1 00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:03,720 It certainly is wonderful to be here together. 2 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:06,360 We have a wonderful crowd and we're so thankful. 3 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:09,840 As has been already mentioned, we're thankful for our visitors. 4 00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:11,280 Please come back and you're welcome. 5 00:00:11,280 --> 00:00:13,600 Every time that we assemble. You are honored guest. 6 00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:17,480 And as always is the case, I do consider it an honor to teach 7 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:22,000 concerning the Word of God. This afternoon we now come in 8 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:25,560 this series of gossip in the series of sermons on the great 9 00:00:25,560 --> 00:00:29,400 Sermon on the Mount. We now come to Matthew Chapter 7 10 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:32,640 and verses 21 through 23. And that's going to be our 11 00:00:32,640 --> 00:00:36,200 lesson today where Jesus is going to talk about some really 12 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:39,680 sobering things. I realize these are very 13 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:42,840 sobering and sad words that the Lord is going to say. 14 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:47,520 He actually is talking about the end of time, and he's talking 15 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:50,560 about the day of judgment and the judgment scene. 16 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:55,960 As we begin, we begin in verse 21 where Jesus says this, not 17 00:00:55,960 --> 00:01:00,360 everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord shall enter the Kingdom of 18 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:05,239 heaven, but he who does the will of my Father, which is in 19 00:01:05,239 --> 00:01:07,560 heaven. You know, these words are 20 00:01:07,560 --> 00:01:10,200 actually very closely linked to the previous section. 21 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:12,960 Remember we talked about last time Jesus says we're going to 22 00:01:12,960 --> 00:01:17,520 be known by our fruits, and that was in connection with false 23 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:19,160 prophets. He said there's going to be 24 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:20,880 false prophets that come into the world. 25 00:01:20,960 --> 00:01:23,280 There's going to be false prophets that come in among you, 26 00:01:23,320 --> 00:01:25,280 and they're going to be in sheep's clothing. 27 00:01:25,280 --> 00:01:28,720 But inwardly, be very careful. They are ravenous wolves. 28 00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:33,520 But by way of context and just kind of a scene and setting 29 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:35,800 here, remember this was one continuous sermon. 30 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:39,560 So let's just very briefly back up to Matthew chapter 6. 31 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:44,720 In Matthew chapter 6, beginning in verse 19, Jesus tells us that 32 00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:46,920 man's existence goes beyond this life. 33 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:50,240 And I'm going to tell you, I'm so thankful that man's existence 34 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:53,560 goes beyond this life. The very aspect and the very 35 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:55,840 idea that we have hope is a wonderful thing. 36 00:01:57,080 --> 00:01:59,600 It makes life bearable. It makes all the difficult 37 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:04,040 things in life endurable when we know that this isn't it, that 38 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:07,040 there's more. But then in Matthew Chapter 7 39 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:11,640 verses 13 and 14, Jesus says that that existence eternally is 40 00:02:11,640 --> 00:02:14,680 in one of two places. That's why he said we got 2 41 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:16,640 choices here. They are only two. 42 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:20,520 We choose the narrow path, which is the difficult Rd. that leads 43 00:02:20,520 --> 00:02:23,480 to life. Or we choose the broad path or 44 00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:27,080 the Broadway, the easy way that leads to destruction. 45 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:30,360 It's one of the two. That's why Jesus emphasized you 46 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:32,760 got to stay on that path even if it's difficult. 47 00:02:32,760 --> 00:02:36,200 You can do it and there's room for every Christian so long as 48 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:38,720 you file and you follow in a single file line. 49 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:43,520 The Master, our shepherd, our Lord doing it his way. 50 00:02:44,640 --> 00:02:46,400 But then he said this right after that. 51 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:49,920 Beware that there's false prophets that would come in and 52 00:02:49,920 --> 00:02:53,280 do their very best to derail you and pull you away from God. 53 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:54,920 How you going to know who they are? 54 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:56,440 If they come in sheep's clothing? 55 00:02:57,200 --> 00:03:01,800 Jesus says you'll know them by their fruits on after Jesus said 56 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:06,800 all that, He said this in Matthew Chapter 7 and verse 21 57 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:11,040 he said this. It's very important because not 58 00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:15,880 everyone who says to me, Lord Lord shall enter the Kingdom of 59 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:16,920 heaven. OK. 60 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:22,400 Confessing the Lord's lordship and confessing Jesus Christ as 61 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:25,960 the Son of God is mandatory in order to be saved. 62 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:28,720 It's not all that we have to do, but it is mandatory. 63 00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:33,000 And confessing Jesus and accepting Jesus as Lord is 64 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:35,440 mandatory for our salvation. That's true. 65 00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:39,960 But that in itself does not guarantee that we're going to go 66 00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:44,040 to heaven just because we confess Jesus as Lord or him as 67 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:47,320 the Son of God, or even recognize that he is King of 68 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:51,160 kings and Lord of Lords. There's a lot of people that 69 00:03:51,160 --> 00:03:54,640 recognize that, but they deny him with their actions. 70 00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:56,960 So let me just ask the question very important. 71 00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:02,680 When is Jesus Lord of your life? It's a very simple answer. 72 00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:05,240 He's the greatest one that ever lived. 73 00:04:05,240 --> 00:04:08,280 He paid the greatest sacrifice ever paid for the sins of the 74 00:04:08,280 --> 00:04:10,640 world. But when does he actually become 75 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:16,200 the Lord of your life? He becomes the Lord of your life 76 00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:20,560 only when you give your life totally to Him. 77 00:04:22,680 --> 00:04:26,720 He can only have lordship over my life if I willfully choose to 78 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:31,360 give my life to Him in all aspects of it and all that I do. 79 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:34,680 That's why Jesus says this. Not everyone that says to me, 80 00:04:34,680 --> 00:04:36,440 Lord, Lord shall enter the Kingdom of heaven. 