Transcript
Speaker: I want to refresh your memory as we start again in Luke chapter 16. At the beginning of chapter 16, Jesus... is addressing The disciples. So if you go back to chapter 15, verses 1 through 3.
Speaker: You'll remember when we looked at three parables that were found there. on the lost and found. He was talking to the... Pharisees and to the scribes. So now in chapter 16, he's talking to the disciples, but suddenly there's a parenthetical word. Beginning in verse 14.
Speaker: And going down through verse 17. where he's going to say something. to someone else. And it's to the Pharisees. So he's going to speak again. To them. And it says Pharisees in verse 14, but then in verse 15, it says, And he said, to them.
Speaker: You know, it's always important to know who are you preaching to? Who are you talking to? And so I wanted you to know. This message will probably be. For those who do not yet have. a personal relationship with Christ.
Speaker: But for those of us who do. This helps us to know what can we say. How can we interact? with those around us. who do not have a personal relationship. With the Lord.
Speaker: Jesus was not afraid. He was not afraid to speak truth. to power. It didn't matter if it was religious power. or Political authority. He could definitely speak with spiritual. clarity.
Speaker: The truth was very important to him. If you were to go to Matthew chapter 23. You'll see that seven times. He actually called him out. and said, woe to you, scribes. In Pharisees.
Speaker: I'll never forget one time being in a park. And I was going to share the gospel with some guys that were drinking beer and sitting on the hood of their car and so forth. I was just a college student. And I went up to talk to them. And once I got started. and started talking about Jesus. One of them stopped me and he said, wait.
Speaker: He said, we're not into religion. I said. Really? Man, that's great because neither was Jesus. He wasn't into religion. He was into a personal relationship. So anyway, Luke first introduced.
Speaker: these religious gatekeepers in um back in Luke chapter 5, verses... 17 to 26. That's where we're first. Introduce to the Pharisees.
Speaker: And it means those who are separated. Since that time, Luke records a series. Of confrontations. It seemed like that Jesus and the Pharisees. We're not on the same page.
Speaker: And so constantly there was this. I don't know, it was almost like a holy war. But it was sort of like a pain. They were having an ache and a pain. Do you have an ache or a pain this morning? Your back or your knee, shoulder or somewhere?
Speaker: Well, I believe that their pain. was A truth. ache, not a toothache. but a true thank you. Have you ever had a toothache? You know. Two things can be painful.
Speaker: They come because of tooth decay. Cavities, cracked tooth, abscess, gum disease, and so forth. But the Pharisees...
Speaker: had a truth ache. I believe that they had truth decay. And because of that, Their life was miserable. Maybe you're having a lot of trouble in your life. You're not happy.
Speaker: You're not happy on the inside. You're not happy in any circumstance. And you may be trying to identify, why is it? that I am so unhappy. Why is it I have so much pain in my life? I can't seem to get rid of it.
Speaker: Well, the pain over the truth. in and through Jesus. was escalating. If you were to start in Luke 5, verse 30. you would see that they grumbled about Jesus. chapter 6, verse 11, they were furious. Over Jesus.
Speaker: Chapter 7, verse 39, the Pharisees were accusing. Jesus. Chapter 7, verse 49, they were... questioning Jesus. Chapter 10, verse 25. They were testing Jesus.
Speaker: Chapter 11, verse 53. that we're provoking Jesus. Verse 54, trying to trap Jesus. And now today. They're still at it. There's still pain down in there. And the pain is every time Jesus would open his mouth. He spoke truth.
Speaker: but they didn't want to receive truth. And so they were aching in their souls. to know the truth. That would set them free. to know the truth that would bring healing in their lives. But instead, what you're going to hear in verse 14 of our text today.
Speaker: They were ridiculing Jesus. So it just doesn't seem to end. for them. Now, of course, emotionally. emotionally, They did not like. The truth that Jesus would give.
Speaker: But spiritually. They needed it. the truth. that Jesus taught. And so I don't know today where you are on that scale. Do you welcome the truth from the word of God? Do you welcome the truth? Do you want Jesus to tell you the truth?
Speaker: When you look in the mirror in the morning, do you want the mirror? to tell you the truth. If you're like me, I don't want it to tell me the truth, but I need it to tell me the truth. But anyway, I would like for you to stand in honor of God's word with me. We're going to read Luke.
