Tony Evans - The Sin Of Elitism

July 27, 2025 | 28:40

Dr. Tony Evans is known as a relevant expositor and is a pastor of pastors and a father in the faith.

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Dr. Tony Evans | Tony Evans - The Sin Of Elitism | July 27, 2025
  • ...
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  • Tony evans: i hope everybody in here becomes all you can be.
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  • I hope that you all prosper.
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  • But let's make one thing clear:
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  • No matter how high you go, we will not be an elitist church
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  • Where people who are not where you are,
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  • Are still not welcome to all that makes us
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  • What god has called the church to be.
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  • The door is open to all who come
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  • In the name of our lord jesus christ.
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Tony: james, chapter 2, verses 1 through 13--
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  • I'm talking today about the sin of elitism.
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  • Now, what is elitism?
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  • Elitism is an attitude of superiority
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  • That lifts yourself or somebody else up
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  • While demeaning people who you do not feel worthy
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  • To be recognized, acknowledged, or treated equitably.
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  • It is a mindset that uses illegitimate criteria
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  • By which to judge people.
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  • It judges people based on false conclusions
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  • And ungodly perspectives, making some superior,
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  • Treating others inferior.
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  • Elitism comes in a lot of different shapes,
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  • Sizes, and forms.
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  • There is racial elitism.
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  • We all know we've seen it in america,
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  • In american slavery,
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  • And what came to be known as manifest destiny:
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  • That one group of people were recognized by god
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  • To be superior,
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  • And therefore it became legitimate
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  • To hold another group of people hostage
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  • In illegitimate slavery and to do it based on skin color
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  • And to do it based on race.
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  • In fact, laws would be passed:
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  • That those folks brought from africa
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  • Would not be even recognized as fully human
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  • In many southern states
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  • So that equality would not even have to be addressed
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  • Man to man, human to human.
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  • It was a biblical issue.
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  • The jews called the samaritan dogs.
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  • "they were beneath our feet
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  • Because we were the chosen people."
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  • It happened in numbers, chapter 12,
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  • When moses married an ethiopian woman.
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  • He married a black woman. it was an interracial marriage.
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  • And miriam, his sister; and aaron, his brother,
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  • Went off in condemnation.
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  • "how can you marry her? don't you know who we are?
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  • We're here. she's there."
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  • It happened with peter in galatians, chapter 2,
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  • When he disassociated with the gentiles
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  • So as not to upset his jewish brethren
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  • Who had shown up who viewed the gentiles as less-than.
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  • Their philosophy was "we need to live with 'em in heaven,
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  • But that don't mean we need to eat with 'em on earth."
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  • Elitism produces segregation and inequity.
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  • There is cultural elitism.
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  • "i was raised on this side of town,
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  • And you were raised on that side of town.
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  • I was raised prim and proper.
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  • You were raised sort of in the underclass.
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  • And so because of how i was raised
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  • And how you were not raised, i'm better than you.
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  • My community, my culture, it's better than you
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  • Because we're sophisticated, and you're not."
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  • There is educational elitism.
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  • "i've got a ba, an ma, a phd.
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  • You've got a high school diploma.
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  • We're not equal. i'm superior to you.
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  • Look at the degree i have on my wall.
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  • Where are your degrees?
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  • I'm superior. you're inferior."
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  • There's legalistic elitism.
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  • In other words, "i have preferences,
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  • And you have other preferences,
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  • And my preferences are better than your preferences.
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  • So i must be better than you 'cause i got my list,
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  • And your list is shorter than my list.
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  • So i must be more committed than you
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  • 'cause i have more rules to follow
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  • Than you're willing to follow."
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  • Even though god said, "don't judge one another
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  • Based on preferences," we do.
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  • And then there is the elitism he discusses here in james 2:
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  • Class elitism.
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  • This is elitism that's based on dollars and cents.
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  • It's a financial elitism.
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  • "i have money. you don't.
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  • I'm rich. you're poor.
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  • So because my bank account is better
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  • Than your bank account, i'm better than you."
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  • So he paints a picture, in james 2, of two men
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  • Who decide to go to church.
