1 00:00:02,560 --> 00:00:05,320 Let's go together to mark chapter 12, shall we? 2 00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:17,040 And please put your eyes on verse 28 of Mark chapter 12, and 3 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:20,320 to let you know in advance keep your Bible open today, because 4 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:24,720 there will be different passages that we must turn to, to fully 5 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:32,840 grasp what the Lord Jesus is saying here Mark 12/28. 6 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:38,600 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with 7 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:42,560 one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him 8 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:45,720 which commandment is the most important of all. 9 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:51,880 Jesus answered The most important is hear, O Israel, the 10 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:56,000 Lord our God. The Lord is 1 and you shall love 11 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:59,520 the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, 12 00:00:59,920 --> 00:01:02,920 and with all your mind, and with all your strength. 13 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:06,800 The 2nd is this. You shall love your neighbor as 14 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:09,560 yourself. There is no other commandment 15 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:13,560 greater than these. And the scribe said to him, You 16 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:14,840 are right. Teacher. 17 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:18,920 You have truly said that he is 1, and there is no other besides 18 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:20,760 him. And to love him with all the 19 00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:23,760 heart and with all the understanding and with all the 20 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:28,240 strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself is much more 21 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:32,240 than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. 22 00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:36,400 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, 23 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:40,560 you are not far from the Kingdom of God, and after that no one 24 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:44,240 dared to ask him any more questions. 25 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:51,160 Lord, thank you for your word. We ask now that you help us 26 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:55,200 understand it, and that, Lord, the very commands that we read 27 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:58,840 would become more real in our lives. 28 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:03,960 And so we ask that you increase these kinds of loves in US and 29 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:06,920 through US. Lord, spare us from being in a 30 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:11,120 moment where we just hear things and do not feel them and do not 31 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:13,840 apply them. Even in the delivery of this 32 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:15,680 message. Lord, may it not go over our 33 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:19,000 heads, may not be delivered in a manner that is distracting or 34 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:23,760 confusing, but may it come from your heart and may any man 35 00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:26,720 disappear. And may everything that is said 36 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:31,280 that is in alignment with this word plant deeply into our inner 37 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:33,640 being. We trust that you will help us 38 00:02:33,640 --> 00:02:36,200 as we've come to you in faith in Jesus name. 39 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:39,560 Amen. Well, what do we have here 40 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:42,600 today? Well, you and I, week after 41 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:45,960 week, have been watching the embarrassing attempts of Jesus 42 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:48,600 enemies who try to discredit him. 43 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:52,440 And so you have the Pharisees and the Herodians who partnered 44 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:54,760 together. And then you had the rival of 45 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:58,440 the Pharisees, the Sadducees, also coming with their attempt. 46 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:05,120 But now we have this final group, one more group who will 47 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:09,040 try to take advantage of this opportunity to ask Jesus a 48 00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:12,320 challenging question. And Mark tells us that the 49 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:16,120 questioner was a scribe. Now, when you read it from 50 00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:19,280 Matthew's perspective, he says he was a lawyer and there's no 51 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:21,800 contradiction there. The lawyer is really just an 52 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:24,760 alternate title to the same and of the same occupation. 53 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:28,600 The scribes and the lawyers of this time were scholars. 54 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:33,840 They were men who were by profession devoted to 55 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:36,840 interpreting and determining the appropriate applications of the 56 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:40,800 Law of Moses, and the responsibility responsibilities 57 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:45,280 included much, including copying the Hebrew scriptures and also 58 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:49,040 compiling legal documents for those who abide by the Law of 59 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:51,120 Moses. Now this is important. 60 00:03:51,120 --> 00:03:53,440 They were distinct from the Pharisees and the Sadducees. 61 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:57,880 They were their own group, although some of those scribes 62 00:03:57,880 --> 00:04:01,200 were in fact Pharisees. And if those Pharisees were not 63 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:06,880 scribes, these scribes worked very closely with the Pharisees. 64 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:10,240 And Matthew indicates that with a parallel account of the same 65 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:12,800 exchange, you don't have to turn there, but listen to Matthew's 66 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:16,560 version. He says in Matthew 2234 and 35. 67 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:20,600 But when the Pharisees heard that he silenced the Sadducees, 68 00:04:20,959 --> 00:04:24,880 they gathered together and one of them, a lawyer asked him a 69 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:28,200 question to test him. So it's the same scene, the 70 00:04:28,200 --> 00:04:29,960 scribing the lawyer is the same person. 71 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:32,520 Matthew gives us a little bit more insight that after the 72 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:36,320 Sadducees were muzzled, they regathered and they thought, OK, 73 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:40,160 we're trying to do this one more time here and they came up with 74 00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:43,800 one question and whether they delegated one of these guys or 75 00:04:43,800 --> 00:04:45,720 one volunteered, we are not told. 76 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:50,280 But this was another test. This was again another attempt 77 00:04:50,280 --> 00:04:53,600 to ensnare Jesus. But not entirely. 78 00:04:54,960 --> 00:04:57,000 See, if you read this from Matthew's perspective, you would 79 00:04:57,000 --> 00:05:00,320 be under the persuasion that this was another attempt to try 80 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:03,800 to malign the Lord's reputation. But Mark gives us a different 81 00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:07,280 insight. Again, look back at Mark 12 and 82 00:05:07,280 --> 00:05:10,480 look at verse 28 closely. It says here. 83 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:14,000 And one of the scribes came up and heard them, disputing them, 84 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:17,520 being the Sadducees. And Jesus heard them disputing 85 00:05:17,520 --> 00:05:21,760 with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, 86 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:25,840 asked him so. Seeing that Jesus answered so 87 00:05:25,840 --> 00:05:30,480 profoundly and wisely, this compelled this one scribe to to 88 00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:33,720 ask this question. Meaning this scribe. 89 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:38,840 Although in part he is working with the Pharisees to try to do 90 00:05:38,840 --> 00:05:42,000 something, he also is coming from a curious place. 91 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:44,840 There's some sincerity in his heart. 92 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:48,760 He genuinely wants to know it. And the evidence of that is 93 00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:52,200 that, unlike the other interrogators before him, Jesus 94 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:56,520 doesn't rebuke the scribe. Jesus doesn't expose him for his 95 00:05:56,520 --> 00:05:59,400 insincerity. He actually commends him. 96 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:05,760 And so this scribe is coming from a good place, and I believe 97 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:08,960 it's because he wanted to know the answer to this question. 