WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:09.000 Today we are continuing our study in the Gospel of Matthew and I'd like us to turn back together to the passage that Callum read for us. 00:00:09.000 --> 00:00:16.000 We've come to the final part of the Sermon on the Mount and we can read again the very last two verses of chapter seven. 00:00:16.000 --> 00:00:21.000 When Jesus finished these sayings, the crowd were astonished at his teaching, 00:00:21.000 --> 00:00:28.000 for he was teaching them as one who had authority and not as their scribes. 00:00:28.000 --> 00:00:32.000 The Sermon on the Mount is one of the most important passages in the Bible. 00:00:32.000 --> 00:00:39.000 In this sermon, Jesus is describing what our lives should be like as his disciples. 00:00:39.000 --> 00:00:45.000 Always remember, this sermon is not telling us how to become a Christian. 00:00:45.000 --> 00:00:49.000 It's telling us how to live as Christians. 00:00:49.000 --> 00:00:58.000 And whether you're a Christian or not, it's very important to know that, to know how Jesus wants us to live. 00:00:58.000 --> 00:01:01.000 The sermon gives amazing teaching. 00:01:01.000 --> 00:01:09.000 It talks about our character, our obedience, our motivation, our priorities, our reactions, our perspective. 00:01:09.000 --> 00:01:17.000 In all of these areas and in many more, Jesus is teaching us how we are to live as his disciples. 00:01:17.000 --> 00:01:20.000 And you can sum the whole message up with one word. 00:01:20.000 --> 00:01:27.000 The great lesson of the Sermon on the Mount is that as Christians, we are to be different. 00:01:27.000 --> 00:01:39.000 So when the world around us prioritizes strength, power and influence, we are to prioritize being meek, pure and merciful. 00:01:39.000 --> 00:01:48.000 When the world around us reacts badly to wrongdoing and retaliates, we are to turn the other cheek. 00:01:48.000 --> 00:01:56.000 When the world around us hammers people who make mistakes, we are to never judge others. 00:01:56.000 --> 00:02:08.000 And when the world around us chases after money, possessions and status, we are to trust our Father in heaven and seek His kingdom first. 00:02:08.000 --> 00:02:16.000 In all of these ways and more, people around us should be able to look at us as Christians and say, 00:02:16.000 --> 00:02:20.000 Wow, they are different. 00:02:20.000 --> 00:02:25.000 Not in a weird way, in a really good way. 00:02:25.000 --> 00:02:34.000 And it all makes perfect sense because to become a Christian, you have to repent and believe in Jesus. 00:02:34.000 --> 00:02:39.000 And to repent simply means to turn around and to follow Jesus. 00:02:39.000 --> 00:02:45.000 And the practical outworking of that repentance is that we are to be different. 00:02:45.000 --> 00:02:54.000 So basically it means that if the world is going this way, disciples have repented and are going in a new direction. 00:02:54.000 --> 00:03:00.000 And that differentness is to work itself out in every part of our lives. 00:03:00.000 --> 00:03:16.000 From the secret place of our inner thoughts and our private activities to the outward visible actions of our lives as disciples, we are to be different. 00:03:16.000 --> 00:03:30.000 Here in the final section of the sermon, Jesus concludes by giving us three warnings that challenge us to think about everything that he's been saying in this sermon. 00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:34.000 He gives us a warning about false teaching. 00:03:34.000 --> 00:03:37.000 He gives us a warning about false confidence. 00:03:37.000 --> 00:03:42.000 And he gives us a warning about false foundations. 00:03:42.000 --> 00:03:51.000 In each of these, we are being confronted by one of the most important questions we could ever ask. 00:03:51.000 --> 00:03:59.000 And that question is, are we taking Jesus seriously? 00:03:59.000 --> 00:04:03.000 I'd like us to look at these three warnings together today. 00:04:03.000 --> 00:04:09.000 But before we do, I'd like to read the following paragraph. 00:04:09.000 --> 00:04:12.000 I have discovered the Christian religion. 00:04:12.000 --> 00:04:14.000 This religion is amazing. 00:04:14.000 --> 00:04:18.000 It's utterly reliable and it works for anyone. 00:04:18.000 --> 00:04:21.000 But I've also discovered that it's the only religion that actually works. 