Why Not Women Preachers?

Introduction

Good evening. This is such a wonderful crowd on a Sunday night. I appreciate your commitment to the Lord’s people in being here, and hopefully our time spent together in worship and in study of God’s word will be profitable to everyone. I don’t want to be misunderstood tonight. And so we’re starting with the so as not to be misunderstood. Let’s talk about the value of women in the body of Christ. And I could go around this room tonight and talk about so many of our sisters who do so many positive things.

The foliage growing out of her hair. But I do like that passage in Romans 16 to indicate this truth as Paul talks about various women saints in the church in Rome and mentions them by name. He commends Phoebe for one. He mentions Priscilla in verse 3. And I’ve always really liked verse 6, where he says, Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. And he would mention some other females down later in the list, including a Julia in verse 15. And so several women are mentioned in this text who did positive things for the Lord’s work. And many such sisters are among us, and we’re blessed to have you here. Now I saw this graphic as I was preparing this material. Same graphic, different title. I’m not sure how you preach a sermon on that, actually.

But apparently, someone tried, and that’s what they came up with. So I’m not talking to you tonight about girl power, but some might relate it to the subject. And that is women who preach.

Is there anything wrong with women preaching the message of the gospel of Christ like I’m doing tonight in this public forum? And all of this comes about as a result of a video, a nine-minute video. I’ve given you a picture. That’s part of the video. That is Lauren King, preaching intern at the Fourth Avenue Church of Christ. Now, I don’t know the town necessarily that this is in. It’s in Tennessee, but it’s not far from David Lipscomb, and that’s where she is going to school, and she was looking for an internship to do preaching. And so this church, the Fourth Avenue Church, agreed. Now, when I first saw her name Lauren King, I immediately thought of Tim King, who preaches in Laporte. And so I sent him a text about this video clip and how they needed to see it.

His wife is actually Leah King, but interesting, she has a sister named Lauren. So he was particularly interested in this video. In fact, he’s preaching on this tonight. I hear my good brother in Mauriceville is preaching on this tonight, among many other preachers who have seen the video this week. This is about two weeks old now. The male preacher who preaches at the Fourth Avenue Church said his church is a group that values women. So when Lipscomb called about Lauren King, who is a preaching major and needed this internship, they obliged. Now, Lauren’s dad is also a preacher. This is not about, let me always tell you what this is not about, first of all. This is not about valuing women. And that’s why I started where I did.

But since they were a church that valued women, they let her do this internship. Now let me give you some of the sound bites from this. And if you want to see the video on this, just Google it and you’ll find a YouTube video in two seconds. Here’s what Lauren said about her special day of preaching. The Lord made it very clear he wanted me to do youth ministry. Shortly thereafter, she said, the Lord also made it clear that I was to pick up a preaching emphasis. A lot of the ways I’ve been perceiving the Lord’s voice is having peace when I walk through open doors. If I have an unpeaceful heart, then that’s not really where I’m supposed to be. But if I’m in a place where I have peace about where I’m going, that’s the Lord telling me yes.

The gifts that I have are from the Lord.

That’s cool. Nancy Bauman, who is the minister of Administration, says, our church embraces lots of differences. We want to be a body of unity and embrace differences. Sometimes we don’t walk that out very comfortably. We stagger and stumble and trip over ourselves sometimes in that. But it’s just that part of being open to change. If that’s what Jesus is calling us to do, we’re ready to do it. But it’s a process. We’re a family learning how to do it better. And I would just add about that, it is a process away from the Lord’s instruction and pleasing him. Lauren goes on to say in her interview about her preaching experience that particular Sunday, there’s a movement coming. And I’m just honored and humbled that I got to even do what I got to do this morning.

Someone encourages her from the group from the tribe, saying, My mom had the same gifts you have, but she didn’t get to use them. Then they show a clip of her actually preaching. Quoting Ephesians 4 and verse 3, make every effort to keep the unity of the faith in the bond of peace. And she then says, when God calls us to be united, are you with me? When God calls us to be united, why is it that other people who believe in God get in our way? I would love to see, okay, you prefer to worship this way, and you get to know the Lord this way, and you serve him better over here. Awesome. And you serve the Lord better over here, and you get to know him better this way, and you worship in this scenario.

