1 00:00:10,890 --> 00:00:13,650 Shall we turn this morning to Luke chapter 2 00:00:13,650 --> 00:00:15,710 14 and verse 33? 3 00:00:16,410 --> 00:00:19,970 We're continuing our subject of discipleship. 4 00:00:20,470 --> 00:00:23,290 This morning we're coming to that most unpopular 5 00:00:23,290 --> 00:00:27,450 verse in Luke 14, verse 33. 6 00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:36,800 It says, So likewise, whosoever he be of 7 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:40,040 you that forsaketh not all that he hath, 8 00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:42,800 he cannot be my disciple. 9 00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:49,200 Yesterday we listed seven terms of discipleship given 10 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:51,440 by our blessed Lord Jesus Christ. 11 00:00:52,160 --> 00:00:53,280 This was the seventh. 12 00:00:55,590 --> 00:00:58,230 Supposing you were going to teach this portion 13 00:00:58,230 --> 00:01:00,970 of scripture next Sunday in a Sunday school 14 00:01:00,970 --> 00:01:05,310 class, how would you explain this verse anyway? 15 00:01:10,110 --> 00:01:12,410 Perhaps that doesn't bother me as much as 16 00:01:12,410 --> 00:01:14,330 the fact that someday I'm going to stand 17 00:01:14,330 --> 00:01:17,490 before the Lord and He's going to ask 18 00:01:17,490 --> 00:01:19,450 me, what did you do about the verse 19 00:01:19,450 --> 00:01:20,150 anyway? 20 00:01:22,110 --> 00:01:25,430 I think that's really the point we should 21 00:01:25,430 --> 00:01:29,330 face this morning, is that this is the 22 00:01:29,330 --> 00:01:30,230 Word of God. 23 00:01:30,790 --> 00:01:33,870 The Lord Jesus must have some meaning in 24 00:01:33,870 --> 00:01:37,370 it, and each one of us will have 25 00:01:37,370 --> 00:01:38,790 to decide what it means. 26 00:01:38,870 --> 00:01:41,610 And I cannot tell you what it means 27 00:01:41,610 --> 00:01:43,450 to forsake all in your life. 28 00:01:43,450 --> 00:01:45,990 I think I know pretty well what it 29 00:01:45,990 --> 00:01:47,890 means in my life, and I've got to 30 00:01:47,890 --> 00:01:50,030 battle that out with the Lord. 31 00:01:50,110 --> 00:01:52,210 But it's not for me to tell you 32 00:01:52,210 --> 00:01:55,810 what it means in your life to forsake 33 00:01:55,810 --> 00:01:59,270 the Lord, to forsake all to follow Him. 34 00:02:00,310 --> 00:02:02,310 Now, I think there are certain things, however, 35 00:02:02,430 --> 00:02:04,170 we should notice in the verse. 36 00:02:05,130 --> 00:02:08,250 There's no suggestion in the New Testament that 37 00:02:08,250 --> 00:02:12,190 this verse of scripture is just intended for 38 00:02:12,190 --> 00:02:14,290 a certain select few. 39 00:02:15,290 --> 00:02:19,410 There's no idea of an inner circle, an 40 00:02:19,410 --> 00:02:22,110 elite to whom this verse applies. 41 00:02:22,290 --> 00:02:26,970 It says, so likewise, whosoever he be of 42 00:02:26,970 --> 00:02:27,210 you. 43 00:02:28,110 --> 00:02:28,950 Whosoever. 44 00:02:29,690 --> 00:02:32,750 And if in your Sunday school class you 45 00:02:32,750 --> 00:02:37,710 were to suggest to your pupils that this 46 00:02:37,710 --> 00:02:40,790 verse only applies to those in full-time 47 00:02:40,790 --> 00:02:46,270 work, probably some clever little brat in the 48 00:02:46,270 --> 00:02:48,670 class would ask you if that's what whosoever 49 00:02:48,670 --> 00:02:54,480 means in John 3.16. Then you would 50 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:55,880 be up against it, wouldn't you? 51 00:02:56,600 --> 00:02:59,760 What does whosoever mean in John 3.16? 52 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:02,240 Oh, it does? 53 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:04,460 Well, then why doesn't it mean it here? 54 00:03:09,160 --> 00:03:11,720 And then secondly, I think we should notice 55 00:03:11,720 --> 00:03:14,300 that the verse doesn't say simply that we 56 00:03:14,300 --> 00:03:16,560 must be willing to forsake all. 57 00:03:17,260 --> 00:03:19,020 If you put that in it, you're putting 58 00:03:19,020 --> 00:03:20,380 something in that isn't there. 59 00:03:21,940 --> 00:03:24,640 And your clever little prodigy in your Sunday 60 00:03:24,640 --> 00:03:27,440 school class would soon trip you up on 61 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:28,220 that as well. 62 00:03:28,220 --> 00:03:30,580 It doesn't say whosoever he be of you 63 00:03:30,580 --> 00:03:35,340 that is willing to forsake all, or is 64 00:03:35,340 --> 00:03:37,160 not willing to forsake all. 65 00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:40,340 It says, whosoever he be of you that 66 00:03:40,340 --> 00:03:42,080 forsaketh not all that he hath. 67 00:03:46,260 --> 00:03:47,800 And then I think that we should notice 68 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:49,740 that it doesn't say in this verse that 69 00:03:49,740 --> 00:03:52,600 if you don't do it, some deluded form 70 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:54,620 of discipleship is possible. 