WEBVTT

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 You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.

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 Our passion is to experience and express grace. Join us.

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 Thank you, gentlemen, and thank you. Thank you for your hospitality in greeting me and my wife

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 as we have been given the blessing of spending a few days in your fair city and seeing the church

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 transformed into Vacation Bible School Central. I don't think this was done for the celebration of

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 my arrival, but I trust that it will be a wonderful greeting to the children as they come through the

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 week, and we will be praying for you because we have some special grandchildren that will be

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 participating here. I'd like to ask you to pray for us because as we return home to Memphis this

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 afternoon, we start Bible school in the morning too, and I have the fifth and sixth grade boys,

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 and you know what they're like. But it's a wonderful time for us to celebrate. We're actually going to

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 be doing a Bible curriculum based on the prophet Jonah, and I hear that you all have sometime in

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 the past done a series on Jonah. In fact, I'm going to borrow this little fella and take him back to

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 Memphis with me. What's his name? Hanaj? And where did you get that? How did you come up with that name?

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 It's Jonah's name spelled backwards. Well, isn't that interesting? Because this morning, I want to give

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 you a backward sermon. So you're one step ahead of me. You already do things backwards. Imagine if you

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 got up in the morning and you greeted everyone by saying good night, and at the end of the day,

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 you went to bed and you said good morning. Imagine if you got up in the morning and you ate dinner,

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 and just before bed you had breakfast. Imagine that you went to school or into the neighborhood and you

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 chose for 24 hours to walk backwards. Wouldn't that be an odd experience? And yet this morning, what I'm

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 going to do is you're going to join me in making homiletical history. How many of you have ever

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 made homiletical history? I didn't think so. In 34 years of preaching at my church, I have never made

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 homiletical history. But here today on this stage, we will make homiletical history because we are going

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 to preach a backward sermon. If it flops, Will will be here to clean up the mess. But what I want to do

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 is I want to preach through the sermon that Jesus preached in Matthew 5, 6, and 7, commonly known as

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 the Sermon on the Mount. Except for our purposes this morning, we're going to preach it Matthew 7,

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 6, and 5. So if you want to use your pew Bibles, you'll find it on pages 812 through 809.

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 Did you get that? 812 through 809?

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 Before we start, let's do the most important thing. Let's pray.

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 Father, as we come to your Word, we want to enjoy the study of your Word and the proclamation of your

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 truth. But we don't want to make a circus of it. We don't want to take it lightly. We want you to

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 speak to our hearts and our minds of your great love for us through Jesus Christ our Lord. And we

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 ask, Father, that you would accomplish your purposes in our hearts this morning, myself included. And we

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 pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. I love to preach through the Sermon on the Mount because everybody

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 loves the Sermon on the Mount. After all, who does not love the golden rule? And who does not appreciate

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 the Lord's Prayer? And who does not memorize the Beatitudes? All of those things and many other

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 memorable things are contained in these three chapters of Matthew that are called the Sermon on the Mount.

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 But let's be careful about our approach to this sermon. John MacArthur, and I assume many of you

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 would recognize that name, says this,

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 That's an interesting statement. Hell will be filled with people who love the Sermon on the Mount,

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 who love to hear the Beatitudes read, who love to hear the Lord's Prayer said, who love to abide by the

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 golden rule, because in their attempt to please God and attain their salvation, they have determined

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 that the Sermon on the Mount has been given them to show simply the principles of the way to live

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 the Christian life. If that's the case in your heart, I have good news for you this morning.

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 Because just as hell will be filled with those who love the Sermon on the Mount,

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 heaven will be filled with those who have come to understand what Jesus was really saying.

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 And that's what we want to understand this morning.

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 We want to begin this sermon as that sermon ends. The closing paragraph of the Sermon on the Mount

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 really gets our attention. Matthew chapter 7 at verse 24.

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 Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house

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 on the rock. And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat on that house,

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 but it did not fall because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of

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 mine does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell and

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 the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that house and it fell and great was the fall of it.

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 Our children learn the song, the wise man built his house on the rock. And every generation of children

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 is taught that song. Why? Because we want them to understand the necessity of a firm and solid

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 foundation for a faithful and fruitful life. But notice there are dangerous warnings attached to this

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 paragraph. There is a foolish man. There's a collapsing house and great was the fall of it.

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 There's disappointment and tragedy. If what? If your house is built upon sand.

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 Now I have a dear friend who just recently said these words to me. I'm going to have to take my wife

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 down to the coast because every once in a while she needs to get a little sand between her toes.

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 Are you like that? Every once in a while you need to get to the beach and you need to get a little

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 bit of sand between your toes. It's good therapy for you. And that may be true about the beach,

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 but to get a little sand between your toes is not a wise thing according to the Lord Jesus. That's why

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 he's given us this sermon. That's why he's correcting some misconceptions. That's why he wants to put rock

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 under our feet, not sand. This sermon is not just a collection of wise sayings. It's a matter of life and

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 death, standing or falling, success or failure, victory or defeat, even heaven or hell. Do you see why I'm

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 starting at the end? This paragraph gets our attention that we might realize what's at stake in this sermon.

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 So let's get the sand out from between our toes this morning. Let's listen to this sermon and try to

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 truly discern what's on our Lord's heart. And let's begin, of course, at chapter 7.

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 In chapter 7, Jesus describes it this way, our world is filled with people who make false assumptions and

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 live with false hopes. False assumptions, false hopes. As Jesus preaches, he realizes he's surrounded by

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 people whose feet are firmly planted in the sand, not rock, on lies, not truth. They may not know it,

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 they may not admit it, they may be blind to it, but that is the truth. How so? First, they're traveling

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 on the wrong highway. Notice verses 13 and 14 of chapter 7. Jesus says, enter by the narrow gate,

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 for the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.

