Favorite Preacher (Part 1)

Thanks for tuning in to No Compromise Radio with pastor and author, Dr. Mike Avendrop. Today on No Compromise Radio, we'll be hearing Pastor Mike open the Word of God in a recent message he preached at Bethlehem Bible Church in West Boylston, Massachusetts.

Now let's join Pastor Mike in progress as he preaches through the scriptures, verse by verse, with no compromise.

Who Is Your Favorite Preacher?

I've had the privilege of going really around the world talking about preaching and the gospel, and I love to ask people the question, who is your favorite preacher? I hear all kinds of answers. I hear Martin Lloyd-Jones, I hear John MacArthur, I hear Conrad Nbiwe when I was in Africa.

Who's your favorite preacher, if you had to name one? And then I ask the question, well that's interesting that you like that particular preacher, but why is it that you did not name Jesus Christ as your favorite preacher?

I think Jesus is my favorite preacher, and I bet he is yours as well. So let's turn our Bibles to Matthew 21 and see the greatest preacher and the greatest Bible teacher ever in the history of the universe as he dismantles works righteousness.

We will be back in 1 Corinthians 11 next Sunday as we address the passage about submission and worship and all those things, marching through 1 Corinthians. We should finish 1 Corinthians this year, but I wanted to take a little detour in Matthew because I love Jesus' preaching, and I especially love it when he teaches parables, something set alongside of another, teaching that is convicting, teaching that is easy to remember, and teaching that gets the audience to basically condemn themselves.

The punchline is there and is given to the people as they listen, and so we're going to look at Matthew 21 this morning, three parables that talk about self-righteousness, that talk about legalism, legalism in the sense working for heaven.

Now Jesus, when he was around self-righteous people, he blasted them. He was devastatingly sharp in his delivery. On the other hand, when he was around people who knew they were sinful, who knew they had no righteousness of their own, who knew they needed a savior, what did he do?

He stooped low. He condescended to them. He talked to them. He ate with them. But when it came to those who would mislead the people of God, Israel, those who would mislead the people who were they supposed to be teaching the Bible, he blasted them.

And today we're going to look at these three parables, and all three of these parables blast religiosity. They attack spirituality. They go after ritualism. And it's done in such a way that you'll probably never forget it.

And I'm wondering as I preach these passages, these three parables, if you think the same way about religion as Jesus does. The system of religion should make you mad. It made Jesus mad. He hated religion.

Religion defined as a set of rules or things to do to make yourself acceptable in God's eyes. He hated that because we're sinful and we need a savior from the outside, the work of another to save us. We can't save ourselves.

And see, we live in a society today where moralism and religiosity and spirituality damns people because you look good on the outside. You've got a nice car. You've got a nice home. You've got nice wealth.

You've got nice health. You've got a good looking life on the outside, but you can have a great looking life and go straight to hell because you must be born again. So you've got these leaders who are after the people of Israel and anybody else who would listen and they're trying to say to get to heaven, you've got to be good.

You've got to go obey the laws. You have to do what we say. And Jesus comes along and he just fires these three parables that we'll call scuds this morning and you will see what Jesus thinks about morality and about religiosity and about ritualism.

Morality damns. It might make nice neighbors, but it is damning. And I'll ask you the question before I get into the passage. What makes you right in God's eyes? God sees you. Why would he let you into heaven?

How can you approach a holy God? Because you're religious? Because you pray? Because you're a member? Because you slept in and went to second service? For what reason can you stand before God? Some of you trying to get merit, you're here for two services.

Our day, maybe it's not so much religiosity, it's spirituality. I'm very spiritual. And so today you'll see Christ Jesus attacking legalism. And I hope you say like I say, God, thank you for saving me from such a plight.

I grew up in a liberal mainline Lutheran church and I thought since I was baptized, since I was learning the catechism, since I knew Luther's smaller catechism, since I'd been confirmed, since I'd been on a mission trip down to Galeana, Mexico, since I'd been on a Christian backpacking trip in Colorado, I was good.

Let's take a look at the context first though in Matthew chapter 21 and I hope you say to yourself, I am so thankful to be saved by grace alone because of Christ's perfect work. The context of the parables are very important.

You can't really understand a parable unless you understand the context. So what is the context of the parable one, parable two, parable three? Let's go to Matthew 21, 23 and following as this running controversy is coming to a boil.

You can just feel it as you read chapter 21, triumphal entry, cleaning the temple, cursing the fig leaf and now these religious leaders come to Jesus and they're going to try to get him and they're going to try to get at him.

