Luke 20:41-47 & Ch.21:1-4 A Question for You

INTRO: There is a certain thinking today that says - it doesn't matter what you believe just as long as you are sincere!

A.) Pop singer George Michael sang - "You gotta have faith "- he didn't identify what faith was to be in, but - just have it!

  1. Alcoholics Anonymous teach - you need to have a higher power /again - doesn't matter who or what it is - God; devil, fire hydrant, dog!

1) Just as long as you follow the steps and are sincere

C.)The statement that it makes no difference what you believe as long as

you are sincere is the personal philosophy of many today

1.) But it is doubtful whether most who believe that have ever thought it through!

  1. Take a doctor in a hospital - who examines a patient - determines illness - and prescribes a medicine but his diagnosis was wrong -
    1. And the person almost dies because of wrong medicine / Now the doctor -was sincere in what he believed / sincerely wrong!
  1. Say a guy wants to drive from San Bernadino to San Diego / so he heads west on the 91 Fwy to the I-5 but instead of going So. He goes North.
    1. So he ends up in LA instead of SD. He was sincere in his desire & belief - going in right direction/ but he ends up at wrong place!
  1. Sad many will face that same reality when they die & come into eternity find out they ended up in the wrong place

1) It takes more than sincerity to make something true!

 

Luke Ch. 20 brings us to day 3 in the PASSOVER Week .

  1. Recall from our Previous Study – Sunday – Jesus Rode into Jerusalem / Triumphal Entry – Presented Himself as King

B) On Mon. – He cleansed the Temple – Acting as the Great High Priest

C) Now it is Tues/ Jesus is once again at the Temple Mt. Area where He is being questioned by the Religious Leaders

 

Now TUES was the 10th day of Nisan

  1. It was required that the Jews carefully examine the Passover lambs from the 10th day to the 14th day to make sure they had no blemishes (Ex.12)
  2. So here we see Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God being carefully examined scrutinized & put under the Microscope /
  1. by His enemies during that final week; ( Looked at that Wed. )
  1. They questioned Him in Regards to His AUTHORITY - it was a MANAGEMENT QUESTION - who’s in charge .
  2. They Questioned Him about – MARRIAGE –(the story) -

    3. Who’s wife will she be ?

  3. They questioned Him about Money – Taxes to Caesar

Now these Guys had plenty of Questions – but they didn’t really receive the answers that Jesus gave because they weren’t ready to listen

  1. Their Motives were wrong – TRAP & TEST
  2. When it came to MANAGEMENT – they wanted to be IN CHARGE
  1. They were not willing to SUBMIT themselves to the AUTHORITY of Jesus Christ in their Lives / HE was a threat !!!!
  1. When it came to MARRIAGE – they were not ready to Hear how this life’s FAITHFULNESS / RESULTS IN the next life’s FRUITFULNESS
  2. And When it came to Money – They weren’t ready to hear – Be faithful to God & to Govt.

I find it interesting that these were the 3 areas of their Questioning – because they are 3 areas that we STRUGGLE W/ AS WELL

  1. When it comes to MANAGEMENT OF OUR LIVES - Christ AUTHORITY in our Lives
  2. We sometimes will say BUT LORD - do I really need to surrender that area of my life to You / I know I call you Lord but THIS is so Hard !!!

AND WHEN IT COMES TO MARRIAGE – MEN sometimes we think or say – Lord I know you call me to Love my Wife ….Church

  1. But you don’t know this woman – don’t know how difficult she can be

  2. He says yes I do & I know how selfish you can be – I want you to learn to die to yourself by loving her

    3. 1) And I want her to learn about MY LOVE by Seeing it manifested in You
  3. And a wife might say – Lord I know that you say that I should submit to my Husband – but Lord he is not very bright / not very godly
  1. I just don’t know if I can trust him – And the Lord replies BUT CAN YOU TRUST ME

AND IN THE AREA OF MONEY – WE say Lord I have a Hard time w/ this area of My finances & trusting you to provide for my needs

  1. Now understand that the Problems that we have in those areas all STEM

from the FACT – we really don’t believe Jesus was who He said He was

B)It might be in our Heads but it hasn’t moved down to our HEARTS & penetrated the very core of our Being / affected the way we Live our lives

Look at - Heb. 3:7-19

The Writer of Hebrews is drawing our attention to the Children of Israel whom – God Revealed Himself as the I am – Becoming one

  1. He met their need time & time again –Delivered from Egypt / Passed through the Red Sea / Manna / Water / - Every need was Met
  2. But they lingered in Unbelief failing to surrender entirely to Him / Trust Him for their lives
  1. For their Provision / for their DIRECTION / always doubting / always complaining
  1. And the results of their UNBELIEF were a HARDENING of the heart v. 8 / DISOBEDIENCE v.18 & REBELLION v. 15
  1. And ULTIMATELY not being ALLOWED TO EXPERIENCE OR ENTER into the REST OF GOD !!!!
  1. These RELIGIOUS leaders were in the same place – I pray that none here today are in that place .

