Confronting Religion Pt 2: Illustrating Dead Religion

carrying out the desires of the body and the mind. We were by nature children of wrath like the rest of man, who reached in mercy because of the great love with which he loved us. Even when we were dead in our trespasses, he made us alive together with Christ. By grace you have been saved.

Good morning. It's good to see everybody. If you guys want to go ahead and stand with me, we'll pray and we'll get started.

Father, thank you for the day. And Lord, I just thank you for who you are, for how much you love us, Lord, for all the ways that you take care of us, for your faithfulness, Lord, even when we're not. Lord, we just want to come here this morning, Lord, and pray that we would set everything aside, Lord, and just spend a little bit of time just worshiping you, Lord, and spending some time in your word. Lord, I just pray that your Holy Spirit would move through here this morning in a mighty way and do a mighty work in our hearts.

We love you and we praise you in your precious name. Amen. All right. Before we start, I told First Services, if you know the motions of this song, please feel free.

In the darkness, safe to show what my troubled see.

Safe to show what all the bright is.

Safe to show what... Man, I love the enthusiasm, guys. This is great. Why don't you guys go ahead and have a seat if you like, and we'll continue on.

You will never run away. You're forever mine. You will never run away. You're by my side. Deeper than the sea.

Shooting star. Tearing all the stone away. Rising with by the hand. Love is the wildest dance. You are the clouds up into the blue skies. To the blue skies. Clouds up into the... Immerse me as I sing.

Peace like a river. Wash over me.

Worship your majesty. Worship your majesty. Worship your majesty. You're Jesus, my everything.

Rain down on the heavens. Drench the unseen.

Pour out your presence. As I pour out your praise.

Worship your majesty. Jesus, my everything.

Find the gates. Flood every heart with mercy. Pour out your presence. Lord, send revival. Lord, send it now. The move of your... Spirit. Heaven break out. Lord, send revival. Lord, send it now. Spirit. Heaven break out.

Lord, send revival. Lord, send it now. Move out your spirit. Heavenly break out. Come now in power. Cover this land. Like you've done it before. Would you do it again. Lord, send revival. You're the beating of this emotional life. revival lord send in now the move of your spirit heaven break out come now in power cover this land like you've done it before what you do is gone mercy fills the streets

to look upon the one who bled to save me and walk with him for all eternity and all will bow a day when death will be standing face to face with he who died and rose of desperation the songs of faith we sang through doubt and fear you see that it was worth it death will be no ending face to face with he who died and rose again resurrection and stand beside the heroes of the faith with one voice a thousand generations worthy is the lamb who was slain on that day direction stand beside the heroes of the faith a thousand generations shout the hymn life beyond today shout the hymn of heaven life beyond windows through the god of moses now to do the same god my god i need you oh god my god i ages i'm standing on your face

faithfularts upon things are possible. you're the god of david you're the shepherd boy having uncleanness, courageous the god of the grace but i've got my own giants oh god a thousand generations my god i need you oh god my god i need you standing on your faith upon your ever you've heard your children laud the dans and they are sent to me in order to bow and sing your praises in praise of thy trueself you are the child of kings and do not fail forever you are equal you are as strong and strong as this loving mothergua You are the same, God. You are the same, God. You answered prayers back then, and you will answer now. You are the same, God. You are the same, God.

You were providing then. You are providing now. You are the same, God. You are the same, God. You moved in power then. God moved in power then. You are the same, God. You are the same, God. You are the same, God. You are the same, God. You are the same, God. You touch the lepers and I feel your touch right now. You are the same, God. You are the same, God. Oh, God, my God, I...

Yesterday, today, and forever. The God I read about in the Old Testament is the same God. There's still a lot today. Lord, you are the same God. You've never changed. I need you so much right now, Lord.

Oh, God, my God, I... Oh, God, my God, I need you.

I'm standing on your faithful... One more time. Oh, God, my God, I... I'm standing on your faithful... Father, God, God, just work in this place this morning, Lord. Send your Holy Spirit, God. Fill us afresh. Fill us anew, Lord, with your presence, with your Spirit, Lord. God, do a mighty work. You're in our hearts this morning, oh, God, because you are a mighty God, and you do mighty things.

Lord, I need you so much, Lord. And, God, if I've never... If I've not acknowledged that enough, Lord, forgive us. Forgive me. I need you every day. Every hour. Because, God, it's you. It's you that gives us each day. It's you that gives us our net. next breath, our next heartbeat, Lord, and forgive us, Lord, if we thought we could ever make it on our own. God, we need you more than we realize. I need you more than I realize, Lord. This morning,

Lord, as Pastor Ryan comes, I want to just pray that your word go out with power and do mighty works this morning. God, change lives. Do something awesome in here this morning, Lord. Father, we love you, we thank you, and we praise you in your precious and holy name, we pray. Amen. Would you guys go ahead and take some time and fellowship with one another? Good morning. If you would begin the process of

locating your seats, we'll get ready to go over a few announcements together. We had some technical difficulties this week, so we do not have a bulletin for you, but I do have a handful of things to announce. First of all, tonight is, today's the first Sunday of the month, and so tonight at six o'clock in the agape room, we'll be having our intercessory prayer time, so if you can make it for that, be great. Lots of things to be praying about. Ladies, the ladies' breakfast