98 00:06:09,920 --> 00:06:14,040 He wanted to discover what it is that God desires of him. 99 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:16,840 Now the reason why that's important before we move on is 100 00:06:16,840 --> 00:06:22,160 because the scribes generally were condemned by Jesus Christ. 101 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:24,640 They were not his favorite group of people. 102 00:06:24,640 --> 00:06:28,440 And if you want a hint of that, Scroll down and look here at 103 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:34,360 verse 38 of chapter 12. Notice what Jesus says and in 104 00:06:34,360 --> 00:06:38,200 his teaching he said beware of the scribes who like to walk 105 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:41,520 around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces 106 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:44,760 and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of 107 00:06:44,760 --> 00:06:49,480 honor at feast who devour widows houses and for a pretense make 108 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:53,280 long prayers, they will receive the greater condemnation. 109 00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:58,920 So this is a category of people that Jesus has very strong 110 00:06:58,920 --> 00:06:59,880 opinions. About. 111 00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:03,720 And when you go to Matthew 23, it's even elaborated more where 112 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:07,760 he gives these blistering woes. You've probably heard them, and 113 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:11,040 you're probably familiar with them, but to who are those woes 114 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:13,880 aimed at? The scribes and the Pharisees? 115 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:19,080 But this scribe is different. Jesus is actually moved by him 116 00:07:19,880 --> 00:07:22,560 because the scribe is. Moved by Jesus. 117 00:07:23,320 --> 00:07:27,000 And that encourages me. The reason why it encourages me. 118 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:31,000 It's because you and I can learn from this that anyone who 119 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:35,800 belongs to any group, whether it be ethnic, whether it be 120 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:39,680 religious, whether it be political, is not beyond the 121 00:07:39,680 --> 00:07:45,880 hope of being drawn to the truth ascribe the ones who have 122 00:07:45,880 --> 00:07:47,240 received the greater condemnation. 123 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:50,360 You tell me one of those guys. Jesus says you're not far from 124 00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:54,080 the Kingdom of God. Christians sometimes are a 125 00:07:54,080 --> 00:07:55,600 skeptical. Bunch as much as they are 126 00:07:55,600 --> 00:07:58,440 believing people. Oh, they believe in the power of 127 00:07:58,440 --> 00:08:01,200 the gospel, but not for those kind of people. 128 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:06,320 Very unlikely for that kind of a person, from that kind of a 129 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:10,720 background or that kind of sin, to embrace the Lord Jesus 130 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:12,720 Christ. It reminds me, though, of a 131 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:16,560 testimony that Paul himself agrees with concerning another 132 00:08:16,560 --> 00:08:20,360 group of people, and it's almost at the first reading of it, hard 133 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:24,480 to kind of see how Paul would say something like this. 134 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:27,360 I want you to see it with your own eyes in Titus Chapter One. 135 00:08:27,680 --> 00:08:32,320 Go to Titus Chapter One, because as shocking as this may be, it 136 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:36,360 provides A glorious comfort about this very truth that I'm 137 00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:40,240 trying to convey. Look at Titus One and look at 138 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:41,080 verse 12. If. 139 00:08:42,440 --> 00:08:44,000 You want to know? Where Titus is, it's with all 140 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:46,560 the other epistles that start with T They're all grouped 141 00:08:46,560 --> 00:08:48,600 together. So if you're in Thessalonians, 142 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:50,120 if you're with Timothy, you're close. 143 00:08:50,920 --> 00:08:53,120 Keep flipping the pages, You'll find Titus eventually. 144 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:59,960 Titus One look what Paul says in this brief letter to his Co 145 00:08:59,960 --> 00:09:04,200 labor in the gospel named Titus. He says in verse 12 of Titus one 146 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:08,840 one of the Cretans, a prophet of their own. 147 00:09:08,840 --> 00:09:17,520 Said Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons. 148 00:09:18,960 --> 00:09:24,920 This testimony is true. Gasp, Paul, you're saying this 149 00:09:24,920 --> 00:09:28,640 testimony is true there, and he goes on to say, therefore rebuke 150 00:09:28,640 --> 00:09:32,200 them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith. 151 00:09:32,960 --> 00:09:38,520 So Paul remarks here about the general character problem of 152 00:09:38,520 --> 00:09:43,200 this group of people known as the Cretins, and he drives his 153 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:46,960 point from one of the leading voices who also confessed this 154 00:09:46,960 --> 00:09:51,360 truth about his own culture. Now I'm looking at a room here 155 00:09:51,360 --> 00:09:54,160 with different people, different cultural backgrounds, 156 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:57,680 ethnicities, nationalities, histories, heritages. 157 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:01,840 And I'm sure many of you can make also accurate assessments 158 00:10:01,840 --> 00:10:04,400 of the negative qualities of where you come from. 159 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:09,240 I'm sure there are patterns. I'm sure there are things that 160 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:12,240 you yourself were once associated with in terms of 161 00:10:12,400 --> 00:10:16,280 mannerisms or convictions or failures and shortcomings. 162 00:10:17,840 --> 00:10:21,200 And so we can't blame Paul too much here, because what Paul is 163 00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:24,000 doing is essentially agreeing with this known saying among the 164 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:29,600 cretins that they even accepted, while also learning from first 165 00:10:29,600 --> 00:10:34,120 hand experience that this culture tolerates, this culture 166 00:10:34,120 --> 00:10:41,880 entertains and produces immorality and all these other 167 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:45,080 vices that come with it. Susan, what? 168 00:10:45,080 --> 00:10:46,400 What are we supposed to do with this? 169 00:10:46,760 --> 00:10:49,160 We'll think deeper, meditate on it. 170 00:10:49,680 --> 00:10:53,400 This is an encouragement to me. An encouragement because Paul is 171 00:10:53,400 --> 00:10:57,400 speaking to Titus, who is left in Crete. 172 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:00,800 To do what? To help manage and organize the 173 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:03,240 churches there. Go to verse five. 174 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:08,520 Look at it with me. This is why I left you in Crete, 175 00:11:08,920 --> 00:11:12,400 so that you might put what remained into order and appoint 176 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:15,240 elders in every town as I directed you. 177 00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:19,600 So think about it in a region that has a reputation of again 178 00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:23,320 producing and tolerating dishonest, self absorbed, idle 179 00:11:23,320 --> 00:11:24,880 people. You know what happened? 180 00:11:24,880 --> 00:11:29,680 God redeemed souls. God saved people, God 181 00:11:29,680 --> 00:11:32,680 transformed them and regenerated them. 182 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:39,000 So even with a culture that was written off that had this nasty 183 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:41,720 kind of reputation, God did a work. 184 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:45,200 God did a work. And the point that I'm trying to 185 00:11:45,200 --> 00:11:47,680 say is that the Lord can work in the hearts of absolutely 186 00:11:47,680 --> 00:11:50,160 anybody, no matter who they are, where they come from, whether 187 00:11:50,160 --> 00:11:53,640 they be a scribe or a Cretan. And you and I have to have the 188 00:11:53,640 --> 00:11:56,080 faith that this is how powerful the gospel is. 189 00:11:56,760 --> 00:11:59,840 And I know in these days we're looking at political groups and 190 00:11:59,840 --> 00:12:02,440 we're looking at people who believe certain things and we 191 00:12:02,440 --> 00:12:04,480 might think to ourselves they're almost beyond hope. 192 00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:10,600 Listen, don't lose faith in the gospel, but let's come back to 193 00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:12,880 our main text and let's meditate further. 194 00:12:12,880 --> 00:12:16,240 Why did the scribe ask this question out of all the 195 00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:19,000 questions? Because, again, though 196 00:12:19,040 --> 00:12:22,160 individually, he might come from a different place, he's also 197 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:25,560 connected to the scribes and the Pharisees who came up with this 198 00:12:25,560 --> 00:12:28,680 kind of inquiry. What are they trying to get at? 199 00:12:28,680 --> 00:12:30,040 What are they trying to get from Jesus? 