Preserving Purity - 3/4/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch

Welcome to the podcast of Meadows

Baptist Church of Walnut Cove, North

Carolina. We're so glad you joined us

today. If you enjoy today's message, be

sure to subscribe, follow, and share

with your friends. Now, let's join

Pastor Charlie Branch with a word from

God.

All right. as you find in your seek if

you could find Matthew's gospel.

Matthew's gospel chapter number five

and uh

felt impressed the Lord to go back to

this text. I started a series and I had

uh I think it's six messages laid out in

this series and I think it was over I

guess it's probably been about a year

ago 10 months ago I started it and uh

God just directed me away from it and I

never went back to it. So we're going to

look at it tonight. Just felt impressed

the Lord to go back here and I don't

know for what reason but I'm just going

to be obedient to the Lord. So,

Matthew's Gospel, chapter 5

this evening. And uh I'm going to do my

best to try to keep it in Bible study

trim tonight, but that may not happen.

So, you pray for me and uh we'll just

preach. Do whatever God says. Amen.

>> Matthew's Gospel chapter 5. And uh I

want to preface this tonight by saying I

don't have any um inkling of anything

going on tonight. not not preaching this

just just just because um I think

there's something happening. If there

is, I guess the Holy Ghost should bear

witness to that, but I'm just preaching

what God put on my heart tonight. And I

hope it's just preventative maintenance

to us. All right? And we'll deal with

this subject tonight. Matthew's Gospel

chapter 5 verse number 27.

Matthew's Gospel chapter number 5 verse

number 27. Our first message in this

series, those you was here uh last year

during this time. Thankfully, we got

some visitors in here, has been coming

with us since then. We we let off the

first message of this uh series of of

this chapter here talking about uh pres

preservation. The first message there

was uh entitled preserving peace. I

don't know if anybody remembers that. Um

but we dealt with verse number 21 uh of

the chapter down through verse number

26. and uh talked about preserving peace

and unity. And tonight we're going to

talk about preserving purity. And uh I

want pray ask the Lord to help us one

more time, then we'll read the text.

Father, thank you for this time tonight.

Thank you, God, for your many blessings.

And Lord, for allowing us to study this

scripture together tonight. I pray you'd

give us uncction and liberty. And I pray

you'd help us preach and demonstration

the spirit with power. And God, I ask

you, Father, that you'd remove any

hindrance tonight. And Lord, I pray God

tonight this is just preventative

maintenance for us. But God, you know

what we need. And so I pray that uh

you'd help us be obedient to the word of

God tonight. And we'll be sure to give

you thanks for what you do because you

alone are worthy. And we ask it in

Jesus' name. Amen. Verse number 27 of

Matthew chapter number five. Jesus says

here, words of read, ye have heard that

it was said by them of old time, thou

shalt not commit adultery. But I say

unto you, that whosoever lookth on a

woman to lust after her, hath committed

adultery with her already in his heart,

and if thy right eye offend thee, pluck

it out, and cast it from thee. For it is

profitable for thee that one of thy

members should perish, and not that thy

whole body should be cast into hell. And

if thy right hand offend thee, cut it

off, and cast it from thee. For it is

profitable for thee that one of thy

members should perish and that and not

that thy whole body should be cast into

hell. Now you say, preacher, where does

the subject come in for preservation in

this text? Well, if you look back with

me into this chapter, you notice verse

number 17. Jesus makes a statement

concerning his ministry on the earth.

And I want you to listen what he says.

Verse 17 of chapter 5. He says, "Think

not that I'm come to destroy the law or

the prophets." Look what he says. I'm

not come to destroy, but to fulfill. And

so, the ministry of Christ on the earth

was that he was to fulfill all the law

of God. Now, we know tonight he's the

only man that's ever been born of woman

that has kept the entire law. And thus,

in his perfection, he fulfilled the law.

And thankfully for you and I tonight, he

went beyond the law. after that he

fulfilled it dying as the sacrifice on

Calvar's cross he arose again not only

to be the sacrifice but to be our great

high priest and to offer that sacrifice

upon the throne in heaven thus offering

us the grace of God and that is why John

could say in John chapter number one

that the law came by Moses but grace and

truth came by Jesus Christ and so the

offering of salvation that beyond the

law came to us because Jesus was the the

only one to ever fulfill the law. And so

here in this preser preserving thought

here, he's dealt with the subject here

in verse number 18. He says, "For verily

I say unto you, till heaven and earth

pass, one jot or one tit shall no wise

pass from the law till all be

fulfilled." And so all of this truth

Jesus is expounding. And the greatest

sermon that's ever been given in all of

history is these three chapters, Matthew

Matthew 5 · chapter mention

chapter 5 down through chapter number

seven. and he is preaching to them the

principles of the kingdom. Now, it's

applicable to you and I tonight. And he

has dealt with the subject there of

murder in verse number 21. Thou shalt

not kill. We know that there in the ten

commandments. And now he's going to list

another one here in the text in verse

number 27. Notice what your Bible says.

