The Answer! John 5:39 - Kevin Presley

Sir Winston Churchill called a very close friend of his, who

happened to be a minister and asked if he could come and spend

some time with him and of course the minister agreed.

And so the leader of this state, went to the minister study and

he spent several hours of one afternoon talking about all of

the pressing problems that face the world at that time and

seeking advice from his trusted friend.

Well, later on in his Memoirs, this Minister wrote that in the

course of that conversation, he was impressed by the fact that

mr. Churchill repeatedly made the

statement that all the problems that the world has does and ever

will face, will not ultimately be solved until Jesus Christ

comes again. Well, it may seem that way and

while I agree that the world is certainly upside down and that

man will not enjoy the true Paradise, that God intended

until Christ comes back to claim his own, and take us to another

world. I don't believe that the vexing

problems that we face tonight. Are without a present solution.

In fact, when Jesus came to live among men and show us a better

way. He came for the purpose of

untangling, the web of sin in John, chapter 1 and verse 9.

John 1 · chapter mention

The scripture says that Jesus was the True Light, which

lighteth every man that cometh into the world, and Jesus said,

in John 8 and verse 12, I am the light of the world and he that

followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of

life. And so there is no need to

stumble Through The Dark. - of sin and of ignorance.

When Jesus came to illuminate our path way, he not only came

to be the light of the world. He is considered the Good

Shepherd. Our wonderful counselor.

The mighty Prince of Peace, and I believe that Jesus is the

answer to every single problem of man in every Walk of Life and

every age in every culture, I don't believe that man can come

to a Crossroads or a decision in his life and I don't believe

that man can face an obstacle, or man can face A tragedy in his

life that man can face any kind of a problem in his life that

Jesus does not have the solution to, and that Jesus does not

provide him with the principles and the guidance in order to

safely and successfully navigate that, that course at that time.

Jeremiah reminded Us in Jeremiah 10 and verse 23.

Oh, Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself, it is not

in man that walketh to direct his steps and this simple and

Miliar verse really points to the Folly of modern man.

And really man throughout the ages man, tries to walk,

according to his own steps, he tries to solve his own problems,

he tries to come up with his own solution in his own approach to

the various problems that faced him.

But Jeremiah said, it is not within us to provide such

Solutions. In fact, we really only run in

circles in life and we only Vex ourselves and we find ourselves

in a state of endless frustration.

If we turn to within ourselves or we talked, Turn to the world.

Or we turn to papa popular or public opinion or if we turn to

the government or if we turned anything else for the answers

that we faced with in life, in fact, Isaiah, and Isaiah 57.

And verse 20 said, the wicked are like the troubled sea, when

it cannot rest, whose Waters cast up mire and dirt and there

is no peace. Saith, my God unto the wicked,

and it will always be that way. Man is really cleaning that he's

seeking the answers to all of the problems that face modern

society and that face his own individual life.

But I think that we can see tonight that man is refusing,

the one real solution to his problems, and that is the

counsel of God. And Isaiah says, they're like

the Sea and the sea is never completely tranquil.

The sea, never rests, the sea is all the time turbulent and

casting up its water in casting up the dirt from beneath and so

he says it will always be with the Wicked Man outside of

Christ. And apart from God, there will

be no peace to his soul, they'll be no solution onto his

problems. What I want to talk to you

tonight. About how Jesus is the answer to

all of our problems tonight. And I want to illustrate that to

you in a number of, I hope very timely ways.

And I want to begin by saying that Jesus is the answer to all

of our societal problems that seem so vexing.

So overwhelming tonight, in fact, in 1968, a long time ago

now at the Republican National Convention then candidate for

President Richard Nixon made the following statement as he

accepted his party's nomination for president.

He said quote when the strongest nation in the world world can be

tied down for years in a war in Vietnam with no hope in sight.

When the richest nation of the world cannot manage its own

economy. When a nation with the greatest

tradition of the rule of law is plagued with unprecedented

lawlessness. When a nation that has been

known for a century of equal opportunity is torn by racial

violence and when the president of the United States cannot

travel abroad or to any major city at home without fear of a

hostile and violent demonstration, then it is time

for new leadership in America in quotes.

I suppose it just about any candidate since that time could

stand and essentially make the same speech and regardless of

what your Radiology, or your own feelings or opinions might be

tonight, I think we could really all agree with what is contained

within that statement and I think that we can probably also

agree that what has happened over the last 40 years since mr.

Nixon made that statement has probably done very little to

solve the problems that face our society.

You think about it. If anything, we're worse off

today than we were then. Our land is still torn asunder

by hatred and crime and the morality and godlessness of

every kind. In fact, the general, climate of

society has only grown worse and I believe it will continue to

grow worse as man stays on his present course.

And I would Echo the sentiment that we do need a change in

leadership in America and we have needed it for a long time.

And, you know, we've been hearing that phrase a lot in the

last few months. If you watch the news and follow

politics, people say, it's time for change and we need change in

Washington. Well, I agree with that tonight

and I'm not Taking a political position because I'm not a

political person and I don't get involved in politics.

But I can tell you that we do need change within this nation

and we need change of leadership within this country but I can

guarantee you that neither political candidate running for

office or any candidate. No matter greater small running

for office, would agree with what I mean by that statement,

that we need to change of leadership in this country.

