1-22-23 PM Service: Pahk the Cah (In Hahvahd Yahd)

Welcome to the Liberty Baptist sermon archives.

The message you're about to hear was preached at Liberty, Baptist

Church in Eastern Massachusetts. You can find out more about us

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message from God's word will be a blessing to you.

Chapter 12. Because we'll have to see how

far I go tonight. And I don't have any pain there,

but I know that it's kind of hard getting it out so we will

do the best, we can this evening.

But I'm glad to be back in the Book of Judges.

It's been over two months since we have been in the Book of

Judges and so we are back this evening.

Thank you. Anthony, in Judges chapter

number 12. So Judges chapter 12.

Judges 12 · chapter mention

This evening in a message that II mean I'm so excited about

this title. I really am pack the car and the

subtitle in have it. Yeah.

All right and I would say this I think I called Marsha a couple

of days ago is like mashaa it's pasta and as soon as it came out

of my mouth I said you know that doesn't even sound right it

doesn't sound like she in fact she refused to call me back she

didn't want to talk to me after I had called her in that manner

and I don't blame her. She was us know, there was a

spirit of wisdom and her part and I appreciate that.

Just add a little bit of encouragement but no, you know,

it's funny. There are ways after living here

in the Boston are almost 10 years.

We moved here in April of 2012 and living in this general area

for almost 10 years. Now, there are some ways you can

know whether someone is from the Boston area or not.

And it's not just by the accent because not everyone from the

Boston area has the stereotypical Hollywood Boston X

and although, there are some who do have it but it's more

stereotypical than anything Else.

But there are some ways you could tell whether someone was

from Boston or not. If I was to put a box of

sprinkles in front of you, sprinkles for ice cream and ask

you what are these. If you were from this area,

you'd say they are Jimmy's. All right, very good.

You pass the test. That's good.

Fun to take you to water fountain at the local public

school. Now, is to say, what's the name

of this thing right here? You would call it a bubbler.

That's right? Or a bubula depending on how

deep into the accent. You are, if Were to go to Dunkin

Donuts. And you were to order a coffee

with cream and sugar. You wouldn't say, I want a

coffee with cream and sugar, you'd ask for a regular, that's

what you would ask for. I always laughed at the story.

Brother Sam Davis has told me the story at least half a dozen

times about the first time he went to Boston and he asked for

a regular coffee, this is what kind of coffee.

Do you want? He goes, oh, just regular.

And he meant just a black coffee because he said, 49 other states

of the Union, a regular coffee. Just it being regular would be

just a black coffee. She and they brought it back

with cream and sugar. He says, I this unfortunately

has cream and sugar and she goes, that's what you asked for.

You'll want it a regular and he said, well I wanted regular, but

this has cream and sugar, and she goes, that's what you asked

for you. It was right.

Like it was Abbott and Costello routine until finally.

She gave it him a black coffee and said, there you go, but it's

not regular. And so that's you know, there's

some one of the things I love about living around here is

there's some things that are very distinctly and very

uniquely Lee Boston or very distinctly and uniquely

Massachusetts. And while you might think this

is just small talk, I'm making before sermon that couldn't

possibly have anything to do with the Bible.

If you read ahead in Judges chapter 12, you would realize it

Judges 12 · chapter mention

has everything to do with our text here tonight because there

was a group of men who couldn't pronounce one word right and

because it 42,000 men died. So make it start to think about

parking your car, in Harvard Yard and saying it the right

way. When you consider that zone, I'm

going to ask you to remain seated tonight and we're going

to read and Judges chapter 13. We're gonna start a little bit.

Judges 13 · chapter mention

We actually start to begin the chapter just to give us a little

bit of background and remind us, where we were a couple months

ago. The last time we address this

text, so Judges chapter 12 verse number 1, and the men of Ephraim

Judges 12 · chapter mention

gather themselves together and went northward and said unto

jeptha. Remember, he's the current judge

where four passes now over to fight against the children of

Ammon and did not call us to go with the, we will burn 9 house

upon the with fire. Remember the constant complainer

those men of Ephraim. They were the complainers and

jeptha said unto them. I am, I people weren't great

Strife with the children of Ammon and when I called you, you

delivered me not out of their hands and when I saw that, he

delivered me not, I put my life in my hands and passed over

against the children of Ammon and the Lord delivered them into

my hand, wherefore then are you come up unto me this day to

fight against me and Jeff the gathered together, all the men

of Gilead and smoke and fought with Ephraim and the men of

Gilead smote Ephraim. Because they said he gileadites

are fugitives of Ephraim among the ephraimites, and among the

Manan sites. And so, it seemed like the men

of Ephraim were much better at talking than they weren't

fighting and so Gilead. And jeptha in particular have

won the day. However, It says in verse 5 that

the gileadites took the passengers of Jordan before the

ephraimites. And it was so that when those

ephraimites which were Escape said, let me go over that the

men of Gilead said unto them, art thou any free of Might.

