Do You Reject the Lord Jesus Christ

 Rejection of Jesus

 Book of Luke Chapter 20

 

I believe this is the saddest title of any lesson.

 Who has the highest authority over us? Is it the world? Is it the Word of God?

 God is Himself the highest authority in Heaven and on Earth, but He has also given unto His Son authority on earth to forgive sins.

 Mat 9:6  But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. 

 To execute Judgment: Joh 5:27  And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

 Jesus confirmed these things: Mat 28:18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 

Mat 28:19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 

Mat 28:20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. 

 We can only be complete if we are in the Lord Jesus Christ.

 Col 2:10  And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: 

 1Pe 3:22  Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him. 

 Col 1:15  Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 

Col 1:16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 

Col 1:17  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 

 When we reject the Lord Jesus Christ, we have no right to the riches of Heaven!

 If we reject any part of the Word of God, then we have rejected His Son, Jesus!

 What is unbelief?

 One man wrote: "For it denies the sovereignty of divine mercy: it sets at nought the infinite merit and value of Christ’s blood and righteousness".

 Unbelief cannot be forgiven! Mar 16:16  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

 That word damned means, sentenced to everlasting punishment in a future state of existence in Hell and without God.

 Attacking the Lord Jesus Christ will only lead to your own damnation.

 The so-called authority of Israel at that time had no interest in the truth!

 *****Luk 20:9  Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time. 

 This parable was directed toward Israel, but the intent is aimed at false religion and liberal theology everywhere.

 The Lord Jesus directed this parable at the people of Israel, but Jesus knew that all the leaders, both politically and spiritually, were standing within earshot of His words.

 The Lord Jesus was speaking a message of repentance, but those who refuse to repent only get angry, and it is the same today, probably worse.

 They get angry at anyone who even thinks they need to change the way they live.

 This one thing is destroying many churches today!

 To be clear, it was God who created this world, and there is enough evidence to prove this is true, but it is also rejected.

Not proven wrong, just rejected!

We, the people of this world, have allowed charlatans and corrupt leaders to lead the people in a false history of our world.

Every time you hear the words millions of years you are about to hear a lie!

 Our world is so full of the lies of evolution that it cannot survive much longer.

 We simply cannot base life upon lies and continue to exist as informed people!

 We may not know what a "longtime" really means, but we do know that about the year 2033, it will have been about two thousand years since the Lord Jesus went back to Heaven and is prepared at any time to return, to first take His Church out of this world, and then bring judgment on all unbelievers.

 That vineyard is the nation of Israel, but it could also mean this entire world.

 Isa 5:1  Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: 

Isa 5:2  And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.

Isa 5:3  And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.

 God leased this vineyard to the world, but also to Israel.

 Joh 15:1  I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 

Joh 15:2  Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 

Joh 15:3  Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 

Joh 15:4  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 

Joh 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 

Joh 15:6  If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

 The husbandmen are to be the responsible leaders of this world, but also the spiritual leaders of Israel.

 The owner is God, and it has always been God!

 God owns all His creations!

 Mal 2:10  Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers? 

 God wants all His people to serve Him with joy!

 *****Luk 20:10  And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty. 

Luk 20:11  And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty. 

Luk 20:12  And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out. 

 What are the seasons? Gen 8:22  While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. 

 The season in this Scripture would be harvest time.

 There is a great harvest time coming, and it is not far off: Jas 5:7  Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. 

Jas 5:8  Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. 

 There is a day of accounting coming to everyone who lives upon this earth.

 God will send His servants to collect. Fruit is expected. It is a time for payment of those sins that are not under Grace.

 Each one of us will have to pay our dues!

 Gal 6:8  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 

Gal 6:9  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

 We all owe a debt that we cannot pay, but there have been many mighty works done on Israel's behalf, yet they still reject the Lord Jesus Christ.

 Even though the Church is experiencing the great falling away, it does not bode well for this world in the coming judgment.

 2Th_2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

Every church should ask itself, “Are we part of that great falling away from the Word of God?”!

 God sent many prophets to Israel, and most of them were mistreated and most of them were murdered.

 This world will never be able to shut the mouth of God!

 There are just too many leaders upon this earth who want to rule this world, and God will allow that to happen very soon when He allows the Antichrist to claim this world as His own.

 Most of this world deliberately rebels against God!

 Even the Antichrist will see that this world just does not want a supreme leader.

 People just want to live as they wish and be free to do as they please.

 The only thing that can change this attitude is the truth of our Creator.

 God has shown much patience to this world, but for God to be God, He cannot allow rebellion to continue forever!

 God is the God of the second chance and even the third, as I well know personally, but this will not continue indefinitely.

 Notice the number three, which is common in periods.

 King David was offered a choice between three days of pestilence, three months of defeat, or three years of famine.

Jesus Christ was three days and three nights in that tomb.

Families are in groups of three: father, mother, and children.

Gideon's army was divided into three groups.

The third angel of Revelation, with a third part of the world destroyed,

There are other places in the Scriptures.

 Notice, after the third servant, the Lord of the vineyard sent His Son.

 If we say this parable is about Israel, then the truth is that Israel had lost sight of their calling from God.

 Gen 12:2  And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 

Gen 12:3  And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. 

 Israel began living a life for itself and against all other nations.

 The Lord Jesus, the Messiah, came to remind them of the truth of God, and He was rejected and murdered.

 God's patience ran out for Israel at that time, and He promised another chance after the tribulation period.

 Jer_30:7  Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.

 God had said: Isa 48:9  For my name's sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off. 

 *****Luk 20:13  Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him. 

Luk 20:14  But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. 

Luk 20:15  So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them? 

 The Lord Jesus was asked a question as we began this chapter: Luk 20:2  And spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority? 

 Here we see that the Lord Jesus is giving His answer.

 We know that this parable was another teaching lesson for the Pharisees because God never has to use a backup plan. God is omniscient and knows what we are going to do before we do it.

