John chapter two. I can't tell you how often that
the Lord and study in his word. How often this happens to me.
That while dwelling on a particular subject and dealing with a particular
subject, that the Scriptures keep confirming that subject. It just keeps confirming that
subject, line upon line, precept upon precept. I talk to our teachers
and they say that this happens quite often. I deal with a subject like in
this hour, and you had just been thinking of it and dealing with
it with your children downstairs in the previous hour. Now, that's
the spirit of God bearing witness with our spirit. And this morning's
subject is that way. You may recall last week we dealt
with chapter 2 verse 1. Look at it there. Do you remember
us looking at this last week? It says the third day there was
a marriage in Cana in Galilee. And we looked at that marriage
that Christ attended and applied that. Remember, we turned over
to Hosea chapter 6, and I hope you marked that in your Bible,
because that's a glorious portion of Scripture, Hosea 6. It talks
about Christ coming back on the third day to gather his people,
talking about his second coming. Well, the next story that we're
going to deal with now, here in this same chapter, that we
read just a few minutes ago. The next story tells us the same
thing. That's what this story is about. The Lord is coming to his temple,
as Malachi prophesied. He is coming to his temple. Now,
he has come. This is the story of when he
came the first time to his temple. And he's coming again to his
temple. And the next time he comes, it's
going to be similar. What he's going to find will
be similar to what we see in this story right here. He cleansed
the temple here. He came, he cleansed it, and
he said, I'm going to rebuild. All right, let's look at it.
And John chapter 2 verse 13. John 2 verse 13. We're just going
to go verse by verse down through here. John 2 verse 13 says, And
the Jews' Passover was at hand. And Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
The Jews' Passover. Now, do you see anything wrong with that verse? In other
words, God wrote that. on purpose. What does it say what's what's
already got a problem here look over to exodus chapter twelve
exodus chapter twelve did you see. Do you see what is wrong
there. And God brings that to our attention
the Jews pass over. And if you don't know then perhaps
you don't know what's wrong with religion in our day Because he's about to tell what's
happening in the temple, what's going on, what's wrong with religion. And there in John 2. Now let
me ask you this before we read Exodus 12. Let me ask you this.
What's wrong with this? What's wrong with this name?
The Lutheran Church. What's wrong with that? That's right, John. It ain't
Martin Luther's church. What's wrong with this? The Westland
church. What's wrong with this? The Anglican
church. That means only Englishmen, I
remember. What's wrong with this? The Free
Will Baptist church. What's wrong with this? The so-and-so,
and you see this quite often, the so-and-so memorial Baptist
church or whatever. They put some woman or some man's
name in front of that. What's wrong with all that? Same thing that our Lord said
there in John 2, the Jews' Passover. It wasn't a Jews' Passover. Look
back here, look at Exodus 12 verse 11. Exodus 12 verse 11
says, Now this is the Passover. This is the story where the Lord
gave the The institution of the Passover supper and you shall
eat it with your lawns girded your shoes on your feet your
staff in your hand should even hate it is the Lord's Passover. But this had degenerated this
this feast that they were having now back to John to this feast
that they were having. Had degenerated into the Jews
Passover. a man-centered religion, all
centered around the Jews. But it's the Lord's Passover,
and this is Christ's church. It's not a man's church. It's
Christ's church. And it's all for the worship of him. It's
all for his glory. It's all for in his memory. We're
going to name it such-and-such memorial church, this due in
remembrance of him. Let's name it the Jesus Christ
Memorial Church. It's not man's. Well, this is
the state of things now and the state of things then. Look at
the text. They didn't know God. That's
what John said in chapter 1. Chapter 1, verse 26, he said,
"...there standeth one among you whom ye know not." Well,
the Jews were looking for the Christ, and there He was standing
there, and they didn't know Him. And they didn't know the God
either. That's what Christ said to him. He said, if God were
your father, you'd know me. You'd love me. But they were playing religion
and they were making money at it. It was a money-making thing. That's what this was all about.
