1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,220 Six months. 2 00:00:01,220 --> 00:00:04,760 Now I mean shift dramatically, so much so, 3 00:00:04,760 --> 00:00:06,860 that the economy in which you live in now 4 00:00:06,860 --> 00:00:09,280 will not be the economy you'll want to live in, 5 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:12,440 let's say five years from now, or that you will live in. 6 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:15,020 It'll shift so dramatically like we've seen 7 00:00:15,020 --> 00:00:17,460 throughout history, where in the past, 8 00:00:17,460 --> 00:00:22,460 at one point we bartered with land and sheep and goats 9 00:00:22,980 --> 00:00:23,900 and cattle. 10 00:00:23,900 --> 00:00:28,020 This development was the idea of what somebody's real wealth 11 00:00:28,020 --> 00:00:30,360 was based upon livestock. 12 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:33,440 That's what you see during the days of the Old Testament. 13 00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:35,200 By the time you get into the New Testament, 14 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:38,280 there's a new form of currency, coinage, 15 00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:41,640 with special metals, silver and gold and copper 16 00:00:41,640 --> 00:00:44,120 and other metals in which they exchange. 17 00:00:44,120 --> 00:00:46,520 So the economy changed from that point 18 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:48,720 until the New Testament. 19 00:00:48,720 --> 00:00:53,720 And then from there, we went from coinage to paper. 20 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:57,240 We say that this green piece of paper is worth 21 00:00:57,240 --> 00:00:58,960 so many coins, right? 22 00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:01,080 And so now our economy is based, 23 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:03,400 and now the economy has shifted even more 24 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:06,640 to where now you don't necessarily get paid with paper, 25 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:09,240 you get paid with a number on an app 26 00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:11,760 and that number gets bigger every two weeks 27 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:15,920 and then it gets smaller and so that represents money to you. 28 00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:18,440 How many of you would like more of those numbers? 29 00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:21,520 Can I get an amen, right? 30 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:26,320 Give me more numbers. And then the economy shifts 31 00:01:26,320 --> 00:01:28,320 and it changes and some of you are thinking, 32 00:01:28,320 --> 00:01:30,240 I know what the next shift is, pastor, 33 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:33,160 you're gonna sell us cryptocurrency, no I'm not, 34 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:36,200 I'm not, this is not crypto, all right. 35 00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:38,860 What this is is Jesus having a conversation 36 00:01:38,860 --> 00:01:42,240 with his day and age and he says to the community, 37 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:45,240 the currency is about to change. 38 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:46,160 That's what he was doing, 39 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:48,960 he was talking to his disciples primarily. 40 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:50,200 And he said to his disciples, 41 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:52,480 you need to understand this reality. 42 00:01:52,480 --> 00:01:56,360 The reality is that the currency in which you've been given 43 00:01:56,360 --> 00:01:58,040 is going to shift dramatically. 44 00:01:58,040 --> 00:02:01,600 You've been putting all of your value in money, 45 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:04,840 but the life that is coming will have no money in it. 46 00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:07,760 And if you don't understand this currency shift, 47 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:09,640 you're gonna be left in the dust. 48 00:02:09,640 --> 00:02:11,160 So we don't live for this world, 49 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:12,000 we live for the next world. 50 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:14,920 Well, while Jesus was teaching all of this, 51 00:02:14,920 --> 00:02:16,800 he was teaching to his disciples. 52 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:18,760 I'm gonna say who was he teaching, you say his disciples. 53 00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:20,600 He was teaching his disciples. 54 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:22,200 Who was he teaching? 55 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:23,960 His disciples. 56 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:26,520 There were some people who were not followers of Jesus 57 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:29,720 who were listening in, they were called the Pharisees. 58 00:02:29,720 --> 00:02:34,720 And the Pharisees totally hated Jesus' message. 59 00:02:35,920 --> 00:02:38,200 And that's where we pick up in today's sermon. 60 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:40,400 Jesus is surrounded by his disciples, he told them, 61 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:42,680 we don't live for this world, we live for the next world. 62 00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:45,240 And the Pharisees were angry about this 63 00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:46,880 and you'll see why in verse 14. 64 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:48,280 In fact, if you have your Bible open, 65 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:50,800 look at Luke 16 and verse 14. 66 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:55,000 The Pharisees who dearly loved their money 67 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:59,120 heard all of this sermon and scoffed at Jesus. 68 00:02:59,120 --> 00:03:01,320 Let me ask you a question based upon the text. 69 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:03,680 Why did they laugh at Jesus' sermon? 70 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:05,560 Why did they laugh at Jesus' sermon? 71 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:08,320 Because they loved their money. 72 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:12,080 They loved their money. 73 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:16,160 Let's pray. 74 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:20,280 Father, I pray today simply that you would allow us 75 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:21,520 to see beyond the curtain. 76 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:25,880 I pray that you would allow us to see the tricks 77 00:03:25,880 --> 00:03:30,080 that are portrayed, that perpetrated upon mankind. 78 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:31,880 I pray that the men and the women in this room 79 00:03:31,880 --> 00:03:35,000 today would be above all of that trickery. 80 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:39,840 They would see beyond the slight hand movements of man 81 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:41,640 and the trickery of the devil. 