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"The acts of the flesh are obvious," Paul says.
*** immorality
impurity
debauchery
idolatry
witchcraft
hatred
discord
jealousy
fits of rage
selfish ambition
dissensions
factions
envy
drunkenness
***
How many of them can you 'check' off?
won't won't won't won't won't
Huh... really?
won't won't won't
Wait a minute...
I don't know about that...
won't won't...
Do you know what really gets me about this?
He says, "The acts of the flesh are obvious."
Some aren't so obvious to me.
Do you know that 'drug use'....
Some have said that drug usage is like unto witchcraft.
You say, "I would never play with a Ouija Board"
I would never go see a fortune teller
I don't even read the horoscopes... much...
Fortune cookies?
Aaa... C'mon, preacher.
Did you know that 'rebellion' is as witchcraft?
Huh?!
"For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft..." [1 Samuel 15:23]
Hold on a second...
I'd better put these socks back on.
These are my Sunday socks.
No holes.
Took my weekly bath last night...
Cleaned between my toes...
[thank you] Thank you... I can hear you.
What gets me about this list... is this.
"and the like..."
First of all, it says the works of the flesh are obvious...
--then there's a big ol' list of 'em...
Then it adds this: 'and the like...'
--that's a killer: "and the like."
You cannot isolate the works of the flesh to a yellow pad and check it off.
I was talking to Brother Bob... He's not in the room so I'm talking behind his back.
But Brother Bob said, "Yeah, I went through 'legalism' and 'dress code'..."
I noticed that he was in shorts and sandals today...
--ol' hairy legs hanging out everywhere...
He said, "One time an usher told me I couldn't take up an offering if I was wearing shorts."
Then he said, "The legalists are all gone."
I said, "Brother Bob..."
"...as long as there is one person in the church, the legalists are not all gone."
We all are legalists... all of us.
It's just a matter of when 'your issue' comes up.
I'm not a 'hat-wearing' kinda guy....
--but I do wear socks, people!
You will NEVER see me barefoot on the platform.
[You just did it...]
Oh...
You will not NORMALLY see me barefoot on the platform.
These are my 'dress shoes'...
--and these ones... they fit good.
I know where they are... I put 'em on; they look good with a suit.
I read a book about the 'Personal Life of the Pastor'.
It said, "The pastor..."
Now, the book was probably from the '40s... '30s or '40s...
"The pastor of a parish..."
We don't use the word 'parish' here do we?
So you kinda look at the context... 'OK, OK, pastor... parish...'
"The pastor must never go to the door in his stocking feet."
I thought, "haha, C'mon... wow..."
I go to the door barefoot sometimes.
What it was saying is that the pastor must always have this...
--always be dressed to answer the door and meet the public.
That's why some of you need to take that 'fish' off of your car.
Because you're not all that 'gracious' out on the road.
You're giving Christians a bad name.
You know, when I put those magnets... "We will pick you up for church... Pastor Rob and Cathy"
When I put those magnets on the car, I am very conscious of every mistake that I make on the road.
Whenever I wear a shirt that says "Bell Road Baptist Church"...
--there are just some things I can't do in public.
I have to brush my teeth if I'm gonna wear a "Bell Road Baptist" shirt...
Now, if I wear a "First Baptist Galt", I don't care... I do anything I want.
It's the "...and the like" that gets us.
It's supposed to be obvious, people.
He says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness
gentleness and self-control.
You wouldn't want a 'check, check, check, check, check'...
There is so much JOY to be had on this side.
You want to 'chew, chew, chew'... Enjoy the fruit of the Spirit!
And know the difference: Yes, they are diametrically opposed... these two lists.
But where is the freedom, people?!
Did you look at your Bulletin?
I went to a little get-together after church last week...
--after preaching this powerful message about 'Freedom'.
My sister, Barbara Robohm, who rarely gives feedback to sermons...
She said, "Pastor, do you realize that you said the Statue of Liberty is in Washington, DC?"
"She resides overlooking the New York Harbor."
I said, "What? Washington, DC?"
She said, "You said it twice."
Huh?! Really?
I believed her... See, at the age of 54, I don't argue so much with people if they tell me I did something.
I figure, "OK... Golly, I guess I did."
I didn't even recall saying that.
What I said was... in the first occurrence...
We saw a picture of the guy 'looking out' of the Crown...
--and I said, "You used to be able to go up to the Torch."
They closed that off a long time ago...
