The Unpardonable Sin - Part 1

Christmas gift why not the one with the chicken leaving applicable waves as Christmas gifts chicken maybe it's not the get for your family, but it gives the perfect gift for poor family ninja chicken can break the cycle of poverty for poor family yes chicken chickens and provide food and nourishment for family and they can sell those eggs at the market for income when you donate a chicken or any other gospel for Asia.

1% of what you give goes to the field and get the ball went gospel fundraiser to support family of Jesus family this Christmas and give them a six explanation see chickens and camping, not the Russian nightmare know the devil's nightmare here from it's time to man up challenging men step into their true manhood. Your chosen Truth Network podcast is starting to just a few seconds. Enjoy it, share it, but most of all, thank you for listening to the truth podcast network. This is good Truth Network do you feel like you're on a religious treadmill. Do you feel like Christianity is just a system of rules and regulations, I can do this but I can't do that do you feel like your efforts to reach God find God and please God do you feel like your faith is dead or alive today.

Pastor Russ Andrews will walk us through Scripture to answer these questions join us on finding purpose of local tribal ministry glorifying God by helping men find their purpose for living. For more information and to connect with Russ Andrews and finding purpose could visit us online@findingpurpose.net connect with us on Facebook.

Now let's listen to Russ Andrews as he teaches us how to be a Christian without being religious.

All in all, and and is losing law this a cappella. Very simple.

True, I want you to sing other prayers because her time and so I love you oh and I live my phone all words should here in whole my eyes read show praise and show all my key and one you to may be sleaze three-year-old morning. I love that last little song because it brings back such wonderful memories today because when I was a teenager and also to play skullcap for the sound, which was say Christian retreat that my family and my wife's family. Tracy used to go to and it was one of the Lausanne food science that brings great memories back to me.

I want to ask you how to value heads this morning. I won't have just a moment of silent prayer not got a personal my mind this morning that are in my heart that I really want us to pray for God would heal him.

His name is Chris Tara is 35 years old. He's married to Stephanie they have two children. He's been he's been battling cancer since last March when he discovered that he had it and he enough reconnected after an ideal is a little young boy when he was like eight is Christopher now know Miss Chris. They had to put them on a ventilator yesterday.

He said in the hospital UNC he's fighting for his life. Stephanie texted me this morning told me that that he's doing better. He's fighting in the medications I got amount he sees showing signs of improving such force to pray that God will raise him up from his sick bed and he'll be walking around his hospital room since if you right now, which is lift up Chris is just join together silently lift them up to the Lord Jim, if I just left Chris up you right now and appraisal that you work a supernatural miracle that you would raise him up from his sick bed that you would set his feet in a spacious place that he be walking back in his house, walk around his hospital room soon. We pray to God that she would heal him completely.

If Stephanie pay since I thought galore that Chris and Stephanie know you that he's been sharing his faith in the hospital praying with doctors talking to you with you talking to nurses about you, Lord, thanks to God for the great witnesses been mellow for them but also to me and to many others on Facebook and Instagram. Even to my older son Russian. Thank you Lord Jesus life is lift up this morning to you.

I thank you for the I thank you for your Word, the Bible like you to God that we have so many copies of it here in this country.

But what I think sometimes we take that for granted is about most collect dust were there many around the world today who know you and love you but don't have a copy of your work. So Lord I thank you for your pragmatics award will go forth and accomplish the very purpose for which you intend. Knowing that, I pray, amen. What if you will take your Bibles and wrap it up to Mark chapter 6 skews me F-16 will be looking at verses nine through 20 been entitled this morning's message.

The unpardonable sin but don't let that make you afraid okay just don't get your attention. There once was a man who lived in a two-story house. The house was near a river and unfortunately the river began to flood as the river rose warnings were announced on regular television. Large jeeps drove through neighborhoods, ordering people to evacuate it as a exegete drove by this man's house. He was told you're in danger. Your life is at stake. You must evacuate get in the Jeep. Let us help know the man replied from his doorstep. I'll be okay. The flood won't get to me. God will take care of me but the water continued to rise, so the man was on the second floor.

The boat was going through the area and arrived at the man's house rescues make every effort to convince this man to take action that his life was in danger. They said they your life is at stake you will drown in the flood.

No more said the man. Everything is okay. Even though the flood is rising. I'm going to be okay. God is going to take care of me but the flood continue to rise. The man went up on the roof to avoid the rising water helicopter pilot saw him on top of the roof and hovered above the man usually microphone the pilot try to convince the man to grab the rope ladder which was dangling just above his head all had do is reach up and grab it. You're in danger.

The flood is still rising. You will drown if you do not grab the right, let us help you. No worries, said the man, I'll be fine. No word about yes the flood is higher, but God will take care of me, but the war continued rise in demand drown. He found himself standing at the pearly gates before God.

They said you got what if you let me die after I told everyone that she would take care of nights which God replied, I sent you a Jeep about in a helicopter. What more could have done for you and for that joy before that. I want to hear it again. This man's problem was should have been a three-story house that was not this man's problem is problem was that he stubbornly refused to believe the warnings in spite of overwhelming evidence from eyewitness accounts in Mark chapter 3 verses 28 and 29 Jesus after the truth, all the Sansone blasphemies blasphemies of man will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven is guilty of an eternal sin. So what did Jesus mean by this statement.

