WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.060 Appreciate it. 00:00:06.940 --> 00:00:07.759 All right. 00:00:08.160 --> 00:00:11.140 Am I all the way turned up? 00:00:12.660 --> 00:00:13.720 Y'all caught that, huh? 00:00:16.179 --> 00:00:20.059 As Matt said, we are going to be preaching from the Bible tonight. 00:00:22.240 --> 00:00:24.760 You know, at least tonight, we're going to go with the Word tonight. 00:00:25.199 --> 00:00:26.780 We're going to be in Matthew chapter 7. 00:00:26.780 --> 00:00:28.140 I hope you have your Bibles. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:35.820 Matthew chapter 7. 00:00:39.519 --> 00:00:46.320 And we're going to begin in the 21st verse of Matthew 7. 00:00:48.240 --> 00:00:51.679 Now, while you're turning there, for those of you who may be visiting, it's your first time. 00:00:51.740 --> 00:00:56.539 We've been going through the Sermon on the Mount this summer, walking through it slowly, 00:00:56.539 --> 00:01:05.239 seeing what we can glean from Jesus' words here in what is the lengthiest discourse sermon that we have recorded of him in the Gospels. 00:01:05.359 --> 00:01:07.239 And so, we're almost to the end of that. 00:01:07.420 --> 00:01:12.799 And my task tonight is to share with us from the 21st through the 27th verse. 00:01:13.400 --> 00:01:15.159 And I want to read that for our hearing. 00:01:15.519 --> 00:01:17.319 And I'll be reading from the English Standard Version. 00:01:17.319 --> 00:01:20.839 Matthew chapter 7, verse 21, when you have it, say, Amen. 00:01:22.039 --> 00:01:22.759 Need a minute? 00:01:22.839 --> 00:01:23.439 Say, Wait a minute. 00:01:24.279 --> 00:01:25.639 Nobody ever says, Wait a minute. 00:01:26.199 --> 00:01:29.579 You just hear the pages turn, and then you look at them like you should have said, Wait a minute. 00:01:30.399 --> 00:01:33.199 Matthew chapter 7, verse 21, and it reads thusly. 00:01:33.200 --> 00:01:42.540 Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 00:01:43.260 --> 00:01:51.500 On that day, many will say to me, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name? 00:01:52.560 --> 00:01:55.240 And then I will declare to them, I never knew you. 00:01:55.879 --> 00:01:58.700 Depart from me, you workers of lawlessness. 00:01:58.700 --> 00:02:28.680 Depart from me, you're not prophesied in your name, but the one who does the will of mine. 00:02:28.699 --> 00:02:32.500 And great was the fall of it. 00:02:33.099 --> 00:02:40.060 For the time we have to share, I want to preach from this text, this thought, self-deception and salvation. 00:02:40.939 --> 00:02:44.000 Self-deception and salvation. 00:02:44.619 --> 00:02:46.099 Let's go before the Lord in prayer. 00:02:46.099 --> 00:02:52.960 Father, yeah, God, this is a warning passage. 00:02:52.960 --> 00:03:01.960 And it is one of the most sobering warning passages for me, just to hear Jesus' words, unmistakable. 00:03:02.980 --> 00:03:03.480 They're clear. 00:03:03.479 --> 00:03:20.179 And Father, so our prayer tonight is that by your grace and the power of your spirit, through this word, through Jesus' words, you would do with this warning passage something good and gracious toward us. 00:03:20.180 --> 00:03:28.980 That through this warning passage, you might graciously keep your people, those of us who are believers. 00:03:29.439 --> 00:03:36.080 And through this warning passage, you might graciously call your people, those who are not yet believers. 00:03:36.200 --> 00:03:39.100 We pray that you would do both through this passage tonight. 00:03:39.620 --> 00:03:45.260 We pray that you would illuminate it by the power of your spirit, apply it to our hearts for your glory and for our good. 00:03:45.259 --> 00:03:47.819 In Christ's name, amen. 00:03:49.079 --> 00:03:49.560 Amen. 00:03:50.419 --> 00:03:56.159 So it was about, yeah, about two or three Christmases ago. 00:03:57.099 --> 00:04:04.099 My bride and I were blessed by her parents, my mother and father-in-law. 00:04:04.239 --> 00:04:08.060 We came kind of late into this game, but they bought us a HDTV. 00:04:10.840 --> 00:04:12.359 And I was excited. 00:04:12.360 --> 00:04:16.800 You know, like I said, I mean, we came kind of late into the HDTV game. 00:04:16.900 --> 00:04:19.180 You know, I didn't know what the big fuss was about. 00:04:19.259 --> 00:04:20.500 A TV is a TV. 00:04:21.080 --> 00:04:23.259 You know, it's the same show, it's the same show. 00:04:23.500 --> 00:04:25.020 You know, what's the point? 00:04:25.460 --> 00:04:27.960 You know, you either pay $800 for a TV or $150. 00:04:28.080 --> 00:04:28.960 I'll go with the $150. 00:04:29.100 --> 00:04:29.699 Thanks, Alex. 00:04:32.040 --> 00:04:37.660 But we got the HDTV, and the guy came and set it up and did the HD converter or whatever. 00:04:37.660 --> 00:04:43.020 And I was like, oh, you can see their nose hairs with the HDTV. 00:04:43.600 --> 00:04:48.260 It was like so crisp and clear, and the picture was just beautiful. 00:04:49.240 --> 00:04:51.460 But there was something wrong, though. 00:04:51.740 --> 00:04:56.140 And I don't know if this has ever happened to you, you TV watchers out there, you three of you. 00:04:56.400 --> 00:04:59.860 I don't know if this ever happened to you, but there was something wrong. 00:04:59.860 --> 00:05:01.220 Wow, the picture was beautiful. 00:05:01.360 --> 00:05:02.000 It was crisp. 00:05:02.120 --> 00:05:02.980 It was clear. 00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:07.480 But the video didn't match the audio. 00:05:08.520 --> 00:05:09.759 And I hate that. 00:05:11.540 --> 00:05:13.780 I cannot stand that. 00:05:14.280 --> 00:05:16.460 The video, the picture was clear. 00:05:16.580 --> 00:05:17.400 It was perfect. 00:05:17.500 --> 00:05:18.319 It was crisp. 00:05:18.520 --> 00:05:23.240 But what they were doing on the screen did not match what I was hearing. 00:05:24.180 --> 00:05:28.080 And, you know, like at that point, you kind of have a, you preach a sermon to yourself. 00:05:28.180 --> 00:05:29.280 Okay, Stephen, it's cool. 00:05:29.279 --> 00:05:30.979 You can match it up. 00:05:31.339 --> 00:05:33.139 You know, you kind of get what's going on. 00:05:34.039 --> 00:05:35.239 But it was frustrating. 00:05:36.399 --> 00:05:37.899 It was exceedingly frustrating. 00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:42.759 I didn't want to watch it anymore because, I mean, audio and video all match, right? 00:05:42.819 --> 00:05:45.759 What you see all match with what you hear. 00:05:47.379 --> 00:05:49.879 And if that's not the case, that needs to be fixed. 00:05:49.979 --> 00:05:53.000 That's not a permanent situation, right? 00:05:53.099 --> 00:05:57.699 When I called, I said, you know, you don't have to fix it today, but you do have to fix this. 00:05:57.699 --> 00:05:59.500 You know, they're like, yes, sir, Mr. Harris. 00:05:59.500 --> 00:06:09.839 But, yeah, that situation where what you see does not match up with what you hear, that eventually needs to be fixed. 00:06:09.839 --> 00:06:23.199 And in our particular passage tonight, Jesus addresses that kind of mismatch where the video of a professed believer's behaviors, perhaps, does not line up with the audio. 00:06:23.199 --> 00:06:29.019 What that believer says, the profession that they make, who they say that they are. 00:06:29.560 --> 00:06:32.279 There is a mismatch between walk and talk. 00:06:32.819 --> 00:06:42.459 And Jesus gives us a poignant warning for what would come of someone who has that kind of lifestyle, has that kind of disposition. 00:06:42.459 --> 00:06:46.459 In this passage tonight, we see two sets of contrasts. 00:06:47.599 --> 00:06:49.579 The second is connected to the first. 00:06:49.680 --> 00:06:51.620 Even as I read it, you probably discerned that. 00:06:51.939 --> 00:06:59.779 Both distinguishes those who would be citizens of the kingdom of heaven from those who would not be citizens of the kingdom of heaven. 00:07:00.399 --> 00:07:03.839 First, Jesus contrasts saying with doing. 00:07:04.620 --> 00:07:09.299 And then in the second section, he contrasts hearing with doing. 00:07:09.300 --> 00:07:15.699 Each time, of course, he puts a premium, a salvific premium, if you will, on doing. 00:07:16.460 --> 00:07:25.439 In other words, saying and hearing only leads to self-deception only, not salvation. 00:07:26.819 --> 00:07:30.420 Let's pick it up in verse 21 through 23. 