00:00:00 --> 00:00:08 The kids are going to go out to Kids Church now, and the rest of us are going to pick up Bibles.
00:00:08 --> 00:00:17 If you haven't got your Bibles open, grab a Bible, turn to Luke 14, and I'm going to pray.
00:00:18 --> 00:00:21 Gracious God, we thank you for the privilege of joining together as your people.
00:00:22 --> 00:00:27 Lord, as we look at your Word now, I pray that we might have ears to hear.
00:00:27 --> 00:00:31 We pray also for our young people departing from us now to their program.
00:00:32 --> 00:00:39 Lord, I pray for them too that you might pour your Spirit out amongst them and upon their hearts and their minds
00:00:39 --> 00:00:42 so that they might have ears to hear and willing hearts to obey.
00:00:42 --> 00:00:45 I pray that for ourselves too, Lord, and we ask for your sake. Amen.
00:00:47 --> 00:00:52 The radio station Today FM used to have what was called the annual celebrity party.
00:00:52 --> 00:00:56 I don't know if they still do. I haven't listened to Today FM for a while, but it was an annual celebrity party.
00:00:57 --> 00:01:07 It was a little misleading though because although there was a couple of famous people, you know, 15-minute fame kind of people there,
00:01:08 --> 00:01:11 the bulk of the party goers were average Joe blows like me.
00:01:12 --> 00:01:14 Not the rich, not the famous.
00:01:15 --> 00:01:18 Those who never really get a chance to mix it with a high life of the famous people.
00:01:18 --> 00:01:27 Apparently it was a great party, an enormous party, a lot of people there, heaps of drink and fun and food and average people like me were there.
00:01:28 --> 00:01:34 It was advertised as the party to beat all parties, the party that everyone wanted to be at.
00:01:34 --> 00:01:42 And one year in their promotion for this celebrity party, they had a guy ring up pretending to be Kerry Packer
00:01:42 --> 00:01:47 to the radio station wanting to buy tickets for this party.
00:01:47 --> 00:01:52 He was promptly told that no amount of money could buy him a ticket to the party.
00:01:52 --> 00:01:55 It was invitation only and he wasn't invited.
00:01:57 --> 00:02:01 Luke 14, Jesus tells the story of the greatest party of all times.
00:02:01 --> 00:02:06 It's a party that we've been all invited to, a party that we have to RSVP for.
00:02:06 --> 00:02:11 It's also a party that no amount of money can purchase a ticket for.
00:02:11 --> 00:02:14 This party is invitation only.
00:02:14 --> 00:02:19 I think it's a surprise to most people to discover that Jesus liked to party as much as anyone else.
00:02:19 --> 00:02:23 He often saw Jesus attending weddings and dinner parties.
00:02:24 --> 00:02:32 But what is really surprising is that he actually describes heaven as a party, as a great banquet,
00:02:32 --> 00:02:37 which is a little bit different from the popular notion of hymns and harps and halos.
00:02:37 --> 00:02:39 It is a big banquet.
00:02:40 --> 00:02:43 And so Jesus is at this dinner party.
00:02:43 --> 00:02:49 He's at a dinner party with some of his disciples and he leans across to the host of the party
00:02:49 --> 00:02:52 and tells him who he should invite to his parties.
00:02:53 --> 00:02:54 It's there in verse 12.
00:02:54 --> 00:02:56 So have a look at Luke 14, verse 12.
00:02:56 --> 00:03:02 When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives or your rich neighbours.
00:03:03 --> 00:03:07 If you do, they may invite you back and so you'll be repaid.
00:03:08 --> 00:03:13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind and you will be blessed.
00:03:15 --> 00:03:16 It's an amazing thing.
00:03:16 --> 00:03:21 He leans across to the host of the party and says,
00:03:21 --> 00:03:25 don't invite people to your party who you want to be there.
00:03:26 --> 00:03:27 Invite everyone else.
00:03:28 --> 00:03:30 Don't invite your friends, your neighbours, your rich.
00:03:30 --> 00:03:32 In other words, what he's saying is,
00:03:32 --> 00:03:33 I want you to live a life.
00:03:33 --> 00:03:36 Remember Jesus talking about discipleship here.
00:03:36 --> 00:03:42 I want you to live a life where you do things and don't expect to be repaid for it.
00:03:44 --> 00:03:46 But he's so different than us, isn't it?
00:03:46 --> 00:03:50 I mean, isn't it good to be able to do things and get some sort of recognition for it?
00:03:50 --> 00:03:55 It's so much easier to pick up your cross and follow Jesus when there's a crowd clapping,
00:03:56 --> 00:03:58 acknowledging you picking up your cross.
00:03:58 --> 00:04:02 It's so much easier being humble when you can tell people that you've been humble
00:04:02 --> 00:04:04 so they can pat you on the back for being humble.
00:04:04 --> 00:04:11 And Jesus says, don't invite the people who are going to pay you back.
00:04:12 --> 00:04:16 Invite, in fact, he says, the poor, the sick, the crippled, the outcast,
00:04:16 --> 00:04:19 the people who were the outcast in first century Palestine.
00:04:19 --> 00:04:21 Invite those people, the ones who can't pay you back.
00:04:22 --> 00:04:23 Why does he tell us to do that?
00:04:24 --> 00:04:27 Well, that's how God treats us.
00:04:27 --> 00:04:29 It's how God treats us.
00:04:29 --> 00:04:32 This is God's attitude.
00:04:32 --> 00:04:36 The invitation that God gives us to have a relationship with him
00:04:36 --> 00:04:40 and to spend eternity at his banquet table in heaven
00:04:40 --> 00:04:45 is to everyone who doesn't deserve it, everyone who can't pay him back.
00:04:46 --> 00:04:48 God invites the sinful people of this world.
00:04:49 --> 00:04:51 He invites those who live life as if he doesn't exist,
00:04:51 --> 00:04:53 those who go about their daily routine of life
00:04:53 --> 00:04:58 and give no acknowledgement to God whatsoever.
00:04:58 --> 00:04:59 Don't give him a second thought.
00:05:02 --> 00:05:05 Reality is what he's saying is that everyone who dines for eternity
00:05:05 --> 00:05:10 at God's table in heaven will not deserve to be there.
00:05:11 --> 00:05:16 There won't be a single person there who will deserve it,
00:05:16 --> 00:05:18 who would have earned it, who would have bought their way there
00:05:18 --> 00:05:21 simply just because they're there,
00:05:21 --> 00:05:23 because they have accepted the invitation
00:05:23 --> 00:05:26 to join with God for eternity
00:05:26 --> 00:05:29 through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
00:05:31 --> 00:05:33 Well, that must have been a party clangor.
00:05:35 --> 00:05:37 But Jesus didn't stop there.
00:05:38 --> 00:05:39 He reclined back in his chair,
00:05:39 --> 00:05:41 started to tell a story about a particular party.
00:05:42 --> 00:05:43 It went something like this.
00:05:43 --> 00:05:45 There was a rich man who organised a party
00:05:45 --> 00:05:47 and he invited heaps of people.
00:05:47 --> 00:05:49 And then when it came time for the party,
00:05:49 --> 00:05:52 he sent his servant out to get them to come on in.
00:05:55 --> 00:05:56 What we've got to realise,
00:05:56 --> 00:05:58 this is a party in first century Palestine.
00:05:58 --> 00:06:01 Parties took a lot longer to organise back in those days.
00:06:02 --> 00:06:04 Nowadays, quick text message,
00:06:04 --> 00:06:06 and you've got, you know, put on food,
00:06:06 --> 00:06:09 and you've got a bunch of teenagers home in no time at all.
00:06:10 --> 00:06:13 But it was different back in those days.
00:06:14 --> 00:06:14 Significantly different.
00:06:14 --> 00:06:16 Kid comes home, wants to have a party.
00:06:17 --> 00:06:18 You know, yes, certainly,
00:06:18 --> 00:06:20 the food's out there in the paddock.
00:06:21 --> 00:06:22 You've got to go and chase it down
00:06:22 --> 00:06:24 and kill it and slaughter it
00:06:24 --> 00:06:25 and do all that sort of stuff.
00:06:25 --> 00:06:26 It takes a while.
00:06:26 --> 00:06:27 So what they used to do
00:06:27 --> 00:06:29 was they put out the first invitation first.
00:06:30 --> 00:06:31 So out you go, invitation to everyone.
00:06:32 --> 00:06:33 We're going to have this great party,
00:06:33 --> 00:06:33 a big banquet.
00:06:34 --> 00:06:37 This is not necessarily just two hours' worth of,
00:06:37 --> 00:06:38 you know, dinner time.
00:06:38 --> 00:06:41 This could go on for days and weeks.
00:06:42 --> 00:06:43 Out goes the first invitation.
00:06:44 --> 00:06:46 People go, yeah, I'll be there.
00:06:46 --> 00:06:47 Sounds like a great idea.
00:06:47 --> 00:06:50 Then the servant gets and does all the preparation.
00:06:50 --> 00:06:51 He slaughters the cows,
00:06:51 --> 00:06:52 picks the carrots,
00:06:52 --> 00:06:53 barbecues the meat,
00:06:53 --> 00:06:55 puts the drinks with the sterly straws in them,
00:06:55 --> 00:06:56 all set aside.
00:06:57 --> 00:06:58 Desserts are cooling in the fridge.
