YouTube video GRpqZFKVCAk

[music] Down. [music] >> [music] >> Oh, [music] hey. >> [music] >> Heat.

Heat. >> [music] >> Well, good evening church. It's good to see you tonight.

Let's stand as we sing Wonderful Grace of Jesus. [music] Sing out now. Wonderful [singing and music] grace of Jesus, gater [singing and music] than all my s.

How shall my tongue describe [singing] it? There shall his praise begin. [music] Taking away my [singing] burden, setting my spirit free.

[music] For the wonderful [singing] grace of Jesus reaches [music] me. Sing that. Wonderful the master grace of Jesus.

[music] Deeper than the mighty roll [singing] and sea, higher than the mountain, stronger like a mountain. [music and singing] All sufficient grace for even me. Broader than the smoke of light [music and singing] and preious germ and shame.

Oh magnify the [singing and music] precious name of Jesus. Praise his [music] name. Wonderful [singing and music] grace of Jesus.

Reach to all [singing] the Lord. [music] Why did I have before? [singing] I s to the other [music] changing [singing] [music] me.

For [singing] the wonderful grace of Jesus [music] reaches me. [singing] Wonderful. >> [music] >> The matchless grace of Jesus.

Deeper than the mighty royal sea. [music] Higher than the mountain. Like a mountain.

All sufficient [music and singing] grace for even me. My transgressions. [singing and music] Greater than all my s.

[music and singing] Oh man, by the precious name of Jesus, praise his [music] name. Wonderful [singing] grace of Jesus. Praising [music] the most power by his transforming power [singing and music] made into God's dear child purchasing [music and singing] peace and heaven for all eternity.

[music and singing] For the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches [music and singing] me. Wonderful the matchless grace of Jesus. [music and singing] [snorts] Deeper than the mighty ro.

Higher [singing] than the mountain. [music] Like a mountain. All sufficient grace for even [music and singing] me.

All the sacious greater [music and singing] than all my sin and shame. Oh magnify the precious name of [music and singing] Jesus. Praise his name.

[singing] How [music] lovely. The mountains [singing and music] are the feet of him who [singing] brings good news. Good [music] news [singing] [music] of happiness.

Our [music and singing] God. Our God. Oh, sing it [music] out, church.

Our God. [singing] Our God. [music] Our God.

[singing] Our God. [music] He had no sting. [music] He had no majesty that we should [music and singing] draw to him.

He was despised [music and singing] and we account of him. Yet now he reigns [music] with [singing] the most high. [music] Oh our God.

[singing] Our God. [music] Our God. [singing] Our [music] God reigns out of the [singing] truth.

He came with grace and majesty. [music and singing] He is alive. [music and singing] He is alive.

God [music and singing] loves us all. See here his hands, [music] [singing] his feet, his side. Yes, we know [music] he is alive.

[singing] Oh, lift your voices, church. Our God reigns. [music] Our God [singing] reigns.

[music] Our God reigns. Our [singing] God reigns. Give him praise tonight, church.

Thank you. May be seated. Amen.

Aren't you glad he's alive? >> Ah, do you know it? You know he's alive.

Amen. Let's have a great time tonight knowing that Jesus is alive and he's with us and we're going to just worship and praise his name. Uh several things going on this evening or this week or and next week.

Uh we got a lot of things that are taking place. Summer games I want to started this evening. Uh if you have your your kids, uh yes, we still have Wednesday evening activities for our children.

Uh they begin at 6:15. It's a little different format, but they're going to have a great time and uh looking forward to this summer and seeing what God is going to do with the hearts of our children across the street. be with our leaders uh because they they they take their time and sacrifice to get out there and do that.

Also, this coming Saturday, we had special prayer this uh past Sunday. Our youth will be going to West Virginia. Now, we uh want to be much in prayer for them.

In the bulletin, uh I believe all the names are mentioned of all the ch all the kids and the leaders. If you will be much much in prayer for them, uh we want to um just lift them up. I'm praying that God will change the hearts of some of our young people that maybe they'll just get a a heart for missions.

We need to see missionaries come out from uh you know from this generation that's coming up. And so you be much much in prayer for our students as they go on their mission trip. So please take note of that.

