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you you you you you Well good evening everyone welcome to Mountain Baptist Church Take your song books and turn to song Song 185 Song 185 in your song books if you would stand we'll sing my Savior's love song 185 I Stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene And Wonder how we can love me a sinner condemned unclean How marvelous how wonderful and my song shall ever be how marvelous how Wonderful is my Savior's love for me For me it was in the garden He prayed not my will but thine He had no tears for his own Griefs, but sweat drops of blood for mine How marvelous how Wonderful and my song shall ever be how marvelous how Wonderful is my Savior's love for me He took my sins and my sorrows He made them his very own He bore the burden to Calvary and suffered and died alone How marvelous how wonderful and my song How marvelous how Wonderful is my Savior's love for me when with the Ransomed in glory His face I at last shall see Twill be my joy through the ages To sing of his love for me How marvelous how Wonderful and my song shall ever be how marvelous how Wonderful is my Savior's love for me Let's pray Heavenly Father Lord again We just want to thank you God for this beautiful day You've given us and I pray Lord now that as we look at your word and hear it preached from your Bible I pray Lord that you would just give us ears to hear but also a Willing heart to do your word and we love you and pray all of us in Jesus name. Amen All right, you may be seated and turn your song books to song 194 Yep song 194 will sing since Jesus came into my heart song 194 What What a wonderful change in my life has been run since Jesus came into my heart I have lied in my soul for which long I had sought since Jesus came into my heart Since Jesus came into my heart Since Jesus came into my heart Floods of joy, oh my soul like the sea billows roll Since Jesus came into my heart I have seized from my wandering and going astray since Jesus came into my heart And my sins which were many are all washed away since Jesus came into my heart Since Jesus came into my heart Since Jesus came into my heart Floods of joy, oh my soul like the sea billows roll Since Jesus came into my heart I'm Home that is steadfast and sure since Jesus came into my heart And no dark clouds of down now my pathway obscure Since Jesus came into my heart Since Jesus came into my heart Since Jesus came into my heart Floods of joy, oh my soul like the sea billows roll Since Jesus came into my heart There's a light in the valley of death now for me since Jesus came into my heart And the gates of that city beyond I can see since Jesus came into my heart Since Jesus came into my heart Since Jesus came into my heart Floods of joy, oh my soul like the sea billows roll Since Jesus came into my heart I shall go there to dwell in that city I know since Jesus came into my heart I am happy so happy is onward I go since Jesus came into my heart Since Jesus came into my heart Since Jesus came into my heart Floods of joy, oh my soul like the sea billows roll Since Jesus came into my heart Amen so welcome to Mountain Baptist Church on this Wednesday evening and do some announcements here Service time should be normal this Sunday And then we have our so normal sewing time will be this Sunday As well and so and then also the regional times there just be on Church group there to know when everybody's meeting up and the places and all that We do have the sewing marathon that is This Saturday that brother Richie's leading up in Washington, PA and so be in prayer for that or if you're gonna be going out to that Just obviously we all should be praying that there'll be some Some Prepared hearts and all that. Do you have places picked out or and all that? So so I'm curious to see how receptive is it is over there, but but yeah, so be in prayer for that and at the end of month here, we have a men's prayer meeting and We have our memory chapter for the month, which is Psalm 11 And then our chapter well we had two verses for our verse of the week first Corinthians 15 3 & 4 And then the pregnancy list there we did I think Brother Justin sent out that they're having another little girl so being prayer for the LSCO family and that everything goes well there with the pregnancy and so and then You guys are having another girl too, so the girls are making a comeback again so I don't think we ever broke even with that by the way, so but But being prayer for miss Amanda and then and then miss Jennifer as well there and so blessings there when it comes to all the children and Just being prayer for our families and obviously the the mothers and all the children that we have at this church and so Yeah, definitely a blessing. I don't think there's anything Big announce And we have the solely marathon coming up trying to think there's there's something else I Know we have so we need to make that video for the the Indiana So any marathon, but before that brother Charles is leading up the one in Philadelphia, so I think that's June 10th, so That's kind of what's on the calendar as far as the marathon to go so Yeah anyway Be in prayer for all those events that are coming up in the future here And that's about all I got for announcements So the offering boxes in the back there if you want to give a title offering the mother baby rooms for the mothers and babies Only for the Wade's gonna be reading Luke chapter 9 for us after brother Dave sings one more song All Right take your Bibles and take your song books and turn to song 208 Song 208 and your song books will sing grace greater than our sin Song 208 Marvelous grace of our loving Lord Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt Yonder on Calvary's mount out poured There where the blood of the lamb was spelled grace grace God's grace Grace that will pardon and cleanse With Grace grace Grace that is greater than all our sin sin and despair like the sea waves cold Threaten the soul within fun at loss Grace that is greater yes grace untold Points to the refuge the mighty cross grace grace God's grace Grace that will pardon and cleanse with Grace grace God's grace Grace that is greater than all our sin Dark is the stain that we cannot hide What can avail? to wash it away Look there is flowing a crimson tide Why turn then snow you may be today Grace Grace God's Grace Grace and will pardon and cleanse with Grace grace God's grace Grace that is greater than all our sin Marvelous infinite matchless grace Be stoned on all who believe You that are longing to see his face Will you this moment his grace receive grace grace God's grace Grace that will pardon and cleanse with Grace grace God's grace Grace that is greater than all our sin All right, take your Bibles and turn to Luke chapter number nine Luke nine in your Bibles and we'll have brother wait come and read that for us Luke chapter number nine Then he called his twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority Over all devils and to cure diseases and he sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick And he said to them take nothing for your journey neither staves nor scrip neither bread neither money neither have two coats apiece and whatsoever house he enter in into their bide and then depart and Whosoever will not receive you when you go out of that city Shake off the very dust of your feet for a testimony against them and they departed and went through the towns Preaching the gospel and healing everywhere and now Herod the tetrarch heard all of all that was done by him and he was perplexed because that it was said of some that John was risen from the dead and Some and of some that Elias had appeared and of others that one of the old prophets was risen again And Herod said John have a beheaded But who is this of whom I hear such things and he desired to see him and the Apostles when they returned told him all that they had done and he took them and went aside privately into a desert place belonging to the city called the cedar and The people when they knew it followed him and he received them and spake unto them the kingdom of God and healed them that Had need of healing and when the day began to wear away then came the twelve and sent him Send them all to do away that they may go into the towns and country round about and lodge and get victuals For we are here in a desert place But he said unto them give you them to eat and they said We have no more but five loaves and two fishes except we should go and buy meat for all his people And they were about 5,000 men and he said unto the disciples make them sit down By 50s in a company and they did so and made them all sit down And he took the five loaves and two fishes and looking up to heaven He blessed them and break and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude and they did eat and were all filled And there was taken up fragments that remained to them in 12 baskets and it came to pass as he was alone praying His disciples were with them and he asked them saying whom say the people that I am and they answer and saying John the Baptist But some say Elias others say that one of the old prophets has risen again He said unto them but whom say ye that I am Peter answering said the Christ of God And he straightly charged them and commanded them to tell no man that thing Saying the Son of Man must suffer many things He'd be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be slain and be raised the third day and he said to them all If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me for whosoever Will save his life shall lose it but whosoever will lose his life for my sake the same shall save it For what is the man advantage if he gained the whole world and lose himself and be cast or be cast away? for whosoever shall be Ashamed of me and of my