of Onesimus. All kinds of people were getting saved.
[15:42] He had all kinds of... And these Roman guards and people, they saw everything. They saw every reaction. They heard every word. They saw this man very intimately. He had nothing personal.
[15:53] And no doubt, many of them got saved. In fact, the Bible even says in chapter 4 of Philippians, those of Caesar's household say hello. Fascinating. Could I stop there just for a second and meddle?
[16:05] I wonder if people here in Ellsworth were chained to you, would they get saved? I mean, they saw what you do. They saw whether or not you're a hypocrite.
[16:16] They saw what comes out of your mouth. They saw what you drink, what you don't drink, what you watch, what you don't watch. How you act around the unsaved, what you're like and your demeanor. They saw and heard everything.
[16:27] How much you read the Bible. Would they get saved? Chained to you? It's a thought-provoking, isn't it? Well, many of these men got saved because the Apostle Paul... And so the Apostle Paul says, don't worry about the gospel.
[16:40] It's God's power. You don't have to worry. And church here in New England... Let me tell you something about New England. You're in a dark space, but you don't need to worry about the gospel. It is God's power unto salvation to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
[16:52] It's a powerful, powerful dynamic. You don't have to marry it to a celebrity. You don't have to marry it to rock and roll. It does all by itself just fine. You and I just need to be faithful.
[17:03] Could I get an amen? You and I just need to be faithful. And then, friends, you come to our text tonight. Would you watch this, please? Look what it says, chapter 1. I want you in chapter 1.
[17:14] Are you there? Philippians chapter 1. And look at our text, which happens to be verse number 27. Verse number 27. And this is the only verse we'll look at tonight. So you get your Bible open there and you'll be ready to go.
[17:26] Put your seatbelts on, okay? Philippians chapter 1 and verse number 27. If you've got a King James Bible, if you have a King James Bible here tonight that you're reading from, I would like you, when I count to three, I would like you to give me the very first word of verse number 27.
[17:43] Let me tell you why. It's a biggie. It's a biggie. All right, you ready? One, two, three. Now, let me tell you what that means. The word only is a very, very powerful word, people, that kind of means what you ladies do.
[17:59] And you're trying to get your husband's attention. And he's watching the Celtics. What do you do? Hey, look at me. Hey, I want you to get this. I have something important to tell you.
[18:11] Kind of what you parents do when your teenage boy's playing or your child's playing a video game and you've got something important you need to tell them. What do you tell them? Hey, look at me. Pause it. I need to get your attention. Folks, that's exactly what you're doing.
[18:35] It's important. Yes, it's good to know that you're just inspired, but I really want you to get this. Well, folks, what does he want us to get? Well, go back to verse 27. Let's read the next phrase.
[18:46] Could we? Look what he says. You follow along as I read. He says, only, now catch this, let your conversation, what a word, be as it becometh the gospel of Christ.
[19:00] Would you look at me, please? Only, catch this, let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel. Folks, you've got to know, Bible believers, you've got to know that when Paul used that word conversation, it rang their Philippian bells.
[19:18] Let me tell you why. What I haven't told you about Philippi, I know some of you know this already, but it'll be a review for you. Philippi was a very unique city.
[19:29] It was what was called a Roman colony. A Roman colony. Say that out loud with me, would you please? A Roman colony.
[19:40] Now, I know what's happening. I'm looking at New Englanders. I'm looking at people that live in Maine. And when I say the word colony, you immediately think of 13 stripes.
[19:51] You think rustic. You think log cabins. Shoe buckles. Muskets. Indians. Turkey. Homeschooling.
[20:02] Tough. Rugged. That's what you think. And that's not fair. That is not what colony means. May I remind you Americans that the first 100 plus years of our country, we were very, very faithful and loyal to the crown.
[20:19] To England. To England. That's why I am preaching tonight or trying to in English. I don't do a very good job, but I'm speaking in English. Trust me, it's not Spanish. I'm preaching in English.
[20:30] You know why? Because that's my native tongue. You know why it's my native tongue? Because we were English. We were loyal to English. Do you remember that? Of course you don't. You weren't alive yet. England. We loved England.
[20:41] And we faithfully and lovingly paid our taxes. And we never spoke evil of the king or queen. We were very loyal to England. And because of that, people, when you came to America, you were coming to, hear me carefully, a piece of England away from England.