And if he said nay, then they said unto him.

Say now shibboleth, say now shibboleth, and he said,

shibboleth for he could not frame to pronounce it right?

Then they took him and slew him at the passage.

Jordan. And there fell at that time of

the ìiî of mites 40 and 2000 and jeptha judged.

Israel. Six years then digest of the

gileadites and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.

We see in our text here tonight that we kind of need to address

some of the who are these people.

We have jeptha, we have the ammonites, we have the

gileadites, we have the ephraimites, and people are

fighting, and people don't seem happy and 42,000.

Men are I'd have died, what's going on in our text here

tonight. And remember, jeptha was the

judge who was brought in, he was forsaken by his own people

because of the past that he had because he was born into a

household. His mother was a woman that had

had an illicit relationship with her father and all of these

things came into play. He was thrown out from his

household, he was thrown out of his country, but at the same

time, he had amassed a certain amount of army of people who'd

also been displaced people. I've been treated poorly and he

had an army and so his own people to gileadites called him

back and say, we need your help because the ammonites are

oppressing us, and we know, you have an army ready to go.

Ready to fight. Will you defend us?

And he said, I will defend you. I will help you.

I will put the oppressors out from our land, but you'll have

to make me your judge. You won't throw me out like you

did. When I was just becoming an

adult know. You'll have to make me your

judge, and make me your leader, which they readily agreed to.

And so, it was through that time, that jeptha and his army

were able to win a Wait, military victory over the

ammonites, but when we get to chapter number 12, there were

the men of Ephraim Ephraim and Gilead were both regions that

were to the Eastern side of the Jordan River.

They were kind of what we would call the wild west but for them,

it will be the wild east of the nation of Israel because they

were kind of on the outskirts. These were people's that live

more on the land. These were people that were more

ranchers and farmers and those type of things they were very

heavily into that in the land of Elliot and in Ephraim and

Manasseh and such. And so they get to this area

here and the ephraimites say we wanted to help you and you

didn't call us and so because of the great offense that you have

put against us, we're going to kill you when you kill your men.

Now we saw from our text and I'm not going to re-preach the

message, I preached two months ago but the idea is Gilead or

rather Jeff the had called them, they had not come but now that

they had won the day, they wanted to be included.

Das some of the victors of the day just like the old saying

goes that defeat is alone, but victory has a thousand fathers.

And so they didn't want anything to do with Jeff though, when

they thought the odds were long. But now the jeptha and the

gileadites had one, they feel offended that they weren't

included in this military Expedition and so in Zwolle, it

devolves into what becomes a Civil War and we find in verse

number 4. It says in Jeff, the gathered

together, all the men of Gilead and fought with Ephraim and Men

of Gilead smote Ephraim because they said you gileadites are

fugitives of Ephraim among the ephraimites and among the many

sights and the men of Ephraim had done this in the past.

We even look that this was not the first time that they had

done this, they did this with Gideon some years back as well

or they refused to fight. But then afterwards, it said,

well, why didn't you call us? Because that's kind of what

complainers do. Don't they love to be the Monday

Morning Quarterback. They don't offer any help, but

they love when everyone's done the people that actually do the

working saying, well, why didn't you call Us.

We would have loved to help when they were nowhere to be found.

And so when this argument devolves into war with, I

believe Jepsen, the gileadites being right with the Lord and

the men of Ephraim not having the right spirit and not being

right with the Lord, this fight occurs.

And as I mentioned, as we were reading the text, the men of

Ephraim were great talkers but they weren't great Fighters.

And it's probably also another characteristic of those were

complainers that love to talk but when you had put a

broomstick in there and all of a sudden they don't know what to

do. And so it says this brings us to

Where we are in our text tonight.

It says in verse number 5 and the gileadites took the passages

of Jordan before the ephraimites.

And it was so that when those ephraimites which were Escape

said, let me go over that the men of Gilead said unto him.

Art thou in III might if he said nay then they said in him say

now shibboleth kind of read in a verse number 6 just because of

the pattern of the verse there. But this is what happens the

ephraimites are starting to lose the battle and as such They are

retreating from the battlefield. And so the Fords, their the

streams of the Jordan River that are nearby.