82 00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:44,040 And allow us to see this truth, 83 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:47,200 that it really is a big deal, this new value system 84 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:48,960 that you give us. 85 00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:50,400 Bless us now as we look at it. 86 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:54,360 In the name of Jesus Christ we pray, amen. 87 00:03:56,320 --> 00:03:57,560 How were the Pharisees tricked? 88 00:03:57,560 --> 00:04:00,960 Well, very simply, that it was a big deal. 89 00:04:00,960 --> 00:04:01,800 What was the big deal? 90 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:05,960 Their sin, their sin, their sin was a big deal. 91 00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:08,000 Now the reason the Pharisees did not think 92 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:09,480 their sins were as bad as others 93 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:14,080 is because their sins were inward sins. 94 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:16,640 The other people had outward sins. 95 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:18,040 Are you like me? 96 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:21,280 How many of you don't like judgmental people? 97 00:04:21,280 --> 00:04:23,080 If you're like, that's me, Josh, 98 00:04:23,080 --> 00:04:25,400 I do not like judgmental people, raise your hand. 99 00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:27,320 You say, man, I do not, raise your hand. 100 00:04:27,320 --> 00:04:29,320 How many of you are like, I do not like judgment? 101 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:31,040 Some of you are like, I love judgmental people. 102 00:04:31,040 --> 00:04:31,880 I love them. 103 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:34,600 How many of you hate it when people are judgmental 104 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:35,440 toward you? 105 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:36,280 Can I get an amen? 106 00:04:36,280 --> 00:04:38,440 Sure, you say, I feel like there's a trap coming. 107 00:04:38,440 --> 00:04:39,520 There is. 108 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:43,440 By you raising your hand, make you a judgmental person. 109 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:45,440 I wasn't gonna say it, but now I am, all right. 110 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:50,720 Judgmentalism is extremely frustrating, right? 111 00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:54,520 It's so hard to hear somebody judgment against yourself 112 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:57,360 when somebody may not know your full story. 113 00:04:57,360 --> 00:05:01,640 The Pharisees were very judgmental, 114 00:05:01,640 --> 00:05:03,560 constantly looking down upon others. 115 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:04,720 And this is what's going on 116 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:06,880 whenever Jesus is talking with them. 117 00:05:06,880 --> 00:05:08,920 Jesus is attempting to teach them, 118 00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:13,280 look, your sin is a big deal, but they thought to themselves, 119 00:05:13,280 --> 00:05:15,680 my sin's not nearly as big a deal as their sin. 120 00:05:15,680 --> 00:05:17,200 Now religious people throughout history 121 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:19,080 have always made the same mistakes. 122 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:20,360 And if you come to church today, 123 00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:22,600 hopefully you'll learn not to make the same mistake. 124 00:05:22,600 --> 00:05:23,920 I try my best not to. 125 00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:25,840 And that is religious people who go to church, 126 00:05:25,840 --> 00:05:28,360 go to synagogue, go to mass, go to whatever. 127 00:05:28,360 --> 00:05:32,800 Oftentimes what we like to do, and if you're new to church, 128 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:35,080 you're gonna definitely resonate with this. 129 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:38,600 What we like to do is we like to maximize 130 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:40,760 how bad somebody else's sin is 131 00:05:40,760 --> 00:05:42,920 and minimize how bad our sin is. 132 00:05:44,640 --> 00:05:46,280 We like to point out and say, 133 00:05:46,280 --> 00:05:48,800 look at how you fill in the blank. 134 00:05:48,800 --> 00:05:50,560 And most of the time religious people 135 00:05:50,560 --> 00:05:52,600 get really upset with unreligious people 136 00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:53,760 about the things they do 137 00:05:53,760 --> 00:05:56,080 because they're all outward sins. 138 00:05:56,840 --> 00:05:58,600 They're sins of debauchery, 139 00:05:58,600 --> 00:06:01,120 or they're sins of sexuality, 140 00:06:01,120 --> 00:06:03,320 or they're sins of drunkenness, 141 00:06:03,320 --> 00:06:05,080 or they're sins of murder, 142 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:06,680 they're sins of stealing, 143 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:09,280 or thievery, or cheating, or whatever it might be. 144 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:11,480 And then religious people, 145 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:14,720 while they fight against those who have outward sins, 146 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:18,560 they privately cultivate inward sins. 147 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:24,480 Inside they've got pride and greed and envy and lust, 148 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:27,200 and it burns inside of them. 149 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:30,520 All the while, judging others for their sin. 150 00:06:30,520 --> 00:06:32,040 And Jesus is saying to them, 151 00:06:32,040 --> 00:06:35,720 look, your sin is a big deal. 152 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:38,160 What are the sins that they're dealing with in this passage? 153 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:40,840 You're gonna see it in verses 14 through 18. 154 00:06:40,840 --> 00:06:43,280 Now I've done a lot of introduction for this reason. 155 00:06:43,280 --> 00:06:45,760 We're only gonna study a few verses, 156 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:50,000 but they are a few verses that are extremely difficult 157 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:52,520 and very difficult to understand 158 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:54,320 if you take them out of context. 159 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:55,680 So what I really want you to do 160 00:06:55,680 --> 00:06:58,480 is really go deep with me today on a Sunday morning 161 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:02,560 and understand the depth of what Jesus is actually talking about. 162 00:07:02,560 --> 00:07:05,320 As Jesus is dealing with hypocritical people 163 00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:07,680 who are hiding their own inward sins 164 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:09,800 while judging everybody on the outside, 165 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:13,640 dealing primarily with a new value system. 166 00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:15,280 The three words that will navigate you 167 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:17,480 through today's sermon, what are they? 168 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:20,440 The three words you need to understand today's sermon. 