Participants: Pr. David Klinedinst
Series Code: DPR
Program Code: DPR000021A
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00:07 One morning back in 1991, an
00:11 eleven year old girl was walking to her bus stop in her south 00:15 Lake Tahoe neighborhood but it was the last time 00:19 anyone would see her for 18 years 00:23 her name was Jayci Lee Douger and on that morning 00:28 a man by the name of Philip Gorito kidnapped her 00:32 and drove to her home to his home that was 100 miles away 00:36 for 18 years she was held captive in this man's 00:40 home. During that time, he repeatedly abused 00:45 and raped her and as a result of the abuse he even fathered 2 children through 00:49 this young girl for eighteen long years 00:53 no one knew his little secret 00:57 for 18 years no one knew what was going on 01:01 inside that house, for 18 years 01:05 it was total hidden from the eyes of the world 01:09 Until one day in August 2009, somebody 01:13 got suspicious and they called the authorities and when the police 01:17 search they indeed found Jaycee Lee Dugard, 01:21 who was then 29, and the mother of two children herself. 01:25 they promptly rescued her and her children and returned 01:29 them to their family. But Mr. Gorito and his wife 01:33 were arained on 29 felony counts of rape, 01:37 kidnapping, and false imprisonment his bail 01:41 was set at 30 million 01:45 dollars. When this story hit the airways 01:49 and people were outranged they angry they were 01:53 appalled that someone could actually do this to a child 01:57 people were saying this man a monster that this 02:01 crime is unforgivable that it act 02:05 is unpardonable and that brings 02:09 us to our question tonight. Is there a sin 02:13 that God can not forgive? 02:17 Is there an act so heinous and so evil that 02:21 even God Himself will not pardon? 02:25 This were we have to this journey into a subject that is called 02:29 unpardonable sin, the truth is you will 02:33 very rarely hear this stuff get talked about in christian churches 02:37 because as I mention is not necessarily one of these 02:41 happy go lucky subject that makes us feel real tingly 02:45 good inside. It is not the kind topic makes one 02:49 want to put money offering plate, because when you talk about 02:53 the unpardonable sin the emphasis is on the fact that there comes 02:58 a point in every persons life where they need to make a decision 03:02 where there is no more straddling the fence and we have 03:06 to decide whos side we are on. 03:10 My prayer is as we go through this subject tonight 03:14 everyone in this probably is struggling with some 03:18 decsion they need to make in this christian experience now we aren't all struggling 03:22 with the same thing cause the devil deals with us in different ways 03:26 but at some point you and I to decide are we with Jesus 03:30 100% with all of out hearts with all of 03:34 souls and with all of or mind that is what this subject will talk about. 03:38 Now some people think the unpardonable sin is 03:42 murder. But that can"t be it, because both Moses 03:46 and King David murdered but when they sincerely repented 03:50 they were forgiven some people say the unpardonable sin 03:54 is committing adultery. But that not it either because Mary 03:58 Magdelene committed adultery more than once and when she sincerely 04:02 repented Christ for gave her. Some people think 04:06 unpardonable sin perhaps is suicide because once you take 04:10 your life they say you don't have an opportunity to repent, but that not 04:14 it either because Samson committed suicide and the Bible 04:18 leads us to believe he to will be saved 04:22 and so that brings us back to the question then what 04:26 is the unpardonable sin? In fact what we'll 04:30 discover the unpardonable sin is not one 04:34 particular sin act that is worse than all the others 04:38 lets take look at what is says here 1st John chapter 1 04:42 and verse 9 The Bible says 04:46 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just 04:50 to (what?) forgive us our sins and to cleanse 04:54 us from (most of our unrighteousness?) all unrighteousness. 04:58 Now do you notice there is no exception to that promise? 05:02 Yes or No? It doesn't say all of our sins except murder 05:06 or except adultery or except suicide or whatever we want to put 05:10 in there. The Bible assures us that when one comes to the 05:14 feet of Jesus and they sincerely surrender their heart 05:18 and repent of their sin, we have the absolute assurance 05:22 that Jesus says he will forgive us, cleanse us 05:26 and he will give us his righteousness. Can you say Amen 05:30 that means I cannot fall so low that God will not forgive me. 05:34 I cannot fall so far deep into the the pit That God 05:38 in unable to reach down and to pull me backup as long 05:42 as I can repent Jesus will forgive 05:46 but that brings us back to the question well then Pastor 05:50 Dave what is the unpardonable sin? 05:55 and we're going to begin our journey by letting 05:59 Jesus himself answer This question. I want you to take 06:02 your Bibles and turn Matthew chapter 12 06:07 begnning verse 30 in fact most of the verses 06:11 we lookup tonight are going to come straight from the words 06:15 Christ in the four gospels. Matthew chapter 06:18 12 and we want to go to verse 30 06:23 and in this passage Jesus speaks 06:27 only three verse that are filled with 06:31 profound princple that we need to pay attention to 06:35 now bother you know I love you, but I'm going to tell you tonight 06:39 I'm not going to beat around the bush, because particularly in this passage 06:43 Jesus does not speak in parables, He is not speaking 06:47 symbolism Jesus comes right out and says it in black 06:51 and white terms simply because He loves us and He 06:55 want us to able realize that we need to decide 06:59 who are we going to follow. Matthew 07:03 chapter 12 and I want to start in verse 30 07:07 The Bible says, 07:11 He who is not with Me is (what?) 07:15 against Me, and he who does not 07:19 gather with Me scatters abroad. Now I want to stop 07:23 there, that one sentence is powerful and profound 07:27 Jesus right away basically says this; 07:31 if you are not gather with me, you're scattering 