71 00:03:54,620 --> 00:03:57,080 I think that the words of the Lord 72 00:03:57,080 --> 00:03:59,140 Jesus are most remarkable here. 73 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:03,660 He cannot be my disciple. 74 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:07,760 Now, actually, we really shouldn't be too surprised 75 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:09,940 at this verse of Scripture because it's not 76 00:04:09,940 --> 00:04:12,640 the only portion in the Word of God 77 00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:14,820 where this same thing is taught. 78 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:19,620 The Lord Jesus taught, lay not up for 79 00:04:19,620 --> 00:04:24,480 yourselves treasures on earth, but lay up for 80 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:27,720 yourselves treasures in heaven. 81 00:04:30,070 --> 00:04:33,710 And it's just as contrary to the teaching 82 00:04:33,710 --> 00:04:37,470 of Christ, as Wesley said, to lay up 83 00:04:37,470 --> 00:04:40,410 treasures on earth as it is to commit 84 00:04:40,410 --> 00:04:42,070 murder or adultery. 85 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:49,500 Just as contrary with the same Lord who 86 00:04:49,500 --> 00:04:51,220 forbade all three. 87 00:04:53,300 --> 00:04:55,940 Then the Lord said, sell all that ye 88 00:04:55,940 --> 00:04:57,240 have and give alms. 89 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:02,060 And as we read last night in the 90 00:05:02,060 --> 00:05:04,200 story of the rich young ruler, the Lord 91 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:08,160 said, sell all that thou hast and distribute 92 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:09,060 to the poor. 93 00:05:10,080 --> 00:05:15,040 Come, follow me, thou shalt have reward in 94 00:05:15,040 --> 00:05:15,460 heaven. 95 00:05:17,860 --> 00:05:19,440 And actually, as you read the book of 96 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:21,400 Acts, you'll find that this is what the 97 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:22,540 early church did. 98 00:05:23,740 --> 00:05:26,840 The great passion and aim of the early 99 00:05:26,840 --> 00:05:29,280 church was to make Christ known and everything 100 00:05:29,280 --> 00:05:33,860 else in life was subordinated to that cause. 101 00:05:34,700 --> 00:05:37,980 They held a very light touch on material 102 00:05:37,980 --> 00:05:38,640 things. 103 00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:40,300 There was an even flow. 104 00:05:40,460 --> 00:05:43,180 If there was a need here, funds flowed. 105 00:05:43,180 --> 00:05:45,840 If there was a need here, funds flowed 106 00:05:45,840 --> 00:05:48,900 so that there might be an equality. 107 00:05:49,760 --> 00:05:52,060 You know, it's interesting to me to know 108 00:05:52,060 --> 00:05:54,140 that one of the earliest men in the 109 00:05:54,140 --> 00:05:58,840 so-called brethren movement, Anthony Norris Grove, faced 110 00:05:58,840 --> 00:06:02,600 this verse of Scripture and similar verses of 111 00:06:02,600 --> 00:06:06,000 Scripture, and he felt he had no alternative. 112 00:06:07,100 --> 00:06:09,180 The light of the Word of God, then, 113 00:06:09,260 --> 00:06:12,460 to literally forsake all and follow Christ. 114 00:06:12,460 --> 00:06:16,620 And he gave up wealth and fortune and 115 00:06:16,620 --> 00:06:18,840 went out to Baghdad to serve the Lord 116 00:06:18,840 --> 00:06:19,240 there. 117 00:06:19,900 --> 00:06:21,600 And I think it might be interesting for 118 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:23,580 some of you to know that the first 119 00:06:23,580 --> 00:06:28,840 publication of the so-called brethren movement was 120 00:06:28,840 --> 00:06:32,260 a little booklet by Anthony Norris Grove called 121 00:06:32,260 --> 00:06:38,840 Christian Devotedness, a most devastating treatment of the 122 00:06:38,840 --> 00:06:39,280 subject. 123 00:06:39,280 --> 00:06:41,920 I don't like it at all, but I 124 00:06:41,920 --> 00:06:43,680 can't disprove it from the Scripture. 125 00:06:46,900 --> 00:06:49,260 C.T. Studd faced this same thing. 126 00:06:49,420 --> 00:06:52,780 C.T. Studd inherited a fortune, and he 127 00:06:52,780 --> 00:06:55,360 read these verses of Scripture and said, well, 128 00:06:55,420 --> 00:06:56,060 what about it? 129 00:06:57,890 --> 00:07:00,230 And so he said, well, he said, I 130 00:07:00,230 --> 00:07:04,530 have the priceless opportunity of doing what the 131 00:07:04,530 --> 00:07:06,490 rich young ruler failed to do. 132 00:07:07,150 --> 00:07:08,730 That was nice, wasn't it? 133 00:07:09,390 --> 00:07:12,530 I have the priceless opportunity of doing what 134 00:07:12,530 --> 00:07:14,710 the rich young ruler failed to do. 135 00:07:15,770 --> 00:07:19,790 And so he put his money to work 136 00:07:19,790 --> 00:07:22,650 in the service of the Lord, all except 137 00:07:22,650 --> 00:07:26,070 the equivalent of about $9,000. 