Speaker: chapter 16, verses 14 through 17. You can follow along in your copy of God's word. Or look at the the... Passage on the screen. There are also... Bibles in the pew if you'd like to take one of those. If you don't have a Bible, we'd be happy for you to take one home. We want you to have a copy. Of God's word.
Speaker: But let me read verse... 14 of Luke. sixteen and we'll read down through verse 17. The Pharisees... who were lovers of money.
Speaker: heard all these things and they ridiculed him. And he said to them, You are those who justify yourselves before men. But God knows your hearts.
Speaker: For what is exalted among men? is an abomination. in the sight of God. The law and the prophets were until... John. Since then... The good news of the kingdom of God is preached.
Speaker: And everyone... forces his way. Into it. But, It is easier for heaven and earth To pass away. than for one dot.
Speaker: Of the law. to become void. Let's go to the Father in prayer. Lord, we need to hear. the truth. from your scriptures. And so also we need to welcome. Jesus Christ. The way, the truth, and the life. into our lives.
Speaker: And so, Lord, help us to come today not with a closed door. but with an open door. We don't want to be like the Pharisees, Lord. We want to ask you. please clarify for us.
Speaker: Tell us the way things are. so that we can see what you'll do. to help us. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thank you. You may be seated.
Speaker: As we look at this passage, we're going to include some extractions. There's some things that we're going to be called on by the Lord and by scripture. Get rid of them. But there's also some cleaning, some cleansing.
Speaker: There's going to be an implant. There's going to be the insertion even of a... Bridge. to stay with a dentist. analogy there. But I promise. No drill. So if you're like me, that's like, okay, I can take it then. So just relax.
Speaker: But here's here's where we're going. There's going to be five different points to this message. The first thing we're going to do is we're going to see God wants us to pull out. If we're loving things.
Speaker: we should say, okay, I want to... Move from loving things and not caring about anything else in life. just... things. to loving truth. And so we're going to replace loving things with loving truth.
Speaker: we're also going to see that the Lord wants to cleanse us. from all those times maybe in the past. when we've rejected Christ. We've rejected him. So we're going to cleanse that. And you know what we're going to do?
Speaker: The gospel is going to brighten. Brighten your life. With receiving Christ. The third thing we're going to do is we're going to remove the veneer. of asking man's approval.
Speaker: Because if you're trying that, you know how frustrating that can be. Everybody's not going to agree. You're not going to get a thumbs up from everybody. And so what we're going to move from is from that veneer of seeking man's approval.
Speaker: To say, and I just want to. I want one person. To be glorified. I want one person to be. Pleased? and honored with my life. And that's my master. The Lord Jesus Christ.
Speaker: So let's go to the third thing. We're going to insert a bridge. Some people who are into works. as a basis for their salvation. I think maybe they're stuck. between a gap in the Old Testament and the New Testament.
Speaker: They're not... contradictory. They blend together so well. And so we're going to look at a bridge that will take you from Old Testament thinking. to New Testament thinking. to New Testament fulfillment. It's going to be amazing. what we'll learn together.
Speaker: But also we're going to extract. The influence of a passing world. And we're going to implant the inspiration. Of the permanent word. So that's where we're going. So I want us to go to the first point.
Speaker: And look at. What was the truth aches cause? What was it that was causing their? truth ache Well, I think it was caused because... They were in love with things. They were in love with money.
Speaker: You know, the adjective here. lovers of money. It actually means they were covetous. They were greedy. They were materialistic. Lovers of money.
Speaker: Could be. Get this. This may be a surprise for some. Lovers of money could could be somebody who's wealthy. but it could be somebody who's really poor. but all they dream about.
Speaker: Is if I could ever get rich in my life. So I'm not... picking on those who are wealthy. But I'm not leaving them out either. But I'm also saying. It doesn't matter. What is it that... is the great obsession in your life.
Speaker: Are you obsessed? with stuff. With making more, having more? Is that what you think life is all about? I want to share a passage with you. Because here it just simply says. The Pharisees. who were lovers of money.
Speaker: So I want to share a passage with you. from 1 Timothy chapter 6. 1 Timothy chapter 6. We're going to look at verses 11 through 14.
