Responsibility

[0:00] I want to talk about responsibility.

[0:16] The Herald of Free Enterprise was a vessel, a car ferry, flying between Dover, England and! The whole front of this ship opened so that it was that the cars and trucks could be loaded onto its lower decks. It would open up and they would enter the lower decks. And one winter night, with the vehicles loaded and 563 passengers on board, Captain David Lurie put out to sea. It was dark, 7pm. All went well in the sheltered harbour. But one mile out, when they hit high seas, the ship capsized in 90 seconds.

[0:59] And sank within 5 minutes. It was the 6th of March 1987. 193 people drowned. The ship had put to sea with its front loading doors wide open. There was no indicator light on the bridge. The captain assumed that the man responsible for closing the doors had done so. Instead, the man was asleep in the cabin. Because assistant Boeson Mark Stanley was asleep on the job, 193 people died. Today I'm talking about the subject of responsibility. We all bear a responsibility.

[1:48] responsibility. Just as the man at his post who fell asleep. Responsibility. We have a responsibility to wakefulness and to fulfil our responsibility. You know, I work in an industry where people looked after 24-7. People have to be awake and looking after the people. If they fall asleep, generally they get the sack. We have a responsibility to wakefulness. To wakefulness. To fulfil our responsibility before God. As we read in Romans 14, 12, it says, So then, every one of us shall give account of himself to God. So then, every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

[2:36] The Bible says that we all must give an account. Every one of us will have to give an account to God. To God. How would we gauge our sense of our responsibility today? Our awesome responsibility that we have before our God today?

[2:55] And what will we do about it? When we talk of the things of life and of spiritual realities, these matters that we are talking about are eternal truths. This is no game. It's no trivial matter. These are realities. It's not something to be debated, such as the opinions or viewpoints of men. These issues that are at stake are eternal and of extreme importance.

[3:22] And critically, it is vital that we know that we stand full square with the Lord and to whom we have to answer. If we are wrong in doctrine or practice, it is to him that we will ultimately answer. And as Moses did.

[3:45] And that is not something to be toyed with or taken lightly. It's heavy. It's vital. Every one of us have a responsibility. Eternal souls are hanging in the balance. Souls are perishing. To get it wrong could be catastrophic. Catastrophic.

[4:13] Let us examine ourselves and choose wisely. It seems sadly as if the church, by and large, is not wakeful. It's not awake. It's neglecting its mission.

[4:29] It's as if what's going on in churches half the time is like to some pointless rearranging of chairs on the Titanic. These are no mere trifles that we're talking about. Eternal realities. These are critical matters that count, that matter.

[4:48] And we must get them right. Divine imperatives. Divine imperatives. We have a responsibility before God. Every one of us. And these are fundamental questions we want to get right.

[5:03] What is important. What is important? What is it that matters? I put it to you that the church is important. The church is important. It matters.

[5:15] It matters. We have a responsibility in this regard. Paul urges Timothy about the vitality and the vital truth of the church.

[5:28] He says, But if I tarry long, 1 Timothy 3.15, That thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, which is the pillar and ground of the truth.

[5:43] So like the column and the stand that it stands on. The pillar and the ground of the truth is the church of the living God. Why is the church important? Because God says it is.

[5:54] I'm talking about the local church assembly. It's important. It's vital as a Christian. Why? Because it is the pillar and ground of the truth.

[6:05] The truth. We are accountable to the local church. We are to be loyal to the local church. We are to minister and serve in the local church.

[6:16] This is our place where God is calling us to serve Him. And to live for Him. And to be an active, vibrant Christian. The church is important to you.

[6:27] It's important for you. It's important to God. Yet it appears that the church, sadly, is fast asleep. And Satan is gladly, happily rocking the cradle.

[6:39] As Christians sleep, it seems that a spineless, sissified, gutless, anemic form of Christianity prevails. Like a dread virus that sweats over the church of God.

[6:51] And has become cold and dying and dead. It's like a chronic sickness prevails. A sickness, a sleepiness. That something is sapping away the strength that we should have.

[7:04] The vitality of the church that we should have before God. That's God's design that we have. And instead we've got an armchair comfortable Christianity.