Awesome. Let’s just respect each other and be unified with the fact that we love the Lord. That doesn’t mean we take away everything we’ve ever done in our traditions. Preaching about what is taking place in her tribe. Unity in this congregation because of what is taking place right now, she says, as a group of people that can see this and feel this and embrace this Sunday and be excited. I also want to encourage us to be unified with the people who might not want to be here this Sunday morning. That’s okay. We’re all believing in the same God. Now, what I get from that statement is that some people didn’t come as a result of her preaching. Now, the regular minister is interviewed later, and he claims, I do not believe that Paul in two passages was trying to undo the rest of Scripture.

I believe he was addressing a temporary issue in Corinth and Ephesus. He wasn’t trying to make rules for all people of all time. The Bible tells me about Jesus. I don’t read Jesus through Paul, but read Paul through Jesus. We no longer read all of the Bible as equal. Let’s read it through Jesus. Finally, Lauren says about a girl generically. This girl is talented and gifted. She should be able to use it. This is what I’m going to do. These are the gifts you’ve given me. And here I go. It doesn’t matter what gender you are. The Lord has given you a gift. You are allowed to use it to glorify God. You are called to use it to glorify God. And then she likens it to Abraham being told to go and kill his son, though it was murder.

I’m following you. I’m going to do what you say. She says.

1. Not About the Suppression of Women

A decade or more that I knew this day was coming. Well, this day is here among those of more of a more progressive mindset, and progressive isn’t a positive thing, a progressive mindset among us. Now, I don’t want you to notice that Lauren mentioned a movement that’s coming and being a part of such a movement. And so there is at least in her mind a growing, swelling acceptance of this coming among those that we might call our brethren. Okay. Now for what I’m about to say. What I’m about to say is not about the suppression of women. I want women to do everything that God, by his scripture, by his teaching to us allows a woman to do. This is not about a second tier standing in the kingdom of God.

I believe Paul, when he said that in Christ, there is neither male nor female, Jew nor Gentile, bond nor free. We are all one in Christ Jesus. I’m not on a better footing with God because I’m male versus female.

2. Not About the Talents or Abilities of Women

Theirs is not an inferior position in the kingdom. And because I believe the scriptures do not permit a woman to do what I’m doing tonight does not mean that they do have a second tier status in the kingdom. So that’s number one. Number two, I want to talk about the talents or abilities of women. Do I think that a woman could get in a pulpit and deliver a meaningful, understandable, persuasive message about the gospel of Christ? My answer to that question is absolutely yes. And I know that there’s some women in this audience who were who are actually capable of that. I’m gonna put Laura Harkreter on the spot because I know she could do it. Alyssa could do it. And I thought of Amy too.

Amy Wiggington, I know she could do it, and probably several others. But it’s interesting. Amy knew I was preaching on this tonight, and she brought me this little fortune that she had, I guess, in the last day or two. You will be recognized as a leader. Interesting timing on the fortune. So this is not about the talents or abilities of a woman. Because in many ways the talent of women can exceed that of men in certain spheres for sure. So what is this really all about? Why not women preachers? And the issue is really this the proper handling of biblical instruction. If we trust this document at all as coming from God, and that this is his truth that he has given us to guide us, then this document that comes to us, this new covenant in particular, to which we’ll be held accountable and amenable on the day of judgment, does not allow it.

3. A Body of Unity That Embraces Differences?

Now, the reason why I gave you all of those sound bites is because I want to address some of the thinking there. I want to come back to something. Now I can’t address everything that nine minute video says, or even everything that I’ve quoted necessarily, or do it the kind of justice that I want to do. But I want to come back first of all to this body of unity that embraces differences concept. We’re a body of unity that embraces differences. How far are you going to go with that? What about let’s not make this just about gender, let’s make this about sexual preference? How far are we going to go with that? Are we going to embrace homosexuality on the same basis? Because we’re a body that embraces differences.

Paul was not encouraging the embracing of differences when it comes to doctrinal matters when he says in 1 Corinthians 1 and verse 10, as he was addressing a lot of different doctrinal concerns in Corinth, and Tom pointed one out in 1 Corinthians 11, the Lord’s Supper this morning. And what did he say at the very beginning of that when he heard that there were divisions among them? Just embrace the differences. That’s not what he said. He said, speak the same mind. Speak the same things, be of the same mind and the same judgment. Going back to something Lauren said in her application of Ephesians 4 and verse 3, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace, when God calls us to be united, she asks, why is it that other people who believe in God get in our way?

