Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Listen to Moses and the Prophets

Luke 16:19-31[1]

As preached at Rolling Hills Church on Sunday, October 30th, 2011

In this continuing conversation that began in Luke 15:1, Jesus continues on the subject of man and his use of wealth; but He threads the more significant thing into this parable we're examining together today – the true riches. He had called money the "very little", and "unrighteous wealth" earlier chapter 16; this was compared to the "much", and "true riches".  At the end of His talk here He brings up, in a unique way, the true riches. Let's read the text, from Luke 16:19-31.

19 "There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.

20 And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,

21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried,

23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.

24 And he called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.'

25 But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.

26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.'

27 And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house--

28 for I have five brothers--so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.'

29 But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.'

30 And he said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'

31 He said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.'"

Our wise Lord lets Abraham summarize for his audience and for us what we should learn from this parable (I believe it is such): Listen to Moses and the Prophets; they tell us of the Christ.

Jesus was again, through this story, rebuking these religious, hard-hearted people about their idolatry. Based on context of 16:14-18, it seems that this story was aimed at Pharisees and Scribes. The characters in the parable were the un-named rich man, Lazarus, Abraham, and the five brothers of the man in purple. I believe the rich man represented the wealthy and powerful Scribes and Pharisees; and the poor man represented all those they might have neglected in their self-righteous arrogance. If you think I'm overly hard on these guys, just read through John. They hated Jesus. We've heard the story, now let's consider some things these two main people have in common, and some contrasts in their situations.

Things in common:

Both were born and lived on this earth, and died.  Both were Jews. Both lived in the same town. Both went to the eternal destiny their earthly relationship to God and man dictated.

Things in contrast:

One was clothed well; one had insufficient clothing.

One was buried; one was not buried.

One was comfortably bathed regularly; one was licked by dogs.

One was sick and diseased: the other was healthy.

One received good things on earth; the other received bad things on earth.

One believed Moses and the Prophets and went to eternal comfort heaven; the other did not believe and went to eternal torment in hell.

One thought miracles would help save people; the other believed God's Word ('No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent'). When the gospel of Jesus Christ doesn't save a man or woman, the gospel plus a miracle won't save them either. It's useless. Rom 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

One was significant for a time here; the other was significant forever in heaven (we know his name).

So if Jesus aimed this parable at these self-righteous, religious but lost men, what did He want them to hear?

You are poor stewards of unrighteous money; you'll never manage true riches.

You think because you're Jews, and you're religious, that you won't see God's wrath.

You know of God's Word, but you don't believe and follow God's Word.

This is the key here, I believe. Moses and the Prophets refers to the Old Testament. Genesis 12, Deut 18, Ps 22-24, Isaiah 7, 9, - all look ahead to Jesus. When the OT isn't prophesying Christ is it foreshadowing or giving types of Him. Moses, Aaron, David, (Prophet, priest, and king) all painted that picture of Christ. So did all the sacrifices. Faith is key; believe God's Word! I can't help but think of the question the Saducees asked Jesus once, and the answer he gave them. Matt 22:29 But Jesus answered them, "You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God."

Church, let us hold this fast; If God doesn't save through His Word by His Spirit's work in man, miracles won't save the day.

I think it is fair, in light of this story, to consider again today…

1.     Do our budgets reflect eternal priorities, and not just temporal, earthly priorities? What do you do with your earthly wealth?

What mercy do you have for the needy? Prov 14:21 Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor. Proverbs 19:17 Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.

2.     Let us pray that God humbles our hearts to care for and help, as we can, those in need.

3.     Are you soundly confident that God works, by His Holy Sprit through His Word, in the lives of the lost? If he doesn't, the walking, talking dead won't work either! Miracles aren't as powerful as God's Word to save! God's uses us to communicate the truth, but the power is His to work through it.



[1] All Scriptures, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (via E-Sword Software) © 2001 Crossway Publishing. All Rights Reserved. I paste them in red for distinction.

Justified Before Men

Luke 16:14-18[1]

As preached at Rolling Hills Church on Sunday, Oct 23rd, 2011.

It does the church good, and keeps us healthy when we listen to Christ preached from the Old Testament and from the New Testament; so I alternate between the two. That way we learn of who God is, what God has warned us of, promised to those who believe, and how He has made provision for the sins of all who believe Him, and turn from their wrongdoing.

I am preaching from Luke 13:22 to Luke 17:10, and that's because it is the second time Jesus mentions "Journeying toward Jerusalem". We've walked with Jesus as He's taught on the narrow door while He traveled, lamented over Jerusalem, healed a man while at dinner with a Pharisee, and beginning in Luke 15:1, He is teaching to those sinners and tax-collectors who are coming to hear Him, and a group of Pharisees and Scribes who are there to accuse and de-rail Him. Luke 16 is composed of two lengthy stories of rich men and this small section between them

The Pharisees have gone from mumbling under their breath (Luke 15) to openly sneering at him; ridicule. I'm convinced that they believed that they were right; if Jesus had been from God He would have CERTAINLY been with and like them. How blinded we can be! Let's read Luke 14:13-18 (gonna start with 13 to context us).