[7:15] That's taken its place. We see Sunday evening services closing across this nation. Across the world. The western world. Sunday evening services closing because people don't show up.

[7:28] That's a reproach. Prayer meetings poorly attended. Bible studies neglected. An evident lack of loyalty and faithfulness to the local church.

[7:41] It's a reproach. The pillar and ground of the truth. The church matters. And meanwhile there's a confusing disarray and discord and diversity of doctrines abounding.

[7:54] People tuning in carelessly to follow after false teachers and fads. Such that there's no discernment. And there's a lack of vigorous sowing effort generally.

[8:05] And preaching that is ever more shallow and man-centered. The church is in a state. The church of the living God.

[8:16] We have an imperative, an imperative, an imperative. We are duty bound. We must resoundingly uphold and preach the truth. Why?

[8:27] Because we have a responsibility before our Lord. Paul had a grip on his sense of responsibility. As likewise we share as preachers. He speaks of not having a blood guilt.

[8:38] He had no blood on his hands. As it were. Because he fully delivered God's counsel, God's message faithfully. And as a preacher in God's church, I bear this responsibility as we all do who minister here.

[8:54] Paul declared in Acts 20 from verse 26, Wherefore I take to you record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men. He could say I am pure from the blood of all men.

[9:07] Why? For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. The preacher must not hold back, but declare the whole counsel of God.

[9:21] We believe in absolutes, imperatives. In other words, things that must be done. And we must not hold back God's word. We dare not.

[9:33] Woe to me if I preach not the gospel. Well, we look back on our lives and think, What could have been? What could have been? It seems mostly in the churches that too many people want to be mollycoddled with smooth things, pleasant things, deceits.

[9:51] Romans 14, 12, it says, So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Friends, judgment looms. I would urge you today that the judgment of God is a fearful thing.

[10:04] If we're not ready. A fearful thing. Hebrews 10, 31, it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. It's to God that we answer.

[10:16] That is an awesome responsibility, isn't it? Amen. When you consider that. One that we should handle reverently and seriously. Dark clouds are gathering on the horizon, as it were.

[10:28] Weak and godless leaders rule over our nation. The lost world is against us. Churches are crumbling and closing their doors. Pastors are leaving their pulpits.

[10:40] There's churches without pastors in this nation. In the western world, that's a reproach. Where are the men of God ready to take their place? To take my place?

[10:52] Where are they? Genuine, Bible-believing Christians are a minority. A hated, persecuted minority. These are serious days that we live.

[11:02] As in Isaiah's time, we are living in a rebellious nation. And the truth must be not played with, not made more palatable, but preached.

[11:12] And it does not matter whether people receive it. What matters is that we deliver it. And that's for you too, as a Christian, as a witness.

[11:24] It doesn't matter whether people will receive it. But you must be faithful to deliver it. That's what counts. As Isaiah said, he said, This is a rebellious house.

[11:35] Lying children. Children that will not hear the law of the Lord. Which say to the seers, See not. And to the prophets, Prophesy not. Unto us right things. Speak unto us smooth things.

[11:48] Prophesy deceits. That's how people like it. That's where they flock to. Our culture is increasingly paganised, savage, barbaric, and godless. Look at what violent entertainment satisfies people these days.

[12:02] That's the culture of this nation. And meanwhile, in the churches, we've fallen asleep. Sound asleep. And snoring.

[12:14] Comfortable in our padded pews. That's why we don't make those seats too comfortable. There's a lot of people falling asleep in padded pews. Amen? That's what's going on in churchdom today.

[12:27] That's what I'm going to look like this afternoon. Having a snooze. But there's a time to sleep. But there's a time to awake, isn't there? Isn't it time to be awake? When you're at your post.

[12:38] When you're at your place of service. As the sailor was. There's a time not to sleep. And friends, apathy abounds. Truth is out the window.

[12:49] As deep people follow these ear-tickling popular preachers and teachings of our day. As we edge ever closer to the apocalypse. To a one world church system.

[13:02] That is led by blind leaders of the blind. Over the cliff. And it's all been engineered. There's someone pulling the strings. The great puppet master.

[13:15] I was looking for a picture of a puppet master. And there was a picture of the Pope holding some strings. And it's been said that the spirit of ecumenism is the spirit of Antichrist.

