WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:10.000 ś 00:10.000 --> 00:20.000 ś 00:20.000 --> 00:27.000 ś 00:28.000 --> 00:32.000 Remember, let's find our place. 00:32.000 --> 00:36.000 I am your leader and I must follow wherever my people go. 00:36.000 --> 00:39.000 So you got to sit down eventually. 00:39.000 --> 00:41.000 Isn't that fun? 00:41.000 --> 00:43.000 That's more fun. 00:43.000 --> 00:45.000 Sometimes let's just have 45 minutes of greeting. 00:45.000 --> 00:47.000 Would that be okay? 00:47.000 --> 00:49.000 Or would someone get emotionally involved? 00:49.000 --> 00:51.000 Probably. 00:51.000 --> 00:54.000 We are talking about the great promises. 00:54.000 --> 00:56.000 And this is one of the series. 00:56.000 --> 00:58.000 And it's so exciting. 00:58.000 --> 01:00.000 It's what Jesus said. 01:00.000 --> 01:02.000 And it was so important. 01:02.000 --> 01:05.000 And He said, I will rise again. 01:05.000 --> 01:07.000 You know, that will is declarative, isn't it? 01:07.000 --> 01:09.000 I mean, it's going to happen. 01:09.000 --> 01:11.000 It means total conviction, not perhaps, 01:11.000 --> 01:13.000 but it will happen. 01:13.000 --> 01:15.000 And it did happen. 01:15.000 --> 01:19.000 And our text will be Luke 9, beginning in verse 22 01:19.000 --> 01:21.000 and through verse 27. 01:21.000 --> 01:23.000 We will essentially be there, 01:23.000 --> 01:26.000 though there will be some skipping around from time to time. 01:26.000 --> 01:28.000 But stay in that chapter, 01:28.000 --> 01:32.000 chapter Luke 9 and 22, 01:32.000 --> 01:35.000 beginning through, ending with 27. 01:35.000 --> 01:37.000 I will rise again. 01:37.000 --> 01:39.000 You know, we know when it happened. 01:39.000 --> 01:41.000 500 people were witness to it. 01:41.000 --> 01:43.000 You know what will catch you in jail? 01:43.000 --> 01:45.000 Usually one good witness and two or three 01:45.000 --> 01:47.000 will really do the job. 01:47.000 --> 01:49.000 I can speak with authority. 01:49.000 --> 01:51.000 I spent a lot of time in the jail. 01:51.000 --> 01:53.000 And that's good. 01:53.000 --> 01:55.000 Someone needs to be in the jail 01:55.000 --> 01:57.000 with people who are having troubles. 01:57.000 --> 01:59.000 But I tell you, 500 witnesses 01:59.000 --> 02:02.000 is a credibility factor, isn't it? 02:02.000 --> 02:04.000 This is the most thoroughly documented 02:04.000 --> 02:06.000 book on the face of the earth, 02:06.000 --> 02:08.000 more total documents. 02:08.000 --> 02:10.000 If you know anything about Homer, 02:10.000 --> 02:13.000 why there's a thousand fold times more credibility 02:13.000 --> 02:15.000 to the Word of God than there is 02:15.000 --> 02:17.000 to any story about Homer 02:17.000 --> 02:19.000 or any one of the heroes of the past. 02:19.000 --> 02:21.000 It is a marvelous text 02:21.000 --> 02:23.000 and we want to live by it. 02:23.000 --> 02:25.000 That Luke 9 verse 22 02:25.000 --> 02:28.000 speaks of what is going to happen. 02:28.000 --> 02:30.000 And if you'll read there, it says, 02:30.000 --> 02:32.000 the son of man must suffer many things 02:32.000 --> 02:34.000 and be rejected by the elders 02:34.000 --> 02:36.000 and chief priests and scribes 02:36.000 --> 02:38.000 and be killed and be raised 02:38.000 --> 02:39.000 the third day. 02:39.000 --> 02:41.000 I will rise again. 02:41.000 --> 02:42.000 You can count on it. 02:42.000 --> 02:44.000 I will rise again. 02:44.000 --> 02:46.000 And you know, I think of, 02:46.000 --> 02:48.000 we're sure of the resurrection, aren't we? 02:48.000 --> 02:50.000 We have almost, 02:50.000 --> 02:52.000 of all people are most to be pitied 02:52.000 --> 02:54.000 if we just think that Jesus was real 02:54.000 --> 02:56.000 but don't really place our life 02:56.000 --> 02:57.000 in His hands. 02:57.000 --> 02:58.000 He was real. 02:58.000 --> 03:00.000 His resurrection, you know, 03:00.000 --> 03:02.000 common men don't rise after death, 03:02.000 --> 03:04.000 but one man did. 03:04.000 --> 03:06.000 One man did and never died again. 03:06.000 --> 03:08.000 That's an awesome record 03:08.000 --> 03:10.000 and a great thing to base your faith 03:10.000 --> 03:12.000 and your hope upon. 03:12.000 --> 03:14.000 30,000 manuscripts of which 03:14.000 --> 03:16.000 3,000 are almost whole manuscripts. 03:16.000 --> 03:18.000 And I tell you, there's no verification 03:18.000 --> 03:20.000 of history, any firmer, 03:20.000 --> 03:22.000 and on the face of the earth 03:22.000 --> 03:24.000 than the testimony of the Word of God 03:24.000 --> 03:25.000 and the mind of God. 03:25.000 --> 03:27.000 Resurrection is a gorgeous word, isn't it? 03:27.000 --> 03:29.000 Anastasis. 03:29.000 --> 03:31.000 And it means that which is laid low 03:31.000 --> 03:32.000 will be made to rise. 03:32.000 --> 03:34.000 That which is dead will live. 03:34.000 --> 03:36.000 And we base our hope 03:36.000 --> 03:37.000 and our faith on that. 03:37.000 --> 03:39.000 That's the beginning, you know. 03:39.000 --> 03:41.000 A lot of people think of Easter. 03:41.000 --> 03:43.000 We think of it as resurrection Sunday. 03:43.000 --> 03:45.000 That which is dead was made to live 03:45.000 --> 03:47.000 and spring is revivified, isn't it? 03:47.000 --> 03:49.000 The earth. 03:49.000 --> 03:51.000 It's a new earth after spring 03:51.000 --> 03:53.000 and it's a glorious time. 03:53.000 --> 03:55.000 It's a time of beginnings. 03:55.000 --> 03:57.000 A time of birth. 03:57.000 --> 03:59.000 Actually, resurrection is so important 03:59.000 --> 04:01.000 in the sense of looking 04:01.000 --> 04:03.000 at its total meaning. 04:03.000 --> 04:05.000 That resurrection from the dead 04:05.000 --> 04:07.000 is the essence of life. 04:07.000 --> 04:09.000 I really think it is. 04:09.000 --> 04:11.000 Just like God renews the earth 04:11.000 --> 04:13.000 every spring. 04:13.000 --> 04:15.000 We have to pass away in the fall 04:15.000 --> 04:17.000 and then we endure the bitterness of winter 04:17.000 --> 04:18.000 and comes the resurrection. 04:18.000 --> 04:19.000 We see it happen again. 04:19.000 --> 04:21.000 Aren't we having a glorious summer? 04:21.000 --> 04:23.000 One of the best that I can remember. 04:23.000 --> 04:25.000 Maybe it's because of seven droughts in a row 04:25.000 --> 04:26.000 or eight droughts in a row. 04:26.000 --> 04:28.000 This has been a grand time. 04:28.000 --> 04:30.000 See the earth become green again 04:30.000 --> 04:32.000 and the rivers flow again. 