1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:12,650 Matthew chapter 10, Matthew chapter 10 is awesome because 2 00:00:12,650 --> 00:00:16,490 we've got this whole, this whole all of chapter 10 is this 3 00:00:16,490 --> 00:00:20,010 discourse where Jesus is giving the command of the disciples. 4 00:00:20,010 --> 00:00:23,850 And now we're really coming to where I think the wave is most 5 00:00:23,850 --> 00:00:26,370 powerfully crashing from everything that he's been 6 00:00:26,370 --> 00:00:27,850 saying. He's been giving a lot of 7 00:00:27,850 --> 00:00:29,410 instruction throughout chapter 10. 8 00:00:30,290 --> 00:00:33,210 Thank you, Chris. He's been giving a lot of 9 00:00:33,210 --> 00:00:34,570 instruction throughout chapter 10. 10 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:36,960 He's called the disciples to him. 11 00:00:37,160 --> 00:00:39,480 He's given them authority that's all powerful. 12 00:00:39,480 --> 00:00:41,080 It's all profound. It's all amazing. 13 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:44,120 We learned the names of the disciples from Matthew. 14 00:00:44,480 --> 00:00:47,640 He sends them out, tells them where to go, tells them what to 15 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:49,560 do. This is all exciting times. 16 00:00:49,840 --> 00:00:52,640 But then he's saying, behold, I'm sending you out a sheep 17 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:54,400 among wolves. Here's how I want you to be 18 00:00:54,400 --> 00:00:56,240 wise. I want you to pay attention. 19 00:00:56,240 --> 00:01:01,240 Be aware, persecution is coming. And now he comes and says what I 20 00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:04,560 think are the most strongest statements that Jesus makes 21 00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:09,280 about himself, where he makes himself exclusive and distinct 22 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:12,280 from everything and everybody who has ever lived. 23 00:01:12,480 --> 00:01:15,240 No one has ever talked this way. No one has ever talked this way 24 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:18,000 and been taken seriously. We should say that anyone who's 25 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:21,840 ever talked the way that Jesus talked, either it was Jesus or 26 00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:24,200 it was an insane person. Those are the only two 27 00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:26,240 categories. There's either the king who 28 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:29,720 everyone goes, there's weight, there's power, this is reality. 29 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:32,840 Or you just go, man, that poor homeless guy, he's really off 30 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:36,640 his rocker, like, you know, or he's high or intoxicated on 31 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:38,000 something. Let's pray for him. 32 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:40,120 Let's be a blessing. Those are the two categories of 33 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:43,960 the people who speak this way. So we come to Jesus's words in 34 00:01:43,960 --> 00:01:48,760 verse 34 through 39. Do not think that I have come to 35 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:52,760 bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, 36 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:57,960 but a sword, for I have come to set a man against his father, 37 00:01:58,240 --> 00:02:01,760 and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law 38 00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:06,280 against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be 39 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:11,000 those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother 40 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:15,640 more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or 41 00:02:15,640 --> 00:02:18,440 daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 42 00:02:18,920 --> 00:02:22,560 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not 43 00:02:22,560 --> 00:02:26,560 worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose 44 00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:30,960 it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 45 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:34,640 Jesus, bring us the revelation that we need right now. 46 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:36,560 Help us to not soften your words. 47 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:38,080 Help us to not change your words. 48 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:39,720 Help us to take them as You intended. 49 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:43,600 Help us to understand with clarity how we can walk in 50 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:46,200 obedience. Make us grow, make us mature, 51 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:50,640 make us strong, make us faithful until the end, and help us to 52 00:02:50,640 --> 00:02:53,000 love you with all of our heart and soul and mind and strength 53 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:55,160 and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. 54 00:02:55,840 --> 00:03:00,920 In Jesus name we pray, Amen. Do not think that I have come to 55 00:03:00,920 --> 00:03:04,560 bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, 56 00:03:04,920 --> 00:03:08,720 but a sword again, one of those things that I haven't seen too 57 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:11,760 many refrigerator magnets for in Christian bookstores for the 58 00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:13,760 words of Jesus. Not too many bumper stickers, 59 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:15,720 right? But I have been told many times 60 00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:18,800 by Christians that I need to tone it down because I need to 61 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:23,600 be more Christ like and Christ is all about Christ glory and 62 00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:26,560 that's what people forget. Christ is not ashamed to say who 63 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:28,000 he is. Is Jesus humble? 64 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:31,440 He is humble and yet he's the most humble man who has ever 65 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:33,680 existed because he's not only man, he's also God. 66 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:37,240 So he he descends to earth perfect and holy. 67 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:39,840 So he's perfectly humble in doing so. 68 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:43,040 And he also says, hey, if you don't love me more than you love 69 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:45,360 your wife, if you don't love me more than you love your husband, 70 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:47,880 if you don't love me more than you love your parents, if you 71 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:50,920 don't love me more than you love your children, you're not worthy 72 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:53,920 of me. Imagine if I spoke that way to 73 00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:55,400 you. Hey, if you don't love me more 74 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:57,720 than you love your spouse, you're not worthy of me. 75 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:01,760 It becomes absurd when you think of anyone else talking that way. 76 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:03,680 I'm not worthy of you, John Michael. 77 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:05,400 What are you even to be worthy of? 78 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:09,280 What does that even mean? Who do you think you are? 79 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:13,080 Is what you would say to me? You're not worthy of me. 80 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:14,640 What if somebody knocked on your front door? 81 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:17,880 Hey, if you don't love me more than you love anybody else, 82 00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:21,079 you're not worthy of me. And let me say it not two more, 83 00:04:21,079 --> 00:04:23,040 not one more time. Let me say it three times in 84 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:25,640 total. You're not worthy of me. 85 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:28,640 Jesus understands who he is and what he's worth. 