Beginning with verse 1, 1 Timothy 6, verse 1. This is the
last part of the first letter that Paul wrote to young Timothy.
He says, let as many servants as are under the yoke, a yoke
of Christ. And that's all of us. We're all
under this yoke. Yes, we are. If we're servants
of Christ, if we're his disciples, we're under this yoke. His yoke
is easy. His burden is light. But nevertheless,
we're under the yoke. the rule of Christ who leads
us and guides us. Let as many servants as are under
the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the
name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed." We could
certainly apply that spiritually. Count our master worthy of all
honor for his glory. And they that have believing
masters, we're speaking to workers here though, they that have believing
masters, let them not despise them because they are brethren,
but rather do them service because they're faithful and beloved,
partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.
If any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholesome words,
even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which
is according to godliness. He's proud, he's full, he knows
nothing but doting about questions and strifes of word, whereof
cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings
of men of corrupt minds, destitute of the truth, supposing that
gain is godliness, from such withdraw thyself. Godliness with
contentment is great gain. We brought nothing into this
world, it's certain we can carry nothing out. Having food and
raiment, let us be there with content. But they that will be
rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish
and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the
root of all evil, which while some coveted after, they have
erred from the faith. and pierced themselves through
with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee
these things and follow after righteousness." That's Christ. That's also speaking of striving
to be like Christ. Yes, it is. Godliness, faith,
love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith.
Lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called. and has
professed a good profession before many witnesses. I give thee charge
in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ
Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession,
that thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until
the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which in his times he
shall show who is the blessed and only potentate, the King
of kings and Lord of lords, who only hath immortality, dwelling
in the light which no man can approach unto, whom no man has
seen nor can see, to whom or to him be honor and power everlasting. Amen. Charge them that are rich
in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain
riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things
to enjoy. that they charge them that they
do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute,
willing to communicate, laying up in store for themselves a
good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold
on eternal life. O Timothy, keep that which is
committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblage and
opposition of science, falsely so-called. which some professing
have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen. We'll turn back over to 1 Timothy. There's a verse in Isaiah chapter
60 verse 1 that says, Arise, shine. That's where we got that
old saying, I believe. Rise and shine. And that's what
I named this message. Rise and shine, old Christian. Rise and shine. For thy light
is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee." And
the apostle Paul quotes that over in our text here a moment.
But rise and shine. Now, let me just pour my heart
out a little bit to you here at first. I have never experienced anything
more frustrating than this thing of preaching the gospel. Never.
Never. Paul said, who is sufficient
for these things? And if the Apostle Paul said
that, you know how I must feel at this task. I feel so unqualified,
so inadequate, so weak, so young, so unlearned, so ineffective,
just so unqualified for this task. So immature, but by God's
grace, I'm trying. I'm trying. Maybe not my best,
though. Like I said, I'm just going to
pour my heart out to you a little bit here. Maybe I'm not trying
my best. I know, I really believe that
there's so much more that I could be doing. So much more I could
put into this thing. I want to be, I want to be the
best preacher possible. I want to be the best pastor
possible. I really do, the best pastor
that I can be. But I know, I do know this, when
all is said and done, it's really up to God's Holy Spirit. It's
really up to His Spirit to take any message, any endeavor, any
work, and apply it and make it effectual. It's up to Him. But
I dare not lay the blame on the Holy Spirit for my shortcomings.
