So we're up to Matthew 21 and we'll just do a usual just quick recap of the last
chapter. Chapter 20 was what we did last week and we started with a parable of
the labourers which followed straight on from the previous chapter and the
question about rewards with the standout lessons in that context being that
number one those counting the cost are the ones that are unhappy, two those just
willing to work receive a great reward, number three was that those willing to
give what little they can receive the best reward and we saw that with sort of
those those eleventh hour labourers and then number four those who think they've
done the most for God are often the least likely to receive salvation and
which I believe included for me a picture of the Jews being replaced
by the Gentiles and we're going to see a bit of that because it seems to be a bit
of a theme in these chapters of Matthew like it is in pretty much most of the New Testament.
Jesus then told them of what was coming in Jerusalem but they didn't seem to get it
and then John and James got their mum involved didn't they they thought they
get mum down to try and put a bit of pressure on Jesus and we looked at what
Jesus meant when he said in verse 23 and he saith unto them ye shall indeed drink
of my cup and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with but to
sit on my right hand on my left is not mine to give but it should be given to
them for whom it is prepared of my father and we looked into that in depth
and then Jesus gave us the timeless truth in verse 25 which was but Jesus
called them unto him and said you know that the prince of the Gentiles exercised
dominion over them and they that a great exercise authority upon them and and how
for us as believers it's it's not the same and then finally he heals the two
blind men based solely on their faith so that was kind of chapter 20 and we go
into chapter 21 which starts with verse 1 which says when they drew nigh unto
Jerusalem and were come to Beth per G unto the Mount of Olives then sent
Jesus to disciples saying unto them go into the village over against you and
straightway you shall find an ashtide and a cult with her loose em and bring
them unto me and if any man say ought unto you you shall say the Lord hath
need of them and straightway he will send them I'd like to pray before we get
going with this chapter father thank you for your word thank you for this great
chapter of the Bible please help me to preach this just clearly and accurately
and just preach how you'd want me to Lord help me to I'm just edify everyone
here and help everyone here to have attentive ears to this please keep the
distractions to a minimum and just fill me with your spirit please Lord in Jesus
name pray all of this amen alright so Jesus is gearing up for his entry into
Jerusalem and he's about to do that riding on a young ass or we would know
that as a donkey and I don't think the ass itself would have necessarily been
degrading the wealthy Abraham was one of many described as riding an ass
I think you know they're probably quite suitable animals for the terrain there
and the long journeys however this is the Lord Jesus Christ isn't it and and
his next entry will be on a white horse so here he's arriving on an ass and in
fact he actually enters Jerusalem itself on a cult or young ass the other three
gospel accounts focusing solely on the cult that he rides and for me there's
obviously the obvious picture of just this humble entry isn't there on the
cult the fold of an ass mark 11 to you'd have to turn their parallel
passage citizens and saith unto them go your way into the village over against
you and as soon as you be entered into it you shall find a cult tide where on
never man sat loose him and bring him so Mark's gospel account and the others
just focus on the cult itself and and and the fact that no one had ever sat
sat on that cult either and you could you know aside for the fact that maybe
there's a sort of you know there's probably a couple of pictures you could
look at without this just riding a cult that no one's ever sat on would have
probably been quite difficult as well wouldn't it because usually these things
need a bit of training for that sort of thing but of course this is Jesus Christ
and Jesus Christ you know is is well he's a lord over his creation isn't he
but why does it mention both here in Matthew's account well one reason why
there probably was both is that the journey was still a good few miles from
the Mount of Olives which is where he is at this point but perhaps you know
sorry from the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem but perhaps that would have
been a stretch for the cult and you know this is if you think this is like a
young ass carrying a kind of fully grown person here but also because he was also
fulfilling a specific prophecy and this this this gospel account shows him
fulfilling it specifically verse 4 it says here all this was done that it
might be fulfilled which is spoken by the Prophet saying tell ye the daughter
of Zion behold thy King cometh unto thee meek and sitting upon an ass and a cult
the foal of an ass and I know sometimes the end can just be kind of you know
making a point of the previous kind of few words but here I think well we've
just seen easy you've got both here turn to Zechariah 9 which is what the
prophecy is and that's if you're wondering where that is just go
backwards you go past Malachi and then you got Zechariah and and Zechariah is
what's being referred to and notice he and that we just read and a cult the
following as both here in Matthew 21 5 and Zechariah 9 9 so Zechariah chapter
9 and verse 9 says rejoice greatly I daughter of Zion shout I daughter of
Jerusalem behold thy King cometh unto thee he is just and having salvation
lowly and riding upon an ass and upon a cult the foal of an ass so you know the
the adult and then a foal there's a clear and here isn't there and the
disciples if you go back so you can see that's what the prophecy being
fulfilled clearly a point of the two there and I believe it's probably one
then the other probably the ass and then the foal for the cult the foal of
an ass to then enter into Jerusalem verse 6 where we were in Matthew 21 says
and the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them and brought the ass and
the cold and put on them their clothes and they set him there on so again no
mention of which one turn to Matthew 11 because it does make you think of when
Jesus said in Matthew chapter 11 and verse 28 Matthew 11 28 Jesus said this
come unto me all ye that labor and a heavy laden and I will give you rest and
asses were obviously heavy laden laboring animals he says in verse 29 take
my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and you shall
find rest unto yourselves the two descriptions that we just saw Jesus in
Matthew 21 5 and Zechariah 9 9 were meek and lowly and then he then says in
verse 30 for my yoke is easy and my burden is light so so easy so like that
even the cult the young are able to bear his burden aren't they maybe that's what
that's a picture of there I believe that probably is the two animals together
probably picturing the need for a yoke you could say as well with Jesus Christ
being that easy yoke and and you know it's not and it's also not an uneven
yoking here is it either so you kind of got this it's a strange situation where
you got this he's kind of described as riding on both you've got this ass and
then you got this cult the fold of an ass and he got Jesus Christ riding on
them between them we don't really know how he's described as humble and meek
and then you kind of you think back to Matthew 11 and he's talking about his
yoke being easy his bird and his light and he's basically riding in it
ultimately on this fold of an ass and I don't know that's what I was thinking
about when I was looking at this maybe that's what you know one of the many
things we're seeing here is he's riding in but obviously you know above all
there's just this this humility isn't there with Jesus Christ you know the
the triumphant King riding into Jerusalem on a young ass and you know
for me that's just you know another just great kind of just picture of Jesus
Christ the humble humble Lord Jesus Christ verse six back where we were in
Matthew 21 says and the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them and in