 If we accept that the Lord Jesus Christ is the "beloved" of God the Father, then we need to accept that God the Father also loves each Christian in the same manner.

 Joh 17:23  I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. 

Joh 17:24  Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. 

Joh 17:25  O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. 

Joh 17:26  And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

 We should understand that many of these religious men of Judah knew well that the Lord Jesus had certainly fulfilled many of the prophecies of the Messiah but sin, greed for position, esteem, power, and security kept them from acknowledging that Jesus was truly the Messiah.

 The Lord Jesus Christ made this claim that He truly was the Son of God and many of them knew that it could be true.

 They were so lost in themselves that they thought they could kill God's Son without repercussions.

 What were some of those pieces of evidence?

 1) The Old Testament prophecies.

2) The testimony of John the Baptist.

3) The claims of Jesus Himself.

4) The miracles that they had witnessed.

5) The signs of the times.

 It is these same reasons, these same proofs, that we know we are in the end times now.

 Why did God punish these Jews in 70 AD? God knew these things were true!

 So, they plotted His death.

 The parable says they reasoned among themselves.

 They thought they could seize the inheritance of God's Son.

 We know that this is the same thoughts of Satan, the Devil.

 Mat 12:14  Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him. 

 Joh 11:53  Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death. 

 What was Israel's sin? In rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ, they were rejecting God's sovereignty over Israel.

 What is the world's sin today? The world is rejecting our Creator and our God.

 The world is trying to shut God out of His own vineyard!

 To murder God's Son was the worst crime of human history.

 1) The Lord Jesus was predicting His own death.

2) The Lord Jesus Christ volunteered to die.

 Jesus knew what lay in His future, and He could have escaped His death if He chose to do so.

 We forget sometimes that the Lord Jesus was 100% God, but He was also 100% man.

 The man's side of this union could have run off and hid himself, but He had given himself to the Lord.

 Act 2:23  Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: 

Act 2:24  Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. 

 What would God the Father do?

What did God the Father do?

 *****Luk 20:16  He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid.

 The vineyard (world) will be destroyed.

The vineyard (world) will be given to others.

 God's vineyard will not be left uncultivated; it will not be left untended to bear no fruit.

 What did God tell Adam before his sin? Gen 1:28  And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

 For these Jews, it was in their mind that there was no chance that they would be rejected by God, they were God's people, but they were wrong.

 The judgment for rejecting the Son of God will be the most tragic and extreme judgment in all the universe.

 Joh 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 

Joh 15:6  If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 

 Then the Lord Jesus said to them, you need to read your Bible.

 *****Luk 20:17  And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner? 

Luk 20:18  Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. 

 What is the surest proof that judgment is coming? Scripture.

 Mat_21:42; Mrk_12:10-11; Luk_20:17; Act_4:11; Eph_2:20-22; 1Pe_2:4-8

 The prophet Daniel wrote: Dan 2:34  Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. 

Dan 2:35  Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. 

 What did the prophet Isaiah write? Isa 8:13  Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. 

Isa 8:14  And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 

Isa 8:15  And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken. 

 What was once a vineyard will now become a building: 1Co 3:9  For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. 

1Co 3:11  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

 These rulers of religion at the time of Jesus are the same rulers of religion today, and rejected the fact that God is building the Church and this Church is established on the foundation of the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the way, is God the Son, the beloved of God the Father, with the full power of God the Holy Spirit.

 God's people have become a Temple rather than a vineyard.

 It is the foundation stone of the Church, Jesus Christ, on which we are to build our lives!

 The Pharisees of today and all those who reject the Lord Jesus Christ reject the destructive power of the Stone against flesh and blood, but they will be crushed by the power of God.

 Those whom the Stone of God, Jesus Christ rolls over will be utterly destroyed, permanently!

 This is what God says and not what I say.

 Pro 11:4  Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death. 

Pro 11:5  The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness. 

Pro 11:6  The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness. 

Pro 11:7  When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth.

 There was no way that these wicked men were going to accept what the Lord Jesus had just told them.

 The whole world wants to destroy Jesus Christ, which is impossible!

 *****Luk 20:19  And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them. 

Luk 20:20  And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor. 

 How do we know we are in the last days? Just as Luke writes in this Scripture, the world is seeking to destroy the Lord Jesus Christ.

 Right now, they can go no further because there are just too many people who would stop it.

 The chief priests and the scribes knew exactly that this parable was intended for them.

 The Lord Jesus is that Stone that is rejected by these leaders.

 God the Father has made the Lord Jesus the chief cornerstone of the Church!

 He who falls or stumbles on the Lord Jesus Christ and rejects Him will perish.

 The key to Heaven is the Lord Jesus Christ!

 Rom 9:32  Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; 

Rom 9:33  As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

 The religious leaders of Judah had been silenced by the truth of God and His Son.

 They could not destroy Jesus on that day, but they made plans to do so as soon as possible.

 What does the Devil do? He sends forth spies who claim to be justified.

 They are in every working church today, and they have caused many local churches to close their doors.

 Why does the government hate Jesus so much? The Lord Jesus does not allow power or position to influence Him and the ways of Scripture, and he expects this to be the same in every church.

 The intent of the Separation of Church and State in our own Constitution was to keep the government out of the Church, not the reverse of it used today.

 It was never intended to keep the Church out of the government.

 Liberals are trying to make our Constitution useless, and we cannot allow that to happen.

 The Church must vote for the truth of God and stay out of politics.

 The liberal world will try anything to accuse God of not keeping His own Word.

 We should understand that hypocrites are good at using flattery about the preaching of God's Word.

 They give false testimony while they reject everything about God's Messiah.

 The liberals believe they can trip the Lord up by using trick questions.

 We see this same thing in our own government whenever they question a righteous man or a righteous woman.

 Solomon said there is nothing new under the Sun, and it is true.

Ecc_1:9  The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

These same liberal Pharisees set out to destroy the Lord Jesus and our Creator, but they failed.

