Book of Luke - Ch. 12, Vs. 10-21 (10/26/2003)

Let's do a fake prayer so we can get the prayer on there Now we've already prayed and then we remembered to push the button and now it's

Luke chapter 12 verse 10 my fellow Americans and Whosoever shall speak a word against the

Son of Man it shall be forgiven him But unto him that blasphemeth against the

Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven Now then does anyone know or have a clue from the scriptures of what this

Blaspheming the Holy Ghost might be No, it wouldn't be denying

God because we have all done that and we're not going to hell It's that this is a sin that if you do it you go to hell.

I Think it is and It's based on the fact that When Jesus healed there was a time when the

Pharisees said yes, but you healed by the power of the devil and In the context of that is this same verse that we find here in Luke where Except In that passage right after the healing and right after they claimed it was of the devil we had this same verse about Blaspheming the

Holy Spirit. So that's a case where we use the Bible to interpret the Bible In other words, you've got to go to that other passage that has the same verse and find the context

It's in and you'll see that what happened right before it was Jesus by the power of the

Holy Spirit Heal someone and they said that was the power of the devil that healed that person So anytime that you say that a work

God did was something that devil did you blaspheme the Holy Spirit? If it's a work that the

Holy Spirit did now can a Christian a born -again child of God do this? No You cannot

Because you have within you the very Holy Spirit That would have done the work and he would he would confess to your spirit that it was him and you would recognize it

So you would never say that a work of the devil Was that something that God did was something that death the devil actually did you would not make that mistake.

Aren't you glad? Okay, so only let me ask you this can a lost sheep make that mistake

No Only a lost goat could make that mistake It doesn't say that listening to false prophecy is unpardonable

What it says is if God does a work and you didn't say that was the devil that's unpardonable

So only a lost goat could make that error and if he made that error, would it be an error?

It's not like a brother Otis question, didn't it? Okay So that's we're clear on what the unpardonable sin is

It's not all the sins that we sometimes think it's for example divorce Divorce is not the unpardonable sin

A lot of churches think it is so they outcast the person that got divorced The only thing that that person should never do or at least one thing

I know is he should never be a pastor the bible doesn't allow that and You might have some wisdom in your church that would say might not ought to be the youth director

You know Because you need the children to see an example of a good marriage But the bible doesn't even go so far as to say that but it does say they couldn't be a pastor

But we have things we think are unpardonable, but really There's only one that god names And it's listed right here verse 11 says and when they bring you

Unto the synagogues and under the magistrates and powers Take you no thought how or what thing you shall answer

Or what you shall say for the holy ghost shall teach you in the same hour what you ought to say

Now, let me ask you is that possible? If you hadn't been in the word all of your time up until this event takes place

Let's say that i'm not even sure there is such a thing as a carnal christian, but let's assume for a moment there is and it's

Christian that just never studies his bible This is hypothetical. I'm, not sure that can even happen

I don't think it can But let's say it could you have a christian that never studies his bible.

He walks along And all of a sudden somebody grabs him and says we're going to throw you in prison because you believe in jesus

And this verse says the holy spirit would teach the person what to say that same hour in other words with no preparation

Just jesus knows what to say would that happen to such a person? Absolutely not

So you better study Better study every chance you get to get alone quiet spend some time in the word studying on your own not from the sermons

Or the bible studies But on your own your own study like you would if you were going to teach a class next sunday morning from the pulpit at 11 o 'clock

Well, maybe not quite like that, but maybe like that To me it's fun

But you need to study because what you study is what the holy spirit will use to tell you what to say

Instantly when you need that verse 13 and one of the company said unto him master speak to me speak to my brother

That he divide the inheritance with me And jesus said unto him man

That's a stern address Man who made me judge or divider over you?

