 Hey man, so Luke chapter 6, so of course if you're doing your nine chapters a day, you've recently read Luke chapter 6, so you'll probably hear some sermons from these chapters that you're reading through in the next couple of weeks, but this morning we're going to look at Luke chapter 6, and we're going to focus mainly on verses 20 through 23 in Luke chapter 6, and we're going to talk about this for the next two Sunday mornings. Normally I don't have a sermon series on Sunday mornings, but I looked at this sermon this morning, and it was just a little too much to get through in one sermon, so we're going to cover half of it this morning, and we'll cover half of it next Sunday morning, but we're going to talk about this morning in this first sermon in this two part series is we're going to talk about persecution. So we're going to be talking about persecution in Luke chapter 6, and we'll also talk about persecution next week as well. Persecution now is also one of those things where we should probably preach about it. You're probably going to hear sermons on persecution a couple of times a year, and I think it's important that we're reminded of persecution and what the Bible says and what Jesus says about persecution, because at any given time somebody in this church is probably going through some sort of persecution, if not all of us together, maybe individual situations in your life. Look down at Luke chapter 6 and verse number 20. Now also it's important when you're reading the Bible to actually think about when you're reading the Bible, don't just blast through everything. Don't just be like, I've got to get my 9 chapters done, and then not actually understand what's happening. It's important when Jesus is talking to remember who Jesus is talking to. So who is Jesus talking to here? Look at verse number 20 and the Bible says this. And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples and said, Blessed be ye the poor for yours is the kingdom of God. So first of all, who is Jesus talking to? He's talking to his disciples here. He's talking to his main followers. Look at verse 21. Blessed are ye that hunger now, for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now, for ye shall laugh. Verse 22, and this is going to be our main focus of this sermon series is verse number 22 where the Bible says, Blessed are ye when men shall hate you and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you and cast out your name as evil for the son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets. So what he's saying here is he's explaining things to the disciples. He's explaining in verse number 22. He's explaining four things that are going to happen to them. He lists four things in verse number 22 that the disciples are going to experience. He lifted up his eyes to the disciples and they're going to experience these things from men, from people. Now these four things and the reason that we're going to talk about these four things to this morning and to next Sunday morning is because these four things are things that you are going to experience. These are things that you are going to go through. Persecution is probably something that you're going to go through many different times in your life. But these four things specifically will happen to you as a disciple. So look. Look down at verse number 22. We're going to look at the first two this morning. We're going to look at the first two of these items and relate them to our lives and how we should react to that and what it might look like for us and then how we should take that moving forward in our life. So look at the first one. The first one in verse number 22 is it says, When men shall hate you. So the Bible here is literally saying that as a disciple of Christ, he looked up on his disciples, he laid his eyes on his disciples and he said, look men are going to hate you. Men are going to hate you. So that's the first thing. As I talked to you this morning, men are going to hate you as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Now look, here's some pretext to this verse. And before we get into this teaching, it's possible that people can hate you in your life because you're a jerk. It's possible that people can hate you at work because you're a judgmental jerk or because you're going around and you're wearing this religion on your sleeve and just damning everyone to hell every single day of your life and you're looking down your nose at people. Look, people can hate you for that. So don't just be this person that is that type of Christian and then says, oh yeah, I'm just being persecuted. I'm being persecuted. So do a check on yourself there first, but turn to 1 Timothy chapter 3. That being said, the Bible does say that no matter what, but as a disciple of Jesus Christ, Jesus says specifically here that men will hate you. Turn to 1 Timothy chapter 3 and look at verse number 1. So you say, why is that? It's like, I don't want people to hate me. I mean, who would say I want people to hate me? I mean, nobody, that's not really a desirable situation to be in, to have people hate you, right? I mean, most people, they like to have people, you know, like them being around. Most people