Willow Ridge Sermons

May 24th, 2026 • "Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.” – Matthew 7:6

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Creators and Guests

Host

Beau Bradberry

Senior Pastor

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Good morning, church.

Thank you.

If you have your Bibles, and I hope you do, I want to invite you to join us in Matthew

chapter 7.

Here in just a moment, we will pick up in verse 6.

We will talk about it for a few minutes, and then we'll drop down to verse 12.

If you weren't able to be here last week, I would like to share with you, Chad Fry, one

of our elders, came up here and shared at the very end of the service about a sabbatical

that I will be going on this summer.

And so just kind of hit some of the high points for that for you guys.

My last message here before the sabbatical will be next Sunday on the May 31st.

And then I will be returning here to preach on June 28th.

I believe it's the 28th.

It's the last Sunday during the month of June.

I'm very humbled.

My family and I are very humbled and blessed by this opportunity.

A lot of churches do not do this.

Healthy churches do provide for this.

And so we thank you guys for this opportunity.

I do not that anybody has asked these questions, but we like to stay ahead of them just in case

you're thinking things.

There's nothing wrong.

And that's good.

This isn't a break because I've done something.

This isn't a break because I'm exhausted.

This isn't a break because there's something wrong in the church.

This is just out of the kindness and the compassion of our church is just an opportunity for me to

have an extended time of break and rest with my family.

And so we greatly, we greatly appreciate that.

If you have any questions about the sabbatical, you can feel free to come and ask me, ask any

one of our staff members, ask any one of our elders.

A lot of you were here last week.

And so, you know, I'm just going to be spending some intentional time in God's word, intentional

time with the Lord, intentional time with my family.

We're going to visit some churches, not to look to go to one, but just to be there and

to be able to take part and to worship.

And so we're grateful.

I was able to do this about seven years ago.

And then the church has kind of put this into a practice for pastoral care.

And so we're just extremely grateful that our elders and our leadership at our church see

this as important and grateful that you guys do as well.

So here's what we're going to be working through in here together for the next two weeks.

It is the goal that we will achieve short of the Holy Spirit coming

and stopping us.

We're going to finish out the Sermon on the Mount.

We're going to, so we're going to look at some bigger chunks of scripture as we see this

today.

And if we remember through the Sermon on the Mount, right, Jesus is not giving advice for

advice sake.

Jesus is talking about the kingdom and he's given kingdom characteristics and he's called

people to repent and he's called people to follow him.

And so as followers of Jesus Christ, as individuals in the kingdom, as residents of the kingdom

of God, that through the power of the Holy Spirit in us, moving us and changing us and creating

us to be more like Christ, that there are things that you and I should be doing that should be a

part of us.

Not because we're trying to earn God's favor, his kindness or his forgiveness, but because

God has given us his favor, his kindness and his forgiveness.

And because he's given us his forgiveness, and because he's given us his spirit, this is now who we are.

And so Jesus doesn't give advice.

Jesus gives commands.

And I love this, that what we see in the teaching of Jesus is the Son of God giving the word of God

God as recorded into the very written word of God.

This past week, I was asked this, this is either this past week or two weeks before,

I was asked if you could give a senior in high school one piece of advice that you wish someone had given you

when you were a senior in high school, what would you say?

Now, I'll save that answer for a different point in time.

But coming into this morning's message this week, I thought, man, as an 18-year-old, I would have loved to have

heard this.

But I'll be honest with you, as a 47-year-old, I need to be reminded of this.

And I hope that this catches at the heart of who we are.

And it is this.

The wisdom of the world will seem appealing.

Amen, brother.

I'm telling you, out of the mouth of beige, right?

The wisdom of the world will seem appealing.

But the wisdom of the word will never fail.

And for you and I, what we do in this journey of life together, right?

The reason why, there's many reasons why we gather.

There's many reasons why we come into homes of one another.

There's many reasons why we get here early.

There's many reasons why we do studies.

There's many reasons why we open up our word first thing in the morning.

There's many reasons why we download apps that will send us Bible verses throughout the day.

There's many reasons why we are called to think and meditate and memorize God's word.

