WEBVTT

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 So we're going to be reading Matthew 11, 1 to 19.

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 When Jesus had finished instructing his 12 disciples,

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 he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities.

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 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ,

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 he sent word by his disciples and said to him,

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 Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?

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 And Jesus answered them,

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 Go and tell John what you hear and see.

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 The blind received their sight, and the lame walk.

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 Lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up,

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 and the poor have good news preached to them,

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 and blessed is the one who is not offended by me.

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 As they went away, Jesus began to speak up to the crowds concerning John.

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 What did you go out into the wilderness to see?

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 A reed shaken by the wind?

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 What then did you go out to see?

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 A man dressed in soft clothing?

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 Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in king's houses.

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 What then did you go out to see?

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 A prophet?

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 Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

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 This is he of whom it is written.

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 Behold, I send my messenger before your face,

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 who will prepare your way before you.

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 Truly, I say to you,

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 among those born of women,

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 there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist.

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 Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

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 From the days of John the Baptist until now,

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 the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence,

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 and the violent take it by force.

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 For all the prophets and the law prophesied unto John.

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 And if you are willing to accept it,

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 he is Elijah who is to come.

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 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

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 But to what shall I compare this generation to?

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 It is like children sitting in the marketplace

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 and calling to their playmates.

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 We played the flute for you, and you did not dance.

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 We sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.

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 For John came neither eating nor drinking,

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 and they say, he has a demon.

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 The son of man came eating and drinking,

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 and they say, look at him,

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 a glutton and a drunkard,

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 a friend of tax collectors and sinners.

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 Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.

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 Well, good morning, everyone.

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 Most would be familiar with the axiom,

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 you can't see the forest for the trees.

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 It's an old saying.

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 And basically what it means is

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 that we often get lost in the details of a circumstance

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 and lose the big picture.

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 And sometimes when we do that,

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 we get immobilized,

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 because there's that much detail

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 that we actually can't start the project

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 or get into the circumstance.

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 I think that will help us

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 as we move into Matthew 11,

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 chapter 11, 12, and 13, in fact.

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 Jesus sort of digs into the growing opposition he's facing.

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 So he said he's the Lord of the harvest.

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 He spoke about his mission as harvesting.

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 He's the Lord of the harvest.

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 He promised a bumper harvest.

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 But this opposition is growing.

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 And it appears in 11, chapter 12, and 13

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 that Jesus is helping his disciples

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 sort of step back from the details

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 and refocus on the big picture again.

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 See the forest, as it were,

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 when they might have been overly focused on the trees,

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 the huge trees in front of them,

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 which, as we saw over the last few weeks,

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 was the huge trees of opposition and persecution

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 and rejection that Jesus is preparing his disciples for.

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 So let's just turn back to chapter 9, verse 35 to 37,

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 just to see how all that plays out.

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 Jesus describes his kingdom-building mission

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 of teaching, proclaiming, and healing

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 as harvesting.

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 As I said before, he declares himself

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 to be the Lord of the harvest,

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 promises a bumper harvest.

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 Then there's that long section

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 over the last three weeks we've looked at

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 where Jesus prepares his disciples for the opposition.

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 For the persecution, for the rejection

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 that's going to come to them.

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 Now, here's how it fits together, I think,

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 that it's quite likely

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 that the disciples wouldn't be feeling much excitement

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 about being involved in the work of harvest

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 after you work through all that stuff.

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 And so I think Jesus does then

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 step back from the detail

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 and put again, the big picture.

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 The big picture of the ongoing harvest mission.

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 And so what Jesus says in these first verses

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 of chapter 11 is that

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 he wants his disciples to remember,

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 go back and focus again,

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 remember that my harvesting or kingdom-building

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 is totally and comfortably on track.

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 And we'll see that in the first 15 verses

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 of chapter 11 we're going to look at this morning.

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 So again, let me just make connections.

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 I love making connections

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 because structure is really important

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 in the way Matthew's put together

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 his account here of the life of Jesus.

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 If you go back to chapter 10, verse 5,

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 it's almost identical in a sense

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 to chapter 11, verse 1.

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 And I think again,

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 repeating myself, I think for the third time now,

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 after detailing the huge challenges of harvest

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 and the perspective needed to face those challenges,

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 which is essentially chapter 10,

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 Jesus now resumes the work of harvesting.

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 So he's back on track.

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 It's almost as if there's been an aside.

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 We'll talk about this really difficult subject,

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 but no, let's get back on track.

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 Chapter 1.

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 Jesus finished instructing his 12 disciples

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 who went out from there

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 to teach and preach in their cities.

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 And he's very keen for the disciples

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 that good news salvation is everywhere,

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 but perhaps not as expected

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 in verses 2 through to 6.

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 Now John's disciples,

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 John's locked up in prison,

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 we'll say more about that in a minute,

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 but John's disciples come to ask Jesus a question.

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 Jesus, are you the one that was to come?

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 Are you the one that I announced?

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 Or should we look for somebody else?

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 Now, I don't know about you,

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 but I just find that sometimes in the Christian life,

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 things just don't add up.

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 Things just don't make sense.

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 It's confusing.

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 We just can't work out what God's doing in our life.

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 Does God love me?

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 If God loves me,

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 then why am I enduring this circumstance?

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 Why are these things happening to me?

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 I suspect,

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 we're not actually told,

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 but I suspect

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 that may well have been

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 how John the Baptist was feeling.

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 Remember John the Baptist is Jesus' cousin?

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 He's been locked up now

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 for the best part of a year,

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 as best we can work out

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 from the historical records.

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 And for John,

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 things just weren't happening

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 as he expected them to happen.

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 He obviously knew what Jesus was doing,

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 but the things that Jesus was doing

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 just didn't seem to add up.

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 It wasn't what he expected of Messiah.

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 Now, flick back with me

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 to chapter 3 of Matthew,

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 where John actually is preaching,

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 fiery preaching to introduce Jesus.

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 Jesus.

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 And remember,

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 he was preaching repentance

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 in preparation for Messiah,

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 for God's King and Savior to come.

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 And when you look at chapter 3, verse 12,

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 you get the sense that John

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 was expecting a figure of judgment.

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 Jesus was,

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 the Messiah was going to come,

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 and the idea of fire there

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 is always God's judgment.

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 He would come with a winnowing fork.

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 This is a sort of violent metaphor

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 of God coming to bring judgment.

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 He would gather in his people,

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 his good people,

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 and the ungodly would be destroyed,

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 burned up like chaff.

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 Two years later,

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 John's languaging in a dungeon,

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 courtesy of Herod

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 and Herodias' wife,

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 he had dared to call out their immorality.

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 Now, Herod was the leader of God's people.

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 He should have been set

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 on the model of godliness,

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 but no,

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 he defended his immorality,

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 and John's now been in a dungeon

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 for the best part of a year.

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 Now, I can well imagine John thinking,

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 how is this working?

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 How is this happening?

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 It doesn't make sense

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 that just when my part of the ministry

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 was getting underway,

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 just as people were coming in their hordes

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 in repentance to be baptized

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 in preparation for the coming Messiah,

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 just then when I introduced Messiah,

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 everything seemed to be charging forward,

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 suddenly stopped,

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 and here I am stuck in a dungeon.

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 What's happening?

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 What's going on?

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 It doesn't make sense.

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 And perhaps it didn't make sense

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 about Jesus either.

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 He was confused about Jesus too.

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 He hears a lot about compassion

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 and mercy

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 and restoration

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 and healing

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 and teaching.

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 Well, if Jesus really was

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 God's king and savior

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 coming into the world

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 to reestablish God's kingdom

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 or rule,

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 where was the judgment

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 that was supposed to come with that?

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 And why am I still in prison?

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 There's Herod and Herodias.

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 They just flagrantly

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 turn a blind eye to God's law

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 and do the exact opposite

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 and they're enjoying the good life

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 and here I am

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 having preached faithfulness

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 and repentance.

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 Here I am stuck in prison.

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 You can well imagine John being confused.

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 Just doesn't seem to be adding up.

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 Well, verse four,

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 Jesus is really quick.

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 to assure John

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 that he did have it right.

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 I am Messiah,

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 says Jesus.

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 My mission is on track.

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 And he does that

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 by referring John back to Isaiah,

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 the prophet Isaiah.

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 And there's numerous references

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 there back in chapter 35

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 and chapter 61

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 and possibly chapter 26 and 29.

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 They're written on the sermon outline there.

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 So he pushes John

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 back to Isaiah

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 and he says,

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 here's the confirmation.

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 Isaiah said,

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 this is what Messiah would be doing

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 and this is what I'm doing.

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 It's happening

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 as it was forecast,

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 prophesied to happen.

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 But there's another thing

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 that Jesus is doing

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 by pushing John back to Isaiah.

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 Because when you go back

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 and read those prophecies,

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 Isaiah is very clear

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 that Messiah would be known

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 as much for the day of mercy

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 as well as the day of judgment.

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 The two are inseparable.

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 But when you go back

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 and read those prophecies,

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 Isaiah said,

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 this is what you'd see

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 of Messiah first.

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 exactly as Jesus quotes there.

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 There would be

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 a day of mercy,

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 a day of grace,

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 a day of deliverance

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 from the effects of sin,

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 a day of renewal

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 into God's character

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 for God's people

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 in the context

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 of a bigger day of judgment.

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 judgment.

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 And with that then,

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 Jesus, in a sense,

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 concludes this first interaction

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 with a wisdom statement,

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 verse 6.

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 Blessed is the one

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 who is not offended by me.

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 That of itself

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 is probably an allusion

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 back to Isaiah chapter 8,

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 verses 13 and 14.

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 And in that context,

00:12:26.379 --> 00:12:27.559
 it's a warning

00:12:27.559 --> 00:12:30.340
 not to reject God's work

00:12:30.340 --> 00:12:31.080
 among his people.

00:12:32.300 --> 00:12:32.700
 Why?

00:12:34.080 --> 00:12:35.620
 Because it might be

00:12:35.620 --> 00:12:36.320
 unexpected

00:12:36.320 --> 00:12:37.320
 in the way it's delivered.

00:12:37.899 --> 00:12:38.379
 And if you go back

00:12:38.379 --> 00:12:39.019
 and read chapter 8,

00:12:39.060 --> 00:12:40.240
 that's exactly what was happening

00:12:40.240 --> 00:12:40.920
 for God's people.

00:12:41.060 --> 00:12:41.780
 They were looking

00:12:41.780 --> 00:12:42.580
 at an invasion

00:12:42.580 --> 00:12:44.160
 by Assyria.

00:12:45.600 --> 00:12:46.540
 And they were scratching

00:12:46.540 --> 00:12:46.800
 their head.

00:12:47.160 --> 00:12:48.100
 Could this possibly

00:12:48.100 --> 00:12:49.060
 be God's hand?

00:12:51.780 --> 00:12:52.639
 And God says,

00:12:52.720 --> 00:12:52.860
 yeah,

00:12:53.120 --> 00:12:53.940
 absolutely right.

00:12:54.340 --> 00:12:55.139
 It is my hand.

00:12:55.540 --> 00:12:56.580
 This is my way

00:12:56.580 --> 00:12:58.160
 of purifying my people.

00:13:00.340 --> 00:13:01.860
 So come back

00:13:01.860 --> 00:13:02.660
 into Matthew 11.

00:13:03.660 --> 00:13:04.980
 Jesus is gently

00:13:04.980 --> 00:13:05.920
 saying to John,

00:13:07.320 --> 00:13:10.019
 don't trip over me

00:13:10.019 --> 00:13:12.700
 because I'm not

00:13:12.700 --> 00:13:15.300
 delivering Messiah's promise

00:13:15.300 --> 00:13:16.920
 as you might have expected.

00:13:19.580 --> 00:13:20.940
 I just want to pause there

00:13:20.940 --> 00:13:21.980
 briefly and say

00:13:21.980 --> 00:13:22.879
 that's a wonderful

00:13:22.879 --> 00:13:24.259
 perspective for us

00:13:24.259 --> 00:13:26.780
 in our work

00:13:26.780 --> 00:13:27.759
 of harvesting

00:13:27.759 --> 00:13:28.860
 continuing today.

00:13:28.939 --> 00:13:29.399
 It was a wonderful

00:13:29.399 --> 00:13:30.960
 perspective for John's disciples,

00:13:31.100 --> 00:13:31.939
 for Jesus' disciples,

00:13:32.379 --> 00:13:33.799
 and it comes right down

00:13:33.799 --> 00:13:34.319
 to us.

00:13:37.519 --> 00:13:38.580
 In spite of

00:13:38.580 --> 00:13:39.819
 growing opposition

00:13:39.819 --> 00:13:40.980
 and unbelief,

00:13:41.399 --> 00:13:42.679
 in spite of the huge

00:13:42.679 --> 00:13:43.500
 personal cost

00:13:43.500 --> 00:13:44.139
 that was detailed

00:13:44.139 --> 00:13:45.019
 in chapter 10,

00:13:45.399 --> 00:13:46.100
 in spite of the huge

00:13:46.100 --> 00:13:46.759
 challenges

00:13:46.759 --> 00:13:47.860
 as harvest workers,

00:13:49.720 --> 00:13:51.819
 God's good news salvation

00:13:51.819 --> 00:13:53.799
 is happening everywhere.

00:13:53.799 --> 00:13:56.699
 And it's still

00:13:56.699 --> 00:13:57.740
 happening in our world.

