All right turn to Luke chapter
18 if you want to follow along The title of my message you should
already know it's the title of that song we just sang come Humble
sinner And that middle word may God allow us to get a hold of
it this morning it ain't just come sinner Certainly that's
true, but it's come humble sinner Luke chapter 18 verse 9 and he
spake So about Christ here and he spake this parable unto certain
which trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised
others And this is the parable and remember it is a parable
and That doesn't mean that there was not some event where something
along this line ever happened, but it is a parable. Two men
went up into the temple to pray. The one, a Pharisee. The other, a publican. The Pharisee
stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank Thee that I am not
as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as
this publican. I fast twice in the week. I give
tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar
off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but
smoked upon his breast, saying, God, be merciful to me, a sinner. I tell you. You see that? I tell you. This man, that is
the second one, the publican, this man went down to his house
justified rather than the other. For everyone that exalteth himself
shall be abased. And he that humbleth himself
shall be exalted. Our Lord was never and inherent
to today's religious tolerance. Never. Now let me explain what
I mean by that. Our Lord did not come into this
world with a big club, whacking everyone that didn't agree with
Him. Did He? He could have come, had
it been God's purpose, the first time, in flaming fire, taking
vengeance on them that know not God. One day he will. But today's religious tolerance
is not about the freedom of religion spoken of in the Constitution.
It's about this willy-nilly, to each his own, We're all going
to the same place, even if we're taking different roads to get
there. Our Lord did not adhere to such
things. And he spoke out against it. You hear what I said? There was
his lack of tolerance. He didn't come whacking people,
but he spoke out against it. I have seven things to try to
give you this morning. seven observations from this
passage. The last two I want to deal with
in detail, so the first five I probably will not deal with
in a lot of detail, but let me give you these seven things.
First of all, concerning this account here and this parable,
our Lord Jesus Christ named those in error. You hear what I said? He named those in error, and
he spake this certain parable unto certain certain Well, but we ought to be ought
to be more general, you know, don't pinpoint things don't point
out certain people He said, this Lord, he spake this parable unto
certain. Now if you go back and look,
the whole account, you'll see part of it in chapter 17, in
verse 20, and when he was demanded of the Pharisees. Think of this,
a group of men demanding of God anything. Now did they know they
were demanding of God something? No, they didn't know him either,
Joe. These were the Pharisees. When he was demanded of the Pharisees
when the kingdom of God should come. And let me put it to you
this way. Listen to our Lord's answer,
ye premillennialists. Our Lord's answer is the kingdom
of God is within you. And it's got to be within you
first before you'll ever be in it in the future. You hear what
I say? I'm not here to defend premillennialism.
I'm here to try to preach the truth of God. He named those in error. These
are the certain he talked about because then when he got to his
parable, he said two men went up in the temple to pray. One
was what? He named their group. Didn't
he? A Pharisee. Maybe he was a free
will Baptist too. Maybe he was of the Church of
Christ. Huh? Do I need to keep on going? Maybe
he was a Presbyterian. A reformed Presbyterian. If you're going to be something,
why do you need to reform it? Just be something else. If what
you are to start with ain't good enough, don't reform that. Be
something else. Martin Luther found that out.
He tried to reform Rome, didn't work. He had to start what we
call now the Lutheran Church. Good for him on that behalf.
He finally figured out a little something, didn't he? No, he
named those in error. He said a Pharisee. One of these
people I'm talking about here is a Pharisee. And there are
times, folks, when we have to pinpoint what we're talking about.
Here's the error and here's the name of it. That's the first point. Simple
enough, right? Read it again. Simple enough.
He spake this parable unto certain. In one of his illustrations,
what far say he? Not only did he name those in error, he named
their error. He spake this parable unto certain
which trusted in themselves that they were righteous. and despised
others. There's been people come to me
and say, boy, you think you're really a righteous person. They really
have not got what I've been trying to say for over 30 years. I'm not talking about me being
righteous. I'm talking about the righteous
one who is seated at the right hand of God the Father. That's
what I'm talking about. We preach not ourselves, but
Christ Jesus the Lord. They trusted in themselves that
they were righteous and despised others. And let me tell you, in each
and every one of us, there is that same evil, wicked heart. Do not think you have escaped
it yet. Delivered from its dominion?
