VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: IGNORANCE IS NOT BLISS: Ignoring Instructions

This Sermon, Brethren

Is Like No Other You'll Hear

And 
I Desire For Us All To Pay Close Attention:

Follow Almighty God's Commandments Always

And

To The Letter

And

Live Humbly In Godly Fear!

That's Nothing New!

I've Heard That All My Life!

In That Case, Big Mike

Since You Have Life-Long Experience

Come On Up Here With Me

And 
We'll Run An Experiment

For A Visual Aid To Bless Everybody!

Big Mike, Do You Like Garlic!?!

Of Course! Who Doesn't!?!

As A Matter Of Fact

I Take Two Garlic Capsules Every Day Without Fail!

Did You Take Your Capsules Today!?!

As You Well Know, Pastor Mac

Because I Told You When You Picked Me Up

I Was Running Late

And I Put Them In My Pocket For Later When We Eat!

I Have A Glass Of Water On The Lectern!

Would You Take Your Garlic Capsules 
Right Now ... In Our Presence!?!

No!

Would You Care To Tell Us 
Why You Won't Take The Garlic Capsules!?!

I Won't Take Them Now

Because The Instructions Clearly State:

Take With Food To Avoid Upset Stomach!

Sounds Reasonable!

Do You Always Follow Instructions!?!

By God's Grace, I Valiantly Try To Do So!?!

That's Fantastic, Isn't It, Brethren!?!

AMEN!!!

May I Encourage You To Not Follow 

The Instructions Aka The Rules

Aka The Commandments 
For Taking Your Garlic Capsules!?!

No!

What If I, Your Beloved Pastor

And 
Trusted, Lifelong, Friend

Your Brother By Faith

By Blood

And

By Affection

Were To Tell You That

I Also Take Garlic Capsules!?! 

I'd Say, Smart Man!

What If I Say I Take Garlic Capsules

On An Empty Stomach

And 
With No Ill-Effects!?!

I'd Say Good For You! 

I'd Say Prove It!

This Is Very Good, Brethren!

We Have Two Opinions:

The World And The Church

The Believer And The Doubter

The Right And The Wrong 

The Good And The Bad

Covering The Sinner And The Saint!

Big Mike, As We Discussed Prior

And 
To Open The Eyes Of The People Of God Today

How About We Both Take Our Daily Garlic Capsules

Just To See What Will Happen

To Those Who Dare To Ignore Instructions

Reject Rules

And

Defy Commandments!

Are You Game!?!

Against My Better Judgment

But All For A Good Cause

And Because It Won't Kill Me

I'm In The Game!

Brethren, 

Observe Carefully!

Big Mike, Do I Have Garlic Capsules In My Hand!?!

They Sure Smell Like My Garlic Capsules

That I Have In My Hand!

Very Good!

The Clock On The Wall Says It's 11:45 p.m.

Let's Give This Experiment Fifteen Minutes To Play Out!

Anybody Have Any Crackers ... Just In Case!?!

Lacey Macy Always Has Crackers!

I Sure Do!

Then We're Set!

Bottoms Up, Big Mike!

Likewise, Pastor Mac!

Not Even Five Minutes Later ... 

Lord Jesus, Help Me!

You Alright There, Big Mike!?!

No, Pastor Mac!

My Skin Is Going Clammy

And It Feels Like Someone 

Is Ripping Through My Stomach With A Hacksaw

And My Whole Body Feels ... Feels 
Feels Like It Is Electrified ... On Alert!

Aren't You Feeling Anything!?!

Not At All!

I Don't Understand Why Not! 

You Must Have A Cast-Iron Stomach!

Not Really!

I Had A Sandwich During The Five Minute Break!

But You Said You Take Yours On An Empty Stomach!

I Most Certainly Did Not!

The Congregation Gasped!

But, But ...!

... I Said: What If I Say ...!

Uhhhh, Uhhhhh, Ooooo, Mama! 

... You Alright, Big Brother!

I Feel Like I'm Dying!

Lord, Help Me ... The Pain! 

Sister Lacey, Bring Those Crackers Now, Please!

Here You Go, Big Mike!

Chew, Brother! Chew!

After The Conclusion Of The Experiment ... 

Brethren, 

As You All Observed 

Temptation To Sin Can Even Come

From A Silken Cord Of Affection 
Aka The Hand Of Blood Brethren!

As You Also Observed

Nuanced Speech And Outright Lies

Cause Us To Yield Common Sense

And

To Disobey

And 
To Fall Into Satan's Traps!

You Also Observed That Rules, Instructions 

From Manufacturers, From Parents
Our Teachers, Our Civil Rules

The Commandments From Our God Holy

Are Not Put In Place To Make Us Miserable

To Deny Us Pleasure

To Lord It Over Us!

