Turn with me to the book of Ezra,
if you would, chapter 10, the last chapter of the book of Ezra.
We're very close to the end of our study of the gospel according
to Ezra. I have mentioned a number of
times in the past, and I want to once again share with you
the reason that I go through books of the Bible. Number one,
I always know where I'm going to be. I don't have to worry
Saturday night, what's the message tomorrow? This gives me opportunity
to start tomorrow preparing for next Sunday. Secondly, I'm not
led to skip anything. If you just go through books
of the Bible, you cannot skip any of the doctrines of God. We have to face them head on,
we don't leave anything out. And thirdly, I don't hear something
through the work about somebody, and so I get a message just prepared
for them. That's not the way it works.
I never will forget coming back to my home church after spending
a term down in Bible school in Dallas, Texas, came back to my
home church and the pastor didn't know I was coming. And after
the service, he said, if I knew you was coming, I'd have preached
another message. Well, that shared with me when the Lord saved me
and called me into the pastorate here. That's not what I'm going
to do is preach a message about something I've heard. Well, here
we have in the book of Ezra, a very interesting verse of scripture
that we want to spend some time on this morning. Ezra has been
caused to know. He's been informed. He's just
returned from Babylon. They'd been in Babylonian captivity
for over 70 years. Ezra has. The first group that
came back, they'd spent 70 years there. This group had spent more
time there in Babylonian captivity. But the Lord had led these people
back. Ezra is a ready preacher of the
gospel and he is a scribe of the word of God. He is a preacher
of righteousness and he gets back to Babylon and just barely
gets there and a problem is brought to his attention that the Bible,
our translation call, he says he was astonished. That means
he was speechless when he heard about it. He just couldn't believe
the words that were brought to him. and that is a bunch of the
folks that had returned earlier had intermarried with people
in the land, which was not the real problem. The real problem
is these people who claim to be Christians, intermarried and
adopted the religion of the people of the land and said, what you
guys believe is just what these guys believe and so we're okay
together. Well, when Nehemiah heard this,
he is speechless because there is no comparison in this world
between what God has to say about salvation and what the world
has to say about salvation. If we think they're the same,
we have not seen Christ. Now, Ezra prays, and he prays
earnestly, and in that prayer, he declares the gospel for us,
and after it is over with, in this 10th chapter of the book
of Ezra, he says a number of things, and there is another
person by the name of Shekiniah, he says, but there is hope. And
all my friends, When we come to the position that we are in
desperate need of help, it's wonderful to hear there's hope.
There's hope. The life preserver has been thrown
out. There's hope. The lifeline has
been thrown out. There's hope. And God grant us
the grace to grab it. I was visiting with a young man
the other day, and I said, suppose you were out in the Columbia
River, and you were in the position of being dead. You're going to
drown. And someone comes along to deliver
you from that consequence. You know what happens 99% of
the time to the person who is the rescuer? They get in a fight
with the guy that's drowning. They want to drown both of them.
So you just bang, knock them out, drag them in, and then they're
thankful. Well, isn't that wonderful? And really, in spiritual discussion,
that's what the Lord does for us. We are just fighting him
tooth and toenail. He gives us the new birth, and
we say, thank you, Lord. Well, here in the book of Ezra,
After that, it tells us, and read with me verse 8. I know
we're just jumping into the middle of a chapter, but verse 8 shares
with us some things that Ezra had to say and Shekinah had to
say. Verse 8, it says, Ezra chapter 10, verse 8. Now they've been invited to come
to Jerusalem. You need to come to Jerusalem. You need to come
to the city of peace. You need to come to Christ. But
that whosoever would not come within three days, according
to the counsel of the priests and the elders, all his substance
should be forfeited and himself separated from the congregation
of those that have been carried away. I read that and I just, I was
astonished. Speechless. Here the invitation
goes out. And here are the command. If you don't come to Jerusalem
within three days. Everything you own is forfeited
and you will be no longer a part of us." Now, that's serious words. Now, it doesn't tell us, and
we're thankful, it does not tell us how many did not decide to
come the first day. It doesn't tell us how many didn't
decide to come the third day. And it doesn't tell us how many
decided not to come the second day and the third day. It doesn't
tell us any of that. But if you fall into that category,
this is the consequences for it. You will forfeit everything,
and you will be an outcast. Well, we very seldom find the
gospel preachers of the Old Testament, the gospel preachers of the New
Testament, or even the Lord Jesus Christ preaching about this very
subject here, what is the end of all of those who never come
to Christ? What is the end? The Apostle
Paul never spent any time trying to scare people into the kingdom
of heaven. Peter never spent any time trying to scare people
into the kingdom of heaven. Ezra did not spend any time trying
to scare people into the kingdom of heaven. They were preachers
of the gospel. They were preachers of righteousness.
