Jesus Chooses Whom He Saves

Cobin your Bibles to Matthew chapter 11 Gospel according to Matthew chapter 11 I've really as you guys get there I've really truly enjoyed the last couple of weeks being able to talk about the connection the bridge between the Old Testament and a New Testament John the Baptist hopefully we get that John the Baptist message up onto YouTube I hope that it blesses people it's it's been challenging to me as I prepare for these messages thinking on these things it's encouraged me it's ignited more of a fire to passion within me to serve God to tell the truth to be bold and it's also created more and more of a passion within me and a humility to really see just how the Word of God ties together in the way that it does it's powerful testimony to God's sovereign hand throughout history and the fact that God does in his word tell his history before it happens so Matthew chapter 11 we went through the texts Jesus talking about John the Baptist in his ministry and now we're in Matthew chapter 11 verse 20 here now the words of the Living God then he began to denounce the cities this is Jesus where most of his mighty works had been done because they did not repent woe to you cause him woe to you bethsaida for if the mighty works done in you had been done in tyre and Sidon they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes but I tell you'll be more bearable and they have judgment for tyre and sidon than for you and you Capernaum will you be exalted to heaven you'll be brought down to Hades for if you if the mighty works done you had been done in Sodom it would have remained until this day but I tell you that it would be more tolerable on the day of judgment that for the land of Sodom then for you at that time Jesus declared I thank you Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children yes Father for such was your gracious will all things have been handed over to me by my father and no one knows the son except the father and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the son chooses to reveal him come to me all who labor and are heavy-laden and I will give you rest take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls for my yoke is easy and my burden is light as far as the reading of God's Holy Word let's pray father we thank you so much for Jesus we take you God that we have knowledge of you now God not just thoughts about you in our heads but we know you intimately and Lord Jesus we thank you that for those of us that trust in you that you and your grace chose to reveal God the Father to us thank you that we know you and we can come before you with bold and confident access not because of anything in ourselves but because of your Sovereign Grace we thank you God that you have called us to yourself that you've given us your word I pray God for this message that you'd bless your people with understanding of just how gracious your grace is and how deep your love is for us please help me God to communicate from your word truths about who we really are and just how much you love us I pray God that you get me out of the way that you'd be glorified in this message that you would teach by your spirit and that people will forget me and remember your name throughout all the ages in Jesus name Amen so this if you guys are just getting into the text with us this is an important moment the Gospel according to Matthew starts off telling the story immediate léa about Jesus as having the right to the royal throne of David the fact that we have those genealogies that most of us pass over is really a glorious thing those those genealogies actually are testimony to God's covenant faithfulness whereas we see those and we skip over them the writers of Scripture put those in there for a very specific purpose they tell the story of a sovereign God who is actually wielding history so so mightily and powerfully that he actually did so through individual people if you look at that long list it's a long list of sinners that God used to bring about his redemptive purposes but Matthew is telling the story from the perspective of a Jewish person that knows that the Jews were waiting because of God's promises for mashiac for the Messiah to come and to bring deliverance salvation and listen to bring a kingdom a rule that would actually fall over the entire face of the earth that all the nations were going to return to God all the families of the earth we're going to return to worship God that's what Matthew knows now this is important we talked about it before but Matthew was the most popular of all of all four Gospels Matthew is the most popular in the second century of the church it's the most quoted from and that ought to tell us something about how much this text had transforming power in the lives of people and I think that all the Bible is the Word of God and all the Gospels are amazing word from God they're all precious and beautiful but I think Matthew I think it does something to people when they see that God has told a particular story in history and Matthew picks up on that point that God has said that these things were going to take place and now enter Jesus and now we find in them their final fulfillment in the Messiah himself who comes to bring that salvation to die for the sins of his people to rise from the dead and then to take his seat on his throne which by the way is where Matthew ends Matthew 28:18 through 20 it's it's a he has the right to the throne here all the acts of Jesus here's all the fulfillment to the Matthew 28 is the is the climax all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me that's what the text says here's what so powerful about that Matthew has a particular story in mind he has something trying he's trying to share with the world about how Jesus is in fact the Lord Himself come to save his people the fact that Jesus fulfills all those promises the fact that watch that Kingdom that rule of God in the entire world is actually happening now in Jesus that's what Matthew is getting across to Jew and Gentile the ruler of the world the king God Himself the Savior has taken his rightful position on the throne where all of his authority cascades over the earth and now he's drawing all to himself Jews and Gentiles bringing his salvation to the ends of the earth which is exactly what the Bible said was going to happen long before Jesus came now that's the overarching story at least part of it of the Gospel according to Matthew now what makes this particular chapter about John the Baptist so compelling is it now creates the bridge between the Old Testament and the New Testament so many prophecies in that Old Testament talking about specifics who is the Messiah Isaiah 9 through 6 God Himself Micah 5:2 the eternal one coming to Bethlehem what's he going to do well Psalm 22 he's going to have his hands and feet pierced it's heart like wax melted within him surrounded by dogs his garments divided among them for his clothing casting Lots Isaiah 53 pierced through for our transgressions crushed for our iniquities the chastisement for our peace fell upon him and by his wounds we are healed there's those kinds of what'swhat's going to take place the why is in the text of course we know what the Bible says about our sins and our need for a savior in salvation and reconciliation and peace with God we know about all these details but there's also this bridge this connection between Old Covenant and New Covenant and there's a figure right in the middle of that that they anticipated as coming they knew mashiac was coming so we know the rulers coming to bring salvation but there's someone coming before him that's going to lead the way to prepare before he