The Times and the Seasons — Aaron Hurst

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What a joy to be in the house of the Lord today. God is so good. His mercies are new every morning. What a privilege to be in the house of the Lord on the day that belongs to the Lord with brothers and sisters of like precious faith.

I thought of the boat people this morning, Brother Paul, and was blessed by that message. We can all identify. Once I was lost, but hallelujah, now I'm found. Thank you, Jesus. I thought also of the depth of the riches.

A little chorus I had learned, oh, quite a way back. Oh, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable are his judgments and his ways as finding out. How many know that little chorus?

Oh, just a few. All right. I was blessed with the children's class this morning. Maybe it's our turn now, but I know some mothers with babies sitting in the back with their little ones. But I thought of it already, even before this morning's lesson.

Maybe we should just do that sometime. All the front row just goes to the back and all the back row just comes to the front. But now don't you all sit in the back next Sunday. It's a blessing to have the front rows filled for the preacher.

And you're not feeling like you're preaching to empty benches. Oh, it's a joy to be here. I'm just, oh, my heart's just full of blessings, reminiscence over the past years that we've been at Charity Christian Fellowship.

I was to share, according to schedule next Sunday, the last Sunday that we're all together before the new church plant. But due to some changes in schedule, I get to share today. I was just meditating this morning, just reflecting on the goodness of God upon my life.

And when I remember you all, I remember you with joy. You know, church multiplication, it's bittersweet. It's sweet in that the kingdom of God is going to be advanced in another place. We get to share in that.

We're humbled by that. Who are we? Who am I? But it's God. It's God who add us to the church. One waters, one plants. But it's God who give us the increase. And so it's to God be the glory. Hallelujah.

The Times and Seasons and the Lord's Return

So I'd like to share a message this morning to the new church and the old. Open your Bibles with me to 1 Thessalonians 5. 1 Thessalonians 5, beginning in verse 1. For those who conveniently can stand, let's stand at the reading of the Holy Word of God.

But of the times and seasons, brethren, you have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a woman with child.

And they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light and the children of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.

Therefore, let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep, sleep in the night. And they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for an helmet the hope of salvation.

For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. Wherefore, comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you. And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake, and be at peace among yourselves.

Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly. Comfort the feeble-minded. Support the weak. Be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for evil unto any man. But ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves and to all men.

Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the spirit. Despise not prophesying. Prove all things. Hold fast that which is good.

Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly. And I pray God, your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. Brethren, pray for us. Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss. I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Amen. Let's pray. Father in heaven, we bow before you, Lord. We acknowledge, Father, that all that we are and who we are, we owe it all to you, Lord. Father, we acknowledge that you created man in your image.

You created man to have fellowship with God. You created man in your likeness. We acknowledge also, Lord, that then sin entered into the world. And that fellowship was broken. And death passed upon all men.

But, Father, we also acknowledge, Lord, that Jesus Christ came and he took upon himself our sins. He that knew no sin was made to be sin for us. That we might be made the righteousness of God. Oh, Father, we thank you for that this morning, Lord.

No other argument, no other plea, but that thy blood was shed for me. Father, this morning we do ask in Jesus' name, Lord, that you would visit us in this next hour here together. Oh, God, have mercy upon me, your servant, Lord.

Touch these lips, Father. For, Father, accept you by your Spirit. Anoint your word, Lord. Very little would be accomplished. But thy word is truth. So, Father, we thank you that we preach not ourselves, but we preach the word of God.

And Jesus Christ, crucified and resurrected and coming again. Oh, God, do settle down upon this place this morning. Thank you that you're here. Thank you, Father, for what you have done already here today, Lord.

And, Father, now we pray that you would take your seat upon the throne of our hearts. Give us ears to hear and hearts to receive, hearts that are open to learn of Jesus, to be made like thee. Stamp thy image deep upon our hearts, we pray in Jesus' name.

Amen. You may be seated. The times and the seasons. He said, I have no need to write unto you, for yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. This was written nearly two thousand years ago.

And as we look at the times and the seasons, we were discussing the other day together how that the early Christians, as they were living down in the catacombs and were chased and hunted like sheep for the slaughter, they thought, surely the Lord is coming at any moment.