 

13 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."

14 The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him.

15 And he said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

16 "The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone forces his way into it.

17 But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void.

18 "Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.

 

Now at first I see how one would think that this is random, this little section. It is not; nothing Jesus said, nor anything he had Luke record was random. Here is the message I see for us in this text: People might justify themselves before men while their hearts are full of sin, but not before God. The ones who enter the kingdom of heaven when they die are those who believe Jesus, and worship Him alone. Three ways this is taught in this text…

13-14 You're not justified before God when you worship money and not God. How hard-hearted one can be to sneer at Jesus' words about money. This comes from those who are convinced that they DO love God, and they KNOW that they love money. Remember, Jesus had just taught (16:1-13) the parable of the dishonest manager, and warned His followers to be wise with their money; and lastly, not to worship it. The matter of wealth – the use and abuse of wealth – reveals where a man or a woman stands in their relationship to God[2].  This is something Jesus will come back to strongly in the story after this section. It's good for us to hear this again; "what is exalted among men is an abomination before God."

14-18 You're not justified before God when you disdain His Son and despise His law.

Their beef was Jesus was that He was setting aside the law of God. Jesus' beef with them was the same – their external focus on the law before men was in direct contrast to the focus of their hearts when it came to OBEYing the law.

Let me say that God's law isn't what saves us; the covenant with Christ is the prevailing one we relate with God through, and praise Him for that! However, Christianity is not without law, church! The Ten Commandments, with the exception (Colossians 2:16-17) of the Sabbath, are laws God intends for us to know, be humbled by, and seek His power to obey. With David, we can delight in God's law! With so many of the Psalms woven into their temple and synagogue worship, these men still managed to disdain God's law rather than to delight in it! This is a terrible thing that most of us wouldn't dare to do – directly. But when we ignore God's clear truth to do what we have made right in our own eyes, how are we different? These men sneered at Christ, and they made a mockery of God's law, all while judging others on being short of their rules, which they equated with God's law. This would be the equivalent of a pastor today sneering at and judging a man for drinking a beer while he ran around on his wife. This is what Jesus meant when He said men were 'everyone forces his way into it'. These men rejected God while the so-called 'heathen' were pushing to get to the front, to touch Jesus, and letting their sick friend down through the roof to get to Him!

They were on a quest for man's applause rather than God's approval. They were public figures that needed public affirmation. Religious men who rejected the clear, incisive teachings of Jesus yet thought they were right with God. Churches are populated in part by such people; you're religious, but you have your own views, beliefs, and your own control over your own religion; you reject the clear, incisive teachings of Jesus. You write your own religion, donating 1.5 hours weekly to God, does well on your resume. You've never repented of sin, begged God from your knees to save you, stood to be baptized to identify publicly with Jesus, and committed to a local church family by committing to faithful church membership so you could be counted on to link arms and advance the gospel. Unbelieving people aren't saved by being religious and this church isn't here to simply have more numbers; but rather to see lost saved and saved matured into obedient, growing faith in Christ[3].

Divorce was, I'm convinced, used here as an example of the Pharisees' pure disdain for God's law. In the Jewish writings revered by the religious leaders of Jesus' day, a man (Hillel) could put his wife away because she burned his dinner (Akiba). A man who found a prettier lady could divorce his wife. Jesus rejected such folly, and said it was wrong. He calls it adultery, and the man who marries the woman you threw away is also an adulterer. We should allow the weight of this verse to sit on us for a few minutes; divorce has become too common, too easy in the American church. Why is that? In part because the preaching of the law of God is rare in God's church here. Two exceptions and no condemnation: sexual immorality, and an unbelieving spouse who leaves you because of your faith in Christ.

Church family, people might justify themselves before men while their hearts are full of sin, but not before God. We're not justified when we worship money and not God, and we're not justified when we disdain His Son and despise God's law.



[1] All Scriptures, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (via E-Sword Software) © 2001 Crossway Publishing. All Rights Reserved. I paste them in red for distinction.

[2] A quote from Alistair Begg, Luke 16:13-18; found http://www.truthforlife.org/resources/sermon/law-and-gospel/

[3] ibid.

