If you would remain standing for the reading of God's word and join me to Matthew chapter 13. I know what some of you are thinking. Will we ever get through this chapter? Yes, we will finish Matthew 13 today. And so Matthew chapter 13, I'll begin reading in verse 53. When Jesus had finished his parables, He went away from there and coming to his hometown, he taught them in their synagogue, so they were astonished and said, where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things? And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, a prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household. And he did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief. Praise God for his holy word. Please be seated. So our verses today close out Matthew chapter 13, which has been a seven week study over the parables of Jesus spanning 58 verses. And I know I have covered this many times, but the great mysteries that have been revealed throughout these seven parables, they are truths that are needed for every Christian at whatever season that they find themselves presently in. So I'll review them once again. Rich mystery number one, the children of God will bear good fruit. the children of God will bear good fruit. When the gospel of God goes forth, many responses come, but those who hear the word of God and are saved by grace through faith in Christ alone, they will bear fruit, some a hundredfold, some 60, and some 30. As a Christian, I don't know about you, but I don't want the 30, I want the hundredfold. Our desire as a Christian is not to barely please the Lord, we want all of our life to live to the glory of God. Some will receive the gospel with joy, but there's going to be no inward change. Some will hear, but they will not understand. And many will hear, but they will love this world and the earthly riches, and the gospel will fade away. Matthew chapter seven, verse 21. Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven. but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day, many will say to me, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name? And then I will declare to them, I never knew you. Depart from me, you workers of lawlessness. God's children, they will do the Father's will. They will bear good fruit. Rich mystery number two, the world, including the visible church at this moment, is made up of believers and unbelievers, but there is a great separation that is approaching. When you exit many church parking lots, you will find a sign that reads, you are now entering your mission field. I understand what is being communicated, but this local church, those next to you sitting in the pews, the souls that you have committed to walk with as a member of this local church, they are also your mission field. So on one hand, I agree, yes, you're entering your mission field, but everywhere on this earth is a mission field. No matter how good the theology of any church is, there are those who attend weekly who are not yet saved. This world and this church is mixed. This truth reveals to us how important it is for us to develop relationships, deep relationships, and not just be satisfied with comfortable, basic, surface-level, non-discipleship information. We're to love one another, encourage one another, pray for one another, point out the sins and lives of one another, serve one another, all to the glory of God. This mixed earth and church will remain mixed until Christ comes, but a separation is coming and God's kingdom is not mixed. Ritual mystery number three, the kingdom of heaven is great in size, significance, and strength. Heaven is absolutely perfect, amen? This present world is fallen and corrupt. But do not believe for a moment that if you've been redeemed, that the kingdom of heaven is not great in size, significance, and strength right now. Sometimes we have this wrong and negative view of heaven as if, yes, heaven is going to be great. No, you don't understand, heaven is great now. Sometimes what we need is a greater focus upon the Lord through his word and a greater focus upon Christ by spending time in prayer. We are waiting for the return of Christ or to be called home, but we already belong to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. We are already members of heaven and we have continual access to the King right now. The greatness, the size, the significance, and the strength of the kingdom of heaven is a future blessing, but it is also a present reality. Ritual mystery number four, the value of the kingdom of heaven is supreme. The value of the kingdom of heaven is supreme. For those of us who've been walking with the Lord Jesus Christ for a long period of time, the longer that we do this, we need to begin to examine our lives and to make sure that we didn't value the kingdom of heaven in the past and we don't value the kingdom of heaven in the present. We fail every day to supremely value the kingdom of heaven. Our eyes and our minds are attracted to the lust of this world. We gaze too long and think too much about building what we can never keep. And we ignore Christ, we ignore His word, and we ignore His commands. Though we fell, we still proclaim that Christ and His kingdom are supreme. And we keep repenting of our sins. We keep battling the flesh by the Spirit of God and the Word of God. And we remain violent in our pilgrimage because we're not yet home. We stray less when our mind is fixated on Christ as soon as we wake up. The value of the kingdom of heaven is supreme. Rich mystery number five, the final judgment of God is a final separation, so share the kingdom of heaven with others. One of the luxuries that we have today is the advancement of medicine that