The Eyes of Christ (Part C)

She wasn't bitter at God because she was a widow where she bitter she wouldn't put nothing in there over the years I've had people tell me. Well I don't have a job right now pastor so I can't tie this is something I can do is not a barter system, you still have money to pennies and can you pry won't let God will let them God would receive even it was just Lord. I don't have anyone I got to sense as a token is a Deb positive when things get better. I'll follow up. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville.

Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Mark, please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching today. Pastor Rick will conclude his study, the eyes of Christ will begin in first Corinthians chapter 7 and then continue in Mark chapter 12 first Corinthians 7 verse 19 circumcision is nothing in on circumcision is and nothing they wanted to kill him for saying they tried to they didn't persecute them. They didn't hurt him physically.

They heard his ministry. They went back of him and try to undo everything he did so he writes to the Galatians are you so foolish, having begun in the flesh, and now being made perfect in the spirit. What is your problem who has bewitched you always those people that don't like hearing you say these things to them because they want to feel special all God continues.

He says circumcision is nothing on circumcision decision is nothing but keeping the commandments of God is what matters." And that's what Christ was trying to say here all these other Pharisees that is escaping the commandments of God is what matters. Certain professions.

Of course, must have credentials and be regulated. I do not one of the Walmart shopper to operate on me. I wanted to be someone who has the credentials was going to school knows what they're talking about. But when it comes to preaching the truth. The rulebook is the Scripture, that is, the authority is what meant by solo script for Scripture alone is our authority for life. I am not comfortable with calling a man his immanence. I would be very hoping that I would yell at the person who called me the right Hon. Rev. using his cassava hand within the dulcet doing final beloved well. We have his immanence as a pastor, Ralph Locke. Samuel was told something by God. It was so important that he wrote it down so important by God that it was preserved.

You know, this verse for Yahweh does not see as man sees for man looks at the outward appearance. Yahweh looks at the heart. God is looking at what's on the inside know what's up on your wall. These guys since he couldn't bring the wall to the people at the marketplace to put the ropes to say I got the certificate hanging over my desk which is fine and other professions not here. You cannot arrive.

Whatever you receive from God and preaching belongs to him and you dare not say it's mine, I figured it out I didn't need the Holy Spirit.

I just you.

Not really a smart guy that would be blasphemous. He says they love greetings in the marketplace yearning for attention.

They had become celebrities in their minds they were the somebodies and deserve to be treated as superiors by the common people and woe to you, you did not do it. How do we know that way kill Christ for not doing it. They hated him for daring to dismiss them.

This kind of thinking is alive and well. Any prideful environment credentials are meaningless if the heart is wrong. Second Corinthians chapter 10 verse 12 for we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who come in themselves, but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. In other words, if fools were going around acting like a bike. I see them smarter than you. I got a 90 on the test you got a 45 enemy pistol. I mean score and therefore I'm smarter than you or compare yourself with them and the people do this along Christian to do. I'm a good person will not next to Christ you not you compare yourself with other human beings you're not wise standard is God and that in Christ Jesus, the apostle of Jesus Christ, did not commend themselves or steam themselves in their position. But if anybody had the right to say I am an apostle.

It would be the hand-picked man of Christ. There were 13 only 13 chosen by Christ that we know of, and all Scripture one was disqualified and that leaves 1212 men could stay at stand and say Paul and apostle of Jesus Christ, because God signed that title to them. In fact, in Revelation and when Christ is talking to the churches. He says I know you can't tolerate those who say they are apostles, and they are not. Then he went on to say, but I got some trouble with you to verse 39 the best seats in the synagogue and the best places at feasts they wanted a public display was an offer wasn't enough to not at them and smile at them as our Rabbi so-and-so in the marketplace have a rabbi citing when you had an event you had to make room for them.

They had to have the best seats. This is self-importance, and it had to be prorated and celebrated. And again, these these guys carried a big punch.

