Prepare to flee, Blessed sinner,
What will then become of thee? But to those who have confessed
love and served the Lord enough, He will take the leader. Say, the King of Galveston, You
forever shall my love and glory grow. Amen." That was the next word,
let the amen sound from his people. OK, you're turning back to first
Corinthians. Let me issue a. Slight apology. I want you to please forgive
me. For the times I've become a little irritated. At the inattention of some. Let
me never forget. Your frame. And I can't help it. I need to
quit letting it show. I need to quit drawing attention
to it. However, I expect a great deal out of
myself and really no less from anyone else. I want to preach,
and I mean this when I say it, I want to preach as Martin Luther
said. Martin Luther said, That he wanted
to preach as if Jesus Christ died yesterday, arose today,
is coming back tomorrow. And he might. And as another
preacher said, he said to all of us, he said, let us approach
every service, every service, as if it were the first. Do you remember when you first
Start hearing the gospel, how you listen. Let us approach every
service as if it were the first. Let us approach every service,
he said, as if it will be the best. And honestly, in preparing
messages, looking at scriptures, I can't help but think of various
individuals. And I can't help but think that
maybe this is the one. Maybe this is the message that
will awaken that one who's not yet been quickened. There are
some that hear it. I mean, there's some that aren't.
Maybe this is the one, I think, that will bring that one out
of the rut that he or she is in. Maybe this is the one. Maybe
this is the message that God will use to do this, to do that. everyone we ought to approach
as if it will be the best. This is the one. And he said. As if it would be the last. How
would we listen. If we thought this is the last
message. I'll never hear. Could be I mean
it really could be I'm not trying to be overly dramatic at all
I'm just just the fact that some who sat in this room and heard
their last message and we didn't know nobody. And if I do not preach personally
if I do not preach with urgency. You need to find another. If I do not preach if I do not
care if you're listening or not you know. If my heart's not in it. and
somebody else. So with that said. It is fitting
that we begin this with these words look at verse fifteen I
beseech you. First fifteen Paul wrote I beseech
you but the word beseech means I implore you I urge you I beseech
you. And our language would you please
listen. That's what that means. I beseech
you. Would you please listen. I urge
you I beseech you. He says now you know you know
all of you know the house of Stephanie. Now when you read
this with me you might not have gotten much out of it. Be honest. I didn't when I first read it.
I thought, what am I going to say for 45 minutes, 30 or 45
minutes from this passage? There's a whole lot here, a whole
lot. Now, he said, you know the house
of Stephanas. It is the first fruits of Achaia. In other words,
they, this house of Stephanas, whoever this was, I don't, this
is not anyone we know. There's not much mention of them,
just a slight brief mention. Apparently he was one of the
first believers at Corinth. Read on. It says that they have
addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints. Now, he said they have addicted
themselves. Addictions. Addictions are all
self-made. Whenever we become addicted to
something. We do that. We bring this addiction
upon ourselves. There are bad addictions such
as too much food, too much drink, too much vice. There are people
addicted to all sorts of things, aren't there? Too much recreation.
There are people addicted to that part. Why because they have
just gone after it and continually practice until finally they couldn't
live without it that's an addiction. But there's some good addictions.
Some things I really want to be addicted to, don't you? And
it's self-made. They have addicted themselves. You read that? To the ministry
of the saint. Don't you want to be addicted
to worship? Are you addicted to worship? But you can't live
without it? I can't imagine going very long
without this. Can you? And it becomes an addiction
it's a good one if you keep practicing it's a good addiction. To the
point where you don't even think about you have to have it addicted
to the fellowship of the science addicted. He said these people
this house was addicted to the ministry of the same they were
addicted to helping believe helping other people. You know wonderful
can you imagine. really thinking more of other
people than yourself. We're addicted to ourselves.
