WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:08.359 The scripture reading comes from Matthew chapter 8. 00:00:08.660 --> 00:00:12.599 Please follow along on the screen, the bulletin, or your own Bible. 00:00:13.900 --> 00:00:16.719 In Matthew 8 verse 1, we read. 00:00:18.000 --> 00:00:22.300 When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. 00:00:23.039 --> 00:00:28.140 And behold, a letter came to him and knelt before him, saying, 00:00:28.140 --> 00:00:31.660 Lord, if you will, you can make me clean. 00:00:32.759 --> 00:00:38.679 And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, I will be clean. 00:00:39.299 --> 00:00:42.579 And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 00:00:43.920 --> 00:00:48.299 And Jesus said to him, see that you say nothing to anyone, but go, 00:00:48.840 --> 00:00:53.960 show yourself to the priests and offer the gifts that Moses commanded for a proof to them. 00:00:53.960 --> 00:01:00.759 When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, 00:01:01.179 --> 00:01:05.939 Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly. 00:01:06.920 --> 00:01:10.400 And he said to him, I will come and heal him. 00:01:10.980 --> 00:01:17.280 But the centurion replied, Lord, I'm not worthy to have you come under my roof, 00:01:17.620 --> 00:01:20.900 but only say the word and my servant will be healed. 00:01:20.900 --> 00:01:25.640 For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. 00:01:26.140 --> 00:01:28.820 And I say to one, go, and he goes. 00:01:29.300 --> 00:01:31.480 And another, come, and he comes. 00:01:32.020 --> 00:01:34.940 And to my servant, do this, and he does it. 00:01:35.740 --> 00:01:40.560 When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, 00:01:40.560 --> 00:01:46.140 Surely I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. 00:01:46.640 --> 00:01:54.859 I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, 00:01:55.340 --> 00:01:59.280 while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. 00:01:59.840 --> 00:02:03.620 In that place there will be whipping and ganishing of teeth. 00:02:03.620 --> 00:02:10.539 And to the centurion, Jesus said, Go, let it be done for you as you have believed. 00:02:12.060 --> 00:02:15.240 And the servant was healed at that very moment. 00:02:16.039 --> 00:02:22.659 And when Jesus entered Peter's house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. 00:02:23.319 --> 00:02:29.980 He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and began to serve him. 00:02:29.979 --> 00:02:35.000 That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, 00:02:35.479 --> 00:02:40.259 and he cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick. 00:02:41.099 --> 00:02:44.759 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah. 00:02:45.419 --> 00:02:48.659 He took our illnesses and bore our diseases. 00:02:49.419 --> 00:02:56.219 Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. 00:02:56.219 --> 00:03:02.840 And a scribe came up to him and said to him, Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go. 00:03:03.800 --> 00:03:11.460 And Jesus said to him, Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head. 00:03:12.460 --> 00:03:18.039 Another of the disciples said to him, Lord, let me first go and bury my father. 00:03:18.039 --> 00:03:24.979 And Jesus said to him, follow me and leave the dead to bury their own dead. 00:03:27.000 --> 00:03:27.479 Amen. 00:03:28.139 --> 00:03:29.659 This is the word of God. 00:03:29.919 --> 00:03:30.180 Amen. 00:03:32.579 --> 00:03:35.399 Great. Dan and Soda, thank you so much for that. 00:03:35.620 --> 00:03:37.459 And good morning to the One Mark family. 00:03:37.780 --> 00:03:39.979 It is wonderful to be with you again today. 00:03:40.180 --> 00:03:45.519 If you don't know me, my name is Kevin, and it is wonderful to be with you this morning. 00:03:45.520 --> 00:03:54.460 And two years ago, I think it was December 2019, 2018 actually, we started preaching through the book of Matthew. 00:03:54.640 --> 00:03:56.660 And we went on for about 20 weeks. 00:03:56.760 --> 00:03:58.660 We got to the end of chapter 7. 00:03:59.020 --> 00:04:01.600 And then we decided to take a pause. 00:04:02.080 --> 00:04:04.060 And that pause ended up being two years. 00:04:04.540 --> 00:04:09.439 And so after going through Matthew's gospel, we got to the end of the Sermon on the Mount. 00:04:09.980 --> 00:04:12.260 And then we preached through Habakkuk. 00:04:12.600 --> 00:04:13.939 We preached through Haggai. 00:04:13.939 --> 00:04:16.219 We have looked at Philippians. 00:04:16.379 --> 00:04:18.540 We looked at the Ten Commandments in the Old Testament. 00:04:18.959 --> 00:04:20.560 We've preached through the book of Revelation. 00:04:21.519 --> 00:04:24.480 We've looked at the suffering serving passages in Isaiah. 00:04:24.860 --> 00:04:32.100 But all this time, we've actually been wanting to get back to Matthew's gospel to get up close and personal with Jesus. 00:04:32.980 --> 00:04:35.519 And so we are going to dive back into Matthew's gospel. 00:04:35.519 --> 00:04:45.740 And so for the next couple of weeks, next 10, 12 weeks or so, we're going to be picking up where we left off by looking at Matthew 8 all the way to Matthew 12 for the next 10 weeks or so. 00:04:46.299 --> 00:04:50.599 And looking again, what does it look like when Jesus says, come and follow me? 00:04:51.060 --> 00:04:54.180 What does it look like when Jesus says, come and be with me? 00:04:54.680 --> 00:04:56.079 Come and become like me. 00:04:56.079 --> 00:05:00.519 And come and let the patterns of your life look like the patterns of my life. 00:05:00.939 --> 00:05:04.279 And so for the next couple of weeks, we're going to be working through Matthew's gospel. 00:05:04.459 --> 00:05:05.279 I'm very excited. 00:05:05.719 --> 00:05:08.939 We've been looking forward to getting back to Matthew's gospel for a while now. 00:05:09.099 --> 00:05:10.899 And it's great to be doing so. 00:05:10.979 --> 00:05:15.099 And so today we find ourselves in Matthew chapter 8. 00:05:15.100 --> 00:05:23.160 Now, one of the things about Matthew's gospel is that Matthew, who put it together, did so very, very carefully. 00:05:23.480 --> 00:05:27.160 Everything in his gospel is well thought out, well laid out. 00:05:27.820 --> 00:05:35.820 And chapters 8 and 9, which we're going to look at the next couple of weeks, there are these nine miracle accounts, three sets of three. 00:05:36.460 --> 00:05:43.080 And today we're going to be looking at the first set of three miracles found in chapter 8, verses 1 to 22. 00:05:43.079 --> 00:05:47.120 And the question that we're going to be looking at today is this question. 00:05:48.019 --> 00:05:50.479 What do we need to know about Jesus? 00:05:50.699 --> 00:05:55.219 What do we need to understand about Jesus in order to experience His grace? 00:05:55.979 --> 00:05:59.459 And there are four things we're going to learn from our passage today. 00:05:59.819 --> 00:06:12.779 Today we're going to see that in order to experience Christ's grace, we need to know or understand His compassion, His authority, His mercy, and finally, His call. 00:06:13.079 --> 00:06:15.300 Okay, so let's dive in. 00:06:15.500 --> 00:06:18.519 Firstly, His heart of compassion. 