Latest / Meadows Baptist Church Podcast / Interested But Not Invested - 10/25/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch

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Interested But Not Invested - 10/25/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch · Meadows Baptist Church Podcast

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Welcome to the podcast of Meadows
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Baptist Church of Walnut Cove, North
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Carolina.
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We're so glad you joined us today.
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If you enjoy today's message, be sure to
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subscribe, follow, and share with your
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friends.
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Now, let's join Pastor Charlie Branch
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with a word from God.
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>> Amen.
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Truth is that's that's honest that's an
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honest song, I tell you. And I
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appreciate you singing that. We do need
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you more today than we did yesterday.
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And I'll say this, you need it more
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tonight than you did this morning.
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Amen. Luke's gospel, Luke's gospel,
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chapter number 18. When you find your
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place, if you would stand in honor
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reverence to the reading of God's word.
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Luke's gospel chapter 18, and we'll
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share a thought with you tonight. And I
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pray the Lord will help us this evening.
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Luke's gospel, chapter number 18, verse
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number 15. We'll begin reading there.
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Actually, let us look in verse number
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18. Luke's gospel chapter 18, verse
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number
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18.
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The Bible says in a certain ruler asked
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him, saying, "Good master, what shall I
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do to inherit eternal life?"
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And Jesus said unto him, "Why callest
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thou me good?
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None is good save one, that is God.
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Thou knowest the commandments, do not
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commit adultery, do not kill, do not
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steal,
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do not bear false witness, honor thy
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father and thy mother."
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And he said, "All these have I kept from
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my youth up." Now, when Jesus heard
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these things, he said unto him, "Yet
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lackest thou one thing.
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Sell all that thou hast and distribute
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unto the poor,
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thou shalt have treasure in heaven,
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and come, follow me."
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And when he heard this, he was very
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sorrowful, for he was very rich. And
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when Jesus saw that he was sorrowful, he
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said, "How hardly shall they that have
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riches enter into the kingdom of God?
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For it is easier for a camel to go
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through a needle's eye
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than for a rich man to enter into the
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kingdom of God."
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And they that heard it said, "Who then
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can be saved?" And he said, "The things
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which are impossible with men are
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possible with God." Then Peter said,
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"Lo, we have left all and followed
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thee."
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And he said unto them, "Verily I say
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unto you, that there is no man that has
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left house, or parents, or brethren, or
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wife, or children for the kingdom of
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God's sake,
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who shall not receive manifold more in
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this present time,
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and in the world to come life
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everlasting."
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Let's go to the Lord in a word of prayer
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tonight. Father, thank you so much for
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the privilege to be in the house of God,
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and Lord, I count it an honor to be
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here. Lord, I love these people, and I
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love this place, and God, I thank you
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for your presence, Lord, because it's
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really the only thing that makes this
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place what it is. Well, we realize, God,
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this would just be a building without
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you showing up. And Lord, we desperately
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need your help tonight. We pray, Lord,
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for holy unction. We pray for liberty.
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God, we ask, Father, for that divine
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touch, Lord, that makes preaching
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preaching. God, we ask, Father, Lord,
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that you would bind the devil tonight
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and the forces of hell. God, we pray
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that you would loose our lips, God, and
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help us to remember what we've studied.
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I pray,
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God, tonight that the saints would be
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encouraged. I pray that sinners would be
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convicted. And Lord, I pray that
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everyone would draw nearer to you as a
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result of this sermon. I pray most of
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all that you'd get glory unto yourself.
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Help us receive meekness with meekness
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the engrafted word, and we'll love you
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and praise you for what you do, because
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we ask it in Jesus' name. God's children
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said, Thank you for standing. You can be
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seated this evening. Luke's Gospel,
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chapter number 18, has some very notable
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passages of scripture within it. I'm
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reminded when I look at this chapter by
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surveying all of that. Um we are we are
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told of several different We are given
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parables in this chapter and we're we're
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talk We are told about the parable of
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the unjust judge in these verses. We're
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told about the parable of the Pharisee
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and the publican in this chapter. We are
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as well told about the healing of who
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would be called in another passage blind
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Bartimaeus
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in this text and there's a lot that's
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going on in this chapter. I want to say
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this, when you look at our Lord's life,
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you discover that in his ministerial
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period that three and a half years where
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he was employed primarily in witnessing
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to the world of himself that he was the
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Messiah that had come, Jesus was very
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busy. Amen. And the truth is tonight
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that we as the children of God realizing
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what day and age we're living in, we
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ought to be very busy. Amen. But I
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noticed in this text tonight, we read
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tonight about this certain ruler. Now,
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we call him the rich young ruler is the
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way we label him and I was looking at
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this text and praying about what the
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Lord would have us to preach tonight or
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this morning rather and we didn't get to
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preach it this morning, but the Holy
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Ghost did some good preaching this
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morning. Amen. But I noticed some
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thoughts here that I want to share with
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you tonight if I could. By way of
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introduction, then I'll give you the
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thought this evening. The Bible says in
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verse number 18 that this certain ruler
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asked him saying, "Good master, what
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shall I do to inherit eternal life?" And
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so I noticed that this ruler in verse
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number 18, I would say tonight number
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one that he is interested. You say,
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"What do you mean?" Well, he comes to
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the Lord and in another passage, the
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Bible literally says in a parallel
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passage concerning this story that this
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man ran to Jesus. He is interested in
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what the Lord has to say. He has a
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question that he wants the Lord to
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answer and he knows there's something
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special about Jesus. And anybody that's
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ever been around Jesus knew there was
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something special about him. Amen. And
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so he has come here. He's interested in
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this question. I want to say he's not
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just interested in the Lord, but he's
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interested in life. Not just life, but
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eternal life. Notice what he says in
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verse 18, "What shall I do to inherit
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eternal life?" Now, I would say tonight
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that's something to be good to be
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interested in. Amen? And so, tonight we
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note that he is interested. But, I want
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to say this second of all tonight, I
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notice on down in the text in verse
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number 23 that the script very quickly
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changes. We know a sinner that has come
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interested in the text of what the Lord
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has to say, but after his short
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conversation with the Lord, the Bible
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says in verse 23, "And when he heard
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this," notice the phrase, the Bible says
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he was very sorrowful. You say,
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"Preacher, what does that mean tonight?"
