0:00:05.401,0:00:08.115 This is something that I know that 0:00:08.115,0:00:13.601 James and I encounter on a regular basis. 0:00:13.601,0:00:16.261 And maybe some of the others of you 0:00:16.261,0:00:19.084 can relate to dealing [br]with people like this 0:00:19.084,0:00:21.214 or even maybe in your own life 0:00:21.214,0:00:27.314 there's these kind of wrestlings. 0:00:27.314,0:00:31.646 From Joseph Foster: 0:00:31.646,0:00:33.914 "Pastor Tim, 0:00:33.914,0:00:37.131 I feel like I'm spiritually dying." 0:00:37.131,0:00:38.866 In fact, I thought, that's probably 0:00:38.866,0:00:40.548 a good name for the study tonight. 0:00:40.548,0:00:45.296 I feel like I'm spiritually dying. 0:00:45.296,0:00:47.218 "My desires for God 0:00:47.218,0:00:52.550 have come and gone, 0:00:52.550,0:00:56.007 and I don't know what's happening. 0:00:56.007,0:01:00.202 Maybe I committed the unpardonable 0:01:00.202,0:01:04.476 with my willful sin. 0:01:04.476,0:01:08.409 I need help, because I can see God 0:01:08.409,0:01:13.230 in everything except for my life. 0:01:13.230,0:01:15.718 I know that the gifts and call of God 0:01:15.718,0:01:17.307 is without repentance, 0:01:17.307,0:01:20.340 but somehow I feel like He's done with me. 0:01:20.340,0:01:23.324 I pray every day and ask the Lord 0:01:23.324,0:01:24.791 to deliver me or shed light 0:01:24.791,0:01:26.529 or show me what I must do. 0:01:26.529,0:01:30.306 Maybe I have some unrepented stuff. 0:01:30.306,0:01:32.211 I don't know. 0:01:32.211,0:01:35.491 All I know is God is silent 0:01:35.491,0:01:37.965 and I think He left me. 0:01:37.965,0:01:41.496 Yet, I'm still holding on and praying. 0:01:41.496,0:01:43.959 I'm the worst ever, 0:01:43.959,0:01:46.297 and I need help. 0:01:46.297,0:01:50.511 I don't know what to do or say to Him. 0:01:50.511,0:01:53.554 Please, if you could possibly pray for me 0:01:53.554,0:01:55.189 and maybe pray about it 0:01:55.189,0:01:57.497 and see what the Lord says to you, 0:01:57.497,0:01:59.228 I'd appreciate it. 0:01:59.228,0:02:01.620 I don't know if I'm even saved, 0:02:01.620,0:02:04.747 but I heard God call me once. 0:02:04.747,0:02:06.837 I remember when He delivered me 0:02:06.837,0:02:08.273 and changed me, 0:02:08.273,0:02:10.060 but I've fallen into somewhere 0:02:10.060,0:02:12.576 I don't want to be. 0:02:12.576,0:02:16.655 I've never been in such [br]a bad place spiritually. 0:02:16.655,0:02:19.086 I haven't been a Christian long, 0:02:19.086,0:02:21.610 but I know the Word." 0:02:21.610,0:02:23.491 And obviously, you can see some 0:02:23.491,0:02:25.105 back and forth here. 0:02:25.105,0:02:27.324 I don't know if I'm even saved, 0:02:27.324,0:02:28.893 and then he says, 0:02:28.893,0:02:30.511 I remember when He delivered me 0:02:30.511,0:02:31.578 and changed me. 0:02:31.578,0:02:33.798 He says I haven't been a Christian long, 0:02:33.798,0:02:34.917 but I know the Word. 0:02:34.917,0:02:37.905 At the same time, he says, 0:02:37.905,0:02:43.190 I'm in a place where I never wanted to be. 0:02:43.190,0:02:47.069 I've never been in such [br]a bad place spiritually. 0:02:47.069,0:02:49.190 I may have committed the unpardonable sin 0:02:49.190,0:02:54.603 with my willful sin. 0:02:54.603,0:03:02.334 So, it's obvious there's [br]lots of confusion. 0:03:02.334,0:03:06.216 "I've fallen into somewhere [br]I don't want to be. 0:03:06.216,0:03:08.544 I've never been in such [br]a bad place spiritually. 0:03:08.544,0:03:11.126 I haven't been a Christian long, [br]but I know the Word. 0:03:11.126,0:03:13.419 Maybe, I don't know the power of God. 0:03:13.419,0:03:23.450 I need help. Please." 0:03:23.450,0:03:25.545 James, how often do you get something 0:03:25.545,0:03:28.705 of this nature? 0:03:28.705,0:03:31.004 James: Every week. 0:03:31.004,0:03:35.665 Tim: Yeah, when the church phone 0:03:35.665,0:03:38.733 rang my phone, 0:03:38.733,0:03:41.147 and when my email address 0:03:41.147,0:03:44.637 was public information, 0:03:44.637,0:03:48.272 I got them oftentimes [br]more than once a week. 0:03:48.272,0:03:49.886 In fact, some people, 0:03:49.886,0:03:51.793 once they start calling - 0:03:51.793,0:03:52.675 do you get that? 0:03:52.675,0:03:53.864 Some of the same people 0:03:53.864,0:03:55.096 over and over and over? 0:03:55.096,0:03:58.187 Like, sometimes even more than once a day. 0:03:58.189,0:04:01.094 James: I've been emailing him for years. 0:04:01.094,0:04:03.002 Tim: So, this is a guy that you didn't 0:04:03.002,0:04:04.772 just get one message from. 0:04:04.772,0:04:07.311 James: Yeah, and he probably [br]sent that a year ago. 0:04:07.311,0:04:08.316 Tim: Probably. 0:04:08.316,0:04:10.994 And I thought answering this 0:04:10.994,0:04:13.115 is not just good for him 0:04:13.115,0:04:15.535 if he happened to listen, 0:04:15.535,0:04:19.555 but numerous people - 0:04:19.555,0:04:21.600 for one, you've got numerous people 0:04:21.600,0:04:24.057 that they don't know if they're saved. 0:04:24.057,0:04:25.207 They're back and forth. 0:04:25.207,0:04:26.899 Am I in? Am I out? 0:04:26.899,0:04:29.322 They've got things happening in their life 0:04:29.322,0:04:39.259 that they're not certain [br]what to make of it. 0:04:39.259,0:04:41.355 Am I Christian? Am I not a Christian? 0:04:41.355,0:04:43.201 They recognize something's not good. 0:04:43.201,0:04:44.994 Something's not right. 0:04:44.994,0:04:47.477 They recognize God is silent. 0:04:47.477,0:04:49.207 And on top of that, 0:04:49.207,0:04:52.327 you have people all the time, 0:04:52.327,0:04:54.540 and I think it's a favorite with the devil 0:04:54.540,0:04:56.478 to really use the unpardonable sin 0:04:56.478,0:05:01.245 just to paralyze people spiritually. 0:05:01.245,0:05:04.410 And I know, when we did 0:05:04.410,0:05:08.431 a full-blown message on the [br]unpardonable sin one time 0:05:08.431,0:05:10.321 and I mentioned in there 0:05:10.321,0:05:13.275 my own testimony that [br]shortly after I was saved, 0:05:13.275,0:05:16.893 I came under the grips [br]of that kind of thing, 0:05:16.893,0:05:19.088 and God took me through it 0:05:19.088,0:05:21.509 and just gave me real assurance 0:05:21.509,0:05:23.985 in my own soul. 0:05:23.985,0:05:26.929 But, you know, one of the things is 0:05:26.929,0:05:30.170 James has been dealing with this guy 0:05:30.170,0:05:32.780 for a long time. 0:05:32.780,0:05:38.798 And see, the thing about [br]one paragraph like this 0:05:38.798,0:05:41.659 is there's so much 0:05:41.659,0:05:44.659 that you really need clarity on; 0:05:44.659,0:05:46.422 there's so much that you need 0:05:46.422,0:05:47.737 to talk to somebody about; 0:05:47.737,0:05:51.010 there's so much you need to dig into. 0:05:51.010,0:05:54.379 Because here's the problem, 0:05:54.379,0:06:03.086 when people give you [br]a paragraph like this, 0:06:03.086,0:06:08.881 the thing is people often - 0:06:08.881,0:06:11.044 because we kind of have this built-in 0:06:11.044,0:06:13.547 protection mechanism - 0:06:13.547,0:06:19.586 people often present things in a way 0:06:19.586,0:06:23.575 that they are wanting pity. 0:06:23.575,0:06:25.586 I mean, you see this. 0:06:25.586,0:06:28.008 You can see this if you've got a situation 0:06:28.008,0:06:29.401 like in a pastoral situation 0:06:29.401,0:06:31.595 where we've got a problem [br]between two people, 0:06:31.595,0:06:34.767 and you know, if you [br]hear one person's side, 0:06:34.767,0:06:38.339 you're going to get a story 0:06:38.339,0:06:41.287 a lot of times that is very one-sided 0:06:41.287,0:06:43.481 because you're getting their side, 0:06:43.481,0:06:45.249 and it's going to be that way. 0:06:45.249,0:06:49.810 And oftentimes, when [br]you hear it presented, 0:06:49.810,0:06:53.097 well, it's presented in a light - 0:06:53.097,0:06:55.876 they're going to emphasize the things 0:06:55.876,0:06:57.562 that they want to emphasize, 0:06:57.562,0:06:59.285 because there is an agenda here 0:06:59.285,0:07:03.887 to prove oneself right. 