1 00:00:00,780 --> 00:00:03,500 And yeah, it's been a while, right? 2 00:00:05,220 --> 00:00:06,140 Seems like forever. 3 00:00:07,380 --> 00:00:12,780 And I was doing the O.J. Simpson thing through airports last weekend. 4 00:00:13,700 --> 00:00:17,320 You know, doing a little ducking and diving and running. 5 00:00:17,540 --> 00:00:20,820 I almost missed my connection from Seattle to Spokane. 6 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:26,560 But a great time, opportunity to share the Lord with folks 7 00:00:27,260 --> 00:00:30,900 and honor an old friend for sure. 8 00:00:31,140 --> 00:00:35,520 So if you have your Bible, 9 00:00:35,740 --> 00:00:37,780 we're going to finish the ninth chapter 10 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:39,240 of the Gospel of Luke. 11 00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:45,560 And some pretty strong words from our Lord here. 12 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:54,080 And I hope you're thankful for even those hard things in life, right? 13 00:00:54,660 --> 00:00:56,540 Reading through devotional 14 00:00:56,560 --> 00:01:05,760 reading through Jonah this morning where he's he's praying. He's praying inside the fish, right? 15 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:14,820 He's got seaweed wrapped around his head. And what does he do? He offers up a sacrifice of 16 00:01:16,150 --> 00:01:22,540 Thanksgiving. And I think that sometimes Thanksgiving is a sacrifice because we don't feel 17 00:01:22,580 --> 00:01:29,640 thankful about certain things that happened in our life. And as I was coming home, flying home from 18 00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:39,900 Washington on Monday, I was just thinking, Lord, I'm thankful for death. I'm thankful for death 19 00:01:41,100 --> 00:01:49,620 that it actually makes life that much sweeter. Right? Think if there was no death. Now, 20 00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:52,060 we're going to get to experience that. 21 00:01:53,180 --> 00:01:59,940 But one reason I'm thankful for death right now is doing a service yesterday as well 22 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:06,040 as being able to point people who through the fear of death their whole lifetime 23 00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:11,280 have been shackled and to be able to point them to the Lord Jesus that they could be free 24 00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:16,260 from those bonds, from that bond of the fear of death. 25 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:25,100 And however, I do look forward to that day when we won't have to deal with death. 26 00:02:25,660 --> 00:02:29,720 Death, the Bible, says, will be no more. 27 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:32,060 Can you say amen? 28 00:02:32,819 --> 00:02:33,420 Amen. 29 00:02:34,140 --> 00:02:34,340 Yeah. 30 00:02:35,420 --> 00:02:37,000 And that's what I'm thinking. 31 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:40,840 And I'm thinking that it's going to be no more. 32 00:02:42,140 --> 00:02:47,860 And we left off last time when Jesus was encouraging his disciples because 33 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:52,980 the dispute had risen among the disciples about who's the greatest. 34 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:58,120 Well, I'm, I'm greater than you are. 35 00:03:01,180 --> 00:03:02,960 Man, isn't that just arrogant? 36 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:04,600 And yet that's who we are. 37 00:03:06,060 --> 00:03:08,140 And that's who the disciples were. 38 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:11,720 They were just this pompous trying to one up one another. 39 00:03:12,600 --> 00:03:17,840 And Jesus kind of puts them in their place when he grabs a little child and he 40 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:26,000 sets him in the midst and says, whoever receives this little child receives me. 41 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:36,120 And so, but it doesn't stop there. It continues on. And that's what we're going to look at here. 42 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:44,840 So starting in verse 49, it says, and now John, this is the Apostle John, now John answered and said, 43 00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:52,060 Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us. 44 00:03:52,540 --> 00:03:59,660 But Jesus said to him, do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side. 45 00:04:00,020 --> 00:04:08,580 Now it came to pass when the time had come for him to be received up that he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem. 46 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:14,540 And he sent messengers before his face, and as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, 47 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:21,560 prepare for him, but they did not receive him. And because his face was set for the journey to 48 00:04:21,820 --> 00:04:28,360 Jerusalem, and when his disciples, James and John saw this, they said, Lord, do you want us to command fire, 49 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:34,840 to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did? But he turned and rebuked them and said, 50 00:04:35,300 --> 00:04:41,819 you do not know what manner of spirit you are of, for the son of man did not come to destroy men's 51 00:04:41,860 --> 00:04:48,520 lives but to save them. And they went to another village. Now it happened as they journeyed on the road 52 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:54,240 that someone said to him, Lord, I will follow you wherever you go. And Jesus said to him, 53 00:04:54,700 --> 00:05:01,540 foxes have holes, birds of the air have nests. But the son of man has nowhere to lay his head. 54 00:05:02,300 --> 00:05:09,620 Then he said to another, follow me. But he said, Lord, let me first go and bury my father. And Jesus said to him, 55 00:05:09,940 --> 00:05:15,560 let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God. 56 00:05:16,300 --> 00:05:22,520 And another also said, Lord, I will follow you, but let me first go and bid them farewell 57 00:05:23,160 --> 00:05:29,920 who are at my house. But Jesus said to him, no one having put his hand to the plow and looking 58 00:05:30,580 --> 00:05:37,420 back is fit for the kingdom of God. Let's pray. Lord, thank you that this is your word. Lord, 59 00:05:37,620 --> 00:05:46,480 and I just pray that we would receive it as such, Lord, that it's powerful words. Lord, you call us to an all-out 60 00:05:46,620 --> 00:05:54,880 following of our king. Lord, not half-hearted, not halfway, not I think so, but Lord, you call us, 61 00:05:55,400 --> 00:06:02,240 and you call us to yourself. And Lord, that nothing should rival that calling. And so I just pray 62 00:06:02,360 --> 00:06:07,200 that we would find ourselves in a place this morning, 63 00:06:07,460 --> 00:06:14,440 Lord, where we want to be yielded to you totally and completely. And I know we all have work to do, 64 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:23,180 Lord, and Lord, I know we have things in our lives, Lord, that we need to not let it slip in, 65 00:06:23,340 --> 00:06:27,700 Lord, whether it's a lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life that would 66 00:06:27,920 --> 00:06:34,420 divert us from following what you have called us to do. And so Lord Jesus, we just invite you to be our 67 00:06:34,740 --> 00:06:38,880 teacher this morning. Holy Spirit that you would come and minister to each one of our hearts. 