You should have gave me a better warning than that, brother.
Get me all tore up before I try to preach.
If you have your Bibles, turn to Luke chapter 10.
Luke chapter 10, one of the most beautiful castles in Ireland
came to a strange and unusual end.
And Castle Ray was one of the architectural gems in all of Ireland.
And it fell into disrepair and was uninhabited
to the point that the peasants went and took the stones
that had been so craftily cut and easily now removable
to use them for building chimneys and shacks and pigsties.
They were slowly dismantling the castle.
And the surviving heir, Lord Londonbury,
visited and saw it being scavenged stone by stone.
So he ordered an agent to come to build a six-foot wall
around the castle and top it with stone.
And he left.
And three, four years later, he came back
and he found a six-foot wall around the place
where the castle had been.
But there was no castle.
It had vanished.
Disappeared.
He asked the agent,
why did you not do what I told you to do?
He said, I did do what you told me to do.
He said, then where's the castle?
He said, is it for me, my Lord,
to be going all over Ireland,
digging up stone with the finest stone in Ireland
could be found right here in the castle?
He had torn down the castle
in order to build the wall.
He could have had both a wall and a castle,
but he chose to tear down the castle
and build a wall.
Church, if we're not careful in the day in which we live,
we'll work so hard to build a protective wall
around the church to keep out false ideas
and the people that hold them
that will miss the very opportunity of ministry
that God has placed us in the middle of.
And I'll be honest,
that may be the greatest challenge
of any Bible-believing church
that cares about reaching out to others for Christ.
God has placed us.
Christ has commissioned us.
The Holy Spirit has empowered us.
But if we get too wrapped up
with the activities and the ideologies
and the politics of our world,
we'll neglect the only thing that really matters
because it is the only thing
that has eternal consequences.
Let us work so hard to keep the world.
Let us not work so hard to keep the world out
that we never reach them.
And then we fail at the very mission
that Christ has given us as a church.
I want to be clear this morning
about what's important to us.
And the reason why it's important to us
is because it's important to Jesus.
And because what's most important to Christ
ought to be most important to his disciples,
to his students, to his followers,
to those that use the name that comes after him,
from him, and that's Christian.
Most important thing is found in Luke chapter 10.
Luke chapter 10, beginning in verse 25,
and it says this,
And behold, a lawyer stood up
to put him, speaking of Christ, to the test,
saying, Teacher, what shall I do
to inherit eternal life?
And he said to him,
What's written in the law, how do you read it?
And he said,
You shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your strength,
and with all your mind,
and your neighbor as yourself.
Jesus said to him,
You've answered correctly.
Do this,
and you will live.
Now how do we carry that out
in America today?
Well, the first thing we do
is we love the Lord.
We love the Lord.
He describes it as a love
with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your strength,
with all your mind.
Can you love with any more than that?
I think that's about all you got, you know?
And I really think that the overall meaning of that
is to love the Lord
with everything that you are.
That's really the big meaning.
But let's break it down.
I mean, when it mentions the heart,
he speaks of,
as Solomon did,
in Proverbs,
when he says that the heart
is the wellspring of life.
Everything that we are
flows out of our heart.
It's our thoughts,
it's our words,
it's our deeds.
If you love the Lord like you should,
it's going to affect how you think,
it's going to affect what you say,
it's going to affect what you do.
When the soul is mentioned here,
his audience,
the first audience that Jesus was speaking to that day,
would think of the soul
as the seat of the emotions.
What are you passionate about?
What are you devoted to?
The New Testament says that
what you love
with all your,
that the things that you're most passionate about
are the things that you love with all your soul.
Then it says,
when he speaks of the mind,
he speaks of the seat
and the center of your intellectual life.
It is interesting how unresolved we can be
if we're not careful.
Live and think a certain way
when you're not at church
and then come to church
and act as if we live
as the Bible teaches.
If we're not careful,
people you see during the week
will not recognize you at church.
And your own family may not.
And that should not be.
Now you do get forgiveness
for that ride to church, okay?
That stressful ride to church sometimes.
If you love the Lord
with all your mind,
your dispositions will change for him.
Your attitude will line up with him.
How you see things
will be consistent with scripture.
Now the purpose here
is not to dissect yourself
into three or four different parts,
soul, heart, mind, and strength,
but instead to love the Lord
for all that you are.
Now I love my family.
I talk about them.
I think about them.
I do for them.
They are my heart.
I'm passionate about them.
Mess with me, I don't care.
But you mess with my family.
I become a zealot quickly.
I love them with all my mind.
They're on my every thought.
I'm consumed with my family.
I pray for them first thing every day.
I think about their schedule.
Think about what they're doing.
Think about what appears
to be their mindset.
I pray through those things.
I check on them throughout the day.
I locate them on their phone.
