 Amen. So keep your place in Jeremiah chapter 6. That's going to be our text for this morning's sermon. We're going to be coming back to it, so we're going to go to other places in the Bible, but always just put a bookmark in Jeremiah chapter 6. That is going to be what we're studying this morning. So for this morning's sermon, our soul winning ministry has kind of moved into some nicer neighborhoods and some nicer areas of Fresno. And from time to time we're going to be doing this. We're going to be going from different types of neighborhoods and you're going to notice that there's a difference in receptiveness to where we end up going depending on the neighborhoods that we go to. And this morning I've been thinking about this for the last several weeks, but this morning I want to talk to you about this problem that we see today and this problem before you think that it's just me that's seeing this problem, this problem that we're seeing out there as far as receptiveness and soul winning. Let me just say that there is no new problems. First of all, in the world, turn to Ecclesiastes chapter 1. There's no new problems. In Ecclesiastes chapter 1, the Bible tells us this. And so what we're seeing today, as far as certain people not being receptive to the Word of God or to the Gospel, it is nothing new. Look at Ecclesiastes chapter 1 in verse number 9. Look at Ecclesiastes 1 in verse 9. The Bible says, the thing that hath been is that which shall be and that which is done, that which shall be done, and there is no new thing under the sun. So one cool thing is that anything that we see today is nothing new that has happened before in the history of the world. It's a pattern that's repeated itself through time. And if you get anything from Bible studies on Wednesday nights and things like that, is that you should see that there's patterns that are just coming up again and again with the children of Israel, with God's people, and with all people in general. But most of all these patterns are documented in the Bible. And the Bible tells us how to deal with them. And the pattern I want to discuss and the problem that I want to discuss this morning is something that we've been seeing more than usual in this church, especially as we go do the first works, we go out soul-winning, we carry the Gospel to our community is this. This is the problem that I want to discuss. Why doesn't anyone care about eternity? Why doesn't anyone care about their eternal destination? I mean, look, I can tell you for sure that yes, this is nothing new under the sun, but I can tell you for sure I'm really good at recognizing trends. I'm not good at everything, but I'm good at recognizing trends. And I'm telling you that this trend in our local area about people just not caring about eternity has definitely gotten worse over the last year. And you have probably maybe seen this as well, but it makes perfect sense when you think about it, when you think about some of the things that have happened over the last year, just in our area, in our state, in our country. People basically don't have to go to church anymore. People have been kept from church, not us, but people in general have been told not to go to church. Many of them probably didn't like going to church anyway, so they had a nice excuse to not go to church. And they don't even seem to consider the thought of eternity anymore, because at least if you were going to church, whatever kind of church you were going to, at least that puts some sort of focus on your life past this earth, or your life past just the life that we're living in the flesh. But most people today, they don't even consider the thought anymore. When you ask them where do you go to church, most people it's normal to hear now, well, we haven't gone to church for a long time, or we used to go here or whatever, but we just haven't gone for a long time. I mean it's pretty bad, just think about this for a second, it's pretty bad when you have a society that can basically be told by the government and TV how they should behave. But that is exactly what is going on. I mean there's a main reason for not watching TV right there. It's just it's changing who people are. You know this media, I mean look, it's literally stealing the fear of the Lord from people and putting it on things in this world. That's what media TV is doing. I can literally tell how much TV people consume, how much media people consume by just this point right here. I mean look, if you just think about this for a second, you think how am I affected by media or how am I affected by the TV? How different are you today than you were a year ago? Just do that little test on yourself. If you say no, I'm not different, I'm still doing exactly what I was doing a year ago, then you're probably more focused on the things of God than the things of this world. Media, the TV, all this stuff. But look, the big one here, the big one, salvation. I mean think about this, salvation, eternity. Most people still have a conscience out there. Most people are not rejected by God. Thank God that most people aren't. But look, they know they're not going to live forever and they will go somewhere when they die. Most people know this. So the question is, why don't people care? Why don't people care today? Why don't people care when you ask them if they want to know where they're going for eternity and they just don't care? Just on a logical level, you