Divine Access

New Testament Narrative

Sermon Title: “Divine Access”

Scripture: Luke 18

Preaching Strategy: Big Picture

Central Idea: Christians must desperately depend on Jesus to enter the Kingdom of God

Intro:

26 Those who heard this said, “Then who in the world can be saved?”

27 He replied, “What is impossible for people is possible with God.”

What is impossible for people is possible for God – The title for today’s message is Divine Access

Let’s Pray {Opening Prayer}

Divine Access – I like to think of divine access as the opportunity to approach or enter Holy territory only by the Grace of God. We see this referenced in scripture with approaching the throne of God with confidence and with entry to the kingdom of God.

You pick the reference, and we have one commonality. It’s only by the grace of God. Man cannot access this on his own. Some try. But as the scripture just said, “What is impossible for people is possible with God.”

People desperately need God, whether recognized, unrecognized, or ignored.

It’s like kids to their parents. As a kid, you are in desperate need of your parents. Kids depend on their parents in the most pure-hearted, humble, trusting, and vulnerable way. Hold on; I’m getting that “Not kid look.” (smile and pause)

Kids cling to their parents. They want to do the things they see you just because they see you doing them. You are their protector and provider.

Children have a pure belief in their hearts and dependency on their parents.

Brothers and sisters, as we grow older, our needs and dependency shift beyond the means and measures of what the world can provide and long for eternity. As we grow and the Holy Spirit stirs our hearts to the Gospel of truth, our need and dependency shift toward God.

Whether we recognize, unrecognize, or ignore the truth. We are in desperate need of our Savior.

So far, we’ve covered Our Lord becoming human (the incarnation) and navigating through his sinless earthly life. We are inching closer and closer to Jesus’ atoning death (crucifixion) and glorious resurrection (resurrection) to ascend into heaven and sit at God’s right hand interceding for us until his victorious return.

In Luke chapter 18, Jesus taught his disciples about the (characteristics) of thosethat will receive the Kingdom of God.

Let me provide you with a bit of a spoiler. You don’t have a specific accomplishment or have your life in a particular order. You are in the right place if you are in here in need. Christians must desperately depend on Jesus to enter the Kingdom of God

Today, I want to highlight three characteristics of those that will enter the kingdom of God.

The first characteristic is persistence.

Scene 1: Parable of the Persistent Widow (Luke 18:1-8)

One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.

I think it’s ok to give God some thanks for providing us with the truth upfront. Some of these parables can be a little challenging. Praise God!

Always pray and never give up. Let me provide a little clarity before proceeding. Prayer is how we communicate with our almighty sovereign God. If we do not understand the nature of prayer, we cannot appreciate God’s precious gift of prayer. It’s a privilege. Think about this.

Pastor H.B. Charles once said that the key to understanding the bible is understanding one verse. (Pause)

Genesis 1:1 - In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Do you believe that scripture is true? If you do, then everything else in the bible lines up after it. God, the Holy Triune God, is the sovereign creator and ruler over everything. God existed before the world’s creation and will reign supreme when Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, returns.

We are praying to the sovereign God. Think about that for a moment.

Always praying and never giving up is not an order to pray with monotonous chants every day. It’s a means to remind the followers of Christ to continue communicating with God for everything because he created everything, and He hears every word and knows what you are going to say before you even think of the words. No one knows when Jesus will return, but a Christian’s life should be marked with consistent prayer. Why? Let’s find out!

“There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. 3 A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ 4 The judge ignored her for a while, but finally, he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, 5 but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’”

Immediately we can observe the contrast between the two characters in the parable, the judge and the widow. Jesus tells the disciples that the judge “neither feared God nor cared about the people.” We can see the condition of the judge’s character. He lacks the most fundamental requirement in life, fear/reverence toward God. The judge also lacks compassion. Luke 10:27, Jesus taught the most important commandment, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.”

A man with earthly authority; but was negligent of who sovereignly has dominion over him.

We have a widow, someone representative of the needy, the helpless, the poor.

We have one person that has the power to provide justice to the oppressed and one person in need of justice because they are being oppressed.