Be Smart With Your Money

Luke 16:1-13[1] 

As preached at Rolling Hills Church on Sunday, Oct 9th, 2011

Many confusing messages about money have made their way into the church; I want to high-light the two extreme ideas concerning money this morning to get us started…

1) Asceticism. To be right with God, you must be poor. Money is evil, so righteous people couldn't have much of it. Problem here is – if we're all poor, who gives to the poor? The world? And who in the church would James admonish to be generous – there would be no one 'rich in this world's goods'. Mother Theresa once took over a moderately appointed facility donated to her work of helping the poor. She instructed the workers to remove the carpets and disconnect the hot water line to the building. She didn't sell the carpet or in any way benefit the poor from this 'doing without'[2]. Sadly, her doctrine about money wasn't biblical. She could have helped the poor better with hot water. If you work wisely and hard, you can prosper with this world's goods and still glorify God. Admittedly, it is hard to.

2) Materialism. It is God's will to prosper His children. If you aren't wealthy, it's because you don't believe God. This mindset makes God your willing slave to give you stuff, feed your greed, and encourage you to love money. God never encourages idolatry and greed; He hates both! Too many TV preachers have espoused this godless theology, and will answer for it.

Instead of holding to these unbiblical extremes that bring unbelief and condemnation, let's look at what Jesus tells us about money: Be Smart With Your Money. Luke 16:1-13.

1 He also said to the disciples, "There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions.

2 And he called him and said to him, 'What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.'

3 And the manager said to himself, 'What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.

4 I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.'

5 So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he said to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'

6 He said, 'A hundred measures of oil.' He said to him, 'Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.'

7 Then he said to another, 'And how much do you owe?' He said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.' He said to him, 'Take your bill, and write eighty.'

8 The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.

9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.

10 "One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.

11 If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?

12 And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own?

13 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."

Prayer. The parable itself has been confusing to many. It brings up questions like…

Did Jesus commend deception or dishonesty? Or teach us to buy our way into heaven?

No. Two reasons I say this:

The audience. This was taught to disciples includes the curious, hungry sinners and tax collectors. People who were misusing money in ways that only built temporary alliances and pleasures. Money is an amoral tool that simplifies trade. These folks needed to learn to think differently about its use.

The main message of the parable. Details of a parable aren't always to be made much over, especially when our Lord clearly tells us what He was teaching!

Here is what Jesus said to His disciples: Be Smart With Your Money. According to this parable, there are three ways to do this:

16:8-9 Invest money eternally: give to the poor, needy, and the church. This is how you "make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings." Here we have the command to give generously to meet needs we're aware of. How do you make friends with money who will receive us into eternal dwellings? I think we bless those we will see in heaven – Jesus, and the body of Christ. Only those who live eternally can welcome us to eternal dwellings.

Matt 25:40 And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'

 Matt 19:21 Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me."

Luke 12:33-34 Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. What is more fun than giving? Not receiving! So when you give to the body of Christ and to the poor and needy, you are laying up treasures in heaven. No chance of idolatry, greed, or false holiness when it's in that bank. Spiritual pride is always a danger, but you come back to 'where did I get the money' to fight that. Consider this admonition from our Lord; if you can't give, sell your stuff, then give.

16:10-12 Faithfully manage God's money. "One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own?" What do you have that you didn't receive? This is implied throughout the gospels with parables about those who manage another's money, and will be called to give an account, clearly here. When we consider that we will stand before Holy God who provided us with all that we need for life and godliness (2 Pet 1:3), He is right to exact an accounting for our stewardship. Using interest for and not against Him, living within our means, fostering generosity, gratitude, and contentment in our souls by our use of money. Investing instead of only spending and wasting.

16:13 Make it serve God and yourself; never serve it. "No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money." A wise man once told me love people and use money and things; never get that backwards. Christ teaches us to use money; never serve money. Why not serve it? That is to be greedy, and to be greedy is a form of idolatry, and it will make you hate God. Can money make one hate God? He just said it – you serve money and you will become devoted to it (worship) and you will despise God.  He also taught the disciples that it is harder (camel, eye of a needle) to believe God when you are rich! Look around you – wealth doesn't always equate to happiness! Most men who are wired to become very, very rich are the kind of men who are not wired to enjoy it! It is right to work hard to provide for your family, give to the church to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ, to help those believers in need, and give to the poor and needy.

Be smart with your money.

Invest it eternally by giving to the poor, needy, and to the church. Sell stuff if you have to.

Faithfully manage God's money. All we have is from Him.

Make money serve God and others; never serve it.

 

As we pray, consider with me these questions:

Am I joyfully generous with my money?

Do I consider God's wishes and pleasures with my money?

Do I serve God and not serve money?

Am I open to instruction, wisdom, and change about how I manage my money?

 

I end with the prayer of the wise man from Proverbs 30:8-9 …give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, "Who is the LORD?" or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.



[1] All Scriptures, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (via E-Sword Software) © 2001 Crossway Publishing. All Rights Reserved. I paste them in red for distinction.

[2] From Money, Possessions, and Eternity, by Randy Alcorn. Copyright © 1989, 2003 by Eternal Perspectives Ministries.  Published by Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, IL. All rights reserved.