00:07:30.660 --> 00:07:32.080 Look at what it says again back at the text. 00:07:32.079 --> 00:07:40.560 Now, everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven. 00:07:41.639 --> 00:07:44.419 The one who does the will of my father who is in heaven. 00:07:44.860 --> 00:07:48.719 This is the one who will enter the kingdom of heaven. 00:07:50.000 --> 00:07:58.019 So right off the bat, you see in this particular passage, and I want to walk through it slowly because I tend to, at least my heart, I like to rush by warnings. 00:07:58.019 --> 00:08:04.740 I like to think in my mind who they apply to, not me, probably my older brother or my cousin. 00:08:05.759 --> 00:08:07.399 And I like to rush by them. 00:08:07.899 --> 00:08:15.819 So I want to walk through this slowly because Jesus is saying some hard stuff here, but it's important if we receive it by grace. 00:08:16.039 --> 00:08:21.879 Like I said in my prayer, it will keep those whom he has called both believers and non-believers. 00:08:22.000 --> 00:08:23.159 Look at the first thing you can observe. 00:08:23.160 --> 00:08:38.360 You can't assume, and this is a quote from Pastor Greg from last week, you can't assume that just because someone says, I'm a Christian and I love Jesus, that that means that they are actually a follower of Christ. 00:08:39.440 --> 00:08:40.620 Greg said that last week. 00:08:40.660 --> 00:08:41.060 That wasn't me. 00:08:41.100 --> 00:08:41.680 That was Greg. 00:08:42.139 --> 00:08:42.779 Pastor Greg. 00:08:43.340 --> 00:08:49.200 You can't assume that just because someone says, I love Jesus, I'm a follower of Jesus, that they are actually a Christian. 00:08:49.200 --> 00:08:57.900 In our current cultural context, many of you have become painfully aware of this, perhaps awkwardly aware of this. 00:08:58.720 --> 00:09:03.740 Anything that is professed to be Christian is readily received as Christian. 00:09:04.500 --> 00:09:05.040 Is it not? 00:09:06.060 --> 00:09:13.580 And if anything that is professed to be Christian is not readily received as Christian, then that is itself not Christian. 00:09:14.140 --> 00:09:14.780 Isn't that something? 00:09:14.779 --> 00:09:22.939 To put it another way, the only thing that is not affirmed, it seems, is the refusal to affirm. 00:09:24.379 --> 00:09:30.459 You have this cultural context that we're living in where there are so many forms of Christianity, right? 00:09:30.519 --> 00:09:34.759 There's so many different professions of what it means, what it looks like to follow Jesus. 00:09:35.159 --> 00:09:42.519 And the only thing that is rejected is those who would seek to reject a particular form that's out there of following Jesus. 00:09:42.519 --> 00:09:47.379 This warning passage, again, is one of the most sobering for me in the entire Bible. 00:09:48.519 --> 00:09:49.360 And here's why. 00:09:51.559 --> 00:09:58.100 I, and perhaps many of you, have in common, much in common, with the people in the passage. 00:09:58.220 --> 00:09:59.159 Look back at the text. 00:10:01.659 --> 00:10:04.879 They have a sincere profession, do they not? 00:10:05.399 --> 00:10:06.299 Look at verse 21. 00:10:06.299 --> 00:10:09.399 Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord. 00:10:10.659 --> 00:10:15.779 The repetition there of kurios, it's a, it's, it denotes a sincerity, a passion. 00:10:16.479 --> 00:10:17.939 It's an emphatic, if you will. 00:10:18.059 --> 00:10:20.719 They, they are, they are sincere in their profession. 00:10:21.620 --> 00:10:25.679 They, they, they believe that Jesus is their Lord. 00:10:26.879 --> 00:10:30.379 Those of us who are professed believers in here tonight, do we not? 00:10:30.379 --> 00:10:34.799 Would that not to be our same sincere profession? 00:10:35.659 --> 00:10:40.279 But not only do they have a sincere profession, they evidence a tireless devotion. 00:10:40.799 --> 00:10:41.700 Look at verse 22. 00:10:42.439 --> 00:10:46.080 On that day, many will say to me, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? 00:10:46.220 --> 00:10:47.919 Cast out demons in your name. 00:10:48.059 --> 00:10:49.720 Do many mighty works in your name. 00:10:50.279 --> 00:10:57.559 That repetition is, is, is, is indicative of the fact that they are, uh, at least according to themselves, devoted to Christ. 00:10:57.559 --> 00:11:01.939 The works that they believe that they have evidence are in his name. 00:11:03.179 --> 00:11:05.519 Thrice in his name. 00:11:06.519 --> 00:11:08.439 They have a sincere profession. 00:11:08.599 --> 00:11:10.359 They have a tireless devotion. 00:11:11.419 --> 00:11:19.879 And it is very easy, friends, to write this warning off and not heed this warning by doing this. 00:11:20.419 --> 00:11:26.059 By corrupting their profession and their devotion in a way that the text doesn't do. 00:11:26.059 --> 00:11:31.639 In other words, you can say, well, the difference between them and me is they didn't mean it, but I really mean it. 00:11:32.859 --> 00:11:36.319 Well, the difference between them and me is, you know, there's something going on. 00:11:36.399 --> 00:11:37.759 They didn't say the right words. 00:11:37.759 --> 00:11:40.439 Or, you know, they said Lord twice and you don't see that in the Bible. 00:11:41.599 --> 00:11:50.539 Anything that you can point to to try to distinguish them from you, that's a way that your heart can kind of shun this warning and say, yeah, the people in the text, that's a shame. 00:11:50.539 --> 00:11:51.500 That's sad. 00:11:51.659 --> 00:11:52.799 That's just not me. 00:11:54.000 --> 00:11:55.219 So I hear you, Jesus. 00:11:55.379 --> 00:11:56.339 Thank you for the warning. 00:11:56.719 --> 00:11:58.000 But I think I'm good. 00:11:59.439 --> 00:12:02.559 I tend to want to do that with warning passages. 00:12:03.379 --> 00:12:07.039 But no, these people, and this is what's incredible. 00:12:08.360 --> 00:12:11.279 They actually thought that they were his. 00:12:11.279 --> 00:12:17.699 I don't think the text is trying to suggest that they're in front of Jesus on that day trying to get over on him. 00:12:17.980 --> 00:12:23.559 Like, I know I'm not yours, Jesus, and I'm hoping that you, I can kind of fake you out in this moment. 00:12:23.639 --> 00:12:23.779 No. 00:12:24.019 --> 00:12:27.679 They actually believe that they are his. 00:12:29.319 --> 00:12:33.419 They actually believe that they belong to him. 00:12:33.480 --> 00:12:37.980 They actually believe that they know him and that he knows them. 00:12:39.299 --> 00:12:40.319 Think about that. 00:12:41.279 --> 00:12:43.459 I mean, this is far worse. 00:12:44.019 --> 00:12:45.779 And I'm thinking back to my college days. 00:12:45.879 --> 00:12:53.639 This is far worse than showing up to an invitation-only event and thinking that your name is on the list. 00:12:54.079 --> 00:12:55.600 I had dressed up and everything. 00:12:56.100 --> 00:12:58.860 One of my friends told me that they had put my name on the list. 00:12:59.740 --> 00:13:01.759 This is far worse than that, right? 00:13:01.980 --> 00:13:08.539 This is showing up before Jesus, who is no longer the suffering servant, but now he's the righteous judge. 00:13:08.539 --> 00:13:12.199 And they're claiming that they've done all of these things in his name. 00:13:12.299 --> 00:13:17.139 They're claiming that he is their Lord and they are dead wrong. 00:13:17.879 --> 00:13:19.199 How does that happen? 00:13:20.339 --> 00:13:23.399 I think that's the question that the text is pointing us to. 00:13:23.500 --> 00:13:26.559 How does that happen, Jesus? 00:13:26.559 --> 00:13:31.279 And Jesus, please don't let that happen to me. 00:13:32.819 --> 00:13:33.739 Verse 23. 00:13:34.539 --> 00:13:35.539 Look at the text. 00:13:36.839 --> 00:13:38.339 And then I will declare to them. 00:13:40.159 --> 00:13:40.979 And isn't that interesting? 00:13:41.099 --> 00:13:44.299 They come before Jesus making a declaration, making a profession. 00:13:44.739 --> 00:13:46.799 And Jesus says, I got a declaration of my own. 00:13:47.119 --> 00:13:47.919 It's a good one. 00:13:47.919 --> 00:13:50.939 Then I will declare to them. 00:13:52.099 --> 00:13:53.879 They came making a declaration. 00:13:54.059 --> 00:13:57.939 Jesus declares back to them, I never knew you. 00:13:59.139 --> 00:14:03.279 Depart from me, you workers of lawlessness. 