200 00:12:30,040 --> 00:12:32,960 I believe it's pretty simple. Their hope could have been to 201 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:36,280 have Jesus say something. That would have been wrong. 202 00:12:37,600 --> 00:12:39,040 That you would have said something that wasn't the most 203 00:12:39,040 --> 00:12:42,680 important command. That's less likely. 204 00:12:42,680 --> 00:12:45,320 I think what's more likely is that they were hoping Jesus 205 00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:49,960 would say something that would seem to have contradicted or 206 00:12:49,960 --> 00:12:53,680 eclipse what Moses taught. And So what they were trying to 207 00:12:53,680 --> 00:12:56,720 get Jesus to do at this point was to make him seem to be anti 208 00:12:56,760 --> 00:12:58,520 Moses. And you know how much they 209 00:12:58,520 --> 00:13:02,000 esteemed Moses and this isn't something that they just tried 210 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:03,320 with Jesus. If you read the book of Acts, 211 00:13:03,320 --> 00:13:05,240 you see that they try to do this with Paul. 212 00:13:05,720 --> 00:13:08,360 The Jews always try to get something on Paul and their main 213 00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:10,960 weapon was he is trying to overtake. 214 00:13:10,960 --> 00:13:13,960 He is trying to dismiss and neglect and ignore what has been 215 00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:17,160 given to us in the law. So this is a common tactic and 216 00:13:17,160 --> 00:13:18,880 it's being used here against the Saviour. 217 00:13:19,880 --> 00:13:22,120 And so we see here that these Jewish leaders are again trying 218 00:13:22,120 --> 00:13:24,160 to trap the Lord and they're going to find out that they're 219 00:13:24,160 --> 00:13:25,440 going to be the ones who are in trap. 220 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:29,800 But again, this man, he's delegated by the Pharisees. 221 00:13:29,800 --> 00:13:33,000 But it seems as though he asked this question, knowing that even 222 00:13:33,000 --> 00:13:35,600 among his peers this is a contested thing. 223 00:13:36,200 --> 00:13:38,680 I'm sure there was debates among these schools of what was the 224 00:13:38,680 --> 00:13:42,720 most important commandment and and I I'm persuaded that he 225 00:13:42,720 --> 00:13:44,800 himself wants to settle it in his own soul. 226 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:50,520 He he heard that Jesus answered his rival so well concerning the 227 00:13:50,520 --> 00:13:53,320 resurrection and perhaps something in him is like I I 228 00:13:53,320 --> 00:13:55,960 just want to know this man is something else. 229 00:13:56,000 --> 00:13:57,440 As we heard earlier from Pastor Mark. 230 00:13:57,600 --> 00:13:59,120 He doesn't speak like anybody else. 231 00:13:59,560 --> 00:14:01,320 Maybe he can settle this once and for all. 232 00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:04,000 My own heart. What's the most important thing 233 00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:07,520 that God wants from me? What is it that I need to do for 234 00:14:07,520 --> 00:14:11,240 him to be pleased with me? And you Read it, did you not? 235 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:13,080 Verse 29. Jesus answered. 236 00:14:13,560 --> 00:14:17,880 The most important is Hero Israel, the Lord our God. 237 00:14:18,400 --> 00:14:21,280 The Lord is one. He wants to 1st establish that 238 00:14:21,280 --> 00:14:25,840 there is no God like this God. We believe in one God, Jesus, 239 00:14:25,880 --> 00:14:28,320 again emphasizing that we don't believe like these pagans and a 240 00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:31,080 plethora of different gods and deities, know there is one God, 241 00:14:31,440 --> 00:14:34,080 and then he builds upon it, not just acknowledging who he is 242 00:14:34,080 --> 00:14:36,320 theologically, doctrinally, but loving. 243 00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:42,160 Him, loving him, loving Him. And his answer really is 2 part. 244 00:14:42,160 --> 00:14:43,640 Is it not? Because he speaks about loving 245 00:14:43,640 --> 00:14:45,280 God and then loving your neighbor? 246 00:14:45,280 --> 00:14:47,840 And he pulls this out of two places in the Hebrew scriptures, 247 00:14:48,040 --> 00:14:51,280 Deuteronomy 65 and Leviticus 1918. 248 00:14:51,960 --> 00:14:54,480 And notice that Jesus speaks about these two commandments as 249 00:14:54,480 --> 00:14:58,920 though they were one. So what's the most important 250 00:14:58,920 --> 00:15:00,680 commandment? And he gives 2 commandments. 251 00:15:00,680 --> 00:15:03,640 Do you know why that is? Because they are inseparable, 252 00:15:04,200 --> 00:15:07,320 they coexist and they cannot live apart from one another. 253 00:15:08,200 --> 00:15:11,920 And the apostle of love, John said in his own epistle in the 254 00:15:11,920 --> 00:15:15,400 first one, at least something that confirms this truth. 255 00:15:15,400 --> 00:15:17,560 Again, don't turn there, but listen to what John says in 256 00:15:17,560 --> 00:15:21,040 first John 4/20. He says if anyone says I love 257 00:15:21,040 --> 00:15:28,040 God and hates his brother, he is a liar for he who does not love 258 00:15:28,040 --> 00:15:31,640 his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not 259 00:15:31,640 --> 00:15:34,440 seen. You can't say that you love God 260 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:38,280 and then hate his people or hate those who are creating his 261 00:15:38,280 --> 00:15:41,600 image. If you claim to love God who is 262 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:47,080 invisible while also hating people that you can see, how is 263 00:15:47,080 --> 00:15:49,960 that possible? And I believe that's built upon 264 00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:53,360 this truth, that although these are two separate commands, 265 00:15:53,920 --> 00:15:57,440 they're joined together and they can never be, never be severed. 266 00:15:57,960 --> 00:16:01,040 If you're going to say that you love God, then you're also 267 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:02,960 automatically going to love people. 268 00:16:03,240 --> 00:16:05,840 In fact, you can't love people unless you first know how to 269 00:16:05,840 --> 00:16:08,960 love God. And so Christ here is making it 270 00:16:08,960 --> 00:16:11,840 clear these are the most important commandments. 271 00:16:13,680 --> 00:16:14,800 But here's the thing. I'm looking. 272 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:17,560 At this, and I'm wondering to myself, how do we apply it? 273 00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:19,920 And here's what I want to say. Before we break these things 274 00:16:19,920 --> 00:16:22,880 down, you have to understand that Jesus is not here 275 00:16:22,880 --> 00:16:25,280 explaining what commands you need to obey in order to be 276 00:16:25,280 --> 00:16:27,520 saved. That's not the case. 277 00:16:27,520 --> 00:16:29,320 He's not even answering that kind of a question. 278 00:16:29,880 --> 00:16:32,120 He's simply trying to explain here. 279 00:16:32,280 --> 00:16:34,720 Of what God ultimately desires from man. 280 00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:39,600 And so I hope I'm preaching to a room filled with people who have 281 00:16:39,600 --> 00:16:42,240 already done the most important thing, and that's believe on the 282 00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:45,760 Lord Jesus Christ. I want you to hear what's about 283 00:16:45,760 --> 00:16:48,200 to take place in the next. I don't know how long. 284 00:16:48,960 --> 00:16:52,200 I want you to hear it. As people who have already made 285 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:56,520 the step of realizing that you can't abide and fulfill any law, 286 00:16:57,200 --> 00:16:59,920 you fall short and what you did do. 287 00:16:59,920 --> 00:17:03,720 I praise that you confess your inability to uphold anything God 288 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:06,000 asks of you in the way that he asks of you, and that you've 289 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:08,400 surrendered to the. Righteousness of Jesus Christ. 290 00:17:08,880 --> 00:17:12,760 So hear what I'm about to teach in this moment from the place of 291 00:17:12,760 --> 00:17:16,599 already believing on Christ, on the other side of believing on 292 00:17:16,599 --> 00:17:18,599 Him. Because they apply. 293 00:17:18,960 --> 00:17:21,920 They apply. As a Christian now, you should 294 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:25,520 be preoccupied of wanting to know, how can I obey my Savior? 295 00:17:26,160 --> 00:17:27,960 What is it that he wants from me? 296 00:17:28,480 --> 00:17:31,160 Not to get right with him? You've been made right because 297 00:17:31,160 --> 00:17:34,840 of the Son of God. So here in that way, now posture 298 00:17:34,840 --> 00:17:36,720 yourself as a born again believer. 299 00:17:36,800 --> 00:17:38,440 OK, Lord, what is it that you want? 300 00:17:38,600 --> 00:17:41,560 What is it that I put my most energy and thought and affection 301 00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:43,560 toward? And now you're in the right 302 00:17:43,560 --> 00:17:46,680 place and Jesus makes it so plain and clear. 303 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:50,000 You know, it's amazing. Christ is such a clear 304 00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:51,320 communicator. I love it. 305 00:17:51,320 --> 00:17:55,560 And this is what he says. Love God. 306 00:17:57,360 --> 00:18:00,600 Love God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, 307 00:18:00,600 --> 00:18:02,360 all your strength. You know how you can translate 308 00:18:02,360 --> 00:18:04,640 that? I don't think it's absolutely 309 00:18:04,640 --> 00:18:06,520 necessary to try to breakdown every component. 310 00:18:06,520 --> 00:18:07,880 What does it mean to love God with your heart? 311 00:18:07,880 --> 00:18:09,720 What does it mean? Yes, you can do that. 312 00:18:09,720 --> 00:18:12,360 And all it's really saying is with all your affection, with 313 00:18:12,360 --> 00:18:14,400 all your intellect, with all your energy. 