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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - When God's Patience Runs Out (Part 1) | May 26, 2025
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- [announcer] from the pulpit
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- Of the first baptist church of dallas, texas,
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- This is pathway to victory with dr. robert jeffress.
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- Hi, i'm robert jeffress,
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- And welcome again to pathway to victory.
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- While all have sinned and fall short of the glory of god,
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- God is long-suffering.
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- That is, he patiently waits for us to repent.
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- But make no mistake, god won't wait forever,
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- And today you'll hear me share a very personal story.
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- It'll help you understand that time is running out
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- For our beloved country.
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- My message is titled "when god's patience runs out"
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- On today's edition of pathway to victory.
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- ♪ music ♪
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- [announcer] the bible is filled with stories about heroes.
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- ♪ music ♪
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- But abraham rises above the rest
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- As a true champion of faith.
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- In "walking by faith," dr. robert jeffress shares
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- How to step forward in faith
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- Even when the future appears uncertain.
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- Your faith can thrive despite the challenges you face.
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- Request your copy of "walking by faith"
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- When you give a generous gift
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- To support the ministry of pathway to victory.
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- ♪ music ♪
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- I am probably the only preacher in america
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- Who gets misty-eyed
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- When i preach about the destruction of sodom and gomorrah.
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- I know the cause of my sentimentality
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- Has nothing to do with the story itself,
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- But the first time i ever preached through that passage
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- Represented a milestone, a turning point in my ministry.
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- People often i ask me,
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- "pastor, have you always spoken out in the public square
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- Against things like abortion
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- And homosexuality and transgenderism?"
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- And the answer is no, i haven't always done that.
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- In fact, for the first 15 years of my preaching ministry,
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- I preached through the bible book by book,
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- And if a passage dealt with a controversial subject,
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- I might say a word about it, but only in the pulpit.
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- I never took any public stands against those things.
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- But that all changed on a thursday in may of 1998.
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- I was preaching through the book of genesis
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- And i had come to the passage we're going to look at today,
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- The story of sodom and gomorrah,
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- And i'd worked through the sermon
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- And i was finished with it on thursday,
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- And one of the outline points,
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- The principles i had put on the outline was this.
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- No nation can afford to condone what god has condemned.
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- And interestingly, that very same day,
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- A member of our church had dropped by our office
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- And had delivered to my desk two children's books
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- That were written to promote homosexuality among children.
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- One was called "heather has two mommies."
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- It's about a little girl adopted by two lesbians,
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- And the other book was "daddy's roommate."
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- It's told from the perspective of a little boy
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- Who explains to the reading audience
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- How his father recently divorced his mother
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- And took in a new roommate named frank,
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- And his mother explained to him that his daddy and frank
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- Had a different kind of love,
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- And the boy explains, and it's illustrated in this book,
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- What daddy and his new roommate frank do together.
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- What do they do together?
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- Well, they shave together, they eat together,
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- They play together, and then there's a picture,
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- They sleep together.
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- And the person who dropped off the books to our office
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- Said, "pastor, what are you going to do about these books?"
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- And i thought to myself,
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- "what do you mean what am i going to do?
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- I'm not the librarian, i'm the pastor of the local church."
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- But then i remembered i was about to preach
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- That point in the story of sodom and gomorrah,
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- And no nation can condone what god has condemned.
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- So i thought, "well, i've got to do something,
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- Make some kind of gesture."
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- So i thought i'd take care of it easily.
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- On the way home that afternoon,
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- I called the librarian, the head librarian,
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- And i said, "i'm sure you're not aware
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- That these books are in our library,
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- But given the fact that, first of all,
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- Sodomy is against the law in the state of texas,"
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- Which it was at that time,
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- "and given the fact that homosexuality
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- Violates the teachings of the three major world religions,
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- Christianity, judaism, and islam,
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- And given the fact that homosexual practices
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- Are not exclusively but largely responsible
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- For the greatest epidemic
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- In american history at that time, aids,
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- I'm sure you'll remove those books
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- From the children's section of the library."
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- And she said, "not on your life."
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- I couldn't believe the response.
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- So the next sunday, i was in the pulpit
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- And i explained what the passage said
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- That we're going to look at, and i got to that point,
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- We can't condone what god has condemned,
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- And i explained about these two books and i said,
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- And i hadn't planned to say it.
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- I don't know what got into me to say it,
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- But i looked into television lens.
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- We broadcast live in those days in our town,
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- And i said, "i want to say a word to the city council.
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- I don't want to put you in a difficult spot,
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- So i'm not going to make you choose
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- And vote whether or not to allow these books in the library.
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- I have these books in my hands
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- -and i'm not giving them back." -(congregation laughing)
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- Well, you won't believe the reaction.
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- The local newspaper wrote an editorial
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- A couple of days later
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- And said i needed to be put in jail for civil disobedience.
