WEBVTT

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 I want us to think for, as we begin, picture Jesus observing our church.

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 As you think about Him observing our church, think of two things.

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 He looks at each one of us as individuals.

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 He looks at you, evaluating you, your life.

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 He also looks at us as a church family, together.

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 A body called Pickens First Baptist.

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 Now as you think about the Lord observing you, looking at our church collectively,

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 do you think of the Lord more like a policeman?

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 A policeman who is on a stakeout.

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 Watching criminals.

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 Do you think of Him as watching to see when you do something wrong,

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 so that He can turn on His blue light, pull you over, and deal with you as a criminal?

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 Is that how you see the Lord as you think about Him evaluating you?

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 Some kind of celestial policeman just waiting for you to do something wrong so He can punish you.

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 Or, do you think of Jesus more like being a gardener?

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 Do you think about Him observing us as a gardener walks around the garden He has planted?

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 Think about Jesus as a gardener.

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 He walks around and observes all the things in His garden.

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 And if you did that, you enjoy the variety of colors.

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 You take note of plants that are healthy and growing.

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 You take note of those that are producing fruit.

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 When Jesus, as a gardener, is looking through His garden, looking at our lives,

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 He does notice problems.

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 He notices insects eating away at the plants.

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 He notices leaves that are shriveling up.

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 He does notice our sins, our failures.

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 He knows that there's things in our life that's got to be dealt with.

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 Just like in a garden, if the garden's going to be healthy.

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 Now, which one do you, just as you think about the Lord observing your life,

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 is He more like a gardener?

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 Or is He more like the policeman?

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 I hope it is obvious the way I presented that,

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 that we should think of Jesus as a gardener,

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 as He observes our lives,

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 as He observes your life on a daily basis,

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 and our church family,

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 as we function together as one body.

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 That's how we need to see Jesus in the book of Revelation,

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 the first two chapters,

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 as Jesus observes the seven churches of Asia Minor.

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 He evaluates their strengths and weaknesses.

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 Now, we're not going to do a series.

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 We did a series years ago on this.

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 Today, I want to look at what Jesus said to the first church

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 in Revelation chapter 2.

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 And I want you to go ahead and turn to that

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 because we're not going to put the whole section.

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 There's seven verses there.

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 And I want us to read them out of the Bible.

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 But as you're turning,

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 over the past several months,

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 we've been looking at some of the hot-button issues

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 that we're having to deal with today in our country.

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 We've looked at the issues relating to race

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 and law enforcement, socialism,

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 moral issues related to this year's election.

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 All those kind of things are important.

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 We didn't spend from July till recently on all that

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 because it didn't really matter.

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 It's important how we think,

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 how we understand things,

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 how we interpret what's going on.

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 Those issues were important for every Christian to grasp.

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 But it's vitally important that we look at those issues

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 from a biblical perspective.

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 That's why I call that series

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 Thinking Biblically.

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 Thinking Biblically.

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 Now, as important as those issues are,

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 they must never become the priority of our lives

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 as individuals or as a church.

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 And what I want us to do this morning

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 is look at Revelation chapter 2

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 to help us turn our focus

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 to what must be the priority of our lives.

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 Knowing, loving, and serving Jesus

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 and with an emphasis this morning

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 on doing what we do as Christians

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 from a motivation of loving Jesus.

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 Look with me at Revelation chapter 2.

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 We're going to begin in verse 1.

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 Keep in mind the book of Revelation is highly symbolic.

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 You see that from the first chapter.

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 We're going to see that as we begin this.

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 2-1 of Revelation.

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 To the angel of the church in Ephesus,

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 write the words of him who holds the seven stars

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 in his right hand,

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 who walks among the seven golden lampstands.

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 I know your works, your toil,

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 and your patient endurance,

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 and how you cannot bear with those who are evil,

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 but have tested those who call themselves apostles

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 and are not,

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 and found them to be false.

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 I know you are enduring patiently

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 and bearing up for my name's sake,

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 and you have not grown weary.

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 I want you to just stop for a moment.

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 How the Lord commends these faithful Christians.

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 They're pleasing him in many ways.

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 Verse 4.

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 But I have this against you,

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 that you have abandoned the love you had at first.

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 Remember, therefore, from where you have fallen.

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 Repent, and do the works you did at first.

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 If not, I will come to you

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 and remove your lampstand from its place,

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 unless you repent.

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 Yet, this you have.

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 You hate the work of the Nicolaitans,

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 which I also hate.

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 The first thing I want us to notice in verse 1,

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 the Lord has the right to evaluate us.

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 The Lord Jesus has every right to evaluate you and me,

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 the way we're living,

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 the way we live as people who call ourselves

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 Christ people, Christians.

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 The Lord's relationship with the church

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 is pictured in verse 1.

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 It says he holds the seven stars in his hands.

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 Now, the seven stars are identified

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 in chapter 1, verse 20.

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 All the symbols in Revelation are not identified.

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 That's what makes it such a difficult book.

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 Well, the stars were identified in 1.20

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 as the angels or messengers of the seven churches.

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 Each of the seven letters,

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 there's seven letters to seven churches

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 in Revelation 2 and 3,

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 and each one is addressed to the angel

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 or can be translated messenger of the church.

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 Here's the problem.

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 Who are the angels?

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 Who are these messengers?

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 Well, there may be literal angels.

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 There may be guardian angels

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 or angels who represent the church

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 before the Lord in heaven.

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 And a lot of commentators say

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 that's who it's talking about.

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 But on the other hand,

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 it may be human messengers.

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 Maybe the pastors or leaders of the church.

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 And that would make sense

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 since the leader of the church

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 would be the one reading this letter

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 to the church.

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 But we really don't know.

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 One of the reasons Jesus uses the symbol

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 of holding these stars in His hand,

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 of course, the church belongs to Him.

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 That's why He holds them in His hand.

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 But one of the things I want you to think about,

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 Jesus protects the church.

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 He owns the church.

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 We belong to Him.

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 He has bought us with His life.

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 But being in His hand

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 is designed to be a comforting thought.

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 It's a hand of protection if we're persecuted.

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 It's a hand of comfort

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 when we're discouraged

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 or when we're grieving.

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 But it's also a hand of correction

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 when we sin.

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 But the hand of correction

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 is a hand of loving correction in the Bible.

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 God disciplines His children

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 because He loves us.

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 Hebrews tells us in great detail

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 there in chapter 12.

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 Now, note one more thing

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 just to get technical issues

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 out of the way here at the beginning.

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 It says He walks among

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 the seven golden lampstands.

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 Well, back in chapter 1,

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 verse 20 of Revelation,

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 it describes these seven

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 or the golden lampstands.

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 They represent the churches.

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 He walks among the

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 seven golden lampstands.

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 He walks among the churches

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 is what He's talking about.

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 Jesus walks among the churches

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 is the point here.

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 He knows what's going on

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 in the life of this church.

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 He knows what's going on

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 in every individual

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 who makes up this church.

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 So that's why we can think about this

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 this morning is

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 the Lord has a right to evaluate us.

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 We belong to Him.

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 He's evaluating us.

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 I want you to look next.

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 He commends what is right

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 in our lives.

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 Note, there are several things

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 that He commends.

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 I paused after verse 3

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 when I was reading it.

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 Let's look at some of these quickly.

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 The Lord commends good works.

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 It says in the first part

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 of verse 2,

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 I know your works,

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 your toll,

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 and your patient endurance.

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 This church was evidently

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 actively involved

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 in various kinds of ministries.

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 These people took their

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 church commitment seriously.

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 They took their relationship

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 to the Lord seriously.

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 They didn't just show up

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 every now and then

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 for a worship service.

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 They were involved.

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 They were plugged in.

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 They were doing things.

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 Some of them probably,

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 like we've seen today,

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 people leading out,

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 maybe singing.

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 People have taken a lot of time

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 in putting these shoeboxes together

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 and coordinating this effort.

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 All kinds of things go on

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 that you see on Sunday.

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 Lots of things go on

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 that you don't see

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 behind the scenes

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 that happens during the week.

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 The Lord is commending

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 those who are serving faithfully.

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 What I want you to see is

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 you can please the Lord.

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 Some people have a warped sense of God

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 that He can never be pleased,

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 that He's always out to get us.

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 He's always looking for what's wrong

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 so He can punish us.

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 That's not the concept of God

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 in Scripture.

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 God is a holy God.

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 He certainly has holy standards.

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 God takes it seriously

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 when we violate them.

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 The ultimate punishment

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 is death and hell.

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 But the love of God is such

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 that He sent Jesus into this world

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 to die on the cross

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 as our substitute

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 and actually pay the penalty

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 for our sins.

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 So that, think of it this way,

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 He actually suffered

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 as He hung on the cross,

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 the wrath of God,

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 separation from God.

