Automated Transcript:

Going to be beginning in verse 22, going through the end of the chapter. Again, the material pulling out different things from Jesus’s second year of ministry. And so there are some sections where we’re going to get part of a chapter instead of a whole chapter. And so that’s, that’s the reason why we’re here. Let’s begin with word prayer, Our gracious father in heaven.

We bow before you grateful for the day. You’ve blessed us with, for the opportunities that we have to serve you, to praise your name, to glorify you. And to honor you in all of the ways that you have given us the ability to do, we are so incredibly grateful for the mercy that you give to us each and every day, to allow us to see another day,

to allow us to arise and have the health, to be able to assemble together and serve you, to be able to worship and study your word. We pray that you be with our country and the upcoming days, may there be peace and may those who lead this country make decisions which lead toward peace instead of uprising, pray that you will help us to always strive to live peaceably with all men,

as much as lies within us and help us to always yet stand fast for the faith. Never wavering, always speaking the truth in love. We pray that you forgive us when we sin and fall short of your glory, help us to have a heart that is ready and mindful to repent. When we know we’ve done wrong, but we also ask for forgiveness of those things that we do wrong,

that we may not realize we have done pray that you be with us. As we go through this period of study, may all that we say and do be in accordance with your will. We pray for those in this congregation. Who’ve lost loved ones in recent days, and we pray that you will be with them and comfort them and help them through the difficulties that will come their way in these days.

And weeks ahead, we pray that you will help us to be a strength and a comfort to all those who are struggling and pray that they will seek strength and comfort through your word and through the faith that is in Jesus Christ. All this, we pray in Jesus name. Amen. Matthew chapter 1222 Begins. Then one who was brought to him who was demon possessed,

blind, and mute. And he healed him so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw. This was a lease by way of scriptural record. A rather rare recurrence. There would be times where a blind person would be brought to Jesus or would encounter Jesus. And Jesus would heal his sight. There would be times where a person who was mute would encounter Jesus and Jesus would cause them to be able to speak again.

There would be times when someone was deaf or lame or some other individual problem, and Jesus would fix that. But rarely would you have so many different situations, all compounded in the same individual. And yet what you see here is the primary problem back of all of it was his demon possession. Okay? The fact that he was possessed by a demon is seeming to be part of the,

the bigger problem at large, that was causing his other problems. So either way, you’ve got Jesus dealing with three separate issues. This man’s demon possessed. This man’s blind. This man cannot speak. And so Jesus heals him. Now. There’s not some great long record. There’s not some long oratory or fanciful actions that occur. Jesus just heals him.

And the man can see, and the man can speak all the multitudes. Verse 23 were amazed and said, could this be, and what did they say? What did they call him? The son of David. Now, do they mean by that? Oh, look, this, this person’s from the tribe of Judah and happens to be from the lineage of David.

Like they’d been missing anybody from the lineage of David all this time. No. So what do they mean?<inaudible> Gay man of God. Great leader. What was David King? Does Israel have a King at this point in time from among Israel? No, they don’t. Herod is the one who’s been set up by the Roman government, but he’s not actually a Jew.

He’s a Herodians. And so he’s from a completely different lineage. He’s not from the tribe of Judah. He’s not from David. And so they save this. This is not, Oh, look, this guy must be from the tribe of Judah because he’s done this great miracle. No, this is, is this. The Messiah is this man, the son of David,

the one who would reign on the throne of David, the one who would deliver Israel, the savior of Israel. That’s what this statement is. Okay. So notice first and foremost, you have the unparalleled situation by way of other times, other diseases, other things that Jesus has has, has healed, then you have the kind of the unparalleled reaction.

Wait a minute, is this the Messiah? But then notice what occurs. Now, when the Pharisees heard it, they said this fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub the ruler of the demons, the Pharisees knee-jerk reaction to hearing the people question is this, the Messiah is this, the son of David, is this the King we’ve been waiting for,

was not to deal with the question. Honestly, it was not to look at the facts. It was not to examine the potential of that being true. It was to do what Lie Their knee-jerk reaction is to lie. There’s A reality that we face that when we’ve given a lot, a great deal of time and fought and energy to speak carefully and wisely and thoughtfully,

we may speak in a way that is better than our natural reaction. I mean, let’s hope so. W when you’re, when you’re calm and patient and thoughtful, and you’re not in, you’re not in the moment, you may find a better way to phrase things or a better thing to say than when you’re just reacting. But when you’re just reacting,

if we all are just a little bit harshly, honest with ourselves, you tend to be just a bit more honest to what you really think and feel. And this is the Pharisees reacting. This is them being honest to how they truly feel about Jesus. That is, they hate him so much. They will claim. He came from Satan to avoid admitting what they know to be true.

And so their gut reaction, their immediate reaction to the people is no, no, no. This man heals this man cast out demons by the power of Satan. This man cast out demons by the power of Satan. Now, wait a minute.<inaudible> One of the other things that you get when you have kind of that just knee jerk reaction, and you spout something off in the moment is you might not quite have thought through all the implications of your argument.

And that’s what Jesus is going to attack. Jesus is going to attack the premise under their argument, their argument being the only reason he can take the person’s demon away. And we can’t is he’s using the power of Satan and we wouldn’t. Okay. That’s, that’s really, what’s behind this whole thing is they’re trying to lower Jesus. They’re trying to say he’s doing this by the power of Satan to raise themselves up because they look bad because they couldn’t heal the Man.

This Is a defensive act. This, this, this is, this is a negative attack. If we were going to put it in political terms to try and obscure the fact that they couldn’t heal the man at all. So they’re going to try and claim he did it, but he did it by the power of Satan. Okay. So here we are,

Matthew 22, or sorry, Matthew 12, verse 24. This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub the ruler of the demons, then verse 25. But Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them now again, though, this is just very similar to what we studied about on Wednesday. They’re saying this, but they’re not spouting this out loud.

They’re not saying this publicly is in front of the crowd. And they’re certainly not saying this to Jesus’ face. And yet Jesus knowing their hearts and serves their argument before they can even begin to spread it. Notice what he says. He says every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation. This is by the way, not the most comforting passage to be reading this month.

Okay? I’m just saying, this is not one of the most comforting passages in scripture at this moment in time, every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand here? They are. They’re making this claim that Satan is using his own power to cast out his own demons out of individuals.

And Jesus goes back behind the argument and says, your argument is a logical fallacy. Satan will not work against himself. Certainly not intentionally work against himself. And so Jesus goes back to the premise and says, because the premise you’ve worked upon his faults, your arguments, faults, your answers faults, and it shows you to be who you really are.

And that’s a liar. Okay? But he goes on to say, and if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cash them out, therefore they shall be your judge. What does he mean by this?<inaudible> Do you think there’s a possibility that any of the quite literal descendants sons of the Pharisees? So if you, if you picture the Pharisees here being the middle age and older rabbis and teachers,

the ones who are of elevated stature, the ones who are of prominence, the ones who have power to lose, but you think about the age of Jesus and all of his disciples, likelihood is all of his disciples were younger than him. He began his ministry when he was how old, 30 we’re in the second year of his ministry. So he’s about 31,

32 years old. Most likely all of his disciples are that age or younger. So all of his disciples are probably 30 or 20, or which means they’re the ages of these Benz sons. So are, is there any potential that some of these men’s sons are actually following Jesus? We know there were those who followed Jesus, who weren’t of the 12,

who could perform miracles, you Jesus, Or the disciples came to Jesus that time. And they said, here’s this man. Who’s not with us, but he’s performing miracles. Should we tell Him to stop? So We knew, we know there were people who were following Jesus, but weren’t of the 12 that had the ability to perform miracles. When Jesus sent the 70 out,

he sent the, Have the out, into all the regions around and they came back and they said that we were able to heal people. And we were, and demons were, were willing to submit to us and all of these wonderful things that they did while they were sent out by Jesus and Jesus comes back and says, The thing that’s most important is,

is your name written in the kingdom of heaven? He draws I’m away from the, the glory of the miracles. They were able to perform back to what was most important, and that was their soul Condition. But I say all that To say, is it possible? And I’m just Raising this as an option here. Is It possible that some of the Pharisees own children,

Drin we’re following Jesus? And the answer is certainly yes. So Jesus says, if I do it by the power of Satan, what are you saying about your own children? What are you saying about your own sons who are following me? Who do the same thing? Okay. So now he takes the premise of the argument about a house divided against itself.

Satan casting out Satan, a way, then he lays on them. Well, if you’re saying this is true about me, you’re saying about everyone else who does it? That includes some of your sons. So now they’ve made an argument against themselves. And then he says, verse 28. But if I cast out demons by the spirit of God, surely the kingdom Of God has come upon you all right now,

here’s, here’s the problem. And here’s what he’s done. He took away their arguing about it being from Satan. Okay. That, that the logic doesn’t work. So the argument falls that the logical conclusion of the argument is fallacious. Therefore, a premise is fallacious. So he makes the argument go away. Then he says, now you’ve got an emotive argument,

but if I’m doing it by the power of Satan, that means you’re claiming your sons are doing it by the power of Satan. And you won’t make that argument. That leaves the other alternative because they’re in a situation where either it’s Satan doing it, or What’s the other alternative, it’s God doing it. He’s tired Take in their argument where they’ve lied against him.

He’s torn away the foundation of the argument, he’s shown the logical fallacy. And then he’s put them in a situation. Now, the Only other alternative they have is God, he doesn’t argue for it. He says, if this is the case now in, in reality, he is arguing for it, but he’s setting them. He’s setting them up.

He’s setting them up for a conclusion they don’t want because he’s taken the logic of their argument and decimate. It turned around with the only other alternative, which is God’s the one behind it. And the logical conclusion of God being behind it is I am the son of David. Notice what he said. He said, if I cast out demons by the spirit of God,

surely the kingdom of God, which was a prophecy of old Testament, prophets concerning the Messiah and the one who would sit on the throne in David’s place. The son of David He’s Now forced them into a conclusion that says, if we say it’s from God, then we say he must be Messiah. Do you remember Number what he did with the Pharisees?

When they said by whose authority do you do these things? And he says, I’ll answer your question. If you answer mine first, The Baptism of John from whence, did it come from heaven or from men. And they reasoned within themselves. If we say it was from heaven, then he’ll question us why we didn’t know Bay it. If we say it’s for men,

we fear the people because everyone believes John to have been a prophet, the prophet. And so they say, we cannot say, what’s he done? He’s put them in a logical position where an illogical argument, where they have no other alternatives, they can either admit what is obviously true. Or they can lie and get in trouble. They won’t lie about their sons.

They’ll lie about him, but they won’t lie about their sons. So now they have no other recourse. But to admit that he is exactly who they don’t want to claim he is, Okay. So then we read Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods? Unless he first binds the strong man. And then he will plunder his house.

He who is not with me is against me. And he who does not gather with me, scatters abroad. Jesus. Now not only defies their argument about him using the power of Satan, but he goes so far in the other direction to say, I’m the standard Either. You’re with me or you’re not with God. Now, the Pharisees would never make that argument.

The Pharisees wouldn’t go so far as to say that the Pharisees would, would, would castigate someone who didn’t agree with them. The Pharisees didn’t like those who oppose them, but the Pharisees would not go so far as to claim that they held the position of God, But Jesus did. And so now he says, okay, if you’re working against me,

then that puts you all right. And I watch the logic. Well swing. He said, Satan, won’t cast out Satan And your sons cast out demons. Therefore, if they’re doing it by the power of God, so am I, therefore I’m doing it by the power of God. Therefore the kingdom of God is come. Therefore I am the Messiah.

And therefore, if you oppose me, you’re back on The other team, he just put them on Satan’s team. All without saying all of that specifically, he did it through the logical arguments that he made to defeat there’s place himself, where he belongs and then show them for what they were. Okay. Okay. Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men,

but the blasphemy against the spirit will not be forgiven. Men. Anyone who speaks a word against the son of man, it will be forgiven him. But whoever speaks against the Holy spirit, it will not be forgiven him either in this age or in the age to come either, make the tree good or end its fruit good or else make the tree bad.

And its fruit bad for a tree is known by Fruit. Having set up this situation, having given this argument, he now sets forward that they have a problem because they’re entering a situation where they can, can and are going to condemn themselves. They’re Going to look at the miracles of the Holy spirit and they’re going to claim those came from Satan. And then he says,

I tell you what, let’s just do it This way. The one who produces good fruit, he is a good tree. I Am the one that produces evil. Fruit Is an evil tree. Now, which one are you? He’s laid forth a where Their deeds and their actions and their words judged them. And the people can look at the miracles and say,

that’s not from Satan. They can look at the words of Christ and say, those were the words of God. They can look at the deeds of Christ and say, he’s doing what God said. And they can look at the Pharisees and go, that’s not it. And then they can choose between the two, but he’ll even go one step further.