0:07:03.887,0:07:06.303 Oftentimes, it's not surprising 0:07:06.303,0:07:08.714 that people have defense mechanisms up 0:07:08.714,0:07:10.454 and they want to protect themselves, 0:07:10.454,0:07:12.857 and they desire to be in the right, 0:07:12.857,0:07:14.613 and they desire to have pity, 0:07:14.613,0:07:16.247 and they desire other people 0:07:16.247,0:07:18.304 to show compassion to them 0:07:18.304,0:07:19.610 and feel for them. 0:07:19.610,0:07:21.983 So there's a sense, 0:07:21.983,0:07:25.543 when you can present things, 0:07:25.543,0:07:29.598 and you don't always get all the details. 0:07:29.598,0:07:33.071 Sometimes you don't get some [br]of the most relevant details, 0:07:33.071,0:07:37.000 and James, if he just [br]unfolded with this guy, 0:07:37.000,0:07:39.125 he could probably tell you things 0:07:39.125,0:07:41.285 that are not expressed here 0:07:41.285,0:07:45.787 that are really critical and necessary 0:07:45.787,0:07:48.016 to try to properly diagnose 0:07:48.016,0:07:52.535 where a guy like this is at spiritually. 0:07:52.535,0:07:58.467 But, I think there's some general things 0:07:58.467,0:08:00.866 we can say about a situation like this 0:08:00.866,0:08:06.148 that can be really helpful. 0:08:06.148,0:08:09.691 Think about what he's saying. 0:08:09.691,0:08:20.062 Think about the impression [br]that you get here. 0:08:20.062,0:08:22.475 You get the feeling 0:08:22.475,0:08:28.994 that very often, very often, 0:08:28.994,0:08:34.328 you get the feeling from people 0:08:34.328,0:08:37.936 that they are in a situation 0:08:37.936,0:08:40.168 that if it was in their control, 0:08:40.168,0:08:42.354 they would not be in. 0:08:42.354,0:08:43.541 See what I'm saying? 0:08:43.541,0:08:45.737 You get this sense 0:08:45.737,0:08:48.697 that they want to be saved, 0:08:48.697,0:08:50.925 but God's not saving them. 0:08:50.925,0:08:53.307 Or they want to have assurance, 0:08:53.307,0:08:55.109 but God's not giving it to them. 0:08:55.109,0:08:57.231 You see, it's presented in a way: 0:08:57.231,0:09:00.051 Well, I want this. I want this. 0:09:00.051,0:09:01.974 I would gladly be converted. 0:09:01.974,0:09:04.265 I would gladly be a healthy Christian. 0:09:04.265,0:09:06.510 I would gladly have all this assurance, 0:09:06.510,0:09:08.916 if it were in my power to do it. 0:09:08.916,0:09:12.270 If it were up to me, [br]that's what I would have. 0:09:12.270,0:09:14.201 That's the condition I would be in. 0:09:14.201,0:09:15.926 I would be a very healthy Christian. 0:09:15.926,0:09:17.120 I would have assurance. 0:09:17.120,0:09:18.644 I would be walking well. 0:09:18.644,0:09:20.672 I would be pleasing the Lord. 0:09:20.672,0:09:24.246 (Incomplete thought) 0:09:24.246,0:09:28.160 It's presented in the way it comes across, 0:09:28.160,0:09:30.710 they believe that they're doing everything 0:09:30.710,0:09:32.726 they can possibly do 0:09:32.726,0:09:35.707 in order to make things right with God, 0:09:35.707,0:09:37.295 but God isn't coming through. 0:09:37.295,0:09:39.350 And if you didn't hear that in this, 0:09:39.350,0:09:42.129 let me emphasize something again. 0:09:42.129,0:09:47.491 He says this: 0:09:47.491,0:09:49.389 "Maybe I have some unrepented stuff. 0:09:49.389,0:09:51.451 I don't know. 0:09:51.451,0:09:57.168 All I know is God is silent, 0:09:57.168,0:09:59.179 and I think He left me. 0:09:59.179,0:10:02.769 Yet, I'm still holding on..." 0:10:02.769,0:10:07.187 God left me. I'm holding on. 0:10:07.187,0:10:10.651 "...and praying. 0:10:10.651,0:10:13.226 I'm the worst ever and I need help." 0:10:13.226,0:10:15.386 Do you see the feeling [br]that you're getting? 0:10:15.386,0:10:19.920 I need help and God's not helping me. 0:10:19.920,0:10:23.805 He says, "I don't know what to do 0:10:23.805,0:10:25.831 or say to Him." 0:10:25.831,0:10:28.691 In other words, I've expended myself. 0:10:28.691,0:10:30.663 I've gone to Him for help. 0:10:30.663,0:10:32.694 I've said everything I know how to say. 0:10:32.694,0:10:34.527 I've done everything I know how to do. 0:10:34.527,0:10:36.256 And He's not helping me. 0:10:36.256,0:10:39.272 "Please. If you could [br]possibly pray for me. 0:10:39.272,0:10:40.583 Maybe pray about it 0:10:40.583,0:10:42.856 and see what the Lord says to you. 0:10:42.856,0:10:47.414 I'd appreciate it." 0:10:47.414,0:10:51.161 And so, you see what he's saying here? 0:10:51.161,0:10:53.226 He's saying I'm holding on. 0:10:53.226,0:10:54.823 I'm praying. 0:10:54.823,0:10:57.839 You get this idea again 0:10:57.839,0:11:00.819 that he's assuming 0:11:00.819,0:11:05.540 he would gladly make [br]everything right with God. 0:11:05.540,0:11:08.037 Brethren, let me tell you. 0:11:08.037,0:11:15.620 Look, I feel for this guy in this sense. 0:11:15.620,0:11:18.273 Is there confusion? Yes. 0:11:18.273,0:11:20.973 Is there frustration? Yes. 0:11:20.973,0:11:25.433 Is there ignorance? Yes. 0:11:25.433,0:11:29.708 I mean, to be in the place he is. 0:11:29.708,0:11:32.311 I feel pity for him. 0:11:32.311,0:11:38.724 But listen, we need to [br]listen very carefully 0:11:38.724,0:11:42.246 when people speak this way. 0:11:42.246,0:11:47.312 Listen, if anybody says to us; 0:11:47.312,0:11:49.331 they come across in this way, 0:11:49.331,0:11:52.818 that I'm doing everything 0:11:52.818,0:11:55.805 and God won't save me. 0:11:55.805,0:12:00.597 I'm willing to be saved. 0:12:00.597,0:12:04.677 I'm willing to be right. 0:12:04.677,0:12:09.809 I'm willing to have a [br]relationship with God. 0:12:09.809,0:12:12.186 But God is silent. 0:12:12.186,0:12:14.041 God's not helping. 0:12:14.041,0:12:15.832 God's not coming. 0:12:15.832,0:12:18.248 You see, you need to be very careful - 0:12:18.248,0:12:22.125 very careful that you pity 0:12:22.125,0:12:26.554 an individual like that, 0:12:26.554,0:12:29.278 and fall into basically 0:12:29.278,0:12:31.064 putting your arm around them 0:12:31.064,0:12:33.515 and staring at God like this. 0:12:33.515,0:12:37.477 You know? What are You doing? 0:12:37.477,0:12:39.729 Lord, what are You doing? 0:12:39.729,0:12:41.464 And you can do that. 0:12:41.464,0:12:43.054 You can do that. 0:12:43.054,0:12:44.999 You have to be real careful. 0:12:44.999,0:12:48.170 Because look, the fact is 0:12:48.170,0:12:52.662 that when you go to Scripture, 0:12:52.662,0:12:54.949 do you ever find - 0:12:54.949,0:12:59.601 do you ever find? 0:12:59.601,0:13:01.633 I was thinking the other day, 0:13:01.633,0:13:05.054 years ago, years ago, years ago... 0:13:05.054,0:13:09.742 I saw this Hollywood production - 0:13:09.742,0:13:15.010 Was it called "The Robe?" 0:13:15.010,0:13:17.452 Something that was made 0:13:17.452,0:13:22.395 about some Roman soldier. 0:13:22.395,0:13:26.937 It was "Ben Hur" or it was [br]"The Robe" or something. 0:13:26.937,0:13:32.005 And there was a woman 0:13:32.005,0:13:34.784 portrayed in the movie 0:13:34.784,0:13:39.337 who was basically on a stretcher - 0:13:39.337,0:13:41.180 on a bed - 0:13:41.180,0:13:43.905 and they were hauling her around. 0:13:43.905,0:13:44.985 And she said, 0:13:44.985,0:13:48.226 I asked the Master to heal me 0:13:48.226,0:13:50.349 and He didn't. 0:13:50.349,0:13:52.395 And He told me that it was God's will 0:13:52.395,0:13:55.171 that I not be healed. 0:13:55.171,0:13:56.846 Anybody see that movie? 0:13:56.846,0:13:58.967 Anybody know what I'm talking about? 0:13:58.967,0:14:01.021 Maybe it's probably best you don't. 0:14:01.021,0:14:02.650 But I've always remembered that, 0:14:02.650,0:14:05.519 that how dare Hollywood do that! 0:14:05.519,0:14:07.414 How dare they do that! 0:14:07.414,0:14:10.205 That is no small thing, 0:14:10.205,0:14:13.073 because there is no account [br]like that in the Bible. 0:14:13.073,0:14:16.363 There is no account of somebody 0:14:16.363,0:14:20.242 genuinely going to the Lord for help 0:14:20.242,0:14:22.078 and He turned His back on them. 0:14:22.078,0:14:23.699 Never. 0:14:23.699,0:14:26.683 In fact, do you know what you find? 0:14:26.683,0:14:29.538 Weeping. 0:14:29.538,0:14:33.997 "How often I would have gathered you, 0:14:33.997,0:14:36.640 and you would not." 0:14:36.640,0:14:41.894 Brethren, we need to be aware 0:14:41.894,0:14:47.895 of just how God presents [br]Himself in Scripture. 