WEBVTT

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 Men, if you have your Bible, I want you to turn to Mark chapter 9.

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! Mark chapter 9.

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 I am one that tends to wander around in the dark.

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 I don't mean I'm a lover of darkness.

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 I instead mean I don't like wasting electricity.

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 And so I wander around sometimes in the dark.

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 And I will tell you, I'll warn you,

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 that if you do that around here, watch the stairwells.

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 Make sure you know when the stairs stop.

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 Because if you think they don't and they do, it is a rude awakening.

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 And if you think they're done and they're not, that's a rude awakening.

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 And I've done both in the hallways of this church, so be careful about that.

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 Both can be very painful.

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 I'll tell you what else is painful.

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 It's hitting your toe on the leg of a chair.

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 That's a tough stumbling block, ain't it?

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 Boy, that will bring the fruit of the Spirit out right there.

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 That will.

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 Especially when the furniture gets rearranged and you didn't know that.

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 You know, and the lights are off and those type things.

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 We need to watch out for stumbling blocks.

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 We need to watch out for spiritual stumbling blocks as well.

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 There are things that get in our way spiritually.

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 Things that other people do.

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 Things that we do.

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 Things that can easily cause spiritual mishaps.

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 We can cause them in other people's life.

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 And that's a serious offense.

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 And Jesus speaks to it in Mark chapter 9, beginning in verse 42.

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 He says this.

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 It's better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell.

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 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out.

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 It's better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell.

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 Where the worm does not die.

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 And the fire is not quenched.

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 For everyone will be salted with fire.

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 Salt is good.

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 But if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again?

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 Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another.

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 I want to remind you of the context of Mark chapter 9 when Jesus speaks these words.

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 The disciples were worried about someone doing ministry that maybe should not have been doing ministry.

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 They didn't like a guy who was changing lives in the name of Jesus that did not have their authorization.

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 And they had approached Jesus about that.

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 And Jesus tells them not to worry about them.

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 But to be more concerned about being a stumbling block.

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 And in that conversation that I just read, I see three warnings about stumbling blocks.

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 First one's this.

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 Don't be a stumbling block.

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 Verse 42 said,

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 That round stone in the middle of that mill is exactly the kind of stone that Jesus was talking about.

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 When he said it would be better if they tie that to you and throw you in.

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 And that's not just a figure of speech.

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 The Romans would drown someone who was condemned for a serious crime against the empire by tying something heavy around them and throwing them in the water.

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 What a horrific scene.

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 The graphic nature there is to show that it would be better to drown than it would be to lead others astray.

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 He speaks there of our influence upon these, quote, little ones that believe in me.

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 And of course he speaks of children, but he's not merely speaking of children.

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 He's actually using affectionate terms.

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 You see that in the letters of John.

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 When John writes to the church, he talks about these precious little ones.

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 It's precious affectionate talk.

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 And what it implies is that those that seem little to us, those that seem insignificant to us, man, they're precious to the Lord Jesus.

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 We need to be careful how we treat believers.

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 Scripture tells us we need to be careful in several areas.

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 One is we need to be careful about hypocrisy, not being who we claim to be.

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 Jesus tells religious leaders in Matthew chapter 23 that their hypocrisy, through their hypocrisy, they, quote,

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 shut the kingdom of God in people's faces.

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 Talk about a slap in the face.

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 When the Christian mask comes off and spiritually ugly is seen, it's a stumbling block.

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 Find a good smiling Sunday Christian and put them in a long line where somebody dysfunctional is running it.

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 You'll find out what kind of spirit they got with them, won't you?

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 It's interesting, but be careful.

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 Be careful because it could easily become a stumbling block.

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 We need to be careful about a lack of forgiveness.

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 Paul in Ephesians tells us all these things that we need to put on as Christians.

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 But before he says that, he talks about the things we need to put off.

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 And he says some of the things we need to put off is bitterness.

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 And we need to put off wrath.

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 And we need to put off anger.

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 And we need to put off clamor.

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 And we need to put off slander.

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 In other words, don't talk mean.

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 Don't talk angry.

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 Don't talk gossipy.

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 Boy, have I got a prayer for you.

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 You know?

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 Have you heard what's happened to so and so?

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 Don't talk ugly.

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 That kind of stuff sticks.

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 My children were young.

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 And I had a neighbor that was sweet and wave.

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 And I didn't know him very well.

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 She'd always wave and be sweet.

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 And we had a baby monitor.

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 And I found out a rude awakening one day that those old baby monitors,

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 I don't know if they're still like this,

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 but when you unplugged one of them,

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 the speaker would pick up on something else.

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 And that was back in the day with cordless phones at the house.

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 And it picked up on her phone.

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 She wasn't that sweet after all.

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 Found out some things.

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 Be careful.

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 Sticks.

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 Every time I saw her after that, I went,

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 boy, you're a rascal, aren't you?

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 We also need to be careful about our partiality,

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 our prejudice.

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 In James, in chapter 2 of James, he warns us again and again about this.

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 It is a sin to hold your faith in Christ and not love your neighbor.

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 And I mean love the ones you don't even like.

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 Sometimes these are your love folks and just like them.

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 Let me tell you what will happen.

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 If God's placed somebody in your life you just simply don't like,

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 pray for them.

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 And I don't mean pray down the fires of hell upon their head.

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 I don't mean that.

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 I mean sincerely pray for them.

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 Lord, that person's got a bad attitude.

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 I don't like being around them.

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 Will you do a work in them, Lord,

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 to help them

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 to feel better about themselves

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 or to feel better about life

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 or to be easier to get along with?

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 And you know what?

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 Anytime that I've prayed for one of you like that,

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 God's done a work in my life

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 to help me see something about

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 that person that I didn't see before.

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 We need to love our neighbors.

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 God's placed them

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 in our lives

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 for us to influence

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 and

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 as my grandpa used to say,

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 just kill them with kindness.

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 It'll burn them up

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 like heaping coals on their head.

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 Just treat them with kindness

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 when they mean to you.

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 Do a number on them.

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 We also need to be careful about our language.

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 Reject filthiness

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 and foolish talk.

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 Crude joking.

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 Sound like a Christian.

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 Don't be a stumbling block.

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 Also, don't be a stumbling block

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 about flaunting your Christian liberty.

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 I thank God

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 that through the power

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 upon the cross

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 and the blood of Christ,

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 we are free in Christ.

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 But there are some things

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 that you do

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 that can cause others

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 to stumble.

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 Paul talked about this,

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 about what we eat.

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 Be careful what we eat.

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 And the reason why he hit on that

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 was because

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 they would sacrifice

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 meat

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 before their gods.

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 Pagans would.

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 They would burn this meat

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 before their gods.

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 And then

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 they would sell that meat

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 after they cooked it

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 before their god.

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 Well, can you eat that meat?

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 I mean, it burn in.

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 It's pretty good, you know.

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 Do you eat that meat?

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 Or do you not eat meat

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 that's been sacrificed

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 to idols?

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 So there was this debate

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 in the church

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 back and forth

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 about what you do

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 about that.

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 Well, they've sacrificed

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 this to idols.

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 Those idols don't even exist.

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 So why am I worried

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 about those idols?

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 That's good meat.

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 I think I'll get it.

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 And somebody else

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 would say,

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 no, it's been sacrificed

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 to idols.

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 And what Paul says

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 is the way you decide

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 that is

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 don't be a stumbling block

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 for other people.

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 There's nothing wrong

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 with eating that meat.

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 But don't eat that meat

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 if it's a stumbling block

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 to someone else.

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 Today, just to be frank,

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 it's not so much

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 about what we eat.

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 It's about what we drink.

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 So be careful.

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 Romans chapter 14,

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 verse 13 says,

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 decide never to put

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 a stumbling block

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 or a hindrance

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 in the way

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 of a brother.

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 It's just

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 not

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 worth it.

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 Stay away from it.

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 And then we also

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 need to be careful

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 with the Word of God.

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 Teaching falsehoods

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 will lead people astray.

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 And what God calls

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 sin is sin

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 and I can't change that

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 and I better not try to.

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 I better just stick

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 to the Word of God.

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 Now listen,

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 all those things

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 can cause someone

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 to walk away from God

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 when we really

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 should be encouraging them

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 to come to the Lord.

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 Our actions

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 should be used

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 by the Holy Spirit

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 of God

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 to draw them

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 nearer to God

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 instead of them

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 to question

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 the reality

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 of that God.

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 So we need to be careful

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 about that.

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 Don't be

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 stumbling blocks.

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 Second thing is this.

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 Remove

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 your stumbling blocks.

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 There's a lot

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 that can make us

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 stumble.

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 And I want you

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 to look at the radical

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 nature in which

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 Christ describes it.

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 He says in verse 43

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 that if your hand

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 causes you to sin,

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 cut it off.

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 And if your foot

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 causes you to sin,

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 cut it off.

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 And if your eye

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 causes you to sin,

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 tear it out.

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 Because it's better

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 to not have a hand

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 than to go to hell.

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 It's better

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 to not have a foot

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 than to go to hell.

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 It's better

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 to not have an eye

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 than to go to hell.

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 It's graphic

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 and very plain language.

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 And people have

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 a hard time

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 with this section

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 of Scripture

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 for a couple

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 of different reasons.

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 One is the numbering

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 of these verses.

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 And you probably

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 didn't even pick up

00:13:10.519 --> 00:13:10.939
 on it.

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 But if something

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 interesting happens

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 that I want to explain

00:13:13.580 --> 00:13:14.060
 to you,

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 that I read out

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 of the English Standard

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 Version and verses

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 44 and 46

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 are not in there.

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 They're not even listed.

00:13:22.420 --> 00:13:22.700
 If you look

00:13:22.700 --> 00:13:23.420
 at the small numbers

00:13:23.420 --> 00:13:24.260
 it says 43

00:13:24.260 --> 00:13:24.900
 and then it goes

00:13:24.900 --> 00:13:25.820
 straight to 45.

00:13:27.740 --> 00:13:28.500
 And the reason

00:13:28.500 --> 00:13:29.140
 why that is,

00:13:29.220 --> 00:13:30.220
 but in yet earlier

00:13:30.220 --> 00:13:30.820
 translations,

00:13:31.100 --> 00:13:31.820
 like the King James,

00:13:32.160 --> 00:13:33.240
 they will be in there,

00:13:33.600 --> 00:13:34.100
 those verses.

00:13:34.720 --> 00:13:35.720
 So people often say,

00:13:35.800 --> 00:13:36.300
 well they've taken

00:13:36.300 --> 00:13:36.820
 those verses

00:13:36.820 --> 00:13:37.480
 out of Scripture.

00:13:37.660 --> 00:13:38.160
 That's what's wrong

00:13:38.160 --> 00:13:38.660
 with that stuff.

00:13:39.660 --> 00:13:40.460
 Well let me explain.

00:13:40.460 --> 00:13:42.960
 Archaeologists

00:13:42.960 --> 00:13:44.440
 and just the understanding

00:13:44.440 --> 00:13:46.040
 of the canon

00:13:46.040 --> 00:13:46.540
 of Scripture

00:13:46.540 --> 00:13:47.700
 and how we got it

00:13:47.700 --> 00:13:48.879
 and the documents

00:13:48.879 --> 00:13:50.720
 that we find,

00:13:50.879 --> 00:13:51.800
 all of that

00:13:51.800 --> 00:13:53.259
 has so progressed

00:13:53.259 --> 00:13:54.680
 in the last 400 years

00:13:54.680 --> 00:13:55.759
 that we understand

00:13:55.759 --> 00:13:56.580
 a lot more

00:13:56.580 --> 00:13:57.600
 about the original

00:13:57.600 --> 00:13:58.200
 manuscript

00:13:58.200 --> 00:13:59.900
 than we ever did

00:13:59.900 --> 00:14:00.400
 before.

00:14:00.639 --> 00:14:01.379
 And in the oldest

00:14:01.379 --> 00:14:03.019
 documents we found,

00:14:03.900 --> 00:14:04.820
 verses 44

00:14:04.820 --> 00:14:05.800
 and 46

00:14:05.800 --> 00:14:06.960
 are not there.

