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good morning everyone welcome to Free Grace Baptist Church special warm welcome to any visitors amongst us a few announcements before we get started the first off is there's going to be a fellowship meal today as is our custom once a month so that's right after the morning service if you're visiting with us or if you didn't know anything about it please feel free to join we'd love to have you come and fellowship so we can get to know you and you can get to know us so that's right after the morning service today Wednesday night bible study as usual at 7:30 p.m. here at the church this evening service is at usual time as well 5: p.m. uh the baptismal service the date has been set for December 3rd when Brothers Steve lutan and Mike lutan are going to be baptized here in the morning so that's December 3rd and then next Sunday is a very special Sunday for the congregation up in Armstrong as they will be installing their first Deacon B bra vop son of Steven Charlotte here in our congregation and so Pastor Butler is going to be going up there for that special installation service of their first official Deacon uh campor will be preaching here next Sunday so now we will turn our hearts to worship and we're going to begin that by turning to Psalm 147 for our call to worship we'll read the first 11 verses of Psalm 147 praise the Lord for it is good to sing praises to our God for it is pleasant and praise is beautiful the Lord builds up Jerusalem he gathers together the outcasts of Israel he heals the Brokenhearted and binds up their wounds he counts the number of the Stars he calls them all by name great is our Lord and mighty in power his understanding is infinite the Lord lifts up the humble he casts the wicked down to the ground sing to the Lord with Thanksgiving sing praises on the harp to our God who covers the heavens with clouds who prepares rain for the Earth who makes grass to grow on the mountains he gives to the Beast its food and to the young Ravens that cry he does not Delight in the strength of the horse he takes no pleasure in the legs of a man the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him in those who hope in his Mercy amen for our first hymn this morning we're going to sing Psalm 103 c as in Charlie Psalm 103c and we're going to sing the last four stanzas so flip the page to stanza 5 5 through eight this will be to a new tune at least to some of us uh but get used to it we're trying to expand our repertoire and sing some new Tunes if you know this tune because it is popular in in in another song sing loudly try to lead out so that we can all worship together with Psalm [Music] 103 to all [Music] children he me are as fores wind is and his Isn no ET right children children to the kingom rules over all Angels might his all hiss bless bless man you may be seated we'll turn to the Lord in prayer gracious Heavenly Father we thank you for this glorious day we are grateful for the privilege of being able to come together to gather with the people of God in the house of our God to Worship the Lord Our God who is the only true and living God creator of Heaven and Earth we thank you that on this special day we have this privilege as your people to gather thank you Lord that you have afforded us this privilege for many years and we trust that you will continue to grant us this privilege we know that not everyone has this freedom to gather in public and to worship you like this we pray for our Brethren that are in other other circumstances in other lands where they have to flee and hide and and meet in private and in secret for fear of the authorities or for fear of the purveyors of false religion Lord we pray that you'd be merciful to your church all over the face of the Earth this day guard and protect your people and those Lord that are suffering severely for the cause of Christ those that are languishing in prison I pray oh God you would give them joy in their hearts this day that they know the true and living God we thank you for the preaching of the Gospel we pray that it would go forth from this Pulpit powerfully today we pray that you would give Pastor Butler anointing and conviction to preach the whole councel of God and we pray the same for every Church where the gospel is preached we know there are many churches in this very City that preach the gospel and we pray the blessing would be upon your blessing would be upon their ministers and we pray that you'd give them boldness to speak the whole Council of God clearly and to uh expound the scriptures so that the people can understand we need to hear the word of God but we also need to understand it we pray that you would give us here in this place that understanding this day May the word go forth all across this great nation of ours and around the world where the gospel has been preached in many countries already today we pray that the spirit of God would continue to attend the words that have been sown and we pray that you would bless your people we pray Lord for the work in Kenya for pastor ogallo and his fellow uh Elders at Elder we pray Lord that you would bless them this day that you would encourage that congregation that you would continue to make them a light and a beacon and allow them to train other gospel ministers to go forth in that nation of Ken Kenya and other nations of Africa to preach the gospel bless bless them this day oh Lord and we pray for our Brethren as well in the Honduras we pray that you would encourage them there continue to do a good work uh in many churches there where the gospel is preached thank you for our sister churches and church plants Lord we look forward to hearing the report from next Sunday um of the installation of Rah in in the church in Armstrong as their first Deacon Lord we pray your blessing would rest upon this young man as he takes on this responsibility we thank you for the good that you have done in in his life and in his family and we thank you for the good that you have already used him for in that church and we pray your blessing would be upon that service next Sunday Lord we pray youd also bless the church in sui this morning encourage them continue to cause them to grow in Grace and in the knowledge of the truth and continue to bring Souls among them to be saved and Lord we pray that you'd bless the work out in Ontario as well continue to to encourage those that gather this morning or have gathered this morning in Dryden we pray that you'd bless them and continue to work in that place we thank you again for the freedom that we have and we pray for the magistrates of our country that you would be merciful to them we know that they do not all fear you in fact we know that there are few that fear you but we pray that you would place the fear of God in the hearts of the leaders of this nation Lord we do not expect radical change from the top down without the spirit of God we expect you to SA save souls and cause there to be a Revival in this land we ask for an Awakening on the streets we ask that people would turn back to the true and living God and would demand better from their their leaders as well be gracious and merciful to us this day and we ask these things in Jesus name amen amen for our next Psalm we'll again turn to the Suter Psalm 138 b as in bravo 138b as in bravo and we will stand together