show/hide transcript

---------------------------------------------------
Note: Transcripts are unedited. Please forgive any errors.
---------------------------------------------------

THE ACTIVE WORD

TITLE OF Message: "Maturity"

MESSAGE DATE: 07-09-08 Wed 6:00 pm TAPE NUMBER: C3617

TRANSCIBED BY:

Scripture Reference for Message: 1st Peter 3:8

Opening Prayer

Father we thank you for our fellowship, we thank you for the person sitting near us, next to us, Lord we don't many times fully understand what may be going on in their life, but you've exhorted us to pray for one another, and right now we pray for one another, Lord we know that this prayer being heard in the depth of the heart. Someone's hurting tonight and just the touch, the touch of another person caring enough to pray means all the difference in the world.

And so we invite you Lord to work in the heart of that person we're praying for, Lord whatever the circumstance, whatever the situation, whatever the trouble, whatever the burden, whatever the concern, Lord use our time together, your word your spirit. May we make you proud God the way we treat one another the way we care for one another and in this case the way we pray for and bear one another's burdens, in Jesus name we pray, amen.

MESSAGE

There is one doorway in our house that is separate, special, distinct, different, from any other. Doorway? Yeah you'll spot its significance on the jam itself. There you'll find these little marks and these little measurements, since we moved into that home in April of 2000, oh probably every six to eight weeks, one or the other, sometimes both Caitlyn my daughter Christian my son, hey dad, check and see am I growing?

Are you growing, well come on over here to the pantry doorway and right there in the jam you'll find way back 200, well look at you Kate look at that, man that's probably an inch. My oh my your getting bigger, your growing up. Look at you Christian oh Christian you passed mom, oh that's amazing, you're on your way coursing past dad.



This is an amazing thing.

Now sincerely, if we ever move that door jam is moving with us, why? It's so, it's so, it's so meaningful in my heart to watch to see growth change, my son and daughter bigger, yeah. And that for me as a dad it's what we hope for, its what we pray for.

Oh not just physically speaking, you see I believe that my heavenly Father well he would that all of us were changing, growing, getting bigger. But because our physical bodies seem to slow and stall and stop, he knows it's an opportunity for our spirit to take over where our body left off.

And what I'm wondering in my heart for our time together is are you as enthusiastic as excited over your hey dad, hey heavenly dad, can we go to that doorway and could you measure me and see? God am I changing? Am I growing? Am I getting bigger?

I think its Peter's push and I'll give you a reason why, you see I know that physical age affects physical accomplishments, and I know that spiritual maturity affects spiritual ministry.

And let me say that again because I know my son at twelve wants to drive, but he can't, and I can to say to him you can't I'm sorry you can't your not old enough.

I remember when he was so much smaller I would on Mondays mow the lawn, and he would out of the front window peer onto my labor intense involved activity. And I'd mow the front and he'd look out the front window, I'd mow the side of the house, and he'd look at out the side window, and I'd mow the back, and he'd look out the back window.

And he at his little age, at that time in his life simply had to look on from a distance because his physical age did not allow him to be involved in a physical accomplishment. And I longed for the day that yes I would be on the inside of the house and he would be on the outside in the front and I'd watch, on the side and I would watch, in the back and I would watch. Just so he could labor on my behalf.

No, you see much more seriously much more sincerely, are there things that your heavenly father would you to do but you just don't get it. You haven't matured? You haven't grown up.

And although you've been a part of the church for how many years it seems like there's still that immaturity there's that childish, not child like, childish behavior that flows too naturally from someone who quite honestly we might expect a whole lot more, expect more.

Think physical age, spiritual maturity, when a son or a daughter reaches a certain age you have that expectation, okay now I expect that you, and whatever that expectation is you are matching it with their age.



Well in the same way there, there comes that point in time in a Pastor's heart where you look at how long somebody's been a part of a church somebody's been a part of a ministry, and you just kind of expect that, well you know I would hope that by now, I want you to know I'm not the only one with expectation as a parent or as a Pastor. No I think that the world actually has some expectations that the body is supposed to be reflecting. And if the body doesn't reflect it and the world yet still expects it I think the word of God projects it and I think its important for us to check it, for us to stop for a minute and say is that me, am I that?

And if your not, oh these are essential, these are mandatory these are necessary this is just Christianity 101, now again, Christianity 101, well if you're an itty bitty, bitty baby, if your just two weeks old in the Lord, some of these essentials I think Peter's pushing I think for some of you, you look on and say man that just seems like a tall order, that seems like a big step.

But for the most of you especially this crowd, the Wednesday night I think the most of you go you know what that's absolutely right, I think the world does expect that. I think that certainly the body should reflect that.

I think the Word of God projects that, and I think that we ought to take the time to check that, check that, yes. I'm going to actually give you a list, six specifics, six essentials, and this is maturity. This is you just saying okay yes I'm getting mature yes I'm growing, and here's what I want you to do.