86 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:30,400 This is why he does what he does. 87 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:32,120 This is why he acts the way he acts. 88 00:04:32,120 --> 00:04:34,280 This is why he talks the way he talks. 89 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:37,680 He continues to divide. And in fact, he says, I didn't 90 00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:40,480 even come to bring peace. I came to divide. 91 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:41,720 We're going to break all this down. 92 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:44,200 We're going to answer all the questions that you already have. 93 00:04:44,640 --> 00:04:46,840 First of all, though, he says, I have come. 94 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:49,640 Not everybody even can talk that way. 95 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:53,640 Jesus comes from somewhere. Where did he come from? 96 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:56,200 He came from heaven to earth already. 97 00:04:56,200 --> 00:04:58,800 Now you have to reckon with this man Christ. 98 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:02,360 You have to reckon with Jesus before you take your last 99 00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:04,240 breath. We say your breath. 100 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:07,760 Before you take the last breath that He gives you, before you 101 00:05:07,760 --> 00:05:10,360 return the breath to the giver of the breath, which is the very 102 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:14,720 last thing you'll do by the way, on earth is return breath to God 103 00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:17,880 as you die that He gave to you that you borrowed for a season 104 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:25,360 is you'll have to reconcile with Jesus one way or another. 105 00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:28,600 You've got to determine and decide this man who said he came 106 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:31,680 from heaven, that that is the question, where did he come 107 00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:33,120 from? He came from heaven to earth. 108 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:35,520 No one else can say that they came from somewhere. 109 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:38,400 They can just say that they were born, that they just had a 110 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:40,280 start. They had a beginning date, they 111 00:05:40,280 --> 00:05:43,200 had a birthday or they had a moment that they were conceived. 112 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:47,600 But Jesus has always existed, even though he was conceived by 113 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:50,960 the Holy Spirit in Mary's womb. Jesus has always been. 114 00:05:51,240 --> 00:05:53,680 It's simply in the moment when he was conceived in the womb of 115 00:05:53,680 --> 00:05:59,440 Mary that the word became flesh. So you can't read Matthew's 116 00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:02,920 gospel and come away thinking, man, Jesus seems like a super 117 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:05,720 interesting guy. You cannot read the gospels and 118 00:06:05,720 --> 00:06:08,560 have that conclusion. You have to be Bible ignorant to 119 00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:11,880 come to that conclusion. You have to be a worldling. 120 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:14,360 You have to be a lukewarm Christian to come to those kinds 121 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:15,120 of conclusions. Go. 122 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:17,880 Well, you know, Jesus was for me, but it wasn't for everybody. 123 00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:19,960 Go. Hey, man, you haven't read the 124 00:06:19,960 --> 00:06:21,160 New Testament. No, I have. 125 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:23,840 All right, then, it's been way too long and you don't remember 126 00:06:23,840 --> 00:06:25,480 what it says. You. 127 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:27,480 You don't remember the words of Jesus. 128 00:06:27,680 --> 00:06:30,200 Shall I read some to you? Well, the Bible's been changed 129 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:33,400 by men. All right, Fully full category 130 00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:36,320 now, like dog and pig. At this point, I'm not going to 131 00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:39,280 just pour out all of my pearls. If you would be humble to 132 00:06:39,280 --> 00:06:41,400 receive the words of the King, not the words of man, then I 133 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:43,840 would share them with you. But I'm not going to waste all 134 00:06:43,840 --> 00:06:47,440 of my breath because the harvest is ready. 135 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:50,760 So I just need to move on from 1 field to the next. 136 00:06:50,760 --> 00:06:54,560 If I get resistance, I can be gracious and I go, hey, hang on 137 00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:56,200 a second. But whenever I continue to 138 00:06:56,200 --> 00:06:59,080 receive opposition, I know that I need to move on. 139 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:01,040 But Jesus has come from somewhere. 140 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:06,280 I haven't come to do this. He says I've come to do that. 141 00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:08,760 So we're going to see that. You can't just come away and 142 00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:10,600 think Jesus was an interesting guy, man. 143 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:13,040 Jesus was like a good moral teacher. 144 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:16,280 No, he doesn't allow for us to make that vote. 145 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:18,640 We're going to see more why that's true later in the 146 00:07:18,640 --> 00:07:21,800 passage. But let's think about one of the 147 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:24,480 questions that you already have in this moment that every Jewish 148 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:26,200 reader would have had. Remember, Matthew wrote his 149 00:07:26,200 --> 00:07:29,360 Gospel for the Jews. Matthew's a Jew writing to the 150 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:31,520 Jews. He's constantly referencing Old 151 00:07:31,520 --> 00:07:33,760 Testament Scripture. Jesus is actually quoting Micah 152 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:35,680 in this passage as well. He's paraphrasing it. 153 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:40,720 And so he's constantly showing Jewish readers, hey, guys, you 154 00:07:40,720 --> 00:07:42,040 know how the Messiah is supposed to do this. 155 00:07:42,040 --> 00:07:43,760 And they go, yeah, we know the Messiah is supposed to do that. 156 00:07:43,760 --> 00:07:46,360 And he goes, Jesus did that. And they go, interesting. 157 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:48,840 And over and over Matthew goes, you know how the Messiah is 158 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:50,320 supposed to do this. And Jewish readers are going, 159 00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:52,640 yeah, yeah, we know that. And he goes, yeah, Jesus did 160 00:07:52,640 --> 00:07:55,480 that, Jesus did that, Jesus did that, Jesus did that. 161 00:07:55,680 --> 00:07:57,920 But here the Jewish reader is going to be stumped a little bit 162 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:01,320 because the Messiah is supposed to bring peace. 163 00:08:01,880 --> 00:08:04,560 That's one of the promises. That's one of the guarantees. 164 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:06,920 We call Jesus the Prince of Peace. 165 00:08:07,240 --> 00:08:09,160 The Scripture says he is the Prince of peace. 