07:35 abroad. In other words if your not 100% 07:39 with me, in heaven eyes it is counted as being 07:43 a 100% against me, you are either 07:47 with Him or against Him there is nothing in between 07:51 there is no such thing as straddling the fence 07:55 Jesus is saying I can't have one foot in the world and one foot 07:59 in Christ. I can't have one hand in the tradition and 08:03 commandments of man the other hand in the truth of scripture, I 08:07 have to decide which side of the fence am I going to be 08:11 on, Are you with me or are you against me? 08:15 See what Jesus is saying is he wants all of our hearts, 08:19 a 100% of it 80% is not enough 08:23 90% is not enough not 08:27 even 95% you say boy, Jesus is 08:31 excepting too much there, if I'm following His 95% 08:35 that ought be good enough, but you know when you think about 08:39 Jesus is not asking us to do 08:43 anything more than we expect from our own earthly 08:47 relationships. How many of us would be willing to say you know 08:51 what I'll be happy if, my wife or my husband is faithful to me 08:55 90% of the time, that good enough with me. How many of us would be satisfied 08:59 with that? No body would we want our 09:03 spouse to be 100% commited to us 09:07 now suppose I said to Margarita honey you know I love you 09:11 and you have got 95% of my heart 09:15 but just 5% I would like 09:19 to spend time with an old flame and couple of girl friends 09:23 would that be ok with you? See what she said 09:27 she said absolutely not because she knows 09:31 that 5% of my heart that is not with her has 09:35 the potential to destroy the whole relationship 09:39 and it is the same in our realtionship with Christ whatever part of our 09:43 heart we are withhold from Him the devil knows that and it 09:47 has the potential for the devil to bring tempation and deception our way 09:51 and that part of our heart we are withholding can 09:55 actually destroy the entire relationshiop with Jesus 09:59 and so Jesus begins by saying I have to make a choice 10:03 I am either with Him or I'm against Him 10:07 nothing in between and then He goes on in verse 10:11 31 and He comes out very clearly and tells us 10:15 what is the unpardonable sin 10:19 The Bible says, 10:23 "Therefore I say to you, 10:27 every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, 10:31 but the blasphemy against (who?) 10:35 the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven to men. 10:39 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be 10:43 forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the 10:47 Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, 10:51 either in this age or in the age to come. 10:55 Thats a serious statement isn't it? 10:59 I mean Jesus just comes right out He says the 11:03 unpardonable sin the sin against the Holy 11:07 Spirit now for some us that is a bit 11:11 of a new concept since we're thinking I didn't 11:15 even know you could sin against the Holy Spirit how do you do 11:19 that what does it mean to sin against the 11:23 Holy Spirit of God? 11:27 so in order for us to better understand this subject guess what we have to do 11:31 We're going to have to do a study of 11:35 what the Holy Spirit role is in the believer's life 11:39 what does the Holy Spirit want to do in our heart 11:43 and minds because once I understand the 11:47 Holy Spirit's activity in my life, then I will better 11:51 be able to comprehend the meaning to sin 11:55 against Him. If that make sense, can you say Amen? If the unpardonable sin 11:59 is a sin against the Holy Spirit. The in order for me to know exactly 12:03 what that is. I'm going to have to understand what does the Holy Spirit 12:07 seek to do in my life. Amd here is what we're going to discover 12:11 if you were to put it in one simply sentence the unpardonable sin 12:15 is when we choose to resist the convictions of 12:19 the Holy Spirit when we choose ot close our ears 12:23 to his voice when we are no longer willing 12:27 to listen to what he says. That's what it means 12:31 to resist the holy spirit of God. So lets look up a few verses 12:35 where Jesus will describes for us, what does the Holy Spirit 12:39 wants to do in the christian life, So take your Bibles 12:43 and I want you to go to John chapter 16 12:47 and we are going to start in verse 7 12:51 John chapter 16 verse 7 12:55 John 16 and verse 7 Now 12:59 this is the Words of Jesus basiclly chapter 16 13:03 is Jesus talking about what is the work of the 13:07 Holy Spirit, explaining even what is the Holy Spirit 13:11 I want you to notice two verse here in John 16 13:15 John 16 and verse 7. 13:19 The Bible says, and this is Jesus speaking 13:23 Nevertheless I tell you 13:27 the truth. It is to your advantage that I go 13:31 away; for if I do not go away, the 13:35 Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send 13:39 Him to you. Now lets pause there for a second all throughout 13:43 chapter chapter 16 and ven before that, Jesus was always 13:47 reminding the disciples that he would not always be with them 13:51 he kept saying things like a little while longer and I am with you, 13:55 and He would hinting at the fact He would be arrested, that He 13:59 would be tried before the Jewish leader, that He would nailed upon a cross 14:03 and rise the third day and for reasons that maybe hard for us 14:07 comprehend the disciples could never quite understand what that meant 14:11 and so whenever Jesus talked about leaving them it 14:15 caused them sadness and partial depression you might say 14:19 and so Jesus said to them listen it is 14:23 actually better for you that I go because I'm not go to leave 14:27 you alone, I am going to sending you the helper 14:31 or the comforter as some version we would know him 14:35 as who? The Holy Spirit. Now why did 14:39 Jesus say it is actually to your advantage that I go, will 14:43 think about it. When Jusus came to this earth 14:47 he was fully divine, but He came in human form 14:51 meant he was restricted in the sense He could be in only 14:55 one place at one time, He was not 14:59 omnipresent when He came in human form, but the Holy Spirit 15:03 is able to do taht. The Holy Spirit can 15:07 it can be in more than one place at