But we know the Scriptures say that he that shall come will come and shall not tarry. The day of the Lord will come. There are scoffers who say, well, when will he come? Everything just continues on. But we know that the Lord Jesus, the same as he ascended up into heaven again, shall in like manner come again.

He that shall come will come. The manner in which he will come, he says, ye know that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. And we find this recorded in many different places in Scripture of the Lord's return.

The Promise and Judgment of the Day of the Lord

It tells us over in 2 Peter that the Lord is not slack concerning his promise to usward, as some men count slackness, meaning that God is not slack to fulfill his promise. Whatever the Lord has spoken shall come to pass.

But the Lord is long-suffering to usward. He's not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Then he says, but the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night. He says those same words again.

The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night. And then he says in which the heavens, they shall pass away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. The works of the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

And then he says, now you, seeing that all of these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation in godliness, looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God that we as God's people would be looking for with expectation the return of the Lord Jesus Christ, looking for his coming and hastening the day of God in which Jesus shall return.

I'm not sure what all's tucked in those verses, but I believe the people of God should be living in expectancy of the Lord Jesus Christ's return. And when we live in the expectancy of his return and of his imminent return at any time, it will have a sanctifying effect in our hearts because the Lord Jesus may come today before I finish this sermon.

He can do that. No man knows the day nor the hour. The Father holds all these things in his own hand. Are we looking for? Are we watching? In Revelation, he tells us in the church of Sardis, in Revelation 3, he says these things, he that hath the seven spirits of God and the seven stars, I know thy works.

Thou hast the name that thou livest and art dead. Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die, for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember, therefore, how thou hast received and heard and hold fast and repent.

If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief and thou shalt not know the hour, what hour I will come upon thee. Speaking to the church, speaking to the church that has a form as if she were a living and alive, but is dead.

Yet he does say that be watchful and strengthen the things that remain. So apparently there was a few there who still had some God in them and were still looking for Jesus' return and were watching and waiting.

But there were those by a large number who were not watchful and they were not looking for his return and hastening unto the day of God. And so he says, repent. If therefore thou wilt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief.

Now here in Thessalonians it says, but ye, ye children of the light, ye are not in darkness and that day should overtake you as a thief, but to the lukewarm and the backslidden, worldly-minded, carnal church.

God says in Revelation, I will come on you as a thief. Because you are not watching, you are not looking and hastening unto the day of God. Strong warnings to us. Therefore, if thou wilt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief.

Watching for Christ's Coming

Jesus, when he was asked at when shall these things be, what shall be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the world? In Luke 12 he said, verse 35, let your loins be dirtied about and your lights burning.

And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord. For when he shall return from the wedding, that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching.

Verily I say unto you that he shall gird himself and make them to sit down to meet and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch or the third watch and find them so, blessed are those servants.

Are we in the second watch? Are we in the third watch? Is it 1155? Is it 1159? And the midnight cry is about to sound? And the trump of God will sound? And the Lord will return with his angels, a multitude of heavenly hosts in flaming fire.

It will be something like the world has never seen. And every eye shall see him. Watch. Oh, blessed are those servants whom when the Lord returns he finds them watching. And we live in a world that is contrary to the Christians watching.

The world is flashing up all of their billboards and all of their advertisements and all of their allurements. Come and watch this. Come and enjoy this. Come and feast on this. Enjoy life. Live it up.

Eat, drink, be merry. Have a good time. And forget that the Lord is coming. Are you ready? Know this, Jesus said, that if the good man of the house had known what hour the thief would come he would have watched and not have suffered his house to be broken through.

Be ye therefore ready also for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when ye think not. And then Jesus gives us these words in Revelation chapter 16 verse 15. Behold I come as a thief. When does a thief come?

He comes at an hour when men look not for the thief. They are not expecting him. Oh, then Jesus says these beautiful words. Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments. Why? Lest he be found unprepared and he walk naked.

Spiritually destitute. And everybody will see his shame. Self-righteous rags will not do. Pretended righteousness will not do. A little bit of sewing together of fig leaves will not do. It takes the sacrifice of the blood of the Lamb applied to your heart and life and mind.

