Participants:
Series Code: HCAU
Program Code: HCAU180013A
|
00:01 Music...
00:19 Welcome to 3ABN Australia Homecoming. 00:24 Music... 00:30 Thank you for joining us... 3ABN Australia Homecoming 00:35 at Avondale Memorial Church in New South Wales, Australia 00:40 and we're glad that you could be with us all today. 00:43 Today, we have a fantastic program, Ryan, 00:45 we're sure that you're going to be happy. 00:48 One of the leading evangelists in Australia 00:51 will be speaking to us, 00:52 his name is Geoff Youlden 00:54 and he has a program on Focus on God's Word 00:59 that we did quite some time ago... 01:01 15 years I think... something like that, 01:03 that program is still being aired around the world 01:06 and is still bringing people to the Lord 01:08 so, I'm looking forward to 01:10 what Pastor Geoff Youlden has to present to us 01:13 and his topic is: Knowing God as Savior. 01:16 Who's doing the special item? 01:18 Absolutely, you know, I heard this group 01:19 just a few moments ago, 01:21 there's going to be a fantastic group to come out here 01:22 in just a few moments. 01:24 The title of the group is: Redeemed. 01:25 In fact, when I saw it, I thought of that song, 01:27 "Redeemed how I love to proclaim it... " 01:30 I'm sure they sing that song, it's a beautiful song, 01:32 but "Redeemed" 01:33 and they're going to be singing a special number for us 01:35 entitled: To Him That Sits on the Throne. 01:38 Thank you. 01:42 Pause... 01:45 more pause... 01:54 some more pause... 01:58 To Him Who sits on the throne 02:02 and to the Lamb 02:07 Be praise and honor and glory and power 02:12 To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb 02:18 Be praise and honor and glory and power 02:23 For ever and ever 02:27 For ever and ever.. 02:33 For ever and ever... 02:37 For ever and ever 02:41 For ever and ever.. 02:44 For ever and ever... 02:50 To Him who sits on the throne 02:53 and to the Lamb 02:58 Be praise and honor and glory and power 03:02 To Him who sits on the throne 03:06 and to the Lamb 03:10 Be praise and honor and glory and power 03:14 Forever and ever 03:18 For ever and ever.. 03:23 For ever and ever... 03:27 For ever and ever 03:31 For ever and ever... 03:36 For ever and ever 03:40 To Him who sits on the throne 03:44 and to the Lamb 03:49 Be praise and honor and glory and power 03:53 Amen, Amen, 03:58 Amen, Amen 04:02 Amen, Amen... 04:08 Amen 04:16 Amen. 04:22 Audience: Amen... clapping. 04:32 Pause. 04:39 Well I know that you have been blessed by: Redeemed. 04:42 In my church in Stanmore in Sydney, 04:44 they are members of our church 04:46 so you can begin to appreciate 04:48 the good music that comes from Stanmore. 04:50 Today, in our Series, 04:52 we are continuing on: On Knowing God as our Savior. 04:57 The more I study the gospels, 05:01 the more I am getting convinced 05:05 on the wonders of the way Jesus spoke... 05:09 how He taught people 05:11 and every preacher 05:15 that's got a little bit of intelligence, 05:18 realizes that Jesus is the base upon which we model ourselves 05:23 and today I want to look at one of the most amazing incidents 05:28 in the life of Jesus that illustrates Jesus as our Savior. 05:33 Would you open your Bibles with me please 05:35 to John the 8th chapter... 05:37 Mathew, Mark, Luke and John... the 8th chapter... 05:41 and I want to read a story 05:43 that's very, very familiar to everybody here, 05:45 in fact, it's probably one of the best known stories 05:50 in the New Testament 05:51 simply because it deals with an issue 05:54 that we're all very familiar with. 05:58 John chapter 8 and verse 1. 06:01 "But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 06:04 Now, early in the morning He came again into the temple 06:08 and all the people came to Him, 06:10 and He sat down and taught them. " 06:12 If you can just imagine... 06:14 and what I try to do when I'm reading these stories 06:16 is to put myself into the picture 06:19 and I try to imagine the situation, 06:21 Jesus has just come down from the Mount of Olives, 06:23 the temple is in front of Him glistening there in the sunlight 06:28 the early morning sunlight... 06:30 and He comes down... and the people join Him by the hundreds 06:35 and He's sitting there and He's beginning to teach them 06:38 all about the things of God 06:40 when suddenly, something happens, 06:43 verse 3... 06:45 "Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman 06:50 caught in adultery 06:51 and when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, 06:55 'Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery... 06:59 in the very act. 07:00 Now, Moses and the Law commanded us that such should be stoned, 07:05 what do you say?' 07:07 Then they said testing Him 07:10 that they might have something of which to accuse Him. " 07:14 Now, once again, 07:16 if you can imagine this poor lady, 07:19 the whole thing was a setup, there's no question about that 07:24 and they had dragged her... 07:27 you can imagine her hair is disheveled, 07:29 probably she's wrapped in a sheet. 07:33 I would like to think she was wrapped in a sheet. 07:36 Some would suggest that she was naked. 07:38 Pause. 07:40 And they dragged her out in front of the crowd 07:43 and they began to make these accusations against her, 07:48 now, they had no care for the woman, whatsoever. 07:50 The only purpose they had in mind 07:54 when they brought this woman to Jesus was to trap Jesus. 07:57 I mean, after all, if they had been concerned about the woman, 08:02 they would have come on their own to Jesus 08:04 without the crowd... 08:07 or, it may be even better to suggest 08:10 that they talked to Jesus on His own about the situation, 08:14 but they were trying to trap Jesus 08:16 and they felt that they had a perfect example 08:21 of how to trap Jesus. 08:24 Now, they had tried trapping Jesus before... 08:26 you can remember that on one occasion, 08:28 they had money... 08:30 and they tried to suggest to Jesus, 08:32 "Whose money is this?" 08:34 And Jesus said, "Whose figure is on the money?" 