Episode Transcript
WEBVTT
1
00:00:01.960 --> 00:00:05.719
Well, as you have paid attention
to the elements of worship this morning,
2
00:00:06.400 --> 00:00:10.880
perhaps some of you have detected a
theme already, but if not, that's
3
00:00:10.880 --> 00:00:16.120
okay. You'll detect it by time
I finished the message this morning. And
4
00:00:16.359 --> 00:00:19.559
so, as I prepare to read
God's word, let us pray that God
5
00:00:19.559 --> 00:00:24.719
would illuminate his word to us.
And now, our God and father,
6
00:00:24.800 --> 00:00:29.640
we come to your most holy word
that you have given to us, Lord,
7
00:00:29.719 --> 00:00:33.759
has a gift and a blessing to
us. We thank you, God,
8
00:00:34.759 --> 00:00:39.119
for every page of this word,
for it is all precious to us
9
00:00:40.119 --> 00:00:45.479
and it all tells us your mind
and your will to us. And Lord,
10
00:00:45.520 --> 00:00:50.079
this morning, as we particularly look
at you, Lord, as you
11
00:00:50.200 --> 00:00:53.799
came into this world and the actions
you undertook, and as we look at
12
00:00:53.840 --> 00:00:59.119
that, help us to understand it
better, help us to know why you
13
00:00:59.200 --> 00:01:03.759
did what you do it, help
us to understand it and to realize what
14
00:01:03.920 --> 00:01:08.000
it means to us. And if
there are those who do not understand it
15
00:01:08.519 --> 00:01:12.879
and have not come to you and
and confess their sins before your Lord,
16
00:01:12.959 --> 00:01:19.280
I pray today that through your word, they would be encouraged to do that
17
00:01:19.239 --> 00:01:23.000
and, Lord, that you would
speak to their hearts. Holy Spirit,
18
00:01:23.799 --> 00:01:30.719
please make your word real to us, illuminate it to our hearts, where
19
00:01:30.760 --> 00:01:38.400
we ask this in the precious name
of Christ. Amen. The text for
20
00:01:38.480 --> 00:01:42.599
the message this morning comes out of
the Gospel of Luke, Chapter Three.
21
00:01:42.000 --> 00:01:46.400
I'm going to pick up where I
left off last week and as I re
22
00:01:46.760 --> 00:01:49.480
read this this morning again, I
do want to remind you this is not
23
00:01:49.599 --> 00:01:56.599
my word, this is God's holy
word. As the people were in expectation
24
00:01:56.799 --> 00:02:00.719
and all were questioning in their hearts
concerning John, whether he might be the
25
00:02:00.799 --> 00:02:06.159
Christ, John answered them all saying
I baptize you with water, but he
26
00:02:06.280 --> 00:02:09.360
who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I'm not
27
00:02:09.520 --> 00:02:15.039
worthy to untie. He will baptize
you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
28
00:02:16.000 --> 00:02:21.319
His winnowing fork is in his hand
to clear his stretching for to gather
29
00:02:21.439 --> 00:02:25.000
the wheat into his barn, but
the chaff he will burn with unquestionable fire.
30
00:02:25.919 --> 00:02:30.919
So, with many other exhortations,
he preached good news to the people.
31
00:02:30.800 --> 00:02:35.520
But Herod, the Tetrarch, who
had been reproved by him for Herodius
32
00:02:35.560 --> 00:02:39.199
his brother's wife and for all the
evil things that Herod had done, added
33
00:02:39.240 --> 00:02:43.879
this to them all, that he
locked up John in prison. Now,
34
00:02:43.919 --> 00:02:47.439
when all the people were baptized and
when Jesus also had been baptized and was
35
00:02:47.520 --> 00:02:53.919
praying, the heavens were opened and
the Holy Spirit descended on him and bodily
36
00:02:53.960 --> 00:02:57.680
formed like a dove, and a
voice came from heaven. You are my
37
00:02:57.759 --> 00:03:02.080
beloved son, with whom I am
well. please. Thus I end the
38
00:03:02.159 --> 00:03:08.000
reading of God's word. Well,
last week I gave you a week to
39
00:03:08.039 --> 00:03:12.840
try to figure out what the title
of today's message would be, but in
40
00:03:12.879 --> 00:03:16.680
my introduction I gave you the wrong
title of last week's message. So that
41
00:03:16.719 --> 00:03:21.439
makes it pretty impossible for you to
have come up with the right one today.
42
00:03:21.800 --> 00:03:24.120
Um, last week was Luke Number, the gospel of Luke Number Eleven,
43
00:03:24.639 --> 00:03:28.639
and I told you it was a
gospel of Luke number ten. So
44
00:03:28.800 --> 00:03:30.479
of course you would have come up
with the wrong title. So you are
45
00:03:30.560 --> 00:03:36.159
forgiven. Uh, it is the
gospel of Luke number twelve this morning.
46
00:03:36.840 --> 00:03:39.360
And so we are going to continue
on looking at the message of John The
47
00:03:39.439 --> 00:03:46.000
baptist, but particular in relation to
the Messiah and also to the baptism of
48
00:03:46.120 --> 00:03:50.800
Jesus. So we'll begin in our
text with versus fifteen through twenty. We
49
00:03:50.919 --> 00:03:54.520
see in verse fifteen at some for
some reason at the time, these people
50
00:03:54.599 --> 00:04:00.479
are an expectation that the Messiah is
going to come. Now we don't know
51
00:04:00.599 --> 00:04:03.800
exactly why that is so accepted.
Of course the Lord can put a spirit
52
00:04:03.800 --> 00:04:09.000
of expectation on people, but it
might be also because the Ministry of John
53
00:04:09.000 --> 00:04:13.840
the Baptist had led people to be
expecting something special. It might even be
54
00:04:13.960 --> 00:04:16.600
if that some would remember back to
the time when our Lord was presented in
55
00:04:16.680 --> 00:04:20.800
the tempo and there were the UM
prophecies that came out of the mouth of
56
00:04:20.839 --> 00:04:25.199
Simeon and Anna, and maybe some
would remember that and thought, well,
57
00:04:25.199 --> 00:04:29.759
it's about thirty years perhaps this is
the time that this is going to come.
58
00:04:30.319 --> 00:04:34.000
Uh, we don't know. But
people are in expectation, and this
59
00:04:34.040 --> 00:04:39.720
would be, to quote Dickens,
great expectation that they would be going at
60
00:04:39.720 --> 00:04:44.680
this time. And so in Verse
Sixteen, because they had this expectation and
61
00:04:44.759 --> 00:04:48.680
because John seemed to be a pretty
good candidate to perhaps be the fulfillment of
62
00:04:48.720 --> 00:04:55.040
that, they are thinking perhaps John
is the Messiah. And so John of
63
00:04:55.120 --> 00:04:58.759
coorse has to correct them, and
he does that in two ways. He
64
00:04:58.800 --> 00:05:02.920
corrects them by compare hearing his position
to the Messiah. And then he does
65
00:05:02.959 --> 00:05:11.000
it also by comparing his baptism to
the Messiah's baptism. Now, in terms
66
00:05:11.000 --> 00:05:15.000
of position, he uses a very
well known saying at the time of a
67
00:05:15.759 --> 00:05:20.000
very well known proverb. The idea
that he says I am not worthy to
68
00:05:20.160 --> 00:05:27.040
unloose the very sandal are very ties
of his Sandal and in so doing John
69
00:05:27.120 --> 00:05:30.319
is the practice of that time.
