Pathway to Victory offers a practical application of God’s Word to everyday life through the clear, biblical teaching of Pastor Jeffress.
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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - Body Building | July 5, 2025
- ♪ music ♪
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- [announcer] from the pulpit of the first baptist church
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- Of dallas, texas, this is "pathway to victory"
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- With dr. robert jeffress.
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- -hi, i am robert jeffress
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- And welcome again to "pathway to victory."
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- The church isn't just a building or an organization.
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- It's a living, breathing body with christ as the head
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- And each believer playing a vital role.
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- Yet many christians fail to recognize their unique purpose
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- Within this divine design.
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- Today we will examine how god has equipped every one of us
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- With a spiritual gift that strengthens his church
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- And advances his kingdom.
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- My message is titled "bodybuilding,"
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- On today's edition of "pathway to victory."
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- ♪ music ♪
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- ♪ ooh ♪
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- ♪ there is the power in the name of jesus ♪
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- ♪ there is the power in the name of jesus ♪
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- ♪ there is the power in the name of jesus ♪
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- ♪ break every chain, break every chain ♪
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- ♪ break every chain ♪
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- ♪ there is the power in ♪
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- -♪ strong ♪ -♪ the name of jesus ♪
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- ♪ break every chain, break every chain ♪
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- ♪ break every chain ♪
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- ♪ there's an army rising up ♪
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- ♪ there's an army rising up ♪
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- ♪ there's an army rising up ♪
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- ♪ to break every chain, break every chain ♪
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- ♪ break every chain ♪
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- ♪ break every chain, break every chain ♪
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- ♪ break every chain ♪
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- ♪ there's an army rising up ♪
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- ♪ rising up, rising up ♪
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- ♪ there's an army rising up ♪
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- ♪ his name is jesus ♪
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- -♪ there's an army rising up ♪ -♪ come, lord ♪
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- ♪ come, lord ♪
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- ♪ come, lord, we need you today ♪
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- ♪ break every chain, break every chain ♪
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- ♪ break every chain ♪
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- ♪ lord, we need you really now ♪
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- ♪ break every chain, break every chain ♪
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- ♪ break every chain ♪
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- ♪ to break every chain ♪
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- ♪ o lord ♪
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- -♪ hallelujah ♪ -(congregation applauds)
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- [announcer] jesus declared, "you are the salt of the earth
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- -and the light of the world."
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- With so much darkness creeping into our schools
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- And communities, now is the time to answer that calling.
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- Become the salt and light the world desperately needs
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- Through the pathway to victory
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- Salt & light matching challenge.
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- Your gift today, doubled in ministry impact,
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- Will empower pathway to victory to proclaim the gospel
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- And stand for biblical truth.
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- Push back and hold strong against moral decline
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- By joining the salt & light matching challenge.
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- ♪ music ♪
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- Ira yates was a sheep herder in west texas
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- Toward the turn of the 20th century.
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- He was very concerned that he wasn't going to be able
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- To make his mortgage payments on the ranch.
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- Not only that, he was concerned about even placing food
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- On the table for his family.
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- So one day he took a risk and engaged a geologist
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- To see if there just might be some of that black gold,
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- -texas tea, oil that is. -(congregation laughs)
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- If some of that might be running underneath.
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- And so on october the 28th, 1926,
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- They drilled their first well.
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- They called a yates 1a.
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- And at 992 feet, they hit a gusher,
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- Producing 450 barrels of oil each day.
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- So they thought they'd try again.
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- A couple of months later they drilled yates 2a,
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- And that well produced 3,400 barrels a day of oil.
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- Two years later, they drilled yates 30a.
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- It produced, get this, i had to write it down,
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- 8,528 barrels of oil an hour,
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- 204,000 barrels a day.
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- By 1929, the yates field had produced
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- 41 million barrels of oil.
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- You know, ira yates made the mistake of thinking
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- The value of his land was limited to what was visible,
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- What was on the top, the grass to feed a sheep.
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- But his real wealth was that endless reserve of wealth
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- That was underneath the ground.
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- You know, christians are like that when you think about it.
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- Most of us think we're limited in life
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- To what we can do for ourselves, what's visible.
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- We try to scratch out an existence, if you will,
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- Until we die and go to heaven.
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- We live our lives unaware of the tremendous spiritual wealth
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- That god has given to us.
