 Amen John chapter 5 so we're going to pick things up in verse right around verse number 33, so we're looking at This situation that Jesus is in he's in Jerusalem He's talking to the Jews here if you look up at verse number 18 really quickly just let's get a context of Who Jesus is speaking to you know basically verse 19 all the way to the end of John chapter 5? If you have a red letter Bible those are all red words This is Jesus just speaking and he's saying ye ye ye And so he's talking to a group of people let me first of all Let me solve the mystery of the King James Bible for you real quickly Everyone's like we can't understand that these and the vows and the yeas and the use so the y's are plural and the ths Are singular there you go now you can use a King James Bible so that's how hard that is all right So he's talking ye so he's talking to a group of people look up at verse number 18 and clearly He's talking to these people before he starts talking says therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him So he's speaking to the Jews in Jerusalem here, and they've been riding him about The Sabbath day they've been talking to him You know for healing the man on the Sabbath day we talked about that then we talked about how Jesus Describes himself as the judge we talked about that last week But Jesus gets into something else here in verse number 33 but as he says ye he's talking to this group of Jews all right which these leaders of the Jews the scribes the Pharisees Who he always had the most trouble with here if you look at verse 33 Jesus says ye sent unto John and he bear witness unto the truth talking about John the Baptist who bore witness of Jesus But I received not testimony from man But these things I say that ye might be saved So he's trying to explain to them that I don't need the testimony from John and he's going to explain why that is He's got other things that testify of the truth of him being the Messiah, and he's telling him I'm telling you how to be saved. He's telling them. I'm telling you the truth I'm telling you how to go to heaven and then he explains in verse 35 He was a burning and shining light and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light talking about John the Baptist again, but I have a greater witness than that of John So he says there's something better that I have That is a greater witness of John the Baptist so John the Baptist came to testify of the coming Messiah He was this great prophet that testified his his he was there to make the path straight for Jesus So people would be more willing to accept Jesus look at verse 37, but Jesus says I have something better Or I'm sorry verse 36 I have a greater witness than that of John for the works which the father hath given me to finish The same works that I do bear witness of me that the father has sent me So Jesus right there in verse 36 explains why we have the Gospels filled with miracles and filled with when we go out So when we explain who Jesus is he was this he was born of a virgin You know that was a miracle in itself and you know He lived this perfect life, but then he actually did all these wonderful works He did all these wonderful miracles. He made the blind see he raised people from the dead healed the sick healed the lame Make people walk that were could not walk. These are these works were what they were to bear witness That Jesus was sent by the father They were to bear witness of who Jesus was it's kind of a little boost right to help people along To realize that you know, this is the son of God. This is the coming Messiah. This is the Christ Look at verse number 37 so that explains that people ask you why the miracles? That's why it's to bear witness that Jesus was the son of God and he was who he said he was all right He gives him credibility the works that he did those wonderful works that were granted by the father for him to do Gives him credibility to the truth that he spoke. That's not hard to understand look at verse number 37 And the father himself which hath sent me so that's the first He's going to talk about two things that bear witness him the first one in his is his works Okay, the things that he does all right and that's going to be important towards the end of the sermon The father himself he says is a witness to which hath sent me hath borne witness of me He have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape So Jesus here is explaining to the Pharisees the Jews. He's explaining you don't hear the voice of God You don't hear the voice of God now I have three things in verse number 37 38 39 underlined in my Bible and I want to tell you tonight that God speaks to me Right like not audibly like we met a guy today that you know God literally speaks to him and all kinds of weird things happen to him But God speaks to me and guess what God speaks to you too You say well, what are you talking about pastor? Well look at verse number 38 It says he's saying you have not heard the voice of God is what he says to the Pharisees What is he talking about look at verse 38 and ye have not His word abiding in you so the voice of God that the Pharisees should have heard was the word of God The oracles of God the one advantage that they had Being Jews he said his word is not abiding in you for whom he hath sent him He believe not so the Bible Jesus is explaining to the Jews that not The works that I do are Witness to who I am that's the first thing I just I mean what did he just do he just healed a man He just performed his great miracle and what do they accuse him of those works didn't convince them Those works all it did was they get after him for doing something on the Sabbath day So he's saying the works don't work and he's saying the the witness of the father doesn't work because the witness of the father is His word that you all have he said you don't believe that you don't have that word You know so you don't have the voice of God. God does not speak to you is what Jesus is saying That's not God's fault. They had the word they had the voice of God They just were not listening