WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.800 Turn to the book of Hosea this morning for Sunday School, please. Hosea. 00:00:04.080 --> 00:00:07.740 If you found Daniel, just keep going a little bit and you'll hit Hosea. 00:00:08.300 --> 00:00:10.679 That's the book immediately following Daniel. 00:00:11.400 --> 00:00:13.019 Now that I've said that, I'm going to double check. 00:00:14.040 --> 00:00:14.740 Yes, it is. 00:00:14.939 --> 00:00:15.160 Okay. 00:00:15.560 --> 00:00:20.320 So it's the first book of the Minor Prophets immediately following Daniel. 00:00:20.320 --> 00:00:26.640 And we're going to look at a few verses and then apply them this morning. 00:00:26.640 --> 00:00:38.320 And kind of like this morning's message, this has application with some current events that are going on. 00:00:38.420 --> 00:00:43.120 So Hosea chapter 4, we'll start reading in verse number 1. 00:00:43.980 --> 00:00:44.620 The Bible says, 00:00:44.620 --> 00:00:46.740 Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel. 00:00:47.420 --> 00:00:50.840 For the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land. 00:00:51.320 --> 00:00:54.000 Why is the Lord having a controversy with the inhabitants? 00:00:54.000 --> 00:00:56.799 He goes on and tells them in the next phrase of this verse, 00:00:57.159 --> 00:01:03.759 Because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. 00:01:04.219 --> 00:01:08.920 By swearing and lying and killing and stealing and committing adultery, 00:01:09.019 --> 00:01:12.039 they break out and blood toucheth blood. 00:01:12.700 --> 00:01:17.719 Therefore shall the land mourn, and everyone that dwelleth therein shall languish 00:01:17.719 --> 00:01:20.299 with the beasts of the field and with the fowls of heaven. 00:01:20.659 --> 00:01:23.599 Yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away. 00:01:23.599 --> 00:01:29.099 So we're talking with what Hosea is doing is passing a condemnation upon the house of Israel, 00:01:29.179 --> 00:01:30.379 upon the land of Israel. 00:01:31.199 --> 00:01:36.619 Obviously Hosea prophesied before the events that we were talking about in the morning service. 00:01:37.060 --> 00:01:39.679 This is well before the events of the book of Daniel. 00:01:40.139 --> 00:01:42.060 God is looking at His children. 00:01:42.199 --> 00:01:44.759 He's looking at the people of Israel, His chosen people. 00:01:44.760 --> 00:01:50.920 And He is, through the prophet Hosea, delivering a message of condemnation. 00:01:51.439 --> 00:01:57.420 Because, number one, there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. 00:01:57.820 --> 00:02:02.439 He goes on to talk about the sins that they're committing, swearing, lying, killing, stealing, 00:02:02.580 --> 00:02:03.520 committing adultery. 00:02:03.900 --> 00:02:09.860 And, of course, application could be made to our modern-day American society through all of that. 00:02:09.900 --> 00:02:12.000 But that's not where we're going this morning. 00:02:12.000 --> 00:02:14.939 Let's continue reading just a little bit. 00:02:15.340 --> 00:02:16.159 Verse number four. 00:02:16.740 --> 00:02:23.039 Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another, for thy people are as they that strive with the priest. 00:02:23.560 --> 00:02:28.599 Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, 00:02:28.740 --> 00:02:30.759 and I will destroy thy mother. 00:02:31.379 --> 00:02:34.840 Verse number six, along with the end of verse number one, 00:02:34.840 --> 00:02:39.300 is kind of where we're talking from this morning, where we're teaching from. 00:02:39.800 --> 00:02:44.219 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. 00:02:44.780 --> 00:02:51.640 Because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me. 00:02:52.000 --> 00:02:57.080 Seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. 00:02:57.259 --> 00:03:00.319 So, he says, my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. 00:03:00.319 --> 00:03:03.319 What knowledge specifically are we talking about? 00:03:03.419 --> 00:03:04.780 Tie back to verse number one. 00:03:05.219 --> 00:03:10.379 There is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. 00:03:10.479 --> 00:03:13.620 So, we're going to do a Sunday school lesson this morning for just a little bit, 00:03:14.039 --> 00:03:15.900 called For Lack of Knowledge. 00:03:16.620 --> 00:03:17.500 For Lack of Knowledge. 00:03:17.579 --> 00:03:18.159 Let's pray together. 00:03:18.259 --> 00:03:23.539 Father, we thank you so much for the blessings you've rained down on us already this morning. 00:03:23.639 --> 00:03:26.079 And, Lord, I pray that you would bless in this Sunday school time, 00:03:26.080 --> 00:03:31.680 that you would bless the lesson here, that you would bless the lesson in the other classes that are going on, Lord, 00:03:31.740 --> 00:03:35.420 that you would strengthen us in our faith, strengthen us in you, 00:03:35.760 --> 00:03:38.600 that you would also challenge and convict us if necessary. 00:03:39.060 --> 00:03:41.260 Lord, we pray that you would be magnified, 00:03:41.700 --> 00:03:44.340 and that you would work in our lives through the teaching of your word. 00:03:44.420 --> 00:03:46.020 In Jesus' name, amen. 00:03:47.260 --> 00:03:51.240 So, Hosea is preaching and prophesying to the land of Israel. 00:03:51.240 --> 00:03:59.180 Now, Hosea is preached from oftentimes the fact that God spoke to Hosea and told him to marry an adulterous woman 00:03:59.180 --> 00:04:03.020 as a picture of God's relationship with Israel, 00:04:03.240 --> 00:04:08.120 who, even though being chosen of God, were often adulterous against him 00:04:08.120 --> 00:04:10.280 in the fact that they paid no attention to him. 00:04:10.360 --> 00:04:15.219 They often turned after the idols of the people around them, 00:04:15.280 --> 00:04:17.340 the pagan gods of the people around them. 00:04:17.339 --> 00:04:20.959 In this particular instance, though, God is condemning them 00:04:20.959 --> 00:04:24.939 because there is no knowledge of God in the land. 00:04:25.019 --> 00:04:29.299 My people, he says, are destroyed for lack of knowledge. 00:04:29.399 --> 00:04:33.039 I want to read you part of an article that I printed out here. 00:04:33.139 --> 00:04:35.239 This is a Fox News article. 00:04:35.919 --> 00:04:38.259 I want to read this to you as part of the lesson. 00:04:38.399 --> 00:04:42.779 As the deadline for the apocalypse passed in the Pacific Islands, 00:04:43.239 --> 00:04:44.779 New Zealand and Australia, 00:04:44.779 --> 00:04:50.399 it seems the end of the world prediction is fizzling. 00:04:51.839 --> 00:04:58.579 Twitter users around the world express their mock disappointment to the non-rapture. 00:04:59.619 --> 00:05:00.939 Daniel Borman tweeted, 00:05:01.259 --> 00:05:02.319 I'm from New Zealand. 00:05:02.479 --> 00:05:03.579 It is 6 p.m. 00:05:03.679 --> 00:05:06.159 The world has not ended. 00:05:06.839 --> 00:05:08.000 No earthquakes here. 00:05:08.459 --> 00:05:11.139 All waiting for the rapture can relax for now. 00:05:11.299 --> 00:05:12.679 Hashtag rapture. 00:05:12.680 --> 00:05:16.240 In Australia, John Gall tweeted, 00:05:16.660 --> 00:05:18.780 Hashtag rapture time here in Melbourne. 00:05:19.360 --> 00:05:21.980 A rather quiet sort of rapture, if you ask me. 00:05:22.780 --> 00:05:23.439 Also writing, 00:05:23.579 --> 00:05:27.540 Well, we have had this hashtag rapture going for 50 minutes now. 00:05:28.019 --> 00:05:30.560 So far, it hasn't interrupted my fish and chips. 00:05:31.439 --> 00:05:32.460 And glass of stout. 00:05:33.819 --> 00:05:35.120 Similarly disappointed, 00:05:35.960 --> 00:05:37.399 a name I cannot pronounce, 00:05:37.740 --> 00:05:38.040 wrote, 00:05:38.040 --> 00:05:42.020 So it's 637 here in Brisbane, Australia. 00:05:42.020 --> 00:05:44.760 I should say this all in Australian accent, shouldn't I? 00:05:44.800 --> 00:05:47.020 But they typed it so the accent is not necessary. 00:05:47.760 --> 00:05:50.140 It is 637 p.m. here in Brisbane, Australia. 00:05:50.300 --> 00:05:50.939 No earthquakes. 00:05:51.620 --> 00:05:53.780 No beaming up of Christians. 00:05:54.460 --> 00:05:56.060 No zombie apocalypse. 00:05:56.939 --> 00:05:57.840 No surprises. 00:05:58.660 --> 00:05:59.780 Ha ha. 00:05:59.779 --> 00:06:03.359 Some had shut themselves inside to pray for mercy 00:06:03.359 --> 00:06:04.819 as they waited for the world's end. 00:06:05.279 --> 00:06:09.000 Others met for tearful last lunches with their children 00:06:09.000 --> 00:06:12.139 and prepared to leave behind homes and pets 00:06:12.139 --> 00:06:14.579 as they were swept up to heaven. 