Provoke - Warning: Highly Provocative Material

[0:00] It's probably going to be a provocative message, a provocative message in a good way I pray.

[0:11] ! I want to provoke you today. Who's ever been provoked? Hopefully in a good way.! We know we can be provoked in a bad way, can't we? Things get under our skin and you get that.

[0:27] It's like some shoes are wearing for the gardening and there's oftentimes a little pebble in them and it's very provocative. It's just very annoying. But sometimes we can get provoked.

[0:43] We can get agitated by something. But hopefully this is a good kind of provocation we're talking about here. Because we're looking at Hebrews 10 from verse 24 through 25. It says, Some good provocation, some good provoking I put to you that we can encourage one another, that we can provoke one another. Now when you come to church, be there to be provoking and be provoked. You might provoke me and I can provoke you. You can provoke the one next to you. And vice versa. We can provoke one another unto love and to good works.

[1:48] Let's have a look at this together. How we should provoke? In what way should we provoke? Number one, we should provoke one another to love. Provoke one another to love.

[2:00] 1 Peter 1 verse 8. It says, Of our Lord, whom having not seen, ye love. In whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, we rejoice with joy, unspeakable and full of glory.

[2:18] Our love towards God. It should be a motivator, shouldn't it? It should be a provoker. It should be provocative in our life. Our love towards God. Our love towards him. How is our love for the Lord?

[2:37] Now I've got a little app on my phone here and I can find out what the weather's going to be. What it's going to be tomorrow and the day after and the day after that. As best as they can guess it to be. And it tells you what the temperature's going to be and everything.

[2:54] They can measure things like that. How do we measure our love for the Lord? Is there an app for that? Can you find one on your phone? My love meter, my love measure, my love for the Lord measurement. We can't, can we? We can't find some technology to measure it. But we can, I pray, spiritually take the temperature as it were. Take the measurement. How is our love for the Lord? It's a good thing to question, isn't it? Are we loving him with all of our hearts? Or maybe just a weensy bit of our heart? Do we give him our adoration and devotion? Is he really that which should occupy our thinking? It tells of the loss that God is not in their thoughts. God doesn't get a mention. He doesn't feature in their thoughts. But for those who are saved, our Christianity is not something we switch on and switch off, but we turn it on when we come to church and then we turn it off for the rest of the week till next time.

[4:11] Our love for the Lord should be all encompassing. It should be all consuming. And we should be encouraged to a deeper love for the Lord. A deeper love. A love that goes and keeps on going. And we are told to provoke one another to love. To provoke one another. I put to you that's good for us to provoke one another to love the Lord. Love the Lord. Love the Lord.

[4:39] Love the Lord your God. Provoke one another to love. We should provoke one another to love. To love towards God. Also to love towards each other. You know that scripture that I read earlier. Hereby perceive we the love of God that he laid down his life for us. And it went on to say, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. Would we lay down our life for our brother, our sister? We ought to lay down our lives for the brethren, for our brothers and sisters in Christ. That's how much we should love one another. I know in the times of persecution in ancient Rome, one of the testimonies about the early Christians was how much they loved one another. It just was a feature. They had that unity, that brotherly love that was such a strong bind, a strong bond. We are told to love towards each other.

[5:50] 1 John 4, 7 through 8. Again in 1 John. Following on from 1 John 3, 16. Just a few verses later it says, Beloved, let us love one another. For love is of God. And everyone that loveth is born of God and knoweth God. But he that loveth not knoweth not God. For God is love. Let us love one another. Of course we know our Lord Jesus says, love one another. Love one another.

[6:23] That's how we should know that you are my disciples, he says, if you have love one for another. Do we love the brethren? Do we love our brothers and sisters in Christ? Are we considerate of one another? Or are we inconsiderate and selfish? You know, it's easy to revert to that, isn't it? To just be selfish. But we ought to have that attitude that we love one another. We look out for one another. We consider one another. We take that consideration for our brother, our sister. When we hear that someone's not well, we pray for them. We make that an important feature of our lives. We try to help where we can for someone who's in need. We try to look out for one another. Take time for one another. Love one another. Does our world revolve around our own wants and needs rather than those of others? We ought to be such that we're giving out, giving out, overflowing. And Ephesians 4.15, it tells of speaking the truth in love.