81 00:04:36,440 --> 00:04:40,840 And then he says, but he who does the will of my Father, 82 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:44,400 which is in heaven. So the real test of discipleship 83 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:48,600 is action. In fact, Jesus demands that we 84 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:51,160 have a working faith. James illustrated it like this. 85 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:55,480 Notice is what James said in James chapter 2 and verse 17. 86 00:04:56,520 --> 00:05:02,840 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 87 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:06,880 He further says that an inactive faith, this is kind of spooky. 88 00:05:06,880 --> 00:05:12,240 I think it's kind of scary. He says an inactive faith makes 89 00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:15,720 us know better than the devils or the demons. 90 00:05:16,760 --> 00:05:20,440 Can you imagine such a thing? James says that if we have an 91 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:23,760 inactive faith, that is a faith where there is no works. 92 00:05:23,960 --> 00:05:26,240 And by the way, I'm going to spend some time talking about 93 00:05:26,240 --> 00:05:29,320 grace, faith and works. There's no, I hope there's not 94 00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:31,800 going to be any confusion when we're done because there's a lot 95 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:33,440 of confusion about how all that works. 96 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:36,000 But first of all, understand this principle. 97 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:39,000 James says that if we have a faith that does not accompany 98 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:43,480 works, which means an inactive faith, we're no different than 99 00:05:43,480 --> 00:05:45,080 the demons or the devil's. Why? 100 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:50,360 Because the Bible says the devil's believe and tremble and 101 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:54,000 I don't think they're going to heaven to you, not the devil's. 102 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:57,680 Just a quick word about grace, faith, and works from a couple 103 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:00,520 of passages that sometimes people think contradict 104 00:06:00,520 --> 00:06:03,080 themselves, but they don't. Let's notice first of all what 105 00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:05,600 the apostle Paul said in Ephesians chapter 2 beginning in 106 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:09,280 verse 8. He says, for by grace you have 107 00:06:09,280 --> 00:06:13,720 been saved through faith and not of yourselves. 108 00:06:13,720 --> 00:06:15,800 It is the gift of God, not of works. 109 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:19,680 Lest anyone should boast, let me just break this down very, very 110 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:23,120 clearly, if I may. First of all, the idea or the 111 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:27,000 foundation or the basis of our salvation is grace. 112 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:30,160 We need to understand it's by grace. 113 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:34,920 In other words, grace is unmerited favor. 114 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:37,840 It's something you did not deserve. 115 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:42,880 It is something that you get without your own personal merit. 116 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:44,680 In other words, I didn't earn it. 117 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:46,720 That's what that means. That's what grace is. 118 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:51,240 Salvation is by grace. Grace is unmerited favor. 119 00:06:51,840 --> 00:06:55,480 It is not on our self, in other words, not by our own merit. 120 00:06:55,920 --> 00:06:57,920 It is the gift of God. OK? 121 00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:02,080 We understand that as a premise for our salvation, Our salvation 122 00:07:02,080 --> 00:07:04,880 in heaven is not based on our own merit. 123 00:07:05,040 --> 00:07:08,400 It is based upon God's gift. Through what? 124 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:13,040 Through faith. So in other words, God's part is 125 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:18,120 grace, Man's part is faith. What's faith? 126 00:07:18,120 --> 00:07:20,200 Well, first of all, and I'm going to talk more about faith 127 00:07:20,200 --> 00:07:24,000 in just a moment, but let's just get the basic definition and 128 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:25,480 we'll get to application in a moment. 129 00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:28,600 But the basic definition of faith according to Thayer in 130 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:33,120 this passage means this. It is conviction and belief in 131 00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:34,880 God. Here's the problem that some 132 00:07:34,880 --> 00:07:39,120 people have, and I say this very kindly and respectfully, but 133 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:43,520 this is the problem that people have in misinterpreting and 134 00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:46,360 misunderstanding. They understand that salvation 135 00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:49,960 is a gift, unmerited favor. That gift is not based upon our 136 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:51,320 own merit. That's all true. 137 00:07:51,440 --> 00:07:53,320 It is the gift of God. That's all true. 138 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:55,680 And it's through our faith, which is belief in God. 139 00:07:55,800 --> 00:07:58,000 And they stop right there and say nothing else is required. 140 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:01,520 It is through faith. But what's that? 141 00:08:02,360 --> 00:08:04,880 What's involved in our faith? More on that just a moment. 142 00:08:04,880 --> 00:08:09,920 Stay tuned. Then Paul says this not of 143 00:08:09,920 --> 00:08:13,960 works. Salvation, in other words, is 144 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:17,800 not the result of works, meaning I've earned it. 145 00:08:19,720 --> 00:08:22,720 Salvation is still grace. It is still unmerited favor. 146 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:28,000 OK, the idea that salvation can be based on anything else except 147 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:32,280 a gift or by grace was actually deliberated by the great apostle 148 00:08:32,280 --> 00:08:34,960 Paul in the book of Romans. Notice this passage here. 149 00:08:35,919 --> 00:08:42,360 Now, to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as 150 00:08:42,360 --> 00:08:45,400 debt. OK, quick illustration. 151 00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:49,760 Everybody in this room either has a job or you have had a job. 152 00:08:49,760 --> 00:08:53,080 Probably in your life, you've probably had a job. 153 00:08:54,240 --> 00:08:56,560 Maybe you're retired, but there was a time when you had a job, 154 00:08:56,560 --> 00:09:01,720 OK, When you go to work for your employer at the end of the day, 155 00:09:01,720 --> 00:09:04,880 when the employer owes you money, or when it comes to the 156 00:09:04,880 --> 00:09:08,840 end of the week and it comes time for paycheck time, that 157 00:09:08,840 --> 00:09:13,040 paycheck is not a gift. That paycheck is a debt that is 158 00:09:13,040 --> 00:09:15,000 owed by the employer. Why? 159 00:09:15,120 --> 00:09:18,400 You've earned it. We all understand that's the 160 00:09:18,400 --> 00:09:22,480 case when it comes to our wages. That's the case when it comes to 161 00:09:22,480 --> 00:09:26,040 our jobs. But when it comes to salvation, 162 00:09:26,040 --> 00:09:29,160 it is not. It is all about a gift. 163 00:09:29,280 --> 00:09:33,640 So what Paul is saying here is if a person believes that his 164 00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:38,360 own personal works of merit turn him a spot into heaven, then 165 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:43,640 salvation to him is not grace, but it's a debt that God owes 166 00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:46,800 you. And that's not the case. 167 00:09:49,360 --> 00:09:51,240 I'm going to tell you something, don't you think? 