to it and again in verse number 39 So the things I have underlined are his voice in verse 37 his word in verse 38 and thus scriptures Those are all the same things Jesus is talking about the same thing in all of those three things So he's saying you are not listening to the Bible You are not listening to the word that God gave you because they testify of me And if you would listen to the voice of God You would understand you would have that witness look at verse number 39 search the scriptures For in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they which testify of me what test of what what testifies of Jesus the scriptures Testify of Jesus now look at verse number 40 He says and ye will not come to me that ye might have life So they're not listening to the voice of God They're not which is the witness of the father look this is the witness of the father that we have right here They're not listening to the witness of the father and they're not they don't care about the works that they're seeing He says you know that they won't so they're not going to have life But look at verse number 41 now it gets interesting This is what I really want to point out and this I want to talk to you about a real danger Maybe the danger for the Christian today Maybe the danger for the Christian throughout history, but especially today I want to talk to you about what Jesus brings up in verse number 41 and verse number 42 look what he says He says I receive not honor from men now He says something different first of all You don't listen to these two witnesses and he says I meaning Jesus do not receive honor from men But look at verse 42 he says but I know you that ye have not the love of God in you So Jesus says men do not honor me and then he says you do not have the love of God in you So they're not with God and Jesus is not honored by men All right now look at verse 43. I am coming my father's name and you receive me not If another shall come in his own name you him you will receive Look at verse 44. This is our key verse for tonight. It says how can ye believe? Which receive honor one of another and seek not the honor that cometh from God only so now You have to pair up verse number 44 with verse number 41 and verse number 42 what Jesus is saying is he saying You receive the honor of men He's saying you Pharisees you honor one another. I do not receive the honor of men But you do not seek the honor of God But in verse number 42 he says, you know, you do not have the love of God in you So here you have these men you have Jesus who says I don't have the honor of men The Pharisees who are seeking the honor of men and have the honor of men. They're honoring each other But they do not have the honor of God. They do not have the love of God. They are against God That's what Jesus is saying Look at verse 45. So just remember that that contrast do not think that I'm come to accuse you to the father There is one that accuses you even Moses in whom ye trust and he says that in whom ye He means whom ye say you trust Because he says for you have had you believe Moses you would have believed me for he wrote of me But if you believe not his writings, how should you believe my words? And I've preached on that many times before he's basically saying you don't believe the Bible Which he just basically said a few verses up because if you would have believed the Bible That is what the voice of God. That's the word of God That's the scriptures and that is the witness of the father of Jesus But really what I want to point out tonight What I want to point out tonight is Jesus is saying that the Pharisees were were obsessed with the honor of men Not so much the honor of God They didn't really care about the love of God, but they were obsessed with the honor of Men they were obsessed with what people thought they were obsessed with you know having you know The the honor among two themselves about they were obsessed with what people thought about them Having that honor of men the you know the testimony of man is what they were obsessed with So turn to 1st Timothy chapter 3. This is the question for you tonight. This is a question for you tonight Should you have honor amongst men? Should you have honor amongst men? That's the question I want to ask you right now and this question. I want to answer for you from the Bible. Should you seek it? Should you have it? Does it make any difference at all? It's funny because This honor amongst men is is partially a qualification for the ministry Look at 1st Timothy chapter 3 and look at verse number 7 more over he talking about a pastor Somebody's qualified to be a pastor and look I've said this before let me just say it again though All the qualifications of a pastor are things you should have They're all things that every Christian should have Should do I mean time specifically every Christian man should have these are all characteristics All that it means applied to a pastor is if I don't have one of those things or some Pastor doesn't have one of those things that he's not qualified to be a pastor But it doesn't mean that those aren't things that every husband every Christian man should not Possess if you read through the list. I mean every single one of them is biblical But the Bible says here in verse number seven look at this back to the point It says more over he must have a good report of them which are without Let's see fall into reproach and the snare of the devil so Jesus is kind of rebuking the Pharisees for Seeking and having honor amongst men and Jesus says I have no honor amongst men and Here the Bible is saying that a pastor or even a Christian should have a good report What does that mean that he has honor amongst men? That he has a good name that he has a good reputation of them and look it's not talking about the people in the church It's talking about them that are without So the Bible is saying as a qualification for the pastor that the pastor should have honor of them That are without people that are not in the church Well What what's you're like hmm? What's what's the deal