Menu
In this compelling discussion, Adrian Rogers takes a deep dive into the reasons behind our judgmental spirits. With reference to scripture, he warns how the standards we set for others often return to judge us. Listen in to gain a fresh perspective on how self-righteousness and insecurity fuel the way we judge and learn how, through Christ, we are called to a higher standard of love and mercy.
SPEAKER 01 :
Known for his unique ability to simplify profound truth so that it can be applied to everyday life, Adrian Rogers was one of the most effective preachers, respected Bible teachers, and Christian leaders of our time. Thanks for joining us for this message. Here's Adrian Rogers.
SPEAKER 02 :
Take God's Word and turn now to Matthew chapter 7. We're continuing through the Sermon on the Mount. And today... We come to a very interesting passage of Scripture. We're going to read Matthew chapter 7, verses 1 through 6 in a moment. The title of my message is a little different today, When Yardsticks Become Boomerangs. You'll find out why I called it that in just a moment. Let's look in verse 1. Our Lord says, Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge? ye shall be judged. And with what measure ye meet, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye. And behold a beam." is in thine own eye. Thou hypocrite, first cast the beam out of thine own eye, and then thou shalt see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. NOW SO FAR IN THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT, OUR LORD HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT OUR RELATIONSHIP TO GOD AND OUR RELATIONSHIP TO THINGS. AND NOW IN CHAPTER 7, HE BEGINS TO TALK ABOUT OUR RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER PEOPLE. AND HE BEGINS OUT SPEAKING ABOUT, I SUPPOSE, ONE OF THE MOST TREACHEROUS THINGS IN HUMAN NATURE. It is our human nature to put other people before us that we might judge them. And so we want to measure them, adjudicate them guilty, and then in our hearts and minds condemn them. And we all have our measuring rods. We all have our tape measures. We all have our yardsticks by which we measure and then judge other people. But our Lord says that that yardstick will become a boomerang. That is, the very yardstick that you use to judge somebody else with is what you're going to be judged with. It's going to come back to you in a deadly way. And turn now to Matthew chapter 7. Let's look in verse 1. Our Lord says, "...judge not." that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged. And with what measure ye meet, it shall be measured to you again. Your yardstick will become a boomerang. I want to mention three or four reasons why human beings judge other people. First of all, because of our iniquity. Look, if you will, in verse 3. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considereth not the beam that is in thine own eye? Here's a man with a saw log in his eye looking for sawdust in somebody else's eye. Don't tell me the Lord Jesus didn't have a sense of humor. Here's a man trying to practice spiritual ophthalmology and he's got a plank in his eye. Now, who is the Lord talking to? He's talking to hypocrites. Now, look in verse 5. Thou hypocrite. Learn this, friend. It is the hypocritical that are hypercritical. You say, well, why do you say hypercritical? Well, I want to ask you a question. Is there sawdust in my eyes? Does anybody here know whether I've got a speck in my eye? You don't know. You know why? You got to get real close and look real hard to see it, right? I mean, in order for you to find out, you've got to come up and inspect me. Isn't that right? You have got to get up close. If you see a speck in my eye, I'll guarantee you made an extra effort to find it, didn't you? I mean, you have to look for it. You have to get up and inspect me very carefully. Now, wouldn't you be ludicrous if you had a big two before in your eye coming up here looking for a speck in my eye? That's what our Lord Jesus Christ is talking about. You see, listen, it is the hypocritical that are hypercritical. People find what they are looking for. Every church has its own speck hunters. They specialize in specks, moats, examiners of other people. You will get what you are looking for if you wanted somebody to survey the landscape for you. Suppose you got a buzzard and you sent a buzzard out and you said, "'Mr. Buzzard, go survey the landscape.'" And he would fly over the meadows and the streams and the brooks and the flowers and the fleecy clouds and come back and you would say, Mr. Buzzard, what did you see? He'd say, I saw a dead cow with maggots in it. Because that's what he'd be looking for. That's what he'd be looking for. You see, it's the hypocrite. It's the hypocrite who sees in others really what is in himself. All we see when we judge others, or what we see generally when we judge others, is a reflection of what is in our own hearts. That's what our Lord is saying. Here's a man with a saw log looking for sawdust. I heard about an old grandmother who would go into the house and she would dust and then dust again and then dust again, kept on dusting the furniture and polishing the furniture because she said, it's dusty. Finally, they took off her glasses and they were covered with dust. What she was seeing was just simply herself. Let me tell you what God says. Turn to Romans chapter 2 for a moment. And look, if you will, in Romans chapter 2. Boy, I'm telling you, if God doesn't excoriate the judgmental person here, look in verses 1 through 3. Therefore, thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest. For wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself. Your yardstick becomes a boomerang. For thou that judgest doest the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things and doest the same, that thou shall escape the judgment of God? In chapter 1, the Apostle Paul of Romans, he's talking about the pagan, the ungodly, the sins of the flesh. In chapter 2, he's talking about the religious man and the sins of the spirit. You dress so nicely. You look so nice. You have a Bible. You're glad to judge the thief, the prostitute, the murderer, the pimp, the drug pusher, the pervert. You wouldn't do any of those things. But your heart is headquarters for hatred. You reek with pride. You're stuff full of self-righteousness. And you judge other people. Jesus Christ had far more to say to the Pharisees who were so full of self-righteous pride about their sin than he said to the harlot, the thief, the down and out. You know one of the great dangers? That we're egomaniacs strutting to hell thinking we're too good to be damned and we judge other people. We're full of lust and ambition, pride. Oh, we don't commit adultery. We don't steal. But God sees our heart. God sees the wickedness that flows out of our heart. The sin of the flesh can be so easily... Hidden in the heart, but God sees it. You remember the story there in the Gospel of Luke? Two men went to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a publican. And the Pharisee stood and he prayed, Father, I thank you that I'm not like other men. I tithe, I fast, I attend the worship service, and God, most of all, I thank you that I'm not like this publican. The publicans, they were the tax collectors and the offscaring of society. And Jesus said to the old publican, he's praying. He wouldn't even lift his eyes to heaven. He beats himself upon the chest and he says, Oh God, be merciful to me, a sinner. Actually, the Greek says, the sinner. He saw himself as the worst sinner of all. Lord, I thank you that I am not like other men, like this man. And Jesus said, that man went home justified. The other man just went home. I'll tell you another reason that we judge, not only because of our iniquity, but because of our insecurity. Envy digs the mud that jealousy throws at success. We're so insecure. We want to judge other people by our standards because if we can get them to look like us, act like us, and do like us, then we feel better. Somehow it makes us feel better. In Greek mythology, there was a chieftain. He was a robber. And his name was Procrustes. And he would go out and capture people and dragged them into his cave. And in his cave, he had an iron bed. Have you ever heard of the iron bed of Procrustes? And he put people on the bed. That's what he measured them with. If they didn't fit his bed, if they were not long enough, he would stretch them until they would fit his bed. If they were too long, he would lop off their legs. And he made everybody... fit the bed that he thought was just right. Now we do that. We have the bed that suits us. And we say everybody else has got to be just like me. You better thank God that they're not. Many times because of our iniquity we judge. Many times because of our insecurity we judge. Many times because of our ignorance we judge. We judge people we don't know enough. That's the reason I'm so glad that God is the judge. The Apostle Paul there in 1 Corinthians, there were some people who were judging him. You know the people always like to judge preachers. They think they've been called of God to do that, you know. And they were judging the Apostle Paul. And you know what the Apostle Paul said to them? He said, it's a small thing with me that you judge me. He said, I don't even judge me. He said, we'll wait till the Lord comes and makes known the counsels of men's hearts. Then shall every man have praise of God. What did he mean by that? He said, I don't even know enough to judge myself. So how on earth are you going to judge me if I can't even judge me? I'm on the inside looking out. You're on the outside looking in. And Paul said, I can't even judge me. How are you going to do it? You see, our ignorance causes us to judge other people. I was reading about a lady. She went into the airport waiting on her plane. She thought she would have some cookies and a cup of tea. So she went into the little shop like they have there and bought her a bag of cookies, went and sat down, had her cup of tea, and she noticed that the man sitting next to her just reached over and opened her bag of cookies and took one out. She thought, now that is some nerve. Well, she said, I'm going to eat my cookies anyway. So she reached in and took a cookie and began to eat it. And he finished the one he ate and reached in and got another one. She didn't know what to do. She was embarrassed, but she would take one and he would take one. Finally, there was one cookie left. He reached down and broke it in half. And ate it. She was so steamed. She set up all of the gall, the nerve of that guy. Anyway, she gathered her stuff. The plane was called. She got, sat down on the plane, still steamed, opened her purse to get a tissue, and there was her bag of cookies. None of us is wise enough to judge another person. We don't have all of the facts even when we're certain that we do. Thank God there is one good enough. one wise enough, one loving enough to judge me and to judge you. And the Bible says, shall not the judge of all heaven and earth do right? Put this verse down in your margin. Romans 14, verse 4. Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? To his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holding up, for God is able to make him stand up. I'll tell you another reason we judge. Not only because of our iniquity and not only because of our insecurity and not only because of our ignorance, but because of our insensitivity. Do you know the Bible says of the Lord Jesus in John the third chapter, for God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world, to judge the world, but that the world through him might be saved. Many times we're quick to judge and condemn those that God wants to save. Maybe we do know all of the facts. Maybe they do deserve to burn in hell. But I don't want them to go there. Do you? I cringe every time I hear one individual tell another individual, you go to hell. You go to hell. Who are you to tell someone If you know Jesus Christ, your heart ought to be yearning, burning, loving that they go to heaven. When you tell an individual to go to hell, it makes me believe, dear friend, you probably are headed there. Because what judgment you meet, it'll be measured to you again. And that yardstick... is going to become a boomerang that's going to come right back to you. With what measure ye meet, it shall be measured to you again. Our Lord is full of compassion. We're so insensitive that we judge. When Jesus Christ saw Zacchaeus, that little man down there in Jericho, climbed a tree that he might see the Lord, that tax gatherer, he was a thief. But Jesus, when he saw him, Jesus didn't say, Hey, listen. You black-hearted son of the devil, you skin-flint, get down out of that tree. And Jesus said, hey, Zach, come on down, buddy. I want to go have dinner with you today. Jesus loved him. And Jesus did not condemn him. Well, what is our text telling us? We must apply wise discrimination to We must avoid wicked condemnation. We must apply wise discrimination. We've got to know the difference between logs and hogs and dogs and wolves in sheep's clothing. We've got to know that. God has given us some standards. God teaches us that we are to choose what is right and refuse what is wrong. But, oh, our hearts are to be filled with mercy and compassion and forgiveness with those who need it. And if not, what is going to happen? Let me show you another verse here, and then I'm almost finished. But turn to the book of James. Look, if you will, in chapter 2 and verse 13. James 2, verse 13. "'For he shall have judgment without mercy.'" that showed no mercy. But oh, look at the next part of that. And mercy, mercy rejoices against judgment. Don't you love that? When I stand before God, I'll tell you what I want. I want mercy. I need mercy. And I don't want to judge you because if I do, I won't have any mercy. I want to see every man, every woman, every boy, every girl as God sees them. And God loves them all. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. God is a God of love. God does not rejoice in judgment. Yes, judgment will come. The hottest part of hell is reserved for the unmerciful. We look at other people and we say they're unworthy. Michelangelo, the sculptor in Florence, was walking past the quarry and he saw an ugly piece of marble, misshapen, ugly. They had discarded it. They had thrown it out. It was useless. Michelangelo looked at it a while, and he said, I want that piece of marble. And they said, sir, it's no good. He said, I want it. He said, there's an angel in that piece of marble. I can see him, and I'm going to set him free. And out of that piece of marble, Michelangelo made the sculpturing of a beautiful, beautiful angel. Now, we see people sometimes unworthy. unfit, fit only to be discarded. But God doesn't love us for what we are. He loves us for what we can be. God doesn't change us so He can love us. He loves us so He can change us. And God sees a saint in you today if you just put yourself in His hands.
SPEAKER 01 :
If you would like to learn more about how you can know Jesus or deepen your relationship with Him, simply click the Discover Jesus link on our website, lwf.org. For a copy of this message or additional resources, visit our online store at lwf.org or call 1-800-274-5683. Thank you.
In this enlightening episode, we delve into the formidable power of praise, especially during life's tumultuous storms. With heartfelt insights, Adrian Rogers draws from the narrative of King Jehoshaphat to illustrate the potent force that worship holds in overcoming adversities. As adversaries loom large, infusing intentional praise between strategic actions becomes a beacon of hope and a source of divine energy that confuses and defeats enemies.
SPEAKER 01 :
Pastor, teacher, and author Adrian Rogers has introduced people all over the world to the love of Jesus Christ and has impacted untold numbers of lives by presenting profound truth simply stated. Thanks for joining us for this message. Here's Adrian Rogers.
