Sermon Transcript
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Sun, Jun 30, 2024 10AM • 54:27SUMMARY KEYWORDSJesus, give, god, people, pray, lord, prayers, bible, father, heaven, faith, obey, sin, world, told, Paul, context, put, verse, contrast
Good morning, welcome. If you're new here among us. My name is Gene. I serve here at C3 Church as your pastor, and I heard a story a long time ago, not in a galaxy, far far away, long time ago in middle America, not Middle Earth. I can keep going, but I'll stop. There were two farmers, and there's a problem at the time. There's a drought, right? So there's not enough rain, the crops aren't growing. So this one farmer, they live right next to each other. The one farmer, he's okay. His barns are full. He has plenty, but he's really worried about his prosperity, right? So what he starts doing is praying for rain. Naturally. The farmer next door does something different, surprisingly different. He prays that it's not going to rain. You see, the thing is, it's a long time ago, right? So he invited a friend to church that day. That's a long time ago. They don't have cars. They're going to have to walk there. He's worried that now this is going to be one more excuse his friend is going to use not to go to church so he prays for it, not to write what happened. It didn't rain. You see, sometimes, by answering the prayers of one person, God doesn't answer the prayers of another. In such cases, God will answer the prayers that glorify him the most. No joke. So anyway, that's a good thing. I think sometimes we find ourselves continuing in our series twisted scripture is where we are looking at different verses from the Bible, and, you know, just seeing how they're being misused, sometimes on purpose, sometimes not so much. And that happens, we talked about it. I gave you like the fortune cookie analogy, which is appropriate today, right? So it's the same thing we got, we, but not all of us. I read the Bible, but a lot of people just don't. They kind of get with their spoon fed from their app, right? And then they just take that verse out, and just like a fortune cookie thing, you can just apply it to whatever you want. I can make it mean anything, and that's pretty much what people do in general. So we have that verse of the day problem in Christianity. So we're looking at different verses. I'm going to hop right in. We got a lot of scriptures today. This will surprise a lot of people, and so are some of the things within it. So I'm going to say, make my defense, but I'm just going to let going to let the word of God speak instead of me as much, which is another very good thing. So let's operate and this is Jesus speaking, John 1413, you can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it so that the son can bring glory to the father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. Okay. So here's the thing, if we just look at that, what does it sound like? Well, that we just ask Jesus for anything, and he'll give it to us no matter what. Alright, and so what we have here is Genie in a Bottle theology, right? So God is now a genie in a bottle. He's confined to our will, not his, right? And we can just ask him for anything. Hey, Genie come out. Three wishes. Here we go. That's what it's like, right? So it's kind of the problem here, right? And another way people kind of draw this out is they'll say, furthermore, since Jesus made a promise. You can ask for anything, of any Well, he's not going to renege on his promises. He has to give us what he wants. So again, he has to do what we say. Okay, right? So that's, that's what we're getting here. So what I'm going to do is we're going to read a large portion of John 14, give you the context. What's really going on here. Let's just go back a little bit, just to give you some context, what's going on here. So what do you see here is Jesus has just washed the disciples feet. He's predicted Peter's denial in chapter 13, right? He is going off to his death. He knows he's going to die like that's the context here. Then we get to chapter 14. John, 14 one, don't let your hearts be troubled. So now you know why? Right? Trust in God and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my father's home, if this were not so, would I have told you that I'm going to prepare a place for you. When everything is ready, I will come and get you so that you will always be with me where I am, and you know the way to where I'm going. We don't Lord, we don't know Lord Thomas said, We have no idea where you are going. So how can we know the way Jesus told him I am, the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE, no one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you have known who my father is from now on, you do know. Him and you have seen him. So first, let's acknowledge what's really, really important here, not whether Jesus is obligated to give us stuff. What's really important here is I am the Way, the Truth and Life. So one of the seven I am statements Jesus makes you he is God. He's saying that. And notice he makes himself equal with the Father, right? So there's equality with God. Here, you've seen the Father, you've seen me, right? So that's the important thing, right? Don't be troubled. Why? Well, Jesus is going to his death. This is the context. That's it. Now, notice this place he's preparing for us. He's not going to prepare a place here, I'm going to die, right? So that's the thing. He's preparing a place in my father's home in heaven for us. So he's going to go die prepare a place in heaven. So this is the context and the way we should be thinking. The reward is not here, it's there. That's where he's preparing the place, not here. He's going to be done with this. Alright? So, Philip, I'll just summarize here. Lord show us the Father and we'll be satisfied. Jesus replied, I've been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don't know who I am. Anyone who's seen me has seen the Father, does it again? Important, really important. Just believe that I'm in the Father and the Father's in me, or at least believe because of the work you've seen me do, he's kind of like, well, if you don't believe that, then at least believe the words. We'll talk about that in a minute. So equality with God. Then there are some verses in question here, and I'm skipping forward over a few verses just to get to the point here. But it'll tell you, I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works that I've done, and even greater works, because I'm going to be with the Father. So what you know this is, so this gets a little bit abused too. We're not going to spend too much time on it. I'll talk about it later. Jesus also says, if you have faith, to move mountains, you can, or you can tell this mountain, just go jump into the sea, right? He didn't do that. Nobody did that. It's called hyperbole, like in exaggeration, greater works could mean that also greater in amounts, the amount of things that he does. So greater can also mean not just a bigger thing, or whatever it can be, a multiplied thing, right? So it's what most scholars will say here. But here's the point. What was the context? This is not about you being better than Jesus. Okay, that's the context, right? He just what washed feet, right? So there you go, and you do this too. If your Lord and Master does it. You do it. Okay, so it's not about that. So then we hop into the verse in question and want to look at it again. Now that we've seen this, John, 1413, you can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it. So if the Son can bring glory to the father, yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it again. Anything hyperbole, alright, so it's a little bit of an exaggeration. Why? Okay, I don't know. Let's say perhaps I don't know, you have a drug problem, right? And you start praying, Jesus, please give me the drugs I want, right? Is he obligated to give you that? No. So clearly, we can't ask for anything in his name and make him do he's not going to give us anything sinful or to help us sin. So clearly, anything is hyperbole. It's kind of like sad. I have to do this. But anyway, so did you notice the so that statement? There's a so that statement in there, so that, let's see, it tells you a lot. Well, here's what I meant. He's explaining Himself, the Son can bring glory to the father so that God can get the glory. Ask me anything of my name, so God gets the glory. That's important. That's what he so it tells you what he means by what he's saying. So there's the reason right there in the verse itself. Then we get a qualifier, John, 1415, if you love me, obey my commandments, and I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate will never leave you. He's the Holy Spirit who leads to all truth. The world cannot receive Him because it isn't looking for him. It doesn't recognize him. But you know him because he lives with you now and later, will be in you. No, I do not abandon you like orphans. I will come to you soon. The world will no longer see Me. Now, you know why saying that, but you will see me since I live you will also live when I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you. Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me, and because they love me, My Father will love them, and I will love them and reveal myself to each of them. So we see a couple of really important points here, if we keep reading again, there's a contrast between the world and heaven. Did you catch that? Alright, so there's big contrast here between the world and heaven. Then there's a requirement,
obey, obey my commands. And I will ask the Father, there's a prerequisite going on here, isn't there, obey my commands, and then I'll ask the Father. But here's another thing, what did he promise we'd receive the Holy Spirit? That's what he's talking about here. And we know that because if we keep reading John 1422, Judas, not Judas Iscariot, but the other disciple with that name. Said to him, Lord, why are you going to reveal yourself only to us and not to the world at large? Jesus replied, all who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. Anyone who doesn't love me will not obey me, and remember my words are not my own. What I'm telling you is from the Father who sent me. I'm telling you these things now I am still with you, but when the Father sends the advocate as my representative, that is the Holy Spirit, He will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. So there we go. Those who love me obey. So there it is again. So, Judas, good, Judas, it's kind of like pulling the focus to the world like, right? So he might be thinking like, Jesus, you need to be famous, right? Why are you just going to tell everybody? Right? Do we see that happening, right? So when we put people up like that, so he's pulling it to the world a little bit, but Jesus pulls it right back. Did you notice that he right to the beginning of the dialog? All of me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with them. So there's that home he was talking about earlier. Where is it heaven? Thank you. Then what will we be given in the meantime, the Holy Spirit. So now he's kind of gone through this cycle a couple of times to maybe Philip, who doesn't get it here? Alright, so that's the important thing. See how much you glean by just reading the rest of the chapter. Alright, but we're going to hop around a little, because this verse gets abused a lot, and there are a couple others that go with it that I want to kind of clarify. Some will surprise you. And so we're just going to use a lot of scriptures today. Because again, let's, let's look at what God says, not what Pastor Jean says, not what any other pastor says. Let's see what God says. So we've been looking at the Sermon on the Mount. I want to take you back there. We're going to go back there a couple of times because these points are being clarified in the sermon itself. Uh, so remember the judging, alright? So that log in your eye, right? You might want to get that out of there before you point to the speck in somebody else's eye, right? So that's, that's where he was. Oh, and the pearls to swine. Yeah, you might have some good ideas, but again, keep them to yourself until you get that log out of your eyes. That's what he's saying there, right? Work on your log. Between that and the golden rule, Matthew 712, right? So the whole Bible can be summarized by treat others the way you want to be treated. Love. That's it. Loving people. That's your Bible, right? So we see this in between there, Matthew seven. Seven. Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you'll find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be open to you. For everyone who asks, receives, everyone who seeks, finds and to everyone who knocks, the door will be open. You parents, if your children ask you for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask you for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course, not. So if you sinful or evil, it doesn't. Greek people know how to give good gifts to your children. How much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask Him? Now we could do a similar thing with this verse, like everybody receives whatever you ask for, right? Jesus, you know, I need some vodka, you know, like he might not answer that prayer. I don't know. It depends on your condition, right? So there's a pack of cigarettes. Jesus, back cigarettes, please. You know, he's not obligated, clearly, to give us those things, right? So we could do a similar thing. But here's the thing, if Matthew five through seven is Jesus's Sermon on the Mount, does sermon ever preached in the history of the world, although some pastors may beg to differ, but it's five through seven. So when you read, you have to keep reading, right? Otherwise, what do you do? You walk out on Jesus in the middle of his sermon. So if we had been doing that we would have read this in the same sermon, he tells us what to be seeking and where these things are. Matthew six, it's back a little bit. Matt 619, don't store up treasures here on Earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break it and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moss and rust cannot destroy, destroy and thieves do not break and steal. Wherever your treasure is there, the desires of your heart will also be and before we got to those verses in question, he says, Seek the kingdom of God above all else, live righteously, obey and he will give you everything you need. So we would have had that in mind if we read that in six didn't walk out on the sermon and got to where we wanted to go in seven, right? So we're not to be seeking the things here. He's already qualified that. He's already told you that, right? And again, it's about obeying. If you really love me, you will obey me. So he's setting that up. And then he goes into whole thing about, this is what the Bible is, love others, that's obeying Him, right? That's called the royal