the same time and He 15:11 can be working with multiple people at the same time and so 15:15 Jesus said it is actually to your advantage that I go and the 15:19 Holy Spirit will come. And then in verse 8 15:23 Jesus says what the Holy Spirit wants to do 15:27 in there life verse 8. Jesus says 15:31 And when He has come, 15:35 He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, 15:39 and (what?) of judgment: I'm going to put 15:43 those three things on the screen. He clearly says the work of the Holy Spirit 15:47 is convicting of you and I of sin righteousness and judgemenet 15:51 you say what does that mean? 15:55 lets say there is some sin in my life that I'm 15:59 not willing to give up some weakness 16:03 some part of my heart, maybe some part of 16:07 scripture that I am not willing to follow Jesus completely 16:11 and it is the Holy Spirits job to convict me of that so that I 16:15 can give myself up to Jesus all my heart. all mind. and all my 16:19 sousl. For example lets say I struggle with 16:23 Pornography for example, and the holy spirit convicts my 16:27 heart says David you shouldn't have that in your life 16:31 that not something good for the christian, it is 16:35 going cause you to have an impure mind, your going to look at women as objects 16:39 it is going to destroy your marriage and relationships David you need 16:43 to rid of that and it is that conviction 16:47 that burden comes heavy upon my heart I got two choices 16:51 #1 I can choose to surrender and I come to 16:55 Jesus Lord your're right I sorry I don't know why 16:59 I ever open the door, now I caught Lord I ask You to forgive 17:03 me. I am asking you Lord to take desire out of my life 17:07 I don't it any more. please give me victory over this sin 17:11 and as I surrender my heart Holy Spirit can come in 17:15 and He transform my mind. Can you say Amen? I can 17:20 surrender. The other option is I can 17:24 choose to resist I can choose to rationalize 17:27 I can choose to make excuses oh 17:32 Lord is no big deal all my friends are doing it, well Lord it's ok 17:36 I can look as long I don't touch. 17:40 Oh Lord my wife doesn't spend enough time with me I need to have this, I 17:44 deserve it and the more I resist that Holy Spirit 17:48 the more I am sin against Him closing my 17:52 ears to His Conviction 17:56 maybe he wants to convict me of righteous or of some decision 18:00 I need to make, maybe when I go out here in the 18:04 parking lot I find a wallet somewhere in the grass 18:08 and lo and behold I pick it and there is money inside that wallet 18:12 cash would you belive that. At that point on the way home the Holy Spirit 18:16 starts to convict me to and says Dave the commandments thou 18:20 not steal a disciple needs to live 18:24 with honest and integrity David you need to try the owner of that 18:28 wallet because if it you want someone to do that for you 18:32 and I got two chooses, one I can surrender 18:36 I can say Holy Spirit your right I can't keep 18:40 this for myself I have to make effort to return this proper 18:44 owner I got tobe an honist person 18:48 or I can 18:52 choose to resist again I can make excuses 18:56 and compromise and rationalize I could say oh 19:00 Lord know how it is. finders keepers losers what? 19:04 weepers you know Lord he should be more careful with his money that 19:08 his dum fault. Or you know I could even twist scriptures 19:12 around to be in my favor I could say Lord I just read 19:16 in Malachi that when I am faithful in tithe, You will open the windows of heaven 19:20 and pour down a blessing and Lord I'm faithful in my tither 19:24 thank You for the blessing Lord. You see sometimes the devil 19:28 causes us to twist what the scripture said 19:32 as a reason to be disobey to the word of The Lord 19:36 whenever the Holy spirit convicts there always two choices 19:40 I can surrender or I can choose 19:44 to resist. What are the 19:48 convictions the Holy Spirit has laid on your heart 19:52 what are the decisions that you and I are struggling with right now I dont 19:56 know your decisions you dont know mine but the one thing we both know 20:00 we got a choice. Surrender at foot of the cross and give it all to Him 20:04 or we can continue walking down a path 20:08 of resistance and compromise and excuses 20:12 that is why Jesus said, your either gathering with Me 20:16 or your're scattering abroad 20:20 Now Jesus goes on in verse 13 He describes 20:24 something else the Holy SPirit wants to do in our life. Lets go there 20:28 just a couple verses down. John 16 verse 13 20:32 The Bible says, and again this is the words of Jesus. 20:36 However, when He, the 20:40 Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you 20:44 into all (what?) truth; for He will not speak on 20:48 His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; 20:52 and He will tell you things to come. Well that's interesting 20:56 did you notice? What is the name Jesus gives the Holy Spirit in 21:00 verse? The Spirit of Truth 21:04 so in other words another job of the Holy Spirit 21:08 He is leading us into truth back to the truth 21:12 of scripture and Jesus specifically says 21:16 here. He says that He will guide you into all 21:20 truth He will not speak on His authority 21:24 now what does that mean? See the Job of the Holy 21:28 Spirit is not to create some kind of new doctrine or new teaching 21:32 that is not in the Bible, He not going to speak on His own authority 21:36 He will only speak what He has heard from the Father, what He has heard from Jesus 21:40 Christ. The job of the Holy Spirit is to lead us back 21:44 to the truth of scripture that for wahtever reason we have been neglecting 21:48 He is to lead us back to the commandments of God that for whatever reason 21:52 for whatever reason maybe I've turned a blind eye to 21:56 He is not going to make up things He simply going to lead back 22:01 to the truth reminding us of the words of Jesus Christ 22:04 that is His job as the Holy Spirit. and it is just 22:08 as powerful accoring to Jesus, as though Jesus were here face 22:12 to face walking right beside us that is the job of the Holy Spirit 22:16 He is our personal friend Amen 22:21 he brings conviction into live now when it says 22:24 He leads us into truth the Bible gives three primary 22:29 definitions of truth I want to put them on the screen. 