00:14:06.960 --> 00:14:08.280
 where you thought,

00:14:08.379 --> 00:14:09.440
 well why did Mark

00:14:09.440 --> 00:14:12.240
 put verse 44

00:14:12.240 --> 00:14:13.060
 and 46 in there?

00:14:13.139 --> 00:14:13.280
 Well,

00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:15.000
 Mark didn't number.

00:14:16.040 --> 00:14:16.519
 Mark wrote

00:14:16.519 --> 00:14:17.340
 the Gospel.

00:14:18.639 --> 00:14:19.360
 The numbers

00:14:19.360 --> 00:14:19.840
 were added,

00:14:19.980 --> 00:14:20.440
 the chapters

00:14:20.440 --> 00:14:20.960
 and verses

00:14:20.960 --> 00:14:21.420
 were added

00:14:21.420 --> 00:14:22.120
 a lot later

00:14:22.120 --> 00:14:22.980
 so that I didn't

00:14:22.980 --> 00:14:23.620
 have to tell you

00:14:23.620 --> 00:14:24.100
 this morning,

00:14:24.360 --> 00:14:24.879
 why don't y'all

00:14:24.879 --> 00:14:25.800
 turn to about

00:14:25.800 --> 00:14:26.820
 the middle of Mark

00:14:26.820 --> 00:14:27.360
 and I'm going

00:14:27.360 --> 00:14:28.080
 to take off here.

00:14:28.420 --> 00:14:29.080
 That's why those

00:14:29.080 --> 00:14:29.900
 chapters and verses

00:14:29.900 --> 00:14:30.759
 are there.

00:14:31.860 --> 00:14:33.139
 But I will tell you

00:14:33.139 --> 00:14:34.180
 that what verse 44

00:14:34.180 --> 00:14:35.700
 and verse 46 say

00:14:35.700 --> 00:14:36.920
 is the same thing

00:14:36.920 --> 00:14:38.820
 that verse 48 says.

00:14:39.000 --> 00:14:40.000
 It was just repeated

00:14:40.000 --> 00:14:40.900
 three times.

00:14:41.780 --> 00:14:42.420
 And in the oldest

00:14:42.420 --> 00:14:42.960
 manuscripts,

00:14:43.200 --> 00:14:44.100
 it's not in there

00:14:44.100 --> 00:14:44.900
 but one time.

00:14:45.500 --> 00:14:46.080
 And that's where

00:14:46.080 --> 00:14:46.840
 it says where their

00:14:46.840 --> 00:14:48.520
 worm does not die

00:14:48.520 --> 00:14:49.160
 and the fire

00:14:49.160 --> 00:14:49.860
 is not quenched.

00:14:49.940 --> 00:14:51.200
 So my only point,

00:14:51.259 --> 00:14:52.120
 I want to point that out

00:14:52.120 --> 00:14:52.560
 because somebody

00:14:52.560 --> 00:14:53.120
 will point it out

00:14:53.120 --> 00:14:54.400
 to me afterwards,

00:14:54.820 --> 00:14:55.140
 you know,

00:14:55.920 --> 00:14:56.540
 is this.

00:14:57.740 --> 00:14:58.879
 Nothing was taken

00:14:58.879 --> 00:15:00.000
 away here.

00:15:01.140 --> 00:15:02.300
 The phrase is just

00:15:02.300 --> 00:15:02.980
 not repeated

00:15:02.980 --> 00:15:04.879
 three times over.

00:15:05.700 --> 00:15:06.960
 Because in the oldest

00:15:06.960 --> 00:15:08.240
 more reliable documents,

00:15:08.360 --> 00:15:08.960
 it was not.

00:15:09.840 --> 00:15:10.100
 Now,

00:15:10.259 --> 00:15:11.420
 the bigger issue

00:15:11.420 --> 00:15:12.800
 and what more people

00:15:12.800 --> 00:15:13.740
 have an issue with

00:15:13.740 --> 00:15:14.740
 with this section

00:15:14.740 --> 00:15:15.280
 of Scripture

00:15:15.280 --> 00:15:18.020
 is what it says.

00:15:20.080 --> 00:15:22.500
 And I want to ask

00:15:22.500 --> 00:15:22.940
 you something.

00:15:23.300 --> 00:15:23.980
 And I normally

00:15:23.980 --> 00:15:24.840
 when I ask questions

00:15:24.840 --> 00:15:25.600
 that are rhetorical,

00:15:25.980 --> 00:15:26.780
 I'll just let you know

00:15:26.780 --> 00:15:27.100
 that.

00:15:27.259 --> 00:15:27.700
 I don't want you

00:15:27.700 --> 00:15:28.400
 answering my questions

00:15:28.400 --> 00:15:28.840
 in the middle of the

00:15:28.840 --> 00:15:29.660
 sermon most of the time.

00:15:29.759 --> 00:15:30.480
 But I do want you

00:15:30.480 --> 00:15:31.000
 to this time.

00:15:31.120 --> 00:15:31.960
 And I want you to do it

00:15:31.960 --> 00:15:33.000
 with a show of hands.

00:15:33.000 --> 00:15:34.399
 How many of you

00:15:34.399 --> 00:15:36.019
 have ever sinned

00:15:36.019 --> 00:15:37.480
 with your hands?

00:15:37.980 --> 00:15:38.620
 Raise your hand.

00:15:39.220 --> 00:15:39.840
 You've ever sinned

00:15:39.840 --> 00:15:40.500
 with your hands.

00:15:40.879 --> 00:15:41.019
 Okay.

00:15:41.500 --> 00:15:42.379
 Well, if you didn't

00:15:42.379 --> 00:15:43.019
 raise your hand,

00:15:43.080 --> 00:15:44.399
 you just did sin

00:15:44.399 --> 00:15:45.179
 with your hands

00:15:45.179 --> 00:15:47.259
 because you lied

00:15:47.259 --> 00:15:48.860
 with your hand.

00:15:51.379 --> 00:15:52.080
 How many of you

00:15:52.080 --> 00:15:52.399
 have ever sinned

00:15:52.399 --> 00:15:52.919
 with your feet?

00:15:53.019 --> 00:15:53.679
 Raise your feet.

00:15:54.460 --> 00:15:54.840
 No.

00:15:55.580 --> 00:15:57.000
 I can't see that.

00:15:57.000 --> 00:15:58.759
 How many of you

00:15:58.759 --> 00:16:01.820
 have ever done anything?

00:16:03.000 --> 00:16:07.820
 that was against God.

00:16:10.019 --> 00:16:10.620
 How many of you

00:16:10.620 --> 00:16:11.679
 have ever went a place,

00:16:11.799 --> 00:16:12.860
 traveled to a place,

00:16:12.899 --> 00:16:13.700
 you didn't need to go,

00:16:14.899 --> 00:16:16.399
 you shouldn't have been there,

00:16:17.399 --> 00:16:19.179
 and it led you

00:16:19.179 --> 00:16:20.220
 to do something dumb

00:16:20.220 --> 00:16:24.139
 that divides the guidelines

00:16:24.139 --> 00:16:25.440
 that God gives us?

00:16:28.159 --> 00:16:28.820
 How many of you

00:16:28.820 --> 00:16:29.299
 have ever looked

00:16:29.299 --> 00:16:30.120
 at the wrong thing?

00:16:30.120 --> 00:16:32.840
 Now, I want you

00:16:32.840 --> 00:16:33.600
 to understand something.

00:16:34.340 --> 00:16:35.519
 A first glance

00:16:35.519 --> 00:16:36.620
 is not what gets you

00:16:36.620 --> 00:16:37.039
 in trouble.

00:16:38.960 --> 00:16:40.299
 The second look

00:16:40.299 --> 00:16:42.139
 is what gets you

00:16:42.139 --> 00:16:42.580
 in trouble.

00:16:43.960 --> 00:16:45.240
 The fixation

00:16:45.240 --> 00:16:47.399
 is what gets you

00:16:47.399 --> 00:16:47.840
 in trouble.

00:16:48.840 --> 00:16:50.200
 If King David

00:16:50.200 --> 00:16:51.700
 had walked out

00:16:51.700 --> 00:16:53.060
 on his patio

00:16:53.060 --> 00:16:53.759
 that night

00:16:53.759 --> 00:16:55.000
 and looked down

00:16:55.000 --> 00:16:55.879
 at Bathsheba

00:16:55.879 --> 00:16:56.799
 and went,

00:16:56.899 --> 00:16:57.679
 oh my soul,

00:16:57.759 --> 00:16:58.279
 and went back

00:16:58.279 --> 00:16:59.019
 in the house,

00:17:00.419 --> 00:17:01.340
 he would not have

00:17:01.340 --> 00:17:02.360
 sinned with his hands,

00:17:02.939 --> 00:17:03.820
 he would not have

00:17:03.820 --> 00:17:04.740
 sinned with his feet,

00:17:05.339 --> 00:17:05.960
 he would not have

00:17:05.960 --> 00:17:07.019
 sinned with his eyes.

00:17:08.940 --> 00:17:10.160
 But because he didn't

00:17:11.440 --> 00:17:12.539
 flee from it,

00:17:13.200 --> 00:17:14.640
 because he did take

00:17:14.640 --> 00:17:15.720
 a second look,

00:17:16.400 --> 00:17:18.000
 because he did become

00:17:18.000 --> 00:17:19.380
 fixated on it,

00:17:19.380 --> 00:17:21.580
 because he did scheme

00:17:21.580 --> 00:17:23.220
 and plan for it,

00:17:23.260 --> 00:17:24.160
 it led to

00:17:24.160 --> 00:17:26.360
 a lot of sin.

00:17:28.540 --> 00:17:29.040
 Now,

00:17:29.200 --> 00:17:30.640
 if you've sinned

00:17:30.640 --> 00:17:31.380
 with your hands

00:17:31.380 --> 00:17:33.460
 or your feet

00:17:33.460 --> 00:17:34.360
 or your eyes,

00:17:35.360 --> 00:17:37.080
 are you sorry

00:17:37.080 --> 00:17:38.700
 for that sin?

00:17:40.660 --> 00:17:42.240
 Do you want to turn away

00:17:42.240 --> 00:17:43.460
 from that sin?

00:17:45.300 --> 00:17:46.220
 If so,

00:17:46.820 --> 00:17:47.960
 cut that hand off.

00:17:49.380 --> 00:17:50.860
 Cut that foot off.

00:17:52.560 --> 00:17:53.740
 Pluck that eye out.

00:17:55.560 --> 00:17:56.760
 To my knowledge,

00:17:57.540 --> 00:17:59.700
 nobody in here

00:17:59.700 --> 00:18:00.300
 has done that.

00:18:02.300 --> 00:18:03.840
 And the reality is,

00:18:04.920 --> 00:18:05.520
 Jesus didn't mean

00:18:05.520 --> 00:18:06.180
 for us to literally

00:18:06.180 --> 00:18:06.720
 do that.

00:18:08.100 --> 00:18:09.520
 Because Jesus knew

00:18:09.520 --> 00:18:11.620
 that you can still

00:18:11.620 --> 00:18:12.640
 do the wrong thing

00:18:12.640 --> 00:18:13.500
 without a hand.

00:18:14.780 --> 00:18:15.620
 And you can still

00:18:15.620 --> 00:18:16.720
 go to the wrong places

00:18:16.720 --> 00:18:18.020
 without a foot.

00:18:18.019 --> 00:18:19.740
 And you can still

00:18:19.740 --> 00:18:20.700
 focus on the wrong

00:18:20.700 --> 00:18:21.559
 things without

00:18:21.559 --> 00:18:22.519
 your eyes.

00:18:24.279 --> 00:18:25.359
 What Jesus is doing

00:18:25.359 --> 00:18:26.039
 in this passage

00:18:26.039 --> 00:18:27.259
 is exaggerating.

00:18:28.460 --> 00:18:28.639
 Now,

00:18:28.680 --> 00:18:29.599
 some of you got a little,

00:18:31.180 --> 00:18:32.019
 you don't like that.

00:18:33.180 --> 00:18:33.740
 You don't like me

00:18:33.740 --> 00:18:34.220
 saying that.