SPEAKER 02 :
Second Chronicles chapter 20. The message tonight is a serious message, but a helpful message, and it deals with praise. It deals with praising God IN THE TIME OF TROUBLE. THE TITLE OF THE MESSAGE, THE POWER OF PRAISE. NOW PRAISE IS A VERY POWERFUL THING. AS A MATTER OF FACT, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN ENJOY THE CHRISTIAN LIFE WITHOUT PRAISE. IT'S PRAISE THAT JUST INFUSES THE JOY AND LETS THE JOY BEGIN TO FLOW. IF YOU'RE HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH JOY, IT IS PROBABLY BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT PRAISING THE LORD. NOW BE HONEST, HOW MANY FOLKS ENJOY SPORTS, FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? LET ME SEE YOUR HAND. THAT'S MOST OF US, MOST OF US. IF THAT'S A SIN, I PLEAD GUILTY. I REALLY DO, I ENJOY WATCHING SPORTS. I ENJOY WATCHING FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL, ESPECIALLY FOOTBALL. BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN MY FAVORITE TEAM IS PLAYING, AND, AND SOMETHING WONDERFUL HAPPENS, I MEAN, THERE'S A SPECTACULAR CATCH OR SOME INCREDIBLE PLAY, SOME, SOMETHING THAT IS JUST STUPENDOUS, I HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING. I MEAN, EVEN IF I'M WATCHING BY MYSELF, JOYCE CAN HEAR ME IN THE OTHER END OF THE HOUSE. I JUST HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING. UH, I, IF, IF, IF WE SCORE OR WHATEVER, I HAVE TO SAY, ALL RIGHT, OR THAT'S GOOD, OR WOW, OR, YEAH. YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LIKE, DON'T YOU DO THAT? DO YOU DO THAT? YOU JUST, AH. IF YOU DON'T SAY ANYTHING WHEN IT'S HAPPENING, YOUR ENJOYMENT OF THAT GAME IS GOING TO BE GREATLY DIMINISHED. TRY IT SOMETIME. JUST TRY SITTING THERE AND WATCHING A BALL GAME AND DON'T EXPRESS YOURSELF. JUST WATCH IT. DON'T SAY ANYTHING AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS. YOUR JOY, YOUR ENJOYMENT OF THAT GAME WILL DIMINISH. SOME FOLKS SIT HERE IN CHURCH, BLESS ME IF YOU CAN. THEY DON'T GET ANYTHING OUT OF IT. IF THEY DO, IT'S GREATLY DIMINISHED. YOU GET INTO IT. BEGIN TO PRAISE. BEGIN TO LAUGH. BEGIN TO SAY AMEN. BEGIN TO NOD YOUR HEAD. PARTICIPATE. GIVE GOD THE GLORY. THE JOY WILL START TO FLOW. QUIT JUST BEING A NON-ENTITY IN A SERVICE LIKE THIS. YOU KNOW, IT, IT HELPS TO PRAISE IN TIME OF JOY AND, AND, UH, PRAISE BRINGS JOY. AND IT HELPS TO PRAISE IN TIME OF HELP. WHEN YOU'VE, WHEN SOMEBODY'S DONE SOMETHING FOR YOU, LEARN TO PRAISE THEM. GIVE HONOR TO WHOM HONOR IS DUE. THERE'S POWER IN THAT.
SPEAKER 1 :
HUH.
SPEAKER 02 :
A WOMAN TOLD A PREACHER, SHE SAID, THAT WAS A WONDERFUL SERMON. He said, well, praise the Lord. She said it wasn't that wonderful. Just praise one another. And praise God when God has done something for you. Give Him thanks. But one of the ways and things we need to do, one of the things we need to do and one of the ways that we need to praise is to praise in time of trouble. AND I WANT YOU TO SEE HERE IN A CLASSIC PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE THAT FROM TIME TO TIME WE'VE LOOKED AT, BUT WE MUST NEED TO LOOK AT IT AGAIN, SECOND CHRONICLES CHAPTER 20, SECOND CHRONICLES CHAPTER 20. AND I, FIRST THING I WANT YOU TO SEE IS WHAT I'M GOING TO CALL A POWERFUL FOE, A POWERFUL FOE. LOOK, VERSES ONE AND TWO, AND IT CAME TO PASS AFTER THIS ALSO THAT THE CHILDREN OF MOAB, and the children of Ammon, with them other beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle. And there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side, Syria, AND BEHOLD, THEY THAT BE IN HAZARZON, HAZARZONTAMON, WHICH IS ANGEDDON." NOW HERE IS KING JEHOSHAPHAT, A GOOD KING. HE LOVES THE LORD AND HE'S TOLD, YOU'VE GOT SOME ENEMIES OUT THERE. THERE ARE THREE POWERFUL KINGS THAT ARE COMING AGAINST YOU. THE INHABITANTS THERE OF AMAM AND MOAB AND MOUNT SEIR HAVE COME AGAINST YOU. WE MIGHT AS WELL MAKE UP OUR MIND AND REAFFIRM THE, THE TRUTH THAT WE HAVE THREE MIGHTY KINGS THAT COME AGAINST US ON A REGULAR BASIS, SIN, SORROW, AND DEATH. THESE ARE THE CHRISTIANS' THREE GREAT FOES, THE WORLD'S THREE GREAT FOES, SIN, SORROW, AND DEATH. AND WE'RE FACED WITH THEM TIME AND TIME AGAIN. SO NUMBER ONE, A POWERFUL FOE. EVERY ONE OF US WHO LIVE THE CHRISTIAN LIFE WILL MEET OPPOSITION FROM TIME TO TIME, AND SOMETIMES THE OPPOSITION WILL BE FIERCE. NUMBER TWO, NOT ONLY WAS THERE A POWERFUL FOE, BUT THANK GOD KING JEHOSHAPHAT MADE A POSITIVE FOCUS. LOOK IN VERSE THREE, AND JEHOSHAPHAT FEARED AND SET HIMSELF TO SEEK THE LORD AND PROCLAIM TO FAST THROUGHOUT ALL JUDAH. HE SET HIMSELF TO SEEK THE LORD." NOW GOD FOR JEHOSHAPHAT WAS HIS FIRST THOUGHT, NOT HIS LAST RESORT. JEHOSHAPHAT SAID, THE ENEMY'S OUT THERE, BUT GOD IS UP HERE, AND I AM GOING TO SEEK THE LORD WITH ALL OF MY HEART. A POWERFUL FOE CAUSED HIM TO HAVE A POSITIVE FOCUS. HE SET HIMSELF TO SEEK THE LORD. AND NOT ONLY WAS THERE A POSITIVE FOCUS, BUT THERE WAS A PROCLAIMED FAST. LOOK IF YOU WILL IN VERSE THREE, THE LAST PART, AND HE PROCLAIMED A FAST THROUGHOUT ALL JUDAH. AMERICA IS SICK. IT IS TIME FOR THE CHURCH OF THE LORD GOD TO SHARPEN HER FOCUS and proclaim a fast to seek God. It is not that by fasting we buy God's blessings. God's blessings are always by grace, but yet God does business with those that mean business. And when we have a positive focus, fasting just simply sharpens the focus. It causes us to think about God in a way that nothing else that I know of does. NOW THE NEXT THING I WANT YOU TO SEE IS A, A PURPOSEFUL FELLOWSHIP. LOOK IF YOU WILL IN VERSE FOUR, AND JUDAH GATHERED THEMSELVES TOGETHER TO ASK HELP OF THE LORD. EVEN OUT OF ALL OF THE CITIES OF JUDAH THEY CAME TO SEEK THE LORD. EVERYBODY CAME TOGETHER TO SEEK GOD. WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IN AMERICA IF IN ALL OF THE CITIES OF AMERICA PEOPLE JUST GOT TOGETHER TO SEEK THE LORD, BLACK AND WHITE, BAPTISTS, ASSEMBLY OF GOD, METHODISTS, PRESBYTERIAN, LUTHERAN, PENTECOSTAL, WHOMEVER WANTS TO, WHOMEVER WILL, TO COME TO SEEK THE LORD, A PURPOSEFUL FELLOWSHIP. AND WHEN WE COME TO SEEK THE LORD, HE SHOWS UP. FOR OUR LORD SAID, WHERE TWO OR THREE ARE GATHERED IN MY NAME, THERE AM I IN THE MIDST OF THEM. AND WHEN WE COME TOGETHER, NOT TO TRY TO HEAL RACISM, NOT TO TRY TO SOLVE POVERTY, NOT TO ENTERTAIN OURSELVES, NOT TO, UH, GET AMERICA DELIVERED FROM HER ENEMIES, BUT WHEN WE COME TO SEEK THE LORD, TO SEEK THE LORD, TO SEEK THE LORD, WE WILL BE IN ONE ACCORD AND THEN WE WILL BE FAR ABLE, FAR BETTER ABLE TO ATTACK ALL OF THESE OTHER PROBLEMS THAT NEED TO BE DEALT WITH. BUT WE CANNOT BYPASS THE ONE THING THAT WE MUST DO AND GOD HELP US THAT WE WILL DO IS TO COME TOGETHER TO SEEK THE LORD, TO SEEK THE LORD. LOOK AT IT, LOOK AT IT. VERSE THREE, AND JEHOSHAPHAT FEARED AND SET HIMSELF TO SEEK THE LORD. THE LAST PART OF VERSE FOUR, THEY CAME TO SEEK THE LORD. IT WAS A PURPOSEFUL FELLOWSHIP TO SEEK THE LORD. NOT POLITICAL, NOT SOCIAL, NOT RACIAL, BUT SPIRITUAL, COMING TO SEEK THE LORD, A PURPOSEFUL FELLOWSHIP, VERSE FOUR. AND THEN THERE WAS A, A PRAYERFUL FAITH. AND NOW I WANT TO READ ON THROUGH VERSE 13, LOOK AT IT. AND JEHOSHAPHAT STOOD IN THE CONGREGATION OF JUDAH AND JERUSALEM IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD BEFORE THE NEW COURT, AND SAID, AND I WANT YOU TO LISTEN TO THIS PRAYER. BEFORE I READ THIS PRAYER, I WANT TO SAY THIS. THAT WHEN YOU HAVE A PROBLEM, WHEN I HAVE A PROBLEM, IT IS VERY, VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU PUT YOUR EYES UPON GOD, THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THE CHARACTER AND THE NATURE OF GOD. AND IN THIS PRAYER THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO SEE, WE'RE GOING TO FIND FIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NATURE OF GOD. AND WHEN A PROBLEM COMES, YOU NEED TO GLANCE AT YOUR PROBLEMS AND GAZE AT YOUR GOD. I WANT YOU TO SEE THE PRAYER THAT JEHOSHAPHAT PRAYED. NOW DON'T JUST GLANCE OVER THIS. DON'T JUST GLAZE OVER THIS. DON'T JUST GO THROUGH THIS CARELESSLY. BECAUSE THERE ARE FIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NATURE OF GOD THAT ARE IN THIS PRAYER THAT GREATLY ENCOURAGED ME WHEN I LOOKED AT IT. FIRST OF ALL, JEHOSHAPHAT SAW GOD AS A SOVEREIGN GOD. LOOK IN VERSE SIX AND SAID, O LORD GOD OF OUR FATHERS, NOW LISTEN TO THIS, ART THOU NOT GOD IN HEAVEN? AND RULEST NOT THOU OVER ALL THE KINGDOMS OF THE HEATHEN? AND IN THINE HAND IS THERE NOT POWER AND MIGHT, SO THAT NONE IS ABLE TO WITHSTAND THEE? QUESTION, CAN THE PORNOGRAPHERS WITHSTAND GOD? CAN THE LIQUOR DEALERS WITHSTAND GOD? CAN THE BABY BUTCHERS WITHSTAND GOD? CAN THE SODOMITES WITHSTAND GOD? NO. THERE IS NONE. THIS IS WHAT HE SAYS, YOU RULE OVERALL. THERE IS NOT POWER AND MIGHT SO THAT NONE IS ABLE TO WITHSTAND THEE. AND IT'S ABOUT TIME WE BELIEVE THAT. PEOPLE GOING AROUND WRINGING THEIR HANDS, SAYING, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? WELL, I CAN TELL YOU THERE'S NO PANIC IN HEAVEN. AND I CAN TELL YOU ALSO THAT THE HOLY TRINITY NEVER MEETS AN EMERGENCY SESSION. YOU SAY, WELL, PASTOR, I HAVE A BIG PROBLEM, ALL RIGHT? I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT THE BIGGEST PROBLEM YOU HAVE. I MEAN THE VERY BIGGEST. THEN