I'm not going to do it. I'm not going to lay the blame
on the Holy Spirit for my apparent failures in the ministry. I'm
going to take most of the blame. If I fail to preach the gospel
with feeling and with power, it may be because I've not prepared
my heart. It may be that I've not prepared
well enough through prayer and meditation and the things that
are necessary to enter into the message. If I fail to preach
clearly and simply, it may be that I've just come up with some
material to preach on for a sermon, and not really sought a message
from God. If I fail to bring out Christ
in my preaching, it may be because I'm not walking with Christ as
I should be, and considering Him, and thinking about Him,
and being taken up with Him. That may be the reason. And if
this ministry ends up a failure, ends up being just another little
country church building, with nothing but, well, I'm willing to take the
lion's share of the blame because I have the greater responsibilities. The exhortations, the instructions,
the admonitions to pastors and the preachers are many. Look
here in 1 Timothy. Besides the whole Bible being
an example of how a true man of God ought to be, and how to
live and act and work and so forth. There's so many striking
commands and requirements of a preacher like this here in
chapter three. We looked at this Sunday morning. The requirements of a young bishop
or a bishop, a pastor. He says, verse two, you must
be blameless. The husband of one wife, vigilant,
sober, of good behavior. I really feel like I only qualify
for one of these, husband of one wife. of good behavior, given to hospitality,
apt to teach, not given to wine, no striker, no greedy, a filthy
lucre, but patient, not a brawler, not covetous, one that rules
well his own house. Verse seven, must have a good
report of them which were without. Look over chapter four. Chapter
four, verse twelve, the apostle says to young Timothy, let no
man despise thy youth, but be an example. of the believers
in word and conversation and love and spirit and faith and
purity. Until I come, give attendance
to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not the gift
that is in thee. Verse fifteen, meditate upon
these things. Give thyself wholly to them. Verse sixteen, take heed unto
yourself, unto the doctrine. Continue in them. Look over chapter
six, verse eleven. The requirements are so strict
for a preacher. Verse 11, he says, Thou, O man
of God, flee these things. Follow after righteousness and
godliness and faith and love and patience and meekness. Fight,
fight the good fight of faith. Lay hold on eternal life whereunto
thou art also called and professed a good faith. and professed a
good profession before many witnesses. Look over at 2 Timothy chapter
1, just over a page. Verse 6, I put thee in remembrance,
ye stir up the gift of God which is in thee. Verse 7, God hath
not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and
of a sound mind. Be thou not thou therefore ashamed
of the testimony of our Lord. Be thou partaker of the afflictions
of the gospel. Verse thirteen, hold fast the
form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me in faith and
love, which is in Christ Jesus. Look at chapter two, verse two. The things that you've heard
of me among many witnesses, and the same commit thou to faithful
men who shall be able to teach others also, and thou therefore
endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that
wars entangles himself with the affairs of this life. Verse 5,
If a man strive for masteries, yet he is not crowned, except
he strive lawfully, the husband that laboreth must be first partaker
of the fruit. In other words, you've got to
be a saved man yourself. You've got to be a partaker and
bear fruit yourself before you can preach about fruit in others. Verse 15, Study to show yourself
approved unto God. A workman that needeth not to
be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." Look at verse 22, "...flee youthful
lust." Oh, and I'm so full of them still. "...Flee them, follow
righteousness, faith, charity, and peace with them that call
on the Lord out of a pure heart. Foolish and unlearned questions
avoid." Servant of the Lord, verse twenty-four, must not strive,
but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient. Look at chapter
three, verse fourteen. Continue thou in the things which
thou hast learned, and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou
hast learned them. Verse sixteen, all scriptures
given by inspiration of God is profitable for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
that the man of God may be perfect, mature, throughly furnished unto
all good works. Chapter 4, I charge thee before
God this serious charge, who shall judge the quick and dead
in his appearing. Preach the word, be instant,
in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering
and doubt. And many other such like things
that the Scripture says to me. You want to trade me places? Things found in the book of Titus
that are so very clear, not to mention our Lord's requirements
and commandments and instructions and reproofs to his disciples
and the apostles. So I've got a long way to go.
A long way to go. And I ask you, if no one will
despise my youth, to bear with me, and God may use me in his
good time. I've got a long way to go. So
do you. So do you. Now, did you notice
there in 2 Timothy chapter 4, look at verse 2. He said, preach
the word, be instant, in season, out of season. I've quoted that
time and time again, but not all of it. I've quoted half the
verse. Look at it, verse 2. Preach the
word. Be instant, in season, out of
season. I know that means to be consistent
in the preaching of the gospel. I know that's what that means.
To preach it whether men want to hear it or not. To be instant.
That is, consistent in this day when men are not consistently
preaching it, not preaching it at all. When men are holding
back the word of truth from this generation. He tells the true
preacher, the true man of God, to preach it. the Word of God. Be instant, be consistent, diligent
in preaching, in season, out of season, and he goes on. Reprove,
rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine. Now, I would much
rather comfort, edify, and encourage. I get amens that way. I get pats
on the back, you know, and say, I needed that. But there you
have the command, don't you? You read it right with me. This
is the commands to a young preacher named Timothy and to this young
preacher, to reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering
and doctrine. And I'll say this, he that hath
ears to hear, let him hear what's about to be said this evening.