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 That's why He cried out,

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 my God, my God,

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 why have you forsaken me?

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 He took the punishment

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 we deserved

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 so that we wouldn't have to.

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 And when we will admit our sin,

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 repent of it,

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 and trust Jesus,

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 we become one with Him

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 by faith

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 and the penalty for our sin

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 has been paid for

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 through the death of Jesus.

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 As God's children,

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 we can please Him.

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 There are numerous passages

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 in the Bible

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 that talks about

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 pleasing God,

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 how to please God.

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 And Jesus is saying,

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 there's members of this church,

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 they're actively involved

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 using the gifts and talents

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 and abilities they have,

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 and He commends them.

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 I want you to know,

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 the Lord commends you

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 for your faithful service

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 to Him,

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 to other people

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 in and through this church.

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 Look next,

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 the Lord commends

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 sound doctrine,

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 the last part of verse 2,

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 the rest of verse 2,

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 and how you cannot bear

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 with those who are evil,

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 but have tested those

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 who call themselves apostles

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 and are not

00:13:26.840 --> 00:13:28.680
 and found to be false.

00:13:29.680 --> 00:13:31.019
 And then in verse 6,

00:13:31.019 --> 00:13:34.699
 after He condemns them

00:13:34.699 --> 00:13:36.039
 for their forsaking

00:13:36.039 --> 00:13:36.779
 their first love,

00:13:36.799 --> 00:13:37.559
 as we'll see in a moment,

00:13:37.960 --> 00:13:38.840
 He comes back

00:13:38.840 --> 00:13:39.879
 before He ends this letter

00:13:39.879 --> 00:13:40.759
 to commend them,

00:13:41.120 --> 00:13:42.299
 yet this you have,

00:13:42.620 --> 00:13:44.179
 you hate the works

00:13:44.179 --> 00:13:45.720
 of the Nicolaitans,

00:13:46.379 --> 00:13:47.879
 which I also hate.

00:13:48.360 --> 00:13:49.860
 This church was not like

00:13:49.860 --> 00:13:51.539
 some liberal churches today

00:13:51.539 --> 00:13:53.100
 that have exchanged

00:13:53.100 --> 00:13:54.419
 biblical truth

00:13:54.419 --> 00:13:56.419
 for social action.

00:13:57.500 --> 00:13:58.460
 There are some churches

00:13:58.460 --> 00:13:59.659
 that never mention the gospel.

00:13:59.659 --> 00:14:01.879
 There are churches

00:14:01.879 --> 00:14:02.839
 throughout this country,

00:14:03.219 --> 00:14:04.839
 they never focus on

00:14:04.839 --> 00:14:06.240
 the actual teaching

00:14:06.240 --> 00:14:07.480
 of God's Word

00:14:07.480 --> 00:14:09.679
 concerning any issue.

00:14:11.819 --> 00:14:12.379
 They're more,

00:14:12.620 --> 00:14:15.100
 they're more like

00:14:15.100 --> 00:14:16.620
 just a social agency

00:14:16.620 --> 00:14:20.019
 than they are a church.

00:14:20.019 --> 00:14:23.439
 Well, this church at Ephesus

00:14:23.439 --> 00:14:25.259
 that Jesus is commending,

00:14:26.120 --> 00:14:28.159
 they were doctrinally sound

00:14:28.159 --> 00:14:30.559
 in addition to being involved

00:14:30.559 --> 00:14:32.079
 in practical ministry.

00:14:32.939 --> 00:14:34.620
 No doubt they helped people

00:14:34.620 --> 00:14:36.579
 in need in Ephesus

00:14:36.579 --> 00:14:37.519
 that they knew

00:14:37.519 --> 00:14:38.819
 and were aware of.

00:14:39.159 --> 00:14:40.639
 No doubt they were involved

00:14:40.639 --> 00:14:41.399
 in what some people

00:14:41.399 --> 00:14:42.139
 would refer to as

00:14:42.139 --> 00:14:43.500
 social ministries,

00:14:44.500 --> 00:14:46.559
 but that's not who

00:14:46.559 --> 00:14:48.019
 they were defined as.

00:14:48.019 --> 00:14:50.299
 They were the people of God

00:14:50.299 --> 00:14:52.079
 who truly believed

00:14:52.079 --> 00:14:53.100
 in the Word of God

00:14:53.100 --> 00:14:55.000
 being right and true

00:14:55.000 --> 00:14:56.360
 and without error.

00:14:57.480 --> 00:14:58.879
 They worked at

00:14:58.879 --> 00:15:00.019
 maintaining their faithfulness

00:15:00.639 --> 00:15:01.179
 to the teaching

00:15:01.179 --> 00:15:02.199
 of God's Word

00:15:02.199 --> 00:15:04.279
 and one of the ways,

00:15:04.399 --> 00:15:04.980
 they were careful

00:15:04.980 --> 00:15:05.779
 about who they allowed

00:15:05.779 --> 00:15:07.799
 to teach in their church.

00:15:08.899 --> 00:15:09.919
 They had been visited

00:15:09.919 --> 00:15:11.299
 by some false teachers.

00:15:12.519 --> 00:15:13.779
 There was in that day

00:15:13.779 --> 00:15:15.259
 false teachers showed up,

00:15:15.460 --> 00:15:16.860
 we're the real deal,

00:15:16.860 --> 00:15:18.600
 but they were wicked men

00:15:18.600 --> 00:15:19.539
 and false apostles,

00:15:19.680 --> 00:15:20.580
 the Scripture says here.

00:15:21.779 --> 00:15:23.379
 This church evaluated them

00:15:23.379 --> 00:15:24.720
 by what they had been taught,

00:15:25.800 --> 00:15:26.620
 by things they knew

00:15:26.620 --> 00:15:27.460
 of the Old Testament

00:15:27.460 --> 00:15:29.940
 and by the teaching

00:15:29.940 --> 00:15:31.800
 of the Apostle Paul

00:15:31.800 --> 00:15:33.639
 who founded this church,

00:15:34.639 --> 00:15:36.180
 who spent a lot of time

00:15:36.180 --> 00:15:37.399
 in this church

00:15:37.399 --> 00:15:38.580
 teaching them.

00:15:39.919 --> 00:15:41.100
 The Apostle John,

00:15:41.180 --> 00:15:42.279
 the writer of Revelation,

00:15:42.779 --> 00:15:44.820
 he was a powerful influence

00:15:44.820 --> 00:15:46.300
 in the church at Ephesus.

00:15:47.300 --> 00:15:49.720
 Timothy, Paul's understudy,

00:15:49.840 --> 00:15:50.700
 Paul's disciple,

00:15:51.260 --> 00:15:52.840
 Paul left him in Ephesus

00:15:52.840 --> 00:15:54.600
 to teach in this church.

00:15:55.420 --> 00:15:58.980
 This church was solid theologically.

00:16:00.280 --> 00:16:01.660
 They knew the truth.

00:16:02.560 --> 00:16:04.060
 They could hear the people

00:16:04.060 --> 00:16:05.020
 talking, preaching,

00:16:05.420 --> 00:16:06.300
 and they could evaluate it

00:16:06.300 --> 00:16:07.879
 by what they knew

00:16:07.879 --> 00:16:09.180
 was right and wrong.

00:16:10.060 --> 00:16:10.920
 And when they found

00:16:10.920 --> 00:16:11.520
 a false teacher,

00:16:11.600 --> 00:16:12.520
 they kicked him out.

00:16:12.519 --> 00:16:15.039
 They weren't worried

00:16:15.039 --> 00:16:16.259
 about hurting someone's feelings.

00:16:17.960 --> 00:16:19.000
 They did not allow

00:16:19.000 --> 00:16:21.259
 anything that would be contrary

00:16:21.259 --> 00:16:22.519
 to the clear truth

00:16:23.159 --> 00:16:24.100
 of God's Word

00:16:24.100 --> 00:16:25.899
 to happen,

00:16:27.199 --> 00:16:29.740
 to find root in their midst.

00:16:31.799 --> 00:16:33.919
 They were zealous for the truth.

00:16:35.199 --> 00:16:36.019
 They hated

00:16:36.019 --> 00:16:38.259
 what was contrary to the truth.

00:16:38.259 --> 00:16:40.419
 Now this helps us.

00:16:41.860 --> 00:16:43.100
 This helps us understand

00:16:43.100 --> 00:16:44.539
 that we individually

00:16:44.539 --> 00:16:45.220
 as Christians,

00:16:46.080 --> 00:16:47.580
 we need to be discerning

00:16:47.580 --> 00:16:49.720
 as we listen

00:16:49.720 --> 00:16:50.799
 to people teach

00:16:50.799 --> 00:16:52.220
 like me here right now.

00:16:52.620 --> 00:16:53.720
 Your Sunday school teachers,

00:16:54.480 --> 00:16:56.159
 what you hear anywhere,

00:16:56.819 --> 00:16:58.299
 what you read anywhere.