Ye have heard that it was said by them

of old time, thou shalt not commit

adultery. So here he has listed of

course this being I believe it's the

sixth commandment in number here uh in

the numeric of the ten commandments and

I want to give you three things out of

these verses tonight concerning this

subject on preserving purity. Now, in a

personal sense tonight, if there's

anything that we need to be holding up

in a in a big way in this day and time,

it's this matter of purity.

Especially in our church, amongst the

ranks of our leadership and all of the

congregation, this should be our utmost

priority that we be blameless in every

respect. Nobody should be able to bring

an accusation against us and then they

have to question and say, "Well, we just

don't know about him. We've seen the way

he's acted before.

>> Amen.

>> No, it ought we ought to be blameless.

Amen.

>> And so when I consider this text, Jesus

deals first of all with the commandment

here in the text. And let me say this,

Christ is dealing in this chapter with

generational decay. Now, that's what

we're dealing with. You say, "What do

you mean by generational decay?" Well,

the truth here in this text was

expressed, of course, that is the the

commandment there that thou shalt not

commit adultery. But you understand the

truth did not minim was not minimized,

but the truth had become watered down.

Now, we know that that's the way it is

in our day and time. And we've you've

heard it said by from this pullpit, and

you're hearing it said from anybody that

desires to preach the word of God and do

it properly, that the people who are

defining the terms in this day and time

are winning the battle. And what's

happened in this text is is that there

has been a redefinition of terms. And

Jesus is going to deal with that in the

text. And so he takes this truth here

directly from the law of God, the book

of Leviticus chap of Exodus chapter

number 20. And he deals with this truth

here in verse number 27. And uh I'll say

this, he's already dealt with the

subject of murder, but now he's going to

deal with a subject of adultery, wanting

to preserve purity. So note number one

tonight with me, the quotation from

verse number 27. He says, "Ye have heard

that it was said by them of old time,

thou shalt not commit adultery." So you

notice first of all there the last

phrase of the verse. We're going to

start there and work backwards. You know

the precept that's mentioned. Exodus 20

and verse number 14 literally declares

the same fate there or the same law that

Moses recorded that God inspired given

give to him that was wrote down on those

tablets of stone that thou shalt not

commit adultery. And so that is found

there in Exodus 20 and verse14. But then

there's not only the precept in verse

27, but there is the patriarchs. And

notice that he have heard that it was

said, notice that phrase, by them of old

time. Who's he referring to? Well, he's

referring to the fathers. He's referring

to Moses. He's referring to the Old

Testament patriarchs. Amen. And this was

the law that had been passed down. And

really, it comes even to their own

fathers, those that were older than

them. It had been passed down. He said,

"You've heard by them that were of old

time." But here's what I want to deal

with for just a minute of time in this

quotation. You note the precept, the end

of the verse, the patriarchs that he

mentions in the middle of the verse. But

notice the problem. You say, "What is

the problem that you see in this verse?"

Well, notice verse 27. What's that first

phrase? Ye have heard.

Now, you may not see the problem on the

face of the text, but when you study

history, Jewish history, what you're

going to discover is, and really, if you

study your Bible, and you look at the

Pharisees from a biblical standpoint,

you're going to see a people who had

engrossed themselves in this sin. Say,

"What do you mean by that?" Well, what

they had done is is they had redefined

adultery. for it to own the sin of

adultery was only the action of uh

sexual relations outside of marriage.

That's all adultery was to the Pharisee.

And you can look at Roman uh culture

during this time and Greek culture.

Greek culture was especially bad in this

culture. Women were pretty much just

thrown to the dogs in Greek culture. Um

I read a little bit on that today just

to give you a little illustration. Um,

we're kind of seeing some of that crowd

over there in the Middle East right now

getting their uh their socks bombed off.

Amen. But Greek culture, this is the way

that they treated women. Men would marry

wives and their wives were expected

never to leave home to stay there. And

if they were if they were just any bit

out of the way toward their husband at

home, their husband could divorce them

for any reason at all. But what you know

about the Greek culture is is that those

men would go to that temple of that

goddess and they would commit lwdness

there in the temple with those go with

those women those prostitutes that would

work in the temple. They wouldn't think

nothing about that. But the women were

treated like dogs in the Greek culture.

And so this is all around Roman culture,

Greek culture. It's all around the

Pharisees. And because of the

degradation I remember I said the

generational decay sin has crept in. And

so the Pharisees have defined they

really believe that they can put away

their wife for any reason.

