1 00:00:01,100 --> 00:00:03,300 we certainly want to welcome each and every one that's come 2 00:00:03,300 --> 00:00:08,300 to be with us this morning and we have A very good crowd here 3 00:00:08,300 --> 00:00:11,600 and we're thankful for the presence of all that are with 4 00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:14,700 us. And I'm honored to be your 5 00:00:14,700 --> 00:00:17,800 speaker today. I want to invite your attention 6 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:21,700 to the Book of Matthew, the 13th chapter and we want to begin 7 00:00:21,700 --> 00:00:26,800 reading there in verse number 24, will read this short passage 8 00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:30,600 and then we'll read one more to suffice for our introduction 9 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:33,100 this morning. Matthew, the 13th chapter 10 00:00:33,100 --> 00:00:39,600 beginning there, in verse 24, And another Parable, put he 11 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:42,900 forth unto them saying the Kingdom of Heaven is likened 12 00:00:42,900 --> 00:00:46,200 unto a man, which sowed good seed in his field. 13 00:00:46,700 --> 00:00:50,400 But while men slept his enemy came and sowed tares among the 14 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:54,300 wheat and went his way and when the blade was sprung up and 15 00:00:54,300 --> 00:00:57,600 brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 16 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:00,800 So the Servants of the householder came and said unto 17 00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:05,400 him, sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field, from 18 00:01:05,400 --> 00:01:10,200 whence then, hath it tares. He said unto them an enemy hath. 19 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:14,500 Done this the servants said unto him, wilt thou, then that we go 20 00:01:14,500 --> 00:01:18,400 and gather them up but he said, nay lest while ye gather up. 21 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:22,600 The tares ye root up. Also the wheat with them, let 22 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:26,000 them both grow together until the Harvest and in the time of 23 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:29,300 harvest, I will say to the Reapers Gather, ye together 24 00:01:29,300 --> 00:01:33,400 first, the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but 25 00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:39,500 gather, the wheat into my barn. Go now to beginning in verse 37 26 00:01:39,700 --> 00:01:43,900 of the same chapter he answered and said this is the explanation 27 00:01:43,900 --> 00:01:46,600 of this Parable he answered and said unto them. 28 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:49,500 He that soweth the good seed is the son of man. 29 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:53,000 The field is the world. The good seed are the children 30 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:56,800 of the Kingdom but the tares are the children of the wicked one. 31 00:01:57,300 --> 00:01:59,500 The enemy that sowed them is the devil. 32 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:03,200 The Harvest is, the end of the world, and the reapers are the 33 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:06,400 angels, as therefore, the tares are gathered and burned. 34 00:02:06,500 --> 00:02:09,199 And in the fire. So shall it be in the end of 35 00:02:09,199 --> 00:02:12,100 this world? The son of man shall send forth 36 00:02:12,100 --> 00:02:16,000 his angels and they Shall Gather out of his kingdom, all things 37 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:20,000 that offend and them which do iniquity and shall cast them 38 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:23,000 into the furnace of fire. There shall be wailing and 39 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:26,000 gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine 40 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:30,100 forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their father, who hath ears 41 00:02:30,100 --> 00:02:33,600 to hear Let Him hear correctly, read reads. 42 00:02:33,600 --> 00:02:36,400 Those verses that we wanted to read for our study. 43 00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:40,300 As we will examine in great detail in just a few moments, 44 00:02:40,500 --> 00:02:43,200 the parable of the wheat and the tares. 45 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:47,800 Once again this morning, we have the wonderful privilege of 46 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:51,000 sitting as it were at the feet of the master teacher. 47 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:55,000 I have long felt that if a person wants to learn how to 48 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:58,700 preach the gospel, one of the very best things that he could 49 00:02:58,700 --> 00:03:01,800 ever do is sit at the feet of the greatest teacher that ever 50 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:06,100 lived, and that being none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. 51 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:08,600 What a wonderful privilege, indeed. 52 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:12,600 It is to listen to what Jesus taught so long ago. 53 00:03:13,500 --> 00:03:16,800 So many times our Lord used, various, word, pictures, or 54 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:20,700 Parables, to try to reach into the hearts of his people, and 55 00:03:20,700 --> 00:03:24,400 make them see the many-sided duties and glories of his great 56 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:28,400 Kingdom. As someone wants well said, the 57 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:32,200 Lord made it all come down to the reach of humble doors. 58 00:03:32,700 --> 00:03:34,600 You see? It's not something that was for 59 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:37,800 the elite at that time. And it's not something that's 60 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:40,800 for the elite in our day and age either. 61 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:45,600 It is not for the select few here and there, but it is 62 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:50,800 something for the common masses. I love to see how Jesus preached 63 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:55,100 on so many occasions because as a wonderful example that he is 64 00:03:55,100 --> 00:04:00,300 as he stands before us. In preaching, God's word, Jesus 65 00:04:00,300 --> 00:04:04,100 just said it like it is what a wonderful example. 