I WANT YOU TO DOUBLE IT. THEN I WANT YOU TO DOUBLE IT AGAIN. THEN I WANT YOU TO CO, COMPARE IT TO ALMIGHTY GOD AND TELL ME THAT YOUR PROBLEM IS TOO BIG FOR GOD. LISTEN, JEHOSHAPHAT BEGAN TO PRAY, AND FIRST OF ALL, HIS PRAYER WAS ADDRESSED TO A SOVEREIGN GOD. SECONDLY, VERSE SEVEN, IT WAS ADDRESSED TO A STEADFAST GOD. NOW LOOK AT VERSE SEVEN, ART NOT THOU OUR GOD, WHO DIDST DRIVE OUT THE INHABITANTS OF THIS LAND BEFORE THY PEOPLE ISRAEL, AND GAVEST IT TO THE SEED OF ABRAHAM THY FRIEND FOREVER? WHAT DOES HE SAY? HE SAID, GOD, YOU MADE A PROMISE TO ABRAHAM. YOU SAID TO ABRAHAM, I AM GOING TO GIVE YOU THIS LAND AND IT IS YOURS AND IT IS YOURS FOREVER. AND NOW, LORD, THIS BUNCH IS COMING TO TAKE AWAY FROM US THAT WHICH YOU GAVE US. AND, LORD, WE ARE STANDING ON YOUR WORD AND WE'RE PRAYING ON THE BASIS OF YOUR PROMISE. YOU ARE A STEADFAST GOD. YOU DON'T CHANGE WHAT YOU SAID TO ABRAHAM. YOU'RE SAYING TO US AND WE'RE STANDING ON YOUR WORD. GOD IS THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND FOREVERMORE. AND THE GOD WHO HAS WORKED MIRACLES IN THE PAST IS THE GOD WHO CAN WORK MIRACLES TODAY. AND DON'T YOU INSULT GOD BY SAYING, WE CANNOT HAVE REVIVAL IN THIS DAY AND IN THIS AGE. IT'S AN INSULT TO GOD BECAUSE GOD IS STILL POWERFUL. HE STILL HAS POWER TO SAVE MULTITUDES, TO SHAKE CITIES, AND TO SEND REVIVAL. STUDY THE HISTORY OF REVIVAL. AND GOD HAS SENT REVIVAL IN DARK DAYS BEFORE, AND GOD CAN AND GOD WILL, IF WE WILL TRUST HIM, SEND REVIVAL TODAY. HE IS A SOVEREIGN GOD, HE IS A STEADFAST GOD, AND HE IS A SYMPATHETIC GOD. LOOK IN VERSES EIGHT AND NINE AS WE CONTINUE TO READ, AND THEY DWELT THEREIN, AND HAVE BUILT THEIR SANCTUARY THEREIN FOR THY NAME, SAYING, IF, WHEN EVIL COMETH UPON US, AS THE SWORD, JUDGMENT, AND BY THE WAY, AMERICA IS UNDER JUDGMENT, JUDGMENT OR PESTILENCE, AMERICA HAS PESTILENCE, IT'S THE AGE PESTILENCE, OR FAMINE, WE STAND BEFORE THIS HOUSE AND IN THY PRESENCE, FOR THY NAME IS IN THIS HOUSE, THAT IS, THEY'RE PRAYING ON THE BASIS OF GOD'S GLORY, AND CRY UNTO THEE IN OUR AFFLICTION, THEN THOU WILL HEAR AND HELP. IS THAT UNDERSCORED IN YOUR BIBLE? IT IS IN MINE. THEN THOU WILL HEAR AND HELP. I LOVE THAT. THE GOD WHO HEARS AND THE GOD WHO HELPS. HE IS A SYMPATHETIC GOD. IF WE CRY TO HIM, HE WILL HEAR AND HE WILL HELP. HE WILL HEAR, HE WILL HELP. HE IS A SOVEREIGN GOD. HE IS A STEADFAST GOD. HE IS A SYMPATHETIC GOD. THE BIBLE SAYS IN ALL THEIR AFFLICTIONS HE WAS AFFLICTED. HE'S TOUCHED WITH THE FEELING OF OUR INFIRMITY. Then next, He is a seeing God. Look, if you will, in verse 10, "'Now behold,' that is, Lord, take a look. "'Now behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, "'whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade, "'these, Lord, that you protected "'when they came out of the land of Egypt, "'but they turned from them and destroyed them not. "'That is, we showed mercy to them. "'Behold,' I say, how they reward us.' TO COME TO CAST US OUT OF THY POSSESSION WHICH THOU HAST GIVEN US TO INHERIT." NOW WHAT'S HE SAYING? HE'S SAYING, GOD, TAKE A LOOK AT ALL OF THIS. JUST BEHOLD IT. YOU SAY, DO I HAVE TO TELL GOD TO LOOK AT WHAT HE ALREADY SEES? YES. DO I HAVE TO ASK GOD FOR WHAT HE KNOWS I ALREADY NEED? YES. BUT THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT OUR PRAYER THAT GETS GOD'S ATTENTION AND CAUSES HIM IN A VERY SPECIAL WAY TO FOCUS ON WHAT WE FOCUS ON. HE IS A SEEING GOD. AND TWICE, GOD IS ASKED TO BEHOLD THIS. VERSE 10, AND NOW BEHOLD. VERSE 11, BEHOLD I SAY. HE IS THE SEEING GOD. GOD KNOWS YOUR SITUATION. HE KNOWS YOUR ENEMY. HE KNOWS YOUR DANGER. HE KNOWS WHERE YOU ARE RIGHT NOW. HE KNOWS WHAT YOU'RE THINKING THIS VERY MOMENT. AND THAT HELPS US WHEN WE PRAY. THERE'S NOTHING THAT ESCAPES HIS NOTICE. NOT ONLY IS HE A SEEING GOD, BUT HE IS THE SAVING GOD. LOOK, IF YOU WILL, IN VERSES 12 AND 13, O OUR GOD. BY THE WAY, THESE ARE TWO OF THE GREATEST VERSES IN THE CHAPTER. O OUR GOD, WILT THOU NOT JUDGE THEM? FOR WE HAVE NO MIGHT AGAINST THIS GREAT COMPANY THAT COMETH AGAINST US, NEITHER KNOW WE WHAT TO DO. BUT OUR EYES ARE UPON THEE. AND ALL JUDAH STOOD BEFORE THE LORD WITH THEIR LITTLE ONES, THEIR WIVES, AND THEIR CHILDREN. OH, GOD, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. WE DON'T HAVE ANY STRENGTH. BUT, LORD, OUR EYES ARE ON YOU. HERE ARE OUR WIVES. HERE ARE OUR CHILDREN. HERE ARE OUR LITTLE BABIES. LORD, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. THEY'RE COMING AGAINST US. GOD, WE DON'T HAVE ANY MIGHT. WE DON'T HAVE ANY STRENGTH. HOLLYWOOD IS GREATER THAN WE ARE. THE LIQUOR PEOPLE HAVE MORE MONEY THAN WE HAVE. THE MEDIA SEEMS TO BE AGAINST US. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. BUT GOD, OUR EYES ARE ON YOU. HMM. IF WE GO DOWN, WE'RE GOING DOWN WITH OUR EYES ON YOU. IF THEY KILL US, THEY'RE GONNA KILL US WITH OUR EYES ON YOU. LORD, YOU ARE THE GOD WHO CAN DELIVER US. YOU ARE THE SOVEREIGN GOD. You are the steadfast God. You are the sympathetic God. You are the seeing God. You are the saving God. AND SO WHAT THEY DID, FRIEND, THEY JUST CAME TO A PRAYERFUL FAITH AND BEGAN TO PRAY, NOT ON THE BASIS OF WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, BUT ON WHO GOD IS. NEXT THING, NOT ONLY A PRAYERFUL FAITH, BUT A PROPHETIC FACT. NOW THEY'RE PRAYING, AND WHEN THEY PRAY, GOD BEGINS TO SPEAK AND ANSWER. BEGIN NOW IN VERSE 14. And upon Jehaziel, the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the Lord in the midst of the congregation. And the Lord said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou King Jehoshaphat. Thus saith the Lord unto you, BE NOT AFRAID NOR DISMAYED BY REASON OF THIS GREAT MULTITUDE, THE BATTLE IS NOT YOURS BUT GOD'S. OH! OH! THAT'S IT! THAT'S IT! THAT'S IT! THE BATTLE IS NOT YOURS BUT GOD, A PROPHETIC FACT. NOW THEY'RE PRAYING. THEY'RE SEEKING GOD. THEY'RE SAYING, GOD, WE HAVE NO MIGHT. WE HAVE NO UNDERSTANDING. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. BUT WE'VE, WE'VE, WE'VE SET OURSELVES TO SEEK YOU. WE'VE GATHERED TOGETHER TO SEEK YOU. WE'VE PROCLAIMED TO FAST TO SEEK YOU. AND GOD THEN BEGINS TO MOVE. AND GOD BEGINS TO SPEAK. AND GOD TAKES A SPIRIT ANOINTED PREACHER TO BRING A MESSAGE. THANK GOD THAT THE SPIRIT OF GOD DOES ANOINT. THANK GOD FOR SPIRIT-FILLED MESSENGERS. AND THE MESSENGER SAID, HERE'S THE MESSAGE FROM GOD. HERE IS THE PROPHETIC FACT THAT WE NEED TO SEE ONE MORE TIME. VICTORY BELONGS TO GOD. THE BATTLE IS NOT YOURS, BUT GOD'S. NOW, THE PROPHETIC FACT BRINGS US TO THE POTENT FORCE. AND WHAT IS THE POTENT FORCE? WELL, BEGIN NOW IN VERSE 16 AND READ THROUGH VERSE 22. HERE'S WHAT THE MAN OF GOD SAID. HERE IS WHAT THE PROPHET SAID. TOMORROW GO YE DOWN AGAINST THEM. BEHOLD, THEY COME UP BY THE CLIFF OF ZIZ, AND YE SHALL FIND THEM AT THE END OF THE BROOK BEFORE THE WILDERNESS OF JAPAN. Ruel, and ye shall not need to fight in this battle. Set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem, FEAR NOT, NOR BE DISMAYED. TOMORROW GO OUT AGAINST THEM, FOR THE LORD WILL BE WITH YOU.' AND JEHOSHAPHAT BOWED HIS HEAD WITH HIS FACE TO THE GROUND. AND ALL JUDAH AND THE INHABITANTS OF JERUSALEM FELL BEFORE THE LORD, WORSHIPING THE LORD. AND THE LEVITES OF THE CHILDREN OF THE KOTHITES AND OF THE CHILDREN OF THE KORHITES STOOD UP TO PRAISE THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL WITH A LOUD VOICE ON HIGH. BY THE WAY, IF YOU DON'T LIKE LOUD MUSIC, YOU WOULDN'T LIKE IT HERE. THEY BEGAN TO PRAISE THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL WITH A LOUD VOICE ON HIGH. AND THEY ROSE EARLY IN THE MORNING, AND WENT FORTH INTO THE WILDERNESS OF TO, UH, TECHOA. AND AS THEY WENT FORTH, JEHOSHAPHAT STOOD AND SAID, HEAR ME, O JUDAH, YE INHABITANTS OF JERUSALEM, BELIEVE IN THE LORD YOUR GOD. AND BOY, THERE'S ANOTHER ONE OF THESE GREAT STATEMENTS IN HERE. BELIEVE IN THE LORD YOUR GOD, SO SHALL YOU BE ESTABLISHED. BELIEVE HIS PROPHETS. SO SHALL YE PROSPER. GOD RAISED UP A PROPHET AND GOD SAID, BELIEVE HIM IF YOU WANT TO PROSPER. AND WHEN HE HAD CONSULTED WITH THE PEOPLE, HE APPOINTED SINGERS UNTO THE LORD, THAT THEY SHOULD PRAISE THE BEAUTY OF HOLINESS. AND THERE'S ANOTHER GREAT PHRASE. SINGERS UNTO THE LORD, THAT THEY SHOULD PRAISE THE BEAUTY OF HOLINESS, AS THEY WENT OUT BEFORE THE LORD, AND TO SAY, PRAISE THE LORD, FOR HIS MERCY ENDURETH FOREVER. AND WHEN THEY BEGAN TO SING AND TO PRAISE, THE LORD SET AMBUSHMENTS AGAINST THE CHILDREN OF AMMON, MOAB, AND MOUNT SEIR, WHICH WERE COME AGAINST JUDAH, AND THEY WERE SMITTEN. FOR THE CHILDREN OF AMMON AND MOAB STOOD UP AGAINST THE INHABITANTS OF MOUNT SEIR, UTTERLY TO SLAY AND TO DESTROY THEM. AND WHEN THEY'D MADE AN END OF THE INHABITANTS OF SEIR, EVERY ONE HELPED TO DESTROY ANOTHER. AND WHEN JUDAH CAME TOWARD THE WATCH TOWER IN THE WILDERNESS, THEY LOOKED UNTO THE MULTITUDE, AND, BEHOLD, THERE WERE DEAD BODIES FALLEN TO THE EARTH, AND NONE ESCAPED." NOW WHAT IS THE POTENT FORCE? THE POTENT FORCE IS PRAISE. NOW, THE PROPHET OF GOD SAID, THE BATTLE IS NOT YOURS, BUT THE LORD'S, BUT YOU HAVE A PART, AND YOUR PART IS PRAISE, AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HIDE UNTIL IT'S ALL OVER. NOW A LOT OF US WOULD HAVE SAID, NOW GOD, WHEN