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This message is one of the Times Square

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Pulpit series.

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It was recorded in the Sanctuary of Times

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Square Church in Manhattan, New York City.

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Other tapes are available by writing to World

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Challenge P.O. Box 260 Lindale, Texas 75771

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or calling 214-963-8626.

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None of these messages are copyrighted, and you

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are welcome to make copies for free distribution

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to your friends.

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I want to talk to you tonight about

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how to increase your faith.

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How to increase your faith.

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Luke chapter 17, we'll read the first five

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verses.

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I'm reading in the New American Standard.

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How to increase your faith.

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And he said to the his disciples, It

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is inevitable that stumbling blocks should come, but

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woe to him through whom they come.

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It would be better for him if a

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millstone were hung around his neck, and he

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were thrown into the sea, then that he

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should cause one of these little ones to

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stumble.

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Be on your guard.

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If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if

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he repents, forgive him.

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And if he sins against you seven times

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a day, and returns to you seven times

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a day, saying, I repent, well, then forgive

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him seven times a day.

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Now the disciples, the Apostles, upon hearing this,

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said to Jesus, Lord, increase our faith.

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Increase our faith.

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Someone left a book back here for the

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pastors, and it showed up in our office

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back there, and a week or so ago,

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I had some time, and so I just

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opened the book, and was leafing through it,

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and my eyes fell upon a story.

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It's written by some Christian evangelist.

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I don't know the man, but he tells

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a story of a brother named George, that

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the evangelist had ministered to.

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Now George was blind, plus he suffered some

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physical ailments that had left him very weak

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and frail in his body.

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However, his greatest pain was emotional.

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Coming from the belief, he felt that God

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had rejected him, and George then told the

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evangelist why he felt this rejection.

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In his church, there was a great emphasis

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on faith.

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They would teach, anything is possible if you

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have faith.

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If you have faith, you can do anything.

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But this, of course, it did not stop

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with this, and the pastor would stand in

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his pulpit, and he would say, now if

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you have cancer, and you die, it's your

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fault.

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You just don't have enough faith.

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Now if that was not bad enough, what

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would happen to George week after week, when

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he would come in, and remember he was

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blind, every week when George would come into

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the service, somebody would put a hymnal in

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his hands.

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Every week, not by mistake, but deliberately.

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And over and over again, the message was

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to George, maybe today, George, maybe today, you'll

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have enough faith to see.

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Maybe today, you'll have the faith for God

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to heal you.

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But though George tried to work up his

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faith time and time again, he was never

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healed, and worse, it made him feel that

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God was angry with him.

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Now, I believe that some of you probably

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can identify with George.

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At times, you feel, for whatever reason, condemned

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for a lack of faith.

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We are like the disciples who said, Lord,

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I believe, help thou my unbelief.

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Now, the cry and the prayer of the

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disciples in Luke 17 5, it ought to

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be the desire, I believe, is the desire

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of every believer.

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Lord, increase our faith.

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We do need more faith.

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I need more faith.

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I don't know if there's anyone here tonight

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who feels that he has all the faith

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he needs all the time.

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If you do, please come and see me

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after the service and dump and pour it

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out in your cup into my cup.

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I'd like to have some of that faith.

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There are books, there are tapes, there are

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seminars, there are conferences that promise believers how

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to have more faith or to get more

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faith, and they're very popular.

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In fact, people seem to run after them.

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And for many, having more faith is like

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having more money.

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You can do a lot if you have,

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you can do a lot or have a

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lot if you have enough faith or enough

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money.

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Now, the disciples' request for increased faith is

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a very important and worthy request, one that

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ought to be in all of our hearts

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and in all of our prayers.

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But I noticed something as I read this

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17th chapter.

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What is important about this request for an

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increased faith is not only that it was

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asked, but when it was asked.

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They asked for more faith at a most

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unusual time.

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Jesus was not performing some great miracle or

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was not doing any healing, but he was

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teaching.

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Now, if I wanted more faith, I might

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ask for it right after Jesus had done

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some great sensational miracle.

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For example, you remember when the centurion came

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to Jesus regarding his servant that was paralyzed.

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And he said to Jesus, he said, just

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speak the word and my servant will be

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healed.

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In Matthew 8, 13, it says, and Jesus

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said to the centurion, Go thy way, let

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it be done to you as you have

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believed.

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And the servant was healed that very hour.

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Now, I don't know about you.

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If I witnessed that, I'd come running to

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Jesus and said, Jesus, I'd like to be

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able to do that.

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Could I learn how to just speak the

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word and people would be healed and the

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same thing would happen to people?

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That would be the most opportune time, it

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would seem to me, to ask to have

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our faith increased.

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Or what about asking for increased faith when

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after Jesus, when he was asked if he

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paid taxes.

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He told his disciples this, he said, go

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to the sea and throw in a hook

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and take out the first fish that comes

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up.

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And when it comes up, open its mouth

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and you will find a stratter or a

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coin.

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Take that, take that coin and give it

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to the IRS for you and for me.

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Now, how would you like to fish with

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that kind of hook on or about April

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the 15th?

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Wouldn't you like to have that kind of

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faith to be able to pay your bills

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out of the fish's mouth?

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Of all the opportunities the disciples had to

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ask for increased faith, they chose not to

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do it during a healing crusade.

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Not when Jesus was feeding the 5,000.

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Not when Lazarus had been raised from the

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dead.

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Not in any other opportunity that would indicate

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that they wanted more power to do great

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things.

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But let's examine when and why they did

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say, Lord, increase our faith, because I believe

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there is a mighty lesson in this.

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Now, the need for more faith came about

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as a result of the disciples hearing Jesus

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teach on certain subjects.

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Jesus had just laid down two very heavy,

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heavy challenges to the disciples.

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Two important requirements to be a true disciple.

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And when they heard Jesus say this, they

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said, wow, Lord, that's heavy.

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I don't know whether we have enough faith

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to do what you're asking us to do.

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I don't know if we're capable of doing

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that.

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At least not unless you increase our faith.

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And you see the disciples were honest about

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the insufficiency of their faith.

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And their insufficiency to live up to the

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standard that Jesus was laying down.

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Now, listen to what Jesus told his disciples

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they must do.

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First of all, Jesus said, don't cause one

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of my new or young converts to stumble.

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Don't you lay a stumbling block on their

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pathway to cause them an injury.

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Look at verse 1 again, chapter 17.

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And he said to his disciples, it is

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inevitable that stumbling blocks, or King James says

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offenses.

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It's inevitable that offenses should come, but woe

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to him through whom they come.

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Now, Jesus is saying that it is expected

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that in our Christian walk we're going to

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meet temptations.

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We're going to meet difficult situations.

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They cannot be avoided.

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Expect them, he says.

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It's part of growing in the Lord.

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But, he says, beware that you do not

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become the source of somebody else's stumbling or

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somebody else's temptation.

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Woe be it unto you if you cause

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one of my little ones to have a

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difficult time serving me.

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Listen, my friend, there's enough temptation already in

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the world.

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Not for other people to find it in

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the church or find it in another brother

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or sister or within you or within me.

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Probably where this teaching must first be applied

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is in the home.

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For example, Ephesians 6.4 says, and fathers.

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And that applies to mothers as well.

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And fathers, do not provoke your children to

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anger, but bring them up in the discipline

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and instruction of the Lord.

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And listen, I see today too many children

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provoked and stumbled and hurt and angered by

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a parent.

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And the reason the children are provoked is

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because the parent or parents discipline their kids.

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Not by or in the instruction of the

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Lord, but by and in their own spirit

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rather than the spirit of Christ.

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In other words, they think that hollering is

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discipline.

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And they verbally abuse their child.

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Now listen, mother and father, if you do

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this, the Lord takes your child's side against

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you.

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He says, woe be unto you if you

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cause one of my little ones to stumble.

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But what Paul says to parents about not

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provoking their own child is a principle that

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applies to the whole church.

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You see, anybody who is not a new

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Christian, not a novice.

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In other words, anybody which means you've been

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saved approximately six months or more, you're not

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a novice.

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If you've been saved at least about six

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months or more, I would say that you

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probably, if you're endeavoring to grow in the

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Lord, you're not a novice.

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And spiritually speaking, you are potentially a spiritual

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father to a newer or younger convert.

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And you see, the same thing that applies

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to a natural father applies to a spiritual

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father.

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Don't provoke little ones.

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Don't provoke new converts.

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Don't be the source of their temptation.

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And you see, one of the ways that

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we do this is through our spiritual pride

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and our intolerance.

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We witness the struggles of a new convert.

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And we come across insensitive to their needs,

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00:14:55,500 --> 00:14:57,120
insensitive to their struggles.