[7:33] Sometimes we've got to love one another enough that we're telling the truth. Don't hold back. You know, at times it can be tricky because it kind of feels uncomfortable to have to say something that might be a bit provoking, provocative. But it's in a good thing, isn't it? It's in a good way. Sometimes we've got to say, hey, this needs a bit of improvement here. This is an area that I think you need to work on in your life to help people to grow. You've got to stretch them. You've got to challenge at times. Where you see someone who's getting off in the wrong direction and doing something that's aside from the word of God. You know, they might be starting to get some doctrine that's not really biblical. They're getting veering off track. You speak the truth in love. You care enough to tell them. I know there was an occasion where we had someone attend the church that was inclined to Freemasonry and someone took the time and trouble to challenge them about that. I thought it was a good thing that that person did. They did it. Motivated by love. Motivated because they cared about the truth enough to tell the truth. And we've got to have love that will speak up and stand up for what is right and true. And that will mean standing against that which is wrong and false. We have a responsibility towards each other, don't we, as God's people, to consider one another, to provoke one another, to exhort one another. Why? Because we love one another.

[9:23] Because of that we will exhort one another. Encourage one another. It tells us Hebrews 3.13, in part, exhort one another daily. Let that be something that you really want to exhort one another. Try to pass on a word of uplift, a word of comfort, a word of challenge. We know this world that we live in is full of discouragement, isn't it? We get much discouraging things.

[9:52] It's like you see the news and it's all discouraging. At times you think, oh, what's going to happen next? And this world, you know, it's like the saying goes, it's going to hell in a hand basket. And you see what's going on in the media of late, the Hollywood stars talking about the abuse and the immoral things that have been going on in Hollywood. Well, what more can you expect of Hollywood? They're acting out what they're portraying in their movies, aren't they? A sleazy, easy come, easy go. Just let it all hang out. If it feels good, do it. And then when you actually see that's how they're living, then the world says, oh, they're doing this wrong and they're doing that wrong. But what more can you expect? They're the people that are designing these movies that people watch, that are filled with this corruption and violence and evil and immorality.

[10:56] What more can you expect from Hollywood? That's the world, isn't it? It's discouraging. We need to be uplifting. We need to combat and counteract that. That's why we've got fellowship. That's why we get together, because we've got to encourage one another. We've got to exalt one another daily.

[11:12] Let's be mindful of others who need a lift. You know, the people that, when you get 90% of discouragement, of evil, of corruption, that it's garbage in, garbage out, isn't it?

[11:25] Let's rather be uplifting of our brothers and sisters and exalt one another daily. So love the people of God. Love God and love one another. And another love we should exercise is to love towards the unsaved ones. Of course, this one I referred to before. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. God so loved love the world. Love the unsaved. God's love for the lost is something we should share. It should motivate us. It should provoke us. It should stir us. We should be so provoked by that same desire, by that same love, the love of God, that same love that he has that others may know him. To love with that same motivating love that our Lord had to seek and to save the lost. Our Lord says, even love your enemies. Love your enemies. Those people who attack you and are aggressive towards you. Those people who hate you and show it. Love even them. That goes against the grain, doesn't it?

[12:54] To love like that. But yeah, that's what we're called to be, to do. It's almost like we've got to have a total mind shift, doesn't it? We've got to have a total dying to self to love like that, don't we? Really?

[13:13] That our own natural inclinations would be put to death. That we should love with God's love. It makes me think really of 1 Corinthians 13. 1 Corinthians 13. We know it's often read at the times of weddings where people reflect about love.

[13:34] 1 Corinthians 13. Perhaps it would be good just to read that through. And not only read it but think, how can I exercise 1 Corinthians 13 love?

[13:49] How can I make this kind of love live in me? And Paul says, verse 31 of 1 Corinthians 12, But covet earnestly the best gifts, and yet show I unto you the more excellent way.

[14:07] 1 Corinthians 13. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, love, I am become as a sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal.