I think one of the other gospel accounts we see that or in fact two of them we
see they the the person does try and stop them and they just say the master
has need of them they go okay fine and brought the ass and the cult and put on
them their clothes and they set him there on and again it's just they set
him there on so between the two that's why you it makes me think of those you
know that yoke and everything else and a very great multitude spread their
garments in the way others cut down branches from the trees and stored them
in the way and the branches were apparently palm palm tree branches I
think according to John's gospel and ultimately it's kind of like rolling out
the proverbial red carpet isn't it they're just rolling out this carpet
from there laying things on the floor you know showing this worship of him as
he comes down down into Jerusalem on it in verse 9 says and the multitudes that
went before and that followed cried saying Hosanna to the son of David
blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord Hosanna in the highest and they
are for me referring to Psalm 118 and you can turn if you like Hosanna
meaning save now by all accounts and then you can see the similarities and in
verse 26 of 118 but we'll start with verse 25 so Psalm 118 1 1 8 and verse 25
says this save now I beseech thee O Lord O Lord I beseech thee send now
prosperity blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord we have blessed
you out of the house of the Lord and we just saw in verse 9 they cried saying
Hosanna to the son of David blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord
Hosanna in the highest so he's got people in front behind shouting out his
praises referring to him as the Savior and you can imagine this cause a bit of
a stir and this is you know you it gives this picture in your mind it's just
amazing kind of entry of Jesus Christ people are calling out these things he's
a savior and everything else back to back to Matthew 21 and verse 10 and it
says and when he was coming to Jerusalem all the city was moved saying who is this
and the multitude said this is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee and maybe
they just have him down as a prophet maybe many did but maybe many kind of
believe that he was the prophet remember that you know that's one of the things
they're looking for and he's described as Deuteronomy 18 15 out there says the
Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet for the midst of thee of thy
brethren like unto me unto him ye shall hearken a prophecy of Christ and don't
forget back in chapter 2 it said in verse 23 and he came and dwelt in the
city called Nazareth that it might be fulfilled which spoke by the prophets he
should be called a Nazarene and we can't find exactly what prophets said that and
I believe it's probably talking about him being despised and rejected men
because Nazareth was a kind of bit of a slant on people if we remember I think
in John chapter 2 Nathaniel you know said shall any good thing come out of
Nazareth so that's what I believe it obviously said Galilee Galilee on
Nazareth but either way they they've just been crying out haven't they Hosanna to
the son of David blessed is he that cometh in the name the Lord Hosanna in
the highest so these guys clearly you know for me there's a lot of people here
do understand what's going on here okay they're calling out they're saying you
know Hosanna they're saying blessed is he that cometh in the name the Lord
Hosanna save save now Lord you know that a lot of these people know exactly
what's going on here the multitude surrounding these seem to be the
multitude entering with him as well for me whereas when he's coming into now
what is the false religious stronghold we see a bit of a different reaction to
many because we've just said that you know they're saying the city was moved
they're saying who is this and the multitude that seemed to be coming
before and and in front of him are saying this is Jesus the prophet of
Nazareth of Galilee and then it says in verse 12 so he's come into this false
religious stronghold you're thinking okay this is great Jesus Christ is
entering into Jerusalem okay what's going to happen now yeah everyone's
crying and shouting well verse 12 says that Jesus went into the temple of God
okay he's gone into the temple you know it's time for everyone to worship he's
gonna start preaching a sermon and cast out all them that sold and bought in a
temple and overthrew the tables of the money changers and the seats of them
that sold doves and said unto them it is written my house shall be called the
house of prayer but ye have made it a den of thieves wasn't very Christian
was it like Christ like a Jesus there was it where's the love where's the love
we I think we had a guy after my sermon on Sundays not you know I don't I'm not
seeing a very Christian was it some sort of Christian love or something going on
here one of these sort of weirdos on the course but but point being yeah that
that's the sort of reaction people give don't they and and you know it's so
funny isn't it because people like where's the love this isn't very
Christian everything well what's Christian Christian is Jesus Christ is
the epitome of Christianity isn't it Jesus Christ is who all trying to be
more like it Jesus Christ went into the temple and started casting people out
and he cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple the temple was like
there were some big grounds okay this wasn't just like he didn't go into like
a little chapel somewhere and cast out a couple of kind of dodgy guys on the side
he's casting out loads them he's overthrowing tables he's overthrowing
seats something tells me he didn't look like the long-haired Catholic hippie
that they try and push and promote on us because I don't think this would have
gone on too well without them all turning and having a fight they're all
scared by the sounds of it aren't they he's cast them out he's overthrowing
things and and and look and obviously they're scared because this is God
isn't it the Son of God is here you know casting things out throwing things
around but you know it gives you an image doesn't it and it's not the image
that the the world tries to pay for Jesus Christ does it and of course Jesus
Christ that God so loved the world okay Jesus Christ yeah he's again the
epitome of love isn't he but Jesus Christ it to you know how many people
say if you if you love flowers you're gonna hate weeds and these people were
scum okay these people were pure scum they were merchandising the house of God
he's turned up and he basically goes for the money men straight away and if you
think about it I'd imagine these were probably some pretty powerful people
weren't they I'd imagine these were like the big wigs these are the people with
the money these were like the big tithers these were the people who don't
know if I want to upset those Jesus Christ just went straight in and started
basically kicking them off chairs and overthrowing their tables and that's it
that's a great example isn't it I mean that's the sort of you know we
shouldn't be home wall yeah but you know these people got a lot of wealth and a
lot of authority and yeah Jesus Christ didn't mind did he now we don't have a
physical temple now but what does he say his house is what's his house now church
isn't it every real church every individual church is a house of God you
have to turn there 1st Timothy 3 15 says a house of God which is a church of the
living God the pillar and ground of the truth so this is a house of God that
you're in right now okay this is a house of God Jesus Christ said my house shall
be called the house of prayer but you have made it a den of thieves okay now
that was in the temple but I if Jesus Christ walked in here and you know we
had a little book sale on in the corner there you know I'd kind of written my
memoirs you know because I thought everyone would really be up for and it
just started pushing and promoting it remind the ball or whatever it was we
were selling here we were selling you know someone at the at the end afterwards
was holding a little box for you know putting in money for the tea and coffee
and the biscuits or something else I reckon Jesus Christ would walk in and
just start overturning that stuff and going what what on earth you do he would
start casting people out selling things out of this church and to write to right
