Wednesday Night Bible Study
by Billy McCool
First Apostolic Church of Knoxville (Knoxville, TN)
Kind: Bible study
Scripture: Luke 19:10, Luke 15:1-10, James 4:8-10, 2 Corinthians 7:10, Matthew 21:12-14, Luke 19:1-10, Matthew 11:28-30, Matthew 12:1-14, Isaiah 61:10

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/billy-mccool--wednesday-night-bible-study-82
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

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praise the Lord everyone we greet you tonight in that wonderful name of the Lord Jesus Christ what a joy it is to be back in the house of the Lord tonight are you happy Say Amen well I'm happy to be here and I'm uh heard Pastor Anthony mentioned Pastor McCool Aaron's El Salvador I preach in the gospel and we are told to go into all the world and preach the gospel to Every Creature I got a text from Pastor McCool and he landed in El Salvador and all I said for him I said go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature and that's what we're trying to do and we're looking forward to seeing every one of you this coming Sunday Resurrection Sunday as we observe the resurrection of Our Lord our Bible lesson tonight is entitled once lost now found that word lost is a uh is a shocking word lost lost uh we hear of ships lost at sea and one of the most frightening things is to have a child lost I think you've heard Pastor McCool tell about the time we lost Anthony when he was just a little bitty boy and we was all shopping together and and just wasn't paying any attention and we suddenly realized he wasn't with us and we started looking for him and you talk about a frantic bunch of folks and it was system will cool myself and uh Pastor Mark and sister Jamie and Ashley and Anthony and I mean to tell you we went through that department store and Mark run got a hold of security what's the front door what's the back door I got a little boy that's missing and and they we we absolutely panicked we were we just knew that that somebody had grabbed him and and because we we couldn't find him anywhere there's just nothing more frightening than to think of of a child being lost and so we looked around for a little while and and a little bit I think sister Jamie McCool looked in some clothes and he was standing in some closed hid from all of us and needless to say her her Terror turned to angry I guess it was anger but at any rate it was a frightening thing and in our lesson it asked us to to ask and you remember any time that you have been lost and um uh I remember when I was about 16 maybe 17 years old and I was an aspiring little young fellow wanted to be an airplane pilot and I I'd taken enough lessons so I got I got my uh student pilot's license and everywhere I went of course you had to get checked out again because nobody wanted to let a kid like that loose with their airplane so I was in Jonesboro Arkansas and and I went out to the airport and and they uh let me fly around with a instructor time or two and they they turned me loose and and I went out flying and I think it was a assessment of 140. and um I gotta and I was I was wanting to I was wanting to be a pilot so bad and uh it was all flat land out there and I got out way out there and you all you can see is cotton patches and and I got to doing my my uh practicing my doing a a 180 and uh 360 and and keeping the same altitude it's not as easy as you think it is you start doing a 360 and and keeping the airplane at the same altitude before you'll be going down or going up and you got to watch your instruments and it's very very basic and I got out there and and I did that a little while and then I said well I better go back to the airport and all that fooling around circling around here and there I couldn't see the airport I'd lost the airport and um for a few minutes there was a a frightening feeling came over me because uh if I couldn't find the airport I was in bad trouble here I was just a kid but I circled around and looked and which start headed in the direction I thought the airport was and and sure enough I saw it and that was the most beautiful feeling to to feel like well I found myself and to give a little um a feeling in this for you to understand probably every one of us have either been lost temporarily or we've had a member of our family and it's a frightening thing but uh I guess the worst lost feeling I ever had in my life you've heard me tell it a thousand and one times more or less but was when I left the tent after praying for God to help me to forget my my future wife and I got out in in Missouri all in Arkansas and I got to thinking you know I did a very stupid thing and you know that old boy that she's been going with just for spots she might marry him well and I'll lose her forever and boy you talking about feeling lost I I really I really was panic-stricken so uh there's a lot of experiences we've all had of of losing something and it seems like when you lose something and you find it you appreciate it more than you ever did and when you lost something when you find it it's more valuable than that it was when you first had it so having said that I want us to look at the scripture and our lesson text is taken from Luke the 15th chapter and Luke the 19th Chapter but the