22:45 Now lets really take these three things 22:49 and lets really apply them personaly 22:53 If Jesus is the truth what about when the Holy Spirit convicts 22:57 me that I need to give all to Him 23:01 maybe I need to the make the chose of being baptized maybe I need to get serous 23:05 with God in these last days and maybe I choose to resist 23:09 I say you know Lord I dont want that serous 23:13 I am not ready to give up the pleasures of the world, Lord 23:17 my friend will think I'm crazy, my family might make fun of me 23:21 Lord I'm not ready to give it all to Jesus even though I know 23:25 He is the truth and we resist the path that the Holy Spirit 23:29 is trying to lead on. The Bible says that's 23:33 that is a serious thing. or maybe the Holy Spirit is leading me 23:37 to take Gods law seriously and I recognize 23:41 His law was not nailed to the cross, that He 23:45 wants principle of happiness and write it on my heart 23:49 and my mind so that I can be a witness for Jesus in this world 23:53 but maybe I begin to resist and I say 23:57 well Lord I keep 8 out 10, Lord I'll keep 24:01 9 out 10 but don't ask me to love with all of my heart 24:05 Remember it says in the book of James 24:09 when brake on we break them all, because 24:13 that of my heart that I am with holding from Jesus 24:17 for whatever the reason may be that the devil an open 24:21 door to break his way in and start to damage 24:25 my relationship with Jesus and spiritual live you are either 24:29 me or your against me, that what Jesus said. 24:33 Now it also says God's word is the truth what do 24:37 I do when the Holy Spirit leads me to a connviction of truth that I 24:41 didn't know before or truth maybe I do know 24:45 but for whatever reason in my life I just wasn't willing to follow 24:49 but now conviction has set in I 24:53 know it is the voice of the Holy Spirit, I see scripture 24:57 speaking to me and I have a choice 25:01 I can surrender and say yes Lord I bleieve the Bible is above every other 25:05 authority. I can say Lord I believe truth 25:09 is above tradition or I can resist 25:13 and I can say Lord I know what your word says 25:17 but we have been doing it like this for thousands of years 25:21 Lord I know what your word says, but my pastor 25:25 says it is not important Lord I know what your word says 25:29 but it is not part of my churches doctrine 25:33 and we choose to follow churched instead of Jesus 25:37 we choose the follow a religious leader instead of the 25:41 Bible clearly says. That why Jesus says either 25:45 are scattering with Me or your scattering abroad. 25:49 Noe brothers and sister even though I speak plainly tonight 25:53 we are all in the same boat together you probably 25:57 resisting things from the Lord in live as am I, now we may not be 26:01 struggling the exact same thing, there maybe things in 26:05 scripture that we happen to be weak upon, 26:09 but you know one area I see where people resist quite a bit 26:13 and I am just going to be very blunt, it's the area 26:17 of the Sabbath. When people come 26:21 to the scripture and they study like they have never they study before 26:25 and they see WOW the sabbath was given a creation 26:29 it is a symbol of God's creative 26:33 power a memorial of His creation 26:37 it show that He is the greatest authority in the universe 26:41 they see it is in the very heart of God's law, they that Jesus 26:45 honored the Sabbath the early Church in Acts honored the Sabbath 26:49 Isaiah that we are going to keep the Sabbath even in the new heaven and the new earth 26:53 and when sometimes we understand 26:57 that Sunday come from tradition that Sunday 27:01 comes from Rome the very power that Revelation 27:05 identifies as the beast of revelation 27:09 and I get to the point where I am willing to say Lord I see 27:13 what Your word says all throughout scripture but it 27:17 is not convenient for me. 27:21 It is too much of a challenge for my life 27:25 now whether that is in the area of the sabbath or whether that is in the area 27:29 of some other principle in scripture 27:33 It's true following Jesus all the away sometimes presents challenges, doesn't? 27:37 The devil is never one who wants to make it easy. 27:41 But there is one thing I do know, I don't know all the answers that for sure. 27:45 But when I thinks of Jesus 27:49 lying prostrate on the ground in the garden of gethsemane 27:53 griping the dirt with His finders while He 27:57 sweated drops of blood crying out to the Father, 28:01 Father let this cup pass from me, but not 28:05 my will but thy will be done, you see in the garden of gethsemane Jesus 28:09 was struggling with as to whether He would going through with the paln salvation 28:13 He knew the what he the future held. He knew 28:17 that He would be betrayed that night, He knew that all night long 28:21 He would be taken from to the other He be arrested bay a mob 28:25 that He appear numeroustimes before the Jewish Sanhedrin 28:29 dragged off to Pilate and then over to Herod 28:33 and then back to Pilate He knew that stand behind 28:37 Pilate while the rest of the Jewish nation cried out crucify 28:41 Him away this man and they choose a murder to be free 28:45 instead of the son of God. When Jesus took the 28:49 that cross and carried it part way to Calvary 28:53 It wasn't easy it certainly wasn't 28:57 convenient. When He scratched out His hand upon that 29:01 wooden cross, His hands were pierced and His feet and then 29:05 eventually His side and that crown of thrones was pushed down upon 29:09 His head the blood flow while He was nailed in agony 29:13 on that cross for six long hours 29:17 Jesus went all the way 29:21 you and me. You see it wasnt just physical pain that 29:25 killed Jesus. It was the fact that Jesus had 29:29 to bear the guilt of every sin that had ever 29:33 been commit yours and mine, I mean you think 29:37 how you and I are sometimes racked with guilt cause we can't even handle our own sins. 29:41 What would it be like to have to handle 29:45 the darkness and the guilt of billion and billions 29:49 of sins that will ever be commited upon the face of the earth, feel like 29:53 you were the one that raped all those people, that you were the 29:57 one that merdered and butcher them that's how Jesus was feeling 30:01 weight of sind that we can even imagine, He shut out from present 30:06 of God cause He was experiencing the penalty of sin 30:10 for us it wasn't convenient for Jesus. 