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 For the gate is narrow, the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

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 This is vacation season. Imagine the disappointment of preparing for vacation and leaving for vacation

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 and moving out on vacation only to take a few wrong turns, and you end up in the middle of nowhere.

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 Not your intended destination.

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 As Will grew up, I'm not going to belabor the Will stories with you this morning, but this is a good spot for one.

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 As Will grew up, he was admired by many people.

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 He gave counsel to friends, but there was one area of counsel he was never asked for.

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 Directions.

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 He was directionally challenged.

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 The GPS was an answer to prayer.

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 If you use one, you can thank Will for that, because we never knew when he left the house

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 whether he would get to his destination.

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 Jesus is talking about that in this passage.

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 Imagine leaving and living on a highway that doesn't get you to the right place.

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 Multiply that by a thousand and consider the tragedy of living your whole life

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 climbing the ladder of success

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 only to find that the ladder is leaning against the wrong wall at the end.

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 False assumptions

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 can lead to disastrous results.

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 But not only are they traveling on the wrong highway,

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 they are trusting in the wrong object.

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 They have hope and confidence.

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 They have expectation.

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 But it's not in the right object.

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 Notice chapter 7 at verse 21.

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 Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven,

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 but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

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 On that day, many will say to me, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name

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 and cast out demons in your name and do mighty works in your name?

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 And then I will declare to them, I never knew you.

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 Depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.

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 Again, another surprise.

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 First, it's a large company traveling down a wide road

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 that when they get to the end of that road, it's destruction.

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 And now it's people who have actively been at work in the life of the church

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 who are told that he never knew them.

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 Depart from me.

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 Maybe we could paraphrase it this way.

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 Lord, Lord, I served in VBS, remember?

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 I went on a mission trip to Peru.

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 I was active in the youth ministry.

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 I volunteered at Lincoln Village.

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 I was even ordained to office.

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 What if Jesus took those claims and threw them out of court?

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 Have any of you read Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress?

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 Hands?

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 Pilgrim's Progress?

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 You know how it ends?

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 You remember how it ends?

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 It's a glorious...

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 You've got to read the ending.

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 The glorious arrival of Christian and hopeful into the celestial city.

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 And the incredible description of the glory of the place.

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 Such that Bunyan says,

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 When I had seen it,

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 I wish I had been among them.

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 But if you've read it,

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 you know that that's not the end.

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 Because there's another couple of paragraphs that follow that description.

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 When Bunyan says,

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 Another man crossed the river of death.

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 And another man climbed the mountain to the gate of the celestial city.

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 And another man sought to enter therein.

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 And he was asked for his certificate.

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 And he had none.

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 And he was not let in.

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 In fact, he was led away.

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 And this is how Pilgrim's Progress ends.

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 And I saw that there was a way to hell even from the gates of heaven.

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 Wow.

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 Jesus gets our attention in this seventh chapter.

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 He's describing the tragic situation of people who think they are Christians but are not.

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 Who think they are headed to heaven but are denied entrance.

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 Who think they are standing on the rock when in fact they are on the sand destined to collapse.

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 Not to stand.

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 Well then we need to hear more.

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 What do we learn if we move back to chapter 6?

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 What do we learn from that chapter?

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 We learn this.

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 Our world is filled with people whose bodies are at church but whose hearts are in the world.

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 Church is definitely a part of their life.

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 But upon closer examination,

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 we see that they claim to trust God but their hearts are flooded with anxiety.

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 They're people whose lives are filled with worry and fret and fear and doubt.

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 Chapter 6 at verse 25.

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 Therefore I tell you,

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 do not be anxious about your life,

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 what you will eat or what you will drink,

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 nor about your body,

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 what you will put on.

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 Verse 27.

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 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to a span of life?

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 And why are you anxious about clothing?

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 Verse 31.

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 Therefore do not be anxious,

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 saying what shall we eat or what shall we drink or what shall we wear?

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 For the Gentiles seek after all these things.

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 Anxious, anxious, anxious,

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 Jesus preaches to them

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 because he's seen through their smiles

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 and he's examined their hearts.

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 They claim to trust God,

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 but they fail the eye test,

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 how they live and think and speak.

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 They don't sleep at night

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 and they don't relax during the day.

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 The future scares them

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 and the present frustrates them.

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 They claim to trust God,

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 but their hearts are anxious.

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 They claim to worship God,

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 but they crave the approval of man.

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 Chapter 6 and verse 1.

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 Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people

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 in order to be seen by them.

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 They do a lot of good things for the wrong reasons.

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 And Jesus goes into a discussion of giving

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 and follows that with a discussion of praying

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 and then digs even deeper

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 and speaks to those who fast.

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 Givers, prayers, fasters,

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 doing all the right things

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 for the wrong motivation

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 to be seen by men.

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 And then they claim to value God,

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 but they treasure the things of earth.

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 Chapter 6, verse 19.

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 Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth

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 where moth and rust destroy

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 and where thieves break in and steal,

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 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven

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 where neither moth nor rust destroys

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 and where thieves do not break in and steal.

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 For where your treasure is,

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 there will your heart be also.

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 My wife and I have just

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 started cleaning our attic.

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 I don't recommend it.

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 It's really not a lot of fun.

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 It's very convicting

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 to see what you treasure,

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 to see what you've kept,

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 and how much of it,

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 how much of it.

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 We sing in Christ alone,

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 but do we really live it?

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 We sing all to Jesus,

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 I surrender,

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 but we don't.

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 We sang this morning,

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 I'd rather have Jesus

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 than silver or gold.

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 I sang that song,

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 but boy, oh boy,

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 was that convicting

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 because I'm not sure I meant it,

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 and I'm not sure I live it.

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 We say Jesus is all the world to me,

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 but you couldn't tell it

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 by following people for a week

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 or looking at their checkbooks.

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 Their bodies are at church,

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 but their heart is in the world.

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 Sometimes after preaching,

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 when I go to the back door,

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 I have people say things like this,

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 Preacher,

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 you were really preaching to me this morning.

