Stern Warnings

The balance of ones eternal destiny is placed in a dangerous state when one sees and hears the Word of God, the Truth and turns a deaf ear to it and rejects it all because it does not fit their ideal or the objectives they hold dear.

Jesus soon would stand before Pilate as Jesus shares of His Kingdom Pilate would ask the the following John 18:37-38

John 18:37–38 NASB95

Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, “I find no guilt in Him.

GOD”S WORD IS TRUTH!!!

Paul would later challenge Timothy the pastor in Ephesus with these words 2 Timothy 2:15 and 2 Timothy 4:3-4 concerning TRUTH...

2 Timothy 2:15 NASB95

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.

2 Timothy 4:3–4 NASB95

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.

As Jesus Christ progresses closer to Jerusalem for His intended work of Salvation He continues to demonstrate to the people and the leaders that He is the Messiah they have been waiting for. He is healing the sick, casting out demons, and teaching His followers...

Rejecting the Truth

I don’t feel it is a coincidence that right after Jesus teaches on prayer, challenging His disciples with the power and effectiveness of prayer that we see spiritual warfare...

Read Luke 11:14-17

Luke 11:14–17 NASB95

And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute; when the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds were amazed. But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” Others, to test Him, were demanding of Him a sign from heaven. But He knew their thoughts and said to them, “Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and a house divided against itself falls.

Spiritual warfare can include the casting out of demons… YET most often we see it attacking TRUTH!

The religious leaders see all that Jesus is doing...

The leaders hear all that Jesus is teaching…BUT

His teaching convicts and condemns them, His teaching is contrary to the traditions they are so comfortable with, His philosophy is not what they expected or wanted...

Jesus teaching, the TRUTH is uncomfortable for them…

So what else can they do??? They see all this and state… Jesus is doing this by Satan's power the prince of demons!

Such a sad state for these religious leaders… trading truth for a lie

When you deny TRUTH, you begin to sound like a fool! There is no logic to it!

Jesus says how can Satan attack himself? you cannot win this way!

Secondly Jesus ask them… by whose authority do you cast out demons?

Third in making this statement they address the power of Jesus Christ...

It is either Satan or God

If Satan the house is divided

If God…then He is the Messiah! Luke 1:4… “so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught”

If He is not doing this by Satan’s power then He is stronger than Satan...

People Satan is powerful, BUT he is a defeated enemy because of Calvary!

The people, the religious leaders were blind to the TRUTH, they turned a deaf ear to the Message and Messenger of TRUTH… Luke 11:27-32

Luke 11:27–32 NASB95

While Jesus was saying these things, one of the women in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You and the breasts at which You nursed.” But He said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” As the crowds were increasing, He began to say, “This generation is a wicked generation; it seeks for a sign, and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah. “For just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. “The Queen of the South will rise up with the men of this generation at the judgment and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. “The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

Obeying His Word

Jesus gives three powerful and humiliating examples of those who listen to His Word...

The pagan gentile nation of Nineveh… heeded the message from God from the reluctant Jonah

They listened, no sign, repentance and they would judge this generation

Sign… okay, three days Jonah is in the fish… so shall the Son of Man be in the ground before He raises from the dead!

Secondly we see Solomon, wisest man to live, a pagan gentile queen comes to seek and listens to the Wisdom from God through Solomon

NOW… One wiser, and greater than Jonah stands in their midst, teaching and they refuse

Jesus then gives the example of the Light…

It is not enough to let the light be seen externally… we have to allow the light, the TRUTH of God’s Word to impact us, change us internally.

The brightest sun cannot enable a blind man to see, the light has to take root in the heart and open ones eyes to the TRUTH!

Jesus is in essence pleading with the people, the religious leaders please LISTEN to my Word!

Woes to Israel's Leaders

Jesus eats lunch with some Pharisees and Scribes (lawyers)

He does not wash His hands… Ceremonial

Jesus takes this opportunity to expose their folly with three woes each, looking not to eternal cleanliness but internal...

WOE = condemnation, great suffering, disaster to come

1 You Pharisees tithe even your herbs, but disregard justice and love (care what you look like but have no care for others in your heart)

2 Pride, seeking always to be lifted up and esteemed

3 Contaminating the people with your teaching just as if you walk on an unmarked grave of the dead

Verse 45 … the Scribes get their feelings hurt and say “Teacher, when you say this, you insult us too” (well Jesus has some things for them too…!)

1 They put heavy burdens on the people, keeping them from the TRUTH and freedom and knowledge of God’s intended Word

2 They outwardly claim to esteem the prophets, yet they themselves will not listen to God’s messages through them

3 They were hiding the TRUTH!!! Not only did they themselves turn a blind eye to His TRUTH, they took away the key, the ability for the people to know the TRUTH… leading them astray!

it is on the heels of this conversation… the religious leaders become hostile towards Jesus. They refuse to see the TRUTH!!! Crowds gather, they are stepping all over each other, the religious leaders try to listen, not to learn, but to try to catch Him in something He might say. WOE to those who do not listen to learn and see...

Jesus turns to His disciples in this setting and says these words… Luke 12:1-12

Luke 12:1–12 NASB95

Under these circumstances, after so many thousands of people had gathered together that they were stepping on one another, He began saying to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. “But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. “Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed upon the housetops. “I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do. “But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him! “Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. “Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows. “And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will confess him also before the angels of God; but he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God. “And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him. “When they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

Boldness for Truth

We are living in times where TRUTH has been exchanged for lies...

The world says that killing of babies is okay

World is polluting marriage, trying to redefine genders,

Ignorantly stating there are no absolutes

And even in “bible” circles we have come to even question TRUTH

Church, if there was ever a time to boldly stand for truth it is now!

Did you hear Christ's Words to His disciples???...

False teaching is out there and spreading like leaven!

He will expose them

He is aware… He knows what you are facing (Sparrows)

Don’t fear them… rather fear the one who holds eternity in His grasp

Do not blaspheme the Holy Spirit… This life is all we get to make the choice to listen to His Word, receive His Spirit

Hell awaits those who deny the TRUTH

You will be called to stand for the TRUTH… God will supply your need of defense!

In John 14:6 Jesus makes a bold statement concerning TRUTH… W

John 14:6 NASB95

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

The balance of ones eternal destiny is placed in a dangerous state when one sees and hears the Word of God, the Truth and turns a deaf ear to it and rejects it!