30:14 It wasn't easy, guess I have to ask 30:18 myself when I am resisting the truth of His word, when I'm resisting 30:22 His spirit, I guess ask have to ask myself. 30:26 How can I look at the cross of Christ 30:30 How can I look at what He has done for me 30:34 and say Lord I'll got this far but no further 30:38 Lord I'll follow you when it is easy 30:42 but don't ask me to follow You when it is inconvenient. 30:46 if He carried His cross for me 30:50 am I willing to carried my cross for Him? 30:54 see we don't submit to the Holy Spirit because we're trying 30:58 to get righteous We submit to the Holy Spirit 31:02 because we cant resist the unconditional love of Jesus 31:06 and what He did on that 31:10 hill called Calvary. Why is it 31:14 dangerous to resist the Holy SPirit, well it's not 31:18 like when you resist the Holy Spirit the first time that mean you have committed the unpardonable 31:22 sin, but its a pattern the Bible advices us not to 31:26 to begin in our live, because once I resist in one 31:30 in area of my live or in area of scripture it is easier 31:34 to do next time, it is kinda like the little boy who groups up in the inte 31:38 city. Yon know he hangs with the wrong group of friends 31:42 you know and they tease him and torment him and talk him in 31:46 shoplifting something from a store, so one day he just steals a pack 31:50 of bubble gum from the convenience store, first time he did it oh and he is 31:54 racked with guilt it bothers him he feels shameful 31:58 he can't even sleep at night, he is afraid to tell his parents 32:02 but he keeps hanging with that group of kids 32:06 he does it a second time , he does it a third time, and each time 32:10 he does it, it gets a little bit easier and the guilt becomes 32:14 a little bit less. see that is what happens with us 32:18 when I resist the Holy Spirit, it start become easier 32:22 it becomes easier the next time and our heart becomes 32:26 hard and see after awhile as the Holy Spirit keeps 32:30 calling but I keep resisting, the voice of the Holy Spirit 32:34 stater to get softer and it gets softer 32:38 and it gets softer, and it gets softer 32:42 and softer. 32:46 until you can't hear it anymore 32:50 It's not because the Holy Spirit left me 32:54 but I've choosen to leave Him I closed my ears' to his 32:58 voice and that is what Jesus is saying. It is very serious 33:02 thing, don't start that pattern in our lives 33:06 I remember when Melanie in first grade 33:10 and she came home from school one day and 33:14 we were sitting at the dinner table discussing something and she was telling 33:18 something she has learn that day, well she kinda gotten it just a 33:22 lttle bit mixed up and she wasn't quite explaining it right and so 33:26 I was trying to correct her and to explain it the right way 33:30 and you know how first grades are 5 or 6 year olds sometimes, she 33:34 absolute insistent that she was right and I 33:38 was wrong and as I continued to try to expalin it to her. 33:42 You know what that child did to me? She put her hands in the air 33:46 covered her ears, and went lalalala 33:50 I'm not listening, I'm not listening lalalalala 33:54 I' sure none of your kids have never have done that to you, right? But you know 33:58 that when a child covers their ear they are no 34:02 no longer willing listen to anything you have 34:06 to say. Even though we can look at picture like this 34:10 on the screen, we can gigil at it, the true is 34:14 in many ways that exactly how 34:18 we treat Holy Spirit 34:22 when He convicts me of something I don't want to hear 34:29 or something I just dont want to give up, some christian principle 34:33 I just start to close my ears so I don't here His 34:37 voice and that is a patter Jesus admonishes 34:41 that we should not to start in our life. 34:45 See the unpardonable is not one 34:49 particular that worse than all the other. It to continually 34:53 resist the Holy Spirit in my life over weeks, over months, over 34:57 Now just so we understand, sometimes 35:01 people hear this messagethey come upto me and said oh goodness I think I have committed the 35:05 unpardonable sin because there conscience is weighed down 35:09 from the passed. But I want you to understand brother and sisters 35:13 if you're worried that you've commited the unpardonable sin, 35:17 you haven't. Because if you had committed sin unpardonable sin 35:21 and your ears were totally closed to the Holy Spirit you wouldn't even 35:25 be thinking about it you wouldnt even be concerned you had committed 35:29 unpardonable sin. The fact that your thinking about it, says that heart is still open. 35:33 Amen? In fact, you and I will never know if someone 35:37 has commited the unpardonable sin because the is not something that can be 35:41 seen on the outside, it can only be seen in the heart and God 35:45 is the only one that can reach the heart and that tells me as a minister 35:49 and it should tell all of us, I never point at someone in this world and 35:53 and you what, that person will never be saved, they are passed God's grace 35:57 no matter how horrible they may be, because I don't 36:01 know what is going on in that heart only God knows, maybe they 36:05 have crossed the line, but I've got to leave that with God's and I 36:09 still treat them as a child of the King who needs to know Jesus. 36:13 Can you say amen? It is a serious thing to resist 36:17 the voice of the Holy Spirit. You say alright Pastor Dave, 36:21 what should I do when I sense conviction in my life? 36:25 Instead of me give you the answer, 36:29 I'm going to let Jesus do it. Can you say Amen? Turn in your Bibles to John 36:33 chapter 12 and verse 35 John chapter 12 36:37 and verse 35 Jesus gives us advice 36:41 as to what to do when we sense ocnviction 36:45 in our hearts. John 12 verse 35 36:49 The Bible says: 36:53 Then Jesus said to them, 36:57 "A little while longer the light is with you. 37:01 Walk while you have the light, lest darkness 37:05 overtake you; he who walks in darkness 37:09 does not know where he is going. 