168 00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:57,520 A little sideline here, Don't you think that we would live a 169 00:09:57,520 --> 00:10:05,440 more humble, service oriented life committed to Jesus Christ 170 00:10:06,640 --> 00:10:10,080 if we could just get it in our minds that God, no matter what, 171 00:10:10,080 --> 00:10:17,480 owes me nothing? God does not owe me a thing, but 172 00:10:17,480 --> 00:10:22,200 I owe him everything. If our mindset would get there, 173 00:10:22,200 --> 00:10:24,040 man, I'm going to tell you what, we'll be better Christians. 174 00:10:24,120 --> 00:10:25,640 We'll have things in proper perspective. 175 00:10:25,880 --> 00:10:30,560 God doesn't owe me a thing. I owe God everything because of 176 00:10:30,560 --> 00:10:32,360 what he's done for me through Jesus Christ. 177 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:38,960 OK, Heaven is not for those who earn it by merit, but stay with 178 00:10:38,960 --> 00:10:42,520 me. That's when Paul said this. 179 00:10:43,280 --> 00:10:46,400 It's not of works of merit like you earned it. 180 00:10:46,760 --> 00:10:51,680 And then he said, lest anyone should boast, I like what Mr. 181 00:10:51,680 --> 00:10:53,400 Bowles said about this. He said this. 182 00:10:54,040 --> 00:10:57,800 When men do try to work their way into God's favor, one of two 183 00:10:57,800 --> 00:11:01,320 things happen. You got to the sincere, honest 184 00:11:01,320 --> 00:11:04,160 man will despair of ever succeeding. 185 00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:06,440 In other words, that's the guy, by the way, that says this. 186 00:11:06,840 --> 00:11:09,880 That's the guy that's trying real hard to do that his best, 187 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:12,000 but realizes his shortcomings. Because you know what? 188 00:11:12,080 --> 00:11:17,040 That's every one of us realizes his shortcomings and realizes he 189 00:11:17,040 --> 00:11:19,600 will never measure up. It's discouraging and you just 190 00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:22,000 quit. That's what happens when you 191 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:26,520 think you can earn it because you can't #2 what about the 192 00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:29,160 smug, ignorant guy? He's going to boast. 193 00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:32,560 The Lord owes that to me. That's what Paul is addressing 194 00:11:32,560 --> 00:11:35,480 in the second situation here, showing that God's way of 195 00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:38,680 salvation eliminates human boasting. 196 00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:41,880 OK, So what is works play in our salvation? 197 00:11:43,080 --> 00:11:46,760 We look at the very next verse. Do works apply and do we have to 198 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:47,880 work? We absolutely do. 199 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:53,040 We look at the very next verse, Ephesians 2 and verse 10, for we 200 00:11:53,040 --> 00:11:56,480 are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus. 201 00:11:56,480 --> 00:12:05,960 For what good works? That's what you're created for. 202 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:12,400 Good works. What kind of works is that? 203 00:12:12,480 --> 00:12:16,840 Works of merit, No. Works of obedience, works of 204 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:20,800 sacrifice, works of service, works of duty. 205 00:12:21,360 --> 00:12:23,480 You used to have a sermon, you'd have it somewhere. 206 00:12:23,480 --> 00:12:26,760 I'm sure it's in, as you call it, the archives, and it's 207 00:12:26,760 --> 00:12:28,600 called my duty or something like that. 208 00:12:29,440 --> 00:12:31,040 And Terry used to teach that sermon. 209 00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:32,600 He used to say, I'm going to teach it once a year. 210 00:12:33,560 --> 00:12:35,840 And I appreciated that his concept was this. 211 00:12:36,440 --> 00:12:40,560 It's my duty. If we would wrap our minds 212 00:12:40,560 --> 00:12:44,040 around the concept that our service to God is our duty, man, 213 00:12:45,520 --> 00:12:47,000 I'm going to tell you what, we're going to be better 214 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:48,480 servants for the cause of Christ, right? 215 00:12:49,680 --> 00:12:51,760 Makes sense, right? Why? 216 00:12:51,880 --> 00:12:54,520 Because we are a creation created in Christ. 217 00:12:54,520 --> 00:12:57,360 For what? For good works. 218 00:12:57,400 --> 00:13:01,280 OK, what is good works? I love this Bruce. 219 00:13:01,280 --> 00:13:05,080 Mr. Bruce said it this way. Good works are the fruit, not 220 00:13:05,080 --> 00:13:10,080 the root of what? The tree of salvation. 221 00:13:11,400 --> 00:13:13,760 It is the fruit and not the root. 222 00:13:14,760 --> 00:13:19,400 That's what good works are. So even though our salvation is 223 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:23,200 not based on meritorious works, our faith will not save us if we 224 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:26,960 do not work. In James 2 and 22, do you not 225 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:29,520 see that faith was working together with his works? 226 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:32,200 Notice. And by works, faith was made 227 00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:34,080 perfect. This is talking about Abraham, 228 00:13:34,120 --> 00:13:36,440 right? And it's reflecting back on 229 00:13:36,480 --> 00:13:40,000 Abraham. Abraham was told by God to offer 230 00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:43,280 your son Isaac, your only son, the one that you love, and take 231 00:13:43,280 --> 00:13:46,480 him to a place that I would tell you and offer him as a sacrifice 232 00:13:46,480 --> 00:13:48,680 unto me. And the Bible says he does that 233 00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:52,080 was on a three day journey, takes him to the place, puts him 234 00:13:52,080 --> 00:13:54,120 on the altar. He's going to take his life 235 00:13:54,200 --> 00:13:59,240 because that's what God said. And God stayed his hand and 236 00:13:59,240 --> 00:14:03,040 understood his faith and understood his demonstrated 237 00:14:03,040 --> 00:14:05,720 faith by what his obedient works. 238 00:14:05,920 --> 00:14:10,800 And this is what James says. By works, faith was made perfect 239 00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:14,160 or complete. Works do matter. 240 00:14:16,040 --> 00:14:18,440 Our faith and our works are not meritorious. 241 00:14:18,480 --> 00:14:21,320 It's a demonstration of our obedience to God. 242 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:23,680 So remember this salvation is a gift. 243 00:14:23,680 --> 00:14:26,320 Yes, it is, and it's from God. And that's grace. 244 00:14:26,920 --> 00:14:29,480 Faith is on our part. What is it though? 245 00:14:29,600 --> 00:14:32,840 What actually is faith? It's not just believing in God. 246 00:14:33,160 --> 00:14:36,880 What is faith? Faith is a choice and a 247 00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:39,440 conviction. It is not a feeling. 248 00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:44,760 It's an act of obedience. That is what faith really is. 249 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:50,600 That's why our faith must be demonstrated in action by works 250 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:53,440 of obedience. And that's why James said this. 251 00:14:55,320 --> 00:14:58,960 So then you see that a man is justified by works. 