He’ll say verse 34 brood of Vipers. What’s that mean? You pit of snakes, you family of serpents. How can you notice this phrase? Being evil, speak good things. How do you think they took that About as well as anybody who’s who’s public, public individual. Who’s just been called a family of serpents. You got it. Okay. So he calls them a brood of Vipers.

He says, how can you being able to speak good things? He says for out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. He goes back behind all of their accusations and all of their conniving and all of their deceiving and all of their, their attempts to set him up and to get him to say something and get him to do wrong and get him to heal on the Sabbath.

And he says, the problem you have is your evil. You remember John chapter eight, John chapter eight, Jesus said, you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. And the Jews responded. We’ve never been in bondage. What are you talking about? And then Jesus accuses them a few verses later of the being of their father,

because their father was a liar from the beginning. And they were just like him and accuses them of being the children of Satan. And yet they would say, no, no, no, no. We’re the descendants of Abraham. We’re the chosen people. We’re the people of God. We’re, we’re the, we’re the most religious out of the people of God.

What are you talking about? And Jesus said, no, you’re not. You’re a family of liars<inaudible> And they would go so far as to knowingly state that the power of God was the power of Satan.<inaudible> Verse 35, a good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things. And an evil man out of the evil is your brings forth evil things.

But I say to you that for every idle word, men may speak, they will give account in the day of judgment for, by your words, you will be justified. And by your words, you will be condemn. Jesus lays on them, the responsibility of their own words. When we get to a mindset that says the ends justify the means.

So I’m going to just change the story a little bit because in the end, everybody will be better for it. I’m going to just manipulate the story a little bit. I’m just going to tell it this way so that in the end, everybody goes along their Merry way. I would call this the Andy Griffith style of truth, Where As long as we just lie a little bit and don’t get caught everybody in the,

and we’ll be better off. And Jesus says, by your words, not your outcomes. Interestingly, you know, when God told the prophets in the old Testament, I want a man who will stand in the gap. I am looking for a prophet who will stand up and speak the truth. He didn’t say, and I’ll judge you based upon how successful you are in changing people’s minds.

When God told Jeremiah that he was going to go out and he was going to preach, share mine as a young man, when he begins his days of prophecy, God tells him I’m going to send you out and I’m going to send you to this people and they’re going to reject you and they’re going to hate you. And they’re going to imprison you and they’re not going to believe you.

And you’re going to go speak anyway.<inaudible> God, let Jeremiah know. I’ll judge you by whether or not you say what I tell you to say not I’ll judge you by whether or not they’ll hear what I tell you to say. And the Pharisees had flipped it around. The Pharisees, wanted themselves to be judged by how many people followed them by how many people listened to them,

by how many people did what they said and, and observed the laws and the traditions that they taught them. And Jesus said, no, you’ll be judged by your words, not by your outcomes. And every day we need to be reminded. That’s still true. Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered that, Hey, they can’t let him just,

just say that teacher. We want to see a sign from you. Oh, the audacity, What were they? What, what, what had they just witnessed that they had responded to the people who saw a man who had a demon who was blind and who could not speak. And now he can see, and now he can speak. And the people see it.

They’re amazed. They think this is the son of David. The Pharisees response is he’s doing this by the power of Satan. And then he goes through all of this and their response is, will show us a sign, But I didn’t know any better. I think they were part of the media. It’s just, W w You know, I, my reaction would be where were you?

Five minutes ago? Thankfully, I’m not Jesus Verse. They, I was waiting for somebody to amen, verse 39, but he answered and said to them and evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign. And no sign will be given it except the sign of the prophet. Jonah. Here’s an interesting thing. The people of Nineveh back in Jonah’s day.

So go back in your mind to the book of Jonah. God tells Jonah a prophet in Israel, you go to Nineveh and you do what convert them. Well, he gave him an eight word sermon. You go tell them this. And Jonah did what He got on a boat and started going. The other direction. Nineveh at the time was beginning to come to its power,

but it wasn’t there yet. This was still a hundred years before the Assyrians Nineveh being their capital would destroy the Northern kingdom of Israel. They’re not, they’re not the world power that they would be later, but they’re, they’re starting to come to power. And one of the things they’re known for is their ruthlessness, their evil in their atrocities. They would commit whenever they’d go attack someone and God tells Jonah,

you go tell them to repent, or I’m going to destroy. Jonah goes the other direction. We can surmise as to why. I think it’s pretty obvious in my opinion, that he does not want them to be saved. They’re a threat to Israel and they’re not Israelites. They’re not the people of God. So why should he go save them? Matter of fact,

he’ll say as much in chapter four, when he’ll see God relent because they repented. And he’ll say, I knew it. I knew if they did what you said, you wouldn’t destroy him. So Jonah goes the other direction. God brings up a storm. God prepares a fish. Jonah gets thrown overboard. We know the story. He gets spit up on land.

And then he proceeds to go to Nineveh. Something to notice is all the artistic drawings we’ve ever seen in the children’s storybooks, where Nineveh’s right by the sea, where Jonah gets spat up Nineveh wasn’t by the sea. Nobody in Nineveh witnessed him being spit out of the ocean. He shows up like any other person who shows up at Nineveh, walking there on land and having arrived.

He begins to preach. Did they in Nineveh? See a sign? No. Okay. Jonah went to the city and Jonah began to preach. Jesus now has taken the scribes and the Pharisees. And he’s just said, you are less. The people of God, then Nineveh was in Jonah’s day. But he says, I’ll give you a sign. He says,

you wicked and adulterous generation, the ones who seek a sign. And by the way, they saw a sign, but they weren’t going to believe it. All right, that, that was the thing. The people of Nineveh, they didn’t well, show us, assign, show us, prove it to us. Deuce, call down something from heaven or,

or heal some button. They didn’t ask for that. And yet they repented from least to the greatest. So here, these Israelites are, and they’re saying, show us a sign. He says for as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish. So will the son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth,

the men of Nineveh will arise in judgment with this generation and condemn it. He said, we’ll believe that you do this by the power of God. Just do one more miracle. And Jesus said on the day of judgment, none of is going to rise up and they’re going to condemn you for the evil adulterous people About me. The only thing you could do to say an Israelite was worse than a brood of Vipers would be to say that Gentiles were better than them and would condemn them.

And that’s exactly what Jesus does. He says because they repented at the many great signs and wonders that Jonah performed, Right? No, They repented at the preaching of Jonah and indeed a greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it for, she came from the end of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.

Then Solomon performed great signs and wonders and miracles. He had the wisdom from God in judgment, but she came because she had heard of all the things that he did. And Jesus said, she’s going to rise up and condemn you because she having only heard the rumors believed it enough to travel all the way to Israel, to find out if the rumors were true and you won’t even admit they’re true.

When you see them. The queen of Shiva said, when she saw the wisdom of Solomon, she said the half has not even been told, having witnessed it for herself, but they would see the miracles and claim. It came from Satan. When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest and finds none.

Then he says, I will return to my house from which I came. And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits, more wicked than himself. And they enter into well they’re in the last state of man is worse than the first. So shall it be wicked generation?

Jesus uses the illustration of one who, as it were as demon possessed and demons cast out. But instead of doing anything good with the person’s life, they just continue on the way they were theirs. We don’t really know anything about how demon possession works. So we’re not going to try and make a whole lot of speculations. Other than this speculation, the demon came into an individual.

For some reason, maybe it had nothing to do with that individual’s choices. And maybe it did. It seems in this case, it did the person’s choices could have kept the demon from coming back, but he doesn’t make a good choice. Instead. He does nothing with the freedom he’s been granted and the demon returns fold. We can say that much.

We can also bring that forward to a more modern idea. Since we don’t have demon possession today, here’s a person whose life is filled with sin. They hear the truth. They hear the gospel. They repent of their sins. They’re converted to Christ. They’re immersed in water for the remission of their sins. They rise up to walk in newness of life.

All those past sins are gone. So they proceed to go into life now with a new life, with being a new creature, having no sin to their charge, but they don’t change their life. They don’t begin to instill in their life. Good things. They don’t begin to instill in their life righteous actions. They don’t begin to actually all Bey God,

they continue down a road of ambivalence. Do you think Satan’s going to let them stay on that road as his new Satan’s going to give them every opportunity to not only go back into sin, but to go deeper than they ever were before to make sure they never try and crawl out again. And that happens to people. And Jesus said, that’s the situation of this wicked generation.

Now I want to point out this is during the time when Jesus is popular, but what’s going to happen when Jesus starts giving them hard sayings, they’re going to turn on him. They’re going to depart from him. And they’re going to do exactly what Jesus is saying here. Verse 46, while he was still talking to the multitudes. Behold, his mother and brothers stood outside,

seeking to speak with him. Then one said to him, look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak with you. But he answered and said to the one who told him, who is my mother and who are my brothers. And he stretched out his hand toward his disciples and said, here are my mother and my brothers for whoever does the will of my father,

who is in heaven is my brother and sister and mother. At the time that Jesus spoke this, he has bred his brothers. His sisters were not believing as to who he was. It seems to be true that Mary believed who he was. But the majority of his family did not. They would later by all accounts, after his resurrection, they wouldn’t come to understand and believe who he was.

But Jesus said, my family are those who obey God. And a lot of Christians have had to make the choice in their own lives to say to their own family. My family are those who obey God, not necessarily those whose house I was born into. And it’s sad when that happens, but here’s the, here’s the reality behind that statement. Jesus is also letting his disciples know you’re going to have to turn against your family.

If you’re going to be obedient to God. Now, step right back to his statement, to the Pharisees about their sons. If those sons were going to be his disciples and going to follow him, who were they not going to get the support of their family? And so Jesus lays forth an example saying, you’re my family. If you do what I command you,

if you do the will of my father in heaven. But if you don’t, you’re no family of mine. Okay? So we’ll go through the questions and review those Wednesday night. Thank you for your attention. First of all, if as you came into the auditorium, if you didn’t pick up your Lord supper there and the table, as you walked through the door,

now’s a good time to do it. Go back and pick it up. And I’ll continue on with these announcements. If you’re visiting with us, we want you to know that you are indeed our honored guest. If you would pick up one of those colored cards in the Pew, in front of you and fill it out and either leave it on the Pew or hand it to one of us,

either way, it will be taken care of need to remember our sick. I was talking with Marie. Joan is really suffering with her migraine headaches. She’s had several in the past few days and she’s still losing weight. So for sure, keep Joan in your prayers. Dorothy Wilson still suffering from extremely high blood pressure. And as is her husband Rodale. I think his problems are mostly with arthritis,

but anyway, on a brighter note, it’s good to see Noah Olson back with us after having been down with the COVID-19 and in fact, Noah will be our song leader today. Now wait a minute. They switched. So yeah, no one is going to lead the lead. The songs, Elena sharp, Shelly stacks, mother has double pneumonia and is suffering from a Murcia sore in the back of head.

She is the picture I’ve seen is really, really severe. So keep her in your prayers. Barbara Diller is home recovering from rotator cuff procedure, and she’s still in a lot of pain. That arm has to be mobilized for a couple of weeks. And that’s got to be very, very uncomfortable and keep the Ken Phillip keep Ken Phillips in your prayers.

That’s a day old, a friend. He has COVID and he also has blood clots. He has a lot of serious problems. Keep these people in your prayers. Remember Francis Redmond, the loss of her daughter, Sandra this past. Well, it’s been a little over a week now, but she’s doing well. And I think under the circumstances, we’re not recovering,

but handling the situation very well. I have a card here from Rushmore posted on the bulletin board so y’all can read it. But a few days, this is from Louis. A few days ago, I spent 15. I sent 15,000 to get Guyana for nationwide workshops, TV programs, and literature distribution. Before that, I stand about twice as much to India for TV programs and literature,

you help make all of this possible. Thanks Louis. So some of our missionary work appears to be going very, very well today’s service. The song leader will be no Olsen. The opening prayer will be Michael Dale, Marjorie Phillips we’ll have the Lord’s supper. Aaron Cozort will have the sermon and Tommy Laster will have the closing prayer. Thank you all for your attendance.

