Emory Baptist Church

He IS More Than a Carpenter!

Submit is Not a Dirty Word!

If you have your Bibles, I want to find Luke 20:20.  I want to share a message with you entitled, “When Worlds Collide…”

 

If you are a guest with us this morning, we are in a long-term study of Luke’s Gospel.  As a matter of fact, when we finish this summer, it will have been 30 months or so…two and a half years since we started in January 2024.

 

Here in Luke 20, it is Passion Week.  That is the last week of Jesus’ earthly life before His death.

 

On Sunday, He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey colt.  On Monday, He cleared the temple.  Every day, He was teaching in the temple and preaching the gospel.

 

Some commentators believe that we have now moved to Wednesday of Passion Week.  However, we are still in Jerusalem, and Jesus is still dialoging with the Jewish Religious Leaders, and today’s text is about one of their conversations.

 

 

1. A Demonstration of Treachery, Luke 20:20-22

20 So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, that they might seize on His words, in order to deliver Him to the power and the authority of the governor.  21 Then they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, we know that You say and teach rightly, and You do not show personal favoritism, but teach the way of God in truth: 22 Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” 

 

In this first scene, let’s talk about the players if you will.  It seems they are the Jewish Religious Leaders noted in Luke 20:1 and 20:19.

 

1 Now it happened on one of those days, as He taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes, together with the elders, confronted Him.

 

19 And the chief priests and the scribes that very hour sought to lay hands on Him, but they feared the people—for they knew He had spoken this parable against them.

 

So let’s put all this together to get the fullest picture.  The Chief Priests were in charge of the temple and the temple services.

 

The scribes were experts in the Old Testament.  The elders were senior family members in the city, and all three groups made up the Sanhedrin. Again, these were Jewish Religious Leaders.

 

Let’s not only think about the players, let’s also consider their plot.  In 20:1, they confronted Jesus.  In 20:19, they wanted to beat Jesus up, but didn’t.  In 20:20, they concocted a plan to trick Jesus.

 

It involved spies.  It involved deception.  They were trying to trap Jesus like an animal or catch Him like a fish on a hook.

 

They wanted to know if the Jews should pay taxes to Caesar.  This was a head-tax on any one and every one living under the Roman Empire. 

 

If Jesus said yes, the crowd would be in an uproar.  There would be chaos.  A yes answer would affirm Roman domination of the Jews.

 

However, if Jesus said no, He and His followers would be accused of being insurrectionists.  He would then be quickly arrested by the Romans for defying their authority.

 

 

1. An Illustration of Insincerity, Luke 20:23-24

23 But He perceived their craftiness, and said to them, “Why do you test Me? 24 Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?”  They answered and said, “Caesar’s.”

 

Jesus smelled a rat.  Verse 23 says He perceived their craftiness and their desire to test Him. 

 

In verse 21, they had called Him Teacher, but they didn’t follow His teaching.  They were flattering Him. 

 

In verse 24, He asked to see a denarius which was a single coin that represented a day’s wages.  This was a Roman Coin that was comparable in size to our dime.

 

Ironically, they had one on them.  I wonder why since according to Exodus 20:4, they shouldn’t have been close to one.  Their insincerity was on full display.

 

4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

 

Jesus took the coin and asked whose image was on it.  It was that of Tiberius Caesar.  One side was inscribed with “Son of the Divine Augustus.”  The other side said “Chief Priest.”

 

What would come next?  What would Jesus’ answer be?

 

 

• The Application of Authority, Luke 20:25-26

25 And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”  26 But they could not catch Him in His words in the presence of the people. And they marveled at His answer and kept silent.

 

In verse 25, Jesus told them to give to Caesar what was due Caesar.  That would include the head-tax that was previously mentioned.

 

However, don’t miss this.  He also said to give to God that which was due God.

 

Their attempts were foiled.  Jesus had amazed the crowds again with is answer.

 

 

Conclusions

So, here is the main idea of today’s text and my message.  Followers of Christ are to be submissive.  That includes how relationship to the government and to God.

 

Submissive means recognize authority.  It doesn’t mean weak or inferior, and being submissive to both, generally speaking, is not mutually exclusive.

 

We are to give to the government what is due them.  We should submit from traffic laws to paying taxes.

 

Please hear me this morning.  We are meeting like we are today because we should…not because we have to.

 

Of course, the exception would be anytime our government requires us to violate Scripture or conscience that was determined by Scripture.

 

Romans 13:1-7, 1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. 5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.

 

AND, we are to be submissive to God.  As the coin had Caesar’s image, and Jesus told the Jewish Religious Leaders to pay that which was due Caesar, our soul has God’s image on it. 

 

We are made in the image of God.  See Genesis 1:27.

 

Genesis 1:27, 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

 

Therefore, we are to submit our lives to God, and His way is best.  His plan for marriage is best.  His plan for parenting is best.  His plan for money is best.  His plan for relationships is best.  His plan for life is best.    

 

Invitation

• Submit to God for salvation
• Submit to government for sanctification

When God Looks at You

If you have your Bibles, please take them and find Luke 20:1.  I want to share a message with you entitled, “When God Looks At You.” 

 

We return to Luke’s Gospel this morning, and it is Passion Week, the final week of Jesus’ life on earth before His death.

 

On Sunday, Jesus entered Jerusalem riding a donkey’s colt.  On Monday, Jesus cleansed the temple.  In today’s text, it is Tuesday, and Jesus is still in Jerusalem.

 

Remember that Jesus and His disciples came to Jerusalem for the Passover.  However, also remember that Jesus came to Jerusalem to die.