--but due to renovation, national security, and such... sometimes it's closed off and you can't even go up to the Crown.
I said, "SO, if you go to Washington DC--wanting to go in the Crown--you may not be able to."
I can clarify that: If you go to Washington DC--wanting to go in the Crown--you WILL NOT be able to.
You show up... "Where's the Statue of Liberty?!"
I had one person say, "Yup, yup... you did say 'Washington'... and I was thinking it was New York but..."
"...the preacher said 'Washington' I figured, 'Well, I guess it is'..."
She hadn't ever been there.
Golly... and then I said it again...
--something about 'looking over Washington'...
We could say it is 'the early signs' of Alzheimer's...
We could.
Or we could say, "Hey... you know what?"
"That's why they put erasers on pencils..."
"--sometimes you make mistakes."
So, I clarified for you and put it in the Bulletin.
If you want to go to the Statue of Liberty...
--there's a phone number to call:
(212) 561-4588
That's Rena Webb's phone number.
No, not really... I'm just joking, Rena.
I want to go to the Statue of Liberty.
OK, the works of the flesh are obvious.
Here is something I want you to pay attention to:
Key words stuck out to me.
"I warn you as I did before..."
"--that those who live like this..."
"--will not inherit the kingdom of God."
It's a lifestyle of debauchery...
dissensions
adultery
fornication
hatred... It's a whole lifestyle...
It's the picture of the person who has not received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior...
Because '--and the like...' is in there.
It's all in there.
Jesus told us that if you have held hatred toward a person, you have murdered that person in your heart. [see Matthew 5:26]
If you have looked upon another person with ***, you have committed adultery in your heart. [see Matthew 5:28
So, "--and the like..." is a pretty big deal.
You can not check it off!
So, Thinking Deacon, I'm glad that you told us...
--that you would rather bring 'the Drunk' in without a bunch of bruises on your face...
--because you have learned something growing up in your job.
You also understand that when people are new at this, they might tend to get 'the Drunk' into the jail...
--but they might have some bruises along the way... --and the Drunk might have hurt himself--
--and the Drunk might have hurt himself...
--because of inexperience.
And our 'Call'...
--is to try to move some people...
-- from that lifestyle (without Christ)...
--over to the lifestyle of love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, gentleness, self-control.
The fruit of the Spirit:
Against such things there is no law.
It sticks out to me... "--and the like..." sticks out that that's not really do-able.
--to totally 'check off' that list.
See, that's not an exhaustive list either.
Against 'such things' there is no law.
There's no limit.
There's no limit to the benefits of grace.
For those who belong to Jesus Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
This makes me think about the guy who hung here.
No, not the BellRoad member...
I'm talking about the real man that hung: Jesus.
He was crucified... 'once' for my SIN.
If I look at this afresh, 'to crucify my flesh' is to have my flesh 'nailed to the Cross'...
IN Christ
Christ is hanging on the Cross to pay for all my SIN...
For my SIN to be crucified, For the passions and lusts of my flesh... --the desires of my flesh to be crucified, I've gotta continually sing about the Cross...
--the desires of my flesh to be crucified, I've gotta continually sing about the Cross...
I have to continually focus on the Cross
I can't crucify my flesh.
I CAN identify with the Christ who was crucified.
I can find myself IN Christ.
My flesh can be crucified with all its passions and desires...
--if I depend upon Christ and what His Word has to say.
That is printed in our Bulletin, I believe.
It is usually up there with the 'covenantal points'.
[from Church Covenant] "I will support the Testimony of my Church by attending faithfully,
By living a godly life,
By giving regularly.
Against such things there is no law.
I ought to find a great amount of JOY in 'Attendance'... faithful attendance.
And 'Living a Godly Life'... it ought to be a joyful thing to live a godly life...
It ought to bring great joy to me to 'Give Regularly'.
Against such things there is no law.
So, if we walk in the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.
If I got saved by the Spirit, then let me take each step by the Spirit.
Now, what's that got to do with the 'barefoot' thing?
Because I started off that way: "It's not that big a deal..."
But... it IS... because it can cause trouble in the 'fellowship'.
Because some people were raised...
--that when you go to church, you don't just wear what you were doing chores in yesterday...
"You put on your very best."
--and then, if you were an argumentative person...
--you could go, "Yes, but 'the very best?'... that's an 'inside' thing."
"It's not an 'outside' thing..."
"Yeah..." The person would say, "Yeah... Well, I was taught that too."
Both are right.
"Well, if a person can't afford a suit...
