0:00
And all the and all of the praise forevermore. Amen. Amen. Amen. You guys could take a seat. It's good to see you church. My name is Andy and one of the pastors here on staff. We're just going to start out with something really fun. I'm going to give you guys all permission to take out your phones right now to it. I'm serious. Take them out. Yep, get your phone out. This so we are doing something kind of crazy. We are wanting you to fill out a survey. Because we are asking this question in our church. How are we growing and our ability to disciple others and how are we growing and being discipled by others? Alright, so we just want to know where y'all are at where I've taken the survey. It's taken one minute, so I have my great friend Spencer right behind me, Spencer, wave. Hello, everybody acknowledged Spencer. Yes. He's going to give you a very familiar tone, a very familiar jingle as you are filling out this survey. So yes, you text 319962 cotton CGC Alright, and then the tune is going to change and you will know that you have a time limit. Alright, so you're going to fill this puppy out as we go. So Spencer, go ahead and take it away. That way everybody knows what's happening as you felt the survey so everyone Go, go, go go.
1:22
Yes. No false sense of security that you have all the time in the world. So, fill that out. Go ahead. Rick, you're not filling it out. Did you leave your file? That's surprising. Okay. Few more seconds, folks. hustle. hustle. All right. All right. Everyone give Spencer round of applause for that just lullaby of the Jeopardy song. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
2:11
Alright, if you still need finish it up, I'll go ahead and give you time. So I got one more announcement for you. We have the Christmas fair, guys, we only have eight teen people, we still need to sign up. So we've asked for 200 volunteers, we only need 18 people still, that's crazy. You guys are amazing. Thank you for signing up. So but there's still a little bit of room. So hop on and which is great. And if all the slots are filled, and you are unable because there's been a 10 people who have signed up, there's still opportunities for you to participate in the Christmas volunteer fair. So the first thing you need to do is go grab a card and hand it to somebody that you know, so the cards will be in the cafe so you can go do that the Christmas fair is coming up on December 6 and seventh. Again, this is just kind of our United revival in the winter opportunity for us to just come along together and Church and with our community to just provide some encouragement, some love some joy, and point to the one who gives us all those things Jesus Christ at the same time, so. So you can go spread the word, you can do this physically by grabbing one of these before you leave and handing it to somebody, you can also do it digitally. So if you go to Cottage Grove DSM com, click the Christmas fair tab, you can download a social media package. So yeah, I don't even know what that means. But you can download it. And then you can put it on all the all of the social media formats that you desire of your choice, and blast that out digitally all across the world to get people to come on Christmas, the Christmas fair, December 6, and seventh. Also, you can click on that tab and you can do this thing too. You can volunteer to donate new Christmas gifts, and also gift wrapping paper as well. So all those lists are on the website as well. And if that's something you really want to do, saying, hey, that's me. donate some gifts, we are asking that their new gifts rather than use gifts or wanting this to be like a legitimate store for people to be able to come and and and just Yeah, actually buy really affordable things at the church. So yes, you can donate those, again, go to the website, you can see it. And then there's a bunch of there's a bunch of bins in the kids wing. So right out here on your left, you'll see there's a bunch of bins where you can drop off your donated gifts all throughout the week, but especially on Sunday. So those are ways in which we can get involved guys, we're super encouraged by all your participation already. I can't wait to see what the Lord is going to do. So please be praying that not only would people come into this place and feel the love of Christ, but they would hear the love of Jesus Christ one day as well. They hear proclaimed and they would come to believe it. So yeah, right. Those are ways in which you guys can all get involved. Okay, so please turn to Luke chapter 12. That's where we are going to be today. Luke chapter 12. We're continuing our series and the Gospel of Luke. Last week, Pastor recap preached On the woes of the Pharisees and the lawyers, and if you remember, the main thing he was talking about was the hypocrisy that the Pharisees and the lawyers exhibited in their lives. And Jesus called it out. It was a tough tax, and we got called out as well, the hypocrisy that we in our lives live out consistently. The need for Jesus is present when we process through the reality that all of us are hypocritical. All of us profess to know one thing and live out a completely different life. And all of that is motivated by brokenness within our heart. Right. So the issue is a heart issue over and over and over again is what pastor recap is getting at.