actually breaks into history with his kingdom and that person that forerunners John the Baptist now they knew about it from the Old Testament there's this intertestamental period this time where essentially they saw God as being silent sort of the waiting period right the air is sucked out of the room right we're just sort of on standby waiting for like when's that boom when's the explosion so the intertestamental period is this period where there's no more prophetic writings no more Scripture being produced no more is coming forth from God all they're doing is waiting but watch it's not just waiting it's not in a confused kind of waiting like is anything going to happen at all as a matter of fact it's very specific kind of waiting they know what was going to happen but they also knew the timing of it they can count down the days Daniel gives specifics about when the kingdom is breaking into history there's four kingdoms and then God Himself sets up a kingdom that will never be destroyed but they can count they were okay there's Babylon that's what Dana wrote that the medo-persians we have the Greeks and now they have Rome and so now those who are under the Roman Empire the boot of the Roman Empire they know this is a fourth Kingdom y'all they're like any moment but then it gets deeper Daniel chapter 9 the angel Gabriel tells Daniel when the Messiah is coming it's very very amazing and somewhat complicated prophecy of the 70 weeks but here's what you do know you can count down the days from when this decree goes forth and you can count down the Atilla days of the Messiah and listen listen that's why so much fervor in the first century that's why so many false messiahs and these false Christ's are popping up all over the map why because they knew this was the time they know it this is Rome I can count the days you've got the wise men even looking even looking at the stars God is even controlling them and where they're going to point to the Messiah and these pagans are coming to the birth side of Jesus or where Jesus is at that time and they're wanting to know there's the king of the Jews so that we can worship Him so the pagans are coming now they know this is a very important time in history so you got to understand when John the Baptist breaks into history the forerunner that's a big deal he's the bridge he's the signal right he's that Bell not a cowbell Jesse's like Riggins right like it's he we're finally here ring the dinner bell like it's it's time to come and eat like it's time and so here comes John the Baptist when he breaks into Matthew 3 it's a big deal doesn't mean much to us today Christians we get jaded to these things you got to admit it I'll confess it you get jaded see what you hear kingdom of God Jesus is the king he rules over the world admit it you get indifferent you get jaded you get cavalier about it all of us do you I take advantage of it oh yeah Jesus the king of the world bringing the nation's like hmm yeah gospel the kingdom he just do right but like it's a big deal for them they know it's coming but see they're not we're not doing what they were doing they have like a physical temple with the priest himself going in Yom Kippur animal sacrifices they have all these rituals the dietary restrictions and the clothing restrictions separating Jew from Gentile and they're just waiting and they're waiting and they're waiting and now breaks in John the Baptist what is the first thing out of his mouth he says repent everyone's like okay I heard that before he says the kingdom of heaven the kingdom of God is at hand it's within reach it's at the end of the fingers this is like a big deal the ruler of the world watch who's going to destroy all the works of the enemy who's going to bring creation back to its purpose where image-bearers of God have no more sin to deal with and they're an intimate communion and fellowship with God and with one another that's happening God's going to remove the curse as far as it's found and that's happening it's a big deal here's the forerunner John the Baptist and he says repent he's calling people back to the law of God and to justice and to mercy which is by the way exactly what the Old Testament text says in Malachi chapter 3 and 4 the Elijah who was to come would do he would point people back to the law of Moses he would call people to repentance and turn their hearts back to God and here's John the Baptist and watch the first thing he's doing is he's condemning the religious leaders of his day he's confronting them for their sin for their violations of God's law and he says to them watch that judgment is about to hit it's coming it's coming get ready he says brood of vipers who warned you to flee from the wrath about to come the wrath about to come now I've been stressing over the last couple of weeks and I don't know that I do a good enough job of showing this demonstrating it but it is powerful John provides the bridge between the old and the new that the kingdom of God is breaking into history but what you know from the Old Testament we're not going to rehearse it today is that when the Messiah came into history he was going to bring salvation and judgment and John the Baptist is telling a story about both he says behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world he knows the kingdom is coming salvation has arrived but then he's doing the other thing he's warning about what they should have known that the coming of the Messiah meant salvation and judgment that's what the Bible says look at those text from the Old Testament we rehearsed at least twice now the Messiah was going to bring purification and salvation and judgments and John's telling about both salvation and judgment and it's about two-strike guys and so jesus now is telling the story of john the baptist he says the greatest born of women and in this moment powerful he says if you look in verse 18 John came neither eating nor drinking and they say he has a demon the Son of man came eating and drinking and they say look at him a gotten in a drunkard a friend of tax collectors and sinners yet wisdom is justified by her deeds Jesus now addresses the slander against himself showing that his generation was a generation of hypocrites John comes in a life long fast a lifelong fast there's nothing wrong with the wine with the eating nothing sinful about those things but John is dedicated to a lifelong fast and testimony like Elisha the Prophet who called people to repentance his ministry is modeled after Elijah by the way Jesus says that John the Baptist is the Elijah who was to come you might be confused because you say wait a minute they asked John the Baptist are you Elijah and he said no I am NOT here's why he's addressing their misconception they thought Elijah was actually going to physically rise from the dead and come back you know I'm not Elijah I'm not actually Elijah but Jesus says he was the Elijah who was to come this lifelong fast and repentance he's calling people to turn back to God and Jesus comes and what's he doing he's eating and drinking drinking what wine grape juice not wine that's why they accused him being a drunk you can't call someone a drunk who's drinking grape juice but they were slandering Jesus he wasn't actually a drunk but Jesus comes down he shows that they're hypocrites because you have a prophet who has a lifelong fast and then you have the Messiah God himself and you don't like either you're you're actually coming against both of us hypocrites so now Jesus begins to denounce them and he says this then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works have been done verse 20 because they did not repent here it is woe to you now this is in