Latest / Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago / Why Jesus Used Parables | Pastor Daniel Batarseh (Gospel of Mark Bible Study Series)

Transcript

Why Jesus Used Parables | Pastor Daniel Batarseh (Gospel of Mark Bible Study Series) · Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago

• 0:06
  Please turn your attention with me in the word of God to the
• 0:10
  gospel of Mark and chapter chapter 4.
• 0:20
  Mark 4. And as you're there.
• 0:29
  We'll begin in verse 10 together.
• 0:32
  Mark 4:10. And when he was alone, those
• 0:37
  around him with the 12 asked him about the parables.
• 0:42
  And he said to them to you, has been given the secret of the
• 0:46
  kingdom of God. But for those outside,
• 0:49
  everything is in Parables. So that they may indeed see.
• 0:56
  But not perceive and may indeed here, but not understand.
• 1:04
  Less, they should turn and be forgiven.
• 1:10
  Lord, this is A text that we need.
• 1:13
  Great help with and we ask that in this moment, we would sense
• 1:20
  your nearness. And that the anointing that you
• 1:23
  promised. And first John 2, Would be
• 1:27
  realized in each of us and that we would be taught by the spirit
• 1:31
  of God himself. Who is the author of this book
• 1:35
  Lori? Pray that there would be a
• 1:37
  special touch from you upon the delivery of this word, but also
• 1:42
  Lord, a touch on the hearts that every ear would indeed hear what
• 1:47
  you have to say. Lord, we recognize that this
• 1:49
  moment, as we read and break down your word, it is your
• 1:54
  voice. It is your voice.
• 1:56
  Therefore let not the transmission be corrupted by the
• 2:00
  flesh by man's opinion. Let It Be pure and let it be
• 2:07
  unfiltered and may the name of the Lord Jesus Christ be exalted
• 2:12
  in the faithfulness not just of the speaking but of the hearing
• 2:16
  as well. In Jesus name, amen.
• 2:21
  This afternoon's message has one, simple goal and that goal
• 2:26
  is to answer a very straightforward question.
• 2:29
  That question is, why did Jesus speak in Parables?
• 2:35
  Why did Jesus speak in Parables? Now, it could be that some of
• 2:40
  you hearing that question respond internally with is that
• 2:44
  even important? Do we really need to know why
• 2:47
  Jesus spoke in parables? We have enough of a challenge to
• 2:51
  understand the meaning of some of his Parables letter known the
• 2:54
  reason for them but whether or not we believe it is an
• 2:58
  important inquiry. The holy spirit makes it so
• 3:03
  clear that it is necessary to know why.
• 3:08
  Jesus at a certain point in his ministry began to emphasize his
• 3:14
  teaching in the format of Parables.
• 3:19
  And before we get one other allegorical lesson from the
• 3:24
  mouth of the Savior, the Holy Spirit stops us and he records
• 3:29
  and preserves a In between Jesus and his disciples around that
• 3:34
  very question. So clearly it must mean
• 3:37
  something. And when you combine Mark, what
• 3:40
  we just read with Matthews version.
• 3:43
  What we have here as a scene is that, at some point Jesus was
• 3:46
  alone and the disciples, his closest group approached him.
• 3:51
  And in Matthew 13 10, they asked the very pointed question.
• 3:55
  Why do you speak to them? In parables.
• 4:01
  And the Lord answers that question is partly motivated by
• 4:06
  the fact that they lacked understanding themselves, but
• 4:10
  was also a question of concern Jesus.
• 4:13
  As you know, in the past four weeks, we've been discovering
• 4:16
  just finished teaching about the parable of the sower. but what
• 4:20
  Jesus did was, he gave the parable and stopped before
• 4:23
  giving an explanation And so you have these disciples who are
• 4:28
  part of this ministry, that might be thinking to themselves.
• 4:31
  If this continues, this not might be very good because the
• 4:35
  audience might perceive this and say, this is incomplete, this is
• 4:40
  unclear or this is even confusing.
• 4:45
  And so you have these men who are looking out for their
• 4:48
  teacher leaning in and saying Lord, why are you doing this?
• 4:54
  You already, you already stopped before giving an answer to these
• 4:58
  meanings of this riddle. Is this going to continue?
• 5:03
  And listen, what seems strange to the disciples was in fact a
• 5:08
  strategy. From the Lord.
• 5:12
  There was something so rich behind this method, Jesus knew
• 5:17
  exactly what he was doing when he starts speaking in Parables,
• 5:20
  even though his disciples did not know the purpose yet.
• 5:23
  And here's what I want to tell you.
• 5:24
  At this point before, even getting to the answer to the
• 5:27
  question, the attitude of these disciples, whether you want to
• 5:31
  admit it or not is very common among Disciples of Jesus today.
• 5:36
  What do I mean by that even today?
• 5:39
  Intimate followers of Jesus Christ can find themselves.
• 5:42
  Elves asking why when they try to understand the ways of God,
• 5:49
  why, why are you doing it this way?
• 5:53
  Why are you doing it that way? Why are you not doing it this
• 5:58
  way? And so, we find ourselves in the
• 6:01
  very same place as these men, but, perhaps with different
• 6:04
  predicaments, but here's what's fascinating.
• 6:09
  Even with that question, you and I had the freedom to come to the
• 6:11
  Lord and ask because the Lord is willing and able to give
• 6:17
  Revelation for that immediate situation to bring whether it's
• 6:20
  relief or wisdom, he can answer like, he answered with his
• 6:23
  disciples. I'll tell you why you cry out to
• 6:26
  me and I will reveal it to you, but is that always the case?
• 6:30
  No, oftentimes, the answer comes much later in life.
• 6:35
  And God allows something that we know as Providence to play out.
• 6:39
  And as time goes on, the pieces will fill the missing areas of
• 6:44
  our understanding and complete the puzzle down the road.
