1 00:00:00,620 --> 00:00:07,120 Yeah, we look last time at Jesus there in his hometown. 2 00:00:07,890 --> 00:00:14,820 And, you know, the Bible says that a prophet is not without honor except in his hometown. 3 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:21,780 And so Jesus, when he goes to Nazareth, he's been doing all these things. 4 00:00:22,300 --> 00:00:29,520 And it ended there in verse 22, where the people, they were amazed at the way he talked. 5 00:00:30,180 --> 00:00:35,240 But then they said, is this not Joseph's son? 6 00:00:36,100 --> 00:00:37,940 Is this not Joseph's son? 7 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:42,340 And so they're questioning what Jesus is doing. 8 00:00:43,140 --> 00:00:46,700 And he's just a hometown kid, right? 9 00:00:49,580 --> 00:00:54,400 But God, when he calls somebody to do something, he empowers them. 10 00:00:54,900 --> 00:00:59,380 And just reading Moses as they left Egypt this morning. 11 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:08,020 and the Lord used the authority of Moses to lead the people out. 12 00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:13,920 And it was interesting that the Lord realized that the people would probably only follow Moses 13 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:17,580 so far and then break and run back to Egypt. 14 00:01:18,540 --> 00:01:22,580 So it says that he took them by way of the wilderness to the Red Sea. 15 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:26,160 God took him to the Red Sea on purpose, right? 16 00:01:26,300 --> 00:01:29,480 Because if he would have just took him on a long, 17 00:01:29,500 --> 00:01:31,820 land excursion, right? 18 00:01:32,440 --> 00:01:37,860 He wouldn't have had that barrier to put back between them when, when war would come, 19 00:01:37,960 --> 00:01:39,560 they'd get scared and run back to Egypt. 20 00:01:40,580 --> 00:01:45,100 And it's really like us, you know, we're going to, we get scared and run back to the world 21 00:01:45,300 --> 00:01:45,740 sometimes. 22 00:01:47,420 --> 00:01:56,600 And we were to follow who God puts in front of us as far as the scripture goes. 23 00:01:56,690 --> 00:01:59,460 And Jesus was put in front of the people here. 24 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:00,760 in Nazareth. 25 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:04,900 And they weren't having it. 26 00:02:05,380 --> 00:02:09,200 And so we're going to pick up this story in verse 23. 27 00:02:10,060 --> 00:02:12,160 And we probably better pray first. 28 00:02:12,300 --> 00:02:14,220 Father, thank you for this word of yours. 29 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:17,340 It is truly powerful. 30 00:02:17,540 --> 00:02:18,780 And we're going to see that today. 31 00:02:19,580 --> 00:02:23,360 And Jesus, that it would truly be written on our hearts. 32 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:28,240 Lord, that we have so much stuff in our hearts competing with the truth of your 33 00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:28,580 word. 34 00:02:28,660 --> 00:02:30,040 And I pray that it would prevail. 35 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:34,460 And that it wouldn't return void, Lord, but that it would have a way in us. 36 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:40,100 And it would divide thoughts and intents of our heart and keep us in a good place. 37 00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:42,100 And so would you teach us? 38 00:02:42,460 --> 00:02:44,420 We pray in Jesus' name. 39 00:02:44,820 --> 00:02:44,980 Amen. 40 00:02:46,580 --> 00:02:47,960 So here he goes. 41 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:52,340 We're going to, we'll read down through verse 30 and see how it goes. 42 00:02:52,580 --> 00:02:55,260 It says, and then he said to them, 43 00:02:56,140 --> 00:02:58,600 you will surely say this proverb to me. 44 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:07,580 physician heal yourself. Whatever we have heard done in Copernium do also here in your country. 45 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:12,900 And then he said assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country. 46 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:21,140 But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah when the heaven was set up, 47 00:03:21,420 --> 00:03:27,680 three, shut up, excuse me, three years and six months. And there was a great famine throughout all the land. 48 00:03:27,860 --> 00:03:40,320 But none of them was Elijah sent to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zaraphat in the region of Sidon to a woman who was a widow. 49 00:03:40,500 --> 00:03:42,120 This was a Gentile woman, by the way. 50 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:50,200 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha, the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naman the Syrian. 51 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:51,800 He's also a Gentile. 52 00:03:52,540 --> 00:03:57,720 So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath. 53 00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:00,880 and rose up and thrust him out of the city. 54 00:04:01,220 --> 00:04:07,960 And they led him into the brow of the hill, which their city was built, on which their city was 55 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:13,520 built, that they might throw him down over the cliff and then passing through the midst 56 00:04:13,670 --> 00:04:15,740 of them, he went his way. 57 00:04:17,100 --> 00:04:19,200 And so this thing's kind of ringing up here. 58 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:23,080 Maybe take it down just a little bit. 59 00:04:23,990 --> 00:04:27,100 But anyway, so here Jesus is. 60 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:30,040 And they're going, I don't think so. 61 00:04:30,180 --> 00:04:34,100 We ain't buying what this guy's selling because we've known him. 62 00:04:34,680 --> 00:04:34,820 Right. 63 00:04:35,280 --> 00:04:43,080 And so the problem was that his listeners in Nazareth would not believe in him. 64 00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:50,360 Now, I don't know about you, but the things that I've heard about Jesus, 65 00:04:50,540 --> 00:04:53,940 that I've read about Jesus in the Bible, it's very provocative. 66 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:54,600 Is it not? 67 00:04:55,560 --> 00:04:57,100 He's probably the most provocative. 68 00:04:57,140 --> 00:05:05,600 life that has ever lived in the world. And so he was starting his ministry. And when he says those 69 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:12,980 words, right, the greatest sermon that we have here, today in your hearing, the scripture is 70 00:05:13,730 --> 00:05:22,960 fulfilled. That quick. He said a sermon. And he basically was telling them, the Messiah is here. 71 00:05:23,100 --> 00:05:26,380 He is on the scene. Here I am right here. That's what he said. He said a sermon. And he basically was telling them, the Messiah is here. He is on the scene. 