Talking Outrageously To Legalists, Part 2

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ and by the way please don't do what people try to do. I think it's outrageous Jesus never claimed to be God just read and and and and Jesus was just a really good teacher and he's a great moral example is not God.

That's not an option for joining up today on this additional Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana Pastor Bill Gebhardt now is once again he shows us how God's word meets our world. Thus we absolutely love the Navy, alternatively, we do anything will send them anywhere we can for treatment will do anything we can to help them will give as much comfort will serve them. I mean, will devote ourselves to them when they're dead is nothing we can do all we can do is mourn. We have no power.

There's nothing we can do about Jesus and I give life like that. I have the same kind of power that God has he claims to have the ultimate resurrection power creative power underived and uncaused. That's a staggering claim.

Remember when Lazarus had died. Jesus just simply walks up to a Truman's is Lazarus come forth. But he said something in that whole episode as well. He said I am the resurrection and the life. These statements are so familiar to us, but they are staggering. These are the most outrageous statements are human being can make Jesus Christ makes it claims the "with the father in his essence in his works, and in his power, but also in his authority.

Notice what happens here in verse 22 Jesus for not even the father judges anyone, but he is given all judgment to the son. I'm in the judge of this for the juices. Gotta be hard. Let me explain why get hold you place but this time, go back to Genesis chapter 18 with me. Genesis 18 because I want to see something in the Old Testament Genesis 18 is that God is about to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah so Abraham comes the guidance is. Let's make a deal. You know now you are such a great guy and a great God, you want destroyed, you will destroy Sodom if it had all these righteous people, and God does not know I would do that. What would you do it if there were little less righteous people know I would do that while but any Going with God in this but he says something here. There was all through the Old Testament certainly buoyed by the Jews, not only of someone like Abraham but of the Jews of Jesus day. Verse 25 Abraham talking to God says, far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from you.

He says, shall not the judge of all the earth deal justly, what is God in the Old Testament God the father's judge that that's go back to what Jesus said that in John five Jesus just said, for not even the father judges anyone is given all judgment to the son, you see when you read in Genesis is the creator God in the beginning God created that's God the father. But when you read John chapter 1 of Colossians chapter 1 who's a creator son in the Old Testament God the father is the judge in the New Testament God the sons. The judge you see and what Jesus was saying, that's right because were God.

You see, the idea that it is one God three persons. That's the whole sense of the Trinity Jesus Christ as judge and who could cook the judge, but God think of our judgment that we look the comes ahead for us. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ will never face a terrible judgment in Revelation chapter 20 will never face the great white throne judgment will never be there. That's a judgment only for the lost, but you will face the judgment seat of Jesus Christ, you will face what is called the bema of Christ and other sins we become believers in Jesus Christ, we live a life of Christ, and Christ will judge how we've lived our life now not talking about our sin, our sin was judge of the cross. He's talking about our service to God. He said some of our servers will be wood hay and straw.

In other words, it just becomes consumed.

Some of our service will become gold, silver and precious stones.

In other words, it will be a reward.

That's why they New Testament you find out that there are certain crowns but we throw the scones at his feet, but there is a reward Jesus Christ as I will judge every single one of us with amazing was in you read in Corinthians, how the judgment works what Jesus is going to judge is our motives, not what we did for him.

Why do we do it now I find that in my life extremely disturbing because I find it very difficult to even understand my own motives. For example, when I first started preaching and teaching the word of God. Now I would want to do that for God's glory. But I'll be as honest as I can.

I probably suffer from a little approbation lost. That means I love the be approved up and so if I would preach a special even before I'd gone to seminary my only my early 20s and people would come up and just said all that was that was just wonderful. That was just wonderful and in your wonderful yeah I guess I have no hate who doesn't like to hear that you knew so well when someone says are you just great at that. Yeah, I guess I am.

So I kept thinking what about the motives and I struggled with that into I went to a men's retreat and talk to Earl Rod marker Dr. Rod marker was the president of Western conservative seminary. It was over the Mississippi Gulf Coast that he was doing a men's retreat force.

We asked him was particularly about this and I can remember him saying Bill, you'll never have anything you do for the Lord has appropriate mold you always have mixed motives will always be mixed per Jesus Christ discerns the mix like he knows what part of the house strongly motivated to work for the glory of God and how much he did for yourself is this so you can rest in that. And I have ever since the think of this. Who could actually judge your motives, except God who could judge your motives. I can even judge my own motives. How can I judge your motives.

No human being can judge motives. We can judge the facts of the case, but we can judge mold. Jesus Christ can.

He said not even the father judges anyone, but he is given all the judgment to the son he claims to be equal with the father. In essence in and works in power and authority and then the last claim he claims to be equal with the father in honor he says, so that in verse 23.