And also we've got coming up uh Illumination Station. That's our VBS that's going to be taking place June the 22nd through the 25th. And now that time is uh is there in the bulletin there 6:15 to 8 o'clock.

Going to have a great time. Uh already planning things and getting it all set up and uh want something that's going to be a little different this year. We're going to have a meal every evening for the for the kids and their parents or grandparents.

I'll be there. So looking forward to doing that. Bringing our grandkids and then we'll get to eat with them uh before they go and uh and have a wonderful time in vacation Bible school.

That's that's when hearts are changed. Uh there that age group there, right there, their hearts are tender and we're just praying that the Holy Spirit will move upon their hearts and some boy or girl will get saved and and just go on and continue to be what God would have them to be. Also, the ladies, they're going to be having uh a a Bible study.

The information is there in the uh in the bulletin, but also on the screen. Uh it's going to be um experiencing the power or speaking truth to your soul. my my uh me myself and it says and lies.

So uh look I I'm sound like a very interesting uh Bible study. So ladies, you please plan to uh be there. It's going to be July the 12th through July the 27th uh 23rd.

There's going to be seven sessions. So if you will plan to be there, I think you will enjoy it to be especially be among the women of the church and then just uh discussing and uh just discussing and getting around the word of God. That's always a wonderful thing.

you'll learn some things there. So, please please put that on your calendar and be a part of that. Signup sheets are are online.

So, please take note of that if you will. Heavenly Food Pantry, the item of the month uh for the month of June is canned fruit. So, we're already in the month of June now.

So, please take note of that. Uh it'll be canned fruit. So, just bring that in and put it in in the welcome center and we'll make sure it gets to the um to the heavenly food pantry.

I know Ricky and Vicki would love to love to have a great turnout of canned fruit. Okay. All right.

So, please take note of that. And then the church of the week is a New Covenant Missionary Church there with uh we have the pastor that is Joseph Fraser there. So, you be much in prayer for them and uh if you will again uh along with our shutin of the month which is Frankie Milwood.

I was I was able to see her this week and she still she she recognized me and one thing that just brought and I'll be honest it kind of brought tears to my eyes when I left she stopped me said wait and said I want to thank you for being here today and listen uh and and you know she's been there for several years now and and uh she can't get up she can't walk she's laying you know laying in the bed and only way she moved is through um when they get her and put her in a wheelchair and and but you be much in prayer for her And uh if you will, I know it would encourage her if you send her a card. Uh shut of the month, we have cards available for you. All you have to do is just stop in in the welcome center on the way in or on the way out.

Just put a little note in there, put her name on the envelope. We will address it. We'll put a stamp on it and we'll mail it for you.

So, please please try to do that if you can. And I know that she would really appreciate some cards from her and cards from the church. And so uh uh please take note of that if you will.

Uh just uh update on some people. Uh our pastor is doing is progressing uh uh pretty well. He's still, you know, still got some pain back there in the back.

But uh you be much much in prayer for him that he'll be able to come back that he'll take his time, not be rushing it and uh and then he'll come back when God wants him to be here. And so be much in prayer for him during the time. Uh Danny uh Danny Davis had surgery uh this week, a heart surgery, a valve replacement.

And so, but he's home already doing well. So, be much in prayer for him. His sister passed away and when he woke up from his his surgery, found out that his pis his sister passed away that morning.

So, uh y'all be much in prayer for that family also if you would. Um also, we have several in the church that are at home recuperating. I mentioned the pastor.

We got uh goodness Gilskar, we got uh Julie Peler and uh Oak. Uh and there's others. I know I probably missed some, but um but uh you just be much in prayer for our church family.

And then uh Barbara and Les uh Barbara and Les Libby uh be much in prayer for them. Uh called the church this afternoon and we were able to talk to them a little bit, but uh uh they need your prayers. Let me just say they need your prayers.

you need to just engulf them with prayer that uh God will do a work and that um they'll be able to get to a point where they're able to be taken care of. So be much in prayer for them if you would. So let's join our hearts together.

All right. And uh and as I get ready to pray, I'm just going to go ahead and introduce our I should done this before we ask you to bow our heads. David Sely is going to be preaching for us tonight.

one of our pastors that is uh now part of our church family. Uh we have a wealth of pastors and we added up the years one one time and I think it's like over 4 500 years of experience with all the pastors that's inside Calvary Baptist. So we're very very blessed not only with pastors like that but pastors that have been called out of Calvary.