Look over in Ephesians chapter five. This is our text. We're
going to dwell right here in Ephesians chapter 5. Now, I've been through this chapter
before with you, but we hurried through it, and we're going to
take a little more time through it this time. Now, Paul in chapter
4, verse 22, had talked about putting off the old man and putting
on the new man. And he talked in such a way as
if there was something for us to do in this walk as believers. Yeah, he did. That's what it
says there. Verse 21. Look back up at chapter 4, verse
21. It says, If so be you have heard him, and have been taught
by him, as the truth is in Christ, that you put off concerning the
former conversation or life the old man which is corrupt according
to the sequel left and be renewed in the spirit of your mind and
put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness
and true holiness. Speaks as if there is something
for us to do in this walk that we look down at verse one of
chapter five let's look at it now up in Chapter 4, verse 32,
he said that we're to be kind one to another, tenderhearted,
forgiving one another, and he gives the reason. He gives the
motive behind all this, and that is realizing that God, for Christ's
sake, has forgiven us. And if he can forgive us, as
rebellious and as hateful and as unloving as we've been toward
him, and send his son down here to die for such a miserable creature,
He says it ought to be motive enough for us to forgive our
brother and sister and to treat them kindly and tenderly. And
now here in chapter 5, verse 1, he says, Be ye therefore followers
of God as dear children, followers of God. It was said of Enoch
that he walked with God. Enoch walked with God. And it
said he was no more, that he walked God took him. He didn't
die. He just walked right on in there.
He walked with God. Now Enoch, I read a really good
message by J.C. Ryle on his life one time on
Enoch. But he brought out such clear
and such a clear study on how that Enoch was a man just like
anybody else. And how that he lived in a day
that was much like our day. It was right before the flood.
We're not living in a more evil day than Enoch was. The flood
came shortly thereafter, after Enoch's life, and they were wicked.
God saw that the imagination of man's heart was evil, continually. And he lived in a wicked day,
but he says he walked with God. That's what I want. Henry, that's
what you want, isn't it? You want to be a follower of
God? I do. I really do. I want to walk with
God. I want to be a dear child of God. And every true child
of God wants to please his heavenly Father. What is it to walk with
God? What is it to follow God? Be
ye therefore followers of God as dear children? What is it?
Well, it's to seek those things which are above, where Christ
fits at the right hand of God. It's to seek those things which
are above. It's to set your affection on things above, not on things
on this earth. It's to think on God. It's to
think on him. As we studied Sunday night, it's
to keep his word. Keep his word hid in your heart.
And I know that we all have possessions and responsibilities that go
with caring for these possessions. We have homes, we have families,
but we can't let them get in the way of our walk with our
God, we can't do it. Enoch had a family. Yeah, he
did. He had a family, too, that he
had to care for. But it says he walked with God
anyway. OK, verse two, he says, walk
in love. Walk in love as Christ also hath
loved us and have given himself for us. I believe that we're
exhibiting something of that love for one another here in
this church. I believe it's taking place, but not nearly as much
as we could be or should be, are we? If you're honest, you'd
have to admit that. Not nearly as much as we should
be, and perhaps we may be showing a little bit of partiality. Maybe
we're loving people that we love. You know what I mean? Perhaps
we're showing partiality with those that we have more in common
with than we should be no respecter of persons and spread ourselves
out to those who need us. Now, no one needs us, but you
know what I'm trying to say. There's some people that are
more prominent and so forth in the church that we may pay more
attention to when we need to show love without partiality.
But this love he's speaking of here, I believe, is love to God
and love to Christ. He just got through speaking
there in chapter 4, verse 32, of the reason why we should forgive
one another. And now, though, he says, we're
to be lovers, followers of God as dear children, and walk in
love toward God and toward Christ. Walk in love toward God. I think
he's speaking this love to God and Christ is what he's speaking
of principally, and that's That true love to God and to Christ,
look at it, it manifests itself in the sacrifice of your life.
Look at it, verse 2. Walk in love as Christ also hath
loved us and hath given himself for us. Walk in love toward God,
toward your Savior. as Christ walked in love toward
you and gave himself for you, and it's our reasonable service
to give ourselves to God. Now, you know that I don't believe
that God needs us. I'm not saying that at all, but
I do say what Paul says, that it's our reasonable service to
present our bodies a living sacrifice under our God. Walk in love toward
God, toward Christ. because Christ gave himself for
us in offering a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor. And we need to sacrifice our
lives to the service of our God. Astounding, too, Arminian? So
be it. So be it. Now, the only sacrifice,
let me boldly state this, the only sacrifice God Almighty accepts
and considers sweet is that precious blood of His Son. The only that's
the only thing he considers sweet and acceptable before it's the
only acceptable sacrifice to God Almighty is that sweet smelling
flavor of Christ's life and his blood. But and I don't know of
any other word to put there, but by virtue of that shed blood
and that imputed righteousness to our lives, Paul said that
we are living sacrifices. Romans chapter 12 verse 1 says
that we are to present our bodies, living sacrifices, holy and acceptable
unto God. Is that not what it says? You
know it does. We just studied that in Romans.
And perhaps the reason, now, perhaps the reason we don't like
to talk about things like this is because we haven't done it.