Now look at Mark chapter 16, beginning with verse nine but Melissa before rate of these verses here nine through 20 how to make a few comments about this passage of Scripture.

Some of you may notice a little line in their little a paragraph little parentheses comment that the earliest manuscripts do not have the section that is verses 920. Nothing there several possible reasons for this.

When I went out when I read this you will notice that the style of writing is very different. If you've read the rest of Mark the rest of Mark is written in a narrative style.

This is really just a summary of events and so it seems to suggest that maybe Mark didn't write this since the style is so different. Also, if you look at verse eight, which simply ends with the women leaving the empty tomb, afraid it didn't make sense to me that Mark would just leave us hanging like that is what verse eight says trembling and bewildered. The women went out and flip from the time they said nothing to anyone because they were afraid that that would just be the ending if we didn't have verses nine through 27. Mark probably would not enter the gospel like this. So what happened, why think the expositor's Bible commentary provides a good explanation. The best solution seems to be that Mark did write an ending to this gospel, but it was that it was lost in the early transmission of the text. The Indians we now possess represent attempts by the church to supply what was obviously missing to his the question does that. Does this mean that this section of Scripture is not the word of God, not as the early church accepted this ending as part of the canon of Scripture as they were led along by the Holy Spirit. This we can accept this is God's word because it is less rated beginning with verse nine.

Mark brought left someone a Heights. When Jesus rose you know he really wrote it. The Holy Spirit. When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week.

He appeared first to Mary Magdalene out of him.

He had driven seven demons, she went and told those who had been with him and who will morning and waking when they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him they did not believe it. Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country that these two men returned and reported it to the rest but they do not believe them later. Later Jesus appeared to the 11 as they were eating and he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen, and then he said to them go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation who believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned and then the sign that says the signs will accompany those who believe in my name they will drive at Damon's. They will speak in new tongues, they will pick up snakes with their hands and when they drink deadly poison. It will not hurt them at all. They will place their hands on sick people and they will get well after the Lord Jesus had spoken to them. He was taken up into heaven, and he sat in the right hand of God. Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere in the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it is what I want to do this morning I want to answer five questions and hear the five questions that I want to answer first. How is a man or woman saved in other words, what leads to the salvation of a person second, what exactly is the unpardonable sin. Third, what is the evidence that a person has truly been saved forth. What about signs and wonders. Do they still happen in last. What was Jesus's last command what must begin an in-depth look at salvation, because this is really the most important thing I want to talk about this morning. How does it happen Miller was how is a person truly saved much want to know that what I think the best place to go whenever if you want sort of a technical definition of how a person is saved is Ephesians chapter 1 verses 13 to 14 is somewhat like a recipe is what Paul writes think is a very logical step-by-step process, and you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation having believe you will market him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession, to the praise of his glory.

So first in order for a man or woman to be saved, he or she must first hear the gospel message, and then you need to know what exactly is the gospel. We hear this is when you are out there in the world you need to be to tell people what the gospel is, Christ died for our sins. He was buried on the third day he rose from the great grave and then over the course of the next 40 days he appeared to many people who became his eyewitnesses. Paul gives a very succinct description of the gospel Celeste whenever someone asked you what the gospel. Yes, you should delete anything first Corinthians chapter 15 verses one through five. Joe hear that first Corinthians chapter 15 verses one through five. You need to know your Bible. That's what were talking about making you sure you have Bible so that you can study God's word is what Paul Paul writes now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand.

By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached you otherwise you believed in vain. What I've received I passed on to you as of first importance that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scripture. Sample the word is and that he appeared to Peter and to the 12 and after that he appeared to more than 500 and even after that, he appeared to Paul. This is the gospel of Jesus Christ and it is of utmost importance that you believe it. Now what you notice what happens in Mark chapter 16 verses nine through 13. The guy just begin model to look at is your text as I go through this first Jesus appeared to hurry Mary Magdalene then did she went and told the disciples what you witness so that they in essence heard the gospel, the disciples from her testimony that she had seen the risen Christ. Secondly, Jesus appeared to the two men on the road to Emmaus. You can read about that in our analytic get a more detailed account.

We know that one of them. The man's names was a clinically officer Cleophas and in the end, like Mary. These two went to the disciples ensure that they had seen the risen Christ and once again, the disciples heard what the gospel because it takes more than simply hearing the gospel. You must believe it. Hearing must be accompanied by faith in order for person to truly be saved. You can say all day long that you believe something to be true in your mind, but it's got a transition to your heart because that's where belief is formed in your heart. Ephesians 113 says, having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit so incredible there is was Holy Spirit in you got is guaranteeing that you are what saved you can never lose it.

The great word from which we get the English word. Believe is still. It simply means. I believe in the great war for faintest test. The seed of the same word fight and believe pestis distiller. These two words are you seven times in these nine verses here in Mark, so this whole section you know mama talk about signs and wonders in a minute.

