If you would please open your Bibles with me to the Gospel of Matthew. This evening we're looking at chapter 22 and we'll start there this evening in verse 15. Matthew chapter 22, and notice just the first part there in verse 15, it says there, Then went the Pharisees, Now, these Pharisees were the religious teachers of their day, the religious rulers and authorities, and they took counsel how they might entangle the Lord Jesus in his talk. These religious leaders, teachers, and preachers, they all took counsel together how they might trap, or entangle, or confuse the things that Christ was preaching and teaching. Now, there seems to be characteristic common among religious people. And not only in that day, but so too in our day. It's the same characteristic. You see, religious people just love to argue about religion. And they love it to differ and debate about spiritual matters instead of searching the scriptures and finding out what God has to say himself on a particular subject. And they love to interject their own thoughts, saying, this is what I think, or this is what I believe, or this is what my church believes. And they're always interjecting their own thoughts and ways. Nevertheless, God clearly says in Isaiah chapter 55, and he says it to one and all, my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. And further, he tells us to repent. that is to turn from our own thoughts and our own ways and submit ourselves to his word. He plainly tells us in Isaiah chapter eight, if they speak not according to this word, that is, if they speak not according to his word, it is because there is no light in them. You see, religious people, whether they're members of their own religion or organized religion, no matter, the atheist and the deist both, they love to argue and debate. And they seem to like it especially on spiritual matters that they debate and argue. For example, the Word of God declares that sodomy is an abomination. And yet everybody from the NBA to the NHL seemed to want to celebrate it. I never thought of a time where it would be necessary for Christian hockey players to refuse to wear rainbow-themed jerseys in support of the so-called LGBTQ community. I mean, just think of that. That scenario seems so unthinkable. But in our day, if a Christian hockey player were to make a statement that goes against the LGBTQ perversions, If they fail to recognize or even celebrate their perversions, well, they would be accused of hate and prejudice and potentially lose their career or be, as they say, canceled. And people say, well, shouldn't they be allowed to love each other? My friend, do you know what the Bible says about what they call love? Do you know what the Bible says about sodomy or homosexuality? God's word says homosexuality is an abomination to God. My friend, you're not going to get the truth looking at the stars or by going to some textbook or dictionary. So what you're going to have to do is go to the Word of God. What does the Word of God say about homosexuality? Well, God has already spoken for himself, has he not? Most certainly he has. We read in Leviticus chapter 20, there in verse 13, If a man also lieth with mankind, as he lieth with a woman. I mean, that's clear, is it not? If a man lies with a man as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. Notice the Lord says, it's an abomination. That's the word that God uses. It's an abomination. And they shall surely be put to death, that's the law of Moses, but their blood shall be upon them. Well, preacher, that's just the Old Testament, is it not? Well, yes, that's right. It's the Old Testament. And the New Testament is the fulfillment of the Old Testament. And the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed. And the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed. But let's turn to see what the New Testament says. What does God have to say in the New Testament? We read in Romans chapter 1, turn there with me, Romans chapter 1, beginning in verse 26, this was what God's Word says, "...for this cause, for their idolatrous rebellion, for the cause of not glorifying God as God, God gave them up. He reprobated them unto vile affections." What had they done? Listen to this, For even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature, and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another, men with men, working that which is unseemly, working that which is shameful and evil, receiving in themselves that recompense, that disease, or the consequences of their evil air, which was meat, which was fitting. That's what God's Word says. Now I ask you, is there anything left up for debate? I mean, clearly God's word declares that homosexuality is an abomination. No wonder a Christian hockey player wants nothing to do with wearing an LGBTQ rainbow on their jersey. Now if you want to disagree with what God says, fine, but that's what God's word says. That's what God himself says. And it doesn't matter if you rip out those pages from the Bible. because God's not silent about this and he's already spoken. It's reported that the sodomite Lord of the Rings actor Ian McKellen, he objects to this verse in Leviticus 20 verse 13 so much so that he says, quote, it's the one thing I find difficult to defend but do go on doing. That is, every time he's in a hotel room if he's to come across a Bible, what he'll do is he'll rip out the pages that have that verse. And no matter how many times he rips out that page in the Bible, no matter how many New Gideon's Bibles he rips apart, he can't change what the Word of God declares. You know, the Bible also declares other things. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. The Bible declares God is love. And the Word of God declares, Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Those things are clearly declared in the same Bible. And so it's the most dishonest thing you can do is to take out a part of it and reject the rest of it, or to take part of it and argue against the rest of it. So I ask you, what's up for debate? What's up for argument? There's nothing up for argument. There's nothing up for debate. You see, irrespective of how society wants to force NHL hockey players to support and approve of it, God's Word plainly declares that homosexuality, sodomy, gay so-called love, is an abomination. And Almighty God gave men and women over to reprobate minds, and they suffered the consequences. Recently I was in a restaurant with my wife and daughter, and the server, we had come to our table, proudly talked about trying to bring his sodomite partner from Mexico to live in Texas. So what did I do? Well, all I could think was to tell him about the gospel of God concerning his son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. And I pointed him to Romans chapter one. And if God would put it on his heart, I invited him to visit my home church's website in Merida. I don't know how to pronounce this in English, so it's going to sound a little weird. But maybe somebody else is going to be listening to this later. But the website is mensajedegracia.com. And I told him to go there if he wanted to listen to someone tell him the truth about God and the truth about men. I pray that the Lord teaches that man, that what's going on in our day is the consequence of men with men and women with women, working that which is an abomination and shameful to God. And God says they receive in their bodies the consequences of their error, which is meat, and that judgment is upon them. Now, back in our portion tonight in Matthew 22, our Lord preached and these religious Pharisees gathered about wanting to contradict Him. They wanted to entangle Him. They wanted to trap our Lord in His talk. Well, I won't be entangled. and our Lord wouldn't either. You see, beloved, you and I don't need to be trapped. Rather, if we'll just keep our eyes on the Word of God and preach what God says, well, that's all we have to do. It's very plain and it's very simple. All we have to do, beloved, is declare what God says. Declaring, thus saith the Lord. And so these Pharisees gathered round, and they wouldn't submit to his word, and they took counsel together to contradict him and entangle him. And one of them came to him there in verse 17. It's a group of them there. Verse 17, it says, Tell us, therefore, what thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar or not? Now, They're not being sincere about this at all. Rather, all they're trying to do is start an argument. They said, is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar? And what they're asking there is simply this. As Jewish Pharisees, what they're saying is, we're the people of God. Why should we pay taxes to the Roman government? A pagan, heathen government. Should God's people pay taxes to evil people? And then we see the reply there in verse 18. But our Lord perceived their wickedness and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Show me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. Evidently, they reached into their pocket and got a coin, and they handed it to the Lord. Verse 20. And he held it up and saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they say unto him, Well, it's Caesar's. Then our Lord said unto them, render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's. Beloved, our realm is not politics. Our realm is the word of God, and we preach God's word. And then another man from another group, the Sadducees, they came to him. These were men who were religious leaders and teachers, but they did not believe in the resurrection. So they came to the Lord to try to contradict him, and they posed to him a problem in verse 24, saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up seed unto his brother. Now there were with us seven brethren, and the first, when he had married a wife deceased and having no issue, left his wife unto his brother. Likewise, the second also, and the third unto the seventh. And last of all, the woman died also. So legally, all of these men are dead. Verse 28. Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife shall she be of the seven? For they all had her. And notice our Lord answered them in verse 29. And he said unto them, you do err, not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God. And that's the greatest problem with religious people in our day, beloved. They don't know the word of God. Our Lord tells us in another place, the Father himself which hath sent me hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape, and ye have not his word abiding in you. For whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. In effect, he said to them, you're in error because you don't know the Bible. And you don't know the power of God. Verse 30, For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage. Here, our Lord's simply saying this, how that there's no family circles in heaven. And that because, my beloved brother and sister, in Christ there's only one family in heaven, the people of God. And those in heaven are as of the angels of God in heaven. You see, just as the angels don't marry, so too those in heaven don't marry. You see, beloved, we're not going to heaven to meet our mothers or our brothers or our dearly departed. You see, we're not going to have these little family circles or cliques living in our own communities all over heaven. And why is that? Because, beloved, we're brothers and sisters in God's family. not the Murphy family or your family. Oh no, beloved, it's the Christ family. We're his family and we're all loved the same. And then here we see another religious man came to him, again, just to trap him and entangle him. He was a religious lawyer. And he asked the Lord in verse 36, Master, Which is the great commandment in the law? Tell me, what's the most important law? Our Lord said unto him in verse 37, this is the first and great commandment. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. And the second is like unto it. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. My friend, you don't have to get out the Ten Commandments, just these two. Love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. And should you endeavor to do that, you won't take His name in vain. You won't set up idols. You won't have any other gods before Him. And if you love your neighbor as yourself, should you endeavor to do that, you won't steal from him, you won't lie on him, you won't covet what he has, you won't kill him, you won't commit adultery with his wife, you won't do these things if you love your neighbor as yourself. So the whole law hangs on these two. Well, our Lord sure put that lawyer to silence, did he not? And further, none of them were able to answer him. So he then asked them a question. They put this question to Him. We see several questions they put to Him as they stood around. They wanted to argue politics. They wanted to argue prophecy. They wanted to argue law. It's not the same thing that goes on in our day when you're speaking to somebody religious. They want to talk about everything under the sun except the one needful thing, and that's Christ. Notice our Lord put to them the question of questions. You see, the whole of scripture is summed up in this one question in verse 42. What think ye of Christ? Whose son is he? In effect, what do you think of the Christ? Now, they knew that he spoke of the Messiah. You see, all through the Old Testament scriptures, from the writings of Moses all the way to the writing of Malachi, even to the coming of John the Baptist, the last of the Old Testament prophets, to Him, to the Messiah, to the Christ of God, gave all the prophets witness. That's Acts 10.43. It says there in Acts 10.43, to Him, to the Lord Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah, give all the prophets witness that through His name, whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins. All the prophets, they wrote about the Christ, they talked about the Christ, they prophesied of the Christ. You see, Christ is the promised seed of the woman, the seed of Abraham, the root of Jesse, the son of David, the prophet like Moses, the one who would redeem Israel. You see, the Old Testament says someone's coming, the Lord our righteousness, the Lord our King, the Lord our Emancipator, the Lord our Redeemer. In effect, our Lord is asking them The Christ of whom Moses wrote and the King of whom David sung. What do you think of this Christ, this Messiah? And they knew who he was talking about because when John the Baptist came, they asked John, are you the Christ? And the woman at the well said, I know that Messiah cometh, which is called Christ. When he has come, he will tell us all things. And even when John the Baptist was put into prison, he sent two of his disciples to Jesus to ask him, "'Art thou he that should come, or look we for another?' And Jesus said unto them, "'Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard.' how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me." And so our Lord said to those religious Pharisees and Sadducees, what think ye of Christ? Whose son is he? And notice they answered truthfully. In the latter part of verse 42, they say unto him, the son of David. Now that's true, he's the root of Jesse, he's the son of David. But then look at verse 43. Our Lord asked them, how then doth David in spirit call him Lord? Saying, the Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool. If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? and no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions. And what they were saying by their silence was this, you're right, he is the son of David. But here's the thing, beloved, if he's only the son of David, how can he be David's Lord? For example, Mary, the one who gave birth to Jesus of Nazareth, and we have her song of praise in the book of Luke concerning the birth of Christ, You remember what she said? She said, my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. Now she said that talking about the son who was coming, the son she was to give birth to. So how can he be Mary's son and Mary's God? How can Jesus be Mary's son and Mary's Savior? And that's what our Lord is asking these men. What think ye of Christ? Whose son is he? And they said, he's the son of David. So then, why did David call him Lord? So I'm asking you tonight, what think ye of Christ? Whose son is he? Put aside all the arguments and debates and differences and everything and all these other things. You say He's the Son of David, but so too He's the Son of God. You say He's the Son of Mary, but so too He's the Savior of Mary. You say He's the Son of Man, but so too He's the Son of God. You see, He's the God-Man. He's God incarnate in human flesh. He's the Word made flesh. And the knowledge of this mystery of who Christ is, well, the knowledge of this mystery will open the way to understand all the mysteries of godliness. Do you know what the incarnation is called? It's called a mystery of godliness. In 1 Timothy 3.16, it says there, without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in human flesh. And that's what our Lord was saying to these Pharisees. He said to them, how can he be David's son and be David's Lord? I'll tell you how. Because he's God manifest in the flesh, beloved. In Isaiah 9, verse 6, it says this, unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder. Yes, a child is born to a woman called Mary, the son of David, the root of Jesse, the seed of Abraham, a Jew, no less. And we know salvations of the Jews. But so too, he's the son that's given. And that son of God came and took up his abode in that prepared body of that child. Great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in human flesh. And he was seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. 