to [Music] sing Heart the I worship your holy and praise you for your truth and gra for truth and prise together Shine Your holy worthy to you and you say your word of praise to enourage K of Earth you Lord for shall come withs of PR and glor and glor Glory you you will re and streng me you will re and streng me you will for your mighty to save me when work you have for me shall Your Grace be Mercy shall forever oh Lord my [Music] me please open your Bibles to Matthew Chapter 13 for our morning scripture reading Matthew chapter 13 we'll read the first half of the chapter from verse 1 through verse 30 Matthew 13:1 on the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the Sea and great multitudes were gathered together to him so that he got into a boat and sat and the whole multitude stood on the shore then he spoke many things to them in Parables saying Behold a swer went out to sew and as he sowed some seed fell by the wayside and the birds came and devoured them some fell on Stony places where they did not have much Earth and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of Earth but when the sun was up they were scorched and because they had no root they withered away and some fell among thorns and the Thorns sprang up and choked them but others fell on good ground and yielded a crop some a hundredfold some 60 some 30 he who has ears to hear Let Him hear and the disciples came and said to him why do you speak to them in Parables he answered and said to them because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven but to them it has not been given for whoever has to him more will be given and he will have abundance but whoever does not have even what he has will be taken away from him therefore I speak to them in Parables because seeing they do not see and hearing they do not hear nor do they understand and in them the prophecy of of Isaiah is fulfilled which says hearing you will hear and shall not understand and seeing you will see and not perceive for the hearts of this people have grown dull their ears are hard of hearing and their eyes they have closed lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears lest they should understand with their hearts and turn so that I should heal them but blessed are your eyes for they see and your ears for they hear for a assuredly I say that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see and did not see it and to hear what you hear and did not hear it therefore hear the parable of the S when anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart this is he who received seed by the wayside but he who received the seed on Stony places this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy yet he has no root in himself but endures only for a while for when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word immediately he stumbles now he who received seed among the Thorns is he who hears the word and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word and he becomes unfruitful but he who received seed on the good ground is he who un who hears the word and understands it who indeed bears fruit and produces some 100 fold some 60 some 30 another Parable he put forth to them saying the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field but while man slept his enemy came and sowed tears among the wheat and went his way but when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop then the tears also appeared so the Servants of the owner came and said to him sir did you not seow good seed in your field how then does it have tears he said to them an enemy has done this the servants said to him do you want us then to go and gather them up but he said no l while you gather up the tears you also uproot the wheat with them let both grow together until the Harvest and at the time of harvest I will say to the Reapers first gather together the tears and bind them in bundles to burn them but gather the wheat into my bar amen let us pray gracious Father in heaven we thank you that whenever we sit under the preaching of the word of God the seed is being scattered is being sown we know that in any given situation there will be those that hear and understand there will be those that hear but do not understand and there will be those that that are quickly turned away because of deceitfulness and because of the cares of this world we pray Lord that in our midst today we would have willing and open Hearts made willing by the spirit of God so that we might hear and understand and bring forth fruit Lord we know even the the fruitfulness of a man is determined by you and Lord we we would all love to be Charles Spurgeon and bring forth a h hundredfold but we pray oh God that in your sovereignty you would do what what you see best and we thank you for it we thank you for this opportunity again we pray oh God that you would allow us to Revel in the word of God as we hear it preached and as we contemplate your mercy and your grace toward us we ask these things in Jesus name amen amen for our final hymn we'll turn to number 389 389 stand one more time with me as we sing together the [Music] of of glor Weare my soul to [Music] the toy their hisence etal to be [Music] for shall rise and their tears and are the day of prise is tring the all to God what do I see and the end of of and my on of Glory SE Earth shall and to be well you can turn with me in your Bibles to the Book of John we're in go uh John's gospel we're coming to the conclusion in chapter 12 specifically at verses 42 to 50 and this is the conclusion of Jesus public Ministry now the gospel continues on from chapters 13 to 21 but in terms of his public Ministry among men this is it in terms of the last words of the Savior so I want to pick up reading in verse 37 to the end of chapter 12 but although he had done so many signs before them they did not believe in him that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled which he spoke Lord who has believed our report and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed therefore they could not believe because Isaiah said again he has minded their eyes and hardened their hearts lest they should see with their eyes lest they should understand with their hearts and turn so that I should heal them these things Isaiah said when he saw his glory and spoke of him nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in him but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him lest they should be put out of the synagogue for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God then Jesus cried out and said he who believes in me me believes not in me but in him who sent me and he who sees me sees him who sent me I have come as a light into the world that whoever believes in me should not abide in darkness and if anyone hears my words and does not believe I do not judge him for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world he who rejects me and does not receive my words has that which judges him the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day for I have not spoken of my own authority the father who sent me gave me a command what I should say and what I should speak and I know that his command is everlasting life therefore whatever I speak just as the father has told me so I speak amen well let us pray our gracious God and Father we thank you for your word we