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- They said martin luther king junior
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- Did some of his best work in jail,
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- And pastor jeffress maybe can do some of his best work,
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- "letters from the wichita falls jail."
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- The aclu threatened to sue our city,
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- In fact, did sue our city over the issue.
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- Our tax exempt status was threatened.
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- It received national attention.
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- Rush limbaugh, the washington post,
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- Nbc news covered the story.
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- Even pbs sent a crew from new york
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- And they did an entire documentary on this controversy
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- In a west texas town
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- That divided the town over homosexuality.
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- You know, people have asked me,
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- "if you had it to do over again,
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- Would you preach that sermon?
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- Would you do what you did?"
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- I say absolutely, but i would add one point.
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- While this passage we're about to look at
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- Is one of the clearest denunciations of homosexuality
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- Found in the scripture,
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- There's an either even deeper sin that is at issue here,
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- And that is rebellion against god.
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- Rebellion against god takes many forms.
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- It's expressed in many different sins,
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- But the principle is true.
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- God is patient, and i want you to hear that today.
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- He is loving.
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- There is no sin beyond god's forgiveness.
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- God is patient, god is loving, he is forgiving if we ask,
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- But there comes a time when god draws a line in the sand
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- And says, "enough."
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- There is a time when the patience of god runs out,
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- And that's what we're going to look at today.
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- If you have your bibles turn to genesis chapter 18
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- As we discover what happens when god's patience runs out.
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- Now remember where we are in the study of abraham.
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- Abraham had that relationship with his handmaid hagar
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- To fulfill god's promise, he thought.
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- She gave birth to ishmael when abraham was 86 years old.
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- God said, "that isn't the way we're going to do it,"
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- But then god is silent for 13 years
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- Until abraham was 99 and his wife sarah was 89.
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- God comes back to him after 13 years of silence
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- And says, "i'm going to keep my promise, abraham.
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- I'm going to give you and sarah a son,
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- The son of promise, isaac."
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- Now maybe a few days after that reassurance,
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- God sends reassurance in the form of three angels
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- Who come to visit abraham.
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- Look at verse one of chapter 18 of genesis.
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- "now the lord appeared to abraham by the oaks of mamre
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- While he was sitting at the tent door
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- In the heat of the day.
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- And when he lifted up his eyes and looked,
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- Behold, three men were standing opposite him;
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- And when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them
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- And bowed himself to the earth.
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- And he said, "my lord, if i have found favor in your sight,
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- Please don't pass your servant by."
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- These three appearing to be men were actually angels.
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- Two of them were angels, like we think of angels,
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- But one was a special angel, the angel of the lord.
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- When you read that in the bible,
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- That is always a pre-incarnate appearance of jesus christ,
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- Jesus christ, god in human form, the angel of the lord.
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- How do i know that one of these three angels
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- Was the lord himself?
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- Well, look at verse one.
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- The lord appeared to abraham along with two others.
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- Now, it's interesting in the bible,
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- Whenever angels appear, they take on the form of a male.
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- Have you ever wondered why that is,
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- Why there aren't any female angels?
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- Why do they always take the form of a male?
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- It came to me,
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- You know, if an angel wanted to disguise himself,
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- What better costumes to put on than the image of a man?
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- Nobody would mistake a man for an angel.
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- -so maybe that's why. -(congregation laughing)
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- I don't know for sure,
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- But that could be what's at work here.
- 00:10:31.153 --> 00:10:33.622
- But we know one of these was the lord, because later on,
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- The other two angels go to sodom
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- While the lord stays to talk to abraham.
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- So they appeared to abraham
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- And they engage in a conversation.
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- One of them says, "abraham, where is sarah, your wife?"
- 00:10:46.068 --> 00:10:49.405
- Now that should have clued abraham
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- That this is something unusual.
- 00:10:51.774 --> 00:10:53.509
- He hadn't mentioned his wife sarah.
- 00:10:53.509 --> 00:10:55.144
- How did they know he had a wife named sarah?
- 00:10:55.144 --> 00:10:57.847
- And so one of the angels says, "now, this time next year,
- 00:10:57.847 --> 00:11:02.084
- We're going to return, and you're going to have a son.
- 00:11:02.084 --> 00:11:05.121
- You're going to have the son of promise, isaac, you and sarah,"
- 00:11:05.121 --> 00:11:08.657
- And sarah's now overhearing this conversation.
- 00:11:08.657 --> 00:11:11.427
- She laughs inwardly
- 00:11:11.427 --> 00:11:12.862
- And she says, "should a woman at my age have pleasure
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- And have a child and attend pta meetings?
- 00:11:15.765 --> 00:11:18.534
- It's preposterous.
- 00:11:18.534 --> 00:11:20.236
- Nobody would expect that to happen." (laughs)
- 00:11:20.236 --> 00:11:23.672
- And the angels said, "why did you laugh, sarah?"