But Jesus says in this text he reminds

them. He says thou shalt not commit

adultery. Now here's the truth about it.

They all would have said amen to that.

We would say amen to that, wouldn't we?

But the truth is Jesus knew that what he

says in the next verse applies to the

verse before it

>> without even having to say it. You say,

"What do you mean?" Well, I'm going

somewhere. Stay with me. You see the

quotation of the verse. And that's

that's quickly the first point. But

notice second of all this seed and

notice the quickening in verse number

28. What do I mean by that? Well, it

means to that word quicken means to

bring to light. Well, look what Jesus

said. Verse 28. He says, "Ye have heard

in verse 27, verse 28, look what he

says." But I say unto you that whosoever

lookth on a woman to lust after her,

hath committed adultery with her already

in his heart. So obviously here we need

to know first of all that in the context

Jesus is speaking to a group of men.

From what I've studied, there's not

women present at this time. Jesus is

speaking to his disciples, to the

Pharisees, and to the men that were

congregated around him. And this is what

he says. He says, "Whosoever lookth on a

woman to lust after her hath committed

adultery." So what he has done is is he

has taken the Old Testament commandment,

"Thou shalt not commit adultery." And

what he has done is is he's not added to

it. All right? He's not adding to the

commandment. You know what he's done?

He's he's shined the light on it.

>> Right?

>> You see what the Pharisees had been

doing so long as they'd muddied the

waters of this thing. They would say,

"Well, just just adultery is just the

act outside of marriage and nothing

else." But the truth is on the pages of

scripture, Jesus is shining light on

their sin. What is the problem? The

problem is is that the Pharisees always

only looked on the external. And you

know what? If we're not careful, we'll

do the same thing.

>> You're right.

>> We'll always just look on the external.

But the truth is, the greatest sins are

the sins of the heart. And I notice in

this text, Jesus here is reigniting the

inner workings of this command. You see,

this principle was in the mind of God

when he pinned the commandment. Jesus is

not revealing new truth to them.

You know what he's doing? He's bringing

back to light what they had put swept

under the rug.

>> Right?

>> And you know what preachers are dealing

with in this day and time?

>> Generational decay

>> where truth has been watered down.

right?

>> And muddied up

>> and said, "Well, it just means this and

nothing else,

>> right?

>> But it's so much more than that."

>> And so Jesus here begins concerning this

quickening. Notice what he says. We

we've seen the the precept in the

quotation in verse number 27, but notice

the look that's mentioned in verse 28.

Very simple stuff tonight. And look what

he says. But I say unto you that

whosoever lookth lookketh. Now that word

lookketh in in this text, this context

here, there's several different words in

the New Testament for this word look.

But this word look here in verse number

28, it means to look as a voluntary

observation.

It's an act of the will. It's a willful.

It is a decision to behold. Fyer's

dictionary says this to turn the eyes to

anything to look at, to look upon or to

gaze at. So this is not a glance. This

is not just a something that runs into

the line of the sight but then

disappears never to see it again or

never to give it another glance. But

this is a willful gaze. This is a

desirefilled look. It's not just a

moment, but it is a period. It's a it's

extended. It's not just a short glance.

And you say, "Well, what's the truth of

that?" Well, remember the Pharisees when

they would look at this commandment,

they would say only the action was a

sin.

>> Right?

>> But you said Jesus says the look,

write this in the margin of your Bible

if you like to do that. I wrote this

down this afternoon. The act is is never

committed before the acquisition.

>> Right?

>> I'll say it again. The act is never

committed

before the acquisition. What do you mean

by that? Well, acquisition is that

zeroing in.

Only then and only then. You can't

commit something that you've not first

latched on to.

>> You're right.

>> Amen. You can't commit a sin that you've

not first already decided in your mind

that you're going to do that. Jesus is

bringing to light the will problem. Now,

what is this? Well, I I think about this

sin. And you think about this look is

illustrated all throughout the word of

God. When David, the Bible says 2 Samuel

chap 11 and verse number two, he went

out upon his housetop. Now there's a

host of other sins that surround what

David did. But what happened was the

Bible says when David saw,

>> right?

>> What did he see? He saw Ba Sheeba.

He saw her. And because he saw her, he

then sent for her. HIS HIS SEEING her

was not momentary, but it was

lengthened.

I thought about this. Not only David

seeing Bath Sheba, but Achen seeing that

garment in the book of Joshua chapter 7

Joshua 7 · chapter mention

and verse number 21.

