The Authority Jesus Christ Is Certain

The Certainty Of Christ's Authority

Book of Luke 6:1-19


What is authority? Authority can be said to be "legal power".

Mat 7:28  And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
Mat 7:29  For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

The Scribes, which many of them were also Pharisees, for the most part, just read the Scriptures. They taught in a cold and lifeless manner.

They did not have the power of the Holy Spirit!

They taught more about themselves, in their own name, by their own interpretation and by their own authority!

Jesus taught as the Lawgiver.

120 times Jesus used the words "I say unto You" because He had the authority of Heaven and not of men!

Jesus had direct authority and all the power of the Holy Spirit!

Let's begin:

Luk 6:1  And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands.
Luk 6:2  And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days?

When people speak about religion, they speak of form and ritual, rules and regulations, ceremonies and services.

What does God say?

2Ti 3:1  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2Ti 3:5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Placing religion above mankind and above the needs of mankind is exactly what the religionists do today!

This is exactly what these Scribes and the Pharisees and even the Sadducees did at the time of Jesus.

True Christianity is knowing that God is meeting the needs of His creation!

***Meeting man's needs is much more important than religion and ritual!

***Doing good and saving life are much more important than religion and ritual!

Jesus came to seek and to save and these things remain the most important things for the Church!

The events of these Scriptures took place on two different Sabbaths.

Luke begins with "real needs" are more important than "religion and rituals".

The disciples that followed Jesus were hungry that morning because they had not eaten since the previous day.

As they were passing a corn field they began to pluck and eat some of the corn.

There was no law against this, for it was permitted by the Laws of Moses to eat some of the corn as they passed by.

Deu 23:25  When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbour's standing corn.

Their crime, according to the Pharisees, was rubbing the corn in their hands to remove the husk and silks.

This was twisting the Word of God into a man-made false thing.

BUT, Working on the Sabbath day was a serious offence to these orthodox Jews.

Law after law had been written to govern activities on the Sabbath.

In fact many a person were condemned and actually lost theirs lives for breaking the laws of the Sabbath during the time of the Pharisees.

We should consider that God gave the seventh day, the Sabbath, as a day of rest during creation week.

Our good health demands that we have a day of rest!

To the Jews, it was the Laws of Moses that had kept them together throughout these centuries and all the Law was important to them!

The Temple and the Sabbath became the glue that held that nation together and made them a distinct people from all other people as they remain even in our day.

This is one of the reasons that Jesus was so greatly opposed by the Jewish religious leaders of that day and by all the false religions of today.

When we allow religion and ritual, ceremony and position, and security to become more important than the basic needs of human life, which begin with a personal relationship with God, compassion for all others, true worship and the mercy of God, then we have a false understanding of what God is saying!

Jesus Christ shows the entire world that human needs are far more important to God than religion and religious rules!

We should still consider:

1) We must not ignore the Word of God nor the worship of God but there are some needs that require an immediate solution.

Heb 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

2) Jesus Christ is the Lord of the Sabbath and every other day of the week, and it is He who decides when a need supersedes religious ceremony and He gives us these examples.

Mat 20:25  But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
Mat 20:26  But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
Mat 20:27  And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
Mat 20:28  Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

These Pharisees that approached Jesus this day were probably Scribes because of that word "certain".

Many Scribes were also Pharisees but not all Pharisees were Scribes. Some Scribes were also called Lawyers.

Most of these Scribes were committed to the Jewish Faith.

These Scribes had two primary functions:

1) The Scribes made copies of the written Word of God, at that time only the Old Testament.

They were meticulous to keep count of every letter in every word!

They clearly understood that God had given them the Scriptures and those words were the greatest things in the life of the Jewish nation!

To the Jews the Word of God was considered the most precious possession in all the world.

This holds true today for every believer!

The Word of God is the most important thing that we can possess!

2) The Scribes, studied, classified, and taught, the moral law.

It was in this function where the Oral Law began to take it's place.

There was at one time so many oral rules and regulations that they were contained in 50 volumes and these Jews began to place the oral Law above the written Law of God.

Mat 12:10  And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.
Mat 12:11  And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?
Mat 12:12  How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

The Scribes began to feel that it was they who produced the oral Law and it was they who had God's final Word.

This is thinking with the exalted mind of man.

This is the way most every false religion has had it's beginnings!

There are to many today who feel like it is their own interpretation of the Word of God that is correct and all others are wrong but that's not what God says.

Rom 3:4  God forbid: yea, "let God be true, but every man a liar"; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

2Pe 1:20  Knowing this first, "that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation".
2Pe 1:21  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Mat 5:18  For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, "one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled".

Rev 22:18  For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, "If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book":
Rev 22:19  And "if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book".