The judge should have provided justice to the widow because she simply was a widow, but he did not. He ignored the request.

The widow did not let his unjust ruling stop her from petitioning for justice.

The Judge later relented and granted the widow the justice she deserved in an act out of pure exhaustion.

What is Jesus teaching us about prayer and persistency?

Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. 7 Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man[a] returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”

Is Jesus teaching that there is good in all people? Well, we are made in the image of God, the Imago Dei, and after creation, God said that it was very good (Gen 1:31). God’s creation is good, but our nature is sinful reference Genesis 3. That’s not the driving point of this parable.

How about this, will everyone’s hearts change toward God’s people? Unfortunately, that is not the case reference, John 15:18 or Revelation 12-14. The Christian life will only get complex. There will be a time when the Lamb of God returns, and in his glorious splendor, we will find victory in him.

Church, for that day we call glory! Jesus is teaching his disciples and us today that if an unjust and immoral judge can grant a just decision, what do you think that God will do for his people?

Our God is the one and only God, a triune God that is eternally loving and working together in harmony; Our God is the one and only God, a merciful, caring, compassionate, all-knowing, wrathful, holy, and just God.

In the parable, an unjust judge reluctantly changes his mind to provide justice to the widow. Family, God is the God of justice, and he will provide justice for his people and continue to reign forever.

God is not good to his people by choice. God is good because that is who he is, he is God, and his people can come to him anytime, and he will hear our prayers.

The gospel of Luke is synonymous with prayer. Luke records nine of Jesus prayers from his baptism, choosing the twelve disciples, to moments before he died from the crucifixion. Jesus’ life epitomized consistent prayer. Persistent prayer is essential.

Do you believe that Jesus will return as scripture says he will? Knowing that truth, do you pray with the faith, knowing that one day he will return?

I know that we have questions; why didn’t God answer my prayer? Why didn’t God answer this prayer when I needed him? Why is this wrong continuously happening to me?

I wish I had the answers, but I don’t know. But what I do know is that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is still on the throne today. God was good then; God is good now and will continue to be good. I have limits, but he is God.

I don’t have the answer to the how, why, and when God answers prayers, but I do know and have faith that God answers prayers. We must persevere in times of our doubt because we are his creation, and He is God.

8 I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man[a] returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”

“The quickly” refers to God’s time but is translated as certainly. God will grant justice to his people, but until the day that prayer is answered, we must be in a posture of persistent praying to God. When the son of man returns, will he find us as a faithfully persevering people, or will you find us drifting away?

Observation: Persistent prayer is needed for God’s chosen people to remain faithful until Christ returns.

Transition: Jesus welcomes the persistent and the humble into the kingdom.

Scene 2: Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector (Luke 18:9-14)

Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their righteousness and scorned everyone else: 10 “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer[b]: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! 12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’

Luke continues with Jesus’ teaching on humility that leads to exaltation. Humbly being less means more in the Kingdom of God. We see a contrast of less and more; we proceed with a Pharisee and a tax collector going to the temple to pray, which was typical. We see two men with unique backgrounds and social standings standing to pray before God. Remember that.

The Pharisee is recognized as the religious leader. He supposedly knows the law and practices it every day. The tax collector, not so much. Tax collectors were a little shady and learned to make money by dishonest gains. They were synonymous with sinners in the scripture, just as a reference to Sodom and Gomorrah is synonymous with immorality. We have two people on the opposite end of the spectrum; one publicly elevated because of their religious way of living and one relegated because of their not-so-religious way of living. One would assume.

11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer[b]: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! 12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’

It appears that the Pharisee has an “I” Problem. Everything revolves around him. He’s thankful that he is not like other sinners, and he doubles down for not being like the tax collector. Not only is he thankful for what he is not, he then tells God what he is doing for him. The Pharisee is not praising God; he is praising himself. What need does he have for God if he elevates himself above God’s creations? He does not thank God for anything; he lists his achievements. His attitude seems like, “God, look what I have done for you lately.”

How many of us look at the lost like this? I’m glad that’s not me. It’s easy to say that we don’t have tendencies like the Pharisee; let this be a warning to guard against the drift of this type of thinking and living.