00:06:19.519 --> 00:06:24.039 Look at Matthew chapter 8, verses 1 to 4 with me. 00:06:24.560 --> 00:06:27.539 Jesus has finished teaching His famous Sermon on the Mount. 00:06:27.819 --> 00:06:32.079 He's coming down and the crowds are all around Him and they're following Him. 00:06:32.219 --> 00:06:37.699 And a leper comes up to Jesus and asks Jesus to heal him of his leprosy. 00:06:37.699 --> 00:06:42.920 Now, obviously, leprosy is a terrible, terrible disease, right? 00:06:42.979 --> 00:06:46.099 It affects your body in a most severe way. 00:06:46.620 --> 00:06:50.219 Your body starts to not function the way it normally does. 00:06:50.560 --> 00:06:55.439 In many ways, those that contract leprosy are living a death sentence. 00:06:56.180 --> 00:07:00.480 Your body gradually becomes more and more disfigured, more and more ruined. 00:07:00.599 --> 00:07:01.480 It stops working. 00:07:01.620 --> 00:07:03.039 It's a terrible disease. 00:07:03.040 --> 00:07:10.560 But in addition to the medical and the physical aspects of leprosy, equally bad are the social ramifications. 00:07:11.360 --> 00:07:15.320 A leper, especially in the ancient days, was an absolute social outcast. 00:07:15.920 --> 00:07:20.360 In the ancient day, leprosy would destroy all your relationships. 00:07:20.620 --> 00:07:22.040 You were cut off from society. 00:07:22.040 --> 00:07:37.439 In fact, up until fairly recently, anyone that had leprosy was isolated from the community, quarantined indefinitely until either they died or they could somehow prove that they were no longer infected by the disease. 00:07:37.879 --> 00:07:45.040 In fact, even up until the 1970s, here in Hong Kong, we had our own leper colony on the island of Haling Chao off Lantau. 00:07:45.040 --> 00:08:08.340 And so for anyone who had leprosy, in the ancient days, you had to walk around the streets calling out, unclean, unclean, so that those who didn't know you would recognize this call and would go to the margins, leave you alone, kind of weave this path so that you could walk through the town and make sure you don't touch anybody so that nobody can be infected by your disease. 00:08:08.339 --> 00:08:17.039 In the Old Testament, there's a law in Leviticus that says this, the leper shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. 00:08:17.939 --> 00:08:19.119 He is unclean. 00:08:19.459 --> 00:08:20.759 He must live alone. 00:08:21.359 --> 00:08:24.039 His dwelling shall be outside of the community. 00:08:25.219 --> 00:08:27.839 And so this leper is a social outcast. 00:08:27.959 --> 00:08:29.239 No one's allowed to touch him. 00:08:29.479 --> 00:08:31.500 He's not allowed to live within the community. 00:08:31.959 --> 00:08:37.339 Anyone who touches him is themselves automatically defiled or unclean or impure. 00:08:37.340 --> 00:08:47.120 And they would need to quarantine themselves outside of the community, not just for 14 days or 21 days, until your dying days removed from the community. 00:08:48.860 --> 00:08:54.820 In Scripture, leprosy is often used as a picture of the human condition. 00:08:55.840 --> 00:08:57.280 Scripture talks about leprosy. 00:08:57.399 --> 00:08:59.560 It's a picture of the brokenness of our lives. 00:08:59.560 --> 00:09:05.720 And the reason is because sin, in many ways, affects us in the same way that leprosy does. 00:09:05.720 --> 00:09:08.120 It destroys our lives. 00:09:08.399 --> 00:09:14.180 It destroys our relationships with God, with one another, with ourselves. 00:09:15.560 --> 00:09:17.560 Sin ravages the human heart. 00:09:17.840 --> 00:09:19.600 And it affects every area of our lives. 00:09:19.759 --> 00:09:25.660 Relationally, socially, spiritually, emotionally, psychologically. 00:09:26.480 --> 00:09:32.860 Sin has this effect that it ruins and disfigures our heart and the center of our being. 00:09:32.860 --> 00:09:40.220 And so, in many ways, all of us carry the scars of living in a broken and sin-affected world. 00:09:41.340 --> 00:09:43.480 We carry the scars of the sin in our own life. 00:09:44.080 --> 00:09:47.560 We also carry the scars of those that have sinned against us. 00:09:48.220 --> 00:09:52.180 And that's why in the Gospels, leprosy is actually never spoken about as being healed. 00:09:52.320 --> 00:09:54.419 It's often spoken about as being cleansed. 00:09:54.940 --> 00:09:56.759 It's a picture of the human condition. 00:09:56.759 --> 00:10:00.580 And so, this man comes to Jesus and look at what he says. 00:10:00.659 --> 00:10:01.460 He says here, 00:10:02.200 --> 00:10:07.419 Jesus, Lord, if you will, you can make me clean. 00:10:09.899 --> 00:10:12.899 Now, before Jesus does anything, 00:10:16.000 --> 00:10:17.779 let's think about this man's question. 00:10:18.460 --> 00:10:20.939 If you will, you can make me clean. 00:10:20.940 --> 00:10:23.820 The man doesn't question Jesus' ability, 00:10:24.360 --> 00:10:26.440 but he asks him about his willingness. 00:10:27.300 --> 00:10:30.540 The word will there means to desire, to want to do something. 00:10:30.660 --> 00:10:32.040 Jesus, I know you are able. 00:10:32.880 --> 00:10:34.660 Do you want to heal me? 00:10:35.720 --> 00:10:38.680 Friends, this is actually how many of us live ourselves. 00:10:39.340 --> 00:10:43.800 Many Christians know that if God was able to bring the whole creation into being, 00:10:44.080 --> 00:10:47.640 the one who spoke the universe and the cosmos into existence, 00:10:48.020 --> 00:10:49.980 surely nothing is too difficult for him. 00:10:49.980 --> 00:10:56.300 We read the Gospels and we read all these stories of how Jesus is more than able to heal any disease, 00:10:56.420 --> 00:10:57.019 any sickness. 00:10:57.539 --> 00:10:59.399 Jesus is able to do miraculous things. 00:10:59.500 --> 00:11:01.539 But the question is, is he willing? 00:11:02.379 --> 00:11:03.879 Does he want to do it? 00:11:04.940 --> 00:11:07.860 Friends, is God interested in your life and our life? 00:11:08.500 --> 00:11:11.120 Is he concerned with our struggles and our pain? 00:11:11.879 --> 00:11:15.680 What about the areas of sin and shame that we carry in our lives? 00:11:16.200 --> 00:11:17.720 Things that keep on tripping us up. 00:11:17.720 --> 00:11:19.620 Is God concerned about that? 00:11:19.620 --> 00:11:24.600 Or is he too busy running the universe to be concerned about the areas of our lives? 00:11:26.279 --> 00:11:27.919 Look at Jesus' response. 00:11:28.220 --> 00:11:29.799 Jesus says, I will. 00:11:30.860 --> 00:11:32.179 I will be clean. 00:11:32.840 --> 00:11:35.639 But before he does that, Jesus does something fascinating. 00:11:35.799 --> 00:11:37.480 Look at verse 3 with me. 00:11:37.480 --> 00:11:41.039 Jesus stretches out his hand and see what he does? 00:11:41.899 --> 00:11:44.460 He touches the leper. 00:11:44.460 --> 00:11:51.360 Jesus does what is socially unacceptable, what is culturally all wrong, 00:11:51.600 --> 00:11:56.160 because he reaches out and he touches this man, which is ceremonially unclean, 00:11:56.540 --> 00:12:01.980 religiously defiled, culturally on the outskirts of society. 00:12:01.980 --> 00:12:07.080 Jesus reaches out and touches this man that's considered contaminated and impure. 00:12:07.080 --> 00:12:09.700 And Jesus doesn't pull out the hand sanitizer. 00:12:10.080 --> 00:12:13.460 He doesn't just first put on latex gloves or the hazmat suit. 00:12:14.000 --> 00:12:18.220 Jesus reaches out and touches him because as D.A. Carson says, 00:12:18.220 --> 00:12:21.720 At Jesus' touch, nothing remains defiled. 