[0:00] If you have your Bibles, please get them out, get them open to the book of 1 Corinthians and chapter number 15. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 is a big chapter and we're not going to get very far into it.
[0:17] If anybody ever asked you about the gospel, ever tells you, well, how do you know what the gospel is? Well, this is the place. You don't need to go to John 3.16.
[0:31] There's a lot of places you can go to describe what Christ has done, but if you want to define it and you want to let the Bible define it, then this is where you go. You just say 1 Corinthians 15 and you just go right there and that's where we're going to begin tonight.
[0:45] We're going to read a little bit and I don't really have a structured outline so much like I normally would or like I like to have, but the points tonight are kind of going to fall under this same topic of the gospel.
[0:58] And what I hope to do is to stir you by what you hear as well as not just to hear it but to do something about it and to do something with the gospel. So 1 Corinthians 15 and let's read together the first eight verses.
[1:12] The Bible says, Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received and wherein ye stand, by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
[1:26] For I delivered unto you, first of all, that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve.
[1:41] After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James, then of all the apostles.
[1:52] And last of all, he was seen of me also as of one born out of due time. Father, please bless our time tonight in the Word of God. I pray it be profitable for everyone that's here.
[2:04] Lord, may we not just be hearers of the Word, but doers. And Lord, may your Spirit work a work inside of us. Stir our hearts for this blessed thing, this gospel.
[2:15] This Bible describes it as the glorious gospel of Christ. And Lord, there's no greater good news on this planet than what you've given us in this book about what your Son has done. And so Lord, I pray we'd catch a zeal about it and catch fire for it, and may it change not just our eternity, but Lord, change our lives today.
[2:35] I pray this in our Savior's name. Amen. Amen. 1 Corinthians 15, 1 through 8 declares for us, as Paul said, the elements, you might call it, of the gospel. Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel.
[2:49] If you want to know where the gospel is found or how to define or to declare it and to explain it, well, there it is. And right there, it's pretty clear. There are certain elements that Paul saw fit to pen in verses 3 and 4, and he carries it on all the way until it affected him, until it caught up with him.
[3:06] And he declares these elements to say that they were written. He mentions that in verse 3 and 4, if you caught that, where he says that he died for our sins according to the Scriptures.
[3:18] That doesn't mean Matthew and Mark, Luke and John wrote about it. He's saying how that Christ died for our sins just like it was written about him that he would. In Isaiah 53, for one, that's just an easy one.
[3:30] There are several places that allude to or prophesy of the death of the Messiah. In Daniel's writings in chapter 9, he says the Messiah is going to be cut off. In Zechariah, he's going to be pierced.
[3:44] In the Psalms, there are several mentions to events surrounding the crucifixion of Calvary. And so it was written. It was absolutely written.
[3:55] And Paul alludes to that. He alludes also to that fulfillment then, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. So Christ fulfilled those prophecies written about him.
[4:07] But the most important thing is what that gospel, or what this good news accomplishes. This is God extending his saving grace toward rebellious and sinful man.
[4:20] And so Paul is not emphasizing historical facts. I don't know about you, but I've heard it said by men, they'll say, well, the gospel of Jesus Christ is the death, burial, and resurrection.
[4:32] And I've even read that in gospel tracts. The gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And to me, that's such a weak definition and a weak way of saying what the gospel is.
[4:43] Because really, that's just historical facts that a man was murdered. And there's a log somewhere in Roman history of Jesus of Nazareth being crucified for whatever crimes they might have put beside his name.
[4:58] But not just a historical fact that he was murdered, that he was buried, that he rose again, and there's eyewitnesses that Paul even accounts for. But it's not the historical fact that you're believing in or trusting in.
[5:12] It's what was accomplished by the death of Jesus Christ, the burial, the resurrection, when it is applied to a sinner. That is what employs the power of God in this.
[5:28] Remember what Paul said in Romans chapter 1, For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes. The power of God unto salvation is not just in this fact that Jesus died, buried, rose again.
[5:44] It's in what that accomplished for the sinner. And the sinner's faith isn't in the history of it, or the past event. But rather in what was accomplished for him, his faith in that.