thank you for the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and what it teaches concerning acceptance with you we know it's not by our word works it's not by our Deeds it's not by our lawke keeping for we are miserable hell deserving Sinners but Christ came he took on our Humanity he lived a life of perfect obedience to The Father's Law he died as a sacrifice and as a substitute and he was raised again that third day so that all who look to him in faith will have everlasting life we rejoice in that most high God and we pray that today would be the day of salvation for any and all who have not come to the Savior as well we pray that you would edify encourage the people of God that we would once again stand in awe at what Christ has done for us forgive us now for all of our sin and unrighteousness and guide us by the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit and we pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ amen well remember in the context Jesus has announced that the hour has come and we see in John's gospel that the hour refers specifically to his death so he lives this life of obedience to the father he comes to die as a sacrifice and as a substitute and then he's raised again the third day so in chapter 12 specifically at verse 23 he announced the arrival of the hour the hour has come that the son of man should be glorified and then in verses 27 and following he explains the significance of that hour he gives a further explanation concerning his death and notice specifically what he says in terms of the accomplishment of his death in verses 30-32 this voice did not come because of me but for your sake now is the Judgment of this world now the ruler of this world will be cast out and I if I am lifted up from the earth will draw All Peoples to myself this he said signifying by what death he would die so basically our lord Jesus promises victory over the three-fold enemy of man he's going to deal with this ungodly World he's going to deal with the devil who is the ruler of this world and he's going to deal with the flesh the sinfulness of man notice and die if I am lifted up from the earth will draw All Peoples to myself in other words effectually unto him for salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone now on the way John or rather Jesus tells the people that they must believe notice what he says in verse 36 while you have the light believe in the light that you may become sons of Light again it's not by our works it's not by our accomplishment it's not by our Good Deeds hopefully outweighing the bad Deeds but it's faith in Jesus that brings the Forgiveness of sins and that brings that righteousness that avails with God Almighty and then note what John says in verse 37 but although he had done so many signs before them they did not believe in him that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled which he spoke in other words this does not take God by uh surprise this does not come as a shock to our Lord Jesus Christ that men reject him that men resist him that men refuse to believe on him this was according to the prophet Isaiah now that brings us to the final section in verses 42 to 50 and there's two things we ought to focus on here first the belief of the religious rulers in verses 42 and 43 and then secondly the concluding words of the Lord Jesus in verses 44 to 50 and the concluding words sound a lot like what we've already seen throughout our study in John's gospel Jesus speaks concerning his nature he speaks concerning his mission and he speaks concerning his authority we'll see that in just a few moments notice though the belief of the religious rulers in verses 42 and 43 it says nevertheless so there's this contrast he's already explained a Theology of unbelief the prophet Isaiah saw this the prophet Isaiah spoke to this and we see it fulfilled in the coming of our Lord Jesus in his first Advent but then John makes this observation in verse 42 nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in him now that's a bit of a puzzling statement when we go on to verse 43 to see what that looked like I will argue that this is not saving Faith context helps us to determine whether faith is saving Faith or whether it's what we call temporary Faith or just a historical Faith so notice in verse 42 nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in him so that's the contrast with what we found in verse 37 but it's not altogether a good faith it is not a saving Faith as I said it's either temporary or historical so let's look at the nature of their faith or the nature at of their belief in verses 42b and 43 again the immediate context deals with faith the immediate context as as long as well as the larger context of John's gospel is an emphasis on faith John summarizes in John 20 30 and 31 these things are written so that you may believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that believing in him you may have everlasting life that's the purpose behind this so naturally faith is a very uh powerful topic as we consider John's gospel so on the one hand verse 37 so many are they had not believed in him and now in verse 4 to that there were among the rulers many did believe in him notice what it goes on to say though it tells us something concerning this belief or this Faith but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him lest they should be put out of the synagogue for they love the praise of men more than the praise of God even before we get to those three descriptions the words following nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in him the two words but because give us a bit of hesitation gives us a bit of caution gives us a bit of trepidation as we try to untangle this particular situation on the one hand verse 37 they didn't believe on the other hand verse 42 many of the rulers did believe but because and then notice that he gives three descriptions as to what characterized their faith now our brother Mark just read in the scripture reading from Matthew 13 of something that we would call a temporary Faith he spoke of or he read of the Stony place hearers in Matthew 13 20 and 21 for a time they make a profession for a time they look like they've the the they're the real thing for a time they look like they've come to Christ but they fall away and then he spoke or he read of the the the the the types of hearers that were those among the thorns in Matthew 13:22 again there's that temporary Faith sometimes people get a bit of religion in their veins sometimes they feel like I should go to church sometimes they feel like I should probably pay some attention to the scriptures I mean the world out there's a mess right now there's unrest everywhere there's chaos there's oppression there's persecution there's rioting in the streets there's all manner of lawlessness and at times and and at in occasions people start to feel their own their own mortality and they start to ask questions and they might come to a church for a time and express some faith in Jesus but they're temporary they fall away they don't continue the Apostle John speaks of this in first John they went out from us but they were not of us for if they were of us they would have continued with us that doesn't mean that every believer always has this white hot faith and is only ever persevering in a manner that