00:14:04.479 --> 00:14:09.199 That literally can be translated, never at any time did I know you. 00:14:11.219 --> 00:14:12.199 Think about that. 00:14:12.339 --> 00:14:15.059 Never at any time did I know you. 00:14:15.059 --> 00:14:23.539 So, even when they were involved in these works that they were doing in his name, in his name, in his name, it was thrice. 00:14:23.979 --> 00:14:24.979 Remember those works? 00:14:25.259 --> 00:14:30.079 Even as they were doing those works, Jesus says, I didn't know you at that moment. 00:14:31.259 --> 00:14:32.519 How does that happen? 00:14:33.779 --> 00:14:35.819 And again, why this hits my heart? 00:14:35.919 --> 00:14:36.639 Because what? 00:14:36.639 --> 00:14:44.939 We as Christians, as believers, those of us who are believers in Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit dwelling on the inside of us, we want to do good works, do we not? 00:14:45.059 --> 00:14:49.299 We believe that we're engaged in the good work right now. 00:14:50.439 --> 00:14:53.839 Lord, I came to church at 630 and it's no AC in here. 00:14:56.279 --> 00:14:58.579 I'm not the only one who's feeling that tonight, right? 00:15:00.139 --> 00:15:06.539 But yet, you do those kind of things and you hope that Jesus is looking on and that he's pleased. 00:15:06.539 --> 00:15:15.539 But for these individuals who were involved in these remarkable works, according to them, Jesus says, I didn't know you at any time. 00:15:15.839 --> 00:15:18.719 Never did I know you at any time. 00:15:19.719 --> 00:15:20.480 Depart from me. 00:15:22.839 --> 00:15:24.159 Let's complicate this. 00:15:24.159 --> 00:15:35.659 Because I think that if you've been with us throughout this sermon, you've caught a theme in Jesus' words, a particular focus of his teaching. 00:15:36.299 --> 00:15:44.639 And I think that if you take this particular section isolated, I think you can interpret it in a way that I think is decent and I think is good. 00:15:44.639 --> 00:15:49.379 But I don't know if that's exactly or precisely what Jesus is getting at. 00:15:49.439 --> 00:15:50.659 Here's the problem I see. 00:15:52.899 --> 00:15:59.960 Typically, the common way to read and interpret this passage, these few verses that we just looked at, which is pretty plain and straightforward, 00:15:59.960 --> 00:16:08.060 is to conclude that these individuals, though claiming some remarkable works, they did, did they not? 00:16:08.720 --> 00:16:14.139 These individuals were really just living outward, flagrant, sinful lives. 00:16:15.139 --> 00:16:20.700 In other words, the conclusion that you can easily draw, and I think it's a good one to have that check is, 00:16:21.100 --> 00:16:26.759 okay, what was going on here is you have some professed believers who had done, professed to do some good works, 00:16:26.759 --> 00:16:32.500 but then Jesus exposes the fact that they were just living, you know, they were just living wildly. 00:16:33.299 --> 00:16:41.439 Jesus exposes the fact that their lives were just marked by a lascivious, outward, flagrant, I'm just sinning and I love it kind of lifestyle. 00:16:41.720 --> 00:16:45.279 And what you can do again is say, okay, see, that was their problem. 00:16:45.399 --> 00:16:46.179 I don't do that. 00:16:46.899 --> 00:16:47.740 So I'm still good. 00:16:51.059 --> 00:16:53.200 But who is Jesus talking to? 00:16:53.200 --> 00:17:03.080 Remember, in the beginning of this sermon, it says that Jesus goes up on this mountainous area and his disciples come to him. 00:17:03.660 --> 00:17:12.400 It's interesting, the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is really talking to his disciples about what people who are citizens of the kingdom look and live like. 00:17:12.580 --> 00:17:15.779 Now, there's crowds around, but he's talking to his disciples. 00:17:15.779 --> 00:17:21.399 And who throughout this sermon is Jesus consistently indicting? 00:17:21.920 --> 00:17:24.980 Talking to his disciples, indicting someone else. 00:17:25.480 --> 00:17:26.339 That's that, right? 00:17:26.420 --> 00:17:27.680 That's a textbook move. 00:17:27.819 --> 00:17:30.339 I'm talking to you, but I'm talking about them. 00:17:30.819 --> 00:17:31.599 Who's he indicting? 00:17:32.720 --> 00:17:33.559 The Pharisees. 00:17:34.379 --> 00:17:35.220 The scribes. 00:17:35.220 --> 00:17:49.120 And when you think about the indictments that he's brought on these Pharisees and scribes and religious leaders up to this point, you have to remember that the Pharisees did not live outwardly flagrant, sinful lives. 00:17:50.460 --> 00:17:51.279 Think about that. 00:17:51.279 --> 00:18:06.519 So, if Jesus is up to the same thing that he's been doing in this warning, indicting those who are not citizens of the kingdom, it's not a—I don't think it's an appropriate conclusion to say, oh, the problem with these people is that they were living flagrant, sinful lives. 00:18:07.359 --> 00:18:14.220 Because if Jesus is out to indict the Pharisees and those who are like them, he's got to come with another punchline, doesn't he? 00:18:14.220 --> 00:18:30.660 Remember in Matthew 5.20, he said this statement, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:32.860 This is not what Jesus meant by that. 00:18:33.680 --> 00:18:43.100 Unlike the Pharisees who are given over to adultery and go to Jerusalem clubs on the weekend, you should stay home on Saturday night. 00:18:43.099 --> 00:18:44.859 That's not what he's saying. 00:18:45.579 --> 00:18:55.019 In other words, when Jesus says, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, he's not saying, everybody knows they're just such flagrant sinners, so you don't be like that. 00:18:55.099 --> 00:18:56.740 They're not flagrant in their sins. 00:18:58.079 --> 00:19:00.579 They're not lascivious in their sins. 00:19:01.419 --> 00:19:06.799 As a matter of fact, they have an outward righteousness, right, that looks clean and perfect. 00:19:06.799 --> 00:19:15.099 They wear phylacteries, which are little leather boxes with Hebrew commands on it so that they would remember to keep the law. 00:19:16.460 --> 00:19:18.619 So what is Jesus saying? 00:19:18.720 --> 00:19:23.379 Instead, what I think Matthew 5.20 and this text is getting at is this. 00:19:23.380 --> 00:19:29.420 Do not fall into the category of what Isaiah 29 says. 00:19:30.540 --> 00:19:37.460 They come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 00:19:38.580 --> 00:19:46.840 I think that's what he's getting at because Jesus is going to repeat this same prophetic word in Matthew 15, a few chapters later, to the scribes and Pharisees. 00:19:46.839 --> 00:19:58.819 I don't think the sin, as it were, the lawlessness of this particular passage is don't interpret lawlessness as merely outward flagrant sin. 00:20:00.039 --> 00:20:03.500 Don't interpret lawlessness in this passage to merely mean that. 00:20:03.679 --> 00:20:05.159 I think that's a good check. 00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:08.179 We need to have that check. 00:20:08.259 --> 00:20:09.899 That's a Romans 6 check, right? 00:20:09.900 --> 00:20:16.620 When you receive the grace of God, that grace is not only a saving grace, it's a sanctifying grace, right? 00:20:16.680 --> 00:20:18.820 So Paul closes that back door really quick. 00:20:18.880 --> 00:20:20.620 If you're saved, you don't keep sinning. 00:20:20.860 --> 00:20:21.860 We need that check. 00:20:22.660 --> 00:20:26.560 But don't interpret this lawlessness in this text as merely that. 00:20:27.820 --> 00:20:33.120 I think Mike preached on this back in June when he was preaching in Matthew 5, verse 20. 00:20:33.119 --> 00:20:42.199 Lawlessness could also be a mere external righteousness filled with all the good works that you could ever imagine. 00:20:42.299 --> 00:20:50.779 Church attendance, one-on-one discipling relationships, offerings, mission trips, three weeks or three months. 00:20:50.779 --> 00:21:03.039 Do not think that lawlessness is just this flagrant outward sin, but it could be a mere external righteousness with a wicked heart that is far from God. 00:21:04.319 --> 00:21:15.559 So when you take that mindset and look at this particular passage, perhaps it's not perhaps just that these individuals were saying, Lord, Lord, they were doing these remarkable works, but they were just living wild. 00:21:15.559 --> 00:21:24.259 It could be that as they were saying, Lord, Lord, as they were, quote-unquote, doing these works in his names, their hearts were still far from him. 00:21:25.319 --> 00:21:28.679 Perhaps they had a righteousness like that of the Pharisees. 