[13:26] The spirit of ecumenism is the spirit of Antichrist. I consider that such a united church system is a forerunner of that system which many will blindly follow after the Antichrist.

[13:43] Friends, we must be alert. Wakeful. Watching. Awake. Not asleep. Because not everything that claims to be of God is truly of God.

[13:54] So I urge you to keep apart from ecumenical church outfits. They are dangerous. It's an unholy mixture that will weaken our witness and bring doctrinal confusion and error.

[14:08] We stand against it. The church is important. The church. Yet by and large we have fallen asleep. And you can hear people snoring.

[14:19] We're hurtling towards our train wreck. And we're asleep at the wheel. Who's ever driven a long distance and just start to... No.

[14:30] You don't want to do that. We're asleep at the wheel. We need an awakening. It's been said that the trends for churches are to be either liberal, charismatic or dead.

[14:41] Counterfeit Christianity is a spiritual harlotry. It is the Babylonian spirit. And we must reject it.

[14:53] And so Christianity today is being merchandised and marketed. It's cheapened. As if it's just some other man-made product on the shelf.

[15:04] Just take your pig. Just church hop. Just be a church shopper. And find what appeals. And usually it's the slick kind of Christianity.

[15:16] Slick, secularised, soft and sickly. And God's going to spew it out of his mouth. The popular modern preachers these days are fairy floss, sweet and sickly.

[15:32] No substance and strength. And compromised Christianity is impotent. It denies the power of God. While it claims some sham profession of it with some sham signs.

[15:44] Like a circus show or a nightclub, a rock concert. Geared to entertain the masses. This is popular compromised Christianity today. We don't want a bar of it.

[15:56] 2 Timothy 3.5 Paul says of such having a form of godliness. But denying the power thereof. From such turn away. It's time church.

[16:09] To get off the couch. And to come out of Babylon. Come out of Babylon. It's a corrupt system. We need to recognise Babylon, as it were, which speaks of a compromised political and or religious system.

[16:28] We need to come out of Babylon. Not collaborate and cosy up to it. We must renounce it. These are some divine imperatives.

[16:40] Things that must be done. We have great things to do, church. As God's church. We have great things to do. Yet it seems that people do not care.

[16:52] They do not care. I pray that you'll get off the couch. Many are indifferent, self-serving.

[17:06] They're not taking their Christianity seriously. There's a half-heartedness. Not a full obedience. Not a strong strength. Strength. That we should have.

[17:18] We're just about to go off the cliff. Things are hotting up. The world's talking about it. I was sat around the table talking to some just secular people.

[17:28] And they were talking about all these things that are going on. The world can see it. The madness that our governments are trying to propagate.

[17:41] The deception. The globalisation. It's evidence of the man in the street. And yet, what of the church?

[17:53] We should know better, shouldn't we? We're self-serving. We're lacking in compassion. We're not enduring sound doctrine. I'm talking in general terms about the general trends. Error and spiritual deception and ignorance abounds.

[18:07] The convenient gospel has been adapted so it appeals to men. And calls for no cross. And some would say, well, it's only a little leaven. It's just a little false theology.

[18:26] Only a little of it is toxic. Yet this is what the word warns us of.

[18:39] It warns us of this. And it can cause great havoc and destruction. Friends, many challenges are confronting the church. Yet we are not ready to face them.

[18:50] We need to train gospel workers. We need a restoration. We need a revival. We need people to get off the couch. And this is my prayer for you, for our church.

[19:06] We need to train gospel workers. Be willing to be trained. Be willing to volunteer. You know, it's a reproach to us.

[19:18] That we've got to cajole and bribe people. We don't want to do that. It should come from within you. The motivation should come from within you. I want to serve God.

[19:30] There is a danger if we do not act. That when we are called to account, we will stand ashamed with blood on our hands. Blood on our hands.

[19:41] I must warn people. It's one of the hardest things I've got to do. To confront people. I've had to confront some people in recent times. Because of false doctrine.

[19:53] It's hard to do that. It's one of the hardest things, the most difficult things that I as a preacher have to do. I have to do it. I don't want to do it. But I don't want to have your blood on my hands.