00:13:59.679 --> 00:14:00.679
 People are still

00:14:00.679 --> 00:14:01.719
 being confronted

00:14:01.719 --> 00:14:02.279
 by Jesus

00:14:02.279 --> 00:14:03.079
 through his word

00:14:03.079 --> 00:14:04.459
 and they're still

00:14:04.459 --> 00:14:05.899
 being radically

00:14:05.899 --> 00:14:06.620
 changed,

00:14:07.000 --> 00:14:07.879
 radically renewed.

00:14:09.699 --> 00:14:10.139
 Yes,

00:14:10.399 --> 00:14:11.259
 massive opposition,

00:14:11.679 --> 00:14:12.379
 growing opposition

00:14:12.379 --> 00:14:13.620
 in our Australian culture,

00:14:14.519 --> 00:14:15.459
 but nothing

00:14:15.459 --> 00:14:17.139
 ever has

00:14:17.139 --> 00:14:17.879
 and ever will

00:14:17.879 --> 00:14:18.919
 stop

00:14:18.919 --> 00:14:19.579
 the work

00:14:19.579 --> 00:14:20.179
 of harvest.

00:14:20.179 --> 00:14:22.679
 because the Lord

00:14:22.679 --> 00:14:23.219
 of the harvest

00:14:23.219 --> 00:14:24.279
 is busy

00:14:24.279 --> 00:14:25.359
 in his harvest field.

00:14:28.579 --> 00:14:29.559
 And then secondly,

00:14:29.879 --> 00:14:30.479
 the perspective

00:14:30.479 --> 00:14:30.899
 is good,

00:14:31.059 --> 00:14:31.359
 is that

00:14:31.359 --> 00:14:32.620
 we don't always

00:14:32.620 --> 00:14:33.279
 experience

00:14:33.279 --> 00:14:34.299
 God's salvation

00:14:34.299 --> 00:14:35.459
 and renewing

00:14:35.459 --> 00:14:36.479
 as we might expect.

00:14:39.219 --> 00:14:40.099
 The whole letter

00:14:40.099 --> 00:14:40.599
 to Hebrews

00:14:40.599 --> 00:14:41.759
 is about Christians

00:14:41.759 --> 00:14:42.459
 who thought that,

00:14:42.639 --> 00:14:42.679
 well,

00:14:43.079 --> 00:14:43.899
 once we become

00:14:43.899 --> 00:14:44.459
 Christians,

00:14:45.079 --> 00:14:45.899
 then life will

00:14:45.899 --> 00:14:46.599
 get easier.

00:14:47.479 --> 00:14:48.379
 Our sins are forgiven

00:14:48.379 --> 00:14:49.539
 and God will give us

00:14:49.539 --> 00:14:49.980
 this and this

00:14:49.980 --> 00:14:50.199
 and this

00:14:50.199 --> 00:14:50.439
 and this

00:14:50.439 --> 00:14:52.139
 and they find out

00:14:52.139 --> 00:14:53.339
 that their expectations

00:14:53.339 --> 00:14:54.240
 were quite wrong.

00:14:56.299 --> 00:14:57.500
 And we experience

00:14:57.500 --> 00:14:57.719
 that,

00:14:57.839 --> 00:14:58.039
 don't we?

00:14:58.299 --> 00:14:58.959
 That sometimes

00:14:58.959 --> 00:14:59.539
 we realize

00:14:59.539 --> 00:15:00.459
 that being a Christian

00:15:00.459 --> 00:15:01.360
 is actually harder.

00:15:03.120 --> 00:15:03.879
 It puts us

00:15:03.879 --> 00:15:04.259
 at odds

00:15:04.259 --> 00:15:05.099
 with our families.

00:15:06.419 --> 00:15:07.039
 It puts us

00:15:07.039 --> 00:15:07.879
 at odds

00:15:07.879 --> 00:15:08.500
 with our neighbors.

00:15:11.399 --> 00:15:11.959
 And yet,

00:15:12.059 --> 00:15:12.319
 the Lord

00:15:12.319 --> 00:15:12.899
 will use

00:15:12.899 --> 00:15:14.339
 those situations

00:15:14.339 --> 00:15:15.120
 of conflicts

00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:16.559
 to be

00:15:16.559 --> 00:15:17.559
 our maturing,

00:15:17.719 --> 00:15:18.199
 our growing.

00:15:19.539 --> 00:15:21.839
 so again,

00:15:21.919 --> 00:15:22.539
 like God's people

00:15:22.539 --> 00:15:22.980
 experience

00:15:22.980 --> 00:15:23.559
 in the Old Testament,

00:15:24.000 --> 00:15:25.000
 sometimes the greatest

00:15:25.000 --> 00:15:26.259
 periods of growth

00:15:26.259 --> 00:15:28.000
 or most times

00:15:28.000 --> 00:15:28.659
 the greatest period

00:15:28.659 --> 00:15:29.099
 of growth

00:15:29.099 --> 00:15:30.360
 comes from

00:15:30.360 --> 00:15:31.759
 really unexpected

00:15:31.759 --> 00:15:32.939
 circumstances,

00:15:33.099 --> 00:15:33.659
 sometimes even

00:15:33.659 --> 00:15:34.599
 left field

00:15:34.599 --> 00:15:35.939
 intersections

00:15:35.939 --> 00:15:36.599
 in our lives

00:15:36.599 --> 00:15:36.980
 that just

00:15:36.980 --> 00:15:37.860
 shake us out

00:15:37.860 --> 00:15:38.279
 of our tree

00:15:38.279 --> 00:15:38.779
 and we fall

00:15:38.779 --> 00:15:39.539
 flat on our face

00:15:39.539 --> 00:15:39.980
 and suddenly

00:15:39.980 --> 00:15:40.740
 we realize

00:15:40.740 --> 00:15:41.719
 that,

00:15:41.860 --> 00:15:41.899
 boy,

00:15:41.959 --> 00:15:42.319
 we've been

00:15:42.319 --> 00:15:43.120
 looking here

00:15:43.120 --> 00:15:44.019
 depending on that

00:15:44.019 --> 00:15:44.599
 and we need

00:15:44.599 --> 00:15:45.079
 to come back

00:15:45.080 --> 00:15:45.420
 and trust

00:15:45.420 --> 00:15:45.840
 the Lord.

00:15:47.879 --> 00:15:48.560
 It's not

00:15:48.560 --> 00:15:49.259
 what we expected,

00:15:49.400 --> 00:15:49.660
 is it?

00:15:51.160 --> 00:15:51.600
 And yet,

00:15:52.020 --> 00:15:52.720
 these things

00:15:52.720 --> 00:15:53.639
 are good things

00:15:53.639 --> 00:15:55.379
 and evidence

00:15:55.379 --> 00:15:56.240
 of God's kindness

00:15:56.240 --> 00:15:56.720
 to us.

00:15:58.460 --> 00:15:58.980
 So,

00:15:59.180 --> 00:16:00.300
 God's good news

00:16:00.300 --> 00:16:00.780
 salvation

00:16:00.780 --> 00:16:01.360
 is happening

00:16:01.360 --> 00:16:01.759
 everywhere,

00:16:02.300 --> 00:16:03.300
 not quite as expected

00:16:03.299 --> 00:16:04.519
 and then

00:16:04.519 --> 00:16:05.639
 Jesus goes on

00:16:05.639 --> 00:16:06.099
 then in the next

00:16:06.099 --> 00:16:06.819
 verses to

00:16:06.819 --> 00:16:07.599
 affirm

00:16:07.599 --> 00:16:08.599
 specifically

00:16:08.599 --> 00:16:10.319
 John's harvest

00:16:10.319 --> 00:16:10.679
 work

00:16:10.679 --> 00:16:12.699
 and I think

00:16:12.699 --> 00:16:13.240
 I want to add

00:16:13.240 --> 00:16:13.559
 in there

00:16:13.559 --> 00:16:14.699
 that he's

00:16:14.699 --> 00:16:15.479
 picking up a theme

00:16:15.479 --> 00:16:16.099
 here that doubt

00:16:16.099 --> 00:16:17.519
 is not unbelief.

00:16:18.399 --> 00:16:19.359
 We'll pick that up

00:16:19.359 --> 00:16:19.679
 in a minute.

00:16:21.259 --> 00:16:21.359
 So,

00:16:21.439 --> 00:16:22.179
 in verse 7,

00:16:22.259 --> 00:16:22.639
 as soon as

00:16:22.639 --> 00:16:23.439
 John's disciples

00:16:23.439 --> 00:16:23.799
 leave,

00:16:24.319 --> 00:16:25.059
 Jesus then uses

00:16:25.059 --> 00:16:25.620
 the opportunity

00:16:25.620 --> 00:16:26.579
 to address the crowd

00:16:26.579 --> 00:16:27.159
 and he speaks

00:16:27.159 --> 00:16:27.699
 to the crowd

00:16:27.699 --> 00:16:28.439
 specifically

00:16:28.439 --> 00:16:29.559
 about John

00:16:29.559 --> 00:16:30.740
 and it's a very

00:16:30.740 --> 00:16:31.479
 positive,

00:16:31.699 --> 00:16:32.359
 affirming

00:16:32.360 --> 00:16:34.019
 statement.

00:16:34.500 --> 00:16:34.659
 So,

00:16:34.899 --> 00:16:35.860
 John's just come

00:16:35.860 --> 00:16:36.440
 with a question

00:16:36.440 --> 00:16:37.700
 that might reflect

00:16:37.700 --> 00:16:38.340
 confusion

00:16:38.340 --> 00:16:39.919
 or doubt

00:16:39.919 --> 00:16:40.840
 or maybe even

00:16:40.840 --> 00:16:42.000
 a touch of anger

00:16:42.000 --> 00:16:42.919
 and stern correction

00:16:42.919 --> 00:16:43.320
 of Jesus.

00:16:43.399 --> 00:16:43.960
 Why am I still

00:16:43.960 --> 00:16:44.300
 in prison?

00:16:45.659 --> 00:16:46.180
 But Jesus

00:16:46.180 --> 00:16:47.560
 doesn't get

00:16:47.560 --> 00:16:49.419
 put off track

00:16:49.419 --> 00:16:49.639
 with that.

00:16:49.759 --> 00:16:50.519
 He warmly

00:16:50.519 --> 00:16:51.220
 affirms

00:16:51.220 --> 00:16:52.720
 John's ministry,

00:16:52.879 --> 00:16:53.560
 John's harvesting

00:16:53.560 --> 00:16:56.560
 and he spells

00:16:56.560 --> 00:16:57.060
 out

00:16:57.060 --> 00:16:58.800
 the significance

00:16:58.800 --> 00:16:59.759
 of John's ministry

00:16:59.759 --> 00:17:00.440
 to the crowds

00:17:00.440 --> 00:17:02.019
 who

00:17:02.019 --> 00:17:03.319
 probably by now

00:17:03.319 --> 00:17:04.619
 have dismissed

00:17:04.619 --> 00:17:04.799
 him.

00:17:04.980 --> 00:17:05.579
 He's out of sight

00:17:05.579 --> 00:17:06.319
 for more than a year.

00:17:07.440 --> 00:17:08.000
 Out of mind

00:17:08.000 --> 00:17:08.379
 probably.

00:17:09.539 --> 00:17:10.200
 Or perhaps

00:17:10.200 --> 00:17:10.779
 the crowds

00:17:10.779 --> 00:17:11.480
 Jesus feared,

00:17:11.559 --> 00:17:11.940
 the crowds

00:17:11.940 --> 00:17:12.619
 might have taken

00:17:12.619 --> 00:17:13.740
 John's

00:17:13.740 --> 00:17:15.240
 doubting question

00:17:15.240 --> 00:17:15.839
 or confused

00:17:15.839 --> 00:17:16.420
 question

00:17:16.420 --> 00:17:17.259
 as,

00:17:17.579 --> 00:17:18.000
 like we do

00:17:18.000 --> 00:17:18.279
 today,

00:17:18.500 --> 00:17:19.400
 some sort of

00:17:19.400 --> 00:17:21.039
 political backflip.

00:17:21.579 --> 00:17:21.700
 You know,

00:17:21.759 --> 00:17:22.460
 there was John

00:17:22.460 --> 00:17:23.599
 12 months ago,

00:17:23.660 --> 00:17:24.359
 he's this fiery

00:17:24.359 --> 00:17:25.379
 preacher for repentance,

00:17:25.819 --> 00:17:26.519
 he was convinced

00:17:26.519 --> 00:17:27.220
 that this was the

00:17:27.220 --> 00:17:27.539
 Messiah

00:17:27.539 --> 00:17:28.619
 and now

00:17:28.619 --> 00:17:29.139
 we've got

00:17:29.139 --> 00:17:29.659
 this pathetic

00:17:29.659 --> 00:17:30.339
 John just

00:17:30.339 --> 00:17:30.960
 asking this

00:17:30.960 --> 00:17:32.079
 wimpy question.

00:17:33.500 --> 00:17:34.279
 Whatever the

00:17:34.279 --> 00:17:34.579
 reason,

00:17:34.680 --> 00:17:35.259
 Jesus uses

00:17:35.259 --> 00:17:35.899
 the opportunity

00:17:35.899 --> 00:17:37.159
 to affirm

00:17:37.159 --> 00:17:37.639
 the ministry

00:17:37.639 --> 00:17:38.180
 of John

00:17:38.180 --> 00:17:39.740
 to the crowds.

