This recording starts with the message already in progress. Early in this message Kimber mentions an earlier S.T.T.A. skit, which is a drama group illustrating a point from the message, and it stands for Something To Think About.
This message originally delivered on May 5, 1991.
This recording starts with the message already in progress. Early in this message Kimber mentions an earlier S.T.T.A. skit, which is a drama group illustrating a point from the message, and it stands for Something To Think About.
This message originally delivered on May 5, 1991.
He said to them, would you send me back? A list of things that lay people do that encourage you? And a list of things that lay people do that discourage you? Well, he got several loaders back. What happened to be from a guy named Chuck Swindoll? One of my favorites, maybe one of your favorites. In fact, I heard it towards evangelical preachers go 1988 or something, he was the most popular. But anyway, here's what Chuck Swindoll wrote back and for you today, we'll see it I had to put it, shrink it so you don't get to see the whole letter. But he wrote this back. Things that way people do that encouraged me. But one is they put the overhead upright. That's one a positive response to biblical truth, enthusiasm for life. Loyalty, but not blind loyalty. Respect, but not adoration. love for his wife and family. Now here's some things that lay people engage in that discourage me. They use power to try to influence my actions. pettiness Ultra critical spirit arrogance, lack of teachability aloofness hypocrisy and question my pure motives without hearing me out. Now, take your Bibles and go to the flippy into the second chapter, I want you to see something Chuck's wind doll and the apostle Paul, we're not too far off. Okay. Philippians, in the second chapter, know something with me. You've already had Mike read you this. You've already heard the the SCTA skip concerning it. And I want you to do something as we are in our study. Now in Philippians. In the first four verses of Philippians, you have one sentence, just one. In your Bibles. There may be several sentences in English, but in the Greek there's just one sentence. And the heart of this passage is the first phrase of chapter of verse chapter two, verse two. In fact, if you want to get to the core of what Paul was trying to say, is this, then make my joy complete. By being like minded, the core, the center of what he's trying to say in this passage, and one through four is this make my joy complete by being like minded? Now he's obviously writing inspired by the Spirit of God. And he says, you know, what I have joy in the sense of the text is this I already have joy, but you can fill it up. You remember, think with your mind. One thing I love after preaching on Sunday mornings is to go home and have a Pepsi with my meal. There's something about a Pepsi on Sundays, that is better than any other time. But if I take that Pepsi bottle and start to pour it in that glass, you know what always happens? It starts to fizzle, especially if I start talking to one of the kids or something and pretty soon I look at she starts to flow over. Okay? The Pepsi flow over syndrome. That's what he's talking about here. All right, make my joy complete, have my joy come to the top and just overflow the brand, fulfill it to the utmost is What are you saying? Now, think of this, Paul was an apostle, one cent from God. If you brought joy to Paul, you are bringing joy to God, you know that you can do that. The Bible clearly says, By the way you live you bring pleasure to God is his very radical this is but this is a biblical world life view in regard to interpersonal relationships in regard to how you're supposed to get along with others. It would make the apostle leap for joy. That people would be like minded. And I want you to notice something. That's the text that's the center make my joy complete by being like minded, make my joy complete by being like minded. But now I want you to notice something. First off, I want you to see this, the basis for it. Because you see, often. Now often you hear people say, Okay, this is what Christians are supposed to do. You're supposed to do this, you're supposed to do that. But I don't find the strength and the power to do it. Well, I want you to know, your, the basis for unity, the basis for getting along. And this is just not in the church, but this is in your family. This is at work. This is anywhere you live. The basis for getting along with each other is what Paul was talking about at the beginning. Now in verse ye look what he says, If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and passion Do you notice the word F is in there? It's the word F. But the notion is if in the sense of if and you know, there is for instance, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, and you know that you have encouragement from being united with Christ. It's like saying this if the Pope is Catholic, and you know he is if Superman is strong, and we know that Superman is strong, if China is well populated If there is a law of gravity, and there is we just proved it again. So if these things are the case, then make my joy complete by being like minded. So in other words, the basis for you to do the basis for getting along with others is found in verse one. Now listen to me. It's so easy for us to go and go through the taxi. Yes, yes, this isn't this cute, and it's nice. But this is the truth, this