WEBVTT 00:00:00.239 --> 00:00:09.439 Okay, so now we are going to enter into the sermon because as I said before, today's uh the way that we're doing service today is we're gonna have an extended time of worship. 00:00:09.679 --> 00:00:22.879 Sermon's only gonna be like 20 minutes, and then we're gonna sit together just as a family of faith and be led in an extended time of devotion, exaltation before God, bring your pains and your sufferings before him to sit in his presence. 00:00:23.120 --> 00:00:27.280 So before I get into the sermon, if you wouldn't mind bowing your heads and praying with me. 00:00:28.399 --> 00:00:35.600 Lord, I thank you, God, for your graciousness on our family of faith. 00:00:36.079 --> 00:00:44.159 God, thank you, just even just the examples this morning of the amazing people that um that serve our church and serve the world. 00:00:44.880 --> 00:00:47.520 Holy Spirit, we invite you now into this time. 00:00:48.240 --> 00:00:50.079 We want to hear your voice. 00:00:50.320 --> 00:00:53.119 We want to be convicted of what we need to be convicted of. 00:00:53.200 --> 00:00:55.039 We want to be comforted in our heart. 00:00:55.359 --> 00:00:57.200 Lord, we love you and we trust you. 00:00:57.359 --> 00:00:58.399 In Jesus' name. 00:00:58.640 --> 00:00:59.280 Amen. 00:01:00.159 --> 00:01:05.840 Mikey, can you actually turn that light on so it doesn't feel like I'm singing a lullaby? 00:01:06.959 --> 00:01:07.280 Okay. 00:01:08.079 --> 00:01:13.519 One of the most important books for me in my 20s that really impacted me for years, honestly. 00:01:13.599 --> 00:01:16.079 I mentioned him before, but I'm going to mention him here again. 00:01:16.239 --> 00:01:18.959 It's a book called Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus. 00:01:19.040 --> 00:01:20.959 It's by a guy named Nabil Kureshi. 00:01:21.200 --> 00:01:23.040 Super impactful book for me in my 20s. 00:01:23.120 --> 00:01:24.400 I really recommend that you read it. 00:01:24.480 --> 00:01:25.599 It's incredible. 00:01:25.920 --> 00:01:36.079 Nabeel grew up in an Islamic family, great parents, great family, deeply devoted to Islam in it culturally, and then God decided, started to draw him. 00:01:36.239 --> 00:01:38.400 Basically, he started to explore Christianity. 00:01:38.560 --> 00:01:49.760 He had some dear friends in grade school that were Christians, one in particular, that they started to enter into a conversation about the historical reliability of the different texts and what each the claims of each religion represented. 00:01:49.840 --> 00:01:55.840 And over time, Nabil began to be persuaded by the gospel, the good news that Jesus came to save sinners. 00:01:56.640 --> 00:02:00.640 And then God even gave him a dream confirming that this is the path that he should go on. 00:02:01.599 --> 00:02:08.080 And long story really short, the kind of final obstacle for him coming to faith was telling his family. 00:02:08.319 --> 00:02:16.240 And if you don't know the unique difficulty that Muslim background believers face when they come to faith, it truly is uniquely difficult. 00:02:16.400 --> 00:02:24.000 Oftentimes there's complete ostracization, complete rejection by all social networks that you grew up with and love. 00:02:24.560 --> 00:02:33.759 And even there's certain hadiths, which is like laws surrounding the Quran, that command that apostates, people that leave the Muslim faith, be killed. 00:02:33.919 --> 00:02:40.080 And so, as you can imagine, it's really intense, it's really difficult to come to faith in a deeply Muslim environment. 00:02:40.240 --> 00:02:42.879 And that's exactly what happens with Nabeel. 00:02:42.960 --> 00:02:46.080 He he comes to faith, and then he has to tell his family. 00:02:46.319 --> 00:02:54.080 And I just actually want to read to you just this passage from his book where he describes talking to his dad for the first time. 00:02:56.080 --> 00:03:00.479 I was a crumpled heap on the ground, trembling before God. 00:03:00.719 --> 00:03:07.520 Two weeks after accepting my Lord, I tried to plead with him while wailing and stammering through quivering lips. 00:03:07.759 --> 00:03:08.719 Why, God? 00:03:09.039 --> 00:03:10.639 But I could not formulate my words. 00:03:10.800 --> 00:03:12.400 The shaking was uncontrollable. 