Sunday Morning Sermon Service - Brother Jeremiah Shipley (Date: 02/14/2021)

We also have to wake up. We have to call the non-believers to wake up, but us and our spiritual life have to wake up to what God has for us to do here today.

We got something going on on the 21st, don't we? You mean March 21st?

Yes, I do. Oh, are you talking about the Spring Break Block Party?

I am. Where on earth am I going?

You're going to be at Witton Baptist Church, which is 6773 Macon Road. It's right on the corner of Witton and Macon, across from the Walgreens. We're going to have free hot dogs. I like free. Popcorn, snow cone machine, and cotton candy.

Also, it's not just food. We're also going to have games. All games. So, you know, little hoops, and we've got some other games going on. The first 100 families to come to our Spring Break Block Party on March 21st from 4 to 7 p .m. will receive a free gift bag, and that's actually what I was just working on right now.

Do we have a slide? We do have a slide. Should I post it right now? Yes, post the slide right now.

Three Steps: Exposing Lies, Waking Up, and Walking in the Light

Three steps that we want to talk about today. The first is we're going to talk about exposing. The second is we're going to talk about waking up. And the third is we're going to talk about walking in life, walking as children of the light.

If you are a believer today, this is going to be one of two things. This is going to be a sermon of repentance or a sermon for you to wake up and start having some real sanctification in your life. If you are not a believer today, well then, this is a call for you to change that.

Because this is on you to repent, and your pride and stubbornness is what's holding you back and nothing else. First thing we're going to talk about is exposing. We have to expose. We have to expose three things.

Exposing Lies and Self-Deception

The first, we have to expose our lives. We cannot live in lies. We cannot do that. Verse 6, it says, let no one deceive you. Let nothing, let no one deceive you. The first and easiest person to deceive you is yourself.

Jeremiah 17, we have a wicked, wicked heart that is desperately evil. It's desperately evil. It seeks wickedness. It seeks sin. Which is why when a pastor says, don't trust your feelings, don't trust your heart, because it is actively seeking the self-gratification of sin.

The instant gratification of sin. That's why sin and that's why feelings are so dangerous, because it gives you what your heart's desire is, instant gratification. We don't want to wait. We want the gratification and the pleasure now.

That's what sin offers you or promises you, though it falls short so often. The second thing that we have to understand about exposing lies is found in 2 Corinthians. It says, we destroy, destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God.

Take every thought captive to obey Christ. A couple of things here. One, that's war language. War language. It says to destroy. That is an active, fighting term there. It's not a passive thing. And that's one thing that we have to start changing our mindset is we are very passive about things.

We'll just trust God and everything will work out. Yeah, true, but God, our trusting God is a requirement for action. It tells us, destroy these arguments, lofty opinions. Evolution is a theory, not a proven one.

We have to destroy these lofty opinions. Why? So that we are able to take every thought captive. So that we are able to obey Christ properly. And when you do not do that, you are living and sinning in a cesspool of lies.

And trying to obey God and living in a cesspool of lies is dang near impossible. It's not going to happen. Here's the second thing we have to expose. So the first thing we have to expose, we have to expose lies.

We cannot live in lies and walk in lies. The second thing we have to expose, we have to expose wolves in sheep's clothing and those who claim Christ but do not have him in his heart. Have to expose that.

Now that does not mean that that is a mean, angry, harsh thing to do. That right there, exposing someone's false and fake faith is one of the most loving, kind things you can do for somebody. Let me preface this by saying this though.

If you go to try and do that, and you have any bit of selfishness, pride, I told you so, I told you this wasn't going to be a good idea, any of that, keep your mouth shut. If your sole motivation in your heart is not restoration, is not reconciliation, is not healing, keep your mouth shut.

Keep it to yourself because all you're going to do is sin trying to fix someone else's sin. All you're going to do is try and take out that speck in someone else's eye when you're so blind that you've got a plank in yours.

And don't miss the metaphor there in Matthew 7. Take the plank out of yours so that you can take the speck out of theirs. But when you're so blind by your own sin, you try to do eye surgery, you're only going to hurt the other person.

You will do nothing but hurt the other person trying to do eye surgery blind. You have to take your own hypocrisy and pride, put it to the side so that you can properly help your brother and sister. It's not just for you to keep your mouth shut forever.

It's so that you can do it properly in a godly, humble manner. The first requirement for reconciliation is humility. There is no such thing as reconciliation without humility. It doesn't exist. It doesn't exist.

So we have to expose. We have to expose lies first. We have to expose the wolves in sheep's clothing and the ingenuineness of people's faith. Which is a loving, kind thing to do. And it's not something you do in anger or I told you so.

Exposing Hidden Sin and Secrecy

The third thing we need to do in exposing is we need to expose the skeletons in the closet. When you read here in verses 11, 12, and 13, it says, That which is invisible, let the light shine. For you once were in darkness, but now everything is made visible.

Let me tell you this. Satan does his best work in secrecy. He does his best work in secrecy. When you leave skeletons in the closet, stay with me on my metaphor here. When you leave skeletons in the closet, you allow a few things to happen.

You allow secrecy. You allow great temptation. And you allow fiery darts to come in. You're setting up a huge bullseye target on your back when you leave skeletons in the closet. Because all you can do is now I have the opportunity to go walk back in that closet and touch those skeletons.

And no one will know. And you say, well I'm done with that. I'm going to do better. I'm not quitting. Okay. But it's still secret. That's like trying to stop smoking while you still have a couple of dimes in your house.

That's why you're going to try and quit watching, but you still have the browser up on your phone. It's not going to happen. It's not going to happen. It's just not. You're having feelings for another man or another woman.

And you're just going to keep that secret. You're not going to confess that to anybody. You're not going to get accountability in that. You're just going to keep that to yourself. Satan does his best work in secrecy.

And if you want to keep that to yourself and keep that hidden, watch out. Because you're about to step right into a big hole that you never saw coming. I don't know how this happened, bro. Well, okay.

Your desire to keep an image and to keep a certain level of status so that people don't talk bad about you is going to lead you to a hole you cannot climb out of. It will lead you to a hole you cannot climb out of.

Hear me now. Expose. Take the skeletons out of the closet. Put them in the light for everyone to see. And when you do that, you can't touch them anymore without someone hopping on your butt. You can't touch them.

Everyone sees it. Everyone knows it's there. And now it's not there for you.

They're not there for other people to come behind and talk about. They're not there for a fiery guard to come in when you didn't see them. None of that. Because they're visible now. And now you can have actual proper accountability.

Three things we have to expose. Lies. Like, you don't need to tell people that. Just keep that to yourself. We have to expose lies, ingenuine-ness, and wolves in sheep's clothing. We have to expose the own skeletons in our own closets.

That's what we've got to expose. That's step one. Step number two, we've got to wake up. We have to wake up. What does that mean? It means one of two things here, okay? One, for the non-believer. I truly believe this is a double meaning, by the way.

This is not just for lost people. We'll get to that in a second. If you are not saved in here, this is a call to salvation. It's a call to salvation. Wake up. Arise from the dead. And Christ will shine on you.

By the way, that's a quote from Isaiah chapter 60, where it says Yahweh will shine on you. No doubt. Yahweh will shine on you. It's the exact same as Christ shining on you. Because there is no difference there.

Rise from the dead. And Christ will shine on you. You can only rise from the dead by stepping out of your lies. By stepping out of your own closet. Stepping out of your own skeletons. Come to salvation today.

Urgency, Contentment, and Obedience for Believers

Now let's get to you believers though. Because this is the important part I want to talk about. Urgency. Urgency is a word we do not have a proper understanding of. And we don't like. Someone told me about a month ago.

We need to have more urgency. And I thought to myself. We don't understand that when scripture says to wake up. That is not just a call to the lost. That is a call to believers. To quit living in your life of satisfaction.

Don't live where you are at. But live for the future. Live for what God has for you. Don't live for the past. Live for the future. Content. That is the word I was looking for. We are content in where we are at.

God says quit being content. Stop. I have something better for you. I have something more for you. I have something greater for you. But your content for your present state. Is what is holding back my blessings.

That is what is holding back my blessings. See God cannot bless you in disobedience. Now I'm not going over here to prosperity. And say you just do this, this, and this. But on the opposite hand. He cannot bless you in disobedience.

He is a good father. If Ava disobeyed. And Josiah rewarded that. That would be a bad parent. That would be a bad father. And God is not a bad parent. So you living in disobedience. Requires God to hold you.

You cannot. God where are you? Why won't you help me? Maybe because you are prideful, stubborn, arrogant. It won't allow Him to. It won't allow Him to bless you. Because you are being stubborn, arrogant, prideful.

Out of your lives. Oh well this is where God. Our pastors for weeks now. Have been challenging us. Evangelism. Well you know. I don't know what to say. Urgency. It's not up for you to think about the right timing.

That's not your option. It's not a situation. You have people in your life. Who love you, respect you. And want to hear what you have to say. And you won't tell them about the gospel. That's not okay.

It's not okay. We don't have an urgency about this. We don't have an urgency in our Christian life. That we're just okay sitting where we are. We're okay. We are too worried about being the weird guy.

We're too worried about being the strange one of the group. The strange one in the lunch room. The religious one. We don't want the gospel and the whispering. Or what they used to say and talk like this.

We're too worried about that. We don't have the urgency in our lives. To go to people and say. I love you. But you have to get your crap together. You are not living for God. And if you don't. It's not going to be good.

That level of seriousness. That level of urgency. Take the religious bull crap. Or how it's supposed to be. Put that over there. God has a message for you. You're not listening. You're not listening. You need to hear what God has to say for you.

Repent. For the kingdom of God is near. How many of you have found time. To pray with your spouse? Pastor Josiah. Just challenged you with that. Oh, well I'm not married. What did he do? You think it doesn't apply to you just because you're not married?

What about your children? When was the last time you sat down with your children? What about you? Here's a litmus test. Here's a litmus test. To see what your friendships are built off of. Ask your friends to pray.

And see how weird and awkward it gets. Ask your friends to pray together. And see how weird and awkward it gets. And when it gets real awkward. You know exactly. That ain't built on Christ. That ain't built on Christ.

If you don't sit there. And on a weekly. Daily basis. Talk to your friends about scripture. And prayer. I don't care if they're a Christian or not. If you don't talk to them about scripture and prayer.

That is not a godly friendship. It's just not. It's just not. I got friends that. I don't know if we can talk. In scripture or theology or prayer. Or what's going on in the church. I don't know if it's possible for that not to come up.

I really. I just don't know if it's feasible. Because it is a friendship. Built on the scripture. It is a friendship built on God. If it wasn't for God. We wouldn't be friends. We just wouldn't. He's a dork.

I mean it just wouldn't happen. Ephesians 5 verse 16. Making the most time. In the days of evil. If that does not scream urgency. I don't know what will. Make the most time for the days of evil. Don't wait.

Until you get married. Don't wait until you and her. Can get a house. Or don't wait until after we have kids. Or don't. Because I'll have more time than that. Everybody has 24 hours in a day. You got 24 hours.

I got 24 hours. They got 24 hours. We all got the same amount of time. It's what are you prioritizing that time for? No one has any more than 24 hours. No one has any less than 24 hours. The question is.

Where do your priorities lie? I hang up when I don't have time. No you do have the same amount of time I do. You're just prioritizing something different. I don't have to ask you. What your priorities are.

I already know. Because I know what you do every day. There you go. There's your priorities. Nobody has any more or less time. It's just about where your heart is. Understand this guys. Yes it is hard.

Yes it is a fight. Yes it is difficult. But this is a worthy fight. This is a worthy battle. The urgency is not easy to maintain. We get tired. You know. Something about temptation. Sometimes rest can be a temptation.

Sometimes rest can be a temptation. Because it's easier to sit down and not do anything. Than to get up and go work. It's easier. And less difficult. To just go home and relax. Because I worked 10 hours today.

I worked 7 to 7. I worked 12. So me praying with my kids. Or my girlfriend. Or my spouse. Well that's just too difficult. I'm too tired. Your rest. Your idea of rest. Is a temptation. For you to be a lazy mother.

Wife. Father. Husband. Friend. Brother. Sister. That rest. Is a temptation. That we fall to. Because all it really is. Is a self priority. And we are prioritizing. Self. This battle. And fight. The fight for urgency.

That's a whole sermon right there. The fight for urgency. That is a worthy battle. And yes. You will. In that battle come out. Beaten and bruised and scarred. And scratched and cut. And shot. But you will be in a long line.

Of fathers and sisters of the faith. Who have been the same thing. When you have a level. Of urgency. Like our forefathers. You do them. And you do Christ. And you do Christ more importantly. Much more.

When we lose a sense of urgency. When we lose a sense of accountability. That is when. The wolf in sheep's clothing. Takes over. That is when. Someone starts putting in clothes. Or a veil over your eyes.

And you don't even realize it. And you think you see clearly. But you just see what others want you to see. It is a worthy battle. So we have to expose. We have to expose lies. We have to. Expose. Our own skeletons.

And we have to expose. The ingenuineness of people's faith. In a loving and kind way. We also have to wake up. We have to call the non-believers to wake up. But us in our spiritual life. Have to wake up.

To what God has for us to do. Here today. And we have to have urgency in that. Here is the third thing we have to do. We have to expose. We have to wake up. We have to walk in the light. We have to walk in the light.

Walking as Children of Light with Truth and Accountability

We cannot continue to walk in the darkness. We cannot continue to walk in lies. We cannot continue to walk in apathy. We cannot do that. Waking up. And having a sense of urgency. Requires us. To walk with a sense of urgency.

And that is a day to day thing. And it is time. Take a day off from vacation. Rest. And get back up and keep going. We cannot afford. To allow ourselves. To get apathetic. This is a long haul. When Paul gets the example.

Of the runner. He is not giving the example of a sprinter. But rather of a marathon runner. We are not in this. For a 6 month, 12 month, 18 month thing. This is a life long choice. Before you accept Jesus.

Understand what you are talking to. Understand what you are agreeing to. This is the next 80 years of your life. Devoted. With abandon. What you want to go do. What job you want to make. I want to make this kind of money.

Maybe God said. I don't want you to make that much money. Maybe God said that is cool. But there is a ministry that requires you. Not to make that much money. Are you good with that? I don't know man.

I kind of want to devote. Tough. Tough. Are you devoted or not? So before you say yes. To Jesus. Understand what that may require. Now it may not. But it may. I don't know. That is a big man's choice.

Not mine. And you are signing a blank check. Is what you are doing. You are committing yourself to God. And he gets to determine. What that means. Now scripture gives you a little insight. Of what that means.

But for your specific life. Who knows. But that is the commitment of the Christian life. Which is why. Some of you in here don't want to do that. You just don't. Because you want to go do what you want to do.

When you want to do it. I mean. I have multiple people. Not like a lot. But like 2 or 3. When you need me. Let me know. I am here. Are you ready to get your life back with Christ? Okay. They know the gospel.

They can repeat the gospel back to me. Hey. Are you ready to get your stuff together? Alright. It is that clear to understand. Because some people just don't. Want to submit. Now here is the problem. Some of you Christians are doing the same thing.

That is the problem. Some of you Christians. Gave your life to Christ. And are trying to take that back. You are trying to. Hey. Let's renegotiate the contract here God. I know I said I will give you my whole life.

And submit everything to you. But I didn't necessarily mean. This, this and this. Well when I wrote that. I didn't redefine the trend. When I said everything. Some of you are doing something else. Some of you are saying.

Hey God I know you took all my sin. And laid off me. But I am not done with that sin. I want that back. I know all the chains. That have weighed me down my whole life. You took off and threw me to the ground.

But I am not done. I am not done with my sexual morality. So I am going to pick that one back up. And keep it with me. I am not done being a stubborn arrogant brat. I am not going to keep and hold on to that.

I am not done with my drug addiction. And my alcoholism. I am going to keep that. You can keep taking that skeleton Lord. I know you forgave me. But I am going to take that skeleton. And put it right back in my closet.

I am going to take that skeleton. And put it right back in my closet. You can't do that. You cannot do that. Because the other thing it said. Here in verse 13. It says it is shameful. Shameful. To even mention.

To even speak aloud. What some of the sons of disobedience. Are doing. In private. Once again though. That is true for some of us Christians. It is shameful. To even speak. What is being done in private.

To even mention it out loud. Is a shameful thing to do. Despicable. Disgraceful. We are not even to speak of it. Because it is that disgraceful. And yet I am in church on Sunday morning. How does that work?

If you are not committed. To the Lord. And you don't actually care. You are just here to keep a status. And a show for society and your friends. There is the door. Hit it. I don't care. This is a place for the people of God.

To gather. It is not a place for you to boost. Your social status. Last couple points. In order to walk. As children of light. We must walk in truth. And accountability and righteousness. If we do not walk in truth.

We do not have a clear understanding. And a clear path of where we are to go. If we do not walk in accountability. Then we do not walk. We walk with a very. Very dangerous path. Because even great men.

Can have a veil. Of honor. And in reality. There is a dishonor and disgrace. Embedded in their life. I don't care. How much you read. I don't care how much you pray. I don't care how long you go to church.

Without accountability. You are setting up your own death sentence.