66 00:04:04,100 --> 00:04:06,000 It is. For those of us whose tried to 67 00:04:06,500 --> 00:04:09,800 And, and proclaim the truths that are found in God's word in 68 00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:11,500 a public forum. What? 69 00:04:11,500 --> 00:04:15,100 Greater example can we look to other than Jesus Christ? 70 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:18,200 And we can just say it, like it is. 71 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:22,100 Well, as we begin this morning, we find that our Lord proceeds 72 00:04:22,100 --> 00:04:25,100 as he had on. So many occasions by simply 73 00:04:25,500 --> 00:04:29,100 saying this in essence, I have something that I want to talk to 74 00:04:29,100 --> 00:04:34,600 you about well on this occasion, he tells them about a Galilean 75 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:39,900 farmer and this gal In Farmer, he goes out and he secures the 76 00:04:39,900 --> 00:04:43,300 land, you know, going back to earlier on in the thirteenth 77 00:04:43,300 --> 00:04:46,500 chapter of the Book of Matthew. We find that there's some 78 00:04:46,500 --> 00:04:49,700 similarities in the parable of the sower and here in the 79 00:04:49,700 --> 00:04:53,100 parable of the wheat and the tares, we're going to find how 80 00:04:53,100 --> 00:04:55,600 those similarities all work together. 81 00:04:55,700 --> 00:04:58,800 And that there is no contradiction of terms in any 82 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:01,900 way, shape, or form, but going back to the parable of the 83 00:05:01,900 --> 00:05:06,400 sower, Jesus already told them how imperative it is to. 84 00:05:06,500 --> 00:05:10,600 To clear the field and prepare the field for the see. 85 00:05:10,900 --> 00:05:14,200 So when he gets to this Parable, he doesn't talk about that 86 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:16,900 anymore. What he does is he declares to 87 00:05:16,900 --> 00:05:21,400 them that a farmer goes out and he has prepared the land. 88 00:05:21,700 --> 00:05:25,000 I think it's important for us to understand that whatever stones 89 00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:29,400 or rocks or Thorns or trash or weeds or whatever was in that 90 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:34,000 field prior to the time that this Galilean farmer goes out 91 00:05:34,100 --> 00:05:37,600 and starts working diligently and plow It and ridding. 92 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:41,100 It of all those things we can assume from the language that 93 00:05:41,100 --> 00:05:45,400 Jesus has declared that everything this man did was 94 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:50,100 right, everything that this man did was just right for the seed 95 00:05:50,100 --> 00:05:54,100 to be planted in that soil. He made no mistakes. 96 00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:56,300 If there was a stone, he removed it. 97 00:05:56,300 --> 00:05:58,400 If there was a weed, he toured out. 98 00:05:58,400 --> 00:06:01,900 If there was a time when the ground was hard and packed down 99 00:06:01,900 --> 00:06:05,800 like hardpan, he worked it and he killed it, he prepared the 100 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:08,000 field. Regardless of how long it took 101 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:10,300 him to do. So for the seed that was going 102 00:06:10,300 --> 00:06:17,000 to be planted in that field. you know, and understanding this 103 00:06:18,100 --> 00:06:20,900 This fella planned, right? He purposed. 104 00:06:20,900 --> 00:06:23,500 Right. And he worked right. 105 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:27,400 Everything is now prepared and one day he goes out and he 106 00:06:27,407 --> 00:06:31,500 commits the seed to the ground, you know, one man said, one 107 00:06:31,500 --> 00:06:34,000 time. If there's ever a time when one 108 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:39,000 must feel close to God or at least in business with God, it 109 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:43,200 is bound to be when he lays the seed inside the furrow and 110 00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:47,300 covers it with soil, realizing there's nothing further than he 111 00:06:47,300 --> 00:06:50,600 can do. Man has done his part and man 112 00:06:50,600 --> 00:06:54,000 can do nothing further. Now it's up to God and nature 113 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:57,300 that God had set into practice or set into motion. 114 00:06:57,500 --> 00:07:02,500 Now it is God's turn what Jesus tells about this man that goes 115 00:07:02,500 --> 00:07:07,400 and plant seed and then after he's done, he goes home and 116 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:11,800 Jesus says he sleeps, you know what I thought of. 117 00:07:12,600 --> 00:07:16,200 When I read that, I thought of what Solomon of old said, when 118 00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:20,200 he says about sleeping, the sleep that is sweet. 119 00:07:20,700 --> 00:07:23,300 You know what that is? You know what the sleep that is 120 00:07:23,300 --> 00:07:26,300 sweet? Is it's the sleep of The 121 00:07:26,300 --> 00:07:29,400 Working, Man. It is the sleep of the laboring, 122 00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:31,500 man. You know, there are many that 123 00:07:31,500 --> 00:07:34,600 are in this congregation that have gone out and made a living 124 00:07:34,700 --> 00:07:38,400 your entire life with your hands, you know what that's 125 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:41,900 like, have you ever gone out and worked about 12 straight hours 126 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:44,200 when you're Done. And the sun has come down and 127 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:47,200 you're exhausted your back. Aches, your shoulders hurt, your 128 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:51,000 hands are weak. And they hurt to every fiber of 129 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:53,800 your body is aching out of fatigue. 130 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:56,500 So what do you do? Well, it's not a bad thing 131 00:07:56,500 --> 00:08:00,500 because you have in the back of your mind, the great feeling 132 00:08:00,500 --> 00:08:03,700 than a job. Well done has just occurred. 