Encountering Christ in the Apostles' Doctrine - Terry Myers | KFW 2017

Lesson Transcript

This afternoon we have just some more very very important work to do here. There's a topic titled Encountering Christ in the Apostles' Doctrine and some people don't like the word doctrine. It seems like a somewhat of a scary word doctrine and you know you have to kind of take a dustpan and brush along when you go into the doctrine cabinet because quite a bit of dust has accumulated around there and we need to clean some of that away. But it all of a sudden gets clear to us when we listen to these two verses.

The former treatise have I made unto the old philosophers of all that Jesus began both to do and teach until the day in which he was taken up. After that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandment unto the apostles whom he had chosen. And so the Lord Jesus Christ is in that doctrine is in that teaching and there's life in that teaching. We're going to hear about it today. There's life in that teaching. Would you come Brother Terry. I don't know this brother very well.

I think we've only met together once before. I don't know if he remembers it or not. But it is a special joy to be together after so many years that I've not seen him. And one of the things that makes this meeting at Roxbury Campground a special meeting is the sense of unity that's on the part of those who have put this meeting together who serve here that love and appreciation for each other. The Lord is in the midst of something like that. Let's pray. Dear God would you bless this afternoon session.

We've had a wonderful lunch together. The time of fellowship has been sweet and precious and the time rapidly moves on. We have a very important topic here and dear Father you prepared a brother to speak to our hearts today. Would you take Brother Terry the gifts you've given him and the message you put into his heart and edify the church of Jesus Christ today.

And we pray Father these words that entered to our lives at this time would go back into our congregations at home and be a means of life and a channel of blessing to our home congregations of God. Would you not let this be a selfish thing that we are enjoying today but an opportunity to bless those around us and the dear ones in our families and congregations who comprise the fellowships where we live.

Bless Brother Terry today and allow him with the freedom that you put into his heart and the anointing of the Spirit upon his life to share this message as you would have him to do it so that your name could be glorified here in this tabernacle this afternoon and that our hearts could be built up in this most holy faith. We pray your blessing upon Brother Terry in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Thank you. Good afternoon.

It is a blessing to be gathered together with you and it is a joy and a blessing to be with God's people. Amen. It's all right for God's people to say amen. Amen. That's right. And if I ask you a question this afternoon this means yes. This means no. Okay. But it's a blessing to be gathered together and to look into God's word and I enjoy being with God's people and the only people that are going to be in glory are who? God's people. And so I think we should get used to it down here.

Enjoying God's people and the things of God. The only thing that's going to be in heaven. The only things that are going to be in heaven are the things of God. And so let's get used and let's practice enjoying the things of God and God's people as we're down here on this earth. When you think about it how do you describe Jesus Christ. I know that I'm not going to be able to do it in this short time that I have and I don't think humanly I can describe Jesus Christ.

But we want a taste of him today and we want to learn to know him more and I believe that if we as believers or the apostles in Bible times if they could have summed it up in three words it probably would be something like this. It would probably be something like he is everything. Is that what Jesus Christ is to you today. Is he everything. David said the Lord is my shepherd I shall not what. Want. Or the Lord is my shepherd and because he is I have everything that I need.

And that is a blessing this afternoon that in Jesus Christ he is everything. I want to just before we really go into the message here this afternoon I felt this on my heart and I just want to share this with all of you right now. I don't know what all is going on in your life but I want to challenge you this afternoon that Jesus Christ loves you. Jesus Christ loves you. You are not a mistake. Jesus Christ created you to be exactly how you are today and Jesus Christ loves you.

He died for you and the Father loves you and if you're here today and you do not feel that I challenge you brothers and sisters to remember that Jesus Christ loves you. He always has. He does now and he always will. He loves you. And so if there's any doubt in your mind today I just pray that as we go through this message and as the Spirit of God works in your life that you will feel the love of Jesus Christ in your life. And I don't care who you are here today he does not love you any less than he loves me.

All right. Neither does he love you any more. He is not a respecter of persons. And so as I was thinking about and pondering some of that an illustration that the Lord gave to me recently at home I just want to share that with you as we go into the message here.