Verse 23, the text says in Matthew 21, and when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him and he was teaching and said, can you imagine asking Jesus, the eternal God, by what authority are you doing these things and who gave you this authority?

You don't have any authority to do this. Who do you think you are is the question. Scribes didn't like Jesus, Pharisees didn't like Jesus, Sadducees didn't like Jesus, Sadducees didn't like Pharisees, Pharisees didn't like scribes, but they all hated Jesus enough to come together as a band of brothers to go after him.

Who do you think you are? And basically Jesus is taking away their jurisdiction. They're running the shots, they're controlling everything, they're the power brokers and now Jesus is coming over with his teaching and with his life and he's slitting the jugular vein of these false teachers, rightfully so, and they don't like it.

I'd hate to be on the receiving end of these next verses. Verse 24, what does Jesus say, how does he respond? Jesus answered them, Matthew 21, 24, I will also ask you one question and if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things.

Now this is a common rabbinical style, but I like it that Jesus wasn't backing down, I like it that he wasn't afraid, I like it that he wasn't somehow this meek and mild Jesus that has to back down to these false teachers.

Jesus isn't looking for information, that's not why he asked the question. Verse 25, the baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man? Now you can see them all step to the side, we have a little conference here, and they discussed it among themselves saying, if we say from heaven, if we say it's divine origin, he will say to us, well then why did you not believe him?

If John came with the stamp of God himself, then why didn't you follow John? But if we say from man, he's just making it up on his own, we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet.

Jesus now staking his authority on John the Baptist's authority, Mark 11 it says, Jesus said to them, answer me with a demand, you answer me, if I'm from heaven, if John the Baptist is from heaven, then you should follow, but they were cowards, and so that leads us into these three parables.

Let me call them three judgment parables that talk about religion, that talk about more specifically leaders that teach religion, that aren't teaching grace, that aren't teaching substitutionary atonement, that are getting people off the track.

The Parable of the Two Sons

Parable one, the parable of two sons, Jesus is going to be delivering these parables right to these leaders. Parable one, two sons, found in verse 28, how do you demonstrate that you're a son of the kingdom?

Just all talk like the religious leaders? Let's find out. Verse 28, what do you think? Put your thinking caps on, is what he's saying, what do you think? Man had two sons, went to the first and said, son, go and work in the vineyard today, and he answered and said, I will not, but afterward he changed his mind, he repented and went, I won't go, but he does go, and he went to the other son and said the same, and he answered, I go, sir, but did not go.

Which son do you think represented the religious leaders? We'll obey you God, we'll do the right thing, but we'll never go do it. He's saying you guys are the second son, you guys are the second son, you say you'll obey, but you don't obey, you're all talk.

Who does the first son represent? The one that says, you know what, I'm not going to go, but goes anyway. Who represents the one who says, I'm not going to repent and believe, but gets convicted, hears the word and says, now I do believe.

And Jesus is going to compare the false teachers to these other people, and it's going to be disastrous for them. Who's better than the false teachers? Well, let's find out, verse 31. Which of the two did the will of his father?

I mean, they have to answer, and as they answer, they're going to condemn themselves. What a great teacher. They said, the first, Jesus said to them, truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of heaven before you.

No wonder just in three short days they were going to try to kill him. The plan was hatched. The prostitutes are better than you. The tax collectors, the scum, the dregs are better than you. Because they were first saying, no, we won't go, we love our sin, but then heard the word and got convicted and then responded.

Whereas you leaders, you know, you say you will obey, you are teaching these things and then you don't obey. Before you, they go to heaven. And this language, tax collectors and prostitutes, it just talks about the epitome of dirtiness and filth and riffraff.

It's like Jesus would say today that pedophiles, rapists, and suicide bombers would go to heaven before liberal bishops, imams, and popes. Wow. Samuel said, has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifice as in obeying the voice of the Lord?

Behold, to obey is better than what? Sacrifice. James says what? Don't just be hearers of the word who delude themselves, but instead be what? Doers of the word. You hear the word and you do it. They're teaching people to do it and they don't even do it themselves, these false teachers.

And Jesus says, let me make myself clear, verse 32. He gives more explanation. Again, tying his ministry to John the forerunners. John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him.

And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your mind and believe him. You are just like that son that says, I will go, but don't, actually doesn't actually obey. I could ask you the question, are you like the first son or like the second son?

Are you a doer of the word or merely just to hear only? Are you one that's all talk, trusting in your baptism like I did for 29 years, your confirmation, your being good, your church attendance, not as bad as the person down the street?

Friends, it is true that if you're all talk when it comes to religion, you will hear this talk from Jesus. Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my father who is in heaven.

Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name cast out demons and in your name perform many miracles. And then I will declare to them, I never knew you depart from me.

You who practice lawlessness. Jesus is after heartfelt obedience in response to his grace, not just lip service. He is desiring repentance and faith, not just I know these things by rote. Maybe someone young is sitting here and they just looked at that parable and said, oh, you know what?

Sounds like if I say no a lot now and sin a lot now, I can still later go repent. The tax gathers and the prostitutes, after all, they sinned at the beginning and still they could find repentance. So if you're thinking, you know what?

When I'm as old as Mike is, then I'll repent and so I'll sow my oats now. I'll live life now as I want and then later I'll repent. That would be a bad way for you to interpret this parable. There's no guarantee that you live one more day.

No guarantee that you're able to come to Christ Jesus because today is the day of salvation. Well, what's the second scud kind of parable? Maybe this one's even more intense. I'll call this one maybe a patriot missile.

This one's going to zoom over. Parable number two, the rejection of the landowner's sons. And you're going to see these people have no need for substitute straight atonement. Our life is too good. Who needs the atonement?

By the way, before I start, I have to make sure I remind you this. Don't ever evangelize this way. Come to Christ and get a great marriage. Come to Christ and have all your finances taken care of because some people you'll meet.

I know people who have better marriages who are both unbelievers than believers who have marriages are a believer and an unbeliever. Some people's marriages are nice. Their families are nice. Everything about them is nice.

And if you say, here's Jesus, this will take care of your problem for nice. They don't need nice. But what every unbeliever does need is what? Forgiveness full and free. You need to be forgiven. And even though you can have a nice life now, you will stand before God and like the prophet Sable, consider your ways, consider your latter end.

Here another parable, chapter 21, verse 33. Remember Passion Week is here, it's coming, we're in the middle of it. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and he did all kinds of great things.

He dug a wine press, everything it needed, built a tower, leased it to tenants and went away into another country. Now if you're thinking like a Jew, you'd be saying this, oh yeah, Old Testament, Israel's like the vineyard, Isaiah chapter five, there's a vineyard, it's Israel and God did everything he could to Israel.

He didn't hold anything back. He figuratively gave it a tower for protection and he hewed it and did all the dirty work and dug all around it and removed the stones. He did everything. But there were some people who were tenants over this vineyard, these false teachers, and they were teaching the wrong thing.

Let me read you Isaiah five just for a second so you can get the connection. It says in Isaiah five, verse seven, for the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel. So if you're a Jew, you're listening to Jesus, you're the religious leader Jew, listening to Jesus, you'll say this.

He's talking about the vineyard now in this parable of the vineyard and I'll easily associate several things. The vineyard is Israel. Who's the owner of the vineyard, do you think? God's the owner. The tenants are the Jewish leaders who were teaching the wrong things and the servants that are going to arrive are God sent servants called the prophets.

Let's take a look at it and you'll just see it unfold. It's an easy parable to understand. Almost having more of an allegory flavor to it than a parable. Verse thirty four. Again, Jesus going straight for the religious leaders.

That's why he's talking. That's the situation and occurrence for the parable. When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit. And so, if you're thinking just fruit like lemons and avocados in the Middle East and almonds or something, that'd be fine, but here's the fruits of spiritually repentance, the fruit of the spirit.

It's time for the fruit of faith, obedience. And the tenants took his servants, verse thirty five, and beat one, killed another, stoned another. Bring that message back to the owner. And again, he sent more servants.

Look at the patience, the generosity of that landowner. Over and over and over, getting wrong but doing the right thing. Vicious men, yet graciously, he sends another and he sends another and sent more than the first and they did the same to them.

You know, one thing about Jesus in his preaching, you never really know where he stands. He doesn't mince words, does he? You know exactly what he's talking about, to whom he's talking. And in the Old Testament, you can read of Elijah who was sent to talk to Israel and what did they do to Elijah?

They drive him into the wilderness. You can read how Isaiah was sent to Israel and the religious leaders, what? By tradition, saw him in two. Zechariah stoned to death. So you've got God, the landowner, you've got the vineyard representing Israel, you've got the tenants who are the false teachers and the leaders, and then you've got God sending in people like John the Baptist.

He gets his head chopped off. Legend says Amos got killed, Micah got killed, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Joel, Habakkuk, all killed. Stephen said in Acts 7, was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute?

They even killed those who predicted the coming of the righteous one. But the climax of the parable happens now. You think it was already climactic enough, but now verse 37. And you can just hear the empathy and the compassion and the love of God just ooze out of this passage.