[5:56] Let me bring this out a little bit stronger. The death of Jesus Christ. It says in verse 3, I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins.
[6:07] The death of Jesus Christ wasn't just the death. But it was that he died for our sins. That's a little different than just the death of a man.
[6:18] But then the man now is dying in my place, or for something that I've done. The death of our sins. John says that he's the propitiation for our sins.
[6:29] Romans 4 says he was delivered for our offenses. Romans chapter 5 says that we are reconciled to God by the death of his son. So it's more than just an innocent man being put to death.
[6:42] It's what was accomplished by that innocent man being put to death. A payment was made. The resurrection. He was raised again.
[6:54] The verse says in verse 4 that he was buried, that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. In Romans chapter 10, you said that you need to believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead. And I want you to see it's not just these historical facts, because this trips some people up in not understanding what it is to believe on Jesus Christ.
[7:11] If all we say is, well, believe the death, burial, resurrection. Okay, I believe. Catholics believe that took place. But they're not placing their faith in what was accomplished on the cross and the resurrection.
[7:23] The resurrection, Romans chapter 4 says, he was raised again for our justification. The Bible says that we are quickened together with him. And in Romans 6, it describes us that are saved as those that are alive from the dead.
[7:41] The Bible says in Colossians 3 that we're risen with Christ. Again, the resurrection is accomplishing something for us. And so the result of one exercising their faith in the gospel is according to Romans 4, that righteousness is imputed to them that believe on him.
[7:59] The Bible says we are sanctified. Look in Colossians 2, we're forgiven of all trespasses. So the gospel is accomplishing something. The death, burial, and resurrection does that for us.
[8:10] It's more than just these facts of history. So I want you to get that first. Exercising faith in the gospel is not just believing history or past facts, but it's trusting in what Christ accomplished for you, the sinner.
[8:29] Sometimes it's difficult to convey that to somebody when if you just quote Acts 16, 31, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Believe on the person of Jesus Christ.
[8:41] Well, I believe there was a Jesus or I believe in him or I heard that, but what am I believing? You're believing in what he did for you. You believe that Christ died for your sins. Exercising faith in the gospel is trusting in what he accomplished for you.
[8:57] And so I want to say a few things tonight about the gospel. And what I'm referring to is what Jesus Christ did on my behalf and yours. And I want you to consider from this passage a few things and then we'll pop off of there for a little bit.
[9:11] The first thing I want to say is that believing the gospel works. It works. Look at chapter 15, verse 2. It says, by which also ye are saved. What's that?
[9:22] The gospel. The gospel which I preached unto you. The gospel which ye have received and wherein ye stand, by which also ye are saved. The gospel works. Believing the gospel works.
[9:34] I already quoted it. It is the power of God unto salvation. Absolutely is. To everyone that believeth. It works. It might not sound like much if you're looking for more.
[9:47] But it sure is effective. The gospel of Jesus Christ is effective. It works. Man has this desire within himself to prove his worth. To show what he can do.
[9:58] You ask a lost man, a religious man, and he'll give you the list of what he has done or intends to do and why he should be okay. The gospel doesn't allow any of that.
[10:09] And it's better because it works. Lost man tries to prove his self-righteousness or boast his works or show his discipline or his devotion or his morality, what he hasn't done, what he doesn't do, and it doesn't work.
[10:27] It doesn't put peace in his heart. It doesn't forgive his sin because God's not interested in man's offering. Look at Ephesians chapter 2 and keep your place, but come to, I'm sorry, Ephesians chapter 5.
[10:41] God is not interested in man's offering because God has accepted an offering that is far better than any man. The best man could offer him.
[10:54] He's already accepted one. He has no use for anybody else's. Ephesians 5, and look at this offering that God accepted. Verse number 2. The Bible says, And walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor.
[11:18] In Hebrews, we find out in chapter 9 and 10 that offering was accepted. That offering purged things in the heavenlies. That offering is the only offering that can take away sins, whereas the blood of bulls and goats, God is not interested in man's best or man's offering.