It's obviously just a story but the story goes that there were some stones laying along the creek bed and the one stone he just felt like he was never of any value and it seemed like his talents and his different things the water just ran over top of him and people just walked down the creek bed and they just stepped on him and they just kind of walked on by and he just really wasn't he really wasn't a fabulous looking rock and he just felt and day after day went by and he just wished that he could do something

great but all he was was this common old rock just laying in this creek bed.

And so time went on and years went on and decades went by and this rock still felt the same way. Why what does God want me to do or why can't I be something wonderful for God. And one day one probably summer day the sun was probably shining brightly and he woke up and it was just as another day but as that day went on a young lad came walking down that creek bed and he was looking at the stones. He wasn't necessarily looking for the beautiful ones. He wasn't necessarily looking for the bright colored ones.

But he was looking for a stone that would fit the situation that he had before him. And that as he was walking down that creek bed that young lad was looking and he picked one up here and he picked one up there. He got three or four that were pretty good. But he wanted one perfect one to just fit the situation that he wanted.

And as he came upon this stone that so much desired to do something great for God he looked at that stone and he bent down and he picked it up and he smoothed that stone off and he looked at it and he placed it in his satchel with four other stones. And he what. He went to meet Goliath. You see don't ever feel like God doesn't have a purpose for you. Now I very seldom hear anybody preach a message on the stone. All right.

Even though he was used and it was a phenomenal need that in order to final to seal the deal there yet that stone we don't read we don't really focus on that stone but we focus on the faith of Jesus Christ or a faith of David and on the power of God and all these different things. And brothers and sisters I believe that's what we should desire to be and that's what I desire to be is a stone that can be used for Jesus Christ for his glory and for his honor. Is that what you desire today. That's right.

I desire to be that. And so today as we look into some of the apostles' doctrine on Jesus Christ turn with me to begin with to Acts Chapter 2. And as I was reading these verses here 42 to 47 I'm just going to just focus for a moment here on verse 47 of Acts Chapter 2. It says "Praising God and having favor with all the people and the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." Sorry I took off too soon there. You were still turning I'll read that one more time.

"Praising God and having favor with all the people and the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." And I want to challenge you today that it is Jesus Christ who adds to the church. It's not Terry Myers. It's not someone else. It's not our programs. Okay. Programs can put numbers on the boards and different things can we can do a lot of things but Jesus Christ adds to the church. Do you believe that. Jesus Christ adds to the church. And so Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone.

And I don't know what all your beliefs here are today but I trust that sometime you will come to this belief. But I want to say with all of my heart and all of my soul and all of my might and all of my strength until the day that I die that Jesus Christ is the only way to glory. Period. All right. That's what the Word of God says. That Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me.

And the Bible also says unless the Father draw him unless the Father draw us we cannot come to him. And so if there's any doubt in your mind today that Jesus Christ is the only way I hope by the time you leave this campground this weekend that you will have a different perspective on that. Because Jesus Christ is the only way. Turn with me to John Chapter 1. And we want to look at three different passages that the apostles spoke of and we also want to look at some other passages.

But I want to ask you a question while you're turning to that. You said amen when I said that Jesus Christ is the only way. You might be taken a little bit back by this thought but I wanted to ask you this question as we go into this message. Have you voted. Have you voted. That's a good question. For what. Have you voted for Jesus Christ to be Lord of your life. It's easy to say that. It's easy to say yeah I want to be saved and I want Jesus Christ to be my life. But I want you to picture this for just a moment.

I kind of sometimes look at salvation and the gift of God and all this. As we look in our lives let's kind of let's say that just to break it down I don't want to cheapen it but let's say that it comes down to one vote because it does. It comes down to your vote. You see Jesus Christ would desire your soul so he's cast a vote for your soul and the devil he wants your soul and so he's cast a vote and now it's up to you to break the tie. Okay.