We don't need merely a new man in the white house or a new man

in Congress or a new man and the governor's office.

But rather we need a whole new approach to solving our problems

as mankind. It seems like over the last

century especially we have sought to improve the conditions

of our land and our problems by everything from education to

spending, massive amounts of money to all kinds, of Social,

and government programs. And at the same time we have

turned around as a society and have castigated, the one who can

be the real answer to our problems.

We have totally removed him from our public life and that is

Jesus. The Christ now.

I say it is a political campaign season, it's an election year

and I don't know about you but I'm just about tired of it by.

Now I'm tired of turning on the news and it just being a 24-hour

news cycle of endless campaign speeches, and people promising

that they're going to do this and they're going to do that and

they're going to do the other why they have the better plan

than the other person now. But you know, one thing for sure

that all of these candidates one side of the other, they're going

to make a list of promises so long.

You can hardly count them that will involve spending Billions

and now even trillions of dollars in order to implement

those programs and they all claim that they have the best

approach in the best solution, the best program that's going to

bring this country about around, and it's going to turn things

around and make it a better place to live in a more

successful and prosperous and peaceful Society.

Well, I'm going to tell you something.

You can make all the promises of the world.

You can enact all the programs you want to enact.

You can spend all of the billions of dollars that you

want to spend, but Society is not going to change.

And we're not going to really solve the core problems of our

society until we recognize and we respect the authority of the

Lord Jesus Christ. Now I understand tonight, civil

government is a distinct entity that is distinct from religion

and distinct from the church. And I understand that God

appoints. Men worldly men to serve in

those particular positions. In order that he might

providentially execute his will in the world.

And I believe that God sets up rulers, and he takes them down,

and I fully believe that tonight.

And I believe that civil government plays a role within

our lives. Civil Authority keeps peace and

order in our society and it serves a vital function in our

life as a group of people as a community and as a society.

But I'm going to tell you, our problems.

Go far beyond what? Any government on the face of

this Earth can solve in Revelation 11:15, the Bible says

Revelation 11:15

of the seventh angel sounded and there were great voices in

heaven, saying, the kingdoms of this world are become the

kingdoms of our Our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign

forever. And ever now here, John predicts

a time in the future from that vantage point that is when the

gospel message would be unfettered and extend its

powerful influences into the far ends of the Earth.

Now, this is not a premillennial prediction, it is not a

premillennial proposition but rather and in fact we should

remember that the kingdom of God or the Church of Jesus Christ is

not a political organization and citizens of that higher.

ER, and that better, and that distinct kingdom, do not

entangle themselves in the Affairs of state, but they do

this. They serve as a leavening agent

in the world, by spreading the gospel, by spreading and

disseminating the truth to the hearts of men.

Now, that's how we affect change in the world now, preachers.

Today have turned their pulpits and to political stumps and

Convention platforms. And some, of course, of you've

been tried in recent years to propel themselves into the

Affairs of state by running for elected office.

I don't believe that that's the commission of the church tonight

but rather the church is sole responsibility is to preach the

gospel. That's what we're here for and

by so doing to fill the Earth with the influence of Heavens

Kingdom. And I believe this is what the

prophecy related by John is really talking about if there

was coming a time when the gospel was going to have free

cores and go into the world. And in that, since Christ, was

going to have rain, or Dominion in the hearts of men and because

Christ would take up his Reign and men's hearts, The world was

going to be influenced through and by that and I'll tell you

that if men would listen to and he'd and obey the gospel tonight

the world will immediately change.

They would heed the principles of the Gospel then we would live

in a completely different Society.

Let me give you a few of a few examples of some things that

will immediately change. You know we could solve a lot of

the ramifications and consequences of Mall saying if

we would just simply stop them all saying but we're not living

in a society that's about to do that.

In fact people In every way possible to justify any kind of

a perverted and immoral and Godless lifestyle that you can

possibly imagine and it only gets worse as time goes on.

No one is standing up. And saying that homosexuality is

a sin that homosexuality is an Abomination against God, but

they are saying that we need to solve the AIDS crisis.

They're telling us that we need to stop the rampant spread of

disease. And they believe the answer to

that is to get into the schools across this country and teach

our young people about safe ways to commit fornication and the

committee evil in the sight of God and they like to get in any

kind of a venue or any kind of an educational Channel, they

possibly can to influence young people with this idea that two

men or two women can marry one another or can enjoy a

relationship. Just like a man or a woman can

and our society is being saturated with that tonight.

And if you don't believe that, that's what our modern culture

revolves around. If you don't believe that,

that's a big part of the impetus behind this entire liberal

movement that we see in the world today.

Well, you're sadly deceived, you have Head in the sand because

I'm going to tell you, that's exactly what they're trying to

get across there. Trying to take God and

absolutely rip him out of this world and they're trying to

destroy the whole concept of there.

Being a God who has Authority morally and religiously over our

lives. And that man can do whatever he

wants to do and whatever feels good.

And the way they do that is to advance these agendas of

humanism and, and godlessness and immorality.

And that's exactly what's happening in our society on

television, that's exactly what's happening in our

government and the courts. Across the land and that's

what's happening on your television every night.