5:39
And Jesus was specifically talking to the Pharisees and the lawyers last time. Well, today, he's specifically talking to the disciples, so to us. So in the very beginning here, look in verse 12. This is kind of kind of tee up the rest of the message for us. I'm going to read this for us in the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that there were they were trampling one another. All right. So the tip just to just pause for a second. So there's so many people gathering to hear Jesus Christ and the truth that he's proclaiming that they're trampling each other, like Black Friday as they're coming to like be with Jesus, right? Like they're just constantly stampeding over one another. So many people clamoring to get close to Jesus. After hearing that, like really tough message, by the way, is that interesting that truth draws people in, doesn't it? Sometimes it does push people out, but it also draws people in. The truth can be hard, but it also draws you to it all at the same time. So that's what we see in this text. And then Jesus says this, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Beware of that hypocrisy because it spreads, like leaven and bread gets all over the place and causes the entire thing to change. Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed or hidden that will not be known. Therefore, whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the lights and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be perfect. claimed on the house stops. So Jesus is talking about the hypocrisy again. And he's saying so it affected the Pharisees and the lawyers, it affects you to my disciples. It will spread like 11 and get all over the place. The main thing Jesus is getting at is that it's going to be known your hypocrisy is not going to be done in secret that everything that we do that inconsistency is that we live will be seen by everybody. What is done in the privacy of your home will be shouted on the rooftop, that hypocrisy will be seeing. That's a warning Jesus is giving us. But the main thing Jesus discusses actually, in this text, especially where we're going to be at and verses four through 12 is not the hypocrisy in and of itself. But actually what causes hypocrisy, what fuels it, which is the fear of man. Hear me what causes hypocrisy, Cottage Grove The fear of man. That's what fuels it. What fuels all of our hypocrisy is the fear of people, as Jesus is getting at all, and we're going to see it all throughout the text. We fear people don't we? We fear individuals, organizations and human institutions because of this. They're capable of harming us. They're capable of jacking us up. They destroy our security, our reputation, our status, and our comfort. All throughout our lives. We do all sorts of things, because of our fear of people. So when I was growing up, I watched Sesame Street like way too long, okay, not in like duration at one time, but like, way too long in my life. So you know, like, you kind of get to that age where you're like, I'm not, I shouldn't be watching this that is catered towards four year olds and five year olds. I was in like, third grade and I'm still crushing Sesame Street like loving every minute of it. I was the oldest of four kids at the time. So it was like it was all over the place anyway, but I was like, This is great. I'm still not over it. I still want to watch Elmo and see Oscar the ground. And laugh at them, right? So I'm watching it, and free. I don't even remember how the conversation happened. But I like it got out that I still love Sesame Street and I still watch it on the regular as I'm in third grade. Right? And Shane firewalling heard this and he goes, you still watch Sesame Street? Oh my goodness. Of course now everybody in the class is laughing at me because he's in third grade and still watching Sesame Street and loving every minute of it. So what did I do? Well, I throw Oscar the Grouch beneath the bus. And I deny him before all of the third grade class. I say no, I don't watch. I don't know what he's talking about. I didn't say that. And I'm denying my love of Sesame Street before I love third grade. Why? Because I was afraid of all of them being made fun of that was happening in third grade. We do all sorts of things that are out of character out of step with what we profess, because of our fear of man. We go we give in to peer pressure to please friends. We overwork And neglect family because of a fear of our boss. we withdraw from contentious conversations, because of our fear of coworkers, and classmates. We do these things for we fear, the human ability to take the thing from us that we hold most dear. Which is different from every single one of us in this room, by the way, so fill in the blank on what that thing is for you. Is it comfort? Is it security? Is it status? Is it reputation?
10:30
Is it What is it? What is the thing that you fear the most that a person can take from you? Well, it causes us to be completely hypocritical. Whatever it is, it causes us to say and do things that are antithetical to who we are in Jesus Christ. The really difficult thing though, about all of this is that by nature, we as Christians are always under the fear of man, because men, always people always will hate us because we profess Jesus Christ. That's what Jesus says in Matthew 1022, the world will hate you because of me. You will always be reviled and persecuted and people will utter all kinds of evil against you. That's Matthew five, because of me. They're going to treat you the same way they treats the prophets and they treated me by rejecting you and hating you. So as Pastor recap said, so Well, last week, is still true for this text as well. To be a Christian today is to be inherently prophetic. And to be a prophet, is what I'm adding is to be hated.
11:36
To be a profit is to be hated.
