WEBVTT 00:00:04.607 --> 00:00:09.474 The following resource is brought to you by Real Life Community Church in Richmond, kentucky. 00:00:09.474 --> 00:00:18.414 We hope you're both challenged and encouraged by this message from Pastor Chris May, if you have your Bible heard with me to Matthew 21,. 00:00:18.434 --> 00:00:22.981 We'd like to stand for the honor of the reading of God's word, matthew 21,. 00:00:22.981 --> 00:00:26.849 And we're going to begin in verse 23. 00:00:26.849 --> 00:00:32.648 Matthew 21, in verse 23. 00:00:32.648 --> 00:00:35.064 You have it say amen. 00:00:35.064 --> 00:00:38.006 If you don't, if you don't have your Bible with you, it'll be on the screen. 00:00:38.006 --> 00:00:44.600 Matthew, chapter 21. 00:00:44.600 --> 00:00:48.950 Aren't you grateful for our music team, our worship team? 00:00:48.950 --> 00:00:55.942 Aren't they amazing and grateful for the authentic worship, not just the quality of the music, but the authenticity of their heart? 00:00:55.942 --> 00:01:02.488 Matthew, chapter 21, verse 23. 00:01:04.000 --> 00:01:22.364 The word of the Lord says this and when Jesus entered the temple, the chief priest and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching and said by what authority are you doing these things and who gave you that authority? 00:01:22.364 --> 00:01:24.307 And Jesus answered them. 00:01:24.307 --> 00:01:31.301 I will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. 00:01:31.301 --> 00:01:33.462 The baptism of John. 00:01:33.462 --> 00:01:35.087 Where did it come from? 00:01:35.087 --> 00:01:36.784 From heaven or from man? 00:01:36.784 --> 00:01:45.048 And they just stuck, disgusted among themselves, saying if we say from heaven, he will say to us why then did you not believe him? 00:01:45.048 --> 00:01:48.807 But if we say from man, we are afraid of the crowd. 00:01:48.807 --> 00:01:51.412 And they all hold that John was a prophet. 00:01:51.412 --> 00:01:54.126 So they answered Jesus, we do not know. 00:01:54.126 --> 00:01:58.427 And he said to them neither will I tell you about what authority I do these things. 00:01:59.150 --> 00:01:59.790 Verse 28. 00:01:59.790 --> 00:02:01.444 What do you think? 00:02:01.444 --> 00:02:08.641 A man had two sons and he went to the first and said, son, go and work in the vineyard today. 00:02:08.641 --> 00:02:10.903 And he answered I will not. 00:02:10.903 --> 00:02:20.268 But afterwards he changed his mind and he went and went to the other son and he said the same and he answered him I go, sir. 00:02:20.268 --> 00:02:22.302 But he did not go. 00:02:22.302 --> 00:02:27.842 Each of the two did the will of his father and they said the first. 00:02:27.842 --> 00:02:42.192 Jesus said to them truly, I say to you, the tax collector and the prostitute, go into the kingdom of God before you, for John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him. 00:02:42.192 --> 00:02:45.444 But the tax collectors and the prostitutes believe. 00:02:45.444 --> 00:02:51.091 And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your mind and believe. 00:02:51.091 --> 00:03:09.621 That's the word of the Lord and you may be seated Over the. 00:03:09.621 --> 00:03:32.294 Over the last couple of weeks we've been in the previous path passage in Matthew 21, looking at the familiar story of Jesus storming the temple, turning over the money tables, driving out the buyers and sellers and really chastising the temple authority. 00:03:32.294 --> 00:03:35.205 The radical tax, the sobering tax. 00:03:38.159 --> 00:03:39.445 Now there's a painting. 00:03:39.445 --> 00:03:40.925 I think we have this picture, guys. 00:03:40.925 --> 00:03:42.584 Do we have that I want to put up on the screen? 00:03:42.584 --> 00:03:48.210 Oh, come on, my whole sermon revolves around this. 00:03:48.210 --> 00:03:53.590 All right, well, I'm just going to have to paint the image in your mind. 00:03:53.590 --> 00:03:57.064 I'm going to give a second, because, are we good? 00:03:57.064 --> 00:03:59.471 There's no picture. 00:03:59.471 --> 00:04:04.389 Oh, all right, dad, look through the other ones. 00:04:04.389 --> 00:04:04.741 Is there? 00:04:04.741 --> 00:04:05.264 It's not. 00:04:05.264 --> 00:04:07.264 Later on, I must have accidentally deleted it. 00:04:07.264 --> 00:04:10.604 See it? 00:04:10.604 --> 00:04:16.670 Oh, bummer, all right, well, go with me in your mind of this painting. 00:04:16.670 --> 00:04:24.404 All right, it's a 14th century painting by an Italian artist, giotto, and it depicts this scene in the temple. 00:04:24.404 --> 00:04:26.968 Okay, and get this in your mind. 00:04:26.968 --> 00:04:30.970 Oh man, it's not near as effective without the actual painting, but here we go. 00:04:31.600 --> 00:04:37.172 So on the left hand side you have this is Jesus storming the temple. 