00:03:12.639 --> 00:03:33.360 The night before I had looked into Abba's eyes, that's his dad, as they welled with tears, those eyes that had so tenderly cared for me since the day he whispered the Adan into my ears, the eyes that softly closed in prayer every night as he invoked the protection of God, the eyes that would turn back lovingly as he went off to sea, serving his nation and his family. 00:03:33.599 --> 00:03:37.919 To be the cause of the only tears I had ever seen those eyes shed, I could not bear it. 00:03:38.159 --> 00:03:39.120 Why God? 00:03:39.840 --> 00:03:44.240 Though Abba did not say much, what he did say has haunted me ever since. 00:03:44.479 --> 00:03:51.120 The man who stood tallest in my life, my archetype of strength, my father, spoke these words through palpable pain. 00:03:51.439 --> 00:03:56.879 Nabil, this day I feel as if my backbone has been ripped out of inside of me. 00:03:57.680 --> 00:03:59.039 The words tore through me. 00:03:59.360 --> 00:04:00.879 It felt like patricide. 00:04:01.520 --> 00:04:04.080 I had not given up just my life to follow Jesus. 00:04:04.319 --> 00:04:05.439 I was killing my father. 00:04:06.080 --> 00:04:08.479 He has never stood as tall since that day. 00:04:09.360 --> 00:04:10.800 I extinguished his pride. 00:04:11.520 --> 00:04:12.319 Why God. 00:04:13.360 --> 00:04:33.839 This experience, this really difficult experience of broken family relationships, when a person comes to the gospel, there's numerous rooms that I could, numerous examples in this room that I could point to here who've experienced something similar, and clearly much more common with friends like Richard and Sahubine, like we talked about, are Bangladesh believers, as well as Nabil. 00:04:34.959 --> 00:04:39.839 And this is actually really relevant for our next passage in the Gospel of Luke today. 00:04:40.079 --> 00:04:48.639 Because what Jesus is going to show us in the Gospel of Luke today is that the Gospel brings conflict with man while calling us to concord with God. 00:04:48.800 --> 00:04:53.600 The Gospel brings conflict oftentimes with man, but calls us to concord with God. 00:04:53.759 --> 00:04:55.680 Concord this old word that means peace. 00:04:55.920 --> 00:04:58.560 In fact, the Latin root of it is hearts together. 00:04:58.879 --> 00:05:03.839 So the gospel can bring conflict with man, but brings a heart together with God. 00:05:04.160 --> 00:05:06.079 And that's exactly what we're going to see. 00:05:06.160 --> 00:05:10.720 So I'm going to read it here, Luke chapter 12, verses 49 through 59. 00:05:11.199 --> 00:05:12.399 This is what it says. 00:05:16.879 --> 00:05:21.279 This is the end, by the way, of one of Jesus' extended teachings in chapter 12. 00:05:21.360 --> 00:05:22.240 It's the end of it. 00:05:22.480 --> 00:05:23.439 This is what he says. 00:05:23.680 --> 00:05:28.720 I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled. 00:05:29.040 --> 00:05:34.000 I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished. 00:05:34.319 --> 00:05:36.879 Do you think that I have come to give peace on the earth? 00:05:37.040 --> 00:05:38.079 No, I tell you. 00:05:38.240 --> 00:05:39.839 But rather division. 00:05:40.079 --> 00:05:45.120 From now on, in one house there will be five divided, three against two, two against three. 00:05:45.279 --> 00:05:55.600 They will be divided, father against son, and son against father, mother against daughter, daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law. 00:05:56.160 --> 00:06:03.920 He also said to the crowds, When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, A shower is coming, and so it happens. 00:06:04.160 --> 00:06:09.360 And when you see the south wind blowing, you say there will be a scorching heat, and it happens. 00:06:09.680 --> 00:06:17.920 You hypocrites, you you know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time? 00:06:18.319 --> 00:06:20.879 And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? 00:06:21.040 --> 00:06:31.839 As you go with your accuser before the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer puts you in prison. 00:06:31.920 --> 00:06:37.439 I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny. 00:06:39.040 --> 00:06:43.519 So, there's three elements that I'm just going to give to you guys briefly from this text. 00:06:43.680 --> 00:06:45.360 The first is the gospel's division. 00:06:45.439 --> 00:06:47.279 This gets the lion's share of the airtime. 