Our Stand on Biblical Sexual Morality, Part 3

We are tackling an issue that I wanted to get through in one week, but that didn't happen. And so this is our third week on what is our stand on biblical sexual morality. How do we stand on what we know to be true against a world that is compromising in every direction as fast as possible? We are realizing that if you listen to what's happening in our schools, what's happening in our churches, what's happening just around not just America, but around the globe. To understand the move of the LGDPQ movement, plus movement, got to put the plus on there, and everything else concerning the immorality that's rampant all throughout the nation. We begin to realize that there's a high calling for the church to take a stand. When you realize that we're trying to train our young people who are going to school and the things they're being taught In their classrooms, what they're being faced with on their athletic teams with the whole transgender movement, and how do you function when you are a young girl on a swim team facing and racing with young men who want to say they're they're girls and claim a new gender identity. You know, how do you face all that? What do you do? So, what is our stand on a biblical sexual morality so we can teach and train others to stand?

Remember, it was Daniel who said in Daniel 11:3 that those who know their God, those who know their God, will be strong. And do great exploits. The key is to knowing God. If you don't know God, you'll never stand strong. You'll never be able to do great things for the Lord. Everything comes down to knowing God, knowing who He is, what He's done, and once you understand that. Then you're able to stand strong for the Lord Jesus. And so we want to teach you what the Bible says. And so, what is our stand as a church? On biblical sexual morality, that we might be able to equip you when you go to work tomorrow, when you go to school tomorrow. What will you say? How will you stand? When confronted with the issues that are before us and becoming more and more prominent every single day, even in the church. We have pastors today who come, and a prominent pastor in Texas who had to apologize for the statements he made about homosexuality a number of years ago. so that he could be invited back to speak at a conference. Why would a pastor want to compromise what he has said about what the Bible says concerning homosexuality? See, that's a problem. We can't do that. We need to take a stand on truth and never compromise that truth.

Let me begin this way.

In the book of Proverbs. The 29 chapter, the second verse, says this: When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when a wicked man rules, the people groan. In other words, I want you to think about this in the context of your family. If a righteous father rules, the family rejoices. But if a wicked man rules in the family, the family groans. Well, the same is true in a church. If you have wicked men ruling in the church, the people of the church are going to groan. If you have righteous men leading the church, the people of the church then will rejoice. So, whether it's the family, the church, whether it's your city, or your state, or your nation, your country, right? If you have wicked people ruling, The nation groans. But if you have righteous men ruling, the people rejoice.

Now, you see, Solomon knew that because Solomon was raised by his father David. But he knew all about the stories surrounding King Saul, a one who would rule wickedly. Versus his father who ruled righteously. And how the people responded to Saul, and how the people would respond to his father, David. So he had a history, right? So he could talk about those things.

Earlier in the book of Proverbs, Solomon would say this in verse number 12 of chapter 16: it is an abomination for kings to commit wicked acts. For a throne is establish on right. In other words, who rules, it is an abomination to commit wicked acts, or to motivate others to commit wicked acts. You can't do that. But it says the throne is always established on righteousness. In other words, if you're going to rule. In any place over any group of people, it all depends on the righteousness of the one who rules.

Earlier, Proverbs chapter 4, Solomon says this: The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn. That shines brighter and brighter until the full day. In other words, the way a righteous man rules. Okay? It's so important because it's like the light of dawn. It's like when you wake up in the morning and the sun begins to shine. All of a sudden, you can begin to see everything around you. And the sun gets higher and higher throughout the day, everything gets brighter and brighter. In other words, the righteous person gives you a clear path to follow. You know where to go. You know how to get there. Then he says, The way of the wicked is like darkness. They do not know over what they stumble. So with the wicked man, the unrighteous man, the evil man, their way is nothing but darkness. And yet it says, they do not know over what they stumble. They have no idea what's going on.