Achen, the text literally says, "When I

saw," you can look at the verse, first

three words of verse, "when I saw," he

laid be laid eyes on that Babylonian

garment and that wedge of gold and all

of that other stuff. And what it did is

it caused Israel to be defiled. And

Israel lost the battle and men died

because of his sin,

>> because of what he saw. When Piper's

wife, the Bible says, Genesis chapter 39

Genesis 39 · chapter mention

and verse number 7, she laid her eyes

upon Joseph. She cast her eyes upon

Joseph. It was a look.

Let me say this. If you got problem with

wondering eyes, I got more to say to you

in just a minute. You need to deal with

that.

>> You're right. You see these looks here

is mentioned. He says in verse number

28, "Whosoever look," let me let me just

say this. Back up and just say what the

text says. Ver notice in verse 28,

what's that word right before lookth?

Whosoever. Let me say this context is to

men, but the the same truth applies to

women. You're

>> right.

>> Because this matter of adultery, it is

physical between a man and a woman, but

it is psychological as well.

>> You're right. Adultery before it's ever

a physical act. It's a psychological

acquisition. It's a holding on to the

mind.

You create a fantasy in your mind with

somebody that you've never even met

before. It happens all the time in this

day and time.

>> Right?

>> I heard a story about a man, his wife.

She got hooked up with a man online.

Never saw him before in her life. And

and this man and wife, they had a

ministry in a marriage. and and she

journeyed out of town one weekend, made

up some kind of lie, journeyed out of

town, and when she went out of town, she

met up with this man that she'd never

met before, and they had an affair

because she had generated an image in

her mind, somebody that she'd never even

seen before.

>> Right?

>> You say, "What is that?" Well, it was a

look of the heart along before it was a

look with the eyes.

>> Right?

>> Oh, friend, that's good preaching

tonight.

The look is what is the con is where it

begins. And you notice what he says here

in the text. He says, "Whosoever lookth

on a woman." Now, I remind you, he's

talking to men here in the text. But the

truth applies the same way. It is the it

is that look, it's the lust. It's a gaze

filled with desire for that which is

forbidden. Now, the Jews would say this

that it was only a adultery was only sin

when it was committed with somebody who

was who was already married.

But we know that's not true.

>> Right?

>> Adultery is if you're married, it has to

do with any

other person.

>> Right?

>> I'll say this. It goes beyond that. It

goes beyond all the way to those who are

not married.

>> You say, "How can it be adultery and

somebody not be married?" The truth is

before you get married, you already

belong to somebody else. You're

>> right.

>> Oh, you don't hear that much preached in

this day and time.

>> You belong to somebody else. You say,

"Preacher, well, I've not committed

those vows." But you ought to be

preserving yourself,

>> right?

>> For that person. When you when you go

out and and I've heard stories like

this, men and and girls alike, they'll

go out on the night before their wedding

and they'll live it up and do all kinds

of unspeakable things.

You know what they've done? They've

committed adultery. You say, "Preacher,

well, they weren't married." Well, they

just sinned against the spouse. They

were just fixing to marry.

>> Right?

>> Adultery is any sexual sin outside of

marriage. You say, "Preacher, that's

fornication." Same definition.

>> Right?

>> You say, "Where does it start?" It

starts in the mind.

>> Notice this. There's the look, there's

the lust that's mentioned. Verse number

28. Whosoever lookth on a woman to lust

after her. Now this defines here the

will in the text. This lust it means

there he's determined or he's made a

decision in his heart. That lust means

to set the heart upon that is to long

for. James said this James chapter

number one concerning the matter of

lust. The Bible definition of the word

lust. If you don't have it in your

margin I encourage you to put it there.

Listen to what he says. James chapter 1

James 1 · chapter mention

verse number 14. But every man is

tempted when he has drawn away of his

own lust and enticed. Verse 15. Then

when lust hath conceived, it bringeth

forth sin. And sin when it is finished

bringeth forth death.

>> So lust is the entrance. You've heard

people talk about a gateway drug. Lust

is where it starts.

>> Right?

>> It's what enters it's it's the entrance

of your heart into that decision for

sinfulness. Now see these Pharisees,

they they they think sin's external.

Well, let me remind you this. This is

not a New Testament thought that sin is

first internal. You say, "What do you

mean by that?" Well, David knew that sin

was internal.

>> Turn with me to Psalm 19.

Psalm 19. You say, "Preacher, I I don't

believe that sin is an external. It's

what I commit." Well, let me tell you

this. Bible definition of sin is

anything I think, say, or do that

displeases God.

>> Amen.

>> Listen to what David says in Psalms 19

verse number 12.

Psalms 19:12. Who can understand his

Psalms 19:12

errors? Cleanse thou me from what?

Secret faults. Verse 13. Keep back thy

servant also from what?