138 00:07:26,610 --> 00:07:28,910 He was just getting married, and he thought, 139 00:07:29,010 --> 00:07:31,050 well, I can do this for myself, but 140 00:07:31,050 --> 00:07:35,550 I think I really should set aside $9 141 00:07:35,550 --> 00:07:37,070 ,000 for my wife. 142 00:07:37,590 --> 00:07:38,790 And so he did. 143 00:07:38,930 --> 00:07:42,010 He gave all to the work of the 144 00:07:42,010 --> 00:07:44,990 Lord, except $9,000, which he gave to 145 00:07:44,990 --> 00:07:45,870 his new bride. 146 00:07:46,610 --> 00:07:48,530 And she was not to be outdone by 147 00:07:48,530 --> 00:07:48,790 him. 148 00:07:48,910 --> 00:07:50,570 She said to him, Charlie, what did the 149 00:07:50,570 --> 00:07:52,250 Lord say to the rich young ruler? 150 00:07:53,190 --> 00:07:56,070 The answer was, sell all. 151 00:07:57,330 --> 00:07:59,330 And she said, well, let's begin our married 152 00:07:59,330 --> 00:08:00,650 life with a clean slate. 153 00:08:02,590 --> 00:08:04,830 And so she did the same as her 154 00:08:04,830 --> 00:08:06,830 devoted husband had done. 155 00:08:06,830 --> 00:08:09,010 And I was interested to notice in reading 156 00:08:09,010 --> 00:08:11,970 the book about Jim Elliot, the diary of 157 00:08:11,970 --> 00:08:14,870 Jim Elliot, that he was animated by the 158 00:08:14,870 --> 00:08:15,930 same spirit. 159 00:08:17,130 --> 00:08:18,810 I think this is most beautiful. 160 00:08:19,010 --> 00:08:22,370 He writes as follows in his diary, Father, 161 00:08:22,850 --> 00:08:26,590 let me be weak that I might loose 162 00:08:26,590 --> 00:08:29,650 my clutch on everything temporal. 163 00:08:30,390 --> 00:08:34,850 My life, my reputation, my possessions. 164 00:08:35,470 --> 00:08:39,990 Lord, let me loose the tension of the 165 00:08:39,990 --> 00:08:41,450 grasping hand. 166 00:08:43,820 --> 00:08:46,640 Even, Father, would I loose the love of 167 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:47,760 fondling. 168 00:08:48,520 --> 00:08:52,060 How often I have released a grasp only 169 00:08:52,060 --> 00:08:56,240 to retain what I prized by harmless longing, 170 00:08:56,940 --> 00:08:58,340 the fondling touch. 171 00:08:58,340 --> 00:09:02,480 Rather, open my hand to receive the nail 172 00:09:02,480 --> 00:09:06,060 of Calvary as Christ was open. 173 00:09:06,740 --> 00:09:11,220 That I, releasing all, might be released, unleashed 174 00:09:11,220 --> 00:09:13,360 from all that binds me now. 175 00:09:14,580 --> 00:09:18,340 He thought, heaven, yea, equality with God not 176 00:09:18,340 --> 00:09:19,860 a thing to be clutched at. 177 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:25,740 So, let me release my grasp. 178 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:28,980 If you haven't read the book Shadow of 179 00:09:28,980 --> 00:09:30,380 the Almighty, you really should. 180 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:33,760 It's really one of the most amazing books 181 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:35,480 that has come out in our generation. 182 00:09:36,540 --> 00:09:39,320 With regard to the love of temporal things, 183 00:09:39,460 --> 00:09:41,440 Betty Elliot wrote this about her husband. 184 00:09:41,560 --> 00:09:44,880 When he died, Jim left little of value 185 00:09:44,880 --> 00:09:47,700 as the world regards values. 186 00:09:48,300 --> 00:09:50,500 He and I had agreed long before that 187 00:09:50,500 --> 00:09:51,780 we wanted no insurance. 188 00:09:51,780 --> 00:09:55,360 We would store our goods in heaven, share 189 00:09:55,360 --> 00:09:57,180 what the Lord gave us as long as 190 00:09:57,180 --> 00:10:00,020 we had it, and trust him literally for 191 00:10:00,020 --> 00:10:00,680 the future. 192 00:10:01,100 --> 00:10:04,820 In accordance with the principles Paul sets forth 193 00:10:04,820 --> 00:10:06,020 to the Corinthians. 194 00:10:06,720 --> 00:10:09,140 When the children of Israel were given manna 195 00:10:09,140 --> 00:10:12,140 in the wilderness, they received enough for one 196 00:10:12,140 --> 00:10:12,540 day. 197 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:15,820 They were not told to lay up for 198 00:10:15,820 --> 00:10:16,240 tomorrow. 199 00:10:16,880 --> 00:10:19,520 So, of material things there were few. 200 00:10:19,520 --> 00:10:22,980 A home in the jungle, a few well 201 00:10:22,980 --> 00:10:25,700 -worn clothes, books and tools. 