is coming up this Saturday at 8 a.m., but since Brick's closed, tear, Daisy Mays is where you all will be meeting. Men, we'll be starting back up with men's breakfast this month on Saturday, September the 17th, so that'll be back in the agape room. The only other thing to announce is that there will be no men's study tomorrow night for the Labor Day holiday, so enjoy some time with your friends and family, and then you guys will be back in gear the next week. So those are the things that are going on. If you would make sure

that your mobile device is silenced, and for our responsive reading this morning, we are going to be in Psalm 4. Psalm 4. We'll be looking at the New American Standard just so we all sound the same. A copy of the New American Standard. There should be one in your row. And as you're turning to Psalm 4, if you would stand in the honor of the reading of God's Word. I will read the odd verses, if you

will follow along with Lewis, and the even verses. Psalm 4. For the choir director on stringed instruments, a Psalm of David. Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness. You have relieved me in my distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer. O sons of men, how long will my honor become a reproach? How long will you love what is worthless and aim at deception? Say well. But know that the Lord has set apart the godly man for himself.

The Lord hears when I call to him. Tremble and do not sin. Meditate in your heart upon your bed and be still. Stay well. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness and trust in the Lord. Many are who will show us any good. Lift up the light of your countenance upon us, O Lord. You have put gladness in my heart more than when their grain and new wine abound. In peace I will both lie down

and sleep. For you alone, O Lord, make me dwelt in safety. And Lord, I do thank you that you are the God who answers when we call. And Lord, the God who gives us the peace that we need in a world that seems to lack it every day. And so, Lord, I pray that you would show us as we prepare to spend time in your word this morning, that you would prepare our hearts for

what it is that your spirit wants to minister to us. Lord, I pray for your people that you would give us all ears to hear what your spirit wants to minister. And that for myself, that you would bless me with the gift of teaching, Lord, to be able to bring forth your word in a clear and understanding way. In Jesus' name. Amen. You may be seated. If you would, excuse me, open up in your

heart to Matthew chapter 21. Matthew 21. Today we come into part two of our series, Confronting Religion. And of course, the specific aspect that we want to deal with is really the confronting of dead religion. As a matter of fact, today we'll be illustrating dead religion. Last week, we identified it. Jesus did anyways. For us, as he both cursed the fig tree that he came

to in hopes that it would have fruit because it had all of the outward signs of having fruit. But upon examination, he realized that though it had all of the outward signs, the tree itself had produced no fruit. In the same way that the nation of Israel, and in particular, the religious in the nation of Israel, had all of the signs of producing fruit, but actually produced none in themselves. Therefore, the nation of Israel would be set aside. And then, of course, the true identification came

when the religious leaders asked Jesus, by what authority do you do these things? Specifically, the cleansing of the temple and the miracles and the claims that he was making. Who gave you this authority? And he, of course, confronted them with a question. He said, well, let me ask you a question. If you answer mine, I'll answer yours. Who gave John the Baptist

his authority? And of course, they weren't willing to answer that because they knew if they said that John's authority came from men, they'd get themselves in trouble with the people who very much honored John. But if he said from God, then Jesus would be able to say, then why didn't you believe John who claimed that Jesus was the Messiah? Matter of fact, he referred to him as the Lamb of God. He said, I'm the Lamb of God. I'm the Lamb of God. I'm the Lamb of God. I'm the Lamb of God.

Who takes away the sin of the world? And so, as he presented them with that counter question, they, of course, said, we don't know. And he said, well, then I'm not going to answer you either. And we said that in that, he revealed the heart of these religious leaders. Because their heart was not to seek and search the truth. Their heart was simply to trip up Jesus, who did not fit

their ideology, who did not fit their understanding of what the Messiah is supposed to look like. And so, as he did so, he identified that dead religion in their hearts. And then we talked a little bit about what that looks like in our own lives. But as we come to today, it segues directly into these next three parables. Because these next three parables will do just that. They will illustrate the deadness of the religion in these

religious leaders. And so, as we come to these parables, with each of them, we'll look at two things. We'll look at the parable, and then we'll look at the lesson. The first one that we come to is referred to as the parable of the two sons. Let's start in verse 27 for context sake. It says, And answering them, they said, We do not know. And he also said to them, Neither will I tell you by what authority I do

these things. But what do you think? A man had two sons. He came to the first. He said, Son, go work today in the vineyard. And he answered, I will not. But afterward, he regretted it and went. The man came to the second son, and he said the same thing. And he answered, I will, sir. But he did not go. Which of the two did the will of the father? They said, the first. And Jesus

said, Truly I say to you that tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him. But the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him. And you, seeing this, did not even feel remorse afterwards. believe in him. This first parable that he tells is similar to a lot of the other parables that he

tells. There's usually either a landowner or a father, some central figure that's giving out the commands. And that's the way it is here. He says, there's a man and this man had two sons. The man, of course, owned a vineyard and he wanted his sons to work in the vineyard. So he comes to the first son and he says, son, it's time for you to go to work for me today. Go and work for me in the

vineyard. But the first son, who probably always struggled with being a little bit rebellious, always struggled with not really wanting to conform himself to the will of the father, looked at his dad and said, no, I won't do it. Perhaps some of you are like that. Anyway, that's not the point. He says, no, I'm not going to. But then later felt remorse over it

and then went into the vineyard and worked. There was first of all, an initial refusal and then a delayed obedience. Well, then we come to the second son. So he comes to his second son and the second son, he asks, he says, go and work in the vineyard. The second son always looked like he was doing the right thing. He always had the appearance that everything was perfect about him. Undoubtedly did everything