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 You really got me today.

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 That means I stepped on their toes,

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 I meddled a bit,

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 I spoke to a touchy area in their lives.

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 Well, I can say to Jesus,

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 you got me today.

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 This whole subject of where my heart is,

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 is exposed by Jesus' words.

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 He's making us examine our hearts,

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 and I'm not liking what I see,

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 my selfish attitudes,

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 my private fears,

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 my hidden motives.

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 I live and work and worship in the church,

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 but that's no guarantee that my heart

00:19:23.960 --> 00:19:28.839
 isn't still often in the world.

00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:32.240
 So first, Jesus raises the reality

00:19:32.240 --> 00:19:34.659
 of false assumptions and false hopes,

00:19:34.960 --> 00:19:36.859
 and then he identifies the weaknesses

00:19:36.859 --> 00:19:38.719
 of our hearts and our hidden idols.

00:19:40.500 --> 00:19:42.019
 Well, we need to hear more.

00:19:42.579 --> 00:19:44.859
 Finally, moving backwards to chapter 5,

00:19:45.439 --> 00:19:48.019
 we learn our world is filled with people

00:19:48.019 --> 00:19:49.559
 who are in desperate need

00:19:49.559 --> 00:19:52.479
 of a deliverance outside themselves.

00:19:54.439 --> 00:19:57.000
 Desperate need of deliverance outside themselves.

00:19:59.000 --> 00:20:01.939
 My guess is you have your favorite TV shows, right?

00:20:02.659 --> 00:20:04.979
 Your weekly shows that you wouldn't miss.

00:20:04.980 --> 00:20:08.500
 You record them if you have to be out

00:20:08.500 --> 00:20:09.640
 so you can see them later.

00:20:09.759 --> 00:20:11.299
 One of the shows that my wife and I

00:20:11.299 --> 00:20:13.660
 have gotten into lately is Scorpion.

00:20:14.160 --> 00:20:16.099
 Any Scorpion watchers in here?

00:20:18.120 --> 00:20:18.900
 Thank you.

00:20:19.799 --> 00:20:21.680
 We'll talk after the service.

00:20:23.559 --> 00:20:26.700
 Scorpion is obviously a very popular show.

00:20:26.700 --> 00:20:32.220
 It is the story of a group of geniuses.

00:20:32.759 --> 00:20:35.319
 See, only a few people really can understand it.

00:20:37.140 --> 00:20:40.200
 A group of geniuses that solve the problems

00:20:40.200 --> 00:20:43.660
 of national security by their brains.

00:20:44.380 --> 00:20:44.640
 Okay?

00:20:45.240 --> 00:20:46.740
 And in one particular episode,

00:20:46.900 --> 00:20:50.019
 Walter, who is the chief genius,

00:20:50.660 --> 00:20:52.059
 drives off a cliff

00:20:52.059 --> 00:20:54.460
 at a high rate of speed.

00:20:54.879 --> 00:20:57.419
 His car hurtles over the cliff.

00:20:58.779 --> 00:21:00.519
 It falls about 100 feet.

00:21:00.879 --> 00:21:02.079
 It's on a precipice,

00:21:02.200 --> 00:21:03.619
 teetering on this precipice.

00:21:04.139 --> 00:21:05.659
 And Walter inside is bleeding.

00:21:05.799 --> 00:21:06.960
 He's been badly injured.

00:21:07.319 --> 00:21:09.539
 And the Scorpion team realizes

00:21:09.539 --> 00:21:11.000
 that they have about an hour

00:21:11.000 --> 00:21:12.579
 to rescue him.

00:21:13.839 --> 00:21:15.859
 Well, I hate to ruin it for you,

00:21:15.859 --> 00:21:17.879
 but they do.

00:21:18.399 --> 00:21:19.879
 They figure out a way

00:21:19.879 --> 00:21:22.639
 to rescue Walter from this car.

00:21:23.059 --> 00:21:25.419
 But it really does kind of make you wonder

00:21:25.419 --> 00:21:26.159
 how in the world

00:21:26.159 --> 00:21:28.139
 they're ever going to rescue the man

00:21:28.139 --> 00:21:30.479
 from this horrible predicament.

00:21:31.500 --> 00:21:32.559
 Well, my friends,

00:21:32.740 --> 00:21:34.159
 Jesus in chapter 5

00:21:34.159 --> 00:21:35.859
 is describing man

00:21:35.859 --> 00:21:37.719
 in an even worse predicament

00:21:37.719 --> 00:21:39.819
 because it's a spiritual predicament.

00:21:40.359 --> 00:21:42.000
 And if you study chapter 5,

00:21:42.439 --> 00:21:43.759
 you'll be amazed

00:21:43.759 --> 00:21:46.099
 that Jesus demands from us

00:21:46.099 --> 00:21:48.599
 what no man can deliver.

00:21:50.480 --> 00:21:51.640
 Have you ever thought about

00:21:51.640 --> 00:21:52.640
 the gospel that way?

00:21:53.279 --> 00:21:54.660
 Jesus demands from us

00:21:54.660 --> 00:21:55.740
 what we cannot deliver.

00:21:55.879 --> 00:21:57.779
 Notice in verse 20 of chapter 5,

00:21:58.119 --> 00:21:58.660
 he says,

00:21:58.759 --> 00:21:59.519
 for I tell you,

00:21:59.619 --> 00:22:01.000
 unless your righteousness

00:22:01.000 --> 00:22:02.559
 exceeds that of the scribes

00:22:02.559 --> 00:22:03.379
 and Pharisees,

00:22:03.379 --> 00:22:04.740
 you will never enter

00:22:04.740 --> 00:22:05.660
 the kingdom of heaven.

00:22:07.740 --> 00:22:09.160
 That ought to blow you away.

00:22:09.960 --> 00:22:11.019
 You want to go to the kingdom

00:22:11.019 --> 00:22:11.720
 of heaven, right?