is absolutely pleasing to God and in a manner that is absolutely uh blessed to behold no we've got our struggles we've got our abs and our flows we've got the difficulties associated with life in a present evil age but the true saint of God perseveres to the end he's not temporary he's not a fair weather fan he's not just there on the winning team when everything is going well for him he goes forward in the fear of God and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit to the very end to The Bitter End in terms of this life is concerned but when he enters in that blessedness which is in the presence of God most high there's a historical faith and Gil seems to indicate that this is where these men are he has a comment concerning this commentary or this comment by John he says but the many here spoken of seem to have had only an historical faith in him as appears by what follows it's a temporary faith is just that it's an expression of belief in Jesus but when the Trials come they fall away what's historical Faith historical faith is somebody who says yeah the Bible is the word of God yeah Jesus is the Messiah of God terms of a literary explanation of various texts in the Bible yes historically I observe there was a man called Jesus he hailed from From Galilee and he engaged in the sorts of things that the Bible says about it there's no saving Faith there's no grip on that by God's grace the empty hand receiving the benefits that Christ brings to those who believe so the historic Faith might have been operative among these rulers in other words this is the Messiah this is the one that the prophets wrote about this is that Micah 52 man this is that Isaiah 96 and 7 man this is that Genesis 3:15 man in some respects this is probably even more miserable than the temporary Faith imagine actually acknowledging the truth of God's holy word but not looking unto the Lord Jesus Christ in faith for salvation imagine actually being convinced that scripture is true that there is a God that he sent his son into this world that he did live that he did die that he was raised again and he does this in fulfill fillment of the Old Testament SC scriptures many of which were prophetic passages underscoring the nature of his work it would be to save his people from their sins so acknowledging that but not laying hold of that acknowledging that but not receiving that acknowledging that but not looking unto the Lord Jesus Christ in faith so whichever it was whether temporary or historic it's not saving faith and we know that by the three descriptions that are giving given in 30 42b and 43 notice first they did not publicly confess faith in Jesus but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him now there's some interesting things that happen in the Bible there's an interesting event in First Kings chapter 18 we typically associate our knowledge of that that chapter with Elijah's Victory on on on Mount Carmel remember it's basically a god contest the bists bring their sacrifice and then Elijah brings his sacrifice and and the god that consumes the Sacrifice by fire that's the one that is the true and living God before we get to Mount Carmel Elijah issues that that that challenge he says how long will you will you halt between two opinions how long will you limp along how long will you not identify with Yahweh the true and the Living God but prior to that there's this Prophet by the name of Obadiah he's not the kind of guy like Elijah he doesn't challenge these 400 prophets of bail to a god contest he's more obscure he works behind the scenes he is a man that that does fear God greatly as the narrator tells us but as I said he doesn't stand on Mount Carmel and say bring all the false prophets let's have this God contest and let's settle it for now who is it is it Yahweh or is it Baal no he works behind the scenes he's a he's a more obscure man he's more subtle in fact he doesn't even want to alert Ahab that Elijah is present in fact when Elijah says go tell Ahab I here uh obadiah's response was have I sinned do you want me to die do you want bad things to come upon me so when you look at scripture not everybody is an Elijah not everybody stands out on Mount Carmel and lifts up his voice loudly and proclaims the glory of Jesus Christ but this much must obtain In Those Who Have Faith In Jesus there must be a confession to some degree or brother it may not be at Mount Carmel but it might be over your Thanksgiving dinner table it might not be Mount Carmel but it might be in a chat group with your family listen to what the Apostle Paul writes in the Book of Romans in chapter 10 he says that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead you will be saved for with the heart One Believes unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation Brethren there's no silent disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ again you may not have the the lung capacity of an Elijah or the boldness of an Elijah or the testosterone of an Elijah but you will confess faith in our Lord Jesus Christ these rulers that so-called believed on him would not do so and they did not do so secondly because they feared consequences associ ated with faith in Jesus look at what the text says it says but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him lest they should be put out of the synagogue now on the one hand the fear was legitimate on the other hand the fear was illegitimate turn back for just a moment to John chapter 9 and you'll see why this was legitimate on the one hand notice in John chapter 9 specific specifically at verse 20 this is the man who had been born blind that Jesus healed and then the uh uh religious leaders try to shake down the man they they try to shake down his parents and they engage in absolute lawlessness and wickedness predicated on the fact that they despised Jesus so notice in John 9 at verse 20 his parents answered them and said we know that this is our son and that he was born blind but by what means he now sees we do not know or who opened eyes we do not know he is of age ask him he will speak for himself great answer great response you see they don't want to do that because it might legitimize the whole thing and validate it now notice in verse 22 his parents said these things because they feared the Jews for the Jews had had agreed already that if anyone confessed that he was Christ he would be put out of the synagogue therefore his parents said he is of age ask him and then notice dropping down to verse 34 they answered and said to him this is after tangling with the man himself the man says such wonderful things I I don't know go and uh uh ask him and if you want to be his disciples then then you can believe on him also so in verse 34 they answered and said to him you were completely born in sins it's a good way to dismiss your opponent right you're just a ratch why should I listen to you you're just a a pariah in society why should I listen to you this is Common Place among the opponents of our God and of his Christ they answered and said to him you were completely born in sins and are you teaching us and they cast him out so back to John 12 specifically at verses 42 and 43 they didn't confess Jesus lest they should be put out of the synagogue so on one hand it's a legitimate concern if we confess faith in Jesus we'll be put out of the synagogue