2 Corinthians 5.19 says, God was in Christ. God was in our Lord, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them. And so the question comes to you, and the question comes to me, just as our Lord put the question to these men. He settled all of their other questions, contradictions, differences, and debates about these other things. But now he comes to the question of questions, the most important of all questions. What think ye of Christ? You see, God hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man, Christ Jesus, whom he hath ordained whereof God hath given proof unto all men, and that he hath raised him from the dead. So, my friend, what think ye of Christ? If you study the first chapter of Hebrews, you'll find there a clear description of the Christ. My friend, Jesus of Nazareth is no ordinary man. Nor for that matter is Jesus of Nazareth just some ordinary religious messiah. Nor is Jesus of Nazareth just some reformer or an example for you to follow. My friend, Jesus Christ is God for you to worship, to adore, to love, to believe, to trust, and rest in for all things. In Hebrews chapter one, Hebrews chapter 1, beginning there in verse 1. It says, God, God Almighty, the Almighty God, who at sundry times and in different manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets. Now He spoke to them in different manners. That is, by dreams, by visions. God spoke to them in the person of angels. He spoke to them in different ways at different times. And he spoke to them concerning redemption, how that he would redeem and save a people for his namesake. He spoke to them of the coming of the Messiah, the coming of the Christ. He spoke to them on the subject and theme of the whole book, the whole Bible. Verse two. God hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heirs of all things. Now, what is an heir? An heir is one who receives and owns all that's left in the will. If a great king had one son, and that king had great possessions, well, that king, when he dies, well, that one son would be the heir, and everything would be left to him. Our beloved, we read in God's Word that the Father loveth the Son. In the second last verse of John's Gospel, chapter 3, it says there, in John chapter 3, it says, The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into His hand. Beloved, there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one. And no, I didn't misread that. It does say the Word, but that is speaking about the Son. And God has spoken to us by His Word, by His Son, and it says clearly that He's the one who is one with His Father. Isn't that what He said? He said, I and my Father are one. That's what the Lord Jesus Christ said, I and my Father are one. And He's the heir of Almighty God Beloved. Everything that Almighty God has and owns is vested in Christ Jesus. That's what it's saying. He's the heir of all things. And then thirdly, again, in verse 2 of Hebrews 1, we see this expression, By whom also He made the worlds. by whom also he made the worlds. You see, Jesus is the Christ, but so too he's also the creator. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, the same in the beginning with God, and all things were made by him. And without him, without the eternal Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, was not anything made that was made. You see, beloved, He created all things. For by Him were all things created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created by Him and for Him. You see, He's the Creator. This Jesus of Nazareth who died on the cross, He was buried and rose again. And He's God's Son. And He's God's heir by whom God made the worlds. then look at the next verse, verse 3. Notice, he's the brightness of his glory. So where is God's glory really seen? Where can you behold the chief glory of God? I'll tell you where, in the face of Jesus Christ. Scripture declares, God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God. And where is that glory? In the face of Jesus Christ. The glory of His grace, of His love, of His justice, of His holiness, of His wisdom, of His power. It's all in Christ. The brightness of God's glory. That's Christ Jesus, our Lord Beloved. And then it says, in the next part, that he's the express image of God's person. Jesus of Nazareth is the exact image of God's person. Remember what Philip asked the Lord? He said, show us the Father. And our Lord said, he that hath seen me hath seen the Father. Remember, our Lord said, I and my Father are one. Would you know God? Would you worship God? Look to Christ. What a blessing that a sinner like you and a sinner like me can say with our brother Thomas about the Lord Jesus Christ. My Lord and my God. And so, my friend, if you would know God, if you would worship God, look to Christ. And then the next part of Hebrews 1 verse 3, it says there, notice, He upholds all things by the word of His power. By Him, all things were created. By Him, all things are held together. And beloved, in Him we live and move and have our being. By Him, all things consist. In our day, so many preachers preach about some Jesus that you're supposed to feel sorry for or do something to help him out with. And that false Jesus is so helpless, you know, he wants to, but he can't. My friend, that's not my King. My King is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. And you and I don't make Him Lord. He is everlastingly Lord. In fact, He was born King, was He not? And by Himself, He purged our sins by the sacrifice of Himself. He paid for our sins, beloved. He put them away, and that's what purge means. He purged all our sins, past, present, and future, all of them, beloved. He purged them by Himself, by the sacrifice of Himself, He put away all our sins. And that, without any aid or help from you or me. Now notice the last part of Hebrews 1, verse 3. It says there, he sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high. The right hand of God. The right hand of power. He sat down. His work is finished, beloved. You see, he's not pacing heaven's floor in glory, pleading. You know, we hear so often people talking about the Lord Jesus Christ pleading. He's not pleading, He's pleasing. He's done all things well, and He's finished and accomplished our salvation. He's there ever-living, ever-interceding as our advocate, Jesus Christ the righteous. That's why we read there in 1 John, the first part of chapter 2, when a man sinneth, indeed when we sin, we have an advocate but the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And the reason why none of us picture our Lord pacing heaven's floor in glory, worrying about this or that, is because everything's going according to schedule, going according to His good pleasure and purpose, according to His matchless grace. Just think of it, beloved. He sat down. No high priest ever sat down save for Christ. And He sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high, and he's the only mediator between God and men. That's why we read in Acts chapter 4 verse 12, neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. Amen.