That's for sure. We've become so, you know. Well, turn with me to Philippians
2. This is what is said in another place. Philippians 2. How wonderful
it would be to be addicted to ministering to the saints. really think on the things of
others all the time. Apparently that's what they couldn't
help, but I know some people like that. They really do. Philippians 2, it says in verses
4 through 7, look not every man on his own things, but every
man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which
was also in Christ Jesus. who in the form of God thought
it not robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation
and took upon him the form of a servant made in the likeness
of man. It's not unobtainable. By the
grace of God put in practice we can become
addicted. And I want that for me and you. become addicted. You know that
this would eliminate a great deal of our own personal problem. I mean, our problems might not
go away, our troubles might not go away, but our self-pity would. And that is a big cause of our
depression, our anxiety, our down on all of that self-pity. I've been reading a lot of books
recently on the Holocaust. If we ever think that we've gone
through anything really difficult, we need to really consider some
of that. If we think right now we're going through it, it's
absolutely inconceivable what some people have endured. So, let's think on things about
this. Become addicted. Consider then, he says in our
text, that we should submit ourselves unto such. Verse 16. Submit yourselves,
that is, submit your way of thinking to their way of thinking. Follow
their lead. Follow their example. Submit
your thoughts to that attitude. Follow their lead. And read on. Everyone that helpeth with us
and laboreth. Here's the thing. If we ourselves
are not going to do this, then at least we can do is support
those that did. If somebody is willing, and I'll
give you a very good example, the grocery. They have redicted
themselves to the service. of the gospel and others. It's
amazing what Betty Gruber does for people. I told you about
that the last time I visited there, didn't I? Myself and Don,
Don Dale, Jesse, Todd, myself, four preachers, Cody, Walter,
Austin, Kay, Andrea, Betty, We were there about nine days, and she
fixed breakfast, lunch, dinner, supper, four meals a day for
nine days for 11 people every day. And I never saw her frown. I never saw her without a smile
on her face. She's addicted. That's a good thing, such a good
thing. So they're worthy of our support,
aren't they? He says in verse seventeen, I'm
glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus,
for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied.
I'm glad that these men came to visit. Apparently these were
three men who went to see Paul. They were so concerned, number
one, over the church. We've been reading, we've been
studying through 1 Corinthians, and the church was full of problems.
I don't think they had a pastor at this time, and that's part
of the problem. And that's the reason Paul kept
sending people there. He wanted to send Timothy there, he wanted
to send Apollos there, and so on and so forth. Yeah, Timothy
comes. Remember, Timothy comes. I want
you to see that he has all his needs met. If you've got a need,
he's worthy of his high. But the church had many, many
problems. And then these three men, these three believers in
the church, were so concerned with all that was going on there
that they had to go see Paul. They had to go talk to him and
hear from him and receive. Perhaps they brought this letter
back. No, no, but. They went, they were concerned,
they wanted to, and they were concerned about Paul. Paul was
in danger, his life was in danger, everywhere he went. They loved
him dearly. This was the man they heard the
gospel from. And they loved him dearly, and they were seeing
about his welfare, and they wanted to hear him. They wanted to hear
him. They traveled a long way to hear
him preach. They wanted to hear some good
preaching. There was a lot of fellows in
the church at that time causing problems. And Paul writes to
them, he says, now these men laid up what was lacking on your
part. They have supplied it. What the
church of Corinth either did not do or would not do, these
men did it. They did it. They went there.
They dropped everything and went there. apparently gave him a large gift,
see, to his needs, which were many. So they proved, did they
not prove the sincerity of their love? They proved it. And he
said, I was sure glad to see these men. That's what he's saying. I was sure glad to see them.
Now, look at verse 18. He said, They have refreshed
my spirit and yours. Therefore, acknowledge ye them
that are such. Whoever does this, acknowledge them. Those that
refresh your spirit and ours, acknowledge them. Do what you
can to emulate them and follow their example. They have refreshed
my spirit. Brother Don Bell came here, and
I had him here because, well, because I love him. And
he hadn't been here in years, and I knew you loved him too
and wanted to to see him again and hear from him and his coming
evidently was refreshing to you. I hope it was. I know it was.