0:14:47.895,0:14:51.368 Look, what can happen is 0:14:51.368,0:14:53.375 you begin to get exposed 0:14:53.375,0:14:56.047 to accounts like this, 0:14:56.047,0:15:00.416 and you can begin to suppose 0:15:00.416,0:15:03.176 because this is how they feel, 0:15:03.176,0:15:04.860 God is cruel. 0:15:04.860,0:15:06.975 God is standoffish. 0:15:06.975,0:15:09.174 God doesn't want to help me. 0:15:09.174,0:15:12.565 God is just up there 0:15:12.565,0:15:16.770 and in all my desperation 0:15:16.770,0:15:18.745 and all my cries for help, 0:15:18.745,0:15:24.009 He just ignores me. 0:15:24.009,0:15:25.294 And that's not the case. 0:15:25.294,0:15:28.198 That's not how we find [br]the Lord in Scripture. 0:15:28.198,0:15:31.265 That is not how we find it at all. 0:15:31.265,0:15:33.546 And I know I've brought [br]this verse up before, 0:15:33.546,0:15:35.504 but I think it's worth looking at again. 0:15:35.504,0:15:38.312 Look at Luke 14. 0:15:38.312,0:15:42.606 I really dealt strongly with this text 0:15:42.606,0:15:46.187 when I dealt with hyper-Calvinism. 0:15:46.187,0:15:52.193 But brethren, we want to think right. 0:15:52.193,0:15:59.852 Don't let sinners 0:15:59.852,0:16:03.565 who claim to be seeking for [br]God and not find Him - 0:16:03.565,0:16:08.122 don't ever let them [br]change your view of God 0:16:08.122,0:16:11.494 from a solidly biblical view of God, 0:16:11.494,0:16:13.960 and from a solidly biblical view 0:16:13.960,0:16:17.744 of the free offer of the Gospel. 0:16:17.744,0:16:21.161 Sometimes, we can take sinners 0:16:21.161,0:16:25.940 just far too much at their word 0:16:25.940,0:16:29.891 to the place where we [br]begin to question God. 0:16:29.891,0:16:33.131 And to the place where [br]a shadow comes over. 0:16:33.131,0:16:37.288 Be careful 0:16:37.288,0:16:39.458 when unconverted people 0:16:39.458,0:16:40.720 or people like this, 0:16:40.720,0:16:42.481 who they don't know if they're in, 0:16:42.481,0:16:44.775 they don't know if they're out, 0:16:44.775,0:16:50.476 that they're doing everything 0:16:50.476,0:16:52.625 that He requires, 0:16:52.625,0:16:53.617 and they're praying, 0:16:53.617,0:16:55.044 and they're calling upon Him, 0:16:55.044,0:16:57.179 and they're believing,[br]and they're trusting, 0:16:57.179,0:16:58.668 and they're repenting, 0:16:58.668,0:17:01.836 but God isn't doing anything. 0:17:01.836,0:17:04.752 Because that just isn't true. 0:17:04.752,0:17:11.635 Listen, if God hasn't saved somebody, 0:17:11.635,0:17:15.902 be certain they have not believed. 0:17:15.902,0:17:18.158 Be certain. 0:17:18.158,0:17:21.111 But anyway, Luke 14. 0:17:21.111,0:17:23.247 Let's look at this. 0:17:23.247,0:17:30.370 Verse 16 0:17:30.370,0:17:32.704 We need to have this in [br]our mind all the time. 0:17:32.704,0:17:35.633 This is such a helpful and balancing text. 0:17:35.633,0:17:36.901 "He said to him, 0:17:36.901,0:17:39.087 'A man once gave a great banquet, 0:17:39.087,0:17:41.287 and invited many.'" 0:17:41.287,0:17:43.313 Notice the invitation. 0:17:43.313,0:17:45.639 Notice that the people aren't 0:17:45.639,0:17:48.454 doing everything that they possibly can do 0:17:48.454,0:17:50.211 to get into the banquet, 0:17:50.211,0:17:52.317 and he's keeping them out. 0:17:52.317,0:17:54.819 Scripture never paints a picture 0:17:54.819,0:17:56.569 of a banquet going on in here, 0:17:56.569,0:17:59.593 and the crowds are [br]amassed around the house 0:17:59.593,0:18:01.538 trying to get in at the door. 0:18:01.538,0:18:03.097 Now once the door's shut, 0:18:03.097,0:18:04.934 people try to get in. 0:18:04.934,0:18:06.294 After it's too late. 0:18:06.294,0:18:08.471 But in this day, at this time, 0:18:08.471,0:18:10.963 in this age of the free [br]offer of the Gospel, 0:18:10.963,0:18:15.984 there is never a picture of a closed door. 0:18:15.984,0:18:19.821 The picture is: you're invited. 0:18:19.821,0:18:21.398 There's never a picture of people 0:18:21.398,0:18:22.845 gathered at the door saying, 0:18:22.845,0:18:25.685 please, let us in;[br]please, let us in. 0:18:25.685,0:18:27.820 And He's saying, oh no, 0:18:27.820,0:18:30.954 no, you can't come in. 0:18:30.954,0:18:32.249 That's not what we find. 0:18:32.249,0:18:37.123 Remember what Scripture says? 0:18:37.123,0:18:40.124 The kindness of God 0:18:40.124,0:18:42.948 is meant to lead us to repentance. 0:18:42.948,0:18:45.419 Not to harden us. 0:18:45.419,0:18:49.379 God didn't give Joseph his meal 0:18:49.379,0:18:52.466 the day that he wrote this 0:18:52.466,0:18:55.013 to convince him that He was a cruel God 0:18:55.013,0:18:57.449 and unwilling to help sinners. 0:18:57.449,0:18:58.473 Just the opposite. 0:18:58.473,0:18:59.899 Just the opposite message 0:18:59.899,0:19:02.455 was sent by the meal he ate that day. 0:19:02.455,0:19:07.689 You see, the way Scripture [br]presents it is this: 0:19:07.689,0:19:15.480 It presents it as here's this banquet. 0:19:15.480,0:19:17.559 Here's this banquet - v. 16. 0:19:17.559,0:19:20.330 "A man once gave a great banquet 0:19:20.330,0:19:22.021 and invited many. 0:19:22.021,0:19:23.572 And at the time for the banquet, 0:19:23.572,0:19:25.312 he sent his servant to say to those 0:19:25.312,0:19:26.598 who had been invited, 0:19:26.598,0:19:35.079 'Come, for everything is now ready.'" 0:19:35.079,0:19:37.099 But what? They didn't flock there 0:19:37.099,0:19:38.722 and then he turned them away. 0:19:38.722,0:19:41.998 They all alike began to make excuses. 0:19:41.998,0:19:43.330 "The first said to him, 0:19:43.330,0:19:44.662 'I have bought a field. 0:19:44.662,0:19:46.164 I must go out and see it. 0:19:46.164,0:19:48.503 Please have me excused.'" 0:19:48.503,0:19:51.633 You see, it's not God turning them away. 0:19:51.633,0:19:57.581 It's them making excuses and running away. 0:19:57.581,0:20:00.182 That's what we have to see. 0:20:00.182,0:20:04.856 And look, if somebody comes along 0:20:04.856,0:20:06.541 and they're questioning whether 0:20:06.541,0:20:11.608 they are even saved at all, 0:20:11.608,0:20:14.468 they put God in a bad light. 0:20:14.468,0:20:16.869 Brethren, be careful that [br]you don't take sinners - 0:20:16.869,0:20:18.157 unconverted sinners - 0:20:18.157,0:20:20.288 too much at their word 0:20:20.288,0:20:23.269 as far as the picture they paint 0:20:23.269,0:20:26.761 of an unwilling God to save. 0:20:26.761,0:20:28.235 Don't go there. 0:20:28.235,0:20:29.361 Because you know what? 0:20:29.361,0:20:32.742 Lost people are in the [br]power of the evil one. 0:20:32.742,0:20:35.267 Lost people are deceived. 0:20:35.267,0:20:37.315 Lost people do not have 0:20:37.315,0:20:39.197 proper views of God. 0:20:39.197,0:20:41.950 Be careful that you don't [br]buy into that view. 0:20:41.950,0:20:43.596 Because what God does is 0:20:43.596,0:20:45.895 He shows Himself in Scripture 0:20:45.895,0:20:48.363 very willing to save. 0:20:48.363,0:20:51.203 And He sends His Son into this world 0:20:51.203,0:20:53.346 to actually even look at a city 0:20:53.346,0:20:56.373 of His rejectors and weep tears, 0:20:56.373,0:21:01.090 and say how often I [br]would have gathered you, 0:21:01.090,0:21:03.259 as a hen gathers her chicks, 0:21:03.259,0:21:05.832 and you would not. 0:21:05.832,0:21:07.604 You would not. 0:21:07.604,0:21:10.268 Not, I would not. You would not. 0:21:10.268,0:21:13.175 That's how God communicated to this world. 0:21:13.175,0:21:18.200 That's the kind of Messiah [br]He sent into this world. 0:21:18.200,0:21:20.387 "They all alike began to make excuses. 0:21:20.387,0:21:21.452 The first said to him, 0:21:21.452,0:21:23.589 'I bought a field. I [br]must go out and see it. 0:21:23.589,0:21:24.755 Please have me excused.' 0:21:24.755,0:21:27.706 Another said, 'I bought five yoke of oxen 0:21:27.706,0:21:29.187 and I go to examine them. 0:21:29.187,0:21:31.782 Please have me excused.' 0:21:31.782,0:21:33.480 Another said, 'I've married a wife 0:21:33.480,0:21:35.328 and therefore I cannot come.' 0:21:35.328,0:21:36.902 So the servant came and reported 0:21:36.902,0:21:40.487 these things to his master. 0:21:40.487,0:21:44.691 Then the master of the [br]house became angry." 0:21:44.691,0:21:45.864 Why? 0:21:45.864,0:21:47.567 Is He angry at a bunch of people 0:21:47.567,0:21:49.050 that want to be saved 0:21:49.050,0:21:50.473 and are standing at the door 0:21:50.473,0:21:54.013 trying to get in to the banquet? 