169 00:07:20,440 --> 00:07:22,440 Number one, love. 170 00:07:23,360 --> 00:07:25,760 Number two, slave. 171 00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:29,680 Number three, twist. 172 00:07:30,680 --> 00:07:33,440 Love, slave, twist. 173 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:35,600 If you're ready for the actual Bible sermon, 174 00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:36,760 give me an amen. 175 00:07:37,760 --> 00:07:39,160 What are the inward sins of a Pharisee? 176 00:07:39,160 --> 00:07:41,320 Number one, the love of money. 177 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:42,880 What are the inward sins of a Pharisee? 178 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:45,880 Number one, the love of money. 179 00:07:45,880 --> 00:07:47,640 What was the first word I said we would talk about? 180 00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:48,480 What was it? 181 00:07:48,480 --> 00:07:49,400 Say it out loud. 182 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:52,680 Love, the love of money is what Jesus 183 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:54,160 is dealing with here today. 184 00:07:54,160 --> 00:07:56,680 Luke chapter 16 verse 14, the Pharisees 185 00:07:56,680 --> 00:07:59,240 who dearly loved their money. 186 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:01,240 What did the Pharisees love? 187 00:08:01,240 --> 00:08:02,080 Their money. 188 00:08:02,080 --> 00:08:04,640 They heard all of this and they scoffed at Jesus. 189 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:10,960 The word scoffed means to turn their nose up at it. 190 00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:16,880 Have you ever said something that was true 191 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:18,960 but there was somebody in the room that didn't trust you 192 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:21,200 and so they just kind of like, whatever, man. 193 00:08:22,280 --> 00:08:24,120 You're like, no, but really, like this is true. 194 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:25,080 This is Jesus now. 195 00:08:25,080 --> 00:08:30,080 Jesus says, look, let me tell you, life is short 196 00:08:30,080 --> 00:08:31,440 and there's a life to come. 197 00:08:31,440 --> 00:08:34,600 Therefore, use this life to prepare for the next life. 198 00:08:34,600 --> 00:08:36,840 And then his illustration was about money. 199 00:08:36,840 --> 00:08:38,600 You saw that in the previous sermon. 200 00:08:38,600 --> 00:08:41,800 Luke chapter 16 verses one through 13. 201 00:08:41,800 --> 00:08:45,240 And as he talked about money, the Pharisees were there 202 00:08:45,240 --> 00:08:49,560 and they turned their nose up, they scoffed at Jesus. 203 00:08:49,560 --> 00:08:50,400 Why? 204 00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:53,560 Because of the dynamic of the day. 205 00:08:54,680 --> 00:08:57,400 You see, Jesus, was he a rich man or a poor man? 206 00:08:57,400 --> 00:09:01,120 You tell me, Jesus, was he a rich man or a poor man? 207 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:01,960 He was a poor man. 208 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:02,960 In fact, the Bible tells us, 209 00:09:02,960 --> 00:09:05,200 even the Old Testament prophet said he would be poor. 210 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:08,320 Jesus was literally a homeless rabbi 211 00:09:08,320 --> 00:09:10,280 who traveled from village to village 212 00:09:10,280 --> 00:09:14,040 living off of whatever little offerings came in 213 00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:16,560 and whoever took their disciples in to feed them. 214 00:09:16,560 --> 00:09:19,440 That's how Jesus lived for three and a half years. 215 00:09:19,440 --> 00:09:20,720 That's what Jesus did. 216 00:09:20,720 --> 00:09:22,440 He was the son of a carpenter. 217 00:09:22,440 --> 00:09:25,440 So poor that when he was a child, 218 00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:28,000 that his parents did not actually give 219 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:30,720 the prescribed lamb in the sacrifice. 220 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:33,440 Instead, they were supposed to give two turtle doves. 221 00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:35,320 This signified these two turtle doves. 222 00:09:35,320 --> 00:09:38,080 It was the cheapest sacrifice you could give at the temple. 223 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:38,920 Why? 224 00:09:38,920 --> 00:09:40,560 Because they were a poor family. 225 00:09:40,560 --> 00:09:43,640 So now this poor homeless rabbi 226 00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:46,920 is talking about a new economy. 227 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:48,440 And the people in the society 228 00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:51,320 that were the most powerful and wealthy were the Pharisees. 229 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:54,000 And the Pharisees heard Jesus talking about the new economy 230 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:56,600 and they're like, yeah, you're gonna tell us 231 00:09:56,600 --> 00:09:57,800 what to do with our money? 232 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:00,440 And they scoffed at him. 233 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:03,400 The reason they scoffed at him 234 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:07,160 is because they did not understand who he actually was. 235 00:10:07,160 --> 00:10:10,720 The reason they mocked him is because it's a whole lot easier 236 00:10:10,720 --> 00:10:13,200 to mock the truth than to refute the truth. 237 00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:15,880 Their love for money had blinded them to the beauty 238 00:10:15,880 --> 00:10:17,480 of Jesus' teachings. 239 00:10:19,880 --> 00:10:22,480 Their love for money had caused them to collaborate 240 00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:26,280 with evil political forces of Pilate and Rome. 241 00:10:27,760 --> 00:10:30,280 Their love for money eventually caused them 242 00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:34,760 to reject the Messiah and send him to the cross. 243 00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:36,360 And if you're not careful here today, 244 00:10:36,360 --> 00:10:38,920 I wanna speak to maybe the new individual in the room 245 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:40,640 who might be struggling with this, 246 00:10:40,640 --> 00:10:43,320 this value system. 247 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:46,360 If you're not careful and you struggle with the sin 248 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:51,360 of loving money, you need to understand how dangerous it is. 249 00:10:51,760 --> 00:10:55,760 Your love for money may keep you from God himself one day. 250 00:10:57,520 --> 00:10:59,520 Keep you from the Messiah. 251 00:11:00,320 --> 00:11:02,040 Yes, money is important. 252 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:06,080 Money is the universal passport to everywhere in the world, 253 00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:08,080 except heaven. 254 00:11:08,080 --> 00:11:09,280 Except heaven. 255 00:11:11,280 --> 00:11:14,280 Money is the universal provider for everything in the world, 256 00:11:14,280 --> 00:11:16,000 except happiness. 257 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:18,240 And what Jesus is attempting to teach people 258 00:11:18,240 --> 00:11:21,360 that are willing to listen is that yes, money is good, 259 00:11:21,360 --> 00:11:23,520 but it's not God. 260 00:11:23,520 --> 00:11:26,080 And it is only God who can bring you into heaven, 261 00:11:26,080 --> 00:11:28,880 and it is only God who can provide happiness. 