Warnings Against False Peace and Religious Compromise

When they shall say, peace and safety. We're getting a Palestinian state established. Israel and the Palestinians are going to dwell together in peace. We have peace in the Mideast. The Cold War is past.

The superpowers of the nations are aligning in peace. So they say. The churches. Watch it. The churches. We are going to lay down our differences and we are uniting for the sake of peace. Catholics. And Muslims.

We worship the same God. Protestants. Making league with the Catholics. Making peace. We will dwell together in peace. Toleration. And we accept each other. Oh. But if you don't accept our toleration of one another.

And you say there's only one way to God. And it's Jesus Christ and him alone. Oh. Toleration. Will there be toleration in the end? I don't think so. Those. Who steadfastly. Through patience. Endurance.

Hold fast to the head of the Lord Jesus Christ and him alone and him only. With nothing added. And nothing taken away. The day will come that they. That till you think they do God's service. Because you are hindering this process.

Of this world peace. The one true church. The world church. We were discussing that just a little the other day. It was interesting you know to sort of note how maybe these things are going to shape up.

It's toleration. You don't have to. You don't have to become a Catholic. You can be Muslim too. Because there's such a large number. We can't get them all converted over to Catholicism. So we'll just accept them as they are.

And bring them along. And now we unite. My dear brethren. The times and the seasons. What do you see as you look around. Of the signs of the times. Jesus said when you see the fig tree. Budding. And you see these different things begin to come to pass.

Know that it is nigh. Even at the door. When they shall say peace and safety. Then sudden destruction cometh upon them. As travail upon a woman with child. And they shall not. Escape. No matter how clever.

No matter how much money in the bank. No matter how many societies. And how many. What level of Mason you are. And how you can just slip money under the table. And drive your way through. You're not going to escape this one.

They shall not escape. There is only one way of escape. And that's through the cross. Of our Lord Jesus Christ. But we may die for our faith. This body may die. Jesus said don't be afraid of those that kill the body.

But can't touch the soul. But I'm burdened this morning. I'm concerned. You know. Realizing in my own heart the need. Of watchfulness. Watchfulness. Let us not sleep. As to others. What is he talking about?

Spiritual Watchfulness and the Dangers of Slumber

You mean you can't sleep? Get pretty tired pretty quick. He's not talking about taking sleep. For the rest of the body. But I believe he's talking about. A spiritual slumber. That comes upon. The people of God.

And they slumber. And they sleep. And they yield to sloth. To ease. And enjoyment of life. And just relax. And just settle down. And just be quiet. Don't make so much fuss. Just be quiet. Calm. Just be still.

But I'm glad there's those that will not be still. They will not hold their peace till Zion. And be made a praise upon the earth. And the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is preached. And holiness and sanctification is preached.

And there's a people. That have not yet turned their ears away. And are not yet so lulled to sleep. By the teachers and having itching ears. But that they want to hear. And they'll hear the sound of the trumpet.

And they'll respond. Oh I'm so grateful to God for that. But what about us? What about me? Is there areas I need to be awakened up in. That I've somehow slipped into a slumber. And a sleep.

And a slothfulness. And an indifference. Let us watch. He says.

Let us not sleep as you others. But let us watch. And be sober. Oh. I don't like this sober business. Come on. Let's just laugh and have fun. Or maybe if we knew what was around the corner. We might be sobered up.

But would to God we get sober now. And watch for now. Before. Trials and tribulation come upon this earth. Such has never been seen. And Jesus says. Those days I will shorten them for the elect's sake.

Now maybe you believe you're going to be raptured out. And you're not going to suffer anything. But I can't assure you that this morning. I believe that the people of God. Are going to face some trials and sufferings.

But they will not experience the wrath of God. As it says here. You are not appointed to wrath. God will not pour his wrath against ungodly sinners. On his own people. But I believe the people of God.

Will suffer. In the last days. The Bible says in Revelation. Some of you he will cause to be put to death. And some of you to be put in prison. And some of you will suffer. For my name's sake. But hallelujah he that endures unto the end.

Shall be saved. Shall be ransomed. And shall never. Watch. Be vigilant. Keep awake. It has a metaphoric meaning of. Give strict attention. Give strict attention. How do you give attention. When the lion is near.