Good morning. First song. This morning is going to be number 474 seven zero victory in Jesus. We will sing the first and third verses of 470. Let us think. I heard an old, old story. How a savior came from glory, how he gave his life on Calvary to save a wretch like me. I heard his groaning of his precious bla toning that Irie parented up my eyes and enzyme one<inaudible> Oh,

victory. Geez, smile, save. You know, for a river. He saw me and bought me with his reading and he loved me<inaudible> I knew him and I love his do him. He plunged me to victory being knee cleansing. FLA. I heard about a man, John. He is build for me and glory. And I heard about the street of gold beyond the<inaudible> about the angels sing and the old redone them Shannon’s story.

And some sweet day. I’ll sing there. Song of victim Ori. Oh, victory. Jeez. My savior for he saw me and bought me with his reading, blah. He loved me. I knew him and my is do, and he plunged me to victory. The knee cleansing flaw. Our next song is going to be number 604, six zero four.

He’ll sing all three verses. And then after which brother Michael Dale is going to lead us in opening for number 604. I want to be ready to meet him all three verses. Let us think. You may. I have your worldly pleasures, your silver and your gold. You may pile up all the riches that this old world can hold, but I’d rather have my save your and with him,

for least. And for, I want to be ready to meet him in the glory. Then I want to be ready to meet him. And then I want to be ready to meet him in the sky. Oh, I want to me more like him, man, do his blessed come and for, I want to be ready to meet him and the glory that you may talk about,

your riches, your diamonds and your pearls. You may gain the wealth for ages of this and all the worlds, but the savior is more precious with am. I’ll take my stand for, I want to be ready to meet him and the glory and I want to be ready to meet him by and by. I want to be ready to meet him in the sky.

Oh, I want to be more like him and do his blessed CTCA. And for, I want to be ready to meet him and the glory. And there is one thing I can boast of salvation from the fall I’m in air to well thing, glory. My father owns it all. That is why I’m shouting happy and go. He’s come. And for,

I want to be ready to meet him in the glory land. I want to be ready to meet him by and by. I want to be ready to meet him in the sky. Oh, I want to be more like as a man do is blessed man for, I want to be ready to meet him in the glory land. Please bear with me Our great and glorious father in heaven.

How Holy and awesome you are. We humbly bow before you as your servants. And we thank you so much for this time that we have to, and this opportunity that you give us to lift our voices and prayer to you and know that you hear us. We thank you Lord for this time that we have to worship you and songs and to listen to your word.

And we ask that we take what we hear today into our hearts and our minds. And we use it to further your work. At this time, father, we ask you that you be with all of those on our, on our prayer list. Those that have lost loved ones, be with them and comfort them and knowing where their, where their loved ones have gone.

And we ask that you be with those that on the number of those on our list that are sick and ailing. And if it be your will, we ask that you bring them back to us in a better health and let them be here to worship you with alongside us and Edify one another. And that at this time, Lord, we thank you so much for your son who died for us and that we are able to be with you one day in the sky.

We thank you so much for everything you’ve blessed us with and your son’s name. Amen. Long before the Lord’s supper, it’s going to be number 176, one 76, lamb of God, all three verses of one 76. And if you’re using the book, it says two verses, but on the slides, we’re going to go one, two and three.

One in the book is split in. Let’s just go off the slide. One 76 you’ll are only no sand to a time, but you have sent him from your sign to<inaudible> saw God and to be calm the lamb of God. Oh, lamb of God. Sweet lamb of God. I love the lamb of God. Oh, wash me and his precious blood.

My Jesus Christ. The lamb of God, your gift. They cruise as if they laughed and scorn him as he nine<inaudible> King, they named a frog God and sacrifice the lamb of God. Oh, lamb of God. Sweet lamb of God. I love the whole<inaudible> Oh, wash me and his precious blood. My Jesus Christ. The lamb of God.

I was so lost. I should have a side, but you have rot me to yours. To me.<inaudible> your staff and rod. And to be called the lamb of God. Oh, damn up. God sweet lamb of God. I love, Oh, the lamb of God. Oh, wash me and his precious blood. My Jesus Christ.

The lamb of God At, at this time, let’s remember the cross and the sacrifice that Jesus made for our sins. Let’s pray. Heavenly father. We’re thankful for this bread. It represents Jesus’ body. That was nailed to the cross for sins mankind, for him to follow you, please forgive us of our sins. Amen. As pray heavenly father,

we thank for this fruit of the vine, the represents Jesus blood that was shed on that terrible cross for our sins and pray heavenly father, you please forgive us of our sins. Amen. Separate from the Lord’s table. We have an opportunity to give us. We have prosper. That was great. Having a father with thankful for the financial gains you have given us through the years and we pray heavenly father you’ll accept a portion back to you so we can continue the work here at Collierville.

Amen. If you are using a Psalm book, if you want to go ahead and Mark number 909, there’s a fountain free will be the song and the invitation song before the lesson will be number 876 to Canaan’s land. I’m on my way, eight, seven, six, or excuse me. Eight, six, seven, my bad eight, six,

seven. We’ll sing the first, second and fourth verses of 867 to Canaan’s line. I’m on my way. Let us think To Kane Ann’s land. I’m on my way where the so never dies. My dark as night will turn today where the so never a guys. No,<inaudible> no.<inaudible> where<inaudible>. And so never Rose is blooming there for me where the so never dies.

And I will spin and turn where the so never a guys. No<inaudible> no<inaudible> guys were<inaudible> and so never guys. I am on my way to that fair land where the<inaudible>, where there will be no partying and where the so never no<inaudible> fair Wells. No,<inaudible> where<inaudible> and the so never cause it’s good to have no back Take your Bibles,

if you will. And open them to the book of Philippians, It’s good to have each and every one of you here this morning, especially those who are visiting with us, we are grateful for your presence and we hope you will be back every opportunity that you have. We’re also mindful of those who are still with us remotely and mindful, especially of,

of Ms. Francis at this time. And the things that she is going through. Please keep her in your prayers. There are passages in scripture where God encapsulates in a few words, A picture of what he wants. We have a phrase in our society that goes something along the lines of a picture’s worth a thousand words, but a good paragraph or couple of sentences can paint An amazing picture.

And God does that through the Penman, Paul, As he’s writing to the church at Philippa, and he writes to them there in chapter one and tells them exactly what God wants To see when he sees the church. And he paints a picture for us beginning in verse 27, going down through verse 31 or verse 30 of the picture of the church God wants.

And that picture is as accurate today as it was 2000 years ago, Paul writes to the church at<inaudible>. And as we go through this passage, we’ll examine each of these in turn, but I want to read the passage and I want to encapsulate or try to at least to the best of my abilities, The passage, and paint the picture for Olivia In chapter one,

verse 27. Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel and not in any way, terrified by your adversaries, which is to them, a proof of perdition,

but to you of salvation and That from God, for, to you, It has been granted on behalf of Christ. Not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake, having the same conflict which you saw in me. And now here Is in me, allow me if you will, to take these verses And present them in their individual message,

break them down into a new thought. I thought that encapsulates what I think Paul is saying here, first and foremost, You see a unique message. And again, this is the picture of the church, a unique message, creating a unified people, standing together for a unified purpose, enduring a unified resistance for a unified reward For everyone who wanted to write that down,

let me go through it again. You have a unique message. Creating a unified piece Bull standing together for a unified purpose, Enduring a unified resistance For A unified reward. We’re going to break these down into three sections. Break this thought down into three sections. We begin in chapter one, verse 27. Paul says only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ.

Paul calls upon the church and God calls upon the church to have a life, to have an existence, to have a conduct, a manner of life that is worthy of the gospel. God sends forth this good news, this message of the cross, this salvation that is proclaimed to the entire world and says, you set your life, your actions, your conduct,

your behavior in view of that. And you make sure your life is worthy of that. Now this is not what he’s saying. He is not saying you make sure and earn your salvation. I’ve laid the ground rules. Now go earn it. Now. That’s not what he’s saying. He’s saying God has called you to something amazing. He has called you to something unique that doesn’t exist anywhere else in the entire world.

The Hindus do not have a gospel message. The Muslims do not have a gospel message. The Chinese do not have a gospel message. They don’t, Oh God. Yes. In his wisdom and knowledge and foresight and manifest wisdom. As Paul describes it in Ephesians laid forth. The salvation that is offered in Jesus Christ by the church, through the blood of the lamb,

that is unique in all the world. And he called me, Calls his church to set their lives, their conduct, their actions, to be worthy of that call in first Corinthians chapter two first Corinthians chapter two, Paul writes to the church at Corinth and we will visit a few other passages, mainly in Corinthians as we go through the lesson this morning,

but keep your finger in, in Philippians because we will be back throughout our lesson. In first Corinthians chapter two, beginning in verse one, Paul writes to them and says, and I brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence that you speech or of wisdom declaring to you. The testimony of God for, I determined not to know anything among you,

except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear and in much trembling. And my speech in my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and of power that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature yet,

not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing, but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew for had they known they would not have crucified the Lord of glory, but as it is written,

eye has not seen nor ear heard nor have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love him, Paul, Right to these brethren and reminds them of the gospel he preached and the manner with which he preached it in verses one through five. He said, I did not preach it with excellence of speech. Paul was capable of preaching with excellence of excellence of speech,

but that’s not how he preached. He preached with planus. He says in verses six and seven, that it was not with the wisdom of the age. Paul knew the wisdom of the age. Paul could quote to those in Athens, their own philosophers. And yet that was not the message Paul preached. And he says the message he preached was not from the rulers of this age.

So many people will strive to be seen as those who are high and in accordance and in agreement with those who rule in the world as they’re alive. And Paul says, I don’t care who rules this world? And I don’t care about agreeing with them and I’m not going to spout what they spout. I’m going to preach the gospel. In first Corinthians chapter 15,

he goes on to say, moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel, which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand now, a whole lot of that verse ought to sound a whole lot like first or Philippians chapter one, verse 27. He’s called them to the gospel. He’s called them to that in which they are to stay in.

And he says by which also you are saved. If you hold fast, that word, which I preach to you, unless you believed in vain for, I delivered to you. And now he’s going to rehearse the, the, the central message of what he proclaimed. What is this unique gospel For? I delivered to you, first of all, that,

which I also received that Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures. So notice first and foremost, you have a Messiah who died. That was a unique message, But you have A Messiah who died in accordance with prophecies that had occurred hundreds of years before. That was a unique message. He says for Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures and that he was buried and that he Rose again the third day,

according to the scriptures. Now notice you have a Messiah, a savior who comes, who lives, who dies, who does all of this in accordance with prophecies that have come hundreds of years in advance, but he doesn’t just die. He dies and is buried. And that seems to be the end. And everybody thinks it’s over his own disciples thought it was over Mary and the other Mary who came to the tomb,

thought it was over. They weren’t there to see the risen Christ. They were there to anoint a dead body. You see if it had been normal, if it had been like everything else, if it had not been unique, he’d have still been dead, But they can Came to the tomb and he wasn’t in the tomb. And the angel said,

why do you seek the living with the dead? And he Rose the third day in accordance with the scriptures. It’s one thing to prophesy about a Messiah coming. And it’s one thing to prophecy about the Messiah dying. It’s another thing to prophecy about the Messiah raising again from the dead Ed and that doesn’t exist anywhere else in history. And that he was seen by CFUs.

And Then by the 12, after that, he was seen by over 500 brethren at once of whom the greater part remained to the present, but some have fallen asleep. Paul reminds these Corinthian brethren, As he writes to them that Jesus wasn’t just seen by one person or two people or 12 people or 13 people, 14 people, but 500 plus people.

And he says, and most of them are still around. If you care to go to Jerusalem and meet them, You want to see someone who saw Christ. When he Rose from the dead, then go see them. The evidence is alive and walking around. After that, he was seen by James then by all the apostles. Then last of all,

he was seen by me also as one born out of due time. So Paul says there is a unique gospel dif From anything ever in humanity’s existence from then, until now, but that unique gospel create a unified people go back to verse 27 of Philippians, one Philippians one verse 27. Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ so that whether I come and see your maps,

and I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit notice, he says they are to stand fast. They are to hold firm. They are not to depart, not to move away, not to go their own direction, but to stand fast in the gospel message, same thing. He told the Corinthians, he said, the gospel I delivered to you and in which you stand and that they are to stand unified.

They are to stand with one spirit. They are to stand together, Striving together, Err, sorry. In one way, in one spirit with one mind striving together For the faith of the gospel Here, you have a unified people standing together for a unified Purpose. They are to be of one spirit they’re to be of one mind and they are to preach one message for one Purpose.

In first Corinthians chapter one, Paul again writes to Corinth as he He’s introducing his letter to them. And he says, in verse 10, now I plead with you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind.