00:12:22.240 --> 00:12:27.200 Far from becoming impure himself, Jesus makes the impure clean. 00:12:27.200 --> 00:12:30.620 Friends, what does this mean? 00:12:31.400 --> 00:12:32.360 Well, you know what it means? 00:12:32.420 --> 00:12:38.080 It means that there's nothing in our lives, nothing which is too bad, too far gone, 00:12:38.460 --> 00:12:44.759 too sinful, too defiled, too wicked, too rotten or disfigured or ruined, 00:12:45.080 --> 00:12:50.300 nothing which is beyond the willingness of Jesus to reach out and draw near 00:12:50.300 --> 00:12:53.980 and to touch and to get involved and to bring healing and cleansing 00:12:53.980 --> 00:12:59.200 to the areas of our lives that produce shame and which we like to cover up. 00:12:59.659 --> 00:13:04.960 Jesus says, there's nothing in your life about which I am unwilling to get involved in. 00:13:05.759 --> 00:13:10.940 There's nothing which is too wrong, too far gone, too disfigured for Jesus to say, 00:13:11.200 --> 00:13:12.399 I don't know if I want to go there. 00:13:13.340 --> 00:13:17.039 Jesus reaches out and he crosses all the social barriers, 00:13:17.259 --> 00:13:21.139 crosses all the politically correct and socially correct lines, 00:13:21.320 --> 00:13:22.960 and he says, I want to get involved. 00:13:22.960 --> 00:13:25.139 But there's one condition. 00:13:26.200 --> 00:13:28.660 We have to be willing to come to him. 00:13:31.519 --> 00:13:35.460 I know that might sound like pious preacher's talk, right? 00:13:35.740 --> 00:13:37.220 But it's absolutely true. 00:13:37.720 --> 00:13:40.960 Friends, think about the areas of our lives where we carry shame, 00:13:41.420 --> 00:13:44.060 the areas of our lives where we feel deep hurt. 00:13:44.740 --> 00:13:47.259 Maybe the words that somebody has spoken to us. 00:13:47.259 --> 00:13:54.840 It may be the sharp, stabbing pain of betrayal that we feel by a loved one. 00:13:55.319 --> 00:13:59.340 It may be the personal sense of failure or the fear that we're not good enough. 00:13:59.419 --> 00:14:01.299 We don't have what it takes. 00:14:01.299 --> 00:14:05.159 Dan Ortlund writes this. 00:14:05.539 --> 00:14:06.519 He says, 00:14:06.519 --> 00:14:12.340 The Jesus that we see in the gospel is not just one who loves, but one who is love. 00:14:13.220 --> 00:14:19.079 Merciful affections stream from his innermost heart like rays stream from the sun. 00:14:19.639 --> 00:14:26.699 The cumulative testimony of the four gospels is that when Jesus sees the fallenness of the world around him, 00:14:26.700 --> 00:14:35.340 his deepest impulse, his most natural instinct is to move towards that sin and suffering, not away from it. 00:14:36.660 --> 00:14:37.520 Friends, you see that? 00:14:38.220 --> 00:14:43.720 In order to know the mercy of God, in order to experience the kindness and the mercy of God, 00:14:43.720 --> 00:14:48.560 we absolutely have to know the heart of compassion of Jesus. 00:14:49.879 --> 00:14:54.400 Friends, if we don't understand his heart of compassion for our areas of pain, 00:14:54.740 --> 00:14:56.240 we'll do what most people do. 00:14:56.700 --> 00:14:58.120 Which is that we'll cover it up. 00:14:58.780 --> 00:15:00.879 We'll pretend that those areas don't exist. 00:15:01.000 --> 00:15:07.580 We'll put our best foot forward and we'll never experience the grace of Christ in the very areas that we need it most. 00:15:08.320 --> 00:15:09.879 It's kind of like us thinking this morning. 00:15:10.820 --> 00:15:18.720 Imagine you've got a gaping wound in your arm here and it's infected and infested and it needs a doctor, a surgeon's touch. 00:15:20.160 --> 00:15:23.080 And we cover it up with a jacket and then we go to the doctor and say, 00:15:23.280 --> 00:15:25.100 Doctor, I've hurt my finger here. 00:15:25.100 --> 00:15:27.759 Can you put a band-aid on? 00:15:28.659 --> 00:15:33.659 Friends, many of us come to Jesus and we ask him to put a band-aid on the little areas of our life. 00:15:34.320 --> 00:15:36.759 And Jesus knows about this gaping wound and he says, 00:15:36.879 --> 00:15:37.759 That's why I've come. 00:15:38.399 --> 00:15:40.320 I've come to bring my healing touch there. 00:15:41.279 --> 00:15:42.460 Will you take off your jacket? 00:15:42.560 --> 00:15:43.560 Will you let me in? 00:15:44.200 --> 00:15:45.220 Will you come to me? 00:15:45.220 --> 00:15:48.620 We have to know his heart of compassion. 00:15:49.340 --> 00:15:53.420 Jesus wants to get involved in those areas of our lives that we want to cover up the most. 00:15:54.360 --> 00:15:59.019 Secondly, in order to experience his grace, we need to know his supreme authority. 00:15:59.639 --> 00:16:01.980 Look at what happens in verse 5 here. 00:16:01.980 --> 00:16:04.960 Jesus enters this town called Capernaum. 00:16:05.639 --> 00:16:10.600 And a centurion comes up to him and asks him to likewise perform a miracle, 00:16:10.759 --> 00:16:15.960 to heal a servant of his who is suffering at home terribly. 00:16:15.960 --> 00:16:21.259 And if the leper is a social outcast because of his physical condition, 00:16:21.780 --> 00:16:27.460 the centurion is a social outcast because of his race and because of his occupation. 00:16:28.139 --> 00:16:30.300 You see, the centurion is a Gentile. 00:16:30.420 --> 00:16:31.639 He's not an Israelite. 00:16:31.700 --> 00:16:33.500 He's not of the covenant people of God. 00:16:33.580 --> 00:16:35.560 He is not someone that's grown up with the scriptures. 00:16:36.139 --> 00:16:39.060 He's not a descendant of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 00:16:39.460 --> 00:16:42.879 And therefore, he's considered to be outside of the people of God. 00:16:42.879 --> 00:16:48.259 But what's worse is that he is a centurion, which means he works for the Roman army. 00:16:48.620 --> 00:16:53.340 If you know anything about first century Israel, the Romans were the enemy of Israel. 00:16:53.559 --> 00:16:58.939 They were those foreign army that had occupied the nation of Israel. 00:16:59.059 --> 00:17:00.559 They had stationed their troops there. 00:17:00.840 --> 00:17:02.779 They had imposed their own king on Israel. 00:17:03.220 --> 00:17:05.480 They exacted taxes from the Israelites. 00:17:06.240 --> 00:17:11.700 They didn't care a whole lot for the Israelites' faith and their way of life. 00:17:11.700 --> 00:17:15.620 And so the Romans are Israel's sworn enemy. 00:17:16.120 --> 00:17:21.799 According to Jewish thinking, this centurion is of the wrong race and he wears the wrong uniform. 00:17:23.480 --> 00:17:27.059 And yet, Jesus says something incredible about it. 00:17:27.180 --> 00:17:29.279 Jesus gives them one of the most amazing compliments. 00:17:29.440 --> 00:17:31.539 Look at what he says in verse 10. 00:17:32.180 --> 00:17:32.440 He says, 00:17:32.440 --> 00:17:54.680 What Jesus is saying is highly, highly offensive. 00:17:54.680 --> 00:18:04.000 He's essentially saying that this Gentile oppressor, this Roman soldier, is more likely to dwell in God's kingdom. 00:18:04.360 --> 00:18:07.259 To experience the blessing and the favor of God. 00:18:07.380 --> 00:18:10.060 To be with Christ in all of eternity. 