00:06:14.819 --> 00:06:18.279 How many people on here are on Twitter now called X? 00:06:18.959 --> 00:06:22.859 How many people know that last week the rapture was supposed to happen? 00:06:22.860 --> 00:06:27.139 Yes, there was a prediction that last week the rapture was supposed to happen. 00:06:27.280 --> 00:06:27.800 Guess what? 00:06:28.199 --> 00:06:30.540 If it did, y'all are in serious trouble. 00:06:30.800 --> 00:06:31.500 Oh yeah, me too. 00:06:31.819 --> 00:06:34.000 Say, yeah, that was hilarious, Brother Scott. 00:06:34.139 --> 00:06:34.759 That was... 00:06:34.759 --> 00:06:38.540 Did you know that that article I just read you was not printed last week? 00:06:40.460 --> 00:06:44.259 This article was actually published May 21st, 2011. 00:06:46.480 --> 00:06:47.740 Everything comes around. 00:06:48.340 --> 00:06:49.560 Everything old is new. 00:06:49.560 --> 00:06:54.000 As mentioned in the first, we're not facing anything that we haven't faced before. 00:06:55.000 --> 00:06:59.860 And the problem is, 14 short years ago... 00:06:59.860 --> 00:07:02.139 Now, the older I get, the less time 14 years is. 00:07:02.579 --> 00:07:05.259 When I was 14 years old, 14 was an eternity 00:07:05.259 --> 00:07:07.000 because it was the entirety of my lifespan. 00:07:08.340 --> 00:07:13.800 Now that I am years old, 14, not so much anymore. 00:07:14.500 --> 00:07:17.399 And I can remember farther back than 14 years. 00:07:17.399 --> 00:07:21.479 I can imagine that I remember things even farther back than that. 00:07:22.699 --> 00:07:23.399 But 14... 00:07:23.399 --> 00:07:26.779 But 14 years and we're doing the same thing again. 00:07:27.379 --> 00:07:29.599 Matter of fact, we're doing the same thing on the same platform. 00:07:30.599 --> 00:07:32.479 Only it's called X instead of Twitter now. 00:07:33.459 --> 00:07:36.819 You probably got a little bit of a clue that the article was old 00:07:36.819 --> 00:07:37.979 because it kept saying Twitter. 00:07:37.980 --> 00:07:43.640 The thing of it is, it all comes around again, all the things we face again, 00:07:43.860 --> 00:07:47.020 and all the people that are caught up in the fervor. 00:07:47.140 --> 00:07:52.360 See, it wasn't the fact that unbelievers were caught up in hashtag rapture, 00:07:52.540 --> 00:07:55.700 whether we're talking about 2011 or we're talking about last week. 00:07:56.400 --> 00:07:58.980 We're talking about people who are professed Christians. 00:07:59.740 --> 00:08:02.340 Not my place to judge them whether they are or not. 00:08:02.339 --> 00:08:05.639 We're talking about people who go to church. 00:08:05.759 --> 00:08:08.479 We're talking about people who call themselves Christians, 00:08:08.479 --> 00:08:11.619 who say that they're born again, and yet they were caught up in this. 00:08:13.439 --> 00:08:18.419 They were caught up in this doctrinal error because that's what it is. 00:08:18.459 --> 00:08:20.779 It's not just a harmless little thing that happened. 00:08:21.319 --> 00:08:24.000 And we're going to get to why it's not harmless here in a minute. 00:08:24.000 --> 00:08:28.800 But they were caught up in this professing Christians. 00:08:29.019 --> 00:08:33.720 Not unbelievers, not just children, but adults who should know better 00:08:33.720 --> 00:08:38.019 were caught up into this foolishness, not only in 2011, 00:08:38.600 --> 00:08:41.899 but we didn't learn our lesson, so we're doing it again in 2025. 00:08:43.480 --> 00:08:46.519 Now, I don't know if it'll be another 14 years and come around again. 00:08:46.679 --> 00:08:50.179 I don't know if it happened 14 years before 2011. 00:08:50.179 --> 00:08:53.320 I doubt it because I don't know how long Twitter's been around. 00:08:54.480 --> 00:08:56.659 But you've got to come back to a time when I was a teenager 00:08:56.659 --> 00:08:59.200 when there was no such thing as social media or the Internet, 00:08:59.659 --> 00:09:01.379 and life was so much simpler. 00:09:03.259 --> 00:09:05.080 That's an old man talking. Yeah, right there. 00:09:05.240 --> 00:09:06.580 By the way, this is an aside. 00:09:06.919 --> 00:09:08.179 This is not part of the lesson. 00:09:08.720 --> 00:09:11.379 But if you are on social media, and I am on social media. 00:09:11.500 --> 00:09:13.379 I have a Facebook account. I have an X account. 00:09:14.419 --> 00:09:18.080 If you're on social media, use it with discernment. 00:09:18.500 --> 00:09:19.559 Use it carefully. 00:09:20.519 --> 00:09:22.419 Don't go down the rabbit hole. 00:09:22.419 --> 00:09:24.299 The rabbit hole is dangerous. 00:09:24.919 --> 00:09:26.479 It looks innocuous. 00:09:26.679 --> 00:09:28.659 It looks not harmful. 00:09:29.139 --> 00:09:30.639 Don't go down the rabbit hole. 00:09:31.059 --> 00:09:32.000 Don't doom scroll. 00:09:32.579 --> 00:09:34.139 There's a reason they call it doom scrolling. 00:09:34.559 --> 00:09:36.019 It's because you do that long enough, 00:09:36.139 --> 00:09:38.179 and your mind starts getting depressed, 00:09:38.339 --> 00:09:39.339 starts getting messed up. 00:09:39.500 --> 00:09:42.120 Just do what you have to do and move on. 00:09:42.439 --> 00:09:43.879 That's your free advice for the day. 00:09:44.259 --> 00:09:45.099 Take it. Leave it. 00:09:45.199 --> 00:09:45.919 That's your business. 00:09:45.919 --> 00:09:49.500 But anyway, we're back to the false rapture. 00:09:50.539 --> 00:09:54.779 Now, the thing of it is, the false rapture is based on a true doctrine. 00:09:55.559 --> 00:09:58.740 We know that the rapture is a biblical doctrine. 00:09:59.240 --> 00:10:03.079 We know that the rapture is something that is eventually going to happen. 00:10:03.199 --> 00:10:04.279 You read 1 Thessalonians. 00:10:04.360 --> 00:10:05.639 As a matter of fact, turn over there, if you will, 00:10:06.039 --> 00:10:08.979 to 1 Thessalonians and chapter 4. 00:10:08.980 --> 00:10:12.300 If I can get my fingers to work. 00:10:12.840 --> 00:10:14.259 2 Thessalonians won't do. 00:10:14.860 --> 00:10:17.879 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 and verse number 13. 00:10:18.300 --> 00:10:21.940 How often have we heard these verses read at funerals and such 00:10:21.940 --> 00:10:23.980 as a great comfort to people, and they are. 00:10:25.220 --> 00:10:27.240 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, verse number 13. 00:10:27.340 --> 00:10:29.379 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren. 00:10:30.320 --> 00:10:31.960 Now, that's an interesting way to start out. 00:10:33.360 --> 00:10:35.500 Paul says, I don't want you to be ignorant. 00:10:35.500 --> 00:10:39.559 Now, ignorant can be used as an insult, 00:10:39.740 --> 00:10:43.759 but we have to be careful to understand what ignorance actually is. 00:10:43.899 --> 00:10:46.120 Ignorance is not necessarily an insult. 00:10:46.580 --> 00:10:51.820 To be willfully ignorant, which the Bible talks about in another place, is bad. 00:10:52.080 --> 00:10:54.919 But to be ignorant just means you don't know. 00:10:56.179 --> 00:10:59.480 There are things that I am ignorant of because I don't know them. 00:11:00.100 --> 00:11:02.220 And the problem is, I don't know what I'm ignorant about 00:11:02.220 --> 00:11:03.879 because I don't know what I don't know. 00:11:03.879 --> 00:11:05.860 And that's true of everybody. 00:11:06.439 --> 00:11:07.919 Nobody has complete knowledge. 00:11:08.059 --> 00:11:09.299 Nobody understands everything. 00:11:09.439 --> 00:11:10.740 Nobody knows everything. 00:11:12.620 --> 00:11:15.939 So, to an extent, we're all ignorant. 00:11:16.539 --> 00:11:20.120 Ignorant is not the same as dumb. 00:11:21.100 --> 00:11:21.879 It's not. 00:11:22.299 --> 00:11:24.059 It is not a lack of intelligence. 00:11:25.139 --> 00:11:27.919 Now, there are people who would consider that to be the same thing. 00:11:28.039 --> 00:11:28.620 It's not. 00:11:29.080 --> 00:11:30.899 Ignorance is not a lack of intelligence. 00:11:31.159 --> 00:11:32.919 Ignorance is a lack of knowledge. 00:11:32.919 --> 00:11:35.259 Two entirely different things. 00:11:35.360 --> 00:11:36.059 You can fix. 00:11:36.519 --> 00:11:38.199 You ever heard you can't fix stupid? 00:11:39.699 --> 00:11:40.959 You can fix ignorance. 00:11:41.599 --> 00:11:44.419 That's one of the reasons we have teaching Sunday school class. 00:11:44.679 --> 00:11:46.579 That's one of the reasons we do what we do, 00:11:46.899 --> 00:11:49.899 is so that we learn more about God's Word. 00:11:49.919 --> 00:11:51.699 And we'll get to that even more here in just a moment. 