37:13 That's just two sentences there're powerful. 37:17 Jesus is saying walk while you have the (what?) 37:21 ligth. Now when he was saying that He was of course speaking of himself 37:25 in the original test here, He was tell them whiel He is still with them they need 37:29 follow Him walk in the Light. But light also repersent truth 37:33 and Jesus is telling us, when I'm convicted of somthing in my life 37:37 when I see it from the word of God I know it is the truth from 37:41 scripture I need to follow it immediately 37:45 don't make excuses, don't rationalize, don't compromise 37:49 it away. Because when I start doing that there is 37:53 an individual called the devil who is watching who goes 37:57 about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may what? Devour 38:01 And see when the divel see you hesitate and believe me 38:05 he will watch to see if we hesitate, all of a sudden he will 38:09 come to put all sorts of obstacle and challenges 38:13 in our path so we don't walk in the light , so we don't follow 38:17 whatever that truth may be I mean I 38:21 can tell you frome experience people willcome out of the woodwork to try 38:25 to talk you out of giving yourself totally to Jesus 38:29 I have had that happen in seminar, people who come open the Bible four 38:34 or five nights a week and you can see their is life is changing 38:38 you can see their growthing closer to Jesus and they want to go all 38:41 the way with Him but when they share this with someone else 38:46 the person tries talking them out of it and it may even be a religious person 38:50 it might even be the same person who told them to come to the seminar 38:54 in the first place. Why? Because now that this person 38:58 is getting serious with God, it is a rebuke to the other person 39:02 that was living half hearted christian and in order to sooth 39:06 their own conscious they want to try talking this other person out of going 39:10 all the way Jesus people will come out of the woodwork 39:14 Jesus says walk while you have the light 39:18 don't give the devil an opportunity to put more 39:22 obstacles in the path. 39:26 Now I want to say one more thing about this part 39:30 You know a lot of time when we are convicted of something 39:34 and like all human beings we do struggle 39:38 that includes minsters to but 39:42 sometimes we are tempted to say well you know let me pray 39:46 about it and see what the Holy Spirit says, well 39:50 obviously we should alway pray about decision. Amen 39:54 but you know sometimes religious people use that an excuse 39:58 to not do what is right. 40:02 because it is as though we're delay and expecting that the 40:06 Holly Spirit going to tell me something different than what the word God says 40:10 Look if the word of God it says it, who was the word 40:14 God inspired by? The Holly Spirit so if the 40:18 Holly Spirit has spoken through His word the Holly Spirit already 40:22 told us what to do if I am kinda dilly dallying around, now if 40:26 I sincerely want pray about it sure. But if I'm doing that and 40:30 use it as a religious reason, hoping that Holly Spirit will reveal 40:34 to me something different from the word of God that Holly Spirit will give 40:38 give me a special felling so can fell like oh good I came turn 40:42 a blind I to this I can assure you of one thing, that may 40:46 be a spirit but it ain't the Holly Spirit because will never 40:50 tells us to ignore what the Bible says 40:54 remember what Jesus said He will not speak on his own authority 40:58 he only speaks what He has heard from Father and the Jesus Christ the 41:02 Holly Spirit teach us to turn away from what the scripture 41:06 say. That's why we don't judge everything by fealing 41:10 I mean feelings are good I am an emotional guy myself, I have ups and I have downs 41:14 but see feelings change, the devil can 41:18 manipulate feelings. Now I don't say that christian should be 41:22 emotionless, because I've been places that wish some christians would show a little 41:26 bit of emotion, that sit there likes bumps on the log we need to be 41:30 afraid of emotion, God gave us emotion and 41:34 something when we're in tears, that is exactly where the Holly Spirit wants us to be 41:38 because He reaching our heart, but we have to understand emotion 41:42 is not the only criteria to make the choice. Is it by 41:46 the the Word of God? 41:50 Then comes another question, My willingness to follow 41:54 Truth is a direct reflection of my relationship 41:58 with Jesus. You say what do you mean? Well it's kind of a tuff 42:02 statement, but if I can look at what Jesus says 42:06 in the scruptures, His commandments, His princples, His 42:10 truth and I ccame be convicted and purposely 42:14 choose I'm not going to do it because is not convenient 42:18 or because I wanna be comfortable with something else or somewhere else 42:22 that is proof I don't love Jesus with all my heart and all my 42:26 soul no matter what my profession my be 42:30 That a hard statement that might even make some people want to through tomatoes 42:34 but you got to understand I didn't say that 42:38 God said it, because wasn't it John who said 42:42 He who says they know him but doesn't keep His commandments is a liar 42:46 and the truth is not in him, I know 42:50 that tough it makes me look my life and say wow, am I 42:54 being sincere. When I look at truth and don't follow it 42:58 that means there is some part of my heart 43:02 that I am withholding from Jesus, any more than if some part of the marriage 43:06 vow I not keeping I might be faithful 95% of off my marriage 43:10 vows but the part I'm holding back 43:14 is telling me I don't love Marquita with all my heart 43:18 and all my soul. It is no different earthly relationship 43:22 in fact in book of James many peope wish the book of James 43:26 wasn't in the Bible, because James is very straight forward 43:30 but he makes this statement in Jmaes 4:17, he says 43:34 "Therefore, to him who knows to to 43:38 good and does not do it,to him it is (what?) 43:42 sin." See