And I went slowly through that because I want you to get that. Because that says a ton about how many people regard unity. We’re supposed to be a people of unity. And I want to do this. And so you ought to go along with it. And so I’ll tell you what this boils down to. It’s a unity on my terms. If I want to do it, you need to embrace it. And if you’re not willing to embrace it or go along with what I think is okay to do, then you’re really not a person that’s interested in unity. You see, it’s a unity on my terms. There’s no giving on my side. The fact is, I want to do this, and we get to do it my way, or we don’t have unity, and you’re the problem.

How many people speak so glowingly of unity? As long as that involves approval of what I want to do. And you know, we’ve just talked about dioptrophies on Sunday morning recently. And really, that’s the same, that’s the same argument. Diocrates is saying about John the Apostle, you’re getting in my way. John, you’re getting in my way. I don’t accept what you say. I’m going to reject your letters. How is that working? The false apostles influencing the Corinthians and the churches of Galatia. We’re telling them, Paul is getting in your way. Reject Paul. And Paul says, you bear with him beautifully if he slaps you in the face. These deceitful workers, these false apostles who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder because Satan transforms himself into angels of light.

And here they are casting Paul aside because he won’t go along with the doctrine that these people want to espouse and promote in Corinth. And so they’ve got to make a choice. Is it going to be Paul, so rigid over here, or these workers who are allowing them to do immoral things? Condoning things that the instruction of the apostle would not allow. So Paul’s getting in the way. Paul, you need to get on board with what we want to do. Who hindered you? Paul tells the Galatians. You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? You see, you’ve got to come back to the standard. You were doing well. Somebody has hindered you. Who has bewitched you, oh foolish Galatians? Galatians chapter 3 and verse 1.

4. I Have a Gift, I Ought to Use It

So I ask, what could possibly be wrong with sweet, cute, talented, articulate Lauren exercising her God-given gift and calling. How could I stand in the way of that? Now I want to tell you, if we’re going to approach it like this, I have a gift, I ought to be allowed to use it. Instrumental music is coming. Oh, I know it already has, but it’s coming to this place. Because somebody says, I’m a very gifted pianist. And it doesn’t just stop with a piano, does it? If you bring in one instrument of music, well, why not a guitar? And I’m a very gifted guitarist. And before you know it, you have an entire band, and that’s what’s happening. What started as one instrument in the 1800s has now proliferated into bands and rock concerts in the name of Christianity, and everybody who has a gift is exercising it.

Now just take that mentality even further. I’ve often used this illustration when we lived in Beaumont, my good friend there, Greg Chesser, who’s now one of the elders, played football for Mauriceville, and he was a field goal kicker and he was good at it. Well, let’s kick field goals for the Lord. Let’s put up a goalpost in the back of the auditorium and let Greg kick field goals every time. That’s his talent. And he can’t, every time he kicks a field goal, we all say amen or praise the Lord. You know, where do you go with this? I have a talent. I ought to be able to use it. The bottom line is that the scriptures do not approve of the practice. And I take you to 1 Timothy chapter 2.

5. Paul Is Not Undoing the Rest of the Scriptures

Is Paul undoing, as the regular minister said, Paul is undoing the rest of the scriptures by a couple of well, what are the rest of the scriptures saying, first of all, but how is Paul undoing the rest of the scriptures? Look at 1 Timothy chapter 2 when he addresses women specifically in relation to how they present themselves modestly, beginning in verse 9, and talks about her inward beauty in those verses. And then in verse 11. Let a woman quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. Well, now, if we’re going to take Paul, that’s Paul saying I there. So Paul is expressing opinion, they would say, and we can’t read Jesus through Paul.

We’ve got to read Paul through Jesus. Okay, so we’re going to have to question what he says here. Maybe this is just a temporary thing, a local thing based on custom. But that’s not what he says. Notice what follows.

He’s not talking about some cultural condition when he prescribes that males are to lead in an assembly. And that a woman is not to teach over a man, but to learn in quietness. It goes back to the very beginning. And he says two things. Adam was first created. We’ve got birth order. Eve was made as a helper for him. And secondly, it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being quite deceived, fell into transgression. And so we say, whoa, wait a minute. Adam disobeyed too. Yes, he did. But what you see, and what I believe Paul is referring to here is a reversal of roles. Eve is led into transgression, and she leads her husband into transgression. And role reversal led to the consequences of sin that God utters in Genesis chapter 3.