00:22:12.359 --> 00:22:13.079
 But he says,

00:22:13.079 --> 00:22:14.279
 you will never enter

00:22:14.279 --> 00:22:15.139
 the kingdom of heaven

00:22:15.139 --> 00:22:16.599
 unless your righteousness

00:22:16.599 --> 00:22:18.379
 exceeds that

00:22:18.379 --> 00:22:19.740
 of the scribes and Pharisees.

00:22:20.059 --> 00:22:21.039
 Now, the problem is

00:22:21.039 --> 00:22:22.480
 the Pharisees and the scribes

00:22:22.480 --> 00:22:23.480
 were the poster children

00:22:23.480 --> 00:22:24.579
 of what righteousness

00:22:24.579 --> 00:22:25.619
 was all about.

00:22:26.460 --> 00:22:27.319
 How in the world

00:22:27.319 --> 00:22:29.059
 could the average ordinary guy

00:22:29.059 --> 00:22:30.220
 have a righteousness

00:22:30.220 --> 00:22:31.559
 that exceeds that

00:22:31.559 --> 00:22:32.659
 of the scribes and Pharisees?

00:22:32.799 --> 00:22:34.139
 Then to make matters worse,

00:22:34.439 --> 00:22:36.279
 he begins a series of explanation

00:22:36.279 --> 00:22:37.919
 of Old Testament commands

00:22:37.919 --> 00:22:40.919
 describing how true righteousness

00:22:40.920 --> 00:22:42.680
 must include not just

00:22:42.680 --> 00:22:43.779
 the letter of the law,

00:22:43.980 --> 00:22:45.640
 but the spirit of the law.

00:22:47.080 --> 00:22:47.519
 He says,

00:22:47.580 --> 00:22:48.840
 you've heard that it was said

00:22:48.840 --> 00:22:50.080
 you shall not kill,

00:22:50.820 --> 00:22:52.019
 but I tell you,

00:22:52.820 --> 00:22:55.380
 you shall not even be angry.

00:22:55.960 --> 00:22:57.519
 You've heard that it was said

00:22:57.519 --> 00:22:59.700
 you shall not commit adultery,

00:23:00.380 --> 00:23:01.640
 but I tell you

00:23:01.640 --> 00:23:03.900
 that if you even lust in your heart,

00:23:04.380 --> 00:23:05.500
 you've committed adultery.

00:23:05.500 --> 00:23:08.980
 So Jesus takes the definition

00:23:08.980 --> 00:23:09.720
 of righteousness

00:23:09.720 --> 00:23:11.700
 and expands it

00:23:11.700 --> 00:23:13.779
 to proportions

00:23:13.779 --> 00:23:16.160
 that no man can reach.

00:23:16.880 --> 00:23:18.759
 And then if he's just not satisfied

00:23:18.759 --> 00:23:19.319
 with that,

00:23:19.359 --> 00:23:20.259
 at the end of the chapter,

00:23:20.400 --> 00:23:21.000
 verse 48,

00:23:21.660 --> 00:23:23.180
 he just puts it simply,

00:23:23.720 --> 00:23:26.140
 you therefore must be perfect

00:23:26.140 --> 00:23:28.619
 as your heavenly Father

00:23:28.619 --> 00:23:29.640
 is perfect.

00:23:30.400 --> 00:23:31.619
 If anybody thought

00:23:31.619 --> 00:23:32.440
 they had passed

00:23:32.440 --> 00:23:34.119
 the first two measures,

00:23:34.119 --> 00:23:36.059
 he gets them on the third.

00:23:36.619 --> 00:23:37.979
 You've just got to be perfect.

00:23:38.259 --> 00:23:38.659
 Great!

00:23:39.379 --> 00:23:40.500
 The kingdom of heaven

00:23:40.500 --> 00:23:42.199
 is a hopeless wish,

00:23:42.259 --> 00:23:42.539
 right?

00:23:44.659 --> 00:23:45.179
 Well,

00:23:46.019 --> 00:23:48.479
 he then goes on to promise

00:23:48.479 --> 00:23:51.119
 what no one can imagine.

00:23:52.279 --> 00:23:53.439
 In the Beatitudes,

00:23:53.719 --> 00:23:55.219
 Jesus speaks of those

00:23:55.219 --> 00:23:57.599
 who possess the kingdom of heaven,

00:23:58.539 --> 00:23:59.619
 inherit the earth,

00:24:00.219 --> 00:24:01.299
 receive mercy,

00:24:02.099 --> 00:24:02.979
 are satisfied.

00:24:02.980 --> 00:24:05.360
 they'll see God,

00:24:05.700 --> 00:24:07.220
 be called the sons of God.

00:24:08.519 --> 00:24:09.980
 Great is their reward

00:24:09.980 --> 00:24:10.759
 in heaven.

00:24:12.640 --> 00:24:14.620
 Now I'm really confused

00:24:14.620 --> 00:24:16.799
 because he's just set me up

00:24:16.799 --> 00:24:17.420
 for failure,

00:24:17.420 --> 00:24:19.140
 but at the same time

00:24:19.140 --> 00:24:20.279
 told me that it's possible

00:24:20.279 --> 00:24:21.059
 to have all these

00:24:21.059 --> 00:24:22.039
 wonderful blessings.

00:24:22.700 --> 00:24:23.799
 What's he saying?

00:24:23.960 --> 00:24:24.779
 What's he mean?

00:24:25.380 --> 00:24:27.099
 How can the incredible demands

00:24:27.099 --> 00:24:27.720
 of God

00:24:27.720 --> 00:24:29.420
 be met with the incredible

00:24:29.420 --> 00:24:30.559
 blessings of God?

00:24:30.559 --> 00:24:33.139
 Well,

00:24:33.179 --> 00:24:33.799
 it all starts

00:24:33.799 --> 00:24:34.960
 with empty hands,

00:24:35.240 --> 00:24:37.299
 not impressive performances.