 

 

1. Some Inquiring Minds, Luke 20:1-2

1 Now it happened on one of those days, as He taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes, together with the elders, confronted Him 2 and spoke to Him, saying, “Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority?” 

 

Jesus was teaching in the temple daily.  See Luke 19:47.  This is one of those days.

 

47 And He was teaching daily in the temple. But the chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people sought to destroy Him.

 

What was He teaching and preaching?  Verse 1 says the gospel.

 

What is the gospel?  God created us to be in relationship with Him, but we sinned.  Because we sinned, we needed a Savior.  That is Jesus.  We know it was Jesus because of His resurrection.  Now, He invites anyone and everyone to believe in Him and be saved.

 

This time, He was met by the chief priests and scribes and elders. Notice this group “ confronted Him,” which ought to give us a clue about their intentions. 

 

Collectively, this group was known as the Sanhedrin, and they were in charge of Jewish Religious Life, and that included the temple.  Furthermore, the chief priests would be similar to our executive branch.  The scribes would be similar to our legislative branch, experts in the Law, and the elders would be similar to our judicial branch. 

 

They then asked Jesus two questions.  The first was “By what authority are You doing these things?”  “These things” surely referred to cleansing the temple on Monday.  After all, the Sanhedrin saw themselves as the highest authority in matters regarding the temple. 

 

The second question was similar to the first.  It was “Who gave You this authority to do these things?” 

 

Jesus had done something different from anyone else. He acted without asking the Sanhedrin for their permission.  He didn’t consult them.  He didn’t clear it with them. 

 

They wanted to know by whose authority was He acting or in other words, they wanted to know Jesus’ credentials.  Jesus hadn’t any formal training.  He didn’t sit under a rabbi, and after all, He was from Galilee.  

 

 

1. An Implied Message, Luke 19:3-4

3 But He answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, and answer Me: 4 The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men?”

 

Instead of answering their questions with a statement, Jesus asked a question of His own.  He answered their two questions with one question.  His answer to them was dependent on their answer to Him.

 

Verses 3-4 contains His one question.  He asked about John’s baptism, and this also included his ministry and authority.  Was it from heaven, meaning divine origin or God, or from men, meaning of human origin.  Notice how direct He was with “Answer Me.”

 

Now, what was His implied message?  The implied message was that wherever John’s baptism was from was the same place that He received His authority, and that was from God. 

 

John the Baptist was God’s Messenger, and Jesus was and is God’s Son.  Another way to put it is that Jesus was saying that He and John were on the same team.  They were working for the same boss and working for the same goal.

 

 

 

• Some Ignorant Men, Luke 20:5-8

5 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.” 7 So they answered that they did not know where it was from.  8 And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

 

Now, the ball was in the Sanhedrin’s court.  They had to answer Jesus’ question, and the answer to Jesus’ question would be the answer to their questions so they began to talk through their options.

 

Their first option was to say that John’s baptism was from heaven and God.  However, if they said that, then Jesus would ask them why they didn’t believe him and follow him because in effect, they were not following God. 

 

If they said heaven, they would stand condemned for rejecting God’s messenger. They would also be saying that Jesus’ authority came from heaven and God and therefore acknowledging Him as the Messiah. 

 

Their other option was to say that John was simply human, and therefore had no divine authority what so ever.  However, if they said that, they were afraid of how the people would respond because John was considered to be a true prophet, a prophet of God. 

 

As with the first option, to say that John was from human origin was to say that Jesus was from human origin.  Needless to say, they were in a quandary.

 

By the way, here is a great illustration of the truth that peer pressure is a real issue for adults as well teenagers.  Don’t be fooled into thinking it just happens in junior high or high school.  These adults feared their reputation over telling the truth, and it is always right to do the right thing even if it costs your reputation.

 

There answer recorded in verse 7 simply says, “We do not know.”  They pled ignorance.  As a result, Jesus then refused to answer the questions.

 

 

The Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers

 

Then in verse 9, Jesus told them a parable.  A parable was an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.

 

Jesus taught in parables to reveal mysteries about God’s kingdom to those who wanted to understand.  He spoke in parables to conceal realities to those who already decided to not believe him, and He used parables to fulfill prophecies.

 

9 Then He began to tell the people this parable: “A certain man planted a vineyard, leased it to vinedressers, and went into a far country for a long time.

 

It was not uncommon for wealthy landlords to own large land estates which they leased to tenant farmers or vinedressers.  The tenant farmers would agree to cultivate the land and care for the crops while the landlord was away. 

 

In return for their care, the landlord would give a portion of the crop to the tenant farmers while keeping a portion for themselves.  When harvest time came, the landlord would send their servants on their behalf to collect their portions. 

 

In telling this parable, these chief priests and scribes and elders certainly thought of Isaiah 5:1-7.

 

1 Now let me sing to my Well-beloved

A song of my Beloved regarding His vineyard:

My Well-beloved has a vineyard

On a very fruitful hill.

2 He dug it up and cleared out its stones,

And planted it with the choicest vine.

He built a tower in its midst,

And also made a winepress in it;

So He expected it to bring forth good grapes,

But it brought forth wild grapes.

3 “And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah,

Judge, please, between Me and My vineyard.

4 What more could have been done to My vineyard

That I have not done in it?

Why then, when I expected it to bring forth good grapes,

Did it bring forth wild grapes?

5 And now, please let Me tell you what I will do to My vineyard:

I will take away its hedge, and it shall be burned;

And break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down.