I don't mean punch bowl.

I mean, they carried a lot of power and they could make your life miserable nest Christ going to get to that end in a minute. In verse 1240 but before we do. They wanted to be prorated around. Paul writes this of the Corinthians.

Love does not parade itself. Love is not puffed up, he probably didn't even have these guys and Mike is so busy dealing with other guys were doing the same thing. There many Christians and read these verses put them on their you know, bumper stickers or whatever they post them and then trample them should make us all shiver a little bit verse 40 now he's in the Christ is going to point out this is why I'm saying the things I'm saying to you and they know it. The audience know what he says will devour widows houses are you kidding me food, shelter, clothing, steel that and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation. So here's why he's singling them out in the midst of whatever he was teaching he singles them out like he caught a glance it wanted just got them going or something just it just very real way, it is presented and how it happened before I became a Christian I thought the Bible was just a bunch of like poems or something about the people thought God was. I didn't understand the how genuine the experience inside the Bible how genuine they are.

How relative they are for every generation.

No matter what little changes here and there. The people may go through. Sin is the same yesterday today and forever.

It will damn you to a hell that you can get out of forever. So it had to be said to these men. Why is that, again, they were entrusted with attending the people they had bullied they had beaten and they had bruised the people and they still wanted to be applauded and be treated as though they were innocent and the only one that could really get in their face did it the corrupt of their own court system for personal gain. You could not get justice with these guys not at the other side had something better tilt to offer.

They take a bribe very quickly writes in chapter 7, but the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves. They were above the law. They help people to the law does not themselves. CS Lewis writes this, he says of all bad men, religious men, although worse when religious people are bad.

They are super bad they feel so justified in lying about all the system is just a bundle of tragedy. What a witness for hell, long prayers. What long prayers are hot enough to listen to when they're pretending on top of it, man. You know those preachy prayers that are going to correct you and Mike can't you just wait for the Holy Spirit to say something to you or don't say anything. It's okay. It's okay if you disagree policing something to me is telling you that you should something to having a little fun with that lesson I been a lot of prayers for over four decades and I still get flashbacks. Some bad ones from long ago. I was really tough and intercept that one anyway is not fun to grab somebody after prims listen, I don't. We got that wrong, but that's not biblical and then watch them try to defend it is not fun at all. Anyway, we come back to. We are still in verse 40 and we don't object to him singling them out as impersonators and silencing them Jesus Christ, the man son of God, don't be offended by that description of his humanity. First Timothy two for there is one God and one mediator between God and Mary eight. Her offense to Mary we gotta be careful. We love her. She is one of the dynamos of Scripture and we will not because others abuser. We will not abuse her to but we do want to make it clear that you might as will pray to the goddess time lose as well because you not supposed to talk to the dead you not supposed to talk to anybody but God they're not in this life anymore.

It is a sin, and if you say why don't like your net and you should go to the church that preaches it's okay to pray to her because you and going to get it the church.

It upholds the word because there is one mediator. It would've been a good opportunity to say there's two of but there's not and why it's important is because people go to hell over this kind of stuff you want to pass to the suite that under the rug and pretend is not going like as it might offend somebody. Hell's going to be a lot more offensive to you than what I could ever say to you. I'm not saying it is on puffed up I have to sound loving when I say these things and not to tone down the passion.

Some butter but I'm not going to save any other way than reading Scripture for there is one mediator. There is one God and one mediator between God and man.

The man Christ Jesus. That is Paul saying he has been here.

He was born of a virgin, walked among us. John said we saw him. We touched him. We were with him and you try to come here and tell us that he was a phantom is what all first John is about telling the Gnostics that what they believe in is man-made welcomes out a hell, but the men were on the assembly line.

Christ continues in verse 40. These will receive greater condemnation will I just alluded to that, there are levels of judgment. Not everybody in hell's going to have the same intensity of hell let's take Maus a dong for a minute. Deliberately he murdered, he persecuted he tortured he starved, brainwashed, estimated 40 to 80 million people.

