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Topical Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville “And He Gave Evangelists…” (2) Introduction: What would you say are the top four greatest needs in God’s kingdom today? I’m sure we could all come up with good answers to that question. I will give you my top four: The first is obvious: Christians who are passionate about knowing God, loving God, and loving lost souls.  Moms and Dads who raise their children to pursue the one true God and bring all other pursuits in service to him. Elders who equip and shepherd the flock, not “exercise authority of them” (Matthew 20:25, 1 Peter 5:1-4). Evangelists who actually “do the work of an evangelist” as outlined by Paul in 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus. Paul told us that these last two needs, along with the apostles and prophets, were gifts Christ gave to the church for the equipping of the saints, to bring them to maturity in order to cause the growth of the body (Ephesians 4:11-16). These lessons are about gaining a better understanding of  the need for evangelists in God’s kingdom and what we can do to encourage a desire to do this work.  Recap from the First Lesson When we study Paul’s letters to Timothy and Titus, we cannot miss the challenge and the extensive nature of the work. Just as God set aside the tribe of Levi to spend their lives teaching Israel, so he gave “evangelists, shepherds and teachers” to the church to equip and grow the body. The failure of the Levites to fulfill their purpose led to the failure of the whole nation to live up to God’s purpose. Today, God did not appoint a whole tribe, he appointed individuals who give their lives to bring the gospel message both to equip Christians and to spearhead reaching lost souls. But the shortage of evangelists is becoming more and more apparent.  Paul’s Overview of the Work: 1 Timothy 4:6-16  Vs. 6: “…trained in the words of faith…”  7-8: “…train yourself for godliness”  11: “Command and teach these things.”  12: “Set the believers an example…”  13: “Devote yourself to the public reading of the Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching”  14: “Do not neglect the gift…” 15: “Practice these things, immerse yourself in in them…”  16: “Keep close watch…Persist in this…” Conclusion: These are not things that can be done by men who hold a secular job.  Why Not Be Content with the Men Preaching? “Preaching” is not “doing the work of an evangelist”  It was not God’s design (Ephesian 4:11-12) Who will go out at night to teach the lost? Who will teach the lost in the daytime? Who will train and equip the church to do their part in evangelism efforts? Who will train more men to be evangelists? The Result: whole churches are being trained to neglect the lost and be content with the “99” (Matt. 18)  What Keeps Men from Preaching? First, the increasing wealthiness of our culture, which is enticing to young, college age men. The possibilities of living a comfortable and prosperous life are all around them. In conjunction with the above, relying on a church for wages feels uncomfortable and unstable to a man who plans to be married and raise a family. This is especially true when these same young men have repeatedly witnessed churches discharge a preacher every few years. (Of course that is not exclusive to preaching!) Relying on churches for support to work at a church that is not self-supporting. I have had preachers tell me they could never do what I have done and be in a church where they needed outside support. “How can I be confident that the support won’t be dropped on a moment’s notice?”  Second, preaching is often not a draw to younger men when they consider the whole church can become their “boss and critic.” Further, they have often seen preachers mistreated. Talk to any older preacher—their greatest trial will have come from their own brethren. Therefore, there are many who have decided to work a secular career job while utilizing opportunities to “preach a sermon” as the need arises. That certainly shouldn’t be considered wrong, but it does contribute to the lack of evangelists. Third, preaching is not a “job,” it is a passion. Paul said it well in 1 Corinthians 9:16-17, “For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship.”  I trained one man who had wanted to preach from the time he was 14 years old. He went to FC and majored in Bible (not a good idea), and then asked to train with me. I had known him from childhood, and therefore accepted him. After six months I said to him, “I think you would be happier doing something else. What do you think?” He agreed, and went back to school for a secular job. The problem wasn’t that he couldn’t preach a sermon. It was that it wasn’t his passion. Frankly, he hadn’t even learned what it meant to love God with all his heart. Too many young men see preaching as a job. Another young man possibly could have become a good evangelist, but he submitted to his wife’s insistence that his working hours be only 9 to 5.  Which brings up another hindrance: wives must be passionate about their husband’s work.  Fourth, embedded in preaching are hardships and choices we would rather not make: There is a very interesting “American culture” problem that has seriously affected preachers and potential preachers. When a preacher is looking for a church, it is natural to do “background checks” on the church and how they have treated former preachers. We certainly do not want to go to a place where the elders or members are abusive. On the other hand, if you were a preacher, would you want to go to a church like Corinth? No, no! Paul sent Titus to “churches” on the island of Crete who were, “…always liars, evil beasts, and lazy gluttons.” Paul basically said, “Titus, I want you to go a fix that!” Oh my. Consider “the Law of the Lid”  How many churches today are in the category of needing good elders and a good evangelist to “put in order the things that are wanting?” There is certainly a great need, but who wants to do that!!! The first place I preached, there was one faithful member, a lady named Bernice. I was told by elders that I would be foolish to go there. “It’s a retirement community and no one is interested in the gospel. And besides, over the past seven years, 50 men have gone out there and preached sermons, to no avail.” But in the first three years we baptized 60 people, and one of the same elders then said to me, “Well, it must just be fertile ground.” For seven years, Bernice could not get a preacher to go and live there and do the hard thing (not just go preach and sermon and go home). Fifth, parents rarely prepare their sons to consider preaching or talk to them about the importance of the work in God’s kingdom. I’m not suggesting that parents badger their sons to preach; that is not appropriate. Instead, I would recommend two approaches: Instill in your boys and girls our identity as disciples of Christ. Instill God’s love for all people and his desire for them to be saved. And help them feel the weight of our responsibilities as Jesus’ disciples — Jesus appointed us, only us, to bring the saving gospel to the world. If we don’t do it, no one else will! (Parable of Lost Things & our identity as the Offspring of Abraham) Prepare them, and not just your sons, but also your daughters.  How to answer commonly asked questions using the scripture (Why does worship matter? Salvation, etc. Teach them to open their mouths and explain biblical texts! That is done far better by parents than it is in our Sunday/Wednesday classes. Teach them to give a speech, not a biblical speech, just a speech. [story of Dad and the speech of Spartacus to the Gladiators]  Sixth, a lack of training and mentoring.  In other words, how many churches and preachers are intent on obeying 2 Timothy 2:2 or followed the pattern of training that we see Paul doing?  Erik, Brent, Andy, and I have all turned down young men who desired to preach because they didn’t understand the extent of the work. “I didn’t know I’d have to work this hard.” “I don’t like you telling me what I’m doing wrong in my preaching. I just want encouragement.”  In many cases, there are those who can preach a sermon, but the work described in Ephesians 4:11-16 and the “pastoral epistles” is not being done, and therefore understandably intimidating. Why shouldn’t it be? It is often not seen/practiced among evangelists, shepherds and teachers. I personally cannot count the number of young preachers who have come out of one–two year programs, moved to a church, but haven’t the slightest idea what to do other than “preach.” What about reaching the lost? What about engaging the church in the effort? What about moving the church to maturity? What about equipping the saints?  The need for patience on the part of the elders and the members, and humility to learn on the part of the preacher. Berry Kercheville The post Ephesians 4:11-16 And He Gave Evangelists… (2) appeared first on Woodland Hills Church of Christ.