0:21:54.013,0:21:56.628 But He's angry because [br]He didn't elect them? 0:21:56.628,0:21:58.545 Nothing like that. 0:21:58.545,0:22:02.876 He's angry because the [br]invitation was free; 0:22:02.876,0:22:05.586 it was full; 0:22:05.586,0:22:09.694 and they refused it. 0:22:09.694,0:22:12.472 Sinners on judgment day 0:22:12.472,0:22:17.099 will not talk like this. 0:22:17.099,0:22:18.696 They won't talk like this. 0:22:18.696,0:22:21.986 Look, I know there's confusion here. 0:22:21.986,0:22:25.158 But, did you hear? 0:22:25.158,0:22:28.239 He said maybe I committed the unpardonable 0:22:28.239,0:22:30.164 with my willful sin. 0:22:30.164,0:22:32.540 Do you know what he's acknowledging here? 0:22:32.540,0:22:36.987 Willful sin. 0:22:36.987,0:22:39.194 Do you know what Scripture says? 0:22:39.194,0:22:41.425 Can you think of [br]anywhere in the Scriptures 0:22:41.425,0:22:46.433 that it speaks about willful sin? 0:22:46.433,0:22:48.496 Two texts come right to my mind. 0:22:48.496,0:22:51.435 Can you think of one? 0:22:51.435,0:22:54.361 Hebrews 10:26. Let's turn there. 0:22:54.361,0:23:08.775 Keep your finger here because we [br]need to finish out this account. 0:23:08.775,0:23:13.523 See, he's acknowledging [br]that he has had light. 0:23:13.523,0:23:15.289 He's acknowledging that he has been 0:23:15.289,0:23:18.241 exposed to the Gospel it would seem. 0:23:18.241,0:23:21.558 He's acknowledging that he even believes 0:23:21.558,0:23:23.368 he was exposed to so much 0:23:23.368,0:23:26.024 that he thinks he may have been saved. 0:23:26.024,0:23:30.413 He says, "I haven't been a Christian long, 0:23:30.413,0:23:33.970 but I know the Word." 0:23:33.970,0:23:35.914 I know the Word. 0:23:35.914,0:23:39.623 And yet, he admits willful sin here. 0:23:39.623,0:23:44.255 Hebrews 10:26 0:23:44.255,0:23:47.574 "If we go on sinning deliberately 0:23:47.574,0:23:49.651 (or willfully) 0:23:49.651,0:23:51.962 after receiving the [br]knowledge of the truth, 0:23:51.962,0:23:55.006 there no longer remains [br]a sacrifice for sins." 0:23:55.006,0:23:58.969 Let me tell you something [br]else you don't want to do. 0:23:58.969,0:24:01.183 You don't want to come to people like this 0:24:01.183,0:24:04.119 and assure them that [br]everything's going to be ok. 0:24:04.119,0:24:07.963 Or even assure them that [br]everything is presently ok. 0:24:07.963,0:24:10.070 In other words, 0:24:10.070,0:24:13.201 you don't have to worry. 0:24:13.201,0:24:15.605 You haven't committed [br]the unpardonable sin. 0:24:15.605,0:24:17.205 You haven't gone too far. 0:24:17.205,0:24:19.057 You haven't been overly willful 0:24:19.057,0:24:21.375 and tread upon the blood of Jesus Christ. 0:24:21.375,0:24:22.967 You can't tell people that. 0:24:22.967,0:24:24.082 Because you know what? 0:24:24.082,0:24:25.798 There are such things in Scripture, 0:24:25.798,0:24:27.524 and when you know the Word 0:24:27.524,0:24:29.367 and you've been exposed to the truth, 0:24:29.367,0:24:31.220 and you go on in willful sin, 0:24:31.220,0:24:33.767 that is extremely dangerous. 0:24:33.767,0:24:37.687 And you don't want [br]to tell people it's not. 0:24:37.687,0:24:41.312 You don't want to tell [br]people at all that it's not. 0:24:41.312,0:24:45.399 Anyway, back to Luke 14. 0:24:45.399,0:24:47.393 "Another said, 'I have married a wife 0:24:47.393,0:24:51.043 (v. 20) and therefore I cannot come.' 0:24:51.043,0:24:54.531 So the servant came and reported [br]these things to his master. 0:24:54.531,0:24:57.215 Then the master of the house became angry 0:24:57.215,0:24:58.466 and said to his servant, 0:24:58.466,0:25:00.702 'Go out quickly to the streets 0:25:00.702,0:25:02.348 and lanes of the city. 0:25:02.348,0:25:03.873 Bring in the poor and crippled 0:25:03.873,0:25:06.169 and blind and lame. 0:25:06.169,0:25:07.607 And the servant said, 0:25:07.607,0:25:10.258 'Sir, what you've commanded has been done. 0:25:10.258,0:25:11.266 Still there is room.' 0:25:11.266,0:25:12.766 The master said to the servant, 0:25:12.766,0:25:15.015 'Go out to the highways and hedges...'" 0:25:15.015,0:25:18.277 Spurgeon preached a tremendous message 0:25:18.277,0:25:23.304 on this text called, [br]"Compel Them to Come In." 0:25:23.304,0:25:24.901 Notice this. 0:25:24.901,0:25:26.873 Notice what the master is saying. 0:25:26.873,0:25:29.581 "Compel people to come in 0:25:29.581,0:25:31.469 that my house may be filled. 0:25:31.469,0:25:33.095 For I tell you, none of those men 0:25:33.095,0:25:35.909 who were invited shall taste my banquet." 0:25:35.909,0:25:38.636 But it's not because they got invited 0:25:38.636,0:25:41.971 and then they desperately wanted to come 0:25:41.971,0:25:44.955 and were turned away. 0:25:44.955,0:25:50.996 It was only because [br]when the invitation came, 0:25:50.996,0:25:53.282 they thought there were better things 0:25:53.282,0:25:55.101 than the banquet. 0:25:55.101,0:25:56.551 See, there's only one thing 0:25:56.551,0:25:58.101 that prevents people from coming 0:25:58.101,0:26:00.420 to the banquet. 0:26:00.420,0:26:05.720 It's clearly that they loved other things 0:26:05.720,0:26:07.878 more than the banquet. 0:26:07.878,0:26:15.147 They were more important. 0:26:15.147,0:26:19.273 You know, one of the things is 0:26:19.273,0:26:20.946 we have to be honest. 0:26:20.946,0:26:28.346 He's obviously a young guy using "IDK." 0:26:28.346,0:26:31.567 That "IDK" shows up a lot of times here. 0:26:31.567,0:26:34.296 I don't know. I don't know.[br]I don't know. I don't know. 0:26:34.296,0:26:37.229 You know what? You need to know. 0:26:37.229,0:26:39.143 You need to know. 0:26:39.143,0:26:41.281 Can I tell you something? 0:26:41.281,0:26:48.720 Blind Bartimaeus is a great picture. 0:26:48.720,0:26:54.270 Why? Why do I say that? 0:26:54.270,0:26:59.154 Jesus came passing by [br]on His way to Jericho. 0:26:59.154,0:27:03.330 Blind Bartimaeus - what did he do? 0:27:03.330,0:27:08.443 He heard the throng of people going by. 0:27:08.443,0:27:11.633 That's Jesus. 0:27:11.633,0:27:13.884 Jesus, Son of David. 0:27:13.884,0:27:16.722 What did he do? 0:27:16.722,0:27:19.314 What did blind Bartimaeus do? 0:27:19.314,0:27:20.555 He cried out! 0:27:20.555,0:27:22.543 What did the crowd do? 0:27:22.543,0:27:24.804 James: Rebuked him. [br]Telling him to be silent. 0:27:24.804,0:27:28.244 Tim: Shut up! 0:27:28.244,0:27:30.487 Hold your tongue! 0:27:30.487,0:27:31.842 What did he do? 0:27:31.842,0:27:34.544 He kept going. 0:27:34.544,0:27:38.484 You know why? 0:27:38.484,0:27:40.410 Two realities gripped that man. 0:27:40.410,0:27:42.389 Be sure of it. 0:27:42.389,0:27:44.351 I'm blind. 0:27:44.351,0:27:47.832 And my only hope is Christ. 0:27:47.832,0:27:50.659 You see, you don't yell like that 0:27:50.659,0:27:53.266 until there's a proper assessment 0:27:53.266,0:27:55.391 of who you are, what your condition is, 0:27:55.391,0:27:56.563 and who He is 0:27:56.563,0:27:59.313 and that your only hope is found there. 0:27:59.313,0:28:00.715 That is key. 0:28:00.715,0:28:02.776 I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. 0:28:02.776,0:28:03.696 You know what? 0:28:03.696,0:28:05.751 You do need to know. 0:28:05.751,0:28:08.643 We need to be honest with ourselves. 0:28:08.643,0:28:10.548 You know what, no sinner ever gets saved 0:28:10.548,0:28:11.897 until they come face to face 0:28:11.897,0:28:15.009 with what they are. 0:28:15.009,0:28:17.336 Why do sinners flee to Christ? 0:28:17.336,0:28:18.828 Because they come to recognize 0:28:18.828,0:28:21.434 like blind Bartimaeus, 0:28:21.434,0:28:25.471 "Lord..." I mean, they're [br]not going to give up. 0:28:25.471,0:28:28.400 I can remember that night 0:28:28.400,0:28:32.097 when I cried out. 0:28:32.097,0:28:34.240 I mean, I saw what I was. 0:28:34.240,0:28:35.910 And He was my only hope 0:28:35.910,0:28:37.812 and my only help. 0:28:37.812,0:28:39.901 We do need to know. 0:28:39.901,0:28:41.864 Because you remember what Jesus said. 0:28:41.864,0:28:47.655 He said the doctor comes for the sick. 0:28:47.655,0:28:51.046 See, if you waffle around. 