133 00:08:03,700 --> 00:08:07,000 So what do you do? Regardless of how tired you are? 134 00:08:07,100 --> 00:08:10,000 You go into as it were your bedroom, you passed out in your 135 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:13,700 bed and you sleep, the sleep, That is sweet. 136 00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:19,200 Anybody that's ever worked with their hands knows just exactly 137 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:22,400 what I'm talking about. What a beautiful picture. 138 00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:29,400 Jesus says a man plants, he sews, he goes home and he sleeps 139 00:08:29,700 --> 00:08:33,200 all that is beautiful, because a job as well done. 140 00:08:33,700 --> 00:08:37,200 But, you know, Jesus pictures that not all is beautiful. 141 00:08:37,700 --> 00:08:42,500 Because when this man went home and slept there was someone who 142 00:08:42,500 --> 00:08:48,400 did not sleep our Lord says that night while men, slept, while 143 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:50,400 this man slept something happened. 144 00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:53,700 That was not good that night. Someone under the cover of 145 00:08:53,700 --> 00:08:58,500 Darkness, goes out into this Mansfield and take some noxious 146 00:08:58,500 --> 00:09:02,600 seeds weed seeds or tears. And he went out there and just 147 00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:06,500 simply broadcasted those things throughout all that prepared 148 00:09:06,500 --> 00:09:09,100 field, you know, I always thought that when Jesus was 149 00:09:09,100 --> 00:09:13,000 picturing this, it was talking about really just a spiritual 150 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:14,500 application, which is what he's talking. 151 00:09:14,700 --> 00:09:17,900 About but I thought, who in the world would ever go into 152 00:09:17,900 --> 00:09:22,800 somebody's field for no reason and cast noxious seed down Among 153 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:26,500 The Good Seed, but I understand historically that this was. 154 00:09:26,500 --> 00:09:30,600 There were cases when people would do that, an enemy would do 155 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:34,000 that. Oh, Jesus always called on the 156 00:09:34,008 --> 00:09:37,900 memory of his hearers and he always called on the memory of 157 00:09:37,900 --> 00:09:40,100 them, so that they would understand that. 158 00:09:40,100 --> 00:09:44,800 What he said was true, this actually happened in Certain 159 00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:50,200 cases in certain places Jesus says that while this man slept 160 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:53,800 somebody didn't sleep, Somebody went into his field. 161 00:09:53,800 --> 00:09:57,300 Now that's important to know. He didn't go into his own field. 162 00:09:57,300 --> 00:10:02,600 He went into his field, this man that is at home sleeping after 163 00:10:02,600 --> 00:10:06,100 he's done everything. That was necessary for him to do 164 00:10:06,100 --> 00:10:10,600 for his wheat crop. He went in there and planted 165 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:14,900 seeds that were weeds. Well, you know, as the parable 166 00:10:14,900 --> 00:10:18,600 of the sower, the Lord does not leave the interpretation to us. 167 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:22,000 Some of the things that Jesus taught were so common and easy 168 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:26,500 to understand, it didn't require any further explanation on his 169 00:10:26,500 --> 00:10:31,700 part, but some Parables did require a further explanation. 170 00:10:31,800 --> 00:10:35,400 The parable of the sower was one and also the parable of the 171 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:38,200 wheat and the tares, I am so thankful. 172 00:10:38,300 --> 00:10:42,300 Jesus use those verses of scripture that we can read to 173 00:10:42,300 --> 00:10:45,700 know just exactly what he meant. So that I don't mess it up and 174 00:10:45,700 --> 00:10:49,900 put my own slant on it or misinterpret or misapply. 175 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:52,800 The lesson he wanted us to understand. 176 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:57,800 So as we said before, the Lord just said it like it is here is 177 00:10:57,800 --> 00:11:01,000 his explanation. First of all, he says that there 178 00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:06,300 is a sower that's our as defined In this passage of scripture. 179 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:11,100 Jesus said is the son of Of man or none other than the Lord 180 00:11:11,700 --> 00:11:15,500 Jesus Christ. He said the seed are the 181 00:11:15,500 --> 00:11:20,500 children of the righteous one. When the wait a minute. 182 00:11:21,800 --> 00:11:24,700 How many times have we referred to the seed? 183 00:11:24,900 --> 00:11:28,100 In the parable of the sower, as the word of God? 184 00:11:28,500 --> 00:11:31,500 How can that be? Is there a contradiction of 185 00:11:31,500 --> 00:11:33,900 terms here? What did Jesus mean in the 186 00:11:33,900 --> 00:11:36,200 parable of the sower, when he said the seed is the word of 187 00:11:36,200 --> 00:11:38,300 God? And then now he says that the 188 00:11:38,300 --> 00:11:41,400 seed are the children of the righteous one. 189 00:11:41,900 --> 00:11:45,700 Those that have had the seed planted become the seed of or 190 00:11:45,700 --> 00:11:48,000 the children of the righteous woman. 191 00:11:48,300 --> 00:11:51,400 What we have to understand is simply there's one, isn't it? 192 00:11:51,600 --> 00:11:55,600 Tension of the other another words we have the outgrowth of 193 00:11:55,600 --> 00:12:00,700 the seed in the lives of men. Also, people ought not to think 194 00:12:00,700 --> 00:12:04,300 of you and I, as Christians separate and apart from the word 195 00:12:04,300 --> 00:12:06,800 of God. Because the Bible says that the 196 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:12,300 word is living, and the word is growing in Us, in James chapter 197 00:12:12,300 --> 00:12:18,500 1 and verse 18, James says of his own will begat he us with 198 00:12:18,500 --> 00:12:22,700 the word of Truth and First Peter chapter one in verses 22 199 00:12:22,700 --> 00:12:26,200 and 23. It says seeing you have purified 200 00:12:26,200 --> 00:12:30,900 your souls in obeying the truth, see that you love one another, 201 00:12:30,900 --> 00:12:34,600 with a pure heart, fervently being born again, not of 202 00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:38,300 corruptible seed, but of Incorruptible by the word of 203 00:12:38,300 --> 00:12:42,600 God, which liveth and abideth forever. 