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- We might not realize that wealth, but the apostle paul did,
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- And that's why he wrote the letter
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- To the christians at ephesus.
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- What is a spiritual gift?
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- Let's look beginning at verse seven.
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- Paul talks about the reality of spiritual gifts,
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- And we're going to look at a definition of spiritual gifts.
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- Verse seven, "but to each one of us,
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- Grace was given according to the measure of christ's gift."
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- Now, paul loves the word grace.
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- For by, what, grace you have been saved through faith.
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- In that context, grace is god's undeserved favor.
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- We are saved by grace.
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- But also beginning verse seven here,
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- Grace has a different meaning.
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- It's about god's undeserved enablement.
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- Let me explain it this way.
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- There is an inseparable link between god's grace
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- That saved us and spiritual gift.
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- It's the same word basically.
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- Grace is the greek word charis, c-h-a-r-i-s,
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- Charis.
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- The word for gift is charismatan.
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- It has charis and a matan at the end.
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- Why is there a link between grace and our spiritual gift?
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- Listen to this.
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- When you were born into this world physically,
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- You were born with certain natural abilities,
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- Certain interests.
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- But when you were born again into the family of god,
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- When you became a christian,
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- God's grace brought you not only the gift
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- Of the holy spirit, but a spiritual gift as well
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- To use in spreading god's message to other people.
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- There's an inseparable link
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- Between god's gift and our grace.
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- And this leads to a definition of a spiritual gift.
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- A spiritual gift is the unique desire
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- And the power god gives you
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- To share his message to other people.
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- It's, first of all, a desire.
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- It's something you enjoy doing.
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- It's something you're drawn to do.
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- But it's also a divine enablement.
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- It's something, when you do, god uniquely blesses.
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- A spiritual gift is a desire and a power
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- Not to work at the kiwanis club or at the red cross,
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- But to serve in the body of christ to spread god's message.
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- Now hold your place here
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- And turn over to romans 12, verses six to eight.
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- You'll find a list of seven gifts.
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- And did you know you got one of these gifts,
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- Whether you know it or not?
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- Paul writes in romans 12:6,
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- "since we have gifts that differ
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- According to the grace given to us,
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- Each of us is to exercise them accordingly:
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- If prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith;
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- If service, in his serving;
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- Or he who teaches, in his teaching;
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- Or he who exhorts, in his exhortation;
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- He who gives, with liberality;
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- He who leads, with diligence;
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- He who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
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- Let me explain it this way.
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- There are some people right in this church
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- Who have the gift of serving.
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- That's meeting the practical needs of other people,
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- And that's the way they express christ's message to others.
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- Other people have the gift of exhortation.
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- You know, exhortation means to come alongside somebody.
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- Their interest is in the practical application of scripture.
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- How does scripture help people get out
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- Of the problems they're facing,
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- Either as non-christians or christians?
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- Different people have different gifts,
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- And all the gifts are important in the body of christ.
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- And let me just say, if you don't know
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- What your spiritual gift is, i think next to salvation,
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- The most important thing a christian can understand
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- Is his spiritual gift and how to use it.
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- Now, that's the reality of spiritual gifts.
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- Let's look at the disbursement of spiritual gifts.
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- When were our gifts given to us?
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- Well, from our vantage point,
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- It happened at the time of our salvation.
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- But god has a different perspective.
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- It happened much earlier.
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- And paul alludes to that beginning in ephesians 4:8,
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- "therefore it says,"
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- And then he quotes psalm 68, verse 18,
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- "when he ascended on high, he led captive
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- A host of captives and he gave gifts to men."
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- And then in parenthesis verse nine and 10,
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- Here's paul chasing his rabbit again.
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- "now this expression, 'he ascended,'
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- What does it mean except that he also descended
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- Into the lower parts of the earth.
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- He who descended is himself also he who ascended
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- Far above all heavens so that he might fill all things."
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- When christ died for our sins
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- And was raised again from the dead,
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- He was like a conquering hero.
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- And he took those of us who were being held captive
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- By satan, he rescued us and took us to be with him.
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- And he dispersed some of the spoils
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- Which are spiritual gifts.
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- That's what he's talking about here.
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- But that's not the main part of what he's saying.
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- He's saying we have all received a gift.