And in the same judgment, he said the church, the church that Christ wants the church that Christ built the church that God wants is one that is unified in message in doctrine. And then action. But he’s going to let the Corinthians know that’s not the picture that they look like. If you were to hold up a picture of the church, God wants,

and then you were to hold up a picture of the church at Corinth. They wouldn’t overlap And they wouldn’t match. I remember when I was younger, before we had digital cameras and Cheap scanners and all sorts of crazy fun kids, stuff like that in the technology world we had what was called Transfer paper. And you could take something and you could put it underneath this paper and it was translucent.

You could see the outline something, and you could copy the outline of it. And we ruined a number of baseball cards this way. We wanted to create our own baseball card. So we would, we would transfer the outline of the card over onto another piece of paper. Guess what? Being Five or six year old that I was when I held it up and looked at the two after I was done,

they didn’t look that much. It wasn’t an exact copy. God wants his church to be a unified people standing together for a unified purpose. And that only happens when we have a unified Message. Philippians chapter Two, as Paul continues to write To these brethren, we read Chapter two, verse one. Therefore, if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love,

if any fellowship of the spirit, if any affection and mercy fulfill my joy by being like minded, having the same, love being one, a chord of one mind, let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit or in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

Paul calls upon these brethren who have a unified purpose. And the first purpose he lays before them is care for one, another humility of self and raising up of their brethren to care for them more than we care for ourselves. As a unifying people with a unified purpose, he wants them to preach the gospel, but he also wants them to care for one another.

He goes on in chapter three, chapter three, verse one. Finally, my brethren rejoice in the Lord for me to write the same thing to you is not tedious, but for you, it is safe, but where of dogs, but where of evil workers, but where of the mutilation for we are the circumcision who worship God in the spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh.

He wants him to be unified in purpose to preach the same message, but he also wants them to care for one another, but he also wants them to beware of false prophets. He wants them to be aware and cognizant that there are people who are teaching that, which is false and believing that the flesh is Enough And believing that they can teach that as long as you are happy,

as long as you are prosperous, as long as your flesh is gratified, you are fine. Nine Paul says no chapter four, Verse eight. He says, finally, brethren whatsoever. Things are true whatsoever. Things are noble whatsoever. Things are just whatsoever. Things are pure whatsoever. Things are lovely was where things are of good report. If there is any virtue.

And if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things, things which you have learned and receive and her Saul and see, or have seen in me, These do, And the God of peace will be with you. He wants these brethren to be unified in purpose, to preach the gospel. He wants them to be unified in care for one another.

He wants them to unified in opposition to false teachers and he wants them to do and teach You. Remember Jesus said in Matthew chapter seven, that the wise man and the foolish man were compared to one another. The wise man was the one who heard the sayings of Jesus and then did them. And the foolish man was the one who heard the sayings of Jesus and then did not do them.

And Paul doesn’t want the church to be a teaching church that doesn’t live its own Teaching. Yeah. So Paul calls upon these brethren to be unified in purpose to declare the gospel, to care for one another to beware of false prophets to do and teach the truth. But then also chapter four, verse 10 through verse 17, to support The gospel church.

If I was one of those churches that had, by what we read in this, in this letter, Ben continually sending Paul support to aid him in the work that he was doing in the missionary work that he was doing. And even at this time, while he is sitting in a Roman prison, They helped to sustain his life verse 10 of chapter four.

But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at year care for me has flourished again, though. You surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. Essentially what he’s saying there is you’ve been able to send funds to me, to help me in my situation. And I know you wanted to do it before, but you Couldn’t. This was a poor church,

not a rich one. He said you were okay Able to do this before. But then he says, not that I speak in regard to need for, I have learned in whatever state I am to be content. I know how to be a based, and I know how to abound elsewhere or excuse me, everywhere. In all things, I have learned both to be full and to be hungry,

both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Nevertheless, you have done well that you shared in my distress. Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving. But you only for, even in Tesla, Nikah you send aid ones.

And again, four minuses, Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. Paul says that the church that God wants is a church that’s unified in message. That cares for one another. That stands against false doctrine that is willing to put first the kingdom of heaven, but then is also going to teach and to preach And to support those who go Out to do the same.

That’s the picture of the church that Paul paints a unified people standing together for a unified purpose. And if Paul stopped there, maybe We could believe it’d be all sunshine and roses. If we did exactly that, but Paul didn’t stop there. Did he verse 28 Of chapter one? We remember that he said, and it not in any way, Terrified And not in any way,

terrified by your adversaries with them, a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, that is from God, verse 30, having the same conflict which you saw in me. And now here is in me. Paul sits in a Roman prison. Paul is sitting in prison for the gospel sake and he’s writing these brethren and says, do not be terrified by your adversaries.

Do not be held back, do not be held back by fear, do not be held back by their actions, do not be held back. Do not be terrified. We Are to be a unified people standing together for a unified purpose. Enduring a unified resistance Is everyone Who stands with Satan Resist the gospel. Every one who has said, I will hold allegiance to self,

to sin, to self-gratification and to want. And disobedience of God will oppose the gospel. No, Whether they will do it silently or whether they will do it vocally, they will oppose The gospel. And Paul wants these brethren to remember that that’s no excuse Verse three. We read, I thank my God. Upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine,

making requests for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day, until now being confident of this very thing that he, who has begun a good work in, you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ just as it is right. For me to think this, think this of you, because I have you in my heart in as much as both in my chains and in my defense and confirmation of the gospel,

you all are partakers with me of grace. Paul Paul Said, I’m in chains and bonds. I’m in prison. And yet you share in the same grace. I do. He wants them to know That though. Some people will look at persecution and claim that’s evidence. God’s not with you. Notice what he said here in verse 20 verse 28, he said,

which is to them, a proof of perdition. Have you ever heard the phrase? Well, that wouldn’t be happening to them. If they were the people Of God, They wouldn’t be persecuted the way they’re persecuted. If they were really who they claimed to be. Paul says that to the argument of the evil people. That’s the argument of the unbelievers that they see the church and they see it persecuted and they see it in prison and they see it under bondage.

And they see it going through these trials. When they see that’s proof of perdition of ungodliness. And he says, it’s not. He says, but to you Of salvation, Wait a minute, Paul, what are you saying? Paul is saying, when you are in prison and you are in chains and you are in bonds as I am, I am,

yes. Look at those chains and you don’t see that God is against you. You have evidence he’s for You. Oh, How, how does that work this way? Jesus said to his disciples before he left this earth, if they hated me, they’ll hate you. Also, If they’ve done this to me, they’ll do the same thing to you.

So Paul looked at his bonds and his chains and didn’t say, God, why have you forsaken me? He looked at his bonds and his chains and said, I’ve been granted Grace to preach the gospel, even in chains and in bonds, proof of salvation and that from God. But then there’s this last piece unified people. Let me go all the way back to the beginning.

A unique message. Creating a unified people, standing together for a unified purpose, enduring a unified resistance for a unified reward. Verse 29. Paul writes for, to you. It has been granted on behalf of Christ. Not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake. Wait a minute air. Are you saying our reward is to suffer?

Nope. And yes, because When we share in his suffering, we’re told in scripture, we share in something else, turn over to second or Philippians chapter two, verse five, let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ. Jesus, who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation,

taking the form of a bond servant and coming in the likeness of men and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted him and given him the name, which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow of those in heaven and those on earth and of those under the earth.

And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God. The father Paul said that we have a unified purpose in, during a unified resistance for a unified reward because suffer with Christ. And then he said, and Christ suffered that God in turn might exalt Him. Philippians chapter two To verse 14, he says, do all things without complaining and disputing that you may become blameless and harmless children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation among whom you shine as lights in the world,

holding fast, the word of life so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labelled labored in vain. Yes. And if I am being poured out as a drink, offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all for the same reason. You also Glad and rejoice with me,

Paul, what do you have to be joyful for? What do you have to rejoice about your suffering, their suffering? Where’s the rejoicing Joy sing is in the reward. The salvation, when this life is over, see Paul could die in prison. As a matter of fact, in chapter one, he said I’m between as it were a rock and a hard place,

because my desire is this is over. My desire is to go home and be with the Lord. I’m in a straight between us two. I don’t know which to choose, but I know for yours Or sake, which one is going to be, Paul would leave that prison for a time. But based Upon what we know from history, wouldn’t be very Long and he’d be back.

And that time he’d never leave. But Paul realized what I read in verse 20 of chapter one, according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing, I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness as always. So now, now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death, for me to live is Christ and to die Is gay unified people standing together for a unified purpose,

enduring a unified resistance for a unified reward. That’s the picture of the church that Christ wants, but it all begins with a unique message When our message stops being unique, not because there’s something to replace it, but because we’ve stopped Preaching it and we’ve stopped living it When we’ve watered it down and adulterated it to such an extent that it sounds like everybody else’s message.

It will never produce a unified people, striving Being together for a unified purpose, enduring a unified resistance because when the resistance come, the people who see a message that looks just like the one they’ve always believed, but has no resistance. Guess what they’ll do. They’ll leave that message behind and go to this other one where they’re not being opposed because it’s easier because it doesn’t have any cost attached to it because it doesn’t require anything.

It starts with a unique Message. Paul wrote to the church at Galatians and said he marveled that they were so soon removed From the grace of God that they received through the gospel to go into part two, another gospel, which he said is not another guy. He said, some of you have been deceived and you have departed from the grace of God,

The gins with a unique message Of a Christ who would come, who would die, but wouldn’t stay dead. Who would rise again on a third, on the third day, who would ascend up into heaven, who would sit at the right hand of God who would deliver his people from four? Or excuse me from San for salvation. Yeah. And if you’re outside of the body of Christ this morning,

you need to understand that Jesus Christ came to die. Yes. To save mankind, but to save them by redeeming and purchasing his Church whose body we are. If we hold fast, the doctrine that he left behind. But If we don’t, we are not Of his Jesus said in Matthew chapter 12, these are my brethren and my sisters and my mother,

those who do the will of my father, Who is in heaven. So if you’re outside the body of Christ this morning, you’re outside of the place where salvation is found, where grace is found, where hope is found, where mercy is found. You’re not a part of the people of God. And we don’t want that for you. We don’t want you to stay there.

We don’t want your hope to be damnation. We want your hope to be salvation. That’s found in Christ and found only in his body, which is the church you’re outside the body of Christ. You enter into salvation by hearing the word of God and believing that Jesus Christ is the son of God. You enter into salvation by repenting of your sins and having a change of mind.

That brings about a change of life to go. I’m not going to live that way anymore. I have to be unified with his people. I have to have conduct worthy of the gospel to confess the name of Christ and be immersed in water for the remission of your sins, buried in water, dying to sin, rising up a new creature and newness of life.

And then becoming a part of the church. Because in acts chapter two, we’re told that those who gladly received the word were added to the church by the Lord, based upon them being saved, they weren’t added to the church and then say they were saved and added to the church, but they didn’t join the church. God added to them, them to the church.

They became a part of the body when they had their sins washed away. And they did that when they were baptized, you’re outside the body of Christ this morning, don’t stay there because the picture of the church can be what the church really is. If you’re a member of the body of Christ and your actions in the church, don’t match the purpose,

the unified purpose of the church. Then they need to change. You need to come back, you need to repent and you need to come home. If you have need of salvation, if you have need of repentance, if you have any need at all, why not come as we stand in, as we say, Hey, so Hey, Stu is spring is the founder from the us or,

and he bids Saul free. The dreaming well, you to the fountain free. Will you TIS for you and me thirsty?<inaudible> here. The welcome call, TIS a foul and Oh, and four also there’s a rock that’s flat pan. So is that<inaudible> is for you and me and his stream. I see. Let us, Hey, Angela,

will you to the fountain free, will you TIS for you and me thirsty? So here, the welcome call is found and hope. And for also closing song this morning is going to be number 711 seven one one blessed be the tie that binds or sing the first Bruce, this song, then we’ll have our closing prayer, 711 blessed be the title.

Listen, blessed<inaudible> of the fellowship of<inaudible> that Would you bow with me, God and father in heaven. We’re in date thankful for this beautiful first day of the week that you’ve given us and allowed us the freedom and the privilege to worship fi and sing praises to your name, father. We thank you for the great lessons that we’ve studied here today and pray that we can apply that to our lives,

to be better stewards of your word father. We’re also mindful of those of our number who are sick and have lost, loved ones. We pray father that you will comfort them is you only know how, by the way, pray that as we leave this building, that we will continue to strive to be that light to those around us and set that example and bring the loss to you,

father, we thank you for your son, Jesus, and that great sacrifice that was made. If I would pray, you’ll be with us and keep us safe and forgive us, our sins Christ’s name. We pray. Amen.<inaudible>.