Let’s substitute the lost for people we disagree with, people who don’t sound like us, or people who don’t act like us. Be mindful because the drift toward self-righteousness is real.

13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ 14 I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Now the tax collector, a man so broken and saddened by his sin that he could not lift his eyes to heaven. Now praying with your head down is customary, but Jesus is teaching about the heart’s posture as we pray to God. He is grieving over his sin so much so that he’s beating on his chest. He doesn’t condemn those who commit worse sins than him; he cries to God.

The only “I” he shares is repentance and disdain for his sinful nature. O God, be merciful on me. He knew that he was a sinner in desperate need of God.

My prayer for us is that we love what God loves to reject what is opposite of him, sin. We have become accustomed to pointing out people’s sins and forgetting about the plank that is chilling in our own eyes.

We pray for people to break free of “their” sin problem, but we are sometimes too self-righteous to identify our own. The world is full of big sinners that need help but what I do is ok because it’s an end to means which help me get by. Or it’s just a little sin.

Family, if Radiant Church aims to be the house of redemption, we must have the posture of the tax collector. For we have all sinned, for we all sin, for we all will sin. No one is righteous. May our hearts be filled with humility that leads to repentance so we can experience the truth of God’s word. Remember, regardless of where we are in all life, we are in desperate need of Jesus.

14 I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

We are we, and God is God. God is eternally just, merciful, compassionate, wrathful, and Holy. Two men entered the temple, but one man left-justified. The most unlikely, undeserving in man’s eye, left-justified, delivered from the wrath of God. How?

Jesus is teaching that our heart’s posture matters. Justification depends on the mercy of God to those that repent and believe rather than those who are boastful of their works to earn his favor. We don’t have to boast about what we are doing. He knows because we are we and He is God. You don’t have to fight for your place before God. We will be exalted in Christ Jesus when he returns.

If we could save ourselves, trust me, we would try. Considering the glory of God that is to come, we can stand before him with complete humility because God alone can judge us, and God alone can justify the ungodly, which is why we must depend on Him.

Ephesians 2:8-9

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works so that no one can boast.

Transition: We’ve discussed the persistent, the humble, and finally, we have the sacrificial.

Scene 3: The Rich Man Luke 18:18-30

Once a religious leader asked Jesus this question: “Good Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”

19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “Only God is truly good. 20 But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother.’ [c]"

What does eternal life and discipleship have to do with one another? We have the ruler that assumes Jesus to be a good teacher and asks about eternal life. Why is Jesus responding by reciting the portion of the commandments that refers to how we live in community with one another. Let’s keep reading.

The man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.”

22 When Jesus heard his answer, he said, “There is still one thing you haven’t done. Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

23 But when the man heard this he became very sad, for he was very rich.

We can see this young man has committed his life to follow the law since his youth.

Jesus is not making up a new commandment to make this leader follow. Jesus is not rebuking wealth. What’s going on?

You see, implicitly, the ruler’s heart was with his possessions. He’s acknowledged that Jesus was a good teacher, but he did not do what Jesus, the good teacher, asked him to do.

We can learn that he was not as blameless as he thought. He cherished his possessions more than he desired a relationship with God. We are called to love God and one another.

Most importantly, we learned that he did not have the faith to surrender everything he had to Christ and follow him. Family, all that we have is a gift from God. We are called to steward what we have accordingly because all that we have is a gift from God.

The ruler grew up following the laws but did not follow Jesus and accept Jesus as Lord of his life. There is a dangerous risk when people follow religion more than Christ. What do I mean by this? Are we quick to follow religious culture instead of the King? We become more legalistic in our walk instead of relational with Christ. Rules matter more than following Christ.

We can focus on checking the boxes and accomplish all excellent tasks for the church but forget the command for evangelism. It’s easy to do the work for the kingdom but forget to follow the king.

Jesus answered the ruler’s question; he just didn’t answer the way the ruler expected.