Our nation has no idea why it's dying. We do, but they have no idea why it's dying. Why is it going wrong? Well, you can't advocate murder, ab. Homosexuality, trans, without it affecting everyone in the nation. And yet they have no idea that what they're doing wrong, and that's because Romans 1:2 tells us. They refuse to recognize God any long. They 've suppressed the truth. And so all they can do is lead people into deeper dark. So that they keep stumbling over and over and over again, yet they have no idea what's going on, why things are so bad, though we know.

That's why the Bible is replete with the admonition: like priests, like people. Book of Hosea is prominent with this. As the leaders go, so go the people. That's just not in Israel's history because it was true. It's true in any nation. It's true in any city. It's true in any church. It's true in any family. As the leader goes, so go the people.

So, if the leader is leading righteously, leading in the fear of God, then the people follow that and rejoice. But if they lead unrighteously, With evil intent and wickedness, the people will always groan because they will always stumble, they will always fall, because they're completely in darkness.

That's why David said to his son Solomon before he died, 2 Samuel 23. The God of Israel said, The rock of Israel spoke to me, He who rules over men righteously. Who rules in the fear of God is as the light of the morning when the sun rises, a morning without clouds, when the tender grass springs out of the earth. Through sunshine after r. There are two qualities of a man who leads. One is, he must lead righteously, and number two, he must lead reverently in the fear of the Lord. If he does, okay, everything about his leadership is radiant and refreshing. In other words, David says, He is like the light of the morning when the sun rises. He is like a morning without clouds. The radiance of that leadership just shines bright for all to see. When the tender grass springs out of the earth through sunshine after rain, the refreshment that comes, that after the rain, when the sun comes out, The smell, the refreshment is so beautiful. Why? That's the kind of leadership that's needed in a nation. And David is telling his son Solomon, you're the king of Israel. This is how you must lead. You must lead reverently. You must lead. In the fear of the Lord, you must lead righteously. Because if you do. The consequences of that are tremendous.

So, how is he going to do that? Well, the rules for that were given way back in the book of Deuteronomy under Moses in Deuteronomy chapter 17 when he said these words in verse number 18. Now it shall come about when the k sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself a copy of this law on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. It shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God. Moses made it very clear: if you are going to lead as a king, you must lead not just righteously, but reverently in the fear of the Lord. Well, the only way you're going to learn to fear the Lord is to write out the law of God. As you're writing out the law of God, you are remembering exactly everything that God said. And that you're accountable to what God said. He says this: it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life. that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, by carefully observing all the words of this law and these statutes, that his heart may not be lifted up above his countrymen. And that he may not turn aside from the comm to the right or to the left, so that he and his sons may continue long in his kingdom in the midst of Israel.

Now, just because Moses is telling this to his people Israel, and this is the rule for the kings of Israel. It doesn't mean it doesn't apply to every king who's ever lived over every people that he rules. Why? Because the revelation of God is true across the board. This is how you lead. If you don't lead this way, the people will groan, the people will mumble, the people will be in darkness. The people will die. But if you lead God's way, everything ch. Why? Because the truth of God matters. That's why we tell you, our stand on a biblical sexual morality begins with the veracity of Scripture. It begins with God's truth. What does God's word say? That's what we're all accountable to. We realize that the president of our country, the Queen of England, The Prime Minister of Canada, they are all subject to the same revelation of God. All of them are. There is not a different standard for them than for us. The standard is the same. It's God's standard, it's His truth. So we need to take a stand based on the of Scripture.

Listen to these words. Nineteen ninety-. Commencement address, University of Connecticut.

Listen to this.

The road to tyranny, we must never forget, is the destruction of the truth.

The road to tyranny, we must never forget, is the destruction of the tr. 199 University of Connecticut comm add given by President Bill Clinton. He was right. What is the road to government oppression? What is the road to a cruel, oppressive government? It's the destruction of the truth. And all throughout this nation, all throughout the nations of the world is a destruction of the truth as those in p. Want to rise to a higher leadership and oppress those who are under them. And it all begins with the destruction of that which they know to be true. What they know to be true about biology, what they know to be true about science, what they know to be true about life, all those things. And so, therefore, our stand must begin with the truth of Scripture. Everything is based on what God has already said. The ab. Authoritative, infallible, inerrant, supernatural, eternal, objective truth of the living God. We take our stand based on what God says. Therefore, we never have to back down from anybody. Because we're accountable to what God says. We're accountable to the truth of the living God.