words of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed When he shall come in his own glory and his father's and of the holy angels, but I tell you truth there by some standing there Which shall not taste of death till they see the kingdom of God and it came to pass But about an eight days after those sayings He took Peter and John and James went up into the mountain to pray and as he prayed the fashion of his countenance was altered And his raiment was white and glistening glistering and behold there talked with him two men which were Moses and Elias whom appeared in glory and spake of His deceased which he should accomplish at Jerusalem But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep and when they were awake They saw his glory and the two men that stood with him and it came to pass as they departed from it Peter said unto Jesus master is good for us to be here and let us make three Tabernacles one for thee one for Moses and one for Elias not knowing what he said while he thus spake there came a cloud and overshadowed them and they feared as they entered into the cloud and There came a voice out of the cloud saying this is my beloved son here him and when the voice was passed Jesus was found alone and they kept it close and told me no man in those Days any of those things which they had seen And it came to pass that on the next day when they were come down from the hill much people met him Behold a man of the company cried out saying master I Beseech thee look upon my son for he is my only child and lo a spirit taken Take of him and he suddenly cry out and it hearth him that he fometh again bruising him hardly Departed from him and I besought that disciples to cast him out and they could not and Jesus answering said Oh faithful Listen perverse generation. How long shall I be with you and suffer you bring my son hither? And as he was yet the coming the devil threw him down and tear him and Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed The child and delivered him again to his father and they were all amazed at the mighty power of God But while they wondered everyone at all things which he's did he said unto disciples Let these sayings sink down into your ears for the Son of Man shall be delivered into the hands of men But they understood not the saying and it was hid from them They proceeded not and they feared to ask him of that saying then There arose a reasoning among them Which of them should be the greatest and Jesus perceiving the thought of their heart took a child and said him by him He said to them whosoever shall receive this child in my name receive with me whosoever shall receive it him that sent me For he that is least among you all the same shall be great and John answered and said master We saw one casting out devils In thy name and we we forbade him because he followed not with us and Jesus said unto him for a bit of not For he that is not against us It's for us and it came to pass when the time was come that he should be received up He steadfastly said his face to go to Jerusalem and sent messengers before his face and they went and entered into a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him and They did not receive him because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem And when his disciples James and John saw this they said Lord Wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume them even as lies did and he turned and rebuked them and said Ye know not what manner of spirit you're of for the Son of Man is not come to destroy men's lives But to save them and they went to another village and it came to pass that as they went into the way Certain man said unto him Lord I will follow you whithersoever thou goest and Jesus said unto him foxes have holes and birds have of the air have nests But the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head And he said unto another follow me But he said Lord suffer me first to go and bury my father Jesus said unto him let the dead bear the dead but go thou and preach the kingdom of God Another also said Lord. I will follow thee but let me first go bid them farewell Which are at home in my house and Jesus unto him No, man, having put his hand to the plow and looking back. He's fit for the kingdom of God Let us pray dear Lord. Please be a pastor. Let us hear from your word tonight and see your message in Jesus. Now. I pray amen Amen so you're there in Luke chapter 9 We are continuing our study through the book of Luke here and these chapters are big are larger And so that's probably the hardest thing about going through the book of Luke is the fact of trying to get through a whole chapter on one sermon But I'm determined to do that Because once I start doing parts It just seems like it everything turns into like a three-parter or a four-parter and all that so Now a lot of times. I'm just trying to get through so you can get a big overview of These books and and all that so verse 1 there We see that Jesus actually sends out his 12 disciples to go soul winning and to heal the sick and and and Other places it talks about him going to and to and and stuff like that but in verse 1 there it says then he called his 12 disciples together and gave them power and authority over all devils and to Cure diseases and he sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick And he said unto them take nothing for your journey neither staves nor scrip nor bread neither money neither have two coats of peace and whatsoever house you enter into there abide and that's the part and Whosoever will not receive you when you go out of the sit of that city shake off the very dust From your feet for a testimony against them and they departed and went through the town's Preaching the preaching the gospel and healing everywhere, so when it's talking about preaching the kingdom. We're talking about preaching the gospel Okay, so a lot of times in the Bible. It'll give you different Different things like it'll say that the the kingdom of heaven the kingdom of God we're talking about the same thing It's just sometimes you think about the kingdom of God. It'd be like the kingdom of Israel or the kingdom of David, right? Same kingdom. It's just different way of describing the same kingdom obviously the kingdom of heaven is the kingdom of God, you know because anyway, so Very simple, but the idea here is that when we're talking about preaching the kingdom of God Or the kingdom of God is at hand What we're talking about is preaching the gospel and that the gospel is at hand and you'll see these used Interchangeably and and all that words say the kingdom of God Is come nigh unto you or you know, the gospel is come nigh unto you or salvation is come nigh unto you You know, it'll use these different things to talk about the same thing So but the thing that I noticed here is that Jesus is sending them. Okay, so it says in verse 2 there and he sent them to preach the kingdom of God This reminds me of Romans chapter 10 go to Romans chapter 10 and the idea of being sent out You know to go be sent out to preach the gospel You know Can can you go out and preach the gospel and and not be a part of a church and not be sent out? Sure, everybody can be a witness, but you're not going to be an effective witness. You're not gonna be an effective soul winner You're not going to be bearing much fruit and and it's not it's not The way that God intended it unless you're being sent out, you know to be to preach the gospel and And Jesus is sending out his disciples go preach the gospel And this is what I believe every biblical church should be doing But in Romans chapter 10 verse 13 it says for whosoever shall call upon the Lord shall be saved How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed and how should I believe in him in whom they have not? Heard and how shall they hear without a preacher? Notice in verse 15 and how shall they preach except they be sent as it is written How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things So Jesus is sending out the 12 actually in the next chapter Lord willing next week. He's gonna send out another 70 so And they're gonna go out and preach the gospel. So it's not just for the 12, right? It's like well the 12 apostles did it You Know but he sends out another 70 and the idea here is that we're all supposed to be going out and preaching the gospel And but the idea is how can how can we preach the gospel if we're not sent? You know go to a church that doesn't preach the gospel or doesn't send you out And yeah, you can get people saved but it's kind of almost the same you might as well Just you'd almost just it'd be the same thing as if you weren't going to church and then you're going out and trying to preach The gospel sure you're gonna get people saved because God's Word is powerful You have the Holy Ghost inside of you all of that, right but in the end I don't believe you're gonna have the fruit that when a church is sending out soul wonders when a church is basically basically ordaining soul-winning if you will and Trying to get that out there. So That is something that a church should be doing. I believe Ephesus the church at Ephesus was guilty of not doing that and You know the Bible talks about how Jesus said he's gonna take the candlestick away from them So as far as it being a legit church And I believe he gives he gives churches space to repent and to get that right But I do believe there's churches that used to be alive and they're dead and they're not Alive at the moment because they're not actually doing the work. So And you see that it says take no money Don't take two coats all that later on right before Jesus goes to the cross. He's gonna explain, you know how I said this Well, this is gonna change So when they went out basically, wherever they went there was gonna be people