1 00:00:00,350 --> 00:00:03,250 Let's turn today to Matthew's Gospel, chapter 17 2 00:00:03,250 --> 00:00:05,030 and verse 9. 3 00:00:06,770 --> 00:00:10,010 This is referring to the time when Peter, 4 00:00:10,150 --> 00:00:11,770 James and John had just been up the 5 00:00:11,770 --> 00:00:14,150 mountain to see Jesus transfigured. 6 00:00:16,570 --> 00:00:18,090 And then we read here, as they were 7 00:00:18,090 --> 00:00:20,390 coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, 8 00:00:20,470 --> 00:00:22,230 saying, Tell the vision to no one until 9 00:00:22,230 --> 00:00:23,790 the Son of Man has risen from the 10 00:00:23,790 --> 00:00:24,010 dead. 11 00:00:26,670 --> 00:00:29,950 When they were on the mountain, Peter had 12 00:00:29,950 --> 00:00:31,350 said, Lord, it is good for us to 13 00:00:31,350 --> 00:00:31,790 be here. 14 00:00:34,060 --> 00:00:36,640 But it wasn't the will of God that 15 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:39,620 they should stay forever on that mountain, seeing 16 00:00:39,620 --> 00:00:40,680 the glory of Jesus. 17 00:00:42,260 --> 00:00:45,160 Because there was a world in need, lying 18 00:00:45,160 --> 00:00:47,320 at their feet in the valley. 19 00:00:48,660 --> 00:00:50,560 And God's will is not that we should 20 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:53,620 forever sit on the mountaintop, seeing the glory 21 00:00:53,620 --> 00:00:54,200 of Jesus. 22 00:00:55,420 --> 00:00:57,580 There's something exciting about that. 23 00:00:58,220 --> 00:01:03,580 But the purpose of every mountaintop experience is 24 00:01:03,580 --> 00:01:05,300 that we might come down from the mountain, 25 00:01:05,960 --> 00:01:09,000 down into the valley, to minister to human 26 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:09,360 need. 27 00:01:10,700 --> 00:01:12,100 And that's what we see here. 28 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:16,160 And this is the mistake that people make. 29 00:01:17,260 --> 00:01:19,620 They are either living forever in the valley, 30 00:01:20,300 --> 00:01:22,400 ministering to human need, never going up to 31 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:26,080 the mountain, seeing the glory of Jesus, or 32 00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:29,460 forever seeking to live on the mountaintop, seeing 33 00:01:29,460 --> 00:01:32,180 the glory of Jesus, never coming down into 34 00:01:32,180 --> 00:01:34,480 the valley to minister to human need. 35 00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:38,220 So there's great significance here in that little 36 00:01:38,220 --> 00:01:41,040 expression, they came down from the mountain. 37 00:01:41,960 --> 00:01:43,340 In other words, they went up to the 38 00:01:43,340 --> 00:01:44,560 mountain, but they didn't stay there. 39 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:47,640 And that's how our life must be. 40 00:01:48,100 --> 00:01:49,860 We do need times when we are up 41 00:01:49,860 --> 00:01:51,500 on the mountain, seeing the glory of Jesus. 42 00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:55,940 But the purpose of that strengthening, that lifting 43 00:01:55,940 --> 00:01:58,300 up of our spirit, is that we might 44 00:01:58,300 --> 00:02:00,060 come down from the mountain and minister to 45 00:02:00,060 --> 00:02:02,340 human need in the valley. 46 00:02:02,460 --> 00:02:04,280 And Jesus commanded them, saying, Tell the vision 47 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:05,580 to no one until the Son of Man 48 00:02:05,580 --> 00:02:06,500 is risen from the dead. 49 00:02:08,949 --> 00:02:13,010 There's something that stirs us to tell others 50 00:02:13,010 --> 00:02:16,290 immediately about any new experience that we've had. 51 00:02:18,130 --> 00:02:20,490 And what a battle that must have been 52 00:02:20,490 --> 00:02:22,230 for them to keep quiet about it. 53 00:02:22,330 --> 00:02:24,610 Not even to tell the other nine disciples. 54 00:02:26,110 --> 00:02:28,230 When we have had something special, a special 55 00:02:28,230 --> 00:02:29,850 experience, what a lust there is in our 56 00:02:29,850 --> 00:02:31,930 flesh to boast about it. 57 00:02:33,150 --> 00:02:34,930 Paul had an experience, we read in 2 58 00:02:34,930 --> 00:02:36,970 Corinthians 12, that he kept quiet about for 59 00:02:36,970 --> 00:02:37,650 fourteen years. 60 00:02:38,370 --> 00:02:39,930 And even when he did speak about it, 61 00:02:39,950 --> 00:02:41,950 he spoke about it so briefly, and that 62 00:02:41,950 --> 00:02:45,210 also, only to establish his apostleship to the 63 00:02:45,210 --> 00:02:47,030 Corinthians, so that they would receive his letters 64 00:02:47,030 --> 00:02:48,990 as God's word to them. 65 00:02:50,490 --> 00:02:52,390 There are many things that God does to 66 00:02:52,390 --> 00:02:54,990 us and says to us that we are 67 00:02:54,990 --> 00:02:56,190 not to reveal to others. 68 00:02:58,690 --> 00:02:59,570 Many experiences. 69 00:03:00,790 --> 00:03:03,090 We need to have wisdom concerning what we 70 00:03:03,090 --> 00:03:05,150 can testify about and what we shouldn't testify 71 00:03:05,150 --> 00:03:05,570 about. 72 00:03:06,690 --> 00:03:08,490 And here is where many believers fail. 73 00:03:08,970 --> 00:03:11,350 They think that everything that they experience and 74 00:03:11,350 --> 00:03:13,470 hear and know, they should tell others. 75 00:03:14,590 --> 00:03:17,270 That's because of their immaturity and folly. 76 00:03:18,910 --> 00:03:20,510 Tell the vision to no one, Jesus said, 77 00:03:21,170 --> 00:03:23,550 until the Son of Man is risen from 78 00:03:23,550 --> 00:03:23,870 the dead. 79 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:28,060 And his disciples asked him, saying, why then 80 00:03:28,060 --> 00:03:30,080 do the scribes say that Elijah must come 81 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:30,540 first? 82 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:33,300 They had just seen Elijah on the mountaintop, 83 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:38,580 and they wondered if this is the coming 84 00:03:38,580 --> 00:03:39,000 of Elijah. 85 00:03:39,260 --> 00:03:41,200 And he answered and said, Elijah is coming 86 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:42,600 and will restore all things. 87 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:46,060 But I say to you that Elijah already 88 00:03:46,060 --> 00:03:46,480 came. 89 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:49,260 And they did not recognize him, but did 90 00:03:49,260 --> 00:03:50,240 to him whatever they wished. 91 00:03:50,300 --> 00:03:52,820 Of course, Jesus was referring there to John 92 00:03:52,820 --> 00:03:54,320 the Baptist, who had come in the spirit 93 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:55,220 and power of Elijah. 94 00:03:56,940 --> 00:03:59,360 John the Baptist was the one person who 95 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:02,100 was the forerunner of Jesus Christ, who came 96 00:04:02,100 --> 00:04:03,860 in the spirit and power of Elijah, as 97 00:04:03,860 --> 00:04:05,600 prophesied in Malachi chapter 4. 98 00:04:06,580 --> 00:04:08,800 And John the Baptist was a partial fulfillment 99 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:10,600 of that prophecy in the first coming of 100 00:04:10,600 --> 00:04:11,000 Christ. 101 00:04:11,900 --> 00:04:14,100 He has already come, Jesus said in verse 102 00:04:14,100 --> 00:04:14,400 12. 103 00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:17,120 But then Jesus said something else. 104 00:04:18,180 --> 00:04:20,040 He said in verse 11 that Elijah is 105 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:22,520 coming and will restore all things. 106 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:28,700 And this Elijah is a prophetic voice that 107 00:04:28,700 --> 00:04:34,040 will be found in the church, particularly before 108 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:37,260 the second coming of Christ, seeking to restore 109 00:04:37,260 --> 00:04:44,460 people in the church to that purity that 110 00:04:44,460 --> 00:04:46,240 is necessary to be the bride of Christ. 111 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:50,280 Elijah is coming and will restore all things. 112 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:54,600 And this is the calling of the church 113 00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:57,120 in this day and age, just before the 114 00:04:57,120 --> 00:05:00,980 second coming of Christ, to proclaim God's word 115 00:05:00,980 --> 00:05:02,660 in the spirit and power of Elijah. 116 00:05:05,380 --> 00:05:08,040 Backsliding has entered the church, just like backsliding 117 00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:09,500 was there in Israel in the days of 118 00:05:09,500 --> 00:05:09,840 Elijah. 119 00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:12,820 Compromise was there in the days of Elijah, 120 00:05:12,940 --> 00:05:14,660 and compromise is found in the Christian church 121 00:05:14,660 --> 00:05:14,980 today. 122 00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:18,080 And the need of the hour is the 123 00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:20,740 prophetic voice of Elijah in the church, calling 124 00:05:20,740 --> 00:05:24,620 the church back to recognize its true God, 125 00:05:26,120 --> 00:05:28,360 calling down spiritual fire from heaven. 126 00:05:29,500 --> 00:05:31,040 This is the need of the hour. 127 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:36,560 And God has his prophets even today. 128 00:05:39,670 --> 00:05:42,710 Elijah is coming and he will restore all 129 00:05:42,710 --> 00:05:42,970 things. 