You join me this morning in the
book of Ezra. Ezra chapter two. Ezra chapter two. As we look
at some passages here. And I want you to put your finger
right there. But to preface our study this morning, I would like
to direct our attention for a short reading over in the book of Acts. Put your finger in Ezra chapter
two and join me a short reading in the book of Acts chapter 8
We have mentioned a number of times that the Lord has been
so gracious to us That he would allow us to see him in some what
often appeared to be obscure places And by that I mean when we study
some of the book of Leviticus and When we study some of the
book of Malachi, when we study some of the book of Ezra, there
are verses that are in long lists that sometimes I've just had
to skip over. To my shame. But I saw nothing
there. But it is, it reminds me of this
passage over in the book of Acts chapter eight. when there was
a quite religious man traveled a great distance up to Jerusalem. As I was looking at this passage
of scripture this morning, it struck me this man not only knew
Ethiopian, but he knew Hebrew. He's reading from the Old Testament
Hebrew scroll. He's an intelligent man. He is
a wise man. He has a great deal of power. He has become a proselyte of
the Jewish religion He had traveled up to Jerusalem for religious
services And he went and came back in the same condition Nothing
had happened while he was up there and admired all the services
but here in God's good providence I in God's purpose of grace as
God unfolds for us the mystery of the gospel. He shares with
us in Acts chapter eight that as this man is traveling back
to Ethiopia, God has had an eternal purpose that is being carried
out in time, and that was someone who knew the mystery of the gospel
was going to intersect with this man who was quite religious,
knowledgeable, wise, and knew several languages, but did not
understand the scriptures. In Acts chapter 8 and verse 30,
we read these words, And Philip ran thither to him, and heard
him read the prophet Isaiah, and said, Understandest thou
what thou readest? Now this man is so honest. I don't know what I would have
said if I was in that condition, but I probably, in my religion,
would have never admitted that I didn't understand what I was
reading. This man had been given a great gift by the Holy Spirit
and that was to be honest with Philip and said, the next verse,
and he said, how can I? Now that was a work of God's
marvelous grace. for him to answer that question
with sincerity and honestly, and it only came from Almighty
God. How can I? Religious people will
never admit they don't understand the Bible. We know all about
it. We're all theologians. But when it comes to Christ,
we find out when he saves us by his grace, were just empty
vessels waiting to be filled with the blessings of God's word
through God's spirit as it's preached unto us by God's preacher. How can I accept some man should
guide me? And he desired Philip that he
would come up and sit with him. The place of the scripture where
he read was this. Now, if we just look at this
from a literal standpoint, we too. What's he talking about? Sheep, and slaughter, and dumb,
and shears, and what's he talking about? Well, the man is honest.
I don't understand it. And he began, he placed the scripture
he read. He was led as a sheep to the
slaughter and like a lamb dumb before his shear, so he opened,
so opened he not his mouth, In his humiliation, his judgment
was taken away, and who shall declare his generation, for his
life is taken from the earth? Isaiah chapter 53. And the eunuch answered Philip,
and said, I pray thee, of whom speakest the prophet this, of
himself or some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth.