When you turn it on, they're bombarding, people with this

subconscious messages at homosexuality, fornication,

adultery divorce, and remarriage living together outside of

marriage. Promiscuity, that's all a part

of it. And that's just as acceptable as

a normal relationship. Between one, man, and one woman

for life. Well, I'm going to tell you it's

not as normal and over Romans the first chapter of the Apostle

Paul, in fact indicted the Gentile world for some of those

very sins and he pointed to the fact These people had become

completely Godless and they're thinking, they have known God at

one time, but they had completely remove God, from

their thinking, they refuse to acknowledge Him and to give him,

praise and glory. And they were not thankful unto

him. And the result according to Paul

was they became vain in their own imaginations and the result

according to verse 26 was for this cause God gave them up unto

vile affections for. Even their women did change the

natural use into that which is against nature and likewise also

the men Men leaving the natural use of the woman burned in their

lust, one toward another men, with men working that, which is

unseemly. Listen now, and receiving in

themselves that recompence of their error, which was meet.

Now, you know what that means? If you boil that down the common

modern language, that means they got what was coming to them.

They receive the recompense of their reward.

Now that may sound cruel and harsh and that may sound not

compassionate and Ring. But, you know, you just have to

face the fact of the matter that when science proves that

whenever history proves whenever man's experience has, proven

that a particular kind of lifestyle or a particular type

of behavior leads to a certain consequence and people go ahead

and engage in that behavior or make that choice and they face

that consequence. There's really only one person

they can blame and that's when they look in the mirror, they

can't blame the government for that.

They can't blame their next door neighbor for that.

They can't even blame what they watch on television for that.

They can't blame anybody in the world for the mess that they

make out of their life. But themselves, because they

chose something other than the will of God.

And Paul says, they received in themselves, the recompense of

their reward, they got what they deserve.

You know, what? The answer to our societal

problems of immorality are tonight, it's one word, but it's

a word, nobody wants to hear and that's the word repentance it.

A word that many pulpits across this land have fallen as silent

as the tomb, where it's concerned.

And that is the word repentance. Religion.

Today, is all about feeling good Religion.

Today is all about getting a crowd and telling people they

don't have to give up or change or stop doing anything they can

be what they are and come as they are and be what they are.

But I'm going to tell you God's will God's word and God's

message is still just as loud and clear and Powerful As It

Ever Was repent. And that's the answer to the

world's problems tonight but no one wants to Do that and Jesus

Remember indicted, the people of his age by saying they will not

come to the light because they love Darkness rather than light,

their deeds are evil, and they don't want the light to reprove

their lives. And so, they stopped their ears

and they try to destroy the messenger.

They try to remove any influence of God's word away from them.

As a result, they continue to dwell in darkness and that's the

pitiful state of our land tonight.

You know, many of the economic problems that we face in our

society. Jesus has an answer from them

and I'm not preaching. Politics tonight and I don't

believe tonight that America is as people sometimes.

Say a Christian Nation because I believe that word is a very

exclusive word that doesn't envelop the governments of this

land. I believe it's a nation like any

other Nation, but I will say that this nation was originally

founded in some regards upon principles that you can read

about and that you can learn from the word of God.

And as a result, our society prospered.

Because when people follow the Principles of God's word that

only leads to good things within their life.

God's word contains wisdom. God's word is of course, it's

author is one who created, man and knows what is best for man.

And so why would God's ways and God's plans?

Not be what's, why would they not work?

We're drowning in a sea of debt today because there's a society

of people out there who don't want to work, and they think the

world owes them a living and God says something.

Other than that, in Genesis chapter 3 and verse 19, when God

Genesis 3 · chapter mention

cursed, man after he fell by transgression, he cursed the man

he cursed, the woman, he cursed, The Serpent, and he said unto

the man that in the sweat of thy face, shalt, thou eat bread till

thou return unto the ground as long as man lives.

There's a principle at work here.

He has to work for what he eats, he Work for what he gets.

And God didn't forget that principle because Paul over and

second Thessalonians, the third chapter and verse 6 reminded the

Brethren there that the apostles had set an example, before them

of being willing to work with their own hands, lest there, be

those who were lazy and became busy bodies and thought they

could merely rely on everyone else to provide for them and to

provide their living. Paul says, we command you

brethren in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ that ye

withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly.

What does it mean? They're what is this sin of

walking disorderly? He says not after the tradition,

which he received of us. What tradition he says, for

yourselves, know how ye ought to follow us for.

We behaved not ourselves disorderly among you.

Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought, but rot with

Labour and travail night and day.

That we might not be chargeable to any of you not because we

have not power, but to make ourselves an example, unto you

to follow us for, even when we were with you, this, we

commanded you that, if any would not work, neither, should he

eat? Paul said there were times that

we rolled up our sleeves and we work with our hands and we did.

So to prove to you that we were not eating your bread for

nought. We prove to you that we would

work and we set an example before you and I'm going to tell

you something, any preacher, this too lazy to get out of he

needs to and get a job. And work is not a good example

for the church and he's not worth the salt that goes in his

bread. Now I believe that a preacher

has every right, if he meets the mall qualifications and the

spiritual qualifications, to be supported a full-time way, but

the church to preach the gospel, I believe that's perfectly fine.

But there are times when a preacher said was going to have

to go out and find another way to provide for his family.

And if he does that, he's to be commended.

The world owes, nobody a living And listen, when you've got

somebody in the church that will not go out and do an honest

day's work for an honest day's pay.