[20:06] I don't want that. I'd rather tell you honestly and faithfully whether you want to hear it or not. I need to be a watchful, wakeful, warning man.

[20:17] As the sailor at his post should have been and was not. Ezekiel 33 we read, But if the watchman see the trumpet, the stalled sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned.

[20:34] If the sword come and take any person from among them, he has taken away in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand. The picture is of a watchman on the gates of the city, watching for the invader, and warning the people, blowing the trumpet, Look out! We're about to get attacked.

[20:56] And if I fail to warn, your blood will he require at the watchman's hand. Verse 7, So thou, O son of man, I have sent thee a watchman unto the house of Israel.

[21:11] Therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. It's critical. These are divine imperatives. And we each stand before God accountable for the word that we have, for the calling that we have, for the loved ones that we care about.

[21:33] We want to warn them, don't we? Don't we want to warn them? These are divine imperatives. What will we be measured by? Divine imperatives.

[21:44] The must-dos. The must-haves. What is the crying need of our world? Our church. What is the answer? The answer? Men.

[21:58] We need men. In some churches you go to, there's scarcely any men in them, because the church has been so sissified and effeminised and emasculated that there's no men anymore.

[22:11] Men of God is what we need. Men of God. Men who will be ready to give account. Men who will be at their post, rain, hail, sleep or shine and on time.

[22:24] Men of God. That's what we need in this church. We need men. Men who will be ready to give an account. Not sissified, slack, but faithful men.

[22:37] Faithful men. I urge you to be among their number. Romans 14, 12. It says, So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. One preacher put it, Ravenhill, he said this, We need men.

[22:48] Burdened, bent, bowed and broken. Under the vision of impending judgement. And the doom of the unending hell of the impenitent.

[22:59] That's what we need. Men. Burdened, bent, bowed, broken. With a vision of the impending judgement. Of the unending hell of the impenitent.

[23:13] We need men. Men who will be husbands and fathers. Men who will be men. We need men who will rise up for God. We need straightforward preaching that says it like it is.

[23:24] And I want to see the men of this church stirred up, trained up, in the harness, wearing God's yoke. Co-workers with God.

[23:36] Serving God to the utmost of their ability. Not shakers, but workers. Rise up, O men of God. Have done with lesser things.

[23:47] Give heart and soul and mind and strength to serve the King of kings. There's no higher calling. Be stirred, man of God.

[23:58] Be stirred, man of God. God's hand is on your life. Make your life count. And that's not to dismiss women of God. Likewise.

[24:09] So then, every one of us shall give account of himself to God. What is the answer? We have need of men. Men of God. We also have need of God's message. We need the message.

[24:20] And I'm not talking about the corrupt message Bible. Or any other corrupt and adulterated so-called Bibles that Christians blindly swallow today.

[24:31] We need the word of God. The holy Bible. The true and faithful word. And we can hold it in our hands. And know it's true.

[24:42] And we must preach the word. And settle for nothing less. We have nothing else worth saying. There is no other message. We must speak it out.

[24:54] And no matter the cost. And as preachers, we need to lift up our voices against the evils of our day. Both within the world and within the church. Without fear or favour.

[25:06] And counter false doctrine in all its perverse forms. There's no time to muck around. Isaiah 58.1 Isaiah was called.

[25:18] Cry aloud. Spare not. Lift up thy voice like a trumpet. And show my people their transgression. And the house of Jacob their sins.

[25:30] Cry aloud. Spare not. We need unsparing preaching. We must have the word. The more sure word. We believe as a church in the supremacy of the word.

[25:42] It's supreme. He's exalted it above his name. The word of God. And in 2 Chronicles 34 we read of an instance where the word of God, the book of the Lord was lost in the house of God.

[25:55] 2 Chronicles 34 from verse 14 and 15. They lost the word of God. It was hidden somewhere. And they couldn't find it. Who's ever had that problem? Can I find something?

[26:07] I have it all the time. But we don't want to lose the word. Do we? We don't want to lose the word of God. And when they found the word, which they did find the word, there was great revelation. There was great repentance.

[26:18] And there was great revival. The word of God. We've got to find it. It's got lost today. It's got lost somewhere. We need to regain the message of God. And on another occasion in Jeremiah 36, from verse 21 to 23, there was a godless king who made a vain attempt to destroy God's word.

