Here in two minutes, and we're
moving into the next program.
00:00:39.61\00:00:44.13
And the Lord has been with
us every single step of the way.
00:00:44.53\00:00:48.14
We're being
blessed by the Holy Spirit.
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I tell you, I still have
not gotten over Walter Pearson's
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message. It
touched my heart so much.
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Are you with me on that?
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So good to see
him preaching again!
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You don't know how many times
I've called him on the phone,
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I've said: "Walter,
are you ready yet? "
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"No, not yet. "
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"Are you ready yet
Walter? " "No, not yet. "
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We had him lined up
to come out a year ago
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and he wasn't quite ready
to come and to do an Anchors
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at that time. So that's when
I did the Anchors that I did
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was to fill in for Walter.
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Now he came today, and
what a blessing it was.
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Amen! As he said: "I'm
not able to run up and down
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the platform, but the
Holy Spirit can speak. "
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And the Holy Spirit
spoke through our friend
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Walter Pearson.
Keep him in your prayers.
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And keep all of
us in your prayers.
00:01:45.47\00:01:47.97
Well, we're having a
wonderful time in the Lord
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and our speaker for
this particular hour
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is my good friend
Pastor C.A. Murray.
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Now you know all
about C.A. Murray
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so I don't have
to tell you too much.
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He's a good man.
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He... His wife Irma keeps
him on the straight and narrow.
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And I enjoy teasing
with him a little bit
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because he is fun to tease.
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You know the Lord
says: "Whom the Lord loveth
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He chasteneth. "
00:02:24.31\00:02:25.95
And whom Gilley
loveth he teaseth.
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So if you find that I'm teasing
you, you know I love you.
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And I truly do love C.A. Murray.
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I've talked about the
unity of our team here.
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We don't have to say it
too much... you can feel it.
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You really can.
You can feel the unity
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of our group, and it's a
beautiful, beautiful thing.
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Before he comes,
Reggie and Ladye are coming
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and they're going to
bring some music to us.
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And I'm watching for
them to appear any moment
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from behind the screen.
00:03:02.95\00:03:05.25
So... I will keep
talking until they do.
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Are they here? OK...
Reggie. Here's Reggie.
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Reggie, you made your
first trip to Israel last year.
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Oh yes I did!
Did you enjoy that?
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It was really a life-changing
experience for us, it truly was.
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Now we had been years ago -
yeah. We were doing some videos
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there, but we didn't get a
chance to really travel and tour
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with a professional tour
guide. Right. It truly, Mr. Jim,
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was a life-changing
experience for us. Wow! Wow!
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Well we're going back
this Fall. You're going;
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you're going to have a bus
along at the same time we are.
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And we're all going together
in November. And I'm just
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hoping as many of you as
possibly can will go with us
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in November.
November is the right time.
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November 16th as
a matter of fact.
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That's exactly
right... that's exactly right.
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So we're looking forward to
that, and we're also looking
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forward to your music.
Are you going to sing for us?
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We are. We're going to
do a song called Above All.
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Above All. This is a song
that a friend of Ladye Love's
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wrote several, several years
ago. And you know, you think
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about we were doing the
patriotic things - yeah.
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Above all
powers, above all kings,
00:04:14.78\00:04:17.48
above all nature - yes
- and all living things.
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All right. God is
above all of that.
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That's a great song.
God bless you as you sing.
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We also have some guests
are going to join us, too.
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Aren't these singers
great that have been here today?
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They are so amazing.
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I mean, you just got a
little bit of what all they do.
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They are so talented,
and we have the privilege of
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singing with them sometimes
in Nashville. And they're just
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great. I wish you could
know their whole resumes.
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Go to their websites; they have
great things that they are doing
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in their own rite.
But they love the Lord...
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the most important thing.
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Above all powers,
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above all kings,
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above all nature
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and all created things.
00:05:31.85\00:05:36.08
Above all wisdom
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and all the ways of man...
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You were here
before the world began.
00:05:46.50\00:05:52.43
Above all kingdoms,
00:05:53.48\00:05:57.21
above all thrones,
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above all wonders
00:06:01.80\00:06:04.84
the world has ever known.
00:06:05.04\00:06:09.51
Above all wealth
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and treasures of the earth...
00:06:13.34\00:06:18.88
there's no way to measure
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what You're worth.
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Crucified,
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laid behind a stone.
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You lived and died
00:06:36.21\00:06:39.96
rejected and alone
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like a rose
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trampled on the ground
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You took the fall
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and thought of me
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above all.
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Above all powers,
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above all kings,
00:07:16.06\00:07:19.91
above all nature
00:07:20.40\00:07:23.24
and all created things.
00:07:23.44\00:07:27.81
Above all wisdom
00:07:28.71\00:07:31.37
and all the ways of man...
00:07:31.77\00:07:37.61
You were here
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before the world began.
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Crucified,
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laid behind a stone.
00:07:50.73\00:07:54.43
You lived to die
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rejected and alone
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like a rose
00:08:02.32\00:08:04.84
trampled on the ground
00:08:05.14\00:08:09.74
You took the fall
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and thought of me
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above all.
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Crucified,
00:08:23.83\00:08:27.53
laid behind a stone.
00:08:27.93\00:08:31.57
You lived and died
00:08:31.87\00:08:35.80
rejected and alone
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like a rose
00:08:39.37\00:08:42.10
trampled on the ground
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You took the fall
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and thought of me
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above all.
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Like a rose
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that was trampled on the ground
00:09:02.88\00:09:08.10
You took the fall
- You took the fall -
00:09:08.40\00:09:13.69
and thought of me
- and thought of me -
00:09:13.89\00:09:19.71
above
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all.
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Amen!
00:09:38.15\00:09:40.39
Amen and amen.
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Shall we pray?
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Gracious heavenly Father, we
just praise You and thank you
00:09:58.98\00:10:02.06
for the occasion that
has called the saints of God
00:10:02.26\00:10:06.02
to the house of prayer today.
00:10:06.05\00:10:07.88
We thank you Lord for
sermons preached with power,
00:10:08.70\00:10:13.08
music sung with pathos,
00:10:13.48\00:10:17.15
and for the over-arching
presence of Your Holy Spirit
00:10:17.55\00:10:20.86
in this house. We pray
now that that same Spirit
00:10:21.06\00:10:24.97
would work in the
heart of speaker and hearer.
00:10:25.17\00:10:29.09
Do a mighty work,
Lord, so that Your words
00:10:29.59\00:10:32.69
are spoken and Your
words are understood
00:10:32.89\00:10:36.70
and we can
together take one more step
00:10:37.00\00:10:40.78
along that road
that leads to glory.
00:10:41.08\00:10:44.60
We praise You,
Lord, and we thank you.
00:10:45.20\00:10:48.86
In Jesus' name, Amen. Amen.
00:10:49.17\00:10:52.56
We want to
consider this afternoon
00:10:53.85\00:10:57.28
the parable as found
in Matthew chapter 22
00:10:58.46\00:11:02.24
often called the Parable of
00:11:02.74\00:11:06.29
the Great Wedding Feast.
00:11:06.39\00:11:10.15
So I invite you to
turn with me to that
00:11:10.65\00:11:13.95
dare I say
incredibly pregnant passage.
00:11:14.35\00:11:19.45
I hear the pages turning
which is music to the ears
00:11:20.73\00:11:23.48
of any preacher.
00:11:23.59\00:11:25.70
I should have you to know
that the last 1/3 of the gospel
00:11:30.19\00:11:35.01
of Matthew marks a
subtle-yet-significant
00:11:35.31\00:11:40.73
change in the gospel narrative.
00:11:40.83\00:11:43.84
There is a change in the
tenor, the texture, the tomber,
00:11:44.44\00:11:48.16
the tone, the taste...
even the flavor of the ministry
00:11:48.26\00:11:52.67
of Jesus Christ of the
words as written by Matthew
00:11:52.87\00:11:58.60
of the fortunes and
fate of the Jewish people
00:11:59.00\00:12:03.05
and perhaps even the world.
00:12:03.26\00:12:05.22
You can see it,
you can sense it.