One person they said he was like a breath of fresh air. Now first
I was a little offended by that thinking that as if preaching
been stale up to that point but I think I know what the person
meant. That's what it means to be refreshed. And the fact of
the matter is that you could sit under. You could sit on the
possible fall asleep. Sit on your own. People. Fell out of one. It's just bad
in our human nature it doesn't matter who it is or how great
the preacher whatever we can. You know you can my grandparents
used to. have a house down in Rome, Georgia.
No, Tecumseh, Georgia. Tecumseh, Georgia. Anybody ever
heard of Tecumseh? Have you? Robin, you're revealing
your dirt poor roots. She's from Alabama. Tecumseh,
Georgia. I mean, it's truly a one horse
town. I remember that so well. It was
a general store and that was it. And honestly, I go down there
and Honestly, it was a general store with a potbelly stove and
a nail keg, and old men would sit there and play checkers.
I'm serious. I have fond memories of that
place. It's nothing new, but they lived,
there's a railroad track, a railroad track about 50 feet from their
house, and we'd go down there and spend a little time with
them when we were kids. They had feather beds, old feather
beds, you know, you'd sink down in the middle of that bed. That was a neat place. But first
couple of times we went there, that train would come through
about 2 a.m., 3 a.m., and we all, this kid thought, it's going
to run over us. It felt like it was just going
to mow the house down. Well, after we've been there
few days, slept right through. So that's the way it is. That's
human nature, isn't it? So we need a breath of fresh
air every now and then. So I'm leaving for six months,
starting tomorrow. No. But he says in verse 18, you
acknowledge them that are such. Acknowledge them. The churches of Asia salute you,
churches of Asia, and I could say the churches of Kentucky
salute you. There are several up there, Danville,
Pikeville, Ashland, Lexington. Everyone of them know you. Their
pastors have been here. Their people have been here.
You've been there. They salute this church. There's no church
on earth more highly esteemed than this one right here. That's
a fact. That's a fact. Churches in North
Carolina salute you. And on and on with you. They
salute you. Aquila, he said, Aquila and Priscilla salute you
much in the Lord with the church that is in their house. Let's
go back and look at this story. This is interesting. Acts 18,
Acts 18, and I'm considering us going through the book of
Acts again. It's been seven years. Can you
believe that? We went through this, the book
of Acts, seven years ago. Time sure flies, doesn't it?
But it would be very profitable to go through this book. I don't
know. I'm thinking about it. Acts 18
is the story of the beginning of the church at Corinth. Let's
just read several verses, all right? And this couple is mentioned. Verse 1. After these things,
Paul departed from Athens and came to Corinth and found a certain
Jew named Aquila. He found a certain Jew. You know
the story behind that, don't you? God sent him to that certain
man. A certain Jew named Aquila, lately
come from Italy. And you know, and I'm not being
presumptuous here, I'm certainly not putting myself on a par with
the Apostle Paul, you know that, but we could read this like this. After these things, Paul departed
from Ashland and came to Franklin. Goodman and found a certain Jew
named Edward born in Virginia lately come from Stan. Goodman
oh yeah the names of Jack but it's the same story. How God
brought up with his wife Jeanette. I read on, because that Claudius
had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome and came unto them. And because Paul was of the same
craft, he abode with Quill and Priscilla. He stayed with them.
This couple had him stay in their house. And can you imagine Apostle
Paul living with them? I'd sure give up my bedroom,
wouldn't you? He abode with them and wrought,
that is, he worked. He went to work, and by their
occupation they were tent makers. And he reasoned in the synagogue
every Sabbath, persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. So he began
to preach their Koran. Well, down in verse, there was
persecution against him and the people that were hearing him.
Verses 8, and following Christmas, the chief ruler of the synagogue
believed on the Lord with all his house, and many of the Corinthians
hearing believed and were baptized. But Paul wanted to leave because
of the persecution. The Jews, the Jews didn't like
what he was saying, and he said, I'm leaving. And he went back
to this fellow's house. This fellow had him stay with
him Christmas. And, uh, or justice, I mean.
