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good morning to everyone welcome to free grace baptist church for any visitors with us this morning it's good to be back in the house of the Lord a few announcements before we begin worship this morning the first is that just a reminder of this conference that is this upcoming weekend october fourteenth and fifteenth the brochures are at the back karl truman is the featured speaker speaking on Luther and the Protestant Reformation so if you're still interested in attending that you can grab the brochures at the back of the church also a back there are the brochures for the cell sri bible study that is going on this upcoming tuesday and it occurs normally every second tuesday with perhaps some changes during holiday time that sort of thing but the cell sri bible study is this upcoming tuesday for anyone who would like to attend the brochures are at the back and you can keep that that work in your prayers as well also at the back of the church or the church calendars i forgot to announce that last lord's day if you would need one like to grab one the church calendars are available at the at the back of the church at this time also prior to worship i'd like to call micah butler up to the front here if micah could come up now we've announced on a number of lords days that we're welcoming Micah into the membership here so you can come up here Micah I usually read from the confession of faith with regards to church membership collecting some of the data from the scriptures on this particular point and this importance the confession our confession reads in chapter 26 beginning in paragraph five speaking of the headship of the Lord Jesus Christ Christ exclusive headship over the church it reads this way in the execution of this power wherewith he Christ is so entrusted the Lord Jesus calleth out of the world unto himself through the Ministry of his word by his spirit those that are given unto him by his father that they may walk before him in all the ways of obedience which he prescribe if to them in his word those thus called he commandeth to walk together in particular societies or churches for their mutual edification in the due performance of that public worship which he required of them in the world the members of these churches are Saints by calling visibly manifesting at evidencing in and by their profession and walking their obedience unto that call of Christ and do willingly consent to walk together according to the appointment of Christ giving up themselves to the Lord and one to another by the will of god in professed subjection to the ordinances of the gospel and that describes us as members of a church it also describes Micah who is now a member of the church we welcome you to free grace baptist church Micah Butler it's good to have you with us let us pray Heavenly Father we thank you for our brother Micah we thank you for you having brought him forth from darkness to light in Christ Jesus the Lord for saving him and bringing him bringing him into that that number who are found to be such not by deeds of righteousness which they have done but rather according to your grace and according to the saving power of the Lord Jesus Christ me rejoice in you saving him we rejoice and now bringing him into the membership of this your local church here we do pray that he would be a blessing to this church that he would serve us well submitting as we just read to the ordinances of the gospel in that mutual brotherhood and sisterhood one to each other we do pray that we in turn would be a blessing to him building him up in his most holy faith we rejoice in these things and we now commit him to you our church to you and we do pray that you would help us now in the name of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ amen well let's turn to the scriptures now as we begin our worship the worship of our triune God you can turn with me to Psalm 111 Psalm 111 our call to worship will be a reading of that from God's Holy Word Psalm 111 beginning in verse 1 praise the Lord I will praise the Lord with my whole heart in the Assembly of the upright and in the congregation the works of the Lord are great studied by all who have pleasure in them his work is honorable and glorious and his righteousness endures forever he has made his wonderful works to be remembered the Lord is gracious and full of compassion he has given food to those who fear him he will ever be mindful of his covenant he has declared to his people the power of his works in giving them the heritage of the nation's the works of his hands are Verity and justice and all his precepts are sure they stand fast forever and ever and are done in truth and uprightness he has sent redemption to his people he has commanded his covenant forever holy and awesome is his name the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom a good understanding have all those who do His commandments his praise and doers forever amen well let's stand together now as a church we're going to sing our first him it's in the larger Trinity hymnal and it is him number one let's stand and sing him one together you you Oh please be seated let us pray our righteous in our holy God we rejoice that we can as your Saints on this your Lord's Day gather together to sing your praises to worship you to hear your word preach to pray to you now we rejoice Father Son and Holy Spirit we have the audience of the triune God to be in this place bringing our prayers and supplications to you mingled with Thanksgiving we know as you promised as your word promises that the peace of God surpassed that which surpasses all understanding it comes to us through Christ Jesus the Lord and we do pray for that that we would rejoice this day in our Savior that we would sing your praises that you would Lord God be praised in this place that you would be worshiped in this place we do pray that you would help us to do so or right and biblically in good order genuinely and with much rejoicing we do pray that you give us that measure of your Holy Spirit that our souls might arise unto proper thoughts and proper affections and rejoicing in our God we do pray that in this place your name would be hallowed that around the world your name would be hallowed that you would be rejoiced in by multitude of saints around the world today we do pray Lord God that you would help us again to do so knowing that we have gathered together not by virtue of our own goodness our own strength our own uprightness but you have in your appointed and accepted time called us forth from darkness and death and sin to life and light in Christ Jesus the Lord we know that we're saved holy and alone by the work of the triune God who from first to last saves without a helper we're not saved by deeds of righteousness which we have done but Lord God in your according to your amazing grace you brought us forth from darkness to light by virtue of the perfect saving work of the Lord Jesus Christ and we rejoice in him are only Savior the only Savior of men and we rejoice in the perfection of his salvation knowing that he came down from heaven not to do his own will but the will of his father and have that he might bring all of his elect unto everlasting life and we rejoice that we can be called among that number that we have been saved by such a glorious salvation he being completely obedient perfectly obedient to your law in the stead of all those who believe dying that death upon Calvary's tree that death of substitution that death of sacrifice where he perfectly secured the salvation of a multitude that no man can number we thank you that he bore our sins in his own body on the tree that we having died to sin might live for righteousness by his stripes we are healed we do thank you for that workup on Calvary's tree knowing that by that we have the remission of sin knowing that by that his precious blood shed we have the forgiveness of all our transgressions and we do pray that you'd help us to rejoice in that afresh that we would sing the praises of our Christ we know that he rose again the third day in power and in great victory that he has ascended to your right hand where he ever lives to make intercession for his people we rejoice in this truth concerning our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ and might you cause our hearts to arise on this day we do pray that we would rejoice in truth that we would not simply contemplate truth and let it roll around in our heads but that we would be raised to high affections rejoicing in the truth of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ rejoicing in you God who is the god of truth even truth itself that we would rejoice in you that we would love you and that we would seek to worship you are right in this place we do pray God that you would help us to be forgiven a fresh of our transgressions