72 00:05:26,540 --> 00:05:33,660 That's what he's telling them. And they knew what he was telling him. And they, uh, they weren't receiving it. 73 00:05:34,220 --> 00:05:41,260 They weren't ready to receive him. And, and so he tells them, he says, you guys are going to say this 74 00:05:41,620 --> 00:05:48,360 proverb to me, right? Because of all the things they've been here in Jesus doing. And he's, they're going to say, 75 00:05:49,260 --> 00:05:55,840 uh, position, heal yourself. Now, some think that this might be the prophetic word that Jesus, 76 00:05:57,320 --> 00:05:59,000 talks about on the cross, right? 77 00:05:59,250 --> 00:06:03,280 When they're walking by and wagging their tongue saying he healed others or he saved 78 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:05,040 others and he can't save himself. 79 00:06:06,500 --> 00:06:09,040 But really what they were looking for is a sign. 80 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:13,100 They wanted Jesus to prove who he was. 81 00:06:14,060 --> 00:06:15,660 Well, God doesn't work that way. 82 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:21,720 God is not going to necessarily prove himself to you because God requires faith. 83 00:06:22,180 --> 00:06:24,460 Without faith, it's impossible to please God. 84 00:06:24,460 --> 00:06:25,180 It tells us in. 85 00:06:25,600 --> 00:06:26,800 in Hebrews chapter 11. 86 00:06:28,220 --> 00:06:30,300 So it's more like, believe and I'll show you. 87 00:06:31,100 --> 00:06:34,280 And some people say, no, I'll believe after you show me. 88 00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:35,740 It doesn't work like that. 89 00:06:36,560 --> 00:06:36,700 Right? 90 00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:43,180 Those who come to him must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those who 91 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:44,300 diligently seek him. 92 00:06:44,420 --> 00:06:45,540 Are you seeking him? 93 00:06:47,080 --> 00:06:49,040 And hopefully it's not just on Sunday mornings. 94 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:55,200 But when you seek him with all your heart, 95 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:57,800 The Bible says that you'll find him. 96 00:06:58,860 --> 00:06:59,320 And so, 97 00:07:02,460 --> 00:07:03,980 so have you received him? 98 00:07:07,599 --> 00:07:10,520 I listened to a guy by the name of R.C. Spro. 99 00:07:10,700 --> 00:07:12,160 Some of you are familiar with R.C. 100 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:13,440 He's quite a Bible scholar. 101 00:07:14,860 --> 00:07:16,520 And notice I didn't say accepted him. 102 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:20,620 That's a peeve of some of the Bible scholars. 103 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:24,300 So when you accept Jesus, that means you kind of got him. 104 00:07:24,820 --> 00:07:26,140 you got him on a trial run. 105 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:31,860 As long as he measures up to your expectations, then you'll accept him. 106 00:07:33,020 --> 00:07:37,320 But the fact is, is you got to receive him, embrace him with all your heart. 107 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:43,260 It's not necessarily accepting him, but it's receiving him. 108 00:07:44,539 --> 00:07:47,500 Or what these people are doing is rejecting him. 109 00:07:49,639 --> 00:07:53,760 And this is the beginning of his ministry. 110 00:07:54,020 --> 00:07:56,380 and this is what it's going to be like for his whole ministry. 111 00:07:56,860 --> 00:08:01,360 For all three, three and a half years that he ministered, he experienced rejection. 112 00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:06,340 And John tells us that, right? 113 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:09,860 John tells us that right off the bat in John chapter one. 114 00:08:10,500 --> 00:08:14,420 In verses 10 and 12, he says, he was in the world, Jesus, 115 00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:20,860 and the world was made through him, and the world did not know him. 116 00:08:21,480 --> 00:08:23,740 He came to his own and his own. 117 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:31,000 did not receive him. But as many has received him, to them he gave the right to become 118 00:08:31,360 --> 00:08:37,280 children of God to those who believe in his name. Why wouldn't you receive Jesus? 119 00:08:38,940 --> 00:08:45,060 I love to ask that question, especially when I go to the hospital or go to deathbeds. 120 00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:52,480 Right? Have you asked, have you received Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Have you asked him to come in? 121 00:08:56,720 --> 00:09:02,260 and there's very few people that I talk to that aren't willing, 122 00:09:03,180 --> 00:09:05,840 especially if they're looking death square in the face. 123 00:09:07,060 --> 00:09:09,440 They're kind of pretty ready. 124 00:09:11,300 --> 00:09:12,000 I've had a few. 125 00:09:12,580 --> 00:09:13,940 I had one 90-year-old. 126 00:09:14,580 --> 00:09:19,700 I was talking to them about Jesus, and they looked at me and said, 127 00:09:19,700 --> 00:09:21,160 would you go bother someone else? 128 00:09:29,300 --> 00:09:31,900 I thought to myself, wow. 129 00:09:33,540 --> 00:09:34,680 I even thought it in reverse. 130 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:35,260 Wow. 131 00:09:43,779 --> 00:09:45,520 But I love that. 132 00:09:45,640 --> 00:09:51,120 That verse I just read you, but it says, but too, as, but as many, 133 00:09:51,180 --> 00:10:00,520 has received him. Then he gave the right. Now, that's word in the new king James is something is 134 00:10:00,900 --> 00:10:12,860 translated poorly because the word, other versions have power or authority, that he gave them the authority 135 00:10:12,900 --> 00:10:20,580 to become the children of God. The word literally means authoritative power or powerful authority. 136 00:10:21,860 --> 00:10:26,420 that when you come to Jesus, you have this authority that he gives you. 137 00:10:27,240 --> 00:10:30,940 Because greater is he than is us, the Bible says, than he that is in the world. 138 00:10:31,340 --> 00:10:36,780 That God actually gives us a strength to come against that spiritual, you know, 139 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:43,800 brick wall that we come against all the time, that our adversary is that roaring lion, 140 00:10:44,060 --> 00:10:45,440 seeking whom he may devour. 