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The Union of the Spirit We Have (Part 6) · Near East Christian Fellowship Sermons

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Welcome to NECF Sermons. Each message here is
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designed to uplift and strengthen you in your
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walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until
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the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive
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right in. Amen. I want to thank God for this
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opportunity given to me to bring the Word to
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us. So I want to thank God for the pastors, also
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for this opportunity. Amen. So, on Sunday, we
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were looking at the union of the spirits we have,
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and we stopped somewhere, and we're going to
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continue there. Matthew chapter 28, Matthew chapter
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28, Matthew chapter 28, from verse 18 to 20.
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And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All
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authority has been given me in heaven and on
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earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all
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nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,
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the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them
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to observe all things that I have commanded you,
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and lo, I am with you always, even to the end
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of the age. And we close on Sunday by, our focus
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was on that word, teaching them, that Jesus had
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a mode of teaching. It's the word, that he was
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talking about a mode of teaching, and how he
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went to even warn his disciples about the mode
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of the teachings of the Pharisees. Praise the
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Lord. the mode of the teachings of the Pharisees.
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Amen. So, we're looking at the union of spirits
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that we have. Now, we said that the first thing
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is that the gospel is for everyone. Praise the
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Lord. The gospel is for everyone. It's not for
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a particular people. It does not discriminate.
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Amen. And the spirit of God is for everyone.
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Right? So if the gospel is for everyone, the
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spirit of God is for everyone. Praise the Lord.
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John chapter 14. John chapter 14, verses 16 to
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17. We're going to continue. And he says, I will
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pray the Father and he will give you another
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helper that he may abide with you forever. The
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spirit of truth whom the word cannot receive.
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because you neither see him nor know him, but
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you know him, for he dwells with you and will
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be with you. Praise the Lord. So the essence
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of redemption or salvation is giving of the Spirit.
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Praise the Lord. Exodus chapter 29, from verse
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44 to 46. So I will consecrate. So I will consecrate
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the tabernacle of meeting and altar. I will also
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consecrate both Aaron and his sons to minister
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to me as priest. I will dwell among the children
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of Israel and I will be their God. And they shall
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know that I am the Lord, their God, who brought
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them up out of the land of Egypt, that I may
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dwell among them. I am the Lord, their God. Praise
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the Lord. Still talking about God amongst his
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people, the Spirit of God among his people. So,
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we see Jesus also speaking of the same thing
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across the Synoptic Gospels. Amen. So, we read
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here, when we go back to the John, we read John
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chapter 14. We will read to you from verse 16
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to 20. It says, I will pray the Father and he
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will give you another helper. that he may abide
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with you forever. The Spirit of truth, whom the
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world cannot receive, because it neither see
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him nor know him, but you know him, for he dwells
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with you and will be in you. I will not leave
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you orphans, I will not leave you orphans, I
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will come to you. A little while longer, and
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the world will not, the world sees me no more,
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but you will see me, because I live. you will
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live also. Verse 20. At that day, you will know
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that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and
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I in you. Praise the Lord. Right? That is, man
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is going to become the temple of God. We saw
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that in Exodus, right? So this place is talking
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about that man is going to be the temple of God.
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That is, that God would dwell, or the Spirit
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of God would dwell in man. Praise the Lord. So
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let's see the promises. Let's see the promise
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of God, of God's temple. Go back to that Exodus
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29, verse 45. It says, I will dwell among the
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children of Israel and will be their God. Praise
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the Lord. He will dwell among the children of
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Israel and will be their God. So this is God's
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promise of the temple. Praise the Lord. Right?
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So God's temple, we looked at also the last time,
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that God's temple is not a place. Praise the
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Lord. God's temple is amongst the people. And
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Jesus came to fulfill that. Praise the Lord.
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God's temple is in man. And Jesus came to fulfill
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that promise. Amen. So let's go back to what
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we have been discussing as well. Matthew chapter
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21. Matthew chapter 21, from verse 1 to verse
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12 to 14. Matthew. Then Jesus went into the temple
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of God and drove out all those who bought and
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sold in the temple and overthrew the tables of
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the money exchangers and the seat of those who
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sold those. And he said to them, it is written,
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my house shall be called a house of prayer, but
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you have made it. A den of thieves. Praise the
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Lord. A den of thieves. So let's look at what
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he writes about this same place in the Gospel
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of Mark. Mark chapter 11. Mark chapter 11 from
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verse 15 to 16. It's very fundamental what he
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writes. He said, so Jesus came to Jerusalem.
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So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into
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the temple and began to drive out those. who
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bought and sold in the temple, and overthrew
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the tables of the money changers and the seat
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of those who sold those. And he will not allow
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anyone to carry waste through the temples. Praise
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the Lord. Verse 17 now. He said, Then he taught
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them, saying to them, It is written, My house
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shall be called a house of prayer, for all nations,
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but you have made it a den of thieves. Verse
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17, he said, then he taught them. Praise the
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Lord. So he was not just saying to them that,
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you know what, people are making a mess of this
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place. Praise the Lord. But then he taught them
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what the purpose of that place was. He said,
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he taught them saying, it is written, my house
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shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.
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We notice a slight difference here. In Matthew,
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he doesn't say, For all nations, right? He says,
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my house shall be a house of prayer, but you've
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made it a den of thieves. But Mark says what?
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For all nations. Praise the Lord. But you've
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made it a den of thieves, right? He taught them.
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Meaning that what he was doing was that he was
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teaching them. So his actions were explaining
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his teaching. Praise the Lord. His teaching.
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So he was, he drove them out, praise the Lord,
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right? But at the same time, he was teaching
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them something. His action also was a teaching
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that he was giving to them. So he was teaching
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this, right, from the Old Testament, where he
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says that my house shall be called a house of
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prayers for all nations, but you have made it
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a den of thieves. So his action was an illustration.