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Well, simply when you look up that
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phrase uh in its etymology in the Greek
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translation, it means that this
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gentleman had become to a place that he
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was inconsolable.
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You say, "What do you mean?" Well, this
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sorrow in the text is a sorrow even unto
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death.
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In other words, his heart was broken.
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You say, "What do you mean?" Well,
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something Jesus said in this text broke
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this man's heart. And you know, I
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thought about this, man, there's been a
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lot of sinners that have came to Jesus
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down through the years needing their
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heart healed, and they allowed instead
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of healing for their heart, they allowed
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him to further break their heart.
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You say, "What do you mean?" Well, I
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notice in this text that the Bible says
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in verse 23, you notice that little uh
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punctuation there, he was very
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sorrowful, semicolon. Look what your
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Bible says, "For he was what?"
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Very rich. You say, "What do you mean?"
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Well, something Jesus said obviously is
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incongruous or inconsistent
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with his present state of life. You say,
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"What is it?" Well, he was very wealthy.
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You say, "What is that?" Well, I'll
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notice this lastly by way of
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introduction, I want to show you what
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Jesus has said to him in verse 22. Now,
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when Jesus heard these things, he said
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unto him, "Yet lackest thou one thing."
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And notice what he says.
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"Sell all that thou hast."
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Now, we know the text tonight, we know
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the story, but I want to simply say
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this. I'm going to preach back through
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the verses and give you some thoughts
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tonight, but I want to simply say this.
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We know what Jesus is describing to him,
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and it's not just that he would give up
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everything.
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Most of the time when you talk to church
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people about the Christian faith, you
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know, they talk about what it cost them,
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and I will not disagree with you that
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Christianity is going to cost you
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if you live it the way that it's
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supposed to be.
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But, I want to say this. Much more than
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the cost, there is a great investment
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that's being made. And you see, Jesus
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has told him in the text, he said, "You
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need to sell what you have." But, you
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notice what he says after that. He says,
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"Then you'll have treasure
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in heaven."
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But, you see, this man is troubled
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because what he sees the Lord
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proclaiming to him as an investment is
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not what he desires to spend his life
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doing.
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And I want to preach on this thought
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tonight if I could. I want to preach on
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the thought interested,
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but not invested.
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Interested, but not
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invested. Now, I'll be real honest with
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you tonight. When we think about
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Christianity in the world in which we
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live, especially in American culture,
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American culture has made Christianity a
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whole lot like a used car dealership.
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It's really I mean, we you know, you
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think about the image of a used car
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dealership, you know, most of the time
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they don't just specialize in one brand.
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They just take whatever brand that they
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can get at a good price.
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And they'll put them all out there, and
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they'll put their their um their raised
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price on that, and that's how they make
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their money. And men and women come
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through there, and they look at all the
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different cars. The ones they like best,
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that's the one that they choose. And
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that's the way Christianity has been
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deemed to be, especially in this part of
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the world, in the Bible Belt. If you
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don't like your church, well, you can
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just go down the road and find one that
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shifts it a little bit to fit your
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fancy. But, the truth is tonight, what
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do we know from Jesus? There's only one
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way.
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And the truth is tonight if there's only
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one way it does not mean that we can
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veer off the path in a lot of different
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areas or look at a lot of different ways
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or take in a lot of different ideas and
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say well they'll all work.
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We've got to agree tonight that the
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truth is the truth.
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And anything outside of the truth is
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what?
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An error. Paul said it this way. He said
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though he said myself or an angel from
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heaven preach another gospel unto you,
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he said let that man let that individual
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be accursed. Does not matter who it
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comes from. Does not matter how
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reputable they are. If it's anything
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other than the gospel, amen, it is not
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from the Lord Jesus Christ and the Bible
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says in the book of Revelation the man
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that adds to this book or takes away
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from this book, he will have the plagues
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that are written in this book added to
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his life and his name blotted out.
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Not that he could lose his salvation,
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but I believe his physical life will be
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taken
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from him. Now I notice in this text
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we've got to understand first of all,
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why is this man interested in Jesus?
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Well, number one tonight, I would say
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that we talk about this man, we label
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him as what? He is the rich young ruler.
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And what do we discover in the verses
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just preceding this, verse 15, the Bible
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says and they brought unto him, that is
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Jesus, also infants that he would touch
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them. But when his disciples saw it,
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they rebuked them. Verse 16, but Jesus
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called them unto him and said suffer
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little children to come unto me and
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forbid them not for of such is the
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kingdom of God. So I would say number
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one reason probably why this man was
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interested is because Jesus had a
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passion for the youth.
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He had a passion for children.
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You say what is that? Well, Jesus said
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literally said himself, he said if a man
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offend any of these little ones, he said
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it would be better for him that a
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millstone were hung about his neck and
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he cast into the depths of the sea than
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he to offend a little child or to put a
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stumbling block in front of the little
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child receiving Jesus or receiving the
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gospel, receiving the kingdom of God.
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Jesus has a passion for children.
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And this man is attracted to that. I'll
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say this tonight, when we think about
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churches and and my mindset, you know, a
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church that doesn't love children is a
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church that doesn't love Jesus.
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Amen. But many times people in the world
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today have it in their mind that they
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got to go to a church that has the most
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stuff for their children.
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But the truth is it's not always great.
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Because the more stuff you have, the
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more stuff you have to police.
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And a lot of times the checks and
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balances get taken out of the way when
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you got a lot of stuff to look over. I
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want to say this tonight, I believe we
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all love children, we all to do as much
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as we can for them. But you understand
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that the elderly and the middle-aged
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folk, they're just as much of the church
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as the children is. Amen. And so we've
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got to make sure we're pastoring all of
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them, preaching to all of them, having
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programs and things for all of them. But
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I want to say this tonight, this man was
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interested because Jesus was interested
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in people like him. And aren't you
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thankful tonight that Jesus was
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interested in you when you came to the
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church?
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And so I would say he was interested
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because of his passion for children. I'd
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say this tonight, number two, he's also
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interested in just because of his
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person.