[14:20] You know, it's just... Just a lot of noise. I'm just like a tinkling cymbal. I'm just like a sounding brass if I have not love.

[14:31] And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and though I have all faith, so that I can remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

[14:43] And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burnt, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

[14:56] Charity suffereth long, and is kind. Charity envieth not. Charity vaunteth not itself. Is not puffed up. Doth not behave itself unseemly.

[15:09] Seeketh not her own. Is not easily provoked. Thinketh no evil. Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth. Beareth all things.

[15:20] Believeth all things. Hopeth all things. Endureth all things. Charity never faileth. Love never fails.

[15:32] Charity never faileth. But whether there be prophecies, they shall fail. Whether there be tongues, they shall cease. Whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

[15:46] But then that which is perfect is come. Then that which is in part, shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child. I understood as a child. I thought as a child.

[15:57] But when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then shall I know, even as I also am known.

[16:11] And now abideth these, faith, hope, charity. These three. But the greatest of these is charity. Follow after charity.

[16:23] The greatest of these is charity. 1 Corinthians 13. It blows your mind, doesn't it? That you should have that kind of love. Let's aspire to that. Let's provoke one another to love.

[16:34] And secondly, we should provoke one another to good works. Good works. Now, when I say this provoking, I understand that it's got the sense here of being jabbed with a stick.

[16:49] That's what it's talking about. Oh! Oh! You know, it's a bit like, it makes me think of a wrestling match, you know. Just, oh! You know, there's contortions and bruises and punishment.

[17:05] It's kind of uncomfortable and discomforting, doesn't it? It takes you out of your comfort zone. And provoking, it means going against the flesh, against the grain.

[17:17] You know, when we should provoke someone, it means making them change direction, doesn't it? It means making them move from where they are.

[17:27] It means a shift. And it means, for me, it means provoking, it means a prompting of our conscience, a challenging, a confronting.

[17:38] It means provoking you to stop going in the wrong direction and to spur you to go in the right direction. For you to be helped, you must face up to your sin, your error.

[17:52] And so, it's needful that I provoke. And you need to see what you are doing is wrong. So, I need to provoke you.

[18:03] And likewise, you for me. You need to provoke me. You might see, I've got need to lift my game, to get something sorted. I know there's someone who likes to, to talk to me after the service, about particular things I've said or not said.

[18:20] And that's helpful for me. I need that. I'm not perfect by any means. Far from it. And I would really benefit from your feedback. So, I need you to provoke me.

[18:33] So, we can exhort one another. Exhort one another. Consider your choices that you're making in your life. Are they honouring to God? Are those priorities right?

[18:45] Are you being the husband, the wife, that you should be? Are you right with God? These are all provocative questions, aren't they? I can ask them, and ought to ask them, daily.

[18:58] Someone has said, only God can live a holy life in sinful flesh. Now, only God. We've just got to let Him, don't we? I think sometimes the biggest problem is we get in God's way.

[19:10] of doing what He wants, of having His way with us. But we've just got to let God have His way. Let Him have His way. Is what we are saying, or thinking, what God is telling us, is it really God?

[19:25] Sometimes we've got to provoke our thinking. It's like one brother was telling me that we've all got blind spots. And we might be totally unaware of something that we're doing or saying, how we're acting.

[19:41] It's a blind spot in our life. We need people to say, hey, shine a bit of light on here and say, this needs some work, brother. That's good. And if it's not in accordance with the Word of God, then it is not God you are hearing or following.

[19:56] It saddens me when I see some people and they're sometimes constantly going on saying, God told me this, God told me that, and oh, I was watching this TV preacher and she said, and he said, and whatever it be, and they just overhear one minute, overhear the next.

[20:14] And the Bible talks about being blown around with every wind of doctrine. And we can be easily misled. If it's not according to the Word, then that is what matters.

[20:29] That is what should tell us what God is saying or not saying. And provoking, it means urging one another to sound doctrine, to faithfulness, to holiness.

[20:41] And the provocation has to be biblical. It has to be Bible-centered. And when we provoke, we need to be provoked enough to change.

