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Mark 12:38-44 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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The text before us today is Mark chapter 12, verse 38 through 44.
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Now, let me remind you before we read this where we are.
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! We're in the Passion Week.
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Jesus is now in Jerusalem.
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On Friday, He will be crucified.
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And this is Wednesday.
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And we've been here for a while now in Wednesday.
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And we'll be here for about a month more.
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On Monday, He entered into Jerusalem.
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The praise of the people.
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The triumphal entry is what it's often called.
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Tuesday, He goes back in.
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He goes out for a while.
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He goes back in.
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He takes over the temple by overturning the money changers' tables
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and stopping the court of Gentiles from being used as a thoroughfare.
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And then on Wednesday, He's now encountered this wave of confrontations.
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First from the Pharisees, along with a political group called the Herodians.
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Then the Sadducees.
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And then a scribe.
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One who's a professional in the law.
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And in verse 34 of chapter 12, we see,
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And after that, no one dared to ask Him any more questions.
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Because all who had come to Him, who had sought to make a fool of Him,
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He turned back around and made fools of them.
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And so they've ceased asking questions.
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And in verse 35, He then begins to teach.
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Let's read together, beginning in verse 38.
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And in His teaching, He said,
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Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes
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and like greetings in the marketplaces
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and have the best seats in the synagogues
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and the places of honor at feasts,
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who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers.
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They will receive the greater condemnation.
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And He sat down opposite the treasury
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and watched the people putting money into the offering box.
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Many rich people put in large sums.
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And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins,
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which make a penny.
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And He called His disciples to Him and said to them,
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Truly I say to you,
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this poor widow has put in more than all those
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who are contributing to the offering box,
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for they all contributed out of their abundance,
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but she, out of her poverty,
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has put in everything she had,
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all she had to live on.
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This is God's Word to us.
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It was written for His good,
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or excuse me, for His glory,
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and our good.
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My brain is still catching up this morning.
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We would all do well to listen to it
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in order to believe its promises
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and obey its commands.
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Let's pray together.
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Father God, we certainly do praise You this morning
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for the blessing of Your Word,
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for becoming an author,
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for inspiring men by Your Spirit
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to pen these words for us today.
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Father, we ask for a great miracle in my speaking,
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that You would guard me from air,
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that I would lead people well by Your Word.
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And we also ask for a great miracle in the hearing,
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that the Spirit would apply the words that I speak
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concerning Your Word
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to people's hearts appropriately,
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that they might respond appropriately.
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All of this to the praise of Your glorious name.
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And we pray this in Christ's name.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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So, as I said, we are in Wednesday.
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And just to give you a little bit of an idea
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of where we're headed to,
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at the end of chapter 12,
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Jesus heads out of the temple
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and continues to teach about the end of all things
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through the end of chapter 13.
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Beginning of chapter 14,
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we'll then get into Thursday.
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I've managed to sit down and plot out the timeline
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for the rest of Mark.
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And praise God,
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we get to actually preach on the resurrection on Easter.
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I'm so thankful that it turned out in that way.
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So you may be asking,
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why is it that these two texts are placed together?
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Why 38 through 40 and then 41 through 44?
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Because certainly those two things
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seem to be able to stand alone.
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And we could.
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It could be preached that way.
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Though I think you'll find,
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and I'll hope to show you,
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the great theme that exists
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between the two of them.
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They are actually tied together thematically.
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I'm not doing that just to keep the timeline
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of getting us to the resurrection on Easter.
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Very important that we wrap our minds around
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why Jesus says the one,
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and then He says the next.
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And the major theme that ties it together
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is this nature,
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this situation that's before them
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of these false teachers.
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Jesus here calls them scribes.
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For a particular group,
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although they weren't an official religious group,
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they weren't an official political faction,
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they were just the extra learned men.
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Most likely Pharisees.
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This was typically the case.
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These men were experts in the law.
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They knew the law very, very well.
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They were the theologians,
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so to speak, of the day.
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John MacArthur said,
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the Jews had a saying
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that Moses received the law
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and gave it to Joshua.
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Joshua received the law
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and gave it to the elders.
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The elders received the law
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and gave it to the prophets.
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The prophets received the law
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and gave it to the scribes.
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They were the professionals.
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They were the experts of this day.
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And everybody trusted them
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and hung on what it was they had to say
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concerning the law.
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But Jesus gives to us
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a very strong warning
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concerning these men.
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He says to us,
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beware of the scribes.
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Strong warning.
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And let me say to you
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that as a general habit,
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it is healthy and right
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to be known for what we're for
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rather than for what we're against.
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Although,
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there's a great deal of value at times.
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From time to time to stop
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and to recognize the wrong
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in order to maintain the right.
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And this is what Jesus is doing here.
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He's making a very emphatic point
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to the disciples
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and those others
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that are listening to Him
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that this is not the way
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to worship God.
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There's a right way
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to worship the right God.
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And these men
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really worship themselves,
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but in this pursuit
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of worshiping God,
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were doing so wrongly.
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In fact, they were apostate.
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They were outside
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any favor of God's blessing.
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And they were leading the people
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in the same way.
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Jesus says some very stark things
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about them
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that they are sons of Satan
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and they're making sons of Satan.
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Matthew 23, 15 says,
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Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees,
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hypocrites!
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For you travel across sea and land
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to make a single proselytite
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or convert.
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And when he becomes
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a proselytite,
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you make him twice as much
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a child of hell
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as yourselves.
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They were leading people astray.
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And you have to understand
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that there's not a continuum
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for the way in which people are led.
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You either are going to lead people
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in the way of God
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or you're going to lead people
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in the way of Satan.
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And that's where these men
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find themselves.
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Now, there's a scope to this warning
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which exists all throughout
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the Scriptures.
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I'll give you one Old Testament example.
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Ezekiel 13,
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false prophets are condemned.
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And in chapter 14,
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idolatrous elders are condemned
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for the way in which
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they led the people astray.
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Jesus said in Matthew 7, 15,
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beware of false prophets
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who come to you
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in sheep's clothing,
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but inwardly are ravenous wolves
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dressed up.
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They look good on the outside,
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but truly they come
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to devour and to destroy.
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Paul says in 2 Corinthians 11,
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verse 13 through 15,
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for such men are false apostles,
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deceitful workmen,
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disguising themselves
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as apostles of Christ.