00:17:40.279 --> 00:17:41.000
 The language

00:17:41.000 --> 00:17:41.420
 is a bit

00:17:41.420 --> 00:17:42.039
 strange,

00:17:42.279 --> 00:17:42.980
 but the point

00:17:42.980 --> 00:17:43.799
 is clear.

00:17:43.920 --> 00:17:44.460
 Jesus puts

00:17:44.460 --> 00:17:44.920
 a couple of

00:17:44.920 --> 00:17:45.420
 options

00:17:45.420 --> 00:17:46.279
 to the crowds.

00:17:46.519 --> 00:17:46.680
 So,

00:17:47.180 --> 00:17:47.619
 what do you

00:17:47.619 --> 00:17:48.339
 have in mind

00:17:48.339 --> 00:17:48.899
 when you think

00:17:48.899 --> 00:17:49.460
 of John the

00:17:49.460 --> 00:17:49.759
 Baptist,

00:17:50.019 --> 00:17:50.500
 that guy

00:17:50.500 --> 00:17:50.960
 you went out

00:17:50.960 --> 00:17:51.299
 to see

00:17:51.299 --> 00:17:51.779
 in the wilderness?

00:17:51.779 --> 00:17:54.319
 Well,

00:17:54.460 --> 00:17:55.039
 Jesus is really

00:17:55.039 --> 00:17:55.339
 saying,

00:17:56.180 --> 00:17:56.799
 you're not

00:17:56.799 --> 00:17:57.259
 to think

00:17:57.259 --> 00:17:57.879
 of John

00:17:57.879 --> 00:17:59.000
 as a reed

00:17:59.000 --> 00:18:00.139
 on the river

00:18:00.139 --> 00:18:00.500
 bank.

00:18:01.139 --> 00:18:01.559
 In other words,

00:18:01.920 --> 00:18:02.500
 somebody who's

00:18:02.500 --> 00:18:02.940
 fickle,

00:18:03.139 --> 00:18:03.639
 who's lacking

00:18:03.639 --> 00:18:04.259
 conviction,

00:18:04.839 --> 00:18:05.299
 who's sort of

00:18:05.299 --> 00:18:05.960
 blown about

00:18:05.960 --> 00:18:06.619
 by the political

00:18:06.619 --> 00:18:07.180
 breeze.

00:18:07.639 --> 00:18:08.119
 He came,

00:18:08.259 --> 00:18:08.720
 made a big

00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:09.220
 splash,

00:18:09.519 --> 00:18:09.920
 and now he's

00:18:09.920 --> 00:18:10.460
 gone again.

00:18:10.980 --> 00:18:11.500
 Blown away

00:18:11.500 --> 00:18:12.139
 by political

00:18:12.139 --> 00:18:13.039
 public opinion

00:18:13.039 --> 00:18:14.220
 or perhaps

00:18:14.220 --> 00:18:15.759
 personal circumstances,

00:18:16.259 --> 00:18:16.720
 maybe even

00:18:16.720 --> 00:18:17.359
 he's rejecting

00:18:17.359 --> 00:18:18.039
 Jesus now.

00:18:19.180 --> 00:18:19.359
 No,

00:18:19.379 --> 00:18:19.759
 says Jesus,

00:18:20.240 --> 00:18:21.079
 do not think

00:18:21.079 --> 00:18:21.519
 of John

00:18:21.519 --> 00:18:21.980
 like that.

00:18:23.599 --> 00:18:24.079
 Nor,

00:18:24.859 --> 00:18:25.359
 were you to

00:18:25.359 --> 00:18:25.740
 think of him

00:18:25.740 --> 00:18:26.240
 at the other

00:18:26.240 --> 00:18:26.700
 end of the

00:18:26.700 --> 00:18:27.039
 extreme,

00:18:27.980 --> 00:18:28.579
 someone who

00:18:28.579 --> 00:18:29.440
 just craved

00:18:29.440 --> 00:18:30.460
 the easy,

00:18:30.639 --> 00:18:31.400
 ostentatious

00:18:31.400 --> 00:18:32.139
 life and

00:18:32.139 --> 00:18:33.359
 reputation of

00:18:33.359 --> 00:18:33.839
 some sort of

00:18:33.839 --> 00:18:34.720
 powerful

00:18:34.720 --> 00:18:35.539
 government

00:18:35.539 --> 00:18:36.000
 official.

00:18:37.119 --> 00:18:37.579
 And if this

00:18:37.579 --> 00:18:38.119
 was a reference

00:18:38.119 --> 00:18:38.960
 to Herod and

00:18:38.960 --> 00:18:39.400
 Herodias,

00:18:39.940 --> 00:18:41.139
 probably in the

00:18:41.139 --> 00:18:41.460
 day,

00:18:41.700 --> 00:18:42.400
 powerful government

00:18:42.400 --> 00:18:43.079
 officials were

00:18:43.079 --> 00:18:44.139
 also powerful

00:18:44.139 --> 00:18:45.000
 and enjoying

00:18:45.000 --> 00:18:45.519
 the good life

00:18:45.519 --> 00:18:45.920
 because of

00:18:45.920 --> 00:18:46.359
 corruption,

00:18:48.500 --> 00:18:49.180
 an extortion

00:18:49.180 --> 00:18:49.779
 of their people.

00:18:49.779 --> 00:18:51.240
 So,

00:18:51.480 --> 00:18:51.879
 Jesus

00:18:51.879 --> 00:18:52.279
 has given

00:18:52.279 --> 00:18:52.920
 the crowds

00:18:52.920 --> 00:18:54.399
 two pretty

00:18:54.399 --> 00:18:55.240
 obviously

00:18:55.240 --> 00:18:56.579
 silly extremes.

00:18:56.720 --> 00:18:57.119
 He's not

00:18:57.119 --> 00:18:57.519
 this,

00:18:58.240 --> 00:18:58.519
 and he's

00:18:58.519 --> 00:18:59.259
 not that.

00:19:00.259 --> 00:19:00.700
 So,

00:19:00.799 --> 00:19:01.259
 what is he?

00:19:01.700 --> 00:19:02.059
 And Jesus

00:19:02.059 --> 00:19:02.639
 then goes on

00:19:02.639 --> 00:19:02.960
 to say,

00:19:03.420 --> 00:19:03.940
 he's a prophet.

00:19:04.000 --> 00:19:04.440
 Not just a

00:19:04.440 --> 00:19:04.740
 prophet,

00:19:04.859 --> 00:19:05.420
 not just any

00:19:05.420 --> 00:19:05.759
 prophet,

00:19:06.299 --> 00:19:07.059
 but the

00:19:07.059 --> 00:19:07.839
 greatest

00:19:07.839 --> 00:19:08.279
 prophet.

00:19:10.819 --> 00:19:11.579
 John was a

00:19:11.579 --> 00:19:12.539
 special messenger

00:19:12.539 --> 00:19:13.220
 or worker

00:19:13.220 --> 00:19:13.740
 of God.

00:19:14.339 --> 00:19:14.839
 Why was he

00:19:14.839 --> 00:19:15.440
 so special?

00:19:15.539 --> 00:19:16.039
 Why was he in

00:19:16.039 --> 00:19:16.700
 a category by

00:19:16.700 --> 00:19:16.960
 himself?

00:19:16.960 --> 00:19:17.840
 Because he

00:19:17.840 --> 00:19:18.620
 himself was

00:19:18.620 --> 00:19:19.039
 the subject

00:19:19.039 --> 00:19:19.819
 of a prophecy.

00:19:21.019 --> 00:19:21.860
 He was,

00:19:22.120 --> 00:19:22.600
 as Malachi

00:19:22.600 --> 00:19:22.920
 said,

00:19:22.980 --> 00:19:23.279
 he was the

00:19:23.279 --> 00:19:23.579
 one who

00:19:23.579 --> 00:19:23.799
 would be

00:19:23.799 --> 00:19:24.279
 like the

00:19:24.279 --> 00:19:24.920
 new Elijah,

00:19:25.819 --> 00:19:27.000
 who would

00:19:27.000 --> 00:19:27.299
 have the

00:19:27.299 --> 00:19:27.960
 privilege of

00:19:27.960 --> 00:19:28.420
 preparing

00:19:28.420 --> 00:19:30.100
 and announcing

00:19:30.100 --> 00:19:32.620
 God's long

00:19:32.620 --> 00:19:33.460
 promised king

00:19:33.460 --> 00:19:33.920
 and savior.

00:19:34.980 --> 00:19:35.340
 And Jesus

00:19:35.340 --> 00:19:35.960
 is very clear

00:19:35.960 --> 00:19:36.220
 here.

00:19:36.860 --> 00:19:38.079
 Nobody spoke

00:19:38.079 --> 00:19:38.900
 as clearly

00:19:38.900 --> 00:19:39.600
 about Jesus

00:19:39.600 --> 00:19:40.779
 as did

00:19:40.779 --> 00:19:41.240
 John the

00:19:41.240 --> 00:19:41.559
 Baptist.

00:19:43.980 --> 00:19:44.620
 Yet,

00:19:45.220 --> 00:19:45.600
 end of

00:19:45.600 --> 00:19:46.140
 verse 11,

00:19:46.960 --> 00:19:48.660
 yet,

00:19:48.960 --> 00:19:49.920
 because John

00:19:49.920 --> 00:19:52.019
 died before

00:19:52.019 --> 00:19:52.640
 the death and

00:19:52.640 --> 00:19:53.319
 resurrection of

00:19:53.319 --> 00:19:53.660
 Jesus,

00:19:54.519 --> 00:19:55.440
 his understanding

00:19:55.440 --> 00:19:56.319
 of Jesus and

00:19:56.319 --> 00:19:57.019
 how his people

00:19:57.019 --> 00:19:57.920
 would experience

00:19:57.920 --> 00:19:58.759
 salvation in

00:19:58.759 --> 00:19:59.240
 God's kingdom

00:19:59.240 --> 00:19:59.660
 was very

00:19:59.660 --> 00:20:00.039
 limited.

00:20:02.640 --> 00:20:02.960
 And

00:20:02.960 --> 00:20:03.819
 exceptionally

00:20:03.819 --> 00:20:04.680
 limited compared

00:20:04.680 --> 00:20:05.160
 to our

00:20:05.160 --> 00:20:05.660
 understanding,

00:20:05.819 --> 00:20:06.180
 because we

00:20:06.180 --> 00:20:06.640
 live in this

00:20:06.640 --> 00:20:07.500
 side of the

00:20:07.500 --> 00:20:07.920
 death and

00:20:07.920 --> 00:20:08.759
 resurrection and

00:20:08.759 --> 00:20:09.299
 ascension of

00:20:09.299 --> 00:20:09.559
 Jesus.

00:20:11.340 --> 00:20:12.180
 So John was

00:20:12.180 --> 00:20:12.799
 the greatest

00:20:12.799 --> 00:20:13.259
 prophet.

00:20:13.440 --> 00:20:14.019
 He spoke the

00:20:14.019 --> 00:20:14.680
 most clearly of

00:20:14.680 --> 00:20:15.160
 Jesus at that

00:20:15.160 --> 00:20:15.799
 point in time,

00:20:15.799 --> 00:20:17.500
 but even his

00:20:17.500 --> 00:20:18.220
 testimony to

00:20:18.220 --> 00:20:18.680
 Jesus is

00:20:18.680 --> 00:20:19.279
 dwarfed by

00:20:19.279 --> 00:20:20.599
 what just

00:20:20.599 --> 00:20:20.960
 an ordinary

00:20:20.960 --> 00:20:21.599
 Christian like

00:20:21.599 --> 00:20:22.000
 you and I

00:20:22.000 --> 00:20:22.339
 can do.

00:20:28.539 --> 00:20:28.980
 Now,

00:20:29.059 --> 00:20:29.220
 again,

00:20:29.259 --> 00:20:29.720
 I just want to

00:20:29.720 --> 00:20:30.419
 pause because

00:20:30.419 --> 00:20:32.000
 Jesus' affirmation

00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:32.700
 of John

00:20:32.700 --> 00:20:35.019
 indirectly also

00:20:35.019 --> 00:20:36.000
 affirms us

00:20:36.000 --> 00:20:36.720
 in our

00:20:36.720 --> 00:20:37.339
 harvest work.

00:20:37.339 --> 00:20:39.059
 And the

00:20:39.059 --> 00:20:39.399
 first thing,

00:20:39.459 --> 00:20:39.879
 coming back to

00:20:39.879 --> 00:20:39.980
 it,

00:20:40.039 --> 00:20:40.720
 is that

00:20:40.720 --> 00:20:41.720
 Jesus doesn't

00:20:41.720 --> 00:20:42.500
 put John's

00:20:42.500 --> 00:20:43.179
 doubts or

00:20:43.179 --> 00:20:44.740
 confusion in

00:20:44.740 --> 00:20:45.500
 the category of

00:20:45.500 --> 00:20:45.919
 unbelief.

00:20:46.119 --> 00:20:47.119
 Jesus goes on to

00:20:47.119 --> 00:20:47.539
 speak about

00:20:47.539 --> 00:20:48.099
 unbelief in

00:20:48.099 --> 00:20:48.759
 verse 16,

00:20:49.379 --> 00:20:49.959
 and he's very

00:20:49.959 --> 00:20:50.699
 open and clear

00:20:50.699 --> 00:20:51.099
 about it,

00:20:51.459 --> 00:20:51.799
 but he

00:20:51.799 --> 00:20:52.379
 obviously doesn't

00:20:52.379 --> 00:20:53.279
 put John's

00:20:53.279 --> 00:20:53.939
 doubts and

00:20:53.939 --> 00:20:54.519
 question and

00:20:54.519 --> 00:20:55.619
 confusion in

00:20:55.619 --> 00:20:56.220
 that category.