When the list is done, when we've concluded the study your going to actually take the list and your going to put it in your Bible some place, so I want you to use your better penmanship because its going to say am I growing in this way and you'll have a little list, you'll be able to check and say okay am I this, am I more this now? I know I used to not be this but am I more this now? I hope I'm more this now, why?

Again, the world really expects it, so does the body reflect it? It's 1st Peter chapter three verse eight, finally all of you, be of one mind, be of one mind. If you're a note taker write down this single word unity.

Now of course when it comes to the body of believers you can answer it more apt this way are you unified, unified? He says I want you to have one mind, I want you to have one mind, some of you have a New International Version translation and there the word employed is harmony, I want harmony in the home.

Harmony in the home, this is God's house, he would we live harmoniously, how in the world can we live harmoniously in the house of God? Well Augustine that church father of old put it this way listen, in essentials unity non essentials liberty, in all things charity.

In other words there's suppose to be something that all of us I mean all of us who employ the term Christian believe and think and do and express, there's supposed to be just a handful of those things that when we employ this single book, and we all have the same, that we walk away and say, well here's what we believe.



And the problem with that of course is that although Augustine again would emphasize the fact that in essentials unity, sometimes we're not unified on what those essentials are. So now we're disunified over something we should be unified over because we're having a hard time being unified over what we don't know is something we should be unified over, does that make sense? Yeah.

Can we agree that we're supposed to have one heart for God? Of course we can agree upon that. Can we agree that we're supposed to love one another? Well of course we can agree upon that, well can we agree then when it comes to our distinctives that they don't become differences that divide us but instead descriptions that define us, and there's a difference, what do I mean?

Well we're a non-denominational church, and can I tell you a little over twenty years ago when I would tell someone I Pastor a non-denominational church many times they'd take a little step back. Why?

Well because twenty years ago if you attended church on a regular basis here in the United States of America it came in the form of a flavor. And that flavor typically would be Presbyterian, or it would be Lutheran, or it would be Methodist, or it would be Roman Catholic, and everyone understood what you were based upon your definition.

But things began to change, change? It's probably about thirty, forty years ago and some of those denominations their distinctives; well they began to be adjusted with the ways and the ideals of this world.

And Lutheran's well I being brought up a Lutheran found out that there wasn't just one group of Lutheran's but they were divided into separate sects themselves and there was the Missouri sinan, and then there was the Lutheran American, and then there was the, now wait a second now what is the difference there?

And then I found out the Methodist they also began to be a little bit more divided, and then the Roman Catholics began to be a little bit more divided. So everyone was trying to figure out what they were, I felt and I think that there were a group of us that believed, that if in fact we could move a little further away from denominational division and on into descriptive distinctives then maybe those could distinctives could identify the who that we were without being very divisive, how's that?

Well I'm a Christian and you're Christian's right? But you'll find many times that once you say you're a Christian people now will ask you, well what kind of Christian are you? Well I'm an evangelical fundamental, tongue speaking, charismatic, pre-tribulationist, that's what I am.

Can I just be a Christian, why can't I just be a believer? Yeah but what kind of believer? The kind that believes the Bible and the kind that loves God, and the kind that wants the best for my fellow man.

Yes but you got to give me greater definition. Well here's what the Bible says, finally you all be of one mind, be of one mind? Well here's what you realize, you realize that the distinctives that define us don't have to be the differences that divide us in the same way you look on at this group of instruments tonight and you realize that every one of them is very, very distinct.

The guitar is very, very different than that box that the call a drum, very distinct, very, very different. But did you note that our leader Andrew playing the part of the conductor called them all to play their specific note and be at just the right time the by product was harmonious.

In the same way I'm not like a lot of you, there's differences, some people like a guy with a sense of humor, some people it bugs them. It might be for some of you your last night here and your first night here all in the same evening.

You heard some things about this Calvary thing, you come in, announcements bothered you, and you're waiting to leave. I apologize but I don't, why? I think a spoon of medicine, a spoon full of sugar helps the medicine go down. And I think that people even like when I reverse my sentences from time to time because it shows that I'm of that not polished.

But sincerely I love the fact that God has made the body out of so many various and diverse parts. And that the more mature will not be territorial and/or specific but they'll be a bit more general and a lot more basic, how?

I love my Baptist brothers, I love my Presbyterian brothers, all of them that are chosen, even those that believe their not, listen. Sorry, but here's what I've come to discover, the one mind. I was on a conference call today with a handful of Pastor's from a multitude of churches across the United States; these brothers of mine are a bit burdened about these same sex marriage laws that seem to be rising to the forefront of our nation's decision making powers.

And we determined together we need to do something about it, why? We know what the Bible says, and although I don't have the expectation of the world to live like or behave like what the Bible teaches I do know that for me and my house we will serve the Lord. Well what does it mean to serve the Lord?

Well it means when you have people in powerful positions that enjoy decision making authority, that you will voice your opinion in such a way if in fact it's a freedom for you to voice your opinion.

