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by Matthew chapter 15 now and as usual give you a quick recap of Matthew chapter 14 we went through the whole chapter in in one sort of evening and we looked at the story of Herod beheading John the Baptist after what was quite a bizarre chain of events then we looked at the feeding of the 5,000 men and 5,000 men beside women and children and the many things that we can learn from that story with Jesus giving to the disciples to feed the people there are many many messages you could get from that I'm sure many that you could hear which would be good messages but we also saw how I believe it's a picture of the first New Testament Church in Acts chapter 4 and I didn't I didn't expect to get much further than that so maybe we did rush through the last part of the chapter a little bit I was kind of unsure if we'd keep going and I spent a while on that on that first part so the the next part was the story of Jesus walking on water and Peter coming out to join him and there were the obvious pictures there of salvation and also of calling on the Lord in times of trouble but I did miss the other possible picture there which I was reminded of afters which is the post-trib pre-wrath rapture which I think was originally probably preached by pastor Anders I think he first mentioned it to someone else but it's something that he'd seen there and with that it's basically you got Christ ascending to the Father in the mountain you know that's the picture of that he's going to pray alone to the Father like him ascending up into heaven then then coming to rescue them midway in the Sea of Galilee the 25 to 35 furlongs being approximately three and a half miles okay now that that by the way is mentioned in John 6 it being 25 to 35 furlongs and John's Gospels then says that they were immediately at the land afterwards so that's kind of the picture there and I think you know it's pretty you know probably pretty sound that isn't it but for some they might you know some people go it's a stretch converting the furlongs to miles well you know it's definitely worth studying out if you're inclined to so if that's something that you're interested in definitely study that I think I think you could see that there so yeah go ahead if you're interested in that not straight away now as we're going to go through chapter 15 but we then finish with Matthew 14 36 which says and I besought him that they might and sorry and besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment and as many as touched were made perfectly whole and we talked about firstly how that's all that's required for salvation literally you all you have to do is touch him his garment the picture there is just a simplicity the you know how minimal it is for salvation is all you literally have to do is call on the name of the Lord in faith but oh we did look at whether or not that's all they did want with salvation because they did say and besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment and whether or not you want to read it like I said you could do whether or not they were the types people that just want salvation we do come across those types of people that's up to you you decide that that's what I think that might be saying there but I'm not dogmatic about that we're gonna go into Matthew chapter 15 of verse 1 there where it says then came to Jesus scribes of Pharisees which were of Jerusalem saying why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders for they wash not their hands when they eat bread and we're going to go to the Lord in the word of prayer before we continue father thank you for your word thank you for this great chapter of the Bible please help me to preach it accurately now Lord help me to preach it boldly clearly help anyone here to just have attentive ears and hearts to what your word saying to them Lord just help to keep the distractions to a minimum Lord and just help just just help everything to be done according to your word just don't throw this are men right so keep a finger there and flick over to mark 7 because this isn't about grubby hands okay this isn't about them just being a little bit grubby maybe and again what on earth why your disciples turning up with all sorts all over their hands they're just kind of getting stuck in this is basically this OCD type behavior that is very typical of well of Jews basically of what we know as Jews right now so mark chapter 7 it says then came together unto him the Pharisees and certain of the scribes which came from Jerusalem so they've traveled up from Jerusalem and by the way this is about a 70 mile journey okay so whether or not they may be managed to get some you know I don't know horses or whatever it is you know to help them along with this I'm not sure most the time it seemed three people were traveling on foot that's a long journey right okay and they've traveled up there so you'd think well they must have had good intentions they've traveled all the way from Jerusalem to see the Lord Jesus Christ well that's not always the case unfortunately and it's not always a case that you know we might sometimes in the future no I'm not saying we've had that so far we've had some great people come from far and wide to visit our church but we might have people come from a long way we might have people come and want to get involved with our church from a long way doesn't really mean it's oh well they must be alright because they've come from Timbuktu doesn't actually mean that a lot of people can be driven to go a long way to cause trouble right and to cause grief and here we see that we see an example of this in the Bible here and when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled that is to say with unwashing hands they found full so they're calling these hands defiled I mean they must be really filthy right well look verse 3 says for the Pharisees and all the Jews okay see the the influence they've had then upon them except they wash their hands off not just except they wash their hands fully but except they wash their hands off eat not holding the tradition of the elders so so this is multiple hand washing yeah verse 4 says and when they come from the market except they wash they eat not and many other things there be which they have received a hold as a washing of cups and pots braising vessels and of tables now you might be looking at this guy well this is just good hygiene brother Ian yeah these guys are you know just thinking yeah better have washed hands better wash the cups and pots and everything else as well yeah but it's not and this is what okay forgive me this is what Wikipedia says but this is pretty accurate for me okay Jewish law and customs prescribe ritual hand washing in a number of situations before eating bread sensible for you eat bread halakha requires a hands to be washed before eating a meal containing bread no it's actually because it's containing bread this washing was initially known as Mayim Rishonim first waters but he's now commonly known simply as Netulat Yadayim which is hand washing this only applies to bread made for one of the five chief grades though wheat cultivated barley spelt wild barley and oats the washing is performed by pouring water from a cup over each hand the Gemara of the Babylonian Talmud wicked contains homiletic descriptions of the importance of the practice including an argument that washing before meals is so important that neglecting it is tantamount to unchastity and risks divine punishment in a form of sudden destruction or poverty anyone remember that verse in the Bible it's not there rabbinic law requires that travelers go as far as four biblical miles to obtain water for washing prior to eating bread if there is a no water source air this applies only to when the water source lies in one's direction of travel however had he already passed the water source he's only obligated to backtrack to a distance of one biblical mile the one exception to this rule is when a man or a party of men are encamped while on a journey and there is no water to be found in the vicinity of their camp in which case the sages of Israel have exempted them from washing their hands prior to breaking bread sages is a good word for them isn't it okay how about after eating bread it's not just before eating bread yeah because they must wash their hands oft yeah after eating bread mayim a Karen im rabbinic sources discuss a practice to wash hands after a meal before reciting burka at Hamazon this practice is known as my amok or animim after waters that means according to the Talmud the washing is motivated by health concerns to remove check this one out the salt of Sodom which may have