May I hear thee say to me It's
a hurt I feel You can be turning to 1 John
chapter 2. 1 John chapter 2. We'll look at this in a moment
after a rather lengthy introduction or just a word to you from my
heart. I'm not trying, I'm really not
trying to be emotional or sentimental or melodramatic or whatever you
want to call it. When I say that this may be my
last message to you, I have quoted many times Richard
Baxter's famous saying. He said, I preach as though I
may never preach again as a dying man to dying men. And that's
always so. Every time a man gets up to preach,
it may be his last. I think it was Martin Luther
who said he ought to preach as though it were his first,
as though it were his last, and it ought to be his best. And
another said that he ought to preach as though Christ died
yesterday, rose again today, and was coming again tomorrow.
And the fact is that this may be my last message. And it may
be the last message I preach to you, but it may be the last
message you hear from anybody. But that matter. May not be that
I will pass away, but you might. You may not hear of Terry next
Sunday or the dawn the following Sunday. That's why each message
is so urgent. In reality, that's why each message
is so urgent, Terry, that's the reason we, if any man should
preach, he should preach as the oracles of God, as though God
did beseech you by us. We beseech you, Paul said. He
preached with fervency, with zeal, with enthusiasm. And that's why I get emotional
at times. I confess I don't always feel and enter into the message
as I would like to. I could probably trace that back to my own negligence or
whatever. I could fault myself with that. There's certainly
enough material here and enough for a man to get excited about.
But I do get emotional at times and. And. The fact that. I feel this so strongly. And I get greatly disturbed.
And it shows I'm sure it shows that I get greatly disturbed
by the absence of some. People and the apparent indifference
and dullness of hearing in those that do attend. That shows, I
know, I can't help it, I'm just a man, but more than that, indifference,
lethargy is another word for indifference or a lackadaisical
way of hearing the gospel. Paul called it a dullness of
hearing. is absolutely the most dangerous state a man or woman
can be in. It is that lukewarmness that
the Lord warned the church at Laodicea of. It is that lukewarmness
for which he said, I will spew you out of my mouth. And I would be a very poor watchman
indeed. If I did not see those things
and address them. in my people. I do call you my
people. I can call you that, can't I? I would be a very poor pastor
indeed and show very little love and concern for you people if
I did not become disturbed. If I did not become disturbed
when professing believers, followers and disciples of Christ or those
who profess to believe and follow and love and be a disciple of
Christ don't show up When he said, two or three are going
to be gathered in my name, I'll be there. Wherever Christ said
he's going to be, if one who professes to know him and love
him doesn't show up, I have to get upset. I have to, for them,
upset for them, not mad at them, hopefully. I'd be a poor pastor
indeed, wouldn't I? It's a sign of weakness. It's
a weak sheep that's out there that's roaming somewhere, and
a pastor You know this I got his heart and his mind but thinking
about that one. I would be a poor pastor indeed
if I did not become quite concerned. When a leading member who is
supposed to be a mature believer. When a leading member be it man
or woman who is supposed to be a mature believer especially
one who's heard the gospel for any amount of time. one who is
supposed to have grown somewhat in grace and the knowledge of
Christ, supposed to be an example to the younger, one to whom the
whole church looks to when that one falls fast asleep during
the preaching of the gospel. I would be a very poor pastor
indeed if I did not become quite concerned, not only for that
person's sake, but for everyone involved, everyone that witnesses
that profession of faith or lack of it. I would be a poor pastor indeed
very poor pastor indeed without a vision for this church. Scriptures
over and over again talk about young men having visions talk
about prophets and preachers throughout the scriptures that
say they have a vision of a burden. I'd be a poor pastor indeed if
I did not have a vision or hope for the future of this church
if I were not interested in. And even overly concerned about
the state of our children, I'd be a very poor pastor indeed.
I did not pray for your children if I did not become quite upset
over the state of your children and concerned about them. And
I would be a very poor pastor indeed if I did not become overly
concerned about the lack of young people, perhaps growing up in
this church, who seem to be interested in the gospel, particularly the
lack of young men. Young men who should be about
the things of God, and when I say young man, I say. Teens, we just
don't have many teens. At all, but God give us one teenager,
one young man who's on fire for the gospel. One young man who
who is truly interested in the things of God and and one in
his 20s or one in his 30s or one or two, three or four would
be great. I think we have some, I'd be
very poor pastor indeed if I did not wish that all of them were. About the things of God. I've
said before, I've known a great deal of I've grown up with and
a great deal of young people in a church setting and those
that I've known in the past whom the Lord has dealt with in salvation. When the Lord deals with a young
man or young woman, they become quite interested in things of
God. They can't get enough of hearing
the gospel. They can't get enough of reading
sermons and hearing the gospel preached and so forth. And I long to see that in our
young people here. I'd be a very poor pastor indeed
if I did not ache and yearn to see that in our young people. Now, I understand what it's like
to be young. As a matter of fact, it's absolutely
unbelievable to me that I'm approaching 40 years old. Don't say anything. Absolutely unbelievable. Terry,
you're approaching 50, buddy. I was telling Mindy the other
night, I said, Mindy, we were coming back from the movie. We
went to see a movie. We went on a date. And I said, it was just yesterday. that we were dating. And right
along and she was seventeen I was twenty one. My daughter will
never date a twenty one year old. She said. I don't know what it. It's all
in me my my he wouldn't have his eyes open very wide but.