Speaker: 1 Timothy chapter 6. I'm sorry. not It's 6 through 11. Sorry. 6 through 11. But godliness. but godliness with contentment. Is great. gain.
Speaker: But we brought nothing into the world. And we cannot take anything. out of the world. But if we have food and clothing with these. We'll be content.
Speaker: Those who desire. To be rich. Fall into temptation. Into a snare. into many senseless and harmful desires. that plunge people into ruin. And destruction.
Speaker: for the, here it comes. For the love of money. Not having money. The love of money. The love of money is a root.
Speaker: of all kinds of evil. It is. through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith. and pierce themselves. with many pangs.
Speaker: Isn't that sad? Have you ever seen that take place? It's like somebody used to love the Lord. They used to love the word. But then they got to making a lot of money. and having a lot of things. And it brought them a whole lot of friends. But were they really friends?
Speaker: When they got those friends and when they got the money and when they had all the things. Then they stopped coming to church. They stopped reading the Bible. They stopped praying and they thought. You know what? I can do life. without God.
Speaker: And so that's where they began to veer off. But do you know, Um... do you Have you ever heard of a man named Judas? Judas. was one of the 12 disciples.
Speaker: But John chapter 12, verse 6 says that Judas was like the treasure. And he had a bad habit. He pilfered. He was in the money bag. For himself.
Speaker: He wasn't just paying for what Jesus and the other 11 disciples needed in terms of food and so forth. No, he was. taking money out for himself. Matthew 26, verses 14 through 16.
Speaker: tells us even more about... Judas. And it says in Matthew. Let's see. 26. Yeah, Matthew 26. Sorry, having trouble with my passages today.
Speaker: But... ah It talks about... His desire for money. And what... He longed for money in his life. But I want you to move from loving money.
Speaker: to loving truth. From loving things to loving truth. You know, Psalm 119. is a psalm that is known especially for the Word of God.
Speaker: The word of God. Three times the psalmist says that he loves the Bible. Do you love the Bible? It's one thing to read the Bible. It's one thing to listen to the Bible.
Speaker: It's another thing to meditate upon the Bible or memorize the Bible. But that's not what he says. Three times in Psalm 119. He says, I actually love the Bible.
Speaker: Do you love the Bible? Here's what it says in Psalm 119, verse 97. Verse 97, he says, Oh, how I love. Your love.
Speaker: It is my meditation. All the day. Do you love God's word that much? You just think about it all day long. Psalm 119 verse 113 says, I hate. the double -minded,
Speaker: But I love... Your law. Then Psalm 119 and verse 165. Says great peace. Have those.
Speaker: Who love your law. nothing can make them stumble. Isn't that amazing? I mean, all of these things are there because this guy says, You know what? I love God's word.
Speaker: Do you love God's word? You know, if we love God's word, we want to be in it. We want to read it. We want to be led by it. I think it's powerful. And that's why we should say, Lord, I want it. I need it. I welcome it. In my life.
Speaker: Well, let's move then from the first truth ache. That was caused by loving things. To the second truth. ache that was caused by rejecting Christ. These Pharisees, they were not receiving me. Christ.
Speaker: They were rejecting. Christ. As a matter of fact, they were doing more than just rejecting. Christ. They were actually... ridiculing him. Let me read it again. The Pharisees.
Speaker: who were lovers of money. heard all these things and they... ridiculed, Him. Do you know ridiculed is in the imperfect tense?
Speaker: In other words, it's going on and on and on. They kept on ridiculing him. And you know what it means? It means to turn your nose up. It means to turn your nose up. In the Greek.
Speaker: It means to sneer at. To treat with disdain. to repudiate, to scoff at. You know it's really sad when you look at the scene around the cross.
Speaker: You know, at the cross, some were weeping, right? Some weren't weeping. You know what some were doing there? It says in Luke. Chapter 23, verse 35. The rulers.
Speaker: scoffed at him. And what were they saying when they were scoffing? They say... He saved others. Let him save himself. They were just making fun. Have you ever had anybody at school?
Speaker: Where it worked. Or in your extended family, have you ever had anybody actually make fun of you? because of your commitment. to truth. You see, Jesus was telling the Pharisees the truth.