00:20:57.299 --> 00:20:58.099
 Why not?

00:20:58.159 --> 00:20:58.459
 What's the

00:20:58.459 --> 00:20:58.839
 difference?

00:21:00.519 --> 00:21:01.339
 Because John

00:21:01.339 --> 00:21:01.819
 was searching

00:21:01.819 --> 00:21:02.439
 for truth.

00:21:02.440 --> 00:21:06.600
 John was

00:21:06.600 --> 00:21:07.140
 trying to

00:21:07.140 --> 00:21:07.840
 understand

00:21:07.840 --> 00:21:08.279
 Jesus,

00:21:08.779 --> 00:21:09.360
 and ultimately

00:21:09.360 --> 00:21:09.860
 he gets the

00:21:09.860 --> 00:21:11.480
 affirmation in

00:21:11.480 --> 00:21:12.160
 verse 6 from

00:21:12.160 --> 00:21:13.259
 Jesus that

00:21:13.259 --> 00:21:14.740
 he is the

00:21:14.740 --> 00:21:15.200
 blessed,

00:21:15.480 --> 00:21:15.960
 one of the

00:21:15.960 --> 00:21:16.440
 blessed of

00:21:16.440 --> 00:21:16.960
 verse 6,

00:21:17.160 --> 00:21:18.140
 because of

00:21:18.140 --> 00:21:18.600
 what he did

00:21:18.600 --> 00:21:18.960
 with his

00:21:18.960 --> 00:21:19.320
 doubts.

00:21:20.980 --> 00:21:21.779
 He brought

00:21:21.779 --> 00:21:22.220
 his doubts

00:21:22.220 --> 00:21:22.900
 to Jesus.

00:21:23.759 --> 00:21:24.039
 He was

00:21:24.039 --> 00:21:25.299
 determined to

00:21:25.299 --> 00:21:26.039
 discover the

00:21:26.039 --> 00:21:26.960
 truth from

00:21:26.960 --> 00:21:27.640
 the lips of

00:21:27.640 --> 00:21:28.000
 the one who

00:21:28.000 --> 00:21:28.299
 could give

00:21:28.299 --> 00:21:28.539
 him the

00:21:28.539 --> 00:21:28.799
 truth.

00:21:29.180 --> 00:21:29.519
 Then he

00:21:29.519 --> 00:21:29.980
 was determined

00:21:29.980 --> 00:21:31.039
 to align his

00:21:31.039 --> 00:21:31.860
 life and

00:21:31.860 --> 00:21:32.420
 experience

00:21:32.420 --> 00:21:33.160
 and circumstance

00:21:33.160 --> 00:21:33.720
 and hope

00:21:33.720 --> 00:21:36.039
 with what

00:21:36.039 --> 00:21:36.640
 Jesus said

00:21:36.640 --> 00:21:37.700
 to him,

00:21:37.700 --> 00:21:41.900
 rather than

00:21:41.900 --> 00:21:42.279
 his own

00:21:42.279 --> 00:21:43.279
 thinking and

00:21:43.279 --> 00:21:43.960
 expectations.

00:21:44.920 --> 00:21:45.400
 We'll see a

00:21:45.400 --> 00:21:45.820
 little bit more

00:21:45.820 --> 00:21:46.340
 of that when

00:21:46.340 --> 00:21:46.740
 we come to

00:21:46.740 --> 00:21:46.980
 look at

00:21:46.980 --> 00:21:47.620
 verses 16

00:21:47.620 --> 00:21:48.080
 to 19.

00:21:49.600 --> 00:21:50.220
 The second

00:21:50.220 --> 00:21:50.800
 thing is that

00:21:50.800 --> 00:21:51.480
 I just want

00:21:51.480 --> 00:21:51.980
 us to note

00:21:51.980 --> 00:21:52.460
 in passing

00:21:52.460 --> 00:21:52.880
 here that

00:21:52.880 --> 00:21:54.060
 Jesus had

00:21:54.060 --> 00:21:54.580
 such a

00:21:54.580 --> 00:21:55.740
 warm testimony

00:21:55.740 --> 00:21:57.000
 to John.

00:21:59.019 --> 00:21:59.740
 This is an

00:21:59.740 --> 00:22:00.220
 important point

00:22:00.220 --> 00:22:00.460
 because I'm

00:22:00.460 --> 00:22:00.779
 going to take

00:22:00.779 --> 00:22:01.200
 us back into

00:22:01.200 --> 00:22:01.840
 chapter 10

00:22:01.839 --> 00:22:02.299
 for this,

00:22:02.879 --> 00:22:03.259
 especially

00:22:03.259 --> 00:22:04.459
 verses 32

00:22:04.459 --> 00:22:05.099
 and 33

00:22:05.099 --> 00:22:05.519
 of chapter

00:22:05.519 --> 00:22:05.819
 10.

00:22:06.500 --> 00:22:06.619
 See,

00:22:06.699 --> 00:22:07.139
 back then

00:22:07.139 --> 00:22:07.679
 Jesus said,

00:22:07.859 --> 00:22:07.879
 look,

00:22:08.039 --> 00:22:09.699
 if you stand

00:22:09.699 --> 00:22:10.299
 with me,

00:22:11.179 --> 00:22:11.819
 I will never

00:22:11.819 --> 00:22:12.519
 abandon you.

00:22:15.119 --> 00:22:15.839
 And there's a

00:22:15.839 --> 00:22:16.419
 sense here in

00:22:16.419 --> 00:22:16.959
 which Jesus

00:22:16.959 --> 00:22:17.539
 is actually

00:22:17.539 --> 00:22:18.619
 doing publicly

00:22:18.619 --> 00:22:19.819
 that which

00:22:19.819 --> 00:22:20.679
 he said back

00:22:20.679 --> 00:22:21.459
 in chapter 10

00:22:21.459 --> 00:22:22.199
 verses 32

00:22:22.199 --> 00:22:22.759
 and 33.

00:22:24.019 --> 00:22:24.779
 He's not

00:22:24.779 --> 00:22:25.919
 ashamed to

00:22:25.919 --> 00:22:26.539
 stand with

00:22:26.539 --> 00:22:27.039
 his cousin,

00:22:27.299 --> 00:22:27.919
 even though his

00:22:27.919 --> 00:22:28.639
 cousin is now

00:22:28.639 --> 00:22:29.959
 shamed by being

00:22:29.960 --> 00:22:30.360
 imprisoned.

00:22:31.160 --> 00:22:31.559
 He's not

00:22:31.559 --> 00:22:32.819
 embarrassed by

00:22:32.819 --> 00:22:33.579
 John's persona.

00:22:33.779 --> 00:22:34.059
 And remember,

00:22:34.180 --> 00:22:34.740
 John was a

00:22:34.740 --> 00:22:35.200
 pretty weird

00:22:35.200 --> 00:22:35.840
 looking guy.

00:22:42.720 --> 00:22:43.759
 He affirms

00:22:43.759 --> 00:22:44.720
 John's harvest

00:22:44.720 --> 00:22:45.140
 work,

00:22:45.920 --> 00:22:46.559
 even though

00:22:46.559 --> 00:22:48.000
 John's period

00:22:48.000 --> 00:22:48.720
 of harvesting

00:22:48.720 --> 00:22:50.480
 was relatively

00:22:50.480 --> 00:22:51.940
 short and

00:22:51.940 --> 00:22:52.579
 actually cut

00:22:52.579 --> 00:22:53.480
 short by

00:22:53.480 --> 00:22:54.100
 his circumstance.

00:22:54.099 --> 00:22:56.439
 And I

00:22:56.439 --> 00:22:56.799
 think that

00:22:56.799 --> 00:22:57.399
 might also

00:22:57.399 --> 00:22:57.919
 then be

00:22:57.919 --> 00:22:58.639
 an outworking

00:22:58.639 --> 00:22:59.119
 of verses

00:22:59.119 --> 00:23:01.219
 41 and 42

00:23:01.219 --> 00:23:02.000
 of chapter 10.

00:23:03.240 --> 00:23:03.879
 I said last

00:23:03.879 --> 00:23:04.259
 week that it

00:23:04.259 --> 00:23:04.699
 was a bit hard

00:23:04.699 --> 00:23:05.179
 to understand

00:23:05.179 --> 00:23:05.719
 exactly what

00:23:05.719 --> 00:23:06.099
 that was,

00:23:06.159 --> 00:23:06.799
 but I think

00:23:06.799 --> 00:23:08.339
 this could be

00:23:08.339 --> 00:23:08.899
 an outworking

00:23:08.899 --> 00:23:09.099
 of it.

00:23:09.119 --> 00:23:09.519
 In other words,

00:23:09.599 --> 00:23:10.179
 Jesus is saying,

00:23:10.659 --> 00:23:11.199
 here's John,

00:23:11.259 --> 00:23:11.619
 he's a good

00:23:11.619 --> 00:23:12.019
 example.

00:23:12.159 --> 00:23:12.619
 I said that

00:23:12.619 --> 00:23:13.740
 different people

00:23:13.740 --> 00:23:14.599
 had different

00:23:14.599 --> 00:23:15.980
 points of

00:23:15.980 --> 00:23:16.759
 engagement in

00:23:16.759 --> 00:23:17.139
 the harvest,

00:23:17.319 --> 00:23:18.079
 different levels

00:23:18.079 --> 00:23:18.819
 of involvement

00:23:18.819 --> 00:23:19.339
 in the harvest.

00:23:19.679 --> 00:23:20.019
 People were

00:23:20.019 --> 00:23:20.619
 doing different

00:23:20.619 --> 00:23:21.439
 sorts of things.

00:23:22.139 --> 00:23:23.079
 Is one better

00:23:23.079 --> 00:23:23.480
 than the other?

00:23:23.579 --> 00:23:23.819
 No.

00:23:24.099 --> 00:23:24.599
 They're all

00:23:24.599 --> 00:23:24.899
 equal.

00:23:25.019 --> 00:23:25.299
 It's all

00:23:25.299 --> 00:23:25.799
 part of the

00:23:25.799 --> 00:23:26.839
 family business,

00:23:27.019 --> 00:23:27.519
 the harvesting.

00:23:28.639 --> 00:23:29.419
 John had his

00:23:29.419 --> 00:23:29.679
 part.

00:23:29.779 --> 00:23:30.199
 Yes, he was

00:23:30.199 --> 00:23:30.799
 an outstanding

00:23:30.799 --> 00:23:31.240
 prophet.

00:23:31.919 --> 00:23:32.419
 Short period

00:23:32.419 --> 00:23:32.759
 of time,

00:23:32.859 --> 00:23:33.199
 yes.

00:23:34.159 --> 00:23:34.559
 Truncated

00:23:34.559 --> 00:23:34.939
 out of the

00:23:34.939 --> 00:23:35.139
 blue,

00:23:35.279 --> 00:23:35.719
 yes.

00:23:39.639 --> 00:23:40.179
 But he

00:23:40.179 --> 00:23:40.579
 did his

00:23:40.579 --> 00:23:40.980
 work of

00:23:40.980 --> 00:23:41.480
 harvesting

00:23:41.480 --> 00:23:42.459
 for the

00:23:42.459 --> 00:23:42.959
 great king.

00:23:46.679 --> 00:23:47.240
 And the

00:23:47.240 --> 00:23:47.639
 third thing

00:23:47.639 --> 00:23:47.899
 I want to

00:23:47.899 --> 00:23:48.279
 just draw

00:23:48.279 --> 00:23:48.699
 your attention

00:23:48.699 --> 00:23:49.779
 to here

00:23:49.779 --> 00:23:50.299
 is that

00:23:50.299 --> 00:23:51.639
 any believer

00:23:51.639 --> 00:23:52.899
 is better

00:23:52.899 --> 00:23:53.500
 able to

00:23:53.500 --> 00:23:54.140
 witness or

00:23:54.140 --> 00:23:54.680
 speak about

00:23:54.680 --> 00:23:55.059
 Jesus

00:23:55.059 --> 00:23:56.079
 than John

00:23:56.079 --> 00:23:56.519
 the Baptist.

00:23:57.299 --> 00:23:57.799
 That's quite

00:23:57.799 --> 00:23:58.259
 a remarkable

00:23:58.259 --> 00:23:58.700
 thought.

00:23:59.240 --> 00:24:00.000
 We just

00:24:00.000 --> 00:24:00.339
 loathe it.

00:24:00.380 --> 00:24:00.640
 I think we

00:24:00.640 --> 00:24:01.380
 go too fast

00:24:01.380 --> 00:24:01.779
 over it.

00:24:04.240 --> 00:24:04.859
 You're a

00:24:04.859 --> 00:24:05.299
 Christian here

00:24:05.299 --> 00:24:05.759
 this morning.

00:24:06.799 --> 00:24:07.500
 You've got a

00:24:07.500 --> 00:24:08.119
 vastly

00:24:08.119 --> 00:24:10.700
 greater

00:24:10.700 --> 00:24:12.000
 understanding

00:24:12.000 --> 00:24:12.740
 of Jesus

00:24:12.740 --> 00:24:13.960
 than even

00:24:13.960 --> 00:24:14.299
 John the

00:24:14.299 --> 00:24:14.559
 Baptist

00:24:14.559 --> 00:24:14.859
 had.

