Name: Where History Was Made
Brand: Ed Young
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Where History Was Made

May 5, 2019

By Ed Young

We’re at the Sea of Galilee where Jesus did so many different things, different miracles, different sermons. He challenged people, he had some great days, and he also had some difficult days here. Every time you look at the Gospel of Matthew, Matthew 5 through Matthew 7 is pretty much a synopsis of the Christian life. I mean, that’s what he talked about. Of course, we have the Sermon on the Mount, the most famous sermon ever preached in the history of the world, where Jesus is, went through so many different things. I wanted to run through some of the things that He talked about, and then, hit on some specifics. You’ll notice the Beatitudes that’s in Matthew 5, where he talks about the attitude that we should have. If we know Christ personally, we should have this attitude.

Jesus said, (Matthew 5:3-10) “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted, blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth, blessed are those who hunger, and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled, blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy, blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God, blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God, and blessed are those who are persecuted, because of righteousness for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” When Jesus talked, the acoustics in this place are absolutely amazing. You can just talk like I’m talking to you, and hundreds, and hundreds of people can hear a pin drop. The way God used technology, so to speak, is pretty stunning.

I think also, it’s interesting that Jesus sat when he talked, which is kind of a typical way that teachers, and leaders would communicate back in the day. He starts out in Mathew 5 talking about this attitude, and I’ve already said that “Your attitude, not your aptitude, will take you to another altitude.”

Jesus begins though to unpack some things. He was the master at using word pictures. He talks about that we should be salt. How many people in here like salt? Yeah, yeah, yeah. You should be salt, I should be salt as I live for Jesus wherever I am. I should season my marriage, season my family responsibilities, I should season those I’m rubbing shoulders with in the marketplace. Also, He said we should be light where He said, “I’m the light of the world.” And, because we know Christ, we should have our lights on constantly.

When people look at you, and they look at me they should literally see a light in the darkness. Then though, I think it’s interesting in Matthew 5:17, how Jesus said, “I’ve come to fulfill the law.” It’s very important, because when God gave us the law over in the Old Testament no one could fulfill it. No one could do it, and only in our depravity would we add stuff to it.

As you know 613 Laws were added to the 10 Commandments. It was kind of funny. God’s people couldn’t keep the 10 Commandments, so “Hey, let’s add 613 more.” Surely a bunch of lawyers got together, and did that, but anyway, the foreshadowing, and the prophecy was that someone would come, and perfectly, perfectly fulfill the law.

That’s what Jesus did. Jesus said, when he was sitting down preaching the greatest sermon ever preached, “I’ve come to fulfill the law.” He fulfilled the law perfectly. That’s why a lot of the time you’ll hear us say, “Jesus lived righteously.” We say, “Man that’s righteous.” Well, he performed perfectly, and only a sinless sacrifice was sufficient to pay for your sins, and mine. Then he went to a Holy Nutha Level, because if you keep reading in Matthew 5:21, and following, I’m just running through this. He talks about the 10 commandments, but then, he takes the 10 commandments, and takes them to a Holy Nutha Level. He talked about murder, he goes, “You know, one of the 10 commandments says, you know, don’t kill.” It’s pretty obvious. Well, Jesus says, “If you look at someone on the freeway who cut you off with an uncontrolled anger, or a murderous spirit, you my friend have committed murder.” That means, what? All of us are murderers?

And then, he goes into something very, very tough. He talks about adultery, and I’m sure that people were thinking, “Oh, man, I’ve not committed adultery. I’m a one woman man.” Or, the women are like, “Oh, I’m married to this guy.” Jesus says, taking it to a Holy Nutha Level, “If you’ve looked at a man, or a woman with lustful thoughts you have committed adultery.” That means we all have committed adultery. No one raised their hands with me on that one. Murderer you were okay. What should I say? Yes.

Will you raise your hand? Okay, okay. I just wanted to get that on film. Why should I say. No, we have. Everyone has. Let’s be honest about it. Sometimes people ask me this question. This is a funny, they’ll go, “Hey Ed, you know, the Old Testament talks about tithing, bringing a 10% the minimum worship requirement to the house of God. Where is it mentioned in the New Testament?” People say that to me all the time. Well, Jesus talked about it for one, but I point them to this, because, again, everything was to a Holy Nutha Level. Most committed Christians, get ready for this, most committed, and faithful Christ followers in the New Testament who were part of a church, they gave 30, 40% of what God blessed them with.