00:18:34.299 --> 00:18:34.420
 Well,

00:18:34.480 --> 00:18:35.079
 let me give you

00:18:35.079 --> 00:18:36.240
 a technical theological

00:18:36.240 --> 00:18:37.059
 word for that.

00:18:37.539 --> 00:18:38.700
 The technical theological

00:18:38.700 --> 00:18:39.379
 word for that

00:18:39.379 --> 00:18:40.200
 is hyperbole.

00:18:40.819 --> 00:18:42.279
 Jesus used hyperbole.

00:18:42.639 --> 00:18:43.079
 Do you want to know

00:18:43.079 --> 00:18:44.019
 what hyperbole means?

00:18:44.019 --> 00:18:45.359
 It means he exaggerated.

00:18:47.000 --> 00:18:48.420
 It means that he spoke

00:18:48.420 --> 00:18:49.379
 in stark,

00:18:50.000 --> 00:18:51.779
 plain terms

00:18:51.779 --> 00:18:53.980
 to get the point across.

00:18:54.839 --> 00:18:55.859
 He does not mean it

00:18:55.859 --> 00:18:56.639
 literally here

00:18:56.639 --> 00:18:57.819
 any more than he

00:18:57.819 --> 00:18:58.339
 calls,

00:18:58.400 --> 00:18:59.279
 when he calls himself

00:18:59.279 --> 00:18:59.879
 a door,

00:19:00.259 --> 00:19:01.220
 does he mean

00:19:01.220 --> 00:19:02.119
 that he's made

00:19:02.119 --> 00:19:02.779
 out of oak.

00:19:03.720 --> 00:19:04.940
 Does not mean that.

00:19:05.920 --> 00:19:06.960
 He does not mean

00:19:06.960 --> 00:19:07.480
 any more than

00:19:07.480 --> 00:19:08.059
 when he says

00:19:08.059 --> 00:19:08.759
 you must hate

00:19:08.759 --> 00:19:09.240
 your mother

00:19:09.240 --> 00:19:09.759
 and your father

00:19:09.759 --> 00:19:10.220
 and your brother

00:19:10.220 --> 00:19:10.619
 and sister

00:19:10.619 --> 00:19:11.299
 to follow me.

00:19:11.299 --> 00:19:13.460
 He does not mean

00:19:13.460 --> 00:19:13.980
 we ought to hate

00:19:13.980 --> 00:19:14.559
 our family.

00:19:15.440 --> 00:19:16.399
 What he does mean

00:19:16.399 --> 00:19:17.000
 is that we ought

00:19:17.000 --> 00:19:17.519
 to put him

00:19:17.519 --> 00:19:19.539
 so far above

00:19:19.539 --> 00:19:21.059
 everybody else

00:19:21.059 --> 00:19:21.799
 in our life.

00:19:21.940 --> 00:19:22.539
 It'd be like

00:19:22.539 --> 00:19:23.099
 the difference

00:19:23.099 --> 00:19:24.159
 between love and hate

00:19:24.159 --> 00:19:25.200
 because I love God

00:19:25.200 --> 00:19:26.299
 that much more

00:19:26.299 --> 00:19:27.740
 than anything else.

00:19:27.859 --> 00:19:28.639
 That's what he meant.

00:19:29.539 --> 00:19:30.559
 It was a comparison.

00:19:33.940 --> 00:19:34.819
 All of that

00:19:34.819 --> 00:19:35.599
 is stark,

00:19:35.799 --> 00:19:36.919
 shocking words

00:19:36.919 --> 00:19:38.019
 to get the point.

00:19:39.220 --> 00:19:40.319
 And his point is

00:19:40.319 --> 00:19:41.579
 let nothing

00:19:41.579 --> 00:19:42.740
 be a stumbling block

00:19:42.740 --> 00:19:43.859
 that keeps you

00:19:43.859 --> 00:19:44.980
 from the Lord.

00:19:45.859 --> 00:19:46.500
 As the great

00:19:46.500 --> 00:19:47.039
 theologian

00:19:47.039 --> 00:19:47.779
 Barney Fife said,

00:19:48.039 --> 00:19:49.119
 nip it in the bud.

00:19:50.299 --> 00:19:51.599
 Do away with it.

00:19:53.079 --> 00:19:54.299
 The reality is

00:19:54.299 --> 00:19:55.079
 that we can do

00:19:55.079 --> 00:19:55.980
 the wrong thing

00:19:55.980 --> 00:19:57.019
 without our hands.

00:19:57.159 --> 00:19:57.759
 We can go

00:19:57.759 --> 00:19:58.539
 the wrong places

00:19:58.539 --> 00:19:59.519
 without our feet.

00:19:59.740 --> 00:20:00.460
 We can focus

00:20:00.460 --> 00:20:01.439
 on the wrong things

00:20:01.439 --> 00:20:02.619
 without our eyes.

00:20:02.759 --> 00:20:03.579
 You can do it

00:20:03.579 --> 00:20:04.419
 in the dark.

00:20:06.700 --> 00:20:07.179
 Instead,

00:20:07.500 --> 00:20:07.960
 what we need

00:20:07.960 --> 00:20:08.599
 to sever,

00:20:08.859 --> 00:20:09.419
 what we need

00:20:09.420 --> 00:20:10.279
 to gouge

00:20:10.279 --> 00:20:11.360
 is the sin

00:20:11.360 --> 00:20:12.160
 that we do,

00:20:12.380 --> 00:20:13.539
 the sinful places

00:20:13.539 --> 00:20:14.259
 that we go,

00:20:14.720 --> 00:20:15.279
 the sin

00:20:15.279 --> 00:20:16.680
 that we focus on.

00:20:19.279 --> 00:20:20.200
 There's certain

00:20:20.200 --> 00:20:20.820
 things

00:20:20.820 --> 00:20:23.080
 that we venture

00:20:23.080 --> 00:20:23.680
 into

00:20:23.680 --> 00:20:25.440
 to do

00:20:25.440 --> 00:20:26.600
 that we know

00:20:26.600 --> 00:20:27.380
 is displeasing

00:20:27.380 --> 00:20:27.980
 to God.

00:20:29.039 --> 00:20:29.700
 Stop it.

00:20:31.160 --> 00:20:32.140
 Don't do it.

00:20:32.779 --> 00:20:33.560
 There's places

00:20:33.560 --> 00:20:34.580
 that we go

00:20:34.580 --> 00:20:36.620
 that we know

00:20:36.620 --> 00:20:37.680
 will be tempted

00:20:37.680 --> 00:20:38.660
 to fail the Lord.

00:20:39.539 --> 00:20:40.240
 If we go

00:20:40.240 --> 00:20:40.920
 to those places,

00:20:42.039 --> 00:20:42.640
 hear me,

00:20:43.200 --> 00:20:44.039
 stop going.

00:20:46.039 --> 00:20:47.200
 If it's at work,

00:20:47.480 --> 00:20:48.680
 fight another job.

00:20:50.380 --> 00:20:51.680
 Get away from it.

00:20:53.460 --> 00:20:54.600
 That's the language

00:20:54.600 --> 00:20:55.779
 that Jesus is using.

00:20:56.220 --> 00:20:56.860
 Do whatever

00:20:56.860 --> 00:20:58.019
 you have to do

00:20:58.019 --> 00:20:59.320
 to stop it.

00:20:59.860 --> 00:21:00.720
 Don't do it.

00:21:00.720 --> 00:21:05.460
 We have to put up

00:21:05.460 --> 00:21:06.779
 guidelines in our lives

00:21:06.779 --> 00:21:09.200
 to get away from it.

00:21:10.240 --> 00:21:11.059
 We need to be

00:21:11.059 --> 00:21:12.000
 so determined

00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:12.839
 to avoid sin

00:21:12.839 --> 00:21:14.579
 that it is as final

00:21:14.579 --> 00:21:15.819
 and as certain

00:21:15.819 --> 00:21:16.980
 as if you lost

00:21:16.980 --> 00:21:17.920
 a body part.

00:21:21.400 --> 00:21:21.839
 Why?

00:21:21.960 --> 00:21:22.579
 Because anything

00:21:22.579 --> 00:21:23.299
 that leads us

00:21:23.299 --> 00:21:23.759
 to sin

00:21:23.759 --> 00:21:24.779
 leads us away

00:21:24.779 --> 00:21:25.460
 from Christ.

00:21:27.259 --> 00:21:28.079
 And there are

00:21:28.079 --> 00:21:28.880
 stumbling blocks

00:21:28.880 --> 00:21:29.500
 that hinder

00:21:29.500 --> 00:21:30.440
 our walk.

00:21:30.440 --> 00:21:32.900
 If there are

00:21:32.900 --> 00:21:33.660
 things in people's

00:21:33.660 --> 00:21:34.240
 lives that keep

00:21:34.240 --> 00:21:34.759
 them from coming

00:21:34.759 --> 00:21:35.259
 to Christ

00:21:35.259 --> 00:21:36.120
 and claiming

00:21:36.120 --> 00:21:38.920
 Him as their

00:21:38.920 --> 00:21:40.100
 Lord and Savior,

00:21:41.259 --> 00:21:41.860
 they'll face

00:21:41.860 --> 00:21:42.700
 a lot on this

00:21:42.700 --> 00:21:43.460
 earth that is a

00:21:43.460 --> 00:21:44.340
 lot less fulfilling

00:21:44.340 --> 00:21:45.440
 than it could be.

00:21:46.660 --> 00:21:47.539
 And then they'll

00:21:47.539 --> 00:21:48.480
 face an eternity

00:21:48.480 --> 00:21:49.440
 apart from God

00:21:49.440 --> 00:21:50.039
 forever.

00:21:52.180 --> 00:21:52.960
 Christ says

00:21:52.960 --> 00:21:53.759
 that we will face

00:21:53.759 --> 00:21:55.039
 an unquenchable

00:21:55.039 --> 00:21:56.680
 fire in hell.

00:21:56.680 --> 00:21:56.740
 hell.

00:21:58.420 --> 00:21:59.700
 And verse 47,

00:21:59.900 --> 00:22:00.740
 the word for hell

00:22:00.740 --> 00:22:01.700
 is very interesting.

00:22:02.980 --> 00:22:03.519
 There are two

00:22:03.519 --> 00:22:04.560
 Greek words that's

00:22:04.560 --> 00:22:05.180
 used for hell

00:22:05.180 --> 00:22:05.920
 in the New Testament.

00:22:06.279 --> 00:22:07.180
 One of them is

00:22:07.180 --> 00:22:07.680
 Hades,

00:22:08.220 --> 00:22:09.080
 and that is the

00:22:09.080 --> 00:22:11.080
 place of the dead.

00:22:12.360 --> 00:22:13.580
 The second one,

00:22:13.640 --> 00:22:14.160
 and it's the one

00:22:14.160 --> 00:22:14.880
 that's used here,

00:22:14.960 --> 00:22:15.700
 is Gehenna.

00:22:16.860 --> 00:22:18.259
 And Gehenna is a

00:22:18.259 --> 00:22:19.400
 compound word

00:22:19.400 --> 00:22:20.539
 in the Greek language.

00:22:20.920 --> 00:22:22.440
 Ge means valley,

00:22:22.440 --> 00:22:24.279
 and Hinnah is

00:22:24.279 --> 00:22:25.140
 short for Hinnom.

00:22:26.220 --> 00:22:27.160
 And so Gehenna

00:22:27.160 --> 00:22:28.120
 is the valley

00:22:28.120 --> 00:22:29.039
 of Hinnom.

00:22:29.160 --> 00:22:30.059
 And the valley

00:22:30.059 --> 00:22:30.840
 of Hinnom

00:22:30.840 --> 00:22:32.860
 is a valley

00:22:32.860 --> 00:22:34.700
 on the southern

00:22:34.700 --> 00:22:36.480
 and southwestern

00:22:36.480 --> 00:22:38.600
 side of Jerusalem,

00:22:39.120 --> 00:22:41.000
 of the old city

00:22:41.000 --> 00:22:41.759
 of Jerusalem,

00:22:42.220 --> 00:22:43.120
 David's city,

00:22:43.240 --> 00:22:43.960
 Mount Zion.

00:22:44.360 --> 00:22:45.360
 It's on that side.