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Praise the Lord. His action was illustration
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to drive out the people and to overturn the tables,
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right? It was an illustration of his teaching.
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Praise the Lord. Verse 17, he says what? Is it
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not written, my house shall be called a house
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of prayers for all nations? So he didn't just
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say, oh no, this is the wrong thing to do. But
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he was also reminding them of the scriptures.
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Is it not written, my house shall be called a
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house of prayers for all nations? So we can say
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that Jesus was not, I mean, maybe the movies
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that we watched or some of the things that we
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thought, Jesus was teaching in as much as he
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was driving the people out. Praise the Lord.
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So we can say that he wasn't necessarily like
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coming to the people, very furious and doing
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a lot of things. Praise the Lord. But that he
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was teaching them by his action. He was teaching
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them. So we also look at what John also says.
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2 John 2, verses 13 -16. Now the Passover of
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the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
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He founded the temple of those who sold oxen
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and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing
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business. And he said to those who sold doves,
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Take these things away. Do not make my father's
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house a house of merchandise. Praise the Lord.
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Do not make my father's house a house of merchandise.
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Verse 17. And the disciples remembered that it
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was written, zeal for your house has eaten me
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up. Praise the Lord. And verse 18 now. And the
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Jews answered and said to him, what sign do you
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show us since you do these things? Praise the
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Lord. Right? We're going to stay in this John
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for a while. What sign do you show us since you
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do these things? Right? He said, my house, right?
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Can we go back to verse 16? You see here now,
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there's also a bit of slight difference here.
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He says what? Take these things away. Do not
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make my father's house a house of merchandise.
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The other place we saw my house, my house, and
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this place again was saying, my father's house,
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a house of merchandise. And then the Jews asked
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him, in verse 18, what sign do you show us? Right?
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What sign do you show us since you do these things?
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Praise the Lord. Which means that he was doing
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something in line with the scriptures. Praise
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the Lord. What he was doing was in line with
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the scriptures. Right? Which means that Jesus
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was not just saying, why are you selling these
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things? Or why are you buying here? Praise the
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Lord. And we said the last time that there was
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nothing wrong with buying and selling in the
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temple. There was nothing wrong because it was
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permitted by Moses for them to be done. It was
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permitted in scriptures for them to buy and sell.
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So stopping them was a fulfillment of the scriptures.
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I'm going to explain that in a short while. Stopping
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them was a fulfillment. of the scriptures. Luke
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chapter 24 verse 44. Luke chapter 24 verse 44.
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Then he said to them, these are the words which
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I spoke to you while I was still with you, that
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all things must be fulfilled which were written
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in the law of Moses the prophet and in the Psalms
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consigning me. All things must be fulfilled.
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Praise the Lord. Must be brought to pass or must
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come to pass. Praise the Lord. It must be brought
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to pass. So we can ask, what is being fulfilled?
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Praise the Lord. What is then being fulfilled?
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What is the thing that is fulfilling? Right?
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Looking at the question in that John, in verse
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18 of John chapter 2, he said, what sign do you
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show us since you do these things? And then he
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said to them, my father's house shall not be
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a house of merchandise. Like I said, he was quoting
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the Old Testament. And then he says, what sign?
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Then he says to them in verse 19, verse 19. And
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Jesus said to them, destroy this temple. And
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in three days, I would raise it up. Praise the
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Lord. Destroy this temple. And in three days,
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I will raise it up. This same word that is used
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for resurrection, right? So what is he talking
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about? What does he mean? Destroy this temple.
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It cost them 46, 47, 46 years to build the temple.
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The Jews were wondering. It cost us 46 years
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to build this temple, and you say destroy it,
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and he will build it up in three days. What is
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he talking about? Praise the Lord. Now, verse
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21 and 22, he said, but he was speaking of the
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temple of his body. Praise the Lord. Therefore,
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when he had risen from the dead, his disciples
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remembered that he had said to them, and they
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believed the Scriptures and the word which Jesus
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had said. Praise the Lord. So when he had risen
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from the dead, his disciples remembered that
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he had said this to them, and they believed the
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Scriptures and the word which Jesus spoke to
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them. They believed what? The Scriptures. So
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which Scripture is Jesus fulfilling? Which Scriptures
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is Jesus fulfilling? What Scriptures is Jesus
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fulfilling? Praise the Lord. Or what scriptures
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is he teaching them? Praise the Lord. No, like
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I said, sometimes the event of how Jesus drove
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out the money exchangers, the way it is portrayed
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in movies, is that Jesus came in, he was very
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angry, he chased people away, he made codes and
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beat people out of the temple. Praise the Lord.
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He drove things out of the temple and the people
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that were there. But he was not... beating the
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people praise the lord he he stopped what they
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were doing but he was not beating the people
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praise the lord he didn't go there and he's beating
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people praise the lord he stopped the activity
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that was going on in those places right he didn't
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touch the people praise the lord what he was
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teaching them and doing things he was teaching
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them and doing things look look chapter Then
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he went to the temple and began to drive out
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those who bought and sold in it, saying to them,
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It is written, My house is a house of prayer,
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but you have made it a den of thieves. Verse
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47 now. And then he was teaching daily in the
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temple. But the chief priests and the scribes
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and the leaders of the people sought to destroy
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him. Right? So what he was doing was an illustration
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of his teaching. Praise the Lord. It was an illustration
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of his teaching to drive out the people. Let's
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look at this word, merchandise. Right? Let's
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look at the word. The people were selling and
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buying, right? Like I said, why did they sell
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and buy in the temple? So, like I said, it was
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a permission that Moses gave them for those who
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were coming from afar. Imagine coming from a
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very far place, carrying oxen and sheep to come
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and sacrifice. They didn't have the luxury that
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we have now of driving cars or... you know, cargos,
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things like this, right? So they needed to carry
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those things either by their hands or in horses.