IT'S ALL OVER, HUH, WHEN WE HAVE THE VICTORY, THEN WE'RE GOING TO PRAISE YOU FOR THE VICTORY. BUT GOD SAYS, OH NO, THE BATTLE IS MINE, THE BATTLE IS, IS NOT YOURS, BUT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HIDE UNTIL IT'S OVER, AND, AND YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PRAISE, ON THE FRONT END, NOT AT THE REAR END. BUT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PRAISE AT THE BEGINNING, NOT AT THE CONCLUSION. YOU CAN'T PRAISE AFTER IT'S OVER, BECAUSE IT WON'T BE OVER UNTIL YOU BEGAN TO PRAISE. I WONDER, HAVE YOU LEARNED TO PRAISE GOD IN YOUR PROBLEMS? YOU SAY, I CAN'T PRAISE GOD IN THE MIDST OF MY PROBLEMS. WELL, THEN GO AHEAD AND LIVE WITH HIM. LET'S GO AHEAD AND LIVE WITH HIM. BUT FRIEND, IF YOU WILL DO WHAT THIS WONDERFUL TWENTYTH CHAPTER OF SECOND CHRONICLES TEACHES US TO DO, YOU CAN PRAISE AND SEE GOD MOVE. DID YOU KNOW WHAT PRAISE IS? PRAISE IS FAITH EXPRESSING ITSELF. THAT'S ALL PRAISE IS. PRAISE IS JUST FAITH TURNED INSIDE OUT. NOW, WE, WE COME TO GOD, WE MUST ASK GOD. THAT'S WHAT THESE PEOPLE DID. THEY CAME AND THEY ASKED GOD, THEY SAID, GOD DELIVER US, OUR EYES ARE ON YOU, HELP US. THAT'S PETITION. BUT PETITION MUST BE MARRIED TO PRAISE. PETITION SAYS PLEASE, PRAISE SAYS THANK YOU. BUT PRAISE SAYS THANK YOU ON THE FRONT END. SEE, PRAISE BRINGS GOD INTO IT. DO YOU REMEMBER THAT PASSAGE OVER THERE IN PSALM 22 VERSE 3, WHERE GOD OCCUPIES THE PRAISE OF HIS PEOPLE? WHAT IS GOD'S ADDRESS? WHERE DOES GOD LIVE? PRAISE IS GOD'S ADDRESS. WHEREVER THERE'S PRAISE, GOD SHOWS UP. GOD OCCUPIES THE PRAISE OF HIS PEOPLE. THE TWO WINGS OF POWER ARE PETITION AND PRAISE. NOW, LET ME TELL YOU TWO THINGS PRAISE WILL DO. I LOVE IT. AND IT'S RIGHT HERE IN VERSES 16 THROUGH 22. HERE'S TWO THINGS PRAISE WILL DO. PRAISE INFUSES THE ENERGY OF GOD. NUMBER TWO, PRAISE CONFUSES THE ENEMIES OF GOD. PRAISE INFUSES THE ENERGY OF GOD. PRAISE CONFUSES THE ENEMY OF GOD. WHEN YOU BEGIN TO PRAISE, GOD'S ENERGY JUST BEGINS TO FILL YOU. IT INFUSES YOU WITH ENERGY AND POWER BECAUSE GOD IS IN THAT PRAISE. AND WHEN YOU BEGIN TO PRAISE, NOT ONLY IS THAT PRAISE VERY HEALTHY FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT, IT IS THE AMBIENCE, THE ENVIRONMENT THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT OCCUPIES, BUT SATAN IS ALLERGIC TO IT. SATAN BREAKS OUT WITH HIVES. When you begin to praise God, Satan gets confused. Now here are these enemies. Here are the inhabitants of Ammon and Moab, Mount Seir. And they're all coming against one enemy, against Israel. And here goes the army of God. And they're just going against the enemy. And they're singing the battle hymn of the Republic. And they're singing victory in Jesus. And they're singing what a mighty God we serve. AND SATAN GOES BANANAS. I MEAN, THEY TURNED ON EACH OTHER. THEY BEGAN TO KILL ONE ANOTHER AND DESTROY ONE ANOTHER. THEY GOT IN ABSOLUTE CONFUSION. PRAISE FRACTURES THE UNITY OF THE ENEMY. AND PRAISE FORMULATES THE UNITY OF THE BELIEVER. Oh, how we need to be bound together, praising the Lord God. What a potent force is praise. It infuses the energy of God. It confuses the enemy of God. And so there's a potent force. And now what happens? Well, look, if you will, in verse 25. There is a provided fortune. And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, THEY FOUND AMONG THEM IN ABUNDANCE BOTH RICHES WITH THE DEAD BODIES, AND PRECIOUS JEWELS, WHICH THEY HAD STRIPPED OFF FOR THEMSELVES MORE THAN THEY COULD CARRY AWAY. AND THEY WERE THREE DAYS IN GATHERING OF THE SPOIL." IT WAS SO MUCH. NOW HOW ABOUT THAT FOR A SWITCH? HERE THEY HAVE AN ENEMY. THIS ENEMY LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO DESTROY THEM. YOU SAY, OH GOD, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO. THEN GOD, AS THEY SEEK THE LORD IN FASTING AND PRAYER, GOD SENDS THEM A MESSAGE. THEY OBEY THE MESSAGE. THEY BEGAN TO BELIEVE GOD AND PRAISE GOD. THE ENEMY IS PUT INTO CONFUSION. AND NOW THEY'RE LEFT WITH ALL THIS BOUNTY, THESE SPOILS. TREASURE. FOR THREE DAYS THEY'RE TRYING TO LOAD IT UP AND CARRY IT OFF. IS GOD'S MESSENGER BOY. YOU SAY, WHY DOESN'T GOD KILL THE DEVIL? DID YOU KNOW THAT GOD USES THE DEVIL? IF WE WILL BEGIN TO PRAISE THE LORD, THE DEVIL WILL BECOME OUR SERVANT TO ENRICH US. I HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT THE TIMES THAT I'VE BEEN IN SPIRITUAL BATTLE, AND I GUESS I'VE BEEN IN SPIRITUAL BATTLE ALL MY LIFE. SOMEBODY ASKED ME THE OTHER DAY, HE SAID, ARE YOU UNDER PRESSURE? I SAID, I DON'T KNOW. I don't know, I've never been any other way. It's like the woman didn't know her husband was drinking until one day he came home sober. I mean, I've just been under pressure, I guess. I don't know whether it's pressure or not. I just live this way. I'll tell you one thing. There have been some times when I've been under pressure, pressure. There have been some times when, I mean, it's really, really, really been tough. EVERY ONE OF THOSE TIMES WHEN I'VE TURNED TO THE LORD, NOT ONLY HAS HE BROUGHT ME THROUGH, BUT HE'S MADE ME RICH EVERY TIME, EVERY TIME. I HAVE COME OUT WITH BOTH HANDS FULL OF RUBIES AND DIAMONDS AND EMERALDS AND GOLD. AND THOUGH I WOULDN'T CHOOSE IT, I WOULDN'T TAKE ANYTHING FOR IT, For the way that what the enemy meant for evil, God used for good. And David cut Goliath's head off with Goliath's sword. And God takes that which the enemy means against us for evil. AND GOD USES IT FOR HIS GLORY AND HIS GOOD. GOD WANTS TO DO THAT FOR BIBLE BELIEVERS IN AMERICA. AND WHAT WE THINK ARE CALAMITOUS THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THESE DAYS, IF WE WILL SET OURSELVES, SET OURSELVES, SET OURSELVES TO SEEK GOD IN FASTING AND PRAYER AND PRAISE, WE'LL SEE GOD DO A MIRACLE IN AMERICA. AND I'M, FOR ONE, I'M HUNGRY TO SEE IT HAPPEN. AND WHEN IT HAPPENS, HUH, NOBODY'S GONNA GET THE PRAISE BUT JESUS. AS A MATTER OF FACT, YOU'LL HAVE TO GET TO PRAISE BEFORE IT HAPPENS. AND IT'S JUST, IT, IT'S A PROVIDED FORTUNE. VERSE 25, AND THEN VERSES 26 THROUGH 30, A PEACEFUL FUTURE. LOOK IF YOU WILL IN VERSE 26 HERE, AND ON THE FOURTH DAY THEY ASSEMBLED THEMSELVES IN THE VALLEY OF BARAKA, FOR THERE THEY BLESSED THE LORD. THEREFORE THE NAME OF THE SAME PLACE WAS CALLED THE VALLEY OF BARAKA UNTIL THIS DAY. THEN THEY RETURNED EVERY MAN TO JUDAH AND JERUSALEM, AND JEHOSHAPHAT IN THE FOREFRONT OF THEM, TO GO AGAIN TO JERUSALEM WITH JOY. FOR THE LORD HAD MADE THEM TO REJOICE OVER THEIR ENEMIES. AND THEY CAME TO JERUSALEM WITH SALTRIES AND HARPS AND TRUMPETS UNTO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD." WHAT A DAY THAT MUST HAVE BEEN. AND THE FEAR OF GOD WAS ON ALL THE KINGDOMS OF THOSE COUNTRIES. WHEN THEY HAD HEARD THAT THE LORD HAD FOUGHT AGAINST THE ENEMIES OF ISRAEL. SO THE REALM OF JEHOSHAPHAT WAS QUIET, FOR HIS GOD GAVE HIM REST." ROUND ABOUT, A PEACEFUL FUTURE. DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE ENEMIES LOVED HIM, THEY STILL HATED HIM. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS? THE BIBLE SAYS, WHEN A MAN'S WAYS PLEASE THE LORD, EVEN HIS ENEMIES WILL BE AT PEACE WITH HIM. DOESN'T MEAN THEY'LL LOVE HIM, THEY'RE JUST AFRAID OF HIM, JUST AFRAID OF HIM. WOULDN'T IT BE WONDERFUL AGAIN IF, IF, IF THIS WORLD WERE AFRAID OF THE PRAYERS OF GOD'S PEOPLE? WOULDN'T IT BE WONDERFUL AGAIN IF THEY SAY, DON'T TOUCH THEM, THEY'RE HOLY PEOPLE. DON'T MESS WITH THEM, GOD IS WITH THOSE FOLKS. THEY DON'T HAVE ANY RESPECT FOR US TODAY, THEY LAUGH AT US, THEY MOCK AT US, AND WELL THEY OUGHT BECAUSE WE DESERVE IT. BUT FRIEND, I WANT US TO COME TO A PLACE WHERE THEY SAY, DON'T, DON'T MESS WITH THEM, GOD IS WITH THEM. AND WHEN A MAN'S WAYS PLEASE THE LORD, HE MAKES EVEN HIS ENEMIES TO BE AT PEACE WITH HIM. WELL, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED A LONG TIME AGO. WOULDN'T YOU LIKE TO SEE IT HAPPEN AGAIN? I WOULD. NOW, I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO GET FRIGHTENED NOW, BUT I WANT TO GIVE YOU TEN FACTS. I KNOW THAT'S A LOT. I'M JUST GOING TO, THEY'RE GOING TO BE SHORT. BUT IF YOU'VE GOT SOME PROBLEMS, HERE'S WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO. LISTEN TO ME NOW. NUMBER ONE, YOU NEED TO LEARN TO SEE ALL SATANIC OPPOSITION AS OPPORTUNITY. GOT IT? SEE ALL SATANIC OPPOSITION AS OPPORTUNITY. THAT'LL PUT A DIFFERENT FOCUS ON IT. NUMBER TWO, SEEK GOD, SET YOURSELF TO SEEK GOD BEFORE YOU TAKE ANY ACTION. NUMBER THREE, REMEMBER THOSE TIMES WHEN YOU SEEK GOD THAT HE HAS SHOWN HIMSELF FAITHFUL IN THE PAST AS JEHOSHAPHAT DID. THINK BACK ON OTHER TIMES WHEN HE DELIVERED YOU. NUMBER FOUR, BEGIN TO STUDY THE WORD OF GOD FOR A PROMISE ON WHICH TO STAND. NUMBER FIVE, LET THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD MAKE THAT PROMISE REAL AND LIVE IN YOUR HEART. NUMBER SIX, REFUSE ANY CONFIDENCE WHATSOEVER IN THE FLESH. NUMBER SEVEN, GIVE YOURSELF TO FULL, FREE, UNRESTRAINED, OPEN WORSHIP AND PRAISE OF THE ALMIGHTY. NUMBER EIGHT, BEGIN TO PRAISE GOD IN THE FACE OF OPPOSITION AND IN THE FACE OF THE ENEMY. NUMBER NINE, EXPECT GOD TO SEND CONFUSION TO YOUR ENEMIES. NUMBER TEN, GET READY FOR A BLESSING. GET READY FOR A BLESSING. THAT'S WHAT THIS CHAPTER IS TELLING US.