00:04:21.000 --> 00:04:25.000 It's the only religion that can rescue us from the threat we face. 00:04:25.000 --> 00:04:28.000 Therefore, it is essential that it's kept pure. 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:31.000 Any changes to its substance will make it ineffective. 00:04:31.000 --> 00:04:36.000 It's essential that this religion is shared with as many people as possible. 00:04:36.000 --> 00:04:43.000 Everyone desperately needs this religion in the face of so much fear, suffering and death. 00:04:43.000 --> 00:04:51.000 The Christian religion gives us hope that nothing else can give us. 00:04:51.000 --> 00:04:59.000 Whether you're a Christian or not, what do you think of that paragraph? 00:04:59.000 --> 00:05:03.000 Does it sound a wee bit overstated? 00:05:03.000 --> 00:05:05.000 Does it seem a wee bit heavy? 00:05:05.000 --> 00:05:08.000 Maybe it's a wee bit offensive. 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:11.000 Maybe it's a bit over the top. 00:05:11.000 --> 00:05:16.000 Many people, including I think even people who would identify themselves as Christians, 00:05:16.000 --> 00:05:22.000 would be a bit hesitant or uncomfortable about a paragraph like that. 00:05:22.000 --> 00:05:30.000 And even if we fully agree with it, we would maybe be a little bit cautious about seeing it. 00:05:30.000 --> 00:05:37.000 Because we know that a lot of people would not like it at all. 00:05:37.000 --> 00:05:40.000 Now I'm going to read the paragraph again. 00:05:40.000 --> 00:05:53.000 But this time I am going to replace the words Christian and religion with the words COVID-19 and vaccine. 00:05:53.000 --> 00:05:56.000 I have discovered the COVID-19 vaccine. 00:05:56.000 --> 00:06:00.000 This vaccine is amazing, it is utterly reliable and it works for anyone. 00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:03.000 But I've also discovered that it's the only vaccine that actually works. 00:06:03.000 --> 00:06:06.000 It's the only vaccine that can rescue us from the threat we face. 00:06:06.000 --> 00:06:09.000 Therefore it's essential that it's kept pure. 00:06:09.000 --> 00:06:12.000 Any changes to its substance will make it ineffective. 00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:16.000 It is essential that this vaccine is shared with as many people as possible. 00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:23.000 Everyone desperately needs this vaccine in the face of so much fear, suffering and death. 00:06:23.000 --> 00:06:32.000 The COVID-19 vaccine gives us hope that nothing else can give us. 00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:36.000 What do you think of the paragraph now? 00:06:36.000 --> 00:06:39.000 Is it an offensive paragraph? 00:06:39.000 --> 00:06:40.000 Is it over the top? 00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:41.000 Is it awkward? 00:06:41.000 --> 00:06:44.000 No, it's thrilling. 00:06:44.000 --> 00:06:52.000 And it's telling us something that everyone longs to hear. 00:06:52.000 --> 00:06:57.000 So why is there such a difference? 00:06:57.000 --> 00:07:06.000 I think it's because very often we don't really take Jesus that seriously. 00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:10.000 And that's what this passage is getting us to think about. 00:07:10.000 --> 00:07:17.000 As we said, Jesus gives us three warnings and I'd like us just to very briefly look at each of these in turn. 00:07:17.000 --> 00:07:22.000 First of all, he gives a warning about false teaching in verse 15. 00:07:22.000 --> 00:07:23.000 He says, 00:07:23.000 --> 00:07:29.000 Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 00:07:29.000 --> 00:07:34.000 As you maybe know, a prophet functioned as God's messenger. 00:07:34.000 --> 00:07:37.000 In the Bible, their role was very important. 00:07:37.000 --> 00:07:42.000 God used prophets to deliver his message to the people. 00:07:42.000 --> 00:07:50.000 In the Old Testament, we see God using many different people, men and women, to serve as his prophets. 00:07:50.000 --> 00:07:56.000 But here, Jesus is warning that not every prophet is genuine. 00:07:56.000 --> 00:08:04.000 And there are people who claim to teach God's truth when in fact their message is false. 00:08:04.000 --> 00:08:12.000 Jesus therefore warns us about false prophets and about their false teaching. 00:08:12.000 --> 00:08:18.000 And that raises the whole question of whether truth is important. 