like having people positive towards them. You know, someone hating you is not a great thing. Okay? So look, turn to 1 Timothy chapter 3 and verse number 1. Let's look at why people might hate you first. And then we'll see how we can react to it and how we can take that information moving forward. Look at the Bible in 1 Timothy chapter 3 verse number 1. The Bible says this know also that in the last days, perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good. Despisers means they hate those that are good. Okay? Traders, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures, more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof from such turn away. So look, there are going to be people that just hate everything that you stand for. If you stand for the Bible, if you stand for the things that are good, which we know the things that are good, it is the Bible. That is what's good. You know, there's going to be people that hate you just for that. Only. You know, you could be the nicest person, the most merciful person, the most, you know, long-suffering person, but look, people are still going to hate you just for what you stand for. Okay? Now look, out soul waiting, you will find these people. Okay? You will run into these people. You will find people that are just, you go up to someone's door with a Bible in your hand, and you knock, and you say you're from a Baptist church, and they would just hate you. I mean, you say, well, you haven't been soul waiting long enough. You will find these people. You will find these people that just hate you just because you're standing at their door with a Bible. Period. You know, look, I'm not saying you need to be able to point out these people individually, but you just need to be ready for this type of situation, and when you see it, you need to understand what you are seeing. Okay? Look, whenever you see the phrase in the Bible, look down at verse number three of 1 Timothy 3. Whenever you see the phrase in the Bible, natural affection, or without natural affection, what we're talking about here is reprobates. We are talking about people who have been rejected by God. The Bible is talking about people that hate that as good, and they also hate the Lord. Turn to Romans chapter one. Turn to Romans chapter one. I mean, this is the explanation for it. I'm not trying to tell you something that you already know. I'm trying to just give you an understanding, just some logical, biblical definition of why people will react to you that way for just being there and just being there with the Bible. Okay? In Romans chapter one and verse 30, we're not going to go through all of Romans chapter one, but the Bible says that these people are backbiders, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things. You know, when I ever see inventors of evil things, it reminds me of the martyr's mirror. When you read a book like that, and it talks about the horrible things and the horrible tortures that, you know, I mean, it's a big book. I mean, it's like this book is filled with graphic situations that happen to Christian martyrs in the history of Christianity. And when you think about, when you read those things, you have to read it in doses, but when you read those things, you're like, who could even think of these things? Well, it's these people. Inventors of evil things. The Bible answers even that for us. Disobedient to parents without understanding covenant breakers, and here it is, without natural affection. Okay, so look. It's much more than just, you know, the homosexual and the sodomites and all this perversion. It's much more than that. There's people that are just rejected by God. That are just haters of God. Look, they hate the God that you serve. It's that simple. We need to never forget this because there are people that hate the Lord, folks. I know it seems extreme, and those same people are going to hate you. Well, that's it. You know, it is what it is. What can you say? You know, and that's why Jesus is telling the disciples this. You know, it is what it is, so don't be offended. Don't be offended when people hate you. You know, Jesus says, vengeance is mine. I will repay, say it to the Lord. We don't have to worry about it. Okay, but we just need to know about it. Okay, look, this is an example. This first one is an example of people that hate us, a solution from people that are not saved. Okay, we're talking about men will hate you. Is it possible that people that are saved could hate you? Is it possible for a saved person to hate another saved person? Absolutely. So we first saw that there's unsaved people out there, people that are rejected by God, people that literally hate God, that will hate you. That's pretty basic stuff, but you need to be aware of it. You don't want somebody being like, they go out soul winning, they start soul winning, they meet somebody like this, and they're just like, totally confused. But that's why the Bible explains it to us. It's very simple. Okay, but look, here's the one that's more difficult. That's more difficult for people to understand. And it's especially more difficult for people to actually deal with. And it's this, the saved that will hate you. There are saved