141 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:49,180 And if it can get you and I, of course, just a little bit. 142 00:10:52,140 --> 00:10:53,680 he feels like he's done his job. 143 00:10:53,820 --> 00:10:57,100 It's interesting that we're reading devotionally through Job right now. 144 00:10:58,160 --> 00:11:05,660 And the things that Job goes through and the things that fascinates me, God and Satan's relationship. 145 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:06,940 Right? 146 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:09,460 They're in Job, one and two, you know. 147 00:11:09,980 --> 00:11:16,000 Where the angels are presenting themselves or the sons of God are presenting themselves to the Lord. 148 00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:18,840 And Satan's among them, the Bible tells us. 149 00:11:19,140 --> 00:11:21,320 And him and the Lord began to converse. 150 00:11:22,100 --> 00:11:26,940 Hey, the Lord goes, hey, Louie, what's you been up to? 151 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:29,600 Right, what you've been doing? 152 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:32,740 And he goes, oh, just going to and throw in the earth. 153 00:11:33,860 --> 00:11:35,460 And God knows well, right? 154 00:11:36,120 --> 00:11:38,140 Like Satan's going to tell God something he doesn't know. 155 00:11:40,560 --> 00:11:42,980 And then the Lord pops off about Job. 156 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:45,080 Well, have you considered my servant Job? 157 00:11:45,900 --> 00:11:47,060 You know, take a shot at him. 158 00:11:49,980 --> 00:11:54,220 Could you imagine being Job and knowing that conversation was going on? 159 00:12:04,180 --> 00:12:05,580 I couldn't imagine. 160 00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:08,880 Not me. 161 00:12:12,140 --> 00:12:14,680 But God has given us this authority. 162 00:12:14,980 --> 00:12:17,040 Now, people say, well, we're all. 163 00:12:17,060 --> 00:12:26,720 children of God. No, or not. We are not by nature the children of God. We are by nature. Listen, 164 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:35,140 really let this sink in, please. We are by nature the children of hell, you and I, by nature. 165 00:12:35,720 --> 00:12:45,000 Right? Whoever has the son is not condemned, the Bible says, right, in the first part of the gospel of John. 166 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:49,340 but whoever does not have the son is condemned already. 167 00:12:50,360 --> 00:12:51,420 He's condemned already. 168 00:12:51,820 --> 00:12:54,140 No, he's a son of hell if he hasn't been converted. 169 00:12:54,620 --> 00:12:58,160 That's why Jesus told Nicodemus, you must be born again. 170 00:12:58,740 --> 00:13:00,200 People don't understand that. 171 00:13:00,500 --> 00:13:02,420 People in the church don't understand that. 172 00:13:03,020 --> 00:13:09,120 You and I by nature are under the wrath of God, the judgment of God. 173 00:13:09,220 --> 00:13:13,440 We are sons and daughters of hell until you come to Christ. 174 00:13:14,820 --> 00:13:30,620 and receive him. And so, um, it's interesting that the Bible teaches this, that men of old understood this, 175 00:13:31,300 --> 00:13:37,680 right? Paul said, what he say, oh, wretched man that I am who can deliver me from this body of death. 176 00:13:38,580 --> 00:13:44,260 Or, um, Peter, right? 177 00:13:44,280 --> 00:13:50,320 right, when he talks about, tells Jesus, depart from me for I'm a sinful man. 178 00:13:51,080 --> 00:13:56,820 They knew their position as deserving of judgment. 179 00:13:57,860 --> 00:14:04,100 But so many people today are unaware of their wretchedness. 180 00:14:05,280 --> 00:14:14,200 Now, there was a couple guys that were fairly popular. 181 00:14:14,280 --> 00:14:21,340 back in the last century that were incredibly gifted evangelists and Bible teachers. 182 00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:25,120 One was Dr. Henry John Henry Jowett. 183 00:14:25,840 --> 00:14:29,940 And in his day, he was called the greatest preacher in the English-speaking world. 184 00:14:30,100 --> 00:14:35,700 He pastored leading churches, preached to huge congregations and wrote books that were bestsellers. 185 00:14:36,580 --> 00:14:38,600 This is what he said to those around him. 186 00:14:39,560 --> 00:14:44,220 You seem to imagine that I have no ups and downs, but just a level 187 00:14:44,660 --> 00:14:51,680 and lofty stretch of spiritual attainment with unbroken joy and equanimity. 188 00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:59,100 By no means, I am often perfectly wretched and everything appears most murky. 189 00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:00,900 Right? 190 00:15:03,240 --> 00:15:05,180 Charles Haddon Spurgeon, right? 191 00:15:05,340 --> 00:15:10,680 Also considered one of the greatest preachers of the 19th century said about himself, 192 00:15:11,090 --> 00:15:14,000 I am the subject of depressions of spirit. 193 00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:21,120 so fearful that I hope none of you ever gets to such extremes of wretchedness as I do. 194 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:26,760 And so that's just an important thing to know. 195 00:15:27,980 --> 00:15:29,560 That's a really important thing to know. 196 00:15:30,700 --> 00:15:35,200 Because I don't know about you, but my wretchedness is what drives me to Christ. 197 00:15:36,340 --> 00:15:36,500 Right? 198 00:15:37,140 --> 00:15:43,240 And especially when I look into the pure law of God and I examine my own heart, I realize, 199 00:15:43,540 --> 00:15:47,340 I am sunk, but for the grace of God. 200 00:15:49,260 --> 00:15:51,180 First Peter chapter 418 says, 201 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:55,140 Now, if the righteous one is scarcely saved, 202 00:15:55,480 --> 00:15:58,920 where will the ungodly and the sinner appear? 203 00:15:59,820 --> 00:16:03,740 I love how the new living translation states it. 204 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:07,420 And also, if the righteous are barely saved, 205 00:16:07,580 --> 00:16:09,640 what will happen to godless sinners? 206 00:16:11,240 --> 00:16:13,240 You and I, we're barely saved. 207 00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:15,980 We're getting in by the skin of our teeth. 208 00:16:16,470 --> 00:16:17,680 Your pants are on fire. 209 00:16:17,690 --> 00:16:19,100 Your pants are on fire. 210 00:16:29,740 --> 00:16:31,200 But it's interesting. 211 00:16:31,420 --> 00:16:34,840 These Nazareans, they weren't willing to receive Jesus. 212 00:16:37,240 --> 00:16:41,060 They saw Jesus only as the son of Mary and Joseph, 213 00:16:41,360 --> 00:16:43,140 the boy they had watched. 214 00:16:43,240 --> 00:16:44,880 grow up in their own city. 215 00:16:45,220 --> 00:16:51,040 The older brother of James and Josephs and Simon and Jude and his little sisters. 216 00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:57,500 They were too familiar with Jesus to see him for what he really was. 217 00:16:59,580 --> 00:17:00,980 That's a scary thought, isn't it? 218 00:17:03,660 --> 00:17:04,640 Such a scary thought. 