[21:00] We were English law. We were very English. Folks, that's what a Roman colony was. A Roman colony was a piece of Rome away from Rome. There were about 200 cities.
[21:11] There were hundreds of thousands of cities in the Roman Empire. But there were only 200 that were Roman colonies. And when you went to Philippi, you were going to a piece of Rome away from Rome.
[21:22] And they were incredibly proud of that identity. So much so. Listen to this. Historians tell us that you women that lived in Philippi stayed up on the latest fashion of clothing and hair and wore the same thing in Philippi.
[21:38] You men in Philippi. You cut your hair. You didn't have long hair. That was considered uncouth. Bohemian. Barbaric. And you cut your hair like every Roman man did.
[21:51] And the official language of Philippi. Oh, it wasn't the guttural Greek like the rest of Macedonia. It was the official language of Rome. Latin.
[22:02] I lost it there for a second. Latin. Interesting. And you were very proud of that. Folks, and let me tell you why. If you were living in Philippi, especially if you were born in Philippi, you were what was called a Roman citizen.
[22:20] A Roman citizen. If you were a Roman citizen, you were a minority. A very elite and special minority. If you were a Roman citizen, people, you had privileges.
[22:33] Hear me carefully. That's an important word. Lord, you had privileges if you were a Roman citizen. Do you know what it's like to have? There were taxes you didn't have to pay. There were tolls you didn't have to pay. There were laws you didn't have to obey.
[22:44] You were very, very privileged. Have you ever enjoyed being privileged? Have you ever enjoyed that? Could I give you an example of being privileged in my own life? I know it's kind of trite, but I enjoy it. But let me tell you about a privilege I have.
[22:56] Because I'm an evangelist, I do lots of traveling, and most of my traveling is by air. And I always fly Delta Airlines because they have the most destinations, and my luggage, I can take up to three pieces of luggage free.
[23:07] So I always fly Delta. So I am a, this year I am a platinum member of their frequent flyer miles club. The ultimate is diamond. So you got diamond, gold, silver.
[23:19] I'm platinum. You're supposed to say, ooh. I am platinum. Yeah, thank you. Thank you. Now let me tell you what happens. I will often, in fact, for people, it happened this week, I will get a text, or I'll get an email, or sometimes I'll be at the gate of the airport and I'll hear, well, Mike Schrock, please come to the desk.
[23:38] I sure will. I know what's about to happen. If I go to that desk, they'll take my old ticket, they rip it up. They slide a new ticket to me over the counter.
[23:50] Or maybe I'll get an email or a text that tells me the same thing. And what they're doing to me is they're upgrading me to first class. That's where you say, ooh.
[24:01] Well, it is an ooh. Let me tell you why. If you fly first class, in case you've never had that privilege, if you fly first class, you get to get on the airplane first. Ooh.
[24:12] It is an ooh. Let me tell you why. You have first dibs in all the overhead compartment space. And that's kind of important, especially when you travel heavy. I always have a trumpet case in one hand, a briefcase full of hair products in another one.
[24:24] And I get on the airplane first. And I get first dibs in all the way. And then, people, it gets better. No longer do I have to sit in the back of the airplane where my seat used to be. I get to sit up front where they have sofa chairs.
[24:36] And I sit down and I sink into cushions. And if the flight attendants are on the ball, immediately there's a flight attendant in my face. Mr. Schrock, they always know your name. Mr. Schrock, what would you like to drink? Well, I think this morning I'll have some tomato juice on ice, please.
[24:49] And they run to their little kitchenette. They grab me a tomato. They bring it back to my seat. And there I sit in my cushioned seat sipping on my tomato juice while all these poor peons walk by me going back to their sardine-like seats.
[25:02] It's kind of a privilege. I kind of enjoy it. Not that they have to suffer. But it's kind of a fun privilege to enjoy. Can you understand that? Folks, can you imagine? Listen to me carefully. Seriously.
[25:13] Can you imagine a whole lifetime like that where you're preferred over everybody else? That's really what it meant to be a Roman citizen. The word conversation, folks, is the same word that we get our English word politics from.