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I You say, "What do you mean?" Well,
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notice what's said in verse 18. And a
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certain ruler asked him, saying, "Good
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master, what shall I do to inherit
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eternal life?" Now, if you know anything
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about your Bible, you know anything
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about this culture, it is not a natural
13:34
thing to call anybody master. Actually,
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Jesus said himself, "You're to call no
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man father here upon the earth. You're
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to call no man master." All right?
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That's the Catholics, they're out of
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line. Amen. You don't have a father on
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this earth other than your earthly
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daddy. Somebody say amen right there. We
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don't We don't call anybody father. Our
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heavenly father is our father.
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Amen. We don't call anybody master. We
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have one master tonight. And isn't that
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interesting, too? Probably the biggest
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cults in the world, amen, the
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brotherhood of the Masons, amen, and the
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Catholics, they got both of them in
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there. The cat- The Catholics got their
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fathers and the Masons got their
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What is it What did I just say? Master.
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Amen.
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Ain't none of that from God.
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When we look at this text, this man here
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in the text comes to Jesus and he says,
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"Good master." He is recognizing
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when he says master that this that Jesus
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is more than a man. Now, what does that
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tell us? Well, he's interested in who
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Jesus is. You see Jesus, John chapter 3,
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Nicodemus comes to him by night. What
14:34
does he call him? He says, "Rabbi."
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"We know that thou art a teacher sent
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from God. No man can do these miracles
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that thou doest except God be with him."
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And this man's interested in the person
14:45
of Jesus. And I would say this, it's a
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highlight of our church for people to
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come here because they're interested in
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Jesus. Amen. I'm going somewhere, stay
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with me. I would say he's interested
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because of the his passion for children.
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He's interested in just the person of
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Christ himself that he knew he is more
15:01
than a man. But I want say this, he's
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also interested being a religious man, a
15:05
ruler here of the Jews and some sort of
15:08
sector. He's also interested in Christ
15:10
preaching. Not only just his preaching,
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but his particularly his preaching of
15:15
the commandments. Notice what the Bible
15:16
says in the text, verse number 18, he
15:19
asked, "What shall I do?" Notice that
15:21
statement. "What shall I do to inherit
15:23
eternal life?" Now, what is the whole
15:25
crux of the phrase do? That's the
15:27
commandments. Do this and don't do that.
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Ain't that what that is? And this man's
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got it in his mind when he comes to
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Jesus, he's going to tell me what I have
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to do.
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But the truth is we know the gospel.
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The gospel doesn't say do, the gospel
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says done.
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And when Jesus is going to speak to this
15:46
man, he's going to take all of his
15:48
religious pre-suppositions about
15:51
himself.
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And he's going to turn them over on
15:53
himself.
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You say what happens? Well, notice the
15:56
text. We've identified why this man is
15:59
interested, but let's also identify why
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he refuses to invest. Here verse 20, or
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verse 19, Jesus said unto him, "Why
16:06
callest thou me good? There none is good
16:08
save one, that is God." Jesus is saying
16:10
in the text he's not denying the fact
16:12
that he is God. He's saying, "But do you
16:14
realize what you're saying about me?
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Do you realize that you're saying that
16:18
I'm more than a man?
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He's recognizing this man. Jesus is
16:23
saying, "Look what you're saying. It's
16:24
got some weight to it."
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I'm going to tell you this, when you
16:27
talk about the Lord, you got to realize
16:28
there's some weight to that.
16:30
Amen. Be careful what you say. I'd hate
16:32
to lie in the presence of God.
16:35
It's a very weighty thing. Notice this
16:37
in the text, verse 20. Jesus says, "Thou
16:39
knowest the commandments. Do not commit
16:41
adultery. Do not kill. Do not steal. Do
16:43
not bear false witness. Honor thy father
16:46
and thy mother." And if you look at the
16:47
other parallel passages with this text,
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you'll see that he also reveals that the
16:51
commandment there, the 10th, love your
16:53
neighbor as yourself. He points that out
16:55
in the other passages of the scriptures.
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And notice this man's response in verse
16:59
21. And he said, "All these have I kept
17:03
from my youth up."
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Now, when I look at this text, all
17:07
right, this particular passage, I would
17:09
say, "Man, this dude's a liar."
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Nobody's ever kept the commandments.
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Wouldn't we agree with that tonight? But
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isn't it interesting in a parallel text,
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I didn't write it in my Bible, but it's
17:21
either Mark chapter number 10, Matthew
17:23
chapter number 19, one of those two
17:25
parallel passages, when the Bible says
17:28
that when this man said these words,
17:30
"All these have I kept from my youth
17:32
up." You know what the Bible says? It
17:34
says then Jesus loved him.
17:37
You say, "What does that mean?" Well,
17:38
Jesus saw the virtue.
17:41
You say, "What do you mean?" He saw the
17:42
potential
17:43
that he had.
17:45
Cuz the truth is in this text, this boy
17:47
had done
17:48
everything he was supposed to do.
17:50
Now, was he perfect? No, he wasn't
17:52
perfect. But he had done what the law
17:55
commanded for him to do. You say, "How
17:58
is that?" Well, that's what got him that
17:59
position. He obviously had a good
18:01
pedigree. He had a lot of potential.
18:03
He's a ruler over this sector, and he
18:05
has a lot to offer. I want to say this,
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you know, we often talk about the fact
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that we have nothing to offer the Lord,
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but you realize Jesus loves the people
18:15
as well that have a lot to offer.
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You say, "What do you mean?" Well, think
18:18
about the Apostle Paul.
18:21
Greatest Christian that ever lived. You
18:23
ever thought about what made him that
18:24
way?
18:25
He was schooled in all of the law.
18:28
He knew how all of it worked. He knew
18:30
the ins and outs. He said, "There's not
18:31
one that's been greater than I in the
18:33
law." Basically is what he said. "I've
18:35
not missed anything."
18:37
And that potential, you see, yes, that
18:39
would have hindered him had he allowed
18:41
it to, but the truth is that schooling
18:44
in the word of God, you know what Jesus
18:45
did? He put the Holy Spirit in there and
18:47
he used him to change him from Saul
18:51
of Tarsus, amen, to the Apostle Paul.