Yes, but not escaped it completely yet. Not only did he name those in
error, not only did he name the error, this is still number two
though, he named his consequences. I tell you, this man went down
to his house justified rather than the other. The Pharisee
went back home just like he came. Right? The publican went back
home different, David. Justified. Justified. So one and two, he named those
in error, he named the error, and he named its consequences.
This ain't about just heaven and hell. This is about whether
I, where I live, am I justified or not. Where I live at, where
I spend my days and my nights, where I rest, where I labor,
where I come back to, Joe, every time I go somewhere, I always
come back to there. Back down to my house, where
my life is. Do I live there justified or
not? There's a question. There's a
question. Heaven and hell will be answered
by that question. Whether you go back down to your
house justified or not. Number three, he did not generalize. I've already pointed that out.
He did not generalize. Well now, there's some people around here.
Huh? Well, there's some people. That's
the way we're supposed to do it today. I say this not for
pity's sake, but it's tough sometimes preaching to a small group like
this. Because when you try to point out certain things that
you know are wrong, guess what? There's only so many people you
could be talking to. The perpetrator can't hide in
the corner somewhere, and the one trying to expose the problem
is all right out in the open. He must be talking about me.
Yes. Yes, I'm talking about you all.
I'm talking about you all. I'm talking about me. I'm talking
about me. Never think, was he talking about
so-and-so, and I'm talking about you. I'm talking about you. I'm talking about me. He didn't
generalize, that's number three. Number four, I know I have to explain, he
was not anti-establishment. Look at it. Two men went up into
the temple to pray. What did that matter? A few years
later, that temple was going to be destroyed. Right? It was a type or a shadow or
a figure at best. Right? What did it really matter? Yet he says two men went up to
the temple to pray. He wasn't afraid of what was
established worship in his day. Now you hear what I'm saying? That's what I'm talking about.
Because God had established his worship centered, centered at,
not in, but centered at the temple in that day. You got people today,
well, but I don't like the old archaic church. I want something
more modern, more up to date. You're full of hookies, what
you are. You don't get it. God's established order for the
truth. The ground and foundation of
the truth is found where? According to Paul, in the church.
It's the ground and pillar of the truth. Is that not what the
book says? That's where it's found at. And
in the church, we basically do these things. We gather, we preach, we pray, we read the
scripture, and we sing. And that's all this book tells
us to do. So we got no need to add anything else to it because
if God ordained that is the way, that's good enough. If you use
something else, if you add to or take away, you can't be sure
that God's in the midst of it. Now you want something else?
Anybody here? You want something else? Right
there's the doors. You can go find it. There's plenty
of it out there. But if you want to hear the truth of God, this
is a place to come. This is the place to come. That's
the way it is. He was not anti-establishment
when John received the revelation of Jesus Christ remember John
the Apostle Exiled on the Isle of Patmos. Where is the first
place that John seeing Christ? Exalted in his glory. He said
I saw him in the midst of the churches Wasn't it? Revelations chapter 1 verses
12 and 13, but even more than that number 5 is Jesus Christ
was not a pacifist in all matters I've just I've heard that on
TV here late about that. We know we have the shooting
horrible despicable thing And I'll put this on tape, even though
I have no reason to believe that those people in that building
know the truth of God whatsoever. It's still a horrible, despicable
thing. Because it could happen right
here. And the only reason it hasn't is because God's restrained
it. There are people who hate us enough, they'd kill us if
they could. And we're Peace Squad. We don't mean nothing. We're
not causing no great convulsions on the earth, are we? Are we? We're not even on the radio or
TV or anything yet. I said, yet, maybe. But they
still hate us with a passion. But he was not a pacifist in
all matters. He said these two men, they went up to the temple
to pray. And what happened? What did he himself do when he
found people making gain in the temple of God? Read the writers. It said he went up to the temple,
he made him a whip of cords. And he ran those people out of
the temple. He turned over their tables where
they were exchanging money for doves and stuff. They were doing
this for profit. They weren't doing it for the
worship of God. And he said, God said, my house will be a
house of prayer. You've made it a den of thieves.
And he physically, he was not a pacifist. In all matters, Mason,
we talked about this the other day. Not in all matters. There's
times when you gotta stand up and say, look out. Look out. You attack me, that's
one thing. That's one thing. You attack
any of my brothers and sisters, that's a whole lot different.