here? We have to dig into this further to find out the answer turn to 1st Samuel chapter 2 So Jesus is kind of playing down the fact he's saying look I don't have honor amongst man, of course Jesus had honor again Amongst some men the men that followed him, but he didn't have honor amongst the main religious leaders of the day They were all or pretty much all Against him look at 1st Samuel chapter 2 the mainstream Jewish religion and the leaders of it were against Jesus he had no honor Amongst them, but they all had honor amongst themselves So the Bible says a pastor should have a good report or honor Amongst men so which is it? Let's look at the Bible tonight and find out what we can see here Look at 1st Samuel chapter 2 look at verse number 26 and we get our first clue here We'll kind of start to narrow down and kind of zero down zero in on the target here Look at verse 26 where the Bible says and the child Samuel grew on of course the the prophet Samuel the last judge Samuel and was in favor both with the Lord and Also with men so this is really the key you start to see the key right here So Samuel he had favor with men, but who did he also have favor with? He also had favor with the Lord and that is a difference between what we see with the Pharisees the Pharisees did not Have the love of God in them they could care less about that But the all they sought was the honor of men and here we see with Samuel that he had both He had both, you know, he had you know favor with the Lord and also with men turn to Joshua chapter number 22 Turn to Joshua chapter number 22 so in Joshua chapter number 22 We see this story about how the tribes that kind of settled on the The east side of Jordan they didn't want to go across they decide you know They said they would fight with them But they wanted to land on the east side of Jordan and when they went to take their land They went and they built an altar and the people the other tribes That settled in the promised land, you know, they flipped out because they're like oh, they're trying to start their own religion They're gonna start sacrificing over there. They're starting to you know They're basically starting their own nation worst paying their own God and they were seriously offended They're ready to go to war with you know Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh and Ruben look at verse number 21 of Joshua 22 the children of Ruben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh answered and said under the heads of the thousands of Israel so they're responding they're responding to them about you know Hey, they've been accused that they're trying to build a separate altar a separate temple You know start their own worship where God doesn't want it to happen They gave them this land on the east side that really wasn't even part of the plan and here They're gonna just make their own new Jerusalem or something is what the the nation of Israel thought But look what they said in verse 22 it said the Lord God of God's The Lord God of God's twice He knoweth and Israel he shall know if it be in rebellion or if it is in Transgression against the Lord save us not this day that we built us an altar to turn from following the Lord Or if to offer there on burnt offering or meat offering or if if to offer peace offerings thereon Let the Lord himself Require it what they're saying is this is not why we built this they're saying we just built it for a memorial They go on to say they built it for Memorial so their children would know the connection They have with Israel across the river on the west side of the Jordan But you know what they said when they're being accused by men They didn't have the honor of these thousands that came to accuse them. They're saying you know what God knows and That's what matters So the in this case we're seeing that in 1st Samuel chapter 2 Samuel grew in favor with the Lord and with favor with men, but when it comes down to it All that matters is the favor of the Lord all that matters is the view that God has That's what really matters. That's what's important turn to 1st Samuel chapter 30 So now we start to see that the problem the problem is when what man and God think are different That's when we start to have a problem with honor From men and now we start to see how 1st Timothy chapter 3 with the qualifications of the pastor and John chapter 5 can fit together. All right. Look at verse number 6 of 1st Samuel chapter 30 So the problem arises when man and God think differently about a situation about somebody about anything All right. Look at verse number 6 and David was greatly distressed for the people spake of stoning him So there was these this city and they had all these people kidnapped including part David's family So at the point I'm trying to get you to see here in verse number 6 is that David had no honor with these people Like they wanted to kill him and David was greatly stressed for the people spake of stoning him because the soul of all the people was grieved Every man for his sons and for his daughters But what he had no honor amongst these people, but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God So it didn't matter it didn't matter at the end of the day What you're seeing here at the end of the day is sometimes you're not going to have honor amongst men Because you're with God because you're on God's side So whenever the the opinions of God or or the way of man goes different from the way of God You know, you just need to make sure that you're not like oh, I need to have honor amongst men This is what the Pharisees were doing The Pharisees had departed from God. They didn't care what his voice said his scripture said his word said What his witness said they didn't care about Jesus's works. They only wanted the honor from men That's all they wanted go back to John chapter 2 Look, Jesus knew Jesus knew this go to John chapter 2 Jesus knew this and we looked at this verse a few weeks ago, but Jesus knew that the opinion of man by itself Was not reliable at all Jesus knew this a hundred percent look at verse