Uh God has his hand on us and we're grateful for him to be with us and and him and Mr. Wan being a part of our church family. But you come in a little bit uh after the singing and you preach to us, brother.

All right. So, we're going to have a great time this evening. So, just be be much in prayer for him.

Let's join our hearts. Father, we thank you for the word of God. Lord, we thank you that we're here to worship you and praise you and and listen to what you have us uh to hear this evening.

Father, we pray for Brother David that you'll just uh use him, Lord, the way that you have um that you want to use him, Father. That he'll be an instrument in your hands, a voice, Lord, your voice. And so, Father, we're looking forward to that, Lord.

These that we mentioned, Lord, you already know about him. You you know what's going on with Ronald and Compass. Donna Bigum went to to Puit today, Father.

And we got so many that's just uh just need a special touch from you. So, we ask that you do that, Father. We ask you do a work in their lives and and Lord, others that not necessarily physical but maybe financial and and just some circumstances that's going on in their lives.

God, we just pray again that you'll intervene. That Lord, as we see that we've sung already, you reign. Lord, you are alive.

Father, you're in control of everything that we do and everything that's going on in this old world. We don't have to really worry about it. Father, you're in control of that also.

And so we just lift all of this up to you, our children across the street, our leaders, [music] and Lord, our musicians here, our our praise pan media and media and uh our sound. Lord, all of that. Father, we just thank you so much for blessing us here at Calvary.

Now, let us worship you, Lord. Let us put aside everything that's going on in our lives and let us right now focus on you because you so richly deserve it. We ask these things in the name of Jesus.

And all God's people said, "Amen." Amen. >> Sing this little chorus. Turn your eyes upon Jesus.

>> Turn your [singing] eyes upon Jesus. look full [music and singing] in his wonderful face. And the [singing] things [music] of earth will grow [singing] [music] the day in the [singing] light of his glory [music] and praise.

Let's sing that one more time. Turn [singing] your eyes upon Jesus. [music] Look [music and singing] in his wonderful face.

[singing] And the kings [music] of earth will [singing] grow strange [music] in the [singing] light of his glory [music] and grace. Amen. I'm forgiven [music] because you [singing] were forsaken.

I accepted. [singing] You were contained. [music] >> I'm alive and well.

Your spirit [music] is [singing] within me because you [music] died and rose again. >> Amen. [singing] I'm forgiven because you [music and singing] were forsaken.

I'm accepted. [music] You were [singing] condemned. I'm alive and well.

Your spirit is [music and singing] within me because you died and rose again. [music] Amazing love. [singing] How many [music] that you my king would die [singing] for me.

[music] Amazing [music and singing] love I know it's true. And it's my [music] joy [singing] to honor you. In all I do, [music] I [singing] honor you.

>> Sing, I'm forgiven. >> I'm forgiven [music and singing] because you were forsaken. >> I'm accepted.

[music] You were condemned. [singing] I'm alive [music] and well. Your spirit [singing] is within me because you [music] died [singing] and rose again.

>> Amazing love. [music] How [singing] can it be that you my king [singing] would [music] die for amazing love [music and singing] I know is true and it's my joy to honor you [music] in all I [singing] do I honor >> [music] >> Amen. >> You are [singing and music] my king.

>> You [singing and music] are my king. >> Jesus, you [music and singing] are my king. Jesus, [music] you are my king.

Amazing love. [music] >> Amazing [singing] love. How can it be >> that you, my king, would die for me.

[music] >> Amazing love [singing and music] I know it's true. And it's my joy [singing and music] to honor you in all [singing] I do. [music] I honor you.

You are my [music and singing] king. You are my [music and singing] king. Jesus, you [singing and music] are mighty.

Jesus, you are [singing] mighty king. [music] >> Can you thank him tonight? Give him praise.

>> Amen. >> Thank you. May be seated.

Lawrence, you want to come and sing a special name? Here we go again. All these [singing] crazy thoughts and [music] feelings.

It's like it ends until [singing] your voice breaks through my noise. And I know I'm not alone. Not alone.