But so much for us to be linked into the consistent flow of the truth of God's word.

So that when the situation calls for it, the wisdom of the word may be accurately applied.

We're going to look at four different sections of scripture this morning where Jesus imparts to his audience in the Sermon on the Mountain,

God's word shows for you and I today, the wisdom of the word.

The wisdom of the very words of the Son of God.

The wisdom of the word that God inspired and brought to paper.

So that 2,000 years later, we can gather together people of all ages and not wonder what Jesus would have said.

But we can see the truth of the very spoken word of God.

So as we do that together this morning, would you join me as we go to the Lord in prayer?

God, we thank you for the truth of your word.

Lord, we thank you for Pastor Joel who came to us last week and challenged us with the persistence and the desperation of prayer.

Lord, we come to you now in desperation.

Lord, we come to you now in persistence.

And Lord, speak.

May it not be my voice, but may it be yours.

May it not be my words, Lord, but may it be yours.

Lord, speak to us.

Lord, and may we listen.

Not for the sake of knowledge, but from a transformed heart.

May we listen out of a desire to be obedient.

And so, God, work and move.

Bring people to salvation.

Bring people to repentance.

Bring comfort to hearts who are hurting.

And it's in Jesus' name we pray.

Amen.

So, if you look at me in verse 6, we'll begin here.

Matthew 7, verse 6.

Do not give dogs what is holy.

And do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.

Jesus here gives a nugget of wisdom, a powerful truth that he imparts into this audience.

I will be honest with you.

If you were there at that point in time, you would not just hear these words and just go,

I wonder what this is talking about.

Jesus' words and his application of what he's going to do would resonate with the whole audience

and offend so many of them.

Do not give dogs what is holy.

And do not throw your pearls before the pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.

So, as we look at the wisdom of God and the discernment of how we live in this world,

we're going to look at this morning, discernment concerning the spread of the gospel.

Discernment concerning the spread of the gospel.

Jesus talks here about dogs and pigs.

I don't know about you, but I love dogs.

I really love pigs, all right?

I had bacon this morning.

Dogs and pigs.

I want a quick survey.

The lights are up.

This is not anything that is vulnerable for you.

So, I would like the entire congregation to engage in this little poll that we're about to take.

This is just a show of hands, but if you raise your hand, leave your hand up there for a moment, all right?

Raise your hand if you've ever had a pet dog.

Leave it up.

Okay.

Hands up.

Don't drop.

Leave your hand up in the air if you have ever bought an article of clothing for that dog.

All right, those of us with our hands up in the air, they're all judging us.

Right?

They are.

All right, you can lay your hands down.

Thank you.

Thank you for that quick.

I believe that there's more of y'all that have bought clothing for your dog.

You just didn't want to admit it.

That's okay.

It's okay.

We don't judge you.

We didn't even talk about cats, but that's a whole nother different, that's a whole nother

different message, all right?

So, here's my point.

We have dogs and we have pet dogs, right?

Like you see the puppy jogging down the street.

We love dogs.

We will spend thousands upon thousands upon thousands of dollars on dogs.

And I don't judge you.

I would, I wouldn't love to know.

I would be scared to know over the course of my lifetime how much I have spent for dogs

and dog food and vet bills.

And yes, I have bought my dog at one point in time a sweater.

All right.

I would hate to know what we've done with this.

But dogs during the time of Jesus were not pets.

They were not domesticated.

You wouldn't walk up to a dog on the side of the road and come up and try to pet him.

You wouldn't bring a dog after school home to your mom and ask her if it can become a pet.

And you definitely, definitely, definitely would not do what the Bradberries do and every single night invite a wild dog into your bed to sleep in between you.

You wouldn't do it.

Why?

Because the dogs were dirty.

The dogs were wild.

The dogs were of the world.

Right here, what we see is Jesus says, do not give what is holy.

Do not give the dogs what is holy.

He's not talking about dogs.

Jesus is talking about people.

Now, let's let this set for a second.

Right before this, if you were here with us two weeks ago, Jesus says, don't judge.

Jesus says, don't judge.

Jesus gives four verses on do not judge.

And we shouldn't.