Speaker: But in response... They weren't. welcoming it. They weren't receiving Christ. They were actually rejecting Christ. And they were actually. Ridiculing. Christ.
Speaker: And so I thought, oh my goodness, this is terrible. You know, Proverbs. gives a profile of a scoffer. how does How do people even become a scoffer? Well, let me give you three verses from Proverbs that'll tell you how it happens.
Speaker: Proverbs 13, one says that a scoffer. Does not. Listen to rebuke. So let me just ask you a real serious question. Are you the type person?
Speaker: You want to grow in the Lord so badly. That even if somebody came to you. And they were sincere. And they were biblical. And they were loving. And they were they wanted your best.
Speaker: Would you be willing to say, you know what? It's okay. If you ever need to rebuke me. then it's okay. But a scoffer says it's never okay. You can never correct me because I'm always right.
Speaker: But someone who's humble says, No, I'm not always right. And that's why I need the objective word of God. to come across my life. And tell me, you know what? This area needs to change. But a scoffer says, don't tell me that. I don't want to hear that.
Speaker: I know what I'm doing. So that's Proverbs 13, one. But Proverbs 14 .6 says, It's not that a scoffer never looks for wisdom. The problem is he just can't find it.
Speaker: He sinks wisdom. and finds none. You know why? Maybe they're not looking in God's word. for the wisdom. Maybe they're going to this world. And it's like, you know what? The treasure map.
Speaker: It's buried in heaven. And so we're we're constantly looking around saying, who knows where the treasure is? I don't know where the treasure is. but the treasures in heaven. And only the word of God will show you how to get there.
Speaker: Proverbs 15, 12 says, that also a scoffer does not love the one. Who were prudent. and will not go to the wise. That's why... You start opening the Bible, you start sharing a verse with somebody just out of love. Just because you care?
Speaker: Then they're liable to say, you know what? I'm not coming your way anymore. I'm not going to go there. And they will will will also say, I don't really care for you. And I want you in my life.
Speaker: But here's the flip side of this whole thing. What Jesus said. In John 1, 11 through 12. john the gospel The apostle John said he came to his own.
Speaker: In his own people. Did not receive him. So there were a lot of people back then who did not receive Jesus. There's a lot of people in 2026. who still do not receive Jesus.
Speaker: But... But listen to what it says. happens. Whenever once someone says, I welcome Jesus. I want to trust Jesus. I believe I can trust what he tells me.
Speaker: But to all who did receive him. This is in John 1, 12. but to all who did receive him. who believed in his name. He gave the right.
Speaker: To become... children of God. That's an incredible privilege. For God Almighty. to say to us down here, humans, To say, you know what, I'm going to give you.
Speaker: the privilege, the right. of becoming a child of mine. That's a great privilege. But it only comes. when someone is willing to receive the truth. and not rebel or reject the truth. not resist Christ. But don't.
Speaker: Welcome Christ. Well, let's go to the third true thing. Third truthache in this passage anyway, in verse 15, is caused by... Living for man's approval.
Speaker: Do you live for those thumbs up, you know, on social media? It's like, hey, I want to get some thumbs thumbs up. Do you know that there's a landmark case going on in the courts right now in the United States? It's called States. Versus meta.
Speaker: Several attorneys general. alleged that Metta deliberately created addictive features. on social media platforms. for children. In other words, It was intentional.
Speaker: They knew this is going to draw. them in over and over again. And so it's it's like they're not fighting fair. But you know, it's impossible to please everybody. And that's why some get so discouraged. when they see what others are saying about them on social media.
Speaker: You know what would be better? To say rather than trying to please everybody. I think I'm going to please one person. I think I'm going to please Jesus Christ. I'm going to please Jesus Christ. I'm going to honor him.
Speaker: You see, I see two things in verse 15. One is justification of self. Before men. Yeah, you may be able to say, this is okay because it's okay with all of them.
Speaker: So is that where you are? You would say, it's okay. I can justify what I'm doing. Because it's okay with these men. And he said to them, you were those. who justify yourselves.
Speaker: Before men. Ah. But he then he goes on to say, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination.
Speaker: in the sight of God. So rather than... saying, okay, I can justify myself. Before men. You ought to say, Lord. examine. Examine my heart.