00:21:29.679 --> 00:21:33.259 And I think that brings this warning a little bit closer to home, doesn't it? 00:21:33.259 --> 00:21:36.619 Because now you're like, oh, man, okay, that still could be me. 00:21:36.619 --> 00:21:45.819 These kind of warning passages come so close to not people out there, but people like us. 00:21:46.819 --> 00:21:53.539 So when Pastor Greg was preaching on the wide and the narrow way, the same kind of concept. 00:21:53.859 --> 00:22:00.139 Don't think that the narrow way, or the wide way rather, merely means flagrant sinning. 00:22:00.140 --> 00:22:08.000 The wide way can also be the way that assumes that an external righteousness is good enough. 00:22:09.060 --> 00:22:15.840 In other words, the wide way that is easy and leads to destruction is the way of the Pharisees. 00:22:17.720 --> 00:22:20.700 And we don't often think that that's easy, but that is very easy. 00:22:21.259 --> 00:22:23.840 It's easy to put on outwardly. 00:22:23.839 --> 00:22:29.839 It's easy to have your list with the things that you do and some of the things that you don't do, 00:22:30.079 --> 00:22:32.579 and to count them up and to be proud about them, right? 00:22:32.599 --> 00:22:39.639 Remember the Luke 18 story, I fast, I tithe, and he does not leave justified. 00:22:39.799 --> 00:22:40.299 Remember that? 00:22:40.519 --> 00:22:42.220 It's easy to have your list. 00:22:42.919 --> 00:22:48.259 The narrow way is to evidence what Jesus began in this Sermon on the Mount, 00:22:48.359 --> 00:22:50.279 these beatitudes, this broken spirit. 00:22:51.119 --> 00:22:52.539 That's the hard way. 00:22:53.839 --> 00:22:58.939 We don't often think about these kind of passages in that regard. 00:23:00.059 --> 00:23:04.019 Let me illustrate it with this, if I've just been totally not making any sense. 00:23:04.399 --> 00:23:05.359 And you can tell me that later. 00:23:05.599 --> 00:23:05.919 I'm cool. 00:23:08.659 --> 00:23:11.559 Yeah, so I clap a lot. 00:23:11.599 --> 00:23:11.939 I'm sorry. 00:23:12.240 --> 00:23:16.039 Yeah, so when I used to be in pastoral ministry in Kentucky, 00:23:16.839 --> 00:23:19.419 I used to teach a lot of Wednesday night Bible studies. 00:23:19.720 --> 00:23:22.839 And our Wednesday night Bible studies would go from like 7 to like 8.30. 00:23:22.839 --> 00:23:24.500 We'd just be in it hour and a half. 00:23:24.619 --> 00:23:25.839 Bam, bam, bam, right? 00:23:25.980 --> 00:23:27.079 We'd just be hour and a half. 00:23:27.539 --> 00:23:30.039 And there was this brother. 00:23:30.159 --> 00:23:35.319 He used to sit way in the back, last row, every Wednesday night. 00:23:35.899 --> 00:23:38.639 We called him Buzzer Beater Phillip. 00:23:39.839 --> 00:23:44.819 Because Phillip, as I'm teaching this out, when I'm teaching, I like to interact, 00:23:44.819 --> 00:23:47.299 and you can raise your hands and ask questions as I'm teaching. 00:23:47.839 --> 00:23:49.000 Phillip wouldn't take that route. 00:23:49.839 --> 00:23:51.379 I teach from 7 to 8.30. 00:23:51.559 --> 00:23:55.460 Phillip would wait to 8.29 and raise his hand. 00:23:56.639 --> 00:23:59.960 And I remember the first time I taught and Phillip was sitting in the back, 00:24:00.399 --> 00:24:01.599 and he did his Buzzer Beater. 00:24:01.599 --> 00:24:02.319 It was 8.29. 00:24:02.599 --> 00:24:02.879 Boom. 00:24:02.980 --> 00:24:03.559 Got a question. 00:24:03.659 --> 00:24:04.720 I was like, oh, man. 00:24:05.000 --> 00:24:05.519 Yes, Phillip? 00:24:05.519 --> 00:24:08.839 He said, and he literally said this. 00:24:08.859 --> 00:24:09.900 My bride can attest to this. 00:24:11.700 --> 00:24:17.400 Yeah, nothing you've said for the past hour and a half makes any sense at all to me. 00:24:20.980 --> 00:24:23.420 This is what I'm doing internally, right? 00:24:23.420 --> 00:24:30.759 He literally says, nothing that you've said for the past hour and a half makes any sense at all to me. 00:24:30.820 --> 00:24:32.940 And he says this at 8.29. 00:24:34.620 --> 00:24:38.160 So imagine, like you all sitting there, the whole congregation does this. 00:24:38.220 --> 00:24:42.460 They look back at Phillip, and then they look at me in unison. 00:24:44.160 --> 00:24:45.980 I am heated. 00:24:47.240 --> 00:24:50.259 I'm heated, like steaming heated. 00:24:50.259 --> 00:24:54.779 Because he just undermined an hour and a half worth of teaching with one statement. 00:24:54.980 --> 00:24:56.460 He doesn't want a response. 00:24:56.619 --> 00:24:58.539 Because we're about to go in 30 seconds. 00:24:59.440 --> 00:25:00.279 I'm steaming. 00:25:00.519 --> 00:25:01.500 But this is what I do. 00:25:02.279 --> 00:25:03.640 Because I'm in pastoral ministry. 00:25:04.140 --> 00:25:04.720 I'm a leader. 00:25:05.660 --> 00:25:06.660 He's a brother in Christ. 00:25:07.379 --> 00:25:08.299 I say, you know what, Phillip? 00:25:08.440 --> 00:25:10.119 That's a fair assessment, brother. 00:25:11.079 --> 00:25:12.660 Let's talk one-on-one afterwards. 00:25:12.779 --> 00:25:15.500 If you want me to clarify some things right now, I'd be happy to do that, brother. 00:25:15.879 --> 00:25:17.819 You know, the scriptures are inerrant. 00:25:17.940 --> 00:25:18.500 They're accurate. 00:25:18.500 --> 00:25:21.819 And I may be errant in my interpretation, so let's search the scriptures together. 00:25:21.920 --> 00:25:23.619 I give the perfect Christian response. 00:25:23.740 --> 00:25:24.039 Bam! 00:25:24.160 --> 00:25:24.559 Got him! 00:25:26.359 --> 00:25:31.380 And I give the perfect, like, righteous, external Christian response. 00:25:31.819 --> 00:25:33.859 And you can see the faces of everybody in the room. 00:25:33.960 --> 00:25:36.700 They're just like, oh, man, Stephen is just so godly. 00:25:38.279 --> 00:25:40.660 Because I would not have been able to do that. 00:25:41.099 --> 00:25:42.279 And so I'm happy, right? 00:25:42.279 --> 00:25:45.000 But internally, I'm still what? 00:25:45.980 --> 00:25:46.259 Steaming. 00:25:46.940 --> 00:25:48.139 I'm still furious. 00:25:49.019 --> 00:25:52.259 And I didn't get checked on this until my gracious bride checked me. 00:25:52.639 --> 00:25:53.799 Because Sonny knows me. 00:25:54.279 --> 00:25:57.920 And she comes up to me later and she says, babe, that was good. 00:25:57.960 --> 00:25:59.240 She said, but you got to watch that. 00:25:59.440 --> 00:26:00.220 And I'm like, watch what? 00:26:00.240 --> 00:26:02.160 I gave him the perfect Christian response. 00:26:03.019 --> 00:26:03.940 She says, I know. 00:26:03.940 --> 00:26:07.240 But I know that you're still steaming on the inside. 00:26:07.660 --> 00:26:11.460 And you got to watch putting on an external righteousness while your heart is still wicked. 00:26:13.059 --> 00:26:15.100 Everybody in the room saw what? 00:26:15.259 --> 00:26:16.720 My external response. 00:26:17.200 --> 00:26:18.039 What did God see? 00:26:19.539 --> 00:26:21.000 He saw the internal response. 00:26:21.900 --> 00:26:24.820 And that can be an example of lawlessness. 00:26:25.980 --> 00:26:29.500 Lawlessness would not, if I went off on field, of course that's lawlessness. 00:26:29.500 --> 00:26:36.900 But lawlessness could also be an external righteousness, but with a heart that's still deceitfully far from God. 00:26:37.359 --> 00:26:37.859 See that? 00:26:39.279 --> 00:26:40.599 Let's go to the next section. 00:26:41.640 --> 00:26:42.799 While we close it up. 00:26:42.880 --> 00:26:45.880 Everyone then who hears these words of mine. 00:26:45.940 --> 00:26:46.319 Look at that. 00:26:46.420 --> 00:26:46.720 Interesting. 00:26:47.579 --> 00:26:52.819 In the first section, Jesus says that these individuals do not do the will of my Father. 00:26:53.759 --> 00:26:57.839 But as he begins this next section, he says, everyone who hears these words of mine. 00:26:57.839 --> 00:27:02.559 So you see, even Jesus is subtly equating, yeah, what I want you to do is what he wants you to do. 00:27:02.639 --> 00:27:02.759 Why? 00:27:02.839 --> 00:27:03.519 Because we're one. 00:27:04.339 --> 00:27:05.579 That's a subtle claim to deity. 