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Topical Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville Be Careful How You Hear (2) How to Understand the Message  Introduction: Last week we looked at the emphasis Jesus placed on hearing. He accused the multitudes of having the same dullness and hard heart as their forefathers in Isaiah’s time. However, it is a peculiar rebuke considering the sermon was merely 5 stories without any mention of explanations or applications. Therefore, in this lesson we will explore the method of of the Master Teacher. Jesus used a method that is uncommon today but was common in the first century.  Consider Luke 2:46-47 when Jesus at age 12 was in the temple. “After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.” The text reflects the method of teaching and learning. The scribes are questioning Jesus; they are not simply giving him information. It is not a one-way street. Jesus is listening and asking, but the teachers are also asking Jesus questions. They are testing his knowledge and his desire to learn. Why continue a conversation if he loses interest? Therefore, to understand Jesus and the biblical message, we must understand Jesus’ method of teaching, a method that is usually unfamiliar to the modern reader.    Understanding Begins with How Jesus Taught There are many messages in the Parable of the Sower. One of those messages is how aggressive our minds must be in order to learn. Television and other types of media have caused us to be lazy listeners. It is noteworthy that Jesus refers to the secrets/mysteries of the kingdom. When we read a mystery book or watch a mystery movie, what happens? The joy of the mystery is trying to see the clues given in the story in order to find the answer to the mystery. That is what Jesus has done in telling parables, not just the Sower, but 9 parables, five to the multitudes and four more to those who came in the house wanting answers. Add the parables up, meditate on them, and we come to a very good picture of what Jesus has planned for his kingdom. Therefore, this sermon of parables was used by Jesus to engage dull minds in discovering a secret. Isn’t that in many ways the whole method in scripture? There are always embedded messages. Why did God rest on the seventh day? What is marriage about? Why do we read an elaborate story of the Exodus? Mysteries and secrets are echoed time and again and God is urging us to work at discovering the answer. We should say to ourselves, “Wow! How exciting! The God and Creator of the universe is bringing us into an eternal reality show. Want to play?  Consider Mark 4:13, “And he said to them, ‘Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?’” Obviously, it was not impossible to understand the parable without Jesus giving an explanation. Challenging, yes, but not impossible. Jesus gave them clues: this is a parable about the coming kingdom (of which the Jews had the wrong belief) and it is a parable about “hearing.” The only other ingredient needed was a knowledge of farming—seed responds differently to different soils and that’s the way the kingdom of God is! That’s not rocket science, but it does need careful meditation.  The point is, the possibility of understanding was present in the parable. One of the themes of Mark’s account is the dullness of the apostles and the Jews in general. However, though Jesus gives a mild rebuke to the disciples in the house, he commends them for asking in order to learn and condemns the multitude for not pursuing an answer. With the above knowledge, “why did Jesus speak to them in parables?” Did he expect the multitude to understand? No way! Not even the apostles understood. In fact, at the moment Jesus does not intend for the multitude to understand: “but for those outside everything is in parables, so that they may indeed see but not perceive, hear but not understand…” (Mark 4:11-12). He is looking for people who desire to know and learn; people who will come and ask and pursue the greatest offer made to mankind, the Kingdom!—“to you it is given to know, but to those outside it is not given!”  Therefore, Jesus purposely does not make everything perfectly understandable to every person on every point.  Does that surprise you? We would be appalled if a preacher today gave a sermon of five parables without explanation! The expectation was and is that each person would bring their brain to the study and go into discovery mode and draw conclusions from what they heard and then ask questions and seek answers. Jesus was testing their hearts, testing their desire for the Kingdom of God! Consider some examples; Example: Exodus 3:6 “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Jesus strongly rebuked the Sadducees for not understanding the resurrection based on this verse. Listen to his words, “Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God?” (Mark 12:24). And in Matthew’s account, “Have you not read what was said to you by God?” (22:31). Example: Matthew 22:41-46 Jesus asked the Jews a question they could not answer. Why didn’t the Master Teacher go beyond the question and give them the answer? We would never have left the conversation at that point! When Jesus went away after the question, there would have been two kinds of soil left behind. Some would have been so predisposed to the Messiah being a mere human, they wouldn’t have cared. They had already made up their minds. But others would not have been able to get the question off their minds and they would have gone to the scriptures to find the answer. It is these latter people who would be saved and who Jesus was interested in saving. Therefore, the message for us is critical—we need to learn aggressive listening, not simply with a sermon, but primarily with our own personal study. Jesus’ Expectation of Aggressive Listening, Mark 4:21-25 This is Jesus’ immediate followup to the interpretation of the parable of the Sower. Do you understand verses 21-23? This is such an interesting few verses because we easily skip them in favor of the simplicity of Jesus’ explanation of the parable in the previous verses. But is Jesus finished with his explanation? Obviously not. He is giving the final explanation point on the message of the parables. The purpose of the parable is to bring everything that is hidden to light. In the Lord’s Kingdom everything that is secret must be revealed. Nothing will be hidden any longer. Therefore, in the parable what is hidden that is being brought to light? It is the hearts of men and women! When Jesus preached his word throughout the entirety of scripture, it became a lamp. And the purpose of a lamp is to reveal and expose all that is in the room. When Jesus again repeats the words, “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!” we are able to get the primary message of the parable. The parable illustrates exactly what happened after Jesus preached it. Some went away without a thought of what Jesus said (wayside ground). Some had a measure of belief, but never pursued any further so that they became “rooted” in Jesus’ teachings (stoney ground). Others believed, but allowed the other desires and cares in their life to take precedence over the pursuit of the kingdom (thorny ground). And those who came into the house and asked for more and put following Jesus and bearing fruit the priority in their lives are the good ground. Do you see it? Jesus has exposed hearts—all of our hearts. And of the four types of soil/hearts only one is good. With this we can conclude that Jesus’ is not trying to keep people from being saved by giving the parables, he is weeding out people who do not have the heart he desires. Therefore, consider what Jesus is doing—and I would say is always doing in his preaching and in the biblical text—he is testing us as hearers and revealing our hearts! Just think how much God has revealed in his word. But how often have we looked briefly just like the multitudes and just shrugged it off because it did not immediately peak our interest or we did not immediately understand. There are eternal consequences to dismissing biblical truths that do not interest us or we do not understand. Verse 24 “Pay attention to what you hear.” Jesus is the teacher and the Holy Spirit revealed everything in our Bibles. Pay attention to what you hear! If we don’t, we have failed the test, and even what we have will be taken away from us. Jesus Destroys Our Excuses, Luke 11:5-13 The context is Jesus teaching the apostles how to pray. We read it easily; we read it simply, but we miss the point!  