00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:24.000 Jesus is forcing us to ask the question, do we take the truth seriously? 00:08:24.000 --> 00:08:30.000 And that is an incredibly relevant question to ask our culture today, 00:08:30.000 --> 00:08:39.000 because we live in an era where there's a very mixed view as to whether truth is serious or not. 00:08:39.000 --> 00:08:42.000 So for example, in medicine, truth matters. 00:08:42.000 --> 00:08:48.000 If I'm going to take a medical test, it's incredibly important that that test is going to tell me the truth. 00:08:48.000 --> 00:08:55.000 Same for a vaccine or a prescription, even something as simple as the label on a box. 00:08:55.000 --> 00:09:00.000 It's crucial that that information is true in the medical world. 00:09:00.000 --> 00:09:04.000 In criminal justice, it's the same, truth matters. 00:09:04.000 --> 00:09:12.000 The whole point of a criminal justice system is to find the truth and to make a judgment based on what really happened. 00:09:12.000 --> 00:09:18.000 And in relationships, truth matters, in friendship, in marriage, in parenting, 00:09:18.000 --> 00:09:26.000 it matters that I am who I say I am, and a relationship based on lies is a horrible thought. 00:09:26.000 --> 00:09:33.000 In all these areas, truth matters, but in other areas today, it's not the same. 00:09:33.000 --> 00:09:37.000 So in the media, does truth matter? 00:09:37.000 --> 00:09:42.000 In politics, does truth matter? 00:09:42.000 --> 00:09:48.000 And in religion, does truth really matter? 00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:55.000 A lot of people today would say, doesn't really matter that much. 00:09:55.000 --> 00:10:00.000 Jesus is telling us that in religion, truth does matter. 00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:05.000 And for that reason, false religious teaching is incredibly dangerous. 00:10:05.000 --> 00:10:10.000 That's why he uses the image of ravenous wolves among sheep. 00:10:10.000 --> 00:10:12.000 And that makes perfect sense. 00:10:12.000 --> 00:10:16.000 To have false teaching about a vaccine is potentially lethal. 00:10:16.000 --> 00:10:24.000 Jesus is telling us that to have false teaching about religion is lethal too. 00:10:24.000 --> 00:10:29.000 Now, for a lot of people to say that would seem a bit over the top. 00:10:29.000 --> 00:10:37.000 People don't tend to think that religious truth, especially exclusive religious truth, is that important. 00:10:37.000 --> 00:10:45.000 And that would be especially true if your religious opinion is that this life is all that there is. 00:10:45.000 --> 00:10:49.000 How do we know if this matters? 00:10:49.000 --> 00:10:55.000 How do we know if we need to be serious about religion? 00:10:55.000 --> 00:11:02.000 Well, a good way to measure the seriousness of something is to ask the question, 00:11:02.000 --> 00:11:06.000 what are the consequences if I get this wrong? 00:11:06.000 --> 00:11:12.000 So, if I was a journalist and I wrote a newspaper headline that turns out to be wrong, 00:11:12.000 --> 00:11:16.000 the consequences are probably not that serious. 00:11:16.000 --> 00:11:22.000 I mean, they could be hurtful to someone, but probably not that serious most of the time. 00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:27.000 If I was following a road map that was inaccurate and I ended up taking a wrong turn down a wrong street, 00:11:27.000 --> 00:11:32.000 it would be a pest, but it's not that big a deal. 00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:40.000 But if I'm a doctor or a pharmacist and I get a diagnosis or a dosage wrong, 00:11:40.000 --> 00:11:43.000 the consequences could be awful. 00:11:43.000 --> 00:11:50.000 If I'm walking on a mountain and an inaccurate map leads me towards a cliff edge, 00:11:50.000 --> 00:11:54.000 the consequences are huge. 00:11:54.000 --> 00:11:58.000 And when it comes to my religious beliefs, 00:11:58.000 --> 00:12:05.000 if I get my opinion about eternity wrong, 00:12:05.000 --> 00:12:11.000 then the consequences are massive. 00:12:11.000 --> 00:12:18.000 So, do we need to take truth seriously in regard to religion? 00:12:18.000 --> 00:12:28.000 I think the answer is that there is nothing more serious for us to think about. 