00:24:17.259 --> 00:24:17.880
 Because you're

00:24:17.880 --> 00:24:18.400
 this side of

00:24:18.400 --> 00:24:18.960
 his death

00:24:18.960 --> 00:24:19.420
 and resurrection.

00:24:19.420 --> 00:24:20.220
 John could

00:24:20.220 --> 00:24:21.200
 only begin

00:24:21.200 --> 00:24:22.060
 to picture

00:24:22.060 --> 00:24:23.560
 how Jesus

00:24:23.560 --> 00:24:23.960
 would bring

00:24:23.960 --> 00:24:24.680
 salvation and

00:24:24.680 --> 00:24:25.000
 what it would

00:24:25.000 --> 00:24:25.740
 mean to be in

00:24:25.740 --> 00:24:26.140
 his kingdom

00:24:26.140 --> 00:24:26.720
 and what his

00:24:26.720 --> 00:24:27.140
 kingdom would

00:24:27.140 --> 00:24:27.680
 look like.

00:24:29.480 --> 00:24:30.200
 We can see

00:24:30.200 --> 00:24:30.539
 that in a

00:24:30.539 --> 00:24:31.000
 detail that

00:24:31.000 --> 00:24:31.360
 John could

00:24:31.360 --> 00:24:31.840
 never even

00:24:31.840 --> 00:24:32.400
 have imagined.

00:24:33.180 --> 00:24:33.580
 We've

00:24:33.580 --> 00:24:34.400
 experienced it.

00:24:34.759 --> 00:24:35.460
 We experience

00:24:35.460 --> 00:24:36.340
 it daily.

00:24:40.160 --> 00:24:40.700
 So it

00:24:40.700 --> 00:24:41.539
 seems strange

00:24:41.539 --> 00:24:42.279
 to me that I

00:24:42.279 --> 00:24:42.779
 keep hearing

00:24:42.779 --> 00:24:43.539
 Christians saying

00:24:43.539 --> 00:24:45.420
 I don't know

00:24:45.420 --> 00:24:46.000
 what to say.

00:24:46.000 --> 00:24:48.440
 I don't

00:24:48.440 --> 00:24:49.059
 know how to

00:24:49.059 --> 00:24:49.720
 testify to

00:24:49.720 --> 00:24:50.160
 Jesus.

00:25:00.579 --> 00:25:01.119
 Well,

00:25:01.259 --> 00:25:01.759
 moving on.

00:25:03.000 --> 00:25:03.339
 The third

00:25:03.339 --> 00:25:04.039
 thing as

00:25:04.039 --> 00:25:05.900
 Jesus

00:25:05.900 --> 00:25:06.380
 harvesting

00:25:06.380 --> 00:25:07.000
 works on

00:25:07.000 --> 00:25:07.279
 track,

00:25:07.400 --> 00:25:07.920
 Jesus does

00:25:07.920 --> 00:25:08.779
 say expect

00:25:08.779 --> 00:25:10.240
 people constantly

00:25:10.240 --> 00:25:11.500
 to attempt

00:25:11.500 --> 00:25:12.900
 to redefine

00:25:12.900 --> 00:25:14.160
 salvation and

00:25:14.160 --> 00:25:14.700
 God's kingdom.

00:25:16.000 --> 00:25:16.339
 Now we're

00:25:16.339 --> 00:25:16.680
 going to

00:25:16.680 --> 00:25:16.980
 look at

00:25:16.980 --> 00:25:17.740
 some of

00:25:17.740 --> 00:25:18.099
 the difficult

00:25:18.099 --> 00:25:18.599
 verses here,

00:25:18.680 --> 00:25:18.880
 12,

00:25:18.960 --> 00:25:19.220
 13,

00:25:19.319 --> 00:25:19.559
 14,

00:25:19.720 --> 00:25:20.059
 15.

00:25:20.579 --> 00:25:20.859
 And they

00:25:20.859 --> 00:25:21.319
 are difficult

00:25:21.319 --> 00:25:21.660
 verses.

00:25:22.059 --> 00:25:22.539
 Verse 12

00:25:22.539 --> 00:25:23.079
 particularly has

00:25:23.079 --> 00:25:23.519
 been argued

00:25:23.519 --> 00:25:24.299
 over by

00:25:24.299 --> 00:25:24.839
 scholars for

00:25:24.839 --> 00:25:25.460
 generations.

00:25:27.380 --> 00:25:27.839
 Many

00:25:27.839 --> 00:25:28.940
 commentators and

00:25:28.940 --> 00:25:29.640
 commentaries dig

00:25:29.640 --> 00:25:30.400
 into that verse

00:25:30.400 --> 00:25:31.420
 in depth and

00:25:31.420 --> 00:25:32.019
 I'm not going to

00:25:32.019 --> 00:25:32.700
 do that this

00:25:32.700 --> 00:25:32.960
 morning.

00:25:33.660 --> 00:25:34.220
 I'm just going to

00:25:34.220 --> 00:25:34.799
 offer you what I

00:25:34.799 --> 00:25:35.160
 think is a

00:25:35.160 --> 00:25:35.519
 reasonable

00:25:35.519 --> 00:25:36.400
 alternative for

00:25:36.400 --> 00:25:36.880
 that verse.

00:25:37.640 --> 00:25:38.240
 Recognizing it

00:25:38.240 --> 00:25:38.700
 is a difficult

00:25:38.700 --> 00:25:39.039
 verse.

00:25:40.980 --> 00:25:41.440
 And I think the

00:25:41.440 --> 00:25:42.220
 context is really

00:25:42.220 --> 00:25:42.599
 important.

00:25:42.819 --> 00:25:43.000
 Given,

00:25:44.319 --> 00:25:44.839
 oh better read

00:25:44.839 --> 00:25:45.140
 the verse.

00:25:45.140 --> 00:25:45.740
 So what does

00:25:45.740 --> 00:25:46.300
 it mean then

00:25:46.300 --> 00:25:46.920
 when Jesus

00:25:46.920 --> 00:25:47.480
 says from the

00:25:47.480 --> 00:25:48.080
 days of John

00:25:48.080 --> 00:25:48.520
 the Baptist

00:25:48.520 --> 00:25:49.259
 until now,

00:25:49.980 --> 00:25:50.460
 the kingdom

00:25:50.460 --> 00:25:51.140
 of heaven or

00:25:51.140 --> 00:25:51.480
 the kingdom

00:25:51.480 --> 00:25:52.300
 of God has

00:25:52.300 --> 00:25:53.300
 suffered violence

00:25:53.300 --> 00:25:54.640
 and the

00:25:54.640 --> 00:25:55.500
 violent take it

00:25:55.500 --> 00:25:56.060
 by force.

00:25:58.740 --> 00:25:59.700
 It's a strange

00:25:59.700 --> 00:26:00.000
 verse,

00:26:00.080 --> 00:26:00.380
 isn't it?

00:26:03.420 --> 00:26:04.280
 I think that

00:26:04.280 --> 00:26:05.400
 given that Jesus

00:26:05.400 --> 00:26:06.680
 is explaining

00:26:06.680 --> 00:26:07.560
 to the crowd

00:26:07.560 --> 00:26:08.460
 the significance

00:26:08.460 --> 00:26:09.360
 of John's

00:26:09.360 --> 00:26:11.400
 ministry in

00:26:11.400 --> 00:26:12.080
 relation to

00:26:12.080 --> 00:26:12.560
 his own,

00:26:12.559 --> 00:26:14.779
 then the

00:26:14.779 --> 00:26:15.679
 phrase from

00:26:15.679 --> 00:26:16.559
 the day of

00:26:16.559 --> 00:26:16.859
 John the

00:26:16.859 --> 00:26:17.159
 Baptist

00:26:17.159 --> 00:26:17.879
 until now

00:26:17.879 --> 00:26:18.559
 describes

00:26:18.559 --> 00:26:19.059
 Jesus'

00:26:19.240 --> 00:26:20.799
 mission of

00:26:20.799 --> 00:26:21.559
 reestablishing

00:26:21.559 --> 00:26:22.000
 the kingdom

00:26:22.000 --> 00:26:22.559
 of God

00:26:22.559 --> 00:26:23.460
 from the

00:26:23.460 --> 00:26:23.799
 time it

00:26:23.799 --> 00:26:24.339
 began in

00:26:24.339 --> 00:26:24.839
 the context

00:26:24.839 --> 00:26:25.359
 of John's

00:26:25.359 --> 00:26:25.700
 ministry.

00:26:26.299 --> 00:26:26.879
 So Jesus

00:26:26.879 --> 00:26:27.599
 is now about

00:26:27.599 --> 00:26:27.980
 to make a

00:26:27.980 --> 00:26:29.059
 comment that

00:26:29.059 --> 00:26:29.899
 sort of sums

00:26:29.899 --> 00:26:30.940
 up and reflects

00:26:30.940 --> 00:26:32.839
 his period of

00:26:32.839 --> 00:26:33.500
 kingdom building

00:26:33.500 --> 00:26:34.519
 or harvesting

00:26:34.519 --> 00:26:34.899
 work.

00:26:34.900 --> 00:26:37.900
 the first

00:26:37.900 --> 00:26:38.500
 phrase that

00:26:38.500 --> 00:26:39.320
 the ESV

00:26:39.320 --> 00:26:39.860
 has in

00:26:39.860 --> 00:26:40.120
 here,

00:26:40.240 --> 00:26:40.660
 the kingdom

00:26:40.660 --> 00:26:41.200
 of heaven

00:26:41.200 --> 00:26:41.960
 has suffered

00:26:41.960 --> 00:26:42.600
 violence,

00:26:44.400 --> 00:26:45.280
 can also

00:26:45.280 --> 00:26:46.280
 be translated

00:26:46.280 --> 00:26:47.280
 properly and

00:26:47.280 --> 00:26:47.759
 I think

00:26:47.759 --> 00:26:48.140
 better.

00:26:49.000 --> 00:26:49.480
 The kingdom

00:26:49.480 --> 00:26:50.019
 of heaven

00:26:50.019 --> 00:26:51.320
 has been

00:26:51.320 --> 00:26:51.759
 coming

00:26:51.759 --> 00:26:52.540
 forcefully

00:26:52.540 --> 00:26:55.420
 or has

00:26:55.420 --> 00:26:56.320
 been forcefully

00:26:56.320 --> 00:26:56.960
 advancing.

00:26:58.600 --> 00:26:58.900
 Now that

00:26:58.900 --> 00:26:59.480
 makes sense

00:26:59.480 --> 00:27:00.120
 when we

00:27:00.120 --> 00:27:00.640
 understand

00:27:00.640 --> 00:27:01.519
 chapter 8

00:27:01.519 --> 00:27:02.019
 and 9

00:27:02.019 --> 00:27:02.600
 and Jesus'

00:27:02.600 --> 00:27:03.080
 teaching

00:27:03.080 --> 00:27:03.519
 ministry.

00:27:03.519 --> 00:27:04.599
 is it

00:27:04.599 --> 00:27:05.799
 where each

00:27:05.799 --> 00:27:06.379
 miracle

00:27:06.379 --> 00:27:08.440
 was Jesus

00:27:08.440 --> 00:27:09.619
 seizing back

00:27:09.619 --> 00:27:12.180
 his kingdom

00:27:12.180 --> 00:27:13.160
 from Satan

00:27:13.160 --> 00:27:13.839
 and the

00:27:13.839 --> 00:27:14.220
 kingdom of

00:27:14.220 --> 00:27:14.660
 this world

00:27:14.660 --> 00:27:14.879
 or the

00:27:14.879 --> 00:27:15.220
 kingdom of

00:27:15.220 --> 00:27:15.460
 evil.

00:27:16.900 --> 00:27:17.799
 Each time

00:27:17.799 --> 00:27:18.240
 a person's

00:27:18.240 --> 00:27:18.599
 life was

00:27:18.599 --> 00:27:18.960
 renewed,

00:27:19.559 --> 00:27:20.119
 it was a

00:27:20.119 --> 00:27:20.720
 forceful

00:27:20.720 --> 00:27:22.019
 transition,

00:27:23.059 --> 00:27:23.759
 a forceful

00:27:23.759 --> 00:27:24.779
 battle,

00:27:25.779 --> 00:27:26.440
 excursion

00:27:26.440 --> 00:27:27.660
 into the

00:27:27.660 --> 00:27:28.039
 world of

00:27:28.039 --> 00:27:28.619
 evil and

00:27:28.619 --> 00:27:29.519
 an extraction

00:27:29.519 --> 00:27:30.299
 and a

00:27:30.299 --> 00:27:30.660
 renewal.

00:27:31.579 --> 00:27:32.259
 It's a

00:27:32.259 --> 00:27:32.900
 picture language

00:27:32.900 --> 00:27:33.240
 in other

00:27:33.240 --> 00:27:33.460
 words.

00:27:33.519 --> 00:27:34.000
 It's a

00:27:34.000 --> 00:27:34.299
 metaphor.

00:27:36.619 --> 00:27:37.339
 And it

00:27:37.339 --> 00:27:38.259
 speaks of

00:27:38.259 --> 00:27:40.900
 the ongoing

00:27:40.900 --> 00:27:41.859
 work of

00:27:41.859 --> 00:27:42.319
 the gospel.