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And no wonder,
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for even Satan disguises himself
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as an angel of light.
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So it is no surprise
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of his servants
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also disguise themselves
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as servants of righteousness.
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Put on the dressings,
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the trappings of good,
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but ultimately,
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they're aimed at evil.
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Paul makes an emphatic charge
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to Timothy in 1 Timothy
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on a number of occasions.
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I'll let you read those
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on your own later.
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Chapter 1, verses 3 through 7.
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Chapter 4, verses 1 and 2.
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Chapter 6, verses 3 through 5.
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The major charge to him
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is that he preserve sound doctrine
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among the church at Ephesus.
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Peter also gives warning to this
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in 2 Peter 2, verse 1.
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But false prophets
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also arose among the people,
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just as there will be
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false teachers among you
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who will secretly bring in
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destructive heresies,
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even denying the Master
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who bought them,
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bringing upon themselves
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swift destruction.
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1 John 4, verse 1.
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Many false prophets
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have gone out into the world.
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And so this is to be
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the reality of things,
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that in this day,
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there was warning about it
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in the Old Testament.
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Jesus said it would be true.
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Certainly there are scribes
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in this day
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that he is giving strong
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warning against.
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And the apostles warn
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in those churches
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it would be true
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as well as in our day.
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And it's certainly
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our experience at this
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is the case.
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Many false teachers
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leading people ultimately astray.
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And we tend to categorically
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put some people way off,
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way off in left field
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who do this very thing.
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But there really isn't a spectrum.
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This makes me tremble.
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I want to rightly handle
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the Word of God.
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I cannot say to you
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that I have never erred.
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I am sure that I have.
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Probably someday
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I will go back
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and listen to some old
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recording of a sermon
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and ask that it all be destroyed
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because I messed it up.
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If we do not walk in the truth,
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then we walk in a lie.
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Any believable lie
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contains within it
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some measure of truth.
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This is the great deception of Satan.
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He takes things that are true
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and he distorts them.
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Things that are bizarrely false
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no one believes.
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It's a very bizarre lie
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and no one would ever believe it.
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But if you anchor it
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in some truth,
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then it becomes believable.
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And this is the great deception
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of Satan.
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And therefore,
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all men who even speak
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some truth,
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but yet mixed within it lies,
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are they themselves not liars?
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Servants of Satan.
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It's a great strong warning here.
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Beware.
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This is the exhortation
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that Jesus is giving to us.
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Beware.
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The explicit thing
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that He's trying to tell us.
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But what can we draw out
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of who these people are?
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How can we help to identify
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these people?
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And He gives to us
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some nature.
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So we see a warning
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firstly in verse 38.
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Then going on,
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verse 38,
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and into the following,
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we see the nature
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of their hypocrisy.
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It says,
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to like to walk around
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in long robes
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and like greetings
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in the marketplaces
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and have the best seats
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in the synagogues
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and the places of honor
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at feasts
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who devour widows' houses
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and for pretense
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make long prayers.
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These men like to walk around
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in their ceremonial robes,
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these long decorative robes
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so they can be picked out
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of a crowd
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so you can see them coming
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and know that here comes
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a great learned man,
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a wonderful follower of God.
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In the parallel passage,
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Matthew 23,
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Matthew records
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that they make their fringes long.
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At the bottom of these robes
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were blue fringes.
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In fact,
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it was commanded
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in Numbers 15
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that the Jewish people
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were to put little blue tassels
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on the bottom of their robes
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to identify themselves as Jews
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and to identify themselves
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as those who gave their attention
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to God
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and their attention
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to God's word.
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It was meant to be a reminder
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of this very thing.
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In fact,
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in Matthew 9,
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verse 20,
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most of you are familiar
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with the miracle
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of the woman
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with the discharge of blood
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who touches the fringes
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of Jesus' garment.
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That's what she touched
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were these tassels
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that would have been
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on the edge
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of his garment.
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So it wasn't wrong
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to do that,
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but these men
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were elevating.
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They were making
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their tassels extra long
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to say to others,
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we are extra devoted.
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We are extra followers
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of God.
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Please pay attention to us
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and what it is
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we have to say.
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They like to walk around
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in these long robes
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and they like to receive
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greetings
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in the marketplaces.
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Now,
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he's not talking here
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about people saying
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hello to them.
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I like it when people say
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hello to me.
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He's talking about
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pomp and circumstance
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type of greetings.
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Again,
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in the parallel passage,
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Matthew 23,
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verse 7,
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it adds that they like
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to be called
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rabbi
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or teacher
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or my master.
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This is a great,
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high,
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elevated title
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given to these men,
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which is why
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I don't care much
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at all for titles.
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You'll never hear me
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call myself
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Pastor Nathan.
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My email
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just is Nathan
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at our website.
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If you want to call me
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Pastor,
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I consider that an honor,
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but I don't seek out
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that type of thing.
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This type of title
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is a lot like
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people who earn
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PhDs
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or doctors of ministry
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and want to be called
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doctor.
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Now,
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clearly,
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it is a lot of work.
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It's a massive amount
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of work to earn
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these degrees
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and MD,
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I will include
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in that.
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And in some sense,
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these people deserve
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to be called
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doctor.
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In fact,
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I will call
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anybody doctor
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until they ask me
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to do it.
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They deserve
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some commendation
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for them,
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but as soon as
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somebody says,
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oh,
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excuse me,
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that's doctor
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so-and-so,
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well,
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they have just
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ensured that
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I will never
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call them
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doctor so-and-so.
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We get on a
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first-name basis
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at that point.
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This is what
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these men
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are looking for.
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Oh,
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great,
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learned doctor,
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rabbi,
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let us step
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out of your way
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and let you
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pass.
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This type of
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honor is what
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they sought
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in the market
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places.
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In addition to
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that,
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they sought
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the best seats
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in the synagogues
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and the places
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of honor
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at feasts.
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They wanted
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to be placed
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first in all
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of their social
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circumstances.
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When they gathered
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for worship
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together and
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when they gathered
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to eat food,
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they wanted
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to be placed
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at the very
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highest place
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to be shown
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honor in that
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way.
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Jesus has
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been speaking
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directly against
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this type
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of attitude
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leading up
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to our text
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today.