All will honor the son even as they honor the father he who does not honor the son does not honor the father's he said I will be honor just like God because I am God incarnate.

You see, I deserve the honor. Since the son is the reason that we exist since the son is the one who determines our eternal destiny. He is worthy of our honor and answer Jesus Christ said if you don't honor him you don't honor God.

This is problematic for the Jews again. Hold your place and go with just a few pages the John 15 with me in verse 23 John 15 in verse 23 what a statement the Jesus Christ makes especially the audience that heard it. He says he who hates me hates my father also by the way, the Jews hated the Jewish leaders hated the Jewish leaders would've said what. But we love God we hate you. But we love God, Jesus, that if you hate me you hate God care what you say you see that's an interesting statement. The idea that somehow you can separate the two, but you can't. The father and the son and two thirds the Trinity.

You can't love the one and hate the other. It doesn't work that way. But that's exactly what they did, they hated Jesus Christ, so Jesus Christ claims to be equal to the father.

In essence, in works in power and authority and in honor now let's go back to John five and look at the implications of this. The major implication is verse 24 that follows the section truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and does not come in the judgment, but is passed out of death and in the life while you believe what I'm saying you have eternal life there something great is in English it's there but you don't see it as well as you doing a great he says has eternal life to present tense keep on having eternal life. He will believes what I'm saying keeps on having eternal life and will never be judged. This verse speaks volumes when it comes to the eternal security of a believer is a Jesus said when you believe me you have eternal life, and you will never fall into judgment.

Now you don't have to do this is a rocket science, but if you have eternal life. You have eternal life. Okay Jesus doesn't say you have the hope of one day maybe getting eternal life. You hope that someday you might have eternal life.

You have an opportunity somewhere in the future for eternal life. Jesus doesn't say that he says you have. You possess eternal life is not without eternally secure because of us were eternally secure because of him and what he's done and he says and you'll never pass into judgment while that's astounding stuff.

The implications are amazing now. From this truth. These claims, these outrageous claims that he makes he makes one more claim in verse 36 would instruct honor their money says but the testimony which I have is greater than the testimony of John for the works which the father is giving me to accomplish the very works that I do testify about me that the father sent me it's a sidebar, he says, by the way, not only am I claiming to be equal to God, but I want to understand something.

I'm superior to John.

I'm greater than John John the Baptist don't understand something, it says in Scripture that when it came to John the Baptist. No man born of a woman was greater than John the Scripture itself says the John of all of us is the best of all of us. No man who was ever born of a woman is greater than John the Baptist, Jesus, I am.

I'm greater than John my testimony is greater than his testimony. Yes, Jesus was born of a woman but is also God incarnate, he is the God man so he wants to make that clear. And now he wants to talk to them about the reason that they're going to reject these outrageous claims.

I mean Jesus when he talks like this. There are Jews that want to pick up stones right there and kill him. That's the way they view what he saying they know what he's talking about here. Jesus is not, let me explain to you the reasons why you reject me. Verse 37 he says in the father who sent me.

He has testified of me.

You have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen as form you don't have a relationship with God. You see, you don't. That's why you reject me next verse you do not have his word abiding in you for you to not believe him will be sent. He says you don't have the word of God abiding in you guys talk and the Pharisees will memorize the Old Testament is you the word of God is not abiding. He says you search the Scriptures because you think in them you have eternal life. It is these that testify about me you actually think that the word of God saves you the word of God doesn't save you the word of God testifies to me the Savior I am the one who saves you many says in verse 40 and you were unwilling to come to me so that you may have life, and unwilling see the light you see the life is offered to them.

I offer you the life which are unwilling. He said I did not receive glory from men, but I know that you do he says who do not need it. Do not have the love of God in yourselves. Another reason you reject me as you don't have the love of God in you. You don't. He said I have come in my father's name, and you do not receive me. If anyone could another comes in his own name, him and receive him. You will believe me is the true Messiah but you believe in a false Messiah, he says, how can you believe when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God is another reason you will believe me is your man pleasers.

By the way, that's a religion always does religion always receives glory from one another and you can always see there's always a hierarchy, and religion.

There's always people with bigger robes and bigger hats and everybody has bigger everyone has a hierarchy and we were in the all in a sense, the further one another, but there's only one warlord. That's it.

It's up we have a faith that has a hierarchy of one that's it see what that's what Jesus Christ is saying is upset in the past. There's only one celebrity in the universe. It's not you.

It's Jesus Christ there is only one celebrity you can't make a celebrity to someone else. Many says verse 45. He said do not think that I I will accuse you before the father. The one who accuses you was Moses. Now that's fight words, they love Moses Moses. We love the law. We took we took this much law that Moses wrote a we made it as much law Moses, our hero, he says do not think that I accuse you before the father.

