The Hiddenness of Jesus, Part 2

Today on Senate life with Jeannie Greer uses means any other reason. God is the God is only nobody will want to know it for him. Why do the wise and understanding miss God one because the hearts are blind to not give your comedy thing that they do their miss God because God reveals his children. God is in a way that shatters the pride gobbling up uses means any other light. The Bible religion. I'm your host Molly, but that's a pastor. Jeannie continues a message called Jesus and he's explaining why some of the smartest and most religious people throughout history failed to recognize God. Even though he's been there all along. People just cannot see important teaching from God's word today on the program if you missed the first part of today's message from yesterday show.

Always catch up online@jdgreer.com.

Now let's join Pastor Janie stored Jesus is just about as apostles to announce the arrival of his kingdom and the surrounding cities on the power miracles were able to cast out demons are able to heal the sick make the blind see what is apostles get a mixed reaction. There were some people a fairly large number of people that enthusiastically believe what Jesus or the message of the apostles preached about it but a lot of people in the cities reject the message and a lot of the people rejected were the right people. If you want to me the people of influence the political leaders.

The religious leaders like Jesus reaction to this chapter 10 verse 13.

What are you coursing or do you best say it theirs were to the cities were filled with the right kind of people that's where a lot of your religious leaders live.

That's where a lot of your capitals were of of of of power in the capital of education on the capitals of religion. For if the mighty works he says done in you had instead been done in Tyre and Sidon. Those are two notoriously wicked enemy. Gentile cities Tyre and Sidon. If the work to be done and you coursing to Bethsaida have been governors, Gentile cities, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes and you, Capernaum. Capernaum was another famous Jewish city that was still the right kind of people you were so full of religious leaders you study so hard to become wise. Will you be exalted to heaven, with all your impressive learning about God know you will be brought down to hell to Hades. Jesus Esther is apostles.

One hears you see, here's me, one who rejects you rejects me, the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me. Verse 21 of that same hour he rejoiced in the holy spirit. In other words, the rejection of these right people by him didn't bother him that much because he knew he was God approved of him. So he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and he said I thank you father, Lord of heaven and earth.

You have your word in underlining circlet writing down prick your finger debit blood. Whatever it takes that your keyword these things you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and you have revealed them to little children. 23 then turning to his disciples, he said, Blessed are the eyes and see what you see, I get to question someone try to ask of this text okay one.

Why do wise and understanding why is it that they miss God. The second question I want to ask of this text is how do we find certainty in what to believe about God. Question number one. Why do the wise and understanding miss God who recovered you before logical premises: because our hearts are naturally blind.

The gospel repeatedly presents men and women in a natural state of blindness.

We saw this when Jesus first launched his ministry. Look for and describe what was good to be like one of his primary task was to be to open the eyes of the blind and yes he was talking about the physically blind, but he was talking about something even more significant than that and that was the spiritually blind those people who were unable to see the glory of God was all around him.

The blindness of our hearts was a kind of willful blindness that grew out of our sinful attitudes are simple disposition what the Bible teaches you is that God the Holy Spirit restores your mind, so that all the sudden your eyes are open, you start to see evidence all around you, and I have seen this before but it takes a change of the heart to be able to see that kind of evidence. Members are God will not be found through human achievement. Because if he could be. That would contribute to human pride if the way to find God for Worth remastering science.

The really smart scientists would say we found God because we were smarter than everybody else we know God and truth. Best because were the smartest and we went to the best schools they would boast the way to God the way to find I was through religious piety. The really religious people would say we found God because we were morally superior to everybody else and they would boast that their personal goodness was what enabled them to find God.

God says you will not find me if you anything that would allow you to boast back in this passage, Jesus says, God's things from the wise and the understanding and you have revealed them of your own choice to little children. Yes father, for such was your gracious will. Grace means we didn't deserve it. It was your gracious will. Nobody knows who the father is verse 22. Except son anybody to whom the son chooses to reveal him. In other words said in other words, Jesus says, God people who find you find you only because you reveal yourself to them. If I didn't really even find you, you found them. Boy, Paul says it in Ephesians 2 is this way Paul says it is by grace that your safety faith. Many says that is not of yourself. The word back there in Greek modifies faith.