Jesus makes two truths clear from scripture

1. Obey all of God’s commands then you will receive life.

2. If you obey all of God’s commands, then you get death.

Only one man lived a sinless life, who offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for our sins, good for all time. And that man was Jesus.

We do not make the terms for our salvation or entry into the kingdom of God because Salvation is only possible because of God. To receive the kingdom of God, we must have faith in Christ which is only possible by the Grace of God.

Sinners cannot save themselves by works, but God saves sinners by His Grace.

When Jesus saw this,[d] he said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God! 25 In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”

26 Those who heard this said, “Then who in the world can be saved?”

27 He replied, “What is impossible for people is possible with God.”

28 Peter said, “We’ve left our homes to follow you.”

29 “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the Kingdom of God, 30 will be repaid many times over in this life, and will have eternal life in the world to come.”

The reality here is that there is a cost to following Jesus. It may cost us relationships, reputation, possessions, or even our life. As followers of Christ, we must remember that day that we live for is the day of Glory. The day that we will be reunited with King Jesus in the Kingdom of God-glorifying God to the highest praise.

On that day of glory, our possessions will have no value, only our praise to the Holy of Holies! Repenting and believing in Christ is the only way to glory.

Christ wants us to live a life of sacrifice now because we have more to come in eternity. Praise God!

Scene 5: Jesus Again Predicts His Death (Luke 18:31-34)

Jesus predicted his death for the third time. News that seemingly appears to be bad news is the salvific good news of the Gospel.

The Isaiah 53 prophecy of the suffering serving will be fulfilled. Jesus is exactly who God said he was.

Jesus had to suffer and die to usher in the Kingdom of God. Because of Christ’s life, death, burial, and resurrection, believers in Christ have a new life in Him in the Kingdom of God.

Such good news, but the disciples did not understand what this meant at the time. They expected an earthly king reigning now when the Kingdom of God is exceedingly more.

Scene: Jesus Heals a Blind Beggar (Luke 18:35-43)

The chapter ends with an applicable presentation of a type of person that Jesus welcomes in the kingdom of God.

(Refer to Pastor Marcus’s Sermon Jan 2 about blind Bartimaeus’s condition, cry, and cure)

We can see the bling beggar’s persistence implicitly throughout the entire narrative. He simply didn’t give up when he was told that Jesus of Nazareth was coming by. “Jesus, Son of David. Have mercy on me.”

He believed Jesus, the son of David, could restore his sight.

Imagine how long he waited for healing. He faced opposition, but when he heard the Son of David was in town. It seems like he knew he needed to get to Jesus.

He not only received his sight, but he also received salvation. “Jesus, Son of David. Have mercy on me.”

He was delivered and received more. To God be the glory.

His Humility – The blind beggar could not restore his own sight, but he cried out to the only man that could. “Jesus, Son of David. Have Mercy on Me.”

Sacrificial – He followed Jesus, praising God! The word Follow is defined as a life transformation. He let go of his old life and followed Christ.

Let’s not forget Christ’s mission statement in Luke 4

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released,

that the blind will see,

that the oppressed will be set free,

19 and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.”

Jesus is who the prophets prophesied as the culmination of deliverance. Jesus, the Messiah, Son of David. Jesus, the Son of God.

So. Who does Jesus welcome into the Kingdom of God? Those that are desperate, in despair, and willing to give up everything and follow Jesus will enter the kingdom of God.

If that’s you today, listen to the faith it takes.

Scene 3: Jesus Blesses the Children (18:17)

Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. 17 I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”

Access to the kingdom of God is given to those with simple childlike dependency on God’s mercy to justify them. Jesus lived a sinless life and died a cursed death, and God resurrected Him from the dead so that those who repent and believe in Him will be saved.

The time is now. What will be your response to accepting Christ as the Lord of your life?

If you decided today, don’t leave without talking with someone. We would love to talk to you.

Please stand and bow your heads so we can pray. If you need prayer because life has worn you down, and you feel yourself drifting away from your walk with God. I’m going to ask you to raise your hands so I can pray for you.

If you accepted Jesus as your savior. Raise your hand so I can pray for you too. Praise God!!! Congratulations. Welcome to the family

Closing Prayer -