00:24:38.399 --> 00:24:39.079
 Chapter 5,

00:24:39.119 --> 00:24:39.539
 verse 3,

00:24:39.619 --> 00:24:39.980
 blessed

00:24:39.980 --> 00:24:42.319
 are the poor in spirit.

00:24:43.159 --> 00:24:44.000
 It starts

00:24:44.000 --> 00:24:44.539
 by admitting

00:24:44.539 --> 00:24:45.299
 you can't,

00:24:45.839 --> 00:24:46.839
 not guaranteeing

00:24:46.839 --> 00:24:47.599
 that you will.

00:24:49.220 --> 00:24:49.779
 Years ago,

00:24:49.859 --> 00:24:50.859
 I heard this description

00:24:50.859 --> 00:24:51.899
 by Max Licato.

00:24:51.900 --> 00:24:54.120
 you don't impress

00:24:54.120 --> 00:24:55.259
 the officials at NASA

00:24:55.259 --> 00:24:56.500
 with a paper airplane.

00:24:57.380 --> 00:24:58.160
 You don't boast

00:24:58.160 --> 00:24:59.280
 about crayon sketches

00:24:59.280 --> 00:25:00.000
 in the presence

00:25:00.000 --> 00:25:00.620
 of Picasso.

00:25:01.080 --> 00:25:01.840
 You don't claim

00:25:01.840 --> 00:25:03.000
 equality with Einstein

00:25:03.000 --> 00:25:04.100
 because you can write

00:25:04.100 --> 00:25:04.920
 H2O.

00:25:05.900 --> 00:25:06.860
 And you don't boast

00:25:06.860 --> 00:25:07.740
 about your goodness

00:25:07.740 --> 00:25:08.620
 in the presence

00:25:08.620 --> 00:25:09.500
 of the perfect.

00:25:10.380 --> 00:25:11.100
 Mark it down,

00:25:11.180 --> 00:25:12.360
 God does not save us

00:25:12.360 --> 00:25:13.640
 because of what we've done.

00:25:13.940 --> 00:25:15.180
 The first step to joy

00:25:15.180 --> 00:25:16.340
 is a plea for help,

00:25:17.080 --> 00:25:17.800
 an acknowledgement

00:25:17.800 --> 00:25:19.120
 of moral destitution,

00:25:19.920 --> 00:25:20.480
 an admission

00:25:20.480 --> 00:25:21.480
 of inward poverty.

00:25:21.660 --> 00:25:22.279
 Those who taste

00:25:22.279 --> 00:25:23.079
 God's presence

00:25:23.079 --> 00:25:23.960
 have declared

00:25:23.960 --> 00:25:25.200
 spiritual bankruptcy

00:25:25.200 --> 00:25:26.259
 and are aware

00:25:26.259 --> 00:25:27.579
 of their spiritual crisis.

00:25:28.099 --> 00:25:29.200
 Their cupboards are bare,

00:25:29.299 --> 00:25:30.579
 their pockets are empty,

00:25:30.980 --> 00:25:32.519
 their options are gone.

00:25:33.000 --> 00:25:33.880
 They have long since

00:25:33.880 --> 00:25:35.120
 stopped demanding justice.

00:25:36.039 --> 00:25:36.660
 They are pleading

00:25:36.660 --> 00:25:37.400
 for mercy.

00:25:38.680 --> 00:25:39.819
 They don't brag,

00:25:40.039 --> 00:25:40.799
 they beg.

00:25:41.700 --> 00:25:42.680
 And they ask God

00:25:42.680 --> 00:25:43.539
 to do for them

00:25:43.539 --> 00:25:45.680
 what they can't do

00:25:45.680 --> 00:25:47.120
 without Him.

00:25:47.119 --> 00:25:49.959
 You see,

00:25:50.019 --> 00:25:51.279
 our problem in this world

00:25:51.279 --> 00:25:52.799
 is not with a backward sermon.

00:25:54.759 --> 00:25:56.459
 It's with a backward gospel.

00:25:57.719 --> 00:25:58.759
 Believing somehow

00:25:58.759 --> 00:26:00.759
 that heaven is awarded to us

00:26:00.759 --> 00:26:03.019
 on the basis of our success

00:26:03.019 --> 00:26:05.839
 rather than given to us

00:26:05.839 --> 00:26:08.139
 despite our failures.

00:26:08.140 --> 00:26:11.100
 If you study more closely

00:26:11.100 --> 00:26:12.060
 chapter 5,

00:26:12.940 --> 00:26:14.100
 Jesus is going to say

00:26:14.100 --> 00:26:14.880
 that He came

00:26:14.880 --> 00:26:17.120
 not to abolish the law

00:26:17.120 --> 00:26:18.200
 but to fulfill it.

00:26:19.640 --> 00:26:21.000
 What we cannot do,

00:26:21.100 --> 00:26:21.960
 He has done.

00:26:22.380 --> 00:26:23.580
 And He offers to us

00:26:23.580 --> 00:26:25.180
 a perfect righteousness.

00:26:26.540 --> 00:26:27.660
 In chapter 6,

00:26:27.920 --> 00:26:29.140
 He's going to invite us

00:26:29.140 --> 00:26:29.680
 to pray,

00:26:30.720 --> 00:26:32.620
 forgive us our debts.

00:26:32.619 --> 00:26:34.779
 because He knows

00:26:34.779 --> 00:26:35.419
 that He's headed

00:26:35.419 --> 00:26:36.419
 to a cross

00:26:36.419 --> 00:26:37.639
 where He is going

00:26:37.639 --> 00:26:38.859
 to shed His blood

00:26:38.859 --> 00:26:40.119
 for the forgiveness

00:26:40.119 --> 00:26:40.819
 of sin.