314 00:18:16,160 --> 00:18:18,040 A translation to this is very simple. 315 00:18:18,200 --> 00:18:23,560 Love God with everything you are, with absolutely everything 316 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:25,640 you are nothing less than that. And. 317 00:18:26,200 --> 00:18:29,040 If you're like me, then yes, it's plain and clear. 318 00:18:29,040 --> 00:18:32,200 But I always have questions. And here's my question. 319 00:18:32,480 --> 00:18:36,440 What does that look like? I know what it says. 320 00:18:36,680 --> 00:18:39,480 It's clear the bullseye is there. 321 00:18:39,640 --> 00:18:42,200 But what do I do to arrive there? 322 00:18:42,680 --> 00:18:45,640 How do I pursue this? What does it look like with legs 323 00:18:45,640 --> 00:18:47,280 and arms? I need to see how this is 324 00:18:47,280 --> 00:18:49,520 fleshed out. And that's what I began to ask 325 00:18:49,520 --> 00:18:52,720 reading this earlier this week. Lord, what does it look like for 326 00:18:52,720 --> 00:18:56,680 me to love you in this way? And God is merciful. 327 00:18:57,920 --> 00:19:00,320 God is very kind to us. He's very kind to me. 328 00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:03,840 Because I'm reading this earlier this week, I try to do it as 329 00:19:03,840 --> 00:19:06,120 early as possible in the week. But I also. 330 00:19:06,120 --> 00:19:08,840 Do my own reading. And so I'm reading in 1st and 331 00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:11,280 2nd Kings, Second Kings. And as I'm just reading through 332 00:19:11,280 --> 00:19:15,240 Second Kings, I stumble upon a passage as I was reading about 333 00:19:15,240 --> 00:19:18,400 in my bed yesterday morning about King Josiah. 334 00:19:19,440 --> 00:19:22,240 And there's something about King Josiah at the end of his 335 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:26,560 biography that leaped off the page and clutched to my heart. 336 00:19:26,800 --> 00:19:30,000 And I began to rejoice in bed, being like thank you, Lord, for 337 00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:31,680 helping me with the sermon this Sunday. 338 00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:35,200 And it's going to be somewhere in Second Kings. 339 00:19:35,200 --> 00:19:37,760 If you turn with me to chapter 23, I told you we're going to 340 00:19:37,760 --> 00:19:41,400 turn to some passages today. I want you to see what the Holy 341 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:44,480 Spirit says of this one king among the many kings of Judah. 342 00:19:44,880 --> 00:19:49,200 How he stands out in Second Kings 23, verse 25. 343 00:20:01,310 --> 00:20:06,070 It says here about King Josiah. Before him there was no king 344 00:20:06,070 --> 00:20:10,670 like him who turned to the Lord with all his heart. 345 00:20:11,040 --> 00:20:17,960 And with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all 346 00:20:17,960 --> 00:20:22,600 the law of Moses. Nor did any like him arise after 347 00:20:22,600 --> 00:20:26,080 him. I I couldn't move past that. 348 00:20:26,440 --> 00:20:28,840 And maybe because I was reading Mark 12 earlier and I thought to 349 00:20:28,840 --> 00:20:31,640 myself, what a tribute that's been given to a king. 350 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:34,080 What a tribute that's been given to such a man. 351 00:20:34,320 --> 00:20:37,600 There was no king like him before, and there was no king 352 00:20:37,600 --> 00:20:41,760 that arose after him because he was highlighted for the love, 353 00:20:43,120 --> 00:20:44,960 the love that he had for the Lord. 354 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:48,560 And so it got me thinking. It got me thinking, what was it 355 00:20:48,560 --> 00:20:50,760 about Josiah? What was it about this 356 00:20:50,760 --> 00:20:54,400 particular man that qualified him to have such a privileged 357 00:20:54,400 --> 00:20:56,520 honor? What was it about this man 358 00:20:56,520 --> 00:20:59,880 that's made him stand out to love God in this way, In the 359 00:20:59,880 --> 00:21:03,200 very same way that Jesus tells you and I that we must love God? 360 00:21:04,080 --> 00:21:05,880 And I'll tell you this because that's the end. 361 00:21:05,880 --> 00:21:09,240 Near the end of his life, I began to just look back at what 362 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:12,600 is described of him and pick out some clues that I believe the 363 00:21:12,600 --> 00:21:16,360 Holy Spirit makes so obvious in terms of why Josiah was 364 00:21:16,360 --> 00:21:20,040 different, putting him in that place of being crowned with such 365 00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:23,560 a privileged honor. There are many different kings 366 00:21:23,560 --> 00:21:26,880 in Israel and Judah, and there were some reformers, but he 367 00:21:26,880 --> 00:21:29,640 stood out even among the reformers, and I believe the 368 00:21:29,640 --> 00:21:32,200 reason is. What we see at the beginning of 369 00:21:32,200 --> 00:21:34,160 his mention in the Bible. So you're still there. 370 00:21:34,160 --> 00:21:41,880 Now go to Chapter 22, Second Kings 22 and look here. 371 00:21:43,760 --> 00:21:45,760 At verse 11, here's what's happening. 372 00:21:45,760 --> 00:21:48,520 King Josiah, after becoming king, wants to work on the House 373 00:21:48,520 --> 00:21:51,000 of God. So he hires men, and he has 374 00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:53,760 people do just that. And when they're cleaning the 375 00:21:53,760 --> 00:21:56,920 place up, they discovered the book, The Book of the Law. 376 00:21:56,920 --> 00:22:00,600 And it's so staggering because when they discover the book of 377 00:22:00,600 --> 00:22:02,600 the law, they could barely recognize it. 378 00:22:03,320 --> 00:22:06,640 They could barely recognize it. And so his secretary begins to 379 00:22:06,640 --> 00:22:09,680 read from it, and and he comes into the presence of the king. 380 00:22:09,680 --> 00:22:11,400 And he says, look, we found this book. 381 00:22:12,360 --> 00:22:17,600 And he begins to open it up and unveil the content and look at 382 00:22:17,600 --> 00:22:20,040 the reaction of this king in verse 11. 383 00:22:20,600 --> 00:22:24,160 When the king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his 384 00:22:24,160 --> 00:22:27,560 clothes. And the king commanded Hilkiah 385 00:22:27,560 --> 00:22:30,960 the priest, and Haikam the son of Shafan, and Akbar the son of 386 00:22:30,960 --> 00:22:32,880 Makaya, and Shafan the secretary. 387 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:36,800 And I saw the King's servant saying, Go, inquire of the Lord 388 00:22:36,800 --> 00:22:40,200 for me and for the people, and for all Judah concerning the 389 00:22:40,200 --> 00:22:42,200 words of this book that has been found. 390 00:22:42,320 --> 00:22:45,520 For great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, 391 00:22:45,760 --> 00:22:48,320 because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book. 392 00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:51,160 To do according to all that is written concerning us. 393 00:22:51,960 --> 00:22:55,640 He tore his clothes. And you're thinking, well, why 394 00:22:55,640 --> 00:22:57,320 is this important? I've seen and read about men 395 00:22:57,320 --> 00:23:00,520 who've done the same. True, but I want you to see how 396 00:23:00,520 --> 00:23:03,880 important this was to God himself, because he inquires of 397 00:23:03,880 --> 00:23:06,680 the Lord. And a prophetess by the name of 398 00:23:06,680 --> 00:23:10,160 Holda sends word back to Josiah. And notice what she says on 399 00:23:10,160 --> 00:23:13,880 behalf of the Lord. Concerning Josiah's response, 400 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:17,440 pay attention to the word of God. 401 00:23:18,280 --> 00:23:22,160 Scroll down to verse 19. This is the prophetess speaking 402 00:23:22,160 --> 00:23:27,320 on behalf of the Lord concerning Josiah, because your heart was 403 00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:31,240 penitent, and you humbled yourself before the Lord when 404 00:23:31,240 --> 00:23:35,520 you heard how I spoke against this place and against his 405 00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:38,680 inhabitants, that they should become a desolation and a curse, 406 00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:40,880 and you have torn your clothes and wet before me. 407 00:23:41,080 --> 00:23:47,240 I also have heard you, declares the Lord, Connect this with the 408 00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:52,000 truth, that he was a man who stood out for his great love for 409 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:55,320 the Lord with all his might. And all his heart and all his 410 00:23:55,320 --> 00:23:59,000 strength. A man who loves the Lord his God 411 00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:03,080 in that way is a man who revere's the word of God. 412 00:24:06,120 --> 00:24:08,560 If you don't think that is relevant, if you don't think 413 00:24:08,560 --> 00:24:11,720 this is how God views and measures our love, then read 414 00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:15,240 again and notice that God tells Josiah. 415 00:24:15,720 --> 00:24:20,000 The only reason why I heard you is because you first heard me. 416 00:24:21,320 --> 00:24:25,000 Look back again. Look at the last part, verse 19, 417 00:24:26,280 --> 00:24:28,720 he says you have torn your clothes and wet before me. 418 00:24:28,920 --> 00:24:33,800 I also have heard you, declares the Lord, because when you heard 419 00:24:33,800 --> 00:24:36,280 my word and you responded accordingly, I will honor you by 420 00:24:36,280 --> 00:24:41,880 listening to your words. So here's the thing. 421 00:24:43,040 --> 00:24:45,760 You have to ask yourself this if you want to measure this kind of 422 00:24:45,760 --> 00:24:48,600 love that Jesus demands of us. Very simple. 423 00:24:48,600 --> 00:24:52,320 You ready? How do you view God's word? 424 00:24:53,560 --> 00:24:56,000 How do you view it? Do you do you cherish it? 425 00:24:57,760 --> 00:25:03,120 Do you enjoy it? More importantly, do you submit 426 00:25:03,120 --> 00:25:07,840 to it? Because this man here shows us 427 00:25:07,920 --> 00:25:13,000 not just an emotional response to the word of God, but also how 428 00:25:13,000 --> 00:25:15,240 he acts upon it, which is remarkable. 