274
00:14:57,480 --> 00:14:59,760
And we put on a holier than thou

275
00:14:59,760 --> 00:15:02,420
attitude and say, brother, sister, that ought not

276
00:15:02,420 --> 00:15:02,920
to be.

277
00:15:06,010 --> 00:15:07,850
You know, recently I had a birthday.

278
00:15:09,410 --> 00:15:11,010
And I'm not going to tell you how

279
00:15:11,010 --> 00:15:13,290
old I became, but I turned a decade.

280
00:15:15,190 --> 00:15:16,730
And if you want to find out what

281
00:15:16,730 --> 00:15:18,790
decade it is, if you'll go one block

282
00:15:18,790 --> 00:15:20,750
south of here and look up on the

283
00:15:20,750 --> 00:15:22,450
street sign, you'll be able to tell what

284
00:15:22,450 --> 00:15:22,970
it was.

285
00:15:28,080 --> 00:15:29,740
David lives much further uptown.

286
00:15:37,760 --> 00:15:39,780
You'll get tired by the time you walk

287
00:15:39,780 --> 00:15:40,520
to his block.

288
00:15:47,880 --> 00:15:49,420
But you know something?

289
00:15:51,060 --> 00:15:54,660
The turning of this decade did not hit

290
00:15:54,660 --> 00:15:57,720
me as bad as when I turned 30.

291
00:15:58,400 --> 00:16:01,160
For some reason, it hit me very, very

292
00:16:01,160 --> 00:16:01,560
hard.

293
00:16:03,440 --> 00:16:05,520
Because you see, if you're 21 or you're

294
00:16:05,520 --> 00:16:07,840
29, you're still in your 20s, and that's

295
00:16:07,840 --> 00:16:08,740
kind of young.

296
00:16:09,160 --> 00:16:12,020
But when I turned 30, suddenly I had

297
00:16:12,020 --> 00:16:14,020
a mini midlife crisis.

298
00:16:17,830 --> 00:16:19,570
But in the midst of it, the Lord

299
00:16:19,570 --> 00:16:21,510
spoke to me and said, listen, you ought

300
00:16:21,510 --> 00:16:22,190
to be thankful.

301
00:16:22,190 --> 00:16:24,270
And I began to count my blessings.

302
00:16:25,010 --> 00:16:27,330
And one of the things I discovered about

303
00:16:27,330 --> 00:16:30,990
being 30 is that you don't do some

304
00:16:30,990 --> 00:16:32,850
of the dumb things you do when you're

305
00:16:32,850 --> 00:16:34,870
19 or when you're in your early 20s.

306
00:16:36,310 --> 00:16:39,810
Now, you do other dumb things, but...

307
00:16:40,410 --> 00:16:42,590
And I began to think about my life

308
00:16:42,590 --> 00:16:44,610
at 30, and I said, Lord, thank you.

309
00:16:44,750 --> 00:16:47,950
I feel I'm maturing a little bit.

310
00:16:48,030 --> 00:16:50,010
I'm learning some lessons.

311
00:16:50,150 --> 00:16:51,470
I'm learning some things.

312
00:16:51,950 --> 00:16:53,810
And I have a greater sense of responsibility.

313
00:16:54,790 --> 00:16:56,270
And as I was...

314
00:16:56,270 --> 00:17:00,850
Then my chest puffed out real big, and

315
00:17:00,850 --> 00:17:03,510
I thought, well, this ain't so bad after

316
00:17:03,510 --> 00:17:03,810
all.

317
00:17:03,849 --> 00:17:05,230
I have arrived.

318
00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:09,359
But you know, then the Lord showed me

319
00:17:09,359 --> 00:17:09,920
something else.

320
00:17:09,920 --> 00:17:11,760
He showed me another side of the coin.

321
00:17:12,339 --> 00:17:14,579
And I began to look around at others

322
00:17:14,579 --> 00:17:17,480
that were 19 or 21, began to do

323
00:17:17,480 --> 00:17:19,099
some of the dumb things I used to

324
00:17:19,099 --> 00:17:19,300
do.

325
00:17:19,460 --> 00:17:20,740
And I used to look at them, you

326
00:17:20,740 --> 00:17:23,380
know, with my nose up, and I'd feel

327
00:17:23,380 --> 00:17:24,660
intolerable towards them.

328
00:17:24,700 --> 00:17:26,560
And one time God spoke to me and

329
00:17:26,560 --> 00:17:29,700
rebuked me and said, listen, you may have

330
00:17:29,700 --> 00:17:31,900
learned some lessons, but you haven't always been

331
00:17:31,900 --> 00:17:32,460
that way.

332
00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:34,900
I was patient with you.

333
00:17:37,280 --> 00:17:38,440
I forgave you.

334
00:17:38,440 --> 00:17:39,900
I was patient with you.

335
00:17:40,060 --> 00:17:41,720
I brought you along.

336
00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:44,420
Now you turn around, and you be patient

337
00:17:44,420 --> 00:17:46,400
with the others coming along as well.

338
00:17:49,480 --> 00:17:52,980
But you see, sometimes our attitude towards little

339
00:17:52,980 --> 00:17:56,300
ones, new converts, can wound them.

340
00:17:57,720 --> 00:18:00,520
And the Lord has convicted me how I've

341
00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:03,300
been careless at times by what I say.

342
00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:08,400
Even inadvertently saying something that hurts another believer.

343
00:18:08,400 --> 00:18:11,880
And I say, Lord, guard my mouth, especially

344
00:18:11,880 --> 00:18:13,380
to one of your little ones.

345
00:18:16,300 --> 00:18:17,840
Oh, but listen to me.

346
00:18:18,260 --> 00:18:22,700
The worst woe, however, applies to those who

347
00:18:22,700 --> 00:18:26,580
sin not with their lips, but with their

348
00:18:26,580 --> 00:18:27,220
life.

349
00:18:28,900 --> 00:18:31,860
And in so doing, they take down another

350
00:18:31,860 --> 00:18:35,800
Christian, especially a young Christian with them.

351
00:18:36,840 --> 00:18:39,680
And too many times I hear the sad

352
00:18:39,680 --> 00:18:43,060
story in a church of a brother.

353
00:18:43,840 --> 00:18:48,910
A brother in the church, he befriends a

354
00:18:48,910 --> 00:18:50,950
young lady who comes into the church.

355
00:18:51,770 --> 00:18:54,850
And because he's already been in the church,

356
00:18:55,650 --> 00:18:59,650
and because he knows the Word, and because

357
00:18:59,650 --> 00:19:03,050
he knows all the gestures and he raises

358
00:19:03,050 --> 00:19:05,890
his hands and so forth, there'll be a

359
00:19:05,890 --> 00:19:08,190
young lady that will put her trust in

360
00:19:08,190 --> 00:19:11,050
him, and they will develop a relationship.

361
00:19:12,410 --> 00:19:15,130
But the end result, I've seen it too

362
00:19:15,130 --> 00:19:18,610
many times, it grieves my heart, that the

363
00:19:18,610 --> 00:19:20,750
end result of it is that that brother

364
00:19:20,750 --> 00:19:24,110
is not leading that young lady in the

365
00:19:24,110 --> 00:19:27,230
ways of holiness, but leading her down a

366
00:19:27,230 --> 00:19:29,990
path of sin and causing injury to a

367
00:19:29,990 --> 00:19:30,430
young one.

368
00:19:33,560 --> 00:19:36,920
If you cause another Christian to stumble and

369
00:19:36,920 --> 00:19:40,140
fall, the Lord has a very strong warning

370
00:19:40,140 --> 00:19:40,900
to you.

371
00:19:43,040 --> 00:19:45,980
Jesus said it would be better for him

372
00:19:45,980 --> 00:19:49,460
if a millstone were hung around his neck.

373
00:19:50,360 --> 00:19:52,480
And listen, a millstone's not one of those

374
00:19:52,480 --> 00:19:53,880
nice gold chains.

375
00:19:56,410 --> 00:19:59,970
A millstone is anywhere from 7 to 15

376
00:19:59,970 --> 00:20:00,930
inches thick.

377
00:20:00,930 --> 00:20:02,930
No man can lift it.

378
00:20:03,130 --> 00:20:05,650
It was used by the animals to grind

379
00:20:05,650 --> 00:20:08,350
and crush the grain, and Jesus said it

380
00:20:08,350 --> 00:20:12,190
would be better for you to have a

381
00:20:12,190 --> 00:20:15,810
millstone hung around your neck and thrown into

382
00:20:15,810 --> 00:20:18,270
the sea that he should cause one of

383
00:20:18,270 --> 00:20:20,350
these little ones to stumble.