And he said to them take heed and beware of covetousness For a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

That's a beautiful verse I almost have that one memorized i've paraphrased it quite a few times

Because it's really a wonderful verse And he had these two men that were so selfish

They were wanting to make sure that they did not lose one bit of what was mine, you know, the big my the big eye

Jesus makes sure he doesn't get what's mine and jesus rebuked him And said you're covetous

Covetousness is when you your eyes are always upon things and you desire those things and you've got to have those things

And you go and you get those things And jesus said don't be covetous Because he said your life does not consist of the abundance of the things that you possess

You may have a lot of things or you may have no things Has nothing to do with your life because what is life life is your relationship with jesus

That's the only life you have And it has nothing to do with whether you have a bunch of money or a little bit of money

Whether your business is successful or whether it's not in your own eyes And always remember that your business is exactly where god wants it to be on that given day.

So it's it is successful You may be losing money, but it's right where it's supposed to be remember his example of the is what do you use a peach?

Or a pear or something a peach How is it his dad used to talk about that with you as it grows on the tree?

It may be as big as your thumbnail, but it's perfect because that's where it's supposed to be on that given day

It's not supposed to still be like that when the harvest comes though So that can apply to your business life your family life and everything that you may be losing money in your business

But it's right where it's supposed to be today And hopefully next year it won't be there or the year after it will mature

And uh, but jesus said you shouldn't worry about that stuff Anyway, because that's covetousness if that means more to your joy than me

If your joy depends on the money, then you're covetous If you can be happy when you have nothing then you're not covetous

And he's saying that's what true life is life Has nothing to do with the abundance or lack thereof of things nothing to do with it because life is jesus

And so to you it's your relationship with jesus And he spake a parable unto them saying the ground of a certain rich man brought forth

Plentifully now I want you to start with verse 17 and go all the way down through The end of verse 19 and count the times you see the word

I are my All right, start counting them to yourselves from 17 through the end of verse 19

I and my how many times do you see it and he thought within himself saying what shall

I do? Because I have no room where to bestow my fruits and he said this will

I do I will pull down my barn Build bigger barns and there will

I bestow all my fruits and my goods and I will say to my soul soul Thou hast much goods laid up for many years take thine ease eat drink and be merry for tomorrow.

I will die No, he didn't say that part So how many times did you count it? 11 times in only three verses this man says

I I I so where is his focus? Self And jesus said he that loves his life shall lose it and in the greek

It doesn't say the word his it says he that loves self -life shall lose it

Isn't that interesting? If you love self -life You lose life if you

Die to the self -life then you gain true Abundant life because you have joy in your relationship with god, which has nothing to do with things

And that's why this parable comes right after the verse 15. It's a it's an illustration of verse 15

It points out that even though this guy had all these riches he really had nothing because god was just about to take his soul

So he had nothing he just thought he had something now if it's true That you can think you have something listen to me.

Now. This this is hard to do right after lunch If it's true that you can think you have something but really have nothing

Isn't it true that you can think you have nothing and really have something? I think that's the lesson for today

But god said to him thou fool this night thy soul shall be required of thee then who shall those things be

Which thou has provided his rebellious kids Gonna get all his money that he worked so hard to get

So is he that layeth up treasure for himself and is not rich toward god let's stop there

We'll start with verse 22 next time what a lesson that is if you uh

Think you have something and you don't then it's possible to think you don't have anything right now but you really do some of you may be in that place and uh

So just know that if you have jesus you have it all you've got all of it so be joyful You know, you could add that to your philosophy brother otis of doing your best now

You could add to that and say be joyful now. Don't wait till the money comes to be joyful Or or whatever it is.

Some of you girls told that till that young man comes or Amen brother mitchell good preaching

You know or whatever Yeah, some of these girls over here your big brother paul's already watching out for you now

Yep there at that gym. He says there I'm gonna make sure there's no guys tracking them. I said you do that.

Let me know So I have to report back to your dad I gotta give him a good report

So don't think it's because none of the guys like you it's because we don't let them around you Yeah Let's pray father we thank you for your word and for how

Quick it is and powerful in our lives and we pray that Your holy spirit would bring much of what we discussed today to mind to our minds throughout the week as we need it

And we ask it in jesus name. Amen So we're supposed to start the afternoon service