[singing] You fight [singing] [music] still. Why would I keep running when you're [singing] right here? I'll just be quiet and let you [singing] speak through the [music] silence.

Here I am. No more hiding. You are [singing and music] in this moment.

I won't fight it. I'll be quiet. I [music and singing] don't need [music] your hands.

I can trust you with my [singing] future. You're already there. I hear your [singing] voice.

Call me forward. And I know I'm [singing and music] not alone. Not alone.

with the distractions. I [singing] want to [music] hear what's true. The only words that matter, they come from [singing and music] you.

I'll just be quiet and then you speak through [music] the silence. Here I [music] am hiding. You are in this moment.

[music] I won't [singing] fight it. I'll be quiet. I'll just be still in your presence.

I'll just be still [singing] in your presence, God. Cuz I [singing] want to hear you. I don't want [music] to hear anybody else quiet.

God, you're [music] here [singing] in the silence. Here [music] I am hiding. You are in [music and singing] this moment.

I won't fight it. I'll be quiet. I'll just be quiet.

Oh God, you're here in the silence. [music] >> [music] >> Quiet. Following is a test of 1MC from the floor.

Y'all know what the 1MC is? You don't have a clue, do you? That is the uh announcement that they system that they use on board ships [clears throat] so they can communicate without the use of alarms all the time.

And in all the churches that I've served, I've had the opportunity to serve a bunch of crazy guys on board ship. You would not believe some of the things that they can questions that they can ask. And for those of you that do not have grandchildren yet, [laughter] you haven't seen questions.

They can come up and ask you things you never thought of. And Lehan, you're going to have one that is going to whittle on your ears. And those questions are tough because they ask things you don't know.

Do not tell them something that you cannot back up with scripture. Would you stand with me for a moment? Let us pray as our Lord taught us.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who have trespassed against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever.

God's people said, "Amen." >> You may be seated. Oh, and thank you for leaving me this cough drop. I'm sure I'm sure I'm probably going to need it.

I want you to think just for a few minutes about some of the questions that truly that you have been asked by your children and your grandchildren and in my case all 17 great grandchildren. some of the things that they can ask. You start reading the Bible to them.

In the beginning, Papa, what does in the beginning mean now? When did that start? Have you got a date?

Really? What do you mean you don't know? Well, because I wasn't born yet in the beginning.

And then you start trying to explain to them about who God is. Well, he's the eternal one. What does that mean?

Well, he's the one in three. Okay. uh we have to learn to get it down on their level when they can receive it.

And God's done the same thing with us. I want you to think just for a second. Just for a second.

Pretend that you are Adam and Eve. You were just created. You walked with the Lord in the cool of the evening.

You had this bond. You had this relationship. There was no ten commandments.

There was nothing written down. There was no written language. Then it was handed down from father to son, from mother to daughter.

Through the generations, the truth was handed down. How did they remember all of that when it got down to Moses? Question from a teenager.

How did Moses know Abraham? How did all those things come together? Do you know that the Holy Spirit was there in the beginning?

Do you know that the word of God is God breathed from generation to generation up until the time of Moses? It was still God's word and it was still God breathed. Do you answer your children with those answers or or is it something else?

Are you waiting on an archaeological discovery somewhere that's going to tell you all the perfect answers? Well, friends, the perfect answer is the holy scriptures. There was no sin at the time of Adam and E, Adam and Eve, other than that one thing that they were told not to do.

There were there were no rebbitical laws. There was nothing that says, "Well, don't be going around killing people because there was no reproduction during that time. There were no children born until after sin.

So they did. There was no need for all these rules and regulations other than do not. One thing if you tell a 2year-old do not touch the cookie jar.

What will that happen to that cookie jar? Next time you go, it's gonna be crumbs in the bottom and that's it. Do not touch this.

It'll burn you. Do not stick that bobby pin in that electrical socket. Oh, go ahead.

Let him do it once. No, that was me. I saw a t-shirt the other day that I really wanted to get.

And it it was talking about creation and it said that uh God created me. It was on the back of the t-shirt. God created me and he made me in his own image, but I'm going to give him free will.

This is going to be fun. That's what it said on the t-shirt. This is going to be fun watching David as he grows up and what he can find ways he can find to sin and to misbehave.

I got a lot of whoopins. I didn't get spankings. I didn't get paddlings.

