1 00:00:05,401 --> 00:00:08,115 This is something that I know that 2 00:00:08,115 --> 00:00:13,601 James and I encounter on a regular basis. 3 00:00:13,601 --> 00:00:16,261 And maybe some of the others of you 4 00:00:16,261 --> 00:00:19,084 can relate to dealing with people like this 5 00:00:19,084 --> 00:00:21,214 or even maybe in your own life 6 00:00:21,214 --> 00:00:27,314 there's these kind of wrestlings. 7 00:00:27,314 --> 00:00:31,646 From Joseph Foster: 8 00:00:31,646 --> 00:00:33,914 "Pastor Tim, 9 00:00:33,914 --> 00:00:37,131 I feel like I'm spiritually dying." 10 00:00:37,131 --> 00:00:38,866 In fact, I thought, that's probably 11 00:00:38,866 --> 00:00:40,548 a good name for the study tonight. 12 00:00:40,548 --> 00:00:45,296 I feel like I'm spiritually dying. 13 00:00:45,296 --> 00:00:47,218 "My desires for God 14 00:00:47,218 --> 00:00:52,550 have come and gone, 15 00:00:52,550 --> 00:00:56,007 and I don't know what's happening. 16 00:00:56,007 --> 00:01:00,202 Maybe I committed the unpardonable 17 00:01:00,202 --> 00:01:04,476 with my willful sin. 18 00:01:04,476 --> 00:01:08,409 I need help, because I can see God 19 00:01:08,409 --> 00:01:13,230 in everything except for my life. 20 00:01:13,230 --> 00:01:15,718 I know that the gifts and call of God 21 00:01:15,718 --> 00:01:17,307 is without repentance, 22 00:01:17,307 --> 00:01:20,340 but somehow I feel like He's done with me. 23 00:01:20,340 --> 00:01:23,324 I pray every day and ask the Lord 24 00:01:23,324 --> 00:01:24,791 to deliver me or shed light 25 00:01:24,791 --> 00:01:26,529 or show me what I must do. 26 00:01:26,529 --> 00:01:30,306 Maybe I have some unrepented stuff. 27 00:01:30,306 --> 00:01:32,211 I don't know. 28 00:01:32,211 --> 00:01:35,491 All I know is God is silent 29 00:01:35,491 --> 00:01:37,965 and I think He left me. 30 00:01:37,965 --> 00:01:41,496 Yet, I'm still holding on and praying. 31 00:01:41,496 --> 00:01:43,959 I'm the worst ever, 32 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:46,297 and I need help. 33 00:01:46,297 --> 00:01:50,511 I don't know what to do or say to Him. 34 00:01:50,511 --> 00:01:53,554 Please, if you could possibly pray for me 35 00:01:53,554 --> 00:01:55,189 and maybe pray about it 36 00:01:55,189 --> 00:01:57,497 and see what the Lord says to you, 37 00:01:57,497 --> 00:01:59,228 I'd appreciate it. 38 00:01:59,228 --> 00:02:01,620 I don't know if I'm even saved, 39 00:02:01,620 --> 00:02:04,747 but I heard God call me once. 40 00:02:04,747 --> 00:02:06,837 I remember when He delivered me 41 00:02:06,837 --> 00:02:08,273 and changed me, 42 00:02:08,273 --> 00:02:10,060 but I've fallen into somewhere 43 00:02:10,060 --> 00:02:12,576 I don't want to be. 44 00:02:12,576 --> 00:02:16,655 I've never been in such a bad place spiritually. 45 00:02:16,655 --> 00:02:19,086 I haven't been a Christian long, 46 00:02:19,086 --> 00:02:21,610 but I know the Word." 47 00:02:21,610 --> 00:02:23,491 And obviously, you can see some 48 00:02:23,491 --> 00:02:25,105 back and forth here. 49 00:02:25,105 --> 00:02:27,324 I don't know if I'm even saved, 50 00:02:27,324 --> 00:02:28,893 and then he says, 51 00:02:28,893 --> 00:02:30,511 I remember when He delivered me 52 00:02:30,511 --> 00:02:31,578 and changed me. 53 00:02:31,578 --> 00:02:33,798 He says I haven't been a Christian long, 54 00:02:33,798 --> 00:02:34,917 but I know the Word. 55 00:02:34,917 --> 00:02:37,905 At the same time, he says, 56 00:02:37,905 --> 00:02:43,190 I'm in a place where I never wanted to be. 57 00:02:43,190 --> 00:02:47,069 I've never been in such a bad place spiritually. 58 00:02:47,069 --> 00:02:49,190 I may have committed the unpardonable sin 59 00:02:49,190 --> 00:02:54,603 with my willful sin. 60 00:02:54,603 --> 00:03:02,334 So, it's obvious there's lots of confusion. 61 00:03:02,334 --> 00:03:06,216 "I've fallen into somewhere I don't want to be. 62 00:03:06,216 --> 00:03:08,544 I've never been in such a bad place spiritually. 63 00:03:08,544 --> 00:03:11,126 I haven't been a Christian long, but I know the Word. 64 00:03:11,126 --> 00:03:13,419 Maybe, I don't know the power of God. 65 00:03:13,419 --> 00:03:23,450 I need help. Please." 66 00:03:23,450 --> 00:03:25,545 James, how often do you get something 67 00:03:25,545 --> 00:03:28,705 of this nature? 68 00:03:28,705 --> 00:03:31,004 James: Every week. 69 00:03:31,004 --> 00:03:35,665 Tim: Yeah, when the church phone 70 00:03:35,665 --> 00:03:38,733 rang my phone, 71 00:03:38,733 --> 00:03:41,147 and when my email address 72 00:03:41,147 --> 00:03:44,637 was public information, 73 00:03:44,637 --> 00:03:48,272 I got them oftentimes more than once a week. 74 00:03:48,272 --> 00:03:49,886 In fact, some people, 75 00:03:49,886 --> 00:03:51,793 once they start calling - 76 00:03:51,793 --> 00:03:52,675 do you get that? 77 00:03:52,675 --> 00:03:53,864 Some of the same people 78 00:03:53,864 --> 00:03:55,096 over and over and over? 79 00:03:55,096 --> 00:03:58,187 Like, sometimes even more than once a day. 80 00:03:58,189 --> 00:04:01,094 James: I've been emailing him for years. 81 00:04:01,094 --> 00:04:03,002 Tim: So, this is a guy that you didn't 82 00:04:03,002 --> 00:04:04,772 just get one message from. 83 00:04:04,772 --> 00:04:07,311 James: Yeah, and he probably sent that a year ago. 84 00:04:07,311 --> 00:04:08,316 Tim: Probably. 85 00:04:08,316 --> 00:04:10,994 And I thought answering this 86 00:04:10,994 --> 00:04:13,115 is not just good for him 87 00:04:13,115 --> 00:04:15,535 if he happened to listen, 88 00:04:15,535 --> 00:04:19,555 but numerous people - 89 00:04:19,555 --> 00:04:21,600 for one, you've got numerous people 90 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:24,057 that they don't know if they're saved. 91 00:04:24,057 --> 00:04:25,207 They're back and forth. 92 00:04:25,207 --> 00:04:26,899 Am I in? Am I out? 93 00:04:26,899 --> 00:04:29,322 They've got things happening in their life 94 00:04:29,322 --> 00:04:39,259 that they're not certain what to make of it. 95 00:04:39,259 --> 00:04:41,355 Am I Christian? Am I not a Christian? 96 00:04:41,355 --> 00:04:43,201 They recognize something's not good. 97 00:04:43,201 --> 00:04:44,994 Something's not right. 98 00:04:44,994 --> 00:04:47,477 They recognize God is silent. 99 00:04:47,477 --> 00:04:49,207 And on top of that, 100 00:04:49,207 --> 00:04:52,327 you have people all the time, 101 00:04:52,327 --> 00:04:54,540 and I think it's a favorite with the devil 102 00:04:54,540 --> 00:04:56,478 to really use the unpardonable sin 103 00:04:56,478 --> 00:05:01,245 just to paralyze people spiritually. 104 00:05:01,245 --> 00:05:04,410 And I know, when we did 105 00:05:04,410 --> 00:05:08,431 a full-blown message on the unpardonable sin one time 106 00:05:08,431 --> 00:05:10,321 and I mentioned in there 107 00:05:10,321 --> 00:05:13,275 my own testimony that shortly after I was saved, 108 00:05:13,275 --> 00:05:16,893 I came under the grips of that kind of thing, 109 00:05:16,893 --> 00:05:19,088 and God took me through it 110 00:05:19,088 --> 00:05:21,509 and just gave me real assurance 111 00:05:21,509 --> 00:05:23,985 in my own soul. 112 00:05:23,985 --> 00:05:26,929 But, you know, one of the things is 113 00:05:26,929 --> 00:05:30,170 James has been dealing with this guy 114 00:05:30,170 --> 00:05:32,780 for a long time. 115 00:05:32,780 --> 00:05:38,798 And see, the thing about one paragraph like this 116 00:05:38,798 --> 00:05:41,659 is there's so much 117 00:05:41,659 --> 00:05:44,659 that you really need clarity on; 118 00:05:44,659 --> 00:05:46,422 there's so much that you need 119 00:05:46,422 --> 00:05:47,737 to talk to somebody about; 120 00:05:47,737 --> 00:05:51,010 there's so much you need to dig into. 121 00:05:51,010 --> 00:05:54,379 Because here's the problem, 122 00:05:54,379 --> 00:06:03,086 when people give you a paragraph like this, 123 00:06:03,086 --> 00:06:08,881 the thing is people often - 124 00:06:08,881 --> 00:06:11,044 because we kind of have this built-in 125 00:06:11,044 --> 00:06:13,547 protection mechanism - 126 00:06:13,547 --> 00:06:19,586 people often present things in a way 127 00:06:19,586 --> 00:06:23,575 that they are wanting pity. 128 00:06:23,575 --> 00:06:25,586 I mean, you see this. 129 00:06:25,586 --> 00:06:28,008 You can see this if you've got a situation 130 00:06:28,008 --> 00:06:29,401 like in a pastoral situation 131 00:06:29,401 --> 00:06:31,595 where we've got a problem between two people, 132 00:06:31,595 --> 00:06:34,767 and you know, if you hear one person's side, 133 00:06:34,767 --> 00:06:38,339 you're going to get a story 134 00:06:38,339 --> 00:06:41,287 a lot of times that is very one-sided 135 00:06:41,287 --> 00:06:43,481 because you're getting their side, 136 00:06:43,481 --> 00:06:45,249 and it's going to be that way. 137 00:06:45,249 --> 00:06:49,810 And oftentimes, when you hear it presented, 138 00:06:49,810 --> 00:06:53,097 well, it's presented in a light - 139 00:06:53,097 --> 00:06:55,876 they're going to emphasize the things 140 00:06:55,876 --> 00:06:57,562 that they want to emphasize, 141 00:06:57,562 --> 00:06:59,285 because there is an agenda here 142 00:06:59,285 --> 00:07:03,887 to prove oneself right. 143 00:07:03,887 --> 00:07:06,303 Oftentimes, it's not surprising 144 00:07:06,303 --> 00:07:08,714 that people have defense mechanisms up 145 00:07:08,714 --> 00:07:10,454 and they want to protect themselves, 146 00:07:10,454 --> 00:07:12,857 and they desire to be in the right, 147 00:07:12,857 --> 00:07:14,613 and they desire to have pity, 148 00:07:14,613 --> 00:07:16,247 and they desire other people 149 00:07:16,247 --> 00:07:18,304 to show compassion to them 150 00:07:18,304 --> 00:07:19,610 and feel for them. 151 00:07:19,610 --> 00:07:21,983 So there's a sense, 152 00:07:21,983 --> 00:07:25,543 when you can present things, 153 00:07:25,543 --> 00:07:29,598 and you don't always get all the details. 