429 00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:18,760 It's remarkable. So let me say this. 430 00:25:19,680 --> 00:25:24,320 You cannot separate your claim of loving God with how you 431 00:25:24,320 --> 00:25:30,160 relate to the Word of God. Show me a man or a woman and how 432 00:25:30,160 --> 00:25:33,840 they relate to the Word, and you will tell me everything I need 433 00:25:33,840 --> 00:25:36,000 to know about how they love the God of the Word. 434 00:25:36,960 --> 00:25:40,960 It's inseparable. It's inseparable because it's 435 00:25:40,960 --> 00:25:42,960 clear here that God makes that connection. 436 00:25:43,760 --> 00:25:46,880 God has given us His Word as a means to relate to Him. 437 00:25:46,880 --> 00:25:50,400 So how I treat this, how I engage with this, how I relish 438 00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:53,200 this, really determines what I feel. 439 00:25:53,600 --> 00:25:56,640 I know you say it, I know sometimes you get the fuzzies 440 00:25:56,640 --> 00:25:58,160 when the worship songs are right. 441 00:25:58,520 --> 00:26:01,560 I get it. But ultimately it is measured 442 00:26:01,560 --> 00:26:05,600 according to this book, according to God's mind, by your 443 00:26:05,600 --> 00:26:10,360 view of the Word. How I feel about it. 444 00:26:10,480 --> 00:26:13,280 More than that, because this is not the only thing that this 445 00:26:13,280 --> 00:26:17,200 prophet test said to King Josiah before this wonderful 446 00:26:17,200 --> 00:26:19,400 commendation. She describes him a coming 447 00:26:19,400 --> 00:26:23,400 condemnation, and she says back in verse 16 of Second Kings 22 448 00:26:23,400 --> 00:26:25,880 Look at this prophecy. Thus says the Lord. 449 00:26:25,880 --> 00:26:29,400 Behold, I will bring disaster upon this place and upon its 450 00:26:29,560 --> 00:26:32,080 inhabitants. All the words of the book that 451 00:26:32,080 --> 00:26:35,520 the King of Judah has read because they have forsaken me 452 00:26:35,720 --> 00:26:38,760 and have made offerings to other gods that they might provoke me 453 00:26:38,760 --> 00:26:41,160 to anger with all the work of their hands. 454 00:26:41,360 --> 00:26:45,560 Therefore my wrath will be kindled against this place and 455 00:26:45,560 --> 00:26:50,920 it will not be quenched. And then she goes on to say, but 456 00:26:51,200 --> 00:26:53,920 I notice how you respond to my word, Josiah. 457 00:26:54,120 --> 00:26:57,120 So what do we take from this? She's essentially as a 458 00:26:57,120 --> 00:27:01,560 prophetess, declaring that the coming judgment against Judah is 459 00:27:01,560 --> 00:27:04,320 certain. My wrath will be poured out. 460 00:27:04,320 --> 00:27:06,240 It's not going to be quenched. It's definite. 461 00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:08,320 Now you got to think about it this way. 462 00:27:09,160 --> 00:27:12,960 If I receive word like that as a leader, as a king, I'm not sure 463 00:27:12,960 --> 00:27:17,440 that provides much motivation to try to bring reform. 464 00:27:18,480 --> 00:27:22,080 I'm not sure how much I would want to now get people to 465 00:27:22,080 --> 00:27:26,080 recognize who God is, our negligence of His will, and then 466 00:27:26,080 --> 00:27:28,280 try to provoke national repentance. 467 00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:33,880 Why judgment is coming anyway, it's certain, and you would 468 00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:36,440 think this would deter Josiah. You would think that this would 469 00:27:36,440 --> 00:27:39,080 make him discouraged and he would slump his shoulders and 470 00:27:39,080 --> 00:27:41,280 make way back into his palace thinking, well, it's. 471 00:27:41,360 --> 00:27:44,800 I guess it's too late. Is that what Josiah does? 472 00:27:44,800 --> 00:27:46,640 No, no, you got to keep reading. I'm not going to read it for 473 00:27:46,640 --> 00:27:49,240 you, but you can if you want. He brings one of the greatest 474 00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:52,520 revivals in Israel's history, not just in Judah. 475 00:27:52,520 --> 00:27:54,760 It actually bleeds into the Northern Kingdom. 476 00:27:55,800 --> 00:27:59,880 That tells me something about this man that tells me something 477 00:27:59,880 --> 00:28:04,160 about how he viewed God's word that despite the present or the 478 00:28:04,160 --> 00:28:08,480 coming circumstances that were not favorable, it didn't mess 479 00:28:08,480 --> 00:28:10,520 with him. He told himself and he told 480 00:28:10,520 --> 00:28:13,680 others, Despite what has been set for us, we're still going to 481 00:28:13,680 --> 00:28:17,720 obey God for the time being. So you know what that tells me 482 00:28:17,720 --> 00:28:20,560 about Josiah? He's he's the kind of man that 483 00:28:20,560 --> 00:28:24,640 will obey God. This is so fascinating whether 484 00:28:24,640 --> 00:28:29,400 or not there is a reward for it, because according to these 485 00:28:29,400 --> 00:28:31,800 words, there's going to be no benefit, really, in a short 486 00:28:31,800 --> 00:28:33,720 amount of time. Judgment is still going to come. 487 00:28:33,960 --> 00:28:36,560 And Josiah is saying, yeah, well then what's the point? 488 00:28:37,800 --> 00:28:40,880 No, no, no, no. Despite the reward being there 489 00:28:40,880 --> 00:28:43,440 or not, I still I'm going to obey my God. 490 00:28:44,480 --> 00:28:47,320 Because it's not about the reward, it's about the person, 491 00:28:47,800 --> 00:28:53,200 it's about God himself. No wonder that he is upheld with 492 00:28:53,200 --> 00:28:56,120 such esteem, loving the Lord. Why? 493 00:28:56,120 --> 00:29:00,120 Because even when he was told. Yeah, you don't know what's 494 00:29:00,120 --> 00:29:02,680 really going to happen now because things are going to get 495 00:29:02,680 --> 00:29:04,240 very gloomy in a short amount of time. 496 00:29:04,520 --> 00:29:06,480 That doesn't matter. I still discover what God said, 497 00:29:06,480 --> 00:29:08,120 and I still want to please his heart. 498 00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:15,160 That's a man who doesn't just value content or data, who wants 499 00:29:15,160 --> 00:29:18,120 to live what God said. He has to live. 500 00:29:18,560 --> 00:29:21,200 Whether he lived long, whether they was going to make him a 501 00:29:21,200 --> 00:29:24,120 mighty man, a reputable man, what it was going to bring 502 00:29:24,120 --> 00:29:27,040 profit to his administration. It doesn't matter. 503 00:29:27,040 --> 00:29:28,640 If God said it, then I will do it. 504 00:29:30,200 --> 00:29:34,880 I'm thinking of another king, of another king who also one that 505 00:29:34,880 --> 00:29:37,600 we're more familiar with, who has been given one of the 506 00:29:37,600 --> 00:29:40,160 greatest titles that I believe you can give another person, 507 00:29:40,760 --> 00:29:42,520 especially because it comes from God. 508 00:29:43,720 --> 00:29:45,560 You know who it is. All I have to tell you this. 509 00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:47,160 And you know exactly what I'm speaking about. 510 00:29:47,320 --> 00:29:51,920 He was someone who is after God's own heart. 511 00:29:51,960 --> 00:29:53,560 Yeah, there you go. He didn't let me finish, he 512 00:29:53,560 --> 00:29:54,840 said. David, you know who it is. 513 00:29:55,480 --> 00:30:00,600 A man who's after mine own heart. 514 00:30:01,880 --> 00:30:05,640 What else do you want than that? Forgot to say that about your 515 00:30:05,640 --> 00:30:08,920 life. Fill in the blank. 516 00:30:08,920 --> 00:30:12,000 Your name. In whom I have found a heart 517 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:15,400 that is after my own heart. Can I ask you something? 518 00:30:15,560 --> 00:30:17,400 We love that. We quote that. 519 00:30:17,440 --> 00:30:19,280 We know who that's about. What does it mean? 520 00:30:21,280 --> 00:30:23,520 What does it mean? Does it mean that he wrote 521 00:30:23,600 --> 00:30:27,080 wonderful worship songs? Does it mean what? 522 00:30:27,080 --> 00:30:30,320 What does it mean for David to be a man after God's own heart? 523 00:30:30,320 --> 00:30:32,880 Because I want that. I want that more than anything 524 00:30:32,880 --> 00:30:36,280 else. Strip me any accolade, any kind 525 00:30:36,280 --> 00:30:38,120 of recognition, any kind of invitation. 526 00:30:38,440 --> 00:30:42,360 If God from heaven can look at me and say he's after my own 527 00:30:42,360 --> 00:30:47,600 heart, I'm a very happy man and I'm thankful that it's not 528 00:30:47,600 --> 00:30:50,080 cryptic in the Bible. I'm thankful that actually the 529 00:30:50,080 --> 00:30:54,720 Bible tells me why David was a man after God's own heart and I 530 00:30:54,720 --> 00:30:56,800 want to show it to you so you can know if you want to walk in 531 00:30:56,800 --> 00:30:59,280 that same path. It's in the New Testament, Acts 532 00:30:59,280 --> 00:31:02,240 chapter 13, and I want you to see this verse with me. 533 00:31:07,950 --> 00:31:14,430 Acts, chapter 13. And look at verse 22. 534 00:31:26,640 --> 00:31:29,480 And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their 535 00:31:29,480 --> 00:31:33,520 king, of whom he testified and said, I have found in David the 536 00:31:33,520 --> 00:31:35,280 son of Jesse, a man after my heart. 537 00:31:35,440 --> 00:31:40,560 Here it is who will do all my will. 538 00:31:41,400 --> 00:31:45,080 That's the answer. Why was David this kind of a 539 00:31:45,080 --> 00:31:47,520 man? Because he was willing to do 540 00:31:48,040 --> 00:31:52,360 everything that God told him to do everything. 541 00:31:53,000 --> 00:31:54,800 And that's what positioned him to be. 542 00:31:55,240 --> 00:31:57,800 Praise in such a manner. So if you want to know, how can 543 00:31:57,800 --> 00:32:02,600 I be a man that God can say of such, just be somebody who is 544 00:32:02,600 --> 00:32:04,360 ready to do everything that he makes known to you. 545 00:32:05,680 --> 00:32:08,040 That's what it is. So it's not about how loud you 546 00:32:08,080 --> 00:32:09,840 are when you sing. It's not about how expressive 547 00:32:09,840 --> 00:32:11,400 you are. It's not necessarily about how 548 00:32:11,400 --> 00:32:13,280 much activity you're involved with. 549 00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:17,360 That's all lovely. But it comes down to this, who 550 00:32:17,360 --> 00:32:21,560 will do all my will? So let's let's reel back now. 551 00:32:21,680 --> 00:32:25,040 Jesus said the most important commandment is to love the Lord 552 00:32:25,040 --> 00:32:27,120 your God with all your might, all your mind, all your heart, 553 00:32:27,120 --> 00:32:28,440 all your soul, all your strength. 