been served at the meal because you never know when you might be eating some sort of sudden okay so as salt originating from the Sodom area allegedly causes blindness should it be on one's fingers and they happen to touch their eyes the Talmud considers Mayim a Karen im obligatory and more and more important the washing before the meal many but not all sorry later sources agree so this this washing off the meal is apparently because you might have the salt of Sodom on your meal okay is that the end of washing no it's not however toss a fought to ruled that may immaculate him this is a washing after after bread is not required in current circumstance since the salt of Sodom is no longer served at meals anyone seen sort of Sodom in the show on the shelves in the kosher section I don't think they have it anymore unfortunately similarly our Yakov Emden ruled that it is not required since nowadays it is customary to eat with forks and knives and salt is unlikely to get on the fingers basically sources in many communities nowadays mayim a Karen im is not practiced nevertheless many others continue to practice it one reason to continue practicing it is a principle that if the underlying reason behind a rabbinic ruling no longer applies the ruling is not automatically cancelled and other reasons given in the assertion that in every core of salt there is to be found a quirt of of salt of Sodom so now it gets everywhere this sort of Sodom okay now you might be listening to this thinking what on earth yeah no no this is real okay this is what these these people believe although mayim a Karen im was once not widely practiced for example until recent did not appear in many Orthodox parts over Haggadah's it has undergone something of a revival and has become more widely observed in recent years particularly for special meals such as the Shabbat and Jewish holidays ago no blessing is recited on this washing generally only a small amount of water is poured over the now listen to this over the outer two segments of the fingers while a minority primarily Yemenite Jews or related groups wash the entire hand up to the wrist the water is sometimes poured from a special ritual dispenser one should not pause between the washing and reciting Burke at Amazon okay thematic interpretations rabbi Abraham Isaac cook sorry kook he's a kook k double ok explain that our involvement in the physical act of eating is a potential to diminish our sense of holiness to counteract this influence we wash our hands after the meal the Talmudic sages spoke of washing away the salt of Sodom a place whose very name is is a symbol of selfishness and indifference to others apparently this dangerous salt which can because they don't believe the Bible these dangerous salt which can blind our eyes to the needs of others is rendered harmless through the purifying ritual in may macaroni all right so is that it for the washing hands no before eating dipped fruit or vegetables some sources speaker washing hands before eating a piece of food which has been dipped in a liquid eg water honey oil etc which then clings to that piece with the one exception of fruit seeing that they do not require hand washing while the shulhan Iraq requires a washing of hands prior to eating fruits that are merely damp with one of the seven liquids I mean can you imagine trying to follow this it's giving me a headache thinking about it my ammonides does not believe does not mention astringency in his Mishnah Torah rabbi haim kesar says that the enactment only applied to dipping fruits and vegetables in a liquid or not when wetness merely clung to those fruits and vegetables nowadays this washing is not widely practiced with one notable exception during a passover cedar the hands are washed without reciting blessing before eating carpets or washing referred to as our cats all right so there's also before worship before pre-seed blessing but I thought this one would be interesting for you after sleeping and according to the shulk on Iraq a person who slept is required to wash upon a rising and says the net a lot yada yim blessing this ritual is known by the Yiddish term nigel vassa which means nail water and sometimes in Hebrews net a lot yada yim shakari this Yiddish term is also used for special cup used for such washing the water is poured out from a vessel three times intermittently over each hand one reason is given for this washing vary to remove an evil spirit from one's fingers or in preparation for that is witchcraft is it in preparation for the morning prayer or to make ones they make the hands physically clean before reciting blessing studying Torah this is performed when awake from a full night's sleep or even after a lengthy nap the Talmud well length is lengthy anyway the Talmud states God commanded Jews to wash the hands and provides the text of the net a lot yada yim blessing still in use right okay last bit sorry a bit long but I find this interesting I don't know if you are right other occasions after touching part of the body which is dirty or customarily covered such as the private parts back armpits inside of nose or ear the scalp but not if one just touched the hair or the sweat from one's body excluding the face or one shoes touch any of that wash your hands upon leaving a latrine lavatory or bath house is a symbol of both bodily cleanliness and of removing human pure impurity hand washing after excretions sometimes referred to as washing up a show yet saw referring to the a show yet saw blessing recited once the hands have been washed after excretion upon leaving a cemetery after cutting one's hair or nails don't forget when you cut your nails to wash your hands or so when someone's cut your hair the shulkin Eric specifies that one must wash hands after physical relations but among many orthodox Jesus is not accepted practice after a bloodletting while bloodletting is no longer performed some wash their hands after donating blood to remove Talmud met this is impurity from death after participating a funeral procession or check out check out this one or coming within four qubits of a corpse so that's basically about six foot of a corpse you better wash your hands some of the customer washing their hands prior to scribal work the general custom in the morning based on a kabbalistic teaching is to take up the vessel in one's right hand pass the vessel into his left hand and only then begin to pour out water from that vessel over his right hand then one reverses the order by taking up the vessel in his right hand and pouring out water for that vessel over his left hand this process repeats all together three times for each channel with intermittent change of hands after each pouring when it's accomplished he then takes the rest and pulls out water over both hands simultaneously after which he rubs his hands together and then lifts them to make the blessing over his hands before he wipes them dry in the hand washing made for eating bread the custom differs one takes the vessel in his right hand and pours water in abundance over his left hand he then takes the vessel in his left hand pours water in abundance over his right hand in this case for eating bread it is not necessary to wash the hands three times intermittently as is customarily done in the morning rather one or two pours for each hand is sufficient what on earth was all that and that is an insight into the into the mind of a Talmudic Jew basically what we call Jews today which are not but the synagogue of Satan I mean that is is mental illness isn't it that is nuts and you're saying well brother Ian did you really need to read out all of that well you do need to read out all of that because well verse five let's just look down at verse five where you are in in Mark there it says then the Pharisees of scribes asked him why why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders but eat bread with unwashing hands I mean that's a given over mind isn't it why wouldn't you do all this crazy stuff why aren't they why aren't they get one and then two and then round the back of you know and under the why why are they not doing that I mean what's wrong with it but this is the reason I made all that out because these are the people that Christians around the world want to actually learn from they're going teach us the Old Testament come into our church we'll put on some of those silly little skull caps as well and teach us oh holy Jew child of God no they're not they're nuts it's not biblical none of what they do is biblical they're nuts in fact they're worse they're worse they worship Satan that's why they're nuts I mean it's it's a given over mind isn't it imagine all that and none of it's in the Word of