[26:37] He cut it in pieces with a pen knife. Oh, I don't like that bit. I don't like that bit. He cut the word of God, as it were.

[26:48] Tried to destroy it and mutilate it and burn it. People have been trying to do that since kingdom come. They've been trying to have God said. Trying to mutilate the word of God.

[26:59] They're still doing it today. They're printing it and people are paying for mutilated Bibles today. And it's Satan's plan. So nowadays, also, we have a culture of disrespect for God and his word.

[27:14] Parents, you have a responsibility. I urge you as parents, watch out for your children about what they're being taught. There's a great danger. Be a godly gatekeeper of your home as to what enters.

[27:29] Watch out for secular schools and Christian schools and Christian schools. You know, it's the lesser evil, but even Christian schools, they're filled with questionable things.

[27:47] I was sad to see of recent times I had occasion to visit a Christian school recently. And they were singing a crass Hillsong number.

[28:00] Jesus is my superhero. I'm sorry, but Jesus Christ is not my superhero. He is not my superhero.

[28:13] His name is above every other name. His name is precious. Jesus. And he is to be revered and honoured.

[28:24] Not brought down to the level of Robin and Batman. What a travesty. Find another way, if possible, so that you can protect your children.

[28:36] Christian parents. As a much older man now, in hindsight, if I had my time again, and I'm giving my personal opinion here, I would recommend home schooling.

[28:49] Rather than secular schooling or even Christian schooling. But, brothers and sisters, be a gatekeeper. That's my point. Be a gatekeeper for your children. There's much influence that is ungodly and harmful.

[29:02] We have a responsibility. A responsibility, don't we? Much of our media, our movies, music, social media, is constantly, constantly attacking God's truth and abandoning God's word.

[29:16] And across the media, we're bombarded constantly with social engineering. It's called social engineering. Brainwashing. With contrary messages.

[29:29] Messages contrary to God and truth. You know, truth is hate, for those who hate the truth, isn't it? I think there's truth there. And they call what I'm delivering to you, hate speech.

[29:41] We will continue to watch, will we continue to watch, listen, chuckle, and even share such things that are questionable?

[29:53] Or will we rather lament, mourn, and weep about the state of the church? You know, you just have to tune into Facebook and see what some who profess to be Christians are sharing on social media.

[30:05] And you just wonder. I just shake my head. Everything is getting redefined. And what the Bible says about the sanctity of life is ignored.

[30:18] Homosexuality is applauded. I was grieved to see a report recently that there are pro-homosexual forces, so-called Christians, pro-homosexual so-called Christians.

[30:36] And there's a letter that 106 clergy in Australia have written along this same vein.

[30:48] So the Liberal MP, Warren Ench, supporting homosexual marriage, so-called. And these are ministers from the Uniting, from the Anglican Church, from the Baptist Union, you name it.

[31:05] These men and women will answer to God. So I appreciate it. They'll answer to God. For what they are doing. For their sin. And for their wicked denominations.

[31:18] They are sadly deceived. Sadly, sadly deceived. As many in such denominations. We need to urge them, come out! And be separate from evil and error.

[31:32] Get out! We will give account. Our nation. Our nation's leaders. Our nation's church leaders. Our nation that just blithely goes on killing babies in the mother's womb.

[31:46] We are accountable to God. We have much need of preaching. And the object of preaching is the eternal salvation of the human soul through the presentation of divine truth.

[31:59] We need preaching today. This message is too important to be diluted. To be watered down. We must preach it. Strong and hard. Warning every man.

[32:11] Again, I'd rather not be warning you. I'd rather be patting you on the back. And encouraging you. I'll do that too. Paul writes of preaching Christ.

[32:23] The hope of glory. Our great subject matter. In Colossians 1.28 he says, Whom we preach, warning every man. And teaching every man.

[32:36] In all wisdom. That we may present every man. Perfect. In Christ Jesus. Brother, sister, I want to warn you.

[32:47] I want to encourage you. I want to lift you up. I want you to be taught, trained, ready to serve. Paul says we must not shy away from warning every man.

