 Amen, Acts chapter 24, we're going to get through this whole chapter. So Paul has been taken to Caesarea by the chief captain of the Romans here, kind of rescued from this conspiracy that was put in place to kill him. And of course, Ananias the High Priest, he comes after Paul, he chases after Paul and he goes to the governor and tries to appeal to him. Look at verse number one. The Bible says, and after five days Ananias the High Priest descended with the elders with a certain order named Tertulus who informed the governor against Paul. So Ananias, really interesting part of the story here. But anyway, Ananias comes and he basically comes with his lawyer to speak for him, has this man, this orator who's a great speaker to make this case against Paul. And when he was called forth to Tertulus, began to accuse him saying, seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence, we accept it always and in places most noble phoenix with all thankfulness. So, you know, he kind of starts off his little accusation against Paul here with a lot of flattery, basically saying like, you know, it's, I mean, so much for a religious leader, he's basically saying that, you know, this you being in charge of us is by providence, it's by God, and he's just really like laying it on the flattery here. Most noble phoenix, we're very thankful for you. And then, of course, verse number four, not withstanding, here comes the bad part, right? So whenever somebody's flattering you, they're trying to manipulate you, right? They're going to manipulate you. So here comes the manipulation in verse four, not withstanding that I be not further tedious unto thee, I pray thee that thou would hearest of the clemen, of the clemency a few words. So here comes the manipulation. Look at verse number five. For we have found this man a pestilent fellow and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes, who also have gone about to profane the temple whom we took and would have judged according to our law. But the chief captain, Laceus, came upon us with great violence, took him away out of our hands, commanding his accusers to come unto thee by examining of whom thyself may its taken knowledge of all these things, wherefore we accuse him. And the Jews also assented, meaning they agreed, saying that these things were so. So the first thing you need to understand is, did he tell the full truth here? Did he really tell what really happened? He basically said that Paul came and tried to, you know, profane the temple. He's seditious, meaning he's trying to overthrow governments. He's, you know, this pestilent person, you know, is moving sedition. All this, just basically saying that Paul's a very wicked person trying to overthrow governments and profane their religion. And he even throws Laceus under the bus. He throws the chief captain under the bus that, you know, this chief captain came and did this great violent thing and took this man away from us. So they basically just made themselves liars. I mean, it wasn't really that smart of a thing for them to do, because clearly, Thelix is going to talk to the chief captain. Who's the Roman? He's basically going to ask him what happens. And here we see like, we're about to see a really brilliant move by Paul. And I didn't really get into this in too much detail in Acts chapter 23, but you're going to see why Paul did what he did at the beginning of Acts chapter 23. And you're going to really start to see, I mean, if you haven't seen already, the intelligence of Paul, but this is a really good example of just how sharp and smart Paul is. All right? Look at verse number 10. So we basically make themselves liars, you know, not only is, look, not only is Thelix going to talk to the chief captain, who's a Roman, but the chief captain is going to have much more weight to Thelix than this guy. Like, these, you know, the Romans don't respect the Jews. You know, they don't care about the Jews and their religion. And look, Paul knows this. All right? Look at verse number 10. Then Paul, after that the government had beckoned him to speak, answered, for as much as I know that thou has been of many years a judge under this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself. Because that thou mayst understand that there are yet but 12 days since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship. He's like, I was only in Jerusalem 12 days. And look at all this problems, right? There's all this trouble. And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues nor in the cities. He's basically saying all this addition and all that is just lies. Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me. But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets. So that's a nice little statement right there. So Paul is basically saying, you know, he's refuting the heresy. Because he's really saying, they're the heretics. Because Paul is saying, I believe the Bible. I believe the whole Bible. And if you read the Bible and you understand what the New Testament is saying, the Jews of Jesus' day didn't believe Jesus because they didn't believe Moses and the prophets. It's not like, you know, there's this fantasy out there today or this fallacy amongst Christians. They believe, oh, well, the Jews are, they're just like Christians except they only believe the Old Testament and not the New Testament. Look, I used to think this myself because I just didn't know. I just didn't know. But the bottom line is Jesus himself said, no, if you would have believed Moses and the prophets, you would have believed me. So Paul is basically saying, no, I am practicing my religion purely. He's like, I am following the law and the prophets. And, you know, he doesn't say at this moment that all those prophets just point to Christ. He doesn't go there right now because he's gonna, you know, he's gonna show you something else here in just a second. But basically, he's just saying, like, he's saying truthfully, there's no heresy here. He's like, there's no heresy. I just, I am practicing my religion purely by following the law and the prophets. And if you're a believer in Jesus Christ, that's what you're doing. You believe the whole Bible from Genesis to Revelation. And that means that you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. And we have, look what he says, and we have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. Now, this is brilliant right here. So who is here trying to accuse Paul? It is Ananias. It is the same high priest. So there's three Ananiases in the book of Acts, all right? There's Ananias and Sapphire at the beginning. They were, they were saved people, but they were killed for, you know, we remember that story. There was Ananias that Paul met right after he was blinded on the road to Damascus. And then there's this Ananias, which is the high priest. Okay? Now go back to, actually, don't go back there yet. Let's read a couple more verses, and then I'll get to this. But what does he bring up? He brings up the resurrection of the dead again. He doesn't go into preaching the gospel. He just brings up the resurrection of the dead. Why? And he says, And herein, do I exercise myself to always, to have always a conscience void to offense, void to offense toward God and toward men. Now after many years, I came to bring alms to my nation and my and offerings, whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with the multitude, nor with tumult, who ought to have been here before thee and object if they had ought against me. He's like, There was a lot of Jews that didn't have any problem with me in the temple. This is talking about when he was, he went through that Nazarite vow with those guys and he was purified with them. He says, Or else, let these same here say, that's why he did that, right? To show that he's not against the Jewish traditions, that he's just, that he's, he's being a Jew to the Jews, and Gentile to the Gentiles, right? This is what he was doing. Or else, let the same here say if they found any evil doing in me, well, I stood before the council. Look at, look at verse number 21 now. Accept it be for this one voice. He's talking about Ananias that cried standing among them, touching the what? The resurrection of the dead. I am called in question by you this day. Turn back to Acts chapter 23 and look at verse number nine and 10. Remember what Paul brought up? What was it? It was the Pharisees and the Sadducees and Acts chapter 23. And they were both the Jews. They were all unbelieving Jews. None of them believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and they were all after Paul. And what did Paul do? Paul was a Pharisee remember. Paul was a Pharisee and there was the Sadducees there. And the Sadducees did not believe in what? They did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. So Paul brings up this one thing. So he's got all this mob against him. And he knows that they differ on this one thing. So what does he do? He brings up that one thing and he causes this big riot basically. He causes this riot where the Jews are fighting amongst themselves. And the Pharisees in Acts chapter 23 are actually like just let him go. They're just like let him go because they believe in the resurrection of the dead. So they're like he agrees with us so they kind of liked him at that point because they were more upset with the Sadducees at that point over this argument of the resurrection of the dead than they were with Paul. Look at verse number nine of Acts chapter 23. It says, And there arose a great cry and the scribes are of the Pharisees part arose and strove saying we find no evil in this man. But if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him let us not fight against God. Look at verse number 10. And when there arose a great dissension the chief captain fearing less Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them. It shows you the violence of this riot. Caused by what? This question of the resurrection of the dead. So what I'm trying to get you to understand is Ananias is a Sadducee. He's a Sadducee and he doesn't believe in the resurrection of the dead. So what Paul is doing is he is bringing up to Felix the governor of this territory. He's saying this is all over some stupid argument between the Jews and their religion. This will cause all the trouble. Look and Paul does believe in the resurrection of the dead. He believes in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He's not preaching the whole gospel right now but he's telling the truth when he says this is all about the resurrection of the dead. And look at this. Felix knew this. Felix had heard about this riot. He must have probably already talked to the chief captain is my guess right. But when Felix heard these things having a more perfect knowledge of that way he deferred them and said when I see us the captain shall come down. I will know the uttermost of your matter and the captain has already told them about the riot over this this argument between the resurrection of the dead between the Jews. But this is the point Paul brings up. He's like you know what this guy's just got an argument with me over this. He doesn't like me because of this dissension amongst the Jews and their own religion is basically what he's saying. So look and this guy Felix you know knew that Ananias wasn't telling him the whole truth or if he didn't know all of it now he was going to know all of it later. He commanded the centurion to keep Paul and to let him have liberty that he should something he basically took Paul aside to a degree here. He's just like yeah you know I don't not convince that this guy is what you said that he is. After certain days when Felix came down with his wife Drusilla which was a Jewish he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. Now Paul preaches the gospel to Felix right but I mean Paul is just being straight up honest what happened to you know in Jerusalem and saying look this was all an argument between the Jews. This was all an argument between the Jews and Paul says there was plenty of Jews that had no problem with me. The Pharisees and the Jews that he was purified with that the Jews that were saved. The Jews that had actually gotten saved. So he preaches the gospel he gets a chance to preach the gospel to Felix which is pretty cool. Any reason of righteousness temperance and judgment to come and as he reasoned of righteousness temperance and judgment to come Felix trembled and answered go thy way for this time and when I have a convenient season I will call for thee. Now this is interesting because there's no indication in this chapter you know Felix is pretty much out of being governor after this chapter. There's no indication that Felix gets saved but it is interesting and you will see this if you become a soul winner and you soul win enough you will see this. You will see I just saw it just two or three weeks ago where I preach the gospel to this person that did not get saved. They did not get saved but while I was preaching the gospel to them they were emotionally affected by what was happening. They were emotionally affected they were you know tearing up and things like this and it was definitely affecting them you know and look that's what's happening to Felix here. What's happening to Felix is he's having the gospel preached to him and you know he's Paul is reasoning with him and look you can reason with people with about the gospel because it's the only thing that really makes any logical sense that's out there all right the true gospel. But Felix trembled you know he didn't get saved but he trembled he understood the depth of what Paul was saying all right and look he was thinking he was thinking about it and he says look I'll talk to you later basically is what he says to Paul okay but look he's like I'll call for you later now look what he does in verse number 26. He hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul that he might lose him wherefore he sent for him the offener and communed with him. So he's kind of like you know I mean he didn't get saved and he's not like a great person right I mean he's hoping he's kind of he's kind of you know just kind of holding Paul ransom basically he's kind of holding Paul ransom and you know Paul's Paul's he doesn't he doesn't dislike Paul why because he sent for him the he sent for him the offener you know what that means it's a that's that's archaic language for he sent for him often he sent for him often to speak with him and to commune with him so Paul was somebody that Felix enjoyed spending time with he enjoyed having a meal with this person he enjoyed speaking with Paul reasoning with Paul all these different things and then look at verse 27 it says after two years look he did this for two years Portia's Festus came into Felix's room that means he came in to take over the governorship into this position and Felix willing to show the Jews a pleasure left Paul bound all right so that's really what I want to apply tonight is this idea that while this guy didn't get saved he enjoyed being around Paul he enjoyed communing with Paul and he just sent for him over and over and over again look Felix wasn't even Felix wasn't even a great person that you know as we could see of him here he's basically holding Paul ransom just so he can you know speak with him and maybe get some money out of Paul all right but look at this let me just ask you this do people ask you about your faith you know do people send for you the oftener I guess is a good way of saying it relating it to this story look what you have to understand is is Felix really enjoyed the intellect and what Paul had to say I mean Paul is clearly a brilliant person and look I enjoy talking to brilliant people even brilliant people that aren't saved I enjoy talking to and that was a situation with Felix Felix really didn't seem to care too much about accepting Jesus Christ but he just wanted to be around Paul and he enjoyed talking to him so look the Bible today is a great mystery to people one thing you have to understand is and maybe you can still remember back before you read the Bible you know if you know if you've read the Bible through cover to cover a couple of times you know I'm not saying you know the Bible perfectly but you definitely know what the Bible is saying you definitely know you know what is in the Bible I can remember you know being a teenager even being in my 20s just being like what is actually in the Bible it was just such this great mystery to me just what is in the pages of this book thinking I wonder I wonder if I'll ever know what's really this book is about I remember thinking that way look that's how a lot of people think today because they don't know what's in the Bible I mean I've showed you trends and all these stats where like there's just never been a time in the history of our country were people know the least about the Bible then there is right today and tomorrow will be worse you know we're hitting all-time lows every single day so look the mystery the Bible is a mystery to the common man what does it say who is God you know I mean the question is you know this you know you know so do people send for you the often do people want to know this man liked Paul he wasn't doing what was right by Paul but he liked Paul Felix wasn't a believer and there's no evidence he ever became one so tonight I want to talk about you know this idea of being in the world turn to first Corinthians chapter five first Corinthians chapter five this idea of being in the world you're like pastor what are you talking about you're telling us to separate from the world yes yes both are true and I mean I hopefully explain it to you tonight where you understand you know what I'm talking about but look at first Corinthians chapter five and look at verse number nine first Corinthians chapter five yes first Corinthians chapter five and verse number nine now the verse that we go to many times is first Corinthians chapter five and verse number eleven because that's the verse that talks about you know church discipline things that are not allowed in the church you know that is one of the things by the way that really separates us aside from having the gospel correct that is first Corinthians five eleven is one of the things that really separates us from the vast majority of churches today even churches that have the right gospel most times will not execute on first Corinthians chapter five and verse number eleven meaning the things that are literally not to be allowed in the church and I've preached on that till I am blue in the face so that's not the point but look at what's interesting is the verses before that look at verse number nine the bible says this it says I wrote under you in an epistle a letter not to company with fornicator so the context of first Corinthians chapter five is this this person that's in the church that's in fornication and Paul is telling them at the beginning of first Corinthians five you know you got to get this person out of the church you got to get him out of the church and let Satan deal with them you know got to get him out of the church and let Satan deal with them until they get right and then you know second Corinthians is kind of like hey he got right now you know forgive and have mercy and all this stuff but he's at Paul saying you can't have that kind of stuff in the church all right and then he goes into this this doctrine but look at verse number 10 he says you're not to company with fornicators so he went through this this person that was in fornication then look at verse number 10 he says yet not all together with the fornicators of this world you're like what he's saying you can't have fornicators in the church he's like you're not to company with fornicators and in verse number 11 it uses this this term one that is called a brother meaning somebody that is in the church that is saved okay but then in verse number 10 it says yet not all together with the fornicators of this world or with the covetous or extortioners or idolatry he goes through the whole list for then much he needs go out of the world you see what he's saying here is yes these things in verse number 11 these six things in verse number 11 that I list out that's not to be in the church he's like but it's not like you can't be around those people in the world he's like otherwise you'd have to not be in the world otherwise you'd have to like lock yourself in your house and not go anywhere he's saying I'm talking about these things in the church in the context of brothers and sisters in Christ in the church he's like but you would have to go out of the world and not participate in life if you were going to apply that to everybody so there's a difference between what's allowed in the world in the church and what you know you can be around in the world Paul is clearly saying that here look here's what he's saying we will be in the world we will be in the world Paul had no choice but to be around Felix he had no choice you know I mean that's kind of like it's kind of like a work situation you know I mean obviously Paul was in prison but I mean you have to go to work every day you know I mean they're not going to put you in prison if you don't go to work every day but I mean the point is Paul had no choice to be around you know we are going to be in the world but Felix liked him though he called for him look we have many similar situations is what I'm trying to get you to understand tonight look employment is a good situation is a good example employment your neighbors who you live next to physically you know in in this world turn to 1st Timothy chapter 3 turn to 1st Timothy chapter 3 so look just to start off this evening I'm trying to get you to understand that that Paul is telling us in 1 Corinthians 5 verse number 10 and verse number 11 he's like certain things he's like this is how the church needs to be managed but then he's saying but you can't apply this to the world or you'll have to just like become a hermit and live in a cave he's like that's not the case look at 1st Timothy chapter 3 in verse number 7 so this is you know qualifications for a pastor here but if you look at qualifications for a pastor you know that's just saying these are all you know these are all characteristics that every Christian should have every Christian man especially should have since it's talking about a man a pastor every Christian should have these characteristics the only difference is that if the pastor doesn't have these characteristics it really disqualifies him from you know being a pastor all right so look at verse number 7 it says moreover just adding more characteristics or qualifications for a pastor he must have a good report of them that which are without you see that it said he must have a good report of them which are without lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil it's saying basically what this is saying is that normal people should like you that's what this is saying people that are without people in the world all right now with work I've been asked this question I don't know why but over there I'm glad this came up in Acts chapter 24 because I've been asked this question like through email like four or five times over the last six weeks or so just like how do you handle you know being a Christian and being at work being amongst you know unsaved people and let me just say this there's no magic answer for every situation I'm gonna give you some concepts I'm gonna give you some biblical concepts tonight right look at it this is a good one to if you're having a situation this is a good one to actually ask counsel on because if I have more detail on what is actually going on in a specific situation I can give more you know specific you know advice that would be that would be better more beneficial but I'm just gonna give some concept tonight there's no magic bullet for every work situation right there's all kinds of different work situations turn to Jude okay so we're going to talk about how to be in the world how to be in the world we're not well I'm not talking about being of the world okay I'm not talking about you know this is a prerequisite to this conversation we're going to have tonight to the sermon tonight is I'm not talking about I'm not talking about entering into sin with people I'm not talking about you know going to the bar after work so people like you this is not what I'm talking about all right I'm not talking about you know what I socialize with my Christian brothers and sisters that's who I socialize with right but I'm talking about you know just some ideas on how to get along with your neighbors how to get along with people at work look you should have a good report of those that are without alright look at Jude go to Jude and look at verse Jude right before revelation the book of Jude look at verse number 22 and there's some concepts alright so there's some concepts that we need to understand here and you have to understand that there's a difference between a work situation and a door-to-door soul-winning situation alright so there's some concepts that you need to understand here first of all we know that we're talking about just you know getting along with people being in the world having a good report of them that are without we're not talking about becoming of the world loving the world becoming a friend of the world entering into sin with the world that's not what I'm talking about alright look at Jude chapter 22 and Jude chapter one there is only one chapter but verse 22 and 23 the Bible says this it says keep yourself in the love of God verse 21 looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ under eternal life and then we see a contrast in verse 22 and 23 it says and of some have compassion making a difference and others save with fear pulling them out of the fire hating even the garment spotted by the flesh so here's what you have to understand here's what you have to understand dealing with people without is a balance of these two verses it's a balance of these two verses look I'm not talking about you know I'm talking about and I'm talking about normal people what's the that look thankfully the vast majority of people that you should be working with that should be your neighbors that people that are without that you should know are normal people and you know I'm not talking about a workplace that's just like this extra vulgar workplace I remember when when Garrett first started working one of the questions that I just I started asking him right away at the dinner table was what do they speak like at this job what are the conversations at this job because I didn't want him working like I've been on construction sites I have been in situations where there's just groups of just extra vulgar people and that's not what I'm talking about what I'm talking about is just normal everyday people without alright but look what you have to understand is as a Christian and especially as a Christian that would like other people to be saved it is a balance of these two verses meaning I mean there's basically three kinds of people okay there's three kinds of people there's there's three kinds of people first of all there's people that you get saved with fear right this is more of the door-to-door soul winning this is more of the confrontational soul winning this is the kind of soul winning we go up to somebody and you're going to tell them that they're a sinner and you're going to tell them that because of their sin they deserve to go to hell that's saving someone with fear okay that's showing people the danger that they're in alright but verse number 22 so that's the first type of person you know as this person that you're going to save with fear and that's just straight in your face the gospel right there that's what we do going around soul winning it's confrontational soul winning if people want to hear you know look we we're not rude or mean don't get me wrong but if people want to hear we're going to tell them the truth straight from the Bible straight to their face and that's how it's going to go and that's saving someone with fear and as Felix look as Felix heard the gospel you know he was trembling because look he was he was understanding that fear but the second kind of person is a person that needs you know compassion that needs compassion maybe this is a person that you know you're not in a position where you can give the whole gospel or you're not in a position where you feel like they can handle you know that type of truth or whatever but this is a balance and look here's the thing you need to understand it takes wisdom to understand which of these two approaches to take even at the door even at the door it takes great wisdom and experience to figure out how many people like say there's somebody that I know disagrees and is not going to get saved at the door yet there will be times when I feel like I can at least tell them you know look the difference between what you believe and what I am telling you from the Bible the difference is heaven and hell where I can go and I can boldly say to that person okay I understand that you don't believe this but please understand me the Bible does not because a lot of people think these are small differences a lot of people think oh well I just think that I have to be good too and in all that and it's a look you can understand it takes wisdom to understand when you can push and and just but that's leaving a seed of fear with somebody and look you do it because you love them right you do it because you love them but look then there's the third type of person which is this so there's people you say with fear there's people that you know need more compassion but then there's a third kind of type of person it's just not interested at all there's not interested at all okay so look you say how will I get people what's let's just hang that one on the coat rack for just a second and let me just give you some ideas on how you can have you know how is a Christian can our people going to like me that's the question how is a Christian are my neighbor is going to like me how is a Christian are my co-workers going to like me turn to Ephesians chapter 6 how should a Christian act when they are without how should a Christian how should you look how should she look when you know she or he are without look at verse number five of Ephesians chapter 6 verse number 5 of Ephesians chapter 6 I'm just going to give you just a few things that should be a characteristic of the Christian because look if you if you capture these few things and I'm going to go through being a Christian in a workplace especially people will know you're a Christian in the first day people will know that something is different about you on the first day of work if you do it in the right way and look that doesn't mean they won't like you right it just means they will know something is different about you look at Ephesians chapter 6 and verse number 5 the Bible says servants be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling and singleness of your heart as unto Christ this is how you work for a bad boss right here this is how you work for a boss who you don't agree with the things that he says or you don't agree with how he runs things or whatever look the Christians should be obedient at work and this is a big deal today because everybody mouths off everybody's like I know more than the boss I should be the boss you know the boss doesn't know what he's doing I know better look you don't know better or you would be the boss first of all but the Christian should be obedient and you say how can I be obedient because I don't really have any respect for this guy or whatever because you should be working for him like you're working for Christ it's really it's easy to do it's a mindset it's really a mindset you just work for that job for that company for that boss like you're working for Jesus Christ it's it's easy it's easy to do it and they're just obedient you know look I mean just do what you're told I mean I'm not talking about doing bad things or illegal things or sinful things but when it comes to go left or go right and he wants to go right and you want to go left he's the boss you go right that's it he's work for the boss work for the master like you're working for Jesus Christ and look you can actually affect if because like work situations like where you have this guy that's constantly always mouth and off and always being disobedient and always trying to cause you know insurrections at work or whatever you can actually be a force for good in situations like that just by not partaking in those things that those those like cancers and they hurt everybody they hurt everybody look because some people it doesn't matter it doesn't matter left or right they just want to just do the opposite of what any kind of leader wants to do they're just gonna they'll go to the next job and the next job and the next job and they'll be the same person they'll just disagree with every single it's it's a disease that they have and they go around they spread it to everyone in workplaces but the Christians should have nothing to do with that stuff the Christians should just be obedient and you know you can affect the occult the culture and in the work group or the work environment or the company or whatever be obedient that's the first thing the second thing is this and here's what will really make you stand out be appropriate be appropriate at work watch what you say look it's not going to take too long for Christian to stand out to people because they're not speaking like people like normal people speak today the way people speak today is not Christian you say well what if I get in a conversation and you know it's it's there's a I'm talking to a bunch of people and all sudden inappropriate conversations come up leave the situation I love situations like that because it's an opportunity for me to show who I am look politely though politely I mean I'm not you know first of all stay professional at work stay professional work I don't go and like you know and spend like hours just like talking to people casually about everything in their life because number one you should be working and number two you know if you get in a situation you know where there's three people and somebody's like oh yeah you know went out and they start talking about how they're all drinking and doing stuff that you know you shouldn't be part of you know I'll just politely many times I won't even say anything I'll just kind of leave the conversation look people will notice that though here's what I don't do now you should be drinking drinking that's it's wicked wicked you know people talk about oh you know my girlfriend this and that or whatever wicked but no I'm sure people do this though and guess what everyone hates them now look I don't approve of fornication I don't approve of drinking and I could be part of any of those things just politely walk away and then people like people like don't do stuff like that around me they probably just think you know they're going to think you're boring probably yes that's how I think about that but just be like in general just in general just stay professional and just do your work I mean that's that's all the Christians should be at work you know I've always been like I've always been a fan of like and look there's women in the workplace I mean my wife's not going to be in the workplace my daughter's not going to be in the workplace but there's women in the workplace I've always actually kind of been a fan of like all the anti-harassment stuff because I don't feel like you know I think like my daughter was at work I want her I wouldn't want her listening to a bunch of vulgarity and a bunch of like sick people talking about sick stuff look I've seen women be vulgar and women have to listen to vulgarity I've seen both sides of it but the point is is just I'm all about having an appropriate workplace but be appropriate just be appropriate and if you find you're uncomfortable just walk away who cares who cares just walk away those are great examples for you great times to show a testimony of kind of who you are you know by just you know not being part of situations like that right and look and here's another thing like if I if I see like someone being inappropriate to someone else like here's another thing I'm saying something about it I'm not just gonna let stuff go like if I see something like you know if you see something inappropriate you shouldn't let that go I mean you can be a nice wet you know you don't have to dress somebody down in front of 50 people but you can nicely talk to people to be like hey you know I mean it's you get your point across better if you just say things a little bit different you know I mean you can you can say things like that but it's all about how you talk to people it's all about how you you know approach people so be look be obedient be appropriate here's another one be honest just be an honest person look people are gonna figure out if you do what you say you're gonna do if you're somebody that just just says stuff and never does it people are gonna figure that out real fast but if you're the type of person it's like hey I'll do that and then it gets done and you follow through on things you're gonna get a name for yourself be trustworthy be friendly turn to psalm chapter 75 here's one here's one be content be content the Christians should be content at work alright first Timothy chapter 6 and verse 6 you're going to psalm chapter 75 but first Timothy chapter 6 and verse number 6 is but God it says godliness with contentment is great gain now this contentment at work especially it is is just a problem that I've seen for 20 years people they're just they're just upset because they're upset because they don't they don't get enough they know they're not appreciated enough the here's a really stupid one you know Joe makes more than me first of all like there's never anything good that comes from two people knowing what they make at work if Joe and Bob both decide to tell each other like what they make there's always going to be trouble there because Joe's going to be like oh I make you know $20 an hour and Bob's going to be like I make 15 and Bob thinks Joe's a loser secretly he's like that loser makes $20 an hour and then you know Joe's like yeah you know you make he makes 15 because he's a loser you know I mean it's just nothing good comes of it nothing good comes of it because it just first of all like what somebody else makes should have like literally you should not care about that at all like you should care nothing about that because what does that even affect you that doesn't affect you the the least bit what somebody else makes what affects you is what you make so just be content with what you make but you know here's the thing here's the thing if I operate as a Christian in the workplace you know there's people that you're going to see that are going to get ahead by nefarious means because some of that stuff works you know some of that the lying and taking credit for things and maybe doing things you know in a not quite ethical way you know look that gets people ahead that's why they do it that's why they do it but look just understand that being a Christian and doing things the proper way and doing things right and being appropriate and being obedient and being content maybe that's not going to get you to be the CEO of the company who cares be content where you are and look look at Psalm chapter 75 Psalm chapter 75 look at verse number six this is all you have to remember right here like all my boss he doesn't there's this guy and he's constantly just like singing his own praises and he gets all the promotions and he gets all the raises and I get nothing hey just be the content appropriate honest trustworthy Christian that's what you need to be why because God promotes God promotes look at verse number six it says promotion neither coming from the east nor the west nor from the south but God is the judge he put it down one and he set it up another look God will promote you when you're doing the right thing and you're you're you're being a you know so go and be a good witness for Jesus Christ go be go be a good example of a Christian in the workplace and look God will promote you God will God will promote you you know go be go be that person that just becomes just super skillful in their trade go be that top 10 percent that's what every every Christians to strive for just be that top 10 percent and then have a you know you'll have you have a good testimony you'll have a good testimony people will you know they're like oh you that guy you know that guy he doesn't he doesn't swear and he doesn't drink and and he doesn't seem to do anything that's fun but man is he good at what he does man when I need help and I go to him boy to see get stuff done man well he will help me he will you know you want to you want to get people get people's trust you help people out of a jam somebody that's in trouble and you go and you you know in their job and you go and you help them and expect nothing in return that person will be will be stitched their heart will be stitched to yours for for the whole time that you work there but look some Christians struggle with what I'm talking about tonight I mean they're they're zealous which is good they're zealous which is good but they struggle with interacting in the world they struggle with it and look to support a family guys you need to be able to interact in the world not become of the world but you need to be able to interact in the world they have their problems in two places I'm going to explain that to you tonight the first thing that they do is they find any reason they find any reason to spiritualize not being able to work somewhere and look this is this is one of those decisions where if you think and look at these these are usually it's usually a trend in these people but they'll find some spiritual reason to not be able to work at every single place they go to work at and look I don't want somebody that's just working amongst a bunch of wicked reprobates and vulgar people and perverted people and all this kind of stuff look it's out there it's out there but most people are not like that all right so that's the first type of person they just find a reason to just spiritualize just not being able to work anywhere everyone at the job is not saved and they can't work there because of some reason that they find right they didn't get all saved when I gave them the gospel on the first day and I walked around for hours you know soul-winning at work on the first day and they all do wicked things and I can't work there you know so that's that's the first one that's a pretty extreme case but here's a more common case is just Christians that just struggle getting along with unbelievers in in you know the workplace or even their neighbors or whatever but here's the thing you have to understand folks you're there to work you're there to work you're being paid to work you're not there to hang out you are not there to preach you're there to work that's what you're there for you know get in church and go soul-winning get in church and go soul- winning look imagine if you had a Christian boss who was saved and look I know many believers Bible believing saved Christian men who own businesses and some of them have employed people that are all saved and that's great but some of them have employees that are not all saved and if you had a Christian boss who was saved just like you and then you went to work and all you were doing is going around and just just soul-winning and trying to just get in debates and just just you know reason with people over and over all day long about you know getting people saved and getting like I mean your heart's in the right place I get it but you're gonna upset even your Christian boss at that point because we're there to work we're there to work and look here's the thing if you are friendly and people like you and especially if you become look become a master of your trade I can't stress that enough become a master of your trade become the top 10% of whatever you do just just make that a goal in your life just be like whatever this skill is this trade is gonna be top 10% and what I'm telling you you won't have any problems and you will have much more leeway you'll have much more respect and you know what you'll have people coming to you and wanting to commune with you oftener because of being like that guy's just killing it at everything he does I want to know what's going on with him what must I do they're gonna start asking questions like that and that's what will happen all right but look people if you do become a master of your trade and you become very skillfully become that top 10% people will want to hear what you have to say on things I'm like this with just unsaved people that are just super skillful in one area I just like I could sit in a room like that and I could listen to people that are the top of their game and whatever that industry is I listen to those people for hours because I want to know how they became so masterful the Christian will stand out quickly in the workplace and here's the thing you have to understand if people aren't asking you questions they don't want to know even look even if people do look there was a guy when I first moved to California I was a I was a consultant a contractor I was just a private contractor doing consulting work and there was this other private contractor that worked at the same company this was a big engineering firm and you want to talk about a situation where when you're a private contractor I mean you better be working every single minute of every single day and every single minute better be billable they're going to just fire you and this other contractor and I like look I liked him very much but he would come in my he wasn't saying I like him I liked him he would come in my office and he liked me and you come in my office and he would just like spew all his world view on top of me just constantly just like why do you think about this and this and this and here's the thing you have to understand about people at work that's different from the door when Jesus says shake the dust off your feet look the people at the door that we knock on their door they can they can shut the door there's an out for them if they're not interested when that we're probably never going to see that person again but the people at work I can't get away from them and they can't get away from me this guy would come and just spew his secular visions on me like and and I just had there's I I listened to him for months but I mean I couldn't get away I mean I would try to get the conversations back to the jobs as quickly as I possibly could but I would always say to him hey I'll tell you my opinion on that someday before you leave here I knew he was leaving in a couple months I said before you leave here I'll tell you what I think about all this stuff but then I would try to just steer him back to actually getting something designed you know but it just like and like he didn't have any opinions that were like mine but I liked him I liked him he was a very good engineer there was out look I found things I could respect about him while I worked with him if that makes sense I didn't engage in any sin there was never any and like he wasn't really engaged in bad stuff so it was easy for me to like him he just had a lot of wacky secular ideas you know so but I listened to him for months I couldn't get away from him and then his last day I took him out to lunch and I gave him the gospel and guess what he didn't get saved and guess what he even got a little offended but guess what everything was fine he was leaving and like I didn't offend somebody that I worked with you know so you got to kind of have some sense about who you can use that fear with and you know who you kind of just have to have compassion and just show yourself to be a testimony and let people kind of come to you let people commune with you often or and let people ask you and look I've gotten several people that I work with saved but they've always come to me and ask questions and then I'm like I'm just answering questions look outside of work you know I bring them over after work or one guy at the downtown building I brought them into the church and gave them the gospel in the church and like but it's outside of work it's outside of the situation where I'm being paid to actually do a job and I didn't have anybody cornered you know I didn't have anybody cornered and so there's some things you need to understand and balance there all right look my social life is my my church family my social life is my brothers and sisters in Christ but it's okay to like the people that you work with and have them like you back but it's it's on that professional level that hey I'm always willing to help you I'm going to be honest I'm going to be someone you can trust and I'm going to be you know look I'm going to be an obedient I'm going to be a obedient employee being obedient employee your boss is going to like you you're like oh he's an obedient employee and he doesn't give any trouble and he's a good influence along the group you think he's going to care that you're a Christian he'll start to like the fact that you're a Christian start to be like even if he's not a Christian start to be like oh maybe I should find some more of these Baptists to work around here I mean that's how every Baptist should be that's how every Baptist should be you know neighbors I mean neighbors are the same thing I mean neighbors are the same thing I mean I don't understand why like one thing that I've started doing as of like 10 years ago is actually since I moved to Texas and California it wasn't really a big deal in North Dakota because there was no neighbors but I was going like before I buy a house somewhere I always go talk to who the people are next door and I always kind of say things like hey how's the neighborhood but really I'm asking hey who are you are you crazy I'm trying to figure out who these people are you can have the nicest house the nicest yard everything can be perfect in your neighbors could be nuts and it would be miserable for you so I don't understand why people don't put more emphasis on that personally but look we have very nice neighbors with I don't even really like my neighborhood but my neighbors are very nice we've invited I've invited them to church and you know they have not come to church but it's not like hey you know I hate you I have not come to church you know look here's another thing I don't go to you know I don't you know we built a fence together you know one of the neighbors and I but I we're not going to go hang out and be at the parties and all this I don't know if there are but I mean the point is this just there's that level of professionalism and friendliness and they like me and we like that that's it but there is a separation there there is a separation there and that's kind of that you got to find you got to have some wisdom about that too you got to have some wisdom about that too so here's the point I'm trying to make just to wrap things up here tonight turn to Isaiah chapter 55 we aren't trying to be loved of the world at all costs as Christians and look folks some people are not going to like who you are just because you are a Christian just because you believe the Bible but look I'm thankful I am very thankful that in America today at least in Fresno today I don't know maybe some places are different in Fresno today it is not that is not the vast majority of people are normal the vast majority of people are just normal unsaved people we're not trying to be a friend of the world but here's the thing we are in the world and the Bible does say you're going to be in the world there will be a day and there has been before when just being a Christian will cause people to just bring persecution upon you and that may happen here and there to even us today but that's not the majority of people most people are not evil people sinners yes but so are we most people also though are not saved and that's one thing we have to you know Felix he heard the gospel he asked Paul about it he heard it and while he didn't accept it it's super interesting and it's super you know it's super applicable to us that he's still like Paul and he still wanted to commune with Paul which means that Paul wasn't coming over the top of Felix being holier than thou and just beating Felix down and every time he had supper with Felix just being like you're gonna burn in hell better enjoy those grapes is you're gonna be on fire for eternity I'm sure that's not the conversation that was happening so he wanted to talk to him often and guess what if you look at Isaiah chapter 55 you look at Isaiah chapter 55 and look at verse number 11 we don't know much about Felix or about the impact that Paul had on Felix but look at verse number 11 where the Bible says so show my word that be that go forth out of my mouth it shall not return unto me void but it shall accomplish that which I please it's prosper in the thing where to I sent it here's what I know here's what I know the word of God and commuting with Paul oftener had some impact on Felix life or someone in Felix's life somewhere that's what I know for sure because the word of God does not go forth void you need to think about that soul winning today soul winning days I said today like that was a that was a slip because we had a super unreceptive soul winning time today but look the word of God does not go out void we will never know the impact that our soul winning that preaching the word of God his head until we get to heaven you'll never know you know you know the people that get saved that we can see you know the people that get saved and get to church and and and become disciples and followers of Jesus Christ that we can see but there's many times you go out soul winning where like nobody seems to want to listen but the word of God does not go out and it will not return void so some impact is being you know is being affected every single time you know the word of God is preached you know I mean those are those seeds you never know where those seeds go you never know where that who's going to pick up that invite and look at that video the full impact will never know until we actually get to heaven so we're going to be in the world we're going to be in the world and we should be you know we should have a good report of them that are without is kind of the point that we see and we see that exercise through Paul with Felix here let's bow our heads and have a word of