00:27:06.199 --> 00:27:12.579 Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 00:27:13.459 --> 00:27:20.740 Rain fell, floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall because it had been founded on the rock. 00:27:21.619 --> 00:27:27.059 Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 00:27:27.059 --> 00:27:33.759 Rain fell, floods came, the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it. 00:27:34.299 --> 00:27:39.299 Now, I think when Jesus says these words of mine, I don't think he's simply and merely referring to the section we just finished. 00:27:39.339 --> 00:27:45.460 I think it includes that, but I think Jesus is encapsulating all where he's been, right, from beginning of chapter 5. 00:27:45.460 --> 00:27:57.420 So, I've done a lot of teaching, perhaps days of teaching, and now with these words that I've given you, I am the par excellent interpreter of the law, right? 00:27:57.519 --> 00:28:01.640 Jesus is now interpreting the law, showing his relevance, showing his depth. 00:28:02.440 --> 00:28:06.420 He's the greater Moses, as it were, giving the law from a mountain. 00:28:06.420 --> 00:28:11.360 Now, Jesus says, all that I've done, all that I've said, now you have an option. 00:28:11.460 --> 00:28:12.460 You have a choice to make. 00:28:13.300 --> 00:28:21.800 You're either going to build your life, your spiritual life, on me and my words, which is to build it on the rock. 00:28:22.640 --> 00:28:24.440 And that's a simple illustrate. 00:28:24.560 --> 00:28:24.860 That's not. 00:28:25.000 --> 00:28:25.920 It's like, Jesus, I'll get you. 00:28:25.980 --> 00:28:26.600 There, you're the rock. 00:28:26.680 --> 00:28:26.960 Got it. 00:28:27.000 --> 00:28:27.259 Got it. 00:28:27.279 --> 00:28:27.480 Good. 00:28:27.800 --> 00:28:28.120 Right? 00:28:28.119 --> 00:28:40.359 Or, you're going to just hear my words, but not build your spiritual life on me and my words, and that's the equivalent of building your spiritual life, your house, on sand. 00:28:41.619 --> 00:28:44.500 No one intentionally builds a house on sand, do they? 00:28:45.119 --> 00:28:46.099 Not intentionally. 00:28:47.419 --> 00:28:56.099 When I used to do teach young adult ministry in my local church, I used to always tell them that my fear was that they had become professional sermon listeners. 00:28:56.099 --> 00:28:59.919 A professional sermon listener is someone who likes to listen to sermons. 00:29:00.799 --> 00:29:05.899 They come to the sermon, and they sit, and they take their notes, and they got their notes, and taking notes is great. 00:29:06.019 --> 00:29:09.399 So, if you're taking notes, don't slam your Bible like, he don't want me to take notes. 00:29:09.559 --> 00:29:10.240 Don't do that. 00:29:10.539 --> 00:29:17.599 But a professional sermon listener is one who listens, sits, and takes notes, and they're like, mm, good, mm, yes, good. 00:29:17.939 --> 00:29:19.859 Once the sermon is over, they're done with it. 00:29:20.980 --> 00:29:23.119 Don't be a professional sermon listener. 00:29:23.119 --> 00:29:25.799 Jesus says, I've just done days of teaching. 00:29:26.139 --> 00:29:28.019 I've given you the depth of the law. 00:29:28.119 --> 00:29:31.199 What does it look like to be a kingdom citizen, a citizen of my kingdom? 00:29:31.339 --> 00:29:32.879 Here's what my disciples live like. 00:29:33.359 --> 00:29:34.859 Build your life on this. 00:29:34.979 --> 00:29:41.539 Don't just listen and be impressed, but build your life on me and this word. 00:29:41.539 --> 00:29:52.639 And notice in the text, for all intents and purposes, the houses might look identically the same. 00:29:54.079 --> 00:29:55.659 What's different is the foundation. 00:29:55.660 --> 00:30:10.120 And he says that if you build your house on me and my words, if you build your house on my words, when the rain comes, when the flood comes, when the wind comes, so you have this hitting from all sides, right? 00:30:10.220 --> 00:30:15.040 Wind coming from side to side, rain coming from the top, flood coming from the bottom. 00:30:15.220 --> 00:30:16.620 The house is being attacked. 00:30:16.619 --> 00:30:22.339 And in an immediate sense, this could refer to the trials and tribulations of life. 00:30:22.939 --> 00:30:28.379 But I think ultimately it refers to that judgment pronouncement on that day. 00:30:28.739 --> 00:30:37.939 And I think another thing that indicates that it refers to that future judgment is because he says a person who builds his life on these words will be like. 00:30:38.039 --> 00:30:38.459 You see that? 00:30:38.519 --> 00:30:39.459 That's a future tense. 00:30:39.639 --> 00:30:40.579 Will be like. 00:30:40.579 --> 00:30:49.439 In other words, when that person comes before me, that person will be like on that day, someone who has built their house on the rock. 00:30:50.460 --> 00:30:53.339 But for all intents and purposes, they could look exactly the same. 00:30:54.079 --> 00:30:55.639 They could have the same works. 00:30:55.740 --> 00:30:57.579 They could both come to church at the same time. 00:30:57.659 --> 00:30:59.339 They could pray the same amount of time. 00:30:59.419 --> 00:31:00.639 They could give the same amount. 00:31:00.740 --> 00:31:04.259 They can go on the same amount of mission trips, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. 00:31:04.259 --> 00:31:10.619 But that day will reveal the foundation that they've truly built on. 00:31:11.220 --> 00:31:21.720 And if it has not been built on Jesus and his words, and I think Jesus and his words there, I think we can extrapolate that out to Jesus meaning his salvific work, his person and work. 00:31:22.440 --> 00:31:25.980 I think Jesus is projecting here almost anachronistically, right? 00:31:26.059 --> 00:31:28.400 I think Jesus knows obviously what's ahead of him. 00:31:28.460 --> 00:31:29.500 He knows what's in store. 00:31:29.500 --> 00:31:35.380 And so building on me and my words will mean something that not even his disciples realize at this moment. 00:31:36.240 --> 00:31:43.660 But those who build their lives on him, his words, this gospel, they'll be like a house that built on the rock. 00:31:46.220 --> 00:31:50.839 This gospel, we've been calling this sermon on the mount. 00:31:50.940 --> 00:31:56.500 We've been calling this kingdom that Jesus has invited these individuals to be a part of. 00:31:56.619 --> 00:31:58.819 It's one that you enter by grace, is it not? 00:32:00.180 --> 00:32:05.740 Because Jesus Christ is the only one who has truly and fully, perfectly fulfilled the law of God. 00:32:07.059 --> 00:32:08.720 He lives his perfect life. 00:32:09.119 --> 00:32:13.180 He dies this sacrificial substitutionary death for the sins of his people. 00:32:13.920 --> 00:32:21.119 I get in, you get in, anybody who will repent and turn from their sins and place their faith and trust in Christ, we get in by grace alone. 00:32:21.960 --> 00:32:23.299 But here's the beauty about it. 00:32:23.299 --> 00:32:27.319 All of these kingdom principles that Jesus has laid out. 00:32:27.919 --> 00:32:32.419 Once you enter this kingdom by grace through faith, he gives you his spirit. 00:32:32.779 --> 00:32:36.839 And now you are empowered to live towards these principles, are you not? 00:32:36.839 --> 00:32:44.059 So then why would you, why would you settle for an external righteousness? 00:32:44.059 --> 00:32:59.759 When Jesus says, no, I want to give you my spirit so that you will not just be satisfied with an external righteousness, but you can have a righteousness that exceeds the righteousness of the Pharisees and the scribes, because I will change you from the inside out. 00:32:59.759 --> 00:33:03.619 But that's the narrow way, isn't it? 00:33:04.559 --> 00:33:07.480 The wide way is to, I'll just stick with the external. 00:33:08.500 --> 00:33:11.319 The wide way is to, I'll just say the right things. 00:33:11.319 --> 00:33:21.099 But no, this gospel has given us not only a salvation, but it has given us a sanctification. 00:33:21.279 --> 00:33:23.359 It will ultimately give us a glorification. 00:33:23.759 --> 00:33:26.379 These are all benefits of this gospel of grace. 00:33:26.759 --> 00:33:32.859 Why wouldn't you afford yourself of these riches, to use Ephesians 1 language? 00:33:34.839 --> 00:33:36.059 I'll leave you with this. 00:33:36.059 --> 00:33:44.480 Because we, when we lived in Kentucky, we used to drive a lot back and forth to Chicago. 00:33:46.039 --> 00:33:49.759 And this was before we had Easy Pass. 00:33:49.940 --> 00:33:52.339 If you don't have Easy Pass, I don't know what you're doing with your life. 00:33:52.419 --> 00:33:53.299 You should get Easy Pass. 00:33:53.579 --> 00:33:55.359 But this was before we had Easy Pass. 00:33:55.980 --> 00:34:01.000 And so we would drive back and forth from Kentucky to Chicago, and there'd be all these tolls. 