18:54
God used him for that. I'm going to say
18:56
this tonight, you shouldn't shoot
18:57
yourself in the foot and say that you
18:59
have nothing to offer, but the truth is
19:01
people that have more to offer often
19:04
times are a lot more reluctant to turn
19:06
themselves over to Jesus. Look what
19:08
happens in the text. Verse 21, he said,
19:11
"All these have I kept from my youth."
19:12
Uh verse 22, "Now when Jesus had heard
19:15
these things, he said unto him, 'Yet
19:17
lackest thou one thing.'" Now, the truth
19:18
is tonight this man liked a lot of areas
19:21
cuz the truth is if the Bible says if
19:23
you offend in one point, you've offended
19:24
all.
19:25
So, the there's nobody that's not broken
19:27
the commandments. But what Jesus is
19:30
doing is Jesus is put is shining the
19:32
light on his problem.
19:35
And that's what the word of God does,
19:36
ain't it?
19:38
He takes his that mirror of the word and
19:40
the light of the Holy Ghost of God
19:41
shines through the mirror of that word
19:42
and man, it gets in there in them real
19:44
deep places.
19:46
Shows us all the stuff we really don't
19:48
want to see.
19:49
I notice what he says in verse 22, "Yet
19:51
lackest thou one thing."
19:54
And notice the first word that he says.
19:57
He says, "Sell."
19:59
"Sell all that thou hast." Now, remember
20:03
he's wanting him to make an investment.
20:05
We know that that's what Jesus is
20:07
telling him in this text.
20:09
But he tells him this first. Now, our
20:12
discipleship tactics, we would say
20:14
something like this to this gentleman.
20:16
You know, all the He says, "All these
20:17
have I kept from my youth." And we'd
20:19
say, "Man, that's great."
20:21
"That's great that you've not been out
20:22
in the world. You've not seen a bunch of
20:24
sin and made a bunch of mistakes. That's
20:25
awesome that you've not done that. And
20:27
we want to help you learn how to follow
20:29
Jesus. There's nothing wrong with that.
20:31
But you see Jesus is not like us. See,
20:34
what's the difference? Well, the
20:35
difference is he knew this man's heart.
20:38
He knew what was on the inside of him.
20:40
And so you know what, instead of wasting
20:42
any time, he goes straight to the
20:43
problem.
20:45
He says, all right, you lacking one
20:46
point. You said I was the master, right?
20:48
Ain't that what he said? He said, good
20:50
master, what shall I do to inherit
20:52
eternal life? Jesus said, well, I'm
20:53
going to tell you.
20:54
You need to sell all that you have. Say,
20:57
what do you Why does Why is he telling
20:58
him that in order for him to inherit
21:00
eternal life, that he has to sell all
21:02
that he has? He's telling him, before
21:04
you can get to a place where you can be
21:06
saved, you're going to have to let go of
21:08
everything that you are and everything
21:10
that you know.
21:12
You say, what is that? Well, notice what
21:14
he says in the text. Mark with me
21:16
quickly. I'm moving quickly. You see his
21:18
possessions are mentioned. Sell all that
21:21
thou hast. Everything that belongs to
21:24
you, get rid of it.
21:25
Notice this.
21:27
And distribute not only his possessions,
21:29
but he's specifically not just to hang
21:31
on to the money, he says, but you are to
21:33
distribute it unto the poor. He said,
21:35
you're not only to sell your
21:37
possessions, but you are to partition
21:38
those those assets and give them to the
21:42
poor. Then he speaks of his prize in
21:44
verse 22, and thou shalt have treasure
21:47
in heaven. And then he talks about his
21:49
path. Notice that's mentioned last.
21:52
Notice this. And come, follow me. You
21:56
see, this young man has all the
21:57
potential in the world. There's so much
21:59
that he has to offer. You think about
22:01
this wealth, and I I read one writer, he
22:03
was talking about this text, and he
22:05
said, more than likely, if this man
22:07
would have just said, Jesus, I'll do
22:09
whatever you want me to do, but you're
22:10
going to have to help me and give me
22:11
some time to get all this set. Cuz I've
22:14
got a lot. But you know what, this man
22:16
never even thought about it.
22:18
You say, what is that? That is a a token
22:21
of the omniscience of God.
22:23
Jesus knew exactly how he was going to
22:25
respond to the gospel. You see, we're
22:27
limited when dealing with people because
22:29
we don't really know how they're going
22:30
to respond.
22:31
But you know what? Jesus did. And so he
22:34
goes straight to the problem in spite of
22:36
all his potential, in spite of all his
22:38
possessions. You think about this, these
22:40
men were poor.
22:42
This man probably could have give some
22:44
of his money to them. You understand
22:45
that Jesus and his disciples look like
22:47
the poorest of the poor.
22:50
They had absolutely nothing.
22:53
Jesus said it this way, "Foxes have
22:55
holes and birds of the air have nests,
22:57
but the son of man hath not where to lay
22:59
his head." These were the poorest of the
23:01
poor. You say, "What is that?" Well, in
23:03
the text in verse 23, "When he heard
23:05
this, he was very sorrowful, for he was
23:07
very rich." I would say this tonight, he
23:09
was interested, but he would not invest
23:11
number one because he loved his
23:13
possessions more than he loved the poor.
23:17
You say, "Preacher, that's awfully
23:18
simple." Well, the truth is that's where
23:20
all of us are living.
23:22
You say, "What do you mean?" Well, we
23:23
shouted and testified this morning about
23:25
how good God's been to us.
23:28
But when's the last time you told
23:29
somebody about that saving grace you
23:30
love so much?
23:33
I'm not talking about your money.
23:35
This church is a giving church and I
23:36
commend you for that. I praise I praise
23:39
the name of God and I commend you for
23:41
your giving.
23:42
But that ain't what I'm talking about.
23:44
We have a gift, amen, a gift of
23:47
salvation that's been imparted unto us.
23:50
It's been invested unto us by the power
23:52
of God and we have been called to do one
23:54
thing, that's to go and to tell.
23:57
But here's the problem.
23:59
We love that possession a whole lot more
24:01
than we love the people that need it.