130 00:05:42,970 --> 00:05:47,190 It's a ministry of restoration back to that 131 00:05:47,190 --> 00:05:50,290 original standard that God desired when he established 132 00:05:50,290 --> 00:05:52,870 the new covenant on the day of Pentecost. 133 00:05:55,740 --> 00:05:58,000 So also, it says in verse 12, just 134 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:01,500 like the people did whatever they wished to 135 00:06:01,500 --> 00:06:05,200 that first Elijah, the first one who came 136 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:06,640 in the spirit of Elijah, John the Baptist, 137 00:06:06,780 --> 00:06:08,640 so also, the last part of verse 12, 138 00:06:09,740 --> 00:06:11,080 the Son of Man is going to suffer 139 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:12,760 at their hands. 140 00:06:14,300 --> 00:06:17,340 Then the disciples understood that he had spoken 141 00:06:17,340 --> 00:06:18,740 to them about John the Baptist. 142 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:20,260 It was clear. 143 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:23,360 And Jesus is also going to suffer like 144 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:23,680 that. 145 00:06:25,060 --> 00:06:26,860 And now we see the purpose of coming 146 00:06:26,860 --> 00:06:28,060 down the mountain to the valley. 147 00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:29,920 Verse 14, When they came to the multitude, 148 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:32,660 a man came up to him, falling on 149 00:06:32,660 --> 00:06:36,280 his knees before him, and saying, Lord, have 150 00:06:36,280 --> 00:06:37,240 mercy on my son. 151 00:06:37,340 --> 00:06:39,720 Here is human need, people under the grip 152 00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:43,020 of Satan, for he is an epileptic and 153 00:06:43,020 --> 00:06:43,660 is very ill. 154 00:06:44,460 --> 00:06:46,120 And he often falls into the fire and 155 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:46,760 often into the water. 156 00:06:46,900 --> 00:06:48,340 And I brought him to your disciples, and 157 00:06:48,340 --> 00:06:49,300 they could not cure him. 158 00:06:50,060 --> 00:06:52,260 Just think of that simple statement, dear friends. 159 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:55,980 Verse 16, I brought him to your disciples, 160 00:06:56,520 --> 00:06:58,140 and they could not cure him. 161 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:03,600 What a sad testimony to the powerlessness of 162 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:07,760 the Christian church even today that many people 163 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:11,400 have to say, I brought him to your 164 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:14,220 disciples, and they could not set him free. 165 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:15,760 They could not cure him. 166 00:07:16,100 --> 00:07:17,280 They could not cast out the demon. 167 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:18,860 They could not help him. 168 00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:22,500 Why has God placed us as the disciples 169 00:07:22,500 --> 00:07:24,080 of Jesus here in the world? 170 00:07:24,720 --> 00:07:26,360 Why has he placed the church on earth? 171 00:07:26,760 --> 00:07:31,650 So that we might do the works of 172 00:07:31,650 --> 00:07:31,970 Jesus. 173 00:07:33,170 --> 00:07:35,570 That we might help people to be free 174 00:07:35,570 --> 00:07:40,010 from the bondage of Satan, spiritually and physically. 175 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:45,100 And Jesus answered and said in verse 17, 176 00:07:45,320 --> 00:07:51,100 O unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall 177 00:07:51,100 --> 00:07:51,840 I be with you? 178 00:07:52,980 --> 00:07:54,440 How long shall I put up with you? 179 00:07:55,760 --> 00:07:57,000 Bring him here to me. 180 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:03,960 Jesus sought to deliver people from the physical 181 00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:05,500 and spiritual oppression of Satan. 182 00:08:06,660 --> 00:08:08,800 In fact, when the apostle Paul was describing 183 00:08:08,800 --> 00:08:10,320 the ministry of Jesus in the house of 184 00:08:10,320 --> 00:08:13,180 Cornelius, he described it like this in Acts 185 00:08:13,180 --> 00:08:16,820 10.38, You know of Jesus of Nazareth, 186 00:08:16,940 --> 00:08:19,120 how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit 187 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:22,140 and with power, and how he went about 188 00:08:22,140 --> 00:08:25,900 doing good and healing or delivering all who 189 00:08:25,900 --> 00:08:28,260 were oppressed by the devil, for God was 190 00:08:28,260 --> 00:08:28,620 with him. 191 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:30,360 What was his ministry? 192 00:08:30,680 --> 00:08:33,659 His ministry was one of doing good and 193 00:08:33,659 --> 00:08:36,580 delivering people who were oppressed spiritually and physically 194 00:08:36,580 --> 00:08:37,940 by Satan. 195 00:08:40,990 --> 00:08:42,510 And why couldn't they deliver him? 196 00:08:43,870 --> 00:08:46,310 We read here, Jesus rebuked him and the 197 00:08:46,310 --> 00:08:47,410 demon came out of him. 198 00:08:47,910 --> 00:08:51,190 Matthew 17.18 And the boy was cured 199 00:08:51,190 --> 00:08:52,250 at once. 200 00:08:53,490 --> 00:08:55,690 There was no delay when you came to 201 00:08:55,690 --> 00:08:57,550 Jesus, and he is the same yesterday, today 202 00:08:57,550 --> 00:08:58,010 and forever. 203 00:08:59,450 --> 00:09:04,650 We must remember this, that demon possession was 204 00:09:04,650 --> 00:09:09,840 something that Jesus hated, and he hates it 205 00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:10,180 today. 206 00:09:11,740 --> 00:09:14,560 He delivered every person who came to him, 207 00:09:14,860 --> 00:09:16,340 seeking for deliverance from demons. 208 00:09:17,240 --> 00:09:20,540 And every person today who is possessed by 209 00:09:20,540 --> 00:09:23,420 demons can be delivered in the name of 210 00:09:23,420 --> 00:09:24,100 Jesus Christ. 211 00:09:25,220 --> 00:09:26,960 And if there is no one around you 212 00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:30,160 who has faith to pray for you, there 213 00:09:30,160 --> 00:09:32,560 is a wonderful promise in the New Testament 214 00:09:32,560 --> 00:09:34,740 which says, Whosoever shall call upon the name 215 00:09:34,740 --> 00:09:37,040 of the Lord shall be delivered. 216 00:09:38,680 --> 00:09:40,300 So that you can call upon the name 217 00:09:40,300 --> 00:09:41,220 of the Lord yourself. 218 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:45,100 You don't have to wait for someone to 219 00:09:45,100 --> 00:09:45,820 come and help you. 220 00:09:46,740 --> 00:09:50,260 If those who claim to be disciples of 221 00:09:50,260 --> 00:09:56,540 Jesus around you are unbelieving and powerless, claim 222 00:09:56,540 --> 00:09:57,140 this promise. 223 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:02,000 Whosoever, Acts 2.21, calls on the name 224 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:04,460 of the Lord will be delivered. 225 00:10:05,700 --> 00:10:07,320 Deliverance is for you. 226 00:10:08,820 --> 00:10:12,520 Whatever oppression of Satan you are under, physical 227 00:10:12,520 --> 00:10:16,240 or spiritual, call upon the name of the 228 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:20,500 Lord, He who is the same yesterday, today 229 00:10:20,500 --> 00:10:21,360 and forever. 230 00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:26,260 And you can be delivered, not partially, completely, 231 00:10:26,820 --> 00:10:31,380 totally, one hundred percent, if you will call 232 00:10:31,380 --> 00:10:33,640 upon the name of the Lord and say, 233 00:10:33,700 --> 00:10:36,760 Lord, you who delivered people from demons when 234 00:10:36,760 --> 00:10:39,600 you were on earth, deliver me from the 235 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:41,780 oppression of Satan in my life. 236 00:10:41,780 --> 00:10:43,480 You can do that right now and be 237 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:43,760 free. 238 00:10:44,920 --> 00:10:46,500 The Lord will set you free. 239 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:50,860 The boy was cured at once. 240 00:10:52,380 --> 00:10:53,320 Does Jesus delay? 241 00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:56,500 He delays only because you don't call upon 242 00:10:56,500 --> 00:10:56,700 Him. 243 00:10:57,540 --> 00:10:59,360 Call upon Him now and you can be 244 00:10:59,360 --> 00:11:01,520 cured at once. 245 00:11:03,630 --> 00:11:05,830 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and 246 00:11:05,830 --> 00:11:09,290 said, Why could we not cast it out? 247 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:13,200 Hadn't Jesus given them authority? 248 00:11:13,820 --> 00:11:15,200 He certainly had. 249 00:11:16,360 --> 00:11:21,640 We read in Matthew chapter 10 and verse 250 00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:26,620 8, He gave them authority, saying, Cast out 251 00:11:26,620 --> 00:11:27,100 demons. 252 00:11:28,620 --> 00:11:29,400 That was clear. 253 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:33,540 But they did not, because they didn't have 254 00:11:33,540 --> 00:11:33,860 faith. 255 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:37,220 And Jesus said that to them in Matthew 256 00:11:37,220 --> 00:11:39,420 17.20, Even though I have given you 257 00:11:39,420 --> 00:11:42,780 authority, you couldn't cast out this demon because 258 00:11:42,780 --> 00:11:44,100 of the littleness of your faith. 