0:28:51.046,0:28:53.436 Sometimes the thing with people 0:28:53.436,0:28:58.503 who they don't know if [br]they're saved or lost, 0:28:58.503,0:29:00.550 the real issue is: 0:29:00.550,0:29:04.071 they don't know if [br]they're a sinner or not. 0:29:04.071,0:29:05.878 That's the real issue. 0:29:05.878,0:29:09.478 That's the real issue. 0:29:09.478,0:29:13.216 Well, I don't know if I'm [br]really that bad or not. 0:29:13.216,0:29:16.268 See, blind Bartimaeus was not waffling 0:29:16.268,0:29:18.210 about his blindness. 0:29:18.210,0:29:20.364 He knew. 0:29:20.364,0:29:22.444 He knew. We need to know. 0:29:22.444,0:29:26.909 We need to do serious and honest 0:29:26.909,0:29:30.157 spiritual evaluation. 0:29:30.157,0:29:32.243 We really do. 0:29:32.243,0:29:33.488 Because you know what? 0:29:33.488,0:29:37.456 Nobody, until they recognize, 0:29:37.456,0:29:39.379 I'm blind. 0:29:39.379,0:29:41.350 You see those people in Scripture. 0:29:41.350,0:29:43.180 It was desperation. 0:29:43.180,0:29:45.435 The woman - she had that issue of blood. 0:29:45.435,0:29:49.640 "I've got to get to Him." 0:29:49.640,0:29:53.551 That's the one thing that occupied her. 0:29:53.551,0:29:58.388 Versus what? 0:29:58.388,0:30:02.316 Luke 14 0:30:02.316,0:30:05.101 What were they occupied with? 0:30:05.101,0:30:06.745 A bunch of other things. 0:30:06.745,0:30:09.471 Bunches of other things. 0:30:09.471,0:30:12.872 There's one thing that keeps those people. 0:30:12.872,0:30:13.793 It's their idols. 0:30:13.793,0:30:14.720 It's their sin. 0:30:14.720,0:30:17.871 It's when you love that ox, 0:30:17.871,0:30:19.009 that team of oxen; 0:30:19.009,0:30:20.685 it's when when you love that wife, 0:30:20.685,0:30:22.957 that land more than the banquet. 0:30:22.957,0:30:28.213 Your heart is pulled after other things. 0:30:28.213,0:30:29.854 But they don't recognize, 0:30:29.854,0:30:31.569 because when you get to the place 0:30:31.569,0:30:34.290 where Bartimaeus is, 0:30:34.290,0:30:36.006 you know what? 0:30:36.006,0:30:39.163 Oh, remember those words? 0:30:39.163,0:30:41.880 Remember when the invitation came to him? 0:30:41.880,0:30:43.315 Remember when the invitation 0:30:43.315,0:30:47.556 to the banquet came to him? 0:30:47.556,0:30:50.794 "He's calling you." 0:30:50.794,0:30:53.710 Did you have that looked up? 0:30:53.710,0:30:57.629 Do you have Mark's account? 0:30:57.629,0:31:00.830 Listen when they call him. 0:31:00.830,0:31:03.970 Read what happens when they call him. 0:31:03.970,0:31:05.689 "And Jesus stopped and said, 0:31:05.689,0:31:06.898 'Call him.' 0:31:06.898,0:31:08.421 And they called the blind man, 0:31:08.421,0:31:09.577 saying to him, 0:31:09.577,0:31:13.172 'Take heart. Get up. He is calling you.' 0:31:13.172,0:31:14.373 Throwing off his cloak, 0:31:14.373,0:31:16.796 he sprang up and came to Jesus." 0:31:16.796,0:31:19.228 Listen to that. 0:31:19.228,0:31:21.097 "Jesus said to him, 0:31:21.097,0:31:23.522 'what do you want Me to do for you?' 0:31:23.522,0:31:25.371 And the blind man said to Him, 0:31:25.371,0:31:28.196 'Rabbi, let me recover my sight.' 0:31:28.196,0:31:29.720 Jesus said to him, 0:31:29.720,0:31:32.986 'Go your way. Your faith [br]has made you well.' 0:31:32.986,0:31:34.917 And immediately he recovered his sight 0:31:34.917,0:31:37.318 and followed Him on the way." 0:31:37.318,0:31:39.194 Don't you love that? 0:31:39.194,0:31:41.720 (Incomplete thought) 0:31:41.720,0:31:44.128 That was the invitation. 0:31:44.128,0:31:46.706 Call him. 0:31:46.706,0:31:48.301 He's calling you. 0:31:48.301,0:31:54.493 That's exactly Luke 14. 0:31:54.497,0:31:57.692 Go call them. 0:31:57.692,0:31:59.986 The Master's calling you. 0:31:59.986,0:32:01.794 Remember, there was a master there? 0:32:01.794,0:32:03.139 The invitation went out. 0:32:03.139,0:32:06.329 The Master's calling you. 0:32:06.329,0:32:08.702 Do you know why the wife, 0:32:08.702,0:32:12.023 the field, the oxen? 0:32:12.023,0:32:13.498 Because you don't really know 0:32:13.498,0:32:16.229 who you are and how bad you need that. 0:32:16.229,0:32:18.175 You see, that's the issue. 0:32:18.175,0:32:24.588 Brethren, we have to know. 0:32:24.588,0:32:27.252 I don't know. 0:32:27.252,0:32:28.961 What? I don't know if I'm sick. 0:32:28.961,0:32:30.257 I don't know where I'm at. 0:32:30.257,0:32:33.821 I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. 0:32:33.821,0:32:36.263 Brethren, the thing that [br]you find in Scripture - 0:32:36.263,0:32:38.930 that leper that went to Christ, 0:32:38.930,0:32:41.221 he knew he was a leper. 0:32:41.221,0:32:42.892 The blind man that went to Christ, 0:32:42.892,0:32:44.850 he knew he was blind. 0:32:44.850,0:32:46.489 That Syropheonician woman 0:32:46.489,0:32:48.167 knew her daughter had a demon. 0:32:48.167,0:32:49.769 The man down there at the bottom 0:32:49.769,0:32:51.341 of the Mount of Transfiguration 0:32:51.341,0:32:53.399 knew his son had a demon. 0:32:53.399,0:32:56.128 People in Scripture - they knew. 0:32:56.128,0:32:58.027 They knew they had a problem. 0:32:58.027,0:33:00.942 They knew - my daughter is sick. 0:33:00.942,0:33:03.422 I've got an issue of blood. 0:33:03.422,0:33:04.618 They knew it. 0:33:04.618,0:33:08.733 And I've got to get to Christ. 0:33:08.733,0:33:11.383 Brethren, there's only one [br]way to come to Him. 0:33:11.383,0:33:12.819 And that is desperate, 0:33:12.819,0:33:14.030 and that is helpless, 0:33:14.030,0:33:15.439 and that is broken, 0:33:15.439,0:33:18.468 and that is seeing in Him our only help 0:33:18.468,0:33:23.856 and our only hope. 0:33:23.856,0:33:26.347 "I feel like I'm spiritually dying." 0:33:26.347,0:33:28.020 That's what he said. 0:33:28.020,0:33:30.003 But you know what, we have to step back 0:33:30.003,0:33:31.393 and we have to say, 0:33:31.393,0:33:34.343 well, is there not a cause? 0:33:34.343,0:33:36.702 I mean, is there not a cause? 0:33:36.702,0:33:38.819 We have to ask ourselves that 0:33:38.819,0:33:40.322 even if we're in a place 0:33:40.322,0:33:43.551 where we're solidly [br]grounded as Christians. 0:33:43.551,0:33:47.024 If we start getting into a cold state, 0:33:47.024,0:33:48.715 a backslidden state, 0:33:48.715,0:33:52.245 some kind of spiritual declension, 0:33:52.245,0:33:54.806 we need to ask ourselves this. 0:33:54.806,0:33:57.151 Is there not a cause? 0:33:57.151,0:34:00.111 Did I not get here some way? 0:34:00.111,0:34:02.696 Brethren, we have to be honest. 0:34:02.696,0:34:04.497 We really have to be honest 0:34:04.497,0:34:10.346 with the state of our own souls. 0:34:10.346,0:34:14.207 You know the people that run to Christ? 0:34:14.207,0:34:17.614 The ones that look up and recognize 0:34:17.614,0:34:20.593 I don't have anything to offer. 0:34:20.593,0:34:22.471 I'm poor. 0:34:22.471,0:34:24.156 I don't have any righteousness. 0:34:24.156,0:34:26.192 Lord, I'm guilty. 0:34:26.192,0:34:29.489 I'm guilty. 0:34:29.489,0:34:33.511 That's where I was. 0:34:33.511,0:34:37.164 I don't have any righteousness. 0:34:37.164,0:34:39.838 And I don't have any hope 0:34:39.838,0:34:42.463 other than in Him. 0:34:42.463,0:34:44.891 I am hellbound and I'm going there 0:34:44.891,0:34:46.923 and I deserve to go there. 0:34:46.923,0:34:48.480 And if Christ doesn't save me, 0:34:48.480,0:34:50.407 there's no hope. 0:34:50.407,0:34:51.800 And I cried out. 0:34:51.800,0:34:56.083 You see, when you get to the place 0:34:56.083,0:34:59.679 where you do know 0:34:59.679,0:35:01.075 you're a leper; 0:35:01.075,0:35:05.092 you do know 0:35:05.092,0:35:08.619 Lazarus is dead in that grave; 0:35:08.619,0:35:12.279 you do know you're blind. 0:35:12.279,0:35:14.649 When you do know 0:35:14.649,0:35:17.518 your daughter has a demon. 0:35:17.518,0:35:18.850 You're not ignorant. 0:35:18.850,0:35:20.287 You're not playing games. 0:35:20.287,0:35:21.460 Because you know what? 0:35:21.460,0:35:24.710 A lot of times when we say we don't know, 0:35:24.710,0:35:26.392 it's a mask. 0:35:26.392,0:35:28.487 Because the fact is we do know. 0:35:28.487,0:35:30.603 This statement here, 0:35:30.603,0:35:33.674 "Maybe I have some unrepented stuff. 