252 00:14:58,960 --> 00:15:03,000 Now get this, and not by faith only. 253 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:06,560 No contradiction here. What he's saying is this. 254 00:15:06,560 --> 00:15:08,800 What is the faith that he's talking about here? 255 00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:12,640 Faith only here We already talked about what faith is. 256 00:15:12,720 --> 00:15:15,120 It is conviction. It is a choice. 257 00:15:15,280 --> 00:15:20,120 It's obedience to God. Faith alone, by the way, is what 258 00:15:20,280 --> 00:15:22,440 it is. Mental assent without 259 00:15:22,440 --> 00:15:27,760 responsibility I have to tie my shoe is driving me nuts. 260 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:37,240 OK, It is mental assent without responsibility. 261 00:15:38,520 --> 00:15:40,600 Do you know what happens when you have no responsibility? 262 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:44,040 When you have no responsibility, you have no accountability. 263 00:15:45,240 --> 00:15:49,040 If you have no responsibility and no accountability, guess 264 00:15:49,040 --> 00:15:52,840 what else you don't have? You have no credibility in the 265 00:15:52,840 --> 00:16:02,760 eyes of God as one of His faith alone is mental ascent without 266 00:16:02,760 --> 00:16:05,480 responsibility. Then Jesus says this in Matthew 267 00:16:05,480 --> 00:16:10,760 Chapter 7 and verse 22, the very next words He says many will say 268 00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:13,440 to me in that day. Now what's he talking about? 269 00:16:13,600 --> 00:16:14,800 He's talking about the day of judgment. 270 00:16:16,440 --> 00:16:17,800 He's talking about the end of time. 271 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:23,320 The Lord emphasizes the final judgment that day, talks about 272 00:16:23,320 --> 00:16:29,000 the day that all of us, all of us are going to have to stand 273 00:16:29,000 --> 00:16:33,600 before God and give an account of the things that we have done 274 00:16:33,640 --> 00:16:41,760 in our life. We got to give an account to 275 00:16:41,760 --> 00:16:46,880 what we've done in our life, every single one of us. 276 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:52,640 That's everyone. In Revelation chapter 20 and 277 00:16:52,640 --> 00:16:56,600 verse 12, notice this. And I saw the dead, small and 278 00:16:56,600 --> 00:17:00,080 great, standing before God, and the books were opened and 279 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:02,880 another book was opened, which is the book of life. 280 00:17:03,160 --> 00:17:06,440 And the dead were judged according to their works by the 281 00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:07,920 things which were written in the books. 282 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:09,280 I want you to notice something here. 283 00:17:09,280 --> 00:17:13,760 Notice books were opened and we're going to be judged 284 00:17:13,760 --> 00:17:17,319 according to things that were written in the books. 285 00:17:17,760 --> 00:17:22,880 So it's mentioned twice, books. Here it is talking about books, 286 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:26,760 or in other words, it's talking about things that are we're 287 00:17:26,760 --> 00:17:28,480 going to give an account for it. I'm just going to make this 288 00:17:28,480 --> 00:17:30,040 point here. Don't think for a minute these 289 00:17:30,040 --> 00:17:33,400 are literal books, OK? There's not going to be literal 290 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:37,280 books on that day. It's not going to be a situation 291 00:17:37,280 --> 00:17:39,760 where all of a sudden these volumes are going to get pulled 292 00:17:39,760 --> 00:17:41,680 out like encyclopedias off the shelf. 293 00:17:42,080 --> 00:17:45,160 Here's Frank's volume. Let's see how, Frank, did you 294 00:17:45,200 --> 00:17:47,640 think God needs that? You think God needs some kind of 295 00:17:47,640 --> 00:17:50,160 a mechanical book to know exactly what I did in my life, 296 00:17:50,160 --> 00:17:53,920 all of my life, or you or anybody else in this world. 297 00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:58,640 These words are used metaphorically or as a symbol. 298 00:17:59,080 --> 00:18:03,480 What's he talking about? He's talking about books of 299 00:18:03,760 --> 00:18:07,880 remembrance. In other words, in God's mind. 300 00:18:07,880 --> 00:18:12,480 And by the way, I can't even wrap my mind around God's mind. 301 00:18:13,040 --> 00:18:18,920 I can't even fathom God's mind. But we all understand this. 302 00:18:18,920 --> 00:18:20,160 We forget stuff, right, left, right. 303 00:18:21,080 --> 00:18:23,840 We all do. Things slip our mind, right? 304 00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:26,920 Not God. There's absolutely nothing that 305 00:18:26,920 --> 00:18:30,680 leaves the mind of God. So when the books are open, it's 306 00:18:30,680 --> 00:18:32,760 talking about books of remembrance. 307 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:35,960 There's actually a Bible passage that talks about books of 308 00:18:35,960 --> 00:18:38,680 remembrance from the Old Testament, and it's found in the 309 00:18:38,680 --> 00:18:42,880 book of Malachi verse chapter 3 and verse 16. 310 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:46,360 Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the 311 00:18:46,360 --> 00:18:49,640 Lord listened and heard them. So a book of remembrance was 312 00:18:49,640 --> 00:18:52,960 written before him for those that fear the Lord and who 313 00:18:52,960 --> 00:18:56,440 meditate on His name. So once again, not literal 314 00:18:56,440 --> 00:18:59,040 books. These are words that symbolize 315 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:03,280 or impress upon the idea of talking about God's knowledge of 316 00:19:03,280 --> 00:19:04,640 what we've done. That's it. 317 00:19:05,560 --> 00:19:08,320 God knows everything. Not literal books, right? 318 00:19:09,680 --> 00:19:11,760 But you know what the other book is and I'm so glad about this 319 00:19:11,760 --> 00:19:14,480 one. Verse 12 talks about the book of 320 00:19:14,480 --> 00:19:19,840 life, the book of life. In Revelation chapter 20 and 321 00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:22,960 verse 15, it says anyone not found written in the book of 322 00:19:22,960 --> 00:19:26,240 life was cast into the lake of fire. 323 00:19:27,160 --> 00:19:30,720 This is talking about the names of the faithful Christians, 324 00:19:30,760 --> 00:19:34,760 faithful servants of the Lord that are going to be found in 325 00:19:34,760 --> 00:19:39,160 that book of remembrance. Not a literal book, but in the 326 00:19:39,160 --> 00:19:44,600 mind of God through Jesus Christ that phrase by the way, that 327 00:19:44,600 --> 00:19:47,720 idea of book of life is found in a number of other passages. 328 00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:51,440 I'm going to give you 3. Here we go Revelation 21 and 27 329 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:55,120 but there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles 330 00:19:55,280 --> 00:19:59,240 or causes an abomination or a lie, but the only those who are 331 00:19:59,240 --> 00:20:02,840 written in the Lamb's book of life Luke chapter 10 and verse 332 00:20:02,840 --> 00:20:05,240 20. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in 333 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:07,480 this that the spirits are subject to you. 334 00:20:07,480 --> 00:20:10,760 That's what Jesus said. But rather rejoice, because what 335 00:20:10,880 --> 00:20:13,840 your names? Are written in heaven. 336 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:16,200 Final passage Philippians four and three. 337 00:20:16,400 --> 00:20:20,400 And I urge you also true companion, help these women who 338 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:24,720 labored with me in the gospel with Clement also, and the rest 339 00:20:24,720 --> 00:20:29,160 of my fellow workers whose names are in the book of life. 340 00:20:29,320 --> 00:20:33,680 So upon the basis of this information, we conclude that 341 00:20:33,680 --> 00:20:36,040 the books are the actions of every man. 342 00:20:37,400 --> 00:20:41,320 It's in the Book of Remembrance of God, and the Book of Life 343 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:42,920 contains all those that are saved. 