259 00:11:44,900 --> 00:11:47,160 Matthew 17.20, But truly I say to 260 00:11:47,160 --> 00:11:49,360 you, If you have faith as a mustard 261 00:11:49,360 --> 00:11:52,000 seed, you shall say to this mountain, Move 262 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:54,000 from here to there, and it shall move, 263 00:11:54,100 --> 00:11:55,640 and nothing shall be impossible to you. 264 00:11:56,360 --> 00:11:59,820 If you can believe that the Lord can 265 00:11:59,820 --> 00:12:03,120 fulfill through you that which He has given 266 00:12:03,120 --> 00:12:07,160 you authority for, we cannot claim anything from 267 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:10,560 God, but if He has promised something, then 268 00:12:10,560 --> 00:12:11,700 we can certainly claim it. 269 00:12:13,020 --> 00:12:15,260 We can even ask a mountain to move. 270 00:12:15,420 --> 00:12:17,260 If God has promised that it will move, 271 00:12:17,980 --> 00:12:20,880 we can have faith and exercise that authority, 272 00:12:21,220 --> 00:12:22,420 and it will move. 273 00:12:23,500 --> 00:12:25,640 But verse 21, This kind does not go 274 00:12:25,640 --> 00:12:27,160 out except by prayer and fasting. 275 00:12:27,700 --> 00:12:30,340 Sometimes there is a need for wholehearted prayer 276 00:12:30,340 --> 00:12:32,580 and fasting if we are to come into 277 00:12:32,580 --> 00:12:33,340 this deliverance. 278 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:35,440 But it is ours, in the name of 279 00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:36,140 Jesus Christ. 280 00:12:36,140 --> 00:12:39,620 Let's turn now to Matthew's Gospel, chapter 17, 281 00:12:40,500 --> 00:12:42,580 and verse 22. 282 00:12:45,020 --> 00:12:47,740 And while they were gathering together in Galilee, 283 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:52,140 Jesus said to them, The Son of Man 284 00:12:52,140 --> 00:12:54,740 is going to be delivered into the hands 285 00:12:54,740 --> 00:12:58,960 of men, and they will kill Him, and 286 00:12:58,960 --> 00:13:00,540 He will be raised again on the third 287 00:13:00,540 --> 00:13:00,800 day. 288 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:03,980 And they were deeply grieved. 289 00:13:07,120 --> 00:13:09,400 Again Jesus speaks to them about the cross, 290 00:13:10,840 --> 00:13:14,200 but this time Peter does not say, Let 291 00:13:14,200 --> 00:13:16,600 it not happen to you, Lord, because he 292 00:13:16,600 --> 00:13:20,160 has learnt his lesson, that the voice that 293 00:13:20,160 --> 00:13:21,960 tells us to avoid the way of the 294 00:13:21,960 --> 00:13:24,120 cross is the voice of Satan. 295 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:28,260 They were grieved, but they kept quiet. 296 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:32,140 And when they came to Capernaum, verse 24, 297 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:38,040 those who collected the two drachma tax came 298 00:13:38,040 --> 00:13:40,460 to Peter and said, Does your teacher not 299 00:13:40,460 --> 00:13:43,340 pay the two drachma tax? 300 00:13:45,530 --> 00:13:51,130 This was the tax for the temple, and 301 00:13:51,130 --> 00:13:58,010 they were wondering whether Jesus, who was establishing 302 00:13:58,010 --> 00:14:02,470 new principles compared to the law of Moses, 303 00:14:03,270 --> 00:14:05,510 was also not going to pay the tax 304 00:14:05,510 --> 00:14:07,650 for that temple. 305 00:14:09,130 --> 00:14:11,090 And when they asked Peter, Peter said, Of 306 00:14:11,090 --> 00:14:12,450 course, he is going to pay it, yes. 307 00:14:13,090 --> 00:14:14,190 He did not consult the Lord. 308 00:14:15,710 --> 00:14:18,190 Very often we are like that too, to 309 00:14:18,190 --> 00:14:20,310 give a quick answer before seeking God's will. 310 00:14:22,050 --> 00:14:24,310 And when he came into the house, before 311 00:14:24,310 --> 00:14:29,680 Peter could say a word, Jesus knew already 312 00:14:31,340 --> 00:14:33,680 what the people outside had come for and 313 00:14:33,680 --> 00:14:37,740 what Peter had replied through the supernatural revelation 314 00:14:37,740 --> 00:14:38,360 of the Spirit. 315 00:14:40,060 --> 00:14:42,080 Jesus spoke to Peter first, it says in 316 00:14:42,080 --> 00:14:45,700 verse 25, and said, What do you think, 317 00:14:45,800 --> 00:14:46,020 Simon? 318 00:14:47,240 --> 00:14:48,860 From whom do the kings of the earth 319 00:14:48,860 --> 00:14:51,160 collect customs or poll tax, from their sons 320 00:14:51,160 --> 00:14:51,960 or from strangers? 321 00:14:54,260 --> 00:14:58,840 And upon this saying, upon Peter saying from 322 00:14:58,840 --> 00:15:00,860 strangers, Jesus said to him, Well, then the 323 00:15:00,860 --> 00:15:02,000 sons are exempt. 324 00:15:03,040 --> 00:15:04,660 The sons do not have to pay tax. 325 00:15:06,020 --> 00:15:08,640 For after all, in any nation, if a 326 00:15:08,640 --> 00:15:11,500 king collects taxes, he collects taxes from the 327 00:15:11,500 --> 00:15:12,220 people of the nation. 328 00:15:12,360 --> 00:15:13,720 He does not collect tax from his own 329 00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:14,020 son. 330 00:15:16,360 --> 00:15:18,020 And here was a tax being collected for 331 00:15:18,020 --> 00:15:19,680 that temple, which was the house of God. 332 00:15:21,870 --> 00:15:24,030 And Jesus takes his position there as the 333 00:15:24,030 --> 00:15:26,490 son of God and says, If this tax 334 00:15:26,490 --> 00:15:29,850 is really being collected for the father, why 335 00:15:29,850 --> 00:15:32,010 should I, who am the son, pay this 336 00:15:32,010 --> 00:15:32,410 tax? 337 00:15:32,690 --> 00:15:33,470 I am free. 338 00:15:34,770 --> 00:15:36,450 I do not have to pay the tax 339 00:15:37,070 --> 00:15:38,750 for the house of my own father. 340 00:15:41,020 --> 00:15:44,400 But he said, Even though I have that 341 00:15:44,400 --> 00:15:48,480 freedom as the son of God, I will 342 00:15:48,480 --> 00:15:49,840 not exercise that freedom. 343 00:15:50,940 --> 00:15:54,680 And this is another fundamental new covenant principle. 344 00:15:55,460 --> 00:15:56,580 This is the way of the cross. 345 00:15:57,600 --> 00:16:01,060 That though I have freedom, I don't exercise 346 00:16:01,060 --> 00:16:01,740 that freedom. 347 00:16:02,500 --> 00:16:05,700 For the sake of others, I deny myself. 348 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:10,120 And here Jesus says in verse 27, Lest 349 00:16:10,120 --> 00:16:11,580 we give them offense. 350 00:16:12,520 --> 00:16:14,340 Lest we cause them to stumble. 351 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:18,020 In other words, he was denying himself for 352 00:16:18,020 --> 00:16:18,820 the sake of others. 353 00:16:19,620 --> 00:16:22,200 He was not exercising his right and his 354 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:25,160 privilege as the son of God because he 355 00:16:25,160 --> 00:16:27,120 did not want to offend others. 356 00:16:28,840 --> 00:16:33,800 Remember this, dear brothers and sisters, that the 357 00:16:33,800 --> 00:16:38,920 highest Christian life is where we deny ourselves 358 00:16:38,920 --> 00:16:42,320 our rights and privileges for the sake of 359 00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:45,920 others, to bring others to blessing, to bring 360 00:16:45,920 --> 00:16:48,420 others into the kingdom. 361 00:16:48,920 --> 00:16:53,580 To prevent others from stumbling, we deny ourselves 362 00:16:53,580 --> 00:16:54,560 our rights. 363 00:16:55,680 --> 00:16:59,560 Jesus said in John 17, For their sakes, 364 00:17:00,180 --> 00:17:02,700 I sanctify myself. 365 00:17:04,700 --> 00:17:06,180 John 17, 19. 366 00:17:06,460 --> 00:17:07,640 He set himself apart. 367 00:17:07,819 --> 00:17:09,819 He gave up certain privileges and rights for 368 00:17:09,819 --> 00:17:10,619 the sake of others. 369 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:13,500 And we see an example of that here. 370 00:17:14,700 --> 00:17:17,200 Even for the sake of others who were 371 00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:17,960 not his disciples. 372 00:17:20,390 --> 00:17:22,030 And the true disciple of Jesus will walk 373 00:17:22,030 --> 00:17:22,609 in this way. 374 00:17:23,030 --> 00:17:24,810 If he finds that some action of his, 375 00:17:24,970 --> 00:17:27,089 which he has liberty to do, is going 376 00:17:27,089 --> 00:17:29,610 to cause stumbling to others, he will give 377 00:17:29,610 --> 00:17:29,910 it up. 378 00:17:32,450 --> 00:17:34,590 Lest we give them offense, he says, we'll 379 00:17:34,590 --> 00:17:35,290 pay the tax. 380 00:17:37,880 --> 00:17:39,360 How does he pay it? 381 00:17:40,900 --> 00:17:43,700 Go to the sea, and throw in a 382 00:17:43,700 --> 00:17:46,960 hook, and take the first fish that comes 383 00:17:46,960 --> 00:17:47,220 up. 384 00:17:48,440 --> 00:17:50,380 And when you open its mouth, you'll find 385 00:17:50,380 --> 00:17:50,900 a stator. 386 00:17:51,700 --> 00:17:53,140 Take that and give it to them for 387 00:17:53,140 --> 00:17:53,720 you and me. 388 00:17:56,560 --> 00:17:58,180 Oh, here we see something very wonderful. 389 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:01,600 Jesus would never do a miracle for himself. 390 00:18:03,840 --> 00:18:05,540 He never turned the stones into bread for 391 00:18:05,540 --> 00:18:05,920 himself. 392 00:18:07,740 --> 00:18:09,760 But he was willing to multiply the loaves 393 00:18:09,760 --> 00:18:11,080 for others. 394 00:18:12,380 --> 00:18:13,700 And here it was a question of paying 395 00:18:13,700 --> 00:18:15,360 the tax not only for himself but also 396 00:18:15,360 --> 00:18:17,080 for Peter who needed to pay that tax. 397 00:18:17,820 --> 00:18:19,860 And Peter had forsaken everything to follow Jesus. 