knowing that we have that remaining corruption we pray that you would forgive us a fresh and cause us by your power to daily puts into death and to live unto righteousness we do pray God that you would be with those who are struggling with sickness and disease and injury and illness and all of those things Lord that the list is long and we do pray that you attend to each and every one that you would strengthen them in body that you would even heal them Lord that you attend to their various wounds and it caused them to nostra we do pray in the midst of their suffering that you would lift them up in the inner man even in the face of affliction cause them to rejoice in their God and to sing the praises of their Christ we would ask for any and all who are struggling spiritually that you would lift them up as well back upon those high places that you would bring them from out of that season of clouds and rain we would pray Lord God that you would sign the shine the son of your countenance upon them restore them help them to know the joy of their salvation and to live unto Christ each and every day we do pray Lord God that you would be with us in our respective families that we would lead as men that we would serve in our families pointing our children pointing our families to the Lord Jesus Christ Lord God we pray that whether a father or mother that you would help us to instruct our children after your law and after your gospel we pray that we would show forth Christ in our homes that that children at a young age that our children at a young age would love our God and rejoice in our Redeemer we do pray Lord God that you'd be with those who rule over us in the nations of this world we would ask Lord God that you would cast down those who would seek to propagate wickedness in the ranks of the government we do pray Lord God that you would raise up those who would seek to prosper righteousness and justice and equity we do pray Lord God for for these elections and for for the people of the United States and in Canada when our time comes around we do pray that you would cause people not to seek after their own desires but Lord God by your grace we pray that they would seek after the will of the Lord we do ask Lord that you would put those over us who would not sanction abominations in the land but that you would put those over us who would uphold proper righteousness we do pray Lord God that you would be with our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world as there are multitudes who suffer under the heavy and angry hands of persecutors we do pray Lord God that you would protect our brothers and sisters in Christ watch over your dear ones Lord and each and every land where there is such opposition we do pray that you'd be near to our fellow brothers and sisters and help them to lay hold of Christ daily help them Lord God to lay hold of the hope of their calling without wavering knowing that you who have called them forth from darkness to light our faithful we do pray Lord God that you would deal with those who persecute your people save many and put down those who would remain in opposition we do pray Lord God that in all the earth you would vindicate your most high-end Holy Name and we pray that this day a multitude of newly redeemed tongues would sing the praises of Father Son and Holy Spirit we would ask God that you would be with us now then in worship we would pray that you'd help us to worship your right to worship you biblically we pray that you would be the recipient of all honor and praise we would ask Lord God that you would as well bless that this upcoming tuesday the self sri bible study we long to see your kingdom extended and for this small part we long to see a church plant at another church planted in the lower mainland we do pray that you'd be with this work be with us then finally and again now Lord as we worship you the preacher pastor Butler comes up here to proclaim your word in that central act of worship the preaching of God's Holy Word we do pray that you would help him give him much from on high knowing that that is what he needs the help of the triune God give him much as he proclaims your Holy Word and might we Lord God be instructed by spirit and word might your Saints leave this place well fed ready to live in a perverse generation ready to live in an ungodly age seeking to uphold Christ and to shine as lights and might your spirit and word make the preaching of the word and the attending spirit this morning be unto the salvation of sinners young and old who entered in these two doors outside of Christ might you bring them forth by your sovereign grace and cause them to leave this place singing along with all the saints hallelujah what a savior we pray all these things in the name of Jesus Christ our blessed Redeemer amen let's stand and sing then again as a church our next team will be 592 let's stand and sing 592 together you turn your Bibles to Matthew 19 our new testament scripture reading this Lord's Day morning we'll pick up in Matthew 19 verse 16 Matthew 19 verse 16 once again the Word of God now behold one came and said to him good teacher what good thing shall i do that i may have eternal life so he said to him what do you why do you call me good no one is good but one that is God but if you want to enter into life keep the commandments he said to him which ones jesus said you shall not murder you shall not commit adultery you shall not steal you shall not bear false witness honor your father and your mother and you shall love your neighbor as yourself the young man said to him all these things I have kept from my youth what do I still lack jesus said to him if you want to be perfect go sell what you have and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven and come follow me but when the young man heard that saying he went away sorrowful for he had great possessions then jesus said to his disciples assuredly I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven and again I say to you it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God when his disciples heard it they were greatly astonished saying who then can be saved but Jesus looked at them and said to them with men this is impossible but with God all things are possible then Peter answered and said to him see we have left all and followed you therefore what shall we have so jesus said to them assuredly I say to you that in the regeneration when the Son of man sits on the throne of his glory you who have followed me will also sit on twelve Thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel and everyone who has left houses brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my name's sake shall receive a hundred fold and inherit eternal life but many who are first will be last and the last first amen just very briefly one of the things might happen in your mind when you come to verse 17 where we read why do you call me good no one is good but one that is God you might have asked the question in the past well Jesus Christ as good as int he well first off he's God and by virtue of that he must be good but also as man he was perfectly sinless and so is he not good probably what's in view here is emphasis upon deity there is one who is good originally essentially and not by derivation and that is God alone perhaps also on that point in view is Psalm 25 good and upright is the Lord therefore teach sinners your ways and here that's exactly what Christ God incarnate does he brings to bear the commandments but not in order to bring forth some second way of salvation by law as pastor Butler mentioned last time he brings to bear this lesson about covetousness in order to hit this young man in the heart and to show forth the fact that the law finds him out as one who certainly has not kept these from his youth but rather he is a covetous wretch and what does he need he needs the gospel of Jesus Christ he needs a righteousness not his own that avails with God and he needs the forgiveness of sins by the shed blood of the Savior and Christ emphatically points that out by this instructive lesson we also find here the reality of sovereign grace this mistaken view that the rich the wealthy the prominent enter everlasting life Christ casts asunder he uses humor if you will in verse 24 i say to you it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of god and then brings bring to bear this reality in verse 26 with men this is impossible but with God all things are possible if you're here this morning and you you grieve for a family member who's outside of Christ and damning unbelief rejecting all things Christ and God's glory if you're grieving over such things you need to take much confidence in verse 26 if if it rested upon us in our ingenuity and in our strength and in our ability to articulate truth it would be we would be a sorry lot and all hope would be lost