Luke 20_27-47 Vigilance

Vigilance

Luke 20:39-40

Secular:

Hustling how does it work?
You believe you are better than you are…
Someone comes and puts you in your place…
We kind of like to see arrogance…go down
We like to see the proud humbled
(Unless of course it is us…)

Biblical:

Luke 20:27 Now there came to Him some of the Sadducees (who say that there is no resurrection), 28 and they questioned Him, saying, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that IF A MAN'S BROTHER DIES, having a wife, AND HE IS CHILDLESS, HIS BROTHER SHOULD MARRY THE WIFE AND RAISE UP CHILDREN TO HIS BROTHER. 29 "Now there were seven brothers; and the first took a wife and died childless; 30 and the second 31 and the third married her; and in the same way all seven died, leaving no children. 32 "Finally the woman died also. 33 "In the resurrection therefore, which one's wife will she be? For all seven had married her." 34 Jesus said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, 35 but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; 36 for they cannot even die anymore, because they are like angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. 37 "But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the burning bush, where he calls the Lord THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, AND THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB. 38 "Now He is not the God of the dead but of the living; for all live to Him." 39 Some of the scribes answered and said, "Teacher, You have spoken well." 40 For they did not have courage to question Him any longer about anything. 41 Then He said to them, "How is it that they say the Christ is David's son? 42 "For David himself says in the book of Psalms, 'THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, "SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, 43 UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET."' 44 "Therefore David calls Him 'Lord,' and how is He his son?" 45 And while all the people were listening, He said to the disciples, 46 "Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love respectful greetings in the market places, and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honour at banquets, 47 who devour widows' houses, and for appearance's sake offer long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation."

Personal:

If you asked the question on Cleveland Ave this afternoon… What do you think is the thing of greatest value in all of creation?

Diamonds
Gold
Oil
Stocks
What do we make sacrifice for…?
Maybe… Health
Maybe… Family

What was God willing to sacrifice his Son for?
1 John 4:9 By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Galatians 4:4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 6 Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!"
What do you think…
I think it is pretty clear…
The Human Soul…
If it is the most valuable…

Banks need vaults
Art Collections need alarms… guards
The Human Soul needs vigilance…

Something a paltry as money…

Crooks
Thieves
Scam artists…
What do they want…

In your face with a gun
In an office tower…cooking the books…
In a car sales…

What if there was more than money!
It is the war that wages…
1 Peter 5:8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.

Bridge:

Body:

The Story…

Luke 20:27 Now there came to Him some of the Sadducees (who say that there is no resurrection), 28 …. If a brother dies childless… married to the next and the next and the next… to whom is she married in heaven… 37 "But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the burning bush, where he calls the Lord THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, AND THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB. 38 "Now He is not the God of the dead but of the living; for all live to Him."

The REAL ANSWER to the Real question… unasked
Seemed innocent enough…

The set-up…
Getting your little brother to stand at the dge of the pool…

But they had come to challenge…
Ask a question to trick, trip, or discredit…
This was truly a side issue to the Sadducees… (no resurrection remember)
They ask about marriage… remarriage… resurrection…
Jesus answers about eternal life…
In the face of a trap… He answers with truth!
Why does God let bad things happen?
Creation… how can you believe that..?
Abortion... what about rape cases?
Marriage… what about what I want?
Real answers are what people need in the face of tricky questions…
Real answers are what people need when they set a trap…
Jesus answered their question…. AND gave the answer their soul needed…
They thought they were going to hustle Jesus… it was going to be an easy task to bury him!

The Schmooze

Thought He was an Easy target… take him down in a public setting… end this talk of resurrection… his challenge to their system of things… the were wrapped in PRIDE…

The Yikes moment comes… they change gears…

39 Some of the scribes answered and said, "Teacher, You have spoken well."

Let the games begin…
Started on a path too tough…
Thinly veiled attempt…
Schmooze…
Trick, turned… challenged…
Draw it too a close…
J.W. knocking on a pastor’s door

They don’t often come back!

Tired to get out…
They were trying to save face… while calling out retreat, retreat, retreat!
The Hustlers met divine truth…

The Truth:

40 For they did not have courage to question Him any longer about anything.

- Courage committing to do the right thing even when we are afraid!... courage to seek truth… courage to live by truth… even when it could rock our world!

They wanted to push their agenda
They did not want to think
They did not come to hear
Close down…
Lost courage in the face of truth (anger, fear, run, hide, lash out)
Don’t really want their -rules changed
- life implications
Ever get that?
If Jesus is the answer…
You can see why people don’t want to ask?
J – Jesus
O- Others
Y – Yourself
Staying strong staying committed
For the Huslte to work they must be in control
Because they are the anchor for their own success
For the Followers of Jesus…

He is in control
He is anchor!

The Response

41 Then (Jessus) said to them, "How is it that they say the Christ is David's son? 42 "For David himself says in the book of Psalms, 'THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, "SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, 43 UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET."' 44 "Therefore David calls Him 'Lord,' and how is He his son?"

A little table turning
Jesus challenges them…
David… serves the Christ
Christ is the Son of David
How does that work?
What they do is… Serving their system…
Not about truth
About self… ideas… systems
Thought they were setting up a hustle…
Instead they met truth… divine truth… divine talent
Scripture is silent on what they said next… cuz I think they were silent…
The Hustler… pride filled… self promoting… underhanded Hustler was defeated!

Be Vigilant

45 And while all the people were listening, He said to the disciples, 46 "Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love respectful greetings in the market places, and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honour at banquets, 47 who devour widows' houses, and for appearance's sake offer long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation."

Lots of religiosity
Lots of serving the system
Lots looking good
If it ain’t of God

Thievery
Idolatry
Self-aggrandizing

Serving self… leading others astray…

BIG COST!

BE CAREFUL!
Not just horns and pitchforks
Not just wildly hedonistic
Not just money grubbing
Sometimes…

Behind a pulpit
Using Christ’s name
Sometimes lots of followers

Hey power tools in hand does not make me a carpenter
Lab oat doesn’t make a doctor
A pulpit… a publishing deal… a TV Program… numerical success doesn’t make a minister of reconciliation… it doesn’t make truth… truth
Jude 1:4 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Don’t Be Hustled…
Be Vigilant
We have been given the Word.
We have been given the Spirit
We have been given each other
Barna survey…

9% of believers… biblical worldview

Be in the Word… of the Word
Be in the Spirit… and of the Spirit
In the Body of Christ… active… accountable
Don’t Be Hustled…
Be Vigilant

Conclusion:

Jude 1:3 Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.
God created the heavens and earth and all that is in them
Humankind through the conscious action of one man was separated from God… through a inherited sinful nature
We need accept the Lord Jesus as our Saviour and as our Lord… for apart from Saving work of Jesus Christ, whereby, He paid the price for our sin…. And making us right in the eyes of God… we would earn our deserved punishment apart from God for eternity

Benediction:

Jude 1:24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.