04:32.000 --> 04:34.000 In Acts 233 04:34.000 --> 04:36.000 he speaks also of another thing 04:36.000 --> 04:38.000 that is to attend a great event 04:38.000 --> 04:40.000 that's called the Kingdom of God. 04:40.000 --> 04:42.000 The Church of God on the face of the earth. 04:42.000 --> 04:44.000 And it's in Acts 233. 04:44.000 --> 04:45.000 And he says, 04:45.000 --> 04:47.000 Therefore, being by the right hand of God 04:47.000 --> 04:49.000 exalted and having received of the Father 04:49.000 --> 04:51.000 the promise of the Holy Spirit 04:51.000 --> 04:54.000 he hath shed forth this which he, 04:54.000 --> 04:56.000 which you now see in here, 04:56.000 --> 04:58.000 why thousands were healed. 04:58.000 --> 05:00.000 Men and women were fed 05:00.000 --> 05:02.000 from just a few fishes 05:02.000 --> 05:04.000 and a few pieces of bread. 05:04.000 --> 05:06.000 Men were brought back from life. 05:06.000 --> 05:08.000 They had to die from death to life. 05:08.000 --> 05:10.000 They had to die again, of course, 05:10.000 --> 05:13.000 which Jesus never did do again. 05:13.000 --> 05:15.000 And there were great events 05:15.000 --> 05:17.000 and the earth was renewed 05:17.000 --> 05:19.000 and there was something powerful on the earth 05:19.000 --> 05:21.000 and 3,000 were baptized one day 05:21.000 --> 05:23.000 and a few weeks later 05:23.000 --> 05:25.000 5,000 were baptized one day. 05:25.000 --> 05:27.000 I'd give anything in the world 05:27.000 --> 05:29.000 to witness 5,000 saints 05:29.000 --> 05:31.000 of God entering to the kingdom. 05:31.000 --> 05:33.000 I think it would be a good time 05:33.000 --> 05:35.000 to leave while you were winning 05:35.000 --> 05:36.000 when you saw such a thing 05:36.000 --> 05:39.000 because those times are rare, aren't they? 05:39.000 --> 05:42.000 And we need to see that glorification 05:42.000 --> 05:44.000 of God's spirit in the world again. 05:44.000 --> 05:46.000 I only hope the world has got you 05:46.000 --> 05:49.000 always to be the kingdom of God, the church. 05:49.000 --> 05:51.000 I don't think any of us here are naive enough 05:51.000 --> 05:53.000 to think that soldiers with the greatest army 05:53.000 --> 05:55.000 in the face of the earth are going to make peace. 05:55.000 --> 05:59.000 I pray so, but I have to be careful of that. 05:59.000 --> 06:02.000 And politics, what hope is there in politics? 06:02.000 --> 06:04.000 Because men are intrinsically evil. 06:04.000 --> 06:06.000 I'd like to say they're intrinsically good 06:06.000 --> 06:08.000 but if that's the case, what's wrong with the world then 06:08.000 --> 06:10.000 if they're intrinsically good? 06:10.000 --> 06:12.000 You know, we need to think. 06:12.000 --> 06:15.000 And I think think deeply as we never had before. 06:15.000 --> 06:17.000 Verse 32 of Acts 2 said, 06:17.000 --> 06:19.000 This Jesus has God raised up. 06:19.000 --> 06:22.000 Whereof we are all witnesses. 06:22.000 --> 06:24.000 And so, you know, most of the books are written 06:24.000 --> 06:27.000 by the apostles or the doctrines, 06:27.000 --> 06:29.000 those who had received the doctrine 06:29.000 --> 06:31.000 in the three and a half years of teaching 06:31.000 --> 06:33.000 of his life, the disciples. 06:33.000 --> 06:35.000 And they studied with him and they talked with him 06:35.000 --> 06:37.000 and they saw his miracles. 06:37.000 --> 06:39.000 And it was requisite that they should know 06:39.000 --> 06:41.000 and understand the resurrection 06:41.000 --> 06:44.000 that which is dead is made to come to life. 06:44.000 --> 06:48.000 I think verse 23 has a powerful message in itself. 06:48.000 --> 06:51.000 This is the most underpreached verse 06:51.000 --> 06:53.000 in the whole New Testament 06:53.000 --> 06:56.000 because it's not really a popular style of verse. 06:56.000 --> 06:59.000 You know, grace sometimes is given 06:59.000 --> 07:01.000 a little bit more attention. 07:01.000 --> 07:03.000 Forgiveness is sometimes given a little more attention. 07:03.000 --> 07:06.000 But now listen to this powerful verse, isn't it something? 07:06.000 --> 07:08.000 And he said to everyone, 07:08.000 --> 07:10.000 If anyone desires to come after me, 07:10.000 --> 07:13.000 let him deny himself and take up his cross daily 07:13.000 --> 07:15.000 and let him follow me. 07:15.000 --> 07:17.000 Let him deny himself. 07:17.000 --> 07:20.000 You know, sulfa denial is one of the best medicines 07:20.000 --> 07:22.000 in the world for healing spiritual problems, isn't it? 07:22.000 --> 07:24.000 Sulfa denial. 07:24.000 --> 07:26.000 It's a play on words, but I tell you what, 07:26.000 --> 07:28.000 I wish you could just get a denial 07:28.000 --> 07:30.000 and put it in a bottle and rub it on 07:30.000 --> 07:32.000 when you had a problem. 07:32.000 --> 07:34.000 But he says, now if you're tempted, 07:34.000 --> 07:36.000 deny the inward person. 07:36.000 --> 07:38.000 Deny the heart. 07:38.000 --> 07:40.000 Deny the passion. 07:40.000 --> 07:42.000 Deny those things which could come to the forefront 07:42.000 --> 07:45.000 and destroy your holiness as far as God is concerned. 07:45.000 --> 07:48.000 And I think that there are really six basic senses. 07:48.000 --> 07:51.000 We're taught in school that there are five, 07:51.000 --> 07:54.000 but that's asinine because without the sixth one, 07:54.000 --> 07:58.000 reproductive or the replicative 07:58.000 --> 08:03.000 attributes of extending our genes to the future. 08:04.000 --> 08:06.000 Civilization would cease. 08:06.000 --> 08:08.000 People would cease to reproduce themselves, 08:08.000 --> 08:10.000 so there's really six, aren't there? 08:10.000 --> 08:12.000 And if we look at those, there are six aspects 08:12.000 --> 08:15.000 we could quickly say we need to learn to deny the things 08:15.000 --> 08:18.000 that are bad and take hold of 08:18.000 --> 08:21.000 and practice the things that are good in our senses 08:21.000 --> 08:23.000 because we have God-given senses. 08:23.000 --> 08:25.000 We're not vegetables, 08:25.000 --> 08:28.000 but we're not exactly animals either, are we? 08:28.000 --> 08:31.000 Because we have within us a spiritual aspect 08:31.000 --> 08:35.000 that the cattle in a thousand hills shall never have. 08:35.000 --> 08:37.000 And I'm glad for that. 08:37.000 --> 08:40.000 I see in the face of a child eternal hope. 08:40.000 --> 08:42.000 I see it starting all over again. 