384
00:20:22,090 --> 00:20:24,590
You see, the Lord says if you're a

385
00:20:24,590 --> 00:20:31,810
seducer, under the mask of Christianity, you profess

386
00:20:31,810 --> 00:20:35,150
the name of Christ, but you live or

387
00:20:35,150 --> 00:20:38,810
act like a devil, and you weaken the

388
00:20:38,810 --> 00:20:41,230
hands or bring pain to the heart of

389
00:20:41,230 --> 00:20:45,530
one of God's sincere children, the Lord says

390
00:20:45,530 --> 00:20:48,190
you are committing spiritual suicide.

391
00:20:48,430 --> 00:20:50,130
Woe be unto you!

392
00:20:52,520 --> 00:20:55,300
Now you see, it's one thing if two

393
00:20:55,300 --> 00:20:57,060
phony Christians get together.

394
00:20:57,260 --> 00:20:58,700
That's a different story.

395
00:21:00,420 --> 00:21:02,100
They deserve each other.

396
00:21:06,780 --> 00:21:08,820
It always amazes me.

397
00:21:08,920 --> 00:21:10,100
It amazes me.

398
00:21:10,180 --> 00:21:12,300
I watch it happen over and over again.

399
00:21:13,520 --> 00:21:16,520
You get a carnal Christian or so-called

400
00:21:16,520 --> 00:21:19,860
someone not walking in holiness, living in secret

401
00:21:19,860 --> 00:21:22,820
sin, they got a hidden pocket in their

402
00:21:22,820 --> 00:21:25,440
life, and they come into the church, and

403
00:21:25,440 --> 00:21:28,400
in a church this size, it's always amazing

404
00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:29,820
how they find each other.

405
00:21:31,700 --> 00:21:33,080
They find each other.

406
00:21:33,140 --> 00:21:34,420
They're drawn to each other.

407
00:21:34,660 --> 00:21:36,740
It's almost like, you know, I don't know

408
00:21:36,740 --> 00:21:41,580
what to describe it, but I know people

409
00:21:41,580 --> 00:21:42,460
who have beepers.

410
00:21:42,560 --> 00:21:45,200
They carry these beepers, and I guess when

411
00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:47,260
it beeps, they go to a phone somewhere.

412
00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:51,740
Well, it's almost like I see people carrying

413
00:21:51,740 --> 00:21:55,000
beepers around, and one's a beeper and one's

414
00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:55,420
a BP.

415
00:21:59,360 --> 00:22:02,500
Somehow they're drawn to each other.

416
00:22:03,580 --> 00:22:05,540
Well, they deserve each other.

417
00:22:05,600 --> 00:22:07,820
It's flesh connecting with flesh.

418
00:22:08,220 --> 00:22:10,460
It's lust meeting lust, and if that happened

419
00:22:10,460 --> 00:22:12,880
to you, then you have nobody to blame

420
00:22:12,880 --> 00:22:13,580
but yourself.

421
00:22:14,940 --> 00:22:17,420
But listen, it's another story.

422
00:22:18,100 --> 00:22:22,260
If you're living in secret sin, and you

423
00:22:22,260 --> 00:22:27,280
lure a young lamb into your sheepfold, and

424
00:22:27,280 --> 00:22:32,540
you're the cause of that one's weakness, and

425
00:22:32,540 --> 00:22:36,280
they sin under your influence, then you're in

426
00:22:36,280 --> 00:22:37,280
double jeopardy.

427
00:22:37,320 --> 00:22:39,080
That's called double jeopardy.

428
00:22:39,180 --> 00:22:40,820
I'd hate to be in your shoes.

429
00:22:42,900 --> 00:22:45,500
And you see, when the disciples heard this,

430
00:22:45,600 --> 00:22:49,160
they said, Oh, Lord, this is a heavy

431
00:22:49,160 --> 00:22:49,460
one.

432
00:22:49,560 --> 00:22:53,100
This is an awesome responsibility to walk with

433
00:22:53,100 --> 00:22:53,500
you.

434
00:22:53,500 --> 00:22:56,460
Oh, Lord, increase our faith.

435
00:22:57,420 --> 00:23:01,280
Please add or increase our faith so that

436
00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:04,020
we can be an influence for good, that

437
00:23:04,020 --> 00:23:06,760
we can be a stepping stone instead of

438
00:23:06,760 --> 00:23:08,520
a stumbling block to somebody.

439
00:23:11,840 --> 00:23:13,780
Ah, but then Jesus goes on.

440
00:23:14,280 --> 00:23:16,740
He lays out another one of the heavy

441
00:23:16,740 --> 00:23:17,200
ones.

442
00:23:18,160 --> 00:23:21,160
Jesus told the disciples to be on guard,

443
00:23:21,460 --> 00:23:22,360
to forgive.

444
00:23:23,840 --> 00:23:25,680
Forgive many times.

445
00:23:25,900 --> 00:23:27,040
Be on your guard.

446
00:23:27,220 --> 00:23:29,040
If your brother sins, rebuke him.

447
00:23:30,140 --> 00:23:32,260
And if he repents, forgive him.

448
00:23:33,220 --> 00:23:35,780
And if he sins against you seven times,

449
00:23:35,860 --> 00:23:37,620
saying, I repent, forgive him.

450
00:23:39,180 --> 00:23:40,180
Now listen to me.

451
00:23:41,760 --> 00:23:45,120
The giving of offenses is a great sin.

452
00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:50,060
And the forgiving of offenses is a great

453
00:23:50,060 --> 00:23:50,400
duty.

454
00:23:51,920 --> 00:23:57,260
Jesus speaks to both the offender and the

455
00:23:57,260 --> 00:23:57,820
offended.

456
00:23:58,520 --> 00:24:01,720
And he says we ought not to do

457
00:24:01,720 --> 00:24:04,880
anything to cause a brother or sister to

458
00:24:04,880 --> 00:24:05,500
be injured.

459
00:24:07,100 --> 00:24:10,700
But if you have, or you're the one

460
00:24:10,700 --> 00:24:14,020
that's been hurt, and you tell the person

461
00:24:14,020 --> 00:24:17,040
that hurt you that you were offended, and

462
00:24:17,040 --> 00:24:19,980
if they ask forgiveness, grant it to them

463
00:24:19,980 --> 00:24:20,560
immediately.

464
00:24:21,220 --> 00:24:22,960
That's what Jesus says.

465
00:24:24,280 --> 00:24:25,560
Listen to me.

466
00:24:25,700 --> 00:24:29,760
I think one of the greatest hindrances to

467
00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:33,340
our spiritual growth is when we do not

468
00:24:33,340 --> 00:24:35,500
clear offenses immediately.

469
00:24:36,600 --> 00:24:39,860
Immediately upon being offended.

470
00:24:40,340 --> 00:24:41,840
Clear it before God.

471
00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:47,040
If you've been trespassed against or feel you

472
00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:49,100
have, then go and tell the other person.

473
00:24:50,300 --> 00:24:51,900
They may not know it.

474
00:24:53,240 --> 00:24:57,520
If they acknowledge their offense, forgive them.

475
00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:02,380
If they don't acknowledge their wrong, you still

476
00:25:02,380 --> 00:25:04,380
need to forgive them for your sake.

477
00:25:06,340 --> 00:25:10,280
Nobody can get on with the business of

478
00:25:10,280 --> 00:25:14,280
walking righteously and holy before God if they

479
00:25:14,280 --> 00:25:18,940
carry around a wounded spirit because somebody has

480
00:25:18,940 --> 00:25:19,740
offended you.

481
00:25:22,380 --> 00:25:25,460
I've heard people who carried a wounded spirit

482
00:25:25,460 --> 00:25:26,280
for years.

483
00:25:27,200 --> 00:25:29,520
And I learned later, many years, I was

484
00:25:29,520 --> 00:25:30,940
the wounder.

485
00:25:31,820 --> 00:25:33,540
And I didn't know it.

486
00:25:34,480 --> 00:25:36,780
And the only person that was hurt was

487
00:25:36,780 --> 00:25:37,640
the other person.

488
00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:41,500
But when they told me about it, I

489
00:25:41,500 --> 00:25:44,100
was wounded because they didn't tell me.

490
00:25:44,740 --> 00:25:46,800
And so both of us had injuries that

491
00:25:46,800 --> 00:25:48,560
we had to forgive each other.

492
00:25:50,890 --> 00:25:53,330
But what about the person who keeps on

493
00:25:53,330 --> 00:25:54,030
offending you?

494
00:25:54,150 --> 00:25:55,730
Jesus said speak to him.

495
00:25:57,090 --> 00:25:57,970
Rebuke him.

496
00:25:58,790 --> 00:26:01,150
If he receives it and asks forgiveness.

