Episode Transcript
WEBVTT
1
00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:05.120
One of the difficult things of preaching
in a strange pulpit is dealing with a
2
00:00:05.320 --> 00:00:08.669
different order of worship, and I
ask you to sit when I should have
3
00:00:08.750 --> 00:00:12.630
had you remained standing. And so
I'm going to ask you to stand now,
4
00:00:12.710 --> 00:00:18.390
when you'd probably rather be sake,
remain seeding. Please rise and turn
5
00:00:18.550 --> 00:00:22.500
in your bibles, if you will, to the book of Hebrews, Chapter
6
00:00:22.780 --> 00:00:28.940
Twelve. The Book of Hebrews,
Chapter Twelve. I'm going to read there
7
00:00:29.019 --> 00:00:40.770
the first eleven verses. This is
God's word. Therefore, since we are
8
00:00:40.850 --> 00:00:45.649
surrounded by so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us also lay aside every
9
00:00:45.689 --> 00:00:50.000
weight and the sin which clings so
closely, and let us run with endureance
10
00:00:50.039 --> 00:00:53.920
the race that have set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and
11
00:00:54.000 --> 00:00:57.759
perfector of our faith, who,
for the joy that was set before him,
12
00:00:57.799 --> 00:01:02.479
endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right
13
00:01:02.640 --> 00:01:07.989
hand of the throne of God.
Consider Him who endured from sinner such hostility
14
00:01:07.030 --> 00:01:12.310
against himself, so that you may
not grow weary or faint heartened in your
15
00:01:12.390 --> 00:01:17.109
struggle against sin. You have not
yet resisted to the point of shedding your
16
00:01:17.109 --> 00:01:22.579
blood and have you forgotten the exhortation
that addresses you as sons. My son,
17
00:01:23.060 --> 00:01:26.299
do not regard lightly the discipline of
the Lord, nor be weary when
18
00:01:26.379 --> 00:01:32.379
reproved by him, for the Lord
disciplines of one he loves and chastise,
19
00:01:32.540 --> 00:01:36.730
as every son whom he receives.
It is for discipline that you have to
20
00:01:36.890 --> 00:01:41.890
endure. God is treating your sons. For what son is there whom his
21
00:01:42.010 --> 00:01:46.769
father does not discipline? If you
are left without discipline, in which we
22
00:01:47.010 --> 00:01:53.000
all have participated, then you are
illegitimate children and not sons. Besides,
23
00:01:53.239 --> 00:01:57.680
is we have had earthly fathers who
disciplined us, and we respected them.
24
00:01:57.760 --> 00:02:01.069
Shall we not much more be subject
to the father of spirits and live?
25
00:02:02.109 --> 00:02:07.150
For they disciplined us for a short
time, as it seemed best to them,
26
00:02:07.950 --> 00:02:12.229
but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.
27
00:02:13.030 --> 00:02:16.860
For the moment, all discipline seems
painful rather than pleasant, but later
28
00:02:16.939 --> 00:02:22.580
it yields a peaceful fruit of righteousness
to those who have been trained by it
29
00:02:23.860 --> 00:02:27.659
thus far. The reading of God's
Holy Word, you may be seated again.