00:16:59.159 --> 00:17:00.240
 You need to be discerning.

00:17:00.379 --> 00:17:01.039
 You need to evaluate

00:17:01.039 --> 00:17:01.879
 what you hear

00:17:01.879 --> 00:17:03.240
 in light of what the Bible

00:17:03.240 --> 00:17:04.579
 clearly teaches.

00:17:04.579 --> 00:17:07.559
 Whoever teaches

00:17:07.559 --> 00:17:09.000
 what is contrary

00:17:09.000 --> 00:17:09.960
 to the truth of Scripture

00:17:09.960 --> 00:17:11.199
 is a false teacher.

00:17:11.980 --> 00:17:12.500
 I don't care

00:17:12.500 --> 00:17:13.579
 if they're in a church,

00:17:13.919 --> 00:17:15.099
 if they're on TV,

00:17:15.939 --> 00:17:17.199
 if they've got a website,

00:17:17.539 --> 00:17:18.319
 or whatever.

00:17:19.259 --> 00:17:20.059
 And that includes

00:17:20.059 --> 00:17:21.220
 people who ignore

00:17:21.220 --> 00:17:21.859
 the Scripture

00:17:21.859 --> 00:17:23.980
 or take it out of context

00:17:23.980 --> 00:17:25.579
 to present their messages

00:17:26.279 --> 00:17:28.439
 of positive feeling

00:17:28.439 --> 00:17:31.579
 and feel good living.

00:17:31.579 --> 00:17:32.299
 living.

00:17:32.919 --> 00:17:33.879
 Like, say,

00:17:34.579 --> 00:17:35.419
 Joel Osteen.

00:17:36.559 --> 00:17:37.619
 Joel Osteen

00:17:37.619 --> 00:17:38.819
 wouldn't last 30 seconds

00:17:38.819 --> 00:17:39.960
 in the church at Ephesus

00:17:39.960 --> 00:17:42.819
 because he's shallow

00:17:42.819 --> 00:17:43.699
 as a cookie sheet,

00:17:44.579 --> 00:17:45.519
 because he does not

00:17:45.519 --> 00:17:47.779
 truly teach

00:17:47.779 --> 00:17:49.939
 the Word of God

00:17:49.939 --> 00:17:51.639
 in its entirety

00:17:51.639 --> 00:17:53.179
 or even in a little bit.

00:17:55.899 --> 00:17:56.539
 Today,

00:17:57.659 --> 00:17:58.960
 serious-minded Christians

00:17:58.960 --> 00:18:01.960
 look for resources

00:18:01.960 --> 00:18:02.519
 to help them

00:18:02.519 --> 00:18:03.559
 better understand the Bible.

00:18:04.720 --> 00:18:05.840
 I know a lot of you do

00:18:05.840 --> 00:18:06.980
 because we have some conversations

00:18:06.980 --> 00:18:07.740
 from time to time.

00:18:09.740 --> 00:18:10.980
 I want to encourage you,

00:18:11.079 --> 00:18:11.799
 when you run across

00:18:11.799 --> 00:18:12.460
 a book

00:18:12.460 --> 00:18:14.100
 or a website

00:18:14.100 --> 00:18:15.480
 and you're not familiar

00:18:15.480 --> 00:18:16.700
 with the author especially,

00:18:17.500 --> 00:18:18.640
 it applies to anybody,

00:18:19.640 --> 00:18:21.360
 take what they say

00:18:21.360 --> 00:18:22.480
 and evaluate it

00:18:22.480 --> 00:18:23.519
 by what you know

00:18:23.519 --> 00:18:24.819
 is true about God's Word.

00:18:25.819 --> 00:18:26.880
 And if they are

00:18:26.880 --> 00:18:27.860
 distorting it,

00:18:28.039 --> 00:18:28.819
 ignoring it,

00:18:28.819 --> 00:18:29.919
 contradicting it,

00:18:31.419 --> 00:18:32.500
 throw the book away.

00:18:33.579 --> 00:18:34.439
 Never go back

00:18:34.439 --> 00:18:35.319
 to that website.

00:18:35.919 --> 00:18:37.259
 Don't allow someone

00:18:37.259 --> 00:18:38.099
 who is not

00:18:38.099 --> 00:18:39.259
 doctrinally sound,

00:18:39.339 --> 00:18:40.059
 who is not faithful

00:18:40.059 --> 00:18:40.599
 to the Scripture

00:18:40.599 --> 00:18:41.839
 to have any kind

00:18:41.839 --> 00:18:42.779
 of influence

00:18:42.779 --> 00:18:44.579
 in the way that you think

00:18:44.579 --> 00:18:45.500
 and the way that you live.

00:18:46.240 --> 00:18:47.259
 The Lord commends

00:18:47.259 --> 00:18:48.500
 sound doctrine.

00:18:48.980 --> 00:18:49.500
 And then third,

00:18:49.759 --> 00:18:50.419
 the Lord commends

00:18:50.419 --> 00:18:51.439
 faithful endurance.

00:18:51.519 --> 00:18:52.220
 Look at verse 3.

00:18:52.220 --> 00:18:53.419
 I know you are

00:18:53.419 --> 00:18:54.639
 enduring patiently

00:18:54.639 --> 00:18:55.599
 and bearing up

00:18:55.599 --> 00:18:56.639
 for my name's sake

00:18:56.639 --> 00:18:57.859
 and you have not

00:18:57.859 --> 00:18:58.539
 grown weary.

00:18:58.979 --> 00:18:59.459
 They were living

00:18:59.459 --> 00:18:59.959
 under a time

00:18:59.959 --> 00:19:00.939
 of real persecution,

00:19:01.099 --> 00:19:01.579
 most likely

00:19:01.579 --> 00:19:02.199
 under the Roman

00:19:02.199 --> 00:19:03.479
 Emperor Domitian.

00:19:04.359 --> 00:19:05.419
 They also experienced

00:19:05.419 --> 00:19:06.559
 local oppositions

00:19:06.559 --> 00:19:07.399
 from pagan

00:19:07.399 --> 00:19:09.219
 religious leaders.

00:19:09.799 --> 00:19:10.419
 You can read about

00:19:10.419 --> 00:19:11.459
 that in Acts 19.

00:19:11.639 --> 00:19:12.079
 It had been going

00:19:12.079 --> 00:19:13.079
 on for years.

00:19:14.139 --> 00:19:14.959
 But they remained

00:19:14.959 --> 00:19:15.519
 faithful.

00:19:16.399 --> 00:19:17.159
 In spite of the

00:19:17.159 --> 00:19:17.579
 hardship,

00:19:17.839 --> 00:19:18.319
 some of them

00:19:18.319 --> 00:19:18.799
 no doubt

00:19:18.799 --> 00:19:19.459
 would have been

00:19:19.459 --> 00:19:20.059
 arrested.

00:19:20.419 --> 00:19:20.779
 They would have

00:19:20.779 --> 00:19:21.759
 had church members

00:19:21.759 --> 00:19:22.339
 killed.

00:19:23.240 --> 00:19:23.639
 They would have

00:19:23.639 --> 00:19:24.199
 people who

00:19:24.199 --> 00:19:26.219
 lost their jobs

00:19:26.220 --> 00:19:26.819
 because of what

00:19:26.819 --> 00:19:27.539
 they believed

00:19:27.539 --> 00:19:28.480
 in that community.

00:19:29.480 --> 00:19:30.579
 We cannot compare

00:19:30.579 --> 00:19:31.680
 ourselves with

00:19:31.680 --> 00:19:33.259
 them because we

00:19:33.259 --> 00:19:34.059
 don't face that

00:19:34.059 --> 00:19:34.980
 kind of intense

00:19:34.980 --> 00:19:36.120
 persecution for our

00:19:36.120 --> 00:19:36.440
 faith.

00:19:36.640 --> 00:19:37.500
 At least we don't

00:19:37.500 --> 00:19:38.700
 yet in this country

00:19:38.700 --> 00:19:39.339
 and we need to

00:19:39.339 --> 00:19:40.079
 thank God for that.

00:19:41.079 --> 00:19:42.319
 But we do

00:19:42.319 --> 00:19:45.019
 face situations

00:19:45.019 --> 00:19:46.880
 where we get

00:19:46.880 --> 00:19:47.759
 under stress,

00:19:49.140 --> 00:19:50.500
 where we're

00:19:50.500 --> 00:19:51.000
 tempted,

00:19:52.039 --> 00:19:53.120
 maybe not to

00:19:53.120 --> 00:19:54.480
 compromise our

00:19:54.480 --> 00:19:55.500
 faith, but we're

00:19:55.500 --> 00:19:56.400
 tempted maybe to

00:19:56.400 --> 00:19:57.400
 just sort of

00:19:57.400 --> 00:19:58.620
 ignore the

00:19:58.620 --> 00:19:58.880
 Lord.