And they understood that by sowing the seed, the Holy Spirit was
going to take care of all of the production rights. Everything
is going to be in the hands of God after the seed goes out.
But here's the warning that is given now would you join me in
the book of Matthew chapter 13 for a moment? In the book of
Matthew chapter 13 we find here that message of the Lord Matthew
chapter 13 keep in mind if you don't come day one day two or
day three here's the consequences for it We find that left to ourself
We would never come Left to ourselves, we would forfeit everything,
and left to ourselves, we would be an outcast for eternity. Nobody
would ever be saved if they're left to themselves. So we're
thankful, as we read about that, that the only thing God has ever
told those people, even when they left Babylon, is those people
that left were stirred by the Lord to leave. And those people
that come to Christ are stirred by the Lord to come and those
people who are not stirred will never hear anything and they
will forfeit everything and they will be an outcast for eternity.
That's God's Word. Now here in the book of Matthew
chapter 13, beginning with verse 24, we have a parable that the
Lord shared with his disciples regarding the tares, the wheat
and the tares. I didn't realize, but the tares
and the wheat, when they first sprout, are almost identical. The wheat and the tares as they
grow look almost identical. It is only in the fruit of the
wheat and in the fruit of the tares that you can tell the difference.
So it's no wonder that the Lord shares with his disciples in
this passage of scripture, Matthew chapter 13, beginning with verse
24, it says, another parable put forth unto them, saying,
The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which soweth good
seed in his field. The gospel is good seed. It is
never bad seed. A friend of mine one time, he
asked me about going over and preaching in Lakeview, Oregon,
of all places, out there at the edge of the world, about that
far from where I grew up. And I said, it is never wrong
to preach the gospel anywhere. Now if the Lord hinders us from
going there, that's one thing. But if the doors are open, go,
preach the gospel. It is always good to preach the
good seed. Now here it says in verse 2,
but while men slept, his enemy came. and sowed terrors among
the wheat, and went his way." Now, so many people say, well,
that's the devil doing that. That's Satan doing that. You
know what we find in the scripture? It is false preachers doing that. That's the problem. They come
along and say, that's not true. What followed? Who followed the
Apostle Paul whenever he was preaching throughout the known
world at that time, preaching the gospel of God's free and
sovereign grace in Christ Jesus the Lord? Who came behind and
said it wasn't true? Religious people came behind
and said it wasn't true. Well, here we find verse 26,
and when the blade was sprung up and brought forth fruit, there
appeared tares also. So the servants of the householder
came and said unto him, Sir, didst thou not sow good seed
in the field? From whence then hath it tares? Good question, because we know
that the word of God, the gospel of Christ Jesus the Lord, never
produces tares. Never! The fruit of preaching
the gospel is always regeneration and the blessing of new life
to people that are dead in trespasses and sin. That is the benefit
of preaching the gospel. So, didn't you? Yes, I did. I planted all good seed. And that's our responsibility. Never mix works with grace. Never have a donkey and an oxen
at the plow. That's what that passage in the
Old Testament means. Never mix law and grace. The
Old Testament talks about having two kinds of thread in your clothes. It doesn't mean that you can't
do that. It just means don't mix law and grace. It never works.