but it rests upon a God with whom all things are possible and this morning as we pray for family members as we pray for frit throughout the week when we pray for family members friends and co-workers we rest upon this most certain truth with God all things are possible and might our God saved this day not only in our midst but around the world might he shine forth his grace and bring forth dead sinners to life let us pray Heavenly Father we rejoice in your truth we thank you for what we find here in the Holy Scriptures we pray that you would help us to ever be prayerful for those outside of Christ knowing that with you all things are possible we pray now is the word continues to be preached as we continue to sing as we do all of these acts of worship Lord we pray that you would be honored that you would be glorified that sinners would be saved that Saints would be strengthened and that the Lord Jesus Christ would be exalted upon the praises of this your gathered assembly and it's in his name that we pray amen or final him then before the preaching if you'll stand again with me is 295 let's stand and sing 295 Oh Oh Oh please turn with me in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 24 Matthew 24 as we continue our Lord's Olivet discourse want to begin reading in chapter 24 at verse 1 then Jesus went out and departed from the temple and his disciples his disciples showed came up to show him the buildings of the temple and Jesus said to them do you not see all these things assuredly I say to you not one stone shall be left here upon another that shall not be thrown down now as he sat on the Mount of Olives the disciples came to him privately saying tell us when will these things be and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age jesus answered and said to them take heed that no one deceives you for many will come in my name saying I am the Christ and will deceive many and you will hear of wars and rumors of wars see that you are not trouble for all these things must come to pass but the end is not yet for nation will rise against nation and Kingdom against Kingdom and there will be famines pestilences and earthquakes in various places all these are the beginning of Sorrows then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake and then many will be offended will betray one another and will hate one another then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many and because lawlessness will abound the love of many will grow cold but he who endures to the end shall be saved and this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world is a witness to all the nations and then the end will come therefore when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place whoever reads let him understand then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains let em who is on the housetop not down to take anything out of his house and let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes who whoa to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days and pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath for then there will be Great Tribulation such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time no nor ever shall be and unless those days were shortened no flesh would be saved for the elects sake those days will be shortened than if anyone says to you look here is the Christ or there do not believe it for false Christ's and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive if possible even the elect see I have told you beforehand therefore if they say to you look he is in the desert do not go out or look he is in the inner rooms do not believe it for as the Lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west so also will the coming of the Son of man be for wherever the carcass is there the Eagles will be gathered together immediately after the tribulation of those days the Sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light the stars will fall from heaven and the powers of the heavens will be shaken and the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory and he will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they will gather together his elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other I learned this parable from the fig tree when its branch has already come tender and puts forth leaves you know that summer is near so you also when you see all these things know that it is near at the doors assuredly I say to you this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place heaven and earth will pass away but my words will by no means pass away amen will let us pray father we thank you for the written word we praise you for the Incarnate Word even our Lord Jesus who sits enthroned at the right hand of the Majesty on high we praise you for that current session and we praise you for the reality that Christ will come again in glory to judge the living in the dead and our hearts desire and earnest please that everyone here this morning would be ready to meet him on that day that each of us by grace would be looking in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ that each of us would know the blessing of being found in him not having our own righteousness which is from the law but that righteousness which is from you through faith in Jesus Christ our Lord God open hearts and ears to hear the truth and may that truth move sinners to repentance and faith and may you be glorified and may you exercise that power that pastor Porter read of this morning we know that with you all things are possible so blessed sinners here blessed centers throughout this city and throughout this world we pray that the gospel would run swiftly and be glorified we ask now that you would fill us with their Holy Spirit guide us in our understanding grant us the forgiveness of sins and those things that do cloud our minds and our understanding and I pray father that you would be glorified in this hour and we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well we are continuing our Lord's all of that discourse and as I've mentioned several times there are three main ways to view this particular passage there is the futurist view and the futurist believes that the things written here are in our future not the future of the disciples but in the future of those in the 21st century there is probably the most popular version as far as reform people go or non dispensational people go is the two event view and that means that what Jesus is speaking about is the destruction of Jerusalem but as well his second physical coming at the end of the world when he ushers in the eternal state and then there is the third probably minority report called preterism and simple simply preterism means or preterite means past tense so the preterist sees this particular passage as a fulfillment of the destruction of Jerusalem or rather fulfilled in that event in AD 70 now we ought to agree with reference to those things most surely believed among us that it's not this that ultimately enters us into heaven it's not our understanding of the all of that discourse it's not if we're preterist sore if we're futurists or if we're to events persons but rather we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and I'm keenly aware that this is a hot topic among God's people there are many differences and disagreements concerning the interpretation of this chapter as I have said before I have to go with the way that I understand it we simply do not have the time and I don't have the competency to go through each of the three positions present all of the strengths and weaknesses and then ultimately just let everybody decide I gotta preach it the way I understand it again if you disagree with me I love you and I don't think that you have to agree with me I think the scriptures are compelling in this regard but as well I ask that you don't brand me a heretic tar me and feather me and have me sent into the slough at the end of korbel but let's look specifically this morning at chapter 24 verses 21 and 22 we're taking a small bite this morning because this is a passage again that there is much controversy concerning and I want to set forth what I believe is a is a preta Ristic interpretation of verses 21 and 22 remember our context versus 15 to 20 to the Lord Jesus speaks about the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place we looked at that passage last week we noted specifically the parallel passage in Luke's Gospel Lutz record of the Olivet discourse he defines it describes it says when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies Luke is writing to a predominantly Gentile audience Matthew is writing to a predominantly Jewish audience they would have resonated with the concept of the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet Luke seems to give more of the interpretation of that