The Entrance Exam to Heaven

Do you feel like you're on a religious treadmill, you feel like Christianity is just a system of rules and regulations, I can do this but I can't do that. Do you feel like your efforts to reach God. Find God, and please God, are few. Do you feel like your faith is dead or alive today. Pastor Russ Andrews will walk us through Scripture to answer these questions join us on finding purpose of local tribal ministry glorifying God by helping men find their purpose for living. For more information and to connect with Russ Andrews and finding purpose could visit us online@findingpurpose.net or connect with us on Facebook. Now let's listen to Russ Andrews as he teaches us how to be a Christian without being religious.

While bring us back for my Church and study horses right to be gathered together for the member to hear. I thank you for the groups that are listening to live streaming more, we need you so much without you, Lord, we have no hope you're the only hope that the world can turn to and what a great hope you are, and yet so many men and women refuse to come to you.

Instead, they turn away. They rebel and we've all done at Lord, we thank you that you are God who delights in showing mercy and that what you long to do is cast our sins and our iniquities into the depths of the sea, but no one that can apply to each one of us is if we individually confess our sins turn to you in faith and reseeding into our hearts as Lord and Savior. Salah credit tonight as we look at the Mark chapter 4 that you will speak to us and I pray Lord that you will be glorified by what I'm about to say because Lord is the work that you have given me Salah credit I would decrease that you might increase. And that these men might see you and not me. They might hear your mortal auditor might penetrate their hearts. We might all leave here tonight closer to you more in love with you and will want to go out there into adult world ensure the light of the gospel that's in us shielding that I pray.

Amen.

I guess one thing I like to remind you if you haven't already registered for this Bible study. They just get a funny purpose.net there that's what you can find the study God's the sermon notes that outlines in the commentary. And finally, there still limited number of spots available here. If you got a friend or join us. I just invite him to come tonight update. I've entitled this message the entrance exam to help not you love diecast what I thought I do to start off tonight to share with you little bit about my academic life. Would you like to hear that night well you'll hear a little bit what to have skill in the 1960s I was a good student. When I attended seminary in the early 2000 hours a very good student but were not attended UNC Chapel Hill in the 1970s, I was a terrible student. I was so am embarrassed to say much about my college years have him go to share with you one set experience one semester I came home with a report card to look like a rainbow general that is, is when you get a day of the sea by day and yes I got an F and on. I want to share with you about that F by the way, was the only F5 or Sigma line but was that it was for accounting class. See my problem with my classes was twofold. First, I rarely went to class and second, I never open my textbooks but I did learn something about textbooks when you buy them at the beginning of the semester you pay about $100 a book.

When you turn your back and you get about $10 a book and so what I should've done is a ship going to the textbook business, but I didn't do that after cutting most of those accounting classes are not open the textbook. I thought I would show up to see if I could pass the final exam without studying the night before when I got in there.

I got my exam and I quickly looked through it and figured out I didn't have a clue. Salah signed my name and turn it in about the process more efficient way to walk out, stuff like that exam in such a my man, I'm going to give you exam out call of the entrance exam to heaven.

Here's the deal. I'm very serious now. If you ever want to enter heaven. You gotta pass this exam, you will have to pass with flying colors.

But you do have to pass it by the way this the most important exam you ever taken your life to the question should be asking for us why you given us in exam. The Bible says we should do another second Corinthians chapter 2, she speaks CF second quickness. Chapter 13 verse five says examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith test yourselves. Do not realize that Christ Jesus is in you, unless you fail the test is a before beginning this exam. I want you to take your Bibles and turn with me to Mark chapter 4 and will go to begin with verse one. So right here more Before in verse one it sit. Mark writes again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out of the lake. While all the people along the shore at the waters edge detail the many things by parables is in his teaching, he said, listen. It's in the story Jesus is standing by the sea of Galilee, preaching up into sea of Galilee wanted is a very beautiful city and some most times, pretty, the crowd that gathered around him was so large man that it literally began to push them into the water surrounding it.

Where Quincy could walk on water.

Yes he stepped into a boat and pulled away from shore and he continued to preach his want you to notice in more chapter 4 Jesus changes his method of preaching is no longer proclaiming the Planetree put truth of the gospel with simple words like repent.

The kingdom of God is near. Now he begins to speak to the crowds and the four parables need understand what a parable with a parable is a story from real life. It contains a spiritual truth.

Usually just one main point this work parable means to place one thing beside another.