344 00:20:45,560 --> 00:20:51,040 Who are they? They are those that have obeyed 345 00:20:51,040 --> 00:20:55,120 the Gospel, that have been baptized for the remission of 346 00:20:55,120 --> 00:21:00,400 their sins, washed in the blood of the Lamb, and have lived a 347 00:21:00,400 --> 00:21:06,920 faithful Christian life so that their names are not blotted out 348 00:21:07,840 --> 00:21:11,880 of the Book of Life. Revelation chapter 3 and verse 349 00:21:11,880 --> 00:21:14,640 five. He who overcomes shall be 350 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:17,560 clothed in white garments. And I will not blot out his name 351 00:21:17,560 --> 00:21:20,200 of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my 352 00:21:20,200 --> 00:21:27,040 Father and before his angels. OK, so Jesus says in that day, 353 00:21:27,040 --> 00:21:30,440 the day of judgment, last day, people are going to say this. 354 00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:36,560 They're going to say, Lord, Lord, you know, this is really a 355 00:21:36,560 --> 00:21:41,640 heartbreaking scene. Many people are going to say, 356 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:46,480 Lord, Lord, Some people are going to stand before the Lord 357 00:21:46,480 --> 00:21:50,160 and by earthly standards are really good people. 358 00:21:52,200 --> 00:21:57,440 But they repetitiously cry, Lord, Lord, And you know what? 359 00:21:57,440 --> 00:21:59,960 I'm not the judge. Jesus is the judge. 360 00:22:00,640 --> 00:22:04,280 And I didn't say it. Jesus did what he's saying is 361 00:22:04,280 --> 00:22:06,960 there's going to be some wonderful people by worldly 362 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:10,120 stand standards that are going to say Lord, Lord. 363 00:22:11,840 --> 00:22:16,400 But Jesus says they're lost. Notice what their plea is. 364 00:22:16,640 --> 00:22:19,800 Here's their plea. Have we not prophesied in your 365 00:22:19,800 --> 00:22:22,160 name? Have we not cast out demons in 366 00:22:22,160 --> 00:22:25,480 your name? Have we not done many wonders in 367 00:22:25,480 --> 00:22:30,720 your name? OK, this passage is very 368 00:22:30,720 --> 00:22:34,280 difficult to understand. In fact, if you look up 369 00:22:34,280 --> 00:22:38,400 scholars, there are four basic interpretations regarding what 370 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:42,080 these words actually mean. In other words, who these words 371 00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:45,200 are referring to, Who's going to be saying these words? 372 00:22:46,080 --> 00:22:48,600 There's four interpretations. I'm going to notice them briefly 373 00:22:48,600 --> 00:22:51,520 with you and I'm going to tell you three of them really have 374 00:22:52,520 --> 00:22:54,640 are problematic. Three of them are problematic, 375 00:22:55,800 --> 00:22:57,880 and I think the last one really makes the most sense. 376 00:22:57,880 --> 00:23:00,720 But here we go. The first interpretation, while 377 00:23:00,720 --> 00:23:02,640 some of these things have merit, is this. 378 00:23:02,760 --> 00:23:06,920 Some believe this, these individuals may be the evil 379 00:23:06,920 --> 00:23:11,760 individuals that God uses in order to accomplish some 380 00:23:11,760 --> 00:23:15,880 specific purpose. And here is the example that's 381 00:23:15,880 --> 00:23:19,840 given to support this position in the Old Testament. 382 00:23:19,840 --> 00:23:23,280 Balaam, the false prophet who spoke God's truth in Numbers 23 383 00:23:23,280 --> 00:23:27,320 and verse five. OK, that is one example. 384 00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:29,440 Here's another example. How about old Caiaphas? 385 00:23:29,440 --> 00:23:33,360 You know he was a real creep. Every time you read about 386 00:23:33,360 --> 00:23:36,240 Caiaphas, he's either plotting the death of Jesus or doing all 387 00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:40,640 that he can to carry it out. When Jesus raised Lazarus from 388 00:23:40,640 --> 00:23:42,360 the dead, you know what Caiaphas said? 389 00:23:42,480 --> 00:23:45,440 He didn't say Jesus didn't raise him from the dead. 390 00:23:45,520 --> 00:23:48,520 He said Jesus did raise him from the dead, But he said we got to 391 00:23:48,520 --> 00:23:54,640 do away with Jesus. Why he spoke unwittingly 392 00:23:54,760 --> 00:23:58,200 prophesying that Jesus would die for the people in John Chapter 393 00:23:58,200 --> 00:24:01,240 11 and verse 51. He said it's better that one man 394 00:24:01,240 --> 00:24:05,000 die and a nation be spared. In other words, we, we want the 395 00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:08,520 nation of Israel to stand. We want Judaism to stand. 396 00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:10,880 Let's get rid of Jesus unwittingly. 397 00:24:10,880 --> 00:24:12,320 Was it what he was saying was this? 398 00:24:12,520 --> 00:24:16,120 It's better that one die, That's Jesus Christ, God's lamb and let 399 00:24:16,120 --> 00:24:18,040 the world be spared of their sin. 400 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:22,960 All right, well, it's problematic to say that this is 401 00:24:22,960 --> 00:24:25,600 the interpretation that's proper because here's the point. 402 00:24:26,480 --> 00:24:29,840 If the evil that are the evil men here that are in this 403 00:24:29,840 --> 00:24:32,320 category, if that's what he's talking about, why would they 404 00:24:32,320 --> 00:24:37,160 say on the day of judgement? Have we not done many wonderful 405 00:24:37,160 --> 00:24:41,400 works when they were only used in a limited sense and it was 406 00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:44,840 only used by God through them, they didn't do anything. 407 00:24:45,480 --> 00:24:50,600 So that's number one. OK, limited sense doesn't make 408 00:24:50,600 --> 00:24:53,280 sense. So I think this interpretation 409 00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:55,920 is problematic. And that interpretation is that 410 00:24:55,920 --> 00:25:00,280 God was using some wicked men that did some things through 411 00:25:00,280 --> 00:25:01,400 them. God did. 412 00:25:01,600 --> 00:25:04,400 And therefore they're saying, wait a minute, have we not done 413 00:25:04,400 --> 00:25:07,160 all these things? So I think that's a problematic 414 00:25:07,160 --> 00:25:10,120 interpretation. Let's go to #2 some say and some 415 00:25:10,120 --> 00:25:12,120 scholars say what that's talking about. 416 00:25:12,120 --> 00:25:16,480 It's these people here, those that whose power comes from 417 00:25:16,480 --> 00:25:21,520 Satan. You know, Jesus warned about 418 00:25:21,520 --> 00:25:24,560 false prophets in Matthew 24 and 24 before the destruction of 419 00:25:24,560 --> 00:25:25,960 Jerusalem. We talked about that last time. 420 00:25:26,440 --> 00:25:30,440 He warned about that. Paul foretold of a lawless one 421 00:25:30,840 --> 00:25:33,360 who will perform signs and lying wonders. 422 00:25:33,360 --> 00:25:35,120 Second Thessalonians 28 through 10. 423 00:25:35,120 --> 00:25:38,840 So all those things are true. The problem with such an 424 00:25:38,840 --> 00:25:42,720 interpretation, though, is this. How they going to cast out 425 00:25:42,720 --> 00:25:47,280 demons by the power of Satan makes no sense, right? 426 00:25:48,440 --> 00:25:51,840 Do you remember in Matthew chapter 12, it's the passage 427 00:25:51,840 --> 00:25:55,120 that deals with the unpardonable sin of blasphemy and the Holy 428 00:25:55,120 --> 00:25:56,840 Spirit. That's a whole nother sermon. 429 00:25:57,000 --> 00:25:58,400 That's a whole nother explanation. 430 00:25:58,400 --> 00:25:59,600 So I'm not going to deal with that right now. 431 00:26:00,720 --> 00:26:03,440 But when Jesus cast out that demon, do you remember what they 432 00:26:03,440 --> 00:26:06,800 said about Jesus? They said, now obviously He did 433 00:26:06,800 --> 00:26:10,920 it by the power of the Holy Spirit, the wonderful deity, 434 00:26:11,040 --> 00:26:14,800 Holy Spirit of God. That's what he did it by the 435 00:26:14,800 --> 00:26:16,440 power of the Holy Spirit. You know what they said? 436 00:26:16,800 --> 00:26:20,200 He did this miracle. He cast out this demon by the 437 00:26:20,200 --> 00:26:23,600 power of Beelzebub, which is the devil. 438 00:26:24,480 --> 00:26:27,400 In other words, they were saying you did this by the power of 439 00:26:27,400 --> 00:26:29,120 Satan. You know what Jesus brilliantly 440 00:26:29,120 --> 00:26:31,840 said? He said this, If Satan cast out 441 00:26:31,840 --> 00:26:33,440 Satan, he's divided against himself. 