Money. That's what religion was about
in this day. And it's the same way today.
That's what it's all about. And it's clear to me that the
religious leaders of our day don't know God nor that Christ,
not seeking his glory, or they wouldn't partake of these schemes
and tricks and money-making things that they're doing today. It's
clear. Look at verse 14. This is what was going on. John
2 verse 14. He found in the temple them that
sold oxen and sheep and doves and changers of money. He found
in the temple. Turn over to Isaiah 59. Isaiah
chapter 59. Let's compare spiritual things
with spiritual things. The Word of God is the best commentary
on the Word of God. Isaiah 59. Turn over there. You
see, back here in this day, the Jews, the worship of God, the
sacrifice of blood, had degenerated into a circus. It had become
a money-making circus, the temple had. And so it is in our day. Worship has been replaced with
entertainment, preaching of the gospel. which is the sacrifice of blood. That's what it is. The preaching
of the gospel has been replaced with money-making schemes and
programs. Look at Isaiah 59. This is a
plain passage. Isaiah 59, verse 14. Judgment
is turned away backward. Justice standeth afar off. Truth
is fallen in the street. Equity cannot enter. Yea, truth
faileth. He that departed from evil Make
it himself a pray P.R.E.Y. He's a pray. You remember when our Lord said.
In this same. Story here back in Matthew, he
said, My father's house should be called a house of prayer.
House of pray to pray and P.R.A.Y. Now it's become a house of P.R.E.Y. Pray. shrewd and evil seducers preying
on people. Well, look at our text again. Now, look at verse 15. Look at
it. You're looking at it? All right,
verse 15. It says, And when he had made a scourge of small cords,
he drove them all out of the temple. He made a scourge of
small cords. Now, as some time took place,
between when he saw these people in the temple and then when he
came back and drove him out. Because it took some time to
make that whip, didn't it? It took some time. What happened,
he walked in the temple there and he saw what was going on.
He knew. But he walked in there and he
saw. And he walked back out and sat there somewhere making a
whip. And that took some time. And what I want you to notice
with me, look at Ecclesiastes chapter eight, all right? Right
after the book of Proverbs is the book of Ecclesiastes chapter
eight. This is what I want you to note.
And I'm applying all this to his second coming, all right?
Ecclesiastes eight. And you can also be found in
2 Peter 3. All right? Ecclesiastes 8. You
got it? Ecclesiastes 8, verse 11. Look. Because sentence against an evil
work is not executed speedily. Or in other words, when men sin
and things go on and God doesn't immediately deal with them, they
think, hey, I got away with it. We don't. Therefore, the heart
of the sons of man is fully set in them to do evil. So I can
imagine that when he walked in the first time and they saw him,
they knew who he was. And they saw him, they might
have stopped what they're doing, but he walked back out and they
thought, well, they went right on. But he's coming back again. Look
at 2 Peter chapter 3. 2 Peter 3. 2 Peter chapter 3, where Peter
deals with our Lord's imminent return. 2 Peter 3 and verse 3
and 4, look at it. 2 Peter 3, 3 and 4, look at it. Knowing this first, that there
shall come in the last days scoffers. walking after their own lusts
and saying, where is the promise of his coming? Why, since the
day the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were
from the beginning of creation. Where is the promise of his coming?
He's not coming. He's not coming. But look at
verse 9 and 10. The Lord is not slack concerning
his promise. He promised to come again, didn't
he? He's coming again. He is most definitely coming
again. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some
men count slackness, but is longsuffering to usward." Who's usward? Peter wrote this letter to us.
Who's the us? He said, "...to them that have
obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness
of God our Savior." Obtained faith. Obtained faith. That's a gift, isn't it? obtained
faith through the righteousness of God and our Savior. So, who's
the us? Those who have obtained like
precious faith with us through the righteousness of God our
Savior. He's not slack concerning his promise, as some men count
slackness, but he's long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that
any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Will
they? Yes, they will. all of God's people would. Because
it's according to God's will. Verse ten. Let the day, and here's
the point I want you to notice with me. The day, verse eight,
that's, look up there. The beloved be not ignorant of
this one thing. One day is what the Lord is a thousand years,
and a thousand years is one day. Where is the promise of his coming?