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  • It says one man, in verse 2, is rich.
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  • "it is clear if we can get this guy to join church,
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  • Our offerings are gonna go up."
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  • And so because first impressions imply that this man
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  • Can do something for you, has some clout in the community,
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  • Recognition, because he has money--
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  • 'cause he's rich-- you give him a great seat.
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  • You seat him up front.
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  • You put him in a special place where the rich folks sit.
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  • He says, "but now a second man comes to church.
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  • And it is clear from looking at him, he's struggling."
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  • This man is poor, not able to meet his needs.
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  • We're not talking about a lazy person.
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  • We're not talking about a sluggish.
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  • He just says the man is poor.
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  • He doesn--his clothes have come from goodwill.
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  • His clothes let you know
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  • "this guy doesn't have much going for him.
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  • He can't help us.
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  • When the offering plate is passed,
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  • We're fortunate if he puts anything in it
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  • Because it is clear this man can't benefit this ministry."
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  • And he says, "when the ushers met them at the door,
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  • They immediately made a value judgment."
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  • Now, please notice the discussion
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  • Is not about the rich man or the poor man.
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  • The discussion is about the church members
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  • Who seated 'em.
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  • Please notice both the rich man and the poor man
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  • Come to the same church.
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  • They come to the same church. the church will let both in.
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  • They just won't seat them in the same section.
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  • The rich man is escorted to his place of honor.
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  • The poor man is told to "stand over against the wall
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  • Or sit on the floor
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  • Because your external economic status
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  • Will control how the church treats you."
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  • That is elitism.
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  • That is making some superior
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  • By an external, illegitimate standard
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  • And some inferior
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  • Because they don't meet that proposed standard
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  • Because they don't have the same economic base.
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  • And james is an in-your-face apostle,
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  • And he wants to deal with classism, culturalism,
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  • Racism, and all the other "-isms"
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  • That create a elite mentality.
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  • Now, before we go on--
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  • 'cause this is getting ready to get deeper--
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  • God is not against the rich,
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  • And he certainly is not against the poor.
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  • He's defending the poor here.
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  • He's not against you being productive,
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  • But he's against the spirit operating in his church
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  • Where people are made to illegitimately feel bigger
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  • And better and badder than other folk
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  • For illegitimate criteria.
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  • He says, "how do you hold," verse 1,
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  • "your faith in the lord jesus christ
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  • With personal favoritism?"
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  • "i love the lord, but i'm gonna make
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  • Illegitimate distinctions among his children,
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  • Whether based on race or class or culture."
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  • Now, that leads him to discuss the miscalculation
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  • That an elitist person has
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  • Or that people who are treating people as elitists have.
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  • Now, the bible does say, "give honor to whom honor is due."
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  • So the bible does talk about respecting leaders,
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  • Respecting authorities, respecting, you know, officials.
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  • The bible does say to give honor.
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  • But to give honor is not the same as being elite,
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  • Because elite raises up and uses that to push down.
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  • So he says, "you've been making illegitimate judges," verse 4.
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  • And then he says, "listen, pay attention,
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  • My beloved brethren"--
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  • So these are christians doing this--
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  • "did not god choose the poor of this world
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  • To be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom
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  • Which he promised to those who love him?"
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  • He says, "to be an elitist is stupid, stupid."
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  • He says, "you don't get it.
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  • Did not god choose the poor to be rich in faith
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  • And heirs of the kingdom?
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  • So you just discriminated against somebody
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  • Who god has a special relationship with."
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  • 1 corinthians, chapter 1, verses 26 and 27, he--
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  • Paul told the corinthians, "look out there among you.
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  • Not many wise, not many mighty.
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  • God has chosen the weak things of this world
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  • To confound the wise and the mighty."
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  • Okay, so let me explain something.
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  • He says, "you have discriminated against
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  • Somebody who god has made," number one, "rich in faith."
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  • When you have money, you don't feel the need,
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  • Naturally, for faith, 'cause you can pay cash.
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  • [congregation laughing]
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  • You got an expense allowance. you got--you're rolling.