24:06
You see, this man in the text, he is
24:08
unwilling to invest because Jesus IS NOT
24:11
OPERATING THE WAY that he thinks Jesus
24:13
should operate. Here's the way we think
24:15
Jesus should operate. WELL, IF JESUS
24:17
REALLY LOVES those sinners out there, he
24:19
should go to them and show them that
24:21
their laws convict them of their sin and
24:23
save them and then tell them to come to
24:25
our church.
24:28
Is that not how we think?
24:30
We think, man, well, he's got to do it
24:32
anyway, and and he does. But you know
24:35
what he's asked us to do?
24:37
Faith cometh by
24:40
and hearing by the word of God. How
24:42
shall they hear without a
24:46
That's not just me.
24:48
That's not just the man standing behind
24:50
the pulpit. That is us giving the gospel
24:52
to the world. But the truth is, we're
24:54
interested because of how much we have,
24:58
but the truth is, we are not invested.
25:01
Because we do we are not concerned for
25:03
the souls of men.
25:05
You think about this man. He was looking
25:08
at Jesus and these disciples who Peter
25:10
literally says in the text later, Lord,
25:13
we've left all to follow thee.
25:15
They don't have anything but just the
25:17
clothes that's on their back. And
25:18
they're walking around the suburbs of
25:20
Jerusalem and the cities round about
25:22
telling the gospel, amen, and healing,
25:24
amen, and doing all these works. Their
25:26
shoes are worn, their clothes are
25:28
ragged, they have nothing. And this man,
25:30
THOUGH HE WAS INTERESTED IN WHAT JESUS
25:33
COULD DO, he was not interested in who
25:35
Jesus was.
25:38
You say, what do you mean? Well, we're
25:39
interested in what people can do for the
25:41
church when they come in.
25:42
But we're not interested in doing what
25:44
it takes to get them to that point.
25:46
Do you realize that every every one of
25:48
you was a sinner lost without God at
25:49
some point? Do you realize that I as the
25:51
pastor of this church was a sinner lost
25:53
without God? Somebody had to invest in
25:55
me.
25:56
>> Amen.
25:56
>> I was one time that poor lonely beggar
25:59
with no hope and no help in this world,
26:01
amen. But thank God somebody invested.
26:04
They was more concerned about the poor
26:06
than they were about their own
26:07
possessions. We can shout. We can praise
26:10
God. But the truth is, if our shout
26:12
don't drive us to tell others about
26:14
salvation, I wouldn't give a flip for
26:16
your shout.
26:20
Notice this in the text. The He loved
26:22
his possessions more than the poor. I
26:24
want to say this. He also he loved his
26:26
position
26:27
more than Christ's path.
26:29
You say, what do you mean? Well, in
26:31
order for him to sell all that he had,
26:33
you know what he's going to have to give
26:34
up?
26:35
He's going to give up that title.
26:37
He's the rich young
26:39
ruler.
26:40
And so, when God Jesus says to him, "All
26:43
right, you need to sell all you have."
26:44
Well, you know what goes when you sell
26:45
the possessions? The position.
26:49
That authority that he loved so much.
26:51
That recognition. Man, they love the
26:53
pomp and circumstance. Wasn't that what
26:55
Jesus said? He said, "Them Pharisees"
26:57
Notice Notice it here in this chapter.
26:59
He literally calls them out.
27:01
Verse number nine, he spake this parable
27:04
parable under certain which trusted in
27:05
themselves that they were righteous and
27:07
despised others. You see, that's this
27:09
man's problem. He despises the poor.
27:11
Notice verse 10. Two men went up into
27:13
the temple to pray. The one a Pharisee
27:16
and the other a publican. The Pharisee
27:18
stood and prayed thus with himself,
27:19
"God, I thank thee that I am not as
27:21
other men are, extortioners, unjust,
27:23
adulterers, or even as this publican. I
27:25
fast twice in the week." Notice this, "I
27:27
give tithes of all that I what
27:30
possess."
27:32
And the publican standing afar off would
27:34
not lift up so much as his eyes into
27:35
heaven, but smote upon his breast
27:37
saying, "God be merciful to me a
27:39
sinner." You see, in order to invest,
27:42
you have to let go of the position that
27:44
you have in this life
27:46
to get on the path
27:48
to his life.
27:50
Remember what David said, Psalm 16? He
27:52
said, "Thou will show me the path of
27:53
life." Psalm 16 verse 11, I believe it
27:56
is, last verse chapter. "Thou will show
27:58
me the path of life and in thy presence
28:00
is fullness of joy."
28:02
You see, his path is the one we're to be
28:04
walking on.
28:06
But you see, this man, he was interested
28:10
because he's thinking, "Man, with my
28:11
position and his power, look what we
28:13
could do."
28:17
People come to the church and we we're
28:19
we're we're already trying to probe
28:20
probe in their bank account.
28:23
We're not like that here at Matters, but
28:25
friend, you better believe me, there's
28:26
churches all around this community
28:28
that's like that.
28:30
Probing bank accounts.
28:32
How much they giving in the on Sunday?
28:35
That ain't none of my business. Ain't
28:36
none of yours, either.
28:38
I don't know what anybody in this church
28:40
gives in the offering on Sunday, and I
28:41
praise the name of God for it.
28:43
I'm going to tell you this right now,
28:44
friend. If we ever get to a point where
28:47
we more worried about fat than we are
28:48
the souls of men, we got a big problem.
28:51
Jesus tells men this text. He says He
28:54
says, "Sell all that you have,
28:56
distribute unto the poor." But, he loved
28:58
his position more than Christ paid. You
29:01
can stay in that stagnant, stale place
29:03
for the rest of your life, but I choose
29:05
to walk with him if that means I have to
29:07
look like the scum of this world.
29:10
You I I may have to lose my suits. I may
29:12
not be able to afford them. I may have
29:14
to go to a place where there ain't the
29:16
common
29:17
blessings of modern-day life, the
29:19
accommodations of air condition, all of
29:21
that. There's missionaries out there on
29:23
that board out there that's praying.
29:24
They don't They can't even have a cell
29:26
phone that connects to us here in this
29:28
land because of fear for their life,
29:30
people wanting to take them out.
29:33
Let me ask you something. Just how much
29:34
is your life worth to you?
29:39
Is it worth more than the lives of those
29:41
that are lost?