[11:38] But believing the gospel, that works. That'll save a soul. God will take pleasure in that one. There's a man that I know.
[11:49] He's a friend of mine. We stay in touch. He's just a solid guy, a good Bible believer, and loves the Lord and all of that. And he tells the tale of when he first got saved. He grew up in a Lutheran church, and he grew up just around religious formalities, and he was empty.
[12:07] He had nothing, but out of just duty, out of obligation, maybe out of all he knew, he married, had some kids, and started bringing his family back to that same church. And he said, Eventually, as I got a little older, and just, the kids are growing up a little bit, I'm just seeing it differently, like, this is doing nothing for me.
[12:28] I was raised in this, and I don't know what's going to happen to me when I die. I don't have any, and he talked to the, whatever he was, preacher, pastor, whatever he would have called him, I don't know, woman or something.
[12:40] And he was getting nothing there, and he said, I got no answers, I was dissatisfied, discontent, searching inside, and I needed to find it. I needed to look around, and so, it was hard for me to do, as it is for so many, but I decided, I'm going to start looking for other churches, to see if I can find what I'm looking for.
[13:00] And so, this lost man, dead in his trespasses and sins, started shopping around, and popping in on services. He didn't take his family, just decided, I'll look for myself, and see what this is.
[13:12] And so, he went to this church, and it was a little different flavor, but same thing, just dead. He got nothing. He went to another church, same thing, and they talked this, they did that, but it didn't really, nothing was getting through.
[13:27] And so, he came to the church where I was at, where I grew up, and he popped in there on a Sunday morning, and it's such a great fit for him, because he's a construction guy, he and his brother owned a business, ran an excavating business, and they're just hard-working men, and they're man's men kind of guys, and there, there, there, he came in and sat in this pew in the back, and he was in the, the back section, somewhere just mixed in there, where nobody really knew him, and he's sitting there just waiting for it to start, looking around, and here comes this man, walking out of these doors, kind of in the middle aisle, and then turning, headed toward the front, and he had, he's kind of a bigger guy with his shirt, sleeves rolled up his arms, and just a white shirt and a tie on, and had a book under his hand, he had a Bible, and it caught this man's eye, sitting there, he tells this story, it's so vivid, it's so, it's so good, that he's just like, what is this?
[14:24] He, it wasn't like scared, he was like, this guy's not wearing a robe, he's not walking around with his hands folded, he's not doing these religious things and smiling at everybody, he's just, he looks like a man, he looks like he's like me, you know, he, he's got his shirt sleeves rolled up, and he's carrying a Bible, and he went up to the front, and he put his Bible down, and as they started Sunday school, he got, got going into the word of God, and somewhere in that Sunday school hour, the pastor said, if you aren't saved, you're gonna burn in hell, and that guy sat there, and it slapped him, right in the eyes, right in the heart, and he talks about sitting there like, he didn't know if he would get angry at that, or what to feel, but he knew, something was hitting him, for the first time in his life, he's hearing what he needed to hear, and in consequent weeks, he got saved, his family started coming to that church, attending the church, and he's been serving there for almost up to 20 years now, in different ministries, and that man is, he loves the Lord, but you know what, what he found out, the religion that he was in, all that garbage, it didn't do anything for him, he was a good guy, he was an honest guy, he's got sins of his past, but,
[15:39] I mean, he's a hard-working, moral, upright kind of guy, and it wasn't anything, he knew it, but he found out, that believing the gospel works, believing the gospel works, he's not searching anymore, when he got a hold of the gospel, Paul said, it's by which you are saved, and amen, if you're saved in here, that's how you got saved, and if you're saved here today, then you know that the gospel works, you ought to know that, pretty firmly in your heart, believing the gospel works, secondly, in this passage, in 1 Corinthians 15, I want to say also, that believing the gospel, is what sets us apart, in verse number one, he says, moreover brethren, I declare unto you the gospel, which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand, now, wherein ye stand, it speaks to your position, in Jesus Christ, the gospel is the basis, by which you're justified, before a holy God, that is, your sins taken away, in front of a holy God, you stand sanctified, before him, although you're not, you're guilty, as hell, full of sin, throughout, and yet you can stand in Christ, clean, because of the gospel, and if there's no gospel, of Jesus Christ, then, you stand in front of, a holy God, on your own merit, and you stand offering him, your best, and how far is that, going to get you, even if you're good, it doesn't take care, of the bad, of the sin,