God how do they even come up with that I'll tell you how they come up with that by by having a given over reprobate mind that starts to think that their version of God wants them to like do all this crazy like one hand three times on that one and everything else because I've just gone to bed I just crazy isn't it but yeah synagogue of Satan it makes sense isn't it crazy people right let's go back to back to Matthew 15 right and verse 3 says but he answered it said unto them why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition is tradition and it's a crazy tradition with that for God commanded saying honor thy father and mother and he that cursed father a mother let him die the death but you say whosoever shall say to his father his mother it is a gift by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me and honor not his father his mother he shall be free thus have you made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition so what's this about them will turn Exodus 21 whilst I read the famous fifth commandment from Exodus chapter 20 in verse 12 God commanded 20 Exodus 20 verse 12 honor thy father and thy mother that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee and in Exodus 21 we're seeing the death penalty prescribed certain sins like murder in verse 12 it says he that smiteth a man so that he died this is Exodus chapter 20 verse sorry Exodus 21 sorry in verse 12 he that smite the man so he die shall be surely put to death and if a man lie not in wait but God deliver him into his hand and I'll appoint thee a place whether he shall flee so this is man's slaughter verse 14 but if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbor to slay him with guile thou shalt take him from mine altar that he may die this is premeditated murder holding on to the altars not going to save him and he that smiteth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death so this is I believe there it's not saying so they died this is striking your mother or father okay that's what I could smite can be smiting to kill somebody can be smiting striking strike your mother or your father is a death penalty for me okay that's and and you go wait a second that would be like half the kids probably around there around the world wouldn't it well maybe not if the death penalty was in place for that maybe you might have kids actually respecting their parents if they knew that they were going to be put to death but but God has it changes opinion on them so you know kids out there who are listening to this and and look God still considers that a death penalty crime yeah and and you you if you if that's the sort of thing you're inclined to do well you know you're lucky that we're not living under a godly government right now but I tell you what it's serious right it's a serious thing because look the whole fabric of society really is based upon you respecting your parents really yeah how you gonna learn look at all the wayward kids is doing nuts crazy things they don't respect for their parents verse 16 says and he that stealeth the man and selleth him or if he be found in his hand he shall surely be put to death okay so that's kidnapped then verse 17 and he that curseth his father or his mother shall surely be put to death so this isn't swearing okay because we are you know they think curse curse or whatever else this is basically talk about wishing or calling for evil upon them okay this is what that is so it's not swearing at them it's not calling them a rude word it's it's it's basically wishing for calling upon even putting some sort of curse on them you know I hope you die or something horrible like that okay that's cursing father or mother again that is a death penalty sin okay why did Jesus use it interchangeably in Matthew chapter 15 in verse 4 so go back to Matthew chapter 15 in verse 4 where it says for God commanded saying honor thy father and mother and he that curseth father or mother let him die the death because honoring your father and mother as well as the obvious respecting part includes performing the duties to them such as taking care of them in their later years whether that's physically or financially providing for your father or your mother and often when people don't do that well often it's because they're cursing them for one reason or another because they're basically saying in one way or another well to hell with you basically yeah I hope you I hope you die I you know you live a horrible have many years to your life now obviously you know they would have to do that themselves for it to be an actual curse but it seems like there's that mentality there isn't there because though this I mean this nation is quite I think famous for it for I mean many people who come from other nations and other other cultures come here and go it's pretty messed up here how little care and little sort of respect and love and following that honoring your father or mother there is in this nation where where we've gone so far the other way I mean in many cultures in the world they'll be like three four generations living in one house you rarely see that nowadays in this nation do you and they're getting packed off to the old people's home you know before they're old people it seems a lot of the time it's just you know get them out of there get them off well part of that honoring is financially honoring as well and he said here verse 5 but ye say whosoever shall say to his father his mother it is a gift by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me and on and not his father his mother he shall be free thus have you made the command to God of none effect by your tradition so basically the it is a gift it's in in I think Mark's gospel he there's a term where it's it is Corban they say okay and basically what this is is they've changed it where they can label their possessions this is as some sort of gift consecrated to God so they're saying well I should provide for you however this is actually promised to God it's going to go in the offering or part of this is going to go in the offering so I'm unable to now financially provide for you you know so be it good luck mum good luck dad you know I hope things work out for you you know I don't think there was much of a pension scheme there and other things like that the whole way it was meant to work well you looked after your kids when they're young they look after you when you're old okay that's how it works that's how it should work and unfortunately these people here had just decided no we've got a new forget the Word of God we've got a new tradition we've got a new tradition mark 7 12 out of 10 there says and you suffer him no more to do alt for his father his mother so this is what they're doing they're basically saying no it's a gift it's it's promised for the temple and then they those people are okay not to do anything for their father and their mother he said in verse 7 ye hypocrites well did I as I as prophesy of you saying this people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth and honor with me with their lips but their heart is far from me but in vain they do worship me teaching for doctrines the commandments of men and that was from Isaiah 29 by the way you don't have to go there they look holy don't they sound holy but their heart is nowhere near and that that that teaching for doctrines of commandments of men is basically the Babylonian Talmud okay that's the Talmud down to a T teaching for doctrines they act as if these are doctrines like there's some sort of holy men of God the all you know whatever they call it the all commandments and everything else it's just teach for doctors of commandments of men it's just making up as they go along this is one of many examples of it that Jesus giving here but although that we could go into one on the Jews and or the false Jews what they are really but so much of this stuff is also in so-called Christianity isn't it teaching for doctrines of commandments and men are the sort of a couple baby sprinkling now baby sprinkling that's the where's that in the Bible yet how many so-called Christian denominations sprinkle babies when they're young with water and some will dunk them under the water some will sprinkle a bit of water over them usually it's some weirdo in a dress doing it as well again where's that in the Bible wear a dress wear a dress and sprinkle water over babies it's absolutely bizarre isn't it but but for them it's like what you think that christen they call it christen a lot of the time here christen your child well you're gonna have a christening no so then what happens then you get a load of Baptists that go oh man I really want that christening I really like