00:20:00.559 --> 00:20:01.519
 How do you deal

00:20:01.519 --> 00:20:02.460
 with difficulty in

00:20:02.460 --> 00:20:02.940
 your life?

00:20:03.579 --> 00:20:04.180
 How do you deal

00:20:04.180 --> 00:20:04.920
 with stress?

00:20:06.339 --> 00:20:07.140
 Do you let those

00:20:07.140 --> 00:20:07.759
 kind of things draw

00:20:07.759 --> 00:20:08.559
 you closer to the

00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:10.079
 Lord, drive you

00:20:10.079 --> 00:20:10.900
 deeper into His

00:20:10.900 --> 00:20:13.160
 Word, or do you

00:20:13.160 --> 00:20:15.140
 just retreat from

00:20:15.140 --> 00:20:17.480
 Him, ignore Him?

00:20:18.380 --> 00:20:18.880
 You don't really

00:20:18.880 --> 00:20:19.779
 deny the faith,

00:20:19.860 --> 00:20:20.360
 it's just, Lord,

00:20:20.440 --> 00:20:21.980
 like you forget

00:20:21.980 --> 00:20:22.640
 the faith.

00:20:22.640 --> 00:20:25.280
 We, where we

00:20:25.280 --> 00:20:27.160
 live, right

00:20:27.160 --> 00:20:29.020
 now, in our

00:20:29.020 --> 00:20:29.759
 own personal

00:20:29.759 --> 00:20:30.780
 difficulties, in

00:20:30.780 --> 00:20:31.560
 our own times of

00:20:31.560 --> 00:20:32.840
 stress, we've got

00:20:32.840 --> 00:20:33.800
 to focus on being

00:20:33.800 --> 00:20:35.740
 faithful, living

00:20:35.740 --> 00:20:36.500
 faithful Christian

00:20:36.500 --> 00:20:38.280
 lives, maintaining,

00:20:38.500 --> 00:20:39.300
 even growing in our

00:20:39.300 --> 00:20:39.920
 relationship with the

00:20:39.920 --> 00:20:41.360
 Lord, no matter

00:20:41.360 --> 00:20:42.440
 what's happening to

00:20:42.440 --> 00:20:43.600
 us or around us.

00:20:43.980 --> 00:20:44.540
 The church at

00:20:44.540 --> 00:20:45.120
 Ephesus had a lot

00:20:45.120 --> 00:20:45.660
 going for it.

00:20:46.660 --> 00:20:47.720
 It was filled with

00:20:47.720 --> 00:20:49.420
 Christians who truly

00:20:49.420 --> 00:20:50.460
 were serious about

00:20:50.460 --> 00:20:51.180
 their relationship with

00:20:51.180 --> 00:20:53.200
 the Lord in many

00:20:53.200 --> 00:20:55.380
 ways, but there

00:20:55.380 --> 00:20:56.299
 was something missing.

00:20:57.500 --> 00:20:58.560
 There was something

00:20:58.560 --> 00:20:59.340
 that made a

00:20:59.340 --> 00:21:00.759
 difference in their

00:21:00.759 --> 00:21:02.220
 relationship with the

00:21:02.220 --> 00:21:03.920
 Lord that was

00:21:03.920 --> 00:21:04.279
 missing.

00:21:05.000 --> 00:21:05.440
 Let's look at that

00:21:05.440 --> 00:21:05.860
 next.

00:21:06.259 --> 00:21:07.500
 The Lord condemns

00:21:07.500 --> 00:21:08.240
 what is wrong in

00:21:08.240 --> 00:21:08.740
 their lives.

00:21:09.380 --> 00:21:10.060
 They lacked one

00:21:10.060 --> 00:21:10.299
 thing.

00:21:10.360 --> 00:21:10.940
 Look at verse 4.

00:21:11.240 --> 00:21:11.700
 But I have this

00:21:11.700 --> 00:21:13.080
 against you, that

00:21:13.080 --> 00:21:13.960
 you have abandoned

00:21:13.960 --> 00:21:16.039
 the love you had at

00:21:16.039 --> 00:21:16.380
 first.

00:21:16.720 --> 00:21:17.500
 Now, Jesus doesn't

00:21:17.500 --> 00:21:18.060
 explain what that

00:21:18.060 --> 00:21:19.340
 love was, but it

00:21:19.340 --> 00:21:20.160
 should be obvious.

00:21:20.160 --> 00:21:21.480
 It had to be their

00:21:21.480 --> 00:21:24.080
 love for Him, their

00:21:24.080 --> 00:21:25.160
 love for God.

00:21:25.700 --> 00:21:26.100
 The greatest

00:21:26.100 --> 00:21:26.860
 commandment, Jesus

00:21:26.860 --> 00:21:27.940
 said, is to love the

00:21:27.940 --> 00:21:28.720
 Lord your God with all

00:21:28.720 --> 00:21:29.680
 your heart, soul, mind,

00:21:29.700 --> 00:21:30.340
 and strength.

00:21:31.279 --> 00:21:32.019
 Now, think about it.

00:21:32.779 --> 00:21:34.140
 This is what we would

00:21:34.140 --> 00:21:35.140
 call a good church.

00:21:36.500 --> 00:21:37.900
 The Lord commends

00:21:37.900 --> 00:21:39.779
 them for their good

00:21:39.779 --> 00:21:42.620
 works, their dedication

00:21:42.620 --> 00:21:44.640
 to the faith, the

00:21:44.640 --> 00:21:45.740
 defense of the faith.

00:21:46.580 --> 00:21:47.880
 They didn't give in to

00:21:47.880 --> 00:21:48.500
 persecution.

00:21:50.100 --> 00:21:51.460
 But somewhere along

00:21:51.460 --> 00:21:52.640
 the way in all this

00:21:52.640 --> 00:21:54.960
 good, their love for

00:21:54.960 --> 00:21:57.580
 the Lord had grown

00:21:57.580 --> 00:21:58.100
 cold.

00:22:00.000 --> 00:22:00.900
 Maybe they lost

00:22:00.900 --> 00:22:01.880
 sight of why they

00:22:01.880 --> 00:22:02.480
 were doing what they

00:22:02.480 --> 00:22:04.800
 were doing, or who

00:22:04.800 --> 00:22:05.760
 they were doing it

00:22:05.760 --> 00:22:06.320
 for.

00:22:08.140 --> 00:22:09.940
 Perhaps their zeal for

00:22:09.940 --> 00:22:11.200
 the truth of God's

00:22:11.200 --> 00:22:12.520
 Word turned into an

00:22:12.520 --> 00:22:14.540
 academic, or just an

00:22:14.540 --> 00:22:16.800
 intellectual exercise.

00:22:16.799 --> 00:22:19.700
 Maybe they believed

00:22:19.700 --> 00:22:20.139
 right.

00:22:20.919 --> 00:22:22.059
 They defended the

00:22:22.059 --> 00:22:22.519
 truth.

00:22:23.319 --> 00:22:24.019
 Maybe they just went

00:22:24.019 --> 00:22:25.180
 too far and actually

00:22:25.180 --> 00:22:26.759
 just hated and wanted

00:22:26.759 --> 00:22:28.539
 to really hurt those

00:22:28.539 --> 00:22:30.940
 who were false

00:22:30.940 --> 00:22:31.359
 teachers.

00:22:32.799 --> 00:22:34.759
 They lost their love,

00:22:34.919 --> 00:22:36.419
 their first love.

00:22:38.079 --> 00:22:40.099
 Now, these were not

00:22:40.099 --> 00:22:40.559
 rebels.

00:22:40.759 --> 00:22:41.119
 I want you to know

00:22:41.119 --> 00:22:41.379
 that.

00:22:42.519 --> 00:22:43.799
 I think the church at

00:22:43.799 --> 00:22:46.259
 Ephesus, it was a

00:22:46.259 --> 00:22:47.139
 good church.

00:22:47.740 --> 00:22:48.339
 A lot of good

00:22:48.339 --> 00:22:49.359
 things going on.

00:22:50.059 --> 00:22:50.440
 You couldn't

00:22:50.440 --> 00:22:51.440
 criticize them for

00:22:51.440 --> 00:22:52.639
 their statement of

00:22:52.639 --> 00:22:53.339
 faith or anything.

00:22:55.019 --> 00:22:57.019
 But somewhere along

00:22:57.019 --> 00:22:58.379
 the line, it took

00:22:58.379 --> 00:22:59.359
 place over time.