Presumptuous sins. Let them not have

dominion over me. Then shall I be

upright, and thou shalt be innocent from

the great transgression. What that

describes is is sin on the inside before

it becomes on the outside. Let me say

this. The truth is is that our our sin

our sin the truth about our sin is that

before the conclusion ever comes the

consideration is exceeding sinful.

You're

>> right.

>> Before you commit the sin, the

consideration of committing the act is

sinful. You're

>> right.

>> That's what Jesus is saying.

Look what he says again. Whosoever

lookth on a woman to lust after her.

What's he saying? That set the heart

upon

means the innermost being of man has

decided this is what I want.

>> Right?

>> You know what? You may not get that

thing, but you know what? The decision

that you made in your heart is sinful.

>> Right?

>> You say, "Preacher, what does that

illustrate? I've never done anything

like that. I I've never committed

adultery, anything like that." But

here's here's what he's illustrating.

He's illustrating how sinful your flesh

is,

>> right?

>> That by look, you're condemned not by

the action, but by the acquisition. I

can't I feel like I can't say that

enough. Even before it ever happens.

Notice what he says here in the verse.

Whosoever lookth on woman to lust of her

committh adultery with her already,

notice this, in his heart. Now, I'm

butchering this outline tonight. I got

so much I want to tell you, but I'm just

I'm just rolling through here. Okay? You

see the look in this this thought, the

quickening I'm talking about. He's

bringing this commandment to light. All

of this was already there. Okay? All of

this was already there. Jesus is not

telling them something that they should

not have known.

>> You're right.

>> The truth is, if it's wrong to commit

the action with somebody, wouldn't we

know that it's wrong to think about it?

>> You're right.

That's our own nature. We We know that

by salvation. The Holy Ghost when you

when you start to think of a a cuss word

or something like that, the Holy Ghost

said,

>> "What is that?" That's new life on the

inside telling you, "HEY, THAT AIN'T

RIGHT NO MORE."

>> RIGHT?

>> Never was right. But you know what I'm

saying.

The verse you see, you see the look, the

lust, but now notice the location. What

What is the location? Verse 28. He's

committed adultery with her already in

his heart. His heart. And I said this

already, but this this word here has to

do with the innermost being a man. It's

the center and seat of spiritual life

there, sis. And I thought about this.

You study the word heart in the New

Testament. It literally is the same

across the board. Romans chapter 10

Romans 10 · chapter mention

verse number 10. The Bible says, "With

the heart man believeth under

righteousness. With a mouth confession

is made under salvation." You know that

same word translated is the same word

heart that's in this verse.

>> You're right.

>> It's the same word for heart that's used

just over a few chapters here. Let me

find it in my notes here. It's in the

book of Matthew, chapter number 15.

Matthew chapter 15 verse number 19.

Matthew 15 · chapter mention

Listen to what Jesus says about the

heart.

Same word. Same word used for salvation.

Romans 10:10 19. For out of the heart

Romans 10:10

proceed evil thoughts, murders,

adulteries, fornications, thefts, false

witness, blasphemies. These are the

things which defile a man. That heart,

it is the innermost part. And this is

where that originates. You say,

"Preacher, well, what does it have to do

with the look?" Well, you see, it was

the look that that started the heart

wheels turning. You ever seen the image,

you know, you heard people talk about,

you know, the little squirrel in their

brain on the hamster wheel, you know,

the little squirrel on the wheel.

The imagery here is this is that the

eyes, just like you would put a nut in

front of that squirrel and it would

start running or you know, you get the

imagery.

The look is what starts the work

turning.

>> Right

>> now, stay with that. Don't lose that

thought. Okay, this this location

reveals in the centermost being a part

of the heart. Number one, man's heart is

deceitful. We know the text. The Bible

says that uh that the heart's deceitful

above all things and desperately wicked.

Who can know it? But I want to remind

you again, the desire is just as sinful

as the deed.

>> You're right.

>> The desire to commit sin is just as

sinful in the eyes of God. You say,

"Preacher, well, God wouldn't look upon

a man who wants to kill his brother and

a man that did kill his brother the same

way." No, you're wrong about that.

Because what did he say in the chapter

just before or the text just before?

Look what he says. Verse number 21, he

said, "Ye have heard that it was said by

them of old time, thou shalt not kill,

and whosoever shall kill shall be in

danger danger of the judgment." Verse

22, "But I say unto you that whosoever

is angry with his brother without a

cause shall be in danger of the

judgment. You say, "Preacher, how is

that?" Well, you see, God's judicial

standpoint for sin ain't the same as

ours.

>> You're right.