- 00:11:23.672 --> 00:11:26.642
- "oh, i didn't laugh."
- 00:11:26.642 --> 00:11:27.810
- "oh, but you did laugh."
- 00:11:27.810 --> 00:11:30.179
- Now this was good news from the angels,
- 00:11:30.179 --> 00:11:32.248
- But the angels don't always deliver good news.
- 00:11:32.248 --> 00:11:34.717
- They also had some bad news to deliver.
- 00:11:34.717 --> 00:11:37.319
- Look at verse 16.
- 00:11:37.319 --> 00:11:38.921
- "then the men rose up from there and looked towards sodom,
- 00:11:38.921 --> 00:11:42.958
- And abraham was walking with them to send them off,
- 00:11:42.958 --> 00:11:46.295
- And the lord," there's jesus,
- 00:11:46.295 --> 00:11:48.330
- Said, "shall i hide from abraham what i'm about to do?"
- 00:11:48.330 --> 00:11:53.569
- Isn't that interesting,
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- That abraham and the lord had such an intimate relationship
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- That the lord felt an obligation
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- To share with his friend abraham what he was about to do?
- 00:12:02.077 --> 00:12:05.748
- Wouldn't you like to have
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- That kind of close relationship with god,
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- A relationship with god so intimate
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- That god would feel obliged
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- To tell you what he was about to do?
- 00:12:14.790 --> 00:12:18.060
- He told abraham what was going to happen.
- 00:12:18.060 --> 00:12:20.996
- Look at verse 20.
- 00:12:20.996 --> 00:12:22.398
- The lord said, "the outcry," now underline that word.
- 00:12:22.398 --> 00:12:25.734
- "the outcry of sodom and gomorrah is indeed great,
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- And their sin is exceedingly grave."
- 00:12:29.104 --> 00:12:33.309
- That word outcry is also used in genesis 4
- 00:12:33.309 --> 00:12:37.613
- About the first murder ever committed
- 00:12:37.613 --> 00:12:40.349
- When cain killed his brother, abel.
- 00:12:40.349 --> 00:12:43.219
- Genesis 4 said, "the voice of your brother's blood
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- Is crying to me from the ground."
- 00:12:48.123 --> 00:12:52.061
- There are some sins, the bible says,
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- That are so horrible in god's sight
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- That they cry out for god to do something,
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- To render justice for that injustice.
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- I think we see those sins today
- 00:13:04.940 --> 00:13:06.609
- That cry out for god's judgment,
- 00:13:06.609 --> 00:13:08.744
- The abuse of little children
- 00:13:08.744 --> 00:13:11.113
- Or heinous murders that can't be even described,
- 00:13:12.047 --> 00:13:15.618
- Or the blasphemy of god's name in the public square.
- 00:13:15.618 --> 00:13:19.655
- These sins cry out for god's judgment.
- 00:13:19.655 --> 00:13:23.592
- What were the sins of sodom,
- 00:13:23.592 --> 00:13:25.594
- Sodom and their city gomorrah,
- 00:13:25.594 --> 00:13:28.297
- And the other cities of the plains area?
- 00:13:28.297 --> 00:13:30.733
- What were the sins that cried out for god's judgment?
- 00:13:30.733 --> 00:13:35.104
- We would be wrong
- 00:13:35.104 --> 00:13:36.505
- And people are wrong to limit that to homosexuality.
- 00:13:36.505 --> 00:13:40.075
- That's not the only sin.
- 00:13:40.075 --> 00:13:41.844
- You look at passages like ezekiel 16:49,
- 00:13:41.844 --> 00:13:45.581
- Jeremiah 23:14, jude 7, 2 peter 2:7,
- 00:13:45.581 --> 00:13:50.519
- You'll see the sins of sodom listed as materialism,
- 00:13:50.519 --> 00:13:54.790
- Lawlessness and, yes, sexual immorality,
- 00:13:54.790 --> 00:13:59.061
- And specifically homosexuality,
- 00:13:59.061 --> 00:14:01.764
- But all those sins cried out for god's judgment.
- 00:14:01.764 --> 00:14:04.733
- In verse 21, so the lord said, "i will go down now
- 00:14:04.733 --> 00:14:08.337
- And see if they have done entirely according to its outcry,
- 00:14:08.337 --> 00:14:13.008
- Which has come to me; and if not, i will know."
- 00:14:13.008 --> 00:14:15.711
- Now if god is all knowing, omniscient,
- 00:14:15.711 --> 00:14:18.113
- Why did he have to go visit sodom
- 00:14:18.113 --> 00:14:19.648
- To see if all of these sins were full and running over
- 00:14:19.648 --> 00:14:23.552
- Like had been reported to him?
- 00:14:23.552 --> 00:14:25.554
- Did god not know?
- 00:14:25.554 --> 00:14:27.456
- Of course not.
- 00:14:27.456 --> 00:14:28.257
- God knew everything.