202 00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:29,160 The men who went to try to rescue 203 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:31,620 the five brought back to me from Jim's 204 00:10:31,620 --> 00:10:35,800 body his wristwatch and from the Keurorai beach 205 00:10:35,800 --> 00:10:39,180 the blurred pages of his college prayer book, 206 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:40,740 prayer notebook. 207 00:10:41,560 --> 00:10:45,640 There was no funeral, no tombstone for a 208 00:10:45,640 --> 00:10:45,980 memorial. 209 00:10:46,920 --> 00:10:48,300 No legacy then? 210 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:50,880 Was it just as if he had never 211 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:51,220 been? 212 00:10:52,140 --> 00:10:55,160 The world passeth away in the lust thereof, 213 00:10:55,500 --> 00:10:57,760 but he that doeth the will of God 214 00:10:57,760 --> 00:10:59,220 abideth forever. 215 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:02,580 Jim left for me in memory and for 216 00:11:02,580 --> 00:11:05,520 us all in these letters and diaries the 217 00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:09,260 testimony of a man who sought nothing but 218 00:11:09,260 --> 00:11:10,200 the will of God. 219 00:11:11,100 --> 00:11:13,800 Who prayed that his life would be an 220 00:11:13,800 --> 00:11:18,560 exhibit to the value of knowing God. 221 00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:21,960 Now, when I read a verse like Luke 222 00:11:21,960 --> 00:11:26,100 14, 33, my infidel heart tells me that 223 00:11:26,100 --> 00:11:27,160 it's impossible. 224 00:11:28,560 --> 00:11:31,300 And all kinds of reasonings arise in my 225 00:11:31,300 --> 00:11:31,720 mind. 226 00:11:32,500 --> 00:11:34,780 I say, why if we followed that verse 227 00:11:34,780 --> 00:11:35,540 we'd starve. 228 00:11:37,960 --> 00:11:41,740 And supposing all Christians did this, who'd support 229 00:11:41,740 --> 00:11:42,860 the work of the Lord? 230 00:11:48,430 --> 00:11:50,330 And after all, isn't it true that there 231 00:11:50,330 --> 00:11:53,250 must be Christians in every strata of society 232 00:11:53,250 --> 00:11:55,250 so that men and women might be reached 233 00:11:55,250 --> 00:11:56,770 with the gospel? 234 00:11:58,410 --> 00:12:00,910 We do have to provide for the future, 235 00:12:01,470 --> 00:12:01,990 don't we? 236 00:12:05,220 --> 00:12:07,320 Well, I think the answer is found in 237 00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:09,120 the word of the Lord Jesus, The kingdom 238 00:12:09,120 --> 00:12:14,480 of God and his righteousness and all these 239 00:12:14,480 --> 00:12:16,980 things shall be added unto you. 240 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:21,840 There's only one real impossibility in the Christian 241 00:12:21,840 --> 00:12:25,000 life, and that's for God to lie. 242 00:12:27,830 --> 00:12:30,890 It's really the only impossibility, for God to 243 00:12:30,890 --> 00:12:31,150 lie. 244 00:12:32,310 --> 00:12:36,030 And God says if we are industrious and 245 00:12:36,030 --> 00:12:39,670 frugal and conscientious in doing his will, we'll 246 00:12:39,670 --> 00:12:40,390 never starve. 247 00:12:46,730 --> 00:12:50,450 We say it's impossible, but that's not an 248 00:12:50,450 --> 00:12:51,010 objection. 249 00:12:52,830 --> 00:12:55,670 If I'm living my life on the plane 250 00:12:55,670 --> 00:12:58,310 of the possible, it's not the Christian life. 251 00:12:58,910 --> 00:13:00,590 The Christian life is impossible. 252 00:13:00,810 --> 00:13:02,950 The Christian life can only be lived in 253 00:13:02,950 --> 00:13:04,790 the power of the Spirit of God. 254 00:13:04,790 --> 00:13:08,090 The Christian life is as impossible as it's 255 00:13:08,090 --> 00:13:09,830 impossible to walk on water. 256 00:13:11,170 --> 00:13:13,030 The only way Peter could ever have walked 257 00:13:13,030 --> 00:13:14,750 on the water was by keeping his eyes 258 00:13:14,750 --> 00:13:17,250 on the Lord and being sustained by the 259 00:13:17,250 --> 00:13:17,630 Lord. 260 00:13:18,830 --> 00:13:21,610 That's the only way we can live the 261 00:13:21,610 --> 00:13:22,130 Christian life. 262 00:13:22,190 --> 00:13:25,130 If my life is lived on the plane 263 00:13:25,130 --> 00:13:27,110 of the possible, it's no different from the 264 00:13:27,110 --> 00:13:29,010 lives of the ungodly men about me. 265 00:13:29,750 --> 00:13:34,490 Unless my life crackles with the supernatural, I'm 266 00:13:34,490 --> 00:13:36,670 really not living the life God wants me 267 00:13:36,670 --> 00:13:37,010 to live. 268 00:13:38,370 --> 00:13:40,910 Unless the life of the Lord Jesus is 269 00:13:40,910 --> 00:13:44,470 being lived out through me, it's not the 270 00:13:44,470 --> 00:13:45,150 Christian life. 271 00:13:48,460 --> 00:13:50,980 Then as far as the argument that if 272 00:13:50,980 --> 00:13:53,400 we all did this, who would support the 273 00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:55,540 work of the Lord, well, I think that 274 00:13:55,540 --> 00:13:57,820 one answers itself. 