Speaker: Examine me. so that I stand before you. I love that song we sang earlier. You know, when the Lord looks at us, if we've trusted in Jesus Christ. You know what? He sees the perfect blood of Christ. Over us.
Speaker: He sees us as complete. He sees the obedience of his son. He doesn't see all of our imperfections and our. disobedience our weaknesses, and so forth. So it's like, had I rather have the admiration of behavior among men.
Speaker: Or would I rather have abomination of behavior before God? I have a choice. And so I can think, what would I choose? There was a man named Paul who suffered this. True think.
Speaker: And he wrote a testimony about it. In Philippians. In Philippians chapter 2, verses 3 through 11. I encourage you sometimes to read through that that passage.
Speaker: Because he's talking about all the things that he was doing in order for others to approve of him. For all those other Pharisees to say, you know what? This guy, Saul. He's an amazing guy. Look at all he's doing. Look at how great his life is.
Speaker: But then he comes to the point where he realizes, wait a minute. I want to be pleasing to God. Because God sees my heart. There are several different. passages about the heart.
Speaker: you know For example, God led... the prophet Samuel. to anoint David as king. Why didn't he pick David as king? David was the youngest of all the siblings.
Speaker: Well... God sees not as man sees, is what it says in 1 Samuel 16, 7. For man looks at the outward appearance. But the Lord? Looks at the heart. So the first thing is God's looking.
Speaker: Today. At your heart. God's looking at your heart. but Paul! said to the Thessalonians in 1 Thessalonians chapter 2, 4, not as pleasing men. but God who...
Speaker: not just looks at the heart. He examines. Our hearts. Do you know that God actually examines our hearts? Jeremiah said, the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick.
Speaker: Who can understand it? I, the Lord. Search. The heart. and test. The mind. to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.
Speaker: Wow. You know, some of these things, we need to get back to God's word so we know the truth. And the truth is, God's looking at my heart. God's not looking today at how. Wonderful you look.
Speaker: You know, you came to church, you picked out something to wear. That's great. There's no problem there. But just there's something more important to God than what we wear to church. It's our hearts.
Speaker: That's what he's looking at. That's what he wants to say. I want you to say in your heart. I really want to honor God. I want to honor God, not just the way I dress. I want to honor God in everything I do.
Speaker: All the things that I do. Well, let's go to the fourth truth ache that was found among the Pharisees. I think another problem was this biblical gap. in their understanding.
Speaker: You see, these Pharisees were limited to the Old Testament. Foresight. Because. They were closed. to the New Testament. fulfillment.
Speaker: That's what was happening in their lives. That's why. they needed a bridge. They needed somebody to help them to go from where they were. To where Jesus was. And so.
Speaker: What was going to be the bridge? Well, you can see two time markers. That are found in verse 16. Luke's trying to tell us. you know what would help? The law and the prophets. Okay, that's the Old Testament. The law and the prophets.
Speaker: We're Until. There's one time marker until. John. since then. That's another time marker. Until and since then. So the law and the prophets were. Until John the Baptist.
Speaker: Since then... The good news of the kingdom of God is preached and everyone forces his way into it. So on one side, you've got the law. and the prophets. On the other side, you've got... the good news of the kingdom of God. that's being preached. In other words, you've got the gospel.
Speaker: You've got Jesus. But these guys were not open to Jesus, you see. So what they're saying is, no, no, he's not the right one. He's not the one where we've been waiting on. Because there were all kinds of prophecies.
Speaker: And so if you were to go back. Into Luke. Chapter 7. Verses 29 to 30. That's the whole problem Look at what's happening among the tax collectors.
Speaker: It says, when all the people heard this, this is Luke 7, verse 29. When all the people heard this. And the tax collectors too. They declared God just.
Speaker: having been baptized with the baptism of John. So John the Baptist is there. Man, they're turning in repentance. They're getting ready for the Messiah. But look at verse 30. But the Pharisees...
Speaker: And the lawyers. rejected. The purpose of God for themselves. not having been baptized by him. Ah. So there's part of the problem.
Speaker: It's like God sent them John the Baptist. to tell them the way. but they didn't want to know the way. because they're so they're saying, no, I already know the way. And so they were so convinced. that they were right.