08:38 and He said those famous words, 08:40 "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, 08:43 and unto God the things that are God's. " 08:45 And then on another occasion, 08:46 another very hot subject today as well as back then 08:51 on marriage and divorce 08:52 but Jesus was able to deal with those 08:57 and when they brought the Law of Moses up and they said, 09:00 "Well, Moses said that this woman ought to be stoned. " 09:04 Now, they did to the Scriptures what many people do today 09:09 and that is, they selectively selected 09:11 some sections of the text 09:12 and they didn't remember what the rest of the text said 09:15 because if they had read the full text, 09:17 the text said that both the man and the woman 09:20 needed to be stoned 09:21 and the question is, "Where was the man?" 09:24 We don't... read anything about him 09:27 and obviously, they weren't interested 09:29 in following even the Law of Moses, 09:31 the only interest they had was to trap Jesus 09:35 and they had the perfect trap because if Jesus had said, 09:40 "Well, in this case, I think that the best thing would be... 09:44 is just to let the woman off... " 09:47 Then immediately, the Jews would have been at Jesus 09:51 because the Jews wanted to uphold the Law of Moses. 09:55 On the other hand, if He had said, 09:57 "Yes, take her out and stone her" 09:59 then they would have reported that to the Romans 10:02 and the Romans would have had something to say 10:04 because you'll remember that the Jews at this time 10:08 were under Roman rule. 10:09 That means, that they could not carry out 10:13 their own capital punishment 10:14 which was... for the Jews... was stoning to death. 10:17 The Roman method of capital punishment as we know 10:20 was crucifixion 10:21 but the Jews could not crucify 10:25 or could not carry capital punishment out for anybody 10:29 because of the fact that they were under Roman rule 10:33 so, it was a perfect trap 10:34 and they had worked this out with their cunning lawyers 10:37 for weeks before... 10:39 and they felt that they had Jesus this time 10:41 because whichever way He turned, 10:44 there was no way that they felt that He could get out of it 10:48 then, let's read on 10:50 because it gets more interesting as we read, 10:52 verse six again, "This they said, testing him, 10:55 that they might have something of which to accuse Him. 10:59 But Jesus stooped down, 11:02 and wrote on the ground with His finger 11:04 as though He did not hear. 11:06 So when they continued asking Him, 11:09 He raised Himself up and said to them... 11:11 these immortal words, 11:14 "He who is without sin, throw a stone at her first. " 11:19 It's interesting that Jesus certainly kept His cool 11:25 under these circumstances and as He was writing there... 11:28 and you can see Him kneel down on the ground 11:31 scratching in the sand... 11:33 there are three times that I can remember 11:37 that Jesus wrote in the Bible, the first time was... when? 11:41 When did Jesus write the first time? 11:43 When He gave us the Ten Commandments, that's right, 11:47 then He wrote the second time, when was that? 11:50 Pause. 11:52 You remember in Belshazzar's Hall... 11:55 MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN 11:58 then, this is the third time He writes and it's interesting 12:02 that every time He writes, 12:04 He's dealing with the issue of judgment 12:07 and He writes here, 12:10 and as Jesus was writing, of course, 12:15 as the record just tells us, 12:16 He seemed to be completely ignoring what they were saying, 12:19 and they felt that His ignoring them 12:22 meant that He didn't have an answer, 12:24 so they kept pressing Him. 12:26 "Master, what are you going to say about this?" 12:29 And they kept agitating against Jesus 12:32 and the second time, Jesus stands up 12:34 and this is when He made that immortal statement, 12:39 "He who is without sin, let him cast the first stone. " 12:43 Pause. 12:45 Then the record goes on to say further in verse 8, 12:49 "And when he stooped down and wrote on the ground, 12:53 then those who heard it being convicted by their conscience 12:57 went one by one out beginning with the oldest 13:04 even to the least. " 13:06 Don't you just love a God like this? 13:09 A God who can handle a situation... 13:12 not doing away with the Law, 13:14 Jesus, never in any way, 13:16 suggested that the Law wasn't important. 13:19 He still maintained that this woman had sinned... 13:23 she had sinned... 13:25 and he admits that she had sinned 13:27 but, He mixed that with mercy and with grace 13:34 and He then highlighted... as He continued to write the hypocrisy 13:38 of those who were making these accusations 13:41 and as they began to come over and the Bible says, 13:45 it was the oldest who came first 13:47 and I would like to think that the reason the oldest came first 13:49 is because they were wise enough to realize 13:53 that if they stayed around, 13:54 things were going to get pretty hot 13:55 and so, when they saw what He was writing, 13:58 their face paled... the blood ran out of their face 14:02 and the stones dropped from their hands 14:05 and they left. 14:06 You see, this poor woman... 14:09 if you can just see her in your eye 14:10 and I'm sure you can... standing there shivering... 14:13 not so much because of the coldness 14:17 but because of the fear that was associated with this. 14:20 She would have been trembling 14:22 and as Jesus made this statement, 14:25 "He who is without sin, you pick up the first stone. " 14:29 She braced herself, because you can imagine 14:32 standing in front of a crowd being embarrassed... 14:36 highly embarrassed with this whole situation 14:39 and so, she was looking down and as Jesus said, 14:43 "He who is without sin, cast the first stone... " 14:46 immediately, she began bracing herself 14:49 for the first stone to be thrown 14:51 because you see, the Pharisees were judge and jury. 14:55 There was no appeal against their Law 14:59 and so she dared not lift her eyes up 15:03 and then Jesus made the statement, verse 10, 15:10 "When Jesus raised had Himself up 15:12 and saw no one but the woman, 15:14 He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? 