08:42.000 --> 08:44.000 And I see the past going away 08:44.000 --> 08:46.000 at a better future coming on, don't you? 08:46.000 --> 08:49.000 And I pray that we all feel that way. 08:49.000 --> 08:51.000 And you know, senses can be used for good or bad. 08:51.000 --> 08:54.000 I think number one, and I would relate them in my own, 08:54.000 --> 08:56.000 this is just a man's view, a person's view. 08:56.000 --> 08:59.000 You're not bowing by it, but I'd say probably feeling. 08:59.000 --> 09:03.000 That tactile sensation that's just part of human nature. 09:03.000 --> 09:05.000 We are feeling people. 09:05.000 --> 09:08.000 When people just did everything that they felt they ought to do, 09:08.000 --> 09:10.000 they were called Sibarites. 09:10.000 --> 09:13.000 We talked about that, and they were known in the new world 09:13.000 --> 09:15.000 and in the old world of the Bible 09:15.000 --> 09:18.000 as people who indulged every sensual pleasure, 09:18.000 --> 09:20.000 and they perished. 09:20.000 --> 09:22.000 And in their society, whoever heard of the Sibarites, 09:22.000 --> 09:25.000 except if maybe you read a dictionary from now and then, 09:25.000 --> 09:27.000 we don't want any part of that, do we? 09:27.000 --> 09:29.000 And when you give yourself to the senses, 09:29.000 --> 09:31.000 you're basically lost. 09:31.000 --> 09:33.000 And I believe that sensual things, 09:33.000 --> 09:35.000 carnal things, earthly things, 09:35.000 --> 09:37.000 will pass away. 09:37.000 --> 09:40.000 But heavenly, spiritual, and holy things will last forever. 09:40.000 --> 09:42.000 Corny? 09:42.000 --> 09:45.000 Don't you wish we could live by that latter aspect? 09:45.000 --> 09:49.000 Spiritual beings and creatures and love and devotion 09:49.000 --> 09:51.000 and honor and integrity became the flags 09:51.000 --> 09:54.000 by which we all followed in grand array. 09:54.000 --> 09:56.000 I wish so. 09:56.000 --> 09:58.000 Every seeing is so important, isn't it? 09:58.000 --> 10:00.000 That sense of seeing. 10:00.000 --> 10:01.000 And Jesus said, 10:01.000 --> 10:03.000 Why, if I be single, 10:03.000 --> 10:05.000 thy whole body shall be single. 10:05.000 --> 10:07.000 And thy whole interior, 10:07.000 --> 10:09.000 your spiritual nature will be life, 10:09.000 --> 10:12.000 will be light, will be happiness, 10:12.000 --> 10:16.000 you'll be able to see and be able to discern 10:16.000 --> 10:19.000 what's God's will for me and for you. 10:19.000 --> 10:22.000 We spend so much time doing that. 10:22.000 --> 10:23.000 Jesus one time said, 10:23.000 --> 10:25.000 He that hath eyes to see, 10:25.000 --> 10:28.000 and everybody standing there had eyes. 10:28.000 --> 10:30.000 And then he followed by number three. 10:30.000 --> 10:33.000 He that has ears, let him hear, everyone there 10:33.000 --> 10:34.000 essentially had ears. 10:34.000 --> 10:36.000 Oh, there was an old guy from Cyrene 10:36.000 --> 10:38.000 had his ear chopped off. 10:38.000 --> 10:39.000 But he was the exception. 10:39.000 --> 10:40.000 Most everybody could hear, 10:40.000 --> 10:42.000 at least with the other ear. 10:42.000 --> 10:44.000 And maybe he had a snooty hearing aid 10:44.000 --> 10:46.000 like I did in both ears. 10:46.000 --> 10:48.000 But, you know, the idea was, 10:48.000 --> 10:50.000 we have the faculties to listen to God. 10:50.000 --> 10:51.000 Why don't we do it? 10:51.000 --> 10:52.000 We have the faculties to see God. 10:52.000 --> 10:54.000 Why don't we see them? 10:54.000 --> 10:57.000 And lo and behold, he wants us to do that hearing. 10:57.000 --> 10:59.000 See, faith comes by hearing 10:59.000 --> 11:01.000 and hearing by what? 11:01.000 --> 11:02.000 The newspaper. 11:02.000 --> 11:04.000 I hope you're not deriving your faith 11:04.000 --> 11:07.000 from the newspaper and certainly not television. 11:07.000 --> 11:08.000 Man alive. 11:08.000 --> 11:10.000 If you spend more than seven minutes on TV, 11:10.000 --> 11:12.000 you need a shower spiritually. 11:12.000 --> 11:14.000 You really do, don't you? 11:14.000 --> 11:18.000 And I think we need that standard of the word of God, 11:18.000 --> 11:21.000 how important that genuinely is. 11:21.000 --> 11:24.000 Well, the next one would be 11:24.000 --> 11:26.000 the reproduction or replication. 11:26.000 --> 11:29.000 That has to do with sexual nuances. 11:29.000 --> 11:32.000 And of course, God gave us that wonderful blessing, 11:32.000 --> 11:33.000 but it had to be controlled. 11:33.000 --> 11:36.000 And there's some aspects of our sexuality 11:36.000 --> 11:38.000 that we have to deny. 11:38.000 --> 11:40.000 And, oh, it's so easy to deny 11:40.000 --> 11:42.000 that part of ourselves, isn't it? 11:42.000 --> 11:45.000 If you believe that, I've got a bridge out here. 11:45.000 --> 11:46.000 I'd like to sell you. 11:46.000 --> 11:47.000 It's called the Mystery Bridge. 11:47.000 --> 11:49.000 That's one of the hardest things 11:49.000 --> 11:51.000 that people have to control. 11:51.000 --> 11:53.000 And it's destroyed more lives probably 11:53.000 --> 11:55.000 than any one single thing. 11:55.000 --> 11:58.000 It certainly has destroyed the life of more ministers 11:58.000 --> 11:59.000 than any one thing. 11:59.000 --> 12:00.000 As far as I'm concerned, 12:00.000 --> 12:02.000 that along with personality problems, 12:02.000 --> 12:06.000 those two things harass even the ministers of God, 12:06.000 --> 12:08.000 the elders of God, the deacons of God. 12:08.000 --> 12:11.000 And, you know, that has to be carefully denied 12:11.000 --> 12:14.000 certain parts of it as well as embrace certain parts. 12:14.000 --> 12:21.000 You know, a fellow by the name of Greg of David Sylvester 12:21.000 --> 12:22.000 wrote this. 12:22.000 --> 12:24.000 He has a giant church on the west coast 12:24.000 --> 12:27.000 and a very fundamental preacher. 12:27.000 --> 12:28.000 And this was carefully reserved. 12:28.000 --> 12:31.000 I am reading it because it is the truth. 12:31.000 --> 12:33.000 Television and movies picture the happy man 12:33.000 --> 12:36.000 as one who has many sexual conquests 12:36.000 --> 12:39.000 in his romantic portfolio. 12:39.000 --> 12:40.000 In a television interview, 12:40.000 --> 12:42.000 former Dallas Cowboy quarterback, 12:42.000 --> 12:45.000 Roger Stalback, was asked to compare himself 12:45.000 --> 12:49.000 with a popular quarterback and ladies man, Joe Namath. 12:49.000 --> 12:50.000 You know, not of passing fame, 12:50.000 --> 12:54.000 but of what those funny stockings he wore. 12:54.000 --> 12:56.000 The talk show host asked, 12:56.000 --> 13:00.000 Roger, are you as sexually active as Broadway Joe? 13:00.000 --> 13:02.000 Stalback stunned the audience 13:02.000 --> 13:05.000 when he replied that he was probably more active. 