Let’s change the subject. Okay, okay. Moving right along, and Jesus says just radical stuff like loving your enemies. Okay, think about that person who’s a jerk. Think about that person who has betrayed you, think about that person who stabbed you in the back. It could have been an ex-spouse, business partner, someone way in the past, maybe someone took advantage of you in a way you’ve never shared before. What would happen? And, what will happen when we pray for people like that? It doesn’t mean we have to like them. It doesn’t mean that we’re idiots, and that we don’t build barriers, and boundaries. I mean, we have to be as wise as Serpents, and harmless as Doves, but loving your enemies?

We should love everyone, because we’ve never locked eyes with someone that Jesus has not died for. This is radical stuff, isn’t it? And then, He talks about prayer, the model of prayer. Here’s how to pray, and he goes through this outline, and I have in my notes here P-R-A-Y. That’s kind of the outline of prayer. You got the Praise, you have the Repentance, you have the Asking, and you have the Yielding, but as you go through the Lord’s Prayer, I did a series on the Lord’s Prayer several years ago, you see the outline, and what I want you to think about in the Lord’s Prayer is when Jesus said that we’re to pray, “Hey, it’s not my will God, it’s your will.”

Now, I can’t use God. I can’t use God. God can if he wants to, and he will use me, and use you, but I can’t use him. There’s a lot of popular teaching out there these days that kind of tells us we can use God. If we have enough faith, faith is like currency, then we’ll get our miracle, we’ll get our Rolls Royce, or we’ll get our promotion just by the essence of having faith. Who am I to impose my will on God’s will? You see what I’m saying to you? Every time I pray I’ve got to say, God, it’s not my will, it’s your will, and that’s what Jesus is driving at, and then, of course, he talks about treasures. He talked about material possessions so much. He said, (Matthew 6:19-21 NASB) “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth, and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in, and steal, for where your treasure is there your heart will be also.” That’s the treasure test. That’s it. And, I heard it said to me, well, a couple of decades ago, you know, “Ed you can’t take it with you, but you can send it on a head.” That’s why as we invest in the things of God, and the only thing that Jesus ever built was the church. We’re sending our resources ahead. All I have to do is look at your financial statement, all you have to do is look at my finances, and you can tell who is number one in my life. That quick, that quick, and that’s one of the reasons I love the FC APP as far as the resource challenge, because the app assures us electronically that the first fruits are going to his house, and then,

Jesus talks about, don’t worry. I mean, live in a land of being stressed out, and anxious. The word anxious in the Bible means to choke. You ever feel like you’re choking? I do, I do, I do, and that’s why Jesus says, “Man, why are you, why are you worrying? You know, (Matthew 6:25) “Therefore, I tell you don’t worry about your life, what you’ll eat or drink, or about your body, what you’ll wear. Is not your life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?” Look at the birds.” He says, and he goes on, and on about worry, and then, in Matthew 7, he keeps going, and going, and going, and I want to spend just a couple of minutes on the last part of this text that Jesus uses when he summarizes the Christian life. Now, this text I’m going to read, and this scenario is not one that’s preached about very much. It’s not talked about very much. It’s not popular. In fact, it’s highly unpopular in our pluralistic culture. Highly unpopular, because it’s like up in our grill, up in our face, but we have to remember this is Jesus who’s given us the whole flow of the Christian life, and now he ends it with something that is highly sobering, highly sobering.

I want you to think about your life. Don’t think about the person on your right, on your left. You think about your life. Remember, we’re at the spot right now, the Sea of Galilee. We’re here in this space, in this place where Jesus unpacked this radical, radical talk, and let me read these verses to you out of Matthew 7:13, and following, and these are not verses that you’re going to see plastered on plaques, or T-shirts, or coffee mugs, or muscle shirts. You know what I’m saying? You’re not going to see these verses, but Jesus spent a long time talking about it, “Enter… “ He says in Matthew 7:13-23, “Through the narrow gate, for wide is the gate, and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it, but small is the gate, and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it, a few. Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they’re ferocious wolves. By their fruit you’ll recognize them.

Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire, thus by their fruit you’ll recognize them.” Then he continues, “Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my father who is in heaven. Many… “ There’s the word again, “Will say to me on that last day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? And in your name, drive out demons, and perform miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, I never knew you. Away from me you evil doers.”

I could go on, and on, but basically Jesus is talking about two gates, or two roads, you could say, the broad road. Many are on that, and the narrow road, few are on that.