So if popular vote is still an arm that's outstretched to declare the difference between right and wrong, and we have a muscle in that arm, its time for that muscle to flex. But if we just sit in our pew and sit back and do nothing what happens? Well then the world and its way simply take over the work and the ministry of the church.

Now what did we determine? Well we determined that God actually has established in his word that marriage be defined by a one man, one woman relationship that's what we all agreed upon.

And even though we were from a different variety of denominations and groups that we all agreed upon, and agreeing upon all that we make a little game plan we put together a little strategy it goes, here's what we're going to do, and here's what I can do in Florida.

And my friends in New York say well here's what we're doing, and my friends in California said here's what we're doing, and my friends over in Wyoming said here's what we're doing, and in Seattle here's what we're doing, and we had this conversation. And in the end we felt like we were doing something, why?

It's the body of believers behaving much more maturely and dividing and debating over those things which sometimes still leave us dividing and debating over some of those things that we seem to divide and debate on while the world continues to go to hell in a hand basket.

Please I think that we major in the minors and you've heard in the employ that phrase in the past, its embarrassing not only to one another who'd like to move past that and get the job done, but even more so go God, why?

Keep your place in 1st Peter go with me to Psalm one hundred and thirty three here's the reason why. Psalm 133, short and specific, David declares, behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. It's like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments. Like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord commanded the blessing - life forevermore, your attention please.

We ventured out last week the Coy family to the Metro Zoo, and although it was one of the warmer days we found great refuge in and under the spouts where misty air comes out. You push a button and suddenly there's a midst, and you put your face right in the midst. And when you put your face in the midst on a very, very hot humid day, suddenly it's like oh, oh, and then you turn your back on the midst, oh, oh, oh. And then your arms on the midst, oh, oh, it's a moment of worship.

Do you understand that when the Psalmist is writing one thirty three, there are no showers, but what there are instead are opportunities for anointing, when the oil that's poured over your face, in an evening breeze brings refreshment to your body, and there is that ah. It's like a facial and a foot massage ladies all at the same time, you know what I'm talking about?

Ah, ah, and here's what God says. When you guys get along, and when you treat one another with a single mind, a single heart for me, with a for one another, he said you know what I'm going to do, I'm going to command a blessing there, I'll command a blessing here.

You see it's a strange thing you can look at the eclectic flavor of our ministry and you see everyone coming in from all walks of life, worshiping God and choosing to do for our time together express and extend love and grace to each other.

And I see God continue to bless this church, and bless this church and bless this church why? Well there's a unity within this body of Christ that from all walk and different backgrounds we've determined that he matters more, and he matters most above and beyond all of our differences or our backgrounds or our life styles i.e. where we came from and where we're going, and I believe that.

Now please footnote, don't imply lifestyle is something sinful, but instead lifestyle is something sacred where my walk of life and your walk of life as we're walking along, there can be a love exchange one to another that sympathetic and understanding and that would be a very unifying thing in the face of God. And God says there I command a blessing, so I think we need to be unified.

Now please, let's contrast that to a baby's territorial spirit where in fact there's a spirit of unity and we go hey we're all in this together and I love the church down the block, and I care for the church and the Pastor around the corner. If you're immature it's very territorial and somebody leaves this church and goes to somebody else's church, wait a minute that was somebody from my flock why are they going to your church?

Well what's that church doing down over the corner? Well what are they doing, well I though that was. Let me tell you something I was challenged years ago and I think its why in part God has chosen to increase this ministry, to not just be the Pastor of the folks that attend Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale, but to simply Pastor anyone in Broward County, West Palm Beach, or Miami Dade, that needed Pastoring.

And in other words, take down the walls, who need help? Well do you go to our church? Do you know us; I mean have you ever given here? Stop it; does somebody need ministry right now? If somebody needs ministry right now, minister to them, why? Well because the whole thing of who are they and where they come from, and what is their need and have they ever given h ere before? You have to abolish that in order to accomplish sincere ministry because you'll see Jesus actually tearing down walls like that rather than erecting walls over some pre conceived background ideal or ambition.

And when I think that through, here's what I think. Because it happens more than it ever has now, we've been here that long, let me be transparent and say, ten years ago I'd run into some grocery store, some one would say, hey Bob I go to your church. Now here's what I, hey Bob I used to go to your church, okay, what do you mean used to go what did I do? Oh no, it's nothing you know.

Now a whole lot of other people still go here but over the years its been a blessing, wondering witness and testimony of how somebody can grow in their grace and understanding of God here and then God will say, here's what I'm going to do, I'm going to move you over here because Rian Gitmann is starting a church over here in Deerfield and I need a couple of mature leaders to go over there.

Ken Kerrigan starting a Calvary Chapel over in Pompano Beach and I need you to go help him over here. Oh Jim Coy's got this church over here, and then he's got this ministry over here and I need some guys to go over here. And I've watched our church save and send, save and send, save and send not just abroad not just another state, not another country but even in our own backyard.

And I look and I go is that a bad thing or a good thing? Let me tell you something, I don't mind having a reputation here in this county of saving and sending people to ministry's and to ministry, amen, amen.