00:22:46.240 --> 00:22:47.279
 And in Old Testament

00:22:47.279 --> 00:22:47.940
 times,

00:22:48.380 --> 00:22:49.500
 it was used

00:22:49.500 --> 00:22:50.960
 by cultic groups

00:22:50.960 --> 00:22:52.279
 to dispose

00:22:52.279 --> 00:22:53.480
 of human

00:22:53.480 --> 00:22:55.860
 sacrificial remains

00:22:55.860 --> 00:22:58.120
 when they sacrificed

00:22:58.120 --> 00:22:58.640
 a child

00:22:58.640 --> 00:22:59.480
 before their God

00:22:59.480 --> 00:22:59.900
 or when they

00:22:59.900 --> 00:23:01.079
 sacrificed a loved

00:23:01.079 --> 00:23:02.100
 one before their God.

00:23:02.579 --> 00:23:03.340
 They would throw

00:23:03.340 --> 00:23:04.160
 those bodies

00:23:04.160 --> 00:23:06.620
 into that valley.

00:23:08.000 --> 00:23:09.000
 It became

00:23:09.000 --> 00:23:09.500
 a place

00:23:09.500 --> 00:23:10.900
 of defilement.

00:23:10.980 --> 00:23:11.360
 It became

00:23:11.360 --> 00:23:12.279
 symbolic

00:23:12.279 --> 00:23:12.980
 as a place

00:23:12.980 --> 00:23:14.420
 of defilement.

00:23:15.319 --> 00:23:16.519
 King Josiah,

00:23:16.620 --> 00:23:17.059
 when he came

00:23:17.059 --> 00:23:17.539
 on the throne,

00:23:17.620 --> 00:23:18.380
 that young king

00:23:18.380 --> 00:23:19.240
 that was so burdened

00:23:19.240 --> 00:23:19.960
 about the neglect

00:23:19.960 --> 00:23:20.740
 of God's word

00:23:20.740 --> 00:23:21.319
 in the temple

00:23:21.319 --> 00:23:22.400
 and he brought

00:23:22.400 --> 00:23:23.420
 such reform

00:23:23.420 --> 00:23:24.180
 and brought the word

00:23:24.180 --> 00:23:25.099
 of God back

00:23:25.099 --> 00:23:26.240
 to the temple,

00:23:27.640 --> 00:23:29.519
 he defiled

00:23:29.519 --> 00:23:31.599
 that valley

00:23:31.599 --> 00:23:33.859
 during that reform.

00:23:35.120 --> 00:23:35.660
 And by the time

00:23:35.660 --> 00:23:36.359
 Jesus speaks

00:23:36.359 --> 00:23:37.099
 in the New Testament,

00:23:37.259 --> 00:23:37.779
 it has become

00:23:37.779 --> 00:23:39.380
 a trash heap

00:23:39.380 --> 00:23:40.700
 for that city.

00:23:41.400 --> 00:23:42.079
 It's become

00:23:42.079 --> 00:23:42.620
 a symbol

00:23:42.620 --> 00:23:44.099
 known as a powerful

00:23:44.099 --> 00:23:45.720
 image of divine

00:23:45.720 --> 00:23:46.640
 judgment,

00:23:47.640 --> 00:23:48.599
 of God's divine

00:23:48.599 --> 00:23:49.039
 judgment.

00:23:49.039 --> 00:23:49.819
 As a matter of fact,

00:23:49.819 --> 00:23:50.779
 when Jesus

00:23:50.779 --> 00:23:52.059
 speaks of

00:23:52.059 --> 00:23:53.639
 the fire

00:23:53.639 --> 00:23:54.680
 never goes out

00:23:54.680 --> 00:23:55.240
 and the worm

00:23:55.240 --> 00:23:56.399
 never dies,

00:23:56.659 --> 00:23:57.339
 he's actually

00:23:57.339 --> 00:23:58.460
 referring to

00:23:58.460 --> 00:23:59.639
 the last verse

00:23:59.639 --> 00:24:00.500
 in the book

00:24:00.500 --> 00:24:01.220
 of Isaiah.

00:24:01.480 --> 00:24:03.019
 Isaiah chapter 66

00:24:03.019 --> 00:24:03.659
 verse 24.

00:24:03.819 --> 00:24:04.779
 It won't be on the screen,

00:24:04.859 --> 00:24:05.259
 just listen.

00:24:05.319 --> 00:24:05.819
 It says this,

00:24:05.819 --> 00:24:07.639
 And they shall go out

00:24:07.639 --> 00:24:08.980
 and look on the dead

00:24:08.980 --> 00:24:09.879
 bodies of the men

00:24:09.879 --> 00:24:10.639
 who had rebelled

00:24:10.639 --> 00:24:11.399
 against me,

00:24:11.559 --> 00:24:12.579
 for their worms

00:24:12.579 --> 00:24:13.519
 shall not die,

00:24:13.619 --> 00:24:14.439
 their fire shall

00:24:14.439 --> 00:24:15.200
 not be quenched,

00:24:15.339 --> 00:24:16.119
 and there shall be

00:24:16.119 --> 00:24:16.939
 an abhorrence

00:24:16.939 --> 00:24:19.220
 to all flesh.

00:24:19.220 --> 00:24:20.519
 What Jesus is doing

00:24:20.519 --> 00:24:21.399
 is he's using

00:24:21.399 --> 00:24:23.119
 a graphic lesson

00:24:23.119 --> 00:24:24.139
 of what eternity

00:24:24.139 --> 00:24:24.799
 with God

00:24:24.799 --> 00:24:26.700
 would really look like,

00:24:27.200 --> 00:24:28.059
 where the fire

00:24:28.059 --> 00:24:28.799
 does not die,

00:24:28.960 --> 00:24:29.700
 the misery

00:24:29.700 --> 00:24:30.919
 does not leave.

00:24:30.920 --> 00:24:33.279
 They understood

00:24:33.279 --> 00:24:34.279
 that kind of talk.

00:24:36.019 --> 00:24:36.720
 People today

00:24:36.720 --> 00:24:37.160
 don't like

00:24:37.160 --> 00:24:38.000
 that kind of talk.

00:24:39.440 --> 00:24:40.200
 They don't like

00:24:40.200 --> 00:24:41.120
 to talk about hell.

00:24:42.580 --> 00:24:43.220
 But if we're

00:24:43.220 --> 00:24:43.759
 going to be biblical,

00:24:43.920 --> 00:24:44.279
 we've got to talk

00:24:44.279 --> 00:24:44.720
 about hell.

00:24:45.720 --> 00:24:46.340
 I always get

00:24:46.340 --> 00:24:47.060
 two responses

00:24:47.060 --> 00:24:48.060
 when I talk about this.

00:24:49.779 --> 00:24:50.720
 One is I've got

00:24:50.720 --> 00:24:51.820
 good godly people

00:24:51.820 --> 00:24:52.480
 that love the word

00:24:52.480 --> 00:24:52.800
 of God

00:24:52.800 --> 00:24:53.420
 that come to me

00:24:53.420 --> 00:24:54.039
 and say,

00:24:54.860 --> 00:24:55.500
 Thank you preacher

00:24:55.500 --> 00:24:56.400
 for preaching on hell.

00:24:56.440 --> 00:24:57.080
 Nobody preaches

00:24:57.080 --> 00:24:57.880
 on hell anymore.

00:24:58.500 --> 00:24:59.019
 I've not heard

00:24:59.019 --> 00:24:59.640
 a sermon on hell

00:24:59.640 --> 00:25:00.320
 in years.

00:25:01.180 --> 00:25:01.980
 And when they say

00:25:01.980 --> 00:25:02.460
 that to me,

00:25:02.520 --> 00:25:02.880
 I think,

00:25:02.940 --> 00:25:03.480
 you know what?

00:25:04.160 --> 00:25:04.920
 Three years ago

00:25:04.920 --> 00:25:05.880
 I preached a whole series

00:25:05.880 --> 00:25:06.660
 on the reality of eternity.

00:25:06.740 --> 00:25:07.680
 I spent seven weeks

00:25:07.680 --> 00:25:08.020
 on hell.

00:25:08.060 --> 00:25:08.840
 You should have been listening.

00:25:09.200 --> 00:25:09.880
 That's what I think

00:25:09.880 --> 00:25:10.660
 when you say that,

00:25:10.740 --> 00:25:11.000
 okay?

00:25:15.040 --> 00:25:16.020
 And then somebody else

00:25:16.020 --> 00:25:16.380
 and they probably

00:25:16.380 --> 00:25:17.080
 won't tell me,

00:25:18.480 --> 00:25:19.780
 but they'll say

00:25:19.780 --> 00:25:20.860
 that talk is offensive.

00:25:23.980 --> 00:25:24.460
 Do you know

00:25:24.460 --> 00:25:25.280
 how we understand

00:25:25.280 --> 00:25:26.400
 hell the way we do?

00:25:27.600 --> 00:25:27.920
 Do you know

00:25:27.920 --> 00:25:28.920
 who talks about hell

00:25:28.920 --> 00:25:30.100
 more than anybody else?

00:25:31.940 --> 00:25:32.740
 Where basically

00:25:32.740 --> 00:25:34.100
 all of our understanding

00:25:34.100 --> 00:25:34.940
 of hell came from?

00:25:35.980 --> 00:25:36.400
 Jesus.

00:25:38.460 --> 00:25:39.580
 Jesus talked about it.

00:25:40.840 --> 00:25:41.580
 Everybody loves

00:25:41.580 --> 00:25:42.220
 to talk about heaven.

00:25:43.480 --> 00:25:44.180
 Nobody loves

00:25:44.180 --> 00:25:44.900
 to talk about hell.

00:25:46.220 --> 00:25:47.279
 We'd love to just

00:25:47.279 --> 00:25:48.160
 usher anybody

00:25:48.160 --> 00:25:48.900
 that dies

00:25:48.900 --> 00:25:49.759
 into heaven

00:25:49.759 --> 00:25:50.519
 in our minds.

00:25:51.220 --> 00:25:51.900
 I've seen funeral

00:25:51.900 --> 00:25:52.300
 after funeral

00:25:52.300 --> 00:25:52.900
 where we do it.

00:25:54.820 --> 00:25:56.240
 But the reality is

00:25:56.240 --> 00:25:57.360
 hell is just

00:25:57.360 --> 00:25:58.000
 as real as heaven.

00:25:58.000 --> 00:25:59.740
 And Jesus speaks

00:25:59.740 --> 00:26:00.400
 of it more than

00:26:00.400 --> 00:26:02.319
 anybody else does.

00:26:03.400 --> 00:26:03.799
 And so,

00:26:04.000 --> 00:26:05.339
 if Jesus talked about it,

00:26:05.980 --> 00:26:07.559
 we must talk about it.

00:26:08.319 --> 00:26:09.240
 And I want to be clear.

00:26:10.059 --> 00:26:10.960
 It is a literal

00:26:10.960 --> 00:26:12.359
 yet spiritual place

00:26:12.359 --> 00:26:13.299
 that is filled

00:26:13.299 --> 00:26:13.940
 with torment

00:26:13.940 --> 00:26:15.660
 that one feels

00:26:15.660 --> 00:26:16.759
 for all of eternity.

00:26:16.759 --> 00:26:20.200
 It does not stop.

00:26:21.400 --> 00:26:23.140
 It's not for a certain time.

00:26:24.740 --> 00:26:26.420
 Jesus says everlasting.

00:26:27.859 --> 00:26:29.259
 Jesus uses the words

00:26:29.259 --> 00:26:29.839
 eternal.

00:26:31.500 --> 00:26:32.559
 Jesus uses the word

00:26:32.559 --> 00:26:33.359
 unquenchable.

00:26:34.819 --> 00:26:36.180
 He uses those words.

00:26:37.819 --> 00:26:38.900
 The descriptions

00:26:38.900 --> 00:26:40.220
 of hell

00:26:40.220 --> 00:26:42.759
 are hellacious.

00:26:42.759 --> 00:26:43.279
 hellacious.