Listen to this.

Jesus said these words, Gospel of John, 12th chapter. 48th verse. John 12, verse 48. He who rejects me and does not receive my sayings has one who judges him. The wor I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. What is going to judge man at the last day? The word that the Lord has spoken. If you and I do not submit ourselves to the authority of God's revelation, Why would people outside the church submit themselves to the authority of God's revelation? If the people of God don't, why would those who are not the people of God submit themselves to the truth of God's word? God's word is very clear. It's truthful.

So, in the book of Hebrews, which, by the way, we will get back to so. Hebrews 12, verse 25 says, See to it that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, Much less will we escape who turn away from him who warns from heaven. In other words, there is no escaping truth. God's objective, absolute wor is the standard for everybody who exists. And therefore, we, as the Church of Jesus Christ, submit to our King in the words which He has spoken. The sum of thy word is truth, and we belie in the authority of God's holy word.

Listen, that's not our opinion, it's not what we think. It's what God says. It's not some human ideology. It's theology. It's bibliology. It's the truth of God's Holy Word. It is authoritative. So therefore, our stand must begin someplace. But it can't begin on my feelings. It can't begin on what I think is true or not true. It begins on objective, absolute, authoritative truth from the true and living God who said, I am. Truth. Therefore, we follow that truth and we don't compromise it.

And then we said, not only is it the veracity of scripture, it's the sovereignty of God, right? It's the sovereignty of God.

Who is God? What does He say? And if we know that God is sovereign, we know we can't compromise the rule of the living God. That's everything about Daniel 4 and Daniel 5. If you've been with us on Wednesday night, you know that Nebuchadnezzar had to submit to the Most High God, El Ely. He was a pagan ruler, but he was held to the standard of the Most High God. When you go to Daniel 5, Belsh had to submit to the Most High God, El Ely. He has the same standard that Nebuchadnezzar has. Because they have the same standard that Daniel has. Joe Biden must submit to the authority of God's word. Justin Trudeau must submit to the authority of God's Word. That is the standard. There is no other standard. It's God's holy wor. And so whether you're Putin in Russia, right? Johnson in the Ukraine, whether you're Biden in America, The same revelation applies to you. You are submissive to that authority. El Ely is the rul over the realm of mankind, not just over the church. But over the realm of mankind, he is sovereign. Nebuchadnezzar realized it, right? Nebuchadnezzar finally came to grips with it as he was humbled and recognized. That there was a ruler, he was the holy God of the universe. Belsha, Daniel 5, did not. He's the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar. He knows the story of Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel reiterates it to him when Daniel comes and is called on by the queen, the mother of Belshazzar, she says, We know a guy, he's a holy guy. Your father, your grandfather knew him. You best call him in here because you see, he can interpret the divine graffiti on the wall that was written by that finger. So you come, call him in. So when Belsh calls him in, what does he do? He reiterates everything about Nebuchadnezzar and tells him, tells him, Mene, Men, Techo Euph.

Listen. Your days are numbered. Twice he says it. Your days are numbered. Your days are numbered. Okay? Tek, meaning you've been weighed in the balance and you've come up wanting. So, not only are you doomed because your days are numbered, but you are deficient because you've been weighed in the balance according to God's standards. You are unrighteous. There, you far sin, which means you will be divided, you will be destroyed, you are bound for destruction. So, you think that Belshazz would, you know what? If that's what the handwriting on the wall says, I'm going to repent. I'm going to turn. My grandfather did. But he doesn't. He doesn't. He thinks he has more time. But you know, everybody has a last night. Everybody hears a last serm. Everybody has a last Sunday. Maybe this is your last. Maybe this is your last sermon, your last Sunday, your last warning. This was Belshazzar's. It was his last, right? It's like, my grandfather had 12 months after the warning. I'll probably have 12 months at least. Ah, but that night, he went down and went off into a Christeless eternity. Why? Because he didn't believe in the sovereignty of the living God.