Why Sinners Make Heaven Happy

Luke 15:1-10[1] 

As preached at Rolling Hills Church on Sunday, September 18th, 2011

Let's read the text for today's message, shall we?

1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him.

2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them."

3 So he told them this parable:

4 "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?

5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.'

7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

8 "Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it?

9 And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.'

10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

The point of these three parables is the same; Jesus came to seek and to save those who are lost, and their repentance brings joy to heaven. Let's pray.

Jesus uses stories these people can easily relate to. Large portions of the church have attacked some of the greatest preachers in the history of the church for being too plain, too direct, or too 'down to earth'. Among these scorned by religious leaders are Charles Spurgeon and Dwight L. Moody – men who were seeing thousands of sinners saved through preaching the gospel. Here our Lord spoke of sheep and coins, things an agrarian society knows all too well. The sheep were the livelihood of many families, and these coins each represented a day's wages. These simple parables throw the joy of God at one being saved into sharp contrast with the uncaring attitude of the religious people of Jesus' day. It makes it plain for all to understand, to see what our Lord means; mainly though, for those who have ears to hear. Speaking of which…

Tax collectors and sinners are all drawing near to hear Him. That is significant! Let's turn back to chapter 14 where Jesus had just thinned the crowd out by calling them to count the cost before following Him. He goes on, speaking of the uselessness of salt that had lost it's taste. He closes with His often-used invitation: "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." Interesting that the religious people with knowledge of the Scriptures have deaf ears to Jesus and His words, while the greedy and the lustful sinners are coming to hear the good news. The first sentence in chapter 15: "Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him." In our day who are the miserable, immoral, ungodly people we don't want our children to be around – the plundering thieves of Wall Street like Madoff?, the openly gay, the hardened agnostics who care only for today, and shout it out every way they can in piercings and tattoos? The Americans who are Muslims? The women trying hard to be men? Who could we care less if they perish forever in hell? That's who Jesus was seen with.  Often Pharisees accused Him of eating with "prostitutes and tax collectors".

How fitting for Jesus to say, in Matt 21:31, that "Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you."

Pharisees and Scribes are watching and grumbling. These religious people who supposedly know the truth are very closely observing what Jesus does, and grumbling. Grumbling that the wicked in society are open to hear the good news that they themselves are not willing to tell them. Notice how people grumble about and judge others who are doing what they should be doing? Is this justifying their disobedience, their lack of love, or what?

When Jesus said, "who need no repentance", I believe He was using sarcasm toward these chin-up men. I think that because in Luke 3:3 repentance had already been established as necessary, just as the sinfulness of man had in 11:13.

What grace that He only told them parables. God hates grumbling. In Exodus 15 and 16 they grumbled, and God rebuked them, but graciously fed them bread and meat. In Numbers 14 they grumbled again, and the Lord had enough of it. He told the Israelites that everyone 20 years old and up that had grumbled against Him (apparently most had) would die in the desert, and never see the Promised Land. Here's the problem with grumbling: it's so often associated with unbelief. Let us fear God, lest we grumble against God for working through lesser men, or for saving people we disdain; this is dangerous! He doesn't always graciously respond with a parable or two…

What joy in heaven over the repentant sinner! This is the huge contrast we have to see here; grumbling over sinners hearing truth versus rejoicing over sinners believing truth! From stories like this comes the description of 'lost' for the unbelievers. We have to see through this how great God's love is toward those who are far from Him and will be called to Him through the preaching of the gospel. This is the main point of these parables – the joy of heaven over the sinner who repents. So… Who do you resemble more today?

The Lord, who walked among the ungodly with the message of the gospel?

The religious, self-righteous people who rejected those ungodly sinners?

The sinners? We should have something in common with these folks, after all… What do we do in response to these parables?

We recognize God's love for sinners.  Sometimes this gets away from us as we do church, fellowship, and enjoy each other. God loves lost sinners, and many among them are open to the gospel! Our mission is to magnify God, mature in our faith, and multiply believers, cell groups, and churches in our state, nation, and world. Worship, watchcare, and witness. To focus on one of these at the expense of the other is to become an unbalanced, disobedient church, for we're told to do all three.

We sharpen our personal witness to the lost. No matter what we do together, it most often comes down to you, the gospel, and the lost. There are two wings to the Christian airplane[2]  of our witness; our lives and our lips; our conduct and our conversation. neither are complete alone. To say, "I told her about Christ" is good, but not enough. To say, "I live a good life and let my actions be my witness" isn't good enough either; to remain silent and let lost people interpret our actions themselves is wrong; they need to know who saved us, who changed our direction and appetites in life. An effective witness is to live a life worthy of our calling (Eph 4:1-3), and to be ready to give an account for the hope that is within us (1 Pet 3:15-16) – both are done with humility and gentleness. Jesus came to seek and to save those who are lost, and their repentance brings joy to heaven.