275 00:13:57,820 --> 00:14:00,200 If we all did this, the work of 276 00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:02,220 the Lord would be better supported than it 277 00:14:02,220 --> 00:14:04,040 ever was before, wouldn't it? 278 00:14:04,440 --> 00:14:07,300 There wouldn't be any lack in the work 279 00:14:07,300 --> 00:14:08,060 of the Lord. 280 00:14:08,660 --> 00:14:10,520 And as far as the answer that, after 281 00:14:10,520 --> 00:14:12,740 all, there must be people in every strata 282 00:14:12,740 --> 00:14:15,860 of society to reach others with the gospel, 283 00:14:16,160 --> 00:14:17,200 it really isn't true. 284 00:14:17,900 --> 00:14:18,860 It really isn't true. 285 00:14:19,260 --> 00:14:24,740 Paul reached Caesar's household while he was in 286 00:14:24,740 --> 00:14:25,120 prison. 287 00:14:25,660 --> 00:14:29,080 I tell you, our responsibility is to obey 288 00:14:29,080 --> 00:14:32,200 God and to leave the consequences with Him. 289 00:14:32,800 --> 00:14:35,680 And if we obey God, He'll see that 290 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:38,560 men and women are reached with the gospel, 291 00:14:39,060 --> 00:14:43,080 and He'll do it in most marvelous ways. 292 00:14:44,340 --> 00:14:46,620 In fact, I think the more we think 293 00:14:46,620 --> 00:14:48,680 of this verse of Scripture, the more we 294 00:14:48,680 --> 00:14:51,720 ponder it, the more we meditate on it, 295 00:14:51,720 --> 00:14:54,940 the more we realize that the Lord Jesus 296 00:14:54,940 --> 00:14:58,180 was right, and this is the only way 297 00:14:58,180 --> 00:15:00,760 that the job will ever get done. 298 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:08,100 The only way that the job will ever 299 00:15:08,100 --> 00:15:08,640 get done. 300 00:15:13,930 --> 00:15:16,510 Now, I think there are several considerations which 301 00:15:16,510 --> 00:15:18,890 we should keep in mind before we completely 302 00:15:18,890 --> 00:15:21,230 discard this verse from our theology. 303 00:15:21,230 --> 00:15:28,940 And one is this, if I spend my 304 00:15:28,940 --> 00:15:37,260 life accumulating earthly treasure, while a world is 305 00:15:37,260 --> 00:15:40,320 perishing about me for want of the knowledge 306 00:15:40,320 --> 00:15:45,850 of Jesus Christ, the question might very well 307 00:15:45,850 --> 00:15:48,330 be asked of me, how dwelleth the love 308 00:15:48,330 --> 00:15:50,170 of God in such a man? 309 00:15:52,520 --> 00:15:56,020 If I dare to keep above my personal 310 00:15:56,020 --> 00:15:59,820 necessities that which could be used for the 311 00:15:59,820 --> 00:16:05,100 eternal blessing of souls, I stand in an 312 00:16:05,100 --> 00:16:07,180 awkward position before God. 313 00:16:08,420 --> 00:16:09,820 You know, to me, one of the most 314 00:16:09,820 --> 00:16:13,700 thrilling things about the Christian life here on 315 00:16:13,700 --> 00:16:16,980 earth is that you and I can touch 316 00:16:16,980 --> 00:16:20,500 other lives in such a way that they're 317 00:16:20,500 --> 00:16:23,400 affected for good for eternity. 318 00:16:23,400 --> 00:16:25,540 I think that's a marvelous thing. 319 00:16:25,660 --> 00:16:27,260 I never get over the thrill of it, 320 00:16:27,320 --> 00:16:30,100 to think that God could use me, and 321 00:16:30,100 --> 00:16:31,400 God could use you. 322 00:16:31,740 --> 00:16:34,340 We could pass a piece of Christian literature, 323 00:16:34,740 --> 00:16:37,900 maybe a correspondence course, a tract, or speak 324 00:16:37,900 --> 00:16:40,780 a word, and a person could read that, 325 00:16:40,860 --> 00:16:42,520 and the Spirit of God could get a 326 00:16:42,520 --> 00:16:44,900 hold of him and save his soul, and 327 00:16:44,900 --> 00:16:47,740 that person would be a worshipper for Christ 328 00:16:47,740 --> 00:16:48,840 throughout all eternity. 329 00:16:49,120 --> 00:16:51,380 I don't think there's anything greater than that. 330 00:16:58,960 --> 00:17:01,940 And I ask you then, is it reasonable, 331 00:17:02,540 --> 00:17:06,680 is it reasonable that I should withhold that 332 00:17:06,680 --> 00:17:11,220 which can result in eternal blessing to man 333 00:17:11,220 --> 00:17:13,339 when I have it in my power to 334 00:17:13,339 --> 00:17:13,680 do it? 335 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:16,800 Way back in the book of the law, 336 00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:19,480 the Lord Jesus said, Thou shalt love thy 337 00:17:19,480 --> 00:17:22,040 neighbor as thyself. 338 00:17:22,180 --> 00:17:25,560 God said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as 339 00:17:25,560 --> 00:17:26,020 thyself. 