262 00:11:28,880 --> 00:11:33,880 To devalue in your mindset that which is money, 263 00:11:33,880 --> 00:11:37,880 and value in your mindset that which is God, good mothers, 264 00:11:37,880 --> 00:11:41,560 good mothers understand this naturally. 265 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:47,440 The reason I say that is because mothers 266 00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:49,480 are naturally sacrificial. 267 00:11:50,640 --> 00:11:52,680 They desire, now you say, and again, 268 00:11:52,680 --> 00:11:54,280 I know a lot of us have a lot of backgrounds 269 00:11:54,280 --> 00:11:56,960 that are different, and you may have a mother 270 00:11:56,960 --> 00:12:01,520 who was unnatural, meaning she did not sacrifice 271 00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:03,200 for her children. 272 00:12:03,200 --> 00:12:06,400 She did not care for her children the way she should have. 273 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:09,120 And in reality, that is an unnatural thing 274 00:12:09,120 --> 00:12:12,560 for a mother to do, and you have my sympathy and empathy. 275 00:12:12,560 --> 00:12:16,120 But a good mother is naturally sacrificial, 276 00:12:16,120 --> 00:12:19,440 meaning if she's gonna go hungry so that the children 277 00:12:19,440 --> 00:12:21,640 can eat, she's willing to go hungry 278 00:12:21,640 --> 00:12:23,240 so the children can eat. 279 00:12:23,240 --> 00:12:24,080 Why? 280 00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:27,400 Because she values the life of her children 281 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:29,160 even more than her own life. 282 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:31,000 She has the right value system. 283 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:31,840 This was my mother. 284 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:36,600 I gotta tell you, my mom was a good mom. 285 00:12:36,600 --> 00:12:40,320 I remember as a child, we didn't have a lot of money. 286 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:41,480 We grew up poor. 287 00:12:41,480 --> 00:12:42,760 That's why I'm like Jesus. 288 00:12:42,760 --> 00:12:43,840 Can I get an amen right there? 289 00:12:43,840 --> 00:12:44,680 All right. 290 00:12:46,120 --> 00:12:47,520 We did, we didn't have a lot. 291 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:48,760 We did not have a lot. 292 00:12:48,760 --> 00:12:51,040 And we were one of those families who did not have a lot, 293 00:12:51,040 --> 00:12:52,760 and how many of you have ever heard somebody say 294 00:12:52,760 --> 00:12:55,320 we did not have a lot and we didn't know it? 295 00:12:55,320 --> 00:12:57,160 Right, how many of you have ever, man, we were poor. 296 00:12:57,160 --> 00:12:58,120 We didn't really know it. 297 00:12:58,120 --> 00:12:59,360 I was poor and I knew it. 298 00:12:59,360 --> 00:13:01,800 I knew we were, we didn't, you know? 299 00:13:01,800 --> 00:13:04,560 And I made like what everybody's got in Nintendo 300 00:13:04,560 --> 00:13:06,360 and you're sitting there playing in Atari. 301 00:13:06,360 --> 00:13:07,800 You know you're poor, you know? 302 00:13:07,800 --> 00:13:10,640 It's, it is what it is, guys. 303 00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:13,480 And, but we were a happy family. 304 00:13:13,480 --> 00:13:17,080 And my parents really worked hard to take care of us. 305 00:13:17,080 --> 00:13:20,920 My mother specifically, every year at Christmas time, 306 00:13:20,920 --> 00:13:25,920 she was the one who made Christmas special for the family. 307 00:13:27,320 --> 00:13:29,160 Because we didn't have a lot of extra finances 308 00:13:29,160 --> 00:13:32,880 to buy presents and do these kind of things. 309 00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:35,600 She was the one who actually every year, 310 00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:38,800 beginning in September, all the way through November, 311 00:13:38,800 --> 00:13:41,600 she would prepare for a special event in the community. 312 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:46,160 It was called the annual Christmas boutique. 313 00:13:46,160 --> 00:13:49,280 And back in the 1980s, this was a big deal. 314 00:13:49,280 --> 00:13:52,280 All the crafting, all of those kind of things. 315 00:13:52,280 --> 00:13:54,440 And she would actually spend that entire, 316 00:13:54,440 --> 00:13:58,160 those entire months, actually January through August, 317 00:13:58,160 --> 00:14:01,040 she would gather materials to make crafts 318 00:14:01,040 --> 00:14:03,240 that she would sell at the Christmas boutique. 319 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:05,280 And by the time she got to September, 320 00:14:05,280 --> 00:14:07,000 she grabbed a room in the house 321 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:09,400 and she made it all about her crafts. 322 00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:11,560 She would have pine cones in there. 323 00:14:11,560 --> 00:14:13,320 She would have wreaths in there. 324 00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:14,920 She have candles in there. 325 00:14:14,920 --> 00:14:17,040 She would have all sorts of ribbons and all. 326 00:14:17,040 --> 00:14:20,120 And it was a crafter's paradise. 327 00:14:20,120 --> 00:14:22,640 But she did it because as she made these crafts, 328 00:14:22,640 --> 00:14:24,120 she prepared them all to sell. 329 00:14:24,120 --> 00:14:25,760 Now we don't sell them at boutiques. 330 00:14:25,760 --> 00:14:27,200 We have Etsy, you know what I mean? 331 00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:28,440 That's what they do now. 332 00:14:28,440 --> 00:14:30,280 But that's what my mother did back then. 333 00:14:30,280 --> 00:14:33,440 And she would gain tons of this material, 334 00:14:33,440 --> 00:14:35,000 make all of these things, 335 00:14:35,000 --> 00:14:37,400 and then bring them to boutique and for like a week. 336 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:38,880 It only lasted for like a week. 337 00:14:38,880 --> 00:14:40,720 She would sell all of these things 338 00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:43,520 and raise enough money to give us a big Christmas. 339 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:47,640 I didn't know that that was the economic dynamic 340 00:14:47,640 --> 00:14:50,760 in our family until one Christmas. 341 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:53,960 We woke up, my parents instead of taking us downstairs 342 00:14:53,960 --> 00:14:55,200 to read the Bible story 343 00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:57,240 and to read the Christmas story 344 00:14:57,240 --> 00:14:58,720 and Christmas cards and open presents, 345 00:14:58,720 --> 00:15:01,760 they took us outside, went downstairs, 346 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:05,440 went to the front door, not the back door. 347 00:15:05,440 --> 00:15:06,400 They opened it up. 348 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:10,120 We went around the rose bushes through the back gate. 349 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:13,080 And as soon as we did, we saw in our backyard 350 00:15:13,080 --> 00:15:17,480 a brand new swing set. 351 00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:22,880 Bought from Toys R Us, God rest its soul. 352 00:15:22,880 --> 00:15:23,720 Amen, right? 353 00:15:23,720 --> 00:15:25,680 Because we miss Toys R Us. 354 00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:26,520 Jeffrey, he died. 355 00:15:26,520 --> 00:15:27,360 He's dead. 356 00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:28,200 I apologize. 