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Flip back
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just a couple
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of pages
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starting in
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Mark 8,
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verse 34.
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I've shown you
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this theme
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a number of times.
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I want to show
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you to it once more.
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Mark 8,
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34-36.
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If anyone
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would come
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after me,
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let him deny
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himself
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and take up
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his cross
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and follow me.
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This is
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antithesis
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to long
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fringed
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robes
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and seeking
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honor in
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things.
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Verse 35,
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for whoever
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would save
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his life
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will lose it,
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but whoever
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loses his life
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for my sake
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in the Gospels
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will save it.
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For what
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does it
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profit a man
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to gain
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the whole
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world
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and to
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forfeit
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his soul?
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To gain
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all of that
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honor,
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but yet
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to be found
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outside the
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faith.
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Chapter 9,
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verse 35,
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If anyone
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will be
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first,
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he must
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be last
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of all
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and servant
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of all.
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Not self-exalting,
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but self-emptying
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in service
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to others.
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Chapter 10,
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verse 44
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and 45,
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and Jesus
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then gives
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to us
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the extent
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of this
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sacrifice.
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Whoever
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would be
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first among
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you must
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be slave
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of all.
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For even
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the Son
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of Man
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came
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not to
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be served,
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but to
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serve,
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and to
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give his
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life
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as a
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ransom
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for many.
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To show
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honor to
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other people,
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to love
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them even
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to the
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point
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of death.
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Jesus
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told a
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parable
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that's
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recorded
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in Luke
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chapter 14,
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beginning
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in verse
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7.
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He says,
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Now he
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told a
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parable
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to those
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that were
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invited
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when he
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noticed
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how they
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chose
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the
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places
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of honor,
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saying
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to them,
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When you
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are invited
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by someone
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to a
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wedding
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feast,
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do not
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sit down
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in a
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place
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of honor,
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lest
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someone
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more
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distinguished
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than
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you
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be invited
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by him.
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And he
16:54
who
16:54
invited
16:54
you
16:55
both
16:55
will
16:55
come
16:56
and
16:56
say
16:56
to
16:56
you,
16:57
Give
16:57
your
16:57
place
16:58
to
16:58
this
16:58
person,
16:59
and
16:59
then
16:59
you
16:59
will
17:00
begin
17:00
with
17:01
shame
17:01
to
17:01
take
17:01
the
17:01
lowest
17:02
place.
17:03
But
17:03
when
17:03
you
17:03
are
17:03
invited,
17:04
go
17:04
and
17:04
sit
17:04
in
17:04
the
17:04
lowest
17:05
place,
17:05
so that
17:05
when
17:05
your
17:05
host
17:06
comes,
17:06
he
17:06
may
17:06
say
17:07
to
17:07
you,
17:07
friend,
17:08
move
17:08
up
17:08
higher.
17:09
Then
17:09
you
17:09
will
17:09
be
17:10
honored
17:10
in
17:10
the
17:10
presence
17:10
of
17:11
all
17:11
who
17:11
sit
17:11
at
17:11
table
17:11
with
17:12
you.
17:12
For
17:12
everyone
17:13
who
17:13
exalts
17:13
himself
17:14
will
17:14
be
17:14
humbled,
17:15
and
17:15
he
17:15
who
17:15
humbles
17:16
himself
17:16
will
17:17
be
17:17
exalted.
17:18
And
17:18
he's
17:18
speaking
17:19
an
17:19
indictment
17:20
on
17:20
these
17:20
men
17:20
who
17:21
place
17:21
themselves
17:22
in
17:22
positions
17:22
of
17:23
honor.
17:24
And
17:24
the
17:25
groomsmen
17:25
will
17:25
come
17:25
to
17:26
them
17:26
one
17:26
day
17:26
and
17:26
put
17:27
them
17:27
in
17:27
the
17:27
lowliest
17:28
of
17:28
places.
17:29
That
17:29
is
17:30
the
17:30
place
17:30
of
17:30
eternal
17:30
destruction.
17:32
They
17:32
thought
17:33
that
17:33
they
17:33
deserved
17:34
the
17:34
favor
17:34
of
17:35
God,
17:35
that
17:35
they
17:41
as we
17:41
ought
17:42
to,
17:42
putting
17:42
ourselves
17:43
in
17:43
the
17:43
lowliest
17:43
place.
17:44
Certainly
17:44
we
17:45
deserve
17:45
eternal
17:46
damnation
17:46
for our
17:47
sin,
17:47
and yet
17:48
the
17:48
groom
17:48
will
17:48
come
17:48
to
17:49
us
17:49
and
17:49
say,
17:49
please
17:50
come
17:50
and
17:50
sit
17:50
in
17:51
this
17:51
honored
17:51
place.
17:54
Jesus
17:54
was
17:55
never
17:55
self-exalting.
17:58
In fact,
17:59
he was
17:59
constantly
18:00
self-abasing,
18:01
constantly
18:02
pointing to
18:02
God the
18:03
Father as
18:04
the source
18:05
of all
18:05
the things
18:05
that he
18:06
did.
18:06
He
18:06
did
18:06
nothing
18:07
on his
18:07
own
18:07
initiative.
18:08
John
18:08
records this
18:09
for us
18:09
again and
18:10
again.
18:11
He
18:11
acted,
18:11
and he
18:12
only
18:12
spoke
18:12
as he
18:12
saw
18:13
the
18:13
Father
18:14
doing.
18:14
He
18:14
exalted
18:14
the
18:15
Father
18:15
in
18:16
all
18:16
that
18:17
he
18:17
did.
18:17
Isn't
18:17
it
18:17
interesting
18:18
that we
18:18
live in
18:18
a day
18:19
and age
18:19
that if
18:19
you're
18:19
going to
18:20
be
18:20
popular
18:20
in the
18:21
Christian
18:21
world,
18:22
you have
18:22
to be
18:22
self-exalting
18:23
instead
18:24
of self-emptying?
18:26
You have
18:26
to be
18:26
incredibly
18:27
active
18:27
with your
18:28
blogs
18:28
and your
18:29
Twitter
18:29
feed,
18:29
and you
18:30
have to
18:30
be
18:30
constantly
18:30
touting
18:31
all the
18:32
things
18:32
that you
18:32
know
18:32
and all
18:33
that you
18:33
can
18:34
do.