God says what He means and God means what He says and God has never given us the freedom to change the Scriptures He has given to us!

Christ Jesus answered them with a simple question!

*****Luk 6:3  And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungred, and they which were with him;
Luk 6:4  How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone?
Luk 6:5  And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

It is real important that we read and study the Word of God "ourselves", so we can know when we are hearing the truth from those who preach and teach!

The "shewbread" in the Temple and in the Tabernacle symbolized the "Presence of God" who is the "Bread of Life"!

There were 12 loaves brought into the House of God and taken to the Holy Place by the Priests and placed on a table before the Lord.

This was intended as a "Thanksgiving Offering" expressing appreciation and praise to God for providing food for the people.

This bread symbolized the everlasting covenant between God and His people.

The bread was to changed every week and the old loaves became food for the priests.

There was great respect for King David for he had brought peace to all of Israel by defeating all her enemies.

The intent of the Words of Jesus was that no ceremonial law was to ever over ride the general principle of God providing for His people!

And Matthew made this thing even more clear, with that actual words of Jesus:

Mat 12:7  But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.

The Laws of God were never intended to be a burden!

The Laws of God are to be for our guidance and then our example of striving for perfection.

God is a God of "mercy"!

The Lord Jesus Christ must be our Lord everyday and that includes the Sabbath.

The Sabbath was the seventh day of the Jewish week and from Friday at 6 PM until Saturday at 6 PM it was to be a time of rest.

Works of necessity were always allowable on that Sabbath, after all the Sabbath was to be spent in the service and to honor the Lord of the Sabbath.

For instance, the shepherds had to work 7 days a week and the super religious despised them for this because they could not keep the oral laws they had put in place.

As Christians the seventh day is Sunday because Sunday was the day that Jesus Christ arose from the tomb and is therefore the Lord's Day!

The blessings of Jesus Christ are promised to the suffering saints who live by the Word of God and the "Gospel" of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Woe to all those who trust in the riches of this world and show contempt to God's people!

Those who were so super religious ignored the Word of God and condemned the Lord and Savior who is the fulfillment of all the Word of God that they so boasted about.

*****Luk 6:6  And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered.
Luk 6:7  And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him.
Luk 6:8  But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth.
Luk 6:9  Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?
Luk 6:10  And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other.
Luk 6:11  And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.

Jesus first showed the religionists that "real needs" are more important than religion and rituals.

Now Jesus will show them that "doing good and saving life" are much more important that religious rituals.

The truth is a one handed man has a major disability even in our day but in that day of Jesus it was a serious disability. This man would not be able to take care of his own needs.

Those who were super religious and had placed the oral Law above the written Word of God were like hawks ready to attack, if Jesus made an attempt to heal this man's hand.

They were not watching for another miracle, they were watching that they may accuse Him of ignoring their precious "man-made oral Laws"!

Healing on the Sabbath was considered to be work!

Our God is "omniscient", knowing all things, but He did not need that power to know what those religionists were doing this day!

Jesus was causing them to be honest in their conclusions and be willing to understand the truth of God!

To do good and save a life will always supersede religious rituals!

That's what salvation is all about, doing good and saving lives!

Why preach the Word of God if salvation is of so little importance!

Salvation is the ultimate healing, the ultimate saving of life!

As it was on this day that this man stood before the Lord:

2Co 6:2  (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

In fact there is no better day to do good than on a day of worship!

If we refuse to help those in need, when we are able, no matter the day, then we are doing evil.

Rom 13:10  Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

And as religionists do, they became very mad, they were filled with madness!

We must consider that the nation of Israel was based upon the Word of God.

The Ten Commandments and the Books of Moses were the laws of Israel from their beginning.

It was these religionists who were causing these things to change and not the things that Jesus did.

America was founded on the principles of the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ and it is the Liberals and the Religionists who are changing everything we stand for and not the Word of God.

Extreme legalism and extreme devotion, were the two major traits of the Pharisees and most of the Scribes.

Those Sadducees were even more liberal than the Pharisees were legalistic!

These traits, when attached to someone with a self-centered heart will lead to abuse!

Legalism takes away from the "Mercy" and the "Forgiveness" of God.

God detests a "holier than thou are" attitude!

Pride is also a hindrance to every Christian!

There is no such thing as perfect obedience to the Word of God and any of us can easily become hypocritical!

Personal achievements do not influence the hand of God and nor does seeking recognition!

We must walk the talk. We cannot teach one thing and practice another thing in our lives!

And, God does not need our permission to work in someone's life!

Doing good and saving lives is what God intends for us all to do!

God is still in the life saving business!

Mic 6:7  Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
Mic 6:8  He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, "but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God"?