[1] All Scriptures, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (via E-Sword Software) © 2001 Crossway Publishing. All Rights Reserved. I paste them in red for distinction.

[2] Metzger, Will, To Tell the Truth. InterVarsity Press, Downer's Grove, IL. © 2002 by Will Metzger. All rights reserved.

The Prodigal Son

Luke 15:11-32[1] 

As preached at Rolling Hills Church on Sunday, October 2nd, 2011

Last week we heard some of the most incredible mission testimonies ever. These Wano were sharing about the straight talk, the true talk, and they spoke the gospel more clearly through an interpreter than many pastors do in their people's heart language!

Wasn't that amazing, to witness the power of God through the Word given by the Wilds and the Ingles? I thank God for Mike and Libby and those four wonderful sons of theirs!

We are in the middle of our Lord's Journey Toward Jerusalem, following Him from Luke 13:22 – 17:10. We last examined the first two parables our Lord told in Luke 15 – the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin; today we'll absorb together the story of the Prodigal Son. It is critical to remember the audience our Lord is addressing: "Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them" (Luke 15:1-2). Two very distinct groups; the first are those who are outside of the realm of the religious but who are very interested in Jesus, and open to hear His words. The second group is comprised of those who scorn His words, and who hope to trap or discredit him in front of his followers. Oddly enough the first group has no history with God, and the second group can trace their history with God back for centuries! You wouldn't think so, the way they disdain the Savior God had promised to send (Ps 2, 22-24, 51, Isa 6, 7, 9, 53, etc.) This is a beautiful piece of literature, and it was very widely known in the church. Let's read this story – the majority of the chapter – together. Luke 15:11-32…

And he said, "There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.' And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants."' And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to celebrate. "Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.' But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, 'Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!' And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'"

With this story, I often feel that reading it and praying would be sufficient. With that in mind, I will make my comments brief today.

In the lost sheep story we see the focus on the word lost. In the lost coin story we see a focus on the search. In this parable today we notice a focus on the word restoration[2]. What rich fullness of the character of God, and of His glorious gospel we see in these three stories! God sees the lost; God does the searching, and God, this perfect Being who hates sin, lovingly restores the sinner. All to show the sinners God cares for their souls, and to show the religious people that God makes salvation available only by faith in Jesus, and not by religious traditions, morality, and accomplishments. Let's unpack this parable.

The Father. Who would he represent in this story? God. He Loves. He Gives. He Runs. He Rejoices. He Restores. He Pleads.

The Younger Son. Rebellious sinner. Who does he represent in this story? Tax collectors and sinners.

Disdains. Deserves. Leaves. Falls. Shatters, humbles himself before his father.

The Older Son. Religious sinner. Who does he represent in this story? Pharisees and scribes.

Works. Stays. Deserves. Hardens, sets himself against his father.

Both sons reject the Father. Both want His stuff. Both are shown compassionate mercy.

Younger son – wow, what grace. He repents, and receives it.

Older son – wow, what loving patience! – and he rejects it.

Both sons are shown grace.

Both sons must come back to the table, to love, to be restored.

Both sons need to believe and love their father, not just his stuff. Can't take his stuff and disdain Him, and can't earn his stuff and disdain Him.

Both must humble themselves before God. For whom is it harder?



[1] All Scriptures, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (via E-Sword Software) © 2001 Crossway Publishing. All Rights Reserved. I paste them in red for distinction.

[2] Emphasis noted by Alfred Edersheim in his excellent work, The Life and Times of Jesus The Messiah: New Updated Edition, Complete and Unabridged in One Volume, Copyright © 1993 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.

Jesus is Worth It

Luke 14:25-34[1] 

As preached at Rolling Hills Church on Sunday, September 11th, 2011

So far in chapters 13-14 of Luke, as we follow Jesus toward Jerusalem, we've been with Jesus as He warned Jews about the narrow door, disdained Herod's threats, lamented over the hard-hearted Jerusalem, healed a sick man, and rebuked a Pharisee who invited him over for dinner. He has taught true hospitality and humility. A common theme is rising to the top in these two chapters; neither the works of religion nor the faith of your relatives can save you from the wrath of God. Only by faith in Jesus Christ, who shed His blood on that cross, can one hope to be made righteous to stand before God and live. Today we're going to move on into a teaching about counting the cost before following Jesus as a learner, disciple, or student. The sermon title is simply Jesus is Worth It.

Luke 14:25-34

25 Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them,

26 "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.

27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?

29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,

30 saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.'

31 Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?

32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace.

33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

34 "Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored?