people out there that will hate you. You're like, what? I mean, that doesn't sound right. Well, it's not right. You're not supposed to hate your brother. Okay, so look, how is it possible for someone who is saved to hate what you stand for? I mean, remember who Jesus is talking about here? He's talking, or who he's talking to, I'm sorry. He's talking to the disciples. So let me ask you a question. Considering the fact that Jesus is talking to the disciples, and you know that there's unsaved people that will hate us, and I'm telling you right now, I'm telling you that there's saved people that will hate you, that must mean that not every single person that is saved is a disciple. Now look, that's a great question. Is every saved person a disciple? Look, if only of course not. If only people understood this today, so much false doctrine would be avoided. It is this idea that being saved equals a disciple that leads us into all kinds of twisted doctrine. Turn to Matthew chapter 28. Matthew chapter 28. People today, especially with the state of churches, you know, in this country that we live in, in this world that we live in, are so confused about this. Let me clear it up for you in just a few minutes here. Look at Matthew chapter 28 and look at verse 19. Where the Bible says, your King James Bible says go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always even unto the end of the world. Amen. Look, this isn't a perfect example and an extremely good example of why you need a King James Bible. Because I mean, I still remember this phrase in my head of these false Bible verses. I heard it so much when I was growing up. Look, verse 19 in your King James Bible is talking about salvation and then baptism. That's what it's talking about. Teach them what? It's talking about teaching them the gospel. It's talking about, you know, the gospel being preached, people getting saved and then people getting baptized. Okay, verse 20 is talking about your life. It's talking about your life after salvation. This is the talk that I give after somebody gets saved and, you know, by the way I'm trying to get better and better. This is one of my main improvement areas as far as soul winning goes. I'm trying to get much better at this talk after my soul winning presentation, after somebody, you know, believes on the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm trying to get much better at this talk about, hey, now what for your life? What now? Now that you're saved here's what your life could be. Here's what your life is supposed to be. Here's what God wants for your life. Here's how to live your life in a way that's not a complete waste. Here's how to live your life in a way where God's not just going to be chastising you every single day of your life. I mean that is a talk that we need to have with people after they get saved. But look, the ESV says this in Matthew 28 verse 19. It says, go ye therefore and make disciples of all nations. Well, that's not the same thing. Baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. The NIV says the same thing, therefore go and make disciples of all nations. Baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Look, this is mixing works with salvation. That is the problem. You say, what's the big deal? The big deal is, I mean, it's a subtle way of mixing up the gospel. It's very subtle, which how we know it's from Satan by the way, because it's subtle. You know, it really mixes people up. This is where the repent of your sins stuff comes from. This is where the, you know, I mean, what does that even mean? Most people don't even know what it means to repent of your sins. You talk to somebody about what repent of your sins doctrine means to them and you'll get, you know, several different answers depending on who you ask. Does that mean you're sorry for your sins? Does that mean you have to turn from your sins? What do people expect? It's confusing. You know, another mixed up gray area here is the Lordship salvation. Oh yeah, I don't believe in works-based salvation but if you're saved you will do the works. Well, I mean, that's mixing up the gospel. That's blending works into the gospel. Verse 19 in the King James Bible is completely separate from verse 20. Salvation is one thing. Then going and teaching them to observe all things is another. But do you notice how people need to be taught how to observe all things? I mean, people need to, people aren't just going to know. I mean, when you preach the gospel to somebody, you're teaching them, hey, here's what it takes to get to heaven. Here's what it takes to be saved from the second death. Here's what it takes to have everlasting life. You're not telling them, hey, here's, you know, here's how to observe. I mean, there's a lot in here. There's a lot to observe. This takes some teaching. That's when people need to get in church and they need to read the Bible and they need to be taught and they need to be listened to preaching and listened to. I mean, they need to learn. They need to learn all things. So look, I mean, this is, I mean, first of all, this is why soul winning is so valuable, too. Because it'll actually, as a soul winner, it actually teaches you I mean how