00:12:28.000 --> 00:12:34.000 And if that's the case, the question you have to ask yourself is, 00:12:34.000 --> 00:12:42.000 who's teaching am I going to listen to? 00:12:42.000 --> 00:12:47.000 Second warning that Jesus gives is a warning about false confidence. 00:12:47.000 --> 00:12:49.000 We see that in verse 21. 00:12:49.000 --> 00:12:50.000 He says, 00:12:50.000 --> 00:12:53.000 Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, 00:12:53.000 --> 00:12:57.000 but the one who does the will of my Father, who is in heaven. 00:12:57.000 --> 00:13:03.000 In the days of the New Testament, there were certain people who stood out as being very religious. 00:13:03.000 --> 00:13:06.000 These were the kind of people that Jesus spoke about in chapter 6, 00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:10.000 who stood on street corners when they were going to pray. 00:13:10.000 --> 00:13:13.000 They blew a trumpet when they were giving to the poor, 00:13:13.000 --> 00:13:18.000 and they made absolutely sure that everybody knew if they were fasting. 00:13:18.000 --> 00:13:26.000 But throughout his ministry, Jesus again and again said that these outwardly religious people were hypocrites, 00:13:26.000 --> 00:13:30.000 and they were not part of his kingdom. 00:13:30.000 --> 00:13:37.000 And for that reason, Jesus gives this very stark warning that people might be outwardly very religious, 00:13:37.000 --> 00:13:43.000 but ultimately they will not enter the kingdom of heaven. 00:13:43.000 --> 00:13:53.000 Here, Jesus is warning of the danger of false confidence in our relationship with God. 00:13:53.000 --> 00:14:00.000 And at the heart of that false confidence is a dependence on ourselves. 00:14:00.000 --> 00:14:02.000 Look at what verse 22 says, 00:14:02.000 --> 00:14:08.000 On that day many will say to me, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, cast out demons in your name, 00:14:08.000 --> 00:14:10.000 and do many mighty works in your name? 00:14:10.000 --> 00:14:18.000 And then I'll declare to them, I never knew you, depart from me, you workers of lawlessness. 00:14:18.000 --> 00:14:21.000 These people placed their confidence in themselves. 00:14:21.000 --> 00:14:25.000 They thought that they would impress God with what they had done. 00:14:25.000 --> 00:14:32.000 But Jesus responds to that by saying that he will declare to them, I never knew you. 00:14:32.000 --> 00:14:41.000 And we can fall into that same trap of placing all our confidence in ourselves. 00:14:41.000 --> 00:14:45.000 So we can place our confidence in our actions, 00:14:45.000 --> 00:14:54.000 and we can just as easily think that we can say to Jesus, I've done this, I've done that, I've done all this stuff. 00:14:54.000 --> 00:15:02.000 But perhaps even more easily, we can place our confidence in our own opinion, 00:15:02.000 --> 00:15:06.000 and we can tell ourselves that everything will be fine. 00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:11.000 And that's a very common mindset in our culture today. 00:15:11.000 --> 00:15:18.000 I have not met many people who are so materialistic that they believe in absolutely nothing after death. 00:15:18.000 --> 00:15:20.000 I know that there are some people who would hold that view, 00:15:20.000 --> 00:15:25.000 but I don't think that there's as many as people think. 00:15:25.000 --> 00:15:29.000 Most people tend to believe in something, 00:15:29.000 --> 00:15:36.000 but everybody seems to just have this huge confidence in their own opinion. 00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:39.000 I saw that, I saw a very clear illustration of that on the news not that long ago, 00:15:39.000 --> 00:15:45.000 where there was an interview with Billy Connolly, who, as I'm sure you know, 00:15:45.000 --> 00:15:51.000 after an amazingly successful career, is having to pull back because he has ill health. 00:15:51.000 --> 00:15:54.000 And he said in the interview that he wasn't afraid of dying, 00:15:54.000 --> 00:15:59.000 and he was looking forward to the next chapter in the spiritual realm. 00:15:59.000 --> 00:16:08.000 And I couldn't help thinking to myself, how does he know what that realm is going to look like? 00:16:08.000 --> 00:16:11.000 How does he know he's going to be there? 00:16:11.000 --> 00:16:19.000 It seemed to me as though he was just staking his whole life on a guess. 00:16:19.000 --> 00:16:27.000 And that kind of confidence in our own opinion seems to be all over the place. 