The Pharisees of today are determined to destroy the Lord Jesus Christ, but they will also fail.

Just as they try to destroy the way of life of the Christian, they will fail.

God simply will not allow it!

 Amen

From Jericho to Jerusalem

 

Zacchaeus and the Triumphal Entry

 Book of Luke Chapter 19

 

The Lord Jesus Christ was making His way to Jerusalem because He had an appointment with a cross and He intended to keep it.

 It had been only an hour or so that He had restored sight to a blind beggar from Jericho.

 This man, being blind, still recognized the Lord Jesus as the Messiah.

 Luk 18:38 And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.

 As the Lord comes to the streets of Jericho, He comes to a short man named Zacchaeus.

 Zacchaeus was a Jew, but he was also a very rich man.

 Zacchaeus was so short that he had to climb up into a tree to see over the crowded streets as the Lord Jesus was coming into view as He entered Jericho.

 Being chief among the publicans meant that he was superintendent of customs and tribute in the district of Jericho.

 He would have been especially hated by the Jews and considered a traitor to Israel.

 Something had been bothering Zacchaeus for a long time.

 Zacchaeus was a dissatisfied man. His dishonest acquisitions had made him rich but had subtracted him from his peace of mind.

 He knew that the least he could do would be to repay those whom he had robbed. But his soul required more, and longed for salvation, such as only Jesus Christ could give.

 We call this Holy Ghost conviction.

 Here we see that the Lord Jesus knew what was going on with Zacchaeus before He met him.

 The Lord Jesus stopped under the tree where Zacchaeus was located and invited Himself to the home of Zacchaeus.

 Let's read:

 *****Luk 19:1 And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.

 We know that the walls of Jericho had fallen by a miracle of God in the time of Joshua, and he captured that city.

 Joshua also put a curse on this city; Jos 6:26 And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.

 The city of Jericho had been re-founded by a man named Hiel, a Bethelite who did exactly what Joshua had said.

 1Ki 16:34 In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun.

 Not too long into the future, there was a college of prophets founded at Jericho, if we remember Elisha.

 2Ki 2:4 And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.

 Jericho is no more than a collection of mounds today.

 *****Luk 19:2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.

Luk 19:3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.

Luk 19:4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.

Luk 19:5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.

 That word “chief” tells us that Zacchaeus was a very rich man.

 Zacchaeus had one problem, and it was that his wickedness was starting to bother him.

 This was Holy Ghost conviction.

 The Holy Spirit was very busy during the time of Jesus, but He was not yet given to fill the believer.

 Joh 16:7  Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

 Joh_16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

 Zacchaeus could not understand it, but he knew he wanted to see Jesus.

 He knew it was more than curiosity; he just had to see the Lord.                            

Personal taxes and property taxes were collected by the Roman government, but the customs on goods were farmed out.

 This created a system that could be easily exploited.

 Zacchaeus had exploited this system until he was rich and probably caused the customs collectors under him to contribute to his wealth.

 There was a huge crowd waiting for the arrival of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 The streets were already crowded because of pilgrims going to Jerusalem for the Passover.

 Zacchaeus then climbed a sycamore tree to increase his chances of seeing Jesus.

 We should understand that if you are truly seeking the Lord Jesus, He will find you!

 This is how faith begins its work in us.

 We may not understand it at first, but we just know that once we meet Jesus, things will get better.

 He may not have been sure if Jesus would come that way, but something told him that He would.

 Zacchaeus was hated by those on the ground under him, but he was not ashamed to seek the Lord Jesus.

 We must never be ashamed of our Lord Jesus!

 All of a sudden, the Lord was there, and He already knew the name of Zacchaeus.

 *****Luk 19:5  And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.

Luk 19:6  And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.

 The Lord Jesus invited Himself to the home of Zacchaeus.

 The Lord Jesus does not just want us to turn to Him, but He wants all those in our homes to turn to Him.

 This was more than Zacchaeus expected, but he became excited and he welcomed this opportunity to meet the Lord.

 Jericho was a city full of priests.

 Jericho was the summer home of the Herods.

 The Herods were the last of the Edomites and not Jews.

Jericho had a city government.

 All the religious world hated all publicans, and Zachaeus was chief of the publicans.

 The Lord Jesus set public opinion aside and chose the home of the most hated man in that city to dine with and lodge with.

 We should also understand that the Lord Jesus was going to Jerusalem to die.

This would be Zacchaeus's only chance to repent and accept the Lord Jesus for who He is. Our Savior!

 It was the same for all those lined up to meet Jesus; that day was the day of salvation for them all.

 1Jn 1:3  That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

 Zacchaeus obeyed the Lord and made haste, and joyfully received the Lord Jesus Christ.

 The naysayers, the mumblers, and the murmurers began to do what they do best.

 *****Luk 19:7  And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.

Luk 19:8  And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. x

 By saying that Zachaeus was a sinner, they were also saying that they were not sinners.

 We know better!

 Rom 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

 Zachaeus realized that all those around him were staring at him, and most of them were not pleased with him or with Jesus.

 This crowd had nothing but contempt for Zachaeus.

 The world does not understand the love of God!

 A transformation is taking place in the life of this little man.

 The Lord Jesus had not told Zachaeus as he had told the rich young ruler.

 Zacchaeus came up with these things himself. He knew he was a sinner, and he knew his sins.

 Zacchaeus was experiencing a radical change in his life.

 Zacchaeus had a new attitude about his wealth. It just did not mean the same to him any longer.

 He would give it back to those who were poor.

 Luk 12:33  Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.

Luk 12:34  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

 The rest of his wealth would be used to correct the wrongs he had done as a tax collector.

 Zacchaeus said, "In all those cases where he had defrauded others,” he would obey the Word of God.

 Zacchaeus knew the Scriptures; this was his sin.

 Lev 6:4  Then it shall be, because he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he found,

Lev 6:5  Or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part more thereto, and give it unto him to whom it appertaineth, in the day of his trespass offering.