In other words, even the faith to believe in God was not something of yourself. It was the gift of God not of works is you were smarter as you work more spiritual. Naturally, not because you were more religious than a better person to not of works, so that no body can boast. See all God reveals himself away that goes to war against human pride because pride is the source of all of our other six.

Pride makes us feel independent practitioner. What I'm good enough, I'm strong enough dog on people like a good enough I'm strong enough and that means that to be the one in charge to be the one who calls the shots. I'm better off amount. Pride leads to a sense of superiority. It leads to entitlement pride and sin have the same middle letter up with my kids. I I want to do what I want to do because I'm good enough. I'm better off amount, you might tell me what to do and more important point strike rules and I care most about myself is all about me. So at every stage God salvation process is designed to go to war against our pride and humble us, which is why the gospel so offensive because it every stage is trying to tear down what you been trying to build up all of your life that is a sense of I am independent I am good enough and every stage of the salvation process because pride is the source of all of the other sins, God goes to war against example the Old Testament that Jesus referred to the store.few weeks ago were setting with four-story name name and was the captain of the Syrian guard. He ardently was one of the top three most powerful, rich, influential people in the world. He's got leprosy. He's going to die. So a little 12-year-old servant girl's house as I know Amanda can heal you with the prophet Elisha Mavis deferentially takes a big caravan down to see Elisha.

He takes millions of dollars he takes an army. It's very impressive but the limousines roll up into Elisha's driveway, right name in Cincinnati and go get Elisha.

God tells Elisha, but you got there and see him send an intern about being humiliated your name and here's what the top regarding the world and outcomes Elisha's intern's eyelashes too busy to talk. You are now explaining the PS2 and in these than I could have you not of his schedule yet and Mrs. Lottie leprosy never that he could heal me and and any symptoms of wild Alaskan tutors and their ask Elisha licenses again.

Here's what we gotta do personal. I'm not commencing him. He'll never see my face. He should have to go dip in the Jordan River network Elisha Libby. Jordan was basically little Creek. It was muddy.

It was nasty and Naaman was like that places nasty. I brought millions of dollars. I've got hundreds and thousands of soldiers give me something else. I'll buy it from interims and tells Elisha licenses and present I got a note to get in that water in your tunic, your loincloth in your underwear fun. Everybody can be humiliated and that's how you're going to be healed. Naaman don't want to do it. Eventually he caved to know any other options. Any group of guys we know the story goes out to the Jordan River and he discussed diffs on the Rev. goes on one time, two times that seven time he comes up mysteries underscored in the final draft board and the teacher takes the name of the leprosy puts back is the new Naaman out. This is a skin like a baby skin. The whole process was designed to humble Naaman because Naaman wanted to purchase it because he was strong he was rich because is no that's the source of all your problems anyway.

Someone humble you accept forward Peter and John are preaching the gospel, the healed guy when the healer got a human. The name of Jesus and the religious leaders alike as a ligament room until the cut it out. One of things they point out to these guys this is they were asked for 13 they were ignorant and unlearned men over date date they were the sharpest knife in the drawer that he graduated in the right schools. They we met smart.

They spoke in hick Hebrew thick accent you got smart and Peter's response and let me summarize it okay in his exact words but as Jewett or St. Peter's. I look, I'm not saying smarter than you guys think that's pretty obvious you just got more degrees on your wall than a thermometer. I mean II did you guys watch history Channel. We want SportsCenter, you're smarter than we are. I understand that but all I'm saying is we saw a guy that came back from the dead and no offense to you, but his coming back from the dead trumps the degrees on your wall right you get a choice on what to believe in your choices, guys, you got a bunch of degrees and somebody who came back from the dead. Always go with the gun.

As a general rule of thumb and Peter's like, look it has nothing to do with our smartness ruggedness were not that smart is as we saw a guy get out of the grave and we can't help but believe what was seen and heard the way that God revealed himself was in a way that was designed to humble you not know listen. A lot of Christians are arrogant but you think are better they do think you're smarter. They argue that way they talk that way they talk at their more righteous and that is true they don't get the gospel because none of us know the gospel because we were wise and understanding. We only know it because God revealed to us as if we were children, you shall be somebody who is a jerk who is triumphalist to talk down to people who are Christians. I'll see somebody if they profess the gospel doesn't really know it number three is 1/3 reason, the wise and understanding.