And, uh, he was getting ready to leave, but the Lord, verse
9, spake to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but
speak, and hold not thy peace. I am with thee, and no man shall
sit on thee to hurt thee. I have much people in that, this
city. And he continued there a year
and six months, teaching the word of God among them. I'm leaving,
he said. No, you're not. You're staying
here, the Lord said. And he was there 18 months and
I'm 15 years going on 30. There's not much people in this city.
Verses, verse 18. Well, down in verse 18, Paul,
after this, tarried a good while and then took his leave of the
brethren, and he left. After 18 months, he left, went
to Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila went with him. They
dropped everything. I don't know if they lost their
home because of the persecution or they sold it, but they left
everything, said, Paul, we're going with you. We're going with
you. Like Ruth, where you go, we'll
go. Where you abide, we'll abide.
What devoted disciples, huh? And so they're gone. And the
people at Corinth miss them greatly. They miss them greatly. It'd
be like Dan and Jill going with me somewhere and leaving. They'd
be gone for years. You'd miss him, wouldn't you?
And I write back and say, Dan and Jill, say hello. What would you think? Oh, how
the old Dan O would do it. And Jill. These are real people, and they
knew them well and loved them dearly and missed them greatly.
Apparently, they'd sacrificed everything. A beloved couple
sent their greetings. Verse 19, and there's so many
people that I don't tell you, I forget to tell you, they tell
me to tell you, hello. But Greg Elmquist, I just spoke
with him, said to tell you hello. The churches of Asia salute you,
but Aquila and Priscilla, it says, with the church that is
in their house. Now, they left Corinth. Aquila and
Priscilla left everything, their business, their home, to follow
Paul. Well, while they were at, where
were they? I forgot, but they were wherever
they were, and they settled down there for a little while. And
they had a house, they rented a house, or bought a house, or
something. And while they were there, they
opened their house up to the church. They said, we've got
to have services somewhere. Quill and Priscilla said, we'll
do it in our house. That's what they did. A house in their church.
I mean, the church in their house. Now, the Lord, do you remember
the story of a fellow named Obed-Edom? Anybody? Obed-Edom? David wanted to bring the ark
back to Israel. It had been captured by the Philistine.
He went to get it, wanted to bring it back. Remember, they
made a mistake how they were bringing it back, and they had
to put it somewhere, and they put it in the house of Obed-Edom. The fellow said, I'll keep it.
That's a fearful thing. It had to be much attended to. And he said, I'll do it. I'll
keep it. And it says, The Lord blessed the house of Obed-Edom
because of the ark. Didn't he? And he blessed Aquila
and Priscilla. And we have such a couple. We
have a couple. I was talking to Brother Greg
because I wanted to find out something from him. Do you know that while that church
was being formed, while they were looking for a permanent
dwelling place and building a building, that the church met in their
house every Wednesday night for five years? Ladies, think about it. And Mindy and I both said, I
don't know if I could do it. But they didn't. And Trish didn't
complain, did she? Just tear their house up, put
chairs and everything, and serve. You know how Trish is. Roll out
the red carpet. Great. Serve things for five
years every Wednesday night. Has the Lord blessed the house
of Elmwood? We are saved. He sure has. You go down there and look. You
go down there and look. Lord is, he'll bless, he'll bless
those. And that, he said, no man hath
done anything for my sake in the gospel that I will not restore
in a hundred and thirty, right there, right now, right now. It's truly his word, prove it.
He said, all the brethren greet you, verse 20, all the brethren
greet you, As I say it so many great you
people here. He said you greet one another
with a holy kiss. And we looked at this several
times he mentions this this is this is told us several times
Peter says the same thing greet you one another with a holy kiss. Why does he keep telling us this?