13:05.000 --> 13:06.000 Known as a Christian, 13:06.000 --> 13:10.000 Stalback shocked the talk show host with this answer. 13:10.000 --> 13:12.000 Stalback then went on to explain, 13:12.000 --> 13:16.000 you see, Namath is sexually active with many women. 13:16.000 --> 13:19.000 I'm active also, but with one woman, 13:19.000 --> 13:21.000 my wife, I love. 13:21.000 --> 13:23.000 Enough said. 13:23.000 --> 13:27.000 You see, the world has goofy standards, doesn't it? 13:27.000 --> 13:29.000 And you know, what's right and wrong 13:29.000 --> 13:30.000 has to be the word of God. 13:30.000 --> 13:33.000 It can't be what you're big enough to get away with. 13:33.000 --> 13:35.000 It can't be just because it's legal. 13:35.000 --> 13:37.000 It can't be just because the crowd approves 13:37.000 --> 13:38.000 and our culture says it's okay, 13:38.000 --> 13:41.000 but it has to be by a better standard than that. 13:41.000 --> 13:44.000 And that it is this standard, the word of God, 13:44.000 --> 13:46.000 funny stripes on it and everything, 13:46.000 --> 13:48.000 but it has the mind of God in print. 13:48.000 --> 13:50.000 And I believe that with all of my heart. 13:50.000 --> 13:53.000 I have given my life to that ideal. 13:53.000 --> 13:55.000 And I believe that I have been given a good life 13:55.000 --> 13:58.000 and recompensed in ways I could never have imagined 13:58.000 --> 14:01.000 because I do believe that the word of God 14:01.000 --> 14:04.000 is the mind of God that can be easily studied 14:04.000 --> 14:06.000 and is available to all. 14:06.000 --> 14:09.000 And that's why after that, those angels went out 14:09.000 --> 14:11.000 and spread the gospel all over the face to the earth, 14:11.000 --> 14:13.000 and he said, his son would come home. 14:13.000 --> 14:16.000 And I tell you, even this church has given thousands 14:16.000 --> 14:19.000 and tens of, about 20s of thousands of Bibles 14:19.000 --> 14:21.000 to other peoples because we believe 14:21.000 --> 14:23.000 that's the only hope of the world. 14:23.000 --> 14:25.000 And we live by that, don't we? 14:25.000 --> 14:26.000 We live by that. 14:26.000 --> 14:27.000 And boy, we need to. 14:27.000 --> 14:30.000 And I guess number five would be taste. 14:30.000 --> 14:32.000 And that has to do with food and drink. 14:32.000 --> 14:34.000 Now we can handle food very nicely. 14:34.000 --> 14:36.000 None of us here have any food problems. 14:36.000 --> 14:40.000 As a diabetic, I never have a food problem hardly at all. 14:40.000 --> 14:42.000 Just every time I eat something, 14:42.000 --> 14:45.000 and I want to eat something 46 times a day. 14:45.000 --> 14:48.000 U.S. News and World Report says 14:48.000 --> 14:52.000 up to 40% of Americans could be technically classified as obese. 14:52.000 --> 14:54.000 That shortens our lives sometimes. 14:54.000 --> 14:56.000 And that's tampering with our own business, 14:56.000 --> 14:58.000 but I don't mean to do that. 14:58.000 --> 14:59.000 I'm just using my case. 14:59.000 --> 15:01.000 I can kill myself with food. 15:01.000 --> 15:02.000 You know, I can. 15:02.000 --> 15:07.000 And I almost did, until I needed that doctor. 15:07.000 --> 15:09.000 Thanks, I needed that. 15:09.000 --> 15:12.000 And in that fight for how about the other aspect 15:12.000 --> 15:15.000 of what tastes good, and that's the bubble it is 15:15.000 --> 15:18.000 and that a lot of people cannot control their drinking. 15:18.000 --> 15:21.000 And, you know, drunkards are not going to inherit 15:21.000 --> 15:22.000 the kingdom of God. 15:22.000 --> 15:26.000 I mean, be as philosophical as you want to be. 15:26.000 --> 15:28.000 But, you know, there are just some things 15:28.000 --> 15:29.000 that will destroy your life. 15:29.000 --> 15:31.000 It's God trying to make us blue-nosed, 15:31.000 --> 15:34.000 paint our head purple and say, I'm pure and all this. 15:34.000 --> 15:35.000 No, for heaven's sakes. 15:35.000 --> 15:36.000 What does God want you? 15:36.000 --> 15:38.000 He wants to have you live a good life. 15:38.000 --> 15:40.000 He wants you to have peace. 15:40.000 --> 15:43.000 And by control of these factors, like your eyes, 15:43.000 --> 15:45.000 your ears, your taste, what you see, 15:45.000 --> 15:48.000 those things that can be reached out and grabbed, 15:48.000 --> 15:49.000 make sure it's the word of God 15:49.000 --> 15:51.000 if you're going to reach out and grab something, 15:51.000 --> 15:53.000 not a spare 20 on somebody's desk 15:53.000 --> 15:57.000 or in somebody else's account, can't be. 15:57.000 --> 16:00.000 And, you know, smell is very important, too, isn't it? 16:00.000 --> 16:02.000 Well, hey, you can't find one for this. 16:02.000 --> 16:03.000 Oh, yes, I can. 16:03.000 --> 16:04.000 Isaiah 2, verse 24. 16:04.000 --> 16:06.000 I was just reading about it not long ago, 16:06.000 --> 16:07.000 and I got giggly. 16:07.000 --> 16:10.000 And God's women, see, were dressing up and dolling up 16:10.000 --> 16:12.000 and putting on real perfume. 16:12.000 --> 16:14.000 I guess it was channel number five, 16:14.000 --> 16:16.000 instead of Chanel number five. 16:16.000 --> 16:21.000 But anyway, he said, your beautiful perfume 16:21.000 --> 16:26.000 will become a stink unto me. 16:26.000 --> 16:28.000 You know, I like to do sweaty things, don't you? 16:28.000 --> 16:30.000 I like to get out there and play basketball. 16:30.000 --> 16:32.000 There were some guys when I was young enough 16:32.000 --> 16:34.000 to really be playing basketball seriously. 16:34.000 --> 16:35.000 I didn't want to touch them. 16:35.000 --> 16:36.000 Why is that? 16:36.000 --> 16:39.000 They perspired overly much. 16:39.000 --> 16:41.000 And after an hour of playing, 16:41.000 --> 16:44.000 the beautiful perfume of an athletic event, 16:44.000 --> 16:47.000 and I think there's something glamorous about it at first, 16:47.000 --> 16:50.000 but after an hour, it stinketh, doesn't it? 16:50.000 --> 16:52.000 And he said, that's what's going to happen to you 16:52.000 --> 16:55.000 who indulge yourself, deny yourself that thing, 16:55.000 --> 17:00.000 which is the unclean or the unhopeful thing. 