- 00:14:28.257 --> 00:14:29.758
- This is in scripture what we call an anthropomorphism.
- 00:14:29.758 --> 00:14:33.829
- It is a description of god in human terms
- 00:14:33.829 --> 00:14:38.167
- So that we can understand the eternal qualities of god.
- 00:14:38.167 --> 00:14:41.870
- God is a just god.
- 00:14:41.870 --> 00:14:43.505
- He doesn't do anything without reason.
- 00:14:43.505 --> 00:14:46.141
- That's all that's being said here,
- 00:14:46.141 --> 00:14:48.110
- And the question is, is it time for judgment?
- 00:14:48.110 --> 00:14:51.113
- Has it reached that point
- 00:14:51.113 --> 00:14:52.915
- Where injustice and sin is full and running over?
- 00:14:52.915 --> 00:14:57.886
- This reminds me of that passage in revelation 14 and 18,
- 00:14:57.886 --> 00:15:02.825
- Right before the final judgment
- 00:15:02.825 --> 00:15:04.593
- That comes on the world at the end.
- 00:15:04.593 --> 00:15:06.462
- Remember one angel cries to the other
- 00:15:06.462 --> 00:15:08.664
- And says, "put in your sharp sickle
- 00:15:08.664 --> 00:15:11.700
- And gather the clusters from the vine of the earth,
- 00:15:11.700 --> 00:15:15.537
- Because her grapes are ripe."
- 00:15:15.537 --> 00:15:18.674
- The angels were comparing the evil in the world
- 00:15:19.675 --> 00:15:22.344
- To grapes that were fully ripened.
- 00:15:22.344 --> 00:15:25.647
- They were about to burst not with juice, but with evil.
- 00:15:25.647 --> 00:15:29.151
- These were truly grapes of god's wrath.
- 00:15:29.151 --> 00:15:32.855
- Well, that's what the angel was saying here, the lord.
- 00:15:32.855 --> 00:15:36.058
- "i'm going to go down
- 00:15:36.058 --> 00:15:37.459
- And see if it's time to destroy sodom and gomorrah."
- 00:15:37.459 --> 00:15:40.829
- How did abraham react to that news
- 00:15:40.829 --> 00:15:43.499
- That god was going to destroy these evil cities?
- 00:15:43.499 --> 00:15:47.269
- Did he say, "that's right, lord, let these sinners have it,
- 00:15:47.269 --> 00:15:52.141
- Especially those sodomites.
- 00:15:52.741 --> 00:15:54.710
- I hate those sodomites.
- 00:15:54.710 --> 00:15:56.678
- What they do is gross, it's wrong.
- 00:15:56.678 --> 00:15:58.947
- Let 'em have it, lord."
- 00:15:58.947 --> 00:16:00.215
- Is that what abraham did?
- 00:16:00.215 --> 00:16:01.850
- No, instead, he responds with the first intercessory prayer
- 00:16:01.850 --> 00:16:07.756
- In all of the bible
- 00:16:08.223 --> 00:16:09.992
- In which somebody prayed for somebody else.
- 00:16:09.992 --> 00:16:13.462
- He tries to stave off god's judgment
- 00:16:13.462 --> 00:16:16.165
- Through his dialogue with god.
- 00:16:16.165 --> 00:16:17.699
- He said, "god, before you rain down fire and brimstone,
- 00:16:17.699 --> 00:16:21.136
- Let me ask you a question.
- 00:16:21.136 --> 00:16:22.638
- If there are 50 righteous people in these five cities,
- 00:16:22.638 --> 00:16:26.442
- The cities of the plain,
- 00:16:26.442 --> 00:16:28.210
- If there are 50 righteous people,
- 00:16:28.210 --> 00:16:30.079
- Will you hold back your judgment?"
- 00:16:30.079 --> 00:16:31.814
- The lord said, "yes."
- 00:16:31.814 --> 00:16:33.382
- Then abraham thought, "hmm! what about 45?
- 00:16:33.382 --> 00:16:37.820
- What if i can find 45?"
- 00:16:37.820 --> 00:16:39.221
- "yes."
- 00:16:39.221 --> 00:16:40.322
- "what about 30?" "yes."
- 00:16:40.322 --> 00:16:42.291
- "what about 20?" "yes."
- 00:16:42.291 --> 00:16:44.560
- "what about 10?
- 00:16:44.560 --> 00:16:46.395
- Will you spare the city?" and then he makes his case.
- 00:16:46.395 --> 00:16:49.298
- Abraham in verse 25 said,
- 00:16:49.298 --> 00:16:50.866
- "for far be it from you, lord, to do such a thing,
- 00:16:50.866 --> 00:16:54.103
- To slay the righteous with the wicked
- 00:16:54.103 --> 00:16:56.505
- So that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike.