But what we'll see from here is that as you and I walk being led by the Spirit of God,

there's a difference in between what God has called us to judge not that you be not judged for with the judgment you pronounce,

you will be judged with the measure you use it, it will measure to you.

And do not give dogs what is holy.

You see, Jesus, when the calling against the attitudes of judgment is the calling against the attitude of self-righteousness.

But Jesus here in verse 6 is dealing with the spiritual matters.

That you and I, as followers of Jesus Christ, that there should be some discernment in who we are.

There should be discernment in what we do.

There should be discernment in what we've been entrusted with and what we entrust others.

So as Jesus is saying, in your self-righteousness, do not be judgmental.

Yes.

And what he's saying is, and in the righteousness of God, and God is the standard, and God's word is truth, use discernment.

Don't give dogs what is holy.

Don't throw your pearls before pigs.

The dogs and the pigs here are used for us to understand.

And you guys know that this is true.

That there are those in this world that are hostile toward the kingdom of God.

Now, that doesn't mean that there are people who don't believe and don't follow and don't know the things of God and haven't responded to God.

That's not who Jesus is necessarily talking about.

But that there are people in this world who seek to destroy.

There are people in this world who seek to pull down.

There are people in this world who seek to do things that Jesus warns us against.

Just as the dogs were wild, the pigs, the pigs were unclean.

Jesus says, don't cast your pearl before the pigs.

I don't know if you ever watched a pig eat.

If you haven't watched a pig eat, come get with me.

We'll go to D's Wings, right?

I'll show you what it looks like, all right?

You slap a wing out in front of me.

I'm just telling you.

You might hear me crunching on a bone at some point in time, right?

This is what's there.

But for a pig, the point is that the pig would take and devour.

But when the pearl would have been in the pig's mouth, it would have been too difficult.

And so it would have gnarled it and sought to destroy it only to spit it out.

Do not give the dogs what is holy.

Do not throw your pearls before pigs because they'll just trample.

And they'll trample, and they'll trample.

And then, Jesus says, they'll turn to attack.

Don't offer what is holy, the holiness of the message, the holiness of the gospel.

Do not throw your pearls before pigs, the preciousness of the gospel.

Folks, there's a holiness to the message that God has given us.

There's a preciousness to the message that God has given us.

The message of Jesus Christ is the only message that saves.

Be careful.

This passage can be confusing.

So, Bo, what are we to do?

Is Jesus saying, is Jesus discouraging us from sharing the gospel?

Absolutely not.

Then what in the world is Jesus calling us to?

Just earlier, Matthew chapter 5, verses 13 through 16.

Let your light shine before others.

Jesus has called us to be salt and light in the world, to live for his name, to share.

Matthew is going to end his letter by calling his gospel, by calling us to the Great Commission,

to take the gospel wherever we go, to see people come to faith.

That's not what Jesus is doing, but Jesus is calling us to be ready.

Jesus is calling us that as God is working, and that as God is moving,

that we are not doing our work, but we are doing God's work.

And that we must do the work of God.

But folks, the work of God is done by God through us.

The work of God is done by the power of God and for the glory of God.

And the warning for you and I is don't go out and try to do the work of God by the power of Bo for the glory of Bo.

But there will be points and times where those that message can bring hope

and the spirit of God is not at work, and what they will seek to do is destroy it.

We live in a culture that loves to use the phrase,

in all things, political, sports, concerning food.

Prove me wrong.

And what I've watched happen time and time again

is in matters that are holy,

in matters that are precious concerning the gospel.

We're teeing off against one another,

claiming to do the work of God,

but by the power of man,

for the glory of man,

and the agenda that is driven

by the person who's carrying

the very precious nature

of the gospel,

is I desire to prove you wrong.

And in order to prove someone wrong,

what we need to change is their mind.

But what the gospel seeks to change

is the heart.

It's the heart.

And folks,

the only person,

the only person

who can change the heart

is God

is God.

Jesus will share

and share

and be rejected.

And what will he do?

It says time

and time again,

he moved

to the next town.

He moved

to the next village

and continued

and on

as the Son of God

worked

by the power

of God

all

for the glory

of God.