554 00:32:28,720 --> 00:32:31,840 What does that look like? Well, Josiah, we're told that he 555 00:32:31,840 --> 00:32:35,000 was a man who did that, and he actually excelled in it in 556 00:32:35,000 --> 00:32:38,280 comparison to the other kings. OK, So what is it about Josiah? 557 00:32:38,560 --> 00:32:44,000 We'll look at how he related to the Word and look at David. 558 00:32:44,000 --> 00:32:46,400 Now, if we just brought in that testimony and we look for a man 559 00:32:46,400 --> 00:32:48,360 who was after God's heart, what are we told about that? 560 00:32:48,520 --> 00:32:50,600 Well, he was willing to do all that God willed. 561 00:32:51,200 --> 00:32:53,320 Let me show you one more thing before we go to loving one 562 00:32:53,320 --> 00:32:56,120 another. Jesus quotes that from 563 00:32:56,120 --> 00:32:58,000 Deuteronomy chapter 6. Go there. 564 00:32:58,000 --> 00:33:01,120 The Shema right is known as the Shema and I want you to see what 565 00:33:01,120 --> 00:33:04,240 comes immediately after what Jesus quoted in that scripture. 566 00:33:15,350 --> 00:33:25,350 Deuteronomy 6/4 Hear O Israel the Lord. 567 00:33:25,350 --> 00:33:27,390 Our. God the Lord is one. 568 00:33:27,390 --> 00:33:29,510 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all 569 00:33:29,510 --> 00:33:30,790 your soul, and with all your might. 570 00:33:31,030 --> 00:33:33,920 Now what does he do right after saying that? 571 00:33:33,920 --> 00:33:35,160 Look what he talks about in verse 6. 572 00:33:35,160 --> 00:33:37,560 And these words that I command you today shall be on your 573 00:33:37,560 --> 00:33:40,200 heart. It's right there. 574 00:33:40,360 --> 00:33:43,360 It's everywhere. It's the consensus of sacred 575 00:33:43,360 --> 00:33:46,360 Scripture. You cannot separate your love 576 00:33:46,360 --> 00:33:49,920 for God from the word of God. So love him. 577 00:33:49,920 --> 00:33:51,960 And if you're going to love him, you can't do it without this 578 00:33:51,960 --> 00:33:56,280 word being etched and inscribed on your heart. 579 00:33:57,200 --> 00:34:00,000 On your heart. David had that heart for God. 580 00:34:00,000 --> 00:34:01,760 Why? Because he did all his will. 581 00:34:02,000 --> 00:34:03,640 Josiah had that heart. Why? 582 00:34:03,880 --> 00:34:06,640 Because despite the reward or lack of reward, despite 583 00:34:06,640 --> 00:34:10,560 punishment or prosperity, I'm going to obey God because I love 584 00:34:10,560 --> 00:34:12,600 God. And even in the origination of 585 00:34:12,600 --> 00:34:15,600 this command, we're told love God in the very next breath. 586 00:34:15,760 --> 00:34:18,480 Now take these commands and place them on your heart. 587 00:34:19,760 --> 00:34:25,199 So I know it's very practical. If you want to be a person, if 588 00:34:25,199 --> 00:34:33,320 we want to be a church that walks in that way, ask God for 589 00:34:33,320 --> 00:34:37,000 the eyes, for the affections, for the discipline, for the 590 00:34:37,000 --> 00:34:40,960 revelation of his Word. And the more you grow in this, 591 00:34:40,960 --> 00:34:43,719 the more you'll grow in that love, and the more God will be 592 00:34:43,719 --> 00:34:47,080 able to save us. They're after my own heart. 593 00:34:47,520 --> 00:34:52,199 They love me, but that's not the only thing he said back in our 594 00:34:52,199 --> 00:34:56,520 original text. He says in verse 31. 595 00:34:56,520 --> 00:34:59,360 The 2nd is this of Mark 12. You shall love your neighbor as 596 00:34:59,360 --> 00:35:01,960 yourself. There is no other commandment 597 00:35:01,960 --> 00:35:06,520 greater than these. What does it mean to love my 598 00:35:06,520 --> 00:35:09,480 neighbor as myself? I'll tell you what it doesn't 599 00:35:09,480 --> 00:35:11,720 mean. It doesn't mean that if you want 600 00:35:11,720 --> 00:35:13,960 to love others better than you have to love yourself better. 601 00:35:17,960 --> 00:35:20,040 I know that a lot of people are teaching that right? 602 00:35:21,080 --> 00:35:24,120 There's a great campaign in these days for self esteem and 603 00:35:24,760 --> 00:35:30,520 self worth, and I get it a little bit, but Jesus is not 604 00:35:30,520 --> 00:35:34,160 commanding to love yourself. He's not saying if you want to 605 00:35:34,160 --> 00:35:36,520 be able to love others first, you got to love yourself more 606 00:35:36,520 --> 00:35:38,560 than anything else and prioritize yourself and that way 607 00:35:38,560 --> 00:35:39,920 you'll be able to know what to give to others. 608 00:35:40,160 --> 00:35:42,040 No. Instead, he's saying here, love 609 00:35:42,040 --> 00:35:46,640 others the way you love yourself, the way you love 610 00:35:46,640 --> 00:35:49,040 yourself. It's an innate human thing for 611 00:35:49,040 --> 00:35:53,240 all of us to love ourselves. Now there's obviously a self 612 00:35:53,240 --> 00:35:55,840 love that is wrong, prideful, dangerous, selfish, but there is 613 00:35:55,840 --> 00:35:59,240 something that's wired in us that makes sense. 614 00:35:59,520 --> 00:36:02,040 Even Paul himself in Ephesians tells husbands that they should 615 00:36:02,280 --> 00:36:04,240 love their wives as their own bodies. 616 00:36:04,240 --> 00:36:05,400 And what do they do with their own bodies? 617 00:36:05,400 --> 00:36:08,400 They nurture and cherish it. That's precisely what the Lord 618 00:36:08,400 --> 00:36:11,800 is conveying here. How do you love yourself while 619 00:36:11,800 --> 00:36:15,360 you provide yourself protection and provision and holy and 620 00:36:15,360 --> 00:36:19,840 righteous pleasure? So you put clothes on yourself 621 00:36:19,840 --> 00:36:22,920 and you make sure that you feel your body and you look for some 622 00:36:22,920 --> 00:36:26,320 shelter so that you are protected from the elements and 623 00:36:26,880 --> 00:36:30,920 you cherish relationships and you create memories with loved 624 00:36:30,920 --> 00:36:33,200 ones that everybody pursues that. 625 00:36:33,200 --> 00:36:35,000 And when somebody ceases to do that, there's something 626 00:36:35,000 --> 00:36:38,600 drastically wrong in their wiring, just from the standard 627 00:36:38,600 --> 00:36:42,680 of human nature. So not love yourself more and 628 00:36:42,680 --> 00:36:43,960 then you'll be able to love others more. 629 00:36:43,960 --> 00:36:47,840 No, it's love others the way you love yourself. 630 00:36:48,920 --> 00:36:50,600 And that is pretty straightforward. 631 00:36:50,600 --> 00:36:55,000 But again, I'm wondering, like the first one, what does that 632 00:36:55,000 --> 00:36:58,040 mean? What does that look like? 633 00:36:58,400 --> 00:37:01,280 What is this Christ commissioning quality of love 634 00:37:01,920 --> 00:37:05,080 manifest like? And you might argue looks like 635 00:37:05,640 --> 00:37:09,400 plenty of things, because there is a vast catalogue of duties 636 00:37:09,400 --> 00:37:12,200 and responsibilities and manifestations of how to love 637 00:37:12,200 --> 00:37:13,280 our neighbor. And that's true. 638 00:37:13,280 --> 00:37:14,960 But is there a way to summarize it? 639 00:37:15,560 --> 00:37:19,200 Is there a way to categorize what it means to love my 640 00:37:19,200 --> 00:37:20,960 neighbor as myself? And I believe there is. 641 00:37:22,560 --> 00:37:24,640 If you're going to love your neighbor as yourself, it's going 642 00:37:24,640 --> 00:37:26,600 to look like two things. It's very simple. 643 00:37:26,600 --> 00:37:29,480 You'll never forget it. I'm sure loving somebody else 644 00:37:29,480 --> 00:37:33,280 the way I love myself looks like me not doing certain things to 645 00:37:33,280 --> 00:37:37,440 others and me willing to do certain things to others. 646 00:37:38,000 --> 00:37:40,800 So there's a negative aspect of loving my neighbor and a 647 00:37:40,800 --> 00:37:45,160 positive aspect. And I want to show you how 648 00:37:45,160 --> 00:37:49,040 that's true, because what Jesus says here is built upon by other 649 00:37:49,040 --> 00:37:52,920 writers who were given the Holy Spirit to do just that. 650 00:37:53,640 --> 00:37:56,520 So let me show you what it means to love your neighbor as 651 00:37:56,520 --> 00:37:59,600 yourself. And again, my desire here is to 652 00:37:59,600 --> 00:38:02,040 make it as plain as possible, and the Bible makes it as plain 653 00:38:02,040 --> 00:38:04,960 as possible. So here we're going to Romans 654 00:38:04,960 --> 00:38:06,920 chapter 13. Look at this with me in verse 655 00:38:07,280 --> 00:38:14,520 verse 10 of that chapter, Romans 13, verse 10. 656 00:38:26,490 --> 00:38:33,890 Paul says love does no wrong to a neighbor. 657 00:38:35,330 --> 00:38:37,450 Now here's why I come to this. Verse because look at the the 658 00:38:37,490 --> 00:38:40,600 second part of this verse. Therefore love is the fulfilling 659 00:38:40,600 --> 00:38:43,680 of the law. So Paul is building upon what 660 00:38:43,680 --> 00:38:46,160 Jesus taught because he says that there's no other 661 00:38:46,160 --> 00:38:48,520 commandment greater than these. In Matthew's Virgin he says 662 00:38:48,520 --> 00:38:50,280 this. He says that upon these two 663 00:38:50,280 --> 00:38:53,400 commandments depend all the law and the prophets. 664 00:38:53,640 --> 00:38:55,800 In other words, if you don't get loving God and loving your 665 00:38:55,800 --> 00:38:58,240 neighbor as yourself right, you won't get the other commandments 666 00:38:58,240 --> 00:39:00,080 right. All the meticulous and detailed 667 00:39:00,080 --> 00:39:03,160 things you will not be able to perform without first 668 00:39:03,160 --> 00:39:05,400 establishing loving God and loving your neighbor. 