WEBVTT 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:04.160 As we are coming into the last week of Jesus, I can't say this enough. 00:00:04.320 --> 00:00:07.440 If you've watched the Olympics, it's probably a pretty good example. 00:00:07.599 --> 00:00:29.280 Or if any of you are Olympians, or any of you were at a high level at a sport, you know the intentionality and the focus that's required before you go into a meet or before you go into a game or before you go into some kind of a match that you're a part of. 00:00:29.440 --> 00:00:31.679 This is what's happening with Jesus. 00:00:32.000 --> 00:00:43.439 We see an intentionality about Jesus starting about chapter 10 that is so prolific that Mark wrote about it. 00:00:44.320 --> 00:00:53.520 Mark sees something in the lightning flash of the eyes of Christ. 00:00:53.679 --> 00:00:58.880 There's something different about his walk, there's something different about his focus. 00:00:59.119 --> 00:01:12.400 Look in your Bibles at Mark chapter 10, verse 32, and this is our really our first glimpse into the, I'm gonna call it the fierce focus of Jesus. 00:01:12.719 --> 00:01:15.200 The fierce focus of Jesus. 00:01:15.519 --> 00:01:23.280 Now they were on the road going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them, and they were amazed. 00:01:24.079 --> 00:01:27.120 And as they followed, they were afraid. 00:01:27.599 --> 00:01:34.159 There's no explanation, church, except that they saw something different about Jesus. 00:01:34.319 --> 00:01:38.799 So Jesus, we studied last week, comes in Palm Sunday. 00:01:39.120 --> 00:01:48.719 The people come forth, he comes through Bethany, he comes to the Mount of Olives, which is slightly higher than Jerusalem, and then he moves down. 00:01:48.879 --> 00:01:57.840 I've been at this place twice, leading tours, and he comes down into the Kidron Valley, and as he follows that road, the people begin to celebrate. 00:01:58.000 --> 00:02:04.879 They begin to take palm branches and lay them down in garments and lay them down before him. 00:02:05.200 --> 00:02:06.560 Well, what does Jesus do? 00:02:06.719 --> 00:02:11.039 Jesus rides in on a on a colt that had never been ridden before. 00:02:11.280 --> 00:02:13.120 A sign of royalty, by the way. 00:02:13.199 --> 00:02:19.280 And as they came down, he then goes up into possibly the eastern gate. 00:02:19.439 --> 00:02:21.840 We're not exactly sure, but maybe the eastern gate of Jerusalem. 00:02:22.080 --> 00:02:38.319 First thing he does, if you recall, is he goes into the temple, the temple grounds where, in that vicinity of where the Dome of the Rock is today, and he enters right there, and it says that he just gazed, looked around, and he left. 00:02:38.960 --> 00:02:44.000 Now I'm gonna give an insight into that in my blog on Tuesday morning when that goes out. 00:02:44.159 --> 00:02:49.599 It's called Fiercely Focused, and I want you to look at what I write as to what I think he did. 00:02:49.680 --> 00:02:57.680 And I think he comes into the temple the next day with a concealed weapon. 00:02:58.479 --> 00:03:03.120 He comes in the next day, and I don't even know if he had a concealed weapon permit. 00:03:03.439 --> 00:03:08.000 But he comes in, and here's what he does: chapter 11, verse 15. 00:03:08.319 --> 00:03:10.400 Chapter 11, verse 15. 00:03:10.639 --> 00:03:12.960 So they came to Jerusalem. 00:03:13.280 --> 00:03:14.719 This is Monday now. 00:03:14.960 --> 00:03:20.960 Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple. 00:03:21.120 --> 00:03:27.919 And he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 00:03:28.639 --> 00:03:30.800 Jesus is furious. 00:03:31.439 --> 00:03:33.680 Jesus is angry. 00:03:34.319 --> 00:03:40.479 Jesus is fiercely focused, and he is not a Sunday school Jesus. 00:03:41.280 --> 00:03:47.280 He is not a tanned California surfer boy with a beard. 00:03:47.759 --> 00:03:50.719 He is a lion of Judah here. 00:03:51.039 --> 00:03:54.159 And he comes in and he rips through the place. 00:03:54.240 --> 00:03:58.159 I almost see him leaping, kind of leaping upon tables. 00:03:58.319 --> 00:04:01.120 He must have, guys, he must have been moving fast. 00:04:01.280 --> 00:04:03.919 They had security at the temple. 00:04:04.319 --> 00:04:10.639 They had Roman security and Jewish security, and they did not arrest him. 00:04:10.879 --> 00:04:12.719 So he is moving fast. 00:04:13.120 --> 00:04:14.240 He is focused. 00:04:14.400 --> 00:04:16.079 He is fiercely intent. 