15:17 Has no one condemned you? 15:20 She said, 'No one Lord. ' 15:23 And Jesus said to her, 'Neither do I condemn you: 15:27 go, and sin no more. '" 15:30 I would consider some of those words 15:34 to be the most beautiful words in the Bible, 15:36 pause... 15:39 to give us all hope... 15:40 "Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more. " 15:45 Just imagine the feelings she would have had 15:50 at that particular time 15:51 and we are told that her heart melted. 15:54 You know, Jesus said, 15:58 "He who is forgiven much loves much. " 16:01 And this woman became Jesus' most devoted follower 16:05 for the rest of her life 16:07 because of the kindness and the grace 16:10 that was extended to her at that time. 16:13 The message that God has for us today is, 16:16 is, "Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more. " 16:20 Because this story is just as relevant today 16:24 as it was, back in those days. 16:27 Unfortunately, there are many people who have grown up in life 16:32 with perhaps a bad relationship with their father 16:34 and as a result of that, 16:37 they imagine God with a big stick... 16:40 just make one step out of line, 16:43 and God will clout you. 16:44 This story presents a very different picture of Jesus. 16:47 It presents one full of grace and truth 16:52 and I want to meditate just for a little while today 16:56 on the words, "Neither do I condemn you, 17:01 go and sin no more. " 17:03 You know, if you can't sleep at night, 17:06 it's a good thing to think of those words 17:08 and roll them around in your mind 17:11 because the devil will haunt us for our past. 17:15 There's not one of us here 17:17 who doesn't have flashbacks to their past 17:19 and the devil makes sure that those memories are kept alive 17:25 and when sometimes you can't sleep at night 17:27 and you're thinking about some of these things, 17:29 then let's remind ourselves "Neither do I condemn you, 17:33 go and sin no more... " 17:34 because it is guilt today that is cracking millions. 17:38 Many a person who has deep depression... 17:43 it's a result of unresolved guilt 17:46 and Jesus here is dealing with this. 17:49 Once again, I'm just so thankful that I believe in a God 17:55 that I have a Savior who's so willing to forgive. 17:59 A Savior that is so willing to accept us as we are. 18:04 In fact, there's a verse of Scripture 18:07 that I would like you to read, if you wouldn't mind, 18:09 turning to Isaiah the 56th chapter 18:13 Isaiah chapter 55... 18:18 I'm sorry, chapter 55 and verse 6. 18:22 If you haven't got this marked in your Bible, 18:24 I would like to encourage you to mark it in your Bibles, 18:28 it says, "Seek the LORD while He may be found, 18:31 call upon Him while He is near: 18:34 Let the wicked forsake his way, 18:36 and the unrighteous man his thoughts: 18:38 let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him; 18:42 and to our God, for He will... " what? 18:45 "abundantly pardon. " 18:47 You know, I read of an experience a few years ago 18:51 of a family that were living out in the country 18:54 and something happened in the family 18:56 and the son got so annoyed with the parents 18:59 that he went out and slammed the door and said, 19:02 "I will never ever darken this door again. " 19:05 And for years, the parents never knew where he was. 19:10 They received no phone call, no letters... nothing 19:14 until one day, his mother's habit was, 19:18 she went out to the letter box... 19:20 by this stage, she had a walking stick 19:22 and she walked out to the letter box 19:24 and gathered the letters 19:25 and as soon as she picked up a letter, 19:28 she saw one with familiar handwriting 19:30 it was her son... she knew it 19:32 and so, as quickly as she could hobble into the house, 19:38 she got hold of father and said, 19:40 "Father, look at this, this is a letter from our son. " 19:43 And they quickly opened it up 19:45 and the letter went something like this, 19:48 "I would like to come home, 19:52 I'm sorry for what took place many years ago, 19:56 but I don't know whether you will accept me 20:00 but if you will accept me, 20:05 would you hang something white out on the... the clothesline. " 20:11 He said, "As I travel past, I can see the back of the house 20:16 and if you will hang something white on the clothesline, 20:20 it will tell me that you will accept me. " 20:23 Pause. 20:25 When the parents read this, 20:29 with tears streaming down their faces, 20:31 they went to the linen cupboard, they got every white sheet... 20:34 every white towel... 20:36 everything white they had in the cupboard 20:38 and they went out and hung it on the line 20:40 and when I read that experience, I thought, 20:42 "That's exactly what Isaiah here is talking about... 20:45 'But our God will abundantly pardon. '" 20:48 Pause... 20:50 But there's something else in this story 20:53 that we don't often dwell upon 20:54 and that is the second part of what Jesus said to the woman. 20:57 Remember He said, "Neither do I condemn you... " 21:02 what's the last part? 21:04 "Go and sin no more. " 21:07 Very often, we don't dwell upon that section 21:10 of what Jesus said 21:12 but I want to suggest to you 21:14 that that section is just as much part of the gospel 21:16 as is the beginning of what He said. 21:20 And the story teaches me 21:22 that Jesus will not only pardon me, 21:25 wonderful as that is... 21:26 but He goes further than that, 21:28 He will give me power 21:29 so I can do the right things in the future. 21:32 Pause... 21:34 "Go and sin no more... " is that possible? 21:36 "Is that possible?" I ask, 21:39 everywhere I go today, 21:42 I'm finding that people try to tell me 21:44 that nobody can keep the commandments any longer. 21:48 Pause... 