68 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:48,340 We pray it in the mighty and powerful name of Jesus. Amen. So, so here he is, right? He just tries to 69 00:06:48,580 --> 00:06:56,000 settle this dispute with the, with the who's the greatest. And then we have verse 49 and 50, but now John 70 00:06:56,140 --> 00:07:02,020 answered and said, master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name and we forbade him because 71 00:07:02,040 --> 00:07:03,700 he does not follow with us. 72 00:07:04,180 --> 00:07:05,480 And Jesus rebukes him. 73 00:07:05,760 --> 00:07:11,540 But Jesus said to him, do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side. 74 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:13,700 Here, John's kind of watered up. 75 00:07:14,500 --> 00:07:15,560 They're casting out demons. 76 00:07:16,060 --> 00:07:18,720 Those other people, those Lutherans over there. 77 00:07:24,580 --> 00:07:26,320 Well, they're not a cowboy church. 78 00:07:27,100 --> 00:07:31,060 Don't we have an exclusivity on this spiritual stuff? 79 00:07:32,220 --> 00:07:35,100 aren't we like the true church? 80 00:07:39,380 --> 00:07:39,740 Not. 81 00:07:43,460 --> 00:07:44,680 No, I mean, it's like, 82 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:47,860 and I wonder if John's watered up 83 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:50,080 because they had tried casting out a demon 84 00:07:50,140 --> 00:07:50,900 and they couldn't. 85 00:07:51,380 --> 00:07:52,800 And they see this guy doing it and go, 86 00:07:54,140 --> 00:07:56,540 well, how come he can do it? 87 00:07:56,580 --> 00:07:57,000 And we can't. 88 00:07:57,080 --> 00:07:58,080 We better tell on him. 89 00:07:58,580 --> 00:07:59,400 We're telling on him. 90 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:11,320 aren't people like that people are so it's like well we go to this church well listen if you find the 91 00:08:11,620 --> 00:08:24,460 perfect church please don't go there because you will screw it up right it's a miracle any of us get out of this 92 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:30,740 thing uh and get to heaven let me tell you we're all just scraping by by the skin of our teeth 93 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:37,640 spiritually speaking, praise God, there's people out there that preach Jesus. Maybe not like we do. 94 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:43,580 Their ways aren't like, well, I don't even know if we have any ways here, but at least we have 95 00:08:43,919 --> 00:08:52,180 Jesus, right? And some people have to, some people have to get crazy, right? Some people got to jump up 96 00:08:52,180 --> 00:08:57,420 and down and they got to, you know, do some pew jumping and a little bit of flopping on the ground 97 00:08:57,560 --> 00:09:00,580 down here to feel like they're spiritual. God bless them. 98 00:09:02,740 --> 00:09:03,820 I don't need that. 99 00:09:07,620 --> 00:09:09,320 And some people have to have a robe. 100 00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:15,740 And they have to do liturgy, and they have to do things the same way every Sunday. 101 00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:19,620 Now, we might call that vain repetition, but maybe not. 102 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:30,220 And so, John, no telling what his motive was here, 103 00:09:31,780 --> 00:09:33,360 but he got rebuked. 104 00:09:35,380 --> 00:09:36,220 And he says, no. 105 00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:38,800 You leave him alone. 106 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:44,140 If he's casting out demons, people are being delivered from the demonic. 107 00:09:45,360 --> 00:09:47,740 Shouldn't you be rejoicing in that? 108 00:09:48,860 --> 00:09:49,700 Not comparing. 109 00:09:52,220 --> 00:09:54,140 That's the sad thing about us people. 110 00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:54,960 We compare. 111 00:09:56,700 --> 00:10:00,240 Paul said, you compare yourselves among yourselves, and in doing so, you are. 112 00:10:00,260 --> 00:10:08,320 are not wise. Why do you do that? The only one you should compare yourself to is Jesus. 113 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:17,760 And that puts us all on the same level, right? And if we haven't repented, that means we're all 114 00:10:17,840 --> 00:10:28,720 on a highway to hell. Because we're all the same. Some look a lot better than others. Some look like 115 00:10:28,740 --> 00:10:29,620 they should go to hell. 116 00:10:36,260 --> 00:10:39,020 Praise God, he doesn't look on the outside, right? 117 00:10:39,220 --> 00:10:40,200 That's what man looks at. 118 00:10:40,300 --> 00:10:41,240 That's what we look at. 119 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:43,160 But he looks at the heart. 120 00:10:44,300 --> 00:10:45,720 He looks at the heart. 121 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:48,900 So Jesus here is really forbidding sectarianism. 122 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:51,180 He's forbidding it. 123 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:58,300 I've always told people, you know, because, hey, I've been involved in church splits. 124 00:10:59,500 --> 00:11:09,460 right? And just so you know, this wasn't a split for us to start out west, but there's three or four 125 00:11:09,700 --> 00:11:17,020 churches that have come from water springs, right? That's where we got our beginnings. That's 126 00:11:17,880 --> 00:11:28,300 really who we are in a lot of ways. And people say, well, it's us and them. It's never. 127 00:11:28,320 --> 00:11:34,220 us and them in the church. It's just us, right? You can choose your friends. You're stuck with your 128 00:11:34,480 --> 00:11:47,060 family. It's just us. Right? It's just us as believers. And we come in all shapes and sizes and 129 00:11:47,580 --> 00:11:58,280 flavors. And who do we think we are anyway? Right? Do we, we, we, 130 00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:00,520 People think we have a corner on the truth? 131 00:12:00,620 --> 00:12:02,280 No, Jesus has a corner on the truth. 132 00:12:02,460 --> 00:12:03,940 He's the one that we need to be following. 133 00:12:05,350 --> 00:12:11,100 And so he says, do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side. 134 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:14,380 Jesus really was trying to encourage. 135 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:16,400 You guys need to be a little more gracious. 136 00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:18,560 Fire down from heaven, seriously? 137 00:12:20,700 --> 00:12:21,900 You want to fry these guys? 138 00:12:29,880 --> 00:12:33,880 But that they would rejoice that this person 139 00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:38,420 it actually was casting out a demon in Jesus' name. 140 00:12:42,160 --> 00:12:47,820 Now there are many that are wrong in some aspect of their presentation or teaching. 141 00:12:49,900 --> 00:12:51,440 And really, when you say wrong, 142 00:12:51,520 --> 00:12:55,700 according to who, yet they still set forth Jesus in some manner. 143 00:12:55,900 --> 00:12:57,460 And for that we must rejoice. 144 00:12:58,860 --> 00:13:00,100 For that we must rejoice. 145 00:13:03,460 --> 00:13:05,840 And let God deal with whatever's wrong. 