11:41
We are viewed as bizarre and lame when we explain that the reasons we don't give in to all the pressures of pleasure in this world, is because we believe Jesus is better. You're called crazy when you advocate for the image of God and stand for justice. You are deemed repressive. When you Hold fast to God's ethic of marriage and sexuality. Your scrutinized when you said that humanity is inherently bad and can't save itself. You're called ignorant and outdated when you say that it what is said in this book and the text in Scripture is indeed true. You are downright hated when you say that all other religions do not lead to God. Only Jesus Christ does. Your hated when you say those things in this world, and the fear and all of this, because of that fear we therefore compromise we given to sin and to pressure and we live hypocritical lives. So here we are plagued with a fear of humans, perpetuating our hypocrisy. How are we to live as Christians in this life with courage and boldness and authenticity and steadfastness and our souls? Well, now we get to Jesus's words in chapter 12, verses four through 12. Let's stand with them. And we're going to read this text together.
13:05
Starting in verse four, turn into verse 12. Let's read this out loud. I tell you, my friends do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear. Fear him who after he is killed has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you fear him. are not five sparrows sold for two pennants? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why even the hairs of your head are all numbered? Fear not, you are more value than many sparrows. And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges Me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, but the one who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God and everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man. will be forgiven, but the one who blasts themes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself, or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say, here's the Word, the Word of God. And here's the main idea from this text for you today. Fear not, for God is with you. Fear not, for God is with you. Let's pray. Jesus asset the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart would be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer. God be with us today we may your Holy Spirit illuminate our eyes and our minds and our hearts. When you be glorified, Jesus Christ apparently syncs across name and then he has to be seated. Here not God is with you. Fear not. God is with you. What Jesus lays out here is that we need not fear, specifically three things from this text. We need not fear, human authority, human rejection, or human arguments, because God is with us. We need not fear, human authority, human rejection and human arguments, because God is with us. So those Give me my three points, let's go through them. We need not fear human authority. That's the first thing Jesus articulates here. So the first reason we don't need to fear that is because God's authority is greater than human authority. God's authority is greater than human authority. Look at that in the text. I tell you friends don't fear those who can kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. Alright, so let's pause for a minute because human individuals and institutions can be very daunting and terrifying because they do have great power and authority in this world. I have been in The courtroom a couple of different times through adoption and foster care and I tell you what, sitting before a human judge is a daunting thing. This judge has the ability to determine the trajectory of an individual's life based upon the order that they make. They will change your life, whether you care about it, whether you agree with it or not, they determine what your life will look like when you are in an under the authority of a judge determining the next steps of your life. It is actually terrifying. You are You are quaking with the reality of this is a human and he has the authority over my life in this moment. It's daunting, but the ultimate fear of persons or institutions though, especially even in that courtroom, is the fear of execution. Being in a courtroom and in a state where the death penalty is on the line is the most horrifying thing in this life that you can stand before right it within a judge context of in a courtroom context, that's the worst punishment you can receive is your life being taken. That's the greatest authority that humans have is they have the ability to take your life. They have the authority to kill you. They can humans, institutions, persons, individuals, they can kill you. And that causes a lot of fear doesn't it causes a lot of fear, human authority does have fear. And while we fear in the West, in the United States today, those of us who are not under the authority of the law, we do fear, our comforts and our rights and our status being killed, especially as Christians. They have the authority humans have that authority, we fear those comforts being taken from us. But there are brothers and sisters in the world who do fear their very lives because of Jesus Christ. And just like an X seven with Stephen having his life taken professing Jesus Christ as the King of kings and Lord of lords, he was stoned to death the first martyr those brothers and sisters in the world. still exists today. Martyrdom has not stopped. People are killed.