that were going to take care of them and Basically, they would go to a house and then this one house that they go to They would take care of them lodge them feed them all this stuff, right? We know that that's not the way it is now, right? We don't when we go in to go soul-winning some people will give us stuff, right? You know and give us drinks and stuff like that, but we don't go into a town and then you know There's a house that receives us in lodging, you know and all that After it when Jesus goes to the cross things change a bit, but obviously they're still to go out, right? It doesn't change the fact that they're supposed to go out and preach the gospel it's just the fact that so there's a little bit of there was protection and things that were going on when Jesus was here in his earthly ministry now go to the verse 7 of Luke chapter 9 And It says now Herod the teatrock heard of all that was done by him and He was perplexed because that it was said of some that John was risen from the dead And of some that Elias had appeared and of others that one of the old prophets was risen again And Herod said John have I beheaded but who is this of whom I hear such things and he desired to see him That's interesting that it states that Herod desired to see him because actually in Luke is where we get the account Where Jesus actually does go to Herod, right? so when you when we'll get to that obviously when we get to the crucifixion and all that but and The other Gospels it talks about obviously he goes to Caiaphas and the Jews and all that stuff But then he goes to Pilate and it's kind of like that story that you hear but when he goes to Pilate Pilate actually sends him over to Herod and then he comes back to Pilate again and You know When when Herod sees Jesus Jesus doesn't say a word to him he doesn't do a sign He doesn't do any miracles and that's what Herod wants to see and I will get to that when we get to that story But I believe there's a reason why he doesn't say anything to him but But yeah, so Herod wants to see him. He knows this can't be John. He killed John right? He beheaded John and so he definitely wants to see him but Go to Luke chapter 9 and verse 10 and this is the story of feeding the 5,000 now the interesting thing about feet the feeding of the 5,000 is that this story is in every gospel So there's certain stories, you know, a lot of stories are unique to a specific gospel, right? You think about the prodigal son is unique to the book of Luke, right? But this story of the feeding the 5,000 is in every gospel. It's kind of like the woman that you know when when Mary Puts the alabaster box of you know breaks the alabaster box of ointment on Jesus's head And you remember that he even says like this is gonna be memorial everywhere The gospel is preached and that's in every gospel, right? I don't think that's by mistake, but it's interesting when when a story is brought up in every single gospel And just you know the impact of that now Look at verse 10 here. It says in the Apostles when they were returned told him all that they had done And he took them and went aside privately into a desert place belonging to the city called Beth Bethsaida and the people when they knew it followed him and he received them and spake unto them of the kingdom of God And he healed them that had not that had need of healing So when it says that he spake to him of the kingdom of God you can see even in the Definitions that are given here when they were preaching to came about what were they preaching the gospel? And you can see that when he's out here in the wilderness He's probably preached in the gospel and probably more so than you think when you read through the book of Luke You know There's a lot of things that are said that we don't necessarily see Think about the book of John and all those stories and the fact that he's saying he that believed, you know he that believed on me has everlasting life and and When it says that he preached to them, we don't know what all he was saying there, right? It just kind of states that he's preaching to them the kingdom of God But you know, maybe there's stuff like that we see in the book of John that he's preaching to them Okay because some people can get stuck in a rut and think well Luke doesn't bring up believe on the Lord Jesus Christ like a hundred times like it does in John But it doesn't mean throughout all these stories that he's not saying that it's just that each gospel has a specific Point of view that is trying to get across or trying to teach you something about what's going on John It even tells you why it's written It's written for the purpose that you might believe and that you might have life through his name, right? So obviously that's the focus of the book of John But it's always just kind of interesting to think about What Jesus is saying to them when he goes to them now in verse 12 there it says and when the day began to wear away Then came to 12 and said unto him send the multitude away that they may go into the towns and country roundabout and Lodge and get vittles for we are here in a desert place. So you can understand where they're coming from. They're like, you know They got to go eat Basically, it's getting to evening And they're out in this desert place. There's nothing around and It says in verse 13 But he said unto them give ye them to eat and they said we have no more but five loaves and two fishes Except we should go and buy meat for all those people where they were about 5,000 men now in in other Passages when it talks about the story it talks about besides women and children So when it's talking about five, there's about 5,000 men that doesn't count women or children. So I mean Just barring that there's a woman for every man there could be 10,000 people here and then there's children there too You know, there could be easily 15,000 people there if you just added one child and one woman to each band that's there. Okay But for sake of argument we have 5,000 the feeding of the 5,000 Maybe it mentions men because many more than you know, women and children. I don't know But anyway You know, obviously if you said there's 5,000 children be like well, you know, we know how kids eat sometimes and you know No, it's 5,000 men were there. You know, they were there they ate right? Anyway, I'm not saying that I'm joking Okay, that's not necessarily why it says men but notice what it says here It says right after that says and he said to his disciples make them to sit down by 50s in a company So in other places talked about make them sit down You know in companies and it basically in the green on the green grass and all this I want you to remember that it says by fifties Okay, I just want you to remember that because I'm gonna get to another portion of the story later on But I just want you to remember that I don't think anything in the Bible is incidental accidental Coincidental, right? I think that there's a reason why he said by fifties And I think it correlates with actually something that happened that stated later on maybe not Directly on the surface, but if you dig a little deeper, I think you can see something here But in Luke 9 verse 15 it says and they did so and made them all sit down then he took the five loaves and the two fishes and looked up to heaven and he blessed them and break and gave to the Disciples to set before the multitude and they did eat and were all filled and there were taken up of Fragments that remained to them 12 baskets fulls So, I mean think about the idea that when it says give us this day our daily bread And we can think about the physical bread But we also think about the Word of God and the fact that man shall not live by bread alone But by every word of God and the fact that God gives above and beyond You know, even when you don't think there's enough He doesn't just give you enough like he didn't just make it like it just made it and everybody was filled He had stuff left over and he had more left over than what he started with Right. So when it comes to the power of God to feed us both physically and spiritually Just know that God is able to do it above and beyond and that you can not only be filled But you could have more in the end than what you even started with to be filled. So Definitely a blessing here and obviously There's another story about the feeding of the 4,000. It's very similar to that So he he not only does this once but he does it again later on. Okay So but I want you to remember that they sat down by 50s I just want you to remember that and in verse Luke or verse 18 of Luke 9 Again This is a long chapter there's 62 verses so if you're like man, you're kind of just cruising along through here Because unless you want me to preach for an hour and a half We kind of have to go through it here now, obviously, there's gonna be something I'm gonna point out more than others I'll do a whole sermon on the feeding of the 5,000 and be like, why is it 12 baskets? We're not getting into that tonight, you know What's those numbers mean, you know, and so in Luke 9 and verse 18 it says And it came to pass as he was alone praying his disciples were with him and he asked them saying Whom say the people that I am? And they answering said John the Baptist but some say Elias And others say that one of the old prophets is risen again, and he said unto them But whom say ye that I am Peter answering said the Christ of God so this is that famous passage where thou art the Christ the Son of the Living God and Notice that I just wanted to see because I'm gonna go to Luke our Matthew chapter 16 to show you The parallel passage if you will to it, but I'm looking verse 21 there It says and he straightly charged them and commanded them to tell no man that thing That's interesting. It says saying the Son of man must suffer many