[20:52] Now, sometimes we can get provoked and provoked. God convicts us and convicts us and convicts us and we just keep going on our own merry way. We need to be provoked enough to change.

[21:06] Change. And some areas we can be provoked in, areas such as our giving, our use of time, our family life, our devotional life, the words that we use, areas we can be provoked.

[21:22] Be provoked in your day-by-day living. Someone has said, what is in the well of our heart will come out in the bucket of our speech. That's so true, isn't it?

[21:33] The well of our heart. We pour it out, the buckets of our speech. What is it we talk about all the time? What are those words that easily slip from our lips?

[21:46] Let's be provoked about all of that. Be challenged to honour the Lord in all of these areas, in the day-by-day where the rubber hits the road sort of stuff. Be provoked.

[21:58] Be provoked in how you relate with others. How you relate with others. Just, again, love your enemies. Wow. How do you do that? Love your enemies.

[22:10] Be provoked in how you relate to others. What about James 1, 27? Pure religion, an undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

[22:25] There's some people that do that here. They visit the fatherless and the widows. God bless them. It's an important work. Take time out to take time to be provoked, pure religion and undefiled.

[22:44] Keep yourself unspotted from the world. It's easy to get spotted, isn't it? Walk around and it splashes on us.

[22:57] It's like this morning I was wearing my pants in the garden, watering the garden and, oh, there's a bit of spot here and spot there. What an idiot I am wearing my best pants in the garden.

[23:11] But, you know, we can get spotted, can't we? Without realising it, without knowing it. It's just, splashes on us. As we walk through this world, we get splashed on all the time.

[23:24] We get marked by the world and its ways and its thinking and sometimes it's in our mind, isn't it? It's those impressions. It's those pictures. It's those perceptions.

[23:35] It's that feeding of our mind as we go about life. We need to keep ourselves unspotted from the world. Now, the Bible talks about the washing of water by the word.

[23:48] Let's get that washing of the word. Let's get our Bible and read it and take it in. Verse by verse.

[24:03] It might be just one verse that will speak to you today. Take it and read it and take it in. Let it change you. It says, Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy.

[24:19] Be provoked in how you relate to others. Are you merciful? merciful? Now, there's a particular individual that's causing me grief at the moment and I'm trying to make a deliberate effort to be merciful.

[24:39] The old Andrew Craig would, and he still shows his ugly head every so often, would say, I hate that person for their lies, for their injury they've caused me but I'm making a deliberate effort to be merciful.

[25:05] We've got to make a deliberate intent, don't we? Some people have got to deliberately say, no, I'm not going to be like the old man, the old me. I'm going to be deliberately merciful and it says, bear ye one another's burdens.

[25:19] So fulfil the law of Christ. How you relate to others. Do we have that attitude where we don't just go on about our own burdens?

[25:31] There's some people that you meet and it's all about their burden, isn't it? Oh, woe is me. They have their own little pity party, they're on their own and they have that little tantrum like the kids down at the shop and you think, oh, that's someone else's kid.

[25:49] But, you know, bear one another's burdens. You know, it's all about their burden. I'm having such a hard time, everything's falling apart. Oh, woe is me, I'm a glass half empty person. There's something to whinge about even when they're having a good day and they're such sour pusses and yet we should bear one another's burdens.

[26:09] Maybe we need to, okay, let me help you. let me encourage you, let me lift you up, let me bear your burden today, sister, brother. And let's sometimes put aside our burdens and think about other people's burdens.

[26:25] burdens. That's counterintuitive, isn't it? We'd so like to, we've got our own little cherished burdens, oh, I've got my burden today on my back, look at my burden, here it is, oh, I'm having such a hard time.

[26:41] But then we think, oh, her burden's bigger than mine, his burden's bigger than mine, maybe, hey brother, let me help you carry a burden, let me put it on my shoulder too, bear one another's burdens.

[26:53] And then sometimes our own burdens don't seem as heavy as they were before. So be provoked in how you relate to others. Think about others' burdens, not just your own.