357 00:15:28,200 --> 00:15:29,320 He died. 358 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:30,800 I think Jeffrey died anyway. 359 00:15:31,800 --> 00:15:33,800 Some of you are like, who's Jeffrey? 360 00:15:35,160 --> 00:15:36,960 Toys R Us, it's a thing anyway. 361 00:15:36,960 --> 00:15:37,800 All right. 362 00:15:39,080 --> 00:15:40,280 And I remember walking out there 363 00:15:40,280 --> 00:15:41,360 and we jumped on the swing set. 364 00:15:41,360 --> 00:15:42,200 We're like, I can't believe it. 365 00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:43,040 And it was beautiful. 366 00:15:43,040 --> 00:15:45,440 I can remember it was red and blue and white. 367 00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:48,840 And it had multiple swings and a teeter totter 368 00:15:48,840 --> 00:15:50,920 and it had one of those bars you could swing on. 369 00:15:50,920 --> 00:15:52,120 It was like super cool. 370 00:15:52,120 --> 00:15:53,280 Like this is so awesome. 371 00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:55,960 And I remember even at eight years old, I'm like eight. 372 00:15:55,960 --> 00:15:59,600 I can remember thinking, how did we afford this? 373 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:04,640 Well, we went inside and we sat down 374 00:16:04,640 --> 00:16:06,680 and my father read the Christmas story 375 00:16:06,680 --> 00:16:10,240 and then we read some Christmas cards from some families. 376 00:16:10,240 --> 00:16:12,640 And then he looked at us and we all, 377 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:14,040 he was holding his wife's hand. 378 00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:14,880 I'll never forget. 379 00:16:14,880 --> 00:16:16,400 He's holding mom's hand. 380 00:16:16,400 --> 00:16:20,160 And with tears in his eyes, he said, 381 00:16:20,160 --> 00:16:23,600 today is special because your mother 382 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:28,200 has spent months and months and months selling crafts 383 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:30,400 so that we could have a special Christmas. 384 00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:37,760 And in that moment, I can remember waking up, 385 00:16:37,760 --> 00:16:39,080 and I would for the next few years. 386 00:16:39,080 --> 00:16:40,400 You'd wake up in the middle of the night 387 00:16:40,400 --> 00:16:42,760 during Christmas season, around Thanksgiving, 388 00:16:42,760 --> 00:16:45,920 you walk downstairs and their mom was at a table 389 00:16:45,920 --> 00:16:48,640 making crafts, gluing pine cones together, 390 00:16:48,640 --> 00:16:51,720 putting candy canes on top of candles 391 00:16:51,720 --> 00:16:53,840 and doing all these things. 392 00:16:53,840 --> 00:16:55,400 Middle of the night, why was she always there? 393 00:16:55,400 --> 00:16:56,880 I thought this is what mothers did. 394 00:16:56,880 --> 00:17:00,920 And I came to realize, this is what mothers do. 395 00:17:02,480 --> 00:17:06,760 They sacrifice their own sleep for others. 396 00:17:06,760 --> 00:17:09,840 They sacrifice themselves for others. 397 00:17:09,840 --> 00:17:12,120 Their value system is elevated 398 00:17:12,120 --> 00:17:14,840 because they are reflecting the love of God. 399 00:17:14,840 --> 00:17:17,080 It's the way God fuses about you 400 00:17:17,080 --> 00:17:19,200 is the way mothers are supposed to feel 401 00:17:19,200 --> 00:17:21,040 about their children. 402 00:17:21,040 --> 00:17:24,520 And so what you see in this passage is Jesus 403 00:17:24,520 --> 00:17:27,440 trying to wake up the Pharisees to the reality 404 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:31,800 that your value system is off because you love money 405 00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:33,600 rather than God. 406 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:37,040 Number one, love of money. 407 00:17:37,040 --> 00:17:38,960 What was the second sin of the Pharisee 408 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:40,360 that we find in this passage? 409 00:17:40,360 --> 00:17:41,880 Number one is the love of money. 410 00:17:41,880 --> 00:17:42,960 Number two, does anybody remember? 411 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:44,080 I said love was the first. 412 00:17:44,080 --> 00:17:47,040 What was the second word we wanted to talk about today? 413 00:17:47,040 --> 00:17:47,880 Slave. 414 00:17:49,320 --> 00:17:52,680 The second sin of the Pharisee is number two. 415 00:17:52,680 --> 00:17:55,000 The Pharisee is the slave to image. 416 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:04,280 Rightfully so, there is not a word that is most, 417 00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:08,800 that is more hated and despised 418 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:11,160 in the American culture than the word slave. 419 00:18:12,080 --> 00:18:13,880 And the reason we hate it so much 420 00:18:13,880 --> 00:18:16,840 is because of the sins of our nation in the past. 421 00:18:18,280 --> 00:18:19,320 Slave. 422 00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:23,400 So for any modern American to think to themselves 423 00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:27,520 that they have become a slave is a reprehensible idea. 424 00:18:27,520 --> 00:18:31,360 Yet in reality, the American culture has become a slave 425 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:33,960 to image. 426 00:18:36,560 --> 00:18:41,240 I care so much about how you perceive me. 427 00:18:41,240 --> 00:18:43,400 So I project it. 428 00:18:43,400 --> 00:18:45,360 This is what the Pharisees did. 429 00:18:45,360 --> 00:18:49,160 The Pharisees loved money and they loved their image. 430 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:51,880 Now, the Pharisees didn't care about who they were inside. 431 00:18:51,880 --> 00:18:54,240 They cared about how you saw them on the outside. 432 00:18:54,240 --> 00:18:55,520 Look at verse number 15. 433 00:18:55,520 --> 00:18:57,040 Then Jesus said to them, 434 00:18:57,040 --> 00:18:59,640 you like to appear righteous and public. 435 00:18:59,640 --> 00:19:01,240 Now again, watch the dynamic. 436 00:19:01,240 --> 00:19:02,080 I love Jesus. 437 00:19:02,080 --> 00:19:03,240 He's so bold. 438 00:19:03,240 --> 00:19:04,880 Look, I'm gonna go back to verse 14. 439 00:19:04,880 --> 00:19:07,040 The Pharisees who dearly loved their money 440 00:19:07,040 --> 00:19:10,120 heard all of this and scoffed at Jesus. 441 00:19:10,120 --> 00:19:11,720 And then Jesus said to them, 442 00:19:13,720 --> 00:19:14,960 you know what your problem is? 443 00:19:16,360 --> 00:19:20,560 You like to appear righteous in public. 444 00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:23,360 But God knows your heart. 445 00:19:24,960 --> 00:19:28,960 What this world honors is detestable in the sight of God. 446 00:19:28,960 --> 00:19:31,600 Detestable in the sight of God. 447 00:19:38,960 --> 00:19:40,800 Have you noticed how important it is 448 00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:42,360 to project a certain image? 449 00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:46,760 I raised two teenage daughters and it scares me 450 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:50,320 for so many reasons. 451 00:19:51,360 --> 00:19:53,600 But one of those reasons is because we live in a society 452 00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:57,040 today that teaches young women what matters most 453 00:19:57,040 --> 00:19:59,480 is how you're perceived by others online. 454 00:20:01,400 --> 00:20:02,880 And it doesn't matter. 