And I'm not talking about people that are honestly disabled.

I'm not talking about people who are not able to go out and work

as they once did. But when you have people who

could but will not go out and do an honest day's work for an

honest day's pay, not only does the church not have an

obligation to support them and to Aid them.

The church is wrong and is guilty of sin.

If it does, Paul said that this person needs Should be withdrawn

from you, withdraw yourself, from that brother.

That walketh disorderly, you don't support him, you don't

help him you withdraw from him and you let him know that that

attitude and that behavior is unacceptable in the sight of

God. Now you think that some

politicians are unpopular with the American people and with the

Congress because of the position that they take on things like

welfare, you let the Apostle Paul get ahold of them.

Paul said in first, Timothy Chapter 5 and verse 8, if any

provide not for his own and specially for those of his own

house, he hath denied Tied, the faith and is worse than an

Infidel. Jesus has the answer to our

problems if we would just listen to what Jesus says and live by

his word, but people don't want to do that today.

And no wonder we find ourselves in problems.

That seem impossible to solve number two, I'm going to switch

gears here and say that Jesus is the answer to the problems that

we face in the church tonight. He is the answer to problems

that we face congregationally. Now, some people live under the

illusion that the church will never have problems They have

this notion that the church is some sort of a Utopia where no

one will ever have any kind of conflict or disagreement and

that if that ever does happen, that something is really out of

kilter and and they get all discouraged and they throw up

their hands in some cases and even quit or remove themselves

from the church or grow weak because they witness problems in

the Lord's body. Well, I've got news for you

tonight since the church was established on the day of

Pentecost till today, there has never been an age of time that

the church is not had trouble. There has never been a period of

time where the church has never had problems.

You just go right all the way back to the beginning and the

church had problems over what to do with Gentiles.

The church had great problems over that.

That were very divisive problems and that's not to say that

problems are to be desired, that's not to say that we're to

try to create problems. But the fact of the matter is,

when you're dealing with fallible men, and when you're

dealing with something, as weighty as the human soul, and

an eternal Soul, you're going to have, you're going to have

disagreements and conflicts and emotions are going to run high

and there are going to be problems within the church.

So let us not be so naive tonight as for I think that we

will not encounter rough spots along the way, but I am going to

tell you this, the Lord has the answer to work them out.

And the problem that I see in the church today is not that we

have problems but that we try to do everything in the world.

Besides what the Lord says to solve those problems and instead

of solving those problems, we make them worse.

We compound them. We frustrate ourselves in trying

to work out those problems, we try to apply our psychological

approaches to working out differences, and problems

between Brethren and sometimes we just outright ignore what the

Bible says, to do about it. Now, I believe that there are at

least two ingredients that are essential for the church to grow

and remain in the will of God. One of them is sound leadership

in every church and if we have a dearth of anything in the

Brotherhood today, it is a dearth of good solid

knowledgeable leadership in the church.

I go to too many places today where there is absolutely a

vacuum. There are no reliable leaders in

that congregation some Brethren's idea of being a

leader of the Church is lining up services before they start

making sure there's a summer meeting book and make sure to

make making sure the light bill gets paid on time every month.

Well, that's all important and that's a part of it.

But leadership is a lot more than that and you can have all

of the business meetings in the world, and you can take all the

votes in the world, on every issue that you want to take.

And you have all the meetings, you want to have.

I'm going to tell you, it boils down to the fact that there have

got to be some men and every congregation who know the Bible

and who have the backbone to stand up for the Bible.

There has to be men who care about the souls of those who are

in that congregation and who watch for The Souls of people in

that congregation who are aware of problems that confront the

church and face the church and who are guarding the souls of

those who may need protection, and who may need to be

strengthened in the faith. And we're lacking that in so

many places. Let me tell you, I've not been

preaching that long. I'm not that old of a person, of

course. But I can tell you, I've seen a

difference in just 10 or 15 years when I first rated

preaching, the gospel. And I went to some of those old

churches, for example, down in the Deep South where I live now,

you would go to some of those old churches.

And I'm going to tell you, there were some old men who were

leaders in those congregations and they planted themselves

right on the front row of those Church buildings.

And when you got up to preach, believe me, it was intimidating

because you were preaching to some men who knew the Bible.

And whenever you got in their homes, after services or

throughout that meeting, you knew that you were going to have

some Bible conversations you knew We're going to ask you

about what you preach and you knew that if you dared step out

of line and preach something that was questionable or wrong,

there were going to be some brethren who are going to line

up with the back and they were going to call you on the carpet

about it and they were going to straighten you out.

And I'm convinced we have a lot of churches today, where you

could nearly get up and say, the sky is green, and the grass is

purple, and say anything in the world.

You want to say and people come by and shake your hand and say,

wonderful, message. We need sound leadership in the

church tonight, we need men. Who study the Bible and Who care

about the church? Who have the backbone to

confront problems? That arise within the church?

We need leaders and we need teachers.

Who offer the church, a well-balanced diet of

edification who addressed the needs of the congregation and

what they teach, and many places, just aren't getting that

tonight. They're not getting the kind of

teaching. They need to hear.

They're not getting any substance in their teaching,

because sometimes, sadly the men who get up in the Pulpit.

Don't know any more about the Bible than the people.