00:06:47.439 --> 00:06:49.040 The second is the gospel's warning. 00:06:49.120 --> 00:06:50.560 That was like that weather section. 00:06:50.720 --> 00:06:54.639 And the third is the gospel's call to action, the settling with the accuser. 00:06:54.800 --> 00:06:56.639 These are the three pieces to this text. 00:06:56.800 --> 00:07:00.399 And in the first one, the gospel's division, we it's crazy. 00:07:00.560 --> 00:07:02.000 The way he begins this is crazy. 00:07:02.800 --> 00:07:05.360 I've come to cast fire on the earth, he says. 00:07:05.519 --> 00:07:14.560 And if you've been traveling along with us in the Gospel of Luke, fire almost always represents the judgment of God, the refining of God, things burning away and being exposed. 00:07:14.720 --> 00:07:17.279 And Jesus is saying he's come to bring this on the earth. 00:07:17.519 --> 00:07:20.240 And then he says something that's really unexpected. 00:07:20.639 --> 00:07:25.040 Verse 51, he says, You think I have come to bring peace? 00:07:25.519 --> 00:07:25.839 No. 00:07:26.800 --> 00:07:27.839 Division. 00:07:28.480 --> 00:07:33.600 Now, if you're like me, you read that and you're like, yo, like, we've been reading Luke. 00:07:33.759 --> 00:07:36.240 I can think of 12 examples where he's brought peace. 00:07:36.399 --> 00:07:38.000 Like, what are you saying, Jesus? 00:07:38.319 --> 00:07:43.120 Why are all of a sudden you're saying that you've come to bring division and not peace? 00:07:43.600 --> 00:07:46.800 Well, there's a bunch of examples already in Luke of him bringing peace. 00:07:47.199 --> 00:07:53.040 Chapter one, Zechariah, the priest, talking about his son John, who's going to prepare the way for Jesus. 00:07:53.279 --> 00:08:02.000 Zechariah says this that his son is come to give light to those who sit in darkness in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. 00:08:02.399 --> 00:08:05.519 Chapter 2, the angels proclaiming that Jesus is coming. 00:08:05.759 --> 00:08:11.439 Glory to God in the highest, they say, and on earth, peace among those with whom he's pleased. 00:08:11.759 --> 00:08:19.279 And then Chapter 2, Simeon the prophet, says, Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace according to your word. 00:08:19.439 --> 00:08:24.879 He says that as he holds baby Jesus and sees God's plan for reconciliation in his arms. 00:08:25.120 --> 00:08:29.759 Chapter 7, as Jesus starts to heal people, the kingdom of God explodes onto the scene. 00:08:30.000 --> 00:08:35.120 Chapter 7, after he heals a woman, he says, and he said to the woman, Your faith has saved you. 00:08:35.440 --> 00:08:36.639 Go in peace. 00:08:36.879 --> 00:08:40.879 Similarly, Chapter 8, daughter, your faith has made you well. 00:08:41.200 --> 00:08:43.120 Go in peace. 00:08:43.440 --> 00:08:54.960 Chapter 10, sending out of the 7d2, when they go out and share the kingdom, healing people, casting out demons, they say, Jesus says, Whatever house you enter, first say, peace to this house. 00:08:56.000 --> 00:09:03.360 Clearly, central to the good news of the King of Kings coming to the world is that peace is coming. 00:09:03.519 --> 00:09:08.159 Oftentimes between people, most importantly, between man and God. 00:09:08.480 --> 00:09:10.240 Peace is central to the gospel. 00:09:10.399 --> 00:09:12.399 Romans 5.1 will later say it this way. 00:09:12.639 --> 00:09:20.320 Paul says, Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:09:20.639 --> 00:09:23.919 And so peace is such a central thing to the gospel. 00:09:24.559 --> 00:09:26.480 But here Jesus wants to talk about something different. 00:09:26.639 --> 00:09:30.639 He's not talking about your relationship with God, which clearly the gospel brings peace to. 00:09:30.960 --> 00:09:36.480 He's talking about a different experience that sometimes his followers feel, see, and taste. 00:09:36.960 --> 00:09:42.720 The experience of division that comes when a person starts to follow him. 00:09:45.360 --> 00:09:48.559 And so some of the examples of this are really clear. 00:09:48.879 --> 00:09:49.759 We just saw it with Nabil. 00:09:50.399 --> 00:09:53.519 We heard about it with Richard and Saha Bouddin. 00:09:54.240 --> 00:09:58.559 And really, what Jesus zooms in on is some of our closest relationships. 00:09:58.879 --> 00:09:59.679 Family. 