I believe

that verse 6

is a challenge

of the heart

of those

who are carrying

the message.

What

are we doing it

for?

Jump down

with me

to verse 12.

Another

beautiful nugget

of wisdom

that Jesus gives.

So whatever

you wish

that others

would do

to you,

do also

to them

for this

is the law

and the prophets.

So whatever

you wish

that others

would do

to you,

do also

to them

for this

is the law

and the prophets

the golden rule

do unto

others

as you

would have

them

do unto

you.

Heard that

a thousand times

usually

from a parent

helping navigate

through the

relationship

between me

and my sibling.

Do unto

others

as you

would have

them do

under you.

Here's what

we'll see

in the wisdom

of this

discernment

concerning

the treatment

of others.

Did you know

that during

the time

of Christ

we hear

this statement

right?

We hear

the golden

rule.

That's

something

that we

share.

I would

be willing

to say

that even

in secular

settings

that this

is used

quite often

and frequently.

It's one

of those

sneaky

things that

when you

hear someone

say it

ask them

who said

and they

probably

don't

know.

They'll

probably

drag it

back

from

grandma

that kind

of came

from

Jesus

right?

Son of

God

like this

is who

he is

and this

is what

he said.

This

is what

he said

the golden

rule.

But that

during the

time of

Christ

there was

a statement

that was

said

but it

was a

little bit

different.

Instead

of Jesus

has said

it to

the

positive

it would

be stated

in the

negative.

So they

would say

things like

you should

not do

to your

neighbor

what you

would not

want him

to do

to you.

One

of the

known

religious

teachers

would say

what is

hateful

to you

do not

to anyone

else.

This

the

whole

law.

All

the rest

commentary.

and learn

it.

So when

Jesus

comes

Jesus

is here

sermon

on the

mount

folks

are gathered

around

him

Jesus

says

this

and

does

not

simply

label

what

not

but

instead

brings

forth

what

should

unto

others.

What

would

want

them

to do

unto

us.

Now

the

application

of this

the depth

of this

command

the breadth

of this

command

now

goes

much

broader.

You see

because for

Jesus

it's now

not the

difference

between

not

breaking

the law

and

instead

it's

about

doing

something

that's

positive

and

influential

for those

around

you.

You think

about this

Jesus

just

said

the

words

about

dogs

and

pigs.

Jesus

drawing

lines

in the

sand

right?

is.

But

just

even

though

Jesus

drew

the

line

doesn't

say

just

because

you're

not

give

what

holy

the

dogs

doesn't

mean

that

you

have

the

right

kick

the

dog

when

you

pass

by.

And

think

for

those

followers

Jesus

our

flesh

there

can

still

this

thinking

our

mind

versus

them.