And so who you vote for in your life whether it's this world or whether it's the kingdom of God that's what breaks the tie. And so Jesus Christ gives us that blessed opportunity. He said come unto me and I will give you rest. And so I ask you today have you voted and will you continue to vote and by the grace of God will you continue to vote for Jesus Christ until the day that he takes you home. By the grace of God.

By the grace of God I want to cast my vote and I want to cast my lot that I will live for Jesus Christ and I will be willing to die for him. Some time ago I was thinking about some of these things and some of the things that we could face and I was having a Bible study with a small group in a nursing home and after we got done with the session this one older lady she said this. She said I did not appreciate what you said about Jesus Christ. She said you said that Jesus Christ is the only way.

And she said I would have you know that my parents didn't believe that way but my parents did the best that they could and I believe that they are in heaven. And I said ma'am. I said I don't know your parents. But I said I know this. I said I did not know your parents but I know this that your parents are in the hands of a just God and God will judge rightly.

We never really thought probably in America that we could face the fact of reality that we could very soon face death for the simple fact of saying Jesus Christ is the only way. Never did we probably think in the past that we would really face something like that here but we very easily could. And a while back as I was pondering this and sometimes it's all right to ponder this but I don't think we should a lot but I was asking myself this question. Would I really be willing to give my life for Jesus Christ.

Paul said to live as Christ and what to die is gain. And I thought would I really be would I really be willing to give my life for Jesus Christ. Would I really be willing to be separated from my family and all these different things. And as I begin to ponder that those are some powerful questions and sometimes things that we have to wrestle with. But God gave me this conclusion and this answer and I believe this is for all of us today.

Instead of focusing on how would I be willing to die for him I think we should focus on living for him. Okay. And when we focus on living for Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ is our everything and Jesus Christ is number one in our life and we love Jesus Christ more than anything else in our life I believe that when I live for him he will also show me how to die for him. Is that not correct. He will give me the grace and the power to die for him. You see we live in an upside down world.

The world says live before you die and Christ says die before you live. Does that make sense. The world says live so because you're going to die sometime and Jesus Christ says die and deny yourself so that you can live. And the more that I walk with him the more precious he becomes to me. Let's read what John says about Jesus Christ. John Chapter 1. Verse 1.

It says "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was God was with God." I'm sorry "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him and without him was nothing made. In him was life and the life was the light of men and the light shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not." There's some things in our Christian walk brothers and sisters that we have to take by faith.

I believe with all of my heart that God and Jesus Christ have always been. I wish I could explain that to you. But I can't. Before the beginning before creation before man was before the beginning of time God was. And the apostles taught and I believe that we as disciples of Jesus Christ and as followers of him we need to teach the same thing. The apostles taught very clearly that God Jesus Christ was not created. He was not created. He did not have an earthly father.

He did not have that sin nature passed on to him. That seed was implanted in that womb of that young lady Mary. That was not the beginning of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was never created. He was God. He always was God and he always will be God. Does that make sense this afternoon. It doesn't. He's not a created being. That's why we have a Savior and that's why we have a Lord that is greater than any other religion because their leader is dead. Their leader was created.

We have a leader and we have a Savior who has been and was never created. And in John's time they had some interesting things. Do you think that just in the last few years is when false doctrines have come along. No. False doctrines started in the Garden of Eden. In the Garden of Eden Satan came to Eve and he said "Did you think God really meant what he said there. I mean do you really think that. I mean yeah I mean come on I mean relax a little bit." And as Eve listened to him she began to think well I don't know.

So he began to twist. There was false doctrine right there. You better believe it God means every word that he says. And so there was false teaching in John's time also. And one of the reasons that raised this question to people in John's time was because Greek philosophy and different things like that they they they taught this thinking very clearly that matter is something that you can see and touch and that all matter is evil and that spirit is good.

And so they could not comprehend this thing that God Jesus Christ was God in a human body. And so they said there's no way this cannot be God. This cannot be Jesus Christ because all matter is evil and all spirit is good. And here is Jesus Christ saying he's in this body. He's in this matter that we can touch and we can see. And so hence he cannot be good. But John makes that clear to us that Jesus was the Son of God. Do you believe that today. Jesus Christ was he is and he always will be the Son of God.