146 00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:10,280 I got so much stuff going on. 147 00:13:10,380 --> 00:13:16,320 I really don't worry about too many other people and what they're doing as far as ministry 148 00:13:16,500 --> 00:13:16,800 goes. 149 00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:21,260 Because I'm just trying to fulfill what God's called me to do. 150 00:13:21,480 --> 00:13:22,940 And I don't do it very good. 151 00:13:24,220 --> 00:13:26,600 I feel like I'm behind the eight ball a lot. 152 00:13:27,520 --> 00:13:29,580 And who am I to go judge somebody's? 153 00:13:29,960 --> 00:13:31,120 Oh, now that ain't right. 154 00:13:33,340 --> 00:13:34,540 Like God can't rebuke them? 155 00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:38,940 You guys remember when Saul was king and David Haddy's, 156 00:13:39,820 --> 00:13:41,980 David Haddy's back, right? 157 00:13:43,100 --> 00:13:46,660 In the MMA world, you don't give him your back or you're dead. 158 00:13:47,500 --> 00:13:50,200 David Haddy's back several times he could have killed Saul. 159 00:13:50,760 --> 00:13:51,640 And he refused. 160 00:13:52,150 --> 00:13:53,460 He said, no, that's God's anointed. 161 00:13:53,880 --> 00:13:55,520 God had a calling on that man's life. 162 00:13:55,820 --> 00:13:57,380 I dare not touch him. 163 00:13:58,420 --> 00:13:59,420 God will deal with him. 164 00:14:00,780 --> 00:14:02,920 Just know that God will deal with false teachers. 165 00:14:05,330 --> 00:14:09,300 Islam is coming to America like a freight train, folks. 166 00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:11,740 What do we do with that? 167 00:14:13,240 --> 00:14:14,000 I don't know. 168 00:14:16,180 --> 00:14:17,440 I honestly don't know. 169 00:14:18,800 --> 00:14:20,400 Because if you honestly read the Quran, 170 00:14:21,060 --> 00:14:27,540 right? If you honestly read the Quran, you and I, infidels should all be dead. 171 00:14:31,020 --> 00:14:38,820 And so, I mean, the verdict's still out for me. I don't know how to do that. Can God squelch it? Sure he can. 172 00:14:40,420 --> 00:14:49,780 Because God want us to rise up? I don't know, maybe. But we'll cross that when it's presented to us. We'll cross that bridge. 173 00:14:50,300 --> 00:14:52,780 but Romans 14 says something interesting. 174 00:14:53,160 --> 00:14:55,020 And I think I want you to take this to heart 175 00:14:55,340 --> 00:14:56,840 when you consider your own life 176 00:14:56,840 --> 00:15:00,360 and you consider other people who teach things 177 00:15:00,500 --> 00:15:03,120 that maybe you're not down with. 178 00:15:03,520 --> 00:15:04,380 But he says this. 179 00:15:04,740 --> 00:15:08,140 He says, who are you to judge another's servant? 180 00:15:09,100 --> 00:15:11,620 To his own master, he stands or falls. 181 00:15:11,780 --> 00:15:14,220 Indeed, he will be made to stand 182 00:15:14,460 --> 00:15:16,640 for God is able to make him stand. 183 00:15:19,020 --> 00:15:19,780 Who are we to judge? 184 00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:28,320 judge. Paul says, judge yourselves. You know what? I got so much sin in my life. I don't really 185 00:15:28,540 --> 00:15:36,440 worry about anybody else. I'm spending all my energy fighting my fire. And you should be too. 186 00:15:38,220 --> 00:15:40,480 Before you start pointing other peoples is out. 187 00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:51,480 Those who are not against a biblical Jesus are on our side. 188 00:15:52,940 --> 00:15:53,100 Right? 189 00:15:53,520 --> 00:16:00,280 Those who are not against a biblical Jesus are on our side, at least in some way. 190 00:16:02,340 --> 00:16:06,400 Paul saw many men preaching Christ from many, many different motives. 191 00:16:07,760 --> 00:16:13,140 Some of them were evil motives, yet he could rejoice that Christ was being preached. 192 00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:15,380 Whatever the motive. 193 00:16:15,780 --> 00:16:17,940 At least Jesus is being preached. 194 00:16:19,800 --> 00:16:23,360 I had a great-grandpa that was quite the rounder. 195 00:16:26,900 --> 00:16:32,860 Interpretation, a rounder was a womanizing, drinking, you know, cheating dog. 196 00:16:34,460 --> 00:16:35,180 That was my grandpa. 197 00:16:36,280 --> 00:16:38,840 His name was Willie Brown. 198 00:16:40,460 --> 00:16:45,680 And my great-grandma said, nobody preached a better gospel message than Willie Brown. 199 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:48,220 that boy could preach. 200 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:51,460 But then he'd go cheat on his wife 201 00:16:52,740 --> 00:16:55,660 and steal his son's money 202 00:16:56,900 --> 00:16:58,580 until my grandpa got big enough to whip him. 203 00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:02,940 He was just a no account, 204 00:17:03,900 --> 00:17:05,400 but boy, could that boy preach Jesus? 205 00:17:07,040 --> 00:17:10,400 He was Elmer Gantry before there was an Elmer Gantry. 206 00:17:10,939 --> 00:17:12,339 Who knows who Elmer Gantry is? 207 00:17:13,459 --> 00:17:14,140 Very few. 208 00:17:20,500 --> 00:17:23,079 But Paul tells us, in Philippians chapter one, he says, 209 00:17:23,459 --> 00:17:26,600 Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, 210 00:17:27,020 --> 00:17:28,740 and some also from goodwill. 211 00:17:28,940 --> 00:17:31,280 The former preached Christ for selfish ambition, 212 00:17:31,780 --> 00:17:35,320 not sincerely supposing to add affliction to my chains, 213 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:39,000 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed 214 00:17:39,500 --> 00:17:40,880 for the defense of the gospel. 215 00:17:41,140 --> 00:17:41,580 What then? 216 00:17:41,940 --> 00:17:44,040 Only that in every way, 217 00:17:44,220 --> 00:17:46,140 whether in pretense or in truth, 218 00:17:46,260 --> 00:17:47,240 Christ is preached. 219 00:17:47,840 --> 00:17:50,520 And in this, I rejoice and I will rejoice. 220 00:17:52,740 --> 00:17:55,620 I know a guy who's a pastor now. 221 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:58,040 He got saved at a Bob Dylan concert. 222 00:17:59,100 --> 00:17:59,640 Go figure. 223 00:18:01,880 --> 00:18:02,060 Right? 224 00:18:04,260 --> 00:18:05,320 I think it's when he said, 225 00:18:05,420 --> 00:18:06,640 you've got to serve somebody. 226 00:18:06,920 --> 00:18:09,140 It might be the devil or he might be the Lord. 227 00:18:13,600 --> 00:18:14,020 And he just, 228 00:18:14,060 --> 00:18:17,280 could see Jesus pointing a big finger at him in a Bomb Dylan concert. 229 00:18:25,920 --> 00:18:39,600 But then he goes on and as Jesus is getting ready to go towards his sacrifice on the cross, 230 00:18:39,620 --> 00:18:44,020 it says in verse 51, now it came to pass when the time had come for him to be. 231 00:18:44,060 --> 00:18:50,220 be received up, that he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem and sent messengers before his 232 00:18:50,380 --> 00:18:56,480 face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans to prepare for him, but they did not 233 00:18:56,640 --> 00:19:02,960 receive him because his face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. And when his disciples, James and 234 00:19:03,060 --> 00:19:10,300 John saw this, they said, Lord, do you want, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven 235 00:19:10,420 --> 00:19:12,660 and consume them even as Elijah did? 236 00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:17,200 They're still jockeying for position, these guys. 237 00:19:17,820 --> 00:19:23,440 Notice it says he had his, he, he set his face. 238 00:19:23,580 --> 00:19:26,160 He was ready to go and to be received up, 239 00:19:26,500 --> 00:19:28,700 to be received up in glory, 240 00:19:28,840 --> 00:19:31,660 but he first had to be received up on the cross. 