Was this was the job, not just
70
00:05:30.439 --> 00:05:33.360
as the lowest slave in the household, but it was the practice of the
71
00:05:33.399 --> 00:05:40.360
lowest Um non Hebrew slave. They
would be the one that would have that.
72
00:05:40.480 --> 00:05:44.959
So John is comparing himself to the
lowest of the low and this Um
73
00:05:45.319 --> 00:05:49.959
statement of John is vivid enough that
even Paul will recount that saying and his
74
00:05:50.040 --> 00:05:56.399
first sermon in act. And then, in terms of his baptism, he
75
00:05:56.480 --> 00:06:00.879
compares his baptism, his outward baptism, with the word baptism of Jesus.
76
00:06:01.560 --> 00:06:06.120
John's baptism was external, with water. The Lord's Baptism is going to be
77
00:06:06.199 --> 00:06:12.399
internal, in spirit and in fire. David gooding says this. John could
78
00:06:12.439 --> 00:06:16.519
put repentant people in water. In
a sense, anybody could, but only
79
00:06:16.560 --> 00:06:21.920
one who was God could put people
in the Holy Spirit or the Holy Spirit
80
00:06:23.360 --> 00:06:28.240
in people. Now we don't know
exactly what John Meant by a baptism of
81
00:06:28.319 --> 00:06:31.720
fire. There are different ideas.
One that is often suggested is what took
82
00:06:31.800 --> 00:06:36.000
place at the day of Pentecost was
the fulfillment of that when the Holy Spirit
83
00:06:36.079 --> 00:06:40.040
came. That it came, and
one of the signs of its coming was
84
00:06:40.120 --> 00:06:43.920
cloven tongues like as a fire that
sat upon each of them, and so
85
00:06:44.120 --> 00:06:47.920
some believe that that is perhaps what
John is talking about. Origin the early
86
00:06:48.040 --> 00:06:53.879
church father thought that this referred to
a fiery bath that believers had to go
87
00:06:54.000 --> 00:06:59.120
through before they would get into eternal
life. Others suggest that perhaps it's a
88
00:06:59.199 --> 00:07:02.480
reference who lead us today, when
the Lord will return and judge the world
89
00:07:02.519 --> 00:07:09.000
and fire, and others simply think
it is a reference to the cleansing that
90
00:07:09.040 --> 00:07:14.439
we as believers receive when the Lord
comes into our lives. And or it
91
00:07:14.519 --> 00:07:18.040
could refer to the fires we have
of trials in our life. A song
92
00:07:18.120 --> 00:07:24.399
in our handnoll says when through fiery
trials your pathway shall lie my grace.
93
00:07:24.519 --> 00:07:28.959
All sufficient shall be thy supply,
the flames shall not hurt. The only
94
00:07:29.079 --> 00:07:34.160
design that I draws to consume and
they go to refine. Peter says in
95
00:07:34.240 --> 00:07:39.920
First Peter Twelve, beloved, do
not be surprised at the fiery trial when
96
00:07:39.959 --> 00:07:44.480
it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange we're happening to
97
00:07:44.639 --> 00:07:51.160
you. Verse Seventeen gives to us
a common agricultural illustration. When grain was
98
00:07:51.240 --> 00:07:55.079
harvested, they would bring it in
and they would put it on a hard
99
00:07:55.199 --> 00:07:58.560
floor, they would lay it on
the floor and then it would have these
100
00:07:58.560 --> 00:08:01.560
winnowing forks that they could do was
to pick the grain up and they would
101
00:08:01.600 --> 00:08:03.800
pick it up and as they threw
it into the air, the chaff of
102
00:08:03.879 --> 00:08:09.120
the grain, the wind would blow
that chaff away and, uh, they
103
00:08:09.160 --> 00:08:13.279
would continue to do that to all
the chaff was off of the grain.
104
00:08:13.959 --> 00:08:18.560
Now, I have never used a
winnowing fork, but in my first church,
105
00:08:18.639 --> 00:08:22.639
forty five years ago, Um,
I was able to help the farmers,
106
00:08:22.720 --> 00:08:24.959
was made up almost entirely of grain
farmers in our in our church,
107
00:08:26.600 --> 00:08:30.879
and so I was able to harvest
time to to help them. And the
108
00:08:30.920 --> 00:08:37.799
worst, absolute worst stuff to do
was barley and barley was just horrendous because
109
00:08:37.840 --> 00:08:41.600
the chaff would get into your clothes. It felt like fiberglass like you were
110
00:08:41.639 --> 00:08:45.879
working on fiberglass all day or getting
your eyes your eyes would be bloodshot by
111
00:08:45.919 --> 00:08:48.399
the end of the day. And
I was working with a father of of
112
00:08:48.440 --> 00:08:52.000
two of the farmers that I also
worked with, and he said to me,
113
00:08:52.399 --> 00:08:54.559
uh, they were working in the
barley. He said, you know,
114
00:08:54.639 --> 00:08:58.720
I think God put a special curse
upon this stuff because of what we
115
00:09:00.039 --> 00:09:01.559
use it for. Now. I
was in the assemblies of God. Back
116
00:09:01.600 --> 00:09:05.879
then we couldn't drink beer. Um, not now that I can, I
117
00:09:05.919 --> 00:09:09.200
have a little different theological view on
that. But the wind did blow it.
118
00:09:09.279 --> 00:09:11.600
That's my point. Okay, the
wind did blow the CHEFF. It
119
00:09:11.679 --> 00:09:16.679
did do that. And Uh,
and that's what someone forces. It says
120
00:09:16.720 --> 00:09:20.480
the young goodly are not so,
but they are like the chaff that the
121
00:09:20.519 --> 00:09:24.559
wind drives away. So the MISSAIAH
is going to judge between the righteous and
122
00:09:24.679 --> 00:09:28.840
unrighteous, as Jesus will teach us
in parables, like the sheep and the
123
00:09:28.879 --> 00:09:33.080
goats and others. In verse eighteen
we have the word I mentioned last week.
124
00:09:33.120 --> 00:09:39.159
That's descriptive of John the Baptist Um
Preaching and it is the word the
125
00:09:39.159 --> 00:09:43.440
e s V translates good news.
It is a translation of a Greek word.