340 00:17:26,020 --> 00:17:29,620 How can I be said to love my 341 00:17:29,620 --> 00:17:33,240 neighbor as myself when I have within my 342 00:17:33,240 --> 00:17:38,140 power the means of his eternal blessing, and 343 00:17:38,140 --> 00:17:39,500 I withhold it from him? 344 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:46,660 A second consideration is this. 345 00:17:48,780 --> 00:17:51,860 If the Lord Jesus Christ should come today, 346 00:17:51,960 --> 00:17:58,710 and I believe he could, our material possessions 347 00:17:58,710 --> 00:18:03,110 would take a sudden drop in value, wouldn't 348 00:18:03,110 --> 00:18:03,350 they? 349 00:18:04,030 --> 00:18:07,290 How much would things be worth to me 350 00:18:08,790 --> 00:18:11,790 tomorrow if Christ came today? 351 00:18:13,230 --> 00:18:14,510 Well, you know the answer. 352 00:18:15,310 --> 00:18:17,950 In fact, there's only one material thing that 353 00:18:17,950 --> 00:18:19,650 I have in the world today that would 354 00:18:19,650 --> 00:18:23,030 be worth that much tomorrow if Christ came 355 00:18:23,030 --> 00:18:23,430 today. 356 00:18:23,950 --> 00:18:25,570 That's this book I have in my hand, 357 00:18:25,630 --> 00:18:27,930 because this book is going to abide forever. 358 00:18:28,750 --> 00:18:30,110 The only thing. 359 00:18:32,060 --> 00:18:34,960 Now, if I really believe that, if I 360 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:40,160 really believe that Christ could come today, and 361 00:18:40,160 --> 00:18:45,740 if I'm a clever investment man, I'll be 362 00:18:45,740 --> 00:18:47,000 careful where I invest. 363 00:18:48,040 --> 00:18:50,600 You know, back in the Old Testament, God 364 00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:52,680 instituted what was known as the year of 365 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:55,740 jubilee, and in the year of jubilee, all 366 00:18:55,740 --> 00:18:57,980 property reverted to its owner. 367 00:18:59,280 --> 00:19:01,540 Now, I might have a farm, I might 368 00:19:01,540 --> 00:19:05,840 buy a farm, and the years go by, 369 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:07,720 and I know very well that in 50 370 00:19:07,720 --> 00:19:10,060 years, that farm will no longer be mine. 371 00:19:10,160 --> 00:19:11,720 It's going to revert to its owner. 372 00:19:14,220 --> 00:19:16,420 And every year I get closer to the 373 00:19:16,420 --> 00:19:19,200 year of jubilee, that farm is worth less 374 00:19:19,200 --> 00:19:19,980 and less. 375 00:19:20,940 --> 00:19:21,540 Isn't it? 376 00:19:22,140 --> 00:19:23,540 If I went out to sell it in 377 00:19:23,540 --> 00:19:25,240 the market, I wouldn't get very much for 378 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:26,980 it the 49th year. 379 00:19:26,980 --> 00:19:28,720 In fact, nobody would want to buy it 380 00:19:28,720 --> 00:19:29,080 at all. 381 00:19:31,500 --> 00:19:33,880 Dear friends, I believe our year of jubilee 382 00:19:33,880 --> 00:19:35,280 is very close, don't you? 383 00:19:36,540 --> 00:19:41,080 And listen, if I really believe that, I'm 384 00:19:41,080 --> 00:19:43,100 going to invest for eternity. 385 00:19:48,360 --> 00:19:50,600 I might just say that all my training 386 00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:54,440 in secular life was in the realm of 387 00:19:54,440 --> 00:19:55,080 investment. 388 00:19:56,180 --> 00:19:58,120 In the realm of investment, I was an 389 00:19:58,120 --> 00:20:00,380 investment analyst at the First National Bank of 390 00:20:00,380 --> 00:20:00,780 Boston. 391 00:20:00,780 --> 00:20:04,810 When I say these things, I know they're 392 00:20:04,810 --> 00:20:07,430 contrary to everything I learned in the business 393 00:20:07,430 --> 00:20:09,550 world, but I believe them with all my 394 00:20:09,550 --> 00:20:10,030 heart. 395 00:20:10,870 --> 00:20:14,430 I believe if Christ came tomorrow, a lot 396 00:20:14,430 --> 00:20:17,850 of Christian property would fall into the devil's 397 00:20:17,850 --> 00:20:18,250 hands. 398 00:20:20,440 --> 00:20:22,200 Would fall into the devil's hands. 399 00:20:24,380 --> 00:20:26,760 Now, another problem in this connection is this. 400 00:20:26,920 --> 00:20:31,560 How can I conscientiously pray to the Lord 401 00:20:31,560 --> 00:20:33,740 for the supply of the needs of the 402 00:20:33,740 --> 00:20:35,620 work of the Lord if I have it 403 00:20:35,620 --> 00:20:39,700 within my power to provide those needs? 404 00:20:41,080 --> 00:20:43,820 What I'm trying to say here is that 405 00:20:43,820 --> 00:20:46,900 obedience to the word of the Lord in 406 00:20:46,900 --> 00:20:51,540 Luke 14, 33 delivers a person from hypocrisy 407 00:20:51,540 --> 00:20:52,360 in prayer. 408 00:20:53,320 --> 00:20:54,560 It really does. 409 00:20:55,140 --> 00:20:58,260 It delivers a person from hypocrisy in prayer. 