241 00:19:33,400 --> 00:19:34,060 Jesus did. 242 00:19:35,320 --> 00:19:36,540 And he knew what was coming. 243 00:19:38,920 --> 00:19:40,260 This is like a new section. 244 00:19:40,880 --> 00:19:42,420 in the gospel of Luke. 245 00:19:42,800 --> 00:19:43,880 Jesus was on his way. 246 00:19:45,100 --> 00:19:46,100 He was on his way there, 247 00:19:46,880 --> 00:19:49,020 and he knew what was going to happen. 248 00:19:53,500 --> 00:19:58,420 And he just was going up, going up, going up to the cross, 249 00:19:58,500 --> 00:20:00,040 but then had to go down into the grave. 250 00:20:01,700 --> 00:20:02,960 And then we see him ascend, 251 00:20:05,300 --> 00:20:07,760 where he sits down at the right hand of the Father. 252 00:20:09,020 --> 00:20:10,200 But it says his, 253 00:20:10,220 --> 00:20:13,060 His face, twice here it says his face was set. 254 00:20:15,220 --> 00:20:20,120 This is a fulfillment of scripture in the Old Testament, Isaiah chapter 50, verse 7. 255 00:20:20,220 --> 00:20:22,800 It says, for the Lord God will help me. 256 00:20:23,220 --> 00:20:25,320 Therefore, I will not be disgraced. 257 00:20:25,660 --> 00:20:31,420 Therefore, I have set my face like Flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed. 258 00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:34,500 You know what he was going to purchase. 259 00:20:36,940 --> 00:20:37,440 You and me. 260 00:20:41,140 --> 00:20:42,140 he was serious about it 261 00:20:44,080 --> 00:20:46,980 if Jesus was that serious for us folks 262 00:20:48,300 --> 00:20:49,860 ought we not to be serious for him 263 00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:56,800 we've got nothing to lose 264 00:20:58,940 --> 00:20:59,140 right 265 00:20:59,700 --> 00:21:01,440 I don't know what you've got in this life 266 00:21:02,460 --> 00:21:02,720 you know 267 00:21:03,580 --> 00:21:06,120 I'm working on my 64th year now 268 00:21:06,140 --> 00:21:10,380 and I've tasted everything this life has to offer. 269 00:21:12,320 --> 00:21:15,180 There's nothing out there that I need. 270 00:21:16,340 --> 00:21:19,100 Nothing. Absolutely nothing. 271 00:21:20,560 --> 00:21:21,840 Because, you know, it's boast. 272 00:21:22,780 --> 00:21:24,840 It's boast is only labor and sorrow. 273 00:21:26,220 --> 00:21:27,760 This life's only boast. 274 00:21:29,880 --> 00:21:34,880 But I can face every day with a smile on my face knowing what's coming. 275 00:21:36,360 --> 00:21:36,540 right? 276 00:21:37,080 --> 00:21:37,440 Yoohoo! 277 00:21:38,180 --> 00:21:39,020 Makes me giddy. 278 00:21:39,800 --> 00:21:41,680 Yeah, even when I can't jump as high as I used to. 279 00:21:46,640 --> 00:21:49,080 But his face was set like Flint. 280 00:21:50,740 --> 00:21:51,820 I was looking at this, 281 00:21:52,540 --> 00:21:55,560 in the Greek, it means to set fast, 282 00:21:55,660 --> 00:21:57,400 like fast-setting concrete. 283 00:21:57,840 --> 00:21:59,300 Boom, once it's set, it's set. 284 00:21:59,740 --> 00:22:00,500 There's no moving it. 285 00:22:02,060 --> 00:22:04,880 And that's the way Jesus was in his attitude 286 00:22:04,900 --> 00:22:05,460 the cross. 287 00:22:07,100 --> 00:22:08,800 And it really should be our attitude 288 00:22:09,080 --> 00:22:09,480 towards him. 289 00:22:11,280 --> 00:22:12,820 Like the Proverbs, I love that 290 00:22:13,160 --> 00:22:14,660 Proverbs, right? The righteous 291 00:22:14,860 --> 00:22:15,680 are as bold as a 292 00:22:16,840 --> 00:22:17,220 lion. 293 00:22:19,620 --> 00:22:20,420 A beast whom 294 00:22:21,340 --> 00:22:22,140 fears nothing 295 00:22:22,720 --> 00:22:23,320 or no one. 296 00:22:28,460 --> 00:22:29,000 Now Jesus 297 00:22:29,220 --> 00:22:30,500 gives these guys a rebuke. 298 00:22:30,610 --> 00:22:31,740 We want to be like Elijah. 299 00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:32,580 You know, 300 00:22:34,020 --> 00:22:34,460 pshh. 301 00:22:35,380 --> 00:22:36,040 Krispy Critter 302 00:22:37,900 --> 00:22:38,680 reminds me of that 303 00:22:39,840 --> 00:22:41,240 that little story I heard. 304 00:22:41,300 --> 00:22:42,420 I got to share it with you. 305 00:22:44,180 --> 00:22:45,620 This brother was preaching and he says, 306 00:22:45,700 --> 00:22:47,920 now in life, you only have two things to worry about. 307 00:22:51,100 --> 00:22:51,940 How many have heard this? 308 00:22:53,720 --> 00:22:55,780 In life, you only have two things to worry about 309 00:22:55,910 --> 00:22:57,880 whether you're healthy or whether you're sick. 310 00:22:59,460 --> 00:23:00,020 With you healthy, 311 00:23:00,240 --> 00:23:01,400 healthy, you've got nothing to worry about. 312 00:23:02,360 --> 00:23:03,860 If you're sick, you've got two things to worry about. 313 00:23:05,120 --> 00:23:05,240 right 314 00:23:08,660 --> 00:23:10,100 getting better or getting worse 315 00:23:11,540 --> 00:23:12,600 getting better or getting worse 316 00:23:13,820 --> 00:23:16,040 if you're better you got nothing to worry about if you're worse 317 00:23:16,140 --> 00:23:33,860 you got two thinks to be worried 318 00:23:35,340 --> 00:23:36,760 You go to heaven, you've got nothing to worry about. 319 00:23:39,980 --> 00:23:41,760 You go to hell, you got two things to worry about. 320 00:23:44,920 --> 00:23:45,960 Original or extra crispy. 321 00:23:57,440 --> 00:24:00,240 I don't think there's no original about it. It's just extra crispy. 322 00:24:04,080 --> 00:24:08,660 So James and John, they either misread Jesus on this. 323 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:15,620 They either misread Jesus on this or they are just murderous dogs. 324 00:24:16,760 --> 00:24:18,480 I think they're just murderous dogs. 325 00:24:18,850 --> 00:24:20,640 I don't think there's no misreading this at all. 326 00:24:26,420 --> 00:24:29,600 And it goes along with what Jesus taught us, right, 327 00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:36,060 And the sermon on the mouth, you know, when he said, you have heard it said, right? 328 00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:38,720 To hate your enemies. 329 00:24:39,440 --> 00:24:47,300 But I say to you, if you call somebody an idiot, you're in danger of the judgment. 330 00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:53,860 I did that coming to church this morning. 331 00:25:01,100 --> 00:25:02,140 I reminded myself, 332 00:25:02,620 --> 00:25:03,980 that kind makes me so mad, 333 00:25:04,280 --> 00:25:06,520 he drives just like me, you know? 334 00:25:12,420 --> 00:25:13,920 But they, they had this heart. 335 00:25:14,410 --> 00:25:17,040 And he, he says, he rebukes them. 336 00:25:19,280 --> 00:25:20,960 They wanted to forego grace and mercy. 337 00:25:20,990 --> 00:25:21,420 Is that you? 338 00:25:23,130 --> 00:25:23,840 You want to forego grace and mercy? 339 00:25:23,860 --> 00:25:32,020 mercy? You don't want to extend mercy to somebody, to people that God loves and that Jesus 340 00:25:32,280 --> 00:25:42,240 died for? It is amazing to me how quick I get in that place. They need to die. And the 341 00:25:42,240 --> 00:25:50,460 Lord whispers to me, and so do you, buddy. Right? No, because of the mercy and grace you 342 00:25:50,420 --> 00:25:57,760 and I have experienced we should be quick, right, to grant that mercy and grace. 