They realize the gileadites realize, if they get across

these streams, if they get across these four words, they're

gone. We're never going to get our

hands on them. And so, what they do is, they

stop all of the ways of retreat. They put guards at posts at each

of these streams at each of these four words places where

the ephraimites would try to cross the Jordan River and all

of a sudden, not be able to be caught again and so, As they're

stopping these men on the battlefield, they ask them.

Hey, are you with ephraimites? We'll listen, if you are with

the gileadites, you see another gilja tight, you're happy to see

one of your brethren. They have a sword in their hand,

but if you're an E4, you might who's running away from the

gileadites and you see a man of Gilead there with a store.

And says, are you need for you? Might imagine your blood

pressure is about to go up quite a bit, isn't it?

And so it's an Ephraim a'ight. It's only in their best interest

to say. Oh no.

I'm not one of those ephraimites, I'm one of you, but

here's the thing. There were no driver's licenses.

There were no passports, there were no identifying documents

that they would have been carrying around with them.

How could they have known the gileadites?

Whether they were truly ephraimites or not, how could

they have known? Could I put it this way if they

were Friend or Foe? Well, there was a regional

dialect that they had there was, could we put it this way and

accent that the ephraimites had that the other people did not

have in the area and these accent did not allow them to

form the sound in different words, you know, kind of like,

saying, yard, You know, or pastor?

And the idea like here where we know in the Boston area we like

taking ours off of some words and somehow depositing among

other words that have no business having the are in the

first place. Well, they had this sound that

they could not pronounce the ephraimites as the gileadites

would say, here's the password. You say the password will let

you over. You can't say the password, your

Annie free of Might and you're dead.

Are you ready? Here's the word shibboleth.

Shibboleth to pasture. What does shibboleth mean.

The interesting is thing is doing some studying this week.

There's a lot of disagreement about what the word shibboleth

actually means. There's some that believe it

means stream which would, you know, make sense because they

were right there next to streams.

But really the idea is what's important is not what the word

meant, but what the word sounded like, can you say the word

shibboleth? And I can only imagine.

Because I know sometimes we read these verses in black and white

and we don't remember, we don't think maybe These are real

people, real events and could you imagine knowing that you

have to say the word shibboleth and you don't know that your

mouth can actually pronounce it right on the first time.

And, you know, if you can't say it, right?

You're about to die and the ephraimites as much as they

tried to say shibboleth. They said both laugh and every

single ifrah might who said the word Sybil leth.

Die. Because of an accent.

Now, by the way, this isn't the only time in the Bible where

someone's accent gives them away.

You'll remember that in Matthew chapter 26, when Peter was

Matthew 26 · chapter mention

warming himself by the fire that there were those who questioned

him and they questioned where he was and whether he's a type of

disciple of Christ because he was From Galilee and then he

believed that those of Galley, had a fairly distinct accent.

Matthew 2673 says, and after a, while came unto him, they that

stood by and said to Peter, surely thou.

Also, one of them for thy speech, be re at thee, your

speech betrays, the fact that you are Galilee and in your with

Jesus Christ. And maybe that's also the case

in Acts chapter 2 verse 7, where it says on the day of Pentecost

Acts 2:7

and they this is the crowd and they were all amazed and

marveled saying one to another behold are not all these which

speak galilaeans kind of like this mean, how could hayseeds

like this actually know what they're talking about because

many people thought the galileans were unlearned because

The way they talked and because of the way they often handle

themselves and so accents, you know, we sometimes you know,

laugh about them and we look at different regions of the

country. They have different accents or

even different accents in different parts of the world.

And even some here tonight, have different accents depend on

where you lived or where you didn't live.

And I think of, even my family, my wife's family living in

Scotland, she's the only one that doesn't have a Scottish

accent, but she also lived in Australia.

And I've heard a recording of her when she's about 12 years

old singing Once where Singing with a Scottish / Australian

accent, at the same time as one of my favorite things I've ever

heard in my life in such an awesome thing.

But she has a sympathetic accent wherever she goes.

She takes on the accent of the area until we got to Boston.

It seems like but she had the Scottish accent then had some of

an Australian accent and then got to Oklahoma and got really

confused, which is pretty much what happens when you get to

Oklahoma. You get very confused and so

accents. And so the shibboleth here was

such and, you know, the word shibboleth is actually something

that's coming to Modern vernacular.

Cooler. Today, it's actually something

today that this is actually the definition of shibboleth.

If you were to look it up in the dictionary.

It says this in modern context, a shibboleth is any identifying

word manner of speaking or behavior that shows someone to

be part of a particular group. It's a way to know if someone's

a local or not, for instance, during the Revolutionary War.