• 6:48
  I think of Joseph Joseph who had a dream and not knowing how this
• 6:53
  was going to transpire now is, in a position of power after
• 6:56
  many years, and he can look back in retrospect and see the
• 7:00
  puzzles that had to be placed for him to arrive where he
• 7:03
  arrived. Left.
• 7:05
  So they could, they can be immediate answers.
• 7:07
  That can be prolonged answers, or delayed answers rather.
• 7:11
  And then there can be no answer at least in this lifetime and
• 7:15
  believer. You got to be willing to accept
• 7:17
  that. You have to be willing to accept
• 7:19
  the fact that God doesn't owe us answers to every question and
• 7:24
  there are many reasons for that and let me present to you one
• 7:26
  strong possibility to why the Lord may not give you the answer
• 7:32
  to the why Because the disciples were not the only Servants of
• 7:36
  God who had that pressing question.
• 7:39
  And my mind goes to a prophet. A prophet that is not a major
• 7:43
  one Prophet that is not a common one, in our conversations or
• 7:46
  even in our teachings. But an important one nonetheless
• 7:49
  because he had a question. And his question was answered in
• 7:53
  a way that I believe is extremely insightful for all of
• 7:55
  us habakkuk. And habbakuk 12.
• 8:01
  We see this Prophet, this man of God, inquire of his God who is
• 8:05
  our God and in habakkuk 12, we read.
• 8:09
  Oh Lord. How long shall I cry for help
• 8:14
  and you will not hear or cry to you violence, and you will not
• 8:20
  save verse 3. Why there it is why do you make
• 8:25
  me see iniquity? And why do you idly look at
• 8:30
  wrong? Destruction and violence are
• 8:33
  before me strife, and contention arise.
• 8:37
  So the law is paralyzed and Justice, never go.
• 8:41
  As fourth for the wicked surround the righteous so
• 8:45
  Justice Goes Forth. Perverted that's how the book
• 8:48
  starts. It's this man of God who is
• 8:52
  righteous, who is observing the events of his day?
• 8:56
  And he is wondering, where is God in all of this?
• 9:00
  You can ask that on a global scale and you can ask that in
• 9:03
  your own personal World. Why, where is your intervention
• 9:07
  and all this? Why are you silent?
• 9:09
  Why are you not aware all these pressing questions and what's
• 9:13
  amazing is, how God answers him. We see here in verse 5.
• 9:18
  Look among the Nations and And see wonder and be astounded for.
• 9:24
  I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if
• 9:29
  told God's answer, Is something I believe most of us in you need
• 9:36
  to take into our hearts and lock it there.
• 9:40
  First, when the prophet was wondering where God was and why
• 9:44
  he was not intervening in the chaos around him, the Lord
• 9:47
  assured him, that he was actually at work.
• 9:50
  He's been at work, he's always at work and so with all the
• 9:55
  things that he was seeing God says, hey, would you look back
• 9:58
  up and look at the nation's and see, ya can consider all the
• 10:04
  turmoil in the nation's consider the rise and fall of Kingdoms,
• 10:08
  consider the spiritual Thickness, that is abounding in
• 10:11
  society, consider all of it, consider all and realize.
• 10:17
  I'm at work realize that my hand is in it realize that I am
• 10:21
  orchestrating it, realize that there is a goal here.
• 10:25
  Though, you may not immediately perceive it and that same truth
• 10:29
  applies today. God is not less aware or less
• 10:31
  active in our world. Then he, then he was, then he is
• 10:34
  still completely Sovereign supervising, every Stitch of our
• 10:40
  universe. But it's the second part I can
• 10:43
  stay there, but it's the second part that humbles me.
• 10:47
  Because he finishes his thought, at least in this verse by
• 10:50
  saying, not only am I presently involved.
• 10:56
  But all of this is leading to something.
• 10:57
  So astounding, so beyond so powerful.
• 11:03
  That if I were to disclose it to you, you would have trouble
• 11:07
  believing it. And what he meant by that was,
• 11:12
  this is leading all of these shifts in the world is leading
• 11:16
  to me. Raising up a foreign Nation,
• 11:19
  that's going to come after the nation of Israel and pulled them
• 11:22
  out into Exile, which was something unfathomable for the
• 11:26
  Jew in habakkuk today, Actually look at verse 12 and you see the
• 11:31
  response of God's answer and the man can't believe it God was,
• 11:35
  right? I'm just going to give you a
• 11:37
  glimpse of it and you're not going to believe any goes.
• 11:39
  Well We're Not Gonna Die your holy Your Righteous.
• 11:44
  And I was meditating on that. And you know, I came to mine.
• 11:48
  It makes me wonder if some of the answers that you and I are
• 11:52
  desperate looking for our answers that you're not even
• 11:55
  prepared to believe. Paul says, in Romans, 11:33 that
• 12:02
  God's judgments they are unsearchable and his ways are
• 12:07
  inscrutable. You know what that means?
• 12:08
  There is a category of God's ways that are defined by your
• 12:14
  mind being absolutely staggered. If you just took a glimpse of
• 12:18
  it, there are Waters. So deep in the ways of God that
• 12:25
  for you to try to swim and explore.
• 12:29
  What? Actually, make you drowned.
• 12:32
  In your understanding. There's just something that you
• 12:37
  can't cross when it comes to God's ways and that shouldn't
• 12:41
  frustrate you or I that should cause us to worship.
• 12:45
  See what Paul says that its judgments are in searchable, and
• 12:47
  his ways are inscrutable. That wasn't him saying, well
• 12:50
  just too bad, that was him, exploding and doxology,
• 12:54
  exploding and worship in the middle of his writing.
• 12:58
  That's what makes God God. And he can't help, but just even
• 13:02
  in his writing spillover with praise with that thought.
• 13:07
  And we've limited God's ways to philosophical debate and trying
• 13:12
  to understand him with great frustration instead of it
• 13:15
  humbling us, and bring us to our knees as a God.
• 13:18
  You are God, I am a creature. I was made from dust.
• 13:24
  I'm borrowing your air. I humbly receive your ways.