It seemed like just today I'm serious then and some of you
that are nearly well. I'm not reveal your age you're
pretty old. You it seemed like yesterday to you to then just
yesterday you were dating that she was young and have a gray
hair. I mean doesn't seem like just yesterday. It's unbelievable.
Unbelievable. And I understand what it's like
to be young. I can remember Luke. Buddy I ought to be sitting there.
And somebody else standing up here, it's just like yesterday.
Then I'd sit time and time again and listen to preachers. And
I'd think at times, well, I wish I could get through. Just like
you have, I bet you. I know what it's like to be young.
Grow up in a church, forced to attend church. I know. Believe
you me, I'm the preacher's kid. I had to go now. I had to be
there. I had to be there every time the doors were open. I had
to be there. No excuses for me. Growing up
in church, forced to attend, not particularly interested in
these things. However, at an early age, the
Lord did, through the faithful witness and forbearance of my
parents and pastor and the faithful witness of other people of the
church and all, the Lord did spark an interest in me in an
early age. And that's where it starts the
Lord or Paul anyway and thank the God that young Timothy had
been brought to church by his mother and his grandmother. And
that they taught him the scriptures which were able to make him wise
and salvation. If we say we believe this gospel
is what saves us. And. If our children are going
to be saved we're going to hear the same gospel aren't they.
So they're going to have to sit here. And they're not going to
come of their own free will. They're not going to want to
come, are they? So are we doing them harm by bringing it? No,
you're doing the best thing you could possibly do for them. I
know what it's like to be young. I do. Becca, Hannah, all you
young people, Jennifer, Steve, and others. This is why I have
inserted such caring Compassionate. Personable. Dynamic, I know the
world uses that term a lot, but. They are these ladies that teach
our young people, they're young. Well, 30 something anyway. And
they they they can relate to our young people. They their
mothers, they care for our young people. They're believers. And they truly know and can relate
the gospel to our young people. I didn't say any meanie minie
mo when I chose these two teachers for our young people, I wish
you could hear. The things that my wife relates
to me concerning her lessons to our young people in the same
way with Deborah, I wish you could hear that they're worthy,
they're worthy messages to be preached from the pulpit. Often
I have used her material. Give her credit for what I use.
As I understand what it's like to be young and that for that
reason. We have inserted these these
ladies that. I truly believe that God has
given them a gift and a calling for this. And I understand what
it's like to be a working man. And working 8, 10, 12, 14, 16,
even more hour a day. I know. Brother Joe Parks and
I sit back and sit back and relate to one another what it's like
to go three days without sleeping. Because you've got to get over
the road. Transportation jobs are unlike
any other. You just have to go long periods
of time without sleep. And I know what that's like to
go to be, to work a full day, if not two or more in a row and
come in here tired on Wednesday night, feeling like you may not
be able to hold yourself erect, hold your eyes open, tired and
weary. I know what it's like to be that
way, to feel that way. To come in Sunday after Wednesday
after Sunday after Wednesday after Sunday after Wednesday I don't say this by way of bragging
at all, but I'd venture to say that there are a few people in
here who have been in more preaching services than I have. As a young
man, I would go to every single service, Sunday and Wednesday,
every single Sunday school class, every single Bible conference
that my father went to. I would attend and go with him
in the mornings to the radio and listen to preaching then.