154 00:07:29,598 --> 00:07:33,071 Sometimes you don't get some of the most relevant details, 155 00:07:33,071 --> 00:07:37,000 and James, if he just unfolded with this guy, 156 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:39,125 he could probably tell you things 157 00:07:39,125 --> 00:07:41,285 that are not expressed here 158 00:07:41,285 --> 00:07:45,787 that are really critical and necessary 159 00:07:45,787 --> 00:07:48,016 to try to properly diagnose 160 00:07:48,016 --> 00:07:52,535 where a guy like this is at spiritually. 161 00:07:52,535 --> 00:07:58,467 But, I think there's some general things 162 00:07:58,467 --> 00:08:00,866 we can say about a situation like this 163 00:08:00,866 --> 00:08:06,148 that can be really helpful. 164 00:08:06,148 --> 00:08:09,691 Think about what he's saying. 165 00:08:09,691 --> 00:08:20,062 Think about the impression that you get here. 166 00:08:20,062 --> 00:08:22,475 You get the feeling 167 00:08:22,475 --> 00:08:28,994 that very often, very often, 168 00:08:28,994 --> 00:08:34,328 you get the feeling from people 169 00:08:34,328 --> 00:08:37,936 that they are in a situation 170 00:08:37,936 --> 00:08:40,168 that if it was in their control, 171 00:08:40,168 --> 00:08:42,354 they would not be in. 172 00:08:42,354 --> 00:08:43,541 See what I'm saying? 173 00:08:43,541 --> 00:08:45,737 You get this sense 174 00:08:45,737 --> 00:08:48,697 that they want to be saved, 175 00:08:48,697 --> 00:08:50,925 but God's not saving them. 176 00:08:50,925 --> 00:08:53,307 Or they want to have assurance, 177 00:08:53,307 --> 00:08:55,109 but God's not giving it to them. 178 00:08:55,109 --> 00:08:57,231 You see, it's presented in a way: 179 00:08:57,231 --> 00:09:00,051 Well, I want this. I want this. 180 00:09:00,051 --> 00:09:01,974 I would gladly be converted. 181 00:09:01,974 --> 00:09:04,265 I would gladly be a healthy Christian. 182 00:09:04,265 --> 00:09:06,510 I would gladly have all this assurance, 183 00:09:06,510 --> 00:09:08,916 if it were in my power to do it. 184 00:09:08,916 --> 00:09:12,270 If it were up to me, that's what I would have. 185 00:09:12,270 --> 00:09:14,201 That's the condition I would be in. 186 00:09:14,201 --> 00:09:15,926 I would be a very healthy Christian. 187 00:09:15,926 --> 00:09:17,120 I would have assurance. 188 00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:18,644 I would be walking well. 189 00:09:18,644 --> 00:09:20,672 I would be pleasing the Lord. 190 00:09:20,672 --> 00:09:24,246 (Incomplete thought) 191 00:09:24,246 --> 00:09:28,160 It's presented in the way it comes across, 192 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:30,710 they believe that they're doing everything 193 00:09:30,710 --> 00:09:32,726 they can possibly do 194 00:09:32,726 --> 00:09:35,707 in order to make things right with God, 195 00:09:35,707 --> 00:09:37,295 but God isn't coming through. 196 00:09:37,295 --> 00:09:39,350 And if you didn't hear that in this, 197 00:09:39,350 --> 00:09:42,129 let me emphasize something again. 198 00:09:42,129 --> 00:09:47,491 He says this: 199 00:09:47,491 --> 00:09:49,389 "Maybe I have some unrepented stuff. 200 00:09:49,389 --> 00:09:51,451 I don't know. 201 00:09:51,451 --> 00:09:57,168 All I know is God is silent, 202 00:09:57,168 --> 00:09:59,179 and I think He left me. 203 00:09:59,179 --> 00:10:02,769 Yet, I'm still holding on..." 204 00:10:02,769 --> 00:10:07,187 God left me. I'm holding on. 205 00:10:07,187 --> 00:10:10,651 "...and praying. 206 00:10:10,651 --> 00:10:13,226 I'm the worst ever and I need help." 207 00:10:13,226 --> 00:10:15,386 Do you see the feeling that you're getting? 208 00:10:15,386 --> 00:10:19,920 I need help and God's not helping me. 209 00:10:19,920 --> 00:10:23,805 He says, "I don't know what to do 210 00:10:23,805 --> 00:10:25,831 or say to Him." 211 00:10:25,831 --> 00:10:28,691 In other words, I've expended myself. 212 00:10:28,691 --> 00:10:30,663 I've gone to Him for help. 213 00:10:30,663 --> 00:10:32,694 I've said everything I know how to say. 214 00:10:32,694 --> 00:10:34,527 I've done everything I know how to do. 215 00:10:34,527 --> 00:10:36,256 And He's not helping me. 216 00:10:36,256 --> 00:10:39,272 "Please. If you could possibly pray for me. 217 00:10:39,272 --> 00:10:40,583 Maybe pray about it 218 00:10:40,583 --> 00:10:42,856 and see what the Lord says to you. 219 00:10:42,856 --> 00:10:47,414 I'd appreciate it." 220 00:10:47,414 --> 00:10:51,161 And so, you see what he's saying here? 221 00:10:51,161 --> 00:10:53,226 He's saying I'm holding on. 222 00:10:53,226 --> 00:10:54,823 I'm praying. 223 00:10:54,823 --> 00:10:57,839 You get this idea again 224 00:10:57,839 --> 00:11:00,819 that he's assuming 225 00:11:00,819 --> 00:11:05,540 he would gladly make everything right with God. 226 00:11:05,540 --> 00:11:08,037 Brethren, let me tell you. 227 00:11:08,037 --> 00:11:15,620 Look, I feel for this guy in this sense. 228 00:11:15,620 --> 00:11:18,273 Is there confusion? Yes. 229 00:11:18,273 --> 00:11:20,973 Is there frustration? Yes. 230 00:11:20,973 --> 00:11:25,433 Is there ignorance? Yes. 231 00:11:25,433 --> 00:11:29,708 I mean, to be in the place he is. 232 00:11:29,708 --> 00:11:32,311 I feel pity for him. 233 00:11:32,311 --> 00:11:38,724 But listen, we need to listen very carefully 234 00:11:38,724 --> 00:11:42,246 when people speak this way. 235 00:11:42,246 --> 00:11:47,312 Listen, if anybody says to us; 236 00:11:47,312 --> 00:11:49,331 they come across in this way, 237 00:11:49,331 --> 00:11:52,818 that I'm doing everything 238 00:11:52,818 --> 00:11:55,805 and God won't save me. 239 00:11:55,805 --> 00:12:00,597 I'm willing to be saved. 240 00:12:00,597 --> 00:12:04,677 I'm willing to be right. 241 00:12:04,677 --> 00:12:09,809 I'm willing to have a relationship with God. 242 00:12:09,809 --> 00:12:12,186 But God is silent. 243 00:12:12,186 --> 00:12:14,041 God's not helping. 244 00:12:14,041 --> 00:12:15,832 God's not coming. 245 00:12:15,832 --> 00:12:18,248 You see, you need to be very careful - 246 00:12:18,248 --> 00:12:22,125 very careful that you pity 247 00:12:22,125 --> 00:12:26,554 an individual like that, 248 00:12:26,554 --> 00:12:29,278 and fall into basically 249 00:12:29,278 --> 00:12:31,064 putting your arm around them 250 00:12:31,064 --> 00:12:33,515 and staring at God like this. 251 00:12:33,515 --> 00:12:37,477 You know? What are You doing? 252 00:12:37,477 --> 00:12:39,729 Lord, what are You doing? 253 00:12:39,729 --> 00:12:41,464 And you can do that. 254 00:12:41,464 --> 00:12:43,054 You can do that. 255 00:12:43,054 --> 00:12:44,999 You have to be real careful. 256 00:12:44,999 --> 00:12:48,170 Because look, the fact is 257 00:12:48,170 --> 00:12:52,662 that when you go to Scripture, 258 00:12:52,662 --> 00:12:54,949 do you ever find - 259 00:12:54,949 --> 00:12:59,601 do you ever find? 260 00:12:59,601 --> 00:13:01,633 I was thinking the other day, 261 00:13:01,633 --> 00:13:05,054 years ago, years ago, years ago... 262 00:13:05,054 --> 00:13:09,742 I saw this Hollywood production - 263 00:13:09,742 --> 00:13:15,010 Was it called "The Robe?" 264 00:13:15,010 --> 00:13:17,452 Something that was made 265 00:13:17,452 --> 00:13:22,395 about some Roman soldier. 266 00:13:22,395 --> 00:13:26,937 It was "Ben Hur" or it was "The Robe" or something. 267 00:13:26,937 --> 00:13:32,005 And there was a woman 268 00:13:32,005 --> 00:13:34,784 portrayed in the movie 269 00:13:34,784 --> 00:13:39,337 who was basically on a stretcher - 270 00:13:39,337 --> 00:13:41,180 on a bed - 271 00:13:41,180 --> 00:13:43,905 and they were hauling her around. 272 00:13:43,905 --> 00:13:44,985 And she said, 273 00:13:44,985 --> 00:13:48,226 I asked the Master to heal me 274 00:13:48,226 --> 00:13:50,349 and He didn't. 275 00:13:50,349 --> 00:13:52,395 And He told me that it was God's will 276 00:13:52,395 --> 00:13:55,171 that I not be healed. 277 00:13:55,171 --> 00:13:56,846 Anybody see that movie? 278 00:13:56,846 --> 00:13:58,967 Anybody know what I'm talking about? 279 00:13:58,967 --> 00:14:01,021 Maybe it's probably best you don't. 280 00:14:01,021 --> 00:14:02,650 But I've always remembered that, 281 00:14:02,650 --> 00:14:05,519 that how dare Hollywood do that! 282 00:14:05,519 --> 00:14:07,414 How dare they do that! 283 00:14:07,414 --> 00:14:10,205 That is no small thing, 284 00:14:10,205 --> 00:14:13,073 because there is no account like that in the Bible. 285 00:14:13,073 --> 00:14:16,363 There is no account of somebody 286 00:14:16,363 --> 00:14:20,242 genuinely going to the Lord for help 287 00:14:20,242 --> 00:14:22,078 and He turned His back on them. 288 00:14:22,078 --> 00:14:23,699 Never. 289 00:14:23,699 --> 00:14:26,683 In fact, do you know what you find? 290 00:14:26,683 --> 00:14:29,538 Weeping. 291 00:14:29,538 --> 00:14:33,997 "How often I would have gathered you, 292 00:14:33,997 --> 00:14:36,640 and you would not." 293 00:14:36,640 --> 00:14:41,894 Brethren, we need to be aware 294 00:14:41,894 --> 00:14:47,895 of just how God presents Himself in Scripture. 295 00:14:47,895 --> 00:14:51,368 Look, what can happen is 296 00:14:51,368 --> 00:14:53,375 you begin to get exposed 297 00:14:53,375 --> 00:14:56,047 to accounts like this, 298 00:14:56,047 --> 00:15:00,416 and you can begin to suppose 299 00:15:00,416 --> 00:15:03,176 because this is how they feel, 300 00:15:03,176 --> 00:15:04,860 God is cruel. 