particular a very significant prophetic word now you got to get this we read the text woe to you woe to you and we're familiar with it if we read the Bible we've seen it before we know what it is and we see Jesus saying it we know that it's significant but we have to understand this this isn't a word that prophets throw around flippantly they don't say woe to you to everybody they're not just kicking that word out to anybody and you need to know this that when a biblical prophet says woe to you that's terrifying woe to you in biblical prophecy is a way of calling down the curse and judgment and wrath of God upon a person or a people it's significant and so when Jesus is doing these mighty works he's healing blind people and people who are paralyzed and dead people are coming to life he's giving ears to people who cannot hear he's doing these things where he's multiplying food so people are eating he's doing these mighty works that display exactly who they're dealing with and yet they don't come they remain hard they don't want Jesus they don't want salvation from him they don't like what he's saying to them and so Jesus says woe to you by the way picking up again upon this consistent pattern of coming judgment that you see in the Gospel according to Matthew but it hits a climax by the way if you read Matthew just do this later open up Matthew and go page the page and look at how the prophetic denouncements get harsh more harsh harsher and more and more and more as you go through Matthew till you get to finally Matthew 23 where it's woe to you woe to you brood of vipers the wrath about to come some of you won't die until you see the kingdom that it's coming it's coming and there's parables and pictures and there's a vineyard owner with people who keep beating and stoning people who are sent to it all send my son and Jesus says what will he do when they find out he's killed this they've killed his son and it'll destroy those miserable wretches and give that vineyard to other who will bear the fruit of it and Jesus says that's right the kingdom of God is going to be taken away from you and given to others you starting to see this climax coming along coming along and all of a sudden Matthew 23 where Jesus now denounces the the leadership and says all the blood of the righteous is going to be upon this generation and then he departs from the temple the same way the glory of God left the temple in the Old Testament to the Mount of Olives Jesus takes the same path as God in the Old Testament departing the temple and he goes to the Mount of Olives and sits there exactly like God did before and they're freaking out because Jesus just announced their temple and it'll like look all these things and Jesus says do you see all these things there shall not be left one stone upon another that shall be not thrown down it should not be cast down and Jesus starts telling them but what they're to expect anticipate taking the synagogue's beating you he says there's going to be all these wars and rumors of wars earthquakes famines he warns them and he says this generation will not pass away until all these things take place there's that judgment they know it's coming which is exactly what the Bible said forerunner the Lord Himself comes to his temple salvation judgment all that was planned but Jesus says here woe to you expect judgment when the Lord of glory says to you woe to you that's a word you do not want to hear from God woe to you but it's a familiar word can I ask you this what's it what's it helped me with this what's a famous famous section of Scripture where a biblical prophet says woe is me Isaiah 6 go there because I want you to see it because it actually connects really neatly to what we're doing today talking about God judicially hard it hardening people in Isaiah chapter 6 it's the vision of the Lord and it says in verse 1 listen closely because this is very very powerful in the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up and the Train of his robe filled the temple this is an amazing vision above him stood the Seraphim these are angels each had six wings and two he covered his face and with two he covered his feet and with two he flew and one call to another and said holy holy holy is the Lord of hosts and the whole earth is full of his glory this is an amazing scene I wish we could spend all day right here in Isaiah 6 talk about the fact that even these angels that are there before the throne of God are covering their own eyes before God's glory and his holiness but notice this in the text watch holy holy holy in the Hebrew there's no way there isn't an exclamation point in the Hebrew there's no punctuation so if you want to say something and make it gospel you just say it once that's gospel if you want to highlight it and you want to shout it then you say it twice holy holy but here in the text it's a repetition it's holy holy holy it's screaming it from the rooftop it's coming apart while you say it and the angels are covering their eyes and you're saying holy holy holy and this is Isaiah now the most righteous dude in Israel this is a guy that would put us to shame with his piety with his acts of righteousness there's a prophet that has good standing among the people and Isaiah says and the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called and the house was filled with smoke now watch his response here's a guy that would put us to shame and he says this and I said woe is me for I am lost for I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips from my eyes have seen the king the Lord of Hope of Hosts so here now watch Jesus says to a city woe to you the curse of God and condemnation wrath upon you and here's a biblical prophet using that language but he actually uses upon himself and he might be saying Jeff why are you highlighting this I'm highlighting it for a very particular reason you're going to see in a minute Jesus actually talks about how God judicially hardens people and blinds them so they cannot see the truth and what we often do when we hear things like woe to you and woe to me and we see blinding taking place from God over sinful people we often say but that's not fair it's not fair for God to blind people so they cannot see God owes them a chance God owes them his grace God owes them merci and when we begin to speak like that we're already contradicting ourselves grace cannot be demanded that's the nature of grace mercy is not getting what you do deserve so to say that it's owed is senseless but here in this text here's a righteous man saying this woe to me it's a way of saying this God I have seen now and here's what I am asking from you God kill me kill me and my life I'm coming apart at the seams the division of your glory and your holiness God I don't deserve to live and the first thing it's amazing he notices immediately his own mouth and how foul and broken he is he gets a glimpse of God's holiness and the first thing he says is this God kill me kill me and he says I'm coming apart the way to it actually in the Hebrew it's better it's I'm coming apart of the seams he saying basically I'm unraveling I'm coming apart at the seams kill me he says my lips are unclean and he says I live among a people of unclean lips he's immediately aware and amazing as soon as you get a glimpse of the presence of God you are automatically aware of our utter fallen broken condition more than you could possibly ever fathom on this side of heaven as soon as you get a glimpse of God's holiness you're automatically aware oh my goodness son foul and you look around yourself and you say and so as everybody else we're all a bunch of wretches look out foul we are and what he wants well he's