Things are going on like they always have. Well, don't be ignorant
of this thing. A day is a thousand years. A
thousand years is a day. Time is of no essence to God,
although the time is important. Peter said, Don't be ignorant
of it. No man knows the day or the hour.
That's what Christ said. No man knows the day or the hour,
and only a fool would try to predict it. But we're not blind. We're not
asleep as others, he said. who wait on his coming, we can
discern the face of the sky. He says we can know the parable
of the fig tree. When all these things happen,
you know that he's nigh. All right, now turn back and
remember that, OK? Remember that 1 Peter and 2 Peter. All right, turn back to John
2. Because punishment against an
evil work, Ecclesiastes 8, 11 says, because punishment against
an evil work is not speedily executed, therefore the heart
of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. And so is
our generation, religious and irreligious. Evil. Look at verse 15 of John 2. And
when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them out
of the temple. He drove them out of the temple.
the sheep and the oxen, poured out the changers' money over
through the table. And he said unto them that sold
doves, Take these things hence, make not my father's house a
house of merchandise." I wish I could say this to our generation.
I'm trying to. Make not this place a house of
merchandise. He said my house should be called
a house of prayer. He said you've made it a den
of thieves and merchandise. Merchandise. And they may not
sell animals today. Nobody sells oxen and sheep and
doves anymore, do they? But they're sure selling bricks
and t-shirts and tapes and so forth. And it ain't no different. Money answereth all things. And
Christ declared who he is right here, didn't he? And he said,
who he is, he said, my father's house. In other words, he's saying,
I'm the son of God come to earth. I am God made flesh, Emmanuel,
being interpreted as God with us. Look over at Malachi chapter
three. Malachi chapter three, I love
this. Turn, turn, please turn to Malachi
three. This is glorious. to your eyes
and to your ears. Malachi 3. And this is where
he got the title of the message. Malachi 3. You see, they didn't
know him. They said they were looking for
him when he came. They didn't know him. But they soon found out who he
was, didn't they? As soon as he cracked the whip,
they found out. Scripture says when he splits the heaven over,
every eye shall see him. They'll know him as he is, not
as they think he is, as he is. Men think of Jesus as some pitiful
weakling, some failure that tries and fails and wants to and can't.
Everybody's going to see him as he is. These men may have
thought of him as General Jesus, the carpenter's son, but they
found out very shortly, didn't they, when he cracked that whip,
and they took off flying. One man, think about it, one
man came in that temple with a little whip, and there could
have been hundreds of men in there. One man and cleared house. And these weren't just Jews who
were selling, these were money-making Gentiles from all over the world
that come in there and realize you can make a quick dollar there,
big money in religion, go to the temple, big money in it. And these weren't these were
some shrewd wicked tough sellers. And Christ came in there. And
he let his authority be known. And they ran out. And most don't know the Lord
Jesus Christ now, do they? Catholicism calls him gentle
Jesus meek and mild. Gentle Jesus, meek and mild.
Well, He is gentle. And He did say, I am meek and
lowly. He did say. But when He comes
again, He ain't going to be meek and lowly. And the Scripture says we're
going to see Him as He is. And it says every eye shall behold
Him. And it says there's going to
be a big prayer meeting. as they call on the rocks and the hills
that fall on them to hide them from the face of Him." Who? This, not this Jesus, but this
Lord, this sovereign, reigning, ruling Lord in whose hands our
breath is and all our ways, who has the keys of hell and death
at His side. And you're going to quake and
it says they'll tremble because of him whom they have pierced.
Tremble. Gentle Jesus. And those that know him now fear
him as he is. They say he wouldn't hurt anybody.