204 00:12:42,900 --> 00:12:45,900 There's no contradiction of terms here, it's quite simple. 205 00:12:46,100 --> 00:12:51,000 The children of the righteous one is a product of the good. 206 00:12:51,500 --> 00:12:56,300 See secondly, though. Jeez our thirdly Jesus says 207 00:12:56,500 --> 00:13:00,000 there is the field. You know there's been much 208 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:03,500 contemplation and religious debate over what the field is. 209 00:13:04,300 --> 00:13:06,200 But you know, we need to understand that we don't want to 210 00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:11,200 let a commentator explain away the plain clear teaching that 211 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:14,300 Jesus gave. What does Jesus say the field 212 00:13:14,300 --> 00:13:18,500 is? He said the field is the world. 213 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:24,000 We need to get that because if we misunderstand that, then we 214 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:28,300 will misunderstand or misapply the context of his teaching in 215 00:13:28,300 --> 00:13:31,900 the entire Parable. He says, remembering he says it, 216 00:13:31,900 --> 00:13:38,000 like it is, the field is the world, Many religious divisions 217 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:41,500 have ensued over. Its meaning of these five words. 218 00:13:41,800 --> 00:13:46,900 Some say the field is the church and therefore Jesus was saying 219 00:13:46,900 --> 00:13:50,900 this, the field is the church. So there's going to be good 220 00:13:50,900 --> 00:13:53,500 seeds and there's going to be bad seeds. 221 00:13:53,500 --> 00:13:56,800 Let them dwell together for a time in this life. 222 00:13:56,800 --> 00:14:00,600 Do absolutely nothing about it, except them all even the bad 223 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:04,800 seeds and do nothing whatsoever. And when time comes or the day 224 00:14:04,800 --> 00:14:07,500 of the Harvest at the end of time, then the Lord by his 225 00:14:07,500 --> 00:14:11,400 Reapers being, the angels, will take care of this business at a 226 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:13,900 later date. That's not what Jesus said. 227 00:14:13,900 --> 00:14:17,500 Jesus said. The field is the world. 228 00:14:18,400 --> 00:14:21,600 It's the world. Remember when Jesus said in 229 00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:26,400 Matthew chapter 28 and verses 18 and 19, he said all power is 230 00:14:26,400 --> 00:14:30,600 given unto me in heaven and in Earth, he said go ye, therefore 231 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:35,500 and teach All Nations. Then in Mark, 16, 15. 232 00:14:35,500 --> 00:14:41,500 And 16 he says, go into all the world and preach the gospel to 233 00:14:41,500 --> 00:14:44,100 Every Creature. He that believeth and is 234 00:14:44,100 --> 00:14:47,700 baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be 235 00:14:47,700 --> 00:14:50,200 damned. One more verse of scripture that 236 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:53,900 we find after Jesus was crucified after he rose from the 237 00:14:53,900 --> 00:14:56,800 dead, and was in the process of spending, 40 days with his 238 00:14:56,800 --> 00:15:02,100 disciples said in Luke 24, and verses, 46 and 47. 239 00:15:02,300 --> 00:15:06,100 He said the shit behoove Christ to suffer and to rise from the 240 00:15:06,100 --> 00:15:08,000 dead. The third day, and that 241 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:12,000 repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name, 242 00:15:12,500 --> 00:15:16,400 among all nations. What is he saying? 243 00:15:16,700 --> 00:15:21,000 He is saying the field. Is the world one more thing 244 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:23,100 though? What about in the parable of the 245 00:15:23,100 --> 00:15:25,500 sower? When we find that the field is 246 00:15:25,500 --> 00:15:31,100 the heart of man, if he said the field is the heart of man in the 247 00:15:31,100 --> 00:15:33,600 parable of the sower. Now, he's talking about the 248 00:15:33,600 --> 00:15:37,400 field being the world. Once again, no contradiction. 249 00:15:37,500 --> 00:15:40,900 This is what he's saying. You go preach the gospel. 250 00:15:41,400 --> 00:15:44,700 You take this gospel and you take it to the lost. 251 00:15:44,700 --> 00:15:48,400 I want you to preach it to Every Creature, I want you to go out 252 00:15:48,400 --> 00:15:51,500 into To the world and do. So he says this in the parable 253 00:15:51,500 --> 00:15:53,900 of the sower, the seed is the word of God. 254 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:56,700 We find that the seed is going to be planted in the hearts of 255 00:15:56,700 --> 00:15:58,700 men, he says, that's what you're going to. 256 00:15:58,700 --> 00:16:00,700 So that's what you're going to do. 257 00:16:01,300 --> 00:16:05,600 Where's the hearts? There in the world. 258 00:16:06,900 --> 00:16:11,200 An extension of the other and certainly no contradiction. 259 00:16:11,900 --> 00:16:14,300 You know, there's something else that I'm so glad that Jesus 260 00:16:14,700 --> 00:16:19,400 describes. And I think today, if you leave 261 00:16:19,400 --> 00:16:21,900 here, I want you to understand. When you leave here, that 262 00:16:21,900 --> 00:16:26,900 there's something that goes on. In the world, I want you to 263 00:16:26,900 --> 00:16:30,700 understand that you that are living the Christian Life and 264 00:16:30,700 --> 00:16:34,800 when you try diligently, your serve God in your life when you 265 00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:37,100 try to do the work of the church and you Try to do. 266 00:16:37,100 --> 00:16:38,700 What is right? I'm going to tell you something. 267 00:16:38,700 --> 00:16:43,500 There is such a being out there that Jesus says, is the enemy 268 00:16:43,900 --> 00:16:47,900 there is there's an enemy. And I think what you and I need 269 00:16:47,900 --> 00:16:51,500 to understand, is we need to understand who he is and we need 270 00:16:51,500 --> 00:16:54,600 to know when some of these things happened around us as we 271 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:58,400 try to work and strive for the cause of Christ, we need to 272 00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:03,400 understand it is the enemy. It's the devil. 