Jesus

doesn't

say

let

this

just

who

you

are

don't

just

treat

others

the

way

you

would

want

treated

don't

just

for

others

how

you

would

want

them

for

you

Jesus

says

for

this

the

law

and

the

prophets

and

what

Jesus

showing

here

this

simple

principle

the

golden

rule

summarizes

all

that

the

law

and

the

prophets

say

about

how

should

treat

one

another

folks

how

often

how

often

complicate

what

God

has

calling

the

situations

that

find

ourselves

folks

situations

kind

love

view

one

another

and view

others

that we've

all been

made

believer

non

believer

and

the

image

God

that

every

person

deserves

amount

respect

and

that

out

our

obedience

God

and

who

and

what

has

called

should

drive

not

just

think

differently

about

eternity

should

not

just

drive

differently

how

think

about

God

should

not

just

drive

differently

think

about

each

other

but

should

drive

think

differently

how

view

the

world

truth

love

compassion

empathy

Jesus

says

don't

throw

holy

don't

cast

your

pearls

but

you

can

still

person

love

Jesus

continually

speaks

the

difficult

truths

that

offend

people

and

cause

them

walk

away

but

it's

their

flesh

that

offended

and

every

time

does

kindness

and

compassion

Charles

Spurgeon

said

this

that

all

men

acted

and

there

would

slavery

war

swearing

striking

lying

robbing

but

all

would

justice

and

love

what

kingdom

this

which

has

such

law

one

of the

most

interesting

things

to take

a group

of people

like I've

had the

opportunity

to do

and to

go and

visit

other

cultures

around

the world

there

are

just

things

that

within

that

inherently

American

right

and

we go

and

will

stand

there

one

of the

things

especially

really

fast

pace

Asian

worlds

like for

like when

we're

there

like the

first

person

that

gets

restaurant

let's

say

and

there's

group

people

right

with

you

like you'll

what

you'll

reach

the

door

and

you'll

pull

open

and

what

will

you

right

you'll

let

everybody

else

we've

San

Jose's

sometimes

after

church

Sunday

becomes

this

you

right

when

there's

the

double

doors

you're

trying

figure

all

this

out

and

walk

another

culture

and

things

that

doing

the

things

that

you

right

most

cultures

pedestrians

not

have

the

right

way

you

think

you

have

the

right

way

India

you'll

just

become

part

the

sidewalk

right

that's

not

how

works

right

but

there

and

act

Americans

because

this

what

we're

used

this

who

are

folks

think

about

this

when

comes

the

kingdom

God

what

gathered

all

throughout

the

churches

America

where

look

and

see

the

ungodliness

that

filling

and

filling

and

filling

our

country

the

people

who

desperately

need

Jesus

and

what

would

happen

what

would

happen

the

culture

that

left

here

was

the

culture

Jesus

Christ

that

reflected

not

our

flesh

but

the

person

Jesus

Christ

who

died

the

cross

for

discernment

concerning

the

treatment

others

kindness

love

compassion

and the

truth

of the

gospel

the

that

see

jump

down

with

and

enter

the

narrow

gate

for

the

gate

wide

and

the

way

easy

that

leads

destruction

and

those

who

enter

who

enter

then

those

who

enter

I'm

sorry

are

many

verse

for

the

gate

narrow

and

the

way

hard

that

leads

life

and

those

who

find

are

few

and

those

who

find

are

few

discernment

concerning

life's

choices

discernment

concerning

life's

choices

here

Jesus

gives

command

Jesus

begins

with

the

command

begins

with

the

command

the

people

enter

the

narrow

gate

for

the

gate

wide

and

the

way

easy

that

leads

destruction

enter

the

narrow

gate

Jesus

here

in his

kindness

and his

compassion

and his

goodness

knows

the

limitations

you

and the

limitations

doesn't

leave

for

figure

out

Jesus

sets

plan

for

and

then

gives

warning

gives

warning

about

the

wide

gate

says

the

wide

gate

easy

what

does

that

mean

the

wide

gate

where

most

people

are

going

wide

people

the

wide

gate

where

most

people

are

going

find

themselves

naturally

drawn

says

but

that

this

leads

destruction

its

end

not

for

the

good

its

end

not

for

the

glory

its

end

not

where

they

hope

that

will

lead

them

folks

the

wide

gate

this

world

ideology

that

broad

but

its

core

holds

truth

morally

open

and

not

restrictive

but

absence

from

the

command