17:00.000 --> 17:04.000 Well, I believe that verse 24 and 25, 17:04.000 --> 17:06.000 going to add a tremendous amount to this, 17:06.000 --> 17:10.000 for whoever desires to save his soul, he will lose it. 17:10.000 --> 17:13.000 But whoever loses his soul for my sake, 17:13.000 --> 17:15.000 this one will save it. 17:15.000 --> 17:17.000 For what is a man profited, 17:17.000 --> 17:19.000 gaining the whole world, 17:19.000 --> 17:23.000 but destroying himself or suffering loss? 17:23.000 --> 17:26.000 And you know, that's a lot of people's dream, isn't it? 17:26.000 --> 17:27.000 Man, I want to make it. 17:27.000 --> 17:30.000 I want to make it to a million, and I'll be okay then, 17:30.000 --> 17:32.000 but then when you get to a million, you want to two, 17:32.000 --> 17:34.000 and then you want to four, and then you get geometric. 17:34.000 --> 17:37.000 I want to be a billionaire, don't I? 17:37.000 --> 17:41.000 And look what some clowns have done with a billion dollars 17:41.000 --> 17:43.000 they could have done some purposeful thing, 17:43.000 --> 17:46.000 gave it to United Nations. 17:46.000 --> 17:51.000 No hope in politics, no hope in human decisions, is there? 17:51.000 --> 17:55.000 Man, how could a man be so smart, do anything so dumb? 17:55.000 --> 17:58.000 I think of the kingdom of God and what one billion dollars 17:58.000 --> 18:03.000 spent little guys going out across the ocean of small children, 18:03.000 --> 18:06.000 how we scrabble for dollars in our Christian schools. 18:06.000 --> 18:09.000 I mean, literally, we just work our buns off. 18:09.000 --> 18:12.000 Here's a guy with a billion dollars that gives us to a godly association, 18:12.000 --> 18:15.000 godless association, just flat godless 18:15.000 --> 18:18.000 and opposed to everything that we believe in. 18:18.000 --> 18:21.000 So man don't have hope in what politicians, 18:21.000 --> 18:23.000 what governments have to say. 18:23.000 --> 18:26.000 Have hope in the Word of God and Jesus as Lord of your life. 18:26.000 --> 18:28.000 The church is the only thing, I think, 18:28.000 --> 18:32.000 that can rectify a situation that's gone awfully deep, awfully low 18:32.000 --> 18:36.000 and awfully dangerous, even in this beautiful and wonderful country 18:36.000 --> 18:38.000 that we live in, and I love it, and I would die for it, 18:38.000 --> 18:42.000 and I've served in the army for it, and I would do it again, 18:42.000 --> 18:45.000 and I would ask my sons and daughters to do the same thing, 18:45.000 --> 18:48.000 but that doesn't mean that it's all correct and that it's all right. 18:48.000 --> 18:51.000 It is not. Ahab was a man of God, 18:51.000 --> 18:56.000 and he was supposed to really be doing something in Israel and Jerusalem, 18:56.000 --> 19:00.000 but he got off the wrong track and he began to cater to powerful kings 19:00.000 --> 19:02.000 and powerful groups. 19:02.000 --> 19:04.000 You know, the Assyrians were, wow, 19:04.000 --> 19:07.000 one of their forebears was named Aserbanipal, 19:07.000 --> 19:12.000 and he stacked his enemies' heads to the tune of a base triangle 19:12.000 --> 19:14.000 that was 200 by 200 feet. 19:14.000 --> 19:17.000 I don't know how he got it that big, 19:17.000 --> 19:20.000 but that's a lot of people who laid their life down, 19:20.000 --> 19:25.000 an unmerciful, hedonistic, godless society, 19:25.000 --> 19:30.000 and the man of God made an agreement with him. 19:30.000 --> 19:32.000 Now, that's just like the church saying, 19:32.000 --> 19:35.000 oh, hey, if we can't get bigger, we'll just do what the world does 19:35.000 --> 19:40.000 and we'll get bigger, and you know, some churches have succumbed to that. 19:40.000 --> 19:42.000 Not many, but a few have, 19:42.000 --> 19:45.000 and you better believe that it happens and could happen even to us. 19:45.000 --> 19:51.000 No, let's burn it down before we have to kowtow to the things of the earth just to grow. 19:51.000 --> 19:54.000 We don't intend to grow that way. That's not our point. 19:54.000 --> 19:56.000 Not at all, is it? 19:56.000 --> 20:01.000 And King Ahab, he made a treaty with one of the ugliest societies 20:01.000 --> 20:04.000 on the face of the earth, brutal, godless, 20:04.000 --> 20:08.000 vicious, and cruel beyond all belief. 20:08.000 --> 20:10.000 Let's go into the stories. 20:10.000 --> 20:12.000 But II King 1618 says, 20:12.000 --> 20:16.000 he took away the Sabbath canopy that had been built at the temple 20:16.000 --> 20:21.000 and he removed the royal entry away outside the temple of the Lord 20:21.000 --> 20:24.000 in deference to the king of Assyria. 20:24.000 --> 20:26.000 The king didn't like that. 20:26.000 --> 20:28.000 And so God's man says, 20:28.000 --> 20:34.000 well, if you don't like things, we'll change it for you, godless one. 20:34.000 --> 20:38.000 See, godless one did he, but that's exactly what he did. 20:38.000 --> 20:42.000 And when they were giving instructions and building God's temple, 20:42.000 --> 20:46.000 he said, see that you make it after the pattern. 20:46.000 --> 20:50.000 And here we have a godless king changing the pattern which God had designed. 20:50.000 --> 20:54.000 It's like saying the Ten Commandments in those days weren't enough. 20:54.000 --> 21:02.000 It's like saying Jesus Christ and his gospel of grace and hope isn't enough. 21:02.000 --> 21:03.000 We know it is. 21:03.000 --> 21:06.000 And so he negated the very thing he should have been preaching about 21:06.000 --> 21:08.000 and should have been selling. 21:08.000 --> 21:10.000 Well, too bad, Ahab, we don't remember you 21:10.000 --> 21:14.000 because you were one of the worst of the kings of Israel. 21:14.000 --> 21:18.000 Matter of fact, I believe he is attributed by the Bible as the worst of all 21:18.000 --> 21:22.000 because he lost his denial. 21:22.000 --> 21:25.000 He couldn't say no to a powerful man. 21:25.000 --> 21:28.000 He thought that was more important, you see. 21:28.000 --> 21:32.000 We can't count down to any powerful man or any powerful personage 21:32.000 --> 21:34.000 nor any powerful government. 21:34.000 --> 21:36.000 We can't afford that, can we? 21:36.000 --> 21:38.000 So none of us are that powerful. 21:38.000 --> 21:39.000 Praise God for that. 21:39.000 --> 21:42.000 And so came on the church, the kingdom of God. 21:42.000 --> 21:45.000 And it came on because of the resurrection. 21:45.000 --> 21:48.000 You couldn't have the church until you had the resurrection. 21:48.000 --> 21:51.000 You couldn't have the church until finally it was affirmed by the gospel. 21:51.000 --> 21:55.000 I will rise again. 21:55.000 --> 21:57.000 Oh, that's an awesome thing, isn't it? 21:57.000 --> 21:58.000 I'll rise again. 21:58.000 --> 22:02.000 Indeed, he did and witnessed by many witnesses. 22:02.000 --> 22:04.000 The spirit's been poured out. 22:04.000 --> 22:06.000 We saw it on the day of Pentecost. 