Automated Transcript:

<inaudible> Oh, my own. It’s hot. Let’s begin this morning with a prayer. Our father in heaven, how awesome and glorious you are. We thank you so much that we have this time to come together and study your word. And we ask that we glean as much as we can from it. So we are able to use it not only to further our own spirituality,

but to bring those that are lost you this time, Lord, we ask that you be with those that are out sick and, and dealing with multiple problems, those that are dealing with surgeries and with pain. And we ask that you be with the Cozort family, dealing with a sickness right now and help them to, to come to a complete health.

And, or we thank you for your son who died on that cross sends in your son’s name. Amen. Okay. So we’re doing Luke chapter seven. I believe it’s one through 35 and chapter seven, one through 35. And this First section of Luke chapter seven verses one through 10 is the healing of the Centurion service verse one. Now, when he had entered all his or when he had ended all his things and the audience of the people he entered into Capernaum,

it is good to note here that at this time, Palestine was under the control of Roman government and such being the case. It would not have been unusual to find a band of Roman soldiers in the area. It is possible that this incident is that this incident here in Luke seven, one through 10 is identical to that in Matthew chapter eight, verses five through 13,

there are some speculations that they’re two different stories, not stories that they’re two different historical accounts, but for the most part, people believe that this is identical to Matthew eight, five through 13 verse two, and a certain Centurion servant who was dear unto him, was sick and ready to die. A Centurion here. There are at least eight centurions mentioned in the new Testament.

And every one of them is spoken of in favorable light. And you never hear of a Centurion being spoken of in a bad light. He’s always someone that people look up to and does good things is also worthy of remark that in no case, is there the slightest hint that the profession of a soldier is unlawful in the sight of God. There’s nothing in the Bible that says there that a soul being a soldier is sin.

That it’s wrong. Servant here was the man who treated here was a man, the Centurion who treated his servant with dignity and human worth. He did not despise slaves as other Gentiles commonly did. He actually treated them nicely. My teacher, Bobby Bobby Ladelle, how this note, some uncommon words describe this unusual man. Luke says this interior slave was dear to him.

This is not something you hear about a slave very often that they are dear to their master. They’re just property For the most part. And the Roman slave system, such an affection for one, no more esteem than an animal or tool to be used, abused cast out or killed at the discretion of the slave owner was very common. So it was very uncommon to hear of a Centurion,

actually loving his slave and the slave being dear to him, verse three. And when he heard of Jesus, he sent him unto the elders of the Jews, besieging him, that he would come and heal. His servant. The elders were men of maturity who were leaders in the Jewish community. It would only be natural that this interior man would entrust such a responsibility on to mature men.

Those whom he could count on to seek out Jesus and then present his case to the one who could provide healing. And Matthew, the Matthew account of this, this is represented as a personal visit upon the principle that what one does by his agent, he does by himself. So he sent these elder men to find Jesus and ask him to heal his slave.

But it was like he was coming himself as what is what the text is representing Verse four. And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly saying that he was worthy for whom he should do this. The Jews pleaded the worthiness of this interior sin, but the Centurion declared his own unworthiness, declares his own own worthiness later. And we’ll see that truly greatness and humility go together.

Verse five for he loveth Our nation. And he has built a synagogue. This is why they’re saying that he is worthy of, of Jesus’s node. This in turn must have been somewhat wealthy in order to build a synagogue of his own accord, but that it said he loveth. Our nation indicates that his motives and building the edifice were not for selfish reasons.

He didn’t build it just to make sure that the Jews were at peace with him, that they weren’t going to fight with him or cause any problems where he was, he was taking charge of. He builds it because he actually loved the Jews. Truly we have before us a noble character worthy of great respect to this interior in Verse six, then Jesus Went with them.

And when he was now not far from the house, this intern sent friends to him saying unto him, Lord trouble, not thyself for, I am not worthy. That thou should enter under my roof. This entry and clearly has a great deal of humor. Humility. Humility is a prerequisite to reception of blessings from the almighty. It is a cure.

It is curious that this interior one would first and then seek to pro prohibit the Lord from coming under his roof. He came to the right person in the right way and came to Jesus humbly and respectfully telling them, I don’t even want you to come under my roof because I’m not worthy of you. Wherefore. Neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee,

but say in word, and my servant shall be healed. This is amazing. But say the word, the faith of this interaction is manifested in the words, which he spoke right there. Just say the word would that more men would trusts. So Implicitly and ESS and Simply besieged the Lord to simply say the word. That’s what we do in our prayer.

You just say it God. And I know that things are going to happen. The great tragedy Of our age is that men religiously speaking, no longer ask what God has the say on any other on any matter, we kind of just go about our day and we, we do what we need to do. And here we are seeing that. We need to ask God to say the word all the time.

We should constantly be in prayer asking about everything. If it is his will for, I also am a man said under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, go and he go with and to another come. And he cometh and to my servant do this. And he does it. The faith of this man was immeasurable. It was indeed great.

A greater miracle of healing can not be found without even seeing the suffering servant. Jesus restored him to Full health, complete health. Faith of this Centurion is complimented for the simple reason that this injury and recognized that Jesus was God in the flesh and needed, but speak the word for the man to be healed. He recognized that it’s just amazing that he a Gentile,

a Roman Centurion recognize this about G Jesus before his death and all of the amazing things that happen. Then This injury in place Jesus, on the throne of the universe, regarding him as the ruler of the world, and as having all Things under his command, he saw Him not merely as Messiah, but as God incarnate and there in lay the superiority of his faith to that of any of the Israelites,

not even any of the apostles at this present time had reached the lofty altitude on which the Gentile soldier stood. None of the apostles even had the, a grasp on the faith that this entry and had to just, you don’t even have to come to my home, just say it. And I know he’ll be healed. Verse nine, When Jesus heard these things,

he marveled at him and turned about and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith. No, not in Israel. Only one other time, as it said that Jesus marveled. And that was when he was rejected in his own country in Mark chapter six And verse six Here not found so great faith.

No, not in Israel. I remain for a Gentile to recognize the essential divinity of the power that could save at a distance. The very ones that should have recognized and received the savior were the very ones who failed in the test of faith. We can see a connection in John chapter one in verse 11 to this. So he came to save the Jews.

He did all these wondrous miracles in front of them. None of them recognized him as the Messiah, but this Roman Centurion Gentile recognize him as so powerful of the Messiah. He didn’t even have to come into his home. He just, but say the word and my servant will be saved. One of our teachers at MSOP Bobby Ladelle stated this, let us never conclude that greatness or weakness of faith is dependent upon race,

color, nationality, environment, social standing, power, wealth, or education. Neither is God’s mercy limited by the Verse 10. Yeah. And they that were sent and returning to the house, found the servant hole that had been sick, found the servant hole here. The miraculous cure for of Jesus were, were always complete An instantaneous. So it wasn’t like,

Oh, he was starting to get better. They came home. And this servant who was near death is able to get up and be a servant again, automatically completely. But this miracle is particularly significant and that none of the apostles or prophets of old for that matter ever restored health to a dying man without seeing the sufferer, having physical contact, or at least being in the presence of the one to be healed.

So that’s what makes this miracle extremely special. That’s why I said it’s one of the most special miracles. You’ll see, because this is the only account of a miracle where they didn’t, he, Jesus didn’t even have to be there. He just said, okay, your servants healed and he’s healed. And, and that’s what makes this miracle, just one of those amazing miracles.

Now we’re going Into the raising of the only son of the widow of Nane verses 11 through 17 Verse 11, And then came to pass that the day after that, he went into a city called Nene and many of his disciples went with him and much people. This miracle is recorded only by Luke. He’s the only one who records the miracle and the four gospels.

And this is the only reference to the city of Nene in the entire Bible. You never see a reference to name anywhere else in the new or old Testament. Rather, Edward Howard has this interesting observation. He said at the gate of this little city two, great precessions met in the lead one. And the lead of one was death. Her, her son was dying or dead.

And the lead of the second was life, which is Jesus, a meeting of death and life right here. And him was life. And the life was the light of men, John one, four It’s 12. Now, when he came nine to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out the only son of his mother.

And she was a widow and much people of the city was with her. One, procession was grief stricken for it was being led by the pale horse to the silent city of the dead, with great exaltation. The other procession was led by the living ward who only had immortality when life and death met. The battle was shortened decisive. Death fled from the Gates of the cities and my teacher,

Tom Wade caster Verse 13. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said unto her weep, not, it is rare in the gospels to find the expression the Lord used by itself. Jesus being Jesus, being the usual term. Usually you see Jesus here, but instead they use the word. The Lord saw her. The pulpit commentary suggests that the usage agrees with the unanimous tradition in the church,

respecting the authority ship authorship of this gospel. Neither Luke nor Paul had been with Jesus. These had always looked on Jesus thought of him as the Lord risen from the dead and throne in heaven. So Luke wasn’t there throughout Jesus’s ministry. He was made a disciple afterward. And so when he writes, he writes of knowing already that Jesus is the Lord instead of working with him through his ministry and knowing him as Jesus and eventually coming to that belief that he is the Lord.

He had compassion on her. The verse says, including this passage, the gospel accounts mentioned the fact that Jesus had compassion. Some of these being parallel accounts. And in each case he acted, we see Jesus had compassion and Matthew nine 36, 14, 14, 1530 to 2034 Mark, one 41, five 19 six 34 and eight two. It’s really refreshing to know that Jesus cares about us.

You can see that Jesus has compassion over and over and over again through the gut, throughout the gospels, the text weep, not Jesus singled out this woman and commanded her not to weep. Her son was dead. He commanded her not to weep. It was not possible at the moment for this bereaved widow to respond to such a command. However, the Lord never gave a command without supplying the power to obey it some say and do not,

but not our Lord James by inspiration condemns well-wishing without well-doing in James chapter two in verse 16. So Jesus didn’t, didn’t say weep not. And then just go on about your day. Jesus said, we’ve not because he was about to do something for this woman, verse 14. And he came and touched The bear buyer and they, That bear him stood still.

And he said, young men, I say unto thee arise to touch something associated with death, brought Sarah ceremonial defilement, which had to be removed by purification before entrance into a synagogue. The bearers must have wondered what would occur next because Jesus had touched something undefiled death here. The text young man, I say unto thee arise. The words spoken are similar to those spoken to the daughter of Jaris in Mark chapter five in verse 41.

When he healed jars, his daughter, And very similar there, The master with one solitary word, because the spirit of this young man, back from the secluded realm of the departed spirits to return to his earthly, Tim tabernacle, I say to the arise, one word, It isn’t, it is Spoken word of God almighty, which means contains the power to accomplish his divine will.

So it was with the Centurion of the world or this creation of the world. So it was with the raising of the dead. And so it is with the power contained in the gospel God’s power to save Romans one 16 and 17. It was also interesting to note the ease with which this miracle was performed. It wasn’t something difficult for Jesus to do.

We have witnessed some of the emotional hype that exists at some of the modern day healing sessions. I know I have a on occasion with some students at school watched like Hannah and all these nuts that are laying their hands on people. And you see them fly across the room and then they get up and they can walk perfectly and everything like that. And without a doubt,

the things which occur, there are nothing like that, which is recorded in the new Testament, a simple spoken word without fanfare or Austin Tanus gyrations. And this young lad Rose from the dead. So Jesus didn’t do all this crazy hype. You just said arise. And the boy arrived arose verse 15. Yeah. And he, that was dead, sat up and began to speak.

And he delivered him to his mother. The dead boys sat up and speak, but the record says nothing of what he spoke only Christ who had a bullish death has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. Second Timothy one 10. If one would know about heaven, he must go to the words of Christ, not the words of one who supposedly died and returned with a fanciful tale of a journey to heaven of the seven occasions of the dead being raised in the biblical record.

Not one word, not one is recorded of there. Revealing anything about the afterlife. We never hear them say anything. Oh, there was a tunnel. There was a light, Oh, heaven was beautiful. You never see any of that in the scripture. Sure. We’re 16. And there Came a fear on all and they glorified God saying that a great prophet has risen up among us and that God has visited his people.

No prophet had visited Israel since the days of Malakai, the miracles, which Jesus performed would naturally produce this type of amazement and conclusion among those who were honest enough to accept the evidence at face value. How tragic that, excuse me, that the nation, as a whole represented by their spiritual and political leaders rejected the Lord in spite of the abundant evidence surrounding his ministry upon this earth,

they perceived of him as a prophet, but fell short of acknowledging him, Son of God, verse 17. And this rumor of him went For throughout all Judea and throughout all the region roundabout, there is no way for men to stretch their minds, to fully comprehend the impact of such a miracle as Jesus performed shocking the entire Eastern half of the Roman empire,

nor should it be left on notice that this miracle was rot within a few miles of Nazareth, whose city who citizens had refused to believe Jesus, not too long before this, this miracle was close enough that they could have, they could not have avoided knowing it happened. And thus Jesus gave his home village another chance to believe on him in whom they despised.