00:26:41.619 --> 00:26:42.579
 In chapter 7,

00:26:42.679 --> 00:26:43.359
 when He speaks

00:26:43.359 --> 00:26:44.579
 of a narrow gate,

00:26:45.459 --> 00:26:46.479
 perhaps He's thinking

00:26:46.479 --> 00:26:47.539
 to a later date

00:26:47.539 --> 00:26:48.839
 in John chapter 10

00:26:48.839 --> 00:26:49.979
 when He says,

00:26:50.139 --> 00:26:50.979
 I am the gate

00:26:50.979 --> 00:26:52.539
 of the sheep.

00:26:53.659 --> 00:26:55.359
 The gospel requires

00:26:55.359 --> 00:26:56.279
 that we admit

00:26:56.279 --> 00:26:57.439
 there is sand

00:26:57.439 --> 00:26:58.599
 between our toes

00:26:58.599 --> 00:26:59.879
 and we ask

00:26:59.879 --> 00:27:00.979
 to be cleansed.

00:27:00.980 --> 00:27:02.680
 And when we do,

00:27:02.759 --> 00:27:03.519
 the blood of Jesus

00:27:03.519 --> 00:27:04.900
 washes away our guilt

00:27:04.900 --> 00:27:06.160
 and God places

00:27:06.160 --> 00:27:07.720
 our feet upon a rock.

00:27:08.660 --> 00:27:09.339
 The psalmist

00:27:09.339 --> 00:27:10.019
 in Psalm 40

00:27:10.019 --> 00:27:10.759
 put it this way,

00:27:10.819 --> 00:27:11.680
 I waited patiently

00:27:11.680 --> 00:27:12.360
 for the Lord.

00:27:12.839 --> 00:27:13.700
 He inclined to me

00:27:13.700 --> 00:27:14.700
 and heard my cry.

00:27:15.000 --> 00:27:15.640
 He drew me up

00:27:15.640 --> 00:27:16.720
 from the pit of destruction

00:27:16.720 --> 00:27:17.960
 out of the miry bog

00:27:17.960 --> 00:27:18.880
 and He set my feet

00:27:18.880 --> 00:27:19.579
 upon a rock

00:27:19.579 --> 00:27:21.460
 making my steps secure.

00:27:22.259 --> 00:27:23.660
 What makes the gospel

00:27:23.660 --> 00:27:24.380
 so beautiful

00:27:24.380 --> 00:27:26.380
 is the depth

00:27:26.380 --> 00:27:27.640
 of our problem

00:27:27.640 --> 00:27:29.019
 and the height

00:27:29.019 --> 00:27:30.519
 of God's solution.

00:27:30.980 --> 00:27:33.759
 That rock

00:27:33.759 --> 00:27:34.720
 is not a place.

00:27:35.579 --> 00:27:36.440
 It's a person.

00:27:37.079 --> 00:27:38.259
 It's not a new set

00:27:38.259 --> 00:27:38.740
 of rules.

00:27:38.940 --> 00:27:40.200
 It's Jesus' blood

00:27:40.200 --> 00:27:41.019
 and righteousness.

00:27:41.779 --> 00:27:42.339
 That rock

00:27:42.339 --> 00:27:43.579
 is not trying harder.

00:27:43.720 --> 00:27:44.259
 It's resting

00:27:44.259 --> 00:27:45.620
 in His sufficiency.

00:27:47.140 --> 00:27:48.980
 It doesn't just point me

00:27:48.980 --> 00:27:49.900
 in a new direction.

00:27:50.200 --> 00:27:51.220
 It establishes

00:27:51.220 --> 00:27:52.019
 in my heart

00:27:52.019 --> 00:27:53.720
 a new affection.

00:27:54.720 --> 00:27:55.420
 I'm loved

00:27:55.420 --> 00:27:56.420
 and I love in return.

00:27:56.640 --> 00:27:57.180
 I rest

00:27:57.180 --> 00:27:58.140
 and I'm energized

00:27:58.140 --> 00:27:59.019
 to obey.

00:27:59.019 --> 00:28:00.359
 It all sounds

00:28:00.359 --> 00:28:01.299
 so backwards.

00:28:03.180 --> 00:28:03.940
 That's why

00:28:03.940 --> 00:28:04.819
 it's amazing

00:28:04.819 --> 00:28:06.019
 grace.

00:28:08.119 --> 00:28:09.119
 When this sermon

00:28:09.119 --> 00:28:09.700
 begins

00:28:09.700 --> 00:28:10.819
 in chapter 5

00:28:10.819 --> 00:28:13.180
 seeing the crowds

00:28:13.180 --> 00:28:13.680
 He went up

00:28:13.680 --> 00:28:14.220
 on the mountain

00:28:14.220 --> 00:28:15.319
 and when He sat down

00:28:15.319 --> 00:28:16.119
 His disciples

00:28:16.119 --> 00:28:17.500
 came

00:28:17.500 --> 00:28:18.500
 to Him.

00:28:20.440 --> 00:28:21.680
 That's what we must do

00:28:21.680 --> 00:28:22.319
 come to Him.

00:28:23.599 --> 00:28:24.559
 And when they left

00:28:24.559 --> 00:28:25.559
 in chapter 7

00:28:25.559 --> 00:28:27.359
 it says in verse 28

00:28:27.359 --> 00:28:28.259
 when Jesus finished

00:28:28.259 --> 00:28:28.839
 these sayings

00:28:28.839 --> 00:28:29.339
 the crowds

00:28:29.339 --> 00:28:30.139
 were astonished

00:28:30.139 --> 00:28:31.019
 at His teaching

00:28:31.019 --> 00:28:32.219
 for He was teaching

00:28:32.219 --> 00:28:32.819
 them as one

00:28:32.819 --> 00:28:33.519
 who had authority

00:28:33.519 --> 00:28:34.779
 and not as the scribes

00:28:34.779 --> 00:28:35.979
 and when He came

00:28:35.979 --> 00:28:37.019
 down from the mountain

00:28:37.019 --> 00:28:38.079
 great crowds

00:28:38.079 --> 00:28:39.819
 followed Him.