number 24 a verse number of John chapter 2 Verse number 24, but Jesus did not commit himself unto them. Why because he knew all men and Needed not that any should testify of man for he knew what was in man So it's not important what man's opinion is turn to 1st Peter chapter 4 turn to 1st Peter chapter 4 Sorry, I'm showing you a lot of scripture here But I really want you to see the methodology that we need to follow with this because it affects you And I'm going to tell you how it affects you in just a few minutes, but this is a major effect on Christians today This opinion of man, but whenever it's the opposite of God You have to just stick with God You say it sounds simple There are times look at look at 1st Peter chapter 4 in verse number 13 So look, what do we see? What do we see so far? We see that we see with the Pharisees That there are times what we saw with Samuel that there's times when the favor of man will match the favor of the Lord perfect we see with David that there's a time where the favor of man Will not match the favor of the Lord and we go with the Lord then we saw in Joshua chapter 22 Where Ruben and Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh all that mattered was the favor of the Lord All that mattered was the Lord's opinion and all the people were wrong and guess what those people came over to the Lord side Which is how it should work But there are times when it will be opposite, but look at this in 1st Peter chapter 4 in verse number 3 There are times when you will lose the honor of men because of God Look at 1st Peter chapter 4 verse number 13 the Bible says but rejoice in as much as you be partakers of Christ's sufferings That when his glory shall be revealed He may be glad also with exceeding joy you say how could I be a partaker of Christ's suffering? What what does that even mean look at verse number 14? If he be reproached for the name of Christ, that's how Happy are ye For the spirit now now this ye is is you This ye is talking to you know those that have believed on and trusted on Jesus Happy are ye for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you you see that? So the Bible here is saying is that because you are a believer in Christ There will be times when you will be partakers of sufferings Because of that reason this is end times, but this is just persecution of Christians all together you're persecuted because you're a Christian so there are times When the honor of men will leave you because you honor God Because you are with God, but be happy because the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you God is with you So if ever man's honor leaves you because you are honoring God you're supposed to rejoice and be happy in that But that's a time. That's a time when men would not honor you So there are times when men should honor you and there are times when you don't want their honor and all the You know the the litmus test is what God wants to be on God's side always Look another one of these is in Jeremiah chapter 1 in verse number 8 where he's speaking to Jeremiah And he's telling Jeremiah you have to go and you have to say the words that I tell you to say And verse number 80 says this phrase. He says be not afraid of their faces What he's saying is they're gonna hate what you say I Know people don't like the word hate today and that that that inspires the strong emotional reaction in people What it just means is to strongly dislike To strongly disagree. He's saying that you have to speak the words that I say and because of that They are not going to like you because of that People are going to be against you and look there was many people that hated Jeremiah They wanted to kill him. They want to put him in prison. They wanted to make him suffer Because of what? Because of Christ So the Pharisees were seeking the honor of men. Here was the problem above all else That's the problem above the honor of God So we need to make sure as Christians. You're like this seems like a pretty simple message We need to make sure that we have proper favor with man, but that it first aligns with God's favor because Favor with man comes from God So you can't just be like, oh, I'm gonna just gain favor. I mean plenty of people do this Plenty of people go and try to gain favor of men by doing illegal things by by doing unethical things By stealing things and you know look sin in general is like this You know that sin will gain you favor Sin will gain you favor with people People will be happy to sin with you and You will gain you will gain honor amongst some types of men Just through sin. Did you know that that giving up sin and getting sin right in your life Will make you lose favor with people Yeah, it'll make you gain favor with some people But the first thing that you will probably realize in your Christian life when you start getting things right in your life Is that you're losing favor with certain people? And you need to pay attention To that look it's gonna gain you stopping sinning will gain you reproach Like that doesn't sound right. That's reality But happy are you? If if you're losing so you need to understand why you're gaining favor and Why you're losing favor if you're losing favor because all your drinking buddies don't don't like you anymore Praise God for that If you're losing favor because you've stopped doing you know unethical things in your life And the people that you used to gain from that. Why do people do unethical things because people gain from it? People make money from it It's fraud, you know theft. It's it's just all the stuff. I mean everything's a scam today Why do people do it? Why are there so many scams? Why is every piece of mail I get a scam? Why are the hundreds of emails that I get every single day a scam? Why because people gain from it like who in the world would open up that email? I don't know one in ten thousand maybe and They still you know the the number one scam today not to go off on this is still the Nigerian Prince still It's been like that for like 20 years You're like who doesn't know that the Nigerian Prince