00:11:51.700 --> 00:11:56.460 So, Paul starts off, the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul starts off saying, 00:11:56.840 --> 00:11:58.460 I don't want you to be ignorant about this. 00:11:58.700 --> 00:12:02.740 This is something you should know about and something you should understand. 00:12:03.379 --> 00:12:03.800 So, he says, 00:12:03.799 --> 00:12:06.959 I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, 00:12:07.359 --> 00:12:11.419 that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 00:12:11.959 --> 00:12:13.719 He doesn't say we're not supposed to sorrow, 00:12:13.959 --> 00:12:17.599 because this is read often at funerals at graveside services. 00:12:17.799 --> 00:12:19.459 This passage is often read. 00:12:19.899 --> 00:12:21.839 Notice he doesn't say we're not to sorrow. 00:12:22.299 --> 00:12:23.599 It's all right to grieve. 00:12:24.039 --> 00:12:26.620 Grieving is natural and normal and human, and it's okay. 00:12:26.620 --> 00:12:30.419 But it says we're not to sorrow as those which have no hope. 00:12:30.899 --> 00:12:35.720 If you've ever been to a Christian funeral and to a funeral of a lost person 00:12:35.720 --> 00:12:39.679 with a primarily lost family, you know the difference in the atmosphere. 00:12:40.539 --> 00:12:44.600 You know the difference in the spirit of the services. 00:12:45.860 --> 00:12:49.060 There are people there that are grieving because they have no hope. 00:12:49.519 --> 00:12:53.320 In a Christian funeral, we're grieving because we miss our loved ones, 00:12:53.320 --> 00:12:56.720 but we have hope that we will be reunited one day, 00:12:56.940 --> 00:12:58.680 whether through what we're reading about 00:12:58.680 --> 00:13:02.860 or when our time comes to join them up in heaven. 00:13:04.100 --> 00:13:06.920 So, we're to sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 00:13:07.000 --> 00:13:09.540 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, 00:13:09.960 --> 00:13:13.240 even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 00:13:13.500 --> 00:13:15.740 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, 00:13:15.960 --> 00:13:19.080 that we which are alive and remain under the coming of the Lord 00:13:19.080 --> 00:13:21.060 shall not prevent them which are asleep. 00:13:21.059 --> 00:13:24.500 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, 00:13:24.679 --> 00:13:27.139 with the voice of the archangel, with the trump of God, 00:13:27.179 --> 00:13:29.019 and the dead in Christ shall rise first. 00:13:29.479 --> 00:13:33.219 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them 00:13:33.219 --> 00:13:35.500 in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, 00:13:35.579 --> 00:13:37.759 and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 00:13:38.319 --> 00:13:41.399 Wherefore, comfort one another with these words. 00:13:41.459 --> 00:13:45.519 So, there we have encapsulated the doctrine of what we call the rapture. 00:13:45.799 --> 00:13:47.000 People will quibble with you. 00:13:47.059 --> 00:13:49.000 They'll say rapture is not a biblical term. 00:13:49.000 --> 00:13:50.600 It's not a word found in the Bible. 00:13:50.840 --> 00:13:51.620 They're right. 00:13:51.799 --> 00:13:55.519 It's a word that we use to describe this particular doctrine 00:13:55.519 --> 00:13:59.100 that the Bible was just talking about in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. 00:13:59.460 --> 00:14:03.259 The lesson today is not about the particulars of the doctrine of the rapture, 00:14:03.320 --> 00:14:05.000 when it's going to happen, how it's going to happen, 00:14:05.080 --> 00:14:09.159 things such as that, except we'll touch on it just in passing a little bit. 00:14:09.159 --> 00:14:17.360 So, what we've got are people who understand that this is a biblical doctrine. 00:14:18.019 --> 00:14:21.699 What they don't understand, or what they appear not to know, 00:14:22.000 --> 00:14:25.699 is the teaching about the timing of the rapture, 00:14:25.779 --> 00:14:29.799 as told us in the Gospel of Matthew and in the Gospel of Mark. 00:14:29.879 --> 00:14:33.019 In Matthew chapter 24, verse number 36, the Bible says, 00:14:33.019 --> 00:14:42.259 Mark chapter 13, Jesus said, 00:14:42.259 --> 00:14:46.399 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man know not the angels which are in heaven, 00:14:46.799 --> 00:14:48.840 neither the Son, but the Father. 00:14:48.840 --> 00:14:54.820 So, what we know through the teaching of God's Word and by comparing Scripture to Scripture, 00:14:55.820 --> 00:15:01.259 that the rapture is a true doctrine, but nobody knows when it's going to happen. 00:15:02.680 --> 00:15:05.200 Nobody, we know that the return of Jesus Christ, 00:15:05.500 --> 00:15:07.720 what is called the revelation of Jesus Christ, 00:15:07.820 --> 00:15:11.540 is actual returning to the earth to rule and reign for a thousand years. 00:15:11.660 --> 00:15:13.139 We know this is a true doctrine, 00:15:13.540 --> 00:15:16.160 but we also don't know when that's going to happen, 00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:19.719 other than it's going to be seven years after the rapture. 00:15:20.500 --> 00:15:23.339 And again, not going to get bogged down in all of this. 00:15:23.419 --> 00:15:25.779 If you've been taught differently, you know, 00:15:26.620 --> 00:15:28.759 I'm not going to argue with you about it afterwards. 00:15:29.159 --> 00:15:29.779 I'm just not. 00:15:30.759 --> 00:15:33.459 So, Lord bless you, I love you. 00:15:33.620 --> 00:15:34.399 I'm up here teaching. 00:15:34.839 --> 00:15:40.079 Anyway, the point I'm making is that these are true biblical doctrines, 00:15:40.699 --> 00:15:43.600 and people understood, these people who were deceived, 00:15:43.600 --> 00:15:46.080 understood that this is a doctrine, 00:15:46.200 --> 00:15:48.279 but they did not know enough. 00:15:48.399 --> 00:15:53.019 They were ignorant of the fact that we're never going to know when it is. 00:15:53.440 --> 00:15:54.560 It is going to happen. 00:15:54.740 --> 00:15:56.040 It is going to happen suddenly. 00:15:56.360 --> 00:15:57.860 It is going to happen without warning. 00:15:57.940 --> 00:16:00.259 I heard somebody, I didn't listen to the message, 00:16:00.360 --> 00:16:03.379 but I saw the title of a message by a preacher one time was, 00:16:03.740 --> 00:16:05.200 The Signs of the Rapture. 00:16:05.720 --> 00:16:07.279 There are no signs to the rapture. 00:16:07.279 --> 00:16:14.039 I may not, we believe in a doctrine of the imminency of the rapture. 00:16:14.100 --> 00:16:17.000 What that means is it could happen at any moment. 00:16:17.259 --> 00:16:18.679 There is nothing yet to be fulfilled. 00:16:19.079 --> 00:16:22.559 There is nothing that has to happen before the rapture can happen. 00:16:23.139 --> 00:16:24.279 It could happen any moment. 00:16:24.379 --> 00:16:27.100 It could happen before I get done teaching this lesson, 00:16:27.480 --> 00:16:29.120 and all God's people said amen. 00:16:29.120 --> 00:16:35.519 So, they were partially knowledgeable, partially ignorant. 00:16:35.659 --> 00:16:38.279 They did not have the knowledge that they're supposed to have. 00:16:38.860 --> 00:16:41.340 Say, well, why would this be so, Brother Scott? 00:16:41.960 --> 00:16:45.820 Number one, there is a failure amongst Christians to attend church, 00:16:46.539 --> 00:16:50.740 to be where we're going to get teaching and preaching, 00:16:50.899 --> 00:16:53.639 like we're supposed to be getting, to help us to grow. 00:16:53.639 --> 00:16:59.799 So, you know, the Bible tells us that the preacher, pastors, evangelists 00:16:59.799 --> 00:17:02.980 were given to the church so that we could be edified, 00:17:03.159 --> 00:17:04.619 so that we could be built up. 00:17:04.700 --> 00:17:06.359 There's a reason that they're there. 00:17:06.839 --> 00:17:09.879 So, part of it is Christians are not attending church like they should. 00:17:10.180 --> 00:17:13.599 Part of it is Christians are not attending the churches that they should. 00:17:14.079 --> 00:17:17.160 They're attending churches that instead of teaching them 00:17:17.160 --> 00:17:19.779 and preaching to them the truths, 00:17:20.099 --> 00:17:22.359 regardless of how it's going to go down, 00:17:22.359 --> 00:17:25.639 not worrying about the reception of said truth, 00:17:25.839 --> 00:17:29.219 but rather worried about the delivery of truth. 00:17:29.619 --> 00:17:33.019 People are choosing instead to go to places that make them feel good. 00:17:34.199 --> 00:17:38.519 I'm sorry, but Bible truth is not always going to make you feel good. 00:17:39.859 --> 00:17:41.679 Matter of fact, I remember the day I got saved. 