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  • You got it in the bank. you got a credit card limit.
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  • And you don't have to trust god, 'cause you can pay for it.
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  • Even though you may only be one check away
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  • From change of status, right now you all right.
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  • "and so i don't have to trust god for my food.
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  • I got a freezer and that kind of stuff
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  • 'cause i can pay for it."
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  • However, there will be times in your life
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  • When you will face issues you can't buy your way out of.
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  • Congregation: amen.
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  • [congregation applauding]
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  • Tony: there will be times in your life
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  • When you will face problems where your clout, popularity,
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  • Folk you know, influence
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  • Won't be able to resolve it for you.
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  • You will face times in your life where if god doesn't intervene
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  • In this situation, you are done.
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  • You done.
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  • You're gonna need the supernatural.
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  • But the problem will be
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  • Because you've never learned to live by faith,
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  • You've never learned how to access heaven
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  • When earth has fallen apart for you.
  • 00:13:27.155 --> 00:13:31.192
  • But god says there's a group of folk
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  • Who not only have faith
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  • But have a bank account full of it.
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  • He calls it being rich in faith. how do you get rich in faith?
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  • You get rich in faith by having to use it so much
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  • That your bank account gets full with it.
  • 00:13:54.782 --> 00:13:58.653
  • And, see, the poor who love the lord, he says,
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  • Have to exercise faith all the time.
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  • They gotta trust god for their daily bread,
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  • Not their yearly bread.
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  • They gotta pray and ask god
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  • To "help this car not to break down
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  • On my way to work.
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  • I, just, get me to-- i'm just trusting you."
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  • They've gotta believe god just to make it another day
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  • Because if god doesn't come through for 'em,
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  • They don't know how they gonna eat,
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  • How they gonna take care of their kids,
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  • How they gonna make it.
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  • And so by practice, because of life circumstances,
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  • They become faith pros.
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  • Now, here it is: when you are rich in something,
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  • You have an abundance, remember?
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  • The rich man has an abundance. he has an abundance of money.
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  • The poor person does not have an abundance of money,
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  • But they have something you can borrow.
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  • See, if you're rich and i need something
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  • And you're willing to share it,
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  • Then i can come borrow some money from you.
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  • But when you face something money can't fix,
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  • You better know somebody who's got some faith you can borrow.
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  • [congregation applauding]
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  • He says the poor are rich in faith,
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  • Which means you can borrow.
  • 00:15:23.404 --> 00:15:25.073
  • But if you don't know any
  • 00:15:25.073 --> 00:15:27.775
  • And you don't want to associate with any
  • 00:15:27.775 --> 00:15:30.845
  • Because you saditty--
  • 00:15:30.845 --> 00:15:35.283
  • You up here and they're down there--
  • 00:15:35.283 --> 00:15:37.685
  • When you reach your crisis,
  • 00:15:37.685 --> 00:15:39.821
  • You will have no one to borrow from
  • 00:15:39.821 --> 00:15:41.923
  • Who can get to god in ways you can't get to god,
  • 00:15:41.923 --> 00:15:44.826
  • 'cause you've never had to get to god at that level.
  • 00:15:44.826 --> 00:15:47.929
  • You better find some poor folk who love god
  • 00:15:47.929 --> 00:15:50.331
  • And who learned how to trust god every day, ongoing,
  • 00:15:50.331 --> 00:15:54.135
  • Day in and day ou--
  • 00:15:54.135 --> 00:15:55.470
  • You better know them, and you better welcome them.
  • 00:15:55.470 --> 00:15:59.741
  • That's why the bible says, "associate with the lowly," why?
  • 00:15:59.741 --> 00:16:04.379
  • Because god has endowed them with an ability to trust him
  • 00:16:04.379 --> 00:16:08.516
  • That a lot of people who have an abundance don't possess.
  • 00:16:08.516 --> 00:16:12.487
  • He says, "the reason why you should not be
  • 00:16:12.487 --> 00:16:14.889
  • An elitist and discriminatory
  • 00:16:14.889 --> 00:16:16.524
  • With personal favoritism and partiality
  • 00:16:16.524 --> 00:16:19.360
  • Is because the poor are heirs of the kingdom.