So our stand is based on the veracity of Scripture. The sovereignty of God, the sanctity of marriage, Genesis 2:1 to 24. It was not good for man to be alone, so what did God do? God created Eve for Adam, the suitable helper for him. He gave us the whole realm of marriage, what it's all about. He gave us the whole realm of the sexual union in marriage, all about between a man and a woman only. That's it. And all throughout the scriptures, he has not changed anything which he said. And the sanctity of marriage is so strong, we take a stand on what God said about marriage and the family and why the world around us wants to To destroy and obliterate the nuclear family? While the nation around us wants to follow the father of lies when it comes to marriage and the family unit? Our stand is on the sanctity of marriage based on what God designed for husband and wife. Right? And then we talked about the purity of the church, how important it is for the church to remain pure and holy, that you can't ordain homosexuals in the church, and you can't. have homosexual marriages in the church. You can't do that because God has designed his bride as a pure and unblem Pride clean before him. And so 1 Corinthians 6 speaks against it. Leviticus 18 speaks against it. And you need to understand that God demands a pure and holy church. And then there's the exclusivity of heaven. Heaven's not for everybody. It's a very exclusive place. Not everybody goes. And so you must understand the import of coming to saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Because those who live habitually as immoral people, as murderers, yes, as homosexuals, yes, as those who are effeminate. If you live an habitual lifestyle in those situations, you are excluded from heaven. You must have your robes washed in the blood of the Lamb. Without that, you'll never be cleansed, and you'll be outside the realm of gl.

Which leads us to point number six. It takes me so long to get through this because I keep reviewing. I understand that. But I don't want you to forget. I don't want you to forget. I got to keep reviewing it. Peter said, How many times did Peter say, I know you know this, I stir you up by way of remembrance. Why? Because you know what? You probably forgot from last Sunday to this Sunday. But you need to remember why? Because you're going to go out tomorrow as sheep among wolves. You're going to have to face the people at work. What are you going to say? When you make a defense for the gospel, what are you going to say? What are you going to say to them? You've got to speak the truth. You got to know how to say it. So, our stand on a biblical sexual morality begins with the veracity of scripture. Is seen in the sovereignty of God, the sanctity of marriage, the purity of the church, the exclusivity of heaven, and number six, the duty of the preacher.

The duty of the preacher. The preacher, the pastor, has a duty. He is a watchman to warn all that's coming.

I love what it says in the book of Ezekiel. Ezekiel chapter thirty-three Ezekiel chapter thirty-three The Lord tells Ezekiel in verse 7: Now, as for you, son of man, I have appointed you a watchman for the house of Israel. So you will hear a message from my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say to the wicked, O wicked man, you will surely die. And you do not speak to warn the wicked man from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require from your hand. But if you, on your part, warn a wicked man to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, he will die in his iniquity, but you have delivered your life.

As a watchman, you have a responsibility. When you see a man living wickedly, you must warn him of the impending judgment of God. You must warn him of the consequences of his sin. And if you do not warn them, listen, if he dies in his iniquity, His blood is on your hands. Think about this. You have a family member who's involved in homosexuality. You have a friend who's involved in the transgender movement, the whole LGDPQ plus thingy, okay? You're involved. If you don't warn them, And they die in their iniquities, that's on you. But if you warn them and they don't repent, It's totally on them. You've done your part. You fulfilled your duty as a watchman. You've done what you've been commanded by God to do. He goes on to say this in verse 11: As I live, declares the Lord God, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways. That's conversion. That's conversion.

Listen, we don't teach therapy, we teach theolog. And theology converts a man, converts a woman, it turns them around. God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. He wants that person to be turned completely around from their sin. But if the preacher doesn't speak the truth, doesn't tell the truth, doesn't warn the wicked man. That's on him.