22:06.000 --> 22:09.000 Read about the power and the authority of the great events 22:09.000 --> 22:12.000 of the healing of the dead brought to life, 22:12.000 --> 22:15.000 only to die again until Jesus takes us up to heaven 22:15.000 --> 22:17.000 and will never die again. 22:17.000 --> 22:19.000 Jesus preached in all the world, 22:19.000 --> 22:22.000 and you can about say that now, can't you? 22:22.000 --> 22:25.000 This church has been so active in giving away Bibles 22:25.000 --> 22:27.000 and sending out missionaries. 22:27.000 --> 22:30.000 A lot of people would say we have too much an accent on missionaries 22:30.000 --> 22:33.000 and oh no, please, we can disagree on things. 22:33.000 --> 22:35.000 But if the church doesn't reach out, 22:35.000 --> 22:39.000 you're not doing what the cross is teaching us to do. 22:39.000 --> 22:42.000 I'll make that very clear before we're done. 22:42.000 --> 22:44.000 Man, I don't know. 22:44.000 --> 22:46.000 And nations have been brought to Christ. 22:46.000 --> 22:49.000 Whole nations have been brought to Christ, haven't they? 22:49.000 --> 22:53.000 And I don't think we need to be ashamed of God's word 22:53.000 --> 22:56.000 because those things happen because of God's words. 22:56.000 --> 23:00.000 Let's read that verse 26, if we will. 23:00.000 --> 23:02.000 For whoever is ashamed of me in my words, 23:02.000 --> 23:05.000 the Son of Man will be ashamed of that one 23:05.000 --> 23:07.000 when he comes in his glory 23:07.000 --> 23:11.000 and that of the Father and that of the holy angels. 23:11.000 --> 23:14.000 Man, if you're ashamed of Jesus, it may be when he comes, 23:14.000 --> 23:17.000 he'll say, Fat Albert, stand back. 23:17.000 --> 23:20.000 You were ashamed of me. 23:20.000 --> 23:22.000 You put me down. 23:22.000 --> 23:29.000 You literally thought that my words were unfashionable for your day, 23:29.000 --> 23:34.000 that it wasn't good enough to raise your children, my words. 23:34.000 --> 23:38.000 You defamed me to your own loss 23:38.000 --> 23:42.000 and now ask for the salvation that I had promised you. 23:42.000 --> 23:43.000 We don't want to be like that. 23:43.000 --> 23:45.000 There's nobody here that's going to do that, are we? 23:45.000 --> 23:47.000 We're going to resolve that we're not. 23:47.000 --> 23:51.000 We're going to be never ashamed of the Word of God 23:51.000 --> 23:54.000 and if it costs me my life, well, then so be it. 23:54.000 --> 23:56.000 And I'm sure that you'll make the same decision. 23:56.000 --> 23:58.000 If there's not one universal standard for us all, 23:58.000 --> 24:01.000 there is nothing at all. 24:01.000 --> 24:03.000 You see? 24:03.000 --> 24:06.000 And you find that in your devotions. 24:06.000 --> 24:07.000 You find that in your prayers. 24:07.000 --> 24:10.000 You find that in the church that you belong to 24:10.000 --> 24:13.000 because, hey, what comes first? 24:13.000 --> 24:16.000 The essential is Christ and Him crucified 24:16.000 --> 24:18.000 and taught and preached liberally 24:18.000 --> 24:21.000 and a church that reaches out and reaches out 24:21.000 --> 24:25.000 and reaches out till it exhausts itself if necessary. 24:25.000 --> 24:27.000 And we're not even tired yet, are we? 24:27.000 --> 24:29.000 Oh, a little tired on the edges. 24:29.000 --> 24:32.000 We got a long way to go and we still got strong legs. 24:32.000 --> 24:35.000 Most of us anyway. 24:35.000 --> 24:38.000 Matthew 13.13 says this. 24:38.000 --> 24:41.000 Matthew 13.31, forgive me. 24:41.000 --> 24:43.000 Heaven and earth shall pass away, 24:43.000 --> 24:46.000 but my words shall never pass away. 24:46.000 --> 24:49.000 So, you know, there's funny standards, 24:49.000 --> 24:50.000 aren't there in the world today? 24:50.000 --> 24:52.000 We mentioned culture right today 24:52.000 --> 24:54.000 is the most significant standard. 24:54.000 --> 24:56.000 What are the other people doing? 24:56.000 --> 24:58.000 Do you ever have a teeny bop or say, 24:58.000 --> 25:03.000 well, mom, the others are going to go to the thing tonight? 25:03.000 --> 25:05.000 Well, honey, I don't think you need to go 25:05.000 --> 25:07.000 to the Wonder Bar tonight 25:07.000 --> 25:10.000 and have a cowboy vomit on your shoes. 25:10.000 --> 25:13.000 I just don't really believe that that's necessary 25:13.000 --> 25:16.000 to your continued health and or your dignity. 25:16.000 --> 25:20.000 I've had this because I've had this happen. 25:20.000 --> 25:25.000 Not my shoes, but somebody I know very, very well. 25:25.000 --> 25:28.000 None of my family are not accusing them of anything. 25:28.000 --> 25:32.000 But I worked in the old business for many years, still do. 25:32.000 --> 25:35.000 And Manila, there's a fair amount of that 25:35.000 --> 25:38.000 and they're pretty nice folks compared to a lot of other trades. 25:38.000 --> 25:40.000 But see, there's different standards. 25:40.000 --> 25:43.000 And if everybody's doing it, then it becomes awfully relative 25:43.000 --> 25:46.000 because things change with people, don't they? 25:46.000 --> 25:50.000 It becomes fashionable to do things a certain way. 25:50.000 --> 25:52.000 And counseling then is just listening to, 25:52.000 --> 25:53.000 what's the crowd saying? 25:53.000 --> 25:54.000 Well, what do you think? 25:54.000 --> 25:55.000 You think it's all right? 25:55.000 --> 25:58.000 Should we make them get in by 4 p.m.? 25:58.000 --> 26:01.000 That's, you know, after the morning. 26:01.000 --> 26:04.000 They should be home by afternoon after they've been up all night 26:04.000 --> 26:06.000 when they're going to get rest for the next night. 26:06.000 --> 26:09.000 Well, that's the way some people are. 26:09.000 --> 26:12.000 It shouldn't be what is fashionable in your crowd 26:12.000 --> 26:16.000 that determines what you should deny yourself. 26:16.000 --> 26:17.000 Not at all, should it? 26:17.000 --> 26:19.000 No, I don't believe that. 26:19.000 --> 26:20.000 You know what? 26:20.000 --> 26:25.000 That scripture also says that advice and patterns of behavior 26:25.000 --> 26:28.000 will follow all the ages. 26:28.000 --> 26:32.000 And that essentially what is correct today was correct 26:32.000 --> 26:36.000 3,000 years ago in the house and the kingdom of God. 26:36.000 --> 26:38.000 Oh, I know, times change, and dress change, 26:38.000 --> 26:40.000 and hair and hemlines change. 