[25:29] When you and I talk politics, and that's a hot topic, isn't it? When you and I talk politics, what are we doing? What are we doing? We're talking about our opinions. We're talking about what we think about a current law or laws or a current leader, our president, senator, what have you, the direction of our country.
[25:46] We're talking about the way that we conduct ourselves as citizens. And ladies and gentlemen, that's the whole point of conversation. Paul is pointing out to them, may your citizenship.
[25:57] Folks, where in the world is your citizenship? Would you hold your finger here and just turn one page in your Bible, but go forward one page to chapter 3? You'll only have to turn one page. Chapter 3, and you're going to see the exact same word again in verse number 20.
[26:12] Look what it says. Now watch this. This is so good. Verse number 20. Are you there? Say amen. If you're open. All right. Watch this now. Verse 20. For our conversation is in first class on Delta.
[26:26] Is that what it says? Where is it? That's far better. Woo-hoo! That's far better than first class on Delta. Ladies and gentlemen, if you know the Lord tonight, like Mike in prison, he just got his reservations in first class called heaven.
[26:41] That is you. You are so unique. You are so unusual. You are so privileged. You are so privileged. You are so privileged that when you pray, no matter what you're praying about, no matter how insignificant somebody else might think it is, no matter how small it might be in your life, when you pray, God listens to you.
[26:59] He doesn't. He doesn't. He doesn't. He doesn't. He only hears one prayer from them. I'm a sinner. Please save me. Not you. You took care of that ages ago.
[27:10] When you talk to the Lord, he listens to you. He walks and talks with you. So unique. You are so privileged. Could I get an amen?
[27:20] You are so privileged. And I think all of us would agree. We don't deserve it. Boy, do we have it good. But our conversation, our politics, our lives are all about heaven.
[27:34] So go back to verse 27, okay? I've got you in chapter 3, verse 20. Go back to 127. And look what he says again there. He says, only, now this is important. Paul wants you to catch this. And Paul is being inspired, so no doubt God wants you to catch this.
[27:47] Only let your conversation, your citizenship, be as it, next word out loud, church, becometh. Look at me. Are you becoming?
[28:01] Sir, ma'am, young people, are you becoming? What does that word becoming mean? It means to look right, to be good looking, to be attractive.
[28:12] Are you attractive to the gospel? When they watch you, are you becoming to the gospel? I am married. There is a woman that puts up with me.
[28:24] I am married and have been now for 41 years. We're going to celebrate our 42nd anniversary this coming summer, July 23rd, in case you want to send money. And, but, but in those 40 some years, my wife, who I met at Bob Jones University, she was a little California blonde.
[28:43] We met down there and it took me five and a half years to convince her to marry me. But, but in those 40 some years that we've been married, she has learned a thing or two about me. And I know this is going to shock you.
[28:54] I know that it's probably going to hit you bad, but I'm going to say it anyway. She thinks I'm pretty awesome. Sorry. She does. And one of the things, one of the many things that she likes, oh, I've got some bad, you understand, there's some bad stuff, but you're not going to hear about that.
[29:09] One of the things that she likes about me is the fact that I'm pretty good, maybe not as good as some of you, don't get your dander up, but I am pretty good with color. I like to match things. I like color. I've always liked color.
[29:20] I like, men's clothing I find so boring sometimes. I like color. I'm not one of these, but I like color. And, and, and, and, and, and, and she thinks, you know, she thinks that I'm pretty good at it.
[29:33] And I'm, I'm maybe not as good as some of you, definitely better than some of you, trust me. But she, she thinks I'm pretty good with color. And so, folks, all the time in our marriage, over the years, all the time, it's happened a couple times this month.
[29:45] She'll come to me and she'll say, Michael, do you think that these earrings go with this top? Michael, do you think this sweater goes with this skirt? Michael, do you think I should wear blue shoes or red shoes with this outfit?
[29:58] She's, Michael, do you think this scarf goes with this top? She, fuck, she's asking me stuff like that all the time. And I like it, so leave her alone. I like it. Now, why is she, folks, why is she doing that?
[30:10] Why does she do that? Because she's about to go out in public. For years, she was about to stand in front of a class full of nursing students. And she wanted to look right. Did you hear me, Christians?
[30:22] She wanted to look right. She wanted to be becoming. What a picture of you. I wonder, as people look at you, are you becoming to the gospel?