But if in fact I'm territorial if in fact I'm very, very, wait a second you're going to another church, why are you going there? Don't I own you, don't I control you, you still give here right?

Stop I'm not in charge, and here's what's happened, over the years God's saved and sent and God keeps on sending here more to be saved and more to be sent, and again I don't mind that reputation.

Now are there any that should still be here, that have left? Um, I don't think so, um because I think that in the same way I had to leave Las Vegas Nevada Calvary Chapel and head out here to be here. If in fact you pray and you believe that God's the author of order and not confusion, he will make sure that everyone is in the ministry right at the time they need to be in the ministry because remember where we're at in the stage of this ministry.

It was probably about eighteen years ago, we were a few years old as a church, and I saw a few folks from First Baptist leave, and a few folks from Coral Ridge leave and come and be a part of our church, and it was a very awkward feeling for me because there was some very seasoned strong healthy believers that had left other churches and come to where our church is at.

But listen to where our church was at, at that time. At that time fifteen, eighteen years ago, there was a pile of new believers here and we didn't have that many seasoned believers. We didn't have that many mature believers, and it was like, I need some brothers and sisters that see this new life, that can actually disciple and care for these congregants.

Well now that's the happening in another way, now there's new believers in other churches and there's some other churches go Bob can you spare a brother, is there a staff member?

And just recently we sent a couple of staff members to another church that was just getting started and you'll see them here in fact one of the guys that was playing guitar here part of the Ocean's Edge School of Worship, a part of our heart as a ministry was let's go ahead and prepare these people, equip these people and let's have them pray over where they go next, where they actually go, why?

Because will you actually be here forever, most of you are going to move up north in the five to ten years, no. No, no, no, here's what I believe, I believe I'll be here forever I'm kind of stuck here, we owe the bank some money and I can't leave until it's paid off. Yeah, some wisdom in having debt, I'm here, um, but I want you to be where God wants you to be, and if in fact territorial is a baby spirit, but freedom and liberty is a mature spirit then the unity that comes from us recognizing that the body is a body and not something that I try and control and not something that I try and force.

Hey I might have an opinion of where God wants you to serve, but I hope its God telling you where you're to be and what you're supposed to be, and never me, I hope it's God you have a relationship with, not Pastor Bob, please.

And that's the unifying spirit that I think he blesses, and because I have that attitude he goes oh have more people go to Calvary Fort Lauderdale, why? Bob doesn't try to own them or control them, please.

If you try to own and control and become very territorial, it's not that mark of maturity and we have to grow up into that and say hey freedom, freedom in Christ. Now again I hope that freedom in Christ leads you to make the kind of decisions that reflect the opportunities that God has placed before us and we never miss a beat with all the people needed to serve in a ministry that just continues to grow, amen?

But I think it's his heart, that's unity. Go back with me to 1st Peter chapter 3 let's see the second word, second of six we pick up our pace and this time he says, finally again in verse eight all of you be of one mind having compassion for one another. So obviously the second attribute the second characteristic would be compassion and here's what I want you to do, consider the word compassion and know in fact if you want to circle it, in the original language the word was soon, pathas, soon pathas, and what that word is to us in the Greek is where we get our English word for sympathy.

Compassion and sympathy, you get the idea.

So now we have somebody who's so sympatric somebody that's so compassionate they're actually going to do something about the circumstance that's moving their heart.

In fact if you follow the word compassion in the New Testament you will see your Savior our friend Jesus Christ, touched listen, in Matthew chapter nine, over those people who were ignorant concerning spiritual things.

In Matthew chapter fourteen, those people who were sick and needed healing or a touch of compassion, in Matthew chapter eighteen those people who were poor and just needed a helping hand, and in Matthew chapter fifteen, those people who were hungry and needed food.

Listen to those four again, ignorant, sick, poor, and hungry. Every time New Testament, ignorant, sick, poor, and hungry, Jesus would see that, he'd go, I can't just not anything I have to do something, and that's the mark of maturity.

Now immaturity on the other hand obviously doesn't have any interest in the need of somebody else because its need is very self absorbed or very, very self focused. And again going back in time, my son when he was just a couple of years old, he liked rides on my back you know what I mean? And his vocabulary was very limited I'd put him on my back and he'd say, dad get, dad get, get going, get going, and I get around like this way okay you know and then I'd stop, and he'd go, "dad get" and I'd go around oh okay here we go okay, here we go.

Dad get, yeah okay, and then finally I'd go, Christian Dad's old, he's tired he can't get any more. And you know what honestly and I say this, he's probably listening um, at that age he didn't care if I was old or if I was tired he just wanted a ride, dad get, dad get. All right a little longer, all right okay, now can I rest, dad get.

And, and please the more immature you are the more you want to ride somebody's back for your own personal pleasure and enjoyment. And there are people who are immature in the body of Christ they come in and they go come on get, come on, come on do something, make me happy come on, take me for a ride. It's like I'm tired, I'm old, I can't, I can't do this anymore. Come on you're here for me, no, no, no I'm not, now think it through.