00:23:00.919 --> 00:23:02.139
 Not everyone in the

00:23:02.139 --> 00:23:04.240
 church for sure, but

00:23:04.240 --> 00:23:07.180
 as a whole, they sort

00:23:07.180 --> 00:23:09.240
 of drifted away from

00:23:09.240 --> 00:23:11.159
 their close, personal

00:23:11.160 --> 00:23:12.860
 relationship with the

00:23:12.860 --> 00:23:13.160
 Lord.

00:23:13.160 --> 00:23:14.820
 They drifted away from

00:23:14.820 --> 00:23:16.700
 a true, do what we

00:23:16.700 --> 00:23:18.320
 do because we love

00:23:18.320 --> 00:23:18.840
 Jesus.

00:23:19.380 --> 00:23:20.360
 We want to please

00:23:20.360 --> 00:23:20.700
 Him.

00:23:21.759 --> 00:23:22.440
 We want to bring a

00:23:22.440 --> 00:23:23.560
 smile to His face.

00:23:25.100 --> 00:23:26.160
 I think the best way to

00:23:26.160 --> 00:23:28.720
 illustrate this, the

00:23:28.720 --> 00:23:30.120
 best way, what most

00:23:30.120 --> 00:23:32.080
 common way, is what

00:23:32.080 --> 00:23:32.840
 happened in this church

00:23:32.840 --> 00:23:33.480
 is similar to what

00:23:33.480 --> 00:23:34.600
 happens sometimes in a

00:23:34.600 --> 00:23:35.140
 marriage.

00:23:36.000 --> 00:23:37.180
 Do you remember the

00:23:37.180 --> 00:23:40.400
 first time you

00:23:40.400 --> 00:23:41.120
 started getting

00:23:41.120 --> 00:23:41.980
 serious about the

00:23:41.980 --> 00:23:42.779
 person you're married

00:23:42.779 --> 00:23:43.519
 to right now?

00:23:45.380 --> 00:23:46.400
 Do you remember what

00:23:46.400 --> 00:23:47.259
 it was like when you

00:23:47.259 --> 00:23:49.420
 first got married?

00:23:50.720 --> 00:23:51.360
 You remember how you

00:23:51.360 --> 00:23:51.980
 wanted to be together

00:23:51.980 --> 00:23:52.640
 all the time?

00:23:54.480 --> 00:23:55.180
 I mean, you couldn't

00:23:55.180 --> 00:23:56.039
 get enough of each

00:23:56.039 --> 00:23:56.340
 other.

00:23:57.259 --> 00:23:58.539
 When you were apart,

00:23:58.680 --> 00:23:59.460
 you actually missed

00:23:59.460 --> 00:24:00.060
 one another.

00:24:01.259 --> 00:24:03.880
 Some of you are of an

00:24:03.880 --> 00:24:05.720
 age and a time frame

00:24:05.720 --> 00:24:06.880
 that you wrote love

00:24:06.880 --> 00:24:07.600
 letters when you were

00:24:07.600 --> 00:24:07.880
 apart.

00:24:09.200 --> 00:24:09.700
 And some of you

00:24:09.700 --> 00:24:10.380
 right now at home,

00:24:10.480 --> 00:24:11.740
 you've got put away,

00:24:12.339 --> 00:24:13.279
 maybe can't even find

00:24:13.279 --> 00:24:15.120
 them right now, a few

00:24:15.120 --> 00:24:16.339
 or maybe a stack of

00:24:16.339 --> 00:24:19.000
 love letters that your

00:24:19.000 --> 00:24:19.960
 spouse wrote to you.

00:24:20.920 --> 00:24:21.819
 Now, if you've got love

00:24:21.819 --> 00:24:23.039
 letters of somebody

00:24:23.039 --> 00:24:24.079
 before your spouse, you

00:24:24.079 --> 00:24:24.819
 better throw them away

00:24:24.819 --> 00:24:25.319
 before you get in

00:24:25.319 --> 00:24:25.559
 trouble.

00:24:26.079 --> 00:24:27.339
 Don't save everything.

00:24:29.759 --> 00:24:30.720
 There's people in this

00:24:30.720 --> 00:24:34.880
 room that you spent time

00:24:34.880 --> 00:24:38.040
 on the phone, maybe even

00:24:38.040 --> 00:24:40.180
 hours when you all were

00:24:40.180 --> 00:24:42.940
 apart, just chit-chatting,

00:24:43.820 --> 00:24:45.160
 talking about everything

00:24:45.160 --> 00:24:46.940
 under the sun.

00:24:47.420 --> 00:24:49.000
 Nothing really serious.

00:24:49.420 --> 00:24:50.380
 You just wanted to hear

00:24:50.380 --> 00:24:51.420
 each other's voice.

00:24:53.040 --> 00:24:54.140
 Do you remember when you

00:24:54.140 --> 00:24:57.440
 were truly in love,

00:24:59.000 --> 00:24:59.720
 close?

00:24:59.720 --> 00:25:02.380
 You did special things for

00:25:02.380 --> 00:25:03.200
 your spouse?

00:25:04.240 --> 00:25:05.559
 Cooked a special meal?

00:25:06.279 --> 00:25:08.339
 Gave her a special gift?

00:25:09.839 --> 00:25:11.720
 Took getaway weekends

00:25:11.720 --> 00:25:13.400
 because you wanted to be

00:25:13.400 --> 00:25:14.740
 alone and together with

00:25:14.740 --> 00:25:15.180
 each other?

00:25:17.660 --> 00:25:18.839
 Do you remember when you

00:25:18.839 --> 00:25:22.259
 used to look at your

00:25:22.259 --> 00:25:25.039
 spouse and actually carry on

00:25:25.039 --> 00:25:26.279
 a conversation about

00:25:26.279 --> 00:25:27.339
 something other than your

00:25:27.339 --> 00:25:27.799
 children?

00:25:30.019 --> 00:25:31.539
 And you actually listened

00:25:31.539 --> 00:25:34.679
 to your spouse because

00:25:34.679 --> 00:25:36.919
 your love was such you

00:25:36.919 --> 00:25:37.459
 cared.

00:25:38.659 --> 00:25:39.959
 You wanted to know.

00:25:40.799 --> 00:25:41.959
 You wanted to share.

00:25:44.399 --> 00:25:45.899
 That's how most of us are,

00:25:46.000 --> 00:25:47.099
 at least at the beginning.

00:25:47.279 --> 00:25:48.839
 Hopefully it never changes,

00:25:48.959 --> 00:25:49.919
 but let's be real.

00:25:51.119 --> 00:25:52.199
 After you're married for a

00:25:52.199 --> 00:25:53.659
 while, things do change.

00:25:53.759 --> 00:25:54.459
 Life happens.

00:25:54.460 --> 00:25:56.539
 We get in a routine.

00:25:56.660 --> 00:25:57.319
 You have to get in a

00:25:57.319 --> 00:25:57.660
 routine.

00:25:58.900 --> 00:26:00.180
 Children come along and

00:26:00.180 --> 00:26:01.400
 take a lot of time, a lot

00:26:01.400 --> 00:26:01.880
 of attention.

00:26:03.220 --> 00:26:04.840
 Work, as you go on in life,

00:26:05.579 --> 00:26:06.240
 and especially if you get

00:26:06.240 --> 00:26:07.279
 serious about your work,

00:26:07.319 --> 00:26:08.279
 it takes a lot of time.

00:26:09.759 --> 00:26:11.340
 And with work and being

00:26:11.340 --> 00:26:12.720
 involved in church and being

00:26:12.720 --> 00:26:13.880
 involved with your children,

00:26:14.000 --> 00:26:14.960
 there's all kinds of

00:26:14.960 --> 00:26:15.740
 activities.

00:26:18.100 --> 00:26:19.799
 And you know life is just

00:26:19.799 --> 00:26:20.299
 stressful.

00:26:20.620 --> 00:26:21.620
 More so at times than

00:26:21.620 --> 00:26:22.500
 others, but life is

00:26:22.500 --> 00:26:22.880
 stressful.

00:26:22.880 --> 00:26:26.380
 If we're not careful, we

00:26:26.380 --> 00:26:28.400
 can live life in such a

00:26:28.400 --> 00:26:30.040
 way that we'll wake up one

00:26:30.040 --> 00:26:30.680
 morning and we never

00:26:30.680 --> 00:26:32.300
 intended it, but we'll wake

00:26:32.300 --> 00:26:33.180
 up one morning and we're

00:26:33.180 --> 00:26:34.400
 married to a stranger

00:26:34.400 --> 00:26:38.160
 because we've drifted apart.

00:26:40.400 --> 00:26:42.860
 We have not intentionally,

00:26:43.120 --> 00:26:43.940
 and we may not want to

00:26:43.940 --> 00:26:45.480
 admit it, we still love our

00:26:45.480 --> 00:26:49.260
 spouse, but not like we used

00:26:49.259 --> 00:26:49.519
 to.

00:26:50.519 --> 00:26:53.839
 The warmth is no longer

00:26:53.839 --> 00:26:54.160
 there.

