WEBVTT 00:00:00.239 --> 00:00:14.560 Church, King David said in Psalm 207, some trust in chariots, some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. 00:00:16.399 --> 00:00:31.039 And you wonder if we had a manuscript of your prayers for the last 18 months or so, what would they reveal about who or what you trust in? 00:00:32.320 --> 00:00:37.039 Now I would be the first to stand up and say that I don't pray enough. 00:00:37.200 --> 00:00:41.840 And there's not enough evidence as I would like in my prayers. 00:00:42.399 --> 00:00:53.439 But hopefully we together, as people were to examine our prayer life, would say, well, it would seem this person, they keep saying this thing over the days and months. 00:00:53.600 --> 00:00:55.920 It would seem that they trust in God. 00:00:57.920 --> 00:01:16.560 But some trust in their own abilities, some trust in their bank accounts, some trust in their own righteousness, and some trust in their own spouses, some trust in just kind of that the world is stable and they're gonna kind of make it. 00:01:17.040 --> 00:01:19.920 Some act as if they trust in nothing. 00:01:21.680 --> 00:01:23.920 What do we trust in? 00:01:24.079 --> 00:01:29.280 And what would our prayers reveal about where you place your trust? 00:01:29.920 --> 00:01:33.519 See, Jesus is about to teach us something in Luke 18. 00:01:33.760 --> 00:01:46.400 If we have ears to hear, and that is this the power of our prayers rests on the character of God in the condition of our hearts. 00:01:46.719 --> 00:01:54.640 The power of our prayers rests on the character of God in the condition of our hearts. 00:01:56.879 --> 00:02:05.359 These verses, these 30 verses, first 30 verses of Luke 18, we're going to see how prayer, this approaching and talking to God. 00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:10.960 So prayer is how it reveals our trust in Him. 00:02:11.199 --> 00:02:14.800 It reveals the confidence we have in Him. 00:02:14.960 --> 00:02:18.319 It reveals the condition of our hearts. 00:02:18.479 --> 00:02:20.000 And we're going to have two examples. 00:02:20.159 --> 00:02:25.759 We're going to see two examples of humility and two examples of pride. 00:02:26.000 --> 00:02:31.759 Humility is having this right understanding of who you are and where you are in the world. 00:02:32.080 --> 00:02:35.280 Even the greatest of people are just people. 00:02:35.439 --> 00:02:36.479 They're just people. 00:02:37.039 --> 00:02:44.719 And humility is knowing what is in your control, which is very, very little, in what is outside of your control. 00:02:45.840 --> 00:02:55.039 Pride is the inaccurate, inaccurate understanding or wrong understanding of who you are and where you are in the world. 00:02:55.120 --> 00:02:58.960 And I don't mean kind of spatially, I mean more socially, where you are in the world. 00:02:59.199 --> 00:03:01.520 You are just a person like everyone else. 00:03:01.680 --> 00:03:06.560 And with that, you will die just like everyone else. 00:03:06.879 --> 00:03:12.960 You're not really that special or smart or above everyone else as you might think you are. 00:03:13.199 --> 00:03:14.800 Pride comes naturally. 00:03:15.039 --> 00:03:16.400 Humility does not. 00:03:16.639 --> 00:03:18.879 We don't have to work to be prideful. 00:03:19.199 --> 00:03:23.120 And you might think, well, I'm not a prideful person because I'm not an arrogant person. 00:03:23.280 --> 00:03:27.360 I'm not flaunting my wealth or kind of just demeaning over people. 00:03:28.479 --> 00:03:34.400 The reality is that everyone has some selfishness in them. 00:03:34.639 --> 00:03:36.800 We're self-oriented. 00:03:37.280 --> 00:03:40.240 If you're self-oriented, you have a pride issue. 00:03:40.960 --> 00:03:42.879 You're thinking too much of yourself. 00:03:43.039 --> 00:03:47.360 So what we see in this text is a lesson on humility, and then we'll see it applied. 00:03:47.439 --> 00:03:51.599 And we'll see a lesson on pride, and then we'll see how that is applied. 00:03:51.759 --> 00:03:52.319 Alright? 00:03:52.719 --> 00:03:58.479 And it's going to teach us that our confidence should be in God. 00:03:58.800 --> 00:04:01.919 That our confidence should be in God. 00:04:03.439 --> 00:04:10.240 Jesus has just finished in Luke 17, telling all of the disciples and all the listeners about the kingdom to come. 00:04:10.319 --> 00:04:16.879 And he's talking about the end, and no one knows, but what they do know is it's going to be like nothing they've ever experienced before. 00:04:17.040 --> 00:04:17.279 Right? 00:04:17.439 --> 00:04:22.000 People are going to be judged, and then people are going to be disappearing, and all these things will be happening. 