35 It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

Here is the message in this passage: There is a high cost to follow Jesus; so you need to decide – is Jesus is worth it? The best commitment comes from love, not duty. Three questions…

Is this anti-church growth? How quickly our Lord moves from "Highways and hedges compelling them to come in" to "You cannot be my disciple if…"! have to wonder about is Jesus' addressing of such a large crowd – it's a warning, a challenge! You would think, based on current western philosophies of ministry, that Jesus would LOVE to draw a crowd – by serving, healing, preaching, helping, or however He could – so He could then preach the gospel to them! That's us, right? Two things to consider about that;

1.     Jesus wasn't seeking worldly, temporary success; He was seeking the lost.

2.     Jesus would rather have a few devoted followers than many demanding followers. 

So for those who say, "I want to see more, I gotta be around for this", our Lord isn't so excited to entertain you; He demands fidelity, and warns those temporarily excited crowd to count the cost before taking off. Second question…

Is this hate? Hate, in the Semitic meaning for this context, means to love less than the other. Let me show you why I say this: Gen 29:30-31 So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban for another seven years. When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 'Hate' here isn't literal, as we understand hate; that would contradict the command to honor your parents, love your wife, provide for, protect, and train your children. I am convinced that Jesus won't contradict Himself in different books of the Bible, or different passages in any book. He simply means that you must love Him more. Listen to His words in… Matt 10:37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Is this anti-church growth, hate, and third…

Is this different from conversion? I have stood fast against such distinctions my entire Christian life; but I must confess in this context, I have my first seeds of doubt. He had just sent servants to invite all to come to the heavenly banquet. Now when He leaves and many want to follow, He throws the hard lines out!

For today, I'm going to let you wrestle with that. You have the Holy Spirit; I don't have to answer all questions. Two out of three isn't bad. Here is what we see clearly in this text…

Jesus' challenge to all who would follow Him is to love Him more.

More than those you love. Either to serve Christ away from their presence, or to cling to Christ; even if it means rejection by your family – the disciple must follow Christ. To follow Him as a learner means you can't stay home enjoying life all the time. This call can't void out the command to 'leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife' (Gen 2:24).  But it very clearly means that, regardless of what love you have for family, you must love Jesus more.

More than your own life. This must be about His will, His purpose, His mission, His glory, and His ministry on this earth. When we commit to follow Christ, life cannot be about our lives, our dreams, our wealth collection, or our comfort as a priority – it must be about Christ and His glory. That was it for Abraham, who looked at the eternal city instead of his hometown. It was true for Moses, who left Pharaoh's court to walk in the desert. Peter said,

Amazingly, this is the best life a Christian can live! You would think opposite, right? Not at all. To have nothing one is clinging to desperately is actually freedom, not bondage. To lay out a list of things to God that you must be, have, or do in this life is by far the more nasty bondage.

More than your possessions. "See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?" What was Jesus response? "You] will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life" (Matt 19:27-29). We're not condemned in Scripture for having wealth; we are condemned for living for wealth above Christ (Mark 7, Rich Young Ruler).

Church, the best commitment comes from love, not duty. One does much for duty; one does much more for love. Therefore…

You must count the cost. If you start, will you finish? If you follow, will you continue when it gets hot, dry, unpopular, self-denying, and lonely? Jesus started toward Jerusalem for you, and He will. He was warning this crowd – this won't be easy, folks. Don't take this commitment to follow me lightly.

It's better not to start than to start and quit. The tower, the battle, and the salt tell us this. It would be better to honestly go home than to falsely commit then turn away. So…

There is a high cost to follow Jesus; so you need to decide – is Jesus is worth it? The best commitment comes from love, not duty. Let's consider a few things as we close…

1.     What is it worth to know, love, believe, and follow Jesus? To be with Him forever? Can you honestly say He is worth more than your family standing, community standing, your things, and your present comfort? He is, but that isn't visible without faith.

2.     What is it worth to know that your life will never end, and you will see His full glory?

3.     Jesus asked it this way; For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? (Matt 16:26)



[1] All Scriptures, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (via E-Sword Software) © 2001 Crossway Publishing. All Rights Reserved. I paste them in red for distinction.

On Hospitality and Heaven

Luke 14:12-24[1] 

As preached at Rolling Hills Church on Sunday, September 4th, 2011

What courage does it take to reprove one who has invited you to dinner! Jesus, our Lord, has that courage, of course. He had been shown less than average respect at the meal in the Pharisee's house where we join Him. They had sat a sick man opposite of our Lord as bait used to trap Him! After dealing with that harsh, unloving attempt to trip Him up, Jesus turned to teach the host something about hospitality, and about heaven. Let's join Him in Luke 14:12-24.

12 He said also to the man who had invited him, "When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid.

13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,

14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just."

15 When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, "Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!"

16 But he said to him, "A man once gave a great banquet and invited many.

17 And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.'

18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.'

19 And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.'

20 And another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.'

21 So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, 'Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.'

22 And the servant said, 'Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.'

23 And the master said to the servant, 'Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.

24 For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.'"

So here is the message I see from this text as we worship Christ today: Hospitality and Heaven. Our hospitality needs a motive makeover, and our hope of heaven need be in response to God's invitation to 'come' through Christ.