would think more people would care. The fact that they still have that law written in their heart, they still have a conscience that's at least somewhat intact. So that's what I want to look at this morning. I want to look at some reasons this morning that people don't care. I want to show you some reasons that, you know, not only we are dealing with but the prophets have dealt with that other soul winners in the past have dealt with. But I want to give you reasons this morning, three specific reasons from Jeremiah chapter 6 why people at the door will have zero interest. Some people. Jeremiah dealt with the same thing. Look at Jeremiah chapter 6. In Jeremiah chapter 6, he was dealing with this exact same thing that we are dealing with today. Look at Jeremiah chapter 6 and look at verse number 10. Look what the Bible says here. It says, To whom shall I speak and give warning that they may hear? Behold, their ear is uncircumcised and they cannot hearken. Behold, the word of the Lord is unto them a reproach. They have no delight in it. I mean, if you're a soul winner, you felt like this before. You felt like this. People, they just, you've gone soul winning and you've knocked 60 homes or you've knocked 40 homes or 80 homes or whatever the map is and no one had any interest and that's exactly what Jeremiah is saying right here. It's just that they have no delight in the Lord. Nobody wants to hear anything. Their ears can't hear. What's going on with these people? But then he gives, you know, the Bible gives us some explanation. Therefore, my full of fear, full of the fury of the Lord, I am weary with holding in. I will pour it out upon the children abroad and upon the assembly of young men together for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him that is full of days and their houses shall be turned unto others with their fields and wives together for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, say, at the Lord. For from the least of them, even unto the greatest of them, everyone is given to covetousness and from the prophet even unto the priest everyone dealeth falsely. They have healed also the herd of the daughter of my people slightly saying, peace, peace, when there is no peace. When they were ashamed and they had, where were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? Nay, they were not at all ashamed. Neither could they blush. Therefore, they shall fall among them that fall and at the time that I will visit them they shall be cast down, sayeth the Lord. So here in Jeremiah chapter 6 you have a very frustrated prophet. In verse number 10 he basically says, these people don't want to hear anything that I am telling them. Nothing. So this morning I want to give you three reasons that people don't care about eternity. The first answer, the first reason I want to give you is in the first part of verse number 13. I like to call this reason you know, thorns. Look at Jeremiah 13 and look at the first part of this verse. He says in Jeremiah 6, 13, for from the least of them, even unto the greatest of them, this means everybody. He's saying the poor people even to the rich people in this country are just obsessed with what? He's saying they're given to covetousness. They're obsessed with things, money, worldly items. These people are just wrapped up in the things of this world. Look, we see the exact same thing today. There are people in the United States and you will find people that have a lot of money obsessed with money but then you will find people that have no money obsessed with money. It doesn't even matter how much money you actually have you'll find people that are just obsessed with it. It doesn't make a difference and that's what he's saying here. People are just wrapped up in the things of this world. That is what's going on out here. People are wrapped up in the things of money. They are wrapped up in cars. We weren't just talking about this yesterday. I can't even explain what's happening in the economy in California right now. It's like this antithesis of logic and reason. It's weird. Everyone's buying cars. There is no cars. I thought the economy was bad but then everyone's just spending, spending, just obsessed with it. Everyone's just obsessed with it. It seems like nothing can stop the economy here. It seems like it. But something will stop it at some point. Turn to Matthew chapter 19. That's one reason right there that people just have no interest in eternity is because they're obsessed with stuff and money and making worldly possessions. You say that doesn't make sense to not even worry about it but it blinds them. They're completely blinded to eternity. Look at Matthew chapter 19 in verse 24. The Bible says in Matthew chapter 19 verse 24 and again I say to you it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. Go to 1 Corinthians chapter 1. 