442 00:26:33,440 --> 00:26:38,000 How that will his Kingdom stand? Oh, brilliant, impossible. 443 00:26:39,080 --> 00:26:41,240 Satan cast out Satan. If that's true, then how can his 444 00:26:41,240 --> 00:26:44,720 Kingdom stand? So it's problematic to accept 445 00:26:44,720 --> 00:26:46,160 that that's what this is talking about. 446 00:26:47,280 --> 00:26:48,920 What else? Here's a third position. 447 00:26:49,920 --> 00:26:55,240 The third position are those who whose claims are simply false. 448 00:26:55,760 --> 00:26:59,480 In other words, their good works are simply fake and they were 449 00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:02,360 able to deceive their fellow man, but not God. 450 00:27:02,360 --> 00:27:05,040 In other words, some people believe that what this is 451 00:27:05,040 --> 00:27:07,080 talking about, or these are the people that are going to try to 452 00:27:07,080 --> 00:27:11,760 give a defense, are the people that faked out people, you know, 453 00:27:11,760 --> 00:27:16,480 the false healers, the fakes, all that. 454 00:27:16,760 --> 00:27:21,480 OK, but they knew the whole time they were a fake and a fraud and 455 00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:23,400 they knew that they weren't faking God out at all. 456 00:27:24,960 --> 00:27:29,240 Here's the problem with that. If that is the case and that is 457 00:27:29,240 --> 00:27:32,880 these people here, then why on the day of judgement would they 458 00:27:32,880 --> 00:27:36,920 stand before the Lord and make a defense knowing they were fakes 459 00:27:36,920 --> 00:27:41,040 and frauds and say have we not done all these great things for 460 00:27:41,040 --> 00:27:43,200 you and lie to God a second time? 461 00:27:43,200 --> 00:27:47,600 Really. I don't think that's what that 462 00:27:47,600 --> 00:27:50,480 means either. I think the final option, please 463 00:27:50,480 --> 00:27:55,480 get this has the most merit. Who are the ones that are going 464 00:27:55,480 --> 00:27:58,640 to say Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? 465 00:27:58,640 --> 00:28:02,240 Have we not cast out demons in your name and done many wonders 466 00:28:02,240 --> 00:28:04,800 in your name? They are these, I believe. 467 00:28:07,520 --> 00:28:11,920 These are the people who sincerely think they were 468 00:28:11,920 --> 00:28:15,960 followers of Jesus. But we're mistaken. 469 00:28:18,240 --> 00:28:21,000 The people that view themselves as part of the Lord's flock, 470 00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:26,760 perhaps, but in reality, they're part of the masses that Jesus 471 00:28:26,760 --> 00:28:29,920 talked about in Matthew 7 and 13. 472 00:28:29,920 --> 00:28:35,360 Jesus called it the many. He called it the many. 473 00:28:40,560 --> 00:28:42,320 There's a lot of folks that are going to profess the name of 474 00:28:42,320 --> 00:28:45,440 Jesus. There's a lot of folks that are 475 00:28:45,440 --> 00:28:49,160 going to live good moral lives. There's a lot of folks that are 476 00:28:49,160 --> 00:28:52,400 even going to view themselves as doing many wonders for the cause 477 00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:54,920 of Christ, but in reality, they're sadly deceived. 478 00:28:54,920 --> 00:28:59,160 In other words, here's the problem, when you deviate from 479 00:28:59,160 --> 00:29:04,520 what the Word of God says, they deny Jesus by following the 480 00:29:04,520 --> 00:29:06,760 doctrines and commandments of men. 481 00:29:06,760 --> 00:29:08,480 And I'm going to give you Bible for that. 482 00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:11,520 I didn't come up with that. Here it is Matthew 15-8 and 483 00:29:11,520 --> 00:29:13,200 nine. This is Jesus himself. 484 00:29:13,480 --> 00:29:16,680 He said, these people draw near me with their mouth and honor me 485 00:29:16,680 --> 00:29:19,360 with their lips, but their heart is far from me, and in vain they 486 00:29:19,360 --> 00:29:22,760 worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of 487 00:29:22,760 --> 00:29:25,720 men. Very sobering. 488 00:29:25,720 --> 00:29:28,680 I get it all right, but I got to say something else, Kay. 489 00:29:30,200 --> 00:29:32,920 These words are very, very appropriate for the church too. 490 00:29:35,840 --> 00:29:37,760 It's possible to call Jesus Lord. 491 00:29:39,240 --> 00:29:42,080 It's possible to be theologically correct. 492 00:29:43,680 --> 00:29:47,720 It's possible to do everything what the Word of God says in 493 00:29:47,720 --> 00:29:57,000 pattern, in assembly, in manner of life, but have a heart that 494 00:29:57,000 --> 00:30:00,440 is not convicted and converted in Jesus Christ. 495 00:30:03,440 --> 00:30:07,680 It's kind of like going through the motions, Folks, I'm going to 496 00:30:07,680 --> 00:30:09,000 say this. I don't know how it is with you 497 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:13,320 because I can't judge your heart and I'm not trying to, but I 498 00:30:13,320 --> 00:30:17,000 want to ask you a question. You are here in the pews today 499 00:30:17,040 --> 00:30:22,320 on this Lord's Day. I want to ask you, how's your 500 00:30:22,320 --> 00:30:26,520 heart? The Lord got you to come here 501 00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:28,680 and assemble, but did the Lord have your heart? 502 00:30:29,480 --> 00:30:31,920 I'm just going to say yes. Got all of you, got all of your 503 00:30:31,920 --> 00:30:35,240 hearts. Only you can answer that though. 504 00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:43,000 Does the Lord have your heart? The Lord won't accept anything 505 00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:45,280 less than everything we got. He wants our heart. 506 00:30:45,480 --> 00:30:46,720 And I know that's a growth process. 507 00:30:46,760 --> 00:30:48,400 I get that. And there's going to be more as 508 00:30:48,400 --> 00:30:49,400 you grow. I get it. 509 00:30:50,120 --> 00:30:51,840 The bottom line is He wants your heart. 510 00:30:54,320 --> 00:30:57,040 He wants a heart that is totally submissive to Him. 511 00:30:58,440 --> 00:31:02,080 Jesus, not us, must be Lord of our lives. 512 00:31:02,080 --> 00:31:04,600 You know what that means? That means it's not what I think 513 00:31:04,680 --> 00:31:06,600 it's not, doesn't mean what I prefer. 514 00:31:06,680 --> 00:31:10,080 It means what the Lord wants from my life. 515 00:31:10,360 --> 00:31:14,120 That's what that means. And he only becomes, as I said 516 00:31:14,120 --> 00:31:16,880 before, Lord of my life when I give my life totally to Him. 517 00:31:17,000 --> 00:31:21,440 OK, unfortunately on the day of judgment, there's going to be a 518 00:31:21,440 --> 00:31:24,560 sad day for some who thought that they knew Jesus but their 519 00:31:24,560 --> 00:31:29,680 relationship was one sided and based upon human standards. 520 00:31:30,360 --> 00:31:35,200 Remember, it's not what we get, it's what we give. 521 00:31:35,200 --> 00:31:37,680 As our brother said before we started our services today, 522 00:31:37,680 --> 00:31:41,080 please get that. It is not what we get, it is 523 00:31:41,080 --> 00:31:44,160 what we give. Have you ever heard somebody 524 00:31:44,160 --> 00:31:47,400 say, you know, I just quit going because I just, I just wasn't 525 00:31:47,400 --> 00:31:50,440 getting anything out of it. I've said this to you before. 526 00:31:53,400 --> 00:31:55,280 The question right after that should be this. 527 00:31:55,480 --> 00:32:00,160 If you weren't getting anything out of it, were you putting 528 00:32:00,160 --> 00:32:04,600 anything in it? Because that's what it's about. 529 00:32:05,480 --> 00:32:08,480 It's about putting something in it. 530 00:32:09,120 --> 00:32:12,480 It's all about God. Oh, we get a lot from it though, 531 00:32:12,640 --> 00:32:14,080 man. We feel good when we worship in 532 00:32:14,080 --> 00:32:15,600 spirit and truth. Oh, we feel great. 533 00:32:16,080 --> 00:32:18,280 Oh, and by the way, we get the ultimate thing. 534 00:32:18,320 --> 00:32:21,520 It's kind of like years ago, my father-in-law wrote Johnny 535 00:32:21,520 --> 00:32:24,280 Elmore an e-mail when I decided I wanted to preach. 