The Church of Eleven22 - Wk 23: God’s Outstretched Arms

Episode Date: June 24, 2018

Do you hear? Do you understand? Will you surrender and fall into the outstretched arms of your Heavenly Father?

Amen, amen and amen. Hey, church, before we read our passage from Romans, could we show a little encouragement and love to Ms. Ryan Page who's sitting right over here on the front row here at San Pablo. You didn't think we were just showing X-Factor clips. Oh, look, come on. They stood for you. They're at the back.

That's good. Hey, before I read from Romans chapter 10, I want you to know that Ryan is the personification of the doctrines that we have been studying, particularly in Romans 8 and Romans 9, that God is gloriously sovereign not only over our circumstances, but more importantly sovereign over our salvation.

And she is a picture of what it looks like for God to be working in all things for the good of those that love him and are called according to his purposes. And what the world sees as primarily a limitation, God uses in a glorious way to show the outstretched arms of a loving father for his lost children. Amen? That's why studying something like the Book of Romans matters so much. These are not just cold dead doctrines that belong in the classrooms of seminaries and on the desk of theologians.

But they belong in our hearts so that we can know who this God is that we love and we serve. And that's why we're diving deep into the Book of Romans. And so with that in mind, if you would please stand for the reading of God's word, I'm going to read from Romans chapter 10. I'm only supposed to preach on 18 to 21, and I'm going to back up to 13 just for a little bit of context. God's word says this, beginning in Romans 10, 13. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed, and how are they to believe in whom, in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?

And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news. For they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us? So faith comes from hearing and hearing through the Word of Christ. But I ask, have they not heard? indeed they have for their voice has gone out to all the earth and their words to the ends of the world but i asked did israel not understand first moses says i will make you i will make you jealous of those

who are not a nation with a foolish nation i will make you angry then isaiah is so bold as to say i have been found by those who did not seek me i have shown myself to those who did not ask for me. But of Israel, he says, all day long, I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people. Would you pray with me? Our good and gracious Heavenly Father, you are good and you are gracious and you are sovereign over all things. You've never been surprised. You've never been caught off guard. You've never said, uh-oh. And yet, God, in our limited perspective, we have such a hard time understanding how all of those things are true. And God, that is why, without faith, that is impossible to please you. So, God, I pray that our services this day would be pleasing unto you. God,

I pray that you would remove me that folks would only see Jesus. We prayed in Jesus' name, amen. And of all our locations you may be seated. I thought it would be a good idea at this point to just recap Romans. I've been out of town for the past couple of weeks, and also can we courage all the brothers, the campus pastors and the teaching pastors that handle the Word of God so well the last couple of weeks.

And so, just as a recap, the Book of Romans, we're 23 weeks in, and the Book of Romans is primarily a missionary support letter from Paul to the Church of Rome to raise support for his missionary journey to Spain. And essentially, the book of Romans could be divided into three different sections. There's section one to eight.

And chapter one to eight is section one. And it is primarily about the justification by faith alone, by grace alone, in Christ alone. That's what the whole thing is about. And then we get to section chapter 9 through 11, the second section. And it primarily answers the question, okay, if chapters 1 through 8 are true. then answer this. So what about God's chosen people, the nation of Israel, who by and large have rejected God's plan of salvation for the world? How do you explain that, Paul? And then you get to chapters 12 through 16, which are essentially living out the gospel with one another. Those are the

three sections. And so chapter one through eight, you remember we kicked it off, it feels like a year ago, but beginning of this year, it was the thesis of the book of Romans is this, verse 16 and 17, for I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith as it is written, the righteous shall live by faith. And then we get to chapter 2 when we find out that it's God's kindness that leads us to repentance. And that God's ultimate kindness was demonstrated to us by his only begotten son being sent to die

in our place. And in Romans chapter two, as Paul is writing to a church with Gentiles and Jews are living together, he redefines what it means to be a true Jew or a true chosen one or the people of God. If you don't like those terms, pick your own term. But he redefines what it means in chapter two. And he says that the children of the promise or true Jews are not people that obey the law. It's not about the circumcision of the flesh. Remember we talked about circumcision. We said circumcision about 115 times in about four weeks. But it's those who by faith of the circumcision of the heart put their faith in the promise of God who is Jesus.

And then there's a problem with that, though. Romans chapter 3, there's an almighty, holy, and just God. And we are sinful, disobedient people. And how in the world did those two things become reconciled to one another? in Romans chapter 3 tells us that that we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God every single one of us by nature and nurture have missed the mark and that the heart of the problem is that we got a problem in our heart

the problem is not that we tell lies the problem is that we are liars and so Romans 3 lets us know that because God is just all sin must be paid for but because of God's mercy, that payment has been delayed. And because of God's grace, he makes the payment for us. That he is just and the justifier. That is the essence of the gospel. Then we find out in Romans chapter 4 that the children of Abraham are to have the fate of Abraham.