1 Corinthians chapter 1 and we're going to look at a few verses here. The Bible says that being obsessed with worldly things can be an impediment to your salvation. To someone getting saved. That's what Jesus is talking about in Matthew 19 verse 24. Look, somebody that's just got all these possessions and has just wrapped up with all these thorns of the world the Bible will call it in the parable of the sower is going to be very difficult for that person to get into the kingdom of heaven for them to get saved. The Bible also talks about Matthew 19 verse 24. Look at 1 Corinthians chapter 1 and look at verse 23. Now this is talking about us right here. 1 Corinthians 1 23. But we preach Christ crucified under the Jews a stumbling block and under the Greeks foolishness but under them which are called both Jews and Greeks Christ the power of God underlined which are called. I'm going to explain that just as a side note here is wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than men. That means God is so strong that even his weakness is stronger than anything that we have. Even God's foolishness it's not saying God's foolish it's saying even the lowest thought God has is higher than any thought that the wisest person could have. Look at verse 26. For see your calling brethren that how many not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called. Now called here let me explain this. Called here in this passage means if you heard the word and you listened to the word and you got saved your call. That's what the definition of called is in 1 Corinthians chapter 1. But God just to dismay all that Calvinistic teaching that comes from these types of word. But called means hearing and responding hearing and believing is what called means. So it says that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called. Look not many of these types of people hear the word and believe the word that's what the Bible is saying here. Look at verse 27. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty and the base things of the world and the things which are despised have God chosen and things which are not to bring to not things that are that no flesh should glory in his presence. Here's what God is saying here. Here's what God is saying here. He's saying because of the way salvation is designed because of the way salvation is designed by belief alone that you must humble yourself and put your trust completely in the Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that design the base things of the world meaning the immoral things of the world the sinful things of the world you know the foolish things of the world your cars your houses all these things people are obsessed with those things will confound the gospel for people. That's what the Bible is saying here. Because of the way that salvation is designed by that requirement that you must trust all in Jesus. These things will confound that is what the Bible is saying. That no flesh should glory in his presence because look if I could be saved by how awesome I am or how much stuff I had which seems silly to even say that but if I could be saved by even just a little bit a little bit of my own doing or you know anything that I could possibly do or say or whatever then I could glory then this flesh would have something to glory in. But Jesus here is saying the Bible here is saying is that you know these things will confound the gospel. It will confound the gospel it's geared it's geared and this matches up with Matthew 19 24 this is why this is why the gospel is geared towards the meek. It is geared towards the humble. Now can you be a rich man and be humble? Yes that's possible but you don't usually see it. It's not the norm. The foolish things of this world will confound people to the point where they won't believe the gospel. We see this all the time. We see this all the time. Look we are out there we are out there and we are calling we are calling everybody we're calling we're knocking we're asking we're asking the noble we're asking the wise they're just not going to answer so they're not going to be so we're calling they're not going to listen so therefore they're not going to be the called does that make sense? That's what this verse these passages are talking about here. But look why aren't they going to answer? Because they're confounded with the foolish things of this world. They're confounded with the base things of this world. But look it's their choice to be confounded by those things. That's what you have to remember. They are wrapped up in the foolish things verse 27. They're wrapped up in the base things verse 28. Base meaning without morality. Base meaning sin. They're wrapped up in sin. Look sin stopping sinning is not going to get you saved but being wrapped up in sin could confound you from believing the gospel. We met a guy like I'm pretty sure we met a guy like this on Wednesday. I was with Brother Frank and I kind of mentioned something I don't know if Brother Frank knew exactly I didn't get into detail explaining it but we met this young man and he kind of popped his head around the door and seemed like a super nice guy. Super nice guy and Brother Frank was talking to him. He's like I could I could explain it to you super sincere guy but you just had this feeling that he was just he was wrapped up in that moment with something that he shouldn't have been wrapped up in. You just kind of had this feeling that whatever he was doing behind the door as he peaked his head around the door it was just kind of keeping him from listening to what Brother Frank had to say and it was so obvious that I mentioned something to Brother Frank because I mean I thought maybe maybe this kid would listen you could tell sincere kid, nice kid and but just some you know so look being wrapped up in sin can definitely keep you from wanting to hear the truth you know turning from that sin is not going to save you but being wrapped up in the base things of the world may very well keep you from becoming the called. That's