166 00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:11,800 So what's going on, Jesus? Which is it? 167 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:15,160 Are you coming to bring peace or are you coming to bring a sword? 168 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:17,960 Are you the Prince of Peace? Are you the Lord of war? 169 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:21,720 What's going on here? Jesus is the Prince of Peace. 170 00:08:21,880 --> 00:08:24,280 The Messiah does bring universal peace. 171 00:08:24,800 --> 00:08:28,600 Jesus right now is bringing peace to every single heart who 172 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:31,280 receives him. That's where his peace shows up. 173 00:08:31,480 --> 00:08:33,480 But the Prince of Peace is not yet. 174 00:08:33,480 --> 00:08:37,480 Everyone say not yet. He is not yet forcefully 175 00:08:37,480 --> 00:08:39,559 establishing his peace. Guys. 176 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:43,120 He's literally going to come back and forcefully establish 177 00:08:43,280 --> 00:08:45,560 peace. We already read that the Father 178 00:08:45,560 --> 00:08:49,160 is going to make Jesus's enemies Jesus's footstool. 179 00:08:49,760 --> 00:08:52,080 It's that's not a high position, in case you're wondering. 180 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:55,520 He's going to prop his feet up on his enemies is the point 181 00:08:55,520 --> 00:08:58,880 that's being made there. He has not yet come to fully 182 00:08:58,880 --> 00:09:03,280 establish his universal peace. He is going to do that later, 183 00:09:03,280 --> 00:09:06,120 but he is not yet making his enemies his footstool. 184 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:10,320 But now he says, I've not come to bring peace, but I've come to 185 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:14,360 bring a sword. A sword, pretty obvious, right? 186 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:17,360 This was the weapon of warfare. This was what they all 187 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:19,680 understood. They understood what a sword was 188 00:09:19,680 --> 00:09:21,240 for. A sword is for stabbing. 189 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:23,800 A sword is for cutting. A sword is for slicing. 190 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:29,280 A sword is for separating. Not a sweet image, not a pretty 191 00:09:29,280 --> 00:09:30,720 thing. If Jesus was talking to us 192 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:34,040 today, he would say I didn't come to bring peace, but a gun, 193 00:09:34,920 --> 00:09:36,800 the weapon of warfare that we're familiar with. 194 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:41,800 Man, this sounds intense. It is intense. 195 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:44,520 It is heavy. He's remember the context 196 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:45,520 though. He's explaining. 197 00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:48,920 He says, hey, you're going to be persecuted for my name's sake. 198 00:09:49,280 --> 00:09:51,400 You're going to be flogged, you're going to be beaten, 199 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:54,560 you're going to be carried into courts, you're going to be hated 200 00:09:54,920 --> 00:09:58,080 for me. And then he clarifies, I didn't 201 00:09:58,080 --> 00:10:00,400 come to bring peace, but a sword. 202 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:03,360 We're going to answer all the questions that you have. 203 00:10:03,880 --> 00:10:06,320 So Jesus does bring peace to every heart. 204 00:10:06,680 --> 00:10:09,720 Jesus has brought peace to my life, and that's not a peace 205 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:11,800 that's contingent upon your outer circumstance. 206 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:14,880 We want to clarify that it's not a peace that's contingent upon 207 00:10:14,880 --> 00:10:17,960 everything is going well. Jesus brings a peace that can 208 00:10:17,960 --> 00:10:21,160 live with you and stay with you in a North Korean prison camp. 209 00:10:21,920 --> 00:10:24,600 Jesus brings a peace that can live with you when you're having 210 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:28,680 challenges in your marriage. Jesus brings a peace when when 211 00:10:28,680 --> 00:10:30,120 your children are breaking your heart. 212 00:10:30,160 --> 00:10:32,760 Jesus brings a peace when loved ones die. 213 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:35,960 Jesus brings peace that's not based upon man. 214 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:38,520 Everything is peaceful. We're sitting in a hammock today 215 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:41,480 and the day is beautiful. We enjoy those moments. 216 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:42,800 That's the goodness of God as well. 217 00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:45,160 And yet Jesus peace is a deeper thing. 218 00:10:45,320 --> 00:10:47,680 It is a truer thing. It is a more solid thing. 219 00:10:47,680 --> 00:10:52,440 It is a more immovable thing. So the sword that he references, 220 00:10:52,440 --> 00:10:54,040 it's the obvious weapon of warfare. 221 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:58,000 But Jesus does not mean that he is handing out swords to his 222 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:02,640 disciples for them to go and forcefully and violently 223 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:04,160 establish the work of the Kingdom. 224 00:11:05,320 --> 00:11:07,080 This is very important to understand. 225 00:11:07,240 --> 00:11:11,480 We are not supposed to rise up and make Christian militias. 226 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:15,320 We are supposed to rise up and make disciples. 227 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:20,200 That is the work of the church, the government, the church, the 228 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:23,480 household, all spheres of influence that the Lord has 229 00:11:23,480 --> 00:11:25,840 given. 1 does not rule over the other three. 230 00:11:26,480 --> 00:11:29,400 They have an inner working. Jesus rules over them all. 231 00:11:29,400 --> 00:11:32,600 They each have an authority potentially over the other in 232 00:11:32,600 --> 00:11:34,560 limited degrees and in limited ways. 233 00:11:35,560 --> 00:11:39,440 But we're not supposed to rise up and make Christian militias. 234 00:11:39,920 --> 00:11:41,720 We're not supposed to take up arms. 235 00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:44,000 We're supposed to rise up and make disciples. 236 00:11:44,320 --> 00:11:46,640 We're not to advance the work of the Kingdom with physical 237 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:48,720 violence. Jesus is explaining that he 238 00:11:48,720 --> 00:11:50,960 divides people. That's what he's doing here. 239 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:55,600 He's explaining that as his church makes disciples, the 240 00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:57,640 wicked will attack the righteous. 241 00:11:57,880 --> 00:11:59,240 That's the point that he's making. 242 00:12:00,560 --> 00:12:02,880 That is the sense in which he brings the sword. 243 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:06,960 There will be division because light and darkness cannot be 244 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:09,600 together, and darkness will resist. 245 00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:12,200 That's the point that Jesus is making. 246 00:12:13,160 --> 00:12:15,520 Darkness will resist. The Word of God is often 247 00:12:15,520 --> 00:12:19,240 described as a sword. The word of God is a sword that 248 00:12:19,240 --> 00:12:21,440 divides. It is a sword that exposes. 249 00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:25,200 It is a sword that cuts deeply. And when the Word of God is 250 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:29,520 wielded, it will necessarily create division between light 251 00:12:29,520 --> 00:12:32,680 and darkness. It is inevitable, and you cannot 252 00:12:32,680 --> 00:12:36,240 stop it, nor should you try. You go, oh, there's this tension 253 00:12:36,240 --> 00:12:38,320 we have to navigate. It's a sword. 254 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:40,640 Jesus chose his imagery on purpose. 