18:34
Adfinitum,
18:36
if you're
18:36
going to
18:36
be popular
18:37
in this
18:38
day,
18:40
I want to
18:41
be like
18:41
Jesus,
18:41
and I
18:42
also don't
18:42
like
18:42
social media.
18:44
It works
18:44
out,
18:44
right?
18:46
Now it
18:47
says,
18:47
please don't
18:48
draw that as
18:48
a direct
18:49
connection,
18:49
right?
18:50
It says
18:51
that they
18:51
like to
18:52
walk around.
18:53
Now there's
18:53
an interesting
18:53
verb here,
18:55
they like,
18:56
and it means
18:57
more so than
18:58
just what we
18:58
would think of
18:59
as like,
18:59
that they
18:59
desire these
19:00
things,
19:01
that they
19:01
love these
19:02
things,
19:03
right?
19:03
This is the
19:03
very existence
19:05
of their
19:05
being,
19:06
this type
19:07
of praise
19:08
being heaped
19:09
upon them.
19:10
And so,
19:10
as Jesus
19:11
is saying
19:11
to them
19:12
and to
19:12
us,
19:13
beware of
19:13
the scribes,
19:14
beware of
19:15
these false
19:15
teachers,
19:16
he's saying
19:16
to them,
19:17
beware of
19:18
people who
19:19
are self-exalting.
19:22
Beware of
19:22
people who
19:23
are self-exalting.
19:25
Now we'll
19:26
skip down
19:26
for a moment
19:27
and see
19:28
that they
19:28
also make
19:29
a pretense
19:30
of long
19:32
prayers.
19:33
They make
19:33
a pretense
19:34
of long
19:34
prayers.
19:35
For the
19:35
sake of
19:36
appearance
19:36
would be
19:37
another way
19:37
to say
19:37
that.
19:38
Some of
19:38
your
19:38
translations
19:38
may.
19:39
For the
19:39
sake of
19:39
appearance,
19:41
they make
19:41
long
19:42
prayers.
19:44
When Jesus
19:45
teaches the
19:45
disciples how
19:46
to pray,
19:46
Matthew 6,
19:47
5 says,
19:48
and when you
19:48
pray,
19:49
you must not
19:50
be like
19:50
the hypocrites.
19:52
That's who he's
19:52
referring to.
19:53
For they love
19:53
to stand and
19:54
pray in the
19:55
synagogues
19:55
and at the
19:56
street corners.
19:57
They may be
19:57
seen by
19:58
others.
19:59
Truly I
20:00
say to you,
20:00
they have
20:02
received their
20:04
reward.
20:05
They like to
20:05
put on the
20:06
pretense.
20:07
They like to
20:07
act righteous
20:08
on the
20:09
outside and
20:09
like to do
20:09
so in such
20:10
a way that
20:10
everyone can
20:12
see it.
20:12
Not in the
20:13
quiet,
20:14
hidden,
20:14
secret places,
20:15
but out where
20:16
everyone can
20:17
see.
20:17
And they put a
20:18
great show
20:19
on so that
20:20
they will be
20:20
praised.
20:22
Jesus says
20:23
beware of the
20:24
scribes,
20:24
the false
20:25
teachers.
20:25
Beware of
20:26
people who
20:27
merely put on
20:28
the appearance
20:29
of holiness.
20:33
And then
20:33
lastly,
20:35
in the
20:35
nature,
20:37
we see that
20:38
these men
20:38
devour
20:39
widows'
20:40
houses.
20:42
They devour
20:42
widows'
20:43
houses.
20:43
Now,
20:44
for the sake
20:44
of time,
20:44
I won't
20:45
develop thematically
20:46
for you all
20:47
of God's
20:47
commands to
20:48
care for
20:48
widows,
20:49
but they
20:49
are many,
20:50
20 to 30
20:51
different times
20:52
in the Old
20:53
Testament.
20:54
There are
20:54
commands to
20:55
care for
20:56
widows,
20:56
to look out
20:57
for them.
20:58
And these
20:58
men were
20:59
doing the
20:59
very opposite
21:00
of that.
21:02
As they
21:03
still believed,
21:04
even though
21:04
they were
21:04
under Roman
21:05
rule,
21:05
that they
21:05
lived a
21:06
theocracy,
21:07
in many
21:07
ways,
21:08
these men
21:08
ruled.
21:09
They were
21:09
part of
21:10
the ruling
21:11
class,
21:12
the Sanhedrin,
21:13
those who
21:13
sat in
21:13
judgment over
21:14
Israel,
21:15
and they
21:15
were experts
21:16
in the
21:16
law,
21:16
and so
21:17
they did
21:17
things,
21:18
they managed
21:18
to do
21:19
things in
21:20
being asked
21:20
to help
21:21
with estates
21:22
from these
21:22
widows.
21:23
They did
21:23
manipulative
21:24
things to
21:24
take advantage
21:25
of them.
21:26
They took
21:26
advantage of
21:26
their
21:27
property,
21:27
they would
21:28
stay at
21:28
their homes,
21:29
and eat
21:29
their food,
21:30
and they
21:30
would find
21:31
ways in
21:31
which to
21:31
actually keep
21:32
their
21:32
property.
21:34
Above and
21:35
beyond that,
21:37
they developed
21:37
a system that
21:38
wasn't just
21:39
oppressive to
21:39
widows,
21:40
but all people
21:40
generally,
21:41
which said that
21:42
you must buy
21:43
the favor of
21:45
God.
21:45
There were
21:45
13 offering
21:47
boxes in
21:48
the temple
21:48
where you
21:49
would put
21:49
your money
21:49
to buy
21:50
God's
21:51
favor.
21:52
favor.
21:53
And this
21:54
was a
21:54
system that
21:54
presumably
21:55
the people
21:56
didn't care
21:57
for.
21:58
I think
21:58
they knew
21:59
that they
21:59
were being
21:59
swindled,
22:00
which is
22:01
likely why
22:02
they began
22:02
to pay
22:02
attention to
22:03
Jesus when
22:03
he overturned
22:04
the money
22:04
changers table.
22:05
They liked
22:05
that.