Mama didn't chase me through the house with a flatter. Daddy beat me. And you know what?

Thank God that I had a dad that did not let me get away with with anything when he was around, at least that he knew about. And it's funny how parents learn that uh when that child is 18 minutes late getting home and that child walks in the house, they don't ask where you been. They tell you where you've been and why were you there.

Our heavenly father's the same way. When we get quiet before God, he gets loud to me. When I get quiet before him, I can hear him better than I ever could when I was exceeding the speed limit or doing a rolling stop.

I don't think anybody in this town, the half the cars in the city of Rock Hill do not have turn signals that work. Did you know that? Well, God's children chose to sin and they didn't they sin.

They sinned big time. So, what did God do? He kicked them out of Eden.

and said, "Go procreate." And gave them children. Oh, and those first two boys they had, I bet they were something when they were little. But for the first time, sin was not only on them, it was in them.

They were sinners by nature. Cain and Abel were sinners by nature and they were sinners by choice. How do I know that?

How do I know that they were sinners by nature and they were sinners by choice? Because the Bible proves it. It proves it over and over again.

And now all of a sudden, brother is killing brother. Now on down the line, let's get to Moses. And Moses was there and God called him.

How old was he, Roger, when he got called? 80. Is that right?

Okay. I want to make sure I had it right. He was 80 years old when he got called to the ministry.

Then he went out and he spent another 40 years doing what? So, how old was he when he died? How do we know that?

I said I see four of you mouthing how old he was. The rationality that we have to apply right here is God can use you right up until the time that you leave this world. But you got different chapters in your life.

The first chapter in his life was he was put in a little dingy and put in the Nile River. The second chapter was he was raised in a in a house of privilege. And the next chapter was he committed murder.

The next chapter was he was in the wilderness. The next chap and one chapter after another until we get to Exodus chap 20. And in Exodus chapter 20, God says, "Okay, you've had all these guidelines that you guys have made up about what's right and what's wrong all this time.

Now, I'm going to give you 10 more guidelines and everything's got to line up with that." And he gave him the Ten Commandments. And those ten commandments were beautiful. Oh, we can do we can do this.

How many times did we get into the word of God and WE CAN DO THIS? WE can we can No, we can't. We cannot.

Why? Because we are sinners by what? Nature and choice.

Take your Bibles and turn to Matthew chapter 5. I was going to start in in Genesis 3:15, but sometimes I get to preaching sort of like brother Reggie and and it would we would still be sitting here in 19 months from now and we would finally get up to where I'm going to preach tonight. One of my friends and and man I only got to meet one time in my lifetime was a guy named WA Chrisell.

He was a pastor at at First Baptist Church in Uptown Dallas, Texas. He wrote a book called The Scarlet Thread. How many of you have read it?

It's required reading at Liberty University, by the way. And it was at Baptist College when I was there before it become a university. And it was also required reading at Trinity Seminary.

And you know what? I learned something new each time I had to read it. The book starts in Genesis 3:15.

That's where the scarlet thread starts. You can write that down if you're taking notes. The scarlet thread starts in Genesis 3:15.

But here I am taking one little excerpt from that and we're going to go to Matthew chapter 5 and we're going to look I got to turn the page back. But first I have to put a little DNA on my finger so that my finger will turn the page. Verse 17.

Are you on the verse 17 yet? Everybody got it? Look at me if you got it.

Okay, this counts as looking at me. I'm reading from the New King James Bible. By the way, do not think that I come to destroy the law or the prophets.

Stop right there. He comes not to destroy the law, but he doesn't stop there. Now, some of you that have a different translation, it may say something besides destroy, but it basically says do away with, get rid of.

I'm not here to do that. And not only that, I'm not here to change the law. So for those preachers that try to tell you that the 10 commandments are re, we really don't have to observe those because that was the Old Testament and we're Christians now.

Can you believe I heard a preacher say that? I think he was backslid at the time, though. And for you that do not know what it means to be backslid, you ain't been born again yet.

All right. He didn't come to destroy the law or the prophets. Now, what does that mean?

That he is he's not here to destroy the prophets. Uh who was on in the the mount of transfiguration? Uh, was there a prophet there?

What was his name? Roger. No.