The parable: God is not like a friend who does not want to be bothered by another friend seeking bread at midnight. The friend gives the bread, but only because his neighbor won’t stop banging on the door!  God is different. He loves people who ask, seek, and knock. And to those who do, it will be given, they will find, and the door will be opened. What kind of Father do you think God is! He is ready to give! Oh goody, we say. I can ask God for “things,” the things I’ve always wanted. That’s not what Jesus is talking about. Verse 13 “…how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Jesus just took away all our excuses. “It’s too hard! It’s too deep! I’m not a scholar!” Sorry, that doesn’t work. Jesus just gave us two keys to understand even the most obscure of his teachings. The best Bible student always asks questions while reading. Don’t just read and don’t just listen. Ask questions—that’s what a seeker does. If you are not asking questions and desiring a fuller understanding, then you are not seeking. God rewards seekers—that is the promise Jesus gives in his application of the parable.  Most importantly, when you have the desire of a seeker, nothing in scripture becomes too “deep” or t

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New Testament Sermons / Speaker:Colin Slayton Philippians 4:3-9 The post When We’re At Odds With One Another appeared first on Woodland Hills Church of Christ.

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Topical Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville “And He Gave Evangelists…” (1) Introduction: Many Christians may not be aware of the decreasing number of evangelists and qualified shepherds in our brotherhood. I’m sure most of you would understand the seriousness of this problem.  The danger is that when a church has good elders and a good preacher, not much thought is given to the many churches who may not have elders and cannot get it an evangelist,—someone who does more than preach a sermon. This need is not about a “sermon,” it is about what Paul commanded Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:5, “Do the work of an evangelist.” The problem begins with leaders who did not prepare themselves for the work and/or do not place their primary focus on Ephesians 4:1-16. Paul’s direct proclamation in Ephesians 4:11-12 teaches that the apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers are gifts from Jesus to his body for the equipping of the saints and for the growth of the body, remind us of how important evangelists, shepherds and teachers are to the church. This text is the foundation for growth!  In this lesson, we will concentrate more on evangelists than on shepherds because Paul taught in 1 Timothy and Titus that evangelists are required to teach and equip the church so that qualified shepherds can be appointed. Of course, your first response might be, “What does that have to do with me? What could I possibly do to help that situation?” That is the subject of this sermon. There are principles we can all understand better and efforts we can all make to improve us and any other church that we may influence in the future. Disclaimer: Much of what we will discuss in this lesson has often or “generally” taken place in a significant percentage of churches. I am not suggesting that all churches or even a majority of churches are failing their calling. But there certainly is and have been a strong trend toward both preachers and shepherds to fail pursuing the requirements of Ephesians 4:1-16. The Work of Evangelists, Shepherds and Teachers (Ephesians 4:11-16) What do you see?  Primarily, it bring “the whole body to maturity.”  Maturity includes…? Unity of the faith Knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man (not tossed by every wind of doctrine) Able to “speak the truth in love” The whole body knit and joined together so that every part does its share The Pastoral Epistles: Paul’s Challenge to an Evangelist (imagine yourself as Timothy or Titus and being given this charge) 1 Tim. 1:3 “…that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies… The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Certain persons, by swerving rom these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers…”  Roles of men and women in the church Modesty (teaching women not to overdress!) Appointing elders/deacons Warning against various departures from the faith Instructing widows and the church concerning widows Instructions to servants and masters Instructions concerning contentment and the love of money Charge the rich… 2 Tim. 2:2 “…what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to faithful men/woman who will be able to teach others also.”  2 Tim. 2:14 “Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does not good, but only ruins the hearers.” 2 Tim. 4:16 “…avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness.”  2 Tim. 4:2-4 “…preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching…”  2 Tim. 4:5 “…always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”  Titus 1:5 “This is why I left you at Crete, so that you might set in order things that are wanting…. And appoint elders in every town as I directed you…”  Titus 1:10 “For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers…they must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.”  Titus 1:12 “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons. This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith…”  Instruct older men, younger men, older women, younger women, bondservants and masters. Titus 1:15 “Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority.”  Titus 3:10 “As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him…”  Titus 3:14 “And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.”  Summarizing the above survey, 2 Timothy 4:5, “Do the work of an evangelist.” If you were Timothy or Titus, how do you feel about what you have been called to do?  Why the Need for a Full-Time Evangelist? In the OT, God set aside a whole tribe in Israel so that the nation would always be instructed and reminded of the teachings of God’s word.  2 Chronicles 31:4 “And he commanded the people who lived in Jerusalem to give the portion due to the priests and the Levites, that they might give themselves to the Law of the LORD.”  