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And so it was very difficult for them to get
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to those places. So there's a permission for
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Moses for them to come and buy the things there.
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Praise the Lord. They should just come, give
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money and take the things they needed for sacrifice
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and sacrifice in the temple. So he told them
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to bring money, right? When they get to the temple,
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They should use those money to buy the item that
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they are using for sacrifice. So the place that
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was used for these things of buying and selling
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was looked at or regarded as the Gentile court.
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Praise the Lord. It is known as the Gentile court.
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So they are supposed to bring their money and
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exchange it for the sacrifice or the animals
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they are going to buy and they are going to come.
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And they're going to use them for those sacrifices.
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So two things we see going on around them. One,
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the use of sacrifice, right? Which is the reason
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for the money that they are coming with, right?
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And then secondly, it happened at the Gentile
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court. So the Jews and the non -Jews were to
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come there and worship in the temple. Praise
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the Lord. So why did he say, You have turned
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his father's house to a house of merchandise.
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Praise the Lord. If there was permission for
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them to bring their money, buy the animals that
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they need for sacrifice and use them for sacrifice.
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It's a place of worship. The animals were not,
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they didn't come to buy animals and take it to
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their houses. Praise the Lord. They brought the
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animals to sacrifice. It's a place of worship
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that they come. So why did he say merchandise?
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Right? You've made a house of merchandise. Praise
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the Lord. Zechariah chapter 14, verse 20. Zechariah
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chapter 14, verse 20. In that day, right, talking
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about the future, right, eschatology, something
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to happen, something that is going to happen
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in the future. Holiness to the Lord shall be
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engraved on the bells of the house. And the pots
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in the house of the Lord shall be like the bowls
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before the altar. And then, right in verse 21
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now. Yes, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judea
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shall be holiness to the Lord of hosts. Everyone
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who sacrifices shall come and take them and cook
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in them. In that day they shall no longer be
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Canaanites in the house of the Lord. Sorry, in
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the house of the Lord of hosts. Praise the Lord.
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Let me read that again. Every pot in Jerusalem
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and Judea shall be holiness to the Lord of hosts.
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Everyone who sacrifices shall come and take them
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and cook in them. In that day, they shall no
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longer be canonized in the house of the Lord
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of hosts. Praise the Lord. So holiness, right,
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will not just be in the temple. Hallelujah. Holiness.
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will not just be in the temple, right? But will
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be in every house. Praise the Lord. Will be in
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every home. So holiness, as we know, is what
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God does. Is what God does. And where God dwells.
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So holiness will not just be in the temple, it
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will be in every home. Meaning that God is making
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available the temple everywhere. Praise the Lord.
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Meaning that God is making the temple everywhere.
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And then in, so he's saying that he shall no
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longer just be in the temple, but in every home,
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right? He said in that day, there shall no longer
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be a Canaanite in the house of the Lord, right?
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That word Canaanite is a word Canani in the Greek.
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That word Cananite is a word Canani, K -E -N
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-A -N -I. K -E -N -A -N -I. Right? So what does
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the word mean? Right? It is used for trade or
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traders. Praise the Lord. It is used for trade
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or traders. Right? Traders, they sell instruments
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of offering. Remember, the traders, they're the
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people selling the instrument of worship or instrument
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of offering in the temples. So we see two things
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there. That one, there will no longer be need,
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right, for animal sacrifice or animal sacrifice,
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right? But then, not just that, but everybody
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will be qualified. So let's look at more, some
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of the scriptures in this same word for Canaanites.
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Proverbs chapter 31, verse 24. To make linen
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garments and sell them. and supplies such for
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the merchants. Praise the Lord. For the merchants.
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So is that word for merchants there? Praise the
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Lord. Is that word for merchants? Kenani, right?
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Isaiah chapter 23, verse 8. Who has taken counsel
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against Ty, the crowning city, whose merchants
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are princes, whose traders are the honorable
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of the earth? Praise the Lord. It's that word
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that is used for merchants there, those who come
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to sell. So let's look at those things we've
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been reading before. He says what? My father's
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house, you have made it a house of kenani, right?
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To buy and to sell. Praise the Lord. He says
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what? You have made my father's house a house
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of buying and selling. Praise the Lord. It's
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a house of merchandise, right? You've made my
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father's house a house of buying and selling.
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Praise the Lord. You've made my father's house
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a house of buying and selling. But that is not
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the way it's supposed to be. But Moses what?
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Allowed it so that you can buy and sell for worship.
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Right? But then he says it shall be a house of
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prayer. For what? for all nations. What it's
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supposed to be is what? A house of prayer for
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all nations. He said, but you have made it a
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den of thieves. You have made it a den of thieves.
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A house of prayers for all nations. Praise the
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Lord. So, when we read this whole Synoptic Gospels
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account, the book of Matthew 21, Luke 11, Mark
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11, Luke 19, and John chapter 2. So the things
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we see first, or the things that we see Jesus
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doing, is that Jesus is acting according to prophecy.
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Praise the Lord. So when he's coming into the
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temple, the thing he's doing, it is doing according
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to the things that are said, right? It's acting
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according to prophecy, right? Because in Zechariah,
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it says, in that day, praise the Lord, in that
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day, He said, what Mark says, a house of prayer
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for all nations, right? So we can see that Jesus
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was teaching from the text, right? And demonstrating
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it in his illustration of driving the people
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out. Isaiah chapter 56, verse 7. Isaiah 56, verse
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7. Even them I will bring to my holy mountain
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and make them joyful. in my house of prayer.
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Their burnt offering and their sacrifice will
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be accepted at my altar. For my house shall be
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called a house of prayers for all nations. So
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Jesus was acting out a prophecy. Praise the Lord.