Speaker: That they didn't give the Lord time. Because what he did was. He put a bridge there. He put a bridge between the Old Testament. in the New Testament. And John the Baptist was that bridge.
Speaker: He was part of that bridge that was going to help them move from the Old Testament. Into the New Testament. And so it's like. Thank you, God. You know exactly what we need.
Speaker: To get us from here to there. These Pharisees, God loved them. He was like the dentist. And you're saying, my tooth hurts. And he said, I think we're at the. We're going to have to put a bridge in there.
Speaker: And maybe you're saying, no, don't put any bridge in there. They pulled the tooth out a long time ago. There's a gap in there. I know what's happening. He says, no, we can fix this. And you're like, no, no, no. I know what I'm doing. No, let's don't do that.
Speaker: But John the Baptist was like that. gap. He would... a bridge across that gap. The message and ministry of John the Baptist, he was the final representative of the Old Testament.
Speaker: And he was the first representative of the New Testament. And so the Lord is so kind. In... trying to help us understand. how to find our way to him.
Speaker: I want to show you something in Luke 24. And this will really help you with this as well. In Luke chapter 24. Verses 25 to 27. There's a couple of disciples that are on their way back from...
Speaker: On their way to Emmaus. And so when they hear Jesus talking. Something begins to happen in their hearts. But what was he talking about? In Luke 24, verse 25, it says, And he said to them,
Speaker: O foolish one, slow of heart to believe. All that the prophets. Have spoken. Was it not necessary that the Christ... should suffer these things. and enter into his glory?
Speaker: And get verse 27. And beginning with Moses. And all the prophets. He interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
Speaker: Now drop down to verse 31 and 32. And their eyes were opened. And they recognized him. That's Jesus. And he vanished from their sight. And they said to each other. Did not our hearts burn within us?
Speaker: while he talked to us on the road, while he... Open to us the scriptures. Wow. This is so incredibly powerful. That God is making a way. for us to come into his family, a way for our sins to be forgiven.
Speaker: I want to give you one last... Truthache. And this one will help in case you misunderstand what I'm saying. Because I know there's a... popular trend among some circles. where they kind of write off the Old Testament nowadays.
Speaker: Is that what we should do? Not at all. I want you to see what Jesus himself said in Luke chapter 16, verse 17. But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away That for one day. dot of the law.
Speaker: To become void. Just one dot. And so what he's saying is, no, I'm telling you. This world is passing away. But there's one thing that is not going to pass away.
Speaker: The truth. The truth in the Old Testament, the truth in the New Testament, the truth of God's word will just continue. on and on. And so what we have to do is we have to say, okay. Am I hanging on?
Speaker: to this passing world too much? Am I trying to find out what all the polls are saying? Am I trying to find out what everybody else is saying? Or am I going to God's word and saying, Lord.
Speaker: It's timeless. Your word is timeless. The permanence of God's word. You see, 1 John chapter 2, verses 15 through 17. tells us the truth. Here's what it says about the world.
Speaker: Do not love the world. Or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world. The love of the Father is not in him. 1 John 2, verse 16. For all that is in the world.
Speaker: The desires of the flesh. And the desires of the eyes. and pride of life. is not from the Father, but is from the world. Now get verse 17. And the world.
Speaker: is passing away. Along with its desires. But whoever does the will of God. abides forever. Isn't that something? Have you ever heard anybody these days use the word? It's dated.
Speaker: I think somebody comes in my my house, they look at my wardrobe, they say, it's dated. You know, it's old school. You know what? Here's the thing. All that the world says.
Speaker: It's new and all that. It's going to be dated. whenever we go to be with the Lord. And so you are to say, I want my soul not to be. dated So I'm not going to follow the world.
Speaker: I'm gonna follow Jesus. I'm going to stay with the word of God. Because the word of God is going to tell me. The truth. Well, let me share one last verse to wrap it up with you. Matthew chapter 5.
Speaker: verses 17 down through verse 20. Matthew chapter five, verse 17 through 20. It's really good in terms of. knowing how permanent God's word is.
Speaker: Do not think, this is Jesus talking. That I've come to abolish the law or the prophets. I've not come to abolish them. but to fulfill them.
Speaker: For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, Not an iota. Not a dot. will pass from the law until all is accomplished.