not saying to God God you're very holy and I'm really sinful he doesn't say so God mercy right he doesn't come to God and say God all right let's make a deal all right I'll do better set me up set me straight give me mercy give me give me your grace God what he wants from God in that moment as soon as he sees what he's really worthy of as soon as he sees it he says this to God God kill me kill me and what watch what happens what I want you to see it when he recognized this condition it says this there's this there's this this scene of God's cleansing that's given to him then one of the Seraphim flew to me having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar and he touched my mouth and said Behold this has touched your lips your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for a lot can be said about that but I want you to see this watch and I heard the voice of the Lord saying whom shall I send and who will go for us Trinity then I said Here I am send me Oh Jeanette watch it's amazing I got a excursus as soon as he realizes he's now before the eyes of God atoned for forgiven right cleansed and as soon as he's in a relationship with God or once he was like kill me God I'm guilty I'm foul and so buddy so as everyone else as soon as his sin has taken away the first thing he wants is to fight who's going to go for us Here I am send me first response is guilt taken away he's like Lord I'm I'm in it like sent me now watch it says and he said go and say to this people watch the judgment here's the judicial the judicial hardening keep on hearing but do not understand keep on seeing but do not perceive make the heart of this people dough and their ears heavy and blind their eyes lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and turn and be healed then I said how long O Lord by the way that's if that's a pretty that appears a few times it is that sound familiar to you how long O Lord you see in the book of Revelation the Saints are crying out before God they're saying how long O Lord how long O Lord it's a it's a way of actually pleading with God to act well it's not really asking God God how much time before yet can you give me the time God how long O Lord is a way of essentially as a as the child of God crying out to God to act how long O Lord act act and he said until cities lie waste without inhabitant in houses without people and the land is desolate waste and the Lord removes people from far away and the Forsaken places are many in the midst of the land and though a tenth remain in it it will be burned again like a terebinth or an oak whose stump remains when it is felled the holy seed is in its stump now watch I want you to see the pattern here woe is me he realizes his sin God purifies them and then God sends them with a message what blind people let them have deaf ears let them see but not under not even perceive what they're seeing blind people until what until this judgment falls that's the pattern blind them and then judgments by the way that's terrifying when you see people in your culture around you blind to the things of God and not hearing God's prophets in his voice in the culture when you see people loving their sin and completely blind to the things of God no fear of God that is a time to be concerned as a child of God and people can't hear it because the only reason is we can saw God is sovereign they will hear what he wants them to hear now I wanted you to see that background there to get to the text in Matthew now go to Matthew again Matthew chapter 11 and get to the rest of the text Jesus condemns the cities around him he warns them about the impending judgment he tells them about what's to come for them so Jesus is giving the same message as John the same message of the Old Testament the arrival of the Messiah means salvation in judgment it's coming get ready but this is where it gets into blurriness in verse 25 it says at that time Jesus declared I thank you Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children hidden because here's what why here's was crazy did you catch it like like think about the word Jesus prays a prayer to the Father and he says father I thank you I am grateful father I am grateful that you hid this from the wise and understanding and he revealed them to little children Jesus is giving a prayer of gratitude to the father for not giving the knowledge of himself to certain people he says thank you father for not showing them thank you father for not showing the wise and understanding but thank you for giving it to the little children little children speaking of his people his children now I want you to see in the text of the Old Testament Isaiah 6 where I say as aware of his own sin and God purifies them immediately God sends up on the message about being blinded judicial hardening not seeing not hearing not perceiving it's understood from God's Word God does that as the sovereign holy God who is just and righteous over rebellious and fallen people God does Harden God does blind God does cause them not to hear and I want you to see a text for that guys another text underneath you saw is their six go to isaiah 40:8 44 18 keep a finger in matthew if you would Isaiah 44 18 that by the way this could be multiplied over and over and over again but this is a powerful one same same prophet we were we were at before Isaiah 44 18 it says they know not nor do they discern for he has shut their eyes so that they cannot see and their hearts so they cannot understand does God respond to fallen people by giving watch listen this is big this is context this is the story by giving them what they want you see that's the thing watch we're hearing it wrong and we don't understand it if we think that God is taking very good people who love him and he is taking them and saying I don't want you what he is doing is he is talking to rebellious people who already hate him in their hearts who are already running away from God and he is saying I will give you what you want I will send my messengers and I will blind your eyes I will give my voice and I will not let you hear it I will close up your heart so you cannot perceive it and God does blind people as an act of judicial judgment now watch want to see something kind of cool I love this I want you to have it in your hearts because it's powerful remember that scene I just brought you to where do we go what what text was that Isaiah six remember it Isaiah six Isaiah realizes his own sin says woe to me God purifies them and then God says blind them and I want you to see another text that talks about this particular subject of judicial hardening keep your fingers there in Matthew 11 go to John 12 John chapter 12 Matthew Mark Luke John 12 and here's a text that does more than just show that you did the judicial hardening okay so here here it is John chapter 12 after Jesus talks about the ruler of this world being casted out in 31 him being lifted up to draw all people to himself in verse 33 he said this two bites his show by what kind of death he was going to die so the crowd answered him we've heard from the law that the Christ forever how can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up who is the son of man so jesus said to them the light is among you for a little while longer walk while you have the light lest darkness overtake you the one who walks in the darkness does not know where he's going while you have the light believe in the light that you may become sons of the light when Jesus had these things had said these things he departed and hid himself from them though he had done so many signs before them they still did not believe in him all these signs he would say at all the time God just show