and began at the same scripture and preached unto him Jesus. Now that was an obscure passage
of scripture to the Ethiopian eunuch, Isaiah chapter 53, and
without the revelation of Jesus Christ by His Spirit, we find
that the Bible itself is obscure passages of Scripture and all
that we can get out of it is history, morality, run people
down because we're better than they are, and so forth and so
on. The scriptures teach us that
when we are truly taught of God, we will understand. Now, we're going back to the
book of Ezra, chapter two, and there is, to me, at least for
a long time, a passage of scripture that was obscure. Why do we even
have it? What is the purpose of it? What message can we get from
it? Well, I pray this morning as we read this passage of scripture,
we can get something out of it. Because when we compare scripture
with scripture, when we look at this passage of scripture
with that passage of scripture, it often shares with us the truth
of the gospel, the truth of that passage, as we are led by the
Holy Spirit. In the book of Ezra chapter 2,
I'd like to read verses 59 through 63. In this long list, 70 verses
in this chapter. I cannot tell you how many times
when I was young, I went into the library and I could care
less about the title or the author, I was looking for the size. I was probably in my 30s before
I read a book that was over 300 pages long. Here, coming up against a chapter
of scripture with 70 verses, Why, oh why would we have that? Well, right here in the middle,
we find in chapters 59 through 63 these words. Ezra chapter
2 verses 59 through 63. And these were they which went
up from Telmele, Telharshah, Cherub, Adon, and Emer. Now that's Dufur, the Dalles,
Hood River, places in Babylon. They came from there. But they
could not show their father's house and their seed whether they were
of Israel. Did you notice that? They could not show their father's
house and their seed, whether they were of Israel. Now, the
next verse. And the children of Delilah,
the children of Tobiah, the children of Nechodah, 650 and 2, and the
children of the priests, the children of Habiah, and the children
of Koz, and the children of Berzeliah, which took a wife of the daughters
of Berzelia, the Gileadite, and was called after their name. These sought their register among
those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found. Therefore, were they as polluted
put from the priesthood. The Tereshatta said unto them
that they should not eat the most holy things till there stood
up a priest with the Urim and the Thummim. In this group of folks leaving
Babylon after they or their family had been there for 70 years,
And arriving at Jerusalem, they had spent four months in travel,
800 miles of travel from Babylon to Jerusalem. Upon arriving at
Jerusalem, we find that these, in these few verses, there was
a handful that were mentioned, and that by name, They could
not show themselves as Israelites or they could not show themselves
as the tribe of Levi. They wanted to be priests but
they could not be priests if they were not of the tribe of
Levi. They wanted to be Israelites
but if they could not be Israelites because We find all the blessings
that God was dispensing at that day and time was upon Israel. We find a group of people that
sought to be either Israelites or Levites and could not show
it. What a dilemma for these folks. after going
through all that they had gone through for 70 years, and pretending
to be Levites, and pretending to be of Israel, when it came
down to the very examination of where they stood, they found
out they couldn't prove a thing. They were not of Israel, they
couldn't prove it. They were not of Levi, they couldn't
prove it. And they're asked not to participate. These folks found themselves
in a dilemma. They were going under a banner
of members of Israel, of the priestly family, and when it
came time to begin the rites and sacrifices that get at Jerusalem,
they were unable to demonstrate that they were of Judah or of
Levi. They could not participate in
the sacrifices and they could not participate in the priesthood
if they were not what they said they were. There were some that
could not prove themselves Israelites, who presumed they were of the
seed of Jacob, but they could not produce their pedigree. There were others that could
not prove themselves priests, and were supposed to be of the
seed of Aaron. Can you imagine spending 70 years
or 50 years 20 years or 30 years or five years back in Babylon
and telling everybody who I'm with my folks Telling everybody
I'm one of the priests now while they're there They cannot practice
that but to tell everybody they knew we are the family of Judah
we're the family of Levi and come down to Jerusalem after
traveling for four months, living in Babylon for 70 years or less,
and coming up to this very place in their life, and hear someone
say, I'm sorry. You're not of us. It wasn't that
they weren't a member of a church. It was because they didn't have
a pedigree. They sold their birthright for
the honor of being gentlemen there in Babylon. Would you turn
with me to the book of Isaiah chapter 48? In Isaiah chapter
48, verse 1, the prophet Isaiah He was very unpopular with his
folks. He was of the tribe of Judah.