Speaker: Therefore, whoever relaxes. One of the least. of these commandments and teaches others to do the same. We'll be called. Least. In the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does them.
Speaker: And... teaches them. We'll be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless... Your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes. In Pharisees.
Speaker: You will never enter the kingdom. Wow. Not an iota and not a dot. I got to looking and I thought, what could we do? Compare that to so that we know how permanent God's word is.
Speaker: And here's what he was saying. You know how you do a capital letter F, right? Now i do the capital letter F. Yeah. I bet even the kids if they were in here, they'd be saying, I know how to do an F. capital F.
Speaker: Well, you know, with a capital E. You put one more little stretch there. Right at the bottom. It's an S. But then when you put the last line. It's an E.
Speaker: That's what he's saying. That last little something there. He said, not one of those little guys. Not even that. is going to pass away from the Old Testament until I fulfill everything in it.
Speaker: There's also another one. How about the capital letter R? If you take the capital letter R and you close the bottom with one more little line. that R becomes a B.
Speaker: It's no longer an arm. And so what he's saying is. in the Old Testament, in the New Testament, in the Word of God. Nothing's passing away. Nothing is passing away. Not even... That little last mark.
Speaker: To make Anar into a bee. I got to thinking about... What God said in Isaiah 40 verse 8. The grass withers. The flower fades.
Speaker: But the word of our God stands forever. We've been talking about pain. You need to know this before we close out. Do you know that Jesus came to take your pain?
Speaker: Sin causes pain. Sin is the main one that causes pain in humanity. Okay? So... Jesus said I know that. And so Isaiah 53, verses 4 through 6. talks about what Jesus accomplished on the cross.
Speaker: And listen to what he carried. That belong to us. To me. To you. Surely he is born our griefs. and carried our sorrows.
Speaker: Yet. Just like Pharisees. We esteemed him stricken. Smitten by God. And afflicted. But he was pierced. Why?
Speaker: for our transgressions. He was. Crushed. For hours. inequities. Upon him. was the chastisement. That brought us.
Speaker: Peace. And with his wounds. We are healed. Oh, we like sheep. have gone astray. We've turned everyone to his own way. And the Lord.
Speaker: Has laid on him. the iniquity of us all. You know what happened at the cross? At the cross, the Lord said, I'm going to take all of that pain, all of those sins, all of that disobedience and rebellion.
Speaker: I'm going to place that on my son. And then from his son, he said, I'm going to take my son's righteousness. And I'm going to place that on everybody who trusts. In Christ. For salvation.
Speaker: And isn't it outrageous? That someone would say. I don't need that. I'm sorry. I don't need that. I don't know about you, But I've never found a better deal.
Speaker: To me, I think that's the greatest offer. That's the greatest invitation. we have ever been offered. So I want to close by offering that invitation.
Speaker: If you don't know. Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior? You can today. There's so many people in this room that can help you put your faith and your trust in Christ. But you can also... Contact us later in the week.
Speaker: But we always want to end because right now the iron's hot. Right now, you're thinking about this. So we want to make sure you have an opportunity. to respond So let's all stand together. Let me close this in a word of prayer. And then we're going to sing this closing song that we call An Invitation.
Speaker: And it's the Lord's invitation. Where he's simply saying to you. If you don't know him, Come to me. All you who are weary. and heavy laden. I'll give you peace. Let's go to him.
Speaker: Lord, I thank you. you're the You're the pain taker. You're the one who took all of our pain that our sin causes. in life You took it upon yourself.
Speaker: And now you're offering us healing. while you took all the pain. All I can say is thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus, for... Being such a... merciful.
Speaker: And loving. And gracious Savior. but also knowing. That you are. Holy. And you are righteous.
Speaker: And like we... saying earlier, you are faithful. You're faithful to your own standards. And that's why none of us, not myself, nobody in the room. none of us would have ever measured up.
Speaker: We needed a Savior. who could come and help us with this pain. And so, Lord, if anybody here is still in pain. They've got a soul ache that's really tough.
Speaker: Would you bring them to Jesus today? So that we can. Pray for them and rejoice. with them. In Jesus' name we pray.
Speaker: This is a ministry of First Baptist Church, located at 1700 Milam Street, Columbus, Texas.