00:34:01.200 --> 00:34:05.519 And me and my bride, we are, I guess they call us millennials or whatever. 00:34:05.519 --> 00:34:07.680 We, you know, we don't carry cash. 00:34:08.380 --> 00:34:09.739 We never have any change. 00:34:09.840 --> 00:34:10.780 We don't got no quarters. 00:34:11.639 --> 00:34:13.420 You know, people, it just amazes me. 00:34:13.500 --> 00:34:15.739 People, you ever walk around and ask somebody, do you got six quarters? 00:34:15.840 --> 00:34:17.000 They're like, oh yeah, I got six. 00:34:17.340 --> 00:34:18.780 Where do you get six quarters from? 00:34:19.340 --> 00:34:20.940 But we don't ever have any change. 00:34:21.019 --> 00:34:22.099 We don't ever have any money. 00:34:22.320 --> 00:34:25.679 And so every time we would go through a toll booth, they're like, this will be me. 00:34:25.759 --> 00:34:26.480 I'll pull up. 00:34:27.039 --> 00:34:28.179 I'll look at the attendant. 00:34:29.259 --> 00:34:30.400 I'll look back down. 00:34:30.880 --> 00:34:31.759 I'll look at the attendant. 00:34:31.880 --> 00:34:33.639 I'll say, I don't got anything. 00:34:33.639 --> 00:34:38.139 And she would say, Billy, we got another one who claims he don't have anything, right? 00:34:42.579 --> 00:34:47.980 What she could do is she could say, oh, that's okay. 00:34:48.059 --> 00:34:48.900 Don't worry about it. 00:34:48.920 --> 00:34:49.920 Just pass on through. 00:34:50.779 --> 00:34:51.920 She could do that. 00:34:52.219 --> 00:34:52.980 She didn't do that. 00:34:54.719 --> 00:34:55.679 Pull up again. 00:34:55.799 --> 00:34:56.599 This happened several times. 00:34:56.699 --> 00:34:57.299 Pull up again. 00:34:58.420 --> 00:34:59.099 Look down. 00:34:59.219 --> 00:34:59.619 Look at her. 00:34:59.699 --> 00:35:00.059 Look down. 00:35:00.139 --> 00:35:00.460 Look at her. 00:35:00.519 --> 00:35:01.179 I ain't got nothing. 00:35:01.319 --> 00:35:02.259 Billy, we got another one. 00:35:02.260 --> 00:35:02.940 She does the same thing. 00:35:04.380 --> 00:35:06.880 It's a whole different thing if she says this. 00:35:07.860 --> 00:35:08.640 That's okay. 00:35:10.120 --> 00:35:14.480 Because the person who came before you paid your toll. 00:35:16.020 --> 00:35:17.840 That's a whole different thing, isn't it? 00:35:18.500 --> 00:35:25.320 The gospel is not the first scenario where she just says, don't worry about it. 00:35:25.340 --> 00:35:26.140 Just keep on going. 00:35:26.280 --> 00:35:26.720 No, no, no. 00:35:27.200 --> 00:35:28.700 God upholds his standard. 00:35:29.580 --> 00:35:30.940 His standard is his standard. 00:35:30.940 --> 00:35:34.220 The gospel is not he lowers the bar so you can leap over it. 00:35:34.220 --> 00:35:34.639 No, no, no. 00:35:35.019 --> 00:35:38.599 The gospel is someone else leaps over that bar because you can't. 00:35:39.820 --> 00:35:43.079 And so when I pass through the second time and she says, don't worry about it, it's not 00:35:43.079 --> 00:35:46.579 because she's lowering the standard, but it's because someone else paid my debt. 00:35:47.820 --> 00:35:49.780 This is what Jesus does for you and I. 00:35:49.780 --> 00:35:55.519 He fulfills the righteous requirements of the law for us. 00:35:55.519 --> 00:36:02.400 And he dies in our stead as those who deserve death because we could not, did not fulfill 00:36:02.400 --> 00:36:03.239 those requirements. 00:36:04.239 --> 00:36:05.759 And God vindicates him. 00:36:05.820 --> 00:36:06.920 He accepts that payment. 00:36:07.079 --> 00:36:08.659 Jesus is resurrected from the dead. 00:36:08.860 --> 00:36:10.460 He's seated at the right hand of the Father. 00:36:10.800 --> 00:36:15.599 This is a payment paid in full for all who would turn and place their faith in him. 00:36:15.599 --> 00:36:21.099 And all the riches of eternity are yours in that instant. 00:36:21.179 --> 00:36:23.319 This could be you tonight if you are not a Christian. 00:36:24.059 --> 00:36:27.319 You don't have to hear, depart from me, I never knew you. 00:36:27.980 --> 00:36:32.900 And if you are a professed Christian and you're being challenged by this word to test yourself, 00:36:33.000 --> 00:36:37.460 to see whether you are in the faith, 2 Corinthians 13, 5, that doesn't have to be your lot. 00:36:37.639 --> 00:36:39.000 Depart from me, I never knew you. 00:36:39.000 --> 00:36:42.119 You can hear the other thing that we're all hoping to hear. 00:36:42.559 --> 00:36:45.360 Well done, my good and faithful servant. 00:36:46.400 --> 00:36:46.960 Let's pray. 00:36:48.840 --> 00:36:52.880 Father, we are so thankful for your word. 00:36:54.079 --> 00:37:01.099 Lord, we're thankful for even the warning passages that, as for me, it kind of rocks us. 00:37:01.179 --> 00:37:02.059 It shakes us. 00:37:02.860 --> 00:37:08.440 It makes us look introspectively at our lives, not just at our talk, but at our walk. 00:37:09.000 --> 00:37:14.519 And Lord, we're so thankful that you use these warning passages to graciously keep us. 00:37:14.699 --> 00:37:25.679 You keep us on the right path by giving us these warnings to make sure that we ourselves walk worthy of the calling wherewith we have been called. 00:37:26.619 --> 00:37:31.539 These warning passages make us make our calling and election sure. 00:37:32.739 --> 00:37:34.760 And so, God, we're grateful for your word tonight. 00:37:34.760 --> 00:37:45.760 I pray that we would heed these words, that we would not just be false professors, self-deceived, that we would just not be hearers, 00:37:45.860 --> 00:37:50.220 but that we would be doers of all that Jesus has said and done. 00:37:51.200 --> 00:37:54.160 Lord, we thank you for the gospel of grace that has saved us. 00:37:54.159 --> 00:37:58.679 We thank you for sending your son and the power of the spirit in our stead. 00:37:59.500 --> 00:38:05.119 You made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so then we can become the righteousness of God in him. 00:38:05.940 --> 00:38:06.739 And Lord, we're so thankful. 00:38:06.899 --> 00:38:08.339 We pray all these things in Christ's name. 00:38:09.179 --> 00:38:09.460 Amen. 00:38:09.460 --> 00:38:09.639 Amen. 00:38:09.639 --> 00:38:09.679 Amen. 00:38:09.679 --> 00:38:09.719 Amen. 00:38:24.159 --> 00:38:25.159 Amen. 00:38:46.059 --> 00:38:46.379 Amen. 00:38:46.379 --> 00:38:50.219 Amen. 00:38:50.219 --> 00:38:51.239 Amen. 00:38:51.239 --> 00:38:51.799 Amen. 00:38:51.799 --> 00:38:52.059 Amen. 00:38:52.059 --> 00:38:54.139 Amen. 00:38:54.139 --> 00:38:55.920 that work, but I'm going to ask you 00:38:55.920 --> 00:38:58.239 how do you reconcile those 00:38:58.239 --> 00:38:59.940 two? Because you were referring to those 00:38:59.940 --> 00:39:02.619 individuals, and people ultimately 00:39:02.619 --> 00:39:04.639 are displaying 00:39:04.639 --> 00:39:05.960 our righteousness, but 00:39:05.960 --> 00:39:08.619 inwardly, somehow, something is not right. 00:39:08.619 --> 00:39:10.759 Yeah. So, how do you reconcile 00:39:10.759 --> 00:39:12.699 that? Yeah, so my, what I wanted 00:39:12.699 --> 00:39:14.739 to say is that it's, it's, it can be 00:39:14.739 --> 00:39:16.819 both, right? So I don't think that, 00:39:17.039 --> 00:39:18.819 I think that certainly that's true. I think that 00:39:18.819 --> 00:39:20.239 a bad, a bad tree 00:39:20.239 --> 00:39:22.559 will be a bad fruit. Eventually, the 00:39:22.559 --> 00:39:24.639 lifestyle will portray what the life is. 00:39:25.000 --> 00:39:26.759 But I also wanted to give, right, 00:39:26.820 --> 00:39:28.659 this qualification that just throughout 00:39:28.659 --> 00:39:30.480 the span of the Sermon on the Mount, 00:39:30.940 --> 00:39:32.539 the way Jesus is 00:39:32.539 --> 00:39:34.759 indicting the Pharisees and the things he's calling 00:39:34.759 --> 00:39:36.340 out, it's not 00:39:37.340 --> 00:39:38.659 evidently outward flagrant 00:39:38.659 --> 00:39:40.539 things, is it? Right? When he's calling 00:39:40.539 --> 00:39:42.480 out the Pharisees, it's that they're doing the 00:39:42.480 --> 00:39:44.380 right things publicly, but 00:39:44.380 --> 00:39:46.559 that their hearts, right, they're doing it for the wrong motives, 00:39:46.860 --> 00:39:48.460 they're doing it to be seen, those 00:39:48.460 --> 00:39:50.420 things, right, aren't as open and flagrant. 