There's a principle there we can't get away from, are you the kind of person your so mature your willing to say to somebody whose a little bit more immature come on climb on I'll make sure you get to where your going, I don't mind. Skip how hold or skip how tired I am, I'm going to get you there because I'm going to recognize this means a lot to you.

Ask yourself that question and let it be a mental note in your heart that even before you come to church service. You out in the parking lot you open up and you go there is six things that Bob says were marks of maturity and the second one is compassion. Am I coming to church tonight for somebody to do something for me, or have I actually stopped and qualified the fact that I'm actually doing something for somebody else?

And if in fact I find out that this is that person's first week here at church and they come to us from another church I'm not going to ask them about all of their distinctives, I'm going to just embrace them like a brother like a true sister in Christ.

Now I think this is imperative, and I'll give you a reason why. Because if in fact we are not moved with compassion, in other words if compassion just doesn't move at all, then again the world looks on and the world says you know what, I think there are enough people who don't know God that in this season and climate of humanitarian relief are doing things that in some cases look more generous or compassion or kind hearted even in the church.

I think the church may have missed it for a season in caring for people who have contracted or suffer from HIV aides. I think that going back in the past you would find that there were a lot of church leaders that actually believed it was judgment from God and kept a distance from people who had contracted the disease from whatever reason.

So now their's no compassion whatsoever to people who suddenly have been served a death sentence, many of them don't know the reason why because a lot of the diseased ridden and infected people they were not involved in homosexual relationships.

So you go okay now wait a second we got people on the other side of the globe kids who have been born to aides infected parents and they're orphans and the church is still staying away. But who blows the trumpet of rescue?

Brad Pit? Who else George Clooney? There's a handful of multi millionaire Hollywood hotties, that show up on the scene and say you know what, we recognize the church is not doing much because you guys have decided to marginalize aides people because you believe their under the judgment of God. We're going to be compassionate.

So now suddenly here's someone who may not know God like you and I know God reaching out in ways that make the church look a little embarrassing in the face of the world.

Well wait a second, what are se supposed to do? Please I believe in humanitarian relief, but there is something that I have that the world doesn't have to offer and that's the blood of Jesus Christ.

Because whether someone has aides or someone doesn't have aides, let me tell you something, fifty years from now not many of you in this room will be here. So I can heal your body or I can change your heart. If I can get you to the kingdom of God I will have served you very, very faithfully.

Now if I can get your attention, and you can understand my love because I'm involved in humanitarian relief, now I take the two and I go into a foreign field and I say, I'm here to feed you, but let me tell you what brought me here, it's the love of Jesus Christ.

And I have moved in compassion because he loved me so much now I want to show that love to you and here's some help in the name of Jesus. Let me tell you something.

I hope that all of you take some time and that the next time we have the opportunity in some love out love expression in any form, we're doing something that looks like Jesus really, really cares. Because if we're not doing anything at all, quite honestly, there are a handful of folks on Capital Hill that question the reason why we get tax exempt status because they don't' see us doing the kind of humanitarian compassionate efforts that would win us the right to not have to pay taxes.

So when you've got Pastor's living in mansions driving cars that most of the congregation can't afford, and they get a tax right off. Of course someone's scratching their head and go I don't' get it, they're not doing anything to help mankind and they're living high in luxury status. But Brad Pitt's over on the other side of the world helping kids who are dying of aides. And what's the witness of Christ?

No the world expects it, and now we must check it, and even if its tomorrow, you take the list and you go okay am I more mature, I'm I doing anything that shows that I care about anyone, and then we do, but compassion is part of that.

Go back with me to 1st Peter 3 and 8 this time the third word and we pick up the pace even more so, realizing that its time to pick it up, finally all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another, love as brothers.

Will you just write down brotherly love as the third attribute, brotherly love, and that the implications of having brotherly love is that it's the kind of love that's defined for us in scripture if you're a note taker, I'd ask you to be prepared to turn with me to 1st Timothy 5 and 2 and there your reminded, to not rebuke an older man but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, and then it says this, and keep in mind the context is still rebuking.

So in other words I'm talking in terms of when the opportunity to rise is that I have to tell you the difference between right and wrong in your life and I'm going to use some if you will Pastoral authority. He says let me tell you something if you're a Pastor and you're my age, and there's somebody in the congregation that's a little older, and you feel like you need to put them in place with the word of God he says be very careful. You don't' rebuke an older man, he said what you do instead is your exhort him, in other words you get on his good side and say, can I encourage you, can I implore you can I beseech you I would love to see you do this.

And there's a way you approach an older man he says because there's ages and levels in life where you just discern how important it is to offer a little dignity a little honor and a little respect. Now it's with that thought the says this, he says verse two, older woman as mothers, younger woman as sisters, with all purity.

Now will you underline the word purity and understand it's not just a moral purity, in fact the implications of the original word imply a more protective more so than moral purity. So in other words I'm saying to all the older women in the body of Christ I will treat you as a I would my own mother, what's that?