00:16:27.000 --> 00:16:33.000 And the seriousness of all this is brought home to us by the phrase that Jesus uses at the beginning of verse 22. 00:16:33.000 --> 00:16:37.000 He says, on that day, 00:16:37.000 --> 00:16:42.000 that day, the day when we face the reality of eternity, 00:16:42.000 --> 00:16:49.000 that day is coming, that day is in every single one of our diaries. 00:16:49.000 --> 00:16:51.000 It is inevitable. 00:16:51.000 --> 00:16:54.000 But what's going to happen? 00:16:54.000 --> 00:16:56.000 Nothing? 00:16:56.000 --> 00:16:57.000 Something? 00:16:57.000 --> 00:16:59.000 Something bad? 00:16:59.000 --> 00:17:01.000 Something good? 00:17:01.000 --> 00:17:04.000 What is going to happen? 00:17:04.000 --> 00:17:08.000 And if we push Jesus aside, 00:17:08.000 --> 00:17:13.000 and if we think, well, we don't need to take Jesus seriously, 00:17:13.000 --> 00:17:16.000 then you have to ask the question, 00:17:16.000 --> 00:17:26.000 what does give you confidence for that day? 00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:31.000 The third warning that Jesus gives us is a warning about false foundations. 00:17:31.000 --> 00:17:36.000 And that's set before us in the parable of the wise and foolish builder 00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:40.000 with which Jesus brings the Sermon on the Mount to a conclusion. 00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:45.000 Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 00:17:45.000 --> 00:17:49.000 And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat on that house. 00:17:49.000 --> 00:17:53.000 But it did not fall because it had been founded on the rock. 00:17:53.000 --> 00:17:59.000 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house in the sand. 00:17:59.000 --> 00:18:05.000 And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that house. 00:18:05.000 --> 00:18:10.000 And it fell and great was the fall of it. 00:18:10.000 --> 00:18:13.000 This is a parable all about listening. 00:18:13.000 --> 00:18:15.000 And of course, that makes perfect sense. 00:18:15.000 --> 00:18:18.000 Jesus has just given us crucial teaching in the Sermon, 00:18:18.000 --> 00:18:23.000 and he ends it with a parable all about listening. 00:18:23.000 --> 00:18:25.000 He compares two builders. 00:18:25.000 --> 00:18:33.000 One builds his house on a rock and he represents the person who hears Jesus's words and who does what he says. 00:18:33.000 --> 00:18:36.000 The other builds his house on sand. 00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:43.000 He represents the person who hears the same words but does not put them into practice. 00:18:43.000 --> 00:18:52.000 And the result is that when the storm comes, one house stays standing, but the other falls down. 00:18:52.000 --> 00:19:00.000 And that image sums up everything that we've been trying to say about taking Jesus seriously. 00:19:00.000 --> 00:19:06.000 The test as to whether we take Jesus seriously is not whether or not we hear what he says. 00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:12.000 The test is whether we act upon what we hear. 00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:23.000 If we are taking Jesus seriously, then we will build our lives on the foundation that he gives us. 00:19:23.000 --> 00:19:28.000 What he says will be the foundation for our lives. 00:19:28.000 --> 00:19:40.000 And the key point that this parable is presenting us with is that if we don't build our lives on the foundation of Jesus, 00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:44.000 then we will build our lives on the foundation of something else. 00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:52.000 In other words, if we don't take Jesus seriously, then we will take something else seriously instead. 00:19:52.000 --> 00:19:55.000 The big question is what? 00:19:55.000 --> 00:19:59.000 What are you really serious about? 00:19:59.000 --> 00:20:03.000 What is foundational in your life? 00:20:03.000 --> 00:20:14.000 Work, family, politics, social media, sport, your house, fitness? 00:20:14.000 --> 00:20:24.000 Whatever it may be, the key question is, the key question is not just whether that foundation will stand. 00:20:24.000 --> 00:20:34.000 So by that I mean the question is not whether when a storm comes, will your job still be there, or will social media still be there, or will football still be there. 