00:39:50.480 --> 00:39:52.519 So you're right, I want to keep that, I don't want to deny 00:39:52.519 --> 00:39:54.579 the tree analogy. I think that's 00:39:54.579 --> 00:39:56.280 right and that's true. I think certainly 00:39:56.280 --> 00:39:58.199 your sins will find you out. 00:39:58.500 --> 00:40:00.820 But I do want to say that there's also another 00:40:00.820 --> 00:40:02.480 way that we can 00:40:02.480 --> 00:40:04.619 fall into this kind of sin, right? 00:40:04.619 --> 00:40:06.320 And it's not always this outward 00:40:06.320 --> 00:40:08.539 flagrant. And I think the way Jesus 00:40:08.539 --> 00:40:10.539 has talked about the Pharisees up 00:40:10.539 --> 00:40:12.400 to this point displays that. 00:40:12.920 --> 00:40:14.719 So the righteous, so again, going back to that statement, 00:40:15.320 --> 00:40:16.579 righteousness is needed that 00:40:16.579 --> 00:40:18.920 exceeds the righteousness of the Pharisees, 00:40:18.920 --> 00:40:20.980 right? It's not that the Pharisees 00:40:20.980 --> 00:40:23.059 are, right, people are looking at the Pharisees 00:40:23.059 --> 00:40:24.840 at that point and they're, right, 00:40:24.880 --> 00:40:26.400 the question that can be asked about them is, 00:40:26.740 --> 00:40:29.220 well, I don't see any bad fruit in the Pharisees. 00:40:30.019 --> 00:40:31.059 And that's kind of 00:40:31.059 --> 00:40:33.180 true. They're doing all of the right 00:40:33.180 --> 00:40:34.980 outward things. But 00:40:34.980 --> 00:40:36.599 I think what Jesus is getting at is, 00:40:37.139 --> 00:40:38.740 no, they're doing the outward 00:40:38.740 --> 00:40:41.000 right things, but their hearts 00:40:41.000 --> 00:40:42.840 are sinful. They're 00:40:42.840 --> 00:40:45.180 empty tombs, to use biblical language. 00:40:45.179 --> 00:40:47.319 So I think, yes, so I think 00:40:47.319 --> 00:40:49.179 the tree analogy is 00:40:49.179 --> 00:40:50.639 spot on. I'm not denying that. 00:40:51.059 --> 00:40:52.419 But I'm saying that there is 00:40:52.419 --> 00:40:54.980 another unrighteousness that we have to be 00:40:54.980 --> 00:40:56.940 wary of. Is that answering your question? 00:40:57.000 --> 00:40:59.119 So I'm not saying that the model 00:40:59.119 --> 00:41:00.960 I gave is refuting the 00:41:00.960 --> 00:41:03.039 tree analogy. I'm saying that the model 00:41:03.039 --> 00:41:04.919 I'm trying to give is another way 00:41:04.919 --> 00:41:06.379 that we need to check our own hearts. 00:41:08.980 --> 00:41:11.059 I think he started another way of looking 00:41:11.059 --> 00:41:13.019 at it before this section, just 00:41:13.019 --> 00:41:15.059 throughout this sermon, right, when 00:41:15.059 --> 00:41:16.900 he's indicting the Pharisees for 00:41:16.900 --> 00:41:18.880 unrighteous hearts, 00:41:19.099 --> 00:41:20.880 right? The Pharisees 00:41:20.880 --> 00:41:22.579 at this point 00:41:22.579 --> 00:41:24.699 are, in many's minds, the 00:41:24.699 --> 00:41:26.779 picture-perfect model of what it means 00:41:26.779 --> 00:41:28.739 to follow God, right? They are the religious 00:41:28.739 --> 00:41:30.820 leaders. They are the religious right. 00:41:31.279 --> 00:41:32.840 And I don't mean political. I mean 00:41:32.840 --> 00:41:34.400 they're right. They're doing the right things. 00:41:34.779 --> 00:41:36.799 But Jesus has strong indictments 00:41:36.799 --> 00:41:38.639 for them. Why? Because 00:41:38.639 --> 00:41:40.719 they have wicked hearts. 00:41:40.840 --> 00:41:41.659 They're far from God. 00:41:41.659 --> 00:41:42.259 Yeah. 00:41:45.059 --> 00:41:48.840 Yeah. So I wasn't, I think 00:41:48.840 --> 00:41:50.719 that, yeah, I think that's certainly 00:41:50.719 --> 00:41:52.679 true. And I think in many cases 00:41:52.679 --> 00:41:54.659 you see that. In many cases you 00:41:54.659 --> 00:41:56.579 see a bad tree, you'll see bad 00:41:56.579 --> 00:41:58.639 fruit immediately. Or, you know, 00:41:58.779 --> 00:42:00.779 it's evident. The lifestyle 00:42:00.779 --> 00:42:02.779 is evidently displaying that 00:42:02.779 --> 00:42:04.539 they don't know God. But there is 00:42:04.539 --> 00:42:06.380 another unrighteousness that especially 00:42:06.380 --> 00:42:08.739 Christians like us need to be wary of. 00:42:08.739 --> 00:42:10.839 And it's not a 00:42:10.839 --> 00:42:12.979 confidence in the fact that, you know, 00:42:13.019 --> 00:42:14.239 well, I'm not living flagrantly. 00:42:14.899 --> 00:42:16.199 That's great, right? 00:42:16.299 --> 00:42:18.199 We don't continue in sin so that grace may 00:42:18.199 --> 00:42:20.239 abound. But I think throughout 00:42:20.239 --> 00:42:22.119 this sermon, Jesus is pointing to a 00:42:22.119 --> 00:42:23.639 deeper heart 00:42:23.639 --> 00:42:26.239 issue, right? So it's not that I 00:42:26.239 --> 00:42:28.079 don't commit adultery. Great. 00:42:28.179 --> 00:42:30.179 That's good. But it's also 00:42:30.179 --> 00:42:32.239 that I can't be looking at another woman lustfully. 00:42:32.679 --> 00:42:34.139 Right? And that's a whole other issue. That's 00:42:34.139 --> 00:42:35.379 internal and you don't see that. 00:42:35.380 --> 00:42:38.960 So I think it's both. I think it's both. 00:42:39.980 --> 00:42:40.260 Yep. 00:42:40.800 --> 00:42:41.960 So I feel like 00:42:41.960 --> 00:42:44.880 doubt is something that 00:42:44.880 --> 00:42:46.880 creeps up. I think in every 00:42:46.880 --> 00:42:47.760 Christian life at some 00:42:47.760 --> 00:42:50.539 point. Are there any resources 00:42:50.539 --> 00:42:52.660 given by the Lord for 00:42:52.660 --> 00:42:53.720 assurance? Because 00:42:53.720 --> 00:42:56.380 the warning passages, I mean, 00:42:56.500 --> 00:42:57.660 that's one of the things. 00:42:58.360 --> 00:43:00.720 They set up this binary. You're in 00:43:00.720 --> 00:43:01.079 or you're out. 00:43:02.660 --> 00:43:04.559 And are there any 00:43:04.559 --> 00:43:05.960 resources that we have for 00:43:05.960 --> 00:43:07.719 assurance that we're in? 00:43:07.860 --> 00:43:08.500 Should that be true? 00:43:08.880 --> 00:43:09.279 Yeah. 00:43:10.380 --> 00:43:12.079 I think a couple. So I think 00:43:12.079 --> 00:43:12.739 ultimately 00:43:12.739 --> 00:43:14.759 assurance comes from 00:43:14.759 --> 00:43:16.519 the Spirit. And I'm not punting 00:43:16.519 --> 00:43:18.079 there. I think that Romans 00:43:18.079 --> 00:43:20.320 8.16 is true. The Holy Spirit 00:43:20.320 --> 00:43:21.900 will bear witness with our spirits that we're 00:43:21.900 --> 00:43:23.139 chosen to God. So ultimately 00:43:23.139 --> 00:43:24.400 assurance comes from the Spirit. 00:43:24.739 --> 00:43:26.079 That's an internal witness that the 00:43:26.079 --> 00:43:27.579 Holy Spirit will give you 00:43:27.579 --> 00:43:29.139 evidences and let you know that 00:43:29.139 --> 00:43:30.519 you're His. And that can be 00:43:30.519 --> 00:43:30.960 encouraging. 00:43:30.960 --> 00:43:33.920 I also think that assurance is like a 00:43:33.920 --> 00:43:35.000 community project. 00:43:36.220 --> 00:43:37.760 So I'm thinking Jude. 00:43:39.039 --> 00:43:40.619 I'm thinking 1 John. 00:43:41.159 --> 00:43:43.440 So for a Christian who's wrestling with 00:43:43.440 --> 00:43:47.199 assurance, you're not called to wrestle 00:43:47.199 --> 00:43:48.380 with that assurance alone. 00:43:48.920 --> 00:43:50.539 I think your being involved in Christian 00:43:50.539 --> 00:43:52.460 community is helpful. 00:43:53.019 --> 00:43:56.460 One of the things that kind of rocked me 00:43:56.460 --> 00:43:58.579 when I asked a 00:43:58.579 --> 00:43:59.340 pastor 00:43:59.340 --> 00:44:01.039 who I had spent a few 00:44:01.039 --> 00:44:03.320 months with, you know, to kind of give me 00:44:03.320 --> 00:44:04.380 a check on my life. 00:44:04.519 --> 00:44:05.559 You know, I was just like, hey, you know, 00:44:05.980 --> 00:44:06.880 what do you see? 00:44:07.139 --> 00:44:08.420 You know, am I good or am I not? 00:44:08.460 --> 00:44:10.079 And I was really subtly asking him, 00:44:10.400 --> 00:44:11.740 tell me if I'm a Christian or not. 00:44:12.619 --> 00:44:13.760 And this is what he said. 00:44:14.099 --> 00:44:15.960 He said, you might want to ask someone 00:44:15.960 --> 00:44:17.139 who knows you well. 00:44:18.420 --> 00:44:20.300 And I didn't like that answer 00:44:20.300 --> 00:44:21.740 because I wanted him, you know, just give 00:44:21.740 --> 00:44:22.320 me a yes or no. 00:44:22.440 --> 00:44:23.240 That's what I'm asking for. 00:44:23.239 --> 00:44:25.299 But what he was getting at was 00:44:25.299 --> 00:44:27.839 that kind of question is a good question, 00:44:28.039 --> 00:44:29.839 but you ask that of the individuals 00:44:29.839 --> 00:44:30.959 who you're in community with 00:44:30.959 --> 00:44:31.919 who know you well. 00:44:32.379 --> 00:44:35.139 The community of the saints is one grace 00:44:35.139 --> 00:44:36.899 that keeps you from self-deception. 