00:17:41.740 --> 00:17:43.059 I remember it quite vividly. 00:17:43.659 --> 00:17:46.919 Can I tell you that before we got to the point 00:17:46.919 --> 00:17:49.799 where I got saved, bowed my head and got saved, 00:17:49.799 --> 00:17:50.779 that I was miserable? 00:17:52.359 --> 00:17:53.779 I was terribly under conviction. 00:17:54.259 --> 00:17:57.119 I was sitting in a pew in the back of Marion Avenue Baptist Church, 00:17:57.259 --> 00:18:00.459 and that skinny preacher up there was pointing his finger straight at me 00:18:00.459 --> 00:18:01.719 and preaching the devil out of me. 00:18:02.359 --> 00:18:06.259 Do you believe that that man had the gall to tell me I was a sinner? 00:18:06.879 --> 00:18:07.819 Me, directly. 00:18:08.299 --> 00:18:10.919 That doesn't matter that there were a hundred other people in the auditorium with me. 00:18:10.959 --> 00:18:11.959 He was picking me out. 00:18:14.939 --> 00:18:16.679 Had the gall to tell me I was a sinner, 00:18:16.680 --> 00:18:18.860 and that I couldn't do anything about it, 00:18:18.860 --> 00:18:22.039 and that because of that sin, I was going to go to hell. 00:18:22.720 --> 00:18:24.360 Now, this is not something that makes you feel good. 00:18:25.519 --> 00:18:27.320 It's not designed to make you feel good. 00:18:28.259 --> 00:18:30.060 Matter of fact, it's designed to make you feel bad 00:18:30.060 --> 00:18:32.200 because it's the truth, and you need conviction of sin. 00:18:32.799 --> 00:18:34.440 You need to understand these things. 00:18:34.840 --> 00:18:37.440 But then he went on to tell me that Jesus loves me in spite of my sin. 00:18:37.440 --> 00:18:40.460 Not in my sin, in spite of my sin. 00:18:40.480 --> 00:18:43.320 Not just, oh, we're going to gloss it over. 00:18:44.160 --> 00:18:45.460 But he loves me in spite of my sin. 00:18:45.779 --> 00:18:48.740 And that if I would accept, he made a payment for that sin. 00:18:49.720 --> 00:18:52.680 He took the debt I couldn't pay, 00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:55.460 and he paid it on the cross. 00:18:55.620 --> 00:18:58.820 And he rose again three days later to show that that payment was accepted. 00:19:00.120 --> 00:19:02.259 And that if I put my faith and trust in him, 00:19:02.299 --> 00:19:03.840 and in that payment he made for me, 00:19:04.320 --> 00:19:05.600 my sins would be wiped away. 00:19:06.880 --> 00:19:07.240 Gone. 00:19:08.440 --> 00:19:10.160 Far as the east is from the west. 00:19:11.299 --> 00:19:13.460 Buried in the depths of the sea of God's forgetfulness. 00:19:15.580 --> 00:19:17.900 And in that moment, I bowed my head. 00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:19.860 I didn't even wait for the, it was in the invitation, 00:19:20.019 --> 00:19:21.460 but he called for people to come forward. 00:19:21.539 --> 00:19:23.660 I didn't come, I didn't, I came forward, 00:19:23.860 --> 00:19:25.320 but I was already saved when I went forward 00:19:25.320 --> 00:19:26.779 because I bowed my head in that pew, 00:19:26.779 --> 00:19:29.059 and I called on Jesus Christ, and I asked him to save me. 00:19:29.380 --> 00:19:30.180 Why did you do that? 00:19:30.200 --> 00:19:31.940 Because somebody preached me the truth. 00:19:32.720 --> 00:19:34.320 And that truth made me feel bad. 00:19:35.220 --> 00:19:36.779 Truth does not always make you feel good, 00:19:36.779 --> 00:19:40.859 but people are choosing because they don't understand that fact 00:19:40.859 --> 00:19:42.819 that truth doesn't always make you feel good. 00:19:43.799 --> 00:19:48.119 People are choosing to go to churches that just make them feel good and entertain them. 00:19:48.119 --> 00:19:52.339 We have no shortage of entertainment in our society today. 00:19:52.699 --> 00:19:55.799 If you want to be entertained, turn on a football game. 00:19:55.919 --> 00:19:57.159 Okay, that's not always true. 00:19:57.799 --> 00:19:59.399 Some football games are just terrible to watch. 00:20:00.459 --> 00:20:03.259 If you want to be entertained, there is no shortage of things to entertain you. 00:20:03.339 --> 00:20:05.079 The church should not be for entertainment. 00:20:05.519 --> 00:20:06.679 That's not why we're here. 00:20:06.680 --> 00:20:07.480 We're here to worship. 00:20:07.840 --> 00:20:09.060 We're here to help each other. 00:20:09.200 --> 00:20:10.299 We're here to be edified. 00:20:10.480 --> 00:20:11.799 And we're here to be convicted. 00:20:12.640 --> 00:20:14.880 We're here to learn the truths of God's word. 00:20:15.080 --> 00:20:16.759 The problem is people are not. 00:20:16.820 --> 00:20:18.759 So people are not going to church. 00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:20.580 People are not going to the right churches. 00:20:20.720 --> 00:20:23.420 And people are not studying their Bibles for themselves. 00:20:24.259 --> 00:20:29.680 We are called to study and meditate upon God's word for ourselves individually. 00:20:29.680 --> 00:20:33.860 There was a study that Baylor did in 2010. 00:20:35.519 --> 00:20:39.600 Works out well since the whole first false rapture thing I read was from 2011. 00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:45.140 Professing Christians who answered a poll said, 00:20:46.460 --> 00:20:50.940 do you read the Bible several times a week, weekly, about weekly, at least once a month, 00:20:51.080 --> 00:20:52.700 or rarely or never? 00:20:52.799 --> 00:20:53.620 Those are their choices. 00:20:54.480 --> 00:20:56.820 Several times a week, 34%. 00:20:56.819 --> 00:21:01.059 One-third of the people surveyed professing Christians, mind you. 00:21:01.119 --> 00:21:03.799 Now, that doesn't mean that they were actually Christians. 00:21:03.939 --> 00:21:05.599 It's just people who said they were Christians. 00:21:06.759 --> 00:21:12.679 But people who said they were Christians, 34%, only 34% read their Bible several times a week. 00:21:13.599 --> 00:21:16.879 Only 10% read their Bible weekly. 00:21:17.579 --> 00:21:21.299 That's W-E-E-K-L-Y, not E-A. 00:21:21.939 --> 00:21:23.659 10% read their Bible weekly. 00:21:23.660 --> 00:21:27.640 11% read their Bible about weekly. 00:21:28.560 --> 00:21:32.660 You know, I'm picking it up once a week, once every couple weeks. 00:21:34.420 --> 00:21:38.560 11% read their Bible at least once a month. 00:21:39.180 --> 00:21:40.519 This is not corporate worship. 00:21:40.680 --> 00:21:43.060 This is not reading the Bible during Sunday school. 00:21:43.140 --> 00:21:44.620 This is their own personal time. 00:21:45.180 --> 00:21:48.040 11% of people who professed to be Christians took the survey, 00:21:48.180 --> 00:21:50.779 read their Bible at least once a month. 00:21:50.779 --> 00:21:59.000 This is the one that, rarely or never, 34%. 00:21:59.000 --> 00:22:00.940 Get that. 00:22:02.279 --> 00:22:05.920 People who professed to be Christians, who said they loved the Lord Jesus Christ, 00:22:06.460 --> 00:22:08.960 who have God's Word. 00:22:09.720 --> 00:22:13.039 Because we're in America here, we have this Word readily available. 00:22:13.039 --> 00:22:17.779 I mean, last I knew, you could walk into Dollar Tree and buy it for a buck. 00:22:19.039 --> 00:22:22.819 I mean, it may be a buck fifty now, because Dollar Tree just is false advertising anymore. 00:22:23.180 --> 00:22:28.539 But we can get our hands on the Bible easily, readily, no worries. 00:22:29.879 --> 00:22:36.399 And yet, of professing Christians in this survey in 2010, one-third never picked up their Bible. 00:22:36.400 --> 00:22:39.480 Maybe they took it to church with them, maybe they didn't, 00:22:39.519 --> 00:22:41.600 because if they're going to a church for entertainment, why bring the Bible? 00:22:42.640 --> 00:22:45.400 I've been in one of those churches, if you brought your Bible, you couldn't read it anyway, 00:22:45.480 --> 00:22:47.019 because they keep the lights turned off where you're sitting. 00:22:48.460 --> 00:22:49.300 Drives me crazy. 00:22:51.300 --> 00:23:00.240 So anyways, we've got a very large portion of the professing Christian world 00:23:00.240 --> 00:23:03.039 that are ignorant. 00:23:04.380 --> 00:23:08.420 They're tossed about by every wave of doctrine. 00:23:08.680 --> 00:23:11.240 They're here, they're there, they're following this, 00:23:11.539 --> 00:23:14.900 because it said this was going to happen on X. 00:23:15.620 --> 00:23:16.440 On Twitter. 00:23:16.559 --> 00:23:17.819 It sounds so much easier to say Twitter. 00:23:18.620 --> 00:23:20.079 I don't know why X just doesn't... 00:23:20.079 --> 00:23:20.720 Anyway, it doesn't matter. 