255 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:43,720 He didn't use the soft analogies that you and I want to put into 256 00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:46,000 place. He used the harsh, divisive ones 257 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:48,960 that he intended to use. He doesn't need us to come clean 258 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:51,240 up his language. He doesn't want us to. 259 00:12:51,560 --> 00:12:53,440 That would then begin to miss his message. 260 00:12:53,800 --> 00:12:56,520 His message is, hey, it's going to hurt. 261 00:12:57,240 --> 00:13:01,280 There are deep and thick bonds that you have with people that 262 00:13:01,280 --> 00:13:03,680 you love. And he said, and I'm going to 263 00:13:03,680 --> 00:13:06,280 sever those. Why would you do that to me? 264 00:13:06,280 --> 00:13:07,200 Jesus? He's going to know. 265 00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:10,200 You misunderstand. It's not that I want to sever 266 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:12,960 you from those people. It's that my truth is going to 267 00:13:12,960 --> 00:13:16,880 come and change your life. And then you being a Christian 268 00:13:16,880 --> 00:13:19,320 will actually start to act like a Christian. 269 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:23,080 You having a new life, you will begin to behave as though you 270 00:13:23,080 --> 00:13:25,920 have a new life. And that is where the divide 271 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:28,800 will come. Some will be made disciples by 272 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:31,480 you. That's our only goal, That every 273 00:13:31,480 --> 00:13:34,000 heart would be one, That every life would be saved. 274 00:13:34,240 --> 00:13:38,560 And yet, my disciples, he's teaching us, it won't be that 275 00:13:38,560 --> 00:13:41,160 way with everyone. Some will harden their hearts 276 00:13:41,160 --> 00:13:44,520 against you and hate you. Some will distance themselves. 277 00:13:44,520 --> 00:13:47,960 And it will be in that moment when you will have to choose who 278 00:13:47,960 --> 00:13:50,600 you will love. And that is why He makes the 279 00:13:50,600 --> 00:13:52,240 distinctions he then goes in to make. 280 00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:57,440 If you love your spouse, If you love your children, you go wait 281 00:13:57,440 --> 00:13:58,240 a second. He says. 282 00:13:58,680 --> 00:13:59,680 You're. You're telling me I have to 283 00:13:59,680 --> 00:14:00,920 pick. Absolutely. 284 00:14:01,800 --> 00:14:05,480 Jesus is jealous. God is a jealous God. 285 00:14:05,960 --> 00:14:08,120 What does that mean? Does it mean he's jealous of 286 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:08,840 what I have? No. 287 00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:11,520 He's not jealous of you. He is jealous for you. 288 00:14:11,880 --> 00:14:14,360 He is a husband who won't share his wife. 289 00:14:14,920 --> 00:14:18,160 I I know the feeling. That is a jealous thing. 290 00:14:18,160 --> 00:14:19,720 And marriage is a good thing. It's not. 291 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:21,960 I'm not jealous that Natalie gets to go hang out at the pool 292 00:14:21,960 --> 00:14:24,200 while I work. Like, that's a blessing. 293 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:26,240 Good. Go hang out, have a great day. 294 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:30,000 But I'm jealous for my wife. I'm jealous for her. 295 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:33,240 She's all mine and only mine. And she was like, well, hey, 296 00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:35,240 this guy from high school reached out and he was saying 297 00:14:35,240 --> 00:14:38,480 maybe we can get lunch. Like, ha, ha, ha, very funny. 298 00:14:39,080 --> 00:14:42,800 That's hilarious. Over literally over my dead 299 00:14:42,800 --> 00:14:44,040 body. Would that happen? 300 00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:45,560 That's the only way it would happen. 301 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:47,640 You sound like a jealous husband. 302 00:14:47,920 --> 00:14:49,760 Guilty. Lock me up and throw away the 303 00:14:49,760 --> 00:14:52,040 key. I'm not sorry. 304 00:14:52,040 --> 00:14:54,480 Jesus isn't sorry. He says I won't share you. 305 00:14:55,080 --> 00:14:59,200 I want all of you. And yet He does command deep 306 00:14:59,200 --> 00:15:01,680 love in marriage. We know how much God honors 307 00:15:01,840 --> 00:15:05,400 family, father, mother, spouse, children. 308 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:08,600 We see all of His commands to love and yet He prioritizes. 309 00:15:08,760 --> 00:15:11,960 You have to love me more. And if you don't love me more 310 00:15:11,960 --> 00:15:16,440 than you love them, you're not worthy of me, is the way he puts 311 00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:18,760 it. That is a divisive message, 312 00:15:18,760 --> 00:15:21,040 isn't it? And said, hey, everybody 313 00:15:21,040 --> 00:15:24,120 together, I'm willing to be one God among many. 314 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:26,160 That was always the story throughout Scripture. 315 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:30,200 I am not one God among many. That is what still gets 316 00:15:30,200 --> 00:15:33,720 Christians persecuted today. You will not be persecuted like 317 00:15:33,720 --> 00:15:37,000 we said last week, just because you're going, I just love Jesus 318 00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:40,040 so much. It's not because you're loving 319 00:15:40,040 --> 00:15:42,560 Jesus so much. It's because loving Jesus is 320 00:15:42,560 --> 00:15:45,840 going to look like something. Do you understand? 321 00:15:46,080 --> 00:15:48,280 Loving Jesus looks like something. 322 00:15:48,440 --> 00:15:50,680 It means you said no to that invitation. 323 00:15:50,840 --> 00:15:54,480 It means you said yes to that one and that it it showed up in 324 00:15:54,480 --> 00:15:57,400 a practical way over the Thanksgiving table during 325 00:15:57,400 --> 00:16:00,480 conversation. It wasn't just a private 326 00:16:01,280 --> 00:16:03,040 interior thing that was happening. 327 00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:05,840 Loving Jesus looks like something. 328 00:16:05,840 --> 00:16:08,880 It necessarily must show up in a certain way. 329 00:16:09,160 --> 00:16:12,600 It's got to have a practical outcome and that's what 330 00:16:12,600 --> 00:16:14,960 sometimes you and I are tempted to hold back and go, well, let 331 00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:16,800 me not make it a public thing because that will create 332 00:16:16,800 --> 00:16:19,080 discord. Jesus said it would create 333 00:16:19,080 --> 00:16:21,880 discord. You should be you all the way. 334 00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:28,280 You should love the Lord all the way, loudly, boldly, joyfully. 335 00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:32,640 How much, how much do people celebrate their love for sin at 336 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:36,160 this point, the month of June? It will be thrown in our faces 337 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:39,200 all month long and they will be saying we are. 338 00:16:39,440 --> 00:16:42,320 Not only are we, not only are we sinners, we're proud of it. 339 00:16:42,680 --> 00:16:46,200 We delight in it. This is our identity. 340 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:48,480 But the church goes, well, I don't want to say any too much 341 00:16:48,480 --> 00:16:50,200 about Jesus because people might not believe. 342 00:16:50,440 --> 00:16:52,520 Does does the world have that approach? 343 00:16:53,840 --> 00:16:55,040 Right? That's what we've been told for 344 00:16:55,040 --> 00:16:56,800 decades. If we'll just do our thing and 345 00:16:56,800 --> 00:16:59,120 mind our business, they'll just mind theirs. 346 00:16:59,120 --> 00:17:01,200 And the enemy goes, these Christians, I love it. 347 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:06,079 They're like sheep, but they're not wise as serpents, they're 348 00:17:06,079 --> 00:17:08,520 naive as sheep. They're dumb as sheep and they 349 00:17:08,520 --> 00:17:09,760 just go. We'll just mind our business 350 00:17:09,760 --> 00:17:12,079 over here and maybe we won't get shoved off the Cliff. 351 00:17:13,079 --> 00:17:14,920 So what do we do? Is now the time to rise up? 352 00:17:14,920 --> 00:17:20,400 Yes, rise up and make disciples. Rise up and love the Lord your 353 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:22,560 God with all your heart and soul and mind and strength. 