includes antibiotics, which has led to longer lives. Many before us, including the reformers, lived each day as if it was their last because they believed it was. One example was Martin Luther. Martin Luther lived often terrified of closing his eyes at night, and the righteousness of Christ is what delivered him from that fear. We would do well to live each day as if it is our last, to keep our eyes on Christ, running to him, thankful for his commands, keeping his commands, and remembering that a final separation is coming. Matthew 7 says, enter by the narrow gate, for the gate is wide, and the way is easy that leads to destruction. And those who enter by it, they are many, for the gate is narrow, and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. Narrow is the way, hard is the way that leads to heaven, and few find it. A final separation is coming, and the bride of Christ has been sent by Christ to go and make disciples of all the nations. Matthew chapter 28, the great commission. The 11 disciples went to Galilee, the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him, they worshiped him, but some doubted. There was those in the crowd that doubted. And Jesus came to them and said, all authority, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all I've commanded you and though I'm with you always to the end of the age. So we are to go and to share the good news. God saves, but we are the means by which he saves sinners. It's through the proclamation of the gospel. So in a way, we are commanded mouthpieces, if you will. Jesus didn't say, if you have time, talk to others about Jesus. Jesus said, talk to others about me. It was a command. So I ask you to consider, to retain these five mysteries, take them with you as you walk this life all the way home to Christ. Remember them, meditate upon them, think about them. Because our verses today reveal to us that the Savior of the world, he goes to Nazareth, where he was raised, and as he taught, we see a soil that is represented in his hometown. So the first truth that we find today is this, Jesus goes to his hometown to teach. Jesus goes to his hometown to teach. Verse 53 of Matthew 13. And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there. coming to his hometown, he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and they said, where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? Are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? Are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things? So when Jesus finished teaching the seven parables concerning the king of heaven, he departed and he traveled to the hometown of Nazareth. He revealed mysteries to his children and he concealed mysteries from those who were not his by teaching in parables. I'll remind you of Matthew 13 verse 11. He is telling them, to you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. Indeed, in their case, the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled that says, you will need hear, but never understand. You will need see, but never perceive. For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed. But lest I should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For truly I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but did not see it, and hear what you hear, and they did not hear it." What a great blessing it is to have salvation. Salvation then or salvation now, but also what a great blessing that our great God has taught us and we have his teaching preserved for us. There is no need for us to follow around a man from town to town to town and to sit at his feet and to learn what he is teaching. We have the great privilege in the United States of opening up the word of God and listening to what God has said every moment and every day. Jesus arrives in his hometown. He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and he taught them in his hometown. He was born in Bethlehem of Judea, but his hometown where he was raised was that of Nazareth in Galilee. As Jesus taught in the synagogue, they were astonished. They were struck with amazement. They were literally looking at Christ as he is teaching and they stand and they stood in shock. The crowd declared, where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? So Jesus entered Nazareth, As a God-man having already begun his public ministry, no doubt news had spread by word of mouth of his teaching and his works. But as they were in the synagogue listening to him teach, they were amazed, for most of them had watched him grow up before their eyes. This amazement, it seems positive at first, but quickly turns to the negative. Verse 55, is not this a carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? Are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? Are not all the sisters with us? Where then did this man get these things? Look at these six questions that they ask. Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Question two, is not this the carpenter's son? Question three, is not his mother called Mary? Question four, are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? Question five, are not all his sisters with us? And question six, where then did this man get all these things? The man before them teaching was a carpenter's son. Joseph was his father. Most likely the reason that Joseph was not mentioned here in Matthew 13 or in Matthew chapter 12 when the mother of Jesus and his brothers came to visit him is because most likely Joseph had already passed away. Jesus was the son of Joseph, a carpenter. Jesus' mom was married. They knew this. Jesus' brothers were James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas. They knew them all by name. Jesus' sisters, they were also in Nazareth. The crowd in the synagogue, they were familiar with Jesus. They were familiar with his family, but they couldn't understand him being able to stand up and to teach them in the synagogue. Matthew 13, verse 56, where then did this man get all these things? A carpenter's son, where did he attain his knowledge? Where did he get this wisdom? He belonged to Mary. How could he stand before them and teach? We know this family. We know that he didn't have the correct education. He was just a carpenter. He was no teacher. Mark chapter 6 and Luke chapter 4 we find the parallel passages here mark chapter 6 beginning in verse 1 He went away from there and came to his hometown and his disciples followed him on the Sabbath He began to teach in the synagogue and many who heard him were astonished saying where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? I? Is not this a carpenter? The son of Mary and brother of James and Joseph and Judas and Simon are not his sisters here with us? And they took offense at him when Jesus said to him, a prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and among his relatives in his own household. And he could do no mighty works there except that he had laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief and he went about among the villages teaching. In Luke 4, verse 16, he came to Nazareth where he had been brought up, and as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He enrolled the scroll, found the place where it was written, the spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering the sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, today this scripture has been fulfilled. in your hearing.' And all people spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from the mouth. And they said to him, Is not this Joseph's son? And they said to him, Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, Physician, heal yourself. What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well. And he said, Truly I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. These parallel passages revealed to us more about the Lord Jesus Christ and his visit when he went home. They recognized his wisdom and they couldn't understand where he received it. They failed to comprehend how many mighty works were being done by his hands. How is that possible? He's just a carpenter. We also learn that when Jesus was in the synagogue, he began to teach, and he did so by reading Isaiah 61. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." So the teaching of Jesus in his hometown was that of the fulfillment of these verses. And after reading Isaiah 61, he rolled up the scroll, he sat down and declared, today this scripture has been fulfilled, and you're hearing, So Jesus was a carpenter's son. Where did he attain the knowledge and this wisdom? He belonged to Mary. How could he stand up before them and teach? We know this family. We know that he didn't have the correct education. He was trained to be a carpenter. He was not a teacher. And yet he has the audacity to stand up and to read something like this in the synagogue as we are gathered here for worship. So Jesus went to his hometown to teach. I spent seven years teaching in my home church as a youth minister. I provided oversight to teachers who once taught me as a child, but Jesus entered his hometown and told them that he was the fulfillment of Isaiah chapter 61. Scripture that they'd heard numerous times, the fulfillment of Old Testament scripture that was over 500 years old. And Jesus sat down and declared, today, this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing. So Jesus went home to teach. Truth number two, Jesus was rejected at Nazareth. Jesus was rejected at Nazareth. Matthew 13, 57, and they took offense at him. But Jesus said to him, a prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and his own household. His hometown was astonished at his words, but that astonishment was not positive, it was negative. They took offense of the fact that he would stand up in the synagogue and teach. He offended them with his words. They saw Jesus as a stumbling block because in their eyes, he was a common man, a man whom they were familiar with. He belonged to a family that they knew and he had no religious status. How dare he stand up? How dare he teach? He is one of us. In their mind, they belonged, he belonged to them, not teaching others or doing mighty works. He was just one of them. He was not the best of the best. He was not the elite. Jesus, he went to his hometown to teach, and he was rejected in his hometown. They rejected him. Specifically, they rejected him as a human teacher, as well as the promised divine Messiah. He was accepted as the son of Joseph and Mary, but not the son of God. When Jesus said to be the fulfillment of Isaiah 61, one and two, he was proclaiming to be the promised Messiah. He was declaring to his hometown. He was anointed to proclaim the good news to the poor. He was sent to proclaim liberty to the captives. He was called to recover the sight of the blind, that he was going to free the oppressed. And they looked on him and they denied him. Matthew 1 verse 20 to one, she will bear a son, you shall call his name Jesus. He will save his people from their sins. They did not believe in him. Jesus goes home to reclaim the truth and he is rejected at his home. And Jesus responds to their rejection with these words. Matthew 13 verse 57, a prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household. Jesus affirms that he is a prophet, and a prophet is without honor in his hometown, in his own household. Paul Washer is one of my favorite people I like to