273 00:17:04,700 --> 00:17:09,099 Jesus said there is such a being like that, what Jesus pictures 274 00:17:09,099 --> 00:17:12,200 it like this. He says, this man, this farmer 275 00:17:12,200 --> 00:17:14,200 servants. They go out into the field. 276 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:20,599 Now, notice nobody knows anything about these bad seeds 277 00:17:20,900 --> 00:17:23,099 until the crops come out of the ground. 278 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:26,099 When the crops come out of the ground. 279 00:17:26,300 --> 00:17:30,200 Now, all of a sudden here are the Servants of this Farmer and 280 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:33,200 the servants come to their Master, their boss and they say 281 00:17:33,200 --> 00:17:40,400 this, they say, didn't you sow good seed, you know, when Jesus 282 00:17:40,400 --> 00:17:42,400 said good seed all, he sent them out. 283 00:17:42,400 --> 00:17:44,400 He said a mouthful. You know why? 284 00:17:44,500 --> 00:17:48,400 Because if he said, there's good seed, there must also be bad, 285 00:17:48,500 --> 00:17:51,100 see more on that. Just a moment here. 286 00:17:51,100 --> 00:17:54,500 Come these servants, they come in and they say Didn't you sow 287 00:17:54,500 --> 00:17:57,900 good seed in your field? If you're sowed good seed. 288 00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:00,800 Why is it that there's tears in it? 289 00:18:01,500 --> 00:18:06,000 Wherefore art, thou tears. You know what Jesus said? 290 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:13,600 Jesus said an enemy hath done this an enemy did it notice? 291 00:18:13,900 --> 00:18:17,800 Jesus is saying that there is good seed and there's also bad 292 00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:21,500 seed and the two don't go together and the Lord 293 00:18:21,500 --> 00:18:25,100 immediately says and enemy. He has done this. 294 00:18:25,100 --> 00:18:29,700 I like the way that he puts it because the devil is the enemy. 295 00:18:29,900 --> 00:18:32,000 You know what? Jesus does not say though. 296 00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:35,000 Does this sound familiar though? With some folks in the world 297 00:18:35,100 --> 00:18:36,700 they don't want to call it like it is. 298 00:18:36,800 --> 00:18:38,800 Sometimes Brethren don't even want to call it. 299 00:18:38,800 --> 00:18:41,500 Like it is, they don't want to say it, just like it is. 300 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:43,600 It's the enemy. It's the devil. 301 00:18:43,700 --> 00:18:46,900 It's the arch deceiver. Listen, this is what Jesus did 302 00:18:46,900 --> 00:18:51,200 not say. He didn't say this is a product 303 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:55,800 of somebody's unfortunate environmental circumstances. 304 00:18:56,200 --> 00:18:59,400 He doesn't say these poor fellows are suffering from some 305 00:18:59,400 --> 00:19:03,500 kind of temporary. Stumbling in the upward progress 306 00:19:03,500 --> 00:19:06,900 of man. Oh no, he said the enemy did it 307 00:19:07,300 --> 00:19:10,800 an enemy came into a field. That was not his and an enemy 308 00:19:10,800 --> 00:19:13,200 did this. He's the arch deceiver and we 309 00:19:13,208 --> 00:19:17,100 need to understand who he is. Sometimes we need to just call 310 00:19:17,100 --> 00:19:21,800 things the way that they are. You know, the Bible insist that 311 00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:25,900 there is one that is set for your destruction, the greatest 312 00:19:25,900 --> 00:19:30,200 possession that you have and you will ever have all the days of 313 00:19:30,200 --> 00:19:34,400 your life, while you are living. And afterwards, is your soul. 314 00:19:35,100 --> 00:19:37,700 There is no greater possession. I don't care if you're a 315 00:19:37,700 --> 00:19:41,600 zillionaire, it makes no difference what you will have 316 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:43,600 what you will acquire in your life. 317 00:19:43,600 --> 00:19:45,600 All of the good fortune that will come your way. 318 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:50,500 Way, there is nothing in your life that is of more value than 319 00:19:50,500 --> 00:19:52,800 your soul. And I'm going to tell you 320 00:19:52,800 --> 00:19:55,500 something, you know why the devil wants it. 321 00:19:56,300 --> 00:19:59,800 The Bible talks about gehenna hell that's the death of the 322 00:19:59,800 --> 00:20:05,000 Lake of Fire that was prepared for the devil and his angels 323 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:08,600 that was not prepared for man. Originally that was prepared for 324 00:20:08,600 --> 00:20:12,400 the devil and his angels. That's where the devil is going 325 00:20:12,400 --> 00:20:15,700 to go for all eternity into the Lake of Fire. 326 00:20:16,200 --> 00:20:21,000 And he wants to get our soul away from us and get it in to 327 00:20:21,000 --> 00:20:22,500 that Lake of Fire. You know. 328 00:20:22,500 --> 00:20:26,800 Like they say, not trying to oversimplify but misery loves 329 00:20:26,800 --> 00:20:30,000 company. The devil is warring against 330 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:34,900 your soul every day that you live, notice though, as we 331 00:20:34,900 --> 00:20:38,900 mentioned, just a moment ago, the devil does not go into the 332 00:20:38,900 --> 00:20:41,200 field. That is his own. 333 00:20:41,200 --> 00:20:43,700 He doesn't go to a vacant lot or a barren field. 334 00:20:43,700 --> 00:20:45,300 Oh no. You know why? 335 00:20:46,400 --> 00:20:49,200 Because there's nothing there dangerous to him. 336 00:20:51,700 --> 00:20:55,100 You know why the devil doesn't bother with people that are lost 337 00:20:55,100 --> 00:20:56,500 that are not trying to do, right? 338 00:20:57,700 --> 00:21:00,500 Because he already has it. That's why. 339 00:21:02,100 --> 00:21:05,700 But the devil Works in fields that are not his own. 340 00:21:06,900 --> 00:21:10,400 Whenever you decide I'm going to be better than I've ever been. 341 00:21:10,800 --> 00:21:14,400 You're going to be opposed by the devil whenever you say I'm 342 00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:16,600 going to grow. I'm going to be a better 343 00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:18,400 Christian than I've ever been in the past. 344 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:19,900 I'm going to set a better example. 