They're trying to teach And that's a problem.

And we could solve a lot of the problems that we have.

If men, instead of just being concerned about getting their

way and men being concerned about having the preeminence in

the church, had a real love and care about the church, and men

had a knowledge of the Bible and know how to apply that

knowledge. We could solve a lot of our

difficulties. Now, the same vein.

I want to say that every church needs discipline.

Now, we don't like to talk about discipline and discipline.

Really sounds kind of like an ugly and a harsh word to us.

And when we think about discipline we Think about

immediately disfellowshipping someone well that's not

necessarily what I'm talking about.

When I talk about discipline. In fact really there are two

kinds of discipline and both of them, the church desperately

needs. One of them is instructive

discipline and discipline does not necessarily have to be.

It doesn't have to be what we think of as negative.

It doesn't have to be harsh. And certainly our preaching

should never be rude or hateful or condescending but you know

every time a faithful man gets in the pulpit and preaches, a

gospel sermon and tells me something that is needful for my

soul. I am receiving discipline.

When a brother tells me that I am doing something that is wrong

or that poses a danger to my soul.

I'm receiving discipline. And every person in the church

every child of God needs discipline in their life just as

much as every child in your any other Home needs discipline and

just as you see the results in the life of a child that goes

without discipline and is allowed to run, amok and do

simply whatever they want to do and they're never told not to do

anything. They're never Oakland or

chastised for doing what is wrong.

Just as we see the result of that and too many homes.

We see the result of that in too many churches.

There are places where leaders don't want a lot of things talk

about because they're afraid is going to make somebody mad and

is going to run somebody off and it's going to diminish the size

of the crowd. And it's going to Quench and

throw a bucket of cold water on the excitement.

They think they have in the congregation.

Well, listen, now the Lord's, not concerned about having a

building full of people. The Lord's concerned about

having a building full of converted people, the Lord is

concerned about saving people's souls, and taking them to

heaven. And that involves telling people

what they need to know. And sometimes that's not

popular. Sometimes that doesn't sit very

well with them, but it's needful and we desperately need

instructive discipline. I know some congregations.

If they refuse the kind of preaching they need to hear,

they won't call a preacher that's going to get up and

preach on things. They're not going to call the

preacher. Who's going to get up and lay it

on, lay it on the line. They're not going to call the

preacher as some of the old timers, you saved this going to

Shell it down and show the cob because that kind of preaching

is not popular today and you know, they end up paying the

price for that. Because in some places that I'm

aware of, they allow things to run amok and they allow things

to grow weak and it gets to the point.

That even the leaders of that church realize that it's getting

out of hand and it's going too far and all of a sudden they try

to put the brakes on it and they don't know what to do about it.

Well, you know what? They should have done something

a long time ago, they should have been disappointing.

The church all along by teaching what the church needed to hear

and informing and educating the membership of their

congregation. Now sometimes unfortunately, it

precedes to the point that we Corrective discipline,

corrective, discipline, and this is a misunderstood thing,

because many times people think of corrective discipline as a

weapon that's used in retaliation or that corrective

discipline is some form of punishment for people.

And because we have that kind of mindset about discipline.

We tend to try to avoid it and we tend to fail to execute it

when sometimes it's necessary. But I believe that's the Lord's

will for every Church to deal with problems.

Some problems that arise by using corrected discipline.

You know, they're in First Corinthians 5.

We're aware of that situation, that Paul addressed at Corinth.

He said there was a man and that congregation that had his

father's wife and he said that this was a sin that was so dark

and so heinous and it was not even named among the Gentiles.

And Paul says, you ought to be ashamed of it, Paul says, you

ought to mourn over it. But instead, your puffed up over

it, I don't think this means that the Corinthians were going

around bragging about the fact that they had a man living in an

incestuous relationship, Well, what I do think it means is that

these people were looking the other way and they were acting

as though all was well, and they were proud of themselves as a

congregation and of their spiritual progress of their

spiritual condition when really that wasn't the case in the eyes

of God. Paul says, they should have been

morning, they should have been deeply grieved, and concerned

about the sin of this land and so grieved about it that they do

something to try to save his soul.

And Paul says, in order to save his soul.

If this man won't repent, Paul said, you don't need women.

You withdraw from him. That doesn't mean you just don't

call on Adelita song. Paul says, you don't eat with

such a wand and Paul gives two reasons.

Paul says, you don't eat with such a one, first of all.

So, that perchance they might be saved, that is deliver them over

to Satan. So, that perchance in the end,

their soul might be saved. Now, I've known the situations

where someone went astray and became guilty of some terrible

sin and where Brethren scripturally and in the right

motive in love and concern for that brother, they enacted the

kind of discipline that the Bible teaches needed to be

enacted. They followed the Bible's

instructions and it may have taken a while.

But I've known of cases where those Brethren finally came back

to the Lord. And they straightened up their

life because seeing that they were not in fellowship with

God's people. Finally got the message across

to them. They were not in fellowship with

God. But I can't exactly recall a

situation where someone was living.

In an immoral life. And just suddenly said, well,

you know, everybody down. There's just been so tolerant

and so accepting of me. I think I need to give up this

lifestyle. I think I need to quit doing

what I've been doing. It doesn't work that way.

Jesus has the answer and if we would listen to Jesus

prescription for the disease, we could heal the disease.