If you were to go to Faneuil Hall, even today, I think I

mentioned this before, we would have Faneuil Hall.

Today, very high, the top of Faneuil Hall on the Weathervane.

There is a grasshopper. If you were a local to Boston,

you would know it's a grasshopper but if you are not a

local, it's high enough up there, that's really hard to

make out what it is. And who would think a

grasshopper is on a top of a Weathervane on top of a large

building like that. And so it was That during the

Revolutionary War, if someone was believed to have been a spy,

they would take them to Faneuil Hall.

And they would say this, what's on top of Faneuil Hall.

And if they knew as a grasshopper, it was obvious that

they were a local. If they did not know, it was a

grasshopper, very likely they were a spy and usually they were

put to death. What's the grasshopper on top of

Faneuil Hall? It's actually one of America's

oldest and most famous shibboleths I'll give you a

shibboleth that you have used before.

I know you have whether you realize it or not you ever had

someone who was from out of town, come to town and you're

driving down the interstate and you see a sign and you say this,

hey Is the name of that City. Worcester.

Worcester. We're sure we're sure Worcester

and you say no it's Worcester or Worcester depending on where

you're from, that's a shibboleth.

What about Leo, Minster? What about Peabody?

Or Haver Hill. Or even part uh, kit which is

learned over the last few years as Pawtucket.

What about? Quincy people say Quincy.

But if we know, if you've been around Long of its Quincy with a

hard Z at the end know, I said some of those wrong on purpose

and some of those, right? But you know, the first time we

went to Haverhill, we called it have her Hill and you know what,

everyone the church realized. Yeah, you've never been here

before. When I was a teenager, we came

to through on the Mass Pike through Worcester and someone

who was in the car, so that was a local said, what do you think

the name of that place is and roared with laughter as a bunch

of teenagers? Tried to say Worcester, they had

no idea and we had no idea, you know, that it's a simple that

it's something to local nose easily, but someone who is not

local, can't really put their mouth around and explain away

the local wood and So you say pastor, this is very

entertaining, this is very interesting.

I love talking about Boston accents, and Faneuil Hall, and

all this, and sure that's there in the Bible, but I mean, Pastor

is our is our possibly anything about this that could do with us

today. And of course, I think you've

been around Liberty Baptist Church enough if I'm standing

behind the pulpit. I'm talking to you tonight.

Yes, there is something about this text, and about the idea of

a shibboleth, it is very much appropriate for us to understand

and apply to our lives. And I think, I'll put it this

way. There's a General application.

I want, you understand? And there's a specific

application. I want to understand tonight

about why this shibboleth is so important to the context of how

we live today. There's a General application,

but there's also a specific application.

The general applications of the one, we like, because it's the

ones that don't really apply to us specific applications of the

ones that typically get a little bit uncomfortable because it

hits a little too close to home. So because that let's start with

a General application. First tonight, the idea of a

ship. Both may seem remote and

unnecessary but I believe it's not it.

And here's one of the reasons a General application of the

understanding of this text is necessary, you know, there are

many, who claim to know, God, there are many, who claim to

speak on behalf of God, there are many who call themselves

bible-believing groups. But yet, how do you know,

whether someone or some entity? Is a Bible believer or not, did

you? No, that the Bible gives us some

shibboleths to know whether someone actually is a Bible

believer or not. And I'm not talking about

whether Someone Saved or not, I'm not telling you that I can

look into someone's heart and tell whether they're going to

heaven or not. If I could say that tonight,

you'll be flying against everything.

The word of God says, but the Bible does say this to judge

righteous judgment and our they're not religious groups out

there that say we speak on behalf of Jesus Christ.

Isn't it important for us to know whether that's a group, we

should follow or not aren't there?

Those who wave the flag of Jesus Christ, that their leaders of

thought they are leaders of theology that they say, oh yes,

we believe in Jesus Christ. Well, isn't important.

If we know whether they believe in Jesus Christ, before we start

reading their books, listen their podcast, and be influenced

by who they are. Who be important that we use a

Bible given shibboleth to know whether they are.

Are a true Bible believer or not?

One of the ways we could do that and we can take our leave of

this text will return a couple different places.

Turn to First, John chapter 4 tonight 1st, John chapter 4,

John 4 · chapter mention John 4 · chapter mention

First John chapter 4 verse number 15, here's a shibboleth.

1 John 4 · chapter mention

How do you know whether an organization believes in the

Lord or not? Well, here's one first John

1 John 4:15

chapter 4 verse 15 whosoever shall confess.