301 00:15:04,860 --> 00:15:06,975 God is standoffish. 302 00:15:06,975 --> 00:15:09,174 God doesn't want to help me. 303 00:15:09,174 --> 00:15:12,565 God is just up there 304 00:15:12,565 --> 00:15:16,770 and in all my desperation 305 00:15:16,770 --> 00:15:18,745 and all my cries for help, 306 00:15:18,745 --> 00:15:24,009 He just ignores me. 307 00:15:24,009 --> 00:15:25,294 And that's not the case. 308 00:15:25,294 --> 00:15:28,198 That's not how we find the Lord in Scripture. 309 00:15:28,198 --> 00:15:31,265 That is not how we find it at all. 310 00:15:31,265 --> 00:15:33,546 And I know I've brought this verse up before, 311 00:15:33,546 --> 00:15:35,504 but I think it's worth looking at again. 312 00:15:35,504 --> 00:15:38,312 Look at Luke 14. 313 00:15:38,312 --> 00:15:42,606 I really dealt strongly with this text 314 00:15:42,606 --> 00:15:46,187 when I dealt with hyper-Calvinism. 315 00:15:46,187 --> 00:15:52,193 But brethren, we want to think right. 316 00:15:52,193 --> 00:15:59,852 Don't let sinners 317 00:15:59,852 --> 00:16:03,565 who claim to be seeking for God and not find Him - 318 00:16:03,565 --> 00:16:08,122 don't ever let them change your view of God 319 00:16:08,122 --> 00:16:11,494 from a solidly biblical view of God, 320 00:16:11,494 --> 00:16:13,960 and from a solidly biblical view 321 00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:17,744 of the free offer of the Gospel. 322 00:16:17,744 --> 00:16:21,161 Sometimes, we can take sinners 323 00:16:21,161 --> 00:16:25,940 just far too much at their word 324 00:16:25,940 --> 00:16:29,891 to the place where we begin to question God. 325 00:16:29,891 --> 00:16:33,131 And to the place where a shadow comes over. 326 00:16:33,131 --> 00:16:37,288 Be careful 327 00:16:37,288 --> 00:16:39,458 when unconverted people 328 00:16:39,458 --> 00:16:40,720 or people like this, 329 00:16:40,720 --> 00:16:42,481 who they don't know if they're in, 330 00:16:42,481 --> 00:16:44,775 they don't know if they're out, 331 00:16:44,775 --> 00:16:50,476 that they're doing everything 332 00:16:50,476 --> 00:16:52,625 that He requires, 333 00:16:52,625 --> 00:16:53,617 and they're praying, 334 00:16:53,617 --> 00:16:55,044 and they're calling upon Him, 335 00:16:55,044 --> 00:16:57,179 and they're believing, and they're trusting, 336 00:16:57,179 --> 00:16:58,668 and they're repenting, 337 00:16:58,668 --> 00:17:01,836 but God isn't doing anything. 338 00:17:01,836 --> 00:17:04,752 Because that just isn't true. 339 00:17:04,752 --> 00:17:11,635 Listen, if God hasn't saved somebody, 340 00:17:11,635 --> 00:17:15,902 be certain they have not believed. 341 00:17:15,902 --> 00:17:18,158 Be certain. 342 00:17:18,158 --> 00:17:21,111 But anyway, Luke 14. 343 00:17:21,111 --> 00:17:23,247 Let's look at this. 344 00:17:23,247 --> 00:17:30,370 Verse 16 345 00:17:30,370 --> 00:17:32,704 We need to have this in our mind all the time. 346 00:17:32,704 --> 00:17:35,633 This is such a helpful and balancing text. 347 00:17:35,633 --> 00:17:36,901 "He said to him, 348 00:17:36,901 --> 00:17:39,087 'A man once gave a great banquet, 349 00:17:39,087 --> 00:17:41,287 and invited many.'" 350 00:17:41,287 --> 00:17:43,313 Notice the invitation. 351 00:17:43,313 --> 00:17:45,639 Notice that the people aren't 352 00:17:45,639 --> 00:17:48,454 doing everything that they possibly can do 353 00:17:48,454 --> 00:17:50,211 to get into the banquet, 354 00:17:50,211 --> 00:17:52,317 and he's keeping them out. 355 00:17:52,317 --> 00:17:54,819 Scripture never paints a picture 356 00:17:54,819 --> 00:17:56,569 of a banquet going on in here, 357 00:17:56,569 --> 00:17:59,593 and the crowds are amassed around the house 358 00:17:59,593 --> 00:18:01,538 trying to get in at the door. 359 00:18:01,538 --> 00:18:03,097 Now once the door's shut, 360 00:18:03,097 --> 00:18:04,934 people try to get in. 361 00:18:04,934 --> 00:18:06,294 After it's too late. 362 00:18:06,294 --> 00:18:08,471 But in this day, at this time, 363 00:18:08,471 --> 00:18:10,963 in this age of the free offer of the Gospel, 364 00:18:10,963 --> 00:18:15,984 there is never a picture of a closed door. 365 00:18:15,984 --> 00:18:19,821 The picture is: you're invited. 366 00:18:19,821 --> 00:18:21,398 There's never a picture of people 367 00:18:21,398 --> 00:18:22,845 gathered at the door saying, 368 00:18:22,845 --> 00:18:25,685 please, let us in; please, let us in. 369 00:18:25,685 --> 00:18:27,820 And He's saying, oh no, 370 00:18:27,820 --> 00:18:30,954 no, you can't come in. 371 00:18:30,954 --> 00:18:32,249 That's not what we find. 372 00:18:32,249 --> 00:18:37,123 Remember what Scripture says? 373 00:18:37,123 --> 00:18:40,124 The kindness of God 374 00:18:40,124 --> 00:18:42,948 is meant to lead us to repentance. 375 00:18:42,948 --> 00:18:45,419 Not to harden us. 376 00:18:45,419 --> 00:18:49,379 God didn't give Joseph his meal 377 00:18:49,379 --> 00:18:52,466 the day that he wrote this 378 00:18:52,466 --> 00:18:55,013 to convince him that He was a cruel God 379 00:18:55,013 --> 00:18:57,449 and unwilling to help sinners. 380 00:18:57,449 --> 00:18:58,473 Just the opposite. 381 00:18:58,473 --> 00:18:59,899 Just the opposite message 382 00:18:59,899 --> 00:19:02,455 was sent by the meal he ate that day. 383 00:19:02,455 --> 00:19:07,689 You see, the way Scripture presents it is this: 384 00:19:07,689 --> 00:19:15,480 It presents it as here's this banquet. 385 00:19:15,480 --> 00:19:17,559 Here's this banquet - v. 16. 386 00:19:17,559 --> 00:19:20,330 "A man once gave a great banquet 387 00:19:20,330 --> 00:19:22,021 and invited many. 388 00:19:22,021 --> 00:19:23,572 And at the time for the banquet, 389 00:19:23,572 --> 00:19:25,312 he sent his servant to say to those 390 00:19:25,312 --> 00:19:26,598 who had been invited, 391 00:19:26,598 --> 00:19:35,079 'Come, for everything is now ready.'" 392 00:19:35,079 --> 00:19:37,099 But what? They didn't flock there 393 00:19:37,099 --> 00:19:38,722 and then he turned them away. 394 00:19:38,722 --> 00:19:41,998 They all alike began to make excuses. 395 00:19:41,998 --> 00:19:43,330 "The first said to him, 396 00:19:43,330 --> 00:19:44,662 'I have bought a field. 397 00:19:44,662 --> 00:19:46,164 I must go out and see it. 398 00:19:46,164 --> 00:19:48,503 Please have me excused.'" 399 00:19:48,503 --> 00:19:51,633 You see, it's not God turning them away. 400 00:19:51,633 --> 00:19:57,581 It's them making excuses and running away. 401 00:19:57,581 --> 00:20:00,182 That's what we have to see. 402 00:20:00,182 --> 00:20:04,856 And look, if somebody comes along 403 00:20:04,856 --> 00:20:06,541 and they're questioning whether 404 00:20:06,541 --> 00:20:11,608 they are even saved at all, 405 00:20:11,608 --> 00:20:14,468 they put God in a bad light. 406 00:20:14,468 --> 00:20:16,869 Brethren, be careful that you don't take sinners - 407 00:20:16,869 --> 00:20:18,157 unconverted sinners - 408 00:20:18,157 --> 00:20:20,288 too much at their word 409 00:20:20,288 --> 00:20:23,269 as far as the picture they paint 410 00:20:23,269 --> 00:20:26,761 of an unwilling God to save. 411 00:20:26,761 --> 00:20:28,235 Don't go there. 412 00:20:28,235 --> 00:20:29,361 Because you know what? 413 00:20:29,361 --> 00:20:32,742 Lost people are in the power of the evil one. 414 00:20:32,742 --> 00:20:35,267 Lost people are deceived. 415 00:20:35,267 --> 00:20:37,315 Lost people do not have 416 00:20:37,315 --> 00:20:39,197 proper views of God. 417 00:20:39,197 --> 00:20:41,950 Be careful that you don't buy into that view. 418 00:20:41,950 --> 00:20:43,596 Because what God does is 419 00:20:43,596 --> 00:20:45,895 He shows Himself in Scripture 420 00:20:45,895 --> 00:20:48,363 very willing to save. 421 00:20:48,363 --> 00:20:51,203 And He sends His Son into this world 422 00:20:51,203 --> 00:20:53,346 to actually even look at a city 423 00:20:53,346 --> 00:20:56,373 of His rejectors and weep tears, 424 00:20:56,373 --> 00:21:01,090 and say how often I would have gathered you, 425 00:21:01,090 --> 00:21:03,259 as a hen gathers her chicks, 426 00:21:03,259 --> 00:21:05,832 and you would not. 427 00:21:05,832 --> 00:21:07,604 You would not. 428 00:21:07,604 --> 00:21:10,268 Not, I would not. You would not. 429 00:21:10,268 --> 00:21:13,175 That's how God communicated to this world. 430 00:21:13,175 --> 00:21:18,200 That's the kind of Messiah He sent into this world. 431 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:20,387 "They all alike began to make excuses. 432 00:21:20,387 --> 00:21:21,452 The first said to him, 433 00:21:21,452 --> 00:21:23,589 'I bought a field. I must go out and see it. 434 00:21:23,589 --> 00:21:24,755 Please have me excused.' 435 00:21:24,755 --> 00:21:27,706 Another said, 'I bought five yoke of oxen 436 00:21:27,706 --> 00:21:29,187 and I go to examine them. 437 00:21:29,187 --> 00:21:31,782 Please have me excused.' 438 00:21:31,782 --> 00:21:33,480 Another said, 'I've married a wife 439 00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:35,328 and therefore I cannot come.' 440 00:21:35,328 --> 00:21:36,902 So the servant came and reported 441 00:21:36,902 --> 00:21:40,487 these things to his master. 442 00:21:40,487 --> 00:21:44,691 Then the master of the house became angry." 443 00:21:44,691 --> 00:21:45,864 Why? 444 00:21:45,864 --> 00:21:47,567 Is He angry at a bunch of people 445 00:21:47,567 --> 00:21:49,050 that want to be saved 446 00:21:49,050 --> 00:21:50,473 and are standing at the door 447 00:21:50,473 --> 00:21:54,013 trying to get in to the banquet? 