law, loving others, right? So live righteously and getting what we need, which it's kind of funny, because people think, oh, we need an is like food, right? Well, Jesus kind of clarifies that too, right? So heavenly things, that's what you would need. You need. Save your soul. That's the big deal. Now we keep reading. We see something in Luke's account of Jesus saying something similar, and it comes right off the Lord's Prayer in Luke's account of it, and Jesus is going to be fine. I'll point something out too. So Lord's prayer. And then you get to this teaching, which is similar, different times, but similar, Luke, 11 nine. And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking. So this is the context. Here is prayer. Talking about prayer. Just give the Lord's Prayer, and the door will be open to you. For everyone who asks, receives, everyone who seeks, finds, and anyone who knocks, the door will be open. You fathers, if you children ask for a fish, do you give him a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give him a scorpion? Of course, not. So if you sin for know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will you heavenly Father give you? What the Holy Spirit? He clarifies. That's what you're supposed to be asking for heavenly things. There it is. So again, we need to keep reading. It's about heavenly things and the Holy Spirit until we get to heaven. That's what's here. And if you didn't believe it, if we kept reading into Luke 12, you get a couple paragraphs in there. Everyone's going to people skip over this one, but it's one of my favorites, because Jesus is telling this parable in response to a guy who's greedy. So what happens is a guy approaches him, and he's basically, won't you settle this dispute? It's about inheritance between him and his brother, assuming his dad left some money, right? And they're disputing over the inheritance, right? And Jesus says, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you? And then he continues, beware of every kind of greed. So think about it, right? So the guy goes to Jesus, and he's saying, hey, settles dispute. He's like, don't be greedy. That's how he handles it. Like, shut up, you know? He dismisses this guy. Then he goes, he tells the parable the rich fool. There's a farmer, right? His clop crop, crops were plentiful. That's how you put crops and plentiful together. I tried. It doesn't work. His crops were plentiful, right? So his barns are full. What do I do? I don't know. Wait. I know what I'll do. He starts talking to himself, I'll be build bigger barns, right? Then I'll have plenty and I can eat, drink, be merry, right? Be lazy. God says, You fool this night, your life will be taken from you. Your soul will be taken from you this very day. But it says, And Jesus clarifies. And there's a fool to store up earthly wealth and not have a rich relationship with God. Then he continues. That's why I tell you not to worry about everyday life. And you probably remember, like the lilies, if you've read your Bible, right? So he likens it to Solomon, like they're prettier than Solomon. And he's drawing from a guy who has more money like than anybody else in the Bible. And he's saying, you know, if they're here one day and thrown into the fire the next, well, how much more will God care for you, right? So why do you have so little faith? Is what he says. Why do you have so little faith? Now just start thinking about that for a second. What are some people say, like, if you have enough faith, you get whatever you want. What's Jesus saying? It's the opposite. If you're worried about all these things, you don't have faith. Think about that. How many denominations, how many people will tell you that? Well, if you have enough faith, you get whatever you want. That's not at all what Jesus said. Jesus says, if you're asking for all that stuff, you don't have faith. So the lilies. Now, Luke 1229, if we continue and don't give be concerned about what to eat or drink, don't worry about such things. These things dominate the thoughts of it to the Gentiles in the Greek but what he means is unbelievers. Ah, there's that point. Worry about all these things and asking for this that dominates the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. Seek the kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need. So don't be afraid, little flock, for it gives your father great happiness to give you the kingdom. There it is again. Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven, in the purses of heaven. Never get old or develop holes, your treasure will be safe. No thief can steal it, no moth can destroy it. Wherever your treasure is there, the desires of your heart will also be so. What is it in all of these cases, again and again and again, Jesus is dismissing the worldly things right and emphasizing the heavenly things, all under the context of, I am going to die and prepare a place for you when you die.
There's a context. Now, if we go back to John, we would have read something. If we were reading from the beginning, we would have gotten to six. And so Jesus feeds the 5000 right? John six feeds the 5000 so they're like following him around, right? So they want to see the miracles and stuff. And this is how Jesus responds. John 626, Jesus replied, I tell you the truth. You want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. So there's a purpose to these signs, but don't be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you for God, the Father has given me the silver. Approval again. What are we supposed to be seeking? They don't show us the miracles. Give us the stuff. Show us the miracle. Ha, no. And then he goes in that difficult teaching about like eating his flesh and drinking my blood. And there's only the 12 disciples left, and he challenges them, you, you too. You're going to leave too. So he chases him away. That's essentially what he does. He also clarifies in a statement we've seen before. I want to take a look at it real quick. I've real quick. I've used this again and again. It's important. Remember Matthew 1624, then Jesus said so Peter. He just calls Peter Satan, for he has his mind on the things of the world, right? So Jesus says to His disciples, if any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Me. If you try to hang on your life. You'll lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you'll save it. What do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? So we see more obedience here, even to the point of death. If you want to be my follower, deny yourself. Don't be selfish. Pick up your cross. You have to die for me if called to do so then you can follow me. What? So there's some pretty, pretty heavy requirements. Jesus is laying down there. You don't hear that a lot before people baptize each other. And then there's a contrast between what the world here was again, where's the profit you if you gain the whole world but lose your soul, you see the contrast again. Now, if we keep reading, we get to the book of James. James is really interesting. James is Jesus's brother. And so closer to the end of your Bible, Jesus's brother. And so interesting conversion story, because he's doubting him at first, and then he actually converts, and he becomes the head of the church in Jerusalem acts 15. So James writes this letter, and it's kind of like a mash up of Jesus's teachings. Like to take the Sermon on the Mountain stuff, but it gives you, like a little bit more explanation and clarification here and there. Alright, so I want to read you part of it. We're going to bounce around in James, just a little bit. James four, one, what is causing? He's talking to the church, talking to Christians. What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don't they come from the evil desires at war within you. You want what you don't have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You're jealous of what others have, but you can't get it, so you fight and wage war take it away from them. You don't have what you want because you don't ask God for it, and even when you ask you don't get it because your motives are all wrong. You only want what will give you pleasure you. And it says in Greek adulteresses, he's addressing brethren and calling them women. So it's insulting at that time, maybe not today, but I don't know. Don't you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again. Okay, so you didn't get that. If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. And so if you continue so, humble yourselves before God resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. I think I've read James before in church. It's awesome. Alright, so it's God saying it purify yourself. You've sinned like imagine saying that. This is how the Bible talks to us. So do you notice the war? Remember that Galatians five thing I did, the war between your flesh, what you want, and the Holy Spirit comes up again here, contrast again. He calls it here, divided loyalty. You have a divided loyalty. If you're occupied with the things of the world, you have a divided loyalty between God and the world, right? You ask for the things of the world, but you don't get it, because you're asking for the wrong things, right? So again, what are we supposed to be seek the kingdom first? I mean, not all these things. Now you might get it. That's what a lot of people retort, but I got it, but it might not be from God. We see that if we keep reading First John, so another very powerful letter in our Bible, First John, 215 do not love this world or the things it offers you who offered the things the world for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. That's frightening. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see. Remember that pride in our achievements and possessions, that's a sin. These things are not from the Father, but are from this world, and this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave, but anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. World, heavenly things again, big contrast. Note this too. We're talking about saying faith is about the things that are unseen. It's very important thing to remember, alright, these are things are not from the Father, but the world Now, speaking of the world. So remember that example, the face to move mountain, things that I told you guys about, right? So Jesus curses a fig tree. It withers. The disciples are like what? You know, they're freaking out about it. And this is Jesus's response. Mark 1122, then Jesus said to the disciples, have faith in God. I. Tell you the truth. You can say to this mountain, may you be lifted up and thrown into the sea, and it'll happen. But you must really believe. You must have faith that will happen. Have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you've received it, it'll be yours. So this is like manifesting for those people who do that, it doesn't work. But when you are praying first, forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against you, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins too. But if you refuse to forgive, your Father in heaven will not forgive your sins. So just a little note there, he says the same thing at the tail end of the Lord's Prayer in Matthew six. So think about it just for a second, right? How do we pray? If Jesus is teaching him, what's the response of Luke, but in the Sermon on the Mount, he says, When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites. Shut the door behind you. Pray in private. Pray like this, and he gives like the formula for prayer. But everyone says, because I can be the kingdom, the glory forever and ever. Right? That's not what Jesus says. Jesus says this, if you have a grudge, because forgive or Your Father will not forgive you. That's exactly how he ends the prayer. So think about that for a second. This is how you ask God for things, but make sure you forgive or you ain't getting it right. So, so I would say you're not having New York Bible translation. So the obvious hyperbole that I mentioned is there, right? So in context now you're seeing it ask for anything. Nobody's moving a mountain, right? So God, God can do that, yes, but not us, like we're not going to be praying and moving, moving a mountain. Move. It's hyperbole. So now you're getting that, I hope, by putting it together so we see the requirement of forgiveness. That's a commandment we need to obey, that we must so if you're praying for something and you have anybody that you're not forgiving, don't bother. He hasn't forgiven you yet, is what Jesus said, what? So you're not going to get what you want. We see another requirement faith. You must believe when you're asking you must have faith. So how does the Bible define that? Hebrews 11 one, Faith shows the reality of what we hope for. It is the evidence of things we cannot see. Remember, when I told you, did you notice that see catching it all over the place? Now, faith is about unseen things. It's about the realities of heaven. That's what faith is all about, right, things we can't see. Now, by faith, many things, many things are possible. Anything is possible. No doubt, not disagreeing with that. It's the motive for the asking that defines and reveals the heart of a crew a true Christian. That's the motive. That's why are we asking for these things? Right? A true Christian doesn't have divided loyalty between the world and God, we're strictly focused on heavenly things, and nothing's here. Faith is about the unseen things. So a true Christian is someone who has faith in the world to come, not this one, this world. The Bible calls this world evil, and everything in it, alright? So that's the important perspective. Now, the reason, when you think about it, we see that even faithful people in the Bible don't always have their worldly prayers answered, the things that happen that they're praying for, and they just don't get right. So for example, I'll run through just a few for you, and we'll look at one in particular. So for example, Paul writes 13 books of the New Testament, about half of it, alright, certainly a very faithful person. He writes Galatians, uh, he arrives there because he's sick, doesn't get healed, first and second. Timothy. Timothy has frequent First Timothy, five frequent stomach illnesses. Paul doesn't say you don't have enough faith, Timothy, or let me pray for you. Could've done that. Nope. From now on, drink some wine for your frequent stomach illnesses. This is not, I've heard people use this as a permission. Well, you see, the Bible tells me to drink wine. No, back then you can, but not too much, right? So it had alcohol in it, which would kill the germs, like the water wasn't clean back then, right? But here's the thing. Didn't say, Timothy man, your prayer life is how to order. You know you need more faith. None of that's there. Uh, second, Timothy, four, quick mention. Trove, miss, I left in my elitist sick wait. Paul left somebody sick somewhere. That means Paul couldn't heal him.