I got preaching running out of my ears. Jammed into thirty-seven years
is more like another lifetime of preaching for people. I know
what it's like to hear a lot of preaching and grow weary and
tired, and so I know. But I'm telling you this, and
this is a fact, that anyone who is truly a believer, anyone who is truly a disciple,
a lover of the Lord Jesus Christ, cannot go too long a period of
time without hearing this gospel. And a person who is truly a believer
cannot go too long in periods of indifference or carelessness
without being very alarmed about it. The Lord will sound an alarm
in that person, will convict them greatly. They will become
quite convicted and concerned and even grieve over their condition. until finally the Lord makes
a change. That person will not be satisfied
until the Lord makes a change. And it's just so. It's just so. Those who are about the things
of God, those who truly have a love for the Lord Jesus Christ,
are about the things of God, and they just can't get enough. I know there are times when we
all grow weary because of The flesh does grow weary. The spirit
is willing, but the flesh is weak. I know that. But a believer,
a child of God, the Lord won't allow that person to stay in
any poor condition like this for any length of time. He won't
allow that child, that true child of his, to stay away from the
table. He'll draw them. He'll draw them to himself. And
they will be quite interested, if not on the edge of their seat,
when it comes to hearing about the things of God. I'm not to
use myself as an example, but it was so in my life. But I know
young men whom the Lord has saved and young women who absolutely
are on fire for the gospel. And every message, you know, the
Lord in in warning the church at Ephesus, he said, You've left
your first love. I have something against you.
You've left your first love. And quite often that happens,
doesn't it? An older church member, you've
been around a while, and you hear the same things over and
over again. A man's voice. I understand what it's like to
hear the same voice over and over again. I understand how
human nature is. I know the mechanics of sitting
and listening to a voice. It's just so. You hear the same
voice over and over again, and you become mesmerized. You become
lulled to sleep just by a man's voice. until somebody new comes in.
Now, when Donnie Bell comes in here, everybody here will be
on the edge of their seat. That's great. That's fine. But I understand
that. I understand that. Or any other
man, for that matter. I knew somebody new, a new voice
or whatever. That's so. But I can tell you
this. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, Paul said this, he said, I believe
I can say this with the Apostle Paul, I have a desire, a desire
to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. I have a desire to depart and
be with Christ, which is far better. And truly it would make
me very happy, eternally happy if that plane would go down in
the Gulf of Mexico. It would really make me, you
can, can you imagine? Oh, for you that matter. If you
die tomorrow you will be extremely happy. But right now I can say
from the bottom of my heart. That it would make me very happy. Nevertheless Paul said to abide
in the flesh. Is needful for you. And as Paul also said I can say
this as well I say I have no man like minded who will naturally
care for you for your state the way I do. And I say that. And nobody that loves you like
me. I mean, that the Lord would have
to give a man a particular man if something were to happen to
me, the Lord would. You are his people, you are his church, and
the Lord would give another man a deep love and a heart for you
people. But right now, ain't nobody. That loves you like I do. Nobody
prays for you as much as I do. Nobody thinks about you. Nobody
loses sleep over you, but I do. The bags under my eyes will soon
begin to show. Nobody grieves over you like
I do. Nobody rejoices with you as I do. Nobody weeps over you
or feels more anxiety over you than I do. I would be very, very, very,
pleased to know that you have lost some sleep over me, but
I wouldn't expect it. But I can guarantee you this,
I have lost sleep over you, nearly every one of you, including your
children. And for these reasons, for these reasons and more, you need to give me your undivided
attention every time I stand up here, right? The man's losing sleep over you
at night. Least you can do is lose a little
sleep in here over him. But more than that, Brother Henry,
this is the word of life being preached. This is the gospel
being preached. This is the believer's bread.
This is life. You miss it, and you've missed
life. The glory of God. Worship for
the sake of your eternal souls. For these reasons, you should
give me your undivided attention. All right now, 1 John chapter
2. I just poured out my heart to
you a little bit out of way of general rebuke and reproof and
just expressing my love and concern for you and so forth. You know, if I was given one
man in the scripture that I would like to be like, that is, I'm a pastor and a brother,
a brother first, a pastor and a friend, a brother, a man of
like passions, If I had one, if there was one man in all the
scriptures I could be like, that I could emulate, that I could
be like him, it would be John, the beloved disciple. I know
Paul was, Paul had, it'd be a toss-up between Paul, he had the same
love and affection for the people as John, but John was beloved
to Christ. Wouldn't you like that to be
said about you, called the beloved disciple? Your name never mentioned,
so be it, that's fine. Like George Whitfield said, I've
quoted that four or five times. It's worthy of being quoted four
or five hundred in it. He said, let the name of George
Whitfield perish from the earth. Just call me the beloved disciple. Beloved to Christ, that's what
Christ called him. That's what God called him. That's
what God named him. He was a lover of Christ. He
loved Christ. He was always close to Christ,
wasn't he? Wherever you found the Lord, In his earthly ministry,
John was kind of like old brother Maurice, hugging up to him. They'd
be eating dinner or whatever, and John would be leaning on
his shoulder, of all things, for a grown man to do. Laying his head on his shoulder.