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- Now let's look at a description
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- Of the gifts beginning in verse 11.
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- Remember, these are ministries that god may open
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- The door of opportunity for you to use your gift.
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- It's not an exhaustive list of ministries.
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- It's just some of the offices in the church.
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- And he gave some as apostles and some as prophets
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- And others as evangelists and some as pastor-teachers.
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- Let's unpack those just for a moment.
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- Apostles, the word means one sent forth.
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- In a literal sense, there were only 12 apostles.
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- You remember one of them flamed out,
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- And so they were replaced.
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- Judas was replaced in acts 1 with mathias.
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- And he was the 12th apostle.
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- And then god added a 13th apostle named the apostle paul.
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- To be an apostle, you have been chosen by jesus christ,
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- And you've had to sing jesus and his resurrected body,
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- And all of those qualified to be an apostle.
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- Now, i believe there are no more apostles today.
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- They were temporary.
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- They were here to serve as a building block
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- For the christian faith to receive divine instruction.
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- So in a stricter sense, there are no more apostles.
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- The faith has been once forever delivered to the saints,
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- Jude tells us.
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- But i think you can, in a broader sense, say
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- That missionaries are a kind of apostles,
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- Taking the gospel to where it's never been before.
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- And so if you want to expand it to that, that's fine,
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- But just don't call yourself an apostle.
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- Secondly, he gave some as prophets.
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- Now again, this was in the time
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- Before the scriptures were complete.
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- Being a prophet in the old testament
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- Was not so much about foretelling the future,
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- It was forthtelling god's truth.
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- It was speaking god's truth.
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- And god would have a special message for a group of people,
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- And he would raise up a prophet to give that message.
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- Think of elijah, or think about isaiah.
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- They were prophets.
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- Now, i don't believe the office exists today
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- In a technical sense, but there's a general sense
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- In which some people have a gift of prophecy.
- 00:14:11.006 --> 00:14:13.776
- Again, not foretelling the future,
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- But speaking god's truth in such a way
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- That it brings conviction to people.
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- It leads unbelievers to turn to christ
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- And leads believers to turn to a more godly life.
- 00:14:23.719 --> 00:14:27.056
- And so i think you can say people today
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- With a spiritual gift of prophecy
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- Have the gift to proclaim god's word in such a way
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- That it brings convictions to the hearts of people.
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- That would be a prophet.
- 00:14:38.934 --> 00:14:40.269
- An evangelist, one who bears the good news.
- 00:14:40.269 --> 00:14:44.373
- There are some who are especially gifted at doing that.
- 00:14:44.373 --> 00:14:48.310
- Think of our most famous member
- 00:14:48.310 --> 00:14:50.279
- Of first baptist dallas in 156 years.
- 00:14:50.279 --> 00:14:53.749
- Our most famous member was billy graham
- 00:14:53.749 --> 00:14:56.318
- Who was here for 54 years.
- 00:14:56.318 --> 00:14:58.487
- Next to the apostle paul,
- 00:14:58.487 --> 00:15:00.022
- He was the greatest evangelist the world had ever known,
- 00:15:00.022 --> 00:15:03.125
- Winning millions of people to faith in christ.
- 00:15:03.125 --> 00:15:06.128
- But that's not the only thing an evangelist does.
- 00:15:06.128 --> 00:15:08.597
- He trains other people to know how to share their faith.
- 00:15:08.597 --> 00:15:13.936
- And that leads to the fourth office paul gives,
- 00:15:14.937 --> 00:15:16.805
- Pastor, and i think you can make it one word,
- 00:15:16.805 --> 00:15:19.174
- Pastor-teacher.
- 00:15:19.174 --> 00:15:20.776
- There's a grammatical reason for believing that's one word.
- 00:15:20.776 --> 00:15:24.713
- A pastor-teacher, that's the primary role of the pastor
- 00:15:24.713 --> 00:15:28.784
- Is to be a teacher of god's word.
- 00:15:28.784 --> 00:15:31.186
- In fact, in 1 timothy 3,
- 00:15:31.186 --> 00:15:33.522
- Of all of the qualities you have to have in a pastor,
- 00:15:33.522 --> 00:15:36.759
- There's only one skill that's mentioned.
- 00:15:36.759 --> 00:15:39.428
- He is able to teach.