up on stage atheists love that they have public debates with Christians and they always call God down to make an appearance they're like I'll believe in God right now if God appears right here on stage with me one time Greg Bahnson was debating Edward Tavish who worked for Bill Clinton he's an attorney famous atheist who's actually the reason rally years ago that we went to he said the same thing he's like God if you're there appear right now on this stage and dr. Manson said well I'm awfully glad that God has chosen not to bring his second coming in this moment he said for your sake but people say if I could just see a miracle if I could just see some sort of a miracle don't you know that the Ministry of Christ the whole thing was miracle upon miracle upon miracle upon miracle and then resurrection from the dead miracle and miracle and times were a dead man would rise and it said that some believed and some doubted even at the Ascension in Matthew 28 its power votes in the text the writers of Scripture aren't hiding it Jesus is standing there ascending and it says in the text that some worshiped him and some are like hey to trick I don't know right here's the text all these signs still not believing and here's John's answer listen so that verse 38 the words spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled Lord who has believed what he heard for he heard from us and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed therefore they could not believe listen they could not believe they could not believe knowability hashtag free will they could not believe for again Isaiah said here's the quotation he has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart lest they see with their eyes and understand with their heart and turn and I would heal them and this is what I want this is why I wanted you to see it here's another act of judicial hardening mentioned it's the same quotation from Isaiah 6 but here's the glory of it ready in Isaiah 6 come with me now in Isaiah 6 when Isaiah was there and saw God and was utterly broken and then he was cleansed can I ask you a question when the angels said holy holy holy who were they talking about God right that's God on his throne John quotes from Isaiah 6 that scene and watch what John says Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him who's the only him in the text Jesus so who did Isaiah see obviously God is triune Father Son Holy Spirit but John says Isaiah saw Jesus on his throne he saw him so here's an act in Isaiah where Isaiah is undone he says woe is me he's aware of his own sin and filth and then he goes forth of the message of God's judicial hardening blinding people so they can't see and making it to where they can't hear but actually Isaiah saw Jesus on his throne Jesus is Yahweh Jesus is God remember the text who will go for us Father Son Holy Spirit Wow but what I want you to see here in the text is where Jesus says I thank you Father and our response in modern Eve angelical ISM to Jesus prayer of gratitude to the Father for blinding people is this ready but Jesus that's not fair Jesus is not fair how can you say thank you to the Father for blinding people God owes us grace God owes us mercy he has to give it don't you understand it's a fear of God to say to people you can't see you can't hear God owes us so very much isn't that watch isn't there such a contrast between how the Bible describes our condition before God and talks about God's holiness and the thinking of the modern evangelical are just average religious person in terms of what our condition really is here's Isaiah before God's holiness saying this kill me can you can you please end my life can you just give me I don't deserve this I am foul I am wretched and so is everybody else I deserve to die can you just kill me and what we say to God when we see as holiness today we say it's not fair god you'd have a right to judge people God you have a right to exercise your holiness and your justice as a judge no God you sit in the dot God get in the dark I want to be judge over you have a seat god I want to ask you some questions I'm going to talk to you about how you're managing the universe God I'm going to talk about how you're not doing things the way that I think that you ought to do it easy we have this very perverse view of God in our day where we don't really have any fear of God we don't have any fear of God we don't fear His Holiness we don't fear His justice we don't fear his wrath but the biblical prophets got a glimpse of this God and every time they did they were in fear and trembling and falling and saying things like this God kill me but yet we see Jesus saying father I thank you that you've hidden this from people and we say to Jesus was there really fair Jesus you're not being very christ-like you're not being very loving Jesus basically Jesus knows the truth about our condition the fact that none of us deserve them and the fact that we have his grace is the astonishing part of it because watch what it says I thank you Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children nice one what you see that next verse yes Father for such was your gracious will why is Jesus watch why is Jesus thanking the father for blinding people judicially why because watch grace its grace you see what we often focus on is this don't wait come on yes we do we focus on this Jacob I've loved Esau I've hated we go hey why'd you hate Esau God why are you hating me you saw God that's not fair we always do that right because we see people that are saved redemption let me go oh that's awesome and we see people over here blinded and God says I'm gonna judge them and we go hey that's not fair why are you judging these people God buddy see Jesus perspective he knows the truth is this why is God giving people grace why is he giving people grace so when Jesus sees God saving people he says father I thank you that you've given them what they deserve and I thank you that you save these little children such was your gracious will it's a focus on the grace of God that God will save any but this watch this hiding of the truth is really a theme through Scripture let me give an example some you already know this right say we use it all the time because it tells a very large story Romans 1 everybody knows God right come on now what do they do with the truth suppress the truth they know the true God this press truth and so what does God do as a result of their suppression of the truth it says therefore God what gave them over says it says it actually a couple times therefore God gave them over therefore God gave them over here's God giving to people what they actually warrant what do they want not God and so God says have it and there's no text I want you to see in the same book Romans Romans chapter 11 here's another example of actually Paul dealing with a problem in his day I won't do the whole detailed examination of this passage but just point it to you if you're taking notes watch this is powerful in Romans chapter 11 the Apostle Paul is addressing the fact the only some people in his day who were Jews have turned to the Messiah and faith so the question watch can rightly be asked right watch you're a Jew in Jesus day the Jewish Messiah has come and not all the Jews are coming they're not all following Jesus has got to be kind of disheartening this is Jewish Messiah he's accomplishes salvation and there's really a limited number of Jewish Christians and so Paul answers that problem of the remnant Romans 11 verse 1 I asked that has God rejected his people by no means for I myself and I'm AM an Israelite a descendant of Abraham a member of the tribe of Benjamin