He didn't much care about what anybody thought, did he? Laying
his head on the Lord's breast while they were eating dinner,
and the Lord did. He wasn't ashamed of his love for him, was he? close to him, and therefore,
because of this relationship, because John loved Christ, because
Christ loved him, because he was always close to Christ, John
exhibited, and he'll show it in this passage here, a love,
a greater love for these people than perhaps any other of the
apostles, at least as much so. He called these people beloved
five times throughout this passage, beloved, beloved. That is the
most tender expression of love. and affection, that's what we
call Christ. I my beloved and my beloved is mine. And John
called the people, his brothers and sisters in Christ, beloved,
five times throughout this passage. And even more than that, even
more tenderly and with more affection in verse one of chapter two,
look at it. Chapter two, verse one, he calls
them my little children, my little babies. Mothers, we were sitting
in the study a while ago. All of us men were sitting there,
and the door was open, and we heard a little voice going, Dad,
Dad. Didn't mean anything to you,
did it Rick? Didn't mean anything to you, Terry? Didn't mean anything
to me. There was one man in there that
it meant something to, buddy. I looked over at him. I didn't
know who it was at first. I said, Who is that? And I looked
around, and somebody went, Stephen. It was this little girl
had that she was just going to learn a new word I guess it died
that but he you know he didn't he didn't tell her to shut up.
You can say that all she wanted to. Little children when you
just think about your little children how did you marry when
you think about that little girl that little guy. It shows whenever
you talk about your child mothers fathers little children your
little children it conjures up images of absolute love and affection,
and just the greatest outpouring of love and affection a human
heart can experience. Little children. That's what
John calls his people. Little children. Nothing more
dear and precious to a parent than a little child. Little children.
Babies. And he says, little children, I write unto you. Little children,
these things write I unto you that you sin not. Don't sin. Don't do it. Don't you tell your
children that? Huh? Don't do that. Peter said the same thing. Lay
aside that. Now quit that. Cut that out,
would you? Don't sin. That's exactly what he's saying,
like a father. Don't sin. Whether in commission, don't
actually sin, or omission. Don't leave off what you ought
to do. Whether it be unbelief, whether it be by absence, or
open committal of sin, don't do it. Follow Christ. Follow
his word. Be obedient to his commands,
the commands of Christ. Be obedient. Didn't we read this
morning where the Lord said, I don't want your sacrifices.
I want your obedience. Didn't he say that? And John said, little children,
don't sin. I write unto you not to sin. Just don't do it. But
if you do, Daddy forgives you. your Heavenly Father, you have
an advocate. If any man does sin, and who
won't, all have sinned, and all will sin. If any man does sin,
we have an advocate with the Father. What a verse. That's one of my favorite passages
in all of Scripture. If any man sins, we have an advocate
with the Father, since you are sinners. Oh, by the way, since
you are sinners, and you will sin, don't despair. You have an advocate you have
a lawyer a representative of a mediator he's with father Jesus
Christ the righteous he's an advocate of center. He is undertaken
this work of salvation on behalf of. He says, don't sin, don't
do it. If any man does sin, you have
an advocate. You're forgiven for Christ's
sake, but don't do it. But if you do, you're forgiven. Come back to Christ. Keep coming.
To whom coming? Peter said. To whom coming? Come
back to Christ. Don't leave the fold. Don't leave.
Don't get all upset and distraught and in despair over yourself.
Come back to Christ. Go tell the disciples and Peter
to come on back. Come on back. Tell that prodigal
son, come on back. But don't go and do it again.