- 00:15:39.428 --> 00:15:41.630
- Now, what is the goal of the spiritual gift?
- 00:15:41.630 --> 00:15:44.566
- We've talked about the reality.
- 00:15:44.566 --> 00:15:46.268
- Look at ephesians 4:12, "for the equipping of the saints
- 00:15:46.268 --> 00:15:50.439
- For the work of service."
- 00:15:50.439 --> 00:15:51.974
- The reason he gave pastors, evangelists, prophets
- 00:15:51.974 --> 00:15:54.543
- And teachers was to equip the saints
- 00:15:54.543 --> 00:15:56.578
- For the work of service, here it is,
- 00:15:56.578 --> 00:15:58.781
- "to the building up of the body of christ."
- 00:15:58.781 --> 00:16:02.651
- That's the ultimate aim of spiritual gifts.
- 00:16:02.651 --> 00:16:05.521
- To build up (speaks in foreign language) in greek
- 00:16:05.521 --> 00:16:08.457
- Refers to the building of a house.
- 00:16:08.457 --> 00:16:10.759
- We are to build up the spiritual house of the lord.
- 00:16:10.759 --> 00:16:13.762
- What does that mean to build it up?
- 00:16:13.762 --> 00:16:15.330
- Well, he's talking about, first of all, growing larger.
- 00:16:15.330 --> 00:16:19.568
- Did you know in 1 peter chapter two,
- 00:16:19.568 --> 00:16:21.503
- Peter describes christians as building a holy temple to god?
- 00:16:21.503 --> 00:16:27.443
- How is it built, a spiritual temple?
- 00:16:28.243 --> 00:16:30.446
- Not by bricks, not by stones, but by individual lives.
- 00:16:30.446 --> 00:16:35.717
- God wants this temple, this spiritual temple to get larger.
- 00:16:36.885 --> 00:16:40.522
- He wants more people to be a part of this spiritual temple.
- 00:16:40.522 --> 00:16:44.860
- God is interested in numbers,
- 00:16:44.860 --> 00:16:47.062
- The numbers of true converts who come to know christ.
- 00:16:47.062 --> 00:16:50.399
- And so that's why we're having this emphasis on one life
- 00:16:50.399 --> 00:16:53.702
- To go out and reach somebody, invite them to become
- 00:16:53.702 --> 00:16:56.638
- A part of the body of christ.
- 00:16:56.638 --> 00:16:58.407
- So he's certainly talking about growing larger,
- 00:16:58.407 --> 00:17:01.844
- But he's also referring to growing stronger.
- 00:17:01.844 --> 00:17:05.747
- He wants to build up, to strengthen this body.
- 00:17:05.747 --> 00:17:09.351
- To have a strong building,
- 00:17:09.351 --> 00:17:10.953
- You have to have the right foundation.
- 00:17:10.953 --> 00:17:13.155
- And at first baptist dallas,
- 00:17:13.155 --> 00:17:14.656
- The foundation is the living word of god, jesus christ,
- 00:17:14.656 --> 00:17:18.427
- And the written word of god, the bible.
- 00:17:18.427 --> 00:17:22.030
- He wants to make sure that the pieces of this temple,
- 00:17:22.030 --> 00:17:26.135
- The stones, the bricks, are connected together
- 00:17:26.135 --> 00:17:29.671
- Through the right mortar.
- 00:17:29.671 --> 00:17:31.173
- We've got to be connected.
- 00:17:31.173 --> 00:17:33.008
- We're not 16,000 individual people at first baptist church.
- 00:17:33.008 --> 00:17:37.546
- We are connected. we are cemented together.
- 00:17:37.546 --> 00:17:41.583
- That's what spiritual gifts are meant to do,
- 00:17:41.583 --> 00:17:44.520
- To increase the size of the church
- 00:17:44.520 --> 00:17:46.788
- And increase the spiritual strength of the church.
- 00:17:46.788 --> 00:17:49.825
- When everybody's on the field and playing the game,
- 00:17:49.825 --> 00:17:53.162
- When everybody's out blocking and tackling
- 00:17:53.162 --> 00:17:56.064
- And sharing the gospel, it creates a much healthier attitude
- 00:17:56.064 --> 00:18:01.036
- In the church.