6 I will lay it waste;

It shall not be pruned or dug,

But there shall come up briers and thorns.

I will also command the clouds

That they rain no rain on it.”

7 For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel,

And the men of Judah are His pleasant plant.

He looked for justice, but behold, oppression;

For righteousness, but behold, a cry for help.

 

Back in Luke 20:9, the certain man was God, and His vineyard was His kingdom.  The vinedressers were the Jewish Religious Leaders or the chief priests, scribes, and elders.

 

10 Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that they might give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the vinedressers beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11 Again he sent another servant; and they beat him also, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. 12 And again he sent a third; and they wounded him also and cast him out.

 

In verse 10, it was harvest time, and so the owner sent one of his servants as his agent to get his portion of the vineyard’s produce.  However, the vinedressers took the slave and beat him and sent him home with nothing. 

 

In verse 11, the owner sent another slave, and the outcome was the same.  He sent another, and the outcome was the same.

 

These servants represent the prophets and messengers of God that God sent throughout history as His ambassadors to the nation of Israel.  Who comes to your mind? 

 

In the Old Testament, even before Israel, I think of Noah whose message fell on deaf ears.  I think of Elijah who was driven into the wilderness by Ahab and Jezebel and ready to commit suicide.  I think of Zechariah was stoned to death near the temple.

 

In the New Testament, I think of John the Baptist who was beheaded.  In Acts 7, Stephan who was stoned to death.

 

God has sent countless messengers to His people, and they have rejected them.  Our landlord had a final option.

 

 

13 “Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. Probably they will respect him when they see him.’ 14 But when the vinedressers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.’ 15 So they cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.

 

In verse 13, he decided not to send any more slaves or servants.  He decided to send his son, his beloved son.  He thought the vinedressers  would respect his son and send back his portion of the vineyard crops. 

 

However, they saw the son coming, and took their opportunity to remove the heir of the property.  They took him, and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.

 

We see in these verses that God did not send another prophet.  He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, and what was true of the landlord’s son turned out to be true with Jesus.  They took God’s Son and crucified Him. 

 

At the end of verse 15, Jesus asked a rhetorical question, “What will the owner of the vineyard do to them?”  He went on to answer it for them.  He will come and destroy the vine-dressers and give the vineyard to others.

 

Again, the owner is God.  The vineyard is His kingdom.  The vinedressers were the chief priests, scribes, and elders. 

 

Who are the others?  The others are the Gentiles.  Because Israel rejected Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah, God temporarily set them aside and has turned His attention to the Gentile world. 

 

That doesn’t mean that He is done with Israel.  It does mean that He will wait to resume that relationship with Israel until all the Gentiles who are going to be saved are saved.

 

Jesus further indicted the leaders of Israel by quoting Psalm 118:22-23.  The stone is Christ.  The builders are Israel and her leaders.  They rejected Christ, but Christ became the chief corner stone or the foundation stone of His kingdom.

 

How do we know this?  See Acts 4:8-12 and 1 Peter 2:4-8.

 

8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: 9 If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, 10 let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. 11 This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ 12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

 

4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,

 

“Behold, I lay in Zion

A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,

And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”

 

7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient,

 

“The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone,”

 

8 and

 

“A stone of stumbling

And a rock of offense.”

 

They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.

 

As verse 19 says, obviously the Jewish Religious Leaders understood fully what the spiritual meaning was for this earthly story.  The parable spoke against them and further fueled their fire against Jesus.

 

 

Conclusions

From this parable, we learn at least three truths about God and His character.

 

First, He is patient.  In this parable, the landowner didn’t just send one servant to collect the harvest.  He sent one and another and another. 

 

God didn’t just send one prophet to Israel.  He sent one and two and three and many others.  God hasn’t tried just once to get your attention.  He has tried once and twice and three times and many others because God is patient. 

 

Second, not only is God patient, God is also love.  The landowner didn’t just send his servants and multiple ones at that.  He sent his one and only beloved Son. 

 

John 3:16, 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

 

Finally, not only is God patient, and not only is God love, but God is also just.  Eventually in the parable, Jesus said of the vinedressers that the landowner would come and destroy the vinedressers.

 

Yes, he was patient, and yes, he was love, but in the end, he was just, and he held the vinedressers responsible for their actions.

 

Here me this morning.  Yes, God is patient, and yes, God is love, but you need to also know that God will hold you responsible and accountable for your actions, specifically how you respond to His Son, Jesus Christ. 

 

Is Jesus your Savior this morning?  Remember, God is patient, and He is love.  However, don’t presume too long on His patience and disregard His Son.

 

If you receive His Son, you will receive an eternity in heaven with God.  However, if you reject His Son, you will be eternally destroyed in hell without God.

Gideons International Presentation

How Do You Respond to God's Word?

If you have your Bibles, please take them and find Luke 19:45.  I want to share a message with you entitled, “How Do You Respond to God’s Word?”

 

That may seem like an innocent enough question.  However, this morning, I am going to ask you to be painfully honest with yourself and the Lord in answering it.

 

Think back to last Sunday, and we saw the beginning of Passion Week.  That is the last week of Jesus life on earth before His crucifixion.

 

It was Palm Sunday, and we saw Jesus demonstrate His deity with His omniscient regarding colt.  We also saw Jesus accomplish victory, but through peace and not war, and we see Him weep over the city of Jerusalem.

 

In today’s text, it is Monday.  Remember that Jesus had come to Jerusalem to die, but He and His disciples had come to Jerusalem for the Passover.