0:35:33.674,0:35:35.040 I don't know." 0:35:35.040,0:35:38.076 That's not true. 0:35:38.076,0:35:40.067 You do know. 0:35:40.067,0:35:48.496 (Incomplete thought) 0:35:48.496,0:35:50.626 Look, I'm not talking about 0:35:50.626,0:35:54.745 looking under rocks for stuff. 0:35:54.745,0:35:56.755 We're sinners. 0:35:56.755,0:35:59.711 We're sinners by nature. 0:35:59.711,0:36:01.484 We've done things in our life 0:36:01.484,0:36:02.769 and we have idols 0:36:02.769,0:36:09.181 and we're wrecked in ways we do know. 0:36:09.181,0:36:11.492 I mean, you know, the truth is 0:36:11.492,0:36:16.265 if this guy even is a genuine Christian - 0:36:16.265,0:36:19.616 if he is after all this - 0:36:19.616,0:36:23.905 or if you are, 0:36:23.905,0:36:26.611 brethren, if we begin to go into a place 0:36:26.611,0:36:30.666 where we find ourselves spiritually dying, 0:36:30.666,0:36:34.793 the way out is honesty. 0:36:34.793,0:36:35.902 Because you know, 0:36:35.902,0:36:38.314 the only way you get [br]saved in the first place 0:36:38.314,0:36:41.701 is honesty. 0:36:41.701,0:36:44.777 I'm a sinner. 0:36:44.777,0:36:51.667 You see, that was the tax collector. 0:36:51.667,0:36:55.730 God, be merciful to me, the sinner. 0:36:55.730,0:36:57.783 God doesn't save the righteous. 0:36:57.783,0:36:59.239 He never has. 0:36:59.239,0:37:01.919 He doesn't save those who are well. 0:37:01.919,0:37:03.709 And you know how any sinner 0:37:03.709,0:37:04.861 who really gets saved, 0:37:04.861,0:37:06.497 gets saved in the beginning? 0:37:06.497,0:37:08.553 They come desperate.[br]They come broken. 0:37:08.553,0:37:10.860 They come bankrupt.[br]They come guilty. 0:37:10.860,0:37:12.869 They come vile.[br]They come filthy. 0:37:12.869,0:37:15.417 They come a sinner 0:37:15.417,0:37:17.622 to a Savior. 0:37:17.622,0:37:19.178 And you know, the thing is, 0:37:19.178,0:37:21.701 if we begin to fall into some kind 0:37:21.701,0:37:23.620 of spiritual lethargy, 0:37:23.620,0:37:26.430 in the same way we came honest 0:37:26.430,0:37:30.123 in the beginning, we need to come again. 0:37:30.123,0:37:35.990 Lord, the truth is, 0:37:35.990,0:37:41.177 I do have things in my life [br]I need to confess to You, 0:37:41.177,0:37:46.458 and I need to repent of. 0:37:46.458,0:37:48.277 And we do know. 0:37:48.277,0:37:49.274 We know. 0:37:49.274,0:37:52.009 It's just a matter of being honest. 0:37:52.009,0:37:55.569 If we really think, 0:37:55.569,0:37:58.403 if we really think... 0:37:58.403,0:38:05.060 we do know. 0:38:05.060,0:38:08.000 Brethren, no concealment. 0:38:08.000,0:38:10.530 No concealment. 0:38:10.530,0:38:12.215 If we confess our sins, 0:38:12.215,0:38:14.870 He's faithful and just to forgive. 0:38:14.870,0:38:18.143 I really believe there's so much 0:38:18.143,0:38:21.243 in 1 John 1 about fellowship 0:38:21.243,0:38:23.237 and that relationship. 0:38:23.237,0:38:25.542 It's true when we come at first 0:38:25.542,0:38:26.977 and it's true in maintaining 0:38:26.977,0:38:28.927 that relationship with God. 0:38:28.927,0:38:30.565 You cannot be hiding things. 0:38:30.565,0:38:31.812 No concealment. 0:38:31.812,0:38:33.571 There needs to be honesty. 0:38:33.571,0:38:35.288 We can't be compromised. 0:38:35.288,0:38:39.548 Unreserved openness. 0:38:39.548,0:38:42.809 We talked about, Sunday, 0:38:42.809,0:38:45.664 with open face. 0:38:45.664,0:38:47.153 We need to deal with God 0:38:47.153,0:38:50.103 with an unveiled, open face. 0:38:50.103,0:38:53.412 Open hearts before Him. 0:38:53.412,0:38:55.827 We go to Christ as sinners. 0:38:55.827,0:38:57.265 Once we're saved, 0:38:57.265,0:39:01.895 we go to Him as we really are. 0:39:01.895,0:39:03.338 And brethren, the thing is, 0:39:03.338,0:39:06.095 it's the same whether [br]we go to Christ at first 0:39:06.095,0:39:09.324 or whether we go to Him now. 0:39:09.324,0:39:19.074 The truth is that we go to Him to receive. 0:39:19.074,0:39:20.866 He doesn't want anything. 0:39:20.866,0:39:22.893 That's what He says. 0:39:22.893,0:39:25.743 The water of life without price. 0:39:25.743,0:39:28.250 But you know the same thing goes 0:39:28.250,0:39:30.037 in the Christian life. 0:39:30.037,0:39:33.530 Yes, He expects us as Christians 0:39:33.530,0:39:36.894 to be living the righteous life, 0:39:36.894,0:39:39.629 but it's still abiding in Christ. 0:39:39.629,0:39:41.600 He supplies all of our needs. 0:39:41.600,0:39:43.738 He supplies through His riches. 0:39:43.738,0:39:46.377 It doesn't come from us.[br]It doesn't originate with us. 0:39:46.377,0:39:48.608 There's no starting point with us. 0:39:48.608,0:39:50.155 We're not the source. 0:39:50.155,0:39:51.345 We're not the originator 0:39:51.345,0:39:53.244 of anything we need to live this life. 0:39:53.244,0:39:55.575 And we can lose sight of that 0:39:55.575,0:39:58.258 as we walk in this Christian life. 0:39:58.258,0:39:59.759 We can lose sight of the fact 0:39:59.759,0:40:01.957 that we are just as dependent on God now 0:40:01.957,0:40:04.001 as we were at the very beginning. 0:40:04.001,0:40:06.572 And if we become careless and negligent 0:40:06.572,0:40:07.688 of that reality, 0:40:07.688,0:40:09.179 we become self-sufficient; 0:40:09.179,0:40:13.846 we become independent. 0:40:13.846,0:40:16.962 And look, we need to be honest. 0:40:16.962,0:40:20.558 Don't conceal anything. 0:40:20.558,0:40:24.853 And he's admitting willful sin. 0:40:24.853,0:40:26.837 And then he says maybe I have things 0:40:26.837,0:40:31.266 that I need to repent of - I don't know. 0:40:31.266,0:40:32.776 That's the kind of attitude 0:40:32.776,0:40:34.108 that's going to leave you 0:40:34.108,0:40:38.635 in a condition like this. 0:40:38.635,0:40:44.762 I mean, look, when you recognize, 0:40:44.762,0:40:47.417 I'm just like blind Bartimaeus. 0:40:47.417,0:40:50.167 Unless the Son of David comes to me 0:40:50.167,0:40:54.374 and answers my cry, 0:40:54.374,0:40:56.589 there's no help. 0:40:56.589,0:40:57.885 And so what do you do? 0:40:57.885,0:40:59.691 When you really recognize you're blind 0:40:59.691,0:41:02.115 and when you really recognize [br]He's your only help 0:41:02.115,0:41:03.196 and there is no other, 0:41:03.196,0:41:05.231 you are going to cry in desperation 0:41:05.231,0:41:09.135 until He says, "Call him." 0:41:09.135,0:41:10.261 "Come." 0:41:10.261,0:41:11.422 And then what do you do? 0:41:11.422,0:41:15.854 You throw off the garment and you run! 0:41:15.854,0:41:19.180 Why? Because you really saw what you are. 0:41:19.180,0:41:25.076 And you really saw that [br]He is your only hope. 0:41:25.076,0:41:27.219 He says here, 0:41:27.219,0:41:31.883 "I feel like He's done with me." 0:41:31.883,0:41:34.309 Well, I don't know that [br]and he doesn't know that. 0:41:34.309,0:41:35.544 But I can tell you this, 0:41:35.544,0:41:37.642 Jesus Christ is the only Savior of sinners 0:41:37.642,0:41:40.495 and there is no other hope this guy has. 0:41:40.495,0:41:42.497 What are we going to say? 0:41:42.497,0:41:43.743 If we feel this way, 0:41:43.743,0:41:45.475 or if somebody else feels this way, 0:41:45.475,0:41:48.421 what are we going to say? 0:41:48.421,0:41:52.893 So, ok, you feel like God's done with you. 0:41:52.893,0:41:55.260 What? Should you assume He is? 0:41:55.260,0:41:58.152 And just be content to go to hell? 0:41:58.152,0:42:00.117 I wouldn't advise that. 0:42:00.117,0:42:05.312 I wouldn't advise anybody to take that. 0:42:05.312,0:42:08.573 If I'm sitting there [br]like blind Bartimaeus, 0:42:08.573,0:42:11.803 might I say to Christ, 0:42:11.803,0:42:14.236 I'm bad. 0:42:14.236,0:42:16.283 I'm real bad. 0:42:16.283,0:42:19.257 I'm so bad that I don't know [br]if there's any hope for me. 0:42:19.257,0:42:23.859 But, He's the Savior and if [br]anybody's going to help me; 0:42:23.859,0:42:26.681 if anybody's going to provide [br]hope for me it's Him. 0:42:26.681,0:42:28.015 Lord, help me. 0:42:28.015,0:42:30.543 Help somebody that's committed [br]the unpardonable sin, 0:42:30.543,0:42:36.558 because I want to be saved! 0:42:36.558,0:42:45.081 Anyway, brethren, you guys understand, 0:42:45.081,0:42:49.332 saving faith is not [br]believing you're saved. 0:42:49.332,0:42:52.088 That's assurance. 