focus verse is Luke 19 and 10 it said for the son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost now there's one thing we have for sure the son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost that that's that's the number one job for the church today is to find the lost and and bring them in and and he left that job to us when he said to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved he believeth not shall be damned go ye therefore and teach All Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father the Son the Holy Ghost because we know what the name of the father son the Holy Ghost I'm quoting two different scriptures so let us look into our lesson Luke 15 starting at verse 1 and I'd like for you to remember this line then Drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him then Drew near unto him the publicans and sinners and the Pharisees and the scribes murmured saying this man receiveth Sinners and eideth with them now I want you to notice the uh the Pharisees and the scribes they were the well-educated uh very religious the the Pharisees were Ultra Ultra religious and the scribes were those that were educated and and studying the Bible and teaching and uh when they saw Jesus they said this man eats with Sinners this man Associates with sinners and they thought that was a terrible terrible thing but let me let me say something right now you can associate with Sinners without taking up their lifestyle and you need to be careful that that your association with Sinners it's an effort to win them to the Lord and not to let them win you and the Pharisees and scribes and murmured saying this man receiveth Sinners and eateth with them and we in the church today need to realize that while we believe in Godly standards we believe in the Holiness and righteousness and living right this church is is built for sinners as well as for Saints and it's a place where people can come and find the Lord and it um it breaks my heart when I see and hear of people that really and now there's sometimes a a false uh excuse for not coming to church but sometimes there's a genuine feeling that I I can't go because I I don't I don't dress good I don't have a nice suit or a nice dress or something and I I would certainly hate for anyone to neglect coming to the house of God because they they feel like they are they're not dressed well enough uh are they I don't want them to think that we're so much better than them we want them to feel like that we love them and we want to see them save that's all it's all about right there everybody want to see them saved and when the first season scribes murmured saying this man received as Sinners and eateth with them he said I want to tell you a little story and I'm going to give you a parable Jesus as I've told you several times here lately he didn't try to go into a a lot of deep uh studies of outstanding a great Bible prophecies but he got right down on their level and to speak a parable unto them and said what man of you having a hundred sheep if you lose one of them does not leave the 99 in the wilderness and go after that which is lost until he find it now that's a very simple little story but he said that he's talking to the Pharisees and and the the uh educated in the in the religion of his they and he said which of you you've got a hundred sheep and one of them gets out and gets lost how many of you would not leave the 99 and go looking for that one lost sheep well being on the farm as I was raised as just a small child and we did we raised cattle and horses and so forth but we've had times that a a cow would get out or an animal would get out and it seemed like you just forget everything else and you start looking up the road and and you find that that one animal and you try to herd that animal back uh into the foam well the Sheep were very dependent upon the shepherd and if one of them got lost they were so defenseless a sheep has has no defenses they don't have any claws to tear though I don't have any teeth to tear and they're just just defenseless so he said which of you would not leave the 99 and go and search until you find that one lost sheep and when you find that one lost sheep you've left the 99 you've gone to the Wilderness and you when you find it say that when you have found it he'd lay up it on his shoulder rejoicing there is something so great about finding that sheep he just gathers it up and evidently the the little sheep is beyond taking care of us and it lays it up on his shoulder and the Bible said rejoicing and you know that's why in the church when we preached love and forgiveness and repentance and we see somebody come forward and kneel at this altar or come and stand and raise their hand and come to God there is shouting and rejoicing we sometimes have to kind of contain our own Joy if I'm not careful with you know when when Jacob and Esau made up uh Jacob said these or you go ahead and say if we go together and I said we'll overdrive the baby sheep and and say well I'll take I'll stay behind you go ahead and sometimes that we're not careful when I when a New Soul comes to the Lord we get so excited for not for not careful we'll we'll overdo our joy there's always but he puts it on his shoulder and rejoicing and when it