  • 00:16:19.360 --> 00:16:23.197
  • These are the poor who are rich in faith and who love god."
  • 00:16:23.197 --> 00:16:26.067
  • So it's not just economics.
  • 00:16:26.067 --> 00:16:27.402
  • They have a spiritual wealth to them.
  • 00:16:27.402 --> 00:16:29.337
  • He says, "they are heirs to the kingdom."
  • 00:16:29.337 --> 00:16:33.808
  • Okay, now pay attention here.
  • 00:16:33.808 --> 00:16:37.211
  • There are many poor who love god
  • 00:16:37.211 --> 00:16:43.684
  • Who god will never let out of poverty.
  • 00:16:43.684 --> 00:16:46.988
  • They will spend all of their lives
  • 00:16:46.988 --> 00:16:49.457
  • Eking out a living.
  • 00:16:49.457 --> 00:16:53.394
  • "the poor who are rich in faith and who love me,
  • 00:16:53.394 --> 00:16:56.864
  • I have made heirs to the kingdom,
  • 00:16:56.864 --> 00:16:59.801
  • Which means i have decided to hold back
  • 00:16:59.801 --> 00:17:04.505
  • On what i'm going to give them in time
  • 00:17:04.505 --> 00:17:07.575
  • And give it all to them in eternity.
  • 00:17:07.575 --> 00:17:10.945
  • When they enter the kingdom,
  • 00:17:10.945 --> 00:17:13.314
  • I have decided for those poor who are rich in faith to--
  • 00:17:13.314 --> 00:17:17.251
  • Hold on.
  • 00:17:17.251 --> 00:17:18.586
  • I'm not gonna let you get but so far.
  • 00:17:18.586 --> 00:17:19.921
  • You're never gonna become wealthy.
  • 00:17:19.921 --> 00:17:21.322
  • You're never gonna be-- okay, but i got something:
  • 00:17:21.322 --> 00:17:24.225
  • When you come to meet me and i read my will to you
  • 00:17:24.225 --> 00:17:29.597
  • And you see that, in the kingdom,
  • 00:17:29.597 --> 00:17:31.632
  • You gonna be mega-millionaires," okay?
  • 00:17:31.632 --> 00:17:36.137
  • So watch this: you better watch how you treat that poor brother
  • 00:17:36.137 --> 00:17:44.512
  • Or sister driving a raggedy car, living in a shanty,
  • 00:17:44.512 --> 00:17:51.252
  • Who doesn't have much to say,
  • 00:17:51.252 --> 00:17:53.387
  • Because when you enter the kingdom,
  • 00:17:53.387 --> 00:17:55.490
  • Tables will be turned...
  • 00:17:55.490 --> 00:17:58.292
  • God's gonna flip that thing over.
  • 00:17:58.292 --> 00:18:01.629
  • You may be living in highland park now.
  • 00:18:01.629 --> 00:18:04.565
  • You may be living in bent tree now.
  • 00:18:04.565 --> 00:18:07.368
  • They may be living in west dallas
  • 00:18:07.368 --> 00:18:09.036
  • Or south dallas now.
  • 00:18:09.036 --> 00:18:11.139
  • But if they love god and are rich in faith,
  • 00:18:11.139 --> 00:18:14.742
  • God--when they enter the kingdom--
  • 00:18:14.742 --> 00:18:17.044
  • Is gonna flip that role.
  • 00:18:17.044 --> 00:18:18.946
  • What is killing the church of jesus christ today
  • 00:18:18.946 --> 00:18:22.016
  • Is elitism, where people are illegitimately separated,
  • 00:18:22.016 --> 00:18:27.021
  • Segmented based on race, culture, class, education,
  • 00:18:27.021 --> 00:18:31.159
  • Or whatever form of elitism
  • 00:18:31.159 --> 00:18:33.361
  • That makes some higher and others lower
  • 00:18:33.361 --> 00:18:37.732
  • Based on illegitimate criteria.
