Great to be here at the GYC.
00:00:12.49\00:00:13.98
I've had a great GYC conference.
00:00:14.01\00:00:15.58
How about you? Amen.
And I am happy to be here.
00:00:15.61\00:00:19.45
I am happy to
have had a good GYC,
00:00:19.48\00:00:23.77
if I can use that language,
00:00:23.80\00:00:25.49
but I would be
remiss if I didn't say that
00:00:25.52\00:00:29.19
I would be even
happier to have had, no,
00:00:29.22\00:00:32.96
to have no more GYCs. Amen.
00:00:32.99\00:00:38.22
The conferences are great,
00:00:38.25\00:00:39.28
but I'm sort of
looking forward to something
00:00:39.31\00:00:41.22
a little
grander, a little greater,
00:00:41.25\00:00:42.48
a little better. And so I invite
00:00:42.51\00:00:44.55
you to pray with
me as we commence our
00:00:44.58\00:00:47.26
final
presentation here for the 2010.
00:00:47.29\00:00:50.89
I suppose it's now
2011 GYC Conference.
00:00:50.92\00:00:54.54
Father in Heaven,
00:00:55.32\00:00:56.35
we anticipate
your presence with us.
00:00:56.38\00:00:59.67
Not because we are
worthy of your presence
00:01:00.80\00:01:02.73
or because we
deserve your presence
00:01:02.76\00:01:05.12
for certainly we do not.
00:01:05.15\00:01:06.92
We anticipate your presence
00:01:07.97\00:01:09.20
because it is
keeping with your promise.
00:01:09.23\00:01:10.94
You've said that where
two or more are gathered
00:01:10.97\00:01:12.40
that you would be
there in their midst.
00:01:12.43\00:01:15.13
And father we are
gathered here this
00:01:15.16\00:01:16.37
morning a great many
more than just two or three.
00:01:16.40\00:01:19.30
And we've invited
you to be in this room,
00:01:19.33\00:01:21.54
but Father even that
is a little inaccurate.
00:01:21.57\00:01:24.22
You were here long
before any of us got here.
00:01:24.25\00:01:26.99
Filling all heaven
and earth as you do
00:01:27.02\00:01:29.00
and so Father,
we want to thank you
00:01:29.03\00:01:31.18
for having invited us
to be in your presence.
00:01:31.21\00:01:34.31
And dear
Father, it would be only
00:01:35.54\00:01:38.07
half of what we
need if you remained only
00:01:38.10\00:01:40.46
inside of these walls.
We need you in a place,
00:01:40.49\00:01:44.79
in the person of your spirit,
00:01:44.82\00:01:46.65
that is even more
intimate, more proximate,
00:01:46.68\00:01:50.03
even closer than just
inside of this building.
00:01:50.06\00:01:53.25
Father, we would
ask that you would come
00:01:53.28\00:01:55.70
into our hearts
and that the promise
00:01:55.73\00:01:59.26
of Jesus would be
true in our experience,
00:01:59.29\00:02:01.17
that he shall be with
you and shall be in you.
00:02:01.20\00:02:05.43
And so Father today,
I pray that the spirit
00:02:05.46\00:02:08.31
would indwell us and
that the inspiring spirit.
00:02:08.34\00:02:11.54
The inspiring spirit
of scripture would now
00:02:11.57\00:02:13.18
become the instructing spirit.
00:02:13.21\00:02:15.55
And that our
spirit as the Bible says,
00:02:15.58\00:02:17.11
in Romans 8;
would bear witness with
00:02:17.14\00:02:18.62
your spirit that
we would have a sense,
00:02:18.65\00:02:20.76
an
intuitiveness, a knowledge not
00:02:20.79\00:02:22.65
just a belief.
But something that
00:02:22.68\00:02:25.17
surpasses mere
belief and becomes knowledge
00:02:25.20\00:02:28.85
that we are in fact the
sons and daughters of God.
00:02:28.88\00:02:31.89
Father, this is
only going to take place
00:02:31.92\00:02:33.68
if something
supernatural happens.
00:02:33.71\00:02:35.94
We pray that you
would take the elocution
00:02:35.97\00:02:38.43
and the oratory
and all of the words
00:02:38.46\00:02:40.53
that will be
spoken, and that you would
00:02:40.56\00:02:42.62
do something supernatural.
00:02:42.65\00:02:45.41
And that the spirit
within us would resonate
00:02:45.44\00:02:47.69
with the spirit
that is preached through
00:02:47.72\00:02:49.73
the word and that
the inspiring spirit,
00:02:49.76\00:02:51.46
and the
instructing spirit would now
00:02:51.49\00:02:53.25
be the infilling
spirit. And Father, in all of
00:02:53.28\00:02:55.36
this supernatural transaction,
00:02:55.39\00:02:58.54
that we would leave this place,
00:02:58.57\00:03:00.75
not just this morning
but over the course of
00:03:00.78\00:03:02.41
this convention having known
00:03:02.44\00:03:05.65
that we've been with
Jesus and he has been
00:03:05.68\00:03:07.95
with us, that we
have supped with him
00:03:07.98\00:03:10.36
and with his Father.
So, please be with us
00:03:10.39\00:03:13.44
this morning as we
open our hearts to you
00:03:13.47\00:03:16.06
and open your
word. May you open your
00:03:16.09\00:03:19.03
heart to us, may
we know you better
00:03:19.06\00:03:22.48
and may we know
ourselves better.
00:03:22.51\00:03:24.99
This is our
prayer in Jesus name,
00:03:25.96\00:03:27.73
let everyone say, amen.
00:03:27.76\00:03:30.54
Please open your Bibles with me
00:03:31.52\00:03:32.71
if you would to
Matthew Chapter 19,
00:03:32.74\00:03:35.59
Matthew in the 19th Chapter.
00:03:35.62\00:03:37.74
First book of the
New Testiment of course,
00:03:37.77\00:03:40.12
Matthew Chapter 19,
and the question has
00:03:40.15\00:03:43.99
been asked whether
or not fish know that
00:03:44.02\00:03:46.72
water exists? And the
answer is probably not,
00:03:46.75\00:03:52.28
at least not for
those fish that live in the
00:03:52.31\00:03:53.78
deepest parts of the ocean
00:03:53.81\00:03:56.32
or some deep part of a lake,
00:03:56.35\00:03:59.16
because how would you explain?
00:03:59.19\00:04:02.23
How would it be
possible to explain
00:04:02.26\00:04:04.45
to a fish what water
is? A fish is born in water,
00:04:04.48\00:04:08.64
lives in water, breaths
in water, dies in water.
00:04:08.67\00:04:11.60
It lives its whole
experience in water
00:04:11.63\00:04:14.26
and therefore has no comparison,
00:04:14.29\00:04:17.05
has no what
everyone? It has no comparison,
00:04:17.08\00:04:19.83
it has nothing. If
you are going to a fish
00:04:19.86\00:04:21.55
and you are trying to
explain dry to a fish,
00:04:21.58\00:04:25.07
it would be a very
problematic thing to do,
00:04:25.10\00:04:26.99
because you
would have no referent.
00:04:27.02\00:04:29.71
You would have
no, what everyone?
00:04:29.74\00:04:31.81
A reference. You see friends,
00:04:31.84\00:04:34.96
when you're dealing with
two incommensurate worlds.
00:04:34.99\00:04:37.48
It can be very difficult
to communicate what that
00:04:37.51\00:04:40.35
world is like, if
the only reference that
00:04:40.38\00:04:42.29
we have or within the
matrix or the context of
00:04:42.32\00:04:44.79
the only world to
which we are accustomed.
00:04:44.82\00:04:46.86
A fish living in the
very bottom of the ocean
00:04:46.89\00:04:48.48
or the very bottom
of the deep lake would
00:04:48.51\00:04:50.12
have no referent
for dry and you could
00:04:50.15\00:04:52.36
use all of the
linguistic, gymnastic
00:04:52.39\00:04:55.70
and creativity and spontaneity
00:04:55.73\00:04:57.54
and skillfulness that
you could come up with,
00:04:57.57\00:04:59.67
but it would be
very difficult to try
00:04:59.70\00:05:00.99
and communicate because the fish
00:05:01.02\00:05:02.78
would have no reference.
00:05:02.81\00:05:05.42
There are other
analogies that could be marshal
00:05:05.45\00:05:07.38
to make the same basic point.
00:05:07.41\00:05:09.08
Probably you've tried
this experiment every,
00:05:09.11\00:05:11.75
or most of the
days of your life.
00:05:11.78\00:05:13.35
You go to sleep and for
those of you that dream,
00:05:13.38\00:05:15.33
I dream. Are you a dreamer?
00:05:15.36\00:05:17.28
Yeah, I dream every night.
00:05:17.31\00:05:18.85
Yeah, I don't
have to watch movies,
00:05:18.88\00:05:20.19
because I get to watch
them every single night
00:05:20.22\00:05:22.95
on the inside of the
cinema of my eyelids,
00:05:22.98\00:05:25.42
and I don't know
I've always dreamed.
00:05:25.45\00:05:29.05
I just, I've great dreams.
00:05:29.08\00:05:31.21
I have dreams where
often I am the hero,
00:05:31.24\00:05:33.65
which is appropriate
and I have flying dreams
00:05:33.68\00:05:39.73
and I have
fighting dreams and, I mean,
00:05:39.76\00:05:41.89
literally I am not exaggerating,
00:05:41.92\00:05:43.24
every single
night I get to dream.
00:05:43.27\00:05:45.55
And for those of
you that you don't get
00:05:45.58\00:05:46.61
your dream, my
heart goes out to you
00:05:46.64\00:05:48.47
with the deepest sympathies.
00:05:48.50\00:05:50.63
But in my own
experience my dreams are so real
00:05:50.66\00:05:53.20
and they are even
plot based, I mean,
00:05:53.23\00:05:55.63
it's absolutely
astonishing, plot based.
00:05:55.66\00:05:57.88
And every
morning when I wake up,
00:05:57.91\00:06:01.56
the realization I
was, that I was sleeping
00:06:01.59\00:06:04.32
does not occur until I am awake.
00:06:04.35\00:06:06.94
In other words,
here I'm in this world
00:06:06.97\00:06:08.91
and I am existing and
I am fighting the enemy
00:06:08.94\00:06:11.45
or I am climbing
the wall, whatever it is
00:06:11.48\00:06:13.49
and then all the
sudden I am awake
00:06:13.52\00:06:15.11
and now I have a
product of comparison.
00:06:15.14\00:06:17.54
I now have a, what everyone?
00:06:17.57\00:06:19.74
A product of comparison.
00:06:19.77\00:06:20.80
Now, I can say,
wow! How weird is that?
00:06:20.83\00:06:23.15
I was sleeping,
but the fact that,
00:06:23.18\00:06:26.81
that I know cognizance,
I am aware that I was
00:06:26.84\00:06:29.58
sleeping is only
because I have changed,
00:06:29.61\00:06:32.67
I have transcended
my former situation.
00:06:32.70\00:06:35.00
I am now in a new situation.
00:06:35.03\00:06:36.57
A fish does have this luxury.
00:06:36.60\00:06:38.77
A fish never has
the opportunity to say,
00:06:38.80\00:06:41.19
oh, now I am dry, I
get it, I understand.
00:06:41.22\00:06:45.70
Jesus faced I believed
a dilemma very consistence
00:06:45.73\00:06:49.03
with the dilemma that
we are describing here
00:06:49.06\00:06:51.26
that awareness is largely
the product of comparison.
00:06:51.29\00:06:55.20
Any of us who have
traveled to the places,
00:06:55.23\00:06:57.63
especially exotic
places and far away places
00:06:57.66\00:07:01.47
and you've come
back from overseas
00:07:01.50\00:07:04.49
and you try and
communicate to people
00:07:04.52\00:07:06.11
who exist in that
world, your world what that
00:07:06.14\00:07:10.19
world was like,
it's very difficult.
00:07:10.22\00:07:12.59
And the more different the place
00:07:12.62\00:07:14.54
and the more exotic the place
00:07:14.57\00:07:16.04
and the more unusual the place,
00:07:16.07\00:07:18.44
the more foreign, if
I can use that language,
00:07:18.47\00:07:20.67
the more difficult
that is to communicate
00:07:20.70\00:07:22.97
to these people, is
this making sense everyone.
00:07:23.00\00:07:25.11
Are we together?
And so what you look
00:07:25.14\00:07:27.19
for is a
reference. A referent is some
00:07:27.22\00:07:31.68
point of attachment.
So that you could say
00:07:31.71\00:07:33.76
something like
this, well, you know,
00:07:33.79\00:07:35.91
how we fill in the
blank, over there they,
00:07:35.94\00:07:39.95
fill in the blank,
and you know, how we,
00:07:39.98\00:07:42.50
and you have some
point of attachment.
00:07:42.53\00:07:45.36
And the more
unusual the place the more
00:07:45.39\00:07:47.29
different the
place, the more unlike
00:07:47.32\00:07:48.85
what you are accustomed to.