Heath Cliffe. Elijah. All right, Joe.

I'm I can't hear you up here. All right. Elijah was there.

Who was the other person? Moses. Everybody get that right?

Okay, you're saved. All right. Next words.

I did not come to destroy but to everybody say it at one time fulfill. Fulfill. He came to fulfill the law.

Now look now look down at the next verse 18. For assuredly I say to you till heaven and earth pass away. Now, is that going to be a long time?

Might be tomorrow. Till heaven and earth pass away, jot nor one tit by no means pass from the law till all is, say it again, fulfilled. The law is fulfilled in Jesus Christ and not one jot, not one tit is going to be changed in the word of God ever till all things are fulfilled.

How many in here do not know what a jot and a tit is? All right, raise your hand. Okay.

All right. You ever you ever look at French any French words like cafe and it's got a little right there over the e tells you how to pronounce it. Also tells you what it's about.

Tells you that it's coffee. It's place go to get coffee. Well, a jot and a tit are marks in the Hebrew that identify the word and what the word is supposed to be used for and so you can know it in the context of what it is given.

But too many times people want to get rid of the jot in the title and then you end up with some of these doctrines that are coming out all over the world today if you'll send me just $10,000. The Lord will bless you with a new Cadillac. Just send it on in here.

Let me get somebody give me some mascara so I can let it run. Well, friends, it's true. They'll get up there and they'll beg money.

Uh David Slack was a lead singer in a group I sang with for a few years, good many years. And we went to see a guy from Texas, a great big old evangelist. He was a big old sucker.

But anyway, we went to see that guy and they spent the first two hours, almost two hours begging money. And then we got to hear a 20 minute sermon and then the altar call lasted two hours for people to line up and go and get a handkerchief and get slapped on the forehead, knocked on their knees. And I said, "Slack, I gotta get out of here." That is not the gospel, my friends.

That is a hirling that is out here trying to separate people from their money. The same thing with some of these other preachers that that are trying to lead people in a way that is not what the gospel is about. it.

The gospel is a spiritual thing. WHEN JESUS CHRIST CAME to fulfill the law, he became the law. He the law was revealed in and through him.

And what did we see that Jesus was revealing to each and everyone? Grace, mercy. But greater THAN GRACE AND MERCY, he revealed to us love.

looking past our sin and seeing our needs and embracing us where we are and loving us into the church. I can find no place in the Bible that tells you that you need to take a bath before you get cleaned up. You come to Jesus just the way that you are >> and he does the cleansing.

The cleansing was done on Calvar's cross and it becomes real to you when Jesus becomes real in your heart and in your life and you are living out the peace and the love and the grace that brought you to him. I want you to look a little further into this now. Verse 19.

Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so what's he talking about? Removing jotss and titles and taking things out of context to be able to tell you what you want to hear. That's what it's about.

cherrypicking from one end of the scripture to the end to prove an already unshakable point of theology shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whosoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you that unless your your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will be by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

Now look at what the scribes and the Pharisees wherein did their righteousness lie in the way they dressed in their ceremonies and all the other things that they did. They tried to make everything difficult. Well, you got to bring five sheep, four dozen, and bite the heads off three of them, put them on the altar, and therefore you will be your sins will be atoned.

Oh, wait a minute. No, bring the scapegoat in here. All right, let's put all your sins on the scapegoat and let's send it out in the desert and we won't worry about it anymore.

Your sins are gone. Jesus came to fulfill the law. When he came to fulfill the law, he got rid of the sheeps and the goats that had to be slaughtered.

And in the case of Baal, he got rid of all that where they had to sacrifice their little babies when they were born. Oh my. Is that crazy preacher going to get into abortion?

You bet your lips I am. Friends, that is a whole different religion right there. When people knowingly murder the unborn, that it well, I just can't afford to have any more babies.

So, I'm just, you know, while Ann and I Well, I'm not going to go there. She'll whoop me later. There are ways to keep from having babies, but when a baby is conceived in the womb and that first heartbeat hits, friends, not only that, but does it not tell you in First Samuel that God knew you, right?

But before you were ever conceived in the womb. Therefore, if you prevent that child from being born. Uh-huh.

That might have been the doctor that found a cure for cancer. That might have been another Billy Graham. That might have been a another John the Baptist.