--then they should look in their closet and pull out the nicest clothes they do have."
Right?
But why am I the only guy with a suit on?
Have you no suits?
Am I the only guy with a suit on in the whole place?
[church lady] "Yeah, but Pastor, you're wearing a red tie..."
"Now, we all know what that means."
[Soundman] I've got a suit of armor."
Actually, I knew a lady that went to a very conservative Baptist church on the east coast.
As a child, she said, "The men were not allowed to wear a red tie."
She just was floored that a preacher would wear a red tie.
I like red ties.
But I was telling one of my deacons...
-- that I don't wear red ties when I serve the Lord's Supper.
Because it's festive! You know, it's always Christmas: Red.
At funerals, I just don't wear red.
I wear black... and white.
The penguin look... at a funeral.
These days, I would go to a funeral--if I didn't have time to put a suit on...
--if I'm not up on the platform...
But I would try to dress nice because it's respectful for those who are in mourning.
If you go to the trouble to put on a suit...
--put on clean clothes...
--and 'black', if possible...
--then you're showing those who are mourning the loss of their loved one, that you are 'with them'.
That's respectful. Is that the Christian thing to do... to show respect?
--to show honor?
Yeah, it is.
If you were taught that.
So, when I come to the Lord's Table...
--and the Table is there...
I don't like seeing 'junk' sitting on the Table.
I saw a hula hoop sitting on the Table once... and I took it off.
But that's just me...
It's not that big a deal...
But I don't like to see the Lord's Table being used for ignoble purposes.
I don't think we should stand on the Lord's Table...
-- to teach the children how to do their choreography on the night of VBS...
--not the Lord's Supper table.
But, it really doesn't matter, right?
Ultimately, it doesn't matter... but it's kinda a sign of respect.
I put the Cross there today... I pulled it out and placed it there.
And I wouldn't want to see a lot of 'garbage'... like a Coke can sitting down there...
--some popcorn...
--a cup of 2-week old remains of coffee sitting on the table...
--a pair of socks from the guy who took his shoes off and forgot where he put his socks.
I wouldn't want the Cross to be all cluttered up.
But how do I get that across to the next generation... without being 'legalistic'?
Through discussion...
--and through sharing:
"This might not be a big deal to you... but it would really bless my heart if you brushed your teeth before you came to church."
"Is it a matter of toothpaste? I can get it for you."
"I know Jesus loves you just the way you are but...
--it's kind of hard for me to love you."
Look at the last verse... Galatians 5:26
"Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other."
When I was making that list, it was all about me, me, me, me, me ...
I'm not gonna do 'this'...
I'm not gonna do 'this'...
I am gonna do 'this'...
I am gonna do 'this'...
You liked the hymns... but do you know the hymns were all 'me, me, me'?
The hymns we sang today: ME, ME, ME.
Leaning on the everlasting arms: "I have..."
"I have..."
"I have..."
"I have..."
There's no "We have..."
It's "I have..."
"...fellowship with MY Lord so near..."
"Oh, Victory in Jesus... MY Savior... forever"
"He sought ME..."
"...and He bought ME..."
Where's the Us?
Song Leader, You got any 'us' songs in that hymnal?
Now, I'm just teasing... but you see, this is an 'us' verse:
"Let US not become conceited..."
There are some people in here that probably could expound upon the Word of God better than me.
So, let us not become conceited.
Let us not think of ourselves more highly than we ought.
I'm just doing the best I can.
I make mistakes... I wanted to clear it up...
-- because I didn't want a whole generation thinking that the Statue of Liberty was in Washington.
Some terrorist moved it over to the New York bay...
--for a practical joke.
So, I had to say, "We all make mistakes."
"But let not my mistakes cause a disturbance in our fellowship."
"I didn't know that offends you. I'm sorry."
"I really didn't know that offends you."
"I will try not to... but if I do, would you forgive me?" "Come back and talk to me again."
"Don't get mad at me." "Come back and talk to me again."
"Let's not become conceited... provoking...
This girl was over here...
I didn't even know she was barefoot but...
This girl was playing keyboard a couple weeks ago...
--and she was barefoot... I didn't notice until I saw Christy's video.
Christy went over and shot the video of the guitar player...
...barefoot.
These feet... I didn't know it was a keyboard because she just went on the ground...
--these feet...
...barefoot!
Over here... the guy... don't know 'who' it was...
I just saw his feet...
--but he was over here somewhere...