You know what I'm talking about? We don't like to talk about things,
and you know, we'll put them off and try every way we can
to justify not hearing it or not dwelling on it because we're
guilty. We fall far short of it. Look
at verse three. He said, fornication, all uncleanness
or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, become
a saint. I don't think we have too much
problem with the first two things there you know. He. So how convicted. He groups covetousness with one
occasion. Now we need to examine ourselves
in those lines he called covetousness another place idolatry did. Covetousness, which is idolatry.
And he said, Be content with such things as you have. He said,
Let it not be once named among you, become a saints. Verse four,
neither filthiness, nor foolish talking or jesting, which are
not convenient, but rather the giving of thanks. This is going
to get real. Convicting to you here, no doubt. We have a lot of growing up to
do. and this thing of being mature believers. But you do want to grow up in
Christ and all things, don't you? Okay. Let's get into this. Let me ask
you a very serious question. Are you known for your wit or
your witness? wit or witness. Are you known
for your foolishness or your wisdom? Paul says these things are not
convenient. In other words, he's saying they're not proper for
a mature follower of Christ. They're not proper. They're not
befitting someone who claims to be following after Jesus Christ,
who claims to be a disciple. There wouldn't have been much
place there for the apostles to be caught up in a lot of foolishness,
would there? They had a mission. We have a
mission, too. We're disciples, we're followers
of Christ. We've got a banner to uphold.
Wouldn't it be great, he said, look at it, he says, these things
aren't convenient, but rather giving of thanks. Wouldn't it
be great if thanksgiving came out of our mouth as easy as foolishness?
Wouldn't it? That praise to our God and A
conversation about our God and Thanksgiving and so forth would
come just as easy as foolishness and flippancy. Wouldn't that
be great? It'd be great. I don't want you
to be morose and melancholy and morbid and all that, but there
you have it, you know? I'm not going to add to or take
away from what he just said. Verse five, for this you know.
I know you know this to you know no whoremonger nor unclean person
or covetous man who is an idolater have any inheritance in the kingdom
of Christ and of and of God. Let no man deceive you though.
With vain words. For because of these things come
with the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience be not
you therefore partakers with thing I don't believe we have
any. Anybody has any. terrible problems with these
particular things right now, but it's not wholly out of the
realm of possibility for us. It's very possible for us. I've
known preachers, pastors, to fall into terrible vice and avarice
and fall away completely. Yes, I have. It's not out of
the realm of our possibility of falling into any manner of
evil, so we need to be warned, don't we? We need to be exhorted. And let me say this, too. Let's
not be deceived into thinking that sin is only self-righteousness.
I hear some clever preaching that tend to only want to make
self-righteousness the only sin that God's angry with. That's
not what it says there, is it? He says, because of these things
comes the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Sin's
sin, Rick, isn't it? If it's self-righteous sin, if
it's out and out open wickedness, it's sin, and God hates it. And
so, I don't want it in me. I don't care what it is, self-righteousness
or avarice. Sin is sin, and it will incur
the wrath of God. So, look at verse 8. He said,
You were sometimes darkness, lived a life of an evil darkness. Maybe some of you didn't. Maybe
some of you have been sheltered. I'm glad. Maybe some of you God
has restrained from too much open wickedness through your
life. I'm very glad I don't want. I don't think it's necessary
for anybody to go through the gutter today for God to pick
them up and say not at all. But we're still in dark and darkness. We're still in total darkness
of spirit and of mind. You were sometimes darkness.
But now. Are you light? In the Lord. as children of light and understanding. We need to live and act and walk
and talk like followers and disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, don't
we? That's what we're called. Christ
said we're the light of the world, the salt of the earth. As we
savor, we studied that one Wednesday night. a saver to this world, with his
salt, with the light. We shed light upon this dark
world. It's a reflected light. It's
not light in ourselves. It's a reflection from the sun
of righteousness. But he has imputed that righteousness
to our account, to our account, and we reflect that light. Now,
let me ask you this. He said you were sometimes darkness,
but now you're light in the Lord. Walk as children Is there anything in your life
that you're terribly convicted about and you wrestle with? It's very interesting that that's
the law. If you are terribly guilty about
it, then I exhort you from this right here, from God's Word,
to pray about it and to ask God to give you the strength to do
something about it. Overcoming. Overcoming power. This is the victory, even your
faith. Have you ever been terribly convicted
around someone that you highly esteem and wish you could be
much like they are? Have you? I was recently around
somebody like that, who convicted me about their, you know, piety
is a biblical word, about their, they were, seemed to be above
reproach, just such a lovely, spotless character, humanly speaking. You know, we're sinners before
God, but he was a man that, well, the Apostle Paul said, follow
me. He said, be ye followers of me in Christ. We'll see that
here in a minute. But this was a man I thought,
you know, I'd like to be more like him because he's more like
Christ than I am. Well, I ask this question, what
keeps me from it? What keeps me? What makes that
man, like he is, and me, feel like I'm so far from what? I
can't blame the Holy Spirit, can I? We do that, don't we?