448 00:21:54,013 --> 00:21:56,628 But He's angry because He didn't elect them? 449 00:21:56,628 --> 00:21:58,545 Nothing like that. 450 00:21:58,545 --> 00:22:02,876 He's angry because the invitation was free; 451 00:22:02,876 --> 00:22:05,586 it was full; 452 00:22:05,586 --> 00:22:09,694 and they refused it. 453 00:22:09,694 --> 00:22:12,472 Sinners on judgment day 454 00:22:12,472 --> 00:22:17,099 will not talk like this. 455 00:22:17,099 --> 00:22:18,696 They won't talk like this. 456 00:22:18,696 --> 00:22:21,986 Look, I know there's confusion here. 457 00:22:21,986 --> 00:22:25,158 But, did you hear? 458 00:22:25,158 --> 00:22:28,239 He said maybe I committed the unpardonable 459 00:22:28,239 --> 00:22:30,164 with my willful sin. 460 00:22:30,164 --> 00:22:32,540 Do you know what he's acknowledging here? 461 00:22:32,540 --> 00:22:36,987 Willful sin. 462 00:22:36,987 --> 00:22:39,194 Do you know what Scripture says? 463 00:22:39,194 --> 00:22:41,425 Can you think of anywhere in the Scriptures 464 00:22:41,425 --> 00:22:46,433 that it speaks about willful sin? 465 00:22:46,433 --> 00:22:48,496 Two texts come right to my mind. 466 00:22:48,496 --> 00:22:51,435 Can you think of one? 467 00:22:51,435 --> 00:22:54,361 Hebrews 10:26. Let's turn there. 468 00:22:54,361 --> 00:23:08,775 Keep your finger here because we need to finish out this account. 469 00:23:08,775 --> 00:23:13,523 See, he's acknowledging that he has had light. 470 00:23:13,523 --> 00:23:15,289 He's acknowledging that he has been 471 00:23:15,289 --> 00:23:18,241 exposed to the Gospel it would seem. 472 00:23:18,241 --> 00:23:21,558 He's acknowledging that he even believes 473 00:23:21,558 --> 00:23:23,368 he was exposed to so much 474 00:23:23,368 --> 00:23:26,024 that he thinks he may have been saved. 475 00:23:26,024 --> 00:23:30,413 He says, "I haven't been a Christian long, 476 00:23:30,413 --> 00:23:33,970 but I know the Word." 477 00:23:33,970 --> 00:23:35,914 I know the Word. 478 00:23:35,914 --> 00:23:39,623 And yet, he admits willful sin here. 479 00:23:39,623 --> 00:23:44,255 Hebrews 10:26 480 00:23:44,255 --> 00:23:47,574 "If we go on sinning deliberately 481 00:23:47,574 --> 00:23:49,651 (or willfully) 482 00:23:49,651 --> 00:23:51,962 after receiving the knowledge of the truth, 483 00:23:51,962 --> 00:23:55,006 there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins." 484 00:23:55,006 --> 00:23:58,969 Let me tell you something else you don't want to do. 485 00:23:58,969 --> 00:24:01,183 You don't want to come to people like this 486 00:24:01,183 --> 00:24:04,119 and assure them that everything's going to be ok. 487 00:24:04,119 --> 00:24:07,963 Or even assure them that everything is presently ok. 488 00:24:07,963 --> 00:24:10,070 In other words, 489 00:24:10,070 --> 00:24:13,201 you don't have to worry. 490 00:24:13,201 --> 00:24:15,605 You haven't committed the unpardonable sin. 491 00:24:15,605 --> 00:24:17,205 You haven't gone too far. 492 00:24:17,205 --> 00:24:19,057 You haven't been overly willful 493 00:24:19,057 --> 00:24:21,375 and tread upon the blood of Jesus Christ. 494 00:24:21,375 --> 00:24:22,967 You can't tell people that. 495 00:24:22,967 --> 00:24:24,082 Because you know what? 496 00:24:24,082 --> 00:24:25,798 There are such things in Scripture, 497 00:24:25,798 --> 00:24:27,524 and when you know the Word 498 00:24:27,524 --> 00:24:29,367 and you've been exposed to the truth, 499 00:24:29,367 --> 00:24:31,220 and you go on in willful sin, 500 00:24:31,220 --> 00:24:33,767 that is extremely dangerous. 501 00:24:33,767 --> 00:24:37,687 And you don't want to tell people it's not. 502 00:24:37,687 --> 00:24:41,312 You don't want to tell people at all that it's not. 503 00:24:41,312 --> 00:24:45,399 Anyway, back to Luke 14. 504 00:24:45,399 --> 00:24:47,393 "Another said, 'I have married a wife 505 00:24:47,393 --> 00:24:51,043 (v. 20) and therefore I cannot come.' 506 00:24:51,043 --> 00:24:54,531 So the servant came and reported these things to his master. 507 00:24:54,531 --> 00:24:57,215 Then the master of the house became angry 508 00:24:57,215 --> 00:24:58,466 and said to his servant, 509 00:24:58,466 --> 00:25:00,702 'Go out quickly to the streets 510 00:25:00,702 --> 00:25:02,348 and lanes of the city. 511 00:25:02,348 --> 00:25:03,873 Bring in the poor and crippled 512 00:25:03,873 --> 00:25:06,169 and blind and lame. 513 00:25:06,169 --> 00:25:07,607 And the servant said, 514 00:25:07,607 --> 00:25:10,258 'Sir, what you've commanded has been done. 515 00:25:10,258 --> 00:25:11,266 Still there is room.' 516 00:25:11,266 --> 00:25:12,766 The master said to the servant, 517 00:25:12,766 --> 00:25:15,015 'Go out to the highways and hedges...'" 518 00:25:15,015 --> 00:25:18,277 Spurgeon preached a tremendous message 519 00:25:18,277 --> 00:25:23,304 on this text called, "Compel Them to Come In." 520 00:25:23,304 --> 00:25:24,901 Notice this. 521 00:25:24,901 --> 00:25:26,873 Notice what the master is saying. 522 00:25:26,873 --> 00:25:29,581 "Compel people to come in 523 00:25:29,581 --> 00:25:31,469 that my house may be filled. 524 00:25:31,469 --> 00:25:33,095 For I tell you, none of those men 525 00:25:33,095 --> 00:25:35,909 who were invited shall taste my banquet." 526 00:25:35,909 --> 00:25:38,636 But it's not because they got invited 527 00:25:38,636 --> 00:25:41,971 and then they desperately wanted to come 528 00:25:41,971 --> 00:25:44,955 and were turned away. 529 00:25:44,955 --> 00:25:50,996 It was only because when the invitation came, 530 00:25:50,996 --> 00:25:53,282 they thought there were better things 531 00:25:53,282 --> 00:25:55,101 than the banquet. 532 00:25:55,101 --> 00:25:56,551 See, there's only one thing 533 00:25:56,551 --> 00:25:58,101 that prevents people from coming 534 00:25:58,101 --> 00:26:00,420 to the banquet. 535 00:26:00,420 --> 00:26:05,720 It's clearly that they loved other things 536 00:26:05,720 --> 00:26:07,878 more than the banquet. 537 00:26:07,878 --> 00:26:15,147 They were more important. 538 00:26:15,147 --> 00:26:19,273 You know, one of the things is 539 00:26:19,273 --> 00:26:20,946 we have to be honest. 540 00:26:20,946 --> 00:26:28,346 He's obviously a young guy using "IDK." 541 00:26:28,346 --> 00:26:31,567 That "IDK" shows up a lot of times here. 542 00:26:31,567 --> 00:26:34,296 I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. 543 00:26:34,296 --> 00:26:37,229 You know what? You need to know. 544 00:26:37,229 --> 00:26:39,143 You need to know. 545 00:26:39,143 --> 00:26:41,281 Can I tell you something? 546 00:26:41,281 --> 00:26:48,720 Blind Bartimaeus is a great picture. 547 00:26:48,720 --> 00:26:54,270 Why? Why do I say that? 548 00:26:54,270 --> 00:26:59,154 Jesus came passing by on His way to Jericho. 549 00:26:59,154 --> 00:27:03,330 Blind Bartimaeus - what did he do? 550 00:27:03,330 --> 00:27:08,443 He heard the throng of people going by. 551 00:27:08,443 --> 00:27:11,633 That's Jesus. 552 00:27:11,633 --> 00:27:13,884 Jesus, Son of David. 553 00:27:13,884 --> 00:27:16,722 What did he do? 554 00:27:16,722 --> 00:27:19,314 What did blind Bartimaeus do? 555 00:27:19,314 --> 00:27:20,555 He cried out! 556 00:27:20,555 --> 00:27:22,543 What did the crowd do? 557 00:27:22,543 --> 00:27:24,804 James: Rebuked him. Telling him to be silent. 558 00:27:24,804 --> 00:27:28,244 Tim: Shut up! 559 00:27:28,244 --> 00:27:30,487 Hold your tongue! 560 00:27:30,487 --> 00:27:31,842 What did he do? 561 00:27:31,842 --> 00:27:34,544 He kept going. 562 00:27:34,544 --> 00:27:38,484 You know why? 563 00:27:38,484 --> 00:27:40,410 Two realities gripped that man. 564 00:27:40,410 --> 00:27:42,389 Be sure of it. 565 00:27:42,389 --> 00:27:44,351 I'm blind. 566 00:27:44,351 --> 00:27:47,832 And my only hope is Christ. 567 00:27:47,832 --> 00:27:50,659 You see, you don't yell like that 568 00:27:50,659 --> 00:27:53,266 until there's a proper assessment 569 00:27:53,266 --> 00:27:55,391 of who you are, what your condition is, 570 00:27:55,391 --> 00:27:56,563 and who He is 571 00:27:56,563 --> 00:27:59,313 and that your only hope is found there. 572 00:27:59,313 --> 00:28:00,715 That is key. 573 00:28:00,715 --> 00:28:02,776 I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. 574 00:28:02,776 --> 00:28:03,696 You know what? 575 00:28:03,696 --> 00:28:05,751 You do need to know. 576 00:28:05,751 --> 00:28:08,643 We need to be honest with ourselves. 577 00:28:08,643 --> 00:28:10,548 You know what, no sinner ever gets saved 578 00:28:10,548 --> 00:28:11,897 until they come face to face 579 00:28:11,897 --> 00:28:15,009 with what they are. 580 00:28:15,009 --> 00:28:17,336 Why do sinners flee to Christ? 581 00:28:17,336 --> 00:28:18,828 Because they come to recognize 582 00:28:18,828 --> 00:28:21,434 like blind Bartimaeus, 583 00:28:21,434 --> 00:28:25,471 "Lord..." I mean, they're not going to give up. 584 00:28:25,471 --> 00:28:28,400 I can remember that night 585 00:28:28,400 --> 00:28:32,097 when I cried out. 586 00:28:32,097 --> 00:28:34,240 I mean, I saw what I was. 587 00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:35,910 And He was my only hope 588 00:28:35,910 --> 00:28:37,812 and my only help. 589 00:28:37,812 --> 00:28:39,901 We do need to know. 590 00:28:39,901 --> 00:28:41,864 Because you remember what Jesus said. 591 00:28:41,864 --> 00:28:47,655 He said the doctor comes for the sick. 592 00:28:47,655 --> 00:28:51,046 See, if you waffle around. 