And we all, we all ought to be of the same attitude. Attack
me, that's fine. Beat the devil out of me, that's
fine. But don't touch one of my brothers or sisters in Christ. Don't do it. Now, he was not
a pacifist in all things. Away with this false Jesus that
people are presenting to us. That's what people, oh, Jesus
was a pacifist in all things. You got somebody walk into your
assembly and gunned down several of your members? Put that man
in the electric chair and put him to death. Put him in the electric chair.
We got to forgive him. Your forgiveness don't mean squat.
It don't mean squat. God's forgiveness is all that
matters. And that's up to God. We know that. A lot of those
people out there don't. Even Paul said, if I've done
anything worthy of death, do what? What'd he say? Put me to death. If the law says
I've done something worthy of death, then do it. Do it. Our God manifest in the flesh
is not the Jesus of modern day religion. And you remember that. We don't just believe a few things
different about Jesus, we're talking about different Jesuses. Five, he was not a pacifist in
all matters. Now having said those five things,
the Christ of God and his doctrine is as foreign today to men as
it was to them back then. Even in light of the New Testament
scripture. Think about that. Those folks
had all the Old Testament scripture, they still didn't get it. And
today we got both old and new and we see how they go together,
and men still, Don't get it. Amen. That's right. Alright,
now here's the seven things. You thought I went through five
and only had a couple more to go, didn't you? That was introduction.
That was five introductory remarks. Here's the seven things. I want
to deal with the last two in more detail. First of all, religious
desire is not enough. Yeah. Two men went up to the
temple to pray. Yeah. That's right. Yes, sir.
Right? Exactly. And remember, this is
individuals. Our Lord didn't just say, now
here's a gob of Pharisees right there at the temple praying.
Over here was a big gob of, no, he said one Pharisee and one
publican. That's how particular this thing
is. You're not gonna ride into the kingdom of God on anybody
else's coattail. You can't take anybody else in
with you. You gotta go in at the forsaking
of everything and everyone else. Christ is first or he's not at
all. He's first or he's not at all.
Now he may or may not make you leave things behind. You hear
what I say? But if he does and you really
desire him, you'll leave it behind. And sometimes he'll make you
leave it behind. I know I've been there. I had something for
25 years that I cherished and God said, And it was gone. And you know
what? I'm not bitter now. Now at all. I'm not bitter now
at all. Religious desire is not enough.
Why come to chapel? Watch it. Watch it. That's a good thing, but it could
also be a damning thing. If you base your hope of righteousness
before God upon it. Religious desire is not enough.
Number two, all prayer is not equal. All prayer is not equal. The
Pharisee prayed thus, and our Lord defiled within himself. His prayer went no further than
himself. Now he gave God lip service,
did he not? God, I thank you. Right? But see, our Lord knows what
we really mean. You know what I'm saying? Oftentimes,
especially me and my lack of, I ain't gonna say lack of education,
I was educated, I just didn't pay attention when they were
trying to educate me. But my lack of education in that
sense, I know often I don't really say what I mean because I just
didn't learn like I should have. Now listen, we ought to always
say what we mean. If somebody calls, if you say,
I didn't know what I meant. Then quit saying that ain't what
I meant. Start saying the truth. I didn't say it right, did I?
And then change what you said and say then what you mean. You
understand what I'm talking about? Don't play games. All prayer
is not equal. All attitudes are not equal.
All sincerity is not equal. I guarantee you this Pharisee
was as sincere as anybody else was. He sincere thought he was
righteous and despised others. Don't you think? He probably
wasn't out sleeping around. He probably was fasting twice
in a week and giving tithes of everything he possessed. Huh? All prayers not equal. Number
three, physical position is not the difference. Both of them
stood. You read the Pharisee. The Pharisee
stood and prayed. And you think, well, that publican's
going to be flat on his face. Uh-uh. And the publican's standing. You see it? You see it? And both of them stood. Physical
position is not the difference, but it's not totally irrelevant.
Because the publicans stood where? Far off. You see it? You see it? The publicans stood
far off. True humility. True humility
has to come humble sinner. The Pharisee was just as much
a sinner as the publican was. The difference between the Pharisee
and the publican was the publican was humbled because of his sin.