event with reference to his Gentile audience and when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies then know that it's desolation is near so Jesus says when you disciples first century disciples see this abomination of desolation and then he gives specific instructions to flee verses 16 to 20 and these instructions to flee imply that it's possible to flee if this was the worldwide consummation of everything there would be no ability to flee in other words what we have here is localized references those who are in Judea let him flee to the mountains those are on housetops do not first go downstairs gather your belongings and then flee as well those who are field workers don't go to the edge of the field grab your outer garment and flee no he says leave paste is necessary when you see the Roman armies don't stop to ponder don't stop to collect things don't try to get your most important trinkets off the shelves at home but rather flee run hide he notes particular difficulties associated with this flight when he says what are those who were pregnant those who are nursing he doesn't mean it's wrong or sinful to be pregnant he doesn't mean it's wrong or sinful to breastfeed he says it's going to be troublesome and difficult in hard for you to flee a city that is under the siege of the Roman armies he says specifically pray that your flight will not be in winter or on the Sabbath if it's the end of all things if verse 14 is to be interpreted as the end of all things what difference does it make if it is in winter what difference does it make if it is on the Sabbath but if it is a local flight from a local problem then this idea of winter would present great hardship so pray that your flight will not be in wintertime pray that it will not be on the Sabbath and then he comes to this particular section and he describes this particular section or these particular days as first a time of Great Tribulation and then secondly as a time-limited by the sovereign God notice verse 21 a reference to the Great Tribulation for then there will be Great Tribulation such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time no nor ever shall be so we'll take this up under the consideration of a time of Great Tribulation and then secondly a time limited by the sovereign God that is referenced in verse 22 and will note that in order this morning but with reference to this verse verse 21 and this comment concerning the Great Tribulation I believe it is applicable to AD 70 notice there's no textual indicators whatsoever that we're dealing with new concepts it's one of the strengths I think of the preterist argument there's no textual indicators that this is about this and this is about that the text flows as one particular whole the words those days and then in verse 30 21 and then we're supposed to understand they see the abomination of desolation scanning in the holy place we were supposed to understand that those who have understood not only Daniels prophecy but Matthews written gospel if they are in Judea they flee if they are on the rooftop they don't run down to the house to get their stuff if they're in the field they don't go get their clothes but rather they flee then he describes this consistently or continuously there's not a statement to refer to some other time if verses 15 to 20 refer to the first century to take 21 as referring to anything other than the first century at least in terms of the grammar employed seems to be an exegetical leap or an exegetical stretch this is the reason why people are to flee it is a time of Great Tribulation it's not a time to try and have tea with the Roman armies it's not a time to try and negotiate with the Roman armies it's not a time for you to do anything else but to flee now last week i mentioned get out of Dodge that's perhaps an American idiom it's based on a on an old television show I remember seeing as a little child i think was gun smoke and dodge was the city that the bad guys would come to and they were told to get out of Dodge so if I confused you by referring to getting out of Dodge last week it is as I said an American idiom at least it was for me getting out of Dodge means leaving fleeing flying running going note what Jesus says verse 21 for then there will be great tribulation when are we supposed to understand the four then if verses 15 to 20 refer to events that did happen in the first century and I hope that we've shown that again you may agree or you may disagree we ought to agree to disagree if we differ on that but I think there's enough to substantiate from the arguments presented cumulative cumulatively beginning back in chapter 21 that verses 15 to 20 can be seen to have happened in the first century when Jesus says for then the idea that he is shifting to our future seems to be absolutely contra infor into the flow of the tax for them there will be Great Tribulation such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time no nor ever shall be so I said no indicator no textual sort of hey I'm going to change up hey I'm going to shift direction hey I'm going to present something that's going to happen in the future that you disciples have no concern with whatsoever in terms of things that affect you I want to look at this specific reference in verse 21 and consider five things in terms of its application to AD 70 already mentioned the first the reason for the flight commanded in verses 15 to 20 and the utter absence of any textual indicators saying that we have now left that theme of the destruction of Jerusalem and we're now entering into a new theme in fact I think this is one of the strengths of the futurist position over even the two event possession the futurist is at least consistent in terms of seeing it up as one completed whole the preterist sees it as a completed whole the two events and again I know you're out there and I don't mean to be mean and I don't mean to be vicious or unkind but it seems to me that one of the difficulties with that is rightly determining what's 8070 and what's the future CH Spurgeon holds this particular position a man I'm not fit is shoelaces I am not fit to groom his beard I mean he's head and shoulders above me but he's a to event guy and there seems to be in verses 27 and 28 that he sees this as eighty seventy he makes the demarcation into the second coming in verses 29 and following again that's fine other two events persons do not see 27 and 28 as 80 70 but they put that in the future yet it just becomes a difficulty with the two event to know what's 80 70 and watch the future so preterism and futurism see them as a sort of a holistic approach and this is what I think is happening here the reason for the flight commanded in verses 15 to 20 is given to us in verse 21 for then there will be Great Tribulation there's why if we're in GD is should we flee to the mountains why if I'm on my rooftop should I not go downstairs and get my stuff why if I'm in the field should I not run to the edge of the field and pick up my my suit cloak or my outer garment if I am pregnant or if I am giving sock in those days why why should all this affect me because it's the time of Great Tribulation the time of great difficulty a time of great hardship a time when there will be tremendous did a tremendous trial for the people in Israel secondly we ought to observe with reference to verse 21 that Jesus is using common language by common i don't mean he's speaking to people and in Aramaic or he's speaking to people and Gregor he's speaking to people in Hebrew he's using common biblical language verse 21 is idiomatic verse 21 appears throughout scripture verse 21 is not isolated to this particular situation consider Exodus 11 and verse 6 verse 6 with reference to that last plague when the firstborn would be struck dead by the angel of Yahweh says then there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt such as was not like it before nor shall be like it again you hear the same sort of idiomatic speech it underscores great tragedy it underscores great calamity it underscores great hardship it's very similar in nature to that which Jesus says such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time no nor ever shall be Exodus 11 verse 6 then there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt such as was not like it before nor shall be like it again notice in Ezekiel 5 in fact you can turn to Ezekiel 5 going to spend a few minutes there Ezekiel chapter 5 just looking at this use of words or this use of language by our Lord to observe that it's not the first time it's used in the Bible to observe that it's something that became sort of descriptive of judgments that would come upon people notice in Ezekiel chapter 5 beginning in verse or specifically in verse 9 and I will do among you this is the sword against Jerusalem by the way so very similar contacts this is God's