wanting to give you ten million dollars is a scam Apparently, there's a few still because it's still the number one scam out there, but This is why You know these look I don't even know where I was going with that, but the point is like you know stopping sinning will gain your reproach Sinning will gain you favor, but it's not the right kind of favor because God go to Genesis chapter 13 It is God that grants the proper favor It is God that grants the favor that you want from who from man When you have the favor of God God will grant you it look all favor comes from God It's good. It's a good thing and all good things come from above So all favor comes from God look at Genesis chapter 39 and look at verse number 21 Look at Joseph you ever wonder how Joseph and Daniel they got such They got such great positions in their life How do they have all these kings and emperors just you know give them control of their kingdoms how through God? That's how look at verse number 21. It says but the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy how? It gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. So the Lord blessed look The Lord used Man's favor to bless Joseph But where did the favor come where did the favor of man come from the keeper of the prison? No, it came from look at the first part of the verse. It came from the Lord It came from the Lord. So if you don't have God's favor, this is the problem with the Pharisees They were again, it's kind of like the sermon Sunday night. They're focusing in the wrong place They were focusing on their fellow man and focusing on having honor from them to them and from them and They weren't folk. They completely forgot about God. They didn't care about God. They didn't care about God at all Proper favor if you don't have God's favor, you will never get the proper favor from man That's it, but you know what? Here's the problem Here's the problem and here's the problem with us and here's the problem in my life and your life And this is a huge problem that every single one of us at least at one point I hope I don't anymore, but I certainly used to underestimate this people don't care About God's favor, you know what they want? They just want man's favor People don't care about God's favor They just want man's favor. You say why you say why? So you can get stuff so you can get promotions you can get money you can get I Mean think of it think of a salesman. I Mean the best salesman is somebody who can get you to trust them, right? The best salesman probably the best car salesman or the best anything salesman that is some salesman That's trying to get people to spend a bunch of money. You know what that is. That's somebody who's very good at gaining people's favor That's somebody that's very good at getting people to trust him honor him and You know they'll do whatever they can You know many sales move a lot and they'll just look this isn't against salesmen But I mean many salesman will go out. They'll be honest to you. They'll flatter you They'll do all kinds of things. Maybe they'll even bribe you To what to gain your favor so they can look so they can just get ahead People will try to gain your favor so they can get ahead politicians What are they doing? They're trying to they don't care about God's favor They care about gaining the favor of everybody so they can get power They care. I mean that's why all the all politicians care about Is man's favor? That's it. I mean we're coming up on an election year, so I'm trying to prepare you here I mean an election year And you know what they're gonna do you're gonna see all these people they're gonna go out these politicians I don't even care what side they're on they're gonna go out and they're gonna tell one group one thing They're gonna go to another group and they're gonna tell another group that thing is the same person They're gonna go to a third group tell that third group what they think they want to hear what are they trying to do? They're trying to gain everybody's favor They care about what's right. No, they don't care you care about the Bible Nope as a matter of fact some of them will play down the Bible to one group And then they'll try to like miss quote a Bible verse or something to another group I mean it just it is so easy to pull the Bible will over people's eyes today because no one has ever even No one has any idea We have this guy today, and he's just like miss quoting all these by he thinks he's in his neighborhood He must have been a sage But he's just misquoting all this Bible, and I'm just like and you know what came down to he literally didn't even care What the Bible actually said like literally had no interest in it But I mean That's a false prophet right there What's a false prophet trying to do trying to gain people's favor why to lift himself up? Why to have the preeminence why to make money off you to make merchandise of you, but they're trying to gain your favor They don't care. That's why that's why this this false prophet today like but but here but here but here no interest in the voice No interest in the scriptures none But has interest in the favor of men for the power The politician they'll go out and they'll tell all these groups these different things They'll get elected and they'll do nothing that has any of it They'll just do something that is completely different than all of the things that they said why for power for influence ultimately for money It's it's like you know, maybe there's a good one. I don't know But that is politics It's just gaining favor go back to John chapter 5 It's it's the Pharisees That's what politics today is that's what all these people that just want favor of men and could care less about the love of God Being in the love of God what God thinks they could care less The Pharisees were so obsessed with this look at verse number 44 again How can you believe actually you go to verse number you go to John 12? I wanted I'll just read for you verse 44 you go to John 12 the Pharisees were so obsessed with this How can you believe which you receive honor one of