especially some of those gifts that pretty good we have a real day of it as well and I'll tell you I look great on Facebook we'll have a baby dedication hey yeah so then you've got new tradition in Baptist Church yeah it's baby dedication day and you're like yeah dedicating my baby to the Lord yeah no no I'm dedicating my baby to serve the Lord yes look if you're Christian you're not trying to dedicate your children and train them up to serve the Lord there's something wrong with you anyway I'm dedicating my I don't know anyone seen this in a Baptist Church before no no I'm saying yeah maybe one two okay I've been at church so I've done it when the pastor's there with that yeah we've got a new baby being dedicated baby dedication day and then what does it even mean and and that's but that's quite widespread now across it's basically the Baptist christening they just oh well they don't put water on them so it's alright what else the vein repetition prayer how about that one the Lord's Prayer I was in an evangelical church many many years ago and they had some and they didn't do this in this church until some guest preacher came he said you know what yeah he said it's not enough Lord's Prayer being said in churches right now come on let's all recite the Lord's Prayer yeah cuz I was quite adamant that that's not right you know and suddenly they had like the whole church it was quite a big church so a hundred plus people all just reciting the Lord's Prayer with it you know and as soon as we got into like you know forgive us our sins or debts or any debtors and it all everyone's just mumbling something different based on what wicked version of the Bible following and it all just went completely wrong and but again how many churches do that and they think that that's some sort of you know doctrine that the old Jesus Jesus said you've got to repeat this I didn't yeah but he actually gave it as an example but there was some that I could think of but you know with that as well you know really it's kind of it's a heart thing isn't it here so these guys are trying to look holy they're trying to look the part but really they're just doing their own thing they're making it up as they go along and and there are many that that will sadly in the future will attend churches like ours and around you know already do around the world and and they'll say the right things maybe even do the right things but their heart is far and that's really the problem here these people you know they're trying to look holy and they're starting to slip in their own stuff because really it's all for show isn't it it's all for show verse 10 says and he called the multitude and said unto them hear and understand not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man but that which cometh out of the mouth this defileth a man so Jesus explains this in a minute verse 12 says then came his disciples said unto him knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended after they heard this say so the disciples are saying you've just offended the religious leaders yeah you're upsetting these religious folk people gotta get like that sometimes oh you're upsetting the religious people you're gonna offend someone did Jesus apologize he didn't but he answers said every plant which my Heavenly Father has not planted shall be rooted up oh he's like hell right that he's not they're getting rooted up because they're not saved are they they're not saying let me planted by the Lord they're not God's children did he say well I must find a way of reaching them is that what Jesus Christ said did he go yeah no yeah I've got to find a way where's the right way of reaching these people you know everyone every single person where they got a breath in their body can be saved did he say that again that's that's teaching for doctrines the commandments of men isn't it or at least the beliefs of men no he said let them alone let them alone they'd be blind leaders of the blind and if the blind lead the blind both shuffled into the ditch he was all the Pharisees if only I could reach him I've got to find a way maybe we need to kind of make up make our kind of preaching services just a little bit more all-inclusive find a way of encouraging them in maybe get their kids in maybe we could like have a rock concert or something and then maybe that they'll reach the Pharisees no he just said leave them alone let them be the blind leads of the blind yeah if the blind lead the blind both shuffled into the ditch basically because they're false prophets okay they're blind leaders of the blind they're false prophets okay there is no salvation for them they're done leave them alone they're done and there's something we got to remember sometimes on with soul winning as well don't we because sometimes it can be tempting can't it you come across these false prophets you can't know they tell you they're a pastor they tell you they're whatever sometimes it's like they call I'm Bishop something else you know anyone ever got a bishop something and I've had a couple of bishops for over the years yeah my name's Bishop something I'm like okay so they tell you they're some sort of you know Bishop pastor whatever else and it can be tempting can't it you think you're okay you know for sure that sometimes they might be blagging it maybe there's still a chance but usually you know pretty early on don't you is it worth carrying on and sometimes we want to carry on don't we and sometimes it might be just because we really like fancy the idea of showing this guy that he's unsaved and he's a reprobate but I think here he just said let them alone sometimes he's got lamb and I just leave him to it you know let them let them lead the blind and it is sad for the blindly being led isn't it so it said maybe blind leaders of the blind but many of these don't want to see I mean that's a funny thing to hear but it's true isn't it how many people look how many people do and and here's a general rule for it really when people are very into a false religion it's very hard if not sometimes a lot of the time is it possible to get them out isn't it because it's one thing to go oh well if only that you know you name it whatever false religion if only I could just get through to them no they've made their choice a lot of the time they've made their choice they don't want to come out of it they they believe what they want to believe and they are being led and he said he said they'd be blind leaders of the blind if the blindly the blind both shall fall into the ditch he didn't go oh just somehow get to those blind they're being led but the gospel's there and people choose they choose the they choose these blind leaders don't they and then answer peter said unto him declare unto us this parable so this is talking about verse 11 which said not that which goes into the mouth defileth the man but that which cometh out of the mouth this defileth a man and jesus said are ye yet without understanding do not ye yet understand that whatsoever entereth in it the mouth goeth into the belly and is cast out into the draft so your hands being unwashed are the least of your worries okay and that's a look it's a pretty good defense system what goes into your mouth it goes into your belly for a lot of uncleanness isn't it and just quickly because we talked about this the other week on the biblical parenting the vaccines go through your your natural defense system no they just get go straight into your bloodstream it's absolutely nuts isn't it okay but that which goeth into the mouth enters in that the mouth goes into the belly is cast out into the draft okay look obviously you can get ill i'm not saying you're not going to get ill but what i am saying is i want to start kind of bypassing that all together right okay and it's a good good good defense system of the body there but those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart and they defile the man so it's what comes out that defiles you jeremiah 17 9 after turner says the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it he said in verse 19 for out of the heart precede evil thoughts murders adulteries fornications false witness blasphemies this isn't an all-inclusive list marks gospel gives more you know we don't have to go there it all all this wickedness it all comes out of the heart so how do we tame the heart then because it looks like we're kind of that's a bit of a losing battle isn't it what do we do well you've got to somehow control that deceitful and desperately wicked part of you okay because it is we we all have a heart look it doesn't matter how holy you think you are look out of the heart precede all these things