They Are There For Safety 
Comfort And Protection!

Big Mike, My Beloved Brother, 

Thank You For Participating: 
Sorry For You Pain, Your Trauma!

Is There Anything You'd Like To Say To Us!?!

First, Pastor Mac, Lil' Brother

In The Hour Of My Distress 

I Seriously Wanted To Hurt You Profoundly!

You Lied To Me!

I Apologize For Not Disclosing The Whole Plan!

Brethren, 

I Know The Rules!

I Was Fully Informed Of The Risks And The Rewards!

I Also Knew, In Advance

The Penalty For Disobedience!

I Paid The Price!
Foolishness Is Not Common Sense In Any Language!

Let Me Tell You

Almost Instantly Upon Taking My

Not The ... My Garlic Capsules

I Felt When They Hit My Empty Stomach!

I Felt ... The Change

And I Then Felt 
When They Fully Bloomed In My Stomach!

The Pain, The Upset
The Trauma To My Innards
Was, Is, Unbelievable ... Pastor Mac ...!

... I Understand! 

I'll Take It From Here! 

Brethren, 

Let This Be A Lesson To Us All! 

This Is What Sin Does! 

Temptation Is What Satan Proffers! 

This Is What Disobedience Works In Our Hearts! 

Do Not Play Games With Your Soul! 

Big Mike Is Going To Feel Pretty Poorly For A While!
He Is Going To Know ... Fully
The Cost Of His Disobedience!

Silken Cords Tie Us Up Tighter
Tighter Than A Ship's Anchor Rope
Because
They Are Smoother, Nearer, Softer
And
We Like, Love, Admire, Appreciate
That To Which They Are Attached!

Silken Cords ... Unchecked
Will Cut Us Off From Freedom
From Good Health
And
They Can Kill!

What We Have Witnessed Today Is Minor
In Comparison To What Sin Does To Us!
We Know When We Have Sinned!
We Feel When We Have Sinned!
We Suffer As A Result Of Our Sin
And
The After-Effects Of Our Sin
Are Of Long Duration
Even When We Confess And Repent
Of Our Known Sin!
Repentance Does Not Mean No Punishment!

The Sin Of Presumption
- Which This Was -
Can Lead To Deadly Outcomes
So Do Not Be Presumptuous!

Listen To This Closing Word

And

Know That We Cannot Hide From Our Maker:

It Takes An Enormous Amount Of 
Pride And Presumption ... Both Sins

For Mortal Beings To Believe That 
They Can Hide Anything That They Think
That They Did Or Are Doing 
From The Creator Of Us All! 

Who Makes It Knows It ...

Very Foolish Is The Builder Of The House That 

He Does Not Know How To Breach 
If He Is Locked Out! 

The Custom Watch-Maker Intimately Knows 
The Workings Of His Creations: 

Why Would The Creator God 
Know Less About Us, His Creatures!?! 

Do Not Be Presumptuous

Believing That You Are An Island

A Nation Unto Yourself

Impervious To Self-Destruction! 

Let's Us Be Ever Wise Unto Soul Salvation

And

With Contrite Hearts

Sorrowing Over Our Personal Sin
And
Desiring To Get Right With Our God

Humble Ourselves 

And

In The Time Appointed
The Lord Will Raise Us Up For Our Best Good 
And

For His Great Glory! 
When The Lord Says: 

"Don't Do It!

Thou Shalt Not ...!

Remember ...!

Keep ...!

Believe ...!

Don't Doubt ...!

Have Faith ...!

Trust ...!"

He Means It
Because
To Do Otherwise
Will Surely Cause Us Pain, Sorrow And Regret!

Please Do All To Walk In The Light Of Life

And

Do What's Right In The Eternal God's Sight! 

Let Us Endeavor ... By Willing Obedience

His Loving Heart

Always To Delight! 

AMEN!!! 

FREEDOM: The Shopping Spree!

I Was Invited To Free-Shop
And Thought To Myself:

Why Not?!

So I Took The Gee Train
To Olde Broadway
AND
Got Off 
At The Last Stop!

I Proceeded To Goode Time's Squared
AND
Joyously Went Wild
AND
For Things Off De Chaine
Hungry
I Shopped Quite A Lot
For A Long While!

Things Were Free
At The Penny Store
AND
At Know Scents
For Two Pounds
Not Dollars And No Cents
I Purchase Three Thrills
AND
Got Four Unwitting Spills
AND
Two Skinned Knees
For Free!

I Got A Giant Bottle Of Own-Way
AND
I Scored A Decanter Of Pay-For-Play
AND
I Had An All-You-Can-Eat
Now And Later Lunch
At Cheap Cash Chews And Forays!

I Danced Up A Storm
At Pop Rocks
AND
Bust A Rhyme
At Speak As Your Heart Is Inclined
Where After
I Fell To The Floor
Bumping My Head
Good And Hard
For Sure At
Go Low Low
AND
Score!