That Jesus is the son of God. God dwelleth in him and he in

God, you say, well Pastor, what's the big deal about that

at? That seems to be something

that's very obvious. Well, it's not as obvious as I

would think because there are groups that call themselves,

Christian groups. Today the Mormon Church the

Latter Day, Saints Church, would say to us that they are

Christians, just like we are. But the question is, does that

mean that they're Christian just because they call themselves

Christians? Well, one way we could know

whether that's the case or not is to apply a Bible shibboleth,

which would be this whosoever shall confess.

That Jesus is the son of God, God dwelleth in him and he is in

God. What about first, John 5 verse

John 5:7

7, Also, with that for, there are three that bear record in

heaven. The Father, the word and the

Holy Ghost and these three are one.

Now, the word Trinity is not used their.

However, we see the doctrine of the Trinity there, don't we?

That God is one God. It's not three different gods.

He is not three different gods. He is one God, but yet, he's in

three distinct persons. The Father, the word, and the

Holy Ghost, the word being John 11, Jesus Christ.

The Had its taught neck, 1729 and Romans 1:20 in Colossians

Romans 1:20 Colossians 2:9

2:9 and John 14:26. I don't know.

John 14:26

This are to have you write those all down, but this idea that,

that Jesus Christ is God and that he is part of a Triune god,

father, Son and Holy Ghost. Listen.

There's a lot of people who would say this, we believe in

God, I could bring a Muslim up here tonight and I could bring a

Jewish man up here tonight and I could say, Do you believe in God

and Do you believe in God? And they would all say yes, we

all believe in God. And maybe they would even say

this, we all believe in the god of Abraham, but here's the

shibboleth. Confess the name of Jesus

Christ. Confess the name of Jesus

Christ. And you know what, the more

wood, you know what the the Muslim will do he'll say?

Sybil leth. Because his mouth can't frame

the word. We'll ask our Jewish friend on

this side. Say the word.

Jesus Christ is Lord saying. Civil f.

Cuz he can't get his mouth around it.

Now, imagine we take a, a Mormon on one side and we take a

Jehovah Witness on another side and maybe we even get a

Christian Scientist up here, and of course, Christian Science,

Mary Baker, Eddy got its founding up in this very area,

you could go down to do Boston today and you could go see the

immense buildings and things that they have there and all the

Mary Baker Eddy houses that are around including one in

Stoughton in a place that she live and imagine we take them

and say this, there are three that bear record in heaven.

Can you confess that? There are three, the Father, the

word, and the Holy Ghost. You know what they would have to

say, all three of them. Sybil f. you can't say, That's

why I've asked Jehovah Witnesses before they will say to make a

place of agreement. Oh, we believe that Jesus is the

son of God and I'll say this or the, we believe he's the son of

God. I say, well, that's fine.

But you also believe that he's God.

The son saying this, do you believe that he is part of the

Triune God? Which by the way, the son of the

term, Son of God does not take away from his deity.

All he had to do is go to the Book of Daniel and realize

actually elevates his deity. But at the same time to help

them understand that he's part of a Triune God.

I believe he's God the son but do you believe he's the son of

God or the other way around? You understand what I'm saying?

That's what trouble. All right.

I'm trying to squeeze some pity out there and you know what

they'll say Symbol F. They can't say it and there are

times that we as Believers need to have discernment and

understand where people stand in these areas.

Because if we do not, we may be influenced by wrong teaching, we

may be influenced by wrong Theology and so we have to take

those things and ask can you frame these words?

That that is a that is a Bible term.

In fact, so compare first John four fifteen and first John 5:7

1 John 5:7

to this verse second John verse 7.

So just to Age away. 2nd. John verse 7.

So compare what we just read with this.

For many deceivers are entered into the world who confess not

that. Jesus Christ is come in the

flesh. What is it?

This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

It is not the Antichrist but as a person that is opposed to

Christ, they have the spirit of antichrist within him.

So what do we have to do? There are times we have to

impose some Bible shibboleths to know whether someone is of the

right Doctrine or not and I know.

Time to get into this tonight, but I would also say there are

other shibboleths in the Bible as well.

Including this does someone believe in the death and burial

and resurrection of Jesus Christ that he bodily died and was

buried and he rose again on the third day, what about this is a

shibboleth, the blood atonement. There are some of those who

would actually deny the fact that Jesus Christ blood was

necessary, including at one point, John MacArthur himself,

the blood atonement being necessary.

For salvation, that is a shibboleth.

What about this salvation by grace?

And not of Works Ephesians 2:8 and 9 teach us that our

Ephesians 2:8

Salvation is not of ourselves. It's the gift of God, not of

Works. Lest any man should boast.

What happens if someone teaches there's oh, Jesus Christ.