 

 

Exposition

In verse 45, we see what is commonly known as Jesus cleansing the temple.  However, it is important for us to understand some of the back story.

 

Commentators tell us that Jerusalem could have ballon in population for this week to in excess of two million people.  Why were all these folks here? 

 

They were there for Passover Week.  That meant that these Jews would be in need of doves and other animals to sacrifice. 

 

However, the money changers required a certain Temple Currency that was different from Roman or Greek Currency.  Therefore, when the Jews would exchange their money to buy these animals, the money changers would charge significant fees or transaction costs.

 

So, they were making money on the money being exchanged for taxes and sacrifices.  However, there was also large profits being made the animals to be sacrificed were bought.

 

After all, would you rather travel multiple miles with your animals?  Or, would just rather purchase one when you got there?  This was a convenience purchase for sure.

 

So why did Jesus do this?  Because He was one with God the Father and God the Spriit, Jesus knew what the Temple was for.  See 2 Chronicles 7:1-3.

 

2 Chronicles 7:1-3, When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. 2 And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord’s house. 3 When all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the Lord on the temple, they bowed their faces to the ground on the pavement, and worshiped and praised the Lord, saying: “For He is good, For His mercy endures forever.”

 

In addition to being the presence of God, the temple should have also been a house prayer.  Jesus said that in verse 46 quoting Isaiah 56:7.

 

Instead, the money changers and animal sellers had made it a den of thieves by charging exorbitant amounts of money for their services and products.  In His rebuke, Jesus also quoted Jeremiah 7:11.

 

Verses 47-48 are summary verses for what also happened Monday through Thursday of Passion Week with Jesus in the Temple.  He went daily to teach God’s Word to God’s people.

 

However, notice the responses to God’s Word as we return to our sermon title and question for the day.  Verse 47 speaks of the chief priests, scribes, and leaders of the people.

 

These were Jewish religious leaders.  When they heard God’s Word, they rejected it, and consequently, they wanted to destroy Jesus.

 

However, look at verse 48.  Their efforts were momentarily thwarted by all the people who were attentive to Jesus.

 

The implication is that they not only were attentive, but they were listening.  However, they were not only attentive and listening, but they were also receiving.

 

 

Conclusion

So now, I want you to answer the question that began our time together this morning.  How do you respond to God’s Word?

 

When God’s Word says you are sinner and the only way to be saved is to call on Jesus to save you, how do you respond?  Do you deny your need or do you repent and believe?

 

When God’s Word says you are sinning and you need to repent, do you repent or do you say it isn’t applicable to you and you ignore it?

 

Today, I invite you to receive God’s Word and obey rather than reject it.  Today, I invite you to be saved and or to repent.

The Beginning of the End

Introduction

Please take your Bibles, and find Luke 19:28.  I want to share a message with you entitled, “The Beginning of the End.”

 

In the recent Sundays in our study of Luke’s Gospel, I have made the point that Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem.  This is central to Luke’s Gospel as the name Jerusalem is recorded 33 times compared to 36 in the other three Gospels combined.

 

Notice 9:51, 9:53, 13:22, 18:31, 19:11, and then 19:28.  Don’t forget this is not a pleasure trip.  Jesus is on His way to die.

 

That is why I said the beginning of the end.  How is this the beginning?  It starts the last week of Jesus’ earthly life before His resurrection.

 

The end of Luke 19 is Passion Week.  Passion Week begins with Palm Sunday.

 

In today’s text, let’s spotlight Jesus.  First, He is God.  Second, He originally accomplished victory through peace not war.  Third, Jesus invites everyone to follow Him as Lord and Savior.

 

 

1. Jesus is God.

 

In verse 28, we see a time marker.  Remember from last week that Jesus corrected a misunderstanding about the Messiah with the parable of the minas.

 

Before the Messiah would establish His earthly kingdom, He had to go away for a while.  His kingdom would be established on His return.

 

Jesus was headed to Jerusalem.  However, it wasn’t to reign.  It was to die.

 

Beginning in verse 29, we see proof of Jesus being God through His omniscience. What does that mean? 

 

It means that He knows all.  He doesn’t just know some or most.  He knows all.

 

As He was passing through the suburbs of Bethphage and Bethany, He gave an assignment to two of His disciples. They were to go into Bethphage to get a colt.

 

Bear in mind that Jesus hadn’t spoken with the owners previously.  He simply knew it would be there, and sent the two disciples for it.

 

If they were asked why it was need, they were given instructions.  Tell the owners that the Lord needs it.

 

You know what?  Look at verse 32.  It happened just as Jesus said.

 

Jesus would then ride this colt into Jerusalem with some clothes serving as a saddle.  Other clothes were thrown on the ground for a path. 

 

The second proof of Jesus being God is found in the fulfilled prophecy.  In today’s text, there are multiple Old Testament prophecies that could only be fulfilled by the Messiah. 

 

In verse 29, He sent His two disciples from the Mount of Olives.  See Zechariah 14:4.

 

4 And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives,

Which faces Jerusalem on the east.

And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two,

From east to west,

Making a very large valley;

Half of the mountain shall move toward the north

And half of it toward the south.

 

You will find the word colt four times in verses 30-35.  Jesus riding into Jerusalem on this colt was the fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9.

 

9 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!

Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!

Behold, your King is coming to you;

He is just and having salvation,

Lowly and riding on a donkey,

A colt, the foal of a donkey.

 

Even what the multitude of disciples said of Him in verse 38 is fulfilled prophecy.  See Psalm 118:26.

 

26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

We have blessed you from the house of the Lord.