455 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:06,000 What matters is not what others see you as. 456 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:08,960 What matters is how God sees you. 457 00:20:09,920 --> 00:20:11,600 Look at, listen to me, listen to me. 458 00:20:11,600 --> 00:20:14,760 Every 12 year old girl and every 82 year old man, 459 00:20:14,760 --> 00:20:16,320 here's what matters. 460 00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:20,080 What does God see when God sees your heart? 461 00:20:23,720 --> 00:20:25,840 The Pharisees were consumed with presenting 462 00:20:25,840 --> 00:20:28,360 a certain image of self-righteousness 463 00:20:28,360 --> 00:20:31,280 and of political strength, 464 00:20:31,280 --> 00:20:34,680 but their value system was completely the opposite of God. 465 00:20:35,720 --> 00:20:39,120 The crowd that was there viewed these men 466 00:20:39,120 --> 00:20:43,000 as men who knew about God and they knew about finances 467 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:44,720 and they knew about eternity 468 00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:46,800 and they knew how to set in order everything. 469 00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:49,360 And Jesus is saying these people have no idea 470 00:20:49,360 --> 00:20:50,760 what they're talking about. 471 00:20:52,640 --> 00:20:53,800 The sins of a Pharisee. 472 00:20:53,800 --> 00:20:58,040 Number one, first and foremost, a love of money. 473 00:20:58,040 --> 00:21:00,560 Number two, a slave to image. 474 00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:01,720 What did I say the third word 475 00:21:01,720 --> 00:21:03,720 that we were gonna talk about was? 476 00:21:03,720 --> 00:21:04,560 Twist. 477 00:21:05,840 --> 00:21:08,320 The third sin of a Pharisee dealt with here 478 00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:11,280 is the twisting of the law. 479 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:16,160 Because they loved gold rather than God 480 00:21:16,160 --> 00:21:17,880 and because they loved outward image 481 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:20,620 rather than inward humility. 482 00:21:20,620 --> 00:21:24,620 They took the law of God and they twisted it 483 00:21:24,620 --> 00:21:28,460 so that they could get more money and more image. 484 00:21:28,460 --> 00:21:30,140 Does this make sense? 485 00:21:30,140 --> 00:21:32,940 That's why the next few verses though often misunderstood 486 00:21:32,940 --> 00:21:37,940 by Christians who study are explained very, very clearly. 487 00:21:38,900 --> 00:21:42,620 They had left their first love to pursue money and image. 488 00:21:42,620 --> 00:21:44,180 Look at verses 16 through 18. 489 00:21:44,180 --> 00:21:45,620 Amazingly fascinating. 490 00:21:45,620 --> 00:21:46,980 Look what it says in verse 16. 491 00:21:46,980 --> 00:21:49,500 Until John the Baptist, Jesus goes on to teach. 492 00:21:49,500 --> 00:21:51,060 Remember, look at the context. 493 00:21:51,060 --> 00:21:53,260 I'll read verse 14 and 15 all the way to 16. 494 00:21:53,260 --> 00:21:54,100 Look what it says. 495 00:21:54,100 --> 00:21:56,100 The Pharisees who dearly loved their money 496 00:21:56,100 --> 00:21:58,380 heard all of these things and scoffed at Jesus. 497 00:21:58,380 --> 00:22:00,820 Jesus looked at them and says, here's your problem. 498 00:22:00,820 --> 00:22:02,940 You like to appear righteous and public 499 00:22:02,940 --> 00:22:04,540 but God knows your heart. 500 00:22:04,540 --> 00:22:07,460 What this world honors is detestable on the side of God. 501 00:22:07,460 --> 00:22:11,580 Then he says, until John the Baptist, the law of Moses 502 00:22:11,580 --> 00:22:15,180 and the messages of the prophets were your guides. 503 00:22:15,180 --> 00:22:16,820 Jesus looks at him and says, 504 00:22:16,820 --> 00:22:21,580 you used to follow the law of Moses and the prophets. 505 00:22:21,580 --> 00:22:22,780 I'm gonna say who did they follow? 506 00:22:22,780 --> 00:22:24,580 You saved the law of Moses and the prophets. 507 00:22:24,580 --> 00:22:25,900 Who did they follow? 508 00:22:25,900 --> 00:22:28,620 The law of Moses and the prophets. 509 00:22:28,620 --> 00:22:30,500 But now the good news of the kingdom of God 510 00:22:30,500 --> 00:22:32,780 is preached and everyone is eager to get in. 511 00:22:32,780 --> 00:22:34,460 Now Jesus looks at him and says, 512 00:22:34,460 --> 00:22:37,620 you followed Moses and the prophets all the way until now. 513 00:22:37,620 --> 00:22:39,900 But now the good news of the gospel is here. 514 00:22:39,900 --> 00:22:41,900 He's talking about himself. 515 00:22:41,900 --> 00:22:44,220 And he's saying, you're wondering why they're all 516 00:22:44,220 --> 00:22:45,820 surrounding me all the time. 517 00:22:45,820 --> 00:22:48,580 And your little synagogues and your temples are empty. 518 00:22:49,540 --> 00:22:51,860 You wanna know why that's the case? 519 00:22:51,860 --> 00:22:53,980 This is what Jesus is dealing with. 520 00:22:53,980 --> 00:22:58,980 These men, these Pharisees were investing their entire life. 521 00:22:59,140 --> 00:23:00,820 Everything they were investing in, 522 00:23:00,820 --> 00:23:03,900 what the law of Moses said and what the prophet said. 523 00:23:03,900 --> 00:23:06,660 But what Jesus was saying is don't you understand 524 00:23:06,660 --> 00:23:09,740 that everything that the law of Moses and the prophet said 525 00:23:09,740 --> 00:23:12,820 was all leading to me. 526 00:23:12,820 --> 00:23:16,100 And the fact that you're rejecting me shows me 527 00:23:16,100 --> 00:23:18,500 that you weren't really investing in the law 528 00:23:18,500 --> 00:23:20,620 and in the prophets. 529 00:23:20,620 --> 00:23:23,060 These people rejected Jesus Christ, 530 00:23:23,060 --> 00:23:28,060 which shows that their real heart was about money and image. 531 00:23:28,260 --> 00:23:30,580 And so Jesus was dealing with them directly. 532 00:23:30,580 --> 00:23:32,620 Wow, look at what it says, it goes on to verse 17. 533 00:23:32,620 --> 00:23:35,940 But that doesn't mean that the law has lost its force. 534 00:23:35,940 --> 00:23:38,540 Just because there's a new law, the law of love 535 00:23:38,540 --> 00:23:41,020 and the law of gospel, doesn't mean that the law 536 00:23:41,020 --> 00:23:44,580 of the Old Testament is over. 537 00:23:44,580 --> 00:23:48,460 It means that Jesus was the fulfillment of the law. 538 00:23:48,460 --> 00:23:50,420 It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear 539 00:23:50,420 --> 00:23:53,820 than one small part of God's law to ever be overturned. 540 00:23:54,860 --> 00:23:57,460 Jesus was making a very strong point and it was this. 541 00:23:58,620 --> 00:24:01,100 If these religious people rejected Jesus, 542 00:24:01,100 --> 00:24:03,740 it means they were never invested in the law 543 00:24:03,740 --> 00:24:06,140 and in the prophets in the first place. 544 00:24:07,500 --> 00:24:10,700 And so then Jesus gives a very clear statement. 545 00:24:10,700 --> 00:24:12,820 They had left their first love 546 00:24:12,820 --> 00:24:15,580 in order to follow money and image. 547 00:24:17,140 --> 00:24:19,420 And so Jesus gives them an example. 548 00:24:19,420 --> 00:24:24,420 The example is about marriage, divorce, and remarriage. 549 00:24:24,540 --> 00:24:27,580 Now, how many of you in this room today 550 00:24:27,580 --> 00:24:28,940 have ever studied the Bible 551 00:24:28,940 --> 00:24:31,100 and you've come across Jesus talking about marriage 552 00:24:31,100 --> 00:24:33,380 and divorce and sometimes you say, 553 00:24:33,380 --> 00:24:36,460 it seems like he just throws it in there 554 00:24:36,460 --> 00:24:38,100 like it's out of context. 555 00:24:38,100 --> 00:24:40,100 It's not out of context. 