00:18:10.640 --> 00:18:15.740 Than many of the religious leaders who are meticulously running around trying to obey the law. 00:18:16.140 --> 00:18:19.560 And do all the religious things, fulfill the commandments. 00:18:19.559 --> 00:18:25.700 And those who run around trying to fulfill all the commandments will only experience rejection. 00:18:25.919 --> 00:18:31.220 While this Gentile oppressor, this Roman centurion, will be welcomed into God's kingdom. 00:18:32.139 --> 00:18:33.399 Now why is that? 00:18:34.319 --> 00:18:36.359 Jesus says because of his faith. 00:18:37.500 --> 00:18:39.639 Well, what is it about his faith? 00:18:39.980 --> 00:18:41.440 Well, why does Jesus say this? 00:18:42.099 --> 00:18:44.899 Well, notice two things that the centurion says. 00:18:45.419 --> 00:18:48.359 Firstly, notice what he sees in Jesus. 00:18:48.359 --> 00:18:49.659 He says here, 00:18:50.479 --> 00:18:52.279 Jesus, don't come to my house. 00:18:52.359 --> 00:18:54.139 So, he first comes to Jesus and says, 00:18:54.219 --> 00:18:55.719 Jesus, will you come and heal my servant? 00:18:55.879 --> 00:18:57.719 And Jesus says, do you want me to come to your house? 00:18:57.959 --> 00:19:00.059 And he says, no, no, no, don't come. 00:19:00.519 --> 00:19:01.559 And look what he says here. 00:19:01.979 --> 00:19:03.819 He says, only say the word. 00:19:04.399 --> 00:19:05.599 Just merely say the word. 00:19:05.679 --> 00:19:07.240 Now I know my servant will be healed. 00:19:07.899 --> 00:19:10.219 For I too am a man under authority. 00:19:10.639 --> 00:19:12.279 With soldiers underneath me. 00:19:12.699 --> 00:19:13.899 I say to one, go. 00:19:14.000 --> 00:19:14.579 And he goes. 00:19:14.659 --> 00:19:15.459 To another, come. 00:19:15.539 --> 00:19:16.179 And he comes. 00:19:16.179 --> 00:19:17.899 I say to my servant, do this. 00:19:18.359 --> 00:19:19.500 And he does it. 00:19:20.819 --> 00:19:25.819 In the Roman world, all authority in the army was invested in the emperor. 00:19:26.279 --> 00:19:28.299 He was the supreme authority. 00:19:28.519 --> 00:19:33.259 And so, the centurion himself is subjected to this imperial authority. 00:19:33.859 --> 00:19:37.439 But at the same time, the centurion also knows that whenever he gives a command, 00:19:37.959 --> 00:19:42.299 he does so not on his own authority, but in the authority that's invested in him. 00:19:42.299 --> 00:19:45.700 He speaks on the authority or with the authority of the emperor. 00:19:46.319 --> 00:19:47.680 Look what he says here. 00:19:48.759 --> 00:19:53.919 Somehow, this centurion has seen something about Jesus. 00:19:54.139 --> 00:20:02.000 Has this incredible understanding that when Jesus speaks, he speaks with the full authority of God himself. 00:20:02.000 --> 00:20:09.059 Somehow and somewhere, the centurion has seen and understood that Jesus is not just a moral teacher. 00:20:09.559 --> 00:20:10.920 He's not just a good man. 00:20:11.279 --> 00:20:13.579 He's not just a populist with a crowd pleaser. 00:20:13.980 --> 00:20:15.880 He's not even just a miracle worker. 00:20:16.559 --> 00:20:21.559 Jesus has within himself the authority of God himself. 00:20:21.559 --> 00:20:28.299 Just a few verses earlier, Matthew notes how the crowds are astonished at Jesus. 00:20:28.399 --> 00:20:31.799 And they say, here's a man who teaches with such authority. 00:20:33.159 --> 00:20:35.319 And as a result, the crowds are drawn to him. 00:20:35.960 --> 00:20:39.539 But unlike the crowds, the centurion has also seen the authority of Jesus. 00:20:39.720 --> 00:20:43.460 But unlike the crowds, he truly understands it. 00:20:43.919 --> 00:20:45.460 He's not just attracted to it. 00:20:45.519 --> 00:20:47.700 He bows down before it. 00:20:47.700 --> 00:20:54.620 The writer of the book of Hebrews says that at his word, the universe is sustained. 00:20:55.640 --> 00:20:58.880 Christ sustains the universe by the word of his power. 00:20:59.700 --> 00:21:07.720 Colossians tells us that by Christ, all things were made by him and through him and ultimately for him. 00:21:08.100 --> 00:21:13.400 That in Christ and God the Father and the Holy Spirit is invested all the authority. 00:21:13.400 --> 00:21:16.700 As we sang about this morning, yes, Christ is merciful. 00:21:16.700 --> 00:21:18.220 But oh, he's also mighty. 00:21:18.660 --> 00:21:19.720 He is majestic. 00:21:20.299 --> 00:21:22.420 He has supreme authority. 00:21:23.019 --> 00:21:24.400 D.A. Carson said it like this. 00:21:24.819 --> 00:21:31.100 The greatness of the centurion's faith did not rest in the fact that he believed Jesus could heal his servant. 00:21:31.259 --> 00:21:31.860 That's true. 00:21:32.380 --> 00:21:37.360 It's the degree to which he had penetrated the secret of Christ's authority. 00:21:37.359 --> 00:21:47.119 He knew that Christ had supreme authority, not just because he was a great teacher, not just because he was a great rabbi, but because he was God. 00:21:48.319 --> 00:21:49.859 Because he was God himself. 00:21:51.939 --> 00:21:53.699 Friends, do you know Jesus like this? 00:21:53.700 --> 00:21:59.279 Do you know that Jesus Christ is the supreme being of all creation? 00:22:00.519 --> 00:22:11.900 That the one who walked the dusty roads of Nazareth, the one who with compassion reached out and touched the lepers and the cripples, is also the one who spoke the universe into being. 00:22:12.019 --> 00:22:14.059 Is also the one who spoke you into being. 00:22:14.059 --> 00:22:20.879 Friends, many people admire Jesus as a wise man, as a good man, maybe even as a miracle worker. 00:22:21.679 --> 00:22:28.960 But if you don't see Christ as the sovereign, supremely authoritative one, we'll never bow down to him. 00:22:28.960 --> 00:22:37.680 And what that means is we'll come to Jesus and we'll want to use him to the extent that he can benefit us, but we won't worship him. 00:22:39.340 --> 00:22:44.319 The only way to really experience his grace is to know him and to come down and bow before him. 00:22:44.620 --> 00:22:47.920 To see that he's not just good, but that he's God. 00:22:48.620 --> 00:22:52.299 He's not just able, but he's worthy of our adoration. 00:22:52.299 --> 00:22:59.599 Friends, in order to experience the grace of Christ, we need to see him as supremely authoritative. 00:23:00.519 --> 00:23:04.680 But that's not all the centurion sees, because the centurion also says something else. 00:23:04.740 --> 00:23:07.940 And that leads us to our third point, which is he sees his mercy. 00:23:10.359 --> 00:23:14.220 The centurion comes to Jesus and says, Jesus, my servant is suffering terribly. 00:23:14.859 --> 00:23:16.379 Won't you come and heal him? 00:23:16.399 --> 00:23:18.940 And Jesus says, sure, would you like me to come to your house? 00:23:19.359 --> 00:23:21.339 But notice what he says. 00:23:21.339 --> 00:23:26.579 The first word he says is, Lord, I'm not worthy to have you come under my roof. 00:23:27.679 --> 00:23:34.699 Now, what's fascinating about that is that in Luke's account of this situation, some people are there around. 00:23:34.779 --> 00:23:41.099 And some people say to Jesus, this man is worthy to have you go to his house and heal his servant. 00:23:41.339 --> 00:23:46.500 Because he's a good man, he's a righteous man, and this man has paid for our synagogue. 00:23:46.500 --> 00:23:53.539 So here's this Roman centurion soldier who actually has compassion in his heart towards the nation of Israel. 