 He goes even further. Exo 22:1  If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.

 This law applied to sheep, but Zacchaeus applied it to anything he had taken from anyone.

 This also seems to say that Zacchaeus knew those he had caused the most harm.

 This is what the Holy Spirit does: He will remind us of those we have harmed the most.

 How did the Lord Jesus respond?

 *****Luk 19:9  And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.

Luk 19:10  For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

 The Lord Jesus was speaking more to that crowd than He was to Zacchaeus when He said these words.

 Zacchaeus had been converted from Judaism to Christianity in a big way.

 Sadly, many more did not respond to the truth they had just seen and heard.

 Zacchaeus repented and changed his whole life.

 Zacchaeus was serious about giving his life to the Lord Jesus.

 Life has more meaning once you meet the Savior.

 It was the Lord Jesus Himself who proclaimed Zacchaeus to be saved.

 Jesus said it was repentance that saved Zacchaeus, but Zacchaeus would bring the message of salvation to his household.

 Zacchaeus met the Lord Jesus and brought Him into his heart and then took Him into his house.

Zachaeus now had peace in his soul.

 The Lord Jesus tells this entire crowd why He came to this earth: He came to seek and to save all who are lost!

 Rom 3:28  Therefore, we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

 Zacchaeus put himself in a position to be saved by seeking Jesus, but the Lord Jesus did the speaking to the heart of Zacchaeus, and that heart was torn out, and a new heart was put in.

 Ezk_36:26  A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

 The Lord Jesus, on leaving Jericho, told the people another parable.

 After this, Jesus entered Jerusalem for the last time.

 *****Luk 19:28  And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem.

Luk 19:29  And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples,

Luk 19:30  Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither.

Luk 19:31  And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him.

Luk 19:32  And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said unto them.

Luk 19:33  And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt?

Luk 19:34  And they said, The Lord hath need of him.

Luk 19:35  And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon. 

Luk 19:36  And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way.

 Before we get to this portion of our lesson, the Lord Jesus gives us another parable which relates to His servants while He is gone back to Heaven.

 Jesus makes it very clear that many of His servants actually hate Him.

 Many of these servants expected the Lord Jesus to take the throne of King David and run the Romans out of Israel and Jerusalem.

 Had the Lord Jesus claimed to be King?

 Jesus claimed to be King of a place not on this earth.

Jesus claimed to be the King of Peace.

 We know when He returns, He will become King of this earth for one thousand years.

 There is a three-thousand-foot rise in elevation from Jericho to Jerusalem.

 Going to Jerusalem was an uphill walk all the way from Jericho.

 The Lord Jesus knew it was time to fulfill His destiny as told by the prophets.

 His purpose was to suffer and die for all mankind.

 He would enter Jerusalem as the King Messiah in peace.

 Zec 9:9  Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

 It was the providence of God that the Lord Jesus would enter Jerusalem in such a dramatic fashion.

 The whole scene was centered around Him riding into the city of Jerusalem on this colt, which had never been broken.

 If that colt had spoken, it would have said it was happy to carry the burden of the Lord, for His burden is light.

 The Lord Jesus had come to Jerusalem as the Prince of Peace.

 Isa_9:6  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

 The Lord Jesus had claimed the right to use this colt because He is Lord of all creation.

 The Greek word “kurios” is used here, which means the One with Supreme Authority.

 In the New Testament that word Lord carries the same meaning as Jehovah in the Old Testament.

 I have often felt like I was that colt tied to sin and only Jesus could make me free.

 Exo 13:13  And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem.

 If the Lord Jesus had not caused me to be made free, then I would have died because He would not have redeemed me.

 Fetching this colt was extremely important if the Lord Jesus was to proclaim He was indeed King.

 When we are delivered from the bondage of sin, we are servants who carry the Lord around in our hearts and on our feet.

 This is our duty as the servants of God.

 Rom_12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

 When the Lord Jesus gives us specific instructions, and we follow them exactly, things will go just as He said.

 We are not to add to or take away from His Word!

 Bethany was a suburb of Jerusalem, only two miles from Jerusalem.

 When the Lord Jesus was in Jerusalem, He stayed with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus in their home in Bethany.

 The message of Jesus was very clear:

 1) He was the promised King the prophets had talked about.

2) He was not coming as a conquering King or as any world leader at this time.

3) He was coming as Savior with Peace.

4) Jesus came to show the world that God is first the God of Love and Reconciliation.

 This colt was a symbol of Peace.

This colt was a symbol of service.

This colt was a symbol of sacredness because it had never been ridden by any man, woman, or child.

 1Sa 6:7  Now therefore make a new cart, and take two milch kine, on which there hath come no yoke, and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their calves home from them:

 The Lord Jesus wanted the world to know that He indeed is that sacred hope promised in the Scriptures.

 Tit_2:13  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

 The Apostles threw their coats upon the colt to form a saddle to protect the colt.

 The rest of their coats they threw upon the road.

 You see, not only our deeds but also our walk should be subject to the Lord Jesus.

 There were thousands of pilgrims along the road to Jerusalem, and they threw their coats or palm limbs on the roadway.

 Many of them had seen the miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead and many other miracles.

 This crowd that would be in Jerusalem was probably the largest crowd to have ever assembled in Jerusalem.

 They clearly saw that the Lord Jesus was coming in peace.

 Psa 115:1  Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake.

Psa 115:2  Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?

Psa 115:3  But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.

 These people praised God for His truth.

 *****Luk 19:37  And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen;

Luk 19:38  Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.

 Most of the people in the area of Judah and Galilee had heard of the things that the Lord Jesus had done, and most of these same people had come to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast with great hope.

 They truly hated Rome.

 Many of them realized that the Lord Jesus Christ had the power to do anything He chose to do.

 Act 10:36  The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)

Act 10:37  That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;

Act 10:38  How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

 They thought the hour of freedom from the tyranny of Rome had come.