Finally, he sent his son to them saying, they will respect my son. Mark calls him in this passage, the beloved son. Reminds you of the transfiguration, doesn't it? This is my beloved son. This is the best I have.

I'm not sending someone else, I'm sending my own flesh and blood as it were. I'm sending my own kin. I'm sending my son. This is the love of God as he acts towards sinners. I'll send my son. But when the tenants saw the son, the son that was sent by the father who so loved the world, what did he do?

What did they do rather? They said to themselves, this is the heir, come let us kill him and have his inheritance. And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. We wouldn't want to damage the crops or anything and have anything ceremonially unclean so we'd hate to kill him in the vineyard so let's take him out of the vineyard before we kill him.

But let's kill him because there'll be no more owner. We will own the land because we have occupied the land. Occupation vineyard. Right? That's what this is. The original occupiers. Still just as stupid as the new ones.

Sorry. I'm always in trouble when I talk about any kind of political thing. That's why I stick to the Bible. I just got recently an email from a No Compromise radio listener and they said, when you teach the Bible you're right on, but when you talk about science you don't have a clue what you're talking about.

Stick to the Bible. There probably is some truth to that. I should tell you the other scathing things they said but that'll be for another sermon. But even those comments that I just gave you, left to ourselves, when somebody does something against us, my nature wants to get them back.

I'll teach you to mess with me. I'm going to teach you a lesson and what does God do? He's just arms wide open. God's sending one servant and another servant and another servant and finally he sends his son.

They kill his son. Just the unmerited grace of God. Sovereign grace. By the way, they didn't kill the son because of mistaken identity. They knew who the son was exactly. And they wanted to control the nation for themselves.

They wanted the property. They wanted Israel. And so they'll arrange for his death very soon. Conspiring together. Verse 40 of Matthew 21, when therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, we know that's God.

What will he do to those tenants? Now remember Jesus is asking these people and they're going to condemn themselves. It's such a great way to teach. All the listeners would know and they know. When that owner comes back, what's he going to do to those tenants?

They said to him, he will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons. He gets them to give the answer. That final murder is not going to go unpunished.

They know justice must be given. And he makes an application. Verse 42, we've just had Jesus coming in on Palm, literally Monday, where this was sung. And so they should have already read it earlier in the week.

Here we have this messianic Psalm, Psalm 118 found in chapter 40, found in verse 42 of chapter 21. Jesus said to them, by the way, this is like saying to the Bible teachers of the world, have you never read the scriptures?

You don't even know the Bible. You've got that funny looking hat on saying that you're the father of the church. The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. So you're building this building, you think, you know what, we need a cornerstone, which is the most important part of the building.

Let's pick this one up. Nah, this one's no good. And so you chuck it in the pile, you make a big pile of rejected stones. The leaders took that rejected stone, took that stone and chucked it. But God in his plan took that rejected stone and made it the cornerstone.

They reject Jesus, Jesus is the cornerstone. The stone and the builders, the stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. Peter talks about this in first Peter two, in Acts chapter four.

And who was sovereign over all this? Was this accidental? Was this kind of serendipitous? Was this just lucky? By chance, everything regarding the son of God has been decreed in eternity past and fleshes itself out.

God knew exactly what he was doing and how he was doing it. It was all going to plan. That this was the Lord's doing. Yes, it was the Lord's doing that this stone was rejected, but then be used for the cornerstone.

All in his plan. These men did it by their own will, yet God did it and overrid it by his own will. And what does he say there in verse 42 towards the end? This was the Lord's doing and it is marvelous in our eyes.

How can you take a bunch of murderers and kill the son of God, yet that's actually part of the plan of God where he comes and sends his son, dies for sinners? Who can come up with that? Who can innovate that?

Jesus makes them think about a psalm that they should have just read during Passover. The rejection of Christ Jesus, but then the exaltation of Christ Jesus. Sinclair Ferguson said, Jesus, who would be despised and rejected by these leaders, was actually essential for access into God's presence.

Isn't that good? The patience of God sending the son. We need the son so we can have access to the father.

No Compromise Radio with Pastor Mike Abendroth is a production of Bethlehem Bible Church in West Boylston. Bethlehem Bible Church is a Bible teaching church firmly committed to unleashing the life-transforming power of God's Word through verse-by-verse exposition of the sacred text.

Please come and join us. Our service times are Sunday morning at 8 .30 and 11 a .m. and Sunday evenings at 6 p .m. We're right on Route 110 in West Boylston, Massachusetts. You can check us out online at bbcchurch .org or by phone at 508 -835 -3400.

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