00:23:53.779 --> 00:23:57.480 And he pays for the synagogue to be built in this town. 00:23:58.200 --> 00:24:04.200 And so some people, some Israelites are around Jesus and say, Jesus, this man is worthy of you to do it. 00:24:04.859 --> 00:24:07.299 But the centurion sends a message saying, no, no, no. 00:24:07.400 --> 00:24:10.859 I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 00:24:10.859 --> 00:24:16.119 Just say the word and I know it will be done because I know you have supreme authority. 00:24:17.219 --> 00:24:23.099 In other words, this man's faith is absent of any sort of entitlement. 00:24:23.919 --> 00:24:29.639 There's nothing inside of himself that he appeals to other than the mercy of Jesus. 00:24:29.640 --> 00:24:32.280 Friends, you know what that means? 00:24:32.820 --> 00:24:41.720 It means the kind of faith that Jesus is looking for is not based on what we hope he will see inside of us, but what we see inside of him. 00:24:42.920 --> 00:24:44.060 That's so important. 00:24:44.680 --> 00:24:50.000 Another way of saying that is that the kind of faith that Jesus is looking for, the kind of faith that pleases him, 00:24:50.000 --> 00:25:01.960 is understanding that I have no rights or claim to him, but I come to him anyway because I believe that he's good, he's gracious, and he's merciful. 00:25:02.940 --> 00:25:03.559 Do you see that? 00:25:04.059 --> 00:25:08.380 I don't come to Jesus based on what I hope he's going to see in me, but what I've seen in him. 00:25:08.619 --> 00:25:10.119 I have no claim on him. 00:25:10.359 --> 00:25:17.799 There's nothing I can appeal to inside of myself, but I come to him anyway just trusting that he's merciful and compassionate 00:25:17.799 --> 00:25:21.000 and gracious to people like me and people like you. 00:25:21.839 --> 00:25:26.359 Now, friends, that's the very opposite of how most of us and most people approach God. 00:25:26.879 --> 00:25:31.740 Every religion in the world will say, you come to God with what you have in your hand, with what you bring. 00:25:32.419 --> 00:25:37.500 You need to look inside of yourself to find something to qualify you, to bring you near to God, 00:25:37.859 --> 00:25:40.859 something to elicit the help of the gods and the deities. 00:25:41.480 --> 00:25:43.539 Remember that famous line by Tim Keller. 00:25:43.539 --> 00:25:44.019 He says, 00:25:44.559 --> 00:25:48.779 In ancient times, the deities were bloodthirsty and hard to please. 00:25:49.619 --> 00:25:51.559 Even today, they still are. 00:25:52.279 --> 00:25:52.680 Why? 00:25:52.779 --> 00:25:56.200 Because when we look inside ourselves to bring something to the table, 00:25:56.440 --> 00:26:00.779 when you try and master up something to please God and to elicit his help, 00:26:01.099 --> 00:26:06.200 it's exhausting, it's demanding, it's exacting, 00:26:06.200 --> 00:26:12.279 and we wonder whether we've got enough, whether we've done enough for God to be pleased, 00:26:12.360 --> 00:26:14.440 whether what we've brought to the table is sufficient. 00:26:15.500 --> 00:26:17.980 But, friends, the gospel is the very opposite of that. 00:26:18.360 --> 00:26:19.220 The gospel says, 00:26:19.799 --> 00:26:25.160 You don't get God's mercy because you deserve it or because of what you bring to the table. 00:26:25.720 --> 00:26:28.819 You get God's mercy because he's merciful. 00:26:28.819 --> 00:26:33.720 In the gospel, it's not those who think of themselves as worthy or credible. 00:26:34.019 --> 00:26:37.399 It's those who recognize their need for the mercy of God. 00:26:37.899 --> 00:26:40.460 Again, Dan Autlan says it like this, 00:26:41.319 --> 00:26:50.539 With Christ, our sins and weaknesses are the very resume items that qualify for us to approach him. 00:26:51.599 --> 00:26:52.759 Friends, that's astounding. 00:26:52.759 --> 00:26:56.920 In every religion, the things that qualify you are your strengths, 00:26:57.160 --> 00:27:00.759 what you bring to the table, how hard you've worked, how faithful you are, 00:27:00.799 --> 00:27:03.160 how diligent you are, how good you are. 00:27:03.799 --> 00:27:10.319 With Christ, the only thing that qualifies us to come to him are our weaknesses and our failings. 00:27:10.980 --> 00:27:17.720 With Christ, our sins and our weaknesses are the very resume items that qualify us to approach him. 00:27:18.359 --> 00:27:21.240 Nothing but coming to him is required. 00:27:21.240 --> 00:27:26.440 First at conversion, but then a thousand times thereafter, 00:27:27.240 --> 00:27:30.980 until we are with him upon that day we meet him face to face. 00:27:33.819 --> 00:27:35.660 Martin Luther very famously said, 00:27:36.279 --> 00:27:38.940 When Jesus called people to a life of repentance, 00:27:39.220 --> 00:27:41.539 he meant that all of life is repentance. 00:27:42.460 --> 00:27:45.620 In other words, we don't just come to Jesus once upon a time and say, 00:27:45.620 --> 00:27:50.920 Jesus, I need you, but thereafter we bring all our strengths to him. 00:27:51.240 --> 00:27:53.299 We come to Jesus day after day. 00:27:53.420 --> 00:27:55.380 We live a life of confession and repentance. 00:27:55.599 --> 00:27:56.440 A life that says, 00:27:57.160 --> 00:27:58.319 Jesus, I need your mercy. 00:27:59.339 --> 00:28:02.039 Christ, be merciful to me, a sinner. 00:28:02.039 --> 00:28:05.519 This man gets it. 00:28:05.519 --> 00:28:09.579 He gets it because when he comes to Jesus, he doesn't appeal to anything inside of himself. 00:28:09.940 --> 00:28:12.819 Not what he's done, not his position, not his rank. 00:28:13.639 --> 00:28:16.220 He comes and he appeals to only what he sees in Jesus. 00:28:17.359 --> 00:28:20.259 Friends, when you come to Jesus, what do you bring in your hands? 00:28:20.259 --> 00:28:23.279 What do you write in your internal resume? 00:28:24.000 --> 00:28:30.220 What do you bring that you hope will qualify you to justify your request, to elicit his favor? 00:28:30.680 --> 00:28:36.619 What do you hope that he will take notice of in your life in order to qualify you for his mercy? 00:28:37.599 --> 00:28:39.319 Friends, the centurion comes to Jesus and he says, 00:28:39.440 --> 00:28:42.940 Jesus, I have nothing to bring, nothing to prove my worthiness. 00:28:43.019 --> 00:28:44.200 I come empty handed. 00:28:44.200 --> 00:28:49.960 I'm banking my request on this, that you are God, that you are compassionate, that you are merciful, 00:28:50.580 --> 00:28:52.400 and that you answer those who seek you. 00:28:53.700 --> 00:28:55.620 This is the mercy of Jesus. 00:28:56.779 --> 00:28:58.200 Friends, do you know his mercy? 00:28:58.880 --> 00:29:00.480 Do you know the gospel like this? 00:29:01.240 --> 00:29:04.640 That nothing in my hands I bring simply to his cross I cling. 00:29:05.200 --> 00:29:11.059 Remember, throughout the gospels, Jesus is constantly contrasting those who think they have what it takes 00:29:11.059 --> 00:29:13.200 to earn God's favor with those who don't. 00:29:13.200 --> 00:29:17.860 And forever, these are the ones that think that they have what it takes, walk away empty handed, 00:29:18.100 --> 00:29:20.920 while those who bring nothing actually receive his grace. 