354 00:17:23,319 --> 00:17:26,480 But that will be divisive. Yes, Jesus is divisive. 355 00:17:26,560 --> 00:17:29,040 He didn't come to bring peace. You're not going to have 356 00:17:29,040 --> 00:17:30,560 peaceful interactions with everyone. 357 00:17:31,200 --> 00:17:33,200 You should. To the degree that you are able 358 00:17:33,200 --> 00:17:35,200 to live at peace with everyone we're commanded. 359 00:17:35,560 --> 00:17:37,840 To the degree that I'm able, I'll live at peace with 360 00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:41,680 everyone, but I'm not able to control their side of the 361 00:17:41,680 --> 00:17:43,840 equation. I can only control mine. 362 00:17:45,280 --> 00:17:50,160 So the Word of God will divide. Light and darkness will be 363 00:17:50,160 --> 00:17:52,560 clarified. There will be a separation. 364 00:17:53,240 --> 00:17:55,320 Jesus said. For I have come to set a man 365 00:17:55,320 --> 00:18:04,440 against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and 366 00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:07,080 a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 367 00:18:08,200 --> 00:18:12,680 And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. 368 00:18:15,480 --> 00:18:18,600 Jesus isn't saying he wants people to rebel against his 369 00:18:18,600 --> 00:18:20,000 will. He's just saying that they're 370 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:22,560 going to. Now we tend to think of enemies 371 00:18:23,040 --> 00:18:24,920 as people who live in a faraway land. 372 00:18:25,440 --> 00:18:28,280 You know, somebody who's praying to Allah who wants to cut our 373 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:32,400 head off, Maybe we think of someone like a local criminal or 374 00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:34,920 something like that, who maybe wants to break into our home and 375 00:18:34,920 --> 00:18:38,160 hurt us or our family. But Jesus is saying that in some 376 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:41,560 instances, not in every instance, but in some instances, 377 00:18:41,800 --> 00:18:43,920 you're going to have an enemy in your own house. 378 00:18:45,200 --> 00:18:48,320 You might have an enemy in your own bed because your 379 00:18:48,320 --> 00:18:51,640 righteousness convicts others of their unrighteousness. 380 00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:55,200 And if they don't choose the correct response, which is 381 00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:59,720 repentance, they are left feeling exposed, ashamed and 382 00:18:59,720 --> 00:19:02,400 angry. There's two responses. 383 00:19:02,400 --> 00:19:05,320 When I feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit and when I 384 00:19:05,320 --> 00:19:08,800 recognize the holiness in your life, I can go, oh, that calls 385 00:19:08,800 --> 00:19:11,680 me up, man. Thank you brother, that that 386 00:19:11,680 --> 00:19:14,800 called me up higher. Oh, I need to grow and mature in 387 00:19:14,800 --> 00:19:16,080 that area. I need to repent. 388 00:19:16,280 --> 00:19:19,200 I need to crucify flesh or I go, whatever. 389 00:19:19,920 --> 00:19:23,840 Who do you think you are? And I begin to push back against 390 00:19:23,840 --> 00:19:25,720 it. Division was created. 391 00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:28,800 The word came, the sword came and did the work. 392 00:19:29,280 --> 00:19:31,400 And Joe Michael, what did he do when he was cut open? 393 00:19:31,920 --> 00:19:33,640 Repent. That's the right answer. 394 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:39,360 Or harden up with pride. The sword cuts to the heart when 395 00:19:39,360 --> 00:19:42,600 Stephen preaches in the book of Acts, the sword cuts to the 396 00:19:42,600 --> 00:19:45,720 heart and they murder him. The sword cuts to the heart when 397 00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:47,600 when Peter preaches and they repent. 398 00:19:47,800 --> 00:19:50,600 You don't know how people will respond to the sword of the 399 00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:52,840 Lord's word, and you are not responsible for that. 400 00:19:53,040 --> 00:19:55,360 You're just responsible to be salt and light. 401 00:19:55,760 --> 00:19:58,680 But often times the church has not spoken the words of Jesus. 402 00:19:58,960 --> 00:20:02,760 We have given a mealy mouth Mashed potato message and people 403 00:20:02,760 --> 00:20:05,600 go, what exactly? And you're like, God loves you 404 00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:10,360 and like, I know I've been saying that and you're like, OK, 405 00:20:11,240 --> 00:20:12,880 want to come to church? Like, no, I'm good. 406 00:20:13,040 --> 00:20:13,800 God loves me. Why? 407 00:20:14,360 --> 00:20:17,120 Why do I need to? The message isn't clear. 408 00:20:17,200 --> 00:20:19,520 You're not blowing the trumpet on the right notes. 409 00:20:20,240 --> 00:20:22,040 You're like, well, I did play one note, but but there's a 410 00:20:22,040 --> 00:20:26,280 whole song that has to be sung. The truth of God includes the 411 00:20:26,440 --> 00:20:28,760 wrath of God and the grace of God. 412 00:20:30,720 --> 00:20:34,080 Without one, the other doesn't even make any sense or or 413 00:20:34,080 --> 00:20:35,240 without understanding the wrath of God. 414 00:20:35,240 --> 00:20:36,720 The grace doesn't even mean anything. 415 00:20:37,200 --> 00:20:39,080 God loves you. I know I'm awesome. 416 00:20:39,080 --> 00:20:43,480 Of course he does. And people believe that people 417 00:20:43,480 --> 00:20:47,120 are deceived and people need to be told the truth because you 418 00:20:47,120 --> 00:20:50,960 love them, because you love Jesus, and because you don't 419 00:20:50,960 --> 00:20:54,920 want them to lose their life. And Jesus even warns his 420 00:20:54,920 --> 00:20:56,920 disciples about that very thing for themselves. 421 00:20:57,240 --> 00:20:59,560 You're responsible, though, to be salt and light. 422 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:03,000 It looks like this. A person gets saved and begins 423 00:21:03,000 --> 00:21:07,080 to live like a saved person and others feel convicted and 424 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:10,520 warfare happens. It can be so bad that Paul on 425 00:21:10,520 --> 00:21:14,440 1st Corinthians 7 even says your spouse might leave you because 426 00:21:14,440 --> 00:21:16,680 of it and that if they do, you're free to divorce. 427 00:21:17,800 --> 00:21:20,840 We know God hates divorce, and yet he goes, hey, this can get 428 00:21:20,960 --> 00:21:23,880 like these divisions are going to go farther than you think. 429 00:21:23,880 --> 00:21:26,160 Let me clarify how far it could go. 430 00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:31,360 So the gospel is a sword. It cuts even the thickest bonds. 431 00:21:31,360 --> 00:21:33,760 It will sever. It will sever friendships that 432 00:21:33,760 --> 00:21:38,040 you've had for years, and it's going to hurt and it's going to 433 00:21:38,040 --> 00:21:40,560 break your heart. And still you have a friend who 434 00:21:40,560 --> 00:22:04,280 sticks closer than a brother. The gospel will slice through 435 00:22:04,280 --> 00:22:08,760 the thickest and the strongest bonds that you have. 436 00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:18,120 When you're betrayed or hated or just unloved by someone who once 437 00:22:18,120 --> 00:22:21,640 loved you, it's important to remember the words of your 438 00:22:21,640 --> 00:22:24,080 master because that's where you'll have to make a choice 439 00:22:24,080 --> 00:22:26,680 with your love. Because it will hurt, You'll 440 00:22:26,680 --> 00:22:30,000 feel it, and you'll go. I did not see this coming. 441 00:22:30,000 --> 00:22:33,280 I thought everybody else might separate from me, but I thought 442 00:22:33,280 --> 00:22:35,040 this relationship would stay deep. 443 00:22:35,040 --> 00:22:37,200 I thought this would stay true forever. 444 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:41,600 And Jesus, they're going. I'm worth it and I'm with you 445 00:22:42,120 --> 00:22:45,560 and I love you and I'm more and I'm worthy. 446 00:22:46,840 --> 00:22:50,080 But if I keep my eyes on people and go look at all, I'm losing. 447 00:22:50,480 --> 00:22:51,920 Look at all, I'm giving up. And he's going. 448 00:22:51,920 --> 00:22:56,440 I told you this was coming. I did tell you it was coming. 