It really boils down to the fact that we need a real Revival.

Not only in plain Old Time, Gospel preaching, but it times

we need to have the courage and we need to have.

Yes, the love for those Souls who stand in Jeopardy of being

lost to do what the Bible says. That's not only true of the

immoral man is true of the false teacher.

Paul said, in Titus 1 and 10, there are many unruly and vain

talkers and deceivers specially, they of the circumcision whose

mouths must be stopped. Now, how do you stop their

mouths? You certainly don't call them to

preach. You don't give them a platform

to teach other people. He says they subvert whole

houses teaching things which they ought not.

In other words, they go from family to family and from house

to house and from person to person spreading their Doctrine,

Paul said their mouths must be stopped.

They must be Mark there. Must be avoided.

People must know to avoid them and the danger that their

Doctrine poses. Wherefore rebuke them sharply.

Paul says that they may be sound in the faith, Titus 3 and 10.

Mm. And it isn't heretic after the

first and second admonition, reject knowing that he, that is

such subverted and sinneth being condemned of himself, Romans 16

and 17. I beseech you Brethren mark

them, which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctor,

which you have learned and avoid them for they, that are such

serve, not our Lord, Jesus Christ, but their own belly.

And by good words, and fair speeches deceive, the hearts of

the simple. 1st Corinthians 5 and verse 11.

Listen now Paul says, but now I have written unto you not to

keep Company If any man that is called a brother, be a

fornicator, or Covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a

drunkard, or an extortioner with such an one.

No, not to eat. You know, it's wrong to rail

against your brethren. It is so wrong.

That the Apostle Paul says, when one is guilty of it, you

withdraw from him and you don't eat with him.

Now I want I'm worked in an area and there was a congregation

that was afflicted by a railer. There was a man and that

congregation that had ruled that church by his temper for years.

He would have outbursts in the services of the church even He

would often times, be raped, the Brethren, the man, who taught

the man who waited on the table. The man that led a song at the

back door of the church building.

And this man had divided congregations in his area, where

he lived, because of the fact that he would often go about and

make false accusations and rail against his own brother.

Well, you know, it finally came to a head in one of these

congregations and some of the Brethren left that church and

they went down the road to another church because they were

tired of putting up with him. Well, the next thing I knew

these people were calling the other churches in the area and

they were saying. Now, we hope you're not on, call

on that man because we won't come to your meeting if you're

going to call on him. And that just didn't sit exactly

right with me. And I told one of those Brethren

that called me, one day until you're willing to do what the

Bible says to do about that. Because after all this man was

under your jurisdiction, he was a member of your congregation

and until you're willing to do what the Bible says, to deal

with him, you have no right to call up to this other

congregation and tell them what to do about him.

And you see it took a problem. That should have been reserved,

one, local congregation and it spread it to multiple

congregations in an area and it became and still is a big mess.

That's because we don't listen to Christ.

And we make a bigger mess instead of solving our problems.

I got to hurry. I believe that Jesus is well as

the answer to confusion in religion, many people think that

Christ instituted, the thousands of churches that exist in the

world and they'll even thank God and their prayers for all of the

denomination's, it exists. The problem with that is

according to First Corinthians 14 and verse 33, God is not the

author of confusion, but of peace.

Now, you know, if you're confused tonight, you're not

alone. If you're confused as you look

out, The landscape of religion and you're searching for the

truth and you don't know hard to wear to began and you don't know

who's telling who's saying, what is opposed to somebody else, and

who's right? As opposed to who's wrong,

you're not alone. You're in the same boat with

Millions upon millions of people who have turned away tonight

from Christianity because of the fact that there are so many

churches and denominations at all claim to be the Lord's.

But you know, Jesus has the answer.

To that confusion. Jesus said in Luke 18, verse 10

Luke 18:10

unto you, it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of

God, but to others in Parables that seeing, they might not see

and hearing, they might not understand the parable, is this,

the seed is the word of God. You know, that's the answer

right there. The seed is the word of God.

Now, there are a lot of things in life morally and spiritually.

Otherwise it revolve around this little thing that we call the

seed principle. And we all understand the seed

principle that is that you can take a seat of a particular

variety, and you can plant it in the Earth.

And that in time when that seed, germinates and springs up and it

brings forth fruit, that, that kind of fruit is going to be

according to the seed that you're so.

In other words, you're not going to go out and plant a seed of

corn and go out later in the year and fine wheat.

You're not going to set out a tomato Vine and then go out a

few months later and pick watermelons off of that vine or

squash or something else and you're certainly not going to

see some sort of a strange plant that has a tomato on one Vine.

A watermelon on another squash on another and something else on

another. We know that when you plant one

kind of seed, One plan is going to come from that and that plan

is going to very specific type of fruit.

Nothing more, nothing less, nothing different.

Jesus said, the seed of the kingdom is the word of God.

Now, all things were created miraculously but they are

sustained sustained through that natural principle when God,

created all living things of the time of the creation.

He did so by Miracle. He did not put a seed in the

barren Earth but rather Jesus are rather God planted a

full-grown tree. When he made man he did not

begin with an embryo but rather God had a full-blown full-grown

man fashioned Out of the Dust of the earth.