judgment prophesied or proclaimed by Ezekiel to the southern tribes of Judah visa vie the destruction of their city in their temple by Babylon in 587 586 that's when it transpired that's when it took place and the prophet Ezekiel was in the midst or the thick of things notice in 59 and I will do among you what I have never done and the like of which I will never do again because of all your abominations you see the the overlap in terms of the language involved it's some have described it as apocalyptic language it's it's very charged language it certainly under scores and highlights the severity of the judgment and the punishment that is going to come to pass in terms of the specific historical context now note Ezekiel 7 Ezekiel 7 I just want to read Ezekiel 7 I know that seems a bit odd but I just want to read chapter and asked you to think about Matthew 24 because my contention is or my proposal is is that what Christ is doing is executing the Covenant curses of Deuteronomy 28 and Leviticus 26 consistent with what had already transpired in Israel's history God told them to be a faithful people in the land that he was giving to them to live and dwell in he told them how to live how to function how to conduct themselves he gave them his covenant and he appended to it blessings promises of blessings for obedience and promises of curses for disobedience again the historical record shows us the northern tribes sinned against God they broke the Covenant and according to 2nd Samuel a second Kings chapter 17 they were invaded by Assyria and exiled to Assyria the end of the Northern Kingdom you think Judah would take the hint and say well we better clean up our act and do what God says no they continue to sin against God about 200 years later they know the destruction of their city and their temple via Babylon in 586 this is recorded for us in second Kings chapter 24 and 25 so this is something that had happened this is something that had been conducted this is something that our Lord was obviously conversant with being the sovereign of of history being the the author of Scripture so when he stands on all of aterrice it's rather at all of that and he gives us declaration as God's prophet he sounds very similar to what we find here in Ezekiel seven listen to some of the similar language and some of the the same themes notice in 71 moreover the word of the Lord came to me saying a new son of man thus says the Lord God to the Land of Israel and in the end has come upon the four corners of the land now the end has come upon you and I will send my anger against you I will judge you according to your ways and I will repay you for all your abominations now in our context in Matthew chapter 24 argued that in verse 14 of chapter 24 when he says the end is calm he doesn't mean the end of all things II Men means the end of the Jewish state he means the end of Old Covenant Israel he means the end of that theocratic status so just here are you ought to see that that's not an outlandish interpretation of 2414 if end in Ezekiel seven means the end of the Jews in the sixth century BC it ought not to be outlandish to consider that end in chapter 24 Matthew's Gospel may mean the same thing ucn doesn't always mean the same in every given context it is context that gives meaning to biblical words notice verse for my I will not spare you nor will I have pity but I will repay your ways and your abominations will be in your midst then you shall know that I am your way thus says the Lord God a singing a disaster a singular disaster behold it has come and n discs on the end is calm it is dawn for you behold it has come doom has come to you you who dwell in the land I'll argue when Jesus says all the tribes of the earth will see him in that coming language in 29 it isn't the tribes of the cosmos it's the tribes of the land what do tribes of land describe it's not every nation under heaven it's Israel just like it's used in this particular context he says an N discover I'm sorry doom has come to you you looked well in the land the time has come a day of trouble is near and not of rejoicing in the mountains now upon you all soon pour out my fury and spend my anger upon you I will judge you according to your ways and I will repay you for all your abominations so again if we apply Matthew 24 to the first century we ought not to think that wow this is just strange it's just crazy that the Covenant God would would prosecute the curses of the Covenant and destroy these old covenant people of God he did it already twice via Assyria then via Babylon and in the first century via Rome notice in verse 9 my I will not spare nor will I have pity I will repay you according to your abominations and your abominations will be in your midst then you shall know that I am the lord who strikes did the Lord strike physically did the Lord's hand come out of heaven and pound the nation it was through Babylon God calls Nebuchadnezzar in the Prophet Jeremiah my servant what any of us call genetica desert my servant he was the servant of Yahweh to execute the Covenant curses upon these violators of God's law it's the Lord who strikes to historical means notice in verse 10 behold the day behold it is calm doom has gone out the rod is blossomed bride is butted violence is risen up into a rout of wickedness none of them shall remain none of their multitude none of them nor shall there be wailing for them the time has come the day draws near but not the buyer rejoice nor the seller mourn for wrath is on their whole multitude for the solar shall not return to what has been sold though he may still be alive for the vision concerns the whole multitude and it shall not turn back no one will no one will strengthen himself who lives in iniquity they have blown the trumpet and made everyone ready but no one goes to battle for my wrath is on all their multitude the sword is outside and the pestilence and the salmon within whoever is in the field will die by the sword and whoever is in the city famine and pestilence will devour him again you may totally be at odds with me in my understanding of Matthew 24 but one of the things you cannot be at odds with is to say well well that didn't happen it would never happen to God special people it most certainly did God would cease to be God if he didn't faithfully execute not only salvation to the elect but damnation and judgment to the reprobate it is the faithfulness of God by which we are to understand these historical Cummings via Assyria and Babylon and Rome God is faithful to his word and this is a very practical observation he's faithful to his word to everyone who by his grace comes to G does he says as much in John 6 30 37 all that the father gives me will come to me and the one who comes to me guess what I will certainly not cast out but conversely God is sure and faithful to his word of judgment if you continue to resist if you continue to neglect if you continue to fall asleep or don't pay attention or think that the gospel really isn't what it says to be or that there are multitudes of ways that get one into heaven or you just say I'm young around this or on that not I just don't have the time for all of that you continue in your impotence and you continue in your unbelief and the God who is absolutely faithful will execute upon you judgment and punishment and vengeance and you can't say well that means he's unkind no he is faithful that's what these displays are God's faithful he enters into covenant with this nation who swears an exodus 20 for all that Yahweh has said we will do well when they don't they are visited with wrath from on high notice verse 16 those who are those who survive will escape and beyond the mountains like doves of the valleys all of them morning each for his iniquity every hand will be feeble and every need will be as weak as water they will also be girded with sackcloth horror will cover them shame will be on every face baldness on all their heads they will throw their silver into the streets and their gold will be like refuse their silver and their gold will not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord they will not satisfy their souls nor fill their stomachs because it became their stumbling block of iniquity as for the beauty of his ornaments he said it in majesty they made from it the images of their abominations their detestable things he says I've worked through this particular material i thought to myself over and over again i've said to myself over and over again you know with reference to a serious second king 17 they were idolaters with reference to judah second Kings 24 and 25 they were idolaters we get to the first they were idolaters it wasn't bail it wasn't ashra it wasn't Molech but to reject Christ is to reject your way our confession rightly identifies the Pope ish mass as gross idolatry what was it after the once for all sacrifice of