449 00:22:57,120 --> 00:22:59,040 And for some people to say he's not worth it. 450 00:23:00,200 --> 00:23:03,040 That's the choice. That most make he's not worth 451 00:23:03,040 --> 00:23:05,200 it. He's not. 452 00:23:05,360 --> 00:23:08,080 And they say I'll, I'll pick these relationships and he says 453 00:23:08,080 --> 00:23:10,480 you can, but I'll also give you that warning. 454 00:23:10,760 --> 00:23:13,480 If you hold on to that life, you're actually going to lose 455 00:23:13,480 --> 00:23:16,200 everything anyway. But if you'll lose that life, 456 00:23:16,600 --> 00:23:19,040 you will get the life that is truly life. 457 00:23:19,520 --> 00:23:22,520 I will give you the life that you were always after anyway. 458 00:23:24,960 --> 00:23:28,880 Jesus has to be more precious to us than anything in anyone. 459 00:23:31,640 --> 00:23:33,960 We have to. Remember his warning. 460 00:23:34,120 --> 00:23:37,040 These are stern words. I will not soften them for me or 461 00:23:37,040 --> 00:23:38,840 for you. I'm not the shepherd of your 462 00:23:38,840 --> 00:23:41,080 feelings. I'm a shepherd of your souls. 463 00:23:41,800 --> 00:23:45,000 Whoever loves father and Mother more than me is not worthy of 464 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:46,720 me. Whoever loves son or daughter 465 00:23:46,720 --> 00:23:48,520 more than me is not worthy of me. 466 00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:54,920 Whoever loves friends more than me is not worthy of me. 467 00:23:55,360 --> 00:23:58,680 Whoever does not take up His cross and follow me is not 468 00:23:58,680 --> 00:24:04,800 worthy of me. So we've got to make ourselves 469 00:24:05,240 --> 00:24:08,080 worthy of the calling that we've been called to. 470 00:24:08,280 --> 00:24:12,040 We have to walk out Our Calling with fear and trembling. 471 00:24:12,240 --> 00:24:15,680 We have to fear God and that will protect us from the fear of 472 00:24:15,680 --> 00:24:17,760 man. But we will. 473 00:24:17,760 --> 00:24:20,920 Fear. We must fear someone, God or 474 00:24:20,920 --> 00:24:23,360 man. But Jesus calls after our most 475 00:24:23,360 --> 00:24:26,840 precious relationships, parents, children. 476 00:24:28,080 --> 00:24:30,360 And God commands love for parents and children, like we 477 00:24:30,360 --> 00:24:32,280 said. But he requires more love for 478 00:24:32,280 --> 00:24:35,040 himself, and this could show up in many ways. 479 00:24:35,360 --> 00:24:36,720 Let's think about our modern moment. 480 00:24:37,280 --> 00:24:38,960 Sometimes Christian parents are faced with this. 481 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:42,120 They say, should I go to my child's false gay wedding? 482 00:24:43,080 --> 00:24:44,920 This wouldn't even have been a challenging thought for 483 00:24:44,920 --> 00:24:48,200 Christians 40 years ago. It would have just been an easy 484 00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:51,840 answer, but because you have been brainwashed, because you 485 00:24:51,840 --> 00:24:55,120 have seen a bazillion commercials normalizing 486 00:24:55,120 --> 00:24:58,880 degeneracy, normalizing sexual perversion over and over and 487 00:24:58,880 --> 00:25:01,600 over and being beaten over the head and told to be a nice 488 00:25:01,720 --> 00:25:07,120 Christian that you doubt, you doubt yourself and you're not 489 00:25:07,120 --> 00:25:08,800 sure what that looks like and you justify things. 490 00:25:08,800 --> 00:25:12,880 You go, well, I want to make sure I have relationship for the 491 00:25:12,880 --> 00:25:15,400 purpose of the Gospel is the thing that people will say. 492 00:25:15,400 --> 00:25:19,680 You go so you'll go celebrate. You're going to you have a 493 00:25:19,680 --> 00:25:23,360 wedding is a celebration is an affirmation is A2 thumbs up of 494 00:25:23,360 --> 00:25:27,760 what's happening instead of no, I can't participate in that. 495 00:25:27,760 --> 00:25:29,880 My love for you is deep and continuous. 496 00:25:29,880 --> 00:25:33,320 But if you're asking me to celebrate the thing and imagine, 497 00:25:33,360 --> 00:25:35,680 you know, having celebratory ceremonies for other sins, you'd 498 00:25:35,720 --> 00:25:39,280 say I can't go to that. But give it 40 years and not 499 00:25:39,280 --> 00:25:42,440 renewing our minds and not standing up to the challenges of 500 00:25:42,440 --> 00:25:46,160 our culture, and we go, well, I'm going to go to Bob ran off 501 00:25:46,160 --> 00:25:48,320 with his secretary. He's having a big celebration 502 00:25:48,320 --> 00:25:49,320 party. He's invited me. 503 00:25:49,320 --> 00:25:51,440 And, you know, I want to have a good relationship with Bob. 504 00:25:51,480 --> 00:25:53,760 So, you know, I want to make sure that I don't offend him. 505 00:25:54,200 --> 00:25:55,480 So I've got to go be a part of that. 506 00:25:57,520 --> 00:25:58,880 So we can't. Participate. 507 00:25:59,280 --> 00:26:03,320 That might be one thing that it would look like it's not a 508 00:26:03,320 --> 00:26:05,360 massive conundrum. Should we take Johnny to the 509 00:26:05,360 --> 00:26:07,280 baseball game or should we go to church? 510 00:26:07,480 --> 00:26:10,160 Again, 40 years ago, this stuff was simple. 511 00:26:10,360 --> 00:26:12,480 This stuff was plain. This stuff was easy. 512 00:26:14,240 --> 00:26:18,120 I'd do anything for my children. Careful, because children are 513 00:26:18,120 --> 00:26:20,720 wonderful as children, but they make lousy gods. 514 00:26:22,200 --> 00:26:25,040 Spouses are. Wonderful as spouses, but they 515 00:26:25,040 --> 00:26:28,480 make lousy gods. Parents are wonderful as 516 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:30,640 parents, but they make lousy gods. 517 00:26:31,160 --> 00:26:34,440 Friends are wonderful as friends, but they make lousy 518 00:26:34,440 --> 00:26:38,760 gods. And whenever I have chosen 519 00:26:38,760 --> 00:26:43,680 someone else's convictions over Jesus's convictions, then I'm 520 00:26:43,680 --> 00:26:46,640 making him. At best, I'm making him one God 521 00:26:46,640 --> 00:26:53,440 among many in my life. Not worthy of me. 522 00:26:53,520 --> 00:26:55,880 Jesus is claiming ultimate supremacy. 523 00:26:56,240 --> 00:26:59,560 He's either Lord and King of all, or he's just some crazy 524 00:26:59,560 --> 00:27:01,600 guy. You're not worthy of me. 525 00:27:01,600 --> 00:27:04,360 You're not worthy of me. You're not worthy of me unless 526 00:27:04,520 --> 00:27:08,320 you love me more. And again, loving Jesus has to 527 00:27:08,320 --> 00:27:11,200 look like something. I love Jesus more. 528 00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:15,240 Than anybody, but I'm just going to bow down to this to this, you 529 00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:17,840 know, 90 foot statue because it's just like what's bowing 530 00:27:17,840 --> 00:27:20,680 down anyway? Like it's just like knees and 531 00:27:20,680 --> 00:27:23,920 like cartilage and ligament like it's no big deal. 532 00:27:25,040 --> 00:27:28,000 It's it's no big deal. It's no big deal that I do the 533 00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:31,000 thing that everybody pressures me to do because it's just no 534 00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:32,920 big deal. It's no big deal that I watch 535 00:27:32,920 --> 00:27:35,960 this show. It's no big deal that I go to 536 00:27:35,960 --> 00:27:39,160 that wedding, false wedding. It's no big deal that I 537 00:27:39,480 --> 00:27:43,280 whatever, insert, whatever thing would oppose the will of God for 538 00:27:43,280 --> 00:27:48,360 your life with some sort of justification following Jesus 539 00:27:48,360 --> 00:27:53,920 has to look like something. And when we're tempted to look 540 00:27:53,920 --> 00:27:56,280 at ourselves with pity because of this, because of this 541 00:27:56,280 --> 00:27:59,960 separation, because of this pressure, as though I'm going 542 00:27:59,960 --> 00:28:03,800 through some unique persecution, Jesus gives a Storn a stern 543 00:28:03,800 --> 00:28:07,600 warning and a powerful promise. He seems to ask, Do you love 544 00:28:07,600 --> 00:28:11,120 them more than you love me? Do you choose them or do you 545 00:28:11,120 --> 00:28:13,360 choose me? Lot's wife comes to mind. 546 00:28:14,120 --> 00:28:16,600 As they were leaving Sodom and Gomorrah, they were commanded do 547 00:28:16,600 --> 00:28:19,840 not even look back at the city. So lot. 548 00:28:19,920 --> 00:28:22,680 Left Lot didn't look back, but Lot's wife. 549 00:28:24,160 --> 00:28:25,840 She just thought. I don't know what she was going 550 00:28:25,840 --> 00:28:27,960 to miss. I don't know what it was in her 551 00:28:27,960 --> 00:28:30,240 heart that was reaching back for Sodom and Gomorrah. 