00:23:21.559 --> 00:23:24.120 I heard about it on social media, so it must be happening. 00:23:25.039 --> 00:23:25.240 What? 00:23:26.920 --> 00:23:29.440 That is a wonderful place to base your doctrine upon. 00:23:30.240 --> 00:23:31.259 Facebook doctrine. 00:23:31.920 --> 00:23:32.720 This is great. 00:23:33.700 --> 00:23:35.299 No, no, no, no, no. 00:23:35.299 --> 00:23:37.500 Our doctrine must be based upon the Word of God, 00:23:37.620 --> 00:23:40.259 and if we're going to base our doctrine on the Word of God, 00:23:40.319 --> 00:23:44.099 if we're going to live our lives according to the doctrine of God's Word, 00:23:44.240 --> 00:23:46.819 we have to know God's Word. 00:23:47.180 --> 00:23:50.480 Now, mind you, again, you're never going to know God's Word completely. 00:23:51.720 --> 00:23:53.220 I've been saved 36 years. 00:23:53.220 --> 00:23:56.299 I read my Bible through more than once each year. 00:23:56.420 --> 00:23:57.279 I study. 00:23:57.420 --> 00:23:58.440 I read other books. 00:23:58.559 --> 00:23:59.200 I teach. 00:23:59.299 --> 00:23:59.680 I preach. 00:23:59.680 --> 00:24:01.380 If you don't study, you can't teach. 00:24:02.200 --> 00:24:03.100 It's just what it is. 00:24:03.640 --> 00:24:06.440 You don't just get up and make these things up and start blowing and blustering. 00:24:07.640 --> 00:24:08.759 At least you're not supposed to. 00:24:10.180 --> 00:24:11.440 That's a whole other lesson. 00:24:12.820 --> 00:24:13.820 No rabbit trails. 00:24:14.000 --> 00:24:14.820 No rabbit trails. 00:24:15.080 --> 00:24:17.600 The thing of it is, the preacher shouldn't be the only one studying. 00:24:19.279 --> 00:24:20.820 Preacher shouldn't be the only one meditating. 00:24:20.960 --> 00:24:22.000 Preacher shouldn't be the only one reading. 00:24:22.940 --> 00:24:25.279 We have to know the Word of God. 00:24:25.420 --> 00:24:26.660 We're never going to know it completely. 00:24:26.660 --> 00:24:27.440 That's where I was going. 00:24:27.519 --> 00:24:29.759 I was trying to remember how I got to where I was. 00:24:30.600 --> 00:24:32.980 We're never going to know it completely because it is God's Word. 00:24:33.779 --> 00:24:40.040 If it was written by a man, I would have the possibility with enough study of understanding 00:24:40.040 --> 00:24:40.840 everything that was written. 00:24:40.839 --> 00:24:44.019 You pick out any textbook that you want to. 00:24:44.019 --> 00:24:45.779 I don't care if it's college level, graduate level. 00:24:45.859 --> 00:24:47.879 You pick up any textbook that you want to. 00:24:48.079 --> 00:24:52.220 And you hand it to somebody who's willing to take the time to think and to study. 00:24:52.639 --> 00:24:53.699 To read, think, and study. 00:24:53.700 --> 00:24:59.460 And there is the possibility that that person eventually will understand everything in that textbook 00:24:59.460 --> 00:25:02.120 because it was written by a human being. 00:25:03.220 --> 00:25:08.200 And what any human being writes, any other given human being with enough time, trouble, 00:25:08.259 --> 00:25:11.980 and effort can understand what the first human being wrote. 00:25:12.740 --> 00:25:14.819 This is not written by a human being. 00:25:14.819 --> 00:25:19.159 This was written by the Holy Spirit of God delivered through human beings. 00:25:19.879 --> 00:25:23.159 Which means no matter how much we study it, no matter how much we read it, 00:25:23.220 --> 00:25:28.139 no matter how much we prayerfully meditate upon it, we will always be learning. 00:25:29.599 --> 00:25:32.059 And quite frankly, that excites the living out of me. 00:25:32.919 --> 00:25:37.079 I love the fact that there is always more to learn about God. 00:25:37.179 --> 00:25:40.119 I've heard people say, I can hardly wait to get to heaven where I understand everything. 00:25:40.439 --> 00:25:41.639 I am sorry to disappoint you. 00:25:41.679 --> 00:25:42.419 That's not going to happen. 00:25:42.420 --> 00:25:47.259 If you understand everything, there is a fancy word for that. 00:25:47.320 --> 00:25:49.180 That means, it's called omniscience. 00:25:50.100 --> 00:25:53.620 You know everything, you understand everything, you are omniscient. 00:25:54.080 --> 00:25:54.660 Guess what? 00:25:55.300 --> 00:25:57.180 There's only one being who is omniscient. 00:25:57.960 --> 00:25:58.900 And that is God himself. 00:26:00.460 --> 00:26:04.400 Which means, when you get up to heaven, you're not going to understand everything. 00:26:05.759 --> 00:26:09.320 It also means that throughout all of eternity, we're going to be learning. 00:26:09.319 --> 00:26:12.599 Now, I know some of you, that depresses. 00:26:13.179 --> 00:26:14.899 Me, it excites. 00:26:16.159 --> 00:26:18.759 I love learning more about God. 00:26:18.839 --> 00:26:20.639 I love learning more about God's word. 00:26:20.779 --> 00:26:24.240 I love finding something in the scriptures I hadn't seen before. 00:26:24.559 --> 00:26:29.019 And I anticipate and look forward to spending the entirety of eternity 00:26:29.019 --> 00:26:36.900 digging deeper in God's word and having he himself, perhaps, teach me from his word. 00:26:37.639 --> 00:26:40.480 Having the apostle Paul maybe get up to teach a class. 00:26:41.400 --> 00:26:42.819 Now, wouldn't that be great? 00:26:43.720 --> 00:26:45.579 No more of this chubby, bald guy up here. 00:26:46.279 --> 00:26:48.160 Get the apostle Paul up and have him teach it. 00:26:48.160 --> 00:26:49.620 Now, he may be a chubby, bald guy too. 00:26:49.680 --> 00:26:50.300 I don't know. 00:26:51.259 --> 00:26:53.060 But he's not going to be this chubby, bald guy. 00:26:54.900 --> 00:26:56.660 Get the apostle Paul get up there and say, 00:26:56.940 --> 00:26:59.120 this is how the Holy Spirit moved in my heart to write this. 00:26:59.160 --> 00:27:00.220 And this is what he showed me. 00:27:00.279 --> 00:27:01.400 And did you ever think about this? 00:27:02.620 --> 00:27:04.120 No, I hadn't thought about that. 00:27:04.900 --> 00:27:06.200 That excites me. 00:27:07.040 --> 00:27:08.259 And think of it as, you don't have to wait to heaven. 00:27:08.360 --> 00:27:10.360 You've got the Holy Spirit dwelling inside you right now 00:27:10.359 --> 00:27:11.899 to show you things from the word. 00:27:12.139 --> 00:27:13.299 But only if you read it. 00:27:14.219 --> 00:27:16.500 And prayerfully meditate upon it. 00:27:16.719 --> 00:27:17.719 And study it. 00:27:19.000 --> 00:27:22.719 So we've got a whole great big group of professing Christianity 00:27:22.719 --> 00:27:24.719 who is willfully ignorant. 00:27:24.859 --> 00:27:26.219 They're not going to church. 00:27:26.399 --> 00:27:28.859 They're not going to churches that teach them proper doctrine. 00:27:29.259 --> 00:27:32.119 And they are not studying the Bibles for themselves. 00:27:32.259 --> 00:27:32.899 And so what happens? 00:27:32.899 --> 00:27:37.240 They get sucked into all these crazy fads. 00:27:37.599 --> 00:27:38.159 They get sucked. 00:27:38.160 --> 00:27:41.620 You ever wonder why so many people who started out in a Baptist church 00:27:41.620 --> 00:27:42.759 end up in a cult? 00:27:43.940 --> 00:27:44.880 And it happens. 00:27:45.160 --> 00:27:48.840 Why so many people who started out in a fundamental Baptist church 00:27:48.840 --> 00:27:52.040 end up in some crazy charismatic thing? 00:27:52.540 --> 00:27:53.380 It happens. 00:27:53.820 --> 00:27:54.400 Why is that? 00:27:54.480 --> 00:27:56.800 Because they didn't take responsibility themselves 00:27:56.800 --> 00:27:58.320 for learning the right doctrines. 00:27:59.700 --> 00:28:02.620 They did not get in there. 00:28:03.320 --> 00:28:06.140 They are destroyed, as Hosea wrote, 00:28:06.660 --> 00:28:08.019 destroyed for a lack of knowledge. 00:28:08.160 --> 00:28:12.180 So real quick, before we close the lesson, 00:28:12.540 --> 00:28:14.680 three things about the lack of knowledge. 00:28:15.480 --> 00:28:18.160 Lack of knowledge, number one, destroys believers. 00:28:19.380 --> 00:28:22.240 Lack of knowledge destroys believers. 00:28:23.500 --> 00:28:26.240 2 Thessalonians 2, verse number one says, 00:28:26.240 --> 00:28:29.259 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ 00:28:29.259 --> 00:28:30.759 and by our gathering together unto him, 00:28:30.759 --> 00:28:34.160 that ye be not soon shaken in mind, 00:28:34.460 --> 00:28:38.799 or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter, 00:28:38.900 --> 00:28:42.120 as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 00:28:42.259 --> 00:28:47.339 He's writing to the Thessalonians to reinforce the doctrine of the day of Christ 00:28:47.339 --> 00:28:50.759 because they had received letters that had troubled them. 00:28:51.480 --> 00:28:54.220 They were not firm in their knowledge, 00:28:54.220 --> 00:28:55.960 and they weren't firm in their belief. 