00:29:21.620 --> 00:29:25.980 Jesus says two men go to the temple, a religious man who's done all the right things, 00:29:26.279 --> 00:29:29.920 and a sinner who comes and says, Jesus, have mercy on me. 00:29:30.000 --> 00:29:33.860 And Jesus says, this man goes home with the favor of God rather than this man. 00:29:34.580 --> 00:29:37.620 Jesus in Luke 18, two groups come to him, 00:29:37.900 --> 00:29:41.039 some children that have got nothing to contribute to his campaign, 00:29:41.039 --> 00:29:46.440 and a wealthy young ruler, a man with authority. 00:29:46.440 --> 00:29:51.399 And this man goes home empty handed, and the children receive the blessing of God. 00:29:52.099 --> 00:29:52.519 Why? 00:29:53.159 --> 00:29:57.819 Because you have to know that the whole foundation of the gospel is this, 00:29:57.819 --> 00:30:02.480 the unearned, unmerited mercy of God. 00:30:02.480 --> 00:30:09.019 Now, at Watermark, we have tried to be very clear on this gospel message. 00:30:09.160 --> 00:30:13.480 We've tried to be very explicit about what scripture says, the gospel. 00:30:14.120 --> 00:30:18.000 That a Christian is someone who's justified, accepted by God, 00:30:18.039 --> 00:30:21.380 not on the basis of our merit or what we've done to earn his favor, 00:30:21.620 --> 00:30:23.880 but purely on the mercy of God. 00:30:23.880 --> 00:30:27.400 And so we've been very clear, you cannot earn your salvation. 00:30:28.060 --> 00:30:30.480 You cannot do anything that's good enough to merit it. 00:30:30.820 --> 00:30:35.920 God doesn't look at your moral scorecard, your spiritual performance, and reward you. 00:30:36.080 --> 00:30:38.660 It's purely on the base of empty handed grace. 00:30:39.200 --> 00:30:40.540 Nothing in my hands I bring. 00:30:40.660 --> 00:30:43.860 Simply to your mercy and your grace do I claim. 00:30:44.880 --> 00:30:46.320 But there's a danger in this. 00:30:46.319 --> 00:30:50.819 But the danger is because it's possible to hear that 00:30:50.819 --> 00:30:55.359 and to think that the gospel is a get-out-of-jail-free card. 00:30:56.059 --> 00:31:01.119 That somehow the gospel is that like God is some doddery old grandfather in the sky 00:31:01.119 --> 00:31:04.399 who just loves to give us spiritual licensee packets. 00:31:05.039 --> 00:31:07.359 You know, it's almost as if Jesus is saying, 00:31:07.720 --> 00:31:09.879 you love to commit sin, I love to forgive sin, 00:31:10.159 --> 00:31:11.419 we're a match made in heaven. 00:31:11.519 --> 00:31:13.559 This is going to work just perfectly. 00:31:13.559 --> 00:31:18.720 But actually, in order to know and experience His grace, 00:31:18.879 --> 00:31:21.359 we need not only know His heart of compassion, 00:31:21.819 --> 00:31:23.720 not only know His supreme authority, 00:31:24.220 --> 00:31:26.019 not only know His mercy, 00:31:26.480 --> 00:31:29.119 in order to experience His grace, 00:31:29.500 --> 00:31:33.179 we need to understand the call that Jesus issues to us. 00:31:33.819 --> 00:31:37.179 It's a call to orientate our entire lives around Him 00:31:37.179 --> 00:31:39.000 and to follow Him. 00:31:39.700 --> 00:31:41.500 When Jesus says, come and follow me, 00:31:41.500 --> 00:31:43.720 He says, yes, come and be with me, 00:31:43.900 --> 00:31:45.880 but also come and be like me. 00:31:46.279 --> 00:31:50.279 Come and let the pattern of your life look like the pattern of my life. 00:31:50.619 --> 00:31:53.039 May you so orientate your life around me 00:31:53.039 --> 00:31:55.619 that you start to be like me and behave like me. 00:31:56.059 --> 00:31:58.519 Let your life look like me. 00:32:01.079 --> 00:32:02.220 Throughout the New Testament, 00:32:02.400 --> 00:32:05.619 Jesus is saying that when we come into His family as children, 00:32:05.619 --> 00:32:09.479 we start to resemble the image of our Father in heaven. 00:32:10.519 --> 00:32:13.339 Like Father, like sons, we become like Him. 00:32:14.319 --> 00:32:15.559 And so Jesus is not just saying, 00:32:16.059 --> 00:32:18.699 gracious and merciful, live however you please. 00:32:19.439 --> 00:32:21.739 Jesus is saying, come and follow me. 00:32:22.279 --> 00:32:25.159 Come and orientate your whole life around me. 00:32:26.139 --> 00:32:29.199 Look what happens in verse 18 in our passage today. 00:32:29.200 --> 00:32:32.180 Once again, the crowds are all around Him. 00:32:32.460 --> 00:32:35.100 But amazingly, Jesus is not that interested in the crowds. 00:32:35.319 --> 00:32:39.200 Throughout the Gospel, Jesus is not that interested in crowds. 00:32:39.720 --> 00:32:42.420 In John chapter 6, the crowds are hammering around Him 00:32:42.420 --> 00:32:44.080 because He's just done this amazing miracle 00:32:44.080 --> 00:32:45.819 and fed 5,000 people. 00:32:46.420 --> 00:32:48.299 And Jesus says, if you want to be my disciple, 00:32:48.420 --> 00:32:50.319 you've got to eat my flesh and drink my blood. 00:32:50.960 --> 00:32:53.259 And most of them say, oh, that's not for us. 00:32:53.340 --> 00:32:53.500 Thank you. 00:32:53.559 --> 00:32:54.100 And they leave Him. 00:32:54.380 --> 00:32:57.440 Jesus has this amazing gift of thinning out the crowds. 00:32:57.440 --> 00:33:00.259 And again, the crowds are clamoring around Him. 00:33:00.700 --> 00:33:02.039 And Jesus is not that impressed. 00:33:02.120 --> 00:33:02.820 He's not that interested. 00:33:03.080 --> 00:33:05.059 So He says to His disciples, verse 18, 00:33:05.380 --> 00:33:07.120 come, let's go to the other side of the lake. 00:33:07.539 --> 00:33:09.420 Let's leave these crowds behind. 00:33:10.400 --> 00:33:11.580 And one man comes to Him and says, 00:33:11.740 --> 00:33:14.880 teacher, I'll follow you wherever you want to go. 00:33:15.759 --> 00:33:16.600 Jesus, I'm in. 00:33:17.039 --> 00:33:17.840 Wherever you want. 00:33:17.900 --> 00:33:18.900 I've got what it takes. 00:33:18.960 --> 00:33:19.759 I've got the goods. 00:33:20.220 --> 00:33:21.440 Jesus, I'm with you. 00:33:22.400 --> 00:33:25.779 And Jesus says, foxes of holes, birds of the air have nests, 00:33:25.779 --> 00:33:27.960 the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head. 00:33:28.559 --> 00:33:29.759 What Jesus is saying is this. 00:33:29.879 --> 00:33:31.139 Listen, if you're going to follow me, 00:33:31.559 --> 00:33:32.639 it means being with me. 00:33:32.819 --> 00:33:34.160 It means becoming like me. 00:33:34.460 --> 00:33:37.579 It means letting the pattern of my life become the pattern of your life. 00:33:38.240 --> 00:33:40.240 But more than that, Jesus is saying, I've got to tell you, 00:33:40.700 --> 00:33:42.599 there's not going to be a whole lot of security. 00:33:42.839 --> 00:33:43.779 And even more than that, 00:33:43.839 --> 00:33:47.079 there's going to be a whole lot of discomfort in following me. 00:33:47.720 --> 00:33:51.819 Jesus is giving this guy the most honest appraisal of what awaits him, 00:33:52.220 --> 00:33:54.019 what's coming up if you're going to follow him. 00:33:54.019 --> 00:33:56.440 He says, you've got to be willing to die to yourself. 00:33:56.559 --> 00:33:58.240 You've got to be willing to die to your ego, 00:33:58.420 --> 00:33:59.779 to die to your own agenda, 00:34:00.079 --> 00:34:01.960 to die to your self-reliance. 00:34:02.279 --> 00:34:03.940 This man is saying, Jesus, I'm all in. 00:34:04.279 --> 00:34:05.279 You can come to me. 00:34:05.319 --> 00:34:06.240 I've got what it takes. 