What happens as a result? Going back to Genesis chapter 3 and verse 16. To the woman he said, I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth. In pain shall you bring forth children, yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you. From the very beginning, when sin entered into the world, God established roles for the man and the woman, and headship and leadership was given to man in Genesis chapter 3. And that’s what you see playing out throughout the rest of Scripture. And that’s what Paul refers to, and that’s why he says in verse 15 of 1 Timothy 2, but women shall be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint. There’s a lot that could be said about that verse.

But what I want you to notice is that the focus of the woman is her home. You can’t argue that’s what Paul is not saying in 1 Timothy 2 and verse 15. That’s what he’s saying. He’s not forbidding her to ever leave the home or to be a slave in the home, but that’s her emphasis. That’s her focus. That’s her realm, the role that God wanted her to play. And so Paul makes these roles very clear. What about that other passage? 1 Corinthians 14, 34 and 35. We’ve studied it just recently. And let me just say, Paul commended those women in Romans 16, not for their leadership, but for their service. And that’s an interesting point, too. But in the assembly of 1 Corinthians chapter 14, he does not allow women to speak to the assembly.

After he is already regulated, who can and cannot speak in an assembly of spiritual gifts. And I find it interesting that even in that context, you have an answer to some of the argumentation that was used. I have this gift, I ought to be able to use it. That’s what the Corinthians are saying. I have a gift, I ought to be able to use it. He says, No, two or three at the most, and after that, you’re done. Even if you had the gift, you have a gift that you cannot exercise in the assembly for decency and order’s sake. And women are not allowed to address the assembly, but if they want to know anything, let them ask their husbands at home. Again, that passage requires a lot more explanation, and we’ve studied it on other occasions.

But just to show you that even in the context of 1 Corinthians 14, that is consistent with what Paul has said in other places, with what Genesis 3 is telling us about leadership, and what we see throughout the rest of Scripture. He also references this in 1 Corinthians 11 and verse 3 in regard to these leadership roles. Now, the whole business about reading Jesus through Paul or Paul through Jesus, I’d say that’s an old argument. That’s an old argument. It’s called the gospel doctrine distinction. And what that does is saying, well, we only have to agree on what’s in the gospel narratives. That’s mostly about Jesus when he lived on the earth. And the instruction that follows in the epistles, not nearly as significant, and you can sort of set that aside if you think it’s in conflict.

Now, first of all, Jesus and Paul are not in conflict. In fact, Jesus commissioned his apostles to be his ambassadors and to speak on his behalf through the Holy Spirit, who would guide them into all truth. John 16 and verse 13 says. There’s no conflict between Jesus and Paul or Jesus and any of the apostles. And what this means is because Jesus didn’t legislate a lot of the specifics, and how could he? Because the church has not yet been established. Jesus speaks about principles of righteousness, the kinds of attitudes of heart that people should have to prepare them for the coming of his church and his kingdom. And Paul and Peter and the apostles are fleshing that out in the epistles. And just because Jesus didn’t address these kinds of issues, he commissioned his apostles to address them.

And they’re not on opposing sides. And that’s what people want to do. They want to bring Jesus in conflict with Paul. And well, since Jesus didn’t address the role of the woman specifically, like Paul did in a way that we don’t like, then we’ll stick with Jesus, not with Paul. And that ignores things that Jesus said about how things were going to work in his kingdom. And remember what Peter said. You know, we did not follow cleverly devised tales, but we were moved by the Holy Spirit, and we spoke from God. And yes, Paul did say a few things by concession and not commandment, but he was very clear about what those things were. In 1 Corinthians 7, like in light of the present distress, it’s better not to marry, but he wasn’t forbidding it.

6. The Problem With the Cultural Limitation Argument

And so he spoke that by way of concession, not of commandment. But later on in 1 Corinthians, he said, The things I write to you are the commandments of the Lord. 1 Corinthians 14 and verse 37. Okay, so as we go on about this and look at a few minor things here under this point, let me talk to you briefly about the problem with the cultural limitation argument. Once you go down that path that Paul is just addressing culture of the first century, doesn’t pertain to 21st century culture. We’re far more enlightened. That’s an arrogant approach, first of all. We’re far more enlightened, and we’ve come such a long way in our treatment of women, therefore women should be allowed to preach, and we can just set that aside because that was a cultural thing.