[17:18] Paul said, oh wretched man, that I am, that's what he considered himself, and as a, as a, far, away, and below, Paul as I am, in the Christian life, if he considers himself, a wretched man, I don't think I, bode any better, to say the least, and so, if I'm going to stand, before a holy God, I want to be sanctified, I want to have something, that will take, away all that guilt, and sin, and believing the gospel, is what sets us apart, I wonder if you'd want to stand, knowing what you know now, if you're saved, and you understand these things, I wonder, would you want to stand, before God, in your own skin, in your own personal, self-righteousness, and try to tell God, how good you've been, I mean, if you're saved, you, the tendency ought to be, the closer you get to the Lord, the wickeder you see yourself, you know, it's kind of, you think, no I'm cleaning up, my life's getting cleaner, and cleaner,
[18:22] I'm walking with Christ, and that's kind of true, it should be true, but it's like, getting closer to a, bright pure light, it tends to show you more, that wasn't revealed, yesterday I was, messing with our van, and I had some, pants on, that were kind of grayish, whitish grayish pants, and they got some dirt on them, but, in the bedroom, they just looked kind of grayish, maybe a little dirty, and then I walked outside, and I was actually, we dropped it off, at a repair shop, and I was walking, and Carla was coming to pick me up, and I was on Glen Oaks, I said, just let me know when you leave, I'm just going to walk for a while, I'm walking on Glen Oaks, and I looked down, I was like, in the sunlight, I was like, man, these pants are filthy, I felt like, you know, I felt like I fit in, I felt like, I'm one of those people now, wearing filthy dirty clothes, walking around, talking to themselves, but it was the brighter the light, the more I saw my dirt, and my filth, and I think that's true, in the Christian life, it's not this false humility, it's getting closer to Christ, the more wretched, you know you are, believing the gospel, it's what sets us apart, imagine this, imagine that there's this large room, and all of humanity is in there, and what you're told to do, is to find your section, not based upon your race, not based upon your status of life, or your accomplishments, but based only upon your belief, and you're going to go stand underneath the sign, that identifies with what you believe, and so, some might come up to, let's say the desk, and say, and what do you believe, and one will say, well I've been baptized, or how is it that, you're going to get to heaven,
[20:08] I've been baptized, that comes out of people's mouths, whether you've heard it or not, it's, a lot of people think that way, I was baptized when I was a kid, and so, that's what you're trusting in, to get to heaven, yeah, it's what I was told, to get baptized, I'm baptized, okay, you go stand over there, with that group, and somebody else comes up, and they say, what are you trusting in, what's your belief, about getting into heaven, and God accepting you, and they say, oh, I have the Holy Ghost, I've been speaking in tongues, I've been exercising, the gifts of the Spirit, I, and then rattles off some things, I can't even do, in faking it, they're good at it, I'm not, I have the sign gifts, and so that's, going to be, what gets you into heaven, yeah, I have the Holy Ghost, that's what I've been taught, and preached, and that's what we do, at our church, and I believe it, okay, you go stand over there, somebody else, walks up and says, I'm a Jew, and so, no, we're not asking, what race you are, we're asking, what are you trusting in, for God to accept you, and he says, that's what I'm trusting in,
[21:18] I'm a Jew, you don't understand, that's all I need, I'm a Jew, I'm Abraham's seed, okay, then you go stand over there, and so, one by one, folks come, and they talk about, how they observe, the Old Testament law, the teachings of Moses, and they abstain from things, others say, that they obey, the Holy Mother Church, and the sacraments, and all the decrees, and the teachings of the Pope, and you say, well, I'm asking you, what are you trusting in, to get you into heaven, and you say, that's what I'm trusting in, that's what I've been taught, all my life, to do, and I'm doing it, okay, go stand over there, under that sign, with so many others, that says works, your own personal works, your righteousness, I've done everything, they say, some say, I'm following the teachings, of Jesus Christ, I've obeyed the teachings, of Christ, and you might ask, okay, well, what teachings, well, love your neighbor, don't judge anyone, do good to others,