but on the other hand it's an absolutely positively illegitimate concern why because all those who desire to live Godly in Christ Jesus Will what they will suffer persecution Brethren when Elijah the prophet mounts the opposition against the prophets of Baal how do you think it all ends after there is that execution of the false prophets after there is that time when Elijah is under the broom tree and he's downcast and he's hurting he's not having some crisis of Faith rather he is lamenting the reality of Israel the Covenant people of God they've gone a whing from the Lord do you think that Ahab and Jezebel turn in their opinion of of Elijah oh he's such a wonderful Splendid fellow now let's go and help him the people of God in every age have always suffered from the Godless it's just that clear it's just that way this idea that I'm going to sign up for Christianity I'm going to become a Believer but I'm only here for the benefits I'm only here for the good stuff I'm only here for that which which which serves me well and pleases me that's not the Christianity of the Holy scriptures the Christianity of the Holy scriptures is often times not always I'm not trying to sell it as a completely negative thing I'm not trying to sell it all the language is just metaphorical there but but but there is a a lot of Affliction and hardship and and difficulty associated with it so on the one hand Their Fear is legitimate because they are going to be cast out of the out of the synagogue but on the other hand Their Fear was illegitimate and Brethren just by way of a side note observation we got problems with this in the church today we talked a bit about this on Wednesday night one of my brothers in this room I don't want to you know out him but he's asked for prayer and the way that he's formulated his phrasing I've adopted it i' I've stolen it from him I've co-opted it from him pray that we'll have buckets of wisdom courage and faith I think that's a good prayer buckets is very suggestive it's very you know profuse there's an abundance of it I don't want just a little glass I want buckets of wisdom I want buckets of Faith the church today wants buckets of Courage we're too afraid to publicly confess Jesus we're too afraid to actually maintain God's word relative to the second seventh commandment we're too afraid to to ever appear to be those sort of Brimstone and fire preachers we we can catch a lot more flies with honey no we catch flies with the word of the Living God trusting in the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit to make effectual that word to draw Sinners out of Darkness into Marvelous Light that's what we trust it we're not supposed to capitulate we're not supposed to be full of fear we're not supposed to be well we can't say that in the public Arena we must say it in the public Arena we must maintain the word of the living and true God remember that scene where the Apostle is standing before fesus and fesus says to him much learning is driving you mad Paul you sound like you're you're off the reservation you sound like you've you've lost it you sound like you're you're you're a lunatic what's Paul's response well I don't want to come across that way I I want to make sure you like me I want to make sure you accept me he says I am not mad most noble fesus but I speak the words of truth and reason what do you think that this chaotic World desperately needs right now a capitulating church a Relevant Church a hip Church a cool Church she needs a church that's going to effectively communicate the word of the living in true God a church that's going to preach law and gospel law so that Sinners will see their need for the Savior and gospel so they'll see that Fountain open for sin and uncleanness Brethren there is in us today within the churches of the Lord Jesus Christ a lack of Courage we look like these rulers that are a bit too feeble and weak to ever announce or to ever confess that no Jesus is our Master Jesus Is Our Lord Jesus Is Our Savior his words are truth and reason and therefore we're going to launch our offensive and engage in our defense with reference to that word we're not going to compromise we're going to celebrate with the Apostle Paul that primary vehicle by which God extends the kingdom of Christ preach the word be ready in season and out of season convince rebuke exhort with all longsuffering and teaching notice convince rebuke exhort a feebly weak and effeminate Church won't do that I I don't want to convict I I can't rebuke them I I can't exhort them what what might they think of me they they might get offended they might get upset they might frown this is unacceptable behavior on the part of God's people in church now you know I preached it last Sunday night that I think that the Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs in in Ephesians 5:19 refers to the Psalms of David Brethren I think now just indulge me a minute here that when the pulpit preaches Jesus as a self-help Guru then the church will treat him as a self-help Guru when the church sings Jesus is my boyfriend songs then the church is going to treat Jesus as as their boyfriend the vision of the church ought to be Revelation 19 King of Kings Lord of lords the the the sword of his mouth proceeding by which he makes War he wages War it is through his word his word preached his word sung his word propagated his word confessed his word celebrated and his word and I speak metaphorically rammed down the throats of the god- hater that's what the church needs to be about we don't apologize for God we're sorry we did this God no we stand our ground on the word of God understanding that everything else is sinking sand these rulers in their belief on Jesus were too afraid of the Pharisees and too afraid of the consequences of being put out of the synagogue many in this room have suffered consequences for identifying with the Lord Jesus Christ what an affront for somebody to come along say well I'm a believer I'm one that has confessed faith in Jesus well it's never cost you anything I'm not suggesting it has to cost you something in order to be saved I am suggesting however that when you are saved by God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ in a world that is in opposition to Yahweh and is Christ you're going to have some consequences I'm not you know throwing down the whammy hopefully this is going to happen to you this afternoon no no no no no if you haven't met this challenge or this opposition stick around a while you probably are as I mentioned last Wednesday night if the last three years have taught us anything hopefully it has taught us that there might be more on the horizon how do we face that well we're sorry for what we did the first time no we're gonna stand by Stand Fast and say with David in Psalm 122 I was glad when they said unto me let us go to the house of the Lord brethren we are God's Blood Bought children filled and possessed by the spirit himself we don't need to fear men Paul makes this argument in Romans chapter 8 if God is for us what can man do remember that scene at the valley of aah when Saul and all the armies of Israel were hiding behind their their skirts remember that David is sent on a mission by Jesse hey take these cheeses and take this bread to your brothers out on the battlefield so David gets out there and what does he