343 00:25:58,960 --> 00:26:02,800 Jesus is telling these guys, listen, you don't even know how wicked you are. 344 00:26:03,700 --> 00:26:06,680 You're of a different spirit, right? 345 00:26:06,690 --> 00:26:14,060 In another place, he called them the sons of thunder, erbo energies. 346 00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:19,160 You guys don't even know what spirit you're of? 347 00:26:20,100 --> 00:26:21,280 Do you know what spirit you're of? 348 00:26:22,760 --> 00:26:23,420 Can you tell? 349 00:26:23,980 --> 00:26:30,920 Because sometimes we're like that, that shifting sand or that, that wave tossed to and fro. 350 00:26:31,860 --> 00:26:33,240 We're gracious and merciful today. 351 00:26:33,380 --> 00:26:36,160 Oh yeah, but no, we're murders to, you know, tomorrow. 352 00:26:37,620 --> 00:26:38,320 Oh, Jesus is going to know. 353 00:26:39,520 --> 00:26:45,020 I came not to kill, not to take life, but to save it. 354 00:26:45,740 --> 00:26:46,640 That's why I came. 355 00:26:48,380 --> 00:26:52,500 And you guys need to be and have that same mindset. 356 00:26:56,180 --> 00:27:05,720 So then he has three that want to follow him, and he challenges them. 357 00:27:06,820 --> 00:27:09,560 We'll read 57 through 62. 358 00:27:11,620 --> 00:27:17,000 It says, now it happened as they journeyed on the road that some said to him, Lord, 359 00:27:17,580 --> 00:27:19,180 I will follow you wherever you go. 360 00:27:19,420 --> 00:27:23,020 Many believe this is from Matthew chapter 8, one of the scribes. 361 00:27:23,540 --> 00:27:27,540 And Jesus said to him, foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, 362 00:27:27,880 --> 00:27:30,540 but the son of man has nowhere to lay his head. 363 00:27:31,220 --> 00:27:33,200 Then he said to another, follow me. 364 00:27:33,580 --> 00:27:37,020 But he said, Lord, let me go first and bury my father. 365 00:27:37,240 --> 00:27:39,820 And Jesus said to him, let the dead bury their dead. 366 00:27:40,200 --> 00:27:42,720 But you go and preach the kingdom of God. 367 00:27:43,300 --> 00:27:47,420 And another also said, Lord, I will follow you, but let me first go. 368 00:27:47,580 --> 00:27:50,320 and bid them farewell who are at my house. 369 00:27:50,460 --> 00:27:56,560 But Jesus said to him, no one having put his hand to the plow, and looking back is fit for the kingdom. 370 00:27:58,180 --> 00:27:58,740 Three guys. 371 00:28:01,360 --> 00:28:03,320 They all have excuses. 372 00:28:06,480 --> 00:28:08,880 Someone has rightly said excuses are like feet. 373 00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:11,160 Most people have them, and they all stink. 374 00:28:17,180 --> 00:28:20,120 Three men could have become disciples here, 375 00:28:20,120 --> 00:28:23,640 but they would not meet the conditions that Jesus laid down. 376 00:28:24,160 --> 00:28:26,020 The first man, right? 377 00:28:26,100 --> 00:28:29,860 Like I said, was a scribe probably out of Matthew chapter 18, verse 19, 378 00:28:30,100 --> 00:28:33,340 who volunteered to go until he heard the cost. 379 00:28:33,900 --> 00:28:35,000 He had to deny himself. 380 00:28:35,220 --> 00:28:38,500 Apparently, he was accustomed to a comfortable home. 381 00:28:39,100 --> 00:28:39,920 And Jesus reminded him, 382 00:28:40,460 --> 00:28:41,640 You sure you want to follow me? 383 00:28:43,040 --> 00:28:44,880 Foxes have dens, right? 384 00:28:45,560 --> 00:28:46,500 And then fox, you can see. 385 00:28:46,580 --> 00:28:50,560 They go out and they kind of get after, mouse, and all that stuff. 386 00:28:51,030 --> 00:28:54,180 And they get at a place they can go rest for the evening. 387 00:28:54,800 --> 00:28:57,640 So too with a bird and bring food back to their babies. 388 00:28:58,840 --> 00:29:01,260 The son of man has nowhere to lay his head. 389 00:29:01,620 --> 00:29:03,120 Are you sure you want to follow him? 390 00:29:07,260 --> 00:29:09,660 And it's important that we do count the costs. 391 00:29:12,500 --> 00:29:14,300 It's like the old song, no turning back. 392 00:29:15,100 --> 00:29:16,700 I have decided to follow Jesus. 393 00:29:17,900 --> 00:29:21,160 I sing that song in my heart, yes, but I always question, 394 00:29:22,300 --> 00:29:23,620 do I really follow him fully? 395 00:29:25,560 --> 00:29:26,780 Because that's what he's called me to. 396 00:29:28,520 --> 00:29:30,220 Not just because I'm standing up here, you guys, 397 00:29:30,340 --> 00:29:32,960 but that's what he's called you to too, too, also. 398 00:29:39,640 --> 00:29:40,980 No comfort here. 399 00:29:42,720 --> 00:29:44,960 The second man was called by Jesus. 400 00:29:47,300 --> 00:29:47,840 What an honor. 401 00:29:48,720 --> 00:29:51,240 Jesus said, hey, well, follow me. 402 00:29:52,100 --> 00:29:53,140 Isn't that what he said to the disciples? 403 00:29:53,560 --> 00:29:57,400 When they were there fishing, you remember, Peter and Andrew and James and John, 404 00:29:57,520 --> 00:29:58,660 hey, follow me. 405 00:29:59,520 --> 00:30:00,960 And I will make you fishers of men. 406 00:30:02,400 --> 00:30:04,860 The catch that you catch will have an eternal value. 407 00:30:09,260 --> 00:30:14,840 But he was rejected because he would not take up the cross and die to self. 408 00:30:15,280 --> 00:30:20,720 He was worried about somebody else's funeral when he should have been planning his own. 409 00:30:21,360 --> 00:30:23,260 I like that. Those are the words of Warren Weirsby. 410 00:30:28,480 --> 00:30:33,080 Years ago when I heard my nephew singing the song, 411 00:30:33,280 --> 00:30:34,020 Come and Dine. 412 00:30:34,620 --> 00:30:36,160 Come and dine at the master's table. 413 00:30:36,300 --> 00:30:36,840 Come and dying. 414 00:30:37,520 --> 00:30:39,320 I thought he was saying, come and die. 415 00:30:40,860 --> 00:30:42,720 Come and die at the master's table. 416 00:30:42,900 --> 00:30:43,480 Come and die. 417 00:30:45,820 --> 00:30:48,440 And I think they both fit, right? 418 00:30:48,980 --> 00:30:50,160 Because when you come and die, 419 00:30:50,480 --> 00:30:51,600 then you get to go and dine. 420 00:30:52,780 --> 00:30:52,980 Right? 421 00:30:53,420 --> 00:30:53,580 Amen? 422 00:30:55,080 --> 00:30:58,140 When we come and die to say, 423 00:30:59,700 --> 00:31:04,540 right? And he had told them that in the earlier part of this chapter, right, that you 424 00:31:04,860 --> 00:31:10,280 you must deny yourself and pick up your instrument of death and come and follow me. 425 00:31:11,160 --> 00:31:16,880 Now what's interesting about this is he says, oh, but let me let me go bury my dad first. 426 00:31:17,980 --> 00:31:28,120 And in that culture, right, it was a cultural imperative to give your father a proper burial in that 427 00:31:28,620 --> 00:31:34,540 Right, you remember Jacob, the big entourage they had at his funeral. 428 00:31:35,000 --> 00:31:37,520 And then Joseph, they packed his bones out of Egypt. 429 00:31:38,820 --> 00:31:41,540 And these were, this was a big deal. 430 00:31:44,880 --> 00:31:47,240 But Jesus said, and there's something so much more important. 431 00:31:49,180 --> 00:31:50,120 So much more important. 432 00:31:53,960 --> 00:31:56,340 Is you doing what you're called to do? 433 00:31:58,620 --> 00:32:03,380 it's more important than even making sure your parent has a proper burial. 434 00:32:06,300 --> 00:32:09,000 Now he's not suggesting that we dishonor our parents, 435 00:32:09,000 --> 00:32:16,200 but only that we not permit our love for family to weaken our love for the Lord. 436 00:32:17,360 --> 00:32:19,200 And he talks about that, right? 