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JEREMIAH 48:11

Intro: God's judgment is about to fall on Moab. He is soon to go into captivity - his  cities
       destroyed. The reason for judgment given in verse 11.

I. "HIS TASTE REMAINED IN HIM, AND HIS SCENT IS NOT CHANGED."
        A. The gospel of Jesus Christ changes people.
                1. The natural unregenerate man is ruled by his flesh.
                2. His mind is filled with fleshy things.
                        a. His desires and heart set on fleshly goals.
                        b. His taste is for things of this world.
                                1. Jesus said their main concerns - "what shall we eat, what
                                   shall we drink, what shall we wear?"
                                2. Jesus said, "if any man come after Me, let him (deny
                                   himself.."
                3. Many have come to Jesus Christ in theory but not in practice.
                4. They are saying "Lord, Lord" - yet they are not doing the will of the
                   Father.
        B. The gospel of Jesus Christ purifies.
                1. Moab had settled on his lees, dregs.
                        a. These are the things of the flesh life.
                        b. The wine-making process.
                                1. Set the grape juice in a vessel. 
                                2. Lees or dregs settle in the bottom. 
                                3. Carefully pour off top, into another vessel.
                                4. If it would settle in lees, it would take on taste and 
                                   smell and color of lees.
                        c. Some of you have settled on your lees.
                                1. Your lives have all the marks of the flesh.
                                2. You have not experienced the purifying power of the
                                   gospel.
                                3. Though you have been around the church for years, you're
                                   still babes in Christ.
        C. The gospel of Jesus Christ delivers.
                1. Some of you are slaves to the flesh.
                        a. What started out as pleasure has ended up as master.
                                1. We have a great number of alcoholics here at Calvary
                                   Chapel.
                                        a. They didn't know when they took those first few 
                                           drinks - the hell it was leading to.
                                        b. Thank God they know now, and God has delivered
                                           them from that hell.
                                2. We have many addicts. Little did they know when they took
                                   that first pill - that first fix - the hell they were
                                   entering.
                2. The Bible warns us to give no place for the flesh.
                3. Jesus can deliver you from your        .
                        a. Maybe today you find yourself trapped by the flesh.
                                1. You're caught up in an adulterous relationship.
                                2. You're hooked on a drug.
                                3. You can't stop drinking.
                                4. You have a lust for clothing or jewelry.

II. WHY WAS MOAB SO MARKED BY FLESH?
        A. Had been at ease.
                1. Very few people can handle success or prosperity.
        B. Not been poured from vessel to vessel.
                1. Whenever God begins to change us, we begin to panic.
                2. We get settled in a job.
                3. We get settled in a community.
                4. We get to relying on our job security.
                5. We get to relying on ours friends.
                6. We get to relying on our bank account.
                God wants us to rely on Him.
                God, many times uses disturbances to purify us.
                Maybe this message has disturbed some of you today. Praise the Lord!!