what 1 Corinthians chapter 1 is talking about. Look if Calvinism if Calvinism this idea this dumb idea that's not that you can't logically put together in the Bible if it were true then we would not, first of all we would not be required to preach the gospel to all which is why a lot of you know most Calvinists don't go soul winning by the way because it's God's you know God picks them God picks them. What are we what are we doing but no folks God uses us to call all. We're calling all these people have confounded themselves with this first thing where you know these people wrapped up in covetousness look if you believe in free will you cannot believe in Calvinism they do not go together and how could you possibly believe the right gospel of you know belief alone on Jesus Christ because that's the definition of free will your belief is completely yours it's the one thing that you freely have that's all yours they just don't go together folks so your own sin also those baser things can stop you from being the call we see here the Bible is teaching that the foolish things of the world the base things sin can keep you from believing the gospel God has nothing to do with causing you to sin that is your choice that is your free will or to get into covetousness these are choices that people make and the reason that you will one of the reasons that you will find that people have no interest in eternity is because they have chosen to be wrapped up in sin they have chosen to be wrapped up in covetousness and it's blinded their eyes go back to Jeremiah chapter 6 go back to Jeremiah chapter 6 I'll give you a second reason a second reason or maybe a third covetousness we looked at baser things sin let's look at a third reason look at the second part of verse 13 in Jeremiah chapter 6 the second part of verse 13 look what the Bible says read the whole verse from the least of them even unto the greatest of them everyone is given to covetousness we talked about that and then look at this reason and from the prophet even unto the priest everyone dealeth and then in verse 14 the Bible says how did they deal falsely because they have healed also the herd of my daughter of my people slightly saying peace peace when there is no peace so what they've done is these people dealing falsely these men dealing falsely they've gone and they've made the people feel a little better here it tells them they've healed them slightly means they've made them they've kind of told them what they wanted to hear and made them feel better temporarily saying peace peace I mean that sounds good right peace peace I mean you're worried about stuff peace no peace you're really worried about wrath and terrible things and consequences and chastisement no no no peace peace there's nothing to worry about that's what people want to hear but the problem is this they're saying that and there is no peace they're saying that and God is mad God is full of wrath they're telling people things that are not true is what it comes down to meant turn to Ezekiel chapter 11 now we could go on and on and on and on with Bible verses on this one more in Ezekiel chapter 11 look at verse number one this is a constant pattern you see with the prophets the prophets that are coming in and they're warning the nation there's like judgment is coming God is angry God is angry for this reason and this reason and this reason and all these wicked things that you've been doing and there's always these other people that are coming in and say no no no no God's not mad God's not mad at all these are men that are dealing falsely look at Ezekiel 11 one moreover the spirit lifted me up and brought me under the east gate of the Lord's house which look at eastward and behold at the door of the gate of five and twenty men whom I saw Jazaniah the son of Azur and Pelotiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people then he said unto me son of man these are the men that devise mischief and give wicked counsel in the city and what is that wicked counsel which say it is not near let us build houses the city is the cauldron and we be the flesh look at what these men say Ezekiel is out there and he's preaching judgment he's like God's going to destroy this nation God is going to wipe this nation off the earth he's like this is going to be terrible he's like this is going to be terrible and he's like no no no no no it is no judgment is not near judgment is not near build houses buy cars you know what will make you feel better you're feeling so stressed out go buy yourself a new pickup he's like just go we are the the city is the cauldron we are the flesh in this pot it was the cauldron and they were the flesh and the water was boiling already and they didn't realize it this is the proverbial frog in the boiling pot right here and guess what it's us it's us too but these people I know everything's fine they're preaching the exact opposite they're lying they're lying to the people they're saying peace peace and there is no peace I mean how many times have you heard that how many times have you heard that I mean I don't how many times have you heard that I don't believe in a God that would you believe in this magic sky being that would throw us all in hell I mean what why would you believe that I mean so first of all let me explain something from Romans 1 and Romans 2 that we studied through we know for sure that everybody started with a conscience that knows