Notice – Pick up in v. 41 of Lk. 20 – After answering all of their questions – Jesus turns & says – I have a question for you

  1. And He said to them, "How can they say that the Christ is the Son of

David? 42 "Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms: 'The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, 43 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool."' 44 "Therefore David calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son?"
  1. Now Jesus is quoting here from Psa. 110 a Psa. That these Religious Leaders Knew to be a Messianic Psa. / Spoke of Messiah
  1. And it was widely known & understood that the Messiah would be a Descendant of David –what the term Son of David means
  1. The Messiah would come from His Line -
  1. But Jesus says – if the Messiah is David’s Son – then why does He call Him Lord

Living Bible : 4 "Why is it," he asked, "that Christ, the Messiah, is said to be a descendant of King David? For David himself wrote in the book of Psalms: 'God said to my Lord, the Messiah, "Sit at my right hand until I place your enemies beneath your feet."' How can the Messiah be both David's son and David's God at the same time?"

  1. Jesus says How is it that David calls His Son – Lord – Not cultural ?

Now it is important that we understand the Biblical names for the Lord

  1. Called the LORD JESUS CHRIST - Many people wonder does He have 3 names like us / first/ middle / last / Middle name Jesus ?
  2. Name Lord = title – The Supreme Authority / He is the Supreme authority over the UNIVERSE –
  3. NAME JESUS is Hebrew – Yeshua or also Joshua = Jehovah is Salvation or Jehovah Saves
  1. It was a very common name for a boy Living in Israel – Declaration that God saved / Hopeful – their son be the Messiah
  1. CHRIST = THE MESSIAH / or the ANNOTITED ONE

PUT the names TOGETHER - they tell us He is the anointed one that has the power to save because He has been granted supreme Authority over the Universe !!!!!

So Jesus is drawing their attention to something that they had missed or ignored about the Messiah / David Called Him His God & His Son

  1. The only way that He could be David’s Descendant & also be David’s Lord - the Supreme Authority – Is if He was Both God & Man
  2. And that is exactly who Jesus claimed to be - & that is exactly who the scriptures Declare Him to be !!!! - Fully God / Fully Man
  3. Now I may not understand the Doctrine of the Deity of Christ- or the Incarnation – how Jesus could be Both / God & God’s Son
  1. And How He could leave Heaven & become a Man – But I am not called to Understand it – But to Believe it – Scriptures Declare it !!!

Isa.9: 6 For unto us a Child is born,( Human) Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

  1. This Baby that was to be Born called – MIGHTY God !!!!

Zech.12: 10 "And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.

Eph. 4:5 Paul says there is ONE LORD

Phil 2: 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,

10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,

11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,

Romans 10:9,10 if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved;

10 for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

Titus 2: 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

See it is so important that we understand this – Most Cults Deny the Deity of Christ

  1. Jesus was a Good man / good teacher on par w/ Buddha / Ghandi & others – but not God
  2. Mormons – Michael Arch Angel / JW – Lucifer’s Brother /
  3. But that is not what the Bible says – the Bible says that He was God in the Flesh !!!
  1. And what You Believe about Who Jesus Is / Is THE KEY to Salvation

1John 2: 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? To Believe that Jesus is the Christ according to Psa. 110 is to believe that He is – God / Whoever denies that - He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

BUT ACCORDING TO 1John 5:1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.

Recall on the Night Before His Death – Upper Room – Jn. 14 Jesus made an INCREDIBLE Statement

John 14: 6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

7 "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him."

8 Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us."

9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?

  1. "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.

Notice Jesus Declared : He who has seen me has seen the father !!!

  1. But wait I thought the Bible declares that No one can see God & Live
  2. Understand the CONTEXT – there is Exodus 33:20 Moses ask God Can I see your Glory
  1. God responds No Moses You Can’t see my Glory -/ face & live
  1. Now the Reason why People could look at the face of Jesus is because the Glory of God was Concealed – Hidden in His humanity / Human Body
  1. So when Jesus told Phillip Seen me you have seen the Father – Exactly what He meant !!!!!

Man on a Deserted Island - only a Bible – firm Believer that man is not going to end up a Catholic / Baptist / Christian Scientist / Mormon / JW

  1. But if open – He will end up a Christian
  2. Starts to see the same things God did / Jesus is seen doing / it only makes sense – JESUS IS GOD !!!!

 

Well when the Religious leaders once again have no answer for Jesus And they didn’t want to face the truth

A) So Jesus then turns to the Crowds & declares

45 Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples,

46 "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts,

47 "who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation."

B)Jesus exposes their HYPOCRISY in 5 areas

  1. Special Clothing - Long robes – wore all the time – Make them stand out
    1. There goes a Holy man – tell by His clothes / But Jesus said else where of these men – They were like Beautiful Caskets

b) Outside Beautiful / inside full of Dead men’s Bones !!!
  1. Special Greetings - Most holy Reverend Dr. Jones
  1. Why any Pastor would allow themselves to be called Reverend I have no idea – word Rev. = AWESOME - AWESOME – ROB
  1. Nice Ring to it - Give me a Barf bag !!!!
  1. Don’t call me Reverend – It is God & God alone that is to be Revered
  1. A Pastor is Just a man / God is the only one who Deserves the title of AWESOME
  1. But these guys enjoyed these special greetings

3)Special Seats – Synagogue & FEAST ( Platform Seats )

a) Church in Yugoslavia – Elders

 

4th thing – TOOK ADVANTAGE OF WIDOWS -

  1. Death these guys would be the first guys on the scene – not to take give to comfort that was needed of but to get from .
  2. Take advantage of these Widows at a Vulnerable time

5th – Lengthy Prayers - Long drawn out Prayers – Praying to be heard by men rather than / addressing God

 

Jesus says that these guys might Look ok on the outside but realize that God sees the inside - / out side putting on a show – Inside Stinks

  1. Is that a description of Your Life – TODAY –
  2. Been Playing at Christianity ? – Everyone fooled but God !!!!

    3. Hebrews 4: 12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

  3. Jesus says these men are going to receive a Greater Condemnation – to whom much is given much will be REQUIRED
  4. Jesus sees the Real You !!!!! Fool me / others / Not God !!!!

 

Now I want us to move into first part Ch. 21 – because it continues this scene & it illustrates how Jesus see the Hearts of Men . Notice it says

And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury,

2 and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. So He said, "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all;

4 "for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had."

Jesus looks up & sees this scene – people coming w/ their offerings

Rich who put in big backs of Gold - Widow – two Mites

  1. A MITE = was the smallest of all coins; the name means "the thin one." It

    2. was worth about 17 cents.

  2. But Jesus said that it far out valued all the other offerings, because it was

everything she had.

 

In Closing Quickly Note that There are four very important observations to make in these first four verses

  1. 1st Jesus observes the things that are done on earth, no matter how minute it might be.

    2. Prov 15:3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.

  2. 2nd Jesus measure littleness and greatness by a very different standard

    3. than mankind

  3. Everyday events that we might consider as unimportant or insignificant are VERY IMPORTANT matters in the eyes of Jesus

    4. 1) A Cup of Cold water in His name ……

  4. The ATTITUDE and ACTIONS of a poor woman might be thought of as trivial in the minds of the great of this world...

  1. But they carried tremendous weight in the Lord’s estimation.

E) So to TODAY The acts of a POOR believer are as important as the acts of the most important man in the world

  1. Jesus looks at what a man IS..... NOT at what a man HAS.

Our World is Consumed w/ What men – Have / Jesus concerned about Who He is - Character

3rd Jesus is far more interested with the MOTIVE than AMOUNT.

A) Notice v. 3 again - 3 So He said, "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all;

  1. He did NOT say that she cast in more than any one of them, He said that she cast in more than ALL of them combined.

  1. She Gave her all to the Lord Trusting Him to take care of Her.

  1. Now understand that is the Issue – that Jesus has been getting at all along / the issue here is not MONEY – it is trusting Jesus w/ My life / My All

  2. And if I truly Believe that He is God who came in the Flesh / to die & pay the Price for My Sins – He is the Only way to Heaven

  1. I will surrender my life to Him & Gladly – Live for Him!!!!

 

4th LESSON - The LEAST in the Kingdom of God have two mites to give to the Lord. / They have a soul and a body

Rom 6: 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

Oswald Chambers

The meaning of sacrifice is the deliberate giving of the best I have to God that He may make it His and mine for ever: if I cling to it, I lose it, and so does God.