497
00:26:02,490 --> 00:26:05,510
Or if he doesn't, you forgive him.

498
00:26:06,150 --> 00:26:08,890
What if he keeps right on going doing

499
00:26:08,890 --> 00:26:09,850
the same thing?

500
00:26:10,530 --> 00:26:13,430
Well obviously that person has a problem.

501
00:26:15,050 --> 00:26:19,630
But don't let another person's trespasses or offenses

502
00:26:19,630 --> 00:26:21,270
damage your spirit.

503
00:26:22,190 --> 00:26:24,710
Forgiveness keeps your heart clean.

504
00:26:24,830 --> 00:26:25,170
Hallelujah.

505
00:26:26,050 --> 00:26:28,310
It keeps your heart clean.

506
00:26:29,210 --> 00:26:31,370
It frees you of bitterness.

507
00:26:32,970 --> 00:26:37,150
Proverbs 24, 29 says, Do not say, thus

508
00:26:37,150 --> 00:26:39,110
I shall do to him as he has

509
00:26:39,110 --> 00:26:39,850
done to me.

510
00:26:40,470 --> 00:26:42,670
I will render to the man according to

511
00:26:42,670 --> 00:26:43,290
his work.

512
00:26:43,650 --> 00:26:46,090
No, no, that is not the spirit of

513
00:26:46,090 --> 00:26:46,590
Christ.

514
00:26:47,690 --> 00:26:51,110
I believe that a forgiving spirit is one

515
00:26:51,110 --> 00:26:53,910
of the most liberating things that there is,

516
00:26:53,970 --> 00:26:54,530
my friend.

517
00:26:56,250 --> 00:26:59,650
It keeps your soul from being polluted.

518
00:27:00,090 --> 00:27:02,530
It will keep you from being downcast.

519
00:27:03,430 --> 00:27:05,710
It will keep you from focusing on other

520
00:27:05,710 --> 00:27:06,790
people's sins.

521
00:27:08,030 --> 00:27:11,890
An old African proverb says, He that forgives

522
00:27:11,890 --> 00:27:13,050
ends the quarrel.

523
00:27:14,370 --> 00:27:16,550
And there is an English proverb that says,

524
00:27:16,790 --> 00:27:20,710
The noblest vengeance is to forgive.

525
00:27:21,730 --> 00:27:23,830
You want to get even with somebody, forgive

526
00:27:23,830 --> 00:27:24,190
them.

527
00:27:25,690 --> 00:27:26,890
Forgive them.

528
00:27:27,250 --> 00:27:28,550
What else can they do?

529
00:27:30,570 --> 00:27:34,390
Proverbs 20, 22 says, Do not say, I

530
00:27:34,390 --> 00:27:35,590
will repay evil.

531
00:27:36,330 --> 00:27:37,930
Wait for the Lord.

532
00:27:38,930 --> 00:27:41,650
Wait for the Lord and he will save

533
00:27:41,650 --> 00:27:42,030
you.

534
00:27:42,970 --> 00:27:45,310
Oh my friend, the Lord's the best defense

535
00:27:45,310 --> 00:27:46,330
lawyer I know.

536
00:27:47,290 --> 00:27:49,890
Let him plead your case and not you

537
00:27:49,890 --> 00:27:50,510
yourself.

538
00:27:50,510 --> 00:27:53,530
Let him take care of the one who's

539
00:27:53,530 --> 00:27:55,070
trespassed against you.

540
00:27:55,470 --> 00:27:58,790
You forgive, forgive, and forgive again.

541
00:27:59,030 --> 00:28:00,890
And then get on with the business of

542
00:28:00,890 --> 00:28:01,710
serving the Lord.

543
00:28:01,790 --> 00:28:02,130
Hallelujah.

544
00:28:06,630 --> 00:28:10,030
An old Puritan preacher called forgiveness.

545
00:28:11,170 --> 00:28:13,130
I don't know if you understand this or

546
00:28:13,130 --> 00:28:14,390
not, but you know what he called it?

547
00:28:14,470 --> 00:28:17,570
He called it squatters rights on another man's

548
00:28:17,570 --> 00:28:17,890
heart.

549
00:28:18,870 --> 00:28:23,030
In other words, he said, He meant that

550
00:28:23,030 --> 00:28:25,150
the best way to win your way back

551
00:28:25,150 --> 00:28:28,130
into an unforgiving man's heart is to forgive

552
00:28:28,130 --> 00:28:28,510
him.

553
00:28:29,450 --> 00:28:31,950
He said, it's like having squatters rights in

554
00:28:31,950 --> 00:28:32,650
a man's heart.

555
00:28:32,990 --> 00:28:34,030
You've forgiven him.

556
00:28:34,150 --> 00:28:35,190
He's got to deal with it.

557
00:28:35,450 --> 00:28:36,830
He's got to deal with you.

558
00:28:36,970 --> 00:28:39,070
You've done what God's called you to do.

559
00:28:39,150 --> 00:28:41,110
Now it's his problem and you can get

560
00:28:41,110 --> 00:28:43,150
on with the business of serving the Lord.

561
00:28:43,250 --> 00:28:43,570
Hallelujah.

562
00:28:46,970 --> 00:28:49,570
Now you see, it was in the context

563
00:28:49,570 --> 00:28:55,690
of Christ's teaching on offenses and forgiveness that

564
00:28:55,690 --> 00:29:01,570
the disciples heard this and said, Lord, please

565
00:29:01,570 --> 00:29:02,850
increase our faith.

566
00:29:04,710 --> 00:29:11,150
Now few, I fear, see the relationship between

567
00:29:11,150 --> 00:29:13,190
faith and holiness.

568
00:29:13,190 --> 00:29:15,830
The disciples did.

569
00:29:16,750 --> 00:29:20,930
They asked for more faith to fulfill the

570
00:29:20,930 --> 00:29:25,330
requirements of discipleship and to live an overcoming

571
00:29:25,330 --> 00:29:26,110
life.

572
00:29:27,330 --> 00:29:31,410
And then Jesus makes a powerful, powerful statement

573
00:29:31,410 --> 00:29:36,430
of faith in response to the disciples' request.

574
00:29:37,170 --> 00:29:38,550
You know the verse.

575
00:29:39,570 --> 00:29:40,270
You know it.

576
00:29:41,090 --> 00:29:45,310
He says, if you had faith like a

577
00:29:45,310 --> 00:29:49,030
mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry

578
00:29:49,030 --> 00:29:52,530
tree, be uprooted and be planted in the

579
00:29:52,530 --> 00:29:55,030
sea and it would obey you.

580
00:29:56,350 --> 00:29:59,390
Oh, please Father, I want you to grasp

581
00:29:59,390 --> 00:29:59,870
this tonight.

582
00:30:00,050 --> 00:30:02,090
I just pray the Holy Spirit will help

583
00:30:02,090 --> 00:30:06,710
me to convey it, the significance of what

584
00:30:06,710 --> 00:30:08,730
Jesus is saying about faith.

585
00:30:09,850 --> 00:30:12,590
Because this verse is one of the most

586
00:30:12,590 --> 00:30:16,490
misquoted verses about faith in the Bible.

587
00:30:17,870 --> 00:30:19,830
And we do, by the way, we do

588
00:30:19,830 --> 00:30:20,710
like to quote it.

589
00:30:21,710 --> 00:30:24,990
There's a similar verse in Matthew 17, 20.

590
00:30:25,030 --> 00:30:27,750
It says, if you have faith as a

591
00:30:27,750 --> 00:30:30,790
mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain,

592
00:30:31,010 --> 00:30:34,390
move from here and go over there and

593
00:30:34,390 --> 00:30:38,330
it will move and nothing shall be impossible

594
00:30:38,330 --> 00:30:39,190
to you.

595
00:30:40,970 --> 00:30:44,350
Now most Christians have heard about mustard seed

596
00:30:44,350 --> 00:30:47,830
faith and they quote this verse as an

597
00:30:47,830 --> 00:30:51,650
encouragement in dealing with the mountains and mulberry

598
00:30:51,650 --> 00:30:53,550
bushes that stand in our way.

599
00:30:54,970 --> 00:30:59,010
But Jesus applies faith here in a way

600
00:30:59,010 --> 00:31:00,400
that few people understand.

601
00:31:01,880 --> 00:31:05,660
And what he's saying to his disciples, he

602
00:31:05,660 --> 00:31:07,540
heard them talk about offenses.

603
00:31:08,120 --> 00:31:10,140
He heard them talk about forgiveness.

604
00:31:11,140 --> 00:31:14,100
He was laying out the requirements of holiness

605
00:31:14,100 --> 00:31:15,040
and righteousness.