30
00:02:30.650 --> 00:02:34.889
I always feel just a bit of
ease, of ill ill at ease,
31
00:02:35.610 --> 00:02:42.009
in preaching to a congregation with the
pastor sitting there listening. Perhaps that
32
00:02:42.210 --> 00:02:46.400
arises from my first experience in preaching. I was a student at mid America
33
00:02:46.439 --> 00:02:53.319
Reform Seminary and had a summer assignment
and Hayward and Iowa in the first Sunday
34
00:02:53.360 --> 00:02:58.159
morning I preached there. Doctor P
Y the young one of my professors,
35
00:02:58.240 --> 00:03:00.789
sat in the second row from the
Front with a legal pad and a pen
36
00:03:02.150 --> 00:03:08.949
taking notes. I presume, master
Cholka, that I will receive as kind
37
00:03:09.110 --> 00:03:14.139
a letter from you as I will
as I did from him. You'll have
38
00:03:14.259 --> 00:03:19.460
noticed that we came to chapter twelve
of a book of Hebrews this evening,
39
00:03:19.580 --> 00:03:27.849
and that indicates something, that indicates
that there was a chapter eleven as well,
40
00:03:28.930 --> 00:03:31.650
and we need to know that because
the first word of chapter twelve is
41
00:03:31.729 --> 00:03:37.770
the word there for and whenever you
come across the word therefore, in scripture
42
00:03:37.810 --> 00:03:42.199
or I suppose, otherwise in life, it means that there is something that
43
00:03:42.280 --> 00:03:46.159
has proceeded before that. Now,
I spoke with Vanni the other day and
44
00:03:46.280 --> 00:03:51.080
she told me that during the past
time the Ladies Bible Study has been studying
45
00:03:51.199 --> 00:03:55.590
chapter eleven. So you can ask
her later on whether or not what I'm
46
00:03:55.629 --> 00:04:04.189
about to say is correct. I'll
tell you this. I used to dislike
47
00:04:04.349 --> 00:04:11.300
chapter eleven greatly, and there was
a reason for that. The reason I
48
00:04:11.340 --> 00:04:15.740
disliked chapter eleven of the book of
Hebrews was this. I read through that
49
00:04:15.979 --> 00:04:20.139
list of what we have come to
know as the heroes of faith and was
50
00:04:20.220 --> 00:04:26.449
discouraged. I mean, here we
have guys like like able in Enoch,
51
00:04:26.529 --> 00:04:30.930
who walked with God and was not
for God took him, and Abraham and
52
00:04:30.009 --> 00:04:34.170
Isaac and Jacob and David and all
the rest. And if I would compare
53
00:04:34.209 --> 00:04:42.000
myself to them, I would think
these are here as my examples, these
54
00:04:43.040 --> 00:04:48.120
good, godly, righteous men.
I am not in any way like they
55
00:04:48.199 --> 00:04:56.509
are. Their lives are meaningless to
me. They lived righteous, holy lives.
56
00:04:56.829 --> 00:05:00.629
They are the saints of God,
not doing. And then I began
57
00:05:00.790 --> 00:05:08.339
to examine it. I'll tell you
this. I don't know much about Abel
58
00:05:09.620 --> 00:05:14.620
other than that he offered a better
sacrifice than his brother can and I don't
59
00:05:14.620 --> 00:05:18.180
know much about Enoch other than that
he walked with God and that God took
60
00:05:18.220 --> 00:05:26.850
him. And what I know of
Daniel, he was a pretty good man,
61
00:05:29.930 --> 00:05:31.490
so were the rest. But I
want you to look at that chapter
62
00:05:31.610 --> 00:05:34.290
with me. For just a moment
before we go on with Chapter Twelve,
63
00:05:34.649 --> 00:05:40.959
I want you to consider for a
moment noah, a good and godly man
64
00:05:41.439 --> 00:05:45.560
who, as soon as the flood
was over, planted himself a vineyard and
65
00:05:45.720 --> 00:05:51.230
got stone drunk. I want you
to consider Abraham, the father of faith.
66
00:05:53.189 --> 00:05:58.029
Now, Abraham, a good and
Godly and faithful man, was given
67
00:05:58.069 --> 00:06:01.670
a promise by God. But when
Sarah came to him and said, look,
68
00:06:01.670 --> 00:06:04.860
here's Haygar, why don't you take
her, he's yeah, okay,
69
00:06:04.939 --> 00:06:12.660
that's a good idea, and he
did it well. I think of Isaac.
70
00:06:13.379 --> 00:06:16.220
Now, that must have been some
prime family, Isaac and Rebecca with
71
00:06:16.420 --> 00:06:23.050
his two sons, Jacob and Esau, and Isaac loved Esau and Rebecca like
72
00:06:23.250 --> 00:06:27.769
Jake Love Jacob. What kind of
dynamics was that in that family? I
73
00:06:27.889 --> 00:06:31.490
look at Jacob, no, there's
a scoundrel, Huh. Or think,
74
00:06:31.610 --> 00:06:40.079
for instance, of Moses, who
was a murderer, and when God came
75
00:06:40.120 --> 00:06:43.639
to him at the burning Bush,
Moses kept saying, to him, Oh
76
00:06:43.680 --> 00:06:46.399
no, not me, God,
not me, I'm not capable of this.