On Hospitality… Verses 12-14 are a rebuke to the host that his hospitality needs a motive makeover. This is a very specific, direct reproof to the host who had in fact invited Jesus – was this rude? I believe speaking good wisdom isn't rude; but especially in light of the reason Jesus was invited, and the failed trap they'd set for Him.

Hospitality isn't just for business building or political positioning. Not wrong to host business meals; it's just wrong to be false or double in your motives. If it is a business meal, say so, and do it well. Warren Wiersbe says that the general trend in the time of Jesus was to invite influential people so they would owe you favors, at least a return invitation. Thus the culture of 'your turn' was in place.

Hospitality is to be shown to those who are in need, and who can't pay it back. Clear enough, isn't it?

Hospitality isn't just for present, temporal blessing; it is for future, eternal blessing. This is a strong principle all through the kingdom of God; we are faithful now and rewarded later.

On Heaven… Verses 15-24 are a rebuke to the Jews who reject God's invitation to come through Christ.

The exclamation: "Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!" This man's statement was widely accepted and used in the time of Jesus, we're told. Maybe it made in joy over Christ's good teaching. Maybe it was said to turn the conversation away from the uncomfortably specific to the comfortably general.

The implied question: Who will eat bread in the kingdom of God?

Answer: a parable of a great feast. The characters in this parable are...

God – He gives a kingdom feast.

Messengers – they personally take the invitations out.

Jews  - they have been invited and have replied that they intend to attend.

Needy and Gentiles. These are the poor, crippled, blind, and lame – just people.

When it comes time to actually eat and the servant is sent out to bring them in, the Jews make excuses! And they are nice excuses: I bought a field, I've bought oxen, or I have a wife… huh. These sound like ordinary things! However, they are missing an extraordinary gathering! Truth is, these people have put the business of everyday life ahead of the claims of the kingdom of God, thus showing that they're not worthy to enter[2]. So God's wrath boils over, and the invited are rejected. Church, it is paramount to sound doctrine to hold on to the fact that it is GOD who will judge us; it is GOD who finds our sin offensive and refuses to let sinners into His glorious presence! It is GOD that we must fear, not the devil and his fallen angel minions. The 'master of the house' here represents God, and when His wrath boils over, it is a scary thing! Israel had managed to evoke that wrath from the desert outside of Egypt (1445 B.C.) to the city of Jerusalem with Nebuchadnezzar laying siege outside (586 B.C.). Let us not take such an invitation for granted. God's wrath boils over. Yet then we see this: God's grace flows over, being determined to share this good meal. The poor, the lame, the blind, and all of those who have no hope of repaying the master of the house for his hospitality, are welcomed to this joyful, sumptuous feast! And the message is clear:  the Gentiles come to Christ through the rejection of the Jews. Yes, the kingdom of God will be filled, but many of those originally invited will be excluded[3].

Hospitality and Heaven. Our hospitality needs a motive makeover, and our hope of heaven need be in response to God's invitation to 'come' through Christ.

A few questions might be in order…

Are you hospitable? Do you invite those who can't repay you now?

Hope of Heaven: what is your response to God's call to come to Him? What is your response to Jesus? What is your response TODAY, actually?

 



[1] All Scriptures, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (via E-Sword Software) © 2001 Crossway Publishing. All Rights Reserved. I paste them in red for distinction.

[2] From footnotes in the ESV Study Bible, © 2001-2011 Crossway, all rights reserved.

[3] Ibid.

Where is Our Compassion and Humility?

Luke 14:1-11[1] As preached at Rolling Hills Church on Sunday, August 28th, 2011

Two weeks ago we learned of the narrow door, and of Jesus' command to strive to enter through it to life. Last week we learned of the hardness of hearts that resist the love and grace of God – O, Jerusalem! Today we're going to a nice feast with our Lord, and we're going to consider two words – compassion and humility. The message is a question:  Where is Our Compassion and Humility? We'll begin in Luke 14:1-6.

1 One Sabbath, when he went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully.

2 And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy.

3 And Jesus responded to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?"

4 But they remained silent. Then he took him and healed him and sent him away.

5 And he said to them, "Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?"

6 And they could not reply to these things.

This is a Word about Compassion: to the host.

See? Now you can eat with sinners – non religious and religious!

Hospitality is good; using the sick is bad. Good: Romans 12:13, Hebrews 13:2, 1 Peter 4:9. We can at least commend the man for showing hospitality; after all we are commanded in the New Testament to do so, and it is a qualification for elders to be hospitable. Let's not use a sick person to bait a trap over lunch, though. Jesus knew it, and He took the bait.