345 00:21:19,900 --> 00:21:21,200 I'm going to tell you something else. 346 00:21:21,700 --> 00:21:27,200 The devil is going to oppose that he works in fields that are 347 00:21:27,400 --> 00:21:31,000 not his. The devil came to work. 348 00:21:31,200 --> 00:21:35,500 When God's people went to work, the Devil is a mastermind that 349 00:21:35,500 --> 00:21:39,200 is schooled in the art. Of human nature and his game is 350 00:21:39,300 --> 00:21:45,700 opposition by imitation. Opposition by imitation just 351 00:21:45,700 --> 00:21:50,200 look in the religious world opposition by imitation, but 352 00:21:50,200 --> 00:21:53,800 there's something else too. You know why we stand against 353 00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:56,100 things that are wrong? That sometimes people say, well, 354 00:21:56,100 --> 00:21:59,700 it's just a little thing. It's just a little diversion. 355 00:22:00,500 --> 00:22:04,100 You see these seeds appeared to be okay at the very beginning, 356 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:07,700 but when they came up, they were weed seeds, they were weed. 357 00:22:07,700 --> 00:22:11,700 And these were things that were wrong for this farmer to have in 358 00:22:11,700 --> 00:22:14,800 his field. Sometimes things look like, 359 00:22:14,800 --> 00:22:17,700 they're just, okay at the beginning, but then we find out 360 00:22:17,700 --> 00:22:21,400 later on much later on what they really are. 361 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:26,200 The devil's souls in something that appears to be good on the 362 00:22:26,200 --> 00:22:29,800 surface, but it's not until these things begin to move 363 00:22:29,800 --> 00:22:32,600 toward fruition, that they even become aware that there's a 364 00:22:32,608 --> 00:22:35,300 problem. And the Lord is simply saying 365 00:22:35,300 --> 00:22:38,300 when we get busy, so, does the devil. 366 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:41,300 Let me just say it this way to, I think this is very important. 367 00:22:41,300 --> 00:22:44,600 Let me encourage this congregation in this way. 368 00:22:45,700 --> 00:22:49,400 I'm going to tell you something, the congregation here is trying 369 00:22:49,400 --> 00:22:51,900 to work. Together is trying to grow 370 00:22:51,900 --> 00:22:54,500 together in unity. I'm going to tell you something, 371 00:22:54,600 --> 00:22:57,800 the devil doesn't like that and the devil is going to try to be 372 00:22:57,800 --> 00:23:02,200 divisive in the hearts of man. Secondly, when souls are saved 373 00:23:02,200 --> 00:23:05,500 and they come to the Glorious gospel of peace when they obey 374 00:23:05,500 --> 00:23:08,400 that gospel and they're baptized for the remission of sins. 375 00:23:08,600 --> 00:23:13,000 Those people become seeds in the field that Jesus is talking 376 00:23:13,000 --> 00:23:16,200 about the devil wants them. I'm back. 377 00:23:16,300 --> 00:23:19,300 The devil is going to try to create things that would be 378 00:23:19,300 --> 00:23:24,700 Temptations for them to lay down their sword as it were, and stop 379 00:23:24,700 --> 00:23:26,800 laboring for the cause of Christ. 380 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:30,200 You know, I've said this so many times and you all know this, but 381 00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:34,300 sometimes the most difficult time in a Christians life is 382 00:23:34,300 --> 00:23:36,300 right after they obeyed the gospel. 383 00:23:36,500 --> 00:23:39,000 You know, why? Because he just lost one and he 384 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:43,600 wants them back. Let me just say this, don't get 385 00:23:43,600 --> 00:23:47,100 discouraged. When the work progresses in a 386 00:23:47,100 --> 00:23:50,300 favorable fashion or in a positive way. 387 00:23:51,300 --> 00:23:56,000 And then we see discouragement. Don't be discourage know what it 388 00:23:56,000 --> 00:24:00,100 is. It's the devil and Jesus said 389 00:24:00,500 --> 00:24:06,100 he's going to continue to labor in fields that are not his own 390 00:24:06,300 --> 00:24:08,400 one man said it like this. This is great. 391 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:13,900 He said, as brighter gets the sunshine, the deeper grow the 392 00:24:13,900 --> 00:24:17,000 shadows. In other words, Satan begins to 393 00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:20,700 operate when you and I begin to work. 394 00:24:21,300 --> 00:24:23,700 Will next, Jesus talks about route. 395 00:24:23,900 --> 00:24:27,400 Being out the tears, you know, these servants, after they 396 00:24:27,400 --> 00:24:30,000 presented the problem to the master, they have a solution. 397 00:24:30,700 --> 00:24:33,800 Now, this is nothing abnormal about this, I'd probably say the 398 00:24:33,800 --> 00:24:38,100 same thing, there are weeds in the field, it's growing up next 399 00:24:38,100 --> 00:24:40,800 to the wheat. So they have an idea, I've got 400 00:24:40,800 --> 00:24:44,600 it, I've got it, boss, I'll go and I'll just rip them out. 401 00:24:44,800 --> 00:24:48,700 I'll take care of that, not understanding what Jesus is 402 00:24:48,700 --> 00:24:52,700 going to explain to them. Not understanding his purpose or 403 00:24:52,800 --> 00:24:55,500 not understand. Ding what will happen by way of 404 00:24:55,500 --> 00:24:58,400 the outcome of doing their solution. 405 00:24:58,700 --> 00:25:01,600 They're proposing, this no spiritually speaking. 406 00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:07,600 They're proposing violence If there is ever going to be a 407 00:25:07,600 --> 00:25:10,900 victory religiously in this life, it'll be a moral one. 408 00:25:10,900 --> 00:25:12,800 It certainly won't be a physical one. 409 00:25:14,000 --> 00:25:17,500 You know, I know that people have quote-unquote religious 410 00:25:17,500 --> 00:25:23,000 wars in the land in the world, I understand that they're being 411 00:25:23,000 --> 00:25:26,800 religious wars and so on where people have lost their lives. 412 00:25:27,500 --> 00:25:30,800 That is not the battle that the Christian is fighting. 413 00:25:31,400 --> 00:25:33,700 We are fighting a spiritual battle. 414 00:25:33,800 --> 00:25:36,500 We are not fighting a physical one. 415 00:25:36,900 --> 00:25:40,100 They said though, what we can do is we'll just go in the field. 416 00:25:40,100 --> 00:25:42,300 No problem. And we'll grab the wheel. 417 00:25:42,300 --> 00:25:45,000 Grab those weeds and will Just rip them out. 418 00:25:46,100 --> 00:25:50,700 But the Lord says no, do you remember in the ninth chapter of 419 00:25:50,700 --> 00:25:53,600 the Book of Luke when James and John wanted to come and fire to 420 00:25:53,600 --> 00:25:57,200 come down from heaven? To consume those Samaritans, 421 00:25:57,900 --> 00:26:00,500 would you remember that? Jesus rebuked them and said you 422 00:26:00,500 --> 00:26:05,300 know, not manner of spirit? ER of he said the son of man is 423 00:26:05,300 --> 00:26:10,700 not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them Christians. 