things actually work. You will actually see that verse 19 is different than verse 20. You will see, I mean, how people react to salvation. Somebody getting saved and believing in the gospel, you'll sit there and you'll watch somebody accept Christ. You'll watch somebody trust on Christ. It has nothing to do with the fact that they may or may not clean up their life. Amen. I mean, it just doesn't have, they're just it's just not connected to that. I mean, of course, you know, they should want to do that but they need to be taught that. So you could spend your whole life giving the gospel to people, getting people saved and just walking away. But the odds of that person becoming a disciple at that point are very low. It doesn't mean that they're not saved. It's just, they're not a disciple. So we really need to remember verse number 20 where it says teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you. Look, all things I mean, it's a lot of things. Okay, so look, the point is that people still need to be led. Okay, getting saved does not mean they're going to be led. They need to be taught and all that to say this. All that to bring this back around to persecution is that not everyone that's saved I would argue that most people that are saved are not observing all things. Of course, none of us are observing all things. But the point is that most people are not a disciple. Most people are not doing what they're supposed to do. They're not even really trying. So, many of these people that are not doing all things that are not observing these things that the Bible says, look they're not going to want to watch you do it. Look at Ephesians chapter 4. These people that are not living a life for the Lord, that have taken their salvation and they're just like, I'm good, I'm saved and I'm just going to move on through my worldly life. These people, look at Ephesians chapter 4. Here's what these people are doing. Ephesians chapter 4, look at verse number 30. The Bible says, and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed under the day of redemption. So here, I mean, this is a great verse for eternal security right here by the way. Because number one, we know from Ephesians 1.13 that the Holy Spirit seals us when we get saved which it mentions again here. So, we're sealed by the Holy Spirit but you can grieve the Holy Spirit. So, if I could lose my salvation I really wouldn't be, I'd be losing the Holy Spirit not grieving Him. So, I can be sealed by the Holy Spirit. I can have that earnest of the Holy Spirit within me and I can live a life that will grieve that Holy Spirit. It will go against that Holy Spirit. And look, some people are very good at this. They're not going to, and these people that are living a life of grieving the Holy Spirit within them, it doesn't mean they're not saved. It just means that they're just choosing to grieve the Holy Spirit. They're good at it. They're just going to continue doing that. They're going to live their life that way. Some of these people will live their whole life that way. Look, they're not going to like the way you're prosecuting your life and you will notice this. They're not going to like the way you're raising your kids because that's not how you're raising their kids. They're not going to like where you go to church. I mean, they're not going to like to get to details, they're not even going to like how you dress. I mean, look, they're just not going to like it. Think about it. Think about these things that I just mentioned. Church, how you raise your kids, how you dress, how your wife dresses, how your daughter dresses, whatever. I mean, think about these things. Why in the world would anyone care? But they do. They do and they're going to. I mean, especially another Christian. Why would another saved Christian care or be bothered on how you live your life? Turn to 1 Timothy chapter 1. I'm going to explain this to you too. The answer is this. The answer is, even though you could be full of grace, full of mercy, they will take it as a judgment on them. Because guess what? They have that Holy Spirit in them and they're grieving the Holy Spirit and that's why it will bother the nicest person in the world. You could say nothing about their lifestyle to them and it will still bother them. They will still hate what you're doing. You will find these people, saved people that hate you for what you're doing. Turn to 1 Timothy chapter 1. Here's why. Here's why. 1 Timothy 1 and look at verse 19. The Bible says holding faith and a good conscience which some, look we all have a conscience. Even unsaved people were given a conscience. We're going to talk about that a little bit more this evening. But look, holding faith and a good conscience which some, it says some have done this though which some having put away concerning the faith, some have put away this conscience and they have made a shipwreck, have made shipwreck. It says some people have made a shipwreck of their conscience. Think about that. Even saved people can make shipwreck of their conscience. They can constantly fight it. They can constantly fight the Holy Spirit in them and that law written in their heart. And these people, look these people want