606
00:31:16,100 --> 00:31:19,980
And Jesus is saying to them, what needs

607
00:31:19,980 --> 00:31:22,740
to be done is uproot the things in

608
00:31:22,740 --> 00:31:24,760
your life that need to be uprooted.

609
00:31:27,130 --> 00:31:30,570
If you've offended somebody, take care of that.

610
00:31:30,570 --> 00:31:33,390
If you need to forgive, forgive.

611
00:31:34,850 --> 00:31:38,070
You see, the disciples were asking for faith

612
00:31:38,070 --> 00:31:40,850
to live up to the standard of righteousness

613
00:31:40,850 --> 00:31:44,170
and holiness that Jesus was laying down.

614
00:31:45,270 --> 00:31:48,830
And Jesus says our faith needs to first

615
00:31:48,830 --> 00:31:50,270
uproot our sin.

616
00:31:51,330 --> 00:31:52,850
That's where it begins.

617
00:31:53,950 --> 00:31:56,230
Now most of us would like to have

618
00:31:56,230 --> 00:32:00,690
faith to receive blessings, faith to claim, faith

619
00:32:00,690 --> 00:32:04,430
to climb into heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

620
00:32:04,650 --> 00:32:06,590
faith for this and faith for that.

621
00:32:07,930 --> 00:32:11,390
But Jesus says get to the rotten roots

622
00:32:11,390 --> 00:32:11,950
first.

623
00:32:13,290 --> 00:32:16,450
If you don't have a right relationship with

624
00:32:16,450 --> 00:32:21,250
others, then you have a mulberry bush growing

625
00:32:21,250 --> 00:32:22,310
in your yard.

626
00:32:22,810 --> 00:32:25,510
Or you have a mountain in your way.

627
00:32:25,510 --> 00:32:29,070
And you need faith first of all to

628
00:32:29,070 --> 00:32:30,030
deal with that.

629
00:32:30,310 --> 00:32:33,050
And if you deal with that, then I

630
00:32:33,050 --> 00:32:35,250
will increase your faith.

631
00:32:35,390 --> 00:32:35,810
Hallelujah.

632
00:32:36,410 --> 00:32:38,350
Once you got that out of the way,

633
00:32:38,510 --> 00:32:41,010
there's no telling how far you can go.

634
00:32:41,250 --> 00:32:41,610
Hallelujah.

635
00:32:44,100 --> 00:32:46,180
And then he says you don't need to

636
00:32:46,180 --> 00:32:48,540
be a super saint to have that faith

637
00:32:49,720 --> 00:32:52,540
that uproots unrighteousness in your heart.

638
00:32:53,020 --> 00:32:55,380
He said if you had faith like a

639
00:32:55,380 --> 00:32:59,380
mustard seed, mustard seed faith is little faith,

640
00:33:00,140 --> 00:33:01,960
the little faith of little ones.

641
00:33:02,740 --> 00:33:05,480
Mustard seed faith is beginner's faith.

642
00:33:06,460 --> 00:33:10,140
And Jesus is saying to his disciples, this

643
00:33:10,140 --> 00:33:13,800
is the first basic lesson you need to

644
00:33:13,800 --> 00:33:14,260
learn.

645
00:33:15,100 --> 00:33:18,620
Use the faith I've given you to uproot

646
00:33:18,620 --> 00:33:21,760
sin in your heart and you'll see what

647
00:33:21,760 --> 00:33:24,500
the power of faith is able to do.

648
00:33:24,680 --> 00:33:25,100
Hallelujah.

649
00:33:25,100 --> 00:33:25,440
Hallelujah.

650
00:33:31,340 --> 00:33:33,940
This is the end of side one.

651
00:33:34,040 --> 00:33:38,280
Today, most Christians see faith as a free

652
00:33:38,280 --> 00:33:38,880
ride.

653
00:33:39,340 --> 00:33:42,520
A way to get something rather than to

654
00:33:42,520 --> 00:33:45,020
get at something in their heart.

655
00:33:46,080 --> 00:33:49,140
John the Baptist says lay the axe to

656
00:33:49,140 --> 00:33:49,640
the root.

657
00:33:50,080 --> 00:33:51,280
That's how you start.

658
00:33:52,280 --> 00:33:55,100
And today I look out upon the body

659
00:33:55,100 --> 00:33:58,560
of Christ and so many Christians do not

660
00:33:58,560 --> 00:34:02,360
start their Christian life this way because nobody

661
00:34:02,360 --> 00:34:06,040
has taught them, nobody has said lay the

662
00:34:06,040 --> 00:34:06,980
axe to the root.

663
00:34:07,280 --> 00:34:10,420
But if you do, hallelujah, then you're on

664
00:34:10,420 --> 00:34:12,400
your way to learning what faith is all

665
00:34:12,400 --> 00:34:12,800
about.

666
00:34:13,980 --> 00:34:17,940
Apply the word to need for forgiveness.

667
00:34:18,679 --> 00:34:21,760
Apply it in the areas that Jesus is

668
00:34:21,760 --> 00:34:22,120
teaching.

669
00:34:23,360 --> 00:34:26,300
Take care of the trees and then you

670
00:34:26,300 --> 00:34:27,060
can go on.

671
00:34:28,480 --> 00:34:30,739
Go with me to II Peter.

672
00:34:31,199 --> 00:34:32,820
II Peter, very quickly.

673
00:34:33,659 --> 00:34:36,120
I want you to see something that I'm,

674
00:34:37,920 --> 00:34:39,420
well I was blessed by it, I don't

675
00:34:39,420 --> 00:34:40,020
know about you.

676
00:34:47,290 --> 00:34:49,570
I've already been ministered to by the word

677
00:34:49,570 --> 00:34:52,190
and if you do, that's just a little

678
00:34:52,190 --> 00:34:53,469
extra on the icing.

679
00:34:53,630 --> 00:34:53,909
Hallelujah.

680
00:34:55,030 --> 00:34:58,670
There's another powerful teaching in II Peter chapter

681
00:34:58,670 --> 00:34:59,830
1.

682
00:35:01,170 --> 00:35:05,450
Some years later after the incident in Luke

683
00:35:05,450 --> 00:35:11,830
17, Peter writes about faith and his understanding

684
00:35:11,830 --> 00:35:17,610
and application of faith and when he writes

685
00:35:17,610 --> 00:35:20,710
it shows that he learned when Jesus first

686
00:35:20,710 --> 00:35:21,170
taught it.

687
00:35:21,170 --> 00:35:24,790
He had a good teacher, he started right,

688
00:35:25,210 --> 00:35:28,230
and he understood what faith was all about.

689
00:35:30,610 --> 00:35:33,290
Now he tells us in verse 1 that

690
00:35:33,290 --> 00:35:37,130
the epistle is written to those whom he

691
00:35:37,130 --> 00:35:39,570
commends for having the right kind of faith.

692
00:35:40,030 --> 00:35:41,430
Look at verse 1.

693
00:35:42,670 --> 00:35:46,510
Simon Peter, a bondservant, an apostle of Jesus

694
00:35:46,510 --> 00:35:50,930
Christ, to those who received a faith of

695
00:35:50,930 --> 00:35:55,230
the same kind as ours by the righteousness

696
00:35:55,230 --> 00:35:57,910
of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.

697
00:36:01,070 --> 00:36:03,320
I would like it to be said of

698
00:36:03,320 --> 00:36:08,420
me that I have received a faith just

699
00:36:08,420 --> 00:36:09,680
like Peter's.

700
00:36:10,320 --> 00:36:13,360
That I had an authentic Bible faith.

701
00:36:13,500 --> 00:36:15,000
That's the kind of faith I want.

702
00:36:16,280 --> 00:36:19,000
And then Peter says that there is a

703
00:36:19,000 --> 00:36:23,120
faith and a power that can fully equip

704
00:36:23,120 --> 00:36:26,600
us and enable us to live up to

705
00:36:26,600 --> 00:36:29,600
the standard of righteousness and holiness that God

706
00:36:29,600 --> 00:36:30,180
requires.

707
00:36:30,360 --> 00:36:31,640
Look at it, verse 2.

708
00:36:33,100 --> 00:36:34,880
Verse 3, I'm sorry.

709
00:36:35,540 --> 00:36:39,820
Seeing that his divine power has granted to

710
00:36:39,820 --> 00:36:43,460
us everything we need.

711
00:36:43,460 --> 00:36:48,980
Everything pertaining to life and godliness through the

712
00:36:48,980 --> 00:36:51,680
true knowledge of him that called us by

713
00:36:51,680 --> 00:36:53,760
his own glory and excellence.

714
00:36:55,820 --> 00:37:00,240
Listen, nobody can ever say it is too

715
00:37:00,240 --> 00:37:03,280
hard to live a holy life.