will drastically change your life and is the basis for getting along with people these questions and these statements that are being asked in verse one. For instance, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, we ask you a question. Are you glad that the war is over between you and God? I don't care how many years you've been a Christian. The Bible says you are an entity with God before you came to him in Christ, that you are far from God. The Bible even says things like this. You weren't good, you were bad, you are an enemy of God. And the point here is this is there any encouragement This is the word where we get Pericles, where the word for the Holy Spirit in the Gospel of John to come alongside and seek comfort? And the question, what Paul's trying to get you to say is this, the basis for interpersonal relationships is understanding this. Have you received encouragement? Have you been comforted? Have you been consoled? You remember when Jesus said, Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted? There's the same Greek word? Have you received the comfort from being united with Christ? The fact that the war is over, you're no longer an enemy of God. But now you're his child. Now you don't pray God? You pray, Heavenly Father, now you have a relationship with Him in which he is close to you. In other words, are you encouraged or comforted by thoughts like Romans eight one, there is, therefore now, no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, you will not be judged? Because Christ was judged for you. Does that bring any encouragement to your heart? How about Colossians 315 Same principle, Let the peace of God the peace of Christ rule in your hearts to which you are called? What's he talking about? Hey, just as you are far from God, now you are at peace with him. That should be the basis of getting along in the church at Colossae should be the fact that you are an enemy of God. And now you're back close with him again. Is there any comfort from his love? Let's go to the second statement. Is there any comfort from his love? You the word comfort there is to exercise gentle influence by words. It's to soothe to console to cheer. You know what it's used up in John chapter 11. It's used to those that went to Mary and Martha when Lazarus died, and it says the Jews went to comfort them. It's the kind of words you would speak to somebody who has lost a loved one. And you speak kindly. You speak compassionately. Your desire is to try to comfort and help them. The question here is this. Is there any comfort from his love? Is there. My friends, as Christians, we don't think about God's love enough. So many Christians, I'll tell you they've got frowns on their face, they walk around all the time. They look like they're miserable. Look at they're chewing on a lemon all the time. And I often get this way. And every time I am that way, I want to tell you what has happened. I have forgotten about the staggering love of God. You know, one thing I love to talk about is the the size of the universe. I love that you study about it. Hear about it. I wish I wish I knew more. But you know, one thing I did recently I shared with some of you is this. If you could travel the speed of light, that is 700 million miles an hour or 186,000 miles a second, if you could travel that fast. Do you know how long it would take you to get out of our galaxy. If you went that way, every second of every day of every week of every month of every year, you take you 100,000 years to get out of our galaxy. And guess what? They scientists are saying there are more galaxies in the heavens. This is just one galaxy, there are more galaxies in the heaven than there are grains of sand upon the sea shores of this world. I will tell you something, there is only about one concept in the Bible that dwarfs the size of the universe, and it makes it seem but a pebble you know what it is? The love of God. God loves us. Guilty, vile, helpless, we spotless Son of God was he? Full atonement Kennedy, hallelujah, what a savior. He loves us. Is there any comfort in your heart from the love of God? Have you realized has a sinner you had no hope of salvation or ever having a relationship with Him? And yet he loved us so much that he acted by sending His own Son to die on the cross for us. Is there any comfort that you have? This is what Paul is trying to get you to see. Because there was a problem in the book, or excuse me, in the church at Philippi. There was a problem where people weren't getting along in the Fourth Chapter in the second verse. There's two ladies that aren't getting along and he urged As them to start to get along and now he's he's in there in there was this brewing disunity you start to get the feel of it as you keep studying the book and he keeps emphasizing unity unity unity. And the point for getting along with other people is this Is there any comfort from his love it's the same word, by the way for comfort from his love is used in First Thessalonians two and Paul says, Hey, I was among you. And I nourished you as a father and I cared for you as a mother. And he talks about that tenderness in sending Christ and knowing and thinking about us, and preparing heaven for us His love. How about this third question? Or third statement? Is there any fellowship with the Spirit? Nothing new here. It's Koinonia. So word for spirit. It's all the basic words that you've heard if you've been around New Testament, teaching much. But you