556 00:24:40,100 --> 00:24:41,580 When this passage comes up, 557 00:24:41,580 --> 00:24:45,180 Jesus is using marriage, divorce, and remarriage 558 00:24:45,180 --> 00:24:49,180 as an example of the type of hypocrisy 559 00:24:49,180 --> 00:24:51,220 that the Pharisees were living. 560 00:24:51,220 --> 00:24:53,260 Unfortunately, if you are Christian 561 00:24:53,260 --> 00:24:54,460 and you've studied the Bible, 562 00:24:54,460 --> 00:24:56,540 you may have been pointed to this passage 563 00:24:56,540 --> 00:24:58,300 by some well-meaning individual 564 00:24:58,300 --> 00:25:01,060 who doesn't understand this passage, 565 00:25:01,060 --> 00:25:02,940 who will point at this passage and say, see this, 566 00:25:02,940 --> 00:25:04,820 the Bible says if somebody gets married 567 00:25:04,820 --> 00:25:05,940 after they've been divorced, 568 00:25:05,940 --> 00:25:09,620 they live in continual adultery for the rest of eternity. 569 00:25:09,620 --> 00:25:11,260 And then that feels so much guilt 570 00:25:11,260 --> 00:25:13,300 and you're like maybe I'm supposed to divorce my current wife 571 00:25:13,300 --> 00:25:16,720 or my husband, that is not what this passage is saying. 572 00:25:16,720 --> 00:25:18,980 That is a verse taken out of context. 573 00:25:18,980 --> 00:25:21,620 And a verse taken out of context 574 00:25:22,700 --> 00:25:25,160 is a detriment to all of humanity. 575 00:25:26,140 --> 00:25:27,700 What is Jesus saying here? 576 00:25:27,700 --> 00:25:30,420 Look at what he says based on everything you've just studied. 577 00:25:30,420 --> 00:25:32,340 Verse 18, I love this, I love this. 578 00:25:32,340 --> 00:25:35,700 For example, a man who divorces his wife 579 00:25:35,700 --> 00:25:38,900 and marries someone else commits adultery. 580 00:25:38,900 --> 00:25:42,500 And anyone who marries a woman divorced from her husband 581 00:25:42,500 --> 00:25:43,600 commits adultery. 582 00:25:44,820 --> 00:25:47,860 Taken out of context, it has a very clear meaning. 583 00:25:47,860 --> 00:25:51,900 But within context, Jesus is saying to the Pharisees, 584 00:25:51,900 --> 00:25:53,740 you think you're so righteous? 585 00:25:55,380 --> 00:25:56,840 I know what's going on. 586 00:25:57,820 --> 00:25:59,660 Say, what do you mean he knows what's going on? 587 00:25:59,660 --> 00:26:02,060 Well, let me tell you what's going on. 588 00:26:02,060 --> 00:26:04,460 During this time, the Pharisees, the religious leaders, 589 00:26:04,460 --> 00:26:07,100 were having a religious debate. 590 00:26:07,100 --> 00:26:11,340 The debate was on how easily could you divorce your wife? 591 00:26:12,340 --> 00:26:15,100 Now remember, you live in 21st century America. 592 00:26:15,100 --> 00:26:16,500 By the way, aren't you thankful to live in America? 593 00:26:16,500 --> 00:26:17,980 Can I get an amen? 594 00:26:17,980 --> 00:26:20,500 Aren't you thankful to live in the 21st century, amen? 595 00:26:20,500 --> 00:26:23,260 People say, boy, I should have been born in another time. 596 00:26:23,260 --> 00:26:25,540 Not me, I like the stuff we have. 597 00:26:27,380 --> 00:26:29,340 I'm almost sure I should live in a future day 598 00:26:29,340 --> 00:26:32,380 where there's more stuff, you know what I mean? 599 00:26:32,380 --> 00:26:35,580 But back then, this was a society who lets me be very clear. 600 00:26:35,580 --> 00:26:39,140 Did not value women at the level 601 00:26:39,140 --> 00:26:41,340 that Jesus Christ taught them to value women. 602 00:26:43,140 --> 00:26:45,180 I mean, the debates that they were having, 603 00:26:45,180 --> 00:26:47,780 the religious leaders of the day were debating about divorce 604 00:26:47,780 --> 00:26:49,140 and not whether or not you should, 605 00:26:49,140 --> 00:26:51,100 but how quickly you could divorce your wife. 606 00:26:51,100 --> 00:26:53,580 There was one segment of society, 607 00:26:53,580 --> 00:26:55,500 one segment of the religious leaders who said 608 00:26:55,500 --> 00:26:58,160 you could divorce your wife over the smallest matter. 609 00:26:58,160 --> 00:27:00,180 By the way, it was all non-contested. 610 00:27:00,180 --> 00:27:02,320 A woman had no voice in the divorce. 611 00:27:02,320 --> 00:27:04,920 All you needed was the man wanting to divorce 612 00:27:04,920 --> 00:27:08,760 and the priest to sign off on it, who was also a man. 613 00:27:08,760 --> 00:27:10,400 Sounds fair, right? 614 00:27:10,400 --> 00:27:12,240 Good thought? 615 00:27:12,240 --> 00:27:14,360 Okay, so this is what was going on. 616 00:27:14,360 --> 00:27:16,720 So some people thought you could divorce your wife 617 00:27:16,720 --> 00:27:20,760 over anything, literally, even if she burned the soup, 618 00:27:20,760 --> 00:27:22,880 you could go in and say, you burned the soup, you're out. 619 00:27:22,880 --> 00:27:25,040 You say, well, big deal, then she could go do her own thing. 620 00:27:25,040 --> 00:27:27,920 Not in that society, not in a patriarchal society 621 00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:31,040 where a woman had no opportunity to live on her own 622 00:27:31,040 --> 00:27:33,880 and do her own thing. 623 00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:36,000 She had to be tied to her father 624 00:27:36,000 --> 00:27:38,320 or she had to be tied to her husband. 625 00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:42,320 So now this community of men would decide at any moment, 626 00:27:42,320 --> 00:27:44,820 if I want to divorce my wife, throw her out in the back porch, 627 00:27:44,820 --> 00:27:47,500 that's it, she burned the soup, it's on her. 628 00:27:47,500 --> 00:27:50,020 Now some were very progressive. 629 00:27:50,020 --> 00:27:52,480 Some decided that you could divorce your wife, 630 00:27:52,480 --> 00:27:54,520 not over something as silly as burned soup, 631 00:27:54,520 --> 00:27:56,920 but you could divorce your wife over committing adultery 632 00:27:56,920 --> 00:27:58,560 because according to the law of Moses, 633 00:27:58,560 --> 00:28:00,480 if a woman or a man commits adultery, 634 00:28:00,480 --> 00:28:04,560 it can invalidate the marriage in some cases. 635 00:28:04,560 --> 00:28:07,360 And so some were saying, yes, you can divorce your wife, 636 00:28:07,360 --> 00:28:09,960 not over burned soup, but if you believe 637 00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:11,120 she committed adultery. 638 00:28:11,120 --> 00:28:12,440 How do I prove she committed adultery? 639 00:28:12,440 --> 00:28:13,760 Just tell us she committed adultery. 640 00:28:13,760 --> 00:28:15,160 Good, we'll sign the document. 641 00:28:18,160 --> 00:28:20,200 And what Jesus was saying is, 642 00:28:20,200 --> 00:28:22,600 don't you understand that your love for money 643 00:28:22,600 --> 00:28:26,300 and your love for image has made you twist the law 644 00:28:26,300 --> 00:28:29,340 so that you as men can get what you want, 645 00:28:29,340 --> 00:28:32,360 use what you want and throw away the leftover 646 00:28:32,360 --> 00:28:34,580 so you can get some hot, fresh new thing. 647 00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:41,760 They were debating the law of God while debasing women. 648 00:28:43,360 --> 00:28:45,640 And Jesus is looking at them saying, 649 00:28:45,640 --> 00:28:49,120 we're not playing this game, you're gonna scoff at me? 650 00:28:49,120 --> 00:29:01,120 Your value system is shot. 651 00:29:01,120 --> 00:29:03,400 That's why he ends it by saying, you're all corrupt, 652 00:29:03,400 --> 00:29:04,680 you're all committing adultery, 653 00:29:04,680 --> 00:29:07,320 don't look at me and judge me, I'm judging you. 654 00:29:09,760 --> 00:29:10,720 It is a big deal. 655 00:29:12,000 --> 00:29:13,520 See the Pharisees were in the position 656 00:29:13,520 --> 00:29:15,440 where they thought, look at all of these wicked people 657 00:29:15,440 --> 00:29:18,720 around us and Jesus says, your sin is a big deal. 658 00:29:18,720 --> 00:29:19,560 Big deal. 659 00:29:20,680 --> 00:29:24,880 Your worship of money, your advancement of self image, 660 00:29:24,880 --> 00:29:27,080 your twisting of the law to get what you want. 661 00:29:27,080 --> 00:29:29,440 By the way, why did, this is interesting by the way, 662 00:29:29,440 --> 00:29:31,160 I didn't think about sharing this until now. 663 00:29:31,160 --> 00:29:33,580 Why didn't they just, you say, so what? 664 00:29:33,580 --> 00:29:37,120 They divorced the woman, throw her out. 665 00:29:37,120 --> 00:29:39,920 Why didn't they just stay married? 