00:26:56.119 --> 00:26:58.220
 There's a familiar old story

00:26:58.220 --> 00:26:59.559
 that sums this up.

00:27:00.000 --> 00:27:01.200
 Most of you have heard it, but

00:27:01.200 --> 00:27:02.879
 I want to say it anyway because

00:27:02.879 --> 00:27:04.539
 it just sums it up.

00:27:05.339 --> 00:27:06.500
 An older couple was riding

00:27:06.500 --> 00:27:07.539
 down the road one day.

00:27:08.660 --> 00:27:10.180
 The wife was sitting, you

00:27:10.180 --> 00:27:11.759
 know, on the far right of her

00:27:11.759 --> 00:27:13.059
 side of the car up next to her

00:27:13.059 --> 00:27:13.400
 door.

00:27:14.539 --> 00:27:16.539
 Her husband, far left, sitting

00:27:16.539 --> 00:27:17.720
 behind the wheel driving.

00:27:17.720 --> 00:27:19.960
 The wife said, honey, do you

00:27:19.960 --> 00:27:21.620
 remember when we used to sit

00:27:21.620 --> 00:27:24.400
 close together and you'd drive

00:27:24.400 --> 00:27:26.100
 with one arm around me and one

00:27:26.100 --> 00:27:27.180
 arm on the steering wheel?

00:27:27.539 --> 00:27:29.100
 That was before seatbelts.

00:27:31.400 --> 00:27:33.539
 Before they started enforcing

00:27:33.539 --> 00:27:35.420
 that, people like me and some

00:27:35.420 --> 00:27:37.220
 of these guys in here, you

00:27:37.220 --> 00:27:38.900
 stuck those seatbelts down under

00:27:38.900 --> 00:27:39.960
 the seat where they couldn't even

00:27:39.960 --> 00:27:40.519
 be seen.

00:27:40.519 --> 00:27:42.779
 And when you were dating,

00:27:44.539 --> 00:27:45.879
 especially when you got serious,

00:27:46.579 --> 00:27:48.160
 you wanted the girl to sit right

00:27:48.160 --> 00:27:48.839
 beside you.

00:27:50.379 --> 00:27:51.599
 How many of you guys, don't raise

00:27:51.599 --> 00:27:52.639
 your hand, how many of you guys

00:27:52.639 --> 00:27:54.519
 ever been asked, does it take two

00:27:54.519 --> 00:27:55.660
 people to drive that car?

00:27:57.700 --> 00:27:59.039
 You know what I'm talking about.

00:28:01.639 --> 00:28:02.900
 Well, the wife asked him, why don't

00:28:02.900 --> 00:28:03.400
 we do that anymore?

00:28:03.539 --> 00:28:04.839
 The wife said, you remember we used to

00:28:04.839 --> 00:28:05.059
 do that?

00:28:05.079 --> 00:28:05.680
 He said, uh-huh.

00:28:06.819 --> 00:28:09.099
 The wife said, why don't we do that

00:28:09.099 --> 00:28:09.480
 anymore?

00:28:10.659 --> 00:28:11.719
 And the husband looked at her and

00:28:11.719 --> 00:28:14.039
 replied, well, don't look at me.

00:28:14.179 --> 00:28:15.619
 I ain't moved.

00:28:16.799 --> 00:28:17.899
 You've heard that story.

00:28:20.079 --> 00:28:20.980
 Here's the point.

00:28:20.980 --> 00:28:23.359
 If there's any separation between

00:28:23.359 --> 00:28:26.059
 you and the Lord, understand,

00:28:27.439 --> 00:28:28.959
 Jesus has not moved.

00:28:31.139 --> 00:28:33.579
 What would Jesus say about you

00:28:33.579 --> 00:28:34.659
 right now?

00:28:35.939 --> 00:28:38.019
 What would he say about us as a

00:28:38.019 --> 00:28:39.139
 church right now?

00:28:41.400 --> 00:28:42.900
 Have we moved away from him?

00:28:44.440 --> 00:28:45.900
 Has our love

00:28:45.900 --> 00:28:47.519
 grown cold

00:28:47.519 --> 00:28:48.619
 or at least

00:28:48.619 --> 00:28:50.900
 nowhere near the warmth

00:28:50.900 --> 00:28:52.000
 it used to have?

00:28:53.940 --> 00:28:54.980
 The only thing you can do

00:28:54.980 --> 00:28:55.799
 is look at yourself.

00:28:58.139 --> 00:28:59.859
 Have you drifted away from him?

00:28:59.859 --> 00:29:04.240
 Is the love for him

00:29:04.240 --> 00:29:06.319
 zealous?

00:29:07.699 --> 00:29:09.819
 Is it truly operational

00:29:09.819 --> 00:29:11.479
 in your life right now?

00:29:12.759 --> 00:29:14.279
 If the Lord's showing you that

00:29:14.279 --> 00:29:15.359
 you've moved away from him,

00:29:15.619 --> 00:29:17.119
 listen to what he says next in

00:29:17.119 --> 00:29:17.740
 verse five.

00:29:18.279 --> 00:29:20.019
 The Lord warns us to correct what

00:29:20.019 --> 00:29:20.479
 is wrong.

00:29:20.599 --> 00:29:22.299
 He says, remember therefore from

00:29:22.299 --> 00:29:24.500
 where you have fallen, repent and do

00:29:24.500 --> 00:29:26.519
 the works you did at first.

00:29:26.859 --> 00:29:27.819
 How do you make changes?

00:29:27.819 --> 00:29:28.879
 It's real simple here.

00:29:29.099 --> 00:29:30.019
 Number one, remember.

00:29:30.279 --> 00:29:31.519
 Remember what it was like when you

00:29:31.519 --> 00:29:32.460
 first came to the Lord

00:29:32.460 --> 00:29:33.919
 or remember what it was like when

00:29:33.919 --> 00:29:35.619
 you were really serious

00:29:35.619 --> 00:29:38.139
 about your relationship with him.

00:29:38.939 --> 00:29:41.019
 About just knowing him and loving

00:29:41.019 --> 00:29:43.579
 him and serving him because you

00:29:43.579 --> 00:29:44.019
 loved him.

00:29:44.899 --> 00:29:46.059
 Remember what that was like.

00:29:46.399 --> 00:29:47.179
 Number two, repent.

00:29:48.000 --> 00:29:49.679
 If you've fallen away, come back.

00:29:49.919 --> 00:29:50.839
 Change your mind.

00:29:51.139 --> 00:29:52.179
 Do an about face.

00:29:52.339 --> 00:29:53.399
 Change your direction.

00:29:53.400 --> 00:29:56.640
 Turn from whatever has led you

00:29:56.640 --> 00:29:58.220
 or caused you

00:29:58.220 --> 00:30:00.180
 to drift away from him.

00:30:00.280 --> 00:30:01.400
 You've got to identify it.

00:30:01.940 --> 00:30:03.140
 If it's your work,

00:30:04.040 --> 00:30:05.040
 if it's just laziness,

00:30:05.480 --> 00:30:06.700
 if it's some other person,

00:30:07.360 --> 00:30:08.380
 if it's just hobbies,

00:30:09.460 --> 00:30:11.740
 ask him to help you to understand

00:30:11.740 --> 00:30:12.820
 what it is and repent.

00:30:13.100 --> 00:30:14.019
 Change your mind.

00:30:14.200 --> 00:30:15.900
 Turn from it and then return.

00:30:16.340 --> 00:30:17.540
 Return to doing what you did

00:30:17.540 --> 00:30:18.620
 when you did love him.

00:30:19.759 --> 00:30:21.580
 Return to spending time with him,

00:30:21.579 --> 00:30:24.879
 uninterrupted time in prayer

00:30:24.879 --> 00:30:25.759
 and in his word.

00:30:27.119 --> 00:30:30.319
 Return to a time when your love

00:30:30.319 --> 00:30:32.439
 for the Lord was real.

00:30:34.259 --> 00:30:36.119
 And it made a difference

00:30:36.119 --> 00:30:37.759
 in how you lived.

00:30:39.579 --> 00:30:40.779
 I want to add here,

00:30:40.919 --> 00:30:43.019
 this is the key to correcting

00:30:43.019 --> 00:30:44.639
 a lack of love in your marriage.

00:30:46.319 --> 00:30:47.319
 For some of you,

00:30:47.439 --> 00:30:48.439
 this is the message.

00:30:49.019 --> 00:30:50.259
 Remember how it used to be?

00:30:50.259 --> 00:30:53.259
 Remember how you once

00:30:53.259 --> 00:30:55.220
 kept the fire going?

00:30:56.839 --> 00:30:58.680
 If it's not that way anymore,

00:30:59.000 --> 00:30:59.420
 repent.