We find out in Romans chapter 4 that Abraham believed in God and it was counted to him or credited him or imputed to him as righteousness, that there's no works of the law or there's no human endeavor that could ever accomplish a right standing with God, but it's by faith alone that we believe. We find out in the book of James that because of Abraham's faith that God considered him a friend. That's what he's talking about here. And that if we are going to be, if we are going to be God's chosen people or if we're going to be children of the promise, that it is not about a rules-based religion rooted. in our own self-righteousness, it is about a relationship with God through the righteous act of Christ

on the cross. By the time we get to Romans chapter 5, we find out that God's motivation for this is his own glory. And that nothing glorifies God more than God's love for God's self poured out toward us at the cross, that God demonstrates his love for us and this, that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, which means that the Bible that tells us that the gospel is not simply practical. It's not just sweet eternal fire insurance so you don't go to hell when you die. Because I'll tell you, hell is hot and forever's a long time, okay? But it's more than that, that the gospel is beautiful.

And if you want to know if God loves you, you don't look at your circumstances. You look at your Savior on the cross. And that ultimately and finally demonstrates his love for us. By the time we get to Romans chapter 6, we find out that every single one of us are on one of two teams. We were all born on this one team, Team Adam, that we are a son of Adam, which means that we have inherited a genetic disorder or disease called sin. And there is only one cure, and the only cure for that genetic disease of sin is the gospel of Jesus Christ. And then Paul says in Romans chapter 6, so if we are dead to sin and alive in Christ, how then can we continue to live in that sin?

And if you've been a Christian a long time, you're like, yeah, you tell them, Paul. And then the problem, though, that we find at the end of Romans chapter 6, Paul kind of wades around in in Romans chapter 7, he goes, except there's this one problem, and the problem is still me. Because I love Jesus, yes, I do, I love Jesus, how about you, but I still got this sin stuff in my life. Anybody with me on that? Huh? Anybody? All right? You got honest people, and then liars, all right?

non-participants. That's all right. And Paul, he says, listen, I got a problem. I wake up every day and I want to do good and I can't pull it off. And there's this stuff that I hate to do and I hate about me and I just do it over and over and over. What is wrong with me? And his conclusion is this. What a wretched man I am. And then he asked this question, who will deliver me? me. Notice, he did not say, what must I do to be delivered? It's not a what, it's a who. Romans chapter 7 ends this way, and who will deliver me? And then he says, thank God for Jesus Christ, my deliver. And then we get into the great eight. We were there for a month. And it starts out, Romans 8 chapter 1, therefore now, therefore now, because of what Christ has done on my behalf,

because of Christ's perfect life, because of Christ's death on the cross, his right, righteousness is credited to me or counted to me. And therefore now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. That the enemy will over and over and over whisper in your ear, God is done with you. You are unfit for use because of what you have done. And God looks at the enemy and goes, you shut up. Therefore now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Why?

And here's why. Because we have not been given a spirit of slavehood. because, so we fall back into fear, but we have been given a spirit of the sun that we would cry out, Abba Father, and that God is working in all things, that all things work together, that God works all things for the good of those that love Him and are called according to his purpose. What do you mean by all things? Maybe some of the all things are covered in Romans chapter 7, you know all that stupid stuff you're ashamed of? You know, you know all those terrible decisions that you made? you know all those times you took your eyes off Jesus and you did things your way that the sovereign God of the universe can even use our own sin and work those things together for his glory that God is working in all things for the good of those that love him are called according to his people and you go God how in the world could you do that and he goes here's how because those whom he foreknew he predestined and those whom he predestined he called those whom he justified he glorified

and if God is for us, then who could be against us? And then the way Romans chapter 8 ended, it was like a freight train coming home, man. It ended on this crescendo, and I preached my brains out, and you stood there like this. This ain't a TPC, you understand? And because of these things, because of these things, no thing can separate us from the love of God. Because of what Christ has done for us, there's no thing that can separate you and I from the love of God. not things today, not things in the future, not things in the past, not things to come, not things in heaven, not things in hell, not things on this earth, not things under this earth.

No thing living, no thing dead. No thing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. Amen. And that's the first eight chapters of Romans. It's going awesome. Then you get to nine. And it gets weird. Notice I was out of town for chapter nine.

chapter 9 through 11 this is where we are now fundamentally answer this question all right paul if romans 1 through 8 is true then how do you explain god's chosen people israel that if by and large rejected the messiah in other words what they're asking is how can we trust romans 1 to 8

did god's promises fail and chapter 9 10 and 11 are fundamentally answering that question with no way they did not fail and paul starts out Romans 9 this way, he says that his heart breaks for his brothers and sisters who don't know Jesus. 9 2 says this, that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart, for I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsman

according to the flesh. And then he says, and the hard part to reconcile here is, is that that God's chosen people, that Israel, they had a head start on the rest of the world, and they still missed the point. I mean, they had the scriptures, and they had the law, and they had the prophets, and they had the sacrificial system, and they had the Day of Atonement. And yet they got all hung up in the religious doings and the rules. And they were three feet away from the Almighty God in the flesh, and they missed him. And so then what he does is,

he once again he gives a new definition in romans chapter nine he gives a new definition of the chosen people of what israel mean when the bible talks about all israel will be saved or what a true jew or the children of the promise again use whatever term you feel good about he says this in verse six of chapter nine for not all who are descended from israel belong to israel but children of the promise are people of faith and then he uses in the middle of chapter 9 he uses multiple examples from the Old Testament to illustrate the doctrine of God's unconditional election

that it is by God's grace that we are saved and nothing else and then he concludes chapter 9 this way with these words chapter 9 verse 30 what shall we say then that Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is a righteousness that is by faith, but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law?