00:20:34.000 --> 00:20:37.000 The key question is not whether your foundation will stand. 00:20:37.000 --> 00:20:47.000 The key question is whether these things will keep you standing. 00:20:47.000 --> 00:20:58.000 Because the house in the parable that Jesus tells is not your job, or the Sermon on the Mount, or whatever that's foundational in your lives. 00:20:58.000 --> 00:21:04.000 The house in the parable is you. 00:21:04.000 --> 00:21:10.000 And if Jesus is not the foundation of your life, you have to ask two questions. 00:21:10.000 --> 00:21:23.000 One, what is foundational in your life? And two, will that foundation keep you standing? 00:21:23.000 --> 00:21:29.000 So Jesus is warning us about false teaching, false confidence, and false foundations. 00:21:29.000 --> 00:21:34.000 These are serious warnings. These are things that we must think about. 00:21:34.000 --> 00:21:43.000 And in all of these areas we need to ask, are we taking Jesus seriously? 00:21:43.000 --> 00:21:51.000 But the last question I want to ask is, why is Jesus giving us these warnings? 00:21:51.000 --> 00:21:54.000 All of this can sometimes feel a wee bit heavy. 00:21:54.000 --> 00:21:59.000 There is a kind of gravity and solemnity about what Jesus is saying. 00:21:59.000 --> 00:22:04.000 We have to ask, well, why is he being so serious? 00:22:04.000 --> 00:22:14.000 Well, maybe it's helpful to ask yourself the question, what are you most serious about? 00:22:14.000 --> 00:22:28.000 And I think the answer to that question for us all is that the things that we are most serious about are the things that we really, really love. 00:22:28.000 --> 00:22:35.000 And that is reminding us that Jesus is not giving us these warnings to be a tyrant or to whip us into shape, 00:22:35.000 --> 00:22:37.000 or because he likes to tell us what to do. 00:22:37.000 --> 00:22:45.000 Jesus gives you these warnings because he loves you so, so much. 00:22:45.000 --> 00:23:00.000 And the reason he calls us to be serious about him is because first and foremost, Jesus is so utterly serious about you. 00:23:00.000 --> 00:23:10.000 In Matthew 7, Jesus is sitting on this mountain giving us this sermon, giving these warnings because he is so serious about you. 00:23:10.000 --> 00:23:20.000 And the proof of that, the proof of the fact that he is serious about you is demonstrated in where he's come from and where he's going. 00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:26.000 So if you imagine Jesus sitting on that mountain, I want you to think about where he's come from and where he's going. 00:23:26.000 --> 00:23:29.000 Jesus has come from heaven. 00:23:29.000 --> 00:23:34.000 Now that is such a simple sentence, but it is such a massive step. 00:23:34.000 --> 00:23:43.000 God the Son, who from all eternity has been with God the Father, the one through whom the whole universe was created, 00:23:43.000 --> 00:23:48.000 the one in whom all wisdom lies, he has become one of us. 00:23:48.000 --> 00:23:53.000 Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has not held on to the glory of heaven. 00:23:53.000 --> 00:23:59.000 Instead, he's come to identify himself with you and with me. 00:23:59.000 --> 00:24:05.000 And he did it because he is so serious about you. 00:24:05.000 --> 00:24:10.000 That's where he came from, but where he's going is even more astonishing. 00:24:10.000 --> 00:24:17.000 From the sermon on the mountain, he's not going on to find a publisher or to a conference or to a life of fame and admiration. 00:24:17.000 --> 00:24:21.000 He is going to the cross. 00:24:21.000 --> 00:24:24.000 He's going to a place of suffering. 00:24:24.000 --> 00:24:33.000 He's going to be put to death and it's all because he is so serious about you. 00:24:33.000 --> 00:24:47.000 Every step that Jesus took from his first steps as a toddler to his final steps towards the cross were all steps that he took because of you. 00:24:47.000 --> 00:24:51.000 He did it all to save you. 00:24:51.000 --> 00:25:04.000 And all of this is showing us that the reason Jesus is serious with you in his warnings is because he is so serious about you. 00:25:04.000 --> 00:25:10.000 Now, when someone is serious with you, it can be quite hard. 00:25:10.000 --> 00:25:14.000 That's true in any part of life, in work or in family. 