- 00:16:56.505 --> 00:16:59.374
- It would be wrong for you, lord, to destroy the city,
- 00:16:59.374 --> 00:17:02.344
- Even if there were 10 righteous people."
- 00:17:02.344 --> 00:17:04.613
- And then abraham adds,
- 00:17:04.613 --> 00:17:06.515
- "for shall not the judge of all the earth deal justly?"
- 00:17:06.515 --> 00:17:11.820
- Underline that verse.
- 00:17:12.321 --> 00:17:13.856
- It is a key verse about the goodness and the justice of god.
- 00:17:13.856 --> 00:17:19.061
- Have you ever had people ask you the question,
- 00:17:19.995 --> 00:17:21.130
- How can god send people to hell
- 00:17:21.130 --> 00:17:22.998
- Who have never heard the gospel before?
- 00:17:22.998 --> 00:17:25.667
- Or what about little babies and mentally challenged people?
- 00:17:25.667 --> 00:17:29.838
- And they come up with all of these questions.
- 00:17:29.838 --> 00:17:32.341
- It doesn't seem right.
- 00:17:32.341 --> 00:17:33.342
- How could god do such a thing?
- 00:17:33.342 --> 00:17:36.044
- Here's a great verse to quote back.
- 00:17:36.044 --> 00:17:38.847
- You can say, "i don't have the answer.
- 00:17:38.847 --> 00:17:41.049
- I don't understand, but i know this.
- 00:17:41.049 --> 00:17:43.452
- The judge of the earth will do that which is right."
- 00:17:43.452 --> 00:17:47.422
- You can always count on god to do the right thing.
- 00:17:47.422 --> 00:17:51.560
- Apparently there weren't even 10 righteous people
- 00:17:51.560 --> 00:17:55.264
- In sodom and gomorrah,
- 00:17:55.264 --> 00:17:56.765
- So the two angels go down to sodom to judge the city.
- 00:17:56.765 --> 00:18:01.036
- Now look at their encounter with the residents of sodom,
- 00:18:01.036 --> 00:18:04.306
- Beginning with verse one of chapter 19.
- 00:18:04.306 --> 00:18:06.875
- "now the two angels came to sodom in the evening
- 00:18:06.875 --> 00:18:10.179
- As lot was sitting in the gate of sodom."
- 00:18:10.179 --> 00:18:13.549
- What does that mean?
- 00:18:13.549 --> 00:18:14.783
- The gate is where people came for justice.
- 00:18:14.783 --> 00:18:17.252
- This is telling us that by this time,
- 00:18:17.252 --> 00:18:19.521
- Lot had become a judge in the city.
- 00:18:19.521 --> 00:18:22.391
- And so these visitors come to lot, and when lot saw them,
- 00:18:22.391 --> 00:18:26.495
- He rose to meet them
- 00:18:26.495 --> 00:18:27.896
- And bowed down with his face to the ground.
- 00:18:27.896 --> 00:18:30.432
- Perhaps he sensed there was something different
- 00:18:30.432 --> 00:18:32.568
- About these visitors,
- 00:18:32.568 --> 00:18:34.636
- And he offers them a place to stay.
- 00:18:34.636 --> 00:18:36.605
- "come and stay.
- 00:18:36.605 --> 00:18:37.573
- Spend the night at our house."
- 00:18:37.573 --> 00:18:38.874
- They say, "oh, no, we don't want trouble you.
- 00:18:38.874 --> 00:18:40.709
- We'll just stay outside, sleep on the streets."
- 00:18:40.709 --> 00:18:43.645
- And lot said, "not in this city, you won't,
- 00:18:43.645 --> 00:18:45.948
- And live to tell about it.
- 00:18:45.948 --> 00:18:47.216
- You better come into my house.
- 00:18:47.216 --> 00:18:49.851
- The crime rate is through the roof."
- 00:18:49.851 --> 00:18:52.354
- And so they acquiesce and they stay with lot and his family.
- 00:18:52.354 --> 00:18:56.725
- Now look at this, verse four.
- 00:18:56.725 --> 00:18:57.893
- "before they lay down that night,
- 00:18:57.893 --> 00:19:00.762
- The men of the city of sodom,
- 00:19:00.762 --> 00:19:02.564
- The men of sodom surrounded the house, both young and old,
- 00:19:02.564 --> 00:19:07.469
- All the people from every quarter,
- 00:19:07.469 --> 00:19:09.871
- And they called to lot, and said to him,
- 00:19:09.871 --> 00:19:12.441
- "where are those men who came to you tonight?
- 00:19:12.441 --> 00:19:15.877
- Bring them to us that we may have relations with them."
- 00:19:15.877 --> 00:19:21.216
- Now, that's the pg sanitized version.
- 00:19:22.017 --> 00:19:25.087
- What they were really saying was,
- 00:19:25.087 --> 00:19:26.688
- "bring these men out so that we might rape them,
- 00:19:26.688 --> 00:19:30.726
- So that we might sexually assault them."
