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Take your Bibles and go back to Luke chapter 12 Luke chapter 12 and this morning Because my computer decided to upgrade its operating system this morning, I couldn't print in time So I'm just gonna have to get my laptop up here Hope that's not too distracting for you guys I Alright guys Luke chapter 12 look at verse 21 Luke chapter 12 21 It says so is he that layeth up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God The title of sermon this morning is rich toward God. Hey, we want to be people that are rich toward God Hey, you might be blessed in the way of having riches on this earth There's nothing wrong with having riches on this earth But more often than not the people of God aren't the richest people on the earth Okay, because it's like God knows that the riches and the treasures of this world are going to distract us from his kingdom Okay, but more important than our riches on this earth is to have our riches in heaven. So God can look at us Regardless of how much money you make per year regardless of how many possessions you have that when God looks at us He sees this is a rich person in my sights This person has great treasures in heaven. And so that's what we want to be focusing from this chapter There's a lot in this chapter, but that's what I want to take out as the primary thought look at verse number one Luke chapter 12 verse 1 and In the meantime when they were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people I mean there were there were so many people following the Lord right now Seeking to see what he has to say and the works he's doing the Bible says it's innumerable There is that there is that many well, we're just not going to give a number Okay And then it says in so much they trode one upon another literally Stepping on each other's feet as they went to see Christ He began to say unto his disciples first of all beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy All right, so first thing I want to you know as we've gone through the book of Luke You've come to realize that but the multitudes that are there listening to Jesus aren't always his believers They're not they aren't always his disciples. Are they sometimes they're unbelievers Sometimes they're complete reprobates those that have blasphemed the Holy Ghost Sometimes it's the Pharisees seeking to find fault in the in the things that Jesus would say and do okay This is important for you Just always as you go through the Gospels always remind yourselves when with Jesus is preaching to the multitudes He's preaching to a to a variety of people different groups. They're not always saved Okay, you need to maintain that because this is one chapter that if you don't have that in mind You're going to get confused on some of the passages Okay You'll even get to a point and we've seen a pastor in the United States get to a point where you thinks even believers Can go to the lake of fire for a short period of time Okay, and this is one of these chapters where if you don't keep that in mind that Jesus preached to many groups You'll come to false doctrine You'll come to a false understanding of what Jesus says but notice he says beware of the leaven of the Pharisees watch leaven It's like yeast. It's something that causes the bread to grow. It's something that spreads It's like like a bacteria and it says beware of that of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy Says look the Pharisees are hypocrites. We already know this, right? We know the Pharisees quite well by now that on the outside that they love the outside. They love to look clean They love to be to wash their hands before eating but inwardly they are filthy inwardly They are lost inwardly many of them were reprobate Okay, and so they are hypocrites and what you find is, you know The real many religions in this world many religious leaders in this world are hypocrites They've taken the leaven of the Pharisees which is hey, look how godly, you know Look at us and how righteous we are but yet they are still lost They still yet dead in their sins and their trespasses verse number two and verse number two follows on with this thought Okay for so that's a conjunction there for there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed Neither hid that shall not be known Therefore whatsoever you have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light and that which you have spoken in the ear of in closets Shall be proclaimed upon the housetops So as you read verses two and three, it's it's important for you to realize verse number one What's he talking about the leaven of the Pharisees that hypocrisy? Okay And what Jesus is teaching here is that at some point whether on this earth or whether to the judgment of God or the great white throne judgment that these hypocritical Religious leaders that are lost these hypocritical religious leaders that are sending people to hell They're going to be exposed at some point like even these Pentecostal Charlatans, you know that you see the TV evangelists many of them have been exposed, you know for being money-hungry Many of them have been exposed that their their so-called miracles were all you know falsified You know the information that they received so-called from the Holy Ghost was a sham Hey many people get exposed in this life There's going to be others that will be exposed at the great white throne judgment, okay So this is what it's teaching about. Hey, you want to be a hypocritical religious leader? Okay, you know appearing to be righteous on the outside. Hey, it's it's going to come out, you know, don't worry about it You know if you've been fooled by some past some preachers in the past Okay, don't worry it's going to be exposed God will make sure that they're going to be exposed for the hypocrites that they are verse number four and I say to you now look at this. So he was talking about the the Pharisees there He was talking about the lost but when you get to verse number four look what he says and I say unto you my Friends. Okay. So now is he is he talking to the lost? No now he's talking to the believers Okay, now he's talking to his friends. He says be not afraid of them that kill the body you know, obviously the the Pharisees there but also just other people that can hurt you and After that, I'm sorry and after that have no more that they can do So look if someone kills you, I mean look what's the worst thing you can think of like in life? It's probably death It's not like, you know being killed being murdered That's probably one of the worst things you can think about happening But God says look don't be afraid of them that kill the body But because there's nothing more they can do to you after that. Okay, it's like Death for Jesus is you're just passing through to eternity You know, you're just going to it You know, you're just going to have that eternal life that you already have But you're going to be living that out without that sinful body, you know Christ is not overly concerned about the death of his saints Okay, and we shouldn't be that way either, you know We