the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked turn the sum 119 how do you tame it you got to fill it with the word of god that's how you do it you've got to fill that heart with the word of god and basically squeeze out all those wicked evil thoughts all those defiling things all that deceit all that wickedness psalm 119 and verse 11 psalm 119 and verse 11 says this is a psalmist talking he says thy word have i hidden mine heart that i might not sin against thee the answer is god's word isn't it immerse in it memorize it pray for help in following it as well in verse 36 says some 119 verse 36 he says incline my heart unto thy testimonies and not to covetousness so you know you could pray for that as well you could pray for the word of god to just to want the word of god and not the other stuff it's kind of it's almost like a one or the other isn't it replace the wickedness with the word of god get your motivation straight look at verse 112 there 112 psalm 119 112 says i have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes always even unto the end so the psalmist wants to perform his statutes always he's made that wicked heart to desire that he said i've inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes always how did he do that well it comes to knowing the statutes first isn't it you've got to know the statutes you've got to read the statutes you've got to pray for help to desire the statutes he's doing all that yeah he's hiding in his heart that he might not sin against him he's in he's asking for his heart to be inclined unto god's testimonies and not to covetousness he then says i've inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes always even until the end now he might not do it all the way but he's inclined his heart he's he wants that that's his motivation that should be our goal look god i want to i want to follow your test i want to follow your statutes i want to do it until the end not until well that bit's a bit too tempting kind of until kind of until next weekend when i've got like something planned which might be a little bit outside of the will of god no it's always always until the end well until i'm probably retired then i could probably kick back a bit well no until the end until the end that's how we should that's what we should be designed that's what we should be praying for that's what we should be begging for asking for praying for and reading the word of god and filling your mind filling your heart with the word of god that's how we tell him here go back to matthew chapter 15 verse 20 he gave that short list say evil thoughts murders adults fornication thefts false witness blasphemies these are the things verse 20 which defile a man but to eat with unwashing hands defileth not a man then jesus went thence and departed into the coast of tyre and side on and behold a woman a Canaan came out of the same coast and cried unto him saying have mercy on me oh lord thou son of David my daughter is grievously vexed with the devil so according to mark seven she was a Greek born in the Phoenician part of Syria the the Phoenicians were Canaanites maybe she was a canine maybe she was born there and she was in the Greeks could also just be another term for gentile but she does know who he is doesn't she she said oh lord thou son of David okay she's called the son of David he's a prophesied one isn't he and and she knows that she recognizes that but he answered her not a word and his disciples came and besought him saying send her away for she crieth after us but the answer said i am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of israel now we've already talked about you know when jesus sent out the disciples in matthew 10 the gentiles weren't a fallback plan because there are some there's some really bad preaching out there and teach you where they try and they oh the gentiles were plan b or some other nonsense like that clearly not the case we have already covered this if you're unsure go back to when we cover matthew chapter 10 jesus christ ministry was to confirm the promises that was the point as in romans 15 8 now i say that jesus christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of god to confirm the promises made unto the fathers okay but he was always going to be that lie to the gentiles okay it wasn't oh then he had to just oh well they just kind of they messed up so then he went to the jet no it was always going to be that way he was confirming the promises going to the lost sheep of the house of israel first then the gospel was going to go out on mass to the gentiles luke 2 32 talks about him being a light to light and the gentiles and the glory of thy people israel but like i said this was to happen on mass after his death his disciples are going to go into all the world to do what to preach the gospel unto every creature like he told them to yeah but this woman here didn't seem to get the memo and look she's not the only one i mean we we saw i think the centurion coming and beseeching him to heal his servant and and and i'm sure others says in verse 25 then came she and worshipped him saying lord help me so he said look i'm not sent back to the lost sheep of the house of israel so what does she do she gets rejection she worships him and look that's something we can all do can't we because sometimes you pray to god because sometimes you ask something you ask something of god you seem to not be getting the answer and many people then turn their back that's a lot of the time when people stop going to church a lot of time when they stop reading their book when they stop praying when they stop doing the things of god but that's the time to worship him isn't it that's the time to get on your knees and just go look i'm working on look you're the boss yeah you know what's best you know how to do things and she came and worshipped him and asked him again saying lord help me nothing wrong with asking more than once is it yeah no you know then we see stories in the bible where we're being told to us more than once and being given the example of you know for for the much opportunity of the friend asking you know for for the food for their visitor from afar then eventually they answered it was given an example saying look when you're when you're praying to god and you're praying to god you're praying to god sometimes he's just gonna he's gonna give you you know and obviously within his will he's going to answer you just for the fact that you're coming to him and praying time and time again yeah so she says again she worshiped him saying lord help me but he answered and said it is not meat to take the children's bread and to cast it to dogs now you could say that was a bit rude there okay dogs weren't looked at in israel the same as we maybe look at dogs in our nation now okay so here you know for some they're kind of there's kind of people here and dogs up here obviously that's completely incorrect but there are many like that right in israel is a bit different okay and in most cultures throughout history it hasn't been that case yeah dogs are kind of down here and he's basically called her a dog isn't he yeah a little bit rude but uh yeah you know he's got a good reason because remember like jesus christ he's not you know he he's he's making a point here okay he's making he's making a point to not just the people there to her to the reader for you know a couple of thousand years so far after that as well he said he's not meat to take children's bread to cast it to dogs okay so remember that when you got all the children right is this all these like all those wicked Jews that we've just been talking about and doing all this weird washing stuff you know behind the back and spinning around 10 times and head butting walls and everything else they do do that no this is this is you know the remnant the remnant that are god's children you know obviously israel at this point we're still his people up until we we then you know that is taken from them and given to a nation you know who are going to bear fruit but the the the rest basically everyone else were as good as dogs at this point so without the word of god without the gospel and everything else they were as good as dogs and she said to this so he's just basically said look it's not meat to take the children's bread to cast it to dogs what's she going to say she said truth lord that's a good attitude isn't it truth lord yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's table then jesus answers said unto her oh woman great is thy faith be it unto thee even as our wilt and her daughter is made whole from that very hour so what was it that did it for her her humble attitude wasn't it she's basically just been called