• 13:31
  And the Bible reveals that if you were to just get a peek at
• 13:34
  the intricacies of God's methods, if your heart is right,
• 13:37
  it will erupt your your soul to Magnify Him and love him.
• 13:42
  And that's what I hope you will do at the end of this message.
• 13:45
  When you and I consider not God's prophetic timetable for
• 13:49
  the human race. That's what Romans 11 is about,
• 13:53
  at least for Israel and the world.
• 13:56
  Not about his purpose in suffering, though.
• 13:58
  That is important. But why Jesus spoke in parables?
• 14:04
  Let me just say right off the bat, Jesus didn't teach Parables
• 14:08
  because they were nice stories. There are actually two reasons
• 14:13
  why Jesus did this. Two simple reasons.
• 14:15
  And so when anybody asks you, if your discipling somebody and
• 14:18
  they say why did Jesus speak in Parables?
• 14:19
  You can give them these two answers because they are
• 14:24
  scripture as you will see. And the first one might be
• 14:27
  shocking to you. So, lean in.
• 14:29
  Why did Jesus do this? Primary reason Parables were an
• 14:35
  instrument of judgment. Against the unbeliever.
• 14:43
  I know you didn't hear that in Sunday School, But Parables were
• 14:47
  an instrument of judgment against the unbeliever.
• 14:53
  This may sound odd because the common understanding as you just
• 14:56
  heard is that Parables were engaging in illustrative stories
• 14:59
  to help make sense of spiritual truth.
• 15:01
  That's not what Jesus said. When the question was asked, he
• 15:05
  answered to you, it's been given the secret of the kingdom of
• 15:09
  God, but for those who are outside, Those who are not a
• 15:13
  part of my fold, those who are not a part of me.
• 15:17
  For those who are outside, I speak to them intentionally With
• 15:22
  parables. In other words, by using
• 15:28
  analogies, by using allegories void of explanation, the Lord
• 15:31
  intends, you ready for this to conceal the truth and to keep
• 15:36
  certain people in the dark? Parables, shroud the truth.
• 15:45
  The primary function is not to make sense of Truth.
• 15:49
  The primary purpose is actually to Vale it.
• 15:56
  And I'm sure that is shocking to some because the Jesus, we
• 16:00
  worship the Jesus, we know came into this world to save, he came
• 16:05
  into this world as light. He came as a physician to heal
• 16:10
  the sick spiritually, not just physically.
• 16:14
  And now early in the Book of Mark, we hear something that
• 16:18
  sounds counterintuitive. Almost almost concerning to us.
• 16:22
  In our view of Christ. Are you saying that Jesus?
• 16:26
  I was teaching in a manner that would bar people out.
• 16:30
  That would keep people at a distance.
• 16:34
  How do we make sense of this? Here's how we make sense of
• 16:37
  this, when you and I understand this is why context is important
• 16:41
  when you and I understand the timing of his implementation and
• 16:45
  the audience that he was addressing.
• 16:49
  Looking at that will put any unease to rest.
• 16:54
  Ask yourself this question. Why are the disciples asking
• 16:59
  this? Now, the reason why is because
• 17:02
  they've heard him teach him preach for a while.
• 17:05
  And at some point they perceived that the Lord now is adopting
• 17:11
  and emphasizing his usage of these riddles that don't seem to
• 17:17
  provide immediate clarification and so they ask why are you
• 17:23
  doing this? Which tells me that this is
• 17:26
  something new. This is something that is
• 17:28
  developing this is something sudden.
• 17:32
  They've heard Jesus speak before and yes, she's use illustrations
• 17:35
  and examples and but it was clear.
• 17:38
  Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand.
• 17:42
  The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.
• 17:47
  If a kingdom is divided against itself that Kingdom cannot stand
• 17:51
  things like that. It was, it was clear.
• 17:53
  There was a conclusion. But now Jesus just finished
• 17:57
  sharing this story about a parable.
• 17:59
  He gives this idea of A sower and the soils and the seed going
• 18:03
  in and the different kind of responses and then he ends the
• 18:06
  sermon Midway He who has ears to hear, Let Him hear and he walks
• 18:12
  off the platform and dismisses the service.
• 18:16
  So the disciples got said, Lord, what's going on here and he
• 18:19
  says, listen you you I will explain it to them, I will speak
• 18:26
  to them in Parables and I will continue to speak to them in
• 18:28
  parables. You've been here week after
• 18:32
  week, put up your rear view mirrors and ask yourself what
• 18:37
  happened before this that would cause Christ to do this.
• 18:44
  And I think there is a pivotal moment in the ministry of Jesus
• 18:48
  Christ and that is spelled out both and Mark and in Matthew
• 18:51
  that really blink brings clarification, scroll back to
• 18:55
  mark three and look here at verse 22.
• 19:01
  Mark 322. And the scribes who came down
• 19:06
  from Jerusalem where saying he is possessed by Bells double,
• 19:11
  and by the prince of demons, he cast out the demons.
• 19:17
  Serious accusation. Blasphemous accusation.
• 19:22
  And more dangerous is the fact that they made this charge at a
• 19:26
  time when the Lord Jesus. So powerfully and clearly,
• 19:33
  displayed and demonstrated his messiahship.
• 19:37
  And for them to come to this conclusion, after all that these
• 19:43
  religious leaders have witnessed is extremely concerning for the
• 19:47
  state of their souls to say that Christ was in League with Satan,
• 19:52
  ultimately exposed the severity of their hardened Hearts.
• 19:56
  Remember even before this they had planned to destroy him.
• 20:00
  Now, here's what's so significant at the same time?
• 20:03
  They could not deny his Supernatural power.
• 20:07
  And so all they can do is shift The Source by saying we can't
• 20:12
  deny that he's doing this. So let's just say that he's
• 20:14
  doing this by the energy and the activity of Satan himself. and
• 20:19
  when the Lord heard that he was not shy to tell them and warn
• 20:23
  them about the dangers of the damnation that they were, they
• 20:28
  were flirting with but he didn't just warn them.