00:12:05.63\00:12:08.49
There is this change
in the way Matthew attacks
00:12:08.79\00:12:12.18
his scripture. He
moves the first twenty or so
00:12:12.38\00:12:16.53
chapters along at what I was
telling Irma the other night is
00:12:16.73\00:12:20.18
a bucolic pedagogical jog.
00:12:20.38\00:12:24.04
Basically he is loping along
00:12:24.84\00:12:28.21
just moving along at a
nice, slow teaching jog.
00:12:28.24\00:12:33.15
Matthew we call the
textbook of the New Testament.
00:12:33.55\00:12:36.45
Most scholars agree: if you
want it short, if you want it
00:12:36.65\00:12:39.38
concise, if you
want it with no frills,
00:12:39.48\00:12:41.60
you get that story from
Matthew. He's a tax collector.
00:12:41.80\00:12:44.42
He's a CPA; he's an accountant.
00:12:44.52\00:12:48.06
Doesn't give you too
much... just the facts.
00:12:48.26\00:12:50.48
So if you want
facts, you go to Matthew.
00:12:50.98\00:12:53.29
If you want a little ice
cream or sauce on your story,
00:12:53.49\00:12:58.58
you go to Luke. Luke
gives you a little bit more.
00:12:58.78\00:13:00.52
So Matthew's moving along at
this little bucolic, pedagogical
00:13:00.82\00:13:04.39
jog, and then for some reason
00:13:04.59\00:13:08.69
beginning at chapter 21
00:13:08.99\00:13:11.93
starting with that seminal
event, the... what we call the
00:13:13.10\00:13:16.84
triumphant arrival
of Christ in Jerusalem
00:13:16.94\00:13:21.94
things begin to heat
up just a little bit.
00:13:22.35\00:13:25.86
The jog becomes a sprint.
00:13:26.46\00:13:29.00
The analog becomes digital.
00:13:29.30\00:13:31.54
The mpeg becomes jpeg.
00:13:31.74\00:13:34.08
It's all
compressed: the time, the tenor,
00:13:34.48\00:13:38.22
the space, the events.
What was hazy in the first
00:13:38.42\00:13:42.08
twenty chapters now
becomes boldly defined
00:13:42.38\00:13:46.28
in the next eight chapters.
00:13:46.48\00:13:48.57
Matthew and Jesus - if I
can use a very unbiblical term -
00:13:48.87\00:13:52.34
up the ante in the next eight
chapters of the book of Matthew.
00:13:52.74\00:13:56.71
You can see it; you can feel
it; you can almost smell it.
00:13:57.01\00:13:59.36
There is this change. Some-
thing big is about to happen.
00:13:59.66\00:14:03.11
And so Matthew
finds a whole new gear
00:14:03.41\00:14:07.07
and indeed Jesus
finds a whole new gear.
00:14:07.47\00:14:10.46
The "exigency" if I can
use that term, the urgency,
00:14:10.56\00:14:14.00
the energy of the
work of God is increased
00:14:14.20\00:14:17.49
and you feel it in
Matthew chapter 21.
00:14:17.69\00:14:19.91
You see it in the social
intercourse between Christ
00:14:20.12\00:14:22.99
and His disciples.
00:14:23.39\00:14:25.09
The way Christ now
deals with His enemies
00:14:25.30\00:14:28.12
begins to change. His
preaching begins to change.
00:14:28.32\00:14:31.85
His teaching begins to change
00:14:32.25\00:14:34.63
and even His
parables begin to change.
00:14:34.83\00:14:37.33
The parables prior to Matthew 21
00:14:37.43\00:14:40.55
have some amount of flame
to them, but things really get
00:14:40.75\00:14:45.74
heated up in the parables
after Matthew chapter 21.
00:14:45.94\00:14:51.27
The tone of everything changes.
00:14:52.25\00:14:55.90
Now you may ask why,
and it is a good question.
00:14:56.20\00:14:59.82
The answer is very simple:
00:15:00.26\00:15:02.25
it was because
time was running out.
00:15:02.45\00:15:07.12
Time was
running out on the Jews,
00:15:07.72\00:15:10.29
time was running out on
Christ's earthly priesthood,
00:15:10.60\00:15:14.03
time was running
out on the temple,
00:15:14.33\00:15:16.81
time was running out
on the sanctuary service,
00:15:17.11\00:15:19.81
time was running out
on the sacrificial system,
00:15:20.11\00:15:23.18
time was running out
on the Jewish people,
00:15:23.38\00:15:25.95
and time was running
out on the Jewish nation.
00:15:26.15\00:15:29.13
One week - eight
chapters - eternal destiny,
00:15:30.20\00:15:35.71
all compressed into
the last third of this book
00:15:35.91\00:15:41.90
of Matthew. They are all
inseparably interconnected.
00:15:42.10\00:15:48.00
So you can't really get
the full weight of Matthew
00:15:49.11\00:15:52.28
chapter 22 if you separate
it from Matthew chapter 21
00:15:52.48\00:15:57.78
because as it were
Christ is firing the last bullet
00:15:58.28\00:16:03.93
in a series of
rapid-fire practical parables
00:16:04.23\00:16:07.81
that are very
pointed, the edge is strong,
00:16:08.01\00:16:11.15
the meaning is plain because
Christ has but three more trips
00:16:11.35\00:16:16.70
into the temple. These
are His last three times
00:16:16.91\00:16:20.44
that He gets to meet
with people in the temple
00:16:20.55\00:16:22.98
and talk with
people in the temple.
00:16:23.08\00:16:24.73
The leadership: the
Pharisees on the right,
00:16:25.03\00:16:28.00
Sadducees on the left,
00:16:28.20\00:16:32.04
Herodians in the middle.
00:16:32.24\00:16:34.42
All of them
despising each other,
00:16:34.72\00:16:38.13
hating each other's politics,
00:16:38.34\00:16:40.53
but united by one self-same,
00:16:40.73\00:16:45.26
indissoluble bonding agent.
00:16:45.56\00:16:48.35
They were sealed by the
fact that regardless of their
00:16:48.85\00:16:54.85
theology or their ideology
00:16:55.05\00:16:58.26
they all wanted Jesus dead.
00:16:58.46\00:17:02.91
From the day He
raised Lazarus from the dead
00:17:04.37\00:17:07.59
they were concocting
ways to put Him to death.
00:17:07.99\00:17:12.03
So He spoke in
parables. He couched the truth
00:17:13.28\00:17:17.80
in language that only those
who He wanted to understand
00:17:18.00\00:17:23.02
would indeed understand.
00:17:23.32\00:17:25.34
But now Jesus is coming
to the end of His ministry.
00:17:25.84\00:17:29.94
Things are beginning
to wind down and wrap up
00:17:30.24\00:17:33.75
and Christ doesn't have
time any more for platitudes
00:17:34.05\00:17:38.39
or illusory speech
00:17:38.59\00:17:40.63
or esoteric
language or secret codes.
00:17:40.84\00:17:43.97
Now Christ is laying it
out, putting it on the table.
00:17:44.27\00:17:47.95
These days were serious
days in the land of Israel.
00:17:49.13\00:17:53.21
And I would dare say
these days are serious days
00:17:53.51\00:17:56.69
today in the United
States of America and the world.
00:17:56.89\00:18:00.17
And the reason you sat
here through 19 sermons
00:18:01.11\00:18:04.56
and when we are done
about 22 meetings is because
00:18:04.77\00:18:08.01
like those days these
days are serious days.
00:18:08.21\00:18:13.89
And I think we've all
been possessed of the thought
00:18:14.87\00:18:18.64
that these days are
indeed the last days.
00:18:18.94\00:18:23.91
We don't know how many
more days there will be,
00:18:24.41\00:18:28.32
but I think you
can agree with me
00:18:28.62\00:18:31.31
that there are more
days in the rear-view mirror
00:18:31.44\00:18:35.15
than there are
in the windshield.
00:18:35.35\00:18:37.56
Christ is indeed
coming very, very soon.
00:18:38.60\00:18:43.73
We see it in
changed tactics by the Lord.
00:18:45.94\00:18:51.09
The trajectory of
His speech now changes.
00:18:51.39\00:18:54.73
Jesus takes the wraps off now.
00:18:55.03\00:18:58.36
Jesus, who really
eschewed popular acclaim
00:18:58.66\00:19:03.37
for so many, many years,
now allows things to happen
00:19:03.57\00:19:08.79
that must have excited
and confused His disciples.
00:19:08.99\00:19:13.06
There in chapter 21
Jesus does some things that
00:19:13.46\00:19:17.30
might appear a bit puzzling.
00:19:17.50\00:19:19.61
Matthew says in Matthew 21
00:19:20.01\00:19:22.70
that as they approached the city
00:19:22.90\00:19:25.83
Jesus' attitude began to change.
00:19:26.13\00:19:28.59
He goes into the city
and He tells the disciples
00:19:29.76\00:19:32.71
"I want you go to
in and get Me a donkey
00:19:32.91\00:19:36.03
and bring the donkey
and the colt to Me. "
00:19:36.33\00:19:40.23
Number one: Jewish kings
00:19:40.73\00:19:44.50
always rode on donkeys.
00:19:44.60\00:19:47.81
So Christ was now
changing His tactics.
00:19:48.21\00:19:52.01
Whereas before He always tried
to keep it rather hush-hush
00:19:52.31\00:19:57.35
about His kingdom... sometimes
even healed people and He said:
00:19:57.56\00:20:01.19
"Don't tell anybody. Just go and
show yourself to the priest. "
00:20:01.40\00:20:04.40
Now He is specifically
requesting a donkey and the colt
00:20:04.90\00:20:09.51
of a donkey. Jewish kings always
made their triumphal entry
00:20:09.71\00:20:13.88
into a city on
the back of a donkey.
00:20:14.08\00:20:16.50
So Christ is saying: "I'm
about to announce something
00:20:16.53\00:20:21.76
that before we have kept secret.
00:20:22.06\00:20:24.78
I'm about to let the world
know that a King is coming. "
00:20:25.09\00:20:28.76
Amen? King is on His way.
00:20:28.96\00:20:31.74
So it is an
allusion to kingship.
00:20:32.73\00:20:35.43
And if that was not enough,
00:20:35.93\00:20:37.29
Jesus says: "If
anyone says anything to you,
00:20:37.69\00:20:40.52
if anybody gives you any static,
00:20:40.82\00:20:43.48
if anybody
gives you a hard time,
00:20:43.78\00:20:46.19
tell them Kurios sent you. "
00:20:46.49\00:20:51.36
Kurios is a New Testament
word, a Greek word, for Lord.
00:20:51.66\00:20:54.59
This is the first
time, brothers and sisters,
00:20:54.89\00:20:57.20
that Christ refers
to Himself as Lord.
00:20:57.40\00:21:01.51
And so He says: "If
anybody gives you any heat about
00:21:02.01\00:21:05.33
taking these donkeys
tell them God wants them.
00:21:05.53\00:21:10.19
Tell them God
has need of them. "
00:21:10.49\00:21:14.52
And so Christ is now
announcing His Lordship.
00:21:14.72\00:21:18.43
Before this time His
preferred self-designation
00:21:18.93\00:21:21.80
was Son of Man. You see that
in Matthew chapter 1 verse 1,
00:21:22.00\00:21:24.99
Mark chapter 2 verse
10. And over and over again
00:21:25.29\00:21:27.48
Christ has called
Himself the Son of Man.
00:21:27.69\00:21:29.63
But now He's saying: "If
anybody gives you a hard time,
00:21:29.83\00:21:32.78
tell them God wants it. "
00:21:32.98\00:21:34.69
"Tell them God is
requesting the donkey. "
00:21:35.09\00:21:37.46
"If anybody accosts you, tell
them this is being requisitioned
00:21:38.82\00:21:42.62
by God. " And so this
kingly entry into Jerusalem
00:21:42.82\00:21:48.15
marks something very very
special in the life of Christ.
00:21:48.35\00:21:53.02
It is recorded by
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
00:21:53.32\00:21:56.36
They all talk about it.
00:21:56.46\00:21:57.55
It launches a portrayal of
a fascinating series of events
00:21:57.75\00:22:02.67
that are intriguing,
and a number of parallels
00:22:02.87\00:22:06.40
and parables that are types
of the second coming of Jesus
00:22:06.60\00:22:09.49
Christ. So Christ arrives in
Jerusalem on Sunday afternoon.
00:22:09.60\00:22:13.81
We are given to understand
that He makes His way to the
00:22:15.24\00:22:17.76
temple on Sunday evening,
but He doesn't do anything.
00:22:17.86\00:22:20.51
He just looks around;
He just takes in the sights
00:22:21.63\00:22:25.51
and the sounds and
the smells of the temple.
00:22:25.71\00:22:30.72
Perhaps He was remembering
that day at age 12 when He
00:22:31.83\00:22:35.11
first walked into that temple.
00:22:35.21\00:22:37.68
And Ellen White says He
looked at those same sights
00:22:37.88\00:22:40.40
and tastes and
smells and goings on
00:22:40.70\00:22:45.44
and the Holy
Spirit revealed to Him
00:22:45.64\00:22:47.82
that all of that
was wrapped up in Him.
00:22:48.02\00:22:51.87
Perhaps He was
taking a 22-year trip back
00:22:53.07\00:22:56.11
trying to remember the day
when the vision came to Him
00:22:56.41\00:23:02.33
that He would have to sacrifice
His life for these people.
00:23:02.73\00:23:06.52
That the burden of sin cleansing
was going to have to be upon His
00:23:07.54\00:23:12.26
shoulders. And so that
Sunday evening is just a little
00:23:12.46\00:23:16.03
trip down memory lane.
Christ just views the temple.
00:23:16.23\00:23:22.20
Monday morning He returns.
00:23:23.93\00:23:27.37
This is the beginning of
the last week of His life.
00:23:27.67\00:23:30.77
This time
something else happens.
00:23:31.85\00:23:34.18
Monday morning He returns
and we are given to understand
00:23:34.48\00:23:38.24
that for the second
time in His ministry Christ
00:23:38.44\00:23:41.45
cleanses the temple.
00:23:41.65\00:23:43.54
This time is not passive;
this time is not just looking.
00:23:43.84\00:23:47.74
This time He is
active and aggressive.
00:23:48.04\00:23:50.52
Again He
alludes to His Lordship,
00:23:50.92\00:23:54.66
and look at the
language as found in Matthew 21.
00:23:54.97\00:24:00.61
Christ says:
00:24:01.11\00:24:03.19
"My house... My house
00:24:03.49\00:24:07.89
shall be a house of prayer. "
00:24:09.24\00:24:10.79
Now if you go to John
chapter 2 you find that
00:24:11.09\00:24:13.60
at the first cleansing of
the temple... And by the way,
00:24:13.80\00:24:16.01
it's only mentioned
in the book of John...
00:24:16.11\00:24:17.80
Jesus said: "Don't
make My Father's house
00:24:18.10\00:24:23.36
a house of merchandise. "
00:24:23.66\00:24:25.87
You see the difference?
Subtle but very real.
00:24:27.06\00:24:29.91
Now those who
understood what He was saying
00:24:30.15\00:24:31.76
realized "My Father" and
"Mine" is pretty much the same.
00:24:31.96\00:24:34.42
But in case you didn't get
it, in John 3-1/2 years earlier
00:24:34.72\00:24:39.34
"Don't make My Father's
house a house of merchandise. "
00:24:39.54\00:24:42.95
In Matthew 3-1/2 years later
00:24:44.04\00:24:46.70
"Don't make My house a
house of merchandise. "
00:24:46.90\00:24:51.67
You see the
difference? Why the change?
00:24:51.87\00:24:54.41
Because time was late and
Jesus had but 2 more trips
00:24:55.55\00:24:59.71
to this temple before He would
make His trip to the cross.
00:24:59.91\00:25:03.90
So now it's "My
house... My house. "
00:25:05.22\00:25:08.96
"Don't make My house a
house of merchandise. "
00:25:09.46\00:25:12.50
This final week
Christ is doing His very best
00:25:12.90\00:25:17.13
to try to get into
the hearts and heads
00:25:17.43\00:25:21.11
of those who have
rejected Him for 3-1/2 years.
00:25:21.31\00:25:24.22
Let me give you
just a little back story.
00:25:25.92\00:25:27.90
You may not know this 'cause
you have to read Desire of Ages
00:25:28.11\00:25:29.93
very carefully to find this out.
00:25:30.03\00:25:31.20
But I thought it
very interesting.
00:25:31.30\00:25:32.78
Three and a half years earlier
when Christ cleansed the temple
00:25:33.68\00:25:36.43
there were a lot of men there
who were buying and selling.
00:25:36.73\00:25:39.28
And Ellen White says
they were pretty upset
00:25:39.58\00:25:42.59
at their squeamishness...
00:25:43.19\00:25:47.83
their sheep-like attitude...
00:25:48.03\00:25:51.74
in letting this guy run them
00:25:51.95\00:25:54.49
from their money
and their commerce.
00:25:54.69\00:25:57.31
And Ellen White says they
held commune among themselves
00:25:57.61\00:26:00.75
and they said: "You
know, we were really wimps
00:26:00.95\00:26:03.71
three and a half years ago,
but if He ever comes back here
00:26:03.91\00:26:08.23
again, let Him try to run us
out of here the second time. "
00:26:08.33\00:26:12.53
"Our house. We got
permission from the priest.
00:26:12.93\00:26:16.85
We're making a lot of money;
we've got a lot of commerce
00:26:17.05\00:26:19.74
going on, so if He comes back
here and ever tries that stuff
00:26:19.84\00:26:22.81
again... see
what'll happen to Him. "
00:26:22.91\00:26:24.90
Three and a half years
later Christ comes into the same
00:26:25.40\00:26:30.10
courtyard, and Ellen White
says it's basically a barnyard
00:26:30.21\00:26:33.69
of traffic.
Everything is going on.
00:26:33.79\00:26:37.22
Cows and sheep and
bickering and dickering
00:26:37.42\00:26:40.23
and money changing is going on.
00:26:40.43\00:26:43.23
And Christ turns over
tables and raises a cord
00:26:43.63\00:26:48.10
and those men who had
all of those big thoughts
00:26:48.40\00:26:52.79
and big talk about how they were
going to stand up to Jesus...
00:26:52.99\00:26:57.02
Let me give you the reading
from Desire of Ages page 590.
00:26:57.42\00:27:00.93
Ellen White says: "Again
the piercing look of Jesus
00:27:01.43\00:27:05.27
swept over the
desecrated court of the temple.
00:27:05.47\00:27:08.40
All eyes were
turned towards Him.
00:27:08.90\00:27:11.64
Priests and rulers,
Pharisee and Gentile
00:27:12.14\00:27:16.26
looked with astonishment
and awe upon Him who stood
00:27:16.46\00:27:20.74
before them. With
the majesty of heaven's
00:27:20.84\00:27:24.57
King, divinity
flashed through humanity... "
00:27:24.67\00:27:29.71
Get this line...
00:27:30.04\00:27:31.15
"investing Christ
with a dignity and glory
00:27:31.35\00:27:35.38
He had never manifested before.
00:27:35.58\00:27:38.75
Those men saw that day
00:27:40.08\00:27:44.06
in the eyes and countenance
of Jesus something that
00:27:44.26\00:27:48.47
humanity had
never seen before. "
00:27:48.68\00:27:52.42
Ellen White says
that "a level of divinity
00:27:53.58\00:27:58.41
leaped and lept out of Christ
00:27:58.61\00:28:01.45
that had never
happened before. "
00:28:01.66\00:28:03.76
And all of those promises
that we are going to stand up
00:28:04.05\00:28:06.90
and stand our
ground and stay put
00:28:07.10\00:28:10.02
went to the wind.
And the Bible says
00:28:10.32\00:28:13.55
they ran like the
temple was on fire.
00:28:13.58\00:28:16.86
And indeed... the
temple was on fire.
00:28:18.80\00:28:20.90
Ellen White says:
"Those standing nearest to Him
00:28:21.40\00:28:23.51
drew as far away as
the crowd would permit. "
00:28:23.61\00:28:26.02
She says: "The
displeasure of His countenance
00:28:26.42\00:28:30.56
seemed like a consuming fire
00:28:30.86\00:28:34.74
as He cleared the
temple, and Pharisee
00:28:35.34\00:28:39.51
and money
changers and businessmen
00:28:39.71\00:28:42.49
and traders fled
from the presence of God
00:28:42.69\00:28:45.38
just like they had
done the first time. "
00:28:46.08\00:28:50.03
And what is
interesting: Ellen White says:
00:28:50.54\00:28:54.61
"As they ran from
the sanctuary... "
00:28:54.81\00:28:58.31
as they were running
out of the sanctuary...
00:28:58.71\00:29:01.56
"there was a crowd of people
running into the sanctuary. "
00:29:02.16\00:29:06.50
The parallel to
the second coming.
00:29:07.33\00:29:09.18
You see, the same glory
that will cause some people
00:29:10.55\00:29:14.28
to run away will be
irresistibly attractive
00:29:14.68\00:29:19.89
to those who waited for Jesus.
00:29:20.19\00:29:21.99
Some will be
saying: "Fall on us, rocks,
00:29:23.20\00:29:26.89
and hide us from
the face of Him... "
00:29:27.29\00:29:30.32
Others will be
saying: "Lo, this is our God!
00:29:31.86\00:29:37.48
Long we have waited for
Him; now He will save us. "
00:29:38.39\00:29:42.10
So some were running out
and some were running in.
00:29:42.30\00:29:45.11
What is sad, and
I've read this many times
00:29:46.98\00:29:48.72
in the Desire of Ages but
I caught it just this week
00:29:48.92\00:29:51.26
Ellen White says that some
of those who were running in
00:29:52.42\00:29:57.49
listened to the
reports of those running out.
00:29:58.87\00:30:03.44
"You don't want
to go in there. "
00:30:05.89\00:30:07.80
"It's crazy in there. "
00:30:08.31\00:30:10.56
"There's some guy in
there throwing stuff around,
00:30:11.06\00:30:13.22
light-flashing eyes. You
don't want to go in there. "
00:30:13.42\00:30:15.54
And Ellen White says
sadly some of them turned around
00:30:17.93\00:30:20.09
and missed their blessing
and missed their salvation.
00:30:20.12\00:30:22.45
So you've got to learn... you've
got to know Jesus for yourself.
00:30:23.15\00:30:27.21
Amen? You can't take the report
of others on Jesus good or bad.
00:30:27.81\00:30:32.63
You've got to
know Him for yourself!
00:30:33.67\00:30:34.86
The Bible says "Those
in Thessalonica were more
00:30:35.16\00:30:37.64
noble than those in Berea...
" Flip it: "Berea more noble
00:30:37.84\00:30:40.47
than those in Thessalonica
00:30:40.67\00:30:41.73
because after
they heard the Word
00:30:41.76\00:30:43.73
of God preached they...
" Yeah, you've got to study
00:30:43.87\00:30:48.03
the Word for yourself.
00:30:48.23\00:30:50.08
Why? Because it's late.
00:30:50.38\00:30:54.52
Heard a story years
ago about a young girl
00:30:56.95\00:30:58.84
who used to stay up and listen
to the clock strike twelve.
00:30:58.94\00:31:01.46
You've heard
this story many times.
00:31:01.66\00:31:02.69
One, two, three...
twelve gongs every night.
00:31:03.07\00:31:05.86
Then she'd go to sleep.
00:31:06.26\00:31:07.77
One night she listened
for twelve gongs and she heard
00:31:08.17\00:31:11.11
twelve gongs and the
clock struck thirteen.
00:31:11.21\00:31:14.78
And she ran into her
mother's bedroom and said:
00:31:16.50\00:31:18.69
"Mommy, mommy. It is later
than it's ever been before! "
00:31:19.09\00:31:24.01
Brothers and sisters: it's later
than it's ever been before.
00:31:27.33\00:31:33.28
It's horribly late.
00:31:34.94\00:31:38.33
And so some ran
out and some ran in.
00:31:39.97\00:31:43.05
And those who were
running in didn't belong there.
00:31:43.55\00:31:47.55
The temple was not
for crippled people.
00:31:47.85\00:31:50.34
I thought it was very inter-
esting that the Jewish temple -
00:31:50.54\00:31:52.46
and having been to the temple
00:31:52.76\00:31:54.42
going to Jerusalem -
you know if you were sick
00:31:57.01\00:32:00.35
you couldn't go to the temple?
00:32:00.55\00:32:01.88
If you were crippled, you
couldn't go to the temple.
00:32:03.18\00:32:05.06
If you were lame, you
couldn't go to the temple.
00:32:06.01\00:32:07.92
That woman with the
issue of blood could not
00:32:08.42\00:32:10.28
go to the temple, and the
priest wouldn't come to her.
00:32:10.38\00:32:14.06
The woman that was
bent over for eighteen years
00:32:15.22\00:32:17.36
couldn't go to the temple
00:32:17.56\00:32:18.77
and no one would go to
her. Where else should you go
00:32:19.08\00:32:22.48
if you're sick?
00:32:22.98\00:32:25.95
That's why I cannot understand
why people have complaints
00:32:27.89\00:32:30.69
with individuals who are
hypocrites and in the church.
00:32:30.89\00:32:35.01
Where is a good
hypocrite going to go?
00:32:36.23\00:32:39.01
If you're a hypocrite,
you ought to be in a church!
00:32:47.67\00:32:51.23
How are you going to get...
I'm going to invent a word...
00:32:54.77\00:32:58.07
"unhypocritical? "
00:32:58.27\00:32:59.82
You can't stay
home and be a hypocrite.
00:33:02.08\00:33:04.07
To be a hypocrite you
have to be with somebody.
00:33:04.57\00:33:06.86
You know, you can't be
a hypocrite by yourself
00:33:07.36\00:33:09.54
because hypocrite is pretending
you are something you are not.
00:33:10.04\00:33:13.74
Amen. And the only way you
can pretend you are something
00:33:14.24\00:33:16.93
you are not... you've got
to have somebody to pretend to.
00:33:17.03\00:33:20.37
So you can't be a
hypocrite by yourself.
00:33:22.02\00:33:24.09
So you might as well be a
hypocrite in the church...
00:33:24.29\00:33:26.74
at least your
hypocrisy counts for something.
00:33:27.04\00:33:30.12
And maybe, just
maybe... just maybe
00:33:34.02\00:33:38.27
the Spirit of God can
get through and change you.
00:33:39.43\00:33:44.06
Don't worry about
hypocrites in the church.
00:33:45.15\00:33:46.63
Christ can take care of them.
00:33:46.83\00:33:48.35
And so Christ cleans the temple
00:33:54.35\00:33:57.69
and sick folk come in.
00:33:58.63\00:34:01.61
And when those scared
rabbits returned to the temple
00:34:02.01\00:34:05.25
Ellen White says some
hours later they hear the words
00:34:05.35\00:34:08.67
of peace and love
and they hear and see
00:34:08.87\00:34:12.12
Christ healing everyone there.
00:34:12.32\00:34:15.53
And instead of joining
in the song of rejoicing
00:34:16.03\00:34:19.61
their minds are
convinced He has got to die
00:34:21.00\00:34:25.09
and He's got to die now.
00:34:25.39\00:34:29.96
Now I need to preface this
and remind... I know my time is
00:34:31.95\00:34:35.32
going. This, by the
way, is not the sermon.
00:34:35.42\00:34:37.85
This is just the
ecclesiological obiter dictum
00:34:40.72\00:34:43.50
from Matthew chapter 21.
00:34:43.70\00:34:45.27
The sermon is
actually Matthew chapter 22.
00:34:45.47\00:34:47.23
We haven't gotten there yet.
00:34:47.53\00:34:48.62
We're on the way.
00:34:53.81\00:34:55.38
So Matthew chapter 22
does pick up the narrative
00:34:57.01\00:35:00.30
with Tuesday night. Now
remember it is Tuesday night.
00:35:00.50\00:35:03.53
In 72 hours, Christ will
be hanging from the cross.
00:35:03.83\00:35:07.12
This is His last
trip in the temple.
00:35:07.32\00:35:09.71
Last time. And Christ "takes
off the wraps" as it were.
00:35:10.21\00:35:15.12
He's in the most important
building in the most important
00:35:16.40\00:35:20.29
nation with the most
important message in the world.
00:35:20.49\00:35:23.86
The Sanhedrin has
already voted that He must die:
00:35:24.36\00:35:28.56
"We've got to find a way
to silence Him, and we've got
00:35:28.96\00:35:33.26
to make it soon. "
00:35:33.36\00:35:34.99
And Jesus -
knowing what He is facing -
00:35:35.59\00:35:38.91
is giving it
His last, best shot.
00:35:39.31\00:35:42.83
And so His words,
brothers and sisters,
00:35:43.79\00:35:46.54
His teaching now has a
new urgency, a new energy,
00:35:46.75\00:35:50.94
because in approximately
sixty hours He'll be hanging
00:35:52.80\00:35:56.27
from a Roman cross, dying
for your sins and for mine.
00:35:56.47\00:36:02.17
And even those people
who are wracking their brains
00:36:03.06\00:36:05.86
trying to find out a
way to put Him to death.
00:36:06.06\00:36:10.64
So that's the
background of chapter 22.
00:36:14.86\00:36:19.24
You cannot separate 21 from 22
00:36:20.47\00:36:23.73
because the
parables now begin to change.
00:36:23.93\00:36:27.49
And even the
Parable of the Ten Virgins
00:36:27.69\00:36:29.95
which is not truly a
parable because Ellen White says
00:36:30.15\00:36:33.17
that happened
about Tuesday evening.
00:36:33.37\00:36:34.99
It was more of a "storacle"
than a parable because
00:36:35.19\00:36:38.69
it really happened.
Christ was sitting on the
00:36:38.89\00:36:40.58
western slope of
the Mount of Olives
00:36:40.68\00:36:42.54
and the disciples were
watching as the sun went down.
00:36:42.64\00:36:45.27
They actually saw this
wedding party going in.
00:36:45.47\00:36:47.65
So it was a parable; it
was also an object lesson.
00:36:47.96\00:36:51.02
He said: "See that party there?
Let Me teach you something
00:36:51.82\00:36:55.89
about that. " And He
went through the story of the
00:36:56.09\00:36:58.17
Ten Virgins. It really
happened; it wasn't a story
00:36:58.27\00:37:01.28
as stories are just made up.
00:37:01.68\00:37:03.54
So this now is the last
time Christ gets to tell
00:37:04.24\00:37:08.66
a true parable in the temple,
00:37:08.87\00:37:12.66
and the "pit-bull" priesthood
is still trying to trap Jesus
00:37:13.16\00:37:17.58
in His words so they can find
a legitimate reason to kill Him.
00:37:17.78\00:37:22.94
First the Herodians,
Romans collaborators,
00:37:23.28\00:37:26.52
who like to play
buddy-buddy with Rome.
00:37:26.72\00:37:29.08
Then the
Sadducees, Roman sympathizers
00:37:29.48\00:37:33.55
whose mindset was
"They're here, we're here.
00:37:33.95\00:37:39.00
Can't we all just get along? "
00:37:39.40\00:37:41.41
And the Pharisees
who are Roman haters.
00:37:42.47\00:37:45.17
And Christ was
trying to win them all.
00:37:45.47\00:37:48.10
So I don't know
just what He said to them
00:37:48.40\00:37:54.29
but I know what came
forth in the parable.
00:37:54.39\00:37:56.54
And I don't want to just
examine the parable and part
00:37:56.84\00:37:58.93
the parable. What I
want to do to show you
00:37:59.13\00:38:01.21
the urgency of the
times is compare this parable
00:38:01.31\00:38:04.57
in Matthew 22
with a similar parable
00:38:04.77\00:38:07.57
found in Luke 14. They are
close but they are not the same.
00:38:07.77\00:38:11.00
And the
dissonance is the difference.
00:38:11.30\00:38:13.60
This parable - number one
- was delivered three days
00:38:14.72\00:38:18.13
before Christ went to the cross.
00:38:18.23\00:38:19.78
The parable that is somewhat
the same called the Parable of
00:38:20.08\00:38:23.42
the Great Supper in
Luke: kind of the same...
00:38:23.62\00:38:28.96
but Christ changes
the parts of the parable.
00:38:29.16\00:38:32.45
The Parable of the Great Supper
in Luke was given in the house
00:38:32.76\00:38:35.60
of a Pharisee.
00:38:35.70\00:38:37.26
The Marriage Feast was
given in the temple court.
00:38:37.56\00:38:40.42
The Parable of the Great Supper
was given some time before;
00:38:40.92\00:38:44.39
the Parable of the Marriage
Feast given some sixty hours
00:38:44.79\00:38:48.82
before Christ was
to go to the cross.
00:38:48.96\00:38:50.49
And it is important to recognize
that as important and wonderful
00:38:50.79\00:38:55.11
as it is to eat dinner
with a person - and that was
00:38:55.21\00:38:57.40
a Near East obligation
- the idea of a marriage
00:38:57.50\00:39:00.66
was much more important.
00:39:00.86\00:39:02.64
It's one thing to turn
down a dinner invitation
00:39:03.89\00:39:05.92
but a marriage invitation...
much more important.
00:39:06.12\00:39:09.89
And we see how hard Christ is
striving now to win these people
00:39:10.19\00:39:14.34
who simply don't want to
give their hearts to Him.
00:39:14.54\00:39:18.36
So this story is much stronger
as a marriage invitation
00:39:18.66\00:39:22.81
is stronger than a
regular dinner invitation.
00:39:23.01\00:39:26.11
Christ is in the one place that
will give Him maximum access,
00:39:26.72\00:39:30.59
maximum exposure.
He's in the temple
00:39:30.79\00:39:33.46
at Passover time.
The whole world is there!
00:39:33.66\00:39:36.82
Number two: The first -
Luke 14- is just a banquet.
00:39:38.28\00:39:43.51
It is given by an ordinary
man, a wealthy man to be sure,
00:39:44.11\00:39:47.60
but it is a banquet
given by a plain citizen.
00:39:48.10\00:39:51.60
The parable in
Matthew chapter 22 is given
00:39:52.10\00:39:56.16
by a King in honor
of His Son's wedding.
00:39:56.37\00:40:00.25
Much more important.
00:40:01.63\00:40:03.36
You get an invitation from
C.A. and Irma Murray to go to
00:40:03.66\00:40:06.19
dinner and you get an
invitation from the White House
00:40:06.29\00:40:09.02
the White House is a little bit
stronger, wouldn't you think?
00:40:09.42\00:40:12.08
I know... the
politics notwithstanding.
00:40:12.48\00:40:16.69
The White House...
not a particular person.
00:40:17.19\00:40:19.59
So that's a little bit stronger.
And so a wedding invitation
00:40:24.16\00:40:27.03
is much stronger in
the Middle East than a mere
00:40:27.23\00:40:30.33
dinner invitation. A dinner
invitation you can kind of...
00:40:30.53\00:40:33.01
"Can't make it, " but
a wedding invitation...
00:40:33.31\00:40:35.95
and a wedding
invitation given by the King
00:40:36.15\00:40:39.34
in honor of His Son...
you've got to think before
00:40:39.54\00:40:42.43
you just rip that up
and throw it in the trash.
00:40:42.53\00:40:44.54
So Christ has upped the ante,
00:40:47.37\00:40:49.31
He's changed the goal,
00:40:49.41\00:40:52.88
He's changed the parts of a
parable because time is short.
00:40:53.08\00:40:56.51
And so the King?
Obviously, is Father, God.
00:40:56.82\00:40:59.88
His Son in whom the
invitation's name is given
00:41:00.18\00:41:03.99
is Jesus Christ. Three:
the occasion of a marriage
00:41:04.19\00:41:09.32
is a permanent
union of two entities.
00:41:09.52\00:41:12.43
Here's why you don't want
to parts parables too much.
00:41:12.93\00:41:15.09
Because the
invitees are you and I.
00:41:15.29\00:41:19.82
We're invited. But
in a secondary sense
00:41:20.13\00:41:24.22
we are also the bride.
00:41:24.62\00:41:27.26
Amen? The church is the bride.
00:41:27.56\00:41:29.51
And who is the church? We are
the church. You are the church.
00:41:29.71\00:41:33.33
So you've got a dual application
even within the parable.
00:41:34.04\00:41:37.87
We are invited but we are also
the one that Christ is marrying.
00:41:38.17\00:41:41.86
The Jewish nation
now is being invited
00:41:42.26\00:41:45.36
and Christ is hand-
delivering the invitation.
00:41:45.56\00:41:49.54
Do you follow me?
00:41:49.84\00:41:51.04
Number four: the first parable's
emphasis was on the flimsy
00:41:51.54\00:41:56.94
excuses. That's the one
given at the Pharisee's house.
00:41:57.04\00:42:00.00
You find that in Luke 14.
00:42:00.20\00:42:02.77
The emphasis was
on the flimsy excuses.
00:42:03.01\00:42:05.82
And I took a
little time to study this.
00:42:06.32\00:42:08.26
The first excuse was:
"I've bought some land
00:42:09.88\00:42:14.00
and I need to go see it. "
00:42:14.30\00:42:16.33
Excuse me?
00:42:17.75\00:42:20.01
Who buys land and
doesn't know what you're buying?
00:42:21.54\00:42:24.80
You could be
buying swamp or desert!
00:42:25.74\00:42:29.30
"I've bought some land; I
need to go check it out. "
00:42:29.80\00:42:33.22
Flimsy! The second
one: "I've bought some oxen
00:42:34.02\00:42:38.84
and I need to go test them. "
00:42:39.14\00:42:41.37
So you buy a car and you don't
even know if it has an engine?
00:42:44.49\00:42:48.94
And I really like the third one:
00:42:52.18\00:42:54.38
"I got married. "
00:42:55.75\00:42:58.08
Period.
00:42:58.38\00:43:00.68
There's no "and I
need to... " Read it.
00:43:01.89\00:43:06.27
"I got married...
00:43:06.67\00:43:08.31
you know what I need to do. "
00:43:08.61\00:43:12.01
So he doesn't even bother add-
ing anything to the statement.
00:43:16.77\00:43:20.46
"I got married... excuse me. "
00:43:20.50\00:43:24.36
But Ellen White says
they were all flimsy excuses.
00:43:27.65\00:43:31.02
They
disrespected the invitation,
00:43:31.32\00:43:34.88
and the dissonance I
say again is the difference.
00:43:40.84\00:43:42.85
The truth is brothers and
sisters... here is the truth...
00:43:43.35\00:43:45.80
Here is the truth
ladies and gentlemen:
00:43:46.01\00:43:48.30
we are too late in
earth's history for excuses.
00:43:48.50\00:43:51.25
It's too late for us. There
are no excuses you can give.
00:43:53.93\00:43:57.70
If you don't make it to heaven,
what excuse can you give?
00:43:59.00\00:44:01.63
"Well I went to church last
Sabbath and the pastor didn't
00:44:03.24\00:44:05.46
say hello to me
00:44:05.56\00:44:07.13
so I stayed home. "
00:44:13.75\00:44:15.75
"Well I went to church and
someone did say hello to me
00:44:16.35\00:44:19.49
but they didn't say it nicely
00:44:19.69\00:44:21.20
so I stayed... " Who are
you hurting when you stay home?
00:44:24.52\00:44:29.90
"Oh I can worship
the Lord in my house. "
00:44:32.65\00:44:34.88
Not with that
attitude you can't.
00:44:35.48\00:44:37.73
God's blessing is in the church.
00:44:43.46\00:44:46.37
And as great as it would
be to watch this on television
00:44:47.81\00:44:51.67
it's nothing like
being in the building. Amen!
00:44:51.87\00:44:55.20
Amen! That's why the
Bible says: "Forsake not
00:44:55.44\00:45:00.08
the assembling of yourselves
together, and so much more
00:45:00.28\00:45:05.04
as you see the
day approaching. "
00:45:05.24\00:45:08.89
We need each other. Amen!
00:45:09.29\00:45:11.76
I used to tell my churches
from the smallest to the biggest
00:45:11.86\00:45:16.20
"Like it or not, all
I've got is you... " -
00:45:16.60\00:45:21.13
um-hmm -
00:45:26.67\00:45:28.47
"and all you've got... " Amen!
00:45:28.77\00:45:34.77
And Christ designed it
that we need each other.
00:45:35.84\00:45:38.88
That's why I was so glad
to hear Elder Bradshaw say it,
00:45:40.20\00:45:44.09
Walter Pearson
say it, and Ty say it:
00:45:44.29\00:45:47.14
"We've got to love each...
" "You don't have no choice...
00:45:47.34\00:45:48.98
you have to love me. "
00:45:49.08\00:45:50.50
Have no choice.
00:45:53.59\00:45:55.16
Amen. Amen. Have to love me...
00:45:57.49\00:46:01.11
if you're going
to make it to heaven.
00:46:01.41\00:46:04.22
We are far beyond...
Forgive my pejorative English:
00:46:07.74\00:46:10.90
the one thing we
ain't got time for
00:46:11.30\00:46:15.20
is excuses... 'cause
there are no excuses.
00:46:15.80\00:46:19.98
Hebrews chapter 1...
Hebrews chapter 3 verse 2:
00:46:21.14\00:46:23.99
"How shall we escape if we
neglect so great salvation? "
00:46:25.56\00:46:30.57
I like this from the
New Living translation.
00:46:30.87\00:46:33.50
"What makes us
think... " um-hmm...
00:46:33.73\00:46:37.47
"What makes us think that we can
escape if we are indifferent -
00:46:37.97\00:46:41.43
make excuses - to this great
announcement of salvation? "
00:46:41.63\00:46:46.02
Romans chapter 13 verse
1- again, Living Bible -
00:46:47.41\00:46:50.65
"The coming of the
Lord is nearer than when we
00:46:50.95\00:46:54.33
first believed. "
00:46:54.43\00:46:56.75
So the first parable focused on
excuses, as poor as they were.
00:47:00.16\00:47:05.59
The burden of the second
parable - Matthew chapter 22-
00:47:05.99\00:47:09.93
is preparation.
00:47:10.03\00:47:12.94
And I've heard a
number of speakers speak about
00:47:13.25\00:47:15.66
preparation. This
parable also talks about
00:47:15.96\00:47:20.88
preparation or the lack thereof.
00:47:21.08\00:47:24.08
No excuses...
only time to get ready.
00:47:25.30\00:47:28.06
Matthew 24:44:
00:47:28.16\00:47:30.46
"Be ye also ready. "
00:47:30.66\00:47:34.60
The Bible... Let me show
you something very interesting.
00:47:37.61\00:47:39.66
These parables are
fascinating studies.
00:47:39.86\00:47:41.80
The Bible says if
you read the parable
00:47:41.90\00:47:43.84
that the master sent his servant
00:47:44.04\00:47:46.58
to call those who
were already invited.
00:47:46.78\00:47:49.43
That puzzled me. Call
those who were invited?
00:47:50.63\00:47:52.74
Invited... what do
you need to be called for?
00:47:53.04\00:47:54.68
You already got invited.
00:47:54.98\00:47:56.01
But I found out in the
Middle East - and this is why
00:47:56.39\00:47:58.71
taking trips to Israel is
so fulfilling because as you
00:47:58.81\00:48:01.54
talk to people you get a little
insight into the culture -
00:48:01.64\00:48:04.23
evidently in Jewish
times and even to today
00:48:04.53\00:48:07.99
when a very-high-class
wedding was to take place
00:48:09.19\00:48:12.98
an original
invitation was sent out,
00:48:13.18\00:48:15.95
the RSVP's were sent back,
00:48:16.25\00:48:18.86
and then a
secondary invitation went out
00:48:19.26\00:48:23.20
usually hand-delivered
or delivered by a messenger
00:48:23.40\00:48:27.31
himself. That's
part of a custom.
00:48:27.42\00:48:29.84
So when the Bible says he...
inviting those who are called
00:48:30.14\00:48:33.74
I looked up the word
called. The called really means
00:48:33.94\00:48:36.86
reminded. So
evidently the parable is saying
00:48:37.06\00:48:42.25
"You already
got your invitation;
00:48:42.28\00:48:44.78
you already RSVP'd,
00:48:44.98\00:48:48.11
this is simply a friendly re-
minder so you can be prepared. "
00:48:48.31\00:48:52.34
My doctor does
that all the time.
00:48:52.64\00:48:54.03
They'll call and they'll say:
"Tomorrow is your appointment.
00:48:54.43\00:48:56.78
You've made your
appointment, you've signed,
00:48:56.98\00:48:58.28
we're just reminding
you so you don't miss it. "
00:48:58.48\00:49:00.20
Well praise God
that in His mercy
00:49:00.60\00:49:03.45
God sent us a reminder,
and the reminder's name
00:49:03.65\00:49:07.27
was Jesus Christ. Amen!
00:49:07.47\00:49:09.58
The call to the Jewish
people was already made in the
00:49:10.08\00:49:12.67
Old Testament
through the prophets.
00:49:12.77\00:49:14.59
Hebrews 1:1 says
God was very kind
00:49:15.09\00:49:18.51
in the past and in
diverse manners spoke to us
00:49:18.71\00:49:21.37
through the prophets...
Now speaks to us through?
00:49:21.57\00:49:25.30
Jesus Christ. So Jesus
Christ is hand delivering
00:49:25.50\00:49:30.73
the reminder. He's saying:
"Don't forget you've got an
00:49:30.93\00:49:35.62
appointment with
destiny. " Amen? Amen!
00:49:35.72\00:49:38.66
And He's doing it in the
temple where He can get the most
00:49:38.76\00:49:41.34
traction where the
most people can hear Him.
00:49:41.44\00:49:44.02
The invitation is hand-delivered
by Jesus Christ Himself.
00:49:44.22\00:49:50.14
The first call delivered
in the Old Testament times
00:49:50.37\00:49:52.94
and now Christ delivering
this second call to the Jewish
00:49:53.14\00:49:57.72
people. Matthew chapter 24 says
00:49:57.82\00:50:01.46
Christ has since then
sent any number of reminders.
00:50:01.66\00:50:05.66
We've talked about them.
I heard Jim talk about them
00:50:06.06\00:50:08.50
and others talk about
them: earthquakes, wars,
00:50:08.80\00:50:11.04
rumors, famines, pestilences...
00:50:11.24\00:50:13.14
the preponderance of
murder in this world.
00:50:13.54\00:50:17.01
And I think that may be the
clearest statement that Christ
00:50:17.11\00:50:20.71
is coming soon: man
simply has no respect
00:50:20.91\00:50:26.82
for life. And it
starts off with a hellish
00:50:26.92\00:50:32.18
Darwinium dictum that
says "Daddy was a gorilla;
00:50:32.38\00:50:36.14
Momma was a chimpanzee; and
God is out of the picture. "
00:50:36.34\00:50:40.00
And now we're left with
murder and no respect for life.
00:50:41.29\00:50:45.33
Those are reminders,
ladies and gentlemen,
00:50:45.53\00:50:47.14
that Jesus is coming soon.
00:50:47.24\00:50:50.23
Then Christ sends us
the Holy Spirit: John 16:13.
00:50:50.96\00:50:54.82
He says: "When the Spirit comes
He's not going to talk about
00:50:55.02\00:50:56.66
Himself. It's not His job.
He's going to testify of Me. "
00:50:56.76\00:51:02.72
So Christ is reminding
us: "It's time to get ready...
00:51:06.01\00:51:08.28
time to get
ready... time to get ready.
00:51:08.48\00:51:10.28
No excuses. No time
to reject the offer of
00:51:10.48\00:51:14.45
salvation. " The
Jewish leaders did not want
00:51:14.85\00:51:18.68
Christ and they
persecuted everybody who did.
00:51:18.78\00:51:21.24
So this parable
has a secondary facet.
00:51:21.44\00:51:24.44
I've got to move
fast... the clock is my enemy
00:51:24.74\00:51:27.18
'cause I want to
close with a quick story.
00:51:27.28\00:51:28.86
The secondary facet of
this very wonderful parable
00:51:29.16\00:51:31.30
is a man who slips into
the wedding improperly attired.
00:51:31.40\00:51:36.73
Doesn't have the
wedding garment on.
00:51:38.90\00:51:40.51
And the Bible says
before the party actually begins
00:51:40.81\00:51:43.93
the King makes an inspection.