I can't comprehend all of that and some of you here could do a much better job. I'm not even going to try to break down how all that works that God Jesus Christ in the body of a man but by faith I accept it that that's how it was. Oh yeah we can feebly try to come up with some ideas and some opinions but no. Turn with me to another passage that the apostles wrestled with. John Chapter 20. No I'm sorry 1 John 4. 1 John Chapter 4.

I believe there's some mattering of opinion on this but I believe that the apostle John wrote 1 John also through the Spirit of God. But 1 John Chapter 1. Verse 1. Let's just read what he says there about Jesus Christ. "That which was from the beginning which we have heard" so John heard him "and we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the Word of Life.

For the life was manifest and we have seen it and bear witness and show unto you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifest unto us. And these things write we unto you that your joy might be what full that your joy might be full." Yes Jesus Christ came in the flesh. He was the Son of God. And as we read some of these things we take it for granted that we just believe this and we believe that Jesus Christ is and was and always will be the Son of God.

And as I was doing a little meditating this afternoon I thought of this scene. And I just want to put a word picture into your mind right now. Let's just picture for a moment here that Jesus Christ is hanging there on the cross just right there on that screen. That Jesus Christ is hanging there on that cross. The pictures that I see of Jesus Christ do not totally show the true beating that he took for you and I. And if we were to put a picture on our wall of how Jesus Christ truly looked we wouldn't do it.

Because the Bible says that his visage was changed we would not be able to recognize him. Now brothers and sisters and friends here today we don't worship the cross. We don't worship the suffering that happened on the cross. We worship the man who died and arose out of the grave. But yet as I think of that whole scene there of Jesus Christ on the cross I believe that as Jesus Christ was on the cross if you would have made eye contact what do you think Joel that you would have seen in the eyes of Jesus. Love.

Brother what do you think if you I'm not Jesus don't get me but if you would have made contact with Jesus his eyes what would you have seen. Definitely love. Let's ask someone else. Brother what do you think if you would have been there. Don't be afraid. Don't be. I'm not looking for anything different. What would you have seen. Love. That's right.

And as I was thinking of Jesus Christ and I read in the Scripture that the scribes and the religious people of that day they came to the cross and they looked up at him and they laughed. They scorned him. They said "If you would come down Jesus we would believe." I want to say this right now before I go on with this word picture. Jesus Christ has revealed himself to us. We don't have to have another sign. Okay. God is gracious and sometimes gives us other signs.

But Jesus Christ has revealed himself and he has been made real to us. And we don't need one more miracle in our life to believe that Jesus Christ is Lord. Yet God continues to bless us with those doesn't he to encourage us. So these scribes and Pharisees and the conservative people of the day possibly they stood there and they laughed and they mocked him. And something that always stands or often stands out to me is this that it says they wagged their heads.

And as I over the years have thought about some of that it's hard to imagine to see a man who is dying for you and is so disformed from his beatings that you can't even hardly recognize according to Scripture you cannot recognize him who he is if you did not know.

And then to see those piercing eyes of love to come from the Father or from Jesus's eyes and to be able to stand there and to look into those eyes and wag my head and say "No." You say I often we tend to think that had we been there we would not have been part of that crowd. We wouldn't have mocked him. We wouldn't have spit in his face. We wouldn't have slapped him. We would have probably went around up there and fell upon him and kissed him and said "Jesus we love you." That's what we like to think.

But I want to ask you something today brothers and sisters. The doctrine and the commandment of the apostles was that you love Jesus Christ with all of your heart and all of your soul and all of your mind and all of your strength and that you obey his commandments and you deny yourself and you follow him. And let me ask you this question. Yes he's no longer on the cross thank goodness. And thank goodness he's no longer in the grave. And thank goodness someday he's coming back to take us home to be with him.