219 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:10,660 Jesus had brothers and sisters. 220 00:17:11,660 --> 00:17:13,180 Some people, you know, are Catholic. 221 00:17:13,220 --> 00:17:15,319 friends sometimes get all tipped oh, what? 222 00:17:16,599 --> 00:17:19,860 She married. She was a virgin. She was holy. 223 00:17:24,620 --> 00:17:27,380 Her womb was holy full of children. 224 00:17:31,220 --> 00:17:35,340 Matthew tells us, right, tells us Matthew chapter 13, it says, 225 00:17:35,840 --> 00:17:42,200 is this not the carpenter's son? It's not his mother called Mary and his brother's 226 00:17:42,220 --> 00:17:45,260 James and Joseph and Simon and Judas and his sisters? 227 00:17:45,500 --> 00:17:47,060 Are they not all here with us? 228 00:17:47,480 --> 00:17:50,180 Where then did this man get all these things? 229 00:17:52,980 --> 00:17:55,060 They were confused about him. 230 00:17:57,500 --> 00:17:59,780 And they definitely weren't ready to say, 231 00:18:00,120 --> 00:18:01,940 okay, you're the Messiah. 232 00:18:03,020 --> 00:18:03,760 We're following you. 233 00:18:07,639 --> 00:18:11,940 And so he tells them, 234 00:18:12,360 --> 00:18:12,540 right? 235 00:18:16,120 --> 00:18:19,500 After they said, wow, man, he speaks quite well. 236 00:18:20,540 --> 00:18:22,620 But then they said, physician heal yourself. 237 00:18:22,800 --> 00:18:29,160 He wants them to show them a miracle, prove what you're saying. 238 00:18:31,360 --> 00:18:34,580 And though they were impressed with the way he talked, 239 00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:41,960 they weren't buying the fact that he said in today, in your hearing. 240 00:18:41,980 --> 00:18:43,400 this scripture is fulfilled. 241 00:18:45,720 --> 00:18:49,840 But so it didn't take long for their admiration to turn into antagonism 242 00:18:50,520 --> 00:18:55,660 because Jesus began to remind them of God's goodness to the Gentiles and they just couldn't 243 00:18:55,940 --> 00:18:56,280 stomach it. 244 00:18:57,920 --> 00:18:58,980 They just couldn't stomach it. 245 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:03,580 That God would actually write and he uses two examples. 246 00:19:03,800 --> 00:19:11,940 He uses Elijah and Elijah and he went to the widow there in Sidon and 247 00:19:11,960 --> 00:19:19,280 she was a gentile and that Elisha actually told Naman what to do to get cleansed from his leprosy. 248 00:19:19,280 --> 00:19:20,640 You remember the story, right? 249 00:19:21,120 --> 00:19:24,940 Naiman was this, he was a general in the army there in Syria. 250 00:19:25,620 --> 00:19:29,940 Said, hey, there's a dude in Israel that can, yeah, I think he can help you. 251 00:19:31,680 --> 00:19:35,800 You remember the story because Naman, he thinks he's all that. 252 00:19:36,080 --> 00:19:37,760 You know, he's got a chest like this. 253 00:19:38,280 --> 00:19:39,640 I do this pretty good, don't I? 254 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:45,300 That's because I have been an arrogant pompous pig my whole life. 255 00:19:46,260 --> 00:19:47,920 So it's really easy for me to show that. 256 00:19:50,400 --> 00:19:51,900 But that's the way Neiman was. 257 00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:53,700 He's all puffed up. 258 00:19:55,120 --> 00:19:55,940 And Elijah goes, 259 00:19:56,660 --> 00:19:58,680 tell him to go dip in the Jordan seven times. 260 00:19:58,780 --> 00:20:00,340 And he didn't even come out and talk to Neiman. 261 00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:04,460 He just tells him to go dip in the Jordan seven times. 262 00:20:04,460 --> 00:20:05,880 And he'll be cleansed of his leprosy. 263 00:20:06,740 --> 00:20:08,040 And he gets all fired up. 264 00:20:08,760 --> 00:20:08,860 Right. 265 00:20:08,920 --> 00:20:09,500 You remember the story. 266 00:20:09,500 --> 00:20:10,380 He gets mad. 267 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:14,500 He goes, this stinking, rotten, dirty Jordan. 268 00:20:14,680 --> 00:20:16,340 We had better rivers than that up there. 269 00:20:16,340 --> 00:20:17,660 I could have done that in Syria. 270 00:20:19,080 --> 00:20:23,760 And his attendants, the guy that were his servants, said, boss, 271 00:20:24,420 --> 00:20:27,060 boss, if he would have asked you to do something hard, would you have done it? 272 00:20:27,620 --> 00:20:29,260 He goes, well, I guess you're right. 273 00:20:29,800 --> 00:20:30,180 Sure no. 274 00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:33,520 Goes and dips seven times, and he's cleansed. 275 00:20:34,120 --> 00:20:37,580 God showed grace and mercy to a Gentile. 276 00:20:38,860 --> 00:20:40,960 And these Jewish people, they could not handle it. 277 00:20:40,980 --> 00:20:46,280 it because they believe that the Gentiles, that would be you and I, by the way, most of us, right? 278 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:50,620 We're only good to fuel the fires of hell. 279 00:20:52,080 --> 00:20:56,120 And so when Jesus comes with this message that God is good to the Gentiles, 280 00:20:56,919 --> 00:21:02,720 they're, they can't even remember the word exclusitism or whatever it's called. 281 00:21:02,980 --> 00:21:04,880 They thought that they, hey, we're it. 282 00:21:05,380 --> 00:21:06,040 We're God's people. 283 00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:08,280 And that, isn't that pride? 284 00:21:08,440 --> 00:21:10,420 That's just as prideful and arrogant. 285 00:21:11,280 --> 00:21:12,700 is what I just displayed. 286 00:21:13,280 --> 00:21:16,260 And they thought they were all that and that God couldn't. 287 00:21:16,800 --> 00:21:22,240 He couldn't show this kind of love and care and mercy to the Gentiles. 288 00:21:26,100 --> 00:21:27,740 So they wanted to sign. 289 00:21:28,500 --> 00:21:28,780 Prove it. 290 00:21:29,800 --> 00:21:32,480 Well, Jesus addresses them in Matthew and says, 291 00:21:32,620 --> 00:21:36,920 A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign. 292 00:21:37,300 --> 00:21:40,480 And no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet 293 00:21:40,540 --> 00:21:42,900 Jonah. And he left them and departed. 294 00:21:44,280 --> 00:21:45,440 Oh, they're going to get their sign. 295 00:21:46,600 --> 00:21:49,160 It's just going to be too late. Right? 296 00:21:49,840 --> 00:21:50,900 It's going to be too late. 297 00:21:53,460 --> 00:21:57,860 Just like Jonah went into the ground, or excuse me, Jesus went into the ground. 298 00:21:58,020 --> 00:22:01,500 Jonah went into the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights. 299 00:22:02,580 --> 00:22:07,060 And so he's having a hard time in Nazareth. 300 00:22:07,500 --> 00:22:08,700 People just ain't listening. 