cometh home he calls together his friends and neighbors saying unto them Rejoice with me for I have found my sheep which was lost now this is the attitude our church has and I I'm not saying an attitude the church should have I'm saying this is the attitude our church does have and when we see a New Soul come back to the Lord or come to the Lord and there's a a rejoicing and we want to praise God for that we're not going to be like the elder brother of the prodigal son that stayed out in the field and was jealous over his younger brother coming in but we're going to Rejoice there's nothing that gladdens our heart more than to see somebody come back to the Lord or someone that's never found the Lord to see them as a matter of if you've got a loved one that's that's lost if you've got a husband or as a wife or a son or a daughter or nephew what we we want to pray for them and we want to see them come forward and find the Lord and that's what we're going to Rejoice about and when he cometh whom he called it together as friends and neighbors saying unto them Rejoice with me for I have found my sheep which was lost there's a song that maybe some of you may have heard that goes like this Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wrets like me I once was lost but now I'm found was blind but now I see this they're probably the most well-known hymn that's ever been written Amazing Grace well when they comes home he calls together his friends and neighbors that says come Rejoice with me for I found my sheep which was lost I say unto you that likewise Joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth more than over 90 and nine just persons which need no repentance I was I was listening to a a modern version of Amazing Grace that today it says they baptized Jesse Taylor in Cedar Creek last Sunday Jesus gained the soul and Satan lost a good right arm they all cried Hallelujah when Jesse's head went under this time he went under for the Lord said among the local taverns there'll be a slack in business because Jesse put his drink in the head of groceries and the rent and then it went on to say that among the local women there's be a slacking cheating because Mrs Taylor's Got a Brand New Man well that's what happens when somebody comes to the Lord and they all cried Hallelujah when Jesse's head went under and when she when she had found well um either one woman having 10 pieces of silver if she lose one piece to not light a candle and sweep the house and seek diligently till she find it and when she had found it she called her friends at our neighbors together saying Rejoice with me for I have found the peace which I had lost uh Pastor Mark um several years ago he bought me a ballpoint pen and pencil set and as it's a cross it's it's it it's the best set I I I could I could have it it rise better than anything well I can and he had my name engraved on the side of it and um I can keep a set of the pen and pencil for about 10 years before I lose it but in spite of everything I can do I'll wind up losing it so uh I lost one set and well he went out and and bought me another set had my name engraved on it and I I've had it about 10 years until about a month ago and it disappeared and I'm everywhere I'm looking for that pen I I've got down under the seat of the car I've looked in every drawer in the house and because well I as a matter of fact he's given me two sets he and sister Jamie they've found uh two sets of of the Cross pen and pencil set and more expensive probably than the one I lost and I appreciate that thank you so they gave me two sets and they're in my curio at the house and I'm still looking for that lost one and if I do find it I'll I'll I'll say hallelujah praise the what I'm pointing out is there's something great about finding something that you have lost I don't want to tell you something it said this woman had 10 coins 10 silver coins and she lost one and she was so anxious to find that coin that she swept the house she moved the furniture around and she looked and looked and when she finally found that one lost coin she had dying others left but when she found that love one lost coin she had a celebration she called all of her friends in and said come on in and said that peace I lost I've found said come and rejoice with me you know what we need to have that kind of attitude in the church and I believe we do have when somebody comes up well Hallelujah this brother or this sister or this young person and and we'd never want to have that that elder brother attitude of well I've been here all this time they're not making that big a fuss over me we don't have that attitude around here we've got the attitude of when I a lost soul comes in it's like finding that lost coin we're gonna sweep the house until we find them we're gonna what could we liken that sweeping tomb well we we come up with this program and that program we've got a Easter giveaway that's coming Sunday where everybody gets our Easter prize we just might sweep somebody in by giving them a gift or we have special speakers come in we have a special choir practice to have some of the greatest music that you could have we have some of the greatest Graphics we have on the screen and what we're doing we're sweeping the situation to try to