It is an abomination. Well, it goes on to say, he said
unto them, an enemy hath done this. The servant said unto him,
wilt thou that we go and gather them up? Oh, my goodness. I know
who they are, and I'll just yank them out of the ground. Listen
to the good keeper of the soil. Listen to the planter of the
seed. Listen to Christ as he goes on
in this picture to share with us. He said, but he said, no,
lest while you gather up the tares, you root also the wheat
from them. Doesn't mean tear them out of
the ground. It just means you're going to
create a problem here. And he says, let both of them grow together
until the harvest. Now the seed continues to go
out. Seed continues to go out. The seed continues to go out.
Every service, the seed goes out. And to those that know Christ,
it continues to be a blessing to their soul. Oh, thank you,
Lord. for finding me in the stone I
was hewn from. Thank you, Lord, for finding
me in the pit I was in. Thank you, Lord, for saving me
from all the sin I was in. Thank you for all the nonsense
I was in. Thank you for saving me from
the religion I was in. And it's a continuous thanksgiving
to Almighty God for what He has done on the behalf of His people.
But to the tares, it still means nothing. To the tares, it doesn't
change their fruit at all. To the tares, they remain the
same because they are not given ears to hear. Why? Because they
never were wheat. They never were of the good seed. They are those who did not come
to Jerusalem on the first day, second day, or the third day
in the days of Ezra and Shekinah over there. They remained outside
and they forfeited just like those who never come to Christ
will forfeit all their wealth and being and be shut out for
eternity. Well, it goes on to tell us here,
let both grow together until the harvest. Don't come in here
and say, oh, I know that one's saved and I know that one isn't.
Don't do it. Don't do that. Never do that. Where in the world
would you want somebody to be except in a place where they
can hear the gospel? Where would you want them to
go? We would even go to welcome. Why would they ever be different? Now, God's never going to change
a goat into a sheep, but I'll never. Now, in religion, it used
to be my job, but in Christ, it's his business. Known unto
God are all those that belong unto him, but it's not our business. Thank God they're here. Pray
for them. Thank God they're with us. Thank
God they hear the gospel. Well, he says, let both of them
grow together unto the harvest. There's a time coming when the
Lord will separate out the wheat and the tares. He'll take care
of it. And in the time of harvest, I will say to the reapers, gather
ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles, and
burn them. but gather the wheat into my
barn. That's what the Lord has to say
about it. Now this is good news to all those that have heard
the good news. I'm gonna be gathered into his
place. I'm gonna be gathered into his
barn. I'm gonna be gathered into his
glory. I'm gonna be gathered to where
he is, the enemy. Turn with me to 2 Corinthians
chapter 11 if you would. 2 Corinthians chapter 11. In
the days of Ezra, there are a lot of people that heard these very
words that come out of this. 2 Corinthians chapter 11 and
verse 13. A lot of people will say, you
know, You know, it's not right for us to adopt this religion.
This is wrong. There's only hope over here in
Christ. There's only hope over here in
the gospel, and there isn't. Oh, no, it's okay. It's okay.