00:04:37.172 --> 00:04:46.449 Right On the left hand side you have his disciples, jesus' disciples, and they look like really anxious and like astonished that Jesus is doing this. 00:04:46.449 --> 00:05:00.326 Because this would be like, you know, we take a church group to Washington DC and I storm the White House and start, you know, calling out, you know, the government, and you would be like man. 00:05:00.326 --> 00:05:01.951 What in the world is he doing? 00:05:01.951 --> 00:05:06.860 Like we're not associated with this guy, all right, like I didn't know you were going to do that. 00:05:06.860 --> 00:05:12.391 And so they look a little confused and bewildered and just shocked at what Jesus is doing. 00:05:12.391 --> 00:05:41.762 Well, on the right side you have these cowering money changers and then behind them are these chief priests and elders and they're talking amongst themselves and you know, the idea is that they're conversing, wondering how they can get rid of this man called Jesus In the center of the painting and oh, I wish you could see this, we'll have to look it up later but in the center of the painting is Jesus Christ and he has. 00:05:41.961 --> 00:05:44.850 It looks like his fist is caught back like this. 00:05:44.850 --> 00:05:51.944 The money changers are right here and his fist is like this, like come at me, bro, right. 00:05:51.944 --> 00:06:01.824 Actually in the painting he's holding the whip that he, you know, took care of the tables with, knocked everything off the tables, but with you can't? 00:06:01.824 --> 00:06:04.572 The whip is so light that you can't see it. 00:06:04.572 --> 00:06:09.324 It just looks like he's getting ready to punch the lights out of these guys and they're kind of like this. 00:06:09.324 --> 00:06:26.225 But I love the picture because I think it helps in just a small way, it helps us get an idea of really the tension here in this situation, that the confrontation that's taking place. 00:06:26.439 --> 00:06:39.747 Now, here's what I want you to consider If I were to ask you hey, I want you to picture Jesus in your mind, I want you to get an image of Jesus in your mind. 00:06:39.747 --> 00:06:44.591 This is probably not the image you would come up with, right? 00:06:44.591 --> 00:06:48.543 You wouldn't conjure up Jesus with his fist back, right, getting ready to punch somebody. 00:06:48.543 --> 00:06:59.930 No, you might picture Meek and Mild Jesus, who was, you know, at the beginning of chapter 21, riding in as Israel's savior on a donkey's colt. 00:06:59.930 --> 00:07:13.432 You might picture a powerful, compassionate Jesus who, we've read, has gone around healing the sick, even raising the dead, casting out demons, loving the poor and the marginalized. 00:07:13.432 --> 00:07:14.824 So we love that Jesus. 00:07:14.824 --> 00:07:24.391 You might picture the images of Jesus Remember just chapters back welcoming the children around him. 00:07:24.391 --> 00:07:31.428 You just picture, you know, one of your children, like, bouncing on his knee and him just being so kind and blessing the children. 00:07:31.428 --> 00:07:42.148 You see, we loved and we welcomed the Meek and Mild and compassionate and loving and child welcoming Jesus Christ. 00:07:42.148 --> 00:07:44.644 We embrace that Jesus. 00:07:44.745 --> 00:07:54.228 But some people are a little bit nervous about the Jesus who is the powerful judge who acts with the righteous indignation. 00:07:54.228 --> 00:07:59.680 So, when taken as a whole, here's what I love about Matthew 21. 00:07:59.680 --> 00:08:07.694 Here's what it does it gives us a glimpse of the juxtaposition of these two sides of Jesus, and here's what I mean by that. 00:08:07.694 --> 00:08:15.877 On one hand, we see gentle Jesus, right, and then, on the other hand, we see that he's a force to be reckoned with. 00:08:15.877 --> 00:08:22.560 We see that Jesus is someone who speaks with grace, but he also speaks with truth. 00:08:22.560 --> 00:08:24.574 The truth can hurt, amen. 00:08:24.574 --> 00:08:33.981 We see that Jesus, wonderfully, is one who justified, but he's also one who judged. 00:08:33.981 --> 00:08:38.956 We see Jesus as you take the book of Matthew as a whole. 00:08:38.956 --> 00:08:45.096 He is the sacrificial lamb, as I said earlier, but he's also the roaring lion. 00:08:45.096 --> 00:09:02.023 So here's the main point I wanted to bring out today, and it is this Our text reminds us that to be a real follower of Jesus is to embrace the whole of Jesus. 00:09:02.690 --> 00:09:11.120 Like you and I don't get to pick and choose which parts of Jesus we want to cling to and which ones we'd rather not think about. 00:09:11.120 --> 00:09:16.822 We don't get to pick and choose which commands we like, which teachings we don't like of him. 00:09:16.822 --> 00:09:31.342 No, see, to be a Christian is to receive Jesus' grace, yes, but it's also to accept his confrontational nature when he confronts you with something in your life. 00:09:31.342 --> 00:09:42.202 The bottom line is this To be a Christian is to not only receive Jesus' save, but it's to submit to him as Lord. 00:09:42.202 --> 00:09:46.457 You can't have one without the other. 00:09:46.457 --> 00:09:49.977 So we have to take the whole of who Jesus is. 00:09:49.977 --> 00:09:51.572 Are you with me, Not at me, this morning? 00:09:51.572 --> 00:09:53.278 If you're awake, all right, here we go. 00:09:53.690 --> 00:09:57.120 So I'm going to break the text down into only two points this morning. 00:09:57.120 --> 00:09:57.692 How about that? 00:09:57.692 --> 00:10:03.438 Number one is this addressing the authority of Jesus. 00:10:03.438 --> 00:10:05.923 Addressing the authority of Jesus. 00:10:05.923 --> 00:10:09.056 The number two responding to the authority of Jesus. 00:10:09.056 --> 00:10:16.120 The importance of addressing Jesus' authority and the importance of responding to Jesus' authority. 00:10:16.120 --> 00:10:21.403 So, number one if you're taking notes, you can write this down addressing the authority of Jesus. 00:10:21.403 --> 00:10:22.835 Look at verse 23 with me. 00:10:23.750 --> 00:10:28.421 So, since Jesus entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching. 00:10:28.421 --> 00:10:36.221 And here's what they asked by what authority are you doing these things and who gave you that authority? 00:10:36.221 --> 00:10:45.509 Now, remember, a day before this, jesus has stormed the temple, and I mean he just challenged the worship. 00:10:45.509 --> 00:10:56.785 He disrupted worship in the temple, turning over the tables, confronting the religious establishment, driving out buyers and sellers. 00:10:56.785 --> 00:10:57.472 Think about that. 00:10:57.472 --> 00:11:06.535 And now he has the audacity the next day to just walk into the temple again and, without any permission, he just starts teaching. 00:11:06.535 --> 00:11:11.674 He just starts teaching Now, the chief priest. 00:11:11.674 --> 00:11:13.299 You know, matthew mentions the chief priest. 00:11:13.370 --> 00:11:17.533 The chief priests were elite politicians Do you have here in the story? 00:11:17.533 --> 00:11:27.682 You have these spiritual leaders, but you have, I mean, political leaders, and they actually had, believe it or not, quite a bit of power and jurisdiction under even Rome. 00:11:27.682 --> 00:11:31.157 Rome gave them a certain amount of power. 00:11:31.157 --> 00:11:43.000 And so, as Jesus is teaching these chief priests and the elders of the people, they confront Jesus and they ask him a really simple question who gave you this authority? 00:11:43.000 --> 00:11:45.394 Who gave you this authority? 00:11:45.394 --> 00:11:48.837 In other words, who gave you the right? 00:11:48.837 --> 00:11:51.193 This is our temple. 00:11:51.193 --> 00:11:55.315 We're the leaders of this temple, we're the shepherds of these people. 00:11:55.315 --> 00:12:04.721 Who gave you the right to storm in here, to disrupt worship, to teach your own thing? 00:12:04.721 --> 00:12:07.711 Well, here's what I think. 00:12:07.711 --> 00:12:11.981 I think the chief priests actually have a fair argument. 00:12:11.981 --> 00:12:14.951 I mean, it's a fair question, is it not Like? 00:12:14.951 --> 00:12:17.037 Just imagine this morning, just imagine this. 00:12:17.889 --> 00:12:33.081 Let's say that during the music earlier on, I had to step out for a minute and while I was out, let's just say that somebody came in the back and they just come up, they grab a microphone and they just start teaching. 00:12:33.081 --> 00:12:35.274 They disrupt worship. 00:12:35.274 --> 00:12:41.836 They haven't asked me, they haven't asked the pastors and they just start the other pastor. 00:12:41.836 --> 00:12:42.351 They just start. 00:12:42.351 --> 00:12:46.149 And so I come into the sanctuary and here's this guy. 00:12:46.149 --> 00:12:47.533 I've never seen these in my pulpit. 00:12:47.533 --> 00:12:55.197 Am I just going to sit back and go oh good word, man, let's see what this guy, let's see what this man of God has to say. 00:12:55.197 --> 00:12:59.035 Actually, it'd be kind of interesting. 00:12:59.035 --> 00:13:00.995 I mean, I might be tempted to do that for a minute. 00:13:00.995 --> 00:13:09.883 But listen, I would have some questions and I would ask who gave you this authority? 00:13:09.883 --> 00:13:15.051 And then I would just remind the guy he's in Richmond, kentucky, and I bet we have a lot of people. 00:13:15.051 --> 00:13:18.630 I'm not going to go there. 00:13:21.918 --> 00:13:29.197 Listen, the rulers of the temple have every right to ask anybody who would come in and assume authority like this. 00:13:29.197 --> 00:13:30.701 Who gives you the right? 00:13:30.701 --> 00:13:32.605 Who has given you this authority? 