By The End Of My Shopping Spree
I Could Hardly Breathe
For
The Booty I Carried
Had Me Burdened For Sure
BUT
I Had Enjoyed The Excursion
AND
On The Customer Experience Survey
I Ticked Off That I Would Highly Recommend It
AND
Do It Myself Again
At Least
A Couple Couple Times More!

Well ...

Let Me Tell You
On The Way 
To Go Back To My Home
First ... I Couldn't Find The Gee Train
AND
When I Did
It Was Running On The See Line
AND
My Entrance Led Me To The Exit
For All The Common Core
AND
It Butted
AND
Bounded
On Wide Streets Weirdly Called
Hamster Wheel
AND
Perpetual Revolving Door!

By Now ...

I Was Tired
AND
Worried To Boot
AND
When I Reached Rabbit Warren
I Cried Out:

Oh,  Shoot!

For
A Distant Memory
Was Coming To The Fore
AND
At Its Explosion
I Knew I Was In Trouble For Real
For There Was For Me
At This Trying Time
Not A Single Visible
Open Door
AND
I  Became Trembly
AND
Turned Deathly Deathly Pale!

Oh, How I Did Hurt!
My Feet Felt Fat In Thin Man Shoes!
My Sore Eyes Burned Like I Was Salt-Water Swimming!
My Head Was Fair Spinning!
My Back Felt Ready To Break!
AND
My Heart In Fear Was Tripping
AND
My Hands Heavy
Were Surely Scraping The Floor
AND
My Mind In Total Turmoil
Startled
At The Harsh Sound
Of The Quiet Voice
Which
Oh, So Gently Said:

Lose That Load
Or You Will Be Forever Lost!

Who Are You?
Can You Help Me?
I Boarded The Wrong Train, I Think
AND
This Journey Is Proving
In My Nostrils 
To Be A Rank Stench!

I Want To Go Back
To The Beginning!
My Train Was On The Wrong Track
And I Feel Like I Am
Under Attack!

Dear One,
Calm Your Self!
Say A Prayer!
And Hear
And Do
Everything That I Say:

Lose The Load!
It Is Useless
For With It
You Will Never Get To Go Where
There Is Peace At Home!

Tell The Savior You Are Sorry
And Give Unto Him This Worry
And In His Great Compassion
He Will You Safely Carry!

Believe
And In Faith
Walk To The
The-Free Shop
Wherein You Will Find
Blessed Merchandise
From Him Who Is Ever Kind!

There Is

• Quiet Gentle Spirit
• Wisdom
• Knowledge
• Understanding
• Truth
• Light And Life
• Hope
• Help And Healing
• Strength For The Strife!

There's Conviction

• Faith For The Day
• Grace For To Stand
• Strength For Life's Journeys
• Oh Taste And See The Son Of Man
• On The Promises Of God You Will Stand!

And There Are
Blessings 
And
Hid Treasure
When You Walk The Narrow Way
In Obedience
Unto Salvation
And
The Master Is
Just A Prayer Away!

Do You Understand What I Am Saying?

Yes! Yes,  I DO!

Then, Walk Straight Ahead!
Do Not Look Right!
Do Not Look Left!
And
No Matter What Happens Around You
Don't Look Back!
Look Assuredly Ahead!

The Way Is Not Easy
And 
To Arrive Safely
You Must Take The Yoke Easy 
And 
Carry The Burden Light!

You Must Trust The Master
Even When You Can't Trace Him!
You Must Believe And Walk
Knowing That He Will Finish What In You He Started
And
That He Will Carry You Safely
All The Way Home
For
With His Blood And Body
He Purchased 
Precious Redemption
For His Beloved
And
That Means You!

Walk Wise!
Do Good!
Trust!
Obey!
And 
Pray!

There Is No Self In Salvation
For
With It Embraced
You Will Never See
The Everlasting Day!

Thank You!
Bless You!

Was All I Could Say!
I Then Turned Away 
AND
Toward The Savior
Started Walking
AND
I Prayed! How I Prayed!

The Way Is Not Easy
For
Temptations Are Rife
BUT
God's Great Grace Is Every Ready
As I Walk Toward Eternal Life!

Soon The Day Will Be Ended!
Soon Life's Strife Will Be O'er!
Soon The Trumpet Will Be Sounded
AND
By God's Grace
With Endurance
Soon I Will
With All Right
Walk Through
Heaven's Gate Door
Having Overcome
Sin And Satan
In What Was A Blistering Fight!

If Christianity

Was A

Cake-Walk

Life

Would Be Filled 

With

Sweet Treats

And

Christians

Would Have Cavities

Not

Calluses

And

Would Hear Choruses

Not Curses!!