And essentially his answer is, yep, that's exactly what I'm saying. Why is that? Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone. Let me tell you, let me tell you when that theology becomes real. When I go to Israel, each opportunity I get, and I go to the Western Wall, the Wailing Wall, where folks are praying like you've never seen people pray before, and you read Romans Chapter 9 standing there, and you say, okay, Paul, you mean to tell me that Gentiles who did not

pursue a righteousness. You know what this means? Let me just put this in my own translation. All right. You mean like rednecks from Dylan, like me, have attained a righteousness. Look, I don't have any kind of religious pedigree. I didn't grow up in church. My dad isn't from the right tribe. My daddy drove a lance truck. He was a cracker stacker, his whole life. All right? We weren't reading the scroll of the Torah. We didn't even go to church on Sunday. We went fishing on Sunday. And I wasn't looking for Jesus.

When God saved me, I wasn't on some kind of spiritual journey. All right? You know what? I was trying to reconcile community service hours. That's how I ended up cutting grass at camp. A little bit different journey than going to the Western Wall every day to pray. And you mean to tell me, Jobie from Dylan, this uneducated redneck, knows nothing and is not looking for God. You mean he is in these people?

I mean, if you see these people, you will see a religious, ferociousness that you have never seen before in your life. You never prayed that hard. They wake up every day and do what Deuteronomy 6 says, and they tie straps around their arms and around their head, and they go to this place and they pray and pray and pray and read the Bible and read the Bible. And you mean to tell me, Paul, those guys that do this all day, every day, don't get it, but a nobody like me from nowhere gets it. Paul goes, that's exactly what the gospel teaches. Because it is not by works that you were saved.

It is by grace through faith. But he's not just making a theological argument here. You see, Paul's heart is revealed. Because you can't stop at nine. You've got to keep going to 10. And in 101, he says this, brothers, notice this language, brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they might be saved. That Paul's heart is breaking and it leads him to pray.

See, when I go to the Western Wall, I don't know any of these people. I don't know any of them. But when Paul sees his kinsmen pursuing a righteousness by their own works, his heart breaks because they literally are his brothers and sisters and aunts and uncles and cousins. I mean, do you have some people in your life that your heart breaks for like that? Do you have, I have some people in my life and I'm like, why don't you just get it? I see it so clearly. God loves you so much.

Jesus died on the cross for you, and he loves you, it counted for you. And they're just like, I don't know. And I'm like, oh, my gosh, I just want to rip their mouth open and take the gospel and jam it down in their soul. Just believe. That's Paul. That's his heart here. and then as we move into chapter 10 where paul then begins to go is this he's praying he's praying that his brothers and sisters would quit tripping over the robes of their own self-righteousness

and they would receive the righteous gift offered by jesus on the cross and then and then the doctrine of unconditional election in chapter 9 leads paul to unparalleled evangelism in chapter 10. The doctrine of God's unconditional election that God is sovereign over our salvation in nine leads Paul in chapter 10 to say, therefore, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be safe. So we should tell everyone about the gospel of Jesus Christ. You see, it's crazy, man. In church, in church, people have set up in these two camps. It's either God is sovereign or man is responsible. The Bible does not make that distinction. The Bible says God is sovereign over our salvation and man is responsible to respond to the gospel of Jesus Christ. According to the Bible,

why do people go to heaven? Because of God's grace. And why do people go to hell? Because they reject the grace of God. You see, chapter 9 and 10, they hold in parallel and without tension the sovereignty of God in our salvation and the responsibility of man to respond. Therefore, this is where we were last week. Therefore, we better sin and we better preach so that people can hear so that they can believe because everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be safe. Verse 11, everyone who believes, everyone who believes. If you're here, you belong to the everyone category.

You realize that? Verse 12, there's no distinction between the Jew and Gentile because Jesus, is Lord of all. That you're part of the all category. Verse 13. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. This is where we were last week, verse 14, and how then will they call on him in whom they have not believed,

and how are they to believe in whom they have never heard, and how are they to hear without someone preaching, and how are they to preach unless they are sent as it has written, how beautiful are the feet of those who preach good news. You want some beautiful feet? You can paint them up all you want to, ladies. I ain't ever seen a beautiful foot in my life. you understand?