0:42:52.088,0:42:55.034 Saving faith is like blind Bartimaeus 0:42:55.034,0:42:57.055 where you recognize, 0:42:57.055,0:43:06.678 He is my only hope. 0:43:06.678,0:43:09.389 And I'm trusting Him. 0:43:09.389,0:43:11.268 I'm trusting Him to save sinners 0:43:11.268,0:43:13.060 as He shows in His Word 0:43:13.060,0:43:16.628 that He will for those who trust Him. 0:43:16.628,0:43:21.642 Faith believes, 0:43:21.642,0:43:23.347 not that I'm saved; 0:43:23.347,0:43:27.420 faith believes in the Person 0:43:27.420,0:43:29.519 and the work of Christ, 0:43:29.519,0:43:32.996 and that that alone is my hope 0:43:32.996,0:43:35.806 and it satisfied God. 0:43:35.806,0:43:39.637 My only hope. 0:43:39.637,0:43:46.031 Anyway, I think my primary reason 0:43:46.031,0:43:47.621 for bringing this up 0:43:47.621,0:43:52.306 is that we want to be careful, brethren, 0:43:52.306,0:43:58.870 that we don't think wrongly of God 0:43:58.870,0:44:04.464 when we find sinners struggling, 0:44:04.464,0:44:07.053 and assuming and wanting to convince you 0:44:07.053,0:44:09.157 that they're doing [br]everything in their power 0:44:09.157,0:44:10.942 and that they're actually responding 0:44:10.942,0:44:12.129 in a biblical manner, 0:44:12.129,0:44:14.862 and God wants nothing to do with them. 0:44:14.862,0:44:16.807 Don't fall for that. 0:44:16.807,0:44:18.250 Don't fall for that. 0:44:18.250,0:44:26.578 Listen, those who do not [br]want to give up their sins, 0:44:26.578,0:44:31.452 typically find the Gospel [br]very difficult to understand, 0:44:31.452,0:44:33.835 and typically find fault with God 0:44:33.835,0:44:38.564 for not saving them on their terms. 0:44:38.564,0:44:42.948 People that are scared to death of hell, 0:44:42.948,0:44:45.705 but love their sin, 0:44:45.705,0:44:47.981 they will tell you stories 0:44:47.981,0:44:52.036 that will cast a shadow [br]over God's character. 0:44:52.036,0:44:53.179 Beware. 0:44:53.179,0:44:54.409 And the reason they will 0:44:54.409,0:44:56.242 is because they want to get to heaven 0:44:56.242,0:44:57.158 holding their sins, 0:44:57.158,0:44:59.128 and God won't save them 0:44:59.128,0:45:03.075 because they want to skip hell 0:45:03.075,0:45:06.461 and hold on to the sin [br]they so dearly love. 0:45:06.461,0:45:10.950 And you see, that is precisely the thing 0:45:10.950,0:45:13.208 and the only thing 0:45:13.208,0:45:15.553 that keeps men and women from responding 0:45:15.553,0:45:19.686 to the invitation. 0:45:19.686,0:45:22.752 They love their stuff. 0:45:22.752,0:45:25.785 They love their sin. 0:45:25.785,0:45:28.266 And you know, you can imagine the guy. 0:45:28.266,0:45:29.842 You can imagine the guy, right? 0:45:29.842,0:45:32.207 That went to see his oxen? 0:45:32.207,0:45:33.774 Once he comes to recognize, 0:45:33.774,0:45:35.857 you know, ok, I've checked them out now. 0:45:35.857,0:45:37.759 I might like to get into the banquet. 0:45:37.759,0:45:42.577 Now, God's going to keep me out? 0:45:42.577,0:45:44.358 Yeah, be careful. 0:45:44.358,0:45:46.325 Scripture says that if you hear 0:45:46.325,0:45:48.685 the fullness of this truth; 0:45:48.685,0:45:51.275 you hear about the blood of Christ, 0:45:51.275,0:45:54.781 and you go on willfully sinning, 0:45:54.781,0:45:58.305 you may find that the Master is angry 0:45:58.305,0:46:01.054 and you'll never get in. 0:46:01.054,0:46:05.460 Be very careful.[br]Be very careful. 0:46:05.460,0:46:08.255 Brethren, the big thing [br]that I want to stress 0:46:08.255,0:46:10.336 in situations like this 0:46:10.336,0:46:15.673 is we want to stand for [br]the character of God. 0:46:15.673,0:46:19.789 And in Scripture, God sent His Son 0:46:19.789,0:46:21.799 into this world 0:46:21.799,0:46:26.340 to shed tears over His rejectors, 0:46:26.340,0:46:28.361 and to shed tears 0:46:28.361,0:46:34.348 and to exclaim with great pathos 0:46:34.348,0:46:36.967 that I would have gathered you. 0:46:36.967,0:46:40.460 I would have gathered you 0:46:40.460,0:46:42.461 and you would not. 0:46:42.461,0:46:44.028 See, that is the character 0:46:44.028,0:46:49.146 of the God that we find in Scripture. 0:46:49.146,0:46:54.313 Anybody want to add anything to that? 0:46:54.313,0:46:56.490 James: We could maybe just give a thought, 0:46:56.490,0:46:58.225 you mentioned a couple times: 0:46:58.225,0:47:01.059 Come to Christ broken, 0:47:01.059,0:47:04.301 and constant response to that is 0:47:04.301,0:47:06.835 then they look inwardly and think, 0:47:06.835,0:47:08.510 am I broken enough? 0:47:08.510,0:47:11.225 Tim: Yes, and that's so good. 0:47:11.225,0:47:14.621 I was just reading [br]Lloyd-Jones the other day, 0:47:14.621,0:47:16.611 and he said this: 0:47:16.611,0:47:19.437 He said there was a day 0:47:19.437,0:47:24.414 when the term repentance 0:47:24.414,0:47:29.311 communicated weakness. 0:47:29.311,0:47:31.170 What a saying. 0:47:31.170,0:47:34.189 What a thing to say. 0:47:34.189,0:47:38.195 Today, I get this distinct feeling 0:47:38.195,0:47:41.340 when we talk about repentance, 0:47:41.340,0:47:46.615 it doesn't make people think of weakness. 0:47:46.615,0:47:50.747 It makes people think of [br]something they need to do 0:47:50.747,0:47:55.264 in order to get God's attention 0:47:55.264,0:47:56.971 or to get on God's right side 0:47:56.971,0:47:58.764 or to twist His arm. 0:47:58.764,0:48:01.740 But you see, the very [br]nature of saving faith 0:48:01.740,0:48:10.855 and the very nature of true repentance - 0:48:10.855,0:48:14.217 it's blind Bartimaeus. 0:48:14.217,0:48:21.895 It's, "Lord, I don't have [br]anything to offer." 0:48:21.895,0:48:24.038 You see, that's what repentance is. 0:48:24.038,0:48:27.700 The idea of repentance is this idea 0:48:27.700,0:48:30.306 that remember, we talked about this, 0:48:30.306,0:48:32.313 it's re-thinking, but more than that, 0:48:32.313,0:48:34.439 that Greek term metanoia has to do 0:48:34.439,0:48:36.486 with changing your mind. 0:48:36.486,0:48:38.069 What happens? 0:48:38.069,0:48:39.717 Well, basically, we're going along 0:48:39.717,0:48:41.614 and we're thinking we're pretty good. 0:48:41.614,0:48:44.493 We think we're not blind. 0:48:44.493,0:48:46.557 We think we have strength. 0:48:46.557,0:48:49.443 We think we have something to offer God. 0:48:49.443,0:48:57.168 We really think - we heard [br]it today at the funeral - 0:48:57.168,0:49:04.049 people assume that they're good. 0:49:04.049,0:49:08.163 Blind Bartimaeus was in a position 0:49:08.163,0:49:09.781 where there was no assumption 0:49:09.781,0:49:13.477 that he had sight. 0:49:13.477,0:49:19.634 You see, repentance is really a mindset 0:49:19.634,0:49:22.260 that Christ is mighty 0:49:22.260,0:49:27.009 and I don't have anything to offer. 0:49:27.009,0:49:29.920 And then saving faith is beholding, 0:49:29.920,0:49:32.199 that's trusting Christ. 0:49:32.199,0:49:34.969 That's seeing the reality of Him. 0:49:34.969,0:49:38.122 That's hearing this One can restore sight; 0:49:38.122,0:49:40.286 this One can cure the leper; 0:49:40.286,0:49:42.064 this One has raised the palsied; 0:49:42.064,0:49:44.392 He's raised the dead;[br]He's calmed the storm. 0:49:44.392,0:49:47.700 Ah, that's what I need. 0:49:47.700,0:49:49.203 And so it's not so much, 0:49:49.203,0:49:51.868 oh, what can I do 0:49:51.868,0:49:53.722 so that I can get to heaven? 0:49:53.722,0:49:56.935 All it's about is in my desperation 0:49:56.935,0:49:58.252 and my emptiness 0:49:58.252,0:50:01.186 and my bankruptcy, 0:50:01.186,0:50:03.672 I just have to get ahold of Him. 0:50:03.672,0:50:05.507 I have to get His attention. 0:50:05.507,0:50:07.905 That's blind Bartimaeus. 0:50:07.905,0:50:11.289 He cried out. People told him to shut up. 0:50:11.289,0:50:13.492 But he wasn't going to shut up. Why? 0:50:13.492,0:50:15.309 Because his mind had been changed. 0:50:15.309,0:50:16.409 He knew. 0:50:16.409,0:50:17.839 There may have been a day 0:50:17.839,0:50:19.921 when Jesus didn't mean anything to him. 0:50:19.921,0:50:21.394 There may have been a day when 0:50:21.394,0:50:23.323 he had no idea about Jesus 0:50:23.323,0:50:24.490 having that ability, 0:50:24.490,0:50:25.850 but somewhere along the line 0:50:25.850,0:50:28.706 he came to learn about this Savior. 