Messiah for a high priest to enter into a Levitical court to enter into the temple that was still standing and offer sacrifice if that isn't gross idolatry if that isn't blasphemy if the rejection of Christ doesn't mean the rejection of Yahweh you need to go back and study theology 101 there's this wicked idea today that as long as you're monotheistic everything's okay such that the Muslim and the Jew and the christian are all united they may call God different names they may say different things in terms of their theology there may be different emphases and whatnot but their monotheistic and as long as you subscribe to the reality of one God that one God knows your heart he knows your particular you know distinctions in terms of your sacks but but that's all that's required that's a lie from the pit if you don't have the Trinity you don't have Cod if you don't have Christ you don't have God these men rejected the one that was sent to then duh he was sent to his own and his own received him not we beheld him we saw him there was nothing in his appearance that would draw us to him you know for Nicole eNOS there's nothing that would draw the the 1st century Jew to this one because the Jews request signs in the Greek seek after wisdom but Paul says we preach Christ and him crucified to the Jews a scandal a stumbling block and to the Greeks just plain foolishness they were guilty of idolatry they had opposed Yahweh of Israel this is the thrust in Matthew 21 this whole parable of the vineyard the vineyard owner he sends his servants the prophets and what who Israelites do they reject them they beat them they stone them they kill them then the parable says that the vineyard owner says I know what I'll do I'll send my son because they'll certainly respect him they'll certainly receive him they'll certainly bow to him do they do that no they take him they seized him and they crucify him to crucify the son of the vineyard owner is to reject the vineyard owner site all the tree funny how those Pharisees understood what Jesus was talking about funny how they knew that he spoke that parable against them or about them funny how Jesus says because of this reality the fact that you cut off the Son of God the fact that you reject the Messiah sent by the vineyard owner because of that I say to you the kingdom of God is being taken from you and it's given to a nation that will bear the fruits consistent with it that nation is the church you can read first Peter he applies old testament language from Exodus to the Church of Christ itself see this is not an outlandish opinion you may differ and that's fine and that's great but this whole trajectory of biblical theology indicates that God is bringing judgment to bear verse 21 I will give it as plunder into the hands of strangers into the wicket of the earth is spoil and they shall divide to file it I will turn my face from them and they will defile my secret place for robbers shall enter it and defile it make a chain for the land is filled with crimes of blood in the city is full of violence that Christ's words to them in Matthew 23 isn't that exactly what Jesus says that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed from able to Zechariah it's a city of bloodshed Luke 13 Jesus says I have to go to Jerusalem for it's not possible that a prophet died outside of Jerusalem doesn't mean everyone that walks into Jerusalem gets a heart attack and dies of natural causes he is telling us the reality that jerusalem stones the prophets jerusalem spits at the prophets jerusalem mocks the prophets and it will culminate in the mocking the spinning upon the scourging and the ultimate crucifixion of the great prophet of God remember that's how he enters into into Jerusalem in Matthew 21 who is this and the Galilean says this is the prophet Christ is speaking as a prophet consistent with the prophets this was a land this was a city filled with violence it was filled with bloodshed God doesn't take that lightly it's another lesson there if you mistreat the people of God you better watch out is that what verse 22 says but for the sake of the elect those days were shortened interesting how the elect actually exercised a preserving function in society isn't that amazing the Lord cut short those days again we're talking about the end of all things how do you cut short the end of all things no cutting short the end of all things there's no flesh being spared at the end of all things interesting use of the language to flash spared not soul spared but flash certainly flesh will be resurrected on the great day of judgment but the language of flesh being spared in 22 better suits a context of temporal judgment rather than this whole thing before our God and is Christ notice verse 24 therefore I will bring the worst of the Gentiles and they will possess their houses I will cause the pump of the strong to cease and their holy places shall be defined when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies know that it's desolation is near Matthew 22 15 when you see the abomination of desolation doing what standing in the holy places God says at least with reference to the sixth century BC that this means of judgment Gentiles will cause the holy places to be defiled destruction comes they will seek peace but there shall be none disaster will come upon disaster and rumor will upon rumor then they will seek a vision from a profit but the law will perish from the priests and counsel from the elders the king will mourn the prince will be clothed with desolation and the hands of the common people will tremble I will do to them according to their way and according to what they deserve I will judge them don't miss that when Jesus describes it as a time of Great Tribulation and when I have the gall to connect it to the wrath and fury and judgment of God it is consistent with what we find in Ezekiel 7 in terms of the southern kingdom it is consistent with what we find and second second king 17 with reference to the fall of the Northern Kingdom the problems not God problems not his unkindness if you end up in hell the charge isn't going to be you're not fair you're not kind you're not good you're not merciful you will never be able to present that to the Holy One of Israel the problem with reference to judgment is never that God judges it's that sinners bring it upon themselves you see that's your problem this morning if you're not in Christ there's a lot of reasons why people don't come to Jesus there's not enough evidence to believe there's inconsistencies in the Bible there's a brother in your church that totally disagrees with what you're saying here but that brother in our church or whatever brothers in our church disagree we all agree on this reality that apart from Christ you are going to hell and if you do not flee if you do not run if you do not hide if you do not find safety in the Savior himself by faith it's only because God's me God's unrighteous God's a nasty care it's because of your sin just be honest about it just accept the reality and realize that yeah I am a sinner but if what Butler is saying is true not maybe about this all about this course but about the reality that Christ receives sinners in eats with them and I should rock I should flee I should hide because I have angered I have provoked the god of heaven and earth the king will mourn the prince will be clothed with desolation in the hands of the common people will tremble I will do to them according to their way and according to what they deserve I will judge them that they shall know that I am the lord intriguingly that's one of the functions involved or one of the purposes involved in the ad 70 event is that you will know the Christ is enthroned at the right hand of the majesty of God on high that you may know that he is that danielle 'ok son of man who comes to the Ancient of Days who their receives the kingdom and rules and reigns over it until all of his enemies are made his footstool it's one of the indicator one of the purposes behind this whole discourse is to underscore to demonstrate in to highlight that Jesus is who he shall who he says to be you see the use of this language in Daniel 9 12 again with reference to the Babylonian invasion he has confirmed his words which he spoke against us and against against our judges who judged us by bringing upon us a great disaster for under the whole heaven such has never been done as what has been done to Jerusalem again it's an idiom the type of speech so language applicable in contexts of judgment and Jesus employs it in Matthew 24 21 a third thing and this was pointed out by da carson i really don't think this is that strong of a point but i'll just throw it out there verse 21 then there will be Great Tribulation such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time no nor ever shall be be superfluous if we took for instance the futurist view because what follows the Great Tribulation what follows the Great Tribulation is the Millennial Kingdom what follows the minute Millennial Kingdom is that the new heavens and the earth why say nor ever shall be no place for a great tribulation or tribulus of any sort in that sort of a particular scheme a fourth thing we are well just before we move there because i had a point i wanted to mention some will suggest that if the preterist position is accurate and verse 21 means that the Great Tribulation took place in the first century are you as a predator is saying there's never going to be tribulation again no not at all there will be tribulation we have tribulation now or you just look at the current political system brethren we may not be Asia bibby but we may not be a lot further from it then we often think a growing secular state encroaching upon our liberties as believers we are being told that our young boys or our young girls ought not to be offended when they go into a public restroom and they find somebody from the opposite sex we're being told that what we believe in many respects is antiquated I I heard a sermon recently by Del Ralph Davis and he mentioned a particular judgment that came down in in Britain I don't I think this was a reading recent sermon so I don't think it was too long ago but a particular area I kind of want to say it was Manchester the law stipulates you can preach Jesus you just can't preach morality I think about that for a moment you can preach Jesus but you can't preach morality usually they say you can preach morality but you can't preach Jesus you know about Jesus all you want but don't tell a homosexual that they're wrong don't get into morals don't get into ethics you can talk about Jesus as if you could talk about Jesus apart from ethics I just don't get it but look around brethren there's tribulation tribulation presently i mentioned Asia Billy octobre 13 she's going to hear whether she's acquitted or whether she dies consider all the beloved brethren that are in the various parts of the world that are opposition in those various parts not our beloved brethren to the Lord and to his Christ they suffer tribulation they suffer hardship a preterist never says that the days are going to be rosy from it you know 80-71 on we're going to just skip and sing and zippity doo out due to our way right into no no a man who disagrees with preterism nevertheless underscores what I think is the accurate description he says this tribulation would not be the last in human history what I just said I don't think so it's not going to be the last in human history but for Israel it would be the worst that's the point the great tribulation of Matthew 24 21 does not mean there will never be tribulation but for Israel there wouldn't be one greater a fourth observation we ought to remember that devastation really did occur again we're not pulling rabbits out of a hat just type in 80 70 on your Google browser or whatever a browser is and you will find loads of material to describe it you will find loads of of material that underscores that I've not made this up any more than I've made up what happened and Babylon in the 6th century BC or in with reference to Assyria in the 8th century BC listen to the testimony of an eyewitness again I've tried not to use Josephus a whole lot but where he is necessary I will cite him and again I think he serves as a very excellent witness because he doesn't have a dog in the fight of Christianity he doesn't have you know a desire to promote the truth of Jesus he was not as a disciple of Jesus you get that he's a kind of witness that does at least to some degree to speak not that there is an actual neutrality but he's not pro Jesus he didn't write as history saying you know I remember what the Lord said Matthew 24 so I want to write my history to substantiate everything he says was in his point his point was to record what happened when when the Roman army sacked Jerusalem he starts in his preface to the wars the Wars of Josephus whereas the war which the Jews made with the Romans have been the greatest of all those not only that have been in our times but in a manner of those that ever were heard of both of those wherein cities have fought against cities or nations against nations the greatest of all those not only that have been in our times but in a manner of those that ever were heard of Gil comments here he says whoever reads Josephus's account will be fully convinced of this and readily join with him who was an eyewitness of it when he says that never did any city suffer such things nor was there ever any generation that more abounded in malice or wickedness that's Josephus he quoting Josephus they bounded in malice and wickedness now Gil and indeed all this came upon them for their in penitence and infidelity and for the rejection and murdering of the Son of God for as never any before or since committed the sin they did or ever will so there never did or will the same calamity befall a nation as did them since why this view does not promote anti-semitism you take a futurist I don't want to even know I always say that but if we say that you know this is anti snow it's not we don't hate the Jews today because they killed Jesus that's not what Jesus says Jesus says it was the first century Jews and Jesus says the wrath of God has come upon that Paul says it comes upon them in 1st Thessalonians 2 to the uttermost so we'd go to the modern-day Jew and hate him or be anti-semitic and say you killed Jesus do you like that when somebody says you were a slave oh I didn't have slaves I don't even know if any of my hand sisters had slaves why would you blame me for slavery how do you think the modern jus feels who here is that he's guilty for killing jesus this does not promote anti-semitism but it sees that God dealt faithfully v savee his word to bring the judgment to bear upon the guilty generation that christ identifies in Matthew 23 36 and Matthew 24 30 for this generation to say that simply means the Jews leads to absurdity it leads to absurd it was the generation to whom Jesus was speaking when he spoke listen to the comment by Spurgeon read the record written by Josephus of the destruction of Jerusalem and see how truly our Lord's words were fulfilled the Jews impiously said concerning the death of Christ is blood be on us and on our children remember they said that they really said that Matthew 27-25 as we continue one day will be out of the Olivet discourse I guarantee you the end is not yet but the end will come and will eventually be in Nath you 27 and we will see them engage in a self maledicte rio 'the may his blood be on us and our children that's what Spurgeon's referring to so listen read the record by Josephus of the destruction of Jerusalem and see how truly our Lord's words were fulfilled the Jews and piously said concerning the death of Christ his blood be on us and on our children never did any such Pete or Nettie never did any other people invoke such an awful curse upon themselves and upon no other nation did such a judgment ever fall and then Royal says a full account of it the siege of Jerusalem is to be found in the writings of the historian Josephus those writings are best are the best comment on our Lord's words did you hear what this Christian commentator says those writings of Josephus are the best commentary on our Lord's words just google it download it you can buy it cheap the works of Josephus the addition by Liston is twenty bucks thirty bucks at valley gospel mission pocket change don't have a tim hortons for the next week and you can buy the works of Josephus and when you start reading those works of Josephus you're going to say well it sounds like what our Lord described well that's royal suggests those writings are the best comment on our Lord's words they are striking proof of the accuracy of every tittle of his predictions the horrors and miseries which the Jews endured throughout the siege of their city exceed anything on record now in the fifth place we ought to appreciate what's in view here because undoubtedly we present a view that 21 does refer to the first century and someone's going to suggest well there were greater about body counts later there was more Jews died under the regime of Nazi Germany you just count numbers if you just count bodies that it cannot be the case that verse 21 was fulfilled in the first century I've never argued that the significance of the event was in body count though the body count was high though the people number dead was high what have I consistently presented as the problem or as the significance it was the covenantal transformation that's the key that's the significance that's why it was a great tribulation because the kingdom is taken from them and it's given to someone else that's why it's a great tribulation because they no longer