...barefoot, with a suntan line from sandals. Sandals sitting right there...
--hairy legs... so I think it was a man...
--but these days, you don't know.
"Your grace is enough..."
"Your grace is enough..."
"Your grace is enough for me."
[Jon] One more time... All you've got... Sing it out...
"Your grace is enough..."
"Your grace is enough..."
"Your grace is enough for me."
The girl told me that...
--the whole reason she was barefoot...
I thought she was just being cool...
--because of her big brother...
You know, she always wants to be like her big brother:
"Gee... Jon's my hero..."
I thought: "OK... she's just being cool... like him."
He's being cool.
[little sister] "I'm gonna take my shoes off too."
But do you know what it really was?
It was a matter of practicality:
She had worn high heels to be with the ladies who were singing acapella... I think.
With her keyboard pedal, she couldn't function it with the heel.
So she took the shoes off.
Anybody take your shoes off when you're driving a car?
Now 'that' offends me.
Do you know that there are actually stores (like K-Mart, Target) and restaurants that might say:
"No Shoes... No Shirt... No Service"
You don't even have to pay a sign-maker...
Just go out and buy one of those:
No Shoes No Shirt No Service
Stick it on the front door at BellRoad...
Good idea, huh?
Do you know in a 'normal' Baptist Church somebody could just say,
"I'd like to make a motion: No shoes No shirt No service"
"Do I have a second?"
"Second."
"Let's vote on it... No need to discuss it."
"Passed. Unanimously."
C'mon, people. Let's not become conceited, provoking and envying one another.
My brother back here... He...
Do you know that Brandon Willette is not really one of those 'red tie-wearing' kinda guys?
He is not flamboyant.
Have you noticed that?
But he's a Deacon.
He took his sandals off while he was playing the guitar.
I think that at his age, 33, I think he would say,
"If that is gonna stumble my brother, I'll wear my sandals."
Are sandals OK? Yeah... keep the sandals on.
[Madelyn McAlister] "Jesus wore sandals."
"Jesus wore sandals." I heard a Senior just say that.
[reflectively] Yeah...
Do you know what's really offensive to our sensibilities?
When the preacher keeps us in church this long.
Do I have a motion to adjourn?
OK. So moved.
Here's the second... This is it. It's the last slide.
Are we going to be able to solve this problem with three Deacon couples?
The Heart of BellRoad The Mind of BellRoad The Strength of BellRoad
No, we're not going to be able to solve the problem.
But could this be a major season of growth ahead...?
When we say, "Today, it's just socks... Tomorrow it might be a matter of life and death."
I want to have a church that has been trained to spot legalism for what it is.
--and even to be able to say,
"I want to talk to you, Sister..." "I want to talk to you, Brother, about this..."
"...but I don't want to be legalistic about it."
"I just want to share my sensibilities... my feelings."
Can we grow up?
Instead of provoking one another...
LOVE each other?
JOY each other?
PEACE one another other?
PATIENT each other?
SUFFER with one another?
I'm ready.
Is it gonna be easy?
Not really.
Is it gonna be fun?
Yeah...
It's gonna be fun.
I don't like to view myself as a legalistic person...
I like to view myself as gracious, kind, gentle, patient, peaceful, loving, joyful...
--but, once in awhile... I get negative.
[We all do.]
So, I want to do the best I can to not be a negative force in your life.
I hope that when you come to church, even though I bring up some passages that rub you the wrong way...
--I want to be your friend.
If the red tie offends you...
--if it actually offends you, I can get rid of the red tie.
As long as these shoes... hmm...
I hope it doesn't offend you that I am over-dressed.
Apparently, I am.
I'm the only one here with a suit... and a white shirt.
Our time is well-spent.
I will ask our people who believe in the power of prayer...
--who are willing to avail themselves to pray for you...
--to come stand at the Altar.
If there is somebody here who has never asked Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior...
You've come to church because you want to learn more about Jesus...
I will stand down here at the front.
I would like you... if you feel comfortable... I'd like you to come up and tell me, "I'd like to know more about Jesus."
If there's an issue in your life you need prayer about...
--there are people here who believe in the power of prayer who will pray with you and share God's Word with you.
Brother, what song are you going to sing?
[Jon] "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms."
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms... Let's make it an 'Us' song.
[Jon] That's what I was planning to do.
Come to the Altar.
What a fellowship
What a joy divine
Leaning on the everlasting arms
What a blessedness
What a peace is ours
Leaning on the everlasting arms