another and seek not the honor that cometh from God only? They could care less what God thought but they wanted the honor amongst themselves They wanted to be the big Pharisee the big scribe the big man on campus with in their in their made-up religion of works Look at John 12. This was such this was such a cancer Amongst the Jewish leaders that even the Pharisees that got saved Were still headed in them look at verse number 42 of John chapter 12 It said nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him But because of the Pharisees they did not confess him Less they should be put out of the synagogue. So here you had some of the rulers They were actually getting saved and they were so They were so worried about the honor of men. They're just like They just would not even admit the fact that they believe In Jesus Because there was so they had this disease of just needing this honor from men More than anything you say, how does that affect me? It affects you as a Christian because you have to understand that man and you and me Inherently we want acceptance from our Our fellow man Nobody nobody wants to be an outcast Nobody wants people not to like them. That's why Jesus is just warning about all these things about the persecution About you know, they're gonna hate you for my namesake, but man people Want acceptance It's it's it's like wired into us. This is where this is where peer pressure, you know, you've heard peer This is where peer pressure comes in. How does peer pressure work because People want acceptance they want to be accepted by the group So they enter into you know, you another term is like group think They enter into group think they and then they're influenced by The group around them why because they want the honor of man. They want to fit in You know kids this is I mean peer pressure is Mainly applied if you ever read about it and all these things and people have studied mainly applied to like school kids And all these things which is ironic because many Christians today believe that they should send their kids to the public school system So their kids can those Christian kids can influence the 99% of the other unsaved kids and Then like you see this peer pressure thing. That's real It's like no what happens is is that those Christian kids are influenced by the 99% Because that's how it works and kids are not strong It takes look adults struggle with what I'm about to tell you Christian adults Americans have had their country destroyed because of what I'm about to tell you because of what because of peer pressure Because a group think Because people want to fit in people don't want to be The black sheep at work wherever they are People don't want to do that look peer pressure peer pressure is real and it can be good or it can be bad But peer pressure can be good too. Did you know that the Bible even talks about it? Hebrews 10 25 talks about you know going to church and what doing what it talks about church people, you know exhorting one another It talks about church people go to Hebrews chapter 10 in verse number 25 Look folks this This is very powerful and Christians underestimate it. This is how entire organizations and entire communities are corrupted is By this idea of peer pressure group think think of science today Think of the scientific community in whatever field you want to bring up. It is total group think Think about the environmentalist movements out there. You think about you know the global warming thing There is literally no independent thought. It's not allowed You're like, but what it but it's science, but it's university look CO2 is 0.04 percent of the atmosphere of the air that we breathe and The more CO2 that's in the atmosphere The more plants use and the bigger plants grow and the more yield the crop will will produce Thus using up more of that CO2 if it bumps up a little bit the plants grow more and it's almost like a balancing effect Would this balance out has anyone done the math on this you could never even bring this up You could never even be in a university biology class and bring something like that up You could never be in a in an anatomy class or something like this at university That's what university is trying to teach it's it's being it's being marketed to people that oh We're going to educate you and give you this great mind and teach you how to think you know what it's doing Is it's standardizing thinking? It's literally Institutionalizing people what if you were an anatomy class at 400 a fourth year anatomy class or a fifth six year medical student And you're like this is this human body. It's really complicated Like is it even possible that this could happen by accident? The the professor would freak out Is it it seems like this could have been designed what do you think about God? Is that a possibility they would flip out? They flip out they would they would the entire class would attack you like what are you crazy? It's standardized thinking it's group think so what do people do people don't do that People don't bring those things up. Why peer pressure? People don't question that the mainstream science of the day look or their money's taken away and all this things You know what they do they shut up So they can get the grants and they can get the research projects and they can get all these things I used to play around in this world. That's exactly how it works So they shut up They don't they don't they don't bring up these things They fit right into the group so what so they can receive the honor of men. You know what it does? It kills science It kills It kills the community of whatever it takes over It's totally corrupted, but look you need to understand as a Christian this pressure This pressure is real It's real and it's everywhere and It stops progress and you know what it'll stop your Christian life It'll stop your Christian life if you don't Recognize it turn to 2nd Corinthians chapter 6 I think I led you astray, but just turn to 2nd Corinthians chapter 6 It says it says exhorting one another in Hebrews 10 25, you know what that means