find that whatever it takes to find that lost soul we're going to do it it might take new microphones like go ahead and give the Lord a handcuff it might take new microphones and it might take Heaven A lady come in and speak to the ladies it might take some special speaker it might take a Joel Osborne or or somebody like a Johnny James that used to come every Easter but we're sweeping the area we're sweeping the terror we're trying to find that lost coin it and it was going to get into the house and when we get it we're going to rejoice praise the Lord and when she found out she called her friends and neighbors together saying was jealous with me for I have found the peace which I lost likewise I say unto you there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repented did you know when when a soul comes to the Lord did you know there's rejoicing in heaven that Jesus said this himself there's rejoicing in heaven likewise I say unto you there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth now I want to I want to pause but go back now we'll be going into the 19th Chapter of Luke but I want to go back to the verse I ask you to remember a line then Drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him now this is what caused the Pharisees and the scribes to criticize Jesus because the Bible said then Drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him well now I want to show you what the Bible said in James 4 8-10 it says draw nigh unto God and he'll draw an eye unto you cleanse your hands you Sinners purify your hearts you double-minded now the uh the Pharisees and the scribes they said on the sideline criticizing Jesus looking for something to find fault with his teaching because they didn't believe on him and they was looking for every excuse to criticize well the Bible said draw an eye unto God and he'll draw it now when the when the public is now the publicans were probably some of the most despised that Republican uh denotes uh a tax collector and the Jews were under the domination of Rome and they assigned certain Jews to collect taxes for Rome and they had to give a certain amount to Rome and all that they could collect over they would keep for themselves as long as Rome got what they were expecting and some of these uh Tax Collectors were greedy and and they got Wealthy by collecting more than what they really should have collected and everybody all the Jews despised them so when Jesus came teaching the Bible said then Drew near unto him all the public Republicans and sinners for to hear him there was a a segment of people that had a longing in their heart they were despised they knew they were Sinners they knew they were cheats they knew they would Rob widows and orphans and the poor people and there was a there was a conviction in their heart so when Jesus came along there was something about him that made them long for what he had and they drew near to Jesus I hope that we can have a spirit and I think we do I hope we can have a spirit in our church that I've had folks to tell me uh brother McCool and I drove up to when we I started across the parking lot I felt something I'd never felt before here several years back there there are some uh a gentleman that came here from Way Out West Somewhere uh and it was a temporary just a few months uh assignment here but he said when I came across that parking lot I felt something special and I've had different ones to tell me that well I don't mean to tell you that there's something spooky out there but I want you to know I want folks to feel the presence of God when they come into our midst don't you I do yes there are some places you go a restaurant it can have an atmosphere that you feel comfortable and you're you're just glad to be there and I'm going to other places that they may have good food but there's something about the atmosphere the attitude or something that you just don't feel as comfortable and I can't explain it but it's a it's an atmosphere well there there is an atmosphere and I wanted to continue and I wanted to grow that when folks come through those doors they feel like they're among people that love them and and they don't have to make their acquaintance with us but that we're going to welcome them I read a thing about a a denominal preacher on I'll tell you what denomination it was but he and his wife uh or on vacation down in Florida and he said that on Sunday he was a pastor himself and they wanted to go to church so they went to a church of their denomination and he said when they went in they penned a great big ribbon on them and said visitor and he told us well I said that's that's isn't that nice that they they want to know a business but he said that we we set that through the service and said after the service was over we walked out and not a person who spoke to us said we walked about a block away up the beach where they had a cabin and so I turned to my wife said to him you reckoned me or take these ribbons off said ain't nobody recognized us yes and notices and as they went up the beach they saw a little sign there was there's weeds growing up around him it said a church and he said it was a some kind of hole in this church and said that night I told my wife let's go to that that church they don't