00:26:46.220 --> 00:26:47.619
 But I want you to know

00:26:47.619 --> 00:26:50.440
 the greatest torment

00:26:50.440 --> 00:26:50.960
 of hell

00:26:50.960 --> 00:26:53.740
 is there's no hope

00:26:53.740 --> 00:26:54.500
 of salvation

00:26:54.500 --> 00:26:55.339
 through Christ.

00:26:55.339 --> 00:26:58.259
 that Christ

00:26:58.259 --> 00:26:59.980
 is not there.

00:27:01.799 --> 00:27:03.199
 And it does not

00:27:03.199 --> 00:27:03.939
 change.

00:27:05.299 --> 00:27:06.699
 Hell is final.

00:27:07.980 --> 00:27:09.199
 And it's eternal.

00:27:12.079 --> 00:27:12.599
 Remove

00:27:12.599 --> 00:27:15.099
 anything in your life

00:27:15.099 --> 00:27:17.319
 that can cause you

00:27:17.319 --> 00:27:17.759
 to stumble

00:27:17.759 --> 00:27:18.819
 into an eternal hell.

00:27:18.819 --> 00:27:21.639
 if you've never

00:27:21.639 --> 00:27:22.359
 given your heart

00:27:22.359 --> 00:27:22.700
 and life

00:27:22.700 --> 00:27:23.079
 to the Lord

00:27:23.079 --> 00:27:23.960
 Jesus Christ

00:27:23.960 --> 00:27:26.960
 but there's a reason

00:27:26.960 --> 00:27:27.480
 why

00:27:27.480 --> 00:27:29.539
 you just don't

00:27:29.539 --> 00:27:30.079
 want to

00:27:30.079 --> 00:27:31.899
 commit your life

00:27:31.899 --> 00:27:32.619
 to Christ.

00:27:36.279 --> 00:27:37.519
 Pluck it out.

00:27:40.039 --> 00:27:41.220
 Cut it off.

00:27:43.539 --> 00:27:44.419
 Remove it.

00:27:46.659 --> 00:27:47.559
 It's better

00:27:47.559 --> 00:27:48.639
 to do without it.

00:27:48.819 --> 00:27:50.879
 than it is

00:27:50.879 --> 00:27:51.299
 to spend

00:27:51.299 --> 00:27:52.000
 an eternity

00:27:52.000 --> 00:27:54.980
 without Christ.

00:27:57.740 --> 00:27:58.539
 Third warning

00:27:58.539 --> 00:27:59.200
 he gives us

00:27:59.200 --> 00:27:59.700
 is this.

00:28:01.179 --> 00:28:01.639
 Do not

00:28:01.639 --> 00:28:02.240
 underestimate

00:28:02.240 --> 00:28:03.579
 the impact

00:28:03.579 --> 00:28:04.279
 of stumbling

00:28:04.279 --> 00:28:04.779
 blocks.

00:28:06.419 --> 00:28:06.899
 Don't

00:28:06.899 --> 00:28:07.379
 underestimate

00:28:07.379 --> 00:28:08.259
 the impact

00:28:08.259 --> 00:28:08.679
 of stumbling

00:28:08.679 --> 00:28:08.980
 blocks.

00:28:09.059 --> 00:28:09.319
 He says

00:28:09.319 --> 00:28:10.099
 in verse 49

00:28:10.099 --> 00:28:11.579
 for everyone

00:28:11.579 --> 00:28:12.619
 will be salted

00:28:12.619 --> 00:28:13.220
 with fire.

00:28:13.299 --> 00:28:13.819
 It's a cool

00:28:13.819 --> 00:28:15.119
 transition sentence.

00:28:15.619 --> 00:28:16.059
 For everyone

00:28:16.059 --> 00:28:16.759
 will be salted

00:28:16.759 --> 00:28:17.379
 with fire.

00:28:17.380 --> 00:28:18.440
 And then

00:28:18.440 --> 00:28:18.740
 he talks

00:28:18.740 --> 00:28:19.320
 about salt.

00:28:20.920 --> 00:28:21.960
 Salt is good

00:28:21.960 --> 00:28:22.680
 but if the salt

00:28:22.680 --> 00:28:24.780
 has lost

00:28:24.780 --> 00:28:25.440
 its saltiness

00:28:25.440 --> 00:28:26.180
 how will you

00:28:26.180 --> 00:28:26.740
 make it salty

00:28:26.740 --> 00:28:27.100
 again?

00:28:27.980 --> 00:28:28.600
 Have salt

00:28:28.600 --> 00:28:29.340
 in yourselves

00:28:29.340 --> 00:28:29.920
 and be at

00:28:29.920 --> 00:28:30.400
 peace with

00:28:30.400 --> 00:28:30.880
 one another.

00:28:32.840 --> 00:28:33.420
 Listen friend

00:28:33.420 --> 00:28:34.140
 we all

00:28:34.140 --> 00:28:34.740
 suffer

00:28:34.740 --> 00:28:36.020
 due to the

00:28:36.020 --> 00:28:36.500
 schemes

00:28:36.500 --> 00:28:37.160
 of the evil

00:28:37.160 --> 00:28:37.480
 one.

00:28:38.920 --> 00:28:39.520
 One who

00:28:39.520 --> 00:28:39.980
 does not

00:28:39.980 --> 00:28:40.400
 give his

00:28:40.400 --> 00:28:40.620
 or her

00:28:40.620 --> 00:28:41.060
 life to

00:28:41.060 --> 00:28:41.500
 Christ

00:28:41.500 --> 00:28:43.200
 that suffering

00:28:43.200 --> 00:28:43.580
 will not

00:28:43.580 --> 00:28:44.020
 stop

00:28:44.020 --> 00:28:44.620
 in this

00:28:44.620 --> 00:28:44.880
 life.

00:28:44.880 --> 00:28:45.400
 that suffering

00:28:45.400 --> 00:28:45.780
 will go

00:28:45.780 --> 00:28:46.080
 on for

00:28:46.080 --> 00:28:46.340
 all of

00:28:46.340 --> 00:28:46.620
 eternity.

00:28:48.220 --> 00:28:48.900
 Those who

00:28:48.900 --> 00:28:49.440
 do live

00:28:49.440 --> 00:28:50.260
 for Christ

00:28:50.260 --> 00:28:51.640
 will sometimes

00:28:51.640 --> 00:28:52.160
 suffer.

00:28:53.800 --> 00:28:54.160
 Sometimes

00:28:54.160 --> 00:28:54.620
 we'll be

00:28:54.620 --> 00:28:55.480
 misjudged.

00:28:56.940 --> 00:28:57.380
 Sometimes

00:28:57.380 --> 00:28:57.760
 we'll be

00:28:57.760 --> 00:28:58.300
 misunderstood.

00:29:00.360 --> 00:29:00.740
 Sometimes

00:29:00.740 --> 00:29:01.100
 we'll even

00:29:01.100 --> 00:29:01.720
 be persecuted

00:29:01.720 --> 00:29:02.220
 for our

00:29:02.220 --> 00:29:02.700
 testimony.

00:29:04.540 --> 00:29:05.020
 Here

00:29:05.020 --> 00:29:08.560
 as a

00:29:08.560 --> 00:29:08.960
 Christian

00:29:08.960 --> 00:29:10.800
 or whether

00:29:10.800 --> 00:29:11.140
 it's in

00:29:11.140 --> 00:29:11.480
 eternity

00:29:11.480 --> 00:29:12.080
 because we

00:29:12.079 --> 00:29:12.359
 don't know

00:29:12.359 --> 00:29:12.819
 Christ

00:29:12.819 --> 00:29:13.559
 will all

00:29:13.559 --> 00:29:13.859
 face

00:29:13.859 --> 00:29:14.379
 trials

00:29:14.379 --> 00:29:14.619
 that will

00:29:14.619 --> 00:29:14.919
 come.

00:29:15.879 --> 00:29:16.319
 That's

00:29:16.319 --> 00:29:16.539
 what he

00:29:16.539 --> 00:29:16.899
 means by

00:29:16.899 --> 00:29:17.279
 we'll all

00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:17.980
 be salted

00:29:17.980 --> 00:29:19.039
 with fire.

00:29:19.559 --> 00:29:20.159
 A better

00:29:20.159 --> 00:29:20.679
 way for us

00:29:20.679 --> 00:29:21.139
 to understand

00:29:21.139 --> 00:29:21.559
 that in our

00:29:21.559 --> 00:29:22.079
 language probably

00:29:22.079 --> 00:29:22.439
 would be

00:29:22.439 --> 00:29:23.079
 we'll all

00:29:23.079 --> 00:29:24.099
 be sprinkled

00:29:24.099 --> 00:29:24.519
 with

00:29:24.519 --> 00:29:25.919
 suffering.

00:29:27.859 --> 00:29:28.299
 There's

00:29:28.299 --> 00:29:28.599
 one

00:29:28.599 --> 00:29:29.419
 commonality

00:29:29.419 --> 00:29:31.279
 that draws

00:29:31.279 --> 00:29:32.039
 this church

00:29:32.039 --> 00:29:32.339
 together.

00:29:32.379 --> 00:29:32.720
 There's more

00:29:32.720 --> 00:29:33.119
 than one

00:29:33.119 --> 00:29:33.480
 but let me

00:29:33.480 --> 00:29:33.720
 give you

00:29:33.720 --> 00:29:34.039
 one.

00:29:35.399 --> 00:29:36.240
 That draws

00:29:36.240 --> 00:29:36.799
 this church

00:29:36.799 --> 00:29:37.439
 together and

00:29:37.439 --> 00:29:37.699
 that's

00:29:37.699 --> 00:29:38.099
 suffering.

00:29:38.099 --> 00:29:40.719
 that's

00:29:40.719 --> 00:29:41.119
 something that

00:29:41.119 --> 00:29:41.459
 we all

00:29:41.459 --> 00:29:41.839
 have in

00:29:41.839 --> 00:29:42.179
 common.

00:29:44.079 --> 00:29:44.679
 Many of

00:29:44.679 --> 00:29:44.959
 our people

00:29:44.959 --> 00:29:45.339
 have been

00:29:45.339 --> 00:29:46.059
 seemingly

00:29:46.059 --> 00:29:46.879
 plagued by

00:29:46.879 --> 00:29:47.179
 it of

00:29:47.179 --> 00:29:47.480
 recent

00:29:47.480 --> 00:29:47.980
 days.

00:29:49.839 --> 00:29:50.299
 Just

00:29:50.299 --> 00:29:50.819
 three weeks

00:29:50.819 --> 00:29:51.219
 ago we

00:29:51.219 --> 00:29:51.839
 had families

00:29:51.839 --> 00:29:52.879
 suffering.

00:29:53.679 --> 00:29:54.159
 Suffering.

00:29:55.259 --> 00:29:55.939
 Some of the

00:29:55.939 --> 00:29:56.559
 hardest things

00:29:56.559 --> 00:29:57.019
 they've faced

00:29:57.019 --> 00:29:57.480
 in all their

00:29:57.480 --> 00:29:57.740
 life.

00:29:57.819 --> 00:29:58.000
 They were

00:29:58.000 --> 00:29:58.639
 walking

00:29:58.639 --> 00:29:59.139
 through that

00:29:59.139 --> 00:29:59.519
 valley.

00:30:01.059 --> 00:30:01.759
 Two weeks

00:30:01.759 --> 00:30:02.079
 ago we

00:30:02.079 --> 00:30:02.319
 had a

00:30:02.319 --> 00:30:02.740
 different set

00:30:02.740 --> 00:30:03.119
 of families

00:30:03.119 --> 00:30:04.019
 suffering.

00:30:05.619 --> 00:30:06.059
 Struggling.

00:30:06.059 --> 00:30:08.179
 was some

00:30:08.179 --> 00:30:08.319
 of the

00:30:08.319 --> 00:30:08.879
 most difficult

00:30:08.879 --> 00:30:09.220
 things.

00:30:09.319 --> 00:30:10.000
 Last week

00:30:10.000 --> 00:30:10.839
 we had

00:30:10.839 --> 00:30:11.119
 people

00:30:11.119 --> 00:30:12.000
 struggling.

00:30:14.419 --> 00:30:14.720
 Some of

00:30:14.720 --> 00:30:15.000
 the most

00:30:15.000 --> 00:30:16.319
 horrifying

00:30:16.319 --> 00:30:17.179
 walking

00:30:17.179 --> 00:30:17.659
 through some

00:30:17.659 --> 00:30:17.799
 of the

00:30:17.799 --> 00:30:18.759
 most horrifying

00:30:18.759 --> 00:30:19.339
 nightmares

00:30:19.339 --> 00:30:19.799
 that you

00:30:19.799 --> 00:30:20.159
 could ever

00:30:20.159 --> 00:30:20.759
 imagine.

00:30:21.059 --> 00:30:21.539
 Suffering.

00:30:22.379 --> 00:30:22.960
 There's a

00:30:22.960 --> 00:30:23.659
 common bond

00:30:23.659 --> 00:30:23.980
 here.

00:30:25.419 --> 00:30:26.139
 And if it's

00:30:26.139 --> 00:30:26.539
 been good

00:30:26.539 --> 00:30:27.220
 days for you

00:30:27.220 --> 00:30:27.799
 it's coming.

00:30:28.019 --> 00:30:28.779
 I'm not a

00:30:28.779 --> 00:30:29.440
 negative guy.

00:30:29.519 --> 00:30:29.639
 Don't

00:30:29.639 --> 00:30:30.200
 misunderstand me.

00:30:30.200 --> 00:30:30.359
 I don't

00:30:30.359 --> 00:30:30.700
 want to be a

00:30:30.700 --> 00:30:31.059
 pessimist.

00:30:31.159 --> 00:30:31.679
 But we're

00:30:31.679 --> 00:30:32.159
 going to walk

00:30:32.159 --> 00:30:33.079
 through struggles.

00:30:34.159 --> 00:30:34.779
 That's a

00:30:34.779 --> 00:30:35.659
 common bond

00:30:35.660 --> 00:30:36.060
 here.

00:30:36.880 --> 00:30:37.400
 We're going

00:30:37.400 --> 00:30:37.620
 to do

00:30:37.620 --> 00:30:37.960
 that.

00:30:39.340 --> 00:30:39.640
 And when

00:30:39.640 --> 00:30:40.460
 suffering comes

00:30:40.460 --> 00:30:41.740
 because of

00:30:41.740 --> 00:30:42.220
 our stand

00:30:42.220 --> 00:30:42.860
 for Christ

00:30:42.860 --> 00:30:43.700
 Paul calls

00:30:43.700 --> 00:30:44.000
 it the

00:30:44.000 --> 00:30:44.700
 fellowship of

00:30:44.700 --> 00:30:45.540
 sharing in

00:30:45.540 --> 00:30:46.540
 his sufferings.

00:30:47.960 --> 00:30:48.759
 Now let me

00:30:48.759 --> 00:30:49.580
 say this about

00:30:49.580 --> 00:30:50.820
 suffering because

00:30:50.820 --> 00:30:51.600
 of the cause

00:30:51.600 --> 00:30:52.300
 of Christ.

00:30:53.240 --> 00:30:53.680
 Let me just

00:30:53.680 --> 00:30:54.240
 be completely

00:30:54.240 --> 00:30:54.740
 honest.

00:30:55.480 --> 00:30:55.940
 Folks we

00:30:55.940 --> 00:30:56.800
 live in luxury

00:30:56.800 --> 00:30:57.779
 when it comes

00:30:57.779 --> 00:30:58.180
 to that.

00:31:00.920 --> 00:31:01.660
 We're not

00:31:01.660 --> 00:31:02.440
 suffering because

00:31:02.440 --> 00:31:02.860
 of the cause

00:31:02.860 --> 00:31:03.400
 of Christ.

00:31:03.400 --> 00:31:07.160
 We don't

00:31:07.160 --> 00:31:07.800
 have pastors

00:31:07.800 --> 00:31:08.540
 branded like

00:31:08.540 --> 00:31:10.360
 a cow due

00:31:10.360 --> 00:31:11.759
 to their

00:31:11.759 --> 00:31:13.519
 faithfulness to

00:31:13.519 --> 00:31:14.519
 follow Christ

00:31:14.519 --> 00:31:15.660
 in a communist

00:31:15.660 --> 00:31:16.240
 atmosphere.

00:31:16.620 --> 00:31:17.720
 I met a man

00:31:17.720 --> 00:31:18.700
 branded on both

00:31:18.700 --> 00:31:19.220
 sides in

00:31:19.220 --> 00:31:20.000
 Southeast Asia

00:31:20.000 --> 00:31:22.340
 who pastored

00:31:22.340 --> 00:31:24.580
 a large church

00:31:24.580 --> 00:31:25.380
 made up of

00:31:25.380 --> 00:31:26.960
 small congregations

00:31:26.960 --> 00:31:28.960
 that met in

00:31:28.960 --> 00:31:32.059
 homes who

00:31:32.059 --> 00:31:32.380
 had been

00:31:32.380 --> 00:31:33.140
 persecuted for

00:31:33.140 --> 00:31:33.559
 their faith.

00:31:35.180 --> 00:31:35.559
 Oh if we'd

00:31:35.559 --> 00:31:35.900
 been caught

00:31:35.900 --> 00:31:36.440
 they'd sent us

00:31:36.440 --> 00:31:36.980
 home but the

00:31:36.980 --> 00:31:37.500
 people that we

00:31:37.500 --> 00:31:38.240
 were with

00:31:38.240 --> 00:31:39.840
 would have been

00:31:39.840 --> 00:31:41.539
 imprisoned or

00:31:41.539 --> 00:31:42.160
 tortured.

00:31:42.680 --> 00:31:43.319
 It just really

00:31:43.319 --> 00:31:44.079
 depended on

00:31:44.079 --> 00:31:46.539
 what kind of

00:31:46.539 --> 00:31:47.559
 local official

00:31:47.559 --> 00:31:48.319
 got a hold of

00:31:48.319 --> 00:31:48.740
 them quite

00:31:48.740 --> 00:31:49.220
 honestly.

00:31:50.299 --> 00:31:50.940
 We know

00:31:50.940 --> 00:31:51.500
 nothing about

00:31:51.500 --> 00:31:51.880
 that.

00:31:51.880 --> 00:31:54.880
 very few of

00:31:54.880 --> 00:31:55.220
 us have

00:31:55.220 --> 00:31:55.780
 suffered any

00:31:55.780 --> 00:31:56.660
 suffering because

00:31:56.660 --> 00:31:57.840
 we've stood for

00:31:57.840 --> 00:31:58.500
 Christ in the

00:31:58.500 --> 00:31:58.980
 world in which

00:31:58.980 --> 00:31:59.520
 we live.

00:32:01.080 --> 00:32:01.800
 We are

00:32:01.800 --> 00:32:02.400
 blessed in

00:32:02.400 --> 00:32:02.980
 that way

00:32:02.980 --> 00:32:04.740
 and

00:32:04.740 --> 00:32:08.360
 but we all

00:32:08.360 --> 00:32:09.320
 do have

00:32:09.320 --> 00:32:11.420
 hard times

00:32:11.420 --> 00:32:14.140
 of any

00:32:14.140 --> 00:32:14.640
 sorts

00:32:14.640 --> 00:32:16.320
 and those

00:32:16.320 --> 00:32:17.080
 hard times

00:32:17.080 --> 00:32:18.280
 draw us

00:32:18.280 --> 00:32:19.480
 together.

00:32:19.660 --> 00:32:20.259
 We all

00:32:20.259 --> 00:32:20.640
 get

00:32:20.640 --> 00:32:22.259
 salted

00:32:22.259 --> 00:32:22.960
 with the

00:32:22.960 --> 00:32:24.540
 fires of

00:32:24.540 --> 00:32:25.240
 difficulty.

00:32:26.280 --> 00:32:26.880
 It's a

00:32:26.880 --> 00:32:27.520
 common bond

00:32:27.520 --> 00:32:27.820
 there.

00:32:29.720 --> 00:32:30.620
 And let me

00:32:30.620 --> 00:32:31.259
 say this

00:32:31.259 --> 00:32:33.780
 when that

00:32:33.780 --> 00:32:34.440
 comes

00:32:34.440 --> 00:32:37.140
 don't run

00:32:37.140 --> 00:32:37.620
 from the

00:32:37.620 --> 00:32:38.180
 church when

00:32:38.180 --> 00:32:38.759
 times get

00:32:38.759 --> 00:32:39.180
 hard.

00:32:41.500 --> 00:32:42.420
 I've heard

00:32:42.420 --> 00:32:43.120
 too often

00:32:43.119 --> 00:32:45.099
 seen

00:32:45.099 --> 00:32:45.739
 somebody out

00:32:45.739 --> 00:32:46.239
 somewhere.

00:32:47.099 --> 00:32:47.759
 I think

00:32:47.759 --> 00:32:48.559
 people think

00:32:48.559 --> 00:32:48.979
 I go to

00:32:48.979 --> 00:32:49.719
 Walmart to

00:32:49.719 --> 00:32:50.239
 find people

00:32:50.239 --> 00:32:50.679
 who are not

00:32:50.679 --> 00:32:51.179
 active in

00:32:51.179 --> 00:32:51.579
 church.

00:32:55.139 --> 00:32:55.739
 No, I

00:32:55.739 --> 00:32:56.219
 went to get

00:32:56.219 --> 00:32:57.239
 cottage cheese.

00:32:57.519 --> 00:32:58.039
 That's what I

00:32:58.039 --> 00:32:58.479
 went for.

00:33:02.099 --> 00:33:02.679
 And they'll

00:33:02.679 --> 00:33:03.119
 say preacher

00:33:03.119 --> 00:33:03.599
 we're coming

00:33:03.599 --> 00:33:04.059
 back.

00:33:04.199 --> 00:33:04.500
 We're just

00:33:04.500 --> 00:33:05.039
 going through

00:33:05.039 --> 00:33:06.179
 some stuff

00:33:06.179 --> 00:33:06.579
 right now.

00:33:06.659 --> 00:33:06.939
 When this

00:33:06.939 --> 00:33:07.559
 stuff passes

00:33:07.559 --> 00:33:07.939
 we'll be

00:33:07.939 --> 00:33:08.319
 back.

00:33:11.179 --> 00:33:11.939
 I don't do

00:33:11.939 --> 00:33:12.179
 it in

00:33:12.179 --> 00:33:12.439
 Walmart.

00:33:13.119 --> 00:33:15.679
 I drag

00:33:15.679 --> 00:33:15.899
 them into

00:33:15.899 --> 00:33:16.259
 the parking

00:33:16.259 --> 00:33:16.559
 lot.

00:33:22.739 --> 00:33:23.359
 Why don't

00:33:23.359 --> 00:33:23.699
 you just

00:33:23.699 --> 00:33:24.099
 bring all

00:33:24.099 --> 00:33:24.500
 that junk

00:33:24.500 --> 00:33:24.959
 with you

00:33:24.959 --> 00:33:26.379
 and come

00:33:26.379 --> 00:33:26.779
 on to the

00:33:26.779 --> 00:33:27.139
 house of

00:33:27.139 --> 00:33:27.779
 God and

00:33:27.779 --> 00:33:28.139
 let us

00:33:28.139 --> 00:33:28.779
 pray over

00:33:28.779 --> 00:33:29.539
 you and

00:33:29.539 --> 00:33:29.899
 let us

00:33:29.899 --> 00:33:30.479
 love on

00:33:30.479 --> 00:33:31.599
 you and

00:33:31.599 --> 00:33:31.919
 let us

00:33:31.919 --> 00:33:32.639
 walk with

00:33:32.639 --> 00:33:33.559
 you through

00:33:33.559 --> 00:33:34.079
 the valley

00:33:34.079 --> 00:33:34.459
 that you

00:33:34.459 --> 00:33:35.099
 walk through.

00:33:35.419 --> 00:33:35.799
 Because I'll

00:33:35.799 --> 00:33:36.319
 tell you what

00:33:36.319 --> 00:33:36.979
 Satan likes

00:33:36.979 --> 00:33:37.479
 to do.

00:33:39.799 --> 00:33:40.500
 He likes

00:33:40.500 --> 00:33:40.939
 to do like

00:33:40.939 --> 00:33:41.599
 the lions do

00:33:41.599 --> 00:33:42.179
 the hyenas.