00:25:14.000 --> 00:25:18.000 If someone speaks to us about something serious, it can be hard. 00:25:18.000 --> 00:25:21.000 And that is absolutely true of the gospel too. 00:25:21.000 --> 00:25:23.000 It is hard to think about these things. 00:25:23.000 --> 00:25:28.000 It's hard to think about truth and life and death and eternity. 00:25:28.000 --> 00:25:34.000 When Jesus is serious with us, it is hard. 00:25:34.000 --> 00:25:46.000 But please, please recognize that the only reason Jesus is serious with you is because he is serious about you. 00:25:46.000 --> 00:25:53.000 Now, when someone is serious about you, it's not hard and intimidating. 00:25:53.000 --> 00:25:56.000 It is incredibly reassuring. 00:25:56.000 --> 00:26:04.000 If you just think about it, so imagine you have a sports coach who is serious about you as a player. 00:26:04.000 --> 00:26:06.000 That's brilliant. 00:26:06.000 --> 00:26:15.000 If you find out that your employer is serious about you as a future prospect, that's amazingly encouraging. 00:26:15.000 --> 00:26:22.000 If you find out that a girl you really like is serious about you, then that is really brilliant. 00:26:22.000 --> 00:26:34.000 But when you discover that the infinite, almighty, everlasting God is serious about you, 00:26:34.000 --> 00:26:40.000 and that is just utterly amazing. 00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:49.000 The question is, are you serious about him? 00:26:49.000 --> 00:26:54.000 I'd like us to close by going back to our two paragraphs that we started with. 00:26:54.000 --> 00:27:03.000 But this time, I've added a final clause to the end of each one. 00:27:03.000 --> 00:27:06.000 I have discovered the COVID-19 vaccine. 00:27:06.000 --> 00:27:10.000 This vaccine is amazing, it's utterly reliable, and it works for anyone. 00:27:10.000 --> 00:27:14.000 But I've also discovered that it's the only vaccine that actually works. 00:27:14.000 --> 00:27:17.000 It's the only vaccine that can rescue us from the threat we face. 00:27:17.000 --> 00:27:19.000 Therefore, it's essential that it's kept pure. 00:27:19.000 --> 00:27:22.000 Any changes to its substance will make it ineffective. 00:27:22.000 --> 00:27:27.000 It's essential that this vaccine is shared with as many people as possible. 00:27:27.000 --> 00:27:32.000 Everyone desperately needs this vaccine in the face of so much fear, suffering, and death. 00:27:32.000 --> 00:27:37.000 The COVID-19 vaccine gives us hope that nothing else can give us, 00:27:37.000 --> 00:27:47.000 because it means that we can preserve our short lives for a little longer before something else kills us. 00:27:47.000 --> 00:27:50.000 That's the truth, isn't it? 00:27:50.000 --> 00:27:55.000 That's the reality of our situation. 00:27:55.000 --> 00:28:00.000 But the other paragraph says this. 00:28:00.000 --> 00:28:02.000 I've discovered the Christian religion. 00:28:02.000 --> 00:28:05.000 It's amazing, it's reliable, it works for anyone. 00:28:05.000 --> 00:28:07.000 It's the only religion that actually works. 00:28:07.000 --> 00:28:09.000 It can rescue us from the threat we face. 00:28:09.000 --> 00:28:11.000 It's essential it's kept pure. 00:28:11.000 --> 00:28:13.000 Any changes will make it ineffective. 00:28:13.000 --> 00:28:15.000 It's essential that it's shared. 00:28:15.000 --> 00:28:21.000 Everyone desperately needs this religion in the face of so much fear, suffering, and death. 00:28:21.000 --> 00:28:24.000 The Christian religion gives us hope that nothing else can give us, 00:28:24.000 --> 00:28:30.000 because it means that if we trust in Jesus when we die, we go to be with Him, 00:28:30.000 --> 00:28:36.000 and He will love us forever, and we can be with Him and be together in heaven, 00:28:36.000 --> 00:28:43.000 and it will never, ever end. 00:28:43.000 --> 00:28:53.000 Now tell me, which one of these paragraphs now is the thrilling one? 00:28:53.000 --> 00:29:00.000 Amen. Let us pray. 00:29:00.000 --> 00:29:08.000 Father, we thank you so much that you are serious about us. 00:29:08.000 --> 00:29:15.000 So serious that you sent your son to identify himself with us, 00:29:15.000 --> 00:29:22.000 to speak the truth to us, and to die for us. 00:29:22.000 --> 00:29:29.000 Father, thank you so much for all that you've done for us in Jesus. 00:29:29.000 --> 00:29:38.000 And we pray that every one of us would see how serious it is, and how amazing it is. 00:29:38.000 --> 00:29:53.000 In Jesus' name, amen.