yeah however how many so-called Bible believing Baptist churches and others
sell things out of the church so many of them do and I mean some are just it's
just scandalous they'll literally just sell they'll just sell tickets to church
I mean some of these you know mega churches I remember what it was for like
a front row seat to one of these sort of wicked you know you know mega preachers
but you're talking about hundreds and hundreds of dollars my semi kind of
American dollars aren't they but but how wicked is that but obviously they're
not churches however they're claiming to be a church aren't they claiming the
name of Christ but you do sit don't you see it with with yeah books I was at an
evangelical church where they thought they're really clever with this where
they had kind of there's a foyer into the church and then there was kind of
the tea and coffee area and the kids and stuff and then there was an extra door
into kind of you know the auditorium or whatever you called it so the ex-pastor
who was still involved with the church where he sold his books in the foyer
that's all right wasn't it you know at least he wasn't in the actual church bit
of the church I mean what on earth so he's selling some absolutely horrendous
books I think possibly questioning the validity of them I was like it was kind
of evidence for the Bible trying to discredit the King James subtly through
it for like five pound apiece it's like one of the first churches I'd really
since I've got saved though I'd kind of I'd actually got involved with this
church and I was kind of a bit I remember at the time just feeling a
little bit I was saying to my wife something along the lines it's strange
isn't it selling a book kind of in the church and make your point we were
outside the church but this is what people do don't they oh well that's okay
because you're not what nonsense yeah do you think that Jesus said oh it's
alright as long as you're just in the grounds of the temple no he said I was
long as you're just in the foyer oh he would have been casting him out like
everyone else yeah and obviously we see this the worst is like the healing
miracles and everything else however something to a point of this is that
churches in a place to trade is it churches in a place to try and work on
your business to try and promote you know your your business to people in
church should be coming to church that sort of thing that now as a church grows
and things there might be people that end up working for each other there
might be people that end up doing some sort of business together etc however
you've got to remember because sometimes you might slip up and forget and start
talking about work so however you need to remember that you're not coming to
church for that you need to be outside the church we discussing that sort of
thing let alone selling and trading everything else and we did have people
here before sadly that did think that church and the people of church were
good people to start to about trading things the big one being the cat selling
business and I'll get into breeding cat and they were just basically finding
people around the church to get into their breeding enterprise or whatever
nonsense that was and and that was something that we had at this church and
look much worse goes on okay and the church isn't a place for that now it's
in a verse 14 and the blind and the lame came to him in the temple and he healed
them and so he's funny he's coming into the temple he's basically smashed up all
the tables the chairs kicked out all these wicked mega rich probably guys all
these money men and everyone else and then and then the blind and the lame are
coming in now it's almost like he's cleared the way for them isn't he and
now they're coming in and you need to clean up church don't you for people for
God to start bringing people in the church and I said this before I said as
you know as we start you know now we've got rid of a lot of wick we will take a
little while and we need to kind of you know make sure that we're doing things
right here etc God will be bringing in people that maybe couldn't come in so
easily before right you would have got something they would have been preyed on
so much when they wouldn't have lasted five minutes as some did sadly and I can
remember still some now that didn't last long in this church new people that came
and were just preyed on straightaway however Jesus Christ gets rid of all
these wicked parasites and then the blind the lame are coming in and he's
healing them and people should be able to come to a church to get healed
obviously that you know it's a picture of spiritual healing isn't it and look
as much as we need to go out and preach the gospel right but people do come in
and get saved I remember a guy not long after we moved in here coming in and
just I was just thinking about God and just wondering you know about heaven and
stuff and literally just walked in a church we've had a few like that over
the over time it just come in and they want to get saved you know and you know
we you know we don't want to forget that people will and do come in a church for
that and be welcoming to those that do come in and Jesus Jesus look he healed
most people in the highways and hedges but some do come to the Church of God
to the house of God don't they and we need to remember that as well it's not
you know people do do that people will do that they'll continue to do that and
be ready to give the gospel when people do do that first 15 says when the chief
priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did and the children
crying in the temple and saying Hosanna to the son of David they were sore
displeased they weren't just displeased they were sore displeased and it's just
funny that isn't it I mean it's so ridiculous but really these are God
haters okay they're not happy they're not seeing these wonderful works any
people healed and going praise God really they're sore displeased about
this however they appeared to be so religious as so holy and notice how it
mentions the children so it's the children crying and then the ones
shouting out saying Hosanna to the son of David and and they're upset about
that aren't they and how many people just seem upset and angry when when
young children get saved and do the things of God and they get so offended
by it and everything else and these are the same sorts of wicked people are sore
displeased by children calling out basically Hosanna to the son of David
verse 16 says and said unto him hear and say what they say and Jesus saith unto
them yea have you never read out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou has
perfected praise now he's referring to Psalm 8 and verse 2 and you don't have
to turn now I'm going to quote it quickly it says out of the mouth of
babes and sucklings thou has ordained strength because of thine enemies that
thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger and these children are giving
him the praise that the chief priests of scribes should be and really it
elevates them doesn't it above these rejectors doesn't it so these children
of God are more more godly and more in the will of God and everything else in
these wicked Christ rejecting chief priests scribes chief Pharisees the vast
majority of them unless except for the ones that have put their faith in Christ
and and yeah these you know you could say he's ordained strength in them from
that verse 17 there says and he left them and went out of the city into
Bethany and he lodged there now in the morning as he returned into the city he
hungered and when he saw a fig tree in the way he came to it and found nothing
thereon but leaves only and said unto it let no fruit grow on thee hence forward
forever and presently the fig tree withered away now I understand I'm kind
of playing through a bit quickly here but there's a bit I want to get through
I want to try and hit try and hit this tonight and there's some stuff I want to
preach a bit more on as well but this for example is you know is an
interesting passage here it says that he's seen this fig tree he's come to it
and found nothing thereon but leaves only he said unto it like he then said
to this fig tree let no fruit grow on thee henceforward forever and presently
the fig tree withered away and for me this is clearly a picture of the
physical nation of Judah isn't it okay at this point we've kind of gone from