he could to make his dad think that he wanted to please him. So he looked at his dad straight up right and said, yes, sir. And then he went back to his room and watched Netflix, right? And turned it down really low. So his dad wouldn't know that that's what he was doing. Because though he put off the projection that he was going to obey, there was no action. He was going to do what he

wanted to do. There was no action that followed it. There was a claim to obedience, but a failure in action. And so Jesus looks at the religious leaders and he says, so which of these two guys actually obeyed the father actually did what the father called for him to do? And they looked at him and said, well, the first one, because that's the natural answer at that point in time, because

he's the one that though delayed actually did what he was called to do. And then Jesus, drove the point home as he taught them the lesson, because Jesus replied to them and said, truly, I say to you that tax collectors and prostitutes will enter the kingdom of God before you. Now, if you can't picture the incredulity on the faces of the Pharisees at this point in time, the shock on their faces, that that's who Jesus would say would enter the kingdom of heaven before them, then you don't really understand the Pharisees because there would have been utter shock at this point in time, because tax collectors and prostitutes, the tax collectors were considered to be the lowest form of human being, even lower than a

Gentile, as far as the Jews were concerned. And prostitutes, of course, made their living in such a unsavory sort of way that they too were the off-scouring of society as far as the Jewish people were concerned. And Jesus just looked at them and said, those type of people, the type of people that you look down upon, the type of people that when you would walk by them, you would hold your cloak a little bit closer to yourself so that it wouldn't brush against them and have some sort of uncleanness come upon you. The type of people that you condemn and talk about all the time, they'll make it into the kingdom of heaven before you. You know why? Because when they heard John the Baptist preach,

they repented. You see, the lesson is that though they didn't start off the way that they should, though initially they did not obey God and lived a lifestyle that was very opposed to God, when confronted with the truth, when confronted with the standard of righteousness, when confronted with the conviction of the Holy Spirit, that came about through the preaching of John, they confessed their sin and they repented of their sin and they began to follow the Lord wholeheartedly. And yet sitting in front of him right there are these religious leaders. These religious leaders who at the preaching of John would refuse to repent of their sin, refused to believe in the Messiah that he claimed

and even saw the change in the tax collectors and the prostitutes. And still wouldn't bring about a change in their lives. Therefore, he says, all of those people will get into the kingdom of heaven well before you. As a matter of fact, you may not even make it in. In this, there is a distinct lesson for you and I to learn. Lip service without action is sickening to God. I'm going to say that again. Lip service

without action is sickening to God. Many here who are not truly church, he is seeking his victory while also seeking God in turn to do the same. I want you to know right now, if you're here this morning and you're an unbeliever in Jesus Christ, it's your first Sunday. I don't want you to think I'm talking to you right now. I'm glad you're here. But if you think that somehow showing up to a church on a Sunday

morning is going to be enough to save you, it's not. Because God wants a whole lot more than just your attendance on a Sunday morning. He wants your heart. I want you to know that his word is the word of God. I want you to know that his word is the word of God. I want you to know that his word is the word of God. I want you to know that his word is the word of God.

not written to the unbeliever, this particular portion. This is written to church members. This is written to the ones who know all of the right things to say, who wear all of the right clothing, who can speak Christianese, who carry the right kind of Bible, who in your mind maybe attend the right kind of church. And yet, though there is much lip service, there's no real heart behind it. There's no real change in who you are as a human being. That's who Jesus is confronting

right now. As a matter of fact, throughout the Old Testament, God continually took up issue with the nation of Israel. And as he would take issue with the nation of Israel, you know what he would begin to tell them? Listen, your sacrifices that you're bringing to me, they make me sick. Those sacrifices that you're bringing to me, all of those festivals that you're keeping,

stop, because I don't want them. Because there's no real heart behind anything that you're doing. There's no heart of repentance behind anything that you're doing. There's no heart of commitment behind anything that you're doing. There's no desire to know me behind anything that you're doing. You draw near with your lips, but your heart is far from me. Just like a group of people who challenged Jesus about

his authority, but when questioned about the authority of the one who proclaimed him to be the Messiah, refused to answer because they knew. It would be a dagger to their argument. Well, he goes on from there to tell a second parable. Segues directly into the parable of the landowner. It says, listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard and put a wall around it and dug a wine press in it.

He built a tower and he rented it out to vine growers and he went on a journey. When harvest time approached, he sent his slaves to the vine growers to receive his produce. The vine growers took his slaves, beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. Again, he sent another group of slaves larger than the first. They did the same thing to them. But afterward, he sent his son to them saying, they will respect my son.

But when the vine growers saw the son, they said among themselves, this is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance. And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. Then when the owner of the vineyard, what will he do to those vine growers? And they said to him, meaning the Pharisees said to him, he will bring those wretches to a wretched end and will rent out the vineyard to other vine growers

who will pay him the proceeds at the proper seasons. Jesus said to them, did you never read in the scriptures, the stone which the builders rejected became the chief cornerstone. This came about from the Lord and it is marvelous in our eyes. Therefore, I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing the fruit of it.

And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust. When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they understood that he was speaking about them. When they sought to seize him, they feared the people because they considered him to be a prophet. The parable of the landowner. Similar to many of the other parables,

the parable of the landowner, there was a man who owned a vineyard. Now, interestingly enough, in the old Testament, the nation of Israel is often referred to as a vineyard. As a matter of fact, nobody corrected me on this first service. So let's believe I was right. In Isaiah chapter five, verses one through seven, there is the story of the vineyard. And in the story of the vineyard,

the man goes and plants a vineyard and tends the vineyard and does everything that he should to give everything that the vineyard needs to produce good fruit. But when he goes and plants a vineyard, when he goes to retrieve good fruit from it, there's no fruit. And so he tears apart the vineyard. Speaking of the nation of Israel, who God did everything for, and yet they produced no fruit of godliness.