  • 00:18:37.732 --> 00:18:39.834
  • I'm not talking about legitimate criteria,
  • 00:18:39.834 --> 00:18:41.536
  • Like a man who won't work;
  • 00:18:41.536 --> 00:18:42.870
  • Or legitimate criteria,
  • 00:18:42.870 --> 00:18:44.205
  • A person whose character is suspect;
  • 00:18:44.205 --> 00:18:47.708
  • But legitimate 'cause they're rich in faith.
  • 00:18:47.708 --> 00:18:50.144
  • They love the lord. these are legitimate poor.
  • 00:18:50.144 --> 00:18:53.447
  • So when you look at the past
  • 00:18:53.447 --> 00:18:54.815
  • And you see where god didn't deliver your grandmother
  • 00:18:54.815 --> 00:18:57.752
  • Or your grandfather,
  • 00:18:57.752 --> 00:18:59.086
  • You have to understand there is the rest of the story,
  • 00:18:59.086 --> 00:19:03.658
  • And that is heirs in the kingdom.
  • 00:19:03.658 --> 00:19:07.528
  • So if you're here today
  • 00:19:07.528 --> 00:19:08.863
  • And you feel like you're losing out on life
  • 00:19:08.863 --> 00:19:11.065
  • But you're rich in faith and you love the lord,
  • 00:19:11.065 --> 00:19:13.801
  • He's letting you eke by,
  • 00:19:13.801 --> 00:19:15.369
  • But he's never given you this surplus, this abundance
  • 00:19:15.369 --> 00:19:18.406
  • That rich have, then you got-- this is not the whole story.
  • 00:19:18.406 --> 00:19:22.643
  • There is another part of that story.
  • 00:19:22.643 --> 00:19:25.913
  • But i wanna say to those of you who are making it,
  • 00:19:25.913 --> 00:19:27.982
  • Those of us who are doing well, i want you to understand this:
  • 00:19:27.982 --> 00:19:32.220
  • You better hook up with somebody who can believe god
  • 00:19:32.220 --> 00:19:35.256
  • When all hell breaks loose in your life
  • 00:19:35.256 --> 00:19:37.558
  • And the doctor says you have cancer
  • 00:19:37.558 --> 00:19:39.193
  • And there's nothing else that they can do
  • 00:19:39.193 --> 00:19:41.362
  • Or there's a big collapse in your world.
  • 00:19:41.362 --> 00:19:43.864
  • You better hook up with somebody who can get god when you can't.
  • 00:19:43.864 --> 00:19:49.937
  • And that won't necessarily be the person with the degree.
  • 00:19:49.937 --> 00:19:52.940
  • That won't necessarily be the person living on the hill.
  • 00:19:52.940 --> 00:19:55.376
  • That won't necessarily be the person with the new car.
  • 00:19:55.376 --> 00:19:57.979
  • That won't necessarily be the person
  • 00:19:57.979 --> 00:20:00.181
  • Who's the power broker in the society.
  • 00:20:00.181 --> 00:20:01.949
  • That's somebody who knows what it's like
  • 00:20:01.949 --> 00:20:03.985
  • For god to come through at the last minute
  • 00:20:03.985 --> 00:20:06.254
  • So that they can have a meal on the table.
  • 00:20:06.254 --> 00:20:08.422
  • [congregation applauding]
  • 00:20:08.422 --> 00:20:14.495
  • Oh, but it gets deeper.
  • 00:20:14.495 --> 00:20:22.870
  • He says you've miscalculated. you've miscalculated.
  • 00:20:22.870 --> 00:20:27.174
  • You've let personal success block you
  • 00:20:27.174 --> 00:20:29.377
  • Seeing spiritual success.
  • 00:20:29.377 --> 00:20:33.347
  • He says it's the non-christian elite
  • 00:20:33.347 --> 00:20:38.719
  • That's dragging you into court.
  • 00:20:38.719 --> 00:20:41.122
  • That's what he says.
  • 00:20:41.122 --> 00:20:42.456
  • He says it's the non-christian elite
  • 00:20:42.456 --> 00:20:49.964
  • Who dishonor you, who oppress you, verse 6.
