Old Llantrisant Hill
Introduction
- As human beings - we all want to be accepted
- The fear of man and rejection should not take precedence over right or wrong and God Himself
- We should not fear people rather than God
- Who do I fear?
- Why fear the status quo? (v1-3)
- Everything will one day be known before God
- Beware of just following religious leaders and fit in
- The passage begins with a large crowd, following on from pronouncing woes (see last Sunday's sermon)
- There was a very large crowd - they were trampling one another
- There were those who were there to see miracles and listen out of curiosity
- There were others who loved and followed Him - His friends (v4)
- Jesus speaks to His friends
Why fear the status quo? (v1-3)
- Explanation of the leaven - the hypocritical way of the pharisees is spreading amongst the people
- Is legalism alive today?
- Legalism is alive today
- The legalist is hard/quick on others and soft on themselves
- If we are honest - does this partly apply to us?
- The legalist turns other peoples virtues into vices and their own vics into virtues
- Reading v2-3
- Num 32:23
- Your sin will find you out
- Also, your witness will go fourth
- How are you at home? What is the real you?
- We must be the same in all places
- 1 Tim 5:24-25
- Quick Recap
Why don't you fear God? (v4-7)
- Our deepest fear is death - examples
- Reading v4-5 - The fear of Hell
- The worst can be done is the death of the body
- Apostles and disciples were martyred
- Jesus gives reason to fear God
- He has the power to cast into hell
- The word 'hell' is Gehenna - literally from the valley of Hennan
- An evil and wicked place
- Explanation
- Example of the Hebrew midwives
- Reading v6-7 - The value of human life
- God can count all our hairs - He knows us through and through
- He values us so much
- If He values us this much, why do we fear God?
Why fear confessing Jesus before men? (v8-12)
- Reading v8-9
- Compare self-adulation vs confessing Jesus before men
- Jesus made the same statement in different ways - quote
- Explanation
- Example of Peter
- Quote from Norwegian believer
- Are you ashamed of Jesus in different situations?
- Paul was not ashamed of the gospel of Christ
- Quote from song
- Expect persecution - but do not fear, Jesus will give us the words to say
- Reading v10 - a warning
- cf Luke 11:15
- The religious leaders were attributing a work of God to satan and rejecting the work of Jesus Christ
- Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven
- When a personal final rejects/turns away from God
- Not the same as a sinner finally repenting and receiving forgiveness
- Reading v11-12 - the encouragement
- Example of Stephen, Paul, Luther
- We know that some fail - example of Thomas Cranmer
- Examples of persecution / difficult days
- The antidote:
- Honour the Father
- Honour the Son
- Honour the Holy Spirit
- God will stand with and honour us
- Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves
- Quote from Paul
Closing Remarks