77
00:06:47.230 --> 00:06:50.269
Until finally, if I may put
it like this, in his frustration,
78
00:06:50.389 --> 00:06:54.389
God said, okay, here's Aaron, your brother, he'll speak for
79
00:06:54.509 --> 00:07:00.699
you. Well, what more can
I say as the as the Apostle says
80
00:07:00.740 --> 00:07:08.139
here, for time would fail me
to tell of Gideon hiding in the winnowing
81
00:07:10.139 --> 00:07:13.259
down low so that the MIDIAN nights
can see him, or barrick, who
82
00:07:13.300 --> 00:07:18.009
made a WHO would go to war
without Deborah coming with him? Or Samson,
83
00:07:19.290 --> 00:07:23.449
you know about Samson, O Jeffson, who made this fool is vowel
84
00:07:23.490 --> 00:07:27.250
about his daughter and sacrificed her.
Or David who as an adult, or
85
00:07:27.290 --> 00:07:34.120
murderer, Samuel, who had two
ungodly sons. What more can we say
86
00:07:35.560 --> 00:07:40.680
other than this? Therefore, since
we are surrounded by so great a cloud
87
00:07:40.800 --> 00:07:46.149
of witnesses, these men and women
who have gone before, is our placed
88
00:07:46.189 --> 00:07:48.509
here in this eleventh chapter. I'm
convinced, not because they are so much
89
00:07:48.550 --> 00:07:51.029
better than us, so much different
from us, but because they are so
90
00:07:51.149 --> 00:08:01.860
much like us. They are men
and women of faith who are sinners.
91
00:08:03.139 --> 00:08:07.579
And Therefore, the apostle says,
therefore, since we are surrounded by so
92
00:08:07.740 --> 00:08:15.370
great a cloud of witnesses and the
scene is that of an arena, perhaps
93
00:08:15.449 --> 00:08:20.089
you could think of the Coliseum,
or perhaps it would be easier for us
94
00:08:20.209 --> 00:08:24.810
to think of the stadium over here
off Campbell Avenue. I believe it is
95
00:08:26.290 --> 00:08:31.560
the big a you stadium. No, imagine yourself in the middle of that
96
00:08:31.680 --> 00:08:37.240
stadium or on the ground of that
stadium, and the stadium is surrounded with
97
00:08:37.399 --> 00:08:43.350
all of those saints that have gone
before. They're watching you and they're encouraging
98
00:08:43.509 --> 00:08:48.710
you and you can hear the grown
when you mess up, but you can
99
00:08:48.830 --> 00:08:58.299
also hear them applauding when you do
it well. They are witnesses watching you
100
00:08:58.820 --> 00:09:03.500
and how you live. Therefore,
because we're surrounded by these, the apostle
101
00:09:03.620 --> 00:09:11.330
says, let us also lay let
us also lay aside every weight and the
102
00:09:11.450 --> 00:09:16.649
sin which claims so closely. Let
us run with endurance the race that is
103
00:09:16.690 --> 00:09:28.720
set before the picture here is of
a marathon. It's not a sprint,
104
00:09:30.840 --> 00:09:35.279
and life is a marathon, not
a sprint. I mean, you run
105
00:09:35.360 --> 00:09:41.990
a sprint, you might be slow, but you can run a hundred yard.
106
00:09:43.870 --> 00:09:48.789
But a marathon is how long?
Twenty, twenty six point whatever,
107
00:09:48.149 --> 00:09:56.500
mylespot really really now I'm not a
runner. The last time I ran was
108
00:09:56.659 --> 00:10:01.340
many years ago, probably twenty five
years ago, and my oldest son said
109
00:10:01.340 --> 00:10:03.940
to me, Dad, you look
you run like an old man, so
110
00:10:03.019 --> 00:10:09.649
I just quit. But here this
is a runner that's running a marathon and
111
00:10:09.970 --> 00:10:18.769
Paul says lay aside every weight.