They thought that God was going to free all the nations of the earth from Roman domination.

They thought that Jesus would set up His throne in Jerusalem to rule and reign over the righteous.

They thought Jesus would establish Israel as the leading nation of the world.

 They had failed to see many things.

 They failed to see that Jesus was riding a colt of a donkey, which was a sign of peace.

They failed to see that Jesus was riding an animal of burden, to carry the burdens of all mankind.

They failed to see that Jesus was riding an animal of Sacredness.

They failed to see that Jesus was riding a humble animal that symbolized meekness.

 1Pe 2:23  Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

1Pe 2:24  Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

1Pe 2:25  For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

 And then the Pharisees speak.

 *****Luk 19:39  And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.

Luk 19:40  And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

 No one was going to get a Pharisee to praise the Lord Jesus.

 The Pharisees are the enemies of the Lord, and they were disturbed at what was happening around Him.

 What they see is unacceptable in their eyes and must be stopped.

 These same ones had already given the order to hunt Jesus down and murder Him.

 To them, Jesus was no more than a teacher and not a very good one.

 They considered the Lord Jesus to be an insurrectionist.

 Those stones would have been very happy to sing out in praise of our Savior!

 We know that the Sun hid its face when the Lord was crucified.

 Mat 27:45  Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.

 We also know that the earth cried out in pain at the death of our Savior.

 Mat 27:51  And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

 Yes, those stones would have certainly cried if the Lord Jesus had told them to.

 *****Luk 19:41  And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,

Luk 19:42  Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.

Luk 19:43  For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,

Luk 19:44  And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.

 It should be obvious to us that God has a true love for the City of Jerusalem.

 It really hurt the Lord to allow Jerusalem to be destroyed and the nation to cease to exist for over nineteen hundred years.

 God has a plan, and nothing will change Him from completing His plan.

 Psa 81:11  But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me.

Psa 81:12  So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels.

Psa 81:13  Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!

Psa 81:14  I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.

 The Greek word "klaio" means more than wept it means the Lord Jesus burst out in tears and wailed over Jerusalem.

 The Lord Jesus weeps for all the lost.

 Peace was actually within reach for Israel and Jerusalem, and they wanted no part of it.

 How many wars have been fought after the Lord Jesus offered peace, but the world wants no part of it?

 The people of the world will believe anything but the Word of God.

 This world is doomed to destruction because there is no faith!

 The word "shalom" means freedom from trouble, but it means much, much more than this.

 Jerusalem had only one day left to accept the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ, but we know their answer.

 1) There is peace of the world. This is a peace of escapism, of avoiding trouble, refusing to face reality.

2) There is the "Peace of God". A peace that comes from deep within us, a tranquility of the mind, a peace that settles and strengthens through terrible trials.

 The source of true peace is the Lord Jesus Christ!

 Jerusalem fell because they could not see that in Jesus Christ, God had visited His people, and they had rejected Him.

 There is much greater devastation coming to this world for the same reason, and it is not far off.

 Amen

Lessons to Learn

 Parables and Blessings

 Book of Luke Chapter 18

 

 Besides the Holy Spirit, prayer is our greatest weapon in this world against the evilness and wickedness of our world. 

 *****Luk 18:1  And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; 

 Prayer is the meeting of our soul with the mind of God.

 1Sa 1:15  And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.

 Prayer is beseeching the Lord.

 Exo 32:11  And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand? 

 Prayer is crying out to Heaven.

 2Ch 32:19  And they spake against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth, which were the work of the hands of man. 

2Ch 32:20  And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven.

 Prayers are seeking and making supplication.

 Job 8:5  If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty; 

 Prayer is drawing near to God.

 Psa 73:28  But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.

 Prayer is the bowing of the knees.

 Eph 3:14  For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

Eph 3:15  Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 

Eph 3:16  That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 

Eph 3:17  That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 

Eph 3:18  May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 

Eph 3:19  And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. 

We must persevere in prayer because it is our duty!

 We must put forth the effort to talk with God even when it seems He is not listening because He is always listening!

 *****Luk 18:2  Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: 

Luk 18:3  And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. 

Luk 18:4  And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; 

Luk 18:5  Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. 

 What is persevering prayer? To persevere means to be constant in our purpose for praying.

 When we look around, we see that we are in similar days of Noah and Lot where God brought destruction.

 God has already promised a future destruction, and we are very near to it now.

 Psa_2:12  Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

 Isa_9:19  Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother.

 Isa_13:13  Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.

 Zep_1:15  That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,

 There is power in persistence.

 Continuous prayer is the only thing that gives us the strength to persevere.

 Continuous prayer shows that we are confident in our God.

 We are to pray and continue to pray until the Lord Jesus Christ returns to take us home.

 In this parable, we see an unjust judge who disregards the laws, hates God, and hates those who come before him.

 Yet he feels like he has the power to do as he wishes.

 This is the way of our world today.

 Everyone wants to reach in and grab a piece of power to do the things they desire.

 We live in the day of the unjust judge, and it is very noticeable.

 There was this widow who had been wronged and was seeking help from the judicial system, but this judge had no feelings for the truth, and he hated to be bothered with such trivial matters.

 Every judge in our nation needs to understand there is a Higher Judge who has His eyes on them, and they, too, will be judged the same way that they judge others.

 It is a fact that on that day of the widow, that most every widow, especially those who had no children, lived in helplessness and defenselessness.

 Luk 7:12  Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. 

Luk 7:13  And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. 

 Many times, this judge just ignored her and her problems.

 We know this is not the way of the Lord Jesus, who is a most compassionate God.

 This judge began to realize that if he did not do anything to help this widow, she was going to continue to come before him.

 Finally, this self-centered judge did the right thing just to free himself from her ceaseless pleading.

 The Lord Jesus is saying that if a corrupt judge on this earth will attend to the pleas of this poor widow whom he cared not for, how much more will God be moved by those He loves.