shouldn't be overly concerned about people that can destroy this body Knowing full well that we're going to be in the presence of the Lord forever Okay, but verse number five But I will for forewarn you whom ye shall fear Fear him which after he have killed have power to cast into hell. Yea I say unto you fear him Now he's talking to his believers here He's not saying that God will cast you into hell, but that he has the power to cast people into hell That's the person that we ought to fear the one that has not just power on this earth But power in the afterlife. Okay, and notice that it says here that God casts People into hell, you know, I've heard preaching, you know I've heard pastors that try to sugarcoat the Bible. It's like, you know, no God is so loving You know, God God is full of love. He would never send anyone to hell He never cast anyone into hell they say so you cast yourself into hell, you know You're the one that does it you end up throwing yourself into hell and God didn't you know I was trying to stop you from doing that look No, if you reject Jesus Christ, you reject the free gift of salvation. God will take you and cast you into hell Okay, that's the other side of God that we need to know his righteous anger and his righteous judgment that comes but look Knowing that God is that way as well that should bring fear into us If we fear the Lord in a righteous biblical manner, it's gonna cause us to want to please him You know, it's gonna want it to be with it Hey, if I'm gonna be aligned with anybody on this earth It's gonna be with God, right? Because I know God can do anything that God can answer my prayers my needs that I have I want to be with you God I want to be lined up with you and be walking with you and that should come out of fear, you know The Bible say that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom is beginning of knowledge Okay, you know just just being a wise person understanding the things of God The first thing you need to do is fear him I mean the fact that you're even saved means there was a point where you feared God what he could do to you You know, if you if you if you went into eternity without being made right with God, okay So it's important for us guys if you have a fear of man, you have a fear of government you have a fear of someone that can hurt you look just To overcome that you need to make sure you have a fear of God and that's going to outweigh What the fear of man and what they can do to you? Okay, that's number six I'm not five sparrows sold for two farthings I'm not sure what for two farthings is but I'm assuming that's like a a very cheap price and And then it says and not one of them is forgotten before God So it says look even little sparrows little birds They're you know, they're not they're cheap. They're not worth much in the eyes of men You know, you just purchase five for two farthings, but not one of those are forgotten before God look God knows every little creature God knows everything of his creation and even more amazing than remembering the little sparrows and by the way But what are you saying there? Look if God's gonna remember the little sparrow You're so much more valuable to him as a child of God, you know, you might come to a point where you think God Aren't you hearing my prayers? Don't you know my needs? Of course he does Okay, because he knows the needs of the little sparrow All right and so much more than that he cares for you this number seven But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered Fear not that therefore ye are of more value than many sparrows Okay, God not only knows how many hairs you've got but it says even though the hairs of your head are all numbered Like if that means if I'm like that one, I'm grabbing there I don't know if I'm grabbing one or many I have no idea but God knows that number Right. God knows that's number. You know, I don't have any hairs. I go through two billion, you know 320 God knows that number of that hair on my head Okay, so if he knows that about me then of course he's going to be there And fulfill the needs that I have as long as I'm seeking first his kingdom will see will soon see that okay verse number eight And look at this Also I say unto you whosoever shall confess me before men Him shall the Son of Man also confess before the angels of God So this is a heavenly blessing a heavenly acknowledgement from Jesus to believers Who openly confess Jesus Christ? You know if you just openly confess that I'm saved in Christ To your family and friends or you go out there and you go and give the gospel and say look Jesus is my Savior He can be your Savior too. You openly confess him in this life Then Jesus Christ will confess you you know he will speak highly of you in heaven to the angels It's a it's a great honor that God wants to give us as you know should we confess him before the angels now verse number nine? It's a little tricky, but I believe verse number nine is about the unsaved. Okay. I believe it's about the unsaved But he that in knife me before men shall be denied before the angels of God I've heard some preaching Where this is basically you know if you're just a believer that doesn't I you know acknowledge God Then God's kind of going to deny you deny you rewards and That could be an interpretation. I think that's fine as well, but I think when you think of the word deny me here I believe this is talking about Rejecting the Lord and remember it because of the multitude because they were saved and unsaved in this script what I think he's saying here Is that those that deny me or rejects me then Jesus Christ will reject them? Before the angels of God so and I think it's verse number 10 Makes me believe that about verse number nine a little bit more because look at verse number 10 It says and whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of Man it shall be forgiven him But unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven So Jesus gives us two groups of people. You know you you may have gone through life where you've spoken You know against Christ, or you rejected Christ But you know if you just come before him in faith and receive him as your Savior that too will be forgiven Okay, so that that's one group of people the the saved that might have been rejecting Christ through different periods of their life But eventually got saved, and then you have another group of people that blaspheme against the Holy Ghost And it says that they shall not be forgiven Okay, and again. What's blaspheming against the Holy Ghost? It's basically saying that Jesus Christ his power his works were of the devil that he was of Beelzebub Okay, you know I'm making that kind of claim Proclaiming that is the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost and that will not be forgiven you okay And so you can see there that there's kind of like two groups and that's why I believe verse 8 is about the saved that confess Christ and Christ will confess them in heaven and then the unsaved that deny or rejects Christ That's what I think about at this point in time, and then you might say well What about