716
00:37:03,880 --> 00:37:06,840
Nobody can say it's too hard to live

717
00:37:06,840 --> 00:37:09,260
like they preach at the Times Square Church.

718
00:37:10,560 --> 00:37:12,720
Here's why you can make it.

719
00:37:12,720 --> 00:37:18,260
It says, seeing that his divine power has

720
00:37:18,260 --> 00:37:22,020
given us, he has granted us everything we

721
00:37:22,020 --> 00:37:22,540
need.

722
00:37:22,600 --> 00:37:23,000
Hallelujah.

723
00:37:24,860 --> 00:37:27,840
Pertaining to spiritual life and to godliness.

724
00:37:30,330 --> 00:37:32,070
Ah, but then verse 4.

725
00:37:32,610 --> 00:37:34,990
He tells us the purpose of Christ and

726
00:37:34,990 --> 00:37:35,650
his promises.

727
00:37:36,210 --> 00:37:39,230
He says, look at it, for by these

728
00:37:39,230 --> 00:37:42,610
he has granted to us his precious and

729
00:37:42,610 --> 00:37:47,430
magnificent promises in order that by them ye

730
00:37:47,430 --> 00:37:50,350
might become partakers of the divine nature.

731
00:37:51,370 --> 00:37:54,270
And what does the divine nature of Christ

732
00:37:54,270 --> 00:37:55,650
enable us to do?

733
00:37:55,870 --> 00:37:59,810
To escape the pollution that is in the

734
00:37:59,810 --> 00:38:01,010
world by lust.

735
00:38:02,510 --> 00:38:05,250
You see, what is interesting about this is

736
00:38:05,250 --> 00:38:08,590
that Peter here is teaching the same thing

737
00:38:08,590 --> 00:38:10,950
that he learned about faith from Jesus.

738
00:38:12,170 --> 00:38:16,770
The very first basic lesson that we need

739
00:38:16,770 --> 00:38:20,650
to be taught, which is tragically missing from

740
00:38:20,650 --> 00:38:23,930
the church today, is that the purpose of

741
00:38:23,930 --> 00:38:27,930
faith and the purpose of divine power is

742
00:38:27,930 --> 00:38:31,110
to get your heart all cleaned up first

743
00:38:31,110 --> 00:38:31,750
of all.

744
00:38:33,010 --> 00:38:36,990
And Jesus taught his disciples about mustard seed

745
00:38:36,990 --> 00:38:40,030
faith and what he said was, it's not

746
00:38:40,030 --> 00:38:42,530
the size of your faith that is important.

747
00:38:43,050 --> 00:38:45,930
What is important is that you do the

748
00:38:45,930 --> 00:38:47,190
will of God.

749
00:38:47,950 --> 00:38:49,770
Don't offend other people.

750
00:38:50,830 --> 00:38:51,110
Forgive.

751
00:38:52,510 --> 00:38:56,730
Apply your faith to heal your relationships in

752
00:38:56,730 --> 00:38:57,990
the body of Christ.

753
00:38:58,350 --> 00:39:02,370
And if you do that, then I will

754
00:39:02,370 --> 00:39:04,590
give you and increase your faith.

755
00:39:04,670 --> 00:39:05,030
Hallelujah.

756
00:39:07,340 --> 00:39:10,620
And then it goes on in 1 Peter

757
00:39:10,620 --> 00:39:16,860
1, verses 5 to 8, is one of

758
00:39:16,860 --> 00:39:20,120
the most powerful teachings on faith in the

759
00:39:20,120 --> 00:39:21,840
Bible as far as I'm concerned.

760
00:39:22,280 --> 00:39:23,220
Let me read it to you.

761
00:39:24,280 --> 00:39:26,340
I'm reading from the New American Standard.

762
00:39:27,480 --> 00:39:33,260
It says, Now for this very reason, also

763
00:39:33,260 --> 00:39:40,250
applying all diligence, I think the King James

764
00:39:40,250 --> 00:39:48,040
says, add, uses the word add, giving all

765
00:39:48,040 --> 00:39:48,560
diligence.

766
00:39:48,740 --> 00:39:50,800
Okay, same thing.

767
00:39:51,240 --> 00:39:56,160
And for this reason also, applying all diligence,

768
00:39:56,700 --> 00:40:01,820
in your faith, supply moral excellence and in

769
00:40:01,820 --> 00:40:03,540
your moral excellence, knowledge.

770
00:40:04,140 --> 00:40:06,280
And in your knowledge, self-control.

771
00:40:06,580 --> 00:40:08,680
And in your self-control, perseverance.

772
00:40:09,260 --> 00:40:11,000
And in your perseverance, godliness.

773
00:40:11,500 --> 00:40:13,600
And in your godliness, brotherly kindness.

774
00:40:14,000 --> 00:40:16,500
And in your brotherly kindness, love.

775
00:40:17,220 --> 00:40:20,840
Now, I want you to note that the

776
00:40:20,840 --> 00:40:24,420
verse begins with faith and it ends with

777
00:40:24,420 --> 00:40:24,880
love.

778
00:40:25,800 --> 00:40:30,920
And in between are the essentials of one

779
00:40:30,920 --> 00:40:32,940
who walks with Jesus.

780
00:40:33,600 --> 00:40:35,620
One who walks in faith.

781
00:40:36,460 --> 00:40:41,100
And Peter says, faith is the seedbed of

782
00:40:41,100 --> 00:40:42,600
all other virtues.

783
00:40:43,720 --> 00:40:46,720
He said, if you have faith even the

784
00:40:46,720 --> 00:40:50,480
size of a mustard seed, that faith should

785
00:40:50,480 --> 00:40:55,020
be used and applied to add Christ-like

786
00:40:55,020 --> 00:40:56,920
character to your life.

787
00:40:58,160 --> 00:41:03,180
And then he says to Peter, add to

788
00:41:03,180 --> 00:41:03,960
your faith.

789
00:41:05,520 --> 00:41:06,940
Extend your faith.

790
00:41:07,500 --> 00:41:10,140
I read it to you, it says applying

791
00:41:10,140 --> 00:41:13,680
for this very reason, applying all diligence, but

792
00:41:13,680 --> 00:41:16,740
what he is actually saying is add.

793
00:41:17,980 --> 00:41:19,540
Add to your faith.

794
00:41:22,850 --> 00:41:25,710
And when he says that, what he is

795
00:41:25,710 --> 00:41:27,730
saying to Peter is this.

796
00:41:28,030 --> 00:41:30,290
He is saying, now listen to me carefully.

797
00:41:30,690 --> 00:41:33,730
He is saying, choir your faith.

798
00:41:34,830 --> 00:41:38,210
Choir, C-H, the fellows who just sang,

799
00:41:38,350 --> 00:41:39,530
we call that a choir.

800
00:41:40,390 --> 00:41:42,330
We have our own choir here.

801
00:41:43,090 --> 00:41:45,710
And that's what Peter is saying when he

802
00:41:45,710 --> 00:41:46,410
is using this.

803
00:41:46,410 --> 00:41:49,310
Now, if that has confused you, I hope

804
00:41:49,310 --> 00:41:51,310
it has, because I wanted you to get

805
00:41:51,310 --> 00:41:52,930
confused so I could get your attention.

806
00:41:57,300 --> 00:41:59,320
Peter says, add to your faith.

807
00:42:00,220 --> 00:42:03,540
And what he means is choir your faith.

808
00:42:04,640 --> 00:42:06,060
Faith is like a choir.

809
00:42:07,140 --> 00:42:11,460
And that word that is used there is

810
00:42:11,460 --> 00:42:14,080
taken from an old Grecian custom.

811
00:42:14,920 --> 00:42:18,980
It means to be a chorus leader or

812
00:42:18,980 --> 00:42:22,000
a choir leader to furnish a chorus at

813
00:42:22,000 --> 00:42:23,300
one's own expense.

814
00:42:23,780 --> 00:42:28,220
You see, the Greeks worshiped their gods through

815
00:42:28,220 --> 00:42:31,420
hired choruses or hired choirs.

816
00:42:31,840 --> 00:42:34,080
If a man was a poet and he

817
00:42:34,080 --> 00:42:39,540
wrote a great writing, he would hire a

818
00:42:39,540 --> 00:42:43,240
choir director who would then go out and

819
00:42:43,240 --> 00:42:46,080
he would add all of these choir members

820
00:42:46,950 --> 00:42:50,760
and would put on this presentation for all

821
00:42:50,760 --> 00:42:53,260
of the citizens as well as to their

822
00:42:53,260 --> 00:42:53,780
gods.

823
00:42:55,320 --> 00:42:58,420
And Peter said, faith does that.