437 00:32:19,780 --> 00:32:24,420 That in comparison, it's like a hatred in comparison. 438 00:32:25,840 --> 00:32:28,500 I got to serve God, first and foremost. 439 00:32:37,900 --> 00:32:40,900 So we should love Christ Jesus so much 440 00:32:44,180 --> 00:32:48,880 that our love for our family would be, in comparison, much less. 441 00:32:50,680 --> 00:32:55,500 And then the third man, he also volunteered, but he could not follow 442 00:32:55,520 --> 00:32:57,780 Christ because he was looking back instead of a head. 443 00:32:58,900 --> 00:33:02,720 Years ago, my grandpa, I was eight years old and I was colivating beans. 444 00:33:04,420 --> 00:33:06,980 And this is down in the Magic Valley where we have corgates. 445 00:33:07,180 --> 00:33:09,180 Who knows what corgates are, right? 446 00:33:10,640 --> 00:33:13,220 Up here they got, you flood or your sprinkle or whatever. 447 00:33:13,480 --> 00:33:14,880 Down there, they got corgates. 448 00:33:14,980 --> 00:33:18,260 And so you have to make sure that water runs down every single row. 449 00:33:19,240 --> 00:33:25,400 And when I was culivating beans, he said, now, he says, you get your tractor tire, 450 00:33:25,580 --> 00:33:30,780 in between the rows, and he says, and you focus clear to the end, you look straight ahead. 451 00:33:31,520 --> 00:33:32,300 Don't be looking black. 452 00:33:32,440 --> 00:33:38,060 Now, you can glance back, and I glanced back a couple times, and there were beans flying everywhere. 453 00:33:38,740 --> 00:33:39,980 I was pulling them out of the ground. 454 00:33:41,980 --> 00:33:43,460 But the focus was to be straight ahead. 455 00:33:43,460 --> 00:33:46,220 He says, you pick a spot, you focus on it, and you drive to it. 456 00:33:47,220 --> 00:33:48,940 And that's how you did that. 457 00:33:49,100 --> 00:33:51,180 And that's what the Lord's talking about here. 458 00:33:52,040 --> 00:33:54,700 You don't want to be crooked, right? 459 00:33:55,180 --> 00:33:58,880 Set your face, just like Jesus is set in his face here to go to the cross. 460 00:33:59,240 --> 00:34:01,000 You set your face towards him. 461 00:34:07,080 --> 00:34:09,700 Now, there's nothing wrong with a loving farewell. 462 00:34:09,980 --> 00:34:13,860 You remember First Kings chapter 19 when Elisha was called, right? 463 00:34:14,540 --> 00:34:17,760 And he was going to go home and say goodbye to his family. 464 00:34:17,899 --> 00:34:22,960 And he kind of sealed the deal when he offered up the ox and he was plowing with. 465 00:34:23,060 --> 00:34:24,899 He realized, no, God's called me to something different. 466 00:34:24,960 --> 00:34:27,280 and I'm not going to be plowing no ground no more. 467 00:34:29,379 --> 00:34:30,940 We'd be plowing souls. 468 00:34:33,740 --> 00:34:36,300 But it can't get in the way of our obedience to him. 469 00:34:42,419 --> 00:34:45,240 Jesus saw that this man's heart was not totally with him. 470 00:34:46,000 --> 00:34:46,560 What about you? 471 00:34:48,980 --> 00:34:52,040 But that he would be trying to do this thing in looking back. 472 00:34:54,480 --> 00:35:00,320 I was talking to a pastor friend of mine, and he was with a pretty, had married into a fairly 473 00:35:01,720 --> 00:35:07,360 prominently famous family, and they were musicians, and they had these huge concerts, 474 00:35:07,680 --> 00:35:11,800 and they got invited to come, him and his wife, and his wife was the only girl with all these 475 00:35:11,940 --> 00:35:19,760 brothers, and he gets there to this big concert they're having, and all the guys who had, at one 476 00:35:19,860 --> 00:35:24,100 time or another, given their life to Christ, and now that seemed to be very distant, right? 477 00:35:24,200 --> 00:35:25,380 It was just party on, dude. 478 00:35:26,579 --> 00:35:29,860 And this pastor friend of mine, and he's looking, he says, I'm watching all these guys. 479 00:35:29,870 --> 00:35:32,620 And I'm thinking, wow, they sure are having fun. 480 00:35:36,540 --> 00:35:36,700 Right? 481 00:35:36,780 --> 00:35:38,740 And he was kind of enticed for a minute. 482 00:35:38,860 --> 00:35:40,760 And he says, the Holy Spirit whispered in his ear. 483 00:35:41,280 --> 00:35:42,680 He said, Dan, it's a lie. 484 00:35:43,900 --> 00:35:44,440 It's a lie. 485 00:35:44,860 --> 00:35:45,400 They're miserable. 486 00:35:46,900 --> 00:35:47,040 Right? 487 00:35:47,080 --> 00:35:50,860 Because they knew where they should have been in walking with Jesus and they weren't there. 488 00:35:52,480 --> 00:35:53,300 They'd gone back. 489 00:35:54,220 --> 00:35:55,040 they looked back 490 00:35:56,300 --> 00:35:57,460 kind of like a lot's wife 491 00:35:59,260 --> 00:35:59,440 right 492 00:35:59,940 --> 00:36:00,760 she looked back 493 00:36:05,280 --> 00:36:06,160 Genesis 1926 494 00:36:06,400 --> 00:36:07,380 but his wife 495 00:36:07,520 --> 00:36:09,500 looked back behind him and she became 496 00:36:09,580 --> 00:36:10,400 a pillar of salt 497 00:36:12,180 --> 00:36:13,180 you can't go back 498 00:36:13,620 --> 00:36:14,580 what are you going to go back to 499 00:36:15,360 --> 00:36:16,540 I look back at my life and think 500 00:36:16,750 --> 00:36:17,660 what would I go back to 501 00:36:19,220 --> 00:36:20,020 there's nothing there 502 00:36:21,340 --> 00:36:22,720 it's just emptiness 503 00:36:22,740 --> 00:36:30,060 emptiness, like Solomon said, it's all just an empty hole without Jesus, success, 504 00:36:32,660 --> 00:36:37,980 prominence, whatever. It's all absolutely nothing. 505 00:36:43,280 --> 00:36:52,620 Now, I do glance back occasionally just to remind me of what God has rescued me from, right? 506 00:36:53,060 --> 00:36:53,700 mainly me. 507 00:36:56,520 --> 00:36:58,600 And I'm so thankful for that. 508 00:36:59,960 --> 00:37:00,960 And you press on, right? 509 00:37:01,300 --> 00:37:02,260 You look ahead. 510 00:37:03,020 --> 00:37:04,780 You put those things behind you. 511 00:37:05,860 --> 00:37:08,400 And Paul talks about it in Philippians 3, where he says, 512 00:37:08,500 --> 00:37:13,580 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended but one thing. 513 00:37:13,780 --> 00:37:14,140 I do. 514 00:37:14,540 --> 00:37:19,400 For getting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 515 00:37:19,940 --> 00:37:25,680 I press towards the goal for the prize of the upward call in Christ Jesus. 516 00:37:26,660 --> 00:37:27,700 That's my focus. 517 00:37:28,280 --> 00:37:29,280 That's what I'm pursuing. 518 00:37:31,060 --> 00:37:34,980 Because this other stuff will trip you up and mess you up. 519 00:37:38,900 --> 00:37:42,680 Now, as you look at this, and as you just read through this, 520 00:37:42,780 --> 00:37:48,620 it would appear that what Jesus taught his disciples in the multitudes had done them little good. 521 00:37:49,040 --> 00:37:50,840 They just weren't getting it, right? 522 00:37:52,160 --> 00:37:56,420 They lacked power, love, and discipline, and they grieved his heart. 523 00:37:57,660 --> 00:38:03,160 If today we lack these spiritual essentials, we can never truly be his disciples. 524 00:38:04,560 --> 00:38:07,320 But they are available, right? 525 00:38:07,620 --> 00:38:08,580 The old saying is true. 526 00:38:08,980 --> 00:38:11,840 God does not call the qualified, right? 527 00:38:11,960 --> 00:38:13,120 He qualifies the called. 528 00:38:14,600 --> 00:38:17,160 So God will call you, and then he'll give what you need. 529 00:38:20,900 --> 00:38:23,900 I was talking to somebody the other day was telling me about a pastor. 530 00:38:24,360 --> 00:38:26,320 He said, this pastor is such an introvert. 531 00:38:27,020 --> 00:38:28,100 I said, well, that ain't my problem. 