Hosea 4:4-7 “Do not let anyone accuse or contend against anyone else: for my case is against you priests! You stumble day and night, and the false prophets stumble with you; you have destroyed your own people. You have destroyed my people by failing to acknowledge me! Because you refuse to acknowledge me, I will reject you as my priests. Because you reject the law of your God, I will reject your descendants. The more the priests increased in numbers, the more they rebelled against me. They have turned their glorious calling into a shameful disgrace!” (NET) Malachi 2:4-9  If God needed a whole tribe to give themselves the God’s law (5 books) and teach the people, how much more is that needed today with 66 books? Cf. 2 Timothy 3:14-17. In many, if not most Christian’s minds, the work of an evangelist has been reduced to preaching sermons. That is not a recent problem and if that thinking does not change, the cause of the gospel and God’s kingdom will be seriously damaged. The Challenge & Problem Before Us and in the Kingdom We are typically concerned only about our local church, where as in the NT the overriding concern is God’s Kingdom. [Recent conversation: a friend from another state telling me about their church’s condition and that he has watched 9 churches close their doors over the past few years. I pre-supposed the reason to be the inability to get an evangelist––someone who would direct evangelism efforts and lead the church in Bible teaching and preaching. His answer? “That is exactly the reason the churches dwindled and eventually folded.”] Consider: What would have happened to the churches in Crete if Paul had not sent Titus?  The decreasing number of evangelists even among those who “preach.” Many decide to preach out of need in a local church or sometimes other personal reasons like being out of work. However, even though I’m sure most of these men have good intentions, their understanding of the work is often limited to giving a sermon and teaching a Bible class at the building. The increasing number of Christians/churches who do not see the importance of an evangelist. Why would some come to that conclusion? If the men of the church can preach a sermon, why should we have a preacher? After all, many of the preachers they have heard aren’t nearly as good as the men they have in their local church. Training programs that concentrate on sermons and sermon delivery, but neglect training in the work outside of the pulpit. To summarize the problem, even though there are young men who have a passion to learn the work of an evangelist, understanding the full meaning of the work has been seriously compromised, especially in the last 50 years.  There are fewer and fewer young men who are willing to consider being an evangelist. Why? And what can we do?  (Stay Tuned for Part 2) Berry Kercheville The post Ephesians 4:11-16 And He Gave Evangelists… (1) appeared first on Woodland Hills Church of Christ.

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Topical Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville The Expectation of Our Father: Be Careful How You Hear Introduction: Reading: Matthew 13:18-23. Our text is Jesus’ interpretation of the Parable of the Sower. What is the message? What is the key to the parable? Did you “hear” it? Yes, the message is hearing. The message is when the word is spoken, taught, or preached, what is the condition of the heart, the mind?  Jesus said it plainly at the end of the parable: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” In Luke’s account, “he cried out.”  When Jesus answered the apostles’ question of why he spoke to the people in parables, his answer was, “…because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.”  At the conclusion of Mark’s account of the parable, Jesus said, “Take heed what you hear…” (4:24, ASV). “Consider carefully what you hear” (NIV). “Pay close attention to what you hear” (NLT).  In Luke’s account (8:18) “Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.”  Did you also notice that when the seed is sown, everything depends on the condition of the ground? Ask yourself this question: On this day, did Jesus preach a good sermon or a bad sermon? If you said he preached a good sermon, you would be in the minority. The multitudes believed he preached a bad sermon. They walked away without any desire to understand or to know more about what Jesus taught. They were similar to “wayside ground, stoney ground, or thorny ground.” Therefore, if you evaluated Jesus’ sermon as did the multitudes, why was the sermon bad? It was a bad sermon, because they were bad listeners! Nothing has changed. Sometimes sermons are bad because they do not reflect the message of the scriptures. But many times, sermons are bad because you or I have been bad listeners!  Poor Listeners Are Common in the Scriptures The Bible is filled with people who complained about  God’s word. There are repeated complaints about the preaching of God’s prophets and even NT teachers, with  Jesus being at the top of the list.  Isaiah addressed the problem repeatedly, even quoting the people mocking his teaching with the English equivalent of “blah, blah, blah, blah.” Isaiah 28:9-10 “To whom will he teach knowledge, and to whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from the milk, those taken from the breast? For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.” The Corinthian teachers mocked Paul’s preaching, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing” (2 Corinthians 10:10). Paul recognized that Timothy would have the same problem when he admonished him to continue teaching with patience regardless of whether it fit the desires of the people because the time was coming when they would “accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and would turn away from listening to the truth” (2 Timothy 4:2-4). To these people, what is a good sermon? It is a sermon that fits they desires. Jesus said to the Jews, “Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word” (John 8:43). The Present Day Application There are and have been thousands of inept preachers, even in Bible days, and there are today. Many should not even be preaching because they don’t have the passion or desire for learning the scriptures. I had one preacher ask me, “How do you get excited about studying? I really have to force myself to get in the office and at work at it.” I fear there are way too many who preach who have that problem. It is evident in their lessons. That being said, Jesus, the prophets, and the apostles exposed what none of us want to hear: we listeners are a bigger problem than the speaker! Jay Adams states, “In the scriptures, there is more instruction about listening than about preaching and teaching! Leave it to us sinners to reverse things, putting all of the stress on the latter at the expense of the former!”  Preaching is not like building a house, fixing a car, or the painting of a great artist. I imagine that every one of us has at some time thought of preaching as if it were a one-way street, as if the responsibility of the biblical message rests solely on the speaker and that you and I have nothing to do with it. But we know better! When Jesus taught the above parables, he clearly showed that teaching and communicating demands competence from both the listener and the teacher. And Jesus put the bulk of the blame on the listener.   The heart and ears of the listener can cause a great sermon to be mediocre and what is considered a bad sermon into a great sermon. The preacher must work with people who had a bad night’s sleep, are repeatedly interrupted by their children, are not interested in the message, misunderstand the text or what was said, and even become angry. Unlike clay, the listener plays an active role in the communication process.  Consider this, there are hundreds of courses taught and books written on improving preaching (I’ve written one of them), but where are the listeners’ courses or the books written that address the responsibility of the learner? Why is it that the preacher is constantly thinking and working on how to “wake up the listener” instead of the listener working on his or her responsibility to “not be dull of hearing?” In other words, if a preacher averages 15 hours to prepare and the deliver the lesson, how much time have we listeners put into preparing to hear the lesson that week?  