What Were You Looking For? Text: Matthew 11.7-9 You Think This Lesson Is About John No…But About Seeking: Seeking The Wrong Things… With Wrong Motives… For Wrong Reasons

Luke 13.6-9 Typical Lesson: Bearing Fruit…Absolutely! But Note The Implication: When What We Seek Is Not Found On The Tree We Thought It Would Be… Either Not The Correct Tree… Or Is Worthy Only Of Being Cut Down

It Is Not Worth Finding! Application: Some Look For Things In The Lord's Church Which Cannot Be Found… They Go Elsewhere Till They “Find What They’re Looking For” If It Cannot Be Found In The Lord's Church… It Is Not Worth Finding!

It Is Not Worth Finding! What I Do Not Mean… I Do Not Mean This Congregation… Always Room For Improvement In Character And Application… But I Refer To Doctrine & Practice If It Cannot Be Found In The Lord's Church… It Is Not Worth Finding!

If It Is Found Elsewhere… That Is A Questionable Tree… It Is Only Worth Cutting Down!

What Some Seek But Will Not Find In The Lord’s Church—

“Jesus Is Your Personal Savior” Never Found In The Bible Jesus Is Savior... Titus 3.5,6 You Must Take It Personally… Luke 18.13 But The Phrase Is Foreign To The Bible… Leads To The Error That Follows…

“Ask Jesus Into Your Heart” Jesus Taught His Apostles That They Were To Ask Him Nothing… John 16.23 If We Follow What The Apostles Taught And Practiced… Acts 2.42 Then: We Are To Ask Jesus Nothing

Question How Does Jesus Get Into One’s Heart? Ephesians 3.17 What Is The Context? The Apostles & Prophets Reveal A Mystery… Jews & Gentiles Are Fellow-heirs & Members… Through The Gospel… Which Reveals The Church… Which Is God’s Eternal Purpose For Us In Christ!

“Faith Only” “All You Have To Do Is Believe!” If True, You Have A Demon’s Faith… James 2.19 “There Are No Works That Can Save You!” If Not, Not Even Faith Can Save You… John 6.28,29 “Just Believe John 3.16” Is That All That The Bible Teaches? Don’t Forget James 2.24

“The Rapture” This Word Not Even Found In The Bible “What We Mean Is The ‘Catching Away’” Probably Referring To I Thessalonians 4.17 “Caught Up In The Clouds…” Means: “To Gather, Carry, Through Preference Or Choice” Who Is This? The Saved. Then What? “So Shall We Ever Be With The Lord”

“Speaking In Tongues” Biblical? Yes! Available Today? Yes…But Only Through Study! Not Jabbering, But Language/Dialects Purpose: Teach Men Of Other Languages Confusion? Yes, Which Is Why There Must Be Interpreter/Translator (Corinth) Duration: I Corinthians 13. 8-10

“The Holy Spirit Working Among Us” Charismatic Point Of View… Pentecostal Persuasion… Usually Refers To Person Of The Spirit Doing Things In, With, Through, Upon Christians Even In The 1st Century, The Spirit Did Not Work Within All Christians! Some Need An “Outward Manifestation” It Will Not Be The Holy Spirit!

“Entertainment” This Belongs To The Home, Not The Church The Churches Duties: Seek The Lost, Matthew 28.19 Edify The Saved, Romans 14.19 Do Good To All Men, Galatians 6.10

“Special Music, Groups, Etc.” Watkins Rd Invitation: “Bring Your Congregation’s Singing Groups” By What Authority? Ephesians 5.19— “Yourselves; One Another” Reflexive, Reciprocal Plural Pronoun… Done At The Same Time Collectively See Verse 21— Only One To Submit At A Time??

“Make Me Feel Good” Emotive Appeal To The Flesh… Joy Comes As A Result Or Fruit Of Doing What Is Right… Acts 8.39 I Corinthians 14.24— Teaching Is To Reprove And Convict… Not Merely To Soothe

“Make Me Feel Good Without Guilt” Or… “Make Me Feel Good About Guilt” Jeremiah 6.14 “Bring Us Your Heartache And Fear Over Divorce, Drugs, Homosexuality, Theft, Immorality, Fornication… …We Will Love And Accept You!” Will God Really Take Me “Just As I Am” ?? Acts 17.30!

“Women Speaking Out And Taking Leads” “Is There A Women’s Ministry?” “What Do You Have For The Women Of Your Church?” “Why Won’t You Allow Your Women To Take A Leading Role?” 1-Yes. It Is The Ministry Of All Believers To Live Rightly And Obey God! 2-What We Have For Every Member 3-I Corinthians 14.34; I Timothy 2.12

“All The Comforts Without The Cost” Luke 14.28—Count The Cost Time, Presence, Money, Concerns, Heart, Activity, Participation Some Seem To Want A “Free Ride” Salvation Without Integration Sanctification Without Participation

“Pomp And Ceremony” “This Place Is Too Dry…” “You’re Not Exciting Enough” II Corinthians 11.3

“Lively, Exciting Worship” Perhaps In The Eye Of The Beholder/Worshipper John 4.24 Show Me Where 1st Century Christians Whooped, Hollered, Jumped Around And Shouted!

“A Perfect Group Of People” Depends Upon What Is Meant By Perfect! Sinless? Flawless? Always Saying The Correct Thing To Every Person? Probably Not!

What Will They Find In The Lord's Church… Including In This Congregation? Ephesians 2.18-20 Ephesians 3.10,11 Hebrews 12.23,24 Verse 25…Verse 28