[32:58] Likewise, he urged the elders at Ephesus. Acts 20.28 he says, Take heed. Therefore unto yourselves and to the flock, all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers.

[33:14] Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock. To feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

[33:27] Also of your own selves shall men rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw disciples away after them. Therefore, watch. And remember that by the space of three years I cease not to warn everyone, night and day, with tears.

[33:46] Three years, night, day, night, day, night, day, warning, with tears. And now, brethren, I commend you to the word of God, to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up.

[34:02] And to give you an inheritance among them, all them which are sanctified. So again, this need for warning. It's natural to kind of try to avoid warning people.

[34:15] It's easier just to brush it under the carpet, but we must not. I dare not. I cannot. And so there's much going on. It's the mysticism, contemplative practices. There's an inter-church mixture that abandons sound doctrine.

[34:28] And it's just all warm and fluffy, a fuzzy kind of Christianity. That waters down the message so that people will miss that. What they need to hear.

[34:40] Lest any get offended. Don't offend anybody, do we? That's the cardinal sin. Offend people so that you'll actually have less people want to hear what you're saying. They don't get the truth, but you'll have more people.

[34:53] That's what it's about. No! So that every one of us shall give account of himself to God. We hold in our hands unchanging truth. Essential truth.

[35:05] Timeless truth. We must declare such truths resolutely, forthrightly. We dare not buzz. We must declare them resolutely and not fit in with the ecumenical crowd.

[35:17] You know, I don't stand with these people. The ecumenical crowd. We cannot toy with the ecumenical movement. All roads lead to Rome. And the Pope wants to bring everyone as one big happy family under his fold, under his wings, under his banner.

[35:36] That's where it's ultimately going. So let's not deviate from God-exalting truth, but rather hold fast our course. Friends, these are serious things. Divine imperatives. Divine imperatives.

[35:48] Opposing us are all the hosts of hell. And some of them are wearing dog collars. Led by the father of lies. And they are behind these false movements of our day.

[36:03] The hosts of hell. Behind the false Bibles. And the false teachings that prevail. The false doctrines that really aren't doctrines of devils. If it's a false doctrine, it's actually called in the Bible a doctrine of devils.

[36:18] That's the source of it. If it's false, it's of the devil. Steer clear of it. Well clear of it. So friends, I urge you today. Divine imperatives.

[36:28] We must not be deceived. We must be alerted. Awakened. Beware. Lest any man deceive you. You and I have a stewardship to fulfil. A charge before God.

[36:39] A holy charge. We put in charge. A charge is put to us. A duty to fulfil. As the parable of our Lord. Where stewards were called to give an account.

[36:50] For how they used that which was given to them. For what they had done or failed to do. In Luke 16. Our Lord called the man and said. How is it that I hear of thee?

[37:03] Give an account of thy stewardship. We have a responsibility. A stewardship. And we're going to be called to account. Called to account. The stewardship. Of the life that we live. The life that we have to live.

[37:17] What will you do with your life? We have a responsibility to fulfil. We need men. Men. And we have need of the message.

[37:29] The Bible. And we have need of mission. Mission. Mission. Thirdly. We are called to mission. Mission. The mandate. That we have is mission.

[37:40] Mission. May not go to some. Head hunting country. Or you might have to put up with. Reaching Aussies. You know. They're bad enough. But the mission that we have.

[37:50] This mission. That is the church's mission. The mission that we are called to. It's not to be a part of the Laodicean one. Or the church that murdered multitudes in the Inquisition.

[38:01] Listen. We have nothing to do with the church of Rome. Or our harlot sisters. The compromising ecumenical crowd. We will stand against them. Against them.

[38:12] And we will rebuke them. And we may be considered out of step. We don't join in. The ecumenical causes. That other churches at times do.

[38:23] We will not march. To the Pied Pipers tune. We are the minority. And we always have been. Look back to our history. The church of God.

[38:35] The church of God. It's always been a remnant of godly people. A force to be reckoned with still. And that's God's plan still. It's always been God's plan.

[38:46] God's method. This is our mission. And we will not be detoured from it. It's been said that less is better than more. Think of Gideon's day.

[38:57] Of Gideon's time. God's plan was to have. Was that it was better to have less people. Fully consecrated to the Lord. Than to have more people.