• 20:33
  Listen, I argue to you today that this was the turning point
• 20:37
  and how Jesus Christ would address and teach the general
• 20:41
  public who are unbelieving to his message, those who have
• 20:46
  announced their stubborn unbelief and the face of amazing
• 20:50
  evidence. Would not just hear a warning
• 20:54
  about blaspheme the Holy Spirit, they would now inherit a
• 20:59
  teaching. That was veiled.
• 21:04
  Jesus speaking to the general crowd in Parables was a response
• 21:08
  to their gross lack of faith. You don't want to believe after
• 21:12
  all that I've shown you after all that.
• 21:13
  I've said so clearly to you, then here you go.
• 21:16
  Here's some parables. Matthews version of this
• 21:22
  confirms. What I am saying to you, if you
• 21:24
  need a reference is Matthew 13, 15, Jesus quotes a portion of
• 21:29
  the book of Isaiah and applies it to his reasoning and this is
• 21:31
  what it says in that verse for this people's heart, this is so
• 21:36
  important has grown dull. He takes that from Isaiah and he
• 21:43
  applies it to his immediate audience.
• 21:45
  And what he's saying is and connection to his parabolic
• 21:49
  ministry is this people, their hearts have grown dull,
• 21:55
  insensitive unresponsive in different to what I have to say
• 22:00
  to them. And instead of being humbled by
• 22:04
  The Miracles, instead of being softened by the message, they
• 22:07
  resisted him Time. After Time, After Time, sermon
• 22:10
  after sermon, after sermon healing, after healing, after
• 22:14
  healing correction, after correction, after correction,
• 22:18
  Deliverance after Deliverance, after Deliverance, until they
• 22:21
  finally crossed the line, where the Lord says, I'm no longer
• 22:24
  going to give to you straight forward teaching, and why would
• 22:28
  he Why would he they already trampled on everything that he
• 22:32
  gave them? See, this is a this is a
• 22:36
  portrait of Jesus that many are unfamiliar with.
• 22:39
  He is gracious, but understand that his judgments are not just
• 22:44
  reserved for eternity, Christ can judge today.
• 22:50
  Christ has been judging until today Christ, will judge to some
• 22:56
  extent until the final day. And one of his judgments is when
• 23:02
  he persistently attempts to persuade your heart and you
• 23:06
  persistently, resist them. He meets that by finalizing,
• 23:13
  your heart and heart and crystalizing it himself.
• 23:19
  And if you don't believe that, this is true realize that at the
• 23:23
  very end of this whole book, not Mark the Bible, he gives a
• 23:28
  strong strong, strong word, that is not often quoted.
• 23:33
  Can I show it to you? It's in revelation, 22, the very
• 23:36
  last chapter of the hole Cannon and I want you to see a verse
• 23:43
  That would seem a little bit awkward to our understanding of
• 23:45
  who God is revelation. 22 verse 11.
• 23:53
  So we are now concluding we're coming now to the to the very
• 23:56
  end of all that God has to say to humanity and you want to know
• 23:59
  one of the final things that he says you ready for this.
• 24:04
  Verse 11 of revelation 22, let the evil doers still do evil.
• 24:09
  And the filthy still be filthy and the righteous still do,
• 24:13
  right? And the holy still be holy.
• 24:20
  Let the, let the evil still be evil.
• 24:22
  You want to be filthy? Be filthy Those who are
• 24:26
  righteous be righteous continuing.
• 24:28
  Righteous you want to be holy stay.
• 24:29
  Holy how do we understand is is God exhorting people to stay in
• 24:33
  their sin. That's so contrary to the call
• 24:36
  of repentance. What's Happening Here?
• 24:38
  Is he encouraging people to just remain in their state of
• 24:42
  rebellion? I believe the only way to
• 24:45
  understand verse 11 is to connect it to verse 10.
• 24:48
  What does he say right before this?
• 24:50
  The angel speaks to John and he said to me, do not seal up the
• 24:55
  words of the prophecy of this book for the time is near and
• 25:00
  then he goes on to say, let the evil doer still do evil.
• 25:02
  And the filthy still be filthy Etc.
• 25:06
  Here's one of God's final instructions to the Apostle.
• 25:10
  John John, my servant listen. You cannot afford to conceal
• 25:16
  what I have made known to you. In what we know as the Book of
• 25:18
  Revelation you must disclose it. You must share it.
• 25:22
  It must be read aloud. It must be heard it must be
• 25:25
  heralded. The app the last days message it
• 25:29
  cannot afford to be hidden because the consequences are
• 25:33
  Eternal and I am gracious. Enough to reveal to reveal to
• 25:39
  every generation. What is to come so that they
• 25:42
  could be worn and respond appropriately?
• 25:47
  So don't seal it, reveal it expose it, let it let it shine.
• 25:53
  And then verse 11, this is the same thought now.
• 25:55
  But after If after hearing everything that I've said in
• 26:00
  this book and predicted everything that I predicted in
• 26:03
  his book and prophesied, everything after all the
• 26:05
  descriptions of the catastrophes that are going to come to this
• 26:08
  world. and the fate of the wicked, which is eternal
• 26:11
  judgment and the permanent glorious Rule and reign of Jesus
• 26:16
  Christ, if after hearing all of that, Someone still won't repent
• 26:23
  then they might as well still be Wicked.
• 26:28
  In other words, you know what this means, how can God warned
• 26:31
  you more than what he warns in the Book of Revelation?
• 26:35
  If you can't be moved to repentance after the Book of
• 26:38
  Revelation is Harold the to you, then there's little hope for
• 26:42
  you. Stay filthy.
• 26:44
  You want to stay in sin. Go for it.
• 26:47
  You want to be Wicked, go for it.
• 26:49
  After all that you've heard stay there.
• 26:53
  Oh, this is so boring. But it's Bible.