That might have been another Spurgeon or one of those other big names. By the way, you'll find this sermon in Spurgeon's uh 8 1868. Nothing new under the sun.

I I glean it from wherever I can get it. For I say unto you, unless you your righteousness exceeds that of the religious people in the community, are religious people necessarily going to heaven? Are the religious people going to heaven?

Are all the religious people going to heaven? the people that are there every Sunday, every Sunday morning, Sunday night. Uh what about those soldiers and sailors that are overseas that are not able to go to services except when three or four of them are gathered together in a tent or 18 or 20 of them on the mess decks of a submarine on Sunday morning or at 2:00 a.m.

When they come and pull my bunk curtain back, that's when you find out who's Catholic and who's Protestant. Because I have heard more than one time, "Father, forgive me. I have sinned.

I'm not your father." And you get sobered up, we'll talk in the morning. Friends, God is here to save you through Christ Jesus. And it is through Jesus alone.

Not through your your suits, not through your ties, not through your broans, not through your bib overalls, not through the things that you wear, not through the things that you think, but but through the faith of Jesus Christ in Jesus Christ. You receive the shed blood of Jesus and you are saved. Believe in your heart.

Confess with your mouth. And live it every day. Live it every day.

You know what? I wear that badge of honor even until this day. Hey, y'all change your language.

Here comes that Bible thumping chief. Yes, I wear that badge. I like it.

And sure enough, they change the way they're talking out of respect for me. Did I have to earn that respect? Yes, I did.

Because they watched me every day. And there are people in your school, in your workplace, in your community, and especially in this church. Some of them want you to mess up and they're waiting.

They're going to test your words when you start preaching and teaching. If you're living for Jesus, you will run into the devil. Because if you're not running into the devil, you're running with him.

You have to be solid in who you are in your faith of who you are. Go to Romans chapter 3 and verse 31. That's in the New Testament.

Is Romans come after Acts or is that before Acts? Is that is that over there where we got it all marked up for Romans road? [laughter] Now, what verse did I say?

Was it 31? That sounds right. Okay.

Chapter 3, verse 31. I'm looking to see who's got Bibles that are indexed. Okay.

They always get there first. [laughter] Okay. Do we then make void the law through faith?

Certainly not. On the contrary, we establish the law. Is the law visible in you?

What is the greatest the greatest commandment? The absolute greatest commandment that we are given that you love one another. Love your neighbor as yourself.

Do people see love in you that is like the love that God loves us? No matter how many uh I got me some tattoos this this the other day. Yeah.

Yesterday. Yesterday I got me some tattoos. They're gonna come off later.

Uh but I had to go in and get marked up uh for a medical procedure and they had to mark me and he said, "Now don't scrub these real hard. They'll come off." But you know, I don't want any of you to judge me before you because I have those three tattoos. But how many people are getting judged today because they got tattoos?

Hey, I was a sailor for 24 years and these tattoos I got yesterday only ones on this body. You know why I don't have any tattoos, Kim? I don't have any c tattoos?

Because my wife told me that you don't put a bumper sticker on a Jaguar. All right. Go to Romans chapter 10.

Romans chapter 10. That's just a couple of pages more. Romans chapter 10.

All right. Look down there at verse four. You with me?

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone. Everyone that who what? Everyone that believes.

[snorts] Believing is not just acknowledging. For the for the devil believes, does he not? And so do his demons.

But the kind of belief that we're talking about right here, look at verse five. For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law. The man who does those things shall live by them.

Is that in? Wait a minute. That's in the New Testament, isn't it?

Friends, I'm going to close with this. We are losing, not one, not two. We're losing three generations that cannot recite the Lord's Prayer that you prayed at the beginning of this service that do not know it by heart.

We're losing three generations that cannot open their Bible and go through the Romans road and lead someone to Jesus Christ. If you love them, teach them. Let us pray.

Most gracious heavenly father, we come before you in the glorious and precious and beautiful name of Jesus. Jesus, Jesus, go with each and everyone as we leave this place this evening. Lord, make teachers out of us.

Let us teach by walking the walk and not just talking the talk. Let us teach by loving the unlovable and reaching the unreachable, embracing those that do not even want to be embraced with our prayers and our love in Jesus name. Amen.

Amen.