398 00:18:20,940 --> 00:18:23,060 And Jesus was going to help Peter pay 399 00:18:23,060 --> 00:18:23,620 his tax. 400 00:18:24,800 --> 00:18:26,760 That's a wonderful thing for us to learn. 401 00:18:28,140 --> 00:18:29,600 Do you know that God wants you to 402 00:18:29,600 --> 00:18:30,340 pay your tax? 403 00:18:31,040 --> 00:18:32,000 All your taxes? 404 00:18:33,220 --> 00:18:35,740 When you avoid paying your taxes, you're going 405 00:18:35,740 --> 00:18:36,660 against the will of God. 406 00:18:37,680 --> 00:18:39,260 But you don't have to be burdened about 407 00:18:39,260 --> 00:18:39,560 that. 408 00:18:40,620 --> 00:18:44,740 Because the Lord wants to help you to 409 00:18:44,740 --> 00:18:45,460 pay your tax. 410 00:18:45,960 --> 00:18:47,120 He's going to give you the money to 411 00:18:47,120 --> 00:18:47,740 pay your taxes. 412 00:18:48,700 --> 00:18:49,500 That's wonderful. 413 00:18:50,620 --> 00:18:52,680 He doesn't want you to avoid paying your 414 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:53,040 taxes. 415 00:18:54,040 --> 00:18:55,520 At the same time, He's going to help 416 00:18:55,520 --> 00:19:00,560 you, if necessary, supernaturally, to pay your taxes. 417 00:19:01,780 --> 00:19:03,660 That's a wonderful message we get from this 418 00:19:03,660 --> 00:19:04,120 passage. 419 00:19:06,240 --> 00:19:08,540 Go to the sea and take the first 420 00:19:08,540 --> 00:19:09,380 fish that comes up. 421 00:19:09,380 --> 00:19:11,220 And Peter was going to experience something that 422 00:19:11,220 --> 00:19:12,840 he had never experienced in all the years 423 00:19:13,240 --> 00:19:14,280 in which he had been fishing. 424 00:19:15,100 --> 00:19:16,360 He was going to find money in the 425 00:19:16,360 --> 00:19:17,120 mouth of a fish. 426 00:19:20,170 --> 00:19:21,450 How wonderful God is. 427 00:19:22,730 --> 00:19:26,650 Now, there was a treasurer that the apostles 428 00:19:26,650 --> 00:19:27,050 had. 429 00:19:27,370 --> 00:19:28,710 Judas Iscariot was the treasurer. 430 00:19:30,490 --> 00:19:33,190 But Jesus didn't send Peter to Judas Iscariot. 431 00:19:33,990 --> 00:19:36,030 Let Judas Iscariot and Peter get into a 432 00:19:36,030 --> 00:19:36,350 conflict. 433 00:19:37,830 --> 00:19:39,190 He said, don't go to Judas. 434 00:19:39,190 --> 00:19:42,350 I'll provide that need another way. 435 00:19:42,690 --> 00:19:43,890 Go and pick up a fish from the 436 00:19:43,890 --> 00:19:44,090 sea. 437 00:19:45,990 --> 00:19:48,610 And you'll find enough there in the mouth 438 00:19:48,610 --> 00:19:53,450 of the fish to pay your tax and 439 00:19:53,450 --> 00:19:53,770 mine. 440 00:19:54,970 --> 00:19:56,870 What a beautiful picture of partnership. 441 00:19:59,250 --> 00:20:02,430 The Lord meets our need. 442 00:20:03,050 --> 00:20:06,850 And the Father, who met the need of 443 00:20:06,850 --> 00:20:11,950 Jesus, the financial need of Jesus, supernaturally, also 444 00:20:11,950 --> 00:20:15,390 met the financial need of Peter, supernaturally. 445 00:20:16,350 --> 00:20:18,190 This is a wonderful message that we get 446 00:20:18,190 --> 00:20:18,810 in the New Covenant. 447 00:20:19,790 --> 00:20:22,990 If Jesus could walk on the water, Peter 448 00:20:22,990 --> 00:20:24,450 could walk on the water too. 449 00:20:27,320 --> 00:20:28,960 And if the Father was going to meet 450 00:20:28,960 --> 00:20:32,360 Jesus' financial need supernaturally, He was going to 451 00:20:32,360 --> 00:20:35,260 meet Peter's financial need supernaturally too. 452 00:20:36,120 --> 00:20:38,120 That is the wonderful message of the New 453 00:20:38,120 --> 00:20:38,440 Covenant. 454 00:20:39,540 --> 00:20:42,060 And that's a word of encouragement for us. 455 00:20:43,260 --> 00:20:45,780 That what God did for Jesus in His 456 00:20:45,780 --> 00:20:48,500 earthly life, He will do for us as 457 00:20:48,500 --> 00:20:50,800 He cared for Jesus in His earthly life. 458 00:20:51,420 --> 00:20:53,060 He will care for you and me, if 459 00:20:53,060 --> 00:20:54,700 we are His disciples and if we have 460 00:20:54,700 --> 00:20:58,420 forsaken everything to follow Him like Peter did. 461 00:20:59,160 --> 00:21:01,520 You'll find that God never lets you down. 462 00:21:02,400 --> 00:21:04,820 He never lets His servants or His disciples 463 00:21:04,820 --> 00:21:05,240 down. 464 00:21:05,240 --> 00:21:08,820 There need never be that fear in our 465 00:21:08,820 --> 00:21:09,280 hearts. 466 00:21:09,620 --> 00:21:13,880 If necessary, supernaturally, He will provide our need, 467 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:16,880 even the need to pay our taxes. 468 00:21:18,820 --> 00:21:20,500 If we can walk in the way that 469 00:21:20,500 --> 00:21:23,260 Jesus walked, of not standing up for our 470 00:21:23,260 --> 00:21:25,400 rights and privileges, but being willing to give 471 00:21:25,400 --> 00:21:29,080 them up, because we do not want to 472 00:21:29,080 --> 00:21:30,400 cause offense to others. 473 00:21:30,900 --> 00:21:34,360 If you find yourself in a situation where 474 00:21:34,360 --> 00:21:36,760 you have to give up a certain right 475 00:21:36,760 --> 00:21:40,040 or a privilege for the sake of others, 476 00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:43,220 and because of that you suffer some loss 477 00:21:43,220 --> 00:21:46,540 or some inconvenience, you can be sure that 478 00:21:46,540 --> 00:21:49,720 God in heaven who watches that will more 479 00:21:49,720 --> 00:21:51,080 than make up for that need. 480 00:21:53,700 --> 00:21:55,020 And now we come to chapter 18 and 481 00:21:55,020 --> 00:21:55,480 verse 1. 482 00:21:55,540 --> 00:21:57,200 At that time the disciples came to Jesus 483 00:21:57,200 --> 00:22:00,300 saying, Who then is greatest in the kingdom 484 00:22:00,300 --> 00:22:00,820 of heaven? 485 00:22:01,620 --> 00:22:04,020 Here Jesus had spoken about Himself as the 486 00:22:04,020 --> 00:22:06,760 Son of God, and the Son of God 487 00:22:06,760 --> 00:22:08,360 being exempt from paying tax. 488 00:22:08,720 --> 00:22:10,120 Is He the greatest in the kingdom of 489 00:22:10,120 --> 00:22:10,320 heaven? 490 00:22:11,940 --> 00:22:13,960 At that time the disciples came to Jesus 491 00:22:13,960 --> 00:22:15,120 and asked Him this question. 492 00:22:16,520 --> 00:22:18,500 And Jesus explained who was the greatest in 493 00:22:18,500 --> 00:22:19,260 the kingdom of heaven. 494 00:22:20,440 --> 00:22:22,140 In verse 2 He said, He called a 495 00:22:22,140 --> 00:22:23,560 child to Himself and stood him in their 496 00:22:23,560 --> 00:22:26,340 midst and said, I say to you, unless 497 00:22:26,340 --> 00:22:28,080 you are converted and become like children, you 498 00:22:28,080 --> 00:22:29,460 shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. 499 00:22:29,460 --> 00:22:33,140 The disciples thought this is wonderful to have 500 00:22:33,140 --> 00:22:36,060 such an honor to be a son in 501 00:22:36,060 --> 00:22:38,460 the kingdom of heaven, but Jesus said that 502 00:22:38,460 --> 00:22:41,540 it is the spirit of a child that 503 00:22:41,540 --> 00:22:44,600 makes a person great in the kingdom of 504 00:22:44,600 --> 00:22:44,880 heaven. 505 00:22:45,740 --> 00:22:47,920 And unless you are converted, now these disciples 506 00:22:47,920 --> 00:22:51,820 had already forsaken everything in order to be 507 00:22:51,820 --> 00:22:52,820 disciples of Jesus. 508 00:22:54,060 --> 00:22:57,120 But although they were converted in one sense, 509 00:22:57,120 --> 00:23:00,520 they had revelation concerning Jesus as the Christ, 510 00:23:00,720 --> 00:23:02,960 the Son of the living God, they had 511 00:23:02,960 --> 00:23:06,220 forsaken their earthly jobs, they had forsaken earthly 512 00:23:06,220 --> 00:23:10,900 security, yet they needed another conversion. 513 00:23:12,260 --> 00:23:14,600 That teaches us something very significant. 514 00:23:16,100 --> 00:23:17,720 There may be many things that we have 515 00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:20,740 given up for the Lord, and yet you 516 00:23:20,740 --> 00:23:24,820 and I may need another conversion if we 517 00:23:24,820 --> 00:23:27,800 have not become like little children in our 518 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:29,440 attitude, in our spirit. 519 00:23:30,480 --> 00:23:32,640 For He spoke about another conversion. 520 00:23:33,380 --> 00:23:35,940 I say to you, unless you are converted 521 00:23:37,640 --> 00:23:40,400 and become like children, you shall not enter 522 00:23:40,400 --> 00:23:41,140 the kingdom of heaven. 523 00:23:41,240 --> 00:23:44,940 The kingdom of heaven belongs to those who 524 00:23:44,940 --> 00:23:47,220 have understood what it is to come like 525 00:23:47,220 --> 00:23:47,880 a little child. 526 00:23:48,440 --> 00:23:49,920 And the one thing we know about little 527 00:23:49,920 --> 00:23:51,880 children is their helplessness. 528 00:23:53,260 --> 00:23:55,360 A little child is helpless. 529 00:23:57,830 --> 00:24:00,350 Whoever then humbles himself, verse 4, as this 530 00:24:00,350 --> 00:24:02,610 child, he is the greatest in the kingdom 531 00:24:02,610 --> 00:24:03,130 of heaven. 532 00:24:03,810 --> 00:24:06,510 It's not the one who does miracles, but 533 00:24:06,510 --> 00:24:08,350 the one who humbles himself. 534 00:24:08,730 --> 00:24:12,110 And to humble oneself means to become like 535 00:24:12,110 --> 00:24:15,450 a little child, to have that attitude of 536 00:24:15,450 --> 00:24:21,590 helpless dependence upon the Father, accepting everything that 537 00:24:21,590 --> 00:24:24,470 the Father allows into our life. 538 00:24:25,170 --> 00:24:26,510 That is humility. 539 00:24:28,610 --> 00:24:32,010 Helplessly dependent upon the Father for the provision 540 00:24:32,010 --> 00:24:34,730 of all our needs, that is humility. 