validation that what they're doing is right because they're not getting it from their conscience and they're not getting it from the Holy Spirit within them. Look, you shouldn't be a pompous jerk with some, with these types of people you won't have to say a word. You won't have to say a word and they will just be offended. They'll hate you for what you stand for. Because what they have what you have but they've made a shipwreck of theirs or they're making a shipwreck of theirs and look, it's going to go against their conscience. It's going to go against that Holy Spirit within them and that makes people angry. People that are going to continue in the wrong way, it's going to make them angry as they continue to fight those things. You won't have to say a word. You won't have to say a word. Look at the second part of Luke 6 and verse number 20. What's the second thing that will happen to you? Luke 6 and verse number 20 I'm sorry, verse number 22. The Bible says, blessed are ye when men shall hate you so men will hate you and when they shall separate you from their company. So here's the second thing that's going to happen to you. They shall separate you. People will separate from you. People will not want you around because these people that want validation they don't want to be around people that remind them of what they should not be doing. And look turn to 2 Corinthians chapter 6. This one, this one you should be completely okay with. I mean you should be completely okay with all of it but this one should be super easy. Because here's why. Look at 2 Corinthians chapter 6 and verse number 17. Because here's why. Because the feeling should be mutual. That's why. Look at verse 17 of 2 Corinthians 6. Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate. Say it to the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I'll receive you. Look, you should be separate anyway. I mean here's the irony of separation and what Jesus is saying in verse 22 of chapter 6 of Luke. Here's the irony of that. Look, people that drink don't want somebody that doesn't drink around them. And here's the thing. Yet they will be offended if you separate from them because of this. I mean anyone we have separated from over lifestyle choices I can honestly say care less what they do. I can care less what they do. It's not my wheelhouse. It's not my wheelhouse. But look they're offended anyway. They're offended anyway. They don't want you around but they're offended when you separate. I mean define irony. I mean but that's what Jesus is saying. That's exactly what's going to happen. Even though they don't want you around but here's the thing. They don't want you around in your current condition. That's really what it is. They want you around in your current condition. They want you around in that previous condition. Or in their condition. That's how they want you around. Look, it's irreconcilable differences. That's what we're dealing with here. We're dealing with the fact that people want to they don't want you around. You shouldn't want to be around them but they're angry about it. Well there's nothing you can do because you're not going to go back to that current condition. Are you? Because that would be a way to reconcile that difference is to go back to that condition or to go to that condition. We'll talk about that in a few minutes. But look that's why you can't both be happy in a situation like that because they want you around but only if you're in their life. In their lifestyle. And since that's not going to happen if you're following the Bible, if you're observing all things, separation is the only solution. That's it. It's very logical. But look, it's verse 22 shows us it's what they want to. Okay? I mean when you have these situations it's what they want to. So look this is just the first two things of verse number 22 here but it's really what Jesus is saying here is really about recognizing you know the reality of this Christian life and that's why he's explaining it like this to the disciples. He's explaining how people are going to feel. You know this is a new thing for them. These guys just adopted this. He's talking about the things that people are going to feel towards you. We'll talk next week about what people are going to do. But this is how these first two things are how people are going to feel towards you as you live the life of a disciple. One, some people will hate you saved and unsaved. Accept it. That's an easy one. And the second one is some people will separate from you. Saved and unsaved. Which is okay since we should already be separated from them. It's a totally mutual situation. Look if you're doing your part in separation anyway. Look it's protection for you against actions of people that hate what you stand for. That's why 2 Corinthians chapter 6 tells you to be separate and to separate from people. But look here's the thing with the separation and we'll get into a little bit of detail on that right now. Some people have a really hard time with this. Because some people will say you know oh you know oh ah you know they're family. Ah you know they're related to me. You know you're talking about you know separating from people. They're family. Turn