536 00:32:24,280 --> 00:32:26,960 You know what Johnny said? He writes back, and he said 537 00:32:26,960 --> 00:32:29,720 this. He said, I'm so glad that he 538 00:32:29,720 --> 00:32:31,680 wants to devote his life to preach in the gospel. 539 00:32:31,680 --> 00:32:33,040 That's wonderful. But I'm going to tell you he's 540 00:32:33,040 --> 00:32:34,840 going to wear many a ragged coat. 541 00:32:35,640 --> 00:32:39,640 But then he said, but the retirement is out of this world. 542 00:32:41,120 --> 00:32:42,400 Oh, we're going to get something. 543 00:32:44,240 --> 00:32:45,600 We're going to get something great. 544 00:32:47,320 --> 00:32:48,640 It's just going to be over there. 545 00:32:50,640 --> 00:32:54,800 That's what we're going to get. But our service as we live as 546 00:32:54,800 --> 00:32:58,960 Christians on this earth needs to be about our service to God, 547 00:32:59,040 --> 00:33:01,360 what we give and not what we get. 548 00:33:01,520 --> 00:33:08,480 You know, when John F Kennedy said, ask not what your country 549 00:33:08,480 --> 00:33:13,920 can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country, I 550 00:33:13,920 --> 00:33:15,600 thought about that driving down the road and I thought, man, 551 00:33:15,760 --> 00:33:17,960 I'll tell you what, man, that when it comes to the church, 552 00:33:17,960 --> 00:33:20,720 isn't the same thing true? Ask not what the church can do 553 00:33:20,720 --> 00:33:22,160 for you, but what you can do for the church. 554 00:33:23,640 --> 00:33:26,600 Ask not what the Lord can do for you, ask what you can do for the 555 00:33:26,600 --> 00:33:29,320 Lord. That's what our mindset should 556 00:33:29,320 --> 00:33:31,160 be. I don't know if I'm going to do 557 00:33:31,160 --> 00:33:32,080 this. I'm thinking about it. 558 00:33:32,400 --> 00:33:34,000 I'm almost done. We have one more sermon, by the 559 00:33:34,000 --> 00:33:35,040 way, on the Sermon on the Mountain. 560 00:33:35,040 --> 00:33:38,480 I'm going to do some other stuff but haven't decided yet, but I 561 00:33:38,480 --> 00:33:46,480 may preach either a sermon or a series on our relationship as 562 00:33:46,480 --> 00:33:51,720 members of the church and our responsibilities as members of a 563 00:33:51,720 --> 00:33:55,840 body. What is my responsibility to the 564 00:33:55,840 --> 00:34:00,120 body of Christ? I haven't decided yet, but I may 565 00:34:00,120 --> 00:34:04,520 do that. We all have a responsibility and 566 00:34:04,520 --> 00:34:06,600 it's what we give and not what we get. 567 00:34:07,320 --> 00:34:09,560 Jesus said this in the next verse though. 568 00:34:10,239 --> 00:34:16,080 Then will I declare to them? He said I never knew you. 569 00:34:17,199 --> 00:34:20,120 That is a very, very sad, sad phrase. 570 00:34:20,120 --> 00:34:23,520 I never knew you. That phrase right there, by the 571 00:34:23,520 --> 00:34:27,040 way, is a Hebrew idiom that means to have an intimate 572 00:34:27,040 --> 00:34:30,880 relationship with what he's saying is he's not saying I 573 00:34:30,880 --> 00:34:34,880 never knew who you were. That is a mistranslation of that 574 00:34:34,880 --> 00:34:38,480 passage. What he was saying is I never 575 00:34:38,480 --> 00:34:43,000 had an intimate, excuse me, two sided relationship with you. 576 00:34:44,000 --> 00:34:46,920 It's got to go two ways. The Bible says the Lord knows 577 00:34:46,920 --> 00:34:49,880 them that are his. So those that are his, we got to 578 00:34:49,880 --> 00:34:52,120 depart from iniquity. We got to keep his commandments. 579 00:34:52,199 --> 00:34:56,400 We got to Part 2, right? It's a two way St. in our 580 00:34:56,400 --> 00:35:01,240 Christian life when Jesus will say I never knew you, he's 581 00:35:01,240 --> 00:35:03,920 saying I never had an intimate relationship with you. 582 00:35:03,920 --> 00:35:07,640 And by the way, that phrase new is the same phrase that goes all 583 00:35:07,640 --> 00:35:10,640 the way back to the book of Genesis when it talks about the 584 00:35:10,640 --> 00:35:15,080 marriage relationship, the intimate relationship. 585 00:35:15,240 --> 00:35:17,600 Well, you know what? We have a marriage relationship 586 00:35:17,600 --> 00:35:22,040 with our Lord too. We are the bride of Christ in 587 00:35:22,040 --> 00:35:24,000 the Lord's church. We are his bride. 588 00:35:25,200 --> 00:35:31,640 OK, Those outside the bride, Jesus will say, I never had a 589 00:35:31,640 --> 00:35:35,400 relationship with you in that way. 590 00:35:36,400 --> 00:35:40,560 In other words, Jesus is saying that they live their lives 591 00:35:40,560 --> 00:35:43,920 thinking they know Jesus but their relationship is 1 sided 592 00:35:43,920 --> 00:35:45,880 and not based on the Lord's terms. 593 00:35:46,160 --> 00:35:50,720 And then Jesus said this. I will say to them, depart from 594 00:35:50,720 --> 00:35:53,680 me you that practice lawlessness. 595 00:35:55,080 --> 00:35:59,920 You know very sad folks will be castaway because not because I 596 00:35:59,920 --> 00:36:02,160 got to make this point. Please don't leave here 597 00:36:02,160 --> 00:36:05,640 discouraged if you're trying your best to live a Christian 598 00:36:05,640 --> 00:36:09,720 life because you know what these are not words that are going or 599 00:36:09,720 --> 00:36:14,200 reflecting upon a person that is doing their best and sometimes 600 00:36:14,200 --> 00:36:17,480 stumbles with occasional faults and occasional sins. 601 00:36:17,600 --> 00:36:19,040 That is not what we're talking about. 602 00:36:20,560 --> 00:36:25,480 Jesus says depart from me those that practice lawlessness. 603 00:36:27,880 --> 00:36:30,280 What is that? Well, first of all, everybody's 604 00:36:30,280 --> 00:36:31,720 going to stumble. I don't care who you are. 605 00:36:31,720 --> 00:36:33,720 Every Christian is going to stumble. 606 00:36:34,320 --> 00:36:37,240 And we all find comfort in the Lord's continual healing. 607 00:36:37,360 --> 00:36:40,560 That's why first John chapter 1 and seven says, but if we walk 608 00:36:40,560 --> 00:36:43,440 in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with 609 00:36:43,440 --> 00:36:47,360 one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us 610 00:36:47,560 --> 00:36:51,840 from all sin. We all enjoy or benefit from the 611 00:36:51,840 --> 00:36:55,440 blessings of the continual cleansing of Jesus Christ, his 612 00:36:55,440 --> 00:36:59,200 blood, when we sin. OK, So what are we talking 613 00:36:59,200 --> 00:37:00,160 about? When we're talking about 614 00:37:00,160 --> 00:37:01,800 lawlessness? We're talking about 615 00:37:01,800 --> 00:37:04,480 disobedience. What kind of disobedience is 616 00:37:04,480 --> 00:37:06,200 that? Here it is. 617 00:37:06,840 --> 00:37:11,880 It is constant, unrepentant rebellion. 618 00:37:13,160 --> 00:37:16,320 And the Greek phrase here, the Greek tense here indicates a 619 00:37:16,320 --> 00:37:21,320 continuous regular action representing a pattern of life, 620 00:37:21,440 --> 00:37:24,320 not somebody that just makes mistakes here and there and does 621 00:37:24,320 --> 00:37:25,760 everything they can to get things right. 622 00:37:26,960 --> 00:37:32,880 The point is this, those that practice lawlessness are those 623 00:37:32,880 --> 00:37:39,640 that are in continual sin, and continual sin is incompatible 624 00:37:40,160 --> 00:37:45,160 with God's plan for our lives. You know God provided the blood 625 00:37:45,160 --> 00:37:48,600 of Jesus that we contact initially at baptism, but we 626 00:37:48,600 --> 00:37:51,240 also have the blood of Jesus Christ for the rest of our lives 627 00:37:52,240 --> 00:37:54,160 and we must strive to ever walk in the light. 628 00:37:54,160 --> 00:37:56,000 So what do we got to do We're going to be perfect. 629 00:37:56,000 --> 00:37:57,280 Nope, going to mess up absolutely. 630 00:37:57,280 --> 00:37:58,520 This is what we got to do. Here it is. 631 00:37:59,160 --> 00:38:02,440 We have to be willing to repent and confess our sins. 632 00:38:02,600 --> 00:38:06,920 James 516 Confess your faults one to another and pray one for 633 00:38:06,920 --> 00:38:10,000 another that you may be healed. The effective fervent prayer of 634 00:38:10,000 --> 00:38:13,000 a righteous man avails much very familiar passage. 