Therefore, the lesson we all must learn is that there is a biblical balance that accepts that preaching/teaching alone is not the answer, and that preaching is seriously deficient without the desire, pursuit, and personal study of the listener!  Maybe you can admit this with me. I’ve heard hundreds of sermons in my life, many that I’ve even preached. Many sermons I’ve heard were fantastic. Others were mediocre at best, and some were horrible. But there were also many, many sermons I’ve heard that I have no right to judge, because I’m convinced I was the problem. I had not prepared to listen. I did not give grace to the speaker. My mental condition and interests were not where they should have been.  Illustration: I remember especially when I was 21 years old and I sat in an adult auditorium class on Isaiah. I thought the preacher did a terrible job. I didn’t understand his explanations. I got lost in the text we were studying. I didn’t see the relevance for my life. I was glad after a month I could go back into my “young adult class” where things were simpler. Now here is the rest of the story: I came into the Isaiah class in the middle of the study. I wasn’t there when the study started at the beginning of the Summer.  I never prepared for the class. I had not ever read Isaiah, and though I had just come into a class on Isaiah, I still did not read the book nor did I even read the text that was about to be studied. I had been convinced that the average person could not understand Isaiah unless such a person had a brilliant mind and had studied for at least 40 years. I knew I was a virtual dumb, dumb because I barely passed an English Literature class, and that only by the mercy of the teacher.  So, why didn’t I understand Isaiah? Well, it certainly wasn’t the preacher’s fault, and it certainly wasn’t God’s fault. It was my fault, and for years I put the blame elsewhere. Do you relate?  Jesus’ Answer to the Hearer Let’s go back to Jesus’ words at the conclusion of the parable of the Sower: In Mark 4, the NLT gives the further explanation this way, “Then he added, ‘Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given—and you will receive even more. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.”  Do you want God to give you a greater understanding of his word? Be a better listener and seeker of him and his word and he will give you more.  Matthew 7:7-11 “…how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” Cf. Luke 11:13 “…how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Do you think you have been at this study thing for years and you are not progressing? Maybe it is because you are not a diligent listener and seeker. Maybe, like me, you have convinced yourself that some things in the Bible are too hard to understand. And maybe you just have to admit to yourself, there are others things in your life that are of greater interest to you than God’s word. Look at Matthew’s account and how Jesus answered the apostles’ question: “Then the disciples came and said to him, ‘Why do you speak to them in parables?’ And he answered them, ‘To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.’”  Do you see what has happened in the above text? The multitudes and Jesus’ disciples heard the same message. The disciples heard, didn’t understand, and therefore desired more. The multitudes heard, didn’t understand, so they walked away!  Therefore, what they had been given “will be taken away from them!”  And catch that critical statement in verse 11: “to you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.” Losing the kingdom of heaven because you didn’t understand his words and therefore did not pursue an understanding, is a serious failure and no one’s fault but our own! When Jesus opened the Sermon on the Mount with eight beatitudes, among them was, “Blessed are those who hung

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Topical Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville Understanding the God of Judgment Introduction: Luke 1:46-55 Unlike the other Gospel accounts, Luke reveals the praises of those who encountered the birth of Jesus. Mary, Elizabeth, Zachariah, the angels, Simeon, and Anna, all join a praise to God for fulfilling his promise to send a Savior.   Even though no one knows the actual day when Jesus entered this world, it is appropriate any time of the year to join these praises of Mary and the others for the mercy of God. Therefore, there are two notable principles both Mary and Zachariah revealed in their praise and should cause “joy to the world”: The first is the word mercy. Mercy reminds us that every person who ever lived was and is doomed to an eternity without God. To rejoice in the birth of Jesus and not recognize that the reason is our need for mercy is to demean his coming. Second, verses 51-53 remind us that with Jesus’ coming, there will also be judgment. You cannot have salvation without judgment because if there is no judgment, there is no salvation.  The human deficit has always been a lack of acceptance of the seriousness of our sins. We, like Satan, want to believe that even though we have sinned we shall not surely die. That sentiment disregards the fact that though God’s greatest desire is for us to be with him, a holy God cannot dwell with an unholy people.  The lesson this morning is to help us understand a God who created a Judgment Day, and why that Judgment Day is a reason to sing, “Joy to the World!”  Jesus’ Teaching about Judgment Most people would be surprised to know that Jesus talked about hell more than any writer in the Bible. That will seem odd to most people who say they are believers but do not think that God would punish anyone in hell.  Even more shocking is to actually read Jesus’ words in Matthew 25:31-32, 41, 46 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left…Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels… And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”  Please note, what we just read are the final teachings of Jesus concerning his rule as the King of kings. Imagine! His last words give this stark warning!  But lest you think it was a rare caution Jesus gave, consider that losing life found in his kingdom and instead suffering in hell was also his first warning and continual warning.  In the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7), the introductory manifesto of his kingdom, Jesus warns of losing life and ending up in hell at least six times.  “…unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (5:20) “…everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. (5:22) “…If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.” (5:29-30) “… but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (6:15) “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy  that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and  the way is hard that leads to life, and  those who find it are few.” (7:13-14) “…Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (7:19) “…On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” (7:22-23) In Matthew 13, Jesus gave nine parables about the kingdom (including the “Seed Growing Secretly, Mark 4). In 6 of the 9 parables Jesus warned against losing the treasure found within his kingdom. Someone might think, “Well, losing the treasure is not the same as hell!” Oh, that is where you are missing the message. You see, the day will come wherein the only place God’s blessings are found is within his kingdom. At present, everyone enjoys God’s blessings. But on that Great Day, God’s blessings will only be found within his kingdom.  