- 00:19:30.726 --> 00:19:34.263
- So perverse had the city of sodom become
- 00:19:34.263 --> 00:19:38.834
- That when the residents of sodom saw two new faces,
- 00:19:38.834 --> 00:19:43.305
- Fresh faces, their first thought was,
- 00:19:43.305 --> 00:19:46.308
- "let's sexually assault these people."
- 00:19:46.308 --> 00:19:49.544
- It was unbelievable.
- 00:19:49.544 --> 00:19:50.946
- Now, i said earlier, homosexuality isn't the only sin
- 00:19:50.946 --> 00:19:55.450
- That god condemns and judges, but make no mistake about it,
- 00:19:55.450 --> 00:20:00.722
- Even though there were other sins,
- 00:20:01.490 --> 00:20:02.891
- This is the sin that brought god's ultimate judgment.
- 00:20:02.891 --> 00:20:07.296
- The bible clearly teaches
- 00:20:07.296 --> 00:20:08.830
- In both the old and new testaments
- 00:20:08.830 --> 00:20:11.500
- That homosexuality is an abomination to god.
- 00:20:11.500 --> 00:20:16.838
- You find it in the old testament,
- 00:20:17.572 --> 00:20:18.874
- Leviticus 18, verses 22 and 29, other passages.
- 00:20:18.874 --> 00:20:22.411
- By the way, maybe you've been asked this question.
- 00:20:22.411 --> 00:20:25.013
- Have people ever asked you,
- 00:20:25.013 --> 00:20:26.315
- "oh, you conservative christians,
- 00:20:26.315 --> 00:20:28.617
- Why do you pick and choose which verses you're going to obey
- 00:20:28.617 --> 00:20:31.486
- And which verses you aren't?
- 00:20:31.486 --> 00:20:33.055
- Well, there are all kind of things
- 00:20:33.055 --> 00:20:34.356
- You're not supposed to do in the old testament.
- 00:20:34.356 --> 00:20:36.058
- You're not supposed to wear a coat
- 00:20:36.058 --> 00:20:37.659
- That is made of two kinds of fabric.
- 00:20:37.659 --> 00:20:40.162
- There are certain kinds of bread and seeds
- 00:20:40.162 --> 00:20:42.497
- You're not to eat or consume or plant in the ground.
- 00:20:42.497 --> 00:20:45.934
- Why do you just pick on the sin of homosexuality?
- 00:20:45.934 --> 00:20:49.037
- Why don't you follow those other regulations?"
- 00:20:49.037 --> 00:20:51.707
- Well, it's real simple.
- 00:20:51.707 --> 00:20:53.208
- The reason we select homosexuality
- 00:20:53.208 --> 00:20:55.777
- Is because it's repeated in the new testament as well.
- 00:20:55.777 --> 00:20:59.648
- The only parts of the old testament that we obey today
- 00:20:59.648 --> 00:21:03.852
- Are those parts that are in the new testament.
- 00:21:03.852 --> 00:21:07.856
- There's nothing in the new testament
- 00:21:07.856 --> 00:21:09.358
- About not wearing material of two different fabrics.
- 00:21:09.358 --> 00:21:12.361
- There's no restrictions about what kind of seed you sow.
- 00:21:12.361 --> 00:21:15.731
- Those were old commandments.
- 00:21:15.731 --> 00:21:18.100
- That's why it's called the old testament.
- 00:21:18.100 --> 00:21:20.802
- We live under the new testament,
- 00:21:20.802 --> 00:21:23.305
- And make no mistake about it,
- 00:21:23.305 --> 00:21:24.773
- The new testament has many prohibitions
- 00:21:24.773 --> 00:21:27.576
- Against homosexuality.
- 00:21:27.576 --> 00:21:29.478
- 1 corinthians 6, verse nine, 1 timothy 1, verse 10.
- 00:21:29.478 --> 00:21:34.549
- Have you ever heard people say,
- 00:21:35.183 --> 00:21:36.618
- "well, jesus didn't say anything about homosexuality."
- 00:21:36.618 --> 00:21:38.553
- Of course he did.
- 00:21:38.553 --> 00:21:40.055
- In matthew 19, he said here is god's plan for sex.
- 00:21:40.055 --> 00:21:43.892
- A man shall leave his father and mother
- 00:21:43.892 --> 00:21:46.895
- And shall cleave to his wife.
- 00:21:46.895 --> 00:21:49.097
- God made them male and female
- 00:21:49.097 --> 00:21:51.099
- And the two shall become one flesh.
- 00:21:51.099 --> 00:21:53.402
- He said, "here's god's standard and it's for your good.
- 00:21:53.402 --> 00:21:56.738
- I thought up sex.
- 00:21:56.738 --> 00:21:58.039
- Here's the way it operates.
- 00:21:58.039 --> 00:21:59.741
- It's best used between a man and a woman
- 00:21:59.741 --> 00:22:03.345
- In the security of a marriage relationship."
- 00:22:03.345 --> 00:22:05.981
- By the way, the clearest denunciation in the new testament
- 00:22:05.981 --> 00:22:09.551
- Is found in romans 1, verses 26 to 27.
- 00:22:09.551 --> 00:22:13.622
- Now, some of you listening aren't going to like this,
- 00:22:13.622 --> 00:22:17.359
- But this is the word of the lord
- 00:22:17.359 --> 00:22:19.694
- If you believe all scripture is inspired.
- 00:22:19.694 --> 00:22:22.130
- Listen to verse 26 of romans 1.
- 00:22:22.130 --> 00:22:24.633
- "for this reason god gave them," who?
- 00:22:24.633 --> 00:22:28.470
- People who have rejected the truth of god.
- 00:22:28.470 --> 00:22:31.339
- "for this reason god gave them over to degrading passions;
- 00:22:31.339 --> 00:22:35.510
- For their women exchanged the natural function
- 00:22:35.510 --> 00:22:39.181
- For that which is unnatural."
- 00:22:39.181 --> 00:22:42.184
- Underline that.
- 00:22:42.184 --> 00:22:43.485
- "and in the same way also
- 00:22:43.485 --> 00:22:45.053
- Men abandoned their natural function with the woman
- 00:22:45.053 --> 00:22:49.024
- And burned in their desire toward one another.
- 00:22:49.024 --> 00:22:52.894
- Men with men committing indecent acts
- 00:22:52.894 --> 00:22:58.166
- And receiving in their own persons
- 00:22:58.934 --> 00:23:00.836
- The due penalty of their error."
- 00:23:00.836 --> 00:23:04.139
- What are those due penalties
- 00:23:04.739 --> 00:23:06.875
- That people who practice homosexuality receive?
- 00:23:06.875 --> 00:23:10.145
- Some people think it's talking about a physical penalty,
- 00:23:10.145 --> 00:23:13.682
- Certain kinds of illnesses.
- 00:23:13.682 --> 00:23:16.251
- Maybe it's aids that paul has in mind here.
- 00:23:16.251 --> 00:23:19.654
- Now, it's true that aids is not exclusively reserved
- 00:23:19.654 --> 00:23:24.392
- For the homosexual community,
- 00:23:24.392 --> 00:23:27.596
- But it is primarily a homosexual disease.
- 00:23:27.596 --> 00:23:30.899
- According to the center for disease control,
- 00:23:30.899 --> 00:23:33.368
- Men who have sex with men have an hiv prevalence
- 00:23:33.368 --> 00:23:37.672
- 60 times higher than the rest of the general population.
- 00:23:37.672 --> 00:23:42.143
- ♪ music ♪
- 00:23:42.143 --> 00:23:47.115
- You can see the obvious parallels
- 00:23:47.849 --> 00:23:49.951
- Between the condition of our country
- 00:23:49.951 --> 00:23:52.053
- And the moral chaos in sodom.
- 00:23:52.053 --> 00:23:54.756
- Unbridled lust was running its ugly course
- 00:23:54.756 --> 00:23:58.093
- And god refused to look the other way.
- 00:23:58.093 --> 00:24:01.062
- Well, aren't you grateful that we live in a country
- 00:24:01.062 --> 00:24:03.965
- Where i'm free to teach
- 00:24:03.965 --> 00:24:05.367
- From biblical passages like this one?
- 00:24:05.367 --> 00:24:08.370
- I'm sure you realize that in many parts of the world,
- 00:24:08.370 --> 00:24:11.239
- Ministries are required to filter out the biblical truths
- 00:24:11.239 --> 00:24:15.510
- That their governments deem unsavory
- 00:24:15.510 --> 00:24:18.313
- Or politically incorrect.
- 00:24:18.313 --> 00:24:20.348
- But let's be clear, while pathway to victory has the liberty
- 00:24:20.348 --> 00:24:23.885
- To teach the truth in america today,
- 00:24:23.885 --> 00:24:26.354
- There's no guarantee that these freedoms
- 00:24:26.354 --> 00:24:29.157
- Will continue forever.
- 00:24:29.157 --> 00:24:30.792
- So while the doors remain open,
- 00:24:30.792 --> 00:24:33.728
- I'm dedicated to teaching god's truth with boldness.
- 00:24:33.728 --> 00:24:37.599
- Thank you for partnering with us
- 00:24:37.599 --> 00:24:39.668
- As we pierce the darkness with the light of god's word.
- 00:24:39.668 --> 00:24:43.638
- Now stay right there.
- 00:24:43.638 --> 00:24:45.206
- I'll be back with more pathway to victory in just a moment.
- 00:24:45.206 --> 00:24:48.710
- [announcer] in the midst of our chaotic world
- 00:24:49.611 --> 00:24:51.479
- And the personal problems that we face,
- 00:24:51.479 --> 00:24:53.848
- Is it possible to find peace and contentment?
- 00:24:53.848 --> 00:24:56.818
- Abraham did, and so can you.
- 00:24:56.818 --> 00:24:59.220
- In "walking by faith," dr. robert jeffress shows you
- 00:24:59.220 --> 00:25:02.457
- How to make courageous decisions,
- 00:25:02.457 --> 00:25:04.326
- Ones that are far outside your comfort zone.
- 00:25:04.326 --> 00:25:07.429
- In doing so, god will prove faithful.
- 00:25:07.429 --> 00:25:10.332
- Abraham was far from perfect.
- 00:25:10.332 --> 00:25:12.300
- He made mistakes, including some really big ones,
- 00:25:12.300 --> 00:25:15.470
- But through it all,
- 00:25:15.470 --> 00:25:16.771
- He walked with god in faith, and you can, too.
- 00:25:16.771 --> 00:25:20.241
- [announcer] in this dynamic book,
- 00:25:20.241 --> 00:25:21.843
- Dr. jeff explains how to walk by faith in a faithless world
- 00:25:21.843 --> 00:25:26.281
- Squarely founded on the wisdom
- 00:25:26.281 --> 00:25:28.149
- Gained from the story of abraham.
- 00:25:28.149 --> 00:25:30.552
- Request your copy of "walking by faith"
- 00:25:30.552 --> 00:25:33.188
- When you give a generous gift to pathway to victory,
- 00:25:33.188 --> 00:25:36.224
- And when you give $75 or more,
- 00:25:36.224 --> 00:25:38.994
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- 00:25:41.496 --> 00:25:43.331
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- 00:25:43.331 --> 00:25:47.302
- Along with the personal and group study guidebook.
- 00:25:47.302 --> 00:25:50.472
- If the story of abraham tells us anything,
- 00:25:50.472 --> 00:25:52.741
- It tells us this.
- 00:25:52.741 --> 00:25:54.209
- It doesn't matter how old you are,
- 00:25:54.209 --> 00:25:55.744
- It doesn't matter how far you've drifted away from god,
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- You can come back.
- 00:25:58.546 --> 00:26:00.081
- [announcer] your gift today is important and appreciated
- 00:26:00.081 --> 00:26:02.817
- As we impact your home
- 00:26:02.817 --> 00:26:04.386
- And reach a nation and world in spiritual need.
- 00:26:04.386 --> 00:26:07.722
- God is clearly using pathway to victory
- 00:26:07.722 --> 00:26:10.558
- To fulfill his mandate
- 00:26:10.558 --> 00:26:12.060
- To pierce the darkness with the light of his word.
- 00:26:12.060 --> 00:26:15.230
- Thank you for investing in this important gospel work.
- 00:26:15.230 --> 00:26:19.968
- ♪ music ♪
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- I realize that this message will likely fall into the list
- 00:26:21.870 --> 00:26:25.006
- Of 10 least popular sermons i've ever preached.
- 00:26:25.006 --> 00:26:28.943
- Those who don't know jesus
- 00:26:28.943 --> 00:26:30.378
- Might think i'm being hateful and bigoted,
- 00:26:30.378 --> 00:26:33.148
- And even those who do know jesus
- 00:26:33.148 --> 00:26:35.383
- Often accuse me of being too narrow.
- 00:26:35.383 --> 00:26:38.053
- Well, my main concern is not to be popular,
- 00:26:38.053 --> 00:26:41.322
- But to speak the truth of god's word without apology.
- 00:26:41.322 --> 00:26:45.427
- And next time, i'm going to share three difficult truths
- 00:26:45.427 --> 00:26:48.496
- That emerge from the destruction of sodom and gomorrah.
- 00:26:48.496 --> 00:26:52.600
- Stay tuned for a preview of what's coming up next
- 00:26:52.600 --> 00:26:54.903
- In our series "walking by faith."
- 00:26:54.903 --> 00:26:58.807
- God is long-suffering,
- 00:26:59.307 --> 00:27:00.975
- But there's a time when god says enough.
- 00:27:00.975 --> 00:27:03.845
- Don't make the mistake of confusing god's mercy,
- 00:27:03.845 --> 00:27:07.649
- God's patience with god's tolerance for sin.
- 00:27:07.649 --> 00:27:11.519
- Just because consequences don't come immediately
- 00:27:11.519 --> 00:27:15.423
- Doesn't mean they won't come ultimately.
- 00:27:15.423 --> 00:27:18.193
- [announcer] set your dv-r and join us next time
- 00:27:18.193 --> 00:27:20.428
- For part two of the message "when god's patience runs out"
- 00:27:20.428 --> 00:27:24.265
- Here on pathway to victory.
- 00:27:24.265 --> 00:27:26.167
- ♪ music ♪
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