[39:09] Who are not genuine disciples. Amen. Less is better than more. Think of that. I can't presume that everyone gathered under this roof today is a Christian.

[39:19] I pray that you are. I do pray that. But sometimes it's a mixed multitude. And not everyone is saved.

[39:32] We can't presume that anyone is saved. We've got to examine ourselves before the Lord. It's for you to get that right. Yourself. But in Gideon's day.

[39:44] Less is better than more. It was God's way with Gideon. And it's always been God's way. Down through history. God has always worked with a remnant. A holy faithful remnant.

[39:57] Fallible men and women. Yes. But faithful. And God has used this small group of people. Dedicated to his cause. Will we be a part of God's remnant?

[40:11] In Judges 7 we read. The Lord said to Gideon. By the 300 men that left will I save you. And deliver the Midianites into thine hand. Let all the other people go every man unto his place.

[40:26] It's an amazing story isn't it? But God had first to get Gideon to reduce his army. By sending 22,000 of them. Who are fearful and afraid.

[40:37] Back home. It's not about the numbers is it? 22,000. Fearful. Go home. Take your bat and ball and go home.

[40:50] If you're fearful. Go home. It was 10,000. Then 10,000 were left to face 135,000 Midianites.

[41:05] 10,000 against 135,000 Midianites. Half of them chickened out. Over half. Then God told Gideon to send away as they bowed down to the water to take a drink.

[41:23] God told Gideon to send away those who bowed down upon their knees to drink water. Judges 7 verse 6. Those who bowed down on their knees and lapped it up. God told Gideon send them away.

[41:38] It left 300. Just 300. Who took the water up in their hands and lapped it. They were like this.

[41:49] Holding their sword or staff. Looking. Watchful. Watching. These men drank from their cubbed hands rather than putting their heads down to the water.

[42:00] And the 300 who took up the water in their hands so they could be on the alert. Watchful. Able to look around for approaching danger. Henry Morris said this. That the choice of the 300 was based on alertness just as the first was based on courage.

[42:16] And so too. We have need of courage. We have need of watchfulness today. To avoid what is unbiblical and avoid it. Rome is a fraud. Yet many still pander to the Pope.

[42:28] Or they cozy up to the apostate church. In all its guises. We can't. We must not. It's horrendous. It's inexcusable. We must stand steadfast with the remnant people of God.

[42:39] With the faithful men and women of history who withstood this kind of thing. Men like Thomas Cramden. As much as he had an unsettled time. He ultimately was burnt at the stake for his faith.

[42:50] And he said. And as for the Pope. I refuse him. As Christ's enemy. And Antichrist. With all his false doctrine. It cost him his life as he went to the flame.

[43:02] For his faith. Vernon McGee said. God told Gideon he still had too many men. How were they separated? They came to the stream. And most of the men got down and all forced to drink.

[43:14] The 300. Lapped up the water. And were all ready to go. They were eager to get to the enemy. To get the job done. They wanted to free and save the nation. They were the ones that went to battle.

[43:25] The others were sent home. They went to battle with a mighty victory. With trumpets blaring. And torches blazing. What an amazing account.

[43:38] Torches blazing. And trumpets blaring. Trust in God. And God gave the victory. And so too as part of God's remnant people. As God's people today.

[43:49] We're called to two qualities. To be courageous. Courageous enough to follow Christ. And alert to that which withstands us. Alert to that.

[44:00] Watchful. Wakeful. Awake. And so brothers and sisters. We are to be the church militants. We have need of the church.

[44:11] The church of God. The real church. And this is God's mission. There is no other. Not a false church. A false system of men. But a spiritual church. A spiritual church.

[44:21] It's God's plan. The local church is God's plan. There is no other plan. Romans 14.12. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

[44:31] We're accountable. To be a part of a solid group of God's people. You know the Lord Jesus took the whip of cords. And he cast out the crooks and the crassness that invaded God's worship.

[44:45] We need to get rid of that. Take a strong stand. Be prepared. Christian. Soldier. To stand fast. Stand against wickedness. Stand against the world.

[44:56] Against false doctrine. Stand against Babylon. In all its guises. The perversion of Christianity. God says get out. Get out of it. He says flee out of the midst of Babylon.