• 26:58
  This is God. God is long-suffering but his
• 27:01
  patient is not Limitless. His truth is for all people but
• 27:05
  those who have been graced and those who have experienced
• 27:09
  certain manifestations or Revelations have a greater
• 27:12
  responsibility to what they heard and how they respond to it
• 27:17
  and after reaching out and giving himself to someone who
• 27:21
  constantly turns his back, then listen to this.
• 27:26
  This is not the Santa Claus version of Jesus, that we heard
• 27:28
  of growing up. After this, after God, tries to
• 27:33
  and attempts and gets your attention, he has every right to
• 27:37
  move on. He has every right to move on
• 27:40
  and find someone else whose heart will be open to the truth
• 27:44
  who hungers for the truth, who longs to be saved.
• 27:48
  And in fact, if you haven't been shocked yet, maybe this will
• 27:50
  shock you ready for this one as messengers of the truth.
• 27:54
  We are to imitate him in that to some extent.
• 28:00
  You've heard it, right? Matthew 7:6.
• 28:02
  Do not give dogs. What is Holy?
• 28:06
  And do not throw your pearls before pigs.
• 28:10
  It's not talking about little animals.
• 28:11
  He's talking about people who resemble animalistic behavior in
• 28:14
  terms of their spirituality and the condition of their souls and
• 28:18
  response to the truth, lest they trample them under foot and turn
• 28:22
  to attack you. This is not teaching that there
• 28:26
  are some people who are undeserving of the Gospel at
• 28:28
  all. The Great Commission mandate is
• 28:31
  preach, the gospel to All Creatures, but here's the
• 28:35
  reality of it. Some creatures are more
• 28:37
  aggressive. Than others.
• 28:41
  More Blasphemous than others. And you and I are called to have
• 28:46
  a level of discernment to know whether or not we continue
• 28:50
  reaching out to that person or if we reserve the pearls of
• 28:56
  divine revelation and bring them before someone who's see the
• 28:58
  value of them, So, even you hear this about God, he say, yes, he
• 29:03
  is God. And then even in this, we are
• 29:05
  called to imitate him as faithful declares of God's
• 29:08
  truth. Now, I can imagine how some
• 29:13
  might still not be convinced. But what the Lord does is he
• 29:18
  quotes. Isaiah, you heard.
• 29:19
  In a verse 12 of Mark for let me read it to you again.
• 29:23
  After telling him that Outsiders will be, will be referred to
• 29:28
  Parables. He says, so that they may indeed
• 29:31
  see, but not perceive, it may indeed here, but not understand
• 29:35
  less, they should turn and be forgiven.
• 29:38
  That's from Isaiah, 69, that's something that God told Isaiah
• 29:43
  that Christ actually told Isaiah after that Throne Room Vision
• 29:47
  where he was just absolutely moved by the Holiness of God,
• 29:52
  And the Triune God asking Whom Shall we send.
• 29:56
  And here's Isaiah and I'm only saying here, I am send me good.
• 30:01
  I'm gonna send you, you're gonna be my preacher in this
• 30:04
  generation, but you're going to preach to a crowd who will not
• 30:07
  respond to you. Can you imagine how encouraging
• 30:09
  that is? Hey, Pastor.
• 30:11
  You're going to preach at a church where every single
• 30:13
  Sunday, what you say, will not move.
• 30:14
  One person. Sign me up.
• 30:20
  That's an example to me about how the Lord looks for
• 30:23
  faithfulness more than anything else.
• 30:27
  But why is Jesus quoting from this passage?
• 30:31
  because the ministry that Isaiah had was not of him addressing a
• 30:34
  reasonable bunch, he was preaching before crowd, that had
• 30:39
  already persistently rejected, God's warnings and woes And what
• 30:46
  the Lord is doing by reaching back 700 years and applying that
• 30:51
  context to his, he's saying I'm preaching to people who have
• 30:55
  already heard what I had to say. And I've determined to deny me,
• 31:00
  just like Isaiah had to preach the such a crowd.
• 31:03
  I am preaching to that same crowd.
• 31:06
  And so therefore, I will now address them in a veiled manner.
• 31:12
  So, That may sound true but it may.
• 31:19
  It may also disturb us. But be more disturbed by the
• 31:24
  fact that after God does so much people still raise their nose
• 31:28
  against him and turn their bags, be more disturbed by that,
• 31:32
  please. And if you would want a
• 31:37
  fragrance of Mercy on this, consider that even in this, what
• 31:43
  you just heard there is a touch of Mercy.
• 31:49
  There is a hint of Grace. There is a fragrance of beauty.
• 31:55
  What do I mean by that? You've heard this.
• 31:57
  Haven't you. Everyone to whom much is given
• 32:01
  of him much will be required. Have you heard of that?
• 32:04
  Then he goes on to say, even from there and from him to whom
• 32:08
  they entrusted much, they will demand the more.
• 32:11
  What's the context of that that's found in Luke chapter 12?
• 32:14
  The context of that in Luke 12 is Jesus teaching that there
• 32:18
  will be various degrees of punishment that are in direct
• 32:23
  proportion to Requirement of Revelation.
• 32:27
  What do I mean that by that when he says too much was given much
• 32:30
  will be required? What he's essentially saying is
• 32:34
  I will hold a listeners to the word of God.
• 32:36
  Accountable to the Revelation that they are received and how
• 32:41
  they rejected it. That is a rule and God's
• 32:45
  judgment the more light and unbeliever has the more their
• 32:50
  judgment will increase if they deny it.
• 32:55
  Now we in America, boast about Bible knowledge, why?
• 32:59
  Why we're boasting about our radio stations and we're
• 33:03
  boasting about our seminaries or boasting about the amount.
• 33:05
  Y that's a lot of light. As good as that is, that's
• 33:10
  dangerous. Because if you're, if you're
• 33:13
  exposed to this light and you deny this light Christ,
• 33:18
  according to Luke 12 will say much is required of you because
• 33:21
  much has been given to you. Don't boast about being part of
• 33:26
  any Ministry that preaches, the Bible Faithfully.
• 33:28
  If you don't want to respond to it, that's dangerous stuff.