Now, a few years ago my wife
112
00:10:18.769 --> 00:10:22.600
and I had opportunity to to spend
a long weekend in London and it was
113
00:10:22.759 --> 00:10:28.799
the same day as the London Marathon, and so while we didn't go out
114
00:10:28.840 --> 00:10:31.799
and watch it in person, because
it was on a Sunday or because it
115
00:10:31.919 --> 00:10:35.830
was too far to walk, but
we watched part of it on the telly
116
00:10:35.990 --> 00:10:43.190
on the telly and I learned something
about running from watching those people. I
117
00:10:43.309 --> 00:10:46.870
learned that not many of them,
not any of them, had much clothes
118
00:10:46.990 --> 00:10:54.139
on. The idea here is that
how, how could one of these ancient
119
00:10:54.379 --> 00:10:58.860
Hebrews run a marathon while wearing a
robe? You have to grow up as
120
00:10:58.980 --> 00:11:07.450
loins right the agent Greece, I
understand, road ran naked or next to
121
00:11:07.570 --> 00:11:13.330
naked. Why? Nobody puts on
a snowmobile suit, sorry, that's Michigan
122
00:11:13.409 --> 00:11:20.799
coming out, or a heavy coat. Nobody puts on their work shoes in
123
00:11:20.879 --> 00:11:26.960
order to run a race. That's
why we are called upon to lay aside
124
00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:35.629
all those things that would hold us
back from running. What are some of
125
00:11:35.669 --> 00:11:41.269
those things? Well, you know
in your own case what those things out
126
00:11:41.309 --> 00:11:45.350
that might hold you back. Maybe
it's a lack of devotions, maybe it's
127
00:11:45.350 --> 00:11:48.379
a lack of reading the Bible,
spending time in prayer or or spending time
128
00:11:48.460 --> 00:11:54.340
with Christian friends, or who knows
what. But the apostle tells us to
129
00:11:54.379 --> 00:12:05.009
lay aside those weights, every weight, every weight, and the sin which
130
00:12:05.169 --> 00:12:11.169
clings so closely. I like the
old King James Translation, which is so
131
00:12:11.450 --> 00:12:16.600
easily besets us. He stuck in
here two believers. If you notice that
132
00:12:16.639 --> 00:12:28.759
in your life, that's sins sometimes
so easily besets us. Many years ago
133
00:12:28.559 --> 00:12:35.190
I used to visit old Tina and
Oregon our church. He was ninety seven
134
00:12:35.269 --> 00:12:39.590
years old and she could barely see
and she could hardly hear anything and she
135
00:12:39.789 --> 00:12:46.100
lived in her mobile home by herself, with her daughter and son in law
136
00:12:46.259 --> 00:12:52.899
next door caring for her. And
now would visit her and she would say
137
00:12:52.980 --> 00:12:58.809
to me, old dominial pastor,
the son is so bright and wind the
138
00:12:58.929 --> 00:13:03.289
breeze is so cool, it's such
a beautiful day, but Oh, my
139
00:13:03.450 --> 00:13:09.210
sin, my sin, my sin, and I would think your sin,
140
00:13:09.330 --> 00:13:13.759
you're here by yourself at ninety seven
or ninety eight years old, all by
141
00:13:13.840 --> 00:13:24.639
yourself, what opportunity you have or
sin? As I've grown older, I've
142
00:13:24.720 --> 00:13:31.269
discovered that each of us has opportunity, no matter how old, and also
143
00:13:31.470 --> 00:13:35.629
that the older we get perhaps the
more sensitive we become to the sin,
144
00:13:35.629 --> 00:13:41.269
the sin that clings to us,
that so easily besets us. Have you
145
00:13:41.350 --> 00:13:46.460
ever had it happened to you,
when you wake up in the middle of
146
00:13:46.500 --> 00:13:52.460
the night and you think, Oh, what was I dreaming about? What
147
00:13:52.659 --> 00:13:58.529
was I thinking about? This pastor
Chelcu pointed out this morning those things,
148
00:14:00.289 --> 00:14:15.919
those things of the world, those
things so easily be said us. So
149
00:14:16.960 --> 00:14:20.120
the Apostle says, let us run
with endoorance of race has said BEFOS.