So Jesus had been rejected by Nazareth and this was close enough to Nazareth that they had another opportunity to see that he was the, The Third section here. Jesus is commending John, the Baptist verses 18 through 35. That’s reasonable Verses 18 through 20. And the disciples of John showed him of all these things. And John calling unto him, two of his disciples sent them to Jesus saying art thou he,

that should come or look we for another. When the men, when the men were coming to him, they said, John, the Baptist had sent us on to these saying art thou he, that should come or look we for another. He, that Should come as a reference to the anticipated Messiah. Just what the purpose for sending the disciples to Jesus is uncertain to viewers seem to exhaust the possibilities.

Either John sent the disciples to Jesus because of their wavering faith, or he sent them to Jesus because he had some doubts of his own as to whether Jesus was indeed the Messiah for EF promised before time Kaufman had this note, he’s a brother in Christ. John’s uncertainty is understandable. He had publicly identified Jesus as the Christ, but the Savior’s Messiah ship was not being proclaimed with a dogmatic certainty,

which John might’ve expected. It’s a possibility that John was thinking Jesus was going to be out there proclaiming that he was the Messiah. He was the King of the Jews. And, and that’s what John was expecting. And that hadn’t happened there. As a matter of fact, Jesus kept telling everybody to keep his identity a secret for a long time, we saw in the first year of his ministry,

therefore he did with his doubts. What every true believer in Christ should always do that is he brought them to Jesus who answered and relieve them. John was in prison at the time, his preaching had been rewarded with maltreatment at the hand of the religious and social authorities. It’s, it’s no wonder that he wanted answers to his doubts. He was in a bad place.

He was in a dark place being stuck in prison. And he, he wanted to know that everything he had worked for was coming to fruition in Christ verse 21. And in that same hour, he cured many of their infirmities in plagues and of evil spirits and unto many that were blind. He gave sight In response to John and response to John’s questions.

Jesus gives visible evidence that he is indeed the Messiah, the miracles, which he performed on this occasion should have served as an answer for these disciples on many that were blind and be stowed. He bestowed sight. The text says the Greek suggests that he kindly gave sight or he graciously gave sight. This is very characteristic of our Lord, not only the cure,

but the manner in which he performed it. And dear at him to those who were objects of his kindness and compassion Verse 22, then Jesus answering said, unto them, go your way and tell John what things you have seen and heard how the blind see the lame walk. The lepers are cleansed. The deaf hear the dead are raised to the poor.

The gospel is preached. The texts here to the poor. The gospel is preached. Jesus realized that John by his very nature would recognize the fulfillment of prophecy. When it was pointed out to him, seeing that these things must be done in fulfillment of prophecy. John would thereby curb his impatience and recognize that Jesus is indeed the promised Messiah brother Ladelle stated again,

Christ had come not with the military might of an earthly kingdom, but with the mercy from heaven. So was fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 35, five through 10. Hm. And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in him. Verse 23, Jesus stated the pulpit commentary calls attention to the tender way in which Jesus deals with the doubts that John May have had a warning was needed.

But it was given in the form of a beatitude, which is which it was still open to him to claim and make his own<inaudible> Verse 24. And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John. What went ye out into the wilderness for to see a Reed shaken with the wind Jesus, his testimony concerning John is one of those tender,

earnest and exquisitely, beautiful utterances of our Lord that shines brightly. A Reed shaken with the wind. John was not a no slender trifling character blown about by every doctrine. He was no delicate spiritual character merely amusing himself by turning himself into a preacher. He was more like the sturdy Oak, which can not be moved so easily. John was not a vacillating popularity,

seeker preaching. Only those things that fit fitted the popular mood, a weather vane type of preacher pointing in all directions like a Reed in the wind. He was sturdy. He’s stood fast in God’s word verses 25 through 27. But what ye out for to see a man clothed in soft, Raymond behold, they, which are gorgeously appareled and live delicately are in Kings courts.

But what went ye out for to see a prophet? Yay. I see unto you and much more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written behold. I send my messenger before they face, which shall prepare thy way before the, it is significant that Jesus changes slightly. The words found in Malakai chapter three in verse one, the old Testament prophet had actually written behold.

I will send my messenger and he shall prepare the way before me. But in quoting the passage, Jesus says, behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which prepare the way before the, before the, the pulpit commentary States that States in the profits eyes, he, who was sending and he before whom the way was to be prepared. We’re one in the same person Jehovah.

So the one that was sending Jesus, the Lord, the one that was to be prepared, Jesus, the Lord hints the before me of Malakai, but the, but for Jesus who is speaking of himself and never confounds himself with the father, a distinction became necessary. That connection of Malakai and the words of Jesus has our Lord implying that he is in fact,

the divine God who so led Malakai to rot, right? The prophecy. So here in once in one quoting, adding just a couple of words, Jesus is not only quoting that the prophecy has been fulfilled, but that he is the one who gave the prophecy in the first place. Once again, Jesus is affirming his deity verse 28 for I see in to you among those that are born of women,

there is not a greater profit than John the Baptist, but he, that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he, none greater had arisen than John, his faithfulness, his character, his boldness and courage set him apart from those born of women. But Jesus was teaching his disciples. That one who enters the kingdom was in fact greater than John.

The greatness is not one of character, but of privileges and blessings. The lesson seems to be that if John was blessed of God, and obviously he was blessed of God, then those who have the wisdom to enter the kingdom will in a much greater fashion, be blessed as well. The words greater than he Men living this side of the cross are greater than John.

Only in the sense of the message they proclaim and the blessing which they enjoy. Even the most significant isolated child of God is greater than John. If for no other reason than the fact that the message which we proclaim is so far superior to the message, which John proclaimed, John proclaimed of the coming Christ, we proclaim the Christ has come and salvation is ours to be had verses 29 and 30.

And all the people that heard him and the publicans justified God being baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves being not baptized of him. Those who rejected John’s baptism were not rejecting the winds of some eccentric man in the wilderness. They were in fact rejecting the very council of God as it, as it was was then.

So it is now those who reject the baptism of the new Testament do not reject some mere theory of men. They reject the counsel of God and his son, Jesus Christ, By rejecting Anything that has to do that comes from God. We are objecting, God verses 31 through 35. And the Lord said, where two then shall I liken the men of this generation?

And two, what are they like? They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace and calling one to another and saying, we have piped unti, PIP piped unto you. And you have not danced. And we have more into you and you have not wept for John. The Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine. And you say he had a devil.

The son of man has come eating and drinking. And he say, behold, a gluttonous man and a wine. Bibber a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of all, All her children. This illustration would have been familiar to the people of this city. What Jesus has just said here, the marketplace was a place where children would play children.

Playing would invite their friends to play along as they piped and dance pretending to be at a wedding, but their friends refused to play along in turn. They would invite their friends to whale and weep as they pretended to be at a funeral. But again, they refused to play along the application, being that as these children could not be satisfied, no matter what the game.

So the Jews of that age would not be satisfied at the messengers sent to prepare the way for the coming kingdom. John came with his abstinence, his seclusion in the wilderness. They could not bear the man and even accused him of possessing a demon. Jesus came entering into homes of the publicans and sinners, eating with them and walking in the street Of the Jews.

These immature Jews, like the little Children would not accept him either. Neither motive life would satisfy them. They were as unreasonable as little children. And in fact, Jesus was saying, you men of this generation are like a troop of wayward children who go on with their own game at one time gate at another time grave and give heed to no one else and experience that everyone should conform to them.

As brother Wade caster. One of my teachers said that you were angry with John because he would not dance to your pit piping. And with me, because I will not weep to your dirge, John sensored, your<inaudible>. I rebuke your hypocrisy. You vilify both and reject the good counsel of God who has devised of men means for your salvation and wisdom is justified of all her children.

The wisdom said in this verse, these verses the wisdom revealed to John in this incident was actually manifested in life and doctrine of Christ. This verse simply means that Christ was approved and justified by all those who were truly they could see through the inconsistencies and foolish Ringlings of the farracies. All right. So I didn’t know I was supposed to stop there, but I’m supposed to stop there and we’ll go ahead and go through the questions now.<inaudible> Number one.

Why did this in Tyrian and Capernaum not come to Jesus himself concerning his dying slave. Excuse me. Yep. They felt unworthy. Correct? How did this interaction say that Jesus could heal the slave? Yeah, just by saying so just the power of his word. Jesus marveled at the Capernaum, centurions a home, be soldier skills, see obedient slaves or de faith.

Thanks. I like how they give you, like all these completely. That’s not the answer. And then they’re like, Oh, and D faith. Yeah. What was Jesus’s feeling for the widow of Dean whose son had died? Yes. He had compassion. What did the people of Nene say about Jesus after he raised the son of the widow?<inaudible> Yes.

And prophet was among them or God had visited his people. When the two messengers from John, the Baptist asked Jesus, are you the one who is coming? What was his reply?<inaudible> So in Jesus his own way, he said yes. Why? According to Jesus had the people gone out into the wilderness to see John the Baptist<inaudible> Yeah, they wanted,

they wanted to see for themselves if he was real, basically not a Reed shaken in the wind. And these people were dressed in fanciful clothes, going out there to see if this was actually the prophet, a prophet, the messenger to prepare the way for him. Was John the Baptist in the kingdom of God? No, he was before the kingdom of God.

Before the church who had been baptized with John’s baptism in Luke seven 29 through 30, Huh? Yes, sir. And who had not been baptized with John’s baptism, Pharisees, and Lord, you didn’t give anybody a chance to answer any of the questions you just did it all yourself. Very good. All right. I know we’re stopping a little bit early today,

but you got me and not Aaron, so I’m not, I’m trying to keep it down a little bit. Thank you very much. We’ll take a break and come for worship. We have a little church of Christ, Sunday morning, worship service. It’s great to see each of you here. I have a fair number of announcements. So bear with me this morning.

But first of all, I want to welcome our guest. If you’re visiting with us, we want you to know that you are our honored guest. And if you would please take a moment and pick up the card and the Pew in front of you and fill it out and hand it to one of us or just leave it on the Pew. And it will be picked up.

Also, as you came in the auditorium, I know all of the members are familiar with this, but the communion cups are on the table. As you walk through the doors, if you would pick up your bread and your wine, as it is displayed there and take it with you to your seat, if you haven’t done that yet, now’s a good time to go get it.

And while we’re going through the announcements we have, as I mentioned earlier, a fair number of members that are sick and under the weather, remember Joan Springer. She is doing a little bit better perhaps, and Dorothy Wilson. She still has problems with her blood pressure. And so on her grand daughter, Taylor Wilson and her ex daughter-in-law and her husband, and are all suffering from COVID.

So the family itself is, is pretty well down. Also remember Noah Olson, he’s the Memphis school of preaching student that is working with us here. He is out with yeah, Barbara Dillard is recovering from a rotator cuff procedure. And she’s certainly in a lot of pain from that. And I understand that is a very painful operation and she will be unable to move her arm for two weeks.

Now, I don’t know how they immobilize it, but it must be, must be very uncomfortable. Lucky Hanks is home and doing well from his procedure that he had and putting a place pacemaker in. And it seems to be, I’ve talked to him a couple of times and he seems to be doing much better and is honestly feeling better after having had the pacemaker,

Alena sharp, Shelly stacks, mother, I just talked with Shelly. She came in, she has double pneumonia and she also is suffering from Murcia, a very serious infection, and she’s holding her own, but not doing well. And Jake and Missy Sutton, they were ex church, Memphis school of preaching students. That kinda had a connection here. They visited often,

but both of those have COVID and they are working in Georgia now. So it need to keep them, and it of utmost importance to us is Aaron Cozort has a sinus infection. He doesn’t think it’s a COVID or anything like that, but just to be on the safe side. And he’s waiting to see how that develops. And he’s not with us today.

So need to keep all of these people in our prayers and hopefully we’ll get some relief from this COVID shortly. We need to also remember Francis Redmond. She lost her daughter, I guess it was Thursday night, early Friday morning. They found her body and car in the garage with the motor running. And she had left a note that she was on the way to Walgreens to get some medicine for.

She was having a lot of pain with her chest and just general pain. So the parent Frances founder, about four o’clock in the morning, we don’t know much about it, but at any rate, she passed away. And we don’t know whether it was from carbon monoxide poisoning or whether it was heart attack or what really happened. But we do know that she was headed for Walgreens to get some medicine.