We talk about Scotland, we blame the Holy Spirit for our shortcomings,
don't we now? Well, the Holy Spirit must give.
Yeah, he must. Well, we can't blame him for
our shortcomings, for our failures. We've got to blame ourselves.
Yes, we do. Look over at Hebrews chapter
12. Hebrews chapter 12. He says, we've got a lot of witnesses
that surround us that we'd do well to pay attention to. Hebrews chapter
12, verse 1. He says, wherefore see, now he
just got through talking in chapter 11. about all those people. Oh my, that chapter on faith,
people that, women that were tortured and all of this. He says, wherefore seeing we
are also encompassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses. And Terry, I don't half feel
myself to be a witness at all. Yeah? He says we're encompassed
about, we got, we're surrounded by witnesses. So he says, lay
aside something. Lay aside every weight, every
weight, every hindrance. Lay it aside, to be sure in the
power of the Holy Spirit, but he'll give you the grace and
the means. He's given us the means we're to avail ourselves
of, and we'll see that in a minute. And to stand, which does so easily
beset us, that's unbelief, and run. Get in line and run. With patience, the race that
is set before, to be sure, looking unto Him. You don't just run
in for the sake of running. You've got an object in mind.
The object is to win a prize. Paul talked about it in Philippians.
Oh, that I may win Christ and know Him. He said, I don't fight
as one that beats the air. I've got a goal in mind running
this race, looking unto Him. I've got my eyes set on Him.
I want to reach Him. Now, I'm not doing it by my works,
not doing it by my faith, but I'm doing it because He's done
something for me. And I'm looking unto Him for
strength, for power, but nevertheless I'm running. I'm running. He's not running for me. I'm
running. I'm living a life here. Now the
life I live, I now live by the faith of Jesus Christ, by the
faith of the Son of God. who loved me and gave himself
for me. That's the life I live, but I'm still living my life.
And I'm responsible for my life. I'm responsible for my shortcomings,
that is. He's responsible to get me there. Looking unto Jesus,
the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was
set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat
down at the right hand of the throne of God, so consider him.
Verse 3. Are you with me? Consider him
that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest
you be weary and faint and want to quit." Now, you haven't resisted
the resistance of the blood that's driving against you. He did.
You better be glad he did. Though we sure haven't. Look at verse 11. Now, this is
kind of a chastening from God's Word, isn't it, that we're getting
tonight? If you endure it, verse 7, he
says, if you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons.
What son is he whom the Father chasteneth not? Verse 11. Now,
no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but is grievous.
Nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness
unto them which are exercised thereby. So lift up the hands
which hang down, and the feeble knees. Spurgeon talked about
these hands that are so lax and so dead to service toward our
God. Lift them up, let's go to work. And then the knees that
are so feeble, that is, you never own them in prayer. And make straight paths for your
feet. Get on the path. Get on the path, lest that which
is lame be turned out of the way, let it rather be healed.
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man
shall see the Lord." Verse 15. Looking diligently, carefully,
lest any man fail, fall from the grace of God, lest any root
of bitterness springing up, trouble you, and thereby many be defiled. Are you able to receive that?
Now, make no mistake, you can't do it yourself. You can't do
it yourself. You're looking unto Him, the
author and finisher of our faith. Nevertheless, He gives power
unto the weak, unto the faint. He gives strength unto the weak.
He does. He gives the means. He gives
the ability. Verse 9, look back at the text,
verse 9. And he says, the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness
and righteousness and truth, the fruit of the Spirit. Fruit
is, fruit or evidence is the Holy Spirit of his presence in
the life. Now, Christ said seek, he said ask,
he said knock, he said strive, he said hunger, he said thirst,
didn't he knock? He said strive to enter in. Look to Christ for help, yes.
But strive. Strive. Now, I'm not trying to
get you tonight. I'm not trying to get you to
produce fruit. I'm not trying to get you to do that at all.