the nation of Israel to what's left in Judea yeah and and it had stopped
producing fruit and what then happened well it withered away yeah that's what
happened with it with a fig tree here and just but to make it clear yeah it
says presently the fig tree withered away it didn't say the fig tree kind of
just just you know it didn't do much for a little while and it just kind of
got you know put to the side for however many years no it withered away there is
no physical nation anymore okay there is no physical nation of Judea there is no
physical nation of Israel no matter what these people try and tell you out there
and I know a lot of people get confused on this and a lot of and I've had many
preachers and good preachers who kind of talk of almost like they are like the
physical descendants there is no physical descendants anymore they've
withered away they're done that ended when Jerusalem basically was destroyed
in 70 AD and just and and the following years after that they were done it
wasn't just that the city got raised I think a lot of people don't really know
what happened there wasn't oh well the city kind of just kind of crumbled down
a bit and then they kind of went here and went there and kind of carried on
their physical lines and everything else no no the historian Josephus claims that
a million people died a million people died in in that siege and then the
destruction of Jerusalem I mean this was immense this was this was you know
basically what I mean what they call is border on the ethnic cleansing really
okay now I understand I appreciate some had already dispersed some people went
here then everywhere but it was such small amounts and I know some were
already gone away as well we see Jews and synagogues in other areas in the
book of Acts but the vast vast majority just basically got wiped out I mean there
was cannibalism during the siege light was prophesied about I mean it was
absolutely horrific okay and I think it was a five-month siege and yeah there
were physical Jews elsewhere okay however those bloodlines have long long
long been mingled since long ago okay there's no like oh well you know there's
still there are no there are no kind of direct descendants of any tribe left the
majority of what we have now and no more if not even a majority all of what we
have now no more descendants of Abraham than you I and everyone else in here
it's a nonsense okay they're Ashkenazi Jews and when we say Jews it's just
because they just it's a it's a religion but but what's so bizarre about the
Ashkenazi thing is that you've got this massive conversion around about I think
it's the 8th century AD to to Judaism yeah and then they've kind of adopted
this religion and then continued the so-called genetic line of it where
they're like well you inherit it through your mother although you could kind of
convert but we'll just keep quiet about that but it's it's such a nonsense so
you've got all these people what they're like well they're a race because you
know it's like for me so but but they were converted to this religion and then
kind of claim this this this you know genetic line yet I don't think hardly
any of them even I think the vast majority would admit that they're
Ashkenazi converts it's such a nonsense so they're just masquerading as the
descendants of Abraham and everyone knows that and everyone knows it yet we
kind of still get duped into the whole well yeah you know now look they are the
spiritual descendants of the Christ rejecting Judas or sorry those from from
Judea they are yeah they're the spiritual descendants of the Pharisee
they're spiritual descendants of the wicked Christ rejecting reprobate
Pharisees sure sure I won't argue with that but physical descendants physical
claim to that land is an absolute charade it's a nonsense and I think most
people know it deep down so they try to reinstitute this like genetic angle okay
and it's just a nonsense but it's no different yeah basically what we see
today is no different than say and I'll just sort of this nature because it's
literally the opposite side of the world to them if a load of New Zealand
Maoris suddenly converted to the false religion of Judaism and then over
several centuries started going no we have a claim to the promised land it's
absolutely no different and then in several centuries time and I don't think
it's gonna last that long but say it did everyone was like no no they're Jews
they they should be out there in fact we need to start dispersing all the people
that came in there after the whole place was raised and they were kind of got rid
of forever because God said they'd wither away and instead we need to start
getting all those Maoris back in come on guys because they converted you know and
they obviously they're physical descendants get them back into get them
back into Jerusalem get them back into this land in fact kick everyone else out
for anywhere surrounding for their own safety as well get them all out all
those like you know centuries and centuries you know of family homes you
know for those Palestinians get them out get them out because these are the these
people that they have a claim to this land because they converted to a false
Christ rejecting religion you know however many thousand years after this
that's what we see today turn to Galatians 3 the only seed of
Abraham are the spiritual seed well you turn to Galatians 3 I'm going to read
Romans 9 8 which says that is they which are the children of the flesh these are
not these are not the children of God but the children of the promise
accounted for the seed so who are the children of promise those with faith in
Christ Galatians 3 and verse 26 Galatians 3 26 says for ye are all the
children of God by faith in Christ Jesus for as many as as many of you as have
been baptized into Christ and put on Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek
there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all
one in Christ Jesus and if ye be Christ then are ye Abraham seed and heirs
according to the promise so the physical nation withered away and it
wasn't over several generations either was it this wasn't because it was quite
it was remarkable how quickly this was fulfilled then wasn't it verse 20 says
where we are in back in Matthew 21 who's Abraham seed Christ those who are saved
and on that look it's these people that were originally physical descendants of
Abraham did have a chance to get saved yeah and they could do and they it
wasn't you know it was just a physical nation was done okay and it became a
spiritual nation which was through faith in Christ verse 20 says and when the
disciples saw it they marveled saying how soon is the fig tree withered away
and really it was approximately 40 years after his death wasn't it 40 years later
because many believe that Jesus died in what we know of as 30 AD there's a few
debates around that whether it's 37 years later 40 years later whatever I
believe probably 40 because there's a lot about 40s isn't there in the Bible
but that's another so for another day but that's not long for whole nation is
it a whole nation to be done then of course you know that was after the
remnant being given a final chance of the gospel and that 40 years really they
were being given that chance weren't they although so many were being given
over at that time verse 21 then says Jesus answered said unto them verily I
sound to you if you have faith and doubt not you shall not only do this
which is done to the fig tree but also if you shall sound to this mountain be
thou removed to be thou cast into the sea it shall be done and all things
whatsoever you shall ask in prayer believing you shall receive and look
there's a lesson here about faith in prayer but the context was the
withering of the fig tree wasn't it and look many people look this passage of
great passion say look you could like say to this fig tree it be whether you
could say this man to be cast in the sea if you have faith as a grain of
mustard seed etc etc but the context was the withering of the fig tree and you
could say that that hear me out here that it's his disciples starting the
first church and preaching the gospel that was a part of that fig tree that
physical nation withering away wasn't it they were key to that so they were they
had to start that first church to replace wasn't it because it replaced
them and and it kind of went from there and they need to have faith and doubt