 It is a fact that God is biased in favor of innocent victims of persecution.

 We may never have to plead with God, but we must also understand that God will not answer every prayer at the time we think it is needed.

 God knows what we need and when we need it.

 God does not get mad at us if we ask for the same thing over and over again until we receive it or God says no.

 *****Luk 18:6  And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.  

 We must not think that this judge is a type of God; he is not. He is just an unjust judge who does not care about the suffering of any people.

 The Lord Jesus wants us to continue in prayer of faith until we get an answer.

 It is not that God is just too busy; it is just that God knows what we need and when we need it.

 God knows our needs, and He promised to meet our needs.

 God will avenge His own elect!

 God's elect are those who follow His Son, Jesus!

 As God's elect, we know that only God can meet our needs!

 We also know that only God is the Judge of all His creation.

 Luk 21:36  Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. 

 God is patient with all of us, but we know He is so full of mercy and grace that He will always meet our needs.

 We must also realize that just as Jesus suffered, we will also suffer, and this will make us stronger witnesses and servants.

 1Pe 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 

 These things will make us stronger, and God wants us to learn from all our trials.

 God will also avenge His elect without hesitation.

 *****Luk 18:7  And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?

 Our God is the only true Judge in this cosmos.

 That word elect means God's favorites, God's preferred, God's believers, the disciples of Jesus Christ.

 God will preserve all Christians from all their adversaries and save them from the seven years of Tribulation that is soon to come to this world.

 Remember, this is God's choice, and He did not have to make this choice.

 Only God can do the choosing of those who will not be a part of His wrath.

 Joh 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 

Joh 15:6  If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 

Joh 15:7  If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 

Joh 15:8  Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

 If an unjust judge grants the petition of a defenseless person he cares nothing for, how much more shall our just Judge, our merciful God hear the cries and avenge the cause of those He loves.

 We may have to cry out day and night before God will answer but He will answer.

 He never said we would not suffer; in fact, He said we would.

 Keep in mind the Jews suffered many years before God sent Moses to Pharaoh.

 We should know that once God chooses to avenge His elect, He will come speedily.

 *****Luk 18:8  I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? 

 We must understand that persevering prayer is tied to our faith! He may not come soon but it will be suddenly.

 Our adversaries will not know what hit them until it is over.

 Jesus then adds, when He comes, will He find faith on this earth?

 The Lord wants us to continue to pray even though it has been so long that we are losing heart, even though the answer is delayed, and we see evil increasing daily.

 God is still hearing our prayers, but we must persevere until He comes.

 We could ask how many will keep the faith until He comes?

 We must guard against losing our faith!

 God will always remain faithful to do as He says, but will we?

 We swore an oath to be saved based on faith, and that faith must remain with us.

 God does not have to think about whether He will return or not.

 He knows He is coming and He knows when He is returning, and it will not take Him long to get here when He does come.

 The Church may pass through a period of oppression in this world, but we must cling to our faith.

 We should begin now by praying more earnestly.

 If Jesus Christ seems to be delaying His return, then He has His reasons, and it has nothing to do with the Church.

 The vengeance of the Lord will be a terrible time upon this earth, and the Lord will have to put aside His compassion to do those things, but He will do what He says He will for His Church.

 Whenever deliverance comes, it will be sudden!

  Then the Lord speaks with another parable.

 *****Luk 18:9  And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 

 The fact is that self-righteous people do not need to pray at all!

 These people will never lose heart because they never had it to begin with.

 They do not need faith to be confident in this world.

 They feel that all they need dwells within them in their bodies and minds.

 Pro 30:12  There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. 

 We are in the generation of the return of Christ, but we are also in the generation of self-righteousness.

 The Lord continues.

 *****Luk 18:10  Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 

Luk 18:11  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 

Luk 18:12  I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 

 When we think we stand head and shoulders above all others, we are no better off than King Saul.

 This Pharisee was a religionist.

 This publican was a sinner.

 Both these men went to the House of God to pray, which the Lord Jesus said was a house of prayer.

 There is no better place to pray than in the House of God!

 They both wanted to please God.

They were both seeking God to feel His presence in their lives.

 Deu 4:29  But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. 

 This Pharisee represents the religious world in its most respected form.

 This publican represents people who have no honor to maintain. He knows he is a sinner and is looking for the mercy of God.

 The Pharisee prayed only with himself, only to himself.

 He glorified himself before God and just told God how great a man of God he was.

 This was not true prayer, and it did not reach into Heaven.

 Joh 9:31  Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.

 Prayer is a means of worship, but this Pharisee only worshipped himself.

 In fact, he actually thanked God for making him who he was.

 God does not make us self-righteous, and God does not cause us to be sinners, and God does not tempt us in any way.

 This Pharisee said he had not fallen into sin, which means he made himself to be equal with the Lord Jesus Christ, who truly had no sin.

 He fasted twice a week, and he tithed. Both of these are good things and are pleasing to God, but these things do not make up for self-righteousness.

 The publican.

 *****Luk 18:13  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

 This man was ashamed and embarrassed by his sin, and others would not get near him because of his sin.

Remember Publicans were tax collectors for Rome, and the Jews hated them.

 This publican stood far off, much like a leper.

 He felt cut off by God and mankind. The Jews had a special hatred for publicans and considered them traitors to the nation of Israel.

 I feel somewhat like this for all Democrats and many Republicans.

 He would not even lift his eyes toward Heaven, but he did lift his heart toward Heaven.

 He knew he did not deserve God's forgiveness!

 He beat on his chest because he was angry with himself for his sin.

 He pleaded with God to forgive Him. He pleaded for God's mercy.

 We can only appeal to God's "Grace" when we do not deserve it.

 There is no other way to be received by God than to acknowledge our sin before God and plead for God's forgiveness.

 Mercy is not getting what we deserve, which is eternal death.

 Grace comes from the Lord Jesus Christ, and it is receiving what we do not deserve, eternal salvation.