[30:34] What is the gospel, people? What is it? The gospel is the fact that you and I can be forgiven. And we tried so hard today to get Mike to understand this in the prison. That he's a sinner and he agreed.
[30:45] And that only Jesus Christ can rescue him from that sin and the penalty of it. Folks, you used to be a sinner. And when you got saved, immediately, sir, are you listening? Immediately, when you got saved, when I got saved, God gave me a hatred for sin.
[30:59] I hate sin. You do too, if you're really saved. You don't want it in your life. That's the gospel. The gospel, in a nutshell, is this. You can be forgiven. That's what separates Christianity from every other belief system in the universe.
[31:15] You and I can be forgiven. We're forgiven. And when I'm forgiven, folks, I have an appetite to live righteously. To live wholly. Do you live wholly?
[31:27] Do you live righteously? Do you live like somebody who hates sin? If you don't, what's the opposite of becoming? Ugly. Can a Christian be ugly?
[31:39] Absolutely. I see them all the time. A number of years ago, I was doing a revival, just like this, in a church in Pittsburgh. I'll be there again in two weeks.
[31:51] But I was doing a revival in Pittsburgh, in the Pittsburgh area. And on Tuesday, just like today, Pastor, the pastor took me to lunch today. That happened in Pittsburgh.
[32:01] On Tuesday, we went to lunch. We went to one of those restaurants, and I would imagine that all of you are familiar with this kind of style of restaurant, where there were big flat-screen TVs all over the walls. Great place to go on Saturday if you're into college football like I am, or college basketball, or the NCAA tournament, March Madness.
[32:18] It was that kind of place. But it was Tuesday at lunch in January. There's no football on. But so the maitre d' sat at the table, and literally from me to the piano was a massive 90-inch flat-screen TV about eye level, and they were showing music videos on that screen.
[32:36] They had the sound turned off, fortunately, but the images were still there. While the pastor and I are sitting there, all of a sudden, a young lady came on that screen. And Pastor, I'll be tactful.
[32:47] A young lady came on that screen. And if I said her name, probably all of you would recognize it. But that young lady came on, and she was wearing an outfit, and I want to be tactful, and I'm about to sell ice to Eskimos.
[32:58] Every one of you know exactly what I'm talking about. But she was wearing an outfit that said, I am ready to party. I'm ready to get it on.
[33:08] You know exactly what I'm talking about. And she started moving in a way. And some of you crybabies need to wake up. She started moving in a way that was commanded by her music.
[33:19] Some of you need to learn that music always has a message, even without words. And she was moving in a way that was commanded by her music. Folks, it was so offensive, I had to look away.
[33:32] I had to be careful. I had to know. And here's why I'm sharing this illustration with you tonight, people. I know something about that young lady. I've read over and over and over again in the media that she claims to be a Christian.
[33:44] And I'm not here to debate that. I'm not here to argue it. I've read it over and over again, so I believe she probably really is. But folks, do you understand what's happening? Do you understand how confusing that is? My Bible says, Mike, flee fornication.
[33:57] Flee that kind of thought life. Don't have anything to do with it. Watch out, Mike. Watch out, Mike. Watch out, men. And there my Christian sister is saying, oh, no, Mike. Don't flee it. Chase it.
[34:09] Let me help you. Huh? Folks, do you understand how idiotic that is? How crazy, how stupid, how ironic? That is, in the truest sense of the word, and I hope you're with me here tonight.
[34:22] Come on, grow up. I hope you understand that she's the opposite of becoming, even though she's a very attractive young lady, she's very ugly in God's eyes.
[34:32] She's doing exactly what Paul said. No. Catch this. No. No, no, no. No. Look and act and dress like the gospel. How confusing is that?
[34:43] And I wonder how many of you, with what you post on Facebook, with the way you talk when you feel comfortable around friends, you're gossiping, what you drink, how you dress, how you think.
[34:56] If there were a flat screen TV on the front and we could watch what thought life you had today, how embarrassed would you be, friends? What are you like? Are you becoming to the gospel of young people?