410 00:20:58,820 --> 00:21:00,720 Recently I sat in a meeting and heard 411 00:21:00,720 --> 00:21:02,960 a man get up and make an eloquent 412 00:21:02,960 --> 00:21:06,520 plea for a certain particular need on a 413 00:21:06,520 --> 00:21:07,360 mission field. 414 00:21:07,960 --> 00:21:11,660 $2,000 were needed for a certain particular 415 00:21:11,660 --> 00:21:13,480 project on this mission field. 416 00:21:14,160 --> 00:21:18,340 That man had just concluded a deal whereby 417 00:21:18,340 --> 00:21:21,800 he sold a piece of property for $90 418 00:21:21,800 --> 00:21:22,900 ,000. 419 00:21:24,800 --> 00:21:26,180 $90,000. 420 00:21:30,150 --> 00:21:32,510 Now, I wonder if we're being honest with 421 00:21:32,510 --> 00:21:32,950 the Lord. 422 00:21:32,950 --> 00:21:36,830 I wonder if God hears that kind of 423 00:21:36,830 --> 00:21:37,330 a prayer. 424 00:21:37,970 --> 00:21:39,930 But we pray for the supply of the 425 00:21:39,930 --> 00:21:41,590 needs of the work of the Lord, and 426 00:21:41,590 --> 00:21:43,170 we have it in our power to do 427 00:21:43,170 --> 00:21:46,050 it, and we withhold our hands. 428 00:21:46,810 --> 00:21:48,710 But you know, there's something else that comes 429 00:21:48,710 --> 00:21:51,730 home very seriously to me in a verse 430 00:21:51,730 --> 00:21:52,870 of Scripture like this. 431 00:21:55,650 --> 00:22:00,270 Our obedience to a verse of Scripture like 432 00:22:00,270 --> 00:22:05,450 this affects our ability to teach and preach 433 00:22:05,450 --> 00:22:06,590 the Christian faith. 434 00:22:07,550 --> 00:22:09,630 It really does, and this speaks to my 435 00:22:09,630 --> 00:22:10,030 heart. 436 00:22:10,750 --> 00:22:13,510 No wonder James said, Be not many teachers. 437 00:22:14,330 --> 00:22:17,690 Don't hurry to be a teacher, because they 438 00:22:17,690 --> 00:22:20,590 stand in greater condemnation. 439 00:22:22,250 --> 00:22:23,310 What do I mean? 440 00:22:23,370 --> 00:22:25,070 Well, here you are in the Sunday school 441 00:22:25,070 --> 00:22:27,710 class, and your little scholar asks you, Well, 442 00:22:27,770 --> 00:22:30,550 what does verse 33 mean, teacher, anyway? 443 00:22:31,230 --> 00:22:33,710 Well, really, what you've done with verse 33 444 00:22:33,710 --> 00:22:36,730 determines what you tell him it means, doesn't 445 00:22:36,730 --> 00:22:36,930 it? 446 00:22:37,870 --> 00:22:40,510 And this is true in all areas of 447 00:22:40,510 --> 00:22:41,490 the Word of God. 448 00:22:42,190 --> 00:22:43,030 It is. 449 00:22:43,870 --> 00:22:47,910 We teach not always according to what we 450 00:22:47,910 --> 00:22:51,010 might know the Word of God means, but 451 00:22:51,010 --> 00:22:54,230 according to what we make it to mean 452 00:22:54,230 --> 00:22:55,410 in our own lives. 453 00:22:55,410 --> 00:22:57,030 And that's a very serious thing. 454 00:22:57,350 --> 00:23:00,490 A very serious thing indeed. 455 00:23:01,870 --> 00:23:05,330 And finally, I would just mention this, that 456 00:23:05,330 --> 00:23:10,590 clever men of this world spend their time 457 00:23:10,590 --> 00:23:14,290 providing reserves for future security. 458 00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:19,920 Mr. Woods was speaking about security last night, 459 00:23:20,120 --> 00:23:21,360 the god of this age. 460 00:23:22,300 --> 00:23:23,280 Clever men of the world. 461 00:23:23,280 --> 00:23:26,440 A good banker is a man who knows 462 00:23:26,440 --> 00:23:29,500 how to provide adequate reserves. 463 00:23:32,490 --> 00:23:37,250 Now, if I pattern my life on that 464 00:23:37,250 --> 00:23:39,330 basis, how am I any different from the 465 00:23:39,330 --> 00:23:39,970 men of the world? 466 00:23:41,230 --> 00:23:45,030 The Scripture says we walk by faith and 467 00:23:45,030 --> 00:23:45,890 not by sight. 468 00:23:47,510 --> 00:23:49,850 And if I go according to the same 469 00:23:49,850 --> 00:23:52,330 principles that the ungodly men of this world 470 00:23:52,330 --> 00:23:56,930 go according to, I'm walking by sight and 471 00:23:56,930 --> 00:23:57,790 not by faith. 472 00:23:59,410 --> 00:24:03,350 Dear friends, when you see, you can't trust. 473 00:24:05,500 --> 00:24:07,960 When you see, you can't trust. 474 00:24:10,830 --> 00:24:12,650 Now, I'm not unaware of the fact that 475 00:24:12,650 --> 00:24:14,970 there are objections in the minds of some 476 00:24:14,970 --> 00:24:17,370 here this morning to these things, and I'd 477 00:24:17,370 --> 00:24:19,330 like to just bring the objections to the 478 00:24:19,330 --> 00:24:21,510 surface, objections from the Word of God. 479 00:24:21,770 --> 00:24:25,290 The first is in 2 Corinthians chapter 12 480 00:24:25,290 --> 00:24:29,450 and verse 14, where the Apostle Paul says, 481 00:24:31,290 --> 00:24:34,530 "...Behold, the third time I am ready to 482 00:24:34,530 --> 00:24:36,090 come to you, and I will not be 483 00:24:36,090 --> 00:24:38,790 burdensome to you, for I seek not yours, 484 00:24:38,970 --> 00:24:39,410 but you. 485 00:24:39,870 --> 00:24:41,770 For the children ought not to lay up 486 00:24:41,770 --> 00:24:44,250 for the parents, but the parents for the 487 00:24:44,250 --> 00:24:44,510 children." 