  • 00:20:49.964 --> 00:20:56.103
  • Look, folks.
  • 00:20:56.103 --> 00:20:59.940
  • The poor people aren't the one taking you to court
  • 00:20:59.940 --> 00:21:01.876
  • To stop talking about jesus.
  • 00:21:01.876 --> 00:21:04.779
  • It's them people that's graduated from college.
  • 00:21:04.779 --> 00:21:07.748
  • It's the folk with money.
  • 00:21:07.748 --> 00:21:09.083
  • It's them lawyers. it's them philosophy professors.
  • 00:21:09.083 --> 00:21:11.485
  • It's them college folk who are denying god.
  • 00:21:11.485 --> 00:21:14.055
  • You ain't gonna go to south dallas
  • 00:21:14.055 --> 00:21:16.190
  • And just run up on a whole bunch of atheists.
  • 00:21:16.190 --> 00:21:18.826
  • [congregation laughing, applauding]
  • 00:21:18.826 --> 00:21:28.869
  • You gotta go to college to become an atheist.
  • 00:21:31.539 --> 00:21:34.942
  • You gotta be educated into atheism.
  • 00:21:34.942 --> 00:21:40.781
  • You ain't gonna find that.
  • 00:21:40.781 --> 00:21:42.249
  • The rich were dragging the christians to court.
  • 00:21:42.249 --> 00:21:45.219
  • It's the unrighteous elite that are trying to kee--
  • 00:21:45.219 --> 00:21:50.224
  • Get prayer out of school.
  • 00:21:50.224 --> 00:21:51.692
  • It ain't poor folk trying to get prayer out of school
  • 00:21:51.692 --> 00:21:53.794
  • And prayer before football games cut off.
  • 00:21:53.794 --> 00:21:56.163
  • It's not the poor doing that.
  • 00:21:56.163 --> 00:21:57.665
  • He says it's the rich that are causing your faith
  • 00:21:57.665 --> 00:22:00.568
  • To be compromised, and you giving them
  • 00:22:00.568 --> 00:22:03.838
  • All the attention and the credit.
  • 00:22:03.838 --> 00:22:06.941
  • He says you miscalculated this thing.
  • 00:22:06.941 --> 00:22:09.744
  • He says, verse 7, "you blaspheme the fair name
  • 00:22:09.744 --> 00:22:12.947
  • By which you have been called."
  • 00:22:12.947 --> 00:22:16.317
  • It's blasphemy to be an elitist.
  • 00:22:16.317 --> 00:22:20.154
  • Blasphemy, that's the worst kind of sin.
  • 00:22:20.154 --> 00:22:23.657
  • He says, "if, however, you are fulfilling
  • 00:22:23.657 --> 00:22:25.993
  • The royal law of scripture--
  • 00:22:25.993 --> 00:22:28.028
  • 'you shall love your neighbor as yourself'--
  • 00:22:28.028 --> 00:22:29.997
  • You're doing well."
  • 00:22:29.997 --> 00:22:31.332
  • Well, isn't that second, "loving your neighbor"?
  • 00:22:31.332 --> 00:22:35.603
  • But notice what he called it: the royal law--not the law--
  • 00:22:35.603 --> 00:22:41.809
  • The royal law.
  • 00:22:41.809 --> 00:22:43.411
  • In other words, this is not a regular law.
  • 00:22:43.411 --> 00:22:45.379
  • This is a royal law, why?
  • 00:22:45.379 --> 00:22:46.947
  • Because it came directly from the king.
  • 00:22:46.947 --> 00:22:49.150
  • God and jesus both gave this law.
  • 00:22:49.150 --> 00:22:54.155
  • And it's royal because it rules all the other laws.
  • 00:22:54.155 --> 00:22:57.792
  • It's the king over all the other laws.