- 00:18:01.036 --> 00:18:02.771
- My old mentor, howard hendricks, had a dad
- 00:18:02.771 --> 00:18:05.941
- Who was in the military, was unsaved for most of his life.
- 00:18:05.941 --> 00:18:10.746
- Dr. hendricks says one day his dad said to him,
- 00:18:10.746 --> 00:18:13.315
- "son, remember this, you can always tell
- 00:18:13.315 --> 00:18:16.351
- Where your troops are by what they're complaining about.
- 00:18:16.351 --> 00:18:20.455
- If they're complaining about warm beer,
- 00:18:21.256 --> 00:18:23.825
- They're nowhere near the front lines.
- 00:18:23.825 --> 00:18:26.728
- But if they're complaining about a lack of ammunition,
- 00:18:26.728 --> 00:18:30.499
- Then you know they're right in the heat of battle."
- 00:18:30.499 --> 00:18:34.570
- What are you complaining about?
- 00:18:35.204 --> 00:18:37.272
- Hopefully not warm a beer,
- 00:18:37.839 --> 00:18:40.475
- But something maybe just as ludicrous.
- 00:18:41.310 --> 00:18:44.446
- "i don't like the sound, i don't like the music,
- 00:18:44.446 --> 00:18:47.082
- I don't like
- 00:18:47.082 --> 00:18:49.151
- -the ties the pastor wears." -(congregation chuckles)
- 00:18:50.185 --> 00:18:52.788
- "i don't like the way my sunday school teacher teaches.
- 00:18:52.788 --> 00:18:55.424
- I don't like the temperature of the auditorium."
- 00:18:55.424 --> 00:18:57.726
- You know, did blah, blah, blah.
- 00:18:57.726 --> 00:18:59.294
- When people start complaining about that,
- 00:18:59.294 --> 00:19:01.063
- You know they are nowhere near the front lines
- 00:19:01.063 --> 00:19:03.899
- Of spiritual battle.
- 00:19:03.899 --> 00:19:05.601
- But when they're complaining about, so to speak,
- 00:19:06.602 --> 00:19:08.637
- "man, i need more meat, i need more food,
- 00:19:08.637 --> 00:19:11.640
- I need more business cards to pass out,
- 00:19:11.640 --> 00:19:14.376
- To invite people to come,"
- 00:19:14.376 --> 00:19:15.944
- You know they're right in the heat of spiritual battle.
- 00:19:15.944 --> 00:19:19.715
- God's plan for the church is to equip the saints,
- 00:19:19.715 --> 00:19:22.551
- That is to equip you for the work of service
- 00:19:22.551 --> 00:19:25.420
- To the building up of the body of christ.
- 00:19:25.420 --> 00:19:27.723
- We talked about the reality of spiritual gifts,
- 00:19:27.723 --> 00:19:30.192
- The goal of spiritual gifts, building up the body.
- 00:19:30.192 --> 00:19:32.928
- What's the measurement of spiritual gifts?
- 00:19:32.928 --> 00:19:34.730
- How do we know if we're succeeding?
- 00:19:34.730 --> 00:19:37.099
- I'm going to do this very quickly. one word is maturity.
- 00:19:37.099 --> 00:19:41.069
- Look at verse 13, "until we all attain to the unity of faith
- 00:19:41.069 --> 00:19:44.473
- And to the knowledge of the son of god to a mature man,
- 00:19:44.473 --> 00:19:48.143
- To the measure of the stature which belongs
- 00:19:48.143 --> 00:19:50.746
- To the fullness of christ."
- 00:19:50.746 --> 00:19:52.447
- You know, everybody loves a baby.
- 00:19:52.447 --> 00:19:54.316
- Babies are cute and cuddly when they're about five
- 00:19:54.316 --> 00:19:57.119
- Or six months old.
- 00:19:57.119 --> 00:19:59.054
- But there's nothing cute about a 40 or 50-year-old
- 00:19:59.054 --> 00:20:03.592
- Who acts like a six-month-old.
- 00:20:03.592 --> 00:20:06.395
- In fact, when we see that happen, we think it's tragic.
- 00:20:07.529 --> 00:20:10.899
- We call such a person mentally challenged.
- 00:20:10.899 --> 00:20:14.369
- It's the same way in the body of christ.