Interesting. Now someone will respond. Be the punch here, Paul and Timothy, again, didn't have enough faith right now we do see, go back and look, that is the reason that some of our prayers might not be answered. We don't have enough faith, absolutely right? But these people will say they should always be healed if they have faith. And that's not true. Biblically, it's not what it teaches. So sometimes, and this is kind of an interesting way to think about it, it's our predicament, right? We get ourselves in a predicament, and sometimes it's sin. Sometimes the very thing we're praying to get out of we got ourselves there in the first place. Sometimes. It right, sometimes not, and in a lot of cases, when our prayers aren't answered, it's to keep us from sinning. And that's an interesting one. So we actually see it. So if we go to second Corinthians, Paul says it, and it's so funny, people skip it. Paul's talking. There are two reasons for writing Second Corinthians. One, they're dragging their feet on a collection for Jerusalem, and there's all these false teachers in the church, and Paul's trying to show em up. The way Paul does that is basically by highlighting the fact that he's the suffering servant. He's going through shipwrecks, beatings, all these horrible things. And that's called the fool's boast. So he's like, boasting about the things, and he's saying, I'm not going to boast. And so we look at this and laugh, because he's like, he is boasting. But you made me do it. It's kind of a funny dialog, but he's trying to show up these false teachers. So within that, he says, second, Corinthians, 12, six. If I wanted to boast, and he just did, I would be no fool for doing so, because I'd be telling the truth. But I won't do it because I don't want to give anyone, uh, sorry. I want to, want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life for hearing my message, even though I've received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, remember what we saw pride was sin. So to keep me from being proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Alright? So The stated reason this is there three different times I begged. Though he didn't just pray. He begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, My grace is all you need. My grace is sufficient for you. My power works best in weakness. So now I'm glad to boast about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ can work through me. Okay, we can argue or speculate about what the thorn is. It doesn't matter. Paul has a problem. It could be a person like Alexander the Coppersmith. It could be a disease. It's a problem, right? So what do we pray about problem that Paul begs the Lord to take it away from him three times. Now, some will not read or lack reading comprehension. Well, he didn't have faith. No, no, that's not what he said. Said he was given of it. Give it to him to keep him proud that he tells you why it's there, he asked Lord. The Lord responds, My grace is sufficient for you. And Paul understands, you know what, I can be a pretty prideful guy, Okay, Lord, keep it there and keep that sin away from me. That was The stated reason so our sin can also block our prayers, or sometimes God will be good enough to us not to give us what our flesh wants, keep us from sinning. Now perhaps we think not, but we need to ask ourselves some serious questions here, right? Like, well, now that's not the reason I deserve it. When you come from that standpoint, it's wrong. That's not the Holy Spirit. Like, that's wrong thinking, if you think like you're good, are you really obeying all of Jesus's commands here, really, is there anyone you ever get on the way here? Right? Is there somebody you really need to forgive? If you there is, you're not, you're not in obedience. This is just the truth of God's word. Well, I'm giving you a lot of I know a lot of people. That's hard to hear, right? Have we loved everyone. That's Matthew 712. Is what that was the golden rule. Are you loving absolutely everyone, even? And he tells you, even your enemies, do you really love them? That's obedience to not do so. It's called disobedience. Did you hear what he said? Like, if you don't forgive others, Your Father will not forgive you. I'm praying that's hyperbole, but I'm not willing to play with that fire. If you are, it's on you, but the blood is not on my hands, right? So I'm not willing to play with that fire. He said it right? Is our loyalty divided between God and the world, right? Because if it's, if it is, we said, what? What does it say? Not me, says you made yourself an enemy of God. Ouch, right? So, no, he's not going to listen to those kinds of people. So I want to show you that this is actually a very redundant theme. This kind of like, remember, the Bible doesn't say fear not 365 times we found out like it's worse than the reverse of that right? Actually, he says the opposite of what people may God say. And here's another one about prayer. This is another one when you really know the Word of God. And I know those of you here who do you know exactly what I'm saying, the Bible says this a lot. There's a lot of times where both old New Testament, it's like God is just not listening to you right now. And people are so surprised, because we have this cultural idea here that, well, you know what I mean? Like, just pray. We can pray for anyone. We can pray for this. We can pray for that. It just always gets answered that is absolutely, first of all, not what you heard today. And then I want to show you some more. I'm going to kind of put it together so rapid fire, you can get this. The Word of God says this a lot, right? So. Context, we'll look at the prophets first. What is the context? Judah and Israel, God's chose God is saying this to his chosen people. Don't you remember that, right? But they are disobedient. They are not obeying. They're sinning. Isaiah. Isaiah, 115 when you lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look though you offer many prayers, I will not listen for your hands are covered with the blood of innocent victims. Jeremiah 1114, pray no more for these people. Jeremiah, do not weep or pray for them. For I will not listen to them when they cry out to Me in distress again. Jeremiah, 1411, the Lord said to me, do not pray for these people anymore. Done. Amos 523, the context of false worship away with your noisy hymns of praise. I will not listen to the music of your let justice and righteousness roll down. Is what he's saying here. You're not living righteously when we're not in obedience. The Word of God says, Worship is noise, noise, so I don't want to hear right. And did you notice I didn't pray for these disobedient people? Now there's other places in the Bible where we see people praying for other people on disobedience. I'm not saying you shouldn't do that, or you can't do that, or God's incapable of answering that prayer, but it really is on the person, right? I know they, they have to work it out with God. It's really not up to us, right? But here we see an example. Don't even pray for these people. That sounds contrary to over here in the world, right? We got TV commercials just pray, you know? And it's like, I don't even mention Jesus, right? You know, it's like, again, he's not a Jamie in a bottle, right? But that's the way the world wants to treat him, right? Alright? Proverbs and Psalms. Proverbs, 15, eight, The Lord detests the sacrifice worship of the wicked, but he delights in the prayers of the upright. Proverbs, 28 nine, God detests the prayers of a person who ignores the law, doesn't obey his commands. Psalms, Psalm 138, six, we'll go backwards there. The Lord is great. He cares for the humble. He keeps his distance from the proud. There's that sin of pride. Again, if you are prideful, he's keeping his distance from that. Psalm, 84 Oh, Lord, God of Heaven's Armies, how long will we be angry with our prayers? Angry with our prayers. Psalm 3415 the eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right. Do right. His ears are open to their cries for help. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil. He will erase their memory from the earth. Wow. Remember the world only offers what pride in our achievements and possessions, these are sins, right? He gets angry with our prayers. Probably not going to be the verse of the day anytime soon, right? God gets angry with your prayers like we're going to quit that up pretty quick, alright, so be a good thing sometimes, I think so. Now you may be tempted to say, right? Well, that's the Old Testament, but then you were not listening for the last 30 minutes, right? Jesus says the same kind of stuff over and over again. But I want to show you something so powerful that when Peter so 1/3 of the New Testament is Old Testament reference or quotation about 1/3 so he gave you like a New Testament, because they're constantly quoting it. And so Peter does that. So he's talking about relationships between Christians. So that's what he's the context here, right? And how we should be treating one another's and he quotes Psalm 34 that I just read to you, so he brings it right into the New Testament. First Peter 312 the eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers, but the Lord turns his face against those who do evil. New and Old Testament. Alright, if we go back a little bit in first Peter three, in the context he's talking about husbands and wives, I don't want to see a point being made in the New Testament here First Peter 37 in the same way you husbands must give honor to your wives, treat your wife with understanding as you live together, waiting for somebody to rib somebody. She may be weaker than you are and then back, but she is your equal partner in God's new life. Treat her as you should, so your prayers will not be hindered.