God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew do you not know that the scripture says about Elijah how he appeals to God against Israel Lord they've killed your prophets they've demolished your altars and I alone and left and they seek my life but what does God's reply to him I've kept my for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to bay all so - Paul says at the present time there is a remnant what's the words what say loud guys chosen by grace so a Paul says is this remember in Elijah's day he thought he was the only one in God's response is this I've preserved 7,000 people for myself chosen by Grace and Paul says this at the same time in his day that there is an elect people that God has chosen by grace who he's kept for himself and watch it says this verse 6 but if it is by grace it is no longer on the basis of work otherwise grace would no longer be grace watch in other words if you're working for it if it's because of something you did and it's because of your performance your behavior your piety anything that it's not grace that's the definition of grace in verse seven what then Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking the elect obtained it but the rest were what what's the word the rest or what hardened the elect received grace the other ones were hardened and you say alright they hardened their own hearts well as it is written verse 8 God gave them a spirit of stupor eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear down to this very day and David says let their table become a snare and a trap a stumbling block and a retribution for them let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see and bend their backs forever brothers and sisters this is it's not to belabor the points of sin and God hardening people and blinding people just say oh that's such an amazing truth let's dwell on that forever because it's not a comforting truth to know that God is giving to people what they deserve and what they want for those of us that have experienced His grace we know how amazing this grace is the thing to focus on is the gracious aspect when God hardens people and gives them a spirit of stupor he is giving to them what they deserve and what they want which is not him but the point of the passage for Paul is not that God hardens people it is that he has given grace to people that is the amazing thing about God can I take a moment here to say something about yesterday we were outside of the abortion mill hostel so ugly so difficult when you're out there and it is just like wow this insane it's a circus right it's crazy how come they can't reason and then they can't see they're making such such amazing errors that are right in front of them how can they not see it it's incredible and so that has to hit you for like what are they thinking they're standing outside of a location that is and they're cheering these women on and they're encouraging them and they're supporting them and it's going to stop us they're calling us names and we're the ones that are pleading for the lives of children eating how can people have such a spirit of stupor how can they not see how can they not hear how and we know from the text of God's Word we know that God is sovereign even over that moment but here's what I wanted you to hear about yesterday I did see because I was creeping it just gets sent to me I did see that Planned Parenthood supporters we're talking about yesterday and they were like it was a disaster they were telling for them they were like it was horrible as a disaster they were getting us from the front from the back it was a disaster right I was like this is awesome it's fantastic right I was kind of cool to see that I was like praise God right they were just like flipping out like it was unbelievable and one woman said this she said at one point they all started singing together they said it was like some kind of cult war chance you know it was amazing grace right amazing grace Christians outside there they're blasting like satanic messages like literally from Anton LaVey out at us they're blasting music fu very much and they got the middle fingers up and they're just going like just going in going in going in and Christians out there singing Amazing Grace right and they're like it was some kind of cult war chants like it I'm like come on guys you know amazing crazy right even the heathens know Amazing Grace right like so but I what I want to point to is that in this moment of hardening and stupor and blindness the people of God are I can only say God amazing grace that you would save a wretch like me cuz you know was outside that abortion mill yesterday I'll table was out it was it was one actually one major group of people it was all wretches it was all wretches the Christians and the unbelievers every one of them wretches but it was one thing that actually divided him into two groups and it was that word grace that separated them and watch watch this lest you be come haughty in yourself in a moment like that right haughty about where you're at what you have and what they don't have just recognize that God judicially hardens people so that they can't see and if you see you only see for one reason and that's God's gracious will and what you should be saying to God is the same thing Jesus is saying to the Father he says thank you Father that you've hidden these and revealed them to children such as your gracious will God thank you that you didn't hide it from me that you loved me that you gave me your grace and your care and your love and then Jesus gets bigger with this it gets bigger after he talks about God's gracious will he talks then about the fact that he is the one that reveals it I want you to see it look in Matthew chapter 11 verse 27 all things have been handed over to me by my father and knows the son except the father and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the son chooses to reveal him guys you don't get much thicker stronger or overt statements on the sovereignty of God in salvation than passages like this father thank you that you hid it from these people thank you that they can't see but you revealed it to these children that's your gracious will but then Jesus says something even deeper like he just continues to add power to the punch he says all things have been handed over to me by my father this goes again with set' 1st Corinthians chapter 15 the father has installed Jesus as the king where's the at on the right at the right hand of the Father doing what having all of his enemies put under his feet as a footstool for his feet Paul says this about Jesus every enemy goes under the feet of Jesus the very last one after they're all defeated is death and he says what so that Christ would be all-in-all Christ is going to conquer the world with his gospel and then he's going to hand the father better the father the kingdom back again here father all done all done all things all authority Jesus says all authority in heaven and on earth that means Jesus has all authority you know what that means in the Greek oh every last thing in heaven and earth that means he's sovereign over the salvation of your mother your father your sister your brother your children your aunt your uncle your teacher your boss your friends he's sovereign over everything Jesus chooses to reveal the knowledge the intimate knowledge of God to people whomever he pleases and what's what's powerful watch this gets deeper because it sounds weird doesn't it it sounds weird listen when he says this he says all things have been handed over to me by my father and no one knows the son except the father and no one knows the Father except the Son and you think huh because watch there's people next