In order to compare this to what Jesus would do if you take self in everyday life. The people familiar with like a formal planning a crop or a taking care of a vineyard and then he would tell a story and he would like that store damper set some spiritual truth that he wanted everyone to understand, such as the kingdom of God or the condition of a man's heart is a problem because the people are blind to the simple truth, the gospel, he began to speak to them in the form of parables in the race.

He did this I think was part of God's grace is trying to tease their minds to stimulate them to believe he was always trying to get them to believe whatever it took, so they could handle the plain truth that he would preach through parable.

Look at verse three.

Again, I want you to picture Jesus standing in the boat and what he was probably doing is looking out over the sea of Galilee probably saw a farm right beside all of them planning this crop. So Jesus said a farmer went out to sow a seed as you scattering the seed.

Some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fellow rocky places where it did not have much soul.

It sprang up quickly because the soul was shallow but when the sun came up. The plants were scorched and they weathered because they had no root of the seed fell among thorns, which group and shut the plant so that they did not bear grain still oversee film good soul it came up groom and produced a crop, so multiplying 30, some 60, in some hundred times and think as Jesus said something very interesting is what he said he US ears to hear that and what here.

Think about that. You see the sink in this parable is symbolic of the word of God and as the sea goes forth into the world through preachers and evangelists, and even when you're at home or your Bible. The seed lands on different types of souls the different soil conditions .2 different conditions of a man's heart set on what you think about that. What camisole condition is your heart see the Cetaphil along the path, see the fellow rocky places in shallow soul refers to the hearts and minds of unbelievers when it comes to matters of the heart.

Unbelievers have varying degrees of spiritual blindness and varied degrees of hardness of their hearts. The only soul that is productive in this parable is called the good soul. It represents the man who hears the word of God and does what beliefs it you have good soul we hear the word of God do you believe it or do you doubt it. Look at verse 10, when Jesus was done the 12 and the other others around him, asked him about the parables. He told of the secret of the kingdom of God has been given to to you but to those on the outside everything is sitting parable so that they may be ever seeing but never perceiving and ever hearing but never understanding otherwise they might turn and be forgiven is it that's really the desire of God, he will submit to hear the truth and turn in the later someone wants it all got really wants is to be believed. Let's begin that exam, but you love taking exams is the first question I call it the discernment question, and here's how the question is posed. Do you have spiritual understanding yes or no in other wars. Can you discern the spiritual meaning of the truth containing God's word and by the way, this is one of most important question you need to ask yourself what does it mean to have spiritual understanding what simply means that you're able to hear the truths of Scripture and did you understand their spiritual meaning and all the way that you can understand spiritual truth is, if it has been revealed to you God has for ability and the one who reveals spiritual truth to you as soon as the Holy Spirit just so that Jeff the Holy Spirit. Jeff is always listening. That's why sits in the front row and the only way you can experience the spiritual revelation is if the Spirit of God lives in you the spirit of God living.

Paul writes in Romans 89 you, however, believers are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the spirit if the Spirit of God lives in you.

And if anyone does not have the spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. Okay honey, Even a church okay because you been baptized okay honey You said the Lord's prayer, the apostles Creed counter your honey four dimensions they will. God's children. The only way that you belong to God in the way that you will ever see heaven as if the spirit of God the Holy Spirit is also referred to as the spirit of Jesus. If you have any the spirit of God live in you and how can you not one key indication is spiritual understanding you actually understand spiritual matters. Paul explains it like this in first grade.

In chapter 2, where he writes but God has revealed it yet is referring back to God's wisdom spiritual truth to a policy but God has revealed spiritual truth to his spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God for who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man spirit within him in the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We again as believers have not received the spirit of the world. Goodness, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us these forgiveness is Lord Jesus said I'm going away and I sent another one to you. The comforter is the spirit of truth, and he will guide you in all truth. This is what we speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but warts taught by the Spirit expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words to listen carefully to verse 14. Again, this is first wife. In chapter 2, the man without the spirit does not accept the things that come from the spirit of God for their foolishness to him and he cannot understand them because they are spiritually discerned to God's wisdom is a secret wisdom that is hidden from the natural man, the nonbeliever, he's the man without the spirit is that this is why Jesus spoke to those who own the outside in parables see those outside the family of God do not have ears to hear. Unbelievers are spiritually blind because they are not indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Should they try to understand spiritual matters with their minds, that's impossible.

This is why Paul writes early in first grade and ship it to the no eye has seen, no ears heard no modest conceit. You see, you cannot understand spiritual realities with your physical ears. Your physical eyes or your natural mind is like trying to understand Morse code when you have been trying get you see God's spirit. He's designed is in a manner that we can only understand his language through the indwelling Holy Spirit.