SPEAKER 01 :
If you would like to learn more about how you can know Jesus or deepen your relationship with Him, simply click the Discover Jesus link on our website, lwf.org. For a copy of this message or additional resources, visit our online store at lwf.org or call 1-800-274-5683. Thank you.
Join us as Adrian Rogers delves into the depths of genuine faith, exploring the synergy between belief and action. Using scriptures from both Matthew and James, Rogers illustrates how true faith results in works that reflect one's commitment to Christ. Through thought-provoking examples and a call to action, he urges listeners to secure their spiritual foundation before the storms of life test their resolve.
SPEAKER 01 :
ADRIAN ROGERS WAS A MOTIVATOR, AN ENCOURAGER, AND A LEADER OF THE FAITH. HE WAS ALSO PASSIONATE ABOUT PRESENTING SCRIPTURAL APPLICATION TO EVERYDAY LIFE CIRCUMSTANCES. AND YOU'LL HEAR THAT IN TODAY'S MESSAGE. NOW, LET'S JOIN ADRIAN ROGERS.
SPEAKER 02 :
WOULD YOU TAKE GOD'S WORD AND BE FINDING THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW CHAPTER 7. AND WE'RE COMING ALMOST TO THE END OF THIS GREAT, GREAT PASSAGE THAT WE CALL The Sermon on the Mount. Now before I read the Scripture that will begin in verse 24 in just a moment, let me tell you this, that we have a very, very, very serious problem in today's world and in what we call the Christian world. And the problem is dropout disciples, collapsing Christians, banishing church members. People who, when they ought to be standing up, are folding up. They get baptized. They come to church for a while. And then, trouble, persecution, heartache, temptation comes, and they fall away. I call them Alka-Seltzer Christians. You drop them in water, they fizzle a little while, and then they're gone forever. You know folks like this? I think there are many like this. They are superficial saints. And the reason they fall away, the reason they cannot stand, is they have no real foundation in their lives. And when the storms come, they are blown away. Now that's what Jesus Christ is talking about right here. Many of us know people that will come to mind when I read this scripture. And many of you may be here today and you have no real foundation. You think everything is fine. But when the storm comes, you'll be gone too. Because you don't have a foundation. I want you to listen to this. Jesus says in verse 24... Therefore, whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock. He built his house upon a rock. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew. But what happened? Look at it again. And they beat upon that house, but it didn't fall. It fell not, for it was founded upon a rock. Now look in verse 26. And everyone that heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them not... shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it. That means, and tragic was the fall of it. Now that's the passage that we have before us today. what a pertinent passage it is jesus here is talking about building on a firm foundation and friend if the bottom has fallen out of your life you had better go back and examine the foundation there was something wrong with the foundation now if you would learn how to weather the storm and by the way the storm is coming There are three categories here today. Those who are just getting out of a storm, those in the midst of a storm, and those who are getting ready to get in a storm. All right? The storm is coming. Now, if you would weather the storm, there are three things I want to lay on your heart out of this passage of Scripture. The very first is this, that you need to erect a sturdy building. Now the Lord says that we're all building a house. Our lives are like a house. Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man that built his house upon a rock. Now you're all building some kind of a spiritual house. Everybody is. I cannot live in the house you build. You cannot live in the house I build. I am stuck with the house that I build, and I will stand or fall in the house that I build. Now, our Lord here is talking about two kinds of builders. In verse 24, He talks about a wise builder who built his house upon a rock. And in verse 26, He talks about a foolish builder who built his house upon the sand. Now wait a minute. In many ways these two builders are very much alike. The Lord in this passage is not talking about the out and out pagan. He's talking about two categories of persons who have heard His Word. Two so-called followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. But there was a vital, vital difference in these two. But the difference was below the surface. The difference is not what we see when we look around. The difference is in the foundation. There was the rock builder, first of all. The rock builder. He built his house upon a rock. Luke says in Luke chapter 6 and verse 48 that the builder dug deep. He dug deep and laid the foundation upon a rock. You know that a house with a good foundation can stand the storm. But then he said there was another man. This was the sand builder. Now you can build a house more quickly if you don't bother with the foundation. Just go out to a sandy lot and begin to build. Lay the joists on the ground. put down a base, build the walls, put the roof on. Hey, that's easier. That's quicker. That's less costly. And your house will look just as good as your neighbor's. As a matter of fact, you can take some of the money that you would have put in the foundation and maybe put a little more gingerbread on your house. Now, these are the two kinds of builders. Very, very similar and yet vitally different. Now what makes a firm foundation? What is building on the rock? Jesus makes it very clear. Look in verse 24. There are two things necessary to have a firm foundation. What two things make the rock? Well, first of all, hearing the Word of God. Jesus said, Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine. Now that's what we're doing today. We're listening to the Word of God because the Bible says in Romans chapter 10 verse 17 that faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. So that's part of having a rock foundation for your life. You must hear the Word of God. Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine. But that's only half of it. Now look very carefully in verse 24. Whosoever heareth these words of mine, and what's that next word? And doeth them. And that's where we begin to separate the rock builders from the sand builders. Now one of those who must have been there to hear Jesus give this sermon was a man named James. And I don't think that James ever forgot it. Now remember, James heard Jesus say that it is the man who hears the Word of God and does the Word of God, whose life is built on a firm foundation. And notice what James says in James chapter 1, verse 22, "'Be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.'" I believe that James was thinking about what Jesus said in Matthew chapter 7 right here. Be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only. Because any man is self-deceived who comes to church and hears the Word of God does not do the Word of God and has the idea that he has done what he's supposed to do. You know, it's like a person who would come this morning and they would say, you know, I enjoyed the message. Oh, the music. The music was wonderful. But then there is no change whatsoever in their lifestyle and the way they live. James said that man is deceived. And he has deceived himself. He is self-deluded. Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. Jesus said, whosoever hears this word and does it. Now, let's just stay with James for a moment. I want you to go to James chapter 2, and I'm going to read an extended passage of Scripture. And it is one of the most controversial passages of Scripture in all of the Bible. But I am totally convinced that what I'm about to read this morning is the message that most churches in America need. Here's James. James is very straightforward. He says, if you are a hearer of the Word and you're not a doer, you are deceived. And then he asks a question in chapter 2, verse 14. What does it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith? and hath not works. Can faith save him? Now the Greek manuscript would give it this way, can that faith save him? That is faith without works. If a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be warmed and filled. Notwithstanding, you give them not those things which are needful to the body. What good does it do? What does it profit? Even so, listen, faith, if it hath not works, is D-E-A-D, dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works. Show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. Thou believest there is one God, thou dost well. The devils also believe and tremble. That's more than some folks do. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness, and he was called the friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works when she had received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. Also, I wanted to read the whole passage. I didn't want to leave anything out. Now what is all of this talking about? I want to make this absolutely, totally clear. You are saved by grace through faith alone and not of works of any kind. Now I want that to be very, very clear. It is not by works of righteousness that we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us. The Bible says in Ephesians 2, verses 8 and 9, For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God. not of works, lest any man should boast. And Paul said in Romans 11, 6, and I love this, he says, and if by grace it is no more works, otherwise grace is no more grace. And if by works it is no more grace, otherwise work is no more work. That sounds like some sort of a little conundrum, a little riddle. What's he saying? He says you can't mix grace and works. You just have to make up your mind. Either you're saved by the grace of God or you're saved by self-effort. And James says that faith without works is dead. Are James and Paul having an argument? No! They are in agreement. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God. What James and Paul are talking about are heads and tails of the same coin and And they're exactly what Jesus is talking about when He says, whosoever hears these sayings of Mine and does them is like a wise man that built his house upon a rock. Now we need to understand this. While we are saved by faith alone, the faith that saves is never alone. Did that get through? While we are saved by faith alone, the faith that saves is never alone. Now the difference between James and Paul is, Paul is talking about how to be justified in the sight of God, but James is talking about how to be justified in the sight of men. Look in verse 18, Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works. Show me thy faith without thy works, I will show thee my faith. By my works. You can't see my heart. You can't see any faith in me. God can see it, but you can't see it. The only way you can know my faith is what you see in me. Paul is talking about being justified before God. James is talking about being justified before men. Paul is talking about the root of our salvation. James is talking about the fruit of our salvation. Paul is talking about the foundation. James is talking about the building. Paul is talking about the provision of our salvation. James is talking about the proof. Paul is talking about the marks. James is talking about the means. Paul is talking about a no-so salvation. James is talking about a show-so salvation. They're all the same. What James is saying is that if you're truly saved, if you're truly saved, it is more than just mental ascent. It is more than just head belief. Now, he says in verse 14 that without true faith... What you say is just a profitless profession. Look, if you will, in verse 14. What does it profit, my brethren? Though a man say he hath faith and hath not works, can that faith save him? Friend, it will take more than a pious platitude to get your soul to heaven. You may have profession without possession. James said it's like saying to a man who's hungry and cold, go your way, be warm, be full. James says what good does that do if you don't give him some food, you don't put some clothes on him? And what good is just saying I know the Lord when you don't know him? And there are many people who think just because they have a mental assent to the facts of the gospel and just because they're working in the church some way that they're going to heaven and they have no more faith than the devil himself. because they have never, ever surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Now, James makes it very clear. He gives two examples and one illustration. Look in verse 21. Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Now wait a minute. If you know your Bible history, when was Abraham counted righteous? Well, he offered Isaac upon the altar in Genesis chapter 22. But in Genesis chapter 15, the Bible says that Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness. What's the difference? What happened in Genesis 15 when Abraham believed God was seen over here 30 years later in Genesis 22 when he offered up Isaac. That's what Paul is talking about over here. Abraham truly believed God. And it showed up over here. Don't tell me that you are saved and you love God if you're not living by the Word of God. Jesus Christ said, Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things that I say? And then he gives another illustration. Was not Rahab the harlot justified by works when she hid the spies? Remember, James is talking about being seen before men. You couldn't see Rahab's heart. But let me tell you what happened to Rahab. Rahab was a harlot in the Old Testament who got saved, and her life was so changed that she married a prince in Israel, became the great-great-grandmother of King David, is in the house and lineage of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Her life, her life was changed. Now some who are members of churches... are still living like a harlot. And you're going to die in split hell wide open. Listen, if your religion has not changed your life, you better change your religion. Just simply saying, I believe, just hearing the Word of God, that does not save. It is faith. And then he gives the classic illustration. He gives two examples. And then here's the illustration. Look at it. And verse 26, For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. There are the lungs. There's the liver. There's the heart. There's the esophagus. Here's the stomach. Here are the intestines. There's the spleen. What a wonderful specimen of anatomy that is. All of those are facts. But the body is dead. What good are theological facts without life? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead. Now, it's not works that make a body alive. It is life that enables you to do those works. Do you see the difference? You can't make a body alive by manipulating the body. That doesn't give life. It is life that gives the works. There's no contradiction. What we're saying is this, that if you would be a rock builder, you must hear the Word of God and heed the Word of God. Be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only. There are millions of people who are trudging to churches on Sunday, listening to sermons, and they're going to die and go to hell because there's never been a change in their life. Jesus said, Whosoever heareth these words of mine, and does them, he's like a man that built his house upon a rock. So the very first thing I want you to see, listen to me. If you would weather the storm, you must erect a sturdy building. Now let's move to the second point very quickly. Not only must you erect a sturdy building, that's one that has a firm foundation. But after you erect a sturdy building you can expect a stormy blast. A sturdy building, a stormy blast. It is coming. Go back now to our passage of Scripture there that we're looking at in Matthew chapter 7 and see what our Lord says. And we need to understand this. Children of God you need to understand this. Listen very carefully. Jesus says that the storm fell upon both houses. In verse 25, And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house. Which house? The house built upon a rock. Verse 27, And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house. What house? The house on the sand. Now when you get saved, does that mean there are going to be no storms in your life? There will be storms. The rain comes down. that's pressure from above. The floods come up, that's pressure from beneath. The wind blows, that's pressure all around. Man that is born of woman is full of trouble. Storms come to every life, saved or lost. Built on the are built on the sand, I can tell you from the authority of the Word of God, you are going into storms. And you know what the storm is going to do? The storm is going to show whether or not you have a foundation. That's all it's going to do. The storm is going to test your faith. And a faith that cannot be tested is a faith that cannot be trusted. Don't get the idea that simply when you get saved that there's going to be no more trouble, no more difficulty. The storms are going to come. And if you get your theology from circumstances rather than from the Word of God, you're going to get the idea that God doesn't love you. Let me tell you, friends, storms are going to come. There's going to be sickness. There's going to be suffering. There's going to be persecution. There's going to be heartache. There's going to be difficulty. But these things cannot separate a man whose life is built on the rock. Romans 8, verses 35 and following. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, for thy sake we're killed all the day long. We're counted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things, not in the absence of these things, but in all of these things, in the eye of the storm, we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. And difficulty in your life does not mean that God has abandoned you. It does not mean that. He has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you. Hebrews 13, verses 5 and 6. You must erect, my dear friend, a very stable, a very secure, a very strong building. You must do that. And then you must expect a stormy blast. And then you can experience peace. the steadfast blessing. Notice again what Jesus says. Jesus says here in verse 24, And whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man which built his house upon a rock. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house. Luke says it beat vehemently upon the house. But it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock. Why do some people fold up? Why do some people cave in? Why are some just blown away? I'll tell you why. They have built upon the shifting sand of good intention. They have built upon the silt and the muck of religious activity but they have never built upon the Lord Jesus Christ where the Bible says other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is the Lord Jesus Christ you say pastor I know one of the finest families in our church they used to serve God but difficulty came and we don't see them anymore but they were such a fine family pastor yes beautiful house well furnished well painted, well designed, and that was a wonderful family living in that spiritual house, but it had no foundation. John says in 1 John 2 verse 19, they went out from us, but they were not of us. For if they had been of us, no doubt they would have continued with us, but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. I'm not talking to you this morning about sinless perfection. I'm not saying that if you get saved and give your heart to Jesus and the storms come that you won't have some doubts. You will. I'm not saying that you won't stumble. You may. You may. I'm not saying that you might not have a relapse. You might have a relapse. You know, standing in the crowd when Jesus gave this Sermon on the Mount about two kinds of builders, you know who was there most likely? A man named Simon Peter and a man named Judas. They're both there. They heard Jesus say, "'Whosoever heareth these things of mine and doeth them, I liken him unto a wise man that buildeth his house upon a rock.'" The winds, the rains, the floods came, beat upon the house, but it stood. Then they heard Jesus say, But a foolish man is like a man to build his house upon the sand. The winds, the rains, the floods came, and the house fell. And tragic, great was the fall of it. Judas was there, and Simon Peter was there. Two kinds of builders. Very similar. They both erected a spiritual house. Peter built one and Judas built one. And had you looked at the two houses, you know what you would have said? You would have said Judas can build a better house than Simon Peter. Do you know who was the best man outwardly? Do you know who had the prettiest house? Not Peter. Judas had the best looking house. He did, didn't he? Do you know what they did with Judas? They made Judas the treasurer. Now, who do you get for the treasurer? The best. I mean the most trustworthy. When Jesus said, one of you is going to betray me. Not a one of them said, oh, I know who it is. It's that rascal Judas. Not a one of them said that. They said, I wonder if it's me. None of them said, I know it's Judas. Not a one. You know why? He had a good looking house. I mean a good looking house. He knew how to build a house almost. But there was a difference. Old Simon Peter, bless his heart, Jesus said, Peter, who do you say that I am? Peter said, you are the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus said, that's right. And upon this rock I'll build my house. I'll build my church. And the very gates of hell will not prevail against it. Peter knew that. Peter was weak just like I am and like you are. He wasn't much of a house builder, but boy did he have a good foundation. Did he have a good foundation. He laid his faith on a firm foundation. And I want to tell you that a storm came and it blew through the life of Judas. And a storm came And it blew through the life of Simon Peter. And when the storm was over, Judas' house was gone. It was gone. And Judas died and went to hell. You say, did Judas lose his salvation? He never had it. The Bible says... Jesus speaking of Judas, have I not chosen you twelve and one of you is the devil? The Bible says that Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not. Judas never ever had real faith. Simon Peter did. Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon Satan has desired you that he can sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you that your faith will not fail. He had faith. And the Savior interceded for him. Now you know when the storm hit old Simon, a few windows were broken out. Did you know that? And some shingles blew off the roof. And some things happened to that house. But I want to tell you something. After the storm, he was still standing. He became the flaming apostle of Pentecost. And you know why? I'll tell you why. He had the real thing. He had the real thing. He knew God. He'd heard the Word of God. He'd believed the Son of God. He'd bowed his knee to Jesus Christ. Weak, yes. Failing, yes. But the house stood. It was built on a rock. I wonder if you can say my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. On Christ, the solid rock I stand. all other ground is sinking sand. There are thousands of people in churches today, when the storms hit, they'll be gone. When the storm comes, rather than standing up, you will fold up. And I'll tell you why. You don't have a foundation. And the storm is going to come for all of us. And you better make certain that you have a sure foundation. And when the bottom falls out, just examine the foundation. Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER 01 :
If you would like to learn more about how you can know Jesus or deepen your relationship with Him, simply click the Discover Jesus link on our website, lwf.org. For a copy of this message or additional resources, visit our online store at lwf.org or call 1-800-274-5683. Thank you.
Pastor Adrian Rogers powerfully addresses the subtle yet potent dangers posed by false prophets in this sermon. By peeling back the metaphoric sheep's clothing of deceivers, he highlights the destructive influence of those who bear no genuine spiritual fruit. Through scriptural references and real-life examples from history, Rogers paints a compelling picture of the urgency and importance of spiritual vigilance. This episode serves as a clarion call for Christians to both recognize and resist spiritual duplicity with wisdom derived from biblical teachings.
SPEAKER 01 :
Known for his unique ability to simplify profound truth so that it can be applied to everyday life, Adrian Rogers was one of the most effective preachers, respected Bible teachers, and Christian leaders of our time. Thanks for joining us for this message. Here's Adrian Rogers.
SPEAKER 02 :
Take your Bibles and be finding Matthew chapter 7 and verse 15. It begins with a warning. Jesus says, Beware... of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles? Even so, Jesus says, every good tree bringeth forth good fruit. But a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit. Neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. Wherefore, by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. But he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven, many will say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you. Depart from me, ye that work iniquity." Have you ever passed a house or been walking up to a house wanting to knock on the door and you see a sign that says, beware the dog? Have you ever seen that? What do you do? Well, you beware the dog, don't you? When there's a sign there that says, just beware the dog, you stop right away and you look around and wonder, should I go in there? But whatever, it sensitizes you. I want you to imagine walking up to a house and seeing a sign that says, beware the wolf. I just suppose rather than having a dog in the yard, there is a wolf in the yard. I think you would do a double take. The title of our message today, Beware the Wolves. That's what Jesus is saying. And these wolves who have disguised themselves in sheep's clothing. I found out that wolves are known for their boldness. They're known for the fierceness of their attack. They were the most dreaded and hated enemy of the shepherd, not the lion, not the bear, but the wolf. As a matter of fact, a wolf will kill for food. But once he gets a taste of blood, he goes into a frenzy and will kill far more than he can possibly eat. And Jesus said that false prophets... ARE LIKE WOLVES. AND JESUS SAID, BEWARE. NOW WHEN JESUS SAYS, BEWARE, THEN WE OUGHT TO BEWARE. AND JESUS SAYS, NOT ONLY ARE THESE WOLVES SO DANGEROUS, THEY'RE SO DECEPTIVE. THEY COME TO YOU IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING. NOW YOU CANNOT BE WISE AND NOT BEWARE. You see, the Lord has warned us. Many times warnings have gone unheeded. Captain Smith was the captain of the Titanic. He received a message, a radio message, when the Titanic was on its maiden voyage. And that radio message said that they were entering into iceberg-laden waters of According to the account that I read, Captain Smith took that message, written on a piece of paper, crumpled it, shoved it into his pocket, and the Titanic went sailing on. And when it sank, 1,490 people went to a watery grave in the icy North Atlantic. I read somewhere years ago about Sergeant Lockhart, Sergeant Joseph Lockhart. He was sitting at the radar in Pearl Harbor and he noticed a squadron of airplanes coming. The day was December the 7th, 1941. He reported to his commanding officer, I see some unidentified aircraft approaching. Do you know what the commanding officer said? Forget it. Forget it. And 3,000 of America's best perished in that day of infamy. Warnings. If there were ever a generation that needs to be warned about false prophets, it's this one. I mean, if ever, if ever, it's this one. And Jesus is saying, beware of false prophets. Remember this. that Satan is not opposed to religion. Satan is opposed to biblical Christianity. And religion is one of Satan's chief aims. Satan comes against the church in two basic ways. Satan comes against the church by persecution. And he's not above persecuting the church. He's not above persecuting this church or any true New Testament church. But many times for Satan, persecution will not work. Many times God's people, rather than folding up, stand up against persecution. I remember when we were in Romania, the pastor there of the great Second Baptist Church, the largest Baptist church in all Europe, told me as we went past the church, he said, you see all of these apartment buildings that are near our church? I said, yes. He said, let me tell you how they got built. He said, Ceausescu, that maniacal, diabolical, ungodly, anti-Christ dictator, when he passed by the Second Baptist Church of Oratio one time, he looked over there and he saw the church. He asked his aide, what is that? He said, that's a Baptist church. He said, destroy that nest of insects. They said, well... Mr. Ceausescu, if we just destroy them, why, the world will hear about it. It'll look bad for Romania. After all, we want most favored nation status. Well, he said, then hide it. And so you know what they did? They built apartments all around the church and brought the people right to them. Oh, people in that area. Coming to the Lord Jesus Christ and getting saved. Many times God cuts Goliath's head off with the sword that Goliath sharpened. Amen? Sometimes the devil comes against the church by persecution. But he has a better way to come against the church, and it is not persecution. It is infiltration. Put these verses in your margin. Here's the great danger to today's church. It's the infiltration of false prophets wearing sheep's clothing. Acts chapter 20, verses 28 and following. The apostle Paul said to the Ephesian elders, to that wonderful church at Ephesus, "'Take heed, therefore, unto yourselves and to all the flock.'" God's sheep, to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Then the apostle Paul said to those folks at Corinth in 2 Corinthians chapter 11, beginning in verse 13, for such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. That is, they are wearing sheep's clothing. And no marvel, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Satan is the captain of camouflage. He is the master of deceit. And so... Again and again and again, the Bible warns us of false prophets. Our Lord Jesus said in this same book of Matthew that we're studying, in Matthew chapter 24 and verse 24, for there shall arise false Christs. There shall arise false Christs and false prophets. and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch that, if it were possible, they should deceive the very elect. You know, every now and then somebody will say, Oh, the Bible is not true. The Bible is a bundle of blunders. The Bible is a book of lies. And I'll tell you why it is, they say. They say that the Bible is not true because of all these false religions, all of these false prophets, all of these fruit loops. Friend, let me tell you something. Those people don't prove the Bible not to be true. Those people authenticate the Bible. If there were no false prophets, the Bible would not be true because the Bible says they're coming. It is Jesus Christ who said they're coming. Beware, He says. These things confirm and authenticate the our faith. So there are three basic things I want you to learn this morning as we look at this message under the title, Beware the Wolves. The very first thing I want you to see is the fleece they wear. The fleece they wear. The second thing I want you to see is the fruit they bear. The third thing I want you to see is the fate they share. Now here's what our Lord Jesus is telling us about these false prophets. First of all, the fleece they wear. He says, they come wearing sheep's clothing. That is, they appear like part of the flock. Now this is the disguise that they wear. Now what I want to do today is just simply rip away the disguise. What I want to do is to pull back the sheepskin and let you see the wolf beneath. Now, false prophets come in three categories. There are three kinds of false prophets. And if you just look for one kind, you're apt to miss the other two. Wonderfully, God has given us a description of all three in one verse. So I don't want you to miss that verse. Turn next to the last book in the Bible. It's really, we call it an epistle. It's more like a postcard. It's so small. It's the little book of Jude. And look, if you will, in verse 11. Now, let me say this, that all of the book of Jude is about false apostles, false prophets and apostates. That's what it's about. The book of Jude is a warning about false prophets. But happily and wonderfully, he describes all three kinds in one verse. Woe unto them, verse 11, woe unto them, for they have gone in the way of Cain. That's one kind of false prophet. And ran greedily, underscore the word greedily, after the error of Balaam for reward. That's another kind of false prophet. And perished in the gainsaying of Korah. That's another kind of false prophet. Three kinds, right there. All of them will be wearing sheepskin, but I want us to look at them. What do they represent? Cain, the first one, represents those who pervert the gospel. Now, pay attention. Who is Cain? Well, you remember that God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. And then God gave them sons, Cain and Abel. You remember that story. And the Bible says that Abel was a keeper of flocks. But Cain was a farmer. He was a tiller of the ground. And there in Genesis chapter 4, verses 1 through 8, you have the story of two brothers. Two brothers went out to make two offerings. One brother offered to the Lord the firstlings of the flock. A perfect lamb was killed. And the blood of that lamb was offered to the Lord as an atonement for sin. The other brother Cain, you will remember the story, offered to God the fruit of his hands, of his work, the sweat of his face. This is what he offered to the Lord. And what you have here are two brothers, two offerings, Two religions and two destinies. Now Abel, as you will remember, offered the very best, the firstling of the flock to the Lord. Why? Because there in the dawn of civilization, God was teaching the lesson that we see affirmed in Hebrews chapter 9 verse 22, which is what? Without shedding of blood is no remission. Isn't that right? Without shedding of blood is no remission. And Hebrews 11, 4 says, By faith... Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice. Abel had faith in the blood. Never forget it. He had faith in the blood. For the Bible says in 1 John 1, 7, the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sin. Now, on the other hand, Cain offered the fruit of the ground. His offering was not based on blood, but the fruits and the flowers of His own effort. It may have been impressive. It may have been beautiful. It may have been costly. It may have looked like a county fair. There may have been beautiful flowers and fragrant herbs and the ripest fruits. But God was not impressed. Why? You can't get blood out of a turnip. My friend, without the shedding of blood is no remission. What did Cain's offering represent? Culture, not Calvary. Works, not grace. Now, there are only two kinds of religion. Pay attention. The true and the false. Now, we like to divide the world into Christianity and Buddhism and Islam and Mohammedanism, Rheumatism, whatever. We like to say there are all these different kinds of religions. We even take Christianity and we subdivide Christianity, Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopalian, and Catholic, and others. But I want to say there are really only two kinds of religion, the way of Cain and the way of the cross. That's all. The way of Cain, the way of the cross. The way of the cross leads to heaven. The way of Cain leads to hell. Now, there are many people today who are trudging to churches, sitting down and worshiping all over America, but you know they will not hear salvation by the blood preached. And many people will not say that that man preaching is a false prophet. But friend, he's gone the way of Cain. The way of Cain. I don't care how many fruits and flowers there are there. I don't care how beautiful it is. I care not how grand the choir is. I care not how many good works they do in the neighborhood. I don't care if they're offering to God the works of their hands rather than the blood of the Lamb. That man is a false prophet. A false prophet. That's the way of Cain. Those who pervert the gospel. Now what about the other man? Balaam. That's the second one that's mentioned there. Balaam represents not those who pervert the gospel, but those who prostitute the gospel. You see, Balaam was orthodox. Many of the things that Balaam said were incredible. Who was Balaam? Well, Balaam was an apostate prophet. He lived in the Old Testament. You could read his story in Numbers 25. The king of Moab was afraid of the Israelites. He couldn't figure out a way to overcome them, and then he got this diabolical scheme. He thought to himself, well, maybe I can get their God to put a curse on them. And so he said, well, who's a prophet that might put a curse on them? Somebody said, well, Balaam, he knows all about that prophecy business and curses and cursings and blessings. And so Balak, the king of Moab, went to Balaam and said, listen, I want you to put a curse on Balaam said, are you crazy? You think I'm going to curse what God says? Those that curse, I'll curse. And those that bless, I'll bless. You think I'm going to put a curse on them? You're crazy. Balak said, I'll pay you. He said, you couldn't pay me enough to do that. No, thank you. And Balak comes back and ups the ante and throws in some fringe benefits. After a while, oh, oh, Balaam gets to thinking. He said, how can I do this? How can I serve God and rake off a few prophets on the side? How can I do this? And then he said, I'll tell you what. I can't curse them, but I'll tell you what. I'll tell you how you can get them to curse themselves. AND ONE OF THE MOST INCREDIBLY WICKED THINGS THAT EVER HAPPENED, HE SAID TO THE KING OF MOAB, IF YOU GET THEM TO SIN, YOU WON'T HAVE TO CURSE THEM. I WON'T HAVE TO CURSE THEM. GOD WILL CURSE THEM. AND THE DAUGHTERS OF MOAB WENT IN AND BEGAN TO FLIRT WITH THE BOYS OF ISRAEL. AND THERE WAS ADULTERY AND FORNICATION AND WICKEDNESS, THE SAME THING THAT'S GOING TO CAUSE GOD TO CURSE AMERICA. And, my friend, the man of God would not stand up for purity and righteousness. And so there was a sensual feast with the daughters of Moab. And God slew 24,000 Israelites. Now, what did Balaam do? He didn't pervert the gospel. No, his problem was he was orthodox but greedy, right? And there are many false prophets today who will not preach and teach what the Bible says about righteousness. And the reason that many preachers today and many teachers today are trimming the message is for personal gain. And that gain does not have to be financial. Sometimes it's for prestige. Sometimes it's for popularity. Sometimes it's for power. Put this verse in your margin. 2 Peter chapter 2, verse 1. But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you. who privately or privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. But now notice verse 3. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you. Covetousness. That's what happened to Balaam. Now there are many false prophets. But you spell the word prophet, P-R-O-F-I-T. They're in it for what they can get. They may be orthodox. They may stand up and they may preach the blood. They don't pervert the gospel. They prostitute the gospel. They sell the gospel the same way that Madison Avenue sells cars and soap. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 2, verse 17, they peddle the Word of God. That was the third kind of false prophet. You have to see all kinds. They're all out there, friend. They're in the woodwork. There are those who pervert the gospel. That's the way of Cain. There are those who prostitute the gospel. That's Balaam. But there are also those who protest the gospel. That's Korah. Well, you read about him in Numbers chapter 16. Korah was a gifted man and a man of privilege. He was a cousin of Moses. He was a Levite. He was a prince in Israel. But somehow he got the idea that he did not like the leadership of Moses and he did not like the leadership of Aaron. Now remember that Moses and Aaron were a prophet and a priest. As a matter of fact, the Bible says the coming of Jesus is this, that Jesus is going to be a prophet like Moses. Moses is a type of the Lord Jesus Christ. And so is Aaron, a type of the Lord Jesus Christ, because Christ is our high priest. Christ is prophet and priest to the church. But here's this man named Korah, and he rebels against Moses, and he rebels against Aaron. And he said... you guys think you're just hot stuff. You're taking too much upon you. We don't like your leadership. We don't like what you say. We don't like what you do. And he organized a rebellion against Moses and against Aaron. And the Bible says that Moses fell on his face before God and told God about it. And there came a judgment where the earth opened up and swallowed Korah. He went down to hell. And all who followed him. What was Korah's problem? He didn't pervert the gospel. He didn't prostitute the gospel. He just fought the gospel. He hated the gospel. These who represent God's prophet and God's priest, picturing the Lord Jesus Christ, he rose up in rebellion against them. And I'm telling you, my dear friend, there are those in America who absolutely hate the message that we preach in this church. I mean, they hate it. They hate the blood. It's not that they deny it. They hate it. They hate the Word of God. Oh, friend, listen. We have today those who despise the blood-bought way. We have those who prostitute the blood-bought way. We have those who pervert the blood-bought way. They're all false prophets. Those who pervert the gospel, those who prostitute the gospel, those who protest the gospel, they're all wolves in sheep's clothing. Well, let's move on a little bit and think not only about the fleece they wear, but let's talk about the fruit they bear. Go back again and see what our Lord says. Are we helpless? Do we have no way to know? Well, our Lord changes the metaphor. And He says in verse 16, "'You shall know them,' who? "'These wolves by their fruits.' Now He no longer speaks of them as animals, but as trees. "'You shall know them by their fruits.' Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles? Even so, every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. Now, God is saying that the devil cannot continue to cover by deception. Because the fruit is there. Let me tell you three things about fruit. First of all, it is the root that determines the fruit. Isn't that right? That's why Jesus is saying you don't get figs from thistles. It is the root that determines the fruit. Now, if you had a fruit tree that wasn't bearing the right kind of fruit, what could you do to get the right kind of fruit on it? Well, you could prune it. And if you prune it, all you do is just Strengthen the root. There are a lot of people who think, well, you know, if I just get rid of this thing or that thing, I'll be a better tree. Well, not only could you prune it, you could transplant it. You could take a bad fruit tree and put it in another place. That's what some folks do when they move their membership. They just transplant a bad tree. It's like moving a corpse from one mausoleum to another. I mean, you can transplant it. What else could you do? Well, you could cultivate it. Hey, it's a bad tree, so you cultivate it. Lots of folks are going off to church growth conferences today. And I read some of that material, friend, they're telling them how to fertilize weeds. I mean, growth is not everything. Growth is not everything. So you could cultivate the tree. Or maybe you could just rename the tree. It's a bad tree, so you just give it another name. That's not going to change the fruit. It's the root that determines the fruit. What could you do? My friend, you could decorate it. You pull off the bad fruit and tie on some figs, some pomegranates. No. No matter what you do, whether you transplant it, you fertilize it, you prune it, you rename it, you decorate it, it is the root, the root, That determines the fruit. That's what Jesus is saying. But wait a minute. Turn that around. It is the root that determines the fruit. But it's the fruit that reveals the root. Sometimes you can't tell what kind of a fruit tree it is until you see the fruit. You can look at the root and you can't tell. Lots of roots look the same. It's the fruit that tells you what the root is, but it's the root that produces the fruit. Now, that's what Jesus is saying. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure this out. That's one thing about the Lord Jesus Christ. He was such an incredible teacher. You see, listen. How do you judge a preacher? Not merely by what he preaches, but by what he produces. Jesus said... You will know them how? By their fruit. Now you may not be able to tell at first because you've got to wait until the fruit comes out. He may be a good looking tree. But Jesus said in John 15 verse 16, You've not chosen me, but I've chosen you and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain. What's the mark of a man of God? There'll be plenty of people out there who know Jesus because of Him. They'll be loving Jesus. There will be fruit, and that fruit will remain. 2 Peter 1, verse 8, our Lord says that we should not be unfruitful. Galatians 5, verse 22, but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith. That's the fruit of the Spirit. I can't produce that fruit and you can't produce that fruit. If we'll abide in Him, we'll bear that fruit. So the fruit of the Spirit is not your fruit. It's not mine. You see, how can you know them? Well, there's the fleece they wear, but there's the fruit they bear. Now I said that the root determines the fruit. But the fruit reveals the root. Now wait a minute, stay with me. It's the seed that determines the root and the fruit. Isn't that right? It's the seed that determines the root and the fruit. I mean, you're not going to have the right kind of root or fruit if you don't have the right kind of seed. And the seed, Jesus says, is the Word of God. You read Matthew chapter 13 about a sower who went forth to sow. The seed is the Word of God. It's the seed, the seed, the seed that determines both the root and the fruit. What a teacher Jesus is. Now, here's the third thing. But look in verse 21. I want you to see the fate that they bear. The fate that they share, I meant to say. Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, he's now talking about the judgment day. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works. And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you. And here's the fate they share. Depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Now, my friend, pay attention now. Listen carefully. Spiritual activity without scriptural authority... is satanic iniquity. Spiritual activity without scriptural authority is satanic iniquity. Jesus is going to say to these, depart from me in spite of their false profession. They say, Lord, Lord. He's going to say, depart from me in spite of their false preaching. We prophesied in your name. He's going to say, depart from me in spite of their false power. In thy name we cast out devils. He's going to say, depart from me in spite of their false performance. In thy name done many wonderful works. And in spite of their profession, in spite of their preaching, in spite of their power, in spite of their performance. They never knew the Lord Jesus Christ, and He never knew them. This is not a picture of someone who lost salvation. They never had it. They may have sung in the choir, but they weren't saved. They may have taken the offering, but they were not saved. They may have preached, but they were not saved. They may have had healing campaigns where they cast out devils, but they were not saved. And what they did, they did through the power of the great deceiver, Satan himself. You say, well, pastor, how can I know whether I'm saved or not? Well, friend, you get God's Word and you stand on it. And if what I preach to you and tell you does not square with the Word of God, then I'm a false prophet. You get the Word of God and don't you put your faith in anybody else and let the Holy Spirit of God speak to you. Let me give you about five things. I'm just going to name them. Number one, you need to study the faith. If you're not... If you don't study the faith, many can be drawn away into a false cult. Study the faith. Number two, show the faith. Do you know the best argument for Christianity and against Christianity is the life of a Christian? Number three, stand for the faith. Stand for the faith. Get a bulldog grip on the Word of God. Holy Bible, book divine, precious treasure, thou art mine. Next, support the faith. Do you know what the tragedy today is? That many good people are in bad churches. People say, well, you know, I know that our church is an apostate church, but it didn't used to be, and Grandma's buried in the backyard. Well, friend, Grandma would get up and leave if she could. I'll guarantee you. Because Grandma... Believe the old time religion. Support the faith. Share the faith. Share it. People are waiting to know. We know the truth. Not because of us. But by the grace of God, share the faith. We hear people saying, well, keep the faith. Don't keep it. Give it away. If you don't want to give it away, maybe you ought to give it up. Maybe you don't have the real thing. If there were ever a message... Needed today is this message where Jesus Christ, the Son of God, says, Beware of wolves. It is Jesus who's giving that warning. And if you're a mom or a dad here today and you've not yet given your heart to Jesus Christ, you'd better come and give your heart to Jesus Christ and get your family in the Word of God or your children are going to be food and fodder for ravenous wolves whose jaws are will drip red with the blood of your children. I'm not talking about physical blood. I'm talking about the enemy who deceives to destroy to devour. That's the nature of the enemy. And God has given children, moms and dads, to guide them. But even if you don't have children, you need Jesus. You need to receive Christ as your personal Savior and Lord. Father, I'm praying today that many will come to Jesus. In his dear name, amen.