00:07:48.88\00:07:50.52
The harder and harder and harder
00:07:50.55\00:07:52.53
it gets to find
those points of attachment,
00:07:52.56\00:07:54.90
to find those reference.
What's the word everyone?
00:07:54.93\00:07:59.43
Reference. Now Jesus faced this
00:07:59.46\00:08:02.19
because Jesus have been
to a place far different,
00:08:02.22\00:08:05.48
far in terms of
its geography but even
00:08:05.51\00:08:08.27
more important
then its geography,
00:08:08.30\00:08:09.62
in terms of its basic structure,
00:08:09.65\00:08:11.51
Jesus had been to a
place and come from a place
00:08:11.54\00:08:13.72
that was totally,
radically, completely
00:08:13.75\00:08:15.75
fundamentally
different from anything
00:08:15.78\00:08:18.23
to which the disciples
and the rest of humanity
00:08:18.26\00:08:20.35
were accustomed.
How is Jesus going
00:08:20.38\00:08:23.86
to communicate the principles of
00:08:23.89\00:08:26.71
the kingdom of
heaven, the kingdom of God?
00:08:26.74\00:08:28.72
How is He going to
be able communicate
00:08:28.75\00:08:30.40
that to a people who
live in sin, die in sin,
00:08:30.43\00:08:33.73
are saturated by sin, love sin,
00:08:33.76\00:08:35.87
are saved from
sin, or attempted to sin
00:08:35.90\00:08:38.11
and eventually
die because the wages
00:08:38.14\00:08:39.90
of sin is death.
Our whole reality is
00:08:39.93\00:08:42.83
absolutely sin-saturated.
Are we together everyone,
00:08:42.86\00:08:46.83
yes or no? Jesus comes
from a place where there
00:08:46.86\00:08:48.94
is no sin. No rape, no murder,
00:08:48.97\00:08:51.27
no genocide, no
agendas, no oppression,
00:08:51.30\00:08:54.18
no injustice and
here comes Jesus,
00:08:54.21\00:08:56.18
we don't know how
it would happened,
00:08:56.21\00:08:57.24
of course. It's impossible
00:08:57.27\00:08:58.68
probably for us to
understand the physics
00:08:58.71\00:09:00.10
of the event, but Jesus...
00:09:00.13\00:09:02.79
And there he is in
Bethlehem's manger.
00:09:02.82\00:09:04.89
And as He grows and
He calls His disciples
00:09:04.92\00:09:07.76
to Himself, He faces
the very difficult task,
00:09:07.79\00:09:11.28
the monumentally difficult task.
00:09:11.31\00:09:13.11
I would say, were it
not for the evidences
00:09:13.14\00:09:15.50
of the New Testament.
The impossibly difficult
00:09:15.53\00:09:17.61
task of
communicating to the disciples,
00:09:17.64\00:09:20.29
the fish, what dry is like.
00:09:20.32\00:09:23.90
Now to further
complicate matters,
00:09:23.93\00:09:26.84
the disciples and
others already think
00:09:26.87\00:09:29.07
they know what dry is like.
00:09:29.10\00:09:31.70
So when Jesus
comes down and says,
00:09:31.73\00:09:33.93
the Kingdom of
Heaven they already think
00:09:33.96\00:09:37.93
they know. They
think they have a basic
00:09:37.96\00:09:41.18
understanding of
the Kingdom of Heaven.
00:09:41.21\00:09:43.72
Their referent for
the Kingdom of Heaven
00:09:43.75\00:09:46.13
what would have been the kingdom
00:09:46.16\00:09:47.19
to which they
were most accustomed,
00:09:47.22\00:09:48.74
the kingdom of Rome.
What kingdom everyone?
00:09:48.77\00:09:52.31
Rome. The kingdom of
Rome and we could spend
00:09:52.34\00:09:54.66
time talking about
Rome in terms of its breath
00:09:54.69\00:09:57.49
and its height and its
depth and its intellectual
00:09:57.52\00:10:00.89
sophistication, of
course, the inheritors of the
00:10:00.92\00:10:03.09
Greco-Roman world,
the Hellenistic world and.
00:10:03.12\00:10:05.50
We could talk about
the military might of Rome
00:10:05.53\00:10:07.84
and the cruelty of
Rome, and the sophistication
00:10:07.87\00:10:10.09
of Rome and
just the geographical
00:10:10.12\00:10:12.37
swath that was Rome.
And so in the mind of
00:10:12.40\00:10:14.90
the disciples, of
course, being Israelites
00:10:14.93\00:10:16.81
subjected to this
grand, monolithic power
00:10:16.84\00:10:20.01
called Rome. When
Jesus uses the word kingdom,
00:10:20.04\00:10:24.67
what word everyone?
When Jesus uses the word
00:10:24.70\00:10:28.47
kingdom their referent is Rome.
00:10:28.50\00:10:32.10
When Jesus says the
Kingdom of Heaven is,
00:10:32.13\00:10:35.90
they referent is
Rome and we know this.
00:10:35.93\00:10:39.57
The evidence in
the New Testament that
00:10:39.60\00:10:41.06
they consistently
even after the resurrection
00:10:41.09\00:10:43.58
their Acts Chapter
1, Jesus is just ready
00:10:43.61\00:10:45.65
to ascend to
heaven, he's already spent
00:10:45.68\00:10:46.91
several days with
them, forty days with them.
00:10:46.94\00:10:49.85
After the resurrection
00:10:49.88\00:10:51.19
the heart that is just burning,
00:10:51.22\00:10:52.68
the question that is
burning in their hearts,
00:10:52.71\00:10:54.21
they're waiting
with bated breath,
00:10:54.24\00:10:55.55
they have to have
this question answered,
00:10:55.58\00:10:57.89
Acts Chapter 1,
Jesus, will you at this time
00:10:57.92\00:11:01.51
restore that is
anyone know what?
00:11:01.54\00:11:03.76
The kingdom to
Israel, this is after the
00:11:03.79\00:11:07.84
resurrection, this is
after having spent more
00:11:07.87\00:11:10.46
than three years with
Jesus and the question
00:11:10.49\00:11:12.67
that is just
burning in their hearts,
00:11:12.70\00:11:14.44
what about the kingdom Jesus,
00:11:14.47\00:11:16.05
is this the point
where we get to start loping
00:11:16.08\00:11:18.75
the heads off of the Romans.
00:11:18.78\00:11:20.40
Because we're sort
of looking for that.
00:11:20.43\00:11:21.79
We're looking
forward to that part.
00:11:21.82\00:11:23.52
Every time Jesus
would speak of the kingdom,
00:11:25.06\00:11:27.04
in fact, everything
that Jesus would do,
00:11:27.07\00:11:28.92
would be filtered
through the disciples
00:11:28.95\00:11:31.12
referent of what a kingdom was?
00:11:31.15\00:11:34.13
A kingdom is Rome.
Rome wasn't built in a day.
00:11:34.16\00:11:39.36
This was the
reality for the disciples.
00:11:39.39\00:11:41.29
The history of
the Jews of course,
00:11:41.32\00:11:43.12
have been on
uninterrupted history of,
00:11:43.15\00:11:46.58
basically
subjugations to pagan powers,
00:11:46.61\00:11:49.40
whether the
Assyrians or to the Egyptians
00:11:49.43\00:11:51.47
or to the
Babylonians or to the Greeks
00:11:51.50\00:11:53.65
and the Persians
and now the Romans.
00:11:53.68\00:11:56.27
In uninterrupted
history of captivities
00:11:56.30\00:12:00.08
and here this
most recent captivity
00:12:00.11\00:12:02.50
to the Romans was,
they hated the Romans
00:12:02.53\00:12:05.70
and yet in some
ways they admired them
00:12:05.73\00:12:07.62
for their
strength, for their puissant,
00:12:07.65\00:12:09.81
for their power,
for their intellectual
00:12:09.84\00:12:11.66
sophistication. And
so, here is Jesus talking
00:12:11.69\00:12:15.24
about the Kingdom of Heaven
00:12:15.27\00:12:16.30
and the disciples
are hearing every thing
00:12:16.33\00:12:18.49
through Rome
wasn't built in a day,
00:12:18.52\00:12:20.72
all roads lead to
Rome, when in Rome do as
00:12:20.75\00:12:23.50
the Romans. So when Jesus
00:12:23.53\00:12:24.56
says the Kingdom of Heaven,
00:12:24.59\00:12:26.66
what the disciples
must be hearing is that
00:12:26.69\00:12:29.78
whatever Rome is,
I mean, think about
00:12:29.81\00:12:31.92
the kingdom of God must be.
00:12:31.95\00:12:34.66
If Rome is
mighty, the kingdom of God
00:12:34.69\00:12:38.02
must be mightier
still. If Rome is powerful
00:12:38.05\00:12:41.55
and puissant, the kingdom of God
00:12:41.58\00:12:43.16
must be more
powerful and puissant still.
00:12:43.19\00:12:45.45
If Rome is huge,
the kingdom of God
00:12:45.48\00:12:47.97
must be larger still
and the disciples love
00:12:48.00\00:12:50.77
this talk about the
kingdom, with the only
00:12:50.80\00:12:53.01
exception, the
only problem being
00:12:53.04\00:12:54.58
they don't understand
any of what he actually says.
00:12:54.61\00:12:58.01
Jesus having come
from there to here,
00:12:58.04\00:13:01.92
now has to try and find language
00:13:01.95\00:13:04.30
and to try and
locate a reference.
00:13:04.33\00:13:08.06
To try and locate a connection,
00:13:08.09\00:13:10.23
some point of attachment
to which they can say,
00:13:10.26\00:13:13.44
oh, oh, so
that's what the kingdom.
00:13:13.47\00:13:18.47
Oh, oh, okay. And so,
imagine the incredulity
00:13:18.50\00:13:23.74
of the disciples.
I mean, you can hear
00:13:23.77\00:13:26.39
the incredulity
in the New Testament.
00:13:26.42\00:13:28.00
When Jesus would say
the most unusual the most,
00:13:28.03\00:13:30.61
the most befuddling things.
00:13:30.64\00:13:31.93
He would say
things like this; fellows,
00:13:31.96\00:13:34.06
the kingdom of heaven
and they are waiting with
00:13:36.58\00:13:39.29
bated breath.
This is what they have
00:13:39.32\00:13:40.98
signed up for when they
joined the Messiah club.
00:13:41.01\00:13:42.48
This is what they
signed up for, yeah, yeah,
00:13:42.51\00:13:43.81
yeah, yeah, yeah.
The Kingdom of Heaven.
00:13:43.84\00:13:46.01
Fellows, the Kingdom of Heaven,
00:13:46.04\00:13:48.23
it's like a mustard seed.
00:13:54.58\00:13:56.98
Matthew Chapter
13. These are not words
00:14:01.44\00:14:04.13
that are calculated
to set the blood racing.
00:14:04.16\00:14:07.64
But Jesus isn't
finished, he's on a roll now,
00:14:09.10\00:14:11.19
yeah, yeah, yeah,
yeah, yeah, in fact,
00:14:11.22\00:14:13.35
the Kingdom of
Heaven is also like yeast.
00:14:13.38\00:14:19.47
Again not exactly
where it's calculated
00:14:21.57\00:14:23.35
to set the blood racing.
00:14:23.38\00:14:24.70
And now Jesus is
off to the races.
00:14:24.73\00:14:26.60
Yes, the Kingdom of
Heaven is like a net.
00:14:26.63\00:14:28.88
The Kingdom of
Heaven is like a man
00:14:29.74\00:14:30.96
who found a
treasure buried in a field.
00:14:30.99\00:14:32.78
The Kingdom of Heaven is like
00:14:32.81\00:14:34.08
and the disciples are
sitting there in absolute
00:14:34.11\00:14:36.31
stupefaction and absolute...
00:14:36.34\00:14:42.01
Amen. Amen, I
mean, this doesn't really
00:14:42.04\00:14:48.13
fit into their
modus operandi of what the
00:14:48.16\00:14:50.74
Kingdom of Heaven is.
I mean, you don't really
00:14:50.77\00:14:52.79
envision the
disciples charging into
00:14:52.82\00:14:54.85
the field of battle,
ready to lop the heads
00:14:54.88\00:14:56.80
off of the
Romans, which we know that
00:14:56.83\00:14:57.86
Peter was just
couldn't wait to do there in the
00:14:57.89\00:14:59.34
Garden of Gethsemane,
he's like this is it,
00:14:59.37\00:15:00.83
this is the. So you
know, it just it's hard to
00:15:00.86\00:15:04.87
imagine the
disciples charging into battle,
00:15:04.90\00:15:07.03
mustard seed, all
right. Yeast, you know
00:15:07.06\00:15:14.86
it's just not. So
the disciples were,
00:15:14.89\00:15:18.90
they were in a
bit of conundrum here,
00:15:18.93\00:15:20.48
the Kingdom of Heaven is like.
00:15:20.51\00:15:22.90
Why does Jesus use
these highly unusual,
00:15:22.93\00:15:26.14
very non kingdom like things
00:15:26.17\00:15:28.39
to describe a kingdom.
What would I say because
00:15:28.42\00:15:31.56
he not only had to
do something in terms of
00:15:31.59\00:15:34.34
an intellectual thing.
He had to undo something.
00:15:34.37\00:15:38.80
Not only is it what
the Kingdom of Heaven
00:15:38.83\00:15:40.76
is like by extension
and even more importantly,
00:15:40.79\00:15:43.39
this is what the
Kingdom of Heaven is not like,
00:15:43.42\00:15:45.56
it's not like
Rome, it's not power,
00:15:45.59\00:15:47.28
it's not
strength, it's not mighty,
00:15:47.31\00:15:48.69
He said the most unusual things.
00:15:48.72\00:15:50.02
How did you find
that? Oh! Thank you Jesus.
00:15:50.05\00:15:55.51
This is my Bible,
which I have had for 10 years
00:15:55.54\00:16:00.19
and which has been
lost for the last 36 hours
00:16:00.22\00:16:02.20
and it's now
returned to its owner.
00:16:02.23\00:16:03.95
Just wanna thank you Lord.
00:16:03.98\00:16:05.01
You're so absolutely amazing
00:16:05.04\00:16:06.11
and thank you
Laura. You are a messenger.
00:16:06.14\00:16:08.46
That is a messenger
that will not be shot.
00:16:08.49\00:16:10.94
She maybe hug, she maybe praise
00:16:10.97\00:16:13.64
but she will not be
shot and thank you Henry
00:16:13.67\00:16:15.35
for the use of your Bible.
00:16:15.38\00:16:16.49
But, you know, I
was little nervous about
00:16:16.52\00:16:18.43
it honestly that's why
I haven't gone to it yet.
00:16:18.46\00:16:20.02
We are still...
I just wasn't sure,
00:16:20.05\00:16:25.55
but this one it's
like oh, you know,
00:16:25.58\00:16:27.29
I feel like in those,
those old movie scenes
00:16:27.32\00:16:29.10
where it's like my sword and...
00:16:29.13\00:16:32.30
Now, you have no
idea what's coming.
00:16:32.33\00:16:35.23
So the point is
this, the things that Jesus
00:16:36.76\00:16:38.47
is saying are so
totally unkingdom like.
00:16:38.50\00:16:43.07
Now I don't find any
place in the New Testament,
00:16:43.10\00:16:46.20
me personally. I
don't find any place in the
00:16:46.23\00:16:49.79
New Testament where
Jesus says unambiguously
00:16:49.82\00:16:51.98
the Kingdom of
Heaven is something.
00:16:52.01\00:16:54.86
I don't find that, maybe you do.
00:16:56.07\00:16:57.85
I don't find anywhere
where Jesus gives an actual,
00:16:57.88\00:17:01.17
grammatical,
theological equivalence.
00:17:01.20\00:17:04.82
The Kingdom of
Heaven is fill in the blank.
00:17:04.85\00:17:08.65
I find him saying things like
00:17:08.68\00:17:11.08
the Kingdom of Heaven is like,
00:17:11.11\00:17:15.57
the Kingdom of
Heaven is, what everyone?
00:17:15.60\00:17:17.58
Like. Why does
Jesus have to use the word
00:17:17.61\00:17:20.05
because He's
searching, He's searching for a
00:17:20.08\00:17:22.88
referent, something
that will make sense.
00:17:22.91\00:17:25.94
Some point of
contact, some point of touch
00:17:25.97\00:17:28.97
with the disciples.
The Kingdom of Heaven
00:17:29.00\00:17:32.50
is like a grain of mustard seed.
00:17:32.53\00:17:33.65
The Kingdom of
Heaven is like yeast.
00:17:33.68\00:17:34.77
The Kingdom of
Heaven is like a net.
00:17:34.80\00:17:35.92
The Kingdom of Heaven
is like fill in the blank.
00:17:35.95\00:17:37.37
And arguably the
most difficult place,
00:17:37.40\00:17:41.11
the most difficult analogy,
00:17:41.14\00:17:42.73
the most difficult
simile that Jesus implies is
00:17:42.76\00:17:45.66
found in Matthew Chapter 20.
00:17:45.69\00:17:46.91
Now you open your
Bible's Matthew Chapter, what?
00:17:46.94\00:17:48.40
You remember, 19,
and the reason I am
00:17:48.43\00:17:50.63
going to Matthew
Chapter 19 before
00:17:50.66\00:17:52.27
Matthew Chapter 20.
We want to set a context,
00:17:52.30\00:17:55.60
a what everyone? Context.
00:17:55.63\00:17:57.45
So let's dive into
this, I'm going to maintain
00:17:57.48\00:18:00.08
most difficult of
the Kingdom of Heaven
00:18:00.11\00:18:03.09
is like statements
and let's see what the
00:18:03.12\00:18:04.90
takeaway is. You can
just quickly glance it.
00:18:04.93\00:18:06.87
It's Matthew Chapter 20 verse 1,
00:18:06.90\00:18:09.41
Matthew Chapter 20 verse 1;
00:18:09.44\00:18:11.18
For the Kingdom of Heaven is,
00:18:11.21\00:18:13.19
what does your Bible say?
00:18:13.22\00:18:14.57
For the Kingdom of Heaven,
00:18:14.60\00:18:15.79
what does your Bible
say, maybe it's different
00:18:15.82\00:18:16.93
then mine. Like,
let's all say that together,
00:18:16.96\00:18:19.88
the Kingdom of Heaven is?
00:18:19.91\00:18:21.16
Like, a landowner
who went out early in the
00:18:21.19\00:18:24.22
morning to hire
laborers for his vineyard.
00:18:24.25\00:18:26.67
Again not exactly the
kind of thing that would,
00:18:26.70\00:18:29.47
you know, you
would scream charging
00:18:29.50\00:18:31.23
in the battle.
Landowners, you know,
00:18:31.26\00:18:33.66
it's just doesn't,
it doesn't really lend
00:18:33.69\00:18:35.66
itself to a
testosterone saturated battle.
00:18:35.69\00:18:39.17
But anyway, how are we
going to understand this,
00:18:39.20\00:18:42.09
I think it's the most
difficult one frankly.
00:18:42.12\00:18:44.36
And we are going to
understand by going to
00:18:44.39\00:18:46.07
Matthew Chapter 19
and setting a context.
00:18:46.10\00:18:49.03
A what everyone? Because we want
00:18:49.06\00:18:51.41
to be sure that
we're reading the passage
00:18:51.44\00:18:53.03
Matthew 20 in its
historical, theological
00:18:53.06\00:18:56.37
and in the context
that Jesus intended.
00:18:56.40\00:18:58.67
So let's begin
there in verse 16.
00:18:58.70\00:19:01.00
Verse 16 says,
Now behold, one came
00:19:01.03\00:19:03.03
and said to Him, "Good Teacher,
00:19:03.06\00:19:05.73
what good thing shall I do that
00:19:05.76\00:19:07.64
I may have eternal
life? We called it,
00:19:07.67\00:19:10.08
we don't know
his name? But what do
00:19:10.11\00:19:11.74
we call this guy?
We call him the rich,
00:19:11.77\00:19:14.16
young ruler, so we're
just gonna call him Rich.
00:19:14.19\00:19:16.00
So, Rich comes to
Jesus and he basically has
00:19:16.03\00:19:20.04
a proposition for
Jesus. Now I am going to invite
00:19:20.07\00:19:21.77
my good friend
Justin Ken to come out here
00:19:21.80\00:19:23.75
and he just happen to
be the one closest to me
00:19:23.78\00:19:26.89
and so I am so
thankful just I'm gonna ask you
00:19:26.92\00:19:29.61
stand right here
and Justin is going
00:19:29.64\00:19:32.61
to represent
Jesus. And I'm gonna act,
00:19:32.64\00:19:34.55
ask him to act like
Jesus, but he can try,
00:19:34.58\00:19:37.73
I mean, I don't know
what you would do but..
00:19:37.76\00:19:40.10
So we're gonna give
you the water bottle.
00:19:40.13\00:19:42.16
Okay, now the
water bottle represents
00:19:42.19\00:19:43.99
eternal life. What is
it represent everyone?
00:19:44.02\00:19:47.52
Eternal life.
Okay, now I am Rich.
00:19:47.55\00:19:49.53
Okay, I am the rich young ruler.
00:19:49.56\00:19:51.35
So I am, hey! I approach Jesus,
00:19:51.38\00:19:54.23
hey, good
teacher, how are you doing?
00:19:54.26\00:19:58.76
Good to see you,
okay, now what does he say,
00:19:58.79\00:20:02.89
he basically says,
what thing, what shall
00:20:02.92\00:20:06.76
I do that I may
have eternal life?
00:20:06.79\00:20:10.85
Is that what he says?
So what should I do that
00:20:10.88\00:20:14.26
I may have eternal life, okay,
00:20:14.29\00:20:16.14
so now don't miss this.
00:20:16.17\00:20:17.46
This is crucial
to everything else
00:20:17.49\00:20:18.90
we're gonna say.
The rich young ruler
00:20:18.93\00:20:21.15
recognizes that
Jesus has or at least
00:20:21.18\00:20:24.04
to be eternal if you
heard the context has
00:20:24.07\00:20:26.03
access in terms of
knowledge to something
00:20:26.06\00:20:28.35
that he wants, Okay.
So and the rich young
00:20:28.38\00:20:30.84
rulers prospective,
this is gonna be very simple.
00:20:30.87\00:20:33.27
You have something I want.
00:20:33.88\00:20:35.93
Hey, I am the rich young ruler.
00:20:35.96\00:20:39.19
We can make this, we
can work this out, right.
00:20:39.22\00:20:41.51
I will do
something for you and then
00:20:41.54\00:20:43.17
you will reciprocate,
okay. He's accustomed
00:20:43.20\00:20:45.16
to being able to get
things, to purchase things,
00:20:45.19\00:20:47.77
to own things, to negotiate,
00:20:47.80\00:20:49.57
he's an
entrepreneur, he's a wheeler,
00:20:49.60\00:20:50.90
he is a dealer,
he can get it done.
00:20:50.93\00:20:52.17
I say, hey, you got
something that I want
00:20:52.20\00:20:53.93
and so I am just
curious, really want that.
00:20:53.96\00:20:55.92
What I do? Together everyone?
00:20:55.95\00:21:00.63
So, in the rich
young rulers view,
00:21:00.66\00:21:03.10
he is going to do
something for Jesus
00:21:03.13\00:21:05.04
and Jesus is
going to give it to him.
00:21:05.07\00:21:06.92
So can I have
that Justin? Thank you.
00:21:06.95\00:21:09.07
Okay, do you see
that? What has happened
00:21:09.10\00:21:11.82
here very simply
in a word is exchange?
00:21:11.85\00:21:15.23
What's the word
everyone? Exchange.
00:21:15.26\00:21:18.35
The rich young ruler
wants to know what do I do,
00:21:18.38\00:21:21.47
what do I say, what
do I give, what do I,
00:21:21.50\00:21:25.13
fill in the blank
that I can have that
00:21:25.16\00:21:27.88
and then the
exchanged takes place.
00:21:27.91\00:21:30.80
Is that make sense?
Look at the verse again.
00:21:30.83\00:21:33.23
See if I am
making this, verse 16;
00:21:33.26\00:21:34.95
behold, one
came and said to Him,
00:21:34.98\00:21:36.30
"Good Teacher, what
good thing shall I do
00:21:36.33\00:21:38.15
that I may have eternal life?
00:21:38.18\00:21:40.14
He's striking a deal with Jesus.
00:21:40.17\00:21:42.45
He says very simple.
This is basic economics.
00:21:42.48\00:21:45.55
You have something
that I want and I am going
00:21:45.58\00:21:47.91
to do something
and then you are going
00:21:47.94\00:21:49.72
to give me what I
want and thank you,
00:21:49.75\00:21:51.78
it's been great doing
business with you Jesus.
00:21:51.81\00:21:53.79
Are we together everyone?
00:21:53.82\00:21:56.57
Okay, now keep this
picture in your mind,
00:21:56.60\00:21:59.12
keep this exact
picture in your mind.
00:21:59.15\00:22:01.72
Thank you so much
Justin. I appreciate it.
00:22:01.75\00:22:02.89
Now, keep this exact
picture in your mind.
00:22:02.92\00:22:05.62
It's the idea of
exchange, of what everyone?
00:22:05.65\00:22:09.21
Exchange. You
didn't say it loud enough.
00:22:09.24\00:22:11.01
The idea of what
everyone? Exchange.
00:22:11.04\00:22:13.83
Now let's continue on here.
00:22:13.86\00:22:14.89
Verse 17; He said to
him, "Why do you call Me good?
00:22:14.92\00:22:16.33
No one is good
but One, that is, God.
00:22:16.36\00:22:18.30
If you want to
enter into life, keep the
00:22:18.33\00:22:19.80
commandments. He
said, "Which ones?"
00:22:19.83\00:22:21.04
Jesus said, "'You
shall not murder,' six,
00:22:21.07\00:22:22.47
'You shall not
commit adultery,' seven,
00:22:22.50\00:22:23.66
'You shall not steal,' eight,
00:22:23.69\00:22:24.72
'You shall not bear
false witness, nine,
00:22:24.75\00:22:26.46
you would
except ten to come next
00:22:26.49\00:22:27.80
because he said
six, seven, eight,
00:22:27.83\00:22:28.96
nine but Jesus reverts back.
00:22:28.99\00:22:31.26
Verse 19; 'Honor your
father and your mother,'
00:22:31.29\00:22:33.42
five, and, 'You
shall love your neighbor
00:22:33.45\00:22:34.86
as yourself.'
basically the submission
00:22:34.89\00:22:36.22
of the second tablet of the law.
00:22:36.25\00:22:37.33
Very interesting
what Jesus does here
00:22:37.36\00:22:39.12
and very calculated
to elicit the appropriate
00:22:39.15\00:22:42.43
response from
the rich young ruler.
00:22:42.46\00:22:44.26
He basically says, which ones?
00:22:44.29\00:22:46.63
Okay, okay, okay, now
we are getting somewhere.
00:22:46.66\00:22:48.88
Which ones
because he's negotiating.
00:22:48.91\00:22:51.56
I will do something for you.
00:22:51.59\00:22:52.62
You will do something for me.
00:22:52.65\00:22:53.68
I will render a
service. I will give an offer,
00:22:53.71\00:22:55.64
whatever it is? Let's
strike up a deal, right?
00:22:55.67\00:22:59.47
Which one's, now
they're negotiating?
00:22:59.50\00:23:01.58
The terms the
contract being written out,
00:23:01.61\00:23:03.17
he says, oh, he
says, well, you need to do
00:23:03.20\00:23:04.97
number six, got
that; and you need to do
00:23:05.00\00:23:07.39
number seven, got
that; and you need to do
00:23:07.42\00:23:09.98
number eight, yeah, I got that.
00:23:10.01\00:23:11.11
I don't need to do
still anything, got that;
00:23:11.14\00:23:12.56
and you need to do
number nine, got that;
00:23:12.59\00:23:14.60
and what's the rich
young ruler expecting.
00:23:14.63\00:23:16.34
Six, seven, eight,
nine, what would you expect?
00:23:16.37\00:23:19.37
Of course, you're expecting ten.
00:23:19.40\00:23:22.74
I am expecting 10.
Everybody is expecting
00:23:22.77\00:23:25.08
ten and Jesus puts
the things in reverse,
00:23:25.11\00:23:28.55
makes the U-turn
and goes back to five.
00:23:28.58\00:23:31.16
Six, seven, eight, nine, five.
00:23:31.19\00:23:33.49
Then He says, you shall love
00:23:33.52\00:23:34.99
your neighbor yourself
and then he stops talking.
00:23:35.02\00:23:37.44
Now the rich young
ruler has a problem.
00:23:40.32\00:23:42.13
We don't call him the
rich young ruler for nothing.
00:23:42.16\00:23:44.27
He has things. He
has lots of things.
00:23:44.30\00:23:47.47
He is accustomed
to having things.
00:23:47.50\00:23:48.99
Apparently Jesus
could discern in the way
00:23:49.02\00:23:51.47
He carried himself
and the way He dressed
00:23:51.50\00:23:52.85
we don't know. We
don't know all of the
00:23:52.88\00:23:54.03
parameters of the
story but Jesus discerns
00:23:54.06\00:23:56.63
that the struggle of
this man's heart is greed
00:23:56.66\00:23:59.60
and covetousness.
What's his struggle everyone?
00:23:59.63\00:24:03.35
Greed and covetousness,
and so Jesus, you tell me
00:24:03.38\00:24:06.37
what's the Ten Commandment?
00:24:06.40\00:24:07.43
Encourage me now.
That's shall not covert
00:24:07.46\00:24:11.09
which is inordinate
desire for material things
00:24:11.12\00:24:13.02
and Jesus anticipates
that this is the rich
00:24:13.05\00:24:15.85
young ruler's struggle
and so He purposefully,
00:24:15.88\00:24:18.51
what word did I use, everyone?
00:24:18.54\00:24:19.92
He purposefully leaves
off the Ten Commandment.
00:24:19.95\00:24:23.17
The rich young ruler
being a Jew what would
00:24:23.20\00:24:25.27
have been absolutely
familiar with the law
00:24:25.30\00:24:26.94
and so when Jesus
says you keep number six,
00:24:26.97\00:24:28.77
you keep number
seven, you keep number eight,
00:24:28.80\00:24:30.01
you keep number
nine, six, seven, eight,
00:24:30.04\00:24:31.31
nine, five. The rich
young ruler is now aware
00:24:31.34\00:24:36.65
that he is in the
presence not just of a rabbi,
00:24:36.68\00:24:38.95
not just of a
teacher, and not just of a
00:24:38.98\00:24:40.51
professor but
umh, oh, and he somehow
00:24:40.54\00:24:43.89
manages the courage to say, oh,
00:24:43.92\00:24:46.71
I've kept all
these from my youth.
00:24:46.74\00:24:48.63
What do I lack
yet? Why would he asked,
00:24:48.66\00:24:51.10
what do I lack yet.
If he wasn't under total
00:24:51.13\00:24:53.03
conviction that
he lacked something.
00:24:53.06\00:24:55.19
Are you with me, yes or no?
00:24:55.22\00:24:56.81
Jesus is undoing
now. Jesus has taken the
00:24:56.84\00:24:59.49
finger of divinity and
He's placed it with the
00:24:59.52\00:25:03.47
exactitude of a
surgeon right there.
00:25:03.50\00:25:07.00
How about right
there? Does that hurt when I
00:25:07.03\00:25:08.58
push there right there?
He has placed his finger
00:25:08.61\00:25:15.67
right on the very
point where the rich
00:25:15.70\00:25:18.08
young ruler
struggles and then He is quite.
00:25:18.11\00:25:20.31
He says nothing.
The rich young rulers
00:25:20.34\00:25:21.86
manages the courage here to say.
00:25:21.89\00:25:23.79
All these I've kept
from my youth what do I lack
00:25:23.82\00:25:26.34
verse 20. Verse 21;
"If you want to be perfect,
00:25:26.37\00:25:28.97
go and sell all that you
have and give to the poor,
00:25:29.00\00:25:32.38
and you will have
treasure in heaven;
00:25:32.41\00:25:33.44
and come, follow Me."
Verse 22; But when the
00:25:33.47\00:25:36.38
young man heard that saying,
00:25:36.41\00:25:37.60
he was very
sorrowful, because he had great,
00:25:37.63\00:25:39.76
what? Possessions. He
had great possessions.
00:25:39.79\00:25:42.13
When he heard that
saying, the Bible says
00:25:42.16\00:25:45.02
he went away
very sorrowful because
00:25:45.05\00:25:46.32
he had great possessions.
00:25:46.35\00:25:47.38
Now, this whole
situation, this whole episode
00:25:47.41\00:25:50.51
in which the rich
young ruler is looking for
00:25:50.54\00:25:52.10
an exchange. What everyone?
00:25:52.13\00:25:54.64
Sets up the dialogue
that takes place next.
00:25:54.67\00:25:57.76
As the rich young ruler
is walking far lonely away,
00:25:57.79\00:26:00.78
the disciples are looking on in
00:26:00.81\00:26:02.90
absolute incredulity.
They can't believe that
00:26:02.93\00:26:05.34
Jesus let another
one away, man we could
00:26:05.37\00:26:08.18
have used that guy's resources
00:26:08.21\00:26:09.79
and so they're
somewhat frustrated
00:26:09.82\00:26:11.33
with the decision
that Jesus has made.
00:26:11.36\00:26:12.94
We pick it up here in verse 23
00:26:12.97\00:26:14.35
but Jesus hasn't done yet.
00:26:14.38\00:26:15.46
Look at what he
says here. Verse 23;
00:26:15.49\00:26:17.01
"Assuredly, I say
to you that it is hard
00:26:17.04\00:26:20.56
for a rich man to
enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
00:26:20.59\00:26:24.14
Verse 24; and
again I say to you,
00:26:26.10\00:26:27.53
it is easier for a
camel to go through
00:26:27.56\00:26:28.88
the eye of a needle
than for a rich man to enter
00:26:28.91\00:26:30.27
the kingdom of
God. Verse 25 says,
00:26:30.30\00:26:32.26
When His disciples heard it,
00:26:32.29\00:26:33.62
what does your Bible
say? They were, they were,
00:26:33.65\00:26:36.50
they were greatly astonished,
00:26:36.53\00:26:41.15
they were just astonished.
00:26:41.18\00:26:43.08
No, no, no, no, they
were greatly astonished.
00:26:43.11\00:26:46.46
Something about what Jesus said,
00:26:46.49\00:26:47.98
stuck at the very heart of what,
00:26:48.01\00:26:49.76
they believed about
the nature of reality.
00:26:49.79\00:26:52.52
And the nature of
reality of course,
00:26:52.55\00:26:54.18
relative to salvation
is that if you're a Jew,
00:26:54.21\00:26:56.46
you are in right
standing with God.
00:26:56.49\00:26:58.09
If you are a healthy
Jew, this is a sign of
00:26:58.12\00:26:59.76
God's blessing upon your life
00:26:59.79\00:27:01.49
and if you're a
healthy, wealthy Jew,
00:27:01.52\00:27:02.87
this is a double
sign of God's blessing
00:27:02.90\00:27:04.32
upon your life. So
a healthy, wealthy Jew
00:27:04.35\00:27:06.17
in the mind of the
disciples would have been
00:27:06.20\00:27:07.38
triply saved, triply in
right standing with God.
00:27:07.41\00:27:10.46
First, he's a Jew.
A genealogy descendant
00:27:10.49\00:27:12.24
of Abraham, then he is healthy,
00:27:12.27\00:27:13.50
a sign of God's
blessing upon him
00:27:13.53\00:27:15.43
and he is wealthy
and Jesus just had the
00:27:15.46\00:27:17.67
temerity to say,
the audacity to say that
00:27:17.70\00:27:20.41
it was hard for a healthy,
wealthy Jew to be saved.
00:27:20.44\00:27:26.00
And the disciples
heads are spinning,
00:27:26.53\00:27:28.62
they just can't
believe what they have heard.
00:27:28.65\00:27:30.41
They were greatly
astonished and Peter's
00:27:30.44\00:27:33.31
speaking up on behalf of
the rest of the disciples.
00:27:33.34\00:27:34.83
Manages the courage
to speak for all of them
00:27:34.86\00:27:36.95
and says verse 25,
what's this question?
00:27:36.98\00:27:40.03
What is the question
burning in their hearts
00:27:40.06\00:27:41.54
when they hear that?
Are you kidding? What?
00:27:41.57\00:27:48.56
With all due respect Jesus,
00:27:53.09\00:27:55.34
who could be
saved then? I mean if,
00:27:55.37\00:27:58.71
if it's hard for a
healthy, wealthy Jew
00:27:58.74\00:28:00.64
to be saved and
now the disciples begin
00:28:00.67\00:28:02.22
to be insecure.
They begin to be insecure
00:28:02.25\00:28:04.56
about their own
standing with God.
00:28:04.59\00:28:05.89
They begin of think of oh man.
00:28:05.92\00:28:06.95
If a healthy, wealthy
Jew, if it's hard for him,
00:28:06.98\00:28:08.77
what about us?
And here again Peter,
00:28:08.80\00:28:10.69
who either strikes
out or hits a home run
00:28:10.72\00:28:12.28
that's classic
Petering, I mean, he's either
00:28:12.31\00:28:14.49
hitting it out of the
part or totally striking.
00:28:14.52\00:28:16.12
He's prepared to strike
out here right in moments.
00:28:16.15\00:28:18.36
He's up to play. Here we go.
00:28:18.39\00:28:21.14
He swings, strike
one; he swings, strike two;
00:28:21.17\00:28:23.49
and here we are in verse 27.
00:28:23.52\00:28:25.13
So Peter
answered and said to him,
00:28:25.16\00:28:26.49
see and I love that.
He is like he invites
00:28:26.52\00:28:28.20
Jesus to look at something.
00:28:28.23\00:28:29.52
Perhaps Jesus, something has
00:28:29.55\00:28:30.86
escaped your
observational powers.
00:28:30.89\00:28:33.04
See, other
translations, look I love that,
00:28:34.23\00:28:37.21
just, I just, Jesus take note.
00:28:37.24\00:28:40.31
See, see we have
left all and followed you.
00:28:40.34\00:28:45.22
Now look at this.
Therefore, on the basis
00:28:45.25\00:28:49.02
of this reasoning,
what shall we have?
00:28:49.05\00:28:52.80
Oh, you got to be kidding.
00:28:54.06\00:28:56.60
There is no
difference and you know,
00:28:56.63\00:28:58.73
there was no material
difference between Peter
00:28:58.76\00:29:00.60
and the rich young
ruler. The rich young ruler
00:29:00.63\00:29:03.92
has just walked
way. He was unwilling
00:29:03.95\00:29:06.65
to give up his
things and become perfect,
00:29:06.68\00:29:08.27
and sell all that
he had to the poor
00:29:08.30\00:29:09.68
and so now we are in
a situation where Peter,
00:29:09.71\00:29:12.60
he knows he didn't
have all of the stuff
00:29:12.63\00:29:14.13
that the rich young ruler had.
00:29:14.16\00:29:15.19
And he's not
rich, he's not young.
00:29:15.22\00:29:16.25
We don't know how young it was,
00:29:16.28\00:29:17.47
but he certainly
not a ruler and so
00:29:17.50\00:29:18.90
I imagine Peter
saying well, come on Jesus.
00:29:18.93\00:29:21.31
I mean, look at this new boat.
00:29:21.34\00:29:23.79
I mean, oh sure,
I mean, I couldn't,
00:29:24.63\00:29:26.42
I couldn't afford you
know the bigger model.
00:29:26.45\00:29:28.58
This one has the cloth seats.
00:29:28.61\00:29:29.64
But still I mean, I
left it, we have left
00:29:29.67\00:29:33.93
everything and
followed you. What do we get?
00:29:33.96\00:29:37.83
Now, what do we
get? Do you see how there
00:29:38.47\00:29:43.03
is no material difference
between the proposition
00:29:43.06\00:29:44.98
of the rich young
ruler and the proposition
00:29:45.01\00:29:46.30
of Jesus. It's
identical. The rich young ruler
00:29:46.33\00:29:49.85
to remind ourselves is
looking for an exchange.
00:29:49.88\00:29:52.97
A what everyone? Exchange.
00:29:53.00\00:29:54.70
You've got to
say with me on this.
00:29:54.73\00:29:55.76
He is looking
for a what, everyone?
00:29:55.79\00:29:57.12
An exchange, you
have something I want.
00:29:57.15\00:29:59.78
I will do something
for you and you will
00:29:59.81\00:30:01.39
reciprocate,
okay. I will do for you,
00:30:01.42\00:30:03.82
you will do for me. I
will scratch your back,
00:30:03.85\00:30:05.46
you will scratch
mine. It's an exchange
00:30:05.49\00:30:08.29
and you will reward me
precisely to the degree
00:30:08.32\00:30:11.56
that I do
whatever is expected of me.
00:30:11.59\00:30:13.37
It will be a
proportional reward. Yeah.
00:30:13.40\00:30:17.32
See, we have left
everything and followed you.
00:30:17.35\00:30:19.48
What's in it for us?
We didn't leave everything
00:30:19.51\00:30:21.03
that you asked
the rich young ruler.
00:30:21.06\00:30:22.12
We recognize that
Jesus. Well, we did leave
00:30:22.15\00:30:23.96
something and
what do we get based on
00:30:23.99\00:30:26.47
what we have left
behind. Do you see that what
00:30:26.50\00:30:29.91
Peter is saying is
exactly what the rich young
00:30:29.94\00:30:31.54
ruler is saying? You
have something we want Jesus
00:30:31.57\00:30:33.98
and we want that
and we've given up this,
00:30:34.01\00:30:36.34
is it enough? We want
a proportional reward.
00:30:36.37\00:30:41.77
A what kind
everyone? Ellen White says that
00:30:41.80\00:30:45.48
Peter has questioned
manifested the spirit
00:30:45.51\00:30:47.70
of a hireling. The
spirit of what did I say?
00:30:47.73\00:30:51.75
Hireling. What's the
root word of hireling?
00:30:51.78\00:30:55.38
Hire, now hireling
is not an employee.
00:30:55.41\00:30:58.94
An employee is
somebody that you hire,
00:30:58.97\00:31:01.31
you have relationship
with, that's ongoing,
00:31:01.34\00:31:03.51
it's overtime, you
know them, they know you.
00:31:03.54\00:31:06.19
There is the
Christmas party, there is the
00:31:06.22\00:31:07.40
Christmas bonus,
there is the, you know,
00:31:07.43\00:31:09.46
the trip that we
take with the company,
00:31:09.49\00:31:11.21
the company
picnic. That's an employee.
00:31:11.24\00:31:13.00
A hireling is somebody
that knocks on your door
00:31:13.03\00:31:14.71
and says I'll shove
your driveway for ten bucks.
00:31:14.74\00:31:16.91
Sure. That's a
hireling. Ellen White says that
00:31:16.94\00:31:20.12
Peter manifests the
spirit of a hireling.
00:31:20.15\00:31:22.73
Hey, I will perform
some odd job for you Jesus.
00:31:24.09\00:31:27.29
And you will reward
me, commensurate with
00:31:27.32\00:31:30.23
and consistent with
the work that I have done.
00:31:30.26\00:31:33.10
The rich young ruler
and Peter are basically
00:31:33.13\00:31:36.42
viewing this whole
transaction between us
00:31:36.45\00:31:39.62
and God in identical ways.
00:31:39.65\00:31:41.70
I do for you, you do for me.
00:31:41.73\00:31:43.40
Hey, I scratch your
back, you scratch mine.
00:31:43.43\00:31:45.09
And now Jesus is perfectly
poised to say beginning
00:31:47.04\00:31:51.66
in verse 1
Chapter 20, go there now.
00:31:51.69\00:31:53.52
Fellows I got to
tell you something.
00:31:55.72\00:31:57.35
You need to clear
up some misconceptions.
00:31:57.38\00:31:59.08
The Kingdom of Heaven
is like I tend to see the
00:31:59.11\00:32:01.34
groaning of the disciples.
00:32:01.37\00:32:02.55
Oh, oh, another one of
those, okay, here we go.
00:32:02.58\00:32:07.38
The Kingdom of
Heaven is like a landowner.
00:32:07.41\00:32:11.34
Who went out early
in the morning to hire
00:32:11.37\00:32:14.19
laborers for his vineyard?
00:32:14.22\00:32:16.15
When he had
agreed with the laborers
00:32:16.94\00:32:18.31
for a denarii a
day, that's the day wage,
00:32:18.34\00:32:19.84
he sent them into his vineyard.
00:32:19.87\00:32:20.93
And He went out
about the third hour,
00:32:20.96\00:32:22.16
and saw others standing
idle in the marketplace,
00:32:22.19\00:32:23.87
and he said to
them; You also go into
00:32:23.90\00:32:25.32
the vineyard,
and whatever is right
00:32:25.35\00:32:26.38
I will give you, so they went.
00:32:26.41\00:32:27.44
Verse 5; Again he
went out about the sixth
00:32:27.47\00:32:29.08
and the ninth
hour, and did likewise.
00:32:29.11\00:32:30.41
And so very simple, very
simple illustration here.
00:32:30.44\00:32:33.57
There's a
marketplace, and there's people
00:32:33.60\00:32:35.12
standing in the marketplace,
00:32:35.15\00:32:36.32
six O'clock in the morning.
00:32:36.35\00:32:37.38
Jewish day starts
at six in the morning.
00:32:37.41\00:32:38.54
So, they're all
standing there, hoping for work,
00:32:38.57\00:32:40.54
hoping that some
labor, a person who is need
00:32:40.57\00:32:43.14
of laborers will
come by and sure enough.
00:32:43.17\00:32:45.02
Sure enough, hey,
hey, you guys want
00:32:45.05\00:32:46.73
some work today.
Yeah, we would love to work.
00:32:46.76\00:32:48.94
Hey, a day's wage.
Game on, yeah we're in.
00:32:48.97\00:32:52.71
So he sends them off
to work in the vineyard.
00:32:52.74\00:32:54.43
And then he comes in
at three hours later.
00:32:54.46\00:32:56.35
Says, this is now 9 O'clock.
00:32:56.38\00:32:58.18
What time is it
everyone? 9 O'clock,
00:32:58.21\00:33:00.46
hey, you guys
looking for some work?
00:33:00.49\00:33:01.87
Yeah, we'd love some work.
00:33:01.90\00:33:03.03
Okay, it starts a
little late but get out right
00:33:03.06\00:33:05.34
over here and this
is my vineyard, okay,
00:33:05.37\00:33:06.78
so they go to work.
Comes out at 12 O'clock.
00:33:06.81\00:33:09.15
Hey, you guys
looking for some work.
00:33:09.18\00:33:10.21
Yeah, we're
looking for some work.
00:33:10.24\00:33:11.27
Please head to my vineyard.
00:33:11.30\00:33:12.45
Comes out at 3
O'clock. Hey, you guys looking
00:33:12.48\00:33:14.58
for some work.
Yeah, we're looking
00:33:14.61\00:33:15.64
for some work. Sends
them into his vineyard,
00:33:15.67\00:33:17.28
okay, so very
simple. But what Jesus says
00:33:17.31\00:33:19.68
next is absolutely astonishing.
00:33:19.71\00:33:21.85
We'll pick it up in
verse 6; and he went out
00:33:21.88\00:33:25.03
about the eleventh
hour. When is this everyone?
00:33:25.06\00:33:28.99
The eleventh. What time
of the day would that be?
00:33:29.02\00:33:31.23
That would be. If the first,
00:33:31.26\00:33:33.89
if hour one is 6
O'clock, what's gonna be the
00:33:33.92\00:33:35.99
eleventh hour? This is 5
o'clock in the afternoon.
00:33:36.02\00:33:38.94
Do you love it? It's 5 O'clock.
00:33:38.97\00:33:41.52
Here in the
United States in America,
00:33:41.55\00:33:44.31
our work day is already done.
00:33:44.34\00:33:45.37
We've already checked
out, we are headed home,
00:33:45.40\00:33:46.61
we are stuck in
traffic at this point.
00:33:46.64\00:33:48.81
The eleventh hour, it
says, he goes out about
00:33:50.96\00:33:52.51
the eleventh hour,
verse 6 and he found others
00:33:52.54\00:33:56.26
standing idle. And he
said, why have you been
00:33:56.29\00:33:57.44
standing here idle
all day? And they said
00:33:57.47\00:33:58.57
because no one has hired us.
00:33:58.60\00:33:59.63
And he said to them, you
also go into the vineyard,
00:33:59.66\00:34:01.63
and whatever is
right you will receive.
00:34:01.66\00:34:02.91
Verse 8, so when
evening had come,
00:34:02.94\00:34:04.27
the owner of the
vineyard said to his steward,
00:34:04.30\00:34:06.10
'call the laborers
and give them their wages,
00:34:06.13\00:34:07.65
beginning with the
last to the first.'
00:34:07.68\00:34:09.11
Start with the ones
who worked only one hour
00:34:09.14\00:34:10.94
then pay the three
hours, then pay the six,
00:34:10.97\00:34:12.73
then pay the nine,
then pay the all day.
00:34:12.76\00:34:14.58
Line up them in
reverse order of employment.
00:34:14.61\00:34:16.70
So there's the
steward sitting in his table
00:34:16.73\00:34:19.68
and he said there in verse 9;
00:34:19.71\00:34:21.49
when those who came
that were hired at about
00:34:21.52\00:34:23.33
the eleventh hour, they
each received a denarius.
00:34:23.36\00:34:27.06
What do they receive everyone?
00:34:27.09\00:34:28.80
A denarius, and a
denarius is how much?
00:34:28.83\00:34:30.99
A day's wage. Okay,
so imagine that you are
00:34:31.02\00:34:34.34
at the front of that
line. I mean, when he hired
00:34:34.37\00:34:37.20
you, you didn't
have your overall aren't
00:34:37.23\00:34:38.80
so you had to run
home, quickly get into
00:34:38.83\00:34:40.31
your work close and
then see only work like
00:34:40.34\00:34:42.01
47 minutes, 48 minutes
and now here handing them,
00:34:42.04\00:34:45.28
you've barely broken
a sweat, you're standing
00:34:45.31\00:34:46.54
at the table. The
steward is before you
00:34:46.57\00:34:48.87
and the steward is
preparing to pay you.
00:34:48.90\00:34:51.63
You lined up in
reverse order of employment.
00:34:51.66\00:34:53.59
One hour, three
hours, six hours, nine hours,
00:34:53.62\00:34:55.91
twelve hours,
lined up in reverse order
00:34:55.94\00:34:58.19
and the steward hands
you a full day's wage;
00:34:58.22\00:35:01.99
twelve hours worth, of
twelve hours moneys worth
00:35:02.02\00:35:04.19
of work. Now
probably your response will be
00:35:04.22\00:35:07.96
something like
this, oh, hey, bro, yeah,
00:35:07.99\00:35:11.89
love to take that but
that actually those guys
00:35:11.92\00:35:16.63
who are back there,
you know, we're sort
00:35:16.66\00:35:17.77
at the front of the
line. We only worked hour
00:35:17.80\00:35:20.03
and the steward
says, thank you, thank you
00:35:20.06\00:35:22.33
for the work you've
done in the vineyard today
00:35:22.36\00:35:23.96
and this is your pay.
I'm sorry, I think there's
00:35:23.99\00:35:28.26
just been a bit of
miss. We only worked an hour.
00:35:28.29\00:35:30.62
We just worked one hour today.
00:35:32.45\00:35:35.93
Thank you so much,
we really appreciate
00:35:35.96\00:35:37.94
your work and looks like
you almost broke a sweat.
00:35:37.97\00:35:39.85
Here's your, here's your pay.
00:35:39.88\00:35:41.62
Now, here you are.
00:35:43.09\00:35:44.42
Cool, right, and you're gonzo.
00:35:48.90\00:35:53.39
You're out of
there. Now just assuming
00:35:53.42\00:35:56.06
that the people with
the back of the line,
00:35:56.09\00:35:57.43
they saw this interaction.
00:35:57.46\00:35:58.85
Okay, now you are at
the back of the line.
00:35:58.88\00:36:00.12
Just imagine you're
at the back of the line.
00:36:00.15\00:36:01.21
What? Did you.. I
think this guy's confused.
00:36:09.15\00:36:14.39
So now by this
time, now the three hours
00:36:14.42\00:36:16.72
labors come up.
Hey, thank you so much
00:36:16.75\00:36:19.30
for the opportunity to work.
00:36:19.33\00:36:20.36
Yeah, and thank
you for working today.
00:36:20.39\00:36:21.46
Maybe tomorrow
too, you never know,
00:36:21.49\00:36:22.69
here's your pay a denarius.
00:36:22.72\00:36:25.08
Oh, yeah, no,
no, appreciate that,
00:36:26.41\00:36:31.93
just the three hour
labors here, few of us,
00:36:31.96\00:36:34.37
just three hours.
Yet, we understand that
00:36:34.40\00:36:37.54
and we thank you
for your work and
00:36:37.57\00:36:38.87
you did break a
sweat, good for you
00:36:38.90\00:36:40.20
and here you go,
here's your... really?
00:36:40.23\00:36:45.79
Yeah. Cool, thanks. Gone, right.
00:36:45.82\00:36:51.50
And on through, six
hour labors day's wages,
00:36:51.53\00:36:54.65
nine hour labors
day's wage and here,
00:36:54.68\00:36:56.89
how are these guys feeling?
00:36:56.92\00:36:58.43
Stop. Right, I mean
these people have born
00:37:03.82\00:37:07.90
the burden in
the heat of the day.
00:37:07.93\00:37:08.96
So let's go back
to the parable here.
00:37:08.99\00:37:10.04
Let's go back to the parable.
00:37:10.07\00:37:11.21
We're in verse
7; they said to him
00:37:11.24\00:37:13.90
because no one
has hired us, verse 8,
00:37:13.93\00:37:15.72
they are paying every
one the same, verse 9;
00:37:15.75\00:37:17.63
then when those who
were hired about the
00:37:17.66\00:37:19.03
eleventh hour came they
each received a denarius,
00:37:19.06\00:37:22.42
but when the
first came, verse 10;
00:37:22.45\00:37:24.18
they supposed, they
what's the word everyone?
00:37:24.21\00:37:28.44
Oh, hey, what's up with this?
00:37:28.47\00:37:32.97
They supposed that
they would receive what?
00:37:33.00\00:37:35.83
They suppose they
would receive more.
00:37:35.86\00:37:38.46
But say it together,
they suppose they would
00:37:38.49\00:37:40.37
receive more. And they likewise
00:37:40.40\00:37:43.99
received a denarius.
Thank you, wow! Looks like,
00:37:44.02\00:37:47.35
you got a little
money today, but hey, here's
00:37:47.38\00:37:51.05
your denarius.
Can we talk to the guy
00:37:51.08\00:37:55.06
that hired us? Right,
The Bible says that they
00:37:55.09\00:37:58.13
were absolutely upset.
Verse 11; And when they
00:37:58.16\00:38:00.54
had received it,
they complained against
00:38:00.57\00:38:01.96
the land owner, who
does this guy think he is?
00:38:01.99\00:38:03.43
Doesn't he know
this is America man?
00:38:04.05\00:38:06.00
Doesn't he know
this is meritocracy?
00:38:06.03\00:38:07.95
Doesn't he know
I mean we're gonna,
00:38:07.98\00:38:09.02
this is gonna be
reported to the labor unions
00:38:09.05\00:38:10.85
and so verse 12 saying
they begin to complaint
00:38:10.88\00:38:14.18
saying these last man
they only worked an hour
00:38:14.21\00:38:16.06
and you've made
them, look at this,
00:38:16.09\00:38:17.12
this is critical.
You've made them equal to us.
00:38:17.15\00:38:20.66
Thank you very
much working all day,
00:38:20.69\00:38:22.55
you've made them
equal to us who have born
00:38:22.58\00:38:24.78
the burden in
the heat of the day,
00:38:24.81\00:38:26.01
but he answered them
and said, friend, hey,
00:38:26.04\00:38:29.56
I think there has been
a big misunderstanding.
00:38:29.59\00:38:31.36
Friend, come here.
Friend, friend, I am doing
00:38:31.39\00:38:38.03
you know wrong. I
am sorry, remind me of
00:38:38.06\00:38:40.08
our conversation morning,
00:38:40.11\00:38:41.14
our contractual agreement.
00:38:41.17\00:38:43.26
Did you not agree
with me for a denarius.
00:38:43.29\00:38:45.67
Refresh me,
refresh me, I've been busy.
00:38:45.70\00:38:48.83
Take what is
yours and go your way.
00:38:48.86\00:38:51.44
Now, look at
this. Look at verse 14;
00:38:51.47\00:38:53.90
I wish, I desire, it
brings me pleasure, I wish,
00:38:53.93\00:39:02.53
it just brings me pleasure.
00:39:02.56\00:39:04.57
I desire to give to
this last man the same
00:39:04.60\00:39:06.87
as to you and just a
question for clarity.
00:39:06.90\00:39:09.23
Is it not lawful
for me to do what I wish
00:39:09.26\00:39:12.24
what brings me
pleasure, what brings
00:39:12.27\00:39:13.64
me happiness with my own things
00:39:13.67\00:39:15.76
or is your eye
evil because I'm good.
00:39:15.79\00:39:18.73
This is what Jesus
says the Kingdom of Heaven
00:39:23.54\00:39:25.31
is like. And here are
the disciples, the fish,
00:39:25.34\00:39:27.33
living at the
bottom of the ocean.
00:39:27.36\00:39:28.77
And Jesus comes from the air.
00:39:30.74\00:39:32.85
The air of
heaven, no oppression,
00:39:32.88\00:39:34.67
no injustice,
no sin, no suicide,
00:39:34.70\00:39:36.61
no none of that
and He comes down
00:39:36.64\00:39:38.16
and He's like okay, the
Kingdom of Heaven is like.
00:39:38.19\00:39:39.78
And here they are
swimming down here.
00:39:39.81\00:39:40.94
All they know is
wet. And Jesus says let me
00:39:40.97\00:39:43.06
tell what the
Kingdom of Heaven is like.
00:39:43.09\00:39:44.21
It's not Rome, it's not power,
00:39:44.24\00:39:45.64
it's not
strength, it's not puissant,
00:39:45.67\00:39:46.96
it's not might, it's
not geographical breath.
00:39:46.99\00:39:48.92
The Kingdom of
Heaven is like a guy
00:39:48.95\00:39:50.45
who paid
everyone the same. Amen.
00:39:50.48\00:39:54.60
The rich young ruler had
just propositioned Jesus,
00:39:56.42\00:39:59.08
hey, hey, being a
good American, of course,
00:39:59.11\00:40:01.22
hey, I will do for
you, you will do for me.
00:40:01.25\00:40:03.43
Hey, let's work this
out. Hey, my people meet
00:40:03.46\00:40:05.31
with your people
and Jesus says, hey,
00:40:05.34\00:40:07.49
just sell
everything you've got, you can
00:40:07.52\00:40:09.35
come and follow me.
Hey, this will be great.
00:40:09.38\00:40:11.27
We will make a great.
00:40:11.30\00:40:12.79
So Peter, nervous as can be.
00:40:15.58\00:40:17.61
Who, who, who, who
then could be saved?
00:40:19.19\00:40:23.63
See Jesus, look at
everything we had given up,
00:40:24.64\00:40:28.05
what do we get.
We know we didn't
00:40:28.08\00:40:30.89
give up everything or
could not have given up
00:40:30.92\00:40:32.57
everything that you
asked the rich young
00:40:32.60\00:40:33.63
ruler give up, frankly
because we don't own it
00:40:33.66\00:40:35.21
but we have given up
something and we are hoping,
00:40:35.24\00:40:37.93
in fact, we are expecting Jesus.
00:40:37.96\00:40:39.76
We are expecting a
reward that is commensurate
00:40:39.79\00:40:42.53
with the labor that we have done
00:40:42.56\00:40:43.95
and what we have
given up and Jesus says
00:40:43.98\00:40:45.48
you know what?
Let me tell what the
00:40:45.51\00:40:46.71
Kingdom of Heaven is like.
00:40:46.74\00:40:47.77
The Kingdom of Heaven
is like a man who hired
00:40:47.80\00:40:49.02
somebody at six in the morning,
00:40:49.05\00:40:50.56
he hired them at
nine in the morning,
00:40:50.59\00:40:51.81
he hired them at
twelve, he hired them at three
00:40:51.84\00:40:53.37
and then he hired the
people at five O'clock
00:40:53.40\00:40:55.10
and when he line
them up, he line up them
00:40:55.13\00:40:56.48
in reverse order of
employee and he paid
00:40:56.51\00:40:58.32
every single one
of them the same,
00:40:58.35\00:41:00.19
not because they deserved it
00:41:00.22\00:41:02.55
but because it brings
the landowner pleasure
00:41:04.08\00:41:07.43
to treat people in
a way that they do not
00:41:07.46\00:41:09.54
deserve to be
treated. Okay, then so I guess
00:41:09.57\00:41:16.54
we could say safely
that the Kingdom of Heaven
00:41:16.57\00:41:18.18
is absolutely nothing like the
00:41:18.21\00:41:21.27
United States of America.
00:41:21.30\00:41:22.95
And I want to be
the first to say,
00:41:22.98\00:41:25.84
hallelujah for that.
We love it, these people
00:41:25.87\00:41:30.36
aren't rewarded
because of the work they did,
00:41:30.39\00:41:31.96
the quality or the
quantity of the work they did.
00:41:31.99\00:41:34.06
They're rewarded,
everyone of them is
00:41:34.09\00:41:35.78
rewarded the same,
not because of the work
00:41:35.81\00:41:39.08
they performed, they
not because of the goodness
00:41:39.11\00:41:40.46
they've done but
because of the goodness
00:41:40.49\00:41:43.25
and the graciousness
and the lavish desire of
00:41:43.28\00:41:47.34
the landowner to
give to everyone as brings
00:41:47.37\00:41:50.54
him happiness and pleasure.
00:41:50.57\00:41:52.58
Let me tell you something,
00:41:53.90\00:41:54.93
the person
standing in the front line,
00:41:54.96\00:41:55.99
he knew he didn't
deserve a day's wage
00:41:56.02\00:41:57.58
and he got it
anyway. Why did he get it?
00:41:57.61\00:41:59.42
Because the landowner
treated him in the way
00:41:59.45\00:42:02.36
he did not
deserve to be treated.
00:42:02.39\00:42:03.58
We could say this
way, the landowner treated
00:42:03.61\00:42:05.12
him with grace. Yes, he did.
00:42:05.15\00:42:08.94
Now he needed more
grace than the next guy.
00:42:09.59\00:42:11.72
Who did in fact
work three whole hours
00:42:11.75\00:42:14.65
and was paid only
400 percent of what
00:42:14.68\00:42:16.53
he was deserved.
Thank you and these
00:42:16.56\00:42:20.14
guys worked six
hours, still they get grace.
00:42:20.17\00:42:22.92
Twelve times grace,
the time and half grace,
00:42:22.95\00:42:27.15
full grace even the
guys who work for nine hours
00:42:27.18\00:42:29.58
grace and you might
be thinking what about
00:42:29.61\00:42:31.72
the guys worked all day.
00:42:31.75\00:42:32.78
They earned and this
is true, but the landowner
00:42:32.81\00:42:34.69
still hired them, he
was under no obligation
00:42:34.72\00:42:36.50
to hire them. His
choice to hire them
00:42:36.53\00:42:39.14
is an act of grace.
Beloved, check it out.
00:42:39.17\00:42:42.71
God gives grace to everyone.
00:42:42.74\00:42:44.96
This person gets
grace, more grace not as much,
00:42:46.06\00:42:49.68
not as much, not as
much, so lets see it
00:42:49.71\00:42:50.91
in reverse order.
This person gets grace,
00:42:50.94\00:42:52.70
this person gets more
grace, still more grace,
00:42:52.73\00:42:55.15
still more grace, and
then in same amount of grace,
00:42:55.18\00:42:58.18
they worked for one
measly hour and were
00:42:58.21\00:43:00.46
paid a full days wage.
Not because of the work
00:43:00.49\00:43:02.31
they've done but
because of the goodness
00:43:02.34\00:43:05.23
of the landowner.
Beloved and Jesus says,
00:43:05.26\00:43:08.54
and that's what the
00:43:08.57\00:43:10.30
Kingdom of
Heaven is like fellows.
00:43:10.33\00:43:12.27
Little different then
the proposition that they
00:43:15.53\00:43:19.52
have brought to Jesus.
Hey, hey, I do for you,
00:43:19.55\00:43:21.45
you do for me. I want a
proportional reward Jesus.
00:43:21.48\00:43:25.68
Now I wanna ask you a
very quick question here.
00:43:25.71\00:43:27.95
Can you think of any
other story in the Bible?
00:43:27.98\00:43:30.78
Any other story in
the Bible where somebody
00:43:30.81\00:43:35.96
was treated with exceeding grace
00:43:35.99\00:43:38.42
and somebody else
was not happy about it.
00:43:38.45\00:43:42.05
Somebody was treated
with tremendous grace
00:43:42.08\00:43:45.07
and oh, somebody else
was not happy at all about
00:43:45.10\00:43:48.25
the way that person was treated,
00:43:48.28\00:43:49.38
by the way there are
many of these stories
00:43:49.41\00:43:50.51
in scripture but one
comes just absolutely,
00:43:50.54\00:43:53.03
just forces itself to
the front of my personal
00:43:53.06\00:43:55.34
awareness in scripture.
Anyone comes to your mind.
00:43:55.37\00:43:58.03
Of course, the prodigal son.
00:43:58.06\00:44:01.85
Luke Chapter 15, join
me there if you would,
00:44:01.88\00:44:03.59
Luke Chapter 15,
you know the story.
00:44:03.62\00:44:06.02
Randy, we will call him Randy.
00:44:06.05\00:44:08.78
Randy and Ronald we'll
stick with the R motif,
00:44:09.97\00:44:14.67
got Rich,
Reynold, Randy and Ronald.
00:44:14.70\00:44:16.90
So there's a guy, has two sons.
00:44:16.93\00:44:19.29
I've got two boys,
I can relate to this.
00:44:19.32\00:44:21.28
Randy comes to
his dad and says, hey,
00:44:22.24\00:44:23.83
dad I hate this
place. We live out here
00:44:23.86\00:44:25.75
in the woods. We don't
get Internet connection
00:44:25.78\00:44:27.58
and I am over it,
I am totally over it.
00:44:27.61\00:44:29.86
The whole self supporting thing,
00:44:29.89\00:44:31.21
I wanna go to
Vegas. I am not feeling
00:44:31.24\00:44:34.27
this at all. I
want and you owe me half
00:44:34.30\00:44:36.31
of my inheritance, give
me half of my inheritance,
00:44:36.34\00:44:37.99
and the father
reluctantly agree.
00:44:38.02\00:44:39.96
He reluctantly
says, okay, hey, you know,
00:44:39.99\00:44:42.25
we would prefer if
you would stay here
00:44:42.28\00:44:43.31
and work on the
organic farm and you know,
00:44:43.34\00:44:44.88
helps us to. We appreciate it
00:44:44.91\00:44:46.90
if you take
another ARISE course,
00:44:46.93\00:44:48.20
literature of
evangelism course but hey,
00:44:48.23\00:44:49.55
you wanna go to
Vegas, that's your business.
00:44:49.58\00:44:50.74
So he gives him
the money and Randy is
00:44:50.77\00:44:52.49
off to Vegas,
yeah, going to Vegas.
00:44:52.52\00:44:55.00
And he gets to Vegas
and he absolutely parties
00:44:55.03\00:44:58.14
and does all the
things. The Bible says he
00:44:58.17\00:44:59.64
squandered his
living with harlots
00:44:59.67\00:45:01.85
and he
squandered his living with,
00:45:01.88\00:45:03.33
with riotous
living. I mean, he's just
00:45:03.36\00:45:05.48
out there having the
time of life surrounded
00:45:05.51\00:45:07.79
by friends until
the money begins to wane
00:45:07.82\00:45:10.38
and then all of a
sudden the friends begin to
00:45:10.41\00:45:12.02
disappear ever so slowly
and the man finds himself
00:45:12.05\00:45:14.51
in a very
different situation in Vegas
00:45:14.54\00:45:16.82
then the one that
he had arrived in.
00:45:16.85\00:45:18.76
Now he's out of
money and apparently
00:45:18.79\00:45:20.86
he doesn't even
have enough at least
00:45:20.89\00:45:22.12
with the outset
to get back home.
00:45:22.15\00:45:24.86
Doesn't have enough
money to get back home,
00:45:24.89\00:45:26.92
and so he picks up
a job and apparently
00:45:26.95\00:45:30.00
it was a job of
the gentile because
00:45:30.03\00:45:31.64
this is a really
bad thing. To be working
00:45:31.67\00:45:34.04
for a gentile and
is that not enough.
00:45:34.07\00:45:35.83
He is feeding pigs.
Now I am just quickly
00:45:35.86\00:45:38.33
going over the
story because many of us
00:45:38.36\00:45:39.39
know the story. And
so he's sitting there,
00:45:39.42\00:45:40.93
feeding pigs. What's
he is doing everyone?
00:45:40.96\00:45:42.99
He's feeding pigs
and while he is feeding
00:45:43.02\00:45:44.75
his pigs he has a
moment of clarity,
00:45:44.78\00:45:46.76
a moment of lucidity.
Here he is feeding the pig,
00:45:46.79\00:45:48.91
tossing the pots. What is this?
00:45:48.94\00:45:51.23
And note he is at
moment of is like,
00:45:51.26\00:45:53.12
just like and
epiphany comes to him.
00:45:53.15\00:45:55.26
And here's the epiphany.
We're in Luke Chapter 15.
00:45:55.29\00:45:57.31
We are picking
it up in verse 17.
00:45:57.34\00:45:59.72
But when he came to himself,
00:45:59.75\00:46:01.25
that's just
another way of saying
00:46:01.28\00:46:02.31
he had an
epiphany. But when he came
00:46:02.34\00:46:04.73
to himself he said
how many of my father's
00:46:04.76\00:46:07.08
hired servants
have bread enough,
00:46:07.11\00:46:09.04
have bread enough and to spare
00:46:09.07\00:46:12.21
and I perish with
hunger. And then he says I,
00:46:12.24\00:46:15.01
I will arise and go to my father
00:46:15.04\00:46:17.36
and I will say to
him, father, I have sinned
00:46:17.39\00:46:19.17
against heaven in before you.
00:46:19.20\00:46:20.63
I got a good
idea, I'm gonna go back,
00:46:20.66\00:46:22.25
I'm gonna go back, I'm
gonna go back to my dad
00:46:22.28\00:46:24.68
and it's gonna be
tough. I don't wanna, it's got
00:46:24.71\00:46:26.42
be tough to face my
dad because he is gonna
00:46:26.45\00:46:27.95
say in gracious
way and I told you so.
00:46:27.98\00:46:30.42
Vegas is not the place for you.
00:46:30.45\00:46:31.52
You should stay
in the farm whatever.
00:46:31.55\00:46:32.78
So he starts realizing that
00:46:32.81\00:46:34.81
this is gonna be difficult,
00:46:34.84\00:46:35.87
can be tough to go back to dad.
00:46:35.90\00:46:37.04
And so he starts
planning what he's
00:46:37.07\00:46:38.64
going to say. He starts
what everyone? Planning.
00:46:38.67\00:46:42.03
He starts what
everyone? Planning.
00:46:42.06\00:46:43.78
So he gets out of
his pen and gets out
00:46:43.81\00:46:45.40
of his piece of
paper and he said,
00:46:45.43\00:46:47.09
I will read verse
18 and go to my Father
00:46:47.12\00:46:48.66
and I will say to
him; Father I've sinned
00:46:48.69\00:46:50.84
against heaven and against you.
00:46:50.87\00:46:52.14
I am no longer worthy
to be called your son stop.
00:46:52.17\00:46:54.75
Part A; I've sinned
against heaven and against you.
00:46:55.65\00:46:58.12
I am no longer worthy
to be called your son.
00:46:58.15\00:46:59.25
He write down in his piece of..
00:46:59.28\00:47:00.31
Yeah, that's sound
good. Yeah, that's good.
00:47:00.34\00:47:01.58
I've sinned against
heaven; writing it out,
00:47:01.61\00:47:03.23
and against you. I
am no longer worthy
00:47:03.26\00:47:05.19
to be called your
sons. But I've got same more.
00:47:05.22\00:47:07.53
I've got
something more. I got it.
00:47:07.56\00:47:09.10
Part B, verse 19;
make me like one of your
00:47:09.13\00:47:12.63
hired servants,
yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
00:47:12.66\00:47:15.35
that's it,
that's it. So then he,
00:47:15.38\00:47:17.34
he gets up the
courage to go and he starts
00:47:17.37\00:47:19.08
making his way back home.
00:47:19.11\00:47:21.58
Now at some
point here, according
00:47:21.61\00:47:23.96
to Jesus telling of the account.
00:47:23.99\00:47:26.23
The father is
sitting out, we don't know
00:47:26.26\00:47:27.67
sitting on the
porch swing or something
00:47:27.70\00:47:29.00
and he's just sort of
rocking back and forth
00:47:29.03\00:47:30.98
and he, he looks and
the man is sitting there
00:47:31.01\00:47:35.48
and he, he sees
what appears to be a
00:47:35.51\00:47:42.76
familiar guy and he's
looking, he's looking,
00:47:42.79\00:47:45.39
sure enough. That
earning of realization
00:47:45.42\00:47:50.75
come to and he
says, that's my boy!
00:47:50.78\00:47:55.85
So the dad run
out of the Bible says
00:47:55.88\00:47:58.29
and he falls on his
neck and he kisses him
00:47:58.32\00:48:00.93
and I grew up in a
home in which my dad
00:48:00.96\00:48:02.61
was a hugger. I mean
none of this Adventist
00:48:02.64\00:48:05.26
hey frame stuff,
hey! Or the Adventist
00:48:05.29\00:48:11.68
bumper cars, you
know, the side hug.
00:48:11.71\00:48:13.21
The four hey
hug. Hey, how are you?
00:48:13.24\00:48:16.07
Happy Sabbath and just like...
00:48:16.10\00:48:20.04
Okay, fine
whatever I mean, I mean,
00:48:20.07\00:48:21.66
I am not looking for
this but I know a hug.
00:48:21.69\00:48:24.74
And so the dad in the Bible say,
00:48:25.47\00:48:26.93
he falls on his neck,
my son, my son, my son,
00:48:26.96\00:48:32.35
my son and the boy,
the boy is trying to get
00:48:32.38\00:48:35.94
his speech out. He's like.
00:48:35.97\00:48:37.60
Father, I have
sinned against heaven
00:48:40.51\00:48:44.02
and against you. Look at it.
00:48:44.05\00:48:45.32
Now, watch this. Here
we are, check this out,
00:48:45.35\00:48:49.58
check this out.
Verse 20; and he arose,
00:48:49.61\00:48:54.06
and came to his
father. But when he was still a
00:48:54.09\00:48:55.25
great way off,
his father saw him,
00:48:55.28\00:48:56.47
and had compassion,
and ran, and fell on
00:48:56.50\00:48:58.26
his neck, and kissed
him. Can you feel the passion
00:48:58.29\00:49:00.57
of the father, yes
or no? Can you feel it,
00:49:00.60\00:49:02.92
yes or no? He is
thrilled his boy is back,
00:49:02.95\00:49:06.51
he falls on his
neck and he kisses him,
00:49:06.54\00:49:08.76
can't believe, holding
up familiar form in his...
00:49:08.79\00:49:12.04
Oh, oh, is this
my boy right there,
00:49:12.07\00:49:18.38
this is my boy.
He is holding him.
00:49:18.41\00:49:21.74
Now watch this.
Verse 21; Father,
00:49:21.77\00:49:24.78
I have sinned against
heaven, and in your sight,
00:49:24.81\00:49:27.44
I am no more worthy
to be called your son.
00:49:27.47\00:49:29.44
That's part A.
Does any one remember
00:49:29.47\00:49:31.29
what the part B was?
Make me like one of you..
00:49:31.32\00:49:34.84
but look at that
text he never gets it out.
00:49:34.87\00:49:37.56
He never says it.
The father cuts him off.
00:49:37.59\00:49:40.77
Verse 22; But the
father said to his servants,
00:49:40.80\00:49:43.67
bring out the best
robe, and put it on him;
00:49:43.70\00:49:44.88
and put a ring on his
hand, and shoes on his feet.