to Jesus that are like I know you there were disciples like on the outskirts there like do you know Jesus is ya know Jesus he's one from Nazareth he's the Messiah like people have a knowledge of the facts of Jesus there are certain people certainly people who knew about the Father like they had head knowledge that's not the knowledge Jesus is talking about it's not acquiescing to facts knowledge it's a deeper knowledge of intimacy no one knows the son except the father no one knows the Father except the son watch and anyone to whom the son chooses to reveal him the knowledge here of the father and the son given to the people is an intimate relationship knowledge it's an intimacy nobody is even brought into this intimate relationship with God to know him intimately without the son choosing to reveal him to you see it watch you know that from Scripture right that how does the Bible start Adam and Eve come into the garden right and God tells them be fruitful multiply there's a word in scripture that you use there Adam but new Eve he knew his wife and you're like oh he didn't know she was there the whole time all of a sudden she's like oh hey well right like I know that woman and it's it's it's in the Bible elsewhere to where it says you to Israel you only have I known from all the nations of the earth is that saying what's that God didn't know the other nations were there like he's just oblivious to the other nations he's like I'd only know this one right know that knowledge there describes intimate knowledge and Jesus here talking about knowledge of God he's talking about intimate knowledge of God the knowledge of relationship knowing this person it's what Jesus says is that nobody knows nobody except those to whom the son chooses to reveal and if you have a broken view of your sin and the grace of God that's offensive it's offensive if you don't think you're that bad if you don't think people are that sinful it's offensive for Jesus to have that kind of authority to determine who he's going to give the knowledge of the Father to if you don't think God is that holy or that just then you'll be offended but the Bible does say that God is the one who chooses to save he's the one that has the will and the choice to save what does Ephesians chapter 1 say what he predestined us to adoption as sons right and it says why why did he predestined us to adoption as sons it says all to the praise of what his glorious grace all to the praise of His grace and in Ephesians 2 it says to that same people the same context it says this says you were dead in your sins and trespasses by nature children of Wrath and he says this but God but God he says you were dead God made you alive by grace you've been saved predestined dead people made alive by God saved by grace through faith and that not of yourselves it is a gift of God not according to works lest any man should boast that's what the Bible teaches about the grace of God anyone to whom the son chooses to reveal you see it throughout the Bible let's go quickly Acts chapter 11 I want you to see one little verse here Acts chapter 11 look how the Apostles interpret God bringing people to himself Acts chapter 11 acts 11 verse 18 after the Gentiles come to Jesus after having the gospel presented it says when they heard these things they fell silent and they glorified God saying then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life watch just quickly it's easy to capture right these Gentiles believe in Jesus and the response of the churches Wow they believe in Jesus now I guess God granted them repentance in the life God did that God granted them repentance when you've come to Jesus and believed the proper response from it for a Christian to see it is Wow God granted them life God granted them repentance that's what God did otherwise we wouldn't believe he wouldn't see we would run from God the fact that any person turns to Jesus is a miracle don't you see it watch every one of you in this room including me the fact that you're in this room today listening to these words as though they had any meaning to you at all loving Jesus being grateful for God's grace the only reason you believe is that God granted you life think about how intimate this intimate intimate this is you got to hang on to this when God feels far from you when you feel like he's done with you when you feel lost when you feel like God isn't concerned with you remember this if you trust in Jesus it means that Jesus chose to reveal the father to you it's the only reason you believe because Jesus stepped into your darkness and he gave you life that is what the Bible teaches you want more proof of it fine first Corinthians chapter 1 I want you to see it again it's the consistent testimony of all of Scripture 1st Corinthians chapter 1 verse 18 for the word of the Cross is falling foolishness to those who are perishing but to us who are being saved it is the power of God for it is written I will destroy the wisdom of the wah eyes and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart watch where is the one who is wise where is the scribe where is the debater of this age has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world for since in the wisdom of God the world did not know God through wisdom it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe for Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom but we preach Christ crucified a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles nothing's changed but to those who are called both Jews and Greeks Greeks Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God for the foolishness of God is wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than men some dangerous language from Paul right there that's dangerous talk right there the foolishness of God dangerous but that matches perfectly with Jesus saying father I thank you that you hid these things from the wise and you reveal them to children Paul says the same thing blinded hardens darkened in their understanding and our message is foolishness I sometimes reflect when I see people mocking the message that we preach I'll be transparent when you see people in the world hearing your message and saying lunatic cult member freak liar idiot fool you hear those things and you think how could you think that how could you possibly think that about this message you preaching to people outside of an abortion clinic or at work you're saying repent believe the gospel Jesus died for sins and rose from that come to him for life you know like it's so stupid why am I gonna give a light to that like I believe in Jesus I'm going to believe in a guy that died 2,000 years ago and some book written by scruffy nerf-herder 'he's I don't want to listen to that right it was seriously Bronze Age nonsense like I'm gonna listen to this garbage I don't believe in that nonsense you believe in a book written by men 2,000 years ago I'm a guy who died on a cross give me a break why would I believe in that nonsense and you go I see it it's folly to them and yet I see it and it's everything I see Jesus and he's everything he's a substance of what all of life is about he's a treasure to be sought above all treasures he is glorious but watch that message goes out and he goes out to some and they're like idiot and it goes out to others no like wow for me he did it for me he died for my sins and that one thing is the grace of God and Jesus says thank you and no one's going to see it unless I choose to reveal it and then Jesus call and I'm just really going to read it and I'm not really gonna unpack it much today I just want you to hear it because watch Jesus says it's powerful he says thank you Father that you hid