If I don't know where they're at,
I want to know why
I don't know where they're at.
I lock the door at night
when they're all in.
I love them with all that I am.
And I will do everything that I can do.
That is my strength.
To do what's best and what pleases them.
I love them
with all that I am.
That's how we're to be
for the Lord.
Sold out.
Dedicated.
That's what he's talking about.
Consumed folks.
Love the Lord.
The second thing is
love his message.
The final message of Christ.
The Great Commission tells us
to tell the story of the gospel.
The good news of Christ.
To ask people
if they know the Lord personally.
Ask him if there's ever been
a time in their life
when Christ has changed them.
Ask him if they're saved.
Lead them to Christ.
Nurture relationships
to provide that kind of opportunity.
Let me tell you
if you don't know yet
America needs Jesus.
They need Jesus desperately.
And I've only been around
for so many decades
but I'm telling you
America needs Jesus worse now
than they have ever in my life.
And I got a feeling
ever in the life of America.
America.
And it's our responsibility.
He's not only invited us
he's commissioned us
to do something about that.
America needs Jesus.
And as the woman
who broke the flask of Spikenard
and the room was filled
with the aroma of her sacrifice
as she anointed the feet
of Jesus.
So we need to fill
rooms that we go in
with the aroma
of our admiration
for Christ.
Somebody says
something's different.
Something smells good
around here.
You know.
Something's precious
here.
It's one thing
to believe the message
and to be thankful for.
It's another
to love the message.
To share the message.
To trust the message.
More than friendships.
Trust the message.
Trust the message
more than our anticipation
of how the conversation
is going to go.
Trust him.
Love the message.
And then lastly
although I don't want you
to get your hopes up.
Love our neighbor.
That includes the ones
that don't act like us.
That includes the ones
that don't look like us.
It's going to get
uncomfortable here.
That includes the ones
that don't think like us.
When the lady was caught
in the act of adultery
she was not alone
yet she was the only one
that was mentioned.
And she was dragged out
before a bunch of
angry old men
with rocks in her hands.
And Jesus
shut the show
down
when he said
those who are sinless
cast the first stone.
And you could hear
the stones dropping
as they quietly
just
soldered away.
They dropped their rocks
and they went home.
What do you do
with those around you
who are not Christians?
What do you do
with those around you
who are not living
for the Lord?
Or who are living
and thinking
in ways contrary
to scripture?
What do we do?
Do we pick up
the rocks
of judgmental thoughts?
Do we pick up
the rocks
of hurtful words?
Maybe a little
spicy gossip?
Now we don't
call it that
we call it
prayer concerns
but it sounds
a lot like
gossip sometimes.
Baptists tend
to be like
a pack of
hunting dogs.
When they're
hunting
they work
together
but when
they're hanging
out at the
house
they fight.
And if all
we're worried
about is coming
together
and hanging
out
we need
to get busy.
We need
to get busy.
when our
priorities
are seeing
God work
and move
not only
in our lives
but in the
lives of those
around us
we come
with an
anticipation
of what
God's going
to do
in us
not what
God can
do for
us
and that's
when things
get real
folks
when we're
excited
about what
God wants
to do
in us
and through
us
and we can
talk about
all the
things that
are wrong
in our
country.
There's
plenty.
We can
talk about
popular
ideologies
that are
out there
right now
or we can
pray for
our neighbors
and we can
try to win
them to
Jesus.
Let's make
his priorities
our priorities
and admit
that no
human ideology
no political
party
no fallible
sinful human
will ever
line up
in such a
way that
we put
more confidence
or get
more attention
to become
more motivated
or energized
by it
or them
than we do
by the
Christ
who saves
and changes
lives.
That's the
priority.
Nothing wrong
to align
with those
that go
along with
that but
I'm just
telling you
many of
us have
our dander
raged by
cultural
clashes of
our day
and if
we're not
careful
we'll become
so hateful
about it
that we
won't bother
winning the
world of
Christ.
The most
recent
conversation
has been
about Roe
v.
Wade
and the
Dobbs decision
by the
Supreme
Court
that put
the decision
about abortion
back in the
hands of
each state
and all
of that
happened
amazing as
it is
when it
happened
all it
was as I
said last
week was a
constitutional
injustice
that had been
made right
period.
That's what
happened
and it has
led to a
lot of
animosity
but hopefully
a lot of
lives are
saved by
states that
stand up for
the rights
of the
unborn.
Now
how do we
respond to
that?
Well I
hope
I don't
assume but
I hope
that you're
pro-life
and that
you care
about the
protection of
the unborn
because the
womb of a
mother ought to
be the safest
place for a
child but for
60 million
babies in
America over
the last
half century
it was a
trap that
led to a
horrible
death and
I'll save
you the
details of
how that
all went
down.