00:27:42.639 --> 00:27:43.079
 The kingdom

00:27:43.079 --> 00:27:43.779
 of heaven

00:27:43.779 --> 00:27:44.180
 or the

00:27:44.180 --> 00:27:44.539
 kingdom of

00:27:44.539 --> 00:27:44.839
 God has

00:27:44.839 --> 00:27:45.619
 been forcefully

00:27:45.619 --> 00:27:46.160
 advancing.

00:27:47.259 --> 00:27:47.900
 The violent

00:27:47.900 --> 00:27:48.420
 take it by

00:27:48.420 --> 00:27:48.839
 force?

00:27:51.099 --> 00:27:51.819
 Well I

00:27:51.819 --> 00:27:52.160
 think that

00:27:52.160 --> 00:27:52.759
 accurately

00:27:52.759 --> 00:27:53.619
 reflects the

00:27:53.619 --> 00:27:54.519
 experience of

00:27:54.519 --> 00:27:54.960
 Jesus.

00:27:57.480 --> 00:27:58.379
 Throughout the

00:27:58.379 --> 00:27:58.920
 ministry of

00:27:58.920 --> 00:27:59.460
 Jesus, and

00:27:59.460 --> 00:27:59.759
 we've seen

00:27:59.759 --> 00:28:00.220
 that already

00:28:00.220 --> 00:28:00.539
 in these

00:28:00.539 --> 00:28:01.039
 chapters up

00:28:01.039 --> 00:28:01.279
 to this

00:28:01.279 --> 00:28:01.500
 point,

00:28:01.500 --> 00:28:02.440
 chapter 11,

00:28:02.539 --> 00:28:02.880
 12, and

00:28:02.880 --> 00:28:03.980
 13 digs

00:28:03.980 --> 00:28:04.359
 into this

00:28:04.359 --> 00:28:04.859
 even more.

00:28:05.539 --> 00:28:05.839
 The

00:28:05.839 --> 00:28:06.680
 opposition and

00:28:06.680 --> 00:28:07.500
 the rejection

00:28:07.500 --> 00:28:07.859
 and the

00:28:07.859 --> 00:28:08.539
 challenges that

00:28:08.539 --> 00:28:09.099
 Jesus faced,

00:28:09.240 --> 00:28:09.880
 especially from

00:28:09.880 --> 00:28:10.380
 the Jewish

00:28:10.380 --> 00:28:10.779
 religious

00:28:10.779 --> 00:28:11.440
 establishment.

00:28:12.319 --> 00:28:12.740
 His own

00:28:12.740 --> 00:28:13.519
 experience has

00:28:13.519 --> 00:28:14.819
 been all

00:28:14.819 --> 00:28:15.619
 sorts of

00:28:15.619 --> 00:28:16.619
 people are

00:28:16.619 --> 00:28:17.079
 trying to

00:28:17.079 --> 00:28:17.799
 capture the

00:28:17.799 --> 00:28:18.359
 kingdom of

00:28:18.359 --> 00:28:19.740
 heaven for

00:28:19.740 --> 00:28:20.119
 their own

00:28:20.119 --> 00:28:20.539
 agenda.

00:28:20.539 --> 00:28:20.599
 Israel.

00:28:23.980 --> 00:28:24.480
 They're

00:28:24.480 --> 00:28:24.819
 trying to

00:28:24.819 --> 00:28:25.579
 hijack it

00:28:25.579 --> 00:28:26.339
 and make

00:28:26.339 --> 00:28:26.599
 it what

00:28:26.599 --> 00:28:27.059
 they want

00:28:27.059 --> 00:28:28.339
 rather than

00:28:28.339 --> 00:28:28.940
 what they

00:28:28.940 --> 00:28:29.420
 hear Jesus

00:28:29.420 --> 00:28:29.879
 saying it's

00:28:29.879 --> 00:28:30.079
 going to

00:28:30.079 --> 00:28:30.359
 be.

00:28:33.379 --> 00:28:33.879
 The

00:28:33.879 --> 00:28:34.119
 Jewish

00:28:34.119 --> 00:28:34.480
 leaders,

00:28:34.799 --> 00:28:36.059
 they wanted

00:28:36.059 --> 00:28:37.299
 political

00:28:37.299 --> 00:28:37.899
 deliverance.

00:28:37.960 --> 00:28:38.319
 They wanted

00:28:38.319 --> 00:28:40.339
 to enjoy a

00:28:40.339 --> 00:28:40.879
 period of

00:28:40.879 --> 00:28:42.339
 dominance as

00:28:42.339 --> 00:28:43.159
 the leaders of

00:28:43.159 --> 00:28:44.420
 a new world

00:28:44.420 --> 00:28:44.859
 empire.

00:28:45.399 --> 00:28:45.940
 That's what they

00:28:45.940 --> 00:28:46.299
 wanted the

00:28:46.299 --> 00:28:46.720
 kingdom of

00:28:46.720 --> 00:28:47.159
 heaven to be

00:28:47.159 --> 00:28:47.680
 when it

00:28:47.680 --> 00:28:48.099
 wouldn't just

00:28:48.099 --> 00:28:49.539
 be deliverance

00:28:49.539 --> 00:28:49.980
 of Israel,

00:28:50.079 --> 00:28:50.240
 but it

00:28:50.240 --> 00:28:50.539
 would be

00:28:50.539 --> 00:28:51.319
 dominance over

00:28:51.319 --> 00:28:51.940
 all other

00:28:51.940 --> 00:28:52.420
 nations.

00:28:56.480 --> 00:28:56.960
 Crowds

00:28:56.960 --> 00:28:57.899
 looked at

00:28:57.899 --> 00:28:58.259
 some of the

00:28:58.259 --> 00:28:58.700
 Old Testament

00:28:58.700 --> 00:28:59.119
 stuff and

00:28:59.119 --> 00:28:59.299
 thought,

00:28:59.420 --> 00:28:59.519
 well,

00:28:59.579 --> 00:29:00.099
 when Messiah

00:29:00.099 --> 00:29:00.399
 comes,

00:29:00.680 --> 00:29:00.980
 he's going

00:29:00.980 --> 00:29:01.460
 to bring a

00:29:01.460 --> 00:29:01.859
 time of

00:29:01.859 --> 00:29:02.680
 unprecedented

00:29:02.680 --> 00:29:03.799
 prosperity.

00:29:04.279 --> 00:29:04.579
 We're going

00:29:04.579 --> 00:29:05.059
 to really

00:29:05.059 --> 00:29:05.599
 enjoy the

00:29:05.599 --> 00:29:06.180
 good life.

00:29:08.879 --> 00:29:09.399
 We're going

00:29:09.399 --> 00:29:09.599
 to have

00:29:09.599 --> 00:29:10.039
 money to

00:29:10.039 --> 00:29:10.539
 burn and

00:29:10.539 --> 00:29:11.119
 all sorts

00:29:11.119 --> 00:29:11.500
 of good

00:29:11.500 --> 00:29:12.039
 toys to

00:29:12.039 --> 00:29:12.559
 play with.

00:29:14.819 --> 00:29:15.420
 Others in

00:29:15.420 --> 00:29:15.779
 the crowd

00:29:15.779 --> 00:29:16.240
 wanted to

00:29:16.240 --> 00:29:16.899
 make God's

00:29:16.899 --> 00:29:17.980
 salvation and

00:29:17.980 --> 00:29:18.559
 kingdom about

00:29:18.559 --> 00:29:19.000
 physical

00:29:19.000 --> 00:29:19.319
 healing.

00:29:19.539 --> 00:29:21.639
 restoration in

00:29:21.639 --> 00:29:22.240
 this life.

00:29:23.180 --> 00:29:23.559
 So I just

00:29:23.559 --> 00:29:25.019
 want all my

00:29:25.019 --> 00:29:25.559
 eggs and

00:29:25.559 --> 00:29:26.359
 pains fixed.

00:29:26.559 --> 00:29:26.920
 I don't

00:29:26.920 --> 00:29:27.619
 really want

00:29:27.619 --> 00:29:28.659
 any notion

00:29:28.659 --> 00:29:29.460
 of spiritual

00:29:29.460 --> 00:29:30.259
 renewal or

00:29:30.259 --> 00:29:30.819
 spiritual

00:29:30.819 --> 00:29:31.319
 commitment.

00:29:31.899 --> 00:29:32.680
 I just want

00:29:32.680 --> 00:29:33.240
 to be able to

00:29:33.240 --> 00:29:34.159
 enjoy life as

00:29:34.159 --> 00:29:34.639
 I know it

00:29:34.639 --> 00:29:35.480
 now, but

00:29:35.480 --> 00:29:35.940
 without the

00:29:35.940 --> 00:29:36.279
 eggs and

00:29:36.279 --> 00:29:36.700
 pains.

00:29:38.220 --> 00:29:39.099
 So Jesus is

00:29:39.099 --> 00:29:39.700
 useful as a

00:29:39.700 --> 00:29:40.379
 Mr. Fix-It,

00:29:40.920 --> 00:29:41.519
 but let's not

00:29:41.519 --> 00:29:42.200
 get carried

00:29:42.200 --> 00:29:42.559
 away.

00:29:47.379 --> 00:29:48.139
 And so on

00:29:48.139 --> 00:29:48.740
 and so forth.

00:29:49.539 --> 00:29:50.779
 But ultimately

00:29:50.779 --> 00:29:51.339
 the point

00:29:51.339 --> 00:29:52.339
 sits easily

00:29:52.339 --> 00:29:52.720
 with this

00:29:52.720 --> 00:29:54.480
 passage and

00:29:54.480 --> 00:29:55.180
 fits easily

00:29:55.180 --> 00:29:55.579
 with Jesus'

00:29:55.700 --> 00:29:55.980
 ministry.

00:29:56.180 --> 00:29:56.639
 From the

00:29:56.639 --> 00:29:57.220
 very start

00:29:57.220 --> 00:29:57.599
 of Jesus'

00:29:57.799 --> 00:29:59.259
 mission, the

00:29:59.259 --> 00:30:00.180
 kingdom of

00:30:00.180 --> 00:30:00.680
 heaven has

00:30:00.680 --> 00:30:01.519
 been advancing

00:30:01.519 --> 00:30:03.379
 exactly as

00:30:03.379 --> 00:30:04.359
 planned, and

00:30:04.359 --> 00:30:05.700
 yes, that is a

00:30:05.700 --> 00:30:06.700
 spiritual battle.

00:30:07.659 --> 00:30:08.299
 It doesn't

00:30:08.299 --> 00:30:08.940
 happen easily.

00:30:10.619 --> 00:30:11.960
 And yes, it

00:30:11.960 --> 00:30:12.879
 has not been

00:30:12.879 --> 00:30:13.519
 and will not

00:30:13.519 --> 00:30:14.099
 be without

00:30:14.099 --> 00:30:14.700
 opposition.

00:30:14.700 --> 00:30:14.759
 opposition.

00:30:15.980 --> 00:30:16.500
 And it

00:30:16.500 --> 00:30:16.920
 won't be

00:30:16.920 --> 00:30:17.240
 without

00:30:17.240 --> 00:30:18.400
 unbelief in

00:30:18.400 --> 00:30:19.059
 many different

00:30:19.059 --> 00:30:19.559
 forms.

00:30:23.140 --> 00:30:24.100
 And friends, I

00:30:24.100 --> 00:30:24.640
 think this is

00:30:24.640 --> 00:30:25.140
 the point that

00:30:25.140 --> 00:30:26.279
 John missed in

00:30:26.279 --> 00:30:26.720
 the original

00:30:26.720 --> 00:30:27.460
 question that he

00:30:27.460 --> 00:30:28.100
 sent to

00:30:28.100 --> 00:30:28.480
 Jesus.

00:30:29.480 --> 00:30:30.120
 This is the

00:30:30.120 --> 00:30:30.980
 perspective that

00:30:30.980 --> 00:30:32.180
 explains why he's

00:30:32.180 --> 00:30:32.620
 in prison.

00:30:33.500 --> 00:30:34.400
 And this is the

00:30:34.400 --> 00:30:35.240
 perspective that we

00:30:35.240 --> 00:30:35.940
 need to remember

00:30:35.940 --> 00:30:36.620
 until Christ

00:30:36.620 --> 00:30:37.180
 returns.

00:30:37.720 --> 00:30:38.740
 The harvest will

00:30:38.740 --> 00:30:39.380
 happen as

00:30:39.380 --> 00:30:41.240
 planned, but it

00:30:41.240 --> 00:30:42.059
 will never be

00:30:42.059 --> 00:30:42.500
 free from

00:30:42.500 --> 00:30:44.440
 opposition, from

00:30:44.440 --> 00:30:45.319
 a whole range

00:30:45.319 --> 00:30:46.200
 of people, some

00:30:46.200 --> 00:30:46.880
 who will surprise

00:30:46.880 --> 00:30:47.259
 us.

00:30:52.059 --> 00:30:53.120
 And verse 14

00:30:53.120 --> 00:30:53.660
 and 15, the

00:30:53.660 --> 00:30:54.680
 challenge is to

00:30:54.680 --> 00:30:56.279
 respond to

00:30:56.279 --> 00:30:57.319
 Jesus as he

00:30:57.319 --> 00:30:58.480
 is, as he was

00:30:58.480 --> 00:31:00.980
 spoken about, not

00:31:00.980 --> 00:31:01.880
 as they want him

00:31:01.880 --> 00:31:04.599
 to be or demand

00:31:04.599 --> 00:31:05.200
 him to be.