Very protective, I want the best for my mom, I'm going to try and help my mom whatever I can do to serve my mom, support my mom I will do that.

If you're a younger women in the body of Christ you're my sister, now I'm going to also very much protect you like a brother. Now in both cases listen to this, older women, younger woman that purity has everything to do with me saying I have nothing to gain from this relationship, a brother wouldn't.

Now a guy whose looking at the older woman for some opportunity or the younger woman for some relationship there's an opportunity for gain. He says no, no, no, don't do that, he says because if it's real love of a brother, the love of a brother says I'm' going to love and not expect anything back at all, and I like that, why?

Because contrast that now with a baby, my niece was, all three nieces on my brother's side, Jim's daughters were here today, we all had lunch together. And a my a youngest niece my, my brother's youngest daughter she just had a baby this last weekend, and so she's here with a less than one week old baby. And we're at the Grill here and I'm holding this baby and this baby is loving me and showing me all this love and compassion and reaching out to me.

No its not, I don't its oblivious to everything its sitting there going waaa, and you've got to put a pacifier in it, okay. But all the love that's going into the baby, oh Michele held then Melissa holds the baby then Mel gets the baby then Emily, everybody's baby, baby oh it's a baby it's a baby it a baby. And that baby is doing nothing for us at all.

The new mommy ordered a burger and fries, don't you know the minute the burger and fries showed up, that baby wanted to eat. And I look at that baby and I go not now, mom just got her food it's still warm, not now. But you know mommy, a new mommy, oh no, no, no, my food can get cold because baby needs a bottle now and I'm going to. That self centered, selfish wicked.

Brotherly love, I love you and don't expect anything in return whatsoever, brotherly baby love, I want everyone to pay attention to me, and if you don't do what I want I will cry. And if you don't do what I want when I'm crying I will scream, and everyone in the restaurant will think that you're abusive because you're not caring for me the way that you should.

Now stay with me on that thought, stay with me on that thought, here's why because every once in a while someone who is a baby in the body will say that the church didn't do what I wanted it to do, and now I'm going to scream and I'm going to tell everybody in the church how bad this church is, and this church is so bad, and this church says this but let me tell you about this church.

And they do it in e-mail form and blogs and they have their own web sites and this is everything that this church does bad and wrong. Really little baby, and here's what I'll do. Here's the crazy thing about it, seriously it's a point that needs to be made, because some of these blogs and some of these web sites that are anti-church you don't know who these people are.

And at some point I, I double dog dare you, do enough research to find out what fruit that person who has that blog or has that web site, what fruit would we find hanging on their own tree?

You see the critics of the body of Christ are multiple and many. But if in fact somebody's going to go, well Calvary Chapel doe this, well here's, well Pastor Bob does this. All right let me ask you a question, did you baptize anyone this year? What do you mean? Save anyone, you reach out to anybody, you care for anybody?

No, no, no, my ministry is writing mean things on a web site telling people how bad the church is. Is that unifying? Is that compassionate? Is that brotherly love? No its none of those things, is it and our fourth word as we go back to 1st Peter chapter three verse eight, is it tender hearted, tender hearted.

Please note the word tender hearted and those of you who don't have the old King James Version Bible close by you could write this word, pitiful, not pitiable, there's two words, and they both show up in the New Testament teachings. Pitiable, pitable is a word that invokes either compassion or contempt. Pitiful is a word that arouses either contempt or piety, now please you go to know the difference.

When Jesus is hanging on a cross and you can reference this and read it, Luke 23:34, he says this, and you know it, Father forgive them they know not what they do. Now watch this, he says he's hanging on a cross he's bleeding and dying and he just, those words come out of his mouth.

Now there's people just below the base of the cross and they hear him say, "Father forgive them, they know not what they do." Now that is him being pitiful or pitying them, pitable is he invoking contempt? No, he's evoking compassion because the second sentence that follows says this.

And they divided his garments and cast lots, and people stood looking on, even the rulers with them sneered saying, he saved others let him save himself if he's the Christ the chosen son of God. The soldiers also mocked him coming offering him sour wine saying, "If you're the king of the Jews save yourselves."

I got a letter from a mom and the son might be listening and if your listening Tom I look forward to meeting you. It was January 2006 and we were all horrified to see three young teenagers they call it bum bashing. And Norris Gainer lost his life that night.

But the letter I got this week coming back from a time away was from one of the boy's moms. And on the first page of the letter that bled on over to the second page of the letter, she let me know what a failure she and her husband had been to this young man.

I did this and I did this, then dad left and then he this, and he did this, and he did this, and I'm reading about the environment that one of these kids grew up under I'm surprised that he wasn't hell bent all the more.

Now please don't misunderstand what he did was criminal, and he'll probably spend life in prison for it, if the powers that be have their way.

But on his third week in Broward County jail one of the local deputies saw him crying in his bed came into his room said, "I'm not usually here at the Broward County Jail usually I'm on patrol in Pompano Beach but you want to talk?"