not for that didn't they I mean I think sometimes we forget just how like what
a tall order that was that that they've just seen Jesus Christ crucified yeah
they've seen the persecution they've seen the Lord Jesus Christ nailed to a
cross and they're hiding in a room aren't they when Jesus Christ comes to
them and says peace be unto you and breathes on them the Holy Ghost and
look even then I needed a doubt not for them to just go out and preach the
gospel and you know and then we see the persecution coming and they're just
thinking oh we're gonna get the same of what as what Jesus Christ got and it was
a massive thing wasn't it and really when they needed to have faith and
doubt not to be able to be a part of really that fig tree withering away
because they were the ones that were replacing it weren't there's that
spiritual notion and and the mountain is referring to the Mount of Olives first
one said and when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem and will come to Beth per G
unto the Mount of Olives okay so he's referring to the Mount of Olives here
and and I was thinking about this I think it will because again look I don't
think anyone here is trying to cast mountains into the sea and I don't think
anyone's here taking that particular part of it literally it again you could
just go let's say you know just great picture and hyperbole for you know just
just the power of prayer and what you can do however however it does eventually
get split in two doesn't it when Jesus Christ stands upon it is second coming
perhaps eventually cast into the sea too after that I don't know but it does get
split in two between his feet I think we see Zechariah there so I don't know
maybe that will also require us as disciples having faith in doubting not
because these are two key moments you've got the starting of the church
after 70 AD and the destruction of Jerusalem then and then you've also got
the second coming of Christ when the Mount of Olives does it seems get split
in two I don't know what happens to it after that I don't know but Matthew 24
13 talking of those days before his return says but he that shall endure and
to the end the same shall be saved and he obviously is not talking about
spiritual salvation there but there is an endurance there is a faith there is
a doubting not that's going to be needed at the end as well isn't there we are
going to need that to be able to get through that Great Tribulation and those
that don't and those that are doubting and those that the faith probably those
that are going to end up getting decapitated or something else regardless
verse 22 said and all things whatsoever you shall ask in prayer believing you
shall receive so for me rather than us withering fig trees and castering
literal mounds into the sea Jesus for I believe is probably referring to these
two coming events maybe he's not but either way to succeed in whether it was
starting a first church and subsequent churches to replace a fig tree or like
we saw here enduring to the end and seeing the Mount of Olives split in two
maybe we need to have faith we need to doubt not and we need to be in constant
prayer don't we and we need to fall for doing great things for God casting
mountains into the sea if that's what it is saying if it is saying to do great
things like being able to say you know to win this victory you need to be in
constant prayer you need if you're following Christ there will be fig trees
that you want to wither won't there there will be the fig trees there will
be those those areas in your life or maybe those people in your life those
works salvationists those people that that you do want to wither you do want
to go away and you do want to be able to preach that out of them or or at least
go and get people saved and have that part of their life wither away and and
and the false the false religion does surround us doesn't it and just like in
their lives it's surrounding us right and there will be mountains to remove
and that could just be for us enduring the tribulations of life there are
mountains to be moved to be cast away because the Christian life look there's
some boundaries to it aren't there there's some big boundaries and big
mountains in the way and whether or not you want to believe it's just enduring
through these or if it's actually you know doing great things and moving
mountains like many people have probably preached for many years about that
either way you need to have faith and doubt not for that don't you but you
have to have faith you have to believe that you can succeed to succeed don't
you you have to believe that and and you know I think for many of us for many
areas of our lives we have to believe that and so many don't so many have
doubts so many people remind themselves of who they were or who they are and of
the flesh and whether but if you if you have that faith if you put you you know
you doubt not then you can do great things we're going to continue though
for sake of time verse 23 says and when he was coming to the temple the chief
priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching and
said by what authority do us out these things and who gave me this authority
when Jesus answers said unto them I will also I also will ask you one thing which
if you tell me I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things the
baptism of John whence was it from heaven or of men and they reasoned with
themselves saying if we shall say from heaven he will sound to us why did you
not then believe him but if we shall say of men we fear the people for all
hold John as a prophet and the answer Jesus said we cannot tell and he said
unto them neither tell I you by what authority I do these things now it's an
interesting short dialogue here because it makes me think of many of the false
prophets of our day there are the blatant you must do works etc types okay
they're just obviously we see them all over the place they're pretty obvious
aren't they but they're also the kind of fence-sitting ones aren't there the ones
that kind of don't really want to commit either way do they the kind of
ones that speak out of both sides of their mouth they just kind of want to
please everyone one way or another they can you know say if they don't say too
much to one then they could also claim they believe something to the other and
kind of just sit on the fence somewhere and I was thinking about this and
thinking about the sort you know some of these churches that I've been in or
other people have been in in the past and look at the end of the days and I've
said this many times that people there are many people that maybe have been in
this church still in this church who just you know they they wanted a church
right and and they and there's nothing wrong with giving it you should give a
church a benefit of the doubt right where where you're able to you know and
obviously you want to ask him you want to get to the bottom of what they
believe but a lot of them will just be a bit sketchy or will sit on the fence or
and you're wondering well maybe they're just not that clear on what they really
you know they just don't use the same terminology and you're trying to give
them the benefit of the doubt because being part of a church is important
isn't it okay and you don't just want to cast everyone off and everything off you
know without good reason to do so however however now that there is a good
church here okay we can be maybe a bit more honest about some of these churches
that we've been trying to give benefit of the doubt to around the nation and
there are a lot of these types of people because here they're they're but you
know he's asking them and they're going well if we shall save from heaven this
was 25 he will sound to us why did you not then believe it but if we shall say
of men we fear the people who all hold John as a prophet and it made me think
of this I was I was looking at this statement of faith from this church so
there was this church that a few people I think many years ago had been to and
then and let and other people are just steered well clear because of they're
just dodgy statement of faith and dodgy stories about it and then we kicked a
load of people out of this church and some of them went along to this church
called our down and Baptist Church now what happened is is then I think they
were alerted to the fact they've been kicked out so the pastor there the quite
a new pastor fresh out of Bible College called me up and and asked me why I'd
kicked him out so I told him why I'd kicked him out the church actually gave
him a bit more info instead of just going right they kicked out for being
railing false accusers I actually told him some of the other stuff I just said
look you know you know we dealt with a lot of stuff so gave him some of the
stuff that would add some to witness accounts of just like just all the crazy
behavior that obviously I've talked about a lot so he said oh well it's
pretty clear to me you know if they're not they haven't you know got right with
your church and that can't happen then they shouldn't be our church I'll bring
it before the membership a week or two later they're still going to the church
so what on earth happened there and I don't you know it's that's up to him
that's their problem I warned him I said like they will like they will slowly
destroy any believers you have in that church I don't think I phrased it
exactly like that but it's up to up to them and this guy apparently it seems
still had them there or something made some justification maybe the membership
of the church decided well it's great to have all these people we've suddenly
doubled the attendance I don't know yeah but it made me think of the church
because at the time I thought well I'm gonna look at their statement of faith
because I couldn't really remember what it was it stopped me ever going there in
the first place and their statement of faith down them or should I say clown
and Baptist Church says this we believe therefore that those who repent of in
brackets acknowledge close brackets their sins and by faith receive Christ
as Lord and Savior will rejoice forever in God's presence and those who refuse
to receive Christ as Lord and Savior will be forever separated from God so
you've got this this this so-called Baptist Church which people are kind of
justifying as oh no it's all right you know they're like this is a safe
bathroom why have you got on your statement of faith that you've got to
repent of their sins but then in brackets acknowledge like how confusing
such I'll tell you what that is that's well if we shall say from heaven he will
sound to us why do you not they believe it but if we should say of men we fear
the people that's really what that is it's like sitting on the fence and then
we pleased to repent of your sins us yeah because really that's probably what
we really believe but if any of those you know those believers come like you
know those real believers that kind of like you know kind of want to know what
you really believe types we'll just put oh as long as you kind of you know
acknowledge your sins but deep down we believe that you've actually got to like
give up those sins I mean that's wicked isn't it why'd you have to put repent of
your sins we didn't say any when the Bible you got repent your sins to be
saved oh but as long as we put acknowledged and we kind of justified
that that's wicked isn't it isn't that just if we shall say believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ this is it this here then they will sell why don't you preach that
far-wide oh but if we shall say salvation is of men we fear the people
because they like count this Bible as like something special or something
sacred you know actually believe every word of it so we're just kind of sit on
the fence and just kind of mix and match it and then we could kind of please
everyone we can just kind of get in the so-called save people and we can you
know also have our repent of your sins heretics in there at same time and look
and this isn't the only one it's just something that's sprung to mind they
just I've looked at their statement of faith and just saw a bunch of clowns
what a bunch of clowns hey and but but there's so many like this so many
churches out there like that I mean I was at a church where they just what
they just didn't have a statement of faith or what you need one of those for
then people might know what you really believe now I could just pretend I don't
believe repent your sins then breach it six months later once you're in there
and it's just wicked isn't it and it's a sack it's exactly the same spirit as
these Pharisees here isn't it and these are the same sort of people who say the
church is like us by what authority do it's how these things isn't it who gave
me this or thought it's the same people by what other well who ordained this
disguise is he being a Bible College has he been a Bible College to learn repent
your sins and probably closet Calvinism as well by what authority does this man
preach by what authority does this pastor just get this guy to preach here
it's the same it's the same people it's exactly and it's the same spirit that
we see that Jesus preached about and showed us at least in in in this gospel
a couple of thousand years ago even to you and it's the same people by the way
to say this sort of stuff they go I had one of these guys once in his church go
well I don't think I'm I'm ordained to go and preach the gospel so he said to
me when he said that they're just posting New Testaments through doors
now I'm not ordained to preach to God so it's the same thing who ordained you to
preach to God who said that you have this gift and calling said you know go
you never into the water preach gospel to every creature Bob said we are
ambassadors for Christ yeah and that's everyone okay that's everyone who saved
but what's the best way of dealing with these people well forget all of that
it's lost and it's lost on you anyway what do you believe that's basically how
Jesus Christ dealt with him he said to them he said to them they said well we
cannot tell they're like trying to set an offensive no he said unto them neither
tell you by what authority I by what authority I do these things it's
basically just a waste of time it's a waste of time trying to get in these
dialogues this whole like Bible College or not dialogue and all because they're
just a bunch of wicked heretics I don't like how on earth do you have that
mistake all of this stuff all these same sorts of I'm sick of them they're
everywhere and they're just either pulling believers or you know those who
are like well at least I could justify that they seem to be all right they
don't kind of make it clear you've got to really repent of your sins and they
just just they're just wicked church and of course they welcome on the plus side
they're like a trash can Baptist just welcome in the trash bring him in in
fact good on please that they can bring in the trash that we cast out of here
least they've got somewhere to go instead of like kicking rocks outside our
church brilliant verse 28 says but what think ye a certain man had two sons and
he came to the first and said son go work today in my vineyard he answered
and said I will not but after he repented and went and he came to the
second and said likewise and he answered said I go so and went not whether of
them twain did the will of his father they sound to him the first Jesus saith
unto them verily I sound to you that the publicans and the harlots go into the
kingdom of God before you for John came unto you in the way of righteousness and
you believed him not but the publicans and the harlots believed him in ye when
you had seen it repented not after that you might believe him so he's told them
to do something one said no but eventually then did it the other said
okay yes I'll do what you said but didn't do it okay and the analogy is for
those that appear to be religious and following God they say the right things
but they won't believe in his son the second lot say I don't want this
religion etc but after they change their mind to believe in his son okay so quite
an obvious kind of picture here or not even picture just you know whatever you
want to call it but and and what's the common theme is that they then see the
publicans and harlots believing and still won't repent because it says in
verse 32 and ye when you had seen it talk about the publicans and the
harlots believing him repented not after that you might believe him so that's
something that we discussed last week it often hardens them more doesn't it they
get almost angry about the gospel that the publicans and the harlots can get
saved and so many work salvationists are like that aren't they they just like it
hardens them even more it's like what you think you could just get saved you
know whatever age of life you haven't even done anything of God you what and
then it hardens them more to the gospel yeah they still they want to cling to
their work salvation even more but verse 32 is also a great verse for
showing what repentance is in this context isn't it okay this and many
maybe might have used this to try and explain repentance what it is and what
it isn't verse 32 says for John came unto you in the way of righteousness and
you believed him not but the publicans and the harlots believed him and ye
when ye had seen it repented not afterward that ye might believe him so
the repentance would have been a change of mind to then believe yeah a turning
from what they did believe to believing John what was John preaching well you
don't have to turn to Acts 19 forces then said Paul John verily baptized with
the baptism of repentance saying unto the people that they should believe on
him which had come after him that is on Christ Jesus okay that's what he was
that's what he was preaching the same repentance is in here in verse 29 a
change of mind yeah the answer said I will not but afterward he repented and
went okay so they changed their mind they said no then they changed their
mind it did so and and look it's a great it's a great passage for that isn't it
great passage for that just that and just that verse alone verse 32 just
makes it clear what what that repentance to belief is it's a change of mind these
lot repented not after that they might believe in me did verse 33 then and then
we're gonna carry on with another parable and again just good I'd like to
get through this at one today so we're gonna try and finish up here but again a
great passage there you can preach at length on repentance just just just to
close on the repentance bit look the Bible is very clear okay repent and
believe is a change of mind for what you did believe to faith in Christ okay
there is no repenting of your sins there's no you know repent acknowledge
your see look no one doesn't acknowledge their sins but their faith in Christ
that's such a load of nonsense that's that that statement of faith that I just
read you is just trying to please both parties okay but but but getting saved
is faith in Jesus Christ okay faith in his death bail resurrection faith in
his blood paying for your past present future sins that's how you get so not of
yourself okay let's keep going now verse 33 says here another parable there was a
certain household which planted vineyard and hedged it round about and digged a
winepress in it and built a tower and led it out to husbandmen and went into a
far country when the time of the fruit drew near he sent his servants to the
husband men that they might receive the fruits of it and the husband men took
his servants and beat one and killed another and stoned another again he sent
other servants more than the first they did unto them likewise but last of all
he sent unto them his son saying they will reverence my son but when the
husband men saw the son they said among themselves this is the air come let us
kill him let us seize on his inheritance and they caught him and cast him out of
the vineyard and slew him so this parable is describing the children of
Israel eventually what became known obviously as the Jews the householder is
God the husband men are the Jews okay now the servants in verse 34 are all of
those prophets that were sent over the years and persecuted by them in one way
or another and if you think about it really from as early as Moses and Aaron
there are at least threatenings of beatings and stonings and stuff wasn't
there for right as he is the people that actually pulled him out of Egypt they
were being threatened and they were talking about stoning them and
everything else and then what we saw recorded with prophets there were
prophets such as Micaiah Jeremiah Urijah Zechariah lastly John the Baptist as
well who were either physically beaten to some degree stoned or killed yeah
what's the inheritance in verse 38 well it's the people the harvest that's who
they want okay that's what these false prophets want they want the people
because I think you can look at it go well how like the inheritance what they
talk about like heaven or something else no they can't that's not what they want
they want people they want a following that's what the vast majority not all
there are some false prophets that have you know that a different type of false
probably maybe like a cane style that you know we see obviously Jude give
those three different types but the vast majority of false prophets want a
following they want their own they want people following them they want their
own sort of group they and you can see it in it you can see it in a big big
sort of scale when you just see these wicked false prophets out there where
they're mega churches and they're you know having many thousands maybe
sometimes hundreds of thousands of followers and everything else so you've
got one style that's that way and then you've got with the different flavor of
false prophet you've got the ones that come into churches that we've talked
about many times and I'll keep continue to talk about because we're gonna deal
with it many many times okay as as as this church just grows it's just gonna
keep happening where they want and this is something you got to look out for is
people that want their own following they want their own little group they
want to have their own little surrounding they want their own little
private meetings they want like and we had that here we had that here the
people we kicked out wanted their own little separate private soul winning
times where they could have people come around the house afterwards and do their
own things after they wanted their own little you know little group on their
own where we just do things together ourselves and we just have our own
little group our own little set barbecues we set people that will come
and who are like who are at least you know at least you know won't reject us
and they were quickly if you rejected them they quickly be you were cast when
and make you feel rubbish and they want you out of church then so so there's this
sort of trying to just gather and gather and what a lot of these people like to
do is they like to they like to kind of Lord it over people so what they do is
they get their own little gathering and this is something you got to watch out
for gonna watch out for in the future is then they want to just be constantly
teaching you telling you they're the what they're like the center of the
conversation all the time they're the one telling you about their great soul
winning skills they're the one telling you about their great skills here there
and we had it with women as well telling you about their great homemaking skills
and they're great and they just want this surrounding of people that just in
awe of them and in awe and just like wow you're just so amazing you're just so
great and then they start to great create their own following because
that's the that's what they want that's what it says here is it where are we it
says it says let us seize on his inheritance see they don't want you
following Christ they want you following them and that's something that like we
say we see on a big scale and we'll see it time and time again in our church and
they just want you following him and with that with that obviously in other
churches you'll see them going to kids ministries for things like that because
it's so easy to get to get the kids following get the kids following you'll
see them you'll see them try and set up their own YouTube channels okay this is
what another one now look don't get me wrong everyone has a channel to some
degree and some people might have posted stuff etc but when people have got their
own thing with their own teachings and just them constantly having to teach
people on social media constantly having to teach people on YouTube that is
massive red flag stuff especially when we have a church which is teaching so
what's the problem if you're having to do it all yourself even though you're
attending a church what what is it that you're you need to teach that that the
church can't why don't you just share the church because you need it's you
that needs to be the one that's teaching everyone else you need to have the
circle around you because they don't want Christ doing it they don't want it
coming from from ordained men of God basically getting people to follow Jesus
they want to seize the inheritance for themselves okay and that's something
we're gonna have to watch out for time and time again okay and look I'm sure
now and again you'll get someone who's well me okay yeah they've shared a few
things on the social media I'm not talking about that I talk about people
that just need to constantly be teaching need to constantly have circles around
it constantly the ones and that's exactly what we had here before exactly
what we had now they didn't have the social media those guys but there are
other people that do and we see them constantly I mean YouTube's just a wash
with false prophets false prophets sitting in their basement in their
bedrooms or wherever else trying to look like some some knowledgeable teacher of
God because they want the inheritance for themselves and the inheritance is
the people and that's what they seek the people to follow it to seize on his
inheritance it's his inheritance it's the seize on Jesus Christ inheritance
that's the people that's a harvest and when the Lord therefore of the vineyard
cometh what will he do unto those husband men they sound to him he will
miserably destroy those wicked men and will let out his vineyard unto other
husband men which shall render him the fruits in their seasons who said this
them and this is the genius of it isn't it Jesus just used a parable to get the
false prophets to prophesy and what's gonna come to them oh it's amazing really
isn't it it's like hilarious the way he does this he's basically just just set
them up to say yeah this is what's gonna happen to us Jesus said unto them did
you never read in the scriptures a stone which the builders rejected the same is
become the head of the corner this is the Lord's doing and it is marvelous in
our eyes and this again from Psalm 118 you don't have to turn there but but
really Jesus Christ is a stone isn't he rejected but he he is obviously the
essential one as well therefore I say I unto you the kingdom of God shall be
taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof and
there you have it a great verse isn't it great verse taken from them and given to
a nation and bringing forth the fruit thereof and obviously we see that being
a spiritual nation ultimately and it was taken away from them great verse survival
there sadly so many seem to have missed it whosoever shall fall on this stone
shall be broken but on whomsoever it shall fall it will grind him to powder
now turn to Isaiah 8 so I used to look at this as kind of saved or not and
maybe maybe maybe that's what it is but I think both options here are pretty
negative look at this and when you look at what he kind of what the reference is
here as well now one of the options is more final so you're turning to Isaiah
8 and verse 13 he just said in verse 44 in Matthew 21 and whosoever shall fall
on this stone shall be broken but on whomsoever shall fall it will grind him
to powder verse 13 says sanctify Isaiah 8 13 sanctify the Lord of hosts himself
and let him be your fear and let him be your dread and he shall be for a
sanctuary but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offense to both the
house of Israel for again and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem
okay so again or gin however you want to pronounce it is a trap okay so you've
got you've got the stone of stumbling the rock of offense they're the ones
that get broken yeah but for the inhabitants of Jerusalem he's a trap a
snare because so many just end up turning on him instead don't they and
they're the ones I believe that John 12 40 says he has blinded their eyes and
hardened their heart that they should not see with their eyes nor understand
with their heart and be converted I should heal them and for me they're the
ones grinding to powder okay they're done they're finished and verse 15 then
says where you are many among them shall stumble and fall and be broken and be
snared and be taken so I don't know for me the the options and I know some
people have preached oh right if you fall on this stone you should be broken
and that's kind of talking about being broken for salvation but no I think
maybe maybe that's not what it's talking about there I think when you compare it
here with Isaiah 8 it's all negatives a stone of stumbling a rock of offense
that's fully on the stone isn't it yeah you're fully tripping you know it's
stone of stumbling a rock of offense now that could kind of put you off salvation
or it can fall on you and grind you to powder and that for me are the ones here
or for again and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and they're the
ones let's be honest the vast majority of them it seems it ends up grinding it
grinding them to powder well that's what I see there rather than it being oh
you're either gonna get saved or you're gonna get destroyed but maybe I'm wrong
but go back to Matthew 21 we just saw verse 15 and many among them shall
stumble and fall and be broken and be snared and be taken and I think that
snare that trap being taken there is ultimately those ones that are given
over then that we see off constantly talking about in the Gospels okay Matthew
21 and verse 45 it says that when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard
his parables they perceived that he spoke of them but when they sought to
lay hands on him they feared the multitude because they took him for a
prophet and that's why these kinds of people claim to love him and and then
also seem to preach him because they fear losing the people don't they and
that's what it's about they fear the people don't they they fear really the
people exposing so they claim to believe Christ they claim to preach him but
really they don't really it's just a false Christ it's another Christ and if
they're not preaching the Christ of the Bible then it's another Christ isn't it
but they always claim to don't they they fear the multitude they don't want to
they don't want to just completely just preach against everything about the Lord
Jesus Christ instead they just change him a bit they kind of sit on the fence
instead they just kind of take a bit of works and a bit of so-called faith but
really they just believe in work salvation that's what all these wicked
people they just they just it's all about the works isn't it and and yeah I
believe that passage is just such a great insight there into these types of
people like I said it goes from the mega false prophet to the church infiltrator
type they're all pretty much the same in one way or another aren't they here they
feared the multitude because they took him for a profit and we're gonna we're
gonna finish up there I know I rushed through some bits of that a little bit
but I kind of wanted to get through it and one I didn't see a nice break in
that and yeah I hope that you are still edified by that and we're gonna go to
the Lord in prayer to finish up father thank you for such a powerful chapter in
the Bible thank you that you know we we are that nation that have been you know
that we've been well given the kingdom of God to to bear the fruits thereof and
we thank you that you know to be part of that nation is just just by putting our
faith our faith in you we thank you for salvation Lord we thank you and that you
give us all the warnings that we need you know to take heed of to these types
of people to these types of churches to these types of wicked false prophets who
just they want they want to seize your inheritance thought they want the people
they want to take you the people they want to take those people and and have
them for themselves Lord please help us to spot that as and when it continues to
come in our church to know that you know they come in all shapes and sizes Lord
that we need to be wiser but we also also at the same hand want to be loving
to each other we want to give people the benefit of the doubt as well we want to
be a strong church of loving people as well and Lord help us to do that first
and foremost by just just loving the lost out there going out and preaching
the gospel help us to get people saved if possible the rest of this week in our
own private lives and and amongst those that we come into contact with and help
us to all return back here on Sunday for another day in your house in Jesus name
we pray all of this amen