What is the will of God?

It is the will of God that we all be more like His Son Jesus!

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

If what we do makes the Liberals and the Pharisees of today mad, then we should also be like Jesus in this and continue on in the work of the Lord.

So what if they get mad, they will always be this way!

*****Luk 6:12  And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

Jesus was the perfect Son of God, so we must remember Jesus did not have to pray for forgiveness. In reality Jesus was always praying for His people, the lost and the saved!

It is a fact the God uses people to get His message of salvation into this world!

It does not matter about their size, their shape, their color, or their nationality, God is no respecter of persons!

So how does God choose His people?

1) Jesus chose His people after prayerful consideration!

Here we see that Jesus continued all night in prayer.

Most of the time we can count the time we pray all day in minutes and we are usually making requests for ourselves and then for the people we know.

We forget that prayer is also a great means of developing our personal relationship with the Lord!

God wants to hear from us, everything about our day!

We pray for the arm of God and forget to pray for the face of God!

When we climb in our closet and get alone with God it is then that we can just talk as friends talk.

Mat 6:6  But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

All other times as we go about our daily task, if we are aware of God's constant presence, we will be talking to Him rather than talking to ourselves!

1Th 5:17  Pray without ceasing.

Thinking of and talking to God is fellowship prayer and any improvement in our relationship with the Lord is always beneficial.

But we also need that consecrated closet prayer.

We need some time alone with God!

It was time for Jesus to pick those who would be the first messengers of the New Testament church and Jesus needed much closet prayer!

*****Luk 6:13  And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;
Luk 6:14  Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew,
Luk 6:15  Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes,
Luk 6:16  And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.

Our Lord Jesus prepared all night for the decisions He made on this day!

A great example for us all!

Jesus had to be willing to choose those His Father had chosen!

Joh 17:12  While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: "those that thou gavest me I have kept", and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

Did Jesus pray long and hard before He chose Judas, sure He did!

Joh 6:70  Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?

There many disciples following Jesus at that time.

The term "Disciple" means "to learn", "a learner", and it always means a pupil of someone else!

In the day of Jesus, a disciple would attach themselves to a teacher and follow that teacher wherever they went.

They not only learned from what that teacher taught but they learned from that teacher's life!

After the ascension of Jesus back to Heaven, the disciples are all those who confess Jesus as the Messiah!

Act 11:26  And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

Jesus Christ chose twelve men in which 11 of those would be Apostles.

The term "Apostle" means a disciple "who is sent".

An Apostle was a man chosen directly by the Lord Jesus and under the control of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus even said He was an Apostle sent by His Father:

Joh 17:3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Jesus is called the Apostle and High Priest of our profession of faith, which is Christianity!

Heb 3:1  Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;

There may have been others that were called apostles but there is a distinct difference between these and the ones that Jesus chose.

There were 12 Apostles chosen specifically by the Lord.

There were 12 Apostles trained by the Lord.

There were 12 Apostles that saw Jesus after His resurrection.

There were 12 Apostles that were to carry forth the message of Jesus Christ which came from His own mouth.

The Apostles are the foundation of the Church with Jesus being the Head Cornerstone!

When we stray from the teachings of the Apostles we stray from the "Gospel of Jesus Christ".

Act 2:42  And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Act 2:43  And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
Act 2:44  And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

What was the Apostles statement of faith?

A belief in God the Father Almighty, and in Jesus Christ His only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Holy Ghost and the Virgin Mary; crucified under Pontius Pilate, and buried; the third day He arose from the dead; He ascended into Heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father, from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. And in the Holy Ghost; the holy Church; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; the life everlasting.

To vary from this statement is to distance yourself from the Church of the Living God!

To believe these things is to acknowledge Jesus as God and to know that there is only one God and He is the God of the Bible and all religions simply do not worship the same God!

My God is Jesus and I am an ambassador for Christ!

I am a Christian only if I try to be like Jesus Christ!

And, It should not astound me that my Lord will choose some people for a special calling!

It should also not astound me that my Lord will choose people with very diverse personalities!

Many of the Apostles were fishermen but at least three were also businessmen. Peter James and John.

One  was probably a rich man, Matthew.

One was a political Zealot and would have been an enemy of Matthew, Simon Zelotes.

It was the zealot's goal to overthrow the Roman government and all Jews who worked with them, and Matthew was a tax collector.

One was deeply religious, Nathanael, his name meaning "gift of God" and also called Bartholomew.

All the Apostles were given to edify the Church:

Eph 4:11  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Eph 4:12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

The twelve that were chosen that day who were still called disciples were these.

1) Simon who is also called Peter, Simon Peter, and Cephas.

Simon Barjona or Simon son of John. Fisherman and Business man.