know, communion with the Holy Spirit is not an idle thing. It's a very real thing. The comfort of the Holy Spirit to bring conviction, the comfort of the indwelling god, he's not far away, but he actually dwells us, I will not leave you comfortless I'm going away, but one will come who will actually live in you? The Holy Spirit? Is there any fellowship with him, the one who we can quench the one who we can grieve but also the one who has awakened us and regenerated us and opened up our hearts to the truth? Is there any fellowship with the Holy Spirit? And you know, there is is what he's saying here? How about this? If any tenderness and compassion I'm reading from the NIV, the King James says this, If any bowels and mercies and the idea here the reason why the king the King James translates the word literally bowels, it's the same word translated an axe where Judas hung up, put himself upon the tree and his bowel, his chief intestines gushed out upon the ground. Sorry, that sounds so gross. But that's what the Bible says. It's the same word, but it actually means this. Is there any tenderness or affection? Because we've had fellowship with the spirit because we've tasted the love of God, because we are united with Christ. Here's this question, do you have any tenderness or compassion towards one another? And the word compassion, the word translated mercy is in the King James, the second word. In other words, in this list of this last question is this it's just the same word in Romans 12. One, I beseech you, therefore brothers, by the mercies of God, it's the word for mercy. It's the idea of kindness and relieving sorrow. And the point here is this, he is talking about all of these things. Paul says this to you, the basis for getting along with one another is all that God has already done for you. If these things are true, then I must, it must affect the relationships that we have with each other. Please listen to me. You are not you are going to be hopelessly despairing. If you try to find answers for how to get along to solve your marriage, or how to get along with people you can't stand at work, or try to get along with other Christians that you've seen them do stupid things, and you can't stand them for it. All that you're gonna say. It's so discouraging. It's so how am I a world am I supposed to be united with these people? It seems so difficult. But I tell you don't ever get past the doctrine of salvation. Because within the doctrine of salvation, you have the teaching for how to get along with people all the rest of your life. No matter how much you grow, you keep going back to the basics. And the basics are this, considering God's love, considering the fact that we are united with Christ, considering the fact that we have the indwelling Holy Spirit, considering that all of this we realize the tenderness and the mercy of God towards us. It is the basis for being tender and mercy full towards others. You see, listen, friends, please listen. If we are not sinners, once under his wrath, who need the compassion and love and mercy and tender kindness of a holy God, then there is no gospel message. There is no gospel message. I love the story. I've told it many times of Mickey Cohen, the great gangster, if you remember the story that I told it goes like this, he was famous people that are a little bit older than I am. Remember the name Mickey Cohen, he was famous guy, mobster. And Billy Graham, in his early days witnessed to Mickey Cohen. And he told him I think he was going through the four spiritual laws or something. He said something like this, a smile, God loves you and has wonderful plan for your life. And Mickey Cohen goes, Hey, great, man. Love it. Tell me about this wonderful plan. I mean, I'm not for me. I want to hear about what God can do for me. Well, the second thing is brown. You are separated from God by your sin. Going goes back off, Billy said something like that. I'm not a sinner. I'm not that are you trying to tell me I'm bad. I'm not bad. Quote, go back to my Cleveland Chicago days and ask anybody that worked with me. And they will tell you I never bumped anybody off unless it was absolutely necessary. But you know what it was his standard of righteousness we laugh at because you know what? He said, Hey, by comparing to other mobsters, I'm not that bad. And so what a lot of Christians try to do is this they say, Hey, I didn't do these things that I hear somebody talking about. I've never been no, I'm basically pretty good. But you see, below believing the Gospel that you are a sinner and you needed Christ's righteousness is the foundation for getting started in the rest of your life and how to get along with other people. GK Chesterton said this amazing discovery, I am the problem for trouble in the world, not someone else. You see, we are shocked by sin and others, when we should be staggered by God's grace to our own life. If you really are mad at somebody because of what they've done, which was unChristian, I asked you first to soberly, but the Spirit of God examine your own life. Today, suddenly, you get the message from churchianity, not Christianity, but churchianity that you clean up your act, or you don't come in here, because we're a people. But you know what Jesus said, Jesus taught very clearly that Christianity was for sinners. He said, I've come for Senators not for you righteous as he talks to the Pharisees. The cross makes murderers of us all if you're a Christian, you've had