150
00:14:22.720 --> 00:14:28.029
Now, as I watched that London
Marathon, I noticed that from time to
151
00:14:28.149 --> 00:14:33.429
time these marathoners would come to what
was called a refreshment station, but they
152
00:14:33.470 --> 00:14:39.659
would never stop and drink their liter
of water. They were grabbed the bottle
153
00:14:39.700 --> 00:14:45.419
of while they ran and they would
drink a swallow or two and pour the
154
00:14:45.460 --> 00:14:52.129
rest o their heads and keep running. Why? Because if they stopped and
155
00:14:52.370 --> 00:14:58.970
drank that whole bottle of water they
would get such severe stomach cramps they wouldn't
156
00:14:58.970 --> 00:15:05.009
be able to ruin again. They
ran right past the tower of London,
157
00:15:07.399 --> 00:15:09.679
where are the crown jewels? And
not a single one of them stopped to
158
00:15:09.759 --> 00:15:18.799
look. And I'm telling you this. If you think in your Christian life
159
00:15:18.919 --> 00:15:24.750
you can get off the road for
a few minutes and rest and relax or
160
00:15:24.830 --> 00:15:28.950
go after the things of this world
for just a short period of time and
161
00:15:28.110 --> 00:15:37.419
come right back, the apostle says
you're wrong. Run the race. Another
162
00:15:37.500 --> 00:15:43.500
thing I noticed about these people while
they are racing is that sometimes they were
163
00:15:43.580 --> 00:15:48.460
running groups. I understand that they
they drafted on one another. I think
164
00:15:48.500 --> 00:15:52.330
they do that in auto racing as
well, don't they? You auto racing
165
00:15:52.409 --> 00:15:58.490
fans, where one person takes a
lead and the others. He kind of
166
00:16:00.889 --> 00:16:03.970
makes a way for the others who
follow him, and then after a while
167
00:16:03.169 --> 00:16:07.639
they switch places and somebody who's been
rested a little bit we'll take the lead.
168
00:16:07.759 --> 00:16:11.799
Is that right? And this is
important also in the Christian life,
169
00:16:12.320 --> 00:16:18.429
you can't run by yourself. You
can't run by yourself. You need others
170
00:16:18.509 --> 00:16:22.110
and sometimes you'll be taking a lead, but sometimes you got to fall back
171
00:16:22.149 --> 00:16:26.190
in somebody else. They can lead. I learned as well. Then not
172
00:16:26.309 --> 00:16:33.419
everybody finished at the same time.
And in the same way I remember those
173
00:16:34.220 --> 00:16:40.980
canyons and Ethiopians. You'll twenty,
six, point whatever miles and there they
174
00:16:41.059 --> 00:16:45.220
come across the finish line, but
I'm done, I've got it. And
175
00:16:45.299 --> 00:16:49.610
then I see those others four or
five, six hours later, hanging on
176
00:16:49.730 --> 00:17:00.799
to each other, limping across your
sore. They're tired there and the reason
177
00:17:00.960 --> 00:17:08.400
they're there is because they've kept their
focus on the finish line. Because I
178
00:17:08.480 --> 00:17:12.440
understand that if you're running a marathon, if you stop thinking about the finish
179
00:17:12.640 --> 00:17:18.549
line, it's going to be too
far. And that's what the apostle tells
180
00:17:18.549 --> 00:17:22.509
us here. Let us run with
endures. The race, has said before,
181
00:17:22.589 --> 00:17:30.220
is looking to Jesus, the founder
and perfector of our faith, who,
182
00:17:30.339 --> 00:17:33.500
for the joy that was set before
him, endured the cross, despising
183
00:17:33.539 --> 00:17:42.660
the shame and is seated at the
right hand of God. When I was
184
00:17:42.740 --> 00:17:49.769
a kid, my grandmother lived with
us and I think she was a handful
185
00:17:49.849 --> 00:17:56.049
for my parents. I'm sure she
was handful for my parents, but I
186
00:17:56.170 --> 00:18:02.519
remember one time she said to my
father, Oh, oh, I just
187
00:18:02.759 --> 00:18:04.160
wish a Lord would take me so
that I could go home and be with
188
00:18:04.240 --> 00:18:10.200
friend. My Dad said to her, as long as you're hoping to be
189
00:18:10.400 --> 00:18:14.430
with Fred, you're going to stay
here. You hope has got to be
190
00:18:14.549 --> 00:18:22.150
in seeing Jesus. You See,
he is our goal. It isn't heaven,
191
00:18:23.269 --> 00:18:29.019
it isn't the new heavens and the
new earth. Those things are far
192
00:18:29.220 --> 00:18:36.460
too small. But our goal is
Jesus himself. Aren't focuses on him?