00:34:06.339 --> 00:34:08.559 And Jesus says, that I inside of you, 00:34:08.840 --> 00:34:09.860 that needs to die. 00:34:10.759 --> 00:34:11.800 If you're going to follow me, 00:34:12.219 --> 00:34:14.679 you've got to embrace discomfort, hardship. 00:34:15.719 --> 00:34:17.239 You're going to be out of your comfort zone. 00:34:17.320 --> 00:34:18.159 It's going to cost you. 00:34:18.219 --> 00:34:19.199 It's going to challenge you. 00:34:19.259 --> 00:34:21.480 You're going to have to die to yourself every single day. 00:34:21.480 --> 00:34:24.800 Before you decide anything, know what it's going to cost. 00:34:25.659 --> 00:34:27.280 Someone else comes to Jesus and says, 00:34:27.380 --> 00:34:28.880 Jesus, I'm all in. 00:34:29.159 --> 00:34:29.940 I'm with you. 00:34:30.480 --> 00:34:33.059 Just let me first go and bury my father. 00:34:33.179 --> 00:34:34.460 And then I'm right with you. 00:34:35.900 --> 00:34:38.320 Now, what that could have happened, 00:34:38.460 --> 00:34:42.860 it could mean that the guy's father died literally that day. 00:34:42.860 --> 00:34:45.140 And the burial was a few hours away. 00:34:45.460 --> 00:34:48.019 And then he was going to follow Jesus. 00:34:49.280 --> 00:34:50.900 But commentators say that that's unlikely. 00:34:51.280 --> 00:34:55.059 In Israel custom, if somebody died, 00:34:55.140 --> 00:34:56.559 they were buried that very day. 00:34:57.140 --> 00:35:00.000 And so if someone's father has just died a few hours ago, 00:35:00.079 --> 00:35:02.800 it's unlikely that he's now at Simon Peter's house 00:35:02.800 --> 00:35:04.280 listening to Jesus teaching. 00:35:04.840 --> 00:35:07.220 Chances are he's back at home arranging the funeral 00:35:07.220 --> 00:35:09.640 and getting things ready for the funeral and the burial 00:35:09.640 --> 00:35:11.000 that's to happen in a few hours' time. 00:35:11.000 --> 00:35:15.300 In likelihood, what's happened is this man's dad is still alive, 00:35:15.480 --> 00:35:18.460 maybe a couple of months, maybe a few years away from passing away. 00:35:18.519 --> 00:35:19.460 He's an elderly man. 00:35:19.960 --> 00:35:21.159 And this man is saying to Jesus, 00:35:21.699 --> 00:35:23.300 Jesus, I want to come and follow you. 00:35:23.739 --> 00:35:24.659 I'm all there. 00:35:24.719 --> 00:35:25.579 I'm coming now. 00:35:25.820 --> 00:35:28.920 I've just got a few things I need to tie up first. 00:35:29.360 --> 00:35:30.900 I need to wrap up a few things. 00:35:31.380 --> 00:35:33.219 I need to collect my inheritance. 00:35:33.539 --> 00:35:36.239 And once all those things are done, I'm right with you. 00:35:36.239 --> 00:35:39.079 Jesus, I'm willing to follow you. 00:35:39.259 --> 00:35:42.199 I'm willing to trust you and obey you and do what you ask. 00:35:42.319 --> 00:35:44.239 I just need to take care of some stuff. 00:35:44.579 --> 00:35:45.939 I need to sell this property. 00:35:46.059 --> 00:35:47.139 I need to make this investment. 00:35:47.319 --> 00:35:48.679 I just need to start this business. 00:35:49.039 --> 00:35:50.819 I just need to get my kids through school. 00:35:50.879 --> 00:35:51.559 And then I'm all in. 00:35:51.719 --> 00:35:52.379 I'm all yours. 00:35:54.459 --> 00:35:57.059 Friends, how many times do we hear people saying that? 00:35:57.119 --> 00:35:58.599 How many times have we said that? 00:35:59.599 --> 00:36:01.960 Jesus, when I've made this amount of money, 00:36:02.039 --> 00:36:03.239 when I've got this figure, 00:36:03.860 --> 00:36:05.159 then I'll start being generous. 00:36:05.319 --> 00:36:07.940 I'll start to give away, to invest in your kingdom. 00:36:08.679 --> 00:36:11.739 Jesus, when I make this promotion at work, 00:36:11.779 --> 00:36:13.779 when I get to this level of seniority, 00:36:13.819 --> 00:36:15.099 I'll have more time on my hands. 00:36:15.179 --> 00:36:17.440 And then I'll be able to serve your kingdom. 00:36:17.599 --> 00:36:19.719 I'll be able to go and do the things you asked me to. 00:36:19.779 --> 00:36:20.920 I'll invest in others. 00:36:22.039 --> 00:36:23.440 But friends, does that day ever come? 00:36:24.380 --> 00:36:25.480 Of course it doesn't. 00:36:26.279 --> 00:36:27.839 Because there's always more. 00:36:27.840 --> 00:36:29.660 There's always another level to get to. 00:36:29.740 --> 00:36:31.160 There's always more money to make. 00:36:31.440 --> 00:36:32.620 There's always another reason 00:36:32.620 --> 00:36:35.559 why it's not a good time right now to embrace the cost. 00:36:36.360 --> 00:36:38.280 And so what happens is that before we know it, 00:36:38.940 --> 00:36:40.559 20 years have gone by, 00:36:40.700 --> 00:36:42.280 and we're wondering why it is that 00:36:42.280 --> 00:36:45.539 our following of Jesus just doesn't seem to satisfy us. 00:36:46.100 --> 00:36:47.780 It doesn't feel like we're really walking with Him. 00:36:47.840 --> 00:36:49.519 We're not experiencing His grace. 00:36:50.420 --> 00:36:52.820 And for many people, for 20 years, 30 years, 00:36:52.860 --> 00:36:53.260 they've been saying, 00:36:53.340 --> 00:36:54.000 Jesus, I'm coming. 00:36:54.220 --> 00:36:54.880 I'm coming now. 00:36:54.900 --> 00:36:56.680 I just need to take care of one or two things. 00:36:56.679 --> 00:36:58.899 As soon as I get here, I'll be all in. 00:36:59.699 --> 00:37:02.139 And we wonder why it is that following Jesus 00:37:02.139 --> 00:37:04.759 seems superficial and bland 00:37:04.759 --> 00:37:06.759 and like there's no substance. 00:37:08.039 --> 00:37:10.119 Jesus says if you want to experience His grace, 00:37:10.179 --> 00:37:11.619 if you really want to know Him, 00:37:11.679 --> 00:37:13.859 you need to heed His call to follow Him, 00:37:14.379 --> 00:37:15.599 to embrace the cost, 00:37:15.839 --> 00:37:17.500 to go where He asks you to go, 00:37:17.579 --> 00:37:19.000 to do what He asks you to do, 00:37:19.419 --> 00:37:21.859 and to do when He asks you to do it. 00:37:22.379 --> 00:37:23.679 Friends, Jesus says, follow me. 00:37:23.679 --> 00:37:25.119 That means come and be with me. 00:37:25.359 --> 00:37:27.719 Not later, not next year when it's more convenient. 00:37:28.379 --> 00:37:29.419 Come and be with me now. 00:37:29.539 --> 00:37:30.279 Come and follow me. 00:37:30.359 --> 00:37:32.179 Come and orientate your life around me. 00:37:32.679 --> 00:37:34.119 Come and become like me. 00:37:34.599 --> 00:37:35.839 Come and pattern your life. 00:37:36.339 --> 00:37:37.399 Orientate your life around me. 00:37:37.460 --> 00:37:39.559 So that your life looks like my life. 00:37:40.419 --> 00:37:41.539 And a couple of chapters later, 00:37:41.639 --> 00:37:42.919 in Matthew's Gospel, chapter 10, 00:37:43.059 --> 00:37:43.779 Jesus says this, 00:37:44.139 --> 00:37:46.480 whoever does not pick up his cross and follow me 00:37:46.480 --> 00:37:47.679 is not worthy of me. 00:37:48.279 --> 00:37:50.659 Friends, you know that it's never convenient time 00:37:50.659 --> 00:37:51.759 to take up your cross. 00:37:52.399 --> 00:37:54.839 It's never convenient time to die to yourself. 00:37:55.779 --> 00:37:56.480 Yes, it's true. 00:37:56.539 --> 00:37:57.699 There's a crown of glory 00:37:57.699 --> 00:37:59.519 that's awaiting those that follow Him. 00:38:00.000 --> 00:38:01.519 But there's a daily cross 00:38:01.519 --> 00:38:02.839 to take up along the way. 00:38:04.699 --> 00:38:05.440 Jesus says, 00:38:05.579 --> 00:38:07.139 I bore the cross of God's rod 00:38:07.139 --> 00:38:08.259 so that you don't have to. 00:38:08.799 --> 00:38:10.179 But anyone who follows me 00:38:10.179 --> 00:38:11.519 will still bear a cross. 