The Blessings of The King - Part 2

Bryan Chapell: He's not only telling us essential grace, God taking care of those who cannot take care of themselves, God providing for those who cannot provide for themselves, whether it's birds or flowers or you. The path to understanding is the path of faith.
Guest (Male): So glad you joined us for today's Unlimited Grace, the audio broadcast ministry of pastor and author Bryan Chapell. In today's lesson, Pastor Bryan continues his message from the Sermon on the Mount as found in the Book of Matthew. As we reflect on Jesus' teaching, we realize that there is no way for us to measure up or make it up. In our brokenness, we must turn to him for help. You can find this lesson and many others when you visit unlimitedgrace.com. While you're there, look for Pastor Bryan's book, Unlimited Grace. Dr. Chapell reminds us of the power and mercy of God's grace that motivates and inspires us to serve our Heavenly Father. Let's hear now from Dr. Bryan Chapell as he shares the second half of the lesson, The Blessings of the King.
Bryan Chapell: I think of the recent account of Judge Olly Neal from the Court of Appeals in the state of Arkansas. He records that he wasn't much of a student, hated high school, and as a senior one day cut classes and tried to hide out in the library. Hiding among the stacks, he saw a book that had an alluring cover and thought that might be a book that he should read. He took it and then realized that he would have to check it out with some of his female classmates who were working at the counter. He did not want to do that, not because of the cover, but because they would see that he was interested in reading. He said he was a tough guy and he wanted them to know that all he could do was cuss and fight, not read a book. In order to be able to read and protect his reputation at the same time, he stuck the book under his jacket and left the library. A few weeks later, he'd finished the book, and so he brought it back. Even as he was replacing it in its slot on the shelf, he noticed there was another book by the same author. He borrowed that book too. A few weeks later, he brought it back, and there was another book by the same author on the shelf. He borrowed that. He came back; another book by the same author. By the end of that semester, he had read all of the books of that author. Years later, he discovered that his sneakiness had not been quite as sneaky as he thought. He was at a high school reunion and the school's now ancient librarian, Mildred Grady, which I must say is the absolute best name a librarian could have, said to him, "I saw you take the book the first time. Mrs. Saunders and I, the library assistant, wanted you to be able to read. Each time you took a book by that author, we got in the car and we drove the two-hour round trip to Memphis to find another book by that author, so that when you brought it back, there'd be another one for you." She provided for him a love of reading that became essential for his life and career and ultimate success. Grace comes in lots of versions, but the common thread all the way through is someone providing for someone else who does not deserve it and may even deserve punishment except for the mercy of the one who provides. That message is here, if we will see it, in this Sermon on the Mount where there is such emphasis upon the law of God. It's the highest expression of God's law in all the Bible and it's being given by Jesus. Jesus keeps looking at the law and he just won't let us escape it. This is what it really requires, not the ways in which you characterize it and stereotype it. God is not looking on the outward appearance; he's looking on your heart. Jesus begins to talk to people's understanding how serious is their condition by also saying and what you think you can do to make it up to God will not work either. A section begins on generosity and prayer and fasting as Jesus says words that surely would distress his hearer. Chapter 6, verses 1 to 4: "Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven." "Thus when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly I say to you, they've received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing so that your giving may be in secret and your Father who sees in secret will reward you." Are we more interested in God's purpose or our reputation, that others will think highly of us? In this church, we don't typically trumpet the gifts of anybody because we're concerned what motivations may then begin to drive us. We rejoice in special gifts for special purposes to encourage others that no one is faking it, but by and large, our recognitions are brief, intended to expand God's purposes rather than ours. The vast majority of the gifts no one else knows except the one who does the bookkeeping. I don't know; others don't know. It's so that it would be God's purpose that we're most concerned about. And prayer, verses 5 and 6 of chapter 6: "When you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners that they may be seen by others." "Truly I say to you, they've received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret and your Father who sees in secret will reward you." What about fasting? There's real holy endeavor there. Let's fast. Verses 16 through 18: "And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others." "Truly I say to you, they've