193
00:18:36.819 --> 00:18:40.460
To see him, to know him, to love him, to live like
194
00:18:40.740 --> 00:18:45.849
him, see him, follow him, the Apostle says, look at how
195
00:18:45.089 --> 00:18:55.250
he lived. Consider Him who endured
from sinner such hostility against himself, so
196
00:18:55.369 --> 00:19:00.279
that you may not grow weary or
faint hearted in your struggle against sin.
197
00:19:00.440 --> 00:19:04.680
You have not yet resisted to the
point of shedding your blood. I don't
198
00:19:04.720 --> 00:19:11.750
know. I don't know you and
I'm not a betting man, but if
199
00:19:11.789 --> 00:19:15.950
I were, I would bet that
not a single one of us here has
200
00:19:15.029 --> 00:19:19.069
ever had rocks thrown at us or
through our windows or at our car,
201
00:19:21.630 --> 00:19:30.940
because we are so righteous that the
people our neighborhood can stand us. And
202
00:19:30.019 --> 00:19:37.259
I don't mean an appearance of righteousness, I don't mean hypocrisy, I mean
203
00:19:37.339 --> 00:19:44.569
true righteousness. Who of us is
so holy that people hate us the way
204
00:19:44.609 --> 00:19:49.569
they hated Jesus Suos, you apostle
says here. None of you have yet
205
00:19:49.609 --> 00:20:03.440
done that, although there are there
are those who have. Have you forgotten
206
00:20:03.480 --> 00:20:07.509
exhortation? Address as you are sons. My son did not regard lightly to
207
00:20:07.630 --> 00:20:11.549
discipline of the Lord, nor be
weary when reproved by him, for the
208
00:20:11.710 --> 00:20:19.269
Lord disciplines of one he loves and
cherishes every son whom he receives, chastises
209
00:20:19.309 --> 00:20:30.099
every son whom he receives. It
is for discipline that you have to endure.
210
00:20:30.220 --> 00:20:40.329
God is treating your sons. One
of the great sins I will leave
211
00:20:41.049 --> 00:20:48.450
of the world of televangelism is a
sin of trying to convince everybody that wants
212
00:20:48.490 --> 00:20:52.640
to becoming a believer everything is going
to be good. Your Life is just
213
00:20:52.799 --> 00:20:59.119
going to change, you're going to
be rich, you're going to be satisfied,
214
00:20:59.200 --> 00:21:06.390
you can have a good family.
And that's not what the Bible teaches
215
00:21:06.430 --> 00:21:15.710
us. The Bible teaches us that
life is going to be hard. I
216
00:21:15.829 --> 00:21:22.460
don't have to tell you that.
How hard is it for you when your
217
00:21:22.500 --> 00:21:32.339
husband dies or your wife over,
your child dies? My sister died.
218
00:21:32.500 --> 00:21:34.609
My mother said it's not right for
a child to die before it's parent.