things and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be slain and be raised the third day They go to Matthew chapter 16 Matthew chapter 16 because it definitely gives us a little more information around this story Matthew chapter 16 and verse 13 It says when Jesus came into the coast of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples saying whom do men say that I the Son of Man am? And they said Some say thou say that thou art John the Baptist some Elias and others Jeremiah's and or one of the prophets and he says unto them But whom say ye that I am and Simon Peter answering said the Christ of God Or one of the prophets and he said unto them but whom say ye that I am and Simon Peter answered and said thou art the Christ the Son of the Living God Now the Christ of God, you know, obviously is true He's the anointed of God, but he's also saying you're the Christ the Son of the Living God and that's something that a theme that you'll see again again in the fact that Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God Whosoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God God dwelleth in him and he and God Who is he that ever cometh the world but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God the Ethiopian eunuch If you remember it says what doth hinder me to be baptized said if thou believeth all thine heart thou mayest I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and you'll see this over and over again where he's the Christ He's the Son of God. Okay, but even Jesus is saying he's the Son of Man, but he's also the Son of God and Peter stating this and it says and Jesus answered and said said unto him blessed art thou Simon Barjona for flesh and blood Hath not revealed it unto thee but my father which is in heaven now The next thing I want to read here. It's a is where people will try to say well Peter's the first pope and He's the rock of the church and all this but notice. What does Jesus call him when he says this? It says Simon Barjona, right? He doesn't call him by Peter There's a point why he's doing this. Okay, because he's already Surnamed him Peter. He's already, you know, Cephas is obviously the other way of saying that but it says He's saying calls him by his original name Simon Barjona just means the son of Jonah or son of Jonas, right? it says in verse 18 and he said and he said and I say also unto thee that thou art Peter and Upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it What's Peter even mean? Right? Well if you think of like petrol fuel, right Who here has ever like heard of Petra the place You've seen Indiana Jones, right? Everybody's like yes, I've seen it no, but that where they carved those structures out of stone, right? You know what I'm talking about right where it's like it's a building that's literally in the side of a rock, right? The place is called Petra. It's in Jordan, but Petra literally means like a stone Right petrol fuel comes from petroleum Petrol fuel comes from rock. Okay So the name Peter Means like a rock or a stone or something like that, right? So he's he's saying that it your name's Peter and upon this rock I'll build my church But what's the rock? Is it Peter? Or is it the fact that thou art the Christ the Son of the Living God? that Peter Listen, what what you'll see a lot of times is that Jesus names people Like he surnames them or calls them something because it's something that they're gonna be known for later Okay Actually, I believe James and John their nickname is given to him for a reason to which will actually be in this passage and So when it comes to when he comes to Peter if you remember in John chapter 1 he comes to Peter And he says, you know that thy name shall be Cephas Which is just another language to say the same thing right which being interpreted is a stone, okay? He's calling him that knowing that Peter's gonna be the one to say thou art the Christ the Son of the Living God the church is built upon that rock and And that rock is Christ, you know the rock that was in the wilderness and that rock is Christ Christ is the rock but the rock is that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the Living God That statement that confession that believed that he's the Son of God throughout John the big thing that's being believed Is that that they had believed that thou has sent me, right? You know, the idea is that that he's the Son of God he was sent from God he's the Christ that's the belief That is the rock of the New Testament Church that Jesus is that Christ that Jesus has come in the flesh and Anybody that denies that's an Antichrist and a deceiver, right? And so That being said I believe that's why Peter got his name I believe that's why Jesus called him Peter to begin with because he knew the statement he was gonna make he knew that the This what this was gonna happen. What was gonna happen here? Not that Peter's the rock Necessarily, but the fact that he made that statement is kind of a solid statement, isn't it? Right. He's the one out of all the twelve disciples who said it Peter did you don't see John saying it even though he's the disciple whom Jesus loved Peter's the one that says it out of all of them. Okay, and they probably listen besides Judas I believe they all believe that But the idea of he that can whosoever confess that that Jesus is the Son of God God dwells in him and he and God that idea of that confession and that belief that That's the rock. That's the foundation, right? Now keep reading there in Matthew chapter 16 verse 19 says and I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall Be bound in heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven now This is stated later on with anybody in the church, you know when it comes to the church in general Okay, so he's talking to Peters. That's why he's saying be thou right? He's speaking to him directly and saying thou art Peter, right? So But what's stated here stated later on for believers and for people that are in the church and that idea Okay now in verse 20 says then charged he is disciples that they shouldn't tell no man that He was Jesus the Christ which is what stated in Luke as well He commanded them not to tell no man that thing and that's very interesting right and the fact that he's saying You know, basically hold that back and it's kind of like the idea of why he When he would hush the Devils from saying that and all this as far as basically being made of no reputation, right? Now, I believe they were preaching that you know to believe on the Christ to believe on the Sun all of that But it's very interesting on the fact that he's saying don't tell anybody that in verse 21 it says from that time forth Jesus our fourth began Jesus to show unto the disciples how that he must go on to Jerusalem and suffer many things of the elders And chief priests and scribes and be killed and be raised again the third day This is when he started telling his disciples that this is gonna happen Okay, so in Luke when it states that he says saying the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected of the elders and Chief priests and scribes and be slain and be raised the third day Now when it comes to them not saying that he's the Christ What it comes out to is that they're saying he's the Christ but Jesus also says to the woman of Samaritan The Samaritan woman that he's the Christ right? It's not that he's not telling anybody It's just the fact that if you remember to the multitudes he spoke to them in parables right But then he would reveal everything in private. Okay, and so You say why did he do that? Well, here's that's a good question a lot of time, you know, why was it done that way? But in the end, that's the way it was done and it was right. That's the way it should be. He's God You know, we're not like watching The Chosen where I'm gonna stand there if I was standing there be like you shouldn't do it That way and he's just like, you know, maybe I shouldn't No, the fact of the matter is is that Jesus says not to do it You don't do it if Jesus says to do something you do it if Jesus tells you to do something you If Jesus tells you to jump you just say how high? right you start jumping and say how high do you want me to jump and There's too many people that are constantly saying well, I don't understand why Therefore it must not be right And just because we may not understand exactly why? He's stating, you know at that time to basically not say that and it may just be you know at that moment not to say anything to somebody right and Because obviously there's places where they're saying he's the Christ there's places where You know, he's telling people that he's the Christ. He's the Son of God and When he straight-up asked if he's the Christ to the to the leaders right before he goes to the cross and Mark it says art thou the son of the blessed and he says I am So it's not like he denied it or anything like that. It's just the idea that he's made of no reputation and And there are certain things where he would tell people hate see thou tell no man Part of it was that he could actually walk through a town without being completely thronged by people and that was probably part of the reason Maybe it's who they're saying it to right and The idea of not casting your pearls before swine and the idea that he's darkening the hearts of the multitude with parables and different things Like that there's different reasons and we don't always know the mind of the Lord as far as like the exact reasons, but But it is interesting that this is when he starts telling people or he starts telling his disciples. I'm gonna have to die and Then I'm going to be raised again, okay go to verse 23 of chapter Luke chapter 9 Luke chapter 9 and verse 23 and he said To them all if any man will come after me Let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me now Let me ask you a question. Did this say if any man wants to be saved and go to heaven? Then They have to come after me deny himself take up his cross and follow me. Is that what it says? No, it's just that it says if any man will come after me, okay Meaning this if you're gonna follow him It's not just in word only Right, if you're gonna follow him, then you have to deny yourself take up your his cross and follow him, right? You know the idea you're gonna follow me if you're gonna come after me Then you have to deny yourself take up your cross and follow me. This this is not talking about salvation This is talking about being a disciple If you're gonna be his disciple, you got to deny yourself take up your cross and notice that says daily There's another place where Paul says I die daily So that means and you say well, what does it mean to die daily? Is he like literally killing himself? I Mean, that's that's the way people read the Bible. Sometimes they're just like when it says die daily They're like, yeah, he committed suicide every day That's how that worked So obviously that's not logical doesn't make any sense. How could anybody ever do that? But if you said I'm gonna deny myself daily that does make sense, doesn't it? So if you deny yourself daily and you take up his cross daily That's when you're his disciple now are there days where we're not denying ourself and we're not taking up his cross, of course But the principle is is that we should be we need to be on a daily basis doing that On a daily basis. We need to put off the old man and put on the new deny ourself Take up his cross on the daily, right? And that is that is something that we are striving to do and Notice what says here in verse 24 says for whosoever will save his life shall lose it But whosoever will lose his life for my sake the same shall save it For what is a man advantage if he gained the whole world and lose himself and be cast away and It says for whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed When he shall come in his own glory and in his father's and of the holy angels So this passage is usually when it says, you know, what does the prophet of man if he gained the whole world and lose his soul? So a lot of people think well you lose your soul you're going to hell, right But what we're talking about here when it talks about soul, sometimes I just talking about yourself, right? You know the soul that sent it that shall die or you shall save a soul from death or there is you know? This many souls perished on this this, you know ship that sank over here, you know Sometimes it's just talking about the persons right or the people and in this case yourself, right? So he's basically saying what would it profit if you gain the whole world and lose yourself and or be a cast away just like Paul states that I keep in you know, I Keep under my body and I bring it into subjection less by any means If I preach unto others I myself Should be a cast away right And what's that talking about? He has to deny himself, right? What does it mean by keeping under your body it means denying the flesh right walk in the spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts thereof and We need to deny our flesh on a daily basis. It's a it's a daily thing. You got to do You're not just gonna deny your flesh one day and then just like good for the rest of your life no, it's a daily thing that you have to do you daily have to say I'm picking up the cross and And There's gonna be days where you don't and it's just facts you got to deal with it Okay, and if one day you don't deny yourself, you don't pick up your cross. You don't just give up No, the next day, you know what you do you deny yourself and you pick up that cross and each day you have to make that choice and It says that we don't want to be that Jesus will be ashamed of us if we're ashamed of him and his words You know in this wicked and adulterous generation The Bible says that Jesus will be ashamed of us when he comes in his glory Now are we still saved? Of course his little children abide in him that when he shall appear we shall have confidence and not be ashamed that is coming Right. So we want to abide in him so that we're not ashamed that is coming because we're gonna be ashamed if he's ashamed of us, okay Because you want to hear well done now good and faithful servant You don't want you don't want him to say I'm ashamed of what you you did and what you How you didn't live for me and didn't do what you're supposed to be doing But look at the parallel passage because you'll see what is it talking about when he's when he comes in his glory He's gonna be ashamed of us Or we're gonna be ashamed in some cases it talks about Is because we weren't abiding in him. We weren't fruitful. We weren't abiding in the vine. We weren't walking them We weren't denying ourselves and taking up our cross daily But what's what's the point? Why do we do that? Right? What's the What's the endgame for doing this? Well in Matthew chapter 16 in verse 24 It says then said Jesus unto his disciples if any man will come after me Let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. So same same concept here, right? In verse 25 it says for whosoever will save his life shall lose it and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find It and what is a man profit if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul for the son of man shall come in the glory of his father with His angels and then he shall reward every man according to his works There's the endgame, right? You know, why would we deny ourselves on a daily basis? Why would we take up our cross on a daily basis? So that we're not ashamed before man is coming but ultimately we're gonna be ashamed because when we don't have the rewards when you're standing there suffering loss the Judgment seat of Christ because You didn't do what you should be doing okay, and Notice what and you don't have to turn there in Revelation chapter 22 in verse 12 It says and behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man according as his work shall be Think about it The judgment seat of Christ I believe happens right before the thousand year reign But the moment that Jesus comes in the clouds and worked and we're gathered together with him We are resurrected and the Bible talks about having better resurrections so At the moment that we're we see him as he is and we shall be like him at that moment You might yeah, if Jesus is ashamed of you, you're not gonna have the best resurrection you're still gonna have glory and you're still gonna have a resurrected body and it's gonna be magnificent, but there's gonna it's just like the stars in heaven some stars shine brighter than others and We're gonna shine those that that turn many to righteousness Meaning those that get people saved those that are Reaping the fruit of righteousness with which is a tree of light. Those are gonna shine bright For all eternity shine brighter than others And every star shines. Okay, so don't get me wrong. Okay, but there is a reward to those that serve the Lord and I Believe that's a big reason and I preach the whole sermon on the crowns that you can receive but just rewards in general Another sermon would be maybe be you know, trying to strive for that better resurrection, you know But go to Matthew chapter Or go to Luke chapter 9. I'm sorry Luke chapter 9 verse 27 We see the Mount of Transfiguration story here there's a lot in this chapter, isn't it? Feeding of the 5,000 we got that word thou art the Christ, you know, we have The the Mount of Transfiguration here What's the amount of transfiguration the Mount of Transfiguration is a mountain that they go up to and Jesus his face is? Transfigured basically to where it's like like looking at the Sun essentially. It's like this shining and white glory Which you know these modalists can and these these one this Pentecostal to put this in their pipe and smoke it because they're like, well, we haven't seen Jesus in his glory It's like well case in point. This is where they see it So when they say well, we had no man has seen him any time. Well Peter James and John did so They're men, aren't they? Now look at Luke chapter 9 verse 27 says but I tell you of a truth There be some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the kingdom of God Now you say what is that talking about? Well in Matthew chapter 16 and verse 28 it says verily I say unto you there be some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the Son of Man Coming in his kingdom. So I believe that kind of clarifies a little more that we're talking about Jesus coming. Okay? This is where the preterists. Okay? Preterists are people that believe that that everything in Revelation and that Jesus already already came Okay, which is ridiculous, okay, and that were there basically believe we're in the millennial reign Well newsflash. It's been over a thousand years. So The Bible doesn't say millennium it says a thousand year reign. Okay, so that's loose Thousand years two thousand years So no, it's a thousand year reign which hasn't happened yet, but what they'll say is that we'll see He's saying there's gonna be people that are gonna be alive when Jesus comes in the clouds Okay Well, it doesn't say that he comes in the clouds, but it does say the Son of Man coming in his kingdom now Let me show you that This is talking about when they go up to the mountain. What's the next thing that happens verse 28? It says and it came to pass about an eight days after these things. He took Peter John and James and went up into a mountain to pray now We're gonna see this is where he's transfigured, but I'm gonna prove to you that this is when he's transfigured This is what he was talking about So literally he's stating to he's like some of you standing here Peter James and John Okay are not gonna taste of death till they see you know the Son of Man coming in his kingdom right and Now in Luke chapter 9 it says about an eight days after these sayings in Matthew and the other places it'll say six days later and say see there's contradiction in the Bible might as well throw it out, right? Well, there's the little word there called about In eight days, right? Whereas the other place says six days so it really depends on how you're counting the days if you're counting days as far as like 24 hours is the day to you, right? Think about it. Like if I said three days, I mean a hard three days like we're talking 72 hours Three days, right? But if if I was saying like three days meaning it was like part of Thursday Friday and then part of Saturday There was three days there. Well, technically there were three days there because you had Thursday Friday Saturday, right, but it wasn't 72 hours So when you're dealing with this what's going on is that it's a hard six days meaning like we're talking like six full days, but meaning that there was a little bit of One day over here and a little bit of another day over here that made eight technically, right Kind of like it was like at the night of the one day and then at the morning of the other day, right? Then they're going up into this mountain to pray But if you said it's six days, it's like well, it's a hard six days, right? But technically it was like anyway, I hope you understand that. Okay, the idea there is that Depending on how you're looking at the days You could say it was six days six days or you could say it was about eight days and I believe the about there's why There's leeway there. It's not saying it's a hard eight days. Like I don't know how many hours I didn't add it up. But anyway So in verse 28 here I'm sorry verse verse 29 It says and as he prayed the fashion of his countenance was altered in his raiment Was white and glistening and behold there talked with him two men which were Moses and Elias, so He talked about his face Basically shining and any other passages as well And it says in verse 30 and behold there talked with him two men which are Moses and Elias now When it comes to the coming of the Lord, these are the two all the branches I believe in this that's another sermon for another day, but I believe Moses and Elijah coming before the day of the Lord is I mean you would be hard-pressed to disprove that doctrine right there, but In verse 31 it says who appeared in glory and spake of his deceased which he should accomplish at Jerusalem I mean think about the story that Moses and Elijah they're talking with Jesus talking about what he has to accomplish Which kind of shows you that you know those that are in heaven at this time They know what he has to do It's kind of like they have this knowledge of what he's going to do and all of that, right? But in verse 32 it says but Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep and when they were awake they saw his glory and the two men that stood with him and The thing is when you think about his coming it talks about the son of man coming in his glory Right, and that's the idea of what we're gonna see that this is what he's meant by There's some that shall not taste of death till they should see the son of man coming in his kingdom and but it says It came to pass in verse 33 As they departed from him Peter said unto Jesus master It is good for us to be here and let us make three Tabernacles one for thee and one for Moses and one for Elias knowing not what he said so He's basically in another place talked about how he was afraid You know, like it's kind of like he didn't know what to say he's just like wanting to say something and wanting to somehow like Glorify God and he's just like let's make three Tabernacles up here, you know one for you and one for the other two, right? but notice what says here in verse 34 while he thus spake there came a cloud and overshadowed them and they feared as they entered into the cloud and There came a voice out of the clouds saying this is my beloved son hear him and when the voice was passed Jesus was found alone and they Kept it close and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen Now in Matthew 17 where where that story happens Jesus charged them saying tell the vision to no man until the Son of Man be risen again From the dead so you kind of see the both sides there that Jesus told him not to and they didn't So that's an interesting thing because you know throughout the Bible is like see that I'll tell no man and the next thing they do They're telling everybody right? They actually didn't tell anybody because the narrator st. Stating that that they didn't say it to anybody, right? This reminds me, you know where it talks about how he's you know, this cloud comes over them Think about who is speaking in that cloud? God the Father particularly right because this is my you know, my beloved son hear him in Matthew it says this is my beloved son in whom I am. Well pleased. Okay, and So it's the father saying that if you think about how Moses was in the cloud in the wilderness and how he was inside that Cloud I believe God the Father was literally in that cloud speaking to them I imagine the fear that would come upon you right? I mean think about Moses and that he feared and you know just obviously we just got out of Exodus and That whole story and just how terrifying that might be. Okay, and But just to prove to you that this passage is talking about You know How when Jesus says they shall not taste the death though I shall see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom go to 2nd Peter chapter 1 2nd Peter chapter 1 verse 16 2nd Peter chapter 1 and verse 16 I Believe it's very clear and this defines it now if you don't know this 2nd Peter was written by Peter So he might know what was going on So he did talk about it later didn't he I mean it's written down that he talked about this event But in 2nd Peter 1 and verse 16 it says for we have not followed cunningly devised fables When we were made when we made known unto you notice this the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ But were eyewitnesses of his majesty So what are we talking about? What's the subject the coming the power and the coming of of the Lord Jesus Christ and that he was eyewitness of that, right? So what did Jesus say some of you shall not taste the death till you shall see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom verse 17 for he received From God the Father honor and glory when we when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory This is my beloved son whom I'm well pleased in this voice which came from heaven We heard when we were with him in the holy mount what holy mount the mount in which they saw him transfigured So 2nd Peter chapter 1 just validates that when they went up there, that's what Jesus was talking about It's also interesting that Peter's talking about dying in this passage, right? He's talking about his deceased And the subjects gets brought up is the fact that you know, he saw Jesus coming in his kingdom Obviously, you know kind of like a bit it was a vision and even Jesus says tell no man this vision So when he says that you're gonna see this You know, they saw it in a vision, but it didn't happen yet Okay, so these people that believe that Jesus already has already come there there Or the resurrection has already happened. I mean the Bible talks about people that do that and overthrow the faith of some And their word will eat as doth a canker and listen that Preterism stuff about Jesus already coming and we're in the millennium right now is it is cancerous Okay, so go back to Luke chapter 9 verse 37 and We'll see the story here where Jesus heals this man's son. This is the the son. That's lunatic. This is the one that is That his disciples can't cast out Okay so it says in verse 37 says it came to pass that on the next day when they were come down from the hill much people Met him and behold a man of the company cried out saying master I beseech thee look upon my son for he is my only child and lo a Spirit taketh him and he suddenly suddenly cried cryeth out and it tareth him that he foment again and Bruising him hardly departed from him and I besought thy disciples to cast him out and they could not and Jesus answering said Oh faithless and perverse generation How long shall I be with you and suffer you bring thy son hither and as he was yet coming yet yet a coming the devil threw him down and tear him and Jesus Rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the child and delivered him again to his father now this passage I mean, there's a lot, you know that you can go into with this passage about you know the this sort cometh not out by but by prayer and fasting and The idea of increasing your faith with prayer and fasting and all that And moving mountains if you have the the faith of a grain of a mustard seed but there are just certain things that you're not going to be able to do as a Christian if you If you lack faith, okay, and there's certain ways to I believe increase our faith Perfect our faith, you know, obviously doing the works of God you can perfect your faith That's James chapter 2, but this is definitely a case where if you want to have you know More power in your faith. You may need to pray and fast and listen, we should all be praying But sometimes there's a time to fast and really get ahold of God Okay, so and Going on from there Luke chapter 9 of verse 43 Jesus again tells or foretells of his That the fact that he's going to die and in verse 43 In verse 43 it says and they they were all amazed at the mighty power of God But while they wondered everyone at all things which Jesus did he said unto his disciples Let these sayings sink down into your ears. I love that phrase you know the idea here is that that Jesus is saying let this just sink down into your ears and It says for the Son of Man shall be delivered into the hands of men But they understood not that saying and it was hid from them That they perceived it not and they fear to ask him of that saying now in Luke chapter 24 After the resurrection It says in verse 45 then opened he their understanding that they might understand the scriptures So there are certain things that were hid from them to where they didn't understand it But he said let this sink into your ears though, right? Even though you're not going to understand it right now just let it sink into your ears and They didn't perceive it they didn't understand it yet and It's kind of like how did they not understand that he's saying that he has to die and then he's gonna rise again like the idea is that they heard the words that he was saying right, but they didn't understand what he meant by that because They could have been thinking. Well, he's just figuratively talking right? This isn't like physically gonna happen Right. I mean think about all the parables and different things that Jesus has used allegories That you can think that they would maybe be thinking. Okay. Well, this is just figurative This is just talking about something else over here. This isn't talking about him actually dying I think about this when it thinks about when you read through the Bible and there's things you don't understand Here's what you do. You let it sink down into your ears Basically, it's kind of like it's there You heard it. You remember that you heard it, you know what it says, but you just don't understand it yet But there may come a time where God will open that understanding unto you But if you don't let it sink down into your ears then when you come to that point where you can maybe understand it You know, maybe it's not gonna be open done to you. Okay There's a lot of things throughout the Bible that you're reading and it's just like I don't get it I don't know how what how that makes sense. I don't know what that's talking about, right? And just let it sink down into your ears. Just hold on to it move on move on keep reading and I believe that God a lot of cases he opens up that understanding. It's like, oh, yeah, that's what that means I've been holding on to that for a long time, right? There's that one verse It's just like what does that verse mean? Right and then at some point it finally clicks and you're like Yes, and you're like, it's so simple. It makes a lot of sense. You're like, how did I not know that? and Obviously, this is a big example of that but that's kind of the thing that later on you're just like whoa Like looking back hindsight's 20-20 but the idea there is that when it comes to this When it comes to learning and an understanding doctrine Just let it sink down into your ears and I believe God will open your ears and open your understanding to it Eventually, just keep reading keep doing his work keep living for him listen those that those that sent it are those those that win its souls are wise and you know, it talks about Strong meat belonging to them that are full age Even those who by reason of use have their senses exercises discern both good and evil sometimes You just need to be using what you had before that discernment comes in to where that understanding comes in But let it sink down into your ears, you know Let those hard sayings sink down into your you got them there, but maybe it's not gonna be till later That you actually understand it. Okay, so don't and I think some people get caught up in that They're like I must know what this means right now I can't move on until I know this this passage isn't exactly what it means Then you're just stuck in the mud you're stuck in the mud when you could have been just reading other passages that you can understand and But when it comes to this, you know some would say, you know the the fact that the Son of Man shall be delivered into the hands of men and that he must die and This is something that's being brought up over and over and over again And the thing that I've been thinking about where people try to say well how if he's God, how can he die? Well, show me where it says that God can't do that, right? But you know what Jesus says? He says I have power to lay down my life I have power to take it again Jesus has the power to lay down his life and whether that makes sense to you or not And whether that you know goes against the God the God that you think of the true God the eternal life The true God which is eternal life the Son of God. He laid down his life for us Hereby proceed we love God because he laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren That I am the first and the last I'm he that was that liveth and was dead So when people say that you're like, wow, he God can't die if he's gone. He can't die No, Jesus says I have the power to put down the lay down my life And he even confessed he he's thought in a robbery to be equal with God And anyway, that's another turn for another day so go to Luke chapter 9 verse 46 and Jesus is gonna explain here who will be the greatest Think about those that are least in the kingdom of heaven those that are gonna be grace in the kingdom of heaven obviously those that break The least of these commandments and teach others to do so they're gonna be a least in the kingdom of heaven, right? But guess what still going? They're still in the kingdom of heaven though. Okay, and then those that keep the least of these commandments and teach others to do also They'll be called the greatest. So you think about people that are keeping the commandments compared to not keeping the commandments Okay, as far as who's least who's greatest right? But in this case, we're gonna be talking about I believe being meek and humble lowly right and Notice what it says in verse 46 It says then there arose a reasoning among them which of them should be the greatest and Jesus perceiving the thought of their heart Took a child and set him by him and said unto them Whosoever shall receive this child and my name receiveth me and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me For he that is least among you all the same shall be great So when you think about this, why is he putting a child in the midst? because a child by definition is Kind of in a lower state if you will like they're there in a state of dependency Right, they're depending on their parents to survive They're in this state where they have to have faith that their parents are gonna provide for them because they can't provide for themselves They're this idea of the humility lowly meekness of a child Okay, obviously children aren't perfect because foolishness is bound in the heart of a child but in the aspect of the meekness and that childlike faith and that Humility of a child and the idea that they are the least if you think about society They are the weakest. They're the ones that are the most dependent right all those things and he's stating that If you want to be if you want to be great, then you need to be like this child where you're not Basically, you're the servant of all right The one that's the servant of all and serves the most will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven But if you know that it's just an example that he gives and if you want to be great Then you need to be meek lowly and obviously Jesus came not to be ministered unto but the minister Okay Doesn't mean that Jesus didn't have authority, you know, obviously to preach and to do it. I mean he's God but he also Took upon the form of a servant He was meek and lowly and hard Luke 9 verse 49 says and John answered and said master we saw one casting out devils in thy name and we Forbad him because he follows not with us and Jesus said unto him forbid him not for he that is not against us is for us this gets into the idea of Just because someone's not the same stripe as us if they're a believer and they're trying to do great work for God and they're out soul winning You know, we're not to be just like forbidding them to do it You're not a part of the new I have be You're part of the the old I have be nuts to you, you know, and you start forbidding them to go out and do stuff No Now we all gonna get together and you know have fellowship Probably not. Okay, but at the same time like, you know what? I hope I hope these churches that don't like us or don't want to yoke up with us when it comes to soul-winning I hope they go out and win tons of people to Christ. I Hope they do great things for God But you know what we don't all have to be in the same camp Okay, and so the idea is like hey, we're gonna do what we're gonna do you want to join us? You know come up and yoke up with us But if you're if you're not gonna if you're not gonna if you don't want to join us then go go serve the Lord Where you're at go serve the Lord over there. We're not forbidding you To go serve the Lord, you know, but we're gonna do our thing over here. Okay, and so That's what I believe we're getting taught there now look at Luke 9 and verse 51 here Luke 9 verse 51 It says in the came to pass when the time was come that he should be received up He steadfastly set his face to to go to Jerusalem So if you kind of like it's getting near to the time where he's gonna go to the cross, right? And he's kind of like his mind and thoughts are at Jerusalem where this is gonna happen It says in verse 59 It says and sent messengers before his face and they went and entered into a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him And they did not receive him because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem So basically imagine this is that they didn't receive him because it's just like he didn't want to be there, right? It's kind of like if you're somewhere and you don't your mind somewhere else like you're thinking about something else and basically the Samaritan said he didn't want him there because He didn't he wasn't like his mind and thoughts weren't on that city at the time, right? His minds and thoughts were like he's gonna be delivered up. He's going to the cross All of that, okay So they're not receiving them and notice what What James and John say here verse 54 and when his disciples James and John? Saw this they said Lord wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume them even as Elias did Now, can you see where they get the name sons of thunder? So James and John are called the Sun they're called bow energies, which means sons of thunder You can kind of think why they were called that right Maybe this statement right here that they're calling down the Thunder right? They're calling down fire, you know wanting to anyway But in verse 55, but he turned and rebuked them saying you know Not what manner of spirit you are of the Son of Man has not come to destroy men's lives But to save them and they went to another village. I mean John's getting rebuked left and right here Hey, he's like we forbade these guys that were over here that were casting out devils in my name He's like don't rebuke them. What are you doing? You know like and then over here, they're like Let's call down fire from heaven like Elijah did now the thing that I want you to go to second Kings second Kings and We're almost done here but second Kings chapter 1 Remember how I was talking about the 50s I don't believe it's by accident that were that when he sat down the men by 50s and fed them Right. What did Jesus say here? He said I'm not come to destroy, right? I'm not the Son of Man has not come to destroy men's lives But to what save them and you think about like they're out in the wilderness They're hungry the famished and what's he do he puts them down in 50s and he feeds them The story that they're mentioning is this story right here So you think about the fire that comes down to the consume the sacrifice, you know, you know that story, right? The prophets of Baal and all that and this story's later second Kings 1 verse 10 says Elijah answered and said to the captain of 50 if I be a man of God then let fire come down from heaven and consume thee and thy what 50 and There came down fire from heaven and consumed him in his 50 Again also he sent unto him another captain of 50 with his 50 And he answered and said unto him O man of God thus set the king Or I'm sorry Thus hath the king said come down quickly and Elijah answered and said unto them if I be a man of God Let fire come down from heaven and consumed thee and thy 50 and fire The fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him in his 50 now the third group that comes out there The guy's like, please don't kill us, right? That's paraphrasing but basically he's like let my suit, you know, our lives refresh us in thy sight and They don't get killed and Elijah actually goes down with them But it's obviously different circumstances the Samaritans weren't coming out there like hey come with us You know, we're gonna take you captive and like we're gonna go like kill you or something like that so obviously the The the whole application of how James and John one fire come down wasn't really true to form to what's going on here but if you think about the story about how he feeds the 5000 by 50s and that What are these groups of people getting killed by with a fire come down from heaven, but by 50s? So I don't think that that's by accident that Jesus said hey sit down by 50s Right, why not 30s? Why not 40s? Why not 60, you know, I don't know Because it's better, you know makes sense five thousand fifties, you know anyway But anyway, I don't believe this by accident. I go back to Luke chapter 9 verse 57. We'll be done here Luke 9 and verse 57 I Know it I'm going long because my coffee's cold. So it's it's time to shut her down In Luke 9 verse 57 actually, this is perfect for my wife. This is exactly the way she likes it You know when I when it's cold Anyway, she's probably like no, it's not not cold anyway Luke 9 and verse 57 it says and it came to pass that as they went in the way a certain man said unto him Lord I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest and Jesus said unto him foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests But the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head and he said unto unto another follow me, but he said But he said Lord suffer me first to go and bury my father Jesus said unto him Let the dead bury their dead but go thou and preach the kingdom of God and another also said Lord. I will follow thee But let me first go and bid a go bid them farewell Which are at home at my house and Jesus said unto him No, man having put his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God now all these stories I believe are linked as far as These people that are coming to him and it makes me think of people that are just like listen The people that are overzealous like I I'll follow you into the trenches I'm gonna be I'm gonna be at church every single Sunday every single Wednesday every event that we're gonna be there You know those you know those guys that are like that. They're just like I'm gonna be there I'm gonna read you know, I'm gonna read ten times a year. I'm gonna you know, do all these different things and it's like No, you're not. I Want to say to most of those people? No, you're not You know who usually does it though the people that don't say anything about it. They just do it Right, they're not coming up to you and be like I got a list of things I'm gonna show you know, I'm gonna do this. I'm gonna do that I'm gonna do it's like I don't want to say any of those things. I'm gonna end up not doing it's gonna be embarrassing, right? So but those that end up just certainly, you know what they do they just do it They just do it and I just think about that when I think about this past I'll go wherever you want, you know, and then they haven't really thought about what that means What does that mean to go wherever he goes and he's kind of giving him an exam he's like there's I don't have a place to put my head You know, the foxes have better places To lay their head, you know Now the last one there, you know, no man Having put his hand to the plow and looking back it's fit for the kingdom of God You know I think about the fact that I think of Philippians chapter 3 with this one and One of my favorite verses in the Bible Philippians 3 13 says brethren I count not myself to have apprehended but this one thing I do Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth into those things which are before I press toward the mark for the prize of the high Calling of God in Christ Jesus So what we're talking about not being fit for the kingdom of God is basically you're not you're not you know, basically you know meet for it like you're like Meaning this is that if you're gonna if you're gonna preach the kingdom of God, you're gonna You're gonna work for the kingdom of God. You have to basically be like hey, I'm going forward and I'm not looking back You know the idea I've decided to follow Jesus No turning back. No turning back, you know that kind of mindset, you know, you're gonna follow the Lord You got to deny yourself daily and pick take up your cross daily if you're gonna follow him, you know Whether wherever he goes you got to know that sometimes you might not have a place to put your head at night If you're gonna follow the Lord listen, you may have to preach the gospel even when you're even when a loved one dies You know the Bible talks about the house of mourning is better than the house of mirth because the living will take it to heart. I Mean think about it. He didn't say You know, basically what he says is like preach the kingdom of God It's like can you not preach the kingdom of God just be that because his dad died It's like you can preach the kingdom God even you actually it's the best place to do it Is that a funeral? so anyway, all that say is that there's there's a there's a lot of people out there that are just Gung-ho to say that hey, I'm gonna do anything, you know, and you think about Peter Peter was in that category He's just like, you know what even unto death? I'm not gonna deny thee and he's like You're gonna deny me three times before the cock crows, you know So even the best of us even even the top three Peter Did you know also come short there? So let's end with a word of prayer dear Heavenly Father we think for today. Thank you for your word Thank you for the book of Luke and Luke chapter 9 in particular I prayed you'd help us to apply these passages to our lives help us to deny ourselves daily and to take up your cross daily To be worthy to be your disciple on a daily basis and what we thank you for eternal life Thank you for salvation and that it's full and free The Lord we do pray that you'd help us to be soldiers for you disciples for you and Lord We love you. We pray all in Jesus Christ's name. Amen, but they will come and sing one more song and that will be dismissed All right, take your song books and turn to song 260 Song 260 in your song books And if you would stand we'll sing he's able to deliver these song 260 Is the grandest theme through the ages wrong tis the grandest theme for a Mortal tongue tis the grandest theme that the world and song our God is Able to deliver thee He is able to deliver thee he is able to deliver thee Though by sin oppressed go to him for rest our God is able to deliver thee Tis the grandest theme and the earth or main tis the grandest theme for a Mortal stain tis the grandest theme tell the world again our God is