to make one confession, guess what it is? That you're a murderer? Because it has to be your sins that put Jesus Christ on the cross. Have you come to grips with that? Have you seen that you personally not somebody else, but you personally are responsible for why Jesus came to die on the cross. We don't like to think these way Satan doesn't want us to Martin Luther said, we carry his nails in our pockets. The cross to get this, don't fight this off. The cross insists on highlighting are evil. You know that? The cross stands forever. Someone wants to put one up here in our church, I hope we do get to it's the sign on the churches is the sign of Christianity, the cross? And what is that? It's saying this Jesus had to die. Our sin was so horrible. Our rebellion was so bad. We were so far from God, Jesus had to die on the cross. For us. There is no other way under heaven given among men whereby you must be saved, but by the name of Jesus, only he could pay the price for our sins. Listen carefully, friends. If you are a good person, and God came along and loved you, then there's not much comfort from his love. And that is there. You know why? Because you deserve it. If you're a pretty good Christian, and God just comes along as Oh, basically, I just want to straighten up your tie and knock a little dust off your coat. You aren't gonna get along with other people. You're a Pharisee. You know why? Because you'll be on pretty good. And you know what that means? That means others aren't as good as you. That's why Becky Pippa said this self esteem is way too simple and answer for the problems that we have in life behind it is really self justification. You watch. We look at ourselves, we have to have self esteem. Why is that? We that the world teachers, because we've got to make sure we're pretty good. The Bible insists that we're murderers. The Bible is system, we're sinners. Just by me saying those words. I'll get complaints this week. Because you don't want to hear it. But I'm gonna tell you something. Go find some other church. Because you're gonna keep hearing that here. I'll tell you why there is no cross. Jesus isn't necessary. If you aren't a sinner, if I'm not a sinner, we don't need him. We've got to come to him humbly. We don't come to me. Here I am. You remember what happened with the two men the bracelet before Jesus? One man says stood there and he said, Father, I thank you that I'm not like other men. You talked about a guy that had some self esteem. He knew that he loved himself. I thank you. I'm not like other men. I think he did. And he was a boy, he thought it good. I fast twice a week I do this. In the same room. Jesus says there was a man who was so smitten by a sin that he could not even lift his eyes to heaven. He was so humbled, and he smites his chest and he says, God be merciful to me a sinner. Guess one which went home a Christian, which one do you think went home a Christian? The one that was humble, the one that saw the fact that he needed the love of God, not the person that you just add Jesus to your life. I am concerned, I talk with Christians, they're mad at people they don't understand, you know what so and so did such and such in there all the time. I've sat there all the time picking on other people. I just tell you how you if you're that way, come to grips with your own sin. Time and time again in my life. I have received criticism Sometimes people have attacked me. I've gone through trials people have said unfair things, whatever it is nothing worse than any of you. I would imagine. I'm not saying that, that somehow I've had it rougher than you. I mean about what you go through in life if you live a real life. And you know what has happened? I've been so mad. And I wanted to get back. And I'm quickly I study hours every week and put together outlines and sermons. And I know how to really sort of get to the point with a couple of good illustrations and four points as to how blow somebody other water. And I can't wait to do it. You know, what? Some of the best advice I ever got was Kim, just why don't you wait a few days before you send the letter and think about it, pray about it. And you know, what has happened over and over again, in my life? I don't mean a few times, but I mean, continually from Listen, dealing with people that I work with, from dealing with other people, whatever it is, I want to tell you something every time what has come back is this. Now that I think about it, I've acted that way before. And I sure want God to forgive me for the way I've acted. Hey, now that I think about it, I've done something worse than what this person did to me. And I am so glad that the people that I did that to have forgiven me. And what is that? What is the result of that is it starts to change your attitude instead of wanting to fight back. You know what we can actually do? We can start to wallow in verse one. Look back to verse one. And let's wallow again. Is there any encouragement from being united with Christ? You know, there is, oh, yes, let's wallow in that. We're no longer sinners. We're forgiven sinners. We're people that stand righteous before God. How about this next verse, If any cover from his love, oh, we are so thankful that God loves us. Nothing can separate us from the love of God. Nothing. The scripture says. So we we just rejoice in that? Or how about this? Is there any fellowship with the Spirit? How many times have we grieved or quench the Holy Spirit? And how many