219
00:21:36.529 --> 00:21:41.690
No, but it happens, doesn't
it? How do you deal with it
220
00:21:41.730 --> 00:21:48.240
when you hear that you have count
cancer, or works yet that your your
221
00:21:48.240 --> 00:22:03.789
child has cancer or Cyril Palsy or
who knows what? Things not come by
222
00:22:03.829 --> 00:22:10.269
accident. These things come to us
by the perfect will of God and his
223
00:22:10.470 --> 00:22:27.259
providence in order to make us strong. If you know, the Apostle Paul
224
00:22:27.299 --> 00:22:41.490
says that there's some profit in physical
exercise but much in spiritual exercise. In
225
00:22:41.529 --> 00:22:48.440
every way. I'm telling you,
these folks that go to the gym and
226
00:22:48.640 --> 00:22:53.480
want to get buff, want to
get big. They might start out lifting
227
00:22:53.559 --> 00:23:00.390
ten pounds, but they don't stay
there. Perhaps you seen the TV commercial
228
00:23:00.470 --> 00:23:07.589
the woman that does one sit up
says, okay, I'm good. It's
229
00:23:07.670 --> 00:23:11.430
one piece of Chale, says,
okay, I'm good. It's not the
230
00:23:11.470 --> 00:23:15.420
way life is. In order for
you to get strong physically, you have
231
00:23:15.500 --> 00:23:19.299
to go to the gym again and
again and again and again. In order
232
00:23:19.339 --> 00:23:22.900
to finish a race, you have
to practice and run and run and run
233
00:23:22.940 --> 00:23:30.650
and run. In order to live
a godly life, you have to endure
234
00:23:30.690 --> 00:23:37.569
the things that are tough, things
are hard, because then you know how
235
00:23:37.690 --> 00:23:44.119
faithful God is, how much he
cares for you, how strong he is,
236
00:23:49.240 --> 00:24:00.789
and so often little sins just kind
of get us down. But perhaps
237
00:24:00.829 --> 00:24:07.109
you think, well, I'm okay, I don't really sin all that much.
238
00:24:07.230 --> 00:24:12.779
You know, I'm not a philander
or I'm not a homosexual, I'm
239
00:24:12.819 --> 00:24:26.369
not a drunk, I'm not a
drug addict. He secil tells us that's
240
00:24:26.410 --> 00:24:33.970
a sin of Sodom. It doesn't
mention sexuality. He mentions a failure to
241
00:24:34.089 --> 00:24:38.799
care for the poor. What's your
turn with me, if you will for
242
00:24:38.960 --> 00:24:44.359
just a moment, to the Book
of Matthew, Chapter Twenty Five. I
243
00:24:44.519 --> 00:24:48.200
know you know this passage, but
no, I think you know this passage
244
00:24:48.640 --> 00:24:51.559
Meta. I want to turn there
with me, but just Moan. Matthew
245
00:24:51.599 --> 00:25:00.670
Twenty Five. Your Jesus speaks of
the final judgment and how he separates a
246
00:25:00.829 --> 00:25:06.150
sheep from the goats. I wants
to think for just a moment about the
247
00:25:06.309 --> 00:25:10.539
goats. Verse Forty One and following
then he will say to those on his
248
00:25:10.619 --> 00:25:15.380
lefty part from me. You cursed
into the eternal fire prepared for the devil
249
00:25:15.460 --> 00:25:18.339
and his angels, for I was
hungry and you gave me no food.
250
00:25:18.819 --> 00:25:22.809
I was thirsty and you gave me
no drink, I was a stranger and
251
00:25:22.890 --> 00:25:26.369
you did not welcome me naked and
you did not close me sick and in
252
00:25:26.450 --> 00:25:30.650
prison and you did not visit me. And they also will answer saying,
253
00:25:30.809 --> 00:25:33.329
Lord, when we when did we
see you hungry or thirsty or stranger or
254
00:25:33.329 --> 00:25:37.599
naked or sick or in prison,
and did not minister to you? Then
255
00:25:37.680 --> 00:25:40.279
he will answer them saying, truly, I say to you, as you
256
00:25:40.359 --> 00:25:42.039
did not do it to one of
the least of these, you did not
257
00:25:42.200 --> 00:25:45.880
do it to me. And these
will go away into eternal punishment, but
258
00:25:45.960 --> 00:25:52.349
the righteous into eternal life. I
ask you this question. For which sin
259
00:25:52.789 --> 00:26:00.990
are these goats sent to eternal punishment? Which sins does Jesus name? The
260
00:26:02.069 --> 00:26:07.779
sins of adultery, a murder,
of theft, a failure to keep the
261
00:26:07.859 --> 00:26:17.180
sabbath, of idolatry. It wasn't
what these people did, but rather what
262
00:26:17.339 --> 00:26:29.930
they left undone. I'm so grateful
to know that, because of all the
263
00:26:30.210 --> 00:26:41.839
things that I've left undone in Jesus
has filled for me. Listen once again,
264
00:26:41.920 --> 00:26:47.309
back to math or he was twelve
verse. If you are left without
265
00:26:47.349 --> 00:26:51.990
discipline, in which all that participated, then your illegitimate children are not sons.