believers that don't confess Christ what I believe is that don't make him known well They just won't receive that honor. They just won't receive that praise from Jesus before the angels verse number 10 11 sorry and When they bring you into synagogues into the synagogues and unto the magistrates and powers take you no thought How or what thing you shall answer or what you shall say for the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour What ye ought to say? Now you might say well hold on wait a minute so if I get brought before court Are you saying that I don't have to get a lawyer? I don't have to prepare myself I just have to stand there and speak to the Holy Ghost will give me what to say It kind of sounds like that way, but one thing you need to realize keep your finger there turn to mark 13 Keep some go to mark 13 That this teaching this doctrine of You know not preparing yourself because the Holy Ghost will speak on your behalf Is basically an end times doctrine okay? This is something to do with the tribulation period okay when the Antichrist? You know reveals himself and lifts himself up to be as God And he starts persecuting the children of God at that point there'll be believers that are brought before powers and magistrates It's this time when the Holy Ghost will teach you in the same hour what to say look at mark 13 mark 13 verse 8 mark 13 verse 8 It says for nation shall rise against nation and Kingdom against Kingdom and there shall be earthquakes in diverse places and there shall be famines And troubles these are the beginnings of sorrows remember what the beginnings of sorrows is that's the first three and a half years of The final week of Daniel the last seven years Years before Christ comes back to establish his millennial Kingdom verse number nine But take heed to yourselves for they shall deliver you up to councils and in the synagogues You shall be beaten and you shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake for a testimony against them And the gospel must first be published amongst among all nations But when they shall lead you and deliver you up take no thought beforehand what you shall speak Neither do you premeditate, but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour that speak ye for it is not you that speak But the Holy Ghost okay, so go back to Luke chapter 12 So please if for whatever reason today if you're brought before courts yeah prepare a defense All right get a lawyer do all those kinds of things because this teaching is about the end times this teaching is when you know The Antichrist starts persecuting the people of God all right verse number 13 and Look, that's why it's so important to compare scripture with Scripture It's always important to get you know the two or three witnesses when you establish a doctrine Okay, because I mean I don't know I've never been in Pentecostal circles But it wouldn't surprise me if they teach this like if you get brought for courts I'm worried the Holy Ghost will speak before you right and Potentially, they're probably getting a worse position than they were when they started all right verse number 13 and One of it, and I don't know this was some this was a passage that always really confused me as a child I don't know about you, okay Verse 13 and one of the company said unto your master speak to my brother that he divide the inheritance with me And he said unto him man who have made me a judge or a divider of you Have you ever wondered? What is that about? I mean Surely if there's going to be a judge over anybody it's going to be Jesus Christ It's going to be the Lord God surely you know he has the right to step in and make you know righteous judgment You know and and I'm glad because I'm if you guys remember my sermon on God or daily institutions You remember that where I said that God had established four institutions in the world You know one being the family another being the church another being your workplace or the business and another being the government And I spoke about how each authority each institution has a head and then there are people that are subject unto that power unto that head or that ruler okay, and I'm glad I went through that because now that you understand that you know I think what Jesus Christ is doing here Is that he is you know? Putting himself under the right institution, so you know Christ came to save sinners Christ came to Establish his mission to get people saved and to die for our sins Okay, Christ did not come to sort out everybody's family issues all right and That's what the father is for that's what the husband is for that's what the head of the house is for To step in and sort out family problems, and I like this about Jesus because I'm like you know if you came to me And you're like pastor Kevin. Can you sort this out between me and my brother or my sister? I'm like who made me a judge over you Who made me I'm the pastor of your church hey? But if you got problems you need to go to the head of your family you need to Get him to sort out the issues right here's the one that's accountable to God for the family all right So I think we see that same thing playing out here Is that even though Jesus can't step in and even though he is the God of the Lord of all and the creator of all Things you know even you know in his manhood. He's he's obeying you know Or he's um given respect to the institutions and their heads of those institutions that God has created All right, but more more to that there's a greater teaching to this than just that verse 15 And he said unto them take heed listen and beware of covertiousness For a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth So he okay, maybe this man has been cheated by his brother somehow Maybe he's not received the fair share of anything in his inheritance, but Jesus look That's the small thing don't worry about that your life is more than just your possessions and your wealth You know if you're always desiring what other people have that's covertous, so you're going to be aware of covertous You're committing sin. It's not good for your spiritual health You know our life is more than just a house and the cars and them and look that's all nice You know we all need the kind of things when you know just to get in through life But we shouldn't be sitting in our hearts on our just our earthly possessions I mean, that's the world all the world cares about the unsaved is how much they can get how much money they can make Right you know sending mom to go and work and earn so much more money And then the family falling apart the kids not being raised in homes You know why because they're seeking the material wealth They're not seeking to raise a godly family okay verse number 16 and This parable is interesting And this is why I said you got to be you got to understand that there are saved and unsaved Oh actually no There's not this parable the next one after this but look at verse 16 And he spake a parable unto them saying the ground of a certain rich man brought forth Plentifully and he thought within himself saying what shall I do because I have no room where