Oh, he's the son of God, Jesus Christ.

He's part of the Triune God but you can come to him through your

works. That's a shibboleth that tells

us. That's not something that I want

to be a part of, that's not something I want to be

influenced by as Jesus Christ. The Gospel of Jesus Christ, is

salvation, plus nothing that I can do.

If you have to add something, you do to the gospel message,

that makes you part of the Gospel in adding to Salvation.

And there's nothing that I can add to Salvation.

All I can do is confess Jesus Christ as my Lord and ask for

forgiveness of my sins and repent.

That's what I must do. That's the shibboleth.

What about the reality of sin? There are preachers out there

today that if you were to ask them this, can you just say the

word sin from the pulpit? I'm not trying to be cute

tonight, but there are preachers.

That literally will not even use the word sin from the pulpit.

And if you were asking when the pulpit, could you say sin, they

would go see. Sybil ethe.

They can't say it. What does that mean?

Well, that's not someone that I want to be influenced by.

I told you that I was reading a book by Joel Osteen a few years

ago and I got it online and I got it on purpose and it was

talking about how to have your best life now or something along

the vein that he normally teaches on and because it was an

electronic book, I literally could find a word.

You just go in the search box and find a word.

I put the word sin in and I found the word sin in this 200

plus page book. One time.

And so I thought, well, maybe it's a mistake.

So, you know, sometimes when you search you can search for every

form of the word. And so I put sin in the search

box and I made sure I was searching for every form of the

word one time. How can you have the kind of

life that God wants you to have without addressing sin in your

life? You know what that is.

That's a shibboleth to me. They go that's not probably

something I need to be influenced by because I want to

make sure that I understand that I'm a sinner that only Jesus

Christ can save me and that a lot of the problems I have in my

life are seeing problems. That every problem I have in

life is a sin problem that's joke about that but I can tell

you that there are problems in our life that are seeing

problems their self created. And so what do we do when I see

a teacher like that I'm just telling you for my life.

This is why I say that's a shibboleth I do.

Want to be influenced by that, I don't.

So there's a General application tonight.

That the word helps us understand who we should be

influenced by the word tells us who we should listen to, because

we want to make sure that someone who is speaking.

Who is teaching, who is influencing us is being true to

the word of God. And that's true of preachers.

That's true of theologians. That's true of movements, that's

true of denominations. That's true of religious

organizations. You name it.

God has given us this shibboleth to be able to say, I need to

know that you are teaching and preaching what the word of God

says. Now by the way we cannot make

shibboleths out of our own preferences.

We have to make sure our shibboleths actually come from

the word of God. And there are some people who

cause Division and sow Discord because of preferences and not

because of Bible teaching and preaching and we have to be

careful, even our own Spirit, not to be that way.

But God has given us these things in his word to make sure

he smoke is very clear and 2nd. John 7, look.

If you can't confess that, Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, get

away from that person. They've got the spirit of

antichrist. John later on says this, hey,

don't even better. Godspeed, I mean it's serious.

Don't even bid them. Godspeed.

So that's the general application here tonight.

And if I was to just close up the Bible and say, amen, I mean,

I think we would all be, you know, that's that's good.

Pastor, that's helpful. That's, that's something that

could I can take and I can use, you know, as I kind of go

through life and do those things.

But I would also say to you that there is a specific application

that comes from our text here tonight.

And that's this. Let me remind you the definition

of shibboleth. Is any identifying word manner

of speaking or behavior? That shows someone to be part of

a particular group? Any identifying word manner of

speaking or behavior? That shows someone to be part of

a particular group. Now, tonight, you should be able

to tell if someone is a believer, By what comes out of

their mouth. And maybe could I make it a

little bit more specific? Someone should be able to tell

whether you are a believer. Depending on what comes out of

your mouth or not. because a lot of times we say, oh, I'm a

Believer, but we can't say shibboleth because what comes

out of our mouth is not good, and right?

And holy, can I, our speech should show that?

Were the children of the light not that were followers of the

flesh? Are speech, should show that.

We are children of the light and not followers of the flesh.

Luke 643 a good man out of the good Treasure of his heart

brings forth that which is good. And an evil man out of the evil.

Treasure of his heart brings forth that which is evil for out

of the abundance of the heart. The mouth speaketh, do you see

What comes out of our mouth is a shibboleth of what's actually

inside the heart. Ephesians 4:29, let no corrupt

Ephesians 4:29

communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is

good to the use of edifying that it may Minister grace to the

hearers. That's a shibboleth Colossians

Colossians 4:6

4:6. Let your speech be always with

Grace seasoned with salt. That ye may know how you ought

to answer every man and others should be able to tell if we're

a Believer by how we walk and by how we talk.