He created Eve out of rib that you took out of the sight of man

that was a miracle but within every living thing and every

species, he placed the seed of reproduction and that seed

forever sustains and propagates that particular species Well

when the church was established, it was established by Miracle on

the day of Pentecost, the holy spirit, filled the apostles and

they began by inspiration, as we talked about last night to

Herald the gospel and to reveal unto the Saints.

The faith that would once. And for all be delivered and

therefore, the seed was placed within that new and that

miraculously created organism that seed of reproduction, being

the word of God, that was inspired when it is taken that

it is sown in other Hearts, we did is take any even across or

All this world across the sea and went even spans generations

of time, and ages, and cultures. And that seed is planted in the

sea in the heart of men in the fertile heart of man.

If it grows, it's going to produce one thing.

And that is that which it came from.

And that tells me that if a person simply takes the Bible

and simply reads and understands and obeys what the Bible teaches

him to do, then he's going to be one thing and one thing only and

that is a new testament. Christian he's not going to be a

Christian of one kind of a variety or another.

He's simply going to be a Christian.

He's going to be what they were back there.

Now, why you have so many churches in the world tonight is

because people do something besides what the Bible says,

because they're Guided by their Creed's, by their catechisms, by

their confessions of Faith, by their traditions.

By their prejudices and not by the simple teaching of the word

of God. And so, again, I say Jesus is

the answer to confusion and division that exists in

religion, tonight, number 4, Jesus is the answer to Broken

homes? And do we ever need an answer to

this real problem in our world tonight?

Half of all marriages, fact more statistics.

Now, show us in this country that more than half of all

marriages, end in divorce. It's hard.

It's hard to go a day without meeting somebody.

Who hasn't been divorced and remarried and often multiple

times and it's hard to go to a congregation anymore.

Where there are not people who have been divorced and

remarried. I hear of marriages in the

church that are on the rocks or ended in divorce and sometimes

those divorces are Justified, unfortunately and sometimes

they're not. But I can tell you that

regardless of the circumstances that precipitated, those

divorces whatever, the reason behind them.

The fact that he came to that point is a blight on this

country and it is a blight on the people of God.

I feel sorry for children that grow up in homes today that they

don't even know who their moms and dads are and they talk about

their stepmothers and their stepfathers and sometimes it's

so mixed up and so convoluted you can't unravel it, neither

can they? But when you set aside God's

Arrangements trouble ends up being the result.

Now, over in Ephesians 5 and 6, you have a very simple an

ancient pattern for the home that God designed.

And when God created the home, which he did in the Garden of

Eden, had a design for it. The problem is society is a very

Trusted in that design. And unfortunately, some of the

church are very interested in that plan, or that design Paul

States and Ephesians chapter 5, that the relationship that a man

Ephesians 5 · chapter mention

has to his wife is the same as Christ has to the church and it

just as Christ is the head of the church.

So is the husband be the head of his wife and the head of his

home. And at the wife, is to submit

under her husband, just as Christ are just as the church

does unto Christ, this hearkens to the principle that the

Apostle Paul set forth and First Corinthians chapter 11 and verse

1 Corinthians 11 · chapter mention

3 when he told, Told us that the head of every man is Christ and

the head of Christ is God, and that the head of woman is the

man. Now, I don't know if anything I

could get on television tonight and say that would be more

unpopular, or get any more hate mail.

Than that? Right there.

You could read 1st Corinthians 11, and verse 3 on, the average

Street Corner in this country, and somebody's going to Bob you,

because that's completely out of date.

That's sexist, you know, but the fact of the matter is, God says

that the husband is to be the head of his hole and the wife is

to submit herself unto the husband And I don't have time

tonight to go into all of what that means and and to qualify

that by saying that that does not give the husband, the right

to rule over his wife in a way. Unlike Christ does over his

church and treat her in a way that is not right.

That's not what I'm talking about tonight.

And that's not what the Bible is talking about tonight.

The Bible is talking about the fact that the man is in a

position of spiritual leadership within his house, and the woman

is subordinate to that and Ephesians chapter 6.

Ephesians 6 · chapter mention

The Paul taught that children are to obey their parents in the

lord and there to honor their father and their mother.

You certainly don't see much of that today because children are

allowed to do whatever the world they want to do.

And if they don't like what their parents do or how their

parents raise them, why in some cases, they can just go down to

court and sue their parents. Some children just take a gun

and they shoot their parents. They don't have respect for

their parents. They don't love their parents.

They're not taught to love their parents.

There's something left to themselves from the earliest of

Ages. And a simple Bible home.

After the Bible pattern is a rare sight today, we need homes,

where fathers of the God-fearing leaders?

They're supposed to be, we need homes where wives and mothers

placed their responsibilities, to the home above everything

else we need homes, where children are made to love their

parents and respect authority, because that lesson that they

learn early in life will carry them all through life.

When they must respect the authority of others, we need

homes. Where children are taught the

Bible and they're taught how to pray.

That's the kind of home Timothy was raised in because Paul said

in second with a 1 in 5 When I call to remembrance the

unfeigned faith, it is in the which dwelt first in my

grandmother, Lois, and I mother Eunice and I am persuaded that

in the also, that's a wonderful thing.