that God exists everybody can see what we have two things I don't care if you're the most wicked reprobate rejected person at this moment in your life everybody started with a conscience and everybody started with a view of creation around them with evidence that God is there you have to be taught otherwise and this is what Jeremiah chapter 6 is saying is that men are out there teaching otherwise you say what that's happening today how about the public school I mean what are they teaching God doesn't exist they're teaching God doesn't exist you're an animal like all the other animals you came from animals you're just another link in the chain of animals you know God is not your father the earth is your mother that's what they teach that's what they're teaching why do you think we're like you know you have to homeschool your kids there's no option they're literally teaching in so many different brilliant ways it would shock you that there is no God that you know that not only is there no God but here's the explanation how it all happened and they teach all these other wicked philosophies look there is no absolute truth there's no absolute because if there's no God there's no absolute truth folks I mean more on this later but you know everything you feel or see is okay look at the verse of the week everything that comes in front of your eyes everything that goes good is fine if that's what you think that's what they're teaching that's what they're teaching no God no absolute truth anything goes is that not what you're seeing today so I mean there's the no God right there how about this one though false churches preaching a false God because I mean the devil's plan A is like hey there's no God we're not buying that one some people have the Bible he's like alright false God we'll twist the Bible what are we seeing from Galatians we'll pervert the gospel we will take what God wrote and we will twist it and change it and people will believe it God is love there is no wrath people have literally been convinced and you will meet these people out that they have created their own God turn to 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 they fear nothing they fear nothing from God turn to 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 and look at verse number 11 but we know different and that's why we're there look at 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 and verse number 11 look what we know look what we know I mean people I don't believe you know maybe they believe in a God where you know do you think anybody will go to hell no I'm pretty sure that God will forgive everybody you ever met these people they're everywhere all you have to do is ask for forgiveness what if I never ask for forgiveness I think God will forgive you anyway I mean you take their own weird gospel that they believe and you say that okay you violate your own weird workspace gospel and they're just kind of like yeah but you know God is just you know you're gonna send people to hell I don't believe in hell there's just different levels of heaven it's like a hotel and you know it's just all kinds of weird made up God stuff look at 1st Corinthians chapter 5 and verse number 11 but what do we know knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we persuade men but we are made manifest under God and I trust also I'm made manifest in your consciousness look we know the terror of the Lord we know the wrath that is upon people that are not saved we know that so therefore for that reason we go and we try to persuade people I mean you ever been you ever been at the door and you're just like you can tell that maybe they're just on the edge and you're just like how could I that's why the better people person you can be the more comfortable you can be talking with people look it's one thing to be able to give the gospel but look we're really out there persuading people and the better you know the better of you know the better at connecting with people and the more in tune you are with different people in different scenarios the better soul winner you will be because we're there to persuade people we're there to persuade people to listen look we're out there and we're advocating for people's own souls we're out there door because we're trying to beg them to care about themselves we're trying to beg them to care about their own families hey could you please care about your own children please we're trying to persuade them I mean we will walk away from people and we will just be like what could I have possibly said better and I know that there's things that I could say better to people I know that I can get better at this I know that I can get better at persuading people that's why you know you just need to take every individual person as as an individual person and just how can I persuade this person because that's what we're doing because we know that God is not just this you know I just love everything all the time and everybody's going to heaven no most people are going to hell Jesus said we know the terror of the Lord folks we know the terror of God's judgment so we're out there we're advocating for people turn to Zephaniah chapter one Zephaniah chapter one this is another one we can just read Bible for 10 hours 11 hours on the wrath of God there's a lot of wrath in this book if you're saying I don't know you know it is does God have wrath what you are you have not opened the King James