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He was acting out a prophecy. Let's look at verse
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4 of that verse. It says, For thus says the Lord
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to the eunuch who keeps my sabbath, who chose
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what pleases me, and hold fast my covenant. Verse
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5. Even then I will give my house and within
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my walls a place and a name better than that
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of the sons and daughters. I will give them an
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everlasting name that shall not be cut off. Praise
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the Lord. Verse 6 to 8 now. It says, Also, the
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sons of the foreigners who join themselves to
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the Lord to serve him, to love the name of the
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Lord, to be his servants, everyone who keeps
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from defiling the Sabbath and who holds fast
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my covenant, even them I will bring to my holy
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mountain and make them joyful in my house of
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prayer. Their bond offering and their sacrifice
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will be accepted on my altar, for my house shall
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be called the house of prayers for all nations.
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Verse 8. The Lord God who gathers the outcasts
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of Israel says, Yet I will gather him other beside
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those who are gathered to him. Praise the Lord.
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This means that he's not talking about just the
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Jews. Praise the Lord. It is not just for the
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Jews. He says those who are not the Jews are
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also part of it. Praise the Lord. So in God's
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plan, those who are not the Jews too are part
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of it. Praise the Lord. So if you read Zechariah
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chapter 14, he talks about the house of prayers
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for all nations. So he's saying that all nations
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shall come to a place. or that he will go to
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all nations. So from everything I've been saying,
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does it mean that God is going to, that all nations
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is going to come to a place, right? Just as we
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see in the temple, as what happens around the
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temple, was that God is going to all nations.
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Praise the Lord. So you can read Zechariah chapter
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14, Isaiah chapter 56, right? So remember, we
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said in that Zechariah, it says what? That the
28:26
house or his temple is going to be in every house.
28:32
Praise the Lord. It's going to be in every home,
28:35
right? He says it's for all nations. Everybody
28:39
is welcome. So Jesus is standing in the temple
28:42
and he's fulfilling the scriptures. Praise the
28:46
Lord. He's standing in the temple and he's fulfilling
28:49
the scriptures, right? He's fulfilling the scriptures.
28:53
That what? This house is a house of prayer for
28:57
all nations. But he says what? You have made
29:00
it a den of thieves. Some other scriptures, as
29:04
we see, we say a den of robbers. Praise the Lord.
29:09
Now, I also mentioned this the last time. Is
29:12
he calling them armed robbers? Praise the Lord.
29:15
Is he calling them armed robbers? When he says
29:17
a den of thieves, is he calling them armed robbers?
29:20
No. He's saying that what they are doing was
29:24
permitted by the law, but it's not the way it's
29:28
supposed to be. It should not be like that. He
29:33
says what? What they were doing was permitted
29:36
by the law, so what was Jesus saying? What does
29:40
he imply by saying the prophet, sorry, we saw
29:47
in Zechariah that talks about a time or a day
29:50
is coming. So he's saying that there will no
29:52
longer be need for offerings here. Praise the
29:56
Lord. There will no longer be need for offering
29:59
here. A time will come. God will be in every
30:03
home. Praise the Lord. So what he's saying is
30:06
that there will no longer be need for offering
30:08
here. A time is coming. God will be in every
30:11
home. God will come. A time will come where there
30:16
will no longer be a need for this house anymore.
30:19
So that means the use of sacrifice in the temple
30:22
and the physical house was temporary. Praise
30:26
the Lord. The use of animal sacrifice or sacrifice
30:29
in the temple and the physical house was temporary.
30:33
So he's saying a house of prayer for all nations,
30:36
but you've made it a den of merchandise. Praise
30:40
the Lord. Let's read Zechariah chapter 14, verse
30:44
20 to 21. In that day, holiness... to the Lord
30:49
shall be engraved on the bells of their houses.
30:52
The pots in the Lord's house shall be like the
30:55
bells before the altar. Yes, every pot in Jerusalem
30:58
and Judea shall be holiness to the Lord of hosts.
31:02
Everyone who sacrifices shall come and take them
31:05
and cook in them. In that day they shall no longer
31:08
be the Canaanites in the house of the Lord of
31:12
hosts. Praise the Lord. Jeremiah chapter 7 verse
31:15
11. Has this house, which is called by my name,
31:19
become a den of thieves in your eyes? Behold,
31:23
even I have seen it, says the Lord. The den of
31:29
thieves. Praise the Lord. Some other scriptures
31:32
would use the word robbers. It's the word, I
31:37
also said it the last time, parit. P -A -R -I
31:41
-T -S P -A -R -I -T -S It's used for violence,
31:47
right? Something that is illegal, right? For
31:52
illegality, right? It's used for violence, illegality.
31:57
It's the word for, it's also used for the word
32:01
usurper, right? Like a supplanter. Remember Jacob,
32:06
right? It's also the word for supplanter, usurper,
32:11
right? So it's someone who takes power or a position,
32:16
a title illegally or by force. Praise the Lord.
32:19
Someone that, somebody that ought not to be there.
32:23
Praise the Lord. So he says what? That you have
32:27
turned his house or his house has become a den
32:30
of thieves. Right? To bring illegality or violence
32:36
or somebody that, something that ought not to
32:40
be there. So the Hebrew word used for Robbers
32:43
is also the word like insurrection, right? The
32:48
shopper, like I said. Zechariah chapter 7, verse
32:52
22. Sorry, Ezekiel. Ezekiel 7, verse 22. He said,
33:01
I will turn my face from them, and they will
33:04
defy my secret place, for robbers shall enter
33:10
it and defile it. So it's the same word there.