669 00:39:05,520 --> 00:39:08,640 So he's building upon that by saying, look, love is fulfilling 670 00:39:08,640 --> 00:39:11,240 of the law. And he describes what love looks 671 00:39:11,240 --> 00:39:14,840 like horizontally. It looks like me not doing 672 00:39:14,840 --> 00:39:18,320 things to others. And if you think that that's a 673 00:39:18,320 --> 00:39:20,440 stretch. If you don't believe it, look at 674 00:39:20,440 --> 00:39:23,800 the previous verse. Look at Romans 39 for the 675 00:39:23,800 --> 00:39:26,880 commandments. You shall not commit adultery, 676 00:39:26,880 --> 00:39:31,760 you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet, 677 00:39:32,280 --> 00:39:35,440 and any other commandment are summed up in this word. 678 00:39:35,560 --> 00:39:38,600 You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 679 00:39:39,520 --> 00:39:43,720 So it's a clear connection and he's just fleshing it out. 680 00:39:44,560 --> 00:39:48,200 So based on this in connection to Paul's master and our Lord, 681 00:39:49,240 --> 00:39:53,360 loving my neighbor as myself looks like me willing to refrain 682 00:39:53,840 --> 00:39:56,600 to do things that I shouldn't be doing to my fellow brethren, 683 00:39:57,640 --> 00:40:02,800 believer and unbeliever alike. And Paul describes some of those 684 00:40:02,800 --> 00:40:04,120 things. Not committing adultery, not 685 00:40:04,120 --> 00:40:05,720 murdering. These are all negatives. 686 00:40:05,720 --> 00:40:09,240 Not stealing, not coveting. And those seem obvious, do they 687 00:40:09,240 --> 00:40:11,200 not? But you and I understand that. 688 00:40:11,200 --> 00:40:15,120 Jesus Christ and coming into this world, not overthrowing the 689 00:40:15,120 --> 00:40:18,520 Law, but as the Messiah prophesied, comes with the law 690 00:40:18,520 --> 00:40:22,360 of Christ, and it's your duty and mine to come to the law of 691 00:40:22,360 --> 00:40:26,920 Christ and discover what it is that I am called not to do, not 692 00:40:26,920 --> 00:40:29,920 to do. I hope all of us in here 693 00:40:29,920 --> 00:40:32,320 understand that we shouldn't murder each other. 694 00:40:32,720 --> 00:40:36,840 Please. But what about the other things 695 00:40:36,840 --> 00:40:39,800 that we overlook? So I'm reading and studying 696 00:40:39,800 --> 00:40:41,000 this. I'm thinking to myself, just 697 00:40:41,000 --> 00:40:43,840 from a surface level meditation. OK, Lord. 698 00:40:43,840 --> 00:40:45,520 But what? What else do you ask me not to 699 00:40:45,520 --> 00:40:47,560 do? And I thought of Colossians 39. 700 00:40:48,840 --> 00:40:52,640 Do not lie to one another. Murder. 701 00:40:52,640 --> 00:40:54,040 We get murder. Murder. 702 00:40:54,040 --> 00:40:59,120 No, no, no, No lie. You know that. 703 00:40:59,120 --> 00:41:00,640 Also means do not lie to one another. 704 00:41:00,640 --> 00:41:03,560 If I really love my neighbor, I'm going to tell you the truth, 705 00:41:03,560 --> 00:41:06,480 even if it hurts. I'm not going to lie to you 706 00:41:07,680 --> 00:41:09,880 because I love you. I will speak the truth to you, 707 00:41:09,880 --> 00:41:13,200 and it might cost me something, but I love you too much to keep 708 00:41:13,200 --> 00:41:17,560 it from you. And so that's what we do. 709 00:41:17,560 --> 00:41:20,160 We endeavor to discover these things that the Lord tells us 710 00:41:20,160 --> 00:41:22,240 not to do. And then we applied them by the 711 00:41:22,240 --> 00:41:24,160 power of the Holy Spirit. And we're walking in the 712 00:41:24,160 --> 00:41:31,000 greatest commandment not to do. If I love you, it's my duty not 713 00:41:31,000 --> 00:41:32,120 to speak. I'll of you. 714 00:41:33,040 --> 00:41:39,880 If I love you, If I love you, then it is my duty not to and 715 00:41:39,880 --> 00:41:41,600 discover what the New Covenant has to say. 716 00:41:42,360 --> 00:41:44,640 But it's not just not doing. It's not just negative. 717 00:41:44,640 --> 00:41:47,160 Loving my neighbor as myself is something that I'm also called 718 00:41:47,160 --> 00:41:48,080 to do in action. I'm. 719 00:41:48,080 --> 00:41:52,360 Supposed to pursue positively. And I believe Jesus elsewhere 720 00:41:52,360 --> 00:41:55,280 peels the layer to that command so that we can see more clearly 721 00:41:55,280 --> 00:41:58,840 how practically it looks like for me to love my neighbor as 722 00:41:58,840 --> 00:42:00,000 myself. And I'll tell you why. 723 00:42:00,000 --> 00:42:02,080 I'm going to go to this verse and ask you to turn there 724 00:42:02,360 --> 00:42:05,320 because like Romans 1310, there's a statement made that 725 00:42:05,320 --> 00:42:08,960 connects this verse to what Jesus says in our original text. 726 00:42:09,320 --> 00:42:11,800 So it's in Matthew 7, verse 12. You know this very well. 727 00:42:11,800 --> 00:42:16,160 You've memorized. It What does it mean for me to 728 00:42:16,160 --> 00:42:18,760 love my neighbor as myself? Well, it means that you will not 729 00:42:18,760 --> 00:42:22,760 do wrong to a neighbor. But also means in Matthew 712. 730 00:42:28,950 --> 00:42:33,390 So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to 731 00:42:33,390 --> 00:42:37,150 them. For this is the Law and the 732 00:42:37,150 --> 00:42:38,710 prophets. That's why we're going there, 733 00:42:39,310 --> 00:42:41,990 because he says this is the Law and the prophets. 734 00:42:41,990 --> 00:42:46,790 Same terminology and language in connection to how loving God and 735 00:42:46,790 --> 00:42:49,350 loving my neighbor upon all the commands do. 736 00:42:49,350 --> 00:42:54,080 These things are hinging on, and here he comes kind of echoing 737 00:42:54,080 --> 00:42:56,280 that same thing, but I believe he gives a deeper layer to the 738 00:42:56,280 --> 00:42:59,480 horizontal reality of it. So whatever you wish that others 739 00:42:59,480 --> 00:43:06,280 would do to you, do also to them what a God we have, what a 740 00:43:06,280 --> 00:43:08,800 Messiah we have. Here's what this means. 741 00:43:08,800 --> 00:43:12,920 Here's what Jesus longs for you, followers of the Way. 742 00:43:13,680 --> 00:43:15,920 That in every. Situation you find yourself in 743 00:43:16,200 --> 00:43:20,080 where you are invited to act in the life of another, no matter 744 00:43:20,080 --> 00:43:24,360 how big or small. Jesus Christ wants us to make 745 00:43:24,360 --> 00:43:29,160 the conscious effort to frame our efforts in a way that we 746 00:43:29,160 --> 00:43:34,640 would want to receive it. Let me speak plain English. 747 00:43:35,200 --> 00:43:40,200 Put yourself in their shoes and let that frame how you approach. 748 00:43:41,840 --> 00:43:45,800 Let that frame how you engage. Let that frame how you dance in 749 00:43:45,800 --> 00:43:49,160 obedience to the Lord's will in that person's life, to the best 750 00:43:49,160 --> 00:43:54,200 of your ability. So let me give you an example. 751 00:43:54,200 --> 00:43:58,080 One of the most uncomfortable things to do as a Christian is 752 00:43:58,080 --> 00:43:59,920 what I alluded to as an example earlier. 753 00:44:00,200 --> 00:44:04,000 Correction, I don't know anybody that likes confrontation. 754 00:44:04,000 --> 00:44:06,880 It's the worst thing. Well, there's a lot of other 755 00:44:06,880 --> 00:44:08,800 things that are bad, but it's one of the worst things for me. 756 00:44:09,080 --> 00:44:13,160 Very awkward. But here's a tip. 757 00:44:13,360 --> 00:44:15,560 I mean, this is just one example of many examples. 758 00:44:15,560 --> 00:44:19,720 When I know that I have to do it by the grace of God, here's what 759 00:44:19,720 --> 00:44:23,360 I try to do. How would I like to be 760 00:44:23,360 --> 00:44:26,200 approached in this moment of correction? 761 00:44:26,320 --> 00:44:28,960 Like how would my would I want my tone to be? 762 00:44:29,560 --> 00:44:31,360 How would I want the words to be? 763 00:44:31,640 --> 00:44:34,320 How would I want the encouragement in it to be? 764 00:44:35,000 --> 00:44:37,680 How would I want to hear it if I was sitting on the other side of 765 00:44:37,680 --> 00:44:43,760 the table? And some days that thought is 766 00:44:43,760 --> 00:44:46,880 prevalent and it's Sundays like this where you and I are 767 00:44:46,880 --> 00:44:49,880 reminded to go back there when we forgot to do it, because that 768 00:44:49,880 --> 00:44:52,120 what that's what it means to love your neighbor as yourself. 769 00:44:53,200 --> 00:44:55,800 Whatever I wish that others would do to me, I'm going to do 770 00:44:55,800 --> 00:44:57,800 to them. In any situation that I am 771 00:44:57,800 --> 00:45:01,320 invited to act in somebody else's life, I am to consciously 772 00:45:01,320 --> 00:45:05,120 make the effort to think how would I want to receive this? 773 00:45:05,720 --> 00:45:07,880 Anything from correction to help. 774 00:45:10,160 --> 00:45:12,440 This is what we are governed by as Christians. 775 00:45:12,440 --> 00:45:14,960 By the way, love. Notice that both of these 776 00:45:14,960 --> 00:45:18,480 commands that Jesus gives and deems as the greatest is based 777 00:45:18,480 --> 00:45:24,520 on love, Love. And so this man hears this and 778 00:45:24,520 --> 00:45:26,840 let's come back and close together in verse 32 of Mark 779 00:45:26,840 --> 00:45:30,040 chapter 12. And the scribe said to him, you 780 00:45:30,040 --> 00:45:36,000 are right teacher. I mean, he just with his wisdom 781 00:45:36,000 --> 00:45:38,920 sucked whatever remaining heir there was in that atmosphere. 782 00:45:39,600 --> 00:45:44,040 You are right, teacher. You have truly said that he is 1 783 00:45:44,240 --> 00:45:45,680 and there is no other besides him. 784 00:45:45,880 --> 00:45:48,040 And to love him with all the heart and with all the 785 00:45:48,040 --> 00:45:50,400 understanding, with all the strength, and to love one's 786 00:45:50,400 --> 00:45:52,240 neighbor as oneself. And then he. 787 00:45:52,240 --> 00:45:54,560 Asked for this, Jesus didn't mention this. 788 00:45:55,240 --> 00:46:00,480 He's saying this is much more than all Holborn offerings and 789 00:46:00,480 --> 00:46:05,000 sacrifices. Where's this conversation taking 790 00:46:05,000 --> 00:46:07,920 place? If you honor the context in the 791 00:46:07,920 --> 00:46:12,280 temple courts, you just try to envision that that the scribe 792 00:46:12,280 --> 00:46:15,480 confesses this, while all this hustle and bustle is going on, 793 00:46:15,840 --> 00:46:20,600 purchasing and and preparing and examining the place where 794 00:46:20,600 --> 00:46:24,960 sacrifices took place. This man says what you just 795 00:46:24,960 --> 00:46:27,640 said. Is more important than all of 796 00:46:27,640 --> 00:46:31,360 this. What is he saying? 