29:42
You see, he says, "Distribute unto the
29:44
poor, and thou shalt have treasure in
29:46
heaven."
29:47
Ultimately, what this come down to is he
29:49
was interested in Jesus, but he would
29:51
not invest in Jesus because he loved
29:54
himself more than he loved Jesus.
29:58
He loved who he was more than who Jesus
30:01
is.
30:03
And truth is, that's the state of every
30:05
sinner that dies lost without God. They
30:07
love who they are
30:09
more than who Jesus wants to make them
30:10
to be.
30:14
He misses out on giving his possessions
30:17
up, the partition there of. You say,
30:19
"Preacher, did Jesus really want him to
30:20
give all of that up?" No, Jesus just
30:23
knew that in order for him to follow
30:25
him, he was going to have to give it up.
30:27
Some things in your life, Jesus points
30:29
them out to you, and really he doesn't
30:31
want you to give them up, but he's
30:32
wanting you to let go of that thing.
30:35
You say, "How is that?" Well, you
30:36
remember Abraham over there in the book
30:37
of Genesis?
30:39
He told Abraham after he prayed all them
30:41
years hundred and some years we ain't
30:43
preaching through his life. We going to
30:44
get there eventually. Somebody say amen.
30:46
But on Mount he's going to Mount Mariah.
30:48
He said I want you to offer up your son
30:50
by an only son Isaac. What does Abraham
30:53
do? He loads the wood on Isaac and they
30:55
begin walking toward the mountain. And
30:57
as Abraham is raising the knife to slay
30:59
HIS SON GOD SPEAKS FROM HEAVEN and stops
31:02
HIM. WHY DOES HE do that? Because he was
31:04
not interested in Isaac as much as he
31:06
was interested in Abraham and the truth
31:09
is Jesus didn't need that man's money.
31:11
He owned the cattle with a thousand
31:12
hills. Amen. Judas betrayed him for 30
31:15
pieces of silver. But friend he got way
31:17
less than he should have got. I'm saying
31:19
friend Jesus was worth MORE THAN
31:21
ANYTHING THAT'S EVER been and the TRUTH
31:23
IS TONIGHT WE'LL SELL OUT SO CHEAP ON
31:25
THIS SIDE WHEN JESUS IS SAYING IF YOU
31:28
JUST FOLLOW ME. YEAH, YOU MIGHT HAVE TO
31:30
GIVE UP A LITTLE BIT BUT I'LL GIVE YOU
31:32
EVERYTHING. AMEN.
31:35
WHAT do we do?
31:37
We walk away. What it say? Very
31:40
sorrowful.
31:41
How many times you leave church sad cuz
31:43
preacher preached like this?
31:45
Man, preacher is digging in my
31:46
pocketbook again.
31:48
Now if you're listening tonight I'm not
31:50
digging in your pocketbook.
31:52
I'm digging in your life.
31:54
What's more important to you?
31:56
We'll give man I'm telling you this
31:58
culture we'll give until we're
31:59
absolutely broke just cuz that's you
32:01
know that's it don't take that much
32:03
anymore but
32:05
somebody got that. Amen.
32:08
But the truth is tonight it ain't about
32:11
what you give.
32:12
Not your money.
32:14
He wants you.
32:16
Say preacher I'LL GIVE IT ALL TO HIM. HE
32:18
REALLY JUST WANTS YOU. You might get to
32:21
keep it.
32:23
I read one writer said this about this
32:25
text. Jesus probably would have said all
32:26
right you just if you'll follow me
32:29
here's what we'll do. We'll help you
32:31
with that.
32:32
You know what Jesus I would have makes a
32:34
way.
32:35
Those types of things. I'll give you
32:37
this and I'm done tonight. I told I'd be
32:39
be brief. I'm done right here.
32:41
You see Jesus says after this man
32:43
departs and and this man dies and goes
32:45
to hell just to let you know that. Over
32:48
this. Isn't that sad?
32:50
So much potential. All that he could
32:52
have done. Notice verse number 24. And
32:55
when Jesus saw that he was very
32:56
sorrowful, notice that. He said, "How
32:58
hardly shall they that have riches enter
33:00
into the kingdom of God?" You know what
33:01
that means? He's saying, "Man, it's
33:03
really hard for those that are stuck on
33:05
their positions to enter into the
33:06
kingdom."
33:07
Cuz it just ain't conducive to their
33:08
lifestyle.
33:10
You're not going to have all the pomp
33:11
and circumstance. You're not going to
33:12
have all of that you would have in this
33:14
world if you choose to follow Jesus. And
33:17
he says in verse 25, he says, "For it is
33:19
easier for a camel to go through a
33:20
needle's eye than for a rich man to
33:22
enter into the kingdom of God." Now, I
33:24
want to give you this tonight. There's
33:26
been a million interpretations of what
33:28
this verse means, okay? I want to try
33:30
try to tell you tonight what I believe,
33:32
what I've studied, what this means, all
33:33
right? This does not mean that a literal
33:35
camel is going to go through a literal
33:36
eye of a needle.
33:38
Okay?
33:39
It's although it's not impossible. You
33:41
say, "How is it?" Well, if you take all
33:43
the little pieces and you bring them
33:44
through. You see, that's not the image
33:45
Jesus is wanting to create here. You see
33:48
in this culture, there was a gate.
33:50
Jerusalem is what? It's a It's a walled
33:52
city. It has 12 gates. That's what the
33:55
Bible teaches, all right? And those
33:56
gates, Jerusalem, this this this this
33:59
city, this time period, they had gates.
34:01
And at night time, they would close the
34:02
big gate and they would have a little
34:04
gate what they called the needle's eye
34:06
gate.
34:07
This gate was about 4-ft high by about
34:09
3-ft wide. And what it was done, it was
34:11
made so that the individuals could get
34:13
in and out of the city at night time.
34:15
But those who were traveling from afar
34:17
off, bring their camels, that was their
34:19
primary method of travel, they would not
34:21
be able to go into the city.
34:23
And so when Jesus says this in the text,
34:25
verse 25, "For it is easier for a camel
34:28
to go through a needle's eye
34:30
than for a rich man to enter into the
34:31
kingdom of God." He is painting a
34:33
picture
34:34
that they understand.