00:04:16.240 --> 00:04:19.040 He's a man on a mission. 00:04:21.279 --> 00:04:23.199 Jesus, gotta understand this. 00:04:23.279 --> 00:04:24.639 This is my preface to everything. 00:04:24.800 --> 00:04:28.000 Jesus is not nice in his final week. 00:04:29.759 --> 00:04:31.120 Jesus is not nice. 00:04:31.199 --> 00:04:33.519 Do you know that sometimes you're not supposed to be nice? 00:04:33.839 --> 00:04:34.879 You guys know that? 00:04:35.120 --> 00:04:37.199 I'm so sick of nice people. 00:04:38.480 --> 00:04:39.040 I am. 00:04:39.199 --> 00:04:43.600 I mean, I get tired of people being nice over things that are wrong. 00:04:44.240 --> 00:04:49.360 I get tired of people being nice and bending over backwards for evil. 00:04:49.839 --> 00:04:51.439 Jesus doesn't do this. 00:04:51.839 --> 00:04:57.680 Jesus comes in fiercely angry about what has happened in this temple. 00:04:57.839 --> 00:05:05.759 And he cries out, as we talked about last week, and he says, This is a house of prayer for all the nations. 00:05:05.920 --> 00:05:11.759 That's the purpose of my house and men and women, that is the purpose of the local church today. 00:05:12.160 --> 00:05:15.120 It would be a house of prayer for the nations. 00:05:15.360 --> 00:05:16.480 We're called to that. 00:05:16.560 --> 00:05:19.519 And Jesus gets very upset when the church doesn't do that. 00:05:20.079 --> 00:05:27.120 Now, for the fourth time, in this case, it's going to be a parable, Jesus speaks of his death, his coming death. 00:05:27.360 --> 00:05:31.600 He is focused, fiercely focused toward the cross. 00:05:31.839 --> 00:05:32.879 Mark chapter 12. 00:05:32.959 --> 00:05:35.920 So Mark chapter 12 is where we are tonight. 00:05:36.560 --> 00:05:39.360 Then he began to speak to them in parables. 00:05:39.759 --> 00:05:43.920 A man planted a vineyard and he set a hedge around. 00:05:44.160 --> 00:05:45.759 I want you to look at this vineyard as I read this. 00:05:45.920 --> 00:05:48.319 Look how elaborate this vineyard is. 00:05:48.480 --> 00:05:55.279 This is not just a vineyard like a maybe a middle class to lower middle class vineyard guy would do. 00:05:55.360 --> 00:05:58.800 This is a very elaborate, it's almost like a ranch that he builds. 00:05:59.120 --> 00:06:04.720 He planted a vineyard, he set a hedge around it, so that's for protection. 00:06:04.879 --> 00:06:09.680 He dug a place for the wine vet, and he built a tower. 00:06:10.160 --> 00:06:14.560 And he leased it to vine dressers and went into a far country. 00:06:14.639 --> 00:06:17.199 Now who owns the vineyard? 00:06:17.759 --> 00:06:19.199 There's an owner, right? 00:06:19.439 --> 00:06:22.399 The guy who built this owns it. 00:06:22.800 --> 00:06:25.920 He's leasing it to the vine dressers. 00:06:26.000 --> 00:06:28.000 He's leasing it to a farmer. 00:06:28.240 --> 00:06:32.720 He's leasing it to what we call here at the road a servant. 00:06:33.439 --> 00:06:34.240 A servant. 00:06:34.399 --> 00:06:35.839 He's leased it to. 00:06:36.480 --> 00:06:38.879 Very elaborate vineyard. 00:06:39.360 --> 00:06:43.920 Now at vintage time, he sent a servant to the vine dressers. 00:06:44.079 --> 00:06:45.839 Remember, they don't own it. 00:06:46.240 --> 00:06:48.000 They just serve in it. 00:06:48.959 --> 00:06:52.639 That he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vine dressers. 00:06:52.879 --> 00:06:54.879 Now note it's vintage time. 00:06:55.120 --> 00:07:05.759 And the reason that Jesus sends a servant to those that are leasing the vineyard is because he wants a prophet. 00:07:08.160 --> 00:07:09.839 He wants fruit. 00:07:10.480 --> 00:07:14.560 He planted the vineyard to bear fruit. 00:07:15.360 --> 00:07:16.560 That's what God does. 00:07:16.720 --> 00:07:20.879 That's what Jesus is all about is fruit bearing. 00:07:22.319 --> 00:07:25.519 So he came to receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vine dressers. 00:07:25.600 --> 00:07:27.360 And they took him and they beat him. 00:07:27.519 --> 00:07:29.680 And they sent him away empty-handed. 00:07:29.920 --> 00:07:39.120 Again he sent them another servant, and at him they threw stones, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated. 00:07:40.160 --> 00:07:47.279 And again he sent another, and him they killed, and many others, beating some and killing some. 00:07:47.519 --> 00:07:57.199 Now this is very similar to a parable that Isaiah gives in Isaiah chapter 5, 1 through 7, dealing with the nation of Israel. 