say what's happening what's happening here why are you guys hiding who who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should taunt the armies of the Living God David is incredulous at the scene David is just bewildered Saul my my king the the armies of Saul and and what are you doing you're you're cowering in fear from this uncircumcised Philistine David says I'm ready send me well David make sure you you you you you you tack up and and all of this I don't want it I just want my slingshot and five smooth Stones because I'm going to best that giant in the valley of ala and there's a two-fold purpose not so that you and I can learn how to deal with our Giants that's not the point in 1st Samuel 17 the point is is that Israel will know that there's a God in Israel but as well that all the Earth will know that there's a God in Israel when this Shepherd boy goes out there with his slingshot and he throws one stone and it buries itself right in the giant head of that man and he falls and then David takes the sword and cuts that head off this is a farther uh application of Genesis 3:15 the enemies of God very often in the old Covenant meet with fatal head wounds that's typological fur uh pointing forward to the seed of the woman who's going to crush the head of the serpent these men were cowards they feared or they did not publicly confess faith in Christ they did not or they rather feared consequences associated with faith in Jesus one more text I I I got to point us to go to Daniel 3 Daniel 3 we may actually move the final words of Jesus to another Sunday here think this is something that needs a bit of pursuit Daniel 3 you probably know the situation verses 1 to 7 Nebuchadnezzar erects this Idol in the plains of dura and calls everybody to worship I think it's pretty obvious it's probably an image of him now some disagree and some commentators say that's probably not what it is I'm of the opinion that it was him I mean his pride his arrogance is obvious in later portions of the Book of Daniel but whatever it was there's an idol on the plains of dura and everybody's obligation and responsibility and command is to bow to that Idol to confess it as Lord and God to see in it your security to see in it your safety to see in it your Divinity and of course the penalty if you refuse the penalty if you resist is the fiery furnace that's a consequence Associated isn't it that's a hard consequence to be sure so drop down to 38 therefore at that time certain calans came forward and accused the Jews they spoke and said to King Nebuchadnezzar oh King live forever you oh King have made a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn the flute harp liar and sultry in Symphony with all kinds of music shall fall Down and Worship the gold image and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace there are sever a a certain Jews whom you have set over the Affairs of the province of Babylon Shadrach meach and Abednego these men O King have not paid due regard to you they do not serve your gods or worship the gold image which you have set up they're ratting them out it's a surveillance State rat out the guy who doesn't comply and watch him burn that was their whole mindset verse 13 then Nebuchadnezzar in Rage and fury again I mentioned this on on Wednesday night if your concept of civil government is such that they never sin they never color Outside the Lines they never become oppressor or persecutor just come to a prayer meeting 930 every other Sunday morning what's the common denominator in the persecution in the various nations of the Earth yeah there's religious neighbors you know Muslims picking on Christians there's Hindus picking on Christians but you know what the overarching theme is governments governments crushing their opposition governments crushing their people so much for freedom of speech so much for freedom of thought freedom of conscience that is a a an arena that is for God Alone whatever man chooses to think he ought to in a civil poity be able to think it as long as he doesn't engage in criminal acts God's going to Poli your thoughts God's going to punish your sinful thoughts you don't want to hand the sword to civil government and give them the the the the uh jurisdiction over your mind don't don't ever get to the point where you think that's somehow okay no it's not okay so when we look at these prayers or these these requests from voice of the martyrs it's it's often times government rage against people who won't comply the Beast of Revelation there's actually two in Revelation 13 and whatever you're specific bent eschatologically however you interpret the Book of Revelation most people agree the one is political in nature and the other is religious in nature again whatever that means however it's fleshed out however it's executed that much most of us agree on there is a religious element to be sure and there is a political element to be sure political element yes if you don't take this Mark if you don't do what we say if you don't comply we're going to make life difficult that's the situation that obtains here in Daniel 3 Nebuchadnezzar says here's this image out on the plains of dura you all better bow down to it these guys come to rat out Shadrach Meshach and Abednego let's pick up the narrative verse 13 Nebuchadnezzar and rage and fury gave the command to bring Shadrach Meshach and Abednego so they brought these men before the King Nebuchadnezzar spoke saying to them is it true Shadrach meach and Abednego that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn flute harp liar and sulr in Symphony with all kinds of music and you fall down and worship the image which I have made good G to give you one last shot Shadrach Meshach in AB Abed Ando gonna give you one last shot you can make this right this can all go away you won't get singed in that burning fiery furnace you won't get consumed in that burning fiery furnace you you just you just do what you're told just comply just bow notice what they what it goes on to say but if you do not worship you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace and who is the god who will deliver you from my hands don't you love being a Believer and reading passages like these Nebuchadnezzar you don't know what you're talking about you certainly don't know Yahweh of Israel you you don't know what's in store for you pal you just don't it's kind of fun to watch as that sideline Observer on the Divine narrative notice their response in verse 16 did they fear certain groups of people did they fear the consequences associated with Fidelity to to the god of Israel did did they fear and have that trepidation and and oh what what shall we ever do Shadrach Meshach and Abednego answered and said to the king oh Nebuchadnezzar we have no need to answer you in this matter wow that's hutzpah right that's guts these aren't low te men these are men and by that I mean they've got faith flowing through their veins these are men that do not not care that Nebuchadnezzar is upset he's outraged the The Narrative has already told us that he's Furious the nostrils are flaring the incredulity invol you you three are going to defy me you've got one option and that's to make this right right now so back to the text in verse 16 Shadrach Meshach and Abednego answered and said to the king oh Nebuchadnezzar we have no need to answer