24-1106wc Transcript

Teacher: Mike Mathis

(0:03) I’m having the lesson this week as I did last week because time is working. (0:15) Last week we began a talk about two persons. (0:25) And last week we discussed the person.

(0:33) You need to mute your phone. (0:39) Last week we discussed the person from the musical world. (0:45) Tonight we will talk about one from the sports world.

(0:54) Now, I am not much of a sports buff, but as I was on the YouTube homepage, (1:03) videos would appear talking about one who was shattering records and making records. (1:13) At first I ignored the videos. (1:17) However, being curious, I clicked on one of the videos.

(1:22) It was telling about a young rookie on a basketball team in the Women’s National Basketball Association named Caitlin, spelled C-A-I-T-L-I-N, Clark. (1:48) She had joined the league this past season. (1:54) She was with the team Indiana Fever.

(1:59) This rookie, as I said, shattered records and made records on her own. (2:09) Fans packed places just to watch Caitlin Clark. (2:14) She helped bring the team Indian Fever to the playoffs.

(2:22) But the team was swept out of the opening series, which meant Caitlin would not be on the championship games. (2:35) Her fans showed their disdain for the WNBA by boycotting the playoffs and the championship games. (2:52) But I’m not going to dwell on the sports part of it.

(3:01) I want to notice things that are away from the basketball court that is worthy of notice concerning Caitlin. (3:17) It would seem after the game, she went to her fans, mostly young fans, while the rest of the team went to the locker rooms. (3:40) She autographed shoes and or jerseys, so she would spend time with her fans.

(3:53) She had a humble spirit when talking to reporters. (4:00) One, she wanted the reporters to ask questions of one of her teammates that was sitting with her as the reporters were asking her questions. (4:22) She wanted them to ask her teammates questions and not be the one who answered all their questions.

(4:39) And she showed an humble spirit when she interacted with her fans. (4:46) She showed a video where she was at a hospital. (4:54) She visited this hospital.

(4:59) There were these people that she would visit of her fans. (5:09) One seemed to be dying. (5:13) Another little girl was taught how to dribble.

(5:23) She held and autographed a newborn baby a few days old. (5:32) Now I know that she’s not the only one of these celebrities that visits people. (5:46) I know others do.

(5:50) They showed more of her than any of the WNBA. (6:01) It seemed like all the rest of the WNBA wanted to do was play the games and just get out. (6:16) But you know, Matthew 25, starting with verse 31, says, (6:30) When the sign of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory.

(6:44) All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. (6:58) And he will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. (7:05) Then the king will say to those on his right hand, (7:10) Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

(7:22) For I was hungry, and you gave me food. (7:25) I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. (7:30) I was a stranger, and you took me in.

(7:33) I was naked, and you clothed me. (7:36) I was sick, and you visited me. (7:39) I was in prison, and you came to me.

(7:43) Then the righteous will answer, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you, and thirsty, and give you drink? (7:54) When did we see you a stranger, and take you in, or naked, and clothed you? (8:01) Or when did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you? (8:08) And the king will answer and say to them, (8:12) Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me. (8:25) Then he will also say to those on the left hand, (8:31) Depart from me, you cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. (8:41) For I was hungry, and you gave me no food.

(8:46) I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink. (8:49) I was a stranger, and you did not take me in. (8:54) Naked, and you did not clothe me.

(8:57) Sick, and in prison, and you did not visit me. (9:03) Then they also will answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to you? (9:21) Then he answered them, saying, Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me. (9:36) And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into everlasting life.

(9:47) But now, now from this, we read that those that did these things, that took care of those that needed help, (10:04) that when they were hungry, or sick, or a stranger, that they did these good things to them, that they were told to enter into the joys of life. (10:23) To enter in, you know, to the place that was prepared for them, and that they would, inasmuch as you did it to the least of these, my brethren, you did it to me. (10:45) But when people will look at this and think that, well, I’ve been good, I’ve done this, I’ve done that, I’ve helped this person, and this, thinking that these good things is the only thing that saves these good works.

(11:15) But we read in Acts 10 about a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius. (11:28) He was a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment. (11:35) He was a Gentile, and he did good things.

(11:41) He was a devout man, and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. (11:58) And it was about the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, Cornelius. (12:13) And when he had observed him, he was afraid and said, What is it, Lord? (12:22) Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God.

(12:31) Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon, whose surname is Peter. (12:41) He is lodging with Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea. (12:46) He will tell you what you must do.

(12:51) Now, in the 11th chapter of Acts, this is after he had gone to Cornelius and taken with him some Jewish brethren with him. (13:15) And he was called and questioned about going in to the Gentiles. (13:26) And so Peter was telling him what happened.

(13:34) And he said in verse 12 of chapter 11 of Acts, (13:56) Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. (14:02) Moreover, these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. (14:09) And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in the house, who said to him, (14:19) Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter, (14:26) who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved.

(14:36) So it was necessary that Cornelius did more than giving alms and believing in God and praying to God always. (14:59) These were good things, but he needed the blood of Christ to cleanse him. (15:08) He needed to hear words that would cause him, that would lead him to be saved.

(15:18) And we know that it takes more than just good works to save us. (15:27) Many times people get the idea that many from the Church of Christ teach a work-based salvation, (15:41) instead of a faith-based salvation, that it is according to faith. (15:50) And that faith leads us to be obedient.

(15:54) But then they will say, Oh, that’s works. (16:00) But believing is a work. (16:04) As Jesus said, when the people asked him what work that they could do, (16:14) he said, This is the work that you believe in God.

(16:19) And so believing is a work, because if it’s truly according to the Scriptures, according to what we need to do, (16:38) it will lead us to obey what we need to do, just like Cornelius. (16:50) While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. (17:00) Those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, (17:08) because of the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also, (17:17) for they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.

(17:23) Then Peter answered, Can anyone forbid water, (17:29) that these should not be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit, just as we have, (17:37) and he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. (17:48) So when we truly believe, we will be led to be baptized in the name of the Lord for the remission of sins. (18:04) And that is what Cornelius heard.

(18:07) Peter preached to them and taught them how Jesus came to save, to forgive people. (18:20) And so this is how salvation will come, how the blood of Christ can be applied. (18:33) And yes, good works we are to do in life as we are made available to do them, (18:51) but they alone do not help, but they alone do not save.

(18:59) It is the blood of Christ that will save. (19:02) And so we need to realize that, you know, I don’t know what Caitlin Clark’s religion is, (19:17) but she was doing good deeds and she had a humble spirit. (19:25) Only if she knew the truth and was obeying that truth, then that would have been a wonderful thing.

(19:37) But let us know that we need to obey what God has said. (19:49) And as Ephesians 2,11 says it, that we were created in Christ Jesus for good works. (20:00) And so let us remember these things.

(20:05) And if there isn’t anything else, I will now lead us in the word of closing prayer. (20:16) Father in heaven, we are thankful for this hour of study. (20:23) We pray, oh Father, that what we have studied this hour has been something that we need to hear, (20:36) something that needs to be looked at.

(20:40) We pray that it will help us to apply it to our hearts and our everyday lives. (20:49) Again, we pray for Joe and my sister in West Virginia. (21:00) In the last hours, we pray that you’ll be with the family.

(21:07) And Father, we pray that they will be strong as you know how to give them strength. (21:17) Father in heaven, we pray that you will be with us as we depart. (21:27) And we, oh Father, want to close out this day being thankful to you for all the many blessings that you give us, (21:39) and you continue to give us.

(21:42) May we be your children, that we can call you our Father. (21:49) This is our prayer and our thanks, in the name of Christ our Redeemer. (21:54) Amen.