21:49 "It's impossible not to sin. " 21:52 Is that true? 21:54 Because as I read the Bible, 21:57 I find that that seems to be a lie. 22:00 A friend of mine... some years ago 22:03 was going into Long Bay Jail... 22:06 Long Bay Jail is one of Sydney's big... 22:08 Australia's big... oldest jails 22:10 and he was going into Long Bay Jail 22:14 on a weekly basis to preach to the inmates. 22:17 And this particular day when he went in to preach 22:21 with the... with the Chaplain alongside him, 22:25 the Chaplain said to him, "You know those three fellows 22:28 that always sit down the front 22:30 when you take the meetings?" 22:32 He said, "Yes. " 22:34 He said, "They won't be here next week when you come, 22:36 they're going to be released. " 22:38 And my friend said to the Chaplain, 22:40 "Well, I'm very happy about that... " 22:42 But then the Chaplain said, "But they'll be back... " 22:44 And my friend said, 22:47 "What do you mean, 'they'll be back?'" 22:48 "Well... " he said, "when the boys were young, 22:51 their father taught them to steal 22:54 and they would be given a sack... 22:56 and if that sack... 22:57 in the evening when they bought it home wasn't full, 23:00 they would get a father of a hiding. " 23:03 He said, "They are professional thieves... 23:07 Kleptomaniacs is the word... professional thieves. " 23:11 And he said, "As soon as something goes missing, 23:14 the police will be on their doorstep. " 23:17 Pause. 23:19 You see, it would be one thing for God to forgive us, 23:22 pause... 23:24 if God only forgives me for my sins 23:28 and pardons me for my sins, that's not going to help me 23:33 because what am I going to do tomorrow? 23:36 I'll do the same thing... 23:38 and what about the next day? 23:39 The same thing... 23:41 And the next day? The same thing. 23:42 I need vastly more than forgiveness... 23:45 wonderful and glorious and foundational 23:48 as that truth is... of forgiveness. 23:50 I need more than that. 23:52 That's what Jesus was talking about here 23:54 when He said, "Go and sin no more. " 23:56 Because He not only forgave the lady for her sins, 24:01 but then he gave her power to be able to do 24:05 what was necessary to do. 24:08 Now, Jesus told a whole parable about this, 24:11 this truth is so important 24:15 that Jesus spent a whole parable talking about it. 24:19 Would you come over to Matthew chapter 22 with me 24:23 and we'll have a look together at this parable, 24:28 Matthew chapter 22 and verse 1. 24:32 It says that Jesus opened His mouth 24:35 and began to teach them by parables. 24:38 Verse 2, 24:39 "The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king, 24:42 who arranged a marriage for his son... " 24:45 you know, in the Bible... a marriage... 24:49 the king setting forth a marriage... 24:51 this is an illustration of the marriage 24:54 between Christ and His church. 24:58 Christ is the bridegroom... the church is the bride... 25:03 and this is what this is talking about... 25:05 the reason we know that it's talking about the second coming 25:09 is because when we go over to Revelation chapter 19, 25:13 we find there this story is given more details... 25:16 and we'll have a look at that in just a moment, 25:20 but so, the history of both the Jewish race 25:23 and the Christian Church is given in these few verses. 25:27 Notice verse 3, it says, "He sent out His servants 25:31 to call those who were invited to the wedding 25:33 and they were not willing to come. 25:35 Again he sent out other servants saying, 25:38 'Tell those who are invited... 25:41 see I have prepared my dinner... 25:43 my oxen and fatted cattle are killed 25:46 and all things are ready, come to the wedding. ' 25:49 But they made light of it, and went their ways, 25:52 one to his farm, another to his business: 25:54 And the rest seized his servants, 25:56 treated them spitefully, and killed them. " 26:00 What's this referring to? 26:03 Pause. 26:05 It's referring to the Jewish Nation 26:07 because Jesus sent them an invitation 26:09 to come to the wedding feast, 26:11 but they wouldn't accept that invitation. 26:14 In fact, they killed the prophets 26:16 as the Bible says here, 26:18 and the servants... 26:19 and then the rest of the verse goes on to say in verse 7... 26:22 "But when the king heard about it, he was furious: 26:24 and he sent out his armies... destroyed those murderers, 26:29 and burned up their city. " 26:31 What's the city referring to? 26:32 It's referring to the destruction of Jerusalem 26:36 in 70 A.D. 26:38 Pause. 26:40 When Jesus said, "Not one stone will be left 26:42 upon another. " 26:44 Pause. 26:46 And where every tree for miles around Jerusalem 26:51 was cut down and used as a cross to crucify Jews... 26:55 over one million Jews died in the destruction of Jerusalem 27:00 and yet not one Christian died 27:02 because they remembered what Jesus said, 27:04 "When you see the army surround Jerusalem, 27:06 get out... " and they fled 27:08 and they fled up to a little place in northern Jordan today 27:12 called Pella 27:14 and as I said, not one Christian lost their life 27:17 in the destruction of Jerusalem but over a million Jews died. 27:21 Pause. 27:23 then it says in the next verse, verse 8... 27:29 "Then he said to his servants, The wedding is ready, 27:34 but those who were invited were not worthy. " 27:38 Now, that's an interesting expression 27:41 because I often hear prayers being said in church 27:47 amongst us... 27:49 and the expression is, 27:51 "We are not worthy... please make us worthy. " 27:53 Have you ever heard people pray like that? 27:55 Pause. 27:58 In other words, their concept of worthiness 28:00 is based on their behavior. 28:02 But tell me, what was worthiness 28:07 according to this parable and what Jesus is teaching 28:10 what is it based on? 28:11 Pause. 28:12 What made a person worthy in the story? 28:16 It wasn't their behavior, what was it? 28:19 Pause. 28:21 Well, let's have a look. 28:24 In verse 8, then he said to his servants, 28:29 "The wedding is ready but those who were invited 28:31 were not worthy. " 28:34 So, what made them worthy? 28:36 Whether they had accepted the invitation. 28:40 That's the basis of our worthiness... 28:42 not what we do and what we don't do... 28:45 it's whether we've accepted the invitation 28:48 and another interesting expression in this verse 28:52 is the fact that... it says down here in verse 10, 28:57 "So those servants went out into the highways, 29:00 and gathered together all whom they found, 29:04 both bad and good... " 29:07 I find that interesting. 29:10 Pause. 29:12 Two groups of people... the bad and the good... 29:14 so that would include us all wouldn't it? 29:17 It includes the bad who know they're bad 29:20 and it includes the bad who think they're good 29:22 pause... 29:25 and there were many of those around Jesus 29:27 and there are still many today who are modern Pharisees... 29:31 but Jesus in love... because He loved the Pharisees 29:35 the same as He loved everybody, 29:37 said, "This invitation goes out to both the bad and the good. " 29:42 So not one of us is excluded from this wonderful invitation. 29:47 Pause. 29:50 And the Bible says in verse 10, 29:51 "The wedding hall was filled with guests. " 29:56 Pause. 29:58 So there had been a lot of people who responded positively 30:01 to the invitation to come to the wedding. 30:03 It was full. 30:05 Pause. 30:08 Now there's something else that we must understand 30:10 about an ancient wedding 30:11 different to our day 30:13 and probably most parents of the girls 30:17 would agree that they're glad they don't have to do 30:21 what was done back in those days 30:22 because you see, when a king or a very rich person 30:27 put on a wedding, 30:29 they not only sent out to the invitees the invitation 30:35 but they also sent out the wedding garment to wear. 30:41 Pause. 30:43 Now, I know that that would have solved some problems 30:46 because we just received an invitation to a wedding today... 30:56 not that the wedding's going to be today 30:58 but that I received the invitation today... 31:00 it was handed to me... 31:02 and when I handed this to my better half, 31:10 pause... 31:12 do you know what the expression was? 31:15 All the women will know... what was it? 31:18 "What am I going to wear?" 31:20 Pause... 31:23 Now, immediately, this solved that problem 31:27 because not only was the invitation given 31:31 but also, the... the garment... 31:34 now, you can imagine the expense the king went to 31:39 in providing everybody... not only the wedding... 31:44 but also the garment. 31:46 Pause... 31:49 So there are two things in the story 31:52 that are important for us to understand... 31:53 one is the invitation... 31:55 and then, secondly, the garment. 31:58 Eventually, verse 11 goes on to say, 32:00 "When the king came in to see the guests... " 32:02 he wanted to have a look over his... his invitees... 32:06 "When the king came in to see the guests, 32:09 he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. " 32:13 I might say that he came in to examine the guests 32:17 or to look the guests over... 32:20 before the marriage took place, before the second coming... 32:25 he comes in to examine and to look at... 32:29 "And he sees there a man... " verse 11... 32:32 "that did not have on a wedding garment. " 32:36 Pause. 32:39 Now, you can just imagine, 32:40 this fellow would have stood out like a sore thumb. 32:42 I mean, everybody else is dressed beautifully 32:45 in this garment that the king supplies, 32:47 and here's this guy dressed in his ordinary clothes. 32:51 Stand out... so the king goes over to him immediately 32:56 and says... what does he call him? 32:57 "You scoundrel... " 32:59 no... verse 12... "So He said to him, 33:02 'Friend, how did you come in here 33:04 without a wedding garment?'" 33:06 Pause... 33:08 more pause... 33:10 "How did you get in here without this garment on?" 33:15 And he gave the man an opportunity of giving a reason, 33:19 perhaps... perhaps he said, "I understand Australia Post 33:24 they're not always very reliable... " 33:25 he was giving him a reason... 33:28 the man could have said, 33:30 "Well, I don't know anything about this wedding garment, 33:32 what do you mean 'a wedding garment' 33:33 I've never heard of such a thing!" 33:35 pause... 33:36 but he didn't say anything like that... what did he say? 33:39 Nothing... 33:41 he was speechless. 33:44 And it's only then that we are told in verse 13, 33:49 "And the king said to the servants, 33:50 bind him hand and foot, 33:52 take him away and cast him into outer darkness... " 33:55 there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. " 33:58 Only then, is the man thrown out, 34:02 the issue then with the story is... in the wedding... 34:07 "Do the guests have on the garment?" 34:12 Now, the question is, "What is this garment 34:16 that features so importantly in this story, 34:20 what does this garment represent 34:22 that all the guests had to wear?" 34:24 All right, come over to Revelation chapter 19 34:29 and what I love about the Bible 34:30 is, the bible always explains itself 34:32 and when we get over to Revelation, 34:34 which is Jesus' book, 34:35 so you're not surprised to find that the interpretation 34:39 of many of the gospel stories 34:40 as the interpretation of some of the statements in Revelation 34:43 are given in the gospels and the gospels in revelation 34:45 because the two fit together. 34:47 Have a look at Revelation 19 and verse 6, 34:51 "And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, 34:55 as the sound of many waters, 34:57 and as the sound of mighty thunderings, 35:00 saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigns. " 35:04 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give Him glory 35:08 for the marriage of the lamb has come, 35:12 and his wife has made herself ready. " 35:14 So, this is just before Jesus returns. 35:17 Pause... 35:21 "Wherefore were assured into the kingdom of God... " 35:23 verse 8... "And to her 35:27 it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, 35:31 clean and bright... 35:34 for the fine linen is the righteous... " what? 35:39 Pause. 35:41 "acts or actions of the saints. " 35:45 Did you read that correctly? 35:47 Pause... 35:50 That seems very much different to what sometimes 35:52 we hear preached 35:54 pause... 35:55 righteous acts... of the saints. 35:59 Now, it's interesting that in Jeremiah 23 verse 6 it says 36:05 that the Lord is our righteousness. 36:09 Which means that any acts or actions or works 36:13 are not our works but are the Lord's works 36:17 done through us... 36:19 that's what it means... the Lord is our righteousness... 36:23 pause... 36:25 there are two aspects I have noticed 36:28 as I have studied the New Testament 36:30 about the work of Christ 36:33 and both are part of the gospel. 36:37 To emphasize one against the other, 36:41 is a perversion of the gospel. 36:43 The first aspect is the work of Christ for us 36:50 which He did on Calvary's cross 2,000 years ago 36:56 and we can never exaggerate the importance 36:59 of what Jesus has done for us... 37:01 pause... 37:04 but I want to tell you something else 37:05 that as I have read the New Testament through, 37:07 I have found that there are four times more references 37:13 to the work of Christ in us than the work of Christ for us. 37:19 Now, I am not suggesting in any shape or form 37:21 that the work that Christ did for us on Calvary 37:24 is to be minimized... that is not what I am saying, 37:27 but I am saying that the Bible has emphasized the fact 37:30 that Christ wants to do a work in us. 37:32 Pause... 37:34 And it's very important... 37:37 and there are two parts of the gospel 37:40 both are of faith and both are gifts from Jesus. 37:45 Pause... 37:48 I'm thinking about this man in the parable 37:51 that we have just read, he wanted to be at the wedding 37:54 but he didn't want to put on the garment, is that right? 37:56 You know, in my work of evangelism 37:59 over the years, 38:00 I have found it relatively easy to get people to accept Jesus. 38:04 I have literally seen thousands upon thousands 38:08 of people who have come to the front... 38:11 who have signed cards... 38:12 who want to accept Jesus as their Savior, 38:14 pause... 38:18 that is not such a difficult thing 38:21 to get a decision in that area, 38:24 however, when I talk to those same people 38:29 and I teach them about God's requirements for us 38:35 and the way that God wants us to live 38:39 and the life of obedience and the life of overcoming 38:45 "I couldn't shoot those people out of the hole quicker, 38:51 if I had a machine gun. " 38:52 Pause... 38:54 You see, it's the same story that Jesus was telling... 38:56 they want to come to the... to the wedding... 39:00 they hear about all these wonderful things 39:02 and we want to go there, isn't it wonderful... 39:04 but they don't want to wear the garment 39:07 and the Bible says, 39:09 "No one is going into heaven without the garment. " 39:12 Not just the invitation... it's both... 39:18 pause... 39:20 and there's something more important 39:22 than us getting to heaven... 39:24 important as that is... 39:26 and I know, for me, I want to go to heaven 39:29 and I'm sure you do too 39:31 but there's something more important than that 39:34 and that is... to bring honor and glory to God. 39:38 That's the most important thing 39:41 and the reason that God wants to work in us 39:44 and His righteousness needs to be in our hearts 39:47 is so that we will bring honor and glory to Him... 39:51 that's why He's given us the health message. 39:53 Pause... 39:55 Because God doesn't want us to be sickly... 39:57 He wants us to radiate good health... 39:59 He wants us to understand so that when people see us, 40:03 "What Mitch, why are you so well?" 40:05 And we are able to talk to them about Jesus. 40:08 That's why He's given us all the truths in the Bible 40:10 so that as our lives are changed, 40:13 we become honest and upright and caring. 40:15 That impresses people... even secular people. 40:18 Pause... 40:21 Bring honor and glory to God. 40:22 You know the 23rd Psalm... all of us know it by heart... 40:27 it says, "He leads me in the paths of righteousness... " 40:32 what's the rest of the verse say? 40:34 "for His name's sake. " 40:38 In other words, He gives me righteousness 40:40 so that I can honor His name. 40:42 Pause... 40:44 That's the reason, 40:46 and there are two things that we must look out for, 40:51 one is: to accept the invitation by God's grace 40:56 but secondly, to accept the garment by God's grace 41:01 and both are gifts. 41:03 Pause... 41:07 The Bible says in Revelation 3 verse 5, 41:09 "To him that overcometh, 41:12 will be clothed in white raiment. " 41:15 The Bible puts "overcoming" and the "garment" together. 41:19 So when the king comes in to investigate, 41:24 could I use that word, 41:25 or examine the guests before the second coming, 41:29 the thing that He's looking for 41:31 is whether we've got the garment on. 41:33 Pause... 41:35 Not the invitation 41:37 because you wouldn't be there in the first place 41:39 if you hadn't accepted the invitation, is that right? 41:41 So, that's not the issue in the judgment, 41:44 the issue in the judgment is 41:46 whether you've got the garment on 41:47 and that's where the rub is. 41:49 Those who had accepted the invitation 41:53 and continue to accept the invitation, 41:57 also accept the wedding garment 42:00 and continue to accept the wedding garment. 42:02 Let me illustrate... 42:05 a friend of mine was telling me that he applied for a job 42:09 in one of our big universities, 42:11 pause... 42:12 and obviously, he had to show his academic achievements... 42:18 what papers he'd written 42:19 and his teaching ability and so forth 42:22 and finally, he got the job. 42:24 Pause... 42:27 When he was talking to the academic leaders 42:30 in the university, they said to him, 42:32 "You have done well, 42:34 we are very happy with what you have supplied us, 42:37 but there is one more condition before you can become a teacher 42:42 and a lecturer here at our university. " 42:44 And he said, "Well, what's that?" 42:46 He said, "Every person who becomes a professor here 42:51 has to pass a TB test. 42:55 Now at that particular time, 42:58 TB was a bit of a problem in that area 43:02 and he... the academic dean and so forth 43:05 said to my friend that the Board does not want people... 