listen to as far as sermons. I love how honest he paints his life. He says, he remembers very vividly traveling from town to town, and preaching and preaching and preaching. And he said, people, all these people got saved. And he imagines that when he pulls into his own driveway and his car door opens up that his wife and children will be waiting for him on the front porch. and he will put down everything and his children will embrace him and love him and cheer for him and there'll be posters with his name written all over and such a grand entrance when he gets home. But the reality is he gets home, he opens the door, his wife looks at him and his wife says, these kids, they're all yours, I'm out. He's like, that's the entrance that I get when I get home. Jesus is saying, I come home and I teach the truth. They've heard about this mighty teaching with authority that's taken place. They've heard about these mighty works that have happened, but I am without honor because I have come home. I remember serving as a youth pastor at Keller, my home church. It definitely had its challenges, but eventually, over a period of time of seven years, people began to see me not for who I was when I was young, but for whom God has matured me to be. The people in Nazareth, however, They did not see Jesus as the Son of God. They did not see Jesus as the Messiah. In his hometown, he was without honor, as well as his own household. He and his message was rejected. They refused to believe. John chapter seven, verse five says this, for not even his brothers believed in him. However, we are later told these encouraging words found in Acts 1 verse 14, after Jesus had ascended back into heaven. All of these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer together with the women and Mary, the mother of Jesus and his brothers. But later on in life, his family was saved, that his brothers were praying and worshiping him. The brothers of Jesus devoted themselves to prayer. The brothers of Jesus believed and worshiped Him as Lord. Matthew 13, verse 58, and He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief. As a result, not many mighty works were done in His hometown. The faith of the people in His hometown, they were not required for mighty works to be on display. Jesus just chose not to do works there because of their unbelief. Daniel Dorn and I worded it this way. Jesus refused to perform miracles simply to wow skeptics, so he did very little in his hometown. He merely healed a few people who were sick, according to Mark 6, verse 5. Sproul declared, those without faith will not grasp the miracle's message. We have so many people today that get caught up in miracle after miracle after miracle after miracle, and that's what they long for. They want temporary miracles to satisfy their spiritual reality. The miracles that we see today, they do not satisfy the spiritual reality. Faith in Christ satisfies that. having a relationship with Christ, a daily walk with Christ, daily prayer, talking to the Lord. John MacArthur posed this possibility. It may signify that Christ limited his ministry both as an act of mercy so that the exposure to greater light would not result in a worse hardening that would only subject them to greater condemnation and a final judgment of unbelief. The summary is simple. The people of Nazareth rejected Jesus and it was not the will of the Father that many mighty works be done there. So here is my question for you. Where do you stand? You cannot be neutral before the Lord either. As Jesus entered his hometown and Jesus shared, they denied him. You either have entered into a relationship with Christ or you deny Jesus Christ as Lord. You were conceived in sin like every other human being. You were born a sinner, separated from God like every human being. Therefore, if you are presently without Christ, you stand against Christ. You are an enemy of Christ. To hear the word of God is to hear God speak. We were not in Nazareth at the synagogue as Jesus taught, but we have now heard what Jesus said because God preserved it for us to know. The last seven weeks, have you understood the things of God, the mysteries that God is revealing to his children, or has the truth of God been hidden from you? Do you reject Jesus Christ as the Messiah? Or do you believe Jesus is the fulfillment of Isaiah 53? I want to read Isaiah 53 slowly. And I want you to listen. Who has believed what He has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of Yahweh been revealed? For He grew up before Him like a young plant, like a root out of dry ground. He had no former majesty that we should look at him, no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and as one from whom men hide their faces, he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has bore our griefs and carried our sorrows, yet we esteem him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted." You see, When those who watched Jesus grow up, when they looked at Him, they did not see anything special. There was nothing special for them to look at when they looked upon Jesus Christ. But He was despised. He was rejected. Later, He was wounded for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. Upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned, everyone to his own way, and Yahweh has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth, like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before it shears is silenced, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment, he was taken away. And as for his generation, who consider that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people, and they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death. Although