0:50:28.706,0:50:31.111 He came to learn about this One: 0:50:31.111,0:50:33.335 He can heal. 0:50:33.335,0:50:34.883 Word came to him. 0:50:34.883,0:50:35.878 And you remember, 0:50:35.878,0:50:37.791 that was the very thing that Jesus said 0:50:37.791,0:50:41.035 to those cities where most of [br]His mighty works were done. 0:50:41.035,0:50:45.957 He faulted them for not having repented 0:50:45.957,0:50:48.429 after He did those mighty works. 0:50:48.429,0:50:51.593 Well, here's Bartimaeus. 0:50:51.593,0:50:55.434 And he caught wind of those works. 0:50:55.434,0:50:57.460 And something happened in his mind 0:50:57.460,0:50:59.351 and something happened in his thinking, 0:50:59.351,0:51:00.514 and he wasn't thinking, 0:51:00.514,0:51:02.165 oh, how can I produce a repentance 0:51:02.165,0:51:05.314 that is somehow going to [br]work out God's favor here. 0:51:05.314,0:51:07.119 You see, the whole idea of repentance 0:51:07.119,0:51:08.593 is weakness. 0:51:08.593,0:51:11.800 Real repentance brings us to a mindset 0:51:11.800,0:51:16.882 of weakness; not of strength. 0:51:16.882,0:51:20.522 And he recognized, I can't do a thing 0:51:20.522,0:51:23.807 to restore my own sight. 0:51:23.807,0:51:26.382 But if I can just cry out to Him, 0:51:26.382,0:51:28.112 He is my only hope. 0:51:28.112,0:51:29.898 The cry doesn't save me. 0:51:29.898,0:51:31.612 It's the cry to Him. 0:51:31.612,0:51:33.138 I've got to get to Him. 0:51:33.138,0:51:34.926 He's my only hope. 0:51:34.926,0:51:39.782 Oh, think about when he heard those words: 0:51:39.782,0:51:43.067 "He's calling you." 0:51:43.067,0:51:44.423 He threw off his cloak. 0:51:44.423,0:51:45.727 Think about that. 0:51:45.727,0:51:49.498 Blind men don't throw off their cloak. 0:51:49.498,0:51:51.422 Blind men are going to keep in contact 0:51:51.422,0:51:53.368 with the stuff that is precious to them, 0:51:53.368,0:51:54.977 and I guarantee you a blind man 0:51:54.977,0:51:56.403 would have valued his cloak. 0:51:56.403,0:52:00.456 He threw it off because it [br]didn't matter anymore. 0:52:00.456,0:52:01.941 Because it wasn't like the wife 0:52:01.941,0:52:04.994 or the oxen or the field. 0:52:04.994,0:52:07.023 It didn't matter. 0:52:07.023,0:52:09.123 He's calling me and He's my only hope. 0:52:09.123,0:52:10.267 And if I can get to Him, 0:52:10.267,0:52:12.211 I don't care about anything else. 0:52:12.211,0:52:13.842 I've got to get to Him. 0:52:13.842,0:52:15.273 I don't care. 0:52:15.273,0:52:18.462 People that talk like this guy talks, 0:52:18.462,0:52:20.403 and then if you were to take a snapshot 0:52:20.403,0:52:23.983 of their life and see them [br]surfing the Internet, 0:52:23.983,0:52:27.285 and see them spending hours on video games 0:52:27.285,0:52:31.971 and see them watching smut on TV. 0:52:31.971,0:52:40.223 See, when you know He's my only hope, 0:52:40.223,0:52:42.707 and I'm sick and I'm blind 0:52:42.707,0:52:44.066 and I'm bankrupt 0:52:44.066,0:52:45.378 and I'm in trouble 0:52:45.378,0:52:46.380 and I'm guilty 0:52:46.380,0:52:48.053 and I'm a sinner before God 0:52:48.053,0:52:49.597 and I'm going to hell - 0:52:49.597,0:52:51.026 you will cry out. 0:52:51.026,0:52:54.199 Bartimaeus did not all of a sudden 0:52:54.199,0:52:55.996 decide that he was going to go 0:52:55.996,0:52:57.623 over to the other side of Jericho 0:52:57.623,0:52:58.728 and beg for awhile 0:52:58.728,0:53:05.418 and then he would worry [br]about finding Jesus later. 0:53:05.418,0:53:09.856 When you come to the realization, 0:53:09.856,0:53:12.154 when you do a proper spiritual inventory 0:53:12.154,0:53:14.205 and you recognize, 0:53:14.205,0:53:16.382 I am lost and I'm going to hell 0:53:16.382,0:53:17.964 and I am under God's wrath, 0:53:17.964,0:53:20.478 and it is not well with my soul, 0:53:20.478,0:53:23.161 and I'm going to perish, 0:53:23.161,0:53:24.688 and I need Christ. 0:53:24.688,0:53:28.423 He is my only hope and my only help. 0:53:28.423,0:53:32.084 That's it. 0:53:32.084,0:53:34.724 (Incomplete thought) 0:53:34.724,0:53:37.018 If you're here in that condition, 0:53:37.018,0:53:39.863 throw off the cloak 0:53:39.863,0:53:41.439 and run. 0:53:41.439,0:53:43.133 But the throwing off of the cloak 0:53:43.133,0:53:45.027 and the running don't do you anything, 0:53:45.027,0:53:47.176 don't look at that. 0:53:47.176,0:53:50.125 Can you imagine him? 0:53:50.125,0:53:53.419 He threw off those things. 0:53:53.419,0:53:55.468 Can you imagine him? 0:53:55.468,0:53:56.815 Can you imagine watching, 0:53:56.815,0:53:59.615 here's a blind man. 0:53:59.615,0:54:01.651 He had some idea of the direction 0:54:01.651,0:54:03.012 that Jesus was in. 0:54:03.012,0:54:05.147 He might have heard Jesus even. 0:54:05.147,0:54:11.046 I don't know, but he took off. 0:54:11.046,0:54:13.218 Can you imagine a blind man just running? 0:54:13.218,0:54:15.839 It's like he didn't care. 0:54:15.839,0:54:18.323 His one thought: 0:54:18.323,0:54:20.336 I've got to get to Christ. 0:54:20.336,0:54:21.833 Get to Christ. 0:54:21.833,0:54:24.996 I've got to get to Christ. 0:54:24.996,0:54:27.151 And his life proved it. 0:54:27.151,0:54:31.570 What he did proved the [br]nature of that repentance 0:54:31.570,0:54:34.284 and of that faith. 0:54:34.284,0:54:36.060 Yeah, such a question, it would be 0:54:36.060,0:54:38.077 so ridiculous to Bartimaeus. 0:54:38.077,0:54:40.945 Are you blind enough? 0:54:40.945,0:54:43.941 Do you sense your blindness enough? 0:54:43.941,0:54:48.682 Obviously, he was blind enough. 0:54:48.682,0:54:51.262 And obviously, he did sense his blindness. 0:54:51.262,0:54:56.019 But his focus was on that reality, 0:54:56.019,0:55:01.476 that I've got to get to Christ. 0:55:01.476,0:55:10.392 I've got to get to Christ. 0:55:10.392,0:55:14.600 Anybody have anything else? 0:55:14.600,0:55:24.525 Father, 0:55:24.525,0:55:31.848 Father, we know that You save sinners. 0:55:31.848,0:55:36.678 Lord, we know that from beginning to end, 0:55:36.678,0:55:40.997 we don't love first. You love first. 0:55:40.997,0:55:48.197 We don't call first. You call first. 0:55:48.197,0:55:57.967 We don't see first. You see first. 0:55:57.967,0:56:01.999 Being saved does not originate 0:56:01.999,0:56:05.356 in our own minds. 0:56:05.356,0:56:09.797 Being able to behold the reality 0:56:09.797,0:56:13.477 of our only hope being in Christ. 0:56:13.477,0:56:16.012 We even read about this on Sunday. 0:56:16.012,0:56:19.403 There's a veil. 0:56:19.403,0:56:21.655 We recognize that the god of this world 0:56:21.655,0:56:24.174 blinds the eyes of unbelievers 0:56:24.174,0:56:26.064 and those that are perishing. 0:56:26.064,0:56:30.569 Lord, have mercy and save sinners. 0:56:30.569,0:56:34.139 Lord, please, in this day, 0:56:34.139,0:56:40.188 bring sweeping - Lord, sweeping salvation 0:56:40.188,0:56:42.747 to multitudes, we pray, Lord, 0:56:42.747,0:56:44.773 may this be a day of salvation. 0:56:44.773,0:56:48.327 May today be the day of salvation. 0:56:48.327,0:56:49.949 Lord, would You have mercy upon 0:56:49.949,0:56:56.219 the masses of humanity in our country. 0:56:56.219,0:57:01.171 Lord, I pray for Joseph. 0:57:01.171,0:57:06.340 Lord, I pray. I pray for him. 0:57:06.340,0:57:11.917 Lord, there's no sinner beyond Your reach. 0:57:11.917,0:57:14.645 We just pray that You'd have mercy. 0:57:14.645,0:57:18.426 We pray, Lord, have mercy upon sinners, 0:57:18.426,0:57:20.555 just like him. 0:57:20.555,0:57:24.118 Just like we were; maybe some of us are. 0:57:24.118,0:57:27.332 Mercy, Lord. We pray for mercy. 0:57:27.332,0:57:28.525 Aside from Your mercy, 0:57:28.525,0:57:30.981 aside from Your compassion - 0:57:30.981,0:57:34.624 Lord, You sent Your Son. 0:57:34.624,0:57:38.551 And we see His tears by faith 0:57:38.551,0:57:43.715 as articulated there for us in Luke 19. 0:57:43.715,0:57:47.278 We see those tears. 0:57:47.278,0:57:51.796 Lord, may the reality of those tears 0:57:51.796,0:57:55.459 be demonstrated in our presence 0:57:55.459,0:58:01.833 in this generation, 0:58:01.833,0:58:04.833 by You sweeping many into the Kingdom. 0:58:04.833,0:58:06.520 We pray this in Christ's name, 0:58:06.520,0:58:07.899 Amen.