18:07
In China, in India, and Pakistan, even in regions in Africa, they're still killed today because they believe in one thing that Jesus Christ is the king of all. And they're killed because of it. The fear of death is real, and the fear for them every day, their life could be taken because of what they believe. Humans have the authority to destroy the physical body, but this is what Jesus is saying, Look at me in the text. After they kill you, though, there's nothing else that they can do. But God though. But God has the authority. Jesus says, I warn you whom to fear. Fear him God, who after he has killed has the authority to cast into hell. So while after human kills us, we're safe from them. We now enter now, the throne room of God And his choice now is to either kill us for all of eternity, or cause us to live for all of eternity, to have to have punishment in hell or to have freedom and restoration for all of eternity and glory with him. He has that authority to determine. So Jesus is saying this is actually making a comparison between man's authority and God's authority, showing that when one fears God and recognizes his authority, this is what he's getting at. Yes, he's talking about hell here. But he's getting on something really interesting. He is causing us to get this the authority of man becomes immensely less daunting when you contemplate the authority of God. So there's this thing that astronauts experience called the overview effect. Have you heard of this before? So the overview effect is something that NASA has been noticing, and that's some different authors, Frank writes, one of them has, has studied this sociologically and psychologically on astronauts. They have This thing that happens when they get up into space and here they are being able to look like like into the vast abyss of nothingness, or stand on the moon and experience an alien type like terrain all over the place. They're extinct. That thing that captivates them the most is not looking in the Abyss or looking at the moon itself, but staring back at Earth. It's the thing that causes them to just kind of lose it. Some of them call it an euphoric experience that they can't even explain it. But psychologists have described it as the overview effect. from seeing firsthand the reality of Earth and Space, which is immediately understood to be a tiny, fragile ball of life hanging in the void, shielded and nourished by a paper thin atmosphere. And they look at this globe and guess what they see. They see a myriad of beauty, of land and of water. End of clouds. And guess what they don't see. They don't see nations. They don't see divisions. They don't see kingdoms or institutions. They just see this teeny little speck floating in the void that they belong to. And it's almost like that, like everything in this world begins to just like kind of not matter anymore. It's like in a minute scale. You guys get this, maybe I've ever had this when you're flying in a plane and you're looking down and you're just like that, that that's that's what I'm afraid of right there. Like I just all I mean, I could barely I can't even see people anymore. I'm like above them all. I don't even know why I'm afraid of all this stuff. Like I have that moment. I'm just like, I'm gonna be the boss when I step off of this because I'm not afraid of anyone cuz I had perspective and then you lose it right? When you get back and right all of a sudden, everything's just as scary as it was. You look at everything and you can't even see anything on the ground. This is what is the overview effects and its most profound reality, that the fears of this world fall away when you get the proper perspective of how small everything really is. Isaiah 40 verse 12, God does this himself. He says, For all the nations of the world are but a drop in the bucket. They are nothing more than dust on the scales. I pick up the whole earth as though it were a grant of sand. Recognizing God's authority and power backs us up, realizing how big and powerful and sovereign he is. Why are we so afraid of men? recognizing all of this, while men have intimidating power and authority, it's nothing compared to God's infinite power and authority. It causes it to pale and competitor comparison. The fear of man's authority is squashed when you realize the awesome authority and sovereign power God has over the whole universe.
22:50
So Jesus is saying Fear not because God is significantly infinitely more powerful than any authority, you can find yourself here on Earth. He's the one who should Be fearing not men. That's the first reason but the second reason is don't fear because God cares for you. verses six and seven. God cares for you. Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies and not one of them is forgotten before God, why even the hairs on your head are all numbered? Fear not you are more value than sparrows. So sparrows are sold for two pennies, meaning they're immensely cheap, right? So it is pocket change. You can buy a couple sparrows and engineering I guess. They aren't expensive to purchase then cheap things by the way are easily forgotten, aren't they? Okay, I've noticed this I whenever I go to the YMCA, I will always lose something just every time without fail. When I go to work out the YMCA, I will lose something the thing I lose the most is my water bottle, constantly lose it. I've bought, my wife can attest I just constant have to purchase the water bottles because I forget them often this happens. I get in my car, right? I'm going to work and I realized man I left my water bottle again and I said to myself, and whatever I was buying a one right I forsake it, I leave it It's fine. It's lost its in the perpetual loss and found of all of eternity right? It will never be loved again and I just buy a new one why cuz they're so cheap you can just buy them for you know, they add up but, but they're cheap Yeah, it doesn't really matter if I lose my phone, I kind of lose it you know what I mean? Like Okay, my phone and I I just throw it all in one basket I put up my you guys want to steal me it just just take my phone because I shove my credit cards in my, you know, driver's license in this go bigger go home is kind of what I say. Right? So. So I have this here, but this is what it does. Like I don't lose my wallet because it's all combined together. And if I lose this at the YMCA, I don't care how late I'm gonna be. I'm stopping the car. I'm turning around. I've run into it to get this because it's expensive, and it has my wallet in it. And it's a very important thing. What if I lose my wedding ring though? This is the most precious thing that I own is this wedding ring and I've lost it