532 00:38:28,980 --> 00:38:34,880 I said, I fly by the seat of my pants, and I like to be in the middle of all kinds of stuff. 533 00:38:35,470 --> 00:38:38,080 But he says, but when he gets in the pulpit, he's not. 534 00:38:38,670 --> 00:38:39,280 I said, awesome. 535 00:38:40,220 --> 00:38:41,860 That's God's equipment for his calling. 536 00:38:42,820 --> 00:38:43,900 He gets in the pulpit. 537 00:38:44,480 --> 00:38:47,020 He brings forth the word with power and with, 538 00:38:47,340 --> 00:38:49,100 with personality and with energy. 539 00:38:50,060 --> 00:38:51,700 That's the Holy Spirit, right? 540 00:38:52,180 --> 00:38:53,480 Because then God gets all the glory. 541 00:38:59,099 --> 00:39:02,200 This calling that Jesus puts on our life, 542 00:39:03,859 --> 00:39:07,220 I like to compare it to the law that God gave Moses. 543 00:39:08,120 --> 00:39:08,220 Right? 544 00:39:08,300 --> 00:39:09,900 God gives Moses this law. 545 00:39:11,380 --> 00:39:12,140 And what do the people do? 546 00:39:13,860 --> 00:39:14,620 They break it. 547 00:39:16,320 --> 00:39:16,500 Right? 548 00:39:16,900 --> 00:39:19,600 The law of God is good, but it's impossible. 549 00:39:19,920 --> 00:39:21,280 You and I, we can't keep it. 550 00:39:22,220 --> 00:39:26,800 Every jot, every tittle, ever crossing of the teas and the dotting of the eyes. 551 00:39:26,980 --> 00:39:31,680 We, in commas and all this stuff, we look at it and we just fall terribly short. 552 00:39:33,580 --> 00:39:37,500 And the Bible says it's a schoolmaster to drive us to Jesus. 553 00:39:40,160 --> 00:39:41,200 It's the same way with the calling. 554 00:39:41,440 --> 00:39:44,580 When God calls you, it's like a schoolmaster. 555 00:39:45,040 --> 00:39:46,740 When God put a calling on my life, I'm just saying. 556 00:39:46,760 --> 00:39:53,000 thinking, Lord, I can't do this. I don't have any equipment. I don't know my hind in from the 557 00:39:53,080 --> 00:39:57,940 hole in the ground. I'm just a dumb kid that barely graduate. Well, they graduated me just to get rid of me. 558 00:40:00,060 --> 00:40:04,660 I don't know nothing. I mean, I have the same excuse when the Lord called me when my mom tried 559 00:40:04,780 --> 00:40:16,720 sending me your first grade up. Mom, I don't know nothing. And so it was, it was like it drove 560 00:40:16,740 --> 00:40:18,620 me. Jesus, I have to 561 00:40:18,700 --> 00:40:20,340 stay close to you because I 562 00:40:20,960 --> 00:40:22,300 have no idea what I'm doing. 563 00:40:25,520 --> 00:40:26,540 But he and his 564 00:40:27,180 --> 00:40:28,780 sovereignty and his power 565 00:40:29,280 --> 00:40:30,900 and by the anointing of the Holy Spirit 566 00:40:31,880 --> 00:40:33,080 he can use a fool. 567 00:40:35,440 --> 00:40:36,780 You just have to determine who's fool 568 00:40:36,780 --> 00:40:37,320 you want to be. 569 00:40:41,660 --> 00:40:42,760 I was on my way to a rodeo 570 00:40:42,860 --> 00:40:45,020 years ago and we stopped on our way 571 00:40:46,420 --> 00:40:49,180 we were at this gas station right outside of Burns, Oregon. 572 00:40:50,260 --> 00:40:55,560 I loved going to the Harney County rodeo there in Burns, 573 00:40:55,780 --> 00:40:58,520 but this guy had a bumper snicker. 574 00:40:58,680 --> 00:41:01,860 As I pulled in to get gas, he had a bumper snicker on the back of his car. 575 00:41:02,560 --> 00:41:04,760 And it said, I am a fool for Jesus Christ. 576 00:41:04,940 --> 00:41:05,960 Whose fool are you? 577 00:41:09,660 --> 00:41:10,600 That's a good one. 578 00:41:14,160 --> 00:41:14,760 But God, 579 00:41:15,660 --> 00:41:23,120 has not given us a spirit of timidity, right, or of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound 580 00:41:23,220 --> 00:41:29,900 mind. That's why Jesus came along, right? When we, and he calls us, and then he'll give us his 581 00:41:29,950 --> 00:41:36,660 Holy Spirit, he called these guys, and they floundered, right? They scattered in fear when they arrested 582 00:41:36,860 --> 00:41:43,340 Jesus. But all of a sudden, there in the upper room in the early chapters of the Book of Acts, 583 00:41:43,600 --> 00:41:51,360 the Holy Spirit shows up and all the sudden these cowards, these selfish, you know, self-consumed people, 584 00:41:51,780 --> 00:41:56,640 all of a sudden they become the foundation of the church. 585 00:41:57,840 --> 00:42:02,240 All of them willing to give their lives for the Lord Jesus, willing to lay it down. 586 00:42:03,600 --> 00:42:04,040 And they did. 587 00:42:06,040 --> 00:42:06,440 They did. 588 00:42:08,020 --> 00:42:11,740 Just reading through the book of James, I thought of his martyrdom. 589 00:42:12,940 --> 00:42:13,720 The Lord's brother. 590 00:42:15,280 --> 00:42:18,460 I believe it was this, James, that they chucked him from the top of the temple. 591 00:42:19,020 --> 00:42:21,420 And he didn't die, so they beat him to death with clubs. 592 00:42:24,400 --> 00:42:26,700 Because he followed his bro. 593 00:42:27,880 --> 00:42:28,560 He followed Jesus. 594 00:42:38,260 --> 00:42:41,880 We are a joy to Jesus when we surrender all, when we come, 595 00:42:42,720 --> 00:42:47,140 and we give it all to him. 596 00:42:49,680 --> 00:42:51,740 But I just got to tell you today, folks, 597 00:42:52,740 --> 00:42:55,180 if you're going to follow Jesus half-heartedly, 598 00:42:56,820 --> 00:42:57,840 he doesn't want you. 599 00:43:01,540 --> 00:43:03,620 If you're going to follow him half-heartedly, 600 00:43:04,460 --> 00:43:05,380 he doesn't want you. 601 00:43:07,000 --> 00:43:08,340 That's hard to say because I know 602 00:43:08,440 --> 00:43:09,900 that's probably offensive to some people. 603 00:43:12,420 --> 00:43:13,680 well God wants everybody 604 00:43:14,640 --> 00:43:16,240 yeah he wants them to surrender their life 605 00:43:16,920 --> 00:43:17,620 that's what he wants 606 00:43:18,620 --> 00:43:19,800 but if you're not willing to do that 607 00:43:23,359 --> 00:43:24,560 you're not invited 608 00:43:30,380 --> 00:43:31,700 Jonathan Edwards said this 609 00:43:32,540 --> 00:43:34,400 seeking after the kingdom of God 610 00:43:34,400 --> 00:43:35,500 is the chief business 611 00:43:36,060 --> 00:43:36,940 of the Christian life 612 00:43:38,320 --> 00:43:39,880 that's why you draw breath 613 00:43:41,220 --> 00:43:42,700 is to point to the one who gives it. 614 00:43:45,210 --> 00:43:46,780 I love what R.C. Sproles said. 615 00:43:46,780 --> 00:43:53,280 He said, you do not get a diploma from the school of Jesus until you're in heaven. 616 00:43:55,440 --> 00:43:55,620 Right? 617 00:43:57,920 --> 00:44:04,260 You don't get a diploma from the school of Jesus until you're in heaven. 618 00:44:06,940 --> 00:44:09,680 And that's really confirmed in his letter to the church. 619 00:44:11,140 --> 00:44:17,560 of Laotasia there in chapter three of the revelation. 620 00:44:17,700 --> 00:44:22,740 And I'm just going to read it to you before we take communion. 621 00:44:24,920 --> 00:44:26,460 And this is the lukewarm church. 622 00:44:26,700 --> 00:44:29,000 This is the half-hearted church. 623 00:44:30,100 --> 00:44:30,560 And he says, 624 00:44:30,600 --> 00:44:33,440 And to the angel of the church of the Laoscians write these things, 625 00:44:33,620 --> 00:44:36,480 says the amen, the faithful and true witness, 626 00:44:36,700 --> 00:44:38,540 the beginning of the creation of God. 627 00:44:38,980 --> 00:44:39,640 What a title. 628 00:44:40,140 --> 00:44:42,760 I know your works that you are neither hot nor cold. 629 00:44:42,900 --> 00:44:49,440 I could wish you were cold or hot so that because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, 630 00:44:49,880 --> 00:44:55,920 I will vomit you out of my mouth because you say I am rich and have become wealthy and have need of nothing. 