Go and sin no more. Now what Christ said? Woman,
where are thy accusers? Does no man accuse thee? No,
no man, Lord. Well, neither do I. But don't
do it again. Right? Isn't that the way every
parent treats a child? I forgive you, but don't do it
again. Learn from it. All right, now skip down to verse
12. Now I write unto you. Could have very well entitled
this, These Things I Write Unto You, Little Children. Verse 12,
I write unto you, little children, little children, because your
sins are forgiven you, for his name's sake. I tell you, those are the sweetest
words heard to human ears, folks. Your sins be forgiven. That same
woman that I just mentioned when Christ said, I don't condemn
you. Or the man who had the sick of
the palsy and the Lord said, I can't be as the sweetest words
he ever heard in his entire life. And so will it be to every sinner
who feels his sin and sees his need of Christ. That'd be the
sweetest words. Your sins are forgiven. Why? For his namesake. Remember that. Remember that. Not because there's
anything forgivable about you, not because there's anything
lovable about you. Nothing meritorious in your repentance
or whatever it is for his name's sake, because he's a God that
delights to show mercy, because he's full of mercy and grace
and compassion and love for his people. Because Christ came to
this hell hole and took on himself with likeness of sinful flesh
and was made sin for us and bore that awful wrath and punishment
of God for our sins. That's why God forgives us. Not
for any other reason. Because he poured out his soul
unto death, and because he strived unto blood against sin, he strived
against sin unto blood, ours, not his own. I talked a little
while ago about losing sleep over you all, and Christ lost
about four days in a row there over the thought of going to
the cross. You know he didn't sleep for about three or four days
running before he went to the cross? And then right up before he went
to it, he was out in the garden praying so fervently for his
people, for this work, the accomplishment of this work, that he sweat great
drops of blood while his disciples were asleep. That's gratitude, isn't it? But
they did. And he strived against sin under
blood. And it wasn't his sin he was
striving against. It was ours. Now, I said our
Lord lost sleep. Nothing compared to our Lord
himself while he was upon this earth. I barely believe his body,
his whole visage was marred before he went to the cross. He was
emaciated from lack of food, from lack of sleep. Why? He had
the weight of his people's sins upon his shoulders from the day
he was born to the day he died. He was a man of sorrows and acquainted
with grief. Why? Over his own sorrows, over his
own grief? No hours, Barbara. Greater love hath no man than
this. A greater show of love and affection and concern and
compassion and zeal for a people hath no man than this. And our
Lord, he strived against sin. of the blood. He sweat it and
he actually shed it. And it wasn't his sin, it was
ours. The least we could do, the least
we could do, is be sorry for it and watch with him for one
hour and be mighty thankful for it, huh? Isn't it? And you're
forgiven for his namesake. You see what I'm saying? We ain't
worthy of so great a work, are we? Huh? Are we worthy of this?
Now I'm not getting mad at you, I'm getting mad at my own stinking
self. I'm not worried it's so great
a salvation. But God said I didn't do it for your namesake, I did
it for my holy namesake, whom you have profaned, but I'm going
to forgive you, because I'm loving and forgiving, and I'm doing
it for Christ's sake, for Jonathan's sake, Mephibosheth, for Jonathan's sake, because
I made a covenant with him. But I've loved you with an everlasting
love. Why? Wherein does thou love us? How
could you say that? Well, was not Esau Jacob's brother? In other words, you have a brother.
You got a brother. The Lord may hate him and love
you. Isn't that grace? Isn't that
mercy? Now, if that's not motive enough
for service, for love or interest in these things, we're beyond
hope. Isn't it? that your sins are
forgiven for it because of what he did for what Christ did and
that is that's not motive enough for love and for service and
love and concern and zeal and enthusiasm for these things we're
beyond hope we are beyond hope we're dead twice dead fucked
up little children little children and I will say this to this you
little children Becca and David Jacob and all you young people,
actual young people, Wendy, Kevin. Little children, literally little
children or young people. I said this this morning, you're
sinners. You're sinners before God. And if you're old enough to willingly
sin against God, to know what you're doing and willingly sin
against him and have no regard for the things of God. To actually
feel in your heart and say, I don't like this, I don't care for this,
you're old enough to be held accountable for your sin, you're
old enough to pay for it. If God forgives you, do you know
Stephen? No. Luke? You know, you need
God's forgiveness and God's salvation, just as your mom and daddy does.
Huh? Sure you do. Don't you want your
God to have mercy upon your children and salvation, just like he did
you? The Lord's going to have to deal
with him the same way he dealt with you. He's going to have
to have mercy. If he does it, it won't be for
your sake. It won't be because you're a
cute little kid. It'll be for Christ's sake. Is that all not
all the more reason to be interested in Christ? He doesn't have to. God doesn't
have to forgive you because your mom and dad are Christians, I
believe. No, he doesn't. So, little children, I write
these things unto you because your sins are forgiven you for
his name's sake. Verse 13, I write unto you, fathers. OK, fathers.
I write unto you, fathers, because you have known him, that is,
from the beginning. Older men, fathers of children,
church leaders. If you truly are believers in
the Lord Jesus Christ, then you know him. You know him. That's
eternal life. Isn't that what the Lord said
in John 17, 3? This is life eternal. That they might, what? Know thee. The only true God of Jesus Christ,
whom thou hast sent. Not just be religious, but know
him. How do you know somebody? How
have I gotten to know you, Henry? Fellowship. Communion. We talk
together. We walk together. We've been
together. I've gotten to know you've got to love you, appreciate
you. And vice versa, I hope. You know, fathers are right under
you because you know him, you do. You know who he is. You know
what he did. You know what he was like. So
here's the exhortation to fathers, worship him. At every opportunity,
worship him, serve him, follow him, emulate him, be like him,
be committed to him and his people. Fathers. If you know him, You
do know it. Be committed to him and his people.
Tell your family and your children about him. You can't help but
tell the things you've seen and heard. Huh? If you really do
know somebody and love somebody, you can't help but tell everybody
about him. Huh? You know him. Tell your family
and your children about him. Tell others about him. Raise
them up. Raise your children up, your family up to know him.