twice at the wind. Ca so the first time I lost it, I'm in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and I lose it and I just got the front desk. I lost my wedding ring. I lost it. I need some help to the gals, I'll come help me find it. And you know, we go look for it, we find it. It was great. It was glorious, but I lost it again. And I'm like, I cannot believe that I do this. So I lost it again. And this time I was really losing it because it was in the y like downtown and that's like way bigger and it was all over the place. I had no idea where the last day was crazy. So I literally I'm going like I'm around like kind of the the weightlifting area. I'm grabbing any dude I can find. I'm like Hey, bro, can you help me see my marriage? I lost my wife. I lost my wedding ring. Can you help me find it so like, I get these three random strangers like we got you dude, we got you. We get you. So like that these men were all looking around or whatever. And I remember this. Some dude, his name is Daryl I remember he goes yeah, he just goes like this like from afar. He's I satify away and I literally I saw a man going like yes like clapping their hands. Like Is this a rally cry? Let's help this brother out because he's gonna be in a lot of trouble. This was valuable thing. Every once you get this water bottle, I'll forget I might turn around for my phone but my wedding ring, I'm getting everybody around me to help me find that thing. Because something that is precious to you, you will go have infinite costs to try to get it back. And that is our God, isn't it? That's exactly what he's done. You see, you were so precious to him, that he first took everything, even the cost of his own son's life, so that he could purchase you back. He spilled the blood of His own Son, so that you could be purchased and redeemed, brought back to him redeemed, rescued, adopted, forgiven, in His presence forever and ever. Amen. You are of infinite worth to him because he paid the infinite cost to purchase you. So therefore, Oh, you are of infinite more worth than a sparrow. And if God's not going to forget them. How would he forget you the most precious thing to him. So brothers and sisters, if you're finding yourself in a state of fear, you don't need to fear because God loves you and He cares for you. You realize he's so close to you that he can count the number of hairs on your head when he placed them there but to he's watching how many of them are falling out as well. You have to be very close to count people's hair right? God is so near to you and close to you because he loves you and your precious to him and he cares for your Do not fear anything, for God is with you. And he loves you. So Jesus gets at first don't fear human authority. Now I get to this don't fear human rejection. Verse eight. I tell you Everyone who acknowledges Me before men, the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God.
27:50
Oh my. So acknowledge means a profession of allegiance or confession of belief. That's literally what that means. Acknowledge The Greek means the profession of allegiance or a confession of belief. So when we profess to know God and confess that Jesus is Lord.
28:10
Rejection often comes from a human authority or a human institution or human person, right? we profess allegiance to God and confession that Jesus is Lord. Rejection often comes, our attempt, our reputation may be tainted, our positions compromised, our names diminished, but Jesus says, if we acknowledge Him, even if we are rejected while it happens, Christ acknowledges us. Okay, so the fox Book of Martyrs is a book in a collection that's been going on for years of everyone collecting the stories of those who have had their lives taken because of their faith in Jesus Christ. beginning all the way was Steven all the way until today. They're they're trying to keep tabs of as many martyrs as they can possibly find. They're not obviously getting all of them but they're trying as hard as they can to get as many. So these accounts of people who are rejected by the world and killed man using its ultimate authority to take life, right? All because of their profession of allegiance to Jesus Christ. And the goal of the book, and I read this in the introduction is while their lives are now gone from this world, their names will continue on.
29:23
That's the purpose of the fox Book of Martyrs. So I was thumbing through it. And there's this story of a Nigerian woman in 2006. She shared the gospel in Nigeria with some Muslim youth. And it was illegal in Nigeria to speak out against the law or the Prophet Mohammed. Still is. Some Muslims, extremists found out about her evangelizing and a mob formed and they grabbed this woman and started beating her with clubs and stones. The police intervened brought her into protective custody. But the mob stormed the station and demanded that the police release her so that she could be stoned to death in accordance with Islamic law. 2006.
30:19
The police refused, and they actually tried to save her by smuggling or out of the back doors. But this mob had blocked all of the escape exits. And fearing for their lives, the police have abandoned the woman at the police station. And the mob beat her to death. On panic, the police didn't even have time to identify the woman's name before she was killed. So in the fox Book of Martyrs, she's an unknown woman from Nigeria. The woman was rejected by men for professing allegiance to Jesus and longing to see you to come into him to. She's anonymous in the Book of Martyrs were unable to acknowledge her boldness and courage to be able to say, this woman stood up all we have is an unknown woman.
31:13
But this is what I love. Jesus Christ is in heaven right now. He is with her and she is with him. And she is standing right next to him. And what Jesus is saying from this text is that Jesus is introducing this unknown woman from Nigeria to all the hosts of heaven. I'm saying she was rejected before men she was killed she can't even be acknowledged today but I'm acknowledging her over all the glorious spiritual beings and say this is by daughter recognize her today. That's what Jesus does. kickin knowledge is you and me even when we are rejected and forgotten today. How can we fear Man's rejection.
32:02
How can we fear man's rejection? In verse nine, while Jesus says that glorious truth, so I'm sorry, verse eight, so great honor is given to those who die in the faith. Matthew 511 said Blessed are you when others are value and persecute you and other all kinds of evil against you falsely in my account. Rejoice and be glad for your reward not will be not could be not might be is great in the kingdom of heaven.