Over in the book of Jeremiah, it says these words. Verse 16, chapter 6. Thus says the Lord, Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is, and walk in it. And you will find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk in it. And I set a watchman over you, saying, Listen to the sound of the trumpet. But they say, We will not listen. Therefore, hear, O nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them. Hear, O earth. Behold, I am bringing disaster on this people. the fruit of their plans, because they have not listened to my words. And as for my law, they have rejected it also. God is speaking to the prophet Jeremiah, telling Israel, you got to turn from your ways. If not, judgment's coming. And it did to the Babylonian captivity. They would not listen. But he had a responsibility to preach truth, to tell them the truth, that they might escape. The judgment coming their way. If God's going to do that with his people Israel, just think what he will do with nations who will not respond to him in saving faith. He will destroy them. And all throughout Isaiah, all throughout Jeremiah, all throughout Obadiah, you have destruction of nation after nation after nation after nation because he would not listen. To the prophet. They would not listen to the preacher. They would not listen to the watchman. When they were warned, turn. Turn, or you'll die in your sin.

The duty of the preacher, he's been called to preach the gospel. And every preacher in every church must take a firm stand on the truth. And if he doesn't, if he doesn't, he's going to compromise. And he needs to understand that he has a huge responsibility.

And so Paul says to Timothy, these words: 2 Timothy chapter 4, verse number 1. I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom, preach the word. Preach the word. What word? The word, the inspired word of God, the God-breathed word. 2 Timothy 3:1 and 17. It says that that word, that all scripture is inspired by God. Profitable for teaching, reproof, for correction. In other words, to straighten. It takes that which is bent, it takes that which is crooked and straightens it. That's what Scripture does for training their righteousness so the man of God may be adequate equipped for every good work. But you've got to preach the word. Why? Because Jesus is coming to judge the living and the dead. Preach the word. And Timothy, you got to do it in season and out of season. And the word of God is never in season with the pagans, it's always out of season. But you got to keep preaching it because for us, it's always in season. And you got to reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and patience. That's what we do.

So many times we back away because of a relationship with somebody, don't we? A family member. We don't want to come across too strong for fear that we might lose the relationship. Don't value relationship over truth. Don't do that. That is a colossal error. If you're afraid you're going to lose the relationship, you've already lost the relationship. Don't be afraid you're going to lose it. You've already lost it. Al Always stand on the truth. Because all true relationships are rooted and grounded in the truth. Superficial relationships are not. But a true relationship is grounded in the truth. So, take a strong stand on what the truth of the Word of God is.