301 00:22:09,140 --> 00:22:15,380 And yet when we read about him being in Copernum and around the Galilee area where they weren't as 302 00:22:15,600 --> 00:22:18,120 familiar with him, they were in awe of him. 303 00:22:19,180 --> 00:22:22,960 And they were listening to him, not like those who were there. 304 00:22:23,380 --> 00:22:26,740 And they were filled with rage, it tells us, in verse 28. 305 00:22:28,440 --> 00:22:30,380 And they weren't just mad. 306 00:22:31,020 --> 00:22:32,240 They had murder in their heart. 307 00:22:32,360 --> 00:22:33,240 We're going to kill this guy. 308 00:22:33,960 --> 00:22:34,580 We're going to kill him. 309 00:22:35,480 --> 00:22:39,060 And they were taking him to the brow of the hill. 310 00:22:39,200 --> 00:22:40,860 there at Nazareth. 311 00:22:41,230 --> 00:22:45,740 And when you go, when you go to Israel, you can see this place. 312 00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:48,880 And they were going to chuck him off the edge. 313 00:22:50,780 --> 00:22:53,980 And verse 30, it says, 314 00:22:55,500 --> 00:22:59,020 it took him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built 315 00:22:59,180 --> 00:23:01,180 that they might throw him down over the cliff. 316 00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:04,480 And when passing through the midst of them, he went his way. 317 00:23:05,060 --> 00:23:06,360 Jesus does this a few times. 318 00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:09,060 This is pretty fascinating how he does. 319 00:23:09,100 --> 00:23:10,180 He just kind of walks away. 320 00:23:10,240 --> 00:23:12,300 He's like, where'd you go? 321 00:23:13,920 --> 00:23:14,740 We're going to kill this guy. 322 00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:15,660 But where to go? 323 00:23:19,060 --> 00:23:21,600 And he does it a few times. 324 00:23:23,140 --> 00:23:24,660 This one commentator says, 325 00:23:25,000 --> 00:23:27,160 there's a lot contained in this last statement. 326 00:23:27,380 --> 00:23:29,820 We don't know how Jesus managed to leave, 327 00:23:30,220 --> 00:23:34,200 but there was more than one occasion during his earthly ministry 328 00:23:34,320 --> 00:23:36,980 when soldiers and others were sent to arrest him. 329 00:23:37,420 --> 00:23:38,820 And there was something about Jesus. 330 00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:43,160 in his resolute determination not to be taken at that moment. 331 00:23:43,640 --> 00:23:47,700 I don't know if it was just in the look that came from his eyes, 332 00:23:48,140 --> 00:23:53,380 but he would look these enemies down and then just walk away 333 00:23:53,380 --> 00:23:55,280 and no one dared laid a hand on him. 334 00:23:56,400 --> 00:23:57,420 So you don't know what it was. 335 00:23:57,500 --> 00:23:58,520 Was it his countenance? 336 00:23:59,420 --> 00:24:00,540 Or was he just slick? 337 00:24:02,580 --> 00:24:08,820 And pretty slight of hand where he could just make them be distracted, 338 00:24:10,560 --> 00:24:19,160 I don't know, but I know that the one soldiers, when they came to get him and they returned without him, 339 00:24:19,240 --> 00:24:24,240 they said, where is he? How come you guys didn't bring him? They said, because ain't nobody ever 340 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:34,660 talked like this guy, right? Nobody ever talked like this guy. So let me ask you, where are you out 341 00:24:34,760 --> 00:24:38,800 with Christ this morning? It's probably the most important question. It's probably the most important 342 00:24:38,820 --> 00:24:47,340 question you can ask. And when we went through the book of 1st Corinthians right at the end of the 343 00:24:47,530 --> 00:24:56,380 book, it says, if anyone loves not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema, 344 00:24:58,040 --> 00:25:06,140 Maranatha. That really translates, let him be cursed when the Lord comes. If anyone 345 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:08,780 love not the Lord Jesus Christ. You realize. You realize. 346 00:25:08,800 --> 00:25:10,260 love is a choice that you make. 347 00:25:11,280 --> 00:25:15,320 People say, well, that's kind of forceful and arrogant, isn't it? 348 00:25:16,440 --> 00:25:17,120 Well, not really. 349 00:25:18,520 --> 00:25:21,720 Not if it's the only way other than the alternative. 350 00:25:25,020 --> 00:25:29,660 If anyone loves not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema, Maranatha. 351 00:25:35,839 --> 00:25:38,740 And because if you don't, that forces him. 352 00:25:39,960 --> 00:25:43,500 to just like he walked away from Nazareth to walk away from you. 353 00:25:46,880 --> 00:25:47,880 And go his way. 354 00:25:50,000 --> 00:25:53,240 It's not like anyone sitting in this room today, 355 00:25:53,980 --> 00:25:55,540 the Lord hasn't given you opportunities. 356 00:25:57,640 --> 00:26:00,200 You really need to consider. 357 00:26:01,520 --> 00:26:04,000 Lord, really, what is my relationship like with you? 358 00:26:04,720 --> 00:26:08,460 I mean, I get really fearful sometimes about my own relationship with God. 359 00:26:09,340 --> 00:26:13,380 And that's hard for a pastor to say because us pastors, we're supposed to kind of have it all 360 00:26:13,600 --> 00:26:21,440 figured out. I'm telling you, I don't have it all figured out. And I fear and tremble at times 361 00:26:23,320 --> 00:26:32,000 because of my own wretchedness and my laziness at times for not pressing in and chasing after. 362 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:37,260 Rick and I were talking when we did our little sit down here a couple weeks back. 363 00:26:37,860 --> 00:26:43,560 And it was fascinating how the Lord brought both of us into the place of being pastors 364 00:26:44,560 --> 00:26:46,640 because we didn't really have anybody disciples. 365 00:26:46,840 --> 00:26:48,980 We didn't go to Bible College. 366 00:26:49,820 --> 00:26:49,980 Right? 367 00:26:50,060 --> 00:26:55,380 We didn't listen to Chuck's teaching through the New Testament from, you know, 368 00:26:56,400 --> 00:27:00,560 Matthew to Revelation or the Old Testament teachings that they have the kids do at Bible 369 00:27:00,660 --> 00:27:00,860 college. 370 00:27:00,920 --> 00:27:02,340 We didn't do any of that. 371 00:27:03,540 --> 00:27:07,260 But what we did do, that I want to keep doing until I tell. 372 00:27:07,280 --> 00:27:11,940 take my last breath is we chased after Jesus. We just realized we got to be close to Jesus. 373 00:27:12,780 --> 00:27:17,160 We got to go to church. We got to get in a Bible study. I got to read this book for myself. 374 00:27:18,040 --> 00:27:22,940 I need to read every single day. The older I get, the more I feel like I need to read. 375 00:27:23,720 --> 00:27:27,740 I mean, there's just this angst. I mean, I got to read. Because I know what happens when I don't. 376 00:27:28,600 --> 00:27:35,640 It's disastrous. And so, and just chasing after him. And here's these people. 377 00:27:36,720 --> 00:27:37,940 And they have this opportunity. 