00:06:58 --> 00:06:59 It's ready to go.
00:07:00 --> 00:07:03 Goes around, brings in the party goers,
00:07:03 --> 00:07:04 and what he discovers is
00:07:04 --> 00:07:06 those who said yes to start with
00:07:06 --> 00:07:07 are now saying no.
00:07:09 --> 00:07:10 And what he gets faced with
00:07:10 --> 00:07:12 is a bunch of excuses.
00:07:12 --> 00:07:14 Verse 18,
00:07:14 --> 00:07:16 I have just bought a field
00:07:16 --> 00:07:18 and I must go and see it.
00:07:19 --> 00:07:20 What an idiot.
00:07:21 --> 00:07:22 He's just bought a field
00:07:22 --> 00:07:23 and now he must go and see it.
00:07:23 --> 00:07:25 He's just bought himself a farm, right?
00:07:25 --> 00:07:27 He's just bought himself a business,
00:07:27 --> 00:07:28 hasn't looked over the books,
00:07:29 --> 00:07:29 hasn't seen whether or not
00:07:29 --> 00:07:32 the paddock actually exists or not,
00:07:32 --> 00:07:34 but I've got to go and see it now.
00:07:34 --> 00:07:35 I can't come to your party.
00:07:35 --> 00:07:37 I can't wait, you know,
00:07:37 --> 00:07:38 a couple of days or anything.
00:07:38 --> 00:07:39 I've got to go and see it now
00:07:39 --> 00:07:42 because I might not be there in the morning.
00:07:43 --> 00:07:44 Verse 19,
00:07:44 --> 00:07:46 I've just bought five yoke of oxen
00:07:46 --> 00:07:47 and I'm on my way to try them out.
00:07:47 --> 00:07:50 This guy has just bought a secondhand tractor,
00:07:50 --> 00:07:51 hasn't even seen it,
00:07:52 --> 00:07:53 doesn't even know if it's got all of its wheels
00:07:53 --> 00:07:54 attached to it,
00:07:54 --> 00:07:55 whether there's a motor there,
00:07:55 --> 00:07:55 a transmitter,
00:07:56 --> 00:07:57 got no idea whatsoever.
00:07:57 --> 00:07:58 He's bought it
00:07:58 --> 00:08:01 and he's got to go and try them out now
00:08:01 --> 00:08:02 when the party's on.
00:08:02 --> 00:08:04 He can't wait a couple of days
00:08:04 --> 00:08:07 because they might get lonely tonight.
00:08:08 --> 00:08:09 Number three,
00:08:09 --> 00:08:10 verse 20,
00:08:10 --> 00:08:11 I've just got married so I can't come.
00:08:12 --> 00:08:13 Well, that's pretty self-explanatory.
00:08:14 --> 00:08:15 You know,
00:08:15 --> 00:08:17 you get married,
00:08:17 --> 00:08:18 you don't go to parties anymore,
00:08:19 --> 00:08:20 you know,
00:08:20 --> 00:08:21 got other things on your mind,
00:08:21 --> 00:08:22 don't go and worry about that.
00:08:23 --> 00:08:23 You see,
00:08:23 --> 00:08:25 what it's saying here is
00:08:25 --> 00:08:27 all these people who were initially invited
00:08:27 --> 00:08:28 have changed their mind.
00:08:29 --> 00:08:30 They signed up to it,
00:08:31 --> 00:08:32 they thought it was a good idea
00:08:32 --> 00:08:34 and then when push comes to shove,
00:08:35 --> 00:08:36 don't want to be part of the banquet.
00:08:37 --> 00:08:39 And what Jesus is faced with here,
00:08:39 --> 00:08:39 what he says is,
00:08:40 --> 00:08:42 is that they are just excuses.
00:08:43 --> 00:08:45 And in actual fact,
00:08:46 --> 00:08:48 Jesus is saying these excuses
00:08:48 --> 00:08:50 are both laughable and pathetic.
00:08:51 --> 00:08:53 They are laughable and pathetic,
00:08:53 --> 00:08:56 even good things like buying a field
00:08:56 --> 00:08:57 and buying a bunch of cows
00:08:57 --> 00:08:58 and getting married,
00:08:58 --> 00:08:59 even good things.
00:09:00 --> 00:09:01 When it comes up against
00:09:01 --> 00:09:03 the greatest thing of all,
00:09:03 --> 00:09:05 they can be but distractions
00:09:05 --> 00:09:08 from the greatest and the best thing,
00:09:09 --> 00:09:13 an invitation to party with God for eternity.
00:09:13 --> 00:09:16 So he wants to make it clear
00:09:16 --> 00:09:19 that every excuse that we make
00:09:19 --> 00:09:22 to put off an invitation
00:09:22 --> 00:09:23 of a relationship with the God of this universe
00:09:23 --> 00:09:24 is pathetic,
00:09:25 --> 00:09:25 it's laughable.
00:09:27 --> 00:09:29 There is nothing more important
00:09:29 --> 00:09:30 for yesterday,
00:09:30 --> 00:09:31 today and always
00:09:31 --> 00:09:33 than to know the one who gives us life,
00:09:33 --> 00:09:35 who has control of eternity
00:09:35 --> 00:09:36 in the palm of his hand.
00:09:36 --> 00:09:39 Anything that puts that relationship
00:09:39 --> 00:09:40 to one side
00:09:40 --> 00:09:42 and makes it less important,
00:09:42 --> 00:09:43 the number one priority
00:09:43 --> 00:09:45 is a pathetic excuse.
00:09:47 --> 00:09:48 And I think we've been challenged
00:09:48 --> 00:09:49 about this as we've journeyed
00:09:49 --> 00:09:50 with Jesus to Jerusalem,
00:09:51 --> 00:09:51 haven't we,
00:09:51 --> 00:09:52 over the last few weeks?
00:09:54 --> 00:09:56 When Jesus describes
00:09:56 --> 00:09:56 about what it means
00:09:56 --> 00:09:57 to be his disciple,
00:09:58 --> 00:09:59 what does it mean
00:09:59 --> 00:10:00 to walk with Jesus
00:10:00 --> 00:10:03 along this road to Jerusalem,
00:10:04 --> 00:10:04 into Jerusalem,
00:10:05 --> 00:10:06 to pick up our cross,
00:10:06 --> 00:10:08 to walk outside of Jerusalem,
00:10:08 --> 00:10:09 to die with Jesus
00:10:09 --> 00:10:11 out there on the place
00:10:11 --> 00:10:12 of the skull?
00:10:15 --> 00:10:16 And how often
00:10:16 --> 00:10:17 do we make excuses?
00:10:20 --> 00:10:22 What this passage is saying
00:10:22 --> 00:10:22 and the next one,
00:10:23 --> 00:10:24 this whole collective passage
00:10:24 --> 00:10:25 is saying here,
00:10:25 --> 00:10:27 which is the whole point
00:10:27 --> 00:10:29 of this travel narrative,
00:10:29 --> 00:10:31 do we actually trust Jesus
00:10:31 --> 00:10:31 with our life?
00:10:33 --> 00:10:35 Do we really trust Jesus
00:10:35 --> 00:10:36 with our life?
00:10:36 --> 00:10:39 Jesus is not asking us here,
00:10:39 --> 00:10:40 do we go to church,
00:10:40 --> 00:10:41 we part of a Bible study group,
00:10:42 --> 00:10:43 do I arrange the flowers
00:10:43 --> 00:10:44 at church,
00:10:44 --> 00:10:44 do I,
00:10:45 --> 00:10:45 he's asking,
00:10:46 --> 00:10:48 do I actually trust him
00:10:48 --> 00:10:49 with my life?
00:10:51 --> 00:10:52 Or am I still making excuses?
00:10:54 --> 00:10:55 I've come up with all sorts
00:10:55 --> 00:10:57 of excuses over the years,
00:10:57 --> 00:10:58 so I've been faced
00:10:58 --> 00:10:58 with all sorts of excuses,
00:10:58 --> 00:11:00 I've made excuses myself.
00:11:00 --> 00:11:02 One of the classic ones
00:11:02 --> 00:11:03 is I'm too smart
00:11:03 --> 00:11:03 to be a Christian.
00:11:04 --> 00:11:05 A Christian is just made up
00:11:05 --> 00:11:06 for dumb people
00:11:06 --> 00:11:07 who need some form of crutch,
00:11:07 --> 00:11:08 but I'm too smart.
00:11:08 --> 00:11:09 I've heard that one,
00:11:09 --> 00:11:09 I've heard it,
00:11:10 --> 00:11:13 the most clearest excuse
00:11:13 --> 00:11:13 in that regard
00:11:13 --> 00:11:14 that I heard
00:11:14 --> 00:11:15 came from a 16 year old
00:11:15 --> 00:11:19 and it was in the middle
00:11:19 --> 00:11:19 of a scripture class,
00:11:19 --> 00:11:20 this kid said to me,
00:11:21 --> 00:11:22 the Bible's full of mistakes
00:11:22 --> 00:11:23 and Christianity's all flawed.
00:11:24 --> 00:11:25 And, you know,
00:11:25 --> 00:11:26 very authoritatively said that
00:11:26 --> 00:11:27 and I said,
00:11:27 --> 00:11:27 so tell me where?