2) Andrew, the younger brother of Peter who spent most of his time in the background but whenever we see him, he is always bringing someone to Jesus.

3) James the son of Zebedee, fisherman and business man but also bold and full of energy. James was the first Apostle to die for the Lord.

4) John, younger brother of James, fisherman, business man, he said he was the disciple that Jesus loved and the only apostle who died of old age.

5) Philip lived in the same city of Peter and Andrew, Bethsaida. Philip"s best response when asked if Jesus was the real Messiah, was "come and see" for yourself.

6) Bartholomew also called Nathanael, "the Israelite with no guile". Nathanael was from Cana and tradition says it was Nathanael who was the bridegroom at the wedding of Cana.

7) Matthew, son of Alphaeus. The Tax collector and also a rich man. He was also called Levi and hated by the Jews and called Matthew the publican which meant to the Jews that he was a worthless man.

8) Thomas, sometimes called Didymus which signifies he had a twin. Thomas is often seen as the doubter.

9) James, son of Alphaeus but not considered to be the brother of Matthew. Probably a cousin or at least a kinsman of the Lord Jesus.

Called James the less probably because he was short.

Some believe that Mary had another sister named Mary or Miriam and it was she that was married to this Alphaeus.

The Bible also says that Mary herself had a son named James and a son named Joses and one named Jude and a son named Simon, along with some other children.

10) Simon called Zelotes. Also called Simon the Canaanite. Before he was called by the Lord he was a member of a fanatical sect of religionists, that we may even say was a terrorist in our day.

11) Judas the brother of James the Less. Also called Lebbeus, whose surname was Thaddeus.

12) Judas Iscariot, the traitor. Judas the man from Kerioth, also had a father named Simon.

Jesus chose men from all walks of life and a lot can be said about Judas Iscariot but the main thing we see is that God will give everyone a chance to repent even when He knows they will not.

No one that faces the Lord on Judgment Day, can say they did not get a fair chance.

Everyone that ended up in Hell and that will end up there, had to stumble over Jesus Christ to get there!

Rom 1:19  Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Rom 1:20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Rom 1:21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

There will be no excuses accepted on Judgement Day!

Questions?

Let's Pray!

The Adversaries Of The King

The Adversaries Of The King

Text: Matthew 22, 23

Focus on 22: 15-39

As we know Satan's followers will always try to discredit the Lord Jesus in His teaching. In our day the followers of Jesus Christ are treated the same way. The truth must be heard because everyone has the freedom to choose. If you have not ever heard the truth you will not choose. To not choose is still to be lost in a dyeing world.

Ever since the time of Daniel, God's clock had been ticking off the moments that would lead to the Cross on Calvary's mountain. Jesus still had to be dealt with until that time one way or another.

We all have to deal with Jesus in our lives because we all will face Him in our death!

When we study God's Word we know that after being saved we should become a walking living Bible ourselves. This does not mean we have to quote the entire Bible though we should know some of it by heart.

This does mean we need to be obedient to God's Word!

2Co 3:2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:

2Co 3:3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

1.) The Bible is a book with a back, some call it a spine:

I should ask myself if I have some backbone about Jesus Christ and God's Word of truth?

2.) The Bible has many pages that are bound together. The Bible has a "binding".

I should ask myself, am I bound together with my brothers and sisters in Christ or is my life like a loose leaf notebook?

3.) The Bible has a purpose which is to teach us how to live a spiritual life.

I should ask myself, do I live a spiritual life?

4.) The Bible has in it many blessings.

I should ask myself am I a judge or am I a blessing to those I meet or do I always have a bad attitude?

5.) The Bible is a book of balance. Christ Jesus not only preached but He also fellowshipped.

I must ask myself do I have balance in my Christian life?

6.) The Bible is a book of biography. It is all about Jesus!

I must ask myself, do I promote the life of Christ in my life and not myself. Is God glorified in my life?

7.) The Bible is a book of benevolence. God cares about His people.

I must ask myself do I truly care about others enough to tell them how to avoid Hell? Do I have compassion on the lost of this world? Do I truly have concern for others?

As this Book takes us to the Cross we need to get our attitude straight and walk the talk of our Lord.

*****Our Text:

Mat 22:1 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,

Mat 22:2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,

Mat 22:3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.

Mat 22:4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.

Mat 22:5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:

Mat 22:6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.

Mat 22:7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.

Mat 22:8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.

Mat 22:9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.

Mat 22:10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.

Mat 22:11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:

Mat 22:12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.

Mat 22:13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Mat 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

First, just because those who divided the Bible into verses and chapters did so at this time does not mean some time had passed from the last parable. These evil men knew Jesus was speaking of them in these parables and he did not stop but continued. He continued in prophetic parables.