00:33:43.339 --> 00:33:44.039
 He likes

00:33:44.039 --> 00:33:44.500
 to find the

00:33:44.500 --> 00:33:44.899
 ones all

00:33:44.899 --> 00:33:45.740
 by themselves

00:33:45.740 --> 00:33:47.719
 and corner

00:33:47.719 --> 00:33:49.639
 them and

00:33:49.639 --> 00:33:50.199
 just cause

00:33:50.199 --> 00:33:50.559
 them to go

00:33:50.559 --> 00:33:50.859
 through a

00:33:50.859 --> 00:33:51.599
 living hell

00:33:51.599 --> 00:33:52.779
 apart from

00:33:52.779 --> 00:33:53.459
 God's people.

00:33:53.699 --> 00:33:54.139
 That's what

00:33:54.139 --> 00:33:55.500
 Satan tries

00:33:55.500 --> 00:33:56.019
 to do.

00:33:56.219 --> 00:33:56.559
 He don't

00:33:56.559 --> 00:33:56.959
 want to give

00:33:56.959 --> 00:33:57.480
 you a headache

00:33:57.480 --> 00:33:57.899
 today.

00:33:58.159 --> 00:33:58.659
 He wants

00:33:58.659 --> 00:33:59.579
 to steal,

00:34:00.299 --> 00:34:00.759
 kill,

00:34:00.980 --> 00:34:02.019
 and destroy.

00:34:02.019 --> 00:34:05.240
 You just

00:34:05.240 --> 00:34:05.660
 keep coming

00:34:05.660 --> 00:34:06.039
 on back

00:34:06.039 --> 00:34:06.319
 to the

00:34:06.319 --> 00:34:06.740
 church.

00:34:08.159 --> 00:34:08.759
 If you're

00:34:08.759 --> 00:34:09.039
 limping,

00:34:09.139 --> 00:34:09.460
 we'll help

00:34:09.460 --> 00:34:09.820
 you across

00:34:09.820 --> 00:34:10.280
 the street.

00:34:11.280 --> 00:34:11.860
 You just

00:34:11.860 --> 00:34:12.440
 come on as

00:34:12.440 --> 00:34:12.920
 you are

00:34:12.920 --> 00:34:14.559
 and let us

00:34:14.559 --> 00:34:15.019
 love on

00:34:15.019 --> 00:34:15.280
 you.

00:34:16.099 --> 00:34:16.699
 Let us

00:34:16.699 --> 00:34:17.300
 care for

00:34:17.300 --> 00:34:18.199
 you through

00:34:18.199 --> 00:34:18.739
 the valley

00:34:18.739 --> 00:34:19.139
 that you

00:34:19.139 --> 00:34:19.460
 go through

00:34:19.460 --> 00:34:20.300
 because we're

00:34:20.300 --> 00:34:20.759
 all going to

00:34:20.759 --> 00:34:21.019
 go through

00:34:21.019 --> 00:34:21.320
 valleys.

00:34:21.559 --> 00:34:22.079
 Some of us

00:34:22.079 --> 00:34:22.380
 are going to

00:34:22.380 --> 00:34:22.739
 make our

00:34:22.739 --> 00:34:23.320
 own valleys.

00:34:24.820 --> 00:34:25.539
 Some of us

00:34:25.539 --> 00:34:26.019
 are our own

00:34:26.019 --> 00:34:26.759
 stumbling blocks

00:34:26.759 --> 00:34:27.420
 quite honestly.

00:34:28.360 --> 00:34:28.800
 And then some

00:34:28.800 --> 00:34:29.300
 things happen

00:34:29.300 --> 00:34:30.159
 to us just

00:34:30.159 --> 00:34:30.880
 because life

00:34:30.880 --> 00:34:31.360
 happens,

00:34:31.360 --> 00:34:31.740
 period.

00:34:32.120 --> 00:34:32.640
 And then some

00:34:32.640 --> 00:34:33.140
 things happen

00:34:33.140 --> 00:34:33.940
 because somebody

00:34:33.940 --> 00:34:34.599
 else did it

00:34:34.599 --> 00:34:35.240
 to us.

00:34:36.800 --> 00:34:37.480
 There's nothing

00:34:37.480 --> 00:34:37.940
 we could have

00:34:37.940 --> 00:34:38.559
 done about it,

00:34:38.620 --> 00:34:39.460
 but we're

00:34:39.460 --> 00:34:40.539
 dealing with it.

00:34:41.900 --> 00:34:42.640
 Come on to

00:34:42.640 --> 00:34:43.120
 the church.

00:34:44.180 --> 00:34:45.059
 You need to

00:34:45.059 --> 00:34:45.460
 hear that

00:34:45.460 --> 00:34:46.180
 opening play.

00:34:46.660 --> 00:34:47.300
 You need to

00:34:47.300 --> 00:34:47.599
 hear that

00:34:47.599 --> 00:34:48.340
 choir sing.

00:34:48.720 --> 00:34:49.340
 You need to

00:34:49.340 --> 00:34:49.620
 hear the

00:34:49.620 --> 00:34:49.900
 ensemble.

00:34:50.260 --> 00:34:51.120
 You need to

00:34:51.120 --> 00:34:51.480
 hear the

00:34:51.480 --> 00:34:52.120
 word of God.

00:34:52.720 --> 00:34:53.680
 Don't let,

00:34:53.880 --> 00:34:54.539
 if you're at

00:34:54.539 --> 00:34:55.820
 home right now

00:34:55.820 --> 00:34:56.579
 because you're

00:34:56.579 --> 00:34:57.280
 going through

00:34:57.280 --> 00:34:58.480
 something and

00:34:58.480 --> 00:34:58.860
 you're just

00:34:58.860 --> 00:34:59.380
 waiting until you

00:34:59.380 --> 00:34:59.880
 get through it

00:34:59.880 --> 00:35:00.260
 to come on

00:35:00.260 --> 00:35:00.820
 back to church,

00:35:00.820 --> 00:35:01.700
 church, just

00:35:01.700 --> 00:35:02.300
 come on back

00:35:02.300 --> 00:35:02.780
 next week.

00:35:03.840 --> 00:35:04.539
 Don't wait.

00:35:04.780 --> 00:35:05.580
 Just come on

00:35:05.580 --> 00:35:07.280
 back next week

00:35:07.280 --> 00:35:07.600
 and let you

00:35:07.600 --> 00:35:07.940
 love on me

00:35:07.940 --> 00:35:08.300
 because I'm

00:35:08.300 --> 00:35:08.780
 telling you,

00:35:09.200 --> 00:35:09.880
 Satan loves to

00:35:09.880 --> 00:35:10.640
 pull us apart.

00:35:10.800 --> 00:35:11.360
 Just a little

00:35:11.360 --> 00:35:12.300
 excursion there

00:35:12.300 --> 00:35:13.780
 from the passage.

00:35:13.780 --> 00:35:13.840
 church.

00:35:15.720 --> 00:35:16.740
 But I just want you

00:35:16.740 --> 00:35:18.840
 to know, we

00:35:18.840 --> 00:35:19.460
 come as we

00:35:19.460 --> 00:35:22.040
 are and let

00:35:22.040 --> 00:35:23.019
 God love on us

00:35:23.019 --> 00:35:23.400
 through his

00:35:23.400 --> 00:35:23.780
 people.

00:35:24.740 --> 00:35:24.980
 And I'm

00:35:24.980 --> 00:35:25.380
 telling you,

00:35:25.420 --> 00:35:26.100
 that's where the

00:35:26.100 --> 00:35:27.840
 church becomes

00:35:27.840 --> 00:35:28.600
 the church.

00:35:28.960 --> 00:35:29.440
 That's why I

00:35:29.440 --> 00:35:30.140
 love church.

00:35:32.120 --> 00:35:33.060
 We need each

00:35:33.060 --> 00:35:33.320
 other.

00:35:34.320 --> 00:35:35.120
 And hardship

00:35:35.120 --> 00:35:36.380
 binds us

00:35:36.380 --> 00:35:36.940
 together.

00:35:37.860 --> 00:35:38.360
 However,

00:35:38.560 --> 00:35:38.900
 stumbling

00:35:38.900 --> 00:35:40.660
 blocks tear us

00:35:40.659 --> 00:35:41.039
 apart.

00:35:43.199 --> 00:35:44.279
 When stumbling

00:35:44.279 --> 00:35:45.079
 blocks are in

00:35:45.079 --> 00:35:46.219
 the way, we

00:35:46.219 --> 00:35:46.960
 don't do the

00:35:46.960 --> 00:35:48.039
 job that God

00:35:48.039 --> 00:35:49.379
 has called us

00:35:49.379 --> 00:35:50.819
 and enabled us

00:35:50.819 --> 00:35:51.980
 to do.

00:35:53.659 --> 00:35:54.639
 And when the

00:35:54.639 --> 00:35:55.579
 church does not

00:35:55.579 --> 00:35:57.679
 function as the

00:35:57.679 --> 00:35:59.239
 church, there's a

00:35:59.239 --> 00:36:01.359
 lack of peace in

00:36:01.359 --> 00:36:02.000
 the church.

00:36:02.000 --> 00:36:06.739
 You find a dead

00:36:06.739 --> 00:36:07.519
 church, you'll

00:36:07.519 --> 00:36:08.219
 find discord.

00:36:09.800 --> 00:36:10.420
 You'll find

00:36:10.420 --> 00:36:11.039
 difficulty.

00:36:11.840 --> 00:36:12.639
 There's a lack

00:36:12.639 --> 00:36:12.940
 of peace.

00:36:13.860 --> 00:36:14.260
 Unproductive

00:36:14.260 --> 00:36:15.960
 churches lack

00:36:15.960 --> 00:36:16.719
 peace.

00:36:17.360 --> 00:36:18.619
 So listen, you're

00:36:18.619 --> 00:36:19.219
 always going to

00:36:19.219 --> 00:36:19.880
 hear from me.

00:36:20.039 --> 00:36:21.320
 If you don't, I

00:36:21.320 --> 00:36:21.860
 shouldn't be doing

00:36:21.860 --> 00:36:22.380
 what I'm doing.

00:36:23.320 --> 00:36:24.079
 You're always going

00:36:24.079 --> 00:36:24.500
 to hear from me.

00:36:24.659 --> 00:36:25.340
 Stay productive.

00:36:26.380 --> 00:36:27.239
 Let's do

00:36:27.239 --> 00:36:28.960
 something in the

00:36:28.960 --> 00:36:29.300
 kingdom of God.

00:36:29.380 --> 00:36:29.960
 And I don't mean

00:36:29.960 --> 00:36:30.440
 just to do

00:36:30.440 --> 00:36:30.900
 something and be

00:36:30.900 --> 00:36:31.360
 doing it.

00:36:31.360 --> 00:36:32.420
 I mean do

00:36:32.420 --> 00:36:33.140
 something not

00:36:33.140 --> 00:36:34.280
 for busy's sake,

00:36:34.539 --> 00:36:35.300
 do something for

00:36:35.300 --> 00:36:36.740
 kingdom's sake.

00:36:37.400 --> 00:36:38.380
 Please understand,

00:36:38.519 --> 00:36:39.300
 Christian, that when

00:36:39.300 --> 00:36:40.300
 we stumble around

00:36:40.300 --> 00:36:41.380
 in our walk with

00:36:41.380 --> 00:36:44.780
 Christ, it will

00:36:44.780 --> 00:36:45.579
 not only affect

00:36:45.579 --> 00:36:48.000
 us, it does not

00:36:48.000 --> 00:36:48.860
 only affect our

00:36:48.860 --> 00:36:50.740
 relationship with

00:36:50.740 --> 00:36:53.420
 Christ, it affects

00:36:53.420 --> 00:36:55.380
 those around us.

00:36:56.660 --> 00:36:57.940
 It affects our

00:36:57.940 --> 00:36:59.660
 relationships with

00:36:59.660 --> 00:37:00.280
 each other.

00:37:01.360 --> 00:37:02.360
 Christ.

00:37:02.360 --> 00:37:03.079
 And Christ has

00:37:03.079 --> 00:37:05.099
 called us to be

00:37:05.099 --> 00:37:07.019
 the salt of the

00:37:07.019 --> 00:37:07.440
 earth.