00:10:00.080 --> 00:10:05.759 Some of the people that we love most, oftentimes there is a division that comes from following Jesus. 00:10:06.000 --> 00:10:11.360 And clearly, if your family isn't following Jesus and you are, there's some clear division there, right? 00:10:11.440 --> 00:10:12.480 Like maybe they want you. 00:10:12.639 --> 00:10:28.240 Because the thing is, when you turn your life over to Jesus and start following him and him alone, the things that other people want you to follow, whether it's health or prestige or some other God, they get frustrated when you stop being as devoted to those things as they want you to be. 00:10:28.480 --> 00:10:37.840 When your priorities change, there is a natural division, there's a natural separation, natural friction, a conflict that comes in when we start to follow Jesus. 00:10:38.000 --> 00:10:42.240 And look, for us as Christians, clearly sometimes that conflict is our fault. 00:10:42.799 --> 00:10:44.399 We present the gospel. 00:10:46.000 --> 00:10:50.399 I was gonna say stupidly, but recently my son rebuked me for saying stupid in a sermon. 00:10:53.039 --> 00:10:59.360 Sometimes we deliver the gospel poorly, and we're we're cruel and we're mean and we're judgmental and we're selfish. 00:10:59.440 --> 00:11:05.039 In that regard, the division that comes is our fault, and what the Bible calls us to is repentance and humility. 00:11:05.279 --> 00:11:18.320 But clearly, a lot of times, as we saw with Nabil, as we saw with Sahabuddin, there's a conflict that comes in that is not a result of our fault per se, but just the natural way in the gospel, the way the gospel separates people. 00:11:18.480 --> 00:11:21.600 When you start to follow Jesus and Him alone, you forsake all else. 00:11:21.679 --> 00:11:23.759 That doesn't mean you don't love God and love people. 00:11:24.000 --> 00:11:27.440 Generally, you do, but now Jesus is the Lord of your life. 00:11:27.679 --> 00:11:36.480 And there is a lot of obvious conflict that comes in when a family doesn't believe and you start to, but it's not just with a family that doesn't believe. 00:11:36.639 --> 00:11:41.679 I I think the gospel even comes, causes conflict in within families that all believe. 00:11:41.919 --> 00:11:46.320 For example, the way that God, the way that Jesus calls people to certain types of work. 00:11:46.559 --> 00:11:50.960 I remember when we came down here to Denver, you've heard some of the emphasis here today. 00:11:51.039 --> 00:11:52.559 A big part of our vision is the city. 00:11:52.720 --> 00:11:57.600 There's a lot of great churches in the suburbs, and God spoke very clearly to us as a church at the beginning. 00:11:57.840 --> 00:11:59.519 I want you to make disciples in the city. 00:11:59.679 --> 00:12:04.000 I want you to serve and love the poor and work for justice as you spread the gospel. 00:12:04.080 --> 00:12:07.919 And the thing is, is you want to live near the church generally in proximity. 00:12:08.000 --> 00:12:09.519 You don't want to commute to community. 00:12:09.600 --> 00:12:14.480 And so as many of us started to move into the city, a lot of people got mad. 00:12:14.720 --> 00:12:16.480 Wait, why are you going there? 00:12:16.639 --> 00:12:18.720 Don't you know that it's more dangerous? 00:12:18.879 --> 00:12:20.879 Don't you know that crime this and crime that? 00:12:20.960 --> 00:12:21.919 And sure enough, they were right. 00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:28.799 I think three cars got broken into within the first year, a fourth of the church, a third of the church got into car accidents for various reasons. 00:12:28.960 --> 00:12:30.720 There was all kinds of stuff going on. 00:12:31.440 --> 00:12:39.759 But also, too, I would hope that it's apparent that when the Lord Jesus calls you to a place, a big part of the reason he does that is because of the need. 00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:53.600 I mean, where would we be today if if the the brothers and sisters of faith's history's past from the centuries across the world, if they said, well, personal safety matters more than following Jesus? 00:12:53.840 --> 00:12:56.320 Are any of us even here if they say that? 00:12:56.639 --> 00:12:58.639 Clearly, probably not. 00:12:58.879 --> 00:13:04.159 Clearly, things look very different if that becomes the God above Jesus. 00:13:04.720 --> 00:13:20.480 And so the gospel can cause conflict in all kinds of ways, even within families of faith where one person develops a sense of calling and the Lord drawing them to something that maybe puts some old family idols to death and challenges old beliefs and things that need to be reformed. 00:13:20.720 --> 00:13:25.120 The gospel can cause division within families of all kinds. 00:13:25.440 --> 00:13:28.639 And this is what Jesus is pointing to here. 00:13:29.360 --> 00:13:30.799 Or even a simpler example. 00:13:30.960 --> 00:13:33.679 The Bible commands Christians to speak the truth in love. 00:13:33.759 --> 00:13:46.720 And so when something's going on between you and another believer, or you and someone who isn't, the Bible draws us to move towards them in healthy conversation, in healthy conflict, to bring what was hidden to the light, to heal, to restore. 00:13:47.360 --> 00:13:49.919 But a lot of times that steps into difficulty. 00:13:50.000 --> 00:13:56.639 It steps into conflict and division that wasn't there before until you entered into it for the sake of love and healing. 00:13:57.360 --> 00:14:01.519 This is how the gospel can create division in obvious ways. 00:14:02.559 --> 00:14:08.960 So listen, what Jesus is saying is when it comes, don't be surprised. 00:14:10.080 --> 00:14:11.679 Stand firm. 00:14:12.240 --> 00:14:14.320 Pursue peace. 00:14:14.799 --> 00:14:18.159 It's just not necessarily promised to you with each and every person. 00:14:19.600 --> 00:14:23.600 And clearly, striving for peace is still a thing that the Bible commands. 00:14:23.759 --> 00:14:28.480 The Apostle Paul will later say, um, do your best to be at peace with all men. 00:14:28.639 --> 00:14:41.120 Again, we're not trying to just create conflict for conflict's sake, but when you stand for justice and when you stand for the Lord of the universe who's called you to do something specific, and people come against that, if we fold, then we're not standing for them, are we? 00:14:41.279 --> 00:14:46.559 And think about all the injustices in the world that God has called Christians to stand against for centuries and centuries. 00:14:46.720 --> 00:14:50.000 It causes conflict when people speak truth to power. 00:14:50.159 --> 00:14:51.600 This is what justice means. 00:14:51.759 --> 00:14:52.960 You think it comes easy? 00:14:53.120 --> 00:14:54.960 No, it comes from the blood of the martyrs. 00:14:55.120 --> 00:14:58.799 It comes from perseverance in suffering over many, many years. 00:14:58.960 --> 00:15:05.279 And the examples that we saw earlier with Matt and with Nabil are just such great examples of it. 00:15:05.519 --> 00:15:13.519 And I want you to remember that Jesus himself experienced what he says here might happen. 00:15:13.759 --> 00:15:15.200 His family questioned him. 00:15:15.279 --> 00:15:16.879 They called him insane at one point. 00:15:17.039 --> 00:15:23.759 They they seemed really to not follow him for a long time, even if later, some of them, I mean two of them, write books of the Bible. 00:15:24.399 --> 00:15:26.960 Later, but not initially. 00:15:27.600 --> 00:15:30.960 When we're talking about Jesus, we're talking about someone who understands. 00:15:31.519 --> 00:15:38.159 We're talking about someone who who who experienced what he's saying you might. 00:15:38.639 --> 00:15:41.120 We're talking about someone who can empathize. 00:15:41.360 --> 00:15:49.840 Not someone who turned away from pain and suffering, but came taking on human nature to represent us, to be with us, to restore us to a true relationship with God. 00:15:50.080 --> 00:15:51.519 This is what we're talking about. 00:15:51.600 --> 00:16:00.720 And so when it comes to division, we're not looking for peacekeeping, not engaging in any conflict at all, whatsoever, for the sake of harmony. 00:16:00.960 --> 00:16:02.639 We're talking about peacemaking. 00:16:03.360 --> 00:16:07.759 Sometimes stepping in to a productive conflict for the sake of love. 00:16:08.559 --> 00:16:10.799 This is a big part of what love does sometimes. 00:16:11.200 --> 00:16:13.440 Peacemaking versus peacekeeping. 00:16:13.600 --> 00:16:16.960 And so maybe for you today, it's similar to this. 00:16:17.120 --> 00:16:18.080 It's a family member. 00:16:18.559 --> 00:16:25.120 Where you feel a deep sense of pain and grief and conflict because of what you know the gospel has called you to. 00:16:25.679 --> 00:16:33.039 Because of disagreement on various fronts, whether it's ethical or who's the authority, who's the Lord, what's true and what's not. 00:16:33.519 --> 00:16:35.759 And so I want you to hear from Jesus today. 00:16:36.320 --> 00:16:36.879 Encouragement. 00:16:37.679 --> 00:16:47.200 I want you to hear from Jesus today that He's experienced the same thing, and that you have brothers and sisters all across the world experiencing the same, and many of it, but many of them much worse. 00:16:48.080 --> 00:16:50.799 And that the gospel of grace is worth that. 00:16:51.679 --> 00:16:53.039 It truly is worth that. 00:16:53.360 --> 00:16:58.960 And that the Lord sees you in your difficulty, in any conflict that has come to you from the gospel. 00:17:02.240 --> 00:17:10.880 And who's to say that maybe it won't be that very conflict that you allow and healthily, lovingly step into? 00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:15.039 Maybe it's not that very conflict that God uses to transform our heart. 00:17:15.200 --> 00:17:15.839 Amen. 00:17:17.359 --> 00:17:19.039 The gospel's division. 00:17:19.359 --> 00:17:24.559 The shorter section in verses 54 through 56 is the gospel's warning. 00:17:24.799 --> 00:17:27.599 So he you notice the the audience changes. 00:17:27.680 --> 00:17:31.599 He's talking to his disciples, but then he says he kind of turns to the crowds more broadly. 00:17:31.759 --> 00:17:35.119 And he says, You guys know how to interpret the weather. 00:17:35.279 --> 00:17:41.519 You see clouds in the west, which is to say, over the Mediterranean, all that precipitation happening over the Mediterranean Sea, coming onto Israel. 00:17:41.599 --> 00:17:45.039 You see clouds in the west over the Mediterranean, you're like, rain's coming. 00:17:45.279 --> 00:17:46.319 And you're right. 00:17:46.799 --> 00:17:56.400 You feel a breeze from the south, which is to say, coming up from all that hot desert air, the Negev and all the other deserts south and southwest of Israel. 00:17:56.559 --> 00:18:00.559 You feel a breeze coming in from the south, and you say, a scorching wind is coming. 00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:01.839 And you're right. 00:18:02.240 --> 00:18:07.200 You know how to interpret the weather, yet you don't know how to interpret the present time. 00:18:07.359 --> 00:18:18.000 This is Jesus' challenge to many who have been watching him do miraculous signs and wonders, who have heard his teaching, his interpretation of the Old Testament, how all these prophets pointed to what is happening right now. 00:18:18.240 --> 00:18:25.119 Is not the present time, Jesus is saying, to his hearers, is not the present time more consequential than a hot south breeze? 00:18:25.920 --> 00:18:28.720 How could we miss the significance of this moment? 00:18:29.039 --> 00:18:30.640 The consequences are eternal. 00:18:30.880 --> 00:18:32.079 This is Jesus' warning. 00:18:32.160 --> 00:18:39.680 This is Jesus' challenge to them who have seen many things and yet have not responded to the signs. 00:18:39.839 --> 00:18:42.240 Verse 56, this present time. 00:18:43.039 --> 00:18:45.200 He's talking about his coming. 00:18:45.359 --> 00:18:47.680 He's talking about the coming of the Messiah. 00:18:48.720 --> 00:18:56.400 And so I think the challenge to us with this passage is to take inventory of what you've personally seen and witnessed. 00:18:56.640 --> 00:19:03.839 To take inventory of the way that the kingdom of God has broken in and you've witnessed it and observed it in your life. 00:19:04.000 --> 00:19:12.400 And really, first, I think the application is for those of you here who don't yet believe, who are those still considering, who are not sure what to believe about Jesus. 00:19:12.559 --> 00:19:13.920 I mean, even just take me. 00:19:14.079 --> 00:19:26.720 Like in our church here at Skyline, last January, a handful of months ago, the Lord healed me overnight of chronic illness because some believers prayed, called on his name, and in God's sovereign timing, that was the time when he decided to touch my body. 00:19:27.119 --> 00:19:28.400 Just respond to that. 00:19:28.640 --> 00:19:29.839 Just face this down. 00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:42.799 Eight, six, six, seven grand on doctors, couldn't do anything worse over two years until one night where the power of God explodes onto just me, let alone all the other people in here who can testify to their own story. 