266
00:26:52.549 --> 00:26:56.190
Besides, as we have had earthly
fathers who disciplined us and we respected
267
00:26:56.269 --> 00:26:59.869
them, shall we not much more
be subject to the spirit of father,
268
00:27:00.069 --> 00:27:03.140
the father spirits, and live for
they disciplined us for a short time,
269
00:27:03.579 --> 00:27:07.539
as it seemed best to them,
but he disciplines us for our good,
270
00:27:07.660 --> 00:27:12.980
that we may share his holiness.
Those of you out there who are fathers
271
00:27:14.059 --> 00:27:18.089
will understand me, I think,
when I tell you that, having had
272
00:27:19.569 --> 00:27:26.650
raised more or less seven kids,
I have no clue as to what appropriate
273
00:27:26.690 --> 00:27:33.880
discipline is. What's appropriate when when
your son lies to you? Is it
274
00:27:33.039 --> 00:27:36.920
to stand him in a corner?
Is it to watch his mouth? I
275
00:27:37.079 --> 00:27:40.480
was so. Is it to spank
him, or is it to ground him?
276
00:27:40.519 --> 00:27:42.920
Or is it to have a stern
talk with him? Or is it
277
00:27:44.039 --> 00:27:45.789
to say well, that's just the
way kids are? No, it's not
278
00:27:45.910 --> 00:27:55.910
that. What's the appropriate discipline when
your daughter talks back to her mother,
279
00:27:56.069 --> 00:28:02.259
as she will when she's thirteen,
because that's the way girls are? How
280
00:28:02.299 --> 00:28:06.460
do you I have a clue?
Well, we do as father's. It's
281
00:28:06.460 --> 00:28:12.609
the best we can and we mess
up, but when God disciplines us it's
282
00:28:12.609 --> 00:28:19.609
a whole different matter, because he
knows how he knows when he knows what
283
00:28:19.809 --> 00:28:26.759
to use precisely and exactly for each
of us in our own particular circumstance and
284
00:28:26.839 --> 00:28:38.480
situation. A pastor friend of mine
recently said from the Pope and that God
285
00:28:40.640 --> 00:28:48.349
uses a chisel to conform us into
the image of his son, Jesus Christ.
286
00:28:56.500 --> 00:29:02.539
For the moment, all discipline seems
painful rather than pleasant, but later
287
00:29:03.460 --> 00:29:08.099
he yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness
to those who have been trained by it.
288
00:29:14.569 --> 00:29:23.680
Later it yields the peaceful fruit of
righteousness. See, that's what happened
289
00:29:23.759 --> 00:29:30.759
to all those folks in chapter eleven. They received, they receive eve,
290
00:29:30.880 --> 00:29:37.680
the gift of eternal life, and
that's why they, as a great cloud
291
00:29:37.720 --> 00:29:45.910
of witnesses surrounding us, are witnessing
to us and cheering us on as we
292
00:29:45.829 --> 00:29:53.339
run this race which God has said
for us. There's no marathonors ever set
293
00:29:53.420 --> 00:29:57.259
the own course, for his own
course, for the race that'scept by other
294
00:29:57.299 --> 00:30:06.460
authorities. We do not set the
course for our own race either. We
295
00:30:06.539 --> 00:30:11.009
run the race that God has given
us. Want to close with this read
296
00:30:11.130 --> 00:30:19.170
this week from the old Presbyterian commentator
Albert Barnes. I have never known a
297
00:30:19.210 --> 00:30:26.559
Christian who was not benefited by afflictions. I have seen none who is not
298
00:30:26.720 --> 00:30:33.720
able to say that as trials produced
some happy effect on his religious character and
299
00:30:33.960 --> 00:30:41.150
on his soul, real happiness in
life. If this be so, then
300
00:30:41.230 --> 00:30:45.190
no matter how severe are trials,
we should submit to them without a complaint.
301
00:30:45.990 --> 00:30:51.700
The more severe they are, the
more we shall yet be blessed,
302
00:30:52.740 --> 00:30:57.460
on Earth or in heaven. A
man. Let's pray