[35:07] Does a Christian obey their parents like that? Does a Christian talk about their parents behind their back like that? Does a Christian disobey their teacher like that? Every one of you here that claims to be saved, you need to understand that God wants you to catch this, only catch this, that you have a life, a citizenship that looks like somebody who's been forgiven and has reservations in heaven.
[35:28] He that hath this hope purifieth himself. We hate sin. Do you live like it? Young people, do you live like it? Wow. What a verse.
[35:39] But would you watch this, friends? If I am living a life like that, if I have a life that is glorifying, that's becoming, what do I look like? What exactly do I look like?
[35:51] Paul tells you. Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh. Let me start over. God tells you through Paul. Look what it says. Let's read on, could we? Verse number 27. Let me read the whole verse, okay? You with me? Only, catch this now, let your conversation, your citizenship, be as it becometh the gospel of Christ, that whether I come and see you or else be absent, in other words, people, it doesn't matter who's checking on you, I may hear of your affairs.
[36:17] Before I read on, would you look at me just for a moment? Kind of a fancy little phrase there that's kind of interesting. That I may hear of your affairs. Paul is telling them, you have a reputation.
[36:31] Bible Baptist Church has a reputation because of you. Every one of you personally have a reputation. And Paul is saying, boy, I sure hope I hear about you.
[36:42] Hope I hear good stuff. The Bible even tells us even a child is known by his ways, whether he be good, whether he be evil. Every one of you here, you've got a reputation.
[36:55] That's important. Watch this. That he can fast in one spirit.
[37:08] Would you look at me, please? There it is. You want to be good looking? You want to be becoming? Stand fast. Ladies, stand fast. Men, stand fast. Young people, stand fast. Stand fast. Don't move.
[37:18] Don't budge. The best definition I have ever heard of what that word stand fast means, folks, it's a military term. And the best definition I've ever heard goes like this. Stand fast.
[37:43] Protect that area.
[37:59] Protect that area. Folks, I'm talking about all of you, not just Lucas. You've got a commander who says, dig a hole right there for your protection. Get in that hole and guard this area.
[38:11] Why in the world would a soldier leave his foxhole if he's ordered to stay there? Why? Fear. Cowardness.
[38:24] Everyone, hey folks, can I show you your foxhole? Hey Christians, are you looking? There it is. There's your foxhole. What does it say about your music? Stay in it.
[38:35] What does it say about your entertainment? Stay in it. What does it say about your thought-wise, man? Stay in it. What does it say, church, about what you drink? Stay in it.
[38:45] Don't move. Don't budge. Don't leave. You've been ordered. And friends, the more you stay in your foxhole, the more you're faithful to that book, the more God said, you are good looking.
[38:57] You're exactly what I want. Don't you budge. What's so interesting about that, people, is that you and I are living in an era in 2024 in America where just about every single church out there is leaving the foxhole, bringing in rock and roll.
[39:15] Oh, let's give in. I mean, the young people like it and all the Americans, they love the rock and roll. Let's bring it into the church and we'll have some dancing. And there are all kinds of churches, mega churches, people that are having beer parties.
[39:27] Why? Because they are leaving the foxhole. Those are incredibly ugly churches. No doubt most unsaved. Stay in your foxhole. I am so thankful to come into a church right here in the middle of Maine.
[39:41] And there's no drum set. Yes! I can remember this. I can remember this. I can remember this. I love you.
[39:52] Group hug. Good job. Some of you cry babies are probably trying to. Come on, dog. So cool. Come on. Rock out to Jesus. Oh, shut up.
[40:03] Be quiet. Be still. Be still. Stay in your foxhole. Folks, if it was wrong 20 years ago, it's wrong today. I want to share with you something.
[40:16] Are you familiar with the name Jalene Hinkle? Jalene Hinkle. Does that ring a bell with any of you? She was on Fox News about two years ago.
[40:27] Her name is now Jalene Wilson. She got married. She's a young lady. Let me tell you about Jalene. Jalene went to a Christian school in Denver. A large Christian school in Denver.
[40:38] She loves the Lord Jesus Christ, but she's also an awesome soccer player. And she played soccer for her high school there, that large Christian high school there in Denver. And she graduated and she was given a soccer scholarship to play soccer for the University of North Carolina.
[40:56] And she did. But way down deep in Jalene's heart, she always had a desire. Her goal, her goal as an athlete, was to someday play on the United States National Women's Team.