are my people no longer lo a me no longer what the Prophet said to describe the people of Israel they were cut off as a body politic as a particular ethnicity again they enter the ranks of every nation they are free to come to the Savior we preach the gospel to jew and gentile we proclaim the way of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus to everyone out there but it's not the case that they are the people of God anymore and in Hebrews 813 we see the statement by the Apostle with reference to this Hebrews 813 highlighting the superiority of the New Covenant I'm going to read this in an amplified way there are commentaries you can consult to see that this is not an outlander interpretation I have argued for it I think several weeks ago so I'll just read it with the amplification in that he says a new covenant he has made the first obsolete he made the first obsolete at his death it is the death of Christ that renders obsolete the first covenant it is the death of Christ when he dies and the the veil is rent and it's split and it's torn from top to bottom the first covenant is obsolete to offer up a bullock to offer up a ram to offer up a dove to offer up anything post once for all sacrifice of Christ is an abomination it is to reject the Messiah sent by God the servant of Yahweh sent to save his people from their sins so he renders the first obsolete by his death the Apostle then says now what is becoming obsolete and growing old how would he say that if the first covenant was obsolete at the death of Jesus Christ how can he say what is becoming obsolete and growing old because the temple was still standing persons were still going to sacrifice there was a high priest in Jerusalem and the Apostle is saying it was rendered obsolete at the death of Christ but the visible carcass is still there it's still in full at still in practice it's still in play but he does describe it as that becoming obsolete and that growing old and then notice it is ready to vanish away when is it ready to vanish away when is the public public visible demonstration that the Old Covenant is gone the new covenant is here yes it rendered it's rendered judicially and legally and sacrificially in the death of Jesus but because of the nature of redemptive history and the fact that the temple was still standing when that Tampa falls that is the display that it's vanished away no more Old Covenant was intrigued to find that Owen made this comment John Owen print the Prince of Puritan preacher said all this glory commenting on 8 13 saith the Apostle shall shortly disappear shall vanish out of your site according to the prediction of our Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 24 so you see brethren the significance of the ad 70 event wasn't simply on the death toll it wasn't simply on the body count it was on the reality expressed by our Savior in 2143 the kingdom is taken from you and given to another nation so 2120 I'm sorry 2421 according to preterism at least my view of preterism shudders preterist out there that would disagree it's a funny thing about eschatology and prophetic literature you find five people again at five different opinions that brings me to conclude this morning I don't want to keep you long you like the patient in the dentist chair I was sitting in a dentist's chair on Monday and was quite relieved when she let me close my mouth from time to time so let you close your mouth go home and just think through some of this stuff and again if we agree or if we disagree I hope we can remain brethren I hope we can remain beloved friends and I hope above all hopes that we all agree that the thing most needful is faith in Jesus Christ it's intriguing the 9 30 to 10 30 hour we've recently sent out an email we're hoping to start a children Sunday School many of you may not know that there's an adult sunday school of sorts from 9 30 to 10 there it's been going on for as long as I've been here so 19 and a half years and in that study we we go through the confession of faith alternating we do one stop sunday morning and the confession of faith and one Sunday morning we use that time for prayer we'd like to pray for voice of the martyrs we like to pray for missionaries we certainly pray for all the Brethren here that are downcast or trouble they're having physical trials or or difficulties and whatnot this morning we considered canonicity how do I know that my Bible is what God would have me to have as my Bible the Canon of scriptures this the rule the standard and somebody asked a very good question at the end why is there so many differences in the way we view things this brother pointed out you know you preach preterism other people believe futurism we're Baptists and there's others that are paid Oh Baptists how do we explain that we explain that simply by saying those things aren't necessary for salvation a Baptist a paedo Baptist a futurist and a preterist almost sounds like a joke they can all sit together and while they differ on a myriad of things they all agree in one specific thing is that which binds us together as brethren and that unity that peace that we have together as a church is valuable and it's precious my intention is not to alienate any non preterist my intention would never be to do that if it meant that I would alienate persons who disagreed I would do the noble thing and jump from 24 to 26 because I valued the unity of the peace that we have I prize it I praise God for it we've gone through some seasons in our church but it wasn't like this and what we have now is worth fighting for so I'm not trying to alienate I'm not trying to to be prejudiced or to be unkind or untoward you all know me i get fired up i get a bee in my bonnet i think this is right i'm going to preach it like it's right but in the final analysis futurist the preterist the baptist the paedo baptist you know what we agree on we agree on the one who came down for us men and for our salvation we agree on him who is altogether lovely in chief among 10,000 we agree on him who shed his blood for us we agree on him who takes away our sins and if you leave this morning a futurist preterist a baptist or a paedo baptist and you're not a Christian that's the most most terrible thing believe the gospel believe on Him who is the one alone who takes away sin all that the father gives me he says will come to me and the one who comes to me I will certainly not cast out if I was a sinner and humble i am a center a redeemed center by the grace of God if I was an unbelieving Center I would take that text to my Savior I would say you said if I came to you you wouldn't cast me out you said if I come in faith you will not shun me you said right here don't what he says in 1st John 223 it's absolutely incredible for an unbelieving Center this morning this is the warrant of faith I'm sorry first on 3 23 and this is his commandment that we should believe on the name of his son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us commandment if I were you I would take this text I would grip it in my hand I would bring it to the Father and I would say I'm believing in your son your Bible gives me Warren to believe in your son your Bible tells me it's your commandment that I believe in your son your word says it right here Lord and if I'm believing in your son I have confidence I have hope I have faith I have trust that your son will save me that's most important that is most crucial do not in this day by putting your pillow on the head or your head on the book without knowing that you are in him safe and secure that's my encouragement to all of us let us pray not in heaven we thank you for your word we thank you for your glory we thank you for the consistency of Holy Scripture and I pray God that you would cause us to see things as you would have us to do and I know that sounds terrible it sounds proud it sounds like I think I'm the only one that's right God if I'm wrong and I know that that potential is there lead me into all truth for certainly the truth of God is far more important than a particular position of men and I pray that you would all give us the mind of Christ when it comes to these matters but specifically God may we never waver me we never go wrong may we never go astray concerning salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ Jesus alone and may you open the ears and the hearts and the minds of sinners here today and cause them to come to come to the one who says he will in no wise cast them out God may this be a powerful invitation may this be a powerful move in their hearts to come to the one alone who can save to the uttermost we ask that you would go with us now us to sanctify this day help us to think your thoughts after you help us to glorify and honor you and we pray through Christ Jesus our Lord amen we'll close with a brief time of meditation and then be dismissed you