378 00:27:38,220 --> 00:27:44,100 They've encountered the Messiah, the anointed one, the salvation of God. 379 00:27:44,400 --> 00:27:47,900 And they won't go after him, except for to kill him. 380 00:27:49,720 --> 00:27:50,200 What about you? 381 00:27:51,540 --> 00:27:52,360 You chasing after him? 382 00:27:53,620 --> 00:27:57,540 Because listen, Peter just told us, we're barely saved. 383 00:27:58,240 --> 00:27:58,680 You and I. 384 00:28:00,440 --> 00:28:03,400 Paul says, I work out my own salvation with fear and trembling. 385 00:28:07,460 --> 00:28:11,440 It's really just about getting serious about walking with God. 386 00:28:13,420 --> 00:28:16,860 What is it in your life that trips you up? 387 00:28:17,620 --> 00:28:18,500 Is it your pride? 388 00:28:19,240 --> 00:28:20,580 Is it some kind of an addiction? 389 00:28:21,620 --> 00:28:21,760 Right? 390 00:28:21,900 --> 00:28:23,880 It can be an electronic addiction. 391 00:28:24,060 --> 00:28:26,840 It could be a chemical addiction. 392 00:28:29,780 --> 00:28:33,280 It can just be hard. 393 00:28:33,300 --> 00:28:37,480 bone-headed pride where you won't turn. 394 00:28:38,880 --> 00:28:39,960 I'm not going to do this. 395 00:28:42,500 --> 00:28:47,560 I'll let my wife drag me to church or some guys drag their wives to church. 396 00:28:50,420 --> 00:28:51,940 But it's not until you own it yourself, 397 00:28:53,080 --> 00:28:56,920 that you really get a taste and see what God has for you and me. 398 00:28:58,060 --> 00:29:00,220 Because he has such good things. 399 00:29:01,320 --> 00:29:02,960 So that was the encounter with Jesus. 400 00:29:04,260 --> 00:29:06,680 that the folks had there at Nazareth. 401 00:29:07,280 --> 00:29:09,380 In verse 31, we see a different encounter. 402 00:29:09,480 --> 00:29:12,940 He said then he went down to Copernum, a city of Galilee, 403 00:29:13,800 --> 00:29:15,400 was teaching them on the Sabbath, 404 00:29:16,100 --> 00:29:17,940 and they were astonished at his teaching, 405 00:29:18,240 --> 00:29:19,900 for his word was with authority. 406 00:29:20,480 --> 00:29:25,140 Now, in the synagogue, there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon. 407 00:29:26,320 --> 00:29:29,060 And he cried out with a loud voice saying, 408 00:29:29,480 --> 00:29:30,320 let us alone. 409 00:29:30,820 --> 00:29:32,800 What have we to do with you, Jesus, 410 00:29:32,920 --> 00:29:42,920 of Nazareth? Did you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God. But Jesus rebuked him, 411 00:29:43,100 --> 00:29:48,840 saying, be quiet and come out of him. And when the demon had thrown him in the midst, in their midst, 412 00:29:49,260 --> 00:29:54,880 it came out of him and did not hurt him. Then they were all amazed and spoke among themselves, 413 00:29:55,120 --> 00:30:02,860 saying, what a word this is. For with authority and power, he commands the unclean spirits. And 414 00:30:02,880 --> 00:30:09,120 they come out and the report about him went out into every place in the surrounding region. 415 00:30:10,120 --> 00:30:13,160 So now a demon encounters Jesus. 416 00:30:14,220 --> 00:30:15,700 Kind of interesting, isn't it? 417 00:30:16,240 --> 00:30:16,420 Right? 418 00:30:16,580 --> 00:30:25,360 I just read about Satan talking to God there in Job and now the demons are talking to Jesus. 419 00:30:26,280 --> 00:30:30,420 Not only that, but they're submitted to him. 420 00:30:32,000 --> 00:30:33,260 We know who you are. 421 00:30:34,540 --> 00:30:35,120 That amazing. 422 00:30:36,240 --> 00:30:38,140 The demons know who Jesus is. 423 00:30:39,260 --> 00:30:42,500 And half the people sitting in this church may not even know who Jesus is. 424 00:30:44,580 --> 00:30:45,060 It's shocking. 425 00:30:47,380 --> 00:30:49,860 And the demons know the scripture better than most Christians. 426 00:30:50,820 --> 00:30:51,960 That's because they won't read it. 427 00:30:55,800 --> 00:31:01,600 Years ago, I remember Rick was a pastor at 26 and he was sitting in a copy shop. 428 00:31:01,640 --> 00:31:05,660 him and another guy having a conversation, and an old pastor walked over to him had been in the 429 00:31:05,800 --> 00:31:12,880 ministry for 40 years. And he said, Sonny, I hear you're a pastor. One thing, first thing I want you to know is 430 00:31:13,200 --> 00:31:20,840 God spoke through Balaam's donkey, you're in good company. Next thing I want you to know is the 431 00:31:20,980 --> 00:31:25,500 hardest thing you'll ever do is get the people in the church to read the Bible. That's the 432 00:31:25,780 --> 00:31:27,740 hardest thing I've found as a pastor. 433 00:31:33,520 --> 00:31:34,520 It's life, you guys. 434 00:31:35,540 --> 00:31:36,300 It is life. 435 00:31:37,230 --> 00:31:41,640 And so here he encounters these demons. 436 00:31:42,160 --> 00:31:46,620 The emphasis, though, in this passage, is not necessary the demons. 437 00:31:47,280 --> 00:31:51,400 Though they respond, they ask him, let us alone, 438 00:31:51,880 --> 00:31:54,560 what have we have to do with you, Jesus of Nazus? 439 00:31:54,800 --> 00:31:56,940 Did you come to destroy us? 440 00:31:59,520 --> 00:32:03,020 They knew that he could destroy them with the word be gone. 441 00:32:04,320 --> 00:32:04,940 They knew that. 442 00:32:05,960 --> 00:32:07,120 The power of his word. 443 00:32:07,400 --> 00:32:08,760 They knew the power of his word. 444 00:32:09,040 --> 00:32:12,040 But the Nazarens who had just heard him speak and teach 445 00:32:12,660 --> 00:32:15,060 and quote a powerful passage out of Isaiah, 446 00:32:16,020 --> 00:32:16,660 they didn't believe it. 447 00:32:18,420 --> 00:32:19,720 They didn't believe the word at all. 448 00:32:24,860 --> 00:32:26,920 Notice it says he was teaching. 449 00:32:26,980 --> 00:32:32,940 them. They were astonished at his teaching. His word was with authority. What a word this is, they say. 450 00:32:33,440 --> 00:32:37,540 For with authority and power, he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out. 451 00:32:45,039 --> 00:32:51,220 Yeah. Sometimes the demon's got a whole lot more going on than you and I do. They know a lot more. 452 00:32:51,660 --> 00:32:54,220 They know their place. Do you know your place? 453 00:32:56,520 --> 00:32:58,340 Your place is in a relationship with Jesus. 454 00:32:59,140 --> 00:32:59,840 That's your place. 455 00:33:01,040 --> 00:33:01,980 That's all of our place. 456 00:33:03,400 --> 00:33:04,220 That's why you're here. 457 00:33:05,520 --> 00:33:10,340 We're here to have this relationship and to come up against that and say, 458 00:33:10,740 --> 00:33:13,620 well, no, you can come this far and only this far. 459 00:33:16,840 --> 00:33:21,660 Wouldn't we all be wise to get as much of Jesus as we can? 460 00:33:23,180 --> 00:33:26,120 Because honestly, you can have as much of Him as you want. 461 00:33:26,580 --> 00:33:27,500 How much do you want? 462 00:33:30,020 --> 00:33:33,140 Well, Jesus gets too close. 