00:31:00.700 --> 00:31:03.379
 Turn from being so selfish,

00:31:04.140 --> 00:31:05.720
 being so involved in everything

00:31:05.720 --> 00:31:07.279
 but your spouse's life.

00:31:10.160 --> 00:31:13.680
 One error that some couples make,

00:31:13.900 --> 00:31:14.980
 never let your children

00:31:14.980 --> 00:31:16.519
 take the place of your spouse

00:31:16.519 --> 00:31:17.460
 as the number one person

00:31:17.460 --> 00:31:18.059
 in your life.

00:31:18.059 --> 00:31:20.000
 Your children are important.

00:31:20.220 --> 00:31:20.679
 Love them.

00:31:20.819 --> 00:31:21.579
 Invest in them.

00:31:21.859 --> 00:31:23.019
 Give yourself to them.

00:31:23.659 --> 00:31:24.740
 But don't ever let them

00:31:24.740 --> 00:31:25.859
 take the place

00:31:25.859 --> 00:31:27.379
 of your spouse.

00:31:29.839 --> 00:31:30.980
 Remember, repent,

00:31:31.539 --> 00:31:32.539
 and return

00:31:32.539 --> 00:31:34.339
 to doing the things

00:31:34.339 --> 00:31:35.079
 you used to do

00:31:35.079 --> 00:31:37.039
 to rekindle that love

00:31:37.039 --> 00:31:38.200
 with your spouse.

00:31:38.940 --> 00:31:39.700
 But know what will happen

00:31:39.700 --> 00:31:40.500
 if we don't respond

00:31:40.500 --> 00:31:41.339
 in our relationship with the Lord.

00:31:41.419 --> 00:31:41.919
 Verse five,

00:31:41.920 --> 00:31:42.880
 if not,

00:31:43.220 --> 00:31:44.140
 I will come to you

00:31:44.140 --> 00:31:45.680
 and remove your lampstand

00:31:45.680 --> 00:31:46.740
 from its place

00:31:46.740 --> 00:31:48.120
 unless you repent.

00:31:49.200 --> 00:31:49.680
 He's talking about

00:31:49.680 --> 00:31:51.240
 he's going to dissolve the church.

00:31:52.740 --> 00:31:54.660
 This church will cease to be,

00:31:54.940 --> 00:31:55.720
 or let's put it this way,

00:31:55.920 --> 00:31:56.580
 it'll cease to be

00:31:56.580 --> 00:31:57.500
 the Lord's church.

00:31:57.680 --> 00:31:58.680
 It'll cease to be

00:31:58.680 --> 00:31:59.920
 a vibrant church.

00:32:01.300 --> 00:32:02.400
 They may meet,

00:32:03.200 --> 00:32:04.259
 but the Lord won't be with them.

00:32:05.160 --> 00:32:06.160
 We've got to avoid this

00:32:06.160 --> 00:32:06.980
 at all costs.

00:32:07.880 --> 00:32:08.980
 We as a church,

00:32:08.980 --> 00:32:10.660
 we must always keep

00:32:10.660 --> 00:32:12.000
 our focus on Jesus.

00:32:13.099 --> 00:32:14.140
 Our focus is not

00:32:14.140 --> 00:32:15.259
 on shoeboxes.

00:32:16.000 --> 00:32:16.960
 Our focus is not

00:32:16.960 --> 00:32:17.599
 on the preacher.

00:32:18.099 --> 00:32:18.779
 Our focus is not

00:32:18.779 --> 00:32:19.380
 on the music.

00:32:20.079 --> 00:32:20.980
 Our focus is not

00:32:20.980 --> 00:32:22.140
 even on the Bible.

00:32:23.620 --> 00:32:24.900
 Our focus has got to be

00:32:24.900 --> 00:32:25.920
 on Jesus Christ

00:32:25.920 --> 00:32:27.880
 and God our Father.

00:32:29.420 --> 00:32:30.799
 We do what we do

00:32:30.799 --> 00:32:32.860
 because we know Him

00:32:32.860 --> 00:32:33.700
 and love Him

00:32:33.700 --> 00:32:34.900
 and we want to please Him.

00:32:35.620 --> 00:32:36.360
 It's that simple.

00:32:37.519 --> 00:32:38.599
 And then when we do that,

00:32:38.599 --> 00:32:39.319
 the shoeboxes

00:32:39.319 --> 00:32:40.279
 can be a real ministry.

00:32:40.599 --> 00:32:41.919
 Music can be a real ministry.

00:32:42.259 --> 00:32:43.000
 Preaching and teaching

00:32:43.000 --> 00:32:43.519
 God's Word

00:32:43.519 --> 00:32:44.500
 can be a real ministry.

00:32:46.259 --> 00:32:47.199
 Look at the final word

00:32:47.199 --> 00:32:47.939
 from the Lord this morning.

00:32:48.539 --> 00:32:49.819
 The Lord promises blessings

00:32:49.819 --> 00:32:50.919
 to those who overcome

00:32:50.919 --> 00:32:51.639
 their lack of love.

00:32:51.699 --> 00:32:52.159
 Verse 7,

00:32:52.419 --> 00:32:53.740
 to the one who conquers,

00:32:54.259 --> 00:32:55.459
 I will grant to eat

00:32:55.459 --> 00:32:56.539
 of the tree of life

00:32:56.539 --> 00:32:57.939
 which is in the paradise

00:32:57.939 --> 00:32:59.379
 of God.

00:32:59.679 --> 00:33:01.019
 Listen to the Lord's promise.

00:33:02.019 --> 00:33:03.859
 To eat of the tree of life

00:33:03.859 --> 00:33:05.000
 which is in the paradise

00:33:05.000 --> 00:33:05.819
 of God.

00:33:05.819 --> 00:33:06.879
 He's talking about

00:33:06.879 --> 00:33:07.959
 eternal life in heaven.

00:33:08.599 --> 00:33:11.019
 This is a promise

00:33:11.019 --> 00:33:11.959
 of final,

00:33:12.199 --> 00:33:13.419
 eternal victory

00:33:13.419 --> 00:33:14.419
 for those who truly

00:33:14.419 --> 00:33:15.079
 love the Lord.

00:33:17.000 --> 00:33:18.319
 You may not think

00:33:18.319 --> 00:33:18.939
 too much about

00:33:18.939 --> 00:33:19.859
 the end of your life,

00:33:20.139 --> 00:33:21.240
 especially if you're young,

00:33:21.799 --> 00:33:22.519
 but I've found

00:33:22.519 --> 00:33:23.079
 the older you get

00:33:23.079 --> 00:33:23.459
 the more you do

00:33:23.459 --> 00:33:24.139
 think about that.

00:33:24.639 --> 00:33:25.219
 It's coming.

00:33:26.599 --> 00:33:27.119
 Where are you

00:33:27.119 --> 00:33:27.879
 going to spend eternity?

00:33:28.679 --> 00:33:29.959
 This is a promise

00:33:29.959 --> 00:33:31.659
 that those who truly

00:33:31.659 --> 00:33:32.359
 have a relationship

00:33:32.359 --> 00:33:32.799
 with Jesus,

00:33:33.000 --> 00:33:33.919
 a love relationship

00:33:33.919 --> 00:33:34.399
 with Him,

00:33:34.399 --> 00:33:35.439
 are going to spend

00:33:35.439 --> 00:33:36.779
 eternity with Him.

00:33:36.779 --> 00:33:38.899
 and He expresses

00:33:38.899 --> 00:33:40.099
 this symbolically here,

00:33:40.460 --> 00:33:41.299
 eating of the tree

00:33:41.299 --> 00:33:42.980
 of life in paradise.

00:33:45.180 --> 00:33:45.920
 But I want you

00:33:45.920 --> 00:33:46.639
 to listen to the opposite.

00:33:47.379 --> 00:33:48.099
 Those who do not

00:33:48.099 --> 00:33:48.740
 love Him

00:33:48.740 --> 00:33:50.359
 will not share

00:33:50.359 --> 00:33:51.099
 in this promise

00:33:51.099 --> 00:33:52.819
 because they don't

00:33:52.819 --> 00:33:53.579
 belong to Christ.

00:33:54.180 --> 00:33:54.460
 You see,

00:33:54.619 --> 00:33:55.660
 love is the

00:33:55.660 --> 00:33:56.599
 essential,

00:33:56.599 --> 00:33:57.599
 essential

00:33:57.599 --> 00:33:58.599
 characteristic

00:33:59.539 --> 00:34:00.460
 of God's people.