And so, that preacher is to make sure that they are to preach in a certain way. That others might understand. They are to preach accurately the truth of Scripture, right? 2 Timothy 2:15 says you've got to cut it straight. You can't be in error. You got to make sure you know what you're saying. You got to make sure you know what God said so you can reiterate it to the people. So you got to preach the word accurately. Then you got to preach the word apostolically. Little A, not big A. Apostolically, if I'm an apostle, I'm a sent one, right? I've been sent by God. Jesus said in John 20, 2, As the Father has sent me, so send I you. Right? We are ambassadors for the living God, but the preacher. Is to preach apostolically as one that's been sent by God to proclaim the truth of God so others will know what God has said. You preach the word accurately. You preach the word apostolically. You preach the word authoritatively. It is written: God hath said. And that's why Paul says to Titus in Titus 2, verse number 15, speak and repro with all authority. Why? Because I don't have any authority as your pastor. My only authority comes from the authoritative word. So any story that I tell is not authoritative. Every scripture that I read is authoritative. Why? Because it's God's authority. And so you explain the text because that's what's authoritative. And we as preachers have got to preach authoritatively. Accurately, apostolically, at the same time we preach ab. We preach in absolutes, right? These things are written that you may know, 1 John 5, that you have eternal life. We know whether or not someone has eternal life or not. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. There is no other way. Unto the Father, but by me. There's only one way we know that. We know that all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose. We can preach not just authoritatively, but we can preach absolutely because God's word, his truth, is absolute. Therefore, we can speak in absolute terms. We don't speak in gray terms. We speak in black and white terms. Why? God's Word is absolute. God's word doesn't mince words. It wants to make sure you understand what is true. We know there's a heaven, we know there's a hell. We know that heaven is eternal. We know that hell is eternal. We don't wonder about that. We know that. We know there are two categories of people: there are those who are saints and those who are sinners. Those who are believers, those who are unbelievers, those who are obedient, and those who are disobedient. We know that. So we speak. Absolutely, authoritatively, apostolically, accurately, that's how we're to preach the truth of God's Holy Word. We're to preach it authentically. Authentically, Paul would say over in 2 Corinthians 4, verse number 1: Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we receive mercy, we do not lose heart. but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness, or adulterating the word of God, but by the manif of truth, commend oursel to every man's conscience in the sight of God. He preached authentically. He told those in Thessalonica in 1 Thessalonians chapter 2: You know this about us. You saw us. We were with you. We lived an authentic life before you. We're not trying to hide things from you. We're not trying to adulterate the truth of God's word. We're going to speak. The truth. We're going to let you know about our lives so that there's no discrepancy, nothing hidden from you, so that you know that the message we preach is the life that we live. So the duty of the preacher is to preach authentically as well as affectionately. We're to speak the truth in love, for love rejoices in the truth. And Paul, again, in 1 Thessalonians 2, would talk about how he affectionately, as a mother cares for her children, that's how he cared for the people there in Thessalonica. Also, the duty of the preacher is to preach apocalyptically. That is, the end is coming. You need to know that. The end is near. And because it's near, you need to be ready to face the judgment. Judge, the king. That's why Paul said in Acts 17 that God is demanding that all men everywhere. Because he has fixed a day in which he will judge every man. We know this, that's the duty of the preacher. And our stand is based on the duty of the preacher. We can't back away from telling people the truth about what the Bible says concerning immorality. Sexuality, gender identity, the sovereignty of God. We won't back away from that because that would mean that as watchmen, we are not doing our duty faithfully. That can't happen. We must not listen to the people because Paul goes on to say in 2 Timothy chapter 4: what? That people will not endure sound doctrine anymore. It says. A time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away from their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myth. But you be sober in all things, endure hardship. Why? Because, listen, most pastors just don't want to endure hardship. They don't want to receive the flack, they don't want the problems. But listen, if you teach the truth, there really are no problems. Because you're just. Quoting, reiterating what the Lord God of truth said. That's it. They're quarrels with God, not with you. And you're able to endure hardship. So, the duty of the preacher, number seven, the responsibility of the church.

The responsibility of the church.

Listen, if you are able through the sovereignty of God. Turn a sinner from the error of his way, you will save a soul from death. James 5, verse number 20. And the word there turned, epist, is a word that means to convert. If you are able to convert a sinner from the error of his way, you will save a soul from death. Jude says, you're snatching a soul from fire. It's that they're on the brink of being burned, and you're snatching the soul from fire that they might not be burned by the fires of hell, but experience the blessings of the living God. We are ambassadors for Christ. Jesus said, Go into all the world and make disciples. Teach them to observe all that I've commanded you. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We have a huge responsibility as a church.

Listen. If you went to second service last week, I said this. First service I didn't. But remember, we're not here, right, for the express purpose of worship or for fellowship or for service, right? Why? Because all that is done in heaven perfectly. Here it's done imperfectly. The only thing that you've been called to do that you won't do in heaven is what? Evangelize. You've got to evangelize people in heaven. They're already there, right? You're not going to do that in heaven. So that's why God left you here. That's the only reason you're still here after He saves you. He didn't save you so you can stay and worship him. If he wants perfect worship, he just takes you home. If he wants perfect service, he just takes you home. If he wants perfect fellowship, you're not going to get it here. Take you home. But you know what? Someone needs to be a spokesperson. Someone needs to be an ambassador. Someone needs to proclaim the excellencies of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. That's what we do. That's who we are. And so the responsibility of the church is to go into all the world and make disciples. We don't make disciples of everybody except homosexuals and transgenders. No, we make disciples of everybody. Everybody who lives in sin, we proclaim the gospel too because we want to turn a sinner from the error of their way. So important.