Because, I thought about this, because we generally take for
granted those that are most familiar to us, those that we're around
the most. Those are the ones we take for
granted. They're the ones we snap at. They're the ones that
we ignore. They're the ones we fail to give
the effect that they may you know don't with familiarity they'll
say it brings contempt. We tend to take for granted those
most familiar to us. Don't wait on that. Don't wait
on that to tell somebody you love. Don't do that. Everybody in here
has somebody that you would like to tell them goodbye again. Would you? You'd like to tell
them one more time how much you love them, huh? Everybody has
regrets. Well, you got some people right
here that you can do it tonight with no regrets tomorrow. That's
what that means. Greet them like you're glad to
see them. That might be the last time. A holy kiss means something
other than a passionate kiss. You will show some passion, but
not, you know, the intimate kind. A holy kiss, distinguished from
that one between man and wife, you know. Verse 21, the salutation
of me, Paul, with my own hand. Paul signed it. Most of the letters written by Paul. He had someone else write because
apparently he had apparently had bad eyesight and he couldn't
he couldn't even see to write. You remember when he said my
affliction he said you would have taken out your eye and given
it to him if you could. He said that to some well someone
would take dictation for him to write this down with Paul
He wanted to make sure these people knew this from me. Plus
the fact that there were some in the church that was there
were badmouthing Paul or accusing him of bad things and Paul said
this is not a forgery. I wrote this. But on the other hand I want
you to consider this and turn with me to Hebrews 2 Hebrews
chapter 2. God's word. was written by men. Aren't you? We couldn't have
understood them. Angels who are not touched with
our feelings, but men who are. I'm glad the
Lord used men and not angels, but I'm doubly tenfold more glad
that that the Lord Himself became a man. Aren't you? These men, like Paul, were men
of like passions, as we are. And Paul would say things like
this. He would say, Who's weak and I'm not weak? You're weak,
I'm not weak. You need comfort? He said, I
need comfort. How am I comforted? The same comfort you're comforted
in. You can relate to that, can't you? Somebody can relate to it.
Going through the same thing you're going through. Men of
like passion and troubles and difficulties. Aren't you glad
the Lord used men to write this book? Huh? But like I said, I'm
doubly glad that the Lord himself became a man. Look at it. Hebrews 10, verse 14. For as
much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood,
he, Christ, also himself, likewise took part of the same. He didn't
take the nature of angels, did he? He took on him the seed of
Abraham and took part of the same. What is that? He limited himself in flesh and
blood. He limited himself in flesh.
He didn't have to, but he did. Thank God. That, why did he do
that? Through death he might destroy
him that had the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver
them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject
to bondage. Paul said, I die daily. And he
did. His life was on the line daily. Everywhere he went, somebody
was trying to kill him. Paul took comfort from them. That's
what they did to Christ. He said, from henceforth let
no man bother me. I bear in my body the marks of
Christ. And our Lord went through this,
and He said, He called us to Thank God Christ became a man
read on and he didn't take on that. I just quoted that didn't
the nature of angel verse seventeen in all things it behooved Christ
to be made like unto his brethren that he might be a merciful and
faithful high priest and things pertaining to God verse eighteen
in that he himself suffered be attempted he's able to sucker
that is help them that are tempted. Our Lord became a man a man of
like passion. He knows our frame. How does
he know our frame so well? He had one. Took upon him the
likeness of sinful faith without the sin. But he was tempted in
all. Look at that. Chapter five. Chapter
five. Look at this. This is great. Chapter 5 verse 7 says, In the
days of his flesh he offered up prayers and supplication with
crying and tears. Have you ever cried unto the
Lord? Lord, hear me. Lord, hear me. I need you to
hear me. Have you? How many times? The
Lord did too. Christ did too. Crying and tears
unto him that was able to save him from death. And he was heard.
Verse 8, look at this. Though he were a son, yet he
learned obedience by the things which he suffered. That's hard
to understand in that verse. But he did. Christ did. My, my. We have a high priest
who has touched, Chapter 4 says, with a feeling of our infirmity.