According to the gospel, beautiful feet are people that live their life to share the gospel with people. And he's quoting, here's the thing, man. Paul is quoting Isaiah, the beginning of Isaiah 52, and the end of 52 and all of 53 is the clearest declaration of the gospel in all of the Old Testament. People call it the fifth gospel, that he was pierced for our transgression, he was bruised for our iniquities. By his stripes, we are healed. And so Paul says you take that message everywhere you go. But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?

So faith comes from hearing and hearing through the Word of Christ. Now back to the original issue that Paul is dealing with in 9 through 11. Has God been faithful to his chosen people? Now here's the thing. We can spend the rest of our time together talking about Israel's place in God's plan. salvation but I think we've covered it here and we will cover it some more in chapter 11 but I think it would be more helpful for us to turn our attention to us and here's why I say this because I think there's a lot of similarities between the first century Israelites and the 21st century evangelical

church attender because just like there's a whole bunch of people in the first century First century Israelites that they believed that based on their birthplace and heritage that they were somehow automatically in. And I'm telling you, there's a whole bunch of people in our church today. And you grew up in church. And you grew up good at being good. And I'm afraid that there will be hundreds of people at 1122 today that don't know Jesus. that don't know Jesus, but you know church. And you grew up with the great advantage of growing up in church.

Listen, it's a great advantage to, listen, I'm raising my kids in church. I mean, you better believe it. I'm going to take the word of God and like an anchor in their soul, just set that thing in their heart so that when they grow old, they will not depart from it. And as parents, we lovingly bring like kindling around the hearts of our children, but it is only the Spirit of God that can ignite that love for him. And my fear is, man, my fear is.

And I mean real fear. Like this kind of thing keeps me up at night. It's thinking that on a weekend like this weekend, there literally would be hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people that have a whole lot in common with who Paul is writing here too in Romans chapter 10, the end of the chapter. That there's a whole bunch of people. And you've heard the message and you've been around it your whole life

and you just assumed because your grandma was in that you were in. and that you could, for years, you could sit under the teaching of the gospel over and over and over and think that it's by your own good deeds that you were saved and die and spend an eternity apart from Christ. And it freaks me out. And I think it freaks Paul out too. And so I think that's why he ends Romans chapter 10 aiming at the religious people. Verse 18, he says, but I ask, this is the point. part that I'm supposed to be preaching on, so here we are, finally. He said, but I ask, have they not heard?

And then he goes, indeed they have. And then he quotes Psalm chapter 19. He says, for their voices going out to all the earth and their words to the end of the world. Psalm chapter 19 is about God's general revelation displayed through creation. And essentially, he's like, listen, everywhere there's been a synagogue, everywhere in the known Jewish world at this point, of course they've heard the message. They've seen it in creation.

The prophets foretold it. John the Baptist proclaimed it, and Jesus proved it with the resurrection. So of course they've heard. So we ask another question. Verse 19. But I asked, did Israel not understand? First, Moses says, I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation. With a foolish nation, I will make you angry.

I think a part of what he's doing is he's saying, hey, the five things that were required in the previous paragraph have been there all religious people to meet Jesus. The people have been sent, people have preached the gospel, they have heard, now they just need to believe and call. And then essentially what he's saying here is this, hey, it's not an IQ issue. He says a foolish nation will believe, which means this, even dumb Gentiles like me can wrap our minds around the idea that salvation is a gift from God and is not based

on our own activity. But these religious zealots somehow can't get over their own good works, they think that Somehow they have put God in their debt and God owes them something. So he keeps going. Verse 20. And then Isaiah is so bold as to say, I have been found by those who did not seek me. I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me. This is Isaiah chapter 65, verse 1.

And here's what he's saying. He's going, hey, pay attention, church people. Pay attention, religious people. You know the grace that those pagan people need? You know the grace that God shows? You know what I'm talking. Those pagan, non-believing, lost, beer drinking, cigarette smoking, chewing, and dipping and you know, watching rated R movies and tattoo having secular music listening to.

You know those people. You know the grace required to save those people? Religious people are like, yeah. Paul was like, do you know you need that same grace? That they need to be saved from sex drugs and rock and roll and you need to be saved from Sunday school. Christian radio. I mean, those of you that grew up in church, man,

you don't say bad words. You've created your own. You're like, son of a biscuit. You know, you got those things. You got the fish on your car, one for every member of your family. Nothing but Family Safe Radio for you. and you're not watching rated R movies unless Jesus return and you get left behind. No way.

You were all confused when Passion of the Christ came out. You're like, what do we do? It's rated R, but it's kind of about Jesus. I don't know what to do. You're in multiple disciple groups, and you go to every campus we have, and you've got one more for each one, and you do all of that sort of stuff. And somehow you think because of those things, you're like, I must be in. And Paul says, if that's what you think, you don't get it.

because the same grace that a wretch like me needs and the kid that grew up in church this whole life, you need it just as bad. And then it turns, and then it turns. But of Israel, he says, all day long, I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people. So Paul's answering the question, is God unfaithful?