times has he still sought us for fellowship in my life over and over and over? So I say to you, this is the basis it causes us to be tender, it causes us to be compassionate. You see, that's when transformation takes place or regeneration takes place. CS Lewis said this, Christianity is not teaching a horse a few special steps. It's an operation so the horse can fly. The description of people in the world that have not come to Christ, or is this they hate, and fight one another. They're full of malice and envy, always in strife. But the Bible says the goal for Christians is to get along with one another, to love one another, to be involved in each other's life. Not some niceness, where we're just super nice people, some people that Christianity is just so nice. It's getting down in the trenches where people are dirty and ugly and filthy and rotten with their sin and we still love them. I've seen people that claim to be Christians have been brought up in fundamental Bible teaching churches, and they look at people with some kind of what they consider gross single promise and get away from me. You're not like Jesus, if you're that way. This church is welcome for sinners, we don't want religion here. If you're just a real nice person, you've added Christ your life, I say, again, you'll judge you look down, you'll feel you'll feel superior to others. But listen, sinners that come to Christ. Remember, his offer is only for sinners. Well, then you can admit with freedom that you're a sinner. Like Paul, after many years in the Christian life, he said this, I am the worst of sinners, the chief of sinners. You can share with people that you're tempted, you can share with people that you failed, you can be with people that have blown it in their life and have done some stupid thing. And you can realize that God forgives them and you don't keep holding it against them. I must say that one of the things that so many people do and I have been so guilty of it is this. Let's say you got somebody in this church that has really done something stupid. It's not that's not a good word a sinful they've really been bad. And you know what happens? We all talk about you know what they did? They didn't pass around, around, you starts getting magnified, magnified, magnified. You know, what may happen? Listen, I've seen this happen again. And again. A lot of you look at those people and you feel superior to them for many months. Because you've never done something that bad and look what they've done. Guess what? What you don't know is the Holy Spirit has convicted their heart. They've been on their knees repenting. God has forgiven them. And they've been grown for all those months that you've been sitting around like a Pharisee holding it against them. How to, it's so good to know that the basis we're getting along with others is comes from this humility that this passage is trying to talk about it because you see because of the cross it means You're free to love those who are quite a bit different than you. If you if you haven't come as a sinner to Jesus Christ, are you sort of kind of sort of a sinner to Jesus Christ, like we told you before, the Christian group was sitting around and said, Let's confess our sins with the Bible says do that. And the lady goes, well, I really don't write enough letters. You know? What kind of confession of sin is that? You see, if we, if we are this thing, guess what we can look at people and love those who are different than us. We don't have to be insecure, you talk to somebody who's very insecure is because there's somehow trust in themselves or their group or their church, that they're a little bit better. And so when you start to disagree with him, however, when you start to fight, but if we are sinners, we esteem others better than ourselves. Because we are so grateful for God's grace upon our life. That's the basis. The basis is thinking back over the cross, thinking back over the Holy Spirit, thinking back over being united with Christ, thinking back over God's love. That's the basis for getting along. And I will say this to your friends, you can search far and wide, you can go counseling as far and wide. You can do all that you want to do if you don't get back to Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit and the cross and dwell in the love of God, you aren't going to get along with people. Verse two, is the description. And don't worry, we're not gonna go through all four verses if you're wondering, I ran out of time in the first service. So we're gonna do verses three and four tonight. So you only got one more verse to hang on through. All right. Look at verse two. Then make my joy complete by being like minded. Okay, there's the thesis. Remember, the thesis of the first four verses is this, then make my joy complete? Why not? Here's the description to be. This is the description, by being like minded, having the same love and being one in spirit and purpose. Actually, for four methods here are three three descriptions, having the same love being one in spirit and purpose. The point here is this being like minded as getting along with others, having the same mindset regarding each other the same way because we're all sinners that have come to Christ and we've all felt the comfort of his love. We have the same love that is the love of God that has filled our hearts it doesn't accept one another then as Christ has accepted you that's the Lord the love that is in our heart causes