• 33:33
  And yet, it's merciful in light of what Jesus does here with the
• 33:36
  Pharisees and the unbelieving crowd.
• 33:39
  Why? Because if we recognize this
• 33:41
  rule, don't you see it? Don't you see what the Lord is
• 33:45
  doing here? That by speaking in Parables, he
• 33:49
  is deliberately dimming the light So, that by dimming the
• 33:54
  light of the Revelation, he is also diminishing their judgment.
• 34:01
  Bye-bye putting layers on the truth.
• 34:05
  He's also in a sense, limiting what will be heaped on them?
• 34:10
  Don't you see it? I see the heart of God in that,
• 34:15
  and here's the heart of God in that, that he longs to save.
• 34:18
  That he takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked.
• 34:21
  That if he could have it, he would want everyone to come to
• 34:24
  him. And so, even when he shares
• 34:27
  these parables, He filters the truth, and even those who have
• 34:32
  denied him by, not receiving the clear Revelation wouldn't
• 34:37
  someway. Also, not receive the Judgment
• 34:39
  that it would demand for denying it.
• 34:46
  Perhaps this whole time, you've been wondering how complete the
• 34:49
  answer that you just heard really is in light of the rest
• 34:52
  of the chapter. Because if you go back to mark
• 34:54
  for it doesn't end in verse 12. You look at Mark for 14 to 20
• 35:00
  and you see Jesus explaining the very parable.
• 35:07
  That you just heard was not meant to be explained to a
• 35:11
  certain people and that thought transition has perfectly into
• 35:15
  the second reason for why. Jesus implemented Parables, you
• 35:19
  ready? The first one was Parables were
• 35:21
  an instrument of judgment against the stubborn unbeliever,
• 35:26
  but secondly, Parables were an instrument of teaching to those
• 35:29
  who yearn for the truth. That's what you're more familiar
• 35:33
  with, right? And that's okay.
• 35:35
  Because Jesus looks at his people and he says to you to
• 35:38
  you, it has been given the secret of the kingdom of God.
• 35:43
  Unlike the other crowd when it came to the disciples these
• 35:46
  Parables would be helpful tools. That would in fact unpacked the
• 35:50
  truth and revealed the truth and help them remember the truth
• 35:55
  insights about the kingdom. And the opposite is those who
• 36:00
  could care less, they were determined to deny him no matter
• 36:04
  what he said. But this group, they're
• 36:07
  characterized by something else. There is an eagerness, there's a
• 36:10
  teachability, there is a hunger, there is a longing.
• 36:13
  I mean, it's even seen with these disciples, they're always
• 36:16
  asking questions. And Christ honored that these
• 36:21
  allegorical lessons carried the potential of arousing.
• 36:24
  Holy curiosity. And listen, these Parables were
• 36:27
  almost like doorways doorways that would lead into greater
• 36:33
  Revelation. So, the same door that would bar
• 36:37
  people from the truth was also the same door that could lead
• 36:42
  into spiritual Treasures. What's the difference?
• 36:45
  Do you have the right key in your hand?
• 36:49
  And the key in this instance is something that is applicable
• 36:52
  today in The Quest For Truth humility.
• 36:57
  Humility. You see the purpose of the
• 37:01
  parable? Really depends upon the heart.
• 37:04
  Posture of the listener. And when it came to the
• 37:08
  disciples and those who wanted to know the truth, Matthew Henry
• 37:11
  summarized it so. Well he said quote, a parable is
• 37:15
  a shell that keeps good fruit for the diligent But with holds
• 37:21
  it, from the slothful. It's a shell that for those who
• 37:26
  are diligent enough to crack it, to know the nutrients in it, it
• 37:31
  will benefit them. But also it's a shell that those
• 37:34
  who are slothful and careless and blasphemous will keep them
• 37:40
  away. The difference is the ears to
• 37:45
  hear. A parable is really an
• 37:48
  invitation it probes. It provokes the honest inquire,
• 37:54
  it causes them upon hearing what?
• 37:56
  They just heard two now, examine their own hearts and say, I want
• 38:02
  to know what that means. I'm hooked I can't let him walk
• 38:07
  away without telling me, I'll persuade him, I'll sit before
• 38:11
  and whatever it takes for me to understand.
• 38:14
  So no this Christ would never and Christ will never withhold
• 38:19
  the truth from those who thirst for Living Water.
• 38:23
  It's always available. It's always available, let me
• 38:27
  give you an example. Don't answer it.
• 38:30
  Some of you might anyway just think about it if it slips out.
• 38:33
  It's okay. What would you say is the most
• 38:36
  popular bible verse ever? I heard it whispered.
• 38:43
  John 3:16 yes. You all have thought, right?
• 38:48
  Modern history, I would say, John 3:16 John, 3:6 a glorious
• 38:53
  truth. But let me tell you this.
• 38:55
  Those who know, John 3:16, I don't think many of them know in
• 38:58
  what context that was given. I don't think many people, I'm
• 39:03
  sure you do know to whom, Jesus revealed that wonderful insight
• 39:07
  to, you know, who was Nicodemus. Christ will not withhold the
• 39:14
  truth from anybody who desires Living Water, even if he is a
• 39:18
  Pharisee. even if he is a Pharisee and Nicodemus was not
• 39:24
  just any Pharisee, go to John 3 and closing to see what kind of
• 39:28
  Pharisee was John 3 verse 1. Now there was a man of the
• 39:47
  Pharisees named Nicodemus. A ruler of the Jews.
• 39:51
  Oh, he's not just a Pharisee. He's a leader of the Pharisees
• 39:56
  High position. Great respect.
• 40:00
  Jesus laters, refers him as a teacher of Israel, a
• 40:04
  sought-after Expositor of the law verse 2.
• 40:09
  This man came to Jesus by night and said to him.
• 40:14
  Rabbi we know that you are a teacher We know that you are a
• 40:19
  teacher come from, God, for no one.
• 40:20
  Can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.