This is a pattern God has repeatedly followed: The Flood. Blessings are in the ark. Curses are outside the ark. Where do you want to be? The Passover in Egypt: Blessings are inside the house with blood over the door. Curses are outside. Where do you want to be? In the New Testament, all spiritual blessings are in Christ (Eph. 1:3), curses are on all those outside of Christ. Where do you want to be?  The book of Hebrews is all about the blessings of God we will miss if we do not remain faithful to Jesus. In other words, read correctly, God is all about, “Please! You don’t want to miss what I’ve prepared for you!”  Matthew 22:1-8 Notice the perception of God and Jesus concerning their offer to come into their kingdom.  Can you imagine being invited to this wedding? It would be crazy to even consider turning it down! It is the greatness of the feast and the opportunity that is being emphasized. Jesus mentions two responses to the invitation: Some paid no attention.  Others murdered those who brought the invitation.  Result? Regardless of the response, whether passive or violent, verse 13 has them cast into outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And time would fail us… In Matthew alone, Jesus warns of hell in chapters 8 (2x), 10 (2x), 11, 12, 16, 20, 21, 22, 25 (3x).  Over and over Jesus is warning! Therefore, we each have a simple choice to make: either Jesus is a liar and there is nothing to worry about, or he is going to remove all blessings from us and allow us to suffer the curses deserved for our sins. Whatever your choice, you need to state it out loud and listen to yourself! It’s simple. Is Jesus lying? Who Is This God That Would Create a Day of Judgment? People often want to imagine what they would do if they were God, especially when they think they would do something different than what God says he will do. Interestingly enough, God repeatedly appeals to us basis on what we would do if we were in his position! So, let’s just consider what God has done and what he promises to do and see if you really disagree with him. What do we know about God?  God embodies love and all he does is based in love, it makes sense he would start his creation with a huge number of angels to share in his love and joy. He does the same when he creates a beautiful, stunning heavens and earth and a variety of animals that are beyond our imagination. He is a great artist and he loves to create beautiful things so we can better see him!  Then he created us, intending that we become the greatest of his creation, with the plan that one day we would share his “home” and his rule over a brand new creation that cannot be described to earthly minds.  This planned “new heavens and new earth” will be absolute perfection in every way. It will be filled with joy and happiness and pleasure. There will be no pain, no tears, no illness, no death, no sin, and no evil one—everything that everyone truly desires. It should bring us to tears to think of what God wants for us and has planned for us. But God also reminded us that there are two requirements: First, since God is love, he wants people who love him and love one another. That makes sense, doesn’t it? Who wants to be in a place where there is no love? God desires our love, and he gave us a Bible so we can learn about him and fall in love with him. Second, we are required to be holy and righteous as he is. God had no other choice but to hold to this requirement because it is impossible to have pleasure and joy in a world with evil. However, God in his greatness, also knew what Satan would do (“…in hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began” Titus 1:2). Therefore, God, with the “great love with which he loved us,” came into the flesh and ransomed his own life to redeem us from sin so that he could still accomplish his goal to share his glory and love with us. Who could possibly complain about that scenario? But that is not all, besides sending his own Son, [the one who created all things], he sent prophet after prophet for thousands of years, giving us direct messages from him. He accompanied these messages with hundreds of miracles, proving he was the author of the messages so that we wouldn’t miss out on the wonderful pleasure and joy he intended. He has even waited and waited and waited to bring a finality to his plan because of his great love: “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). To better understand, listen to God’s appeal to Israel, “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord GOD; so turn, and live” (Ezekiel 18:30-32). Both God and Jesus throughout scripture speak of how they grieve and weep o

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Topical Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville Who Is This God of Judgment? Pt. 1 Parable of the Virgins & Talents Matthew 25:1-30 Introduction: About 40% of those who call themselves believers today reject the idea of hell. About 80% of the under 30 generation rejects the biblical teaching of eternal punishment. Certainly, much of this disbelief when comes from a lack of knowledge of the whole Bible, and the rest from the simple reason, “I can’t believe a loving God would send anyone to hell.”  Matthew 24-25 is the fifth major discourse by Jesus recorded in Matthew. The entire discourse is about Judgment. It begins with judgment on the nation of Israel for the rebellion against the Lord and then transitions from judgment on Israel to judgment on the world. We must remember that Jesus is speaking as King of his Kingdom. The transition begins with 25:1, Then the kingdom of heaven will be like…” From there Jesus blends together three parables: virgins, talents, and sheep and goats. The first two build on the householder parable in chapter 24. Each have an absent lord and each deal primarily with watchfulness and preparedness. The last, the sheep and goats, more graphically pictures final judgment. Each portray varying standards of judgment. The Householder parable considers the way the ruling servants care for the house. The Virgins picture preparedness. The Talents picture usefulness. The Sheep and Goats portray the way the Lord’s servants love and care for one another. Parable of the Virgins We begin with the understanding that as Jesus tells this parable he is echoing a story that fit the Jewish culture. Bridegrooms often gave a general time frame of when they would arrive to take the bride and her maidens on a procession through the streets finally arriving at the couple’s new home. The bridegroom might even make a game out of surprising his bride, not coming at an hour she would expect. A crier would go before him and announce his impending arrival giving the wedding party only a short time to trim their lamps and lead the wedding party through the streets. This reflects the manner in which we can expect Jesus’ return.  Weddings and honeymoons were also different in Jewish culture. Instead of going away for the honeymoon, they stayed at home feasting and celebrating for a week with their chosen friends. It was a great honor to be admitted to the celebration. We see all these principles in the story Jesus tells. But the critical part of the parable is not just that half the virgins were different from the other half, but how much all ten virgins were alike.  All ten want to be a part of the wedding procession and join in the festivities of the wedding week. All ten are depicted as virgins. There is no hint of immorality here.  