Aren't you glad? And he used men to write this
book. And I'm so glad. Paul says, This
is from me now back to the text in verse twenty two. Something
we considered briefly Sunday. In closing the apostle gives
this dire warning if any man loved not the Lord Jesus Christ
let him be anathema that means accursed a maranatha when the
Lord comes. It occurs when the Lord comes
if any man loved not the Lord Jesus Christ how serious is this. Any man love not the Lord Jesus
Christ. Now, true love is known many
ways, but chiefly, this love is for Christ. And this is the difference between
religion and true believers. You know that? People are religious for what
they call mercenary reasons. That means what they can get
out of. What they can get out of God. The pay. The wages. The benefits. That's what most people are religious
for. God's people. They love the Lord. They're religious,
and religious means devout. They are in this thing because
they love the Lord. They admire his person. That's
what a disciple, a true disciple, means a follower of a person.
a student under a master that's what the cycle of the cycle is
one who absolutely becomes enamored with somebody. Becomes absolutely
enamored with a person and wants to be like and wants to know
what they know wants to walk like and talk like and act like
and think like and be with them all the time and they so they
leave everything to be their disciple. That's what this means. To love his person. Can you say
that you love the Lord I know we don't say it perfectly,
but can you not say that you love his person? Is he not altogether
loving him? Is he not worth? I love what the people said about
David. People followed David. The Israelites,
the Jews, they followed David because they loved David. That's
the best way to be a leader is to follow and love him. But they
said this of David. They said, David one time wanted
to go out and fight with the rest of them, and they said,
no. They said, you're. You're indispensable. They said, no, you're worth 10,000
of us. Remember that, John? They said,
you're worth 10,000 of us. Don't you go. We're expendable.
Well, not you. And don't you say that about
the Lord Jesus Christ. He's worth 10,000 of us. better than ten
thousand right morning. He's worth it all his person
his work so great salvation. Some woman said to me I told
you this was some woman greeted me at the door one time and said
not not anybody here. We know well that some woman.
We're talking about. Sacrifices or something, and
then, of course, of the message, and she said to me. After the
message, she said, you forgot to tell what all we have to give
up to follow Jesus. And I was kind of smarty like
and I didn't I couldn't help it. I said, you mean. You mean
that all that dung we traded. For that pearl. Yeah, we really
did give up a lot. That's what it's like. That's
how we're going to see it someday, like really a trade dung for
pearls. All right. Rotting flesh for
the Lamb of God. The power at work is in thousands
of us. He that loveth not the Lord, love to love him means
to want to worship him. I tell you grandparents border
that love of your grandchildren borders on worship. It borders
on idolatry. I've been in the houses of some
where they got pictures of their grandbabies on every square inch
of the wall. Now that borders on idolatry
I'm telling you. Child worship. I'll never do
that. What do you like? That's what worship is, that
adoration of a person. That's what God's people do.
They worship God. When they come here, that's why they come. Tell
me about him again. Him who I so love. To honor him. We don't set aside
certain days to honor anybody but him. Every day, every worship
day is Father's Day. Isn't it? It sure is. It sure
is. You men wouldn't want me for
one minute to devote one minute to you fathers, would you? Let's
talk about the father of lights, from whom every gift comes, every
good and perfect gift. Well, this thing of not loving
the Lord, for someone to disregard or lightly esteem or ignore or
be uninterested in God's son. John three most people know John
three sixteen very few people know John three thirty six the
very last version that. Says he that believe not the
wrath of God abideth on him not the love of God the wrath of
God right now not the love of God But he that believeth not,
that is, he who lightly esteems, who doesn't care anything about
God's Son, who ignores Him, who could care less if He came here
or not, let alone died. What would you think if your
son made the supreme sacrifice? If your son died on a foreign
field to keep us free and somebody burnt the flag, what would you
do? Would you love that person? That's what unbelief is. It's
far more serious than men make it out. Unbelief, and this is
the reason God damns people. Unbelief is people saying, I'm
not interested in your son, God. That's what unbelief is. Unbelief
says, I don't care what he did or what he said. I don't believe
any of it. Unbelief says, I don't care if
he died. Preachers are telling them, God,
Christ died for you. and unbelief that I don't care.