00:13:32.605 --> 00:13:38.647 There's actually only one, being one man who would have authority over the chief priest. 00:13:38.647 --> 00:13:39.347 You know who it would be. 00:13:39.347 --> 00:13:41.080 It'd be the Messiah. 00:13:41.080 --> 00:13:45.743 And what they're really asking here is do you really think you're the Messiah. 00:13:45.743 --> 00:13:48.440 You really think you're the Messiah? 00:13:48.440 --> 00:13:50.461 Do you think you have authority over? 00:13:50.461 --> 00:14:05.659 Let me just give you some application here, because I think that all of us are wise to question authority, and I hate to drudge this up again, but I want to talk about COVID just for a second, because it illustrates my point. 00:14:07.095 --> 00:14:13.427 When vaccine mandates started coming down the pipeline, what did many of us have? 00:14:13.427 --> 00:14:18.645 An employer said if you're going to work here, you've got to get a vaccine. 00:14:18.645 --> 00:14:21.644 Many of you asked what gives you the right? 00:14:21.644 --> 00:14:22.820 Who gave you this authority? 00:14:22.820 --> 00:14:24.558 Tell me what I should put in my body. 00:14:24.558 --> 00:14:30.725 Remember the government who asked us to close churches mandated it. 00:14:30.725 --> 00:14:32.881 What did we ask? 00:14:32.881 --> 00:14:35.283 What about the separation of church and state? 00:14:35.283 --> 00:14:36.659 Who gives you the right? 00:14:36.659 --> 00:14:43.067 What authority are you telling us that we can or cannot meet the worship of God? 00:14:43.067 --> 00:14:49.125 Remember we even had elected officials telling us how we could celebrate Christmas Thanksgiving. 00:14:49.125 --> 00:14:51.861 Here's how big your family gatherings can be. 00:14:51.861 --> 00:14:57.687 If your grandma shows up and she's like the ninth person to cut off state, you got to stay outside. 00:14:57.687 --> 00:15:02.184 So we're some turkey out the window and let her fend for herself. 00:15:02.184 --> 00:15:04.479 And what did we ask? 00:15:04.479 --> 00:15:11.288 Who are you to tell me how and when I can gather with my family. 00:15:11.288 --> 00:15:12.759 What gives you the right? 00:15:13.914 --> 00:15:17.662 My point here, please understand me, some of you are just now getting riled up again. 00:15:17.662 --> 00:15:20.782 Listen, this is not about vaccines or social gatherings. 00:15:20.782 --> 00:15:28.975 My point is simply this we don't just blindly accept someone who has searched authority over us, do we? 00:15:28.975 --> 00:15:40.626 We want our personal autonomy and we're a bit mistrusting of people who claim to have authority, because is it true that authority has been like ultimate authority? 00:15:40.626 --> 00:15:42.298 Has it been abused in our world before? 00:15:42.298 --> 00:15:45.841 So we're a little cynical. 00:15:45.841 --> 00:15:47.600 We don't want tyranny, right? 00:15:47.600 --> 00:15:50.481 So we've got to think through. 00:15:50.501 --> 00:16:00.725 When somebody says you do this, I have charge over this part of your life, we question and I think wisely, who gives you the right? 00:16:00.725 --> 00:16:05.822 Well, the leaders of the temple. 00:16:05.822 --> 00:16:09.596 This is what they're asking With Jesus. 00:16:09.596 --> 00:16:13.145 Jesus, where does your authority come from? 00:16:13.145 --> 00:16:19.076 Beloved, I would just say to you this is the question I think every human being has to grapple. 00:16:19.076 --> 00:16:23.879 Every human being has to wrestle with this question. 00:16:23.879 --> 00:16:32.006 Because, as we've seen throughout Matthew's gospel, what does Jesus ask the multitude? 00:16:32.006 --> 00:16:34.380 To complete a legion. 00:16:34.380 --> 00:16:38.019 You obey everything I say. 00:16:38.019 --> 00:16:43.043 If you want to follow me, let me just give you some scriptures. 00:16:43.043 --> 00:16:47.818 I think we might have these on the screen, though I'm reluctant to say that, by the way, that's all my fault. 00:16:50.455 --> 00:16:50.956 Verse 10,. 00:16:50.956 --> 00:16:51.937 John 15.10,. 00:16:51.937 --> 00:16:55.726 Jesus says if you keep my commandment, not some of them. 00:16:55.726 --> 00:17:02.003 If you keep my commandment, you'll abide in my love, just as I've kept my father's commandment and abide in his love. 00:17:02.003 --> 00:17:05.643 Jesus claimed to be the only way to God. 00:17:05.643 --> 00:17:07.076 John 14.6,. 00:17:07.076 --> 00:17:10.306 He said I'm the way, the truth, the life. 00:17:10.306 --> 00:17:13.162 No one comes to the Father except through me. 00:17:13.162 --> 00:17:15.196 That's a radical claim. 00:17:18.894 --> 00:17:21.241 Where does Jesus claim his authority comes from? 00:17:21.241 --> 00:17:23.415 Matthew 28.18,. 00:17:23.415 --> 00:17:29.425 Jesus says all authority in heaven and on earth, it's been given to me. 00:17:29.425 --> 00:17:36.227 The implication is this authority comes from God. 00:17:36.227 --> 00:17:41.826 As a matter of fact, jesus himself claims to be one with the Father. 00:17:41.826 --> 00:17:47.105 He claims that to submit to him is to submit to the Father. 00:17:47.105 --> 00:17:49.963 To receive him is to receive the Father. 00:17:49.963 --> 00:17:52.542 To reject him is to reject the Father. 00:17:52.542 --> 00:17:57.665 Now, that's a bold claim and I think it's one we all need to wrestle with. 00:17:58.696 --> 00:18:02.465 And the question is how do we know that Jesus is really who he claims to be? 00:18:02.465 --> 00:18:07.785 Well, didn't he show through his many miracles that he has the power of God? 00:18:07.785 --> 00:18:14.726 Didn't he show, through his sinless life, that he has the character of God? 00:18:14.726 --> 00:18:21.067 And didn't he show, through his resurrection, that he has the approval of God and the authority of God. 00:18:21.067 --> 00:18:25.164 Listen, his authority hinges on one thing. 00:18:25.164 --> 00:18:33.284 It's not unanswered prayers, it's not a confrontation with another church member. 00:18:33.284 --> 00:18:37.261 Jesus' authority and his goodness doesn't hinge on that. 00:18:37.261 --> 00:18:42.664 His authority hinges on one thing and that is his resurrection. 00:18:42.664 --> 00:18:45.641 And there's good reason to believe in his resurrection. 00:18:48.255 --> 00:18:49.380 I thought I'd get an amen there. 00:18:49.380 --> 00:18:55.455 He is right and you know what. 00:18:55.455 --> 00:18:58.424 Ultimately, you know how we know that Jesus is who he says. 00:18:58.424 --> 00:19:01.102 You know how we know that his authority is from God. 00:19:01.102 --> 00:19:08.682 It's a miracle that God works in our heart, because God says, the Bible says none can come to the Father unless he draws. 00:19:08.682 --> 00:19:15.907 If you're here today and you realize Jesus truly is Lord, it's a gift of grace. 00:19:15.907 --> 00:19:17.942 You didn't conjure up that faith yourself. 00:19:17.942 --> 00:19:20.643 Ephesians says that even your faith is a gift from God. 00:19:20.643 --> 00:19:22.278 Let's end emambo's. 00:19:22.278 --> 00:19:30.898 If God has revealed to you that Jesus Christ is Lord, that he is the divine Son, it's an act of grace. 00:19:30.898 --> 00:19:37.518 God has removed the veil and allowed you to see the goodness and the greatness and the glory of our state. 00:19:37.518 --> 00:19:45.063 And so we need to wrestle with this idea of Jesus' authority, and here's what I want to put before you today. 00:19:45.063 --> 00:19:49.163 You and I can't be indifferent towards Jesus' claim of authority. 00:19:49.163 --> 00:19:51.086 We can't. 00:19:51.815 --> 00:19:59.443 Some people assert they say, well, you know, jesus was a good, you know moral teacher and someone to follow and learn from. 00:19:59.443 --> 00:20:04.099 But you know he's really I don't believe he's Lord, I don't really believe he's divine. 00:20:04.099 --> 00:20:11.178 Other people think you know what he's just a really good example to follow, like we should follow him. 00:20:11.178 --> 00:20:14.045 But I don't really know about this Lordship thing. 00:20:14.045 --> 00:20:21.046 Well, cs Lewis points out why this line of thinking is quite illogical. 00:20:21.046 --> 00:20:26.766 He asserts that Jesus is only one of the three things and you've probably heard this. 00:20:26.766 --> 00:20:28.441 He points this out in mere Christianity. 00:20:28.441 --> 00:20:31.262 One, he's either a liar. 00:20:31.262 --> 00:20:36.263 Two, he's a lunatic or three, he's actually Lord. 00:20:36.263 --> 00:20:37.377 He is who he says he is. 00:20:37.377 --> 00:20:42.223 You know, it's possible, you can wrestle with this. 00:20:42.223 --> 00:20:43.137 He could be a liar. 00:20:43.137 --> 00:20:48.787 Maybe he deceives mankind by conscious fraud. 00:20:48.787 --> 00:20:50.880 You know, maybe he's like. 00:20:50.880 --> 00:20:52.663 I know I'm not Lord, but I'm going to fool these people. 00:20:52.663 --> 00:20:55.160 It could be that he's a lunatic. 00:20:55.160 --> 00:21:02.356 Right, I was going to put a picture of myself up there, but I'm the number two, but I decided against it. 00:21:02.356 --> 00:21:08.726 But you know, it could be that Jesus thought that he was divine but he actually wasn't. 00:21:08.726 --> 00:21:15.598 Well, that would make him a lunatic, but I would say, if he's one of those first two things, then he's really a moral teacher whom we should follow. 00:21:15.598 --> 00:21:18.900 No, what's the only other option? 00:21:18.900 --> 00:21:26.757 It's that he actually is who he says he is, and he's Lord and he's Lord. 00:21:26.757 --> 00:21:29.317 And so this is something. 00:21:29.317 --> 00:21:34.288 His authority, his claims of authority we've all got to wrestle with it. 00:21:34.934 --> 00:21:49.766 The chief priests are asking this question and so at first glance, it goes well, man, their question is wise, it's a good question, but actually, jesus ends up not answering their questions straight away. 00:21:49.766 --> 00:21:52.200 Why? 00:21:52.200 --> 00:21:56.002 Because, though they're asking a fair question, their motive is wrong. 00:21:56.002 --> 00:22:02.323 They're not looking for truth, they're looking to discredit and to entrap Jesus. 00:22:02.323 --> 00:22:06.864 But Jesus will not be outsmarted or outwitted. 00:22:06.864 --> 00:22:08.915 He's kind of omniscient, like I don't. 00:22:08.915 --> 00:22:11.463 I don't recommend arguing with him. 00:22:11.463 --> 00:22:13.116 He's going to win the fight. 00:22:13.116 --> 00:22:16.747 So here's what he does. 00:22:16.747 --> 00:22:19.441 He answers their question with a question. 00:22:19.441 --> 00:22:25.796 So he asked them if they viewed John's baptism. 00:22:25.796 --> 00:22:27.967 This would be John the Baptist, his baptism. 00:22:27.967 --> 00:22:32.698 He says do you view this as being from God or heaven or from man? 00:22:33.226 --> 00:22:36.740 Now, john the Baptist, give you a little bit of history. 00:22:36.740 --> 00:22:37.924 He was Jesus' forerunner. 00:22:37.924 --> 00:22:41.736 He came in preaching the nearness of the kingdom. 00:22:41.736 --> 00:22:48.417 You know, the kingdom is here and he's calling people in Israel to repent. 00:22:48.417 --> 00:22:50.592 Your hearts are far from God. 00:22:50.592 --> 00:22:52.924 Turn, in other words, the Messiah's coming. 00:22:52.924 --> 00:22:54.551 That's the implication. 00:22:54.551 --> 00:22:57.448 The kingdom is here Now. 00:22:57.448 --> 00:22:59.924 He went around baptizing people. 00:22:59.924 --> 00:23:01.769 Many people got baptized. 00:23:05.506 --> 00:23:17.855 John declared, as part of his ministry, this about Jesus Behold the Lamb of God come to take away the sin of the world. 00:23:17.855 --> 00:23:25.316 John, through his prophetic ministry, validated Jesus as Messiah. 00:23:25.316 --> 00:23:35.756 So Jesus in front of there's multitudes of people here in the temple and they're listening to this conversation between Jesus and the chief priest. 00:23:35.756 --> 00:23:39.924 And so Jesus says hey, by the way, what do you think about John the Baptist? 00:23:39.924 --> 00:23:41.717 I mean, you're asking me about my authority. 00:23:41.717 --> 00:23:42.844 What about John? 00:23:42.844 --> 00:23:46.554 Do you think he's a prophet from God or do you think he's just some crazy man? 00:23:48.086 --> 00:23:49.904 Well, this perplexed the elders. 00:23:49.904 --> 00:23:53.924 They didn't know how to answer, and here's why they certainly didn't think John was from the Lord. 00:23:53.924 --> 00:23:57.193 They rejected his ministry, but they didn't want to say that. 00:23:57.193 --> 00:24:08.317 They didn't want to say that because if they said, oh yeah, he was from God, well then the chief priest would be validating Jesus' ministry, because John validated Jesus. 00:24:08.317 --> 00:24:18.011 And if they say, if they say no, he wasn't from God, the people are going to be very angry with him because they thought John was a prophet. 00:24:18.011 --> 00:24:24.553 And so, consequently, the authorities don't answer Jesus' question they just in front of all these people. 00:24:24.773 --> 00:24:29.472 These are like the scholars of the temple and they have to say to Jesus well, you don't know. 00:24:29.472 --> 00:24:31.924 I mean, don't mess with Jesus. 00:24:31.924 --> 00:24:37.515 You see what I'm saying here, and Jesus' point is this you're not hungry for truth. 00:24:37.515 --> 00:24:42.336 You rejected John and who was clearly a prophet from God. 00:24:42.336 --> 00:24:48.971 You rejected his message, and so I'm not going to give you any more revelation. 00:24:48.971 --> 00:24:51.451 You've already rejected the revelation of God. 00:24:51.451 --> 00:24:54.353 Listen, you've seen my life, you've seen my miracles. 00:24:54.353 --> 00:24:57.673 You should see the evidence that I am the Messiah. 00:24:57.673 --> 00:25:01.792 So I'm not going to give you this benefit. 00:25:01.792 --> 00:25:04.924 I'm not going to tell you explicitly right now. 00:25:04.924 --> 00:25:08.855 I'm not going to tell you what you want to hear, so you can try and discredit me. 00:25:08.855 --> 00:25:11.924 You didn't believe John. 00:25:11.924 --> 00:25:13.631 I'm not saying anything else. 00:25:15.685 --> 00:25:22.377 So then, in verses 23 to 27, here's what Jesus does. 00:25:22.377 --> 00:25:31.836 He moves on and he tells a parable, and so this is a kind of cryptic way to call out the religious leaders. 00:25:31.836 --> 00:25:34.750 It's brilliant and what we see. 00:25:34.750 --> 00:25:44.904 So we talked there about the importance of addressing the authority of Jesus, but what we'll see through the parable is, what's really important is how we respond to the authority of Jesus. 00:25:44.904 --> 00:25:46.924 How do we respond? 00:25:46.924 --> 00:25:52.222 So you come today and you say listen, I really believe that Jesus is who he says he is. 00:25:52.222 --> 00:25:52.904 I assume that you are. 00:25:52.904 --> 00:25:57.924 You wouldn't be here today, unless maybe you're just seeking and asking that question yourself. 00:25:57.924 --> 00:26:02.232 And if you are just a seeker this morning, god bless you so glad, we're so glad you're here. 00:26:03.769 --> 00:26:06.924 But Jesus gives this this parable, and it's about a man who had two sons. 00:26:06.924 --> 00:26:09.521 All right, I'm just just going to summarize this for you. 00:26:09.521 --> 00:26:09.924 It's really simple. 00:26:09.924 --> 00:26:13.924 And he tells both of his sons he says I want you to go individually. 00:26:13.924 --> 00:26:16.472 He says I want you to go work in the vineyard. 00:26:16.472 --> 00:26:20.865 Now the first son and some of you have a kid like this looks at him. 00:26:20.865 --> 00:26:22.924 You know, you say go work in the yard. 00:26:22.924 --> 00:26:29.028 The first son looks at him and goes dude, it's Saturday, I ain't doing that. 00:26:29.028 --> 00:26:32.924 Arms folder has a bad attitude. 00:26:32.924 --> 00:26:35.252 Some of you are looking at your kids right now, going uh-huh. 00:26:35.252 --> 00:26:42.276 But you know the crazy thing, the sun says no, but all ultimately he gets maybe a little convicted and going. 00:26:42.276 --> 00:26:43.699 You know, maybe I should obey my dad. 00:26:44.246 --> 00:26:50.875 This usually doesn't work out when I disobey him, so so he actually changes his mind, that the Bible uses that phrase. 00:26:50.875 --> 00:26:55.576 He changes his mind, which is what it means to repent. 00:26:55.576 --> 00:26:58.051 And he actually goes and works in the vineyard. 00:26:58.051 --> 00:27:04.730 The second son, the father says, hey, go out, go out in the field and work. 00:27:04.730 --> 00:27:10.048 And the second son says, all right, I'll do that, dad, anything for you. 00:27:10.048 --> 00:27:15.336 But the dad turns his back and the son goes in his room and plays video. 00:27:15.336 --> 00:27:17.884 Let me have kids like that. 00:27:17.884 --> 00:27:21.281 I'll tell you what you want to hear, but they won't actually follow through. 00:27:21.281 --> 00:27:23.904 You got one son Are you, are you dragging with me? 00:27:23.904 --> 00:27:27.680 You got one son who says no, I'm not going to do it. 00:27:27.680 --> 00:27:31.924 But then changes his mind I'm not going to work in the yard, dad, like I'm going to disobey you. 00:27:31.924 --> 00:27:33.844 But then he goes and does it. 00:27:33.844 --> 00:27:36.029 He changes his mind. 00:27:36.029 --> 00:27:41.924 But you got another son who says, oh yeah, dad, you know me, I'm a great work, I'll do anything you say. 00:27:41.924 --> 00:27:47.924 But then he changes his mind and doesn't actually do what he said he was going to do. 00:27:47.924 --> 00:27:52.861 And so Jesus gives that parable and he asked the elders and the chief priest. 00:27:52.861 --> 00:27:56.832 He says which one of these actually did the will of his father? 00:27:56.832 --> 00:28:03.673 And they say the first one, the one who said it first. 00:28:03.673 --> 00:28:10.387 He wouldn't do it, but he actually did what he was asked to do and they got the answer correct. 00:28:14.473 --> 00:28:15.154 The first son. 00:28:15.154 --> 00:28:15.976 What's the point of this? 00:28:15.976 --> 00:28:16.897 It's really clear. 00:28:16.897 --> 00:28:18.981 The first son. 00:28:18.981 --> 00:28:21.913 You know who they, who that son represents. 00:28:21.913 --> 00:28:25.323 It represents blatant center. 00:28:25.323 --> 00:28:29.092 Don't miss this Greedy and crooked tax collector. 00:28:29.092 --> 00:28:31.194 Anybody work for the IRS. 00:28:31.194 --> 00:28:47.736 Greedy and crooked tax collector and the sexually immoral who have defiant, rejected God's command, said Lord through their lives, through the words we are not following you. 00:28:47.736 --> 00:28:56.949 But then they have a change of heart, something happens and they go oh God, we need you, we want you, we want to follow you. 00:28:56.949 --> 00:28:58.692 And they actually do. 00:28:58.692 --> 00:28:59.734 They follow God. 00:28:59.734 --> 00:29:03.603 So the first son represents blatant centers. 00:29:03.643 --> 00:29:12.884 The second son represents religious leader, the chief priest and elder To whom Jesus. 00:29:12.884 --> 00:29:18.500 They're the ones who claim to love God. 00:29:18.500 --> 00:29:22.555 They're in the temple, they think they're doing all the right things, but their hearts are far from God. 00:29:22.555 --> 00:29:24.901 Oh God, they're proclaiming we love you. 00:29:24.901 --> 00:29:32.049 They're singing all the right worship, worship song Jesus, we love you, you are worthy of it. 00:29:32.049 --> 00:29:43.301 Oh, but their lives we've learned from the previous text are not bearing spiritual fruit, they're not doing the will of God and, most of all, they're rejected. 00:29:43.301 --> 00:29:54.977 They've rejected John the Baptist, the prophet, and even more, they're rejecting G and, by the way, they'll have him filled at the end of this. 00:29:56.038 --> 00:30:02.259 And this parable delivers good and bad news News. 00:30:02.259 --> 00:30:03.271 I'm almost done. 00:30:03.271 --> 00:30:05.604 It delivers both good and bad news. 00:30:05.604 --> 00:30:07.392 Let me give you the good news first. 00:30:07.392 --> 00:30:10.519 All right, here's what the parable teaches us. 00:30:10.519 --> 00:30:14.733 The gates of the kingdom open wide for the worst of centers. 00:30:14.733 --> 00:30:17.138 If they'll repent and submit to the authority. 00:30:17.138 --> 00:30:44.934 Come you center lost in Brooke, come to come this morning to the Lord, jesus cry, no matter what you've done, no matter where you've been, if you'll come to Jesus and like the first son in the parable, if you'll have a change of mind and you'll turn from yourself in turn to Jesus, he'll receive. 00:30:44.934 --> 00:30:48.902 He'll receive you man. 00:30:48.961 --> 00:30:52.251 I've seen some people who have lived horribly. 00:30:52.251 --> 00:30:59.269 They've done horrible thing, but they've turned and come to Jesus. 00:30:59.269 --> 00:31:02.762 They had a change of mind, they responded to what God did in their heart. 00:31:02.762 --> 00:31:06.153 The Lord, how I'm going to follow you from this day forward. 00:31:06.153 --> 00:31:08.798 That's the first son. 00:31:08.798 --> 00:31:10.663 But that's the good news. 00:31:10.663 --> 00:31:17.021 The gates of the kingdom of God they swing, open wide for the worst of centers if they repent. 00:31:17.021 --> 00:31:19.113 But here's the bad news. 00:31:19.113 --> 00:31:30.298 The gates of the kingdom closed decisively for even the most religion if they do not repent and submit to the authority. 00:31:30.298 --> 00:31:48.642 You can claim to love God, like the religious leader, but if you've not repented, meaning you've not turned from your own ways and turned to the Lord Jesus Christ, if you've not really day to day submitting to his authority, you're not a Christian, you're not the kingdom. 00:31:48.642 --> 00:32:02.243 We're in the Bible belt and most of the people I meet around here they claim to love Jesus but their actions show they haven't really submitted to the Lordship of Christ. 00:32:03.448 --> 00:32:17.090 I'll never forget years ago I was going through the checkout lane in Walmart, which I tried not to do, but I was there and I hate going through the automatic checkout things because I like talking to people. 00:32:17.090 --> 00:32:21.846 Right, I like talking to people, and so I do as I always do. 00:32:21.846 --> 00:32:23.791 I don't just leave people alone. 00:32:23.791 --> 00:32:29.050 I'm there in the cashiers there and I start talking to her hey, how's your day going? 00:32:29.050 --> 00:32:32.215 And she's thinking I'm working at Walmart. 00:32:32.215 --> 00:32:37.025 Right, it's been a long day. 00:32:37.025 --> 00:32:38.212 It's towards the end of her shift. 00:32:38.212 --> 00:32:39.035 I said, well. 00:32:39.035 --> 00:32:41.682 I asked her how much longer do you have? 00:32:41.682 --> 00:32:42.957 And she said oh, just a couple of hours. 00:32:42.957 --> 00:32:44.545 Well, what are the plans you have. 00:32:44.545 --> 00:32:46.877 Oh, I'm going to get wasted tonight. 00:32:46.877 --> 00:32:49.771 I'm doing this and this and this and she goes what do you do for a living? 00:32:49.771 --> 00:32:52.057 And I go, you don't want to know. 00:32:52.057 --> 00:32:56.011 And I said actually, ma'am, I'm a pastor. 00:32:56.011 --> 00:32:58.519 And she just turns why does the ghost? 00:32:58.519 --> 00:32:59.142 And she goes. 00:32:59.763 --> 00:33:04.596 I pray every night, I thought she said to me, and then it was like nothing else. 00:33:04.596 --> 00:33:06.101 That's, you know, good for you. 00:33:06.101 --> 00:33:13.102 And you know that's that's kind of the response I get from people around here. 00:33:13.102 --> 00:33:15.453 Well, yeah, I believe in Jesus. 00:33:15.453 --> 00:33:18.260 Yeah, I really do think he's the son of God. 00:33:18.260 --> 00:33:19.550 Yeah, I do think he's Lord. 00:33:19.550 --> 00:33:25.038 I pray, I mean I ask him when I need something. 00:33:25.038 --> 00:33:30.750 Their lives don't bear any spiritual burden. 00:33:30.750 --> 00:33:35.351 They've not submitted to that authority. 00:33:35.351 --> 00:33:39.910 Another answer I can't get. 00:33:39.910 --> 00:33:40.771 This is crazy. 00:33:40.771 --> 00:33:43.186