a dog and she's just saying truth lord yeah you know the dogs eat of the crumbs it's all from the master how dare you how dare you talk to me like that how dare you talk to me me you know there are people like that aren't there you know what i don't like the bible because of how judgmental it is basically against my sin i don't like the way to god talks about my sin me the great me the great i am and but she's like truth lord truth lord but i'd happily just have the scraps that fall from fall on that from that table the crumbs which fall from their master's table and and he said great is thy faith and and there's probably a good truth there isn't there do you think there can be great faith without humility i don't think they can can there really be a great faith without humility i don't think so you need humility to have great faith you you have to be willing to rely on god and the proud the proud can't do that can they they can't really rely on god there could be fake faith but great faith goes hand in hand with humility doesn't it you have to be humble enough to to just rely on god to have that great faith to just say look that thy will be done you know and and i'm relying on you and i'm i'm i need you lord you know and he said great is thy faith that's what did it for i think the humility so let's have a look at the next bit i've got a bit of time okay so verse 29 says jesus departed from thence it came nine to the sea of Galilee and went up into a mountain and sat down there and great multitudes came unto him having with them those that were lame blind dumb maimed and many others and cast them down at jesus feet and he healed them insomuch that the multitude wondered when they saw the dumb to speak the main to be whole the lame to walk and the blind to see and they glorified the god of israel then jesus called his disciples unto him and said i have compassion on the multitude because they continue with me now three days and have nothing to eat and i will not send them away fasting lest they faint in the way and so and his disciples sound to him when shall we have so much bread in the wilderness as to fill so great a multitude jesus saith unto them how many loaves of year and they said seven and a few little fishes and he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground then he took the several loaves of the fishes and gave thanks and break them and gave to his disciples and the disciples to the multitude and they did all eat and were filled and they took up of the broken meat that was left several baskets full and they did eat and they that did eat were four thousand men beside women and children he sent away the multitude and took ship and came into the coast of magdalo so we've got another miracle of feeding the multitude very similar to the previous chapter don't we what did we learn from chapter 14's feeding of the five thousand well turn back there there are many lessons of course like i said okay you can get many lessons from that from that passage from that amazing miracle but we look specifically at the picture of the first new testament church so chapter 14 and verse 13 says when jesus heard of it he departed thence by ship into a desert place that's a deserted place apart and when the people had heard thereof they followed him on foot out of the cities and jesus went forth and saw a great multitude who was moved with compassion toward them and he healed their sick so the healing picturing salvation the multitudes now picture the saved and when it was evening his disciples came to him saying this is a desert place and the time is now passed send the multitude away that they may go into the villages and buy themselves victuals so the evening picturing christ having ascended the light is gone it's a deserted place without the word of god the victuals provisions food picturing the spiritual food of the word the disciples are saying let them go and fend for themselves verse 16 says but jesus said unto them they need not depart give ye them to eat jesus says no it's your job to feed them verse 17 they say unto him we have here but five loaves and two fishes so they're saying but we're not able what can we feed them with basically we don't have enough to feed these people he said bring them hither to me and he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass took the five loaves the two fishes are looking up to heaven he blessed and break and gave the loaves to his disciples and the disciples to the multitude so jesus gives to the disciples they give to the church it's a picture of the church and they did all eat and were filled and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full representing the twelve disciples and they that had eaten were about five thousand men beside women and children right turn over to acts four and and we're not just going over it again for no reason i'll show you why in a second so acts four where peter and john have just healed the lame guy at the gate of the temple they they then get arrested okay this is acts four you turn to verse four of acts four so acts four four says and we've just read in in in uh matthew 14 21 then they that had eaten were about five thousand men beside women and children acts 4 4 says howbeit many of them which heard the word believed and the number of the men was about five thousand no it's not a coincidence right verse 13 in acts 4 says now when they saw the boldness of peter and john and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men they marveled and they took knowledge of them that they had been with jesus only five loaves and two fishers these guys had a ignorant and unlearned men then the rulers elders and scribes they they try threatening and commanding them not to feed the people acts 420 says for we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard okay that's giving what jesus has given them yeah they return to the five thousand men beside women and children and do just that acts 429 says and now lord behold their threatenings and grant unto thy servants that with all boldness they may speak thy word okay that's what they're going to do they're going to give what jesus gives them acts 4 31 and when they prayed the place was shaken where they were assembled together and they were all filled with the holy ghost and they spake the word of god with boldness and verse 33 says and with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the lord jesus and great graces upon them all that's the 12 apostles represented by the 12 basket okay so they're feeding them the word of god but then they're also fulfilled they're all fulfilled so physically too look at verse 34 neither was there any among them that lacked for as many as were possessors of lands all houses sold them and brought the price of the things that were sold they were all filled weren't they okay so what happens next chapter 5 begins with the story of antonyos and sapphire aligned to the holy ghost about the land they sold they both end up dying then verse 11 says and great fear this is acts 5 and verse 11 and great fear came upon all the church and upon as many as heard these things and by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people and they were all with one accord in solomon's porch and of the rest thirst no man joined himself to them but the people magnified them and believers were the more added to the church multitudes both of men and women so you've got multitudes being added to the 5 000 men number then verse 16 says there came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto jerusalem bringing sick folks and then which were vexed unclean spirits and they were healed every one the apostles get arrested in prison broken out by an angel rearrested beaten let go then verse 41 says and they departed from the presence of the council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer such to suffer shame for his name verse 42 and daily in the temple and in every house they cease not to teach and preach jesus christ and you can preach 100 sermons off that first can't you okay then look at verse chapter six so they're going out daily in the temple in every house they're not stopping teaching and preach jesus christ act six and verse one says and in those days when the number of the disciples was multiplied there arose a murmuring of the grecians against the hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration so we've had multitudes added to the lord multitudes coming out of the cities they're teaching preaching daily and here the number of the disciples was multiplied sounds like a lot of people doesn't it okay that's on top of the 5 000 multitudes multitudes many they're being multiplied okay the