This God number three because God will be found only by those with a childlike heart gotta be found only by those with a childlike Harper's 2121 he says hey you revealed these things to children, people with childlike hard to recognize the truth about God when it is presented to them. Now don't go off your childlike heart does not mean dumb or simplistic in Luke as we study the childlike heart is humble it. I'm thinking more about itself and it should childlike heart is submissive. It recognizes authority, namely the authority of God.

Childlike heart is not cynical people with a childlike heart. Look at the evidence for Jesus and they see that it is true. In other words, what he saying is your belief in Jesus has less to do with the quality of the evidence and more to do with the state of your heart. Here's an analogy of her the same son that hardens the clay softens the wax.

The difference is not in the sun that is shining the differences in the material that it is shining upon the same evidence convinces some people to Jesus is true and some other people that is not true and that has more to do with the state of their heart that it is the quality of the evidence is a major make sense due to examples of this one from the Scriptures and one from our life from the Scriptures, another gospel John Johnson for seven verse three so Jesus brother said to him, leave here and go to Judea so that your disciples may see the works that you're doing for nobody works in secret if he seeks to me and I don't like right if you do these things for real. Show yourself to the world.

Now I'm reading that sarcastically wiped it off with a basket, then I believe it Jesus own brothers, belief in him, but did you doubt that his next verse for even his brothers did not believe in him his brothers to believe God but ladies are the other sons of Mary and Joseph.

So if you believe that Mary was a legible version you got a major problem right here right you don't believe what the church leaders lately with the Bible says Jesus had other brother have brothers were Mary and Joseph kids and Jesus was Gartner's kid got it right.

Jesus goes on for seven the world hates me because I testify about it.

That is, works are evil. While they believe in me. Why do they hate me because they have blind hearts because they have evil heart. They have hearts it has less to do with the quality of the evidence more to do with the state of the heart for 70 this unbelievable. If anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God, whether on speaking on my own authority. Did you see what that said if anybody will to do God's will, they will automatically know what another teaching is really from God, or whether not this is all made up. In other words, the desire to know God and submissiveness to God precedes the knowledge of God, the desire to know God and submissiveness to God precedes the knowledge of God, there is the example for my own life years ago when I was in college and a Muslim college student who she was in Turkey are her American name. She gave herself Caroline to Wheaton. She was part of a circle of friends I was and we spent many nights talking to her at length about who Jesus was. She was very interested in Jesus, but she kept asking a lot of really difficult questions about like I don't see how the Trinity could be there but things are really questions, but it became apparent that that really what was behind these questions is the fact that she grown a Muslim and she knew that if she ever decided to become a follower of Jesus was going to cost her significantly.

As a finally light when I was about 10 o'clock. One night we would sit in a circle and were talking and I look are said to limit his actual question. What say that all the sudden and the circle Jesus appeared disappeared. He showed you himself. We was to secure line everything these people tell you about me is true everything the Bible says, through the Trinity is true and Carolyn to be my follower Juergen have to leave everything to follow me to cost you everything. I looked at her neck, secure line. If that were the case, would you suspend all of your objections and would you surrender all of your life to possess Jesus genocide back and she said I guess that the issue isn't I don't really know whether or not I want to know the truth about God because I'm not sure I'm willing to go wherever it leads me talking for another hour. We broke for the night. She called me next morning about 7 o'clock. Should I just come back over here and SSO why she will seem to get here so we get over there.

She said I could not quit thinking about that. I went home. She says I thought about it for about an hour went past midnight. She is finally Kindle point somewhere around 1 o'clock in the morning rush, and you know what God I want to know the truth about you.

I will do whatever you say. I will go wherever you tell me to go out possess you, even if it cost me everything I'm ready to know you. She said I want to sleep. Simple sleep about 11 30.

She said at 330 morning I was awakened by someone knocking at my door vigorously repeatedly tried to ignore, to follow someone on the door and around the ship. It was my daughter knocking should finally, after what seemed like several minutes. I got up I walked to the door opened. It was nobody there said it up when I knew she said. I believe that dream was sent to me by God telling me that he was saying.

I'm ready to come to you now because your wedding to go wherever I tell you to go just as I got down the wall back in my room at identities was on my bed and I said Jesus is a lot of things I don't understand, but I know that your true and I will possess you, even if it cost me everything I symbol us in a Carolyn are you are you understand what you're saying here because you come from a Muslim country in a Muslim family.

You know what this is going to me. She said of course I called my parents at 415 I told them that I believe the truth about Jesus and I needed to do whatever he told me to do you see what what I'm one of getting out there surrender to God precedes knowledge about God. Some of you need to ask yourself that very question. You need to ask yourself whether or not you really are willing to do whatever God tells you to do go wherever he tells you to go because until you quit asking until you agree to that.

He's not sure you anything submission to God often precedes knowledge about God. Some of you will never see the truth about God because you're not willing to surrender things you believe about sex and morality you not want to see the world the way that God will tell you to see it. And because you have a proud, stiffnecked, rebellious heart. Of course, will never see God give you couple of the verses here from other parts of the Bible.

Jeremiah 29 at 13 when you search for me. You will find me. You seek for me with all your heart, I will let you find you see that lets you find me like my kids when they find me it's because I let them find me some also had thick course of an adult.

Their kids are just five years old will know that he has on the roof.

They can never find another. I let myself be found. Whatever God says you can't find. I let you find like five if you seek me with all your heart, all your soul, someone 4518 the Lord is near. Until all of them the cold hunting truly know I got what yourself because you got a double minded heart.

That's why your surrender God to show you anything submission to God precedes knowledge of God before God be found by those who want to know and not use them for something else several times in the series of talk about people who don't want to know God is that what you use the example piñata. God is not your piñata would faith is not a wacky statement you got just right with your walking stick of paying that out when piñata comes, whatever you need God to use as a means any other end.

God is the end God is only known by people who want to know it for him. All of us have the experience to be not having a friend who only calls us when they need something from us have experienced. The only call you when it's time for them to move the song before you call me whenever you need something from me and that it was like that doing. We want to be known for us not we can do for somebody. God is only known by those who want to know it for him. God was God reveals himself in a way that the only way you'll find him and you want to know him, for him, not for what he can do for you.

Otherwise secures himself to that you missed.

God reveals himself in a way the only way you'll ever know and want to know what otherwise he obscures himself so you will find why did the wise and understanding missed God one because their hearts are blind and that can be overcome anything that they do their missed God because God reveals these things to children. God is in a way that shatters their pride and God will not be used as a means any other health ever considered that knowing God is against your listening to Pastor JD Greer on Senate life. Today's message is the part of her teaching series titled kingdom come like to listen to this message again our share with the friends you can find it online@jdgreer.com, not JD, as you're well aware here new book is entitled what are you going to do with your life seem like it's intended for a younger audience is not right. Well yes and no Matt you have to be honest I think a lot of college students and young professionals will find the questions that I'm asking particularly relevant. You know how do you not waste your life, what will. How do you determine what God has gifted you at and how you can use that for his kingdom in a way that's that that's an investment that last forever, but I really feel like people who were just wanting to rethink their lives. People that are at transitional spots in the life people that maybe get ready to retire and are same like I really want my life.

I want to make sure that I leverage it for the great commission in and I wrote this same leverage can be serve a strange term but you know like if you got talents. If you've got resources asking yourself what a guy give me these and how do I make them count. If you'd like to find out more about this book and reserve a copy JD grid.com we should like to give you a copy of this as a gift for becoming a gospel partner with us a gospel partner somebody you financially and prayerfully supports the ministry year in helping us get this program into places where the Gospels not hurt as much. And so, if you become a gospel partner without giving this is just a way of saying thank you so you get a JD Greer.com and all the information will be there. In addition, data to get a copy of this book and some devotionals we've written that go along with it will take you deeper into some of the Bible passages behind us and bring you face-to-face with what Jesus said about a life that's not waste yes let make you one of the first to get Constantine's newest, but what are you going to do with your life. It comes with our thanks when you donate to support this ministry for when you going to do with your life and the companion devotional Scripture guidebook when you get today. I probably rethink my 50 228-663-3552 2015.

Here you can get online. JD Greer.com mail your Denny's address and JD Greer ministry, PO Box 129. Molly then asked again tomorrow. I'll Wednesday on Senate life