know who we are and we'll just slip in and he said my wife and I well walked in the door and said the preacher was up there arranging the song books said that the choir wasn't there yet and but said he he turned around and saw us and said he'd come back just in a hurry and said he not only shook my hand said he hugged my neck he said brother well I'm so glad to meet you who were so I wasn't his brother so that wasn't even his cousin I didn't even know him first time I'd met him but so he made me feel so welcome and said in just a little bit other folks started gathered in and they called the choir up in these course the old time before she used to they didn't have a choir like we had they said and let the choir everyone always come I think when you can sing or not they come up and and he said they asked me to come up and sing and he said I felt so welcome and said I realized something was taking place and that denominal preacher wound up getting the baptism of the Holy Ghost and and changing his denomination because of the atmosphere and the attitude that he received from the preacher and those who came in this is what we're talking about all right it said draw nigh to God and He will draw an eye to you now the the Pharisees of Scrubs they didn't draw an eye they stood back and criticized draw nigh to God then he'll draw an eye to you cleanse your hands you Sinners and purify your heart you double-minded be afflicted and mourn and weep let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to heaviness humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up now we're taking a little uh opposite view here now because we still believe in Repentance it said draw not to God cleanse your hands be afflicted mourn the Bible said in second Corinthians 7 and 10 for Godly sorrow worketh repentance now we're not uh trying to uh dish out and and uh give you a easy way to come to God and not turn from your sin you know yes you've got a Peter said when they said men and brothers what should we do he said repent repent means to make in a bad place go the other way you you you don't just say uh you who wants to make a decision for the Lord all right you're saved no the Bible said Godly sorrow worketh repentance I still believe you're going to see some folks that's going to hit that Altar and they're going to cry they're going to weep and they're going to pray not everybody I don't say that everybody has to do that but yet he said for us to to mourn to to be sorry for our sins and turn our life over to the Lord for Godly sorrow worketh repentance Jesus went into the temple of God in Matthew 21 12. and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple and overthrew the tables of the money changes and the seats of them that Soul doves foreign standing there and they were selling and making merchandise of the situation he drove them out because he he said that my house shall be called a house of prayer and you have made it a den of Thieves and instead of them it has written my house shall be called The House of Prayer but you've made it a den of Thieves and the blind and the lame came to him in the temple and he healed them oh what a difference in their attitude they were there there were those there for financial gain they were selling animals to make sacrifices for the people and and he drilled them out but there were others there blind lame that came into the temple and when they came to him he healed him what a difference in the attitude and what a difference in what they what they received now then going back to our scripture Luke Chapter 19 Verse 1. and Jesus entered and passed through Jericho and behold there was a man named Zacchaeus which was the chief among the publicans and he was rich now we talked about the publicans he was not only a tax collector he was the boss of the tax cut he was the chief tax collector and he was rich no doubt he had overcharged many people and and no doubt he was despised by a lot of folks and and his name was Zacchaeus and he was the chief among the publicans and he was rich and he sought to see Jesus who he was and could not for the Press because he was little of statue now he realized he needed something that he didn't have he had gained riches no doubt by overcharging because in his repentance you'll see what he had been doing because he confessed it when he when he come to realize he needed the Lord but he had gotten rich but it also gotten despised by a lot of folks and here was a man with a terrible void in his heart and his life and he was needing something and I say to us tonight you never know who comes to those doors what they're longing for you don't know the grief and the hurt and the sorrow and and what their what somebody's needing and one thing I can tell you they for sure need they need our love and they need our fellowship they need to be welcomed and they need to be prayed for and he sought to see Jesus who he was no doubt he'd heard a lot about him and so he couldn't see him for the Press because he was little in stature and he ran before and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him for he was to pass that way I get something out of this that that blesses me uh those zacchus had gained a lot through his uh connivery and cheating and so forth he was