593 00:28:51,046 --> 00:28:53,436 Sometimes the thing with people 594 00:28:53,436 --> 00:28:58,503 who they don't know if they're saved or lost, 595 00:28:58,503 --> 00:29:00,550 the real issue is: 596 00:29:00,550 --> 00:29:04,071 they don't know if they're a sinner or not. 597 00:29:04,071 --> 00:29:05,878 That's the real issue. 598 00:29:05,878 --> 00:29:09,478 That's the real issue. 599 00:29:09,478 --> 00:29:13,216 Well, I don't know if I'm really that bad or not. 600 00:29:13,216 --> 00:29:16,268 See, blind Bartimaeus was not waffling 601 00:29:16,268 --> 00:29:18,210 about his blindness. 602 00:29:18,210 --> 00:29:20,364 He knew. 603 00:29:20,364 --> 00:29:22,444 He knew. We need to know. 604 00:29:22,444 --> 00:29:26,909 We need to do serious and honest 605 00:29:26,909 --> 00:29:30,157 spiritual evaluation. 606 00:29:30,157 --> 00:29:32,243 We really do. 607 00:29:32,243 --> 00:29:33,488 Because you know what? 608 00:29:33,488 --> 00:29:37,456 Nobody, until they recognize, 609 00:29:37,456 --> 00:29:39,379 I'm blind. 610 00:29:39,379 --> 00:29:41,350 You see those people in Scripture. 611 00:29:41,350 --> 00:29:43,180 It was desperation. 612 00:29:43,180 --> 00:29:45,435 The woman - she had that issue of blood. 613 00:29:45,435 --> 00:29:49,640 "I've got to get to Him." 614 00:29:49,640 --> 00:29:53,551 That's the one thing that occupied her. 615 00:29:53,551 --> 00:29:58,388 Versus what? 616 00:29:58,388 --> 00:30:02,316 Luke 14 617 00:30:02,316 --> 00:30:05,101 What were they occupied with? 618 00:30:05,101 --> 00:30:06,745 A bunch of other things. 619 00:30:06,745 --> 00:30:09,471 Bunches of other things. 620 00:30:09,471 --> 00:30:12,872 There's one thing that keeps those people. 621 00:30:12,872 --> 00:30:13,793 It's their idols. 622 00:30:13,793 --> 00:30:14,720 It's their sin. 623 00:30:14,720 --> 00:30:17,871 It's when you love that ox, 624 00:30:17,871 --> 00:30:19,009 that team of oxen; 625 00:30:19,009 --> 00:30:20,685 it's when when you love that wife, 626 00:30:20,685 --> 00:30:22,957 that land more than the banquet. 627 00:30:22,957 --> 00:30:28,213 Your heart is pulled after other things. 628 00:30:28,213 --> 00:30:29,854 But they don't recognize, 629 00:30:29,854 --> 00:30:31,569 because when you get to the place 630 00:30:31,569 --> 00:30:34,290 where Bartimaeus is, 631 00:30:34,290 --> 00:30:36,006 you know what? 632 00:30:36,006 --> 00:30:39,163 Oh, remember those words? 633 00:30:39,163 --> 00:30:41,880 Remember when the invitation came to him? 634 00:30:41,880 --> 00:30:43,315 Remember when the invitation 635 00:30:43,315 --> 00:30:47,556 to the banquet came to him? 636 00:30:47,556 --> 00:30:50,794 "He's calling you." 637 00:30:50,794 --> 00:30:53,710 Did you have that looked up? 638 00:30:53,710 --> 00:30:57,629 Do you have Mark's account? 639 00:30:57,629 --> 00:31:00,830 Listen when they call him. 640 00:31:00,830 --> 00:31:03,970 Read what happens when they call him. 641 00:31:03,970 --> 00:31:05,689 "And Jesus stopped and said, 642 00:31:05,689 --> 00:31:06,898 'Call him.' 643 00:31:06,898 --> 00:31:08,421 And they called the blind man, 644 00:31:08,421 --> 00:31:09,577 saying to him, 645 00:31:09,577 --> 00:31:13,172 'Take heart. Get up. He is calling you.' 646 00:31:13,172 --> 00:31:14,373 Throwing off his cloak, 647 00:31:14,373 --> 00:31:16,796 he sprang up and came to Jesus." 648 00:31:16,796 --> 00:31:19,228 Listen to that. 649 00:31:19,228 --> 00:31:21,097 "Jesus said to him, 650 00:31:21,097 --> 00:31:23,522 'what do you want Me to do for you?' 651 00:31:23,522 --> 00:31:25,371 And the blind man said to Him, 652 00:31:25,371 --> 00:31:28,196 'Rabbi, let me recover my sight.' 653 00:31:28,196 --> 00:31:29,720 Jesus said to him, 654 00:31:29,720 --> 00:31:32,986 'Go your way. Your faith has made you well.' 655 00:31:32,986 --> 00:31:34,917 And immediately he recovered his sight 656 00:31:34,917 --> 00:31:37,318 and followed Him on the way." 657 00:31:37,318 --> 00:31:39,194 Don't you love that? 658 00:31:39,194 --> 00:31:41,720 (Incomplete thought) 659 00:31:41,720 --> 00:31:44,128 That was the invitation. 660 00:31:44,128 --> 00:31:46,706 Call him. 661 00:31:46,706 --> 00:31:48,301 He's calling you. 662 00:31:48,301 --> 00:31:54,493 That's exactly Luke 14. 663 00:31:54,497 --> 00:31:57,692 Go call them. 664 00:31:57,692 --> 00:31:59,986 The Master's calling you. 665 00:31:59,986 --> 00:32:01,794 Remember, there was a master there? 666 00:32:01,794 --> 00:32:03,139 The invitation went out. 667 00:32:03,139 --> 00:32:06,329 The Master's calling you. 668 00:32:06,329 --> 00:32:08,702 Do you know why the wife, 669 00:32:08,702 --> 00:32:12,023 the field, the oxen? 670 00:32:12,023 --> 00:32:13,498 Because you don't really know 671 00:32:13,498 --> 00:32:16,229 who you are and how bad you need that. 672 00:32:16,229 --> 00:32:18,175 You see, that's the issue. 673 00:32:18,175 --> 00:32:24,588 Brethren, we have to know. 674 00:32:24,588 --> 00:32:27,252 I don't know. 675 00:32:27,252 --> 00:32:28,961 What? I don't know if I'm sick. 676 00:32:28,961 --> 00:32:30,257 I don't know where I'm at. 677 00:32:30,257 --> 00:32:33,821 I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. 678 00:32:33,821 --> 00:32:36,263 Brethren, the thing that you find in Scripture - 679 00:32:36,263 --> 00:32:38,930 that leper that went to Christ, 680 00:32:38,930 --> 00:32:41,221 he knew he was a leper. 681 00:32:41,221 --> 00:32:42,892 The blind man that went to Christ, 682 00:32:42,892 --> 00:32:44,850 he knew he was blind. 683 00:32:44,850 --> 00:32:46,489 That Syropheonician woman 684 00:32:46,489 --> 00:32:48,167 knew her daughter had a demon. 685 00:32:48,167 --> 00:32:49,769 The man down there at the bottom 686 00:32:49,769 --> 00:32:51,341 of the Mount of Transfiguration 687 00:32:51,341 --> 00:32:53,399 knew his son had a demon. 688 00:32:53,399 --> 00:32:56,128 People in Scripture - they knew. 689 00:32:56,128 --> 00:32:58,027 They knew they had a problem. 690 00:32:58,027 --> 00:33:00,942 They knew - my daughter is sick. 691 00:33:00,942 --> 00:33:03,422 I've got an issue of blood. 692 00:33:03,422 --> 00:33:04,618 They knew it. 693 00:33:04,618 --> 00:33:08,733 And I've got to get to Christ. 694 00:33:08,733 --> 00:33:11,383 Brethren, there's only one way to come to Him. 695 00:33:11,383 --> 00:33:12,819 And that is desperate, 696 00:33:12,819 --> 00:33:14,030 and that is helpless, 697 00:33:14,030 --> 00:33:15,439 and that is broken, 698 00:33:15,439 --> 00:33:18,468 and that is seeing in Him our only help 699 00:33:18,468 --> 00:33:23,856 and our only hope. 700 00:33:23,856 --> 00:33:26,347 "I feel like I'm spiritually dying." 701 00:33:26,347 --> 00:33:28,020 That's what he said. 702 00:33:28,020 --> 00:33:30,003 But you know what, we have to step back 703 00:33:30,003 --> 00:33:31,393 and we have to say, 704 00:33:31,393 --> 00:33:34,343 well, is there not a cause? 705 00:33:34,343 --> 00:33:36,702 I mean, is there not a cause? 706 00:33:36,702 --> 00:33:38,819 We have to ask ourselves that 707 00:33:38,819 --> 00:33:40,322 even if we're in a place 708 00:33:40,322 --> 00:33:43,551 where we're solidly grounded as Christians. 709 00:33:43,551 --> 00:33:47,024 If we start getting into a cold state, 710 00:33:47,024 --> 00:33:48,715 a backslidden state, 711 00:33:48,715 --> 00:33:52,245 some kind of spiritual declension, 712 00:33:52,245 --> 00:33:54,806 we need to ask ourselves this. 713 00:33:54,806 --> 00:33:57,151 Is there not a cause? 714 00:33:57,151 --> 00:34:00,111 Did I not get here some way? 715 00:34:00,111 --> 00:34:02,696 Brethren, we have to be honest. 716 00:34:02,696 --> 00:34:04,497 We really have to be honest 717 00:34:04,497 --> 00:34:10,346 with the state of our own souls. 718 00:34:10,346 --> 00:34:14,207 You know the people that run to Christ? 719 00:34:14,207 --> 00:34:17,614 The ones that look up and recognize 720 00:34:17,614 --> 00:34:20,593 I don't have anything to offer. 721 00:34:20,593 --> 00:34:22,471 I'm poor. 722 00:34:22,471 --> 00:34:24,156 I don't have any righteousness. 723 00:34:24,156 --> 00:34:26,192 Lord, I'm guilty. 724 00:34:26,192 --> 00:34:29,489 I'm guilty. 725 00:34:29,489 --> 00:34:33,511 That's where I was. 726 00:34:33,511 --> 00:34:37,164 I don't have any righteousness. 727 00:34:37,164 --> 00:34:39,838 And I don't have any hope 728 00:34:39,838 --> 00:34:42,463 other than in Him. 729 00:34:42,463 --> 00:34:44,891 I am hellbound and I'm going there 730 00:34:44,891 --> 00:34:46,923 and I deserve to go there. 731 00:34:46,923 --> 00:34:48,480 And if Christ doesn't save me, 732 00:34:48,480 --> 00:34:50,407 there's no hope. 733 00:34:50,407 --> 00:34:51,800 And I cried out. 734 00:34:51,800 --> 00:34:56,083 You see, when you get to the place 735 00:34:56,083 --> 00:34:59,679 where you do know 736 00:34:59,679 --> 00:35:01,075 you're a leper; 737 00:35:01,075 --> 00:35:05,092 you do know 738 00:35:05,092 --> 00:35:08,619 Lazarus is dead in that grave; 739 00:35:08,619 --> 00:35:12,279 you do know you're blind. 740 00:35:12,279 --> 00:35:14,649 When you do know 741 00:35:14,649 --> 00:35:17,518 your daughter has a demon. 742 00:35:17,518 --> 00:35:18,850 You're not ignorant. 743 00:35:18,850 --> 00:35:20,287 You're not playing games. 744 00:35:20,287 --> 00:35:21,460 Because you know what? 745 00:35:21,460 --> 00:35:24,710 A lot of times when we say we don't know, 746 00:35:24,710 --> 00:35:26,392 it's a mask. 747 00:35:26,392 --> 00:35:28,487 Because the fact is we do know. 748 00:35:28,487 --> 00:35:30,603 This statement here, 749 00:35:30,603 --> 00:35:33,674 "Maybe I have some unrepented stuff. 