22:06
Here was a
22:07
man who
22:07
was coming
22:07
and flying
22:08
in the face
22:08
of all
22:09
that was
22:09
being done
22:10
in the
22:10
name of
22:11
God
22:11
to take
22:12
advantage
22:13
of the
22:13
people,
22:13
and they
22:14
began to
22:15
listen.
22:16
This is
22:16
why these
22:17
groups of
22:17
men,
22:18
these religious
22:18
leaders,
22:19
were so
22:19
offended at
22:20
what Jesus
22:21
was doing
22:21
because he
22:22
was disrupting
22:23
that system.
22:24
He was
22:24
cutting off
22:25
their flow
22:26
of income
22:26
in this
22:27
way.
22:28
The more
22:28
I study,
22:29
Mark,
22:29
the more
22:30
I understand
22:30
I could
22:31
actually put
22:31
myself in
22:32
the shoes
22:32
of these
22:33
religious
22:33
leaders,
22:33
why they
22:34
would have
22:34
been so
22:34
upset at
22:35
Jesus,
22:36
even to
22:36
the point
22:37
of death.
22:38
They
22:38
worshipped
22:39
themselves.
22:40
They worshipped
22:40
the system
22:41
they had
22:41
established.
22:42
They worshipped
22:42
all of the
22:43
fame and
22:44
honor that
22:45
came to
22:45
them,
22:45
and Jesus
22:46
came to
22:47
destroy
22:47
that kind
22:48
of self
22:49
exaltation.
22:51
So they
22:52
devoured
22:53
widows'
22:53
houses,
22:54
the very
22:54
lowliest
22:55
of society
22:56
that should
22:56
have been
22:57
cared for
22:57
and supported
22:58
by the
22:58
law of
22:59
God.
22:59
They did
22:59
the very
23:00
opposite
23:00
of that
23:01
thing
23:02
with the
23:02
structure
23:03
that they
23:03
created.
23:05
This is
23:05
true in
23:05
our day
23:06
as well.
23:08
Many
23:08
false
23:09
teachers,
23:10
most of
23:11
them that
23:11
you can
23:12
see on
23:12
TV,
23:13
not all
23:13
but most
23:14
on TV,
23:15
who just
23:16
want a
23:17
little seed
23:17
gift,
23:18
just want
23:19
you to
23:19
order up
23:19
the prayer
23:20
rug,
23:20
which is
23:21
a piece
23:21
of paper
23:21
strangely,
23:22
right?
23:23
That are
23:23
going to
23:23
give you
23:23
some kind
23:24
of a
23:24
thing
23:24
that's
23:24
going to
23:25
bless
23:25
you
23:25
more.
23:26
If they
23:26
could just
23:27
wring a
23:27
little bit
23:28
more out
23:29
of you.
23:30
You know
23:31
some of
23:31
these people.
23:32
Joel Osteen,
23:33
Joyce Meyer,
23:34
T.D.
23:35
Jakes,
23:35
Benny Hinn,
23:37
Creflo Dollar,
23:37
!
23:37
The list can
23:38
go on and
23:39
on and
23:40
on.
23:41
Beware of
23:42
these people.
23:43
As I said
23:44
to you though,
23:45
we tend to
23:45
put them
23:45
categorically
23:46
off in one
23:47
place.
23:48
It's not
23:48
just them.
23:50
There are
23:50
many others
23:51
who do
23:51
this as
23:52
well that
23:52
just don't
23:52
have the
23:53
name or
23:53
the scope
23:54
that they
23:55
have.
23:56
So beware of
23:57
the scribes,
23:58
the false
23:59
teachers.
24:00
Beware of
24:00
people who
24:01
take advantage
24:02
of the less
24:03
advantaged.
24:05
Who don't
24:06
serve,
24:07
but are
24:08
served.
24:09
And so
24:11
this is the
24:11
nature of
24:12
their hypocrisy.
24:13
We've got a
24:13
strong warning
24:14
against people
24:15
like this.
24:18
And then we
24:18
see in
24:20
verse 40
24:20
their final
24:21
condemnation.
24:23
The text
24:23
says they
24:24
will receive
24:25
the greater
24:26
condemnation.
24:28
2 Corinthians
24:29
11.15
24:29
says their
24:30
end will
24:31
correspond to
24:33
their deeds.
24:34
And as I
24:34
read to you
24:35
2 Peter 2.1
24:36
I'll read it
24:36
to you again.
24:38
But false
24:39
prophets also
24:40
arose among
24:41
the people,
24:41
just as there
24:42
will be false
24:42
teachers among
24:43
you, who
24:44
will secretly
24:44
bring in
24:45
destructive
24:45
heresies, even
24:46
denying the
24:47
master who
24:47
bought them,
24:48
bringing upon
24:49
themselves swift
24:51
destruction.
24:53
And there's a
24:54
great deal of
24:54
encouragement in
24:55
that, and seeing
24:56
that there is in
24:56
fact a
24:57
condemnation for
24:58
these men,
24:58
because even
24:59
as we are to
25:00
beware them,
25:01
and I will
25:01
show you some
25:02
other places
25:03
that we are
25:03
actually supposed
25:04
to battle
25:05
against them,
25:07
that one day,
25:08
fully and
25:08
finally, God
25:09
will be
25:09
vindicated.
25:10
In fact,
25:10
Peter says
25:11
that their
25:11
destruction will
25:12
be swift.
25:13
Not in our
25:14
terms, certainly.
25:16
There are many
25:16
men, I would
25:17
gladly see their
25:18
destruction come
25:18
now, that they
25:19
would quit leading
25:19
so many people
25:20
astray, but their
25:21
destruction will
25:22
in fact be
25:23
swift.
25:24
Things will be
25:24
made right in
25:26
that day.
25:26
And this is the
25:27
final place for
25:29
these men, damned
25:30
for eternity,
25:31
because they used
25:32
the name in our
25:34
day of Jesus
25:34
Christ to
25:36
perpetuate their
25:37
own kingdoms.
25:40
Now, verse
25:41
41 through
25:41
44.
25:44
So Jesus
25:44
goes out, he
25:45
sits out opposite
25:46
the treasury,
25:47
and he watched
25:47
the people putting
25:48
money into the
25:49
offering box.
25:49
Many rich people
25:50
put in large
25:51
sums, and a
25:52
poor widow came
25:53
and put in two
25:53
small copper coins
25:55
which make a
25:55
penny.