And he goes, no way. God, God's not unfaithful. even when his people, whether we're talking about first century Israelites or we're talking about 21st century church folk, that God always remains faithful. Now let me just be honest with you. Verses like this right here, scare me to death as one of your pastors and elders. Scares me to death. I mean, I'm telling you, I shed tears over this. I didn't mean to sign up for the fastest growing church in America.

I just, you know, group of guys got together, so we'll preach the word, we'll sing. our faces off, we'll open the Walmart, we'll see what happens. I didn't know what's going to turn into this. And you know what scares me to death? Is that, yeah, it may be going good and everybody attends all the events and stuff. But what if, what have we got hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people? And on the outside, they do everything, you do everything we ask you to do, but on the inside, you've never actually surrendered your life to Jesus.

And I think what Paul is talking about, Paul is talking about it at a macro level. He's talking about Gentile nations and the nation of Israel. but I think it might help us if we look at it at the micro level, at the individual level. One of the best places in Scripture that I know that covers this is John Chapter 18. John Chapter 18. I'm going to read through it, and then I will unpack it. This is when Jesus goes to the Garden of Gassimini on the night that he was betrayed. John Chapter 18 says this.

When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the brook, Kidron, where there was a garden. which he and his disciples entered. Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place for Jesus often met there with his disciples. And so, Judas, having produced a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. And then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him came forward and said to them, whom do you seek?

By the way, that might be the most important question you'll ever be asked. in your life whom are you seeking verse 5 and they answered him Jesus of Nazareth and Jesus said to them I am he and Judas who betrayed him was standing with them and when Jesus said to them

I am he they drew back and they fell on the ground so he asked them again whom do you seek and they said Jesus of Nazareth and Jesus answered I told you that I am he so if you seek me let these men go this was to fulfill the word that he had spoken of those whom you gave me, I have lost not one.

Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malkus. So Jesus said to Peter, put your sword into its sheath. Shall I not drink the cup that the father has given me? So to illustrate this text, I want to bring out four chairs. And the reason I want to bring out four chairs is because in this account, I don't want to call it a story because it's not like a, it's not like a fairy tale, but it's an actual event. But in this event, there were, there were four, at least four kind of players or participants

in this event. Thanks, fellas. There are, there's Jesus, there's Peter, there's Judas, and there's a crowd. And essentially, what I want you to be thinking for the next 20 minutes or so is, so which chair am I sitting in? And the reason I want you to ask this question is because I ask this of our church all the time. Now there are two chairs, there are two participants in this that for me are pretty easy to identify. You see, there's like the Jesus chair, all right?

And I know some of you, the moment we brought them out, you're like, I'm sitting in the Jesus chair. All right, well, good for you. And honestly, hopefully there are times, there are seasons in your walk with the Lord. What I mean by the Jesus chair is this, is that Jesus in the Garden of Cassimini was just this. not my will, but your will be done. And I pray like crazy that there are seasons in your life where you are surrendered to the will of God. That you are growing in Him. God is sanctifying you to be more and more like Him.

And you could not with any pride whatsoever, but you could honestly say, I am with the power of the Holy Spirit, rooted in the blood of Jesus, that I have surrendered my life. I have surrendered my will to the Father. This one's pretty easy to identify. On the other extreme, there's the crowd. This is a group of people that showed up with torches and swords. They came to arrest Jesus.

Now, my guess is there may not be a whole bunch of you attending our church here today that are in the anti-Jesus camp. But if you are, God will bless your ministry. I hope you're here, all right? If you come twice, watch out. It'll get on you. Okay? Now, here's the thing that kind of scares me about this crew is they know who Jesus is,

and they revere Jesus. They just don't have a relationship. with him. Because they show up and they don't recognize him, but he says, who you looking for? And they say, we're looking for Jesus. And he goes, I am. And they fall down. You know what this means? There's a bunch of people in the South that kind of know who he is and revere him. They just don't know him. But there will be this day where every knee will bow. Here's your two options with Jesus, church. Ready? You can bow or you can bow. There you go. You bow now, then he will lift you up when he returns. If you don't, when he returns, you're going to fall on your face.

And so that's this crowd. This one doesn't scare me too much. This is what freaks me out. This is what I literally stay up at night and cry over. Because between the Peter seat and the Judas seat, how do you tell the difference? Up until this moment, I mean, they both followed Jesus for three years. If you followed them around for three years and you were taking notes on who is going to betray Jesus,

who is in and who is out, I think most of us would think it's Peter. I think based on his activity, I think most of us would be like, I don't think Peter's going to make it. I mean, Peter did some awesome stuff, but he did some stupid stuff too. This brother is a train wreck. I mean, look at the event that we're talking about in this passage. Peter steps up after he's been following Jesus for three years. Jesus said things like, pray for your enemy and love those who persecute you.