34:36
Say, "What do you mean?" Well, three
34:37
things that that has to happen for a
34:39
camel to go through that little door.
34:41
Number one, this camel, he has to be
34:44
small.
34:45
Say, "What do you mean?" Well, the camel
34:47
can't be
34:48
10-ft tall.
34:51
You know, his torso section, he can't be
34:53
a massive camel. Now, I don't know if
34:54
you you've seen camels. Camels are
34:56
pretty huge animals.
34:58
But, there are smaller camels. They're
35:00
They're not large. So, the camel has to
35:02
be small. Number two, all right, just
35:03
get the emphasis of this, okay? Camel
35:05
has to be small. Number two, the camel
35:07
has to be stripped. What do you mean?
35:09
Well, all the baggage
35:11
this camel would have
35:13
could not be on him
35:14
to get through the gate. Remember, it's
35:15
only about 3-ft, 4-ft wide, 4-ft high.
35:18
Small gate. So, everything that was
35:20
laden on him, his saddle bags, amen, had
35:23
to be taken off. So, he had to be small,
35:26
he had to be stripped. But, I'm going to
35:27
say this, this camel also could not be
35:29
standing.
35:31
Say, "What do you mean?" Well, he had to
35:32
get on the ground.
35:34
And camels, if you've ever seen one,
35:36
they can shuffle
35:38
on their
35:39
joints.
35:41
And so, this camel would have to get on
35:43
the ground. You say, "What's the image
35:44
of that?" Jesus is explaining to them
35:45
something that they've seen every day of
35:47
their life.
35:48
They've watched camels, people try to
35:50
take camels through that door, probably
35:52
watched people get camels stuck in that
35:54
door
35:55
trying to get them in the city at
35:56
nighttime. What's the emphasis? Well,
35:58
he's talking about the rich man.
36:00
He said, number one, that rich man's
36:02
going to have to get rid of a lot of his
36:03
pride.
36:05
He's going to have to get small.
36:07
You know what? The Pharisees, they
36:08
thought themselves real big.
36:11
And they made themselves look real big.
36:12
But, you know what Jesus called them? He
36:14
said, "They're whited sepulchers."
36:16
He said, "You're full and big and
36:17
beautiful, but you're empty, full of
36:18
dead men's bones." That's what he said.
36:20
Amen.
36:21
They're big, amen, but you're going to
36:22
have to get small. I'm going to say
36:23
this, if you're going to get close to
36:25
him, his path, you're going to be
36:26
invested, you're going to have to get
36:28
real small.
36:30
He ain't going to use somebody that's
36:31
real big.
36:33
Probably ain't going to have your name
36:34
on the side of the bus.
36:36
Sorry.
36:38
If that's your dream,
36:39
I'm sorry.
36:41
You're in bad shape, big man.
36:43
You have to be small. Number two, you
36:44
have to be stripped. You say, "What do
36:46
you mean?" Well, all of those things
36:47
that you're carrying.
36:49
Say the rich man, it's his riches.
36:52
Everything that he possesses, all of
36:54
that has to be stripped away. He has to
36:56
get small, but he has to be stripped.
36:57
You got to let go of all that. Cuz you
36:59
know what? When you go to heaven, you
37:00
don't get to take it with you.
37:02
You've heard the story of the individual
37:04
that when he died, he told his wife,
37:06
said, "You leave all my money in my
37:07
casket.
37:09
Leave it all in there.
37:10
I'm going to take it with me to the
37:11
other side."
37:13
And the story goes that when the man
37:14
dies, the woman writes a check,
37:17
sticks it in the casket.
37:19
She left all his money with him, but you
37:20
know what? When he died, he didn't know
37:22
had no power to take it, did he?
37:24
So, that check wasn't no good to him.
37:25
But, the truth is, if she'd have put
37:26
every stitch of cash she had, gold bars,
37:28
it wouldn't have mattered what it was.
37:30
He couldn't have done a thing about it.
37:33
Cuz if you're going to enter into What's
37:35
this man want? He said, "What must I do
37:36
that I might inherit eternal life?"
37:39
If you're going to enter into heaven,
37:41
all that ain't going to have to it can't
37:42
mean anything to you. There is nothing
37:44
in this life that can mean anything more
37:47
to you than Jesus.
37:49
Thirdly, I'm done.
37:51
Got to be small, got to be stripped, but
37:53
you cannot be standing.
37:55
A man that comes to Jesus, he may be
37:58
standing physically when he gets saved,
38:00
but the truth is his heart is bowed in
38:02
reverence
38:03
under the Lord of glory. You know what
38:05
he's doing? He is taking his cross. You
38:08
hear me quote it all the time. Matthew
38:09
16:24, "If any man will come after me,
38:11
let him deny himself, take up his
38:13
cross." You know how you pick up a
38:14
cross? You have to get down.
38:19
You have to get down and pick it up.
38:22
If they were going to come through that
38:23
gate, Jesus says they're going to have
38:25
to get on their knees.
38:27
Notice in the text, "For it's easier for
38:29
a camel to go through a needle's eye
38:30
than for a rich man to enter into the
38:32
kingdom of God." Say, "Preacher,
38:34
what Man, that that looks real grim for
38:36
me."
38:37
Well, you see, it looked real grim for
38:39
them, too, in verse 26. And they that
38:41
heard it said, "Who then can be saved?"
38:44
How can we measure up to this?
38:46
Look what he said in verse 27. And he
38:48
said, "The things which are impossible
38:49
with men
38:51
are possible with God."
38:53
The truth is there were some camels that
38:55
would never get through that gate
38:57
cuz they would they weren't small
38:58
enough.
39:00
This truth is there's a lot of people
39:02
that'll die lost without God and they
39:03
had a head-on encounter with Jesus
39:05
Christ just like this man did. He died
39:07
lost without God. He was too big.
39:09
Too big for his britches.
39:13
I know that's funny but it's the truth.
39:16
R. G. LeTourneau said this. He said,
39:18
"The bigger man's head is, the easier it
39:20
is to fill his shoes."
39:22
The truth is your life and mine, we
39:24
really don't matter in the grand scheme
39:26
of things without Jesus.