But let me ask you a question. Have you ever stood at the point of decision and Jesus asked you something like this. Would you be willing to fast this week for me. What have you said as you looked into those eyes of love. Have you said not this week. Not this week. I'd love to Jesus. I appreciate all that you're doing for me and things. But this week I just got a big business deal and I just got a lot of things going on and it just... Thank you. I love you Jesus.

Have you ever stood at the cross and looked into those eyes and he said "Would you be willing to forgive your brother." And said "You know Jesus I really appreciate what you're doing for me but that's a big one." No. I don't believe I can. Have you ever stood at the foot of the cross and he just said "Would you just be willing to deny yourself and just give me your whole life." And you looked into those eyes of love and you said "No." I stand before you today as a man who at times had did all three of those things.

I have looked into those eyes of love and I have said "No." Have you. Sure we have. We've looked into those eyes of love and we've said "No." I mean we appreciate what you've done for us but wow that's a lot Lord to ask me to go without food this week. The apostles' doctrine of Jesus Christ was to sell out for Jesus Christ. To be all that you got to be you have to sell out.

And sometimes we look at the disciples brothers and sisters and we think when they were walking on the earth with Christ before the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ we say "Wow how could they be that." I mean they argued over one time who was going to be the greatest right. Can I sit on your right hand or at least their mother did. And they wrestled with these different things.

And Jesus told one of them he said "You're going to be crucified." And he said "Well what about that brother." And Jesus said "What is that to you." He said "You follow me." And sometimes we're pretty hard on the disciples. But I tell you what before the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ they were still living under the Old Covenant were they not. Today we have the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We have the whole Word of God. We have the Holy Spirit of God.

I tell you what when the Holy Spirit of God came upon the disciples you didn't read a lot of that anymore did you. No they were sold out for Jesus Christ and they were willing to do whatever. And when Paul on Saul on the way to Damascus when he got a picture of Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ came into his life he was changed.

And I believe if the apostles were here today and they would stand up here they would tell you that if you allow Jesus Christ into your life and let him have everything in your life he will change you. My wife I'm sorry my mother was born into a Catholic home. And at the age of high school somewhere in there I'm not for sure mother was born again. She got saved. Started attending a gospel church. I believe it was a little Mennonite church. I was raised in a Christian home, in a godly home.

But I want to tell you this brothers and sisters today. I was just as lost as my mother who was born in a Catholic home. I want to challenge us as God's people here today. I do not believe for a moment that the apostles would have spoken to us that we are good people. That we did not need Jesus Christ as much as others. In fact I don't even just feel that way. I know that would be their doctrine of Jesus Christ. And as I think about some of those things. Jesus said "He that has forgiven much what.

Loveth much." I challenge you today. You are not lost because you committed one sin or two sins or three sins. You are born with a sinful nature. Does that make sense. You're not more or less lost. When we come to the age I believe yes there is that age of accountability and we all would believe that and feel that way and we know that. But when we come to the age of accountability I believe the apostles' doctrine is that there's none righteous no not one and we're all lost. Does that make sense.

I've heard people and they probably meant it well but they make statements like this. They say "Well I just never got involved with all of that stuff. I'm not for sure what all that stuff is." But I believe that the apostles' doctrine brothers here today and sisters is the fact that we are all part of God's family because of the blood of Jesus Christ and nothing else. Sometimes we like to look at others and point at this and point at that. But now turn with me to 2 Peter. 2 Peter chapter 1.

I'm going to look at this passage today as talking about the second return of Jesus Christ and what the apostles said about that. They said that he was from the beginning. They said he was the Son of God. And now in this passage. I believe they are speaking about the return of Jesus Christ. 2 Peter chapter 1. Let's read verses 16 to 21. For we have not followed cunning devise fables when we made known unto you the power and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. But were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

For he received from God the Father honor and glory. When there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory. That is my beloved Son in whom I'm well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy whereunto you do well that you take heed as unto a light that shineth in the dark place unto the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts.

Knowing this first that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. For the privacy came but of old in old time by the will of men. But holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. And as I studied this when I first read this I thought how am I going to apply this to what we're talking about. But the more that I studied this passage out the more it became real to me how Peter was once again showing us the without doubt that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

And it says that we he was an eyewitness and he said we don't we're not saying this as some kind of a fable or as a myth or as a parable. He said we seen this. He said we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. And as I was studying of that I thought about that. Could you imagine going up into the mount of Transfiguration. There's Jesus Christ and there's three disciples. And you go up into the mount of Transfiguration and you're on this mount and you're spending some time alone with God.

And we've all had those experiences I trust where we're spending time alone with God and the light just comes on and we see clearly what God is trying to show us and do to us. But here the disciples the three disciples and Jesus they were up on this mount. And as they went up into this mount they seen the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ. And they seen his face become light as the sun. And they seen his clothes become as dazzling light. And they seen Moses and Elijah come down and talk with him.

And then while they were standing there they heard a voice out of heaven saying "This is my beloved Son." Whoa what a setting. What a powerful moment. And twice in the gospels he said "Hear ye him" or "Hear him." But as they were standing there this voice came out from heaven. "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." What a confirmation to Jesus Christ. What a confirmation to those disciples that Jesus Christ a confirmation to Jesus Christ that the Father was well pleased with him.

A confirmation to the disciples that those three disciples that this is the Son of God. So Peter said it's not some myth. He said we seen this with our own eyes and we experienced it and we seen his glory. And as I was studying and preparing and spending time with God in this I thought of glory. Oh brothers and sisters. Let's not weary and well doing. Do you think that would have been a wonderful experience. This means yes. Yes I do. But do you think it pales in comparison.

To what awaits us as believers in Jesus Christ. I do. We can have that glory now in our life and we do. But brothers and sisters. There is a glory awaiting. And I believe that if the apostles were up here speaking to you today. They would say keep the faith. Be strong. Sell out to Jesus Christ. Because he's coming back soon. There were people that were saying he's not going to come back. Peter was facing that right here in some of these verses. We have scholars today.

They say you know grandma and grandpa said that and my great uncle said that and so and so said that. They may have. But they also told Noah for 119 years that you've been saying this for 119 years and it never happened. Let me tell you it rained. There was a generation alive. There was a generation alive when Jesus Christ came. There was a generation I'm sorry there was a generation alive at the flood. There was a generation alive when he came and returned.

And there's going to be a generation alive when he comes back. And I believe that we could very easily be part of that generation. Beyond a shadow of a doubt by God's grace I will be part of the church of Jesus Christ. And as I think about some of that. Paul said we ain't going to turn to a couple of these verses right now. But Paul said that I may know him and the power of his resurrection. Do you know Jesus Christ today. Is he alive in your life.

I'm not talking about 40 years ago you went forward and said a prayer. I'm talking about do you have a relationship with Jesus Christ today. It's all right to know. I think it's all right to know the day I can't tell you just exactly the day that I was saved. But I know I've been saved and I'm walking with the Lord and it's okay. I mean some people know I can't tell you the date. I remember the time but I can't tell you the date.

But I believe that the generation that's rising up right now they need to see faith in us today. They need to see that Jesus Christ is real to us today. They just don't want to hear about the experience that was 30 years ago back there. Although that's very important and it's very needed for them to hear that. They want to see life today. They need to see life today. And brothers and sisters I believe that when we have Jesus Christ in our life and we are sold out to him we will have life and we will have light.

Let's stop trying to make our light shine and let it shine. Okay Jesus said let your light shine before men that they may see your good works. You see when Jesus Christ is in my life and I am filled with him it just comes out. I can't hide it. And Paul said that I may know him and the power of his resurrection. We need that resurrection life and life in us. And that's what the apostles taught that I may know him and the power of his resurrection. And now here's the part that our flesh doesn't like. Being made what.

Conformable unto his death. That's what the apostles taught. Remember brothers and sisters the world says live before you die. The doctrine of Jesus Christ is die before you can live. Sometimes Terry Myers has too much life in him. Yes I preached a message on that one time in Canada and one of the brothers afterwards he said I never heard a message on too much life in the church. But we do. We have too much self-life. In the church. Would you be willing. To say that Jesus Christ is my all.