You think he's going to have a lesser judgment than a lot of the people or stronger judgment. What about those who enrich themselves with the clinics that will murder the unborn. Do you think they going to just get off easy. If they don't repent in this life, and find grace and mercy. What about those who demand celebrating sexual perversity how this house who you have sex with even become a public issue. Homosexuality, they want you to bow down to the practice, not enough to say live and let live. You have to have the one a whole month to celebrate if created flags and banners and websites and all sort of stuff done and jam it down, facing the beam using their judgments going to go easy on them. I have to add this they don't like the say don't care how much you love them. They want you to bow down lot living in Sodom and Gomorrah. Peter said it fixed his soul like it does yours, however. What did Abraham do over Sodom and Gomorrah. He interceded, he tried to save them. He said what if he started out with 50 and he gets into God's us and LK 10. That's it. If I find 10 and he couldn't find 10. We have to remember that we are not to hate them. We ought to hate what is happened to them. We can even hate to some degree what they are doing what you have to be careful because hell or hate is a fire that can get out of control very quickly in the mail spirit be dominated by loving be passionate we don't back down from this.

Unfortunately for those who reject the gospel by the time they realize it was not a myth.

It was going to be too late. Hell fires will be around them already. Verse 41, before we go to verse 41. Let's read that again at the bottom of verse 40. These will receive greater condemnation, there is Christ saying there are is going to be paying for this and we have to echo what he teaches verse 41 now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury.

And many who were rich put in much so here the eyes of Jesus again. He saw the Pharisees, he saw the mistreated people he saw there judgment and now he sees the treasury and looking at verse 41 it says now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury, not what they put in how they did their hearts what was happening. Only he could pull this off. He still sits opposite the money boxes in the church and he still sees how the people give incidentally, the treasury was located in the temple in the court of the women, so historians tell us. Verse 42, then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrants.

Sounds like she threw insects in the box if you asked me but the issue is one of the common people. Incidentally, this is some about 1/8 of a sin. He says cornbread's rents because it is for his Roman audience that Mark writes as we mentioned at the beginning of Mark is believed he wrote with the Roman people in mind, those who spoke the Latin and were of that culture. And we get this to this by these little clues that are throughout his gospel, and that's one of them if he was riding with knowledge to say a Chinese audience. He would use a Chinese word for money at this point was German's etc. so he the readers go okay that's not really much money she put in their so others probably gave attempt she gives 100. She gives it all and you might say, and I've always thought look at this and said yeah well I mean, what can you buy wood to mice anyway thinking that I just troubled by that. So she gave all she had. But even if she kept it. What could she do with it. Anyway was a big point. It's going to come up from this and TELL you now when I do that I get lost and I got kicked Rebecca Mahesh awaited but it's too good of a point. I think she wasn't bitter at God because she was a widow and because she was poor where she bitter she wouldn't put nothing in there over the years I've had people tell me. Well I don't have a job right now pastor so I can't tie this is something I can do in psych is not a barter system, you still have money, but to pennies it can't. Your pride will let them God will let them God would receive it. Even if was just Lord I don't have anyone I got to sense as a token has a Deb positive when things get better. I'll follow up with pride gets in the Wernicke for God to sense why he took two mites in an essay to this woman. How dare you put into mites. He writes her name well without her name. He writes her down for us through all remaining of remains of history, the temple would be no better off because of her donation is on now we can get that big sofa that we wanted for nothing they could do with her offering, she would be better off. She knew it she was giving because she loved God that was why she gave and that is how she gave and that is what he picked up on his eyes, saw that and he singled her out now, but not like the Pharisees as a champion of the faith, giving to God benefits us test a sales pitch.

You don't believe if I don't believe it is not what Scripture teaches.

Malachi gets all over that cheapskates look for reason not to give every single click of the cheat when it comes to others. Believers look for an opportunity to bless God and return to please him, even if it hurts us with sacrifices all about Davison on a demanding God doesn't cost me something so you have the to sense you don't want to put it in spend your pride, throw it in there. Go against yourself and honor to the Lord talk to him tell him about it but whatever you do don't act like it doesn't matter. Of those who tried to wiggle out like that over the years. I don't know after I tell them go put anything in their nickel and a penny. I don't know if they've ever done it or not I get the impression always that they have that they were already justifying this behavior and they wanted me to sort of blessed like all while I understand brother know I don't understand the poor were still required to bring turtledove down to the temple. They were not excused and there was nothing for them.

They could capture them anyway. She gave out of a sense of love, of course, real love and duty duty runs a little bit deeper than responsibility to me is a greater sense of honor belong to doing your duty know I have to do this. Not only am I supposed to do this I must do this I am duty-bound love is even more intense. You have love this Paul spoke of then duty is wrapped up within it with anyway. There is no evidence that she was rewarded for this, of course, I'm sure someone like a Joyce Myers was a shaft that she got a Cadillac hellish teaching if she went to her grave. The way she went to that treasury box that would be fine because when she got to heaven he settled in her favor.

Verse 43 so he called his disciples to himself and said to them, surely I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury.

I see my times, almost up, but I can knock this out.

Lord willing to sound proud and then get laid out in front of you to be like getting knocked out in front of mom every bad any Susa basketball player Larry Bird would always say stuff the players and he'd say things like hope your mom's not watching is_a lot on you to vacation to it in their head and think it just was just as amazing anyway she know the Lord was looking, but he was looking and he still is. As I mentioned before and that is not to scare you to do what I want you to do that is just the fact and I'm not going to withhold that fact. If it's uncomfortable or not. That's just the way it is.

She did not. As I mentioned, know that was so important to God that he called his disciples of USC. This, and he took the time to tell them and they took the time to write it down so we have it forever. How did she put in more as a widow and a pauper having nothing she gave without bitterness.

Verse 44 for they all put in out of their abundance again. He's talking to his disciples, but she out of her poverty put in all she had, her whole livelihood. Why, Lord, why because she did not hold a grudge against God because life wasn't turning out the way she wanted it to turn out to not have a husband in those days was really tough on you economically. She's not bitter. We get better at little things like a good and old and I didn't and I really wanted, so he links her action to Mark 1230.

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. She carries it out in this explanation of whose image is on you Caesar's or God and she excellent on the she's one of the heroes of the Bible you could do a whole topical on this. I do think the churches that beg for money portray God's broke, and I don't think that God should be portrayed that way. I'm not going to spend anymore time on this, except these two verses. I have really a lot to say about this. I've overbooked good for the house feel like dispersing you know what, in this okay so that's what I'm going to do what I have a green light on these two verses Psalm 50 verse 10 for every beast of the farces mine and the cattle on a thousand hills. God's never broke. Philippians 412 I know how to be abased, I've been troubled by this verse a lot because I had ice cream last night before bed or scoops. Glenda want to get freezer burn's so I figured and just in case up with some pineapples and cherries on top. Anyway, ask for confession. The doctor said don't eat and go to sleep but I find sleep comes better when you eat, but it didn't last night. Anyway, I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need when I'm suffering with something mental note not nearly as in my head just troubled by something I just say to myself, so helps us with the helping just suffer instead of trying to wiggle out move.

Thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Mark cross reference radio is the teaching ministry of Pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia to learn more information about this ministry. Visit our website cross reference radio.com once you're there you'll find additional teachings from Pastor Rick. We encourage you to subscribe to our podcast. When you subscribe will be notified of each new edition of cross reference radio you could search for cross reference radio on your favorite podcast that that's all we have time for today, but we hope you'll join us next time. As Pastor Rick continues to teach through the book of Mark right here on cross reference radio