33:12
robbers right chapter 18 verse 10 chapter 18
33:18
verse 10 if he begot a son who is a robber or
33:22
a shader of blood what does any of this why does
33:26
who does any of these things right it's also
33:29
that same word there for robber so jesus was
33:33
referring to a den of robbers for example right
33:37
john chapter john chapter 10 from verse 7 to
33:41
8 And Jesus said to them, again, most assuredly
33:45
I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All
33:50
who come before me are thieves and robbers, but
33:53
the sheep did not hear them. Praise the Lord.
34:02
So he's using that word robbers there, right?
34:04
Like I said, was he referring to them carrying
34:07
guns? No, it means that they were not supposed
34:10
to be there. Praise the Lord. So he's saying
34:13
that these people that come to the ship are not
34:16
supposed to be there. He's not talking about
34:18
that the people came bearing guns and things
34:22
like that. So my house shall be called a house
34:25
of prayer, right? For all nations, he said, for
34:28
everyone. So you are making it, he's saying that,
34:32
let me say this, just listen carefully now. As
34:35
we've been talking about what these robbers mean
34:39
or why he refers to them as robbers. So he's
34:41
saying, my father's house shall be called a house
34:44
of prayers for who? For everyone, for all nations.
34:48
He said, but you are making it a place of come
34:51
and buy and sacrifice. Praise the Lord. You are
34:55
making it a place of come and buy and sacrifice.
34:59
You're saying the Gentile world should bring
35:02
their money. You will give them the element of
35:04
sacrifice. Right? And he said, they will offer
35:08
it. It has become... a den of what not, sorry,
35:12
it has become a den of what ought not to be there.
35:16
So what is the thief there? What is he saying
35:18
thief there? Right? So the thief there, remember
35:23
we said what Jesus came to fulfill and how is
35:27
the nation going to be a house of prayer for
35:33
all nations, right? So, and we read this place,
35:37
let's go back. to verse 7. And Jesus said to
35:43
them, Most certainly I say to you, I am the door
35:44
of the sheep. All who come before me are thieves
35:49
and robbers, but his sheep did not hear them.
35:52
So the thieves there that he's using is what
35:55
they use of what? Physical sacrifice. It ought
36:00
not to be there. That is not what makes this
36:02
place or that is not what will make this place
36:05
become a house of prayer for all nations. Praise
36:09
the Lord. That is not what will make it a house
36:12
of prayers for all nations. Let me read that
36:15
again. So my father's house is a house of prayers
36:18
for all nations. But you are making it what?
36:22
A place, a house of merchandise. Remember what
36:24
we said what merchandise is, right? Remember
36:27
the word we use for merchandise, right? He's
36:30
saying what? You've made it what? A place of
36:33
come and by. or come and a place of come and
36:37
bring sacrifice or buy or the gentile will come
36:41
to bring their money and they will give them
36:43
element that is of sacrifice right and they will
36:47
offer it it has become a den of what not ought
36:51
to be there praise the lord so what is the thief
36:54
there the thief there is the use of physical
36:59
sacrifice the use of physical sacrifice which
37:04
Remember, we said in that Zechariah, they said
37:06
what? In that day, right? On that day. So, the
37:10
use of physical sacrifice will be anointed in
37:13
that day. Praise the Lord. The sacrifice of Jesus
37:17
who do what will anoint the use of physical sacrifice.
37:22
Praise the Lord. Remember, we said he's coming
37:24
to do what? To fulfill the scriptures. And he
37:26
was teaching as well. So, it is not referring
37:31
to the people as thieves. It is referring to
37:35
what they were doing. Praise the Lord. It was
37:39
referring to what? To what they were using. The
37:41
use of physical elements in worship. Jesus is
37:45
saying it is insurrection. It is a robbery. He
37:51
said, all that come before me, he said, I'm the
37:53
life of the sheep. I am the sacrifice. Praise
37:57
the Lord. So Jesus is the sacrifice. It is not
38:01
the animal sacrifice. Praise the Lord. Jesus
38:04
is the sacrifice. So Jesus is the sacrifice.
38:08
So he refers to the sacrifice before him as a
38:13
den of thieves. So the sacrifice that they bring
38:16
or they bring to offer has become what? A den
38:20
of thieves. It is not a thing that saves men.
38:22
Praise the Lord. So the thing that Jesus was
38:26
doing, Jesus is saying that what? God's holiness
38:29
is for everyone, right? So there will not be
38:34
a need for you to bring what? Physical sacrifice.
38:38
There will no longer be need for anyone to bring
38:40
what? Physical sacrifice. There will no need
38:44
for anybody to pay money and buy physical sacrifice
38:47
in this altar. Right? And like I said from the
38:52
beginning, that what? That holiness is a gift
38:55
of God. Holiness is a gift of God. So Jesus is
38:59
not upset or he's not angry at the people. He's
39:02
saying that, The day has come. Praise the Lord.
39:05
So what he was doing in that place, he's saying
39:08
that that day has arrived. Praise the Lord. That
39:11
day has arrived. The day has come for fulfillment
39:15
of the word of the prophecy of the prophets.
39:19
The day has come for the fulfillment of the word
39:22
of the prophets. What he was saying, he was teaching.
39:27
That's what he was saying. He was teaching the
39:29
scriptures. He was teaching. through the scriptures.
39:34
And then his disciples will say, because the
39:37
zeal of thy house has eaten him up. So Jesus,
39:42
the word zeal there is a word quenal, right?
39:46
So Jesus is teaching and illustrating his teaching
39:50
by the things that he's doing. So we said that
39:54
what? The use of those practices were temporary.
39:57
We know this, right? From all our teaching. The
40:00
new covenant was before the old one. So the new
40:05
covenant is God's promise, is God's word, is
40:09
what God wants, is God's perfect will. The old
40:13
one is what was allowed because of the hardness
40:16
of their hearts. But in the beginning, it was
40:20
not so. Praise the Lord. Let me read again. So
40:23
Jesus was illustrating, was teaching and illustrating
40:26
his teaching by the things he was doing. Right?