>> We measure sin a lot differently than

God does. You just say, "How is that,

preacher?" Well, the truth is tonight,

if go if we were measured up by God's

standards, you know what? We would all

be guilty of the same sins that the

people on death row were guilty of.

>> You're right.

>> Think about that for a minute.

the murderer that's on death row,

the adulterer, the fornicator, the

idoltor. You know what Jesus is telling

us? By our thoughts, we're just as

guilty.

>> Right?

>> So the next time you judge somebody,

>> come on.

>> Because of how they look or what they

did, you just remember you're guilty of

the same things.

>> Right?

>> You say, "Preacher, but I'm not."

Listen, listen to me. You got to

understand what I'm saying. In the eyes

of God, this is how sinful your sin is.

That's

>> right.

>> This is how much it stinks in his

nostrils.

This is why Jesus had to die.

Because the the preacher's kid on on the

church row is just as bad off as the man

on death row

because of his sin. See, this the

thought the sins of the mind. We think

so much. We think so many times that

that it's, you know, we're we're here

and that you or we're here and they're

over here. You know, that's the way. But

it's not the case.

God looks at our sin and he sees the

desire, not only the deed.

>> You know, we we look on the outward

appearance. What What does the Bible

say? God lookth on the heart.

>> Right?

>> I got somewhere something I want to give

you tonight. Okay? And I want you to

remember what I'm going to tell you. All

right? We we got the quotation. We see

the quickening. the quotation of the

commandment, the quickening of this

commandment. Jesus has brought it to

light. He's he's he's he's shined the

light on this commandment. Said, "Look,

boys, it ain't just the action, but it's

it's down to your thinking,

>> right?"

>> And the truth is, if we'd be honest,

look, you say, "Preacher, you can't say

everybody in here has done this." Pretty

much yes.

>> Actually, I can say yes. You say, "How

is that?" that. Well, the Bible says if

you offend in one point, you're guilty

of all.

>> So, I can say yes. We're all guilty.

>> Well, that'll change your perspective,

won't it? Notice this third one. I'm

done. We see the quotation of the

commandment, the quickening of the

commandment. Notice the query in the

commandment. You say, "What do you

mean?" Well, notice what Jesus says in

verse 29.

He puts that word and in there,

continued statement. Look what he says.

And if, notice that next word, if.

What does if always imply? There's a

question. Look what he says. And if thy

right hand, right eye offend thee, pluck

it out. Now, we we stumble over this

verse. I'm telling you, I've listened to

people fall over this. I fell over this

verse. The truth is, it's not that hard

to understand. Listen to what he says.

And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck

it out, cast it from thee. For it is

profitable for thee that one of thy

members should perish, and not that the

whole body should be cast into hell. And

if thy right hand offend thee, cut it

off, and cast it from thee. For it is

profitable for thee that one of thy

members should perish, and not that thy

whole body should be cast into hell.

Now, remember, we're talking about

preserving purity here. This is number

one. I want you to understand this is

how serious God looks at this matter of

purity.

If it's going to cause you to sin, what

God created you with, he would rather

you not have it.

>> Right?

>> Now, what's the truth in this? You

notice two things. And I've already used

the word a bunch through this message,

but you notice first of all, verse 29,

the query, there's the acquisition that

has to do with the sight. Is that zoning

in on? You need to be careful what

you're zeroing in on.

Amen.

>> Be careful what you zoning your sight in

on. Now, now notice what he says about

this. If thy right eye offend thee. Now,

what does that mean? That that means

simply means he's saying if your right

eye causes you to sin,

if it causes you to stumble, if it is a

stumbling block to you, if it if your

right eye is scandalous, that's the

literal word that's used. If it's

scandalous to your body, notice what he

says. Pluck it out

and cast it from thee. Now, I want you

to think about this with me. He mentions

what he notice what he says verse 29

just to make it make it even more

emphasized. If thy right eye

now for most of us that's the strong eye

>> right

>> for most of us that's the dominant eye.

It's the one if you you're a man you

shoot a gun you look down a barrel what

do you look with?

It's the one you lean on.

>> But it's not only the strong one. It's

the sinful one. Look what he says. If it

offend thee,

though it be the best, if it is sinful,

it is still deserving of being removed.

Doesn't that teach you a truth?

Just because you're the best, let me

just put this out there. It's not really

in the text, but just because you're the

best in the flesh, if you're sinful,

all righteousness is as what? Filthy

rags. If thy right, I offend thee, pluck

it out. Now you say, preacher, it says

in the verse, he says, it's better if

the one of thy members should perish,

not that thy whole body should be cast

into hell. You say, preacher, I'm saved.

I can't go to hell. How does this apply

to me? Well, I I thought about this.

Okay, just just because you you may say,

I'm saved so I don't have to live in

fear as hell as Jesus says in this text.