26:40.000 --> 26:43.000 I'm not saying those are cosmetic things, 26:43.000 --> 26:47.000 but you know there is a vast knowledge of what's right 26:47.000 --> 26:52.000 and what is wrong, and we can't get away from that. 26:52.000 --> 26:55.000 It is thy will that will be done, even Jesus said, 26:55.000 --> 26:59.000 not just me, but thy will that will be done in his order. 27:00.000 --> 27:04.000 And so 2 Timothy 3, 16 and 17 really comes to life. 27:04.000 --> 27:07.000 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, 27:07.000 --> 27:09.000 and it's profitable for doctrine. 27:09.000 --> 27:10.000 What do I do? 27:10.000 --> 27:12.000 See doctrine for reproof. 27:12.000 --> 27:15.000 Oh, I don't like that because you're doing wrong. 27:15.000 --> 27:16.000 Stop it. 27:16.000 --> 27:17.000 I don't like that. 27:17.000 --> 27:20.000 Please mother, I'd rather do it myself for correction. 27:20.000 --> 27:23.000 Now honey, don't do it that way, but here's a better way. 27:23.000 --> 27:24.000 Let me help you. 27:24.000 --> 27:25.000 Let me help you. 27:25.000 --> 27:27.000 Here's what we are warned to do. 27:27.000 --> 27:28.000 Here's a better way of life. 27:28.000 --> 27:30.000 A much better way of life. 27:30.000 --> 27:35.000 And so we are profited for instruction in righteousness. 27:35.000 --> 27:37.000 I think the crowd that's here today is here 27:37.000 --> 27:40.000 because they really want to do right by God 27:40.000 --> 27:41.000 and be right in his eyes. 27:41.000 --> 27:43.000 Don't you really want that? 27:43.000 --> 27:44.000 We're not a society church. 27:44.000 --> 27:47.000 You're not here to be seen by anybody. 27:47.000 --> 27:48.000 I don't think so. 27:48.000 --> 27:54.000 Certainly not me, big ugly guy. 27:54.000 --> 27:57.000 You come here because you want to be righteous. 27:57.000 --> 28:00.000 Do the right thing and learn how to improve yourself. 28:00.000 --> 28:02.000 How to live with your fellow man. 28:02.000 --> 28:04.000 How to be better partners to your partner. 28:04.000 --> 28:07.000 Whether you're married, whether you have a roommate, 28:07.000 --> 28:10.000 whether you're going to school, whatever it might be 28:10.000 --> 28:14.000 as an elderly person, how can you live better? 28:14.000 --> 28:18.000 How can you be righteous in the very place which God placed you? 28:18.000 --> 28:20.000 Well, there is a way. 28:20.000 --> 28:23.000 See the man of God might be perfect, 28:23.000 --> 28:26.000 thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 28:26.000 --> 28:28.000 I want it to be written on my tombstone. 28:28.000 --> 28:30.000 Boy, he tried to work at it. 28:30.000 --> 28:31.000 Would that be all right? 28:31.000 --> 28:36.000 He tried to work at it and wanted to be righteous. 28:36.000 --> 28:39.000 The last verse, and I conclude with this, 28:39.000 --> 28:43.000 but truly I say to you, there are some of those standing here 28:43.000 --> 28:45.000 who in no way shall taste of death 28:45.000 --> 28:48.000 until they see the kingdom of God. 28:48.000 --> 28:50.000 And the church did come in, didn't it? 28:50.000 --> 28:51.000 The kingdom of God. 28:51.000 --> 28:53.000 There are six kingdoms used in the Bible, 28:53.000 --> 28:56.000 but I challenge you to conclude any other conclusion 28:56.000 --> 29:00.000 that the kingdom of God, at least in this statement by Jesus, 29:00.000 --> 29:02.000 is the church of Jesus Christ. 29:02.000 --> 29:03.000 We need that. 29:03.000 --> 29:04.000 We want it. 29:04.000 --> 29:05.000 We desire it. 29:05.000 --> 29:06.000 We must have it. 29:06.000 --> 29:08.000 Don't be independent of it. 29:08.000 --> 29:11.000 I hear people who say, I don't need the church. 29:11.000 --> 29:13.000 Fault or all. 29:13.000 --> 29:15.000 You haven't raised children yet, if you tell me that. 29:15.000 --> 29:18.000 Or if you have, you've already seen them become 29:18.000 --> 29:20.000 things they ought not to have been. 29:21.000 --> 29:23.000 You need the church, all of us, 29:23.000 --> 29:28.000 that we might grow great workmen and perfected children. 29:28.000 --> 29:29.000 See, we want that. 29:29.000 --> 29:30.000 We need that. 29:30.000 --> 29:33.000 It is funny that the Christian church chose 29:33.000 --> 29:38.000 the symbol of torture that we know as the cross. 29:38.000 --> 29:40.000 The cross. 29:40.000 --> 29:44.000 The stanchion is blow and reaches up toward the holiness of God. 29:44.000 --> 29:46.000 The petibulant runs across, 29:46.000 --> 29:48.000 and it's as wide as the great arms of God 29:48.000 --> 29:51.000 who embraces those who are lost. 29:51.000 --> 29:52.000 So the cross is something. 29:52.000 --> 29:55.000 Paul said, I'm determined to know nothing about you. 29:55.000 --> 29:59.000 Save Jesus Christ and him, crucify. 29:59.000 --> 30:01.000 Because he's going to rise again, honey. 30:01.000 --> 30:03.000 He's going to rise again. 30:03.000 --> 30:05.000 And I guarantee it. 30:05.000 --> 30:10.000 You know, many other fates have more delightful symbols. 30:10.000 --> 30:15.000 See, like the Star of David, Old Hope, New Dawn, Islam. 30:15.000 --> 30:18.000 Oh, look, the crescent moon with the tiny star. 30:18.000 --> 30:19.000 Oh, a new season. 30:19.000 --> 30:23.000 They can just kill 3,000 people of the innocent of anything 30:23.000 --> 30:27.000 that we know of in the name of a God that's not quite the real 30:27.000 --> 30:28.000 God. 30:28.000 --> 30:29.000 You don't want to worship that. 30:29.000 --> 30:30.000 Why should you? 30:30.000 --> 30:32.000 It's a lesser God. 30:32.000 --> 30:35.000 Or the lotus bud of the Buddhist. 30:35.000 --> 30:37.000 My land, they believe you never step on a fly 30:37.000 --> 30:39.000 because you might be a fly in the next world. 30:39.000 --> 30:41.000 Isn't that a grand thing to hope for? 30:41.000 --> 30:44.000 Until you are perfected by works. 30:44.000 --> 30:48.000 And good heavens, I'd never make it, man. 30:48.000 --> 30:49.000 I sweat. 30:49.000 --> 30:51.000 I'm a human. 30:51.000 --> 30:52.000 I think. 30:52.000 --> 30:53.000 And therefore, I have problems. 30:53.000 --> 30:56.000 And I'm not going to improve myself by myself, 30:56.000 --> 30:59.000 especially with a godless code to try to live by. 30:59.000 --> 31:02.000 I could perfect myself perhaps by this. 31:02.000 --> 31:04.000 And in knowing Jesus Christ, I can attain 31:04.000 --> 31:08.000 into that affection and that perfection. 31:08.000 --> 31:11.000 And then, you know, when you think of the world, 31:11.000 --> 31:13.000 how about in France, if you're a Frenchman, 31:13.000 --> 31:16.000 you might want to have Madame Guillotine. 