824
00:42:59,060 --> 00:43:02,160
He said, faith cannot stand alone.

825
00:43:02,920 --> 00:43:07,150
He says, add to your faith moral excellence.

826
00:43:08,320 --> 00:43:10,460
Add to it discernment.

827
00:43:10,460 --> 00:43:13,500
Add to it patience, self-control, etc.

828
00:43:13,960 --> 00:43:17,580
And he said, when you do that, you

829
00:43:17,580 --> 00:43:22,720
present a mighty song, a mighty course to

830
00:43:22,720 --> 00:43:27,320
the Lord when you begin to develop these

831
00:43:27,320 --> 00:43:30,820
Christ-like characteristics in your life.

832
00:43:31,600 --> 00:43:35,920
Now, suppose Sister Gwen, our choir leader, would

833
00:43:35,920 --> 00:43:38,080
come out at the beginning of the service

834
00:43:38,080 --> 00:43:41,320
to lead in worship and she was all

835
00:43:41,320 --> 00:43:41,740
alone.

836
00:43:42,860 --> 00:43:44,920
No choir members followed her.

837
00:43:46,120 --> 00:43:49,460
And the pastors would say, Sister Gwen, where's

838
00:43:49,460 --> 00:43:50,620
the rest of the choir?

839
00:43:51,460 --> 00:43:53,000
And what has she said?

840
00:43:53,920 --> 00:43:55,320
Faith, pastors, faith.

841
00:43:55,400 --> 00:43:56,740
That's all we need is faith.

842
00:43:59,220 --> 00:44:01,400
I'll take care of it, don't worry.

843
00:44:01,660 --> 00:44:03,520
I'm faith, I can do it all.

844
00:44:04,640 --> 00:44:06,920
Do you know what our response would be?

845
00:44:07,720 --> 00:44:12,020
Sister Gwen, faith, you better go back downstairs

846
00:44:12,020 --> 00:44:12,700
and pray.

847
00:44:14,040 --> 00:44:16,460
And you better add to your choir.

848
00:44:17,520 --> 00:44:20,620
You better add to faith and bring with

849
00:44:20,620 --> 00:44:21,960
you moral excellence.

850
00:44:22,480 --> 00:44:24,200
And bring with you godliness.

851
00:44:25,120 --> 00:44:26,960
And bring with you self-control.

852
00:44:27,300 --> 00:44:29,240
And bring with you brotherly love.

853
00:44:29,400 --> 00:44:31,560
And most of all, bring with you love.

854
00:44:31,880 --> 00:44:34,320
And when you've got them all together, then

855
00:44:34,320 --> 00:44:37,020
you can make a sound in the ears

856
00:44:37,020 --> 00:44:39,900
of God that will please his heart.

857
00:44:40,020 --> 00:44:40,340
Hallelujah.

858
00:44:44,190 --> 00:44:46,530
You see, most of what is in the

859
00:44:46,530 --> 00:44:49,430
church today is a one-man choir.

860
00:44:50,870 --> 00:44:53,390
Faith comes out under the pulpit and teaches,

861
00:44:54,050 --> 00:44:55,950
that's all you need is faith.

862
00:44:57,210 --> 00:45:00,810
No, no, a solo is not a choir

863
00:45:00,810 --> 00:45:01,630
number.

864
00:45:02,390 --> 00:45:04,370
A solo is not a course.

865
00:45:06,030 --> 00:45:09,430
Beethoven cannot be rendered by one voice or

866
00:45:09,430 --> 00:45:10,210
one instrument.

867
00:45:10,990 --> 00:45:14,030
Much less can God be set forth by

868
00:45:14,030 --> 00:45:14,930
one virtue.

869
00:45:15,370 --> 00:45:18,290
He says, no, add to your faith.

870
00:45:18,630 --> 00:45:20,990
Add Jesus to your life.

871
00:45:21,270 --> 00:45:23,430
Add my fruits to your life.

872
00:45:23,570 --> 00:45:25,850
And when you do, you make good music.

873
00:45:26,490 --> 00:45:28,190
You make good music.

874
00:45:28,970 --> 00:45:31,270
Oh, what beautiful music.

875
00:45:31,910 --> 00:45:33,510
What beautiful harmony.

876
00:45:34,370 --> 00:45:36,330
What composition it is.

877
00:45:37,070 --> 00:45:40,210
When we begin to uproot this and uproot

878
00:45:40,210 --> 00:45:42,330
that, and then we add this and we

879
00:45:42,330 --> 00:45:43,090
add that.

880
00:45:43,430 --> 00:45:43,790
Hallelujah.

881
00:45:44,190 --> 00:45:47,730
And we come out just not on one

882
00:45:47,730 --> 00:45:50,130
note, but we come out on all the

883
00:45:50,130 --> 00:45:51,390
notes, all the fruits.

884
00:45:51,510 --> 00:45:51,870
Hallelujah.

885
00:45:53,930 --> 00:45:57,050
If we sing with the tongues of men

886
00:45:57,050 --> 00:46:01,830
and angels, and do not add self-control,

887
00:46:01,830 --> 00:46:06,670
if we do not add brotherly kindness, if

888
00:46:06,670 --> 00:46:10,830
we do not add love, then we have

889
00:46:10,830 --> 00:46:16,830
become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

890
00:46:17,990 --> 00:46:19,790
And too much of what I hear in

891
00:46:19,790 --> 00:46:22,170
the church today is the gong show.

892
00:46:26,200 --> 00:46:28,380
If any of you, I used to watch,

893
00:46:28,420 --> 00:46:31,140
when I used to watch television, I'm sorry

894
00:46:31,140 --> 00:46:33,260
to say, one of the shows I used

895
00:46:33,260 --> 00:46:35,340
to watch was the gong show.

896
00:46:38,150 --> 00:46:40,950
And I wasn't smart enough to know the

897
00:46:40,950 --> 00:46:45,470
Holy Spirit was gonging me and telling me,

898
00:46:45,850 --> 00:46:49,190
you need to add something because you're just

899
00:46:49,190 --> 00:46:52,490
making a gong sound right now.

900
00:46:52,770 --> 00:46:55,310
Get rid of certain things in your life

901
00:46:55,310 --> 00:46:57,350
so that I can add to your faith.

902
00:46:57,410 --> 00:46:57,750
Hallelujah.

903
00:46:59,850 --> 00:47:03,150
And you see what the disciples asked for

904
00:47:03,150 --> 00:47:07,810
was an increased faith for an increased commitment.

905
00:47:09,270 --> 00:47:12,630
And the Lord will increase your faith if

906
00:47:12,630 --> 00:47:15,650
you increase in the qualities of holiness.

907
00:47:16,350 --> 00:47:17,870
Look at the verse.

908
00:47:18,210 --> 00:47:19,410
I close with this.

909
00:47:19,930 --> 00:47:23,490
It says, for if these qualities are yours,

910
00:47:24,270 --> 00:47:28,210
if they're yours and are increasing, they render

911
00:47:28,210 --> 00:47:32,190
you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true

912
00:47:32,190 --> 00:47:34,930
knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

913
00:47:34,970 --> 00:47:35,370
Hallelujah.

914
00:47:36,450 --> 00:47:38,510
I don't know about you, but I want

915
00:47:38,510 --> 00:47:39,870
those qualities in me.

916
00:47:39,990 --> 00:47:42,430
The Lord says, I'll use you.

917
00:47:42,990 --> 00:47:44,510
I'll use you.

918
00:47:44,610 --> 00:47:46,450
I'll make something out of you.

919
00:47:46,630 --> 00:47:50,010
But you gotta add and add and keep

920
00:47:50,010 --> 00:47:50,390
adding.

921
00:47:50,810 --> 00:47:56,230
And if you do, then I will increase

922
00:47:56,230 --> 00:47:56,930
your faith.

923
00:47:57,030 --> 00:47:57,330
Hallelujah.

924
00:47:57,670 --> 00:47:58,870
Do you want more faith?

925
00:48:01,210 --> 00:48:01,930
Do you want to be like Jesus?

926
00:48:02,430 --> 00:48:04,570
Do you want to be more useful?

927
00:48:05,050 --> 00:48:07,390
Add character to your faith.

928
00:48:07,510 --> 00:48:07,910
Hallelujah.

929
00:48:10,250 --> 00:48:11,910
Let me share something with you.

930
00:48:13,170 --> 00:48:14,250
If I can find it.

931
00:48:14,330 --> 00:48:16,670
Yes, Saturday morning here, and I'm going to

932
00:48:16,670 --> 00:48:17,290
close with this.

933
00:48:17,470 --> 00:48:21,370
Saturday morning here, I conducted the funeral for

934
00:48:21,370 --> 00:48:25,910
a young man, 28 years of age, died

935
00:48:25,910 --> 00:48:26,910
of throat cancer.