  • 00:22:57.792 --> 00:22:59.627
  • In other words, if you fulfill this law,
  • 00:22:59.627 --> 00:23:02.897
  • You will have taken care of all the other laws
  • 00:23:02.897 --> 00:23:05.699
  • Because when you love your neighbor
  • 00:23:05.699 --> 00:23:07.368
  • As you wish to be loved in return,
  • 00:23:07.368 --> 00:23:09.603
  • Your neighbor's gonna be treated right
  • 00:23:09.603 --> 00:23:12.006
  • Because you wanna treat you right
  • 00:23:12.006 --> 00:23:13.607
  • And you wanna be treated right.
  • 00:23:13.607 --> 00:23:15.643
  • So he said it's the royal law.
  • 00:23:15.643 --> 00:23:17.578
  • Even if you don't remember all the rules of god,
  • 00:23:17.578 --> 00:23:19.313
  • You remember this one,
  • 00:23:19.313 --> 00:23:20.781
  • And you'll catch everything else.
  • 00:23:20.781 --> 00:23:23.984
  • But he says, "if you don't remember this one--
  • 00:23:23.984 --> 00:23:28.355
  • Look at what it means."
  • 00:23:28.355 --> 00:23:29.690
  • Because he says, "when you show partiality,
  • 00:23:29.690 --> 00:23:33.394
  • You are committing a sin and convicted by the law
  • 00:23:33.394 --> 00:23:35.796
  • As a transgressor."
  • 00:23:35.796 --> 00:23:37.131
  • So elitism, discrimination, racism, culturalism, classism
  • 00:23:37.131 --> 00:23:43.571
  • Is a sin.
  • 00:23:43.571 --> 00:23:44.905
  • It's not a social problem. it's a sin.
  • 00:23:44.905 --> 00:23:49.844
  • Now, stay with me.
  • 00:23:49.844 --> 00:23:51.612
  • "for whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point
  • 00:23:51.612 --> 00:23:55.549
  • Is guilty of all.
  • 00:23:55.549 --> 00:23:58.652
  • He who said, 'do not commit adultery,'
  • 00:23:58.652 --> 00:24:00.421
  • Also said, 'do not commit murder.'
  • 00:24:00.421 --> 00:24:02.189
  • Now, if you do not commit adultery
  • 00:24:02.189 --> 00:24:03.724
  • But you do commit murder,
  • 00:24:03.724 --> 00:24:05.292
  • You become a transgressor of the law."
  • 00:24:05.292 --> 00:24:07.561
  • In other words, he's saying the law of god
  • 00:24:07.561 --> 00:24:09.630
  • Is interconnected.
  • 00:24:09.630 --> 00:24:11.765
  • Verse 12, "so speak and so act as those who are to be judged
  • 00:24:11.765 --> 00:24:19.773
  • By the law of liberty."
  • 00:24:19.773 --> 00:24:23.143
  • You all done just heard a conundrum.
  • 00:24:23.143 --> 00:24:26.680
  • He says, "law of liberty." so it's a law.
  • 00:24:26.680 --> 00:24:32.186
  • A law always gives you a restriction
  • 00:24:32.186 --> 00:24:34.321
  • 'cause a law is a rule you gotta abide by.
  • 00:24:34.321 --> 00:24:36.724
  • That means you can't break the law.
  • 00:24:36.724 --> 00:24:38.058
  • So there's a restriction in the law.
  • 00:24:38.058 --> 00:24:41.028
  • But he says it's a law of liberty.
  • 00:24:41.028 --> 00:24:43.731
  • Liberty means freedom.
  • 00:24:43.731 --> 00:24:45.966
  • So i got a rule that restricts me
  • 00:24:45.966 --> 00:24:48.435
  • That sets me free.
  • 00:24:48.435 --> 00:24:51.405
  • I got a law that's gonna limit me, 'cause it's a rule,
  • 00:24:51.405 --> 00:24:55.776
  • But it's a rule that's gonna release me.
  • 00:24:55.776 --> 00:24:58.479
  • Well, what kind of rule is this that's gonna restrict me
  • 00:24:58.479 --> 00:25:01.849
  • In order to release me?
  • 00:25:01.849 --> 00:25:04.184
  • Of course, the law he's talking about
  • 00:25:04.184 --> 00:25:05.753
  • Is the law he just mentioned:
  • 00:25:05.753 --> 00:25:08.188
  • That you shall love your neighbor as yourself.