Matthew 720 says this wherefore by their fruits, ye shall know

them. When we scream at someone in our

home but we blow our top but we're saying is civil leth.

Sybil leth. When we sing the songs of faith

during the song service, but we don't treat our Brothers and

Sisters in Christ with the same dignity that we just sang about.

We're really saying symbol F heard a preacher.

Say many years ago, that the time the Christians Li the most

is during the song service trust and Obey.

I surrender all we sing these words.

But do we actually think about and mean them or really just

saying civilized When we take it out on the person who answers

the phone after we've been on hold for 30 minutes.

We're really saying civil F. It's a revealer that our heart

is not as clean and pure, as we say, it is.

It's so easy to do because we live in a fallen world and

people aggravate us Annoy Us, some do it on purpose, some do

it on accident. Some of it is just the fact that

we live in this world and and this world's a mess, but we lose

opportunities to be able to be the person that God calls us to

be when we cannot form the word shibboleth.

And we look like someone who's not a Believer could you imagine

what would happen when we act like the non-believers in the

world? Should just stop here, but I'm

going to tell the story. And I've been fighting in my

mind for the last two days, about whether I should tell the

story or not. A few weeks ago.

Las Vegas. We're not Catholic, it's not

confession. But Thanks, Sam.

Cuz I was on my way there, but so We all have different things

that set us off. We all do.

I'm going to ask you to say, Amen, I'm telling you a fact.

Okay, you can all look at me like a cow.

Look at a new gate. I'm just telling you, the fact,

we all have different things that Annoy Us.

And the funny thing is that what annoys me, probably doesn't

annoy you and sometimes maybe you're around other people and

they think you're on for being annoyed by that and you think

they're odd for not realizing how incredibly crazy everyone

else is for not being annoyed by that, So, I have, I have this

pet peeve about going to Walmart.

I could just stop there but I'll continue about going to Walmart.

There's never anything open. You have to check out yourself.

There's 18 people hovering over you.

While you check out yourself, there's cameras recording you.

While you check out yourself, there's TVs showing you that

they're recording you, while you check out yourself, and then as

if all of that is not enough, there is someone at the door who

is smiling at you. When you came in and said, Isn't

it a great day and now they want me to produce the receipt of

what I just did 10 feet away from them just three seconds

ago. And it annoys the fire out of

me. Yeah, so good.

Yeah, I know this this I feel like we're having a breakthrough

here right now so it does and some of you are saying but

that's so that's so trivial, right?

That went a octave or two above it, it's just I don't want to

get into why it really bugs me, and I'm thankful for some people

that agree with me anyway. So so we were my wife and I were

out a few weeks ago. It's late.

I don't want to be at Walmart and it's obviously employees

want to be at Walmart. I'm in line waiting to go

through the line. Oh, guess what?

You have to check yourself out. It's all self.

Check out tonight. Okay, let me check it out.

She's got a car, she's doing stuff.

I got a card, I'm doing stuff. I take the receipt and I just

shove it in my My pocket, I'm not even thinking about it and

we walk out and I realize there's the guy.

He was so friendly coming in, but he's checking receipts

because he's going to make sure that those grapes are paid for.

And so, I try to tell Diane follow behind me fall behind,

because what's followed by me? And he's talking to somebody and

I said, this is my time. He's checking someone's receipt.

So or spinning around this guy who's checking someone else's

receipt and he said she didn't shoot me sir.

No, no one's ever stopped me before when I walk out.

And I'd like to think I'm pretty articulate.

But I was caught somewhat by surprise and he says, I need to

see your receipt and I said, well why?

He says, well I need to see your receipt.

Well and I don't want to get in the legalities of all this to

be. Honestly, I believe legally.

I don't have to show him my receipt.

It's not Costco it's not BJ's where you sign an agreement

saying that they check your receipt.

I just we were trying to check out and the sand and the Machine

stopped working and different people to come fix the machine

for us. We had in an effort for

efficiency. They've got more people helping

us then if one person was checking out.

And so we get into a little Disagreement, I never raised my

voice. Never yelled at the guy, but I

was miffed. And the more we went, he says,

well I'm I'm going to have to I'm have to write your

information down. I said, well, go ahead.

I didn't steal anything and he he's telling me to wait, I don't

want to wait, we're going back and forth.

We're going around or two. And finally, I just said, let's

go. And I'm looking at my wife,

whose eyes are filled with amazement and sorrow and

disappointment all of the same time and we're out of there.