936
00:48:29,530 --> 00:48:30,810
Ed Robitussio.

937
00:48:32,590 --> 00:48:35,110
Now nobody can tell me that Ed did

938
00:48:35,110 --> 00:48:35,970
not have faith.

939
00:48:37,470 --> 00:48:38,850
Oh, Ed was not healed.

940
00:48:39,550 --> 00:48:41,330
But I want to tell you something, Ed

941
00:48:41,330 --> 00:48:44,890
added to his faith, a godly character.

942
00:48:45,690 --> 00:48:49,030
And he went out into the presence of

943
00:48:49,030 --> 00:48:51,970
God, holding on to his faith and holding

944
00:48:51,970 --> 00:48:53,670
on to moral excellence.

945
00:48:54,410 --> 00:48:56,370
He wrote this, and I want to read

946
00:48:56,370 --> 00:48:57,630
it to you as I close.

947
00:48:58,210 --> 00:49:01,230
He wrote this on July 1st from Bellevue

948
00:49:01,230 --> 00:49:05,090
Hospital during the time when he was going

949
00:49:05,090 --> 00:49:06,070
into chemotherapy.

950
00:49:06,810 --> 00:49:09,590
He said, Jesus, I am starting this letter

951
00:49:09,590 --> 00:49:11,030
by telling you I love you.

952
00:49:11,790 --> 00:49:14,770
I would like to love you more than

953
00:49:14,770 --> 00:49:15,250
I do.

954
00:49:16,210 --> 00:49:18,430
Right now, as you know, I feel so

955
00:49:18,430 --> 00:49:19,970
weak and I have pain.

956
00:49:20,870 --> 00:49:23,050
Most of the time I can't focus on

957
00:49:23,050 --> 00:49:24,310
anything but my pain.

958
00:49:24,690 --> 00:49:25,810
It is that intense.

959
00:49:26,470 --> 00:49:27,890
I have many fears.

960
00:49:28,350 --> 00:49:29,130
I am afraid.

961
00:49:32,590 --> 00:49:33,950
I have many feelings because I don't know

962
00:49:33,950 --> 00:49:34,970
what's happening to me.

963
00:49:35,430 --> 00:49:37,510
You see, he had Job's comforters who came

964
00:49:37,510 --> 00:49:39,350
in and told him if you had more

965
00:49:39,350 --> 00:49:40,410
faith you'd be healed.

966
00:49:41,110 --> 00:49:42,970
And he had such condemnation.

967
00:49:43,130 --> 00:49:44,790
Sister Marianne had to go in and lift

968
00:49:44,790 --> 00:49:46,750
his spirit out of all of that.

969
00:49:47,450 --> 00:49:49,450
He said, I do feel your hand is

970
00:49:49,450 --> 00:49:50,210
on me, Jesus.

971
00:49:51,070 --> 00:49:53,270
I don't know how I've made it thus

972
00:49:53,270 --> 00:49:55,050
far even with your strength.

973
00:49:56,030 --> 00:49:58,270
He said, I hear voices speaking to my

974
00:49:58,270 --> 00:50:02,850
heart and when I listen to them too

975
00:50:02,850 --> 00:50:03,850
I'm confused.

976
00:50:04,510 --> 00:50:06,830
These voices are telling me things to do,

977
00:50:06,950 --> 00:50:10,590
like preach, play music for you.

978
00:50:11,570 --> 00:50:13,870
I want to be motivated out of love

979
00:50:13,870 --> 00:50:16,670
for you, Jesus, not out of fear and

980
00:50:16,670 --> 00:50:16,970
guilt.

981
00:50:17,930 --> 00:50:20,410
I want to see you as the God

982
00:50:20,410 --> 00:50:22,190
of love in all circumstances.

983
00:50:23,050 --> 00:50:24,710
Forgive me for my unbelief.

984
00:50:25,430 --> 00:50:27,170
Please change my heart, Jesus.

985
00:50:28,070 --> 00:50:33,110
Make me love those who are in pain,

986
00:50:33,110 --> 00:50:35,090
especially patients in pain.

987
00:50:36,090 --> 00:50:38,090
I'm so tired as I write this.

988
00:50:38,210 --> 00:50:39,890
I wish I could go get a good

989
00:50:39,890 --> 00:50:42,430
night's sleep, something I haven't had in over

990
00:50:42,430 --> 00:50:42,870
a month.

991
00:50:43,710 --> 00:50:45,010
I love you, Jesus.

992
00:50:45,810 --> 00:50:48,090
Give me a heart that pans after you,

993
00:50:48,230 --> 00:50:48,490
Jesus.

994
00:50:49,970 --> 00:50:51,790
Yes, I'm afraid of more suffering.

995
00:50:52,490 --> 00:50:54,030
Yes, I'm afraid to die.

996
00:50:55,110 --> 00:50:56,350
You've humbled me greatly.

997
00:50:57,070 --> 00:51:02,590
My pride, stubborn, rebellious pride is in you,

998
00:51:02,590 --> 00:51:02,770
Jesus.

999
00:51:04,130 --> 00:51:05,910
I want to go home now.

1000
00:51:06,550 --> 00:51:08,330
I want to be healed now.

1001
00:51:09,110 --> 00:51:11,590
I want to forget about this place now.

1002
00:51:12,670 --> 00:51:15,390
I'm so anxious because I'm going nuts.

1003
00:51:16,290 --> 00:51:18,610
Yesterday, I really wanted to die.

1004
00:51:19,550 --> 00:51:21,470
I can't take this anymore, Jesus.

1005
00:51:22,270 --> 00:51:26,070
Please give me a heart that says, it

1006
00:51:26,070 --> 00:51:26,770
don't matter.

1007
00:51:27,490 --> 00:51:29,190
Only you do, Jesus.

1008
00:51:31,060 --> 00:51:34,700
And you know, when Ed came into my

1009
00:51:34,700 --> 00:51:39,600
office, the Lord, he had heard me preach

1010
00:51:39,600 --> 00:51:41,960
a message in this church entitled, It Don't

1011
00:51:41,960 --> 00:51:42,220
Matter.

1012
00:51:43,400 --> 00:51:46,540
He came into my office and he gave

1013
00:51:46,540 --> 00:51:47,920
me, he had a gift wrapped up and

1014
00:51:47,920 --> 00:51:49,500
I opened it up and it was a

1015
00:51:49,500 --> 00:51:52,200
bright red T-shirt with white letters on

1016
00:51:52,200 --> 00:51:52,320
it.

1017
00:51:52,360 --> 00:51:54,220
It said, It Don't Matter.

1018
00:51:55,560 --> 00:51:57,560
And at the funeral, I had it and

1019
00:51:57,560 --> 00:52:00,080
I laid it on Ed's casket as a

1020
00:52:00,080 --> 00:52:02,880
testimony to Ed that he had not lost

1021
00:52:02,880 --> 00:52:05,820
his faith, that in the midst of his

1022
00:52:05,820 --> 00:52:09,960
pain, he was adding to his faith, adding

1023
00:52:09,960 --> 00:52:14,400
to his faith, moral excellence, a discerning heart,

1024
00:52:14,620 --> 00:52:17,680
wanting brotherly love, wanting love.

1025
00:52:17,800 --> 00:52:20,600
Oh, my friend, let's add to our faith,

1026
00:52:20,700 --> 00:52:21,220
hallelujah.

1027
00:52:21,620 --> 00:52:24,440
You want to increase your faith, increase your

1028
00:52:24,440 --> 00:52:28,760
commitment, your faith will automatically be increased.

1029
00:52:29,080 --> 00:52:29,860
Praise the Lord.

1030
00:52:30,100 --> 00:52:31,080
Let's stand together.

1031
00:52:31,640 --> 00:52:32,620
Let's stand together.

1032
00:52:34,280 --> 00:52:36,560
He didn't care about the fact that he

1033
00:52:36,560 --> 00:52:38,580
was in prison or that he had been

1034
00:52:38,580 --> 00:52:40,420
relegated or anything else.

1035
00:52:40,520 --> 00:52:41,920
He had a glimpse of Jesus.

1036
00:52:46,560 --> 00:52:50,360
And then finally, John says, there is joy

1037
00:52:50,360 --> 00:52:52,560
in being and serving as a friend of

1038
00:52:52,560 --> 00:52:53,260
the bridegroom.

1039
00:52:53,620 --> 00:52:55,040
Look at verse 29.

1040
00:52:59,070 --> 00:53:01,550
It says, he who has the bride is

1041
00:53:01,550 --> 00:53:05,510
the bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom

1042
00:53:05,510 --> 00:53:06,990
who stands and hears him