Very similar parable, except this time it's not the vineyard he's upset with. This time it's the vine growers, those in charge of the vineyard. You see, this landowner planted the vineyard, built a wall around the vineyard for protection, built a tower for storage, built a wine press so that it would have everything that it needed to produce proper fruit in its proper time. And when it was time to receive the fruit, he began to send out his servants.

And as he sent out his servants, his servants were expecting to bring back some fruit to the landowner. But instead what happened to those servants that were sent out? The vine growers took them and they abused them and they beat them. They killed them. And so he said, I'll send a whole other group. And so he sends a second group and they do the exact same thing to them.

And finally he says, if they don't respect my servants, maybe they'll respect my son. So he sends his son. Only what do the vine growers say? Well, there's the heir. If we kill him, we get the vineyard. How they didn't pick up on this, I don't know, because I feel like anybody who has spent any amount of time in the word of God at all would immediately begin to pick out some of the people that are in it in this.

Obviously the owner of the land, the owner of the vineyard is the Lord. The vineyard is the nation of Israel and the vine growers are the religious leaders of the nation of Israel. The priesthood that started off in the Old Testament and now carries into the Pharisees, the scribes and the Sadducees in the New Testament. Who are those servants that were sent to retrieve fruit?

All of those true prophets of God. All of those men who God sent to retrieve the fruit from the nation of Israel. And what did religious Israel always do to the prophets of God? They abused them and they beat them and they killed them. Why? Because they had no heart for godliness. They drew near with their lips, but their heart was far from God. So Jesus poses this question.

Jesus poses the question to the religious leaders. So what will the land owner do to these men? I want you to notice how they respond. They say, verse 41, they said to him, he will bring those wretches to a wretched end. I super appreciate the fact that they use wretch twice in there. I feel like the more you can use the same word, stronger it is. Next time somebody makes me angry,

I'll be like, that's a wretch that did a wretched thing. Those wretches will come to a wretched end and he will rent out. The vineyard to other vine growers who will pay him the proceeds at the proper seasons. A quick aside here. May I just say our own sin always looks worse on somebody else because what they don't realize is he's talking about them again. How'd they miss that?

That's really spiritually spiritually blind at that point in time, right? Because they're ready to kill the sun. It's it's what it's what it said earlier in the chapter. It's what it says at the end of the chapter. They don't wanna pick up on the fact that they're the ones he's talking about. Because our sin always looks worse on someone else. I would challenge you with something.

What bothers you the most about other people? What sin is the most offensive to you about other people? And then you need to ask yourself a question? Do I struggle with it? Of course not Ryan that's disgusting really? Because what I have tended to find in my own life and in the lives of people that I talk to, is that the thing that makes them the most angry about somebody else is the

is the thing that they struggle with the most. The thing that you are the most passionate against is what we find the most in our own lives. I say that to my own conviction, and hopefully I say that to your conviction, because our sin always looks worse on someone else. And so they say, he should deal with those wretches, and then he should give their vineyard to somebody else.

And it's almost like, you know, Jesus had to have been like, you've made my point for me. Because he goes on from there to say something. He says, did you never read in the scriptures, which by the way, is about the most ridiculous thing you could say to a Pharisee at that point in time. Did you never read in the scriptures? Of course they read in the scriptures.

They read them frontwards and backwards. They memorized them. They studied them. They made their life out of knowing the scriptures, and yet they'd missed the entire point. So he looks at them and says, did you never read what it says in the scripture? That's like finding a Sunday school. It's been teaching Sunday school for 30 years and saying, have you ever read the story about Jericho?

Of course they have. And they've sung songs about it 3,000 times. Have you never read what it says in the scripture? And then Jesus goes on from there to say, the stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. By the way, this is a quote from Psalm 118. In your own mind, give yourself bonus points if you know this. Where else in this chapter have we quoted Psalm 118?

Did you figure it out? That's right. Hosanna. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Write some points down for yourself. You got that one. That's also Psalm 118 because that's the messianic psalm. Isn't it amazing that the psalm that starts off Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, ends with the stone which the builders rejected

has become the chief cornerstone. Chief cornerstone, and it's marvelous in our sight. You know why? Because even in Psalm 118, the psalmist probably had no idea. He was declaring that the Messiah would be rejected by his people. The stone that held the whole thing together is what they rejected. But it became the chief cornerstone. And that's exactly what these religious leaders

were doing right now. And I want you to notice what Jesus goes on to say in verse 15. Verse 43. He says, Jesus is like, I'm glad that you answered the way you did because that's exactly what's going to happen to you. Because you rejected the chief cornerstone, the kingdom is going to be taken away from you. But Jesus is like, I'm glad that you answered the way you did.

The kingdom is going to be taken away from the religious Jewish people and it's going to be given to another. Who's it going to be given to? Well, first it'll be given into the hands of the apostles to spread to the people. But as it is spread to the other Jewish people by the apostles and they rejected it, it goes on to the Gentiles. And now the kingdom of God,

the keys to the kingdom have been entrusted to the church, which is a mix of mainly Gentiles with some Jewish remnant who have the understanding of the Messiah. That's who the kingdom is with right now. That's who the kingdom is with right now. That's who the kingdom is with right now. At least until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in, at which point in time,

God will once again begin to deal with the Jewish people once again. But there's a lesson here for all of us to pay attention to as Western culture American Christians right now. God is very specific. Jesus is very specific at this point in time. What happens to a nation when they reject Jesus? The nation of Israel had been specifically chosen by God. Different than America, I want to point that out.