They all had lamps. Even those called foolish had lamps with the intention of using the lamps in the procession. Therefore, it is important that the parable is not about those who are of the world. This is not a parable of five Christians and five unbelievers. These are all believers and are all people who want to be with the bridegroom and the wedding feast. Therefore, the parable is about us; it is about Christians. After all, Jesus is speaking to his disciples. How many times do we see such a thing? Jesus repeatedly contrasts disciples. Some make it and some do not. The criteria always has to do with whether the Lord is their number one passion. What may be puzzling is the question of why the five foolish didn’t bring oil with their lamps? Though we cannot name specific reasons, we do have an answer. Whatever it was that caused them not to bring extra oil had to do with a lack of giving the bridegroom and the procession a priority in their life. In other words, what were they doing instead of buying more oil?  Here is a critical lesson, we can sometimes pay so much attention to avoiding transgression that we are not paying attention to preparation. There doesn’t need to be overt sin in our lives to lose our souls. We cannot pat ourselves on the back because of our moral lifestyle while at the same time ignore that God has a eternal, heavenly purpose for us and he expects us to prepare for it and accomplish that purpose. In other words, we may be Christians, but that is not the end of the story. We can be foolish Christians. What other meaning can you get from the story? In fact, that is the very meaning of verse 13, Watch therefore. What does Jesus mean by “watch?” Looking out the window to be the first to see the bridegroom coming would not have helped the foolish virgins. They still wouldn’t have been prepared.  Here is the deal: They didn’t believe they had to prepare that much! In fact, they seem to have the idea that the bridegroom would still be merciful once the door was shut. There is a point in which it is too late! No wonder Jesus said, Strive to enter. No wonder Paul and Peter both urged the utmost diligence and carefulness lest we have come short. This is serious! And according the Jesus, many Christians do not take it seriously enough! Parable of the Talents Notice how quickly Jesus switches gears to the next parable: “For it will be like…” The reason is because he wants to add another principle to his lessons of watchfulness & preparation already given in two previous parables. A man goes on a journey and before he leaves he entrusts his property to them. This property is given to them in the form of talents, that is a large sum of money. We have already noted from Matthew 18 that a talent is twenty years wages for a laboring man (6000 denarii, or half a lifetime of wages, according to R. T. France). Therefore, what has been entrusted is no small sum. Notice also that the talents are committed to the servants according to their abilities. Therefore, the “talent” is not an ability; it is given according to one’s ability. To some with great ability, more is given. To others with lesser abilities, less is given.  It is actually a merciful and compassionate way that the master dealt with his servants. He does not expect the servant with lesser ability to handle five talents. Further, he has made each servant equal. He has blessed each servant with his property. He has given each an opportunity to excel. In fact, the two talent man receives the same commendation and reward as did the five talent man. But hear this well, each are given property of the master and therefore the master expects each servant to productively use what has been given to them. There is something noteworthy about the five and two talent servants. It is given in verse 16: He went at once and traded with them…so also he who had two talents. Here is where we learn something about obedience and disobedience. Delaying to keep the Lord’s command is disobedience. Obedience is when we go at once, and that is just as true in our secular world and with our children. There is one other detail we need to notice: “after a long time the master came and settled accounts with them.” Jesus is warning us that his return does not come shortly. It is after a “long time.” It is that long period of time that lulls us to sleep and causes us to not be prepared. The Master Returns Now comes the “accounting.” The master came to settle accounts with his servants. Okay, we can’t miss this point: are you ready to settle accounts with the Lord?  You might ask, “What will that look like?” It is actually quite simple. Our Lord has committed his goods to us. He has given us his property. What does that property look like? It is everything you have, including your own life. None of it is yours; it is his, but committed to you. It is your time, your opportunities to share the Lord, your children, your house, your car, your money, your abilities. Those things aren’t yours, they are the Lord’s. Your house isn’t yours; it is the Lord’s. Are you using it for you or for him?  And by the way, did you notice verse 21, “…You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much”? Here is the reason for preparation! It is far more than “forgiveness” and “going to heaven.” There is no going to heaven without preparation. The one talent man. Please remember, one talent is not a small sum of money. He has been entrusted with a significant amount from the Lord. But even if we took it as “little” in comparison, there was an expectation that he would multiply it. It is certainly interesting to see the way this man talks to the master. He has obviously seen what his fellow servants have done and realizes that he does not have anything additional to give to the master. So instead of simply being honest about his neglect, he berates the character of the master!  “I knew you to be a hard man…” What are you talking about! The master did not expect to receive where he had not sown! He gave you a talent. He sowed into your hands and you did nothing with it. This man is making excuses to get the blame off himself. The master gives two replies to the man’s excuses: “If that is what you thought of me, then you certainly should have done something more than just bury it!” In fact, at the very least you could have given it to the bankers so that there could have been an increase in what I gave you. “You wicked and slothful servant.” The combination of the two words is instructive. Again, we do not see immorality here. This man is not some sinner of the world. This man is a servant of the master and has been entrusted with his goods. It is his slothfulness that makes him wicked. It is his lack of productivity for the Lord that makes him unacceptable. But how is he slothful? You say, he buried the master’s talent; he didn’t do anything with it. Well, true, but that does not mean he did nothing. He went about living his life. He was still doing what he wanted to do. He was still working for himself and caring about himself and doing whatever it was that he wanted to do. His slothfulness was not in regard to his own things; it was in regard t