31:16.000 --> 31:20.000 And when you make someone to stress their little Guillotine. 31:20.000 --> 31:22.000 You remember Madame Beauvare? 31:22.000 --> 31:27.000 She wrote down by putting the names in her weaving 31:27.000 --> 31:30.000 of the sweaters that she wore and the socks which she knit. 31:30.000 --> 31:34.000 And she caused the death of a thousand men by Madame Guillotine. 31:34.000 --> 31:36.000 What a striking woman. 31:36.000 --> 31:39.000 Man, she was something special, wasn't she? 31:39.000 --> 31:42.000 Or perhaps in the world, the karate chop. 31:42.000 --> 31:46.000 Greetings, brother. 31:46.000 --> 31:49.000 And that would become a symbol, wouldn't it? 31:49.000 --> 31:54.000 That'd be about as dumb as the star of Islam. 31:54.000 --> 31:56.000 Or a lotus blossom. 31:56.000 --> 31:59.000 Nam, nam, nam, nam, nam, nam. 31:59.000 --> 32:01.000 When we're asked to believe something, 32:01.000 --> 32:04.000 it's something we can understand. 32:04.000 --> 32:08.000 Thou shalt worship thy God with all of thy heart, 32:08.000 --> 32:12.000 all of thy mind, and all of thy soul. 32:12.000 --> 32:14.000 I can understand that. 32:14.000 --> 32:17.000 And I will obtain perfection one way or another 32:17.000 --> 32:19.000 through the Word of God. 32:19.000 --> 32:22.000 And I want you to realize this. 32:22.000 --> 32:25.000 This basically is the power of our God. 32:25.000 --> 32:27.000 2 Corinthians 5, 21 says, 32:27.000 --> 32:30.000 For he hath made him to be sin for us, 32:30.000 --> 32:34.000 who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God 32:34.000 --> 32:36.000 in Jesus Christ. 32:36.000 --> 32:39.000 We are perfected in him, not these silly kind of works 32:39.000 --> 32:45.000 which other people call their believers to believe. 32:45.000 --> 32:49.000 You know, God killed himself in a sense 32:49.000 --> 32:52.000 that we might have redemption. 32:52.000 --> 32:54.000 Now he's starting to think about that's different 32:54.000 --> 32:56.000 than any other faith on the face of the earth, 32:56.000 --> 33:00.000 and more believable than any other faith anyone has 33:00.000 --> 33:03.000 on the face of the earth. 33:03.000 --> 33:07.000 You know, I want us to be just like that old cowboy 33:07.000 --> 33:10.000 that went down there in the Texas town 33:10.000 --> 33:12.000 just across the border, 33:12.000 --> 33:15.000 and he stepped into a Texas bar, 33:15.000 --> 33:18.000 and he said, Texan stink. 33:18.000 --> 33:20.000 Because you know what? 33:20.000 --> 33:23.000 There was a gut reaction that followed that. 33:23.000 --> 33:25.000 You know what it was? 33:28.000 --> 33:31.000 And the matter was settled right there. 33:31.000 --> 33:36.000 Where you spend eternity is settled by your belief 33:36.000 --> 33:40.000 and by your making a commitment to your beliefs. 33:40.000 --> 33:43.000 By loving Jesus Christ as your Lord 33:43.000 --> 33:46.000 and taking him as your personal savior 33:46.000 --> 33:49.000 and by being born again. 33:49.000 --> 33:51.000 He that is baptized into Christ 33:51.000 --> 33:55.000 hath put him on. 33:55.000 --> 33:58.000 That's your protection, your armor, 33:58.000 --> 34:02.000 your vest plate against the evil of the world. 34:02.000 --> 34:05.000 A famous man said something like this, 34:05.000 --> 34:07.000 I'd die for a few men, 34:07.000 --> 34:08.000 and I thought about this, 34:08.000 --> 34:10.000 and I got a piece of paper out. 34:10.000 --> 34:11.000 There's some men and women 34:11.000 --> 34:13.000 that I would die for in this church, 34:13.000 --> 34:17.000 and you may have some too that you would have. 34:17.000 --> 34:19.000 Not that many, 34:19.000 --> 34:21.000 but there are some that I've served and loved 34:21.000 --> 34:23.000 and labored with, 34:23.000 --> 34:28.000 and I would do my best to lay my life down for them. 34:28.000 --> 34:31.000 But you know there's a deeper thing 34:31.000 --> 34:34.000 because God gave His boy 34:34.000 --> 34:39.000 that wicked men like me might be forgiven and redeemed. 34:39.000 --> 34:42.000 And you know, 34:42.000 --> 34:45.000 I don't know what I would be under these terms, 34:45.000 --> 34:48.000 but if I had to write down one of my daughters, 34:48.000 --> 34:50.000 little Annie, 34:50.000 --> 34:53.000 I'd give little Annie's life 34:53.000 --> 34:55.000 for so and so, 34:55.000 --> 34:57.000 for so and so. 34:57.000 --> 34:59.000 I couldn't have do it. 34:59.000 --> 35:01.000 I couldn't have do it. 35:01.000 --> 35:03.000 Could you? 35:03.000 --> 35:05.000 Or a little preacher boy running around the house 35:05.000 --> 35:07.000 and say, Paddy, 35:07.000 --> 35:09.000 we're going to kill you 35:09.000 --> 35:13.000 for another man's innocence. 35:13.000 --> 35:15.000 I couldn't have do it. 35:15.000 --> 35:17.000 Could you? 35:17.000 --> 35:21.000 Thank God we don't have to give someone else's life. 35:21.000 --> 35:25.000 We're asked only to give our own life. 35:25.000 --> 35:27.000 And you mothers, 35:27.000 --> 35:29.000 could you reach out among your several children 35:29.000 --> 35:31.000 and say, 35:31.000 --> 35:34.000 this one for that evil stallee, 35:34.000 --> 35:39.000 this one for that bad man in Islam 35:39.000 --> 35:43.000 to kill 3,000 of our innocent? 35:43.000 --> 35:45.000 No. 35:45.000 --> 35:47.000 Let the devil take the hindmost, 35:47.000 --> 35:49.000 but see, I'm not a God. 35:49.000 --> 35:51.000 I am a human. 35:51.000 --> 35:53.000 And I look at that. 35:53.000 --> 35:57.000 God did the very thing 35:57.000 --> 35:59.000 that he said he would do 35:59.000 --> 36:02.000 for God so loved the world 36:02.000 --> 36:05.000 that he gave his only begotten son. 36:05.000 --> 36:08.000 He didn't just love this church 36:08.000 --> 36:10.000 or any other church in town 36:10.000 --> 36:12.000 or Casper or United States 36:12.000 --> 36:15.000 or not even France or the rest of it. 36:15.000 --> 36:16.000 But he said all of it. 36:16.000 --> 36:18.000 I love the whole world. 36:18.000 --> 36:20.000 And I gave my boy 36:20.000 --> 36:25.000 for people who destroyed my son. 36:25.000 --> 36:28.000 There's a God to worship. 36:28.000 --> 36:31.000 As we offer our hymn of invitation, 36:31.000 --> 36:34.000 perhaps there's something that you have on your heart 36:34.000 --> 36:36.000 or a decision that you need to make. 36:36.000 --> 36:38.000 We ask you to do that at this time. 36:38.000 --> 36:41.000 Would you come forward please? 36:42.000 --> 36:44.000 Thank you. 37:12.000 --> 37:14.000 Thank you.