I'm trying to get you to seek Him who gives it with all your
might, with all your power. That is, as much as within you,
as much as life within you, to seek Him. But get in line. and be ye therefore followers
of God as dear children, and walk in life." Verse ten, proving
what is acceptable under the Lord. Deborah, I can't make anything
more out of that than what it says, and I dare not do it. Now
what does it say? The fruit of the Spirit. Herein
is your Father glorified. Didn't Christ say this? Herein
is your Father glorified that you walk And my quote. Very much. That was a. And then we're crossing. Here is your father glorified
that you bear much. And I want to bear fruit. We say we're created in image
of Christ for the glory of God. We say we're servants of God,
followers of God. We say we want to glorify God.
He says we do it by bearing fruit. Rick, you want to bear fruit?
If you want to glorify God, that's what Christ says to do. The inward life, true inward
life only manifests itself outwardly. Nobody knows your heart, do they? That can't read your brain and
your thoughts and your heart. No man knoweth the things of
a man, save the spirit in a man revealed. Right? It's very, very
clear. And he says it's proving what
is acceptable unto the Lord. We need to show ourselves to
be men and women in life and understanding. He says to be children in attitude,
in attitude, but not in understanding, and not in life, not in war.
Be children in a submissive and obedient and learning, receiving
attitude, and in malice. Be children in having no malice
and guile and so forth, but to be men and women strong in life
and in understanding. Look at verse eleven, and he
says, Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness,
but rather reprove them. Reprove them. It's a shame even
to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. Now,
he said, Put off the works of darkness. We need to reprove
ourselves for maintaining them. We got some great clothes on,
don't we? Yeah, we do. We got some great clothes on. We need to be rid of them, don't
we? Yeah, we do. I do. I don't know about you.
I do. I see some of you shaking your head. And we don't need
to be companions of those who live in them. And I don't believe
we have that problem here. We need to be a friend and a
possible help to some people, but not companions, because Scripture
says evil communications corrupt good manners. But I don't believe
they would have us as their companions if we lived in such a manner
as to prove what he's saying here, reprove their works of
darkness. That's exactly what he's saying
there. Verse 13, he said, all things are manifest. All things
that are approved are made manifest by the light. Whatsoever doth
make manifest is light, right? He says, you're the light. What
do we make manifest? Is this not the truth of God's
word that I'm preaching to you right now? Christ said, you're
the light of the world, then your life should be such a contrast
as to expose and convict others. Right? Christ did. Christ convicted
the Pharisees. The Pharisees were incensed against
him. They hated his holy character. They didn't want him around them.
He exposed their self-righteousness. And sinners were enticed to come
to him. They were drawn to want to be
like him. Not in a way to convict sinners
in such a way as to be holier than thou, or to look
down on them, but he was such a beautiful character that sinners
wanted to be like him and drawn to him. Oh boy. I covered something of
that. Something of both of that. Yeah,
I do. I'd like for Pharisees to see
in me something that they don't have. And I'd like for sinners
out on the street to see in me something they'd like to have. Now, verse fourteen, wherefore,
he saith, rise and shine. He's building up to this verse
here. Wherefore, see that? Wherefore, when you see a wherefore,
you've got to read what it's there for, right before. Thirteen
verses before that, he says, he tells us something. Now he
says in verse fourteen, he says, now, he's fed, awake, up, thou
that sleepest. Rise and shine. He's quoting
Isaiah sixty, verse one. arise from the dead, and Christ
shall give thee light." Wait a minute, we can't raise ourselves
from the dead. No, we cannot. But there's a
sense Christ must raise us from the dead, from being dead in
trespasses and sin. Only Christ can raise us from
that grave. to walk in the supply. Only Christ
can do that. But there's a sense in which
we get in the grave, we get dead spiritually. We get in a spiritual
sleep and a spiritual lethargy that somebody needs to come along
with this book and hit us between the eyes with it. Wake up! And
that's what he's saying right there. Now, listen. I started this message by taking
most of the blame. I still mean it. I take most
of the blame. I really do. For bad preaching,
I take most of the blame. I really do. But you've got to
take some of the blame, too, in this thing. It's kind of like a marriage.
It takes two, you know. If somebody's going to talk,
somebody else got to listen, right? Todd Nyberg, I put this in our
bulletin, that he said every message That a true gospel preacher
preaches a good message. If it glorifies God and abases
man and exalts Christ, it's a good message. And it bears listening
to. And it doesn't matter if the
man doesn't have liberty. I can't get up here and it's
the spirit blows where it lives. I can scream and holler and do
whatever I can to work up some kind of power, but it just don't
come that way. If it did, I'd start at 25 decibels
right from the beginning and try to really work it up, you
know. I heard a man do that. He said, I'm going to start in
a storm. And he liked to roar our ears
out. But it doesn't come that way. It doesn't come by working
it up. It comes through this Word and by the Holy Spirit taking
this Word and pressing it upon your heart. And besides, I'd
like old Elijah. He saw a whirlwind and this and
that and the other, but the thing that really spoke to him was
a still, small voice. Wasn't it? That's the thing that
finally got his attention. That's the way God chose to finally
speak to him. But like I said at the very beginning,
I take the blame for most bad preaching. I really do. You're
not doing the preaching. I'm doing it. And I take the blame
if it's bad and if it puts you to sleep. But I know good and
well every single message I've been preaching. is not worthy
to go sleep on. Now, you ladies, nothing grieves you more than to have your children or
your family pick at the food that you so carefully prepared.