Scripture says his garments are going to be dyed with the blood
of people. Now what does it say? Malachi
3, look at this. Every eye shall behold him as
he is. Malachi 3, verse 1 and 2. He
said, Behold, I send my messenger. He shall prepare the way before
me, and the Lord whom you seek shall suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant.
He's got the covenant that he made with the Father before the
world began. He's got it. He's got the names,
didn't he say that? Covenants concerning somebody.
And yes it is between two, between the father and the son. And he's
got the names and they're written in a book and the scripture says
it's sealed. And he says those names are written on his heart.
In his hands he says, he says, I've got your name printed on
the palms of my hands. the messenger of the covenant,
the shepherd of the sheep, whom you delight in, whom we delight
in. Behold, he shall come, read it,
verse 2, saith the Lord of hosts. Well, who may abide the day of
his covenant? Who shall stand when he appeareth? Who shall stand when he appeareth?
Who shall stand when he appeareth? Huh? Those that stand in him. You see, the scripture says that
God will judge the earth in righteousness by that man which he hath ordained. There's one standard by which
God's going to judge all men. Who's that? Oh, not ourselves. Man comparing himself with himself
is not wise. God has one standard, and that's
Jesus Christ, the man. Now, God's either going to judge
us standing beside Christ and see how we measure up, or we're going to be found in
Christ. You see the difference? If you're
in Him, you're not seen. Your life is hid with God in
Christ. Don't you like that? was standing
beside Him, every spot, every blemish, everything in light
of this glorious, altogether lovely Son, whom God's only man,
He ever said, I'm well pleased with this man, because he's righteous,
and there's none righteous, no, not one, beside Him. He's the
only one righteous, and we stand either beside Him to be judged
as unrighteous, or in Him as righteous. Where do you want
to stand? I stand in Him. I stand in Him. Hide me, O my Savior, hide in
the cleft of the rock." Who's the rock? Christ Jesus. Where
do you want to be found some day? Standing. Out here or in
Christ. When the overflowing scourge
of His wrath comes by, it will not come out of you. Why? You're
in the ark. You're in the rock. He can't
touch you in the rock. Stand outside, you'll be consumed. Look at it here in Malachi 3,
verse 3, He shall sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver. You'll
purify and purge. Verse 5, I'll come near to you
in judgment. How will he be? Gentle Jesus?
No. Swift witness against the sorcerer,
adulterer, and against false swearers, against those that
oppress the hired in his way, the widower, the fatherless,
that turn aside the stranger from his right. And fear not
me, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of the wisdom, the
fear of the Lord. And those that don't fear him
now will most certainly fear him then. Those that don't fear Him now
don't know Him. For He says, I'm the Lord. I
change not. Therefore, you're sons of Jacob. You're not consumed. Look at
Malachi 3. Look at verse 16. Oh, but them
that feared the Lord. Look at it. Are you looking at
it? Boy, God's people are looking at it, and there's a glory in
it. Malachi 3, 16, "...them that feared the Lord..." This is God's
Word. Boy, how can anybody not love
it? "...them that feared the Lord
spake often one to another..." What did they speak often of?
What did they speak of? What they've done for Jesus?
No, what He's done for them, and that's what they're going
to be singing throughout eternity. Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him!
Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him!
Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him!
Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him!
Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him!
Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him!
Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him!
Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him!
Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him!
Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him! Unto Him! He is all blood. He,
He, He. God's people sing hymns. Look at verse 16. Read it. And
a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared
the Lord. What's this? What is this book?
It's a book of remembrance. What is it to remember? What
He has done. This is what the Holy Spirit
takes in to John. They said in John 14 and 16 that
He would come and put to remembrance all things that. A book of Remembrance was written.
And this is what we talk about, speak often of. It's all we want
to talk about. I'm not interested in what you
say, and you shouldn't be interested in what I say. If we're not interested
in what he says, This is it, isn't it? This is
it. And the brook was remembered. And they that feared the Lord,
they thought upon his name. You see that? They thought upon
his name. What's his name? What's his name? Lord. That means absolute ruler. Jesus. What's that mean? Call
his name, Jesus, he shall save his people. Christ, what's that
mean? The only one approved of God,
the Messiah, the substitute, the mediator, the intercessor.