00:11:28 --> 00:11:29 He goes,
00:11:29 --> 00:11:29 well,
00:11:30 --> 00:11:30 you haven't got a Bible.
00:11:30 --> 00:11:31 Unfortunately,
00:11:31 --> 00:11:32 I had my big Bible bashing Bible
00:11:32 --> 00:11:33 at the time
00:11:33 --> 00:11:36 and I threw my Bible,
00:11:36 --> 00:11:37 which just landed perfectly
00:11:37 --> 00:11:39 on his desk
00:11:39 --> 00:11:40 and slid into his lap
00:11:40 --> 00:11:43 and it was just,
00:11:43 --> 00:11:43 you know,
00:11:43 --> 00:11:44 just a great effect.
00:11:45 --> 00:11:45 And I said,
00:11:45 --> 00:11:46 so show us where the,
00:11:46 --> 00:11:47 you know,
00:11:47 --> 00:11:49 show us where the mistakes
00:11:49 --> 00:11:49 all are.
00:11:50 --> 00:11:50 And he goes,
00:11:50 --> 00:11:50 well,
00:11:50 --> 00:11:51 I don't know exactly
00:11:51 --> 00:11:52 where they are,
00:11:52 --> 00:11:52 I've just heard
00:11:52 --> 00:11:53 it's full of mistakes.
00:11:54 --> 00:11:54 Well,
00:11:54 --> 00:11:55 who told you?
00:11:55 --> 00:11:55 Well,
00:11:55 --> 00:11:55 I don't know where
00:11:55 --> 00:11:56 I heard it from.
00:11:56 --> 00:11:58 I've heard it from someone.
00:11:58 --> 00:11:58 I said,
00:11:58 --> 00:11:59 is the person reliable?
00:11:59 --> 00:11:59 I don't know,
00:11:59 --> 00:12:00 I don't know who it was.
00:12:01 --> 00:12:02 And I said,
00:12:02 --> 00:12:03 so in other words,
00:12:03 --> 00:12:04 you don't really know,
00:12:04 --> 00:12:05 do you?
00:12:05 --> 00:12:05 And he goes,
00:12:05 --> 00:12:06 no,
00:12:06 --> 00:12:06 you're right,
00:12:06 --> 00:12:07 I don't really know.
00:12:08 --> 00:12:09 Or the other one I've heard is,
00:12:09 --> 00:12:10 I'm too good looking
00:12:10 --> 00:12:12 and too cool to be Christian.
00:12:14 --> 00:12:15 Like being a Christian
00:12:15 --> 00:12:16 is going to spoil my image
00:12:16 --> 00:12:18 because clearly Christians
00:12:18 --> 00:12:19 are the people
00:12:19 --> 00:12:20 who tuck their ciglet
00:12:20 --> 00:12:21 inside their undies
00:12:21 --> 00:12:23 and we're the guys
00:12:23 --> 00:12:25 who wear the sandals
00:12:25 --> 00:12:27 on outside of our socks
00:12:27 --> 00:12:31 and dagginess
00:12:31 --> 00:12:32 has nothing to do
00:12:32 --> 00:12:32 with Christianity.
00:12:33 --> 00:12:33 It's in your jeans,
00:12:34 --> 00:12:35 not in the type you wear
00:12:35 --> 00:12:36 but in your mum and dad
00:12:36 --> 00:12:37 so blame them for that.
00:12:38 --> 00:12:40 Or I'm too involved,
00:12:40 --> 00:12:40 I'm too involved
00:12:40 --> 00:12:41 in the opposite sex
00:12:41 --> 00:12:42 or with family
00:12:42 --> 00:12:43 or friends,
00:12:43 --> 00:12:43 you know,
00:12:43 --> 00:12:45 what would those people think?
00:12:45 --> 00:12:46 I'm too involved
00:12:46 --> 00:12:47 with all these other relationships
00:12:47 --> 00:12:50 to actually give
00:12:50 --> 00:12:51 great consideration
00:12:51 --> 00:12:52 to the best relationship
00:12:52 --> 00:12:53 at all,
00:12:53 --> 00:12:53 a relationship
00:12:53 --> 00:12:54 with a guy
00:12:54 --> 00:12:54 in this universe
00:12:54 --> 00:12:56 or I'm just too busy.
00:12:56 --> 00:12:57 I'm too busy with my work,
00:12:57 --> 00:12:59 I'm too busy with my hobbies,
00:12:59 --> 00:13:00 I'm too busy with my clubs,
00:13:00 --> 00:13:02 I'm too busy with my study,
00:13:02 --> 00:13:03 I'm just too busy
00:13:03 --> 00:13:03 with life itself
00:13:03 --> 00:13:05 to give a thought
00:13:05 --> 00:13:05 for the one
00:13:05 --> 00:13:08 who gives me life itself.
00:13:10 --> 00:13:12 How do your excuses stack up?
00:13:13 --> 00:13:14 In Jesus' story,
00:13:14 --> 00:13:14 and this is,
00:13:14 --> 00:13:15 you've got to read this one here,
00:13:16 --> 00:13:17 not one of those
00:13:17 --> 00:13:18 who are invited to the banquet
00:13:18 --> 00:13:19 got a taste of the banquet.
00:13:19 --> 00:13:20 Verse 24,
00:13:20 --> 00:13:20 I tell you,
00:13:21 --> 00:13:22 not one of those men
00:13:22 --> 00:13:22 who are invited
00:13:22 --> 00:13:24 will get a taste
00:13:24 --> 00:13:25 of my banquet.
00:13:26 --> 00:13:26 Not one.
00:13:27 --> 00:13:28 What Jesus is saying
00:13:28 --> 00:13:30 is if we continue
00:13:30 --> 00:13:31 to reject the invitation
00:13:31 --> 00:13:32 of our relationship
00:13:32 --> 00:13:32 with him,
00:13:33 --> 00:13:33 if we continue
00:13:33 --> 00:13:34 to make our excuses,
00:13:35 --> 00:13:35 if we continue
00:13:35 --> 00:13:37 not to trust in Jesus,
00:13:37 --> 00:13:38 then he will end up
00:13:38 --> 00:13:39 treating us
00:13:39 --> 00:13:40 for eternity
00:13:40 --> 00:13:41 the way
00:13:41 --> 00:13:42 that we have treated him
00:13:42 --> 00:13:43 in the short span
00:13:43 --> 00:13:44 of our lifetime.
00:13:45 --> 00:13:45 Away from me,
00:13:45 --> 00:13:46 I never knew you.
00:13:48 --> 00:13:49 Away from me.
00:13:49 --> 00:13:52 What Jesus wants
00:13:52 --> 00:13:54 to make very clear
00:13:54 --> 00:13:54 for us here
00:13:54 --> 00:13:56 is that it is
00:13:56 --> 00:13:57 the most important decision.
00:13:57 --> 00:13:58 It's what we do with Jesus.
00:13:58 --> 00:13:59 It's the most important decision
00:13:59 --> 00:14:00 in our life
00:14:00 --> 00:14:01 and that is why
00:14:01 --> 00:14:03 Jesus wants us
00:14:03 --> 00:14:03 to be so,
00:14:04 --> 00:14:04 so clear
00:14:04 --> 00:14:05 about what we are doing.
00:14:06 --> 00:14:07 So clear
00:14:07 --> 00:14:08 about what we are doing
00:14:08 --> 00:14:08 when we sign on
00:14:08 --> 00:14:10 to follow Jesus.
00:14:11 --> 00:14:12 I want to say
00:14:12 --> 00:14:12 that as well
00:14:12 --> 00:14:13 by way of encouragement,
00:14:14 --> 00:14:15 I have been amazed
00:14:15 --> 00:14:17 recently,
00:14:17 --> 00:14:19 the last two weeks
00:14:19 --> 00:14:19 have been the most
00:14:19 --> 00:14:21 difficult ministry years
00:14:21 --> 00:14:21 of my,
00:14:21 --> 00:14:22 ministry weeks
00:14:22 --> 00:14:23 of my life
00:14:23 --> 00:14:24 and yet
00:14:24 --> 00:14:25 in amongst that difficulty
00:14:25 --> 00:14:28 I have been rejoicing
00:14:28 --> 00:14:28 consistently
00:14:28 --> 00:14:29 of those
00:14:29 --> 00:14:30 who have been coming
00:14:30 --> 00:14:30 to Christ
00:14:30 --> 00:14:31 in our midst.
00:14:31 --> 00:14:33 God has been good.
00:14:34 --> 00:14:35 God has been good.
00:14:35 --> 00:14:35 The evil one
00:14:35 --> 00:14:36 would want to distract us
00:14:36 --> 00:14:37 from the main game
00:14:37 --> 00:14:39 and Jesus keeps
00:14:39 --> 00:14:39 encouraging us
00:14:39 --> 00:14:40 with those
00:14:40 --> 00:14:41 who have come
00:14:41 --> 00:14:42 to Christ.
00:14:43 --> 00:14:44 Praise God.
00:14:44 --> 00:14:45 God has been good.
00:14:46 --> 00:14:46 But he wants to make
00:14:46 --> 00:14:47 us very,
00:14:47 --> 00:14:47 very clear
00:14:47 --> 00:14:49 what we are signing
00:14:49 --> 00:14:49 on for here
00:14:49 --> 00:14:50 as his people.