00:44:37.519 --> 00:44:39.059 So if I'm not living right, 00:44:39.379 --> 00:44:41.039 I'm going to encounter my brother Antoine 00:44:41.039 --> 00:44:42.059 to call me out on that. 00:44:42.159 --> 00:44:43.259 If I am living right, 00:44:43.599 --> 00:44:44.839 then Antoine is going to give me 00:44:44.839 --> 00:44:45.539 words of grace. 00:44:45.679 --> 00:44:46.739 You know, Stephen, you've been really, 00:44:47.139 --> 00:44:48.979 you know, your life has been encouraging. 00:44:49.159 --> 00:44:50.259 You know, I can see the Lord 00:44:50.259 --> 00:44:51.039 working through you. 00:44:51.039 --> 00:44:53.000 That gives you assurance. 00:44:53.000 --> 00:44:54.400 And I think the spirit uses that. 00:44:54.699 --> 00:44:55.780 But that happens in community. 00:44:56.000 --> 00:44:57.119 If you're wrestling with assurance 00:44:57.119 --> 00:44:59.480 on an island, that's rough. 00:44:59.760 --> 00:45:00.599 Because you've got nobody 00:45:00.599 --> 00:45:01.599 to give you good words. 00:45:01.699 --> 00:45:03.500 You're like, can somebody call me? 00:45:03.860 --> 00:45:04.059 Right? 00:45:04.179 --> 00:45:05.639 No, but you wrestle with assurance 00:45:05.639 --> 00:45:06.519 in community. 00:45:07.000 --> 00:45:08.380 And God uses that community 00:45:08.380 --> 00:45:11.199 to affirm when he wants to affirm 00:45:11.199 --> 00:45:12.739 and to rebuke and check 00:45:12.739 --> 00:45:15.300 when he wants to graciously correct you. 00:45:15.860 --> 00:45:15.940 Yeah. 00:45:17.420 --> 00:45:18.079 Yes, sir. 00:45:18.079 --> 00:45:18.519 That's right. 00:45:18.519 --> 00:45:30.000 Yeah. 00:45:46.980 --> 00:45:47.860 Yeah. 00:45:48.519 --> 00:45:54.519 Yeah. 00:45:54.519 --> 00:45:55.519 Yeah. 00:45:55.519 --> 00:46:01.519 Yeah. 00:46:01.519 --> 00:46:05.519 Yeah. 00:46:05.519 --> 00:46:07.519 Yeah. 00:46:07.519 --> 00:46:17.519 Yeah. 00:46:17.519 --> 00:46:30.519 Yeah. 00:46:30.519 --> 00:46:34.519 Yeah. 00:46:34.519 --> 00:46:35.519 Yeah. 00:46:35.519 --> 00:46:37.519 That's another great passage. 00:46:37.519 --> 00:46:40.519 I think what's that Matthew 25? 00:46:40.519 --> 00:46:41.519 Yeah. 00:46:41.519 --> 00:46:47.519 And then particularly there, I think that Jesus is harping on the love 00:46:47.519 --> 00:46:50.519 that we show for one another, for other Christians. 00:46:50.519 --> 00:46:54.519 And I think that's in keeping with even what he says in John, right? 00:46:54.519 --> 00:46:56.519 By this, people will know that you're my disciples, 00:46:56.519 --> 00:46:58.519 but how you show love one for another. 00:46:58.519 --> 00:47:06.519 So, yeah, there are myriad examples of evidences of authentic conversion. 00:47:06.519 --> 00:47:11.519 And I don't think we all take one evidence as the evidence, but I think throughout the 00:47:11.519 --> 00:47:13.519 New Testament, you see multiple evidences. 00:47:13.519 --> 00:47:17.519 And a strong one that you see in multiple places is what? 00:47:17.519 --> 00:47:19.519 Love for other Christians, right? 00:47:19.519 --> 00:47:20.519 That's there in 1 John. 00:47:20.519 --> 00:47:22.519 That's there in James chapter 1. 00:47:22.519 --> 00:47:23.519 And that's in Matthew 25. 00:47:23.519 --> 00:47:24.519 Yeah. 00:47:24.519 --> 00:47:25.519 Yeah. 00:47:25.519 --> 00:47:26.519 Yeah. 00:47:26.519 --> 00:47:27.519 Yeah. 00:47:27.519 --> 00:47:29.519 We got time for one more question. 00:47:29.519 --> 00:47:32.519 I heard a bunch of people. 00:47:32.519 --> 00:47:36.519 I saw his hand. 00:47:36.519 --> 00:47:41.519 You all want to break paper, rock, scissor? 00:47:41.519 --> 00:47:42.519 Okay. 00:47:42.519 --> 00:47:43.519 We'll let you go. 00:47:43.519 --> 00:47:44.519 Yes, sir. 00:47:44.519 --> 00:47:53.519 So, in verse 22, how do you think Jesus is out of those three years? 00:47:53.519 --> 00:47:54.519 Yeah. 00:47:54.519 --> 00:47:58.519 Is that kind of thing that's the truth of the works? 00:47:58.519 --> 00:47:59.519 Yeah. 00:47:59.519 --> 00:48:04.519 His question was, in verse 22, you know, those seem to be very particular 00:48:04.519 --> 00:48:07.519 and remarkable signs and works. 00:48:07.519 --> 00:48:13.519 Let me say this. 00:48:13.519 --> 00:48:18.519 I don't think that Jesus is trying to make a statement about charismatic gifts 00:48:18.519 --> 00:48:19.519 and people. 00:48:19.519 --> 00:48:22.519 I don't think that's what he's doing, right? 00:48:22.519 --> 00:48:25.519 So, you're not getting in because I told you that I'm a sensationist. 00:48:25.519 --> 00:48:27.519 No, I don't think he's saying that. 00:48:27.519 --> 00:48:33.519 I think that, you know, these are certainly remarkable things, right? 00:48:33.519 --> 00:48:39.519 These are things that, and even in the way it reads, it kind of sounds like that they 00:48:39.519 --> 00:48:42.519 are trying to gain merit on this stuff, right? 00:48:42.519 --> 00:48:45.519 And, like, if you're trying to gain merit on something, you know, you don't name 00:48:45.519 --> 00:48:47.519 something that's kind of, you know, by and by. 00:48:47.519 --> 00:48:50.519 You know, Jesus, I cast out a demon in your name. 00:48:50.519 --> 00:48:52.519 That's pretty huge. 00:48:52.519 --> 00:48:55.519 You know, I did mighty miracles in your name. 00:48:55.519 --> 00:48:56.519 That's huge. 00:48:56.519 --> 00:48:57.519 I prophesied in your name. 00:48:57.519 --> 00:48:58.519 That's huge. 00:48:58.519 --> 00:49:02.519 These are these kind of remarkable, you know, outward kind of showy signs. 00:49:02.519 --> 00:49:07.519 Yeah, so I think I would say he's pointing to them not to kind of make some kind of big 00:49:07.519 --> 00:49:13.519 statement about these particular things, but to say that even if you do this kind of stuff, 00:49:13.519 --> 00:49:18.519 because I don't even think he's making a statement about the authenticity of these. 00:49:18.519 --> 00:49:21.519 I think a case can be made that they're not authentic. 00:49:21.519 --> 00:49:22.519 I've heard that case made. 00:49:22.519 --> 00:49:24.519 But I think, I don't even think that's his point. 00:49:24.519 --> 00:49:33.519 I think he's saying that there is a disposition of the heart or an outward display of life that 00:49:33.519 --> 00:49:38.519 negates me knowing you, even if you participate in things like this. 00:49:38.519 --> 00:49:41.519 Yeah, I'm thinking of Thessalonians. 00:49:41.519 --> 00:49:45.519 I think it's 1 Thessalonians where you see this phrase, lying wonders. 00:49:45.519 --> 00:49:59.519 There is a place where even things like these aren't true fundamental signs of you being known 00:49:59.519 --> 00:50:02.519 by the Lord, even stuff like this. 00:50:02.519 --> 00:50:04.519 But it's much deeper than that. 00:50:04.519 --> 00:50:05.519 Yeah, that's my shot on it. 00:50:05.519 --> 00:50:08.519 I don't think he's saying anything spectacular about these things. 00:50:08.519 --> 00:50:15.519 I think these are just things that people would, on that day, if I'm clamoring for things to gain merit on, 00:50:15.519 --> 00:50:18.519 a demon sounds really good, right? 00:50:18.519 --> 00:50:19.519 I cast out a demon in your name. 00:50:19.519 --> 00:50:26.519 And I think Jesus is saying even that won't keep you if you have an unrighteous lifestyle in a particular way. 00:50:26.519 --> 00:50:30.519 So, anybody else, any other thoughts on that? 00:50:30.519 --> 00:50:31.519 You want to shoot at that? 00:50:31.519 --> 00:50:32.519 Anybody? 00:50:32.519 --> 00:50:33.519 Nope. 00:50:33.519 --> 00:50:34.519 Okay. 00:50:34.519 --> 00:50:38.519 I think we are out of time. 00:50:38.519 --> 00:50:39.519 Amen. 00:50:39.519 --> 00:50:40.519 We are. 00:50:40.519 --> 00:50:41.519 Yes. 00:50:41.519 --> 00:50:42.519 Thank you, brother. 00:50:42.519 --> 00:50:43.519 Steven, hey, thank you guys for coming. 00:50:43.519 --> 00:50:46.519 I'll just point out in your bulletin there are a couple of announcements. 00:50:46.519 --> 00:50:49.519 If you're a member, regular attender, we want to…