[22:21] I've been doing that, my whole life, and that's what you think, God's accepting, yeah, it's in the Bible somewhere, about doing good, and Jesus said it, so I've been doing it, and my pastor preached on that, like every Sunday, okay, you go stand over there, with people that are trusting, their own righteousness, and their own works, and what they've done, and somebody else says, I've been trusting, the words of Jesus Christ too, oh yeah, which ones, well, the ones that were revealed, to the prophet, Joseph Smith, the revelation of Jesus Christ, to Joseph Smith, and I've been following, his teachings, and that's what you think, God's, yes, of course, that's what I was taught, that's what I believe, so, that's what they're trusting in, and then somebody, God willing, in this analogy, steps up, and says, I'm trusting in the gospel, of Jesus Christ, what do you mean the gospel,
[23:23] Christ died for my sins, I'm trusting in what he did, for me, on the cross to Calvary, okay, you go stand underneath, that sign that says, the gospel of Jesus Christ, and you'll go stand, under that sign, with other believers, in the Lord Jesus Christ, and actually, you know, you're standing with a group, that we like to call, the body of Christ, and it's that gospel, and faith in that gospel, that sets us apart, that's us standing together, as the body of Christ, looking on the world, of religion, and on the world, of deceit, and confusion, and knowing, we are set apart, from you, not because of us, not because of our works, but because our faith, is in the Lord Jesus Christ, alone, there's how many, of people in this world, whose faith is in, something religious, something to do with Jesus, but mostly to do, with what they've done, or are doing today, and hope to accomplish, in their life, but it's believing, the gospel church, that sets us apart, it sets us apart, because we can stand, trusting Jesus Christ, work alone, something else,
[24:33] I want to say, about the gospel, is that the gospel, is God's greatest gift, to man, and it's man's, greatest need, the Bible says, that God gave, his only begotten son, the Bible says, that God sent forth, his son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them, that were under the law, that we might receive, the adoption of sons, it's the greatest gift, that God ever gave, the gift of God, is eternal life, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, for God, to give his own son, to give his own son, to redeem, the souls of men, men who, reject him, and rebel against him, after they're saved, for God to do that, is there anything greater, any greater gift, is there any greater love, that God has bestowed upon us, this gift is unwarranted, and undeserved, and even today, it's ignored, it's overlooked, it's highly despised, and rejected of men, but it's God's greatest gift, and it's man's greatest need, it's not money, or health, or success, or love, or happiness, or acceptance, but it's the gospel, is man's greatest need,
[25:59] I did a search online, this afternoon, and just typed in, what is man's greatest need, and the first thing, several things popped up, as you know, and one of the things, right away said, food, air, water, shelter, water, and it stripped it down, to just the base necessities, to survive, but as I continue, looking at several other lists, and there were so many lists, very similar, but some slightly different, one said this, every single person, on this planet, needs food, water, shelter, sleep, others, and novelty, on a regular basis, to be at their best selves, so what is man's greatest need, well there's so many lists, that man puts forth, to describe, whether it's survival, whether it's education, whether it's well being, or as they say today, mental health, but not one list, that I read, and I read a list, I read for just looking, for something different, I went through so many of them, not one focused on, what I believe, is man's greatest need, and it's this book, it's the gospel of Jesus Christ, if you have money, good for you, but you can't get to heaven, with your money, you can't take it with you, and you can't buy, salvation or forgiveness, if you have family, you better enjoy them, while you have them, because one by one, they're going to die, and then you're going to die, and that's over with too, if you have health, again enjoy it, while you have it, but that's not your greatest need, you might have a good balance, in your life, or stability, with finances, with work, with relationships, you might just feel like,