It doesn't. You know what I'm talking about.
To go to great extremes, prepare a meal, only to have somebody,
your little child, pick at the food. Now, granted, it may not
be. It may not be French cuisine.
It may not be. It may not be great. But it's
probably good food. Unless you burnt the food, you
know, it's probably good. And you know for a fact, when
you prepared it with love and concern, you know for a fact
it's good for them, don't you? And you're not so much You're
not so much upset with them for picking at it and an offense
to you as you are concerned about the health. See what I'm getting
at? You're not so much upset with
them as you're concerned about them. Honey, if you don't eat
your green beans, you'll get rickets. That's what you, you
know, you warn your children with, warn them with all kinds
of terrible diseases. If you don't eat those carrots,
you go blind. My greatest concern is for someone's
condition, someone who continually sits unmoved by the preaching.
I'm not pointing this at anybody in particular, but if a shoe
fits, wear it. Anyone who continually sleeps
or sits unmoved by the preaching or misses at the drop of a hat,
I'm concerned about that person's condition. I'm mad, but I'm concerned. And I say, and I've talked to
people. over the phone or whatever and say listen if you if you
don't if you don't come here the word if you don't eat the
eat the bread and drink the water then you'll dry up you'll get
sick and it's so I know it is you know what it is and so I
say that out of out of concern to say this we need to wake up
about the things of God don't We do arise ourselves concerning
this gospel and God's Word and be wholly consumed with it and
walk, walk, not lay on our bed of ease. It could be, did you
notice that verse there, it says, arise from the dead and Christ
shall give thee light. It could be that if we show some
resolve and some interest and do some seeking and some knocking
and some asking, Like we were talking about Sunday night, it
could be that if we avail ourselves of every means God has given
us, it could be that Christ would give us more light. I know there's
one place where he said that he's going to take away something
that some people have. Talking about those people that
have those talents that don't use them. From him that hath. Him that hath. He'll be taking
away that which he has. It could be that Christ would
give us more light if we do some seeking and knocking and some
sincere asking and arouse ourselves and avail ourselves of these
means of grace God has given us. I'm talking to myself here.
I need this desperately. I want his presence, and I want
to grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. And
we say we want that, and look at verse 15. We say we want that,
and so he says, well, see then, verse 15. He says, see then that
you walk circumspectly. Circumspectly. That word means
carefully. That means with your eyes open.
That means with your eyes open. They just got through saying
we need to wake up and start walking with our eyes open. Living
with our eyes open. Not as fools, but as wise. Wisely. Verse sixteen, redeeming
the time. Well, if you haven't been convicted
up until now, you will be right here. Redeeming the time, spending
what few days we have here wisely. Redeeming. Redeeming means to
use up, to utilize the opportunities God has given us to grow in grace
and the knowledge of our Lord, to serve him. Using the means
that he's given for our spiritual profit, which will endure, and
not rather heaping up to ourselves things that moths and of corrupt
and rust and thieves break through and steal and so forth. Redeem
the time. That word redeem also means to
buy. You've used the old saying, he's buying time. Well, think
about that in this term. What if you were told you only
had forty-eight hours to live? the sense of what he's talking
about here. What if you had what if you told you had only 48 hours
to live? What would you do with it? What
would you do with it? How much would you sleep? You
might get four or five hours sleep and that's about it. Yeah,
you would. Well, I'll tell you what. You know, we're not promised
24 hours. He said, don't boast of tomorrow. We're not promised 12. Ellen,
we don't know if we're going to wake up in the morning. Now's the time. Today's the time. Redeeming the time is using this
time right here, what we're doing right now, redeeming the time.
I've got a tremendous responsibility in what I bring to you, what
I'm doing with this time. You've got just as much responsibility
in hearing it. and acting upon it, and redeeming
it, redeeming the time, buying time, for we're not promised
any time at all. He says, because the days are
evil. Redeem the time because the days
are evil. Oh, how evil. And how evil we
are. Not only the days, but us. The
days are evil. And I tell you what, I don't
know about you, but this doesn't hit anybody. This hits me between
the eyes. I want to wake myself up. I want God's Word to slap me
in the face and get off my rear end and be a follower, a disciple. I want to be sold out. This is
the kind of message that Ralph Barger, we all admire a man like
that. This is the kind of message he'd
bring. I want to be sold out, lock, stock, and barrel to the
Lord Jesus Christ. That's what discipleship means.