25:56
And he called
25:57
to his disciples
25:58
to him and
25:58
said to them,
26:00
truly I say to
26:00
you, this poor
26:01
widow has put in
26:01
more than all
26:02
those who are
26:02
contributing to
26:03
the offering box,
26:04
for they all
26:04
contributed out
26:05
of their abundance,
26:06
but she, out of
26:07
her poverty, has
26:08
put in everything
26:09
she had, all she
26:11
had to live on.
26:13
She puts in
26:14
there what is the
26:15
equivalent of a
26:16
one-sixty-fourth of
26:18
a denarius, which
26:19
a denarius was a
26:19
day's wage.
26:20
To give you an
26:21
idea of how little
26:21
money this was,
26:22
one-sixty-fourth of
26:24
a denarius, and
26:25
this seems to be all
26:26
that she has left
26:27
in the world.
26:28
These coins that
26:29
she puts in are
26:29
the two of the
26:30
smallest coins used
26:32
by Jews.
26:32
insignificant from
26:34
everybody else's
26:35
perspective.
26:37
Now, how does the
26:38
one connect to the
26:40
other?
26:42
You've probably heard
26:43
this preached.
26:44
I believe I've used
26:45
it as an example
26:46
of sacrificial
26:47
giving, of the
26:49
faith that it
26:50
takes to give,
26:52
of seeking first
26:53
the kingdom of
26:54
God and all of
26:55
our needs will be
26:56
added to us, but
26:57
that is not at
26:58
all what this
26:59
text is about.
27:01
It's not even
27:02
kind of.
27:02
what it's about.
27:04
In fact, we tend
27:05
to want to run
27:06
to juxtapose the
27:07
rich against her,
27:08
but Jesus never
27:09
condemns the rich
27:10
here.
27:11
In fact, he says
27:11
that they give
27:12
well.
27:12
They're giving a
27:13
lot out of their
27:14
abundance.
27:17
It's not the
27:17
point at all.
27:19
What he's doing
27:20
is he's pointing
27:21
to the fact that
27:22
she is a victim
27:23
of this system.
27:26
She is a victim
27:27
of the scribes,
27:29
believing that
27:30
she must come
27:31
and buy God's
27:32
blessing.
27:33
She has given
27:34
every single
27:35
bit that she
27:36
has.
27:36
She's given it
27:37
all away.
27:38
She now no
27:38
longer has any
27:39
money to support
27:41
herself because
27:42
she's given it
27:42
now to the
27:43
temple worship,
27:44
to the apostate
27:44
temple worship.
27:46
Jesus here is not
27:47
supporting giving
27:49
good offerings in
27:50
our churches,
27:51
although you should.
27:52
That's not what
27:52
he's doing in
27:53
this case.
27:54
Every sermon
27:55
you've heard preached
27:56
out of this likely
27:57
had the right
27:58
point made,
27:59
but taught
28:00
someplace else
28:01
in Scripture.
28:02
Jesus is simply
28:03
finding a physical
28:04
example in the
28:05
temple court of
28:06
the very thing
28:07
he's been saying.
28:08
He's saying,
28:08
see, beware the
28:10
scribes.
28:11
Look, case in
28:12
point, they devour
28:13
widows' houses.
28:16
Luke 16, 14,
28:18
Jesus says that
28:18
the Pharisees are
28:19
lovers of money.
28:22
They have failed
28:23
to love the
28:24
people.
28:24
They have failed
28:25
to lead the
28:26
people in the
28:26
truth, but
28:27
rather they
28:28
seek what
28:28
they can gain
28:29
from them,
28:30
not what they
28:30
can give to
28:32
them.
28:33
And this is
28:34
the case
28:35
with the
28:37
widow's
28:37
offering.
28:38
Now I hope
28:39
that by her
28:41
faith God
28:42
was good to
28:42
her in this,
28:43
but this act
28:44
is not what
28:45
bought her
28:46
God's favor.
28:48
She's a victim
28:49
of this very
28:50
thing.
28:52
What is the
28:53
application for
28:55
us today?
28:56
Rightly so,
28:57
we've said it.
28:58
Beware.
28:59
Beware of the
28:59
false teachers.
29:01
This warning is
29:02
explicit here in
29:03
our text today.
29:03
Avoid the
29:05
teachings of
29:06
these people.
29:08
Let me say to
29:09
you, the call
29:10
here is not to
29:10
avoid these
29:11
people altogether,
29:13
to ignore them,
29:15
but rather to
29:16
avoid their
29:17
teachings.
29:17
Be very,
29:18
very careful
29:18
what people
29:20
like this
29:20
perpetuate with
29:22
their mouths.
29:24
Watch what
29:24
they say.
29:25
Be careful of
29:26
their example.
29:28
Beware.
29:30
In fact,
29:30
Jesus gives an
29:31
example of
29:32
not just
29:32
avoidance,
29:34
right, but
29:34
he is
29:34
constantly
29:35
engaging with
29:37
these people.
29:38
We've seen
29:38
that quite
29:39
extensively here
29:40
in chapter
29:41
12.
29:42
He stands
29:43
firm and
29:44
he contends
29:45
for the
29:46
truth.
29:47
Turn with
29:48
me, if you
29:48
will, in
29:49
closing to
29:50
Jude, the
29:50
book of
29:50
Jude.
29:57
Right
29:58
towards the
29:58
end of
29:59
your New
29:59
Testament.
30:07
Jude has
30:07
no chapters
30:08
or one
30:08
chapter,
30:09
whichever
30:09
you prefer
30:10
to say.
30:12
Jude is
30:13
James'
30:13
brother.
30:14
Verse 3
30:15
and 4,
30:16
he writes,
30:18
Beloved,
30:19
although I
30:19
was very
30:20
eager to
30:21
write to
30:21
you about
30:21
our common
30:22
salvation,
30:23
I found
30:24
it necessary
30:25
to write
30:25
appealing to
30:26
you to
30:27
contend for
30:27
the faith
30:28
that was
30:29
once for
30:29
all delivered
30:30
to the
30:30
saints.