[27:40] I got it all, but if you don't have, the greatest need, do you have anything, at all, the Lord Jesus Christ said, for what shall it profit, a man, if he should gain, the whole world, and lose his own soul, and what shall a man give, in exchange for his soul, it is man's greatest need, just briefly, two things, the gospel, is simple, it's so simple, that a child, can understand it, it's really simple, I had a guy, call the church here, a few weeks ago, and I spoke with him, he left a message, I called him the next day, and spoke with him, and he was just really confused, about his salvation, he was confused about, his own just personal life, and things in it, and he was struggling with sin, or he was struggling with Bible verses, that seemed to say things, he was just getting fed, bad scripture, so to say, they use those two words together, but if you know what I mean, false doctrine, and so he wanted to talk, he's thinking about killing himself, a little bit ago, he was in depression, blah, blah, blah, and so we talked for about, half an hour, and stayed in touch, and so yesterday,
[28:55] I went and met him, at Starbucks, for about an hour, we sat down and talked, and he's, he's, he acts like he has, the truth of salvation, and the gospel, and then he's not sure, if he's saved, and so we went into the book, and the one thing I said is, look, salvation is so simple, a child can receive it, they can understand it, and receive it, you're making something, a little more complicated, than it needs to be, and you're trying to go off, of your personal feelings, or sins, and connect it, to the gospel, and your salvation, and he sat there, in front of me, at Starbucks, with a King James Bible, and I was like, generally speaking, lost men, don't want to meet a pastor, with a King James Bible, in their hand, to talk for an hour, generally speaking, I, you know, I don't want to tell him, you're saved, but I just kind of, tried to help him, through the scripture, as a struggle, with not just salvation, but it's confusion, on other issues, and things in his life, but folks, not only is the gospel, so simple, that a child, can receive it, it's so simple, that you, every one of you, can deliver it, can explain it, you don't need, to be a theologian, you don't need, to have a degree, you don't need, to go to half of a semester, of Bible school, you, you just have to, be saved, you just have to, have it in you, to understand it yourself, my pastor, for years would say, your greatest, your greatest witness, is your testimony, telling somebody, how you got saved, if you can't, memorize all the scriptures, if you can't, answer all the theological, questions, and the, of the operation, of salvation, you can tell them, how you got saved, the gospel is that easy, that you can explain it, no matter who you are, folks, they freeze up, they tense up,
[30:45] I'm going to get asked a question, I won't be able to answer, so what, you can answer them, with what you do know, and keep it on the main thing, the gospel, the gospel is simple, and lastly, the gospel is satisfying, it's satisfying, it's likened in this book, to water, that you'll never thirst again, to living bread, from heaven, it's likened to a meal, that satisfies the soul, forever, and those are analogies, that humans can, at least relate to, you know what it's like, to have a meal, and then get hungry, and to have a drink, and then get thirsty again, but to think, that there's something, God offers, that you'll never, have to go back, and get more of, like the old testament, you'll never have to offer, again for your sins, the gospel is satisfying, the gospel, takes the sin, out of one's soul, it's the gospel, that can take the guilt, out of one's conscience, it's the gospel, that can take, the fear, out of death, and it can take dread, out of the judgment, it's satisfying, you don't have to walk through life, scared anymore, do you remember, what that's like, maybe you, maybe you got saved young, don't even really know, what that's like, there's a lot of people, they're biting their fingernails, they're sucking on a bottle, they're popping pills, they're searching for truth, and if you have it, oh my, it's satisfying, you don't need pills, you don't need beer, and wine, and whiskey, you've got something, that takes all of that, or that desire, for those things, can take it away, can fill it with something right, the gospel is man's greatest need, kids need it, the elderly need it, your neighbor needs it, your boss needs it, everyone needs it, the Bible says, ye must be born again,