Man's laws can lose their purpose and miss their mark. Sabbath rules had lost theirs. Jesus was using sarcasm to show that human life is of much more value than animal life! Humans have eternal souls and an eternal destiny; animals do not have an eternal soul.

Two questions: "Is it lawful?" No reply.  "Will you help an ox or your son on the Sabbath?" No reply.

They could count on Jesus to show compassion. It was the third time in this book He'd been confronted on the Sabbath, seventh time overall. How much more evidence did they need? Jesus healed people on the Sabbath – guilty. He had compassion – guilty. Now the compassion of Jesus is to be understood not simply as a personal emotional reaction but as a public criticism in which he dares to act upon his concern against the entire numbness of his social context.[2] By His engagement with the sick and needy, Jesus condemned those who ignored and used the sick and weak.

Compassion comes and grows through connection.

Who donates to and staffs Ronald McDonald houses? Those who have stayed there and experienced the warm, generous provision while their child fights cancer. Who raises awareness and funds for autism? Breast cancer? Drunk driving deaths? Those touched by them; those with connections.

Jesus walked among the lowly, the normal, and the average people. He was among humanity; that was the point of His incarnation! This is where we benefit our hearts by keeping them tender, church family; we get some up-close and personal connection with suffering, need, loss, and death. We come to view those we don't agree with or think highly of (and thus we ignore their sufferings) as humans, and we have compassion.

The sick man was a trap; he was being used to catch Jesus. Otherwise it's pretty doubtful he would have been invited. Why did they invite him and sit him next to Jesus? They could count on Jesus' compassion. This tells us something, church; we can't have compassion for sinners if we don't have connection with them. If we can keep away from suffering we can harden our heart toward suffering people. Hard hearts care more for rules than for people. What's the best story of compassion in the Bible? The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37).  What was the point? Who is my neighbor? Story, and command: go and do likewise. Love your neighbor; he's the one in need that you have connection with.

Can folks count on the church for compassion, the way they did Jesus? Christ is in us, and He has compassion for the sick, the weak, and the lost. Does that come out through us? Through you? Through me? That is a word about compassion to the host. Now…

A Word about Humility: to the guests. Luke 14:7-11

7 Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them,

8 "When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him,

9 and he who invited you both will come and say to you, 'Give your place to this person,' and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place.

10 But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, 'Friend, move up higher.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you.

11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Parables make a point. This one is; don't exalt yourself; let God and others do that. Proverbs 27:2 Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.

Humility starts with right thinking about God; how huge, holy, wise, powerful, and good!

Humility grows with right thinking about ourselves. How dark, sinful, selfish, frail, and ungodly! Those who think this way know they should take the lowly seat – they're just glad they were invited! "He must increase, but I must decrease"(John 3:30).

Here's the truth; we don't deserve the place of honor. But here's how we often think; I deserve the place of honor. It's based on who we are, who we know, or what we've done. "I'm his friend, doctor, pastor, brother, boss, co-worker, etc."

"I've done this, that, and the other for him, so this is my seat."

We exist in a culture of self-advertising, self-marketing, and self-promotion. It is so unusual to be humble instead of exalting yourself that it is simply weird. Folks, are we weird? Are we humble? If we are weird, it is because we trust God to take care of us?

A man named Selden wrote that, "Humility is a virtue all preach, none practice, and yet everybody is content to hear. The master thinks it good doctrine for the servant, the church for the pastor, and the pastor for the church." I would submit to you that God thinks it to be good for us all[3]. I would also ask your prayers; it is indeed good for your pastor, and he needs more of it.

Humility isn't being a doormat. Jesus was humble: he said so! He wasn't a doormat. Jesus commends compassion. When Jesus obeyed God, He stood firm on the gospel; He confronted lies and errors. That wasn't arrogant, that was humble; He was exalting God, not Himself. Humility courageously stands for the gospel.

So…

A word about compassion: compassion comes and grows through connection with the needy. Is your compassion evident and growing? Is it active? Is it stifled by a hard, lawful heart? If so, look around; connect with the hurting. This is required Christian character, church family.

A word about humility: it begins with right thinking about God and about ourselves. We humble ourselves, and we let God and others exalt us. When we trust God, there's no need to self-promote. Are you growing in humility? If not, this is a serious warning from our Lord; humble yourself; consider others more important than yourselves.

Where is our compassion and humility, church? Let's pray.

A word to those who do not believe Jesus as Lord and Savior; He has had compassion on you through His humility; He humbled Himself to become a man out of compassion for the lost. He humbled Himself to death, even death on a cross. Have you repented of your sin and received the gift of life He purchased for you there? Today would be a good day to turn from sin, believe in Jesus, and follow Him.



[1] All Scriptures, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (via E-Sword Software) © 2001 Crossway Publishing. All Rights Reserved. I paste them in red for distinction.

[3] From 6000 Sermon Illustrations, by Elon Foster, published by Baker Book House, 1992