Raise them up. Show this church. Show the young
people of this church. Instruct the young people in
this church in the knowledge of Christ. Show the church that we've got
a lot of young people in here. If your children don't know him,
then endeavor to that our children, the other children might know
him. Right. And that, you know, the man that
I grew up with or under at the church in Kentucky and I from
there, they were by the time I read, I'll give you this illustration
by the time I read, he said, he said, you know, one of the
men that somebody that made the greatest impression upon me.
Over the years. He said it wasn't necessarily
the preacher and the deacons and elders and all that, but
he said it was one little man named Bill Borders. And I've
told you about Brother Bill. Bill was one of the most Christ-like
men I've ever met, but he was literally a small, very small
man, a very quiet, hard-working man, and a real example. to all believers, but he was
quiet, he kept himself very meek, very lowly, hardworking, a real
example, though. And he said that Brother Bill,
growing up, Todd was like so many of us. He was quite a little
rebel, a little rotten snake. And he grew up, and he said,
Brother Bill, Brother Bill took an interest in me. He said, every
time I came to church, Brother Bill, of all the people, hundreds
of people that attended there, he chose to come up to me nearly
every time and say, Todd, how are you doing? And talked to
me and showed an interest in me. He said, you know, that made
more of an impression upon me than anything or anyone. Brother Bill went to be with
the Lord, died of cancer, exhibited one of the greatest dying testimonies
of any man, any human being I've ever seen. It may say that down
to ninety-some pounds. from cancer, eaten alive with
it, had a colostomy for a year or so, and the week before he
died, he was in church service. So the bill, how you doing? I stood beside his dying bed
right before he breathed his last breath. Fathers, you know
him. Be an example to others that
don't. Young people, perhaps. And I write unto you, young men.
See this, verse thirteen, I write unto you, young men, young men,
because you have overcome the wicked one. If you're sitting
here this evening and you ain't out rabble rousing
like most young men are doing right now, you bless God to the
top of heaven, the top of your lungs. That's mercy and that's
grace. And any young man at all would
have the slightest interest in the things of God is mercy and and overcome the wicked one turn
over to second Timothy chapter two young men. And I'm a young
man. I understand. You're young and. Young men. Especially young believers. Are
the objects of the adversary Satan. The object of his chief
assault. They're right at the forefront.
You know, every war that has ever been fought, who goes to
the forefront of the battle? Huh? Young men. You know what
the average age was in Vietnam War? Nineteen years old. Can you believe that? Still wet
behind the ears. Nineteen years old. Civil War
was even younger than that. And they went up to the front
lines. They were the ones that took the full brunt of the charge.
Every time. Every time young men, especially
young believers, are the object of Satan's chief assaults. You
know, it's just good sense. Get them while they're young.
Right, that just makes good sense. He's the adversary, the devil.
He's experiencing warfare. He's made it his occupation since
the beginning of time, since human beings have been upon the
earth, to assault, to be at warfare against God's creation, God's
people especially. And his chief form of reasoning,
and it makes sense, is to get them while they're young. Right? Get them started wrong. Get the
world in them young. Get all the spiritual notions
out of them. You see, that's what we're trying to do. We're
trying to do the opposite of that, aren't we, Debra? See?
But he's not. Keep them. Here's Satan's grand
design for young people. Keep them from remembering their
Creator in the days of their youth. So that when the evil
days come now, the old days, they'll have no pleasure in it.
They won't have any interest in God. Chances are they won't
have any interest in God. That's his way of thinking. That's
a good sin. But John says here, or John says,
and Paul says the same thing here in 2 Timothy chapter 2,
verse 22. The young people flee, flee, flee also youthful lust. Now, if you're a young man or
young woman, you don't need that admonition, that exhortation.
You ain't got problems that I've got. And I'd venture to say 40s and
50s and some in their 60s still experience these youthful lusts
that grip you so tightly. He says the only thing to do
is flee, isn't it? Would you like to be like Joseph
John? Joseph was one of the greatest
types of Christ and all the scriptures. You know, the scriptures don't
have anything bad to say about Joseph. Joseph one day was captured,
you know, and down in Egypt and prison and all that, and he became
in good favor with the captain of the guard and all that, and
they took him up one day to be the servant of the captain of
the guard, Potiphar. And his wife. He was a young
man here. Now, who can resist such a thing?
Who would know? Nobody would know. He wasn't married. What's wrong
with that? What did he do? He ran. He ran. And he came back again
and she did it again. Was it two or three times? Was
it three times? Two, at least two. Maybe three. She did it
the last time. She grabbed ahold of him. Grabbed
him. Sammy? Grabbed him and said, lay with
me. He ran. He tore his clothes off getting
out of there. Not getting, but getting out of there. Would to
God he'd give me that grace. How about you, young people?