463 00:33:33,260 --> 00:33:34,800 He might really see what I really am. 464 00:33:35,300 --> 00:33:36,940 Like he doesn't see what you really are. 465 00:33:45,800 --> 00:33:49,880 And at the demon wouldn't have been shut down by Jesus, 466 00:33:50,540 --> 00:33:52,120 no telling what he would have said. 467 00:33:57,260 --> 00:33:59,600 Maybe he would have said something to cause them to believe. 468 00:34:02,100 --> 00:34:03,700 But they're not willing to believe by faith. 469 00:34:05,820 --> 00:34:09,940 And that's what we have to come to him in faith. 470 00:34:12,300 --> 00:34:13,159 Well, he moves on. 471 00:34:13,379 --> 00:34:16,020 Another woman has an encounter with Jesus in verse 38. 472 00:34:16,179 --> 00:34:19,639 Now, he arose from the synagogue and entered Simon's house, 473 00:34:19,740 --> 00:34:21,860 but Simon's wife's mother was sick with a, 474 00:34:22,139 --> 00:34:25,000 high fever, and they made requests of him concerning her. 475 00:34:25,460 --> 00:34:28,780 So he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. 476 00:34:29,080 --> 00:34:31,300 And immediately she rose and served them. 477 00:34:32,760 --> 00:34:33,120 Interesting. 478 00:34:33,919 --> 00:34:35,340 The first Pope had a wife. 479 00:34:39,080 --> 00:34:39,780 How's that work? 480 00:34:45,560 --> 00:34:47,280 I'm sorry if you have a Catholic background. 481 00:34:47,310 --> 00:34:47,940 I don't mean to. 482 00:34:48,500 --> 00:34:51,399 But, I mean, Peter's married. 483 00:34:51,740 --> 00:34:52,080 Right here. 484 00:34:52,700 --> 00:34:54,139 the whole celibacy thing. 485 00:34:54,240 --> 00:34:55,320 I think that got him in trouble. 486 00:34:55,520 --> 00:34:56,760 I think hindsight's 20-20. 487 00:34:56,899 --> 00:34:57,560 Just look back. 488 00:34:58,320 --> 00:34:58,440 Right? 489 00:35:00,580 --> 00:35:01,540 No, he was called. 490 00:35:04,180 --> 00:35:06,420 He was called to be married, this Simon Peter, 491 00:35:06,920 --> 00:35:09,160 and his wife's mother's mother-in-law was sick. 492 00:35:09,600 --> 00:35:12,120 Now, some people, if their mother-in-law, sick, 493 00:35:12,240 --> 00:35:15,280 they definitely wouldn't call Jesus because they wouldn't want her to be healed. 494 00:35:19,740 --> 00:35:20,140 But... 495 00:35:20,140 --> 00:35:21,100 Just saying. 496 00:35:21,840 --> 00:35:23,440 I have a lovely mother-in-law. 497 00:35:23,540 --> 00:35:24,660 I have no qualms. 498 00:35:28,880 --> 00:35:32,480 But I've heard of people, you know, mean-mouthed their mother-in-law. 499 00:35:34,660 --> 00:35:35,620 It's best not to say anything. 500 00:35:36,740 --> 00:35:37,740 Keep the peace if you can. 501 00:35:38,880 --> 00:35:39,960 But notice he comes. 502 00:35:40,420 --> 00:35:43,160 He stands over her, rebukes the fever. 503 00:35:44,040 --> 00:35:45,760 One version says it was a high fever. 504 00:35:45,900 --> 00:35:46,880 She was very sick. 505 00:35:49,000 --> 00:35:50,720 And immediately, she rose and served them. 506 00:35:51,220 --> 00:35:51,860 It's not amazing. 507 00:35:52,820 --> 00:35:55,460 Somebody gets touched by Jesus, and then just start serving. 508 00:35:57,760 --> 00:35:58,380 Just start serving. 509 00:35:58,720 --> 00:36:02,780 In the simplest of ways, I remember going to church and thinking, 510 00:36:03,580 --> 00:36:04,820 I got to do something. 511 00:36:05,300 --> 00:36:07,000 Lord, I'm just amazing what you've done for me. 512 00:36:07,100 --> 00:36:07,940 What can I do? 513 00:36:09,360 --> 00:36:10,700 Man, I ushered for a while. 514 00:36:11,640 --> 00:36:14,880 I dropped the communion place a few times, so they next that. 515 00:36:20,460 --> 00:36:23,040 I was on a deacon board for a while, 516 00:36:23,540 --> 00:36:27,060 went to a few elder boards and it's just a big, big argue fest. 517 00:36:27,200 --> 00:36:29,960 I'm just going, yeah, I don't know about that. 518 00:36:29,960 --> 00:36:31,200 I don't think that's my calling. 519 00:36:32,900 --> 00:36:39,200 But then I got my brother handed off a third grade Sunday school class to me. 520 00:36:40,480 --> 00:36:43,260 And holy cow, I fell in love. 521 00:36:44,440 --> 00:36:46,560 with these young people. 522 00:36:48,040 --> 00:36:49,260 But just being willing to serve. 523 00:36:49,380 --> 00:36:52,320 If you're willing, oh, I'm telling you, the doors will open. 524 00:36:53,600 --> 00:36:53,720 Right? 525 00:36:54,360 --> 00:36:55,980 The doors will open if you're willing. 526 00:36:57,040 --> 00:36:57,880 Has the Lord touched you? 527 00:36:59,560 --> 00:37:00,380 Does he touch your heart? 528 00:37:01,480 --> 00:37:02,860 Has he brought peace to your life? 529 00:37:03,540 --> 00:37:03,740 Right? 530 00:37:04,980 --> 00:37:06,960 Just serve. Find some way to serve. 531 00:37:07,540 --> 00:37:11,260 You don't have to do a walk around and serve a meal at the soup kitchen. 532 00:37:13,800 --> 00:37:15,920 Guys down at city of refuge would love it. 533 00:37:16,940 --> 00:37:17,780 You get to meet people. 534 00:37:19,340 --> 00:37:21,280 I love talking to Tyler about it. 535 00:37:21,320 --> 00:37:23,620 And he said, man, I went to a men's retreat thing. 536 00:37:23,740 --> 00:37:24,680 There was these homeless guys. 537 00:37:24,780 --> 00:37:26,280 And he said, I stayed with them the whole time. 538 00:37:26,580 --> 00:37:28,340 I just fell in love with these homeless people. 539 00:37:32,580 --> 00:37:32,860 Calling. 540 00:37:34,420 --> 00:37:36,240 Who would have figured that one out? 541 00:37:37,040 --> 00:37:37,200 Right? 542 00:37:37,700 --> 00:37:38,320 Just be willing. 543 00:37:40,620 --> 00:37:43,540 Peter's mother-in-law, she began 544 00:37:43,560 --> 00:37:44,280 to serve them. 545 00:37:45,990 --> 00:37:46,640 And to bless. 546 00:37:46,780 --> 00:37:48,060 Why? Because the Lord blessed her. 547 00:37:49,240 --> 00:37:50,860 It's only, we serve God. 548 00:37:51,580 --> 00:37:54,900 Not because we're trying to get points. 549 00:37:56,260 --> 00:37:59,880 We live in an area where people are so entrenched in a religion. 550 00:38:00,040 --> 00:38:01,880 They feel like, oh, I've got to do this and this and this. 551 00:38:01,960 --> 00:38:03,080 Or God won't be happy with me. 552 00:38:04,680 --> 00:38:06,960 God is happy with you when you put your faith in Jesus. 553 00:38:07,800 --> 00:38:07,960 Right? 554 00:38:08,580 --> 00:38:10,340 That's what brings a smile to his face. 555 00:38:10,900 --> 00:38:12,160 Then all the other stuff is just, 556 00:38:14,280 --> 00:38:21,080 extra. It's just blessing. It's more blessed to give than to receive the scripture says, right? 557 00:38:22,140 --> 00:38:24,720 So we're going to jump on down because I'm going to finish this chapter today. 558 00:38:25,200 --> 00:38:36,300 And it says in verse 40, it says, when the sun was setting, all those who had any that were, 559 00:38:36,680 --> 00:38:42,140 all those who had any that were sick with various diseases, brought them to him, and he laid him, 560 00:38:42,160 --> 00:38:49,700 his hands on every one of them and healed them. And demons also came out of many crying out and saying, 561 00:38:50,000 --> 00:38:56,820 you are the Christ, the son of God. And he rebuking them, did not allow them to speak, 562 00:38:57,020 --> 00:39:04,860 for they knew that he was the Christ. And here's the demons again. Touten Jesus. Touten Jesus. 