00:51:44.03\00:51:46.22
That inspection,
ladies and gentlemen,
00:51:46.42\00:51:47.93
is the Investigative Judgment.
00:51:48.03\00:51:49.62
That's why Jesus
says in Revelation 22:12
00:51:49.73\00:51:52.34
"Behold I am coming
quickly and My reward is... "
00:51:52.54\00:51:55.66
So Christ has already made up
who is going to get the goodies
00:51:55.96\00:51:58.93
when He comes.
00:51:59.33\00:52:01.65
The Bible says: "How'd you
get in here without the proper
00:52:02.84\00:52:06.01
attire? " That wedding garment
is obviously the righteousness
00:52:06.11\00:52:09.73
of Christ. Cannot be
bought; cannot be bartered;
00:52:10.13\00:52:14.69
cannot be
stolen; cannot be earned.
00:52:14.90\00:52:17.45
It is a gift.
00:52:17.85\00:52:20.51
And that is why... that is why
00:52:21.01\00:52:24.35
when the parable ends
00:52:24.56\00:52:28.36
the consequences are so stark.
00:52:28.56\00:52:31.43
If you look at
the first parable,
00:52:31.93\00:52:33.84
the guy is simply
sent away from the supper.
00:52:35.88\00:52:37.89
He goes to bed without any food.
00:52:38.39\00:52:39.97
But look at the conse-
quences of this new parable.
00:52:41.23\00:52:43.44
The Bible says, one,
the King sends an army
00:52:44.98\00:52:47.63
and destroys the people,
00:52:47.84\00:52:50.12
and this man is
cast into outer darkness.
00:52:50.42\00:52:53.65
You know what outer
darkness is a code word for?
00:52:53.95\00:52:56.69
Second death.
00:52:56.99\00:52:59.29
Second death.
00:53:00.70\00:53:01.77
Why such harsh punishment?
00:53:02.27\00:53:06.19
Because time is running short
00:53:06.42\00:53:08.48
and Christ is trying
to get them to understand
00:53:08.88\00:53:11.69
"You don't have time
to make up a decision.
00:53:12.69\00:53:14.88
You don't have time to play.
00:53:15.18\00:53:16.60
There's only time to
get right with Jesus. "
00:53:16.80\00:53:20.61
Powerful parables! And Christ
is upping the ante because He
00:53:21.41\00:53:25.06
knows... He knows in
less than sixty hours
00:53:25.16\00:53:29.15
He'll be hanging from a cross
00:53:29.25\00:53:30.67
and the same streets that
echoed with loud Hosannahs
00:53:30.97\00:53:36.00
to the King will
echo in just two days with
00:53:36.20\00:53:39.54
"Crucify Him! Let
Him be crucified. "
00:53:39.84\00:53:44.18
Brothers and sisters,
time is running out on us too.
00:53:46.26\00:53:50.66
We don't know how many days.
00:53:52.51\00:53:54.67
We don't know how many hours.
00:53:55.07\00:53:56.61
We don't know how many minutes.
00:53:57.11\00:53:58.67
All we know is that
Jesus is coming soon.
00:53:59.07\00:54:05.01
And so Christ says
we have got to be ready.
00:54:06.93\00:54:10.05
I'm going to
jump over something,
00:54:11.26\00:54:12.29
and I want to close with a story
that really touched my heart.
00:54:12.38\00:54:14.97
It is very, very true.
I've talked with the people
00:54:15.17\00:54:17.62
who are part of this story.
00:54:17.92\00:54:19.15
A mother and three sons
were members of the church.
00:54:21.09\00:54:24.35
And something happened
and it happened so long ago
00:54:25.45\00:54:28.46
that they don't really
remember what... what it was.
00:54:28.56\00:54:33.34
But the mother was so
upset she left the church
00:54:33.84\00:54:36.71
and took her
three boys with her.
00:54:36.81\00:54:38.11
And for years - decades -
they were out of the church.
00:54:39.27\00:54:43.68
And so much time had elapsed
00:54:43.98\00:54:45.95
that they couldn't remember
the original infraction.
00:54:46.05\00:54:48.75
All they remembered
is: "We're not members
00:54:48.95\00:54:50.74
of that church any more. "
00:54:50.84\00:54:52.76
And before the mother passed
00:54:54.41\00:54:57.91
she came to her senses
00:54:59.56\00:55:01.34
and re-joined the church.
00:55:02.58\00:55:06.81
But her legacy
was being played out
00:55:08.20\00:55:11.41
in the lives of those 3 boys
who had grown up without God.
00:55:11.61\00:55:15.70
And the two oldest sons
started families of their own
00:55:18.00\00:55:22.28
realized you know we don't even
remember what it was that pushed
00:55:22.48\00:55:27.00
us out of the
Seventh-day Adventist church.
00:55:27.20\00:55:29.00
"We ought to go
get right with God;
00:55:29.30\00:55:31.31
we ought to give our
hearts to the Lord. "
00:55:31.62\00:55:33.04
And since they lived fairly
near to each other, they began
00:55:33.34\00:55:36.36
to go to church together,
they began to study together,
00:55:36.46\00:55:38.64
they began to worship together.
And they joined the church
00:55:38.84\00:55:41.55
and were baptized on
the self-same Sabbath.
00:55:41.75\00:55:44.48
But there was that younger son
who had really taken it hard.
00:55:45.94\00:55:50.34
He was drinking and smoking
and living a horrible life.
00:55:50.57\00:55:53.06
And so they decided:
"Before it's too late, let's fly
00:55:53.36\00:55:56.81
to where he lives and try
to get this young boy... "
00:55:56.91\00:55:59.66
Young son... he was the young-
est son but he wasn't a boy,
00:55:59.86\00:56:01.84
he was a man...
"back into the church. "
00:56:01.95\00:56:04.34
And so they flew and they
decided to spend one weekend
00:56:04.54\00:56:06.13
with him. Got to the
house and the son said:
00:56:06.23\00:56:09.76
"Listen, I know why you're
here. I don't want to hear it.
00:56:09.96\00:56:11.95
I don't want to be part of it,
and if you're going to talk that
00:56:12.15\00:56:14.20
religion garbage you can just
turn around and get on a plane
00:56:14.30\00:56:16.36
and go back home. "
00:56:16.47\00:56:17.60
So they said: "No, we're
just coming. We haven't seen you
00:56:19.16\00:56:21.52
in a while. We're just
coming to try to be with you. "
00:56:21.62\00:56:24.32
So they waited one full
day before they even brought up
00:56:24.82\00:56:27.74
the name of Jesus. And as
the name of Jesus came out of
00:56:27.94\00:56:31.14
one of the boys' mouth
that youngest son began
00:56:31.24\00:56:33.32
to curse and swear and
scream "I don't want to hear it.
00:56:33.42\00:56:35.76
It's garbage.
I'm not part of that.
00:56:35.97\00:56:37.89
I don't want to hear it. " And
they waited another full day.
00:56:38.09\00:56:40.26
This time they took
him out to a restaurant.
00:56:40.66\00:56:43.25
They figured he wouldn't
curse and swear and scream
00:56:43.45\00:56:45.38
in a restaurant. Public place?
00:56:45.48\00:56:47.33
And so they said: "You know,
we've given our hearts to the
00:56:47.83\00:56:49.95
Lord. You oughta. "
And as they said Lord
00:56:50.06\00:56:52.40
in a public restaurant
cursing and screaming like
00:56:52.70\00:56:54.91
you never would believe.
00:56:55.01\00:56:56.32
"I don't want to hear it! "
00:56:58.56\00:56:59.93
When they got him
home that night they said:
00:57:01.48\00:57:02.82
"You know we're
leaving in the morning.
00:57:02.92\00:57:04.37
I don't know if
there's anything we can say. "
00:57:04.87\00:57:07.01
So they said: "You
know, Momma gave her heart
00:57:08.83\00:57:11.56
back to God before she died,
and we are back in the church.
00:57:11.66\00:57:17.20
When we get to
heaven Momma's going to see
00:57:18.60\00:57:22.79
us two and you know she's
going to ask for the baby boy.
00:57:22.99\00:57:26.51
What shall we tell Momma? "
00:57:26.71\00:57:27.87
And that broke his heart.
00:57:28.77\00:57:30.98