it from them and revealed it to them and no one's going to know it unless I choose to reveal it to them and then watch he says come to me all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you'll find rest for your souls for my yoke is easy my burden is light he just said blinding some thank you for giving it to them no one's going to see it unless I reveal it and then watch this the call goes like this come to me everyone who's burdened who's weary and you think for a second well Jesus you're the one has to you're the one that has to you have you're the one who has to do it right like you you have to show it to them but the call goes out and you notice it's in the same text watch we're all there just go back a backup of space just reverse 11:15 Jesus says watch he who has ears to hear let him hear he says it also in mark 4/9 it's in Revelation three six watch you get this statement whoever has ears to hear let him hear and you're like that's weird is Jesus speaking to crowds of people where some of them literally have like no ears they're walking around with it's like just skin over this like like that's the weirdest thought ever it's creepy right people are walking around there's no ears it's like literally just skin grafted over and they can't hear nothing right it's so weird but he says it he says whoever has ears to hear let him hear you think well wait that's weird because they all got these things on our heads so what whatever do you mean Jesus and Jesus does that he calls into crowds of people where he has his people that he has chosen to reveal himself to and he calls out generally to them whoever wants rest come and find it whoever's weary come to me and then he says whoever has ears let him hear and some people in a crowd go huh wait what what you say oh okay how come like all of it you see some people turn the other way and not believing within some go yes okay I'm coming like all of a sudden people are coming and hearing and other ones are turning around going I didn't understand a thing he just said right he's telling parables and his followers you're like I get it like I understand I love people turning away and Jesus says the same thing about you sorry I'm John 10 it's powerful he's preaching about him being The Good Shepherd who lays his life down for the Sheep for the Sheep other sheep I have which are not of this fold them I must also bring and they will be one flock with one Shepherd and then there's people there going excuse me Jesus hey if you're the Messiah tell us plainly and Jesus says I told you he says and the reason you don't hear me is because you are not of my sheep he says my sheep hear my voice and they come and I give them eternal life there in my hand and nothing can snatch them from my hand there in my father's hand and nothing can snatch them from my father's hand - double grip of the father and the son you ain't getting out but it's amazing he says go he says I told you and you can't hear me because you don't belong to me that's the glory of God's sovereign grace and what you need to hear and that is not some abstract theological reform gymnastics where you just start beating people up with a sovereignty of God you need to allow it to be an intimate detail you are acquainted with if you believe in Jesus it's because God loved you and you can watch you probably heard that too much you just kick that out - you're jaded to that - no he loves you and he chose to give intimate knowledge of himself to you so that he would know you and you would know him forever and he would never lose you and he made sure that there was a point in your life where he directed your feet to a particular place where you could hear his voice and then you would go huh what he were in your mess and your sin and brokenness you were blind and you were saying no to God you were chasing down something else and all of a sudden the voice came into your life in your heart transformed and you looked up and you said I can hear oh my goodness I can see how come I couldn't see this before I couldn't hear it before and behind all of that was a sovereign God wielding all of the details of your life to put you into a place where you were right in his grip and that's the glory of it God's people hear his voice and so let me say it to you now in this room come to me all who labor and are heavy-laden and I will give you rest take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you'll find rest for your souls for my yoke is easy my burden is light are you weary do you feel heavy like do you feel like a heavy burden you're carrying sin self-righteousness brokenness are you heavy laden Jesus says come I'll give you rest you want to stop being so tired do you want to just rest and you notice watch this that rest isn't Jesus saying rest some day Jesus says come now I'll give you rest and I want to say watch it's the side final thought if my walk with Jesus this is significant if my walk with Jesus isn't a walk with Jesus that is can be expressed in terms of rest and comfort then something is distorted and the nature of what I think about them something is messed up in terms of how I think about God or whether I actually know God if I'm not experiencing rest in the Messiah because what Jesus gives to people is rest are you resting or are you still heavy laden are you still burdened or are you resting because Jesus says this is what he gives eternal life when you believe this is what he gives rest comfort for your souls this is what he gives peace with God so what are you holding on to what's stopping you from resting as a child of God that's been called by Jesus and brought into relationship with him what's stopping you from being comfort as a child of God what are your distractions what are you burdening yourself with what are you not believing about Jesus what do you not understand about his love for you that you're still burdened you still feel no rest you still feel no peace because I'll tell you right now you're not following the Jesus of the Bible if you're still heavy laden and not comforted and not at peace so what you ought to do if you do believe in Jesus and you are weighed down is you ought to right now repent where you sit until you experience that comfort and peace and then daily you walk in the joy of that comfort because this Messiah gives rest to his sheep he doesn't burden them he doesn't destroy them he doesn't beat them he brings him into an eternal rest not some day when he turns you to himself he gives you rest why aren't you resting let's pray father we can only thank you in this moment for the revelation of your grace they can only confess to you that we have nothing nothing nothing to put at your feet we have no good deeds we have no righteousness that avails we have no boast we have nothing we have controlled nothing we have authority over nothing in terms of your world God and you have saved people that just do not deserve you and God I pray right now for those in this room who have been blinded I pray for those in this room who belong to you that they would have ears to hear and I pray God in this moment you would give your people rest please give us rest enjoy grant faith God for your glory in Jesus name Amen

Channel: Apologia Studios

Views: 92,194

Rating: 4.7112947 out of 5

Keywords: jeff durbin, apologia church, calvinism, calvinist movie, john piper, james white debate, calvinism debate, calvinism refuted, doctrines of grace, matt chandler, calvinism vs arminianism, leighton flowers, r.c. sproul, mark driscoll, michael brown debate, calvinism exposed, calvinism documentary, james white calvinism

Id: l_XFdlOhTJg

Length: 74min 10sec (4450 seconds)

Published: Wed May 17 2017