Shall we bow our
heads for prayer?
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Our Father in heaven, what
a joy and a privilege it is
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to come into Your presence
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to sing praises to Your name,
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to speak with You in prayer,
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and to hear You speak with us
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through the
ministration of Your Holy Word.
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We ask that as we open that Word
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that Your Holy Spirit
will hover over this place
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and give us clear minds
and tender hearts to receive
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the message
that You have for us.
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We thank you for the privilege
of approaching Your throne
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boldly... knowing that
You hear us and You answer.
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And Father, we ask
that You will answer
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because we ask it in the
precious name of Your beloved
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Son Jesus Christ, Amen.
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We'd like to begin our
study today at that verse
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which has basically been the
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theme of the Genesis series:
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Genesis chapter 3 and verse 15.
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Genesis chapter 3 and verse 15.
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Here God is
speaking to the serpent.
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He's speaking to
Satan... to the devil...
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and notice what He says:
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Genesis chapter 3 and verse 15
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speaks about two seeds.
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One Seed is righteous
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and the other seed is wicked.
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But in our study this morning
we don't want only to talk about
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the righteous Seed
and the wicked seed.
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In fact, we're going to discover
that there's only one kind
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of righteous Seed
but there are actually
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two types of wicked seeds.
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Now you're probably wondering
what I mean by two types
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of wicked seeds. Well, the
fact is that in our study today
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we're going to notice that there
is one type of wicked person
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who is overtly wicked.
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In other words, openly wicked.
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We would call them ungodly.
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And by the way,
this type of individual
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would be illustrated by
the publicans and the sinners
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of Christ's day.
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Outcasts of society.
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Ungodly so to speak.
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But then there's a
second type of wicked seed,
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and that is those
who are covertly wicked.
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In other words, they don't
appear wicked on the surface
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but they are wicked actually
in their thoughts and in
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their hearts. They
are covertly wicked.
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And of course this type of
wicked person is illustrated
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by the scribes
and the Pharisees.
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And so when Genesis 3:15
speaks about a wicked seed
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we need to understand
that that seed includes
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two different
types of wicked people.
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First, those who
are overtly wicked -
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in other words, they
live a disorderly lifestyle
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and don't care much about it -
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and those who
are covertly wicked.
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In other words, they
put on a wonderful veneer,
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a wonderful exterior,
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but their hearts and their
minds are far away from God
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illustrated by the
scribes and the Pharisees.
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Now in our study today
we are going to particularly
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take a look at the
second type of wicked seed:
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those who are covertly wicked.
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Those who have a wonderful
front but whose hearts and
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whose minds are
alienated from God.
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Now this type of wicked person
is illustrated in the parable
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of the wheat and the tares.
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This parable is
found in Matthew chapter 13
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and verses 24 through 30.
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And basically I'm
going to read the passage
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and then we're going to go
back and interpret the symbols
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of this parable.
Matthew chapter 13
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and verses 24 to 30.
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It says this:
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This is the famous parable
of the wheat and the tares.
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And we're going to notice
that the tares in this parable
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represent a particular
type of wicked person:
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a person who
does not appear wicked
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but in the sight of God is
even more wicked than those
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who are overtly unrighteous.
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Now we have several
symbols in this parable.
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Let's take a look at
the symbols in order.
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Back to Matthew 13 and verse 24.
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Matthew 13 and verse 24.
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We have three symbols
here that we want to interpret.
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It says there in verse 24:
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Three symbols.
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Number one: the sower
who is referred to as a man.
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Second symbol: good seed.
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And the third symbol: the
field where the seed is planted.
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So we have a
sower; we have good seed;
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and we have a field.
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Now what is represented
by these three symbols?
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Let's go down to the
interpretation that Jesus gave
00:09:14.52\00:09:18.02
of this parable. And
it's wonderful that Jesus gave
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an explanation of the parable.
He didn't always do that.
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Notice Matthew 13
and verses 37 and 38.
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Matthew 13:37-38.
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So we know who the Sower is.
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The Sower is Jesus.
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Then it says:
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And by the way, I'm
going to qualify that.
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It is not just the
world in general...
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it is the church
of Jesus in the world.
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We're going to notice
that as we study along.
00:10:00.56\00:10:03.20
It's particularly the
church as the church is found
00:10:03.43\00:10:06.87
in all of the
places of the world.
00:10:07.00\00:10:09.10
So it says: "He who sows the
good seed is the Son of Man. "
00:10:09.54\00:10:12.41
That's another way
of saying the righteous.
00:10:26.52\00:10:30.79
The saved, if you please.
00:10:31.03\00:10:33.36
And so you have three symbols.
00:10:33.60\00:10:35.76
You have the Sower,
00:10:36.00\00:10:37.77
the good seed, and the field.
00:10:37.90\00:10:40.30
The Sower is Jesus.
00:10:40.54\00:10:42.40
The good seed are the righteous.
00:10:42.54\00:10:45.41
And the field represents
the world... more specifically
00:10:45.54\00:10:49.68
the church of Jesus as
it is found in the world.
00:10:49.81\00:10:55.35
But there's
more to this parable.
00:10:55.52\00:10:57.45
Notice Matthew
13 verses 25 and 26.
00:10:57.59\00:11:02.29
We have here three additional
symbols in the parable.
00:11:02.52\00:11:06.46
It says there in verse 25:
00:11:07.23\00:11:09.90
I want you to notice
that... that's very important.
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We're going to come
back to it in a moment.
00:11:15.80\00:11:17.51
Should they have been vigilant?
00:11:21.38\00:11:22.91
Should the men
have been vigilant?
00:11:23.24\00:11:25.75
Should those who take care
of the field have been vigilant?
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Absolutely.
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Particularly referring to
the leaders of the church...
00:11:34.56\00:11:38.09
So they're sleeping.
There's an enemy who comes.
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So we have tares.
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Now what do these
symbols represent:
00:11:57.65\00:11:59.81
the symbol of sleep,
the enemy, and the tares?
00:12:00.05\00:12:05.82
Well, we don't have to guess
00:12:06.05\00:12:08.16
because in Matthew 13:38-39
00:12:08.29\00:12:11.76
Jesus explains the symbols.
00:12:11.93\00:12:14.83
It says there:
00:12:15.06\00:12:16.80
So what do the tares represent?
00:12:22.34\00:12:24.37
The tares represent the sons
or the seed of the wicked one.
00:12:24.71\00:12:30.51
And who is this
wicked one? It says:
00:12:31.58\00:12:34.32
So you have
sleeping; you have the enemy;
00:12:40.42\00:12:45.36
and you have the tares.
00:12:45.59\00:12:47.50
Now allow me to read you
a very interesting statement
00:12:47.76\00:12:52.00
that we find in Testimonies
to the Church, Volume 3,
00:12:52.33\00:12:57.14
page 113 about
the sleeping aspect
00:12:57.47\00:13:02.48
of this parable.
00:13:02.61\00:13:04.21
The author, Ellen
White, had this to say:
00:13:06.21\00:13:09.25
Then she says this:
00:13:36.68\00:13:39.31
"Satan never sleeps... "
00:13:39.45\00:13:42.22
This is a very
telling statement.
00:13:58.10\00:14:00.74
If the church were awake,
00:14:00.97\00:14:03.64
the church would be able
to make sure that the enemy
00:14:03.97\00:14:07.88
did not plant
tares in the church.
00:14:07.91\00:14:11.21
But because many times the
church is under the effects
00:14:11.65\00:14:15.38
of anesthesia or the church
is sleeping and not vigilant,
00:14:15.52\00:14:19.59
the devil comes in
and he plants tares
00:14:19.75\00:14:22.46
and we can't even tell
what the devil is doing.
00:14:22.79\00:14:25.96
By the way, even
worse than sleeping
00:14:26.80\00:14:32.00
and have the devil
plant the tares in the church
00:14:32.13\00:14:35.24
is the idea of knowingly
00:14:35.57\00:14:39.17
planting tares in the church.
00:14:39.61\00:14:43.18
And you say: "Pastor,
are you saying that sometimes
00:14:43.41\00:14:46.08
tares are planted in the
church by the servants? "
00:14:46.21\00:14:49.88
That's exactly what I'm saying.
00:14:50.22\00:14:51.99
I'd like to read another
statement that we find in
00:14:52.42\00:14:54.99
Testimonies Volume 5, page 172.
00:14:55.02\00:14:58.33
You know, we live in a world
- in a religious world - where
00:14:58.66\00:15:02.70
everybody thinks that that
which is big and spectacular
00:15:02.73\00:15:07.34
is the best.
00:15:07.37\00:15:09.07
And so we have the idea that
we need to plant mega-churches:
00:15:09.60\00:15:13.81
churches with 10,000...
20,000... 30,000 members.
00:15:14.04\00:15:18.81
And we have the idea that
we want to fill the church.
00:15:19.05\00:15:23.85
But the question is: what
are we filling the church with?
00:15:24.12\00:15:29.99
Is it just possible
that not only are we sleeping
00:15:30.43\00:15:35.06
and allowing the devil
to come and plant the tares
00:15:35.10\00:15:37.53
but we are knowingly
participating in the process
00:15:37.57\00:15:40.90
of planting the tares.
Allow me to read this statement.
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Very telling statement...
powerful. She says this:
00:15:44.41\00:15:47.88
"The accession of members... "
00:15:48.58\00:15:51.68
Accession means the
entrance of members.
00:15:53.08\00:15:55.12
"who have not
been renewed in heart
00:15:55.35\00:15:59.19
and reformed in life
00:15:59.52\00:16:02.59
is a source of
weakness to the church. "
00:16:03.83\00:16:07.76
I'm going to read that again.
00:16:08.06\00:16:09.83
"The accession of members who
have not been renewed in heart
00:16:10.83\00:16:13.97
and reformed in life
00:16:15.00\00:16:17.87
is a source of
weakness to the church. "
00:16:18.21\00:16:21.48
And we say that
strength is in numbers.
00:16:21.91\00:16:26.45
Think again.
Strength is in piety.
00:16:26.68\00:16:31.12
Strength is in character.
00:16:32.12\00:16:34.56
She continues saying:
00:16:34.82\00:16:36.49
"This fact is often ignored. "
00:16:36.83\00:16:40.10
And now she's going
to meddle with me...
00:16:40.53\00:16:42.63
"Some ministers and churches
00:16:43.60\00:16:48.14
are so desirous of
securing an increase of numbers
00:16:48.27\00:16:53.58
that they do not bear
faithful testimony against
00:16:54.64\00:16:58.55
unChristian
habits and practices. "
00:16:58.68\00:17:01.82
"Let 'em come in...
the importance is having
00:17:04.59\00:17:07.46
just lots of
people in the church. "
00:17:07.49\00:17:09.52
She continues saying:
00:17:10.73\00:17:12.39
"Those who accept the truth
00:17:13.63\00:17:16.06
are not taught that they
cannot safely be worldlings
00:17:16.20\00:17:21.17
in conduct while they
are Christians in name.
00:17:21.20\00:17:25.04
Heretofore they
were Satan's subjects.
00:17:26.04\00:17:28.64
Henceforth they are
to be subjects of Christ.
00:17:28.98\00:17:33.62
The life must testify
to the change of leaders.
00:17:34.08\00:17:38.69
Public opinion... " We
would call them polls today...
00:17:39.69\00:17:45.33
"Public opinion favors a
profession of Christianity.
00:17:45.36\00:17:50.70
Little self-denial or
self-sacrifice is required
00:17:51.33\00:17:57.41
in order to put on a form of
00:17:57.54\00:18:00.58
godliness and to have one's
00:18:00.61\00:18:03.08
name enrolled upon the church
00:18:03.21\00:18:05.41
book. Hence,
many join the church
00:18:05.45\00:18:09.48
without first
becoming united to Christ.
00:18:09.62\00:18:12.82
In this Satan triumphs. "
00:18:13.69\00:18:16.96
Now notice this:
00:18:18.09\00:18:19.43
"Such converts are his
most efficient agents. "
00:18:19.66\00:18:24.57
Are the openly irreligious
00:18:25.83\00:18:29.07
the greatest
threat to the church?
00:18:29.30\00:18:31.21
No! She says: "Such
converts are the devil's
00:18:31.64\00:18:35.28
most efficient agents.
00:18:35.41\00:18:37.25
They serve as
decoys to other souls.
00:18:37.58\00:18:41.92
They are false lights
00:18:42.25\00:18:44.59
luring the unwary to perdition.
00:18:44.82\00:18:47.39
It is in vain that men
seek to make the Christian path
00:18:47.82\00:18:52.46
broad and
pleasant for worldlings.
00:18:52.59\00:18:55.96
God has not smoothed or
widened the rugged, narrow way.
00:18:56.40\00:19:02.17
If we would enter into life,
00:19:02.50\00:19:05.07
we must follow the same path
which Jesus and His disciples
00:19:05.21\00:19:09.58
trod... the path of humility,
00:19:09.71\00:19:12.85
self-denial, and sacrifice. "
00:19:12.98\00:19:16.48
That is a
powerfully telling statement.
00:19:17.12\00:19:20.19
And I fear sometimes that
even within our own church -
00:19:20.52\00:19:24.29
not our own local church
but within the Seventh-day
00:19:24.43\00:19:27.60
Adventist church - we're
so anxious to grow in numbers
00:19:27.60\00:19:31.80
that we don't present a
clear and decided testimony
00:19:31.93\00:19:36.47
so that we make sure that people
know what they're deciding
00:19:36.74\00:19:39.87
for before they join the
church before they are baptized.
00:19:39.91\00:19:43.35
And as a result, what
happens is we are consciously
00:19:43.48\00:19:47.88
planting tares
within the church.
00:19:48.02\00:19:52.09
Not even sleeping any more
00:19:52.22\00:19:53.96
but actually
knowingly doing this.
00:19:54.09\00:19:58.29
Now you notice in
this parable that it says
00:19:59.03\00:20:02.20
that the tares are the
sons of the wicked one.
00:20:02.33\00:20:05.63
Now allow me to pursue
that just for a moment.
00:20:06.50\00:20:09.60
Notice John
chapter 8 and verse 44.
00:20:10.34\00:20:13.71
Remember we're talking
about a particular type of
00:20:13.84\00:20:16.61
wicked person today.
We're not talking about
00:20:16.64\00:20:18.58
those who are openly wicked.
We're not talking about those
00:20:18.71\00:20:22.15
who are overtly unrighteous.
00:20:22.18\00:20:24.39
You know, you can tell by
their lives that they don't
00:20:24.52\00:20:27.56
profess Christianity...
they don't care about religion.
00:20:27.59\00:20:30.56
They don't care about ordering
their lives according to the
00:20:30.79\00:20:33.46
Ten Commandments.
We're talking about
00:20:33.50\00:20:35.03
a covert type of wicked person
00:20:35.16\00:20:37.60
which in the sight of
Jesus was the worst type.
00:20:37.73\00:20:40.07
Now in John 8 verse 44
Jesus is speaking - listen up -
00:20:41.07\00:20:44.91
to religious people.
00:20:45.04\00:20:47.14
He's not speaking to
the publicans and sinners.
00:20:47.58\00:20:50.25
He's speaking to the righteous
00:20:50.48\00:20:52.75
and notice what He says to them:
00:20:52.88\00:20:54.95
What are the tares?
00:21:00.29\00:21:01.79
The sons of whom?
00:21:01.82\00:21:03.09
The sons of the wicked one.
00:21:03.32\00:21:05.43
Now Jesus says to these
00:21:05.66\00:21:07.46
religious people:
00:21:07.50\00:21:09.06
I find it amazing here that
Jesus would call those religious
00:21:25.28\00:21:30.12
people - the scribes,
the Pharisees... those who
00:21:30.15\00:21:34.12
went to the temple and
worshiped God every day,
00:21:34.16\00:21:37.33
those individuals who
apparently had great piety -
00:21:37.46\00:21:41.33
and Jesus would say to
them: "You are of your father
00:21:41.50\00:21:45.80
the devil. " You are the
devil's seed in other words.
00:21:46.07\00:21:50.07
Amazing! So is it
possible to be religious
00:21:50.31\00:21:53.88
and still be the
seed of the devil?
00:21:54.01\00:21:56.08
Absolutely. And I know
that what I'm saying here
00:21:56.31\00:21:58.95
is not politically
correct... but it's the truth.
00:21:58.98\00:22:03.08
As they said to
Martin Luther once,
00:22:03.45\00:22:06.22
you know, when he stood
there at the Diet of Worms.
00:22:06.35\00:22:08.99
He says: "My conscience is
captive to the Word of God.
00:22:09.12\00:22:13.13
Here I stand... I
can do no other. "
00:22:13.26\00:22:15.40
They said: "That is
heresy, Dr. Luther. "
00:22:17.50\00:22:20.34
And Luther says:
"Heresy - but it is the truth! "
00:22:20.77\00:22:25.51
Now I want you to notice I
John chapter 3 and verse 12.
00:22:28.18\00:22:31.38
Here it speaks
about someone else
00:22:32.81\00:22:35.15
who was of this
type of wicked person.
00:22:35.38\00:22:38.59
I John 3:12.
00:22:38.92\00:22:41.09
Speaking about an
individual who is called Cain.
00:22:41.72\00:22:44.16
Anybody ever heard of Cain?
00:22:44.29\00:22:45.79
Let me ask you: was
Cain a religious person?
00:22:46.93\00:22:49.03
Was he? Sure he was.
00:22:50.17\00:22:52.50
Did he raise an altar? Yes.
00:22:52.53\00:22:55.47
Did he bring an
offering? He sure did.
00:22:55.60\00:22:58.81
Did he come and
present the offering?
00:22:59.34\00:23:01.68
Did he bow and worship the
Lord? He most certainly did.
00:23:02.61\00:23:05.88
He was a religious person,
00:23:06.11\00:23:08.38
and yet I want you to
notice I John 3 verse 12.
00:23:08.62\00:23:11.39
It says:
00:23:11.69\00:23:12.82
By the way, is this
story going to be repeated?
00:23:37.81\00:23:40.52
In this Genesis series
we studied a whole lecture
00:23:41.12\00:23:43.89
on the Battle of Armageddon
00:23:43.92\00:23:45.35
and we analyzed in detail
the story of Cain and Abel.
00:23:45.69\00:23:48.76
And we noticed that this story
is actually a small-scale model
00:23:49.62\00:23:54.10
of what's going to
happen at the very end of time.
00:23:54.20\00:23:56.63
The only difference is that
at the beginning you have two
00:23:56.87\00:23:59.37
individuals; at the end
you have two world-wide groups.
00:23:59.40\00:24:02.64
Is it just possible that
at the end of human history
00:24:03.07\00:24:06.68
those who
profess to be religious -
00:24:06.81\00:24:10.35
those who are
overtly religious -
00:24:10.48\00:24:12.98
are actually going
to become persecutors
00:24:13.21\00:24:16.42
of God's people?
00:24:16.55\00:24:18.35
Do you know that Jesus
said in John 16 verses 1-2
00:24:18.69\00:24:21.59
that the day is coming
when those who kill you
00:24:22.02\00:24:25.29
will actually think that
they're doing God a service?
00:24:25.33\00:24:28.33
It's amazing.
00:24:29.10\00:24:30.80
The end-time scenario is
not of irreligious people,
00:24:31.03\00:24:36.10
apostate people, worldly people
00:24:36.44\00:24:42.11
becoming the
enemy of God's people.
00:24:42.34\00:24:44.75
The scenario is people
who profess to be religious
00:24:45.08\00:24:48.85
coming against God's people.
00:24:48.98\00:24:51.85
Notice also John
chapter 6 and verse 70.
00:24:52.29\00:24:55.42
John chapter 6 and verse 70.
00:24:55.66\00:24:57.63
It's speaking here
about Judas Iscariot.
00:24:57.86\00:25:00.96
That's a very interesting story.
00:25:03.16\00:25:05.33
Notice what Jesus
had to say about Judas.
00:25:05.57\00:25:08.57
John 6 and verse 70.
00:25:08.80\00:25:10.67
What did Jesus call Judas?
00:25:22.82\00:25:25.82
He called him a devil.
00:25:26.69\00:25:28.56
Now, let's take a look at Judas.
00:25:28.99\00:25:30.99
Was Judas part
of the inner circle?
00:25:32.79\00:25:34.76
Did he claim to follow Jesus?
00:25:36.90\00:25:38.53
He most certainly did.
00:25:38.77\00:25:40.70
Did the disciples think
that he had a promising future?
00:25:41.04\00:25:44.61
Oh yes. I mean,
even till the very end
00:25:45.24\00:25:50.35
Judas had the
disciples deceived.
00:25:51.55\00:25:54.25
Was he a tare in
the midst of the wheat?
00:25:55.78\00:25:58.12
Absolutely.
00:25:58.45\00:25:59.85
In fact, when Jesus said to
Judas: "What you're gonna do
00:26:00.09\00:26:04.09
go and do it quickly"
the disciples were so blind
00:26:04.23\00:26:07.83
that they thought that Jesus
was sending Judas on an errand.
00:26:07.96\00:26:11.10
They didn't understand
that Jesus was saying:
00:26:12.57\00:26:14.70
"Go and betray Me. "
00:26:14.84\00:26:16.44
They were so blinded because
00:26:16.67\00:26:19.54
Judas was a very capable man.
00:26:19.67\00:26:21.51
You find in Desire of Ages
00:26:21.74\00:26:22.94
a description of him. He was
the tallest of the disciples.
00:26:22.98\00:26:25.81
Very wise when it came to
the administration of money.
00:26:26.51\00:26:29.65
A shrewd
businessman you might say.
00:26:29.88\00:26:32.32
You know, very charismatic.
00:26:33.25\00:26:34.89
They considered him a great
asset for the future of the
00:26:35.12\00:26:37.96
church. And yet Jesus
said: "One of you is a devil. "
00:26:37.99\00:26:43.77
One in the inner circle.
00:26:44.00\00:26:46.57
A tare if you please.
00:26:46.60\00:26:49.67
Do you know that the scribes and
the Pharisees were also tares?
00:26:49.90\00:26:54.58
They were also this
second type of wicked person
00:26:54.84\00:26:58.25
or unrighteous person?
00:26:58.48\00:26:59.61
And by the way, God considers
this type of unrighteous person
00:26:59.81\00:27:04.02
worse than the one who is
overtly unrighteous and worldly.
00:27:04.15\00:27:08.42
If you don't believe it,
you remember the story of the
00:27:08.69\00:27:11.19
Pharisee and the publican
00:27:11.23\00:27:12.69
that came to the temple to pray?
00:27:12.83\00:27:14.63
And the Pharisee says:
"I thank you, Lord, that
00:27:14.96\00:27:18.50
I'm not like other men.
00:27:18.63\00:27:20.10
I fast twice a week.
00:27:21.27\00:27:24.04
I pay tithe from
everything that I earn. "
00:27:24.37\00:27:27.04
And he says: "I
especially thank you, Lord,
00:27:27.94\00:27:31.01
that I'm not like
this miserable, overt
00:27:31.15\00:27:35.92
publican that has
come to worship here. "
00:27:36.25\00:27:39.89
Let me ask you: who
went home justified?
00:27:42.49\00:27:44.83
Jesus said that the
publican went home justified.
00:27:46.49\00:27:50.37
The overt sinner went
home justified because he said:
00:27:50.50\00:27:53.90
"Lord, be merciful
to me - a sinner. "
00:27:54.14\00:27:56.84
He repented of his sin,
00:27:56.97\00:27:58.64
and it was more acceptable for
him than it was for the person
00:27:58.87\00:28:02.68
who had this
righteous holy veneer.
00:28:02.81\00:28:06.68
Notice what Jesus said
in Matthew 23 and verse 33.
00:28:07.65\00:28:12.72
Speaking about the
scribes and the Pharisees
00:28:12.85\00:28:15.96
Jesus had to say this.
00:28:16.19\00:28:18.23
Politically
incorrect language, folks.
00:28:20.10\00:28:22.96
Jesus said:
00:28:23.37\00:28:24.60
Speaking to the
scribes and Pharisees.
00:28:28.87\00:28:30.67
Now let me ask you:
what do snakes breed?
00:28:30.91\00:28:33.94
Snakes.
00:28:35.71\00:28:37.55
So if Jesus here calls
these individuals serpents,
00:28:37.78\00:28:41.35
who were they born from?
00:28:41.48\00:28:42.98
They must have been
born from the serpent, right?
00:28:43.22\00:28:46.32
They're babies of the
serpent if you please.
00:28:47.02\00:28:49.79
So Jesus said:
"Serpents, Brood of vipers!
00:28:49.82\00:28:53.09
Individuals who had a
wonderful external veneer
00:28:57.50\00:29:01.97
of righteousness but
in the sight of God wicked
00:29:02.10\00:29:04.51
because their hearts
were far away from God.
00:29:04.54\00:29:06.94
Notice Matthew 23:27-28.
00:29:07.31\00:29:10.98
This is the famous chapter
where Jesus pronounces His woes
00:29:11.68\00:29:15.18
upon the scribes
and the Pharisees.
00:29:15.32\00:29:17.12
Matthew 23 verses 27 and 28.
00:29:17.45\00:29:20.42
Jesus says this:
00:29:20.66\00:29:22.09
Let me ask you, have you seen
some pretty nice looking graves?
00:29:39.21\00:29:42.74
I've seen some real nice ones.
00:29:44.38\00:29:46.28
You know, for those of you
who are going to Battle Creek
00:29:46.61\00:29:48.98
this Fall you're going to
see some mausoleums that are
00:29:49.12\00:29:52.22
incredible there
at Oak Hill Cemetery.
00:29:52.35\00:29:55.02
Impressive. Let me ask you,
though: what is inside there?
00:29:55.26\00:29:59.96
It looks beautiful outside
but inside it's full of what?
00:30:01.13\00:30:05.40
It's full of bones... dry bones.
00:30:05.73\00:30:09.80
Notice once again: "Woe
to you scribes and Pharisees,
00:30:10.97\00:30:14.18
hypocrites! for you
are like whitewashed tombs
00:30:14.31\00:30:17.21
which indeed
appear beautiful outwardly
00:30:17.35\00:30:19.45
but inside are full of... "
00:30:19.71\00:30:23.08
You know, it's a sobering
thought that the strongest words
00:30:40.17\00:30:45.14
of rebuke of Jesus
00:30:45.27\00:30:46.68
fell upon health reforming,
tithe paying, Sabbath keeping
00:30:46.91\00:30:51.41
people. Thank you, Melvin.
00:30:51.45\00:30:56.89
Hallelujah!
00:30:57.12\00:30:58.65
You know, Jesus had a lot more
to say about the self righteous
00:31:00.12\00:31:03.66
than about the unrighteous.
00:31:03.79\00:31:05.79
I don't know
whether you've noticed that.
00:31:06.03\00:31:07.73
Now I'd like to read another
statement that we find in the
00:31:08.76\00:31:12.10
book Our High Calling.
00:31:12.13\00:31:13.94
This is a statement
in a devotional book.
00:31:13.97\00:31:16.27
Powerful! Notice what it says:
00:31:16.64\00:31:20.48
No doubt where they stand.
00:31:49.34\00:31:52.07
You know, if you want to know
00:31:52.21\00:31:53.38
where they stand, just go to
00:31:53.41\00:31:55.31
San Francisco on Gay Pride Day.
00:31:55.44\00:31:57.45
I mean, you know...
00:31:58.95\00:32:00.45
I don't agree with what they do
00:32:00.68\00:32:02.35
but they come out and they
00:32:02.48\00:32:04.05
proclaim it and they announce it
00:32:04.09\00:32:05.72
That's the first type of person.
00:32:06.76\00:32:09.06
First type of Satan's seed.
00:32:09.19\00:32:12.49
But there's a second type
00:32:12.93\00:32:14.10
which is even worse.
00:32:14.10\00:32:15.53
She says:
00:32:15.76\00:32:16.87
What kind of Christians are you?
00:32:45.99\00:32:48.10
What kind of Christian am I?
00:32:49.03\00:32:51.03
Am I a good seed?
00:32:52.13\00:32:54.47
Or do I fit in one of
these two categories of seeds
00:32:54.80\00:32:58.54
that we're
discussing this morning?
00:32:58.87\00:33:01.08
Now you'll notice in the
parable that the servants
00:33:02.74\00:33:05.11
say to the owner of the field
00:33:05.25\00:33:07.88
"What do you want us to do? "
00:33:08.22\00:33:09.75
"Do you want us
to pluck up the tares
00:33:09.98\00:33:13.15
so they don't damage the
wheat? " In fact, let's read it:
00:33:13.39\00:33:15.62
Matthew 13:27-29.