The one who accuses you was Moses. In him you he said of set your hope for if you believed Moses, you would believe me. He wrote about me, but if you do not believe his writings how you believe my words. You don't believe Moses, the one who's your champion and so they rejected him. They rejected because they did have a relationship with the father because his word and abide in them because they thought the Scriptures could save them. There were unwilling to come. The Christ didn't have the love of God in their heart they would receive Jesus Christ. They were man pleasers and they didn't believe Moses that's them about us going about you.

What are the implications.

Lots about what Jesus Christ just said, I think you only have three options just three. The first one to be this, he claims to be equal with God, but he doesn't know it.

He really doesn't know what he's just claiming to be. In other words, he's delusional to claims be equal but it really know what he's doing otherwise or ever been. Human beings who claim to be God sure what we say. The knots I think that's what we say.

The crazy delusional is either delusional. That's possible.

Jesus Christ makes it clear I am equal to God. In essence, and works in power and authority in honor and he may be completely delusional. Secondly is claims to be equal with God.

He claims that and he knows he's not his receiver. He is claiming to be equal to God, but he knows he's not. He's a deceiver. By the way, that's exactly the option that the Jews took that's exact the option at the Pharisees and the Sanhedrin took remember they said. He said I am God incarnate, and what the data say you are Beelzebub you are the devil you see your deceiver, your false Messiah. That's an option it's open you see could say he's delusional or you could say he's a deceiver or he claims to be equal to God and he is is exactly what he claimed to be. You see, he could be a lunatic, only to be a liar or he's the Lord. See that's that's the room you have imply the way. Please don't do what people try to do in our culture, and I think it's outrageous know Jesus. Jesus. Jesus never claimed to be God just read the New Testament and an end and Jesus was just a really good teacher and he's a great moral example but is not God. That's not an option. He has the things that he said he has to be a lunatic or a liar. No, no, he's he's just a wonderful example think of anybody in our culture who within a sense of take our national media and come on and say it. I am God incarnate in a military or whining saying over and over again what would you who one component say is Neil wonderful moral example that's not an option you have. When someone is making the outrageous claims of Jesus Christ, as you can't say he's just a wonderful moral example in a good teacher does no wrong for that. On the basis of what he says see Jesus Christ claim to be equal with God.

In essence, and works in power and authority in honor and he is who claim to be his statements are outrageous, but their true. I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes in.

The father got through me for spring father. Sometimes I think it's very hard for us to contextualize the these conversations that Jesus had in the claims that he made as believers in Jesus Christ. These claims thoughts make a great deal of sense, but to the unbelievers in his world and the unbelievers in our world. They make no sense at all, but at least the unbelievers in his world had the courage to say that he was a deceiver in the unbelievers and our will try to make him out to be something else some kind of pacifist some kind of person who is just simply a wonderful warm spiritual and moral example for the rest of us, but that's not what Jesus said. Father, I also thank you, the Jesus Christ had the courage to speak the truth about himself to a hostile audience.

Father I pray that we have the courage to speak the truth about Jesus Christ in a world that's becoming more and more hostile to him and his claims. Father, I thank you that Jesus Christ is exactly who he claims to be that he is God incarnate.

I think you father. The Jesus Christ took on flesh and lived among us without sin. He went to the cross and he died as our substitute for our sins and that you were satisfied with his sacrifice because he was raised from the dead. Father I pray that we spend all eternity honoring you his father and your sons are saying it is passed or broken apart on the radio ministry of fellowship Lord, if you ever missed one of our broadcast or maybe you dislike of the sum of the method one more time. Remember, you can Google a great website called one place.com that's one place.com and you can listen the fellowship and the word online that website you will find on with today's broadcast but also many of our previous audio program at Fellowship in the Word. We are thankful for those who financially support our ministry and make this broadcast possible. We ask all of our listeners to prayerfully consider how you might help with radio ministry continuous broadcast on this radio station by supporting us monthly with just the 100th support for ministry can be sent to Fellowship in the Word. 4600 Clearview Pkwy., Metairie, LA 7006 if you would be interested in hearing today's message in its original format that is is a sermon, the pastor will deliver during a Sunday morning service of fellowship monitored visit our website FVC Nola.org that FVC and oh LA not owe Argie at our website you will find hundreds pastor Bill sermon you can browse through our sermon archives to find sermon series are looking for. You can search by title. Once you find the messenger looking for. You can listen online or if you prefer, you can download the sermon and listen at your own. And remember all this absolutely free of charge. Once again our website is FVC Nola.org forecaster Bill Gebhardt and Jason Denhardt.

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