He wasn't a Levite, but he was of the tribe of Judah, and he
is commissioned by Almighty God to write some material for the
nation of Israel. He was commissioned by God to
write a book. long letter to Israel and bring
it up to the forefront in front of them and God would deal with
it as he saw fit Just like he does with the gospel today in
Isaiah chapter 48 in verse 1 hear ye this O house of Jacob which
are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the
waters of Judah, which swear by the name of the Lord, and
make mention of God of Israel, but not in truth, not in righteousness. Whoa, what a statement Isaiah
is bringing up to those people that he's preaching to. That
you say you are and you have gone along with, but when it
comes down to the truth of the matter, you don't know him in
truth nor in righteousness. God is anybody to these folks
and his righteousness means nothing to these folks. So Isaiah spots
them as God gives him the ability and gives him the understanding
about this. What does God say to these things? Turn with me if you would to
the book of Luke chapter 10. In Luke chapter 10, Luke chapter 10 verse 17 The
Lord had 12 disciples and one of them he said His other devil
son of perdition But he had 70 preachers at one time going out
two by two 35 teams of preachers going out Here in Luke chapter 10 verse
17 We have them coming back. Now, the interesting thing about
this, when you see grace, when you're saved by the grace of
God, you understand that the Lord already knows what's going
on. It's no mystery what has happened with them. When they
come back to report what has happened, he already knows what
has happened. He already knows what's going
through their heart. He already knows what's going through their
mind. He already knows everything they're going to say. but they
come back anyway and report and he listens to them. Here in the
book of Luke chapter 10 verse 17, and Jesus answering said, I'll get to Luke chapter 10. Luke chapter 10. Verse 17, and
the 70 returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils
were subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them,
I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto
you power to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the
power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you,
notwithstanding in this rejoice not. I've given you that power. I'm the one that have submitted
them. I'm the one that have brought
them down. I'm the one that has done this. Rejoice not that the spirits
are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are
written in heaven. Rejoice not that you're an Israelite
when you're not. Rejoice not that you're a Levite
and you're not. But whatever, rejoice in this,
that your names are written in heaven. That's the point. Notwithstanding, rejoice in this,
Now we heard read the passage of scripture in the book of Matthew
chapter 22 about the wedding feast. And it tells us in that
gathering of people that came in, there was a gentleman that
came in and he wore not a wedding garment. Now the thing about
this is, under their culture, you didn't have to go out and
buy the suit. You didn't have to go buy the
garment. that was not required. The person
who invited you to the wedding provided the garment for you.
So we find it's more serious than we thought when someone
comes in and is not wearing, it's not because he's broke and
it's not because he couldn't find it because everybody else
bought the garments before he got there. It is not because
of any reason except he didn't want to wear that robe in this
invited wedding. He wanted his own garments to
be seen. He wanted his own robe to be
seen, instead of the robe that would be provided for him. And
the Lord, as he's talked about in that passage of scripture,
the king came in, and everybody in there are wearing these glorious
garments, except one is in his rags. And I say that with great
honor because he probably bought them at JCPenney. He had a fine
suit to wear. He had his tie just in the right
place. It was color match. He did everything
that was possible to make him look presentable, but he did
not have the wedding garment that would have been provided
for him. He would rather wear his own in presence of the king. And then we find out what the
king did for him. He didn't say, go get the right
garment on. He told his servants, bind him
hand and foot and cast him out into outer darkness where there
will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. In other words, the
Lord is illustrating to us that without the proper garment, we
will not be in his presence. We will be in the left-hand side
and not the right-hand side, cast into outer darkness, where
there's weeping and gnashing of teeth. Can you imagine these
folks that had traveled all this time after being in Babylonian
captivity for those at least 70 years, some of them were probably
born after that, and they were told by their parents or their
grandparents, guess what? We're the tribe of, we belong
to Israel. And some of them whispered in
their kids' ears, guess what? You're going to grow up to be
a priest. You're going to be a priest. You're of the Levite
tribe and you're going to be a priest." When they got word
that they were going down to Jerusalem and they're going to
rebuild the temple and later to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem,
they said, when we get there, you're going to be part of and
you're going to be part of the priesthood and we'll get to watch
you offer sacrifices or do the duties around the temple as it's
rebuilt. And when they get down there,
they find out that they cannot prove their pedigree because
their names are not written in it and shame is all they own. In Galatians chapter 6. Galatians chapter 6. What is it that will bring the
pretending to a halt quicker than anything? Christ. The preaching of Christ will
cause the pretending to come to a halt quicker than anything. it will stop the pretending because
the first crack out of the mouth is, I don't believe that. A very dear friend of mine I
spoke to on the phone this last week, His daughter was visiting him
and his daughter wanted to have some private time with her dad.