us to accept others not look down not be judgmental, not say they don't cross their eye and Dr. T the same way, but we're like my we have the same love get this. Were one in spirit. The Greek actually says this one sold, one sold. Not sold. Sol de sold s o ULEV. I've always gotta watch it when I start spelling. I always spell wrong. Okay, but I think I got it right that time you didn't laugh. Alright. Sold. One sold. In other words, here we are. We're one the soul, the very real person. And Mike Martin and me were one because we're both in Christ. We're one soul, we're together because Christ is our Savior. And then it says, and one purpose that I don't like the NIV the way actually does its purpose is the point but the actual wording here is this. The one thing minding, hence, you get purpose. But the actual translation is this one sold, the one thing minding, in other words, thinking constantly on one thing that is this Christ, by the way, you want to know what it is. Verse one is about the cross and about God's love. Verse five through 11, is about Jesus Christ in this humility. The key to getting along is this remembering this thinking this, not the unfairness equal, putting ourselves high, but putting ourselves low. Now, let me tell you how this works. If you can remember several weeks ago, we had my friend John Lankford up over here, and John can squat 750 pounds, and here he was with that rope in his hand, you remember in the service, so you can remember if you weren't here, I'll tell you about it. Here's John. You go there, his muscles are bulging. The only thing is John was by himself. And over here, we had 11 or 12, four and five year olds, you remember? And they picked up that rope and everyone was laughing. They aren't going to be able to touch John Lankford. Guess what they did? They held him even. And then the next time they started giving them a little bit and actually you can ask him he hurt his hand. They pulled so hard. Okay. And in the what I'm saying is this it's a teamwork. We're together. We're not all by ourselves. No man is an island. We're not going to be strong people think this. Just me and Jesus. The church is so wrong. It'll just be me and Jesus. No. The point is this you can't do it. We're supposed to be together in the body one sold. One, having the same mindset. Now, here's what happens in Christianity. And I'm telling you it happens so much. It makes me want to cry and happen so much. We're over. You're pulling on the rope and we're supposed to be one line, one soul, one spirit all going through the same purpose. What is that? The cause of Christ? How Ever you know what we do? We go like this, we're playing this way, then we start looking, Hey, buddy, you're not pulling away we're pulling, you got a different grip, get the same grip, I'm not pulling any more till he gets the same grip. Here's not gripping the way I'm gripping. We all struggle. I'll tell you some, some people, all they can think about is the wrong they see in others. You're miserable. Once you repent, I'm asking you repent of it. Maybe you got a pattern of doing that for years, you're gonna ask God to repent to cleanse you. All, you did not do the same way. They got some secret motors, they're not really pulling their hardest. We're doing better in there. We're in the front of the line there that we're better than you. All kinds of things. And you know what has happened? Do you remember I had the kids up here. And all together. They could beat John. It was close. But they got him, I think. And are that? Yeah, I think they did that. But the point is this. Once I asked the kids, I said right now kids, some of you pull this way. And some of you pull that way some of you pull with one hand on your hip. And what happened? John got them just like that. And the point is this we have got that you want to make Paul happy, then you make God happy, and fulfill my joy be like minded get along with each other. Realize that we can put aside petty differences. In order to get along, put aside personal preferences, put aside past failures, put aside minor doctrinal differences. So we could make sure that we were all pulling for Christ. Now verses three and four is the practical application of this unified lifestyle. If you want to know remember this, the basis of how to get along with others is verse one. The description or the goal is verse two. And practically how to apply it to your life is verses three and four and it hurts me not to go through this but if I go through this then you'll be ahead of the first service and we can't do that. This is this is so good this material. But we are still going to have communion and that really this whole passage Believe it or not, you can see how appropriately it fits having communion So tonight, I hope that you come back because we'll finish verses three and four tonight. But I want to close by reading something listen carefully. It was one of those backhanded compliments the kind that makes one pause think then respond rather than gush out a quick Hey, thanks. The guy had listened to me talk during several sessions at a pastors conference. We had not met before so all he knew about me was that he had heard in days gone by ex Marine, Texas Texan by birth schooled and ultra conservative dispensational seminary. Committed to Biblical Exposition. Non charismatic pre male pre trib pro this anti that you know how those scary labels go. I really think he expected your basic squeaky clean