  • 00:25:08.188 --> 00:25:09.557
  • That's the law from scripture.
  • 00:25:09.557 --> 00:25:12.793
  • He says, "if you get this thing right, by not being an elitist,
  • 00:25:12.793 --> 00:25:19.733
  • You will actually be keeping a law that god will use
  • 00:25:19.733 --> 00:25:23.437
  • To set you free."
  • 00:25:23.437 --> 00:25:25.639
  • If you will do this, god will do that.
  • 00:25:25.639 --> 00:25:29.376
  • If you're held hostage by something,
  • 00:25:29.376 --> 00:25:31.545
  • The way to get released
  • 00:25:31.545 --> 00:25:33.380
  • Is to release somebody else from the abuse
  • 00:25:33.380 --> 00:25:36.283
  • That illegitimately they are going through.
  • 00:25:36.283 --> 00:25:38.953
  • And when god sees you releasing them,
  • 00:25:38.953 --> 00:25:41.055
  • He'll be glad to release you.
  • 00:25:41.055 --> 00:25:42.690
  • So the way to get free is to be a freedom fighter.
  • 00:25:42.690 --> 00:25:45.960
  • The way to get free is to be a deliverer.
  • 00:25:45.960 --> 00:25:48.629
  • And when you are delivering somebody else
  • 00:25:48.629 --> 00:25:50.998
  • From abuse and mistreatment that's illegitimate,
  • 00:25:50.998 --> 00:25:53.567
  • God takes notice of that and says,
  • 00:25:53.567 --> 00:25:55.169
  • "well, i'mma release you
  • 00:25:55.169 --> 00:25:56.503
  • From whatever is holding you hostage."
  • 00:25:56.503 --> 00:25:58.339
  • So the law sets you free.
  • 00:25:58.339 --> 00:26:01.208
  • [congregation applauding]
  • 00:26:01.208 --> 00:26:03.644
  • And then he gives the bomb.
  • 00:26:03.644 --> 00:26:10.851
  • The bomb is verse 13. this is the bomb.
  • 00:26:10.851 --> 00:26:15.055
  • You've heard me quote it many times:
  • 00:26:15.055 --> 00:26:16.624
  • "for judgment will be merciless to the one who has shown
  • 00:26:16.624 --> 00:26:20.527
  • No mercy.
  • 00:26:20.527 --> 00:26:25.299
  • Mercy triumphs over judgment." i gotta read that one more time.
  • 00:26:25.299 --> 00:26:29.370
  • "for judgment will be merciless to the one who has shown
  • 00:26:29.370 --> 00:26:33.907
  • No mercy.
  • 00:26:33.907 --> 00:26:35.876
  • Mercy triumphs over judgment."
  • 00:26:35.876 --> 00:26:41.582
  • Mercy is being given,
  • 00:26:41.582 --> 00:26:44.952
  • Not being given what you deserve.
  • 00:26:44.952 --> 00:26:49.623
  • There are very few people in this house today
  • 00:26:49.623 --> 00:26:52.726
  • Who have not, are not, or will not need mercy,
  • 00:26:52.726 --> 00:26:56.597
  • And you are hoping god shows you mercy
  • 00:26:56.597 --> 00:26:59.800
  • In the here and now and, most certainly,
  • 00:26:59.800 --> 00:27:02.269
  • At the bema, the judgment seat of christ.
  • 00:27:02.269 --> 00:27:04.772
  • And what you will need today-- and you most certainly--
  • 00:27:04.772 --> 00:27:08.275
  • We all will need on that day--is mercy:
  • 00:27:08.275 --> 00:27:11.912
  • Him not giving us what we deserve,
  • 00:27:11.912 --> 00:27:14.882
  • Because he says, "on that day, if you showed mercy,
  • 00:27:14.882 --> 00:27:19.386
  • You will receive it."
  • 00:27:19.386 --> 00:27:21.188
  • So if i were you, i'd go looking for folk to show mercy to.
  • 00:27:21.188 --> 00:27:21.188