424 00:26:10,700 --> 00:26:13,500 Don't participate in an activity. 425 00:26:13,600 --> 00:26:17,100 That's physically fighting another There is no way that we 426 00:26:17,100 --> 00:26:20,900 can do two things at the same time like that, you can't go 427 00:26:20,900 --> 00:26:24,600 kill somebody and say them. Jesus said you go into all the 428 00:26:24,600 --> 00:26:26,800 world. You make disciples of every 429 00:26:26,800 --> 00:26:30,400 nation you go out and teach them all things whatsoever. 430 00:26:30,400 --> 00:26:34,100 I have commanded you to do. That is what your charge is, 431 00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:37,900 that is what your mission is. That is what I'm requiring you 432 00:26:37,900 --> 00:26:42,500 to do, how can you do that? And then physically fight 433 00:26:42,500 --> 00:26:46,600 against them. You can't do evil to someone and 434 00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:50,200 save them at the same time. That's what Jesus was picturing. 435 00:26:50,600 --> 00:26:53,100 And I'm going to tell you something though, we can stand 436 00:26:53,100 --> 00:26:57,100 and use this book right here and we can preach just as hard as we 437 00:26:57,100 --> 00:27:00,200 possibly can against those things that are not right? 438 00:27:00,500 --> 00:27:04,000 We can teach people and teach God's people against the things 439 00:27:04,000 --> 00:27:08,000 that are wrong in the world. We can surely do that, but 440 00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:10,800 notice there's going to come a time. 441 00:27:12,300 --> 00:27:14,200 When the Lord is going to take care of this. 442 00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:18,200 Jesus said though let them grow together until the Harvest. 443 00:27:18,700 --> 00:27:21,400 The Lord is simply saying we will not use Force. 444 00:27:22,200 --> 00:27:25,500 We're going to do it my way but you know there's another reason 445 00:27:25,500 --> 00:27:29,700 why we don't root out the tears in this life and I know that 446 00:27:29,800 --> 00:27:33,300 from a farming standpoint biologically speaking this is 447 00:27:33,300 --> 00:27:37,600 completely impossible, but spiritually speaking, it is very 448 00:27:37,600 --> 00:27:41,900 possible and that is another reason why we don't route up the 449 00:27:42,100 --> 00:27:45,900 Tears is because the tears can become wheat. 450 00:27:47,300 --> 00:27:52,200 The tears can change, the, I know that when Jesus pictured, 451 00:27:52,200 --> 00:27:56,500 this Galilee and Farmer's land, I know, he was not saying that 452 00:27:56,500 --> 00:28:01,200 in actuality, these tears can turn themselves, into we simply 453 00:28:01,200 --> 00:28:04,600 because of their Association and I think that's what Jesus is 454 00:28:04,600 --> 00:28:07,400 picturing here today in the world. 455 00:28:07,400 --> 00:28:12,900 A tear does not become wheat, just because it is alongside a 456 00:28:12,900 --> 00:28:17,600 Christian, a one that is a child of the devil does not Become a 457 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:22,600 Child of Light simply because he is existing next to somebody 458 00:28:22,600 --> 00:28:25,500 that is righteous. And I think that's what the 459 00:28:25,500 --> 00:28:28,300 point is here. The way that they change is by 460 00:28:28,300 --> 00:28:32,800 way of a new birth or a rebirth and we know that happens at 461 00:28:32,800 --> 00:28:38,200 baptism. So a terror can become wheat. 462 00:28:38,400 --> 00:28:42,000 Let me illustrate it this way rather briefly, What if you and 463 00:28:42,000 --> 00:28:45,500 I were living in New Testament times remember in acts when the 464 00:28:45,500 --> 00:28:48,700 church was established and we're going on and we're trying to do 465 00:28:48,700 --> 00:28:51,100 just exactly what the Lord has told us to do. 466 00:28:51,700 --> 00:28:53,600 And we're preaching the gospel to Every Creature. 467 00:28:53,600 --> 00:28:58,400 Like the Lord said, You know, there was somebody that was a 468 00:28:58,500 --> 00:29:03,600 poser of the Gospel. His entire existence was to 469 00:29:03,600 --> 00:29:08,500 oppose the gospel at that time. We know who he is. 470 00:29:09,300 --> 00:29:11,400 What if we would have said let's get solved. 471 00:29:12,600 --> 00:29:15,800 Let's get him out of here. Let's root up the tears. 472 00:29:16,100 --> 00:29:18,000 He's in opposition of the Gospel. 473 00:29:18,000 --> 00:29:19,300 Let's go. Take care of it. 474 00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:24,800 Look what happened? The church would not have the 475 00:29:24,800 --> 00:29:28,800 great Apostle Paul, the one who from divine inspiration wrote 476 00:29:28,800 --> 00:29:30,600 over two-thirds of the New Testament. 477 00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:34,200 We wouldn't have perhaps one of the greatest preachers that ever 478 00:29:34,200 --> 00:29:39,500 lived being Paul himself. We wouldn't have that today if 479 00:29:39,500 --> 00:29:43,600 we would have it to be our way. Jesus said, let them grow 480 00:29:43,600 --> 00:29:47,900 together until the Harvest, but during that time, the tears can 481 00:29:47,900 --> 00:29:53,100 become wheat. But also, Jesus says to stay out 482 00:29:53,100 --> 00:29:57,500 of my field in that way because he said lest while ye gather up 483 00:29:57,500 --> 00:30:01,900 the tares ye root up also the wheat. 484 00:30:02,400 --> 00:30:05,200 So don't tear the tears out because in doing so you can 485 00:30:05,200 --> 00:30:09,100 destroy the wheat. But notice when he says, let 486 00:30:09,100 --> 00:30:13,300 both grow together until the Harvest, I think it's important 487 00:30:13,300 --> 00:30:16,600 that we understand the Lord is saying that evil and good will 488 00:30:16,700 --> 00:30:20,500 exist together, but listen, he is not saying as I mentioned 489 00:30:20,600 --> 00:30:25,000 earlier on Our study, he is not saying that evil and good are to 490 00:30:25,700 --> 00:30:28,100 exist together in the Lord's church. 491 00:30:28,200 --> 00:30:32,900 He says that evil and good are going to exist together in the 492 00:30:32,900 --> 00:30:35,400 world. That's what he says there. 493 00:30:36,600 --> 00:30:38,900 You know, I've heard people say well that's why we can't ever 494 00:30:39,000 --> 00:30:41,500 participate in any kind of church discipline. 495 00:30:42,900 --> 00:30:45,300 See when we misunderstand, what the field is, we can get the 496 00:30:45,300 --> 00:30:48,300 whole thing backwards. That's not what he said though. 