750 00:35:33,674 --> 00:35:35,040 I don't know." 751 00:35:35,040 --> 00:35:38,076 That's not true. 752 00:35:38,076 --> 00:35:40,067 You do know. 753 00:35:40,067 --> 00:35:48,496 (Incomplete thought) 754 00:35:48,496 --> 00:35:50,626 Look, I'm not talking about 755 00:35:50,626 --> 00:35:54,745 looking under rocks for stuff. 756 00:35:54,745 --> 00:35:56,755 We're sinners. 757 00:35:56,755 --> 00:35:59,711 We're sinners by nature. 758 00:35:59,711 --> 00:36:01,484 We've done things in our life 759 00:36:01,484 --> 00:36:02,769 and we have idols 760 00:36:02,769 --> 00:36:09,181 and we're wrecked in ways we do know. 761 00:36:09,181 --> 00:36:11,492 I mean, you know, the truth is 762 00:36:11,492 --> 00:36:16,265 if this guy even is a genuine Christian - 763 00:36:16,265 --> 00:36:19,616 if he is after all this - 764 00:36:19,616 --> 00:36:23,905 or if you are, 765 00:36:23,905 --> 00:36:26,611 brethren, if we begin to go into a place 766 00:36:26,611 --> 00:36:30,666 where we find ourselves spiritually dying, 767 00:36:30,666 --> 00:36:34,793 the way out is honesty. 768 00:36:34,793 --> 00:36:35,902 Because you know, 769 00:36:35,902 --> 00:36:38,314 the only way you get saved in the first place 770 00:36:38,314 --> 00:36:41,701 is honesty. 771 00:36:41,701 --> 00:36:44,777 I'm a sinner. 772 00:36:44,777 --> 00:36:51,667 You see, that was the tax collector. 773 00:36:51,667 --> 00:36:55,730 God, be merciful to me, the sinner. 774 00:36:55,730 --> 00:36:57,783 God doesn't save the righteous. 775 00:36:57,783 --> 00:36:59,239 He never has. 776 00:36:59,239 --> 00:37:01,919 He doesn't save those who are well. 777 00:37:01,919 --> 00:37:03,709 And you know how any sinner 778 00:37:03,709 --> 00:37:04,861 who really gets saved, 779 00:37:04,861 --> 00:37:06,497 gets saved in the beginning? 780 00:37:06,497 --> 00:37:08,553 They come desperate. They come broken. 781 00:37:08,553 --> 00:37:10,860 They come bankrupt. They come guilty. 782 00:37:10,860 --> 00:37:12,869 They come vile. They come filthy. 783 00:37:12,869 --> 00:37:15,417 They come a sinner 784 00:37:15,417 --> 00:37:17,622 to a Savior. 785 00:37:17,622 --> 00:37:19,178 And you know, the thing is, 786 00:37:19,178 --> 00:37:21,701 if we begin to fall into some kind 787 00:37:21,701 --> 00:37:23,620 of spiritual lethargy, 788 00:37:23,620 --> 00:37:26,430 in the same way we came honest 789 00:37:26,430 --> 00:37:30,123 in the beginning, we need to come again. 790 00:37:30,123 --> 00:37:35,990 Lord, the truth is, 791 00:37:35,990 --> 00:37:41,177 I do have things in my life I need to confess to You, 792 00:37:41,177 --> 00:37:46,458 and I need to repent of. 793 00:37:46,458 --> 00:37:48,277 And we do know. 794 00:37:48,277 --> 00:37:49,274 We know. 795 00:37:49,274 --> 00:37:52,009 It's just a matter of being honest. 796 00:37:52,009 --> 00:37:55,569 If we really think, 797 00:37:55,569 --> 00:37:58,403 if we really think... 798 00:37:58,403 --> 00:38:05,060 we do know. 799 00:38:05,060 --> 00:38:08,000 Brethren, no concealment. 800 00:38:08,000 --> 00:38:10,530 No concealment. 801 00:38:10,530 --> 00:38:12,215 If we confess our sins, 802 00:38:12,215 --> 00:38:14,870 He's faithful and just to forgive. 803 00:38:14,870 --> 00:38:18,143 I really believe there's so much 804 00:38:18,143 --> 00:38:21,243 in 1 John 1 about fellowship 805 00:38:21,243 --> 00:38:23,237 and that relationship. 806 00:38:23,237 --> 00:38:25,542 It's true when we come at first 807 00:38:25,542 --> 00:38:26,977 and it's true in maintaining 808 00:38:26,977 --> 00:38:28,927 that relationship with God. 809 00:38:28,927 --> 00:38:30,565 You cannot be hiding things. 810 00:38:30,565 --> 00:38:31,812 No concealment. 811 00:38:31,812 --> 00:38:33,571 There needs to be honesty. 812 00:38:33,571 --> 00:38:35,288 We can't be compromised. 813 00:38:35,288 --> 00:38:39,548 Unreserved openness. 814 00:38:39,548 --> 00:38:42,809 We talked about, Sunday, 815 00:38:42,809 --> 00:38:45,664 with open face. 816 00:38:45,664 --> 00:38:47,153 We need to deal with God 817 00:38:47,153 --> 00:38:50,103 with an unveiled, open face. 818 00:38:50,103 --> 00:38:53,412 Open hearts before Him. 819 00:38:53,412 --> 00:38:55,827 We go to Christ as sinners. 820 00:38:55,827 --> 00:38:57,265 Once we're saved, 821 00:38:57,265 --> 00:39:01,895 we go to Him as we really are. 822 00:39:01,895 --> 00:39:03,338 And brethren, the thing is, 823 00:39:03,338 --> 00:39:06,095 it's the same whether we go to Christ at first 824 00:39:06,095 --> 00:39:09,324 or whether we go to Him now. 825 00:39:09,324 --> 00:39:19,074 The truth is that we go to Him to receive. 826 00:39:19,074 --> 00:39:20,866 He doesn't want anything. 827 00:39:20,866 --> 00:39:22,893 That's what He says. 828 00:39:22,893 --> 00:39:25,743 The water of life without price. 829 00:39:25,743 --> 00:39:28,250 But you know the same thing goes 830 00:39:28,250 --> 00:39:30,037 in the Christian life. 831 00:39:30,037 --> 00:39:33,530 Yes, He expects us as Christians 832 00:39:33,530 --> 00:39:36,894 to be living the righteous life, 833 00:39:36,894 --> 00:39:39,629 but it's still abiding in Christ. 834 00:39:39,629 --> 00:39:41,600 He supplies all of our needs. 835 00:39:41,600 --> 00:39:43,738 He supplies through His riches. 836 00:39:43,738 --> 00:39:46,377 It doesn't come from us. It doesn't originate with us. 837 00:39:46,377 --> 00:39:48,608 There's no starting point with us. 838 00:39:48,608 --> 00:39:50,155 We're not the source. 839 00:39:50,155 --> 00:39:51,345 We're not the originator 840 00:39:51,345 --> 00:39:53,244 of anything we need to live this life. 841 00:39:53,244 --> 00:39:55,575 And we can lose sight of that 842 00:39:55,575 --> 00:39:58,258 as we walk in this Christian life. 843 00:39:58,258 --> 00:39:59,759 We can lose sight of the fact 844 00:39:59,759 --> 00:40:01,957 that we are just as dependent on God now 845 00:40:01,957 --> 00:40:04,001 as we were at the very beginning. 846 00:40:04,001 --> 00:40:06,572 And if we become careless and negligent 847 00:40:06,572 --> 00:40:07,688 of that reality, 848 00:40:07,688 --> 00:40:09,179 we become self-sufficient; 849 00:40:09,179 --> 00:40:13,846 we become independent. 850 00:40:13,846 --> 00:40:16,962 And look, we need to be honest. 851 00:40:16,962 --> 00:40:20,558 Don't conceal anything. 852 00:40:20,558 --> 00:40:24,853 And he's admitting willful sin. 853 00:40:24,853 --> 00:40:26,837 And then he says maybe I have things 854 00:40:26,837 --> 00:40:31,266 that I need to repent of - I don't know. 855 00:40:31,266 --> 00:40:32,776 That's the kind of attitude 856 00:40:32,776 --> 00:40:34,108 that's going to leave you 857 00:40:34,108 --> 00:40:38,635 in a condition like this. 858 00:40:38,635 --> 00:40:44,762 I mean, look, when you recognize, 859 00:40:44,762 --> 00:40:47,417 I'm just like blind Bartimaeus. 860 00:40:47,417 --> 00:40:50,167 Unless the Son of David comes to me 861 00:40:50,167 --> 00:40:54,374 and answers my cry, 862 00:40:54,374 --> 00:40:56,589 there's no help. 863 00:40:56,589 --> 00:40:57,885 And so what do you do? 864 00:40:57,885 --> 00:40:59,691 When you really recognize you're blind 865 00:40:59,691 --> 00:41:02,115 and when you really recognize He's your only help 866 00:41:02,115 --> 00:41:03,196 and there is no other, 867 00:41:03,196 --> 00:41:05,231 you are going to cry in desperation 868 00:41:05,231 --> 00:41:09,135 until He says, "Call him." 869 00:41:09,135 --> 00:41:10,261 "Come." 870 00:41:10,261 --> 00:41:11,422 And then what do you do? 871 00:41:11,422 --> 00:41:15,854 You throw off the garment and you run! 872 00:41:15,854 --> 00:41:19,180 Why? Because you really saw what you are. 873 00:41:19,180 --> 00:41:25,076 And you really saw that He is your only hope. 874 00:41:25,076 --> 00:41:27,219 He says here, 875 00:41:27,219 --> 00:41:31,883 "I feel like He's done with me." 876 00:41:31,883 --> 00:41:34,309 Well, I don't know that and he doesn't know that. 877 00:41:34,309 --> 00:41:35,544 But I can tell you this, 878 00:41:35,544 --> 00:41:37,642 Jesus Christ is the only Savior of sinners 879 00:41:37,642 --> 00:41:40,495 and there is no other hope this guy has. 880 00:41:40,495 --> 00:41:42,497 What are we going to say? 881 00:41:42,497 --> 00:41:43,743 If we feel this way, 882 00:41:43,743 --> 00:41:45,475 or if somebody else feels this way, 883 00:41:45,475 --> 00:41:48,421 what are we going to say? 884 00:41:48,421 --> 00:41:52,893 So, ok, you feel like God's done with you. 885 00:41:52,893 --> 00:41:55,260 What? Should you assume He is? 886 00:41:55,260 --> 00:41:58,152 And just be content to go to hell? 887 00:41:58,152 --> 00:42:00,117 I wouldn't advise that. 888 00:42:00,117 --> 00:42:05,312 I wouldn't advise anybody to take that. 889 00:42:05,312 --> 00:42:08,573 If I'm sitting there like blind Bartimaeus, 890 00:42:08,573 --> 00:42:11,803 might I say to Christ, 891 00:42:11,803 --> 00:42:14,236 I'm bad. 892 00:42:14,236 --> 00:42:16,283 I'm real bad. 893 00:42:16,283 --> 00:42:19,257 I'm so bad that I don't know if there's any hope for me. 894 00:42:19,257 --> 00:42:23,859 But, He's the Savior and if anybody's going to help me; 895 00:42:23,859 --> 00:42:26,681 if anybody's going to provide hope for me it's Him. 896 00:42:26,681 --> 00:42:28,015 Lord, help me. 897 00:42:28,015 --> 00:42:30,543 Help somebody that's committed the unpardonable sin, 898 00:42:30,543 --> 00:42:36,558 because I want to be saved! 899 00:42:36,558 --> 00:42:45,081 Anyway, brethren, you guys understand, 900 00:42:45,081 --> 00:42:49,332 saving faith is not believing you're saved. 901 00:42:49,332 --> 00:42:52,088 That's assurance. 