disciples being multiplied it's not like oh a few more are added okay multiplied that sounds like there's loads and loads coming in verse 2 says and the 12 called the multitude of the disciples unto them and said it is not reason that we should leave the word of god and serve tables wherefore brethren look ye out among you seven men of honest report full of the holy ghost and wisdom whom we may appoint over this business but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word and the same please the whole multitude and they chose stephen a man full of faith who of the holy ghost of philip and perchorus and nikonor and teeman and parmenus and nicholas and proselyte of antion whom they set before the apostles and when they had prayed they laid their hands on them and the word of god increased and the number of the disciples multiplied in jerusalem greatly and a great number of the priests were obedient to the faith how many were added to those five thousand men maybe about four thousand i don't know i think maybe about four thousand were added there no i might be wrong there but that's what i think go back to matthew 15 with all that in mind and see why i believe that matthew 15 and verse 29 says and jesus departed from thence and came nigh unto the sea of galilee and went up into a mountain and sat down there and great multitudes came unto him having with them those that were lame blind dumb maimed and many others and cast them down at jesus feet that's a picture of soul winning isn't it they're casting them down at jesus feet and he's healing them okay they're bringing them to the lord yeah or they bring the lord in whichever which way you want to look at it yeah that's what we do when we go out and preach god's name we cast these people at jesus feet so heal them basically put your faith in christ yeah in so much that the multitude wondered when they saw the dumb to speak the maimed to behold the lame to walk and the blind to see and they glorified the god of israel these people are worshiping god okay so these aren't just kind of just sitting there now they're bringing people to him they're bringing people to the lord they're then worshiping god verse 32 then jesus called his disciples unto him and said i have compassion on the multitude because they continue with me now three days and have nothing to eat and i will not send them away fasting lest they faint in a way they're continuing with jesus he said they've continued with me three days okay the last thought we're just there for the day just got to the evening okay those people were saved they were the early church these lot are serving him aren't they they're worshiping him they're bringing people to him they're continuing with him and his disciples said when should we have so much bread in the wilderness as to feel so great a multitude look there's too many for us to feed there's too many for us to feed with what they need and jesus saith unto them how many loaves of year and they said seven a few little fishes and he commanded the multitude to sit on the ground and he took the seven loaves and the fishes and gave thanks and break them and gave to his disciples and the disciples to the multitude and they did all eat and were filled and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full so with the five thousand there were 12 baskets full for me that clearly picture the start of the first church with five thousand members i win him in children i don't think that's a coincidence i think i hope i've kind of proven my case quite well with that with this four thousand there that with this four thousand in there are seven baskets full i believe there's a picture of them having been soul winning worshiping and continuing with him okay it's nowhere near as clear as the five thousand but considering it's following straight on from that miracle that the seven deacons in the book of acts follows pretty much straight on too i believe that this is a picture of the then growing church okay this is the then growing church they're now serving god okay they're not just yo-jo they're out soul winning they're worshiping they're doing things and continuing with him okay and and what's the point what's the point of that then so yeah it's a great picture yeah you could go wow the word of god look you know that's amazing yeah i can see what you're saying brother in with the five thousand four okay yeah no i can see it kind of follows on i can see what that might be what's the point what are we to learn from it besides the many lessons like i said that you can learn from the miracle of five thousand basically it didn't stop at the twelve apostles there were then seven men ordained to provide for the people after them and and look maybe maybe they understood the message which is why they said in act six look ye out among ye seven men of honest report they didn't go on let's have a little debate look they're just like right get seven men in okay it's time look we can't do it all now let's get the seven men in maybe they understood the message they did say i think in the next chapter that or jesus christ said did you understand they said yes but there's a good message there for leadership isn't there because sometimes you do try to do it all yourselves okay if that's what it is and that's what we're picturing here and we're picturing here that then the need for more we need for those seven look we we you know you need help don't you you need help as a leader and it is sometimes you're like i'll just do this i need to do that or i know what i'm doing here i don't really want to have to ask someone i don't really want to have to rely on people etc but we do need to don't we because there's only so much one person can do and whether or not that's in a in a church or it's like the first new testament church there with like 12 the 12 apostles leading it there comes a point there comes a tipping point where it's like you can't do it all effectively can you you have to start getting help and getting people to do certain things and and look that's what we need in the church and it's and obviously it's not just the men like we have women helping doing stuff here i mean the cleaning team here doing an amazing job i mean this is a big area to clean right and it's not just that all the many jobs there are many things that go on in the church that that obviously i can't do myself obviously pastor topsy couldn't do from the us definitely not overhear himself but but for all of us and we need to be able to do that we need to be able to say yeah we need help right but men of honest report he said look out among you seven men of honest report okay what people that are reliable people that can do what they say they're going to do yeah people that are honest people that are going to be honest about why they can and can't do things etc and there are many things they're going to be many things as this church goes forward that that look i'm going to need help with to be able to have an effective church and it's not you know because you know there'll be people that go you're you're meant to be the leader you should be doing it well fine but then the church is not going to be as effective yeah and ultimately what's that what's what's the end end goal is to get more people saved to have a thriving church to be doing more things to be having more ministries but we need men of honest report to come forward to be able to help with some of those things but we saw here a difference too okay so this multitude of bring the lame blind dumb maimed and cast them down to his feet they glorify the god of israel like i said they're continuing with him three days okay this is a picture of an active church they're not just babes in christ are they but they still need feeding so these are now like these are kind of your more mature christian types okay these are like they're going out they're soul winning they're doing the things of god they're glorifying the work they're continuing with jesus but they still need feeding they still like you guys still need feeding and we all need feeding yeah everyone here every christian in the world needs feeding doesn't matter how mature they are how much in the bible they've read how many things are difficult we all need feeding don't we and and the thing is we don't just need feeding the strong meat or is it like right okay yeah no these guys these guys are proper can you go and slay a couple of cows down you know in the nearby field because we need some we need some strong meat for these guys look we want some strong meat yeah want some strong meat and the idea with some of these you know with the bible studies as well that's why look wednesday nights are important