00:19:43.119 --> 00:19:46.960 The present time is filled with the power of the kingdom of God. 00:19:47.200 --> 00:19:48.720 It's everywhere. 00:19:49.039 --> 00:19:55.599 And what Jesus is encouraging you to do is to see it, not ignore it, and consider it. 00:19:55.839 --> 00:19:58.000 Because it's very consequential. 00:19:58.559 --> 00:20:01.279 And besides, we're talking about the gospel. 00:20:01.440 --> 00:20:03.519 We're not talking about like a warning. 00:20:03.839 --> 00:20:13.440 I mean, look, all of us will stand judgment before God, and we've already seen him make some warnings about that, about hell and sin, and how a good and just God doesn't ignore that. 00:20:13.839 --> 00:20:17.920 But fundamentally, we're talking about the gospel, which is the love of God. 00:20:18.720 --> 00:20:26.799 The God who wrote your purpose, the reason for your being, who knows the hairs on your head, you're of much greater value than the ravens and the animals. 00:20:26.960 --> 00:20:28.559 We saw him say this the last couple weeks. 00:20:28.799 --> 00:20:39.839 He wants to speak to you, to guide you, to walk with you through your suffering, and ultimately give you an inheritance and a restored heavens and earth, a body with a spirit in it, just like now, with no pain and suffering. 00:20:40.079 --> 00:20:42.000 Like that's what he wants for you. 00:20:42.640 --> 00:20:45.359 Why would you not want to respond to that? 00:20:45.920 --> 00:20:49.119 A free gift that comes through faith? 00:20:49.440 --> 00:20:54.079 This is the encouragement of the Lord in verses 54 through 56, the gospel's warning. 00:20:54.240 --> 00:21:01.680 And then finally, the third point, 57 through 59, flows directly from this: the gospel's call to action. 00:21:01.920 --> 00:21:04.000 This is kind of that random segment. 00:21:04.079 --> 00:21:07.119 It seems kind of random, where he's like, settle with your accuser. 00:21:07.279 --> 00:21:10.799 Go with them before the judge so that you would not be thrown into prison. 00:21:11.039 --> 00:21:16.079 And if you kind of look at this, you're like, okay, like if someone's got something against me, the text kind of presumes you're guilty. 00:21:16.240 --> 00:21:19.759 So, like, maybe in an example like that, I've done something and I need to own up to it. 00:21:20.000 --> 00:21:22.319 Is this applying to me and other people? 00:21:22.480 --> 00:21:24.880 I think it's probably not wrong for you to apply it that way. 00:21:25.119 --> 00:21:31.119 In fact, in Matthew, you get the same saying, and I think it very clearly applies to your relationship with other people. 00:21:31.839 --> 00:21:36.240 But here, in Luke, I actually don't think that that's the main emphasis. 00:21:36.480 --> 00:21:41.839 I think the emphasis here in the Gospel of Luke is settling with God, not with others. 00:21:41.920 --> 00:21:43.680 I think it's an illustration to point to that. 00:21:43.759 --> 00:21:44.319 And why? 00:21:44.640 --> 00:21:45.119 Why do you think that? 00:21:45.200 --> 00:21:45.759 Well, here's why. 00:21:45.839 --> 00:21:47.599 All of chapter 12 is about that. 00:21:48.400 --> 00:21:49.599 It's the same speech. 00:21:49.759 --> 00:21:53.440 And he's been hitting that over and over and over again, your relationship with God. 00:21:53.599 --> 00:21:59.200 If you saw the beginning of chapter 12, he says, Don't fear man, but fear God, who can cast someone into hell. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:08.960 Rich fool that you saw, who builds, accumulates all this wealth for himself and himself alone, and then God says, Fool, tonight your soul is required of you. 00:22:09.039 --> 00:22:10.720 What are those riches going to do for you then? 00:22:10.880 --> 00:22:13.359 You hoarded it instead of using it to bless the world. 00:22:13.599 --> 00:22:15.119 Reconciliation with God. 00:22:15.440 --> 00:22:17.119 All of chapter 12 is about this. 00:22:17.279 --> 00:22:18.079 Be ready, he says. 00:22:20.880 --> 00:22:23.440 Do you not recognize the present time? 00:22:23.759 --> 00:22:29.119 All of this chapter, all of this speech, so much of it is about reconciling yourself to God. 00:22:29.200 --> 00:22:34.559 And I think here he's using a court illustration to encourage people to get right with God. 00:22:34.640 --> 00:22:37.920 Because, as he said, we don't have infinite time. 00:22:38.640 --> 00:22:47.519 You know, Nabil went through this, and uh nine years ago, he developed stomach cancer. 00:22:47.759 --> 00:22:55.839 And I remember just watching these videos online, weeping as he's calling out to Christians across the world to pray for his healing. 00:22:56.079 --> 00:22:58.640 And then he died at 34. 00:22:59.359 --> 00:23:02.400 Jesus came at a time he did not expect. 00:23:02.720 --> 00:23:03.920 But you know what? 00:23:04.559 --> 00:23:14.480 Nabil had responded to the gospel, and I can guarantee you that when that man's eyes closed, he came before the Heavenly Father. 00:23:14.640 --> 00:23:17.440 And the Father said to him, Well done, my good and faithful servant. 00:23:17.680 --> 00:23:19.440 Enter into your father's rest. 00:23:19.759 --> 00:23:21.839 Because that is what the gospel is. 00:23:22.000 --> 00:23:31.680 It's rest from the brokenness of sin, it's rest from all the endless thought patterns that you have that you can't escape, it's rest from injustice, it's rest from separation with God. 00:23:32.640 --> 00:23:34.240 And Nabil found it. 00:23:34.480 --> 00:23:38.480 Even though the Lord took him home at a time none of us expected. 00:23:44.640 --> 00:23:55.039 And so, in light of this text here today, if you're feeling the conflict that has come from the gospel in your life, family members that are Christian, family members that aren't, I want you to be encouraged. 00:23:55.200 --> 00:23:59.599 The Lord sees you, he knows your thoughts, he knows your pain, and walked through it himself when he was here. 00:23:59.839 --> 00:24:01.359 And one day it will end. 00:24:01.519 --> 00:24:11.839 But let's ask now in faith that God will use it to actually redeem what's happening now with family members here that talk to you each and every week and friends. 00:24:12.000 --> 00:24:14.240 Let's ask the power of God to affect that now. 00:24:14.400 --> 00:24:15.200 Be encouraged. 00:24:15.359 --> 00:24:16.720 The Lord Jesus walks with you. 00:24:16.880 --> 00:24:21.920 And for those of you who are still considering faith, I want you to hear Jesus' appeal to you. 00:24:22.160 --> 00:24:24.400 Pay attention to what's happening around you. 00:24:24.559 --> 00:24:27.920 Is not the power of God exploding across the world as we know it? 00:24:28.160 --> 00:24:33.279 All across the world, every tribe, nation, and tongue, the Bible gets translated into more and more languages. 00:24:33.680 --> 00:24:42.400 25-ish percent of Christians in North America, 25-ish percent, South, or sorry, 20%, one-fifth, one-fifth, Europe as well, Asia and Africa as well. 00:24:42.640 --> 00:24:46.000 It's spreading evenly across the world in the past couple centuries. 00:24:46.240 --> 00:24:51.200 Because the gospel is cross-cultural and it appeals to the center of who we are. 00:24:52.880 --> 00:24:54.000 Let's pray. 00:24:59.440 --> 00:25:00.720 Heavenly Father. 00:25:02.960 --> 00:25:07.519 God, we thank you for this just sobering word from you today. 00:25:08.079 --> 00:25:16.720 Lord, we consider just each of the members of this body of faith who are experiencing a lot of hardship for your name. 00:25:18.240 --> 00:25:29.119 Father, we ask that you would fill them with zeal, fill them with compassion, fill them with gentleness, fill them with kindness, perseverance to continue to love those who don't understand. 00:25:30.400 --> 00:25:37.119 Lord, may your love spread through them to those with whom they experience the conflict. 00:25:37.759 --> 00:25:42.880 Lord Jesus, we thank you just for our persevering brothers and sisters across the world. 00:25:43.279 --> 00:25:46.720 Lord, we see them, we recognize them, we thank you for your work in them, Lord. 00:25:46.799 --> 00:25:48.000 It humbles us. 00:25:48.319 --> 00:25:51.920 Their devotion to you in the midst of such hardship humbles us. 00:25:52.160 --> 00:25:53.119 We thank you for them. 00:25:53.200 --> 00:25:54.799 We ask that you would strengthen them. 00:25:54.960 --> 00:25:57.440 Give them what they don't have on their own. 00:25:57.680 --> 00:26:03.119 Preserve them, protect them, make your love known to them, encourage them each and every day as they wake up. 00:26:04.240 --> 00:26:05.119 We love you. 00:26:05.839 --> 00:26:07.039 Jesus' name, amen.