00:04:22.319 --> 00:04:23.759 And so what does Christ do? 00:04:23.920 --> 00:04:26.160 Well, he gives them some encouragement. 00:04:26.639 --> 00:04:29.360 He goes right here into verse 1 of 18. 00:04:29.519 --> 00:04:35.600 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 00:04:37.839 --> 00:04:46.000 Jesus tells them about this widow who's making an appeal to an unjust judge, a wicked judge. 00:04:47.360 --> 00:04:53.920 Now, if you don't know much of the culture in this time, a widow would have been one of the most vulnerable people, right? 00:04:54.079 --> 00:04:58.800 Her husband has died, and she, for most people, she has two options. 00:04:58.959 --> 00:05:05.120 She can stay with her husband's family, in which she would essentially become a servant in most families. 00:05:05.360 --> 00:05:15.120 She would not be viewed as an equal in the family, she would be viewed subserviently and become a servant in the family for most of the time. 00:05:15.680 --> 00:05:19.920 However, she could go back to her parents' family, to her parents. 00:05:20.000 --> 00:05:28.079 She could do that, but if she does that, the family, her origin family, they have to then give back the dowry, the bride price. 00:05:28.240 --> 00:05:32.399 Whatever was given, they have to give all that, those resources back. 00:05:32.800 --> 00:05:41.839 So she can stay and be a servant, or she can go back home and put her family, what might be in complete financial peril. 00:05:42.319 --> 00:05:44.720 So you can understand the vulnerability. 00:05:44.800 --> 00:05:47.600 She did not have a husband to advocate and protect her. 00:05:47.759 --> 00:05:51.839 She did not have a father to advocate and protect her either. 00:05:52.160 --> 00:06:00.959 So this widow, who has no place to go, begins to cry out to God, or to the judge, excuse me, for justice. 00:06:01.279 --> 00:06:10.720 And the judge, who knows himself to be a wicked judge, says, I'm not going to answer this woman because I fear God, I don't, but I'm just going to answer her because she keeps persisting in her prayer. 00:06:11.199 --> 00:06:13.759 She's persistent in her request. 00:06:14.240 --> 00:06:16.079 And he grants her that. 00:06:16.720 --> 00:06:17.759 And then verse 6. 00:06:17.920 --> 00:06:21.920 And the Lord said, Hear what the unrighteous judge says, excuse me. 00:06:22.160 --> 00:06:27.680 Verse 8, I tell you, this is verse 8, I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. 00:06:28.160 --> 00:06:28.800 This is God. 00:06:28.879 --> 00:06:35.680 He will give them, nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth? 00:06:35.920 --> 00:06:48.720 So he's just given this parable, and I botched this up a little bit, but he does say in verse 7, and will not God give justice to his elect who cry to him day and night? 00:06:49.279 --> 00:06:52.000 Will he delay long over them? 00:06:53.199 --> 00:06:56.079 See, Jesus is teaching them something. 00:06:56.800 --> 00:07:09.040 And you might think, not completely inaccurately, that what Jesus is saying is just keep persisting, keep praying, keep at it, and you'll get there eventually. 00:07:09.279 --> 00:07:13.600 Even the wicked judges of the earth will have to listen to you. 00:07:15.600 --> 00:07:18.959 Their principle here is to keep praying, to persist in prayer. 00:07:19.199 --> 00:07:25.519 But the greater thing is Jesus is pointing not to the unrighteous judge, but to the righteous judge. 00:07:25.680 --> 00:07:29.199 And will not God give his elect justice? 00:07:29.439 --> 00:07:34.480 Those who cry day and night, will he delay long over them? 00:07:35.839 --> 00:07:45.120 See, he has just told them all the things that are to come, this kingdom that is to come, and this the final judgment and these terrible things and the persecution they're going to go through. 00:07:45.279 --> 00:07:50.240 And he says to them, listen, don't be dismayed, don't lose heart. 00:07:51.279 --> 00:07:57.120 For you are petitioning, you are praying to the righteous judge. 00:07:59.839 --> 00:08:03.680 Reveals the character of God. 00:08:05.759 --> 00:08:06.160 Justice. 00:08:08.720 --> 00:08:12.160 Well, who is able to give justice? 00:08:12.480 --> 00:08:14.399 Who has that kind of authority? 00:08:14.639 --> 00:08:18.480 Well, two things are required to give actual justice. 00:08:18.800 --> 00:08:22.480 One is you have to be in a position of authority. 00:08:23.279 --> 00:08:23.839 Right? 00:08:24.160 --> 00:08:33.919 If I commit a crime and I go before the judge, my friends can't come in and say, it's alright, he's innocent. 00:08:34.639 --> 00:08:35.600 It's done. 00:08:36.080 --> 00:08:37.279 They don't have that authority. 00:08:37.519 --> 00:08:39.679 That authority was never given to them. 00:08:39.919 --> 00:08:41.039 You have to have the authority. 00:08:41.120 --> 00:08:42.960 The judge has the authority. 00:08:43.200 --> 00:08:46.480 And to give right and true justice, what else has to be there? 00:08:46.960 --> 00:08:49.679 You have to know what the law is. 00:08:50.080 --> 00:08:54.480 You have to interpret correctly the moral standard. 00:08:56.080 --> 00:09:00.080 This is why this judge here in this parable is a wicked judge. 00:09:00.399 --> 00:09:04.720 He has the authority, but he does not have the ethical ability. 00:09:04.799 --> 00:09:09.600 He's not following and adhering to the law, the moral standard. 00:09:10.960 --> 00:09:12.799 He does these things perfectly. 00:09:12.960 --> 00:09:13.840 It's God. 00:09:14.240 --> 00:09:18.559 He has the authority, and he has the standard. 00:09:19.360 --> 00:09:25.120 So he can give justice to his elect, to his people. 00:09:26.639 --> 00:09:29.600 Speaking of his elect, and who are these people? 00:09:30.080 --> 00:09:36.240 JC Ryle says, we have a plain mark described here by our Lord in the passage before us. 00:09:36.559 --> 00:09:40.480 God's elect are people who cry unto him night and day. 00:09:40.720 --> 00:09:43.279 They are essentially a praying people. 00:09:43.679 --> 00:09:49.600 No doubt there are many persons whose prayers are formal and hypocritical. 00:09:49.919 --> 00:09:56.000 But one thing is very clear: a prayerless man must never be called one of God's elect. 00:09:57.279 --> 00:09:59.279 Well, God's speaking of his people. 00:09:59.519 --> 00:10:03.279 Those whom he has chosen, he's redeemed, who belong to him. 00:10:03.679 --> 00:10:05.279 He will not abandon them. 00:10:05.440 --> 00:10:23.440 So their cry to this cry, this prayer, this persistent prayer to God, they can do that with confidence, because he is a just God, and he does not feel, you may resonate with this language of delay. 00:10:24.159 --> 00:10:30.080 Because he says in verse 8, I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily, quickly. 00:10:32.639 --> 00:10:35.120 But are we still waiting for this justice? 00:10:35.519 --> 00:10:37.039 It's been 2,000 years. 00:10:37.200 --> 00:10:38.320 Has it happened? 00:10:39.519 --> 00:10:43.679 Are we still waiting on God to bring these things about? 00:10:45.440 --> 00:10:53.600 Oftentimes, you've heard it said that God's timing is not our timing, and God's ways are not our ways, which is 100% true. 00:10:54.960 --> 00:11:04.399 You see this pattern, I think, in the Old Testament and even in the book of Acts, the Lord, his timing is perfect. 00:11:04.879 --> 00:11:13.200 And so what he does is he's using all the things in your life, in my life, for our good. 00:11:26.000 --> 00:11:34.159 He will bring about justice, is not saying, God's gonna bring justice on your timeline or when you think it's best. 00:11:34.480 --> 00:11:38.080 How many Christians have been martyred for their faith? 00:11:38.240 --> 00:11:39.039 They've died. 00:11:39.200 --> 00:11:45.200 They've died in front of their children, in front of their family, they've been drugged off into the wilderness and persecuted and killed. 00:11:45.360 --> 00:11:46.720 All kinds of terrible things. 00:11:46.879 --> 00:11:50.080 And you can step back and say, well, where's the justice in that? 00:11:50.240 --> 00:11:51.919 What's going on in that? 00:11:53.360 --> 00:11:59.039 Maybe in your own life, you're not facing anything like that, but there's something. 00:12:00.559 --> 00:12:03.759 You feel like God has delayed. 00:12:04.559 --> 00:12:05.840 Where is he at? 00:12:06.240 --> 00:12:07.759 When is he going to deliver? 00:12:07.919 --> 00:12:09.919 When is this gonna happen? 00:12:10.480 --> 00:12:13.039 He said he's not gonna leave me or forsake me. 00:12:13.440 --> 00:12:16.320 He said he will bring about justice. 00:12:18.639 --> 00:12:21.840 Brother, sister, the Lord is so gracious to you. 00:12:22.159 --> 00:12:28.000 And he's using even the hardships of the world to form you more like him. 00:12:29.279 --> 00:12:33.440 And so I fully grant that that is a normal and natural question. 00:12:33.679 --> 00:12:37.919 How long, oh God, how long has David cried in the Psalms. 00:12:39.120 --> 00:13:03.759 But what we need to do is look to the righteous judge, look to our Father, the one we're pleading with, crying to, and have confidence, one that he hears us, that he knows what's going on, that by his sovereign goodness, he's using it for our growth. 00:13:05.120 --> 00:13:09.919 Never in the moment do you see all this working. 00:13:10.320 --> 00:13:14.960 Never in the valley of life do you see the Lord maturing you and growing you. 00:13:15.120 --> 00:13:21.519 It's only after, once you're through all these things, that you look back and you're like, wow, this is amazing what the Lord has done. 00:13:21.759 --> 00:13:25.519 And if you doubt that, I would encourage you, go find a mature Christian. 00:13:25.679 --> 00:13:30.879 There's plenty of them I can point to you this morning, and just ask them, is that true in your life? 00:13:31.120 --> 00:13:35.679 Have you seen the Lord take you through a wilderness when you feel alone? 00:13:35.919 --> 00:13:42.799 Have you seen the Lord take you through a valley when you didn't see any way out and you didn't know where he was or what was going on? 00:13:43.440 --> 00:13:46.559 And what did that do to your faith? 00:13:47.200 --> 00:13:52.720 What have you learned about who God is and his faithfulness to you through that? 00:13:53.200 --> 00:14:01.759 So even though there is this delay, we feel God is bringing his justice. 00:14:02.480 --> 00:14:09.679 Through the return of Christ, which he was just speaking of in chapter 17, God will bring his justice. 00:14:10.480 --> 00:14:17.279 And when it's all done, we look back, we will say, that timing was perfect. 00:14:18.000 --> 00:14:20.000 That was amazing what he did. 00:14:20.720 --> 00:14:25.360 That will be our response when our confidence is in God. 00:14:26.399 --> 00:14:27.919 We're praying to him. 00:14:28.639 --> 00:14:31.600 We're coming to him with humble hearts. 00:14:32.240 --> 00:14:37.759 We're not coming to him with prideful hearts that are saying, hey, listen, I know a thing or two about my life. 00:14:37.919 --> 00:14:39.039 I know what I want. 00:14:39.360 --> 00:14:40.320 That's good. 00:14:41.279 --> 00:14:44.879 Coming to him with confidence, with a humble heart. 00:14:46.639 --> 00:14:49.200 This is what children do. 00:14:50.240 --> 00:14:56.000 They come to the Lord, they come to their parents, to people, and they're just innocent. 00:14:56.399 --> 00:15:03.279 And so we see this confidence in God that requires humility, and we see it applied here in verses 15 and 17. 00:15:03.440 --> 00:15:08.000 So look at your Bible, look down, skipping a passage to verses 15 and 17. 00:15:08.159 --> 00:15:09.200 And what's going on? 00:15:09.360 --> 00:15:13.120 They're bringing infants, children to Jesus. 00:15:13.519 --> 00:15:15.440 When the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 00:15:15.519 --> 00:15:26.720 But Jesus said to them, Let the children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belong the k belongs the kingdom of God. 00:15:27.440 --> 00:15:34.639 Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it. 00:15:36.240 --> 00:15:39.039 You know, there's something here about children. 00:15:39.279 --> 00:15:49.120 It's their their their faith, their their simplicity that also belongs to those who belong to the kingdom of God. 00:15:50.240 --> 00:15:56.720 Their simple confidence, their clarity, really, of who God is. 00:15:58.960 --> 00:16:00.080 Think about children. 00:16:00.159 --> 00:16:06.639 If you have children, they're very focused at times, very single-minded. 00:16:07.679 --> 00:16:14.240 But if you're a good father, my kids don't wonder if I love them. 00:16:14.720 --> 00:16:16.960 There's a simplicity to them. 00:16:17.360 --> 00:16:21.840 They don't get caught up in all the complexities of life. 00:16:23.360 --> 00:16:25.440 There's a pureness to that. 00:16:26.320 --> 00:16:35.200 And I just want to say, if this idea of being like a child bothers you, like just have to be like a kid? 00:16:35.440 --> 00:16:38.960 If that bothers you, that's probably something of your pride. 00:16:40.159 --> 00:16:41.440 Raging up. 00:16:41.919 --> 00:16:42.480 What do you mean? 00:16:42.559 --> 00:16:44.240 I just have to be the faith like a child. 00:16:44.399 --> 00:16:46.000 Children are ignorant. 00:16:46.320 --> 00:16:47.840 They don't know anything. 00:16:48.000 --> 00:16:54.639 So to be a Christian and get to heaven, I just have to be, at all a Christian, would advocate for ignorance or just staying ignorant. 00:16:54.960 --> 00:17:05.680 But there is a simple, clear confidence, not in themselves, but in their parents, in adults. 00:17:06.079 --> 00:17:09.839 The tragedy is they grow up and they realize, wow, that's not true. 00:17:10.160 --> 00:17:12.799 My parents weren't who I thought they were completely. 00:17:12.960 --> 00:17:14.160 They're also human. 00:17:14.319 --> 00:17:23.599 And what a blessing is Christian parents is our kids are understanding our broken nature and they're understanding the complexities of the world and the brokenness. 00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:30.880 And we can say, Yeah, but there is one who is good, who's right, who's pure and holy. 00:17:31.039 --> 00:17:33.359 And we point them to Christ. 00:17:34.799 --> 00:17:38.480 See, for children, their confidence is simple. 00:17:39.279 --> 00:17:47.680 And Jesus is again teaching his followers how to pray persistently, but with faith. 00:17:49.039 --> 00:17:52.559 Children don't understand the social kind of parameters. 00:17:53.519 --> 00:17:55.599 You could have a super famous person walking. 00:17:56.319 --> 00:17:57.359 Little children, they don't know. 00:17:57.920 --> 00:17:59.599 They just walk right up to them. 00:18:00.160 --> 00:18:02.799 This is the beauty of childhood. 00:18:04.319 --> 00:18:04.960 Simple. 00:18:05.519 --> 00:18:10.000 The Lord calls us to this kind of confidence in him. 00:18:11.440 --> 00:18:23.119 Again, I want to say clearly, I'm not saying take all your questions about who God is or the complexities of theology and social issues and philosophy and just throw all that away. 00:18:23.359 --> 00:18:24.640 I'm not saying that. 00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:33.039 But what I am saying is at the end of the day, what we're called to, what you're called to, is we're called to trust the Lord. 00:18:33.279 --> 00:18:35.359 Our confidence is in him. 00:18:36.640 --> 00:18:41.440 But what does it look like when our confidence is in ourselves? 00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:44.720 We'll go back to verse 9. 00:18:45.119 --> 00:18:47.440 Jesus tells us another parable. 00:18:47.920 --> 00:18:49.039 What's his parable? 00:18:49.519 --> 00:18:52.640 Well, the the Pharisee and the tax collector. 00:18:53.119 --> 00:18:56.000 You're probably well acquainted with this. 00:18:56.559 --> 00:19:00.319 The Pharisee, religious leader, a teacher. 00:19:00.720 --> 00:19:04.079 He's to do his praying to God. 00:19:04.720 --> 00:19:06.400 And he's thanking God. 00:19:07.519 --> 00:19:09.680 Seem to be a mark of humility. 00:19:09.920 --> 00:19:15.279 He's thanking God that he's not lost like all these other people. 00:19:16.319 --> 00:19:24.559 He's thanking God that he's not a wicked person like an extortioner who's bribing people or compelling them to give things, essentially stealing from people. 00:19:24.880 --> 00:19:27.440 He's thanking God that he's not unjust. 00:19:28.880 --> 00:19:31.519 He's thanking God that he's not an adulterer. 00:19:31.680 --> 00:19:36.960 He hasn't gone around sleeping with a bunch of other people who aren't his spouse or his wife. 00:19:37.759 --> 00:19:42.400 He's thanking God that he's not a tax collector like this guy. 00:19:43.359 --> 00:19:52.400 As a matter of fact, just in case God had forgotten, he's reminding him, I fast twice a week. 00:19:52.640 --> 00:19:58.960 Now, in the old covenant, the commandment, they were commanded to fast for sure once a year. 00:19:59.759 --> 00:20:01.599 That was a command from God. 00:20:02.319 --> 00:20:04.960 And he's fasting twice a week. 00:20:05.359 --> 00:20:11.839 He's giving it a tithe, he's giving a tithe on his gross income, his pre-tax income. 00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:13.279 What a generous guy. 00:20:13.440 --> 00:20:18.480 He's giving a tithe on his crops, he's giving it a tithe on his oils. 00:20:18.640 --> 00:20:22.799 Everything that comes to him, he's giving a tithe on. 00:20:23.200 --> 00:20:26.079 What a generous, what a good guy. 00:20:26.559 --> 00:20:29.599 But the tax collector, what's he doing? 00:20:30.400 --> 00:20:32.400 He's standing far off. 00:20:32.880 --> 00:20:34.000 Why would that be? 00:20:34.640 --> 00:20:40.799 Why is the Pharisee here close to the temple and the temple and the tax collector's far off? 00:20:41.839 --> 00:20:44.799 He won't even lift his eyes up to heaven. 00:20:46.559 --> 00:20:49.039 He's too ashamed to even look. 00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:52.480 He's beating his chest. 00:20:55.680 --> 00:20:58.480 God be merciful to me, a sinner. 00:21:00.400 --> 00:21:03.839 What a powerful image Jesus is saying. 00:21:04.640 --> 00:21:09.039 What a powerful thing he's teaching the listeners. 00:21:11.359 --> 00:21:15.519 For almost everyone identify themselves with the Pharisee. 00:21:16.640 --> 00:21:18.240 We're lawkeepers. 00:21:18.480 --> 00:21:21.039 We do what's required of us. 00:21:22.480 --> 00:21:26.960 And they all would have looked at tax collectors scornfully. 00:21:27.119 --> 00:21:28.319 They're wicked people. 00:21:28.400 --> 00:21:29.680 And for the most part, they were. 00:21:29.759 --> 00:21:31.599 They were robbing their own people. 00:21:31.759 --> 00:21:33.279 They were injust. 00:21:34.079 --> 00:21:39.119 But here, this tax collector is repenting of his sin. 00:21:39.599 --> 00:21:41.839 He's aware of the weight of his sin. 00:21:42.000 --> 00:21:43.119 He's standing far off. 00:21:43.279 --> 00:21:48.319 He won't even look with his eyes as if God deserves, or he deserves God to look upon him. 00:21:48.400 --> 00:21:51.680 He's head down, beating his chest. 00:21:52.400 --> 00:21:55.839 God be merciful to me, a sinner. 00:21:56.720 --> 00:21:58.400 This isn't a demand. 00:21:58.559 --> 00:21:59.359 This is a cry. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:06.880 A prayer to God saying I'm not confident in myself, I'm confident in God. 00:22:11.119 --> 00:22:12.400 It's interesting. 00:22:13.839 --> 00:22:16.240 Think about your own life. 00:22:18.240 --> 00:22:21.039 Does this at all resemble you? 00:22:21.599 --> 00:22:25.200 Are you ever torn up over your sin? 00:22:27.039 --> 00:22:32.240 Do you ever see your sin for how wicked it is? 00:22:34.000 --> 00:22:40.319 And say, it's not just that my sin is causing pain to people around me. 00:22:40.559 --> 00:22:46.960 It's not just that my sin is causing destruction around me in my life. 00:22:47.359 --> 00:23:00.000 It's that I am sinning against God, the holy and righteous God, the very one who has given me breath, the very one who sustains my heartbeat. 00:23:00.079 --> 00:23:02.400 It's against him that I'm sinning. 00:23:03.279 --> 00:23:06.880 Does the weight of your sin press on you ever? 00:23:07.200 --> 00:23:10.880 It drives you to a posture of humility. 00:23:12.079 --> 00:23:15.200 It makes you cry out to the Lord for mercy. 00:23:17.599 --> 00:23:23.519 Or do you spend more of your time thinking about your own? 00:23:23.920 --> 00:23:26.319 At least I'm not a politician, right? 00:23:28.240 --> 00:23:33.759 How often we look to justify ourselves by examining others. 00:23:34.559 --> 00:23:43.599 We look to their lack of righteousness as if that's some kind of indicator of our own righteousness. 00:23:44.799 --> 00:23:47.359 And maybe it's not tithing and fasting. 00:23:49.920 --> 00:23:55.920 Whatever laws you've made up in your own mind, in your standard that you're judging others by. 00:23:57.200 --> 00:24:00.319 See, that's what confidence in yourself looks like. 00:24:01.599 --> 00:24:04.400 Well, I'm not as bad as those guys, so I must be good. 00:24:04.640 --> 00:24:06.079 I must be able to get to heaven. 00:24:06.240 --> 00:24:08.960 I must be uh one of God's people. 00:24:10.960 --> 00:24:14.480 How wrong we can be about this. 00:24:16.559 --> 00:24:24.319 See, Jesus takes this very sober story, this parable, and then it's directly applied. 00:24:25.200 --> 00:24:26.319 Look in verse 18. 00:24:27.920 --> 00:24:30.000 Rich ruler comes to Jesus. 00:24:32.400 --> 00:24:38.799 And he has and we're gonna see where his confidence is laid. 00:24:40.559 --> 00:24:44.319 Where his hope is placed, where his trust is put. 00:24:45.359 --> 00:24:52.720 He comes to Jesus and he says, Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? 00:24:53.759 --> 00:24:54.799 I'll pause there. 00:24:56.480 --> 00:24:58.880 This is a phenomenal verse. 00:25:00.799 --> 00:25:04.079 It does two really amazing things. 00:25:04.960 --> 00:25:11.119 It correctly identifies who Jesus is, and it asks the right question. 00:25:11.359 --> 00:25:14.400 What must I do to inherit eternal life? 00:25:14.720 --> 00:25:19.440 And I know that we live in a day and age where people, you think no one's asking this question anymore. 00:25:19.599 --> 00:25:24.559 People are so consumed with their phones or money or whatever that they're just going about life. 00:25:25.279 --> 00:25:37.839 The Bible says in Ecclesiastes that God has put eternity in the hearts of men, in mankind, so that we are all asking this question about eternal life. 00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:39.680 We're all wondering about eternal life. 00:25:39.839 --> 00:25:40.319 Where is it? 00:25:40.480 --> 00:25:41.119 How do I get it? 00:25:41.279 --> 00:25:42.319 Am I, will I have it? 00:25:42.480 --> 00:25:43.920 What does it mean? 00:25:44.640 --> 00:25:57.440 So this rich ruler's coming to Christ, asking a question that everyone asks How must I, or how can I inherit eternal life? 00:25:59.039 --> 00:26:02.400 So a couple things we want to notice here that are important. 00:26:03.119 --> 00:26:16.799 This guy has the ability to have really good theology and yet either have no self-awareness or to have terrible theology. 00:26:16.960 --> 00:26:18.240 And I'll explain that, okay? 00:26:18.480 --> 00:26:22.640 So he has great theology because he says, calls Jesus good teacher. 00:26:22.880 --> 00:26:29.680 And then Jesus responds, which is also quoting Psalm 14 in Ecclesiastes 7, why do you call me good? 00:26:29.920 --> 00:26:33.599 No one is good except God alone. 00:26:34.720 --> 00:26:37.039 He's making a declaration of his identity. 00:26:37.279 --> 00:26:40.079 You're calling me God, because you're calling me good teacher. 00:26:40.240 --> 00:26:43.279 Jesus goes on and says, you know, keep these commandments. 00:26:43.519 --> 00:26:50.160 And the guy responds in verse 21, all these I have kept from my youth. 00:26:51.359 --> 00:26:52.960 What an amazing statement. 00:26:53.119 --> 00:26:56.319 I've kept the Ten Commandments since I was in my youth. 00:26:56.480 --> 00:26:57.440 I haven't done these things. 00:26:57.519 --> 00:26:58.559 I haven't committed adultery. 00:26:58.720 --> 00:27:01.119 I've never murdered, I've never stealed, I've never lied. 00:27:01.359 --> 00:27:04.720 I've always honored my father and my mother. 00:27:05.920 --> 00:27:10.400 What he's saying, this rich guy, is that I've kept the law. 00:27:12.160 --> 00:27:14.240 What did Jesus just say? 00:27:15.839 --> 00:27:17.759 I'm the law keeper. 00:27:18.400 --> 00:27:25.519 He has right theology because he's identifying Jesus as God, the good teacher. 00:27:26.240 --> 00:27:35.519 And he, one, either has no self-awareness, or he has no understanding of how he's broken the law, which would seem to be untrue, although possible. 00:27:35.759 --> 00:27:39.440 Untrue most likely because he's rich and he's a ruler. 00:27:40.799 --> 00:27:44.319 But he must have very bad theology. 00:27:45.359 --> 00:27:48.559 A repeat of the whole point of the law. 00:27:49.920 --> 00:28:06.319 And rather to give a repeat of the Sermon on the Mount or the Sermon on the Plain, Jesus says to them, says to him, One thing you still lack, sell all you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven and come follow me. 00:28:09.920 --> 00:28:14.480 Jesus was going right after this man's confidence. 00:28:15.279 --> 00:28:17.039 Where are you placing your hope? 00:28:17.200 --> 00:28:20.160 Where are you placing your security, your identity? 00:28:20.640 --> 00:28:21.839 Is it in God? 00:28:22.559 --> 00:28:27.839 The one you proclaim to be keeping his commands, or is it in yourself? 00:28:30.000 --> 00:28:32.240 The man is sorrowful. 00:28:34.400 --> 00:28:35.519 He's sorrowful. 00:28:35.680 --> 00:28:36.079 Why? 00:28:36.240 --> 00:28:38.640 Well, because he had all kinds of wealth. 00:28:39.599 --> 00:28:45.200 Jesus pointed his finger to the one thing the guy said, Well, this is mine. 00:28:45.440 --> 00:28:52.480 I've been obedient, I haven't slept with other women, I haven't killed anyone, I haven't stolen anything, I've sought to honor my mother and my father. 00:28:52.720 --> 00:28:58.400 According to the cultural standard of the society, he's a lawkeeper. 00:28:58.799 --> 00:29:00.480 And that's what all of his friends are telling him. 00:29:00.640 --> 00:29:04.559 That's what all the religious leaders are telling him, that he's a lawkeeper. 00:29:05.440 --> 00:29:08.640 He assumes himself to be a lawkeeper. 00:29:09.839 --> 00:29:20.880 Jesus lovingly and graciously reveals to him how much that he is not a lawkeeper. 00:29:21.680 --> 00:29:26.640 He reveals to him his false pride and arrogance. 00:29:27.920 --> 00:29:30.799 See, the question is, how do I inherit eternal life? 00:29:30.960 --> 00:29:34.960 And Jesus says, forsake all and follow me. 00:29:36.799 --> 00:29:38.400 The man was sorrowful. 00:29:38.799 --> 00:29:40.400 He really wanted eternal life. 00:29:40.559 --> 00:29:41.440 He really did. 00:29:42.079 --> 00:29:46.000 But he really wanted the things of this world more. 00:29:47.759 --> 00:29:56.880 And Jesus was only asking him the same thing he asks all of his followers to do or to be ready to do, to forsake. 00:29:57.519 --> 00:29:59.759 Do we have confidence in ourselves? 00:30:00.000 --> 00:30:02.400 Or do we have confidence in God? 00:30:03.359 --> 00:30:09.680 As we pray to God, as we come and ask him and seek him and bear our burdens to him. 00:30:11.119 --> 00:30:15.599 Is the confidence in him or is it in ourself? 00:30:16.799 --> 00:30:18.880 Where is your confidence? 00:30:20.799 --> 00:30:25.279 This is a question that's a this is low-hanging fruit for a preacher. 00:30:25.440 --> 00:30:29.279 You preach a text like this, and the question is, where's your confidence? 00:30:29.839 --> 00:30:31.519 But I want you to think about that. 00:30:31.680 --> 00:30:34.880 And I don't want you to just think about it now, I want you to think about it this week. 00:30:35.119 --> 00:30:39.599 I want you to set time aside this week to think about that. 00:30:40.079 --> 00:30:42.559 Where is your confidence? 00:30:43.839 --> 00:30:54.000 I think it's easy for us to give, which is a good answer, that if I were to die today and stand before God and they say, Why should I give you eternal life? 00:30:54.079 --> 00:30:55.839 Or why should I let you in heaven? 00:30:56.240 --> 00:30:59.519 For us to say, Because of Jesus Christ. 00:31:00.079 --> 00:31:02.160 It's a good and right answer. 00:31:02.960 --> 00:31:07.200 But what's your confidence gonna be tomorrow when you wake up? 00:31:08.400 --> 00:31:17.920 Is it still gonna be that answer, or is it gonna be that plus myself or money or some what other thing you want to fill it with? 00:31:18.799 --> 00:31:29.759 It's easy to deceive ourselves in thinking that our confidence is in God, in like the big picture, eternal life, the forgiveness of sins. 00:31:30.000 --> 00:31:55.039 But do you believe that when Jesus says, forsake all, and then as he's teaching his disciples in verse 29, truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parent or children for the sake of the kingdom who will not receive many times more in this time and in the age to come, eternal life. 00:31:55.519 --> 00:32:05.039 This brother is asking about eternal life, and Jesus is saying, Listen, forsake the things of this world and follow me, and then in eternal life, you'll have everything you need. 00:32:05.279 --> 00:32:06.799 Everything will be met. 00:32:07.279 --> 00:32:12.559 And so the question isn't just, do you believe and have confidence in God for salvation? 00:32:14.079 --> 00:32:19.359 But do you believe, friends, that he can satisfy you? 00:32:20.000 --> 00:32:25.359 That he can take the desires of your heart and satisfy them. 00:32:26.400 --> 00:32:27.279 Truly. 00:32:28.000 --> 00:32:29.920 Do you have the faith? 00:32:30.400 --> 00:32:38.160 Do you understand who God is and have enough clarity on who he is to believe that he can satisfy you? 00:32:39.759 --> 00:32:43.680 Or are you holding on to something else? 00:32:46.160 --> 00:32:52.960 I'm not saying that God who's given us all good things and we can't enjoy those good blessings. 00:32:55.200 --> 00:33:04.960 Are you willing to forsake all and have confidence that He can satisfy as you go through the hardships that will come? 00:33:06.400 --> 00:33:08.640 The confidence that He will see you through. 00:33:09.759 --> 00:33:23.759 Or are you resting on your own by teaching them who He is God and teaching them the posture of the heart that they need, which is humility. 00:33:26.960 --> 00:33:32.799 Briefly, there's two other themes that I think we see in this passage that I want to bring out. 00:33:33.039 --> 00:33:41.039 And those two things are justice and this idea of power dynamics, okay? 00:33:41.279 --> 00:33:46.960 So justice is it's doing what is right according to a set standard. 00:33:47.680 --> 00:33:52.960 Unjust actions are those that are unfair, again, according to a set standard. 00:33:53.279 --> 00:34:01.440 I think most people throughout all the world and most places have this sense, a natural sense of justice, right? 00:34:02.000 --> 00:34:10.639 You don't need to be regenerated to be born again to believe that oppressing the vulnerable is wrong. 00:34:10.960 --> 00:34:13.119 You don't need to be a Christian to believe that. 00:34:13.519 --> 00:34:17.519 You do need to be a Christian to truly know the foundation for why that's wrong. 00:34:17.760 --> 00:34:21.840 Plenty of people who aren't Christians know what justice is. 00:34:23.280 --> 00:34:28.400 And all through this passage, there's this cry for justice. 00:34:28.960 --> 00:34:35.519 The oppressed widow crying to the unrighteous judge for justice. 00:34:35.920 --> 00:34:40.159 She's given justice against her oppressors. 00:34:41.760 --> 00:34:56.000 You see the story of the tax collector knowing himself to not be just, but crying out for God to be merciful to him in spite of what he deserves. 00:34:57.119 --> 00:35:06.800 You see the Pharisee standing in his own justice, his own righteousness, saying, I am justified before God because of what I have done. 00:35:08.159 --> 00:35:10.800 I am right in my own standing. 00:35:11.920 --> 00:35:25.760