to Luke chapter 12. This is why Jesus said so much about this one particular thing. Because you know he knew how hard it would be for people to do so. Look at Luke chapter 12 and verse 53. Luke chapter 12 and verse 53. And I'm not going to read all the Bible areas that especially Jesus himself talks about this subject. The Bible talks that a brother is born for adversity. I mean the Bible says but a friend loveth at all times. I mean look the Bible speaks very heavily on this difficulty that the Christian will have. Look at Luke 12 53. The Bible says the father shall be divided against the son. And the son against the father and the mother against the daughter and the daughter against the mother and the mother in law against her daughter in law. And in the daughter in law against her mother in law. I mean the Bible says that family will be the ones that deliver you up in those times of you know the last days. So look here's the thing folks I hope and we pray about this all the time. This is one thing that comes up on the prayer list a lot. I hope all your family gets saved and becomes a disciple of Jesus Christ. I hope and pray for that. And we pray a prayer for that for individual family members. Like every single week almost at this church but here's the thing. It's probably not going to happen. It's just not going to happen. You're not going to have everybody in your family just get saved and become a disciple. You're not going to have everybody in your family get saved. I hate to break it to you. I mean look but this right here you hear what I just said everybody in your family is not going to go to heaven. Maybe there's somebody out there who's everybody above them and their family is going to go to heaven and praise God for that situation. But I'm telling you it is more likely than not that everybody in your family is not going to go to heaven. Can you accept that? Look I'm not saying don't try to get him saved. I'm just trying to give you the reality of the situation. I'm trying to give you the reality. Look not everybody in your family is even going to want to hear the gospel. Not everybody in your family is going to even be interested, remotely interested in what the Bible has to say on how they can go to heaven. It's just a reality of the situation. That's it. But here's the thing. That, what I just said to you that extreme statement right there that I said to you is one of the main reasons that I'm doing what I'm doing in my life. Because look it's a terrible thing if your parents are not going to go to heaven. It's a terrible thing if your uncle is not going to go to heaven. It's a terrible thing if your cousins are not going to go to heaven. That's a terrible thing. There may be nothing you can do about it. But that's a terrible thing all the same. But here's the thing. This is why I want to be a disciple of Jesus Christ and not just somebody that's saved because I want everybody from me down to go to heaven. I want everyone from me down and guess what? The only way to do that is to be a disciple yourself and then to raise children and a wife and a family below you that will serve the Lord and become a disciple themselves. That's the only way to ensure that that culture of not only salvation but being a disciple of Jesus Christ follows you for generations. And then maybe your grandkids can look back and they can look at this sermon and they can say, oh yeah, oh yeah. Everybody in my family saved. Wouldn't that be a wonderful thing? When they can look at their parents and their brothers and their sisters and their cousins and their grandparents and they can say everybody's saved. Everybody believes the gospel. Everybody believes the Bible. Everybody's following Jesus Christ. I mean, can you even imagine? That's the whole point. That's the goal. But to do that you got to cut some ties. Because if you keep looking up and trying to keep one foot in it's not going to happen. It's not going to happen. Look, I don't want any separation like I'm telling you about to go on below me. Because everyone is going to be saved. Lord willing. Everyone is going to be a disciple and everyone is going to be serving the Lord with their life. Lord willing. But if you don't separate above and to the sides when necessary you will jeopardize the future. Look, this is a great maturing step for Christians to realize this. You hear what I said? This is a great maturing step for Christians to realize this blunt reality that I'm teaching you about this morning. There needs to be separation in cases where people are against you. And I don't care who they're related to. It's a tough truth. But separation means not together. They're not against you. They support you. Great. There's hope there. Hopefully there can be a relationship there. Hopefully people can get saved there. Hopefully, you know, but look if there is opposition to you there must be separation. And you must recognize that. Because here's the danger. Let me just detail the danger for you. Turn to Mark chapter 3. Here's the danger. Let me give you two concepts here as we close this morning. Just two extremely important concepts. Please listen carefully. The first concept is this. Look at Mark chapter 3 in