you in this matter if that is the case our God whom we serve is able to Deliver Us From The Burning fiery furnace they do a risk analysis they understand that their God has the sovereignty their God has the power their God has the capability and competence to deliver them from this consequence of not subduing or or cow Towing rather to nebuch Nezar but it's the next bit that I think really expresses their faith and he will Deliver Us from your hand O King but note the next three words but if not if not even if he doesn't Deliver Us from this Burning fiery furnace we're not going to reneg on our Allegiance we're we not going to shift it to the image on the plains of dura for a bit of pottage we're going to maintain Fidelity to Yahweh trusting in his ability to free us from this consequence but even if he doesn't we're not going to shrink back from declaring our allegiance to him 100% look at the text but if not let it be known to you oh King that we do not serve your Gods nor will we worship the the gold image which you have set up that my brothers and sisters is a bucket full of Courage that the church and our generation desperately needs along with wisdom and along with faith we need to be able to confess with David through God we will do valiantly for it is he who will tread down our enemies Psalm 60 and verse 12 we need to confess with Psalm 2 why did the Nations rage in the people's plot a vain thing against Yahweh and against his Christ why do they do that it's a losing errand it's a Fool's errand they're not going to be able to mount the opposition remember last when I preached from Psalm 2 I I cited Shane put this in my possession this this clip from Albert n Martin Albert n Martin says you know if if the ants were lined up on my front porch and they had it in their minds to get me how would I respond I'd laugh at them I mean bring all the ants you can I'm not the strongest guy in the world but I'd like to think I can deal with ants lots and lots of ants as many ants as they can gather up together so so that's why it says that he who sits in the heavens shall laugh he's going to hold them in duration Brethren the church needs those those buckets with wisdom with courage with faith and then the last description of these men again it shouldn't surprise us it shouldn't shock us wow I didn't see that one coming notice in 42b and 43 but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him lest they should be put out of the synagogue for this is an explanatory for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God they loved the glory of men more than they loved the glory of God now this isn't new so I've mentioned what we have here in the latter part of John 12 isn't just with reference to the immediate context but I think it summarizes up the entirety of the book of signs the book of signs is chapter 1 verse 19 to chapter 12 and it's the public Ministry of our Lord Jesus so from 131 to the end of chapter 20 you have the book of The Passion that's the basic simplest way to sort of divvy up the Gospel of John got the prologue 1 1 to18 the book of science 119 to chapter 12 and then you've got the book of The Passion from 131 to 20 and then 21 functions as an epilogue to the book so with reference to this comment again it's not just the immediate context it's the entirety of Jesus public Ministry it's the entirety of his bumping into and and and rubbing shoulders with these religious leaders remember the ministry was three years Brethren three years and in that three-year period there were those who did believe on him again there's those statements along the way that that indicate such but there were those that had growing opposition to him a growing antipathy to him a growing despising of him and we know that's the case because a few days from this particular event they're going to be assembled together under the ring leaders of the the the Pharisees and the the Sadducees and the religious leaders in the Sanhedrin and they're going to provoke the crowd to such a fever pitch that they're going to cry out away with him away with him crucify him so this isn't new in John's gospel look back at John 5 Jesus put his finger on the problem way back then notice in John 5 specifically at verse 41 after he heals the man in Bethesda or Betha he then engages in this dispute with the religious leaders he starts to bring that to a conclusion in 541 I do not receive honor from men but I know you that you do not have the love of God in you I have come in my father's name and you do not receive me if another comes in his own name him you will receive how can you believe who receive honor from one another and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God this is fake faith in John 12:42 and 43 they were afraid of the Pharisees they were afraid of the consequences and they were afraid of losing that which they valued the most it was the praise of men remember when Jesus cautions his disciples about praying he says don't be like the hypocrite what's the hypocrite do when he prays he doesn't open his mouth in the prayer meting that's not hypocritical it's not that he prays in his closet that's not hypocritical it's not that he prays with his family that that's not hypocritical what's the hypocrite do he stands on on the street corner so that everybody can see him he stands on the street corner so that everybody can say oh what a holy man what a Godly Man in that context there in The Sermon on the Mount Matthew chapter 6 he cautions them relative to prayer he cautions them relative to fasting also how do you think the Pharisees went around on a fast oh I'm fasting I'm so fastidiously Godly and I'm so wondrously holy Jesus says anoint your face with oil the the reward doesn't come based on men saying boy you're a Pious fellow fasting as you are the reward comes from God and he he cautions the disciples don't pray like the hypocrite who stands out on the street corner but also don't pray like the the Heathen who thinks that for as many words he's going to be heard by God no but when you pray go go into your closet and the father who sees in secret will reward you openly so this hypocrisy of of wanting or craving the attention of men again Brethren I'm not out for you know everybody to hate us go out there and be as obnoxious as you possibly can you just get in their face and you shout them down and do it with bad breath so they really really can't stand you that that's not my point but if you covet man's favor over God's favor your faith isn't real now listen to what I said listen to what I said if you crave it not if you have some remaining struggles in your soul because we are proud we've got some remaining struggles in our soul because we are prone to wander and prone to leave the god that we love we've got some you know remaining Tendencies there to Pride or self-righteousness but but it's a struggle and we're trying to kill it that's not what I'm talking about that that that's pretty much probably everybody's you know report here but if you crave that I would never dare try and offend somebody because I want their praise I want their Glory I want their love I want their congratulations I want their adulations I want their favor they're not real these men are obviously not real whether it's a temporary like those Matthew 13 hearers or whether it's historic like the poor