902 00:42:52,088 --> 00:42:55,034 Saving faith is like blind Bartimaeus 903 00:42:55,034 --> 00:42:57,055 where you recognize, 904 00:42:57,055 --> 00:43:06,678 He is my only hope. 905 00:43:06,678 --> 00:43:09,389 And I'm trusting Him. 906 00:43:09,389 --> 00:43:11,268 I'm trusting Him to save sinners 907 00:43:11,268 --> 00:43:13,060 as He shows in His Word 908 00:43:13,060 --> 00:43:16,628 that He will for those who trust Him. 909 00:43:16,628 --> 00:43:21,642 Faith believes, 910 00:43:21,642 --> 00:43:23,347 not that I'm saved; 911 00:43:23,347 --> 00:43:27,420 faith believes in the Person 912 00:43:27,420 --> 00:43:29,519 and the work of Christ, 913 00:43:29,519 --> 00:43:32,996 and that that alone is my hope 914 00:43:32,996 --> 00:43:35,806 and it satisfied God. 915 00:43:35,806 --> 00:43:39,637 My only hope. 916 00:43:39,637 --> 00:43:46,031 Anyway, I think my primary reason 917 00:43:46,031 --> 00:43:47,621 for bringing this up 918 00:43:47,621 --> 00:43:52,306 is that we want to be careful, brethren, 919 00:43:52,306 --> 00:43:58,870 that we don't think wrongly of God 920 00:43:58,870 --> 00:44:04,464 when we find sinners struggling, 921 00:44:04,464 --> 00:44:07,053 and assuming and wanting to convince you 922 00:44:07,053 --> 00:44:09,157 that they're doing everything in their power 923 00:44:09,157 --> 00:44:10,942 and that they're actually responding 924 00:44:10,942 --> 00:44:12,129 in a biblical manner, 925 00:44:12,129 --> 00:44:14,862 and God wants nothing to do with them. 926 00:44:14,862 --> 00:44:16,807 Don't fall for that. 927 00:44:16,807 --> 00:44:18,250 Don't fall for that. 928 00:44:18,250 --> 00:44:26,578 Listen, those who do not want to give up their sins, 929 00:44:26,578 --> 00:44:31,452 typically find the Gospel very difficult to understand, 930 00:44:31,452 --> 00:44:33,835 and typically find fault with God 931 00:44:33,835 --> 00:44:38,564 for not saving them on their terms. 932 00:44:38,564 --> 00:44:42,948 People that are scared to death of hell, 933 00:44:42,948 --> 00:44:45,705 but love their sin, 934 00:44:45,705 --> 00:44:47,981 they will tell you stories 935 00:44:47,981 --> 00:44:52,036 that will cast a shadow over God's character. 936 00:44:52,036 --> 00:44:53,179 Beware. 937 00:44:53,179 --> 00:44:54,409 And the reason they will 938 00:44:54,409 --> 00:44:56,242 is because they want to get to heaven 939 00:44:56,242 --> 00:44:57,158 holding their sins, 940 00:44:57,158 --> 00:44:59,128 and God won't save them 941 00:44:59,128 --> 00:45:03,075 because they want to skip hell 942 00:45:03,075 --> 00:45:06,461 and hold on to the sin they so dearly love. 943 00:45:06,461 --> 00:45:10,950 And you see, that is precisely the thing 944 00:45:10,950 --> 00:45:13,208 and the only thing 945 00:45:13,208 --> 00:45:15,553 that keeps men and women from responding 946 00:45:15,553 --> 00:45:19,686 to the invitation. 947 00:45:19,686 --> 00:45:22,752 They love their stuff. 948 00:45:22,752 --> 00:45:25,785 They love their sin. 949 00:45:25,785 --> 00:45:28,266 And you know, you can imagine the guy. 950 00:45:28,266 --> 00:45:29,842 You can imagine the guy, right? 951 00:45:29,842 --> 00:45:32,207 That went to see his oxen? 952 00:45:32,207 --> 00:45:33,774 Once he comes to recognize, 953 00:45:33,774 --> 00:45:35,857 you know, ok, I've checked them out now. 954 00:45:35,857 --> 00:45:37,759 I might like to get into the banquet. 955 00:45:37,759 --> 00:45:42,577 Now, God's going to keep me out? 956 00:45:42,577 --> 00:45:44,358 Yeah, be careful. 957 00:45:44,358 --> 00:45:46,325 Scripture says that if you hear 958 00:45:46,325 --> 00:45:48,685 the fullness of this truth; 959 00:45:48,685 --> 00:45:51,275 you hear about the blood of Christ, 960 00:45:51,275 --> 00:45:54,781 and you go on willfully sinning, 961 00:45:54,781 --> 00:45:58,305 you may find that the Master is angry 962 00:45:58,305 --> 00:46:01,054 and you'll never get in. 963 00:46:01,054 --> 00:46:05,460 Be very careful. Be very careful. 964 00:46:05,460 --> 00:46:08,255 Brethren, the big thing that I want to stress 965 00:46:08,255 --> 00:46:10,336 in situations like this 966 00:46:10,336 --> 00:46:15,673 is we want to stand for the character of God. 967 00:46:15,673 --> 00:46:19,789 And in Scripture, God sent His Son 968 00:46:19,789 --> 00:46:21,799 into this world 969 00:46:21,799 --> 00:46:26,340 to shed tears over His rejectors, 970 00:46:26,340 --> 00:46:28,361 and to shed tears 971 00:46:28,361 --> 00:46:34,348 and to exclaim with great pathos 972 00:46:34,348 --> 00:46:36,967 that I would have gathered you. 973 00:46:36,967 --> 00:46:40,460 I would have gathered you 974 00:46:40,460 --> 00:46:42,461 and you would not. 975 00:46:42,461 --> 00:46:44,028 See, that is the character 976 00:46:44,028 --> 00:46:49,146 of the God that we find in Scripture. 977 00:46:49,146 --> 00:46:54,313 Anybody want to add anything to that? 978 00:46:54,313 --> 00:46:56,490 James: We could maybe just give a thought, 979 00:46:56,490 --> 00:46:58,225 you mentioned a couple times: 980 00:46:58,225 --> 00:47:01,059 Come to Christ broken, 981 00:47:01,059 --> 00:47:04,301 and constant response to that is 982 00:47:04,301 --> 00:47:06,835 then they look inwardly and think, 983 00:47:06,835 --> 00:47:08,510 am I broken enough? 984 00:47:08,510 --> 00:47:11,225 Tim: Yes, and that's so good. 985 00:47:11,225 --> 00:47:14,621 I was just reading Lloyd-Jones the other day, 986 00:47:14,621 --> 00:47:16,611 and he said this: 987 00:47:16,611 --> 00:47:19,437 He said there was a day 988 00:47:19,437 --> 00:47:24,414 when the term repentance 989 00:47:24,414 --> 00:47:29,311 communicated weakness. 990 00:47:29,311 --> 00:47:31,170 What a saying. 991 00:47:31,170 --> 00:47:34,189 What a thing to say. 992 00:47:34,189 --> 00:47:38,195 Today, I get this distinct feeling 993 00:47:38,195 --> 00:47:41,340 when we talk about repentance, 994 00:47:41,340 --> 00:47:46,615 it doesn't make people think of weakness. 995 00:47:46,615 --> 00:47:50,747 It makes people think of something they need to do 996 00:47:50,747 --> 00:47:55,264 in order to get God's attention 997 00:47:55,264 --> 00:47:56,971 or to get on God's right side 998 00:47:56,971 --> 00:47:58,764 or to twist His arm. 999 00:47:58,764 --> 00:48:01,740 But you see, the very nature of saving faith 1000 00:48:01,740 --> 00:48:10,855 and the very nature of true repentance - 1001 00:48:10,855 --> 00:48:14,217 it's blind Bartimaeus. 1002 00:48:14,217 --> 00:48:21,895 It's, "Lord, I don't have anything to offer." 1003 00:48:21,895 --> 00:48:24,038 You see, that's what repentance is. 1004 00:48:24,038 --> 00:48:27,700 The idea of repentance is this idea 1005 00:48:27,700 --> 00:48:30,306 that remember, we talked about this, 1006 00:48:30,306 --> 00:48:32,313 it's re-thinking, but more than that, 1007 00:48:32,313 --> 00:48:34,439 that Greek term metanoia has to do 1008 00:48:34,439 --> 00:48:36,486 with changing your mind. 1009 00:48:36,486 --> 00:48:38,069 What happens? 1010 00:48:38,069 --> 00:48:39,717 Well, basically, we're going along 1011 00:48:39,717 --> 00:48:41,614 and we're thinking we're pretty good. 1012 00:48:41,614 --> 00:48:44,493 We think we're not blind. 1013 00:48:44,493 --> 00:48:46,557 We think we have strength. 1014 00:48:46,557 --> 00:48:49,443 We think we have something to offer God. 1015 00:48:49,443 --> 00:48:57,168 We really think - we heard it today at the funeral - 1016 00:48:57,168 --> 00:49:04,049 people assume that they're good. 1017 00:49:04,049 --> 00:49:08,163 Blind Bartimaeus was in a position 1018 00:49:08,163 --> 00:49:09,781 where there was no assumption 1019 00:49:09,781 --> 00:49:13,477 that he had sight. 1020 00:49:13,477 --> 00:49:19,634 You see, repentance is really a mindset 1021 00:49:19,634 --> 00:49:22,260 that Christ is mighty 1022 00:49:22,260 --> 00:49:27,009 and I don't have anything to offer. 1023 00:49:27,009 --> 00:49:29,920 And then saving faith is beholding, 1024 00:49:29,920 --> 00:49:32,199 that's trusting Christ. 1025 00:49:32,199 --> 00:49:34,969 That's seeing the reality of Him. 1026 00:49:34,969 --> 00:49:38,122 That's hearing this One can restore sight; 1027 00:49:38,122 --> 00:49:40,286 this One can cure the leper; 1028 00:49:40,286 --> 00:49:42,064 this One has raised the palsied; 1029 00:49:42,064 --> 00:49:44,392 He's raised the dead; He's calmed the storm. 1030 00:49:44,392 --> 00:49:47,700 Ah, that's what I need. 1031 00:49:47,700 --> 00:49:49,203 And so it's not so much, 1032 00:49:49,203 --> 00:49:51,868 oh, what can I do 1033 00:49:51,868 --> 00:49:53,722 so that I can get to heaven? 1034 00:49:53,722 --> 00:49:56,935 All it's about is in my desperation 1035 00:49:56,935 --> 00:49:58,252 and my emptiness 1036 00:49:58,252 --> 00:50:01,186 and my bankruptcy, 1037 00:50:01,186 --> 00:50:03,672 I just have to get ahold of Him. 1038 00:50:03,672 --> 00:50:05,507 I have to get His attention. 1039 00:50:05,507 --> 00:50:07,905 That's blind Bartimaeus. 1040 00:50:07,905 --> 00:50:11,289 He cried out. People told him to shut up. 1041 00:50:11,289 --> 00:50:13,492 But he wasn't going to shut up. Why? 1042 00:50:13,492 --> 00:50:15,309 Because his mind had been changed. 1043 00:50:15,309 --> 00:50:16,409 He knew. 1044 00:50:16,409 --> 00:50:17,839 There may have been a day 1045 00:50:17,839 --> 00:50:19,921 when Jesus didn't mean anything to him. 1046 00:50:19,921 --> 00:50:21,394 There may have been a day when 1047 00:50:21,394 --> 00:50:23,323 he had no idea about Jesus 1048 00:50:23,323 --> 00:50:24,490 having that ability, 1049 00:50:24,490 --> 00:50:25,850 but somewhere along the line 1050 00:50:25,850 --> 00:50:28,706 he came to learn about this Savior. 