- 00:20:14.369 --> 00:20:16.204
- We enter his babies, spiritual babies,
- 00:20:16.204 --> 00:20:18.807
- But god doesn't intend for us to stay that way.
- 00:20:18.807 --> 00:20:21.610
- He wants us to grow up in all aspects.
- 00:20:21.610 --> 00:20:25.280
- And the measure of our spiritual maturity
- 00:20:25.280 --> 00:20:27.683
- Is the fullness of christ.
- 00:20:27.683 --> 00:20:29.618
- Second word, stability.
- 00:20:29.618 --> 00:20:31.520
- "as a result, we are no longer to be children
- 00:20:31.520 --> 00:20:34.222
- Tossed here and thereby waves
- 00:20:34.222 --> 00:20:36.325
- And carried away by every wind of doctrine,
- 00:20:36.325 --> 00:20:39.428
- By the trickery of men,
- 00:20:39.428 --> 00:20:40.829
- By craftiness in deceitful scheming."
- 00:20:40.829 --> 00:20:44.433
- You know what characterizes a child?
- 00:20:44.433 --> 00:20:47.135
- Their highly volatile in their emotions, up and down.
- 00:20:48.170 --> 00:20:51.473
- They're extremely self-centered.
- 00:20:51.473 --> 00:20:53.108
- They've got to have it their way,
- 00:20:53.108 --> 00:20:55.243
- And they're easily led astray, which is why we tell them
- 00:20:55.243 --> 00:20:58.513
- To beware of strangers.
- 00:20:58.513 --> 00:21:01.783
- Same way with spiritual babies.
- 00:21:01.783 --> 00:21:04.252
- One way you know that somebody is immature spiritually
- 00:21:04.252 --> 00:21:07.622
- Is they're always giving into their emotions.
- 00:21:07.622 --> 00:21:09.891
- Their emotions rule their life.
- 00:21:09.891 --> 00:21:11.760
- And they're easily carried away by false doctrine
- 00:21:11.760 --> 00:21:15.230
- That make promises they can never fulfill.
- 00:21:15.230 --> 00:21:18.633
- Don't be that way.
- 00:21:19.067 --> 00:21:20.669
- He said, "when we're mature in christ, there is stability."
- 00:21:20.669 --> 00:21:23.872
- And finally there's activity.
- 00:21:23.872 --> 00:21:26.441
- One way you know is if you're body of believers,
- 00:21:26.441 --> 00:21:29.277
- Your church is healthy, there's activity.
- 00:21:29.277 --> 00:21:31.413
- Look at verse 16, "from whom the whole body,
- 00:21:31.413 --> 00:21:34.950
- Being fitted and held together
- 00:21:34.950 --> 00:21:36.752
- By what every joint supplies."
- 00:21:36.752 --> 00:21:40.322
- The church is the body of christ.
- 00:21:41.056 --> 00:21:42.758
- It means every part, every joint has to be supplying
- 00:21:42.758 --> 00:21:46.762
- What it's supposed to supply.
- 00:21:46.762 --> 00:21:48.964
- Remember i said if a cell in your body
- 00:21:48.964 --> 00:21:52.000
- Starts taking nourishment from other cells
- 00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:54.569
- But never gives anything in return, causes cancer.
- 00:21:54.569 --> 00:21:58.240
- It's the same way in the body of christ.
- 00:21:58.240 --> 00:22:00.709
- When you have members taking and taking and taking
- 00:22:00.709 --> 00:22:04.179
- And not giving, the result is cancer, spiritual cancer.
- 00:22:04.179 --> 00:22:09.451
- Now what does he mean?
- 00:22:09.951 --> 00:22:11.353
- What is it that every part of the body supplies?
- 00:22:11.353 --> 00:22:12.888
- He says, "according to the proper working,
- 00:22:12.888 --> 00:22:16.625
- The working of each individual part."
- 00:22:16.625 --> 00:22:20.362
- You know how you can know if your body is healthy?
- 00:22:20.362 --> 00:22:23.465
- Every body part is present
- 00:22:23.465 --> 00:22:25.534
- And each one is functioning as it's supposed to.
- 00:22:25.534 --> 00:22:29.271
- It's the same way in this body of believers,
- 00:22:29.271 --> 00:22:32.474
- First baptist dallas.
- 00:22:32.474 --> 00:22:34.543
- How many of you have ever done a jigsaw puzzle before?