It's okay. Settle down here with us. Settle
down here with us. You'll be okay. You'll be okay. You know,
what we believe and what you believe is almost the same thing,
and then you analyze it and say, there is no comparison. There is no, in religion, I could
see people saved everywhere. In Christ, you can say, only
people are saved and hear the gospel, the good news. A young man asked me the other
day, do you believe a Catholic is saved? I says, I believe the
Lord saves Catholics, but they're not going to stay there. They're
going to say Baptist. They're not going to stay under
that phlegm. They're not going to stay under
that stuff. They're going to get out. The names are so ridiculous
anymore. There is ever been two in all
the world, works or grace. That's it. And it is sad to say,
works is in the majority. But there's always going to be,
until the very end, grace being preached somewhere. And when the last sheep is saved,
there will be no need for any more preaching, and this will
be wrapped up. Look here in 2 Corinthians chapter
11. 2 Corinthians chapter 11 and
verse 13. For such are false apostles,
deceitful workers transforming themselves into the apostles
of Christ. Well, there was a wonderful preacher
in England at one time that was just put down furiously by the
known religion. You know why? Because he didn't
have a DD after his name. So, he just fixed it. He started
doing writing and he put letters after his name and it was SS,
Saved Sinner. That was his letters after his
name, Saved Sinner. Isn't it wonderful that everybody
that's in Christ Jesus has some letters after their name, Saved
Sinner. We don't need DDs, AMs, and all
the other stuff that goes with it. But we do need that, Saved
Sinner. Here's these apostles. It says
there in 2 Corinthians 11 and verse 13, For such are false
apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into
the apostles of Christ. Who transformed the apostles
into the apostles of Christ? Who took clay and made them spokesmen
for the gospel of God? Jesus Christ did that. They didn't
transform themselves. In fact, left to themselves,
and he said, I'll be just happy as a clam fishing. Are we just
happy as a clam as a tax collector? Are we just happy as a clam doing
this or that? And yet the Lord transformed
them into apostles of light, declaring the gospel of Jesus
Christ the Lord. His name shall be called Jesus,
for he shall save his people from their sins. This is God's
work. Now there's apostles that have
transformed, there are deceitful workers that have transformed
themselves into the apostles of light and there's no light
in them. All you have to listen. All you have to do is listen.
Just listen. You know, what is this? How are
they transformed? There's letters after their name
and they have smooth words. And they have practical godliness
and holy duties. And no gospel. This is how you're
supposed to live. This is how you're supposed to
raise your children. This is what you're supposed to do. And
if you don't like it, I'll watch over you and make sure you do.
Well, that's not the gospel. The gospel is God in Christ. Christ Jesus in God gave himself
a ransom for many and has given that life to his people. And
he has also put a guardian over them called the Holy Spirit.
And that guardian gives us great information about the word of
God. Turn with me, if you would, to the book of Romans chapter
16. Romans chapter 16. Romans chapter 16 and verse 18
it says For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ
But their own belly and by good words and fair speeches deceive
the hearts of the simple Can you just hear those going
out I think we're going to buy some property over here in in
this, this used to be the old property of Dan when they settled
this property. And we're going to go over there.
Now, next to our property, there's a golden calf. From Dan to Beersheba,
they put a calf, one at one end and the other, it just happens
to be real close over there. And you know, Jerusalem is just
a long ways to travel. Someone told me the other day,
mentioned to me the other day, I think it was one of my kids,
he said, you know what, dad, you have more people that travel
from a distance than right there in town. It's the truth. When we count
Zoom and when we count people that travel 90 miles, 30 miles, Well, we got right over here,
we have this golden calf called Baal. It's right next to our
property, and it's just too far to go over to Jerusalem. And
these folks here just about have as good a religion as we do,
so we're going to stay right here. And in the days of Ezra,
he says, you stay there first day, second day, third day. You
forfeited everything you own, and you will be an outcast. And
that's exactly what the Lord Jesus Christ told those On that
left-hand side, he says, depart from me, ye workers of iniquity,
for I never knew you. Welcome, sinners, to the kingdom prepared for you
from the foundation of the world. What a difference we find. Now,
would you travel with me back to the Book of Luke? I'm on safe
ground in the Book of Luke because it's going to be two years before
Mike gets here. He's been going through the book of Luke and
just outstanding study, but turn with me to the book of Luke chapter
13 There's a parable mentioned here in Luke chapter 13 that
I want to look at for just a moment this morning This is a parable
about a fig tree. That's not producing anything
For three years it hasn't produced anything and it's been noticed
by the owner Luke chapter 13 verse 1 now there were present
at that season a that told him of the Galileans whose blood
Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. You know, it's just
always, you just can't wait till something bad happens and you
find out how many people just live on bad news. Just live on
it. I can't wait to tell you about
this. Well, these people were no different than the days of
the Lord Jesus. Did you hear about what happened over there?
Pilate had mingled these people with the sacrifices? Well, suppose
ye, Jesus said, those Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans
because they suffered such things? I tell you, no, but except ye
repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen whom
the tower of Siloam fell and slew them, think ye that they
were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? Can't you
just hear people when these things happen? Boy, those must have
really been bad people because look what happened to them. Pilate
slew those people, mingled their blood with the sacrifice, and
then there's a tower over there that stood there for 100 years,
and it fell over and killed 18 people. Those must have been
really bad sinners. Jesus says, are you kidding? Tell you no, but except you repent
you shall likewise perish. There's a time coming if God
does not grant repentance You'll perish worse than they He spake
unto the also this parable a certain man had a fig tree planted in
his vineyard a Fig tree or fig trees in a vineyard The guy that's
going to be asking for more time is a vine dresser. He's a regular
man that works in a vineyard. But in the middle of this, there's
a fig tree. As a certain man had a fig tree planted in his
vineyard, and he came and sought fruit thereof and found none.
Then said he unto the dresser of the vineyard, behold, these
three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Listen to these words. Cut it
down. Why cumbereth it the ground? And he answering, the vinedresser, said unto him, Lord. Now he respected
this man's words. Can you hear that? Lord, master. But if it please you, if you
would consider this, if you would allow it. You remember Abraham
praying over Sodom? Lord, if there's 30 down there,
would you spare that place? Yeah, I'll do that. What, 25? Okay, 20. Please beg forgiveness of me,
15. Ten. The Lord kept saying this. You know, there wasn't even that
many in there. And guess what? The Lord sent his messengers
down there to deliver just three. Four. One turned to a pillar
of salt because she never left. Lot was taken out of that terrible
place before he consumed it. His two daughters. All right,
it says here. He answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone,
this year also, till I dig about it and dung it, or fertilize
it. And if it bear fruit, well, and
if not, then after that thou shall cut it down. A certain man, we run into that
word certain a number of times in scripture, there was a certain
woman, so forth, had a fig tree. And for three years, he came
to that. He knew that fig tree. He knew where it was located.
He knew all about it. He knew that it was not bearing
fruit the first year, the second year, and the third year. You
know, an old writer in England wrote, Christ came three times,
through Moses, the prophets, and through the Lord Jesus Christ. If they did not believe Moses
and the prophets, they did not believe the one rose from the
dead. He came and he said, cut it down. And then there was someone, there
was someone, there was someone that interceded on the behalf
of this big tree. Now it was just worthless. It
covered the ground. It prevented other things from
growing. It was in the way. And the easiest
and the least costly thing of all was just simply cut it down
and get rid of it and burn it up. And yet someone pled its
case. Someone came to say, Lord, let's
do one more year. Let's just try one more year
with this. Well, That person interceded
effectually on the behalf of that fig tree because he got
another year. I am convinced that at the end
of that year, when this emissary, this advocate, this one, You
know, left to ourself, we're just that dumb fig tree out in
the middle of a vineyard, and we're cumbering the ground, and
we're not producing anything spiritual or pleasing to God.
In fact, just the opposite. We put out the green shoots,
but it's still absolutely useless. The fruit is not there. The Lord
Jesus said, do you get figs off of a briar tree? Absolutely not. Was the owner of that fig tree,
was he right in saying, cut it down? Absolutely. You know what's
amazing to me? When you first think about it,
that God did not just smack this world instantly when Adam sinned
against him and just clean it off and say, that's enough. But
he had a purpose. foundationed before the foundation
of the world that he would save his people from their sins. They're going to cumber the ground. They're going to be the onerous
cumbering of the ground. They're going to kill the soil
around them. They're not going to have any
benefit in them. They're going to put forth briars
and thorns of all kinds. They're going to be absolutely
useless. until God comes with his seed,
and he digs, and he puts his great fertilizing ability of
the Holy Spirit in, and there's a miracle. Lost sheep become found sheep,
and they produce the works of God. How many of those folks stayed
over there, around that golden calf, around those other places?
The scriptures never tell us. We don't find out how many there
are. In fact, we only know this about
those who came. There was a number that no man
can number, but he knows how many there are. Would you turn
with me to the book of Hebrews chapter 11 for just a moment?
Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 7. Hebrews chapter 11 and verse
7 we are shared the name of Noah in the New Testament He's mentioned
several times, but in Hebrews chapter 11 we have this Hebrews
chapter 11 and verse 7 it says by faith Hebrews chapter 11 verse
7 by faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as
yet and What is that? He'd never seen it rain, and
yet God said it's going to rain. You know what? God gave him faith
to understand, you just listen to me and you'll do okay. He said there, by faith Noah
being warned of God of things not yet seen as yet, moved with
fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house. Now, for
600 years he built that ark. He built it and people came by,
And I've heard they made all kinds of fun of him. I don't
know whether they mocked him. And yet when that day come and
that rain did come, the only ones that were delivered were
the ones in that ark. And there was eight. By the witch, he condemned the
world and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. Turn with me to 1 Peter chapter
3. 1st Peter chapter 3 we have Noah mentioned again 1st Peter
chapter 3 verse 20 the scriptures share Which sometime were disobedient
When once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of
Noah while the ark was a preparing the long-suffering of God Hm, the long-suffering of God
waited in the days of Noah while the ark was a preparing wherein
few, that is eight souls, were saved by water. And in 2 Peter
2, 2 Peter 2, and there in verse 5, Noah again, and spared not
the old world, but saved Noah, the eighth person, a preacher
of righteousness, bringing in a flood upon the world. of the
ungodly. At that appointed time, God sent
forth that water and everyone that was not in that ark was
destroyed. Everyone that did not come to
Jerusalem suffered the forfeiture of everything and were not allowed
to participate or be in. What a word. It was right and
it was reasonable for that Lord to say, cut it down. But how
thankful we are that there was an ambassador, an immediator
on our behalf that said, wait until the appointed time. We heard read over there in the
book of Peter that God is long-suffering to usward. That's the only reason
that that fig tree isn't cut out before its time. He's long-suffering
to usward. not willing that any should perish,
but all should come to repentance. He has promised salvation to
every one of his elect, and he will carry it out, even though
they are cumbers of the ground, even though they are an obstruction
to progress, even though they are They just profane the very
name of God by their actions and by their words and by their
preaching. They are insufferable and yet
God has purposed to leave them right there until someday the
gospel comes along and they hear it. God creates life and they're
saved. And then we say, oh, what a wreck
I could be for eternity. Going over there to the book
of Ezra for just a moment, Ezra chapter 10 again. Ezra chapter 10, verse 7, it
says, and they made proclamations throughout Judah and Jerusalem,
all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves
together unto Jerusalem. Get over to Jerusalem and then
we had verse 8 if you don't in verse 9 then all the men of Judah
and Benjamin Gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within
three days. Whoo What a gathering they heard
something now if you'll turn with me to Ezra chapter 1 This
is why they heard something They didn't have good sense. They'd
have stayed there, out there, been there. They'd have kept
the property. They'd have just stayed there
by those idols. They'd have just stayed there. If it hadn't been
for something, God does. And it tells us right here in
Ezra chapter 1, verse 5. It says, then rose up the chief
of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin and the priests and the Levites
with all them whose spirit God had raised up. How come they
came out of all that places? Because God moved on them. They'd
have stayed there. They'd have just continued to
cumber the ground, being worthless, and yet God moved on them, brought
them out. Thank God for the intervening
power of the Holy Spirit. We just stay there until the
end and forfeit everything and for eternity be lost if it wasn't
for God's grace. To those he wrote their names
down in the Lamb's Book of Life before the foundation of the
world. And he says, I will lose none of them. They'll all be
found. They may be all sore cumbers
of the ground when I find them. But it's an appointed time. And
so the Lord did that. Only after. And those people
are going to confess. the wrongs that they had only
after all of God's activity do we ever really realize. As it said over there, all of
this happened that you In the end, then you shall know
your evil doings and your evil thoughts after we've been regenerated. So there's a whole bunch came.
How many we don't know? How many stayed? We don't know.
But I can say this, those without Christ will forfeit all and for
eternity be lost. Those who did all of the work
stood on the left-hand side. Those who had Christ do all the
work stood on the right hand side. Brother Mike, if you'll
come.