he had done no violence, there was no deceit in his mouth, yet it was the will of Yahweh to crush him. He has put him to grief. When his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring, he shall prolong his day, but the will of Yahweh shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul, he shall see and be satisfied. By his knowledge shall the righteous one, My servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore, I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoiled with the strong. Because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors, yet he bore the sin of many and makes intercession for the transgressors. This is in the Old Testament. These are words that we have preserved thousands of years before this took place, and Christ shows up, the Messiah shows up, and he is the fulfillment of these verses. God in his sovereign hand, he unfolds this, and this is on display for all to see. R.C. Sproul said, sadly, the people of Jesus' hometown missed the treasure, they missed the pearl of great price when he stood before their very eyes. And yet, even today, we have so many, they have the word of God, they have prayer, they have the many graces that God has given us, and we file into church every Sunday and we miss treasuring Christ. We just look at worship as something that we do and that we walk away from and we can just do whatever we want. This exact moment at this exact time right now is a great time for anyone who has never entered into a relationship with Christ to call on Christ and to be saved. Christ is a great treasure of this life. In Christ, we are made clean. In Christ, we are set aside for Him. In Christ, we are set aside for Him. In Christ, we are promised to spend eternally dwelling with Christ in the kingdom of heaven. John chapter one, he came to his own people, and his own people, they did not receive him, but to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born not of blood, not of the will of man, but they were born of God. If there is one verse, one section that you can look at in scripture, there are so many to be found. Salvation is not of man, salvation is solely of God. Call on Christ and be saved. Turn from your sins. Turn to Christ. And if you are here and you are confident that you have salvation, how are you responding with your life? Are you living for the Lord or are you just content in how you are doing presently? I've reached my point because I think as we draw nearer and nearer to our death, we should see more and more and more and more lived for the glory of God. If you're confident of your salvation, that the blood of Christ has washed away your sins, that you're in Christ, you are redeemed, let me address some applications of this text to you. Application number one, Jesus was rejected, so will you be. Jesus was rejected, so will you be. This will happen at home, among family, at church, with friends, in your neighborhood, during evangelism, among those whom you do not know, you will be rejected. Knowing this is a great comfort and help when Christ and his gospel is often rejected. Millions have been rejected before you. The Old Testament prophets were rejected. The disciples were rejected. The Savior of the world was rejected. Paul was rejected. Do not allow rejection to haunt you and keep you from loving God and obeying His commands. I'll say that again. Don't allow rejection of men and women and children to keep you from obeying the commands of God. Application two, don't judge a teacher or preacher by the person's education or background. Look at the work of the Spirit of God as the Word of God is being taught. Men and women may not have the best education and they may be very, very simple, but the work of God in and through their lives might be great. Look at the disciples of Christ. They were fishermen and even tax collectors who turned the world upside down because Christ became their treasure. Some teachers and preachers speak to tickle their own ears and to puff up their own pride and not to glorify the Lord. Other teachers, preachers speak with simple language, with their hearts set on the Lord, being glorified, asking themselves when they sit down in the pew, when they get through preaching, Lord, did I please you? We have so many that flock to men who are preaching, but what they desire is a man who is standing before them, building up their own pride, tickling their ears and tickling the ears of everyone in the congregation. Application three, do not fail in treasuring the word of God in prayer. Do not fail in treasuring the Word of God in prayer. The hometown of Christ was full of individuals who were around Him, and they did not believe. They had watched Him grow up. They did not believe. They knew the Scriptures. They did not believe. Never believe the lie that I cannot really know much about the Lord. If I could only be with Him, then I would know Him better. To hold this belief is to deny two of the essential means of grace. The Lord has given us His word to spend time with Him and prayer to speak with Him. We have those two means of grace. 