What does Peter do? on the night he's betrayed he's like i got you jesus he pulls out a sword and chops off a dude's ear he can't even get that right he's not going for the ear chop move he's trying to crack the guy's head open and he misses and then jesus picks up picks up the guy's ear and puts it back on his head and then looks at peter and it's like are you being serious right now this is a bunch of us isn't it we have good intentions we get all motivated at church get fired up i'm gonna do something tomorrow at work and then you look around your office there's just ears laying around everywhere you're like i think this is my fault i think i have done this oh my gosh i think my best evangelism strategy

is shut up i think that's what i need to do he's a train wreck i mean think about it he does some awesome stuff he walks on water he's the only disciple that walks on water right i think Matthew chapter 14 Jesus is walking water, Peter's like, me too. He's like, come on, big boy. And he walks on water. The Bible does not tell us how many steps. I think it's three. I think he was like, one, two, three.

And then he takes his eyes off of his Savior, puts it on his circumstances, and beginning to sink. He cries out, save me. And Jesus reaches out of his hand and goes, what is wrong with you? Why are you so afraid? All the other disciples are listening. Shortly after that, Jesus goes on a camping trip to Cessori of Philippa. They're up on the top of the... this ridge, and he says, who do people say that I am? Now, here's the thing you got to know about

Peter. He always speaks first. He always speaks most. And if you talk enough, sometimes you get something right. My daddy used to say, even a blind squirrel finds an acorn every once in a while. And Peter says, well, people think you're a prophet or whatever. He goes, who do you say that I am? And Peter goes, you're the Christ, the Son of a Living God. And Jesus is like, winter, winter, chicken dinner, you nailed it. Ding, ding, ding, ding. I'm changing your name to Petra Rocky. Dun-ton, da-da-da-da-da-ta-da-da. You are. You get a new nickname, brother. And upon this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.

And then Jesus goes on to share the gospel. He says, look, I'm going to be tried, handed over, beaten, flogged, crucified, dead, buried, and on the third day, resurrected. And you know what Peter does? The Bible says that Peter rebukes Jesus. That when Peter hears the gospel, he says, Jesus Christ, get over here. Not on my watch, you're not dying. And you know what Jesus calls him? He says, get behind me, Satan.

Now, if you're taking notes, you're like, I don't think Peter's going to make it. I don't think he's going to make our disciple group. Jesus just called him Satan. There's no level of counseling that will wipe that off of you. You understand? I mean, Thomas doubts a little bit here and there, but this brother is Satan. I don't think he's going to make it. Right after that, they go to the Mountain of Transfiguration.

This is one of my favorite screw-ups in the whole Bible. Jesus is there being transfigured. I don't even know what that means, but his divinity is exploding through his humanity. Matthew says that his face is shining like lightning. The spirit of God is there. God is speaking out loud. And Elijah, he's been dead a minute. Moses, he's been dead more minutes.

They are there having this conversation. And who talks first, who talks most? Peter six, his dumb head in the crowd and goes, it is good that we are here. Bro, maybe you shouldn't be talking right now, Satan. All right, you should shut up. The spirit of God leaves. He screws it up.

Multiple times he messes up miracles. I mean, he makes these promises. God, I would never leave you. I would never forsake you. I got you. I'm Rocky. And Jesus is like, bro, tonight before the alarm clock goes off, you'll deny me three times. He's like, not me.

Sure enough, man, he's warming his hands by this charcoal fire. This servant girl comes up to, hey, weren't you his? Uh-uh. Are you sure? Nope. Are you sure? And then the Bible says he curses. He goes, blank no.

And then right then, the rooster crows. weeps bitterly. Even post-resurrection. He has this breakfast with Jesus in John chapter 21. The boy's been fishing all night. Jesus shows up, resurrected Christ. He says, you call any fish? They can't call nothing. Try your nets on the other side. They do. And then boom, they catch 153 fish. John goes, man, this smells like Jesus. And so Peter puts his shirt back on and dives back in and swims up to meet Jesus. And as Jesus is restoring him to his seat of a pot. And he says, Apostle ship. He asked him three times. Do you love me? Do you love me? Do you love me? He's like, yeah, yeah. And he goes, therefore, follow me. He gives him kind of like a do-over. Really gives him a new life.

The first thing he ever said to him in his life was, follow me. And now, on those same seashores by the sea of Galilee, he says this again, you have not screwed this thing up forever, because my grace is bigger than you're screw-up. And then you know what Peter does? Well, what about John? What are you going to do with John? Can you imagine the frustration of Jesus? Are you being serious right now? Can you just shut up and just listen for a second. So I'm telling you, if you follow him around for three years, what Brad Press is Judas getting? I think we would look at this epic screw up and think, I think he's out. But you know why he's not out? Because even though he screwed up all the time, he trusted God. He trusted God. In John chapter 6, Jesus feeds like, somewhere between 5 and 15,000