And we don’t know what time of night that was, but carbon running for a good while in the garage with the door shut and the fumes. Well, Frances and she found her about four o’clock in the morning and called the paramedics or call nine one one. And the fire department came and took care of the situation. Francis ended up in the hospital for the biggest part of the day,

Friday to get the carbon monoxide Al of her system. So that’s all I know about that. So keep Francis in your prayers at the loss of her daughter, and she has fully recovered from her carbon monoxide poisoning. That’s all the announcements that I have. Our song leader today will be Jacob Wallace. We appreciate him coming and doing this on such a short notice.

Joe caisson will have the opening prayer. Tommy O’Neil will be officiating at our Lord’s supper. Michael Dale we’ll have our sermon and Murray Springer. We’ll have the closing prayer again. Thank you for your attendance. First song of worship. This morning will be number eight 69 we’re marching design come. We that love the Lord and<inaudible> join in a song with sweet corn.

Join in a song with sweet, a chord and a so around throw throw. And so around the throne were arching twos, a young beautiful<inaudible> beautiful city of God. Lactose reef used to sing who never God, but children of the heavenly King, but children of the heavenly King may speak their choice up broad may speak their choice. Bra God we’re botching juice,

Yon. Beautiful.<inaudible> beautiful city of God.<inaudible> songs about danda. Every tear be dry. We’re marching through and man Wells ground. We’re marching through him, man. UL’s ground to fam. Well, it’s hard to rope welds on high.<inaudible> beautiful.<inaudible> upward to a beautiful city. Our song before our first prayer, I’ll be number three 15 when I survey the wondrous cross.

Hm, wow. And I saw<inaudible> which<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> for<inaudible> save. And<inaudible> all the pain things that<inaudible> I sacrifice them to is see from his head. He, his hands, his feet saw arrow B go the such love. And so me needs<inaudible> so rich.<inaudible> where a whole<inaudible> that pres too small. So<inaudible> so the nine T mans.

My, so my life<inaudible> Out a smile. Oh God, our father in heaven, we truly are grateful unto thee for the privilege that we have as your children to come here and worship this day. Father we’re mine for the great love that was demonstrated through your son, coming to this earth and suffering and dying on the cross of Calvary, that we might have our sins cleansed and be able to become children of yours.

Father. We’re grateful for the Bible study period that we’ve had to come and be strengthened by your word. And we’re thankful for Michael and his ability to teach the class. We pray father that as we consider the things that we studied today, that our faith will be strengthened. It will have a better understanding of your will and that we might have the privilege to continue to serve you to the best of our ability.

We pray father that might always be mindful of those that are not members of your body. And that we pray that we might say or do something and be able to share your word with them, that they might come to them, knowledge of your wheel and want to buy it. We’re so grateful father that we can call your, our father, that we can be your children and have that peace of mine that we’re serving you and glorifying you.

And we pray. We continue to do that, that we might have that home and having with a one day father were mindful of all the sick that have been mentioned in those that have undergone procedures. For those that have the code virus, we pray father that you to be with all of these and pray for those that are administering to them, that they might do those things that are most needful to help restore them to their health father.

We’re also mindful of Francis and the loss of Sandy. We pray father that you be with her and comfort her and help us to be an encouragement to her through this difficult period of time that she has faced. We pray father specially for Aaron and for aid in the children and pray that Aaron might regain his health and would not have been inflicted by the COVID TRIBErs.

We pray father that you continue to bless them and watch over them. We pray father that you be with Michael is he’s about to break the bread of life to us today and pray that you continue to strengthen him as he goes to the school of preaching, that his ability to teach and preach your word might be increased and he’ll be effective servant in the kingdom.

We pray to be with his family and, and watch over them and pray that they might be blessed and that we, we would encourage them as we have that privilege and opportunity to be able to help them support them in this effort at the school of preaching, probably that you be with Noah is he’s try and recover from being exposed to the virus. And probably that he’ll be back with us soon and take up his place here.

We’re thankful for Jacob dear father, that he’s come to direct our songs service. We pray that you be with him in the, in the directing of our songs. And probably that we might listen a tenant to the, to the words that we saying that we might truly be praising thy name, and also being admonished in one another with the songs that we sing.

Father, we’re grateful for those that are teaching and preaching. In other lands, we pray for those that we support and pray that we might always keep them in our prayers. That many souls might hear the gospel and want to be obedient to it. Dear God, we pray that you be with our nation and the turmoil that she’s in, we pray that we will always stand up for the truth dear father,

and that we try to be the best examples we can be to those round about us, that they truly know that we’re your children, that we’re trying to follow your will and, and give you the honor and the glory and the praise help us to help those that are not your children. To be a more godly people, to not be an ungodly nation that we appear to be.

And we pray father that we have strength and courage that we continue to live our lives out in a way that would please and glorify you remind for those that are unfaithful father. And we pray that we might be able to encourage them in some form or fashion that they would know where they stand in your sight and would turn back to you and become fateful.

Children of yours. Bless us, our father and our worship today, we pray it will be acceptable. Help us always keep in mind your love and that we should extend that love to others. As we have that opportunity that we will be patient with one another and compassionate toward those that are having difficulties strengthen us each day and help us be strengthened by worship today.

And we pray that it be pleased you in Jesus name, amen For the Lord separate. We’ll be singing My love for cross course week number three 50, When my love to cry scrolls, we went for tea Fe dicey<inaudible> garden.<inaudible> that’d be how old is gunny suffered on the bit a tree C has a<inaudible> love TRIBE.<inaudible> then<inaudible> the journey.

All the, no, the pain<inaudible> and falls selves. Chris, We have this opportunity this morning to eat of this bread and drink of the cup. As we haven’t been commanded to do, to remember the death of Christ, our Lord and savior and the sacrifice that he made for all of mankind. Would you bow with me, Our heavenly father.

We thank you for this bread, which to us represents the body of our savior sacrificed for our sins. We asked, dear Lord did this. Each of us take of it that we want, think of the horrible death that he died, and that would my partake of it all on Berlin. Truly thankful manner. Yes. We ask him Christ name.

Amen. Would you bow with me? Our heavenly father, wicked 10 yard. Thanks for this fruit of the vine. Wait, Pray that as we partake of it, each one of us would think about the salvation that we might have through this Blood. We pray that we would take over dinner Manner that is pleasing and acceptable in my sight. So in Christ’s name,

we ask, Amen, your Bible with me, Our heavenly father. We thank you for all of the blessings that we receive in this life. We do not even realize how numerous they are. We thank you for the material blessings that we have in this country. We can look at other countries around us and see, I say that we truly are a blessed country.

We thank you for these blessings. As we prepared to return on the part of that, that we have been blessed with. We pray that we would do so with a cheerful, thankful heart. This we ask in Christ’s name. Amen.<inaudible> Our invitation song. After the lesson will be number nine, 15, number nine, one five, trust and obey.

We’ll sing that after the upcoming lesson, presently we’ll sing number five 65, 60 zero. Living by faith. I cannot today. What the Morrow may bring if shadow or sunshine or rain, the Lord, I know rule if thought ever be thing. And all of my worry is<inaudible> living by faith. Hey Jesus, trusting.<inaudible> hiding in his grade.<inaudible> I’m living by faith.

Hey, then feel Noah though. Tempus may blow and a storm cloud. So rise up scolding the brightness of LA live. I’m never alarmed that the overcast skies, the massive looks on at the straw living by faith. Hey, and she is also a trusting.<inaudible> hiding in his grave from<inaudible> I’m living by fear and feel. No. Well,

well we turn in his glory someday troubles. Well then I’ll be your, the masters. So gently, well Theda. So way beyond that last tab and Lee<inaudible> living by faith. Hey, Angie saw us up trusting<inaudible> from<inaudible>. I’m living by Faith. Hey, Banfield, Noah. Welcome to the Collierville church of Christ. Those of you that are visiting this morning,

I’m going to speak on the real test of discipleship. Our main text is going to be kept mostly in Mark chapter 10, verses one through 12. So if you’ll turn there, Mark chapter 10 verses one through 12, and we’re going to be reading that first and then getting into the lesson. And he arose from things and come at them to the coast of Judea by the farther side of Jordan and the people resort unto him again.

And he was not one. And he was want, he taught them again, as he was want. He taught them again. And the Pharisees came to him and asked him, is it lawful for a man to put away his wife tempting him? And he answered and said unto them, what did Moses command you? And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement and to put her away.

And Jesus answered and said unto them for the hardness of your heart. He wrote you this precept, but from the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female for this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife. And they Twain shall be one flesh. So then, so then they are no more Twain, but one flesh,

what, therefore God has joined together. Let not man put us under. And in the house, his disciples asked him again of the same matter. And he said unto them, whosoever shall put away his wife and marry another committed adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband and be married to another, she committed adultery. Does that sound a little loud to you sounds a little loud to me,

probably because both of them are on. You got it. It’s still on turn this one off. Sorry about that. As disciples, we need to ask ourselves, are we ready to face the tough questions in regards to others and ourselves as Christians, we are keenly aware that there are those who watch us only to see us fall. People will constantly just try to get a Christian to fall so they could say,

see, I told ya, at times these same people will set traps in order to snare us. Their reason for doing this is simple. They want an for not living as God has instructed here in Mark chapter 10, we have a similar situation. The Pharisees come to Jesus asking a question about his teaching and divorce on remarriage and remarriage teachings on divorce and remarriage.

Jesus explains what God’s will has always been for the marriage and those involved, but we cannot overlook that which takes place here. It is also a great test of real discipleship and not merely a discussion on divorce. This section of scripture can be broken down into two parts, the Pharisee’s question and purpose and Jesus’s question and answer. So let us consider the first part.

The farrier sees question and purpose. Once again, we find Jesus teaching in the temple back to verse one in Mark, chapter 10, Mark ten one. And he arose from thence and cometh into the coast of Judea by the farther side of Jordan and the people resort unto him again. And as he was want, he taught them again on this particular occasion,

some Pharisees come to Jesus asking a question of him, verse two, and the Pharisees came to him and asked him, is it lawful for a man to put away his wife tempting him? Clearly they are asking about a divorce. The question they are asking is in reference to Deuteronomy chapter 24, verses one through four, do on me chapter 24. This is one<inaudible>.

When a man has taken a wife and married her and it come to pass that she finds no favor in his eyes because he had found some uncleanness in her. Then let him write her a bill of divorcement and give it in her hand and send her out of his house. And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be known and be another man’s wife.

And if the latter husband hate her and write her a bill of divorcement and give with it in her hand and sendeth her out of his house, or if the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife, her former husband, which sent her away may not take her again to be his wife. After that, she is defiled for that is abomination before the Lord and now shall not cause the land to sin,

which the Lord, thy God give it the foreign inheritance. Again. Clearly we’re speaking. The Pharisees are speaking of divorce here. There are some things we need to consider about this question that they asked Jesus. First at the time, this question is asked. There are two main schools of thought on the issue by the Jewish rabbis and the century before Jesus,

before Christ learned rabbi by the name of Hillel came to Jerusalem and soon became head of the chief school in the city. One of his students, she MII separated from his master and set up another school of teaching at the time of Jesus, his appearance, the scribes and doctors of the law were broken into two parties. The followers of Hillel and the followers of shamiah the teaching on divorce for each party.

We’re an opposition to one, another rabbi Hillel taught that divorce could happen for the smallest offense. Anything your wife or husband does anything well at this point in time, it was your wife. If your wife does anything that you do not like she doesn’t make her coffee, right? Give her a writ of divorce and get rid of her. But rabbi Shammai taught that divorce could only happen because of sexual unfaithfulness.

The way the question is worded makes it clear. They are speaking of the teachings of rabbi Hillel. Let’s turn to Matthew chapter 19 in verse three. This is the, this is the same talk, but in Matthew’s account, Matthew 19 in verse three,<inaudible> The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him and saying unto him, is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

So they’re asking about the teachings of Hillel here, because these are the teachings that they follow let’s consider the words of Josephus and his antiquities. Josephus was a writer back in the time of Christ, a Jewish historian, if you will. And what he States in his book is he that desires to be divorced from his wife for any cause whatsoever. And many such causes happen among men.

Many such causes. He says happened among men, whatever the cause is, like I said, she made her coffee wrong. You can get rid of her, let him in writing, give assurance that he will never use her as his wife anymore for, by this means she may be at Liberty to marry another husband. Although before this bill of divorce be given,

she is not to be permitted to do so, but if she be misused by him also, or if when he is dead, her first husband would marry her. Again. It shall not be lawful for her to return to him. Sounds a lot like Deuteronomy 24, one through four second. It is clear from the text why they are asking this specific question.