 

Jesus wasn’t just some great moral teacher.  He was and is God!

 

 

2. Jesus originally accomplished victory through peace not war.

 

What do I mean when I say Jesus accomplished victory?  When Jesus died on the cross for the sins of world and satisfied the wrath of God and then was resurrected on the third day, Jesus won!

 

Let me say it again.  Jesus won!

 

And He won not by warfare.  Not with His military and army.  He won through peace!

 

That is the symbolism behind the donkey.  He will come again on white horse and with a sword, but this is a donkey.

 

Notice also verse 38 again.  In that quote of Psalm 118:26, the Messiah’s message is one of peace.

 

The Prince of peace is bringing the opportunity to have peace in heaven with God.  That happens when we surrender our lives to Him.

 

BTW…Brothers and sisters, if Jesus accomplished victory in His first coming with peace and not war, we ought to follow His lead.  However, that isn’t my first instinct.

 

I won’t to win by force.  I want to win with forceful words and forceful Facebook posts and a forceful attitude.  That isn’t Jesus.

 

Jesus accomplished victory in His first coming through peace not war.  We should follow His example.

 

 

3. Jesus invites everyone to follow Him as Lord and Savior.

 

In verse 39, the Pharisees didn’t like what they were hearing.  They told Jesus to tell His disciples to quieten down.

 

Jesus responded with verse 40 and alludes to His mission and invitation. When He returns, their will eventually be a new heaven and a new earth that He has redeemed.

 

When He got to Jerusalem, He wept over the city with compassion for them.  This is the second of three times that we know of that Jesus wept.

 

He wept in John 11:35 when Lazarus had died.  He hurt for His friends, Mary  and Martha, who were hurting.

 

Hebrews 5:7 says that Jesus wept in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night He was betrayed.

 

7 who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear,

 

Why did He weep for Jerusalem?  He came for them, but they rejected Him.

 

Consequently, they would be left without God’s protection.  Jesus’ prophecy in verses 43-44 were at least fulfilled in AD 70 when Rome destroyed Jerusalem.

 

 

Conclusion

My invitation for you this morning is to put your faith in Jesus.  He is God, and He has secured spiritual and eternal victory for you through His death on the cross and resurrection from the grave.  He wants you to be saved today!

The Parable of the Minas

Please take your Bibles, and find Luke 19:11.  I want to share a message with you this morning on the parable of the minas, and this parable is not about bait fish.

 

In our study of Luke’s Gospel, we have seen the story of the rich, young ruler.  We have seen the story of Blind Bartimaeus, and last Sunday, we saw the story of Zachaeus, the wee, little man.

 

The parable of the minas or pounds is unique to Luke.  However, it is similar to the parable of the talents in Matthew 25.

 

Remember, a parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning or spiritual meaning.  Also, parables revealed mysteries to those who received Jesus, concealed realities to those who rejected Him, and fulfilled prophecies for both.

 

One last reminder regarding parables is to not press the parable in finding symbolism in every object or act.  That would lead to the Bible contradicting itself, which we know it never does.

 

 

1. The Parable

 

In verse 11, they heard these things.  They includes Jews and Gentiles.  They also included the crowd and Jesus’ disciples.

 

These things refers to the story of  Zacaheus. That story is told in verses 1-10, and was fresh in their minds.

 

Jesus was about to tell a parable as they continued on their journey to Jerusalem.  However, in telling this parable, He needed to correct a misunderstanding.

 

The crowd believed that the Messiah would establish His earthly kingdom in Jerusalem and through force militarily.  Therefore, they believed it was immanent since they believed that Jesus was the Messiah, and they were on their way to Jerusalem. 

 

Jesus needed to correct that.  It would happen, but not on their timeline.

 

BTW…In our study of Luke, we have seen multiple different definitions of the kingdom of God.  In this instance, it means His earthly kingdom. 

 

The parable begins in verse 12 with a certain nobleman.  He left his home and went into a far country to receive his kingdom, and he would eventually return.

 

While he was gone, he had work for his servants to do.  They were to invest this money which was three months’ of wages.

 

The NKJV uses the word mina.  The KJV uses the word pound.  Therefore, your Bible may say the parable of the minas or the parable of the pounds.

 

However, notice the mindset of the citizens in verse 14.  They hated this nobleman and didn’t want his ruling over them.

 

So, he left and returned in verse 15.  When he did, he called three of ten servants to him to give an account.  Keep in mind that he gave them all the same amount of money.

 

The first had a return of 10 minas.  The second had return of 5 minas, and they third didn’t invest the minas at all.

 

The nobleman was pleased with the first and second servant, and he rewarded their faithfulness. However, he was greatly displeased with the third and punished him along with the citizens who didn’t want him to rule over them and were his enemies.

 

 

1. The Participants or Parts

 

The nobleman is Jesus Christ.

 

The nobleman’s servants are followers of Jesus Christ.  However, the third seems to be a follower in name only. 

 

In verse 20, the third servant had unbelieving actions.  He didn’t do what his master said.

 

In verse 21, his unbelieving actions were fueled by his unbelieving attitude.  He didn’t like his master.

 

In verse 22, the third servant had an unbelieving alias.  His master called him a wicked servant.

 

This third servant was a servant in name only.  I think this was true of Judas. You might be able to fool those around you, but you can’t and won’ fool the Lord.

 

In verse 14, the citizens were the Jewish religious leaders.  They hated Jesus and didn’t believe He was the Messiah.