people with like a happy meal. And let me just tell you, that will grow your ministry, okay? You do miracles, people show up. And so it is booming. And then by the time you get to the back half of John chapter six, I dare you to read it this afternoon. Then Jesus starts this like hard teaching, is what they call it. Jesus is right after the miracle, man, everybody's showing up and they're all full and they're loving it, you know, and they're waiting for the closing song. And Jesus is like, all right, one more thing. Unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood, then you have no heart with me. Now think about this, all you note takers on the front row. Can you imagine it be like, did you get eat your flesh? Oh my God. What? Maybe it's a parable. When he just keeps saying it over

and over and over. And people are like, well, listen, I'll eat the miracle food, but I ain't eat nobody's elbow. You understand? I just ain't. That's gross. I'm out. And the crowd begins to leave. Peter comes up and tells Jesus, hey Jesus, it ain't working. It ain't working. It ain't working. people are leaving because this is a hard teaching. And you know what? Jesus asks Peter, do you want to leave to? Now why does he ask this? Because he knows the heart of every man. He knows that Peter in his heart is doubting. Peter is like, I don't get it, man. I don't understand. I have made a horrible career decision.

I left a perfectly good fishing business to follow the like, you know, the cannibal cult guy here. This is not working out the way I thought. And Jesus says, you want to leave too? And Peter, with a whole bunch of doubts, Peter with a whole bunch of, like a resume of screw-ups already on his list, he says, where would I go? Where would I go? You're the only one that offers eternal life. And I know to walk away from you and to walk towards this world, this world has nothing for me and you have the only thing that I need. And so he picks up his doubts and he picks up his doubts and he picks up.

up his confusion and he picks up his unanswered questions. By the way, what Jesus is talking about with the eat my flesh and drink my blood thing, he's talking about communion. He's talking about communion as a picture of the gospel. Essentially what he's saying is, apart from the gospel, you have no part with me. And he doesn't even explain himself. He doesn't know like, oh, whoa, whoa, whoa, it's just communion. It's not, it's not, hey, just don't freak out, okay? It's not my blood. If you're Baptist, it's welches, and if you're Catholic, it's like the good stuff, okay? And you're just going to, it's cool, man, it's cool. And you don't have to like eat my flesh. It's just like this little, It's like a holy chicklet.

It's like a Jesus. Okay, it's just this little thing, and you're just sitting. It gets stuck to the roof of your mouth. It's no problem. It's glorious, but just, you don't actually have to bite me in the tricep, okay? He explains none of that. And yet, by faith, Peter follows, even though he's just screw up. And he follows just as long as Judas follows.

Judas is handing out the happy meal at the feeding of the 5,000, too. Judas is a part of the miracles. In fact, Judas has a job. He's the treasurer. He's on staff in Jesus Incorporated. He's kind of known as the wise one. There's this one part where this prostitute comes in the house and she's got this alabaster jar.

It was super expensive. And she breaks it and in worship, she pours it on the feet of Jesus. And you know what Judas says? Judas is like, I don't think we bring good stewards. If we were there, we would vote to put him on the board of trustees. Turns out, Judas followed. Judas did everything right.

But he didn't know Jesus. Church, this is what freaks me out. You could hang around Jesus' people your whole life. You could sit under the teaching of the gospel your entire life. You could know Jesus as a good moral teacher, and you could die and live a Christless eternity if you don't know him as Lord. And from my seat, I can't tell the difference. You all look like Christians to me.

Got your Romans journal out. You're taking notes. You move it. good parts of the sermon, you raise your hands, you're sponsoring kids, you do all the right things. But the key question here is do you know him? Because Judas didn't know it. You see, some people, some commentators, there's no real biblical evidence of this, but some commentators, it's just conjecture, say that really what Judas was doing is, is Judas believed that Jesus was the Messiah. And so he was just trying to flip the first domino so that Jesus would

really take over Jerusalem. C.S. Lewis, in his book, Screw Taped Letter, says one of the best ways to disillusion the church and church people is to make them think their Christianity is a means to a political end, no matter to the side of the aisle that you're on. And my fear, my fear is that you're sitting in this seat and you're a deacon, that you're sitting in this seat and you grew up in Sunday school, that you've been around him, you know all the verses, you're so good, man, you're so good at being good. And somehow you think your goodness puts God in your debt and he owes you. And you'll follow him until he doesn't give you what you want. And then you'll betray him for a kiss on the cheek and 30 pieces of silver.

And how do I know this? Matthew chapter 26. Matthew chapter 26, Judas only knew him as a teacher. Matthew chapter 26, verse 20, it says, when it was evening, Jesus reclined at the table with the 12. And as they were eating, he said, truly I say to you, one of you will betray me. And they, that's the disciples, they were very sorrowful, and they began to say to him, one after another.

Is it I, Lord? 11 times. Is it I, Lord? What about me? Curios, that's the Greek word for Lord. Is it I? 11 times. Is it I, Lord?