That's a wonderful blessing my friend if you were raised in a

home like that and some of us may take it for granted but if

you grew up in a Christian home where you had a mother and a

father who took you to church and you had a mother and father

who taught you the Bible and taught you how to live the right

kind of life and put Christ first and made him preeminent

and all things you are a very rare and a very blessed

individual tonight. And a lot of people don't know

that, a lot of people have never experienced that Henry Grady.

Was the prolific author and historian and newspaper

journalist in Atlanta Georgia. He wrote for the Atlanta

Constitution Journal. And he became a very famous and

prominent wealthy man. And as he began to enjoy the

success that life brought to him, he finally found himself

moving away from his early childhood roots, and getting

caught up in all of the lights and the Glamour and the glitter

of the world. One day, he told his staff at

the newspaper that he was going to take a trip out into the

country to see his mother and he would return in just a couple of

days. He packed his bag and he made

his way way out into the country to a humble little home.

We're his elderly, mother still lived. he told his mother he

said mother, I have come home because I want to spend the

night here with you. And I want you mother to do what

you used to do. I want you before we go to bed

tonight, to take down the Bible and I want you to read it to me.

And I want you to pray for me. And that night, that happened.

His mother pulled down the tattered old Family Bible that

he had been read from or read to from as a child and she read

several verses and chapters in fact from God's word they knelt

down and she led a very heartfelt and sincere prayer for

her son. She took him up to the little

room where he grew up and she tucked him in that little bed

just like he were still a little boy.

And he went home that next day. And claimed that he had

experienced an Awakening of his faith in a real Revival of his

faith and his life was changed by that night.

On another occasion. He happened upon a little

Mountain Home as he was traveling back from Washington

DC. And this family invited you to

come in and spend the night with them.

And he was impressed because before the family went to bed,

after they had enjoyed a wonderful supper, the family

gathered in front of the Hearth of the living room of the

father, pulled down the Family Bible and they read, they

studied the scriptures together and they prayed and they went to

bed. And the next morning they got up

and they did the same thing before they went about their

activities for the day and Henry.

Grady Grady continued his journey on home from the

nation's capital and when he got back, he wrote his column about

his trip. And he said, I have now

determined that the capital of the United States of America is

not in Washington, DC. It's in every home that is

spread across the length and breadth and width of this great

nation. And so it is tonight, the

unfortunate thing is, there are millions of children in this

world that don't know anything about a home like that.

All they know is a home where the only time the name of God is

used as in an oath. The only time they ever hear

Jesus is when somebody Is mad angry.

They've never had anybody read the Bible to them.

They never been taken to church. They don't know anything about

that tonight. And if you're denying your

children that kind of upbringing though, you may say were a

Christian home, we're a Christian family.

Were members of the church, that's not what I'm talking

about tonight. If you're denying your children,

the kind of raising where Christ comes first in their life,

you're cheating them. You're cheating the church.

And you're cheating the world. I grew up in a home and it

wasn't a perfect home. But it was a Christian home. and

one of the things that I will always remember, as long as I

live about my childhood and specifically About my mother.

I don't guess there was a single morning of my childhood that I

didn't get up and get ready to go to school.

But the during that time, she would not be sitting in the

living room in her chair. With a Bible open across her

lap. And a notebook out taking notes.

As she studied for herself, the word of God.

That made an impression on me. It taught me that the Bible is

important, and when I was growing up, I can tell you that

there wasn't a service of the Lord's Church, unless we were

sick and we didn't attend. Well, there was a gospel

meeting. We were going to be there.

We're going to be there every night.

A Wednesday night, dad would get home from a hard day at work and

he would be as tired. Having worked himself to a

standstill. But we loaded up in the car.

And we drove to church. And that made a profound

influence on me as it didn't any of you because you grew up in a

home like that. And the world needs more homes,

like that. Jesus is the answer to the

broken homes that we have in our land tonight.

If we would go back to Bible principles for the home, The

lessons yours tonight and appreciate a little long but

maybe there's someone here who's outside of Christ?

Maybe your life is in disarray, maybe you have a lot of problems

and a lot of questions tonight that you're just having a hard

time finding the answers to and you're facing some crises and

your face facing some problems, maybe of your very own device of

your very own design. That you don't know how to get

out of. You just don't know which way to

turn, you know over there in Jeremiah believe it's the 18th

chapter, there's a beautiful passage where God talks about

the nation of Israel in their broken state.

And he tells the prophet to go down to The Potter's House and

God was going to show him something there.

And he said that there in that house he saw the Potter take a

vessel a broken vessel and mold it and put it up on the wheel

and as the wheel turned and so forth The Vessel was flawed, it

was marred and so God put it back on the wheel and he made it

again. You know, that's what the Lord

could do with your life tonight. And that's what the Lord wants

to do with your life. Just like he did Israel, back

long ago. No matter how many pieces it may

be shattered into, he wants to take those broken pieces and he

can put them on the transforming wheel of his Spirit of his word

and he can mold and shape them into a beautiful vessel that you

never thought possible. So why don't you turn it over to

him tonight? Repent of your sinful living.

Put your faith in your trust in him.

Confess his name before this audience and will baptize.

You this hour for the remission of sins and you'll be a new

creature in Christ in a new page on which to write The land of

beginning again, as we sometimes call it.

We thank you for listening to our podcast, put on by the

Church of Christ at 22:15 plans. Road in Bakersfield, if you

would like any additional information, or you would like

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