Would to God. We need grace, don't we? Flee
it. Flee it. How? How? How? You want to know that, Stephen? Oh, how, Lord, how? It's the
most difficult and trying thing of all. The lure of the world,
the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life.
Flee, he said. How, Lord, how? I've tried and
failed at times. How? How do you flee your youthful
lust? It's not how, it's where you
go. It's who you flee unto. Flee to Christ. He says, follow
righteousness. Faith, what's faith? Just looking
to Christ, Lord help me, Lord save me, I'm perishing, right? We can't do it in the strength
of your flesh. How many times have you tried?
You can't do it, can you? I'm going to, I'm not going to.
That's what Job said, didn't he? I've made a covenant with
my eyes, I ain't going to look on another woman. Now that's
a good, Job, that's a good thought. That's a good endeavor. Do you
reckon he kept it? Now, if you can't cross it without me, you
can't do nothing. Certainly not when it comes to
these youthful passions, youthful lusts and all, certainly not
that, that boil the blood. Separated from the vine, Christ
says, I'm the vine, you're the branches. You're separated from
me, you're like branches fit for
the burning. A spark can engulf you, right? So young men, young women, women
aren't been picking on the men and women
aren't. Immune from this either. Especially
in our day and age. How do you. Christ is separate
from me you're like dead branches fit for the burning you'll be
consumed by a spark a sparkle set you on fire with the lust
of hell and so what happened. How do you. Stay close to Well,
we're doing right now. That's what I said at the beginning.
That's the reason I've become upset. And people aren't here. And certain people aren't here.
Oh, they need it. They need it worse than anybody. You know what I mean? Thank God
you're here. I'm not disappointed. I really
believe God's sovereign and everybody who he intended, who he purposed,
or foreordained from the foundation of the world is here tonight.
I bless God and thank God. And I hope this message is for
somebody in particular tonight, that God purposed it a long time
ago, just for you. But I do get upset when those
who need it the most, or at least it needed as much as we do. I'm
not here. And I think and they and oftentimes
come up, people come up all the time with questions. How do you?
I don't know how to. I just want to be closer and
they don't show up. You know what I mean? How do
you draw close to the Lord right here? Number one. Number two,
number three, I don't know if it's number one, I don't know
what order this thing comes in, but private communion. Christ
said, God said, draw near unto me and I'll draw near unto you.
How? Prayer. Study. He said, I'll
speak to you. I'll speak to you. How? Well,
not just riding down the road and minding your own business
and doing nothing. Do the work. Listen to tapes. How many times
have I said listening to tape is one of the greatest encouragement
and a greatest preventative? Idleness, you know, is such a
dangerous thing and just put tape in. The Lord will use that.
Sometimes he'll use it in a great way. Communion. Communion about
the things of God. Your mind stayed on things. If
your mind stayed on Him, perfect peace. You don't have these assaults,
right? Those young men at the forefront
of battle, if their mind... You know how they'll charge?
You know how young men will charge? confidence and with assurance
and without fear and trepidation, as good as their captain is,
will be as bold as they charge. Go, young man, I'll be with you.
I'm right behind you. I'm covering you. You got me
covered? Got you covered. Let's go. Good as your captain is, that's
as good as your courage is. Who is he that overcometh? It's
flea to Christ. Flea to Christ. Young men, I
write unto you, flee youthful lust. Flee to Christ. You have
overcome him. How have you overcome? Well,
who is he that overcometh the world? Youthful lust and pursuits
and all that. He that believes in Jesus is
Christ. That's what he said back in our text. Turn back over there.
Back in our text. 1 John chapter 2. He says in chapter 4, he said,
or chapter 5, this is The one that overcomes the world, verse
five, he that believeth Jesus is the Son of God. And that young
man or that woman who truly calls on the name of the Lord in those
times will overcome. Do you think, don't think for
a minute that I was bragging on Joseph, on Joseph's firm resolve
and Joseph's faith and all that. Don't think for a minute. Joseph,
it was Joseph's Lord that kept him. But I can guarantee you
this, that Joseph was uttering a silent prayer to his Lord.
Lord, Lord, I'm tempted. I'm tempted, Lord. Please help
me. Keep me. Deliver me from temptation. Keep
me from evil, Lord. And he did. Call on the name
of the Lord. Those who truly call on him, those who truly
ask, seek, and knock, the promise comes of finding At the door
being open, the Lord said, behold, I stand at the door and knock. Now what he said to the church?