 

What do the minas or pounds symbolize?  I believe it is our faith that was once for all delivered to the saints, or  you might call it our relationship with Christ.

 

 

• The Point

 

First, like the nobleman, Jesus will go to distant land in heaven between His ascension and return.

 

Second, when He does return, it will be with His kingdom to establish on earth.

 

Third, while He is away, like the servants in the parable, the followers of Jesus are to be faithful in fulfilling their responsibilities.  I will come back to that in just a moment.

 

Fourth, when Jesus returns, He will reward the faithful who received Him and obeyed Him.

 

However, and fifthly, when Jesus returns, He will punish those who have reject Him by disobeying Him.

 

So, while Jesus is away, what is our responsibility?  Verse 13 says do business until I come.

 

What is our business?  What is the business of every Christian while He is gone?

 

1. Every Christian should read his or her bible daily to know God more and better through His word.
2. Every Christian should pray daily.
3. Every Christian should make disciples. That includes evangelizing, baptizing, and teaching.
4. Every Christian should be connected with a local church. The local church is God’s earthly picture of heaven.
5. Every Christian should serve that local church with his or her spiritual gifts, natural abilities, and financial resources.

 

Are you doing your business for the Lord while He is gone and until He returns?  I pray so. 

The Hound of Heaven

Please take your Bibles and turn to Luke 19:1.  I want to share a message with you entitled, “The Hound of Heaven.”

 

In 1890, English poet Francis Thompson published his poem with the same title as my sermon.  It was 182 lines, and its subject was the pursuit of the human soul by God’s love.

 

In Luke 19:1-10, we find a very familiar story of Zacchaeus, the wee little man.  Believe it or not, the main point of Zacchaeus’ story is the same.  God’s love is pursuing your human soul.

 

In three scenes of this story, we will focus on three individuals or groups of people.  Those include: Zacchaeus, us, and Jesus.

 

 

1. A Controversy with a Rich Man, Luke 19:1-6

1 Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. 2 Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. 3 And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” 6 So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully.

 

Today’s story and controversy with a rich man stands in sharp contrast in how it ends with the rich, young ruler.  He left saddened, but Zacchaeus leaves saved.

 

Jesus and His disciples were passing through Jericho on their way to Jerusalem.  In verse 2, we are introduced to Zacchaeus.

 

He was a chief tax collector.  This is the only time we ever see this title as chief tax collector. 

 

Zacchaeus worked for the Roman government collecting taxes, but he was the one of the head guys.  That means he had tax collectors working under him. 

 

BTW…We also know that Zacchaeus was a Jew because of verse 9.  Therefore, he was considered a traitor because he worked for the Romans extorted massive amounts of money from his own countrymen.

 

These men were notoriously dishonest and thieves.  Consequently, Zacchaeus was rich because not only did he collect what was paid to the Roman government, but he also collected some for himself, and he received a commission from those tax collectors under him.

 

Ironically, he must have heard about Jesus and was curious so he sought to see who Jesus was.  However, he couldn’t see over the crowd because he was short in stature.  He wasn’t very tall.

 

Therefore, undeterred, he ran ahead of Jesus and the crowd, and found a tree that he climbed to get a view.  The song says, “Zacchaeus was a wee little man, and a wee little man was he.  He climbed up in the sycamore tree to see what he could see.”

 

When Jesus passed by, He looked up and told Zacchaeus that He was coming to his house.  Zacchaeus was fired up, came down, and welcome Jesus joyfully.

 

BTW…Verse 5 reminds us, contrary to what our English translations may indicate, long before Zacchaeus sought Jesus, Jesus was seeking Zacchaeus.  The words place, today, and must demonstrate divine sovereignty in the salvation process.

 

Jesus went to the exact place where Zacchaeus was because He knew in advance. That day had been planned before the foundation of the world, and the word “must” means that He had to do it according to God’s sovereign plan.

 

How do you think this meeting at Zacchaeus’ house was received?

 

 

2. Criticism from the Religious Leaders, Luke 19:7

7 But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.” 

 

Verse seven says when they saw Jesus’ interaction with Zacchaeus and what was happening, they complained. 

 

 First of all, who was they?  They was the religious leaders of scribes and Pharisees.  They looked righteous on the outside, but were self-righteous on the inside.

 

They complained or grumbled.  They griped and whispered underneath their breath expecting Jesus to want to come their house.

 

The couldn’t believe that Jesus, who claimed to be the Messiah, wanted to go to Zacchaeus’ house, a rotten, stealing, traitor and tax collector.

 

The verse ends with them calling Zacchaeus a sinner.  Isn’t that ironic?

 

It was ironic because they were sinners too.  We are all sinners.

 

Did you know that every single person in this room and who has ever lived is a sinner?  There is only one exception, and that is the Jesus Christ the Son of God.

 

Because we are all sinners, we are separated from God, and we need a savior.  The good news is that Jesus Christ is seeking us like the hound of heaven.

 

 

3. A Conversion to Righteousness, Luke 19:8-10

8 Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.”  9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; 10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

 

After Zacchaeus received Jesus, and that was his salvation experience, his life changed forever. Verse 8 says he stood up publicly and said he was giving half of his good to the poor, and his way paying back all that he had stolen and more. 

 

Keep in mind, this acts weren’t saving him.  He was already saved, and these acts were proof of his conversion.

 

Jesus recognized such in verse 9.  He affirmed Zacchaeus’ conversion to Christ and righteousness and a changed life. 

 

Our story ends with the theme verse of Luke’s gospel, and it tells us all we need to know about Jesus’ mission.  HE is the Savior, the Son of man.