40:30
And as we have been taught, that the Old Testament
40:34
practice was temporary. Praise the Lord. So the
40:38
new covenant was before the old, the practice
40:42
of it, of the Old Testament or the old covenant.
40:45
The new covenant is God's promise, is God's word,
40:49
is what God wants, is His perfect will. The old
40:52
is what is allowed because of the hardness of
40:55
their hearts. But in the beginning, it was not
40:59
so. So what is the new covenant? So we said that
41:03
the use of which we have been taught, we have
41:06
been taught this everything. The use of the temple,
41:08
right? The use of the animal sacrifice was not
41:11
started by God. It was something that was in
41:14
their culture already. Praise the Lord. It was
41:17
something that was in their culture already.
41:19
So God uses as an illustration to remind them,
41:23
right? Again, that the new covenant is onward
41:27
and is promised. of his own word and his promise.
41:31
So God is the new covenant. Praise the Lord.
41:34
God is the new covenant. So in that Zechariah,
41:40
it says what? It shall be on that day, he said,
41:42
holiness upon the Lord in every house, in every
41:46
home, right? And we said that holiness is what
41:49
God will do or what God has done or is doing,
41:54
right? So holiness is not your conduct. Right?
41:58
Your conduct is inspired by God's holiness. Praise
42:02
the Lord. Holiness is what God does. Genesis
42:06
chapter 2, verses 1 to 3. So holiness that was
42:10
used there is the word kwadash. Genesis chapter
42:13
2, verses 1 to 3. That was the heaven and the
42:18
earth and all the host of them were finished.
42:21
And at the seventh day, God ended his... his
42:24
work which he has done, and he rested on the
42:27
seventh day from all his work which he had done.
42:30
Verse 3. And God blessed the seventh day and
42:33
sanctified it, because it is the day he rested
42:37
from all his work which he had created and made.
42:40
That word sanctified is word holy there. Right?
42:44
So, I'm going to be a little, let me just skip
42:47
some parts. So, in the new covenant, God's promise,
42:50
God's holiness is what he does. Right? God's
42:54
holiness is by His own Spirit. The Old Testament
42:59
practices will come and pass. It will no longer
43:03
be a house of thieves or a house of insurrection,
43:07
but it should be a house of prayers for all nations.
43:10
There will not be need to come and buy and sell
43:12
in this place. There will not be need for buying
43:16
sacrifice. It is done by the Spirit of God. Praise
43:21
the Lord. It is done by the Spirit of God. So
43:25
what we see in Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Zechariah
43:28
are prophecies of the Scripture. So God's holiness
43:33
is what He does. If God saves you, that action
43:36
is holy, right? That action is holy, and you
43:40
are holy because God saves you. If God calls
43:44
you, that action is holy. Therefore, you are
43:47
holy. Holiness is not what you do, though. You'll
43:50
be affected or you will reflect the holiness
43:53
of God. Holiness is what God does, right? Because
43:57
of what he has done in you, you become holy.
44:01
So Jesus is saying that the temple that is God's
44:05
holiness, we can say God's salvation, right?
44:10
God's deliverance is for everybody. In that day,
44:14
there will no longer be need for sacrifice. You
44:16
no longer need to come here. That is to the temple
44:19
anymore. Right? Because God will come to wherever
44:24
you are, to every home. Praise the Lord. God
44:27
will go in towards every home, just like the
44:29
same way he went to Egypt to bring the people
44:32
out. He's going to every home in that day. He's
44:36
going to every home in that day. He will come
44:39
where you are and he will save you and you are
44:43
holy. So when he says that, or when he sends
44:47
us out to go and preach the gospel, Who is going
44:50
to reach men? When we go out to preach the gospel,
44:53
who is going to reach men? It is God that is
44:56
going to reach men. Praise the Lord. Because
44:59
what? You are holy and you are his. So it is
45:03
an outreach of holiness. So God wants to call
45:07
people to himself to make them sons and daughters.
45:10
That means that when we preach the gospel, we
45:13
are offering the people to be God's residents.
45:19
Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. We're offering
45:22
them that they should be what? God's residents.
45:27
God's residents. I don't know if I have time.
45:32
There's something I wanted to show us about the
45:34
fig tree. I don't think I will have the time
45:36
to do that. But I think let's do that and maybe
45:40
we can stop there. Luke chapter 24 verse 44.
45:44
So when he was on his way to the temple, right?
45:48
Two things happened on the way, right? Mark recorded
45:51
it, Matthew, but we didn't have that in John,
45:55
right? So Luke chapter 24, and he said to them,
45:58
these are the words which I speak to you while
46:02
I was still with you, that all things must be
46:04
fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses
46:06
and in the prophet and in the Psalms concerning
46:09
me. Mark chapter 11, from verse 12 to 14. So
46:16
Jesus saw a fig tree. Right? We know the story
46:18
of the fig tree. Right? So when they came, they
46:22
said, verse 12. Mark chapter 11, verse 12 to
46:27
14. This is still the same story of the temple,
46:32
of him going to the temple. So, now the next
46:35
day when they had come from Bethlehem, he was
46:38
hungry and seeing from afar a fig tree having
46:43
leaves, he went to see if perhaps He will find
46:48
something on it. When he came to it, he found
46:50
nothing but leaves, for it was not the season
46:53
for figs. Verse 14. In response, Jesus said to
46:57
it, Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.
47:01
And his disciples heard it. Praise the Lord.