This may be true, but your eyes are

already supposed to be plugged out.

You say, "Preacher, I still got both my

eyes."

No, matter of fact, your eyes are

supposed to be plucked out and both your

arms supposed to be cut off. Matter of

fact, you're supposed to be dead,

>> right?

>> What Romans 6 say?

>> Shall we continue in sin that grace may

abound?

>> God forbid. How shall we that are what?

Dead to sin live any longer therein. You

say Jesus is emphasizing a physical

fact, preacher. Well, he is. This is how

serious he is about sin. But the truth

is, just because that he is this serious

about it, he doesn't want us to go to

cutting our limbs off and plucking our

eyes out.

>> You're right.

>> The acquisition of the text. There's

also the apprehension that taking hold

in verse 30. If thy right hand offend

thee, the strong hand, the dominant

hand, but it's still the sinful hand.

Why? Because it offends. It is it's

scandalous to you. Cut it off. Matthew

Henry said this. He said, "If it were

indeed impossible to govern the eye and

the hand, as they have been so

accustomed to wicked practices for so

long that they will not be restrained

from them, if there be no other way to

restrain them." In par parenthesis he

says which blessed be God through his

grace there is. It were better for us to

pluck out the eye and cut off the hand

than to save them and indulge them in

sin to the ruin of the soul.

You say, "What does that mean,

preacher?" Well, let me illustrate it to

you this way. There's been many a man

that's been close to the cross. There's

been many a woman that's been close to

the cross. And you know what? standing

at Calvary where salvation is reaching

out for them and they're reaching out

for salvation. You know what many of

them have left from because they saw

something. You're right

>> in their mind they were going to have to

leave behind.

And so you know what they did instead of

reaching out to Jesus and allowing Jesus

to reach them, you know what they did?

They decided to let their heart follow

their eye.

>> Right?

>> And you know what they did? They walked

away from Calvary and walked down the

road to hell.

>> Amen.

>> You say, "How is that, preacher?" Well,

the truth is that every person that dies

and goes to hell, regardless of whether

they strut there or whether they stumble

off in there, the truth is it's the lust

of the flesh that sends them there.

You're

>> right.

>> You say, "How does that apply in other

areas?" Well, just think about this.

There's been many a man that's an

alcoholic when they're sober. Man, you I

mean, we can all think about men like

this. When they're sober, they're good

as gold. Man, couldn't meet a nicer

person.

But when they get drunk, you know what?

They're just controlled by it.

>> You're right.

>> And those being so close to

righteousness, allowing their taste buds

to control them, they just never could

put it down.

And so, you know what Jesus is saying?

It's better you pluck your eye out if

that sight, what you can see is going to

take you away.

>> You're right.

>> It's better you cut your hand off.

Because here's the thing about it. More

important than physical health is

spiritual health.

>> Amen.

>> God is more concerned about you being

pure than he is about you being

physically healthy.

>> You're right.

>> Fanny Crosby talks about her blindness.

She said she felt like she never could

have served the Lord the way that she

should if she hadn't been blind. You're

>> right.

>> I've known ladies and miss Margaret

Strainer come in here. I was looking at

her book back there in office my office

just a little while ago. She was talking

about how that um I I believe she'd

never been married. I think I don't

think she'd ever been married. She when

she was young, she just said, "I just

felt like God called me to the mission

field. Never never thought about being

married." And you know what she did? She

left and went and served in Papa U

Indonesia, I believe it is. Yeah, I

think it is. For 40 years by herself,

winning people to God.

what the world would have looked at her

and said, "You're a fool."

What I'm saying is is the truth is when

something's going to hinder us, God

says, "I we we need to get it out of the

way,

>> right?

>> Even if it is your best hand or your

best eye." You say, "Well, how does that

apply to me?" Well, let me just say

this. What is it that's effective in

your life?

What is it that you're productive with?

What is it that you use the most? But

even in that, it's sinful.

Jesus says it's better

that you pluck it out and cast it from

thee. Because notice what he says. It's

profitable for thee

that one of thy members should perish.

It's profitable for thee that you should

lose your eyesight and go to heaven than

have your eyesight and go to hell.

>> Amen. And for those of us who are saved

tonight, it's more profitable for you

that you be maimed and enter into heaven

with rewards than it be that you live

this life blessed physically but enter

into heaven with nothing to offer the

king.

>> Right?

>> You know Paul said this, remember he had

that thorn. You remember him talking

about that? He said, "I besought the

Lord thrice." You remember him saying

that? He said, "I besought the Lord

thrice. He'd remove this thorn from me."

Said, "But God God told him, no, not

going to remove that, Paul." He said,

"My grace is sufficient for thee."