and

truth

God

spiritually

open

and

open

many

ways

and

this

road

not

new

but

this

road

has

been

around

since

Satan's

deception

in the

garden

where

two

out

two

fell

for

the

lie

Jesus

gives

the

warning

what

road

will

you

down

Jesus

says

many

down

this

then

describes

a second

gate

a second

road

says

that

this

road

will

narrow

and

this

road

will

difficult

again

the

truth

Jesus

never

over

promises

and then

under

delivers

what

says

always

true

you

see

what

communicates

here

is that

coming

Jesus

does

not

mean

that

will

removed

from

the

pains

this

world

fact

oftentimes

these

pains

are

intensified

you're

here

today

and

you're

not

follower

Jesus

Christ

let

explain

something

you

Jesus

Christ

will

never

lie

you

Jesus

doesn't

say

that

you

come

him

that

he'll

remove

all

difficulties

that

he'll

remove

all

hardships

that

he'll

remove

persecution

from

your

life

doesn't

promise

that

all

fact

what

promises

that

this

world

you

will

face

difficulties

this

world

says

you

will

face

hardships

and

fact

the

promise

that

does

give

that

when

you

Jesus

you

will

face

persecution

but

the

beauty

the

gospel

and

the

hope

that

find

that

through

the

difficulties

through

the

hardships

through

the

persecutions

that

the

prize

the

reward

Jesus

and

the

end

and

the

middle

and

the

beginning

and

all

the

way

through

folks

it's

worth

it's

worth

it's

worth

and

this

you

make

the

choices

life

are

walking

the

path

obedience

unto

the

Lord

not

because

we're

trying

earn

his

salvation

not

because

we're

trying

prove

ourselves

worthy

because

can't

but

because

and

worth

lastly

verses

through

the

wisdom

that

Jesus

calls

says

beware

false

prophets

who

come

you

sheep's

clothing

but

inwardly

are

ravenous

wolves

verse

you

will

recognize

them

their

fruits

are

grapes

gathered

from

thorn bushes

figs

from

thistles

every

healthy

tree

bears

good

fruit

but

the

diseased

tree

bears

bad

fruit

healthy

tree

cannot

bear

bad

fruit

nor

can

the

diseased

tree

bear

good

fruit

for

every

tree

that

does

not

bear

good

fruit

cut

down

and

thrown

into

the

fire

thus

you

will

recognize

them

their

fruits

love

grow

food

our

house

it's

our

hobby

Aaron

likes

grow

part

eat

right

now

we've

got

about

six

peach

trees

our

backyard

every

morning

come

got a

big

window

our

living

room

that

looks

out

into

our

backyard

and

the

very

back

left

corner

grow

peach

that's

called

the

Georgia

princess

it's a

white

peach

pink

on the

outside

and when

you bite

into it

it's

it's a

beautiful

white

color

and every

day

sit

there

on my

couch

and since

we saw

the first

buds

come in

they

turned

into

beautiful

flowers

and

then

they

turned

into

green

fruit

and

then

they

turned

into

yellow

fruit

and guess

what

color

they

are

now

right

it's

that

deep

that

deep

pink

peach

color

still

a little

bit

firm

wait

for about

another

week

and I

can't

wait

walk

out

there

during

the

heat

the

day

grab

that

first

peach

off

the

tree

and

bite

into

and

taste

the

sweetness

and

the

goodness

what's

there

here's

the

difficult

thing

about

growing

good

peaches

you gotta

take care

of your

peach

trees

that a

healthy

tree

just

Jesus

said

healthy

tree

that's

been

fed

the

right

way

healthy

tree

that's

been

watered

the

right

way

healthy

tree

that's

been

grown

and

matured

the

right

way

will

produce

good

fruit

aware

false

prophets

Jesus

has

warned

against

path

that

leads

destruction

folks

now

reminds

that

there

are

many

individuals

even

folks

who

stand

behind

pulpits

who

call

themselves

pastor

who

would

love

nothing

than

lead

you

down

that

path

says

the

part

that's

difficult

that

on the

outside

you'll

look at

them

and

they'll

look like

sheep

they'll

dressed

kindness

they'll

dressed

empathy

they'll

dressed

compassion

but

you

will

recognize

them

Jesus

says

their

fruits

you'll

recognize

them

their

fruits

and

Jesus

says

here's

what

need

what

you

need

not

just

find

heaven

forbid

careful

this

phrase

this

just

someone

listen

because

Jesus

says

you're

going

recognize

them

you're

going

know

them

their

fruit

what

they

produce

what

they've

eaten

how

they've

been

watered

and

again

one of

the most

important

parts

caring

for