Yes, it does. Because the days are evil. They're
short, they're evil, and I'm so very evil and I need to just
wake up and I need a change to take place in my life. And if
you don't think you need a change, we daily repent. We need daily
repentance. And repentance is nothing more
than change. I know it's repentance from dead
works to serve our God. It's repentance from self-righteousness,
but it's repentance from sin, too. It's repentance from what
we are, from what we do and what we don't do. It's change. It's coming to God every day
and saying, Lord, kill me and mold me. Make me new. Create
me in Christ Jesus, a new man, a new creature. Verse 17, Wherefore,
be ye not unwise. Don't be stupid, he said. Don't be foolish. You need to
understand what the will of the Lord is. What's the will of the
Lord? What's the will of the Lord? Romans 12, 2. Your sanctification. Now what is this? Being not unwise,
but understanding what the will of the Lord is, even your sanctification. That means to be set apart. He
said, come out from among them. Didn't he? Be separate. To be
a disciple, to get in line behind Christ. Look at Titus. Look over Titus.
Keep your place there and look over Titus real fast. Titus chapter
2. Titus chapter 2, verse 10. He says. You know, I've never
heard a man preach from this text, I've heard my pastor go
through a Bible study on it. But. Titus, Chapter two, verse 10.
He says, not for learning that is stealing and showing all good
fidelity that they may adorn the doctrine of God, our Savior,
and all things I've heard that preach from verse 11. For the
grace of God, the grace of God that brings salvation, notice here what the grace of
God in salvation, the sovereign grace of God that saves a man,
that doctrine that we're to adorn. Notice here, Rick, what it does,
what it's supposed to do, what it's supposed to bring about.
Look at that. The doctrine of God our Savior is to be adorned. For the grace of God to bring
us salvation appeared to all men, teaching us. It teaches
us something. What? To deny ungodliness and worldly
lusts. That we should live soberly,
righteously, and godly in this present world. I didn't make
that up. Some Arminian didn't make that
up. I'm not being legalistic. I'm just reading the Bible. Right? Somebody wants to call me legalistic,
fine. If this is what it means to be
legalistic, I want to be it. I want to follow Christ. I want
to be like Him. I'm not leaning to my works.
I'm not telling you to lean to yours. I'm telling you to look
to Christ. But I'm telling you, this is what the grace of God
does to a man and a woman. This is what the grace of God
does in their lives. And I don't see a whole lot of
it in my life, so this is what I want. A world with less, and
live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world,
looking for that blessed hope and glorious appearance of the
great God. Keep, stay with me here. Or stay
with Paul. And our Savior Jesus Christ,
who gave himself for us. Why? Why did he give himself
for us? That he might redeem us from all sin. He doesn't come
to save us in our sin, from it, right? That he might redeem us,
buy us out of the cesspool and purify and clean up unto himself
a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Look at verse fifteen. He says, These things speak and
exhort and rebuke with all authority. Don't let anybody despise you.
That's what he said. We're kings. We're priests. We're
ambassadors. We're disciples. And this is the greatest title
and the highest office on the face of the earth. Christians! I know this world, this is all
the more reason that we need to stand up and be what he calls
upon us to be. because the world has abused
this blessed term, haven't it? The term Christian, the life
of a so-called Christian, is a laughingstock to this generation. Back then, they took note of
some fellows. You remember when it says they
took note of the disciples that they had been with Jesus. Something about those guys. Something
about them. And I'm not saying that, you
know, good works, I'm not denying good works, but I also want to
say this, that most good works can be counterfeited. Most people
can fake good works, you know, clean up their life and this
and that and the other. They can do that, yes. So these things
aren't, most good works are not infallible proofs of a work of
God in somebody's life. But nevertheless, they are proofs. They are proofs. The testimony
of who God is and who Christ is and what the gospel is for
most, and that testimony, though, will make a person serve and
live for their Lord. Verse 18, he says, Be not drunk
with wine. where in his excess, but be filled
with the spirit. I believe maybe he's talking
about the wine of this world. I don't necessarily mean, I don't believe
he's necessarily talking about Thunderbird or Muscatel or whatever. I think he's talking about the
wine of this world that makes men drunk with it, where in his
excess. But he says, be filled with the
spirit, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns. and spiritual
songs, singing, making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving
thanks always for all things.