He talks about a couple of fruit trees, the good fruit, and bad fruit, and then, he talks about

I didn’t read it, but just trust me it’s in there, two foundations. The guy that builds his foundation on the rock, and the other one who builds his foundation on the sand.

Jesus just unpacked for us FOUR FREAKISHLY, FRIGHTENING BIBLICAL FACTS, four of them, and they’re not talking about a lot. It’s not popular anymore. Again, in our politically correct culture, but we’ve got to teach, and preach the Bible. I was telling someone at dinner a few nights ago, “Sometimes… ” I told them, “We’re not preaching God’s word.” I don’t want to preach certain messages, I just don’t, but they’re in the Bible I have to. Do you see what I’m saying to you? It’s not like, oh, boy, I want to preach the conclusion of Matthew 7. No, I don’t enjoy talking about this. I mean, I have to. I’m compelled to.

That’s like in our church. I mean, every single song that we do is not necessarily my favorite song. It might be a shocker to some people. Really? No, it’s not, but we do things, and I’ve learned I have to do things as a believer, and as a leader, so do you to get out of my comfort zone to reach others.

Four freakishly, frightening facts. Number one, and this is against the backdrop of Matthew 7. Everyone is not going to be saved. Everyone is not going to be saved. God does not greater the cosmic curve, God doesn’t say, “Well boys will be boys, girls will be girls. Come on in.” Now, there are two ways to get to heaven. I thought there was one way, John 14:6. Well, there’s two ways. God tells us if we’re perfect we can get into heaven. I mean, if I bet 1000 at the moral batting plate every single time when I die, when I walk out of here, God’s going to say, “Ed, dude, you were perfect. Dude, perfect. You were perfect. Chest-bump, high five. You performed your way in my man.” But hey, I’m a self centered sinner, I’m fallen, and fallible. I’m messed up. My moral scorecard doesn’t look good. There’re no degrees to sin, and I had this tendency, I don’t know about you to go, “Oh man, I’m better than John. I mean, I’m just, I’m serious. I’m just a better Christian.” Isn’t that interesting? We have the humanistic vibe to do that, but I’m just here to tell you everyone is not going to be saved. That’s universalism. People say, “Well, if I’m sincere I’ll get into heaven.” You can be sincerely wrong. I mean, I love espresso, but if I poured arsenic in that double espresso I had about 20 minutes ago I would sincerely die. You see what I’m saying to you? It sounds sexy and cool, but that’s just not the deal.

That’s the first one, second one. More people will be lost, more people will be lost than saved. These aren’t my words. Don’t get upset at me. Jesus said, “Many.” Did you hear that? Many, many, many, and many are going down the broad road, and it’s like, everything is fine, everything is good, everything is chill, and all that. Many, many, many, many. Most people are not saved.

Number three, another freakishly, frightening biblical fact. Again, we’re talking about, he’s summarizing. Jesus is summarizing the greatest sermon he ever preached. This is the essence of the Christian life. It’s pretty tough, isn’t it? It is to me. Most people who think they’re saved aren’t.

Now, when I first began to think about that, and meditate on that, I thought, “Oh, no way. I mean, most people? Is that, can that be right?” But, the older I have gotten, the more people I see, there’s more faux faith. They’re more people who say, “Oh, yeah, I’m a believer.” But, they live like hell. Do you know what I’m saying? Now, we’re not saved by works, we’re saved by grace through faith. We’re saved by grace through faith, we’re saved by grace through faith. However, Jesus said, I will know my followers by the fruit they produce. I believe in once saved, always saved. I believe in the eternal security of the believer. No doubt about it, it’s in this book. I also believe though, that Jesus will know us by the fruit, Galatians 5, that we produce.

Someone goes, “Yeah, I’ve prayed a little prayer, done a little deal with God.” And then, they’re living like hell. Jesus said, “We’re not to judge people.” But, I’ve got to wonder in my mind, I mean, I’m not God. I don’t know. These are I mean, sobering, sobering thoughts. Most who think they’re saved aren’t. That means we have a lot of people who attend our churches who in reality had never ever, ever really, truly, sincerely made that faith decision. Again, I’m not trying to get you to question whether, or not you’re a Christian. I mean, doubt, and faith run on parallel tracks. I understand that, but I am getting you to take inventory, to take stock. Does that make sense?

Now, the fourth frightening fact, and the final one. The first one is everyone’s not going to be saved. Number two more people will be lost than saved. Number three, most who think they’re saved aren’t.

Number four, you’ll not get another chance. The Bible says, “We die, boom, we’re in the presence of God.” We’re not going to get another chance. I’ve had people say, “Oh, yeah, man, when I get to heaven to I’m going to wheel a deal, cut a deal with God.”

No, no, done, over. What we do on this side of the dirt, the decisions we make on this side of the dirt determine where we will spend forever on the other side of the dirt, because we’re all facing forever. Every single person, and forever is a long, long time, and we’re going to go to a place that we’re going to see places outside the city of J town, Jerusalem, that were used as word pictures Gehenna and others that depicted hell. Hell is a place of isolation, a place of weeping, and gnashing of teeth. It’s the forever feeling that you had an opportunity to trust the Lord, but kept putting him off. You kept him at bay. Basically, when we die, God is not going to slam dunk us to hell.

God is going to say, “You know what? You kept me at bay on that side of the dirt. Well, on this side of the dirt have at it my man. You’re going to spend eternity away from me forever, and ever, and ever.”

That’s why we as believers should have an urgency in our lives, that’s why our church for 28 years we’ve had an urgency when it comes to sharing the good news, an urgency, because if you look at the life of Christ, when he began his ministry at 30 years of age, he talked about reaching people, he talked about rescuing people. Read about it, and right before he ascended, Matthew 28, he talked about reaching people. There’s only one thing we can’t do in heaven that we can do here, reach people. We don’t shy away, isn’t that great? From talking about this, and teaching this.

The greatest sermon ever preached right here in this space, in this place, and it ends with something really, really sobering, but something that is amazing, because we’re all saved, and rescued by grace through faith. We have the light, we’re producing the fruit, we’re on the narrow road, we’re going home forever and ever in heaven. We’ve got that, but that should also inspire us, and motivate us, and stimulate us to share that good news with others. Maybe just maybe, I don’t know with a crowd this size you’ve never sincerely prayed that prayer before. Maybe just maybe you’re like, “Wow, I’m not sure I’ve nailed that decision down with God before.” With a couple of moments I’m going to give you an opportunity to do that right here. I mean, there’s not a better place. God is in his sovereignty, which means he has supernaturally synchronized our lives to come together just for this time.

I want to challenge you if you’ve never prayed that prayer, just to pray it with me right where you are. If you’ve prayed the prayer before you pray for some here who need to pray that prayer, or others back home that you know who need to pray that prayer, and thank God for a rescue society like Fellowship Church is all about challenging people to pray that prayer, because so many people that we see each, and every day are just one prayer away from eternity, and have an opportunity, so do you to be that salt, that light, that witness to people that God has placed in our lives. The greatest sermon ever preached.

Let’s bow our heads. Every head is bowed just for a second, every eyes closed. I’m going to pray a prayer right now, and if you want to nail this decision down right now. If you want to say, “Okay, this is my time.” I mean, I’m at the Sea of Galilee where the greatest sermon ever preached was preached by our sovereign, sinless, singular savior, Jesus. I want to nail this decision down right here God. Would you say this? Just say this prayer after me. In fact, I’m going to need everyone here to say it, because when we’re saying it out loud we’re going to give some people the Godfidence to say it around us, okay? Let’s just say this together, and I’m going to say too, and just repeat these words after me.

Dear God.

I admit to you.

That I’m a sinner.

I confess that to you.

And, turn from that.

And, right now.

I ask you, Jesus Christ,

I ask you, Jesus Christ.

To come into my life.

I believe you died in the cross for my sins.

I believe you died on the cross for my sins.

And, rose again.

Take control of me Lord.

Forgive me.

Cleanse me.

Save me.

Give me your spirit.

To produce the kind of fruit.

That you have in store for me.

Thank you for this time.

For this church.

For our guides.

For your land.

We ask all these things.

In Jesus name.

As our heads are bowed, and eyes are closed I want us to pray right now for people in our lives who need to know these facts at the right time, because I know people that you don’t know, and you know people that I don’t know. Let’s just pray right now for, let’s just say three people that God’s placing on your life right now. Let’s just mention these names when I count to three aloud, and just pretend like there is a tube going from your life all the way to heaven, all the way to the throne of heaven, and I’m going to mention these names aloud. I want you to mention three names, and let’s just pray for these. Are you ready? One, let’s do it, two, three. [crosstalk]

In Jesus name. In Jesus name. In Jesus name, and all God’s people say?

Amen.

The greatest sermon.