You're not exhorting one another means it means urging one another to do something, you know that you know what? It's like it's like pressuring people to do something It's saying go to church and exhort one another exhort people to do what everything that you're hearing a church The Bible is saying you go to church to get peer pressure Good peer pressure That is in line with the honor of God You're gonna go there and you're gonna do godly things and get sent out of your life and do these things and take all this You're gonna lose all this honor on the outside world you come here and people are gonna be like good job You shouldn't have been doing that anyway way to go way to see it nice to see it church They're gonna exhort you they're gonna pressure you to start implementing the Bible in your life That's the point of church. Well any church I don't any church. I have church in my basement or whatever, you know with myself I Exort myself As you're just you know just in sin and filth and all kinds of other things No, the Bible says that's one of the reasons for church is that positive peer pressure because there's plenty of negative And it needs to be balanced. This is why the Bible teaches separation Look at 2nd Corinthians 617 the Bible says where for come out from among them from who and Be separate sayeth the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I'll receive you come out from among who It's come out from among them that you would lose honor from by Implementing the Bible the Bible is saying you can't keep putting yourself in those situations Because you're gonna get influenced you're gonna cave It's not gonna work the Bible is saying you got to come out from them and come to Ye That's what the Bible is talking about. That's I mean that's why it's not just trying to be mean And be like oh no you can only talk to two people no it's saying get in church Get with people that are aligned with God's love aligned with the voice of God the scriptures of God the word of God and Come out from anyone that's not aligned from that. That's what the Bible was saying It's it's called edification in your family is the same thing. You know your family is like I'm talking about your home your house Your family this is why you know as a as a father As a mother You are influencing your children You're influencing them you are putting peer pressure on them in one way or another This is why what you what you do is Way more important than anything that you say Because your works just like Jesus your works testify what you believe Your works testify and put that you know that peer pressure on your children in one way or Another so if you say things and you just like yeah But these things are just not that important for me to do them You might as well not even say them it would be better if you didn't even say it Because then they're just going to think you're a hypocrite and you're a liar the people that you're leading Your family isn't is an influential group and look This is one of the things that you know be not afraid of their faces people hate saying this But the man the husband is supposed to be the most influential figure in that group The man is supposed to influence the wife not the other way around So you find some you know some husband that's like I'm not able to influence my wife What would you do? What do you do if I can't get my wife to you know follow my spiritual leadership or whatever it is? Well, I mean she needs to see your works That's how you do it You need to testify of your beliefs through your works So you need to see you to go to church every time You take kids to church every time you just do whatever I mean you just need to do whatever you are trying to lead people into doing look leadership is influence Leadership is influence Family influences can be positive or negative pressure If you say one thing and do another you are influencing things in the bad way in a very bad way in a negative way And it's serious turn to Luke chapter 14. How about just like people around your other other family? Let me explain this this verse to you that a lot of people are confused about a lot of people have asked me about over the years But look at Luke chapter 14 I think it's gonna make more sense to you now that we've gone through this whole exercise this evening Look at Luke chapter 14 of verse number 26 So the honor of man is good as long as you first have the honor of God as long as those two things line up So if I as a pastor I want a good report of them there without I'm gonna go But do a bunch of ungodly things to get people to like me. No No, the Bible is saying that if you have the favor of God You will have the proper favor with man and some men you're just not gonna have their favor because of The favor of God look at Luke 14 26 Remember what hate means when you read the word hate just don't go Just if any man come to me So that's the first part right there That's the key to the whole verse if any man come to me if any man wants to align with me What does he say by come to me means it means be a disciple of Jesus at the very end of the verse He says if any man come to me this person comes to Jesus who wants to be a disciple It's somebody that saved and they want to do what they want to follow Jesus They want to be in honor with God they want to be doing the works that God wants them to do They want to be getting the sin out of their life They want to be going soul-winning preaching the gospel doing what God wants them to do if any man wants that look at this and Hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brother and sister Yay, even his own life also. He cannot be my disciple. Remember what does hate mean? Hate means strongly disagree with So Jesus is simply saying if being a disciple of mine means that you strongly disagree with your father You got to choose me Or you can't be a disciple This doesn't mean just go hate your parents no matter who it is that it makes no sense You would have to kill yourself Like you just commit suicide where you get to you read the whole Bible and you