You can have your prayers hindered now. You can get the full right. You can have your prayers. That's what it says, New Testament, scripture, alright, we see again and again that our sin can hinder our prayers. This, I hope you're seeing it is a biblical truth. It's a matter what anyone has told you. This is the truth, right? So now this will come to some as a real shock, a real shock, but just let it be a teaching tool. Right? If this is new to you and you're like, what, let it be a teaching tool from this point forward, right? Is what happens when we invest our time, our faith, our belief, our thinking in the world and not enough in the word, when the Word of God comes as a surprise to you, we really need to reflect, right? So this has happened to me in my Christianity. I've told my story. I was like, Oh my gosh. You know, I really don't really understand this. Well, you got some choices. You can, if you really love God, you can invest yourself in his love letter to us. That's a good place to start. And know it. Yes, right? And that's your protection. Not even, yes, I'm trying to give you a lot of scripture this. Get a Bible and read it. That's your protection, alright? So now a question comes to mind, right? Is it okay to have material wealth? That's what everybody you know they're immediately because we're thinking of ourselves, right? Is it okay to have nice stuff? Is it okay? So just a quick comparison, it so if we're in the Bible says we're temporary residents. We're sojourning through, we're passing through. It's okay to enjoy the ride. That's fine. It's okay, as long as we understand that, right? So if we're doing this ride in a really nice car, fine, understand, but don't be attached to that vehicle, right? Understand that that's not really important, right? As long as our loyalty isn't divided, as long as we're in obedience and we're not greedy, as long as we stay focused on the destination, that's the point. All right, so there's, I've given different illustrations on this, but you know, wherever your destination is, that's the place you were excited about going, the reason you set out on that journey. Well, keep that in mind. You know, have that destination not don't get derailed, right? Like, it's like a tourist trap of giving, like, all kinds of illustrations I want to get, but, but, like, you hit a tourist trap, and what you spend all your money that you needed for that destination vacation, whatever it is you spent all your money there, and you can't get there, right? That's, that's the illustration, right? So, but on the way, you can enjoy the ride. But it's kind of like we're kids. And so, you know, you want the kid to be quiet all the way there. Are we there yet? So, you know, you give them a toy, right? So imagine, Oh, good. This will keep them quiet for three hours. So the kids quiet for three hours, right? But you go to get the kid out of the car, it's time. Hey, look, we're here. We made it. No, I just want to play with this toy. That's what a lot of Christians sound like when they're dying. It was supposed to be funny, right? No, it's not. I ruined it, right? So self ruining jokes, right? But it is. That's, that's what it sounds No, no. And I'm, I'm starting to get worried. And I'm like, Do you actually believe this, we might have a much bigger problem here. I does not sound like you. Believe this at all, but that's how all these Christians are constantly as naming claimant stuff to Gene the Bible stuff, worth it, whatever. That's what they sound to me. They sound like children. And clearly, now you've heard this isn't even a fraction of this topic in the Bible. I've given you a fraction. Now. You're all like, wow, they do sound you should be thinking, they do sound really stupid, right now, yeah, it's ridiculous, like a child who won't give up the toy for the greater destination. I said that without saying Disney was amazing anyway. So we see that there are wealthy Christians in the New Testament, just, really, just a bunch. Real quick, Phoebe, I sponsored the letter to Romans. That letter was said to cost about $3,000 Paul says that he, she helps him, right? He, he's, she's like a benefactor. Lydia, one of the first European converts there that we know of, right? She sells expensive purple garments, right? Puts Paul and Silas up. Acts 16. She's wealthy. Philemon, wealthy enough to have servants in his home. That's what the whole thing is about. Forgive the servant I'm sending back to you, right? He's a wealthy guy. He's not told, sell your house. It's not there. It doesn't happen, right? There are women who are benefactors to Jesus in the Gospel of Luke, I said they're helping him out. Ministry takes money like that's okay. They're not told to sell it, all right? So there's the young, rich ruler. He had a problem with it, right? You don't have a problem with it, and you're using it for the kingdom of heaven. It's all good. It's all good, right? Have fun with we need to have fun with, but make sure you're living generously towards the kingdom of heaven. James, back to the book of James. We see that in James two, he addresses the rich people in the church. The situation there is, like, partiality, right? So churches do this makes me want to throw up, but they have, like, the front seats for the important people. That's not why I sat there, right? It's just close to the stage. But, like, these are reserved for the rich people, and those are for the poor people, right? That kind of thing. We have celebrities in the church. So that's what's going on there. He doesn't tell him leave the church, no, but he gives a stern warning if we hop ahead. So James, five, one, look here. You rich people. We've been grown with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are multi rags. Your gold and silver are corroded. The very wealth you're counting on will eat away your flesh like fire, this corroded treasure you have hoarded will testify against you on the Day of Judgment. Listen, hear the cries of the field workers and you have cheated their pay, the cries of those who harvest your fields and have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven's armies. You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter. Again, he's not. Can't kick him out. But this is a pretty serious warning. Like, if you ever worked rich in the church and you're hearing this, like, can it be stored up against you? Like the guy with the barns, right? You fool, right? Like, make sure you're being generous, or it'll be judgment against you. So that thing, which you thought was valuable. Come back to bite you, I won't say where. So we need to be generous if we have the power to do so, right? So if we have plenty, we should be using it for the kingdom, because faithful Christians are invested in the kingdom of heaven. More scripture, Colossians, three, one. Since you have been raised a new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of the earth. Contrast, For you died to this life that was represented in your baptism, and your real life is hidden with Christ and God. When Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. So put to death the sinful earthly things, earthly things lurking in you have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust and evil desires. Don't be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. You used to do these things when your life was still a part of this world. Do you see the contrast? Again and again and again? But what are we supposed to be seeking, fixing our eyes on heaven, not the things of this world, which are evil, right? So we're not supposed to be worshiping the world. We do that we're in sin, and we also must understand something very important. Did you notice before? Did you catch it where it was? These things are from the world. These things are from the world. Think about another thing here. So if we were to read all the way down to the bottom, second to last verse, I think of John 14, where we started, if we cared enough to do that. Read verse 30, and think, right. And it says, right. Basically, like the Eve, the ruler of this world is coming. So as Jesus and said, we're about to go, he says, the ruler of this world is coming. Well, who is that? We went to second Corinthians and read that. Second Corinthians, four, four, the devil is the ruler of this world. First, Jonathan, 519, right. The devil is the ruler of this world. Interesting, the devil is the ruler of this world. Remember this, the devil can bless you too. The devil can bless you too. And this is scripturally true, I will show you, and when I show you, if you haven't thought about this before, yeah, so the devil will do that to keep you from the destination. He's like a tourist trap, and he'll give you anything that'll keep you from reaching that destination. So be very aware Jesus was it displaces our attachments. So think about something probably all of you know about Jesus's temptation. Luke four, Matthew four. Jesus tempted by the devil. So he's fasting. He's prepping himself for ministry. We talked about nobody likes to talk about fasting, but I do so the Bible talks a lot about it. Jesus is fasting for 40 days. He's out in the wilderness. So basically, like, it's not like a nice wilderness picture of desert. He's out in the desert, right? So the devil's like, yes, hey, you know what? You must be hungry. If you're the Son of God. Turn that stone into bread. No Man does not live on bread while he wants to block him from the fasting. But every word that comes from the mouth of God, quoting Deuteronomy, more Scripture, the Old Testament, being quoted, right? So, you know. And then he tells him with a couple more things that people don't really think about, right? So Jesus would have made that for himself, right? So he tries to kill Jesus, right? So goes and takes him up to the pinnacle of the temple. Jump off for you won't even dash your foot against the stone according to some note. Alright, don't put your Lord God to the test. He also says something, it's kind of reverse order in Luke and Mark, but he takes them up to a high place, if you put them both together, and shows them all the kingdoms of the world. He says, I will give you these if you bow down and worship me.