541 00:24:36,230 --> 00:24:39,210 If we are not willing to come to 542 00:24:39,210 --> 00:24:42,570 Jesus like that, it says we cannot enter. 543 00:24:43,370 --> 00:24:46,170 And the more we are like that little 544 00:24:46,170 --> 00:24:49,750 child in helplessness and in humility, in helpless 545 00:24:49,750 --> 00:24:54,190 dependence upon the Father, the greater we are 546 00:24:54,190 --> 00:24:55,050 in the kingdom of heaven. 547 00:24:55,770 --> 00:24:57,650 Jesus is, of course, the greatest in the 548 00:24:57,650 --> 00:24:58,250 kingdom of heaven. 549 00:24:59,050 --> 00:25:01,050 And when he says that the one who 550 00:25:01,050 --> 00:25:02,830 humbles himself as a child is the greatest, 551 00:25:03,030 --> 00:25:07,090 it's obvious that Jesus also humbled himself as 552 00:25:07,090 --> 00:25:07,750 a little child. 553 00:25:08,010 --> 00:25:09,950 Let's get our understanding right. 554 00:25:10,690 --> 00:25:13,170 Greatness in the kingdom of heaven is dependent 555 00:25:13,170 --> 00:25:16,970 on how childlike we are in our spirit. 556 00:25:17,430 --> 00:25:20,570 Let's turn today to Matthew's Gospel, chapter 18 557 00:25:20,570 --> 00:25:21,650 and verse 5. 558 00:25:22,950 --> 00:25:27,450 Jesus had just been explaining to the disciples 559 00:25:28,090 --> 00:25:30,290 who was the greatest in the kingdom of 560 00:25:30,290 --> 00:25:30,510 heaven. 561 00:25:31,510 --> 00:25:33,090 He said it was a little child. 562 00:25:33,850 --> 00:25:36,130 The one who humbles himself as a little 563 00:25:36,130 --> 00:25:39,230 child is the greatest in the kingdom of 564 00:25:39,230 --> 00:25:40,050 heaven, verse 4. 565 00:25:41,350 --> 00:25:45,370 In other words, it is not ability or 566 00:25:45,370 --> 00:25:49,370 accomplishment that makes a person great in heaven. 567 00:25:50,030 --> 00:25:54,290 In earth, on earth, it is ability, accomplishment, 568 00:25:54,610 --> 00:25:55,850 family, so many things. 569 00:25:56,690 --> 00:26:00,610 But in heaven, values are so completely different, 570 00:26:01,530 --> 00:26:03,330 exactly the opposite of here on earth. 571 00:26:04,510 --> 00:26:07,330 A little child has accomplished nothing. 572 00:26:08,930 --> 00:26:10,970 It hasn't got a name for itself. 573 00:26:12,370 --> 00:26:15,770 But the one who has that spirit is 574 00:26:15,770 --> 00:26:17,110 the one who is greatest in the kingdom 575 00:26:17,110 --> 00:26:17,550 of heaven. 576 00:26:18,990 --> 00:26:24,350 If Christians hadn't forgotten this, the spirit in 577 00:26:24,350 --> 00:26:25,990 the churches of Jesus Christ would have been 578 00:26:25,990 --> 00:26:27,710 something quite different from what it is today. 579 00:26:28,950 --> 00:26:33,630 There is so much of human exaltation, exaltation 580 00:26:33,630 --> 00:26:34,610 of human personalities. 581 00:26:35,830 --> 00:26:39,030 Those who are not great in heaven are 582 00:26:39,030 --> 00:26:40,170 made great in the church. 583 00:26:41,910 --> 00:26:43,390 Well, then that is not the church that 584 00:26:43,390 --> 00:26:45,090 is representing Jesus Christ correctly. 585 00:26:48,200 --> 00:26:49,860 Jesus went on to say in verse 5, 586 00:26:50,500 --> 00:26:52,960 whoever receives one such child in my name 587 00:26:53,620 --> 00:26:54,520 receives me. 588 00:26:56,040 --> 00:26:57,620 Jesus loved little children. 589 00:26:59,240 --> 00:27:02,600 This is quite the opposite attitude to children 590 00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:04,000 that we find in the world today. 591 00:27:05,480 --> 00:27:09,200 The world is generally speaking does not have 592 00:27:09,200 --> 00:27:10,240 any value for children. 593 00:27:11,620 --> 00:27:14,140 In fact, children are often considered a nuisance. 594 00:27:15,300 --> 00:27:17,300 And too many children in a family are 595 00:27:17,300 --> 00:27:18,240 considered a headache. 596 00:27:19,960 --> 00:27:22,860 But Jesus said, if you receive one child 597 00:27:22,860 --> 00:27:26,680 in the name of Jesus, you receive him. 598 00:27:27,760 --> 00:27:29,180 Do you know that when you receive a 599 00:27:29,180 --> 00:27:32,420 child into your family, you are receiving Jesus 600 00:27:32,420 --> 00:27:32,800 Christ? 601 00:27:34,060 --> 00:27:36,360 How many people receive a child into their 602 00:27:36,360 --> 00:27:39,820 family in the way they receive Jesus Christ? 603 00:27:40,980 --> 00:27:44,620 To despise a child is to despise Jesus 604 00:27:44,620 --> 00:27:45,080 Christ. 605 00:27:46,580 --> 00:27:51,000 We need to have a scriptural understanding in 606 00:27:51,000 --> 00:27:51,680 this area. 607 00:27:53,240 --> 00:27:56,080 Whoever receives one such child in my name 608 00:27:56,080 --> 00:27:57,700 receives me. 609 00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:01,520 And he went on to say in verse 610 00:28:01,520 --> 00:28:04,200 10, see that you do not despise one 611 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:05,160 of these little ones. 612 00:28:05,740 --> 00:28:10,600 When you despise children, you are despising Jesus 613 00:28:10,600 --> 00:28:11,080 Christ. 614 00:28:12,300 --> 00:28:14,960 And whoever, verse 6, causes one of these 615 00:28:14,960 --> 00:28:17,380 little ones who believe in me to stumble, 616 00:28:18,220 --> 00:28:19,960 it is better for him that a heavy 617 00:28:19,960 --> 00:28:22,580 millstone be hung around his neck and that 618 00:28:22,580 --> 00:28:23,800 he be drowned in the depth of the 619 00:28:23,800 --> 00:28:24,020 sea. 620 00:28:25,800 --> 00:28:30,080 If you do anything or say anything that 621 00:28:30,080 --> 00:28:32,400 causes a little child who believes in Jesus 622 00:28:32,400 --> 00:28:38,300 to stumble, Jesus said, it is better you 623 00:28:38,300 --> 00:28:40,040 go and drown yourself in the sea. 624 00:28:40,260 --> 00:28:43,260 Think of the strong expression Jesus used here. 625 00:28:44,500 --> 00:28:46,260 Put a stone around your neck and go 626 00:28:46,260 --> 00:28:47,520 and jump in the sea, he said. 627 00:28:49,420 --> 00:28:51,760 Because the judgment for you in the final 628 00:28:51,760 --> 00:28:52,700 day will be terrible. 629 00:28:53,760 --> 00:28:56,800 If you have conducted yourself in a way 630 00:28:56,800 --> 00:29:01,440 that causes little ones to stumble, are you 631 00:29:01,440 --> 00:29:03,800 conducting yourself in a way that causes other 632 00:29:03,800 --> 00:29:07,480 younger children who believe in Jesus to stumble? 633 00:29:10,510 --> 00:29:12,730 Father and mother can behave in such a 634 00:29:12,730 --> 00:29:15,790 way at home that they cause their little 635 00:29:15,790 --> 00:29:17,650 children to stumble. 636 00:29:19,230 --> 00:29:21,210 When father and mother yell at each other 637 00:29:21,210 --> 00:29:23,390 at home, they cause their little ones to 638 00:29:23,390 --> 00:29:23,650 stumble. 639 00:29:25,150 --> 00:29:27,610 When father and mother have practices at home 640 00:29:27,610 --> 00:29:30,810 that are dishonoring to God, they cause their 641 00:29:30,810 --> 00:29:31,730 little ones to stumble. 642 00:29:34,420 --> 00:29:35,660 Or it may be that you are a 643 00:29:35,660 --> 00:29:38,820 sister who dresses in a very immodest way 644 00:29:39,800 --> 00:29:43,660 and cause younger ones to be led astray 645 00:29:43,660 --> 00:29:44,660 into worldliness. 646 00:29:47,090 --> 00:29:48,670 It may be your way of speech. 647 00:29:49,430 --> 00:29:52,050 It may be a habit that you have 648 00:29:52,810 --> 00:29:55,050 which causes other people to stumble. 649 00:29:58,540 --> 00:30:00,480 There could be so many things like this 650 00:30:00,480 --> 00:30:05,280 that hinder younger ones in their following of 651 00:30:05,280 --> 00:30:05,560 Jesus. 652 00:30:08,000 --> 00:30:11,020 It could be that defiling television program that 653 00:30:11,020 --> 00:30:11,560 you are watching. 654 00:30:12,740 --> 00:30:15,340 The worldliness that you watch on the television 655 00:30:15,340 --> 00:30:18,280 screen causes younger ones to stumble. 656 00:30:19,520 --> 00:30:22,140 Jesus said, whoever causes one of these little 657 00:30:22,140 --> 00:30:25,980 ones who believe in me to stumble, it 658 00:30:25,980 --> 00:30:27,960 is better for him that a heavy millstone 659 00:30:27,960 --> 00:30:30,280 be hung around his neck and that he 660 00:30:30,280 --> 00:30:32,020 be drowned in the depth of the sea. 661 00:30:32,820 --> 00:30:38,740 How seriously Jesus took this matter of stumbling 662 00:30:39,420 --> 00:30:40,580 little ones. 663 00:30:42,400 --> 00:30:44,740 Woe unto the world because of its stumbling 664 00:30:44,740 --> 00:30:45,140 blocks. 665 00:30:46,980 --> 00:30:49,920 Jesus said in verse 7, it is inevitable 666 00:30:49,920 --> 00:30:51,700 that stumbling blocks come. 667 00:30:51,800 --> 00:30:53,620 There will be stumbling blocks in the world. 668 00:30:53,680 --> 00:30:54,580 You can't avoid that. 669 00:30:55,680 --> 00:30:58,200 But woe unto that man through whom the 670 00:30:58,200 --> 00:30:59,340 stumbling block comes. 671 00:31:00,600 --> 00:31:04,300 May God have mercy on us if there 672 00:31:04,300 --> 00:31:07,340 is anything in us that causes others to 673 00:31:07,340 --> 00:31:07,660 stumble. 674 00:31:08,380 --> 00:31:10,600 For our judgment will be very severe. 675 00:31:12,120 --> 00:31:14,220 Now is the time to repent, dear friends, 676 00:31:14,940 --> 00:31:18,560 of anything in our life that's causing younger 677 00:31:18,560 --> 00:31:21,640 believers or little children to stumble in their 678 00:31:21,640 --> 00:31:22,520 following of Jesus. 679 00:31:23,300 --> 00:31:25,340 Anything in our speech, anything in our way 680 00:31:25,340 --> 00:31:27,140 of life, any habit that we have. 681 00:31:29,790 --> 00:31:32,770 Whatever it is, get rid of it. 682 00:31:34,350 --> 00:31:36,730 Even if it is as important to you 683 00:31:36,730 --> 00:31:38,110 as your hand or your foot. 684 00:31:39,170 --> 00:31:40,390 Jesus said cut it off. 685 00:31:42,460 --> 00:31:43,580 It may not be an evil thing. 