fruit

tree

how

it's

been

matured

reading

this

passage

scripture

and

different

people

who

were

speaking

this

topic

now

read

this

and

this

it's

very

simple

way

that

need

and

have

things

explained

and

says

concerning

teacher

concerning

pastor

concerning

preacher

important

for

pay

attention

this

author

wrote

this

these

three

important

things

number

one

should

pay

attention

the

manner

living

teacher

shows

while

they

cannot

perfect

they

show

righteousness

they

show

humility

they

show

faithfulness

the

way

they

live

number

two

should

pay

attention

the

content

their

teaching

now

love

this

love

this

doesn't

say

quality

says

content

Josh

Nix

a few

weeks

ago

was

getting

ready

preach

was

going

here

that

Sunday

was

getting

ready

preach

was

office

that

Thursday

morning

said

how

you

doing

man

said

I'm

a wreck

and I

don't

know

why

said

why

are

you

a wreck

said

I'm

nervous

said

well

why

are

you

nervous

I'm

nervous

every

week

why

are

you

nervous

said

don't

know

and

then

here's

what

Josh

said

and

please

hear

this

the

humility

Christ

which

Josh

Nix

said

this

said

I've

been

faithful

study

I've

been

faithful

pray

and

believe

that

what

I'm

saying

what

God

has

for

say

concerning

the

scripture

and

said

Josh

buddy

that's

all

need

live

culture

that

overwhelmingly

from

pulpits

demand

entertainment

and

it's

the

content

the

truth

God's

word

pay

attention

to the

manner

living

pay

attention

to the

content

their

teaching

third

pay

attention

to the

effect

their

teaching

pay

attention

to the

effect

their

teaching

now

get

Jesus

preaching

people

walked

away

but

what

should

able

see

the

desire

the

pastor

the

goal

entertain

the

goal

challenge

because

here's

the

truth

sometimes

foolishness

say

things

that

are

foolish

and

for

that

I'm

wrong

and

apologize

you

when

and

that

but

sometimes

will

say

things

that

God's

word

says

and

God

who's

offended

your

heart

and

who

you're

angry

him

because

you

love

your

sin

than

you

love

him

and

that's

not

and

that's

not

Josh

and

it's

not

Joel

and

it's

not

Dave

and

I'm

not

casting

that

out

you

because

happens

well

the

effect

the

teaching

and

then

want

add

one

want

add

one

and

think

this

one's

important

think

this

one's

big

think

this

one's

big

the

culture

which

live

need

pay

attention

the

manner

the

living

need

pay

attention

the

content

their

teaching

need

pay

attention

the

effect

their

teaching

but

I'm

going to

tell

you

think

this

number

one

identifying

false

prophets

need

to pay

attention

to the

hero

their

teaching

the

hero

their

teaching

folks

I'm

a mess

I'm

a mess

it's

only

God's

grace

only

God's

grace

and

are

you

and

you

are

not

the

hero

your

story

and

not

the

hero

story

sometimes

people

say

things

are

just

foolish

graduation

time

and

heard

someone

say

the

hero

your

own

story

folks

let

Jesus

the

hero

your

story

oftentimes

false

teachers

will

attempt

point

Jesus

but

they'll

end

pointing

back

themselves

real

quickly

real

quickly

this

believe

biblical

soapbox

that

stand

this

why

this

important

this

why

what's

happening

between

that

wall

and

that

wall

and

that

wall

and

that

wall

matters

because

we live

in a

world

where

right

now

I can

connected

with

any

pastor

any

church

America

through

this

can

sit

phone

can

sit

iPad

and

swipe

through

two

minute

clips

and

hear

liars

fake

telling

the

truth

about

who

Jesus

and

it's

why

this

matters

it's

why

this

important

it's

why

folks

setting

myself

up here

by the

grace

of God

examine

manner

living

examine

content

of my

teaching

examine

the

effect

of my

teaching

examine

the

hero

life

and

I'm

just

going

to be

honest

with

you

can't

that

watching

online

and

don't

care

it's

church

20,000

Florida

250

Lexington

don't

care

now

stream

why

stream

because

I'm

gonna

tell

you

you're

watching

home

online

we're

glad

that

you

are

but

you're

missing

this

and

this

essential

this

essential

not

forsake

the

gathering

why

that

I've

had

that

question

asked

for

three

reasons

three

reasons

number

one

number

one

for

most

people

who

visit

churches

they

will

check

you

out

online

for

six

months

worth

worship

services

before

they

step

foot

about

want

you

know