But I
will say
this if
they treated
a pet the
way they
treated the
unborn the
people that
are picketing
in the
streets fighting
for the
rights to do
whatever they
want to with
the unborn would
be in the
streets fighting
for the rights
of their pet
and I'm a
dog lover.
I got two
decent dogs
you know
one of them's a
little ornery
one of them's a
little young
you know
but an
unborn human
baby is much
more important
than my
favorite pets
yet we live
in a world
where people
are making
absolute fools
of themselves
to show how
important it is
that a woman
have the right
to end her
pregnancy.
By the way
ain't it
fascinating
that we're not
hearing about
they them
pronouns
these days
we're hearing
about she
her pronouns
I'm not
trying to be
smart I just
want to be
clear because
the devil has
a way of
twisting stuff
folks be
careful he
has a way of
twisting stuff
when Supreme
Court Justice
Clarence Thomas
said that such
decisions made
by the court
like Roe
were demonstra
demonstrafully
in error
and needed to
be revisited
he was
cussed
he was
called
racial terms
by those
who spoke
out against
racism
responses
were chaotic
they were
upside down
they were
twisted
and as
twisted as
the actions
in the streets
of protest
I saw a
friend tweet
the other day
they're acting
animalistic
in the streets
and I said
you misspelled
demonic
because that's
what it is
friend
I don't want
you to
misunderstand
me
the venom
is that
of the
slippery
snake
in the
garden
I promise
you
I want
you to
be clear
Christian
and I want
you to
hear me
today
you got to
hear the
whole message
I'm sorry
but you got
to listen
to it all
Ephesians
612 says
we don't
fight
wrestle against
flesh and
blood
but against
the rulers
against the
authorities
against the
cosmic powers
over this
present darkness
against the
spiritual forces
of evil
in the
heavenly places
our fight
is not
against
people
don't forget
who the
enemy is
and if that's
your neighbor
they are
your neighbor
regardless of
their thoughts
regardless of
their beliefs
regardless of
their opinions
Christ has
given us
a responsibility
to reach
them for the
Lord
Clarence Thomas
said this
in the midst
of all that
he said
you could be
in the middle
of a hurricane
I think
they're ready
now there
ain't but too
many preachers
who can preach
that hot
you know
let's find out
what's going
on
wow
that's a
first
are you picking
up with what's
going on
I'm serious
are you picking
up on what's
going on
we're in a
fight
we're in a
fight
you stand
for truth
all of hell
will come
against you
Clarence Thomas
said you could
be in the
middle of a
hurricane
or you could
be in a
calm day
and north
is still
north
you could
be in a
thunderstorm
and north
is still
north
people can
yell at you
north is
still north
it doesn't
change
fundamental
things
right
is still
right
so don't
let the
truth get
lost in
the midst
of the
chaos
however
we cannot
let it affect
our need
to reach
out to
the lost
folks who
are mad
and raging
about abortion
or any
other worldly
cause
look lost
they look
without hope
do you know
why they look
without hope
because they
are
they need
Jesus
and we
should never
compromise
where we
stand
we should
never
be silent
but we
should also
and I want
you to hear
this just as
loud
I want
we should
not be rude
we should
not be
abusive
we should
not be
dismissive
and we
should not
be without
prayer
in Ephesians
chapter 4
Paul tells
us that
Christ gave
us the
church
and its
leadership
to equip
us
to unify
us
and to
mature
us
and he
says in
verse 14
so that
we may
no longer
be children
tossed
to and
from
by the
waves
and carried
by every
wind
of doctrine
by human
cunning
by craftiness
and deceitful
schemes
rather
speaking the
truth in
love
we are
to grow
up in
every way
into him
in other
words Paul
is telling
us don't
get so
caught up
in the
ways of
the world
not to
get won
over by
them
but to
speak the
truth in
love
even when
you don't
like them
much folks
love your
neighbor
my grandpa
used to say
about people
didn't like
him kill
them with
kindness
kill them
with kindness
don't spit
back
when they're
cussing
mad
love them
with the
love of
the Lord
Jesus
he will
do a
marvelous
work
far more
abundant
than we
ask or
think
that's
scriptural
brother
don't you
want to be
a part of
such as
that
church
we got to
have a
heart to
win our
neighbors
all of
them
not just
the ones
we like
we have
to have a
heart to
reach our
neighbors
for the
Lord
win them
to the
Lord
have the
character
to make
them notice
and when
they notice
it
when they
notice
there's a
difference
in us
share the
message
with them
invite them
to church
I promise
you if
you'll invite
them to
church
I'll give
them the
gospel when
they get
here I
promise
you I
will
we'll just
trust the
Holy Spirit
of God
to work
in any
way he
wants to
in their
lives
but I
promise
you I
won't
short