686 00:31:43,680 --> 00:31:45,660 Your hand and foot are not evil things. 687 00:31:45,820 --> 00:31:48,060 Jesus is not speaking now about sinful things. 688 00:31:48,840 --> 00:31:52,820 He's talking about things which can stumble others, 689 00:31:53,920 --> 00:31:56,020 which you may think are as necessary for 690 00:31:56,020 --> 00:31:57,560 you as your hand or your foot. 691 00:31:58,880 --> 00:32:00,680 He said if your hand or your foot 692 00:32:00,680 --> 00:32:04,260 causes you to stumble, cut it off and 693 00:32:04,260 --> 00:32:05,420 throw it away from you. 694 00:32:07,850 --> 00:32:11,730 Get rid of anything you have in your 695 00:32:11,730 --> 00:32:16,230 life or in your house which causes other 696 00:32:16,230 --> 00:32:17,910 people to stumble. 697 00:32:19,390 --> 00:32:22,870 Hinders them from following Jesus in the way 698 00:32:22,870 --> 00:32:23,730 of discipleship. 699 00:32:25,230 --> 00:32:27,310 It is better for you to enter life 700 00:32:27,310 --> 00:32:31,030 crippled or lame than having two hands or 701 00:32:31,030 --> 00:32:33,590 two feet to be cast into the eternal 702 00:32:33,590 --> 00:32:33,950 fire. 703 00:32:33,990 --> 00:32:37,390 In other words, if you are going to 704 00:32:37,390 --> 00:32:40,010 be a stumbling block to others by something 705 00:32:40,010 --> 00:32:42,630 you do or say, you can be cast 706 00:32:42,630 --> 00:32:43,630 into the eternal fire. 707 00:32:43,750 --> 00:32:46,230 That's the plain meaning of these verses. 708 00:32:46,930 --> 00:32:49,150 The world will have its stumbling blocks, verse 709 00:32:49,150 --> 00:32:49,470 7. 710 00:32:50,290 --> 00:32:51,250 That is inevitable. 711 00:32:52,510 --> 00:32:57,150 But woe unto that man through whom the 712 00:32:57,150 --> 00:32:58,430 stumbling block comes. 713 00:33:00,710 --> 00:33:02,450 Oh that it may be that none of 714 00:33:02,450 --> 00:33:04,910 us will ever be that man or woman 715 00:33:04,910 --> 00:33:07,630 through whom a stumbling block comes into the 716 00:33:07,630 --> 00:33:08,090 church. 717 00:33:10,420 --> 00:33:12,320 And if your eye causes you to stumble, 718 00:33:12,600 --> 00:33:14,200 pluck it out and throw it from you. 719 00:33:15,540 --> 00:33:18,580 Pluck out your eye and throw it away. 720 00:33:20,810 --> 00:33:22,490 Is there anything wrong in having two eyes? 721 00:33:23,530 --> 00:33:24,150 Nothing wrong. 722 00:33:25,210 --> 00:33:29,170 But if you are stumbled because of your 723 00:33:29,170 --> 00:33:31,050 eye, you cannot control it perhaps. 724 00:33:31,190 --> 00:33:33,590 Jesus said it's better to lose one eye 725 00:33:33,590 --> 00:33:37,730 and live in spiritual purity than to have 726 00:33:37,730 --> 00:33:39,590 two eyes and to go to hell. 727 00:33:40,190 --> 00:33:42,110 It's better for you to enter life with 728 00:33:42,110 --> 00:33:43,590 one eye, he said in verse 9, than 729 00:33:43,590 --> 00:33:45,630 having two eyes to be cast into the 730 00:33:45,630 --> 00:33:47,070 hell of fire. 731 00:33:47,890 --> 00:33:50,310 There are very few Christians who take these 732 00:33:50,310 --> 00:33:51,030 words seriously. 733 00:33:52,150 --> 00:33:54,370 They are so careless in sinning with their 734 00:33:54,370 --> 00:33:57,970 eyes, sinning with their hands, sinning with their 735 00:33:57,970 --> 00:33:59,810 body, sinning with their tongue especially. 736 00:34:00,950 --> 00:34:02,650 We could add to the words of Jesus 737 00:34:02,650 --> 00:34:04,970 in the same spirit, if your tongue causes 738 00:34:04,970 --> 00:34:07,650 you to offend, it's better to cut out 739 00:34:07,650 --> 00:34:10,610 your tongue and be dumb, so that you 740 00:34:10,610 --> 00:34:12,310 don't sin with your tongue and go to 741 00:34:12,310 --> 00:34:12,489 hell. 742 00:34:13,190 --> 00:34:14,530 It's better to go to heaven without a 743 00:34:14,530 --> 00:34:16,489 tongue than to go to hell with a 744 00:34:16,489 --> 00:34:16,690 tongue. 745 00:34:17,969 --> 00:34:20,750 Think of taking sin so seriously as Jesus 746 00:34:20,750 --> 00:34:21,469 spoke about it. 747 00:34:22,190 --> 00:34:24,850 Jesus spoke more about hell and about the 748 00:34:24,850 --> 00:34:26,949 lake of fire than any other preacher. 749 00:34:28,750 --> 00:34:30,830 We've already come across that in Matthew chapter 750 00:34:30,830 --> 00:34:31,150 5. 751 00:34:31,150 --> 00:34:32,870 Here we find it again in Matthew 18. 752 00:34:33,830 --> 00:34:37,989 Sin is serious and particularly if that sin 753 00:34:37,989 --> 00:34:41,250 not only causes us to stumble, but is 754 00:34:41,250 --> 00:34:44,090 causing other people who look at us to 755 00:34:44,090 --> 00:34:44,350 stumble. 756 00:34:45,090 --> 00:34:47,770 And if you are a preacher or any 757 00:34:47,770 --> 00:34:49,550 type of leader or elder in a church, 758 00:34:50,710 --> 00:34:55,610 these words apply ten times more to people 759 00:34:55,610 --> 00:34:56,270 like us. 760 00:34:56,900 --> 00:34:59,510 For others are looking at us and the 761 00:34:59,510 --> 00:35:02,790 way we live and conduct ourselves is so 762 00:35:02,790 --> 00:35:04,990 important that we are an example. 763 00:35:07,570 --> 00:35:09,210 Further Jesus went on to say in verse 764 00:35:09,210 --> 00:35:12,790 10 See that you don't despise one of 765 00:35:12,790 --> 00:35:13,690 these little ones. 766 00:35:15,740 --> 00:35:16,920 For I say to you that there are 767 00:35:16,920 --> 00:35:19,340 angels in heaven continually behold the face of 768 00:35:19,340 --> 00:35:20,440 my father who is in heaven. 769 00:35:22,140 --> 00:35:23,500 Do you know that every child has an 770 00:35:23,500 --> 00:35:24,860 angel appointed? 771 00:35:27,260 --> 00:35:29,380 And that is the angel that protects our 772 00:35:29,380 --> 00:35:32,220 children from many many serious accidents. 773 00:35:33,520 --> 00:35:36,800 There is an angel appointed for every child. 774 00:35:37,940 --> 00:35:40,060 And those angels stand before the face of 775 00:35:40,060 --> 00:35:40,800 the father in heaven. 776 00:35:42,460 --> 00:35:47,760 And when you stumble a little child or 777 00:35:47,760 --> 00:35:52,000 despise a little child it's serious. 778 00:35:52,680 --> 00:35:56,360 Because those angels report it to the father. 779 00:35:57,140 --> 00:36:00,240 They continually behold the face of my father 780 00:36:00,240 --> 00:36:00,880 who is in heaven. 781 00:36:04,290 --> 00:36:05,150 Ya, that's serious. 782 00:36:06,270 --> 00:36:07,610 There is a comfort in the latter part 783 00:36:07,610 --> 00:36:08,230 of that verse. 784 00:36:09,590 --> 00:36:12,890 That the angels appointed for children remain with 785 00:36:12,890 --> 00:36:14,050 that child right through life. 786 00:36:14,490 --> 00:36:15,870 They don't leave that child when he's grown 787 00:36:15,870 --> 00:36:16,090 up. 788 00:36:17,070 --> 00:36:19,170 Psalm 91 says he gives his angels charge 789 00:36:19,170 --> 00:36:21,270 concerning us to guard us in all our 790 00:36:21,270 --> 00:36:21,710 ways. 791 00:36:22,950 --> 00:36:24,710 Thank God for the ministry of angels. 792 00:36:26,550 --> 00:36:28,450 Much is spoken in the world today about 793 00:36:28,450 --> 00:36:29,710 what demons do. 794 00:36:30,390 --> 00:36:33,450 It's important to know what angels do as 795 00:36:33,450 --> 00:36:34,370 well for us. 796 00:36:36,400 --> 00:36:40,240 They are appointed by God to take care 797 00:36:40,240 --> 00:36:40,740 of us. 798 00:36:41,320 --> 00:36:42,160 To protect us. 799 00:36:44,220 --> 00:36:46,020 They behold the face of our father in 800 00:36:46,020 --> 00:36:46,240 heaven. 801 00:36:47,820 --> 00:36:49,660 So don't despise one of these little ones, 802 00:36:49,700 --> 00:36:50,080 he said. 803 00:36:50,580 --> 00:36:52,840 For the son of man has come to 804 00:36:52,840 --> 00:36:54,160 save that which was lost. 805 00:36:54,860 --> 00:36:56,980 And he is here speaking particularly about little 806 00:36:56,980 --> 00:36:57,360 children. 807 00:36:58,020 --> 00:36:59,200 Little children are lost. 808 00:37:00,480 --> 00:37:02,480 And Jesus has come to save little children. 809 00:37:03,760 --> 00:37:05,040 What do you think if a man has 810 00:37:05,040 --> 00:37:06,240 a hundred sheep and one of them has 811 00:37:06,240 --> 00:37:07,980 gone astray, doesn't he leave the ninety-nine 812 00:37:07,980 --> 00:37:10,360 and go and search for the one that 813 00:37:10,360 --> 00:37:10,880 is straying? 814 00:37:12,580 --> 00:37:14,100 And if it turns out that he finds 815 00:37:14,100 --> 00:37:16,060 it, truly I say to you, he rejoices 816 00:37:16,060 --> 00:37:18,620 more over that than over the ninety-nine 817 00:37:18,620 --> 00:37:19,740 which have not gone astray. 818 00:37:20,500 --> 00:37:21,640 Thus it is not the will of your 819 00:37:21,640 --> 00:37:23,760 father who is in heaven that one of 820 00:37:23,760 --> 00:37:24,780 these little ones perish. 821 00:37:25,760 --> 00:37:27,840 Do you know that little ones can perish? 822 00:37:28,100 --> 00:37:29,440 Little children can be lost? 823 00:37:31,060 --> 00:37:32,900 And little children can also be saved. 824 00:37:33,680 --> 00:37:35,480 And Jesus spoke here the parable about the 825 00:37:35,480 --> 00:37:36,920 ninety-nine sheep and the one sheep that 826 00:37:36,920 --> 00:37:38,420 was lost and he replied it to little 827 00:37:38,420 --> 00:37:38,840 children. 828 00:37:39,540 --> 00:37:41,680 A little child needs to be brought back 829 00:37:41,680 --> 00:37:42,340 into the fold. 830 00:37:43,220 --> 00:37:44,940 And this is a tremendous ministry that we 831 00:37:44,940 --> 00:37:46,460 can have by our life and by our 832 00:37:46,460 --> 00:37:49,080 example and by our words to bring little 833 00:37:49,080 --> 00:37:52,340 children back into the fold of Jesus Christ. 