to bestow bestow my fruits And he said this will I do I will pull down my barns and build greater And there will I be so all my fruits and my goods So this is a man who's been he's been blessed He's had a lot of our produce a lot of our fruitfulness And he's got not enough room to put it all in hey. He's got more than he needs Now look if you have more than you need. What should we do? We should give it to those that are without right we should lay is there anyone in church that could have Use of these things is there any is there anyone that's poor and needy that I can help That's what you should do with your abundance Okay, that's what you should do, but instead this man says well I'll just build greater bands and barns and fill them all up. You know. I'll just give it to myself and Then at verse 19 and I will say to my soul soul thou hast much goods laid up for many years Take thine ease eat drink and be merry But God said unto him thou fool this night thy soul shall be required of thee then those Sorry, then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided? So what's God saying look you've worked so hard for your material possession There's going to come a day when you're going to pass on you're going to die I'm going to take your soul away today and all those things that you work so hard for you know God says who's going to take them who's good You know you're not going to be able to take your material wealth to you in heaven I mean think about what you have right now in life. You know your material wealth your family You know what are you going to take with you to heaven? What could you possibly take to heaven your house your car? your job You know your your your you know your savings account in the in the back of course not But what you can take with you to heaven obviously is your own soul and the souls of your family Okay, that's something you can take so you know when you start thinking about hey, what's eternal? What's going to last forever? That should give us the right perspective as to what we should be focused on in life this man died He focused on the material wealth. He didn't even get to enjoy it. Okay. He didn't he couldn't take it with him to heaven and What a waste but look at verse 21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God Okay So how can we be rich before God as people well first of all stop laying up treasures for yourself on this earth Okay, because if you're doing that if that's your focus your focus will be away from God and away from the things of God Okay Number two we read about it earlier Confess Jesus before men that'll make you rich in the sight of God He's gonna bring you before the angels and honor you and speak of you highly That's another way to be rich before God right confess Jesus Christ You know don't be shy don't be timid whoever you cross paths if you can get the opportunity Speak to them about Jesus Christ Speak to them about the great salvation is given you and that he can give to that person also, okay? Verse 22 and He said unto his disciples therefore I say unto you take no thought for your life What you shall eat neither for the body what you shall put on the life is more than meats And the body is more than raiment consider the Ravens for they need a soul or reap Which neither have storehouse nor barns and God feedeth them how much more are you better than the fowls? Now again when we read something like this Your first your first thought would might be I don't know maybe not you know But it'd be like I can just quit work right I can just I just don't have to work anymore because God's gonna make sure That I'm provided for that he's going to clothe me and that he's going to give me food Because it does it to the Ravens it does it to the sparrows Okay, but obviously you know rightly divided in the Word of God you know Obviously the first application here are to his disciples Okay, those that had forsaken all those that were that came to sit at the feet of Jesus and hear his preaching So then they can be the the future leaders of the church after Christ would be resurrected And so yeah You know the first application for those that had given up all that given up their families and then the full-time jobs to to seek After Christ while he was on the earth yeah, you know Jesus Christ as we saw was able to feed 5,000 You know it was able to do great miracles and so yeah in that sense And so yeah in that sense they don't have to worry about those things as long as they're seeking the kingdom of God They're making themselves rich before God using the time wisely to follow after Jesus then yeah God would provide their meats and their raiment and so on okay, but that time has gone now of course The applications are still there for us But we know the instruction that God gives us as men to be working to have a job to provide for your family Okay, and of course it's through those processes by keeping those commandments that God has given us That is obviously going to provide the meat and the raiment and the things that we need All right So yeah, don't be that kind of person and there are people out there that read this and go I'll just quit my job. You know, I just quit my job Um and become a NASA as a you know, people people think you know, they can become a NASA, right? You know make a vow to God grow their hair long like Samson and you know, God's just going to take care of their every needs but They end up being bums is what ends up happening. All right verse 25 And which of you we've taken thought can add to his stature one qubit. I wish I could do that I wish I could I love playing basketball as a as a teenager. I loved it. I loved it, but I was sure I just couldn't really do much being sure because usually playing basketball you've got to be pretty tall. I wish I could do that, right? Uh, but then look at this this is this is what he says to me verse 26 If ye then be not able to do that thing, which is least Why take you thought for the rest? So look you cannot change your physical appearance. You cannot make yourself taller. God has made you the way you are You can't change it. Look just be satisfied with how you look. Okay, that's how God's made you Okay, that's how God wants you to look. Okay, that's how tall God wants you to be. All right, good I read somewhere that shorter people live longer than taller people, by the way I don't know if that's true. So maybe I'm meant to live longer than some of you guys looks Maybe there's something good out of that. But look, uh, the idea here is look, um The things you can't change the things you can't um, uh, you know think about and something, you know It's just going to miraculously change. Don't worry about those things. Okay, that's not what you should be considered Considering about you know, and a lot of ladies, you know worry about their looks a lot, you know I wanted to make sure that they look as attractive as possible Look, that shouldn't be the priority of a lady. Okay, that shouldn't be you can't change it Okay, but there are things that you can work toward and of course that's being rich toward God Okay, no matter how much makeup you put in your face. That's not going to add treasures in heaven Okay, you can't don't worry about that. So that's that's that's got little value There's nothing you can change about that focus on what you can do for the Lord and verse 20 27 Consider the lilies how they grow they toil not they spin not and yet I say it to you That solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these So even solomon who had everything he basically says I had everything that I can possibly have And jesus says look even the lilies the little the flowers They they're more beautiful than what even solomon could achieve in his life Verse 28 if then god so clothed the grass which is today in the field and tomorrow is cast into the oven How much more will he clothe you are you oh ye of little faith And seek not ye what you shall eat and what you shall drink neither be you doubtful be ye of doubtful mind For all these things do the nations of the world seek after hey That's what those that are unsaved that do not have me that do not have god as a father. That's what they seek after And it says and your father knoweth that you have need of these things Okay, god already knows we need the things that we need just to get through life Okay It's the unbelievers that are worried and thoughtful about material possessions and needs we should not be like the unbelievers, right? We should be thoughtful about the kingdom of god about being rich before god verse 31 But rather seek you the kingdom of god and all these things shall be added unto you And of course what does that mean of course we know about the coming kingdom of christ Ruling rain with him for a thousand years and the new heavens and the new earth. Yes seek that Okay, have eternity as your mind But we also know that the we can we can uh bring people into the kingdom of god today Okay, so when in preaching the gospel that is taking thought of the kingdom of god adding people to that kingdom That's making you uh rich before god because look at verse 32 Fear not little flock for it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom Okay, so this is another way we can be rich toward god is to prioritize the kingdom of god And he'll ensure that you have your every need Okay Your your priority ought to be the kingdom of god, you know, if you're a homeschooling mother when you teach your king your children Yes, you're teaching them academics But if your mindset is the kingdom of god you're going to make sure that what they're learning You know is profitable for them, right? They would grow and learn and if there's something that's ungodly If there's something that that may be a false gospel in some of these christian curriculums, you know You just rip that page out you make sure that there's no corruption because you've got the kingdom of god set in your mind first There's everything we can do, you know going to work and and working for the boss and just reminding yourself. Hey i'm here I'm serving christ, you know when you do that you you've got your mindset now in the kingdom of god You've got your mind on the king you're serving the king, you know when I come in and I preach Yeah, I know i'm preaching to the brethren i'm coming to minister and serve the brethren But at the same time i've got a fear of god I'm thinking of the kingdom of god and I want to make sure that what I preach is is as sound and correct As I possibly can okay, just having the kingdom of god as your your mindset First and foremost can change the way you do everything in your life any little thing in your life verse 33 Sell that you have and give arms So do good works and give to the poor Provide yourselves bags which wax not old so jesus says look get a bag that doesn't wear out Hey, are you going to find one of those on the earth? No, look at this a treasure in the heavens that fail faileth not When no thief approacheth neither moth corrupteth For where your treasure is there will your heart be also Okay. So another way you can be rich toward god obviously is lay up treasure in heaven, you know Whatever you gain in heaven will never be lost okay, I mean you can you can put money into the What they call it the stock exchange, you know, they call it, you know buy shares of businesses And just like that you can lose it all Okay, but if you invest in heaven, it's there forever. It's yours forever Praise god, no thief can come and take it from you. There'll be no corruption of the treasures, you know Basically jesus look get a bag, you know that doesn't wax old, you know Feel your your heavenly bag your eternal bag with the treasures of heaven and it says that's where your heart will be also So think about this this is a good test of knowing whether you are you are working to um To build treasures in heaven or not is where is your heart? Okay Where is your heart think about it think about? What do you wake up? What are the first things that you think about when you wake up? You know is a facebook, you know, i've told you about that before right, but if it is that's where your heart is Okay, what is what you know the things that I spend hours and hours and hours doing you know the the hobbies and the activities That I do You know if you're like spending hours and that's where your mind is constantly That's where your heart is. That's where your heart is. That's the treasures that you're building towards Okay, but if you can honestly say no, you know what the first thing in my mind is to read my bible the first thing You know as I go throughout the days to pray continually And i'm seeking the lord to change my life and to be more like christ if you can truly say that then you are truly You know, uh putting treasures in heaven you are laying up your treasures in heaven So that's a good test for yourselves, you know is you know, and look, you know There are other things that will distract you other things that you need to do in life, of course But what is your primary what are your primary desires and your primary love of your heart? That's where you know where you're laying up treasures, okay verse 35 Let your loins be girded about and your lights burning and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for the lord When he will return from the wedding That when he cometh and knocketh they may open unto him immediately Blessed are those servants whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching Verily I say unto you that he shall gird himself and make them to sit down to meet And will come forth and serve them This is another way you can be rich toward god is to watch for the second coming of christ Okay to to pay attention to the events that are unfolding in this world to know what the bible says about the end times So you can be watching and waiting for the lord to come That's another way to be rich before god and god says there in verse. Jesus says in verse 37 Then if he finds you watching that when you come before him, he's going to come sit you down Give you food and serve you okay? That's what you when we sung that hymn, you know brethren We have come to worship and he says that christ will come and gird himself and serve us in sweet manner all around That's another amazing honor I mean, I I don't know about you, but if i'm at that table and jesus christ comes and serves me You know I'll be like a bit of shame. I'll be like like john the baptist was you know, you know You know I'm not I shouldn't be baptizing. You should be baptizing me or like like, uh, like, uh, Peter, you know god lord, you'll never wash my feet. Like i'd probably feel a little bit like that But thank god, we're gonna have our righteous bodies by then, you know without the sin and without the shame So it might be a bit of a different. Um thing but What a beautiful thing what a loving thing that jesus even though he's the god of the universe the creator of all things Will honor you if you if he finds you watching for his coming will honor you Sit you down feed you and and and and serve you what an amazing amazing, uh honor So that's another way you can be rich toward god now verse 38 And if you shall come in the second watch or in the come in the third watch and find them So blessed are those servants by the way that second watch that third watch the idea there is like during the night um, you know, obviously Like in the cities back in these days, you'd have watchmen watching for enemies And so you'd have like a second watch or third one, you know You have a rotation of guards basically that would come and watch and might make sure there's no enemies That's what what it's kind of saying is that we should be like those guards, you know, just watching out making sure You know waiting for the lord to return And then it says in verse 39 And this know that if the good man of the house Had known what hour the thief would come he would have watched and have not suffered his house to be broken through Be ye therefore ready also for the son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not Let me say this Verse 40. Let's read that carefully And if you don't read this carefully, this is a verse that probably the pre-trib believers will use. Okay, it'll be like see Let's read the second part there for the son of man cometh at an hour when you think not You know, jesus can come back at any moment. He can come back right now You know in five minutes after the service whenever you know, it's imminent. He might come right now and they'll read that bit But they'll forget the first bit Be ye therefore ready Also, right. What does that mean? Also, what do you mean verse 39? We're gonna go back to verse 29 for this know that if the good man of the house had known what hour the thief would come He would have watched and have not suffered or allowed his house to be broken through Okay, so we can know In this parable we can know when the thief is coming. Okay, if we're watching All right, so it's not going to come at every any moment any any any any second, you know We don't know it's going to be before no we know because we're watching we're reading the bible We know what the what god has given us about the end times the knowledge that it's before Sorry after the tribulation But before god pulls out his wrath, we're going to be able to see the signs We're going to be able to see the antichrist raising look we're watching we're going to be paying attention to these things And in that case, you know in this parable We're not going to be like that person that has a thief that just comes through Without us knowing of course, we'll know be ye therefore ready also. Okay, we know we know when it's going to happen As long as we're watching now some people have said this that you know um, actually, I think most pre-tribbers most pre-trib teachers say Jesus never taught on the rapture. Don't you know this is about his return to establish his kingdom This is for the jews just like they say about matthew 24. That's for the jews Turn to first thessalonians chapter 4 Please first thessalonians chapter 4 verse 16 First thessalonians chapter 4, of course the the the most famous Chapter on the rapture okay pre-trib post-trib No tree, I don't know we all believe this is about the rapture. This is about the resurrection look at verse 16 For the lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout With the voice of the archangel and with the trump of god and the dead in christ shall rise first Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds To meet the lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the lord We're for comfort one another with these words. So just to start there. We see this is definitely about the rapture Okay, definitely about the resurrection being caught up into the clouds with jesus christ But we need to keep reading chapter 5 verse 1 but Of the times and the seasons brethren you have no need that I write unto you Paul says look Now i'm going to give you the timing i'm going to give you the seasons But I don't have to write this unto you. He says look right. He says look I have no need to write Why why does he have no need to write this answer and to um unto you? Verse number two for yourselves know perfectly That the day of the lord so cometh as a thief in the night What did we read in luke chapter 12 Jesus teaching that is coming jesus teaching about it being like the thief in the night and to watch So look paul says look I don't need to write to you about the rapture because you already know you already know Why do they know it's because jesus already taught them jesus already taught on the rapture already taught he's coming You know this these verses confirms to us that what we read in luke 12 is some knowledge that was already had Okay, and that jesus had already taught them and you can already see it's the same. It's the same information there It's about the thief coming in the night verse number three Uh in first thessalonians one five first thessalonians five verse three for when they shall say peace and safety then cometh Then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travel upon a woman with child and they shall not escape But ye brethren are not in darkness that that day that that day should overtake you as a thief That confirms it also right because just as be you're also ready so you can watch you know When the thief is coming and and paul is saying look you're of the light You know, you're not going to be the kind of person where the day overtakes you as a thief Because you should be watching verse number five Ye are all children of light and the children of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness Therefore let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober The same instructions that paul has given okay on the most famous rapture passage the same illustration Of the thief in the night the same instruction to watch is what jesus taught us in luke chapter 12 Okay, luke chapter 12 is a rapture. It's for the thessalonian the believers as much it is to the saved jews All right, it's to everyone All right, it's to everyone and obviously to those that are watching we're going to know and those that are in the darkness They're not going to know and it's going to be like a thief coming into the house. Okay? So jesus, it's the same instructions that were given to the church go back to luke chapter 12 verse 41 luke chapter 12 verse 41 And this this question is quite important Then peter said unto him lord speak of thou this parable unto us or even to all Okay, so remember the great multitude saved unsaved all kinds of people, you know, peter says is this for us or is this for? Everybody and uh jesus, so I mean that basically confirms that you know, there's other groups of people there and Jesus doesn't really answer that Like directly he gives another parable. Okay, and please before we read this parable understand It's a parable. Okay. It's a story. It's an illustration of something Because this is where people really mess it up and I said like some so-called christians think You know believers can be cast into the lake of fire even if it's just a temporal thing but verse 42 And the lord said who then is that faithful and wise steward Whom his lord shall make ruler of his household to give them their portion of meat in due season Blessed is that servant whom the lord when he cometh shall find so doing of a truth I say unto you that he will make him ruler over all that he hath So we know now what we just read here is about believers People that are watching for the lord, right that is going to um, you know Make that that the his servants a ruler over the household if he finds him watching All right, and ready for the lord's return now look at verse 45 And if that servant say in his heart my lord delayeth his coming and shall begin to beat the men servants and maidens And to eat and drink and to be drunken the lord of that servant will come in a day When he looketh not for him and at an hour when he is not aware and will cut him in sunder And will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers So you can see if you're reading this thinking hold on this must be about a saved person Why will his portion be with the unbelievers? um and uh, so, you know, that's where people get the idea that you know, um, um Christians might go to hell or might go to the lake of fire or anything like that But remember this is a parable. Okay. This is a story about a lord and servants Okay, this isn't about necessarily, you know, the parable is not about christ being necessarily your lord Okay, but of course the lord is a lord of all things anyway Okay, I mean every tongue will confess that jesus is the lord Anyway, whether you're saved or unsaved, you know, whether your your eternal destiny is in hell at some point You're going to realize that jesus christ was the lord. Okay, so we need to understand if we we know The scriptures we know we can never lose our salvation. We can we know that it's eternal life. We have the foundations in place Then we can approach a parable like this and make sense of it because obviously it's about an unbeliever Obviously, it's about someone that marks and says well, you know, you said that the lord is coming but he's not coming back And he and he and he just uh decides to you know, live it up. He doesn't believe in the bible This is someone that's unsaved Okay, and we know this because we have the foundations of other key doctrines, right? And it's when people take these passages and really mess them up That just tells you they haven't even got their foundations, right? They're not even established, you know, um, you know, um, They're not even established in the first place. They might not even be saved those that teach, you know ridiculous things like this But look let's keep reading verse 47 And that servant which knew the lord's will and prepared not himself Neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes But he that knew not and did commit things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes For answer sorry for answer whomsoever much is given of him much shall Of him shall be much required and to whom men have committed much of him they will ask the more Okay, let's think about this now. Okay. God is saying basically those that knew that he was coming those that had the information Okay, they've heard scriptures. They've not believed on jesus christ They're going to be beaten with many stripes But then there are others that did not necessarily know Okay, but still they're unsaved. They're going to be beaten with few stripes They're still going to be punished but with fewer stripes than the one that knew More, okay and still rejected that truth And what we take out of this is that hell is not equal punishment for all Okay, and we've we've covered this before in the past remember when jesus said that um, you know It'd be more tolerable for you know, one to you. Was it best that that's that's sada, you know It'd be more tolerable to you than for sodom You know those kinds of things those kinds of things that we read about a few chapters ago Is the same idea there are you know and about those cities? It was because jesus christ had come into the cities and then amazing works and amazing miracles and the people had rejected him And it's those that had the chance to see christ that their punishment was going to be worse Okay, and the idea here is those that know the scriptures those that had the opportunity to hear the gospel those that have heard You know growing up in a christian home or whatever and they still reject christ their punishment their stripes with many You know compared to those that really didn't get much of an opportunity to know about christ and rejected him They're going to be punished as well, but with fewer stripes So I hope that makes sense there. Um What that is about and then look at verse 49? I am come to send fire on the earth and what will I if it be already kindled? That's an interesting one I thought this might have been about hell fire But it's it's sort of fire on the earth and I think if we continue reading it makes sense I think what this is talking about is that the fire that jesus is referring to here is that jesus christ is going is bringing division Okay His presence his mission will bring division in the earth. Okay. We'll look at this verse 50 but I have a baptism to be baptized with And let's let's stop there. So what's baptism? It's basically it's immersion. Okay. This is not water baptism. We know jesus was already water baptized. Okay But we know that there is a baptism that jesus will be baptized with that's been immersed You know that that would be the grave, you know being uh buried in the grave, you know Or his soul being in hell that is also being immersed. Okay, so we know what jesus christ's talking about here That's he's got a death that that's that he's approaching to and then he says and how am I straightened till it be? Sorry, and how am I straightened till it be accomplished and we know that word straight s-t-r-a-i-t Is like narrow, okay So it's kind of like and how am I sort of like narrowly like like focused till it be accomplished now jesus Look, you know i'm focused to accomplish the task that god has given me to be baptized You know that that baptisms come to to go through death, you know, and he says like nothing will stop him following through this Okay, but then look at verse 51 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth. I tell you nay, but rather division Say well, hold on. It's christmas This is when we talk about peace on earth because christ has come Yeah, you know christ has come to give us peace with god Okay with god the father we would be right with him. That's what the peace is But you know it you know this already when you receive christ as savior Okay, when you when you strive to work with the lord for the lord this it's going to bring division You're going to have people that say what's wrong with you? Why are you doing this? Why are you living like this? Why are you raising your children like that? It's going to cause division amongst your friends and your family That's the division that jesus is speaking about here, okay verse 52 For from henceforth there shall be five in one household divided Three against two and two against three and that's the saddest thing when you're close family in your own house Someone gets saved and they reject you that's division or whatever and that happens to a lot of people such a sad thing You know verse 53 the father shall be divided against the son and the son against the father The mother against the daughter and daughter against the mother the mother-in-law against the daughter-in-law and the daughter-in-law against the mother-in-law Look the gospel brings division Okay, and you know, I know it's sad, you know, I thank god I've grown up in a christian home christian parents, you know Thank god, you know, thank god, but some of you guys have not had that you got saved and your family reject you There's divisions there's arguments there's debates and I feel I feel sad for you. I feel sad for you. But look Jesus prophesied he told us, you know, we can't be like well god, why is this happening? Jesus told us already that it was going to happen Okay that his good news that his message was going to cause divisions in the family Okay, the more you strive to to live biblically the more your unsaved family and friends will detest you verse 54 And he said also to the people when you see a cloud rise out of the west Straight where you say there cometh a shower and so it is And when you see the south wind blow you say there will be heat and it cometh to past So this is you know forecasting the weather, you know We're pretty good at forecasting the weather, you know, even today verse 56 Ye hypocrites and remember we started with the hypocrites at the beginning of this chapter Ye hypocrites you can discern the face of the sky and of the earth But how is it that ye do not discern this time? So we know what the hypocrisy is about because it's the leaven of the pharisees Okay, the ones that were rejecting christ It says look you're a hypocrite. You can determine the weather you can figure out science But here I am here. Am I doing amazing works before you here? Am I offering you salvation giving you healing, you know giving you the great wise words that come from the scriptures And you don't even you can't even discern this time. You don't even know that the messiah is here You don't know the son of god is here and it is coming to die and to redeem mankind back to god That's the hypocrisy of them and this is the same hypocrisy of the atheists You go and knock on the atheist door and say I don't believe the bible. What do you believe? I believe in science You're a hypocrite because if you knew science if you knew, you know, the the laws of the universe You can't help but believe in god. You can't help but believe there's a creator Okay, atheists those that believe in so-called science or sciencely science falsely so-called they are hypocrites They've eaten the leaven of the pharisees Okay, they think you know, they can uh discern the tithes the seasons the science but reject jesus christ Hey, look if If you can do that if you know the science if you know the way the world works You know, there's a god, you know the creator, you know and jesus saying look all the amazing things that i'm doing You should know this, you know, what a hypocrite you are 50 verse 57 Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate as thou art in the way give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him Lest he hail thee to the judge and the judge delivered thee to the officer and the officer cast thee into prison Um So this is sort of another parable, okay, that's applicable, uh To to these hypocrites those that weren't discerning the time that weren't believing on jesus christ and he gives the story look You know if you're going to be brought before court, it's better, you know, give diligence that there may be delivered from him It's better that you try to sort things out outside of court It's better to try to sort things out before you get to that level to that point Because if you get before before the court the judge might then just cast you into prison and at that point you can't fix things Okay, you're you're prevented from being able to fix things and making things right and then verse 59 I tell thee That thou shalt not depart thence Till thou has paid the very last might Okay. So the idea there is Get right with god now or it will be worse for you later on That's the message to the pharisees the hypocrites those that can't work out like christ is the messiah the son of god Look sort it out now before you get brought before the judgment of god the great white front judgment at that point You're going to be cast into the prison and you're going to pay for it all You know what? That means you'll be cast into hell and you're going to pay for your sins for all eternity There's nothing you can do to fix it. Now's the time to fix it before god Now's the time to get right before god that's instruction that jesus christ is given to the unsaved So, you know, we wrapped it up there. I hope that's giving you a good idea of this chapter But the main thing I want you guys to be thinking about is how can I become rich? Right put your hands on the tv screen right now. No. No, how can I become rich before god? How can I lay up treasures in heaven forever? That's what your heart should be That's what your heart should be right? I don't want you to get into heaven and you're poor and you're like well pastor Kevin never preached about how to get rich in heaven. All right, it's all in the bible. It's all there All right, preach the gospel confess the lord lay up treasures in heaven, you know seek first the kingdom of god You know, don't don't seek, you know the possessions on the wealth of this life And at the same time be watchful waiting for the lord Okay, know what the scriptures say about jesus christ coming, you know, don't don't just throw things out That's for the jews. No, it's for you, you know, it's for you And we you know that god has given us enough scriptures to be able to piece together You know the timing of his coming it's such an exciting thing And then if you've done that if you're rich before god He's going to come and serve you he's going to come and give you sweet manner in heaven You know give you food what an amazing thing. All right, let's pray