This first parable of chapter 22 will show us the contempt of Israel at God's feast. This parable can be broken down into three parts for they absolutely refused to come at the calling of God.

I.) The first "calling" to the marriage feast was given to the Jews by the prophets of the Old Testament. They foretold of the feast of of the exceeding great and precious promises, the peace, and the salvation of the Messiah.

2Pe 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:

2Pe 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

2Pe 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

2Pe 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

The Jews refused to come!

God sent other servants in His chosen Apostles and even His own Son. These brought even a more urgent and explicit invitation. They "preached" a complete Gospel.

Act 4:1 And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,

Act 4:2 Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

Act 4:3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide.

Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Act 13:45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.

Act 13:46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, [It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life], lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

The result of the preaching to the Jew is that they became more antagonistic to the point of violence.

The Apostles were bitterly persecuted unto death except for the Apostle John.

This parable tells us of a very graphic manner of punishment at the hands of an angry God.

Jerusalem was devastated in 70 AD.

II.) We now see the King "commanding" the slaves.

"The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy."

To the Jews that were present when Jesus told this parable it was apparent that Jesus would invite the Gentiles to His marriage feast.

This was a true prophecy of what would happen soon.

Act 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

Act 10:35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. Act 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

Act 10:35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

III.) Thirdly we see the "conditions" which must be met by the wedding guest.

All the wedding guest must be clothed in the wedding garment!

Rejection of the wedding garment showed a complete disregard and disloyalty toward the King who prepared this feast.

This wedding garment represents the Lord Jesus Christ!

Rom 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

Rom 13:13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

Rom 13:14 [But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ], and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Gal 3:27 [For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ].

Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Gal 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

The Kingdom of God demands not only a profession of faith but also a moral character.

Those that do not will be cast into the darkness away from the light of Jesus.

Joh 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

Joh 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

1.) Jesus Christ showed in this parable that this nation had been prepared beforehand for the kingdom He was offering.

2.) They had been told this kingdom was near.

3.) They had refused to enter into His Kingdom.

4.) They were excluded from His Kingdom.

5.) Christ taught the requirements to enter in to His Kingdom.

All those that refused then could not be accepted because they had not prepared themselves.

Salvation takes an action on our part. Salvation is absolutely the free gift of God but to refuse the gift is to refuse the giver of the gift.

Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

These parables taught all that listened that those that followed the teaching of the Pharisees were not sons of the Kingdom.

There is only one Gospel!

Gal 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

Gal 1:9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

"Many are called but few are chosen"

*****Our Text:

Our Theme for this chapter "The Adversaries of the King"

Mat 22:15 Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk.

Mat 22:16 And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men.

Mat 22:17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?

Mat 22:18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?

Mat 22:19 Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny.

Mat 22:20 And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?

Mat 22:21 They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.

Mat 22:22 When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.

After the parables the enemies of Christ Jesus joined forces to destroy Him. He had exposed their evil intentions using some parables and the written Word of God they had in their own possesion. They had not enjoyed being humiliated in front of those that came to the Temple. The only weapon these evil men had left was to convict Him of a crime against their religious teachings that required death or convict Him of being against the government of Rome or both.

There are three main groups involved here who at more normal times were enemies of each other.

1.) The Pharisees

2.) The Sadducees

3.) The Herodians

Before we get into this questioning we need to remember something about the Lamb of God. The enemies of Jesus did not realize they were fulfilling scripture because it was necessary for the Lamb to be examined for blemishes before He died.

Exo 12:3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:

Exo 12:4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.

Exo 12:5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:

Exo 12:6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.

Jesus was to be examined publicly. We will see that He had no faults in Him!

When they should have believed they still rejected Him.

The "adversaries" of Christ approached courteously. They knew Christ did not speak to please people but Jesus taught the truth because He was the truth. They clearly ask, "Was it alright to pay taxes to a foreign government?"

The Pharisees opposed the Roman tax for many reasons:

1.) They would not submit to a Gentile power.

2.) The Romans looked at Caesar as a god.

3.) They would rather spend their money on anything than give it to Rome.

Many of us would have these same thoughts if we were in their shoes.

The Herodians on the other hand supported the tax. They knew that Herod's authority came from Caesar and they would not be in power without this relationship. We can also see that we have many that feel the same way that are running our governments.

Palestine was occupied and dominated by Rome at this time. Paying taxes to this cruel government just reminded them that were not free.

This is why this question was chosen to present to Christ Jesus.

It was believed by these two groups that Jesus could have no acceptable answer to this question and therefore it was a "trap".

a.) If Jesus opposed the tax, he would be an enemy of Rome

b.) If Jesus approved the tax He would be an enemy of the poor Jews.