verse 25. You say how could keeping contact with people that are against us? I mean, it's not that often. I mean, it's not that much. I mean, what's the big deal? Look at Mark chapter 3 in verse 25. Let me give you two concepts that will demonstrate the dangers that you're playing with here. Look at Mark 3, 25. The Bible says if a house be divided against itself that house cannot stand. Go to Matthew chapter 6. So we see that a house divided cannot stand. Jesus is teaching that concept. Look at Matthew chapter 6. Look, it's important to also recognize concepts in the Bible. When you read the Bible enough you're going to start to just realize that there are certain concepts. They're just concepts that certain doctrines or they all point to the same concept. And the concept here is that a house divided against itself can't stand. That means, you know, competing philosophies, competing doctrines, whatever. It can't stand that way. It can't go that way. Look at Matthew 6, 24. No man can serve two masters. For he who will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. He cannot serve God and Mammon. So look, he's talking about God versus money here. But look, the Bible says that, I mean, your heart can't be in two places. Your heart can't be with people that hate you and also be with the Bible with, you know, the way you want it. Look, it's a scary injection of reality here. I mean, the Bible, what I'm trying to get you to understand here with these two concepts of a house being divided and you can't serve two masters is that, look, something will prevail. Something will prevail. Do you understand? There's no gray area. There's no gray area with Jesus. That's another concept. You're either with me or against me. There's no gray area. And look, something will prevail. If you got your one foot in over here and one foot over here, the situation is not going to stay gray. Either you'll get right or you'll go over there. You're playing with fire because I'm trying to get you to understand. You're playing with fire. Look, something will prevail. Stay out of the gray or you're in, I mean, it's not just you. You're endangering the next generation. I mean, just think. As you dabble in things that are not spiritual or with people that are not spiritual, there is risk there to you becoming not spiritual. We're going to talk about that in detail tonight a little bit more when we talk about spiritual habits. But look, this is easy stuff, folks. This is stuff that you will face, though. This is stuff that's real and for sure you will face it. That's why Jesus brought it up. And the consequences, I mean, that's why you have to listen. You have to listen when you're reading the Bible. You can't just blast through nine chapters. You have to listen when you're reading the Bible if you want it to actually affect you because look, the consequences to this stuff are real. Next week, we're going to look at some actual actions that people will take towards you in your Christian life. But I don't want you to miss this, that people are going to hate you. Just put that one in your pocket. Just accept it. Just accept it. And really, turn to John 16 to close. Turn to John 16 to close. People are going to hate you. I mean, that's why you come here. People don't hate you here. People are going to hate you, but look at John 16 verse 1. And Jesus says something very simple that he said elsewhere in the Bible. He says, The reason that I tell you these things and the reason that you need to understand these things, the reason that Jesus told the disciples these things is because he's just getting them ready. He's like, this for sure is going to happen to you. This may be happening to people in our church right now, these things that I'm talking about. People may be struggling with people wanting to separate from them. People may be struggling with the idea of separating from people. People may be struggling with that. At any given time, it's going to affect you as a disciple of Jesus Christ. But look, Jesus told you about it. If you ever talked to me about problems with separation and things like that, and it kind of comes off, I'm just kind of like, that's just the way it is. It's because I've been there. Because I've been there. You've got to make those choices. You just do what the Bible says and just let everything work from there. It's not that I don't understand what you're going through because I do. But I've been there, and I'm on the other side of it. It is what it is. Jesus told us about it several times. He told the disciples here, people are going to hate you, people are going to want to separate from you, and we're supposed to separate from them anyway. And the consequences of not doing so will affect, look, that's why I'm just kind of like, it's not just it is what it is. If you don't do it, there's going to be serious consequences. Because it's not just you that's going to pay. It's going to be everyone. Your kids will be separating from people above them It's super important. But that's why Jesus told the disciples about it. That's why I'm telling you about it. So you're not offended. The consequences are real. Let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer.