WEBVTT 00:00:00.640 --> 00:00:13.599 Exodus chapter 20, verses 1 through 17, as I read for you the passage that we have been looking at for 10 or 11 weeks now. 00:00:14.560 --> 00:00:22.320 Exodus chapter 20, verses 1 through 17, the tender commandments. 00:00:22.559 --> 00:00:30.879 And God spoke all of these words, saying, I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 00:00:31.199 --> 00:00:34.479 You shall have no other gods before me. 00:00:35.520 --> 00:00:45.840 You shall not make for yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 00:00:46.079 --> 00:01:07.760 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquities of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. 00:01:08.239 --> 00:01:17.359 You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. 00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:20.719 Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. 00:01:20.959 --> 00:01:27.200 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. 00:01:27.680 --> 00:01:39.519 On it you shall not do any work, you or your sons, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 00:01:39.840 --> 00:01:47.599 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth and the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. 00:01:47.760 --> 00:01:52.000 Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. 00:01:52.319 --> 00:01:57.920 Honor your father and mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. 00:01:58.159 --> 00:02:18.800 You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor, you shall not covet your neighbor's house, you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's. 00:02:19.199 --> 00:02:24.319 Ten tender words from God for us. 00:02:25.280 --> 00:02:29.599 We've been looking for a number of weeks at the Ten Commandments. 00:02:29.840 --> 00:02:37.599 I've obviously been emphasizing the fact that this is a kind thing that God did to tell us the way in which we're supposed to go. 00:02:37.759 --> 00:02:39.439 We don't have to figure it all out. 00:02:39.680 --> 00:02:47.039 We don't have to follow the way which is right in our own minds, but the way, the end thereof is death, as Proverbs said. 00:02:47.280 --> 00:02:56.080 God tenderly, lovingly, not with a harsh, cruel, imposing voice, but tenderly says, go this way. 00:02:56.240 --> 00:02:58.800 This is the way of life, don't go that way. 00:02:59.439 --> 00:03:03.280 So we've been looking at what God has said. 00:03:03.520 --> 00:03:11.680 We began 11 or 12 weeks ago with the question, why do what God says? 00:03:11.919 --> 00:03:17.599 And there's many different answers that could be given as to why we would do what God says. 00:03:17.840 --> 00:03:26.560 Can anybody tell me what the reason for doing what God says is that we've emphasized throughout this series? 00:03:30.800 --> 00:03:32.400 That it may go well with you. 00:03:32.639 --> 00:03:33.599 Thank you, Paul. 00:03:33.759 --> 00:03:34.560 Thank you. 00:03:34.960 --> 00:03:40.240 God tells us the way to go because that's the way where it goes well with us. 00:03:40.400 --> 00:03:42.159 That's the way we're meant to live. 00:03:42.319 --> 00:03:48.639 Lots of other reasons why we could and should do what God says, including the fact that God said it. 00:03:48.879 --> 00:03:50.560 That ought to be enough. 00:03:50.960 --> 00:03:53.599 He said it, so how high. 00:03:54.400 --> 00:03:56.560 But there's more to it than that. 00:03:57.120 --> 00:04:01.120 God said it because these are the ways of life. 00:04:01.360 --> 00:04:13.840 So I've tried to emphasize that we do what God says because that's the way that life works, and that's what God designed for us. 00:04:14.159 --> 00:04:16.959 And we've walked through the Ten Commandments. 00:04:17.120 --> 00:04:18.879 We saw no other gods. 00:04:19.120 --> 00:04:20.800 Put God first in your life. 00:04:21.120 --> 00:04:24.480 God first and everything else somewhere else in your life. 00:04:24.800 --> 00:04:31.120 One person first, one thing first, God first, and that's the way life works. 00:04:31.360 --> 00:04:33.360 Then it goes well with us. 00:04:35.199 --> 00:04:40.240 We talked about we are to have no other idols, no idols. 00:04:40.399 --> 00:04:42.399 We are to worship the God who is. 00:04:42.560 --> 00:04:49.759 We are to worship not the God that we want him to be, not a God of our own making, but the God who is. 00:04:50.319 --> 00:04:53.680 God wants to be worshipped for who he is. 00:04:54.160 --> 00:05:01.839 And in all kinds of ways we create our own image of a God that we want to have instead of the God who is. 00:05:02.079 --> 00:05:04.079 That's not the way life works. 00:05:04.639 --> 00:05:17.439 We saw we should not take his name in vain, and there's millions of ways we could take his name in vain, but the core of it is that we empty our relationship with God with all meaning. 00:05:17.680 --> 00:05:38.399 His name represents who he is, and to take his name in vain means to live in such a way that there's we can talk all we want, we can do all kinds of religious things, but if we remove the God talk and the Christian activities from our lives, are our lives any different from anyone else around us? 00:05:38.720 --> 00:05:43.680 Remove all the God stuff out of your life, activities and God talk. 00:05:44.000 --> 00:05:50.560 Would your neighbors notice any difference other than the fact that you don't get up on Sunday morning and go somewhere? 00:05:50.800 --> 00:05:56.079 That's what living in a way that takes God in vain, empties him of all meaning. 00:05:56.160 --> 00:05:57.839 Don't do that, that's not the way of life. 00:05:58.000 --> 00:05:59.600 It doesn't work that way. 00:06:00.639 --> 00:06:02.319 Remember the Sabbath day. 00:06:02.480 --> 00:06:05.839 We're to stop, we're to stop for goodness' sake. 00:06:06.399 --> 00:06:08.000 For God's sake. 00:06:08.480 --> 00:06:12.800 God stopped and did nothing for 24 hours. 00:06:13.920 --> 00:06:15.439 There's a pattern there for us. 00:06:15.519 --> 00:06:17.120 We're not the ever-ready bunny. 00:06:17.279 --> 00:06:31.839 We're not meant to go 24-7, 365, and yet we live in a society that pulls us and pushes us in every direction, in an unceasing chain of phrenic activities, and God says, stop. 00:06:33.519 --> 00:06:36.639 Focus on me, says God. 00:06:37.279 --> 00:06:41.120 Restore your soul, recreate. 00:06:42.399 --> 00:06:44.720 That's the way life was meant to work. 00:06:45.199 --> 00:06:46.959 Honor your father and mother. 00:06:47.120 --> 00:06:51.759 We talked about that very first and primary relationship. 00:06:51.839 --> 00:06:56.879 Not an easy one, especially if our parents weren't very honorable. 00:06:57.279 --> 00:07:00.959 Especially if our parents did us harm. 00:07:01.120 --> 00:07:05.199 And in our day, increasing numbers of people experienced that. 00:07:05.360 --> 00:07:07.759 And we wrestled with some of that. 00:07:08.399 --> 00:07:15.439 But how we relate to people ultimately flows oftentimes out of how we relate to our parents. 00:07:15.759 --> 00:07:18.399 So honor your father and your mother. 00:07:19.279 --> 00:07:21.040 It's a word with a promise. 00:07:21.199 --> 00:07:23.519 That's the way it goes well for us. 00:07:23.759 --> 00:07:24.720 No murder. 00:07:24.959 --> 00:07:28.160 You can murder with your hands, you can murder with your heart. 00:07:28.480 --> 00:07:30.000 No adultery. 00:07:30.319 --> 00:07:34.319 Keep your body and your mind sexually pure. 00:07:34.720 --> 00:07:36.000 No stealing. 00:07:36.240 --> 00:07:38.000 Let God be your provider. 00:07:38.079 --> 00:07:40.639 You don't have to take it into your own hands. 00:07:40.959 --> 00:07:51.759 And whether that's stealing in the way we normally think of it or all kinds of subtle taking into our own hands that which God is not in his wisdom and grace giving us. 00:07:52.079 --> 00:07:53.120 No stealing. 00:07:53.360 --> 00:07:56.800 Hands off, let God be your provider. 00:07:56.879 --> 00:07:58.720 That's the way life works. 00:07:59.279 --> 00:08:00.879 No false testimony. 00:08:01.040 --> 00:08:04.879 Be very, very careful what you say about people. 00:08:05.199 --> 00:08:07.360 That's the way life is meant to work. 00:08:07.680 --> 00:08:21.040 No coveting, no insatiable desire to grab things and pull them into our lives to fill some kind of a need that was only meant to be filled by God. 00:08:21.839 --> 00:08:30.160 Just as we're to trust God to be our provider, we're to trust God to be our satisfaction and not seek at all kinds of other places. 00:08:30.480 --> 00:08:33.600 Ten tender words from God. 00:08:34.559 --> 00:08:38.799 Well, we've been looking at why do what God says. 00:08:39.440 --> 00:08:48.480 And we've been looking at what God says, and now just to wrap things up, I want us to think about doing what God says. 00:08:48.960 --> 00:08:52.799 Now, this is not as simple as it may seem. 00:08:52.960 --> 00:08:54.480 I don't know if you've experienced that. 00:08:54.639 --> 00:08:59.120 Has anybody ever experienced that it's not as simple as it seems like I ought to be? 00:08:59.519 --> 00:09:02.000 You want to obey God, right, Gwen? 00:09:02.159 --> 00:09:03.360 I see that hand. 00:09:03.759 --> 00:09:05.519 You want to obey God. 00:09:05.679 --> 00:09:10.960 You know that life works better that way, but it's just not so simple. 00:09:11.600 --> 00:09:15.600 That's the thought I would like to explore with you today. 00:09:15.840 --> 00:09:21.120 And as we wrap up this series on the Ten Tender Commandments. 00:09:21.440 --> 00:09:27.200 Oh, it's interesting to me that God's word is refreshingly direct and to the point. 00:09:27.919 --> 00:09:33.600 It's not real hard to figure out what is meant by the Ten Tender Commandments. 00:09:33.679 --> 00:09:35.279 It's just not that difficult. 00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:38.320 Application is far more difficult for us. 00:09:38.559 --> 00:09:48.960 But it's so interesting when God's saying this is the way of life, it's very simple with relatively few words. 00:09:49.440 --> 00:09:51.360 I was uh exploring things. 00:09:51.519 --> 00:09:54.960 The uh the Lord's Prayer contains 66 words. 00:09:55.919 --> 00:09:58.080 And we make it so hard to pray. 00:10:00.879 --> 00:10:02.080 67 words. 00:10:02.240 --> 00:10:03.679 That's all it took. 00:10:04.159 --> 00:10:08.000 Uh the Ten Commandments, 179 words. 00:10:08.320 --> 00:10:11.120 The Gettysburg Address, 286 words. 00:10:11.279 --> 00:10:17.120 The Declaration of Independence, 13,000 words, and the U.S. 00:10:17.200 --> 00:10:20.240 government regulations on the sale of cabbage. 00:10:22.879 --> 00:10:26.240 26,911 words. 00:10:27.519 --> 00:10:36.320 Someone once said the reason why the Ten Commandments are so simple and clear is that they weren't drawn up by a committee. 00:10:38.080 --> 00:10:39.679 A lot of truth to that. 00:10:41.600 --> 00:10:50.960 The question that I want to ask, really, of myself in the first place, and of you, is are we listening? 00:10:51.279 --> 00:10:59.039 I mean, really listening and doing something with that which we hear. 00:11:00.000 --> 00:11:06.159 Jesus said, if you know these things, happy are you if you enjoy hearing about them. 00:11:06.559 --> 00:11:08.720 That's not exactly what Jesus said. 00:11:08.960 --> 00:11:13.039 If you know these things, happy are you if you do them. 00:11:15.440 --> 00:11:30.720 When we look at the scriptures, we realize that this matter of hearing God's word is far more than just the auditory phenomena of sound waves coming in and tickling those little hairs inside our ears. 00:11:31.679 --> 00:11:35.519 Our ears being tickled is not what hearing is all about. 00:11:36.799 --> 00:11:37.919 It's very interesting. 00:11:38.080 --> 00:11:49.759 James says in no uncertain terms, and this is taken from a paraphrase, the message, very powerful and I think an accurate portrayal, listening is not good enough. 00:11:49.840 --> 00:11:50.639 We must respond. 00:11:50.799 --> 00:11:56.879 He says, James says, don't fool yourself into thinking that you're a listener when you're anything but. 00:11:58.080 --> 00:12:03.120 Walt, don't fool yourself that you're a listener when we're anything but. 00:12:03.360 --> 00:12:06.080 Letting the word go in one ear and out the other. 00:12:06.240 --> 00:12:08.080 Act on what you hear. 00:12:08.320 --> 00:12:18.399 Those who hear and don't act are like those who glance in a mirror and walk away two minutes later, having no idea who they are or what they look like. 00:12:18.559 --> 00:12:21.120 Have you ever looked at a clock to see what time it was? 00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:25.200 And then realize you looked at the clock but you didn't see what time it was? 00:12:25.360 --> 00:12:28.080 Oh, you saw it with your eyes, but it didn't register? 00:12:28.320 --> 00:12:29.519 Has anybody ever done that? 00:12:29.759 --> 00:12:31.200 This morning, maybe? 00:12:33.200 --> 00:12:34.320 That's our problem. 00:12:34.480 --> 00:12:37.759 We can just let it go in one ear and out the other. 00:12:38.320 --> 00:12:42.000 And the question is, are we really listening? 00:12:42.639 --> 00:12:49.279 Now that forces us to ask the question, uh, how do we hear and respond? 00:12:49.440 --> 00:12:50.720 Because that's what hearing is. 00:12:50.960 --> 00:13:00.399 Hearing allowing it to penetrate our thinking to such a degree that it changes the way we act. 00:13:01.440 --> 00:13:07.279 And a Timothy Award, I'm so thankful for Iwana, and memorizing the scriptures. 00:13:07.519 --> 00:13:11.279 But just memorizing the Word of God is not enough. 00:13:11.519 --> 00:13:23.919 You can have it go in one ear and go through a little recorder in your mouth so you can spit it back out, but that's where it begins, knowing it, but then doing it is really the question. 00:13:24.159 --> 00:13:29.600 So I'd like us to look at a couple of passages of scripture that address this issue. 00:13:29.759 --> 00:13:35.039 And I'd like you to turn, first of all, to Matthew chapter 5, if you would please. 00:13:35.360 --> 00:13:36.480 Matthew 5. 00:13:36.639 --> 00:13:38.240 Turn in your Bibles, please. 00:13:38.480 --> 00:13:42.320 If you don't have a Bible, there's a Bible in the pew in front of you. 00:13:42.639 --> 00:13:46.480 Grab it, open it, read it, take it with you if you want. 00:13:46.799 --> 00:13:52.000 Matthew chapter 5, first book of the New Testament, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. 00:13:53.200 --> 00:14:07.440 What we find if we listen to the words of Jesus is that this matter of hearing and doing is really not so simple. 00:14:08.000 --> 00:14:11.120 So we come here in the middle of the Sermon on the Mount. 00:14:11.360 --> 00:14:25.919 Jesus was taking the law and was expounding upon it and fulfilling it, giving it more depth and fullness, helping us understand what the import is, what the significance of it is for us. 00:14:26.480 --> 00:14:35.440 And in verse 17 of chapter 5, he says to his followers in the New Testament, do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets? 00:14:36.960 --> 00:14:40.240 Don't think that I've come and I said it doesn't matter. 00:14:40.799 --> 00:14:46.320 I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. 00:14:46.879 --> 00:15:00.240 For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth shall pass away, not an iota or a dot, a jot or a tittle will pass from this law until all is accomplished. 00:15:00.399 --> 00:15:09.039 Therefore, whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same, did you hear that? 00:15:09.200 --> 00:15:22.159 Whoever releases one, lightens one, and teaches others, in other words, these really aren't that important, or we don't really have to do them, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. 00:15:22.320 --> 00:15:30.480 Whoever teaches them and whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 00:15:30.799 --> 00:15:44.960 For I tell you that, listen to this, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 00:15:45.600 --> 00:15:50.639 The scribes and the Pharisees were those who were motivated. 00:15:51.039 --> 00:15:57.360 We give them a bad rap as we read the New Testament, and Jesus had many harsh things to say about them. 00:15:57.679 --> 00:16:07.279 But let that not cause us to fail to understand that they were trying to take God seriously, very, very seriously. 00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:09.360 That was a good thing. 00:16:10.879 --> 00:16:16.879 The way it worked itself out was what Jesus was arguing against. 00:16:17.200 --> 00:16:23.440 And so he says, for example, verse 21, you've heard it said to those of old, you shall not murder. 00:16:23.919 --> 00:16:28.480 But I say to you, everyone who is angry with his brother is a murderer. 00:16:28.720 --> 00:16:33.600 He goes on, verse 27, you heard that it was said, you shall not commit adultery. 00:16:33.759 --> 00:16:35.519 Where is Jesus getting all of this? 00:16:35.759 --> 00:16:40.879 He's giving a commentary on the living out of the tender commandments. 00:16:41.200 --> 00:16:48.879 Shall not commit adultery, but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her inner's heart. 00:16:49.120 --> 00:16:54.399 You see, what Jesus is saying, you think it's hard, you don't even know the half of it. 00:16:55.039 --> 00:16:58.639 As hard as you try, it's harder yet. 00:16:58.879 --> 00:17:00.879 It's very, very difficult. 00:17:01.120 --> 00:17:09.839 In fact, you might as well take a big old stinky camel and try to pass it through this tiny little eye of a needle. 00:17:10.079 --> 00:17:12.160 You might as well try to do that. 00:17:14.319 --> 00:17:18.480 Your righteousness has to be beyond the Pharisees. 00:17:18.960 --> 00:17:19.920 Just try. 00:17:20.000 --> 00:17:23.759 Will you take that that camel and push it through that little thing? 00:17:23.920 --> 00:17:24.799 It doesn't work. 00:17:25.039 --> 00:17:30.799 You see, Jesus is saying the words are true and they're tender. 00:17:30.960 --> 00:17:32.880 This is the way life works. 00:17:33.119 --> 00:17:36.000 But it is very difficult. 00:17:37.920 --> 00:17:44.319 The Pharisees and the scribes were zealous, and that zeal in and of itself is good. 00:17:44.480 --> 00:17:49.599 Are we desiring to be the people that God wants us to be? 00:17:49.759 --> 00:17:51.680 I hope that's your heart's desire. 00:17:52.079 --> 00:17:56.319 If that's not your heart's desire, then there's other things that we need to talk about. 00:17:57.279 --> 00:18:14.240 And I hope there is a longing and a and an inward an inward compulsion, or maybe it's being pulled, being drawn, being wooed by God towards Him and being and doing what He wants us to be and do. 00:18:14.480 --> 00:18:16.079 That desire is good. 00:18:16.640 --> 00:18:19.440 The problem is our ability to do it. 00:18:21.839 --> 00:18:26.480 Are you able to do what you desire to do? 00:18:27.119 --> 00:18:29.599 Prone to wander, Lord, I fear it. 00:18:29.839 --> 00:18:32.240 Prone to leave the God I love. 00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:33.519 Here's my heart. 00:18:33.680 --> 00:18:36.559 Oh, take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above. 00:18:36.720 --> 00:18:42.799 That's an expression of the fact that we want it and yet our hearts, we can't do it. 00:18:42.960 --> 00:18:44.480 It's very difficult. 00:18:45.440 --> 00:18:49.920 Lots more we could say about this passage, but I want us to turn to another one for a moment. 00:18:50.160 --> 00:18:53.440 It's not only difficult, it's very, very difficult. 00:18:55.119 --> 00:18:59.279 Or I could say it's not only very difficult, it's very, very, very difficult. 00:18:59.680 --> 00:19:02.400 Turn with me to Psalm 15. 00:19:02.720 --> 00:19:05.440 Open your Bible to the middle and turn left. 00:19:05.680 --> 00:19:18.240 Probably open your Bible, you'll end up in Psalms, towards the beginning of the book of Psalms, a text that we have, a passage we looked at a couple of weeks ago pretty briefly, but we need to re-emphasize it. 00:19:18.480 --> 00:19:20.000 Psalm 15. 00:19:20.960 --> 00:19:24.079 What is it that God requires? 00:19:24.799 --> 00:19:26.079 A Psalm of David. 00:19:26.319 --> 00:19:30.000 Oh Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent? 00:19:30.160 --> 00:19:32.559 Who shall dwell on your holy hill? 00:19:33.200 --> 00:19:38.400 Now that's an Old Testament way of saying, who can be close to you, God? 00:19:38.799 --> 00:19:40.400 Who can dwell with you? 00:19:41.039 --> 00:19:42.079 Good question. 00:19:42.400 --> 00:19:43.519 Good question. 00:19:44.319 --> 00:19:47.839 And then the answer is a frightening answer. 00:19:48.640 --> 00:20:01.920 He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks the truth in his heart and doesn't slander with his tongue, does no evil to his neighbor, nor take up a reproach against his friend. 00:20:02.160 --> 00:20:06.480 It's all stuff we've been talking about in the tender commandment. 00:20:06.640 --> 00:20:21.279 In whose eyes a vile person is despised, but who honors those who fear the Lord, who swears to his own hurt, he keeps an oath even when it hurts and does not change. 00:20:22.640 --> 00:20:24.079 Does not take a bribe. 00:20:24.319 --> 00:20:27.119 He who does these things will never be moved. 00:20:28.160 --> 00:20:30.559 Who is it that can be close to God? 00:20:31.839 --> 00:20:36.960 He whose heart is and walk is blameless. 00:20:37.279 --> 00:20:39.599 You see, it's not just difficult. 00:20:39.839 --> 00:20:41.440 It's very, very difficult. 00:20:42.400 --> 00:20:44.799 The standard is beyond us. 00:20:44.960 --> 00:20:47.359 Our ability to fulfill that. 00:20:48.319 --> 00:20:52.240 It'd be really nice if God graded on a curve. 00:20:52.480 --> 00:20:57.680 I don't know what a curve is these days in uh in educational circles. 00:20:58.000 --> 00:21:02.000 Um I don't know, 75 is that passing? 00:21:02.079 --> 00:21:04.559 Is that a C grade? 00:21:05.359 --> 00:21:06.079 85? 00:21:06.240 --> 00:21:07.119 What is it? 00:21:09.359 --> 00:21:12.720 Well, God does not grade on a curve. 00:21:13.599 --> 00:21:16.000 There's it's it's only pass-fail. 00:21:16.960 --> 00:21:22.319 I loved to take pass fail courses in college until I got a fail in one of them. 00:21:22.880 --> 00:21:24.720 What does pass fail with God? 00:21:24.960 --> 00:21:26.640 There is no curve. 00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:34.400 Now, you may be able to get a 68 on the scale if God were grading and curving. 00:21:34.559 --> 00:21:38.160 Or maybe you're a little bit better than that and you could get a 78. 00:21:38.400 --> 00:21:55.359 Or maybe you've been around all the Christian things all your life, and you know all the verses, and you have gotten rid of some of the socially unacceptable sins in your life, not the hidden ones in our heart, or those that are socially acceptable among Christians, but maybe you would be valued at a 92. 00:21:56.960 --> 00:21:59.440 God doesn't grade on a curve. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:00.960 Pass or fail. 00:22:01.039 --> 00:22:02.799 How are you doing, friends? 00:22:03.200 --> 00:22:05.759 It's very, very difficult. 00:22:07.359 --> 00:22:13.680 I've had the privilege of working with Christians and Christian leaders and Christian workers my whole life. 00:22:13.920 --> 00:22:18.000 Well, 40 plus years, that's not quite my whole life. 00:22:19.920 --> 00:22:26.720 I have yet to find someone who honestly could look me in the face and say, I got it. 00:22:28.480 --> 00:22:30.240 How are you doing with the Ten Commandments? 00:22:30.400 --> 00:22:31.200 Number one, check. 00:22:31.279 --> 00:22:32.000 Number two, check. 00:22:32.079 --> 00:22:32.880 Number three, check. 00:22:33.039 --> 00:22:34.400 Number four, check. 00:22:35.039 --> 00:22:35.680 Really? 00:22:38.240 --> 00:22:42.079 I don't know any, I know some people could say, yeah, I've got it all down pat. 00:22:42.240 --> 00:22:44.559 They may mean I know it with my mind. 00:22:45.200 --> 00:23:06.160 But who is there among us that knowing that God doesn't grade on a curve can say, wow, look at me! Before you say I can, I can say that. 00:23:06.319 --> 00:23:07.680 Look in the mirror. 00:23:08.240 --> 00:23:14.400 Or if the mirror doesn't help you, talk to your wife or your husband or your kids or a friend. 00:23:15.519 --> 00:23:18.000 So there's a lot of fuzzy thinking here. 00:23:18.160 --> 00:23:18.880 It's difficult. 00:23:19.039 --> 00:23:20.880 It's very, very difficult. 00:23:21.359 --> 00:23:29.279 Actually, what Jesus says, and I want us to turn to Mark chapter 10, what Jesus says is you can't do it. 00:23:29.440 --> 00:23:34.640 It is impossible to do what God says you should do. 00:23:36.319 --> 00:23:41.359 What a strange way to conclude the study of the tender commandments, right? 00:23:41.680 --> 00:23:42.880 No, actually not. 00:23:43.039 --> 00:23:45.599 It's the only possible way to conclude. 00:23:46.480 --> 00:23:51.599 Mark chapter 10, verses 17 and following. 00:23:52.079 --> 00:24:02.240 Jesus speaking to the crowds and also speaking to his followers, and it was a mixed bag, just like there is today, just like there probably is here. 00:24:02.480 --> 00:24:05.759 Or people with mixed hearts, just like you and me. 00:24:05.920 --> 00:24:06.240 Okay. 00:24:07.519 --> 00:24:12.160 Down to verse 17, there was one man in the crowd who had been listening to him. 00:24:12.720 --> 00:24:34.960 And so verse 17, a young man, a rich young man, and as he was setting out on his journey, as Jesus and the disciples were journeying, a man ran up and knelt on before him and said, Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? 00:24:36.000 --> 00:24:40.000 Now, be careful what questions you ask Jesus. 00:24:41.680 --> 00:24:48.319 Jesus has this irritating way of answering our questions with questions. 00:24:49.759 --> 00:24:59.039 Jesus, God has this way of not making everything black and white, but probing, probing into the core of our being. 00:25:00.079 --> 00:25:05.839 And so Jesus said to him, Hmm, why do you call me good? 00:25:06.720 --> 00:25:08.319 That wasn't the question. 00:25:08.640 --> 00:25:11.839 That wasn't the answer to the question that this man had. 00:25:11.920 --> 00:25:15.200 The question was, what can I do to be perfect? 00:25:15.440 --> 00:25:19.920 Or what can I do to inherit eternal life? 00:25:20.160 --> 00:25:22.000 Why do you call me good? 00:25:22.960 --> 00:25:25.920 No one is good except God alone. 00:25:26.160 --> 00:25:27.680 You hear what he's saying? 00:25:28.160 --> 00:25:34.559 If we try to get to eternal life by being good, past fail, we fail. 00:25:35.200 --> 00:25:37.759 No one is good except God alone. 00:25:38.079 --> 00:25:39.599 Verse 19. 00:25:39.920 --> 00:25:41.200 Do you know the commandments? 00:25:41.359 --> 00:25:46.000 Don't murder, don't commit adultery, don't steal, don't bear false witness, don't defraud, honor your father. 00:25:46.160 --> 00:25:47.680 What has Jesus been talking about? 00:25:47.839 --> 00:25:50.240 He's been talking about the tender commandments. 00:25:50.480 --> 00:25:52.079 Just pure and simple. 00:25:52.960 --> 00:25:58.240 And he said to him, the man who came up to him, Teacher, hey, wait a minute, Jesus. 00:25:59.039 --> 00:26:02.720 I have kept that all from my youth. 00:26:06.160 --> 00:26:09.200 The next phrase is phenomenal. 00:26:09.759 --> 00:26:14.640 And Jesus looked at him and loved him. 00:26:17.200 --> 00:26:19.839 Oh, I so appreciate the heart. 00:26:20.000 --> 00:26:21.279 This man was sincere. 00:26:21.359 --> 00:26:24.559 Now his sincerity was only causing him to fail. 00:26:25.359 --> 00:26:25.680 Okay? 00:26:27.440 --> 00:26:37.200 But Jesus saw his heart and he knew that this man, apparently he knew that he was tender towards God, and he was really wanting, he was really trying. 00:26:37.440 --> 00:26:47.200 And even though he made this totally stupid statement, yeah, I've been perfect all my life, instead of Jesus slapping him across the face, that's what I would have done. 00:26:47.440 --> 00:26:49.599 Aren't you glad I'm not Jesus? 00:26:50.319 --> 00:26:51.200 What crying? 00:26:52.480 --> 00:26:54.160 Haven't you been listening? 00:26:55.440 --> 00:26:57.359 And Jesus looked at him. 00:26:57.680 --> 00:26:59.279 And he loved him. 00:27:00.880 --> 00:27:03.680 He looked at him and he loved him. 00:27:04.319 --> 00:27:08.400 There was a right desire on this man's part. 00:27:08.960 --> 00:27:11.519 He didn't have the ability to fulfill it. 00:27:11.839 --> 00:27:14.240 Is there a desire on your part? 00:27:15.359 --> 00:27:21.759 I really don't expect that unless there was something going on in your life, you would get up. 00:27:22.079 --> 00:27:25.279 I mean, this may be the last sunny Sunday morning we have. 00:27:25.440 --> 00:27:26.079 Who knows? 00:27:26.319 --> 00:27:28.640 Next week it's going to be 60 to below, they tell me. 00:27:28.799 --> 00:27:31.359 No, that's February, that's what they're telling me about. 00:27:32.240 --> 00:27:37.039 But we're here, we've been here, we're listening, we're listening, we're. 00:27:38.160 --> 00:27:45.680 And there is something within your heart, I believe, that really wants to walk in the ways of life. 00:27:46.960 --> 00:27:48.480 And this man did. 00:27:49.039 --> 00:27:58.319 Jesus looked at him and loved him and said to him, Now, again, don't ask Jesus questions that you don't want an answer to. 00:27:59.759 --> 00:28:18.480 Jesus, who knows the heart of all people, looked at this man and knew that his heart was warm towards the things of God, but he also knew precisely, precisely, knowing the inner recesses and dark corners of this man's heart, he knew exactly what was not right. 00:28:19.920 --> 00:28:28.079 You lack one thing, sell all you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven and come following me. 00:28:28.319 --> 00:28:29.920 The man's response? 00:28:31.440 --> 00:28:32.880 He was discouraged. 00:28:33.200 --> 00:28:40.000 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. 00:28:40.640 --> 00:28:55.759 If we're going to try to come to Jesus and try in our own strength and in our own way to fulfill the righteous requirements of God, we will, like this man, go away disappointed and discouraged. 00:28:56.000 --> 00:29:02.640 That's why the law often seems to us like a club, like a whip, something that's hurting us. 00:29:03.200 --> 00:29:07.839 The words of life, the problem is not in the words, the problem is within us. 00:29:08.640 --> 00:29:27.839 But if we try and try and try our best, okay, I'm at 65 now, and I want to get more than just a passing grade, so I'm going to try real hard and I want to get to 75, and I'm going to try really hard, and I'm going to get to 85, and maybe, maybe, maybe I could be as good as Walt. 00:29:30.319 --> 00:29:32.880 I've never heard anyone say that, by the way. 00:29:35.759 --> 00:29:43.119 If that's the way we're approaching Jesus, we will go away disappointed and discouraged. 00:29:43.680 --> 00:29:52.799 And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, how difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God. 00:29:53.359 --> 00:29:54.880 Wealth was that guy's problem. 00:29:54.960 --> 00:29:56.079 What's yours? 00:29:56.720 --> 00:30:04.400 Now we've talked about ten possible problems, all of which has a thousand different manifestations. 00:30:04.799 --> 00:30:08.880 And you have more than one that you're wrestling with, and I do too. 00:30:09.359 --> 00:30:14.079 And the disciples, he went away disheartened. 00:30:14.240 --> 00:30:16.000 What was the disciples' response? 00:30:16.160 --> 00:30:18.960 The disciples were amazed at his words. 00:30:19.200 --> 00:30:26.240 And Jesus said to them again, children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God, easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. 00:30:26.559 --> 00:30:27.440 Verse 26. 00:30:27.599 --> 00:30:34.480 And the disciples in verse 24 were amazed, and now it says they were exceedingly astonished. 00:30:35.200 --> 00:30:44.880 When you begin to understand this matter of what it takes to do the will of God, this just blew their minds. 00:30:45.440 --> 00:30:48.799 They couldn't get their minds and their hearts around it. 00:30:49.119 --> 00:30:51.599 And so they said, well, who then can be saved? 00:30:51.759 --> 00:30:52.960 And that's what we're talking about. 00:30:53.119 --> 00:30:54.880 We're talking about salvation. 00:30:55.359 --> 00:31:02.880 We're talking about being able to dwell in the holy hill, to be close to God. 00:31:03.039 --> 00:31:03.839 That's what we want. 00:31:03.920 --> 00:31:04.720 That's what I want. 00:31:04.880 --> 00:31:06.240 That's what you want. 00:31:11.039 --> 00:31:12.559 Who then can be saved? 00:31:12.799 --> 00:31:14.319 Jesus looked at them. 00:31:14.640 --> 00:31:15.599 Very important. 00:31:16.319 --> 00:31:19.519 With man, it is impossible. 00:31:19.759 --> 00:31:21.359 It's not just hard. 00:31:21.599 --> 00:31:23.440 It's not just very hard. 00:31:23.680 --> 00:31:25.920 It's not just very, very hard. 00:31:26.400 --> 00:31:28.319 It's impossible. 00:31:29.680 --> 00:31:30.880 Good news, right? 00:31:32.000 --> 00:31:32.319 No. 00:31:33.119 --> 00:31:34.640 That discourages us. 00:31:34.799 --> 00:31:35.920 But read on. 00:31:36.799 --> 00:31:44.799 With man it's impossible, but not with God, for all things are possible with God. 00:31:50.799 --> 00:31:52.079 It's hard. 00:31:53.039 --> 00:31:54.559 It's very hard. 00:31:56.480 --> 00:31:58.079 It's impossible. 00:31:59.119 --> 00:32:01.279 So is God out to trick us? 00:32:01.440 --> 00:32:02.640 What's this all about then? 00:32:02.720 --> 00:32:08.480 My goodness, he spent so much of the scriptures telling us how to walk in his ways. 00:32:08.640 --> 00:32:12.799 And what's the point of God's commands? 00:32:13.039 --> 00:32:18.720 If it's not to enable us to accomplish what he wants, what in the world's going on? 00:32:18.880 --> 00:32:20.079 It's a fair question. 00:32:20.319 --> 00:32:22.079 Is this just all a setup? 00:32:22.799 --> 00:32:31.599 Is God just pumping us up and getting us excited to do what he wants us to do, that it may go well with us in order to smack us down? 00:32:33.759 --> 00:32:35.519 They went away discouraged. 00:32:35.759 --> 00:32:37.839 I'll never be good enough. 00:32:38.799 --> 00:32:49.759 And when we begin to get a sense of the righteous requirements of God, we have to acknowledge I'll never be good again. 00:32:50.480 --> 00:32:52.000 Never be good enough. 00:32:54.319 --> 00:33:02.799 There's a number of metaphors that could be used for the law of God, the requirements, the righteous, whether it's the Ten Commandments or others. 00:33:03.039 --> 00:33:08.960 It's been compared to a compass, a compass always points true north, and we've seen this is the way to go. 00:33:09.119 --> 00:33:11.200 At least we know what direction. 00:33:11.839 --> 00:33:24.000 A bridle, a bridle that which allows the rider to control this strong and powerful self-willed animal. 00:33:24.559 --> 00:33:28.400 And we're self-willed, and we need a bridle. 00:33:28.559 --> 00:33:30.640 We need to be directed, and God does that. 00:33:30.720 --> 00:33:31.759 It's gracious. 00:33:32.000 --> 00:33:36.160 A thermometer, the law reveals our spiritual state. 00:33:36.400 --> 00:33:39.920 A mirror, we begin to see ourselves as we really are. 00:33:40.079 --> 00:33:53.599 Those are all pictures, some of which we find in the scriptures, but the most prominent one to me we find in Galatians chapter 3, and I'd like to have you turn over to there as well. 00:33:53.920 --> 00:33:56.400 Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians. 00:33:56.559 --> 00:34:03.039 Galatians chapter 3, verse 24 and 25. 00:34:05.440 --> 00:34:18.880 The context of Galatians, and we're just jumping in the middle of a whole train of thought, has to do with the matter of this of this matter of the law and the correlation between law and faith. 00:34:20.400 --> 00:34:23.679 Verse 24. 00:34:23.840 --> 00:34:29.039 So then the law was our guardian until Christ came. 00:34:29.199 --> 00:34:33.039 That's a word that different translations translated different ways. 00:34:33.199 --> 00:34:35.360 It's hard to really get a feel for. 00:34:35.519 --> 00:34:37.840