00:34:00.460 --> 00:34:02.559
 If you went

00:34:02.559 --> 00:34:03.279
 into your kitchen

00:34:03.279 --> 00:34:04.000
 this afternoon

00:34:04.000 --> 00:34:05.880
 and followed

00:34:05.880 --> 00:34:06.840
 a recipe

00:34:06.840 --> 00:34:08.420
 where you mixed

00:34:08.420 --> 00:34:09.400
 together butter,

00:34:09.800 --> 00:34:10.300
 shortening,

00:34:10.440 --> 00:34:10.880
 eggs,

00:34:11.039 --> 00:34:11.360
 milk,

00:34:11.679 --> 00:34:12.079
 flour,

00:34:12.320 --> 00:34:12.639
 salt,

00:34:12.940 --> 00:34:13.220
 cocoa,

00:34:13.460 --> 00:34:14.019
 and vanilla,

00:34:15.099 --> 00:34:16.519
 placed it in a cake pan,

00:34:17.280 --> 00:34:18.280
 baked it for one hour

00:34:18.280 --> 00:34:19.240
 and 15 minutes,

00:34:19.659 --> 00:34:20.619
 it would come out

00:34:20.619 --> 00:34:21.119
 of the oven

00:34:21.119 --> 00:34:22.800
 looking and smelling

00:34:22.800 --> 00:34:24.699
 like a chocolate pound cake

00:34:24.699 --> 00:34:26.199
 that you couldn't

00:34:26.199 --> 00:34:27.099
 wait to eat.

00:34:27.099 --> 00:34:28.960
 But when you took

00:34:28.960 --> 00:34:29.839
 your first bite,

00:34:30.519 --> 00:34:31.219
 you would immediately

00:34:31.219 --> 00:34:33.259
 realize it was missing

00:34:33.259 --> 00:34:34.500
 one ingredient,

00:34:35.819 --> 00:34:36.400
 sugar.

00:34:37.659 --> 00:34:38.860
 Even though it had

00:34:38.860 --> 00:34:40.219
 all the other ingredients

00:34:40.219 --> 00:34:42.039
 and looked and smelled

00:34:42.039 --> 00:34:43.579
 like a chocolate pound cake,

00:34:44.420 --> 00:34:45.360
 it wasn't.

00:34:45.900 --> 00:34:46.699
 It wouldn't be.

00:34:47.619 --> 00:34:49.380
 Sometimes one ingredient

00:34:49.380 --> 00:34:51.259
 makes all the difference.

00:34:52.380 --> 00:34:53.059
 And when it comes

00:34:53.059 --> 00:34:54.259
 to living the Christian life,

00:34:54.260 --> 00:34:58.740
 love is that one

00:34:58.740 --> 00:34:59.920
 essential,

00:35:00.500 --> 00:35:01.260
 key ingredient.

00:35:02.780 --> 00:35:03.740
 To paraphrase Paul

00:35:03.740 --> 00:35:04.720
 in 1 Corinthians 13,

00:35:05.260 --> 00:35:06.300
 if you don't have love,

00:35:06.380 --> 00:35:07.160
 you have nothing.

00:35:10.080 --> 00:35:11.260
 Let's go home

00:35:11.260 --> 00:35:13.040
 with this thought.

00:35:14.260 --> 00:35:15.520
 The most important thing

00:35:15.520 --> 00:35:16.480
 I can ever do

00:35:16.480 --> 00:35:19.460
 is love the Lord Jesus Christ

00:35:19.460 --> 00:35:20.960
 as my Savior and Lord.

00:35:21.580 --> 00:35:23.000
 And let my love for Him

00:35:23.000 --> 00:35:24.079
 be the motivation

00:35:24.079 --> 00:35:25.880
 for everything I do

00:35:25.880 --> 00:35:27.300
 for Him.

00:35:28.300 --> 00:35:29.239
 Let's pray together.

00:35:30.059 --> 00:35:30.500
 Father,

00:35:31.500 --> 00:35:34.380
 we are busy people.

00:35:38.320 --> 00:35:40.039
 So much is going on

00:35:40.039 --> 00:35:41.139
 in life today

00:35:41.139 --> 00:35:43.360
 for most families.

00:35:46.820 --> 00:35:47.760
 Many of the things

00:35:47.760 --> 00:35:48.679
 we're involved in,

00:35:48.940 --> 00:35:50.219
 we know You want us to be.

00:35:50.340 --> 00:35:51.000
 They're good.

00:35:51.099 --> 00:35:51.579
 They're right.

00:35:51.679 --> 00:35:52.179
 They're important.

00:35:52.179 --> 00:35:53.460
 But some are very essential.

00:35:55.559 --> 00:35:56.980
 We as a church father,

00:35:57.099 --> 00:35:59.139
 for the last several months,

00:35:59.139 --> 00:36:01.279
 we've been focusing on

00:36:01.279 --> 00:36:04.319
 important biblical matters

00:36:04.319 --> 00:36:07.119
 relevant to what's going on

00:36:07.119 --> 00:36:08.059
 around about us

00:36:08.059 --> 00:36:10.399
 in today's American culture.

00:36:13.659 --> 00:36:14.399
 But Lord,

00:36:14.519 --> 00:36:15.279
 help us

00:36:15.279 --> 00:36:17.039
 in the midst of

00:36:17.039 --> 00:36:19.099
 studying good things

00:36:19.099 --> 00:36:21.099
 and doing good things.

00:36:21.099 --> 00:36:23.779
 Help us, dear God,

00:36:24.019 --> 00:36:25.380
 to not allow

00:36:25.380 --> 00:36:26.779
 our love for You,

00:36:27.279 --> 00:36:28.539
 our love for Jesus,

00:36:29.539 --> 00:36:30.900
 to grow cold.

00:36:32.739 --> 00:36:33.339
 Father,

00:36:33.480 --> 00:36:34.940
 so work in us

00:36:34.940 --> 00:36:35.380
 right now

00:36:35.380 --> 00:36:37.099
 to rekindle this love

00:36:37.099 --> 00:36:37.779
 if it's

00:36:37.779 --> 00:36:39.519
 not hot.

00:36:42.480 --> 00:36:43.500
 Work, Father,

00:36:44.099 --> 00:36:46.159
 to call that man

00:36:46.159 --> 00:36:46.539
 or woman

00:36:46.539 --> 00:36:47.159
 or boy or girl

00:36:47.159 --> 00:36:48.079
 to faith in Jesus

00:36:48.079 --> 00:36:48.879
 if they don't understand

00:36:48.879 --> 00:36:49.879
 what this love

00:36:49.879 --> 00:36:50.519
 is all about.

00:36:54.119 --> 00:36:55.619
 And help us, dear God,

00:36:56.119 --> 00:36:57.539
 as individual Christians,

00:36:58.339 --> 00:36:59.379
 as the church,

00:37:00.379 --> 00:37:02.980
 to do everything we do

00:37:02.980 --> 00:37:03.619
 for a motivation

00:37:03.619 --> 00:37:04.579
 of love for You

00:37:04.579 --> 00:37:06.000
 and even love for people.

00:37:06.000 --> 00:37:09.679
 help us, Father,

00:37:09.719 --> 00:37:10.400
 to be strong

00:37:10.400 --> 00:37:11.500
 in our faith

00:37:11.500 --> 00:37:15.239
 and do good works

00:37:15.239 --> 00:37:17.539
 and be doctrinally sound.

00:37:18.380 --> 00:37:19.099
 Help us, Lord,

00:37:19.219 --> 00:37:20.440
 in the coming days

00:37:20.440 --> 00:37:22.059
 when persecution comes

00:37:22.059 --> 00:37:23.340
 to hang in there

00:37:23.340 --> 00:37:24.219
 and be faithful.

00:37:26.139 --> 00:37:27.199
 But help us, Father,

00:37:27.280 --> 00:37:28.699
 in the midst of it all

00:37:28.699 --> 00:37:31.079
 to love

00:37:31.079 --> 00:37:33.980
 and begin with You

00:37:33.980 --> 00:37:35.480
 in Jesus.

00:37:38.940 --> 00:37:39.699
 Lord, show us

00:37:39.699 --> 00:37:40.639
 how we need to respond.

00:37:41.639 --> 00:37:41.980
 And now,

00:37:42.099 --> 00:37:42.920
 with heads bowed

00:37:42.920 --> 00:37:43.760
 and eyes closed,

00:37:44.559 --> 00:37:45.860
 let's respond to the Lord

00:37:45.860 --> 00:37:48.179
 as He speaks.

00:37:49.260 --> 00:37:50.179
 Do what you know

00:37:50.179 --> 00:37:51.240
 you need to do

00:37:51.240 --> 00:37:52.579
 to leave here

00:37:52.579 --> 00:37:53.320
 as a Christian

00:37:53.320 --> 00:37:54.559
 motivated by love

00:37:54.559 --> 00:37:55.539
 or

00:37:55.539 --> 00:37:57.659
 to leave here

00:37:57.659 --> 00:37:59.199
 as a new Christian

00:37:59.199 --> 00:38:00.659
 trusting in Jesus.

00:38:00.659 --> 00:38:02.259
ös