47:05
Now, let's look at the sequence. Like I said,
47:07
this is the same thing that was leading to the
47:10
temple. So, he moves to the fig trees. He goes
47:13
to the temple. He speaks in the temple. And then
47:16
he says that the temple, the things happening
47:19
there are odd not to be happening there. The
47:21
temple is for all nations, right? It's for all
47:25
nations, right? So God's word is not in a physical
47:29
place, it's in the people, right? Verse 19 to
47:34
21. Verse 19 to 21 of Mark 11. When the evening
47:40
had come, they went out of the city. And in the
47:43
morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig
47:45
tree dried up from its roots. And Peter remembered
47:48
and said to him, Rabbi, look, the fig tree which
47:53
you caused has withered away. And then verse
47:56
22 now. And Jesus answered and said, have faith
47:59
in God. Right? Have faith in God. For surely
48:05
I say to you, whoever say to this mountain, be
48:09
removed and be cast into the sea. and there's
48:12
no doubt in his heart, but believes that, believe
48:15
these things which he says, it will be done,
48:18
and he will have whatever he says. Praise the
48:21
Lord. Now, let's pay attention to this thing.
48:23
He says what? He says, most assuredly I say to
48:28
you, whoever says to this mountain, what did
48:31
Peter say to him? Peter was talking about the
48:33
fig tree, right? He was talking about the fig
48:36
tree. Why don't you just say to him, whoever
48:40
says to this fig tree, Right? And they dried
48:43
up from the root. And it will be dried up. He
48:47
says what? Whoever says to this mountain, first
48:50
he said to him, have faith in God. Praise the
48:54
Lord. Have faith in God. He reminded them of
48:59
the scriptures, right? That is called the faithfulness
49:03
of God. Have faith in God. Have faith in God.
49:08
Sorry. Have faith in God, have faith in the scriptures,
49:11
which means that yet again, Jesus opened them
49:14
again to the scriptures, right? Have faith in
49:17
God, he's saying to them to have faith in the
49:19
things that God has said. Verse 23. So we said
49:24
that he was talking about, he said, who's ever
49:26
said to this mountain, right? But it was Feek
49:29
3 that they were talking about. Praise the Lord.
49:32
It was Feek 3 that they were talking about. So
49:34
how comes the mountain comes here? Praise the
49:37
Lord. So they're just listening carefully and
49:39
see. So remember what this was about. Zechariah
49:44
chapter 6 verse... Zechariah chapter 4 verse
49:47
6. They were building the temple, right? Or they
49:51
were going to build the temple. And it says,
49:54
Zechariah was going to build the temple and he
49:56
said, and he answered and said to me, this is
50:00
the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, not by might,
50:03
not by power, but by my spirit. says the Lord
50:07
of hosts. Do you remember what they were going
50:08
to build? They were going to build what? The
50:10
house of the Lord. Right? And he says what? Not
50:13
by might, not by power, but by my spirit, says
50:16
the Lord. Now, verse 7. He said, Who are you,
50:20
O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel, you shall
50:23
become a plain, and he shall bring forth the
50:27
capstone with the shout of grace. Grace to it.
50:32
Verse 9. The hand of Zerubbabel hath laid the
50:36
foundation of this temple. His hand also shall
50:40
finish it. Then you shall know that the Lord
50:43
of hosts has sent me. Praise the Lord. So Jesus
50:49
is referring to Zechariah, that God will build
50:53
a temple. Praise the Lord. So when Jesus said
50:56
to them, when he was quoting this place, he's
51:00
saying to them that what? God is going to build
51:03
a temple. They were talking about the fig tree.
51:06
He was talking about what? That God is going
51:09
to build a temple. Who says to this mountain,
51:14
that whoever says to this mountain, move them
51:17
and be cast into the sea, right? It will be moved.
51:21
Praise the Lord. So, the mountain there, let
51:29
me start by saying, That there are a lot of times
51:32
in the scriptures where the Israelites or the
51:35
children of Israel were looked at or were regarded
51:38
as fig trees. Praise the Lord. They were regarded
51:41
as fig trees. Let's see some places. But let
51:44
me just read this before we look at that. So
51:47
the Old Testament and its practice, right, is
51:51
what he calls the mountain. Praise the Lord.
51:53
So be moved and be cast into the sea, right?
51:57
Sea refers to what happens in Exodus. and does
52:00
not doubt in his heart, but believe in the things
52:02
which he says, it will be done. He would have
52:05
whatever he says, right? And then, see why he
52:09
said that in the next verse, in chapter 20, in
52:14
verse 25, where in Mark 11, go back to Mark 11,
52:18
25. He says what? 25. And he says, whenever you
52:24
stand praying, and you have anything, and you
52:28
have anything against anyone, forgive him that
52:32
my Father in heaven may also forgive your trespass.
52:36
Right? He says what? That forgiveness, that forgiveness
52:41
for the people who God has forgiven. Praise the
52:45
Lord. So we see what is going on. So let's look
52:47
at the fifth three now. And then let's look at
52:50
verse 22. And he says what? You should have faith
52:54
in God. Right? That is have faith. in the scriptures.
52:58
Hosea chapter 9 verse 10. Let's look at why the
53:03
Israelites were regarded as fig trees. Hosea
53:04
9 verse 10. He said, I found Israel like grapes
53:09
in the wilderness. I saw your fathers as a fresh
53:13
fruit on the fig tree that is in its first season.
53:17
Praise the Lord. He says, Lord, I found Israel
53:19
like grapes in the wilderness and I saw your
53:21
fathers as fresh fruits on the fig in its first
53:25
season. So the nation of Israel were called fig
53:29
trees, right? Jeremiah chapter 24, if you study
53:33
it, you also find out, right, more about it.