797 00:46:31,640 --> 00:46:37,520 Love is more important than committed, consistent, yet empty 798 00:46:37,520 --> 00:46:41,200 ritual and ceremonies. No matter how much you busy 799 00:46:41,200 --> 00:46:44,960 yourself with external things, even though it looks sacred and 800 00:46:44,960 --> 00:46:48,760 holy and consecrated unto the Lord, no matter how much you 801 00:46:48,760 --> 00:46:53,040 stuff your weekend with things that are connected to Christian 802 00:46:53,040 --> 00:46:55,800 worship, this man admits something that you and I also 803 00:46:55,800 --> 00:46:59,400 have to see. It does not work if it doesn't 804 00:46:59,400 --> 00:47:03,040 come from love. In other words, Christianity is 805 00:47:03,040 --> 00:47:05,080 not about this. It's not about this. 806 00:47:05,080 --> 00:47:09,560 It's not about this. It's about this inside. 807 00:47:09,800 --> 00:47:12,840 This is what Jesus saying. Let me see your heart. 808 00:47:13,600 --> 00:47:17,240 Let me see your heart. What do you say about God? 809 00:47:17,240 --> 00:47:20,480 What do you say about His word? How do you view your fellow man? 810 00:47:22,760 --> 00:47:25,920 This man saw it and he understood that that's even the 811 00:47:25,920 --> 00:47:27,800 heart of the law. This is not something new Jesus 812 00:47:27,800 --> 00:47:30,200 introduced, it's something that he unveils to the fullest 813 00:47:30,360 --> 00:47:32,880 capacity. But it was always there because 814 00:47:32,880 --> 00:47:37,480 it's the same God. Notice what Jesus says Verse 34. 815 00:47:38,160 --> 00:47:41,360 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, 816 00:47:42,680 --> 00:47:44,280 you're not far from the Kingdom of God. 817 00:47:46,760 --> 00:47:48,080 Have you ever met anybody like that? 818 00:47:48,600 --> 00:47:52,000 I've met so many of them after a service. 819 00:47:53,040 --> 00:47:54,400 Maybe I haven't heard from them for a while. 820 00:47:54,400 --> 00:47:56,680 And then they contact me and they say, hey man, I've been 821 00:47:56,680 --> 00:47:58,400 reading my Bible or whatever the case may be. 822 00:47:58,760 --> 00:48:01,280 And you can almost feel you're so close. 823 00:48:02,160 --> 00:48:03,720 Have you met anybody like that? You're. 824 00:48:03,720 --> 00:48:06,560 So close like you get it. Everything is there. 825 00:48:06,560 --> 00:48:09,960 You just got to make that leap. You just got to make that leap. 826 00:48:09,960 --> 00:48:11,360 That's what Jesus is saying here. 827 00:48:13,320 --> 00:48:15,360 And so it's encouraging that somebody can be so close, 828 00:48:15,360 --> 00:48:17,720 especially as scribe, but it's also terrifying. 829 00:48:19,920 --> 00:48:26,720 You know it's possible to be almost saved, almost redeemed, 830 00:48:27,560 --> 00:48:34,800 almost engrafted, almost forgiven, almost assured, almost 831 00:48:35,600 --> 00:48:40,360 numbered among the saved. I don't know if I can think of a 832 00:48:40,360 --> 00:48:44,920 more pathetic place to be in life than almost saved. 833 00:48:45,880 --> 00:48:48,760 Is there any indication that this man did come to Christ? 834 00:48:48,800 --> 00:48:51,600 No. I hope one day we will see him. 835 00:48:53,000 --> 00:48:57,080 But this is also a reminder that you can even accurately 836 00:48:57,200 --> 00:49:01,320 understand what truth is and still not be saved. 837 00:49:03,480 --> 00:49:06,440 You can listen to this If somebody were to ask you in 838 00:49:06,440 --> 00:49:08,840 similar fashion, what is the gospel? 839 00:49:09,760 --> 00:49:15,560 And you give a Spurgeon esque answer and still not be part of 840 00:49:15,560 --> 00:49:18,240 the Kingdom of God. Why? 841 00:49:18,640 --> 00:49:21,840 Because it's about here. It's about what that truth has 842 00:49:21,840 --> 00:49:26,520 already done to you. I wonder if you're almost saved 843 00:49:26,520 --> 00:49:31,440 today and maybe you fooled yourself and others because you 844 00:49:31,440 --> 00:49:37,520 can talk like the scribe. How do I know if somebody's 845 00:49:37,520 --> 00:49:40,360 saved? How do I know if I'm saved? 846 00:49:42,640 --> 00:49:44,320 Tell me about your relationship with God. 847 00:49:46,120 --> 00:49:47,880 You want to discover a lot about a person. 848 00:49:48,920 --> 00:49:52,160 I figured this out and others have figured out long before me. 849 00:49:53,080 --> 00:49:55,120 Just ask them what they think about Jesus. 850 00:49:56,880 --> 00:50:01,680 Just ask them who's Jesus to you and you'll know so much. 851 00:50:03,400 --> 00:50:08,200 You'll know so much just by that one question, because a lot of 852 00:50:08,200 --> 00:50:13,840 people can tell you, the heathen can tell you that God came into 853 00:50:13,840 --> 00:50:17,760 this world to forgive sinners. I've talked to drunk people on 854 00:50:17,760 --> 00:50:23,240 the street who are half naked, who told me what Jesus Christ 855 00:50:23,240 --> 00:50:26,920 did for their sin. That's an important question. 856 00:50:27,080 --> 00:50:29,400 But now tell me, who's Jesus to you? 857 00:50:33,440 --> 00:50:34,920 And I want to ask you that question. 858 00:50:35,960 --> 00:50:40,160 Do you love God because he first loved you? 859 00:50:41,680 --> 00:50:44,640 And the only appropriate response to the great love that 860 00:50:44,640 --> 00:50:49,320 he has shown is the unreserved love that he deserves. 861 00:50:50,840 --> 00:50:54,960 If you don't know him, if you know about him, if you know many 862 00:50:54,960 --> 00:50:58,520 things in this book but it, unlike Josiah, hasn't 863 00:50:58,520 --> 00:51:02,320 translated, hasn't got into your blood, you know it could change 864 00:51:02,320 --> 00:51:04,520 today. It can change today. 865 00:51:04,840 --> 00:51:08,880 I want you to go from the place of being almost saved to 866 00:51:08,880 --> 00:51:14,040 certainly saved. I've said this before. 867 00:51:14,040 --> 00:51:21,360 I'll say it again when I go to funerals and sometimes when I'm 868 00:51:21,360 --> 00:51:25,200 asked to speak at them. The most uncomfortable funerals 869 00:51:25,200 --> 00:51:29,600 I've been to is when people don't know for certain if that 870 00:51:29,600 --> 00:51:34,000 person was saved. It's it's so strange. 871 00:51:34,440 --> 00:51:37,680 The best ones are when you know, say you know where this person's 872 00:51:37,680 --> 00:51:40,760 at, you know it and you almost want to wear white because you 873 00:51:40,760 --> 00:51:43,480 want to celebrate. They graduate into glory. 874 00:51:43,480 --> 00:51:49,400 But those were, it's like, yeah, I think they were like they came 875 00:51:49,400 --> 00:51:52,760 to church. They were like they were good, I 876 00:51:52,760 --> 00:51:56,720 guess. But those make me feel very 877 00:51:56,720 --> 00:52:00,120 uncomfortable and I've been to far too many of those. 878 00:52:01,000 --> 00:52:06,040 I don't want that to be you. I want you primarily to be 879 00:52:06,040 --> 00:52:11,400 assured I belong to Him. My sins are forgiven, and 880 00:52:11,400 --> 00:52:13,480 because he has forgiven me, I love him. 881 00:52:13,480 --> 00:52:16,920 I love His word and by His grace I see people differently and I 882 00:52:16,920 --> 00:52:19,240 want to love them with the same love that I've been loved with. 883 00:52:20,640 --> 00:52:23,840 How do I get there? Acknowledge that you need your 884 00:52:23,840 --> 00:52:26,840 sins forgiven. Come to him and ask him to 885 00:52:26,840 --> 00:52:28,240 cleanse you from all you're wrong. 886 00:52:28,680 --> 00:52:32,320 Accept the fact that only Christ can make you whole. 887 00:52:32,560 --> 00:52:34,400 It can make you right before God. 888 00:52:35,000 --> 00:52:38,840 And when you do that sincerely with a repentant faith, you will 889 00:52:38,840 --> 00:52:42,160 know an infusion of hope and peace that can only be deemed as 890 00:52:42,160 --> 00:52:45,840 supernatural. And you won't have to be like 891 00:52:45,840 --> 00:52:50,120 this scribe where you're almost there. 892 00:52:50,840 --> 00:52:52,480 Well, we thank you for this time together. 893 00:52:56,920 --> 00:53:00,440 Thank you for reminding your children of the greatest 894 00:53:00,440 --> 00:53:04,920 commandment to love God and love our neighbors ourselves. 895 00:53:05,760 --> 00:53:09,920 So Lord, help us now strengthen our love for the word. 896 00:53:10,160 --> 00:53:12,640 Not just to know it, though it is important to do that, but 897 00:53:12,640 --> 00:53:18,520 Lord, like Josiah, like David, like Deuteronomy 6 says to bind 898 00:53:18,520 --> 00:53:21,920 them on our hearts, to apply them to our lives. 899 00:53:22,320 --> 00:53:25,920 All of it, Lord, from Genesis to Revelation, May that be our 900 00:53:25,920 --> 00:53:29,680 treasure as an expression of our love to you and Lord, when we 901 00:53:29,680 --> 00:53:32,440 look out to the world and we see opportunities to love our 902 00:53:32,440 --> 00:53:35,400 neighbor as ourselves, we pray that we would remember that love 903 00:53:35,400 --> 00:53:37,960 Looks like me choosing not to do certain things while also 904 00:53:37,960 --> 00:53:43,240 wishing to do to others what I would desire for them to do for 905 00:53:43,240 --> 00:53:45,080 me. Help us know when to do that, 906 00:53:45,080 --> 00:53:47,640 how to do that with discernment and all knowledge according to 907 00:53:47,640 --> 00:53:50,400 Philippians 19. Help us love and increase in 908 00:53:50,400 --> 00:53:53,040 that kind of a love. Thank you, Lord, that this 909 00:53:53,040 --> 00:53:56,320 motivation, this charge to love comes from the place of being 910 00:53:56,680 --> 00:54:01,000 accepted in the beloved. And so, Lord, we do not sit here 911 00:54:01,000 --> 00:54:03,280 in condemnation. We sit here as your children, 912 00:54:03,280 --> 00:54:05,480 being reminded of our duty in this brief life. 913 00:54:06,560 --> 00:54:11,800 Lastly, for the person like this scribe who knows that there's 914 00:54:11,800 --> 00:54:14,680 something different about this book about these words. 915 00:54:15,200 --> 00:54:19,200 May they not be impressed merely, but may they come to the 916 00:54:19,200 --> 00:54:23,800 place of applying their faith to it and throwing themselves at 917 00:54:23,800 --> 00:54:25,720 this truth and complete surrender. 918 00:54:26,200 --> 00:54:30,880 May this day be the day where they go from almost to 919 00:54:30,880 --> 00:54:34,160 assuredly. Only your spirit can help in 920 00:54:34,160 --> 00:54:35,880 that. So we petition and ask. 921 00:54:36,200 --> 00:54:38,160 We worship you today, Lord and song. 922 00:54:39,280 --> 00:54:42,000 Thank you for reminding us our true purpose in this life. 923 00:54:42,360 --> 00:54:45,720 Loving you, loving our neighbor. Amen. 924 00:54:46,080 --> 00:54:49,920 Amen. Let's stand and worship the 925 00:54:49,920 --> 00:54:50,200 Lord.