00:07:57.360 --> 00:08:04.959 Remember last week Jesus spoke of a fig tree, and he came to a fig tree. 00:08:05.040 --> 00:08:08.959 And the fig tree, remember, it had leaves but no fruit. 00:08:09.199 --> 00:08:15.040 And what I explained last week is that in a fig tree, the fruit comes first and the leaves come second. 00:08:15.279 --> 00:08:19.199 So this was a non-fruit-bearing fig tree. 00:08:19.360 --> 00:08:22.480 And the fig tree represents Israel. 00:08:22.639 --> 00:08:27.360 And again, he's speaking of the vineyard, which represents Israel. 00:08:27.519 --> 00:08:37.679 And he's speaking of these servants that have come and warned Israel again and again and again of impending judgment if they don't repent. 00:08:37.759 --> 00:08:42.639 And he's speaking of the prophets of the Old Testament who came again. 00:08:42.799 --> 00:08:55.440 Have you noticed that it's always popular to talk sort of in a nostalgic way about saints or leaders or politicians when they lived back then? 00:08:56.480 --> 00:08:59.919 And it's difficult to see it when they live right now. 00:09:00.639 --> 00:09:16.960 And so what Jesus is saying is that I've sent you warning after warning, and they're going to understand exactly what he's talking about, because when they hear him describing metaphorically the vineyard, the Pharisees and the scribes know, he's talking about, he's talking about Israel. 00:09:17.039 --> 00:09:22.480 And they're saying, well, yesterday, on Tuesday, he was talking about the fig tree. 00:09:24.159 --> 00:09:26.000 Jesus is intent. 00:09:27.200 --> 00:09:28.720 And church, don't miss this. 00:09:28.960 --> 00:09:30.080 Don't miss this. 00:09:30.720 --> 00:09:32.480 Jesus warns you. 00:09:33.279 --> 00:09:35.039 The Lord warns us. 00:09:35.919 --> 00:09:40.720 You know, we get warnings all the time from the Lord when we're kind of messing around, right? 00:09:40.879 --> 00:09:42.559 And you all mess around. 00:09:42.879 --> 00:09:44.399 You're a liar if you say you don't. 00:09:44.559 --> 00:09:45.759 You mess around. 00:09:47.360 --> 00:09:49.840 We got any perfect saints around. 00:09:50.000 --> 00:09:55.519 We just want to shake your hand, give you a high five, and say, wait till tomorrow. 00:09:55.840 --> 00:09:57.919 But the reality is, isn't it true? 00:09:58.159 --> 00:09:59.120 That God warns us. 00:09:59.200 --> 00:10:00.720 Sometimes warning dreams. 00:10:01.120 --> 00:10:01.840 He warns us. 00:10:01.919 --> 00:10:06.720 And I want to say this: don't mistake the patience of God as impotence. 00:10:07.759 --> 00:10:11.679 Don't mistake the patience of God as impotence. 00:10:11.840 --> 00:10:16.320 Well, Israel has done that now for a thousand years. 00:10:16.559 --> 00:10:18.960 And Jesus has come and he's calling them out. 00:10:19.120 --> 00:10:20.080 Verse 6. 00:10:20.559 --> 00:10:35.200 Therefore, still having one son, his beloved, so he's self-describing, his beloved son, he also sent him to them last, saying, They'll respect my son, surely. 00:10:35.600 --> 00:10:42.639 So this is the this is the son of the father of the owner of the vineyard, Israel. 00:10:43.679 --> 00:10:48.320 But those vine dressers said among themselves, This is the heir. 00:10:49.200 --> 00:10:54.320 Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours. 00:10:54.559 --> 00:11:00.159 So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard. 00:11:01.279 --> 00:11:08.879 Jesus, for the fourth time, is describing both his identity and his coming fate. 00:11:09.679 --> 00:11:15.440 The self-designation of Jesus is I am a beloved son. 00:11:16.559 --> 00:11:18.559 Men and women, you are beloved. 00:11:19.919 --> 00:11:22.799 Every one of you here are beloved. 00:11:24.159 --> 00:11:25.519 Jesus loves you. 00:11:26.399 --> 00:11:33.039 You see, you can't give away what you haven't received. 00:11:34.080 --> 00:11:37.440 You can't give away what you haven't received. 00:11:38.080 --> 00:11:40.639 Jesus experienced the love of God. 00:11:40.799 --> 00:11:48.879 He knew that he was beloved, at least from the point of his baptism forward, where he said, This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. 00:11:49.039 --> 00:11:50.720 He knew his belovedness. 00:11:51.360 --> 00:11:56.080 And only one who knows they're beloved can give away belovedness. 00:11:57.360 --> 00:12:01.840 And so that's why it's so important, you fathers, that you know that you're loved. 00:12:02.320 --> 00:12:07.519 Because it will be difficult for you to give away your love to your sons and your daughters if you don't know that you're loved. 00:12:08.000 --> 00:12:12.480 And mothers, it's going to be difficult for you to give away love if you don't know that you're loved. 00:12:13.759 --> 00:12:17.679 So Jesus designates himself as the beloved son. 00:12:19.120 --> 00:12:20.240 Verse 9. 00:12:20.639 --> 00:12:23.679 Therefore, what will the owner of the vineyard do? 00:12:24.960 --> 00:12:34.159 He will come and destroy the vine dressers and give the vineyard to others. 00:12:34.720 --> 00:12:36.559 Have you not read the scripture? 00:12:36.799 --> 00:12:41.360 The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. 00:12:41.600 --> 00:12:46.399 This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes. 00:12:47.120 --> 00:13:03.279 Jesus is saying that Israel, Pharisees, scribes, lawyers, Sadducees, if you don't repent, I'm going to give the kingdom of God to others. 00:13:03.440 --> 00:13:05.440 You see, I'm a builder. 00:13:05.840 --> 00:13:07.840 Jesus is a builder, church. 00:13:07.919 --> 00:13:09.120 Isn't that exciting? 00:13:09.440 --> 00:13:10.720 He builds. 00:13:11.039 --> 00:13:16.240 And he says, later, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 00:13:16.480 --> 00:13:24.240 So Jesus is looking at Israel and He said, I've come to you, I've cried out to you, I've given you opportunity to receive me. 00:13:24.399 --> 00:13:25.679 You have not received me. 00:13:25.840 --> 00:13:29.039 As a matter of fact, I know what my fate is about to be. 00:13:29.200 --> 00:13:31.200 There's another house I'm going to build. 00:13:31.440 --> 00:13:37.679 There's another group of people that I'm going to gather together and build the house, and I will be the cornerstone. 00:13:37.840 --> 00:13:39.759 I'll be the cornerstone of that house. 00:13:39.840 --> 00:13:43.840 And that cornerstone that you rejected is going to be a new house. 00:13:44.159 --> 00:13:52.879 And we know from Romans and we know from the book of Acts, especially from chapter 10 onward, in the book of Acts, that what happened is God went to the Gentiles. 00:13:53.039 --> 00:14:00.639 And so he began to have to turn away from the Jews, and he began to follow after those that were following him who were Gentiles and non-Jews. 00:14:00.799 --> 00:14:03.440 And so he's prophesying that it is going to be. 00:14:03.519 --> 00:14:06.240 I like this part, because sometimes I don't feel like this is true. 00:14:06.480 --> 00:14:09.360 It's marvelous in our eyes. 00:14:10.240 --> 00:14:12.720 You know God loves his church. 00:14:13.840 --> 00:14:15.919 He loves his church. 00:14:16.320 --> 00:14:26.320 And it's that zeal, it's that intentionality of Jesus and the fierce focus of his life is that he's building something that's beautiful. 00:14:26.480 --> 00:14:28.960 And men and women, you are the church. 00:14:29.279 --> 00:14:30.559 You are the church. 00:14:30.879 --> 00:14:32.639 You are a house of prayer. 00:14:32.879 --> 00:14:34.159 You are beloved. 00:14:34.480 --> 00:14:35.759 You are beautiful. 00:14:36.000 --> 00:14:39.679 You have built your lives on the cornerstone of Jesus. 00:14:39.919 --> 00:14:49.840 So in one sense, there's the corporate church, there's the church Catholic, small c, not talking about the Roman Catholic Church, but there's the church universal, that's what Catholic means. 00:14:58.399 --> 00:15:00.799 In another sense, you're the church. 00:15:00.960 --> 00:15:02.639 Each one of you are the church. 00:15:02.879 --> 00:15:07.840 You are the church, and where two or more of us are gathered, there's the church. 00:15:08.080 --> 00:15:12.799 When you come together in a C group, when you come together in a D group, the church is there. 00:15:13.039 --> 00:15:13.759 Christ is there. 00:15:13.919 --> 00:15:17.360 And he says it's marvelous in his eyes. 00:15:18.720 --> 00:15:26.879 I think if we could grasp how marvelous we are in his eyes, we would love ourselves at a deeper level. 00:15:27.120 --> 00:15:32.480 And then we'd love our neighbors at a more beautiful level because we know that we're beloved. 00:15:32.720 --> 00:15:33.600 You're beloved. 00:15:34.639 --> 00:15:38.000 Church, you're beloved, you're beautiful, you're marvelous. 00:15:38.720 --> 00:15:40.559 I love you, but that doesn't matter. 00:15:41.120 --> 00:15:42.080 Christ loves you. 00:15:42.320 --> 00:15:43.360 That's what matters. 00:15:44.879 --> 00:15:47.440 You're part of a family, the family of God. 00:15:49.360 --> 00:15:53.679 It's the place of a new acceptance. 00:15:55.679 --> 00:15:56.960 Verse 12. 00:15:58.639 --> 00:16:01.120 And they saw to lay hands on him. 00:16:02.000 --> 00:16:02.960 I like this. 00:16:03.200 --> 00:16:05.279 But they feared the multitude. 00:16:06.000 --> 00:16:07.120 He's really popular. 00:16:07.279 --> 00:16:08.799 Still the first half of the weeks. 00:16:08.879 --> 00:16:11.279 Jesus is very popular. 00:16:11.600 --> 00:16:14.879 For they knew he had spoken the parable against them. 00:16:15.120 --> 00:16:16.240 So they get it. 00:16:16.480 --> 00:16:18.879 So they left him and they went away. 00:16:19.120 --> 00:16:23.440 Then they sent to him some of the Pharisees and Herodians to catch him in his words. 00:16:23.600 --> 00:16:25.039 Now, this is remarkable. 00:16:25.200 --> 00:16:30.320 You ought to circle or underline or highlight Pharisees and the Herodians. 00:16:30.720 --> 00:16:32.960 What a motley crew. 00:16:33.360 --> 00:16:36.159 The Pharisees hate the Herodians. 00:16:36.320 --> 00:16:38.879 The Herodians hate the Pharisees. 00:16:39.039 --> 00:16:42.080 The Herodians cooperate with Rome. 00:16:42.240 --> 00:16:44.639 The Pharisees hate Rome. 00:16:44.799 --> 00:16:45.759 But isn't it true? 00:16:45.919 --> 00:16:47.200 Has this been true in your life? 00:16:47.360 --> 00:16:51.200 When you have a common enemy, you have some interesting bedfellows. 00:16:52.639 --> 00:17:03.440 And so these two guys, these Herodians, this group, and then the Pharisees, this group, are now banding together because there's a fierce focus on Jesus. 00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:05.039 G.K. 00:17:05.200 --> 00:17:15.279 Chesterton once wrote of Jesus: the life of Jesus went as swift and straight as a thunderbolt, almost in the manner of a military march. 00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:22.640 Certainly in the manner of the quest of a hero moving to his achievement or his doom. 00:17:23.519 --> 00:17:25.839 They sense it, they feel it. 00:17:26.079 --> 00:17:32.400 The Pharisees and the Herodians hate each other, but they're beginning to hate Jesus more. 00:17:32.640 --> 00:17:34.240 You ever been in any of that before? 00:17:34.400 --> 00:17:43.599 Where you kind of hate that guy or you don't like him that much, but you dislike the other guy more, and so you actually gang up with the guy you don't like. 00:17:43.920 --> 00:17:46.160 And it's really bad in the aftermath. 00:17:46.319 --> 00:17:50.160 It's kind of fun in the beginning, oh, I can get along with this, but I always thought they were da-da-da. 00:17:50.319 --> 00:17:53.200 And as soon as it all gets, then you're fighting with them. 00:17:53.680 --> 00:17:55.920 And so you kind of triangulate. 00:17:56.640 --> 00:17:59.680 So the Pharisees and the Rhodians come together. 00:18:00.000 --> 00:18:05.359 When they had come, they said to him, Teacher, we know that you are true. 00:18:05.839 --> 00:18:07.519 By the way, let me stop there. 00:18:07.920 --> 00:18:14.960 When I was studying this this week, there is so much here I wish I could unpack just about human relationships. 00:18:15.119 --> 00:18:16.079 There's a lot here. 00:18:16.240 --> 00:18:21.920 So I'm just going to touch on a few of them, but imagine, fiercely focused Jesus, knows where he's going. 00:18:22.319 --> 00:18:24.400 Not very likable right now. 00:18:24.799 --> 00:18:31.359 Not trying to be in a Dale Carnegie course of how to win friends and influence people. 00:18:31.680 --> 00:18:36.000 When they had come, they said to him, though, teacher, we know that you are true. 00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:37.839 Maybe they said it this way. 00:18:38.720 --> 00:18:41.759 Teacher, we know that you're true. 00:18:44.640 --> 00:18:46.559 And care about no one. 00:18:47.759 --> 00:18:53.599 For you do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God and truth. 00:18:56.559 --> 00:18:59.039 This is what we call flattery. 00:19:00.160 --> 00:19:03.759 This is what we call two-faced. 00:19:03.920 --> 00:19:07.279 This is what we call posing and pretending. 00:19:07.440 --> 00:19:11.680 In the religious community, we are Oscar winners at it. 00:19:11.920 --> 00:19:15.759 In most of our churches, we we I mean, there should be a statue. 00:19:15.920 --> 00:19:20.960 Maybe we'll have a few statuettes at some point, the little Oscar, little trophies here. 00:19:21.039 --> 00:19:25.119 And every time I see a poser or pretender, I just want to give them a trophy. 00:19:25.599 --> 00:19:37.039 Because you're gonna get flattered, and as a speaker and as a communicator, as a pastor, I get flattery a lot of times, and you can, it's just, it just, it makes me nauseated. 00:19:37.440 --> 00:19:39.599 Because I know it's not sincere. 00:19:39.920 --> 00:19:43.440 Oh, it's the best sermon I've ever heard. 00:19:43.599 --> 00:19:47.200 And it's like, okay, well, what's gonna come at the end of the paragraph, you know? 00:19:47.839 --> 00:19:49.759 So they're flattering Jesus. 00:19:50.000 --> 00:19:54.079 Jesus is has is not moved whatsoever, and you shouldn't be either. 00:19:54.400 --> 00:20:02.079 Listen, don't believe the words or the statements of your worst critics. 00:20:02.720 --> 00:20:08.880 But also don't believe the words of those that praise and sing your praises all the time. 00:20:09.039 --> 00:20:09.359 Okay? 00:20:09.839 --> 00:20:11.920 There's somewhere in the middle is you. 00:20:12.240 --> 00:20:21.440 You're not as bad as most people think you are, and you're not as good as some people think you are, so you're somewhere in the middle, so don't take yourself too seriously. 00:20:21.680 --> 00:20:24.880 Because they don't either, especially flatterers. 00:20:25.200 --> 00:20:27.119 They couldn't care less about you. 00:20:27.359 --> 00:20:36.720 They're just playing a game to get something, and so Jesus, like, no response, and it's all set up to trap him. 00:20:37.119 --> 00:20:38.880 So here we go. 00:20:39.440 --> 00:20:43.920 Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? 00:20:45.119 --> 00:20:48.400 Shall we pay or shall we not pay? 00:20:49.279 --> 00:20:50.480 Or question. 00:20:50.880 --> 00:20:55.440 Not an and question, not an and or question, but an or question. 00:20:56.160 --> 00:20:57.519 Trying to trap Jesus. 00:20:57.680 --> 00:21:07.759 If he says, oh, you should pay taxes to Caesar, then he will lose all of the following of the Jews. 00:21:08.000 --> 00:21:20.400 If he says he should not pay taxes to Caesar, the Herodians will turn him in for treason and sedition. 00:21:23.759 --> 00:21:25.119 So he didn't answer the question. 00:21:28.880 --> 00:21:32.000 You don't have to answer everybody's question. 00:21:36.160 --> 00:21:39.440 I wish over the last few months I hadn't answered a few questions. 00:21:43.680 --> 00:21:45.039 Don't answer questions sometimes. 00:21:45.279 --> 00:21:48.720 You don't if you if you sense a trap, then it's probably a trap. 00:21:48.960 --> 00:21:50.000 Don't answer it. 00:21:50.240 --> 00:21:57.119 It is okay not to answer with what you're being asked if it's a trap. 00:21:57.680 --> 00:21:59.839 Especially if the lead pairs. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:01.839 Paragraph is flattery. 00:22:03.359 --> 00:22:13.359 But he, knowing their hypocrisy, knowing their posing, said to them, Why do you test me? 00:22:14.160 --> 00:22:17.279 Bring me a denera, that I may see it. 00:22:17.839 --> 00:22:19.200 So they brought it. 00:22:19.440 --> 00:22:24.079 And he said to them, Whose image and inscription is this? 00:22:24.720 --> 00:22:27.839 They said to him, Caesar's. 00:22:28.079 --> 00:22:41.200 And Jesus answered and said to them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's, and they marveled at him. 00:22:42.400 --> 00:22:47.839 So Jesus doesn't answer the or, he answers the both. 00:22:48.319 --> 00:22:49.759 He answers the and. 00:22:49.920 --> 00:22:57.200 He's saying that there are things in the secular state that we have a responsibility to. 00:22:58.880 --> 00:23:04.319 There are things in the spiritual, in our spiritual relationship with God that we have a responsibility to. 00:23:04.480 --> 00:23:06.480 We have responsibility in both. 00:23:07.920 --> 00:23:16.720 So for you here that are patriots that believe you shouldn't pay taxes, Jesus doesn't support you. 00:23:17.680 --> 00:23:19.039 I'm sorry. 00:23:20.640 --> 00:23:23.599 And by the way, I'm carrying, so don't try anything, okay? 00:23:24.319 --> 00:23:25.119 But no. 00:23:26.240 --> 00:23:29.839 I remember years ago, I got invited to this guy's office. 00:23:29.920 --> 00:23:35.119 He had gotten involved with a church I was a part of, took me to his office, and it then he said, I've got to talk to you about something. 00:23:35.279 --> 00:23:40.400 I just thought something marriage or some issue, some moral or ethical issue. 00:23:40.559 --> 00:23:42.480 And then he says, I read these magazines. 00:23:42.559 --> 00:23:45.359 So he started giving me all these magazines, and I've never seen them before. 00:23:45.519 --> 00:23:49.839 But they had tons of guns and tons of guys in the woods and stuff. 00:23:50.079 --> 00:23:59.680 And uh, and he said, I am a patriot, and I believe strongly that we should never pay taxes because it's not in the Constitution. 00:24:00.079 --> 00:24:01.359 And I was like, wow. 00:24:01.440 --> 00:24:04.319 I mean, I I I just it blew me away. 00:24:04.400 --> 00:24:07.519 I wasn't prepared for this guy and the discussion. 00:24:07.680 --> 00:24:10.880 So I just, and that was the passage that God gave me. 00:24:11.119 --> 00:24:14.160 We do have a responsibility, men and women, to the state. 00:24:14.400 --> 00:24:18.559 And I believe that we have a responsibility to the poor. 00:24:19.440 --> 00:24:21.599 And that taxes do help the poor. 00:24:21.839 --> 00:24:23.359 Taxes do help us. 00:24:23.519 --> 00:24:30.160 I mean, that's why we have lights, and that's why we have paved roads, and that's why we have police, and that's why we have fire. 00:24:31.119 --> 00:24:35.839 That's why we have sheep dogs, the people who protect us and take care of our safety. 00:24:35.920 --> 00:24:37.440 We even have that at the road. 00:24:37.599 --> 00:24:48.559 We have a very well-developed safety team here watching over this place even as we meet, because we observe that we live in a world that is becoming increasingly evil. 00:24:50.400 --> 00:24:52.640 And so, church, we have a responsibility. 00:24:52.720 --> 00:24:55.039 We have Amy Lathan here in our church. 00:24:55.119 --> 00:24:56.400 She's running for mayor. 00:24:56.559 --> 00:24:59.599 You see, we're called to be salt and light. 00:24:59.759 --> 00:25:04.640 We're called to be involved in these areas as you feel led, as you're led into areas. 00:25:04.799 --> 00:25:08.480 Amy is in that battle called politics. 00:25:09.119 --> 00:25:14.319 And she has to deal with all kinds of stuff that I've never had to deal with and you've never had to deal with. 00:25:14.480 --> 00:25:17.519 Some of you are called to be businessmen and businesswomen. 00:25:17.680 --> 00:25:20.799 Some of you are called into the arena of the school system. 00:25:21.200 --> 00:25:27.119 Be all there and render unto Washington what is Washington's. 00:25:27.279 --> 00:25:29.279 Render unto God what is God's. 00:25:29.519 --> 00:25:33.599 Now, there could be a day coming. 00:25:34.559 --> 00:25:40.400 And I think by the fall, we're gonna possibly go into the book of Joel and then in the book of Revelation. 00:25:40.720 --> 00:25:48.799 But there is a day coming where you may be called upon by the government of our land to deny Christ. 00:25:49.359 --> 00:25:51.359 That's where we draw the line. 00:25:51.680 --> 00:25:53.359 That's where we draw the line. 00:25:53.680 --> 00:25:57.519 We do not deny Christ, and we do not love our life even unto death. 00:25:57.680 --> 00:26:02.240 And so we are called by Christ, and we see it in the book of Acts with the church. 00:26:02.480 --> 00:26:23.839 Though he said that just a few years before he had said, render under Caesar what is Caesar's, just a few years later, eleven of the twelve disciples give their lives as martyrs by the Roman authorities as they're crucified and beheaded for their faith and impaled for their faith. 00:26:24.160 --> 00:26:33.759 So we don't compromise our faith, but we render unto Washington what is Washington, as we render unto God what is God. 00:26:35.279 --> 00:26:36.559 Verse 18. 00:26:37.279 --> 00:26:43.920 Then some Sadducees who say there is no resurrection, that's why they're sad, you see. 00:26:47.039 --> 00:27:02.160 Came to him and they asked him, saying, Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a br man's brother, this is hilarious, if a man's brother dies and leaves his wife behind and leaves no children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. 00:27:02.319 --> 00:27:04.400 Now there were seven brothers. 00:27:05.119 --> 00:27:18.720 The first took a wife and dying he left no offspring, and the second took her and he died, nor did he leave any offspring, and the third likewise, so the seven had her and left no offspring. 00:27:18.880 --> 00:27:24.480 Last of all, the woman died also, therefore in the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be? 00:27:24.640 --> 00:27:26.640 For all seven had her as a wife. 00:27:26.799 --> 00:27:29.599 Men and women, this lady's got a problem. 00:27:29.920 --> 00:27:34.160 Um, either she needs to be investigated by the FDA or the FBI. 00:27:35.279 --> 00:27:40.240 I think if I was somewhere around the fifth brother, I'd have a cupbearer. 00:27:40.640 --> 00:27:43.039 I mean, I would be tasting all the wine. 00:27:43.680 --> 00:27:44.960 Can you taste this wine? 00:27:45.039 --> 00:27:47.279 Um, can you taste those peppers over there? 00:27:47.519 --> 00:27:49.519 No lentils tonight, honey. 00:27:49.759 --> 00:27:51.359 Did you see how she cooked those lentils? 00:27:51.440 --> 00:27:53.279 I mean, this lady's got some issues. 00:27:53.759 --> 00:27:59.759 What they're doing is they're quoting from Deuteronomy chapter 25, which the Sadducees believed in the first five books of Moses. 00:27:59.920 --> 00:28:02.400 So they believed in Genesis, Exodus Leviticus, and number of Deuteronomy. 00:28:02.559 --> 00:28:04.559 They believed in the first five books of Moses. 00:28:04.960 --> 00:28:09.519 They believed in the morality of the first five books. 00:28:09.759 --> 00:28:11.200 They didn't believe in the rest of the Bible. 00:28:11.759 --> 00:28:18.799 They didn't have the prophets, they didn't, they didn't believe in the poetical books and the historical books, but they believed in the Pentateuch. 00:28:18.960 --> 00:28:20.160 That's all they believed in. 00:28:20.240 --> 00:28:21.759 But here's the irony. 00:28:22.000 --> 00:28:24.240 They don't even believe in the resurrection. 00:28:25.680 --> 00:28:29.599 They don't even believe in the resurrection, and then that's what they're talking about. 00:28:29.839 --> 00:28:31.519 It's ludicrous. 00:28:32.400 --> 00:28:33.440 It's ludicrous. 00:28:33.519 --> 00:28:38.000 And they're mock, what they're doing is they're mocking the resurrection to Jesus. 00:28:39.279 --> 00:28:41.440 I love his answer. 00:28:42.720 --> 00:28:49.599 All you young people in the room, how many are in this room that are between between 15 and 18? 00:28:49.759 --> 00:28:52.240 Between 15 and 18 years old, raise your hand. 00:28:53.039 --> 00:28:53.680 All right. 00:28:54.319 --> 00:29:06.240 You guys should go back and read Mark chapter 12 again and just write down how you deal with mocking questions, with ludicrous illustrations. 00:29:06.400 --> 00:29:08.880 Watch how Jesus answers his critics. 00:29:09.200 --> 00:29:13.680 Jesus answered and said to them, Are you not therefore mistaken? 00:29:13.920 --> 00:29:18.640 Because you do not know the scriptures nor the power of God. 00:29:19.680 --> 00:29:20.319 Hello. 00:29:21.039 --> 00:29:23.599 You don't know the scriptures nor the power of God. 00:29:23.680 --> 00:29:24.640 I would say this. 00:29:24.880 --> 00:29:29.920 Men and women, you don't know the scriptures until you know the power of God. 00:29:30.480 --> 00:29:33.680 You don't know the power of God until you know the scriptures. 00:29:33.839 --> 00:29:48.400 In other words, when we get into God's word and you're reading God's word, he is speaking to you, the creator of the universe, with revelation that you could never have in your own personal abilities and talents. 00:29:49.039 --> 00:29:50.559 Power of God in the scriptures. 00:29:50.720 --> 00:29:57.359 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 00:29:58.960 --> 00:30:06.480 So Jesus is saying that the resurrection doesn't have anything to do with this physical world and these physical qualities. 00:30:06.640 --> 00:30:08.720 You've got the software. 00:30:09.680 --> 00:30:12.319 When you die, it's all about the software. 00:30:12.640 --> 00:30:14.480 It's not about the hardware. 00:30:14.799 --> 00:30:16.079 Aren't you glad? 00:30:16.319 --> 00:30:21.680 All of you that are over 45, aren't you glad that it's not the hardware that matters anymore? 00:30:21.839 --> 00:30:23.680 You're going to get new hardware. 00:30:23.920 --> 00:30:24.240 Okay? 00:30:24.480 --> 00:30:27.519 But what God cares about is your software. 00:30:27.839 --> 00:30:28.640 And guess what? 00:30:28.799 --> 00:30:30.319 You get an update. 00:30:30.720 --> 00:30:33.599 You get an update on the software. 00:30:34.400 --> 00:30:44.720 When you got saved, you that are getting baptized tonight, you that have maybe even recently come to know the Lord, when you got saved, you got new software. 00:30:45.680 --> 00:30:48.720 You got a new heart, the scriptures say. 00:30:49.839 --> 00:30:53.200 Your heart of stone became a heart of flesh. 00:30:54.240 --> 00:30:55.359