32:33
O those who are persecuted for Christ are blessed. Because they are following in the footsteps of their king, who was rejected, who was condemned, who was killed so that he might bring us to God restored, redeemed, accepted and adopted. You're following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ when you're rejected and persecuted brothers and sisters.
32:56
So that's what True JESUS acknowledges us when we acknowledge Him then we can Verse nine and 10, which starts to get tough. Jesus says Jesus does know that we will indeed reject and deny him. Okay? So he says right here.
33:10
He says in verse nine, but the one who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of gods and this is severe. We think of Judas. We think of his rejection, his denial of what has happened. We know that it was not he did not go for repentance, he did not do anything but he was actually condemned because of his denial of Jesus Christ. But then he says this, everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven and verse 10. So all the way of Judas and what he went through we also have Peter and what he went through because we know Peter story was this, he walked with Jesus. He was the first one to confess that Jesus was the Messiah. But he saw it all. He confessed it it was true. And then we know the story that in Jesus is suffering. He denied Jesus not once, not twice, but three times rejected the one was with him in fear, and in weakness. He rejected Jesus Christ and denied him. But that remorse was so evident that that desire to be restored was so clear. And we see at the end of Jesus's life here on earth that he did indeed reinstate and restored Peter, and he said, in your name on this rock, I will build the Church of Jesus Christ. So, Jesus does even though in our fear and guys, we know this, and in our failure, we often will deny Jesus. When we find ourselves in a state of potentially being rejected, or persecuted, or someone uttering all kinds of evil against us.
34:40
There is forgiveness when we do that. Jesus knew that he was going to be rejected and he now provides opportunities for you to run back to that one who knows all of the hairs on your head so that you can be restored. There is forgiveness when we do that total forgiveness if we deny it or Jesus in moments of those weakness, we can rush back to that one who loves us and finds us so precious. But then we get to verse 10, which by the way, is one of the most complicated and troubling verses in all the Gospels. So here we go. All right.
35:15
First 10 says this. Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasts themes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. So there is a rejection that is forgivable, and that is denying Jesus and moments of weakness. But Jesus says there's a rejection that is unforgiveable which is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. So what does that mean? blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is a settled, resolved, permanent rejection, permanent rejection of the spirits redeeming work of God's salvation through Jesus Christ was gonna read that again. blasphemy of the Holy Spirit A settled, resolved permanent rejection of the spirits redeeming work of God's salvation through Jesus Christ. blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is rejecting the power behind Christ's work of Christ's word, which is the Holy Spirit. And therefore, you're also rejecting Jesus because it is the Trinity we're talking about right here. We're actually seeing a powerful glimpse of honoring the Trinity. Within this text, Jesus is saying you can reject and not honor me, I came to experience that I buckled up for your rejection. Because it was my rejection that would lead to your acceptance by the way on the cross. But Jesus says you cannot reject the Holy Spirit, you must honor him. The Holy Spirit is the one who dwells in our hearts, who opens our minds to understand the scriptures, who testifies to us that we are the children of God that He is the one who who was the power behind everything Jesus did. He was one who raised Jesus from the dead. He was the one who's been pervading, all throughout the scriptures. is working all of this together. She is God himself and denying him and rejecting him in a permanent resolved, settled, two sided determined way, saying I am not rejecting that I know all of the reasons why I should and I'm saying no, she says that's unforgivable. For many people, fear is what you feel when this text is laid out. Because you are afraid that you've committed this yourself. I've talked to a lot of people who have fear that have I committed blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, or has my son or daughter or my friend or whoever have they committed the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. There's a couple of things I need to say for us to understand this. We need to understand two different things first, blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is not black, slight backsliding or doubt. The number one blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is not backsliding, or doubt. This is a refusal to give Jesus is do this isn't struggling with the spirits work through Jesus. This is being settled that the Spirit of God was not working through Jesus.
38:10
This is not doubting This is determination, this is this is that refusal to give Jesus his do okay so many of us this fear this of like what's my conversion legitimate because if it was legitimate maybe I blasting against Holy Spirit's I shouldn't be struggling right now. I shouldn't be doubting right now perhaps I've committed blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. She said no, no. backsliding is something to have think about the prodigal son. That dude back slid quite a bit. Here he was in in his father's house. He back slid so much he wished his father was dead. He goes off into a foreign land squanders everything he owns, comes to his senses, goes back to his father and was restored. That was a backslider if I've seen anyone, and that man was restored and redeemed and brought back home. Now it's not doubt either because Thomas was restored and brought back he down So much Jesus revealed himself to him and he was brought back and this isn't doubting This is a resolve a determined, studied approach to say, No way. did God do that through Jesus. I do not believe that.