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Topical Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville Increasing Our Awareness of the Devil Introduction: There is an interesting phenomenon that goes on in our world, and often among us. It is the question of why there are evil people, or even more amazing, how can the most evil of people command so much power to the point of ruling nations. Sometimes we act as if this phenomenon is new to our present culture. But we have always read about it both in the Bible and in secular history. Possibly more befuddling are those who side with evil people, rationalize their actions, and make excuses for them: “they grew up in poverty, they had a wicked father, or were never taught morals.” While any and all of those may be contributing factors, Ezekiel 18 actually describes all those same circumstances, but God still reminds Israel that, “the soul who sins will die.” No excuses. Everyone will stand before the judgment seat of God and answer for what they have done, whether good or evil (2 Corinthians 5:10). Well, what is the answer to evil? Most Christians would easily say that it is because of the devil. Yes, that would be correct. But are we aware of the extent of his influence and his power by which evil reigns in the world? What about the extent of his influence even in our own lives. We enjoy living with the knowledge of God’s presence with us. But are we also aware of Satan’s presence? Let’s consider. Satan as Jesus Saw Him One of the studies I had never done was to simply examine what Jesus said about Satan. We read over these statements easily and see the overall message, but do not stop and think about the implications of Satan’s character, purposes, and methodology. Amazingly, Jesus refers to Satan over 30 times in the four Gospels. That alone should wake us up to his message. First, we should note that Satan was not always Satan. He was a created being like all the heavenly hosts. Colossians 1:16, “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.”  The names by which Jesus referred to the devil tell us about him: Satan, the Devil, Beelzebub.  Satan:  The word means, adversary. This is the OT name for the devil (other than being called the “serpent” in the Garden). This name is used of him 47 times throughout the Bible. He was blessed with great intelligence and tremendous power. With that intelligence and power, he became self-absorbed. Those who follow Satan are referred to as his offspring. Therefore, we see his character by what he produces in humans who follow him. Thus, he became God’s adversary. The Devil (diabolos): slanderer, accuser Zechariah 3:1, “Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him.”  Revelation 12:10, “And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.”  The above verses reveal to us the Devil’s desire to defeat God’s purpose for us. It is the reason the devil desired for us to sin. Sin ruins God’s plan & Satan did not believe God could remedy man’s sin. God cannot be true to himself and his justice by accepting us once we have sinned. There are three times in scripture that we hear the voice of Satan, and he slanders in all three occasions. In Genesis, he slanders God to man. In Job, he slanders man to God. And in Matthew, he slanders the God-Man to his face. Beelzebub: from Baal-zebub: “Baal”– the master, “zebub”– of the flies; dung-god. Thus, the god of rottenness. From here we will divide Jesus’ teachings about him in three sections: (1) Satan’s interjection into God’s purposes, (2) Satan’s direct involvement into our lives, and (3) the need to be aware of a dangerous devil. Satan’s Direct Involvement in Our Lives John 8:43-45 “Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.”  Jesus’ words reveal that Satan is in the business of affecting our “will,” that is, our desires. The greatest reason anyone does not give full loyalty to God is very simple: I don’t want to! We grieve and shake our heads when we see those in or out of the church who simply will not give up this world. We think to ourselves, “Maybe they just don’t know enough. Maybe if I explained it better. Maybe if…, maybe if.”  No, that is not the answer. Jesus gave the answer as he watched the multitudes walk away after his parables on the kingdom. “To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom…because seeing they do not see and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand” (Matthew 13:11, 13). Is there something wrong with their sight or their ears? No, they don’t want to see or hear or understand, and that has happened because they allowed Satan to dazzle them with the offer to Eve: “you can be your own god.”  Therefore, when you feel that inner desire to follow your own god, follow your own ways and desires, remember, that is what Satan is doing to you. He is actively working on your mind. Those thoughts make no sense! And the only reason they seem to make sense is because Satan is getting you to ignore reality. Will Satan be your god, or will the Lord? You will notice another revelation Jesus made in this text. It is the definitive description of Satan’s character. We are given the reason why Jesus called him “the evil one.” His evil is beyond the ability of most people to fully grasp. He is a murderer and a liar. His method is to lie and deceive in order to destroy and murder human beings, and those who follow him are willing to aid him in the cause. Therefore Jesus said, “Because I tell you the truth, you do not believe me.”  Can you imagine this scene? Jesus just called people offspring of the devil. These are the same people who in verse 31 were called “believers.”  Therefore, when you have those thoughts and think that maybe there is something wrong with you because surely none of these other Christians or people I know feel this way, consider the following texts: Luke 22:3 “Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve.” John 13:27 “Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.”  Luke 22:31-32 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”  Matthew 6:13 “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”  We must get Paul’s warning clearly in our minds. We often think, “Oh this wouldn’t happen in one of our churches!” You think not? Paul warned about it in Romans. It was happening at Corinth, it happened in Ephesus (Acts 20:29-32), it happened to the churches to whom James wrote, to the churches Peter wrote in 2 Peter, to the churches John wrote in his three epistles, to the churches Jude wrote, and to many of the churches to whom Jesus wrote in Revelation. Heightening Awareness of the Dangerous Devil Satan is the “Prince (ruler) of this World” John 12:31-32 “Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”  John 14:30 “I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, but I do as the Father has commanded me so that the world may know that I love the Father.”  John 16:8, 11 “And when he [Holy Spirit] comes he will convict the world…concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.”  Ephesians 2:1-2 “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.”  Compare these verses to what the devil said to Jesus, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours” (Luke 4:6-7). The evidence is that Satan was given the realm of this world to rule along with many other divine spiritual rulers (Psalm 82). But when the creation of man actually took place and God promised his new creation that they would “have dominion over God’s creation” (Gen. 1:28; Psalm 8; Hebrews 2:5), that is when Satan rebelled. Jesus said he was a murderer and liar from the beginning. Why is this important? We are too lazy in our awareness of Satan’s work in our personal lives, in our families, and in effects our culture has on us. Satan’s fiery darts, we might say missiles and bombs, are constantly being shot at us. We become so accustomed to these attacks that that we mentally relax and allow ourselves to forget that the devil is a roaring lion going about the earth seeking whom he may devour. We forget that we are his priority, as a church and as individuals. We are in a war and we must be vigilant and sober-minded. Here is a final illustration of how Satan uses simple things to cause our fall: Remember when Peter, James, and John were taken by Jesus to watch for him while he prayed, and instead they fell asleep three times? Jesus said this: “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” What was the result? Peter did something he swore he would never do, deny the Lord.