126
00:09:43.480 --> 00:09:46.679
Good news is two words to translate. One Greek word, which is
127
00:09:46.720 --> 00:09:52.360
Hugh Angelian, and that word is
most often translated into the Bible as Gospel.
128
00:09:52.919 --> 00:09:56.639
It comes from two Greek words,
you, which means well, and
129
00:09:56.679 --> 00:10:03.600
then also angelias are angelous, which
means message or Messenger. It's of course,
130
00:10:03.679 --> 00:10:07.720
often translated into Bible as angel and
we have to just kind of discern
131
00:10:07.080 --> 00:10:11.960
when that Greek word means Angel and
then when it may refer to a Human
132
00:10:11.279 --> 00:10:15.279
Messenger as well. The word you
know, it means good or well,
133
00:10:15.399 --> 00:10:18.120
unfortunately, might be familiar to you
because of a way it's used when people
134
00:10:18.120 --> 00:10:22.320
speak about euthanasia, which comes from
the Greek word Anitas, for death,
135
00:10:22.360 --> 00:10:26.559
and means, of course, a
good death or a well death. I
136
00:10:26.559 --> 00:10:31.919
would probably quibble with that description,
but nonetheless that's where that word comes from.
137
00:10:31.960 --> 00:10:35.960
And then when we when we read
John's preaching like you do in verse
138
00:10:35.960 --> 00:10:41.919
seventeen, it doesn't necessarily seem like
good news. Saying like the Messiah is
139
00:10:41.919 --> 00:10:46.519
gonna Comedy's gonna blow the Chaff Away
and and uh, and and then he's
140
00:10:46.559 --> 00:10:50.960
going to have fire and all that. And I think what that doesn't sound
141
00:10:50.039 --> 00:10:54.600
like very good news at all.
Is it good news to preach about the
142
00:10:54.600 --> 00:10:58.039
fires of judgment? Well, it
is, if you're telling people how to
143
00:10:58.080 --> 00:11:01.799
get away from it, right,
then it is good news. The author
144
00:11:01.840 --> 00:11:07.080
of the Book Peter Pan, man
by name of James Barry, said Heaven
145
00:11:07.200 --> 00:11:11.960
for climate, hell for company.
I don't agree with that, but I
146
00:11:11.039 --> 00:11:16.799
have spoken to many people on the
streets that have that theology and I've I've
147
00:11:16.840 --> 00:11:20.879
talked to them and I've heard this
and I'm sure you've heard it many times.
148
00:11:20.000 --> 00:11:24.720
Right, I want to go to
hell because that's where all my friends
149
00:11:24.720 --> 00:11:28.679
are. I'm sure you've heard that
by many people. But the Bible indicates
150
00:11:30.000 --> 00:11:35.000
there is no company in Hell.
The rich man in anguish didn't look up
151
00:11:35.000 --> 00:11:37.320
and say hey, this is great, I'm with all my friends. He
152
00:11:37.480 --> 00:11:43.679
said I am in anguish here.
But the Good News, the Gospel is
153
00:11:43.759 --> 00:11:46.799
you don't have to end up like
the rich man, but we can trust
154
00:11:46.840 --> 00:11:52.960
in Christ and his death. But
John is preaching the Gospel. The Gospel
155
00:11:52.080 --> 00:11:56.960
has many parts to it, some
of which we might like, some of
156
00:11:56.000 --> 00:12:01.320
which we may not like so much. And so the pillar commentary says it
157
00:12:01.440 --> 00:12:07.480
is good news, not because it's
nice but because it's true. There was
158
00:12:07.519 --> 00:12:13.039
a paraphrase of the Bible that came
out in nineteen sixty six and it was
159
00:12:13.240 --> 00:12:18.159
entitled Good News for Modern Man.
Some of you may have seen it or
160
00:12:18.240 --> 00:12:20.759
may even have it. If you
don't, you can probably find a copy
161
00:12:20.799 --> 00:12:24.200
of it in your local youth bookstore, check book, when I'm sure there's
162
00:12:24.200 --> 00:12:30.320
one there. There usually is.
And but and then in nineteen eighty four,
163
00:12:30.519 --> 00:12:33.759
Frank Schaeffer, who was the son
of Francis Schaefer, put out a
164
00:12:33.759 --> 00:12:39.080
book with reference to it that he
called bad news for modern man. Now
165
00:12:39.120 --> 00:12:41.639
I understand that Frank Schaeffer has not
going down a good path since then,
166
00:12:43.000 --> 00:12:48.200
but that book was actually a good
book. And so, in verses eighteen
167
00:12:48.200 --> 00:12:54.240
and nineteen, Luke described what John
does has preaching, exhorting and reproving,
168
00:12:54.279 --> 00:12:58.480
which is what all preachers are called
to do. Proclaiming, we are called
169
00:12:58.480 --> 00:13:01.919
to proclaim the Gospel. That is
what we are supposed to do. Exhorting,
170
00:13:03.039 --> 00:13:07.080
we are supposed to exhort people to
trust in Christ but also to obey
171
00:13:07.200 --> 00:13:11.399
Christ. And reproving, we are
to reprove those who are in sin and
172
00:13:11.480 --> 00:13:16.679
to tell them they need to flee
from that. And then, in versus
173
00:13:16.759 --> 00:13:20.279
nineteen and twenty. Luke gives us
something that we will lead to something a
174
00:13:20.279 --> 00:13:22.200
little later on, Herod, who
has been reproved by John and will be
175
00:13:22.279 --> 00:13:26.879
reproved by John, particularly for the
instance of taking his brother's wife uh he
176
00:13:28.080 --> 00:13:31.879
and takes Um John into prison and
of course eventually will kill him and he
177
00:13:31.919 --> 00:13:37.799
becomes the first in a long chain
of martyrs for those who give witness to
178
00:13:37.879 --> 00:13:41.000
Christ. Um in one of the
groups this week, Liz reminded me that
179
00:13:41.000 --> 00:13:46.039
that day was the anniversary of John
Who'Sas Martyrdom, and there have been many,
180
00:13:46.080 --> 00:13:52.080
many martyrs like that throughout the years
who have given their life for Christ.
181
00:13:52.519 --> 00:13:56.759
In Verse Twenty One, John Sums
up something that other gospel writers will
182
00:13:56.840 --> 00:14:01.279
will give us a little more detail
lot, and that is the baptism of
183
00:14:01.320 --> 00:14:09.360
our Lord. Now, the baptism
of Jesus is something that has been perplexing
184
00:14:09.399 --> 00:14:16.279
the church almost since the beginning of
its existence. Why would Jesus, the
185
00:14:16.360 --> 00:14:20.720
holy son of God, the sinless
son of God, why would he need
186
00:14:20.799 --> 00:14:26.440
to be baptized? If John's baptism
it was, as a scripture tells us,
187
00:14:26.480 --> 00:14:31.279
a baptism of repentance, on the
forgiveness of sins. Why would our
188
00:14:31.399 --> 00:14:35.279
Lord have needed to submit to that? And they'll come back to that at
189
00:14:35.279 --> 00:14:41.440
the end. But what's interesting here
is that Luke, who gives us more
190
00:14:41.480 --> 00:14:46.159
of the contrast and intertwining of the
lives of Jesus and John, never actually
191
00:14:46.279 --> 00:14:50.679
mentions the two of them meeting.