• 40:27
  Unless God is with him. Have you ever wondered why Jesus
• 40:31
  revealed? One of the most powerful verses
• 40:33
  and all of history? Why Jesus did it with a
• 40:38
  Pharisee? That is the last group of people
• 40:42
  that I would think Jesus would even have a long honest
• 40:45
  conversation with. And yet, here we are.
• 40:50
  But before even that look at some of the details about him at
• 40:53
  what point did he come? He came by Night?
• 40:55
  Some say, well he's being smart here, he wants to find Jesus
• 40:59
  when he is not being aggressively pursued a
• 41:01
  surrounded by a crowd. I suggest that when you consider
• 41:04
  Nicodemus in the whole Gospel of John, where your he's mentioned,
• 41:08
  three times that he came at night for much different
• 41:12
  purpose. He's afraid He's afraid, he
• 41:15
  didn't want to be caught with this controversial Rabbi from
• 41:19
  Nazareth. So let me come in the Blackness
• 41:22
  of night and let me hide myself and pursue him and hopefully
• 41:27
  he'll be willing to speak with me and Jesus knowing all things
• 41:31
  I'm sure new igy Nicodemus came by night and you know what
• 41:33
  blesses me about this. He's still willing to meet with
• 41:36
  him. He's still willing to sit with
• 41:39
  him even though an Essence in our estimation, he was a coward.
• 41:45
  And he had this worried about being seen by his companions and
• 41:50
  his fellow Pharisees. Yet Christ is patient enough to
• 41:54
  embrace, Nicodemus it with Nicodemus and meet Nicodemus
• 41:58
  where he is at. Have you ever considered the
• 42:01
  Great Lengths that Christ is willing to go to meet us?
• 42:04
  Where we are at? You go to John 3.
• 42:06
  You see, Nicodemus, coming by Night, fear of the other
• 42:09
  Pharisees, crawling his way to the truth, embodied in the
• 42:13
  person of Christ, then you go. To John chapter 4.
• 42:16
  And here's Jesus. Now meeting with a woman at a
• 42:18
  particular time of the day. And her arrival at the well in
• 42:23
  that specific slot of time in the afternoon was also for a
• 42:27
  reason because of her shameful reputation, perhaps wanting to
• 42:31
  avoid the public scorn or even the deaths, there's of other
• 42:35
  woman who would come to the well she comes when it was the least
• 42:39
  beneficial time to be able to work hard to get some water and
• 42:43
  yet Christ meets her there. He's willing to meet us. even in
• 42:50
  the place, where Not praiseworthy, not honorable, at
• 42:56
  least fully to him and Jesus was willing to converse with this
• 43:00
  man without condemnation but when you look at the darkness,
• 43:04
  it wasn't just physical, it was spiritual.
• 43:07
  It wasn't just, this man's visit.
• 43:08
  It was this man's perception of who Jesus was, he comes up to
• 43:12
  the Lord and he says, Rabbi. We know that you are a teacher.
• 43:14
  Come from God, Nicodemus, she's much more than that.
• 43:17
  He's much more than a teacher. He's much more than a teacher
• 43:21
  who can perform some miracles from time to time and already in
• 43:25
  our introduction of him. We can perceive that this man is
• 43:27
  falling short. He's coming in a sneaky way and
• 43:31
  he's Limited in his view of who God is.
• 43:35
  But look at this. This guy's a candidate for
• 43:40
  rebuke. This guy's a candidate for
• 43:43
  rejection. This guy's a candidate for
• 43:45
  Christ to say, I'm not wasting my time with you.
• 43:48
  You're coming at me at night. Why don't you be a man improve
• 43:52
  yourself? Come to me when it's harder to
• 43:55
  come to me. Nothing of the sort.
• 43:59
  It's with this man that Jesus unveil some of the most glorious
• 44:04
  and precious gospel truths that we can share with anybody and
• 44:09
  they can understand why why? I'll give you two reasons why?
• 44:15
  Look back at how he addresses Jesus.
• 44:19
  He says, we know that you are a teacher come from, God for no
• 44:23
  one. Can do these signs that you do
• 44:25
  unless God is with him. What was the popular Pharisee
• 44:31
  opinion about how Jesus could do miracles?
• 44:36
  Yeah, he's doing it by the power of Beelzebub.
• 44:38
  All this guy is demonic and he's empowered by the prince of
• 44:44
  demons. You know what Nicodemus has as a
• 44:47
  Pharisee This can't be done. Unless God is with you.
• 44:52
  This can't happen unless God is with you.
• 44:57
  You know what I learned from Nick and this part of the Bible,
• 45:01
  I see an honest man. I see an honest, man.
• 45:07
  A man who's not willing to be swayed by popular opinion.
• 45:12
  A man who is willing to see what it is and to be able to call it
• 45:16
  as it is and say this has to be from God.
• 45:20
  And I see that Jesus answers in the way that he does because of
• 45:25
  this man's honesty. Remember the Pharisees when they
• 45:29
  came to Jesus and they asked him by what Authority do you do
• 45:33
  these things? And he goes I love the Lord in
• 45:35
  this part of the Bible. Matthew because look I'll answer
• 45:39
  a question to you first asked mine.
• 45:41
  John's baptism, was it from heaven or made up by man?
• 45:44
  These they call back that we say this is going to happen.
• 45:47
  We say that that's going to happen.
• 45:49
  We don't know. And the Lord looks Amigos.
• 45:53
  I can't help you. Neither will I reveal to you by?
• 45:57
  What Authority? I do these things.
• 45:59
  Jesus can't work with dishonest people.
• 46:02
  Jesus doesn't, Jesus doesn't do counseling with dishonest
• 46:06
  people. That's in any counseling,
• 46:09
  discipleship context. One of the first things I always
• 46:12
  say is just be honest with me, just be honest with me, I can't
• 46:17
  work with you. If you're dishonest with me or
• 46:18
  dishonest with yourself or dishonest about the situation,
• 46:21
  be honest. Where do I get that from?