30:31
For certain
30:32
people have
30:32
crept in
30:33
unnoticed
30:33
who long
30:34
ago were
30:34
designated
30:35
for this
30:36
condemnation,
30:37
ungodly
30:38
people who
30:38
pervert the
30:39
grace of
30:39
our God
30:39
into
30:40
sensuality
30:40
and deny
30:41
our only
30:42
Master
30:43
and Lord,
30:44
Jesus
30:44
Christ.
30:45
So his
30:46
very longing
30:47
is that he
30:48
can talk
30:48
about what
30:49
he's for.
30:51
I really
30:52
wanted to
30:53
write to
30:53
you is what
30:53
he's saying.
30:54
It was my
30:54
eager desire
30:56
to write to
30:56
you about
30:57
our common
30:57
salvation.
30:58
I just
30:58
wanted to
30:58
write to
30:58
you and
30:59
talk about
30:59
the goodness
31:00
of the
31:00
gospel of
31:01
Jesus
31:01
Christ.
31:02
However,
31:04
it's
31:04
necessitated.
31:05
There's an
31:05
importance,
31:07
an emphasis
31:07
placed upon
31:08
me because
31:09
people are
31:10
coming in
31:10
and they're
31:10
leading you
31:10
astray.
31:11
Therefore,
31:12
I've come
31:12
to set
31:13
you straight.
31:14
This letter
31:14
is aimed
31:15
at that
31:16
very
31:16
thing.
31:19
Contend
31:19
for the
31:21
faith.
31:21
Beware of
31:22
the false
31:22
teachers,
31:23
but contend
31:23
for the
31:24
faith.
31:24
And how
31:25
do we
31:25
do that?
31:25
Number
31:25
one,
31:26
by searching
31:27
the scriptures
31:27
for ourselves.
31:29
Search the
31:29
scriptures for
31:30
yourself.
31:32
In Acts
31:32
17,
31:33
11-12,
31:34
we see a
31:35
little story
31:35
of Paul and
31:36
Silas being
31:37
in Berea.
31:39
Many of you
31:40
are familiar
31:40
with the
31:40
Bereans.
31:41
A little
31:41
mention of
31:42
them.
31:42
Verse 11,
31:43
Now these
31:44
Jews,
31:45
being the
31:45
Bereans,
31:46
were more
31:46
noble than
31:46
those in
31:47
Thessalonica.
31:48
They received
31:49
the word
31:49
with all
31:50
eagerness,
31:51
examining the
31:52
scriptures daily
31:53
to see if
31:54
these things
31:55
were so.
31:55
They're talking
31:56
about the
31:56
gospel proclamation
31:57
there.
31:57
And therefore,
31:58
verse 12,
31:59
many of them
31:59
therefore believed.
32:02
They carefully
32:03
scrutinized.
32:04
They studied it
32:05
for themselves
32:05
to see if
32:07
what the
32:07
apostles were
32:08
saying concerning
32:09
the scriptures
32:10
was true.
32:12
How will
32:13
you be able
32:13
to identify
32:14
a false
32:14
teacher if
32:15
you don't
32:15
know the
32:16
teaching itself?
32:19
And beloved,
32:19
this is not
32:20
a laborsome
32:20
task.
32:22
This is an
32:22
incredible book
32:23
and it is so
32:24
varied in its
32:25
themes,
32:26
in its
32:26
stylistic
32:27
expertise.
32:30
It's a
32:30
beautifully
32:30
written book.
32:32
It is not
32:33
that hard
32:33
to know
32:34
your scriptures.
32:36
I shared
32:37
with you a
32:37
number of
32:37
weeks ago
32:38
that the
32:38
average college
32:39
student,
32:39
and I know
32:39
none of you
32:40
are this
32:40
kind of
32:40
average,
32:41
but spends
32:42
106
32:42
minutes per
32:43
day on
32:44
social media.
32:45
So if you
32:46
just took,
32:46
I'm not saying
32:47
social media is
32:47
all bad,
32:48
right?
32:49
It's okay to
32:49
spend some
32:49
time on
32:50
social media,
32:50
but let's
32:51
just say
32:51
theoretically
32:52
that you
32:53
did that
32:53
twice in
32:54
a week,
32:55
and the
32:55
rest of
32:55
the week
32:56
you devoted
32:56
that time,
32:57
that 106
32:58
minutes,
32:58
across,
32:59
let's give
32:59
you a couple
33:00
weeks off,
33:00
let's say
33:01
50 weeks
33:01
of the year.
33:03
Do you know
33:04
how many times
33:04
you could read
33:05
the scriptures
33:05
that time
33:06
through?
33:06
Average reading
33:07
speed of 250
33:08
words per
33:10
minute,
33:11
eight and a
33:12
half times.
33:14
Eight and a
33:14
half times.
33:16
We piddle
33:16
away time
33:18
on unimportant,
33:19
unnecessary
33:20
things,
33:20
and we neglect
33:21
to know our
33:21
scriptures.
33:22
How are we
33:22
to contend
33:23
for the
33:24
faith if we
33:24
do not
33:25
know our
33:26
faith?
33:27
We get
33:27
that we
33:28
have a
33:28
belief,
33:28
but what
33:29
does it
33:29
mean?
33:30
And what
33:30
are all
33:31
of its
33:31
intricacies
33:32
and complexity?
33:34
Get after
33:35
searching the
33:35
scriptures
33:36
for yourself.
33:38
And then
33:39
turn,
33:40
I shouldn't
33:40
say turn,
33:41
you're probably
33:41
on the same
33:41
page,
33:42
Jude 17-23,
33:45
and I'll
33:45
give you
33:45
two more
33:46
points.
33:48
So contend
33:48
for the
33:48
faith by
33:49
number one,
33:49
searching the
33:50
scriptures
33:50
for yourself,
33:51
and let's
33:51
read beginning
33:52
of verse 17.
33:53
But you
33:53
must remember,
33:54
beloved,
33:55
the predictions
33:55
of the
33:56
apostles of
33:56
our Lord
33:57
Jesus Christ.
33:58
They said
33:58
to you,
33:59
in the last
34:00
time there
34:00
will be
34:00
scoffers
34:01
following
34:01
their own
34:02
ungodly
34:03
passions.
34:04
It is
34:04
these who
34:05
cause
34:05
divisions,
34:06
worldly
34:06
people,
34:07
devoid of
34:07
the
34:07
spirit.