How do you give attention. When this old serpent is near. About to bite. As you're walking on that trail through the woods. And there's serpents in the woods. How do you give attention. Do you just go merrily on your way.

Let your children just run off. And play. When the lion is near. And the cougar is near. Some people live in those areas still today. Have to watch your children. Because we live in a remote area. And the cougar is about the house.

And there's rattlesnakes. And copperheads. Be vigilant. Watch. Be sober. Same word. Sober is in the Greek. That is used here in Thessalonians. Appears again. In 1st Peter 5. And it tells us there. Be sober.

Be vigilant. Because your adversary the devil. As a roaring lion walketh about. Seeking whom he may devour. I think sometimes the way the Christian people live. As though there were no devil. And no world with demons filled.

But it's actually just. We're living in the millennium. And it's heaven on earth. And just have a good time. And enjoy things of life. God gave us all these things to enjoy. Just enjoy them and live it up.

But we're not in heaven yet. Brothers and sisters. The day will come when we can be blessed. And at rest and at peace. And no more devil. No more demons. Not yet. The devil still walks about as a roaring lion.

He's your adversary. And he's seeking whom he may devour. Oh but. Whom resists steadfast in the faith. Resist the devil and he will. Flee from you. Yeah resist the devil. Steadfast in the faith. Knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished.

In your brethren that are in the world. Withstand the devil. Stand against his own sets of. Of his. Vials. All the vials of the devil that he has. Be rooted. Grounded. Strong immovable. Knowing. That the same identical sufferings and temptations.

Are appointed to your brotherhood. The whole body. Of Christians throughout the world. Reading from the paraphrase of the Amplified. There. You know sometimes we think we're alone in this. Nobody else.

Is facing these struggles. Nobody else is facing these temptations. But know that the whole. Brotherhood. Of the body of Christ throughout the world. Had faced similar temptations and similar testings.

Know also this that the Lord Jesus Christ. Took on flesh and blood just like we. And was tempted in all points like we. Yet without sin. And because he overcame. And because he reigns victorious. We also shall overcome in him.

Sobriety, Holiness, and the Christian's Spiritual Armor

You know I just like to. Expand a little bit more on the word sober. Sober. Meaning to be well balanced. To be temperate. It's not walking around with a long face all day. It's not walking around looking sad.

But it's walking around with your eyes open. Spiritually speaking. And being well balanced. Taking all truth of the scripture. And balancing truth with truth. And being rooted and grounded in the word of God.

And being temperate. Having our own flesh under the control of the Holy Ghost. Be sober. In how you think. Verse 8. Of 1 Thessalonians 5. Let us who are of the day. Be sober. He says it again. In verse 6 and verse 8.

I think he's trying to get our attention. Isn't humanity given to light heartedness? Am I not in my own nature. Given to just sort of light hearted. Not taking things as seriously as I ought. Being near sighted.

Seeing the things that are here. Now. Near sighted. Instead of seeing that city. Which has foundations. Whose builder and maker is God. And my eyes set upon that city. And upon the eternal principles and word of God.

That will never change. You know it won't change. Like brother Paul said this morning. We will prove God's word true. Either by embracing the promises. And making them mine. And proving that God saves sinners.

And He takes the vilest. And cleanses them. And saves them. And gives them a new life. And gives them victory over sin. And takes them home to glory with Him. Or proving true that the wages of sin is death.

And every soul that sinneth shall die. It's true. You'll prove God true. You won't outwit God. And you won't escape His judgment. Let us be sober. Putting on the breastplate of faith. And of love. And for in Helmut the hope of salvation.

Yeah, not just sober. He gives us some armor. To gird the Christian. Putting on the breastplate of faith and love. The breastplate in Helmut. What they are to the soldier. In protecting his heart. From the darts of the enemy.

And his head. That's what they are to the Christian. To us. To protect us from the fiery darts of the enemy. Faith is the victory that overcometh the world. Love covers a multitude of sins. Love is stronger than death.

It's the most powerful testimony the world will ever see. When the people of God love one another. With a pure heart fervently. And they are astounded. They are amazed at it. But we shouldn't be surprised.

Jesus said it would be that way. The world will know. You are mine. And you are my disciples if you have love. One for another. Verse 9. God has not appointed us to wrath. No, God has not appointed us to incur His wrath.

As His children. But rather to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. Who died for us. That whether we wake or sleep. We should live together with Him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together. And edify one another.

Even as also ye do. Beautiful. Verse 12 and 13. Speak to us. In our relationship with. Those who labor. In the word. And admonish. Also in. Hebrews it speaks to us. Says that. Those that watch over. The souls of men.

Must give an account. I just reflected back over my years. Here. I have to say Lord. Why. Why is there some. That it seems. I or we haven't been able to help. To a better place. And I'm looking at myself.

I'm not looking at you. Lord. Have I not taken it. Seriously enough. Have I not taken the charge. Seriously enough before God. Labored. And travailed. Till Christ be formed. In each one. Why are there those.

That are not yet saved. Sitting here for a long time. And Lord I must give account. I don't know what all that means. I don't know where. For sure where. The responsibility starts. Of the. Elders. And the personal.

Responsibility of. The individual. But oh God. That I could be free. From the blood of all men. That I have not shunned. To declare. The whole counsel of God. And. Have not been weak in faith. In believing what God wants to do in.

The lives of those. Who he bled and died for. That there would be. Victory. Be salvation. I thank God this morning. For this body here. For this congregation. I have not felt anything. But esteem and love.

From you. And I thank you for that. I am not. Admonishing you on that. This morning at all. I am so unworthy to be here. I just thank God. For you all. And when I think of you all in my prayers. It brings joy to my heart.

But then I do think of those. Who are yet struggling with bondages. And sins. And it makes me examine my own heart. To those of you. Who are going to the new fellowship. I thank God. For you. Bless God for you.

I am. Grateful to God. For what you have contributed to the body of Christ. Here at charity Christian fellowship. And I know all of us that are staying here. We can say you are going to be missed. But we believe it best.

For the kingdom of God's sake. That there be a multiplication. That there be an advancement. For the gospel sake. That we would go out. Into other places. And so I bless you in that. We love you. You have our support and prayers.

Go. In the name of the Lord Jesus. And the Lord strengthen thee. And fulfill. His calling. And His purposes. In your heart and life. Those of you that are going to other states. Other places. Oh may this church.

Always have a vision. Of sending people out. Well we are not done yet. We now go on to some real. Meat of the message this morning. Some real practical things. 1 Thessalonians 5 verse 14. Now we exhort you brethren.

Admonishing the Unruly According to Scripture

We exhort you brethren. In verse 27 he says. That I charge you by the Lord. That this epistle be read. Unto all the holy brethren. Now I exhort you. Brethren. Holy brethren. And that word exhort. Is an earnest appeal.

Or an earnest beseeching. And he says. I exhort you brethren. He is not speaking. To the elders. As separately from the brethren. But I believe the elders are included. But brethren. We are all brethren.

Hallelujah. Hallelujah. You know. Brethren. The ground is level. At the foot of the cross. We are all brethren. Now he is going to give some very specific clear direction. Warn them. That are unruly. Warn them that are unruly.

And that word unruly. In the Greek. Appears again. In 2 Thessalonians. But this time. In 2 Thessalonians. It says. Now we command you brethren. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. That you withdraw yourselves from every brother.

That walketh disorderly. And not after the tradition. Which he received of us. I really. As I meditated on this. And considered this. In 1 Thessalonians. The same Greek word. Is used. And translated in the English.

To unruly. Warn them that are unruly. He is saying in 1 Thessalonians. Those that are unruly or disorderly. Warn them. And the word warn means. To admonish. To put in mind. To bring this to their mind.

To warn them. And to caution. Or reprove gently. And those I get from. Strongs and from fairs. If you want to look them up. Those definitions of the meaning. Come from strong and fairs. And it's such a blessing to my heart.

That he's saying. A brother. That is unruly. Is to be warned. Meaning to be admonished. To be put in mind. And to be reproved. Gently. What is unruly. Or disorderly. And disorderly. I didn't take the time to study it up.

As deeply as I should have. The. Amplified paraphrase says. Those who are out of line. And if we look back in 2 Thessalonians. It's speaking those who will not work. So here it says also loafers. And disorderly.