alot of times we think of sin 43:47 as in oh I did commit a bad act and do something wrong 43:51 and you know one of the fallacy of the devil is you know what 43:55 even if I don't follow all the things I'm convicted of, I'm better than 43:59 most people, I haven't rape anyone, I haven't murdered anyone, I've lived 44:03 a pretty good life, I'm better than 75% of the people on this earth. So 44:07 God won't mind if I over look some of the things that the Holly Spirit convicts 44:11 me of. Folks that is one of the bestest lies of the devil 44:15 because the minute I turn way from conviction 44:19 I'm no longer following Jesus will all my of heart and see Bible 44:23 is saying if I know the good I should do 44:27 and I willfully choose not to follow it is sin 44:33 it is called the sin of omission, I am omitting to do what is right 44:37 and really isn't that what happened in the parable of the good Samaritan 44:41 you the know the priest and the levite passed him by 44:45 and these were guys who were rigidly righteous on the outside they never do 44:49 do anything wrong, but they sinned because they refused 44:53 to do what is right 44:57 that is a principle we need to remember 45:01 in fact you know there is an example in scripture of 45:05 someone or a group of people who were resisting the Holy Spirit. Did you Know that? 45:09 I don't have this on the screen yet, just look up Acts 7 45:13 verse 51 I'm going to thow this one in here. Acts 7 45:17 and verse 51 I'm going to show you and example of a group 45:21 people who were resisting the Holy Spirit 45:25 this not on the slide Acts 7 verse 51 45:29 Now this is the store of Stephen when he was preaching 45:33 to the Jews in Jerusalem I want you notice what he said, now I don't 45:37 recommend begining quite the way Stephen did, but by this piont he had been laboring 45:41 for quite awhile and you will see that his words were 45:45 tuff in verse 51. He was been preaching to them about 45:49 Jesus, he has shown them for the scripture, from the prochecy this 45:53 man was the Son of God who they crucified 45:57 He knew that they knew it was the truth and they resisted it and then 46:01 He spoke these word which basically resolted in his death Acts 7 46:05 Verse 51 The Bible says, You stiffnecked 46:09 and uncircumcised in heart and ears! (boy that's 46:13 away to begin isn't?) You always (do Waht?) 46:17 resist the Holy Spirit as your fathers 46:21 did so do you. 46:25 Did you catch that? They knew what the truth was 46:29 they weren't willing to follow it and the Bible comes right out 46:33 and says they were resisting the Holy Spirit , but 46:37 in this verse, it actually gives us the #1 46:41 reason why many people resit the Holy Spirit 46:45 and resist the truth of scripture. You what the #1 reason 46:49 is? Now I can't prove this from any statistics, this not exactly 46:53 something you ask people on a survey chart 46:57 as your fathers did 47:01 so do you 47:05 many people are talked out of doing what is right 47:09 sometimes because of family and friends. 47:13 I want you to notice something that Jesus said, in fact Jesus tells us 47:17 what are some of the optstiscals we may face. Matthew chatper 10 47:21 and verse 36 and wasn't going to cover Acts 7 47:25 but I guess the Holy Spirit wanting to through that i, I felt I should read it 47:29 Matthew chapter 10 47:33 verse 36 notice, what Jesus says here. 47:37 Matthew 10 verese 36 The bBible says 47:41 and 'A MAN'S ENEMIES WILL BE THOSE 47:45 OF HIS OWN (What?) HOUSEHOLD.' He who loves 47:49 father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. 47:53 And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 47:57 And he who does not take his cross and follow 48:01 after Me is not worthy of Me. 48:05 Jesus recognized that sometimes 48:09 three are sensitive and painful things that happen 48:13 sometimes in our own families 48:17 whither it is knowingly or unknowingly 48:21 that actually become an obstacle to following Jesus all the way 48:25 sometimes our enemies will be those of our own household 48:29 Now understand Jesus is not saying we hate our family 48:33 or we should isolate ourself form our families, that is not waht He is saying 48:37 that is what cults do, when someone want to isolate that is a cult 48:41 That is not what Jesus is talking about, we love our family 48:45 try to work with them and reach them. What Jesus is saying we 48:49 we cannot let even our family and friends keep us from putting 48:53 Jesus first in our life, we cannot let family and 48:57 friends keep us from following the Bible and the Bible alone 49:01 above everthing else. Now we love our families 49:05 I love my spouse I love my parents but I have to recognize 49:09 my spouse didn't die on calvary for me 49:13 my parents didn't did not bear my sins, my friends 49:17 did not open the way of heaven to me. 49:21 I have to follow Jesus first. And when 49:25 I choose to follow Jesus, many times it can 49:29 be a powerful example to our family and friends 49:33 because bothers and sister pastoring for 16 years I can tell you there is 49:38 many a spouce or many a family member who can stand up church and say you know what 49:42 my family was against me following Jesus they were against the Bible 49:46 they were against the Sabbath or they were against this or that but when I 49:50 stepped out to follow truth in a matter of time whether it was 49:54 weeks or months or years their stand made such 49:58 difference to their families, their families choose to followed them 50:02 Jesus may want you to step out not to hurt 50:06 your family, but he may be asking you to step out because he wants to 50:10 save your family and He wants you to step first 50:14 Jesus also gives one more reason 50:18 why we sometimes resist the His Holly Spirit 50:22 John chapture 12 and verse 42 and this actually one of the most 50:26 eye opening tsxt you will see tonight John chapter 12 50:30 and want you to go verse 42 I want you to 50:34 notice what Jesus says here. It is one that we kinda over 50:38 look and we miss the lesson that is deep within John chapter 50:42 12 and in verse 42 50:46 The Bible makes this statment The Bible says, 50:50 Nevertheless even among 50:54 the rulers (a