And after about forty minutes worth of conversation, the Sherriff deputy lead that man to Jesus Christ, and let me tell you something, its been three years and that kid has now read sixty five books, he listens to this church service every Wednesday every Sunday. His mom saw the change in his life, she changed, she goes to the Plantation Satellite church and their lives are radically and dramatically changed.

Now wait, he's going to stand before a judge August 25th, and he's going to find out what his permanent fate will be. But here's this thing tender hearted, I remember that morning and some of you saw the video of these kids beating up this guy, and knowing that they beat up a couple of other guys. And everything that's righteous within you rises you go these kids, that's so.

Do you know these kids? Do you know their past? Do you know their parents do you know the lifestyle? Do you know the weirdness? Do you know the strange activity? Do you know anything about how these kids got to be the kinds of kids that would see that as fun or as pleasurable?

Was that kid high that night? What did he do? And then what happened before that, well what happened the week before, and what happens is you read about this and suddenly your heart breaks for this kid, and then your heart rises with the heart of my Savior and you go, "God if there's any way you can redeem this, please reach your hand on the inside of the Broward County Jail, change this thing, change this thing turn this thing around because I want."

Here's what the kid said last week to his mom, "Mom I think I might end up in prison for the rest of my life but you know what, I am so prepared to be leading Bible studies and leading others to Christ, and I just know that with God on my side I will have a fruitful ministry waiting for his return."

And I'm thinking oh my this is amazing, this is absolutely amazing and he wants to thank not the circumstance or the situation, but the body of Christ that surrounded him at his greatest hour of need to try and receive ministry and then to receive that ministry and to change.

Now let me tell you something, that's tender hearted. Tender hearted is when you see something that's really bad and you go, wait a second we don't' know all the details. We don't know everything, all we know right now is just what happened, but you know anything else about this situation, is there anything that you're aware of? Can you help put these pieces together and is this not one of those redeemable things?

Because the tender hearted person will see the most bizarre or wicked behavior and say, "dad forgive him, they don't know what their doing, they just don't know what their doing." He says be tenderhearted, be tenderhearted.

Last two words, back to 1st Peter 3 and 8 he says this, be tender hearted and be courteous, and some of you with the word courteous you have the word humble and you got to stay with me, and I know its getting late we're going to wrap up here in a minute but the reason courteous and humble are interchanged in some of your translations. Is that in order for you to be courteous you have to be a humble hearted person.

You see a person whose very prideful only things of themselves and they won't be courteous to somebody else because they want the best for themselves. So if it's the parking lot tonight after the service, and you want to get out, pride says, I get to go first and I don't care about anyone else.

But a humble person is going to be courteous because naturally they'll say you know what if you really need that place that bad, it must be something happening in your life right now, I'm going to go ahead and let you skate in, you go ahead and make it in there, I'll make sure you get that space if you need it that bad. And that would be a courteous person.

Now remember this please, please, please, because some of you believe that by being humble you're going to lose your advantage point, and if you lose your advantage point than how will you ever win.

Its 1st Peter five and five, don't need to turn there but please listen to the spirit of the Lord as the Holy Spirit declares God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. If you're a humble person and you win with God it's a far better place to be than a prideful person and win with man. Because even though you're a prideful person and winning with man, your going to lose in the long run with God and I would rather be a loser with man and a winner with God. And a loser with God and a winner with man.

I would rather be, he said so be courteous, be nice, the fine art of manners I'm going to write a book. Fine Art of manners, I just think we're missing manners these days, Hi how are you, hey how's it going, hey how are you, hey how are you, like that in life, in life in general, I think we're missing manners and I have a whole teaching on that because I just come from vacation.

It's when your out in the real world you see people, you know there's a story you go hey could you help me with that? Not now I can't, it's like oh, I'm the customer; I think I page your wage. What's more important to me, oh your friend you're talking to them on the phone at the cash register.

Courteous, I don't care, go ahead talk to your friend, is there something I can pray for you about? See humble, see humble how it works?

Sixth phrase, verse nine, not returning evil for evil, or reviling for reviling but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this that you may inherit a blessing, and here it is.

For he who would love life and see good days let him refrain his tongue from evil his lips from speaking deceit, let him turn away from evil and do good, let him seek peace and pursue it, for the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous his ears are open to the prayers. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.

Last um thing you want to write down, characteristic of a mature person, pure heart, it's a pure heart. All those things describe a pure heart, and I was trying to figure out a way to do that.

And again its that same pure that we see in Hebrews twelve and fourteen and it's the last reference I want you to consider as the Bible tells us of course that we are to pursue peace, we are to pursue peace.

And in other words if you've got odds against anyone at all, he goes pursue it, now pursue and seek it, see eleven seek peace and pursue it. So your seeking it, okay I've go to seek peace somebody's mad at me I'm going to try and fix it going to try and make sure that everybody's okay.

How can I do it? He says as long as it's in your power to do so pursue peace, that's the Hebrews reference, as long as it's in your power to do it.