- 00:22:35.644 --> 00:22:39.147
- If you have, you know the frustration
- 00:22:39.915 --> 00:22:42.417
- Of getting toward the completion of the project
- 00:22:42.417 --> 00:22:45.287
- And realizing one or two pieces is missing?
- 00:22:45.287 --> 00:22:49.791
- -what a bummer. -yes.
- 00:22:50.325 --> 00:22:52.894
- I mean, the funny thing is you can have all the pieces
- 00:22:52.894 --> 00:22:56.164
- Put together and be missing one, two, or three.
- 00:22:56.164 --> 00:22:59.267
- Where does your attention go to? the missing part.
- 00:22:59.267 --> 00:23:03.238
- It's the same way in the church.
- 00:23:03.872 --> 00:23:06.041
- God created first baptist dallas to be a picture,
- 00:23:06.041 --> 00:23:10.679
- A portrait of the lord jesus christ.
- 00:23:10.679 --> 00:23:14.182
- -every part is essential.
- 00:23:14.182 --> 00:23:17.319
- And every part has to be correctly connected
- 00:23:17.319 --> 00:23:19.754
- To the other parts.
- 00:23:19.754 --> 00:23:22.324
- And if it is, and if they are,
- 00:23:22.324 --> 00:23:25.727
- Then a beautiful picture of jesus emerges
- 00:23:25.727 --> 00:23:28.964
- For the world to see.
- 00:23:28.964 --> 00:23:30.465
- That's god's way, that's god's method
- 00:23:31.299 --> 00:23:34.603
- For building a strong body.
- 00:23:34.603 --> 00:23:40.976
- Friends, you are an essential part of god's plan
- 00:23:41.977 --> 00:23:44.713
- For his church.
- 00:23:44.713 --> 00:23:46.248
- Simply put, the body of christ is incomplete without you.
- 00:23:46.248 --> 00:23:51.286
- Now in closing, i want to share a note
- 00:23:52.120 --> 00:23:53.588
- From jack in tennessee who wrote, "i recently started
- 00:23:53.588 --> 00:23:57.192
- Listening to 'pathway to victory' on radio each morning.
- 00:23:57.192 --> 00:24:00.795
- I was saved more than 40 years ago,
- 00:24:00.795 --> 00:24:03.465
- But i wandered away from god quickly thereafter.
- 00:24:03.465 --> 00:24:07.002
- The holy spirit tugged at my heart through your messages.
- 00:24:07.002 --> 00:24:10.739
- And i have returned to my local church
- 00:24:10.739 --> 00:24:13.308
- And recommitted my life to christ."
- 00:24:13.308 --> 00:24:16.144
- Well, thank you, jack.
- 00:24:16.144 --> 00:24:17.646
- Your testimony reminds us that god's light
- 00:24:17.646 --> 00:24:20.649
- Can pierce through the dark places in our own lives.
- 00:24:20.649 --> 00:24:24.819
- And in that spirit, let me encourage you
- 00:24:24.819 --> 00:24:27.355
- To participate in our salt & light matching challenge,
- 00:24:27.355 --> 00:24:31.192
- Which will double the impact of your gifts.
- 00:24:31.192 --> 00:24:34.195
- Thank you so much for giving generously
- 00:24:34.195 --> 00:24:36.364
- To make a difference in the lives of those like jack
- 00:24:36.364 --> 00:24:39.768
- Who hear and respond to "pathway to victory."
- 00:24:39.768 --> 00:24:42.871
- Now stay right there, i'll be back with more
- 00:24:42.871 --> 00:24:46.174
- In just a moment.
- 00:24:46.174 --> 00:24:48.009
- [announcer] the moral decline in today's world
- 00:24:48.009 --> 00:24:49.878
- Can feel overwhelming, but god calls us to shine his light
- 00:24:49.878 --> 00:24:53.748
- And make a difference for him in a world
- 00:24:53.748 --> 00:24:55.951
- -that has lost its way.
- 00:24:55.951 --> 00:24:57.485
- In his brand new book, "shine the light!"
- 00:24:57.485 --> 00:24:59.721
- Dr. robert jeffress shows you how small faithful acts
- 00:24:59.721 --> 00:25:03.024
- Like teaching, serving, and encouraging
- 00:25:03.024 --> 00:25:05.360
- Can restore and renew christian values in your family,
- 00:25:05.360 --> 00:25:08.496
- Your church and community.
- 00:25:08.496 --> 00:25:10.265
- The bible teaches that our primary purpose in life
- 00:25:10.265 --> 00:25:13.468
- Is to influence the world with the gospel.
- 00:25:13.468 --> 00:25:16.771
- And in my new book, i'll show you how to live purposefully
- 00:25:16.771 --> 00:25:20.241
- And leave behind a legacy of faith, wisdom, and compassion.
- 00:25:20.241 --> 00:25:24.946
- [announcer] the world may seem lost,
- 00:25:24.946 --> 00:25:26.514
- But god's light has not dimmed and neither has yours.
- 00:25:26.514 --> 00:25:30.051
- Request your copy of "shine the light!"
- 00:25:30.051 --> 00:25:32.120
- When you give a generous gift to the pathway to victory
- 00:25:32.120 --> 00:25:34.823
- Salt & light matching challenge.
- 00:25:34.823 --> 00:25:36.992
- And when your ministry gift is $100 or more,
- 00:25:36.992 --> 00:25:40.028
- We'll also send you the complete
- 00:25:40.028 --> 00:25:41.730
- "shine the light!" teaching series on dvd and audio disc.
- 00:25:41.730 --> 00:25:45.300
- Light is of little value in the light.
- 00:25:45.300 --> 00:25:48.503
- If we're going to be effective, we're effective for christ
- 00:25:48.503 --> 00:25:51.473
- Not when we're around other light sources, other christians.
- 00:25:51.473 --> 00:25:55.477
- It is when we are in the darkness.
- 00:25:55.477 --> 00:25:58.046
- Light has to confront the darkness.
- 00:25:58.046 --> 00:26:01.116
- [announcer] remember, your gift today will have
- 00:26:01.116 --> 00:26:03.084
- Twice the impact thanks to the pathway to victory
- 00:26:03.084 --> 00:26:05.754
- Salt & light matching challenge.
- 00:26:05.754 --> 00:26:07.889
- Thank you for partnering with pathway to victory
- 00:26:07.889 --> 00:26:10.558
- As we boldly proclaim the gospel
- 00:26:10.558 --> 00:26:12.727
- And equip believers to shine god's light
- 00:26:12.727 --> 00:26:15.130
- In a world that has lost its way.
- 00:26:15.130 --> 00:26:18.900
- ♪ music ♪
- 00:26:19.234 --> 00:26:20.669
- Each of us has been entrusted by god
- 00:26:20.669 --> 00:26:23.004
- With a spiritual gift.
- 00:26:23.004 --> 00:26:25.106
- So do you know what your gift is?
- 00:26:25.106 --> 00:26:27.242
- And are you using your gift to its fullest potential?
- 00:26:27.242 --> 00:26:30.745
- The body of christ needs your unique spiritual gift.
- 00:26:30.745 --> 00:26:35.150
- Well, many people believe that america
- 00:26:35.150 --> 00:26:37.619
- Was founded by leaders who wanted to create
- 00:26:37.619 --> 00:26:40.455
- A secular nation free from many religious influence.
- 00:26:40.455 --> 00:26:44.859
- And next time i'll share with you why that version
- 00:26:44.859 --> 00:26:47.862
- Of american history is a complete myth.
- 00:26:47.862 --> 00:26:51.366
- Stay tuned for a preview of what's coming up next
- 00:26:51.366 --> 00:26:54.402
- On "pathway to victory."
- 00:26:54.402 --> 00:26:57.439
- Though it is completely politically incorrect to say,
- 00:26:57.439 --> 00:27:01.276
- The truth is this, america was founded
- 00:27:01.276 --> 00:27:05.714
- As a christian nation.
- 00:27:05.714 --> 00:27:08.583
- And our success as a nation depends upon our fidelity
- 00:27:08.583 --> 00:27:13.021
- -to god's word. -(congregation applauds)
- 00:27:13.021 --> 00:27:14.956
- [announcer] set your dvr and join us next time
- 00:27:14.956 --> 00:27:17.225
- For the message "america is a christian nation,"
- 00:27:17.225 --> 00:27:20.562
- Here on "pathway to victory."
- 00:27:20.562 --> 00:27:20.562