488 00:24:45,190 --> 00:24:48,470 Now, this verse is often adduced to show 489 00:24:48,470 --> 00:24:54,170 that Christian parents should spend their lives providing 490 00:24:54,170 --> 00:24:57,070 for the future security of their children. 491 00:24:57,610 --> 00:24:59,670 But, you know, the verse doesn't teach that. 492 00:25:00,590 --> 00:25:03,190 Paul, in this verse, is not speaking about 493 00:25:03,190 --> 00:25:03,710 the future. 494 00:25:03,870 --> 00:25:06,410 He's speaking about current necessities. 495 00:25:06,830 --> 00:25:09,650 The question in this passage of Scripture is 496 00:25:09,650 --> 00:25:12,890 the provision of Paul's immediate needs. 497 00:25:13,530 --> 00:25:18,470 Now, the Corinthians were not careful in this 498 00:25:18,470 --> 00:25:21,510 matter, and Paul says that's perfectly all right. 499 00:25:21,510 --> 00:25:24,210 Parents ought to provide for the children, not 500 00:25:24,210 --> 00:25:25,530 the children for the parents. 501 00:25:25,870 --> 00:25:28,590 I'm ministering to you gratuitously. 502 00:25:28,890 --> 00:25:30,490 I look for nothing from you. 503 00:25:30,750 --> 00:25:33,170 There's no thought of the Corinthians putting aside 504 00:25:33,170 --> 00:25:35,070 a retirement fund for Paul. 505 00:25:35,230 --> 00:25:36,310 That's not the point. 506 00:25:36,670 --> 00:25:40,030 The whole passage of Scripture is an ironical 507 00:25:40,030 --> 00:25:42,870 statement by the Apostle Paul having to do 508 00:25:42,870 --> 00:25:45,910 with the provision of current needs, not future 509 00:25:45,910 --> 00:25:46,630 necessities. 510 00:25:47,090 --> 00:25:49,790 The other verse is 1 Timothy 5.8. 511 00:25:49,790 --> 00:25:54,830 1 Timothy 5.8, and it says there, 512 00:25:55,770 --> 00:25:58,210 "...but if any provide not for his own, 513 00:25:58,370 --> 00:26:00,930 and especially for those of his own household, 514 00:26:01,290 --> 00:26:03,870 he hath denied the faith, and is worse 515 00:26:03,870 --> 00:26:04,990 than an infidel." 516 00:26:04,990 --> 00:26:07,890 Once again, this passage of Scripture has to 517 00:26:07,890 --> 00:26:10,070 do with the care of widows in the 518 00:26:10,070 --> 00:26:10,890 local church. 519 00:26:11,170 --> 00:26:13,630 It doesn't have to do with providing a 520 00:26:13,630 --> 00:26:17,310 fund for widows, but with providing their needs 521 00:26:17,310 --> 00:26:18,530 day by day. 522 00:26:18,530 --> 00:26:20,090 That's the whole argument. 523 00:26:20,670 --> 00:26:22,850 And the burden of the New Testament is 524 00:26:22,850 --> 00:26:26,350 that a Christian should be zealous and industrious 525 00:26:26,350 --> 00:26:30,090 and frugal and hardworking to provide for his 526 00:26:30,090 --> 00:26:34,410 current needs and trust God for the future. 527 00:26:34,650 --> 00:26:37,190 Actually, a Christian who starts out to provide 528 00:26:37,190 --> 00:26:39,330 for his future will never have enough. 529 00:26:39,990 --> 00:26:41,270 He'll never have enough. 530 00:26:41,370 --> 00:26:44,170 It's impossible to provide enough for your future. 531 00:26:44,530 --> 00:26:45,970 And you come to the end of the 532 00:26:45,970 --> 00:26:47,990 journey and find that you don't have enough 533 00:26:47,990 --> 00:26:49,870 and that if you had only put God 534 00:26:49,870 --> 00:26:52,370 first in your life, he would have provided 535 00:26:52,370 --> 00:26:54,790 all your needs anyway. 536 00:26:55,530 --> 00:26:57,950 But then I think perhaps the most telling 537 00:26:57,950 --> 00:27:01,810 point in this whole thing is the example 538 00:27:01,810 --> 00:27:05,850 of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ. 539 00:27:07,170 --> 00:27:10,370 You know, the Lord Jesus Christ was fabulously 540 00:27:10,370 --> 00:27:10,930 wealthy. 541 00:27:11,730 --> 00:27:12,770 Fabulously wealthy. 542 00:27:15,090 --> 00:27:15,890 What did he do? 543 00:27:16,890 --> 00:27:21,570 He voluntarily became poor that others might be 544 00:27:21,570 --> 00:27:21,910 rich. 545 00:27:22,850 --> 00:27:25,650 This is an argument I can't answer. 546 00:27:26,470 --> 00:27:27,970 I just can't answer it. 547 00:27:28,830 --> 00:27:32,030 George Mueller says that ill behooves the servant 548 00:27:32,030 --> 00:27:35,810 to seek to be rich and great and 549 00:27:35,810 --> 00:27:39,470 honored in this world when his Lord was 550 00:27:39,470 --> 00:27:43,250 poor and mean and despised. 551 00:27:43,250 --> 00:27:46,810 Long as I live, I'll never get over 552 00:27:46,810 --> 00:27:51,050 that fact that you dwelt in courts of 553 00:27:51,050 --> 00:27:52,430 bliss and glory above.