666 00:29:39,920 --> 00:29:42,280 That's a good question because during that time, 667 00:29:42,280 --> 00:29:44,360 if a man wanted a new wife, 668 00:29:44,360 --> 00:29:49,160 polygamy was still allowable within all Jewish community. 669 00:29:49,160 --> 00:29:52,920 It wasn't for another 400 years that Rome would make a law 670 00:29:52,920 --> 00:29:54,520 that they could not be polygamous. 671 00:29:54,520 --> 00:29:56,720 And it wasn't until 700 years after that 672 00:29:56,720 --> 00:30:00,480 in the 11th century that the Jewish rabbis made laws 673 00:30:00,480 --> 00:30:02,220 that polygamy was no longer allowed. 674 00:30:03,320 --> 00:30:05,760 So the question is, why couldn't these men 675 00:30:05,760 --> 00:30:07,880 who wanted a new wife just pick another wife 676 00:30:07,880 --> 00:30:09,760 and bring them them in? 677 00:30:09,760 --> 00:30:11,160 You know why? 678 00:30:11,160 --> 00:30:13,240 Because if you have multiple wives, 679 00:30:13,240 --> 00:30:15,400 you have to financially care for them. 680 00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:24,920 This is all related to value system and how we treat people 681 00:30:24,920 --> 00:30:27,980 and how much money we want and how much our images 682 00:30:27,980 --> 00:30:30,600 and our self worth, all of this. 683 00:30:32,120 --> 00:30:34,000 There's something deeper going on here 684 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:35,320 in this passage as well. 685 00:30:35,320 --> 00:30:38,940 The fact that Jesus brings up adultery is very interesting 686 00:30:38,940 --> 00:30:41,980 because Jesus is the final prophet of the Bible. 687 00:30:41,980 --> 00:30:44,580 And as the final prophet of the Bible, 688 00:30:44,580 --> 00:30:48,460 he's reflecting the same message that all of the prophets 689 00:30:48,460 --> 00:30:50,180 were saying in all of the Old Testament. 690 00:30:50,180 --> 00:30:52,220 I'm just right now in my personal devotions, 691 00:30:52,220 --> 00:30:53,900 I'm reading through all the minor prophets 692 00:30:53,900 --> 00:30:58,100 and they all call out Israel for spiritual adultery. 693 00:31:00,180 --> 00:31:04,100 They say over and over, because you're worshiping those gods, 694 00:31:04,100 --> 00:31:05,780 you're not worshiping our God. 695 00:31:05,780 --> 00:31:08,940 And if you worship our God, you won't be worshiping their God. 696 00:31:08,940 --> 00:31:11,420 When Jesus brings up adultery, he's talking about 697 00:31:11,420 --> 00:31:13,660 the political dynamic of the day, yes. 698 00:31:13,660 --> 00:31:14,980 But he's also saying to Israel, 699 00:31:14,980 --> 00:31:16,820 the same message every prophet was saying is, 700 00:31:16,820 --> 00:31:19,020 that is, you are worshiping money, 701 00:31:19,020 --> 00:31:20,740 you are worshiping your own image, 702 00:31:20,740 --> 00:31:22,780 and you're worshiping your own society 703 00:31:22,780 --> 00:31:24,500 which you've twisted the laws of God 704 00:31:24,500 --> 00:31:26,700 and you've corrupted the value system. 705 00:31:27,860 --> 00:31:31,860 So he looks at them and says, it is a big deal. 706 00:31:34,180 --> 00:31:35,340 Your sin. 707 00:31:35,340 --> 00:31:36,700 Now you say, what do I do with this? 708 00:31:36,700 --> 00:31:38,020 Okay. 709 00:31:38,020 --> 00:31:40,260 Let's land the plane and go home 710 00:31:40,260 --> 00:31:42,700 and take our moms to lunch or something. 711 00:31:42,700 --> 00:31:44,380 Amen, all right. 712 00:31:44,380 --> 00:31:46,100 Say, okay, this is interesting. 713 00:31:46,100 --> 00:31:47,260 How does it affect me? 714 00:31:48,260 --> 00:31:53,260 Pastor, are you telling me like I'm the Pharisee here? 715 00:31:53,260 --> 00:31:54,180 No, I don't think so. 716 00:31:55,020 --> 00:31:55,860 I thought a lot about it. 717 00:31:55,860 --> 00:31:57,300 I don't think you're the Pharisee. 718 00:31:57,300 --> 00:32:00,460 I don't think you elevate gold above God. 719 00:32:00,460 --> 00:32:02,900 I don't think you worship, I don't think you would be here, 720 00:32:02,900 --> 00:32:04,740 especially after last Sunday sermon, amen. 721 00:32:04,740 --> 00:32:09,340 I think you're here because you want to honor God. 722 00:32:09,340 --> 00:32:11,620 I don't think you're trying to project an image. 723 00:32:11,620 --> 00:32:14,980 I think you genuinely are just trying to follow Jesus 724 00:32:14,980 --> 00:32:16,100 and do the best you can. 725 00:32:16,100 --> 00:32:17,180 I think that's true. 726 00:32:17,180 --> 00:32:18,820 I don't think you're trying to twist the law. 727 00:32:18,820 --> 00:32:20,380 You say, then what do I do with this? 728 00:32:20,380 --> 00:32:23,060 Here's what to do as a disciple of Jesus. 729 00:32:23,060 --> 00:32:24,500 As a disciple of Jesus, 730 00:32:24,500 --> 00:32:28,160 just keep the same value system that you have. 731 00:32:29,700 --> 00:32:30,820 Give to others. 732 00:32:32,340 --> 00:32:35,540 I'm encouraging you, that is infusing you with courage 733 00:32:35,540 --> 00:32:39,860 to keep valuing other people more than you value yourself. 734 00:32:39,860 --> 00:32:41,060 Sacrifice. 735 00:32:41,060 --> 00:32:44,420 Don't think about my image, what other people see. 736 00:32:44,420 --> 00:32:47,420 Think about who you really are on the inside 737 00:32:47,420 --> 00:32:50,520 as you choose to please and honor God. 738 00:32:52,260 --> 00:32:55,580 Take time to sacrifice for others. 739 00:32:55,580 --> 00:32:58,460 Take time out of your schedule to share with others 740 00:32:58,460 --> 00:33:00,140 the gospel of Jesus Christ. 741 00:33:00,140 --> 00:33:01,940 Look, if you're a mother here, 742 00:33:01,940 --> 00:33:06,100 don't grow weary in well doing. 743 00:33:06,100 --> 00:33:11,100 You moms, you sacrifice your time, your energy, 744 00:33:11,260 --> 00:33:14,460 your money, some of you, your food, 745 00:33:14,460 --> 00:33:16,380 you sacrifice everything. 746 00:33:17,380 --> 00:33:19,620 Don't grow weary in well doing. 747 00:33:19,620 --> 00:33:20,580 And here's why. 748 00:33:21,620 --> 00:33:24,820 Because in due season, you will reap if you don't give up. 749 00:33:26,460 --> 00:33:30,140 Take time to continue in the value system 750 00:33:30,140 --> 00:33:31,860 that God has given you. 751 00:33:31,860 --> 00:33:33,820 Now, what is most fascinating about this text 752 00:33:33,820 --> 00:33:36,540 and will be done is how it ends. 753 00:33:37,420 --> 00:33:41,100 Jesus tells his disciples, hey, hey, hey, 754 00:33:41,100 --> 00:33:42,860 death is not the end. 755 00:33:42,860 --> 00:33:44,220 Then he looks at the Pharisees and says, 756 00:33:44,220 --> 00:33:47,420 don't make fun of me, your value system is all jacked up. 757 00:33:48,180 --> 00:33:50,660 And he ends by telling one of the most famous 758 00:33:50,660 --> 00:33:54,640 Bible stories in all of the Bible about a rich man 759 00:33:54,640 --> 00:33:58,540 who dies and goes to hell and about a poor man 760 00:33:58,540 --> 00:34:02,540 named Lazarus who dies and goes to paradise. 761 00:34:02,540 --> 00:34:04,780 Next week, we're gonna see the grand conclusion 762 00:34:04,780 --> 00:34:07,780 of the sermon series, You've Been Tricked. 763 00:34:07,780 --> 00:34:29,780 I hope to see you then.