Jesus doesn't say, You can't do that. No, because he calls him the prince of the world, like the god of this world. He knows he can alright, but he refuses it. Worships the Lord your God, only right. The devil was able to bless Jesus all the kingdoms of the world. No, what was his destination in this life? The cross, I would have kept them from the cross, wouldn't it? Yeah, you'd be in charge of all the people who killed him, right? So we must do so whatever that cross is for you, whatever it is the Bible tells us with the type of attitude as we close today, well, I kind of give you some scriptures here. Let's reflect on these. It gives you the appropriate attitude adjustment, like how we should be seeing these? Maybe we're like Paul, we've got a thorn. It's there for a reason. I don't know, but how we should be looking at these bad circumstances. Second, Corinthians, 417, for our present, troubles are small and won't last very long, yet they produce four. A glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever. So we don't look at the troubles we can see now. Rather, we fix our gaze on the things that cannot be seen. There it is again, for the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. No chapter breaks in the original. For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down, that is when we die and leave this earthly body, we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. For we will put on heavenly bodies. We will not be spirits without bodies. While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan inside, but it's not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. God Himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee, he has given us His Holy Spirit. So you see it all coming together. So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies, we are not at home with the Lord, for we live by literally. We live by faith and not by sight. Do you see the two contrasted? They're different. We live by faith and not by sight. I hope it's all coming together for you. Yes, we are fully confident. We would rather be away from these earthly bodies for then we'll be at home with the Lord, then we'll be at home, and that's the goal. So just be encouraged whatever you're going through, so the good or the bad, it won't last forever. It's a temporary, light affliction. Everybody's going through something, right? So am I. But how do I get through it? When the Holy Spirit, that operative, part the Comforter, the advocate, reminds me, it's okay, set your sights there, and it'll be alright forever. We are promised a home that does not need repair. It doesn't decay, it doesn't cost us anything, because it was bought with the precious blood of Christ. We have to remember that, right? It's precious. It will be plentiful. Unlike everything here, that lot thieves can steal when the wind and waves, as Jesus said, bash against it, it won't collapse, because it's built on the bedrock of Christ. Amen. I pray Lord, I thank you for everyone who came in to hear Your word this morning, everyone who's tuning in to hear the Word of God this morning faithfully. I pray that by the power of your Holy Spirit, you just allow us, when we're in need, to look beyond those things. I pray also that through the power of your Holy Spirit, you make us clean, vessels filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithless goodness, and that because of those things, we bear fruit to those around us. Vessels for your glory, Lord, I Ask these things In Jesus's Name. Amen,
Good morning, welcome. If you're new here among us. My name is Gene. I serve here at C3 Church as your pastor, and I heard a story a long time ago, not in a galaxy, far far away, long time ago in middle America, not Middle Earth. I can keep going, but I'll stop. There were two farmers, and there's a problem at the time. There's a drought, right? So there's not enough rain, the crops aren't growing. So this one farmer, they live right next to each other. The one farmer, he's okay. His barns are full. He has plenty, but he's really worried about his prosperity, right? So what he starts doing is praying for rain. Naturally. The farmer next door does something different, surprisingly different. He prays that it's not going to rain. You see, the thing is, it's a long time ago, right? So he invited a friend to church that day. That's a long time ago. They don't have cars. They're going to have to walk there. He's worried that now this is going to be one more excuse his friend is going to use not to go to church so he prays for it, not to write what happened. It didn't rain. You see, sometimes, by answering the prayers of one person, God doesn't answer the prayers of another. In such cases, God will answer the prayers that glorify him the most. No joke. So anyway, that's a good thing. I think sometimes we find ourselves continuing in our series twisted scripture is where we are looking at different verses from the Bible, and, you know, just seeing how they're being misused, sometimes on purpose, sometimes not so much. And that happens, we talked about it. I gave you like the fortune cookie analogy, which is appropriate today, right? So it's the same thing we got, we, but not all of us. I read the Bible, but a lot of people just don't. They kind of get with their spoon fed from their app, right? And then they just take that verse out, and just like a fortune cookie thing, you can just apply it to whatever you want. I can make it mean anything, and that's pretty much what people do in general. So we have that verse of the day problem in Christianity. So we're looking at different verses. I'm going to hop right in. We got a lot of scriptures today. This will surprise a lot of people, and so are some of the things within it. So I'm going to say, make my defense, but I'm just going to let going to let the word of God speak instead of me as much, which is another very good thing. So let's operate and this is Jesus speaking, John 1413, you can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it so that the son can bring glory to the father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. Okay. So here's the thing, if we just look at that, what does it sound like? Well, that we just ask Jesus for anything, and he'll give it to us no matter what. Alright, and so what we have here is Genie in a Bottle theology, right? So God is now a genie in a bottle. He's confined to our will, not his, right? And we can just ask him for anything. Hey, Genie come out. Three wishes. Here we go. That's what it's like, right? So it's kind of the problem here, right? And another way people kind of draw this out is they'll say, furthermore, since Jesus made a promise. You can ask for anything, of any Well, he's not going to renege on his promises. He has to give us what he wants. So again, he has to do what we say. Okay, right? So that's, that's what we're getting here. So what I'm going to do is we're going to read a large portion of John 14, give you the context. What's really going on here. Let's just go back a little bit, just to give you some context, what's going on here. So what do you see here is Jesus has just washed the disciples feet. He's predicted Peter's denial in chapter 13, right? He is going off to his death. He knows he's going to die like that's the context here. Then we get to chapter 14. John, 14 one, don't let your hearts be troubled. So now you know why? Right? Trust in God and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my father's home, if this were not so, would I have told you that I'm going to prepare a place for you. When everything is ready, I will come and get you so that you will always be with me where I am, and you know the way to where I'm going. We don't Lord, we don't know Lord Thomas said, We have no idea where you are going. So how can we know the way Jesus told him I am, the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE, no one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you have known who my father is from now on, you do know. Him and you have seen him. So first, let's acknowledge what's really, really important here, not whether Jesus is obligated to give us stuff. What's really important here is I am the Way, the Truth and Life. So one of the seven I am statements Jesus makes you he is God. He's saying that. And notice he makes himself equal with the Father, right? So there's equality with God. Here, you've seen the Father, you've seen me, right? So that's the important thing, right? Don't be troubled. Why? Well, Jesus is going to his death. This is the context. That's it. Now, notice this place he's preparing for us. He's not going to prepare a place here, I'm going to die, right? So that's the thing. He's preparing a place in my father's home in heaven for us. So he's going to go die prepare a place in heaven. So this is the context and the way we should be thinking. The reward is not here, it's there. That's where he's preparing the place, not here. He's going to be done with this. Alright? So, Philip, I'll just summarize here. Lord show us the Father and we'll be satisfied. Jesus replied, I've been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don't know who I am. Anyone who's seen me has seen the Father, does it again? Important, really important. Just believe that I'm in the Father and the Father's in me, or at least believe because of the work you've seen me do, he's kind of like, well, if you don't believe that, then at least believe the words. We'll talk about that in a minute. So equality with God. Then there are some verses in question here, and I'm skipping forward over a few verses just to get to the point here. But it'll tell you, I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works that I've done, and even greater works, because I'm going to be with the Father. So what you know this is, so this gets a little bit abused too. We're not going to spend too much time on it. I'll talk about it later. Jesus also says, if you have faith, to move mountains, you can, or you can tell this mountain, just go jump into the sea, right? He didn't do that. Nobody did that. It's called hyperbole, like in exaggeration, greater works could mean that also greater in amounts, the amount of things that he does. So greater can also mean not just a bigger thing, or whatever it can be, a multiplied thing, right? So it's what most scholars will say here. But here's the point. What was the context? This is not about you being better than Jesus. Okay, that's the context, right? He just what washed feet, right? So there you go, and you do this too. If your Lord and Master does it. You do it. Okay, so it's not about that. So then we hop into the verse in question and want to look at it again. Now that we've seen this, John, 1413, you can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it. So if the Son can bring glory to the father, yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it again. Anything hyperbole, alright, so it's a little bit of an exaggeration. Why? Okay, I don't know. Let's say perhaps I don't know, you have a drug problem, right? And you start praying, Jesus, please give me the drugs I want, right? Is he obligated to give you that? No. So clearly, we can't ask for anything in his name and make him do he's not going to give us anything sinful or to help us sin. So clearly, anything is hyperbole. It's kind of like sad. I have to do this. But anyway, so did you notice the so that statement? There's a so that statement in there, so that, let's see, it tells you a lot. Well, here's what I meant. He's explaining Himself, the Son can bring glory to the father so that God can get the glory. Ask me anything of my name, so God gets the glory. That's important. That's what he so it tells you what he means by what he's saying. So there's the reason right there in the verse itself. Then we get a qualifier, John, 1415, if you love me, obey my commandments, and I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate will never leave you. He's the Holy Spirit who leads to all truth. The world cannot receive Him because it isn't looking for him. It doesn't recognize him. But you know him because he lives with you now and later, will be in you. No, I do not abandon you like orphans. I will come to you soon. The world will no longer see Me. Now, you know why saying that, but you will see me since I live you will also live when I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you. Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me, and because they love me, My Father will love them, and I will love them and reveal myself to each of them. So we see a couple of really important points here, if we keep reading again, there's a contrast between the world and heaven. Did you catch that? Alright, so there's big contrast here between the world and heaven. Then there's a requirement,
obey, obey my commands. And I will ask the Father, there's a prerequisite going on here, isn't there, obey my commands, and then I'll ask the Father. But here's another thing, what did he promise we'd receive the Holy Spirit? That's what he's talking about here. And we know that because if we keep reading John 1422, Judas, not Judas Iscariot, but the other disciple with that name. Said to him, Lord, why are you going to reveal yourself only to us and not to the world at large? Jesus replied, all who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. Anyone who doesn't love me will not obey me, and remember my words are not my own. What I'm telling you is from the Father who sent me. I'm telling you these things now I am still with you, but when the Father sends the advocate as my representative, that is the Holy Spirit, He will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. So there we go. Those who love me obey. So there it is again. So, Judas, good, Judas, it's kind of like pulling the focus to the world like, right? So he might be thinking like, Jesus, you need to be famous, right? Why are you just going to tell everybody? Right? Do we see that happening, right? So when we put people up like that, so he's pulling it to the world a little bit, but Jesus pulls it right back. Did you notice that he right to the beginning of the dialog? All of me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with them. So there's that home he was talking about earlier. Where is it heaven? Thank you. Then what will we be given in the meantime, the Holy Spirit. So now he's kind of gone through this cycle a couple of times to maybe Philip, who doesn't get it here? Alright, so that's the important thing. See how much you glean by just reading the rest of the chapter. Alright, but we're going to hop around a little, because this verse gets abused a lot, and there are a couple others that go with it that I want to kind of clarify. Some will surprise you. And so we're just going to use a lot of scriptures today. Because again, let's, let's look at what God says, not what Pastor Jean says, not what any other pastor says. Let's see what God says. So we've been looking at the Sermon on the Mount. I want to take you back there. We're going to go back there a couple of times because these points are being clarified in the sermon itself. Uh, so remember the judging, alright? So that log in your eye, right? You might want to get that out of there before you point to the speck in somebody else's eye, right? So that's, that's where he was. Oh, and the pearls to swine. Yeah, you might have some good ideas, but again, keep them to yourself until you get that log out of your eyes. That's what he's saying there, right? Work on your log. Between that and the golden rule, Matthew 712, right? So the whole Bible can be summarized by treat others the way you want to be treated. Love. That's it. Loving people. That's your Bible, right? So we see this in between there, Matthew seven. Seven. Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you'll find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be open to you. For everyone who asks, receives, everyone who seeks, finds and to everyone who knocks, the door will be open. You parents, if your children ask you for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask you for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course, not. So if you sinful or evil, it doesn't. Greek people know how to give good gifts to your children. How much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask Him? Now we could do a similar thing with this verse, like everybody receives whatever you ask for, right? Jesus, you know, I need some vodka, you know, like he might not answer that prayer. I don't know. It depends on your condition, right? So there's a pack of cigarettes. Jesus, back cigarettes, please. You know, he's not obligated, clearly, to give us those things, right? So we could do a similar thing. But here's the thing, if Matthew five through seven is Jesus's Sermon on the Mount, does sermon ever preached in the history of the world, although some pastors may beg to differ, but it's five through seven. So when you read, you have to keep reading, right? Otherwise, what do you do? You walk out on Jesus in the middle of his sermon. So if we had been doing that we would have read this in the same sermon, he tells us what to be seeking and where these things are. Matthew six, it's back a little bit. Matt 619, don't store up treasures here on Earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break it and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moss and rust cannot destroy, destroy and thieves do not break and steal. Wherever your treasure is there, the desires of your heart will also be and before we got to those verses in question, he says, Seek the kingdom of God above all else, live righteously, obey and he will give you everything you need. So we would have had that in mind if we read that in six didn't walk out on the sermon and got to where we wanted to go in seven, right? So we're not to be seeking the things here. He's already qualified that. He's already told you that, right? And again, it's about obeying. If you really love me, you will obey me. So he's setting that up. And then he goes into whole thing about, this is what the Bible is, love others, that's obeying Him, right? That's called the royal law, loving others, right? So live righteously and getting what we need, which it's kind of funny, because people think, oh, we need an is like food, right? Well, Jesus kind of clarifies that too, right? So heavenly things, that's what you would need. You need. Save your soul. That's the big deal. Now we keep reading. We see something in Luke's account of Jesus saying something similar, and it comes right off the Lord's Prayer in Luke's account of it, and Jesus is going to be fine. I'll point something out too. So Lord's prayer. And then you get to this teaching, which is similar, different times, but similar, Luke, 11 nine. And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking. So this is the context. Here is prayer. Talking about prayer. Just give the Lord's Prayer, and the door will be open to you. For everyone who asks, receives, everyone who seeks, finds, and anyone who knocks, the door will be open. You fathers, if you children ask for a fish, do you give him a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give him a scorpion? Of course, not. So if you sin for know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will you heavenly Father give you? What the Holy Spirit? He clarifies. That's what you're supposed to be asking for heavenly things. There it is. So again, we need to keep reading. It's about heavenly things and the Holy Spirit until we get to heaven. That's what's here. And if you didn't believe it, if we kept reading into Luke 12, you get a couple paragraphs in there. Everyone's going to people skip over this one, but it's one of my favorites, because Jesus is telling this parable in response to a guy who's greedy. So what happens is a guy approaches him, and he's basically, won't you settle this dispute? It's about inheritance between him and his brother, assuming his dad left some money, right? And they're disputing over the inheritance, right? And Jesus says, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you? And then he continues, beware of every kind of greed. So think about it, right? So the guy goes to Jesus, and he's saying, hey, settles dispute. He's like, don't be greedy. That's how he handles it. Like, shut up, you know? He dismisses this guy. Then he goes, he tells the parable the rich fool. There's a farmer, right? His clop crop, crops were plentiful. That's how you put crops and plentiful together. I tried. It doesn't work. His crops were plentiful, right? So his barns are full. What do I do? I don't know. Wait. I know what I'll do. He starts talking to himself, I'll be build bigger barns, right? Then I'll have plenty and I can eat, drink, be merry, right? Be lazy. God says, You fool this night, your life will be taken from you. Your soul will be taken from you this very day. But it says, And Jesus clarifies. And there's a fool to store up earthly wealth and not have a rich relationship with God. Then he continues. That's why I tell you not to worry about everyday life. And you probably remember, like the lilies, if you've read your Bible, right? So he likens it to Solomon, like they're prettier than Solomon. And he's drawing from a guy who has more money like than anybody else in the Bible. And he's saying, you know, if they're here one day and thrown into the fire the next, well, how much more will God care for you, right? So why do you have so little faith? Is what he says. Why do you have so little faith? Now just start thinking about that for a second. What are some people say, like, if you have enough faith, you get whatever you want. What's Jesus saying? It's the opposite. If you're worried about all these things, you don't have faith. Think about that. How many denominations, how many people will tell you that? Well, if you have enough faith, you get whatever you want. That's not at all what Jesus said. Jesus says, if you're asking for all that stuff, you don't have faith. So the lilies. Now, Luke 1229, if we continue and don't give be concerned about what to eat or drink, don't worry about such things. These things dominate the thoughts of it to the Gentiles in the Greek but what he means is unbelievers. Ah, there's that point. Worry about all these things and asking for this that dominates the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. Seek the kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need. So don't be afraid, little flock, for it gives your father great happiness to give you the kingdom. There it is again. Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven, in the purses of heaven. Never get old or develop holes, your treasure will be safe. No thief can steal it, no moth can destroy it. Wherever your treasure is there, the desires of your heart will also be so. What is it in all of these cases, again and again and again, Jesus is dismissing the worldly things right and emphasizing the heavenly things, all under the context of, I am going to die and prepare a place for you when you die.
There's a context. Now, if we go back to John, we would have read something. If we were reading from the beginning, we would have gotten to six. And so Jesus feeds the 5000 right? John six feeds the 5000 so they're like following him around, right? So they want to see the miracles and stuff. And this is how Jesus responds. John 626, Jesus replied, I tell you the truth. You want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. So there's a purpose to these signs, but don't be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you for God, the Father has given me the silver. Approval again. What are we supposed to be seeking? They don't show us the miracles. Give us the stuff. Show us the miracle. Ha, no. And then he goes in that difficult teaching about like eating his flesh and drinking my blood. And there's only the 12 disciples left, and he challenges them, you, you too. You're going to leave too. So he chases him away. That's essentially what he does. He also clarifies in a statement we've seen before. I want to take a look at it real quick. I've real quick. I've used this again and again. It's important. Remember Matthew 1624, then Jesus said so Peter. He just calls Peter Satan, for he has his mind on the things of the world, right? So Jesus says to His disciples, if any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Me. If you try to hang on your life. You'll lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you'll save it. What do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? So we see more obedience here, even to the point of death. If you want to be my follower, deny yourself. Don't be selfish. Pick up your cross. You have to die for me if called to do so then you can follow me. What? So there's some pretty, pretty heavy requirements. Jesus is laying down there. You don't hear that a lot before people baptize each other. And then there's a contrast between what the world here was again, where's the profit you if you gain the whole world but lose your soul, you see the contrast again. Now, if we keep reading, we get to the book of James. James is really interesting. James is Jesus's brother. And so closer to the end of your Bible, Jesus's brother. And so interesting conversion story, because he's doubting him at first, and then he actually converts, and he becomes the head of the church in Jerusalem acts 15. So James writes this letter, and it's kind of like a mash up of Jesus's teachings. Like to take the Sermon on the Mountain stuff, but it gives you, like a little bit more explanation and clarification here and there. Alright, so I want to read you part of it. We're going to bounce around in James, just a little bit. James four, one, what is causing? He's talking to the church, talking to Christians. What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don't they come from the evil desires at war within you. You want what you don't have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You're jealous of what others have, but you can't get it, so you fight and wage war take it away from them. You don't have what you want because you don't ask God for it, and even when you ask you don't get it because your motives are all wrong. You only want what will give you pleasure you. And it says in Greek adulteresses, he's addressing brethren and calling them women. So it's insulting at that time, maybe not today, but I don't know. Don't you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again. Okay, so you didn't get that. If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. And so if you continue so, humble yourselves before God resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. I think I've read James before in church. It's awesome. Alright, so it's God saying it purify yourself. You've sinned like imagine saying that. This is how the Bible talks to us. So do you notice the war? Remember that Galatians five thing I did, the war between your flesh, what you want, and the Holy Spirit comes up again here, contrast again. He calls it here, divided loyalty. You have a divided loyalty. If you're occupied with the things of the world, you have a divided loyalty between God and the world, right? You ask for the things of the world, but you don't get it, because you're asking for the wrong things, right? So again, what are we supposed to be seek the kingdom first? I mean, not all these things. Now you might get it. That's what a lot of people retort, but I got it, but it might not be from God. We see that if we keep reading First John, so another very powerful letter in our Bible, First John, 215 do not love this world or the things it offers you who offered the things the world for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. That's frightening. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see. Remember that pride in our achievements and possessions, that's a sin. These things are not from the Father, but are from this world, and this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave, but anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. World, heavenly things again, big contrast. Note this too. We're talking about saying faith is about the things that are unseen. It's very important thing to remember, alright, these are things are not from the Father, but the world Now, speaking of the world. So remember that example, the face to move mountain, things that I told you guys about, right? So Jesus curses a fig tree. It withers. The disciples are like what? You know, they're freaking out about it. And this is Jesus's response. Mark 1122, then Jesus said to the disciples, have faith in God. I. Tell you the truth. You can say to this mountain, may you be lifted up and thrown into the sea, and it'll happen. But you must really believe. You must have faith that will happen. Have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you've received it, it'll be yours. So this is like manifesting for those people who do that, it doesn't work. But when you are praying first, forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against you, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins too. But if you refuse to forgive, your Father in heaven will not forgive your sins. So just a little note there, he says the same thing at the tail end of the Lord's Prayer in Matthew six. So think about it just for a second, right? How do we pray? If Jesus is teaching him, what's the response of Luke, but in the Sermon on the Mount, he says, When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites. Shut the door behind you. Pray in private. Pray like this, and he gives like the formula for prayer. But everyone says, because I can be the kingdom, the glory forever and ever. Right? That's not what Jesus says. Jesus says this, if you have a grudge, because forgive or Your Father will not forgive you. That's exactly how he ends the prayer. So think about that for a second. This is how you ask God for things, but make sure you forgive or you ain't getting it right. So, so I would say you're not having New York Bible translation. So the obvious hyperbole that I mentioned is there, right? So in context now you're seeing it ask for anything. Nobody's moving a mountain, right? So God, God can do that, yes, but not us, like we're not going to be praying and moving, moving a mountain. Move. It's hyperbole. So now you're getting that, I hope, by putting it together so we see the requirement of forgiveness. That's a commandment we need to obey, that we must so if you're praying for something and you have anybody that you're not forgiving, don't bother. He hasn't forgiven you yet, is what Jesus said, what? So you're not going to get what you want. We see another requirement faith. You must believe when you're asking you must have faith. So how does the Bible define that? Hebrews 11 one, Faith shows the reality of what we hope for. It is the evidence of things we cannot see. Remember, when I told you, did you notice that see catching it all over the place? Now, faith is about unseen things. It's about the realities of heaven. That's what faith is all about, right, things we can't see. Now, by faith, many things, many things are possible. Anything is possible. No doubt, not disagreeing with that. It's the motive for the asking that defines and reveals the heart of a crew a true Christian. That's the motive. That's why are we asking for these things? Right? A true Christian doesn't have divided loyalty between the world and God, we're strictly focused on heavenly things, and nothing's here. Faith is about the unseen things. So a true Christian is someone who has faith in the world to come, not this one, this world. The Bible calls this world evil, and everything in it, alright? So that's the important perspective. Now, the reason, when you think about it, we see that even faithful people in the Bible don't always have their worldly prayers answered, the things that happen that they're praying for, and they just don't get right. So for example, I'll run through just a few for you, and we'll look at one in particular. So for example, Paul writes 13 books of the New Testament, about half of it, alright, certainly a very faithful person. He writes Galatians, uh, he arrives there because he's sick, doesn't get healed, first and second. Timothy. Timothy has frequent First Timothy, five frequent stomach illnesses. Paul doesn't say you don't have enough faith, Timothy, or let me pray for you. Could've done that. Nope. From now on, drink some wine for your frequent stomach illnesses. This is not, I've heard people use this as a permission. Well, you see, the Bible tells me to drink wine. No, back then you can, but not too much, right? So it had alcohol in it, which would kill the germs, like the water wasn't clean back then, right? But here's the thing. Didn't say, Timothy man, your prayer life is how to order. You know you need more faith. None of that's there. Uh, second, Timothy, four, quick mention. Trove, miss, I left in my elitist sick wait. Paul left somebody sick somewhere. That means Paul couldn't heal him.