The Bible says that for some Jesus Christ is a stumbling block a rock of offense. I find that in different religions in different countries and in the U.S. it doesn't really matter. You can talk about God. But when you start bringing Jesus Christ in then there becomes a real issue. I believe that we as God's people can never falter or back down from the fact. It's not everybody has their own God and everybody is their own God. It's not the fact that everybody's going to get there some way.

No the apostles' doctrine and Jesus Christ himself taught that he was and is and always will be the only way. We're going to face more and more as that comes. But I want to be found in him. Not having my own righteousness. But his righteousness. You know. Self-righteousness. God hates. Do you believe that today. He hates self-righteousness. Self-righteousness is. When I think that I can just if I do this this and this. I want to challenge us brothers and sisters today. Let's know him. Let's walk with him.

Let's be sold out to him. Do you have the mind of Christ today. Do you think like Christ thinks. I had a dear brother friend that a friend of mine has worked in Spanish speaking countries for numbers of years. And brother you can relate to this probably. But I would like to speak Spanish but I don't want to put the effort forth to learn. And I said Bob I said I said how long was you in Nicaragua until you felt like you could speak Spanish. And oh he said some different figures and things.

And I said I said well how long did you speak Spanish until. Until you felt like you really got it. And he told me something he wasn't even trying to be spiritual with this but it just struck me so much. He said when you're really getting somewhere with Spanish is when you begin to think in Spanish. And I thought of that. When I begin to think like Christ. You see when I'm thinking in English and trying to say it in Spanish it comes out bad enough thinking in English sometimes and saying it in English.

But when I'm thinking it in English and trying to say it in Spanish it's difficult. But when I get to the point that I'm not only saying it but I'm thinking it in Spanish I'm not to that point. But I think you can relate to that brother when your thoughts are in that. So it's very important that we have the mind of Christ. And let's just bow our heads right now. I just want us to focus on a moment. Do we believe the apostles' doctrine of Jesus Christ that.

That he is the way the truth and the life and that no man cometh unto the Father but by me. The Bible says that the devils believe and they tremble. But my desire would be that all of us here today believe and are saved. That would have been the apostles' doctrine. It would have been Jesus Christ's doctrine. I'm going to do something today here that. I don't want you to do because. Somebody else does it. But I'm just going to ask you that if you want to publicly make a statement that by the grace of God.

I choose the apostles' doctrine and the Word of God of Jesus Christ. And by the grace of God I am going to live for him. No matter if my church no matter if my friends no matter if my pastor no matter if Terry Myers whatever. I. By the grace of God. Choose. Jesus Christ I choose to suffer if you so ask. I choose to go wherever he may ask me to go. Or to be whatever he may ask me to be. If you don't stand today that doesn't mean that you haven't done that. Okay.

But I would just like if you would desire to make a public statement before God and. These witnesses that you're just driving that stake deeper that vow deeper that I. Will live for Jesus. I'm already standing and I'm making that vow in my own life and I know my flesh resists that and doesn't want to do that. But who would like to just make that public statement today that I'm not going to ask you to do anything. It's just going to be stand we're going to have a Word of Prayer and you can sit back down.

Who here today would just like to make that statement that I will live for Christ. God bless you as you seek him. God bless you. God bless you. Don't do it unless you mean it. Better to not make a vow. God bless you. Let's pray. Father. I by the grace of God. Want to believe help my unbelief. God. I want to apply your Word and the apostles' doctrine which is your Word to my life. That Jesus Christ must be number one. He is everything. God you know the hearts of all of us here today.

You know who you see who is standing. I don't even need to know who's standing. You do. God as we make this vow before you and our fellow men I just pray that. Your Spirit. Would change us. Would mold us into what you want us to be. Now let's just all stand together. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen. And let's just prayerfully sing and I'm going to go sit down and turn the time back over to the brother. But let's just prayerfully sing I have decided to follow Jesus. I have decided to follow Jesus.

I have decided. To follow Jesus. I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back. No turning back.