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Hello!
Hi!
Hi guys.
We want to welcome you back to our study session with me and Mercedes.
Tonight we have a special visitor to a wow
moment and it's a he.
It's the one and only base face.
I don't know which way I'm doing.
But this is his lovely wife Jenny Hart and tonight we had other plans for the evening
and things happened so I want to thank both of you for welcoming us into your home because I know
that it's okay when you and I can make Mercedes's.
I understand and I thank you for having us over.
Not a thing honey.
Not a thing.
I love you.
So tonight we've invited Mike to join us
simply because you know we are the women of Witten but most of us
have spouses.
Indeed most of us do.
So I would like to get a viewpoint of Mike's version
of how he looks at or interprets different scripture also.
So I called Jenny and I said Jenny how would you like to do study session with us
tonight?
And she said that'd be great and I said well I know Mike will be home so do you think Mike might want to
be involved also?
She said well I'll ask him.
So guess what Mike said?
Sure.
I wasn't aware it was a question.
But anyways.
So then we asked I asked Mike what his favorite verse was and Mike what was your response to your
favorite verse?
My what is my favorite is Ephesians 4 32.
Ephesians 4 32.
Well to be honest with y 'all I said what is Ephesians 4 32 because I don't know
scripture like I should.
Number one I'm old.
Number two things I do did know I don't know anymore but that's okay.
It's kind of like my glasses.
I came in without them again and Mercedes had to go to the car.
So anyways Mercedes if you will read Ephesians 4 32 for us
and then we've had a little bit of this I'll be honest with y 'all we had a little bit of discussion before we started
this and it's very very interesting and
Mike has an insight that I've never looked at it this way before so I'm really excited about it.
I have been writing down some notes and some things so we're gonna just
start out and if y 'all got anything you want to say or anything you want to ask I have my phone
here because you Mercedes is up there.
So we'll just try to get to it if we have time
because we were rolling before we got on here so just bear with
us.
Yeah go ahead.
All right Ephesians 4 32 and be kind and compassionate to one another forgiving one another just as
God also forgave you in Christ.
So Mike you were telling us before we started actually on the live feed here
I'm sorry I know you're too much room.
Why this was one of your favorite verses or your favorite verse so would you like to share now?
Sure okay so what I like about this.
Verse is that it's it's a good picture of how to treat
other people especially fellow believers but also kind of people that you live with or you know just just
just just grease the wheels and make things run easier.
If you're put being kind first and the word the word
here is not love but the word love is all around this.
If you look at it in context and one of my joke is is my favorite part about this verse and this is not true.
My favorite part about this verse is that it's so much so easy to read to the end of the chapter because it's the last
verse of this chapter but but but the very next thing is to
walk in love as Christ is love.
Right.
And so so that chapter four
the beginning is is a little bit about defining church roles and
obtaining spiritual maturity and the end of that chapter ends with
and be ye kind.
I'm King James I'm old.
So and be kind one to another tender -hearted forgiving one another even as
God for Christ's sake has forgiven you.
Right so and the and the word there for Christ's sake is really just
and so by Christ that we're forgiving.
But anyway so so forgiveness and love and kindness that we show each other
is is really what makes the church strong.
And what makes us mature Christians and strong Christians is our ability to be be
loving to each other and taking care of.
Each other.
Because right before we started this discussion you said if you go all the way back to 416 for
14 maybe for 14.
Okay.
Cuz I was reading 416 because 416 talks about
from him the whole body fitted in it together.
Mm -hmm.
Yes so the so the end of the church role stuff
is is like the 13 and then it hints then 14 is that we
henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro carried about with every wind of doctrine by the
slight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie and wait to deceive.
So that's where I go from.
So we're all familiar with the with the metaphor of the wolf in sheep's clothing.
So what I like about 432 is that it shows you the difference between somebody
who's a wolf pretending to be a sheep and someone who's a sheep because the sheep don't attack and devour each other.
So you see.
So in 14 it's talking the the preface to to the love thing is that
there is danger.
And for you to not be the danger to your fellow Christians we have to act and love and walk in love as
you know as Christ does.
And so that um that's that's that.
That's the context for 432 is that there are dangers and the dangers are false teachings.
And and and and the thing is if we all come out of love then we'll kind of be right.
Because there's just the two great commandments and they're both about love and 432 is not just
about love but it's kind of specifically refers to Christ's love.
God forgives us through Christ.
We should forgive each other in that same way through Christ for Christ's sake let's forgive each other
regardless of you know.
Because in chapter 5 it.
Says being to be and go ahead therefore be imitators of
God as dearly loved children and walk in love as the Messiah also loved us and gave himself for
us a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.
That's what you're talking.
Yeah.
Look what.
Love this.
Christ loved.
Because then it like I was saying while ago in 16 it also has.
Because when you said that love is it's all around in this scripture you're right.
Because in 16 it says.
Promotes the growth of the body for building up itself in love
by the proper working of each individual part.
Well and when you are loving each other when you're loving your fellow believer both believer.
The people who see that from the outside they see that love
it makes that.
It makes some of them ask questions and then gives you an ample opportunity to share
the gospel with them because they go.
There's something different about these people.
What is it.
So true.
Jenny.
Do you have any share please.
That's why I can't feel it.
I don't know.
Y 'all are y 'all are talking about everything that I'm thinking about.
So you don't have anything.
Is there.
Something particularly that stands out to you from what the things that we've.
Said that
like I said everything that stands out to me you guys are kind of already touched on and hit.
The one thing I remember most about this first though is that when we were when I was visiting at Bolton when you and I
first started dating.
Every time they in their worship service they as a guess a congregation say
this verse and I think it is a really good verse because it's a reminder daily
to speak kindly to one another to act kindly to one
another and to be
you know to be more like Christ every minute.
So let me ask you a question Mike.
Mm -hmm in 430.
Don't and don't grieve God's Holy Spirit right.
Yeah so so so the beginning of chapter 5 and the end of verse 4 kind of
kind of bookend each other.
Um and and I had mentioned that I would like for for this this chapter run from chapter
14 of Ephesians.
But the problem with that is that the first half is about defining church roles so like you really can't do that.
But that would be a good thing because one of the things that's happening here is right before 30 there's a bunch of warnings
of the things that you don't do right.
Like like don't don't steal from each other don't give place to the devil don't be angry
or be angry.
It doesn't say don't be angry.
One of my favorite things is be angry.
The Bible tells you to be angry and sin not because being being angry
is not wrong right.
But acting out of anger that is wrong is wrong.
Acting out of anger that is right is right.
There's nothing wrong with being angry but you have to focus your anger appropriately.
But the thing is is that it also tells now that's all leading you into and
grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby you are sealed into the day of redemption.
So so God has forgiven us right we and and so a lot of a lot
of teachings will be that grieving the Holy Spirit is where you you know right and wrong and you're forgiven for
all your wrongdoings.
But we don't want to continue to dwell in our wrongness.
We want to move out of that through the and then we get back to tip of
fortune.
Verse 14 apostleship teaching preaching prophecy all that those
different things that's how we build each other up.
And we don't want to get involved in giving the devil a place
stealing from each other being angry at each other.
So like in the thing where it says be angry and sin not also says don't let the Sun go down on your anger.
And then 432 says forgiving one another.
It leads right into that.
So we need to be forgiving of each other.
We will we will mess up we will do things that are bad to each other.
But we need not to dwell there not to leave a place for the devil by hope bearing those holding those grudges against
each other.
We need to seek reconciliation or.
Something maybe a good church.
I don't I don't want
to leave
that there because I.
Feel like that's like the opposite of what this is letting it go is where you pretend a thing didn't
happen.
No work it out.
It's yeah.
It's not about letting it go it's about actively forgiving which is a different action.
And it's an important action that we identify what was done wrong and that we
we say hey I understand that this is what happened.
And I love you and I forgive you.
And we don't have to put a barrier between us because we are what builds
each other up.
And we don't connect anymore because we have this stupid thing where I sat in your
seat and I don't really know that you like sitting there.
And we can you can hope you can hold it like
older Christians that are not mature Christians can hold that stuff for
decades.
Yes you know.
And it's it's just.
And it's one of the things that kind of shows you.
I'm not going to say that it shows you who's really Christian who's not but like your ability to love each other is one of the
defining traits to help you identify who the Christians are who they.
Are yeah well and forgiving somebody when you've forgiven somebody it doesn't.
When you've been forgiven it doesn't mean that you can continue to do the things that you were forgiven for.
Because when you're forgiven for something you you should really try really hard.
Yeah you're gonna screw up.
I mean you might end up doing it again but you put your best effort into not
continuing to do it.
And by that same token you know someone is doing you wrong and you have
sought them out explained to them how you feel given them forgiveness even if it's not asked for
and they are not changing their actions.
Letting someone go after that is also something that's kind of important.
You know you can't someone who is let's just say being abusive
or mistreats you over and over again.
You don't have to continue to have them in your life but.
You do still have to forgive them yeah and there's a church discipline mechanism for that which is where
you if you have a problem with somebody you approach them first and then if that doesn't work for
you then you get an elder right somebody who understands the word somebody who knows
maybe knows about the situation and then you address it to kind of also the same kind of
determine who's right and who's wrong because sometimes the reason you're having trouble forgiving somebody is
because they should be forgiving you because you're the one who's in the wrong and you don't really know the situation and so
you need a more mature person to come in there and help sort it out kind of a mediator and then once the elder has
come in and we have determined who's right who's wrong what should really be going on here and one person
still doesn't want to get involved at that point the church as a group can decide well then this person doesn't need to be part of
this situation and that's that's the church discipline mechanism.
It's actually in scripture.
It's in scripture.
It's a Timothy.
That's what I thought.
I mean it's what, 1st Timothy?
Yes I think it's 1st Timothy.
It's right before the deaconizing thingy.
The what?
Is that a word?
Deaconizing.
Deaconizing?
It's a word tonight.
Yeah who gets to decide who gets which role when the dinner is passed out.
Yeah because right here it says deacons must be husbands of.
I think it's right before that.
So I didn't know that I was going to get to this.
It just goes where it goes man.
Well the thing about 432 is that like it's it's a I said before it's like a golden
scripture so if you if any of y 'all were Pentecostal growing up your you would have a golden scripture in
your in your book for the Bible lesson for the week and if you miss everything else if you
get this one verse you'll have everything.
It's it's got salvation in it.
God for Christ's sake is forgiving you and that's the picture of what you should do is when you walk in Christ you should also
forgive the way that he does and when God forgives you it's not just you know
because it's it's that you repent and right repentance is not that
you ask for forgiveness so you get forgiven repentance is that you know like that turning away right so I was
going wrong going wrong and now I'm going right by the way if you guys don't know this is my left this is my right so right
so you know so like you're going wrong thing and you don't want to get to that so before you get there you turn around
and go the other way and this is where forgiveness happens it's not just the thing where we forgive each other regardless
of what somebody's doing but we do need to forgive somebody for what they've done and let the past be in the
past but not forget it not just pretend it didn't happen but like recognize what
happened and create a love action that.
Is forgiveness not a forgetful action or an apathetic action.
I'm
sorry.
I thought I could be wrong.
I thought it was to
any other time I could go
right
to this.
See.
I feel like somebody should sing a song while they're looking at brother.
Jeff is a woman.
Was that inappropriate.
I think that's hilarious.
Yes you would.
I don't.
Every time every time I think.
It says public can rebuke those who sin that the rest will be
afraid.
But that's not what we're looking at.
That's not we're looking for.
So for next time.
Well.
Oh Jim Matusik
said well put Mike
Hart.
That's wonderful.
Thanks.
Now you're telling me where
is it at Jim Matusik.
Where's it at.
What we're looking for.
Jim's gonna say what we weren't supposed
to say last names either.
He's already on there.
Oh yes.
You're already on there.
Well anyways let's go back.
I can't find it.
Would you go to Timothy.
Um so back to Ephesians.
That'll be another one.
Let me write that down.
We'll have to do a study on
church discipline especially.
It's
like
this is this is why we do these like
this.
Wow.
Restoring.
Oh yeah.
1815.
If your brother stands against you go and review Kim in private.
If he listens to you you have won your brother.
If he won't listen take one or two more with you so that by the testimony of two or three witnesses every
fact may be established.
If he pays no attention to them tell the church.
That's it.
No ma 'am.
But there's one where it.
Specifically mentions an elder though that's when I was but it would make sense that Jesus would have said it first
though because most everything that Paul is writing about is something that Jesus already said and then it says.
If he pays no attention to them or no if he doesn't pay attention even to the church let him be like an unbeliever.
Look right there church discipline.
Let him be like an unbeliever so that's yeah yeah.
Excommunicate him because at.
That point you have done your job right.
So that's basically when you just say.
How did he get on that topic.
Well we've had to forgive each other but how.
Does the forgiving process work.
And that's right.
So.
And one of the.
Interesting things here is that forgiveness it does not begin with a person apologizing.
Forgiveness actually begins with the person who's been transgressed against rebuking
in in private.
Although rebuking there doesn't necessarily mean like you know cussing at somebody it mostly means
teaching them about the like correct.
Giving a course a course correction.
Because.
They might they may not have realized that they have done anything wrong to begin with.
Oh but honey back in the day I could light one up.
I've just let him.
Have it you can't can't put peanuts in food at the public because all the
babies will die.
Wow what.
That's a rebuke.
It's not a good rebuke it's not scriptural it's not really correct but the thing that's got to do with me
because the peanut allergy because you like so you're like.
An allergy peanuts they go into anaphylaxis but just
whatever it is you.
Know I don't want to name specific things because it's awfully personal awful but
just like you know whatever it is that you're upset about Mike you're.
Great.
Bring it up to their attention talk about it.
Talk about it.
And if you guys can't come diplomatic about it.
Cuz I sure was like because we were talking about forgiving.
Forgiveness forgiving people.
And then you start talking about peanuts.
I was kind of shocked for just a moment.
I like I like peanuts.
Jimmy Carter was the greatest president of all time.
So anyways back to scripture.
So tonight what time is it.
Wow this has been fun.
Yeah I really enjoyed.
We might have to come back to y 'all's house sometime anytime next time I have more notice.
And I'll cook.
Hey can we share food through the laughing.
No.
But we can.
We can see it.
They can be like yeah they can see what Jenny cooks.
Maybe I'll pick up some chicken from Anna Wesley's and.
Josh's watch it's in Bahia.
Oh is he really best.
Best chicken and best fried chicken ever really best chicken in Mississippi.
And if that's the best.
Chicken in Mississippi.
It's the best chicken in the world.
Brought to you by Wynton Baptist Church, in Memphis, Tennessee.
Yeah cuz y 'all do drive.
Ways to church every Sunday.
Yeah it's at least five minutes but it's worth.
Every minute it's at least five minutes at least.
I've never gotten there in less than five minutes
not one time.
It's true.
I love these people.
Y 'all these are my people so just to recap on everything.
Mercedes is like let's cut it.
Be kind to one another, love one another, forgive one another.
Just as Christ has loved us and been compassionate towards us
and forgiving towards us and strive daily to be imitators
of God.
Yep.
Should we do the.
Greek thing too?
Just quick.
If you want to.
That's fine.
If we go over a little bit it's okay.
Nobody's after us.
We can go over if we want to.
Ephesians 4 .32 is one of my favorite verses.
I've read it a lot right and I've read it in Greek and stuff and I've tried to translate Greek to Hebrew or whatever but the cool thing
is in be kind one to another.
That word kind there is the word Christos with an E and even as
God for Christ's sake has forgiven you it's Christos with an I.
That's the difference.
The kindness is being Christ like.
It's specific.
It's all about Christ.
The whole thing is just this this verse is just shopping with the love of God.
So since you can't see that.
If you're a visual person like I am, Google the Greek translation of.
Kindness and Christ.
Well specifically Ephesians 4 .32.
Yeah just the.
Whole Greek translation from Ephesians 4 .32 and compare it to some of the other words
like for kind compare it to Christ.
If you look at the spelling of.
Kind in Greek and the spelling of Christ in Greek they're they're real similar.
Yeah it even brings that up in my little footnotes in my study Bible.
Oh does it?
Well that must be a good study Bible.
It is.
It's a whole new.
You know nobody's ever told me that before about the kind and the Christ.
Oh it's right.
Here.
Yeah you have it too.
We have the same Bible.
So apparently other people have noticed it.
I didn't notice it until tonight but yeah it's in here.
Good job Michael.
Wayne.
It wasn't me that somebody else found it first.
Is your middle name Wayne?
My middle name is Wayne.
I'm named.
After the Archangel Michael and John Wayne.
My dad's middle name is Wayne.
My brother's middle name is Wayne.
My son's middle name is Wayne.
That's great.
My ex -wife's new husband's middle name is Wayne.
Well y 'all I really hope you've enjoyed this because I have really really really enjoyed this time tonight
and it just astounds me every time when we study
we go from one scripture because we were looking at Ephesians we ended up in
Timothy then we went to Matthew.
I don't know how we ended up in Timothy.
Because that's where we thought it was.
But anyway again Jenny and Mike I want to thank you both for allowing us
to come into your house tonight and sit at your coffee table.
This is this is where I study though.
This is it it doesn't matter where we are.
If we're in the wow room I'm sitting at our coffee table on the floor.
And there's two perfectly good couches in there.
Yes I still sit on the floor.
She eventually gets in the floor.
No I don't.
She does.
You're in the floor now.
I'm just saying.
But again I want to thank y 'all again for coming into and coming into our study.
I don't know where we'll be next Thursday.
We might be in Mississippi.
We might be in Fayette County.
We have members of our church are spread out all over the Mid -South.
So who knows where we'll be next Thursday.
So just make sure you tune in and come study with us.
And this has been a wow moment.
It's been a wow moment.
Thanks you guys.
Y 'all come back now.
In here.