Bible look at Zephaniah chapter one this is God Zephaniah chapter one and look at verse number 12 look at verse number 12 of Zephaniah and it shall come to pass at that time that I will search Jerusalem with their candles and punish the men that are settled on their leaves these are men that are just back and they're just relaxing that they say in their heart the Lord will not do good neither will he do evil what does that mean these people are sitting back and they're relaxed and they're saying you know what God doesn't care what's going on down here God's not going to do good to us he's not going to do bad to us it's like God that's how I know that's how I know by the way this should give you great faith right here because this here is saying that God is the opposite of this so personally for your own personal faith just remember God's plugged into this thing God is in this game God is in control of everything and look he will do good and he will do evil meaning hurt meaning he will judge and these people were sitting back and they're saying God's not he's not in this thing he doesn't care what we do look at verse 13 this is interesting therefore their goods shall become a booty one of the things that people is keeping people from being saved their goods their covetousness and their houses of desolation Jeremiah chapter 6 goes into this same thing they shall also build houses but not inhabit them so all these people from Ezekiel that were saying no it's fine build houses there's nothing going on we're the pot we're the flesh the city is the cauldron we're the flesh he's like they'll build houses somebody else is going to live in them all their stuff is going to be somebody else's the great day of the Lord is near it is near and hasteth greatly even the voice of the day of the Lord the mighty men shall cry their bitterly the strongest will be weeping that day well what does that mean maybe they're weeping because they lost their house no that day is a day of wrath a day of trouble and distress a day of wasteness and desolation a day of darkness and gloominess a day of clouds and thick darkness a day of trumpet and alarm against the fence cities against the high towers and I will bring because why because who's doing it and I will bring distress upon them they that shall walk should be like blind men because they have sinned against the Lord and their blood shall be poured out as dust and their flesh as dung have a nice day I mean that is wrath right there neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord's wrath but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy God is jealous jealous is a good thing jealousy means wanting something that's yours God was jealous of his people he was jealous you can be jealous of your wife because she's yours she belongs to you a husband and wife belong to each other that jealousy is good envy is something different envy is wanting something that's not yours but God is jealous of you and when you go start chasing after all these other things especially to the point where people are not getting saved because they've made idols of all these other things but God will destroy your idols and that's what he's doing here people have been convinced by evil men this is the second thing that either God doesn't exist or the devil's plan be that he doesn't care that he's not involved that he's not this God this is a different God so they have no fear of the true God this is a scary bunch of verses if you're not saved that's a scary bunch of verses even if you are saved and you're in sin that's a scary bunch of verses they have no fear of the true God we talked about somebody preached about this this is what happened in Josiah's time there was no fear of the true God they had some sort of God made up in their mind and they read the Bible and they're like oh this is really what God is they're like oh man and look we need more moments like that we need more Josiah moments you'll see this you'll see this with people that just get saved or just have not been in church and then they get in a Bible preaching church and they listen to stuff like this and they're just like their hair is like they're going in a car like a hundred miles an hour and they're like whoa yeah but that's God and he's not changed it's just men dealing falsely men not preaching the Bible men having church and not preaching the whole Bible look they've dealt falsely with people so people have lost that fear of the Lord third reason or maybe where are we on fourth reason turn to Ecclesiastes chapter 11 or look at the front of your bulletin the fourth reason that people won't get saved when you're out there and you're going soul winning and they won't even seem to have a care in the world about salvation is one word youth youth look at Ecclesiastes chapter 11 or verse number 9 the Bible says rejoice oh young man in thy youth and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth and walk in the ways of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment therefore remove sorrow from thy heart and put away evil from thy flesh for childhood and youth are vanity here he is telling them at the beginning of verse number 9 he's like walk in the ways of your heart turn to Jeremiah chapter 17 he's like walk in the ways of your heart what sounds like I mean what's wrong with that isn't that what everyone tells you today follow your heart just follow your heart you know whatever you feel is right you know whatever you feel is the right thing to do isn't this what they'll teach you isn't this what the world will teach you look at Jeremiah chapter 17 verse number 9 Jeremiah chapter 17 verse number 9 the Bible says this uh oh says the heart is deceitful it's not only just deceitful it's deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it you know I don't know how many times people say oh I was just I was just following you know following my heart or following this look how do I know if my heart is deceiving me because if it goes against what the Bible says it's deceiving me but here in Ecclesiastes chapter 11 somebody who was foolish foolish in his youth is saying hey follow your heart young man he's like follow your heart youthful person but look the heart is deceitful amongst all things you know you're in chic and desperately wicked and then he says follow your sight he's like young man can you imagine if this was actual advice you were giving a young person he's basically saying deny yourself nothing young man in short what he's saying is here is that young people have foolish tendencies you know the teenager the teenager has maybe you know you've all been a teenager before but the teenager has this inherent foolish tendency that says you know what I'll never die I'll never die I mean eternity why I mean why would I have to worry about eternity I'm 18 I will never die this is how young men think I know I used to be one I mean God I mean God will bring me into judgment I mean these teenagers they just they're not focused on eternity because they're foolish because they're caught up in youthful lusts that's what Ecclesiastes chapter 119 is saying that if you do that young man you will be brought into judgment so look those are the you know those are three or four main reasons why you will find people don't be surprised there's nothing new under the sun those are three or four main reasons that you'll find people out there today that just don't care about eternity and you walk away as a Bible believing Christian and you know somebody that's in church three times a week and soul winning and you're growing in your faith and you just it'll just be shocking to you but it's not shocking because this is what the Bible says they're wrapped up in covetousness they're wrapped up in sin you know they're youthful they have youthful lusts and they just been taught a bunch of wicked false things that's why that's why but guess what all three of these things all four of these things they also apply to you so let me just end the sermon by just applying these four things to you as well and look this is how soul winning can help you grow as a Christian these things all every single one of them can apply to you they're all dangers to you it's not just about oh yeah these you know unsaved people it's going to cost them eternity but it could cost you your life on this earth it could cost you you know your fruitfulness on this earth turn to matthew chapter 13 this is what the parable of the sower is talking about it's talking about a lot of these same things in the context of the believer in the context of someone who saved look at matthew 13 and look at verse 22 the one that we discussed was the thorns he that also received seed among the thorns is he that here at the word and the care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches he chokes the word and he go to hell now it chokes the word and he becomes unfruitful he gets backslidden he cares about nothing but things in this world and making money and cars and houses and all these things look you're not going to lose your salvation but you're going to bear no fruit you're going to all of a sudden when you care about those things look you can only care about one thing you can only have your heart you can only have you know your spirit it can only be in one place it can't be in two so you will stop caring about the spiritual things you will stop wanting the spiritual things and you will start wanting and hungering more for those worldly things and it will choke you out it will choke you out the second one also applies men leading others astray men leading you know dealing falsely I'm not going to get deep into this tonight because we're going to talk about this one this evening when I talk about separation but you say what believers can lead you astray believers can lead you astray I'm going to park this one here because we're going to just we're going to deep dive this one tonight believers can you know many people think that oh if I get somebody saved everything's all good that's all that matters no that's not what the Bible teaches this is absolutely not the case we'll talk about that this evening turn to 2nd Timothy chapter 2 but youth let me talk about the youth let me rip on people for a few minutes and then we'll be done this morning but 2nd Timothy chapter 2 look what the Bible says look youthful lusts and foolishness and youth also affects the saved it's not like I'm a young person and I get saved and all of a sudden I just have to I worry about nothing anymore I'm fine like no Ecclesiastes chapter 11 applies 2nd Timothy chapter 2 look what the Bible says in verse 22 the Bible says flee also youthful lusts but follow righteousness faith, charity, peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart it's saying look flee youthful lusts and pursue all these godly things with people that are pursuing these things so it's saying that youthful that youth should follow people that are following faith charity and peace you know what it's saying it's saying young people need guidance is what it's saying because they have all these lusts that go against what's good for them they have this heart these young people they have this heart that is telling them that they want something and it's not what they should have they have these eyes that are telling them that I want these things and it's not what the Bible says that they should have I mean I'm gonna throw the young people in our church under the bus for a few minutes yesterday yesterday at the barbecue nobody had arrived yet except for three or four young people I won't name any names but I was just getting things together and putting things together for the barbecue and the lemon tree had dropped a lemon I picked it up off the ground and I was going to throw it away and I just threw it up in front of the young guys sitting around the table and I was like we're gonna have a lemon eating contest so you can eat this lemon the whole thing as fast as possible I mean I was joking right? I was joking and then you know we went around you know we went through the day and a lot of the guys came over and you know the guys they came over and were discussing were discussing politics, we're discussing world events, economics I just like to sit and just talk and just fellowship about these things and then after most people had left the teenagers were still around and I went in the house and I was putting some things together in the house and I'm hearing through the wall the teenagers are having a lemon eating contest in the backyard they're eating lemons the whole thing and then after that after that they decided that oh well what should we do next what do you want to do next wise teenager, oh well wise teenager let's have a belly flop contest so you know they have the men talking about their jobs and business and things of the world how we're going to take care of this and maybe some things of the church and you have the teenagers making themselves sick and inflicting physical pain on themselves for fun now look, amen amen, no no no no amen and here's why because that's important of church because if you're going to be foolish and silly, harmless ways okay and it is funny and I'm using it as an example there's nothing wrong with any of those things that happened yesterday but the point is that teenagers need counsel teenagers need counsel you didn't see a bunch of 50 year olds doing belly flops yesterday okay you didn't see Father Ryan and I sitting there and seeing who could eat the most lemons including the peel I mean what in the world I mean I've never even heard of anything like that is that possible apparently it will not kill you because they're here today but the point is this the point is this in 1 Kings chapter 12 verse number 8 it's the importance of church first of all it's the importance of wise guidance and look teenagers let me just say this in all seriousness in your life you will have counsel you have the teenagers here I attest to this you have wise counsel available to you you have wise counsel available to you defer to that counsel don't pack up amongst yourselves and say we're a bunch of teenagers and we know what's best you know for us look at 2 Kings chapter 12 1 Kings chapter 12 verse number 8 because this is what Rehoboam did he packed up with his buddies and forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given to him and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him and they said let's eat a bunch of lemons and which stood before him look young people I'll just say this young people that aren't asking for counsel are in danger especially in this world I mean look you have counsel available to you if you are part of this church ask for it get guidance you have a lot of counsel here use it and like I said the things yesterday I'm joking nothing at all wrong with those things it was just an example I was using but please use the tools teenagers that God has given you wise counsel and guidance and a good church and the Bible just use it just use it so in conclusion folks this morning there's nothing new under the sun don't let these types of things get you down think about the prophets think about Jeremiah, Ezekiel think about these men, Zephaniah think about what these men went through many of these men went through they were killed, they were persecuted they were physically harmed but when you see this apathy out-solaning it's just because of covetousness it's because of sin it's because of youthful lust that's what it is for and these things are things that we also need to guard ourselves against but this is why because all these things this is look the covetousness, the sin, the false teaching the youthful lust that's what you're up against that's what you're trying to persuade through it's interesting it'll make you more persuasive by the way you know if you know what you're up against you know when you find out when you're talking to somebody you know maybe what their issue is it'll help you become a better soul winner and help you persuade people in a more effective way but remember these things for yourself as well because just because you're saved doesn't mean you can't fall into temptation and snares it happens all the time let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer