Participants: Pr. Doug Batchelor
Series Code: EG
Program Code: EG002917
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00:09 >> IT'S BEEN 2,000 YEARS SINCE THE GLORIOUS LIGHT OF THE CROSS
00:12 ILLUMINATED A WORLD VEILED IN DARKNESS AND CONFUSION ABOUT THE 00:15 CHARACTER OF GOD. 00:17 AND STILL TODAY THE GREATEST NEED OF MANKIND IS A REVELATION 00:20 OF GOD'S LOVE AS REVEALED IN THE LIFE OF CHRIST. 00:23 AMAZING FACTS PRESENTS, "THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL" WITH 00:26 PASTOR DOUG BATCHELOR COMING TO YOU EACH WEEK FROM SACRAMENTO 00:30 CENTRAL CHURCH IN SUNNY CALIFORNIA. 00:33 DISCOVER HIDDEN TREASURES IN GOD'S WORD TODAY. 00:40 >> I REMEMBER, YEARS AGO, BEING FASCINATED WITH EDDIE FISHER, 00:44 THE CHESS MASTER. 00:45 AND A LITTLE TRIVIA--SOME OF YOU PROBABLY EITHER HEARD 00:52 OF OR SAW THAT CLASSIC FILM CALLED "GONE WITH THE WIND." 00:56 ONE OF THE ACTRESSES WAS EVELYN KEYES, EVELYN KEYES WAS 01:05 THE SISTER OF SCARLETT O'HARA IN THAT FILM. 01:08 SHE WAS A DEAR FRIEND OF MY MOTHERS AND WAS FREQUENTLY 01:11 AT OUR HOUSE. 01:12 WE DIDN'T EVEN CALL HER EVELYN KEYES, WE CALLED HER KASEY. 01:15 AND SHE TAUGHT ME TO PLAY CHESS WHEN I WAS JUST OH, I DON'T 01:18 KNOW, 7, 8, 9 YEARS OLD AND I WAS VERY INTRIGUED BY THE GAME 01:24 OF CHESS. 01:25 I HAVEN'T PLAYED VERY MUCH CHESS IN YEARS, BUT I WAS FOLLOWING IT 01:29 BACK THEN. 01:31 THE IDEA OF THE STRATEGY AND THINKING SO FAR AHEAD. 01:34 THEN I HEARD ABOUT THIS PRODIGY, EDDIE FISHER, WHO WAS JUST 01:37 A GENIUS AND A CHESS MASTER, BECAME A GRAND MASTER AND SORT 01:42 OF BROKE INTO THE--IT WAS BOBBY FISCHER. 01:46 THANK YOU, I KNEW I SAID THAT WRONG. 01:47 EDDIE FISHER WAS ANOTHER SINGER, YEAH. 01:52 WHERE ARE AM I? 01:54 WHO ARE YOU? 01:55 WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? 01:56 ANYWAY IT'S GONNA BE MORE LIKE THIS AS TIME GOES BY. 02:00 ANYWAY, BOBBY FISCHER, THAT'S RIGHT. 02:05 AND SO I WAS INTRIGUED BY THAT AND I REMEMBER HEARING OR 02:10 READING, ACTUALLY, ABOUT HOW WHEN THEY HAD THIS FAMOUS MATCH 02:14 IN ICELAND BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM AND IT WAS MUCH PUBLICIZED 02:18 THAT ONE WRITER INTERVIEWED THE GRAND MASTERS OF CHESS. 02:23 AND HE THOUGHT THERE WAS AN INTERESTING CONSISTENCY WHEN 02:26 THEY WOULD INTERVIEW THESE GRAND MASTERS, THE BEST CHESS PLAYERS 02:30 IN THE WORLD AND THEY TALK ABOUT THE OCCASIONS WHEN THEY LOST. 02:34 THEY SAID, "WELL, WE DIDN'T REALLY LOSE." 02:37 ALWAYS WHENEVER THEY WERE DEFEATED IT WAS BECAUSE, WELL, 02:42 THE OPPONENT DIDN'T REALLY FOLLOW THE LINE OF STRATEGY HE 02:44 SHOULD HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING OR, "YOU KNOW, THE WEATHER THAT DAY 02:49 IT WAS SO HUMID, I JUST COULDN'T THINK." 02:53 OR "I WASN'T ABLE TO SLEEP, I TRAVELED THROUGH SO MANY TIME 02:56 ZONES." 02:58 OR YOU KNOW "I REACHED FOR A PIECE AND MY HAND SLIPPED." 03:03 BUT THEY NEVER SAID, "I WAS OUTSMARTED OR I WAS DEFEATED" 03:09 BECAUSE IT WAS ALMOST UNTHINKABLE THAT A GRAND MASTER 03:11 COULD SAY, "I'VE BEEN BEATEN." 03:14 THEY HAD THIS VERY ELITIST IDEA AND LIVED IN SORT OF AN ILLUSION 03:20 THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE THE BRIGHTEST AND THEREFORE THEY 03:23 COULD NOT BE DEFEATED. 03:25 WELL, OUR MESSAGE TODAY IS TALKING ABOUT THAT KIND OF 03:29 ATTITUDE THAT CAN EVEN DRIFT OVER INTO THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 03:34 AND SO I'VE TITLED THE MESSAGE "TOO GOOD FOR GOD." 03:40 AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS THE CENTRAL CORE OF WHAT I WANT TO 03:43 SAY, YOU PROBABLY DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT EVER BEING TOO BAD 03:49 FOR GOD, BUT THE BIBLE WARNS US THAT IT CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS TO 03:54 THINK YOU'RE TOO GOOD FOR GOD. 03:57 AND THERE'S NO EXAMPLE IN THE BIBLE OF ANYONE THAT WAS 03:59 TOO BAD FOR GOD TO SAVE, BUT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN 04:04 THE BIBLE WHO WERE TOO GOOD FOR GOD TO SAVE. 04:08 AND SO THIS WOULD BE A WARNING THIS MORNING FOR THAT ATTITUDE 04:12 OF THINKING THAT MAYBE YOU'RE TOO GOOD FOR GOD. 04:16 I REMEMBER READING ABOUT AN ENGLISHMAN WHO WAS DRIVING HIS 04:19 FAIRLY NEW ROLLS ROYCE THROUGH THE SWISS ALPS. 04:24 AND HE WENT AROUND TO TURN A LITTLE FAST AND HE HIT A BUMP 04:27 AND IT BROKE ONE OF THE SPRINGS IN THE FRONT OF THE CAR. 04:31 WELL, HE WASN'T SURE WHAT TO DO SO HE LIMPED OFF INTO NEXT SWISS 04:34 TOWN AND HE CALLED ROLLS ROYCE. 04:36 AND AS SOON AS THEY HEARD WHAT HAD HAPPENED, THEY IMMEDIATELY 04:40 FLEW A TECHNICIAN TO SWITZERLAND WHO CAME, HAD THE PARTS, 04:45 REPAIRED THE CAR. 04:46 THE MAN TRIED TO PAY FOR IT AND HE SAID, "NO, THE OFFICE 04:50 WILL TAKE CARE OF THAT." 04:51 HE WOULDN'T EVEN GIVE HIM A BILL. 04:53 AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS WENT BY, THE CAR WASN'T UNDER WARRANTY 04:56 AND HE NEVER GOT A BILL FROM ROLLS ROYCE. 04:58 THE ENGLISHMAN BACK AT HOME, NOW HE CALLED ROLLS ROYCE AND HE 05:00 SAID, "YOU KNOW I'VE NEVER GOTTEN THE BILL FOR THIS BROKEN 05:03 LEAF SPRING." 05:05 AND THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF CONFUSION ON THE LINE. 05:08 PRETTY SOON A QUALITY-CONTROL MANAGER CAME ON THE LINE AND HE 05:12 SPOKE TO THE OWNER OF CAR. 05:14 AND HE SAID, "YOU KNOW THERE SHOULD BE SOME RECORD SOMEWHERE 05:17 ABOUT A BROKEN LEAF SPRING IN SWITZERLAND." 05:20 AND HE SAID, "SIR, THERE MUST BE SOME MISTAKE. 05:23 ROLLS ROYCES DO NOT HAVE BROKEN LEAF SPRINGS." 05:28 I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A TRUE STORY. 05:30 AND THEY DID NOT WANT IT IN THE RECORDS, THEY DID NOT WANT IT IN 05:34 THEIR QUALITY REPORTS THAT THEIR CAR, THIS MODEL, HAD HAD 05:38 A BROKEN SPRING. 05:40 AND SO IT WAS EASIER FOR THEM TO DENY THERE EVER WAS A PROBLEM 05:44 AND PAY FOR IT THAN TO ADMIT IT. 05:47 BUT DO WE EVER FIND OURSELVES DENYING THERE'S A PROBLEM 05:53 BECAUSE WE THINK WE'RE ABOVE IT? 05:55 OR WE USE THE DIVERSIONARY TACTIC OF POINTING AT OTHER 05:58 PEOPLE'S PROBLEMS BECAUSE IT MAKES US, BY COMPARISON, 06:02 FEEL A LITTLE BIT BETTER. 06:04 BIG MISTAKE, IF YOU WANT TO BE SAVED, STEP NUMBER ONE, YOU 06:09 GOTTA ADMIT THAT YOU'RE LOST. 06:12 BEFORE THE LORD CAN SAVE YOU FROM YOUR SINS, YOU MUST ADMIT 06:15 YOU'RE A SINNER AND GOD WARNS AGAINST THIS TENDENCY, 06:19 ESPECIALLY FOUND AMONG CHRISTIANS, TO DENY THAT WE 06:24 ARE SINNERS. 06:26 1 JOHN 1:10, "IF WE SAY WE HAVE NOT SINNED, WE MAKE HIM A LIAR 06:32 AND HIS WORD IS NOT IN US." 06:34 LOT OF VERSES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT AS WELL. 06:38 JEREMIAH 2:35, "YET YOU SAY BECAUSE I'M INNOCENT, SURELY HIS 06:44 ANGER SHALL TURN FROM ME. 06:46 BEHOLD I WILL PLEAD MY CASE AGAINST YOU," GOD IS SAYING, 06:49 "BECAUSE YOU SAY I HAVE NOT SINNED." 06:52 SO THIS SELF-RIGHTEOUS ATTITUDE IS VERY DANGEROUS. 06:58 NOW TO AVOID ANY CONFUSION, I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR RIGHT AT 07:01 THE BEGINNING THAT IN THE TITLE WHEN I TALK ABOUT BEING TOO GOOD 07:04 FOR GOD, I DON'T THINK IT'S BAD TO BE GOOD. 07:08 I THINK IT'S GOOD TO BE GOOD. 07:10 MATTER OF FACT IF WE SOMETIMES GO TO THE OTHER EXTREME AND WE 07:14 SAY YOU KNOW YOU DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT, "IF I'M BAD, I GO TO 07:17 HELL AND IF I'M GOOD I GO TO HEAVEN" BECAUSE THAT MIGHT SOUND 07:19 LIKE IT'S WORKS. 07:21 BUT THE FACT REMAINS GOD WANTS YOU TO BE GOOD. 07:23 IF YOU HAD ANY DOUBTS, HE DOES WANT YOU TO BE GOOD. 07:27 GOD IS GOOD. 07:28 CHRIST IS GOOD. 07:29 IF YOU FOLLOW CHRIST, YOU SHOULD MODEL HIS GOODNESS. 07:32 NOW HERE'S A FEW VERSES TO JUST, LET'S ESTABLISH THAT BEFORE WE 07:35 GO ANY FARTHER 'CAUSE I DON'T WANT MISUNDERSTANDINGS. 07:38 PSALM 34:14, "DEPART FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD. 07:45 SEEK PEACE AND PURSUE IT." 07:46 PSALM 37:3, "TRUST IN THE LORD AND DO GOOD. 07:52 DWELL IN THE LAND AND FEED ON HIS FAITHFULNESS." 07:55 SAME CHAPTER VERSE 27, "DEPART FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD." 08:00 NOT ONLY DO GOOD, DEPART FROM EVIL. 08:02 "AND DWELL FOREVER MORE." 08:04 ISAIAH 1:16, YOU KNOW THIS, "WASH YOURSELVES, MAKE YOURSELF 08:08 CLEAN. 08:09 PUT AWAY THE EVIL OF YOUR DOINGS FROM BEFORE MINE EYES. 08:12 CEASE TO DO EVIL. 08:14 LEARN TO DO GOOD." 08:16 JESUS, OF COURSE, MATTHEW 5:44, "BUT I SAY TO YOU, LOVE YOUR 08:21 ENEMIES, BLESS THOSE WHO CURSE YOU, DO GOOD TO THOSE WHO 08:25 HATE YOU. 08:26 PRAY FOR THOSE WHO SPITEFULLY USE YOU AND PERSECUTE YOU." 08:30 AND GOING TO HEBREWS 13:16, "DO NOT FORGET TO DO GOOD AND TO 08:36 SHARE FOR SUCH SACRIFICES GOD IS WELL PLEASED." 08:39 NOW I WOULD PROBABLY WEAR YOU DOWN IF I WENT THROUGH ALL 08:43 THE DO-GOOD VERSES IN THE BIBLE, BUT HOPEFULLY THERE'S NO 08:46 QUESTION IN ANYONE'S MIND. 08:48 AS OPPOSED TO BEING BAD, GOD WANTS YOU TO BE GOOD, RIGHT? 08:53 GOD IS GOOD. 08:54 CHRISTIANS SHOULD BE IDENTIFIED, NOT FOR OUR BADNESS, BUT FOR 08:57 OUR GOODNESS BUT YOU DON'T WANT TO GET TO THE PLACE WHERE YOU 08:59 THINK YOU'RE TOO GOOD FOR GOD. 09:02 YOU DO GOOD BECAUSE YOU LOVE HIM AND BECAUSE IT'S THE RIGHT 09:05 THING. 09:06 BUT YOU WANT TO AVOID THE IDEA THAT YOU THINK THAT YOU'RE 09:10 BETTER THAN EVERYONE ELSE OR YOU BECOME ELITE. 09:13 JESUS HAD QUITE A BIT TO SAY TO THE SCRIBES AND THE PHARISEES OF 09:16 HIS DAY BECAUSE THEY ALMOST FELT THEY WERE TOO GOOD FOR GOD. 09:20 I'M ENCOURAGED WHEN I LOOK AT THE EXAMPLES IN THE BIBLE OF 09:25 THE PEOPLE THAT JESUS CHOSE TO FOLLOW HIM AND TO REPRESENT HIM. 09:30 IT HELPS ME REALIZE THERE'S HOPE FOR ALL OF US. 09:33 THE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST IN THE BIBLE ARE OFTEN MADE UP OF 09:37 A MOTLEY CREW. 09:39 I LIKE THE STORY IN 1 SAMUEL 22 ABOUT KING DAVID. 09:44 THE ONES WHO GATHERED AND RALLIED AROUND DAVID, 09:46 IT'S AN INTERESTING GROUP. 09:48 1 SAMUEL 22:1, "DAVID THEREFORE DEPARTED FROM THERE AND HE 09:53 ESCAPED TO THE CAVE OF ADULLAM." 09:55 HE'S NOT IN A PALACE, HE'S IN A DAMP CAVE WITH A DIRT FLOOR. 09:59 "AND WHEN HIS BROTHERS AND HIS FATHER'S HOUSE HEARD IT, THEY 10:02 WENT DOWN TO HIM THERE." 10:03 AND LISTEN TO THIS: "AND EVERYONE WHO WAS IN 10:06 DISTRESS AND EVERYONE WHO WAS IN DEBT AND EVERYONE WHO WAS 10:11 DISCONTENTED GATHERED TO HIM." 10:15 SO HE BECAME A CAPTAIN OVER THEM AND THERE WERE ABOUT 400 MEN 10:19 WITH HIM IN ADULLAM. 10:21 THE WORD "ADULLAM" MEANS SEALED PLACE. 10:23 IT WAS SEALED OFF FROM EVERYWHERE ELSE, KIND OF 10:25 A REFUGE. 10:26 AND ALL THESE PEOPLE WHO WERE IN DEBT, WHO WERE DISCONTENT, 10:30 WHO WERE HAVING ALL KINDS OF PROBLEMS WITH THE GOVERNMENT OR 10:33 MAYBE HAD BEEN CAST OUT OF THEIR FAMILY. 10:36 THEY WERE SORT OF THE OFF SCOURING OF SOCIETY, THEY BECAME 10:40 HIS ARMY. 10:42 AND IT'S INTERESTING AS YOU FOLLOW THE HISTORY OF DAVID AND 10:44 HE WENT FROM LIVING IN A CAVE TO ULTIMATELY BEING ENTHRONED, 10:47 THAT'S SAME GROUP THAT STUCK WITH HIM THICK AND THIN, THAT 10:51 MOTLEY CREW, THEY BECAME HIS CABINET IN THE NEW KINGDOM. 10:56 WHO IS GOING TO BE AMONG THE CABINET IN JESUS' KINGDOM? 11:02 IT'S THE MOTLEY CREW OF APOSTLES THAT HE CALLED. 11:06 YOU REALIZE THAT THE FOLLOWERS OF JESUS, THEY WERE NOT THE 11:10 ELITE, SOPHISTICATED, EDUCATED, REFINED PEOPLE OF THE DAY. 11:15 THE FOLLOWERS OF JESUS WERE ALSO A MOTLEY CREW. 11:19 YOU'VE GOT JOHN 7:48-49, "ONE OF THE THINGS THEY HAD AGAINST 11:26 CHRIST WAS THEY SAID, 'HAVE ANY OF THE RULERS OF THE PHARISEES 11:30 BELIEVED ON HIM?' BUT THIS CROWD THAT DOES NOT 11:33 KNOW THE LAW, THEY WERE CURSED." 11:35 I MEAN THE RULERS AND THE PHARISEES AND THE LAWYERS 11:39 AND THE SCRIBES, THEY'RE NOT ENDORSING HIM. 11:42 SO THIS MOTLEY CREW OF FISHERMAN AND SHEPHERDS AND TAX 11:46 COLLECTORS, WHAT DO THEY KNOW? 11:49 THAT OUGHT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING. 11:51 WHO IS GOING TO BE PART OF CHRIST'S CABINET IN THE KINGDOM? 11:55 IT'S GOING TO BE THE APOSTLES. 11:59 WE WILL LIVE AND REIGN WITH JESUS, ISN'T THAT RIGHT? 12:02 THAT'S AN ENCOURAGING THING TO REMEMBER FOR ME. 12:06 YOU KNOW IT MAKES ME THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU FIND WHEN YOU SAIL 12:09 THROUGH NEW YORK HARBOR, THERE'S THAT POEM BY EMMA LAZARUS THERE 12:13 ON THE STATUE OF LIBERTY AND ESPECIALLY THE LAST LINES 12:17 SORT OF DESCRIBES WHY AMERICA'S GREAT. 12:20 "GIVE ME YOUR TIRED, YOUR POOR, YOUR HUDDLED MASSES YEARNING TO 12:25 BREATHE FREE, THE WRETCHED REFUSE OF YOUR TEEMING SHORE. 12:30 SEND THESE, HOMELESS, TEMPEST-TOST TO ME, I LIFT MY 12:34 LAMP BESIDE THE GOLDEN DOOR!" 12:37 YOU KNOW I THINK THAT'S ONE REASON THAT AMERICA'S A GREAT 12:40 COUNTRY IS THAT WE'RE SORT OF A MOTLEY CREW. 12:45 YOU KNOW ENGLAND SENT SOME OF THEIR PRISONERS HERE AS THEY DID 12:47 TO AUSTRALIA. 12:49 GET 'EM OUT OF THE COUNTRY. 12:51 AND YOU HAD THE POOR AND THE WRETCHED TEEMING MASSES AND THE 12:55 PEOPLE LOOKING TO BREATHE FREE AND JUST FOLKS FROM ALL 12:58 DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, AND COMBINED IT TURNED INTO GENIUS. 13:03 BY THE WAY DID YOU KNOW THERE ARE MORE DISEASES THAT YOU WILL 13:06 FIND AMONG THE PUREBREDS IN ANY SPECIES THAN AMONG THE MUTTS? 13:15 HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT'S TRUE? 13:18 NOW WE HAD A GERMAN SHEPHERD WHO STARTED LIMPING AROUND. 13:21 AFTER A FEW YEARS, WE FOUND OUT IT HAD HIP DYSTOCIA. 13:23 AND I SAID, WHAT'S THAT? 13:24 AND THEY SAID, "OH, IT'S COMMON AMONG GERMAN SHEPHERDS. 13:26 IT'S BECAUSE OF THE INBREEDING." 13:29 AND JUST ABOUT EVERY RACE HAVE CERTAIN DISEASES THAT ARE 13:32 EXCLUSIVE TO THAT RACE, BUT THE MORE WE'RE SORT OF MIXED UP, 13:38 THE BETTER GENETIC VITALITY YOU HAVE. 13:41 IT'S THE PUREBREDS THAT OFTEN GET SICK. 13:44 THE BLUE BLOODS WERE THE HEMOPHILIACS OF ROYALTY AND THAT 13:51 ALSO HAPPENS IN CHRISTIANITY. 13:53 YOU JUST DON'T WANT TO BECOME SO REFINED YOU'RE TOO GOOD FOR GOD. 13:58 NOW I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT YOU, YOU KNOW, BE A MUTT. 14:05 I'M JUST TELLING YOU THAT GOD OFTEN SEEMS TO CHOOSE PEOPLE 14:11 THAT DON'T THINK TOO MUCH OF THEMSELVES FOR HIM TO USE, 14:17 OTHERWISE YOU CAN GET TO THE PLACE WHERE YOU'RE TOO GOOD 14:20 FOR GOD. 14:20 LISTEN TO HOW PAUL PUTS IT, 1 CORINTHIANS 1:26 DESCRIBING 14:24 THE EARLY CHURCH, "FOR YOU SEE YOUR CALLING, BRETHREN, THAT NOT 14:29 MANY WIVES ACCORDING TO THE FLESH, NOT MANY MIGHTY, 14:33 NOT MANY NOBLE ARE CALLED. 14:36 BUT GOD HAS CHOSEN THE FOOLISH THINGS OF THIS WORLD TO PUT TO 14:39 SHAME THE WISE. 14:40 AND GOD HAS CHOSEN THE WEAK THINGS OF THIS WORLD TO PUT TO 14:43 SHAME THOSE WHICH ARE MIGHTY." 14:46 YOU KNOW I LIKE THE STORY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, I THINK IT'S IN 14:49 2 KINGS 6 WHEN THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL ARE SURROUNDED AND 14:54 STARVING AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY FIND OUT THE ENEMY'S FLED 14:57 AND THERE'S A GREAT ABUNDANCE OF FOOD. 14:59 AND WHO IS IT THAT DISCOVERS THIS GOOD NEWS? 15:01 FOUR LEPROUS MEN. 15:04 THE GOOD NEWS IS GIVEN TO FOUR LEPROUS MEN. 15:08 A MESSAGE OF LIFE IS GIVEN TO THESE MEN WHO ARE CLOTHED 15:12 IN RAGS. 15:14 WHO DOES JESUS USE TO ANNOUNCE THE RESURRECTION? 15:17 PETER COMES TO THE TOMB AND HE LEAVES AND JOHN COMES 15:20 AND LEAVES. 15:21 HIS OWN MOTHER COMES AND LEAVES, BUT THE ONE WHO LINGERS IS MARY. 15:28 AND HE GIVES THE MESSAGE OF LIFE TO A WOMAN THAT MOST OF US 15:32 BELIEVE WAS REALLY A PROSTITUTE SAVED BY GRACE. 15:36 WHY DID HE GIVE IT TO HER? 15:38 WHY DOES GOD SEEM TO DELIBERATELY CHOOSE THE WEAK 15:43 AND THE INADEQUATE? 15:46 PETER SAID, "LORD, DEPART FROM ME. 15:49 I'M A SINFUL MAN," AND HE WAS TELLING THE TRUTH, WASN'T HE? 15:53 ANYONE DENY THAT PETER, ANYONE DISAGREE? 15:56 WE ALL BELIEVE PETER WAS TELLING THE TRUTH. 15:59 HE WASN'T OVERSTATING THE CASE. 16:01 I MEAN AFTER ALL IF JOHN THE BAPTIST SAID, "I HAVE NEED TO BE 16:04 BAPTIZED OF YOU, JESUS," HOW MUCH MORE WOULD PETER BE 16:06 UNWORTHY? 16:08 AND WHAT DID CHRIST SAY? 16:10 "DO NOT FEAR HEREAFTER YOU WILL CATCH MEN. 16:13 I CAN USE YOU." 16:14 BECAUSE YOU KNOW YOU'RE NOT WORTHY. 16:17 IT'S THOSE OF US WHO FEEL LIKE WE'RE GRAND MASTERS HE CAN'T 16:23 USE. 16:24 NOW THE MOST DANGEROUS THING ABOUT THIS SITUATION IS 16:27 THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE IT DON'T KNOW THEY HAVE IT. 16:32 IT'S KIND OF LIKE SLEEP, YOU CAN ALWAYS KNOW WHEN YOU'RE AWAKE, 16:37 BUT YOU TYPICALLY DON'T KNOW WHEN YOU'RE ASLEEP. 16:39 AND IF YOU'RE HAVING PROBLEMS SLEEPING AND YOU'RE TRYING TO GO 16:41 TO SLEEP, IT'S WHEN YOU REALIZE YOU'RE NOT ASLEEP, YOU'RE AWAKE. 16:49 AM I GOING TOO FAST? 16:52 BUT WHEN YOU ARE ASLEEP, YOU ALMOST NEVER KNOW IT. 16:56 HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE LAID THERE AND GO, "OH, IT'S SO NICE TO BE 16:58 ASLEEP?" 17:00 IT'S ONLY WHEN YOU WAKE UP, YOU REALIZE YOU WERE ASLEEP. 17:03 THAT'S SORT OF HOW IT IS SPIRITUALLY FOR THOSE WHO ARE 17:08 TOO GOOD FOR GOD. 17:10 AND IN A SERMON LIKE THIS, IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO YOUR RIGHT 17:14 AND TO YOUR LEFT THINKIN', "PREACH ON PASTOR DOUG, THEY 17:17 REALLY NEED TO HEAR THIS. 17:19 WOW, HEY, I HOPE YOU'RE LOOKING OVER HERE TO MY LEFT BECAUSE, 17:23 WHOO, THEY REALLY NEED THIS MESSAGE." 17:25 HELLO, FOCUS, COULD BE YOU THAT NEEDS TO HEAR THIS. 17:32 THERE'S A PARABLE THAT JESUS GIVES THAT ILLUSTRATES THIS. 17:37 I ALMOST CHOSE THIS AS THE SCRIPTURE READING. 17:40 LUKE 18, THIS IS EXHIBIT A OF WHAT CHRIST IS WARNING US ABOUT, 17:45 THIS SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS WHERE YOU CAN MAYBE THINK YOU'RE TOO 17:49 GOOD FOR GOD. 17:52 AND THIS MESSAGE IS NOT JUST TO THE SELF-RIGHTEOUS HYPOCRITES, 17:56 THIS IS ALSO TO THE PUBLICANS THAT MAY THINK THEY'RE TOO BAD 18:00 FOR GOD. 18:02 LUKE 18:10, "TWO MEN WENT TO THE TEMPLE TO PRAY," THAT'S 18:08 THE CHURCH. 18:09 IS THAT GOOD? 18:12 THAT IS GOOD. 18:15 IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE COME TO THE HOUSE OF GOD AND PRAY. 18:17 YOU CAN PRAY AT HOME, BUT I THINK IT'S ALSO GOOD TO COME 18:20 CHURCH, PRAY HERE, COME TO A PRAYER MEETING TO PRAY, COME TO 18:23 HOME STUDIES AND PRAY TOGETHER, BUT THESE MEN ARE VERY 18:29 DIFFERENT. 18:31 ONE WAS A PHARISEE, THE OTHER A PUBLICAN OR A TAX COLLECTOR. 18:35 NOW JUST IN CASE YOU DON'T KNOW, PHARISEES WERE THE RELIGIOUS 18:40 GRAND MASTERS. 18:42 THEY WERE EXTREMELY METICULOUS ABOUT THE CLOTHES THEY WORE 18:46 AND THEY TIED LITTLE BITS, PHYLACTERIES OF THE LAW ON THEIR 18:50 HAND AND THEY HAD LITTLE BOXES ON THEIR FOREHEADS. 18:53 THEY STILL DO THIS TODAY, THE ORTHODOX JEWS, LITTLE LEATHER 18:56 BOXES WHERE THEY GOT LITTLE PIECES OF THE WORD OF GOD THAT 18:59 ARE ON THEIR FOREHEAD SO THEY CAN SAY, "I'VE GOT THY WORD 19:02 BETWEEN MY EYES ON MY HAND." 19:04 AND THEY WENT THROUGH LOTS OF RITUAL WASHINGS BEFORE THEY 19:08 WOULD EAT. 19:09 AND THEY WERE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO BE DEFILED BY BEING AROUND 19:13 UNBELIEVERS AND THEY KIND OF JUST STAYED TOGETHER BECAUSE, 19:17 YOU KNOW, YOU DIDN'T WANT TO BE EXPOSED AND CONTAMINATED BY 19:19 THE UNBELIEVERS. 19:20 AND THERE'S JUST THIS, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE SO PREOCCUPIED WITH 19:24 BEING PURE AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE STRIVE FOR 19:28 HOLINESS, THAT THEY NOT ONLY INSULATED THEMSELVES, 19:32 THEY ISOLATED THEMSELVES. 19:34 CHURCH IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE A SUBMARINE WHERE WE JUST STICK 19:38 THE PERISCOPE UP EVERY NOW AND THEN TO SEE WHAT THE WORLD'S 19:41 DOIN' AND THEN WE GO BACK INTO OUR OWN LITTLE BUBBLE, AND 19:45 THAT'S SORT OF HOW THE PHARISEES LIVED. 19:46 THEY HAD THIS IDEA THAT THEY WERE IN A SELF-CONTAINED 19:50 SUBMARINE UNTIL THEY GO TO THE OTHER SIDE AND THE MESSIAH CAME. 19:55 YOU DON'T REACH MANY PEOPLE THAT WAY. 19:57 THEN THE OTHER EXTREME WHERE THE PUBLICANS, THEY WERE COLLECTING 20:03 TAXES FOR THE ROMANS. 20:04 THEY WERE SORT OF CAST OFF BY THEIR OWN PEOPLE, OR REJECTED. 20:08 THEY WERE CONSIDERED THE TRAITORS OF THEIR PEOPLE AND THE 20:13 ONLY OTHER FRIENDS THEY HAD WERE THE OTHER OUTCASTS OF SOCIETY. 20:17 AND SO THEY USED TO HANG OUT WITH THE PROSTITUTES AND OTHER 20:20 SINNERS AND THE GENTILES, THE PUBLICANS. 20:26 PUBLICANS WERE ALSO JEWS LIKE ZACCHAEUS WAS A JEW, BUT HE WAS 20:29 A TAX COLLECTOR AND HE WAS HATED BY THE PEOPLE IN JERICHO 'CAUSE 20:32 HE EXTORTED THEIR MONEY AND GAVE IT TO THE ROMANS. 20:34 BUT HE DIDN'T GIVE ALL OF IT, HE KEPT QUITE A BIT FOR HIMSELF. 20:37 AND SO PUBLICANS WERE CONSIDERED WHEN YOU WANTED TO CURSE 20:42 SOMEBODY, WHEN THE PHARISEES WOULD WANT TO CURSE SOMEBODY 20:45 YOU'D SAY, "YOU'RE A SAMARITAN AND YOU'RE A DOG AND YOU'RE 20:49 DEMON-POSSESSED AND YOU'RE A PUBLICAN." 20:52 JUST TO GIVE YOU A PICTURE OF HOW THEY VIEWED PUBLICANS. 20:55 SO YOU'VE GOT THESE TWO POLAR OPPOSITES THAT GO INTO 20:58 THE TEMPLE AND MAYBE THEY CAME EARLY. 21:00 IT'S JUST THE TWO OF THEM THERE AND THEY'RE GONNA PRAY TO GOD. 21:03 SO JESUS, THEY ALL UNDERSTOOD THE PICTURE WHEN HE WAS TELLING 21:06 THIS STORY. 21:07 "THE PHARISEES STOOD AND PRAYED THUS WITH HIMSELF." 21:13 I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT'S INTERESTING JESUS WORDED IT 21:14 DELIBERATELY. 21:15 IT DOESN'T SAY HE PRAYED TO GOD, HE PRAYED WITH HIMSELF. 21:18 IT'S LIKE HE'S IMPRESSED WITH HIS OWN PRAYER. 21:22 "GOD, I THANK YOU THAT I AM NOT LIKE OTHER MEN." 21:26 RIGHT THERE THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THAT PRAYER. 21:28 WHAT'S AT THE HEART OF THAT PRAYER? 21:30 I'M BETTER THAN OTHERS. 21:32 IS HE THINKING ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT HE'S BETTER THAN GOD? 21:35 IS JESUS HIS EXAMPLE AND HIS MODEL OR IS HE LOOKING 21:38 HORIZONTAL AND SAYING, "BETTER THAN YOU, BETTER THAN YOU." 21:43 THE BIBLE SAYS, "THEY THAT COMPARE THEMSELVES AMONG 21:45 THEMSELVES AND BY THEMSELVES ARE NOT WISE." 21:48 THAT'S VERY DANGEROUS. 21:52 YOU COULD GET TO WHERE YOU'RE TOO GOOD FOR GOD TOO. 21:54 "I THANK YOU, LORD, THAT I'M NOT AS OTHER MEN, EXTORTIONERS, 21:59 UNJUST, ADULTERERS OR EVEN AS THIS TAX COLLECTOR BACK THERE 22:04 ON THE BACK PEW. 22:06 I FAST TWICE A WEEK." 22:07 NOW NOBODY'S GONNA WANNA SIT UP FRONT. 22:09 "I FAST TWICE A WEEK. 22:11 I GIVE TITHES OF ALL I POSSESS." 22:13 IS FASTING GOOD? 22:14 SURE. 22:16 PAYING TITHES, IF YOU ALL DID IT, WE'D HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH 22:18 MONEY. 22:21 AND HE WAS EXTOLLING HIS VIRTUES TO GOD. 22:25 "GOD, YOU'RE LUCKY TO HAVE ME. 22:27 I SERVE GOD AS A CONSULTANT." 22:33 NOW THIS IS THE EXTREME AND I REALIZE SOME OF YOU ARE PROBABLY 22:37 THINKING "WELL, I THANK YOU THAT I'M NOT LIKE THIS." 22:40 IT'S LIKE THE SUNDAY SCHOOLTEACHER WHO'S TRYING TO 22:43 TEACH THE STORY ABOUT THE PUBLICAN AND THE PHARISEE TO 22:46 HER CLASS. 22:46 AND SHE SAID YOU KNOW THAT PHARISEE WAS JUST SO FULL OF 22:49 HIMSELF AND HE KEPT THANKING HIMSELF THAT HE WASN'T LIKE 22:51 OTHER PEOPLE AND HE WAS VERY SELF-RIGHTEOUS. 22:55 AND AFTER SHE TAUGHT THE LESSON SHE THOUGHT SHE GOT THROUGH, 22:57 SHE HAD SOME LITTLE BOY DO THE CLOSING PRAYER AND HE SAID, 23:01 "DEAR LORD, WE'RE SO THANKFUL WE'RE NOT LIKE THAT PHARISEE." 23:05 SAME KIND OF ATTITUDE. 23:12 "BUT THE TAX COLLECTOR IS STANDING AFAR OFF, DID NOT FEEL 23:15 WORTHY, AFAR OFF." 23:20 SOME PEOPLE STAND AFAR OFF. 23:23 YOU'VE GOT SOME PEOPLE THAT KIND OF CREEP INTO CHURCH AND THEY 23:26 SAY THEY KNOW THEY NEED GOD BUT THEY'RE JUST, THEY'RE AFRAID THE 23:29 PLACE IS GONNA FALL IN ON 'EM 'CAUSE THEY FEEL SO SINFUL. 23:32 AND WHILE YOU'RE SINGING THE FIRST VERSE OF THE CLOSING SONG, 23:35 THEY'RE SLIPPING OUT. 23:37 NOW SOME OF YOU DO THAT 'CAUSE YOU'RE AFRAID OF A PARKING JAM, 23:39 I KNOW OR YOU'RE HUNGRY OR WHATEVER IT IS. 23:43 AND I DON'T WANT TO MAKE YA FEEL TOO BAD BUT THERE'S SOME PEOPLE 23:46 THAT SLIP OUT BECAUSE THEY'RE AFRAID SOMEBODY'S GONNA TALK TO 23:50 THEM AND ASK THEM HOW THEY'RE DOING. 23:51 THEY'RE GONNA BREAK DOWN AND CRY OR THEY'RE GONNA TALK TO THEM 23:53 ABOUT THEIR SOUL AND THEY JUST DON'T FEEL WORTHY. 23:56 THEY STAND AFAR OFF. 23:59 IT'S LIKE THAT SON, WHEN HE RAN FROM HIS FATHER, HE WENT TO 24:02 A FAR COUNTRY. 24:03 THEY FEEL SEPARATED FROM GOD, THEY FEEL AFAR OFF. 24:09 "AND HE WOULD NOT SO MUCH AS RAISE HIS EYES TO HEAVEN," 24:13 LOWERED HIS EYES. 24:16 YOU KNOW EVEN IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM, NOT LOOKING AT A PERSON 24:22 WHEN YOU RESPECT THEIR AUTHORITY WAS A SIGN OF REVERENCE, AND 24:27 I'VE NOTICED IN SOME PARTS OF THE WORLD, ESPECIALLY IN SOME OF 24:30 THE ASIAN COUNTRIES, THAT WHEN A PERSON WHO IS YOUR SUPERIOR IS 24:35 TALKING TO YOU, YOU DON'T LOOK AT THEM IN THE EYE. 24:38 I KNOW IN OUR COUNTRY, WE OFTEN SAY LOOK AT A PERSON IN THE EYE. 24:41 HOW MANY HAVE HAD YOUR PARENTS SAY THAT WHEN SOMEONE'S TALKING 24:43 TO YOU? 24:44 BUT IN SOME COUNTRIES IT'S CONSIDERED IF A SUPERIOR'S 24:46 TALKING TO YOU, YOU POLITELY LOOK DOWN AND YOU LISTEN. 24:50 YOU STARE IN YOUR EYE, IT'S CONFRONTATIONAL. 24:53 A LOT OF ANIMALS DO THAT. 24:54 THEY SAY IF YOU'RE TRACKING GORILLAS, IF ONE OF THOSE BIG, 24:57 SILVER-BACK, MALE GORILLAS STARTS TO CHARGE YOU, YOU LOWER 25:00 YOUR HEAD AND YOU LOOK DOWN, HE'LL STOP. 25:03 YOU STARE 'EM IN THE EYE, HE FIGURES YOU'RE CHALLENGING HIM 25:06 AND THIS MAN WOULD NOT SO MUCH AS LIFT HIS EYES UP. 25:09 AN ATTITUDE OF SUBMISSION TO GOD, HUMILITY. 25:15 "AND HE BEAT ON HIS BREASTS," SIGN OF REPENTANCE. 25:20 "AND SAID, 'GOD, BE MERCIFUL TO ME, A SINNER.'" 25:25 HE WAS NOT PLEADING ANYTHING GOOD HE HAD TO OFFER GOD. 25:31 HE WAS NOT RECITING A LITANY OF ALL OF HIS VIRTUES AND THE GOOD 25:34 THINGS HE'S DONE OR WHY GOD SHOULD HELP HIM. 25:36 HOW MANY OF YOU REMEMBER THE STORY IN THE BIBLE WHEN KING 25:38 HEZEKIAH GOT SICK AND ISAIAH SAID, "YOU'RE GONNA DIE"? 25:42 HEZEKIAH TURNS HIS FACE TO THE WALL AND HE STARTS TO PRAY. 25:44 HE SAYS, "LORD, I DON'T UNDERSTAND. 25:46 THIS IS WAY BEFORE I SHOULD DIE. 25:48 I MEAN EVENTUALLY YOU GET OLD YOU DIE, BUT I'M STILL YOUNG." 25:50 HE SAID, "DON'T YOU THINK ABOUT--DON'T YOU REMEMBER ALL 25:53 THE GOOD THINGS I'VE DONE AND HOW I'VE OBEYED YOU AND HOW I'VE 25:55 STAYED TRUE AND I'VE SERVED YOU AND I'VE GOTTEN RID OF 25:58 THE IDOLS?" 25:59 AND HE BEGINS TO RECITE TO GOD ALL THE GOOD THINGS HE'S DONE. 26:02 AND GOD HEARD THE PRAYER OF HEZEKIAH, BUT IMMEDIATELY AFTER 26:07 GOD ANSWERED HEZEKIAH'S PRAYER, HE ALLOWED HIM TO BE TESTED. 26:11 THAT'S WHEN THOSE AMBASSADORS CAME FROM BABYLON AND HEZEKIAH 26:13 BEGAN TO BRAG ABOUT ALL HIS TREASURE. 26:16 GOD SAID, "YUP, JUST AS I THOUGHT. 26:19 YOUR HEART IS FULL OF PRIDE, SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS. 26:21 EVERYTHING YOU BRAGGED ABOUT IS GONNA BE TAKEN AWAY." 26:24 THEN HEZEKIAH REALIZED HE WASN'T AS GOOD AS HE THOUGHT. 26:28 HE WAS ALMOST TOO GOOD FOR GOD UNTIL GOD GOT HIS ATTENTION. 26:33 HE DIDN'T KNOW. 26:38 "THIS PUBLICAN WOULD NOT SO MUCH AS LIFT UP HIS EYES, BEAT ON HIS 26:41 BREAST. 26:41 'GOD HAVE MERCY ON ME.'" WHAT'S THE MOST ELOQUENT 26:44 PRAYER WE CAN PRAY? 26:46 IT'S OUR DESPERATION, OUR SINCERITY SERIOUSLY SAYING, 26:50 "LORD, HAVE MERCY ON ME" AND MEANING IT, BEING SORRY, 26:53 HUMBLING OURSELF. 26:55 THEN HE'LL LIFT US UP. 26:56 JESUS MAKES IT CLEAR. 26:58 THIS IS VERY ENCOURAGING. 26:59 IT'S ENCOURAGING FOR YOU IF YOU THINK YOU'RE TOO BAD FOR GOD. 27:03 IT'S A WARNING FOR YOU IF YOU THINK YOU'RE TOO GOOD FOR GOD. 27:06 JESUS SAID, "I TELL YOU THIS MAN, THE PUBLICAN, HE WENT DOWN 27:10 TO HIS HOUSE JUSTIFIED RATHER THAN THE OTHER." 27:14 THE OTHER MAN, HE CAME TO GOD AND TALKED ABOUT HOW GOOD HE 27:17 WAS. 27:17 HE WENT BACK HOME AGAIN LOST 'CAUSE HE WAS TRUSTING IN HIS 27:20 GOOD DEEDS WHICH WILL NEVER BE GOOD ENOUGH. 27:23 NO MATTER HOW GOOD YOU ARE, NO MATTER HOW WELL YOU OBEY, YOU 27:26 WILL NEVER DO ENOUGH GOOD DEEDS TO COVER YOUR SIN. 27:30 AND NO MATTER HOW BAD YOU'VE BEEN, IF YOU HEAR THE HOLY 27:36 SPIRIT SPEAK INTO YOUR HEART, YOU'RE NEVER TOO BAD FOR GOD. 27:40 MATTER OF FACT, I DON'T FIND AN EXAMPLE IN THE BIBLE WHERE 27:43 ANYBODY'S REALLY TOO BAD FOR GOD, BUT THERE WERE A LOT OF 27:46 PEOPLE THAT WERE TOO GOD FOR GOOD, SELF-RIGHTEOUS. 27:52 JESUS SAID HE WHO HUMBLES HIMSELF--SORRY. 27:55 EVERYONE WHO EXALTS HIMSELF WILL BE HUMBLED AND HE WHO HUMBLES 27:58 HIMSELF WILL BE EXALTED. 28:01 HUMBLE YOURSELF IN THE SIGHT OF GOD. 28:03 HE WILL LIFT YOU UP. 28:04 YOU'LL SENSE THAT FORGIVENESS AND THAT CLEANSING THAT HE WANTS 28:06 YOU TO HAVE. 28:08 IT'S NOT SAFE FOR US TO BE SINGING OUR OWN PRAISES LIKE 28:13 THAT PHARISEE, LIKE THIS KING WHO BACK DURING THE TIME OF 28:17 SHAKESPEARE HAD A BANQUET AND HE WANTED TO HAVE A MINSTREL THERE 28:21 AND HE INVITED THE MINSTREL IN AND THE MINSTREL SPENT HIS WHOLE 28:24 TIME DURING THE BANQUET SINGING ABOUT HIS TRAVELS AND HIS 28:27 EXPLOITS AND HIS GLORY AND HIS GOODNESS, SINGING ABOUT HIMSELF. 28:31 AT THE END THE MINSTREL CAME TO THE KING, HE SAID, "I LIKE MY 28:33 WAGES." 28:34 THE KING SAYS, "YOU'VE ALREADY GOTTEN YOUR WAGES." 28:37 HE SAID, "YOU SPENT THE WHOLE BANQUET SINGING ABOUT YOURSELF." 28:40 HE SAID, "I'M THE KING. 28:41 YOU OUGHT TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT ME." 28:45 AND A LOT OF TIMES WE KIND OF GO THROUGH OUR EXPERIENCE AND WE'RE 28:47 SINGING OUR PRAISES. 28:48 "LORD, I THANK YOU I'M NOT AS OTHER MEN." 28:51 AND I WONDERED, AS I WAS PREPARING THIS MESSAGE, HOW DO 28:54 YOU GET THROUGH TO THOSE PEOPLE 'CAUSE THE ONES WHO FEEL THEY'RE 28:57 TOO BAD FOR GOD, THEY'LL LISTEN, THEY'LL HAVE HOPE. 28:59 THE ONES WHO THINK THEY'RE TOO GOOD FOR GOD, IT'S SO HARD FOR 29:01 THEM TO HEAR THAT MESSAGE. 29:05 IT'S KIND OF LIKE YOU'RE THE LAST PERSON TO KNOW WHEN YOU'VE 29:07 GOT BAD BREATH. 29:11 YOU EVER SEEN A PERSON GO... 29:17 I REMEMBER ONE TIME I WENT TO THIS CHURCH, LONG TIME AGO, 29:21 DIFFERENT TOWN SO DON'T ANYONE WORRY. 29:24 AND THERE WAS A PASTOR THERE. 29:26 I USED TO VISIT THIS CHARISMATIC CHURCH AND THERE WAS A PASTOR 29:30 THERE, NICE GUY BUT WE KIND OF NICKNAMED HIM "HALLELUJAH 29:36 HALITOSIS" BECAUSE IT JUST SMELLED LIKE HE ATE DECOMPOSING 29:43 DRAGONS FOR BREAKFAST. 29:45 I'LL TELL YA, IT WAS REALLY BAD. 29:47 AND THE THING IS WHEN HE'D MEET YA AT THE DOOR AFTER CHURCH, HE 29:51 WASN'T ONE OF THESE GUYS WHO IF YOU JUST GOT TOO CLOSE BY 29:54 ACCIDENT, YOU REALIZED HE HAD BAD BREATH. 29:56 HE HAD TO GET RIGHT IN YOUR FACE, IN YOUR PERSONAL SPACE, 30:00 AND THEN HE WOULD ALWAYS HOOK ME AROUND THE NECK, NOT WITH HIS 30:02 HAND BUT WITH HIS ELBOW RIGHT IN HERE AND HE'D PULL YOU RIGHT IN. 30:06 "BROTHER DOUG." 30:07 AND HE TALKED TO YA LIKE THAT. 30:08 AND I'M GOIN'-- AND YOU EVER TRY TO TALK TO 30:10 SOMEONE WITHOUT BREATHING? 30:13 "PASTOR, IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE YA AGAIN." 30:16 IT WAS TERRIBLE, AND I DIDN'T WANT TO HURT HIS FEELINGS 30:20 BECAUSE HERE I WAS VISITING HIS CHURCH. 30:21 I WAS ACTUALLY STUDYING WITH THE GUY AND I THOUGHT IT'S NOT GONNA 30:24 GO WELL IF I SAY, "BROTHER, YOU'VE GOT THE WORST BREATH I'VE 30:27 EVER SMELLED ON A HOMO SAPIEN." 30:31 AND SO ONE DAY BEFORE CHURCH, I ATE A WHOLE BULB OF GARLIC. 30:38 WELL, NOT A WHOLE BULB, BUT I ATE SEVERAL CLOVES RAW. 30:42 I USED TO DO THAT BACK THEN. 30:43 YOU KNOW I LIVED BY MYSELF. 30:44 I CAN'T DO IT ANYMORE. 30:46 SOME OF YOU STILL DO IT. 30:46 LET ME TELL YA, I CAN--I KNOW. 30:50 IF I DIDN'T KNOW BETTER, I'D THINK SOME OF YOU BELIEVE IN 30:52 RIGHTEOUSNESS BY GARLIC. 30:54 AND I WENT TO THE DOOR AND THIS PASTOR GOT A HOLD OF ME, 30:58 "BROTHER DOUG." 30:59 I SAID, "HALLELUJAH, PASTOR." 31:03 HE NEVER DID THAT AGAIN. 31:05 HA, HA. 31:07 BUT I DON'T KNOW IF HE EVER GOT THE VICTORY BECAUSE YOU ALMOST 31:10 HAVE TO HAVE SOMEONE THAT LOVES YOU ENOUGH TO SAY, "BROTHER, 31:14 SISTER," YOU KNOW SOMETIMES A SPOUSE CAN GET AWAY WITH IT. 31:17 AND EVEN THEN YOU'RE STILL ON THIN ICE, RIGHT? 31:21 HOW DO YOU TELL A PERSON, YOU ARE SELF-RIGHTEOUS? 31:26 YOU'RE ALWAYS CRITICIZING EVERYONE AROUND YOU. 31:28 YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FAULTS OF THIS PERSON, THAT PERSON, HOW 31:29 DUMB THEY ARE, WHAT THEY'RE DOING WRONG AND THEY'RE OFTEN 31:33 THE LAST ONES TO REALIZE IT. 31:36 AND WE'RE USUALLY REAL GOOD AT CONFESSING EVERYONE ELSE'S SIN 31:42 UNDER A PRETENSE OF A PRAYER REQUEST, BUT WE'RE BLIND TO OUR 31:48 OWN. 31:49 TAKES THE HOLY SPIRIT TO SOMETIMES WAKE US UP. 31:54 GOD DOES THAT FOR PEOPLE IN THE BIBLE. 31:58 SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS. 32:01 JESUS NEVER ATTACKED THE SINNER. 32:04 HE SIMPLY SAID, "I FORGIVE YOU." 32:06 HE DID ATTACK THE SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE 32:09 SCRIBES AND PHARISEES WITH A PASSION BECAUSE HE KNEW THAT IF 32:13 HE DIDN'T WAKE THEM UP, THEY'D BE LOST. 32:17 JESUS ILLUSTRATED THIS ALSO WITH ANOTHER PARABLE, LUKE 14:16, 32:22 "A CERTAIN MAN--" WHO'S INVITED TO THE FEAST? 32:28 HOW MANY OF YOU WANT TO GO TO HEAVEN? 32:31 "A CERTAIN MAN GAVE A GREAT SUPPER AND INVITED MANY, 32:36 MANY ARE CALLED." 32:38 HOW MANY ARE INVITED TO ETERNAL LIFE? 32:41 EVERYBODY'S INVITED. 32:42 SO WHOEVER WILL, THAT'S A PRETTY WIDE INVITATION. 32:49 WHEN KAREN AND I GOT MARRIED, I WAS DOING PUBLIC EVANGELISM 32:51 AND SHE HAD SPENT ALL THIS TIME WRITING OUT INVITATIONS 32:54 AND RSVPING EVERYTHING. 32:56 AND I--YOU KNOW I DIDN'T KNOW YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ORGANIZED 32:58 LIKE THAT BUT I WAS STILL DOING MEETINGS AS WE PLANNED OUR 33:00 WEDDING. 33:01 I'D STAND UP IN FRONT OF ENTIRE CHURCHES AND SAY, "HEY, 33:03 WE'RE GETTING MARRIED. 33:04 YOU WANT TO ALL COME?" 33:05 I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE GONNA--NO, WE GOTTA BUY DINNER 33:08 FOR ALL THESE PEOPLE. 33:10 I WANT EVERYBODY TO COME. 33:12 THIS IS SORT OF HOW JESUS IS. 33:15 IT'S NOT AN ELITE GROUP THAT GETS AN INVITATION. 33:18 EVERYBODY'S INVITED BUT VERY FEW SEEM TO RESPOND. 33:22 AT FIRST A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL RSVP, "YEAH, I'M COMIN'." 33:26 BUT WHEN THE TIME ACTUALLY COMES, THEY DIDN'T WANT TO 33:28 ACTUALLY YOU KNOW LOOK LIKE THEY WEREN'T COMING. 33:30 THEY'RE HOPING YOU WON'T NOTICE THEY NEVER SHOWED. 33:33 BUT WHEN THE ACTUAL TIME COMES, IT SAID, "COME NOW FOR ALL 33:40 THINGS ARE READY." 33:42 WHEN GOD CALLS US, HE TELLS US TO COME NOW. 33:47 "COME FOR ALL THINGS ARE NOW READY. 33:50 BUT THEY ALL, WITH ONE ACCORD, BEGAN TO MAKE EXCUSES." 33:54 ABOUT THE ONLY THING THE CHURCH MANAGES TO DO IN ONE ACCORD, 33:57 MAKE EXCUSES. 34:03 THE FIRST SAID, "I BOUGHT A PIECE OF GROUND AND I MUST 34:05 GO SEE IT." 34:07 WELL, DID HE BUY IT WITHOUT LOOKING FIRST? 34:09 SOUNDS LIKE A DUBIOUS EXCUSE. 34:12 "I ASK YOU HAVE ME EXCUSED." 34:14 ANOTHER SAID, "I BOUGHT FIVE YOKE OF OXEN AND I'M GOING TO 34:17 TEST THEM." 34:19 WHAT'D YOU DO, BUY THEM SIGHT UNSEEN? 34:21 STILL HAVE ME EXCUSED. 34:22 STILL ANOTHER ONE SAID, "I'VE MARRIED A WIFE AND THERE I CAN'T 34:24 COME." 34:26 WELL, I'M SURE THAT YOU CAN BRING YOUR WIFE. 34:29 JUST ALL THESE LAME EXCUSES THAT WERE OFFERED. 34:35 AND YOU KNOW WE SORT OF DO THAT. 34:37 THE LORD SAYS, "COME, COME TO ME." 34:39 AND WE BEGIN TO SAY, "WELL, I'M GONNA COME TO YOU, LORD. 34:42 I WANT TO BE A CHRISTIAN, BUT YOU KNOW NOW'S NOT A GOOD TIME. 34:47 GOT A LOT OF DISTRACTIONS IN MY LIFE." 34:50 WHENEVER IT COMES TO MAKING A COMPLETE SURRENDER, WE MAKE 34:54 EXCUSES ABOUT WHY NOW IS NOT A GOOD TIME. 34:57 YOU KNOW WHEN I--I ALMOST HESITATE TO MENTION IT 'CAUSE 35:02 I'VE SAID IT SO MANY TIMES, BUT FOR ME A BIG STRUGGLE WITH 35:05 SMOKING. 35:06 AND WHEN I QUIT SMOKING, I KNEW SOMEDAY I WAS GONNA HAVE TO LIKE 35:09 REALLY QUIT. 35:10 IT WAS EASY TO CUT DOWN, BUT I KNEW I HAD TO QUIT. 35:13 AND I'D GONE FROM LIKE TWO PACKS A DAY TO ONE PACK A DAY AND I 35:17 WAS JUST HALF A PACK A DAY. 35:18 AND YOU KNOW BUT I REALIZED I'M STILL SMOKING. 35:22 AND THE IDEA OF QUITTING, I SAID ONE OF THESE DAYS I'M GONNA PICK 35:24 A DATE. 35:24 AND I KEPT, YOU KNOW, PUTTIN' IT OFF. 35:26 I'D SAY, "YEAH, NEW YEAR'S IS A GOOD DATE." 35:27 OH, WHEN NEW YEAR'S CAME, IT'S JUST A LOT OF STRESS 35:30 OR WHENEVER. 35:31 MY BIRTHDAY, THREE MONTHS AWAY, MY BIRTHDAY. 35:33 JUST KEPT PUTTIN' IT OFF. 35:34 NOW NEVER CAME TILL FINALLY I REALIZED I'VE JUST GOTTA DO IT 35:40 AND SAY THIS IS IT. 35:45 AND I THINK IF I WERE TO ASK YOU TO RAISE YOUR HANDS EVERYBODY 35:50 WOULD SAY, "THERE ARE THINGS IN MY LIFE WHERE I HAVEN'T 35:55 COMPLETELY COME TO THE LORD. 35:57 THERE ARE AREAS WHERE I HAVEN'T MADE A COMPLETE SURRENDER AND I 36:00 PLAN ON IT, I KNOW I NEED TO ONE OF THESE DAYS, BUT NOW'S NOT 36:06 A GOOD TIME. 36:08 WELL, NOT YET. 36:10 SEE, IT'D BE, YOU KNOW, JUST A LOT OF STRESSES RIGHT NOW. 36:12 THE ENVIRONMENT, THE PEOPLE I WORK WITH, TO MAKE A TOTAL 36:14 SURRENDER NOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW I COULD EVER DO IT." 36:17 WELL, I'VE GOT NEWS FOR YOU, THE DEVIL WILL SEE TO IT THAT 36:19 IT'S NEVER CONVENIENT. 36:21 DON'T MAKE EXCUSES. 36:24 HE SAYS NOW ALL IS READY, NOW. 36:30 SO THEY SAID THEY, YOU KNOW, BOUGHT A COW AND MARRIED A WIFE, 36:36 THEY CAN'T COME. 36:37 NOW BY THE WAY, THIS IS A KING THAT'S HAVING THE FEAST. 36:41 THEY'RE TOO BUSY FOR A KING. 36:44 WHEN YOU START MAKING EXCUSES AND YOU SAY YOU CAN'T GO TO THE 36:47 WEDDING FEAST OF A KING'S SON, HOW'S THAT KING GONNA FEEL ABOUT 36:51 WHERE YOU ARE ON HIS LOYALTY LIST? 36:54 SO THAT SERVANT CAME AND REPORTED THESE THINGS TO HIS 36:58 MASTER THEN THE MASTER OF THE HOUSE BEING ANGRY SAID TO HIS 37:01 SERVANT, "GO OUT QUICKLY INTO THE STREETS AND THE LANES OF 37:05 CITY AND BRING IN HERE THE POOR AND THE MAIMED AND THE LAME 37:11 AND THE BLIND." 37:13 I MEAN HOW MANY OF YOU, WHEN YOU MAKE UP YOUR WEDDING 37:16 INVITATIONS, THAT'S YOUR CRITERIA? 37:21 YOU SAY, "WELL, LOOK I'VE GOT THIS FEAST READY. 37:24 I WANT SOMEONE TO APPRECIATE THE FEAST. 37:27 I PROVIDED GARMENTS. 37:29 I PROVIDED FOOD. 37:31 I PROVIDED THE ENTERTAINMENT. 37:32 I WANT SOMEONE WHO'S REALLY GONNA SAY, 'WOW, I NEVER DREAMED 37:36 I'D BE IN A PALACE LIKE THIS EATING FOOD LIKE THIS WITH THESE 37:39 KIND OF PEOPLE.'" SAID, THESE PEOPLE WILL 37:42 APPRECIATE IT. 37:43 YOU GO GET THESE PEOPLE. 37:44 THE ONES WHO I INVITED, THEY THINK THEY'RE TOO GOOD FOR ME. 37:48 BUT IF YOU GO OUT AND YOU GET THE MAIMED AND THE BLIND AND THE 37:50 HALT AND THE LAME, THEY'RE NOT GONNA FEEL THAT WAY, 37:53 THEY'LL COME. 37:55 THEY WILL COME RIGHT NOW WITH NO WARNING. 37:58 NOW I NOTICE WHEN I PREACH AND I MAKE ALTAR CALLS, YOU CAN ALMOST 38:06 TELL HOW BIG THE RESPONSE WILL BE BASED ON CERTAIN 38:10 DEMOGRAPHICS, NAMELY I'M NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT RACIAL 38:15 DEMOGRAPHICS, I'M TALKING ABOUT ECONOMICAL DEMOGRAPHICS. 38:20 IF I'M IN A VERY WEALTHY COMMUNITY AND YOU ASK PEOPLE 38:23 TO PUBLICLY COME TO CHRIST, PERCENTAGE DROPS. 38:27 AS THE WEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY GOES DOWN, THE PERCENTAGE OF 38:32 THOSE THAT RESPOND GO UP. 38:35 THEY FEEL THEIR NEED OF GOD MORE AND THE BEST RESPONSE I'VE 38:39 HAD IS WHEN I'M IN A PRISON AND I MAKE AN ALTAR CALL IN 38:44 A PRISON ABOUT WHO WANTS TO FIND FREEDOM IN CHRIST. 38:48 I REMEMBER ONE TIME I GOT READY TO MAKE AN APPEAL. 38:50 I DIDN'T EVEN GET TO START MY STORY AND THEY STARTED COMING. 38:54 I WANTED TO SAY, WAIT A SECOND, I HAVEN'T STARTED YET. 38:57 THE WOMEN'S PRISON OVER HERE IN CARSON CITY, THEY WERE SO 39:01 EXCITED TO COME TO JESUS BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THEY WERE 39:05 TOO GOOD FOR GOD. 39:09 I'D ENCOURAGE THEM THAT THEY WEREN'T TOO BAD FOR GOD. 39:12 "AND THE SERVANT SAID TO THE MASTER, 'IT'S DONE AS 39:13 YOU COMMANDED.'" THERE'S STILL ROOM. 39:15 YOU KNOW ONE THING IN THIS STORY, GOD DOESN'T RUN OUT 39:19 OF ROOM. 39:23 HE RUNS OUT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO COME. 39:26 THERE'S ROOM FOR EVERYBODY. 39:29 THIS IDEA THAT GOD HAS HANDPICKED WHO HE WANTS SAVED 39:31 AND SAYS, "YES YOU, NO YOU, YES." 39:33 THAT PREDESTINATION THAT GOD IS KIND OF PICKING WHO HE WANTS AND 39:36 HE'S NOT GONNA SAVE THE OTHERS, I DON'T FIND THAT IN THE BIBLE. 39:40 I FIND GOD SAYING, "I WANT EVERYBODY AND I'VE GOT MORE 39:42 THAN ENOUGH ROOM, BUT THEY WON'T COME." 39:49 HE SAID THERE'S STILL ROOM. 39:51 "THE MASTER SAID TO HIS SERVANT, 'GO OUT INTO THE HIGHWAYS 39:53 AND THE HEDGES.'" IF AMONG MY OWN PEOPLE AND MY 39:56 OWN CHURCH MEMBERS, I CAN'T GET ENOUGH PEOPLE TO COME, YOU GO 39:59 GET THE GENTILES, THAT'S WHAT CHRIST IS SAYING. 40:03 YOU KNOW WHAT THIS PARABLE IS ABOUT. 40:05 IT'S TALKING ABOUT FIRST WHAT WAS HAPPENING WHEN HE SENT THE 40:08 INVITATION OUT TO THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS AND THEY WERE SUPPOSED 40:12 TO BE LEADING THE PEOPLE. 40:13 THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO RECOGNIZE THE MESSIAH AND ANNOUNCE THE 40:15 MESSIAH, BUT THEY WERE TOO BUSY. 40:17 THEY DIDN'T COME. 40:20 AND THEN HE WENT TO HIS OWN PEOPLE THAT THE RELIGIOUS LEADER 40:23 SAID, "OH, THEY'RE UNEDUCATED. 40:25 THEY'RE CRIPPLED SPIRITUALLY." 40:27 AND SOME OF THEM CAME BUT THERE'S STILL ROOM. 40:32 HE SAID, "ALL RIGHT, I WANT YOU TO NOW GO OUTSIDE OF ISRAEL. 40:34 I WANT YOU TO GO TO THE HIGHWAYS AND THE HEDGES, THE GENTILES." 40:39 AND THAT'S WHAT THE GOSPEL DID, IT BEGAN IN JERUSALEM, WHERE THE 40:42 RELIGIOUS LEADERS WERE, AND THEN IN JUDEA WHERE THE PEOPLE WERE 40:45 LIKE GALILEE, AND THEN THE SAMARITANS ARE SORT OF THE HALF 40:48 BREEDS AND THEN THE OUTER MOST PARTS OF THE EARTH. 40:50 THE INVITATION, THE HIGHWAYS AND HEDGES, THAT'S EVERYWHERE. 40:53 EVERYBODY WAS INVITED. 40:55 WHOSOEVER WILL. 40:56 AND NOTICE HE SAID, "FOR I'M SAYING TO YOU THAT NONE OF THOSE 41:00 MEN WHO WERE INVITED WILL TASTE OF MY SUPPER." 41:05 THE ONES WHO SAID THEY WERE GONNA COME BUT FELT THEY WERE 41:07 TOO GOOD, THEY'RE NOT COMING, EVEN IF THEY CHANGE THEIR MINDS 41:11 BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE TOO GOOD FOR GOD. 41:13 I TAKE THAT BACK, I SAID EVEN IF THEY CHANGE THEIR MINDS. 41:15 SOME OF THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES EVEN CAME TO CHRIST 41:18 LATER, IT SAYS THAT IN ACTS 5. 41:23 BUT IT'S A VERY DANGEROUS THING TO TOY WITH THE INVITATION OF 41:26 SALVATION. 41:29 DID JESUS ASSOCIATE WITH SINNERS? 41:35 MATTHEW 9:10, NOW THERE'S A COUPLE PLACES WHERE YOU FIND 41:39 THIS AND THIS WAS PART OF OUR SCRIPTURE READING. 41:44 "IT HAPPENED AS JESUS SAT IN THE TABLE--" OH, BY THE WAY, THIS IS 41:48 AFTER CHRIST CALLS MATTHEW, THE TAX COLLECTOR, THE PUBLICAN. 41:52 MATTHEW IS SO THANKFUL. 41:54 BY THE WAY, MATTHEW IS WILLING TO LEAVE EVERYTHING, LIKE 41:56 THE FISHERMAN LEFT THEIR NETS, AND FOLLOW JESUS. 41:59 AND HE WANTS TO SHOW HIS GRATITUDE TO CHRIST. 42:01 HE INVITES HIM OVER. 42:02 HE SAYS, "MY FRIENDS NEED TO HEAR YOUR TEACHINGS." 42:04 HE INVITES JESUS TO HIS HOUSE AND HIS HOUSE IS FILLED WITH ALL 42:07 HIS OTHER COHORTS FROM HIS, THE SEEDY PAST HE HAD. 42:13 AND JESUS IS HERE IN THIS HOUSE AND BACK THEN THEY HAD THESE 42:16 COURTYARDS AND YOU COULD WALK BY AND SEE WHO WAS EATING AT A 42:18 PERSON'S HOUSE. 42:19 THEY'RE NOT ALL IN A CLOSED DINING ROOM. 42:21 "AND IT HAPPENED WHEN JESUS SAT AT A TABLE IN THE HOUSE THAT 42:24 BEHOLD MANY TAX COLLECTORS AND SINNERS CAME AND SAT DOWN WITH 42:29 HIM AND HIS DISCIPLES. 42:31 AND WHEN THE PHARISEES SAW IT, THEY SAID TO HIS DISCIPLES, 42:34 WHY YOUR TEACHER DOES THIS, HE'S EATING WITH TAX COLLECTORS 42:38 AND SINNERS." 42:39 AND JESUS HEARD THIS HE SAID, "THOSE WHO ARE SICK DO NOT NEED 42:44 A PHYSICIAN BUT THOSE WHO ARE--" I'M SORRY. 42:47 "THOSE WHO ARE WELL HAVE NO NEED OF A PHYSICIAN, BUT THOSE WHO 42:51 ARE SICK. 42:51 BUT GO AND LEARN WHAT THIS MEANS, I DESIRE MERCY AND NOT 42:56 SACRIFICE FOR I DID NOT COME TO CALL THE RIGHTEOUS, BUT SINNERS 43:01 TO REPENTANCE." 43:03 HOW MANY OF YOU WANT TO BE CALLED TO CHRIST? 43:06 IF YOU ARE RIGHTEOUS, HE'S NOT CALLING YOU. 43:10 HE CALLS SINNERS, THAT MEANS IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE TOO BAD, 43:13 WELL, THAT'S YOUR FIRST QUALIFICATION IS KNOWING THAT 43:15 YOU'RE A SINNER. 43:16 THAT'S WHO JESUS CAME TO SAVE. 43:18 NEVER DOES HE SAY YOU'RE TOO SINFUL FOR ME. 43:22 ANY SINNER THAT RESPONDED, HE ACCEPTED. 43:26 THAT'S GOOD NEWS. 43:27 I THINK I CAN SAY THAT ASSERTIVELY. 43:29 ANY SINNER THAT EVER CAME TO JESUS, HE ACCEPTED. 43:34 CAN YOU THINK OF AN EXAMPLE OF ANY SINNER THAT CAME TO CHRIST 43:37 THAT HE TURNED AWAY 'CAUSE HE SAID, "YOU'RE TOO SINFUL"? 43:40 WERE THERE SOME THAT TURNED AWAY BECAUSE THEY FELT THEY WERE TOO 43:44 GOOD OR TOO RICH? 43:47 YEAH, RICH YOUNG RULER, HE SAID, "I CAN'T FOLLOW JESUS. 43:48 IT WOULD COST TOO MUCH." 43:50 HE WAS TOO GOOD, TOO RICH FOR GOD. 43:53 DIDN'T FEEL HIS NEED OF CHRIST. 43:55 AND A LOT OF SICK PEOPLE CAME TO JESUS, BUT JESUS NEVER TURNED 43:59 ANYONE AWAY 'CAUSE THEY WERE TOO SICK. 44:02 ISN'T THAT RIGHT? 44:04 BUT SOME NEVER CAME TO HIM 'CAUSE THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE 44:07 TOO HEALTHY. 44:09 I THINK THAT'S SAFE TO SAY AS WELL. 44:13 HE'S WILLING FOR US TO COME TO HIM JUST THE WAY WE ARE. 44:17 QUEEN ELIZABETH I SAID, "THEY ARE MOST DECEIVED THAT TRUST 44:22 THE MOST IN THEMSELVES. 44:24 SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS IS THE DEVIL'S MASTERPIECE." 44:30 WE'VE GOTTA GUARD AGAINST THAT, FRIENDS, AND JUST PRAY. 44:33 IT'S LIKE THE MAN WHO EATS CHEDDAR CHEESE AND GETS IT ON 44:35 HIS MUSTACHE, WALKS AROUND ALL DAY AND HE WONDERS WHAT STINKS. 44:40 HE THINKS EVERYBODY STINKS. 44:41 IT'S ON HIS MUSTACHE. 44:43 IT'S HIS MUSTACHE THAT STINKS. 44:44 AND IT'S SO HARD FOR US TO KNOW OUR OWN SIN. 44:50 WE'RE BLIND TO IT. 44:52 WE NEED TO PRAY THAT GOD'LL HELP US TO SEE OURSELVES CLEARLY 44:56 THROUGH HIS EYES AND TO BLIND US TO THE FAULTS OF OTHERS BUT IT 44:59 SEEMS IT'S THE OTHER WAY AROUND. 45:01 WE'RE SO CLEAR ON THE FAULTS OF EVERYONE ELSE. 45:04 INTERESTING SCRIPTURE, ECCLESIASTES 7:16, "DO NOT BE 45:08 OVERLY RIGHTEOUS." 45:10 WOW, YOU'D NEVER THINK YOU'D HEAR THE LORD SAY IN HIS WORD, 45:14 DON'T BE TOO GOOD. 45:17 HE'S SAYING DON'T BE OVERLY RIGHTEOUS OR OVERLY WISE. 45:19 BY THE WAY, THIS IS THE WISEST MAN WHO EVER LIVED THAT SAID 45:21 THAT. 45:23 DON'T THINK TOO MUCH OF YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 45:26 SOON AS YOU THINK YOU'RE HUMBLE, YOU BECOME PROUD OF HUMILITY 45:29 THEN YOU CEASE TO BE HUMBLE. 45:34 "WHY SHOULD YOU DESTROY YOURSELF?" 45:36 JOB ALSO SAYS SOMETHING SIMILAR. 45:39 JOB 4:17, "CAN MORTAL MAN BE MORE RIGHTEOUS THAN GOD?" 45:44 CAN A MAN BE MORE PURE THAN HIS MAKER?" 45:48 AND YET THERE ARE SOME BASED ON THEIR BEHAVIOR YOU WOULD THINK, 45:52 DO WE THINK WE'RE TOO GOOD FOR GOD? 45:56 HEARD A STORY ONE TIME OF A PRIEST THAT WAS TRAVELING ONE 46:01 FRIDAY THROUGH ITALY AND HE STOPPED AT AN INN AND HE ASKED 46:07 FOR SOME FISH BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO EAT MEAT ON 46:10 FRIDAY. 46:11 AND THE PROPRIETOR OF THE INN SAID THERE'S NO FISH LEFT. 46:16 HE SAID, "WELL, WHAT DO YOU HAVE?" 46:18 HE SAYS, "WELL, I GOT SOME PHEASANT, BUT TODAY'S FRIDAY, 46:22 I CAN'T SERVE YOU MEAT." 46:24 HE SAID, "LOOK, I'M A PRIEST. 46:27 I TAKE THE BREAD AND I TURN IT INTO THE BODY OF JESUS. 46:31 I CAN TURN THIS FOWL INTO FISH. 46:34 I'LL JUST SAY A PRAYER." 46:36 AND SO THE INNKEEPER BROUGHT HIM HIS PHEASANT. 46:40 HE SAID A PRAYER, HE SAID, "NOW IT'S FISH." 46:43 NOW I KNOW THAT'S HARD FOR YOU AND I TO CONCEIVE OF BUT THAT'S 46:46 MAN THINKING THAT HE'S MORE RIGHTEOUS THAN GOD PUTTING 46:51 HIMSELF IN THE PLACE OF GOD. 46:54 AND WE LOOK DOWN OUR NOSES AT THAT, BUT YOU WONDER DO WE EVER 46:59 HAVE THAT KIND OF ATTITUDE? 47:02 MAKES ME SHUTTER 'CAUSE I SOMETIMES SEE IT IN MYSELF. 47:07 LUKE 7:37, WHO'S THE BIGGER SINNER? 47:13 WHAT QUALIFIES BIG SIN? 47:18 "BEHOLD A WOMAN," THIS IS WHEN JESUS IS IN THE HOUSE OF SIMON, 47:22 THE LEPER. 47:23 HE'S CALLED SIMON THE LEPER BECAUSE HE HAD LEPROSY. 47:25 JESUS HEALED HIM. 47:27 SIMON EVIDENTLY HAD A FEAST TO THANK JESUS FOR HIS ACT OF 47:30 GRACE. 47:31 SIMON WAS A PHARISEE. 47:36 "BEHOLD A WOMAN IN THE CITY WHO WAS A SINNER WHEN SHE WAS KNEW 47:39 THAT JESUS WAS AT A TABLE IN THE PHARISEE'S HOUSE BROUGHT 47:42 AN ALABASTER FLASK OF FRAGRANT OIL." 47:45 SHE WAS A SINNER, LUKE ADMITS THAT. 47:49 "SHE STOOD AT JESUS' FEET BEHIND HIM WEEPING AND SHE BEGAN 47:52 TO WASH HIS FEET WITH HER TEARS AND WIPE THEM WITH THE HAIR OF 47:54 HER HEAD." 47:55 BY THE WAY, WHAT WAS HER NAME? 47:57 ANOTHER GOSPEL SAYS THIS IS MARY MAGDALENE. 48:01 "AND SHE KISSED HIS FEET AND ANOINTED THEM WITH A FRAGRANT 48:04 OIL. 48:06 NOW WHEN THE PHARISEE WHO HAD INVITED HIM SAW THIS, HE SPOKE 48:10 WITHIN HIMSELF AND SAID, 'THIS MAN, IF HE WAS A PROPHET, WOULD 48:13 KNOW WHO AND WHAT MANNER OF WOMAN THIS IS WHO'S TOUCHING HIM 48:16 FOR SHE IS A SINNER.'" NOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH HIS 48:20 ATTITUDE HERE? 48:22 HE SOMEHOW THINKS HE'S BETTER, DOESN'T HE? 48:26 VERSE 40, "AND JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID TO HIM, 'SIMON, I'VE 48:31 GOT SOMETHING TO SAY TO YOU.' HE SAID, 'TEACHER, SAY ON.' 48:36 'THERE WAS A CERTAIN CREDITOR WHO HAD TWO DEBTORS, ONE OWED 48:40 FIVE HUNDRED DENARI AND THE OTHER FIFTY.'" 48:43 ONE OWES TEN TIMES MORE THAN THE OTHER. 48:47 "AND WHEN THEY HAD NOTHING TO PAY, THEY ARE EQUALLY BANKRUPT." 48:52 ONE OWES MORE BUT THEY'RE BOTH EQUALLY BANKRUPT, THEY CAN'T 48:55 PAY. 48:56 "AND WHEN THEY HAD NOTHING WITH WHICH TO PAY--" HOW MUCH DO WE 48:59 HAVE TO REPAY THE LORD FOR WHAT WE'VE DONE? 49:03 HE PAID A DEBT THAT WE JUST COULDN'T PAY AND YOU NEVER WILL 49:08 BE ABLE TO PAY IT. 49:10 "AND WHEN THEY HAD NOTHING WITH WHICH TO REPAY, HE FREELY 49:13 FORGAVE THEM BOTH." 49:16 THE LORD FORGIVES THE RICH AND THE POOR. 49:20 SOME ARE GOOD BY THE WORLD'S STANDARDS AND MORALS AND SOME 49:25 ARE NOT. 49:26 HE FREELY FORGIVES BOTH. 49:29 "'TELL ME THEREFORE,' JESUS IS ASKING SIMON THE PHARISEE, 49:34 'WHICH OF THEM WILL LOVE HIM MORE?' 49:36 SIMON ANSWERED AND SAID, 'I SUPPOSE THE ONE HE FORGAVE 49:39 MORE.' HE SAID TO HIM, 'YOU'VE RIGHTLY 49:42 JUDGED.'" NOW YOU GET THAT? 49:45 HE WHO HAS FORGIVEN THE MOST, LOVES THE MOST. 49:48 SO IF WE BECOME PREOCCUPIED WITH OUR GOODNESS AND HOW MUCH WE 49:51 OFFER GOD, WE WILL MAYBE APPRECIATE GOD LESS AND NOT 49:56 SERVE HIM AS WELL WHICH IS THE POINT OF THE MORAL. 50:02 "AND HE TURNED TO THE WOMAN--" HE'S STILL IN THE HOUSE OF 50:05 SIMON, POINTS TO MARY MAGDALENE AND SAYS, "YOU SEE THIS WOMAN? 50:09 I ENTERED YOUR HOUSE. 50:10 YOU GAVE ME NO WATER FOR MY FEET. 50:12 SHE'S WASHED MY FEET WITH HER TEARS AND WIPED THEM WITH 50:15 THE HAIR OF HER HEAD. 50:17 YOU GAVE ME NO KISS BUT THIS WOMAN HAS NOT CEASED TO--" USED 50:20 TO USUALLY A MAN WOULD KISS ANOTHER MAN ON THE FACE, YOU 50:23 KNOW HOW THEY DO IN THE MIDDLE EASTERN COUNTRIES ON THE CHEEK? 50:26 "AND SHE'S NOT CEASED TO KISS MY FEET SINCE THE TIME I CAME IN. 50:31 YOU DID NOT ANOINT MY HEAD WITH OIL MY BUT THIS WOMAN HAS 50:34 ANOINTED MY FEET WITH FRAGRANT OIL. 50:37 THEREFORE I SAY TO YOU, HER SINS, WHICH ARE MANY--" IS THERE 50:41 ANY DENIAL THAT SHE HAD MANY SINS? 50:44 SHE'S A BIG SINNER. 50:46 "HER SINS THAT ARE MANY ARE FORGIVEN, FOR SHE LOVED MUCH BUT 50:50 TO WHOM LITTLE IS FORGIVEN, THE SAME LOVE'S LITTLE." 50:54 THEN HE TURNS TO THE WOMAN, HE SAYS, "YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN." 50:58 DID HE EVER SAY THAT TO SIMON? 51:02 IT'S NOT RECORDED. 51:04 SHE KNEW HER SINS WERE FORGIVEN, THAT'S WHY MARY CAME. 51:09 NOW WAS JESUS SAYING THAT MARY WAS A BIGGER SINNER THAN SIMON 51:14 OR WAS JESUS SAYING SHE WAS AWARE OF HER SINS BETTER THAN 51:20 SIMON? 51:22 SHE HAD MORE CONSCIOUSNESS OF HOW MUCH SHE HAD BEEN FORGIVEN. 51:27 IF WE ARE UNCONSCIOUS OF HOW EXPENSIVE OUR FORGIVENESS IS, WE 51:30 CAN START THINKING LIKE SIMON THAT WE'RE GOOD ENOUGH FOR GOD 51:34 OR MAYBE TOO GOD FOR GOD. 51:36 GOD IS NOT TELLING YOU THAT YOU'VE GOTTA GO OUT THERE AND BE 51:40 A PUBLICAN OR A PROSTITUTE. 51:44 HE'S TELLING YOU THAT YOU SIMPLY, YOU ALREADY HAVE THE 51:47 SAME CREDIT SCORE AS A PUBLICAN OR PROSTITUTE. 51:50 HE'S TELLING YOU THAT YOU NEED TO BE AWARE BECAUSE HE WHO HAS 51:53 FORGIVEN MUCH, LOVES MUCH. 51:56 LOOK AT THE CONTRAST. 51:57 HERE SIMON IS SITTING EQUAL PLAIN WITH JESUS AT THE TABLE. 52:02 MARY IS CONTENT TO BE AT HIS FEET. 52:06 AND WHEN SHE HUMBLES HERSELF LIKE THAT, SHE'S THE ONE WHO 52:08 GOES OUT FORGIVEN. 52:10 SHE GETS THE HIGH HONOR OF BEING THE ONE AT THE TOMB TO PROCLAIM 52:15 HIS RESURRECTION. 52:17 YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BEING TOO BAD FOR GOD, BUT YOU 52:21 NEED TO PRAY THAT YOU DON'T EVER GET TO THE PLACE OR HAVE AN 52:23 ATTITUDE WHERE YOU THINK YOU'RE TOO GOOD FOR GOD. 52:27 THE STORY OF THE PRODIGAL SON, HE COMES TO HIS FATHER AND HE'S 52:32 ACCEPTED JUST LIKE HE IS. 52:35 YOU GET THE STORY OF JONAH, YOU KNOW JONAH, IT'S LIKE THE JEWISH 52:38 NATION. 52:40 HE THOUGHT HE WAS TOO GOOD TO GO TO THE NINEVITES. 52:42 WELL, THEY'RE PAGANS, LORD, WHY SAVE THEM? 52:44 AND EVEN AFTER HE PREACHED TO THEM AND THEY REPENTED 52:46 THE LORD SAYS, "COME ON." 52:47 JONAH'S SAYING, "LORD, I SAID THEY'RE GONNA 52:49 BE DESTROYED IN 40 DAYS. 52:50 YOU'RE NOT GONNA SHOW THEM MERCY NOW, ARE THEY? 52:53 I'M GLAD YOU SHOWED ME MERCY. 52:54 I MEAN, YOU KNOW, AFTER ALL I'M A JEW. 52:56 THANK YOU, BY THE WAY, FOR SAVING ME FROM THE WHALE. 52:58 BUT THEY'RE NINEVITES." 53:00 WAS THERE A LITTLE BIT OF SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS IN JONAH 53:02 MAYBE? 53:04 AND GOD JUST TRIED TO GET THROUGH TO HIM. 53:06 THE SAME PROBLEM JONAH HAD AND THE JEWS HAD, THE CHURCH HAS. 53:12 IT'S A HISTORY OF GOD'S PEOPLE DOWN THROUGH THE AGES AND 53:14 ESPECIALLY AT THE END OF TIME. 53:16 ONE OF THE FINAL INDICTMENTS GOD MAKES THERE IN REVELATION 3. 53:20 WHAT'S THE CONDITION OF THE CHURCH THAT CHRIST DESCRIBES? 53:25 THE LAODICEAN LUKEWARM CONDITION. 53:29 THAT LUKEWARM CONDITION CAN BE LETHAL. 53:33 REVELATION 3:15, THE LORD SAY, "I KNOW YOUR WORKS THAT YOU'RE 53:37 NEITHER COLD NOR HOT. 53:38 I WISH YOU WERE COLD OR HOT, EITHER REPENTANT OR BEING 53:43 ZEALOUS AND TRUSTING IN MY RIGHTEOUSNESS. 53:47 THEN BECAUSE YOU'RE LUKEWARM--" BACK THEN LUKEWARM USED TO 53:51 NAUSEATE A PERSON. 53:52 THEY'D HAVE TO SPIT IT OUT. 53:54 "BECAUSE YOU'RE LUKEWARM AND NEITHER COLD NOR HOT, I WILL 53:56 SPEW THEE OUT OF MY MOUTH BECAUSE YOU SAY I'M RICH AND 54:00 I'VE BECOME WEALTHY AND NEED NOTHING AND YOU DON'T KNOW THAT 54:04 YOU'RE WRETCHED AND MISERABLE AND POOR AND BLIND AND NAKED." 54:08 KIND OF LIKE SOME DRUNK WHO'S LIVING IN A TUNNEL IN CENTRAL 54:14 PARK WEARING RAGS. 54:17 MEETS ANOTHER DRUNK DURING THE NIGHT WHO HANDS HIM A KEY. 54:21 SAYS, "I'M THE MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY. 54:23 I OWN NEW YORK CITY AND YOU LOOK LIKE A NICE GUY. 54:26 THANKS FOR THE WHISKEY. 54:27 HERE YOU'RE NOW THE OWNER OF NEW YORK CITY. 54:30 YOU COULD BE MAYOR." 54:32 COME MORNING HE PUTS ON HIS SUNGLASSES AND HE STUMBLES OUT 54:35 OF THE TUNNEL WEARING HIS RAGS, SMELLING OF BOOZE COVERED WITH 54:41 FILTH AND HE THINKS HE'S THE MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY. 54:47 AND I WONDER SOMETIMES IF WE'VE BEEN INEBRIATED WITH TRUTH SO 54:51 THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE TRUTH, WE THINK WE HAVE SALVATION. 54:55 THEY ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS, THE JEWS HAVE THE WORD AND THEY 55:00 CONFUSED HAVING THE WORD FOR HAVING CHRIST. 55:04 SOMETIMES YOU CAN HAVE A KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH ON THE 55:06 OUTSIDE WITHOUT HAVING CHRIST THE WORD ON THE INSIDE. 55:10 AND THE LORD SAYS, "BECAUSE YOU SAY, 'I AM RICH AND BECOME 55:15 WEALTHY AND NEED NOTHING' AND YOU DON'T KNOW THAT YOU'RE POOR 55:19 AND WRETCHED AND MISERABLE AND BLIND AND NAKED." 55:22 THE KEY IS THAT WE'VE JUST GOTTA COME TO THE LORD THE WAY WE ARE 55:25 AND REALIZE WHAT OUR CONDITION IS. 55:28 LIKE THAT PRODIGAL SON WHEN HE CAME TO HIS FATHER, HE HAD TO 55:30 SPEND SOME TIME IN THE PIG PEN, IT SEEMED LIKE, BEFORE HE'D 55:32 REALIZE WHAT HE HAD. 55:36 THE SON WHO CAME HOME WAS EMBRACED BY THE FATHER, COVERED 55:41 BY THE FATHER. 55:43 THERE WAS A CELEBRATION FOR THE SON WHO REALIZED HOW FAR HE HAD 55:47 WANDERED. 55:48 THE SON WHO NEVER LEFT HOME, BUT HE NEVER REALLY FELT AT HOME, 55:54 HE DIDN'T GET A PARTY. 55:56 YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT THOSE TWO BROTHERS? 55:57 HE SAID, "I'VE WORKED SO HARD." 55:59 HE WAS TRUSTING IN HIS OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS. 56:01 HE WAS TOO GOOD FOR GOD. 56:03 THE OTHER SON REALIZED THE LOVE OF THE FATHER AND HE CAME 56:06 AS HE WAS. 56:07 THESE ARE TWO BIG OPPOSITES THAT YOU SEE IN THE BIBLE. 56:11 SOME FEEL LIKE THEY'RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH, BUT YOU KNOW THERE'S 56:16 HOPE FOR THEM IF THEY JUST COME THE WAY THEY ARE. 56:20 IT'S THE ONES WHO THINK THEY'RE TOO GOOD FOR GOD THAT ARE 56:23 ESPECIALLY IN SHARK-INFESTED WATERS. 56:27 AND SO I WOULD JUST PRAY THAT GOD'LL WORK A MIRACLE AND WE'D 56:33 REALIZE THAT THE CHEESE IS ON OUR MUSTACHE, THAT IT'S HIS 56:39 GRACE WE ALL NEED PERSONALLY, THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL HELP 56:43 US REALIZE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING BETWEEN US AND JESUS. 56:47 HOPEFULLY NOBODY HERE TODAY FEELS THEY MIGHT BE TOO GOOD FOR 56:51 GOD, BUT I WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY, NOBODY HERE IS TOO 56:56 BAD FOR JESUS. 56:58 WE CAN COME JUST LIKE WE ARE BECAUSE HE IS A FRIEND OF 57:01 SINNERS. 57:02 AMEN, FRIENDS? 57:03 AND THEN HE CAN GIVE US A NEW HEART AND HELP US TO DO HIS 57:07 WILL. 57:08 LET'S PRAY. 57:10 LOVING FATHER IN HEAVEN, O LORD, WE ARE ENCOURAGED BY THE 57:14 SIMPLE MESSAGE TODAY THAT YOU'VE ILLUSTRATED MANY TIMES THROUGH 57:19 YOUR WORD, THAT ANYONE CAN COME TO YOU IN FAITH AND BE RECEIVED. 57:26 AND I PRAY, LORD, THAT EACH OF US CAN FIND THAT SALVATION, THAT 57:29 GRACE, HELP US TO STOP MAKING EXCUSES BUT COME NOW THAT WE 57:34 MIGHT RECEIVE THAT GARMENT AND BE FORGIVEN. 57:37 AND I PRAY, LORD, THAT EACH PERSON THAT HAS HEARD THIS 57:42 MESSAGE WILL RESOLVE THAT THEY CAN MAKE A COMPLETE AND TOTAL 57:46 SURRENDER OF THEIR LIVES TO JESUS AND BE IN THAT GREAT 57:48 BANQUET. 57:51 BLESS US NOW, LORD, THAT WE MIGHT SEE OURSELVES CLEARLY 57:53 THROUGH YOUR EYES, THAT WE HAVE 20/20 VISION WHEN IT COMES TO 57:57 OUR OWN SINS, BLINDNESS TO THE SINS OF THOSE AROUND US AND HELP 58:02 US SIMPLY TO REPRESENT JESUS. 58:04 IN HIS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN. 58:09 [MUSIC] |
Revised 2015-02-06