Because of this deception these men were hypocrites.

There was a great multitude of people in Jerusalem at this time as we have already discussed in the last chapter and many here now at the Temple.

Christ Jesus did not miss opportunities like this to teach His doctrine very often.

Jesus asked for that coin.

Each ruler minted his own coins and put his own image on it. This coin a "denarius", [a

penny], had the image of Caesar on it.

Jesus said:

"Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's"

What do we learn from this answer?

1.) Christians must honor and obey rulers.

1Pe 2:13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;

1Pe 2:14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.

1Pe 2:15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

1Pe 2:16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

1Pe 2:17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

2.) As Christians we must honor and obey God!

Act 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

The Christian knows to worship God and Caesar was not God and no ruler should stop the Christian from the worship of Jehovah God.

3.) The Christian bears the image of God and owes all to God.

Gen 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Though sin has distorted that image, it is restored through a righteous Lord Jesus Christ.

Eph 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Col 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Col 3:11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

We seem to forget that the writers of the Constitution of the United States of America had the time of Joseph and Daniel in mind when they wrote the the laws of religion in politics.

"It is right for the people of God to serve in government, but it is wrong for the government to try to control the Church of the living God."

The evil men of our country and some women too have twisted this around to change the intended meaning and we have allowed them to get away with it.

Needless to say:

"When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way"

*****Our Text:

Mat 22:23 The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,

Mat 22:24 Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

Mat 22:25 Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother:

Mat 22:26 Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.

Mat 22:27 And last of all the woman died also.

Mat 22:28 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.

Mat 22:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.

Mat 22:30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.

Mat 22:31 But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,

Mat 22:32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

Mat 22:33 And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine.

The next attack came from the Sadducees.

History tells us that these super religious men relied only on the five books of Moses, The Pentateuch. They had no regard for the Prophets nor the oral laws designed by the Pharisees. They did not believe in angels, The Holy Spirit, nor in the resurrection of the body. They said these doctrine were without authority in the written law.

When these men presented their question to Jesus they referred to the writings of Moses:

Deu 25:5 If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her.

Deu 25:6 And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel.

There was a purpose for this custom. The family inheritance was a major thing in Israel and it was important for each home to have an heir. The Book of Ruth is written proof of how important this was to them and there are many more places in the written Word of God.

These Sadducees also had a purpose. They wanted to discredit the doctrine of resurrection and therefore discredit the authority of Jesus as a teacher.

Christ had revealed the power. He had raised the dead more than one time. He had even promised men a resurrected life.

Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Jesus had even claimed to be the resurrection and the life!

Joh 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

Joh 11:26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

These men wanted to discredit all these teachings of Christ and they felt this was their opportunity before a large crowd. They intended to prove Jesus had no authority in their Temple.

Jesus had these words:

"Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God"

Jesus said to them that they were "ignorant".

Ignorant means: Destitute of knowledge; uninstructed or uninformed; untaught; unenlightened.

To err means: To miss the right way, in morals or religion; to deviate from the path or line of duty; to stray by design or mistake. To mistake; to commit error; [to do wrong from ignorance or inattention]. [Men err in judgment from ignorance], from want of attention to facts, or from previous bias of mind.

To all those that are reading this, there can be no clearer message from Jesus than this statement. We need to know the scriptures. Not just the laws of Moses as these. Not just the New Testament as some teach to the church but the entire Word of God that He has given us.

Again, I believe the King James Bible is that Word God has given to the English speaking people, rightly divided.

2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2Ti 2:16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

We can see here that though these men said they knew the Word Of God Jesus said that they were ignorant of it's truth.

Notice how Jesus quotes the Bible:

"I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob"

Notice how the Lord states the words "I Am". Jesus did not say "I Was".

"God is not the God of the dead, but of the living"

"I Am" can only be interpreted as these men, Abraham, Isaac, And Jacob are still alive as is everyone that puts their faith in The Lord God, The Living God. There is no doubt that the physical lives of these men were over at this time but Jesus said they were alive.

This can be said of every saint of God that has gone on before us. They are alive and well and in the arms of Jesus.

There will still be a resurrection of their bodies to join that living soul just as the Bible states!

1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

God's Word will hold to be true just as Jesus states to these Sadducees on this day before He is taken to be crucified.

Christ Jesus not only established to these men that there would indeed be a resurrection but He also gives us a view of life after that resurrection.

Marriage was a means for the earth to be replenished:

Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

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.

These words tell us that God knew that mankind would die a physical death.

There will be no need of marriage nor of replenishing in Heaven as there will be No Death.

We know that the Bible teaches that the angels have no sex as we know it and in the Bible they all have male names. Jesus says every one that is in Heaven will be as the angels in this sense.