I realize not everyone's going to like you, not everyone's going to like me, I might say hey everything okay, no its not. Well I forgive you, I hate you, okay, I'll stop by tomorrow see if you're ready to change. Hey I'm back you want to be friends, no I hate you, okay I'll be here tomorrow hey. You see seeking, pursuing I am not going to stop I'm going to keep on caring, and caring, and caring and caring. He says why now listen to this. He says the Hebrew reference 12:14, pursue peace with all men if it's in your power to do so, he says, because without holiness no one will see God.

Holiness, yeah holiness, your going to have to be different to see God. You can't have somebody treat you mean and you treat them back and go, hey I'm looking forward to heaven, no your heart obviously hasn't been changed.

The Christian has this instantaneous Holy Spirit trigger and the Christian with this instantaneous Holy Spirit trigger somebody curses you and automatically you go woe, God help me. Ah, wow, you're mad about something and I don't know that I'm that responsible and if I am I owe you an apology, and if I'm not let me apologize to you because you obviously having a bad day or you wouldn't be treating me like this. Can I help you on this, a pure heart, where it's just pure. You go okay my tongue it's clean, okay my hands their free, okay my pursuit is peace, I want to be okay with everybody.

Now let me tell you something, sincerely and I close with this thought, let's say tonight you have odd against someone, let's say it's that little thing that continues to fester on the inside and its like, bugs you, it bugs you, it bugs you, in Hebrews chapter 12 when he says for without holiness you will not see God. He says in the following verse, he says lest a root of bitterness take hold and spring up defiling many.

Whatever grudge, whatever thing you have that's hidden in your heart, he says if you pursue peace and you just get rid of it, get rid of it. Okay I forgive you never mind okay let's lay it down lay it down, he says if you hang on to that, that's going to be a root of bitterness, and that root of bitterness is going to go deeper and deeper and deeper and your going to find yourself with an attitude shortly. And that attitude is going to affect many more people he says it will defile many.

That's the heart of the immature, think about a baby and think about the contrast and the difference between when it comes to having a pure heart and then not even having that heart or having that conscience witness as the different between right and wrong.

How many kids do you know that don't know that and they'll just go to do something and like no we don't do that, that's not how you treat the dog, stop don't do that. I didn't' know, pulling the tail, swinging the cat I don't know. I thought it would be fun, no, that's wrong.

Then the tears, I can't rebuke I didn't know; well now you do know, well in the same way a pure heart. If you can be at peace or pursue peace with all men let me tell you how well you'll sleep tonight.

I'm going to put my head on the pillow tonight and here's what I know right now as God is my witness. I'm not mad at anybody and I know God loves me and I know I love God.

You know how peaceful your night is when you put your head and you go hi, love you, I know you love me, I'm not mad at anybody. There's probably a couple of people mad at me, but I, I forgive them, I love everyone.

Okay good night, and then you wake up in the morning and you know remember when you were a little kid and you'd wake up before bills.

Really being a little kid and remember waking up before bills and a job, and its Saturday, no bills no job and its Saturday and you wake up and you go ah, I think I'll build a bike hill in the back yard. And I'll put a brick and a board; see if I can jump it that's my plan.

You know that's that freedom, that's that freedom there's not, rather than waking up going oh alimony, that woman, ah, I owe debt; I got to go work, that's that thing. No, no, no, make peace with God tonight, right now, want to do it right now, let's do it right now, ready here we are okay.

Closing Prayer

Father we come to you in Jesus name and before we started this study Lord we extended our hand our arm in an outstretched fashion to somebody who's sitting next to us. And now Lord we consider this fact that here in this room there's bound to be a few folks that are just hanging onto something. Lord before they become bitter, before it turns to an ulcer or cancer, or asthma or emphysema something where it just binds them physically but it's truly spiritual. We pray for your Holy Ghost right now to just fall on them, and that Lord you just begin to melt the hardness of their heart.

Lord may we be reminded once again that you resist the proud that you give grace to the humble. Oh Lord we know that if we were to stand before you sin and all, we'd be consumed by your righteous indignation but only because of your grace God we have an opportunity to do what's right with our life and extend that right to those around us.

Please Lord, please God, help us to grow up, help us to become more mature, help us to check this list help us to make a difference, In Jesus Name we pray, amen, amen.

Shall we stand?

Hey I loved the worship tonight you guys did a great job, very, very God I love that. Hey but what do the box thing, what do they call that box, what's it called? A cohune, how many of you that was a cohune.

What does the word cohune mean? It means box doesn't it? Well all my Spanish friends are making hey there's the gringo ho, ho, ho let's have fun at Bob's expense okay that's good, all right.

If anyone needs prayer whether if in English or Spanish or Portuguese oh please come forward tonight and we want to be here for you for the prayers that we believe and know are going to change you. And if all your prayers have been answered maybe you just come up and say to one of these prayer folks, I want to pray for somebody else tonight.

And here's what I'm going to pray for and you pray for somebody else tonight, and your other's centered and that's a very mature thing to do.

Andrew if you'd close us in song.

END