you're

going

able

tolerate

guy

who's

pouring

sweat

and

standing

here

boots

and a

sport

coat

right

this is

who we

are

who's

preaching

for way

too

long

number

two

we do

it for

people

who are

sick

we do

it for

people

who are

sick

some

of you

who are

at home

right now

and you're

sick

and you're

sick

for a

day

and there's

some

of you

who are

at home

right now

and you're

sick

for a

season

and you

need to

at home

right now

and we

want to

care for

you

and we

want to

provide

you

with

this

and we

want you

to gather

with us

the best

way we

can

and then

number

three

folks

there's

some

of you

who are

away

you know

what humbles

me more

than anything

else

is when

there's

some

of you

like I'll

see on

Facebook

or on

Instagram

that you've

been on

vacation

and that you

were on

vacation

on a

Sunday

and then

I really

enjoyed that

worship service

praise God

that you

decided to

go out

onto the

beach

at Hilton

Head

and take

your phone

with you

and jump

in with us

humbles me

that's why

we do

this

we do

not do

this

and if

you're

at home

and this

is you

we do

not do

this

so you

have an

excuse

to isolate

you from

the body

of Christ

and if

you are

doing that

it's sin

and stop

and come

and join

because it's

who God's

called us

I told

y'all

I sit

on my

couch

and look

at the

fruit

I love

to sit

on my

couch

and look

at the

fruit

but the

best way

the best

way to

experience

the fruit

is to

get up

and walk

through the

orchard

to get

up and walk

through

and smell

the smells

and see

the different

colors

and to

feel

the sun

shining

down

you

it's an

experience

that cannot

be achieved

virtually

would you

come and

join us

and walk

in the

orchard

that God

has

for this

church

I'm gonna ask

the band

and the prayer

team

if they'll

come forward

right now

there are

people who

are false

teachers

and they

want to

lead you

in a way

that is for

their own

selfish motive

or their

selfish gain

their goal

is how do I

earn my

earthly reward

not how do I

make a

heavenly

investment

they are

attempting to

use the

Bible to

make it

say what

they want

it to

say

and not

for what

God

purposes it

to say

they seek

to live

for their

own glory

not the

glory of

God

their

approval

is for

the

approval

man

not the

approval

of God

examine

their

fruit

folks

Jesus

gives

his

commands

his

wisdom

his

warnings

his

call

obedience

would

you

willing

respond

him

your

life

grounded

the

wisdom

the

world

or is

your

life

grounded

the

wisdom

God

the

wisdom

the

word

would

you pray

with

God

thank

you

word

for

the

truth

the

beauty

the

power

your

word

God

may

live

kingdom

citizens

this

country

that

you

placed

Lord

may

marked

the

language

that

use

the

character

that

have

the

things

that

not

based

region

that

grew

vernacular

that

heard

but

because

the

sweetness

and

the

goodness

the

gospel

has

penetrated

and

through

the

power

the

Holy

Spirit

have

been

saved

and

have

been

changed

and

our

hearts

have

been

transformed

and

dead

people

come

life

and

makes

the

words

that

say

not

the

words

foolishness

ourselves

but

the

goodness

you

may

love

people

manners

which

are

sacrificial

which

cost

may

love

may

guard

and

hold

the

preciousness

the

gospel

may

wise

the

truth

that

listen

and

not

desire

the

truth

man

desire

the

truth

the

word

God

thank

you

Lord

where

life

not

worthy

where

life

not

line

with

the

gospel

God

would

you

bring

repentance

God

where

teaching

not

line

with

the

content

your

word

may

you

convict

and

may

you

shut

until

teaching

aligns

with

you

and

God

may

the

effect

this

word

because

the

movement

your

spirit

and

our

obedience

teach

and

Jesus

thank

you

because

you

are

the

hero

story

you

are

savior

you

are

lord

you

are

redeemer

you

are

messiah

you

are

healer

there

anything

that is

of me

that is

good

praise

God

it's

you

God

work

and move

how

you

see

fit

for

your

name

your

glory

and

Jesus

name

pray

amen

that's

for

this

week's

message

sure

check

back

week

for

new

episode

and

the

meantime

you

can

visit

online

willowridgechurch.org

or by

searching for

Willow Ridge

Church

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and

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thanks

again

for

listening

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