635 00:38:13,080 --> 00:38:15,520 Here's another one. First John chapter 1 and verse 636 00:38:15,520 --> 00:38:18,320 9. If we confess our sins, He's 637 00:38:18,320 --> 00:38:22,120 faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from 638 00:38:22,240 --> 00:38:25,240 all unrighteousness. No, you're not going to be 639 00:38:25,240 --> 00:38:27,360 perfect. Yes, you are going to mess up. 640 00:38:28,720 --> 00:38:32,320 But you confess those sins to God with repentance in your 641 00:38:32,320 --> 00:38:35,280 heart, and the blood of Jesus washes those sins away. 642 00:38:35,400 --> 00:38:37,680 And you know what? You are not living a lawless 643 00:38:37,680 --> 00:38:40,760 life. By the way, lawlessness is 644 00:38:40,760 --> 00:38:43,040 someone that is not keeping and upholding the law. 645 00:38:43,200 --> 00:38:44,760 We're not under the law of Moses. 646 00:38:45,600 --> 00:38:49,920 We are under the law of Jesus Christ and that's given to us in 647 00:38:49,920 --> 00:38:53,320 the last will and testament of Jesus That is bound by the New 648 00:38:53,320 --> 00:38:55,160 Testament. That's what we are bound by. 649 00:38:57,520 --> 00:39:02,440 Makes sense. So here's the flip side and I'm 650 00:39:02,440 --> 00:39:04,880 finished. But notice going to say 651 00:39:04,880 --> 00:39:07,680 something really encouraging. Now, this is not very 652 00:39:07,680 --> 00:39:09,160 encouraging. This is a little bit scary. 653 00:39:10,240 --> 00:39:12,440 It's going to be some people that try to do it on their own 654 00:39:12,440 --> 00:39:15,640 way and don't follow what the word of God says and don't 655 00:39:15,640 --> 00:39:17,480 follow the Lord the way the Lord says to follow him. 656 00:39:17,480 --> 00:39:20,400 And unfortunately when that happens, Jesus is going to say, 657 00:39:20,400 --> 00:39:23,280 I never had an intimate relationship with you, so 658 00:39:23,280 --> 00:39:26,400 therefore depart from me, You who practiced lawlessness. 659 00:39:26,600 --> 00:39:28,600 Let me talk about something that's really, really great. 660 00:39:29,040 --> 00:39:33,720 How about this passage though? His Lord said to him, well done, 661 00:39:33,760 --> 00:39:37,720 good and faithful servant. Oh, I love that one. 662 00:39:39,280 --> 00:39:41,360 You've been faithful over a few things. 663 00:39:41,360 --> 00:39:43,440 I will make you ruler over many things. 664 00:39:43,440 --> 00:39:48,520 Enter into the joy of your Lord, who gets to hear the words. 665 00:39:48,520 --> 00:39:52,400 Enter into the joy of your Lord, good and faithful servant. 666 00:39:53,800 --> 00:39:57,080 That's it. You want to go to heaven, become 667 00:39:57,080 --> 00:39:59,800 a Christian, be baptized for their mission of your sins, and 668 00:39:59,800 --> 00:40:01,720 then just be a good and faithful servant. 669 00:40:01,720 --> 00:40:05,680 What's the big deal? Do that and you will never hear 670 00:40:05,680 --> 00:40:08,520 the words. Depart from me you that practice 671 00:40:08,520 --> 00:40:09,480 lawlessness. Why? 672 00:40:09,640 --> 00:40:12,040 Because you're following what the word of God says, You're 673 00:40:12,040 --> 00:40:15,040 following the Lord. You're following the shepherd on 674 00:40:15,040 --> 00:40:17,280 that difficult path that leads to life. 675 00:40:19,880 --> 00:40:23,920 It's all about choice and it's all about conviction. 676 00:40:26,720 --> 00:40:32,800 I can't imagine any greater words ever spoken to my ears. 677 00:40:34,120 --> 00:40:40,560 Then one day if the Lord would just say, Frank, get in here, 678 00:40:42,080 --> 00:40:45,360 come on. And you know what the Bible 679 00:40:45,360 --> 00:40:49,560 talks about when it talks about making it into heaven. 680 00:40:51,120 --> 00:40:54,240 I've said this before. I said, man, if I, if I, if I 681 00:40:54,240 --> 00:40:56,280 got to be a street sweeper in heaven, I just want to get in. 682 00:40:57,480 --> 00:40:59,840 I've said stuff like, man, if I just squeak in, I don't care. 683 00:40:59,840 --> 00:41:01,840 Just let me squeal in. You know something? 684 00:41:01,960 --> 00:41:07,680 If I, if I make it, if you make it, we ain't squeaking nothing. 685 00:41:08,680 --> 00:41:11,760 We're blowing the doors off. The Bible says we're going to 686 00:41:11,760 --> 00:41:16,440 have an abundant entrance into the everlasting Kingdom. 687 00:41:16,520 --> 00:41:18,480 What do you got to do to have an abundant entrance to the 688 00:41:18,480 --> 00:41:20,600 everlasting Kingdom? Be a good and faithful servant. 689 00:41:20,680 --> 00:41:23,240 That's it. Let's go try to do that. 690 00:41:24,200 --> 00:41:26,560 Let's go try to be better than we've been in the past. 691 00:41:27,560 --> 00:41:31,560 Let's go put the Lord first. Let's leave here with the 692 00:41:31,560 --> 00:41:34,800 determined resolve that our lives are a life of service and 693 00:41:34,800 --> 00:41:36,200 sacrifice. It's not about us. 694 00:41:36,200 --> 00:41:39,840 It's about it is about God and Jesus Christ. 695 00:41:41,800 --> 00:41:44,040 And I'm going to tell you what, like Johnny Elmore said, man, 696 00:41:44,040 --> 00:41:46,800 the, the, the retirement will be out of this world. 697 00:41:47,200 --> 00:41:49,760 Great stuff. I'm through this this afternoon. 698 00:41:49,760 --> 00:41:51,000 Thank you for your kind listening. 699 00:41:52,360 --> 00:41:55,120 We never close a time when we teach from the word of God 700 00:41:55,120 --> 00:41:57,920 without extending an invitation. It's the greatest invitation in 701 00:41:57,920 --> 00:42:01,800 all the world, and that is the invitation to become a 702 00:42:01,800 --> 00:42:03,760 Christian, to be saved. It's very simple. 703 00:42:04,360 --> 00:42:06,080 The first thing you got to do, you got to hear the word of God 704 00:42:06,080 --> 00:42:08,880 in Romans 10/17. So then faith comes by hearing 705 00:42:08,880 --> 00:42:13,280 and hearing by the word of God. After you hear the word of God, 706 00:42:13,280 --> 00:42:14,920 you got a choice to make. You got to believe with all your 707 00:42:14,920 --> 00:42:17,080 heart. Hebrews 11:00 and 6:00 But 708 00:42:17,080 --> 00:42:20,160 without faith it's impossible to please him, for he who comes to 709 00:42:20,160 --> 00:42:24,840 God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those 710 00:42:24,840 --> 00:42:27,840 who diligently seek Him. Then what do you got to do? 711 00:42:27,920 --> 00:42:31,360 Hey, I got to change some stuff. I got to repent of my sins. 712 00:42:32,120 --> 00:42:34,520 Acts 1730. Truly, these times of ignorance 713 00:42:34,520 --> 00:42:37,520 God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent. 714 00:42:37,720 --> 00:42:39,520 That just means I'm changing my mind. 715 00:42:39,640 --> 00:42:42,520 I'm changing my direction, which is the greatest thing ever. 716 00:42:42,680 --> 00:42:44,520 I'm going to change my relationship with the Lord, 717 00:42:44,560 --> 00:42:46,680 because guess what? I'm about to have one now. 718 00:42:47,400 --> 00:42:50,880 Then what say the greatest thing you will ever say, Confess Jesus 719 00:42:50,880 --> 00:42:54,440 Christ as the Son of God. Acts 837 Then Philip said, if 720 00:42:54,440 --> 00:42:55,960 you believe with all your heart, you may. 721 00:42:56,320 --> 00:43:00,400 And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the 722 00:43:00,400 --> 00:43:04,160 Son of God. Upon taking those steps, you are 723 00:43:04,160 --> 00:43:07,800 now a fit candidate to go down to the point of salvation, and 724 00:43:07,800 --> 00:43:10,840 that isn't baptism for the remission of sins. 725 00:43:10,840 --> 00:43:14,000 Mark 1616. He who believes and is baptized 726 00:43:14,000 --> 00:43:17,760 will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned. 727 00:43:17,760 --> 00:43:20,240 If you've never taken those steps, we would love to assist 728 00:43:20,240 --> 00:43:23,280 you in doing that today. Become a Christian today. 729 00:43:23,280 --> 00:43:25,480 We'd love to assist you in that. We can fill this baptistery up 730 00:43:25,480 --> 00:43:28,120 really fast. Maybe you have taken those 731 00:43:28,120 --> 00:43:29,480 steps. Maybe there's something in your 732 00:43:29,480 --> 00:43:32,040 life that just isn't what it should be and it's of a public 733 00:43:32,040 --> 00:43:33,920 nature that you feel like you need to get off your chest. 734 00:43:33,920 --> 00:43:36,240 If that is the case, then repent of those things. 735 00:43:36,240 --> 00:43:38,920 Confess those things, and we'll pray with you and for you, and 736 00:43:38,920 --> 00:43:41,280 God will forgive and restore. If you want to be the class, 737 00:43:41,280 --> 00:43:43,280 come forward while we stand and while we see.