You say, well, pastors, the
192
00:14:50.679 --> 00:14:54.360
baptism of Jesus and John did it. I know that, but Luke doesn't
193
00:14:54.360 --> 00:14:58.720
tell us that. Luke doesn't tell
us that. We find it from other
194
00:14:58.799 --> 00:15:01.799
gospels. And so the only real
kind of meeting we ever have, and
195
00:15:01.799 --> 00:15:05.759
it's not a face to face meeting
that Luke mentions, of Jesus and John,
196
00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:09.159
is later on when the disciples of
John Come to Jesus, when John
197
00:15:09.279 --> 00:15:13.600
is in prison, and Jesus sends
them back telling them that indeed he is
198
00:15:13.639 --> 00:15:20.639
the Messiah. So then let's look
at versus one and twenty two, particularly
199
00:15:20.679 --> 00:15:26.000
Um Verse Twenty One. Luke is
not telling us that Jesus was back.
200
00:15:26.080 --> 00:15:28.679
Well, you can read it this
way, that Jesus was baptized after everybody
201
00:15:28.720 --> 00:15:33.440
else was baptized. He's just telling
us that in process John was baptizing a
202
00:15:33.519 --> 00:15:39.480
number of people and he also baptized
Jesus. Jesus was also baptized, and
203
00:15:39.559 --> 00:15:43.360
Luke tells us that at the time
Jesus was praying. I'll come back to
204
00:15:43.440 --> 00:15:48.279
that at the application. But then
it says the heavens were opened. This
205
00:15:48.360 --> 00:15:52.200
was a messianic sign. This is
what Isaiah said in chapter sixty four,
206
00:15:52.399 --> 00:15:56.440
verse one, Oh, that you
would rend the heavens and come down,
207
00:15:56.559 --> 00:16:00.879
that the mountains might quake at your
presence. There's a couple of references in
208
00:16:02.000 --> 00:16:06.159
some of the student Pagrifo books that
are not scriptured, they're not inspired,
209
00:16:06.320 --> 00:16:08.559
nothing like that. But there is
a reference in the testament of Levi and
210
00:16:08.600 --> 00:16:14.679
the testament of Judah to the heavens
being opened at the time of the Messiah.
211
00:16:14.720 --> 00:16:18.279
And so we have this. And
so whenever the heavens are being opened,
212
00:16:18.320 --> 00:16:22.399
it's assigned to us that God is
revealing himself to mankind in some special
213
00:16:22.559 --> 00:16:27.320
way. Now, verse twenty two
has long been used in the church to
214
00:16:27.440 --> 00:16:33.279
teach the doctrine of the trinity,
and rightly so. Here we have three
215
00:16:33.399 --> 00:16:38.480
persons clearly delineated. The Sun is
on the earth being baptized, the father
216
00:16:38.840 --> 00:16:42.679
is in heaven speaking. You know, I'd say, well, it doesn't
217
00:16:42.720 --> 00:16:47.000
tell us it was the father's voice
in Luke here? No, it doesn't,
218
00:16:47.360 --> 00:16:51.000
but he does say this is my
beloved son. So that kind of
219
00:16:51.200 --> 00:16:53.279
gives us the clue right that it
was the father. And then we are
220
00:16:53.320 --> 00:17:00.360
told that the spirit descends has a
dove, and so the father says you
221
00:17:00.440 --> 00:17:04.359
are my beloved son. Now this
doesn't mean at the time that God is
222
00:17:04.440 --> 00:17:08.400
now conferring sonship on Christ, that
he never had it before. That's not
223
00:17:08.720 --> 00:17:12.880
true at all. But has a
KH rain store says the Voice of God
224
00:17:12.960 --> 00:17:18.799
does not establish Jesus sonship, it
presupposes it. We know he already is
225
00:17:18.880 --> 00:17:22.079
the son of God. We have
the fulfillment of PS him to seven.
226
00:17:22.119 --> 00:17:27.000
The Lord said to me, you
are my son Today I have begotten You,
227
00:17:27.960 --> 00:17:33.000
and the Holy Spirit descends in bodily
form like a dove. Now it's
228
00:17:33.039 --> 00:17:36.000
not clear whether it was like a
real dove or what it was, or
229
00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:40.599
it's just telling us of how it
was that the spirit descended, and there's
230
00:17:40.599 --> 00:17:44.599
been different ideas on that and why
a dove, and I think there's been
231
00:17:44.640 --> 00:17:51.160
different ideas throughout history because of its
purity or because of his gentleness. Last
232
00:17:51.279 --> 00:17:55.519
Sunday evening I spoke about the idea
that Gideon had seen at the AP when
233
00:17:55.559 --> 00:17:59.119
he saw the angel of the Lord, and I define the thought is the
234
00:17:59.160 --> 00:18:03.559
pre incarnate to appearance of Jesus Christ. Here we have a theophany of the
235
00:18:03.599 --> 00:18:11.759
Holy Spirit, a pre pentecost manifestation
of the Holy Spirit. In my devotional
236
00:18:11.759 --> 00:18:15.279
reading I've been doing a lot of
reading on the Puritan from the Puritan Thomas
237
00:18:15.279 --> 00:18:18.880
Goodwin, and they came across the
court of his but not in my devotional
238
00:18:18.920 --> 00:18:22.920
reading. Actually came across it in
a commentary I was using on Luke,
239
00:18:23.359 --> 00:18:26.960
and here's what he says. For
a dove, you know, is the
240
00:18:27.000 --> 00:18:33.319
most meek and the most innocent of
all birds, without gall without talents,
241
00:18:33.400 --> 00:18:37.480
having no fierceness in it, expressing
nothing but love and friendship to its mate
242
00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:41.960
in all its carriages and mourning over
its mate in all its distresses. And
243
00:18:42.000 --> 00:18:45.880
accordingly, a dove was the most
fit emblem of the spirit that was poured
244
00:18:45.920 --> 00:18:49.279
out upon our savior when he was
just about to enter on the work of
245
00:18:49.279 --> 00:18:56.599
our salvation. For sweetly as doves
to converse with doves, so may every
246
00:18:56.640 --> 00:19:03.559
sinner in Christ converse together men.
But the spirit descends on Jesus, not
247
00:19:03.680 --> 00:19:07.400
because he didn't have the spirit.
Of course he did, but to show
248
00:19:07.519 --> 00:19:12.839
that the spirit would be anointing the
Human Jesus. Okay, he is God,
249
00:19:12.920 --> 00:19:18.279
he is man, but anointing him
to helping him in everything that he
250
00:19:18.400 --> 00:19:22.559
does, in being upon him.
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth, Peter
251
00:19:22.680 --> 00:19:27.000
says, who went about doing good
and healing all those that were afflicted by
252
00:19:27.039 --> 00:19:33.480
the devil. And so we we
have this. Now there are people that
253
00:19:33.559 --> 00:19:37.920
deny the trinity. You probably know
some. I know several people, uh,
254
00:19:37.960 --> 00:19:42.200
that are proclaimed Christians, say they're
Christians but deny the trinity, and
255
00:19:42.200 --> 00:19:45.519
there are different ways they go about
it. One one way they go about
256
00:19:45.559 --> 00:19:49.119
it is to say that through the
years God has appeared in different modes,
257
00:19:51.000 --> 00:19:55.440
and this is called modalism, or
Sabellianism, is is what it's called.
258
00:19:55.960 --> 00:19:59.799
And Uh, in this belief they
will say that in the Old Testament God
259
00:20:00.240 --> 00:20:06.960
revealed himself as father, and then
the Gospels God revealed himself has as Jesus,
260
00:20:07.680 --> 00:20:11.359
and then in the after that pentecost, God reveals himself as the Holy
261
00:20:11.519 --> 00:20:18.400
Spirit. This teaching today is held
by Oneness Pentecostals, but our text clearly
262
00:20:18.440 --> 00:20:23.119
contradicts that there are all three members
of the Godhead, and his teaching has
263
00:20:23.160 --> 00:20:27.839
been condemned by the church almost since
the very beginning. To Talian condemned it
264
00:20:27.880 --> 00:20:33.640
and it was also condemned later on
by the Bishop of Roman. To Sixty
265
00:20:33.720 --> 00:20:38.319
two, a D tri theism said
there were three gods who shared the same
266
00:20:38.400 --> 00:20:42.720
substance. Another heresy, condemned by
the church, Arianism, said there was
267
00:20:42.759 --> 00:20:48.039
one God and Jesus was not God, nor was the Holy Spirit. That
268
00:20:48.119 --> 00:20:53.000
heresy continues today in the form of
Jehovah witnesses who confessed that same thing.
269
00:20:53.119 --> 00:20:59.160
Another heresy. Another heresy said the
father, son and Holy Spirit were only
270
00:20:59.519 --> 00:21:04.240
part God and only became God when
they were all together. Again, heresy.
271
00:21:04.279 --> 00:21:10.359
But the church, throughout history,
the true church, has always proclaimed
272
00:21:10.599 --> 00:21:18.599
the triune God, one God forever
existing in three persons, and we believe
273
00:21:18.680 --> 00:21:25.720
that and we confess as Christians a
triune God, and it's important that we
274
00:21:25.799 --> 00:21:30.519
do. Now let me give you
some application. One thing I'd like you
275
00:21:30.559 --> 00:21:33.200
to notice in particular. I didn't
get this far, but but we talked
276
00:21:33.200 --> 00:21:36.559
about it earlier, we talked about
today and we'll talk about next week,
277
00:21:36.599 --> 00:21:44.079
and that is that Luke combines things
together to stress the phrase the son of
278
00:21:44.119 --> 00:21:48.400
God. And so in the baptism
of Jesus we have the voice from heaven
279
00:21:48.480 --> 00:21:53.920
saying this is my beloved son,
he is the son of God. In
280
00:21:55.000 --> 00:22:00.000
his genealogy that we will look at
next week it says again that take trade,
281
00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:04.720
says Jesus Genealogy back and says that
Adam was the son of God.
282
00:22:04.880 --> 00:22:10.720
And then in the temptation in the
Wilderness and the next chapter we'll see where
283
00:22:11.039 --> 00:22:15.240
Satan tempts Jesus with the phrase if
you are the son of God. So
284
00:22:15.319 --> 00:22:21.480
Luke has been very clear about who
Jesus is and in these three UH stories
285
00:22:21.519 --> 00:22:25.359
he uses that prey son of God, and he uses it nine times in
286
00:22:25.400 --> 00:22:27.480
his gospel. But most of them
are here. Form are here, should
287
00:22:27.519 --> 00:22:30.880
say most of them, but four
of them, and then only five more
288
00:22:30.960 --> 00:22:34.880
times where he used it in the
rest of the book. Now ask the
289
00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:41.319
question why would Jesus need to be
baptized by John? It's a good question.
290
00:22:42.279 --> 00:22:45.160
Now how do I know it's a
good question? I know it's a
291
00:22:45.160 --> 00:22:49.720
good question because John the Baptist asked
it also. He said to the Lord,
292
00:22:51.119 --> 00:22:53.279
you know I have needed to be
baptized by you why would you becoming
293
00:22:53.359 --> 00:22:57.759
to me to be baptized if John
asked it? It's a good question and
294
00:22:57.759 --> 00:23:02.400
and so we need to look at
it for a second. Now. There
295
00:23:02.400 --> 00:23:06.359
have been various answers that have been
given in the church throughout its history,
296
00:23:06.359 --> 00:23:08.400
and I'm not gonna bore you with
all of those. I'm gonna mention two.
297
00:23:10.119 --> 00:23:12.279
I'm going to mention the one that
I kind of hold to. I
298
00:23:12.359 --> 00:23:15.119
don't know if I should or not, but I kind of hold I'm usually
299
00:23:15.160 --> 00:23:18.680
not a heretic but, um,
I don't think this as heretical, but
300
00:23:18.680 --> 00:23:22.839
I kind of hold to this view, um a little bit. And I'll
301
00:23:22.839 --> 00:23:25.960
give the second one. That is
the most widely accepted view, and then
302
00:23:26.240 --> 00:23:30.000
that's the one you probably should believe. But nevertheless, I want to give
303
00:23:30.000 --> 00:23:33.039
you two facts from the book of
Luke. Number One, in verse twenty
304
00:23:33.079 --> 00:23:38.160
three, we'll see that Jesus began
his ministry when he was about thirty years
305
00:23:38.160 --> 00:23:42.200
of age. Luke makes that statement. Nobody else tells us that. And
306
00:23:42.240 --> 00:23:45.759
then I want to remind you something
else Luke tells us is that John the
307
00:23:45.839 --> 00:23:52.759
Baptist was from the line of Levin, that his parents were Levites and Zach
308
00:23:52.039 --> 00:23:56.640
I saw Zach Rya was a priest, and so John reminds us of this
309
00:23:56.839 --> 00:24:00.759
fact. So, keeping those two
facts in mind, I want you to
310
00:24:00.799 --> 00:24:06.960
notice something. First, concerning the
age of Jesus. The the age of
311
00:24:07.079 --> 00:24:12.599
thirty years is an important age in
scripture. It is the age of Joseph
312
00:24:12.680 --> 00:24:18.200
when he was exalted and begin to
reign under feral. It is the age
313
00:24:18.240 --> 00:24:22.599
of David, we are told in
Second Samuel five four, when he begins
314
00:24:22.960 --> 00:24:26.319
to reign, and we are told
in numbers four twenty three, as well
315
00:24:26.359 --> 00:24:30.599
as a couple of other verses,
maybe more than a couple, uh in
316
00:24:30.759 --> 00:24:37.960
numbers, that priests were numbered from
thirty years old up to fifty. And
317
00:24:37.000 --> 00:24:44.759
according to exodus, four priests were
consecrated by being washed with water. Now
318
00:24:44.759 --> 00:24:49.000
I'm just going to postulate here that
John, being a levite Jesus entering the
319
00:24:49.039 --> 00:24:53.599
ministry at Thirty years of age.
Is it possible that this is fulfilling the
320
00:24:53.680 --> 00:25:00.279
Old Testament Law of the consecrating of
priest when they became thirty years of age?
321
00:25:00.440 --> 00:25:03.799
And then John would need to do
it because he was of the tribe
322
00:25:03.839 --> 00:25:08.119
of Levin? Well, that's my
view, but you don't have to believe
323
00:25:08.119 --> 00:25:12.359
it. So let me give you
the more Orthodox of you. Jesus submitting
324
00:25:12.799 --> 00:25:18.960
to baptism is in line with other
things that oftentimes we don't question. For
325
00:25:19.039 --> 00:25:22.519
one, he was circumcised when he
was a child. Why would he need
326
00:25:22.680 --> 00:25:26.680
circumcision? Was a cutting away of
the flesh. That the symbolism of sin
327
00:25:26.799 --> 00:25:32.240
being being done away with. Why
would Jesus need to submit to circumcision?
328
00:25:32.799 --> 00:25:36.319
Now I realized his parents did it, but God could have prevented that.
329
00:25:37.359 --> 00:25:41.720
And we in the reform tradition do
believe that circumcision has now been replaced by
330
00:25:41.799 --> 00:25:45.440
baptism. And Paul says in Collossians, to and him also, you were
331
00:25:45.480 --> 00:25:49.720
circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the
332
00:25:49.759 --> 00:25:55.920
flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism
333
00:25:55.960 --> 00:26:00.000
in which were raised with him through
faith and the powerful working of God who
334
00:26:00.119 --> 00:26:04.440
raised him from the dead. There
Paul tells us we were circumcised in baptism,
335
00:26:04.720 --> 00:26:11.200
and it was the putting off of
the flesh. And so Jesus submitted
336
00:26:11.279 --> 00:26:18.119
himself to that. And perhaps,
uh in doing so, Jesus is identifying
337
00:26:18.160 --> 00:26:22.799
with the people and Luke even puts
it in context of Jesus Baptism, telling
338
00:26:22.920 --> 00:26:27.799
us that all the people were baptized
and Jesus was baptized as well. Not
339
00:26:27.920 --> 00:26:33.720
only that, Jesus kept the Passover
meal and went up to the various feast.
340
00:26:33.960 --> 00:26:34.960
Again, we could say he was
fulfilling in the law, but he
341
00:26:36.000 --> 00:26:38.400
didn't have to. He was the
Passover. Paul tells us that in First
342
00:26:38.440 --> 00:26:45.119
Grintian five Jesus was the Passover and
uh, and so he submitted to that.
343
00:26:45.200 --> 00:26:48.559
And then we can even ask the
question which which is an obvious question
344
00:26:48.559 --> 00:26:52.240
with an obvious answer, but it
really sheds lights on all the other why
345
00:26:52.359 --> 00:26:56.880
was he crucified? He didn't need
to die. He had never done sin.
346
00:26:56.960 --> 00:26:59.319
There was no sin, there was
no guile in his mouth. Why
347
00:26:59.359 --> 00:27:03.319
was he Christoph Five? He was
crucified for us. So everything he did
348
00:27:03.359 --> 00:27:07.359
he did for us. It was
always for us. And so recognize that
349
00:27:07.440 --> 00:27:12.319
in all of these things and that
that that Jesus was doing it in identification
350
00:27:12.440 --> 00:27:15.480
with us. And I'm not saying
even after truth, choose one or the
351
00:27:15.519 --> 00:27:18.759
other. You can. You can
believe in both of those. They both
352
00:27:18.799 --> 00:27:23.319
can can join together. And then
I want to stress the same point.
353
00:27:23.359 --> 00:27:29.039
I stressed last week from from John, and that is that his purpose was
354
00:27:29.119 --> 00:27:32.880
to point people to Jesus. He
was to lift up Jesus. That's that's
355
00:27:32.880 --> 00:27:34.559
what he wanted to do in his
ministry. As he said this here,
356
00:27:34.799 --> 00:27:38.599
he later on saying John, three
thirty, he must increase, but I
357
00:27:38.799 --> 00:27:42.960
must decrease. And the point is
that's what a preacher is to do.
358
00:27:44.400 --> 00:27:48.079
He is to lift up Jesus,
not himself, not his own self,
359
00:27:48.119 --> 00:27:51.839
but he's to lift up Christ to
the people. That is the job of
360
00:27:51.880 --> 00:27:56.519
the preacher. Kent Hughes and his
commentary tells the story of what happened in
361
00:27:56.559 --> 00:28:02.400
a Baptist Church pastored by E v
Hill, and there was a dear saint
362
00:28:02.519 --> 00:28:07.319
in in the in the congregation,
and the congregation called her old eighteen hundred
363
00:28:07.359 --> 00:28:10.960
because nobody knew how old she was, so they called her old eighteen hundred
364
00:28:10.960 --> 00:28:14.680
and that's how they referred to her. And Uh, when, Um,
365
00:28:14.799 --> 00:28:19.640
when a guest preacher was was there
in the service that day, she'd set
366
00:28:19.720 --> 00:28:26.160
up in the front row and before
he started she allowed get him up and
367
00:28:26.960 --> 00:28:30.119
the preacher wasn't quite sure what was
going on. uh, but but after
368
00:28:30.119 --> 00:28:33.599
a while, if she thought that
the preacher still wasn't lifting up Jesus enough,
369
00:28:33.640 --> 00:28:37.960
she yelled at again get him up
and and all through the sermon she
370
00:28:38.000 --> 00:28:41.400
would do that whenever she thought the
preacher wasn't lifting up Christ enough, and
371
00:28:41.440 --> 00:28:45.720
she she would say that. But, but that's what we are to do
372
00:28:45.799 --> 00:28:49.799
as preachers, is to lift up
Christ. And the last thing I want
373
00:28:49.839 --> 00:28:53.799
to bring to you this morning is
the topic that I placed throughout the service
374
00:28:53.839 --> 00:28:59.920
this morning and that his prayer.