The Pharisee was proud in denying his sin and claiming to be something
else. True humility curbs and causes
some action. It curbs some actions and it
causes other actions. There was no prohibition in the
scripture for that publican not coming right up to where everybody
else was. Was there? You ain't gonna find it in the
scripture. Now there were prohibitions for the Gentiles. They had the
court of the Gentiles. They could only come so far as
that court. But no prohibition for coming
right on up front, Joe. Wherever the Pharisee was, the
publican could have come right on up. He didn't have to say,
you've got to fast twice a week before you can come all the way
up here. You've got to give tithe. It does it. Nowhere in the scripture.
Yet in himself, he did not even feel worthy to approach all the
way up there. Do you see that? Physical position
is not the difference, but it's not totally irrelevant. How I
dress don't matter, it does matter. It does matter. Am I getting
too particular now? How I talk don't matter, it does
matter. Who I associate with don't really
matter, it does matter. It ain't the difference, but
it does matter. Now anybody want to tell me I'm
wrong? You want to stand up here and preach this message? Physical position number three
is not the difference, but it's not totally irrelevant number
four true humility You know what true humility is self abasement
Look at it Verse 14, the last part, for everyone that exalteth
himself shall be abased. And that's not a good thing.
That's basically here a bad thing. God will put you down. God will
put you in your place one day. For everyone that exalteth himself
shall be abased and he that humbleth himself shall be what? Exalted. True humility, that's true humility,
is acknowledging one's own corruption. God, be merciful to me, and in
the Greek it is this definite, the sinner. Just like the Pharisees
said, I'm not like him. The public is saying, you know
what? I'm the sinner. He's actually right. I'm bad. Does it ever make you mad when
somebody points out one of your sins? It ought not. It may hurt. It may sting. It may make you angry for a while.
But you know what? It's the truth. It's the truth. True humility is acknowledging
one's own corruption. And that's what it means to be
a sinner. It don't mean, well, I'm kind of bad, but we're all
bad after all. No. God, be merciful to me, the sinner. And if God's never brought you
there, you're not saved, even if you're in this group this
morning and I baptized you. Or Earl baptized you or somebody
else baptized you if God has not brought you to see your own
personal corruption You've never been lowered by God Number five true humility, that's
self-abasement acknowledges the absolute necessity of God's be
mercy God's mercy God Be merciful to me, the sinner. He said he
smote upon his breast. You see it? He didn't even lift
up his eyes to heaven. He even felt so unworthy. He wouldn't even look up. He
wouldn't approach all the way. He went up to the temple, but
he wouldn't go all the way. He kept his eyes down. He smote
upon his breast and said, God, God, be merciful to me, the sinner. Have you ever been there? But there's more than that. Here
comes the curveball. You ready? I'm telling you, I'm
going to throw you a curveball. Are you ready? I'm telling you,
a slider's coming. Are you ready? Now, I've used
the words of the King James Version. I've been preaching for 30 years.
I've quoted this, or at least from it, Joe, over and over,
maybe even preached on it before. But there's a truth here I've
never, ever seen before. But once I seen it, I still knew
it was true, I just didn't know this text was a saying it. True humility acknowledges the
absolute necessity of divine satisfaction. And it comes right
here from this. Now what are we talking about? In the received text, even, the
text that the King James Version bragger-abouters talk about,
in the received text, it is not the word mercy. Our Lord's parable, when He prayed,
He did not say, God be merciful to me, the sinner. Go back and
look. Now you check what I'm saying. You go back and you look yourselves. You get out your strongs. It
is not the word for mercy. It is God be propitious to me,
the sinner. Did you hear? That's the word. Go look it up. God be propitious. In other words, God be propitiating
me. It's not the word for mercy.
Why they translated it mercy here, I do not know. But I'm
telling you, it's not mercy. He wasn't crying just for mercy.
I have no doubt he wanted mercy. Propitiation cannot be given
apart from mercy. But he didn't just cry for mercy.