1051 00:50:28,706 --> 00:50:31,111 He came to learn about this One: 1052 00:50:31,111 --> 00:50:33,335 He can heal. 1053 00:50:33,335 --> 00:50:34,883 Word came to him. 1054 00:50:34,883 --> 00:50:35,878 And you remember, 1055 00:50:35,878 --> 00:50:37,791 that was the very thing that Jesus said 1056 00:50:37,791 --> 00:50:41,035 to those cities where most of His mighty works were done. 1057 00:50:41,035 --> 00:50:45,957 He faulted them for not having repented 1058 00:50:45,957 --> 00:50:48,429 after He did those mighty works. 1059 00:50:48,429 --> 00:50:51,593 Well, here's Bartimaeus. 1060 00:50:51,593 --> 00:50:55,434 And he caught wind of those works. 1061 00:50:55,434 --> 00:50:57,460 And something happened in his mind 1062 00:50:57,460 --> 00:50:59,351 and something happened in his thinking, 1063 00:50:59,351 --> 00:51:00,514 and he wasn't thinking, 1064 00:51:00,514 --> 00:51:02,165 oh, how can I produce a repentance 1065 00:51:02,165 --> 00:51:05,314 that is somehow going to work out God's favor here. 1066 00:51:05,314 --> 00:51:07,119 You see, the whole idea of repentance 1067 00:51:07,119 --> 00:51:08,593 is weakness. 1068 00:51:08,593 --> 00:51:11,800 Real repentance brings us to a mindset 1069 00:51:11,800 --> 00:51:16,882 of weakness; not of strength. 1070 00:51:16,882 --> 00:51:20,522 And he recognized, I can't do a thing 1071 00:51:20,522 --> 00:51:23,807 to restore my own sight. 1072 00:51:23,807 --> 00:51:26,382 But if I can just cry out to Him, 1073 00:51:26,382 --> 00:51:28,112 He is my only hope. 1074 00:51:28,112 --> 00:51:29,898 The cry doesn't save me. 1075 00:51:29,898 --> 00:51:31,612 It's the cry to Him. 1076 00:51:31,612 --> 00:51:33,138 I've got to get to Him. 1077 00:51:33,138 --> 00:51:34,926 He's my only hope. 1078 00:51:34,926 --> 00:51:39,782 Oh, think about when he heard those words: 1079 00:51:39,782 --> 00:51:43,067 "He's calling you." 1080 00:51:43,067 --> 00:51:44,423 He threw off his cloak. 1081 00:51:44,423 --> 00:51:45,727 Think about that. 1082 00:51:45,727 --> 00:51:49,498 Blind men don't throw off their cloak. 1083 00:51:49,498 --> 00:51:51,422 Blind men are going to keep in contact 1084 00:51:51,422 --> 00:51:53,368 with the stuff that is precious to them, 1085 00:51:53,368 --> 00:51:54,977 and I guarantee you a blind man 1086 00:51:54,977 --> 00:51:56,403 would have valued his cloak. 1087 00:51:56,403 --> 00:52:00,456 He threw it off because it didn't matter anymore. 1088 00:52:00,456 --> 00:52:01,941 Because it wasn't like the wife 1089 00:52:01,941 --> 00:52:04,994 or the oxen or the field. 1090 00:52:04,994 --> 00:52:07,023 It didn't matter. 1091 00:52:07,023 --> 00:52:09,123 He's calling me and He's my only hope. 1092 00:52:09,123 --> 00:52:10,267 And if I can get to Him, 1093 00:52:10,267 --> 00:52:12,211 I don't care about anything else. 1094 00:52:12,211 --> 00:52:13,842 I've got to get to Him. 1095 00:52:13,842 --> 00:52:15,273 I don't care. 1096 00:52:15,273 --> 00:52:18,462 People that talk like this guy talks, 1097 00:52:18,462 --> 00:52:20,403 and then if you were to take a snapshot 1098 00:52:20,403 --> 00:52:23,983 of their life and see them surfing the Internet, 1099 00:52:23,983 --> 00:52:27,285 and see them spending hours on video games 1100 00:52:27,285 --> 00:52:31,971 and see them watching smut on TV. 1101 00:52:31,971 --> 00:52:40,223 See, when you know He's my only hope, 1102 00:52:40,223 --> 00:52:42,707 and I'm sick and I'm blind 1103 00:52:42,707 --> 00:52:44,066 and I'm bankrupt 1104 00:52:44,066 --> 00:52:45,378 and I'm in trouble 1105 00:52:45,378 --> 00:52:46,380 and I'm guilty 1106 00:52:46,380 --> 00:52:48,053 and I'm a sinner before God 1107 00:52:48,053 --> 00:52:49,597 and I'm going to hell - 1108 00:52:49,597 --> 00:52:51,026 you will cry out. 1109 00:52:51,026 --> 00:52:54,199 Bartimaeus did not all of a sudden 1110 00:52:54,199 --> 00:52:55,996 decide that he was going to go 1111 00:52:55,996 --> 00:52:57,623 over to the other side of Jericho 1112 00:52:57,623 --> 00:52:58,728 and beg for awhile 1113 00:52:58,728 --> 00:53:05,418 and then he would worry about finding Jesus later. 1114 00:53:05,418 --> 00:53:09,856 When you come to the realization, 1115 00:53:09,856 --> 00:53:12,154 when you do a proper spiritual inventory 1116 00:53:12,154 --> 00:53:14,205 and you recognize, 1117 00:53:14,205 --> 00:53:16,382 I am lost and I'm going to hell 1118 00:53:16,382 --> 00:53:17,964 and I am under God's wrath, 1119 00:53:17,964 --> 00:53:20,478 and it is not well with my soul, 1120 00:53:20,478 --> 00:53:23,161 and I'm going to perish, 1121 00:53:23,161 --> 00:53:24,688 and I need Christ. 1122 00:53:24,688 --> 00:53:28,423 He is my only hope and my only help. 1123 00:53:28,423 --> 00:53:32,084 That's it. 1124 00:53:32,084 --> 00:53:34,724 (Incomplete thought) 1125 00:53:34,724 --> 00:53:37,018 If you're here in that condition, 1126 00:53:37,018 --> 00:53:39,863 throw off the cloak 1127 00:53:39,863 --> 00:53:41,439 and run. 1128 00:53:41,439 --> 00:53:43,133 But the throwing off of the cloak 1129 00:53:43,133 --> 00:53:45,027 and the running don't do you anything, 1130 00:53:45,027 --> 00:53:47,176 don't look at that. 1131 00:53:47,176 --> 00:53:50,125 Can you imagine him? 1132 00:53:50,125 --> 00:53:53,419 He threw off those things. 1133 00:53:53,419 --> 00:53:55,468 Can you imagine him? 1134 00:53:55,468 --> 00:53:56,815 Can you imagine watching, 1135 00:53:56,815 --> 00:53:59,615 here's a blind man. 1136 00:53:59,615 --> 00:54:01,651 He had some idea of the direction 1137 00:54:01,651 --> 00:54:03,012 that Jesus was in. 1138 00:54:03,012 --> 00:54:05,147 He might have heard Jesus even. 1139 00:54:05,147 --> 00:54:11,046 I don't know, but he took off. 1140 00:54:11,046 --> 00:54:13,218 Can you imagine a blind man just running? 1141 00:54:13,218 --> 00:54:15,839 It's like he didn't care. 1142 00:54:15,839 --> 00:54:18,323 His one thought: 1143 00:54:18,323 --> 00:54:20,336 I've got to get to Christ. 1144 00:54:20,336 --> 00:54:21,833 Get to Christ. 1145 00:54:21,833 --> 00:54:24,996 I've got to get to Christ. 1146 00:54:24,996 --> 00:54:27,151 And his life proved it. 1147 00:54:27,151 --> 00:54:31,570 What he did proved the nature of that repentance 1148 00:54:31,570 --> 00:54:34,284 and of that faith. 1149 00:54:34,284 --> 00:54:36,060 Yeah, such a question, it would be 1150 00:54:36,060 --> 00:54:38,077 so ridiculous to Bartimaeus. 1151 00:54:38,077 --> 00:54:40,945 Are you blind enough? 1152 00:54:40,945 --> 00:54:43,941 Do you sense your blindness enough? 1153 00:54:43,941 --> 00:54:48,682 Obviously, he was blind enough. 1154 00:54:48,682 --> 00:54:51,262 And obviously, he did sense his blindness. 1155 00:54:51,262 --> 00:54:56,019 But his focus was on that reality, 1156 00:54:56,019 --> 00:55:01,476 that I've got to get to Christ. 1157 00:55:01,476 --> 00:55:10,392 I've got to get to Christ. 1158 00:55:10,392 --> 00:55:14,600 Anybody have anything else? 1159 00:55:14,600 --> 00:55:24,525 Father, 1160 00:55:24,525 --> 00:55:31,848 Father, we know that You save sinners. 1161 00:55:31,848 --> 00:55:36,678 Lord, we know that from beginning to end, 1162 00:55:36,678 --> 00:55:40,997 we don't love first. You love first. 1163 00:55:40,997 --> 00:55:48,197 We don't call first. You call first. 1164 00:55:48,197 --> 00:55:57,967 We don't see first. You see first. 1165 00:55:57,967 --> 00:56:01,999 Being saved does not originate 1166 00:56:01,999 --> 00:56:05,356 in our own minds. 1167 00:56:05,356 --> 00:56:09,797 Being able to behold the reality 1168 00:56:09,797 --> 00:56:13,477 of our only hope being in Christ. 1169 00:56:13,477 --> 00:56:16,012 We even read about this on Sunday. 1170 00:56:16,012 --> 00:56:19,403 There's a veil. 1171 00:56:19,403 --> 00:56:21,655 We recognize that the god of this world 1172 00:56:21,655 --> 00:56:24,174 blinds the eyes of unbelievers 1173 00:56:24,174 --> 00:56:26,064 and those that are perishing. 1174 00:56:26,064 --> 00:56:30,569 Lord, have mercy and save sinners. 1175 00:56:30,569 --> 00:56:34,139 Lord, please, in this day, 1176 00:56:34,139 --> 00:56:40,188 bring sweeping - Lord, sweeping salvation 1177 00:56:40,188 --> 00:56:42,747 to multitudes, we pray, Lord, 1178 00:56:42,747 --> 00:56:44,773 may this be a day of salvation. 1179 00:56:44,773 --> 00:56:48,327 May today be the day of salvation. 1180 00:56:48,327 --> 00:56:49,949 Lord, would You have mercy upon 1181 00:56:49,949 --> 00:56:56,219 the masses of humanity in our country. 1182 00:56:56,219 --> 00:57:01,171 Lord, I pray for Joseph. 1183 00:57:01,171 --> 00:57:06,340 Lord, I pray. I pray for him. 1184 00:57:06,340 --> 00:57:11,917 Lord, there's no sinner beyond Your reach. 1185 00:57:11,917 --> 00:57:14,645 We just pray that You'd have mercy. 1186 00:57:14,645 --> 00:57:18,426 We pray, Lord, have mercy upon sinners, 1187 00:57:18,426 --> 00:57:20,555 just like him. 1188 00:57:20,555 --> 00:57:24,118 Just like we were; maybe some of us are. 1189 00:57:24,118 --> 00:57:27,332 Mercy, Lord. We pray for mercy. 1190 00:57:27,332 --> 00:57:28,525 Aside from Your mercy, 1191 00:57:28,525 --> 00:57:30,981 aside from Your compassion - 1192 00:57:30,981 --> 00:57:34,624 Lord, You sent Your Son. 1193 00:57:34,624 --> 00:57:38,551 And we see His tears by faith 1194 00:57:38,551 --> 00:57:43,715 as articulated there for us in Luke 19. 1195 00:57:43,715 --> 00:57:47,278 We see those tears. 1196 00:57:47,278 --> 00:57:51,796 Lord, may the reality of those tears 1197 00:57:51,796 --> 00:57:55,459 be demonstrated in our presence 1198 00:57:55,459 --> 00:58:01,833 in this generation, 1199 00:58:01,833 --> 00:58:04,833 by You sweeping many into the Kingdom. 1200 00:58:04,833 --> 00:58:06,520 We pray this in Christ's name, 1201 00:58:06,520 --> 00:58:07,899 Amen.