Interesting. Now someone will respond. Be the punch here, Paul and Timothy, again, didn't have enough faith right now we do see, go back and look, that is the reason that some of our prayers might not be answered. We don't have enough faith, absolutely right? But these people will say they should always be healed if they have faith. And that's not true. Biblically, it's not what it teaches. So sometimes, and this is kind of an interesting way to think about it, it's our predicament, right? We get ourselves in a predicament, and sometimes it's sin. Sometimes the very thing we're praying to get out of we got ourselves there in the first place. Sometimes. It right, sometimes not, and in a lot of cases, when our prayers aren't answered, it's to keep us from sinning. And that's an interesting one. So we actually see it. So if we go to second Corinthians, Paul says it, and it's so funny, people skip it. Paul's talking. There are two reasons for writing Second Corinthians. One, they're dragging their feet on a collection for Jerusalem, and there's all these false teachers in the church, and Paul's trying to show em up. The way Paul does that is basically by highlighting the fact that he's the suffering servant. He's going through shipwrecks, beatings, all these horrible things. And that's called the fool's boast. So he's like, boasting about the things, and he's saying, I'm not going to boast. And so we look at this and laugh, because he's like, he is boasting. But you made me do it. It's kind of a funny dialog, but he's trying to show up these false teachers. So within that, he says, second, Corinthians, 12, six. If I wanted to boast, and he just did, I would be no fool for doing so, because I'd be telling the truth. But I won't do it because I don't want to give anyone, uh, sorry. I want to, want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life for hearing my message, even though I've received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, remember what we saw pride was sin. So to keep me from being proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Alright? So The stated reason this is there three different times I begged. Though he didn't just pray. He begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, My grace is all you need. My grace is sufficient for you. My power works best in weakness. So now I'm glad to boast about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ can work through me. Okay, we can argue or speculate about what the thorn is. It doesn't matter. Paul has a problem. It could be a person like Alexander the Coppersmith. It could be a disease. It's a problem, right? So what do we pray about problem that Paul begs the Lord to take it away from him three times. Now, some will not read or lack reading comprehension. Well, he didn't have faith. No, no, that's not what he said. Said he was given of it. Give it to him to keep him proud that he tells you why it's there, he asked Lord. The Lord responds, My grace is sufficient for you. And Paul understands, you know what, I can be a pretty prideful guy, Okay, Lord, keep it there and keep that sin away from me. That was The stated reason so our sin can also block our prayers, or sometimes God will be good enough to us not to give us what our flesh wants, keep us from sinning. Now perhaps we think not, but we need to ask ourselves some serious questions here, right? Like, well, now that's not the reason I deserve it. When you come from that standpoint, it's wrong. That's not the Holy Spirit. Like, that's wrong thinking, if you think like you're good, are you really obeying all of Jesus's commands here, really, is there anyone you ever get on the way here? Right? Is there somebody you really need to forgive? If you there is, you're not, you're not in obedience. This is just the truth of God's word. Well, I'm giving you a lot of I know a lot of people. That's hard to hear, right? Have we loved everyone. That's Matthew 712. Is what that was the golden rule. Are you loving absolutely everyone, even? And he tells you, even your enemies, do you really love them? That's obedience to not do so. It's called disobedience. Did you hear what he said? Like, if you don't forgive others, Your Father will not forgive you. I'm praying that's hyperbole, but I'm not willing to play with that fire. If you are, it's on you, but the blood is not on my hands, right? So I'm not willing to play with that fire. He said it right? Is our loyalty divided between God and the world, right? Because if it's, if it is, we said, what? What does it say? Not me, says you made yourself an enemy of God. Ouch, right? So, no, he's not going to listen to those kinds of people. So I want to show you that this is actually a very redundant theme. This kind of like, remember, the Bible doesn't say fear not 365 times we found out like it's worse than the reverse of that right? Actually, he says the opposite of what people may God say. And here's another one about prayer. This is another one when you really know the Word of God. And I know those of you here who do you know exactly what I'm saying, the Bible says this a lot. There's a lot of times where both old New Testament, it's like God is just not listening to you right now. And people are so surprised, because we have this cultural idea here that, well, you know what I mean? Like, just pray. We can pray for anyone. We can pray for this. We can pray for that. It just always gets answered that is absolutely, first of all, not what you heard today. And then I want to show you some more. I'm going to kind of put it together so rapid fire, you can get this. The Word of God says this a lot, right? So. Context, we'll look at the prophets first. What is the context? Judah and Israel, God's chose God is saying this to his chosen people. Don't you remember that, right? But they are disobedient. They are not obeying. They're sinning. Isaiah. Isaiah, 115 when you lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look though you offer many prayers, I will not listen for your hands are covered with the blood of innocent victims. Jeremiah 1114, pray no more for these people. Jeremiah, do not weep or pray for them. For I will not listen to them when they cry out to Me in distress again. Jeremiah, 1411, the Lord said to me, do not pray for these people anymore. Done. Amos 523, the context of false worship away with your noisy hymns of praise. I will not listen to the music of your let justice and righteousness roll down. Is what he's saying here. You're not living righteously when we're not in obedience. The Word of God says, Worship is noise, noise, so I don't want to hear right. And did you notice I didn't pray for these disobedient people? Now there's other places in the Bible where we see people praying for other people on disobedience. I'm not saying you shouldn't do that, or you can't do that, or God's incapable of answering that prayer, but it really is on the person, right? I know they, they have to work it out with God. It's really not up to us, right? But here we see an example. Don't even pray for these people. That sounds contrary to over here in the world, right? We got TV commercials just pray, you know? And it's like, I don't even mention Jesus, right? You know, it's like, again, he's not a Jamie in a bottle, right? But that's the way the world wants to treat him, right? Alright? Proverbs and Psalms. Proverbs, 15, eight, The Lord detests the sacrifice worship of the wicked, but he delights in the prayers of the upright. Proverbs, 28 nine, God detests the prayers of a person who ignores the law, doesn't obey his commands. Psalms, Psalm 138, six, we'll go backwards there. The Lord is great. He cares for the humble. He keeps his distance from the proud. There's that sin of pride. Again, if you are prideful, he's keeping his distance from that. Psalm, 84 Oh, Lord, God of Heaven's Armies, how long will we be angry with our prayers? Angry with our prayers. Psalm 3415 the eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right. Do right. His ears are open to their cries for help. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil. He will erase their memory from the earth. Wow. Remember the world only offers what pride in our achievements and possessions, these are sins, right? He gets angry with our prayers. Probably not going to be the verse of the day anytime soon, right? God gets angry with your prayers like we're going to quit that up pretty quick, alright, so be a good thing sometimes, I think so. Now you may be tempted to say, right? Well, that's the Old Testament, but then you were not listening for the last 30 minutes, right? Jesus says the same kind of stuff over and over again. But I want to show you something so powerful that when Peter so 1/3 of the New Testament is Old Testament reference or quotation about 1/3 so he gave you like a New Testament, because they're constantly quoting it. And so Peter does that. So he's talking about relationships between Christians. So that's what he's the context here, right? And how we should be treating one another's and he quotes Psalm 34 that I just read to you, so he brings it right into the New Testament. First Peter 312 the eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers, but the Lord turns his face against those who do evil. New and Old Testament. Alright, if we go back a little bit in first Peter three, in the context he's talking about husbands and wives, I don't want to see a point being made in the New Testament here First Peter 37 in the same way you husbands must give honor to your wives, treat your wife with understanding as you live together, waiting for somebody to rib somebody. She may be weaker than you are and then back, but she is your equal partner in God's new life. Treat her as you should, so your prayers will not be hindered.