00:33:15.86\00:33:18.19
Matthew 13:27-29.
00:33:18.53\00:33:21.66
It says here:
00:33:23.60\00:33:25.20
So in other words
the tares and the wheat
00:34:11.01\00:34:13.42
are supposed to
grow together until when?
00:34:13.55\00:34:16.42
Until the harvest.
00:34:16.75\00:34:18.39
You say: "Well Pastor, I
guess that means that there's no
00:34:19.45\00:34:21.76
church discipline. "
00:34:21.79\00:34:23.63
Do you know we live in a period
00:34:23.96\00:34:25.53
of time when if discipline is
00:34:25.56\00:34:28.80
applied to someone they say "Oh,
00:34:28.83\00:34:30.13
that's so unkind
00:34:30.27\00:34:31.90
to put someone on censure
00:34:32.33\00:34:34.37
or to remove someone
from the church books.
00:34:35.30\00:34:38.01
That's not kind. "
00:34:38.34\00:34:40.34
We live in a time such as that.
00:34:41.38\00:34:43.41
In a disciplineless society.
00:34:43.65\00:34:47.82
And so you say: "But here,
Pastor, it says that you're
00:34:50.12\00:34:52.15
supposed to let the wheat
and the tares grow together
00:34:52.19\00:34:55.79
until the
harvest. " That's true.
00:34:55.92\00:34:58.83
But allow me to read you a
statement that gives the balance
00:34:59.93\00:35:03.26
and the explanation about
the fact that this doesn't mean
00:35:03.60\00:35:06.87
that we're to allow anything
in the church. Anything goes...
00:35:07.00\00:35:10.84
even overt open sin.
00:35:11.01\00:35:13.48
This statement is in Christ
Object Lessons page 71 and 72.
00:35:14.01\00:35:18.58
When someone practices open sin
00:35:32.59\00:35:34.73
do you have to judge their
00:35:34.86\00:35:35.86
motives?
00:35:35.90\00:35:37.20
For example, an individual
in church commits adultery.
00:35:37.53\00:35:40.94
If you say: "We're going to
discipline you for committing
00:35:42.80\00:35:46.51
adultery" would it be
right for that person to say
00:35:46.54\00:35:49.81
"You can't judge me? "
00:35:49.84\00:35:51.21
Of course not.
00:35:51.45\00:35:52.88
Because the behavior is what?
00:35:53.21\00:35:55.68
It's open... it's an open book.
00:35:55.92\00:35:59.05
That's overt sin.
00:36:00.49\00:36:02.52
And in those cases Ellen White
says that church discipline
00:36:02.96\00:36:06.56
is not only
allowable but desirable.
00:36:06.70\00:36:10.23
She says: "Christ has plainly
taught that those who persist
00:36:10.47\00:36:12.67
in open sin must be
separated from the church. "
00:36:12.70\00:36:16.27
In other words, you can judge
00:36:27.85\00:36:29.08
the outside. When the outside is
00:36:29.12\00:36:30.89
openly contrary to God's will
00:36:31.02\00:36:33.02
church discipline can and
00:36:33.25\00:36:35.22
should be applied.
00:36:35.26\00:36:36.62
But you cannot judge people's
intentions and motivations.
00:36:36.96\00:36:40.93
You cannot judge
their character -
00:36:41.03\00:36:42.80
you cannot judge their heart -
00:36:42.93\00:36:44.03
because only God can see that.
00:36:44.07\00:36:45.90
She says: "He has not committed
to us the work of judging
00:36:47.07\00:36:49.80
character and motive. He
knows our nature too well
00:36:49.94\00:36:54.11
to entrust this work to us... "
00:36:54.24\00:36:55.84
Now for those of you
who think that perhaps
00:37:41.26\00:37:43.96
God made a mistake by saying
"Let the tares grow with the
00:37:44.09\00:37:46.96
wheat" and it would have
been better to uproot the tares
00:37:47.00\00:37:49.56
God practices what He preaches.
00:37:49.80\00:37:52.37
You remember the
story of Lucifer in heaven?
00:37:53.34\00:37:56.30
Did God know that
Lucifer was a tare?
00:37:57.47\00:38:01.48
Yes He did.
00:38:02.51\00:38:04.11
Did He uproot him immediately?
00:38:04.35\00:38:06.78
He did not.
00:38:07.02\00:38:08.38
Did He allow the devil
to remain there in the midst
00:38:08.62\00:38:12.05
of the righteous and holy
angels to do his vile work?
00:38:12.19\00:38:15.79
Yes. In fact, 1/3 of the angels
00:38:15.96\00:38:19.29
sided with
Satan or with Lucifer.
00:38:19.43\00:38:21.96
Why didn't God pull
up the tares right away?
00:38:22.00\00:38:25.77
Because He knew that the
angelic host would have doubts
00:38:26.00\00:38:31.74
because it was necessary for
the great controversy to come
00:38:31.87\00:38:35.24
to full fruition
00:38:35.28\00:38:37.15
when you could
see the mature tares
00:38:37.98\00:38:41.85
and the mature wheat
together at the very end.
00:38:41.88\00:38:45.69
And of course the moment came
when the difference was clearly
00:38:46.02\00:38:49.46
seen... the lines
were drawn in heaven.
00:38:49.49\00:38:51.83
And then Satan and his
angels were cast out of heaven.
00:38:52.06\00:38:55.33
So God Himself
showed the principle.
00:38:55.56\00:38:57.93
You also have the
example of Judas Iscariot.
00:38:58.17\00:39:00.47
Did Jesus know from the very
beginning that Judas Iscariot
00:39:01.70\00:39:05.17
was a tare? Of course He did.
00:39:05.31\00:39:08.08
Why didn't He say:
"Forget it. You're a tare.
00:39:08.11\00:39:09.84
I don't want you as
one of My disciples? "
00:39:09.98\00:39:11.58
Did He allow Judas
to come in? Yes He did.
00:39:12.01\00:39:15.05
In fact, do you know when
that scribe came to Christ
00:39:15.22\00:39:18.62
and he said: "I'll
follow You wherever You go"
00:39:18.85\00:39:22.26
and Jesus says: "Birds
have nests and foxes have holes
00:39:22.39\00:39:25.83
but the Son of Man doesn't
have any place to lie His head"
00:39:25.96\00:39:29.00
do you know that that individual
that came to Jesus was Judas?
00:39:29.13\00:39:31.83
And Jesus was saying to
Judas "Listen, if you're in this
00:39:33.57\00:39:36.77
for the loaves and fishes,
00:39:36.91\00:39:38.37
if you're in this
for fame and for money,
00:39:38.51\00:39:40.98
you can forget it because
there's no money in this.
00:39:41.01\00:39:44.15
Birds have nests... I
don't even have a nest.
00:39:45.11\00:39:47.75
Foxes have holes...
I don't have any place
00:39:47.98\00:39:50.52
that I can call home. "
00:39:50.55\00:39:51.89
So Jesus tried to discourage him
00:39:52.82\00:39:55.09
but he still decided
to join the disciples.
00:39:55.22\00:39:57.13
And do you know the
Sprit of Prophecy tells us
00:39:58.03\00:40:00.53
that Judas was a source of
contention among the disciples
00:40:00.66\00:40:04.27
all the way through
the ministry of Jesus.
00:40:04.40\00:40:06.40
And yet the
disciples thought he was great.
00:40:07.64\00:40:09.94
And the tare and
the wheat grew together
00:40:10.84\00:40:15.08
until at the end of the
3-1/2 year ministry of Jesus
00:40:15.21\00:40:19.78
the difference between
Judas and the disciples
00:40:20.02\00:40:23.49
is clearly
revealed and clearly seen.
00:40:23.62\00:40:26.89
And we all know
what happened to Judas.
00:40:27.02\00:40:29.16
Judas went and committed
suicide and he hung himself.
00:40:29.39\00:40:33.09
You see, if Jesus had
uprooted Judas before this
00:40:33.43\00:40:36.23
the disciples would have
thought: "What is this man
00:40:36.36\00:40:38.47
doing? This is one
of the most prominent
00:40:38.50\00:40:43.24
and one of the
most promising prospects
00:40:43.37\00:40:45.87
that we have in this group. "
00:40:46.01\00:40:48.54
But Jesus had to
allow things to mature.
00:40:48.78\00:40:51.91
Now we still have to talk
about the harvest, the reapers,
00:40:53.01\00:40:55.62
the binding and the burning.
00:40:55.75\00:40:57.15
Let's go to Matthew
chapter 13 and verse 30.
00:40:57.49\00:41:01.46
Matthew chapter 13 and verse 30.
00:41:01.69\00:41:04.99
It says here:
00:41:06.06\00:41:07.73
Now there's four symbols
that I want us to take a look at
00:41:32.39\00:41:35.02
as we near the end
of our study today.
00:41:35.16\00:41:38.19
First of all... the harvest.
00:41:38.53\00:41:41.26
Secondly... the reapers.
00:41:42.30\00:41:45.20
Third... the binding
and fourth... the burning.
00:41:45.43\00:41:51.37
By the way, all of
these are stages in a process.
00:41:52.71\00:41:56.98
What is represented by
the process of separating
00:41:58.51\00:42:04.19
the wheat from the tares
00:42:04.32\00:42:06.25
and binding the tares and
binding the wheat in bundles?
00:42:06.49\00:42:11.13
Revelation chapter 14
and verse 7 has the answer.
00:42:12.89\00:42:15.83
There's this angel -
powerful angel - that
00:42:17.20\00:42:20.10
flies in the midst of heaven
00:42:20.24\00:42:21.87
having the everlasting gospel
to preach to every nation,
00:42:22.20\00:42:25.31
kindred, tongue, and people.
00:42:25.44\00:42:27.31
And he says in a loud voice
00:42:27.54\00:42:29.54
"Fear God and give glory to Him
00:42:29.68\00:42:31.61
for the hour of His judgment
00:42:31.85\00:42:34.35
has come. "
00:42:34.58\00:42:36.55
Let me ask you: when are
the righteous separated from
00:42:36.89\00:42:39.69
the wicked? Is it at the moment
of the second coming of Christ?
00:42:39.72\00:42:42.86
Is that when the righteous
are separated from the wicked?
00:42:43.86\00:42:46.29
When Jesus comes? No.
00:42:46.33\00:42:49.26
The process takes place in
heaven before the second coming
00:42:50.07\00:42:55.17
of Jesus. Because after
the first angel proclaims
00:42:55.20\00:42:59.64
"the hour of His
judgment has come"
00:42:59.77\00:43:02.21
when you get to the third
angel's message, there you have
00:43:03.11\00:43:06.38
the two harvests. You
have the harvest of the earth
00:43:06.51\00:43:09.28
and you have the
grapes of the earth.
00:43:09.42\00:43:10.92
They are totally separated.
00:43:11.05\00:43:12.69
But the judgment
took place in heaven
00:43:12.82\00:43:16.22
before the
second coming of Christ.
00:43:16.56\00:43:18.79
Because if this angel announced
"the hour of His judgment
00:43:19.03\00:43:21.66
has come, " this is happening
while the door of probation
00:43:21.70\00:43:25.17
is still open, correct?
00:43:25.20\00:43:26.87
What good would it be to preach
that the hour of His judgment
00:43:27.10\00:43:29.14
has come if
probation has closed?
00:43:29.17\00:43:31.04
It wouldn't do any good.
00:43:31.37\00:43:32.84
And so this judgment takes
place before the second coming
00:43:33.07\00:43:35.48
of Christ on earth.
00:43:35.51\00:43:37.18
That's when the
wheat is tied in bundles.
00:43:37.41\00:43:41.88
It's separated from the tares
00:43:42.02\00:43:43.39
and the tares are
separated from the wheat.
00:43:43.62\00:43:46.52
In fact, allow me
to read you a statement
00:43:46.86\00:43:48.92
that we find in the book
Christ Object Lessons page 72.
00:43:49.06\00:43:52.49
Ellen White had a profound
perception when it came to
00:43:55.20\00:43:58.43
what the Bible teaches.
00:43:58.67\00:44:00.84
She says this:
00:44:01.07\00:44:02.74
Did you catch that?
00:44:20.86\00:44:22.32
The harvest is
when? The second coming?
00:44:22.56\00:44:24.63
The harvest is the
end of probationary time.
00:44:24.86\00:44:28.73
You know, we can go
back to the story of Noah...
00:44:29.80\00:44:31.97
which we've studied
in this seminar before.
00:44:32.10\00:44:34.34
When were the righteous
saved and the wicked lost?
00:44:36.14\00:44:39.47
Was it the moment
it started to rain?
00:44:39.81\00:44:42.11
Or was it when the
door of the ark closed?
00:44:42.34\00:44:45.68
You know the answer.
00:44:46.01\00:44:47.38
The closing of the door
took place before the rain.
00:44:47.62\00:44:51.02
And so the closing of the
door of probation for the world
00:44:52.09\00:44:55.39
is going to close
before Jesus actually comes
00:44:55.52\00:44:58.89
to gather His
people into His barn.
00:44:59.03\00:45:01.53
So you have the
separating of the wheat
00:45:01.76\00:45:04.17
and the tares, and you
have the tying of the wheat
00:45:04.30\00:45:07.30
in bundles and the
tying of the tares in bundles.
00:45:07.44\00:45:10.31
This represents the
judgment that is taking place
00:45:10.54\00:45:13.07
in heaven right now as I speak.
00:45:13.11\00:45:16.24
Jesus is separating the
righteous from the wicked
00:45:16.51\00:45:20.25
and He's tying the
righteous in bundles
00:45:20.38\00:45:22.98
in such a way
that when Jesus comes
00:45:23.22\00:45:26.52
He will send His angels to
gather the wheat into His barn.
00:45:26.65\00:45:32.26
Now let's notice Matthew
chapter 13 and verses 40-43.
00:45:32.43\00:45:37.37
Matthew 13 verses 40-43.
00:45:37.60\00:45:40.60
There's several
things that we want to notice
00:45:40.84\00:45:43.00
in this passage.
Here Jesus is explaining
00:45:43.14\00:45:46.74
the meaning of the harvest
and the binding and the burning
00:45:46.78\00:45:50.21
and so on. It says here:
00:45:50.25\00:45:51.78
Did these individuals
belong to His kingdom?
00:46:26.41\00:46:28.88
How can He gather
them out of His kingdom
00:46:29.32\00:46:32.09
if they did not at some
point belong to His kingdom?
00:46:32.22\00:46:34.96
And so it says:
00:46:35.72\00:46:36.86
That word offend is very
00:46:48.00\00:46:49.17
interesting.
00:46:49.20\00:46:50.37
It usually applies in the
00:46:50.51\00:46:52.34
gospels to people
00:46:52.37\00:46:53.74
who have been with
Jesus, have followed Jesus,
00:46:53.88\00:46:57.88
and at some point a
stumbling block comes
00:46:58.01\00:47:00.78
and they are offended.
00:47:00.92\00:47:02.52
In fact, in John 16:1-2
Jesus says to the disciples:
00:47:02.95\00:47:06.55
"I'm telling you these things
so that you are not offended. "
00:47:06.69\00:47:10.09
So the fact that these are
gathered out of His kingdom
00:47:11.39\00:47:14.40
and the fact that the things
that offend are gathered out
00:47:15.56\00:47:19.57
indicates that these are
not overtly wicked people.
00:47:19.70\00:47:22.77
These are what? These
are covertly wicked people.
00:47:22.90\00:47:27.51
And so it says:
00:47:28.14\00:47:29.84
"They will gather
out of His kingdom
00:47:30.91\00:47:32.75
all things that
offend. " And now notice this:
00:47:32.88\00:47:37.29
"those who practice... " What?
00:47:37.32\00:47:40.92
"lawlessness. "
00:47:41.36\00:47:43.39
And you say: "Oh well,
Pastor Bohr, see there it is.
00:47:43.73\00:47:46.43
These are people
who are overtly wicked.
00:47:46.46\00:47:48.53
They're openly wicked... it
says that they're lawless. "
00:47:49.33\00:47:51.37
Let me ask you: do
you remember that passage
00:47:52.90\00:47:55.00
in Matthew chapter 7? In
fact, let's go there just
00:47:55.14\00:47:57.54
for a moment. Matthew chapter 7
00:47:57.57\00:48:01.01
and verses 21 to 23.
00:48:01.24\00:48:03.55
Don't miss this point.
00:48:03.88\00:48:05.61
Matthew 7:21-23.
00:48:05.85\00:48:09.48
Here it says this:
00:48:09.72\00:48:11.25
"Not every who says
to Me 'Lord, Lord... ' "
00:48:13.22\00:48:16.66
Would these be Christians?
00:48:18.26\00:48:20.26
Would they? Of course.
00:48:21.40\00:48:24.30
A non-Christian
wouldn't call Jesus Lord.
00:48:24.53\00:48:26.50
"Not everyone who
says to Me 'Lord, Lord'
00:48:27.57\00:48:30.87
shall enter the
kingdom of heaven
00:48:31.67\00:48:33.98
but he who does the
will of My Father in heaven.
00:48:34.11\00:48:37.05
Many will say to Me in that day:
00:48:37.95\00:48:40.32
'Lord, Lord, have we not
prophesied in Your name? '
00:48:40.65\00:48:46.49
Were these Christians?
00:48:47.56\00:48:48.92
Sure they were.
00:48:49.16\00:48:50.39
'Cast out demons in Your name,
00:48:52.56\00:48:55.10
and done many
wonders in Your name? '
00:48:56.26\00:48:59.23
Why?
00:48:59.37\00:49:03.57
Is it possible to apparently
have the gift of prophecy,
00:49:03.81\00:49:06.47
to cast out demons,
and to perform miracles
00:49:06.61\00:49:08.71
and not be on the side of Jesus?
00:49:08.84\00:49:10.58
Do it all in the
name of Jesus? Absolutely.
00:49:10.81\00:49:13.65
Notice verse 23:
00:49:14.72\00:49:17.19
"And then I
will declare to them:
00:49:17.42\00:49:20.22
'I never knew you. ' "
00:49:22.12\00:49:23.89
Yeah, because some people
say: "Well, Pastor, you know
00:49:24.03\00:49:26.26
they were once with God.
You know, when they cast out
00:49:26.39\00:49:28.50
demons and they did these
things in the name of Jesus
00:49:28.53\00:49:30.77
they were with Jesus
and then they went astray. "
00:49:30.90\00:49:32.80
But the fact is Jesus
says here: "I NEVER knew you. "
00:49:33.94\00:49:37.27
Not even while they
were casting out demons
00:49:38.47\00:49:40.84
and prophesying in His name
00:49:40.98\00:49:42.61
and doing miracles in His name.
00:49:42.74\00:49:44.41
"And then I will declare
to them: 'I never knew you.
00:49:44.75\00:49:48.55
Depart from Me you
who practice... ' " What?
00:49:48.78\00:49:53.05
"You who practice lawlessness. "
00:49:53.39\00:49:56.29
So when this parable in
Matthew 13 speaks of those
00:49:57.76\00:50:02.60
who practice lawlessness
00:50:02.73\00:50:04.40
does that necessarily
mean that it's talking about
00:50:04.53\00:50:06.57
those who are overtly wicked?
00:50:06.70\00:50:08.40
Absolutely not.
00:50:09.24\00:50:10.87
Do you know, folks, that
there is a lot of wickedness
00:50:11.21\00:50:14.08
that goes on in the church
unseen except by holy angels?
00:50:14.21\00:50:17.91
People who come
to church, they pray,
00:50:20.35\00:50:23.85
listen to sermons.
00:50:23.99\00:50:26.22
Maybe even come
to prayer meeting.
00:50:27.96\00:50:29.79
The religious life
appears to be in order.
00:50:30.96\00:50:33.80
But there's a second,
unseen, life to human beings
00:50:34.86\00:50:40.40
that is taking
place behind the scenes.
00:50:40.44\00:50:42.60
That's what this is talking
00:50:43.51\00:50:44.97
about. And folks, I'll tell you,
00:50:45.01\00:50:47.58
in the religious world today
00:50:47.71\00:50:49.08
there's a lot of
self-righteousness.
00:50:49.11\00:50:50.78
There are people who are
openly condemning gay marriage
00:50:52.05\00:50:55.45
and they're openly
condemning abortion
00:50:55.68\00:50:58.99
when if you examine their lives
00:50:59.95\00:51:03.02
you would find that their
lives are filled with hypocrisy
00:51:03.16\00:51:06.53
and that they are
really living a lie
00:51:06.86\00:51:09.06
because it's all a
façade to gain power and to gain
00:51:11.00\00:51:15.07
influence. And so Jesus says
00:51:15.10\00:51:19.94
that He will gather out
of His kingdom - notice,
00:51:21.28\00:51:24.01
"out of His kingdom
those that are offended... "
00:51:24.15\00:51:28.42
That refers most of
the time to the righteous
00:51:28.65\00:51:32.32
or professedly righteous.
00:51:32.45\00:51:33.92
"and those who
practice lawlessness. "
00:51:34.06\00:51:35.99
Matthew 7 indicates
that these are individuals
00:51:36.22\00:51:38.29
who externally are OK
internally they have a problem.
00:51:38.43\00:51:41.86
And now notice what
it continues saying:
00:51:42.20\00:51:44.27
Let me ask you:
when are the wicked
00:51:50.74\00:51:52.41
cast into the furnace of fire?
00:51:52.54\00:51:54.28
This parable
actually takes us where?
00:51:56.38\00:51:59.55
It takes us all the way
to the period at the end
00:51:59.91\00:52:04.12
of the millennium.
In fact, do you know -
00:52:04.25\00:52:08.79
just a little sidelight
- do you know the Spirit of
00:52:08.92\00:52:12.13
Prophecy says that
there's going to be a group
00:52:12.16\00:52:14.83
of individuals
outside the Holy City
00:52:14.96\00:52:17.07
who are going to feel like
God has incorrectly put them
00:52:17.20\00:52:21.90
out there? In fact, listen up:
00:52:21.94\00:52:27.18
this passage in Matthew 7:
'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy
00:52:28.11\00:52:33.05
in Your name? Lord,
Lord, didn't we cast out demons
00:52:33.08\00:52:35.15
in Your name? Lord, Lord,
didn't we perform miracles
00:52:35.28\00:52:37.12
in Your name? " Do you know
when they're actually going to
00:52:37.25\00:52:39.09
speak this according
to the Spirit of Prophecy?
00:52:39.12\00:52:41.09
They're outside the Holy City
and they're saying to the Lord
00:52:41.22\00:52:43.39
"Lord, what are
we doing out here?
00:52:43.53\00:52:44.59
We're supposed to be inside. "
00:52:44.63\00:52:46.03
Wow!
00:52:48.10\00:52:49.66
So that's not
applying to the second coming
00:52:51.37\00:52:53.64
but to what happens
after the millennium.
00:52:53.67\00:52:55.94
And so it says that
they will be gathered
00:52:57.31\00:52:59.87
and they will be cast
into the furnace of fire.
00:52:59.91\00:53:03.14
This is after the millennium.
00:53:03.28\00:53:05.71
And then notice:
"There will be... " What?
00:53:06.72\00:53:10.15
Some people say: "See,
wailing and gnashing of teeth.
00:53:13.42\00:53:15.76
This is the everlasting fire. "
00:53:15.89\00:53:17.49
It doesn't say
anything about everlasting fire.
00:53:17.63\00:53:19.79
It doesn't say endless
00:53:20.13\00:53:22.46
everlasting wailing
and gnashing of teeth.
00:53:22.60\00:53:25.17
It simply says: "Wailing
and gnashing of teeth. "
00:53:25.50\00:53:28.74
And by the way, do you know that
every time that Jesus uses that
00:53:29.97\00:53:32.87
expression "wailing
and gnashing of teeth"
00:53:32.91\00:53:35.38
in the gospels
it applies to people
00:53:35.51\00:53:37.41
who profess His name.
00:53:37.45\00:53:39.25
He's always addressing
it to the Hebrew nation...
00:53:40.22\00:53:43.35
to the Jewish nation.
00:53:43.59\00:53:44.69
That's another indication
as to who the tares are.
00:53:44.92\00:53:47.72
"There will be wailing
and gnashing of teeth. "
00:53:48.72\00:53:52.09
But now notice the
contrast with God's people.
00:53:52.33\00:53:54.56
It says there in verse 43:
00:53:54.96\00:53:57.87
Have you learned
anything this morning?
00:54:15.58\00:54:17.32
Listen, folks,
we need to realize
00:54:18.45\00:54:22.19
that just because
we're in the church
00:54:22.42\00:54:24.99
does not mean that
we are in the kingdom.
00:54:25.23\00:54:27.76
We need to realize that there
are two kinds of wicked people
00:54:29.86\00:54:33.00
in the sight of God.
00:54:33.23\00:54:35.07
There are those
who are overtly wicked.
00:54:36.24\00:54:38.74
Openly wicked. I
mean, you can tell it.
00:54:38.97\00:54:41.91
And people who commit works
of wickedness in the church:
00:54:43.04\00:54:45.75
members. They're
supposed to be disciplined.
00:54:45.88\00:54:48.18
Disfellowshiped... no
matter how much people say
00:54:48.42\00:54:51.92
"Oh, that's unkind. "
00:54:51.95\00:54:53.19
No! Discipline is
always loving and kind.
00:54:53.42\00:54:55.89
But at the same time it's
firm, because the God of love
00:54:56.12\00:54:58.99
is also a God of justice.
00:54:59.13\00:55:00.56
Are you following me?
00:55:02.83\00:55:04.53
And then of course you have
the second kind of wicked person
00:55:04.87\00:55:07.94
which Jesus condemned
more than the first type,
00:55:07.97\00:55:10.57
and that is
individuals who outwardly
00:55:10.81\00:55:15.01
appear righteous before man
00:55:15.14\00:55:17.35
but inside are
filled with wickedness.
00:55:17.58\00:55:21.98
And basically, they're
living a double life...
00:55:23.22\00:55:25.99
a life of hypocrisy.
00:55:26.12\00:55:28.86
My question is: what kind
00:55:29.29\00:55:32.26
of seed are you?
00:55:33.33\00:55:35.20
Are you a son of the kingdom?
00:55:36.56\00:55:38.57
Am I a son of the kingdom?
00:55:39.80\00:55:41.74
Or are you one of these
other two types of seeds
00:55:43.37\00:55:47.81
that we've spoken about?
00:55:47.98\00:55:49.58
I pray to God that we
00:55:50.41\00:55:54.48
will be the seed
of the woman's seed.
00:55:54.62\00:55:59.75
That we will truly belong
to those who are described
00:56:00.09\00:56:04.13
as the
righteous in this parable.
00:56:04.26\00:56:06.49
That the inside will be
in harmony with the outside.
00:56:07.56\00:56:10.90
And that the outside
will not only be a veneer
00:56:12.07\00:56:15.27
hiding that which is inside.
00:56:15.40\00:56:18.34
And by the way, folks,
the inside and the outside
00:56:19.34\00:56:22.74
must always be in harmony.
00:56:22.88\00:56:24.28
Some people say: "Well,
the only thing that matters
00:56:27.22\00:56:29.68
is my heart. It
doesn't matter what I do.
00:56:29.82\00:56:32.02
God knows my heart. "
No, the fact is, folks,
00:56:32.15\00:56:34.16
that when the heart
changes the life changes.
00:56:34.29\00:56:36.59
The problem is when we try
to live the life and the heart
00:56:37.79\00:56:40.50
isn't changed. That's the tares.
00:56:40.53\00:56:43.16
And so what we need is
a conversion experience
00:56:43.50\00:56:47.00
where we have a change of heart
00:56:47.17\00:56:49.70
and the change of heart -
out of love for Jesus - leads us
00:56:50.04\00:56:54.31
to live a changed
life for His honor
00:56:54.54\00:56:59.81
and for His glory.
00:57:00.15\00:57:02.12
How about it? Do you
want to live that kind of life
00:57:02.45\00:57:05.79
that God would have us live?
00:57:06.12\00:57:07.96
Praise the Lord!
00:57:08.29\00:57:10.49
I pray to God that
that will be our experience
00:57:10.63\00:57:14.20
as we have studied
this well-known parable
00:57:14.36\00:57:17.63
of Jesus of the
wheat and the tares.
00:57:17.77\00:57:21.97