We saw in verse twenty one Jesus was
375
00:29:00.039 --> 00:29:04.279
praying. Prayer is something that Jesus
did and he certainly did it more than
376
00:29:04.319 --> 00:29:11.880
anyone. Luke stresses this in his
Gospel several times. He mentions about Jesus
377
00:29:11.880 --> 00:29:15.279
praying. In Chapter Five and Verse
Sixteen, he said he would withdraw to
378
00:29:15.480 --> 00:29:22.599
desolate places and pray, indicating that
this was a common practice of our Lord.
379
00:29:22.440 --> 00:29:26.160
Luke six twelve. In those days
he went out to a mountain to
380
00:29:26.240 --> 00:29:32.240
pray and all night he continued in
prayer to God. Luke nine eighteen had
381
00:29:32.240 --> 00:29:36.119
happened that, as he was praying
alone, the disciples were with him.
382
00:29:36.400 --> 00:29:40.480
Luke. Now, about eight days
after these things, he took with him
383
00:29:40.519 --> 00:29:44.599
Peter and John and James and went
up into a mountain to pray. Now
384
00:29:44.640 --> 00:29:48.400
I can't emulate Jesus in that in
Minnesota, but you can do that in
385
00:29:48.480 --> 00:29:52.920
Tucson. You can go up into
a mountain to pray if you want to
386
00:29:52.599 --> 00:29:56.480
verse. Twenty nine says, and
while he was praying. And then we
387
00:29:56.519 --> 00:30:00.599
have the account of the transfiguration.
Luke. Eleven one, Jesus is praying
388
00:30:00.839 --> 00:30:04.599
in a certain place and when he
finished, one of his disciples said to
389
00:30:04.720 --> 00:30:10.000
him, Lord, teach us to
pray. Has John taught his disciples?
390
00:30:10.640 --> 00:30:12.799
Now? I like the idea that
they asked the Lord to teach them to
391
00:30:12.839 --> 00:30:17.400
pray. and not so crazy about
that last part. Like Lord, teach
392
00:30:17.480 --> 00:30:19.880
us to pray, you know,
like John, like then Jesus. I
393
00:30:19.920 --> 00:30:23.160
said, Hey, you know,
I invented prayer. That don't don't bring
394
00:30:23.160 --> 00:30:26.279
in John in this, you know. But but never nevertheless, they asked
395
00:30:26.279 --> 00:30:30.039
the Lord to teach him. And
look one of course, to get Semite
396
00:30:30.039 --> 00:30:34.240
Account, and he withdrew from them
about a stone strow and knelt down and
397
00:30:34.279 --> 00:30:40.920
prayed. And there are several incidental
references of prayer, as before and after
398
00:30:40.960 --> 00:30:45.319
the feeding of the five thousand.
Has he met with the Amaus road disciples
399
00:30:45.400 --> 00:30:48.680
and and later on where Jesus tells
Peter That even though Satan was going to
400
00:30:48.799 --> 00:30:52.799
sift him his wheat, that he
had prayed for him. Now Jesus prayed
401
00:30:52.799 --> 00:30:56.119
often. There's no question about that. He did. But the point I
402
00:30:56.200 --> 00:31:00.559
want to stress in that is if
Jesus, the son of God, felt
403
00:31:00.640 --> 00:31:06.440
that he needed prayer that desperately,
how much more do we need prayer?
404
00:31:07.079 --> 00:31:12.680
And I think the question I asked
myself more than any other is why don't
405
00:31:12.680 --> 00:31:15.680
I pray more? I don't know
if any of you ever asked that question
406
00:31:15.680 --> 00:31:19.240
of yourself, but as a question
I ask often, why don't I pray
407
00:31:19.279 --> 00:31:22.440
more? I'm not saying they don't
pray. I do pray, but I
408
00:31:22.519 --> 00:31:27.200
think, why don't I pray more? I don't understand that about myself.
409
00:31:27.880 --> 00:31:30.880
Why don't pray? Not I'm not
praying. I'm not here to put guilt
410
00:31:30.920 --> 00:31:36.000
trip or condemnation on anybody because of
your lack of prayer life. Anythink that,
411
00:31:36.079 --> 00:31:41.200
but I'm trying to encourage you to
say we need prayer and God will
412
00:31:41.240 --> 00:31:47.359
be faithful in answering prayer. Now
there are many examples through history. Of
413
00:31:47.400 --> 00:31:49.359
course we have the examples of scripture. But I want to give you one
414
00:31:49.440 --> 00:31:53.759
example from history as I closed this
morning, just to kind of remind you
415
00:31:53.880 --> 00:31:59.880
of how God can work. Maybe
you know the story of Jeremiah Land for
416
00:32:00.559 --> 00:32:06.160
probably some of you do. He
was appointed as pastor of the Dutch Reformed
417
00:32:06.240 --> 00:32:12.440
Church in Manhattan, New York.
As he became a beginning his pastoral work,
418
00:32:12.559 --> 00:32:20.480
he appointed a prayer meeting in the
North Dutch church on Wednesday and he
419
00:32:20.519 --> 00:32:24.000
was inviting other churches to join with
him and he said the prayer meeting would
420
00:32:24.000 --> 00:32:27.839
be designed that he didn't have to
stay the whole hour but people could come
421
00:32:27.839 --> 00:32:31.440
in and pray five or ten minutes
and leave and that would be okay.
422
00:32:32.799 --> 00:32:37.839
The first week he went there at
twelve o'clock waiting for people and waited and
423
00:32:37.880 --> 00:32:43.480
waited and waited and nobody was showing. But about twelve thirty he heard some
424
00:32:43.640 --> 00:32:49.319
steps, footsteps on the stairs and
and uh, six men from different denominations,
425
00:32:49.359 --> 00:32:52.039
all of them from different denominations,
came in and they joined him in
426
00:32:52.079 --> 00:33:00.160
prayer from twelve thirty to one o'clock. Stay they had fourteen to twenty any
427
00:33:00.240 --> 00:33:05.440
people. The third week they had
between thirty and forty. They became so
428
00:33:05.599 --> 00:33:09.240
encouraged they decided instead of just Wednesdays, they'd meet daily and they would gathered
429
00:33:09.240 --> 00:33:15.559
together particularly to pray for the conversion
of their neighbors and friends and Co workers.
430
00:33:15.519 --> 00:33:20.640
By the beginning of the next year
attendants had increased so much they had
431
00:33:20.680 --> 00:33:24.319
to use three rooms in the church. Soon they had to start meeting and
432
00:33:24.440 --> 00:33:30.880
other buildings. In New York one
was started in a large theater. One
433
00:33:30.920 --> 00:33:34.920
half hour before the prayer meeting was
to start, they had to close the
434
00:33:34.920 --> 00:33:42.000
theater because it was already full to
capacity. The very famous Newspaperman some of
435
00:33:42.039 --> 00:33:45.160
you may be familiar with by the
name of Horse Greeley, sent a man
436
00:33:45.160 --> 00:33:49.079
and horse and buggy and to go
from one meeting to another to see how
437
00:33:49.079 --> 00:33:52.960
many people were praying at these meetings. He could only get the twelve of
438
00:33:52.000 --> 00:33:59.839
the meetings, but he reported to
Greeley that he found six thousand men praying.
439
00:34:00.720 --> 00:34:07.800
Soon counts said that ten thousand businessmen
were attending those meetings. Conversions in
440
00:34:07.920 --> 00:34:12.079
churches. During that time, when
it had done a very dry time,
441
00:34:12.960 --> 00:34:20.920
all of a sudden we're experiencing conversions
at amazing rates. Over ten thousand conversions
442
00:34:21.280 --> 00:34:25.599
were recorded in one week. There
were more prayer meetings then started in other
443
00:34:25.639 --> 00:34:31.079
major cities and by eighteen fifty nine, less than two years after they had
444
00:34:31.119 --> 00:34:35.719
started this prayer meeting after one man
and started in the Dutch reformed church,
445
00:34:36.639 --> 00:34:43.559
they had been recorded over one million
conversions. Now you're not going to find
446
00:34:43.559 --> 00:34:45.760
accounts of those meetings in the secular
history books. They're not going to be
447
00:34:45.840 --> 00:34:50.360
found there. And again, I
don't bring it up to say, you
448
00:34:50.400 --> 00:34:52.960
know, we need to all get
together every noon and we still got to
449
00:34:52.960 --> 00:34:57.719
start doing this and all of that, but I want to just encourage you
450
00:34:58.320 --> 00:35:01.679
to how God can answer prayer.
I've had people say to me, and
451
00:35:01.719 --> 00:35:06.320
I'm guessing some of you have had
this close with this, that they'll say,
452
00:35:06.599 --> 00:35:08.360
you know, you reformed, you
say God ordains everything, so why
453
00:35:08.400 --> 00:35:10.760
in the world you pray? I
don't know if you've ever heard that,
454
00:35:10.760 --> 00:35:14.960
but I've heard that so many times. Why do you pray if God ordains
455
00:35:14.960 --> 00:35:19.119
it anyway? What's the difference?
I have my stock answer I give to
456
00:35:19.119 --> 00:35:22.559
that question now, and it's not
a total answer, but it does kind
457
00:35:22.559 --> 00:35:27.760
of hush them up. I say, you know, I can tell you
458
00:35:27.840 --> 00:35:32.119
exactly why I pray, but for
the life of me I've never been able
459
00:35:32.159 --> 00:35:37.119
to figure out why you pray,
and I can't. I asked them.
460
00:35:37.280 --> 00:35:38.599
I said, what are you doing
when you pray? I don't understand.
461
00:35:39.079 --> 00:35:44.119
Are you trying to convince God of
something? Like God, in his infinite
462
00:35:44.159 --> 00:35:46.440
wisdom and goodness and love, is
going to listen to me? Oh,
463
00:35:46.480 --> 00:35:51.840
I've got a better idea. Why
would you do that? I want God
464
00:35:51.920 --> 00:35:53.079
to do what God wants to do. I don't I don't want to be
465
00:35:53.639 --> 00:35:58.360
telling God what to do. So
I asked him. I say, why
466
00:35:58.400 --> 00:36:00.480
are you praying? Do you know? Anyone I've ever asked that question to?
467
00:36:00.639 --> 00:36:06.119
Nobody has ever given me an answer. They don't know. The best
468
00:36:06.159 --> 00:36:07.840
they can do is the same one
I can give them, which is God
469
00:36:07.880 --> 00:36:13.400
commands us. That's right, but
you need to know more than that.
470
00:36:15.159 --> 00:36:17.599
But let us as we look at
Christ as a savior who died for our
471
00:36:17.639 --> 00:36:22.519
sins, who paid the price for
us the Cross and tells us in Matthew,
472
00:36:23.320 --> 00:36:28.880
therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of
the harvest to send out labors in
473
00:36:28.920 --> 00:36:31.119
the harvest. You know, I
had a past feight years ago. Sometimes
474
00:36:31.119 --> 00:36:34.840
you you know, you hear a
lot of sermons right and you don't remember
475
00:36:35.039 --> 00:36:38.519
many of them, but I always
remember this sermon. My pastor is just
476
00:36:38.559 --> 00:36:43.920
the Young Bible College student and he
preached neglected a sermon called neglected prayers,
477
00:36:44.039 --> 00:36:46.000
and he mentioned prayers in the Bible
that we don't really pray, and this
478
00:36:46.079 --> 00:36:51.840
is one of them. Do We
pray enough? Lord, send labors into
479
00:36:51.920 --> 00:36:54.239
the harvest, but let us look
at Christ, if we are his,
480
00:36:54.920 --> 00:37:00.800
and emulate him in his prayer life
and follow him in what has instructed us
481
00:37:00.840 --> 00:37:04.360
to do. Let's pray, Lord. You. Thank you for your word,
482
00:37:04.840 --> 00:37:08.519
thank you for the example we have
of you and how you taught us
483
00:37:09.159 --> 00:37:15.719
so clearly the importance of prayer in
your own life. You, who are
484
00:37:15.800 --> 00:37:22.920
very god of Very God. You
withdrew yourself from the disciples and others to
485
00:37:22.000 --> 00:37:29.119
pray again and again and again.
And Lord, we oftentime, as we
486
00:37:29.199 --> 00:37:34.320
have prayed in our prayer of confession, we are not as often in private
487
00:37:34.360 --> 00:37:37.760
prayer as we ought to be.
So I pray you to help us,
488
00:37:37.639 --> 00:37:45.039
encourage us, teach us, Lord, the value of prayer, help us
489
00:37:45.039 --> 00:37:46.800
to see the reward. As you
said, your father, who sees you
490
00:37:46.840 --> 00:37:52.840
in secret, will reward you openly. Help us to lay our eyes on
491
00:37:52.880 --> 00:37:58.119
the reward and see what it is
to pray, and see how we become
492
00:37:58.199 --> 00:38:04.480
conformed to your image in our prayer, and Lord, teach us and,
493
00:38:04.599 --> 00:38:09.639
above our Lord, may our prayer
always be to be like Christ, and
494
00:38:09.760 --> 00:38:15.000
may our prayer be that we trust
in him and in him alone for our
495
00:38:15.039 --> 00:38:20.320
salvation, that there's no work,
not even prayer, that could buy a
496
00:38:20.400 --> 00:38:24.199
salvation, but it's only through your
grace that you have given to us.
497
00:38:25.119 --> 00:38:31.679
We pray these things in Jesus name. Amen. M can we stand together
498
00:38:34.119 --> 00:38:35.199
and turn the number five