00:28:56.279 --> 00:29:02.180 And so he was writing to confirm and to strengthen them in that belief. 00:29:02.319 --> 00:29:04.859 2 Thessalonians 2, verse number 15 says, 00:29:05.140 --> 00:29:09.200 Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you have been taught, 00:29:09.279 --> 00:29:11.059 whether by word or our epistle. 00:29:11.059 --> 00:29:14.700 He is not talking about vain traditions as received but from our fathers, 00:29:14.839 --> 00:29:16.799 which is mentioned elsewhere. 00:29:17.200 --> 00:29:19.379 The traditions he's talking about are biblical traditions, 00:29:19.519 --> 00:29:23.379 understanding the scriptures and living by what the scriptures say. 00:29:23.879 --> 00:29:26.899 The problem is people don't do that. 00:29:27.319 --> 00:29:29.460 They don't have the knowledge of the scriptures 00:29:29.460 --> 00:29:32.839 and the knowledge of doctrine that they should have. 00:29:33.039 --> 00:29:35.419 And because of that, they are drawn away. 00:29:36.200 --> 00:29:38.079 They are drawn away into cults. 00:29:38.079 --> 00:29:43.359 They are drawn away into different isms of Christianity, 00:29:43.799 --> 00:29:46.399 false doctrines of Christianity. 00:29:46.639 --> 00:29:48.299 They are drawn away into the world. 00:29:49.379 --> 00:29:51.279 They turn their backs on religion. 00:29:51.399 --> 00:29:52.720 They turn their backs on Christianity. 00:29:52.960 --> 00:29:54.199 And they go off into the world. 00:29:54.299 --> 00:29:55.220 Are they saved or not? 00:29:55.339 --> 00:29:56.319 They profess to be. 00:29:56.480 --> 00:29:58.119 It's not my place to judge that. 00:29:59.879 --> 00:30:01.480 Quite frankly, standing before you, 00:30:01.539 --> 00:30:04.619 the only two people who know whether I'm saved or not 00:30:04.619 --> 00:30:06.299 are myself and the Lord. 00:30:07.739 --> 00:30:10.979 Because you can get up and you can teach without being saved. 00:30:11.500 --> 00:30:12.139 It happens. 00:30:13.000 --> 00:30:14.599 So let's not be too quick to judge 00:30:14.599 --> 00:30:16.679 just because somebody got drawn off into the world 00:30:16.679 --> 00:30:18.439 or they got drawn off into some craziness. 00:30:18.739 --> 00:30:21.899 Let's not be too quick to judge that they are or are not saved. 00:30:22.000 --> 00:30:22.659 They may not be. 00:30:23.459 --> 00:30:25.919 That would be an easy explanation for why they were drawn away. 00:30:26.259 --> 00:30:28.739 But they also may be, but they were ignorant. 00:30:29.179 --> 00:30:31.319 They were not grounded in their faith. 00:30:31.319 --> 00:30:34.519 They were torn away by waves of doctrine, 00:30:34.839 --> 00:30:36.759 pulling them this way, pulling them that way, 00:30:37.059 --> 00:30:40.359 moving them away from the safe harbor of God's word. 00:30:41.799 --> 00:30:44.079 A lack of knowledge destroys believers. 00:30:45.000 --> 00:30:50.200 You can imagine these folks who were posting on X 00:30:50.200 --> 00:30:53.299 and other places, whether you're talking about 2011 00:30:53.299 --> 00:30:57.519 or last week, these professing Christians 00:30:57.519 --> 00:31:02.019 who were falling for this and were posting things, 00:31:02.079 --> 00:31:03.980 you can imagine they feel pretty foolish right now. 00:31:04.799 --> 00:31:07.259 There are a lot of people going back and deleting posts. 00:31:08.279 --> 00:31:09.639 Sorry, the internet is forever. 00:31:11.240 --> 00:31:12.960 Which again, if you're on social media, 00:31:13.200 --> 00:31:14.200 be very careful what you post 00:31:14.200 --> 00:31:16.220 because even if you delete it, it's not gone. 00:31:16.480 --> 00:31:18.319 Remember that before you lose your temper 00:31:18.319 --> 00:31:19.519 and write something you shouldn't write. 00:31:20.000 --> 00:31:21.819 Take two breaths, write it, delete it. 00:31:22.680 --> 00:31:23.579 Wait two days. 00:31:23.579 --> 00:31:26.319 And if it still seems like a good idea, 00:31:26.799 --> 00:31:28.079 pray about it and then don't do it anyway. 00:31:28.419 --> 00:31:29.000 Be firm. 00:31:29.319 --> 00:31:31.299 I'm not gonna get, again, no rabbit trail, 00:31:31.439 --> 00:31:32.579 no rabbit trail, no rabbit trail. 00:31:33.319 --> 00:31:35.539 But you can imagine the people who fell for this 00:31:35.539 --> 00:31:39.059 and posted things and were weeping with their families 00:31:39.059 --> 00:31:40.220 and gathering together. 00:31:40.539 --> 00:31:42.599 Maybe some, and I've heard of this, 00:31:42.720 --> 00:31:44.139 that people fall for this sort of scam 00:31:44.139 --> 00:31:46.220 and they actually give away their goods, 00:31:46.399 --> 00:31:48.480 give away their money. 00:31:48.720 --> 00:31:50.019 I'm not gonna need this anymore 00:31:50.019 --> 00:31:52.799 because on Thursday, Jesus is coming back 00:31:52.799 --> 00:31:55.519 and it won't do me any good to have my 401k, 00:31:55.619 --> 00:31:56.619 so here you have it. 00:31:57.799 --> 00:31:58.799 And you can imagine right now, 00:31:58.879 --> 00:32:01.220 they're feeling pretty foolish. 00:32:03.259 --> 00:32:05.079 Can't believe I fell for that. 00:32:06.359 --> 00:32:08.480 I can't believe, you know what? 00:32:10.039 --> 00:32:11.500 The whole thing must not be true. 00:32:13.359 --> 00:32:14.339 Christianity is false. 00:32:15.379 --> 00:32:16.919 I can't, I feel foolish. 00:32:17.399 --> 00:32:19.799 That means that none of it's right. 00:32:19.799 --> 00:32:21.980 These people are all deluded. 00:32:22.079 --> 00:32:23.099 They're still following this. 00:32:23.180 --> 00:32:23.500 Not me. 00:32:23.639 --> 00:32:26.159 I've been awakened. 00:32:27.019 --> 00:32:28.180 I woke up now. 00:32:28.720 --> 00:32:30.240 And I'm not gonna fall for this anymore. 00:32:30.339 --> 00:32:31.059 I'm not gonna look foolish. 00:32:31.159 --> 00:32:32.639 I'm not gonna be torn away by this stuff. 00:32:32.839 --> 00:32:36.279 So I'm gonna, y'all are just naive. 00:32:37.159 --> 00:32:37.940 Not me anymore. 00:32:38.419 --> 00:32:39.579 See, it destroyed their faith. 00:32:39.799 --> 00:32:41.819 And there are people that that happens to. 00:32:43.259 --> 00:32:46.019 Because, not because God let them down, 00:32:46.019 --> 00:32:47.779 but because in their ignorance, 00:32:47.920 --> 00:32:50.359 they believed something that was not doctrinally true 00:32:50.359 --> 00:32:52.579 and because they put their entirety of their faith 00:32:52.579 --> 00:32:54.859 in a non-doctrinal belief, 00:32:55.299 --> 00:32:56.740 a false doctrine, 00:32:57.460 --> 00:32:59.539 when it was exposed as false, 00:32:59.680 --> 00:33:00.339 they were destroyed. 00:33:02.099 --> 00:33:04.639 Lack of knowledge destroys believer. 00:33:04.759 --> 00:33:05.660 Not only that though, 00:33:05.980 --> 00:33:08.119 but it dismays unbelievers. 00:33:09.240 --> 00:33:10.920 A lack of knowledge on our part 00:33:10.920 --> 00:33:12.420 dismays unbelievers. 00:33:13.240 --> 00:33:15.320 The Lord Jesus Christ said in Matthew chapter five, 00:33:15.380 --> 00:33:16.480 starting at verse number 14, 00:33:16.600 --> 00:33:17.680 ye are the light of the world. 00:33:18.360 --> 00:33:20.480 A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 00:33:20.640 --> 00:33:21.880 Neither do men light a candle 00:33:21.880 --> 00:33:22.920 and put it under a bushel, 00:33:23.200 --> 00:33:24.200 but on a candlestick, 00:33:24.240 --> 00:33:26.380 and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 00:33:26.720 --> 00:33:29.120 Let your light so shine before men 00:33:29.120 --> 00:33:31.300 that they may see your good works 00:33:31.300 --> 00:33:33.240 and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 00:33:33.320 --> 00:33:33.779 In other words, 00:33:33.840 --> 00:33:35.980 our testimony and the way we behave 00:33:35.980 --> 00:33:37.800 is supposed to be a witness 00:33:37.800 --> 00:33:39.380 and a testimony to people around us, 00:33:39.460 --> 00:33:41.039 not to make us look good. 00:33:41.039 --> 00:33:43.779 The point is not that I am to have people 00:33:43.779 --> 00:33:44.519 look at me and say, 00:33:44.720 --> 00:33:45.799 he's a great guy. 00:33:46.839 --> 00:33:48.139 He has wonderful character. 00:33:48.500 --> 00:33:50.079 He has a sterling reputation. 00:33:50.240 --> 00:33:51.119 That's not the point. 