39:28
We make no difference in this world
39:30
without Jesus. Have you ever realized
39:32
that?
39:33
You're going to have to get small.
39:34
Number two, you're going to have to get
39:36
stripped
39:37
of everything.
39:39
If you're going to be invested, not just
39:41
interested, I'll give you tonight we're
39:43
interested in an eggplant.
39:44
Man, we love him.
39:46
This man, I believe he loved him. But
39:48
when Jesus spoke to him, you know what?
39:50
He just he couldn't do it.
39:52
I believe that this man had an honest
39:54
reverence for who Jesus was but he had
39:55
no respect for what Jesus wanted.
39:58
There's a Our culture's dying and going
40:00
to hell because they have a a reverence
40:03
for who he is but they have no respect
40:04
for what he wants in their life.
40:08
I want to ask you this tonight. Every
40:09
head's bowed and every eye's closed.
40:10
She's going to begin to play. Just a
40:12
real quick invitation. I know you need
40:14
to go tonight but the truth is don't let
40:16
this truth pass you by.
40:18
Where you at tonight?
40:21
In your life and my life, what's keeping
40:24
you? You see,
40:25
it's I I and it may not be possessions
40:27
for you. I I don't really think that it
40:29
would be but what in your life is
40:31
keeping you from going that full
40:33
distance?
40:38
It's really a salvation message. I was
40:40
thinking this morning I was Lord, I know
40:42
there's lost people here. I really don't
40:44
want to preach this but he knows what he
40:46
wants. I'd rather have what he wants
40:48
than what I want. Somebody say amen.
40:50
But the truth is tonight when I think
40:52
about this, this applies in the sense of
40:55
all of us. We've got things we've got to
40:56
turn loose of.
40:59
You see the things of this world they go
41:00
straight they grow strangely dim
41:04
when you behold him. In the light of his
41:06
glory and grace, this world gets real
41:09
disinterested to you.
41:12
Say preacher, would you pray for me? I
41:14
I've got some things in my life that God
41:16
has put his finger on. He says I need to
41:19
be out.
41:21
And preacher, I I don't know what to do.
41:25
I don't want to walk away.
41:28
This young man died and went to hell,
41:30
but the truth is you might die never
41:31
having lived the victorious Christian
41:33
life because of what you won't turn
41:35
loose of. Say preacher, would you pray
41:37
for me? God help me deal with that.
41:39
Nobody's looking around but me tonight.
41:41
Be honest between you and God. It's all
41:43
right.
41:45
Hey, I've been there.
41:46
Be honest.
41:48
Preacher, would you pray for me?
41:50
Slip your hand up tonight.
41:53
Let me ask you this to say and you say
41:55
preacher,
41:56
I don't think it's that urgent, but I do
41:57
believe there are some things in my life
41:59
that
42:00
I need to work on.
42:03
Cuz I am hanging on to a little bit too
42:05
much. God sees that. God bless you. God
42:08
bless you. God hands all over the
42:10
building.
42:11
God bless you folks.
42:13
I tell you this tonight,
42:17
every one of you has got more potential
42:18
than you can imagine.
42:20
We sell ourselves short many times. Say
42:23
something like this, man, I've got
42:24
nothing to offer him. And that's true in
42:26
a sense. But you see, he saved you so
42:29
you could serve him. As a matter of
42:30
fact, he's given you everything to give
42:32
back to him.
42:34
He's given you your talents. He's given
42:36
you your treasure. He has given you your
42:37
time. Whatever your allotted time is on
42:39
this earth, he has given you that for
42:41
you to live it for him. I urge you I
42:43
compel you tonight to do what he asked
42:46
you to do.
42:48
Give it to him tonight. Father,
42:50
Lord, these altars are open. Some may
42:52
need to come pray. I don't know. I'm not
42:53
going to beg for an invitation tonight.
42:55
Lord, you've you've dealt with my heart.
42:59
Lord, I know that this hits every one of
43:00
us in certain places.
43:03
God, it hits me.
43:06
Lord, too many days I'm more interested
43:07
in the things of this life, God, than
43:09
what pertains to that life.
43:14
I don't love the souls of men enough,
43:15
Lord, sometimes to get over my own
43:17
selfish pride. Lord, forgive me.
43:20
God, would you help us all
43:22
to be surrendered, submitted people to
43:25
the fact that nothing else matters but
43:28
your glory.
43:29
And for you to get glory, Father, you
43:31
sinners are going to have to be saved,
43:33
the saints are going to have to be
43:34
stirred, and the church is going to have
43:36
to be loud in these days.
43:39
And I'm not just talking about
43:40
physically loud, but I'm saying
43:41
spiritually loud.
43:43
Lord, I want people when they drive by
43:45
Meadows Baptist Church on Stuart Road,
43:46
but Father, I want conviction to settle
43:48
in on their life.
43:50
Cuz they know what gospel's being
43:51
preached here.
43:54
I want people when they come through
43:55
those doors, they they meet with a
43:57
presence
43:59
they don't get anywhere else.
44:02
And Lord, I know the only way that's
44:03
going to happen is if we live it.
44:07
God, help us not just to be interested,
44:09
but God, help us to be invested
44:11
in the work of God.
44:13
Cuz Lord, there's no price too high to
44:15
pay. Lord, we love you. Thank you for
44:16
this time.
44:18
Thank you for the word of God. Thank you
44:19
for the good service today.
44:22
Lord, we love you. We praise you. Lord,
44:24
you're so good. We ask it all in Jesus'
44:27
name. God's children said,
44:29
Amen. Man, I've enjoyed
44:31
>> Thank you for joining our service today.
44:33
We'd love it if you join us in person
44:35
the next time you are able at Meadows
44:37
Baptist Church.
44:39
Our physical address is 2988
44:42
Stuart Road in Walnut Cove, North
44:44
Carolina.
44:46
Our service times are Sunday school at
44:48
10:00 a.m., Sunday morning worship at
44:50
11:00 a.m., Sunday evening worship at
44:53
6:00 p.m., and Wednesday evening Bible
44:55
study at 7:00 p.m.
44:57
For more information, visit us at
44:59
meadowsbaptistchurch.com.
45:02
Thanks again for tuning in.