[27:05] What about being provoked in our praying? In our praying. There was a pyjama-clad tot, a little toddler, ready for bed, had their pyjamas on, and he called out to his mum and dad, he said, I'm going to say my prayers.

[27:21] Anyone want anything? You know, he was about to go to bed and as his custom was to say a little prayer before he hit the pillow and he says, does anybody want anything?

[27:33] You know, we need to be provoked in our praying that we believe God answers prayer. We believe God answers prayer. That's why we pray. We believe God. He's a prayer answering God.

[27:44] We need to pray and to believe God that he will answer our prayers. We need to expect God to work in our lives, in his church, and be provoked to pray. What about being provoked in our witnessing?

[27:59] It's been said the way from God to a human heart is through a human heart. The way to God, way from God to a human heart, is through a human heart.

[28:14] There's truth in that, isn't there? That God uses human hearts, just like yours and mine, to communicate the message, to communicate the gospel truth.

[28:26] We wouldn't be saved today if someone hadn't said, believe, if someone hadn't communicated and witnessed to us.

[28:40] So let's have the heart of God and be provoked in our witnessing. It's been said too many times we care more for a person's feelings than we do for his soul.

[28:53] Oh, if I start to talk about Jesus to him, he might get upset with me. Oh, I might lose face. I might look like I'm a Bible basher.

[29:04] So I'll just clam up. I won't say anything. I'm not going to say anything because it could get me into trouble. I might lose my friend. How will they know unless we tell them?

[29:17] We need to be provoked in our witnessing. Open your mouth. Open your mouth and tell somebody. It's also said you cannot witness to the wrong person about Christ.

[29:33] Everybody needs him. You can't witness to the wrong person. What about this? Here's another quote. Do you have a burden for the lost or have you lost your burden?

[29:44] have you a burden for the lost or have you lost your burden? We should all have that burden. That's a good burden to have.

[29:55] Back in various prophets like Amos, it talks about the burden of the Lord. The burden of the Lord. God gives you a burden. A good burden.

[30:07] Burdens your heart for souls. There's people in my heart that I'm burdened for. They're lost. Lost or backslidden, one or the other. I pray that they're backslidden and at least they'll get to heaven.

[30:19] But I'm burdened for them. Amen. I'm burdened for them. They're lost. They're astray. They're floundering and meandering in the muck and mire of this world and lost.

[30:33] It appears that they're lost. And do you have a burden for the lost? Or have you lost your burden? Let's get that burden back. Pray for that burden. Get that burden back.

[30:47] A burden for souls. Be provoked in your witnessing. And what about be provoked in your fellowshipping? In your fellowshipping, a well-renowned Christian said this, be united with other Christians.

[30:59] A wall with loose bricks is not good. The bricks must be cemented together. Brick against brick against brick. The Bible talks about us being lively stones, living stones.

[31:13] That we are built together as a spiritual house. We should be rock solid, cemented together, cemented with love, cemented, provoked in your fellowshipping.

[31:25] Fellowship is community. It means people who have to learn how to care for each other. We're not alike. We're all different, aren't we?

[31:35] We're all We're all different. We're all different. We're all different. We're all different. We're all different. We're all different. We're all different.

[31:46] That's why it's a good thing, isn't it? That church is about different people joining together, knit together in love. Brothers and sisters, provoke one another.

[31:58] Be provoked with your fellowshipping. Be stirred. Be stirred to action. Here was Paul in Acts 17. In Athens, he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.

[32:11] And it's a fact. In Athens, there's like a god on every street corner. You know, there's all these statues and images, these busts, you know, these faces of all these varieties of different gods, small g.

[32:33] And Paul saw all that while he was in Athens. And it says his spirit was stirred in him. You know, he was stirred up. And we need to be stirred, to be provoked, to be stirred, to action.

[32:46] Paul was stirred up and he spoke up. The word stirred is the same word used here for provoke, where it says provoke one another to love and to good works. It's saying get stirred up.

[32:58] You see some strange things on the media of late, don't you? Social media, people get stirred up. You know, they say things like, we're destroying the Great Barrier Reef because of our putting the electricity on.