Now, some of you think your pastor is not not able to do

these things, your pastor is more than able and willing to do

these things. At a moment's notice.

Here's where we have difficulty in life.

I believe I was right. But in the course of being,

right, all he could hear was Sybil left.

Because all I can hear. In my desire to be white.

And I think it's unjust and I think it's foolish and I think

they use all kinds of excuses. Like I even read on their

website, was it? We're just trying to make sure

that, you know, you don't get overcharged.

Oh sure. You're trying to make sure that

it's because you look at the cart.

You're not even looking at anything.

You're looking at the receipt you're pretending like you know

what's going on and you check it off.

And by the way I'm not just venting I'm going somewhere

here. Just make sure you know this I

was so willing to have my rights and Justice that all you could

hear was civil up. There has to be a way where we

can get that, which is right as best as we can, but still be

distinct and different as Believers.

Maybe to be the only one who was cheerful in not showing his

receipt or maybe talking to him about it now.

He may, he may not have cooperated from the looks of it,

he was going to cooperate, no matter what and maybe.

Yeah. They I really pretty sure they

put all the Napoleon's at the door at Walmart.

Nene like it man but here's end of the week of Christmas.

Yes. So But I wonder how many times I

have lost opportunities to reach somebody because I was so

wanting to get the food right? Or to prove my point.

Or to make sure that the person who cut me off gets cut off in

a, in a moment. that all they hear is someone saying civil

with See, it's a little bit more concerning than the General

application. Well I mean I have rights what

we do and I believe Romans 13 says that we have rights and

responsibilities in this government and in the land that

we live that we need to, you know, protect and we should be

careful about. But at the same time, I am

supposed to be distinctly Christian before.

I am distinctly American So that's dual loyalty.

Not do a Lords, they have single loyalty and that's the Lord

Jesus Christ. There's no dual loyalty about

it. But here's what I know.

I've also gone to a Dunkin Donuts and I'm going to give you

this and I'm going to be done and I'm not telling stores the

sake of stories, but I feel like this is a problem that we, as

Believers have. And it's a problem that I have

sometimes Dunkin Donuts on Five Corners here if you live in

East. And you know, and this is being

recorded and put online. It is the worst Dunkin Donuts.

Probably known to man on Five Corners.

They don't get stuff, right? They'll keep your change as a

donation. and that just really, It's a kindred spirits but the

damn, we should get some coffee after church.

Just not at that Duncan. All right.

But that's right. So, but it really bugs me but,

you know, a few weeks ago, I got to meet a woman there named

Julia. And started talking to her and I

gave her a track. We went there yesterday to

counsel with a couple at the Dunkin Donuts and I recognized

her at a table. She was on her break again and I

couldn't remember a name, I looked at my phone because

actually type names on my phone sometime so I can remember them.

I said are you Julia? She goes.

Yes. You remembered of course I would

do. We started talking to her

invited her to church again. I'm praying that Julia will come

one of these days to church, you know, Julia's salvation is more

important. Than Navy me.

Losing a bunker to it dumped him.

Now that doesn't mean that I don't go to them and say, no,

you know, you really shouldn't take my money, 75 cents return

and change is not a 75 cent tip for you.

I'm not saying we shouldn't do that, but there's a way to do it

while being a distinct believer, so that you can say shibboleth.

And show that what is on. The inside is a Believer who

wants to honor Christ, Ceci Velasquez, actually a lot

different than just pack. The kind have a yard, and

Jimmy's and Worcester at all that stuff.

It's actually a pretty serious thing and it's a password that

God has given for us to understand those who are Bible.

Believers are not in a general sense but also specifically it's

a reminder to us that we better make sure what we say with the

outside matches what Christ has done in the inside and if we

have some words that are coming out, Out on the outside that are

not, right? We can't say, well, it was just

a mistake. Well, the Bible says out of the

abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh.

And so before we rebuke the mouth, we better go rebuke the

heart and get the heart, right? And then the mouth will be

right. Thank you for listening to the

sermon from the pulpit of Liberty Baptist Church.

If this message was a blessing to you or if there's any way we

can serve you, please let us know by contacting us at info,

at my Liberty Baptist dot org. Or you can visit us this Sunday

at eight hundred Washington Street and East and

Massachusetts may the Lord bless you as you grow in his word.

Thank you for listening to the sermon from the pulpit of

Liberty Baptist Church. If this message was a blessing

to you or if there's any way we can serve you, please let us

know by contacting us at info, at my Liberty Baptist dot org.

Or you can visit us this Sunday at eight hundred Washington

Street and East and Massachusetts may the Lord bless

you as you grow in his word.