SPEAKER 01 :
If you would like to learn more about how you can know Jesus or deepen your relationship with him, simply click the Discover Jesus link on our website, lwf.org. For a copy of this message or additional resources, visit our online store at lwf.org or call 1-800-274-5683. Thank you.
In this episode, Adrian Rogers addresses the timeless truths within Matthew 7, focusing on the 'Holy Highway'. He illustrates the nature of the disciplined, different, and delightful path that believers are invited to traverse. Through vivid interpretations and compelling narratives, including the redemption story of John Newton, Pastor Rogers unfolds the transformational message of journeying with faith and purpose, urging listeners to contemplate their spiritual direction and ultimate destiny.
SPEAKER 01 :
Pastor, teacher, and author Adrian Rogers has introduced people all over the world to the love of Jesus Christ and has impacted untold numbers of lives by presenting profound truth simply stated. Thanks for joining us for this message. Here's Adrian Rogers.
SPEAKER 02 :
We're making our way through the Sermon on the Mount under the general heading, Building on the Rock. Matthew chapter 7, verses 13 and 14 says, These are verses that talk about the holy highway. That's what we're going to be thinking about today. There are all kinds of roads in the world. As a matter of fact, there are over 4 million miles of roadway in the United States alone. Some good road and some bad. Very, very bad road. Some dangerous road because we have people on our highways that have more horsepower than horse sense. And I know that you will agree with that. I was thinking of some roads that I've traveled. I've had the experience of being in Rome and traveling on the Appian Way. The Built by the Romans, it's still in better condition than some roadways in the world today. And one of those reasons is that the Romans laid a deep foundation. And that ought to be a lesson for us. I was thinking of some roads in this area, the Natchez Trace. It begins down in Natchez, Mississippi, ends up in central Tennessee. Going back to the 18th century was an old Indian trail. I was thinking of the Overland Trail beginning in St. Louis and going out to the far west where the stagecoaches would travel. Many, many roads in the world today. But really the road I want to talk to you today about is the Holy Highway, the straight and narrow, the old S&N. Look at it here. Verse 13, enter ye in at the straight gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction. And many there be which go in thereat because straight is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life and few there be. that find it. And I want you to see three things that are in this passage, these two verses that I look at, first of all. I want you to see, as I look at it, there is a decision to face and there is a direction to follow and there is a destiny to find. That's what these verses tell me. First of all, they tell me there is a decision to to face. For our Lord says, enter in. That is, it's up to you. There is a decision that you must make. Now, there are only two ways. There's the broad way and the narrow way. There's the way that leads to life. There's the way that leads to destruction. Now, let me talk to you about the narrow way today. The narrow way is the way that every blood-bought child of God is walking today. It is the holy highway. And the first thing I want to say about the narrow way, it is a disciplined way. When the Bible says straight here, it's not talking about straight like a straight line. It means disciplined, rigorous is the way. If you're looking for a cheap way, an easy way, a lazy way to serve the Lord Jesus Christ, forget it. Bible says we're to endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. We say, well, it pays to serve Jesus. Yes, it does, but it also costs to serve Jesus. It costs every day. It costs every step of the way. And there is no fine print in the contract that Jesus Christ gives. The problem with many people today is they have sort of a cheap grace that An easy believism. The way of Jesus Christ while salvation is free on the one hand. Yet there is a discipline to the Christian life. Any dead fish can float down the stream. You see, without discipline there's no power. Loose wires just disconnected don't make a beautiful sound. But if we connect them and put them in one of those marvelous pianos and stretch them until there's tension there. discipline there then we get the music steam and vapor in the air there's no power there but we compress it and put it in an engine and it will turn the turbine and the pistons because there is power there take a river and just let it meander and there's no power there but dam it up and it makes a power dam that can light up a city broad is the way easy is the way that leads to destruction We're looking for a cheap way, an easy way, a lazy way to serve the Lord Jesus. But Jesus said straight is the way. It is a disciplined way. And not only, friend, is it a disciplined way, it is a different way. Our Lord says few there be that find it. Few there be, not many. Don't expect the crowds to be on this way. And don't follow the crowds. The crowds are almost always wrong. What is happening in America today is because the crowds are wrong. We have morality by majority. Do you know what most folks are taking comfort in? They say, well, I'm just like everybody else. Isn't that what they say? I am just as good as those other people. Friend, our way is a different way. It starts at a different source. It follows a different course. It ends at a different conclusion. And if you're on this way, you're going to be going against the tide most of the time because we are twice-born people in a world of once-born people and they are different from us and we are different from them. It is a disciplined way. It is a different way. And it is a delightful way. Do you think what I'm saying today is negative? Friend, you don't know the joy of serving the Lord Jesus Christ. Let me give you a verse. Oh, I love this. It's one of my favorite passages in the Old Testament. Put it in the margin. You may turn to it. Isaiah chapter 35. It talks about the holy highway. Isaiah 35, verses 8 and following. Here our Lord is talking about the way that Jesus is, in the Old Testament, He's prophesying this holy highway. And listen to it. God says, "...and a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called the way of holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall be for those, the wayfaring men." Though fools shall not err therein, no lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon. It shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing. shall flee away. It is a delightful way. Why? Because it's a clean way. Verse 8, the unclean shall not pass over it. That's what he says. It's the way of holiness. And if your heart is full of sin and filth and dirt and you've never repented, don't tell me you're on the holy highway. The Bible says here it is the way of holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it. It's a clean way. And I'll tell you, it's a certain way. It's delightfully clean. It's delightfully certain. He says, a wayfaring man, though a fool, shall not err therein. Do you know what that means? A wayfaring man, though a fool, shall not err therein. It means a stranger without good sense can find his way on the holy highway. You don't have to have a Ph.D. to travel this holy highway. The Bible says God has hidden these things from the wise and the prudent and has revealed them unto babes. And you may be here today and you say, you know, Pastor Rogers, I don't know much about religion. I don't know much about the Bible. I don't understand all that you're saying. Well, my friend, let me tell you that Jesus Christ loves you and it is so clean and so pure and so simple. Come to Jesus. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. That is gloriously simple and it is simply glorious. This way is delightful because it's clean. This way is delightful because it is clear. I'll tell you it's delightful because it is confident. Oh, listen, you don't have to worry about losing your salvation. You don't have to worry about Satan pouncing you while you're on the holy highway. Verse 9, no lion shall be there or any ravenous beast shall go up thereon. It shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. Ha, ha, ha. Oh, what a wonderful road. You get on this road and you let the Lord Jesus be your companion. And this road which is a clean way and a clear way is a certain and a confident way. Oh, He keeps us. And then it is a cheerful way. Bible says in the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads they shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away I love Jesus if I had a thousand lives I'd give him every one don't feel sorry for me because I'm on the holy highway Oh, friend, this is what it's all about. The ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads. What a wonderful, wonderful road this is. We love to sing that song, Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. It was written by John Newton. John Newton was one of the most wicked, vile sinners that ever lived. He'd committed almost every sin known to man. He was a drunken rum runner. He was a South Sea slave trader. He got so low in debauchery and sin that he finally ended up selling himself as a slave of slaves. And Jesus Christ miraculously saved John Newton. He's the one who wrote the song Amazing Grace. His own epitaph he wrote. You want to hear what he wrote about himself? It'd be put on his grave marker. Listen, he said, John Newton, clerk, once an infidel and libertine, a servant of slaves in Africa. was by the rich mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, preserved, restored, pardoned, and appointed to preach the faith he had long labored to destroy. No wonder he could sing on the holy highway, amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. What is our Lord telling us in these verses? Number one, there is a decision to face. Number two, there is a direction to follow. It is a disciplined way. This way is a delightful way. But now here's a third thing. Not only is there a decision to face, not only is there a direction to follow, but there is a destiny ahead. to find. Every road is going somewhere. And the one you're on right now is going somewhere. Now I want you to ask this question. When I get to where I'm headed, where will I be? Ask it. When I get to where I am headed, where will I be? NOW THE LORD AGAIN IN A VERY NARROW WAY SAID THERE ARE ONLY TWO DESTINATIONS ONE HE CALLS DESTRUCTION AND THE OTHER HE CALLS LIFE YOU SEE DECISION DETERMINES DIRECTION AND DIRECTION DETERMINES DESTINY YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A ROCKET SCIENTIST TO FIGURE THAT OUT DO YOU DECISION DETERMINES DIRECTION AND DIRECTION DETERMINES DESTINY THAT'S WHAT OUR LORD IS SAYING I don't want to sugarcoat what Jesus said. Jesus, Jesus, the loving Jesus had more to say about hell, H-E-double-L. Yes, I said hell. Jesus had more to say about hell than any other person in the Word of God. Jesus did. It was Jesus who talked about destruction. Don't you point your finger at me and say, that man is a hellfire preacher. Just take it up with Jesus Christ. Jesus said the broad way. leads to destruction. In Chicago, there's a nightclub. Would you believe it? They named the nightclub the Gates of Hell. Can you imagine naming a nightclub that? The Gates of Hell. One man, out on a lark, asked a policeman, how can I get to the Gates of Hell? On that same street where this nightclub was, was a church. Do you know the name of the church? It was Calvary Church. Do you know what that policeman told that man? You want to get to the gates of hell? Go right past Calvary and you'll come to the gates of hell. Go right past Calvary and you'll come to the gates of hell. And God has lifted up Calvary with a bloodstained prince of glory hanging in agony and blood. And he says, Stop! Stop! Stop! Or you'll end up at the gates of hell. There is a destiny to find. It may be a fearful destiny or it may be a fabulous destiny. It may be life. That life begins not when you die. It begins when you step on the old S&N. Jesus said, I've come that you might have life and have it abundantly. Not only does He add years to life, He adds life to the years. And if there were no heaven and if there were no hell, it's worth the trip just to be on this highway. just to be on this island. I mean, there is a destiny. But thank God, thank God, how wonderful that is. It will be worth it all when we see Jesus. Friend, there is a destiny. There is a destiny to find. It may be a fearful destiny. It may be a fabulous destiny. But listen to me. It will be a final destiny. It will be a final destiny. There's no chance after death. Ecclesiastes chapter 11 and verse 3 says, And if the tree fall toward the south or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. That's just a poetic way of saying when you die, your destiny is fixed. Revelation chapter 22 verse 11 says, He that is unjust, let him be unjust still. He that is filthy, let him be filthy still. I've studied this book for many years. I've read it, loved it, and preached out of it. I cannot find one place where God offers one shred of hope to those who die outside the Lord Jesus Christ. Not one. To the contrary, the Bible says it's appointed unto man once to die and after this, the judgment. Now if you're on the Broadway today, you're on that turnpike to torment, you're on that highway to hell, and there are a lot of people, and you're having a big time, and God put this preacher in front of you, And this preacher is holding up a sign, and you know what it says? Heaven, exit now. Heaven, exit now. It never says the next exit. Always now. Because the next exit may be hell. There may not be another exit. You say, well, I'm not going to decide today, Pastor. See, you missed what I said to you. When you say you're not going to decide, that is a decision. That is a decision that keeps you on the broad way that leads to destruction. You say, well, I've got plenty of time. I hope you do. But the Bible says, boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what a day will bring forth. There is a decision to face. A direction to follow and a destiny to find. That's what Jesus says. Let's pray. Lord, I pray in the name of Jesus that many today will just exit to the straight and narrow, the holy highway, that they will come to Jesus, who indeed is the highway, who said, I am the way. No man comes to the Father but by me. Father, I pray that they'll not be afraid because, Lord, to know you, oh, it's so wonderful. Holy Spirit of God, draw them, I pray. In Jesus' name, amen.
SPEAKER 01 :
If you would like to learn more about how you can know Jesus or deepen your relationship with Him, simply click the Discover Jesus link on our website, lwf.org. For a copy of this message or additional resources, visit our online store at lwf.org or call 1-800-274-5683. Thank you.