You can have your prayers hindered now. You can get the full right. You can have your prayers. That's what it says, New Testament, scripture, alright, we see again and again that our sin can hinder our prayers. This, I hope you're seeing it is a biblical truth. It's a matter what anyone has told you. This is the truth, right? So now this will come to some as a real shock, a real shock, but just let it be a teaching tool. Right? If this is new to you and you're like, what, let it be a teaching tool from this point forward, right? Is what happens when we invest our time, our faith, our belief, our thinking in the world and not enough in the word, when the Word of God comes as a surprise to you, we really need to reflect, right? So this has happened to me in my Christianity. I've told my story. I was like, Oh my gosh. You know, I really don't really understand this. Well, you got some choices. You can, if you really love God, you can invest yourself in his love letter to us. That's a good place to start. And know it. Yes, right? And that's your protection. Not even, yes, I'm trying to give you a lot of scripture this. Get a Bible and read it. That's your protection, alright? So now a question comes to mind, right? Is it okay to have material wealth? That's what everybody you know they're immediately because we're thinking of ourselves, right? Is it okay to have nice stuff? Is it okay? So just a quick comparison, it so if we're in the Bible says we're temporary residents. We're sojourning through, we're passing through. It's okay to enjoy the ride. That's fine. It's okay, as long as we understand that, right? So if we're doing this ride in a really nice car, fine, understand, but don't be attached to that vehicle, right? Understand that that's not really important, right? As long as our loyalty isn't divided, as long as we're in obedience and we're not greedy, as long as we stay focused on the destination, that's the point. All right, so there's, I've given different illustrations on this, but you know, wherever your destination is, that's the place you were excited about going, the reason you set out on that journey. Well, keep that in mind. You know, have that destination not don't get derailed, right? Like, it's like a tourist trap of giving, like, all kinds of illustrations I want to get, but, but, like, you hit a tourist trap, and what you spend all your money that you needed for that destination vacation, whatever it is you spent all your money there, and you can't get there, right? That's, that's the illustration, right? So, but on the way, you can enjoy the ride. But it's kind of like we're kids. And so, you know, you want the kid to be quiet all the way there. Are we there yet? So, you know, you give them a toy, right? So imagine, Oh, good. This will keep them quiet for three hours. So the kids quiet for three hours, right? But you go to get the kid out of the car, it's time. Hey, look, we're here. We made it. No, I just want to play with this toy. That's what a lot of Christians sound like when they're dying. It was supposed to be funny, right? No, it's not. I ruined it, right? So self ruining jokes, right? But it is. That's, that's what it sounds No, no. And I'm, I'm starting to get worried. And I'm like, Do you actually believe this, we might have a much bigger problem here. I does not sound like you. Believe this at all, but that's how all these Christians are constantly as naming claimant stuff to Gene the Bible stuff, worth it, whatever. That's what they sound to me. They sound like children. And clearly, now you've heard this isn't even a fraction of this topic in the Bible. I've given you a fraction. Now. You're all like, wow, they do sound you should be thinking, they do sound really stupid, right now, yeah, it's ridiculous, like a child who won't give up the toy for the greater destination. I said that without saying Disney was amazing anyway. So we see that there are wealthy Christians in the New Testament, just, really, just a bunch. Real quick, Phoebe, I sponsored the letter to Romans. That letter was said to cost about $3,000 Paul says that he, she helps him, right? He, he's, she's like a benefactor. Lydia, one of the first European converts there that we know of, right? She sells expensive purple garments, right? Puts Paul and Silas up. Acts 16. She's wealthy. Philemon, wealthy enough to have servants in his home. That's what the whole thing is about. Forgive the servant I'm sending back to you, right? He's a wealthy guy. He's not told, sell your house. It's not there. It doesn't happen, right? There are women who are benefactors to Jesus in the Gospel of Luke, I said they're helping him out. Ministry takes money like that's okay. They're not told to sell it, all right? So there's the young, rich ruler. He had a problem with it, right? You don't have a problem with it, and you're using it for the kingdom of heaven. It's all good. It's all good, right? Have fun with we need to have fun with, but make sure you're living generously towards the kingdom of heaven. James, back to the book of James. We see that in James two, he addresses the rich people in the church. The situation there is, like, partiality, right? So churches do this makes me want to throw up, but they have, like, the front seats for the important people. That's not why I sat there, right? It's just close to the stage. But, like, these are reserved for the rich people, and those are for the poor people, right? That kind of thing. We have celebrities in the church. So that's what's going on there. He doesn't tell him leave the church, no, but he gives a stern warning if we hop ahead. So James, five, one, look here. You rich people. We've been grown with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are multi rags. Your gold and silver are corroded. The very wealth you're counting on will eat away your flesh like fire, this corroded treasure you have hoarded will testify against you on the Day of Judgment. Listen, hear the cries of the field workers and you have cheated their pay, the cries of those who harvest your fields and have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven's armies. You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter. Again, he's not. Can't kick him out. But this is a pretty serious warning. Like, if you ever worked rich in the church and you're hearing this, like, can it be stored up against you? Like the guy with the barns, right? You fool, right? Like, make sure you're being generous, or it'll be judgment against you. So that thing, which you thought was valuable. Come back to bite you, I won't say where. So we need to be generous if we have the power to do so, right? So if we have plenty, we should be using it for the kingdom, because faithful Christians are invested in the kingdom of heaven. More scripture, Colossians, three, one. Since you have been raised a new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of the earth. Contrast, For you died to this life that was represented in your baptism, and your real life is hidden with Christ and God. When Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. So put to death the sinful earthly things, earthly things lurking in you have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust and evil desires. Don't be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. You used to do these things when your life was still a part of this world. Do you see the contrast? Again and again and again? But what are we supposed to be seeking, fixing our eyes on heaven, not the things of this world, which are evil, right? So we're not supposed to be worshiping the world. We do that we're in sin, and we also must understand something very important. Did you notice before? Did you catch it where it was? These things are from the world. These things are from the world. Think about another thing here. So if we were to read all the way down to the bottom, second to last verse, I think of John 14, where we started, if we cared enough to do that. Read verse 30, and think, right. And it says, right. Basically, like the Eve, the ruler of this world is coming. So as Jesus and said, we're about to go, he says, the ruler of this world is coming. Well, who is that? We went to second Corinthians and read that. Second Corinthians, four, four, the devil is the ruler of this world. First, Jonathan, 519, right. The devil is the ruler of this world. Interesting, the devil is the ruler of this world. Remember this, the devil can bless you too. The devil can bless you too. And this is scripturally true, I will show you, and when I show you, if you haven't thought about this before, yeah, so the devil will do that to keep you from the destination. He's like a tourist trap, and he'll give you anything that'll keep you from reaching that destination. So be very aware Jesus was it displaces our attachments. So think about something probably all of you know about Jesus's temptation. Luke four, Matthew four. Jesus tempted by the devil. So he's fasting. He's prepping himself for ministry. We talked about nobody likes to talk about fasting, but I do so the Bible talks a lot about it. Jesus is fasting for 40 days. He's out in the wilderness. So basically, like, it's not like a nice wilderness picture of desert. He's out in the desert, right? So the devil's like, yes, hey, you know what? You must be hungry. If you're the Son of God. Turn that stone into bread. No Man does not live on bread while he wants to block him from the fasting. But every word that comes from the mouth of God, quoting Deuteronomy, more Scripture, the Old Testament, being quoted, right? So, you know. And then he tells him with a couple more things that people don't really think about, right? So Jesus would have made that for himself, right? So he tries to kill Jesus, right? So goes and takes him up to the pinnacle of the temple. Jump off for you won't even dash your foot against the stone according to some note. Alright, don't put your Lord God to the test. He also says something, it's kind of reverse order in Luke and Mark, but he takes them up to a high place, if you put them both together, and shows them all the kingdoms of the world. He says, I will give you these if you bow down and worship me.
Jesus doesn't say, You can't do that. No, because he calls him the prince of the world, like the god of this world. He knows he can alright, but he refuses it. Worships the Lord your God, only right. The devil was able to bless Jesus all the kingdoms of the world. No, what was his destination in this life? The cross, I would have kept them from the cross, wouldn't it? Yeah, you'd be in charge of all the people who killed him, right? So we must do so whatever that cross is for you, whatever it is the Bible tells us with the type of attitude as we close today, well, I kind of give you some scriptures here. Let's reflect on these. It gives you the appropriate attitude adjustment, like how we should be seeing these? Maybe we're like Paul, we've got a thorn. It's there for a reason. I don't know, but how we should be looking at these bad circumstances. Second, Corinthians, 417, for our present, troubles are small and won't last very long, yet they produce four. A glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever. So we don't look at the troubles we can see now. Rather, we fix our gaze on the things that cannot be seen. There it is again, for the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. No chapter breaks in the original. For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down, that is when we die and leave this earthly body, we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. For we will put on heavenly bodies. We will not be spirits without bodies. While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan inside, but it's not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. God Himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee, he has given us His Holy Spirit. So you see it all coming together. So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies, we are not at home with the Lord, for we live by literally. We live by faith and not by sight. Do you see the two contrasted? They're different. We live by faith and not by sight. I hope it's all coming together for you. Yes, we are fully confident. We would rather be away from these earthly bodies for then we'll be at home with the Lord, then we'll be at home, and that's the goal. So just be encouraged whatever you're going through, so the good or the bad, it won't last forever. It's a temporary, light affliction. Everybody's going through something, right? So am I. But how do I get through it? When the Holy Spirit, that operative, part the Comforter, the advocate, reminds me, it's okay, set your sights there, and it'll be alright forever. We are promised a home that does not need repair. It doesn't decay, it doesn't cost us anything, because it was bought with the precious blood of Christ. We have to remember that, right? It's precious. It will be plentiful. Unlike everything here, that lot thieves can steal when the wind and waves, as Jesus said, bash against it, it won't collapse, because it's built on the bedrock of Christ. Amen. I pray Lord, I thank you for everyone who came in to hear Your word this morning, everyone who's tuning in to hear the Word of God this morning faithfully. I pray that by the power of your Holy Spirit, you just allow us, when we're in need, to look beyond those things. I pray also that through the power of your Holy Spirit, you make us clean, vessels filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithless goodness, and that because of those things, we bear fruit to those around us. Vessels for your glory, Lord, I Ask these things In Jesus's Name. Amen,