So I believe the appeal. Coming to us from 1 Thessalonians is. That those are disorderly. Or unruly. We are to warn. We are to admonish. We're to put in mind. We're to make an appeal. And we're to gently reprove.

Now who knows just where. You would pick up on 2 Thessalonians. At what point. But I don't believe we should go to 2 Thessalonians. Before we fulfilled 1 Thessalonians. Are you following me? First we warn.

And gently reprove. And bring to mind. The unruliness. Or the disorderliness of conduct. We bring it to mind. And we warn. And we gently reprove. Then 2 Thessalonians says. Seeming to me. As now he's writing to them again.

And if this unruliness. Or disorderliness. Is a state in which a person persists. And will not hear the gentle reproof. And the gentle warning and admonition. Now he says. It's time for further. Discipline.

Now you withdraw yourself. From every brother that walketh disorderly. But let's not hasten too quickly. To 2 Thessalonians. If we haven't fulfilled 1 Thessalonians. And this is written to the brethren.

But I'm not trying to excuse the elders in the ministry. The elders have a charge of overseeing and responsibility. But I believe that if we as brethren will fulfill. These scriptures. The Lord will use these methods.

Because they're his word. It's how he has ordained it. And I believe that we will see a better fruit and result. If we will follow the word of God. Then he goes on. And he says. Comfort the feeble minded.

Comforting the Fainthearted and Supporting the Weak

Comfort the feeble minded. And when I think of feeble minded. I did some study on that word. Comfort the feeble minded. The timid. The faint hearted. Comfort the feeble minded. Those that are timid and faint hearted.

Comfort. What does comfort mean? It means to relate. Near to. To encourage. I see the picture. Word picture of coming alongside. As the word picture of comfort. When you come alongside. And you draw near to a person.

Who is timid. He's faint hearted. Maybe experienced a severe trial. And his hands are hanging down a bit. And his knees a bit feeble. And he needs encouragement. He needs comfort. So alongside comes a brother.

Or a sister. It all applies to sisters as well. He says to the brethren. But it's also to the sisters. You come alongside and you comfort. And as I thought of that I thought. Build relationships. Come alongside that person.

Draw near. Build relationship with that person. And comfort. And encourage the faint hearted. And the timid. And then he goes on and says. Support the weak. Support the weak. Very similar. But a little bit different here.

Here he says. Support the weak. It's not been strong and fair. It's weak or weaker. Or more feeble. Or one without strength. Comfort the weak. And support the weak. I believe you could use the word comfort.

And support interchangeably. Without doing any violence to scripture. But the word support. Is to hold. One's self opposite to. By extension to care for. So I'd like to just illustrate this this morning.

Can I have a brother come up here? Real quick. Volunteer. I need a brother to help me. Brother Philip. So to support the weak. You come next to him. And you support. Everybody knows what support is right?

Support means to bear up. And to hold up. So brother Philip as I'm getting tired. And weary. You know you support. Now I want another brother. Quickly one more brother. Now. If I'm really weak. And I'm really going down.

And you have two brothers. To support. And hold you up. Isn't that a blessing? Isn't that a beautiful word picture? Where we come alongside. And we comfort. And we support. And we hold up our brother.

Who is weaker. That's what it's all about in the army. You don't let your. Weak. Comrade. Lie there. Who can't run anymore. Because he's been wounded in battle. You see that picture. Of a soldier on either side.

Bringing that one along. In the middle. Holding him up. Supporting him. Oh that the church of Jesus Christ. That we would get this thing in our hearts. Into practical everyday living and application. It's easy for me to preach it this morning.

But to do it. You know. I think sometimes we get it all backwards. We support those we shouldn't support. But we don't support the weak. And the feeble. Rather we look at them and say. I'm not sure they're going to make it.

Maybe even say it to someone else. Lord forgive us. Have mercy on us. Say well they'll never achieve anything great for God. You know I think we should be very careful. How we throw those words around.

Oh he's done great things for God. Oh you never saw a man of God like that. Oh he's such a man of God. And everybody else. Sits back and draws a little farther into their corner. A little more timid. Because I can never be that.