00:28:41.519 --> 00:28:42.779
 We must come

00:28:42.779 --> 00:28:43.359
 to Him.

00:28:45.500 --> 00:28:46.899
 Hear His voice

00:28:46.899 --> 00:28:49.000
 and follow

00:28:49.000 --> 00:28:50.299
 Him.

00:28:50.299 --> 00:28:52.079
 in the past

00:28:52.079 --> 00:28:52.779
 several years

00:28:52.779 --> 00:28:53.799
 I've had the privilege

00:28:53.799 --> 00:28:54.980
 of serving

00:28:54.980 --> 00:28:55.740
 in a retirement

00:28:55.740 --> 00:28:56.440
 community

00:28:56.440 --> 00:28:57.759
 immediately across

00:28:57.759 --> 00:28:58.240
 the street

00:28:58.240 --> 00:28:58.980
 from my church.

00:28:59.139 --> 00:28:59.460
 Imagine

00:28:59.460 --> 00:29:00.359
 if across

00:29:00.359 --> 00:29:01.059
 Jones Valley

00:29:01.059 --> 00:29:01.859
 there was a

00:29:01.859 --> 00:29:02.859
 retirement community

00:29:02.859 --> 00:29:03.680
 of 400 to 500

00:29:03.680 --> 00:29:05.159
 people right there

00:29:05.159 --> 00:29:06.259
 right in your face

00:29:06.259 --> 00:29:06.819
 well that's what

00:29:06.819 --> 00:29:07.419
 we've got.

00:29:08.259 --> 00:29:09.000
 And I started

00:29:09.000 --> 00:29:09.759
 offering myself

00:29:09.759 --> 00:29:10.659
 as a chaplain

00:29:10.659 --> 00:29:11.720
 and doing Bible

00:29:11.720 --> 00:29:12.619
 studies and meeting

00:29:12.619 --> 00:29:13.700
 people and ministering

00:29:13.700 --> 00:29:14.159
 to people

00:29:14.159 --> 00:29:15.639
 and now I'm

00:29:15.639 --> 00:29:16.240
 the hired

00:29:16.240 --> 00:29:17.399
 part-time chaplain.

00:29:17.400 --> 00:29:19.720
 It's an upscale

00:29:19.720 --> 00:29:21.019
 retirement community.

00:29:22.440 --> 00:29:23.580
 It's a place

00:29:23.580 --> 00:29:24.600
 where the successful

00:29:24.600 --> 00:29:25.640
 have come

00:29:25.640 --> 00:29:26.840
 at the end

00:29:26.840 --> 00:29:27.660
 of their life

00:29:27.660 --> 00:29:29.620
 to be pampered

00:29:29.620 --> 00:29:31.460
 and to enjoy

00:29:31.460 --> 00:29:31.980
 community

00:29:31.980 --> 00:29:32.640
 and fellowship.

00:29:34.320 --> 00:29:35.080
 And my message

00:29:35.080 --> 00:29:36.060
 to these people

00:29:36.060 --> 00:29:37.900
 has boiled down

00:29:37.900 --> 00:29:38.800
 to one primary

00:29:38.800 --> 00:29:39.320
 thought.

00:29:40.880 --> 00:29:42.080
 Being good

00:29:42.080 --> 00:29:44.140
 is not

00:29:44.140 --> 00:29:44.860
 good enough.

00:29:44.859 --> 00:29:47.579
 They've served

00:29:47.579 --> 00:29:48.199
 our country.

00:29:48.839 --> 00:29:49.599
 They've built

00:29:49.599 --> 00:29:50.259
 hospitals

00:29:50.259 --> 00:29:51.299
 and churches

00:29:51.299 --> 00:29:52.500
 and schools.

00:29:52.839 --> 00:29:53.419
 They've loved

00:29:53.419 --> 00:29:54.019
 the flag

00:29:54.019 --> 00:29:54.740
 and paid

00:29:54.740 --> 00:29:55.419
 their taxes.

00:29:56.240 --> 00:29:56.959
 They've raised

00:29:56.959 --> 00:29:57.759
 their families

00:29:57.759 --> 00:29:59.039
 and now in their

00:29:59.039 --> 00:29:59.919
 waning years

00:29:59.919 --> 00:30:00.719
 there are many

00:30:00.719 --> 00:30:01.539
 of them resting

00:30:01.539 --> 00:30:03.240
 on all that

00:30:03.240 --> 00:30:04.139
 they have done

00:30:04.139 --> 00:30:04.819
 and they want

00:30:04.819 --> 00:30:05.599
 somebody to come

00:30:05.599 --> 00:30:06.659
 along and say

00:30:06.659 --> 00:30:07.019
 to them

00:30:07.019 --> 00:30:08.139
 well done

00:30:08.139 --> 00:30:09.539
 you've done

00:30:09.539 --> 00:30:10.819
 such a good job

00:30:10.819 --> 00:30:12.240
 and I go

00:30:12.240 --> 00:30:13.339
 and tell them

00:30:13.339 --> 00:30:14.980
 your goodness

00:30:14.980 --> 00:30:16.199
 is not

00:30:16.199 --> 00:30:17.619
 good enough.

00:30:19.159 --> 00:30:20.079
 And I try

00:30:20.079 --> 00:30:20.899
 to point them

00:30:20.899 --> 00:30:22.179
 to the sufficiency

00:30:22.179 --> 00:30:23.439
 of Jesus Christ

00:30:23.439 --> 00:30:24.819
 and the completion

00:30:24.819 --> 00:30:25.839
 of his work

00:30:25.839 --> 00:30:27.259
 and say to them

00:30:27.259 --> 00:30:29.519
 empty hands

00:30:29.519 --> 00:30:32.259
 clinging to the cross

00:30:32.259 --> 00:30:34.959
 that's what God

00:30:34.959 --> 00:30:36.079
 desires.