• 46:24
  I get that from my Lord. I get that from the Council of
• 46:27
  counselors Christ. But here's here is Nicodemus and
• 46:33
  he's honest, hey, this has to be connected to God.
• 46:36
  This can't be this can't be what they're saying.
• 46:41
  But it's not just his honesty. Because when you look at the
• 46:44
  rest of the chapter Nicodemus, only says a few more things.
• 46:47
  And what's astounding, is, every single thing that he says from
• 46:50
  this point on is in the form of a question.
• 46:54
  Look at verse 4 Nicodemus said to him.
• 46:57
  How can a man be born when he is old?
• 47:00
  Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?
• 47:03
  That's two questions, Jesus explains.
• 47:07
  And they come down to verse 9 Nicodemus said to him, how can
• 47:10
  these things be So here's a man who not only approaches Jesus.
• 47:15
  Honestly, here's a man who also approaches Jesus with hunger.
• 47:21
  I think these are sincere questions, he's not mocking,
• 47:24
  he's not scorning, he's genuinely trying to understand.
• 47:28
  I don't understand how this all works Born Again.
• 47:31
  Does a man go back into his mother's womb and come back out.
• 47:34
  What are you speaking about? The wind blows where, how can
• 47:37
  these things be and Christ perceiving?
• 47:39
  This man's hunger, says, I can work with this.
• 47:44
  And he reels him in, and he stays with him and he teaches, I
• 47:47
  mean, he gives them more examples from the Old Testament
• 47:49
  and he just unpacks the Gospel Mission, the gospel message.
• 47:57
  Christ is looking for people who are honest and hungry.
• 48:04
  Miracles can take place. When that happens.
• 48:08
  And when he speaks with this kind of vocabulary, when he
• 48:12
  looks at metaphors and he brings up allegories and all these
• 48:15
  things, they are an invitation to the honest and the hungry.
• 48:21
  I want to know what that means. I want to know if he's speaking
• 48:24
  about me, I want to know if he's speaking about my soul.
• 48:26
  I want to know if he's speaking. I want to know what this is, and
• 48:30
  for those kind of people Secrets can be revealed.
• 48:35
  Can be made known. And so you heard why Jesus spoke
• 48:41
  in Parables and few short weeks, we're going to see how this is
• 48:47
  not just applicable. To Salvation. that if we as a
• 48:54
  people want greater revelation Christ is going to look at what
• 48:58
  we're doing with our current revelation.
• 49:01
  That's a very important truth. Let me end on a interesting
• 49:04
  thought. It's not directly connected but
• 49:07
  here's a nugget for you. Great debate about what happened
• 49:12
  to Nicodemus. Two other times, you appears in
• 49:16
  John. But this thought came that the
• 49:18
  last appearance of Nicodemus in the Book of John and I want you
• 49:22
  to see it and then we will end Is Nicodemus going to be in
• 49:26
  heaven? What did Nicodemus end up doing
• 49:29
  with the Revelation that he received?
• 49:31
  Well, here's a clue. John 19.
• 49:35
  Verse 38, our Lord was crucified. and a man inquired of
• 49:43
  his body, so that Unknowingly would fulfill prophecy because
• 49:49
  he would put the savior in a tomb.
• 49:51
  The tomb of a rich man, as Isaiah 53 says, and John 1938,
• 49:56
  we are introduced to that man after these things Joseph of
• 50:00
  Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for the fear
• 50:07
  of the Jews asked, pilate that he may take away the body of
• 50:10
  Jesus and pilate gave him permission.
• 50:13
  So he came and took away his body.
• 50:16
  All I know about this man from John.
• 50:19
  Is that he was a disciple of Jesus, the Holy Spirit.
• 50:21
  Would not say that unless it was true.
• 50:23
  He was a true disciple of Jesus but I learned something else.
• 50:26
  He was a secret disciple. He feared the Jews and I don't
• 50:32
  know what the reason for the fear was clearly, it was some
• 50:34
  form of persecution. But he here fearing the Jews
• 50:40
  comes privately to Pilot when everything is settled and as a
• 50:45
  Midnight Mission wants to honor Christ even in his death and
• 50:50
  bring him a proper burial. Now here's what's so
• 50:53
  interesting. If this man, we are told feared
• 50:56
  the Jews then. Why is the next verse?
• 51:01
  There. verse 39, Nicodemus also I thought you were afraid of the
• 51:09
  Jews. Why are you bringing or allowing
• 51:13
  the leader of one of the leaders of the Pharisee party?
• 51:18
  To join you to honor Christ in this way unless you have no
• 51:22
  reason to fear Nicodemus. Why?
• 51:27
  Because maybe he was a disciple of Jesus, too.
• 51:30
  Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you
• 51:57
  for this morsel of Truth, this afternoon Lord.
• 52:01
  It is our desire to know all that your word has to say.
• 52:07
  And our prayer is that the answer to the question?
• 52:10
  Why did your son used parables? I would have been satisfied this
• 52:17
  afternoon. Laura.
• 52:19
  See that you are a just God. And that you hold those
• 52:24
  accountable who treat the truth, with contempt, who are
• 52:29
  determined, no matter what, to destroy the message.
• 52:32
  And even the person of Jesus Christ, we see that you use
• 52:35
  Parables as an act of divine judgment against those who are
• 52:40
  settled in their unbelief below. We also see that it is a
• 52:45
  double-edged sword for it. Invites the honest and the
• 52:50
  hungry to know what you have to say.
• 52:53
  And Lord our prayer as application to this message is
• 52:56
  that we would be a people who would continually hunger and
• 53:00
  continually be honest. Before you and before your word.
• 53:05
  That's our desire. Lord, as we stand to Worship,
• 53:09
  You may come from a heart that has been awakened by the wisdom
• 53:12
  of God by the love of God, by the Holiness of God.
• 53:17
  For you are worthy. Of all honor and praise in Jesus
• 53:22
  name, we pray. Amen, let's Stand Together,
• 53:25
  shall we?