That's right.

>> What did he say? My strength is made

perfect in what? In weakness.

What did Paul say after that? He said,

"Therefore, will I must glory in my

infirmities that the power of Christ may

rest upon me."

>> The truth in our life is is God wants to

take our handicap.

>> You're right.

>> And use it for his glory. Now, some of

you, the truth of this text reveals

right here that some people's going to

have to make themselves handicapped.

Well, you say, "Preacher, that's that

doesn't sound too good." Well, let me

illustrate it this way.

If you got a problem looking at stuff,

you ought not to on the phone.

>> Maybe you ought to throw the phone out

the window.

>> That's right.

>> You say, "Preacher, but I can't live

without it." Well, you just might have

to.

>> That's right. You can't live it. Live

with it. You probably live better

without it than you could with it.

>> You're right.

>> Wouldn't you rather have your marriage?

>> Wouldn't you rather have your family?

>> You say, "Well, I can't communicate with

them." Oh, you Lord will work all that

out.

>> Right.

>> If you can't handle it, you don't need

it.

>> You're right.

>> Amen.

>> Say, "But everybody else has got one."

If you care enough about your your

salvation and your savior, you know

what? It won't matter to you what it

cost.

>> You're right.

>> Jesus said, "If it's a hand,

I don't know about you, that'd be

painful."

>> But he was serious.

He said, "Preacher, you're not asking me

to cut off my hand. No, I'm asking you

to do whatever it takes."

>> That's the only way we'll have revival.

When people get decided that I will do

whatever it takes, Jesus, whatever you

need out of me is what I will give.

How muchever it hurts. People talk about

this and I and I'm going to get off on

this tonight, but people talk about

tithe and preach, I just don't I don't

know that I can give 10%. That's that's

preach that's Old Testament. That tithe

is Old Testament. Well, I'll say this.

The tithe carries over in the New

Testament very very clearly. But I'll

say this. There's a principle in the New

Testament where one of them said, "Give

till it hurts.

>> Give until you've given until you can

give no more.

>> I'll take the tithe, won't you?"

>> Amen.

>> You say, "Does that mean Does that mean

I'm gonna have to give everything?"

Well, I'll tell you this. There's a man

in history named RG Lerno.

He operated off the reverse tithe

principle. You can read his book mover I

believe is the mover of man and

mountains I think is the name of his

book but he operated off of verse

reverse tithe principle and Lernno's

built some of the biggest equipment in

history hu I mean huge mining machinery

I mean was pioneer in all type of dirt

work and all of that and he operated off

of 90% he operated off 10% and tithe 90%

built his business

operating that

You say, "Preacher, it ain't possible."

Well, you can talk to him. You get to

heaven, he'll tell you.

I'm saying God, whatever he tells you to

do, what what's the old say? How's the

old saying go? Where God guides, he

what? Provides.

He provides. And uh I'll say this, if

they sin in your life, whatever you have

to do, get rid of it.

>> Amen.

>> Amen. That's for myself. That's for all

of us. I want revival.

>> I want it bad. And uh this what I've

come to decide if I'm going to have it,

I'm going to have to have it myself,

>> right?

>> Have to get it myself. But I'll tell you

this, as your pastor, I want you to have

it.

>> Amen.

>> I want all of us to have it.

>> It's going to cost us. Amen. Father,

thank you for this day. Thank you for

this time. And uh Lord, I pray you would

give us boldness and wisdom,

Lord, to uh complete the will of God.

Lord, I know that it's not always

pleasant. Lord, I know that much much of

the maintenance of the Christian life is

burdensome, Lord, and it's painful. But

God, I know, Lord, that it afterwards,

you told us in your word, it yields the

peaceable fruit of righteousness. And

Lord, I I thank you for that. God, I

pray you'd help us to bear that. And

Lord, for this fasting commitment, Lord,

that uh we've made to you here, Lord,

and some of this church has made. I pray

that they would keep up with that, Lord,

to fast today, Lord, before this

meeting. And God, I just pray you'd get

glory into yourself out of it. And um

Lord, I know you can do it. God, I know

you have your way in it. Lord, we should

be sure to give you thanks for it

because we ask it in Jesus name. Amen.

>> Thank you for joining our service today.

We'd love it if you'd join us in person

the next time you are able at Meadows

Baptist Church. Our physical address is

2988 Stewart Road in Walnut Cove, North

Carolina. Our service times are Sunday

school at 10:00 a.m., Sunday morning

worship at 11:00 a.m., Sunday evening

worship at 6:00 p.m., and Wednesday

evening Bible study at 700 p.m. For more

information, visit us at

meadowsbaptisturch.com.

Thanks again for tuning in.