834 00:37:52,720 --> 00:37:55,800 Let's turn now to Matthew's Gospel, chapter eighteen 835 00:37:56,920 --> 00:37:58,220 and verse fifteen. 836 00:37:59,960 --> 00:38:03,560 And if your brother sins, go and reprove 837 00:38:03,560 --> 00:38:04,280 him in private. 838 00:38:05,520 --> 00:38:07,980 If he listens to you, you have won 839 00:38:07,980 --> 00:38:08,600 your brother. 840 00:38:10,340 --> 00:38:11,880 But if he does not listen to you, 841 00:38:12,700 --> 00:38:14,440 take one or two more witnesses with you 842 00:38:14,440 --> 00:38:15,680 so that by the mouth of two or 843 00:38:15,680 --> 00:38:17,600 three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. 844 00:38:18,700 --> 00:38:20,540 And if he refuses to listen to them, 845 00:38:20,640 --> 00:38:21,920 tell it to the church and if he 846 00:38:21,920 --> 00:38:24,860 refuses to listen even to the church, let 847 00:38:24,860 --> 00:38:26,500 him be to you as a Gentile and 848 00:38:26,500 --> 00:38:27,400 a tax gatherer. 849 00:38:29,380 --> 00:38:32,280 Here Jesus speaks about what we should do 850 00:38:32,280 --> 00:38:38,040 when a brother sins, particularly if he has 851 00:38:38,040 --> 00:38:38,920 sinned against you. 852 00:38:40,940 --> 00:38:45,780 And what should be your reaction to that? 853 00:38:46,240 --> 00:38:49,400 You can ignore it, but he may continue 854 00:38:49,400 --> 00:38:51,360 in sin and he will have to answer 855 00:38:51,360 --> 00:38:52,540 for it in the day of judgment. 856 00:38:53,920 --> 00:38:56,040 Cain said to God, am I my brother's 857 00:38:56,040 --> 00:38:56,280 keeper? 858 00:38:57,500 --> 00:38:59,680 The answer to that question is yes, you 859 00:38:59,680 --> 00:38:59,980 are. 860 00:39:02,180 --> 00:39:05,920 We have a responsibility if we belong in 861 00:39:05,920 --> 00:39:10,860 the church, in the body of Christ for 862 00:39:10,860 --> 00:39:11,380 one another. 863 00:39:12,640 --> 00:39:16,260 That is just like saying the right hand 864 00:39:16,260 --> 00:39:19,460 has a responsibility for injury that has come 865 00:39:19,460 --> 00:39:21,380 to the left hand to do something about 866 00:39:21,380 --> 00:39:23,720 it, not to ignore it. 867 00:39:25,500 --> 00:39:28,360 Now in the Old Testament, such a responsibility 868 00:39:28,360 --> 00:39:32,380 was not there because people were not in 869 00:39:32,380 --> 00:39:32,760 a body. 870 00:39:34,460 --> 00:39:37,020 They were a congregation, they were a people. 871 00:39:38,400 --> 00:39:40,360 But in the New Testament, the church is 872 00:39:40,360 --> 00:39:43,600 called a body, the body of Christ and 873 00:39:43,600 --> 00:39:45,080 we are members one of another. 874 00:39:47,310 --> 00:39:49,550 And you know that every member in our 875 00:39:49,550 --> 00:39:51,450 body has a responsibility for another member. 876 00:39:51,510 --> 00:39:54,630 If my foot is injured, the eyes are 877 00:39:54,630 --> 00:39:57,350 interested in that, the hand is interested in 878 00:39:57,350 --> 00:39:58,730 that, every part of the body is interested 879 00:39:58,730 --> 00:39:59,430 in it. 880 00:40:00,490 --> 00:40:02,250 If the foot is aching, the whole body 881 00:40:02,250 --> 00:40:02,650 suffers. 882 00:40:04,390 --> 00:40:06,650 And therefore when your brother sins, this is 883 00:40:06,650 --> 00:40:09,010 obviously a brother who is in your locality 884 00:40:09,690 --> 00:40:11,110 with whom you are in fellowship. 885 00:40:11,770 --> 00:40:14,970 He has become your brother and he sins. 886 00:40:16,970 --> 00:40:18,070 Go and reprove him. 887 00:40:18,890 --> 00:40:19,850 Make it clear to him. 888 00:40:20,270 --> 00:40:23,610 This is a responsibility that very, very few 889 00:40:23,610 --> 00:40:24,770 Christians take seriously. 890 00:40:26,050 --> 00:40:32,770 Because they don't want to take the responsibility 891 00:40:32,770 --> 00:40:37,290 that comes with it of being that brother's 892 00:40:37,290 --> 00:40:37,610 keeper. 893 00:40:39,210 --> 00:40:40,350 Reprove him in private. 894 00:40:40,630 --> 00:40:42,410 In other words, don't go talking about it 895 00:40:42,410 --> 00:40:43,030 to other people. 896 00:40:44,210 --> 00:40:48,330 The very thing that Jesus said we should 897 00:40:48,330 --> 00:40:50,090 do, very few people do. 898 00:40:50,570 --> 00:40:53,050 And what Jesus said we should not do 899 00:40:53,050 --> 00:40:53,870 is what people do. 900 00:40:56,120 --> 00:40:58,740 Most believers are in the habit of speaking 901 00:40:58,740 --> 00:41:01,500 to other people publicly about the sin of 902 00:41:01,500 --> 00:41:02,200 somebody else. 903 00:41:02,940 --> 00:41:06,600 But Jesus said, go and reprove that brother 904 00:41:06,600 --> 00:41:07,240 in private. 905 00:41:08,840 --> 00:41:10,940 When you speak to other people about that 906 00:41:10,940 --> 00:41:13,520 person's sin, you are only bringing him down 907 00:41:13,520 --> 00:41:17,700 in the eyes of others and destroying him. 908 00:41:18,920 --> 00:41:20,660 But here, if you go and speak to 909 00:41:20,660 --> 00:41:22,240 him in private, the chances are that he 910 00:41:22,240 --> 00:41:23,060 may listen to you. 911 00:41:23,680 --> 00:41:24,840 And you have won your brother. 912 00:41:25,040 --> 00:41:28,800 The aim is to win the person back 913 00:41:28,800 --> 00:41:30,700 when the devil has got an advantage over 914 00:41:30,700 --> 00:41:30,900 him. 915 00:41:33,480 --> 00:41:35,160 And this is exactly what we read also 916 00:41:35,160 --> 00:41:39,740 in Galatians chapter 6 and verse 1 where 917 00:41:39,740 --> 00:41:41,620 Paul under the inspiration of the Spirit says, 918 00:41:42,560 --> 00:41:44,360 if a man is caught in a trespass, 919 00:41:45,480 --> 00:41:48,300 you who are spiritual, restore such a one 920 00:41:48,300 --> 00:41:49,280 in the spirit of gentleness. 921 00:41:49,980 --> 00:41:51,720 The aim is restoration. 922 00:41:53,280 --> 00:41:55,280 Try and bring that brother back into the 923 00:41:55,280 --> 00:41:55,600 fold. 924 00:41:57,670 --> 00:41:59,090 But if he does not listen to you, 925 00:42:00,210 --> 00:42:01,830 then we find a spirit of rebellion. 926 00:42:05,190 --> 00:42:07,030 Then take one or two more with you. 927 00:42:08,430 --> 00:42:10,050 Don't go alone a second time. 928 00:42:11,070 --> 00:42:15,290 Take one or two responsible mature brothers with 929 00:42:15,290 --> 00:42:17,810 you, so that by the mouth of two 930 00:42:17,810 --> 00:42:21,390 or three witnesses, every fact may be confirmed. 931 00:42:23,050 --> 00:42:25,390 And if he refuses to listen even to 932 00:42:25,390 --> 00:42:28,090 them, in other words, two or three have 933 00:42:28,090 --> 00:42:30,150 spoken to him and he still refuses to 934 00:42:30,150 --> 00:42:34,450 listen, then tell it to the church. 935 00:42:36,760 --> 00:42:38,900 And now we need to ask ourselves what 936 00:42:38,900 --> 00:42:40,380 does it mean to tell the church? 937 00:42:41,360 --> 00:42:43,440 And it is obvious from the context here 938 00:42:43,440 --> 00:42:46,160 that Jesus is speaking to tell it to 939 00:42:46,160 --> 00:42:48,400 the elders in the church. 940 00:42:48,420 --> 00:42:50,100 Because he goes on to say, if he 941 00:42:50,100 --> 00:42:54,200 refuses to listen even to the church, it 942 00:42:54,200 --> 00:42:55,780 doesn't mean that we go and tell a 943 00:42:55,780 --> 00:42:57,320 hundred and fifty people in a local church 944 00:42:57,320 --> 00:42:58,620 about it and that all the hundred and 945 00:42:58,620 --> 00:43:01,160 fifty people descend on this man and begin 946 00:43:01,160 --> 00:43:01,980 to speak to him. 947 00:43:02,220 --> 00:43:03,000 That is impossible. 948 00:43:04,460 --> 00:43:04,800 No. 949 00:43:05,920 --> 00:43:07,900 It is obvious when you come to chapter 950 00:43:08,520 --> 00:43:11,120 eighteen and verse nineteen and twenty that he 951 00:43:11,120 --> 00:43:12,980 is referring to two or three who have 952 00:43:12,980 --> 00:43:15,000 authority to bind and lose. 953 00:43:15,060 --> 00:43:16,700 And those two or three are the elders 954 00:43:16,700 --> 00:43:18,040 in a local church. 955 00:43:19,300 --> 00:43:21,040 The authority in the church. 956 00:43:22,340 --> 00:43:23,980 You have first gone with two or three 957 00:43:23,980 --> 00:43:25,660 spiritual brothers to try and sort out this 958 00:43:25,660 --> 00:43:26,480 problem yourself. 959 00:43:27,820 --> 00:43:29,080 But you have not been able to do 960 00:43:29,080 --> 00:43:29,220 it. 961 00:43:29,560 --> 00:43:31,020 Well, bring it now to the notice of 962 00:43:31,020 --> 00:43:33,800 the elders in the church and let them 963 00:43:33,800 --> 00:43:34,320 handle it. 964 00:43:35,780 --> 00:43:38,440 Sometimes it may be the wisest thing to 965 00:43:38,440 --> 00:43:39,500 go to them straight away. 966 00:43:40,000 --> 00:43:41,540 That in the very first stage, the one 967 00:43:41,540 --> 00:43:43,220 or two you take with you are the 968 00:43:43,220 --> 00:43:44,200 elders of the church. 969 00:43:44,900 --> 00:43:45,920 And then of course you have gone to 970 00:43:45,920 --> 00:43:48,340 the church straight away because you find that 971 00:43:48,340 --> 00:43:51,300 maybe there are no others with wisdom to 972 00:43:51,300 --> 00:43:52,920 handle the situation in your locality. 973 00:43:53,660 --> 00:43:55,440 And he refuses to listen to the elders 974 00:43:55,440 --> 00:43:56,060 of the church. 975 00:43:57,280 --> 00:44:00,860 Then let that man be to you as 976 00:44:00,860 --> 00:44:02,140 a heathen. 977 00:44:03,480 --> 00:44:05,640 In other words, Jesus is speaking here about 978 00:44:05,640 --> 00:44:08,680 discipline in the church where a brother continues 979 00:44:08,680 --> 00:44:10,540 in sin in a spirit of rebellion. 