preacher dark suit white shirt buttoned down collar tight knot tie, scuffed black wingtip cowboy boots, pockets stuffed full of tracks. A big Ryrie Study Bible King James Version of course, a deep frown thunderous shouts and a rather large fist flailing away in midair. Since that was not what he got. He was throwing a little curve over the inside corner of the pulpit. Finally, towards the end of the week, he decided to drink a cup of coffee with me and Rick's saying it straight. It went something like this. You don't fit. Like please get this. What's with you? You got the roots of the fundamentalist but you don't sound like it. Your theology is narrow but you're not rigid. You take God seriously, but you laugh like there's no tomorrow. You have definite convictions, but you are legalistic and demanding that he added even though you're a firm believer in the Bible, you're still having fun. Still enjoying life. You've even got some compassion. Hard to believe. That did it. Both of us were laughing so loud a few eyes from other tables flashed us those would you to be quiet looks. I often encounter such glares. Especially when I'm having fun. He says well, what can I say? The man could have been could have been more severe, but he had me pretty well paid. It was that last statement. However, that really got me thinking. I woke up with it woke up with me the next morning you've even got some compassion as though it was not supposed to be there. In other words, if you're committed to the truth of Scripture, you shouldn't sweat the needs of people. Don't get concerned about people stuff heartache, hunger, illness, fractured life struggles with insecurity, failures, grief because those are only temporal problems. Mere quarters Oh no hassles leave that to the liberals. But our main job is to preach the gospel. Once the person gets born again and get to the word, all those other things will solve themselves. That's typically the attitude. Be honest now, isn't that the way it usually is? Isn't it the fact that the more conservative one becomes the less compassionate? I know, there are some exceptions. But we're talking about the general rule, not a few exceptions. I want to say why, why either? Or why not both? And I like to know when not just why can't we be theologically conservative and personally compassionate. But when when did we depart from the biblical model? When did we begin to ignore Christ's care for the needy? When do we stop thinking of how valuable it is to be healing agents in interpersonal relationships? What do we opt for placing more emphasis on being Proclaimers and defenders and less on becoming repairs and restores? When do we decide to strengthen our focus on public condemnation and weaken our involvement in private restoration? He goes on to say, very interesting is struck me after studying this passage all week. You remember the first thing after Cain murdered his brother. Remember the first thing Cain said, when God approached him in the garden? Actually, I don't think they were in the garden. But remember what when God approached me said this, am I my brother's keeper. From the heart of a sinful man is this, I'm not responsible for anybody else but myself. That's a lie. From the pit of hell. You're responsible for those you worship with. You're responsible for those you work with and fellowship with. We're responsible to go out of our way to be like minded, to be unified, to be tender, to be compassionate. And as Paul says, do nothing. out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility, consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interest, but also to the interest of others. This attitude should be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus seems in the sovereign Hand of God, in training me via pastor, regular, ongoing process, it seems that there is an unusual amount of trouble between between people these days. And maybe I haven't lived I'm not the Grand Historian of the world. But it seems to me that there are more people with hate, more people angry, more people not talking to one another, more people holding grudges that I've noted before, just seemed like that in the last six months. To Christians, we shouldn't be that way. If we will think back to what it means that we're united in Christ. What it means that we've been comforted by his love. What it is to us that we have the fellowship with the Holy Spirit, the tenderness and compassion that should mark our lives. We should be people that get along and love and accept one another. Let's pray. Father, as I said earlier, I say it again. There is such pride in our lives, at least in my life, that I can see this and apply it to other people and think how they need to hear this, but somehow the spirit, prodding escapes my own heart, because I'm so focused on others, and their sins and their problems. Would you help us we need you, to help us the things of the cross the things of the Holy Spirit and of Jesus Christ often seems to leave us in the sense of how they affect everyday living and decision making. Keep an enlarged view of your love for us, of how merciful unkind you've been to us. Keep us a humble people, not a proud people that were better than others. Keep us Father full of tenderness and compassion, so that we could fulfill the joy of the apostle, which we know would be the same goal as yours. And that is that we would be like minded, getting along with one another. We pray this in Jesus name. Amen.