2 Timothy 3, all scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent and equipped for every good work. So what can be accomplished? It seems like Christ has given us his word, he's given us his spirit, we have prayer, and through the reading and the understanding and the studying of the scriptures, we have what God has breathed out. So all scripture is breathed out, just like if Jesus were sitting next to you and speaking. The words of Christ are profitable. The words of Christ, they correct. The words of Christ, they train. They show us our faults. They are all that is needed so that we can be complete in living for Him, and they fully equip us for every good work. So it doesn't make sense when people say, I don't have time for prayer, and I don't have time for scripture intake. What you're saying is you don't have time for Jesus. Treasure the word of God and treasure prayer. Did y'all hear that key word there, treasure? I didn't say, are you spending time reading the word and are you spending time praying? Are you treasuring the word of God and are you treasuring the fact that you get to pray? And number four, protect yourself against worldliness, pride, and unbelief. Protect yourself against willingness, pride, and unbelief. Christ keeps his children. They are forever his. Amen. 1 Peter 1, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, to an inheritance that is undefiled, to an inheritance that is unfading, to an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. So Christ keeps us, but we are not home yet. What Christians experience as pilgrims in every generation requires great protection. As a father is called to protect his children, as a husband is called to protect his wife, we are called to take care and to protect what the Lord has entrusted to us. Discouragement can bring about unbelief. Discouragement can bring about worldliness. Discouragement can bring about an increase of pride because we think everything depends upon us. The scriptures call us in this protection to keep a close watch. The scriptures call us to not harden our hearts. The scriptures call us to strive. The scriptures call us to hold fast our confession. The scriptures call us to draw near to the throne of grace. The scriptures call us to exhort one another every day as it is called today. So we have a responsibility to not only keep a close watch on our own lives, but on the lives of those in this church. Hebrews 3 says, take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as called today, that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold fast our confession firm to the end. So our hearts and the hearts of those in this church are to be cared for and prayed for. So today and every day is a day to encourage one another. Today and every day is a day in which we have the great privilege to talk to Christ and to learn from Christ. So we need to protect ourself against worldliness, pride, and unbelief. So wrapping that up for us that are Christians, Jesus was rejected, so will you be. Don't judge a teacher or preacher by a person's education or background. Look at the work of the Spirit of God as the Word of God as being taught. Do not fail in treasuring the Word of God and do not fail in treasuring prayer. And protect yourself against worldliness, pride, and unbelief. And if you're here this morning and you're not saved, I encourage you, there is a day coming in which division will occur or you will die. One out of every one person dies. It's a guarantee in this life. and upon death you will enter into judgment. You won't have time to talk to God about things and to bring up all the different things that you would like to talk about and kind of debate or trying to wiggle my way in. No, you either have a relationship with Christ or you don't. You've either repented of your sins and trusted in Christ alone for your salvation or you haven't. but everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. But if you're gonna call on Christ for salvation today, understand your calling on Christ for salvation is a call to live for Christ with your life. It is a call for you to faithfully come and to die and to find life all in Christ. That is the calling. And the consequence for not repenting of your sins and trusting in Christ is not having your sins paid for, it is being an enemy of God, it is being found dead in your sin in which you will be forever punished in hell with God's wrath abiding on you for all of eternity. So we're not talking about a slap on the hand. We're talking about the wrath of God being fully poured out upon you, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth for all of life. And it's described as an eternal fire. If we are saved, how blessed we are to have a Savior and a King, whom we will not just fellowship with in the future. We have a Savior and a King that we can fellowship with today. We have a Savior and a King who we can walk with today, that we can learn from today, that we can talk to today. So I ask you, are you treasuring Christ like this? Is Christ your treasure? Heavenly Father, I thank you for your holy word. I thank you that your word is sufficient. Lord, help us to treasure you above all things, to commune with you, to sit at your feet and to learn from you as we read and study the scriptures, to take time of having silence, solitude, and surrender, and praying to you. Lord, we have been given Your word, we have been entrusted with your word in the gospel. Lord, may we carry it like a good soldier does. May we live by it, may we love it, may we cherish it, may we teach it and proclaim it. Prune us, Lord, we need the things of this world cut off. Take away our pride, grant us humility, make you our greatest treasure. Help us, Lord, as a body to encourage one another, to build up one another. As long as it's called today, Lord, may we just spur one another on to love and to good works. May we be in prayer for one another, confessing our sins to one another so that there may be healing. Lord, thank you for your word. Thank you for this congregation. Thank you for this church, for what you have built, Lord. Lord, thank you for this time. Help us as a people to live more for you in everyday life than we ever have. And we ask this in the name of Christ, amen.