00:33:52.019 --> 00:33:54.839 The point of our conversation 00:33:54.839 --> 00:33:56.700 is to point people to God. 00:33:57.259 --> 00:33:58.180 To glorify, 00:33:58.339 --> 00:33:59.279 that they'd look at us and say, 00:33:59.379 --> 00:34:00.159 you know, that Christianity 00:34:00.159 --> 00:34:01.180 must have something to it. 00:34:02.200 --> 00:34:04.420 If he's behaving this way 00:34:04.420 --> 00:34:06.099 and he's doing these sort of things 00:34:06.099 --> 00:34:07.700 and he's showing God's love this way, 00:34:07.920 --> 00:34:08.440 you know what? 00:34:08.500 --> 00:34:10.000 There must be something to that. 00:34:11.039 --> 00:34:12.460 Maybe I should look into it myself. 00:34:12.619 --> 00:34:13.980 Maybe I should listen to what he says. 00:34:14.099 --> 00:34:15.539 Maybe I should go to church with him. 00:34:16.039 --> 00:34:17.119 Maybe I should read that tract 00:34:17.119 --> 00:34:17.820 that he gave me. 00:34:19.219 --> 00:34:20.079 It's not about us. 00:34:20.119 --> 00:34:20.779 It's about him. 00:34:21.519 --> 00:34:22.380 But the trouble is, 00:34:22.440 --> 00:34:24.159 when we fall for something like this, 00:34:24.659 --> 00:34:26.320 we invite people to mock us. 00:34:27.519 --> 00:34:29.699 The world out there is looking. 00:34:31.500 --> 00:34:33.300 The world paints with a broad brush. 00:34:33.300 --> 00:34:37.480 The world will look at every professing Christian, 00:34:37.740 --> 00:34:38.120 and again, 00:34:38.180 --> 00:34:40.280 that's a very large term in and of itself, 00:34:41.019 --> 00:34:42.640 but they will paint with a broad brush 00:34:42.640 --> 00:34:43.160 saying that, 00:34:43.280 --> 00:34:43.600 oh, look, 00:34:43.660 --> 00:34:44.519 these people that believe 00:34:44.519 --> 00:34:45.420 that this rapture was coming 00:34:45.420 --> 00:34:46.320 and it hasn't come, 00:34:46.740 --> 00:34:48.620 it's like that post I read a moment ago 00:34:48.620 --> 00:34:50.420 that ended with ha, ha. 00:34:51.880 --> 00:34:52.860 They start turning. 00:34:52.960 --> 00:34:53.860 They start mocking. 00:34:54.519 --> 00:34:57.780 Instead of being the right testimony 00:34:57.780 --> 00:34:59.860 and the right witness, 00:35:00.540 --> 00:35:01.880 we live our lives, 00:35:02.440 --> 00:35:04.740 we put everything on a false doctrine, 00:35:04.840 --> 00:35:06.080 that doctrine is proved false 00:35:06.080 --> 00:35:07.519 in front of the world, 00:35:08.080 --> 00:35:10.540 and we open up God for mocking. 00:35:11.620 --> 00:35:14.180 Instead of glorifying God with our lives, 00:35:14.700 --> 00:35:17.780 we are opening up God to be mocked 00:35:18.340 --> 00:35:22.220 because of our lack of understanding, 00:35:22.680 --> 00:35:24.660 because of our lack of knowledge, 00:35:25.240 --> 00:35:27.160 because we could not be bothered 00:35:27.159 --> 00:35:28.379 to search it out. 00:35:28.719 --> 00:35:29.799 We could not be bothered 00:35:29.799 --> 00:35:31.960 to compare Scripture to Scripture. 00:35:32.399 --> 00:35:33.559 We could not be bothered 00:35:33.559 --> 00:35:35.139 to go to somebody 00:35:35.139 --> 00:35:37.659 more biblically knowledgeable than ourselves, 00:35:38.079 --> 00:35:40.379 to go to the pastor, for instance, 00:35:40.719 --> 00:35:42.099 or to one of the deacons, 00:35:42.239 --> 00:35:43.659 or to a Sunday school teacher, 00:35:43.859 --> 00:35:44.519 or to somebody 00:35:44.519 --> 00:35:46.199 who's been down the road 00:35:46.199 --> 00:35:47.379 farther than we have, 00:35:47.460 --> 00:35:47.819 though those, 00:35:47.940 --> 00:35:48.539 as I get older, 00:35:48.619 --> 00:35:49.559 those are harder to find. 00:35:49.839 --> 00:35:51.219 But we could not be bothered 00:35:51.219 --> 00:35:52.519 to go to people 00:35:52.519 --> 00:35:54.079 that have a greater biblical knowledge 00:35:54.079 --> 00:35:54.679 than ourselves 00:35:54.679 --> 00:35:55.779 and say, 00:35:55.859 --> 00:35:56.219 listen, 00:35:56.219 --> 00:35:57.439 I read this, 00:35:57.500 --> 00:35:58.359 I heard this, 00:35:58.519 --> 00:35:59.779 somebody told me this, 00:36:00.119 --> 00:36:01.379 I was thinking about this, 00:36:01.500 --> 00:36:02.279 what do you think? 00:36:04.079 --> 00:36:05.679 And let them teach us. 00:36:06.539 --> 00:36:07.480 Did you know 00:36:07.480 --> 00:36:09.319 that teaching does not have to be 00:36:09.319 --> 00:36:10.480 in a group situation like this? 00:36:11.939 --> 00:36:13.919 You can go to the pastor 00:36:13.919 --> 00:36:15.539 and ask him questions yourself. 00:36:15.539 --> 00:36:17.400 I know, 00:36:17.559 --> 00:36:18.980 right there, right? 00:36:20.860 --> 00:36:22.380 You can go to a deacon 00:36:22.380 --> 00:36:24.639 and you can ask him questions yourself. 00:36:26.440 --> 00:36:27.380 Sunday school teachers, 00:36:27.739 --> 00:36:28.400 hey, you got a minute? 00:36:28.679 --> 00:36:30.400 You can have one-on-one conversations, 00:36:30.519 --> 00:36:31.019 it's okay. 00:36:32.400 --> 00:36:33.500 Invite me out for a coffee 00:36:33.500 --> 00:36:34.380 and I'll spend all the time 00:36:34.380 --> 00:36:35.099 you want with you, 00:36:35.179 --> 00:36:36.320 especially if it's good coffee. 00:36:36.860 --> 00:36:37.860 It doesn't have to be good coffee 00:36:37.860 --> 00:36:38.539 as long as it's coffee, 00:36:38.599 --> 00:36:39.579 but if it's good coffee, 00:36:39.659 --> 00:36:40.000 especially. 00:36:40.000 --> 00:36:45.280 But it's because of our unwillingness 00:36:45.280 --> 00:36:45.900 to be taught, 00:36:46.579 --> 00:36:48.159 our unwillingness to invest time 00:36:48.159 --> 00:36:49.019 and effort into learning, 00:36:49.420 --> 00:36:50.719 we open up God for mockery. 00:36:51.980 --> 00:36:53.139 And we do it publicly, 00:36:53.539 --> 00:36:53.860 for instance, 00:36:53.920 --> 00:36:54.539 on social media. 00:36:55.980 --> 00:36:56.800 And then the people 00:36:56.800 --> 00:36:58.579 that we should be witnessing to 00:36:58.579 --> 00:37:00.039 no longer listen to us 00:37:00.039 --> 00:37:03.440 because they believe us to be fools. 00:37:03.440 --> 00:37:06.500 Rightfully or wrongfully, 00:37:07.000 --> 00:37:08.840 we have made a fool of ourselves, 00:37:09.099 --> 00:37:10.840 we have opened God to mockery, 00:37:10.960 --> 00:37:12.380 and we have lost our ability 00:37:12.380 --> 00:37:14.019 to witness to the people 00:37:14.019 --> 00:37:15.980 that we should be telling about God 00:37:15.980 --> 00:37:18.980 because we've opened him up for mockery. 00:37:19.840 --> 00:37:20.400 So number one, 00:37:20.920 --> 00:37:22.280 lack of knowledge destroys believers. 00:37:22.460 --> 00:37:22.780 Number two, 00:37:22.840 --> 00:37:25.059 a lack of knowledge dismays unbelievers. 00:37:25.360 --> 00:37:26.220 And number three, 00:37:26.360 --> 00:37:29.679 a lack of knowledge delights our adversary. 00:37:30.200 --> 00:37:31.820 Never lose sight of the fact 00:37:31.820 --> 00:37:32.720 that the Christian life 00:37:32.719 --> 00:37:34.159 is a continual spiritual battle. 00:37:35.379 --> 00:37:38.799 We are not called to just cruise. 00:37:39.939 --> 00:37:41.579 We have enemies. 00:37:41.980 --> 00:37:42.980 The world is our enemy. 00:37:43.219 --> 00:37:44.299 Our flesh is our enemy. 00:37:44.299 --> 00:37:46.659 And there is an actual, 00:37:46.879 --> 00:37:50.099 real, spiritual being called Satan 00:37:50.099 --> 00:37:52.199 who is our adversary. 00:37:52.659 --> 00:37:55.539 And he delights in us 00:37:55.539 --> 00:37:56.799 making God look bad. 00:37:57.739 --> 00:38:01.439 He delights in us losing our ability 00:38:01.440 --> 00:38:03.280 to witness or to testify. 00:38:03.280 --> 00:38:07.460 He delights in believers 00:38:07.460 --> 00:38:09.659 in their ignorance, 00:38:09.659 --> 00:38:12.500 believing something false 00:38:12.500 --> 00:38:14.740 and then falling by the wayside 00:38:14.740 --> 00:38:16.300 or being driven into a cult 00:38:16.300 --> 00:38:17.900 or whatever. 00:38:18.380 --> 00:38:20.260 He delights in this. 00:38:20.260 --> 00:38:22.400 In 2 Samuel, 00:38:22.400 --> 00:38:25.140 we have the story of David and Bathsheba. 00:38:25.820 --> 00:38:28.220 How that David committed adultery with Bathsheba, 00:38:28.360 --> 00:38:30.820 murdered her husband to cover it up. 00:38:31.120 --> 00:38:33.840 God sent a prophet named Nathan to David. 00:38:34.820 --> 00:38:35.260 And Nathan, 00:38:35.380 --> 00:38:38.300 in one of the more famous rebukes in the Bible, 00:38:38.420 --> 00:38:39.720 told David a story 00:38:39.720 --> 00:38:42.240 about a man who had great flocks 00:38:42.239 --> 00:38:45.619 and his neighbor who only had one little lamb. 00:38:46.239 --> 00:38:47.459 And when someone came to visit 00:38:47.459 --> 00:38:49.519 the man who had the great flocks, 00:38:50.479 --> 00:38:51.899 hundreds and hundreds of sheep, 00:38:52.619 --> 00:38:54.159 he didn't kill one of his own sheep 00:38:54.159 --> 00:38:55.259 to provide for his visitor. 