00:14:51 --> 00:14:52 Jesus says
00:14:52 --> 00:14:53 if you want to follow him
00:14:53 --> 00:14:54 it's going to be tough.
00:14:54 --> 00:14:55 It's going to be tough
00:14:55 --> 00:14:56 because you die to yourself
00:14:56 --> 00:14:57 and you rise to me.
00:14:57 --> 00:14:58 It's going to be tough
00:14:58 --> 00:14:59 because you take up
00:14:59 --> 00:14:59 your cross
00:14:59 --> 00:15:00 and you follow me.
00:15:00 --> 00:15:02 It's going to be tough
00:15:02 --> 00:15:04 following me
00:15:04 --> 00:15:04 on this road
00:15:04 --> 00:15:05 to Jerusalem
00:15:05 --> 00:15:06 and outside of Jerusalem
00:15:06 --> 00:15:06 to the place
00:15:06 --> 00:15:07 of the skull
00:15:07 --> 00:15:08 so you better get ready
00:15:08 --> 00:15:08 for it.
00:15:09 --> 00:15:10 You better get ready
00:15:10 --> 00:15:11 for it.
00:15:11 --> 00:15:11 He says
00:15:11 --> 00:15:12 you've got to realise
00:15:12 --> 00:15:14 that you are sheep
00:15:14 --> 00:15:15 amongst ravenous wolves.
00:15:16 --> 00:15:16 You've got to be ready
00:15:16 --> 00:15:16 for it
00:15:16 --> 00:15:17 because I'm getting you
00:15:17 --> 00:15:18 to carry your cross
00:15:18 --> 00:15:18 as well
00:15:18 --> 00:15:20 as much as I'm carrying mine
00:15:20 --> 00:15:21 and you need to count
00:15:21 --> 00:15:22 the cost.
00:15:22 --> 00:15:23 It's no good
00:15:23 --> 00:15:25 RSVPing for heaven
00:15:25 --> 00:15:26 signing up
00:15:26 --> 00:15:27 for a gentle Jesus
00:15:27 --> 00:15:28 meek and mild
00:15:28 --> 00:15:31 and then realising
00:15:31 --> 00:15:32 that Jesus
00:15:32 --> 00:15:33 is more than meek
00:15:33 --> 00:15:33 and mild.
00:15:35 --> 00:15:36 Jesus is a king
00:15:36 --> 00:15:36 who demands
00:15:36 --> 00:15:37 my allegiance
00:15:37 --> 00:15:39 and then realising
00:15:39 --> 00:15:40 you've signed up
00:15:40 --> 00:15:41 and you've made a mistake.
00:15:41 --> 00:15:42 And so Jesus
00:15:42 --> 00:15:43 uses two illustrations
00:15:43 --> 00:15:44 to make the point.
00:15:45 --> 00:15:45 He says
00:15:45 --> 00:15:45 you don't go
00:15:45 --> 00:15:46 building a building
00:15:46 --> 00:15:47 if you haven't got
00:15:47 --> 00:15:48 the money
00:15:48 --> 00:15:48 to finish the job.
00:15:49 --> 00:15:50 You look like an idiot.
00:15:52 --> 00:15:52 You don't just
00:15:52 --> 00:15:53 get the foundations
00:15:53 --> 00:15:54 and you go
00:15:54 --> 00:15:54 okay well
00:15:54 --> 00:15:55 where's the rest
00:15:55 --> 00:15:55 of it going
00:15:55 --> 00:15:56 to come from now?
00:15:57 --> 00:15:57 And he says
00:15:57 --> 00:15:58 you don't go
00:15:58 --> 00:15:59 picking a fight
00:15:59 --> 00:15:59 with a guy
00:15:59 --> 00:16:00 who's bigger than you
00:16:00 --> 00:16:00 if you're going
00:16:00 --> 00:16:01 to lose.
00:16:03 --> 00:16:03 You know
00:16:03 --> 00:16:03 I don't go
00:16:03 --> 00:16:04 walking around
00:16:04 --> 00:16:05 picking fights
00:16:05 --> 00:16:06 with you know
00:16:06 --> 00:16:07 two foot tall
00:16:07 --> 00:16:07 sorry
00:16:07 --> 00:16:09 two meter tall
00:16:09 --> 00:16:10 two foot tall guys
00:16:10 --> 00:16:11 I'll pick fights
00:16:11 --> 00:16:11 with those guys
00:16:11 --> 00:16:12 two
00:16:12 --> 00:16:13 you know
00:16:13 --> 00:16:14 two meter tall
00:16:14 --> 00:16:15 bodybuilders
00:16:15 --> 00:16:15 you don't pick
00:16:15 --> 00:16:16 fights with those guys.
00:16:18 --> 00:16:19 In other words
00:16:19 --> 00:16:20 he says
00:16:20 --> 00:16:21 think about
00:16:21 --> 00:16:22 what you're committing
00:16:22 --> 00:16:22 to
00:16:22 --> 00:16:24 and this is
00:16:24 --> 00:16:25 a significant
00:16:25 --> 00:16:25 warning for us
00:16:25 --> 00:16:26 I've said this
00:16:26 --> 00:16:27 before
00:16:27 --> 00:16:27 from the pulpit
00:16:27 --> 00:16:29 that it's easier
00:16:29 --> 00:16:30 for us to be part
00:16:30 --> 00:16:31 of the Anglican Church
00:16:31 --> 00:16:31 of Australia
00:16:31 --> 00:16:32 than it is to be part
00:16:32 --> 00:16:33 of the kingdom
00:16:33 --> 00:16:34 of God.
00:16:34 --> 00:16:35 That what Jesus
00:16:35 --> 00:16:36 demands in terms
00:16:36 --> 00:16:37 of discipleship
00:16:37 --> 00:16:38 is not what
00:16:38 --> 00:16:38 is demanded
00:16:38 --> 00:16:39 in terms of
00:16:39 --> 00:16:40 the Anglican Church
00:16:40 --> 00:16:40 of Australia.
00:16:41 --> 00:16:42 It is much
00:16:42 --> 00:16:43 harder
00:16:43 --> 00:16:44 to be part
00:16:44 --> 00:16:44 of the kingdom
00:16:44 --> 00:16:45 of God
00:16:45 --> 00:16:46 than it is to be part
00:16:46 --> 00:16:46 of Sir Paul's
00:16:46 --> 00:16:47 Chatswood.
00:16:48 --> 00:16:49 And let's be
00:16:49 --> 00:16:49 frank about this
00:16:49 --> 00:16:50 even the rich
00:16:50 --> 00:16:51 young ruler
00:16:51 --> 00:16:52 would be welcomed
00:16:52 --> 00:16:53 amongst us.
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 He would be
00:16:54 --> 00:16:54 included
00:16:54 --> 00:16:55 given a position
00:16:55 --> 00:16:56 of leadership
00:16:56 --> 00:16:57 and frankly
00:16:57 --> 00:16:57 right now
00:16:57 --> 00:16:58 the Sydney
00:16:58 --> 00:16:58 Diocese
00:16:58 --> 00:16:58 could do
00:16:58 --> 00:16:59 with his money.
00:17:03 --> 00:17:03 And he even
00:17:03 --> 00:17:04 came running
00:17:04 --> 00:17:05 up to Jesus
00:17:05 --> 00:17:06 with the all-important
00:17:06 --> 00:17:06 question
00:17:06 --> 00:17:07 what must I do
00:17:07 --> 00:17:08 to inherit
00:17:08 --> 00:17:09 eternal life?
00:17:09 --> 00:17:11 If he came up
00:17:11 --> 00:17:11 to me
00:17:11 --> 00:17:12 and said that
00:17:12 --> 00:17:13 it would be
00:17:13 --> 00:17:14 vastly different
00:17:14 --> 00:17:15 than what happened
00:17:15 --> 00:17:15 when he said
00:17:15 --> 00:17:16 it to Jesus.
00:17:16 --> 00:17:18 He walked away
00:17:18 --> 00:17:18 sad
00:17:18 --> 00:17:19 because he wasn't
00:17:19 --> 00:17:20 prepared
00:17:20 --> 00:17:21 to trust
00:17:21 --> 00:17:22 Jesus.
00:17:22 --> 00:17:23 He wasn't
00:17:23 --> 00:17:23 prepared for
00:17:23 --> 00:17:24 Jesus to be
00:17:24 --> 00:17:24 number one
00:17:24 --> 00:17:25 he trusted
00:17:25 --> 00:17:26 his money
00:17:26 --> 00:17:26 more.
00:17:26 --> 00:17:27 If he ran
00:17:27 --> 00:17:28 up to me
00:17:28 --> 00:17:29 I would have
00:17:29 --> 00:17:29 had him
00:17:29 --> 00:17:29 praying the
00:17:29 --> 00:17:30 sinner's prayer
00:17:30 --> 00:17:30 before he
00:17:30 --> 00:17:31 caught his breath
00:17:31 --> 00:17:32 and I would have
00:17:32 --> 00:17:33 had him baptised
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 before he filled
00:17:34 --> 00:17:35 out a follow-up
00:17:35 --> 00:17:35 card.
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 Jesus was a
00:17:37 --> 00:17:38 magnet to
00:17:38 --> 00:17:38 people like
00:17:38 --> 00:17:39 him
00:17:39 --> 00:17:40 people who
00:17:40 --> 00:17:41 want Jesus
00:17:41 --> 00:17:42 for all that
00:17:42 --> 00:17:42 they could get
00:17:42 --> 00:17:43 out of him
00:17:43 --> 00:17:44 but not prepared
00:17:44 --> 00:17:45 to give Jesus
00:17:45 --> 00:17:46 everything.