00:49:44.91\00:49:46.38
And bring the
fatted calf, and kill it;
00:49:46.41\00:49:47.67
and let us eat, and be merry:
00:49:47.70\00:49:49.35
We're gonna
have a party for this
00:49:49.38\00:49:50.41
my son was dead,
and is alive again;
00:49:50.44\00:49:51.93
he was lost, and is found.
00:49:51.96\00:49:53.04
And they began to be merry.
00:49:53.07\00:49:54.91
Why does Jesus go to
the, Jesus was a thinker,
00:49:54.94\00:49:57.72
he was intelligent
and he was absolutely
00:49:57.75\00:50:00.50
lapidary in his articulation
00:50:02.34\00:50:04.75
of this story and when he..
00:50:04.78\00:50:06.38
Why does he let
you know that there was
00:50:06.41\00:50:07.89
two parts to the speech.
I've sinned against heaven
00:50:07.92\00:50:10.93
and against you. I am no longer
00:50:10.96\00:50:11.99
worthy to be called your son.
00:50:12.02\00:50:13.05
The second part
was make me like one of
00:50:13.08\00:50:14.68
your hired
servant. Why does he include
00:50:14.71\00:50:16.25
that detail of the
boy, never gets it out
00:50:16.28\00:50:18.01
'cause Jesus wants
you to know the mentality.
00:50:18.04\00:50:22.02
The what everyone?
He wants you to know
00:50:22.05\00:50:25.12
the attitude of the
boy who is returning.
00:50:25.15\00:50:27.81
I am going to, I
tell you what dad.
00:50:27.84\00:50:29.48
I got this all figured out.
00:50:29.51\00:50:30.75
I'll strike up the
deal. I am no, I've sinned
00:50:30.78\00:50:34.18
against heaven and against you.
00:50:34.21\00:50:35.24
I'm no longer worthy
to be called your sons.
00:50:35.27\00:50:36.69
But I've got this
through and you make me
00:50:36.72\00:50:38.95
like one of your..
he never gets it out.
00:50:38.98\00:50:41.36
The dad is too
busy rejoicing him
00:50:42.48\00:50:44.01
and rejoicing
him and I would say
00:50:44.04\00:50:46.13
reinstating him, restoring.
00:50:46.16\00:50:48.80
Ellen White says,
very essence of the gospel
00:50:48.83\00:50:50.67
is restoration
"Desire of Age" page 22.
00:50:50.70\00:50:52.66
Grabbing him, my
boy and rushing him off
00:50:52.69\00:50:57.05
to the parties and the
boy must have thinking man.
00:50:57.08\00:50:59.30
At some point I've got
to get the second part out.
00:50:59.33\00:51:01.50
Well, while the party
is going on and the father
00:51:03.50\00:51:05.24
is just glorying in
the return of his boy,
00:51:05.27\00:51:07.70
his son, his own flesh,
his bone, his blood, home.
00:51:07.73\00:51:13.57
His other boy comes,
like Moses and Joshua
00:51:13.94\00:51:17.60
coming down the
mountain. He hears a sound, oh,
00:51:17.63\00:51:20.05
that's sounds like a
party. Sounds like a party.
00:51:20.08\00:51:25.04
And so he calls
over one of the servants,
00:51:25.07\00:51:26.66
do not miss this.
It says here, verse 25;
00:51:26.69\00:51:32.87
his elder son
came from the field:
00:51:32.90\00:51:34.35
and as he drew
near to the house,
00:51:34.38\00:51:35.65
he heard music and dancing.
00:51:35.68\00:51:37.38
So he called one of his servants
00:51:37.41\00:51:38.71
and he asked what
these things meant
00:51:38.74\00:51:40.12
and he said to him.
Your brother has come.
00:51:40.15\00:51:42.02
You're not gonna believe this,
00:51:42.05\00:51:43.08
your brother has
come and your father is
00:51:43.11\00:51:44.20
receiving him safe and sound.
00:51:44.23\00:51:45.26
Randy is home and
oh, your dad has killed
00:51:45.29\00:51:48.32
a fatted calf
and there is a party
00:51:48.35\00:51:49.73
and all the
neighbors have come in.
00:51:49.76\00:51:51.12
Oh, Randy is only, he
looks, he looks terrible
00:51:51.15\00:51:54.19
but I mean he's home.
And the boy, the older
00:51:54.22\00:51:58.59
boy ran into
Randy, Randy is home.
00:51:58.62\00:52:04.72
Bring him to me
immediately. What?
00:52:04.75\00:52:07.91
You mean to tell
me they're throwing a
00:52:09.10\00:52:10.13
party for Randy?
Randy, Vegas Randy?
00:52:10.16\00:52:15.24
And then look at
this, look at this.
00:52:15.27\00:52:17.93
This, look at this.
Verse 28; look at this pouty,
00:52:17.96\00:52:20.50
pathetic excuse for a brother.
00:52:20.53\00:52:22.73
"But he was angry,
and he would not go in:
00:52:22.76\00:52:25.09
Can you just see
how big that lip is,
00:52:25.12\00:52:27.04
it just
sticking all the way out.
00:52:27.07\00:52:28.49
I'm not going in,
right. And so the servant
00:52:32.02\00:52:36.69
is like, ah, he's your
bro. He's your brother Randy.
00:52:36.72\00:52:42.43
Remember fishing
and remember that time
00:52:42.46\00:52:44.33
we did the hike in
the, I'm not going in.
00:52:44.36\00:52:48.01
Tell dad, I'm mad.
So the father goes out.
00:52:49.05\00:52:54.90
Ronald, Randy's
home. Was that clear,
00:52:57.01\00:53:00.41
Randy's home, now watch this.
00:53:00.44\00:53:02.45
He pleaded with him
verse 29, so he answered
00:53:03.62\00:53:05.22
and said his father.
This is Ronald's response
00:53:05.25\00:53:07.80
to his father. Lo,
these many years I have been,
00:53:07.83\00:53:18.33
what does your
Bible say? Mine too.
00:53:18.36\00:53:22.20
These many years I
have been serving you.
00:53:23.45\00:53:27.07
I never
transgressed your commandment
00:53:27.10\00:53:29.04
at any time and
yet you never gave me a
00:53:29.07\00:53:31.16
little goat that I might
make merry with my friends.
00:53:31.19\00:53:36.07
But as soon as look at
this, this son of yours,
00:53:36.10\00:53:40.37
not my brother. As soon as this
00:53:40.40\00:53:44.33
you can just see him spitting..
00:53:44.36\00:53:46.74
As this son of
yours. As soon as the son of
00:53:46.77\00:53:50.16
yours who has devour
your livelihood translation,
00:53:50.19\00:53:52.90
my inheritance, with
harlots and you've killed
00:53:52.93\00:53:56.59
the fatted calf
and now at the father,
00:53:56.62\00:53:58.31
look at the
father, look at father.
00:53:58.34\00:53:59.63
Verse 21; what's the
first word out of his mouth?
00:54:00.16\00:54:02.74
Son, you've always been with me.
00:54:03.98\00:54:10.18
Everything I have is yours.
00:54:13.29\00:54:14.60
It's right for us to
make merry we should be
00:54:16.48\00:54:19.20
glad because
your brother was dead
00:54:19.23\00:54:20.42
and he is alive. He was lost
00:54:20.45\00:54:22.16
and he was found.
Son, can you hear the
00:54:22.19\00:54:29.60
heart of the father?
00:54:29.63\00:54:30.66
Can you hear the surprise?
00:54:30.69\00:54:31.72
Now you thought that you thought
00:54:32.47\00:54:34.01
as I thought
that the prodigal son
00:54:34.04\00:54:36.44
and the older brother
were totally different.
00:54:36.47\00:54:38.01
You thought they
were totally different
00:54:39.34\00:54:40.45
but they were the same.
00:54:40.48\00:54:41.51
They both related to
their dad in the same way.
00:54:43.55\00:54:45.82
Why does Jesus tell us that
00:54:48.61\00:54:49.64
when he came to himself.
He wrote out that speech.
00:54:49.67\00:54:51.90
I've sinned against
heaven and against you.
00:54:53.38\00:54:54.79
I am no longer worthy
to be called your son.
00:54:54.82\00:54:56.43
Something missing.
There is an element...Ah,
00:54:56.87\00:54:59.29
make me like one of
your hired servants.
00:54:59.81\00:55:02.44
Why does Jesus
include that detail?
00:55:02.47\00:55:04.12
He wants you to
know about exchange
00:55:05.89\00:55:07.26
that's exactly
right. He wants you to know
00:55:07.29\00:55:08.78
the attitude of the young boy.
00:55:08.81\00:55:10.03
The young boy was
going to come back,
00:55:12.34\00:55:13.72
he was going to way to
his father was a servant.
00:55:13.75\00:55:15.39
I will do for you
and you will reward me.
00:55:15.42\00:55:17.95
You see the boy has a
plan he has a economic plan.
00:55:19.69\00:55:22.02
I am going to do
something for you
00:55:22.42\00:55:23.45
and you are going to
reward me corresponded
00:55:23.79\00:55:27.50
in keeping with, commensurate
00:55:27.53\00:55:28.92
with what I do.
00:55:28.95\00:55:29.98
But the father is
so busy rejoicing,
00:55:30.20\00:55:32.19
wrapping, hugging,
kissing, taking him
00:55:32.65\00:55:35.72
to the party, dancing,
killing the fatted calf.
00:55:35.75\00:55:37.89
He never gets that part out,
00:55:38.23\00:55:39.32
why does Jesus include that?
00:55:39.35\00:55:40.38
Because He wants you to know the
00:55:40.41\00:55:41.44
attitude of the
boy. And here comes
00:55:41.47\00:55:44.74
his brother. So
different and so identical.
00:55:44.77\00:55:48.62
Listen to his
language, come on dad.
00:55:51.01\00:55:53.62
All these years dad, oh, just.
00:55:56.29\00:55:58.38
I could have been to Vegas,
00:55:58.98\00:56:00.09
all these years
I've been serving you
00:56:00.12\00:56:03.09
and the father heart
says woh, woh, woh, woh! what?
00:56:03.12\00:56:06.46
Son, all that I have is yours.
00:56:12.36\00:56:16.64
You've been serving
me, is that how this works.
00:56:18.84\00:56:22.06
You're not my servant.
Everything I have is yours.
00:56:23.50\00:56:28.02
You're always with me.
00:56:29.35\00:56:30.38
Beloved, listen to me.
00:56:35.60\00:56:36.63
The gospel is
not a set of truths.
00:56:37.56\00:56:39.17
The gospel is a person
and that person is God.
00:56:39.47\00:56:41.68
Have you understood this sermon?
00:56:45.78\00:56:46.84
Yes. Has this
sermon made any sense?
00:56:46.87\00:56:49.86
Here you are in
your GYC aquarium.
00:56:51.10\00:56:52.56
Are you hearing this sermon?
00:56:52.59\00:56:53.62
Yeah, I'm hearing it
too. I mean I don't know
00:56:55.57\00:56:57.98
if I'm hearing. I
think I am hearing
00:56:58.01\00:56:59.36
and I don't know I mean,
00:56:59.39\00:57:00.42
I am doing my best
here. I don't understand
00:57:00.45\00:57:02.73
what Jesus means, I
mean, I don't get it.
00:57:02.76\00:57:04.16
I mean, frankly
I find this parable
00:57:04.19\00:57:06.53
a little repulsive.
The capitalist in me,
00:57:06.56\00:57:08.18
the Keynesian
economist in me thinks,
00:57:08.21\00:57:10.95
dad, this isn't exactly
fair. But I want to hear,
00:57:10.98\00:57:13.06
I want to hear
that God rewards us
00:57:13.09\00:57:15.24
on the basis of who
he is, not on the basis
00:57:15.27\00:57:17.07
of who we are, what we've done?
00:57:17.10\00:57:18.17
No turning back but
make sure you've first
00:57:20.35\00:57:23.20
turned back to him
who is your Father.
00:57:23.23\00:57:26.61
Incidentally, you
know, Ellen White says,
00:57:27.97\00:57:30.27
she says that when
the old boy, the old boy,
00:57:30.93\00:57:35.30
the mad boy I am not
going into the party boy.
00:57:35.33\00:57:37.25
She says, when he
wouldn't go into the party
00:57:37.99\00:57:39.49
and he said, all these years
00:57:39.52\00:57:40.55
I've been serving you.
She says, he manifest the
00:57:40.58\00:57:42.73
spirit of a
hireling same as Peter,
00:57:42.76\00:57:47.07
same as the rich young ruler.
00:57:47.53\00:57:48.60
She uses the same word
in totally different places.
00:57:48.63\00:57:51.51
Ellen White saw
the absolute continuity
00:57:51.54\00:57:53.61
of these situations.
Friends, I want to tell you
00:57:53.64\00:57:55.92
something today. You are
sons and daughters of God.
00:57:55.95\00:57:59.93