What about me? Am I the one that's going to betray you? Then you get to verse 25, in Judas, Judas, who would betray him answered. Is it I? Rabbi? I don't know how you tell the day. difference. I can't see your heart. And I pray for you. I try to pray for you like Paul's praying for his brothers and sisters. That my heart is in anguish for those of you that know every word I'm saying

right now but somehow don't know Jesus. My greatest fears is that I was standing before the Lord one day. Be like, all right, Lord, it went awesome, man. I mean, we opened up campuses everywhere you could, every corner in Jacksonville, thousands, tens of thousands of people were showing up. And yet every weekend, thousands of people sat there under the teaching of your gospel and they were entertained by the show and yet they missed an encounter with the living God that wants to be your friend. In Luke chapter 15, it's one of the most famous parables. We know it as the parable of the prodigal son, which means we don't understand the point of the parable. In the beginning of Luke chapter 15, the Bible lets us know that the religious people in our day would be the church people, that they were a bit aggravated

to Jesus because he hung out with sinners and tax collectors. He's like, what are they doing, hanging out with these people. And Jesus tells three parables back to back to back. And the most famous one we call the parable of the prodigal son. It really should be the parable of the prodigal father. Prodical means lavish. And the point of the parable is the lavish love of the father. And it's about a kid comes to his dad and he's like, I do what I want. Can you give me what's coming to me? Give me my inheritance and I'm out. And he gives it to him and he goes and squanders it away. And then in the rock bottom places of his life, he comes to his senses and he comes back home and in his mind he thinks I can earn my way back into my father's house so I can have my

needs taken care of and we love to preach this I love to preach that part and the father sees him from a long ways off and he runs after him and he gives him his righteousness he gives him his name he adopts him back into his family and he throws a party for the boy but the point of the parable is that he's got another son he's got an older son and the thing about the older son the older son is like the first century iserite that says no no no dad you owe me because of my birthplace and because of my behavior don't you owe me and the first son he says this in luke 1525 he was angry and he refused to go in he refused to go in to the party for his younger son and his father came out and entreated him that word entreated means like he begged him he pleaded with him

You see, the dad thoroughly humiliated himself when he chased after his younger son. He hiked up his robe. He ran. He hugged his sinful son. He got pig slop all over him. He humiliated himself in the eyes of the people for the sake of his younger son. And then when he leaves the party to go out and entreat his older son, he inhumiliates himself again. What are you doing begging that boy?

And so he's like, won't you come into the party? Of course we had to throw a party for your brother because he was dead now he's alive But listen this party is for you too he entreats him once you come to the party But the older son answers his father look these many years I have served you and I never disobeyed your command yet you never gave me even a young goat that I might celebrate with my friends He's like dad you owe me But when this son of yours came who's devoured your property with prostitutes you killed the fatty calf for him And hear the heart of the dad he said to him, son, you are always with me and all that is mine is yours.

You know what he's saying? He's saying the same thing that Paul is saying in 1021. He's saying all day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient contrary to people. I believe God put me on this planet to be like the dad here to entreat you to come to the Lord. That it is not by your works that you are saved. is by grace alone in Christ alone through faith alone. And that your father in heaven, no matter who you are, is standing before you today with his arms outstretched.

And he's going, won't you come? Won't you come? And I know if he can save a sinner like me, he can save you too. That God's love for you is demonstrated by Christ on the cross. And so no matter who you are or what you've done or how good you've been in your church attendance your whole life, won't you come? Which seat do you sit in? May we not be a church full of these kind of followers of Jesus who have never surrendered their life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, but won't you come into the party that God Almighty all day long has had his

arms stretched out for you? It's the way we're going to end our services at all of our campuses. It's going to be a little different. Now if you grew up in church, this will feel very very familiar. Just a second, when I begin praying at all of our locations, we're going to have our campus pastors and our associate campus ministers right down front. And in just a second, we're going to all stand up, and we're going to sing together. And as we are singing together, if you are ready to surrender your life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ for the very first time, then I dare you to step out of your seat and walk down

that aisle. And you're going to have one of our pastors is going to pray with you. And that prayer doesn't save you. walking down the aisle doesn't save you. What Christ did on the cross will be what saved you. And I get it. I get it. You say, well, it may be dangerous.

I mean, you know, people might not want to walk down. Well, listen, man, if you've grown up in church your whole life, it is your pride that has kept you on a destination apart from God. And I think it would be more dangerous to not offer a response to this kind of way. So all day long, God has had his arms outstretched to you. so I entreat you. Won't you come to the party? Would you please stand and pray with me?

Our good and gracious Heavenly Father, God, we love you because you love us first. And Lord, I pray for men and women and students who've known about you, but they've never known you, God. Would you open their eyes? God, may they hear the very first time the gospel saves and not our good work. God, may they believe, may they believe that when Jesus died on the cross, it counted for them. and may they confess you as Lord and Savior, and everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be safe. God, I pray that you do a mighty, mighty work.

I pray that you would draw men and women unto yourself and that we would know that it is your grace that saves us and nothing else. I pray it in Jesus' name. Amen.