00:17:48 --> 00:17:49 Verse 25
00:17:49 --> 00:17:49 tells us
00:17:49 --> 00:17:50 that there
00:17:50 --> 00:17:50 are a great
00:17:50 --> 00:17:51 number of
00:17:51 --> 00:17:51 people who
00:17:51 --> 00:17:52 were travelling
00:17:52 --> 00:17:52 along the
00:17:52 --> 00:17:52 road with
00:17:52 --> 00:17:53 Jesus
00:17:53 --> 00:17:53 but he was
00:17:53 --> 00:17:54 never fooled
00:17:54 --> 00:17:54 by the
00:17:54 --> 00:17:55 crowds.
00:17:55 --> 00:17:56 Jesus always
00:17:56 --> 00:17:57 made a distinction
00:17:57 --> 00:17:57 between the
00:17:57 --> 00:17:58 crowds and
00:17:58 --> 00:17:59 his disciples.
00:18:00 --> 00:18:00 He was never
00:18:00 --> 00:18:01 fooled by the
00:18:01 --> 00:18:01 crowds.
00:18:02 --> 00:18:02 Just because
00:18:02 --> 00:18:03 they were there
00:18:03 --> 00:18:03 he didn't think
00:18:03 --> 00:18:04 for a moment
00:18:04 --> 00:18:04 that they
00:18:04 --> 00:18:04 were his
00:18:04 --> 00:18:04 true
00:18:04 --> 00:18:05 disciples
00:18:05 --> 00:18:06 and so
00:18:06 --> 00:18:06 he told
00:18:06 --> 00:18:07 them what
00:18:07 --> 00:18:07 it meant
00:18:07 --> 00:18:08 to be
00:18:08 --> 00:18:08 his
00:18:08 --> 00:18:09 disciple.
00:18:09 --> 00:18:09 And so
00:18:09 --> 00:18:10 here's the
00:18:10 --> 00:18:10 question for
00:18:10 --> 00:18:11 you.
00:18:11 --> 00:18:12 Do you
00:18:12 --> 00:18:13 want to be
00:18:13 --> 00:18:13 a disciple
00:18:13 --> 00:18:14 of Jesus?
00:18:16 --> 00:18:17 Do you
00:18:17 --> 00:18:17 want to be
00:18:17 --> 00:18:18 a true
00:18:18 --> 00:18:18 disciple of
00:18:18 --> 00:18:18 Jesus?
00:18:19 --> 00:18:20 Do you
00:18:20 --> 00:18:20 want to be
00:18:20 --> 00:18:21 at his
00:18:21 --> 00:18:22 banquet table
00:18:22 --> 00:18:23 whatever that
00:18:23 --> 00:18:24 is for all
00:18:24 --> 00:18:25 eternity in
00:18:25 --> 00:18:26 heaven?
00:18:26 --> 00:18:27 Do you
00:18:27 --> 00:18:27 want to be
00:18:27 --> 00:18:27 there in
00:18:27 --> 00:18:28 the end?
00:18:28 --> 00:18:28 Jesus?
00:18:31 --> 00:18:31 Well then
00:18:31 --> 00:18:33 you need to
00:18:33 --> 00:18:34 do this.
00:18:34 --> 00:18:34 You need to
00:18:34 --> 00:18:34 put your
00:18:34 --> 00:18:35 hands up
00:18:35 --> 00:18:35 like this.
00:18:36 --> 00:18:37 Both of
00:18:37 --> 00:18:37 your hands.
00:18:37 --> 00:18:38 Come on.
00:18:38 --> 00:18:38 I'm not
00:18:38 --> 00:18:38 going to be
00:18:38 --> 00:18:38 the only
00:18:38 --> 00:18:39 idiot here.
00:18:40 --> 00:18:40 Everyone's
00:18:40 --> 00:18:40 got to do
00:18:40 --> 00:18:41 this.
00:18:42 --> 00:18:42 And you
00:18:42 --> 00:18:42 need to
00:18:42 --> 00:18:43 get behind
00:18:43 --> 00:18:44 your ears
00:18:44 --> 00:18:44 and you
00:18:44 --> 00:18:44 need to
00:18:44 --> 00:18:45 do this.
00:18:45 --> 00:18:46 Because
00:18:46 --> 00:18:46 Jesus says
00:18:46 --> 00:18:47 this in
00:18:47 --> 00:18:47 verse 35
00:18:47 --> 00:18:48 he who has
00:18:48 --> 00:18:48 ears to
00:18:48 --> 00:18:49 hear let
00:18:49 --> 00:18:50 him hear.
00:18:51 --> 00:18:51 You want
00:18:51 --> 00:18:52 to be my
00:18:52 --> 00:18:52 disciple?
00:18:52 --> 00:18:53 Listen up.
00:18:54 --> 00:18:54 Okay?
00:18:55 --> 00:18:55 You don't
00:18:55 --> 00:18:56 need to keep
00:18:56 --> 00:18:56 doing that.
00:18:57 --> 00:18:58 Listen up.
00:18:58 --> 00:18:59 Jesus says
00:18:59 --> 00:18:59 three things
00:18:59 --> 00:19:00 in this
00:19:00 --> 00:19:00 passage.
00:19:01 --> 00:19:01 What it
00:19:01 --> 00:19:02 means to
00:19:02 --> 00:19:02 be his
00:19:02 --> 00:19:02 true
00:19:02 --> 00:19:03 disciple.
00:19:03 --> 00:19:04 Jesus said
00:19:04 --> 00:19:04 first of
00:19:04 --> 00:19:04 all you
00:19:04 --> 00:19:05 cannot be
00:19:05 --> 00:19:05 my
00:19:05 --> 00:19:05 disciple
00:19:05 --> 00:19:06 if you
00:19:06 --> 00:19:06 love
00:19:06 --> 00:19:06 other
00:19:06 --> 00:19:07 people
00:19:07 --> 00:19:07 more
00:19:07 --> 00:19:07 than
00:19:07 --> 00:19:07 you
00:19:07 --> 00:19:08 love
00:19:08 --> 00:19:08 Jesus.
00:19:09 --> 00:19:09 Have
00:19:09 --> 00:19:09 a look
00:19:09 --> 00:19:09 at verse
00:19:09 --> 00:19:10 26.
00:19:10 --> 00:19:10 If anyone
00:19:10 --> 00:19:11 comes to
00:19:11 --> 00:19:11 me and
00:19:11 --> 00:19:12 does not
00:19:12 --> 00:19:12 hate his
00:19:12 --> 00:19:12 father and
00:19:12 --> 00:19:13 mother,
00:19:13 --> 00:19:13 his wife
00:19:13 --> 00:19:13 and
00:19:13 --> 00:19:14 children,
00:19:14 --> 00:19:15 his brothers
00:19:15 --> 00:19:15 and sisters,
00:19:16 --> 00:19:16 even his
00:19:16 --> 00:19:17 own life,
00:19:18 --> 00:19:18 he cannot
00:19:18 --> 00:19:19 be my
00:19:19 --> 00:19:19 disciple.
00:19:20 --> 00:19:20 Now if
00:19:20 --> 00:19:20 you had
00:19:20 --> 00:19:21 an argument
00:19:21 --> 00:19:21 as a
00:19:21 --> 00:19:22 family on
00:19:22 --> 00:19:22 the way
00:19:22 --> 00:19:23 here today
00:19:23 --> 00:19:23 you'd
00:19:23 --> 00:19:23 think these
00:19:23 --> 00:19:23 are great
00:19:23 --> 00:19:25 words but
00:19:25 --> 00:19:25 that's not
00:19:25 --> 00:19:25 quite what
00:19:25 --> 00:19:26 Jesus is
00:19:26 --> 00:19:26 saying.
00:19:27 --> 00:19:28 The point
00:19:28 --> 00:19:29 is that
00:19:29 --> 00:19:29 the relationship
00:19:29 --> 00:19:30 that Jesus
00:19:30 --> 00:19:30 calls us
00:19:30 --> 00:19:31 to is an
00:19:31 --> 00:19:31 exclusive
00:19:31 --> 00:19:32 relationship.
00:19:33 --> 00:19:34 Jesus says
00:19:34 --> 00:19:34 the first
00:19:34 --> 00:19:35 thing that
00:19:35 --> 00:19:35 has to
00:19:35 --> 00:19:36 happen if
00:19:36 --> 00:19:37 you're going
00:19:37 --> 00:19:37 to be
00:19:37 --> 00:19:37 his disciple
00:19:37 --> 00:19:38 there is
00:19:38 --> 00:19:39 no more
00:19:39 --> 00:19:40 important
00:19:40 --> 00:19:40 relationship
00:19:40 --> 00:19:41 than your
00:19:41 --> 00:19:41 relationship
00:19:41 --> 00:19:42 with Jesus
00:19:42 --> 00:19:44 and as
00:19:44 --> 00:19:44 C.S.