This is what is necessary to be born again and I'll say it again you must be born again by the way their ministers what here in Raleigh who will tell you that you do not have reborn again, talk to want see God's wisdom is beyond human logic salvation, but with the cross makes no sense to the world is in man's wisdom. He believes we should be able to earn our way to heaven by being good. The fact that a murderer can confess his sins on his deathbed and received total forgiveness makes no sense to unbelievers. This exact would say Dylan did years ago. I wish he were still here with his buddies in heaven.

He does not want to come back. He let a man on death row to Christ and he wants that man the executed but when he was executed.

Guess what happened to. He did the same thing in Anacostia. He was with Jesus in paradise. There probably more people been saved and present in their own church. This is why Paul writes in first with his 118 for the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing to what we talked about in here to the pejorative world is just foolishness but God was pleased with the preaching that was foolish to save those who believe Nicodemus came to Jesus at night. He was nothing more than a religious man with a DSP art and this is what Jesus said to Nicodemus, Nicodemus, I think the truth would you deserve a lot now while he's happy to truth, he is the truth and often is because what is it were to say has to do with salvation. And he really want you to listen to the Nicodemus. I think the truth unless a man is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.

When you say that 2+2 = 4 that make you understand it right sort of try to tell Nicodemus to the list Nicodemus you born again you will never understand anything about the kingdom of God and not only that, if you not born again you never enter the kingdom of God for showing other Nicodemus became a believer see once a man believes he's indwelt by the Spirit of God would Holy Spirit lives in a man's heart.

He lifts the veil from that man. Spiritual eyes and begins to give him spiritual understanding. This would happen.

Augustine after Augustine became a believer. He came to understand that spiritual understanding follows true belief. This is what he later said understanding is the reward of faith therefore seek not to understand that you may believe the believe so that you may understand. So let me ask you again, you have spiritual understanding.

If not, Jesus is the only one who can lift the veil from your giddy spiritual site. Paul writes in second quickens 316 but whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away all you do is turn to Jesus, man, and he begins to lift the veil and you begin to see and understand spiritual truth.

Here's the second question I call it the witness question. This is convict everybody in here you share your faith with others about this. Have you ever shared your faith in Jesus with someone else. Yes or not. Look at verses 21 through 23 Jesus said to them, he was talking to his disciples. You bring a lamp into house to put in a bowl or bed instead don't you put on staying for numerous hidden is meant to be disclosed in one of his concealed is meant to be brought out into the open.

Here goes again. If anyone has ears to hear that in here see Jesus is the light of the world. In John 1410 chap Sheena John chapter 14 verse six Jesus said I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through the main Jesus. True Christians as we've established although soy indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Therefore true believers have the light of the world, and the truth living in them. The last thing a believer should do is keep this light in this truth for themselves Jesus to be revealed not concealed.

If you will cure of cancer and the people would you tell everyone you been cured of something greater than cancer. If you are in Christ someone you keep that to yourself will be like a friend of a man who died and went to hell when he got the hell he remembered that his Christian friends best friend on earth were still alive and that friend never share the truth with him and so he wrote them a letter from hell. Here's what he said my friend understand the judgment now and feel that you're to blame. Somehow, on or about what we do, day by day, but never did you plug away you need a loading truth in glory but never did you tell the story my knowledge then was very damn.

You could've led me to him that we live together only earth you never told me of the second birth, and there are standards that condemn because you failed to mention him. You taught me many things as true accounting friend and trusted you, but I learned now that it's too late.

You could've kept me from this fight. We walk by day and talk about night and yet you showed me, not the light you let me live in love and die. You knew I never little time is I called you friend in life and trusted you through joint strife and yell coming to this in. I can no longer call you my friend.

I had a friend of mine years ago that I heard, Kenneth taken a detour and he was a good friend of mine in college I never really shared.

I never share the truth with anybody in callous detail the truth little or my closest friends to her detective is detour us a copy of this poem I penned a letter to him. But nine pages long and shared my testimony with them.

The infant lasted now you can call me friend Martin Luther said if he has faith, the believer cannot be restrained.

He betrays himself. He breaks out he confessed and shares the gospel with people at the risk of life itself. So ask you again if you ever shared your faith in Jesus with someone else if not, why not, here's the third question I call it the hunger? Do you hunger for more light and more truth from God's word yes or no. Look at verses 24 and 25 Jesus said, consider carefully what you hear.

With the measure you use, it will be measured to you. And even more whoever has will be given more who does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. What Jesus meant by these wars is this payment that we are to earnestly contemplate and carefully consider how we respond we hear God's word and when we read his written work together when you come here on Tuesday night. You think carefully about how your listening.

So how do you respond when you hear the word of God. First you believe it. Second, you want more, do you truly love the word of God and believe all that is written in the Bible Jesus is saying that if you believe one truth more truth will be revealed to you is like breadcrumbs the file that breadcrumbs Alicia heaven, you receive more and more you get deeper and deeper to fight to grow stronger and stronger house latest profit level taste something I can't get enough of this.

I love it I love reading it, but for the one who rejects the truth even the little bitty house will be of no value to him. He goes in one ear and out the other. You see your eternal destiny and mine is at stake in how we respond to God's word cares eternal consequences.

I take a listen carefully and asked Jesus man to give you ears to hear, and he will he will always answer that prayer. Here's the fourth and final question, the fellowship question. Have you ever had a real fellowship with Jesus. Look at verses 33 and 34 with many similar parables Jesus spoke the work to them as much as they could understand. He did not say anything is talking to the crowd without using a parable when he was alone with his own disciples. He explained everything that you love that messages was alone with his own disciples who belong to him. No one from the outside was included so this is one of the great privileges of belonging to the family of God were not born children of God, you become part of God's family accorded John 112 when you believe in him and receive him into your heart by faith.

Then and only then you become a child of God and then you included in conversations with Jesus we get to have fellowship with Jesus and explained everything to us. So what's it mean to have fellowship with Jesus until it makes the money when I read the Bible and it always says that he is speaking to me as if he's in the room with me.

However, when I was about 13 or 14. My mother gave me a JB Phillips paraphrase of the New Testament which I loved and I did read every night but I rated a lot of lights when I was in my teenage years when I was in my bedroom is a picture of Jesus over my bed and I was reading that I thought he was right. Your speaking to me just what it was right there speaking to me when I pray this is a God is listening to my prayers I know is I hear the voice of the Spirit whispered to me do this don't do that turn this way, don't turn that way. I was at 2913 because of the likeness.

When you turn to the right or to the left you will hear a voice behind you saying this is the way walk in it to those big brother reminded me of what Sigler could remember the first, to the greatest privilege any human being can ever have is to know God intimately and walked with him through life listening to his voice as he God's him through the journey of life. Jesus compares his fellowship to the fellowship that exists between a shepherd and she can course relative Jesus was what the good Shepherd in John chapter 10. He's describing this intimate fellowship. John writes the watchman opens the gate for the shepherd and the sheep listen to his voice because his own sheep by name and leads them out. We brought all out all his own, he goes on ahead of him and his sheep follow him because they know his voice Jesus. If I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me. My sheep listen to my voice.

I know them and they follow me… This is the most important question of the formerly heavy experienced real fellowship with Jesus you got do you thought you know him like we know each other is to think the state seal but I know that I know him like he described that to me.

I can only describe it to you but you have to experience it for yourself. This is why us if you don't know him is really dangerous to die me to subvert registered as Jesus says in Matthew's 713 or 14 bit. I think that's the right or something Matthew 721 through 23 that many will stand before Monday, say, Lord, Lord, did you see all we were doing and you say what the part for me because I never want know you is my final word of the subject. I can't tell you whether or not you have fellowship with Jesus. Only you can answer that for yourself on there was this true believers those who are inside the family of God, hear his voice, they follow Jesus and they truly understand what it means to have fellowship with God's of men examine yourselves to see whether you're in the faith test yourselves. Do not trust in Christ Jesus is in you, unless you fail the test. The spray and the father I pray for every man in here that they will fail this test. If you're not sure that they know you Lord it right now they would receive you into their heart by faith. Lord I pray for every person listening tonight that your word is penetrate their minds and hearts, and that you will lift the veil from there is in the ear so that they can see and hear and understand your word and have fellowship with you because that's what you long to have fellowship with love you Lord.

We look forward to the day time being a Christian is not about being religious but about having a dynamic alive relationship with Jesus Christ you been listening to finding purpose with pastor Russ Sanders local triangle ministry glorifying God by helping men and their purpose for living. You can discover more about finding your purpose in life by checking out the resources@purpose.net connect to finding purpose on Facebook pastor Russ would also like to extend a special invitation for you to join him in over 300 other local tribal men study God's word together every Tuesday night at 7 PM in downtown Raleigh. Find out more finding purpose.net