They thought upon his name. They remember, they speak often.
Verse 17, see that's us, that's what's going on now. Verse 17,
they'll be mine, that's who's mine. Said the Lord, when I make
up my jewels and my crown, not their crown, my crown, I'll spare them, verse 7, I'll
spare them, who? Them that fear him, worship him,
rejoice in Christ alone, as a man spares his son that serveth him. And look at chapter 4 now, all
right? Like I said, if I don't say anything
else, if you read this, your prophet. Behold, the day cometh,
Malachi 3 or 4, 1, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven all
the proud. Proud of what? Proud of me. Proud
of what I've done. Proud of who I am. Proud of my
will. Proud of my decision. Proud of
my church attendant. Proud of my religion. Proud of
my righteousness. All the proud, yea, and all that
do wickedly," and that's what the Lord called wickedness, self-righteousness,
"...shall be stubble. The day that cometh shall burn
them up," saith the Lord of Hope, "...shall leave them neither
root nor branch, but unto you that," here it is again, "...fear
my name. Shall the Son of Righteousness
arise with healing in his wing, you go forth, grow up as calves
of the stall." Well, back to the text, all right? John 2. Let me hurry. John 2. Well, God has spoken once. He
ain't twice. And men perceive it not. It's John 2 here. It's a clear
picture of what's going on today. But men don't perceive it. They're
doing exactly the same thing. Look at verse seventeen, John
two, verse seventeen, his disciples remembered that it was written,
the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. The disciples remembered. And if you have any recall of
scripture. If you have any knowledge of
these things. We're studying here, blessed are your eyes. Blessed are your ears. Flesh
and blood didn't reveal it to you. To the natural man, it's
foolishness. But the spiritual is wonderful. It's wondrous. And blessed is your memory, if
all you can think about is Christ. We went down to visit your mama,
Amy, and Jill the other day. And it's no secret to everyone
here that Ellen's mind is going. That's what Alzheimer's will
do to you. We all might be there. She didn't know who I was. Where is it? That didn't bother me a bit.
I wasn't concerned about her knowing me. A few minutes later,
I said, Ellen, we've been worshiping God. We've
been preaching the gospel. Do you know what the gospel is,
Ellen? She said, yeah, the death, burial, resurrection, person,
and work of Jesus Christ. I said, Alan, forget everybody
but that. Ain't nothing nobody else important
but that. If your memory, if your mind
goes, you're going to think of one
name. And it ain't Mama. It's Christ. It's Christ. Ah, boy, they remembered,
didn't they? Thank you, Lord, for bringing
all things to remember. Thank you for showing me Christ
in every portion of the book. Thank you. Thank you. I see God's sovereign hand everywhere. I see the blood shed on every
page, don't you? Well, look at the Jews here.
Look what happened. They did what they want. This is not enough.
Not enough. What do the Jews want? These
are good religious folks. Verse 18, a Jew said, show us
a sign. Is that all you're going to do
this morning is preach? Show us a sign. Dance a dance. Talk in tongues. Heal somebody. Do something. Where's the choir?
Is that all you're going to do is preach? Is that all you're
going to do is take the indescribable glorious, mysterious, invalidly
wise, and marvelous, majestic word of the triune God, and expound
on His... What are you going to do? You want something besides that?
What are you going to do? All you're going to do is talk
about Christ? Him who's altogether lovely? He who upholds all things
by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our
sins and sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high,
whoever lives to make intercession for his people, who came and
lived and died and is coming again and all that that means,
who is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption,
who is the wonderful Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting
Father, the Prince of Peace, Intercessor, Advocate, Mediator,
Shorty of the Covenant. Is that all you're going to do?
What else is there? He saw all. Show us a sign. You want dancing? I ain't going
to do it. I can't dance. I'll leave that
up to Jimmy and the boys to dance a jig. I'll just preach Christ.
Those that love Christ, worship him through circumcision, they
rejoice, they worship God in spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus,
but no confidence, not interested in the flesh. Right? They that
look for Christ, he said, come and see. Show us a sign. They asked him
again this later on. You remember? You remember when
the Jews asked him again later on? They said, what sign showest thou, Moses? gave us a sign when he gave us
the bread and so forth. He said, Moses didn't give you
that bread. He said, I'm the bread. Those that ate that bread perished.
Those that eat this bread won't. He said there ain't no sign gonna
be given because an evil and adulterous generation seeketh
after a sign. No sign will be given but one.
As Jonah was in the belly of the way three days and three
not even so much the son of man be in the heart of your three
days and three not to the same thing here and look at. He said that destroy this temple
three days I'll raise it up. Same time same thing only thing
he declared only thing God uses. Only thing. What's that? The
gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. The gospel. The gospel is the
display of God's power and God's glory. And the world says, I'm
not interested. That's not enough. Show us a
sign. In 2 Thessalonians 2 it said,
God shall give them a sign that says he'll send them strong delusions
because they receive not the love of the truth. God shall
send them strong delusions that they'll believe a lie. They'll
be all taken up with the sign and the wonders and the miracles,
and the man is doing it, and won't be taken up with Christ. See, here's the sign. Here's
the wonder. Here's the miracle. This is the
miracle of all miracles. The word was made flesh. Paul said, mystery, great is the mystery
of Godliness. God was manifest in the flesh. He didn't say anything about
it. He yielded, did this and that.
No, this is the mystery. God was manifest in the flesh.
Christ was made sin for us. Isn't that a mystery? Isn't that
a marvel? Isn't that a miracle? Huh? That's the greatest miracle of
all. Christ was crucified and died. God died! I don't understand
that. But He did. He purchased a church
with His own blood, and yet He lives. Oh, mystery! Let's dwell
on that a few thousand years. We will. Christ shedding His blood, and
by shedding His blood, putting away our sins. I've got one thing
needful. I'm like Mary Magdalene. There's
one thing this old sinner needs. There's one thing every old sinner
needs. One thing have I desired. Mary came in there. There's a
lot of religious fellows sitting around at Christ's. They was
admiring him, and they were doing this and that, and the other
was discussing philosophy and all the arguments. There was
an old sinner came in there. And they all looked down. What
is the old sinner coming in here for? Christ said, I've been waiting
on her. She came in there, cast herself
at his feet and bathed his feet with tears and dried them with
the hair of her head. One thing I need, oh Lord, mercy. Mercy. Hey, you're going to get
it. What do you need? Why'd you come
here? What do you need from the Lord?
New job, new house, more money, good health. Most of us have
that. God's people have one thing. They need to feed on Christ.
They need to feed on Christ. That's miracle enough. David
said, Open mine eyes that I might behold wondrous things from thy
law. not miracles and signs and wonders.
Let the evil and adulterous generation go after that. Oh, let me go
after your word. Let me see wondrous things from
it, because you know the truth, and
the truth will set you free. My, my. Well, look at verse twenty-two,
and I'll wind this up. Verse twenty-one says, "...he
spake of the temple of his body." He was talking about his crucifixion. When therefore, verse 22, he
was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he'd
said unto them, and they believed the scripture and the word which
he'd said." Joe, he's going to bring all
things to remember. All things? Now? Not now. Our finite, our minds,
John, our minds aren't capable. He said, I have many things to
show unto you. You're not able to receive them now. Bless God, he does bring many
things to our remembrance, doesn't he? That he said, someday, John,
he's going to bring all things to our remembrance. That he had
said. And that's the reason we'll spend
eternity. in awe and amazement and wonder
and glory as He opens up the mysteries to us and shows us
what great things He hath done. He hath done. You know, the Lord
and the disciples, did they remember? Did they remember? Well, they
went a long time there without—they didn't believe Him, did they? But He kept telling them, I'm
going to go to Jerusalem and I'm going be crucified and buried
and I'm going to rise again. He kept telling them that over
and over again. It shouldn't have taken them
by surprise. Remember that? He said it over
and over again. Did they believe him? Well, what about us? How long
are we going to continue in unbelief? How long has the Lord showed
us these things? Romans 8.28. How many times have we studied
Romans 8.28? And then something comes along, and, whoa, all the
peace I had. Oh, you little faith, he said.
Don't you remember Romans 8, 28? He's going to say to the preacher, you spent
six weeks on that one verse. Don't you remember it? Don't
you remember it? Oh, you know, when the Son of
Man comes, will he find faith on earth? That's what he said
there, over in Luke 18. Yeah, he will. In them that he gives it to,
he'll find it. He'll find his own. The shepherd
leaves the ninety-nine, he finds the one. Look at verse 22. His disciples remembered, they
believed the scripture. And when he was in Jerusalem,
and let me quit with this, OK? When he was in Jerusalem at the
Passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name. Oh, I believe
in Jesus. Which one? Paul said there's another one,
didn't he? Well, I believe the gospel. Which
one? Paul said there's another gospel.
In Galatians 1, didn't he? It's not the gospel. That's what
he said. Oh, I believe, I believe. What
do you believe? I believe that he died, buried, and rose again. I believe that. I believe, we
believe one God? Yeah. The devil knows that, James
said. It trembles. What do you believe? Let's ask Paul. What do you believe,
Paul? He said, after the way they call
heresy, I believe. He said, believe in all things
that are written, all things that are written, all things
that are written, every word that are written in the prophets
and the Psalms. Concerning. Don't have a living. That's the difference between
a believer and unbeliever. Believer said when approached
with the word of God, he says, I believe that. Unbeliever says. I don't understand
that I can't logically figure it out, so I don't believe he
is a believer. But some believe, look at it,
verse twenty-four, some believe, verse twenty-three, when they
saw the miracles which he did. But, now here it is, Jesus did
not commit himself unto them, because he knew all. He knew
them. He knew them. Do you believe? What do you believe? Do you believe? They believe because of the miracles. What do you believe because of?
Disciples believe Scripture. Isn't that the difference between
22 and 23? Disciples believe His Word. Jews believe His miracles. Lots
claim to believe today. But Christ didn't commit Himself
unto them. Verse twenty-five, he needed not that any should
testify of man. He knew what was in man. He knows what's in us. He knows
what's in you. He knows what's in me. He doesn't
look on the outside. He doesn't look on the outside.
That's what he said. The Pharisees were the cleanest,
most moral and upright outwardly righteous of all the people.
Man is at his best state, the best you can get to be a Jewish
Pharisee. What does the Scripture say about
man at his best state? All together, man at his best
state. Christ knows us. He knows us. He's not looking on the outside.
He's looking at the thought and intent of the heart. He's not
looking at what you're doing. He's looking at what you're thinking
and the motive behind it. When we come in here to worship,
God seeketh such to worship Him in spirit and in truth. Now, what do you need? In light of that, that God's looking
at every thought, what do you need? I need a substitute. I need blood. I need a mediator. I need an
intercessor. I need a miracle of salvation. Because I'm woe unto me, I'm
undone, Isaiah said. I'm a man of unclean lips and
dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips. And I need a
lamb. I need a blood, but somebody
please tell me where the lamb is, because I need one. See, this is the Lord's Passover
this morning. And the Lord's coming back to
his temple. What's he going to be looking for? What was the
Lord looking for in the Lord's Passover? Huh? Huh? He said, When I see your good
works, I'll pass over you. when i see you down on your knee
praying you better be when i see you this and that and that when i see the blood i'll pass
over you i need a lamb john davis behold the lamb of
god alright joe come sing come lead us in the song you