[45:08] Jeremiah 51. Verse 6. God's judgment looms. We're at the precipice. God's judgment looms. I urge you. I'm talking about responsibility.

[45:21] Responsibility. To fulfil your responsibility. To pay the price. It's time to get out of the hammock. Get out of your hammock. We've already struck the iceberg.

[45:35] We're hurtling towards the greatest conflict the world the church has ever known. And we the church just seem to just kick back and rest in our hammocks.

[45:46] Listening to the lilting music. That keeps us drowsy. Meantime our world is coming crashing down. Crashing down.

[45:58] And we'll have little to hang on to. We want to make sure we're holding on to God. Hold on to him. We face times of economic collapse. Of crisis. Of great apostasy. It's already upon us.

[46:11] Freedom is in jeopardy. Fleeing from Babylon. Run for your lives. How are you spiritually today? I have need to exhort you.

[46:24] To ask that personal question. Even if it offends you. How are you going? Spiritually. I asked this of someone one day. And it provoked an angry reaction.

[46:37] How are you spiritually? Pretty good. Amen. It's a reasonable question. Isn't it? A caring question I trust.

[46:51] It's not to condemn. My goal is not to condemn. It's to lift you up. It's to see you grow. It's to see you become a stronger Christian.

[47:01] Not weaker. And so we need to examine ourselves. Whether we measure up. Examine yourselves. Whether you be in the faith. Prove your own selves. Know you not your own selves?

[47:12] How Jesus Christ is in you. Except you be. Reprobates. Let's examine ourselves and choose wisely. In a world that's so wrapped up with commercialism and consumerism and consumer Christianity.

[47:25] People are so wrapped up in themselves. What's really important? Can it be said by some who know you? Who you could witness to? No man care for my soul.

[47:35] That would be a reproach wouldn't it? That would mean blood on your hands wouldn't it? That you didn't warn them. The souls of lost people are precious. Precious. Of precious value.

[47:47] Let's not be caught napping like the sailor in his hammond. Let's not be caught napping like the sailor at his post. Let us not hold back. Let us be watchful.

[47:58] Let us be warning. Souls are too precious. Too precious. You are too precious. And your life matters. And you will one day give an account of your stewardship.

[48:11] This is not to condemn you. But starting now. Things can change can't they? Starting now you can make a commitment for the rest of your life. Can't you?

[48:21] Can you do that? Yes you can. Yes you can. You will one day give an account of your stewardship. So then every one of us shall give an account of himself to God.

[48:33] And someone has said none of us will ever be all that we could be. But we can be more of what we should be. And it takes a decision doesn't it?

[48:45] It takes a bit of a decision of the will. It takes a choice. We each have a responsibility. Keep watchful sailor. Keep watchful sailor.

[48:57] Steer your ship wisely. We have a responsibility. And every one of us bears this responsibility before God. And my prayer is that we be a spirit led people.

[49:09] That we'll be word driven. That we'll hold fast faithfully. That we'll find and do the will of God for our lives. So let us forsake all that would hinder the gospel message.

[49:20] Let go of anything that would hinder the effectiveness of your service unto the Lord. As part of the faithful church. Let it go. Let it go.

[49:31] Let us separate ourselves from all error and worldliness and compromise. Let us forsake anything that would hinder us from being a solid part of God's true church.

[49:45] And that's not to say we've got a monopoly on the truth. But I trust we are a faithful church. And I want us to be more faithful. More steadfast. These are divine imperatives.

[49:56] The truth matters too much. The answer is men. Men. Ready to give an account. A people of God. The answer is a message.

[50:07] A message that must not be compromised. As we stand for God's sure word. A message that matters. And a mission. As a faithful remnant. We're called to be his witnesses.

[50:19] We're called to be a faithful people. God's church. I'm preaching today for Christians about divine imperatives.

[50:29] I trust you know him. You know the saviour of whom Adam spoke. Of his bloodshare. Of life offered. Of good news. We've heard about obedience.

[50:43] I urge you today. Trust him now. Trust him now. And as a Christian. Make today a turning point. For the rest of your life. Make it count. Let us pray.

[50:54] Let us pray.

[51:06]