change
the
gospel
anytime
God
gives me
the
ability
to stand
here
regardless
of the
paparazzi
that's
flashing
their
lights
at me
today
but our
great
test
our
great
test
in America
today
is our
character
and how
we treat
people
and God
has instructed
us
to be a
people
of love
first
Corinthians
13
verse
one
through
three
says
if I
speak
in the
tongues
of men
and of
angels
and have
not
love
I'm a
noisy
gong
a clanging
cymbal
Christian
if you
start
mouthing
out
about the
things of
the day
and forget
the love
of Christ
you sound
like a
noisy
gong
or a
clanging
cymbal
and if
I have
prophetic
powers
and understand
all mysteries
and all
knowledge
and if
I have
all faith
so as
to remove
mountains
but have
not love
I am
nothing
and if
I give
away
all I
have
and if
I deliver
up my
body
to be
burned
but have
not love
I gain
nothing
we must
not be
ungodly
toward the
ungodly
or we
will be
no better
than the
rest of
the world
and we
will miss
what God
has called
us to
do
and we
will fail
at the
mission
that he's
given us
the greatest
thing that
we can do
for this
church
the greatest
thing that we
can do
for this
city
the greatest
thing that we
can do for
this state
and this
nation
is to
love the
Lord
and to
love his
message
and to
love our
neighbors
Tony Evans
has made
it clear
for years
that it
is technically
incorrect to
call yourself
an American
Christian
or a white
Christian
or a black
Christian
because you
made your
location or
your color
the adjective
an adjective
is to modify
the noun
and if you put
Christianity in
the noun
position
and you put
your nation
or your
color or
your culture
in the
adjective
position
you have to
keep shaping
the noun
to look like
the adjective
that describes
the noun
so if your
culture stays
in the
adjective
position
you got to
keep shaping
your Christianity
to look
American
or to look
white
or to look
black
or to look
Republican
or to look
Democrat
but
if we keep
it
in the adjective
position
then everything
that we claim
that we are
is marked
and modified
by our
Christianity
our job
is not to be
any of those
things
because they'll
all come up
empty
we're to look
like Christ
and to live
in America
we must be
Christian
Americans
and that
my friend
there's a lot
of ways to
celebrate
and all these
men that have
left I've been
given to go
in
we're good
okay
so if you
think we're
just gonna
I'm gonna let
you burn up
in here
don't worry
okay
I've been told
we clear
okay
the hamburgers
are ready
apparently
but anyway
the best
thing that
we can do
for the
Lord Jesus
Christ
if you're
a Christian
today
the best
thing that
we can do
for the
Lord Jesus
Christ
the day
in which
we live
is to
shine for
him
to let it
show not
only at
church
but in
private
at the
house
at work
and in
public
you'll be
amazed
at what the
Holy Spirit
of God
will do
to open
up doors
when we
boldly
live the
truth
in love
and allow
God
to make a
difference
through us
I'm asking
you not only
to be a
Christian
not only
to be an
American
but to be
a Christian
American
with every
head bowed
and every
eye closed
my greatest
burden today
is that there
may be one
here
who've never
given his
or her life
to the
Lord Jesus
Christ
and if that
is true
in your
life today
I want
you to
know
that we're
going to
stand and
we're going
to sing
in just a
moment
and it
is your
opportunity
to come
and follow
the Lord
Jesus
Christ
when you
come
I'll be
happy to
make sure
that someone
shares with
you what it
means to give
your heart
and life
to the Lord
Jesus Christ
I encourage
you to
be obedient
to follow
his will
and his
way
you just
trust him
as he speaks
to your heart
and life
you just
trust him
sometimes
people want
to wait
until everything
gets lined up
in their life
just right
I'm telling
you you'll
wait until
you breathe
your last
if you're
waiting for
everything to
be made
right in
your life
it won't
be made
right by
you
it'll only
be made
right when
you surrender
to Christ
so surrender
your life
to Christ
today
maybe you're
here and you
are a Christian
but the reality
is your life
don't reflect
that
you're not
taking advantage
of the
opportunity
that God
has laid
before you
the crowd
that influences
you
the neighbors
that God
has placed
before you
whether at
home or at
work or
in the places
that you go
I encourage
you today
to be obedient
and follow the
Lord
maybe God's
leading you
to be a part
of this church
maybe God's
leading you
to join
us
on this
journey
I don't
know
but I
encourage you
simply to
follow the
Lord Jesus
and what he'd
have you to
do today
trust him
let him have
his will
in his way
Lord Jesus
I love you
and I thank
you
for your
love for us
and I ask
God right
now
in the midst
of the chaos
of our world
that you'll
help us
to simply
be obedient
and to follow
your will
and your way
in all of our
life right now
oh God
in Jesus
precious name
amen