39:13
That's first thing it's not backsliding or doubt but secondly, blasphemy or Holy Spirit is done by those who do not believe in Jesus. Okay, it's a warning for those who do believe in Jesus. take this seriously the Holy Spirit's for real. But it's actually a statement about those who don't.
39:35
Okay, so Graham cola theologian on the Holy Spirit says this is a sin of the outsider, not the insider, meaning a regenerated believer don't commit sins like this but are only warned by the sin. He goes on to say the tender Christian conscience is a sign of hope, not evidence for despair. Meaning if you are asking the Question. Oh, no. And you're troubled by the question. Oh, no. have I committed blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? Here's what I need to say to you. Someone who doesn't know God would never ask that question. You would never feel the conviction to even worry about that question. Because you would have a resolve that that wasn't true. And that wasn't real.
40:25
This is this is a warning for us, but as a statement of those who are out so so outsiders commit this because they don't have it. But if you're troubled by that, if you have a tender conscience, if you have fear that you committed this fear knots because the Holy Spirit's within you. Period, be assured of that brothers and sisters and here's what's true. assurance of salvation is not based upon how amazing your conversion experience was. We based the assurance of ours on our salvation on how amazing that conversion experience was, right? I was like, like, Okay, well, maybe this wasn't Maybe Wasn't he wasn't genuine. Here's what's true. This is what we see in Hebrews chapter 416. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may have received mercy and find grace to help in time of need. What that's basically saying is this find assurance in salvation today, run to Jesus today. If you're doubting go to him today. If you want assurance to know these with you, run to him today. Don't look back on when run today to find that assurance in Jesus Christ. Because he is with you, you need not fear.
41:33
Drawing near to God in the midst of suffering and persecution and doubt and backsliding is key to assurance and courage. Run to him when you're finding yourself in that. So do not fear brothers and sisters, there's no need to fear human rejection, because God is with you. But then finally, no need to fear human arguments. We fear the ability to know answers and combat people arguments that way. That's just like a common thing. I remember I worked in the back room of target back in the good old days when I was in seminary, just trying to basically eat. That's why I just worked there. So, you know, working in the back room worked with a ton of unbelievers. And there's one dude named he and he was always wanting to talk to me always want to ask questions. He knew that I was in seminary, he knew I wanted to be a pastor. He knew he wanted to talk to me about this kind of things. But I knew that he wasn't a Christian. And I knew that him wanting to talk to me, was actually him wanting to debate with me. And then my cowardness I avoided the dude like the plague. I'm in seminary. I'm reading all of these books on apologetics and how to defend the faith and know theology like the back of my hand, know this text like the back of my hands, and I was afraid of this. I didn't want things to get awkward around him. Man, raise your hands if that is literally the reason why we do not share the gospel with people is that like, we just don't want things to be awkward now. And Jesus is saying like, we're just fearing people's arguments we're fearing not knowing the answers. I want you to know this. He's not saying, Boy, that's a terrible excuse. Now, he's actually been really tender towards us. And just saying, ya know, people will utter all kinds of evil against you. Don't make things awkward. That's suffering for my name. It is. Oh, yeah. I mean, if in our in our sober moments, we may not really be that freaked about it, but we think of being killed for their faith. Yes, but Jesus doesn't always do that does he? He'll sometimes it meet with us in our weakness and shepherdess through it. He really does.