[32:47] Peter said, neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none of their name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved, everyone needs it, it's a necessity, salvation is a necessity, but the gospel is the means, by which we obtain, or receive salvation, salvation, and as I said earlier, it's how you got saved, the gospel of Jesus Christ, so when Paul references the gospel, he is not talking about just the facts, oh, death, burial, resurrection, it is what Christ did, and it's applying, what he accomplished, to your sinful soul, it's a spiritual transaction, it's faith in something, that you can't touch, that you can't work on, that you can't add to, it's just resting in it, resolving to let go, and to believe, a little bit later, we're going to make up some bags, and we're going to, fill it with gospel tracks, and never know, where they're going to end up,
[33:59] I hope that we can hand some out, with a smile, with an invitation to church, I hope that, on top of that, that we've had, the Lord has allowed, and by his grace, to have some lost people, come into our services, over the last month, there's been lost people, in this building, and it stirs my heart, I've been praying for them, I want to see them come back, I don't want to see them, come back in Philippi, I want to see them, trust Christ, it's in my heart, I want to see them saved, man I would rejoice, my heart, to see some people, come in here, and get saved, and maybe, maybe never be, something wonderful, and great, and some trophy of grace, and the next, treasurer, deacon, piano player, whatever, maybe that will never happen, but if we can see them saved, and rescue them, and pull them out, of the pit of the fire, I want to see it happen, God's put it on my heart, and he's brought them in here, and I'm not going to ignore that, I'm not going to just, despise that,
[35:01] I feel a burden, toward it, and I want us to get, that burden together, to see God do something, he's bringing them in, so let's get on fire, for this, let's care about the gospel, the way he cares, about the gospel, let's not care about, our feelings, and emotions, as much as we should care, about the lost souls of men, that God cares about, I don't want to undermine, anybody or anything, that's not my goal, or purpose here, I want us to, get our focus on the gospel, I want us to believe, the gospel that it works, and know from experience, that it works, and I want us to, to show others, how it sets us apart, it can set them apart, we have peace, we have rest, in our souls, we're standing, in the body of Christ, not working, and scraping, and clawing, and trying, and hoping, maybe you could use, a gospel track this week, maybe you could, participate on Sunday, maybe you could invite, somebody to come to church, maybe there's something, you could do, that, that you can put your feet, to this, remember that, that passage, it mentions it in,
[36:08] Isaiah, but it mentions it in Romans 10, how beautiful are the feet, them that preach, the gospel of peace, in the, it was having your feet shod, in that passage, last Wednesday, in Ephesians 6, your feet shod, with the preparation, of the gospel of peace, let's put some feet, to this gospel, not just sit here, and nod our heads, and believe it, but be active, and engaged, in the work of God, let's be dismissed, I'll pray, and then I'll invite you, to hang around, if you're able, to help us out, with that work, there in the, fellowship hall, give us a minute, to get it going, and then, we'll do that, Father, Lord, we're thankful, not just lip service, but truly thankful, from our hearts, for the gospel, of Jesus Christ, for, for hanging on that cross, and taking our sins, and bearing them, in your own body, on the tree, Lord, nobody here deserves, to be able to come, before you, nobody deserves, heaven, nobody deserves, forgiveness of sins, so Lord, thank you, for Calvary, and for your son, thank you, for loving us, and commending it, toward us, and for dying, for us,
[37:20] Lord, may that, excitement, and that thankfulness, pour out, of our hearts, and affect the world, around us, and the neighborhoods, around us, the souls, that are on their way, to hell, they're dropping in, every day, may it affect us, to do something, Lord, help us to be bold, and embolden us, in our spirits, convict us, in our hearts, to preach the gospel, to minister the gospel, in some way, to someone that we know, Lord, I pray you'll continue, to bring in lost souls, into this place, and that you'll convict us, and help us, to reach out to them, and to befriend them, and to confront them, and to get to know them, and to encourage them, to trust Jesus Christ, and to be saved, just the same way, that you saved us, and Lord, we love you, I pray you'll bless our week, bless our efforts, as we serve you, help us to live right, and to live clean, and I pray you'll even bless, the efforts on Sunday, and getting some tracks out, around this neighborhood, and some invitations, to join us here,
[38:26] I pray you'll bless that, I ask this in Jesus name, Amen, Amen, Amen,