 We should understand that as long as we are in these bodies of flesh, we will never be righteous; we are only "counted righteous" by our Holy God because we are covered by the Blood of Jesus.

 2Th_1:5  Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:

 Who then was justified?

 *****Luk 18:14  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. 

 We can see that the words of Jesus do not line up with what the world says.

 In fact, the words of Jesus do not line up with what many churches teach today.

 It is the one who acknowledges that he is a sinner who has been justified by his faith.

 Rom 5:1  Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 

Rom 5:2  By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 

 *****Luk 18:15  And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 

Luk 18:16  But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. 

Luk 18:17  Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein. 

 We must be humble when we approach the Lord for forgiveness of our sins.

  The first characteristic that fits the Kingdom of God is that of a child.

When we doubt that the Lord Jesus can save little children, we are acting like a Pharisee.

When we think the Church is spending too much money on our youth, we act like Pharisees.

When we do not look at our youth as being the future of the Church, we are acting like a Pharisee.

When we do not look at our youth as being the future of our nation, we act foolish because we need to train them to be the future of our nation.

God cares about every stage of the process of our growth, starting from childhood.

God loves the little children as much as He loves any of us!

Most children are obedient to their parents, and they can learn right from wrong at an early age.

Most children are far more forgiving than most adults.

When we get to Heaven, we will find that we are all children, God's children!

There is no way to get into Heaven except by receiving God's Kingdom like a child!

Mat 18:3  And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 

Amen

The Lord Jesus Will Return to This Earth

 A Miracle and the Second Coming of Christ

 Book of Luke Chapter 17 verses 12-19, 30 through 37

 

 We know that our Lord Jesus is now making His way to Jerusalem. He has an appointment with a cross where He will die for our sins. He had no sin Himself!

 Even facing the death of the cross, Jesus still shows His compassion.

 Jesus could have gone around Samaria and Galilee to give Him more time, but He chose to go through them. He also had an appointment with ten lepers.

 We can see that the Lord Jesus was not afraid to walk where He was not wanted.

 *****Luk 17:11  And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 

Luk 17:12  And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: 

Luk 17:13  And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. 

 Lepers were not bound by geographic regions. Lepers were bound by their disease.

 Lev 13:46  All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be.

 This leads us to believe that Jesus was now in the wilderness between Samaria and Galilee.

 These lepers stood afar off and would not approach the Lord Jesus.

 They had to raise their voices to be heard.

 They called Him Master, but the Greek word used here means more Commander than it does Rabbi.

 They knew who He was, and they knew He had the power to heal.

What is wrong with our world today? The world does not know who Jesus is!

 They knew Jesus had the power to meet their needs. We sometimes forget this.

 They knew more than most of the world does today!

 Notice how the Lord Jesus heals these ten diseased men.

 They spoke from a distance, and the Lord Jesus heals from a distance.

 Leprosy is, in fact, a type of sin, and the Lord Jesus does not have to be physically present to wash us in His blood and forgive our sins. 

Jesus does have to be spiritually present in our hearts because faith is still required.

 These ten lepers had to have faith in the power of the Lord Jesus.

 These ten lepers were desperate; they had the most feared disease of that day.

 It is somewhat like cancer. When cancer is mentioned, the first thing on our minds is death.

 The Lord Jesus can heal cancer too!

I know because He has healed me twice from this dreaded disease.

 These ten men interrupted the Lord Jesus Christ, not caring if it caused Him problems, but Jesus did not mind; He wanted to hear what bothered us at any time.

 The Lord Jesus understood their desperation, their humility, and their acknowledgment of being unclean.

 If we cannot realize that we are sinners in need of salvation, then the Lord Jesus cannot save us.

 We must recognize that, like these lepers, we were also unclean, and we must keep our distance from sinners except to witness to them.

 Jas 4:10  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. 

 The Lord Jesus told them to obey the Laws of Moses and present themselves to the priests, after He had healed them.

 No matter what the Lord Jesus tells us to do, we need to do. He will never tell us to go against the Word of God.

They had to present themselves to the priests before they would be welcomed back into society.

 As these men traveled to the place of the priests, they were cleansed on their journey.

 There must be believing, and there must be an obeying.

 Remember Namaan from the Old Testament.

 2Ki 5:14  Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

 Six times dipping in the River Jordan was not good enough; seven times brought his cure.

 While these men began their journey to the priests, one man, a Samaritan, realized he was clean.

 *****Luk 17:15  And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 

Luk 17:16  And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 

 Leprosy was the most terrible disease in the days of Jesus. It was disfiguring, and most of the time it was fatal.

 The world had judged all lepers to be dead already; they were called the Living Dead.

 A leper had to wear a black garment so he could be recognized among the dead.

 He was banished, an outcast, removed from society, defiled.

 He was thought to be polluted and incurable!

 Doctor Jesus has never met a disease he could not cure, even death!

 This Samaritan was not of Judaism, and a Jewish priest would not even see him.

 We know the priests of the Samaritans were false priests of a false religion, so they could not have helped him.

 This Samaritan knew only one person who was worthy of his thanks, and it was the Lord Jesus Christ.

 We sometimes forget this, too!

 There is never a day that we should not be thanking the Lord for what He has already done for us, and we know a lot of the things that are in our future, and we should be thanking Him for these things also.

If your name is written down in the Lamb’s Book of Life, you owe the Lord your thanks; you owe the Lord your life.

 We should also be ready to worship our Savior at any time and at all times.

 Prayer is also worship, and we can pray anywhere and at any time.

Prayer is worship when we talk to the Lord, but not when we repeat some chant over and over again.

 The Lord Jesus is always worthy of our praise.

 The Lord Jesus Christ is the only Priest we need to see, and this Samaritan realized this truth.

 Why go to some man when we can go to the Living God?

 Jesus asked His disciples, where were the other nine?