The first century. Once you go down the culturally limited path, how far are you going to go with that? We could argue that their problem with instrumental music was just the cultural limitation of the first century. And introduce that on that basis. In fact, you can go the same way with homosexuality, as I’ve already mentioned. Because we’re more enlightened in the 21st century. There’s no end to that. Are there passages that are limited by culture or by a limited audience that was to receive the message? Absolutely. The apostles are told things that don’t apply to me. I’m not binding on earth what has been bound in heaven. That was the apostles’ responsibility.

But that comes from reading and understanding scripture and asking all the questions we’re supposed to ask. Who, what, when, why, and where? Who were these things told to? What was the situation? Who did he intend them for? We’re supposed to ask those questions. We do that on passages without even thinking about. For example, is Job’s wife being given as an example to follow? What do you know about Job’s wife? She said what? Curse God and die. So is she being set forth as an example? Are we supposed to follow her words? Because it’s in scripture. Well, obviously not. We understand contextually that’s not an approved statement. It’s not consistent with the rest of it. It’s an example of what not to do. It’s an example of part of Job’s pain.

And so you have to ask all those questions when you’re reading. And so, yeah, we come to some things in the New Testament that are obviously limited by culture. Foot washing. The holy kiss.

Even the woman’s covering in Corinth. But there are textual clues that let us know that this is limited by culture. Especially when there are no specifics given in regard to the practice of those things. If somebody said, Well, we see footwashing in the Bible, so we need to start doing that, okay? To follow the command of God, how often? When? Where? Tonight was somebody supposed to be at the door washing everybody’s feet. Hmm. I got a lot of questions. And anointing people with oil. How long has it been since you’ve seen anybody anointed with oil? I gotta tell you, I don’t even know what that practice was. I don’t know what kind of oil they use. Whether they use casper oil or sunflower oil. What was it?

I don’t know. The Bible doesn’t give us any specifics about that. Obviously, it’s relating a cultural thing that they did. And how that pertains to greeting one another with a holy kiss as well. So, yes, there are obviously some things in the New Testament limited by culture, and I believe the woman’s covering in 1 Corinthians 11 is another one of those things. But again, there are clues in Scripture that suggest when that is to be understood. And they’re not impossible to ascertain, but if we just come along and say, well, hey no, I really don’t like what Paul said about the role of women, and that’s just culture. Again, we could do that with all of Scripture. We could do that with the Lord’s Supper. We could do that with the nature of worship.

We could do that with any moral thing we wanted to discard. Doesn’t matter what gender you are. And again, somebody’s going to say it doesn’t matter what sexual orientation you are. So what textual clues affirm a cultural limitation? When you have a limited audience, that’s obvious in Scripture. And when it’s obviously cultural, or you don’t have sufficient information to even know what a practice was. But that doesn’t pertain to 1 Timothy chapter 2, where Paul roots this all the way to the very beginning of time. When sin was entered. And furthermore, flowing from Genesis chapter 3, male leadership is clearly and consistently advanced in Scripture. How can we not see that? Were there any women who served as apostles? Why not? Why not? When somebody needed to replace Judas, he said, look out for men who meet these qualifications in Acts chapter 1 and verse 21.

Who served as elders? Qualifications for deacons. Male leadership is consistently advanced in Acts chapter 6 when they needed someone even to take care of widows. If there was ever a perfect opportunity, women taking care of women, you’re thinking, I’m thinking. But if they needed someone in an official capacity to be responsible for the care of the widows, what did they do? Look out for it from among you seven men. And it’s not that women couldn’t do the job or were not capable of doing the job. It was not that women did not assist the men who were responsible for getting the job done. But we consistently see the principle of male leadership among the Lord’s people. And then we have Paul’s instruction on top of that.

Well, why? Again, I would not argue that a woman is incapable of doing so. That she’s not smart or wise enough, nor diligent or caring enough. In fact, by nature, she is probably more nurturing. Does it have anything to do with the woman’s nature and that she styled the weaker vessel in 1 Peter 3 and verse 7? I don’t know that either. Perhaps. Perhaps since women are more emotionally based. Now I know that’s a generalization. I know of some men that are very emotionally based. And all even men have some emotion, yes. But I don’t know that’s the reason either. I don’t know all of God’s, I don’t know all of God’s wisdom that pertains to this. I just know what the instruction is. You know, I don’t have to be able to explain God to everybody why he chooses to.