Jesus Christ does NOT say everyone in Heaven will be an angel.

God created the angels when He created Heaven. None have died. God created man on a separate day, knowing there would be physical death.

God had everything in place by the end of the sixth day.

Gen 1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

The Bible goes on to say that creation was finished on that day:

Gen 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

Gen 2:2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

These Sadducees had been refuted!

Jesus says there will be spiritual beings in the future life. The angels will be there but these are not the saints of God. The Lord also did not mean that there would be no personal recognition in Heaven, or spiritual relationships as he has already proven at the transfiguration. (Moses was still Moses and Elijah was still Elijah).

In Heaven we will be known as we were after salvation but much happier:

Rev 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

What was the response to these words of Jesus:

1.) The crowd was astonished at this teaching. They had never heard it taught this way.

Joh 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

2.) There were some that saw the light in these words of Jesus.

Luk 20:39 Then certain of the scribes answering said, Master, thou hast well said.

Luk 20:40 And after that they durst not ask him any question at all.

3.) These Sadducees were silenced with no response.

*****Our Text:

Mat 22:34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.

Mat 22:35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,

Mat 22:36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.

Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Christ Jesus had used the scriptures that the Sadducees had held so dear to rebuke them, the Law of Moses itself.

We have already studied that a lawyer would probably be a scribe who had gained influence because of his knowledge of the scriptures. This one was probably a Pharisee as well:

Mar 12:28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?

Jesus had answered well to these that had no regard to the teaching of the Sadducee.

The Pharisee had coded the law into 248 commandments and 365 prohibitions. They had 613 laws to be obeyed by the Jewish people. Not just the ten moral laws as we sometimes think. They had made it impossible to keep the law as they observed.

They had missed the point of God's Laws!

Rom 3:18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.

Rom 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

Rom 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

When a Jew tried to be obedient to all 613 laws what he found was that one law would be in conflict with another one. There were then many arguments among the religious leaders as to which law then would supercede the other one.

James wrote:

Jas 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

This lawyer then gave Christ Jesus the ultimate test.

"Master, which is the great commandment in the law?"

Jesus again quotes from the Law of Moses:

Deu 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:

Deu 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Deu 6:6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

Deu 6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

Deu 6:8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

Deu 6:9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

Jesus added:

"And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two

commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

It is obvious that our love for each other should be equal to the love God has for us!

Lev 19:18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.

The teaching to the church is the same:

1Jn 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, [neither he that loveth not his brother].

1Jn 4:6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

1Jn 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

1Jn 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

1Jn 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

1Jn 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

1Jn 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

Love is our basis for obedience. All the law is summed up in love:

Rom 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

Rom 13:9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Rom 13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

If these men truly believed these words of Jesus then they would accept Him for His Word but we find instead they were plotting to kill Him.

Joh 8:42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.

Joh 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.

Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Joh 8:45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

At least this one Lawyer agreed publicly with Jesus:

Mar 12:32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:

Mar 12:33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

Guess what? THE LAMB OF GOD WAS WITHOUT BLEMISH!

*****Our text:

Mat 22:41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,

Mat 22:42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David.

Mat 22:43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying,

Mat 22:44 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?

Mat 22:45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?

Mat 22:46 And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.

A question we all need to ask ourselves is was Jesus the Jewish Messiah?

You see God wants to know in whom and it what we believe. God wants us to know the truth!

Why?

Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Why is it important that God used the word "make" rather than the word "set" as some interpretations say?

"Make" means to: To form of materials; to fashion; to mold into shape; to cause to exist in a different form, or as a distinct thing.

"Set" means to: To put, place or fix in any situation.

In other words to "make" would be more like the term to be "Born Again". Born into the freedom of God.

Christ paid a great price to give us this freedom!

Joh 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Notice when Christ ask this question there was an immediate answer. "The Son of David".

This means the Messiah had to be a descendant of King David!

We know that there was a written record kept of the descendants of King David.

2Sa 7:11 And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house.

2Sa 7:12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.

2Sa 7:13 He shall build an house for my name, and [I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever].

2Sa 7:14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:

2Sa 7:15 But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.

2Sa 7:16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established 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;

Isaiah even tells us this Messiah will not live in royalty at first but be poor, as was Jesse.

Jesus then quoted from scripture as He did always:

"The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool"

It was King David who was honored by these men who wrote these words.

The entire Jewish nation observed this passage as being prophecy of the coming Messiah!

The Almighty God "LORD" invited the Messiah "my Lord" to sit at the right hand at the throne.

We know that the Temple still stood at the time of Matthew and Luke who listed the family line of David through his sons Solomon and and Nathan. These men knew this to be true!