few) believed in Him, 50:58 is that what it says? many believed in Him, 51:02 but because of the Pharisees they did 51:06 did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; 51:10 for they loved the praise of men more 51:14 than the praise of God. 51:18 Do we understand what that is saying? There were more poeple who 51:22 believed in Him as the son of God than the just 12 disciples 51:26 but they were not willing publicly follow and confess him because 51:30 who? The religious 51:34 leaders of the day because they knew they 51:38 put out of the synagogue 51:42 and they were more concerned with the majority 51:46 than stepping out and following truth in 51:50 the minority. And folks about what that 51:54 says, the religious leaders of Jesus, I mean 51:58 speakes to me I'm a religious leader, the religious leaders 52:02 of Jesus day were the main obstacles as why people did not follow 52:06 truth. And what Jesus is telling me 52:10 as much I need to respect religious leaders 52:14 if I have a Pastor or a Church 52:18 that is telling me not to worry about something in the Word of God 52:22 that I am being convicted of, who am I going the chose to follow 52:26 Am I going to follow a pastor over Jesus? 52:31 Am I going of that church or institution that is put commandments 52:35 of men above the commandments of God? At some 52:39 point and I hope it doesn't happen the anyone but it may 52:43 Jesus said sometimes we have to make a choice 52:47 Are we following religious leaders or are following 52:51 what Jesus said. You know in these last days 52:55 Jesus says he is looking people who will follow him 52:59 with all there heart and soul. That why He said 53:03 My sheep hear (whos voice) My voice, 53:07 and I know them, and they follow Me. 53:11 Friends do you hear the voice of Jesus in your life? 53:15 What is it he is convicting you of? 53:19 What has he shown you from the Word of God these meetings? 53:23 What has he shown you in your own pearsonal study what path is he leading you on? 53:27 Because Revelation says it is Gods people 53:31 that hear the voice of the Lamb and follow Him wherever 53:35 He goes. You know pastor Dave I want to follow 53:39 Jesus I want to follow the truth I have 53:43 learn but you don't know the obstacles in my path 53:47 you don't understand the challenges I face 53:51 And I want you to know I don't, I can't walk in your shoes 53:55 I dont know what it is like for you 53:59 but there is one thing I do know. I know the God we serve 54:03 and I know that God will not lead us into truth 54:07 and then make it impossible for us to follow that truth 54:11 This is the God who parted the red sea for Moses and the Israelites 54:15 This is the God who brought water out of a rock in the dessert 54:19 This is the God who rained Manna down from heaven every 54:23 day of the week execpt the Sabbath This is the God rescued 54:27 Shadrach Meschach and Abednego from the firey furnace 54:31 This is the God who shut the lions mouths for Daniel 54:35 And so whatever the obstacle may be it isn't too hard 54:39 for God. All He ask for you is to put 54:43 your foot in the water and to start moving forward in faith and 54:47 watch Him part the water for you but it has 54:51 to start with a choice. What is the choice 54:55 that you will make? Am I willing 54:59 to follow him with all my heart soul 55:03 and all of my mind? Because I know 55:07 our God never leves usand He never 55:11 forsakes us. Tonight are you willing to say Lord Jesus 55:15 I want to go all the way with you 55:19 I want to incorporate you truths in my life, Lord 55:23 give me the strength to do what is right 55:27 Lord give me the strength to make a decision 55:32 I know I need to make 55:35 when you ask Him, He will be with you and when you 55:39 follow Jesus where he goes there is peace there is assurance 55:44 and you know you're on the right side 55:48 I want to invire you to get out your response cards tonight 55:52 now this is not the generic responce card that we have been 55:56 using, this a special one for this particular subject 56:00 It say the Holly Spirit of truth if you do not have this 56:04 Just raise your hand and your row host and in any of the blue buckets 56:08 should be able to get you one, it should say the Holly Spirit of truth 56:12 if you don't have one just raise your hand they will be glad to get you one 56:16 I'm goign to briefly go over what this card says 56:20 The first box says, I do not want to reject 56:24 the Holly Spirit I desire to listen to His voice 56:28 if that is the prayer of your heart tonight and you simply want to says Lord Jesus 56:32 help me to always follow your voice 56:37 I invite you the check that box. The second one says I choose 56:41 surrender my heart and follow the truth above everything 56:45 else, in other if recognize this the truth and your saying 56:49 Lord please help me to follow it. I am going to invite you to check 56:53 that second box. The third one says 56:57 I would like to be baptized soon, maybe there is someone here your saying 57:01 I have not taken that step I have not baptized by immersion 57:05 I want to do that one day soon. I would invite you to check that 57:09 box. The I desire to become part of 57:13 this local church, your looking for a place 57:17 that wants to honor God's commands who the truths of scripture 57:21 and just sense this where He is leading Me, I know that Mark 57:25 and this church would the doors for you. I would invite you to mark that box. 57:29 And the lastly, number 6 says I'm 57:33 asking for special prayer for something in my life, maybe there just something 57:37 you want to ask the prayer team to pray for. You cans check that box 57:41 and write your request on the other side and this card well be given to a pray 57:45 team and they well pray for you by name with whatever you 57:49 chose to write on that card or you don't have to write anything just put your name 57:53 they will pray you by name God knows what issue is 57:57 and then can hand this in the blue buckets 58:01 at the registration table 58:05 The bottom line is Jesus says when hear voice do not 58:09 harden your heasts, submit to the holy spirit 58:13 beacuse He will never lead us astray |
Revised 2018-12-15