631 00:44:56,500 --> 00:45:02,100 And do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. 632 00:45:02,580 --> 00:45:09,620 I cancel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire that you may be rich and white garments that you may be 633 00:45:09,640 --> 00:45:16,740 that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed and anoint your eyes with eyesab that you may see 634 00:45:17,120 --> 00:45:23,000 as many as I love I rebuke and chasten therefore be zealous and repent behold I stand at the door 635 00:45:23,010 --> 00:45:29,480 and knock if anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come into him and dine with him 636 00:45:31,630 --> 00:45:35,900 and he with me to him who overcomes I will grant to sit with me on my throne as I also 637 00:45:36,040 --> 00:45:41,780 overcame and sat down with my father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what this 638 00:45:41,980 --> 00:45:49,900 spirit says to the churches. Maybe he's knocking. You know what? You've been messing around. 639 00:45:51,220 --> 00:45:57,040 You need to go deeper. You need to go all or nothing. All or nothing. 640 00:46:00,740 --> 00:46:04,260 Repent. He says, you're poor, you're blind and you're naked. 641 00:46:07,180 --> 00:46:08,740 but their bank accounts were full. 642 00:46:09,460 --> 00:46:10,860 They said they had need of nothing. 643 00:46:11,860 --> 00:46:12,340 Is that you? 644 00:46:13,640 --> 00:46:14,220 Is that us? 645 00:46:14,560 --> 00:46:15,100 Is America? 646 00:46:19,940 --> 00:46:22,860 It's time to turn to him with all that we are. 647 00:46:23,480 --> 00:46:26,200 And so with that, I'm going to invite the worship team to come up. 648 00:46:26,920 --> 00:46:28,560 We're going to enter into communion. 649 00:46:30,480 --> 00:46:32,240 You know, the Bible says that when you take communion, 650 00:46:32,600 --> 00:46:34,120 it's important to examine yourself. 651 00:46:36,740 --> 00:46:44,460 right examine your heart maybe you shouldn't you're not in a place where you should remember 652 00:46:47,040 --> 00:46:55,640 and come to that place of communion but i think that can you can overcome that really quick 653 00:46:56,840 --> 00:47:03,420 you know first john one nine if we confess our sin he's faith unjust to forgive us our sin and 654 00:47:03,360 --> 00:47:04,720 cleanse us from all in righteousness. 655 00:47:05,840 --> 00:47:10,160 Maybe you just need to get right with him right now as you're holding the bread in your hand. 656 00:47:10,580 --> 00:47:16,520 And as we get ready to pray for it, you can just bow your head and say, oh, Lord, I've just been 657 00:47:16,640 --> 00:47:17,160 messing around. 658 00:47:18,500 --> 00:47:19,600 I haven't been serious with you. 659 00:47:20,900 --> 00:47:22,560 I haven't surrendered my life to you. 660 00:47:23,240 --> 00:47:23,940 Please forgive me. 661 00:47:25,560 --> 00:47:30,800 If you say something like that with a sincere heart, you're ready to take communion. 662 00:47:32,620 --> 00:47:33,840 And if not, then please don't. 663 00:47:34,540 --> 00:47:37,440 Because all you're doing is you're making your judgment hotter. 664 00:47:38,820 --> 00:47:40,480 You're heaping judgment upon yourself. 665 00:47:43,940 --> 00:47:45,900 So maybe just put it in your pocket. 666 00:47:50,260 --> 00:47:51,380 No shame in that at all. 667 00:47:51,860 --> 00:47:52,560 That's just wisdom. 668 00:47:54,080 --> 00:47:56,580 Why would anybody on purpose heap judgment upon themselves? 669 00:47:58,800 --> 00:48:01,600 And so we're going to go before the Lord 670 00:48:02,560 --> 00:48:03,700 as Jesus that night 671 00:48:04,720 --> 00:48:05,140 he said 672 00:48:06,560 --> 00:48:07,460 this bread is a 673 00:48:07,820 --> 00:48:09,780 symbolic of my body that's broken for you 674 00:48:11,880 --> 00:48:13,800 when he gave his back to the smiters 675 00:48:14,120 --> 00:48:16,360 right the psalmist says they plowed furrows 676 00:48:16,840 --> 00:48:17,520 in his back 677 00:48:21,120 --> 00:48:22,300 when they did 678 00:48:23,000 --> 00:48:25,780 studies on this with cadavers they said between the 19th 679 00:48:25,780 --> 00:48:27,680 and 25th lash you could push the flesh 680 00:48:27,820 --> 00:48:29,220 apart and see the internal organs 681 00:48:31,720 --> 00:48:33,360 his body that was broken for us. 682 00:48:34,600 --> 00:48:34,860 He says, 683 00:48:34,920 --> 00:48:36,360 as often as you do this, do this, 684 00:48:37,140 --> 00:48:37,460 remember. 685 00:48:39,080 --> 00:48:41,160 Remember the thorns that pierced his scalp 686 00:48:41,360 --> 00:48:43,520 and the scourge on his back 687 00:48:43,580 --> 00:48:44,920 and the nails through his hands and feet 688 00:48:45,000 --> 00:48:46,080 and the spear in his side. 689 00:48:46,220 --> 00:48:50,720 This body was just totally thrashed 690 00:48:52,820 --> 00:48:53,980 on account of me and you. 691 00:48:55,640 --> 00:48:57,740 And so, Lord, we come before you right now 692 00:48:57,820 --> 00:48:58,720 and we lift the bread up. 693 00:48:59,160 --> 00:49:03,880 before you, Lord, and just remember your great sacrifice, Lord. 694 00:49:10,060 --> 00:49:13,120 Nothing in history can even come close to comparing to it. 695 00:49:14,140 --> 00:49:14,380 Nothing. 696 00:49:16,440 --> 00:49:22,400 And so we just remember you and that precious body that was broken on behalf of us. 697 00:49:24,400 --> 00:49:25,440 Sin sacrifice. 698 00:49:28,380 --> 00:49:34,320 the spotless lamb who became marred more than any human has ever been marred. 699 00:49:35,960 --> 00:49:38,900 And so, Lord, we just remember you and thank you for that body 700 00:49:39,740 --> 00:49:45,960 that you are willing to have stripped naked on our behalf. 701 00:49:47,420 --> 00:49:53,060 You took our shame upon yourself that we truly deserved. 702 00:49:54,880 --> 00:49:56,080 And we praise you for it. 703 00:49:56,380 --> 00:49:58,040 Bless the red as we partake. 704 00:49:58,340 --> 00:49:59,780 In Jesus' name, let's partake. 705 00:50:05,740 --> 00:50:07,060 Likewise, he took the cup. 706 00:50:10,000 --> 00:50:11,100 He said this blood is, 707 00:50:14,560 --> 00:50:16,420 this is the new covenant in my blood. 708 00:50:16,760 --> 00:50:18,480 Praise God, there's a new covenant. 709 00:50:19,960 --> 00:50:20,840 Praise God. 710 00:50:21,460 --> 00:50:24,320 Lord, thank you for that sinless blood 711 00:50:24,340 --> 00:50:30,040 shed. I don't know all the scientific part of it, Lord, but I know it was perfect and it was acceptable. 712 00:50:31,660 --> 00:50:38,240 And it was qualified to go to heaven, Lord, and be sprinkled in the Holy of Holies on our behalf, Lord. 713 00:50:39,200 --> 00:50:43,680 You atoned for all of our sin with your precious blood that was shed. 714 00:50:45,000 --> 00:50:49,020 You were truly that drink offering. You were poured out for us. 715 00:50:49,880 --> 00:50:53,100 And so, Lord, we remember your precious blood that was shed. 716 00:50:54,060 --> 00:50:59,720 Bless the cup as we partake in remembrance of this new covenant, Lord, that we can glory in. 717 00:51:00,340 --> 00:51:01,220 In Jesus' name. 718 00:51:01,640 --> 00:51:02,460 Amen, let's partake. 719 00:51:05,460 --> 00:51:09,000 I'm going to ask a prayer team to come up now, and let's all stand. 720 00:51:09,080 --> 00:51:11,300 These guys are going to lead us in a song of worship. 721 00:51:12,880 --> 00:51:14,240 If you need prayer, please come up.