00:19:44 --> 00:19:45 Lewis says
00:19:45 --> 00:19:45 when you
00:19:45 --> 00:19:45 put the
00:19:45 --> 00:19:46 first things
00:19:46 --> 00:19:46 first everything
00:19:46 --> 00:19:47 else doesn't
00:19:47 --> 00:19:48 become second
00:19:48 --> 00:19:49 it actually
00:19:49 --> 00:19:49 becomes
00:19:49 --> 00:19:50 first.
00:19:50 --> 00:19:54 when God
00:19:54 --> 00:19:55 is first
00:19:55 --> 00:19:56 you will
00:19:56 --> 00:19:56 love your
00:19:56 --> 00:19:56 wife,
00:19:57 --> 00:19:57 your husband,
00:19:57 --> 00:19:58 your children,
00:19:58 --> 00:19:58 your friends,
00:19:58 --> 00:19:59 your neighbour
00:19:59 --> 00:20:00 like you
00:20:00 --> 00:20:01 will not
00:20:01 --> 00:20:01 love them
00:20:01 --> 00:20:01 now.
00:20:06 --> 00:20:07 What Jesus
00:20:07 --> 00:20:08 is saying
00:20:08 --> 00:20:08 is that there
00:20:08 --> 00:20:08 is no
00:20:08 --> 00:20:09 competitors
00:20:09 --> 00:20:09 for this
00:20:09 --> 00:20:10 relationship.
00:20:11 --> 00:20:11 He says
00:20:11 --> 00:20:11 it won't
00:20:11 --> 00:20:12 be our
00:20:12 --> 00:20:12 parents,
00:20:12 --> 00:20:13 it won't
00:20:13 --> 00:20:13 be our
00:20:13 --> 00:20:13 wives,
00:20:13 --> 00:20:14 our husbands,
00:20:14 --> 00:20:14 our brothers,
00:20:14 --> 00:20:15 our sister,
00:20:15 --> 00:20:15 our children,
00:20:15 --> 00:20:16 our boyfriend,
00:20:16 --> 00:20:16 our girlfriend,
00:20:16 --> 00:20:17 our best
00:20:17 --> 00:20:17 friend,
00:20:17 --> 00:20:19 our work
00:20:19 --> 00:20:19 colleagues,
00:20:19 --> 00:20:20 it won't
00:20:20 --> 00:20:21 even be
00:20:21 --> 00:20:21 ourselves.
00:20:21 --> 00:20:22 He says
00:20:22 --> 00:20:22 there,
00:20:22 --> 00:20:22 I won't
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 even love
00:20:23 --> 00:20:23 myself.
00:20:25 --> 00:20:25 I won't
00:20:25 --> 00:20:25 live for
00:20:25 --> 00:20:26 my security,
00:20:26 --> 00:20:27 for my ease,
00:20:27 --> 00:20:27 for my comfort,
00:20:27 --> 00:20:28 my pleasure.
00:20:29 --> 00:20:29 Nobody
00:20:29 --> 00:20:30 will be
00:20:30 --> 00:20:31 competing
00:20:31 --> 00:20:32 with Jesus
00:20:32 --> 00:20:32 for our
00:20:32 --> 00:20:33 love,
00:20:33 --> 00:20:33 our affection,
00:20:33 --> 00:20:34 our allegiance.
00:20:35 --> 00:20:35 Jesus
00:20:35 --> 00:20:36 will be the
00:20:36 --> 00:20:36 one who
00:20:36 --> 00:20:37 sets the
00:20:37 --> 00:20:37 agenda for
00:20:37 --> 00:20:38 my life.
00:20:38 --> 00:20:38 He'll be
00:20:38 --> 00:20:39 the one
00:20:39 --> 00:20:39 who I
00:20:39 --> 00:20:39 love,
00:20:40 --> 00:20:40 who I
00:20:40 --> 00:20:41 will serve
00:20:41 --> 00:20:41 like no
00:20:41 --> 00:20:42 other.
00:20:45 --> 00:20:46 We will
00:20:46 --> 00:20:46 do what
00:20:46 --> 00:20:47 Jesus wants
00:20:47 --> 00:20:48 us to do
00:20:48 --> 00:20:49 before what
00:20:49 --> 00:20:49 our friends
00:20:49 --> 00:20:49 want us
00:20:49 --> 00:20:50 to do,
00:20:51 --> 00:20:52 even before
00:20:52 --> 00:20:52 what my
00:20:52 --> 00:20:53 boss wants
00:20:53 --> 00:20:53 me to
00:20:53 --> 00:20:53 do.
00:20:54 --> 00:20:55 It means
00:20:55 --> 00:20:56 when Jesus
00:20:56 --> 00:20:56 speaks to
00:20:56 --> 00:20:57 us through
00:20:57 --> 00:20:57 his word,
00:20:58 --> 00:20:59 as our
00:20:59 --> 00:20:59 dearly loved
00:20:59 --> 00:21:00 friend,
00:21:00 --> 00:21:00 as our
00:21:00 --> 00:21:01 king,
00:21:01 --> 00:21:02 we will
00:21:02 --> 00:21:04 listen and
00:21:04 --> 00:21:04 we will
00:21:04 --> 00:21:04 obey.
00:21:06 --> 00:21:06 We will
00:21:06 --> 00:21:07 listen and
00:21:07 --> 00:21:08 we will
00:21:08 --> 00:21:08 obey.
00:21:10 --> 00:21:11 Do you
00:21:11 --> 00:21:12 trust Jesus
00:21:12 --> 00:21:12 enough to
00:21:12 --> 00:21:12 do that?
00:21:15 --> 00:21:15 Do you
00:21:15 --> 00:21:16 trust him
00:21:16 --> 00:21:16 enough to
00:21:16 --> 00:21:17 do that?
00:21:17 --> 00:21:19 Jesus
00:21:19 --> 00:21:20 also said
00:21:20 --> 00:21:20 that you
00:21:20 --> 00:21:21 cannot be
00:21:21 --> 00:21:21 his
00:21:21 --> 00:21:21 disciples.
00:21:22 --> 00:21:22 Number
00:21:22 --> 00:21:22 two,
00:21:23 --> 00:21:23 if we
00:21:23 --> 00:21:23 are
00:21:23 --> 00:21:23 people
00:21:23 --> 00:21:24 who
00:21:24 --> 00:21:24 love
00:21:24 --> 00:21:24 safety
00:21:24 --> 00:21:25 more
00:21:25 --> 00:21:25 than we
00:21:25 --> 00:21:25 love
00:21:25 --> 00:21:25 Jesus.
00:21:26 --> 00:21:27 Verse
00:21:27 --> 00:21:27 27,
00:21:28 --> 00:21:28 anyone
00:21:28 --> 00:21:29 who does
00:21:29 --> 00:21:29 not carry
00:21:29 --> 00:21:29 his cross
00:21:29 --> 00:21:30 and follow
00:21:30 --> 00:21:30 me
00:21:30 --> 00:21:31 cannot be
00:21:31 --> 00:21:31 my
00:21:31 --> 00:21:32 disciple.
00:21:34 --> 00:21:34 Amazing
00:21:34 --> 00:21:35 verse.
00:21:35 --> 00:21:36 Jesus
00:21:36 --> 00:21:37 calls us
00:21:37 --> 00:21:38 into a
00:21:38 --> 00:21:38 relationship
00:21:38 --> 00:21:39 that is
00:21:39 --> 00:21:40 actually
00:21:40 --> 00:21:41 worth
00:21:41 --> 00:21:41 dying
00:21:41 --> 00:21:42 for.
00:21:43 --> 00:21:44 He
00:21:44 --> 00:21:45 calls us
00:21:45 --> 00:21:45 into a
00:21:45 --> 00:21:46 relationship
00:21:46 --> 00:21:46 that is
00:21:46 --> 00:21:47 actually
00:21:47 --> 00:21:47 worth
00:21:47 --> 00:21:47 dying
00:21:47 --> 00:21:48 for
00:21:48 --> 00:21:48 and
00:21:48 --> 00:21:49 that
00:21:49 --> 00:21:49 means
00:21:49 --> 00:21:49 it's
00:21:49 --> 00:21:50 everything
00:21:50 --> 00:21:50 to live
00:21:50 --> 00:21:50 for.
00:21:51 --> 00:21:52 When
00:21:52 --> 00:21:52 something
00:21:52 --> 00:21:52 is worth
00:21:52 --> 00:21:53 dying
00:21:53 --> 00:21:53 for,
00:21:54 --> 00:21:54 it is
00:21:54 --> 00:21:55 everything
00:21:55 --> 00:21:55 to live
00:21:55 --> 00:21:56 for.
00:21:58 --> 00:21:58 You
00:21:58 --> 00:21:58 see,
00:21:58 --> 00:21:59 the decision
00:21:59 --> 00:22:00 is now,
00:22:01 --> 00:22:01 tomorrow,
00:22:02 --> 00:22:02 the day
00:22:02 --> 00:22:02 after,
00:22:02 --> 00:22:03 the next
00:22:03 --> 00:22:03 day,
00:22:04 --> 00:22:04 take up
00:22:04 --> 00:22:05 my cross
00:22:05 --> 00:22:06 and follow
00:22:06 --> 00:22:07 Christ.
00:22:07 --> 00:22:08 Even if it
00:22:08 --> 00:22:08 costs me
00:22:08 --> 00:22:09 my friends,
00:22:10 --> 00:22:10 it costs
00:22:10 --> 00:22:10 me money,
00:22:11 --> 00:22:11 people think
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 I'm an
00:22:12 --> 00:22:12 idiot,
00:22:13 --> 00:22:13 even if it
00:22:13 --> 00:22:14 costs me
00:22:14 --> 00:22:15 my life,
00:22:16 --> 00:22:16 no matter
00:22:16 --> 00:22:17 what,
00:22:17 --> 00:22:18 I'm going
00:22:18 --> 00:22:18 to follow
00:22:18 --> 00:22:18 Jesus.
00:22:19 --> 00:22:20 Do you
00:22:20 --> 00:22:20 trust
00:22:20 --> 00:22:21 Jesus
00:22:21 --> 00:22:22 enough
00:22:22 --> 00:22:23 to do
00:22:23 --> 00:22:23 that?
00:22:27 --> 00:22:28 Third
00:22:28 --> 00:22:28 thing,
00:22:30 --> 00:22:30 Jesus
00:22:30 --> 00:22:31 also said
00:22:31 --> 00:22:31 that you
00:22:31 --> 00:22:32 cannot be
00:22:32 --> 00:22:32 my
00:22:32 --> 00:22:33 disciple
00:22:33 --> 00:22:33 if you're
00:22:33 --> 00:22:33 a person
00:22:33 --> 00:22:34 who loves
00:22:34 --> 00:22:35 things
00:22:35 --> 00:22:35 more than
00:22:35 --> 00:22:36 you love
00:22:36 --> 00:22:36 Jesus.
00:22:37 --> 00:22:37 Have a
00:22:37 --> 00:22:37 look,
00:22:37 --> 00:22:38 verse 33,
00:22:38 --> 00:22:39 in the
00:22:39 --> 00:22:39 same way,
00:22:39 --> 00:22:39 any of
00:22:39 --> 00:22:40 you who
00:22:40 --> 00:22:40 does not
00:22:40 --> 00:22:40 give up
00:22:40 --> 00:22:41 everything
00:22:41 --> 00:22:41 he has
00:22:41 --> 00:22:41 cannot be
00:22:41 --> 00:22:42 my
00:22:42 --> 00:22:42 disciple.
00:22:44 --> 00:22:44 And
00:22:44 --> 00:22:44 I've
00:22:44 --> 00:22:44 spoken
00:22:44 --> 00:22:45 on this
00:22:45 --> 00:22:45 one a
00:22:45 --> 00:22:45 number
00:22:45 --> 00:22:46 of times
00:22:46 --> 00:22:46 lately,
00:22:46 --> 00:22:46 and I'm
00:22:46 --> 00:22:47 going to
00:22:47 --> 00:22:47 consistently
00:22:47 --> 00:22:48 do it,
00:22:48 --> 00:22:49 because
00:22:49 --> 00:22:50 the world
00:22:50 --> 00:22:50 in which
00:22:50 --> 00:22:51 we live
00:22:51 --> 00:22:51 wants us
00:22:51 --> 00:22:52 to love
00:22:52 --> 00:22:52 things.
00:22:53 --> 00:22:53 You
00:22:53 --> 00:22:54 turn on
00:22:54 --> 00:22:54 the TV
00:22:54 --> 00:22:55 and every
00:22:55 --> 00:22:55 ad is
00:22:55 --> 00:22:55 telling
00:22:55 --> 00:22:56 you that
00:22:56 --> 00:22:56 your life
00:22:56 --> 00:22:56 is
00:22:56 --> 00:22:57 meaningless
00:22:57 --> 00:22:57 unless
00:22:57 --> 00:22:58 you buy
00:22:58 --> 00:22:58 this,
00:22:59 --> 00:22:59 fill in
00:22:59 --> 00:23:00 the blank,
00:23:00 --> 00:23:00 whatever the
00:23:00 --> 00:23:01 product is.
00:23:01 --> 00:23:01 You know,
00:23:01 --> 00:23:02 a bowling
00:23:02 --> 00:23:02 ball,
00:23:02 --> 00:23:03 a backing
00:23:03 --> 00:23:03 clinic can
00:23:03 --> 00:23:03 lift a
00:23:03 --> 00:23:04 bowling
00:23:04 --> 00:23:04 ball,
00:23:04 --> 00:23:04 I mean,
00:23:04 --> 00:23:05 that's the
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 meaning of
00:23:06 --> 00:23:06 life.
00:23:07 --> 00:23:07 You know,
00:23:07 --> 00:23:08 everything.
00:23:08 --> 00:23:09 And what
00:23:09 --> 00:23:09 Jesus is
00:23:09 --> 00:23:10 saying here
00:23:10 --> 00:23:10 is that
00:23:10 --> 00:23:11 he is the
00:23:11 --> 00:23:11 one who
00:23:11 --> 00:23:12 determines
00:23:12 --> 00:23:12 our future,
00:23:13 --> 00:23:14 our goals,
00:23:14 --> 00:23:15 our plans,
00:23:15 --> 00:23:16 our security,
00:23:17 --> 00:23:17 and even
00:23:17 --> 00:23:18 our spending.
00:23:19 --> 00:23:20 Do you
00:23:20 --> 00:23:20 trust
00:23:20 --> 00:23:21 Jesus
00:23:21 --> 00:23:23 enough to
00:23:23 --> 00:23:23 do that?
00:23:23 --> 00:23:25 do you
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 love
00:23:26 --> 00:23:26 Jesus
00:23:26 --> 00:23:26 more than
00:23:26 --> 00:23:27 anything
00:23:27 --> 00:23:27 or anyone
00:23:27 --> 00:23:28 else?
00:23:28 --> 00:23:29 I'm not
00:23:29 --> 00:23:30 asking you
00:23:30 --> 00:23:31 are you
00:23:31 --> 00:23:31 a member
00:23:31 --> 00:23:31 of the
00:23:31 --> 00:23:32 Anglican
00:23:32 --> 00:23:32 Church?
00:23:33 --> 00:23:33 I'm not
00:23:33 --> 00:23:34 asking you
00:23:34 --> 00:23:34 whether you
00:23:34 --> 00:23:35 go to
00:23:35 --> 00:23:35 Bible
00:23:35 --> 00:23:35 study.
00:23:36 --> 00:23:36 I'm not
00:23:36 --> 00:23:37 asking you
00:23:37 --> 00:23:37 whether or
00:23:37 --> 00:23:37 not you
00:23:37 --> 00:23:38 arrange the
00:23:38 --> 00:23:39 flowers at
00:23:39 --> 00:23:39 church.
00:23:40 --> 00:23:40 I'm asking
00:23:40 --> 00:23:41 you,
00:23:41 --> 00:23:42 do you
00:23:42 --> 00:23:42 trust
00:23:42 --> 00:23:43 Jesus
00:23:43 --> 00:23:45 more than
00:23:45 --> 00:23:45 anything?
00:23:49 --> 00:23:50 Maybe you
00:23:50 --> 00:23:50 know the
00:23:50 --> 00:23:51 Christian message
00:23:51 --> 00:23:51 well.
00:23:51 --> 00:23:52 You pray
00:23:52 --> 00:23:52 regularly,
00:23:52 --> 00:23:53 you can
00:23:53 --> 00:23:53 memorize
00:23:53 --> 00:23:54 important
00:23:54 --> 00:23:54 Bible
00:23:54 --> 00:23:54 verses
00:23:54 --> 00:23:55 and it
00:23:55 --> 00:23:55 hasn't
00:23:55 --> 00:23:55 changed
00:23:55 --> 00:23:55 your
00:23:55 --> 00:23:56 priorities.
00:23:56 --> 00:23:57 It has
00:23:57 --> 00:23:57 an impact
00:23:57 --> 00:23:57 on the
00:23:57 --> 00:23:58 way you
00:23:58 --> 00:23:58 treat
00:23:58 --> 00:23:59 people,
00:24:00 --> 00:24:01 even the
00:24:01 --> 00:24:01 way that
00:24:01 --> 00:24:01 you treat
00:24:01 --> 00:24:02 God.
00:24:04 --> 00:24:05 Or even
00:24:05 --> 00:24:05 the way
00:24:05 --> 00:24:06 that you
00:24:06 --> 00:24:06 day by
00:24:06 --> 00:24:07 day go
00:24:07 --> 00:24:07 about your
00:24:07 --> 00:24:07 business and
00:24:07 --> 00:24:08 even plan
00:24:08 --> 00:24:09 your life.
00:24:11 --> 00:24:12 How many
00:24:12 --> 00:24:12 of us
00:24:12 --> 00:24:13 here
00:24:13 --> 00:24:13 prayerfully
00:24:13 --> 00:24:14 considered
00:24:14 --> 00:24:15 our last
00:24:15 --> 00:24:15 purchase?
00:24:21 --> 00:24:22 Okay,
00:24:22 --> 00:24:22 that might
00:24:22 --> 00:24:22 be a bit
00:24:22 --> 00:24:23 harsh.
00:24:23 --> 00:24:24 How many
00:24:24 --> 00:24:24 of us
00:24:24 --> 00:24:24 here
00:24:24 --> 00:24:25 prayerfully
00:24:25 --> 00:24:25 considered
00:24:25 --> 00:24:26 our last
00:24:26 --> 00:24:27 holiday?
00:24:31 --> 00:24:32 How many
00:24:32 --> 00:24:32 prayerfully
00:24:32 --> 00:24:33 considered a
00:24:33 --> 00:24:33 career change?
00:24:38 --> 00:24:39 Because
00:24:39 --> 00:24:41 all of
00:24:41 --> 00:24:41 those
00:24:41 --> 00:24:42 decisions,
00:24:42 --> 00:24:42 I
00:24:42 --> 00:24:43 significantly
00:24:43 --> 00:24:44 consider
00:24:44 --> 00:24:45 and take
00:24:45 --> 00:24:45 into
00:24:45 --> 00:24:46 consideration
00:24:46 --> 00:24:47 the thoughts
00:24:47 --> 00:24:47 of and the
00:24:47 --> 00:24:48 words and
00:24:48 --> 00:24:49 wisdom of my
00:24:49 --> 00:24:49 lovely,
00:24:49 --> 00:24:49 dearest
00:24:49 --> 00:24:50 wife,
00:24:50 --> 00:24:50 Natalie,
00:24:51 --> 00:24:53 but if I
00:24:53 --> 00:24:54 considered
00:24:54 --> 00:24:55 Jesus to
00:24:55 --> 00:24:55 be the
00:24:55 --> 00:24:56 most
00:24:56 --> 00:24:56 important,
00:24:58 --> 00:24:58 wouldn't I
00:24:58 --> 00:24:59 be prayerfully
00:24:59 --> 00:24:59 considering those
00:24:59 --> 00:25:00 decisions with
00:25:00 --> 00:25:00 him as well?
00:25:03 --> 00:25:04 Wouldn't he
00:25:04 --> 00:25:04 have something
00:25:04 --> 00:25:05 to say about
00:25:05 --> 00:25:06 my spending,
00:25:06 --> 00:25:07 my leisure,
00:25:07 --> 00:25:08 my time?
00:25:08 --> 00:25:13 how many
00:25:13 --> 00:25:13 people have
00:25:13 --> 00:25:13 got an
00:25:13 --> 00:25:14 ache in
00:25:14 --> 00:25:14 their gut
00:25:14 --> 00:25:15 right now?
00:25:19 --> 00:25:20 When you
00:25:20 --> 00:25:20 realise what
00:25:20 --> 00:25:21 Jesus is
00:25:21 --> 00:25:21 calling us
00:25:21 --> 00:25:24 to as we
00:25:24 --> 00:25:24 walk along
00:25:24 --> 00:25:25 that road of
00:25:25 --> 00:25:26 discipleship to
00:25:26 --> 00:25:26 Jerusalem with
00:25:26 --> 00:25:27 him.
00:25:30 --> 00:25:31 Jesus
00:25:31 --> 00:25:31 wasn't
00:25:31 --> 00:25:32 fooled by the
00:25:32 --> 00:25:33 crowd who
00:25:33 --> 00:25:33 followed him
00:25:33 --> 00:25:34 around,
00:25:34 --> 00:25:37 who only
00:25:37 --> 00:25:38 followed him
00:25:38 --> 00:25:38 because of
00:25:38 --> 00:25:38 what they
00:25:38 --> 00:25:39 could get
00:25:39 --> 00:25:39 out of
00:25:39 --> 00:25:39 him.
00:25:40 --> 00:25:41 He wasn't
00:25:41 --> 00:25:41 fooled then
00:25:41 --> 00:25:42 and he
00:25:42 --> 00:25:42 certainly isn't
00:25:42 --> 00:25:43 fooled now.
00:25:44 --> 00:25:45 What I'm
00:25:45 --> 00:25:46 calling us
00:25:46 --> 00:25:47 to do here
00:25:47 --> 00:25:48 is the
00:25:48 --> 00:25:48 very thing
00:25:48 --> 00:25:49 that Jesus
00:25:49 --> 00:25:49 called his
00:25:49 --> 00:25:50 disciples to
00:25:50 --> 00:25:51 do 2
00:25:51 --> 00:25:52 years ago in
00:25:52 --> 00:25:53 clearing up
00:25:53 --> 00:25:53 their misconceptions
00:25:53 --> 00:25:54 of what it
00:25:54 --> 00:25:54 meant to be
00:25:54 --> 00:25:55 his disciple.
00:25:56 --> 00:25:56 He called
00:25:56 --> 00:25:57 them to a
00:25:57 --> 00:25:57 life of
00:25:57 --> 00:25:58 radical
00:25:58 --> 00:25:59 discipleship.
00:26:00 --> 00:26:00 Actually,
00:26:00 --> 00:26:01 let me
00:26:01 --> 00:26:01 retract that.
00:26:01 --> 00:26:02 No,
00:26:02 --> 00:26:02 he didn't.
00:26:03 --> 00:26:04 He called
00:26:04 --> 00:26:04 them to a
00:26:04 --> 00:26:05 life of
00:26:05 --> 00:26:06 following him,
00:26:06 --> 00:26:06 the radical
00:26:06 --> 00:26:07 king.
00:26:08 --> 00:26:09 That's the
00:26:09 --> 00:26:09 key.
00:26:10 --> 00:26:11 The key
00:26:11 --> 00:26:12 is not
00:26:12 --> 00:26:12 our life,
00:26:12 --> 00:26:13 but the
00:26:13 --> 00:26:13 king who
00:26:13 --> 00:26:14 we follow,
00:26:14 --> 00:26:15 the radical
00:26:15 --> 00:26:16 king.
00:26:16 --> 00:26:16 And what
00:26:16 --> 00:26:17 the radical
00:26:17 --> 00:26:18 king offers
00:26:18 --> 00:26:18 us,
00:26:18 --> 00:26:19 what the
00:26:19 --> 00:26:19 radical king
00:26:19 --> 00:26:20 offers us
00:26:20 --> 00:26:21 is an
00:26:21 --> 00:26:21 eternal
00:26:21 --> 00:26:22 banquet with
00:26:22 --> 00:26:22 him,
00:26:23 --> 00:26:23 the greatest
00:26:23 --> 00:26:24 thing you
00:26:24 --> 00:26:25 could ever
00:26:25 --> 00:26:26 possibly have
00:26:26 --> 00:26:27 or imagine,
00:26:28 --> 00:26:28 and he
00:26:28 --> 00:26:28 says,
00:26:28 --> 00:26:29 follow me.
00:26:30 --> 00:26:31 Follow me
00:26:31 --> 00:26:31 all the way
00:26:31 --> 00:26:32 there,
00:26:32 --> 00:26:33 me the
00:26:33 --> 00:26:33 radical
00:26:33 --> 00:26:34 king.
00:26:34 --> 00:26:36 And when
00:26:36 --> 00:26:36 you stuff
00:26:36 --> 00:26:36 it up,
00:26:37 --> 00:26:38 as you
00:26:38 --> 00:26:38 will,
00:26:39 --> 00:26:39 keep looking
00:26:39 --> 00:26:40 to me,
00:26:40 --> 00:26:40 the radical
00:26:40 --> 00:26:41 substitute
00:26:41 --> 00:26:43 king who
00:26:43 --> 00:26:44 sacrificed in
00:26:44 --> 00:26:45 your behalf
00:26:45 --> 00:26:46 because you
00:26:46 --> 00:26:47 failed to
00:26:47 --> 00:26:47 follow me,
00:26:47 --> 00:26:48 the pace
00:26:48 --> 00:26:48 setter.
00:26:49 --> 00:26:50 So let us
00:26:50 --> 00:26:51 be a people
00:26:51 --> 00:26:52 who in
00:26:52 --> 00:26:54 the power
00:26:54 --> 00:26:54 and the
00:26:54 --> 00:26:54 comfort of
00:26:54 --> 00:26:55 the gospel,
00:26:56 --> 00:26:56 in the
00:26:56 --> 00:26:57 power of
00:26:57 --> 00:26:57 the indwelling
00:26:57 --> 00:26:58 spirit,
00:26:58 --> 00:26:59 with the
00:26:59 --> 00:26:59 great king
00:26:59 --> 00:27:00 Jesus before
00:27:00 --> 00:27:01 us,
00:27:01 --> 00:27:02 decide today,
00:27:02 --> 00:27:03 tomorrow,
00:27:04 --> 00:27:05 the next
00:27:05 --> 00:27:05 day,
00:27:06 --> 00:27:06 10 years
00:27:06 --> 00:27:07 time,
00:27:07 --> 00:27:08 30 years
00:27:08 --> 00:27:08 time,
00:27:09 --> 00:27:10 to get on
00:27:10 --> 00:27:10 that road,
00:27:11 --> 00:27:11 to stay on
00:27:11 --> 00:27:12 that road to
00:27:12 --> 00:27:12 Jerusalem,
00:27:13 --> 00:27:14 to get to
00:27:14 --> 00:27:14 Jerusalem,
00:27:14 --> 00:27:15 to pick up
00:27:15 --> 00:27:16 our cross,
00:27:16 --> 00:27:17 and to walk
00:27:17 --> 00:27:17 with him to
00:27:17 --> 00:27:18 the place of
00:27:18 --> 00:27:18 the skull,
00:27:19 --> 00:27:19 and there with
00:27:19 --> 00:27:21 him die to
00:27:21 --> 00:27:22 the old life,
00:27:22 --> 00:27:23 and with him
00:27:23 --> 00:27:24 rise to a
00:27:24 --> 00:27:25 new life.
00:27:25 --> 00:27:26 Amen.