00:31:05.200 --> 00:31:10.660
 But you

00:31:10.660 --> 00:31:12.380
 see, that's

00:31:12.380 --> 00:31:14.539
 verse, end of

00:31:14.539 --> 00:31:15.200
 verse 15, he

00:31:15.200 --> 00:31:15.559
 who is the

00:31:15.559 --> 00:31:15.980
 ears to hear.

00:31:16.039 --> 00:31:16.380
 In other words,

00:31:16.440 --> 00:31:17.519
 Jesus said, look,

00:31:17.600 --> 00:31:19.580
 this perspective of

00:31:19.580 --> 00:31:20.400
 understanding that

00:31:20.400 --> 00:31:21.140
 the kingdom will

00:31:21.140 --> 00:31:22.720
 advance in the

00:31:22.720 --> 00:31:23.140
 midst of

00:31:23.140 --> 00:31:25.080
 opposition, that

00:31:25.080 --> 00:31:26.299
 requires spiritual

00:31:26.299 --> 00:31:26.840
 insight.

00:31:28.080 --> 00:31:28.759
 And I think that

00:31:28.759 --> 00:31:29.660
 then links us into

00:31:29.660 --> 00:31:30.559
 verses 16 to

00:31:30.559 --> 00:31:32.000
 19, where Jesus

00:31:32.000 --> 00:31:32.960
 then says, looks

00:31:32.960 --> 00:31:33.580
 around him at the

00:31:33.580 --> 00:31:34.080
 crowds and said,

00:31:34.160 --> 00:31:34.740
 well, actually,

00:31:35.200 --> 00:31:36.740
 we're talking

00:31:36.740 --> 00:31:37.240
 about spiritual

00:31:37.240 --> 00:31:37.960
 insight, that's

00:31:37.960 --> 00:31:38.819
 one thing this

00:31:38.819 --> 00:31:40.000
 generation, in

00:31:40.000 --> 00:31:40.660
 other words, people

00:31:40.660 --> 00:31:42.180
 at large are

00:31:42.180 --> 00:31:43.160
 seriously lacking

00:31:43.160 --> 00:31:43.380
 him.

00:31:43.460 --> 00:31:44.019
 They just don't

00:31:44.019 --> 00:31:44.799
 have the spiritual

00:31:44.799 --> 00:31:45.740
 insight to see

00:31:45.740 --> 00:31:48.120
 Jesus as they

00:31:48.120 --> 00:31:48.779
 ought to see him.

00:31:51.759 --> 00:31:52.759
 And that leaves

00:31:52.759 --> 00:31:53.640
 the only option

00:31:53.640 --> 00:31:54.299
 therefore as

00:31:54.299 --> 00:31:54.980
 unbelief.

00:31:55.920 --> 00:31:56.799
 And Jesus speaks

00:31:56.799 --> 00:31:57.420
 about unbelief

00:31:57.420 --> 00:31:58.480
 here, and the

00:31:58.480 --> 00:31:59.019
 heading I want to

00:31:59.019 --> 00:31:59.980
 use is, unbelief

00:31:59.980 --> 00:32:01.000
 wants a saviour,

00:32:01.819 --> 00:32:02.740
 but doesn't want

00:32:02.740 --> 00:32:04.019
 God, ultimately.

00:32:05.200 --> 00:32:08.840
 Jesus likens the

00:32:08.840 --> 00:32:10.539
 attitude of people

00:32:10.539 --> 00:32:11.400
 to children

00:32:11.400 --> 00:32:11.840
 playing.

00:32:13.100 --> 00:32:13.740
 And I don't

00:32:13.740 --> 00:32:14.299
 know, I can

00:32:14.299 --> 00:32:14.860
 remember from my

00:32:14.860 --> 00:32:15.519
 own days when the

00:32:15.519 --> 00:32:16.259
 family got together,

00:32:16.500 --> 00:32:16.980
 I'm talking about

00:32:16.980 --> 00:32:17.580
 whenever I was a

00:32:17.580 --> 00:32:18.860
 child, there was

00:32:18.860 --> 00:32:20.279
 always one of the

00:32:20.279 --> 00:32:21.160
 mob, and there

00:32:21.160 --> 00:32:22.180
 was a mob, but

00:32:22.180 --> 00:32:22.740
 there was always one

00:32:22.740 --> 00:32:23.160
 who wanted to

00:32:23.160 --> 00:32:24.100
 control things, or

00:32:24.100 --> 00:32:24.680
 several that wanted

00:32:24.680 --> 00:32:25.420
 to control things,

00:32:25.860 --> 00:32:26.640
 and that would just

00:32:26.640 --> 00:32:27.720
 set up a big

00:32:27.720 --> 00:32:28.200
 fight.

00:32:29.160 --> 00:32:29.700
 And we'd end up

00:32:29.700 --> 00:32:30.460
 not playing anything

00:32:30.460 --> 00:32:31.259
 because nobody

00:32:31.259 --> 00:32:32.200
 would agree to,

00:32:32.200 --> 00:32:33.600
 you know, back

00:32:33.600 --> 00:32:34.680
 off and let it

00:32:34.680 --> 00:32:34.960
 happen.

00:32:36.080 --> 00:32:36.580
 I think that's

00:32:36.580 --> 00:32:37.120
 what Jesus is

00:32:37.120 --> 00:32:37.559
 saying here.

00:32:39.960 --> 00:32:41.140
 Whatever happens,

00:32:41.340 --> 00:32:42.019
 people aren't

00:32:42.019 --> 00:32:42.460
 happy.

00:32:42.640 --> 00:32:42.980
 They're not

00:32:42.980 --> 00:32:43.620
 satisfied.

00:32:46.259 --> 00:32:46.779
 And John and

00:32:46.779 --> 00:32:47.799
 Jesus refused to

00:32:47.799 --> 00:32:48.539
 play that game.

00:32:50.019 --> 00:32:50.900
 So as if John,

00:32:51.279 --> 00:32:51.940
 Jesus is still

00:32:51.940 --> 00:32:52.980
 affirming John by

00:32:52.980 --> 00:32:53.819
 saying John wasn't

00:32:53.819 --> 00:32:54.299
 the one who's

00:32:54.299 --> 00:32:55.519
 fickle, the

00:32:55.519 --> 00:32:56.279
 fickle ones were

00:32:56.279 --> 00:32:56.860
 the crowds.

00:32:57.819 --> 00:32:58.519
 Fickle ones are

00:32:58.519 --> 00:32:59.140
 the people who

00:32:59.140 --> 00:33:00.759
 hear Jesus teaching

00:33:00.759 --> 00:33:01.400
 initially with

00:33:01.400 --> 00:33:03.440
 excitement, hear

00:33:03.440 --> 00:33:04.299
 John's teaching

00:33:04.299 --> 00:33:04.940
 initially with

00:33:04.940 --> 00:33:05.579
 excitement, but

00:33:05.579 --> 00:33:06.259
 then rejected

00:33:06.259 --> 00:33:06.480
 him.

00:33:07.819 --> 00:33:08.519
 At first they

00:33:08.519 --> 00:33:09.240
 rejected John

00:33:09.240 --> 00:33:09.680
 because he was

00:33:09.680 --> 00:33:10.500
 embarrassing, he

00:33:10.500 --> 00:33:10.759
 was not

00:33:10.759 --> 00:33:11.660
 attractive, he

00:33:11.660 --> 00:33:11.940
 was not

00:33:11.940 --> 00:33:12.839
 cultured, he

00:33:12.839 --> 00:33:13.140
 was not the

00:33:13.140 --> 00:33:13.680
 sort of person

00:33:13.680 --> 00:33:14.440
 God would use

00:33:14.440 --> 00:33:15.099
 to announce the

00:33:15.099 --> 00:33:15.500
 coming of

00:33:15.500 --> 00:33:15.879
 Messiah.

00:33:16.460 --> 00:33:16.720
 But then

00:33:16.720 --> 00:33:17.379
 afterwards, when

00:33:17.379 --> 00:33:17.900
 they understood

00:33:17.900 --> 00:33:19.299
 his message of

00:33:19.299 --> 00:33:20.779
 repentance, they

00:33:20.779 --> 00:33:22.460
 rejected him

00:33:22.460 --> 00:33:22.859
 because he was

00:33:22.859 --> 00:33:24.160
 too harsh, too

00:33:24.160 --> 00:33:24.660
 demanding.

00:33:28.819 --> 00:33:29.680
 He challenged

00:33:29.680 --> 00:33:30.240
 the religious

00:33:30.240 --> 00:33:31.000
 lifestyle and

00:33:31.000 --> 00:33:31.519
 the belief that

00:33:31.519 --> 00:33:31.779
 they were

00:33:31.779 --> 00:33:32.720
 acceptable to

00:33:32.720 --> 00:33:33.220
 God because

00:33:33.220 --> 00:33:33.819
 they were Jews,

00:33:33.920 --> 00:33:34.240
 because they

00:33:34.240 --> 00:33:34.500
 were good

00:33:34.500 --> 00:33:34.859
 people.

00:33:35.460 --> 00:33:35.799
 And any

00:33:35.799 --> 00:33:36.500
 preaching about

00:33:36.500 --> 00:33:38.039
 repentance just

00:33:38.039 --> 00:33:38.700
 crashed through

00:33:38.700 --> 00:33:38.940
 that.

00:33:39.039 --> 00:33:39.660
 And so John

00:33:39.660 --> 00:33:40.460
 had to go, his

00:33:40.460 --> 00:33:41.099
 teaching had to

00:33:41.099 --> 00:33:41.380
 go.

00:33:44.259 --> 00:33:44.799
 And likewise

00:33:44.799 --> 00:33:45.500
 the nature of

00:33:45.500 --> 00:33:46.240
 unbelief caused

00:33:46.240 --> 00:33:46.920
 people to reject

00:33:46.920 --> 00:33:47.299
 Jesus.

00:33:47.819 --> 00:33:48.220
 He was the

00:33:48.220 --> 00:33:49.460
 other extreme.

00:33:52.620 --> 00:33:54.579
 He came with

00:33:54.579 --> 00:33:55.019
 the idea of

00:33:55.019 --> 00:33:55.579
 celebration.

00:33:57.240 --> 00:33:57.779
 He came

00:33:57.779 --> 00:33:59.700
 engaging with

00:33:59.700 --> 00:34:00.140
 the down and

00:34:00.140 --> 00:34:00.460
 outs of

00:34:00.460 --> 00:34:00.840
 society.

00:34:00.980 --> 00:34:01.319
 So what did

00:34:01.319 --> 00:34:01.700
 they say about

00:34:01.700 --> 00:34:02.000
 Jesus?

00:34:02.200 --> 00:34:02.759
 Well, actually,

00:34:02.980 --> 00:34:03.480
 Jesus, you're

00:34:03.480 --> 00:34:04.100
 too much like

00:34:04.100 --> 00:34:04.600
 the people you

00:34:04.600 --> 00:34:04.900
 say you're

00:34:04.900 --> 00:34:05.519
 here to save.

00:34:07.500 --> 00:34:09.079
 We can't have

00:34:09.079 --> 00:34:09.840
 you saying that

00:34:09.840 --> 00:34:10.519
 we will be going

00:34:10.519 --> 00:34:11.179
 into God's

00:34:11.179 --> 00:34:12.400
 kingdom hand in

00:34:12.400 --> 00:34:13.019
 hand with

00:34:13.019 --> 00:34:14.000
 prostitutes and

00:34:14.000 --> 00:34:14.840
 the down and

00:34:14.840 --> 00:34:15.240
 outs and the

00:34:15.240 --> 00:34:15.840
 riffraff of

00:34:15.840 --> 00:34:16.420
 society, the

00:34:16.420 --> 00:34:17.099
 people, the

00:34:17.099 --> 00:34:17.679
 tax collectors,

00:34:17.800 --> 00:34:18.240
 the people you

00:34:18.240 --> 00:34:18.740
 seem to love

00:34:18.740 --> 00:34:19.400
 hanging out with

00:34:19.400 --> 00:34:19.760
 Jesus.

00:34:20.240 --> 00:34:20.820
 That's not going

00:34:20.820 --> 00:34:21.440
 to work either.

00:34:22.440 --> 00:34:22.920
 That's an

00:34:22.920 --> 00:34:23.440
 outrage.

00:34:23.559 --> 00:34:23.840
 That's an

00:34:23.840 --> 00:34:24.340
 embarrassment.

00:34:24.539 --> 00:34:24.780
 That's an

00:34:24.780 --> 00:34:26.240
 affront to us

00:34:26.240 --> 00:34:27.079
 good Jewish

00:34:27.079 --> 00:34:27.420
 people.

00:34:27.420 --> 00:34:28.099
 So they

00:34:28.099 --> 00:34:28.519
 weren't happy

00:34:28.519 --> 00:34:28.920
 with Jesus

00:34:28.920 --> 00:34:29.300
 either.

00:34:34.039 --> 00:34:34.599
 Lacking

00:34:34.599 --> 00:34:35.159
 spiritual

00:34:35.159 --> 00:34:36.119
 insight, people

00:34:36.119 --> 00:34:36.880
 fail to see the

00:34:36.880 --> 00:34:37.500
 significance of

00:34:37.500 --> 00:34:38.420
 either John or

00:34:38.420 --> 00:34:38.760
 Jesus.

00:34:39.300 --> 00:34:39.619
 And in their

00:34:39.619 --> 00:34:40.680
 ignorance and

00:34:40.680 --> 00:34:41.800
 unbelief, they

00:34:41.800 --> 00:34:42.579
 reject both.