53:36
So they were looked at as bad figs, right? They
53:40
were regarded as bad figs. If you read the whole
53:42
of Jeremiah, Jeremiah 8, if you read Jeremiah
53:46
24, you see that. Jeremiah 8, 13. Jeremiah 8,
53:51
13. And I shall... And I will surely consume
53:56
them, says the Lord of hosts. No grape shall
53:58
be on the vine, no fig on the fig tree. Their
54:01
leaves shall fade, and the things I have given
54:04
them shall pass away from them. Micah 4 .4 Micah
54:09
4 .4 But everyone shall sit under his vine and
54:16
under his fig tree, and no one shall make them
54:18
afraid, for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has
54:22
spoken it. Verse 5 and 6. For the people walk
54:29
each in the name of his God, but will walk in
54:34
the name of the Lord our God forever and ever.
54:38
Verse 6. In that day, says the Lord, I will assemble
54:41
the lame, and I will gather the outcasts and
54:45
those whom I have afflicted. Which means that
54:49
when Israel bears no fruit, The day will come,
54:53
right, when he will bring all the nations together.
54:58
So the fruitfulness of the fig tree is a sign
55:06
that every nation, right, is going to come together.
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Praise the Lord. The fruitfulness of the fig
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tree is a sign that every nation is coming together.
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Jeremiah chapter 30 from verse 31 to 32. Jeremiah
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chapter 30 verse 31 verse 31. Jeremiah chapter
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31 verse 31 verse 31. Behold, the day is coming,
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says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant
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with the house of Israel and with the house of
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Judah. Verse 32. Not according to the covenant
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that I made with their fathers. in the day that
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I took them by hand to lead them out of the land
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of Egypt, by covenant which they broke. Although
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I was a husband to them, says the Lord, praise
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the Lord, the new covenant. So he would dwell
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with them and walk among them. Praise the Lord.
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So let's follow the sequence of what we said
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again. So Jesus was what? He was going to the
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temple. He sees the fig tree, right? That means
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that Israel has failed in his walk. Which walk?
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to bring all nations to God. Israel is to bring
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all nations to God, but he failed in that work.
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So he's saying that what? The fifth three, no
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man shall eat of it forever. No man will eat
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of this disobedient anymore. No man will take
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of it anymore. He goes to the temple and he does
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the same thing. It is not going to be, this is
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not going to happen anymore in this place. It
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will not be a house of merchandise anymore. It
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will be a house of prayer for all nations. Then
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he comes back and then he sees the fig tree has
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died in its root. And he says, more assuredly,
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I say to you, I say to you, whosoever says to
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this mountain, be removed and be cast into the
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sea and does not doubt in his heart, but believe
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that these things he says will be done. He will
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have whatever he says. Verse 24. Then I say to
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you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that
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you receive it. and you would have it. Praise
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the Lord. So, do not forget what we're saying,
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that the house of prayers is a house of prayers
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for all nations. So when, he again talks about
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prayers afterwards. So he says, when you are
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standing to pray in this house, forgive, which
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means that it is a conversation about the temple.
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God's house will be for all nations. Praise the
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Lord. So, I'm going to finish up here now. So,
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So whether it's the fig tree or the merchants
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or the merchandise, the things that he did in
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the temple, they were all talking about, or they
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were all, he was all talking about what? God's
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new covenant. The Jews and the Gentiles, right?
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Who have received God's holiness. So what Jesus
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was doing, right? Is what? Making God's holiness
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available to all, whosoever, right? Therefore
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means that whether you're a Jew or Gentile, right?
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And also, by sending them out, by sending them
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out in what we read in Matthew 28, by sending
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them out to all nations, like God sent Israel,
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He was telling them that His house will no longer
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be a place. By sending us out today to all nations
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is that we are having an outreach of holiness.
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God wants to leave. Here. God wants to live there.
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Praise the Lord. That's what it means. Right?
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God wants to live here. God wants to live there.
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Praise the Lord. Jesus has become a qualifier
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and qualification for all men. It means that
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the gospel, right, prequalifies every hearer.
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Praise the Lord. The gospel prequalifies every
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hearer. A man only disqualifies himself by unbelief.
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Praise the Lord. Of the gospel. Right? So the
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gospel, even though it's a post -resurrection
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event, it's not a post -resurrection message.
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Pastor Carson taught us this the last time we
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met. So who does, who is qualifying, right? Or
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who is qualified for God's house? Everyone. Who
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is qualified for God's house? Everybody. Or where
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is qualified for God's house? Everywhere. Who
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is qualified for God's spirit? Right? Everyone
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is qualified. for God's Spirit. Praise the Lord.
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So when you see somebody who is a drunkard, when
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you see somebody who does not know the Lord,
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that is a potential house of the Lord. Praise
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the Lord. When you see somebody who is doing
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a lot of things, who is in unbelief, praise the
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Lord. That is a potential of God's house. That
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is a potential God's house. Praise the Lord.
1:00:03
So you don't say, ah, this person is bad, this
1:00:05
person is doing this. That is a potential. Or
1:00:07
that is a potential God's house that you have
1:00:10
there. Praise the Lord. Hallelujah. So, you are
1:00:15
in God's house already. You are God's dwelling
1:00:18
place already. You are already the house of His
1:00:22
work. The Spirit of God is already in you and
1:00:24
for you. Right? He wants you, or He wants to
1:00:29
be amongst all men. Hallelujah. He wants to be
1:00:32
amongst all men. It is no longer a place. It
1:00:37
is a people. It's no longer a kind of people,
1:00:39
but all people, every nation, including tribes,
1:00:43
tongues, cultures, behavior, sociology, everyone,
1:00:47
right, has room for God. God has room for everyone.
1:00:52
Praise the Lord. Let's just rise up on our feet
1:00:54
and just pray. We appreciate you being here today.
1:00:58
We hope you carry this word with you throughout
1:01:00
your week. Don't forget to check the show notes
1:01:03
for additional insights. stay connected with
1:01:06
us through our website or follow us on social
1:01:09
media if you are encouraged share this message
1:01:12
with someone you care about until next time stay
1:01:16
blessed