received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head, wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others, but by your Father who is in secret and your Father who sees in secret will reward you." This is awful. Not only can we not measure up to the standards of God, we can't make it up by our performance. It's not to be seen. It's not measured how good we are because of how we compare to others. Men look on the outward appearance; God looks on the heart. If I can't measure up and I can't make it up, where does that leave me? Broken. Absolutely broken. We play games in our minds. Wouldn't it be great to be at the Sermon on the Mount? It's almost like the Sound of Music, the mountain slopes and Julie Andrews. Oh, no, Jesus. It would just be great to be there. Unless you listened to the words. If you actually heard what Jesus was saying, you can't measure up and you can't make it up, you would begin to look for some help. To be sure that his purpose is blessing, Jesus bookends all that law discussion with verses 26 through 30 of chapter 6. "Look at the birds of the air. They neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?" "And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, oh you of little faith?" It's hard to put ourselves back in the situation, but we need to. For those who have just been crushed by the law as Jesus has expressed it, he says, "Wait, look at the birds. They don't sow or gather into barns, yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Look at the grass of the field. I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." "If God so clothes the grass of the field which today is and tomorrow is cast in the fire, will he not much clothe you, oh you of little faith?" He's not only telling us essential grace, God taking care of those who cannot take care of themselves, God providing for those who cannot provide for themselves, whether it's birds or flowers or you. The path to understanding is the path of faith. If God takes care of them, why wouldn't he take care of you? Put your faith in him, the one who provides for those who cannot provide for themselves. If you will just put yourself in the scene, Jesus says, "Look at the birds. Look at the flowers. Believe God will take care of you." At some point, the people whose eyes have followed his gestures have to come back to Jesus. Put your faith in the one who provides for you. What is his provision? It's the one talking to you. It's got to be hard for them to receive. Before he goes on, Jesus even puts on more weight of the law. Chapter 7, verses 1 through 8: Don't judge other people for their wrongdoing. Take the log out of your own eye before you take a speck out of your brother's eye. You're not made right by comparison. Verses 12 through 14, the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Well, I know that's right, but... Verses 15 through 20: Evaluate religious teaching not by fine words and prosperity promises or seductive smiles, but what is God's fruit evident in that ministry? It's the only thing that makes it legitimate. Lest you think Jesus is not serious about human performance and its displays not justifying, verses 21 through 23: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of the Father who is in heaven. On that day, that is Judgment Day, many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and cast out demons in your name and do mighty works in your name?' and I will declare to them, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'" You must know everyone who heard this and actually listened to what Jesus was saying, "Wait a second. We can do great works and you won't receive us? We're generous and we pray and we fast and we do everything we can to make it up to you and your standards are so perfect that you say that's not going to make us right with you or your Father. I don't want to hear anymore. I'm done. Totally unreasonable, not familiar with real life. I don't want to hear anymore." Jesus says, apropos of the week we've just had, verses 24 through 27, "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall because it was founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against the house and it fell and great was the fall thereof." With that crash, the Sermon on the Mount is done. I can't measure up. I can't make it up. God, you're going to have to provide some help here. He does. If the Beatitudes are prologue and preface, chapter 8 is epilogue and hope. The one who has just set his intent was to bless but broke us now tells us where we might be built up.
Guest (Male): Change, real change, is hard. In fact, some people would claim that no change is really possible, but the truth is it is possible. You can be different. You can overcome your struggle with sin or that addiction, but it won't be happening simply by turning over a new leaf or trying a little harder. The real power of change is ignited when we take hold of God's amazing grace. In the book Unlimited Grace by Pastor Bryan Chapell, he shows you how. Unlimited Grace takes you on a journey to discover how grace not only frees you from the guilt and shame of a sinful life, but also provides the daily fuel needed for joy and strength in your Christian life. Take hold of God's grace and it is the key to finding true life change. Request your copy of Unlimited Grace—that's the title of the book—when you go online to unlimitedgrace.com. The web address again is unlimitedgrace.com. And now more from Bryan Chapell on today's Unlimited Grace.