Why did he choose baptism? I think there’s some tremendous wisdom in it from what I can see in scripture. But as to all of God’s wisdom, I don’t know. He doesn’t say, look, I want you to sit in judgment of my wisdom all throughout Scripture. But we are told God is all wise and his understanding is infinite. So who am I to question it? This is the way he wants it. And we have to respect it whether we like it or not.

Conclusion

And this really bothers me, and I want to conclude with this. I know it’s okay if I walk through the door and I have peace in my heart. That really scares me. Especially when I read the heart is deceitfully sick above all else. Who can understand it? Especially when I read of a time when everyone was doing what was right in his own eyes. And there was no God in Israel. And when I read, there is a way that seems right unto a man, but the ends thereof are the ways of death. My heart is saying me, this path is right. And the wise writer says, But that path leads to death. But I felt so good about it. You see, these scriptures are warning us about this very kind of an approach to approving of things.

And then I thought about what about this? We must all stand before the judgment seat of Christ to receive the things done in our body, whether those things are good or bad. Hmm. That’s pretty simple, isn’t it? Wonder what standard we’re going to use. Hmm. I think we have a pretty good outline here of what is good and bad. And we’re going to be measured by this. So I don’t tell you, it gives me. It gives me peace in my heart. When I walk through the door, it gives me, it gives me peace through heart that I’m going to overthrow the elders and take control of this church. It gives me peace in my heart. So you need to go along if you really love unity.

You go, well, I’m going to take over control. Now, you know what I said about elderships and control. I’m just using it as an illustration. Being an elder is not all about exercising control. But I’ll tell you what else we’re going to do. I’m going to take control of the treasury because I’m a preacher, and a lot of places the preacher is a pastor. And I’m going to determine my income, and all of a sudden I’m making over six figures. Because I have peace in my heart about that. Now, doesn’t this get comical? And I’ll tell you what, people don’t really like coming to services three times a week. You’re excluded from that statement because I know you enjoy it. But so we’re just going to cancel, we’re only going to do one service a week, and we’re only going to take the Lord’s Supper once a month.

I feel good about it. It gives me peace in my heart. You see where this goes? Whose heart do you trust? Whose peace? Whose peace are you going to trust? Lawrence? Mine? Anyone else who wants to set aside the instruction of Scripture? She doesn’t see how dangerous this kind of reasoning. But if you take this kind of reasoning to its logical conclusion, you justify anything you want to feel good about. The homosexual is saying, I have peace about this. That’s what he’s saying or she’s saying. So whose peace can you trust? The unity God wants is upon the basis of faith. Did you catch that? The unity of the Spirit. She called the unity of the faith. Maybe some translation reads that unity of the faith, unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

What does the Spirit have to say about unity? He goes on in Ephesians 4 to talk about one Lord, one faith. One baptism. What is the name? And when Jesus prayed about unity in John 17, that his disciples may be one, he said, as I and the Father are one, he says, sanctify them in the truth. Set them apart as they observe my truth, sanctify them in the truth. Thy word is truth. That is the basis of unity. When Jesus prayed about unity, it was all about his people following his word and his truth. That’s what Jesus prayed. Unity requires endeavoring, Ephesians 4.3, because of just these kinds of things. Because people have weaknesses. Sometimes people draw wrong conclusions. And sometimes there is conflict about wrong conclusions that have to be resolved and attempted to be resolved with great diligence.

But it can be discovered and maintained and enjoyed by agreeing to follow the instruction of Scripture. Sadly, there will be many people on the day of judgment who were fully at peace in their hearts with the lies that they were leading. Who will find out that they had not submitted to the righteousness of God. And that’s what the scriptures call us to. And Jesus said, God’s serious about righteousness, about doing what’s right. That’s a big word, but that’s really all it means about doing what’s right. And unless your righteousness exceeds these religious people, the scribes and the Pharisees, he said, you’ll not enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5, 19 and 20. We need to care about what is right above what we feel, above what gets gives us peace, and above what we might like to do.

I feel very peaceful about where I am. But Saul of Tarsus was told to arise and be baptized and wash away your sins. Acts 22 and verse 16. And that’s where the walk of the Christian begins. The walk of submission and service and all the blessings that accompany it. And that’s what we invite you to embrace if you need to respond while we stand and sing.