00:38:55.419 --> 00:38:57.619 He stole the sheep from the man 00:38:57.619 --> 00:38:58.679 who only had that one. 00:38:59.519 --> 00:39:01.119 David was enraged. 00:39:04.019 --> 00:39:05.479 Promised great punishment 00:39:05.479 --> 00:39:06.979 to the man who had done such a thing. 00:39:07.500 --> 00:39:07.960 And Nathan, 00:39:08.480 --> 00:39:11.039 Nathan didn't cower, 00:39:11.500 --> 00:39:12.179 didn't back down. 00:39:12.260 --> 00:39:13.300 Nathan looked straight at David 00:39:13.300 --> 00:39:13.619 and said, 00:39:13.740 --> 00:39:15.260 Thou art the man. 00:39:16.920 --> 00:39:17.880 Now, to David's credit, 00:39:18.300 --> 00:39:19.340 he repented of his sin 00:39:19.340 --> 00:39:20.179 and got right with God. 00:39:21.460 --> 00:39:23.240 But even when we repent of our sin 00:39:23.240 --> 00:39:24.019 and get right with God, 00:39:24.099 --> 00:39:25.860 there are consequences to our actions. 00:39:27.059 --> 00:39:28.639 So Nathan looked at David 00:39:28.639 --> 00:39:30.340 and part of what he said to him was, 00:39:30.340 --> 00:39:32.219 in 2 Samuel 12, verse 14, 00:39:32.440 --> 00:39:32.960 How be it? 00:39:33.679 --> 00:39:34.800 Because by this deed, 00:39:34.800 --> 00:39:37.820 thou hast given great occasion 00:39:37.820 --> 00:39:39.900 to the enemies of the Lord 00:39:39.900 --> 00:39:41.300 to blaspheme, 00:39:41.640 --> 00:39:43.580 the child also that is born unto thee 00:39:43.580 --> 00:39:44.760 shall surely die. 00:39:46.080 --> 00:39:46.820 Say, what's that mean? 00:39:46.880 --> 00:39:48.860 That means that when we have 00:39:48.860 --> 00:39:49.720 a lack of knowledge 00:39:49.720 --> 00:39:52.039 and we bring shame unto God, 00:39:52.320 --> 00:39:55.420 it causes those who blaspheme the Lord, 00:39:56.580 --> 00:39:57.660 it gives great occasion 00:39:57.660 --> 00:39:58.840 to the enemies of the Lord 00:39:58.840 --> 00:39:59.480 to blaspheme. 00:39:59.760 --> 00:40:01.180 The world out there, 00:40:01.260 --> 00:40:02.640 the people who don't believe in God 00:40:02.639 --> 00:40:03.559 and think Christianity 00:40:03.559 --> 00:40:06.239 is just nothing and foolishness, 00:40:06.359 --> 00:40:07.500 they see stuff like 00:40:07.500 --> 00:40:08.599 we've been talking about, 00:40:08.739 --> 00:40:09.920 the fake rapture, 00:40:10.339 --> 00:40:11.239 and they laugh. 00:40:11.359 --> 00:40:11.879 They point, 00:40:12.019 --> 00:40:13.199 they blaspheme against God. 00:40:13.279 --> 00:40:13.819 See, I told you, 00:40:14.319 --> 00:40:15.819 your sky father 00:40:15.819 --> 00:40:17.379 wasn't anybody real. 00:40:18.219 --> 00:40:18.859 Told ya. 00:40:20.059 --> 00:40:20.799 Not only does it give 00:40:20.799 --> 00:40:22.199 the world occasion to blaspheme, 00:40:22.460 --> 00:40:23.920 it gives the enemy, 00:40:24.299 --> 00:40:25.219 Satan himself, 00:40:25.379 --> 00:40:26.279 a chance to blaspheme, 00:40:26.519 --> 00:40:28.179 working through and around us, 00:40:28.480 --> 00:40:29.059 just making, 00:40:29.339 --> 00:40:30.579 setting ourselves up for mockery, 00:40:30.579 --> 00:40:31.840 but more than setting ourselves up 00:40:31.840 --> 00:40:32.799 for mockery and blasphemy, 00:40:33.099 --> 00:40:34.299 it sets God up for mockery 00:40:34.299 --> 00:40:34.960 and blasphemy. 00:40:36.340 --> 00:40:37.319 Titus chapter 2, 00:40:37.400 --> 00:40:38.039 verse number 1, 00:40:38.079 --> 00:40:38.900 and we're done. 00:40:39.819 --> 00:40:41.259 Verse numbers 1 through 8. 00:40:42.340 --> 00:40:42.860 Bible says, 00:40:42.960 --> 00:40:44.139 But speak thou the things 00:40:44.139 --> 00:40:46.380 which become sound doctrine, 00:40:47.259 --> 00:40:49.480 that the age of men 00:40:49.480 --> 00:40:50.179 be sober, 00:40:51.059 --> 00:40:51.679 grave, 00:40:52.340 --> 00:40:52.840 temperate, 00:40:53.319 --> 00:40:55.079 sound in faith. 00:40:55.279 --> 00:40:56.299 Notice the emphasis here. 00:40:56.420 --> 00:40:57.099 Sound doctrine, 00:40:57.299 --> 00:40:58.259 sound in faith, 00:40:58.860 --> 00:40:59.599 in charity, 00:40:59.599 --> 00:41:00.139 and patience. 00:41:00.239 --> 00:41:00.960 The aged women, 00:41:01.259 --> 00:41:01.579 likewise. 00:41:03.039 --> 00:41:03.940 This is not something 00:41:03.940 --> 00:41:04.519 we're just preaching 00:41:04.519 --> 00:41:05.199 to the guys. 00:41:06.039 --> 00:41:07.239 We're all supposed 00:41:07.239 --> 00:41:08.719 to be sound in faith, 00:41:09.079 --> 00:41:10.139 that they be in behavior 00:41:10.139 --> 00:41:11.099 as becometh holiness, 00:41:11.279 --> 00:41:12.219 not false accusers, 00:41:12.299 --> 00:41:13.360 not given to much wine, 00:41:13.739 --> 00:41:15.199 teachers of good things, 00:41:15.480 --> 00:41:16.559 that they may teach 00:41:16.559 --> 00:41:17.239 the young women 00:41:17.239 --> 00:41:17.980 to be sober, 00:41:18.119 --> 00:41:19.059 to love their husbands, 00:41:19.219 --> 00:41:20.079 to love their children, 00:41:20.179 --> 00:41:20.900 to be discreet, 00:41:21.059 --> 00:41:21.380 chaste, 00:41:21.779 --> 00:41:22.599 keepers at home, 00:41:22.779 --> 00:41:23.059 good, 00:41:23.199 --> 00:41:24.460 obedient to their own husbands. 00:41:25.000 --> 00:41:25.420 Why? 00:41:25.420 --> 00:41:27.279 That the word of God 00:41:27.279 --> 00:41:29.079 be not blasphemed. 00:41:29.599 --> 00:41:30.599 Young men, 00:41:30.699 --> 00:41:31.239 likewise, 00:41:31.960 --> 00:41:33.420 exhort to be sober-minded, 00:41:33.880 --> 00:41:35.259 in all things, 00:41:35.420 --> 00:41:37.440 showing thyself a pattern 00:41:37.440 --> 00:41:38.279 of good works, 00:41:38.639 --> 00:41:39.679 in doctrine, 00:41:40.179 --> 00:41:42.339 showing uncorruptness, 00:41:42.819 --> 00:41:43.219 gravity, 00:41:43.679 --> 00:41:44.279 sincerity, 00:41:45.139 --> 00:41:45.900 sound speech 00:41:45.900 --> 00:41:47.440 that cannot be condemned, 00:41:48.079 --> 00:41:50.079 that he that is of the contrary part 00:41:50.079 --> 00:41:50.980 may be ashamed, 00:41:51.559 --> 00:41:52.559 having no evil thing 00:41:52.559 --> 00:41:53.219 to say of you. 00:41:53.940 --> 00:41:55.019 Notice that last phrase, 00:41:55.019 --> 00:41:56.519 he that is of the contrary part, 00:41:56.519 --> 00:41:57.800 that be the enemies of God, 00:41:58.179 --> 00:42:00.300 that Nathan told David 00:42:00.300 --> 00:42:01.300 he had given them occasion 00:42:01.300 --> 00:42:02.019 to blaspheme, 00:42:02.159 --> 00:42:04.039 by living sound doctrine, 00:42:04.840 --> 00:42:07.000 by being sound in faith, 00:42:07.460 --> 00:42:08.699 he that is of the contrary part, 00:42:08.759 --> 00:42:09.639 the enemies of the Lord, 00:42:10.019 --> 00:42:11.320 may be ashamed. 00:42:12.699 --> 00:42:14.500 So the question becomes to us, 00:42:15.780 --> 00:42:17.280 by the way which we live 00:42:17.280 --> 00:42:19.179 in this doctrine that we hold, 00:42:19.739 --> 00:42:21.340 are we giving the enemy occasion 00:42:21.340 --> 00:42:22.380 to blaspheme God, 00:42:22.380 --> 00:42:24.019 or are we giving them occasion 00:42:24.019 --> 00:42:25.199 to be ashamed themselves? 00:42:26.579 --> 00:42:28.719 It is incumbent upon each 00:42:28.719 --> 00:42:30.380 and every one of us 00:42:30.380 --> 00:42:32.519 to be sound in doctrine, 00:42:33.320 --> 00:42:34.639 to be faithful in church, 00:42:34.920 --> 00:42:35.699 to listen, 00:42:36.139 --> 00:42:36.719 to pay attention, 00:42:36.960 --> 00:42:37.559 to learn, 00:42:37.820 --> 00:42:39.460 to read and study 00:42:39.460 --> 00:42:40.440 individually, 00:42:40.860 --> 00:42:41.259 ourselves. 00:42:42.739 --> 00:42:44.219 Yes, the pastor should study. 00:42:44.360 --> 00:42:45.380 Yes, the Sunday school teacher 00:42:45.380 --> 00:42:46.019 should study. 00:42:46.739 --> 00:42:47.380 But can I tell you 00:42:47.380 --> 00:42:48.280 that each and every single one 00:42:48.280 --> 00:42:49.099 of us here this morning 00:42:49.099 --> 00:42:49.940 should study, 00:42:50.480 --> 00:42:51.039 should read, 00:42:51.259 --> 00:42:51.800 should study, 00:42:52.059 --> 00:42:52.679 should understand, 00:42:52.679 --> 00:42:54.779 should ask questions. 00:42:54.940 --> 00:42:56.719 It's okay to ask a question. 00:42:57.039 --> 00:42:57.899 My people are destroyed 00:42:57.899 --> 00:42:58.779 for lack of knowledge. 00:43:00.539 --> 00:43:01.440 Let's strive 00:43:01.440 --> 00:43:03.500 that we're not one of those people 00:43:03.500 --> 00:43:05.000 about whom that can be said. 00:43:05.239 --> 00:43:06.219 Let's pray together this morning. 00:43:06.219 --> 00:43:06.279 Amen.