The fact that the Messiah was David's son testified to the Messiah's true humanity but the fact that David called Him Lord (my Lord) testified to His true deity. Lord means God.

The claim that David the psalmist foretold of the Messiah was claimed by Jesus this very day. If these men, (the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Lawyers, the Scribes) believed what they had claimed of the Messiah, then THEY COULD NOT OBJECT TO A LIVING BREATHING DESCENDANT OF KING DAVID WHO MET THESE QUALIFICATIONS.

Not a one could refute the words of Jesus and they would not respond to His question. They from that on did ask Him any more foolish questions.

We also should not ask any more foolish questions about Jesus and just trust in Him as our Lord and as our God. There is no other!

We will try to high light Chapter 23 as Jesus pronounced judgment on these men.

Matthew Chapter 23: 1-39

This was the last public appearance of our Lord until the day before Herod.

The Pharisee had assumed themselves to be in the position of Moses. Moses was not only the "Lawgiver" (given to Him by God Himself) but Moses was also the "Interpreter" of the laws given to the children of Israel.

We should also add that these laws were not given to any other nation or people but God does tell us that they are good laws to live by until we meet Jesus.

Gal 3:22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

Gal 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

Gal 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

Gal 3:25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Gal 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

The Ten Commandments were the basis of moral laws for all nations for many years but it seems that the world is intermingling or making more manmade nonsense they call laws each and every day and abandoning the laws of God. We can see how the world becomes more evil as these things happen. This is exactly what was happening in Israel at this time.

The Pharisee had claimed this role for themselves. They sat as teachers and demanded that their teaching be observed. They demanded that Israel follow them as the religious leaders of that time.

It can still be said that religion will send you to hell. Only by faith in Christ Jesus can we be saved.

Christ agreed that the laws of Moses be followed but the law as practiced by these evil men was not to be followed. Jesus said they did not even follow their own laws themselves.

We can see this everyday in America when our own politicians who make the laws will not follow the laws they make and think they are above those laws.

The only witness of these Pharisee was how they tried to impress the people in hypocritical fashion.

God intends for His law to be impressed on the heart:

Pro 6:20 My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

Pro 6:21 Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.

Pro 6:22 When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.

The Pharisee were motivated by pride and self esteem and felt they deserved the place of honor. To call one of these men Rabbi was to place their authority above that of God and His Word.

Christ Jesus pronounced "woe" upon these people because they shut the door to Heaven for all people who would follow them.

They rejected Christ who is the only access to His Kingdom, therefore closing the door to all that listened to them.

Christ condemned the Pharisee because they circumvented the clear teaching of God's Word.

How often does this happen in our day?

Christ condemned the Pharisee because of the way they tithed. The law clearly demands the tithe. The same law demands justice, mercy, and faithfulness. The Pharisee ignored the laws of righteousness and showed the people that they satisfied the law by tithing only herbs from their own gardens.

Jesus said they were "blind guides" leading those they would make spiritually blind. Jesus said they had no concern for the greater demands of the law.

These Pharisee concerned themselves with washing the hands but not the heart. Christ Jesus teaches us that the only way the outside can be clean is to first clean the inside.

Jesus Christ said that these men were as whitewashed tombs. You know our places of burial are kept to a certain beauty but it is certain that those graves are filled with the bones of the dead. These Pharisee were also the same. They may have dressed royally but they were the walking dead with no chance for life.

Rom 6:23 [For the wages of sin is death]; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Christ condemned the Pharisee because He said they were just like their forefathers who killed the prophets of God rather than listen to what God had to say. They had rejected them as they also rejected God's last Prophet, Jesus Christ Our Lord.

They were plotting His death this very day as they stood with Christ Jesus and He knew that also!

Jesus Christ said they were just like the snake that deceived Eve. That snake was beautiful to look upon but it was still the means by which Eve was deceived.

Jesus now turned His attention to the City of Jerusalem, which of course meant the people then and the people now. "Jerusalem, Jerusalem".

This city had repeatedly rejected God's message. We can know that God has a special love for Jerusalem, after all the name of the city in the New Heaven will be New Jerusalem.

Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

On that day Jerusalem will be dressed just like a New Bride. She will show the righteousness of the Church, the bride of Christ.

Jesus had come to this city to gather them into His protection and His home:

Luk 13:34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!

Luk 13:35 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

They would not come.

Do any of you have that problem today?

Are there any that just simply refuse to come to Jesus?

These Jews saw Jesus as God the day they died! We have the privilege through faith in Him to only see Him in Heaven.

There will never even be the hint of the smoke from Hell on my person. Can you say that?

Heaven is a real place.

Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord!

Let's pray!