00:34:44.519 --> 00:34:45.440
 John, because his

00:34:45.440 --> 00:34:46.079
 call to repentance

00:34:46.079 --> 00:34:46.880
 was too harsh,

00:34:47.579 --> 00:34:48.039
 threatened their

00:34:48.039 --> 00:34:48.440
 sense of

00:34:48.440 --> 00:34:49.220
 inherent goodness

00:34:49.220 --> 00:34:49.900
 before God.

00:34:50.539 --> 00:34:51.019
 And Jesus,

00:34:52.099 --> 00:34:53.480
 because his offer

00:34:53.480 --> 00:34:54.320
 of grace was too

00:34:54.320 --> 00:34:56.380
 generous and too

00:34:56.380 --> 00:34:57.140
 widely offered.

00:35:08.019 --> 00:35:08.700
 They

00:35:08.700 --> 00:35:10.240
 instinctively knew

00:35:10.240 --> 00:35:10.880
 they needed a

00:35:10.880 --> 00:35:11.180
 savior.

00:35:12.680 --> 00:35:13.220
 They weren't

00:35:13.220 --> 00:35:13.860
 rejecting the

00:35:13.860 --> 00:35:14.500
 concept of

00:35:14.500 --> 00:35:14.940
 savior.

00:35:16.900 --> 00:35:17.780
 What they were

00:35:17.780 --> 00:35:18.760
 rejecting was

00:35:18.760 --> 00:35:20.320
 God.

00:35:22.500 --> 00:35:22.760
 Their

00:35:22.760 --> 00:35:23.840
 unbelief meant

00:35:23.840 --> 00:35:24.460
 they backed

00:35:24.460 --> 00:35:25.400
 their own sense

00:35:25.400 --> 00:35:26.000
 of sovereignty

00:35:26.000 --> 00:35:27.940
 and their

00:35:27.940 --> 00:35:28.960
 own inherent

00:35:28.960 --> 00:35:29.559
 sense of

00:35:29.559 --> 00:35:30.000
 goodness.

00:35:32.160 --> 00:35:32.740
 And they

00:35:32.740 --> 00:35:33.180
 thought, well, I

00:35:33.180 --> 00:35:33.680
 don't need to

00:35:33.680 --> 00:35:35.760
 repent, but nor

00:35:35.760 --> 00:35:36.800
 am I willing to

00:35:36.800 --> 00:35:37.780
 accept that the

00:35:37.780 --> 00:35:38.780
 riffraff of society

00:35:38.780 --> 00:35:39.840
 will also join me

00:35:39.840 --> 00:35:40.980
 in heaven on the

00:35:40.980 --> 00:35:41.780
 same basis of

00:35:41.780 --> 00:35:42.200
 grace.

00:35:47.079 --> 00:35:48.200
 I'm looking for a

00:35:48.200 --> 00:35:48.800
 savior that will

00:35:48.800 --> 00:35:49.920
 fit in with my

00:35:49.920 --> 00:35:51.360
 ideas, will fit in

00:35:51.360 --> 00:35:52.160
 with my sovereignty,

00:35:52.159 --> 00:35:55.259
 that will be

00:35:55.259 --> 00:35:56.139
 acceptable to me.

00:35:58.659 --> 00:35:59.019
 In verse

00:35:59.019 --> 00:36:05.539
 16, no, the

00:36:05.539 --> 00:36:06.219
 end of verse 19,

00:36:06.319 --> 00:36:06.799
 sorry, it is,

00:36:07.759 --> 00:36:08.859
 wisdom is justified

00:36:08.859 --> 00:36:09.579
 by our deeds.

00:36:11.139 --> 00:36:12.019
 Again, against

00:36:12.019 --> 00:36:13.219
 persistent unbelief,

00:36:13.699 --> 00:36:14.500
 the truth and

00:36:14.500 --> 00:36:15.279
 reality of the

00:36:15.279 --> 00:36:15.799
 gospel is

00:36:15.799 --> 00:36:17.539
 demonstrated in

00:36:17.539 --> 00:36:18.420
 changed lives.

00:36:18.420 --> 00:36:21.440
 lives, changed

00:36:21.440 --> 00:36:22.220
 lives that begin

00:36:22.220 --> 00:36:22.940
 with a recognition

00:36:22.940 --> 00:36:25.019
 of sin, then

00:36:25.019 --> 00:36:26.880
 repentance, and

00:36:26.880 --> 00:36:28.059
 then leads to the

00:36:28.059 --> 00:36:29.079
 Lord Jesus for

00:36:29.079 --> 00:36:30.800
 complete renewal and

00:36:30.800 --> 00:36:31.820
 acceptance with God

00:36:31.820 --> 00:36:32.920
 and a place in heaven

00:36:32.920 --> 00:36:33.539
 with him forever.

00:36:37.740 --> 00:36:38.680
 There's the mark of

00:36:38.680 --> 00:36:39.079
 the gospel.

00:36:40.180 --> 00:36:41.059
 There's the context

00:36:41.059 --> 00:36:41.559
 of the gospel.

00:36:42.960 --> 00:36:43.740
 The good news

00:36:43.740 --> 00:36:44.740
 gospel is happening,

00:36:45.240 --> 00:36:46.019
 it is changing

00:36:46.019 --> 00:36:48.519
 lives and there

00:36:48.519 --> 00:36:49.199
 will always be

00:36:49.199 --> 00:36:49.980
 opposition trying

00:36:49.980 --> 00:36:50.840
 to knock it

00:36:50.840 --> 00:36:51.460
 down or

00:36:51.460 --> 00:36:53.099
 redefine what

00:36:53.099 --> 00:36:53.920
 the gospel is and

00:36:53.920 --> 00:36:54.400
 what the kingdom

00:36:54.400 --> 00:36:55.059
 of heaven looks

00:36:55.059 --> 00:36:55.360
 like.

00:36:56.940 --> 00:36:57.519
 That's our

00:36:57.519 --> 00:36:57.960
 reality.

00:36:59.539 --> 00:37:00.400
 Now, just want

00:37:00.400 --> 00:37:01.239
 to finish with a

00:37:01.239 --> 00:37:01.820
 very, very quick

00:37:01.820 --> 00:37:02.300
 challenge.

00:37:04.300 --> 00:37:05.639
 So, there are

00:37:05.639 --> 00:37:06.139
 many, many

00:37:06.139 --> 00:37:07.079
 categories by which

00:37:07.079 --> 00:37:07.679
 we can divide

00:37:07.679 --> 00:37:08.420
 people in our

00:37:08.420 --> 00:37:09.380
 world, and we

00:37:09.380 --> 00:37:09.980
 do all the time,

00:37:10.019 --> 00:37:10.579
 we have to for

00:37:10.579 --> 00:37:11.320
 various reasons.

00:37:13.239 --> 00:37:13.980
 Essentially, Jesus

00:37:13.980 --> 00:37:15.119
 only uses two

00:37:15.119 --> 00:37:16.739
 categories to

00:37:16.739 --> 00:37:17.319
 divide people.

00:37:19.099 --> 00:37:19.799
 There's belief

00:37:19.799 --> 00:37:20.359
 and there's

00:37:20.359 --> 00:37:20.839
 unbelief.

00:37:23.400 --> 00:37:23.940
 So, the

00:37:23.940 --> 00:37:24.319
 challenge this

00:37:24.319 --> 00:37:26.699
 morning for any

00:37:26.699 --> 00:37:27.219
 and all of you

00:37:27.219 --> 00:37:27.960
 here is which

00:37:27.960 --> 00:37:29.299
 category are you

00:37:29.299 --> 00:37:29.559
 in?

00:37:32.460 --> 00:37:33.539
 So, speaking

00:37:33.539 --> 00:37:34.299
 specifically to

00:37:34.299 --> 00:37:35.460
 those who might

00:37:35.460 --> 00:37:36.199
 be caught in

00:37:36.199 --> 00:37:37.059
 unbelief, is your

00:37:37.059 --> 00:37:39.359
 unbelief hidden

00:37:39.359 --> 00:37:40.799
 behind a veneer

00:37:40.799 --> 00:37:42.400
 of searching for

00:37:42.400 --> 00:37:42.920
 more truth?

00:37:42.920 --> 00:37:43.800
 Well, if only I

00:37:43.800 --> 00:37:44.619
 could understand

00:37:44.619 --> 00:37:45.700
 things better, then

00:37:45.700 --> 00:37:46.800
 Jesus would be

00:37:46.800 --> 00:37:47.200
 acceptable.

00:37:51.760 --> 00:37:52.760
 Well, we've got

00:37:52.760 --> 00:37:53.480
 the good news

00:37:53.480 --> 00:37:54.980
 gospel spelled

00:37:54.980 --> 00:37:55.940
 out very clearly.

00:37:57.500 --> 00:37:58.220
 We've got it

00:37:58.220 --> 00:37:58.880
 confirmed.

00:37:59.559 --> 00:38:00.039
 We've got it

00:38:00.039 --> 00:38:00.579
 written as a

00:38:00.579 --> 00:38:01.119
 record in the

00:38:01.119 --> 00:38:01.380
 Bible.

00:38:02.019 --> 00:38:02.659
 We've got it

00:38:02.659 --> 00:38:03.539
 confirmed by

00:38:03.539 --> 00:38:04.579
 eyewitnesses in

00:38:04.579 --> 00:38:04.940
 the Bible.

00:38:05.800 --> 00:38:06.559
 We've got the

00:38:06.559 --> 00:38:07.180
 testimony of

00:38:07.180 --> 00:38:08.059
 countless tens of

00:38:08.059 --> 00:38:08.599
 thousands of

00:38:08.599 --> 00:38:09.200
 millions down

00:38:09.200 --> 00:38:09.519
 through the

00:38:09.519 --> 00:38:10.079
 generations.

00:38:10.260 --> 00:38:10.840
 How much more

00:38:10.840 --> 00:38:11.360
 proof do you

00:38:11.360 --> 00:38:13.900
 want or need?

00:38:14.660 --> 00:38:15.320
 Or is it, in

00:38:15.320 --> 00:38:17.960
 fact, just

00:38:17.960 --> 00:38:18.720
 another form of

00:38:18.720 --> 00:38:19.260
 unbelief?

00:38:21.079 --> 00:38:21.940
 Just throwing a

00:38:21.940 --> 00:38:22.720
 handful of dust in

00:38:22.720 --> 00:38:23.079
 the air?

00:38:24.039 --> 00:38:24.920
 Because ultimately

00:38:24.920 --> 00:38:26.420
 you don't want the

00:38:26.420 --> 00:38:27.079
 salvation that

00:38:27.079 --> 00:38:27.720
 Jesus offers.

00:38:28.860 --> 00:38:29.660
 Either because you

00:38:29.660 --> 00:38:30.099
 think you don't

00:38:30.099 --> 00:38:32.000
 need it, or

00:38:32.000 --> 00:38:33.300
 because you think,

00:38:33.400 --> 00:38:34.000
 well, I do need

00:38:34.000 --> 00:38:34.579
 it, but I want to

00:38:34.579 --> 00:38:35.440
 modify it to suit

00:38:35.440 --> 00:38:35.620
 me.

00:38:37.079 --> 00:38:38.079
 I want to take on

00:38:38.079 --> 00:38:38.820
 the bits I like

00:38:38.820 --> 00:38:39.920
 and, you know,

00:38:39.960 --> 00:38:40.740
 cut off the bits I

00:38:40.739 --> 00:38:41.219
 don't like.

00:38:46.199 --> 00:38:46.879
 Which would mean

00:38:46.879 --> 00:38:47.319
 then that the

00:38:47.319 --> 00:38:48.779
 ultimate reason for

00:38:48.779 --> 00:38:49.579
 your unbelief would

00:38:49.579 --> 00:38:49.959
 be that you

00:38:49.959 --> 00:38:51.459
 refuse to give up

00:38:51.459 --> 00:38:51.779
 your own

00:38:51.779 --> 00:38:52.179
 sovereignty.

00:38:55.779 --> 00:38:56.500
 And that can

00:38:56.500 --> 00:38:57.259
 only mean, if you

00:38:57.259 --> 00:38:57.979
 refuse to give up

00:38:57.979 --> 00:38:58.319
 your own

00:38:58.319 --> 00:38:58.859
 sovereignty, then

00:38:58.859 --> 00:38:59.399
 that can only

00:38:59.399 --> 00:39:00.739
 mean that you

00:39:00.739 --> 00:39:01.479
 continue to

00:39:01.479 --> 00:39:02.000
 believe you're

00:39:02.000 --> 00:39:03.379
 competent to

00:39:03.379 --> 00:39:03.899
 earn your

00:39:03.899 --> 00:39:04.639
 salvation, and

00:39:04.639 --> 00:39:05.000
 that God

00:39:05.000 --> 00:39:06.239
 will have to

00:39:06.239 --> 00:39:06.939
 ultimately give

00:39:06.939 --> 00:39:07.539
 you a place in

00:39:07.539 --> 00:39:08.739
 heaven because you

00:39:08.739 --> 00:39:09.419
 have earned it.

00:39:09.420 --> 00:39:10.860
 you are worthy

00:39:10.860 --> 00:39:12.260
 of it in your

00:39:12.260 --> 00:39:12.720
 own right.

00:39:12.720 --> 00:39:13.760
 You are worthy

00:39:13.760 --> 00:39:16.400
 of it in your own

00:39:16.400 --> 00:39:16.760
 right.