It's not as, oh God, forget my sin, let it go. No, God be propitious
to me, the sinner. And when I read that, my heart
was flooded with joy. Because it's more than just wanting
God to forgive you. It's God, I want you to be a
just God and a Savior at the same time. It's not just mercy means pity
or compassion. Go look up the Greek word, you'll
see that. It's not just pity or compassion, the word's used
eight times. Or I should say, four or five
forms of the word are used eight times in the New Testament. They
are translated this way, twice merciful. One of them right here,
God be merciful to me, the sinner. The other one's in Hebrews, I
will be merciful to their unrighteousness. So it's translated two times
merciful. One time, the word's translated
reconciliation. Three times, it's translated
propitiation, which is the closest to the actual meaning of the
word. And one time, it's translated mercy seat. Mercy seat. And one time, it's translated,
here comes the curb. I didn't give you one curb, here
comes the slider. One time, it's translated be it far. Be it far. Be it far. When I read this,
I was like, my mind was just racing. That's why I got up part
of 4.30 this morning, couldn't go back to sleep. Be it far. Now, in the old Greek, they had
the gods, you know, the pantheon. And the gods had to be conciliated.
That would be a literal meaning of the basic word, the word that
this publican used, that our Lord, in this parable, says he
used. God be merciful. God be propitious. And the reason the gods had to
be conciliated is because the gods, by nature, were always
angry with men. You all studied Greek history.
The gods, you know, the Pantheon, Zeus and Apollo, they're always
kind of by nature kind of looking down on men like, you know, I
know we're kind of in charge of you, but you have to do something
to make me happy. You know what I mean? Now that's its profane use. But
there is a scriptural use. It means to provide divine satisfaction. To satisfy a holy God's justice. That's the scriptural use of
this word and all of its other four, three, four, five forms. Another word is to expiate. You see, it's not God hates us
and that Jesus had to do something for him so that he can love us.
God loved his people, his people, the elect from all eternity.
We were never under his wrath, but his holiness would not allow
us to come together because we fell in Adam. So Christ came
and what? Propitiated. He expiated what? Our sins. In other words, it's
the holy God removing the very obstacle, sin, and thereby providing
divine satisfaction. Now think about what that publican
said. Oh, God, propitiate for me. Oh, God, be propitious toward
me, the sinner. He knew God had to be what? He
couldn't just overlook it. Hear me? God had to be satisfied
before he could ever show mercy. Mercy. In other words, our Lord's telling
these people, even when some of them, even the disciples didn't
understand this all the way, not to its fullness yet, did
they? They didn't understand it all. They didn't understand
all those things. But this publican that Christ is talking about,
he said this is where God's people come to. They as sinners cry
out to God for propitiation. They know that there must be,
there is an absolute necessity of propitiation. Divine justice
and holiness must be satisfied. They don't see God as their big
buddy up in heaven. They're a sinner. And he's the
holy God on the throne, the judge. The same one that destroyed thousands
if not millions of people except for eight in a flood one time.
The one who rained down fire and brimstone upon the cities
of the plains and consumed them into dust and ashes. That's the
same God, Roy Jr., that this sinner was crying out to. Go look it up. When I sing that,
Joe is like, It's more than just mercy. David,
it's mercy, but not apart from divine satisfaction. We don't
want God just to overlook our sins. We want God to take care
of our sins. And you know what? He did. Oh, bless God. He did. Christ said this before he died.
I bet you if he gave a parable now, he'd put it just a little
bit different, Joe. Don't you think? Huh? It's not, Oh God,
be propitious to me, the sinner. It's, Oh God, thank you for the
propitiation, Jesus Christ, to this sinner. Divine satisfaction, expiation,
propitiation. You do not hear the religion
of this world, even called Christianity, talking those terms. Turn to Hebrews 9. I know it's
good, but I got these two things I want to give you. Then I'll
give you the number of the seventh point. Hebrews chapter 9. I want to
give you two of those. I told you, I give you every
instance in which this word or its fellow words was used. It was however many times it
was. Two, merciful. One, reconciliation. Three, propitiation. One is mercy seat. One is be
it far. Well, let me give you the one
mercy seat. Hebrews 9. And verse four, which had the
golden censer, this is the holiest of all, that inner sanctuary
of that tabernacle, which had the golden censer, the Ark of
the Covenant, overlaid round about with gold, wherein was
the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded in
the table of the covenant. That's those rock tablets of
the law. That is, the Ark of the Covenant
had this on it. And over it, the cherubims of
glory shadowing the mercy seat. There's that cousin word to what
that publican cried out for, the mercy seat. Oh God, may there
be a mercy seat for me, the sinner. What's that mercy seat? Now think
about it. There's so much here, but so much here. It had the pot of manna, at least
before the temple was built. Now once Solomon built the temple,
then the tables of the law was the only thing in there. What
happened to it, the other two things, we don't know. But before
that, how do I believe that? Because Paul says so. He was
inspired of the spirit of God, so I believe he said so. Now
1 Kings 8 lets us know, when Solomon built the temple, they
brought in the Ark of the Covenant, and it says, but nothing was
in it but the tables of stone. So after that, Mason, the manna
and Aaron's rod that budded were gone. We don't know where they
went. We don't know what happened.