Interesting as you go back and you look at the history of the church. In the sixties and seventies, There was a flirt flirtation with the world in the church. In the eighties, there became an infatuation with the world in the church. In the 90s, there became an obsession with the world in the church. That's when the seeker-sensitive movement took off because we wanted to make church available for all the unbelievers, right? There was an obsession with the world. That somehow the world's got to come into the church. No, we're to go to the world. The world's not to come into the church. But because there was a flirtation with the world, then there became an infatuation with the world. All of a sudden, now there is an obsession. With the world. Well, that led to the 21st century. And in the 21st century, there is a now conform, conform to the world in the church. The church has been conformed by the thinking of the world. We don't address the things that God wants us to address. We go soft on the things of the world. We've been conformed to the world. That's why the church has always been called to a confrontation of the world or to the world. We confront it with the gospel. We can't afford to flirt with it. We can't afford to be infatuated with it. If so, we'll be obsessed with it. And if we're obsessed with it, we're going to look just like the world. And so many churches today, not just in America, but around the world, look just like we sing the songs of the world, we dress like the world, we speak like the world, we smell like the world. We're of the world. And the Lord said, Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. The lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, the part of the life. They're of the world. The world's passing away, the lusts thereof. But he who does the will of God A forever.

The responsibility of the church, we are a called-out people. We are a holy people. We are a distinct and unique kind of people. We are aliens and strangers in a foreign land. This is not our home, my friends. We're just kind of passing through on our journey to where our ultimate home in glory. And so we want to tell people as we're passing through: listen, I'm an alien. I'm a stranger. I'm in a foreign land, but I want to tell you about my homeland. I want to tell you about where I'm going, that you might go there with me one day. And experience the beauty and the joy of heaven.

There is coming a time. It'll probably be sooner rather than later, but it's coming to America. Well, the threats will be like it was in Jerusalem. When they began to preach about Jesus and they were demanded, you can't speak in his name anymore. Anymore. And the church of Jerusalem didn't hide in a corner. The church of Jerusalem didn't stop doing what they were doing. All they said was, Lord, take note of the threats. When they come to us and say, you cannot speak anything against the LGBTQ plus movement. You cannot speak anything against the transgender movement or the homosexual movement. Because if you do, that's called hate speech. You'd be fined or arrested. That day is coming. It's in Canada now. It's coming to America. It'll be here sooner than you can ever begin to realize. And all we say is, Lord, just take note of their threats. And then the church said this: Grant that your bonds may speak your word. With confidence. While you extend your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of your holy servant Jesus. Lord, just keep doing what you do. Just give us boldness. Just give us confidence to speak your word. No matter what the law says, we will speak the truth. And listen to this. And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God. With boldness. Didn't back down. If they would have backed down, where would you and I be today? Who knows, right? If you back down, where will your children be tomorrow? Where will your grandchildren be tomorrow? Where will those following you be tomorrow? But if you, with boldness, with confidence, speak truth, guess what? You can convert a sinner from the error of their way. You could snatch a soul from the flames of fire and let them experience the beauty and joy of the living God. Let's pray.

Father, we thank you, Lord, for today and the opportunity you give us to study your word one more time. Lord, it truly is. A beauty to behold, to know that your word is true and rich and pure and holy. We do pray, Lord, that all of us would be bold in our service of the King. Never backing away from that which we know to be true because your word speaks it. That Lord, when we come across those at school, Those at the lunch table, those at work, and they have all kinds of questions. May we with boldness and confidence speak the truth, because we know the absol, authoritative, objective truth of the living God. God, that all men must answer to, not just some men, but all men. And therefore, Lord, we speak it with boldness and kind because we love our God. In Jesus' name, Amen.