980 00:44:11,800 --> 00:44:14,280 The painful necessity of discipline. 981 00:44:14,280 --> 00:44:17,600 It's just like surgery for cancer. 982 00:44:19,500 --> 00:44:23,770 Here is a cancer that's begun to grow 983 00:44:23,770 --> 00:44:24,170 in the body. 984 00:44:24,270 --> 00:44:25,610 Once upon a time it was a living 985 00:44:25,610 --> 00:44:26,050 cell. 986 00:44:26,710 --> 00:44:28,170 It was a healthy cell but it has 987 00:44:28,170 --> 00:44:29,130 become cancerous. 988 00:44:30,590 --> 00:44:31,970 And we have tried to heal it through 989 00:44:31,970 --> 00:44:33,790 other means and it's not healed. 990 00:44:34,870 --> 00:44:38,190 Then the only solution is to do radical 991 00:44:38,190 --> 00:44:39,830 surgery and cut it out and throw it 992 00:44:39,830 --> 00:44:40,810 out of the body. 993 00:44:40,930 --> 00:44:42,190 It's no longer a part of the body. 994 00:44:43,510 --> 00:44:46,030 Discipline in the church where one who was 995 00:44:46,030 --> 00:44:49,590 once a brother is now treated as a 996 00:44:49,590 --> 00:44:49,930 heathen. 997 00:44:51,710 --> 00:44:54,610 And in this context again, the Lord gives 998 00:44:54,610 --> 00:44:57,270 authority to the elders in the church saying 999 00:44:57,270 --> 00:45:00,430 whatever you bind on earth will be bound 1000 00:45:00,430 --> 00:45:00,850 in heaven. 1001 00:45:01,950 --> 00:45:04,910 Whatever you lose on earth will be loosed 1002 00:45:04,910 --> 00:45:05,530 in heaven. 1003 00:45:07,700 --> 00:45:09,920 It speaks about the authority that the elders 1004 00:45:09,920 --> 00:45:12,380 who are walking with the Lord have. 1005 00:45:13,140 --> 00:45:16,460 To bind on earth spiritual forces that are 1006 00:45:16,460 --> 00:45:17,700 seeking to destroy the church. 1007 00:45:19,040 --> 00:45:24,100 And also to loose people who are in 1008 00:45:24,100 --> 00:45:27,200 bondage on earth and if a brother repents, 1009 00:45:27,700 --> 00:45:29,940 to loose him from the bondage of Satan 1010 00:45:29,940 --> 00:45:31,720 into which he had got himself into. 1011 00:45:32,820 --> 00:45:35,200 In this context, it's very important to see 1012 00:45:35,200 --> 00:45:37,900 the context, I say to you that if 1013 00:45:37,900 --> 00:45:40,740 two of you agree on earth about anything 1014 00:45:40,740 --> 00:45:41,720 that they may ask. 1015 00:45:42,340 --> 00:45:44,520 This matter of discipline is not something that 1016 00:45:44,520 --> 00:45:45,780 one person can do on his own. 1017 00:45:46,980 --> 00:45:49,260 There must be a minimum of two agreeing 1018 00:45:50,780 --> 00:45:52,280 to bind something. 1019 00:45:52,380 --> 00:45:54,920 Here are two people agreeing concerning something that 1020 00:45:54,920 --> 00:45:56,640 concerns the purity of the church. 1021 00:45:57,980 --> 00:46:01,040 In that context, it could be anything that 1022 00:46:01,040 --> 00:46:02,700 concerns the purity of the church. 1023 00:46:03,880 --> 00:46:08,980 Two who are in eldership come together and 1024 00:46:08,980 --> 00:46:12,460 they ask for anything it will be done 1025 00:46:12,460 --> 00:46:13,300 for them. 1026 00:46:14,120 --> 00:46:15,120 By my father in heaven. 1027 00:46:15,480 --> 00:46:17,720 Because the father in heaven is also concerned 1028 00:46:17,720 --> 00:46:19,800 about purity in the church. 1029 00:46:22,180 --> 00:46:25,940 And in this context, Jesus says, because where 1030 00:46:25,940 --> 00:46:28,160 two or three are gathered together like this, 1031 00:46:28,800 --> 00:46:30,820 in my name, in the spirit of unity 1032 00:46:31,280 --> 00:46:35,900 and harmony, there I am in their midst. 1033 00:46:37,180 --> 00:46:38,860 Now this is a verse that is very 1034 00:46:38,860 --> 00:46:40,400 much misunderstood and misquoted. 1035 00:46:41,160 --> 00:46:42,620 Where two or three are gathered together in 1036 00:46:42,620 --> 00:46:43,840 my name, there am I in the midst. 1037 00:46:44,460 --> 00:46:46,820 Many Christians have this bad habit of quoting 1038 00:46:46,820 --> 00:46:48,620 scripture out of context. 1039 00:46:49,400 --> 00:46:50,860 To know a verse and not to know 1040 00:46:50,860 --> 00:46:53,240 the context in which that verse comes, can 1041 00:46:53,240 --> 00:46:55,580 lead us to a wrong understanding and interpretation 1042 00:46:55,580 --> 00:46:56,340 of that verse. 1043 00:46:57,120 --> 00:46:59,160 Notice the context in which this verse comes. 1044 00:46:59,820 --> 00:47:01,800 It comes in the context of the local 1045 00:47:01,800 --> 00:47:02,480 church. 1046 00:47:03,180 --> 00:47:04,660 For this is the second time that Jesus 1047 00:47:04,660 --> 00:47:05,620 spoke about the church. 1048 00:47:06,280 --> 00:47:07,860 And in the gospel records there are only 1049 00:47:07,860 --> 00:47:09,920 two places where Jesus spoke about the church. 1050 00:47:10,640 --> 00:47:12,700 One is in Matthew 16 which we considered 1051 00:47:12,700 --> 00:47:13,820 in an earlier study. 1052 00:47:14,700 --> 00:47:16,740 And the other here is in Matthew 18. 1053 00:47:17,440 --> 00:47:21,360 Matthew 16 speaks about the universal worldwide church 1054 00:47:22,220 --> 00:47:24,360 including believers past, present and future. 1055 00:47:25,820 --> 00:47:29,060 Matthew 18 speaks about the local church, present 1056 00:47:29,060 --> 00:47:32,940 in one locality represented by its elders who 1057 00:47:32,940 --> 00:47:34,240 are two or three. 1058 00:47:35,980 --> 00:47:39,180 And in that context he speaks about two 1059 00:47:39,180 --> 00:47:44,460 or three gathering together in his name as 1060 00:47:44,460 --> 00:47:45,360 a local church. 1061 00:47:46,080 --> 00:47:48,600 And that teaches us that a local church 1062 00:47:48,600 --> 00:47:51,100 need comprise of only two or three. 1063 00:47:51,280 --> 00:47:54,120 Two or three are enough to comprise a 1064 00:47:54,120 --> 00:47:59,660 local church provided they are one in spirit. 1065 00:47:59,660 --> 00:48:02,860 The word used here in verse 19, agreed, 1066 00:48:04,220 --> 00:48:07,460 is the Greek word symphonio from which we 1067 00:48:07,460 --> 00:48:09,080 get the English word symphony. 1068 00:48:10,300 --> 00:48:11,480 It's a musical word. 1069 00:48:12,580 --> 00:48:14,420 And how beautiful it is to listen to 1070 00:48:14,420 --> 00:48:18,560 a number of instruments that are playing in 1071 00:48:18,560 --> 00:48:20,440 harmony and in symphony. 1072 00:48:21,720 --> 00:48:23,600 Even if it's two or three, even if 1073 00:48:23,600 --> 00:48:25,700 there are only two, you can get a 1074 00:48:25,700 --> 00:48:27,600 jarring note if one is out of tune. 1075 00:48:27,600 --> 00:48:29,700 Or one is not playing on the same 1076 00:48:29,700 --> 00:48:30,100 scale. 1077 00:48:31,520 --> 00:48:33,740 And Jesus is speaking about that type of 1078 00:48:34,420 --> 00:48:37,940 fine unity that is found in musical instruments. 1079 00:48:38,080 --> 00:48:39,620 And there are people with a very highly 1080 00:48:39,620 --> 00:48:42,920 sensitive ear to music who can discern even 1081 00:48:42,920 --> 00:48:48,560 if someone is off scale by one fourth 1082 00:48:48,560 --> 00:48:49,060 of a note. 1083 00:48:51,160 --> 00:48:53,120 It's that type of unity that the Lord 1084 00:48:53,120 --> 00:48:55,900 desires in the church where two brothers or 1085 00:48:55,900 --> 00:48:59,360 two sisters, two or three, are so completely 1086 00:48:59,360 --> 00:49:01,460 in harmony in their spirit. 1087 00:49:04,390 --> 00:49:06,290 When we hear musical instruments out of tune, 1088 00:49:06,870 --> 00:49:08,190 think of two brothers who are out of 1089 00:49:08,190 --> 00:49:09,690 tune with each other or two sisters who 1090 00:49:09,690 --> 00:49:10,170 are out of tune. 1091 00:49:10,530 --> 00:49:12,890 That is more of a discord in God's 1092 00:49:12,890 --> 00:49:16,930 ears than two instruments out of tune in 1093 00:49:16,930 --> 00:49:17,610 a church meeting. 1094 00:49:19,010 --> 00:49:22,970 That is the sound that God is listening 1095 00:49:22,970 --> 00:49:26,250 for, the unity of brothers and sisters who 1096 00:49:26,250 --> 00:49:30,590 come together, gathered together in unity in the 1097 00:49:30,590 --> 00:49:32,630 name of Jesus, where they agree together. 1098 00:49:33,610 --> 00:49:36,210 And when such agreement is there, the Lord 1099 00:49:36,210 --> 00:49:37,070 is present. 1100 00:49:37,890 --> 00:49:40,550 Where they are disagreeing and jealous and bitter 1101 00:49:40,550 --> 00:49:42,810 against one another, the Lord is not there. 1102 00:49:43,930 --> 00:49:47,630 For a true church to exercise itself, the 1103 00:49:47,630 --> 00:49:49,490 authority that the Lord has given to it, 1104 00:49:49,670 --> 00:49:50,730 there must be this unity. 1105 00:49:51,230 --> 00:49:52,810 This is the true church of Jesus Christ, 1106 00:49:53,210 --> 00:49:54,650 where there are at least two or three 1107 00:49:54,650 --> 00:49:58,450 who are so united in spirit that they 1108 00:49:58,450 --> 00:50:02,570 can bind the forces of darkness that seek 1109 00:50:02,570 --> 00:50:04,130 to bring spiritual death into it. 1110 00:50:04,570 --> 00:50:07,570 That they can lose in the Lord's name 1111 00:50:07,570 --> 00:50:09,630 those who are bound by Satan. 1112 00:50:10,990 --> 00:50:12,590 This is what we should long for in 1113 00:50:12,590 --> 00:50:13,450 our localities. 1114 00:50:14,230 --> 00:50:18,030 The church representing the unity of the Father 1115 00:50:18,030 --> 00:50:19,570 and Son, for this is what Jesus prayed 1116 00:50:19,570 --> 00:50:22,150 for, that we might be one as the 1117 00:50:22,150 --> 00:50:23,590 Father and Son are one. 1118 00:50:24,150 --> 00:50:25,750 For in the midst of such a church, 1119 00:50:25,810 --> 00:50:27,070 even if it's only two or three members, 1120 00:50:27,610 --> 00:50:30,330 the Lord himself is present in all his 1121 00:50:30,330 --> 00:50:30,750 authority.