00:30:37.039 --> 00:30:38.619
 The gospel of grace

00:30:38.619 --> 00:30:40.379
 we set the gospel

00:30:40.379 --> 00:30:41.059
 of grace

00:30:41.059 --> 00:30:42.099
 backward

00:30:42.099 --> 00:30:44.379
 when we act

00:30:44.379 --> 00:30:44.919
 as if

00:30:44.919 --> 00:30:46.919
 it's a reward

00:30:46.919 --> 00:30:48.279
 for our performance.

00:30:48.839 --> 00:30:49.679
 We hear it

00:30:49.679 --> 00:30:50.219
 accurately

00:30:50.219 --> 00:30:51.219
 when we come

00:30:51.219 --> 00:30:51.759
 to a table

00:30:51.759 --> 00:30:52.559
 like this

00:30:52.559 --> 00:30:53.339
 and believe

00:30:53.339 --> 00:30:54.419
 that Jesus

00:30:54.419 --> 00:30:55.639
 paid

00:30:55.639 --> 00:30:57.179
 it all

00:30:57.179 --> 00:30:58.979
 and all

00:30:58.979 --> 00:31:00.179
 to him

00:31:00.179 --> 00:31:01.979
 I owe.

00:31:03.519 --> 00:31:04.519
 The sermon

00:31:04.519 --> 00:31:05.099
 on the mount

00:31:05.099 --> 00:31:06.459
 is a hard

00:31:06.459 --> 00:31:06.879
 hitting

00:31:06.879 --> 00:31:08.299
 rebuke

00:31:08.299 --> 00:31:09.299
 to our hearts

00:31:09.299 --> 00:31:10.579
 it's not a

00:31:10.579 --> 00:31:11.000
 collection

00:31:11.000 --> 00:31:11.819
 of wise

00:31:11.819 --> 00:31:13.019
 and sweet

00:31:13.019 --> 00:31:13.699
 principles

00:31:13.699 --> 00:31:16.199
 but a reminder

00:31:16.199 --> 00:31:16.980
 to us

00:31:16.980 --> 00:31:18.059
 that the true

00:31:18.059 --> 00:31:19.199
 gospel of Jesus

00:31:19.199 --> 00:31:19.839
 Christ

00:31:19.839 --> 00:31:21.059
 meets us

00:31:21.059 --> 00:31:22.079
 at the point

00:31:22.079 --> 00:31:23.000
 of our emptiness

00:31:23.000 --> 00:31:25.079
 and fills us

00:31:25.079 --> 00:31:26.199
 with the fullness

00:31:26.199 --> 00:31:27.839
 of God's

00:31:27.839 --> 00:31:28.539
 love

00:31:28.539 --> 00:31:29.740
 and grace

00:31:29.740 --> 00:31:30.939
 and hope.

00:31:32.259 --> 00:31:33.539
 And it points

00:31:33.539 --> 00:31:34.519
 us to this table

00:31:34.519 --> 00:31:36.019
 because that's

00:31:36.019 --> 00:31:36.539
 where Jesus

00:31:36.539 --> 00:31:37.079
 is headed.

00:31:37.799 --> 00:31:38.599
 He knows it

00:31:38.599 --> 00:31:41.240
 and he loves it

00:31:41.240 --> 00:31:43.480
 because he loves you

00:31:43.480 --> 00:31:45.400
 and because he loves me.

00:31:46.400 --> 00:31:47.180
 Let's pray.

00:31:47.299 --> 00:31:48.139
 Father we ask

00:31:48.139 --> 00:31:48.700
 this morning

00:31:48.700 --> 00:31:49.519
 that as we come

00:31:49.519 --> 00:31:50.180
 to this table

00:31:50.180 --> 00:31:52.160
 we would be convinced

00:31:52.160 --> 00:31:53.220
 that we are

00:31:53.220 --> 00:31:54.660
 desperately in need

00:31:54.660 --> 00:31:55.960
 of a deliverance

00:31:55.960 --> 00:31:56.720
 that only you

00:31:56.720 --> 00:31:57.519
 can provide

00:31:57.519 --> 00:31:58.859
 and in fact

00:31:58.859 --> 00:31:59.660
 only you have

00:31:59.660 --> 00:32:00.279
 provided

00:32:00.279 --> 00:32:01.279
 in sending

00:32:01.279 --> 00:32:01.960
 your son

00:32:01.960 --> 00:32:02.720
 to this earth

00:32:02.720 --> 00:32:04.000
 to give his life

00:32:04.000 --> 00:32:04.519
 a ransom

00:32:04.519 --> 00:32:05.259
 for sinners

00:32:05.259 --> 00:32:07.140
 that we might

00:32:07.140 --> 00:32:08.359
 turn from ourselves

00:32:08.359 --> 00:32:10.720
 and receive

00:32:10.720 --> 00:32:11.799
 and rest

00:32:11.799 --> 00:32:12.980
 upon him alone

00:32:12.980 --> 00:32:14.819
 and know

00:32:14.819 --> 00:32:15.599
 the joy

00:32:15.599 --> 00:32:16.759
 and the peace

00:32:16.759 --> 00:32:20.500
 of standing

00:32:20.500 --> 00:32:22.220
 upon the rock.

00:32:23.220 --> 00:32:23.700
 And we pray

00:32:23.700 --> 00:32:24.660
 this in his name.

00:32:25.880 --> 00:32:26.140
 Amen.

00:32:26.140 --> 00:32:31.660
 For more information

00:32:31.660 --> 00:32:32.980
 visit us online

00:32:32.980 --> 00:32:34.280
 at southwood.org

00:32:34.280 --> 00:32:39.640
 For more information

00:32:39.640 --> 00:32:40.360
 visit us online

00:32:40.360 --> 00:32:41.380
 at southwood.org