used to he was used to getting what he wanted by hooker Crook and just because he was too short he couldn't see over the crowd he got there early he went ahead he knew where Jesus was going to pass by and he found him a tree to climb up into let me tell you something the old saying is where there's a will there's a way if you want to find the Lord you can find him I can promise you if you want to find the Lord you can find him and he he got there early and he found him a tree and he climbed up in a tree and he waited on the Lord to come that way oh Hallelujah if you if you have a lung in your your heart for something from the Lord you've got to be willing to pay the price and he was willing and he was he was nesting there in that sycamore tree and when Jesus came to the place he looked up and saw him and said unto him zycus make hasten come down for today I must abide at thy house my word can you imagine the Pharisees and the religious people standing by that thought it was a sin or wrong to eat with Sinners and publicans they wouldn't have anything to do with everybody avoided zycus and now Jesus says zycus come down because today I'm going to go home with you oh praise God and he made haste and came down and received him joyfully and when they saw it they all murmured saying here we go again here we go again those who are criticizing Jesus they criticize saying he was gone to be yes with a man that is a sinner my mind he's he's associating with the sinner well I want to tell you something we don't have to partake of their sins but you've heard me say that the church is a troubled machine we are here when we put out a sign that says church that means that we are welcoming drug addicts alcoholics broken hearts and broken homes because we've got the answer because Jesus is that answer and and nobody nobody must feel that they are excluded from our congregation and zacchus stood and said unto the Lord behold Lord the half of my goods I give to the poor and if I'm taking anything from any man by false accusation I restore him for a poem I I don't think he meant that he's already done this I think that he was convicted of what he had done and he was telling the Lord what he was going to do right off his heart was uh was condemned and zacchus stood and said Lord behold half of my goods I'll give to the poor and if I've taken anything from any man by false accusation I'll ReStore in fourfold he knew he had and he started right off getting ready to make restitution where Jesus said unto him this day is salvation come to this house for as much as he also is a son of Abraham for the son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost here's what Jesus said in Matthew 11 and 28 come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest you know um when you go to look at an automobile or Furniture whatever the sales representative they don't come right out start telling you uh how expensive this is and are you sure you can afford it there they they show you all the benefits and then they they try to show you how you can afford it we've got a great payment plan we can then and look look how not you look nice in this and they they really sell you on the product well if we're not careful in the church we'll start telling people how what all they have to give up all they have to do well I want a sister Brenda Wilson said something years ago that has resonated with me someone told her about her going to an Apostolic Church she's they said don't you have to give up so oh she said it's not what I give up she said it's all I gain I gained so much more than what I have to give up and that's exactly the way it should be Jesus said come unto me and I'm going to load you down with the rules and regulations that you just can't know he said come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest take my yoke up on you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls for my yoke is easy and my burden is life oh my let's look at that sales pitch again let's look at that sales pitch again is this the way I'm presenting my gospel listen again let's just say what it says Jesus said come unto me only that labor and her heavy laden if you carrying a heavy load I got to go do this for you I want to be I want to make your lord lighter come unto me all ye that you're working a hard job I got something that's so much better than what you've been living with coming to me all ye that labor and our heavy laden and I will give you rest no I need to be careful that I don't paint a picture that is it's harder to be a Christian than it is to be a sinner it's not I want you to know it's easier to be a Christian than it is to be a sinner oh I'm telling you right now you don't have to worry about getting hooked on drugs or alcohol and you don't have to worry about it brother brother Richmond you've heard me tell this before but he was a superintendent at uh before Levi uh closed up years and years ago and uh uh one of his workers said to him what are you going to do uh Charlie uh the weekend he said I'm going to church oh he said you're going to waste a good weekend he said I'm going to a party we're going to have a good time and you're going to waste your time going to church and the brother register well so be it well he said Monday he went into work and that fella came in said his eye was black he had Pub knots on his head it looked like he'd been run through a thrashing machine he'd been in a in a brawl and drunken fight and got beat up and he said man it looked like he really had a good time over the weekend I want to tell you something it's easier to be a Christian than it is to be a sinner I couldn't remember my daddy patented uh 35 cents for a pack of cigarettes and now I think they're I don't know what 3.50 I don't know but everything is to be a sinner it's it's more expensive coming to me already that laborer and I'll give you rest pick my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in her and ye shall find rest all that beautiful word rest and you shall find rest unto your souls for my yoke is easy and my burden is like at that time Jesus went on the Sabbath day through the corn and his disciples were unhungered and he began to pluck ears of corn on to eat and one of the Pharisees saw it they said unto Behold thy disciples do that if we shall not lawful to do upon the Sabbath day write off they zeroed in on some little technical thing that the disciples were eating corn and plucking corn on the Sabbath day and they were so wrapped up with that little uh idea that you had you couldn't do anything and here's what Jesus said to them but he said to them have he not read what David did when he was a hungered and they that were with him how he entered into the house of God and did eat the shoe bread which was not lawful for him to eat neither for them which were with him but only for the priest or have you not read in the law how that on the Sabbath days the priests and the temple propane the Sabbath and a blameless but I'll say unto you that in this place is one greater than the temple I get something out of this and I'm not compromising but if we aren't careful we will Zero in on all the negatives and forget to tell them about a burden is light my yoke is easy but if you had known what this meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice he would not have condemned the Guiltless for the son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day and when he was departed offense he went into the synagogue and behold there was a man which among you that he shall have one sheep he has if he has one sheep and it shall fall into a pit on the Sabbath day will he not lay hold on it and lift it up he just used very very simple reasoning uh that they were making a big deal out of them plucking corn on on the Sabbath and Jesus said to preacher you've got you've got a sheep and he falls into a pit and he's about to die there and it's and it's on the Sabbath said what would you do would you not try to save him on the Sabbath day how much then is a man better than the Sheep wherefore it is lawful to do well on the seventh days then said he to the man stretch forth that hand now they were daring Jesus they were wanting to see if Jesus was going to heal a man with a withered hand and they were more interested in their belief in their their their their Doctrine if you can't do a thing on the Sabbath and Jesus told a man says stretch forth your hand and you stretched it forth and was restored whole like as the other then the Pharisees went out and held a council against them how they might destroy him isn't it amazing how you can get so hung up on your personal idea that is more important than a lost soul if I'm not careful I can have something that that is so dear to me my idea about this or that or the other that it'll be more important than the lost soul your son or your daughter your wife or your husband may we value a soul or if a man should gain the whole world and lose his soul what does that mean profited or what would he give in exchange for his soul we're just standing your feet with us Isaiah 61-10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord my soul shall be joyful in my God for he hath clothed me with the Garment of Salvation he have covered me with the robe of righteousness as a bridegroomed deck of himself with ornaments and as a bride Adorn herself with her Jewels what a beautiful picture of what it is like to become a child of God it's like he said he's clothed me with the Garment of Salvation covered me with a robe of righteousness as a bridegroom decked himself with ornaments and as a bride is doing herself with her Jewels is that a beautiful picture that's what it's like when you turn your life over to the Lord let's be remembering Pastor uh get him home safe and the rest of the troop I don't think the rest of them are coming back at this time but Pastor will be coming home tomorrow I think he's preaching uh tonight in El Salvador and let's pray that God gave him a safe trip home and uh I got a text from Brother Jones he and his wife are ailing let's be in prayer for them tonight that God would touch and heal them father we do thank you for your goodness and mercy we're thankful that I once was lost but now I'm fam I was blind but now I see I pray God that this will be the the overriding and overwhelming attituded view of each one of us as we reach out to Lost men and women that they can come to the Lord and be saved dismiss us from this place but not from your presence in Jesus name we pray amen