get to Luke 14 26 You're like, oh man I mean people just what it means is if any man wants to be a disciple of Jesus and that puts him at odds with Anybody including fear for his own life That you must choose the Lord or or what or you're not saved anymore. No, you can't be a disciple It's like you're not going to be able to do anything for the kingdom of heaven You're not going to be able to do work that is profitable that I need you to do Look and that's look here's the thing folks Following Jesus being a disciple of Jesus. Thank God. This is not most people Thank God that you being a Bible-believing Christian that wants to serve the Lord with your life is not going to anger most people Because guess what most people are just like Oh, okay Most people don't care that you go to church Look people that aren't saved that don't go to church that are never going to go to church and never get saved that are just man I mean most people are not going to be against you because of this and That's the favor that you have because what what they're going to have their favor. Why because you're kind Because you're merciful because you're honest Look, you're gonna have favor at work because you're a Bible-believing Christian because you show up on time You're early you stay late you work hard because you're working for Christ So you're gonna have people's favorite just because you're a Christian and most people aren't gonna hate you because You're a Bible-believing Christian. That's not most people. Thank God Thank God that everybody starts with a conscience and most people haven't completely destroyed theirs But some people are going to the thing you need to understand though is that the group is influential The group is extremely influential and you need to be careful who is influencing you And you also need to understand that your wife and Your children are more influential Influensible than you are or at least they're supposed to be you're supposed to be stronger as a leader of your home and You need to be protective of that You need to be protective of people that would break down the faith of your children that would break down the faith of your wife You need to be careful about those situations you need to come out from among them You say what's the litmus test the litmus test is that people are not in line like they're literally You know you being in line with God means that you are against them or they are against you because of that Look, that's not most people. Thank God for that But the group is influential and that's what you need to understand tonight. So look Influence all over has destroyed this country and the reason that Christians are where they Are today even save people that know nothing of the Bible is the first thing is they know nothing of the Bible So not even know when they're being influenced They don't even know when they're bringing the media into their home and the media is just all these subtleties you wonder like 20 years ago and the only litmus test or the only measuring stick I have here is the opinion on on on gay marriage 20 years ago was like 90 10 against 80 20 against now it's exactly flipped something happened. You know what happened influence happened media happened lies Happened and it just got repeated and repeated and people didn't even know They're being influenced Influences dangerous and that's why God's what God says turn to mark Turn to mark. Let's end here. Turn to know turn to Roman 16 Romans chapter 16 That's why the Bible is saying you need to recognize when this bad influence is coming you need to like you need to log it You need to log it the Bible says mark them Mark them it says mark them that what though look at look at the verse Verse number 17 of Romans chapter 16 the Bible says you need to take note Mark them and avoid people that would be against God's plan against what now I beseech you brethren mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to what? The doctrine which you have learned the Bible is saying when you find somebody that is contrary and is causing divisions This is exactly what I've been talking about tonight. This is exact problem with the Pharisees It's saying when you find somebody that's contrary to the voice To the scriptures to the word you need to mark and avoid You need to keep them away from everybody that is underneath your protective custody as a as a Bible-believing Christian father And protect mark and avoid those people that what that are contrary meaning they're against it and Again, most people are not Against it most people just most people you go out soul-witting most people just don't care unfortunately Most people just have no interest Unfortunately, I believe the Bible most people are like hey cool Most people that don't believe the Bible are never gonna read the Bible will benefit from knowing someone working with someone Working for someone working with someone that does believe the Bible because that just means they're gonna be treated well That means they're gonna have a good they're gonna have a good hand that they're working with they're gonna They're gonna have a decent person that's not you know filthy and not you know getting into all kinds of garbage And they're gonna have somebody that they can rely on hopefully that's what that means So most people you should have favor with but not when they go against God so look Be careful who's influencing you and don't underestimate it and remember that you will influence Others whether you like it or not Moms you will influence you and you will influence your children One way or another Every single day and look you probably have the most Influence on your children. You're spending the most time with them He needed to show them through what you do That positive influence through what you do not what you say you're the main influence in that home This is the problem with the Pharisees They just they didn't care about God. They only cared about Each other the honor amongst each other and influencing each other. Let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer