 Alright, so this evening we're going to finish up the hung-up series, so we've had two sermons already in the hung-up series. What we're talking about is not a cat hanging in the tree like it shows in the bulletin, but what we're talking about is things that hang you up in your Christian life. We've already talked about past failures in your life that could possibly hang you up and stop you from being successful in your Christian life. The second sermon we talked about past beliefs that you may have in your Christian life and how it's just important that you put all those things behind you and just believe what the Bible says no matter what culture you came from or belief system that you came from. Tonight we're going to look at Philippians chapter 3, keep your place there. In Philippians chapter 3 we see Paul talking about a few different things, but really he's talking a lot in Philippians chapter 3 about where he came from and some of the things that he came out of and now that he's going into and how he's handling that. So tonight we're going to talk about past sins in your life, past sins in your life and how those can hang people up in their Christian life. So who was Paul? It's the first thing I want to do this evening. I want to talk about turn to Acts chapter 7. I want to do a short Bible study on who Paul was. Let's look at his name before. Let's look at who Saul was because Paul's name was Saul before it was changed to Paul. So let's look at who Saul was, where he came from, some of the things that he did in his life and how he handled that once he got right and moved forward. Look at Acts chapter 7 and let's look at the story of Saul. In Acts chapter 7 we see the story of Stephen, the first martyr in the book of Acts. You know Stephen gives a great sermon as he's put on trial and then of course he's executed. Let's look down at Acts chapter 7 in verse number 54 where the Bible says, when they heard these things they were cut to the heart and they gnashed on him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, this is talking about Stephen, looked up steadfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. So I mean what a wonderful thing first of all. I mean this is an answer to the promise that God gives us that in that time, in that last time if you're ever being martyred for Christ that the Holy Spirit will give you the words. And Stephen's a perfect example of that. And then he looks up and before he even dies he sees Jesus standing on the right hand of God. I mean what a great picture that is. Look at verse 56. And said, behold I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God. Then they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and ran upon him with one accord and cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, culling upon God and saying, Lord Jesus receive my spirit. And he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice, Lord lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this he fell asleep. So at the martyring of Stephen, at the stoning of Stephen, at the trial of Stephen, Saul was there. He was there. He was present. He was presiding over probably this whole situation that was happening. Turn over to Acts chapter 8. Acts chapter 8, look down at verse number 1. The Bible gives us more ideas, more clues here of who Saul was. Look at Acts 8 and verse number 1. And Saul was consenting unto his death. This is the death of Stephen. And at that time there was great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem. And they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria except the apostles. So first of all, this is how, this is, now this is irony in the Bible, right? If you know the history of the book of Acts and you know the history of Paul's missionary journeys after this happens. What happened is they were scattered out of Jerusalem and they ended up starting, this was one of the catalysts of starting the church of Antioch, which ironically became the home base for Paul and Barnabas for all of their missionary journeys that they had in the book of Acts. So I mean that's interesting. So Saul in Paul's former life, Saul actually caused the church of Antioch to come to be which became his own home base for spreading the gospel. It's interesting when you think about how God works that way. You know God can use anything, right? God can use anything. We'll talk about that a little bit later. But look at verse number 2. The Bible says, And in verse number 3 we see even more detail about who Saul was. And as for Saul, he made havoc of the church. Entering into every house and hailing men and women committed them to prison. Look, this guy was kicking down doors. He was like the SWAT team of the Pharisees out kicking down doors, hunting Christians, taking men and women and putting them in prison and executing some of them. And then in Acts chapter 9, it's important that we know who Saul is because it answers a lot of questions for us on what Paul did and how Paul prosecuted his life. Look at Acts chapter 9 in verse number 1. So not only is he out, he's out kicking down doors. He's scattering the Christians out of Jerusalem. I mean he is making literal havoc of the church, Saul. Look at Acts chapter 9 in verse number 1. The Bible says, And Saul yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord went unto the high priest and desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, that he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. So Paul or Saul, I'm sorry, he's still Saul at this point, but he's making havoc of the church and then he goes a step further and he asks for permission to go to other cities to Damascus. He's like, hey, give me permission to expand my mission to go hunt these people abroad is what he's saying. He's like, I will bind them and we'll bring them back and we'll throw them in prison. He's like, I want to find them wherever they are. And then on his way to Damascus is when God intervenes with Saul. Look at verse number 3. And as they journeyed, he came near Damascus and suddenly there shined around about him a light from heaven. And he fell to the earth and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutes thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom thou persecutes. It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. I love that. I love that phrase there. I mean, Jesus is basically saying to Saul here. I mean, it's kind of an interesting statement because Jesus is basically saying to Saul. He's like, look, this gospel is going to be spread. He's like, you're kicking against the pricks, buddy. He's like, you're fighting a loose battle. It's like petting a porcupine the wrong way. Don't pet a porcupine at all. But if you're going to pet him, pet him with the quill. You know what I'm saying? He's kicking against the pricks. He's saying, hey, you're going against the grain. You're going against the barbs here. He's like, you're not going to win. But man, I mean, you kind of can see in Jesus' voice here. He's like, man, it's hard for thee to kick against the pricks. But the guy's doing it anyway. He's just kicking and kicking and kicking against the pricks. You can understand why God intervened with Saul. He's like, we had to get this guy on our side. I mean, this is somebody we want on our team. And he said, Who art thou, Lord? So Paul's like, who is this? And he trembled astonished, saying, Lord, what will thou have me do? And the Lord said to him, arise and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. Of course, you know, what does Paul do? What does Saul do? He does it. I mean, right away, Christ intervenes. And you know, this shows you that Saul was, he was sinning like, ignorantly. He thought he was on the right side. As soon as Jesus intervenes and tells him, hey, go into the city, you're going to meet this guy Ananias, and he's going to, you know, do this and this and this and just do what he says. He just does it. I mean, he's struck with blindness, and he just does what he's supposed to do. Skip down to verse number 17. So Ananias is told that Saul's going to come meet him. You know, people know who this guy is. You know, people, I mean, Saul has a reputation for just wreaking havoc of the church. And I mean, these guys, can you imagine the disciples and Ananias, like, hey, go meet this guy. And they're like, who? Like, you want me to do what? With who? And Ananias went his way and entered into the house and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord even Jesus that appeared under thee in the way, as thou camest hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And immediately there fell from his eyes at his men's scales, and he received sight forthwith and arose and was baptized. And from here on out, Paul begins his missions for the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul even mentions, I mean, turn back to Philippians 3, the chapter that we read before the sermon. Paul even mentions his zeal against the church later once he's saved and once he's on his journey, his missions in his life. Look at Philippians chapter 3 and look down at verse number 3. The Bible says in Philippians 3 verse 3, for we are the circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh, if any other man thinketh that he had whereof he might trust in the flesh, I'm more. He says, circumcise the eighth day of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, and Hebrew of the Hebrews as touching the law of Pharisee. In Acts 23, it talks about Acts 23 in other places. It tells that Paul was actually the son of a Pharisee. I mean, he was actually, this was the family business for him. You hear about Baptist pastors there, third generation, fourth generation Baptist pastors or whatever, and you're like, wow. But this guy, he's the son of a Pharisee. This is the family business. Concerning zeal, and then he says, concerning zeal, persecuting the church, touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. He's like, hey, I was carrying out the persecution of this Christian religion like I was supposed to with zeal. But what things were gained to me, those I counted lost for Christ. He's like, I gave it all up. Ye doubtless, I count all things but lost for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ. And be found in him, not having my own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. So he put off all that, you know, the Pharisees teaching the law, teaching this religion that you have to have your own righteousness by following the law. He put all that off. He put all his culture off. Think about the beliefs that he left behind. Think about our second sermon. I mean, this was his culture. Think about being raised Catholic and all the cultural things that will come along with that, all the cultural garbage that comes with that. Like I said last week, you had to take out some trash and you're like, but how long did it take Paul when Jesus showed up on the road to Damascus to decide if he was going to take that trash bag out. He decided just like that. He just went. So I mean, Paul's a great example for us and more than just this, and be found in him. Well, verse 10, sorry. That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death. If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained either were already perfect, but I follow after that if that I may apprehend for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. And verse 13 is the verse that we should focus on this evening. Brethren, I count myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do. So he's saying, look, he's like, I'm not done with this Christian life. He's saying, I'm not there with my Christian life. He knows he's saved by faith, but he's like, I am not done in this Christian life. I have not apprehended. But this one thing that I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before. So he's saying that we need to, he's going to forget the things that are behind him and he's going to reach forth to the things that are in front of him. Now look, he had some things to forget in his life. When you think about sins of the past, turn to Luke chapter 12. When you think of sins of the past, Paul had some sins to leave behind him. Turn to Luke chapter 12, but I will say this on Saul. In Luke chapter 12, look at verse number 47. He was clearly not saved when he did those sins. When he was persecuting the church, there were sins of ignorance. So we must understand this, that sins before you were saved, those are sins of ignorance for Saul. Look at verse 47 of Luke chapter 12. And that servant which knew his Lord's will and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. Verse 48. But he that knew not and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required and to whom men have committed much of him will they ask the more. Look, Saul was not saved. Here's the thing. If this Jesus to Saul in his mind, if this Jesus was a fraud and if this Jesus was a false prophet and his religion was true, which was his reality before Jesus met him on the road. That was his reality. He was doing only what he thought was righteous and correct in his mind at that time until Jesus intervened until he was met face to face with the truth. We will meet people like that and we will turn people like that all the time every week at this church. We will meet people who are just, they're just in ignorance. They just don't know. And then when you face them with the truth, they will immediately just turn to the truth. That's Saul. That's who he was. So it wasn't a heart issue with Saul. He did not have a hard heart towards the Word of God. He was just ignorant. He just didn't know what was true until Jesus confronted him. He wasn't saved. And that's why much mercy was granted to him. So you're saying, oh, I mean, so this is how dumb it is. I mean, we're going to get into the details of this in a little bit, but just let me just say this. This is how dumb it is for you to fret over sins in your past before you were even saved. And, you know, side note, this isn't what the sermon is about. You should be scared to death now that you are saved to continue in sin. I would be scared to death if I was you because you are going to be beaten with many stripes. You are going to bear every consequence. You are going to get every, every worldly punishment that can come to you. You will get away with nothing. And the Lord, God, Jesus Christ, will not allow it. He will beat you with many stripes if you're saved. But as far as sins before salvation, few stripes. You got your heart right. Hopefully you're saved today. And, you know, so let's look at moving past past sins. Turn to Isaiah chapter 43. The first point is this, and I've already kind of touched on it, but the bottom line is this. If you are saved, your past sins are forgotten. You say, what do you mean they're forgotten by me? No, they're forgotten by the Lord. Look at Isaiah 43 in verse 25. The Bible says, I, even I, am he that blotted out thy transgression for my own sake and will not remember thy sins. I will not remember your sins. So the Bible says that when you're saved, God won't remember your sins. You say, I don't believe you. Turn to Hebrews chapter 10. Hebrews chapter 10 in verse number 11. Hebrews, the entire book of Hebrews, is such a great book comparing the Old Testament sacrifices, the Old Testament covenants and practices, and comparing it to the more perfect sacrifice, the more perfect priesthood of Jesus Christ. In Hebrews chapter 10, look at verse number 11. The Bible says, in every priest stand at daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices which can never take away sins. Look, the sacrifices of the Old Testament were never to take away sins. They did not wash away sins. They were a picture of things to come. They were examples of obedience to God. Just like you coming to church, as you know, you coming to church does not take away your sins. You coming to church, you going soul-winning, it doesn't take away your sins. But it was just a sign of obedience to God and a picture of the sacrifice to come. That's what, I mean, Hebrews is such a great book. Look at verse number 12. The Bible says, I mean, look, the priests of the Old Testament did sacrifices daily. It was a picture of the sacrifice to come. But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God. How many sacrifices did Jesus offer? Just one. From henceforth, expecting till his enemies he made his footstool. For by one offering, he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. I mean, how can you not believe in eternal security? When you see this model laid forth here. Wherefore, the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us for after that he had said before, this is the covenant that I will make with them after those days. Look, this is talking about our days right here. So listen to these next words. This is talking about the days that you are in right now as you sit in your chair. It says, this is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, say to the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts. He's like, I will write my law in your heart just like Roman says. And in their minds, will I write them? And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more? Now where the remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. Look, there's no more. I mean, Jesus isn't going to sacrifice himself every day. So it has to be eternal. It has to be a sacrifice that covers everything for you or it's no good. It wouldn't work. So look, once you're saved by this sacrifice, it's done forever. And the Bible says here that your sins, which is the point of our sermon this evening, your sins, he will remember no more. I mean, he won't remember them. I mean, that's what it says. Isn't that not what it says? I will remember them no more. So why in the world if God doesn't even remember your sin, would you lament over them? I mean, it doesn't make any sense. Here's point number two, point number two on the application of past sins in our lives. Look, past sins may alter your future path. And I don't want to get too negative on this, but look, it's possible that past sins that you've committed or been into may alter your path. I'll give you some examples. Divorce, if you've gone through the sin of divorce in your past. It's not something you can go back and undo. You say, well, can God forgive that? Oh, sure, God can forgive it and he remembers it no more, but it may mean that your life is plan B. It means that you're not qualified for certain things. You can't go into the ministry, things like that. Here's another one, just wasted time. The sin of wasted time. I mean, look, this one, I think about this one sometimes, but I use it in the right way. You say, what do you mean? Look, if you've gotten saved later in life, you've wasted some time in your life. I mean, you've wasted some time. So what should you do with that? Well, what I do is I'm like, you know what, I've wasted some time in my life, some time in my life. So I'm going to run harder. I'm going to run faster. I'm going to run harder. I'm going to do more and just, I'm going to push in my life. And that's what I'm doing with the fact that I've wasted some time in my life. Young people. I'm like, oh man, I thought we got out of this one. No, not tonight. Young people, past sins, sins that you don't want to get out of, they could alter your future. I'm going to bring this up again. Young people, the sins that you commit now will exponentially magnify themselves into your future life. They could affect, look, past sins. Look, it doesn't mean that God doesn't forgive me, that God remembers my sins. No, that's not what it means. But what it means is it may affect who you marry. I mean, if you've lived a certain life for years and years and years, it may affect to people on this earth who you marry. If you live the life of a whoremonger, and you're like, you know, you're just, and especially if you're saved, I mean, my goodness, what are you doing? I mean, you're saved, you're just, you're out, you know, living like a harlot or a whoremonger, and you're just like, you're just all full of disease and, you know, past history, and you know, you're just like, that's going to affect who you marry. I'm telling you. I mean, should it, if everybody's perfect and everybody, it's going to affect it. Guaranteed. So look, just get right. Get right immediately, but look, Plan B might be in store for you in these cases. We're all running on some kind of Plan B. All right, we're all running, unless you've lived a perfect life, which nobody has, we're all running on some sort of Plan B, Plan C, Plan D, Plan E, whatever in our life. Thank God that that plan is there. So look, even if your Plan A is now Plan B, there's still a plan. There's still a race for you to run, is the bottom line. So that should be some motivation to get it right, because look, you could affect your current plans, your future plans, but it's better to accomplish Plan A. It's better to accomplish Plan A. That's for the young people. But look, you know, God is long-suffering. We looked at that this morning. This should be a reminder and a warning. All right, so here's the third point, and really the main point. Turn to Hebrews chapter 12. Turn to Hebrews chapter 12. Here's the main point I really want to get at this evening. After all of this, the bottom line is this. Past sins, pre-salvation sins, you just need to stop whining and start running. Is the bottom line. Look at Hebrews chapter 12. Hebrews chapter 12, verse number 1 says, Wherefore, seeing we were also compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. So these are the weights that are weighting you down from your past. These things that you've strapped to yourself that you're carrying along. You know, the Bible says, hey, get out. It says, don't get in sin either. Don't get in current sin. Don't get beset by sin. But it says, you got to get rid of these weights. And it says, and you got to run the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. For who joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand to the throne of God. Just like Paul said, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before. Talking about the things that are in front of you. So, I mean, the bottom line is God has forgotten your past. Why can't you? You know, it almost it almost gets to the point where, you know, it's selfish. I mean, if you understand this, if you understand that God has forgotten your past, and you keep dwelling on it, it's almost to the point where it's selfish. I mean, get over yourself. I mean, there's work to be done here. I mean, here's the thing. Turn to Romans chapter 8. Here's the thing, and it's something at least from my perspective, that is easy to see. Okay, but look at Romans chapter 8 in verse number 28. The Bible says in Romans 8, verse number 28, it says this. And it says, And we know all things that work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose. For whom He did for no. He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Once you do get right and decide to start running, it is easy working in people's lives. It's easy for me to see. Maybe it's from my perspective, but just trust me, I can see it. Look, you decide to start running. The Lord, you'll see this with saved people. You'll see this on the opposite side of saved people too. You'll see this with saved people who just have decided to not get right and they've got something that they're just not going to get right. They just, I don't want it or whatever. And they don't want to get it right and they don't want to get this out for them. I mean, it's like so clear you can see it. Things just aren't working. Everything that they do fails. I mean, that's the tough part of the ministry. You know what the nice part of the ministry is? When you see people getting right and you see just like the Lord being the wind at their back. It's totally awesome. And it's worth it. It's worth seeing the good parts to put up with the bad parts. But you see people get right. Those cylinders just start firing. Things fall into place. They start running. God becomes the wind at their back and it's just wonderful to see. We're actually going to start a financial series in the next couple of weeks and I've been working on it for a while I've been thinking about it just because I think that there's some practical biblical advice that some of these people where this wind is starting to push on their back I want to give you some practical advice. As the Lord starts carrying you through your life I think that there's some things that you could be prepared for and practice in your life that would just make things even better. Or even just how to gain that success in the first place. But look, back to the point this is something to remember if nothing's working out in your life you just need to recognize that. Ask for some counsel. Conclusion. Turn to Galatians chapter 1. Let's wrap this up. Paul had a lot of past sins. Paul had a lot of past sins. He was persecuting the church of God. I mean he was scattering he was imprisoning I mean he was murdering Christians. Folks if anyone could sit down and lament a past life it would be Paul. If anybody could sit down and just be like you know I mean I can't believe I did all that stuff that's Stephen I mean think about it he was like an apostle with Stephen's friends and he was at the death of Stephen look at Galatians 1 verse 13 for you have heard of my conversation in time past the Jews religion how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God and wasted it. He's like I just destroyed that place and profited in the Jews religion among many my equals in my own nation being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my father. He's like I was like my dad and my dad's dad except even better but he turned the same zealous spirit towards the Lord. 2 Timothy 4 7 says I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith look he did it he did it he got saved and he pushed forward he fought his whole life and he's one of the few people in the Bible that ended well that ended well and look where he came from but he used that same zeal for the right purposes and that energy in the wrong he was on the wrong team he used that energy once he got on the right team he fought even harder so let me just give you an analogy this evening about how stupid it would be to let past sins hinder your future Christian life alright so I like Legos and my kids they like Legos but imagine this it's even stupid to even think about this imagine you got this Lego and you're building this thing and you're building it all wrong you just keep building it wrong and building it wrong and building it wrong and you just can't seem to figure it out I mean you don't even really know you're building it wrong you just know that nothing's working and you're just building it wrong you broke some pieces you lost some pieces I mean you reckon this thing you're destroying this Lego damaged pieces they won't even fit anymore you know it's just the things destroyed alright but imagine this imagine your dad walks into the room and he gives you this and he gives you this he gives you the instructions to the Lego I mean here it is step 91, step 92 here you go I mean look I mean it's step by step instructions you get of this Lego all the way from step 1 all the way to step 99 or whatever and you end up, I mean look at the detail there those three pieces put them together like that and eventually you're going to end up with that the directions tell you everything about how to build the Lego how to put it together and you know what when you're done you get like something like you get it all put together you've been wrecking the thing for years and you get this nice you used to have more stuff on it I think there's probably stuff broke off in there but anyway you get this nice built Lego right but here's the beauty here's the beauty of the directions that you get almost dumped everything off here's the beauty of the directions that you get there's the beauty of the directions that no matter how many pieces you've broken no matter how many pieces you've lost you can still build the Lego you can still at least you know come up with a decent little boat that'll run you know what I mean I mean look it's simple but this thing can move people around right and if it rocks around people might get sick I'm just kidding but my point is you get alternate directions you can build the Lego no matter how much you've messed it up yourself there's always alternate ways to put it together you see there's always I mean that's the difference right that's the difference now just think how dumb it would be if you got the directions to the Lego like your dad he's like hey you've been messing it up I mean say you got most of the pieces you can still pretty much build that thing and you get it and you got all the pieces laying there and you just sit on the floor and you shout and you cry and you whine and you don't put the thing together I mean how dumb would that be but that's what people do people just whine about the past look I mean here's the thing it's not really a great analogy because the thing is there's only so much time to build the Lego did you know that did you know that your life is like water spilled on the ground did you know that your life is like a vapor did you know that you know this thing is going to go oh and you young people by the way if you get this idea that in your life oh I got all kinds of time you say how do you know this because I used to be young okay I used to be young and stupid you say I got all kinds of time and you know what is telling you that you have all kinds of time and it doesn't matter my body can take this because I'm young and I don't have to worry about you know all these warnings of all this stuff because I'm young and I'm healthy you know that's Satan himself telling you that that is the devil and especially if you are saved you know if you are saved the devil can't take away your salvation but he can make you waste your life he can make you waste your whole life he can make you wreck your life he can make you be of zero profit to anybody else I mean you will die tomorrow no matter how old you are and you will wake up and you will be 30 and you will wake up and you will be 40 you will not be young forever and oh by the way as you lay on the ground crying about the Lego that you now have the directions for and all the pieces sitting in front of you did you know that other people on this earth depend on you getting up and putting that thing together so I mean did you know that it's not just your life that we're talking about here I mean we had another four house day today so winning we got four houses in I told brother Phil we talked to these two guys they both got saved it is a shame it is a crying shame that guys like that will ever go to hell yet many of those guys will go to hell nice guys sitting there watching a football game oh really oh tell us tell me they don't know I mean they don't know they don't know great guys are guys like you want to just guys like that are going to go to hell get off the ground and quit whining I mean it's not I mean I told my wife I was just like we're driving back and I'm just like it makes you really you know kind of put foreign missions in the back of your head and please don't get me wrong with what I'm saying when you go five minutes down the street and you get four houses in and four people saved or three people saved or whatever we got we had to come back and we got like a third of the map done I mean they're everywhere around here yeah and we're going to whine about and we're going to let our past sins affect what it doesn't even make any sense at all when you think about it this way but this is how you should think about it I mean other people depend on you I mean we're talking about I mean you say you know all you're pushing hard on the soul winning stuff but like we're talking about people's souls here I mean we're talking about people's souls and we're talking about how many people can we get to before it's over before it's over for them or it's too late for them Matthew 5 16 says let your light shine so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven prison marriage failures sin in your past look I mean we'll all that stuff behind we'll make you a missionary here I mean we'll make you a missionary here there should be a sign out front that says heroes work here I mean how stupid are these signs we saw one in front of a veterinary clinic yesterday I'm like heroes work here you know somebody like charged somebody $3000 to give their puppy a shot heroes work here look heroes work here look we're not going to put a sign out there okay but do you see the seriousness of the situation here do you see the seriousness of making sure that we are clearing our baggage that we are not hung up on anything look I need some clear free clear thinking people here that are going to put beside the things that look God doesn't care about those things you say well there's things that God cares about there's things that God cares about those things we'll care about here your past sins not one of them so that's what we're going to do we're not going to care about the things that God cares about we're not going to care about the things that will hinder us and be weights to us because if we have a bunch of people in this church you say oh it's one person no if we have 80% of people in this church or you're taking things the wrong way and you're letting yourself be weighted down and you're falling away and you're getting back slidden look that's going to affect the whole church it's going to weight the church we need to free the weights we need to cut the ties that are anchoring us to whatever past that we had look and I've said this before don't talk about past sins here don't make light of it either don't sit here and talk about and as far as I know this has not been an issue but I just want to head this one off at the curve it's not something to make light of but it's forgotten so we're not going to have competitions on who did the craziest thing when they were in high school it's not correct it's not right and it makes light of sin but look you say I just don't know how to start you say I see what you're saying I just don't enjoy church well just go anyway I mean that's what you have to do you got to turn the tide at some point you just got to get plugged in that's what you got to do you don't understand things ask questions that's the bottom line you could never ask for too much counsel here then just listen to the preaching read your Bible and guess what pretty soon you're going to like church pretty soon you're going to enjoy coming to church I mean and then just watch all things work together for good to them that love God work in your life just watch it happen I mean you'll see it I mean I can look back at times in my life and I'm like man I was killing it I was physically working my tail off I was physically I mean I was making all the right moves nothing was working nothing I mean I was I mean at work the business everything I mean I was just like this is what I need to do nothing was working out and then it's like you quit thinking about it and you just get into what you're supposed to be doing all of a sudden just like it just falls together so look forget those things which are behind alright forget them press towards that mark press towards the mark of that high calling because guess what you've all been called to this calling I hate to break it to you and look we'll equip you to answer that calling here whatever you need to answer that calling I commit to you that we will equip you to answer that high calling of Christ whatever you need if there is a job that I have that is it right here is to equip you and to help you answer that high calling so you know get off the floor quit crying over your broken Legos get off the floor and start moving forward because you know there's so many people that depend on it and I mean you really need to think about that because where I know I know that let me just say this I know that we go out day in week in week out and I know you can get used to it and I know it can turn into a grind but you really have to tell you really have to remind yourself you really have to remind yourself that we have people's souls in our hands and you say why is that because no because that is the responsibility that the Lord Jesus Christ gave us as Christians that is our main first work that we're supposed to be doing here these people need us and without us they will not get the gospel it's that simple so let's start moving forward let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer