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Amen. Right, so Matthew 13, we're on to part three now. Part two was verses 24 to 43, and as usual I'll just give you a quick recap of where we were last week. We mainly looked at the parable of the tares, which was Jesus teaches that the devil sows his children amongst God's children, that they look identical until the bad fruit starts to appear, and you know the fruit being ultimately what comes forth out of your mouth, and that's when you can start to recognize the tares, ultimately it will eventually come out, the bad fruit starts to appear, and we spoke about that as well, that it's not always going to be just some obvious downable heresy comes out, so you know as we've kind of experienced in this church, there's a lot of things which kind of add together unto bad fruit, and you start to see these things, you start to hear these things coming out of the mouth, and that's kind of one of the signs of those things, but we saw that the majority of these won't necessarily have an untimely death, will they? So we like to think, well aren't they all just going to get picked off and killed straight away? Well no, they will eventually get separated publicly at the great white throne judgment, and that will be apparent to all then. They do present a choice to people, don't they? And God likes us to have a choice, doesn't he? You know, God wants us to have a choice, we're not robots, we're not, you know, this kind of bizarre Calvinism type teaching, which is, it goes into, you know, there's other religions which have similar sort of stuff, where they just think that kind of God's kind of got just this kind of puppet master, and we're all just doing everything, well it makes no sense, obviously it makes no sense, no one needs to hear that, but God likes to have a choice, and we can choose him, can't we? We can choose him, and we can choose the truth. All the various flavors of ear tickler out there, and there are various flavors, aren't there? There's an ear tickler for every type of ear it seems, and we have that choice, and these people do serve that purpose, and whether or not it's the, it's ultimately, you know, the obvious false prophet standing behind some form of pulpit or altar or whatever it is, or whether or not it's someone who's just trying to get you to follow their little gang or something else, there's ear ticklers everywhere for everyone, and God wants us to choose him. And then after that it was the parable of the mustard seed, which I believe is about the growth that a believer can achieve, that's what I think that's talking about. Verse 32 says, which indeed is the least of all seeds, but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh the trees, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof, and I think that's what that's talking about there. After that was the parable of the leaven, and for me that's a multiplying effect that we can have as believers, and we can affect whole areas, can't we? And I'm hoping that we're going to have that effect on this area that we're in now, and Essex, and obviously, you know, particularly Wickford, Shockgate, Basildon, and just have a massive effect like I believe that we did have on South End when we were there as well, and you know, like leaven in three measures of meal, we can just keep multiplying, multiplying, going out and affecting everything around us, can't we? Then verse 33, it says another parable spake unto them, the kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till the whole was leaven, that's what we're looking at there. He then, after that, he sent what seemed to be the largely now rejected multitudes, that's what it appears to be there, doesn't it? That's what I believe it is there, these multitudes are at this point now in his ministry, it seems that they're being hardened, aren't they? They've been, they've rejected God, they've rejected the Word, He's rejecting them, and we looked also at how that wasn't only their doing, but also the parents, and parents, and parents before them, because we was, you know, we were talking about this, I hope everyone agrees that getting young children saved isn't a hard thing, is it? Okay, that shouldn't be difficult, getting someone who's, you know, somewhere between the ages of five and ten years old saved is, is usually a pretty sure thing, I would, I would hope for everyone here, you'd be quite confident with that. Why are the, why are these people not saved? Because somewhere along the line it's started breaking down, hasn't it? And that's what we're talking about there. And then, and then at the end of that Jesus explained the parable of the tears to his disciples, and he now continues where we are here with a few more parables that we're going to look at. Verse 44 it says here, again the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field, the which when a man hath found he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field. I'd like to just pray before we continue. Father thank you for this, this great chapter of the Bible, thank you for these parables, help me please Lord, just to preach these clearly and accurately, and just help everyone here to have a tent of ears, help me to just preach what I believe these parables mean, and help me to just preach them accurately Lord, fill me with your spirit, you know we know that scripture is not of a private interpretation, but with things like this you know we can all kind of see different things in there, help me to just preach what you want me to preach Lord, in Jesus name pray all this, amen. Okay so look back at verse 10 to 11 quickly, verses 10 to 11 saying the disciples came and said unto him why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered said unto them because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. So all of these parables are to reveal mysteries about the kingdom of heaven, also known as the kingdom of God that we just briefly mentioned last week, truths about the Christian life, yeah the things of God, about everything from salvation to soul winning, different types of Christians, false Christians amongst us, the growth of a believer, the spreading of the gospel, it's not just how to get saved okay, it's not just how to get saved, when he said the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven he wasn't saying right this is how you get saved okay, and that's important when reading the next couple of parables, because look I'm sure that many false prophet work salvationers would try that with this you know and the following parable after it okay, so we have to bear that in mind, he said the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven and then he keeps saying the kingdom of heaven is like unto this, the kingdom of heaven is like unto that, sowing tares amongst the wheat has got nothing to do with salvation right okay, and we're seeing all these different mysteries okay, just to make that very clear. So here you've got verse 44 which says again the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field, the which when a man hath found he hideth and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field. Now you can imagine some work salvationers saying something like see you've got to be willing to give up your old life haven't you, you've got to be willing because obviously none of these false prophets have sold all that they have yeah, so they'll go well you've got to be willing to do that, they like to change it to willing don't they yeah, even though it doesn't say that, or you've got to be you know you've got to be willing to sell it all as long as you would be willing to because they would obviously be willing to sell it all they just haven't had to sell it all right and you might have heard that sort of preaching before that sort of thing, but obviously Jesus said clearly, clearly and look just I don't think anyone needs a reminder here when it comes to doctrines of the Bible we don't take them from parables, we don't take them from pictures of things, we take them from clear verses and clear verses like John 3 16 for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have ever lost life not willing to sell it all willing to give up his old life or anything like that Paul and Silas said clearly in Acts 16 31 when asked what must you know what must I do to be saved it was believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house so what is this parable about well he's found treasure hidden afield he hides it then he's so happy that he goes and sells all his belongings and buys a field that's what this parable's just said now I believe that Jesus highlighting the value of the things of God here okay that's the point here it's the value of the things of God about the kingdom of heaven about just living a life for the Lord instead of just taking the treasure this guy gives up his whole life for the kingdom of heaven's sake yeah this obviously isn't talking about salvation it's basically talking about the joy of serving God yeah the joy of serving God this guy for joy thereof go to sell it all that he had and buy off that field and for all of you sitting here that have given up your old life for the kingdom's sake would you change that would anyone here change it is anyone here looking back going I just wish I hadn't I wish I'd just kind of taken salvation and then just stayed in my I doubt anyone says that now don't get me wrong you're going to be tempted now and again by old sins and things like that but I really don't think that anyone here is sitting here and just looking back and going I you know I'm just so upset that I just you know gave up whatever it was for the kingdom of God because look there are people here that have given up jobs there are people here that have given up businesses homes countries even extended families some have had to give up savings possessions and not for salvation but after salvation you know and look there are many in our church that have given up many of those different things not to get saved but after they got saved to serve the Lord to be a part of this church to to do the things of God to be able to go soul winning to be able to turn up at church to to for them all the many things there are many people that have given up a lot have given up a lot given up on jobs got given up on careers given up on all those things and does anyone regret that you don't really regret that no I don't think any of us do we don't regret that turn to matthew six because why wouldn't you because all that stuff just burns away anyway doesn't it all that stuff will burn away matthew chapter six and obviously it's not just about this it's not just about the treasures that you can receive in heaven but matthew six does tell us about the treasures that we will receive in heaven verse 19 says lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt this is matthew six and verse 19 and where thieves break through and still but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt where thieves do not break through nor steal for where your treasure is there will be there will your heart to be also and obviously the only way you get to heaven is by trusting jesus christ okay that's the only way you're getting getting to heaven is by trusting on the lord jesus christ but once you've got a home in heaven there are many treasures that you can lay up for yourselves there aren't there and i know some people like to sound very pious i'm not interested in the reward it's not about the rewards well funny because god keeps reminding us about rewards so obviously there there's some sort of motivation to come from that right and look we're all every single person here is earning rewards every single person in this church right now is doing more than 99.9 christians around the world okay not more than 99.9 percent of of saved people in this world just being in this church just and i'm not trying to tell you to forget the rest of it but but for a second forget the rest of it just being here just turning up to church on a wednesday evening is doing more than most saved people around the world think about that when you when when we do get terror and yes there've been people like that throughout history but look i'm not trying to get everyone puffed up but we we are we are the minority it's sad that we are the minority but on that alone there are many things that you can earn treasures in heaven for but regardless the more time goes by don't you just find the more cringy your old life kind of gets because it should be it should be that you get saved and you are willing for joy for joy of serving god just to give up all that stuff that's that should be shouldn't it that's how life should be but sadly it's not for so many but the more you do it the more you give up the more you serve god the more you live for god the more you read your bible the more you go out soul winning the more you do the things of god how cringy is it when you think back and fortunately for many of the kids here i'm hoping that i'm not saying they're going to be sinless but you know maybe they won't have all kind of come from a life in the world for you know sometimes decades for people here but it is pretty i was just thinking the other day just thinking i can't remember why just thinking about sort of you know wicked nightclubs and people all dancing and singing along to just absolute junk it's such junk and i was thinking about just some of the lyrics of of like popular worldly songs and you've got kind of people you know like you know arm in arms swaying and singing to just just meaningless rubbish absolute rubbish and i'm sure you know i don't want to stop because these things get in your head quickly i'm not going to start even if i didn't see even i just gave you the lyrics of some things he started starts playing in your head but i'm just thinking about some of this stuff and thinking what a load of rubbish and it's so cringy and and it's easy obviously for us now to look at people like that and go what on earth you know because many people sadly were there but it's pretty bad isn't it pretty bad and when you look back do you do you regret all do you regret kind of not being part of that anymore it's embarrassing that you ever were isn't it but music and obviously you can think about all sorts of things all that old life and here i think yeah i believe this this this uh if you go back to to matthew 13 i believe this parable here in matthew 13 and and verse 44 i think it's just saying about you know how it should be how many are many do still many will for joy just just get rid of their old life and give it all for the lord or at least you know to some degree sadly not all but some will do that i think that's how it should be that's how valuable the kingdom of heaven is and the things of god okay then then it goes on to verse 45 where it says again the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man seeking goodly pearls who when he has found one pearl of great price went and sold all that he had and bought it now you can look at this second of these parables and think yes same thing couldn't you and it's a new paragraph and that doesn't necessarily mean anything but you know it's a new paragraph and you thought here but you could you couldn't have nothing wrong with that you could go well it's just he's just making that same point again how valuable it is yeah maybe many have read it like that but but i think this is slightly different yes it's very valuable yes there's a pearl of great price you know you could say the kingdom of heaven is like that compared with the others but if you notice here he's seeking goodly pearls plural again the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man seeking goodly pearls yeah there's this one is above all else he sold all the rest for it that's what it says he's seeking goodly pearls plural then when he had found one pearl of great price went and sold all that he had and bought it right so turn to john 14 because i believe this is just about the one true way and yeah you can apply it and say yeah the value of the kingdom of heaven and it is obviously you know there is a lot about the value of kingdom of heaven but i believe it's about repentance it's about turning from all those false gods to the truth that's what i believe it is the guy here it says the merchant man is seeking goodly pearls who when he has found one pearl of great price when it's sold all that he had and bought bought it john 14 6 famous verse the bible jesus saith unto him i am the way the truth and the life no man cometh unto the father but by me and there's only one way and unlike all of these other joke religions with their mix and match theology because they all do have a bit of a mix and match theology don't they i mean we had one today where where oh yeah yeah i'm a christian oh yeah i'm at the c of e church around the corner and then as soon as you got get onto the the real question well you know everyone's got to believe in something good to have a belief it's because they're just it's like well i take a bit of that well i've got a c of e church do i believe in heaven well you know nice to believe that something and people mix and match and everything else but once you've found that one pearl of great price you you do get rid of the others don't you have to get rid of the others ultimately because you have to sell the others to buy that one pearl and obviously this is an analogy here but but look there's no adding faith in christ to the seven goodly pearls of of the sacraments of catholicism is it it's not you don't add it to it like many of them will add to it many of them will take the seven sacraments and add a little bit of karma from buddhism as well and add a little bit of this and everything no no when it comes to faith in christ you have to get rid of the rest of it and we it's something we have to make that point of don't when we're preaching the gospel to someone this isn't like an add-on this isn't oh well yeah you know okay a bit of jesus well i'll just say this prayer as well no you you've got to understand that you would be going to hell without faith in christ and it's it's faith in jesus christ it's that one pearl or you can have the rest of them you don't mix and match right there's no adding faith in christ to the five goodly pearls of the pillars of islam is there you don't add faith in christ to it no you repent of that false god and you put your faith in jesus christ right romans 11 6 says and if by grace then is it no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace but if it be of works then is it no more grace otherwise work is no more work so you sell all of those pearls of works for that one pearl of great price grace free faith alone that's what i believe that parable is about um otherwise again he might have just repeated that point because the kingdom of heaven is valuable but i believe that's what he's talking about uh let's continue back to matthew 13 and verse 47 matthew 13 and verse 47 says again the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net that was cast into the sea and gathered of every kind which when it was full they drew to shore and sat down and gathered the good into vessels but cast about away so shall it be at the end of the world the angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the just and shall cast them into the furnace of fire there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth so we've just seen a couple of parables whether or not you want to say it was just about the value of that of the kingdom of heaven or whether or not one was about the value of the kingdom of heaven the next one was about for me it was about basically that grace through faith that one pearl and then now wait a second there's no long-haired hippie jesus telling everyone not to judge sin he's preaching on hell yeah hell he just finished in verse 50 with there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth he just said they should be cast into a furnace of fire because that long-haired hippie jesus is alive jesus preached on hell time and time and time again didn't he he's constantly warning of of where the worm dieth not of everlasting fire of wailing of gnashing of teeth and being cast into outer darkness time and time and time again he does it again here and and he's just been he's he's preaching parables here isn't he um he and if you think about it over the parables we've just seen as well he already talked about it with the tears as well the tears eventually being bundled and thrown into the fire and then we're seeing it again here here he's likening it to a net and gathering of every kind isn't he the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net verse 47 that was cast into the sea and gathered of every kind because it doesn't matter if you're in some remote village of india you either trust christ for the forgiveness of your sins or you don't yeah it doesn't matter where you are what kind you are what religion how much you have heard or haven't heard because of ultimately the area of your parents not it's not god's fault or maybe the lack of soul winners going out to those areas you could say as well but look here it's it is of every kind there are two types of people aren't there john 336 says he that believeth on the sun and everlasting life he that believeth not the sun shall not see life but the wrath of god abide upon him two types of people in this world you either have your faith in christ to get forgiven of your sins or you go to hell it doesn't matter what kind you are then verse 49 says about severing the wicked from among the just see that there it says socially at the end of the world the angel shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the just so is this good and bad people is this well the wicked you know by whatever standard we want to use nowadays and notice how the standards seem to slip lower and lower and lower as you talk to people who believe that you know that you're going to basically get them on your merits of course not turn to romans chapter 5 and while you turn there romans 328 says therefore we conclude that man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law that's how we're just by faith in jesus christ that's who the just are yeah okay they're the justified they're just by faith in christ romans chapter 5 romans 5 and verse 1 reads therefore being justified by faith we have peace with god through our lord jesus christ that's the only reason that we won't be severed along with the wicked and cast into a furnace of fire we have peace with god through faith in christ that's why we're the just verse verse 6 in romans 5 says for when we were yet without strength in due time christ died for the ungodly that's us by the way verse 7 for scarcely for a righteous man will one die yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die but god commendeth his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners christ died for us much more than being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him that's how we're saved from the wrath that we deserve we're justified by his precious blood okay that's the severing of the just from the wicked the just of those justified by the blood of jesus christ and how do you get justified by the blood of jesus christ by putting your faith in jesus christ believing on the lord jesus christ go back to matthew chapter 13 in verse 49 says so shall it be at the end of the world the angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the just and shall cast them into a furnace of fire there shall be wailing and gnashing your teeth that's a pretty scary image isn't it wailing gnashing your teeth and what should that inspire us to do go out and get people saved yeah go out and get people saved because there shall be wailing and gnashing your teeth think what that like wailing wailing is it just oh this is that's screaming out screaming out in pain gnashing your teeth is up for me it's thinking about grinding your teeth together chattering them together it's horrendous isn't it okay it's deserved but it's horrendous and that's why we need to go out we need to preach the gospel don't we need to make sure we get out that should be a motivation for us that's what verses like this that's what jesus not kind of sugar coating it is about it should be motivating us to go and preach the gospel okay verse 51 jesus saith unto them have ye understood all these things they say unto him yay lord so remember it's just the disciples now okay he sent the multitudes away in verse 36 okay so we've just got the disciples now they understand all these things okay so i believe that we can understand these things as well that's what i believe that those parables are saying i might be wrong there i'm sure other people preach them in different ways but um yeah these guys the disciples there say yay lord verse 52 then said he unto them therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old and now look although usually referring to the false prophet scribes of the day a scribe was a writer or teacher of the law okay now they're not always bad people bearing in mind that of the 12 disciples two of them john and matthew write gospel accounts with john also writing four more books of the bible you could say they are scribes instructed unto the kingdom of heaven aren't they yeah they're scribes instructed unto the kingdom of heaven they're like householders that bring new and old things out of their treasure that's what he's just said here and i believe that he's referring to the combining of the new revelations here to the truths of the old testament as well okay so so someone who's instructed is basically peace putting it all together because it's not some different dispensation it's not something different now okay so oh well now he's telling him something that the people in the old testament couldn't have have got to or or now it's kind of well heaven's only for people after jesus christ some people believe that don't they or have all these weird beliefs or somehow they're in some sort of limbo spirit world or something else or that it was salvation in a different way i mean that's it that's a that's another gospel isn't it like look i understand that some people can maybe get a bit confused and be taught false things about i find that particularly weird when you've got people standing up behind pulpits teaching that there was another gospel another way of getting saved how are you going to get saved any other way how are you going to work your way to heaven what a load of nonsense so there are people out there there are a lot of people out there that seem to believe the correct gospel but believe that there was another gospel before and that there will be in another gospel in the future when people will somehow work their way to heaven again by just absolute nonsense isn't it but there is none of that is there that some believe that there's different versions of god don't they it's kind of like a different old testament type god and he's a bit different after jesus christ look it's just extra revelation here okay that's the whole point he's just giving them extra he he jesus christ is you know he's in jesus christ ministry a lot of time he's expanding on things as well isn't he he's explaining things clearly you know he's giving us more revelation this is what it is extra revelation verse 17 said for verily i say unto you that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which he see and have not seen them and to hear those things which he hear and have not heard them so basically the scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven puts it all together basically because it all goes together like a perfect jigsaw and it does doesn't it it all the more you study your bible the more you read it from genesis through to revelation time and time again the more it just fits perfectly together doesn't it verse 53 says and it came to pass that when jesus had finished these parables he departed then and when he was coming to his own country he taught them in the synagogue insomuch that they were astonished and said went had this man this wisdom and these mighty works so he's back in nazareth now they said in verse 55 he's not this a carpenter's son is not his mother called mary and his brethren james and joseph and simon and judas and his sisters are they not all with us whence then had this man all these things and they were offended in him but jesus said unto them a prophet is not without honor saving his own country and in his own house and he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief so what's going on here well jesus christ grew up in nazareth didn't he he lived a normal life until he started his ministry at age 30. see we don't have a detached god do we we don't have a god that has no understanding of our lives and struggles okay we have a god that that could have come and lived in a palace couldn't he no he but instead he came and lived that life that life that the majority of people live yeah yet there was one outstanding difference wasn't there you know i've turned over hebrews 4 15 says for we have not an high priest talking about jesus christ which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin okay he was yet without sin he was tempted in all points like as we are jesus christ resisted the temptation to disobey his parents when young okay he resisted that temptation he resisted the temptation to lie to covet to get prideful he didn't do any of that yet without sin he knew no sin says second 5 21 that's why he's able to pay for our sins he was the unblemished lamb wasn't he the the perfect offering that's who jesus christ was that's why he was able to pay for our sins but he wasn't raised in a palace was he he or in the wilderness somewhere he lived a simple life in a place called nazareth and this was a stumbling block to the people there wasn't it was that because they just didn't believe the stories of him is that why well look at verse 54 it says and when he was come into his own country he taught them in their synagogue insomuch that they were astonished and said when has this man this wisdom and these mighty works so no they're seeing and hearing his wisdom there are some mighty works yeah it's not that oh well we just don't believe it he's he's doing it he's there in front of them they're seeing the wisdom they're they're agreeing that it's wisdom right even mighty works they then say look at verse 55 at the beginning is not this the carpenter's son now this is obviously referring to joseph but turn over to mark 6 so because this was by the way before mass schooling and just just a quick heads up on schooling because you know we we you know i've been getting a bit of grief with this recently it kind of reared its ugly head again just just with a couple of people it's look throughout history kids weren't getting sent off to be schooled on mass okay that's not it's not something that was that that's just the norm yeah people act as if you're so out there if you homeschool your kids that that's never been the norm this is very it's a very recent thing in history for the for for the vast majority of time people were just taught by their parents and look here this was like that the majority of children learn from their parents so what was jesus christ's job before he started his ministry was he just living in mary and joseph's sort of loft room somewhere no the american preachers like to talk about living in the basement yeah but here it's probably more like the attic for him isn't it because we don't have so many basements doing right do you think that's what he was doing just living up there telling them how he's like the chosen one that doesn't need to work you know i'm just going to hang out up here you know i don't need to do anything playing you know the version of computer games or something else no he's a carpenter wasn't he he was a carpenter too mark six is a parallel passage to hear in matthew 13 yeah mark six says from verse one and he went out from thence and came into his own country and his disciples follow him when the sabbath day was come he began to teach in the synagogue and many hearing him were astonished saying from whence had this manly sings and what wisdom is this which is given unto him that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands now look at this in verse three is not this the carpenter the son of mary the brother of james and joseph and juda and simon and and are not his sisters here with us and they were offended at him so why did it say the carpenter here and the carpenter's son in matthew 13 because it was the same thing the same thing they were making the same point because his father was a carpenter he kind of followed suit he was going to be a carpenter right and calling him the carpenter's son is basically saying the carpenter right and it just it's the same thing but what they're basically saying the point is how could some carpenter tell us he sings that's what they're saying isn't it how could some carpenter tell us he sings how could he have this wisdom you know where's his theological degree basically yeah where's his theological degree where's the wealth and worldly success where how could this guy tell us this and and you know where are the letters after his name where are the letters after his name and it's no different now is it it is no different than believe me it's no different now because yeah i've already had a bit of this myself and i'm sure many many here have had kind of similar to some degree as well pastor anderson i've i remember seeing i don't know if i've seen this recently people mockers referring to him as the electrician anyone heard of that before see last time i remember i saw a couple of youtube comments there's some sort of rail or some sort of like clown going oh the electrician and all of this because you know for them that was discrediting him just an electrician what on earth could he be telling you yeah because that's how people think isn't it that's what they how they think you're like and what's funny is that person doing now i remember reading it and you're just thinking exactly what they were saying about jesus christ isn't it and obviously i'm not trying to trying to compare pastor anderson jesus christ i'm saying anyone who's trying to knock a passer because of whatever his vocational job is is a clown and they really don't understand the word of god do they because it's got nothing to do with your worldly qualifications in fact it's the opposite really isn't it now sadly some have fallen for this and and there are many sadly men have got in the world today i'm sure and in part and times past that have fallen for this and then have ended up trying to seek worldly record worldly qualifications to get more recognition so maybe they've started pastoring or maybe before they haven't thought i've got to get a degree i've got to get this i'm going to keep learning this and look nothing wrong with learning in life i'm not saying don't do that but if your motivation is to somehow impress others because i even had i had a guy say this there was a guy who was you know quite a bright you know successful guy that i used to coach a few years back and and i was you know used to you know i've tried preaching the gospel to him and he used to kind of chat about kind of issues in the world and and you know and it wasn't just because i've got the word of god and he couldn't argue against the wisdom of god right and it frustrated him and then this guy he ended up saying oh you know you definitely you know you make a lot of good points um have you thought about doing a degree in theology it's like why do i need to do it well whilst people might take you more seriously like because basically who's this Thai boxing coach why doesn't he go and get a degree in theology then people listen to it so i was like i don't know what am i going to learn in that everything i'm telling you is from the word of god but that's that's how people think isn't it but sadly there are Christians that think like that as well i mean this guy was unsaved too too prideful to eat to get saved it seemed but so many Christians think that as well so many you know it's they will look at a church like ours and be like well you know this guy talking about like coaching some sort of fight sport does he still do that i mean how could he tell us anything about the world or or he was a landscape gardener you know what i mean where's the degree where's the letters where's at least some riches come on he must have at least had some rich of wealth or some sort of you know some sort of kudos amongst some people no because that's not how it works is it because it's all about the word of god it's all about the holy spirit really isn't it but look the sad truth is if you do go and do all that stuff even as a saved man of god and you go and think well what's going to happen most times the pride is going to go up you go and get those well i now i'll go and get because that will impress him or he might take me a bit more seriously people might want to come to the church more say oh this guy you know he's at least got a couple of letters after his name he's got a degree yeah he's going to know what you know the worldly university is going to teach him and teach the word of god better than the word than the word of god good right yeah but but but then what's going to happen you do all that stuff and the pride goes up doesn't it and you know that's what happens unfortunately now keep something marked six because we will be going back there soon but turn to john chapter seven because it's not just preachers that's the thing it's not just about the preachers and obviously this is a very worldly thing it's all about academia academia what your job is or what your wealth is or what well maybe you didn't get the degree but at least you built a business from nothing and became multi-rich everything else then you've made it then you're someone to be listened to right well but that's but it's not just about preachers because they will mock the regular people that follow them as well so john chapter seven and verse 45 they were expecting the officers to have arrested jesus christ john chapter seven and verse 45 it says then came the officers to the chief priests and pharisees and they said unto them why have you not brought him the officers answered never man spake like this man then answered them the pharisees are you also deceived how many of the rulers who have the pharisees believed on him basically fast forward to now well what does the archbishop of canterbury say about these sort of people that think that right well why hasn't he talked to what you're saying what why hasn't he interpreted john 316 like that i mean there must be some area you must be taking that verse out of context they're trying to say oh you're just taking out verses oh you read the whole of john chapter three if you want pretty clear you're right read the whole of romans four if you want read the whole of romans three if you want yeah we just don't really have time for that but you can if you want but oh no no you must be doing something there must be some sort of strange behavior because why why is everyone else why is my priest not saying he's got a degree why's you name it what why is john macarthur not saying that he's got is he a doctor they can't claim he's a doctor don't they doctoring something you are they doctoring nonsense but why why is not you you fill in the blank why is not the worldly guy who's up there why is he not saying what you're saying what do the hebrew and greek scholars say oh no no it must you must you must have got it must be some issue between the hebrew and greek going to the english that must be the problem right that's why you guys are saying something different that's what they're saying they said have any of the rulers or of the pharisees believed on him but this people who knoweth not the law are cursed basically you don't understand the bible enough that's what they're saying right and that's what people think of people like us people in just a just a church preaching the gospel where you must not understand the bible and it's really it's the same as what the catholic church had been doing for for i don't know centuries isn't it trying to keep the word of god out of people you don't understand it no no no no it could only be in latin that's why they kept in latin for so long because most people didn't speak latin oh no no you don't understand the word of god enough you need some queer priests to teach you the word of god you need some complete perver in a dress teaching you what the word of god says and that's it's the same it it's carried on isn't it from the pharisees all the way down and we still have people like that today who are you to tell me what the word of god says who or what what have you believed on him well what what what do they you name it you fill in the blank what do they say about it basically we can't judge the truth we need someone else to tell us what the truth is thank god we can judge the truth we got the word of god right thank god he preserved his word and we can judge it and we can go now what does the word of god say turn to first corinthians chapter three which is a great passage here from first corinthians three and verse 16 which just spells it out to us and it's so contrary to what the world teaches what the world believes sadly what worldly christians also believe first corinthians chapter three and verse 16 says know ye not that you're the temple of god and that the spirit of god dwelleth in you that's why men women and children here have more wisdom than professor so-and-so of human studies at whatever university more wisdom in this room than there is in the top universities in the world if any man defile the temple of god him shall god destroy for the temple of god is holy which temple ye are yeah you got god inside you got the holy spirit inside you let no man deceive himself if any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world let him become a fool that he may be wise so you've got to undo all of that worldly wisdom basically we have to don't we have to undo all of that worldly wisdom basically become a fool in the world's eyes by undoing all of that to become truly wise because it doesn't go together does it and look i'm not talking about things which have nothing to do with the word of god yeah i'm not talking about you know i don't know mechanics i'm not talking about you know the the the you know mathematical kind of equations up here i'm not talking about that stuff but i'm talking about wisdom things of the like things of life yeah things which are applicable to life away from your job and everything else right yeah you have to you have to basically just let go of that worldly wisdom don't you to become truly wise for the wisdom of this world is foolishness with god for it is written he taketh the wise in their own craftiness and again the lord knoweth the thoughts are wise that they are vain okay that's empty worthless nonsense yeah and it is isn't it think like recently just the one that we're seeing all the time the climate change what a load of nonsense it's laughable and it really is laughable yet you've got so-called intellectual people around the world who are just jumping on this stuff to the point where they're protesting crying on camera about what's happening to this world it's complete nonsense and it's complete vanity it's empty worthless rubbish the wisdom of this world lord knows the salt thoughts of the wise that they are vain you know and then it's not just those things for example the the whatever makes you happy sort of and that's kind of a mantra across the board isn't it well as long as you're happy well whatever makes you happy it's just vanity it's empty worthless nonsense doesn't even mean anything and and how if you ever notice that people they love to like quote these sort of worldly sort of you know what's the word for it um spiritual's the right way but these sort of little quotes by worldly people that just sound so spiritual and so harmonious with nature it's all a lot of rubbish just all such nonsense isn't it yet people love it and they love to sound spiritual quoting it you know quotes by gandhi and buddha and all these sort of clowns all these reprobates and it's just all a load of vanity it's all vain he said let therefore let no man glory in men for all things are yours and obviously we don't want to be glorying in in the world's kind of whoever they are the people that they put up here that we should be looking up to but he's got lots of money look up to him but he you know there's there are these there are all these like youtube celebrity now's aren't there these people who are kind of they're famous because they got wealthy but they're just a bunch of clowns and they just live wicked lifestyles they're going to burn in hell and but it's not just it's not just so and we've got to remember here that this also applies to christian men as well we don't want to glory in them do we because you can you could kind of go the other way or maybe it's not the other way but in in sort of our circles in life where people will then glory in a certain preacher a certain pastor and then they become this guy that they put on a pedestal and then they can do no wrong and everything they say and and i don't feel we kind of have that at this church now but but i remember when when i remember preaching through first corinthians and it was something i really felt that the god was laying on my heart because i remember when the church first i know a lot of these were clowns that have been kicked out the church but it was basically sort of well what does this pastor say and what well well you know we're literally just like quoting pastor rather than the bible well well uh you know or or even pastor's wife well mrs whoever says this and mrs whoever says it's like what does the bible say and look these are look oh you know these are great people great men and women of god but we should look we don't want to glory in these people do we okay we want to be look give them respect sure yeah have respect for them love them for for being brothers and sisters in christ that that you know have done great things for god and preach the word of god but but we don't want to glory in those people because what happens is eventually they fall off their pedestal because they all do they'll say something you don't like something that you know is wrong or you know that you don't believe yourself or something and then it's like people's worlds are falling down you know and they're crushed and suddenly they're kind of they discard everything that person's ever preached and then they have to jump onto a new one and make them they're kind of that's my favorite preacher i listen to every single sermon of and it's just like that that's you know we don't do we don't glory in in men whether they're saved or not because in fact he makes this point paul here where he says whether paul or apollos or cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things come all are yours basically you have access to it all through the holy spirit you don't have to glory in the man because you can get it all yourself and and look there's nothing wrong with following look we are we are told to fault like like paul said to follow him as he follows christ right look we should we should be happy to follow a leader someone who's preached the word of god but it's by the word of god and we don't have to put them up here when all things are ours we can get it all we get it all from the word of god yeah and we should be trying to get it all from the word of god as well shouldn't we so and and a good rule of thumb with that is if if you're wondering about a truth from the bible and your instinct is let's find a sermon on here quick look for a sermon by already i think you're you're wrong there like you should be learning to look for things yourself in the word of god open up the word of god find it and it's a great there's some great things you can get online where you can do word searches in the world great do a work like most of the bible apps and like some of the bible apps are a bit rubbish for that but most like it you know king james bible online put in a word see put it in in order of when it's been set like great you can search so much you you can the tools are there at your fingertips you don't have to go gotta find a sermon to explain to me that look sermons can be great for explaining things but our first port of call should be right what's the word of god so i have the holy spirit i have the bible all things are ours he said all are yours and ye are christ and christ is god's and and like i said we have to resist getting pulled in because it is worldly thinking worshiping men instead of god okay worship god yeah respect men yeah listen to men if they preach the word of god great but ultimately worship god yeah worship god go back to matthew 13 so did jesus try to prove his intelligence to them did he try to explain why carpentry actually requires a lot of thought yeah and there's some maths involved and you know and there's a you know you've got to be quite precise you know how he just fell into the agent well i just kind of fell into carpentry but originally i was kind of being touted for something you know up here i was kind of really i should have gone into whatever you fill in the blank we can all fall into that right well no verse 58 says and he did not many mighty works here because of their unbelief okay done you know i need to prove to them how clever i know look when people decide to reject the word of god nothing will convince them okay when they decide to reject it doesn't matter it doesn't matter how clever you try and come across to them it doesn't matter if they've just once they've made that decision to reject they're not going to listen to you it you can turn if you like in luke chapter 16 if you're quick at turning and we're going to look at verse 31 abraham is speaking to the rich man in hell about his brothers yeah luke 16 31 and he said unto him if they hear not moses and the prophets neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead because it's the word of god they're rejecting okay it's the word of god if they will hear not moses and the prophets neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead they're rejecting the gospel okay that's what they're rejecting ultimately and and look however however though without go back to matthew 13 because here in matthew 13 there is the extra stumbling block that comes from knowing the prophet so there's that as well so it's not just the fact that they're rejecting the word of god well there is this stumbling block from knowing the prophet it says verse 54 and when he was coming to his own country taught them in their synagogue insomuch that they were astonished and said whence had this man this wisdom and his mighty works is not this the carpenter's son is not his mother called mary and his brethren james and joseph and simon and judas and his sisters are they not all with us whence then have this man all these things and i'm sure many people here have found it hard preached to family and friends yeah i'm sure most people who have had that look you might have got the odd one to say but it's generally quite hard isn't it it seems to be more difficult a lot of the time by the way just before we move on obviously mary wasn't a perpetual virgin was she you know what yeah just briefly this morning i i thought how do they even explain this yeah so i googled you know was mary a perpetual virgin yeah and um just to find out really what google's no i so i so i googled it to see what the catholics come up with on this yeah and then i read this brief thing by some catholic you know uh whatever they call it catholic answers or something.com yeah and they started so what were they trying to do they're trying to say well were these really his brothers because sometimes it talks about brethren and that could just be like another believer it's what i know how'd you get that from that then they were going uh then he said um well also here um this could have actually been a cousin because sometimes it's talking about cousins i don't even know what they said about the sisters because they just kind of picked a little bit and there was a funny one what was another funny answer he tried to give i think um or come to me in a minute but there were just these ridiculous oh no he tried to go back to the greek so when you go back to the greek actually it just means another person what are you talking about but anyway so yeah they obviously know and in case you're wondering what what is brother Ian talking about here well there's a billion odd people i don't know half of half a billion people worldwide being taught a religion where they believe that mary was a virgin her whole life even though the word of god clearly says it joseph knew her not until she had brought forth her first boss oh yeah that one they tried to say well that actually meant that he never knew her at all what anyway so yeah a lot of nonsense so it says here and they were offended in him but jesus said unto them a prophet is not without honor saving his own country and in his own house so basically a prophet will will will get some honor in most places yeah okay so you'll get someone yeah you're not going to get on her every door you knock on but you're going to get some honor right except in his hometown in his own house now go back to mark six again so i did say keep a finger there hopefully you there mark six again it says in verse four but jesus said unto them a prophet is not without honor but in his own country and among his own kin and in his own house so your brothers sisters mothers fathers rarely give you honor regardless of what wisdom you might be relaying i think is what it's saying among his own kin now also said in his own house and and look that could also be that could be the houses of adults and things and there's a few reasons for this he said here we're gonna look at that he said here in verse five and he could do he could there do no mighty work look at that it says he could there do no mighty way didn't say he didn't he could there do no mighty work save that he laid his hands upon a few sick fucking hill then he's unable to why why wait a second am i limiting jesus christ power well first because his works were quite faith didn't he kept saying thy faith has made thee whole thy faith has healed me etc etc it's all about thy faith yeah it required faith didn't it but have you also noticed how that lack of faith whether it's saving faith or even a saved but no faith in your family member really limits you have you ever noticed have you ever tried to like i don't know just just try and help a family member in something but when they don't have faith in you when they don't really have faith in you at all they just kind of remember you back how you were before or they just whatever it is maybe they've got some ego issues with you that sometimes siblings have or whatever else it kind of limits you as well you kind of nothing comes out how it was made i don't know if you know if it's just me but but nothing kind of comes out as it was meant to you don't really seem to kind of preach with the assurance that you would amongst people that actually want to hear it right like you could have like a brother or sister in christ come and ask you some advice and you're like well the word of god says this the word of god says that you know and it comes out pretty clearly and then you have someone who just has no faith in you you try and give some advice and it just kind of comes across a bit unsure and a bit off it's like you can't actually do that work that you could have done with someone who had faith yeah that's what i i think you can apply that there as well he could there do no mighty work because of their lack of faith says and he marveled because of their unbelief and he went around about the village's teaching so jesus is astonished at this attitude yeah and we can feel like that too with family can't we sometimes obviously you know when you're trying to to to preach the gospel to him you could just be just be amazed sometimes at the rejections of someone that you know well because you see you know them and you know i often think of certain family members of mine who i know that they you know that my brother for example would would argue with me about anything he would argue that the sky's green you know like he he loves an argument he'll debate till he's blue in the faith yet he won't with this he will just shut off the conversation and it's so bizarre because i'm so you know i'm kind of getting ready for the debate and the argument i previously had just just just change the subject just so and it's just so unlike me it could be it could be quite bizarre sometimes it makes you marvel but also also i've found as well the way people try and explain away your faith or your soul winning so someone who's known you for years oh well it's good that you've got something to believe in something like that they like to come out with well of course after your so-and-so died yeah you know it's good to have something to believe in or it can be or they'll try the before i used to like to talk about soul winning to people because it's like well how can you explain this i'll be like well you know we went out you know and and yeah it's great we've got like quite a few people saved i think you want this could be a good you know they might have to listen to me now listen to the gospel and then again it will be something along the lines of yeah there must be a lot of people out there that kind of are looking for something you know if he thinks like that you're just so incredulous like marveling at it just what on earth i've just told you i went to this place and all these different people with different backgrounds they were like look their faith in christ prayed to you on their doorstep and then they're just finding some way some way some way always to just to just explain it away and look here he marveled because of their unbelief now another thing there is that noticed as well that that he said in i think first four he said but Jesus said the prophet is not without honor but in his own country and among his own kid and in his own house and there could be people in his own house okay where maybe maybe with family members maybe they're less likely to hear because they're kind of used to seeing that kind of maybe it's maybe it's a preacher or maybe it's another christian or whatever else and they've kind of got them up here and they in their mind they kind of walk on water you know they kind of they they never make an error in anything they're kind of almost beyond normal people and then when it's kind of maybe dad preaching to them maybe it's mum maybe it's you know they kind of won't necessarily take it so well and and look that's something that obviously kids that's preached to the kids here for a little bit you've got to understand it's just the word of god being preached you look at any of those any of those pastors any other preacher out there they're all just regular people but what they're doing is preaching the word of god it's what's coming from the word of god it's the holy spirit right and the same with all the dads here and stuff like oh men of god i look at all men of god here who are no lesser man of god than anyone else out there and they're able to preach preach the word of god and they're your spiritual head they're your spiritual guide wives out here your husbands are your spiritual head you need to listen to them preach not kind of well you know kind of a bit less on it for them but more for so and so for preacher online or youtube or everywhere else you know everyone here is a people that listen to the word of god that know the word of god who can preach the word of god now did he just give up here did jesus christ just kind of give up did he just spend his whole life on lifestyle evangelism instead you know maybe he didn't give up maybe he just went well i've just got to kind of spend my time in nazareth now and just show them that i am actually you know who who i who i am you know or maybe i'm just going to prove to them my intelligence you know maybe i just need to just spend some more time with the family spend like my whole life trying to somehow reach my family nope he went around about the villagers teaching yeah he went and preached to those that want to hear time's short yeah we've got i believe like you know basically brushing the dust off your feet is just moving on quickly yeah it's just getting on picking up your heels and getting to the next place look if they don't want to hear you go and preach to someone else and there are people that will spend their whole life just kind of their whole life all their prayers are centered around and look we love our family we want to get our family safe but there's so many other people that need to get saved as well and you can spend all your time all your efforts all your prayers all your just every minute of the day thinking about how i'm going to get this person saved but there's a ton of other people out there there's seven or billion people out there that need to get saved right and jesus christ he went around about the religious teaching time short go back to matthew 13 matthew chapter 13 talking about time we're nearly out of time matthew 13 in verse 57 says and they were offended in him but jesus said unto them a prophet is not without honour saving his own country and in his own house and he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief now it's their loss yeah it's their loss obviously but when it comes salvation salvation at least it's definitely worth trying to get others to preach to our family members isn't it okay it is look they can still be saved so they they've rejected jesus god they're just talking about family members here at least or at least people in the hometown at least in nazareth um in fact we do see that his mother and brethren without don't we we saw earlier a couple of chapters before we obviously see that that it seems like they reject him and everything else but turn to acts chapter one because they will sometimes listen to someone else or sometimes it might be further down the line i don't think we need to spend every week every minute you know thinking about how to get them saved but it's not all over it's not all over i do believe that it's actually worth trying to get other people if possible to preach to certain family members because sometimes they will list someone else i mean that's what he's just said he's not without on accepting his own town in his own house right so look there are those that aren't from your own town and from your own house that can maybe come and preach to your family member maybe your old best mate that you managed to get saved maybe they won't listen to him because they've probably seen you know his life and everything else and will be too familiar with him but maybe someone who's who's from your church can go and preach to a family member like i preached the other week i believe we should all be offering that to each other look at acts one and verse 12 says then returned they unto jerusalem for the mount called oliver which is this is acts one and verse 12 which is from jerusalem a sabbath day's journey okay so they're just returning now after jesus christ has gone up into heaven and when they were coming they went up into an upper room where both peter and james and john and andrew philip and thomas bartholomew and matthew james the son of alpheus simon zelates and judas the brother of james these all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication with the women and mary the mother of jesus and with his brethren and with his brethren and look this is after his his death burial and resurrection this is in fact after the 40 days of him appearing to people and eating with them and then handling him and everything else and we see his brethren there in the upper room involved and look it's never too late is it okay it's not too late we we should be obviously i'm not saying give up on your family but i am saying go and get other people saved jesus christ went out he went to the villages around and ultimately eventually elisa the brethren got saved right and i believe that that with us what comes to our family go and preach to others and get your brother or sister here to go and preach your family right okay but um that is the end of matthew chapter 13 uh there's some great great parables there's great messages there uh hopefully everyone's kind of learned a bit from that and just kind of just amazing the word of god there as well and there's so many truths there um on that we're gonna we're gonna finish in prayer father thank you um thank you for a great chapter of the bible there thank you um for the many many truths that we've learned there lord please help everyone here uh just just to you know not just let it go in one ear out the other to to you know to to act upon the messages there to want to go out and preach gospel those to know that there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth amongst those that are casting to hell we need to go out and preach that that gospel loud and clear to them get as many people saved as possible lord for us to understand that it's not because of some personal slight there are just going to be family friends people that have known us growing up people that are familiar with us we'll find it harder to hear the gospel from us and we'll also even if they are say find it harder to hear truths of the bible and wisdom coming from us help us to to just um you know to take that for what it is to to carry on preaching to others and to you know and to also offer our friends here to to to you know to be able to go and try and preach to their family and friends and find a way to getting their loved ones in their life saved as well uh lord we we pray that you help us to just uh finish this week with you know with you in the center of it and in our bible reading in our prayer life lord and and getting out soul winning as well and and whether that's people we come across at work or making you know saturday soul winning and sunday um and to come back here for another day in your house in jesus name for all of this amen