552 00:28:30,600 --> 00:28:32,440 But there's something there that she was longing for. 553 00:28:32,440 --> 00:28:37,800 There's something she was What about my friends or what about 554 00:28:37,800 --> 00:28:40,680 the shopping or I don't know. Don't know what her motive was. 555 00:28:40,680 --> 00:28:43,960 I can't assume, but I know it was deep enough that it 556 00:28:43,960 --> 00:28:47,360 displeased the Lord and that she wanted to stay. 557 00:28:47,640 --> 00:28:51,720 She didn't want Sodom and Gomorrah to be judged, to be 558 00:28:51,720 --> 00:28:54,560 condemned. And she not only didn't want, 559 00:28:54,680 --> 00:28:58,160 she didn't just love them, but she loved herself more than she 560 00:28:58,160 --> 00:29:01,080 loved the Lord. Jesus said Remember Lot's wife. 561 00:29:02,080 --> 00:29:03,960 He told us. Remember Lot's wife? 562 00:29:06,320 --> 00:29:07,840 Another Jesus. Bumper sticker that we're 563 00:29:07,840 --> 00:29:09,920 missing. Another coffee mug needs to be 564 00:29:09,920 --> 00:29:11,520 made. Remember Lot's wife? 565 00:29:11,920 --> 00:29:15,080 Jesus, Mr. Nice Jesus, who wouldn't hurt a family, 566 00:29:15,080 --> 00:29:17,440 apparently. Who turned a woman into a pillar 567 00:29:17,440 --> 00:29:23,920 of salt because she looked back. The preserving salt that she 568 00:29:23,920 --> 00:29:26,360 should have been in her life, that she refused to be during 569 00:29:26,360 --> 00:29:28,560 her lifetime, the Lord turned her into in death. 570 00:29:31,720 --> 00:29:33,040 She was holding. On to it. 571 00:29:33,200 --> 00:29:36,720 So she lost it all. If you love your parents more 572 00:29:36,720 --> 00:29:38,840 than you love him, you're not worthy to be his disciple. 573 00:29:38,840 --> 00:29:40,720 If you love your children more than you love him, you're not 574 00:29:40,720 --> 00:29:43,520 worthy to be his disciple. If you love anything or anyone 575 00:29:43,520 --> 00:29:45,840 more than him, you're not worthy to be his disciple. 576 00:29:46,280 --> 00:29:48,880 He's not begging us, He's warning us, because this is 577 00:29:48,880 --> 00:29:52,120 reality. I'm not overstating his case. 578 00:29:53,720 --> 00:29:56,160 We're meditating on it. We're drawing it out. 579 00:29:56,640 --> 00:30:00,880 But this is needed for us because we have been, we have 580 00:30:00,880 --> 00:30:03,760 certainly been told something else, something much softer. 581 00:30:04,120 --> 00:30:06,240 Repeat after me. Ask Jesus into your heart. 582 00:30:06,240 --> 00:30:08,360 Cool sea in heaven. You're in. 583 00:30:08,360 --> 00:30:09,600 Are you sure? Yeah, yeah, yeah. 584 00:30:09,600 --> 00:30:11,520 You're in. Because we did the thing you 585 00:30:11,520 --> 00:30:13,120 repeated after me, didn't you? Yeah. 586 00:30:13,120 --> 00:30:15,240 OK then. Then you're definitely in. 587 00:30:16,680 --> 00:30:19,120 Where's that in the? Bible it's not, but you know it 588 00:30:19,120 --> 00:30:21,760 works. Does the Lord save some people 589 00:30:21,760 --> 00:30:23,160 that with you, Michael? Absolutely. 590 00:30:23,320 --> 00:30:27,080 He has before and he will again. And yet, is salvation a 591 00:30:27,080 --> 00:30:29,320 formulaic process? No, it is not. 592 00:30:29,520 --> 00:30:32,440 Ask Matt who the Lord saved sovereignly sitting in his seat 593 00:30:32,600 --> 00:30:34,000 while the Word of God was preached. 594 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:36,840 Nobody led him in a prayer. Nobody told him what to do. 595 00:30:37,080 --> 00:30:40,280 But Jesus saved him and made him new, as Matt responded by faith, 596 00:30:41,280 --> 00:30:43,000 just like we've talked about with healing, it's not a 597 00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:46,240 formula. Faith is this mysterious thing 598 00:30:46,240 --> 00:30:49,040 that I don't get to wrestle down and control. 599 00:30:49,320 --> 00:30:51,800 I don't get to put it in a box and tie it up with a bow. 600 00:30:52,960 --> 00:30:55,880 It is, it's, it's more surrender involved in that. 601 00:30:55,920 --> 00:30:57,840 And that's why many of us will not walk in it. 602 00:30:58,200 --> 00:31:00,000 That's why we've stumbled into it. 603 00:31:00,160 --> 00:31:02,000 But then we get away from it because we go, well, how do I do 604 00:31:02,000 --> 00:31:05,720 that again, walk with the Lord. It's almost like a relationship. 605 00:31:08,080 --> 00:31:11,520 Jesus's recruitment is intense. There's nothing soft about it. 606 00:31:11,520 --> 00:31:14,600 He promises challenge, He promises persecution, He 607 00:31:14,600 --> 00:31:19,120 promises danger, He promises loss of life, and he says that 608 00:31:19,200 --> 00:31:22,320 loss of your life is actually a requirement. 609 00:31:26,400 --> 00:31:29,800 This is required. All who seek to live a godly 610 00:31:29,800 --> 00:31:33,160 life in Christ Jesus will be met with persecution. 611 00:31:35,000 --> 00:31:38,760 It almost seems easier experiencing a persecution from 612 00:31:38,760 --> 00:31:41,240 an enemy who who really hates your guts. 613 00:31:41,240 --> 00:31:43,960 I imagine sometimes that that would even be easier than the 614 00:31:43,960 --> 00:31:47,920 loved one, than the loved one who just starts to shun you, 615 00:31:48,320 --> 00:31:51,080 than the friend or family member who just starts to dance at you 616 00:31:51,080 --> 00:31:55,400 because you go, that one stings. The other one I was prepared 617 00:31:55,400 --> 00:31:56,920 for. The other one I knew going into 618 00:31:56,920 --> 00:31:59,080 this whole thing that that was a risk I was taking. 619 00:31:59,440 --> 00:32:02,120 But the loved one, the family member, when I just want to 620 00:32:02,120 --> 00:32:04,320 share the good news with them. And I'm saying God loves you. 621 00:32:04,560 --> 00:32:08,520 And yes, he does call you to repentance and Jesus is King and 622 00:32:08,520 --> 00:32:09,920 they're going no, no, no, no, no. 623 00:32:10,120 --> 00:32:12,880 And not only do I reject your King, I also reject you. 624 00:32:14,200 --> 00:32:16,720 It hurts. It stings. 625 00:32:17,760 --> 00:32:22,600 We can acknowledge that and we also take it to him and we also 626 00:32:22,600 --> 00:32:26,320 say, Jesus, you're worthy. Another thing on the altar as I 627 00:32:26,320 --> 00:32:29,800 worship you. Another thing on the altar as I 628 00:32:29,800 --> 00:32:33,520 take up my cross looking like Jesus. 629 00:32:33,640 --> 00:32:36,880 Following Jesus is going to look like something and it will bring 630 00:32:36,880 --> 00:32:46,680 division. Verse 38 Whoever does not take 631 00:32:46,760 --> 00:32:50,240 his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 632 00:32:50,680 --> 00:32:53,920 Whoever finds his life will lose it and whoever loses his life 633 00:32:53,920 --> 00:32:58,080 for my sake will find it. So Jesus hasn't gone to the 634 00:32:58,080 --> 00:33:00,280 cross yet when they were hearing this message. 635 00:33:00,520 --> 00:33:03,320 Now when when Matthew finally gets down to writing it down, 636 00:33:03,560 --> 00:33:04,840 Christ has already been crucified. 637 00:33:04,840 --> 00:33:07,640 Matthew tells the whole story. So the readers of this Gospel, 638 00:33:08,080 --> 00:33:09,400 the crucifixion has already happened. 639 00:33:09,400 --> 00:33:12,160 But the day he was saying this to the 12 or at least the 12, 640 00:33:12,160 --> 00:33:14,520 maybe more, Jesus hadn't been crucified yet. 641 00:33:14,720 --> 00:33:18,240 He hadn't gone to the cross, but they were all very familiar with 642 00:33:18,240 --> 00:33:20,480 crucifixion. They had all seen crucifixion 643 00:33:20,480 --> 00:33:22,120 before. They had all seen someone 644 00:33:22,120 --> 00:33:24,760 carrying their cross. Carrying a Roman cross was a 645 00:33:24,760 --> 00:33:27,720 gruesome, horrifying thing. It reminded you of your 646 00:33:27,720 --> 00:33:30,760 mortality, even though you might not be guilty of committing any 647 00:33:30,760 --> 00:33:32,360 crime against Rome that would get you killed. 648 00:33:32,960 --> 00:33:35,440 When you saw a man carrying his cross down the street, you might 649 00:33:35,440 --> 00:33:38,760 make eye contact with him and a couple Roman guards might be 650 00:33:38,760 --> 00:33:40,600 walking with him. It wasn't always the giant 651 00:33:40,600 --> 00:33:42,680 fanfare that Christ had at his crucifixion. 652 00:33:42,920 --> 00:33:45,040 It was hardly ever that. Most of the time, just like 653 00:33:45,040 --> 00:33:47,760 there's another one, maybe you'd offer him a cup of water as he 654 00:33:47,760 --> 00:33:50,800 carries the beam. But the when you saw a man 655 00:33:50,800 --> 00:33:54,160 carrying a cross, you knew one thing. 