43:34
Because this in verse 11 is wonderful. He says, Do not be anxious. So he said that this context of bringing you before the synagogues, the rulers and authorities, don't be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say. The Holy Spirit will help you know what to say to somebody. The Holy Spirit will help you know how to share the gospel with somebody. The Holy Spirit of God will help you answer people's questions. The Holy Spirit of God will help you engage in debate. He's not leaving you or forsaking you, he helps you in those moments, not looking at you to see how well you know your stuff in those moments. He did this with Moses and Exodus three, Moses was worried about the arguments and about his ability to speak well. And God said this to him, I will be with you and I will teach you what to say. We're called to lean on the Holy Spirit rather than ourselves. I was sharing the gospel with a friend of mine that I've been praying for for three years, just this past week. He was an unbroken moment. It was really hard for him. And I could tell like, This dude is ready to hear the gospel. I think he might even believe it. And this was and I remember I started to freak out, because I didn't know where to counsel him and his brokenness. I didn't know what questions he was going to ask me and guys is just full Just articulating me, the one who apparently should know all of this stuff was crying out like I've never shared the gospel before to the Holy Spirit asking for his help. Lord, I need you help me know what to say, I don't know what to do right now. I don't know how to comfort him and his tears. I don't know if I'm going to be overboard and sharing the gospel with them. I don't know if this is the right time. Help me, help me. Help me. Help me. Help me. Don't you understand Cottage Grove? That's what we must do every time we're talking to somebody because the Holy Spirit is here to help us. Let us not rely on our own strength but rely on his strength, not rely on our knowledge, but the one who has infinite knowledge, not rely on our power to swayed people because we can't. His power through spirit is the only thing that changes hearts. He is with you. The Holy Spirit will teach you what to say. The Holy Spirit is with you while you say it God's presence being with his people in the midst of persecution and suffering and even proclaiming the good news. has always been the source of courage rather than fear all throughout the text. Just gonna rattle these off Deuteronomy 31. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail nor abandon you, Joshua one, saying this to Joshua, just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you Be strong and courageous, not in and of yourself, Joshua, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to your father's and give to them because I will be with you.
46:39
Fear not, Isaiah 41, I am with you. Do not be dismayed I am your God, I will strengthen you I will help you I will uphold you with my righteous right hand Cottage Grove. God is with you. Because the Holy Spirit of God His Divine Presence, get this, dwells in you.
47:02
The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead takes up residence in your soul when you believe in Jesus. He is literally with you. He's with you. We need not fear therefore, we need not fear anything. This is why Paul can encourage a frightened, timid Timothy and say God has not given you a spirit of fear, but of power and love and self control. He's not saying hey, Timothy, buckle up you got some power in you you never knew but you got some some love and you're some self control and he goes No, No, No, you don't. The Holy Spirit does. That's what's in you. That's where that love that's where that power that's where that self control comes from. Not you Cottage Grove but him because he's with you and He dwells within you there for Do not fear for he's with you. I want to end in this final story here.
47:54
Lincoln has a really strange fascination with Spider Man. Okay. My son Lincoln, two years old, he's just fascinated. So, here's what happened. We're at a fourth of July parade, and we're loving it. It's great and then the Marvel float comes by it's really exciting and and here's Captain America walking through here's all the people walking through. It's really cool. And and then here comes Spider Man, and Lincoln has never seen spider man before. He has no idea who he is, you know, he's too He doesn't really get it. But so Spider Man seeing kids like you do, you're going to be the hero. So he walks up and Lincoln's like facing this way and spider man walks up this way. So Lincoln's here and he turns over and he sees this freakin mask it's going like this to him. The kid has like almost a seizure and just starts going like this and like freaking out and it goes and then all in and he he falls over he freaks out and he koala bears me for the next 30 minutes. Okay, like like completely terrified has no idea how to move forward like every time you saw spider man go no scary no scary no scary, no scary. So, so then so you know, here we go. So traumatize my child from a hero so so but I'm We go to Ace Hardware together a few months later and then it's the beaver Dale days. All right, guess who's there in the street Spider Man and all this terror. Okay, so so it's Dino hanging out with kids. And Lincoln looks over and I'm like, Oh my gosh, here we go. It's gonna happen he's gonna lose it and so he looks over and he goes, Spider Man. And really, okay, you want to go see Spider Man? Yeah, just anyway, the spider man. Okay, so we get a little closer. Not too close, you know, but like, Spider Man. And now he's a spider man costume. That's all he talks about. never see Spider Man on the TV. That's all he wants to do. Like, he's still nervous whenever he gets around it. But here's what I began to notice. He still has this deep fear of spider man it's still genuine. He's still not sure how he feels about it. But he had some courage and boldness that day when he was in be revealed is not because he just mustered up some I shall not be afraid anymore. Now actually, the reason why I wasn't afraid is because his dad was right next.
49:54
I was holding him the whole time he was looking at Spider Man. You don't need to muster up courage. You don't need to muster up boldness. You don't need to stare at yourself in the mirror and say, go do it. Go do it, go do it, go do it. You need to run to the arms of your father. You need to delight in the good news of Jesus Christ. You need to believe that the Holy Spirit of God dwells within you, because he is with you kind of truth. Therefore, we need that fear. Amen. Jesus, we love you.
50:28
We rejoice that while you call us to go make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. I love how one of the final things you said while you're on this earth as you descended into heaven, as you said, Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.