00:38:12.039 --> 00:38:13.159 The daily cross 00:38:13.159 --> 00:38:15.920 of identifying with the crucified Savior. 00:38:16.859 --> 00:38:18.019 This man comes and he says, 00:38:18.119 --> 00:38:19.000 Jesus, I'm all in. 00:38:19.000 --> 00:38:21.039 I'm right with you. 00:38:21.179 --> 00:38:21.840 But first, 00:38:21.920 --> 00:38:22.980 I've just got a couple of things 00:38:22.980 --> 00:38:23.920 to take care of. 00:38:24.460 --> 00:38:25.559 I've got to bury my dad. 00:38:25.619 --> 00:38:26.719 I've got to collect my inheritance. 00:38:26.940 --> 00:38:27.619 I've just got to make sure 00:38:27.619 --> 00:38:28.420 that everything's fine 00:38:28.420 --> 00:38:29.739 and then I'll be with you. 00:38:30.340 --> 00:38:30.920 Jesus says, 00:38:31.059 --> 00:38:33.059 let the dead bear the dead. 00:38:33.500 --> 00:38:34.679 You come and follow me. 00:38:36.119 --> 00:38:37.119 Friends, what about you? 00:38:38.139 --> 00:38:38.760 What about you? 00:38:38.860 --> 00:38:40.320 Do you want to know Jesus? 00:38:41.380 --> 00:38:42.699 Do you know Him like this? 00:38:44.619 --> 00:38:46.420 Friends, do you want to experience His grace? 00:38:46.420 --> 00:38:48.539 In order to do that, 00:38:48.599 --> 00:38:50.099 we need to know His compassion. 00:38:51.200 --> 00:38:52.500 Jesus comes and He reaches 00:38:52.500 --> 00:38:54.099 into the very areas of our lives 00:38:54.099 --> 00:38:55.300 that we like to cover over 00:38:55.300 --> 00:38:56.920 and pretend aren't there. 00:38:56.980 --> 00:38:57.280 And He says, 00:38:57.360 --> 00:38:58.579 no, no, I want to get involved there. 00:38:58.619 --> 00:39:00.220 I want to bring my grace and my mercy. 00:39:00.320 --> 00:39:01.420 I want to bring my compassion 00:39:01.420 --> 00:39:02.940 to those areas. 00:39:03.780 --> 00:39:05.519 Friends, do we know His authority? 00:39:05.659 --> 00:39:07.220 Are we bowing down to Him? 00:39:07.680 --> 00:39:08.539 Do we come to Jesus 00:39:08.539 --> 00:39:09.380 and just use Him 00:39:09.380 --> 00:39:10.240 because He's powerful? 00:39:10.420 --> 00:39:12.380 Or are we submitted to His authority? 00:39:12.380 --> 00:39:15.900 Friends, do we know His mercy? 00:39:16.860 --> 00:39:18.240 Do we know that we come to Him 00:39:18.240 --> 00:39:18.800 on the basis, 00:39:19.000 --> 00:39:20.400 not of what we bring, 00:39:20.440 --> 00:39:21.059 our resume, 00:39:21.539 --> 00:39:22.420 our moral performance. 00:39:22.519 --> 00:39:23.000 We come to Him 00:39:23.000 --> 00:39:24.119 on the basis of His mercy. 00:39:25.240 --> 00:39:26.440 Friends, do you know His call 00:39:26.440 --> 00:39:28.240 to abandon ourselves, 00:39:28.340 --> 00:39:29.420 to die to ourselves, 00:39:29.900 --> 00:39:31.079 not just when it's convenient, 00:39:31.240 --> 00:39:32.300 not just when it suits us, 00:39:32.539 --> 00:39:33.619 but to follow Him? 00:39:34.059 --> 00:39:35.500 Friends, let's not wait another day. 00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:37.360 Let's not wait another minute. 00:39:38.200 --> 00:39:38.920 Let's come to Him. 00:39:38.980 --> 00:39:39.860 Let's call on His grace. 00:39:40.420 --> 00:39:41.200 Let's follow Him. 00:39:41.199 --> 00:39:42.559 Let's pray. 00:39:44.119 --> 00:39:44.859 Lord Jesus, 00:39:45.899 --> 00:39:48.519 I want you to open our eyes 00:39:48.519 --> 00:39:50.000 to see you for who you are. 00:39:50.919 --> 00:39:52.399 Christ, we come to you this morning. 00:39:52.619 --> 00:39:53.579 Many of us come 00:39:53.579 --> 00:39:56.759 finished and exhausted. 00:39:56.939 --> 00:39:58.219 We come broken and hurting. 00:39:58.439 --> 00:40:00.159 We come very aware of 00:40:00.159 --> 00:40:02.679 the areas of our life 00:40:02.679 --> 00:40:03.679 that are full of pain. 00:40:04.159 --> 00:40:05.199 We need your mercy 00:40:05.199 --> 00:40:06.019 and your compassion. 00:40:07.419 --> 00:40:08.659 God, we also come 00:40:08.659 --> 00:40:09.579 and we are tempted 00:40:09.579 --> 00:40:11.119 to bring our resume 00:40:11.119 --> 00:40:12.940 our CV. 00:40:14.440 --> 00:40:15.259 Jesus, right now, 00:40:15.279 --> 00:40:16.019 I want you to help us 00:40:16.019 --> 00:40:16.960 to leave that aside 00:40:16.960 --> 00:40:18.099 and to cast ourselves 00:40:18.099 --> 00:40:18.719 on your mercy. 00:40:20.159 --> 00:40:21.599 Jesus, I pray for every one 00:40:21.599 --> 00:40:22.420 of us this morning. 00:40:23.039 --> 00:40:24.299 I pray that we will come 00:40:24.299 --> 00:40:25.099 before you this morning 00:40:25.099 --> 00:40:26.880 and really follow you. 00:40:27.299 --> 00:40:28.699 That we will pick up our cross. 00:40:28.739 --> 00:40:30.000 Not the cross to earn 00:40:30.000 --> 00:40:31.199 your love. 00:40:31.679 --> 00:40:32.679 We won't pick up our cross 00:40:32.679 --> 00:40:34.059 in order to feel qualified. 00:40:34.759 --> 00:40:35.900 We will pick up the cross 00:40:35.900 --> 00:40:37.380 that so identifies with you 00:40:37.380 --> 00:40:37.799 that says, 00:40:37.800 --> 00:40:39.260 Jesus, our life is yours. 00:40:39.760 --> 00:40:40.700 Everything we have 00:40:40.700 --> 00:40:41.539 belongs to you. 00:40:42.260 --> 00:40:43.440 Christ, come and have your way 00:40:43.440 --> 00:40:44.700 in our hearts of prayer. 00:40:45.640 --> 00:40:46.500 God, we recognize 00:40:46.500 --> 00:40:47.740 that this requires 00:40:47.740 --> 00:40:49.240 a move of your grace. 00:40:49.980 --> 00:40:51.019 We can't follow you 00:40:51.019 --> 00:40:51.820 in our own strength. 00:40:51.940 --> 00:40:53.300 We need you, God, 00:40:53.300 --> 00:40:54.080 to move towards us. 00:40:54.120 --> 00:40:55.420 I pray for every one of us 00:40:55.420 --> 00:40:55.840 this morning. 00:40:55.920 --> 00:40:56.880 Won't you move towards us? 00:40:56.960 --> 00:40:57.800 Won't you open the eyes 00:40:57.800 --> 00:40:58.980 of our hearts to see you? 00:41:00.120 --> 00:41:01.160 Christ, won't you make us 00:41:01.160 --> 00:41:01.980 more like yourself? 00:41:01.980 --> 00:41:05.980 Jesus, won't you 00:41:05.980 --> 00:41:07.500 get a hold of our hearts. 00:41:07.599 --> 00:41:08.559 Holy Spirit, come 00:41:08.559 --> 00:41:09.300 and have your way. 00:41:09.599 --> 00:41:09.800 Pray. 00:41:13.619 --> 00:41:14.900 God, I pray that we will 00:41:14.900 --> 00:41:16.599 be those who follow you. 00:41:16.679 --> 00:41:18.519 Not by human strength, 00:41:18.599 --> 00:41:19.679 not by willpower, 00:41:20.219 --> 00:41:21.699 not by mental assent, 00:41:22.360 --> 00:41:23.539 but because our hearts 00:41:23.539 --> 00:41:24.340 have been melted 00:41:24.340 --> 00:41:25.420 by your compassion 00:41:25.420 --> 00:41:26.139 and your mercy, 00:41:26.699 --> 00:41:27.699 your awesomeness. 00:41:28.340 --> 00:41:29.039 That we will be 00:41:29.039 --> 00:41:30.260 so drawn to you. 00:41:30.260 --> 00:41:31.820 Holy Spirit, 00:41:31.940 --> 00:41:32.460 come and do this, 00:41:32.520 --> 00:41:32.940 we pray. 00:41:34.180 --> 00:41:34.900 In your wonderful, 00:41:36.280 --> 00:41:37.800 in your compassionate, 00:41:38.640 --> 00:41:40.080 your authoritative, 00:41:41.080 --> 00:41:42.160 your merciful name, 00:41:42.200 --> 00:41:42.580 we pray. 00:41:43.580 --> 00:41:43.960 Amen.