Just like we don't know what happened to Ark at all. But here's the
thing. Think of it. What is the law?
What is the rod, Aaron's rod that budded? What is the manna? They speak to or speak of, either
one, The sinful corruption and nature of mankind. The law was
given that the offense might abound. The manna was given because
the people murmured and belly ached. Right? And they cried
and they complained. Then they got tired of the manna.
And then they wanted meat. And God gave them meat so they
didn't end up bobbing up their nose. And Aaron's rod that buddied. Remember the people said, well,
everybody, we're all holy and God killed a bunch of them. And
then they blamed Moses and Aaron for the people who got killed
dying. And God said, I'm going to show you who I've chosen.
I'm going to show you where I've placed the priesthood. You take
12 rods, 12 sticks, 12 almond sticks. and you lay them all
out before the tabernacle, and you inscribe the names of the
12 tribes of Israel, one name for each tribe on that, but instead
of putting Levi on one, you put Aaron's name on one. So the next
day, what happened? Aaron's rod had limbs grow out
of it, leaves pop out on it, blossomed, and budded full almonds. This stick, Now God said, there's
the one I've chosen. All of these, while they do point
to, I had a relation in the man's rebellion, you know what they
truly point to? They all speak of Jesus Christ.
The manna, he said, I'm the manna. The rod that budded, he's God's
chosen high priest. The law, he is the law giver
and the law satisfier. Remember, the law that was in
the box, in the Ark of the Covenant, covered, all three of them, covered
by the mercy seat. Staying with me? They were in
the box, the mercy seat was put on top of the box with the two
angels facing one another with the wings coming over. The law
that was in the Ark was not the broken law. It was the second set of tablets
that God Almighty himself had established. So what is this ark? Mercy seats
over top of these things, right? The ark, the lid, the lid, the
mercy seat, the lid was where the blood met with God and the
law and the rod and the manna and God was satisfied. Now if
that don't glory your soul, you just don't get it. Christ is
our mercy seat. He's our propitiation. God be
propitious to me, the sinner. Now, with that being said, turn
to Matthew chapter 16 now. I want to show you this passage
where this word Translated be it far be it far
Matthew chapter 16 in light of what I've just said can you imagine?
How Christ would react if somebody came to him and said now Lord.
We don't want you to do What that preachers just been talking
about that you did we don't want you to be the propitiation I Now read with me. Matthew chapter
16, verse 22. Then Peter took him, you see,
I can see him going over now, Mac, and getting him by the arms.
Lord, come here a minute. Come here a minute. Elizabeth,
he had a revelation. Come here, Lord. Now what's this
in light of? Why did Peter do this? Look at
verse 21. From that time forth began Jesus
to shew unto his disciples how that he must go unto Jerusalem
and suffer many things of the elders and the chief priests
and the scribes and be killed and raised again the third day.
What's he talking about? He began to talk about his propitiatory
sacrifice, his expiating sacrifice. Then Peter took him, do you see
it? Then Peter took him and began to rebuke him saying, be it far. Be it far from thee, Lord. This
shall not be unto thee. Now the amazing thing, the amazing
thing is this is a very similar word. It's not the exact same
word, but it's of the same group of four or five Greek words that
all, they all come from the basic meaning. The basic meaning of
this word is this. To be cheerful. To be cheerful. Now think about
it. God, when He purposed propitiation,
He did it cheerfully. Christ, when He offered Himself
as the propitiation, according to Hebrews 12, verses 1 through
3, He did it with joy, for the joy that was set before Him.
Do you see it? The joy. But then I thought,
what do you mean, be it for? I mean, I don't get it. Until
you hear the Greek word pronounced. Now I may not be able to pronounce
it real well. You have to forgive me. But it is pronounced helios. Joyful. Cheerful. It's from where we get our word
hilarious. And all of a sudden it made sense.
Peter began to rebuke him and said, Lord, This is hilarious. He was being sarcastic. Do you
get it? He was being... It's hilarious.
It's hilarious. Have you ever said that to somebody
when you were rebuking them? This is hilarious. That's really
funny. Do you get it now? Be it hilarious,
Lord. Be it far from thee, Lord. This
shall not be unto thee. He used the same group of words
that the publican used when he was crying out for mercy, for
propitiation. But he turned to look at verse
22. Why did he say that? When you want to talk about Christ
offering himself as the sacrifice for his people, and you rebuke
him and say, Lord, this is hilarious. That's too funny. This ain't
going to happen to you. But he turned and said unto Peter,
get thee behind me, you adversary. Get thee behind me, Satan. Thou
art an offense unto me, for thou savest not the things that be
of God, but those that be of men. Now it makes quite, it makes
sense to me why Christ reacted like he did. Do you see it? He's
sitting there mocking, Peter's sitting there mocking his only
hope of redemption, David. Trying to rebuke the Lord and
calling it a funny thing. Being sarcastic about it. He's
being sarcastic about it. He didn't know. But what did
Christ do? Well now Peter, let me just explain. Get thee behind me Satan. And sometimes that's even the
way he talks to us. If we conduct ourselves in such
a hilarious manner. And I'm being a little sarcastic
now. Think of it, as I said, God cheerfully purposed Christ
as the propitiation. It wasn't, he says he, willing,
willing. He didn't say, well, I got to
do this, Mac. Well, I got to do this. No, he did it willingly,
cheerfully. That's the base meaning of this
word, cheerful. But cheerfully, and Christ, who
for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despised
the shame. Oh, what a glory. God, be propitious to me, the
sinner. Is there any wonder why then
our Lord said these words? Now look at it. I'll give you
number seven. I'll be quick and turn to Matthew 11. I'll give
you these words and then I'll read this. It's number seven. In light of what I've said, true
humility acknowledges that God must propitiate. These people out here that know
nothing about propitiation, they're not there yet. Now you hear what
I said. I said they're not there yet.
Now they may never get there, but they're not there yet. Even
this publican, our Lord said, he understood that much. Did
he not? True humility acknowledges that
God must propitiate. What does Isaiah 53 says? That
God must be satisfied. Isn't it? Isaiah 53, 10, 11,
12. Go back and read it. Sin must be dealt with on behalf
of the sinner. And it was. In Christ, by Christ. And this is why it's so glorious
when we read Matthew 11 verse 28. Come unto me all ye that
are fatigued. That's the word for labor. Can
you see the fatigue in that publican? Joe, look. God, be merciful to me, the sinner. You see the fatigue? Come unto
me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give
you what? Rest. Take my yoke. No, he ain't going to set you
free so you can do your own thing. Whoa, no. If you're doing your own thing,
you ain't never really come to him yet. Now listen to me, these
people who've come to Him even in this small place and then
abandoned this small place, they ain't come to Him. They ain't
come to Him. Come unto me all ye that are
fatigued and are burdened down and I will give you rest. Take
my yoke upon you and learn of me. Not learn by me, learn of
me. I'm the subject. Learn of me,
for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your
souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. And let me
tell you, when God Almighty revealed to me that there was a propitiation
for my sin, I have never, I have never, and every time, every
time, every time I hear Joe preach, I hear the gospel preach, one
of these other men we've had preach, every time I hear the
gospel preached, my burden is lifted, and I rest. Every time, every time I'm reminded
that He did it all, I rest. And you know what? I don't want
to get away from that. It scares me to think, David,
I would abandon that. That's what scares me. Not the,
well, am I really right or not? That ain't what scares me. The
problem is, what if I abandon that? Oh, God, put your yoke
on me. Yoke me up. Huh? It was my yoke's
easy and my burden's light. And once God saves you, you don't
ever want to go back. Not back to where you were. Do
you? Don't ever go back. Father, I'll
rejoice our souls in your truth. May it be that we come as humble
sinners. Humble sinner, humbled by your
grace. Humbled by your gospel. and all of that humbled by your
spirit. I ask it and thank you for it in Christ's name. Amen.