The main point is about believing I find it interesting that the last thing the Lord wants us to be thinking about is our faith. Why, because in this life is the only thing that matters. I don't. I mean I care but I don't care how much trouble somebody gets in okay half off the path they go. If they get saved then either they will be in heaven and then everything will be okay and so salvation is the only thing that matters in this life is the question I put for all of you this morning when all of your listing. Do you have real saving faith in his a question what would think about what is real saving faith look like Charles Spurgeon, one of my favorite favorite preachers. It was known as a prince of preachers said look at the fate of the master cellular legal like this all you guys and have boats for sale. Look at the faith of the master cellular. He looses his anchor. He sales away from what days, weeks, even months. He sees leadership, no sure, yet only goes day and night without fear to one morning he finds himself exactly in the desired harbor toward which he is been staring how is he found his way over the trackless deep he is trusted his Compass's nautical almanac.

His glasses and the heavenly bodies and obeying their guidance without citing land he is steered so accurately that is not changed direction to enter this port is a wonderful thing. Spurgeon says it is glorious debate to be so far out on the ocean of divine love. Believing in God and steering for heaven straightaway by the direction of the word of God is really all about the word has a man saved, he must first hear the word.

Second, he must believe the word in his heart and third salvation happens the moment that God sees faith born in a person. Then he sends his spirit, the Holy Spirit, the spirit of Christ into that person then and only then can it be said that that mantle, that woman is in Christ and that Christ is in that manner woman. This is such an important concept that Paul actually uses this phrase in Christ.

In him more than 30 times just in Ephesians. It doesn't matter how many times a person has stepped through the doors of the church, whether or not a person is been baptized or christened will have a times I person is said the apostles Creed of the Lord's prayer. What matters you must be in Christ, and Christ must be in you. So that's the only way that is is that you can know that you're going to heaven. How can you be assured that the Holy Spirit indwells you, well you know what because the Holy Spirit will testify with your spirit he will whisper to you but you belong to God and he will let you know that he's in the do you know this in Romans eight, nine, 15 and 16. Paul writes, and if anyone does not have the spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ this year that if anyone does not have the spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of Sun ship, and by him we cry, father the Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Did you hear that the spirit of God testifies with our spirit that we belong to God. See Austin Miles was a pharmacist to begin writing gospel songs and eventually became an editor of him knows his hobby was photography. We have some cousins who of the Gresham city are big time into photography and they had a dark room where they developed all their fields and with the answers were just blown away by their ability to develop beautiful photographs anyway. See Austin Miles was a photographer and he he found his dog room, perfect for developing not just his photographs but also his spiritual life is devotional life in that strange blue glow that dark room mouse that he would sit down and read his Bible in total privacy. Give a place like that we get along with God. Read the Bible in total privacy.

One day in March 1912. While waiting for something to develop. He opened the Bible to his favorite chapter John chapter 20 the story of the first Easter in his what Mao said about that that that experience is already that day seem to be part of the scene. My hands were resting on the Bible while I stared at the light blue wall as the light faded. I seem to be standing at the entrance of a garden looking down a gently winding path shaded by olive branches. A woman in white with head bowed, hand clasping her throat as if to check back. Her sobs walked slowly into the shadows. It was Mary. She came to the tune upon which she placed her hand, she bent over to look again and hurried away. John in flowing robes appeared looking at the time, then came Peter Anderton, followed by Peter seated by John once again as they departed, Mary reappeared laying her hand upon her arm at the tuning she wept turning herself. She saw Jesus standing. So did II knew it was see she knelt before him with arms outstretched and looking into her face into his face, cried Rabbani which means teacher I awakened in full light gripping my Bible with muscles tense and nervous vibrating on the inspiration of this vision are as quickly as the words came come to the garden alone while the dew is still on the roses and the voice I hear falling on my ear, the son of God discloses, and he walks with me and he talks with me and he tells me I'm a zone in the and the joy we share as we tarry there none other has ever known debts that describe your walk with Jesus. I've been walking with Jesus. Since I was 12 and the stuff taken many side excursions say I'm not talking about my what was far from perfect but I have been talking and walking with Jesus. Since I was about 12 and is no greater privilege and I don't deserve it but none of us to do. You hear his voice when he speaks to you through the indwelling Holy Spirit.

See, this is the internal evidence of salvation.

You hear his voice, she spent time alone with him in his word is like. He picks up a verse in his luck he spoke to you audibly. You hear it with the errors of your heart. In John 1027. Jesus is my sheep listen to my voice and I know them and they follow me.

Being a Christian is not about being religious but about having a dynamic and alive relationship with Jesus Christ you been listening to finding purpose with pastor Russ Sanders, a local triangle ministry glorifying God by helping men and their purpose for living.

You can discover more about finding your purpose in life by checking out the resources@findingpurpose.net will connect to finding purpose on Facebook pastor Russ would also like to extend a special invitation for you to join him in over 300 other local tribal men to study God's word together every Tuesday night at 7 PM in downtown Raleigh. Find out more finding purpose.net.

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