 

He is seeking you to save you because you are lost without Him.  Today’s invitation invites you to respond.

 

 

Conclusion

1. F. O’Conor said about the Hound of Heaven:

 

“The name is strange.  It startles one at first.  It is so bold, so new, so fearless.  It does not attract, rather the reverse.  But when one reads the poem this strangeness disappears.  The meaning is understood.  As the hound follows the hare, never ceasing in its running, ever drawing nearer in the chase, with unhurrying and unperturbed pace, so does God follow the fleeing soul by His Divine grace.  And though in sin or in human love, away from God it seeks to hide itself, Divine grace follows after, unwearyingly follows ever after, till the soul feels its pressure forcing it to turn to Him alone in that never ending pursuit.”

 

If you are lost today, Jesus Christ is seeing you.  Like Zacchaeus, will you receive Him?

Believing is Seeing!

If you have your Bibles, please take them and find Luke 18:31.  I want to share a message with you entitled, “Believing is Seeing!”

 

Normally, we say, “Seeing is believing.”  That’s because we want to see first before we believe.

 

However, in today’s text, and our study of Luke, a familiar man believes first, and then he sees.  It's the story of Blind Bartimaeus.

 

Last week, we saw the rich, young ruler.  I hope you had a chance to watch that if you didn’t watch it live.

 

Today’s story is also found in Matthew 20 and Mark 10.  Jesus and His disciples are on their way to Jerusalem for the Passover.

 

 

1. A Reminder about the Future, Luke 18:31-34

31 Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be [a]accomplished. 32 For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. 33 They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.”  34 But they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken.

 

In verse 18, Jesus was talking to the Twelve on their way to Jerusalem.  Keep in mind that yes, they were going for the Passover, but Jesus knew it wasn’t a pleasure trip.  He was on His way to die.

 

We also see that what Jesus experienced was prophesied about hundreds of years earlier.  Three major things happened: He was delivered, killed, and will be raised.  See Isaiah 53:3-12.

 

3 He is despised and rejected by men,

A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.

And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;

He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

 

4 Surely He has borne our griefs

And carried our sorrows;

Yet we esteemed Him stricken,

Smitten by God, and afflicted.

5 But He was wounded for our transgressions,

He was bruised for our iniquities;

The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,

And by His stripes we are healed.

6 All we like sheep have gone astray;

We have turned, every one, to his own way;

And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

 

7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted,

Yet He opened not His mouth;

He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,

And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,

So He opened not His mouth.

8 He was taken from prison and from judgment,

And who will declare His generation?

For He was cut off from the land of the living;

For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.

9 And they made His grave with the wicked—

But with the rich at His death,

Because He had done no violence,

Nor was any deceit in His mouth.

 

10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him;

He has put Him to grief.

When You make His soul an offering for sin,

He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days,

And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.

11 He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied.

By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many,

For He shall bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great,

And He shall divide the spoil with the strong,

Because He poured out His soul unto death,

And He was numbered with the transgressors,

And He bore the sin of many,

And made intercession for the transgressors.

 

This is now the third time that Jesus explicitly warned the Twelve about this in Luke.  See 9:22 and 9:44.

 

22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.”

 

44 “Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men.”

 

BTW...Notice, in verse 32, He would be delivered to the Gentiles.  We also know that it was the Jews that demanded Pilate crucify Him. 

 

That reminds us that Jesus died for the sins of the world, and all our sin put Him on the cross.  However, the Twelve didn’t get it.  They didn't understand.

 

As for me and you, let me remind you about our future.  We will also die apart from the rapture or the return of Christ.

 

Therefore, let us be prepared spiritually, physically, and emotionally as much as possible.  Are you saved?  Have you written a last will and testament?  Have you planned your funeral service?

 

 

2. A Request from a Far, Luke 18:35-39

35 Then it happened, as He was coming near Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the road begging. 36 And hearing a multitude passing by, he asked what it meant. 37 So they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. 38 And he cried out, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

 

As they neared Jericho, Jesus and the Twelve encountered two blind men.  However, only one of them spoke.  His name was Bartimaeus.

 

These two men were desperate because they were blind.  Not sure if they were born this way, or an event blinded them.

 

They were dependent as they were beggars.  They couldn’t work because they were blind so they depended on what others gave them when they begged. 

 

Bartimaeus heard all of the commotion, and asked what was happening.  He was told that Jesus was coming through town. 

 

Evidently, he had heard about Jesus, and evidently, he was a Jew waiting for the promised Messiah.  Therefore, he called out to Jesus using a messianic title and requested to be healed. 

 

Not only were these two disparate and dependent, but they were also determined.  Even though the crowds told him to be quiet, Bartimaeus called out again.  He wouldn’t be silenced.

 

 

3. The Reason for Faith, Luke 18:40-43

40 So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be brought to Him. And when he had come near, He asked him, 41 saying, “What do you want Me to do for you?”  He said, “Lord, that I may receive my sight.” 42 Then Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.” 43 And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.

 

After the second time that Bartimaeus cried out, Jesus stopped demonstrating His concern.  However, He didn’t treat the blind men like the others.

 

With conviction, instead of telling them to be quiet or ignoring them, He called them over to Him.  It seems they were some distance away.

 

He then asked what they wanted.  Bartimaeus requested to see.

 

In verse 42, Jesus healed him demonstrating His compassion, and notice why He healed.  It was Bartiemaeus’ faith.

 

Because he believed, he saw.  His faith made him well physically, and the text implies that he was also saved spiritually.