656 00:33:54,560 --> 00:33:56,600 He's not coming back from where he's going. 657 00:33:57,880 --> 00:33:58,880 Wherever he's. Going. 658 00:33:58,880 --> 00:34:02,000 He's not coming back. This is the last walk he's ever 659 00:34:02,000 --> 00:34:05,480 taken, and he knows that with each step and any moment he 660 00:34:05,480 --> 00:34:09,480 decides to hesitate because he wants to not die, a Roman whip 661 00:34:09,679 --> 00:34:14,400 will urge him forward, and pain sends him forward until he's 662 00:34:14,400 --> 00:34:18,360 eventually crucified. Excruciating, excruciating 663 00:34:18,360 --> 00:34:20,320 death. And this is the tool that Jesus 664 00:34:20,320 --> 00:34:22,800 chooses to teach us to follow him. 665 00:34:23,320 --> 00:34:25,760 Not a great recruiting method he needed. 666 00:34:25,760 --> 00:34:27,199 He didn't go to school for marketing. 667 00:34:27,679 --> 00:34:29,840 He didn't know how to really draw a crowd. 668 00:34:29,840 --> 00:34:32,960 It seems he knew how to divide, he knew how to separate, but it 669 00:34:32,960 --> 00:34:34,960 wasn't super good. It's just drawing people 670 00:34:34,960 --> 00:34:37,560 together. It's intense. 671 00:34:37,920 --> 00:34:41,600 There's nothing soft about it. This is the. 672 00:34:42,239 --> 00:34:44,880 So someone carrying a cross, they understood this is the last 673 00:34:44,880 --> 00:34:47,320 walk that they'll ever take. Jesus is saying to his 674 00:34:47,320 --> 00:34:50,320 disciples, if you come with me, there is no going back. 675 00:34:50,600 --> 00:34:54,520 And although it will cost you your life, there will be pain on 676 00:34:54,520 --> 00:34:56,840 the way to your cross. There will be pain while 677 00:34:56,840 --> 00:35:00,200 carrying your cross. There might be many pains, but 678 00:35:00,200 --> 00:35:05,520 you will not do it alone. And my will will be done, and 679 00:35:05,520 --> 00:35:07,360 you will be worthy to be my disciple. 680 00:35:09,800 --> 00:35:11,600 Oh, I don't know if I love him that much. 681 00:35:12,680 --> 00:35:14,360 That's the, that's the vote of many. 682 00:35:15,280 --> 00:35:17,280 That's the vote of many. And he gives the warning and 683 00:35:17,280 --> 00:35:19,800 the, and he lets them know ahead of time the consequence for 684 00:35:19,800 --> 00:35:22,560 that. I don't know, I might choose, I 685 00:35:22,560 --> 00:35:26,040 might try and I might choose to just try and wring out the best 686 00:35:26,040 --> 00:35:28,600 80 years I can get here. Well, first of all, friend, you 687 00:35:28,600 --> 00:35:29,600 don't know that you're getting 80. 688 00:35:30,640 --> 00:35:32,840 Could just be today. So keep that in mind. 689 00:35:33,280 --> 00:35:35,680 But I, I think I'm going to just take my chances, do the best I 690 00:35:35,680 --> 00:35:39,440 can with 80 years or so here. And you know, we'll see what 691 00:35:39,440 --> 00:35:41,560 happens in the last few minutes there. 692 00:35:43,400 --> 00:35:45,640 You cast your vote. It's very clear what you've 693 00:35:45,640 --> 00:35:50,800 chosen. Jesus says, come and follow me. 694 00:35:51,000 --> 00:35:54,080 Come and be like me. Come take the last walk that you 695 00:35:54,080 --> 00:35:56,400 should ever take and don't turn back. 696 00:35:58,080 --> 00:35:59,600 Your will isn't going to be done. 697 00:35:59,800 --> 00:36:02,320 His will will be done. And that's good news for you 698 00:36:02,880 --> 00:36:06,160 because it pleases him to give you life that is eternal life. 699 00:36:08,200 --> 00:36:10,680 We'll get to that next week. He finishes with the rewards 700 00:36:11,200 --> 00:36:12,560 course. You'll have to endure a whole 701 00:36:12,560 --> 00:36:15,520 sermon on this, where they got to hear it all and within a few 702 00:36:15,520 --> 00:36:17,160 moments. But it was heavy. 703 00:36:18,000 --> 00:36:21,160 It was heavy. It's still great reward. 704 00:36:21,160 --> 00:36:24,640 It's always worth it. But he doesn't hide the pain 705 00:36:24,640 --> 00:36:26,280 from you. He doesn't hide the pain from 706 00:36:26,280 --> 00:36:28,520 me. It's a shame that it's been 707 00:36:28,520 --> 00:36:31,240 hidden to us by others. Those who discipled us, those 708 00:36:31,240 --> 00:36:34,880 who preached to us, they probably loved us. 709 00:36:34,880 --> 00:36:38,200 They probably meant well and they were probably taking 710 00:36:38,200 --> 00:36:41,080 certain truths of Scripture. But again, one of the advantages 711 00:36:41,080 --> 00:36:44,160 we have here is as we go verse by verse, we're not dodging 712 00:36:44,160 --> 00:36:46,040 anything. We're going to take everything 713 00:36:46,040 --> 00:36:48,760 that Jesus has to say and everything Jesus has forced to 714 00:36:48,760 --> 00:36:53,760 grow in verse 39. If you find your life and you 715 00:36:53,760 --> 00:36:55,840 hold on to it, you're going to lose it, is what He's saying. 716 00:36:56,320 --> 00:36:58,920 If you lay it down, He's going to give you something greater 717 00:36:58,920 --> 00:37:00,880 anyway. If your life is about self 718 00:37:00,880 --> 00:37:03,280 fulfillment, let's be clear what He means when He says you'll 719 00:37:03,280 --> 00:37:05,320 lose your life, you'll go to hell. 720 00:37:07,080 --> 00:37:09,600 That's the. Implication here, if you hold on 721 00:37:09,600 --> 00:37:13,040 to your life, if you find it all man, I've got all of my life and 722 00:37:13,040 --> 00:37:15,400 none of Christ's, you'll go to hell. 723 00:37:16,200 --> 00:37:19,800 But if you take up Christ's life now on earth, which involves a 724 00:37:19,800 --> 00:37:23,360 cross, not only will you go to heaven, but you'll have heaven 725 00:37:23,360 --> 00:37:29,400 within you even on the earth, if your life is all about self 726 00:37:29,400 --> 00:37:34,320 fulfillment. You'll. 727 00:37:34,320 --> 00:37:37,640 Carry a cross eternally. But. 728 00:37:37,640 --> 00:37:40,560 If you get on the cross now, you actually sit on the throne with 729 00:37:40,560 --> 00:37:48,240 the King, which is the life that we're always looking for anyway. 730 00:37:50,160 --> 00:37:53,720 Heavenly Father, your word is perfect. 731 00:37:53,720 --> 00:37:59,120 It's true, it's weighty. I pray that your Saints would be 732 00:37:59,120 --> 00:38:02,200 strengthened by it. You sent out your word today to 733 00:38:02,200 --> 00:38:06,040 accomplish something and it will accomplish what you sent it out 734 00:38:06,040 --> 00:38:07,920 to do. It will cut people to the heart, 735 00:38:08,480 --> 00:38:11,320 but I pray that every single person listen to this message, 736 00:38:11,320 --> 00:38:14,080 listening to your word today, that they would have the 737 00:38:14,080 --> 00:38:17,240 response that the hearers of of Peter's sermon did. 738 00:38:18,520 --> 00:38:21,560 Just one of. Repentance, one of devotion, one 739 00:38:21,560 --> 00:38:25,800 of deeper love. Lord, show us how to walk in 740 00:38:25,800 --> 00:38:27,920 wisdom. Show us how to walk in strength. 741 00:38:27,960 --> 00:38:31,080 Show us how to walk in conviction so that our love for 742 00:38:31,080 --> 00:38:32,480 you would really look like something. 743 00:38:33,920 --> 00:38:37,880 As we pray for those that we love, as we pray for our enemies 744 00:38:38,920 --> 00:38:44,800 and anyone in between. Just make us faithful and help 745 00:38:44,800 --> 00:38:49,360 us to keep our eyes on the reward that is to come, the 746 00:38:49,360 --> 00:38:55,320 blessing, the promise. It's not an equal trade. 747 00:38:57,080 --> 00:39:00,600 We're not giving up something deeply valuable for something 748 00:39:00,800 --> 00:39:05,200 slightly more valuable. We're really just. 749 00:39:05,200 --> 00:39:07,400 Crucifying ourselves and our love for self. 750 00:39:07,800 --> 00:39:11,240 Help us to not hide it and call it love for others, when really 751 00:39:11,240 --> 00:39:14,560 it's a love of self. Help us to love you more. 752 00:39:14,840 --> 00:39:19,760 The greatest command is to love you, to be with you, to know 753 00:39:19,760 --> 00:39:23,960 you. Strengthen your people, refresh 754 00:39:23,960 --> 00:39:26,440 your Saints. Send them out in joy today. 755 00:39:27,840 --> 00:39:29,880 Joy because they have found the treasure in the field. 756 00:39:30,960 --> 00:39:32,960 Joy because they have the Pearl of great price. 757 00:39:36,200 --> 00:39:38,360 Joy because they have the King who is worthy of it all. 758 00:39:40,880 --> 00:39:44,200 And now the Lord. Bless you and keep you the Lord. 759 00:39:44,200 --> 00:39:47,040 Make His face shine down upon you and be gracious to you. 760 00:39:47,840 --> 00:39:50,760 The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you great 761 00:39:50,760 --> 00:39:53,720 peace in Jesus name, Amen.