563 00:39:05,760 --> 00:39:11,940 Well, others were not believing in him. It's interesting. It says they came after sunset. 564 00:39:12,020 --> 00:39:13,420 That's when Sabbath ended. 565 00:39:14,280 --> 00:39:17,260 Sabbath would end on sunset. 566 00:39:19,500 --> 00:39:23,320 So Saturday evening when the sunset, that's when they brought all the people. 567 00:39:23,540 --> 00:39:26,340 So Saturday evening was a pretty busy time. 568 00:39:27,999 --> 00:39:33,340 And notice it says, and he laid his hands on every one of them. 569 00:39:33,980 --> 00:39:41,980 Jesus took time to touch every single one of them, whether it was casting out a demon or healing in them of leprosy or healing the blind or the blind or the 570 00:39:45,700 --> 00:39:50,880 the lame and rebuking the demons because he did not want them to start touting who he was. 571 00:39:51,520 --> 00:39:54,000 He wanted the people to come and know him. 572 00:39:54,380 --> 00:39:56,480 Verse 2.342, excuse me. 573 00:39:56,800 --> 00:40:00,580 Now when it was day, he departed and went into a deserted place, 574 00:40:00,830 --> 00:40:05,420 and the crowd sought him and came to him and tried to keep him from leaving them. 575 00:40:05,840 --> 00:40:10,580 But he said to them, I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also. 576 00:40:11,100 --> 00:40:13,780 Because of this purpose I have been sent. 577 00:40:14,070 --> 00:40:16,800 And he was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee. 578 00:40:17,260 --> 00:40:18,840 Notice his mission. 579 00:40:19,480 --> 00:40:21,760 His mission was not to come and heal people. 580 00:40:22,740 --> 00:40:25,940 It wasn't to heal the blind and make a lame walk. 581 00:40:27,260 --> 00:40:28,720 His mission was to preach, 582 00:40:29,580 --> 00:40:34,320 to communicate the truth of God that their souls may be saved. 583 00:40:34,700 --> 00:40:37,740 And yes, in process, many of them were healed. 584 00:40:38,360 --> 00:40:41,060 But his emphasis was to preach and proclaim the word. 585 00:40:42,800 --> 00:40:48,180 years ago they asked Charles had in Spurgeon well the word of God how do you defend it 586 00:40:50,680 --> 00:40:55,980 and Spurgeon wisely said you defend the word of God like you defend a lion let it out of 587 00:40:55,980 --> 00:41:11,040 its cage right it's the word it's the word it's the word Jesus came to to show them the way he 588 00:41:11,060 --> 00:41:20,060 was the way. He was the resurrection and the life. He is the resurrection and the life. 589 00:41:22,720 --> 00:41:30,420 Healing was secondary. He was a teacher and a preacher, both in the open era and in houses of worship. 590 00:41:32,600 --> 00:41:37,140 His work of miracles and healings were impressive, but it was never his emphasis. 591 00:41:40,400 --> 00:41:42,880 You remember there in Luke 8 and I'll close with this. 592 00:41:43,540 --> 00:41:49,740 And Luke 8, the people came to him, said, hey, teacher, your mom and brothers and everybody are here. 593 00:41:51,480 --> 00:41:57,560 And Jesus says, and it was told him by some, this is 8, Luke 8, chapter 20 and 21. 594 00:41:58,200 --> 00:42:02,860 It says it was told him by some who said, your mother and brothers are standing outside, 595 00:42:03,160 --> 00:42:03,980 desiring to see you. 596 00:42:04,320 --> 00:42:08,840 But he answered and said to them, my mother and my brothers are these, 597 00:42:09,120 --> 00:42:13,040 Listen, who hear the word of God and do it. 598 00:42:17,960 --> 00:42:21,620 God's word should always be the emphasis. 599 00:42:23,180 --> 00:42:26,200 For us, simply because it was for him. 600 00:42:27,180 --> 00:42:27,340 Amen? 601 00:42:28,020 --> 00:42:29,900 It was God's word. 602 00:42:31,100 --> 00:42:31,720 Stand with me. 603 00:42:32,240 --> 00:42:32,420 Would you? 604 00:42:32,580 --> 00:42:32,940 Let's pray. 605 00:42:39,180 --> 00:42:39,940 Father, thank you. 606 00:42:41,220 --> 00:42:43,440 Thank you that we can encounter you 607 00:42:44,400 --> 00:42:45,540 any time we have a desire. 608 00:42:46,380 --> 00:42:47,600 Lord, we can read your word. 609 00:42:48,460 --> 00:42:51,680 We can bow our knee before the God of heaven. 610 00:42:52,800 --> 00:42:59,760 The one who saves the gospel that is the power of salvation to those who believe, 611 00:42:59,920 --> 00:43:00,060 Lord. 612 00:43:00,320 --> 00:43:02,580 And I just pray for anyone today who is yet. 613 00:43:02,960 --> 00:43:07,660 to believe in you. Lord, that they would put themselves behind them. 614 00:43:08,600 --> 00:43:14,420 Lord, that they would look forward towards you and be healed, Lord, in their spirit. 615 00:43:15,240 --> 00:43:18,380 And if they need a physical healing, the Lord, we know that you're able to do that. 616 00:43:18,800 --> 00:43:24,880 But more importantly, in your desire, is that our souls would be converted by the pure, true, 617 00:43:25,100 --> 00:43:29,320 word of God. And so I just pray that for anyone here today who is yet to do that. 618 00:43:30,200 --> 00:43:32,620 And Lord, just motivate that. 619 00:43:33,020 --> 00:43:39,060 to come forward, to be prayed for, to be encouraged, to walk with you, the king of kings and the Lord of Lord. 620 00:43:39,740 --> 00:43:46,920 The one who has all kinds of blessing in store for those who would fully put their faith and trust in him. 621 00:43:47,880 --> 00:43:51,000 And so, Lord, help us to do that. Help us to walk that out this week. 622 00:43:51,620 --> 00:43:56,020 Lord, give us a priority of your word, Lord, that we would put it in our hearts. 623 00:43:56,360 --> 00:44:02,480 Lord, even if it's only a couple verses a day, Lord, that we would just write it on the pages of our heart that we might not send against you. 624 00:44:02,940 --> 00:44:03,980 in Jesus' name. 625 00:44:04,660 --> 00:44:08,220 We're going to close with a little song when I was a young Christian, 626 00:44:08,240 --> 00:44:10,940 and I remember this pastor singing this song, 627 00:44:10,940 --> 00:44:15,500 and it's just really a short prayer of asking the Spirit of the Living God 628 00:44:16,060 --> 00:44:17,380 to fall afresh on us. 629 00:44:17,780 --> 00:44:17,920 Spirit of the living God, 630 00:44:17,920 --> 00:44:17,960 fall afresh on me. 631 00:44:17,960 --> 00:44:27,860 Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me. 632 00:44:29,860 --> 00:44:39,660 Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me. 633 00:44:43,650 --> 00:44:54,060 Break me, melt me, mold me, fill me fill me me. 634 00:44:54,580 --> 00:44:59,200 Spirit of the living God. 635 00:45:01,540 --> 00:45:05,740 God, fall of fresh on me. 636 00:45:07,140 --> 00:45:07,600 God bless you. 637 00:45:07,720 --> 00:45:08,500 Have a great week. 638 00:45:08,940 --> 00:45:10,660 If you need prayer, the prayer team will be up here.