[33:20] they get stirred up and they have these protests and they get very aggressive. You know, there's some thing where they went to some political rally and they were tearing someone's clothes, getting stirred up.

[33:38] You see people getting stirred up about the recent media, the recent political debates that are going on. People get really stirred up, really angry and aggressive and provoked.

[33:53] But Paul was provoked in a good way. He saw the spiritual condition. It's not so much about they're worshipping idols. They're lost.

[34:06] They're damned. They need Christ. They need to find the living God. They need to find the unknown God. They need to find there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.

[34:17] The name of Jesus, the Lord Jesus Christ. He was stirred up about that. If we're going to get stirred up, let's not make it some political thing, some topical thing.

[34:30] Let's get stirred up about the truth. Stir one another, provoke one another to action. The Lord will do a work of grace in our hearts. Let's be provoked.

[34:41] Let's be provoked by the Spirit of God. The Bible speaks about how he convicts, how he ministers, he convicts the world of sin.

[34:54] And sometimes it could be God convicting us. And there goes God again. Oh, ow. Oh, God stirring me up, provoking me, convicting me.

[35:11] Is that sin again? Sometimes we've got to get convicted, don't we? We've got to get God's conviction, that stirring up, where he gives you a, oh, might have a wrestling move or a boxing move.

[35:27] It's like God, like Jacob wrestled with God. Oh, imagine he was black and blue after that. You know, sometimes God wants to wrestle us to show stir us up, to do that work of grace in our heart.

[35:46] He's got to sometimes hit us. It talks in the word how they were pricked in their heart, like they're jabbed with a sharp instrument.

[36:00] It tells us how they were cut to the heart, where the great master heart surgeon slashes and cuts, takes out the old heart and he puts within his heart.

[36:15] And it's the work of God, isn't it? Sometimes when it hurts, it's God. And that's hard sometimes, isn't it? You think, I'd like it to be nice, I'd like it to be easy, I'd like it to be pleasant and comfortable, but sometimes the comforter has got to discomfort us when we're in the wrong place.

[36:36] It tells us that we're to provoke unto love and to good works. Paul tells Titus in chapter 3, he says, this is a faithful saying, these things affirm constantly that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works.

[36:53] These things are good and profitable unto men. Maintain good works. Again, it's having that mentality, we're 24 by 7 Christians, aren't we?

[37:07] Maintain the good works. So, when you're on social media, posting things on Facebook, would God be pleased with that? Is that good?

[37:20] Good works? Or, I don't think I'd like pastor to look at that one. I don't think I'd like the pastor to see that one, because it's got a swear word in it.

[37:33] Or, it's saying something that's not really measuring up to, I'm supposed to be a Christian and I'm posting stuff, or I'm promoting things that, it's a bit doubtful, it's a bit, not sure about that one.

[37:53] If in doubt, don't. Don't do it. Be careful to maintain good works. And, we know that one, our Lord says, let your light so shine, let it shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

[38:10] Our light so shine that men will see it. I know I've talked of light on the same theme. It says, notice here, let your light so shine. It doesn't say make your light shine.

[38:22] Oh, I'm going to try really hard to make my light shine today. I'm going to really try hard to let a bit of light come out of me, as it were, so I can get some kind of credit for the light that I'm generating out of my life.

[38:35] He says, let your light shine. Just let God, let God, let your light shine. the credit is His. It's His work.

[38:47] It's His light. Let His light shine. It's your light, but it's His light really, isn't it? It's the natural result of Christ in you. Just open the window and let it shine.

[39:00] Let it shine. If Christ will be formed in you, He will flow out of your daily life to others. So, provoke unto good works. Let's just draw just a moment or two further.

[39:18] This book is provocative, the Word of God. You know, this is banned. This is banned in some countries. This book is illegal.

[39:30] It's illegal for you to have a copy of this book. You are not allowed to read this book, to have a copy of this book in your hand in some countries on this planet, even today.

[39:41] You could go to jail for having this book. You could be killed. You could be put to death for having this book. It's provocative.

[39:52] It's so provocative that some governments will not allow the populations to have this book. If we're going to be provoked unto love and to good works, we must have the book.