She lives two and a half hours away. She wanted to have a private
time with her dad. Well, he was willing to do that.
So they got alone and she started bringing up the Bible and spiritual
things. He was talking to her and she
finally said, ''Dad, I can understand by what you're
telling me that you don't think I'm saved. And he said, you're right. I don't believe you are. And
she says, why do you say that? And he said, number one, you've
never been a sinner. And number two, you do not believe
the record about Christ. He'd bring up a passage of scripture.
I don't believe that. Bring up another passage. I don't believe
that. When she talked about God, it was he or her. He said, you
don't believe the record. You know what her answer finally
was? You're right. You're right. I've never been
a sinner, and I don't believe the record. Well, that's a great
place to be in, better than not asking. The Lord has been gracious
to bring her up to that point. And I look forward to the time
when he can say, she just called me and the Lord's revealed himself
to her. We are required to treat everybody
like Jacobs. those who God has chosen in Christ
before the foundation of the world and let him sift it out. Well, back to the book of Galatians,
Galatians 6, verse 12 and 13. Galatians 6, the Lord through
the apostle Paul is dealing with those folks in Galatia that had
gone after another gospel. He said, I am so shocked that
you would so soon depart from him who has the truth, that you
want to get back under this religion that you've been under, that
you want this covering over you of religion, that you want to
look like you're spiritual, but you have no spiritual bones in
you. Here in the sixth chapter of the Book of Galatians, verse
12, the scriptures share with us this. as many as desire to
make a fair show in the flesh. Those folks that traveled all
those 800 miles and finally got up to Jerusalem and saw, this
is going to be so neat. Those folks are going to have
to build the temple and I'm going to go around with some smoke. Those folks are going to have
to build the wall and I'm just going to go around like this
and give God's blessing upon them. Then they're told, you
can't prove where you came from. You don't have your names written
down in these books. You're not of Israel and you're
not of Levi. We're going to ask you to step
aside. That's exactly what God does
when we come to him with those false, ideas and false pedigree
and say we're going to be here because we are righteous and
we are self-righteous is what we're saying. Well, Galatians
chapter 6 and verse 12, as many as desire to make a fair show
in the flesh. They constrain you to be circumcised,
only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of
Christ. For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the
law, but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your following
our instructions." We can make a note in our mission report
about this. In the book of Matthew chapter
6, would you turn there with me? Matthew chapter 6, I'm not
going to read verses 1 through 16, but I want to pick out two
or three verses out of there. Matthew chapter 6, and here we
find as the Lord is speaking on that great sermon on the mount,
Matthew chapter 6, and it tells us here in verse 1. Now, three things are brought
out in this passage of scripture that are very important to religion.
but they have no part in Christ, and that is showing off what
you give, showing off when you fast, and
showing off when you pray. They have no part. He says, win,
take heed. Now, the only reason he's bringing
this up because there's a problem. There is a problem with humanity. There's a problem with people
that want to do this. In Christ, he says, go to your
closet, do it in private, and well, take heed that you do not
your alms before men to be seen of them. Otherwise, you have
no reward or your father which is in heaven. The other day,
a man says, well, what are you going to be doing this weekend,
Norm? I said, well, Sunday I'm going to church." That quick
he became very religious. It was instant. He wanted to
share with me just what good things he's been doing. That
quick. Now, I want to answer people
honestly when they ask me what I want to do in the weekend.
But I'm not asking for any special comments about what they do,
to make themselves welcome in the presence of God. Don't do
your alms before men. Take care of it by yourself.
The next thing we find in here is don't pray to be seen and
heard of men. One of the most difficult things
for people to do that really know Christ is to pray in public. because our real prayer is in
private. The next thing is, people want
to have some religious ceremony and he brings it up as fasting. There were folks in that day
and time that when they fasted, they put flour on their face
so they look blunt. Whatever it was. So the people
said, oh my goodness. Let's bow before this guy. He
is really serving God. He's fasting. And he's probably
been doing it for four hours. The most religious things, the
Lord said, don't get this involved in your service of me. In the
book of Luke, chapter 16, Verse 14 and 15, we have these words
that are left for us. Luke chapter 16, verses 14 and
15. And the Pharisees also, who were
covetous, heard all these things and they derided him. What does
that mean? They made fun of the Lord Jesus
Christ. They mocked the King of glory. They will wear their own attire. They will go in their own clothing,
their own righteousness. Jesus said unto them, ye are
they which justify yourselves before men, but God knoweth your
hearts. For that which is highly esteemed
among men is abomination in the sight of God. We are of Israel. If that's what you have, what
did God say? It's an abomination unto God. We are of Levi. What does God
say? That's an abomination unto God. We are of Christ. All right,
let's talk. He said unto them, ye are which
justify yourselves. The scriptures tell us about
these folks that travel these 800 miles in different words
and in different places of the Bible. But the New Testament,
the Lord instructs us a great deal about it. But all their
works they do for to be seen of men. Even so ye also outwardly
appear righteous unto men, but within you are full of hypocrisy
and iniquity. For we dare not to make ourselves
of the number or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves,
but they are measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves
with themselves are not wise. The parable of the sower. A sower
went forth to sow and he sowed four kinds of ground and only
one was prepared by God and that brought forth fruit. This verse
of scripture I used to just hate when preachers would bring it
up because when you run with Calvinist, you're going to hear
it. I was a Calvinist. I traded my
freewillism for Calvinism down in Dallas, Texas. I've shared
with you many times it was like trading in my Ford for a Chevy
or preferably a Dodge. Went from one religion to another
religion and that's all it was. But when they would read this,
found in 2nd Peter chapter 1, and I found myself always misquoting
it when I quoted it. 2nd Peter chapter 1, verse 10. Wherefore the rather, 2nd Peter
chapter 1 verse 10. Wherefore, the rather brethren
give diligence to make your calling. Now, I used to put the word and
in there, calling in election. Did you see what it says? Your
calling and election. To make your calling and election
sure. For if you do these things, you
shall never fall. God has blessed us in such a
capacity that he allows us to make our calling and election
sure. One of the ways that that is
done is what think ye of Christ. One of the ways that is done
is, do I believe the report? Do I believe the record? Is there
passages of scripture about the Lord Jesus Christ that I would
just as soon set aside and say, I don't want that? Do I believe
it? Have I ever, ever really been
a sinner before God? Well, make your calling and election
sure, and we might close. Our time is about out, but we
might close this way. We might ask these questions. Where do you trace your pedigree
to? I've had people tell me they
traced it right back to church membership. That's where my pedigrees
are. I'm the member of the first Thessalonican
Baptist Church. Or works, I trace it. My good
works are going to outweigh my bad works. Or my self-righteousness. I've done so many good deeds,
God's just going to have to deal with it that way. Or importance,
or a decision for Jesus, or an altar call, or turning over a
new leaf. Those that only have a profession
simply do not have Christ. The opposite for a Christian
is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Those that have a profession
simply do not have Christ. But where does a believer go
to when he's called to question? What's your pedigree? I go to
Christ. my first and my last. I go to
Christ as my alpha and omega. I go to Christ as my author and
finisher. I go to Christ as my all and
in all. I go to Christ for all my salvation. I go to Christ for all my savior. I go to Christ without any reliance
on the flesh. For we are the circumcision which
worship God in the spirit and rejoice in Jesus Christ and have
no confidence in the flesh. Philippians chapter 3 and verse
3. What makes the difference? God
makes the difference. Where is it that will spot that? You take people to Christ as
the only Savior, as the only hope, as the only one that can
take us from darkness to light, and you'll find that that is
repulsive to the non and a blessing to the. Christ is the issue. So these folks, they get all
that way over there, And they say, I'm sorry, your pedigree
is not here in the book. Just as Jesus Christ will say
in that day, your names are not here. Guess what? They will be speechless. Speechless. just as the man without the proper
garment will be speechless. Brother Mike.