497 00:30:49,600 --> 00:30:52,800 And make no mistake. I know sometimes it seems as 498 00:30:52,800 --> 00:30:55,600 though that you and I are living in a world where we seem like 499 00:30:55,600 --> 00:30:59,400 we're all alone. Sometimes we may feel as though 500 00:30:59,400 --> 00:31:03,300 that we are living in a time that is just filled with evil 501 00:31:03,300 --> 00:31:05,800 and filled with wicked things and people that have turned 502 00:31:05,800 --> 00:31:08,400 their back on the good name of Jesus Christ. 503 00:31:09,200 --> 00:31:14,000 I know that. But Jesus said so long ago, Evil 504 00:31:14,000 --> 00:31:19,200 and Good Will exist together. In other words, things are going 505 00:31:19,200 --> 00:31:22,800 to get get better and better at the same time, they'll get worse 506 00:31:22,800 --> 00:31:25,100 and worse. We're going to have to get 507 00:31:25,100 --> 00:31:28,400 stronger you and I we're going to have to get better. 508 00:31:28,500 --> 00:31:32,400 We are going to have to expect more than we have ever expected 509 00:31:32,500 --> 00:31:35,500 of ourselves. As the Lord's people, we've got 510 00:31:35,500 --> 00:31:38,800 to bring the very best that we have to give. 511 00:31:39,600 --> 00:31:41,400 That's what we have to do. That's the answer. 512 00:31:41,900 --> 00:31:44,800 The answer is, don't get down over the evil around us. 513 00:31:44,800 --> 00:31:47,600 Let's just get better. Let's get stronger. 514 00:31:48,300 --> 00:31:52,000 Let's fight that Old Devil because on that final day, the 515 00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:57,300 Lord was say, Gather ye together first, the tares and bind them 516 00:31:57,300 --> 00:32:02,100 in bundles, to burn them. You know, sometimes people say, 517 00:32:02,100 --> 00:32:04,500 don't know, talk about Hill, you know, that. 518 00:32:04,500 --> 00:32:08,600 And I guess that a large percentage of the seminaries in 519 00:32:08,600 --> 00:32:11,300 the religious world. Today, are our teaching now, 520 00:32:11,300 --> 00:32:15,100 that there is no, hell, something like 70 or 80 percent 521 00:32:15,100 --> 00:32:17,600 are teaching from their curriculum. 522 00:32:17,700 --> 00:32:23,000 That they're There is no hell. Hell is real. 523 00:32:24,600 --> 00:32:30,000 Because that's what Jesus said. The Reapers bind them, cast them 524 00:32:30,000 --> 00:32:34,400 into the furnace. They'll be wailing and gnashing 525 00:32:35,200 --> 00:32:40,500 of teeth. Think about that, hell is a real 526 00:32:40,500 --> 00:32:43,700 place. Evil will not prevail. 527 00:32:44,800 --> 00:32:48,100 One old-time preacher describe this scene like this many years 528 00:32:48,100 --> 00:32:49,100 ago. Listen. 529 00:32:50,100 --> 00:32:53,500 Descending down into caves of hopeless depth. 530 00:32:54,400 --> 00:32:59,900 I saw most miserable beings walk burning continually yet 531 00:32:59,900 --> 00:33:05,900 unconsumed forever wasting yet, enduring still some wandered 532 00:33:05,900 --> 00:33:09,700 Loan in the desert flame and some encounter fiercely met with 533 00:33:09,700 --> 00:33:15,700 curses loud and blasphemies that made the cheek of Darkness pale. 534 00:33:16,600 --> 00:33:19,700 And to their Everlasting. Anguish still the Thunders from 535 00:33:19,700 --> 00:33:23,400 above responding Lee. Spoke these words which through 536 00:33:23,400 --> 00:33:27,900 the caverns of Perdition forlornly echoing fell on every 537 00:33:27,900 --> 00:33:32,600 ear. You knew your duty But you did 538 00:33:32,600 --> 00:33:36,700 it. Not. but finally, you know, as 539 00:33:36,700 --> 00:33:40,600 they say there's light at the end of the tunnel, Some of the 540 00:33:40,600 --> 00:33:43,600 most beautiful words ever. Uttered are uttered by Jesus. 541 00:33:43,600 --> 00:33:50,900 Next He said then shall the righteous shine forth. 542 00:33:52,400 --> 00:33:55,700 I love that. You know what that tells me? 543 00:33:56,800 --> 00:33:59,500 That tells me that Christians that have been oppressed. 544 00:34:00,500 --> 00:34:02,600 I'm talking about people that have been put down and 545 00:34:02,600 --> 00:34:05,300 criticized. I'm talking about people that 546 00:34:05,300 --> 00:34:07,600 have suffered and been martyred for their faith. 547 00:34:08,400 --> 00:34:11,699 I'm talking about every Christian that has ever tried to 548 00:34:11,699 --> 00:34:15,800 do that, which is right and had the world oppose them in every 549 00:34:15,800 --> 00:34:18,100 way. You know what's so beautiful 550 00:34:18,100 --> 00:34:23,199 about that we win. When it's all said and done. 551 00:34:23,199 --> 00:34:29,699 We with we are going to triumph over all of that evil then shall 552 00:34:29,699 --> 00:34:35,400 the righteous shine forth, the light so long struggling. 553 00:34:35,400 --> 00:34:41,000 Finally eventually will come to fullness this Is God's people. 554 00:34:42,699 --> 00:34:45,500 One of the greatest blessings of all is living the Christian life 555 00:34:45,500 --> 00:34:47,100 is to know that we have a choice. 556 00:34:48,600 --> 00:34:51,500 We don't have to go to that place of eternal torment. 557 00:34:52,600 --> 00:34:57,400 We can go to heaven and we can shine forth when the Lord makes 558 00:34:57,400 --> 00:35:02,100 up his jewels as Malachi said, shall shine forth. we can go to 559 00:35:02,100 --> 00:35:05,600 a place and sing the song of Moses and the Lamb by and by and 560 00:35:05,600 --> 00:35:11,100 dwell with Jesus, Evermore. Don't be discouraged in your 561 00:35:11,100 --> 00:35:15,500 Christian Life. Don't quit your service and give 562 00:35:15,500 --> 00:35:20,700 up because of the evil in the world, he rise up against it. 563 00:35:21,000 --> 00:35:24,400 You make it to the end and we are promised by Jesus the 564 00:35:24,400 --> 00:35:30,600 righteous shall shine forth. We thank you for listening to 565 00:35:30,600 --> 00:35:35,400 our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15 plans. 566 00:35:35,400 --> 00:35:38,900 Road in Bakersfield, if you would like any additional 567 00:35:38,900 --> 00:35:42,200 information, or you would like to receive a free Bible 568 00:35:42,200 --> 00:35:47,700 correspondence, course by mail. Please email us at info at her 569 00:35:47,700 --> 00:35:50,100 Church of Christ Bakersfield.com. 570 00:35:50,800 --> 00:35:56,000 Our service times are on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and 571 00:35:56,000 --> 00:36:00,400 Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. Please make plans to join us. 572 00:36:01,000 --> 00:36:03,200 We would love for you to be our honored guest.