America has not replaced Israel, but they had been specifically chosen by God for a purpose. But when they, his chosen people, rejected him, he rejected them. And it was seen nationally as well as individually in the lives of the Jewish people. Now I want to share a little something with you because this is what we're seeing happen in the United States of America right now.

Never a perfect nation, and I'm not a Christian nationalist. I don't think that we should try to be building a bigger, better Christian America. I think our job is to get the word of God into the people of God to build the kingdom of God. But in the process, we should be the best citizens that we should possibly be. America as a nation was founded on godly moral principles.

It was founded on godliness and the word of God. Were all of them Christians? Absolutely not. But a good handful of them were. A good handful of them made sure that there was a Christian backbone in the way that the nation was founded. And it dwelled that way for a really long time. I believe that's why we have the wealth and the power that we've had as a nation

is because the United States of America, became a place where the word of God could grow, where the church could grow, and where we could send out workers into the fields all over the world to bring the harvest of the word of God. But do you know what's happened in the United States of America today? We have rejected Jesus. It started a long time ago, but I believe it found its culmination somewhere between 2008 and 2016, when our leader at that point in time said, we're no longer.

We're a Christian nation. His words, not mine. And at that point in time, the drastic shift began to take place in our nation. The drastic shift began to take place in our nation because at that point in time, it began to be clear that we were a nation that was going to reject Jesus. Is there still a church that's doing a vibrant work in the United States of America today?

Absolutely. But as a nation, we have rejected Jesus. And therefore, do you know what's been taking place with us as a nation? As a nation, he has been rejecting us. And as a matter of fact, what I believe that we have seen over the last two and a half years is we have seen the covers pulled back on the heart of the United States of America. And as the covers of the heart

of the United States of America have been pulled back, it's not that there's something new that's there. It's not that there's evil there that was never there before. It's that it's been revealed. And do you know why it's been revealed? The same reason Jesus is revealing it in the nation of Israel right now. Because judgment was about to come. And brothers and sisters,

we need to know something about our country right now. Judgment is about to come. And it's long overdue. Billy Graham some 40 years ago said, if God doesn't judge America, then he owes Sodom and Gomorrah an apology.

And that's just the truth. Because as a nation, we have rejected him. So what does that mean for us? Same thing it meant for the apostles. Same thing it meant for Paul. We need to know something about our country. We need to know something about our country. We need to know something about our country. We need to know something about our country. We need to have a heart to see the people

that we know, the people, a part of the nation that you live in, come to know Jesus. Because while as a nation, I don't know if we're ever coming back, individually, there are still people that need to know Jesus. Individually, there are still people that need to come to the knowledge of who Jesus is. And that's our job as the church, is to take the word of God and get it out to the people of God to grow the kingdom of God.

Amen? Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. And he says, therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce the fruit of it. And then he makes this really interesting statement.

He says, and he who falls on this stone, the chief cornerstone, he who falls on this stone will be broken. But whoever this stone falls on, it will scatter him like dust. In other words, it will crush him to dust. It will crush him to dust. I believe that there is both a very theological and a very practical point to be made in that verse. The theological point

is actually brought to us by the book of Daniel. The book of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar had a dream. He had a dream of a statue. It had a head of gold. It had arms of silver. It had a torso of brass. It had legs of iron and it had toes of both iron and clay mixed together. Those represented the great gentry and the Gentile kingdoms of the world. The head of gold

was the Babylonian Empire. The arms of silver were the Medo-Persian Empire. The torso of brass was the Greek Empire. The legs of iron were the Roman Empire. But then you get to the very bottom of these toes. These toes of iron and clay mixed together. There's really been no great kingdom like the Roman Empire since the Roman Empire. As a matter of fact, we still in our day today

live very much under the influence of the Roman Empire. Our calendar, the way that we keep time, even our justice system is very much influenced by the Roman Empire which is why we've not seen another great kingdom come up again because we're very much still under that influence. But then there's these ten toes. These ten toes that are made of iron and clay mixed together which I believe are going to be a ten nation confederation after Jesus takes the church home to be with him that will seek to form a one world government.

We're told in that same prophecy in the book of Daniel that a story stone fell out of heaven and it landed on the toes. And you know what it did to the toes? It crushed them. It scattered them like dust. I think what Jesus is saying here first of all is very theological. He's saying though the kingdom is going to be passed on to those who will produce fruit

there's going to come a day when I will come and destroy all the kingdoms of the earth and I will rule and reign as I am supposed to as it is intended to be. I believe that's the theological point that he's making there. But brothers and sisters there's something very practical that he's saying and there's something that you and I as believers in Jesus Christ or if you're here this morning as an unbeliever and you've never come to know Jesus as your savior there's an interesting point that's to be made. Jesus the stone which the builders rejected will be one of two things in your life.