[40:03] We must have the Word of God, doctrine, teaching. It's illegal. This provocative book is illegal in some countries because its truth is too revolutionary.

[40:15] It might unseat some of the dictators. That's why they're stirred up about this book. We should get stirred up about the Bible, get stirred up about sound doctrine. I get stirred up when I see some wacko things going on.

[40:31] I just can't believe some things that I see. I saw someone post something lately that says that for this dispensation, for this time, we're not born again.

[40:51] It's only the Israelites who were born again or something. What a load of tripe. What a load of twaddle. A load of rubbish. And they're promoting that garbage as sound doctrine.

[41:05] It says, if any man be in Christ he's a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold, all things have become new. You must be born again. We must be born again.

[41:16] And that applies from day dot, from Adam to the last who will enter heaven. You must be born again. There's no other way.

[41:28] And I get stirred up about false doctrine. I just get really stirred up about it. I think, so angry. The Bible says God is angry at the wicked every day.

[41:40] and there's a place for anger, righteous anger. And I get so riled up when I see false teaching that's divisive and dangerous.

[41:53] If it's not historic Christianity, it's error, reject it. Reject it. You know, if they weren't preaching it 100, 200 years ago, it's error, it's false, it's latter-day delusion.

[42:08] It's a falling away from the truth. Doctrine, we must have doctrine, or the teaching of the Word of God. Why? Because it will reprove us.

[42:19] It will convict us. It will bring correction to our lives. It helps us to know what needs to be changed in our lives. It's profitable for doctrine.

[42:29] Doctrine will help us to be complete, to be thoroughly furnished. In other words, you've got the whole box and dice, you've got everything. It's all in here. This will make you thoroughly furnished unto good works, unto all good works.

[42:45] So if you're looking, how can I be provoked unto good works, this book will help you. It will thoroughly equip you unto all good works. This book will guide you and lead you to do that which is good and that has everything that we need for good works so we can finish what God has given us to do.

[43:04] So you can be perfect, complete, you can be fully furnished. And just to close, Titus 2.14 it says, of our Lord who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works.

[43:22] God's I trust this morning you've had some thought provoking thoughts, some thought provoking words to consider one another, to provoke unto love and to good works, exhorting and so much the more as you see the day approaching.

[43:47] Don't miss out opportunity where you can gather, where you can bless your soul. Time is too precious for us to miss God's truth where we can get a hold of it and get it in our soul.

[44:06] Our Lord wants us to be zealous of good works. In other words, be eager, be enthusiastic, be zealous of good works. I want to provoke you to love and to good works.

[44:21] Be zealous, be eager, be enthused. Enthusiasm, it talks about being full of God. Theos, enthusiasm, and full of or in God, enthusiasm.

[44:43] Sometimes in, I think in revival days, they accused the revivalist Christians of being, they've just got enthusiasm.

[44:54] Well, that was a good thing. We could do with a bit of enthusiasm, couldn't we? Amen. I'm closing with this call today.

[45:08] He gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity, to purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. God wants you to be purified.

[45:20] He wants you to be redeemed, which talks about being set free. He wants you to be zealous of good works. Are you saved? This is the ultimate question.

[45:31] Woe betide me if you were to walk out of this church building today and get knocked over by a bus and go to hell. that would be on my shoulders. That would be on your blood, as it were, would be on my hands that I haven't warned you.

[45:47] Don't pretend that you're a Christian if you're not. And don't think you're kidding anyone but yourself. You cannot leave it.

[45:59] Do not leave it another day. I really urge you to come and speak directly to me or another person you know is a fair dinkum Christian here today. If you're a woman, we'll get a woman to counsel you.

[46:12] If you're a man, whether myself or another trusted Christian, to talk you through, simply trust Jesus Christ for your salvation. Because this message is about love, it's about good works, it's about exhorting one another.

[46:28] But if you're not one of the one another's, then this is irrelevant to you. You can be a loving person, you can do good works and still go to hell. You must know him.

[46:39] You must know him. That is the ultimate and absolute. The only way to heaven is to know the Lord Jesus Christ. And I urge you today to put your trust in him.