[41:08] They're really good. I don't know if you follow soccer. I sure do. And the women's national team, they're really good. They always win the gold medal. I mean, they're really, really good. And Jalene, way down in her young heart, had a desire to someday play for the women's national team.
[41:22] And let me tell you what happened. She got selected. She made it. She started playing for the United States Women's National Team. And she's a good midfielder, great player. But one week, one day, the leaders of that national team came along and said, Hey, we want to promote the homosexual queer agenda.
[41:43] And we're going to put the rainbow, which stands for the gays, we're going to put the rainbow on our uniforms. Oh, that bugs me. I love the rainbow. It just irks me. But anyway, and everybody knows what it stands for in America.
[41:55] And so the United States National Team, we're going to put the rainbow on our uniform. We're going to promote the agenda. Jalene, who loves the Lord, went to her coaches. And she said, You know, you know, I'm a Christian.
[42:08] And I'm against that kind of lifestyle. Can I please be excused from wearing that rainbow? And her coaches said, No, you must wear it. She refused. She got kicked off the team.
[42:20] I have my wife's permission to say this. If I ever meet Jalene, I'm going to give her a hug and slip her a 20 and tell her to have a Starbucks on me.
[42:31] She's one of my heroes. Let me tell you. Let me tell you a little bit more about her. By the way, she's got a website you can check out. She's very, very, very aggressive about her testimony.
[42:41] She's very, very outspoken about her faith. I wish some of us were like that. She's very outspoken. But anyway, she got kicked off the team. She immediately got picked up by the women's professional team in North Carolina.
[42:53] They're called the North Carolina Courage. Ironic. They're called the Courage. I reffed one of their games about a year ago there in Greenville, South Carolina. I was so hoping I could meet Jalene. She wasn't there that night.
[43:05] But anyway, let me tell you what the Courage did. The Courage decided that they were going to have a homosexual night. And they were going to put the rainbow on there. Again, she took a stand. And she stayed in her foxhole.
[43:18] She went to her coaches and she said, you know, I'm a Christian. I'm against that lifestyle. Could I be excused from that game? And they said, yes. We'll honor your convictions.
[43:28] I wonder how many of you, we're talking about a lifelong dream, people. But you would be willing to give it up for the sake of your testimony.
[43:40] For the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ and his will and his foxhole. She is good looking. Are you? Are you?
[43:50] My friend, the Bible says that God wants you to catch this. Only, only let your conversation, your lifestyle be as it becometh.
[44:02] And I love what it says here. That you stand fast in one spirit. You know what that means? That when you guys come to church, young people, you encourage each other to take a stand.
[44:14] Adults, you encourage each other. Not gossip. You encourage each other. Hey, you're having your devotions. You're staying, you're staying, you're still hating sin. And you've got a pastor who stands up here and faithfully gives you the word of God and preaches against sin.
[44:27] And instead of critiquing him, you go home and you pray for him. Folks, all of us should be single-minded. You and I, we're on the same page. We're all about encouraging each other. Stay in your foxhole.
[44:38] Don't budge. If the Bible says it, don't move. Don't move. This is the right kind of church. You're going to be encouraged to do that. What would your nursery, people, what would your nursery be like?
[44:50] Your two-year-old nursery. What would it be like if it had no adult supervision? A room full of two-year-olds. All kinds of toys. And no adult.
[45:02] What would it be like? Some of you are smiling. Thank you. That means you're paying attention. Folks, let me tell you about a two-year-old. If they had the ability, and praise the Lord, they don't.
[45:12] But if they had the ability, they would kill each other. You take my toy, you're dead. Knock you, knock you. I mean, they just, they do not get along. Am I right?
[45:24] They don't get along. You show me a church where there's all kinds of division, all kinds of backbiting, all kinds of gossiping, all kinds of sin. I'll show you a church of a bunch of two-year-olds.
[45:38] Grow up. Mature. Get into the Bible and grow. As newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby. When you learn the Bible, when you learn and study your foxhole, and you learn what it says, and you take a stand on it, you are growing up.
[45:57] You're youthful. You're getting gooder and gooder looking. And we need that, don't we? Oh, we need that. Would you bow your heads, please? Close your eyes. Dear Heavenly Father,