He's not standing at the center of his heart's doors, you know,
like people take that icon take. He's standing at the door of
the church, ready to come in with just asking, isn't that
great? What if I camped out at your
door every night, pitch to ten? And said, now I'm out here any
time you need me. You need anything? What if that
was, what if you had a friend like that, that stuck closer
than a brother? And he said, now I'm out here, and any time
you need me, just open the door, just call. And I'll just come
right in, and I'll do everything for you. That's what he, Christ,
says, doesn't it? That's what he said. Well, remember
verse one, though, young man, you are going to fall. You are
going to be overtaken. You are. Hopefully not, but you probably
will be. And remember, you have an advocate. Go right back to
1 John 2, 1 again, every time. You have an advocate with the
Father. So John says, verse 13, and I'll wrap this thing up.
John says this, I write unto you, fathers, because you have
known him from the beginning, that is from the beginning, I
write unto you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked
one through faith in Christ, the only way you can. And I write
unto you, little children, my dearly, dearly beloved children, because you've known the Father.
Blessed be God that he has revealed himself to you. Blessed be God.
You have known him. You do know him. I have some
confidence in many, if not most of you in here, that you do know
him. You reveal evidence that you know the Lord. Believe. If this were my last message,
I'd say to you with with every fiber of my being trusting. Believing,
following, emulating, you can trust him with your life. With
your children, with your job, with everything you can, he's
able, he's willing. And let's read verses 15 and
20. by way of exhortation, let love not the world. These are
things that are in the world. If any man loved the world, that
is, you've got an inordinate affection, desire, and after,
and you want to pursue it. The love of the Father is not
in him. It ought to be cause for great alarm if you do have
an over-attachment to things of this world. All that is in
the world, verse sixteen, the lust of the flesh, the lust of
the eyes, the pride of life, it's not of God. It's not of
the Father. It's of the world. The world's passing away, people,
the less there are. But he that doeth the will of
God abideth forever. And what is the will of God? The will of God is that you believe
Christ and bear much fruit. Little children, it's the last
time. We're seeing that over and over
again, aren't we as Christians? It's the last time. And it's the last
time. And as you've heard that Antichrist
shall come, even now there are many Antichrists whereby you
know it's the last time. You know it is. You know it is,
Terry, don't you? And they went out, some went
out from us. Well, it's just they were not of us. If they'd
been of us, they would no doubt have committed to continue with
us, but they went out that it might be made manifest. You better
thank God that you're still here. Because some people, God just
left them alone, let them go out there for your sake. That's
what he's saying here, that it might be made manifest or clear
to everybody. If they were not all of us and
that we might fear. Less we a promise of entering
in that rest we should cut seem to come short of. The Lord said there must be heresies
among us that they which are approved might be made manifest.
Judgment has begun at the house of God but you have an option.
Verse twenty I can say that with full confidence about some of
you people. I can say that about Charles Ross sitting right there.
You have an unction from the Holy One. It's obvious. And I'm
so thankful, buddy. I'm so thankful the Lord revealed
the gospel to you that you're sitting here, faithful and true
to that gospel, and you know all things. What a thing to say. You know all things. That's what
he said in 1 Corinthians 2, didn't he? They which are spiritual
knoweth all things. They discern all things. They
have the mind of Christ. You didn't figure it out on your
own, did you, Charles? How much education do you have? You have
a college education, do you? Well, I don't either. I joined
a club. So we don't know anything in and of ourselves, do we? Blessed
be God, you know more than the masters and scholars out there.
Who revealed these things to you? How did you know? They weren't
revealed, I believe. Revealed under babes. Revealed
under babes. You have an unction. Thank God
for this unction from the Holy One. And he says, in conclusion,
he said, we know now, little children, we know that the Son
of God has come. We know he has come. We saw that
this morning. We know he is going to come.
And he's given us an understanding that we may know him as true.
You're not disbelieving some theory, are you, Brother Henry?
Huh? All these things are real to you and me. Not always as
real as you'd like for it to be, but it's real nonetheless.
You know Him that is true, and we're in Him that is true. You
believe Christ, not as much as you'd like, but nevertheless
you do believe Christ. Even in His Son, Jesus Christ. He's the
true God in eternal life. Little children, John closes
out his message. Little children, keep yourselves
from idols. Amen. That's how he closes. Keep yourself from idols. Keep
yourselves from whatever it may be that will usurp love for Christ
and your pursuit of him. Whether it be the world, whether
it be your family, whatever it may be, keep yourselves from
idols. Little children, little children,
please. Don't sin. If you do, Jesus Christ
will forgive you. But don't do it anymore. Little
children, you know Him. You know Him. And fathers, you
know Him. And young men, you know Him.
And overcome the wicked one through Christ, through faith. Keep yourself
from idols. May the Lord bless you. Amen. All right, you're dismissed. you