 

As a result, he followed Him.  Furthermore, the crowd also glorified God for what they had witnessed. 

 

 

Conclusion

Do you have faith this morning?  I hope so because Hebrews 11:6 says that it is impossible to please God without faith.

 

6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

 

We need faith to be saved.  See Ephesians 2:8-9.

 

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

 

We need faith to be sanctified and follow Christ every day.  See 2 Corinthians 5:7.

 

7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.

The Key to Heaven is Grammar!

Introduction

If you have your Bibles, please take them and find Luke 18:18.  I want to share a message with you entitled, “The Key to Heaven is Grammar!”

 

For some of you, that might scare you today.  However, it is actually not as complicated as you might think grammar to be.

 

Today’s text is composed of three conversations involving Jesus and others.  The first is a man who was depending on his own morality to get into heaven.  This is often called the story of the rich, young ruler.

 

 

1. A Request from a Rich Ruler, Luke 18:18-23

18 Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”  19 So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ”  21 And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.”  22 So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”  23 But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.

 

This story is found not only in Luke 18, but it also in Matthew 19 and Mark 10.  When we harmonize all three accounts, we find out that this man was a ruler who was young and rich.

 

In verse 18, we see his request.  He came to Jesus and asked, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

 

In this verse, notice the word do. As it relates to grammar?  This verb is in the present tense.  Remember that for later. 

 

As the conversation unfolds, we see that this rich ruler know the Old Testament and was obedient to the Old Testament. 

 

As it relates to answer his question, Jesus pointed him to the Ten Commandments.  In summary, they were what we think of as commandments 5-9 that relate to our behavior toward others.   

 

BTW…After Jesus made a veiled declaration of His own deity, was He advocating works righteousness?  No, He was using the Law to show this man where he fell short. 

 

Again, verse 20 says he knew the Old Testament.  Verse 21 says he obeyed the Old Testament. 

 

After the young man said he had obeyed all those, Jesus had one more answer for him.  On the outside, the rich young ruler appeared to be righteous, and if anyone could have earned their way to heaven, it would have been him.

 

In verse 22, this first conversation ended in sorrow as Jesus challenged this rich ruler at his weakest point.  He indirectly challenged him with the first four commandments and then the last.

 

How was he challenged with first four?  It seemed that wealth was his God.

 

How was he challenged with the last?  He didn’t want to give up any and most likely wanted to acquire more. 

 

When Jesus asked him to turn from those sins and follow Him by leaving his money behind, he decided Jesus wasn’t worth it.  He left the conversation sorrowful for he was rich.

 

 

1. Clarification for a Confused Crowd, Luke 18:24-27

24 And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”  26 And those who heard it said, “Who then can be saved?”  27 But He said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”

 

When the rich ruler came to Jesus, evidently some of His disciples were close by.  They saw and heard all that transpired.  As a result, they were confused by what they had witnessed and now heard.

 

In verse 24, Jesus said it was hard for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God.  In today’s story, the kingdom of God means heaven. 

 

He even compared it to a camel going through the eye of a needle.  As the camel was the largest animal they knew, it was more plausible for it to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man entering heaven. 

 

 

However, Jesus wasn’t saying that the wealthy couldn’t be saved, but it was going to be hard or difficult.  The crowd was confused.    

 

In the Jewish culture, the wealthy and rich were seen as having the blessings of God on their lives.  If God had blessed them in this life, why would it be hard for them to go to heaven? 

 

This crowd then asked if the wealthy can’t be saved, then who can be saved.  They needed clarification, and Jesus responded with the most important verse in today’s story.

 

In verse 27, He said with men it is impossible, but with God, all things are possible.  He was saying that it is impossible for any man or woman to earn salvation. 

 

It can’t be done.  It is impossible.  However, it is certainly possible to receive salvation from the author of salvation, and that is God.

 

The great thing about his verse is that not only does it apply to salvation, but it applies to all of life.  That is why I chose it for our verse of the year.

 

You may not be able to save your marriage, but God can.  You may not be able to bring your wayward child back, but God can.  You may not be able to reconcile your finances, but God can.

 

 

• Direction for a Discouraged Disciple, Luke 18:28-30

28 Then Peter said, “See, we have left all and followed You.”  29 So He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.”

 

Included in this confused crowd, was Peter, a discouraged disciple.  Notice what he said in 18:28, “We have left all and followed you.” 

 

Let me translate.  “We thought we were following you to be saved, but if the rich aren’t saved, then surely we aren’t saved, and now I have nothing.” 

 

Jesus reassured Peter with the direction found in verses 29-30.  He said you have left everything, and you will get back everything + when we get to heaven.

 

 

Conclusion

As I began, the key to heaven is grammar.  The rich ruler wanted to get to heaven by what he could do, present tense. 

 

You can only get to heaven by what Jesus did on the cross.  That is past tense. 

 

Receiving Jesus as your Lord and Savior and putting your trust in Him is the only way to be saved.  Morality can’t save.  Prosperity can’t save.  Sincerity can’t save. 

Generosity can’t save, and genealogy can’t save. 

 

For those who are truly saved, you will never regret following Jesus.  I have never one Christian who regretted giving his or her life to Jesus. 

 

I don’t think I have ever had a genuine follower of Christ say to me, “I’ve obeyed too many times,” or “I’ve attended church too much,” or “I’ve given too much money,” or “I’ve shared the gospel one too many times.” 

 

Jesus was absolutely right when He said to Peter that following Him is the greatest and most rewarding decision that you will ever make.  I agree and invite you today to do the same.