wretched Soul who sees the truth of God's word and yet doesn't come to him doesn't come to the Lord Jesus and that seems to be a good spot to stop the sermon this morning with a bit of an an examination again the gospel is not tough I'm going to make it as clear and as simple and as basic as I possibly can God is a holy God he's righteous he's pure the prophet says his eye is too pure to look approvingly upon any evil that's how our God is remember last week when we considered that bit in Isaiah chapter 6 in the year that King Uzziah died I saw saw the Lord lofty and exalted in the train of his his robe filling the temple and I heard the Angelic saraph crying or the cherubim crying out uh holy holy holy is the Lord of hosts the whole Earth is filled with his glory I've shared before with you there's a a a a a majority text reading in the Book of Revelation in the TR and in the The Eclectic text you have three holies in this majority text reading again majority text the majority of manuscripts have more than three it has nine holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy but those angels that are praising Jesus in Isaiah 6 don't just say it nine times they don't cease they don't stop they don't take breaks there's no coffee hour well you know I've got my coffee break now I get to rest from crying out holy holy holy is the Lord of hosts the whole earth that's what they're created for that's their job that's their business well that God is Holy which in and of itself isn't bad news the bad news comes when you look at us that's when it gets a bit depressing that's when it gets a bit you know difficult to get one's mind wrapped around so this God is absolutely holy and as much as we like to think we're great we're not the Bible is very clear that all we like sheep have gone astray the Apostle Paul in Romans 3 says there is none righteous no not one why do you think he says it so definitively because some of us would say yeah there is none righteous but but you know I'm pretty good know not one you're not pretty good in Adam I all die man's problem isn't that he's crippled man's problem isn't that he's handicapped man's problem is that he's dead in his trespasses and sins so you starting to see the bad news now holy righteous God who cannot look approvingly upon any evil and we're nothing but evil that's bad news that sets the stage or the context for the good news which is what gospel means so God the father in his infinite grace mercy and love sends God the son in the beginning was the word the word was with God and the Word was God the word became flesh and dwelt among us so that word the second person of the Triune God comes into this world takes on our humanity and then lives a life of obedience now he doesn't do this in the first place just to set an example for us this is the way you're supposed to live once you get that down then God will receive you open armed unto himself no Jesus lives that life because we don't Jesus lives that life and obeys because we can't his life is substitutionary just like his death so he lives that life of obedience and then he goes to the Cross see we've got that problem of sin there's only one thing that can deal with your sin guess what that is it's blood without the shedding of blood there is no remission hopefully you're starting to track and start well well that's good Jesus does what he does right yes it's absolutely fantastic that Jesus does what he does when he goes to the Cross he's not there because he's a s he's not there because he's a revolutionary he's not there because he's a political Zealot he's there for us men and for our Salvation he is there to to bear in himself the penalty due to us men for our sin he is satisfying Divine Justice on the cross so he lives for us he dies for us and then he's raised again the third day for us so what's the response to that it's Faith it's belief it's understanding that without him you deserve God's Wrath and curse both in this life and that which is to come it is understanding that it's Jesus alone who can rescue who can redeem who can shed or or rather uh take that that that efficacious blood and shed it over you so that you're cleansed from your sin wasn't the best way to say that but I think you get the point we need that blood for forgiveness It Is by faith in him and that's what he says that we'll see in a couple of weeks time when we conclude this section notice I want to end on this note so you can ponder it not just in preparation for the next time but with reference to the here and the now as I said he answers with his nature his mission his authority notice the mission verse 46 I have come as a light into the world that whoever believes in me should not abide in darkness that's why he came that's why Jesus does what Jesus does so that you can be saved so that you can be redeemed so you receive the positive benefits that acre based on his life death and Resurrection but note that benefit is well of getting to leave the darkness God made us for himself the chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever dwelling or abiding in darkness is a rupture to that there is no glorifying God in that state so we're received by him we're forgiven by him we receive that righteousness from him but as well we're no longer dwellers in darkness we're no longer defined by our sin we're no longer under that wrath and curse and fury of a Thrice holy God to to hellbent Sinners so if you have not believed don't take your cue from these men they were fakes they were imposters but rather look unto the Lord Jesus Christ in faith and you will have everlasting life let us pray our gracious God and Holy Father we thank you for your word we thank you for this passage of scripture that informs us concerning the the the the the presence in the reality of fake Faith may it not be the case in this place may you Open Hearts may you cause the gospel to find its Mark and may Sinners here look unto the Lord Jesus Christ with that true and Lively and saving faith that you grant and may you do this for your glory and may you do this for the the Blessed furtherment of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ here on Earth and we ask in his wonderful name amen well you can turn in your hym books we'll sing a concluding doxology hymn number 564 after that I will read a brief portion of scripture and pray to close the meeting but as well pray to thank God for the food and then we can go upstairs so 564 will stand as we sing together bless God God who with Glory who only wonderous Works [Music] in bless be his glorious name to all eternity the whole earth his glory the Earth his [Music] [Applause] glor grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all amen Our Father we thank you for your word we thank you as well for the kindness of your your hand and providing food for us we thank you for this opportunity to stay together as the people of God to enjoy food to enjoy fellowship and may it be for the glory and the praise and the honor of our great God may you bless your people all over the Earth today may you cause your gospel to run swiftly and be glorified and may you save from every tribe tongue people and nation and we ask this through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well please be seated for a brief time of meditation and then head upstairs for some food