And God loves these people. Not on your life. Not on their
life. Any man loved not the Lord Jesus
Christ, he's under a curse. Him whom angels praise and a
worm won't bow the knee? God going to fool with him? Oh,
it's infinite mercy if he does, isn't it? It's infinite mercy
and grace if God... And so brethren, so this is how
we conclude. This is the last line. He says,
the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is with you. Do you love this
Lord? Do you give Him a thought? Do
you think about Him? You do because He first loved
you. If it wasn't for His mercy and
grace, you wouldn't be here tonight. You'd be one of those passing
by and it's nothing to you. You say, what are all those people
saying now? I got a good thing for you to
tell that pagan neighbor of yours or relative or whatever. Next
time you want to talk to them. Got a good thing. And they say
something like, well, I don't go to church. You say something
like this. You mean that you don't see any reason to worship
God for the breath you're breathing? You don't see any reason to thank
God for all the food you've eaten all these years, all the clothes
you've worn, the good health that you're having, your family
and your house and your safety and how that you're His mercy
is over you every day, and he just keeps giving and giving
and giving and giving. You haven't given him a thought. You mean to tell me you don't
see any reason to go thank him? To ask his forgiveness? I don't go to church. Man, you're in danger. It's a lot more serious than
that. What you're saying is I don't love God, and I don't care. Let
him be damned. God damn him. That's what it says. When the
Lord comes, that's what he'll do to you. That's what he'll
do. Those who have no interest in
the Lord Jesus Christ, well, when Christ comes, God has no
interest in them. And Proverbs 1 says they're going
to be crying out, and God's going to shut his ears. That's what
it says. It says they'll laugh. You think
about what a God of the Bible is so different than what men
are hearing. But if you do, if you do love
the Lord, no matter how little you think you do, but you do,
it's because he first, the grace of God's with you. It was a grace
of God that caused you to come here to hear this gospel. It
was a grace of God that caused you to repent of your sins. It
was a grace of the Lord Jesus Christ that gave you faith in
him, interest in him. It was a grace of God that saved
you. It was a grace of God that will keep you. It's the grace
of God that's going to present us all faultless, unblameable
for his presence in love because he first loved us. Yes, grace
is with us and will not let us go. Aren't you glad it's by grace? Aren't you glad? That's what
makes us to differ. Well, then, you know, the Word
of God tells us over and over again this, to
love your brethren. And this is proof. This is how
our Lord said that they'll know. A lot of people say they love
the Lord, don't they? Well, how do you know? By this
shall all men know. You're one of my disciples. You
have love to the brethren. Did Paul love them? How does
he end it up? Look at the last verse. My love
be with you. Oh, I love you all. My love be
with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen to that. OK. Yeah, Stephanas, Fortunatus,
and Achaicus, and Timothy. I brought this letter back with
me. It says it right there. Hope
that was a blessing to you. And you pray the Lord to give
us direction what to go into next. But you study Sunday morning,
or before Sunday morning, study 1 Samuel 25. You'll get a blessing
reading it. Great story of Christ and a sinner. Alright, stand with me. Father, I thank you for your
word. Thank you for this official that
you sent through your servant Paul. Thank you for him. Thank
you for preparing me on holding him up through all that he went
through that was not of use. such as this one. Lord, please
give Your Word. We thank You, Lord, for being
here, such as this, to give us such courage and boldness, such
as this following passage. Lord, we want to thank You again
for that. We want to thank You for that,
our Lord. Thank You for Your Word, Lord,
that is mine. See, God has not borne, but has
taken away by the power of the Spirit. I pray for fruit, and we might
be as much fruit as you are. May God be with you. Amen.