you know and it's not just the funny thing is and i know like maybe you know maybe titles aren't that attractive and stuff you know maybe i could kind of give it a title you know but i do try and cover a bit in a passage that's a bit hard to do that might be a bit misleading so i don't but the truth is like i you know a lot of our church that aren't here probably don't listen to a wednesday night sermon either that's the sad truth of it if they're not here they should be tuning in listening right okay and and and but that's a backup they should be here okay people should be trying to upmost to be on a wednesday night because you're going to get more of the strong meat than you are then maybe in like a topical sermon on sunday morning or maybe a series on a sunday evening where it might be more applicable to certain people than others right okay but but yeah we do need strong meat but here they're being fed fish and bread we still need the basics don't we all of us here still need the basics still need to go over the basics we still need to hear sometimes just a simple that sometimes even the spiritual milk yeah look i still like drinking milk sometimes it looks good you know and look we still we still need the spiritual milk and we still need to be able to to listen to things and listen to things that we already know and go yeah you know i need to hear that again i need to be cementing that because the false doctrine's alive and real out there and it's hammering you and hammering you and knocking on your door knocking you're doing hearing it and it's being talked about you need to hear them the basics as well don't we need to hear the basis as well but they need feeding everyone needs feeding but also with the seven that were to be ordained we're also reminded the need for men to continue to step up to serve god aren't we it wasn't just done with the 12 well he's got the 12 apostles they can lead it that's done great new testament church done turn to first peter five we still need people to want to step up to serve god people that's the only way it can continue is for people to be ordained in the future and it can be in a role as a deacon it can be in a role as obviously an evangelist it can be a role as a pastor not because they've always just wanted to be the boss though not because they can't stand being led i need to be the leader not because they want respect not because they just crave respect i've got to get in a position in life where i'm respected i might not be getting my job i'm going to get it from behind a pulpit that's i'm going to get going to get it on youtube not because they think it's a good living well you know you know my career prospects are here but maybe if i go into like church work then i'll be all right you know in the long run if i get a big enough church i'm going full time no why because god's people need feeding that's what it's about god's people need feeding that's got to be one of the main goals and motivations first peter five peter who was told to by jesus to feed my sheep peter has told exactly that says in verse one the elders which are among you i exhort who am also an elder okay interchangeable for a pastor here and a witness of the sufferings of christ and also partake of the glory that shall be revealed feed the flock of god that's what he's saying to the elders okay he's saying the elders which are among you he's saying feed the flock of god which is among you taking the oversight thereof not by constraint okay not forcefully not by force but willingly not for filthy luca but of a ready mind look people go into this sort of job and obviously in a false profit stuff the wealth health wealth prosperity but i've said it before like the church of england guy i mean that guy you know probably this is quite an easy number what do they even do okay i said donna dressed a couple of times a week but the rest of it it's nothing isn't it but but sadly people will be drawn into these sort of things as access to money for filthy luca or maybe it's just because they're like okay well it's a good job it's a good job it's easier than other job it's not easy it's a hard job but a lot of people don't really realize that right not for filthy luca but of ready mind neither as being lords over god's heritage but being in samples to the flock so there are people whose motivation is i need to be the boss i need to be the man yeah that's not what it's about is it and when the chief shepherd shall appear you shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away that's if you do it right that's if you feed the flock of god which is among you taking oversight thereof and not for all those reasons that he says but being an ensemble to the flock then you shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away okay and that's a big part of church isn't it getting fed that's what that's what many people are here for to get fed why is it just so you can yeah that was a good meal i enjoyed that no it's to go on to serve god it's to go on to serve god we we need that don't we we need that we need that word of god we need it being preached to us we need to do all these things to be fed and that can even be by the hymns by the doctrine in the hymns by by exhorting one another by all those different things that come from being in a church to then go on to serve god but and it's much better to do that on a full stomach though isn't it it's much better to do that on a full stomach and that has to be the motivation you're going in if you want to be that in the future you want to be like right i want to i want to yeah i want to get involved i want to do some stuff i want to go on and and i understand it's got to go to next people we want more church we need more people willing to go and do things for god but it's got to be for the right reasons isn't it it's got to be to feed the flock of god go back to matthew 15 we're going to finish up and they did all eat and were filled verse 37 and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets four i think that's a picture then of those seven afterwards and they that did eat were four thousand men beside women and children that's a lot of people right a lot of people with seven loaves and a few fishes and again look i know we kind of we are skirting over the miracle of it all a little bit as well just because there's so much in there so many messages in it is an amazing miracle though isn't it what an amazing miracle i mean you imagine being there and just like where's all this food coming from you know platters of food just coming out and where they even start from in the first place it's an amazing miracle isn't it but there's there's so much we can learn from it and he sent away the multitude and took ship and came into the coast of magdala okay we're going to uh we're going to finish up there father thank you um thank you for just oh wow just just there's so much depth so many layers to the word of god that you could just keep peeling away peeling well i hope that you know i've i've preached out correctly i hope i preach accurately tonight lord and um if i haven't helped people to just you know see see that there you know i know that you know there are many layers to the word of god and many truths in the word of god i hope i've hit some of those tonight lord and i pray that you know we'll be able to apply this to our lives lord apply what we've learned today apply you know the the the the need to follow the word of god not the traditions of men lord and and to just know that all comes from the word of god to just have our you know to just stand firm on the word of god help us to to also you know lord to to understand that we all need feeding we we need people to be able to feed we need need people in the future to be able to go out and do that for the right reasons lord and help us to want to encourage those um to come from this church and and and also those just around as well those in places that maybe it's harder to get here that we'll be able to encourage leaders to rise up maybe out of those groups around europe as well and lord we we need we need men of god we need we need people just out there wanting to serve you lord wanting to do the right things and and and father we pray that you just help us also to just you know go out and preach the gospel go out and to be those proper servants you know and that's where it all kind of starts and finishes it's all about going out and getting people safe lord and help us to do that um you know for on saturday help us to make it to that soul in your mouth and help us to get many people saved help us to return then back on sunday for another day in your house jesus name for all of this old