43:12 its professors... coughing TB germs 43:17 or sneezing TB germs all over the students. 43:21 Pause... 43:24 Now, the TB Test had nothing to do 43:28 with the acceptance of him as a teacher at the University, 43:31 nothing to do with it... 43:33 he was accepted on the basis of his papers that he had supplied 43:38 but there was another condition before he became a teacher 43:42 and that is, that he had to pass the TB test 43:47 pause... 43:49 and so it is. 43:51 When Jesus gives to everyone 43:53 and invites everyone to the marriage supper of the lamb. 43:59 There is nothing that will ever be added to the invitation 44:04 that He has given. 44:05 Nothing... nobody can add a single thing 44:11 to what Jesus has already done. 44:14 It is complete... a 100% complete 44:18 but there is another condition before we get into heaven 44:25 and that is... we've got to have the garment on 44:27 because God doesn't want people 44:35 coughing "sin germs" all over the universe 44:39 and over His pristine heaven. 44:41 God has got to make sure that before we go into heaven, 44:47 we're not going to continue 44:49 the life that we're living down on this life 44:52 up there in heaven. 44:54 To illustrate... 44:57 imagine if a person wasn't converted 44:59 and they hadn't got the garment on, 45:01 and as they go into the city, 45:03 the first thing they see is this beautiful golden street. 45:06 Pause... 45:09 What do you think is going to go through their mind? 45:12 They're unconverted... 45:14 What would happen? 45:16 they'd go down to the heavenly Bunnings... 45:20 buy a hammer and chisel and start chipping away... 45:25 isn't that right? 45:26 Absolutely... 45:28 and as for the music, wowee! 45:30 Imagine going home to heaven 45:33 listening to music that we love here 45:35 and you're being used doing the heavy metal and so forth... 45:39 and you get home and listen to those heavenly choirs... 45:43 God's stainless music... 45:45 because unless a person's heart is changed, 45:50 they would never be happy in heaven's environment. 45:53 That's why we've got to have the garment on 45:55 pause... 45:58 because we've got to be made ready for the environment. 46:00 We've got to be happy in that environment. 46:03 Pause... 46:07 When talking to people 46:08 about the overcoming life and victory, 46:11 there are some of us who don't understand that 46:14 that's part of the gospel 46:16 because for some of us, 46:18 the gospel is defined by justification alone. 46:22 Pause. 46:24 Pardon... in other words... 46:26 what Jesus did on the cross, is the totality of the gospel. 46:30 I want to suggest to you today 46:32 that that is a perversion of the gospel... 46:34 that is a half-measure of the gospel. 46:38 The gospel is more than forgiveness... 46:42 thank God for that... 46:43 He offers me power to change my life 46:46 so that I will be happy in heaven in that environment... 46:51 that I'm not born naturally to enjoy. 46:54 Pause... 46:57 What I find that these people who want to emphasize 47:02 of only what Jesus has done on the cross, 47:05 is that they don't understand 47:07 that the robe is as free as the invitation. 47:11 Pause... 47:13 Imagine if we had to sew our garments. 47:17 There would be some of us that would be quite adept at that, 47:21 there'll be others... be hopeless... 47:23 we wouldn't be able to do it 47:25 but there's not one stitch of human devising in that garment. 47:30 Everything is a gift... God has done it for us... 47:33 all He wants us to do is to be willing to put the garment on 47:36 and if we put the garment on, 47:38 He then works in my life to change my life 47:41 as He wants me to be. 47:43 Pause. 47:48 So both justification and sanctification 47:52 are total gifts from God... 47:54 pause... 47:56 and some of us have not understood that 47:59 that's why we grit our teeth when we speak, 48:01 we come to Jesus... we accept Jesus... 48:03 and then we think from this moment onwards, 48:06 "I'm going to grit my teeth... I've got to bite the seed... 48:08 I've got to not eat chocolate anymore... " 48:10 or not swear anymore or what ever it happens to be. 48:14 No, that's not the way it's done at all... 48:16 we come to Jesus as we are and as we put the robe on, 48:20 it is His life that will change us... 48:23 His righteousness works on the inside 48:25 and changes me from the inside out. 48:28 Pause... 48:32 more pause... 48:34 It's one reason why some people 48:35 try to bring their theology down to their own performance 48:39 and because they haven't got victory in their life, 48:42 they try to wind their theology around 48:46 their lack of performance 48:49 and their lack of understanding of the gospel record. 48:53 You know that beautiful hymn, "Rock of Ages" 48:57 one of the most wonderful hymns... 49:01 by the way, we've got to sing that while we're here, 49:02 pause... 49:05 you remember the words, 49:09 "Rock of Ages, cleft for me, 49:13 Let me hide myself in thee; 49:17 Let the water and the blood, 49:21 From Thy riven side which flowed, 49:23 Be of sin... " what's the next word? 49:26 "the double cure... " 49:27 What's a double cure? 49:29 Well, the rest of that hymn says, 49:31 "Cleanse me from its guilt... " that's justification... 49:36 "and its power" that's sanctification... 49:39 Even the hymn writer understood it. 49:42 Pause... 49:44 because the two must never be separated 49:47 and the worst thing that's happened in the last 30 years 49:50 is that it's been separated in some people's minds 49:54 and it's brought all manner of tragedies... 49:57 pause... 50:02 the garment is as free as the invitation. 50:06 Can I read you a statement 50:09 that I'm going to put on the screen now? 50:11 From "Desire of Ages" 50:14 it's the most wonderful statement 50:17 outside the Bible on this subject. 50:20 Let's just have look at it because it is amazing... look, 50:25 "All true obedience comes from the heart. 50:32 It was heart work with Christ. 50:37 If we consent, 50:40 He will so identify Himself with our thoughts and aims, 50:45 so blend our hearts and minds 50:48 into conformity to His will, 50:51 that when obeying Him 50:55 we shall be but carrying out our own impulses. " 50:58 Let me just pause here 51:01 before we read the next section of the paragraph. 51:03 tell me this... 51:05 if... 51:12 just put it back please to the previous... yes... 51:15 when it says, "When obeying Him, 51:17 we shall be but carrying out our own impulses... " 51:19 let me ask you this, 51:21 if I'm carrying out my own impulses, 51:25 will it be easy to be obedient or hard to be obedient? 51:28 pause... 51:30 Easy or hard? 51:32 Pause... 51:35 wait a moment, I'm carrying out my own natural impulses, 51:39 is it going to be easy or hard? 51:41 Easy... 51:42 pause... 51:45 look, do you look at the statement again, 51:47 "so blend our hearts and minds into conformity with His will, 51:53 that when obeying Him... " 51:55 that is... doing the right thing, 51:57 we will but be carrying out our own impulses, 52:02 that says to me... it's easy... 52:07 pause... 52:11 let me give another illustration, 52:13 pause... 52:17 if you came and offered me a cigarette this afternoon, 52:21 it wouldn't even tempt me an iota. 52:25 You couldn't tempt me in a 1,000 years 52:30 to smoke a cigarette. 52:31 Why? 52:34 Because I hate the things... 52:36 and it's easy for me not to smoke 52:39 that's not a battle at all... 52:41 I wish I could say that about everything in my life 52:43 but the facts are that when it comes to cigarette smoking, 52:47 I don't have to have a battle, it's easy. 52:49 Pause. 52:51 Let me read you the rest of the statement, look, 52:52 "The will, refined and sanctified, 52:57 will find its highest delight in doing His service. 53:00 When we know God 53:03 as it is our privilege to know Him, 53:05 our life will be a life of... " what? 53:08 "continual obedience. " 53:10 Would you suggest that that is supporting the idea 53:16 the Bible says, "to him that overcomes... " 53:18 pause... 53:20 "Go and sin no more... " 53:21 Absolutely. 53:23 "Our life will be a life of continual obedience. 53:26 Through an appreciation of the character of Christ, 53:29 communion with God, 53:30 sin will become hateful to us. " 53:33 I want to tell you, "If you hate sin, 53:36 sin is easy to overcome. " 53:39 Pause. 53:41 Now, does that mean 53:43 that we will never have any more battles to fight? 53:45 No... because as we get closer to God, 53:48 God shows us more things in our lives that are unlovely, 53:51 isn't that right? 53:53 But as God reveals to me His will and purpose 53:57 and He gives me power and I spend time... 54:00 what is the key in that last part of the paragraph? 54:04 What she's saying there is the key to being victorious 54:08 in the Christian life, what is it? 54:13 Yes, through... when we know God 54:16 as it is our privilege to know Him, 54:19 our life will be a life of continual obedience. 54:23 In other words, I don't need to spend my time 54:27 trying to be good, 54:28 and trying not to do the wrong thing 54:30 or trying to do the right thing, 54:34 my effort in the Christian pathway 54:37 must be put into communion with God 54:40 and if I spend time with God, 54:42 He with His righteousness 54:44 will change my life from the inside... out. 54:48 Isn't that wonderful good news? 54:50 I tell you, we ought to be shouting from the hilltops 54:54 because it is the gospel in truth 54:58 and I feel so desperately sorry 55:02 that those who belong to this circle knew theology 55:06 who don't understand that basic understanding of the gospel. 55:11 The two things must go together 55:14 and sin becomes hateful to us. 55:17 People say to me, 55:19 "Well, I can't obey... I've tried... 55:23 well, I can't... " 55:25 well, the paralytic couldn't walk either 55:27 until Jesus told Him to, isn't that right? 55:30 Then he jumped up and he walked. 55:33 Someone says, "I can't live a life of overcoming... " 55:36 nor could Moses push the Red Sea back 55:39 but he did... 55:41 because God gave Him the power, 55:43 Joshua couldn't have made the sun stand still, 55:48 but he did... 55:49 through the power of God. 55:50 Gideon could never have beaten the Midianites with 300 men, 55:54 but he did... through the power of God. 55:57 Peter could not have walked on water, 56:01 but he did... through the power of God 56:04 and I want to remind you of that wonderful verse, 56:08 in Jude 24, "Now unto Him who is able 56:11 to... " what? 56:12 "keep you from falling... " 56:14 do you believe that? 56:16 Better than the Bible... 56:18 keep you from falling and to present you 56:21 "faultless" before His throne 56:25 with exceeding joy. " 56:27 What a wonderful promise that is... 56:29 that's the gospel in verity 56:30 pause... 56:33 and as I come to Jesus day by day 56:35 and I accept the invitation, 56:39 I accept Jesus into my life. 56:43 I also accept the garment in the same way. 56:46 "Lord, give me... thank you for accepting me today 56:50 and thank you for that wonderful garment. " 56:54 As I keep accepting Jesus on a daily basis, 56:58 He gives me power so that I can choose 57:02 to do the right thing 57:03 and I trust that God will help us 57:06 to accept that gospel truth today 57:09 because it has changed millions 57:12 and it will change your life too. 57:14 Let's bow our heads in prayer. 57:16 "Our Father in heaven, I just want to thank you today 57:19 for the wonderful good news of the gospel. 57:22 I thank you that the gospel includes 57:25 what Jesus has done for us so wonderfully on the cross 57:29 and what He's going to do for us day by day 57:32 as our lives are changed and He gives us power. 57:35 Bless us to this end, 57:36 keep us faithful until the wonderful day 57:38 when we will see those clouds roll back in the sky 57:41 when Jesus returns, 57:42 I pray for Christ's sake, amen. " |
Revised 2019-04-02