Let’s read Mark chapter 10 and verse two, again, Mark chapter 10 and verse two. And the furious seas came to him and asked him, is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? The question that clear intent, tempting him. They were tempting Christ. They are clearly not asking this to gain some spiritual insight or some spiritual truth.

They asked this to catch Jesus in a trap like politicians in the news media of today, the Pharisees want Jesus to go on record so they can have something to use against him. The trap is found in whom Jesus sides with. Now, if Jesus sides with says that the man can divorce for any cause he sides with rabbi Hillel and they would then claim Jesus was morally lax.

If Jesus’ sides says only for unfaithfulness, he sides with Shanghai, they will claim that Jesus is unfriendly to sinners or non forgiving. He also puts himself against the most popular view held by the wealthy. If he rejected, both the Pharisees could say, Jesus is against all divorce and thus violating Deuteronomy 24, one through four. What we read from Moses,

the Pharisees believed that they had a question by which they could bring harm to Jesus and his work from the time Jesus began teaching to this point in time here in the, in the texts that we’re reading in Mark chapter 10, there had always been a resistance toward him and his teaching. Every single time, the Pharisees of the scribes or the Sadducees are around.

They were trying to find something to trap Jesus in their goal was to hold their current belief system and get Jesus out of the picture because as they saw it, Jesus, his teachings were detrimental to their way of life. He was trying to get rid of all the old and bringing the new right, following the question of the Pharisees. Jesus now responds with a question of his own and an answer.

Let’s look at Jesus’s question and answer Mark chapter 10, three through 12. And we’re going to read through the whole thing again. I want this in everybody’s mind. And he answered and said unto them, what did Moses command you? And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement and to put her away. And Jesus answered and said unto them for the hardness of your heart.

He wrote you this precept, but from the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female for this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife. And they Twain shall be one flesh. So then they are no more Twain. That’s two but one flesh. What? Therefore God has joined together. Let no man put us under.

And in the house, his disciples asked him again of the same matter. And he said unto them, whosoever shall put away his wife and marry another committed adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband and be married to another, she committed adultery. Jesus begins by appealing to the law, which they claim to uphold. He is not appealing to one of their rabbis.

Current school of teachings. We see this in Mark chapter three, when he says, what did Moses command you? And verse four, the Pharisees correctly, state what? Deuteronomy 24 and verses one through four state. And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement and to put her away. But in verses in verse five, Jesus explains what Deuteronomy 24,

why Deuteronomy 24, one through four even existed. And Jesus answered and said unto them for the hardness of your heart. He wrote you this precept. It was because they had hard hearts. They couldn’t accept what God wanted. And so Moses suffered them to write a bill of divorcement. What Moses permitted did not change God’s will for marriage. Moses simply stated that if they were going to send their wives away,

as certificate of divorcement should be given and no way did this alter God’s original design for marriage or mean God was pleased with the action itself. And Moses never indicates and verses in chapter 24, that it was that God was okay with it. Or even that he was okay with it. The teachers of the law believe that Moses was giving them permission to divorce their wives.

But he was not since they had already determined to divorce their wives because of the hardness of their hearts. Moses said, write a certificate of divorce. When we get to verses six through nine, Jesus does something unexpected. Instead of addressing their question on divorce, he explains God’s will for marriage. Let’s read six through nine, again, Mark 10, six through nine.

But from the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female for this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife. And they Twain shall be one flesh. So then they are no more Twain, but one flesh what? Therefore God has joined together. Let no man put us under, Excuse me. And understanding God’s will for marriage.

You understand God, you understand God’s view on divorce. And if the Pharisees really wanted to know God’s will for marriage, Deuteronomy 24 was not the place to look because it speaks of the hardness of their hearts because they were, they Moses suffered them. This let us consider what Jesus said about God’s plan for marriage. First God’s plan for marriage begin at the creation.

Jesus States this plainly and verse six, a from the beginning of the creation, he says his plan does not arrive on the scene. When Moses gives this wall and Deuteronomy 24, his plan has been there from the beginning of creation marriage from the beginning. Second God’s plan for marriage involves a male and a female. Again, Jesus States this in plain language.

Let’s read six again, but from the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female. This is how God created. Let’s turn to Genesis one 27, just put it in our minds. This is how God created. Let’s go back to the beginning. Genesis chapter one in verse 27. So God created man in his own image and the image of God created,

he him male and female created he them and context, male and female are used in reference to marriage because God had created male and female. His intentions were always for marriage to take place between the two, a male and a female. This would exclude any other parties from marrying period because this was looked down on as vial and unnatural turn to Romans chapter one verses 26 and 27,

Romans chapter one 26 and 27.<inaudible> Romans one 26 and 27 for this cause God gave them up to vile affections for even their women did change the natural use into that, which is against nature. And likewise also the men leaving the natural use of women. Natural use of women burned in their lust, one toward another men with men working that, which is unseemly and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error,

which was meat. This is vial. This is unnatural against nature. This is lust. This is unseemly. This is error. All God Jesus is saying here is it’s to be between a man and a woman, nothing else. Third God’s plan of marriage involves the creation of a family. No longer are we to be with our parents. Turn back to Mark chapter 10,

Mark chapter 10, and look at verse seven For this cause Shelly man, leave his father and mother and cleave unto his wife. Excuse me Again, no longer with parents. We can see this back in the beginning, go back to Genesis chapter two and we’ll look at verse 22 through 24 Genesis two 22. God sets up how marriage is supposed to be Genesis two 22 through 24 And the rib,

which the Lord God had taken from man made he a woman and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, this is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called woman because she was taken out of man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife. And they shall be one flesh.

Cleave. Here is the idea of being glued together. They are glued together, whether that is stronger than glue that we can imagine because this is a spiritual glue. This is a closer relationship than one could ever fathom having with their father or their mother. Fourth God’s plan for marriage joins two until one. Jesus tells us this in Mark chapter 10 in verse eight,

let’s go back to our main texts in Mark chapter 10. If you’re not already there, Mark chapter 10 in verse eight and they Twain shall be one flesh. So then they are no more two, but one flesh. God, the father tells us this in Genesis chapter two 24, as we read earlier, it’s the exact same thing. The two shall be one flesh.

Jesus adds. So then they are no more Twain, but one flesh for emphasis. He wants us to understand when you are married, you become one, two becoming one involves both the mind and the body. This is not merely a sexual relationship. This is, This is completely Spiritual. Mental. You are one person. Fifth God’s plan for marriage does not permit man to break it.

No man is allowed to break this marriage. Mark chapter 10 in verse nine, Jesus says what? Therefore God has joined together. Let not man put Asunder. The figure here Is yoked together. And it is God who does the yoking. Now yoke is what they used to put on oxygen. When they were threshing the fields, they would have to oxen side by side in this double arch that they would put on top of the yolks next and hinge with another one double arch that came up and they would block it together.

So when the, when the oxen were threshing, when they were doing the field, they had to stay together. One couldn’t go off in either direction. They were pooled in the same direction because of this yoke. And this yoke is what God does to a man and a woman. When they get married, they become yoked together as such let no man put us under.

Jesus says Legon has joined together in his creation. No man has the right to separate no man, if he does. So he stands in direct opposition to God. Having said this in verse 11 and 12, Jesus explains what happens if God’s plan is not followed. Let’s read Mark 10, 11, and 12 Mark chapter 10, 11, and 12.

And he said unto them, whosoever Shall put away his wife and marry another committed adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband and be married to another, she committed adultery. Jesus says, if a man or woman divorces their meat and marries another, they are committing adultery. It’s plain language here. Moses permitted them to give a certificate of divorce,

but this did not change the result of them. Marrying another person. You can get divorced for any reason because of the hardness of your hearts. But that doesn’t mean you can go off and get married to somebody else. We need to consider one other part of Jesus’s answer, not found in Mark. Let us consider Matthew chapter 19 and verse nine, Matthew chapter 19 and verse nine.

And I say unto you whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication and shall marry another committed adultery and whoso Mary with her, which has put away death commit adultery. And let us also consider Matthew chapter five, go back to Matthew chapter five, verses 31 and 32, Matthew five 31 and 32. It has been said who’s so let him per a writing of divorcement.

But I say unto you that whosoever shall put away his wife saving for the cause of fornication. That is sex outside of the marriage, causes her to commit adultery and whosoever shall marry her. That is divorced, committed adultery here. Jesus makes it clear that God does not allow divorce and remarriage to take place. If, and only if adultery has taken place on the part of the mates,

this is the only reason the word except indicates the one exception. The exception is fornication adultery, that Greek porneia, this is every kind of unlawful sexual intercourse. Anything sexual that your mate does against you? The answer Jesus gave to the Pharisees question is not what they were looking for. Clearly the fact that they were trying to catch Jesus in a trap did not matter to him.

In fact, what was not going. In fact, he was not going to side with one of their schools of thought, just to avoid this confrontation with the Pharisees. He was clear under the law of Moses. They had no reason to divorce their wives unless fornication had taken place, but because of the hardness of their hearts, because they couldn’t put it in their mind.

He allowed them to give a writ of divorcement. And considering what has been said, although the issue is divorced and subsequently remarriage, there is a bigger issue at hand that pertains to all disciples. The problem Jesus faced here in this is the same one. Moses faced the hardness of their hearts. If we look at one other passage, I think this will be made clear.

Let us read Matthew chapter 19 verses 10 through 12 Matthew, 1910 through 12. His disciples say unto him. If the case, if the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry, but he said unto them, all men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given for. There are some units which were so born from their mother’s womb.

And there are some units which were made units of men and there’d be units which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven sake. He, that is able to receive it. Let him receive it as disciples. Are we ready to face the tough questions as Jesus did here in regards to others and ourselves, this is the real test of discipleship. Are you ready to go out and answer the tough questions?

What must I do to be saved first? You must hear the word of God, Romans 10 17, because it will lead you to faith. Second. You must believe that Jesus is the Christ. The son of the living God, John eight 24. So you will not die in your sins. Third, you must repent of your past life. As God has commanded acts 1730 fourth.

You must confess Jesus as the Christ, the son of the living God before man Matthew 10 32. If we wish to be confessed before God by Christ and heaven, fifth, you must be baptized for the remission of your sins. Acts two 38. And finally you must live faithfully to God walking in the light. First, John one, six and seven until death to receive a crown of life revelation two 10.

Nobody is going to know this stuff unless we are willing to go out and teach it and to be able to go out and teach it. We must know it all ourselves. If you have yet to obey the waters of baptism already for you, or if you have need of prayers of the saints, we’re here for you, whatever your need, please come forward as Dan scene.<inaudible> way while we do his good will he abides with us still?

And we will trust and<inaudible> trust Stan Dalby for there’s no the way to be happy and jeez us, but to trust. And<inaudible> not a shadow can rise, not her cloud and sky rise, but his smile quickly drive<inaudible> wow. Are a fee here. Nada<inaudible> can abide while we trust that<inaudible> trust<inaudible> for. There’s no the way to be happy and jeez us,

but to trust. And<inaudible> then in fallow ships, we eat, we will say that his feet we’ll walk by his side in a way, what he says we will do where he sends. We will go never fear. Oh, the trust and<inaudible> trust<inaudible> for. There’s no a way to be happy and she saw us, but to trust.

And<inaudible> Our final song this morning before worship for closing, prayer will be number seven 38. Take the name of Jesus with you. Mm mm. Take that off Name of Jesus with you child off Sato and have also it well, joy and comfort.<inaudible> you take it then wherever you go. Precious name O house. We<inaudible> precious<inaudible> house.

We<inaudible><inaudible> Oh, the precious name of cheese, a us. How with thrills, our souls with your boy when his lobbying arm<inaudible> and his songs are tongues implore, precious name. Oh, house. We hope<inaudible><inaudible> house. We need hope about that.<inaudible> would you bow with me? Our God and our father in heaven. We’re thankful for this privilege that we’ve had this morning together together as a church and to sing praises to the,

and to offer into the worship without worthy Lord, we ask that you would forgive us of our sins, that we asked that you would be with us during this pandemic. Keep us safe from the virus that is there and pray for the people of the world father, that you would keep them safe from this virus, thankful that you’ve given us a vaccine that’s going to help.

We asked that you would be with us as we go to our respective homes and remember that every day of our lives, we’re supposed to be Christians. We’re supposed to behave ourselves in that way. These things we ask in Christ’s name. Amen.