23-0709a - Detailed Summary

The speaker greets the visitors, making them feel welcome.

The speaker introduces his lesson on pleasing God, using an anecdote about a sister in Christ who responded sharply when asked how she was doing, highlighting human tendencies to please self rather than God.

He elaborates on the straightforwardness of God’s will versus the changing nature of human desires and rules, asserting it’s easier to please God because His expectations do not change.

The speaker discusses actions and attitudes that displease God, starting with Proverbs 6:16-19, listing seven things that are an abomination to God, including pride, lying, murder, wicked schemes, eagerness for evil, false testimony, and sowing discord among brethren. He further elaborates with references from Proverbs and the New Testament, detailing sins like adultery, idolatry, and others that keep one from inheriting the kingdom of God.

He introduces the concept of vain worship, using the example of Cain and Abel to show that not all worship pleases God. He then critiques the Pharisees for their focus on tradition over God’s commandments, particularly in how they circumvented the duty to care for parents by declaring financial support as a "gift to God."

The speaker shifts to discuss what pleases God, emphasizing obedience to parents as a commandment that pleases God (Colossians 3:20, Ephesians 6:1-3). He also addresses the responsibility of parents not to provoke their children but to raise them in the Lord (Ephesians 6:4), advocating for a balance in teaching and discipline.

The speaker clarifies that children should obey their parents as long as the command does not conflict with God’s laws, using the example of not obeying a parent who instructs to steal.

He underscores that it is the responsibility of parents, not schools, to train children according to Proverbs, emphasizing that training involves active teaching, not just passive exposure.

The speaker expresses concern about inappropriate content in schools, citing an example of an 11-year-old reading smut in school. He parallels this with his own disgust at encountering profanity in literature meant for adults, highlighting the inappropriateness for young children.

He discusses an incident where a parent was silenced by a school board for protesting against certain school materials. He criticizes the irony of schools potentially banning the Bible for its content while allowing access to materials he considers morally corrupt for children.

The speaker supports parents who speak out against school content, applauding their efforts. He reiterates that it’s the parents' responsibility to guide their children’s moral education, not the schools'.

He poses the question to the audience about whether they choose to please God or themselves, framing it as a choice between serving God or the world.

The speaker concludes with an invitation to the congregation to please God in their actions, to come to Him, and to acknowledge and confess their mistakes for forgiveness. He extends an open call to respond to the gospel, whether it’s to put on Christ or to address personal needs, while the congregation stands and sings.