34:09
But you,
34:09
beloved,
34:10
building
34:10
yourselves up
34:10
in your
34:11
most holy
34:11
faith,
34:12
studying the
34:13
scriptures,
34:14
and praying
34:15
in the
34:15
Holy Spirit,
34:16
keep yourselves
34:17
in the
34:18
love of
34:18
God,
34:19
waiting for
34:19
the mercy
34:20
of our
34:20
Lord Jesus
34:21
Christ that
34:21
leads to
34:21
eternal
34:22
life.
34:23
And have
34:23
mercy on
34:24
those who
34:24
doubt,
34:25
save others
34:26
by snatching
34:26
them out
34:27
of the
34:27
fire,
34:28
to others
34:28
show mercy
34:29
with fear,
34:29
hating even
34:30
the garment
34:30
stained by
34:32
the flesh.
34:33
So firstly,
34:33
search the
34:34
scriptures for
34:34
yourself.
34:34
We even
34:35
see that
34:35
as in
34:36
verse 20,
34:37
Jude writes,
34:38
building yourselves
34:38
up in your
34:39
most holy
34:40
faith.
34:40
Secondly,
34:41
pray.
34:43
It is by
34:44
the grace
34:45
of God,
34:46
given to us
34:47
by his
34:47
Holy Spirit,
34:48
that we are
34:49
maintained in
34:50
the truth.
34:51
That I have
34:51
understood
34:52
anything true
34:53
in this world
34:54
is a great
34:54
gift of
34:56
God.
34:56
My mind
34:58
and my heart
34:58
will be just
34:59
as darkened
34:59
as these
35:00
scribes if it
35:01
weren't for
35:02
the Lord.
35:02
So pray.
35:03
Pray that we
35:03
would have
35:04
right understanding.
35:06
Pray that we
35:06
would be able
35:07
to open up
35:08
the scriptures
35:08
and have our
35:09
minds illuminated
35:10
by the Spirit.
35:12
This is a
35:12
possible thing.
35:13
It's a promised
35:14
thing given
35:14
to us as
35:15
Christians.
35:16
Pray.
35:17
We are
35:17
dependent on
35:18
God to
35:18
rightly maintain
35:19
the truth.
35:21
Let me add
35:21
to that as
35:22
a step outside
35:23
of Jude's
35:24
exhortation,
35:25
but let's
35:26
also pray for
35:27
these false
35:28
teachers.
35:29
That God
35:29
would do the
35:30
same for
35:31
them.
35:31
That all of
35:32
those under
35:32
their influence
35:33
would be
35:33
rightly
35:34
turned.
35:35
Now likely
35:36
their churches,
35:37
their following
35:37
would die
35:38
away.
35:39
However,
35:40
maybe some.
35:41
Maybe some
35:41
would be
35:42
converted.
35:42
Maybe some
35:43
would follow
35:43
in the way
35:44
of God.
35:44
What a
35:44
wonderful thing
35:45
it would be
35:45
if Joel Osteen
35:46
one Sunday
35:46
got up and
35:47
repented of
35:48
everything that
35:48
he's been
35:48
teaching and
35:49
rightly taught
35:50
the gospel.
35:51
Let's pray
35:51
for these
35:52
people.
35:54
And thirdly,
35:55
teach the
35:57
truth.
35:57
Verse 22
35:58
and 23.
36:00
People are
36:01
going to
36:02
doubt.
36:03
People are
36:03
not going
36:03
to understand
36:04
the truth.
36:05
They're
36:05
going to be
36:05
following some
36:06
of these
36:06
teachers.
36:07
We must
36:08
teach the
36:09
truth.
36:11
You have
36:11
it.
36:11
You have
36:12
the truth.
36:12
Teach the
36:13
truth.
36:13
Find every
36:14
opportunity to
36:15
lead people
36:16
rightly, to
36:16
lead them
36:17
away from
36:18
those that
36:18
will lead
36:19
them astray
36:19
and lead
36:20
them in
36:20
the way
36:21
of God.
36:23
Now likely
36:24
very few of
36:24
us will
36:24
have chance
36:25
to encounter
36:26
the large
36:27
false prophets
36:28
of this
36:29
world.
36:30
Certainly
36:30
given the
36:30
opportunity,
36:31
teach them
36:31
as well.
36:33
If I'm
36:33
ever given
36:33
the chance,
36:34
I certainly
36:34
would be
36:35
glad to.
36:37
I will be
36:37
content with
36:38
teaching you
36:38
and teaching
36:39
those around
36:40
me at
36:41
this point.
36:42
So search
36:42
the scriptures
36:43
for yourself.
36:44
Pray that
36:45
God would
36:45
illuminate your
36:46
mind to
36:46
understand and
36:47
to keep
36:47
you, hold
36:48
you fast
36:48
to the
36:49
truth, and
36:49
then turn
36:50
and teach
36:51
that truth.
36:54
Now as we
36:55
are on the
36:55
Sunday before
36:56
Thanksgiving,
36:59
aren't you
36:59
thankful today
37:00
that we're
37:01
not counted
37:02
amongst the
37:03
scribes and
37:04
the false
37:04
teachers?
37:05
I am.
37:06
It is a
37:07
great wait to
37:08
get up each
37:08
week and to
37:09
teach the
37:09
word of God.
37:10
It is the
37:11
struggle of my
37:11
week to
37:12
rightly understand
37:13
it so that I
37:14
don't err, so
37:15
that I don't
37:15
lead you astray
37:16
in any measure.
37:20
It is a
37:20
blessing to be
37:21
found in
37:23
the truth.
37:25
And I don't
37:25
know all of
37:26
your different
37:26
spheres and
37:27
all the
37:28
things that
37:28
you're being
37:28
taken off to
37:30
into this
37:30
week.
37:31
I know many
37:31
people have
37:32
difficult family
37:33
situations,
37:34
unbelieving
37:34
parents, maybe
37:37
the believing
37:37
parents that
37:38
just seem to
37:39
not quite get
37:40
it are the
37:41
most challenging
37:42
of all.
37:43
Go and
37:44
contend for
37:44
the faith
37:45
this week.
37:46
Rejoice in
37:47
the good news
37:47
of the gospel
37:48
of Jesus
37:49
Christ and
37:49
share that
37:50
with those
37:51
around you.
37:52
Let's pray
37:53
together.