00:37:08.400 --> 00:37:09.599
 That means that we

00:37:09.599 --> 00:37:11.059
 are to preserve

00:37:11.059 --> 00:37:13.579
 what is right.

00:37:14.099 --> 00:37:14.680
 That's what he

00:37:14.680 --> 00:37:15.380
 means by salt.

00:37:16.380 --> 00:37:17.460
 That means that we

00:37:17.460 --> 00:37:18.680
 are to flavor our

00:37:18.680 --> 00:37:20.340
 society with the

00:37:20.340 --> 00:37:22.200
 good news of Jesus

00:37:22.200 --> 00:37:22.900
 Christ.

00:37:23.400 --> 00:37:24.059
 That's what he

00:37:24.059 --> 00:37:25.579
 means by being the

00:37:25.579 --> 00:37:26.880
 salt of the earth.

00:37:27.820 --> 00:37:28.680
 Don't be a

00:37:28.680 --> 00:37:29.539
 stumbling block.

00:37:29.539 --> 00:37:31.460
 pay attention to the

00:37:31.460 --> 00:37:32.380
 areas of your life

00:37:32.380 --> 00:37:33.320
 that can easily

00:37:33.320 --> 00:37:34.759
 become a stumbling

00:37:34.759 --> 00:37:35.920
 block because those

00:37:35.920 --> 00:37:36.460
 stumbling blocks,

00:37:36.559 --> 00:37:37.400
 they're holding you

00:37:37.400 --> 00:37:37.920
 back.

00:37:39.300 --> 00:37:40.199
 Listen, church,

00:37:40.320 --> 00:37:41.380
 they're holding us

00:37:41.380 --> 00:37:42.800
 back from being

00:37:42.800 --> 00:37:43.559
 everything that God

00:37:43.559 --> 00:37:44.679
 would have us to be.

00:37:47.059 --> 00:37:48.320
 And it may be

00:37:48.320 --> 00:37:50.119
 hindering others from

00:37:50.119 --> 00:37:52.960
 ever even coming to

00:37:52.960 --> 00:37:53.599
 Christ.

00:37:53.599 --> 00:37:53.639
 Christ.

00:37:55.339 --> 00:37:57.900
 Instead, let's be

00:37:57.900 --> 00:37:58.279
 salt.

00:37:59.960 --> 00:38:03.079
 Salt of the earth.

00:38:05.019 --> 00:38:07.400
 I don't add salt to

00:38:07.400 --> 00:38:08.059
 food anymore.

00:38:08.940 --> 00:38:09.819
 I had a heart attack

00:38:09.819 --> 00:38:10.679
 last year and I

00:38:10.679 --> 00:38:11.719
 stopped eating salt,

00:38:12.059 --> 00:38:12.799
 adding salt.

00:38:13.420 --> 00:38:14.319
 So when I find

00:38:14.319 --> 00:38:14.659
 something that's

00:38:14.659 --> 00:38:15.420
 already got salt in

00:38:15.420 --> 00:38:18.639
 it, boy, give me a

00:38:18.639 --> 00:38:19.519
 pretzel, I'll have a

00:38:19.519 --> 00:38:19.820
 heyday.

00:38:21.739 --> 00:38:22.480
 I didn't add

00:38:22.480 --> 00:38:23.099
 anything to it.

00:38:25.739 --> 00:38:26.159
 Why?

00:38:26.159 --> 00:38:29.159
 Because salt's

00:38:29.780 --> 00:38:30.579
 attractive.

00:38:33.659 --> 00:38:34.599
 Provides flavor.

00:38:37.340 --> 00:38:38.519
 Let's be salt of the

00:38:38.519 --> 00:38:38.800
 earth.

00:38:40.219 --> 00:38:41.500
 Not so people can be

00:38:41.500 --> 00:38:42.519
 impressed with us,

00:38:44.280 --> 00:38:46.199
 but so people can see

00:38:46.199 --> 00:38:48.259
 Jesus in us.

00:38:49.339 --> 00:38:50.539
 And let's not let

00:38:50.539 --> 00:38:51.619
 anything that we're

00:38:51.619 --> 00:38:54.219
 doing cause us to be

00:38:54.219 --> 00:38:55.159
 less than what we

00:38:55.159 --> 00:38:56.699
 should be in our

00:38:56.699 --> 00:38:57.219
 relationship with

00:38:57.219 --> 00:38:57.579
 Christ.

00:38:58.059 --> 00:38:59.279
 But also, let's not

00:38:59.279 --> 00:39:00.000
 let anything in our

00:39:00.000 --> 00:39:01.480
 life be something that

00:39:01.480 --> 00:39:02.919
 causes somebody else

00:39:02.919 --> 00:39:05.539
 to stumble because

00:39:05.539 --> 00:39:06.239
 that's what we're

00:39:06.239 --> 00:39:06.619
 doing.

00:39:07.519 --> 00:39:08.539
 As we talked about a

00:39:08.539 --> 00:39:08.919
 couple weeks ago,

00:39:09.059 --> 00:39:09.739
 let's put others

00:39:09.739 --> 00:39:10.679
 before ourselves.

00:39:13.480 --> 00:39:14.239
 Let's get the

00:39:14.239 --> 00:39:14.980
 stumbling blocks

00:39:14.980 --> 00:39:16.719
 behind us.

00:39:17.559 --> 00:39:18.119
 With every head

00:39:18.119 --> 00:39:18.800
 bowed and every eye

00:39:18.800 --> 00:39:19.599
 closed, I ask you

00:39:19.599 --> 00:39:20.360
 this morning, if you've

00:39:20.360 --> 00:39:21.099
 ever given your heart

00:39:21.099 --> 00:39:21.800
 and life to the Lord

00:39:21.800 --> 00:39:22.880
 Jesus Christ, if

00:39:22.880 --> 00:39:23.659
 there's something that

00:39:23.659 --> 00:39:24.740
 somebody in this church

00:39:24.740 --> 00:39:26.340
 has done or somebody in

00:39:26.340 --> 00:39:27.400
 your life that proclaimed

00:39:27.400 --> 00:39:28.340
 to be a Christian has

00:39:28.340 --> 00:39:29.920
 done and they become a

00:39:29.920 --> 00:39:30.960
 stumbling block for you

00:39:30.960 --> 00:39:31.599
 and you don't want to

00:39:31.599 --> 00:39:32.179
 give your life to

00:39:32.179 --> 00:39:32.900
 Christ, listen, if

00:39:32.900 --> 00:39:34.119
 there's any reason why

00:39:34.119 --> 00:39:34.800
 you don't want to give

00:39:34.800 --> 00:39:36.039
 your life to Christ, that

00:39:36.039 --> 00:39:37.039
 is a stumbling block.

00:39:37.179 --> 00:39:38.260
 Satan has put it there

00:39:38.260 --> 00:39:40.099
 and he is doing that to

00:39:40.099 --> 00:39:41.139
 hinder you from coming

00:39:41.139 --> 00:39:41.659
 to Christ.

00:39:41.940 --> 00:39:42.880
 And so if you've never

00:39:42.880 --> 00:39:43.679
 given your heart and

00:39:43.679 --> 00:39:44.460
 life to Christ, I

00:39:44.460 --> 00:39:45.659
 encourage you today to

00:39:45.659 --> 00:39:46.059
 come.

00:39:47.579 --> 00:39:48.699
 Say, Pastor, I want to

00:39:48.699 --> 00:39:49.740
 come as I am and I

00:39:49.740 --> 00:39:50.699
 ask God to forgive you

00:39:50.699 --> 00:39:52.019
 my sins, to come into

00:39:52.019 --> 00:39:53.079
 my life and to change

00:39:53.079 --> 00:39:53.199
 me.

00:39:53.220 --> 00:39:54.539
 I'll be happy to guide

00:39:54.539 --> 00:39:55.679
 you in what that means.

00:39:56.740 --> 00:39:58.220
 It all starts with a

00:39:58.220 --> 00:39:59.019
 personal relationship with

00:39:59.019 --> 00:39:59.460
 Christ.

00:40:01.039 --> 00:40:01.880
 It's all there.

00:40:02.099 --> 00:40:02.679
 If you've never done

00:40:02.679 --> 00:40:03.900
 that publicly, but

00:40:03.900 --> 00:40:04.820
 you've done it privately,

00:40:05.199 --> 00:40:06.579
 never been baptized as a

00:40:06.579 --> 00:40:07.960
 believer, that's a

00:40:07.960 --> 00:40:08.619
 stumbling block.

00:40:08.720 --> 00:40:09.800
 It becomes a hindrance to

00:40:09.800 --> 00:40:10.000
 us.

00:40:10.920 --> 00:40:12.000
 So you come and say, I

00:40:12.000 --> 00:40:12.579
 want to be baptized.

00:40:12.579 --> 00:40:13.420
 We're going to plan on

00:40:13.420 --> 00:40:14.360
 doing that in the coming

00:40:14.360 --> 00:40:14.819
 weeks.

00:40:17.319 --> 00:40:18.159
 Maybe you're here this

00:40:18.159 --> 00:40:19.000
 morning and you know

00:40:19.000 --> 00:40:19.779
 there's a stumbling block.

00:40:19.860 --> 00:40:21.139
 I have prayed before I got

00:40:21.139 --> 00:40:22.619
 in the pulpit that God

00:40:22.619 --> 00:40:23.840
 would show us the

00:40:23.840 --> 00:40:24.819
 stumbling blocks in our

00:40:24.819 --> 00:40:26.739
 own lives, things that we

00:40:26.739 --> 00:40:27.980
 needed to remove and that

00:40:27.980 --> 00:40:29.019
 His Holy Spirit would

00:40:29.019 --> 00:40:30.179
 reveal that to us.

00:40:31.219 --> 00:40:32.199
 Will you lay that at the

00:40:32.199 --> 00:40:32.920
 altar this morning?

00:40:32.980 --> 00:40:33.679
 You can do it where you

00:40:33.679 --> 00:40:34.579
 stand in just a moment.

00:40:34.639 --> 00:40:35.299
 You can do it with me

00:40:35.299 --> 00:40:36.099
 praying for you.

00:40:36.360 --> 00:40:37.179
 You can do it at this

00:40:37.179 --> 00:40:37.519
 altar.

00:40:37.519 --> 00:40:38.800
 But will you put that

00:40:38.800 --> 00:40:41.780
 behind you today and move

00:40:41.780 --> 00:40:42.259
 forward?

00:40:43.880 --> 00:40:45.099
 Maybe God's drawing you to

00:40:45.099 --> 00:40:45.960
 Pickens First Baptist

00:40:45.960 --> 00:40:46.539
 Church.

00:40:47.599 --> 00:40:48.679
 Blessed to have several

00:40:48.679 --> 00:40:49.880
 guests with us today and

00:40:49.880 --> 00:40:50.420
 some of you have been

00:40:50.420 --> 00:40:51.699
 coming for some time and

00:40:51.699 --> 00:40:52.500
 you feel like God's

00:40:52.500 --> 00:40:53.880
 drawing you to this place.

00:40:55.639 --> 00:40:56.920
 If He's doing that, you

00:40:56.920 --> 00:40:57.259
 come.

00:40:57.659 --> 00:40:58.699
 We'd love to guide you in

00:40:58.699 --> 00:40:59.460
 what that means.

00:41:01.179 --> 00:41:02.699
 Honestly, I have no idea

00:41:02.699 --> 00:41:03.900
 what God's led you to do.

00:41:04.679 --> 00:41:05.800
 But I do know you'll never

00:41:05.800 --> 00:41:06.820
 be satisfied unless you

00:41:06.820 --> 00:41:07.320
 follow it.

00:41:07.380 --> 00:41:08.420
 So do exactly what God

00:41:08.420 --> 00:41:09.080
 tells you to do.

00:41:09.820 --> 00:41:11.820
 Lord Jesus, lead us right

00:41:11.820 --> 00:41:14.740
 now to simply be obedient

00:41:14.740 --> 00:41:15.420
 and follow you.

00:41:15.840 --> 00:41:18.019
 In Jesus' name, amen.