Bryan Chapell: Verses 24 through 27: "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall because it was founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand." "And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against the house and it fell and great was the fall thereof." With that crash, the Sermon on the Mount is done. I can't measure up. I can't make it up. God, you're going to have to provide some help here. He does. Chapter 8: If the Beatitudes are prologue and preface, chapter 8 is epilogue and hope. The one who has just set his intent was to bless but broke us now tells us where we might be built up. Chapter 8, verses 1 to 3: "When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, 'Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.' And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, 'I will. Be clean.' And immediately his leprosy was cleansed." In that society and that time, to have this terrible physical manifestation of leprosy was in their way of thinking the visible manifestation of some hidden sin. And Jesus is saying, "I can help." Who can he help? The one who says, "Jesus, you can help me." And Jesus says, "I will." One who calls out for help, Jesus will help. Who are those people? Chapter 8, verses 5 to 10: "When he entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing, 'Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.' And Jesus said to him, 'I will come and heal him.' But the centurion replied, 'Lord, I am unworthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority with soldiers under me and I say to one go and he goes and another come and he comes and to my servant do this and he does it.'" When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, "Truly I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith." Faith in what? That Jesus can provide for one who is unworthy, who does not deserve it. This is a Roman centurion. He's part of an enemy occupying army. He is a foreigner to the covenants of Israel. And Jesus is saying, "Listen, if you call out to me for help and do it by humbly saying 'I'm not worthy, but I need you,' that Jesus will help." Verses 14 through 17: "And when Jesus entered Peter's house, he saw his mother-in-law sick with fever. He touched her hand and the fever left her and she rose and began to serve him. That evening, they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons and he cast out the spirits with a word and he healed all those who were sick." "This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: 'He took our illnesses and he bore our diseases.'" Not just physical, but spiritual. They were oppressed by demons. There is sin, there is iniquity that has opened the door to the worst of spiritual oppression. And Jesus, when people come to him for help, says, "I will help." He bore our iniquities. He bore by stripes on his own back and nail prints in hands and feet the punishment that we deserved. Oh, Jesus, I need some help. I don't have any right to call out, but I believe you can help me. And he will. Grace comes in many versions. When Judge Olly Neal went to the funeral of that librarian, Mrs. Grady, he said, "I credit Mrs. Grady for getting me in the habit of enjoying reading so I was able to go to law school and survive." Mrs. Grady's grace changed a lifetime. The grace of Jesus Christ can change an eternity. What's the path? Jesus, I need some help. I'm not worthy to ask, but I believe, my faith is, you can help me. So Jesus, will you help me? When we humble ourselves, the broken receive the blessing. He will help. Hello, my friend, this is Pastor Bryan. I'm so thankful that you've taken the time to study through the Bible with me today. We go through this together knowing that the Lord will use his word to stir our hearts, to bring us hope, transform our desires, and grant us the strength we need for the challenges we face. If today's messages have touched you and you find yourself wanting to experience more of God's grace, I'd like to pray for you right now. Heavenly Father, thank you for allowing us to address you that way, as a Father. Thank you for granting us access to your throne room by the provision of your Son. As we unite our hearts to his in faith, trusting that he paid the penalty for all our sins on the cross, you take all our guilt away in ways almost too incredible for human minds to fathom. You make us as holy as Jesus and you even love us as much as you do Jesus. So now we come to you as trusting children, not asking that you would do as we think is wise or good or pleasing, but asking that you would love us as an infinitely wise and good and strong Father. We trust that even when we don't know how to pray, the Holy Spirit will make our prayers better than we can ask and Jesus will ask better than we deserve. So do as you know is best, for then we will be most blessed. This we ask with complete faith in your wisdom, power, and love. In Jesus' name, amen.
Guest (Male): That's Pastor Bryan Chapell and you've been listening to Unlimited Grace. If you've missed anything that you'd like to hear once again, just visit unlimitedgrace.com. And when you do so, you can sign up for Pastor Bryan's daily devotional sent right to your inbox. While you're there, also be sure to request a copy of the book from Dr. Bryan Chapell called Unlimited Grace. We'll send you a copy right away as our way of saying thank you for your most generous financial support. Once again, go to unlimitedgrace.com or you can give by calling 844-41-GRACE. That's 844-414-7223. Please be sure to join us next time as once again we endeavor to put Christ at the center of our efforts so that lives might be transformed by his unlimited grace. This ministry is brought to you by Unlimited Grace Media and continues to be made possible with your generous financial support.