He will be your savior or he will be your judge. If he falls on you if that stone falls on you it's him coming on you as a judge and I promise there are eternal consequences that go along with that. You will be scattered like dust into eternity. That's if you refuse to accept the work of the gospel in your life and Jesus becomes your judge. However if you choose to accept

the work of the gospel in your life and you come to Jesus and you fall on him that stone which the builders rejected make no mistake there will be brokenness because there has to be brokenness because we are very flawed people and the only way he can heal us in the proper way is if we are first broken. But if I come to Jesus and I fall on him while I may be broken there is still the opportunity to be healed. It starts the day that you come to know Jesus as your Lord and Savior. The day that you simply look up into the sky and say I just want to know Jesus.

I just need something. Lord be my Savior. If you really exist I need you to be my Savior because I just can't keep living the life I'm living right now. And you fall on him and you're broken. And the amazing thing happens. He comes in and he brings an aspect of healing into your life. But then if you've walked with him for a real long time you start to realize something.

There's never an area of my life where I don't need to once again fall on him and be broken. As a matter of fact I perhaps just need to live my life broken. I've given it a title fun little alliteration I call it Being Beautifully Broken because that's the way we live our lives is with that constant knowledge of today once again I need to fall upon that stone. I need to fall upon that rock so that my heart can be broken so that I can be broken so that my wellness my wholeness my fullness my healing my everything comes from my Savior.

And as he does all of that work in my life I live a life that though I am broken because of who I am in my flesh I am healed because of who I am in him. And I don't know where any of you sit this morning. Some of you have probably walked with Jesus for a real long time. I'm here to tell you right now it doesn't mean you can stop falling on the stone to be broken.

Because every day there's another aspect of yourself that needs to be brought to Jesus to be broken open before him so that he can bring healing. But if you're here this morning and you don't know Jesus is your Lord and Savior I promise you he's going to be one of those two things for you. He's either going to be your Savior and you're going to fall on him with all of your sin all of your failure and everything else and repent or he's going to fall on you. And it'll be as your judge.

The consequences will be eternal.

So he tells them that's what's coming. That's what's going to happen. And then notice what the chief priests and scribes say or chief priests and Pharisees. It says when the chief priests and Pharisees heard his parables they understood he was speaking about them. When they sought to seize him they feared the people because they considered him to be a prophet.

What do you suppose at what point in time they were like I think he meant us. Right? I think shoot we just said those wretches and they were wretched. I'm not wretched. You're a little wretched but I'm not really all that wretched. I think he was talking to us. I'm offended now. Right? I wonder if they said I'm offended that he would have said that about me.

Let's kill him. Nope. Everybody likes him. Seems like a bad time. Well, it's going to segue into one more parable because he's not done with them yet. Chapter 22 verse 1. The parable of the marriage feast. Jesus spoke to them again in parables saying the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son and he sent out his slaves

to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast and they were unwilling to come. Again he sent other slaves saying tell those who have been invited behold I have prepared my dinner my oxen and my fat and livestock are all butchered. Everything's ready. Come to the wedding feast. They paid no attention and went their way. One to his own farm another to his business.

The rest seized his slaves and mistreated them and killed them. The king was enraged and he sent his armies and destroyed those murderers. He set their city on fire. And he said to his slaves the wedding's ready. But those who were invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main highways and as many as you find there invite to the wedding feast. Those slaves

went out into the streets and gathered together all that they found both evil and good. The wedding hall was filled with dinner guests. But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes. He said to him friend how'd you come in here without wedding clothes? The man was speechless. Then the king said

to his servants bind him hand and foot throw him into outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called but few are chosen. There was a king who had a son and he wanted to throw a wedding feast for him. Now I don't think that the wedding feast spoken of here we could stretch into well this is the marriage supper of the lamb.

I think the wedding feast spoken of here. Here's the kingdom. The kingdom was prepared. Any all of you that are invited it's time to come. And so this king begins to send out his servants to all those who'd been invited. And he says everything's ready. Why don't you guys come? And notice their indifference. It says he sent out slaves to call those who'd been invited

to the wedding feast and they were simply unwilling. They were like nah I'm not in. Go back. He goes perhaps they didn't understand. Let me tell them the menu and everything else. So he sends them out again and as he sends them out again he says behold I got fattened livestock butchered. I got oxen butchered. Everything's ready. Come to the wedding feast. Only this time

not only were they indifferent but they rejected. And not only did they reject they were hostile. Notice what it says. They paid no attention and they went their way. One to his farm another to his business. The rest seized his slaves and mistreated them and killed them. And then of course he goes fine. He went in and destroyed their city and burned the thing down.

He said now here's what I want you to do. I want you to go invite everybody. Anybody else. Evil, good, highways, byways, you name it. Go everywhere. Invite everyone to the feast. And they filled up the wedding hall. So what does this mean? We see the king God is inviting all of the Jewish people to the kingdom. They all had received the invitation. But you see

Jesus comes and they're like hey it's time. Perhaps you would use another word like what John did or what Jesus did when he started preaching repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Same thing though. The wedding feast is ready. Come on. The kingdom's ready. The kingdom's at hand. Come be a part of it. And what were they first? They weren't willing to come.

And then he said oh maybe they don't understand. This is everything I've done for you. And what did they do the second time? Well not only did they reject but they became very hostile. Again what have the Jewish people always done? The religious community always done to the prophets to those who told them the truth of what God had to say? They either rejected them

or indifferent to them. They were hostile towards them. Sometimes even killing them. So finally the king said then go invite everybody. You know who the everybody is? That's us. Anybody else. In other words the invitation is open to all. Anybody can come. Evil or good. Anybody can show up. Everybody's invited to the feast. Everybody's invited into the kingdom.

Which is an amazing truth. But I want you to pay attention to something because there's a lesson that gets driven home here.

Over in verse 11 it says Jesus said to the people of Israel but when the king came in to look over the dinner guests he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes. Now some commentators have a little bit of issue with this because they're like from everything that we know Jewish people didn't have like a specific wedding garment you were supposed to wear. The Greeks did but maybe not the Jews. So perhaps Jesus knowing the custom of the Greeks simply used this to make his point.

Because even if it wasn't something that the Jews did and only the Greeks they would have known and he should have known. He still could have driven his point home. Remember Jesus spoke with a great deal of hyperbole a lot of times in order to make an impactful point on the people. But I got to thinking you know I do quite a few weddings and attend quite a few weddings it just seems to be what I get to do a lot.

And I'm always amazed at the way that some people show up to a wedding. Listen, no judgment here. It is what it is. I would prefer to wear shorts and a t-shirt as well. But every now and then I'm like you didn't show up in wedding clothes. I wonder what I wonder what Jesus would say to you. Anyway, so so he looks and he goes why is this guy not dressed in wedding clothes?

And so he goes to him and asks him I think in a very friendly way in verse 12 friend how did you get in here without any wedding clothes? In other words how did you get into this party without the right kind of attire? And the guy just kind of goes uh right because it says he was he was speechless. He was like I just and then uh uh Notice what he does. Notice what he does.

He looks at his servants and he says bind him hand and foot and cast him out into the outer darkness. Right? Y'all gonna think twice about showing up not properly dressed to a wedding now aren't you? He says cast him out into outer darkness. Why? Because you have to show up the way God calls you to. You see you can't just come in the way that you want to. You have to come God's way.

There's a very interesting point that needs to be driven home here. The nation of Israel has a very interesting point had rejected Jesus therefore he was sending out the invitation to all. But as the invitation goes out to all we have to understand something. Evil and good alike can come to the feast. Anyone is invited into the kingdom of heaven. But just because

you're invited into the kingdom of heaven doesn't mean you get to show up in your own way. You have to show up clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ otherwise you can't come in. You see here's a beautiful thing about the gospel. The beautiful thing about the gospel is that you can't is that anybody can come to Jesus. I don't care what your background is.

I don't care how ugly your past is. I don't care the abuse that took place in your life. Nothing makes you unfit to come to Jesus because anybody is welcome at the foot of the cross because at the foot of the cross is the power of salvation. Right? And so anybody's welcome at the foot of the cross but here's the thing about the gospel. While the gospel is open to everyone

whatever you've done wrong it never leaves you the way that you are because it never leaves you because if you're going to come to the kingdom of God you have to become who God wants you to be and that only takes place because of what Jesus did for you on the cross. You must come clothed in the righteousness of Jesus. That means you can't come in your sin. It means you can't come in your self-righteousness.

You can't come in any of those other ways. You have to come clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. The beautiful thing is that once you show up at the foot of the cross if you're willing to confess your sin he's willing to forgive you of your sin and cover you with that righteousness. This is a word that we need to hear in the church of the United States of America today because you know there's according to scripture a first word of the gospel and it looks very different than the first word of the gospel that you often hear in evangelistic services today.

The first thing you usually hear in an evangelistic service today is Jesus loves you. He has a plan for your life and he wants only good things for you. Are those things true? Yes. Is that the first word of the gospel? No. You know what the first word of the gospel is? The first word of the gospel is repent. Ryan that's so hard nosed of you. That's very not

modern of you. That just doesn't sound good at all. Listen. You know the very first thing that John the Baptist preached old John B preached when he showed up on the scene? He said repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. You know the very first word that Jesus used when he began to preach and take over the ministry for John B? Repent for the kingdom of heaven

is at hand. Do you know what the apostles preached on the day of Pentecost when everybody said what's up with those guys? Are they like drunk or something? Peter's like that's not what it was. This is the gift of the Holy Spirit. Therefore repent that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. It almost seems and this may just be me. It almost seems

that if we're going to preach the gospel it's going to have to start with one word and one word only. Repent. You know why? Because I can't show up how I want to. I have to show up how he wants me to. Because it's his feast. He can make the rules.

Of course he closes with many are called but few are chosen. The invitation is open to all but only the ones who decide to come in God's way are the ones that are allowed in.

Three different parables with three very different lessons. But three parables with three lessons that we need to pay attention to. The first parable told us that Jesus is not interested just in our words. You always have to use the word just there because he is interested in our words. He does pay attention to the things that we say but he doesn't want lip service from us.

He wants more than lip service. He wants a real heart that's going to follow him because if all we have is lip service you know what he says? Quit showing up. Again, if you're a hypocrite and you're here then repent. But if you're a hypocrite and you're here and you don't want to repent you don't plan on repenting listen, can we just save ourselves a little bit of time

and trouble? You can sleep in on Sunday morning because if you're never going to change I mean he said it not me. He said I don't want your lip service. I want a real heart of action from you. I want a real heart of repentance from you. And then of course there was the second parable. Anyone who Jesus falls upon as judge will be crushed but anyone who will come to him

and fall upon him you'll be broken but you'll be saved. And that brokenness will actually become the greatest beauty in your life. And then there's that third parable. Everyone's welcome but you have to come in the way that Jesus says. You have to come in the way that he calls you to. Now again, I never know the heart condition of everybody that's here this morning.

Of everybody that's watching online. So I want to challenge you in a couple of different ways. Some of you have never come to Jesus as your Lord and Savior. And maybe this message was even a little bit hard for you. But quite frankly the gospel is kind of hard. But anything that's willing to make that big of a change in your life is probably going to be a little bit hard.

If you're here this morning and you've never come to that place then today's the day for you to do so. Today's the day for you to fall upon Jesus so that you can be broken. So that he can heal. Today's the day that that can take place for you. That you come the way God wants for you to. But also know that there's a lot of you here that have walked with the Lord

for a really long time. Some of you a few months. Some of you a handful of years. Some of you a handful of decades.

But the same way that you came to Jesus the first time is the same way that you need to keep coming to him today. You need to come to him and fall upon him and be broken. You say, Ryan, I did that 30 years ago. Time to do it again. Because on the daily we have to come to him and be broken. The moment that we think I'm past that now I don't really need to come to Jesus

in the way that I did for salvation is the moment that our hearts begin to be lifted up in pride and we begin to drift away from our Savior. Because the message of the gospel does not just preach to the unbeliever. It preaches constantly to the believer to bring us back to where we need to be in line with him. As a reminder that he doesn't want our lip service.

He wants our heart. As a reminder that he wants us to daily fall upon him and be broken. As a reminder that the righteousness of Christ is the only thing that I stand in. Not in my church membership. Not in whether or not I own the right Bible. Can say all the right verses. Sing all the right songs. None of those things matter. What matters is where am I with Jesus

right now. Well, as we're here this morning it's Communion Sunday. And so in just a few moments I haven't seen any kids coming yet. It's a nice thing about the glass. Being on the doors I can see whether they're coming now. In just a few moments some kids are going to be coming in here. Oh, I see the trail coming. So as the kids begin to wander their way in here

afterwards I will talk for just a few moments about communion. I would encourage you that if you've got tiny people that you would be watching the door so that you can say here I am.

Come on in.

All right, kiddos come find your moms and dads.

He's in the back.

Okay, is that all of them? Perfect. All right. So this morning is Communion Sunday and communion is our time where we celebrate as a family the fact that Jesus died for us on the cross. And so I always encourage you that we're told that what we do is very serious because it is proclaiming to the entire world the salvation that we have in Jesus Christ and proclaiming

the unity that we have with each other and the unity that we have with God. And so we're told it has to be in a worthy manner. And so as we think about that I'm reminded of a handful of things. First of all the partake in a worthy manner means we understand exactly what we're doing. What we're about to hand out is a couple of cups. One of them has a little cracker in it.

One of them has a little bit of juice in it. In and of themselves pretty inert sort of things. But they are very symbolic. They're very symbolic of the body of Jesus Christ that was broken for us and the blood of Jesus Christ that was shed for us. The hope that we have as believers in Jesus Christ is bound up in the symbolism of what this represents to us. The death

of Jesus on the cross. And it explains the unity that we have with God because we're unified with him because he covered our sins therefore our fellowship is restored. But it also means that we have unity with each other because the one thing that bonds all of the different backgrounds all of the different ideas all of the different people that are gathered in this room today the one thing that binds us all together is the blood of Jesus Christ. It's what makes us family.

So the first thing we do is understand what we're doing. The second thing that we want to do is make sure that if you are not a believer in Jesus Christ this morning this won't mean anything to you. As a matter of fact there's certain warnings in scripture about it. So this meal really won't mean much to you. So in order to partake in a worthy manner today should be

your day of salvation. Today should be the day that you fall upon that rock to be broken. And in just a moment I'll invite the worship team to come up and during that last song with your head bowed and your eyes closed you can simply just give your heart to Jesus. Tell him that you're a sinner ask him to be your savior. He will come in and make you brand new in him.

But then there's those of us that have walked with the Lord for a real long time and we know that as a month goes by because that's how long it's been since we've done communion or as a week goes by or as a day goes by or as the past five minutes goes by sometimes we find ourselves in a place where our lives have denied the truth of what we're about to celebrate here today. So we want to make sure that our hearts are clean before the Lord. And so again I'll go ahead and ask the worship team to come on up. As they come up to share this last song with us as they come up to sing this last song may it be a time that you allow God to search your heart.

That you confess the sins that you've been holding back. That you fall once again upon that stone and allow him though he may break to be your greatest healing. And so I'll invite the ushers to come down and hand out the elements. And as they hand out the elements first of all please make sure you give your kids a hand with that. But as they hand out the elements

and you receive your communion elements if you would please stand and we'll all partake together. I could not gladly stand I turned to heaven and spoke your name through the darkness your loving kindness tore through the shadows but such boundless grace has spoken Father we come before you and Lord I thank you for your sacrifice that was made for us. Lord I thank you that you bore in your own body on the tree all of the sin of humanity and that for every person that's here this morning Lord that has put their faith in you that cross is the power of God unto salvation. Lord I just praise you for it.

Lord I ask that you would keep us ever in mind of that sacrifice that we would live our lives in response to what you have done for us. Father we thank you and we praise you in Jesus name. Amen. You may partake.

Would you bow with me one more time. Lord we come before you and I thank you for the time that we've had as a family here at church this morning. Lord for what the kiddos learned down at the other end of the hallway for what we've learned here this morning. Lord I just ask that you would take that truth. Lord first of all anything of me that wasn't of you would just go away.

Lord that you would take that truth Lord and just massage it into our hearts. Make it a part of who we are. Lord may we bear it. And fruit in our lives. Father we thank you and we praise you in Jesus name. Amen. Be blessed.