 *****Luk 17:17  And Jesus answering, said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? 

Luk 17:18  There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. 

Luk 17:19  And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole. 

 The Samaritan is cleansed and saved, but the other nine who benefited from the power of God wanted to remain Jews rather than convert to become Christians.

 They had benefitted from the true Shepherd, but they were locked into the legal system of the Law.

 Rom_4:16  Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

 The Lord Jesus is still asking this same question today.

 Many of the modern Church have forgotten who cleansed them from their sin, and many of them have returned to the Law, forgetting the Grace of God.

Many denominations today have added their own oral laws and traditions.

 Those other nine went back to their old lives doing the same things they did before they were overcome by leprosy.

 They may have gotten an outward cure, but only the Samaritan got the Spiritual Blessing!

 We should not doubt that it was faith in the work of the Lord that made this man whole!

 That word faith is in the New Testament 245 times in 229 verses.

 The word faith is used only twice in the Old Testament, but both are important.

 1) What happens to those with no faith?

 Deu_32:20  And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith.

 2) Only those with true faith are justified.

 Hab_2:4  Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

 This Samaritan was justified.

 I think it is important to add a few verses to our lesson format.

 *****Luk 17:20  And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 

Luk 17:21  Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. 

Luk 17:22  And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it. 

Luk 17:23  And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them. 

Luk 17:24  For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day. 

Luk 17:25  But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation. 

Luk 17:26  And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 

Luk 17:27  They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. 

Luk 17:28  Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 

Luk 17:29  But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 

Luk 17:30  Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. 

 We see that the Lord Jesus begins dealing with His return.

 We know that the return of Jesus Christ will be in two stages.

 1) He will first return to take His Church, the Bride of Christ, out of this world. We will meet Him in the clouds, as He will not place His feet on the earth at this time.

 1Th 4:13  But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 

1Th 4:14  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 

1Th 4:15  For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 

1Th 4:16  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 

1Th 4:17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 

 2) Jesus will return to end the Seven Years of Tribulation before those on earth destroy themselves.

 Act 1:11  Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. 

 Dan 7:13  I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 

Dan 7:14  And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. 

 Dan 7:22  Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. 

 Rev 19:11  And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 

 We know the Kingdom of God is internal, but the Kingdom of God is also external.

 In the days of Noah, people lived their own lives, which God called corrupt in His sight.

 We can say that the Ten Commandments meant nothing to them, just as they mean nothing to the liberals of today.

The Ten Commandments only remind them of their sin, and they know they are sinners and do not want to be reminded of it.

 It was a world full of violence.

 In the days of Lot, people were more devoted to the gratification of bodily appetites and free indulgence in carnal pleasures.

 They accepted that this was the life that was meant to be.

 It was a corrupt and carnal place to live.

 Gen_13:13  But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.

 Gen_18:20  And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;

 The Lord Jesus Christ will begin His reign with the righteous judgment of sin!

 This world will not be prepared to meet King Jesus!

 The destruction of this world will be greater than what the flood caused and it will burn like the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.

 After these things the Lord Jesus our Creator, will restore this world as it was in the day He created it.

 Mic 4:1  But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. 

Mic 4:2  And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 

Mic 4:3  And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. 

Mic 4:4  But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it.

 Isa 32:17  And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. 

 Isa 11:1  And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 

Isa 11:2  And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; 

Isa 11:3  And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: 

Isa 11:4  But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

 The Lord Jesus will sit as King in Jerusalem!

 Zec 8:3  Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain. 

 *****Luk 17:31  In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. 

Luk 17:32  Remember Lot's wife. 

Luk 17:33  Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. 

 Just before the Lord returns, people will be going about their wickedness as if nothing can happen to them.

 These are the same people who have denied the existence of God.

 When God's people, the Jews, realize what is happening, they will have to act quickly.

 They will need to move without packing or returning to their homes.

 We may not know when the Lord will come, but what we know for sure is that when He comes, it will be very quick.

 Rev_22:12  And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

 Then the Lord Jesus reminds them, do not look back, but keep going forward.

 Lot's wife was so close to salvation, but with one turn of her neck, she became a pillar of salt.

 There is no worldly way to save lives on that day; there is only the ways of the Lord Jesus.

 Faithfulness to the truth of God will be their only escape.

 Anyone who considers some earthly possession more important than his life will lose his life.

 Just as in salvation today, whoever lets go of his life and gives it to the Lord will be saved.

 *****Luk 17:34  I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. 

Luk 17:35  Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 

Luk 17:36  Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 

 As far as the Rapture of the Church, the point is clear: people will be going about their daily routine, when all of a sudden, one here and one there will be taken up to meet the Lord Jesus in the clouds.

 The word "Rapture" means rapid seizing by violence.

 Only a believer who is truly prepared will be taken up to meet the Lord Jesus.

 "ALL" who oppose and reject the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ will be left behind.

 1Th 5:3  For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.. 

 Believers will miss out on this destruction: 1Th 5:9  For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 

1Th 5:10  Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. 

 God knows who the true disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ are!

 God knows that those who just claim to be the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ will be left behind to go through the seven years of Tribulation.

 Tit_1:16  They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

 God knows all those who reject the truth of Jesus Christ, and they will be left behind to go through the seven years of Tribulation.

 There will be no last-second decisions; it will be too late to claim the Savior at that point.

 Rom_1:28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

 *****Luk 17:37  And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.

The Rapture of the Church will take place throughout the entire world all at the same time, At the same moment.

Some say instead of Eagles it should have been Vultures, but Jesus says what He means and He means what He says.

The vultures of Gennesaret are hideous-looking birds, almost the same size as eagles and matching their strength.

The things that the Lord Jesus is talking about here will be worldwide.

At this time, we should not expect a Deliverer of the Jewish nation, for it is devoted to destruction.

The Jews will face the wrath of God, as all the world will.

We must understand that the moral corruption throughout this world ensures that the Lord Jesus will return in Divine Judgment.

Amen