Chapter 14. As a reminder, in last Sunday's lesson, Christ expressed the need for national repentance, verses 2 through 5. the space of time that they had for it, verses six through nine, proved their terrible state before God in verses 11 through 17, then closed the door to repentance in verses 24 through 30, and that their salvation The salvation of national Israel is postponed until the latter day in verses 34 and 35. And now there is actually a sequence of the development of this still before us in chapter 14. In this chapter, Jesus has been invited by the chief of the Pharisees to celebrate with them and the lawyers some special occasion, which might be a wedding feast. The reason for his invitation, the reason that they extended to him an invitation is so that they might find some wrongdoing in him and so they could accuse him. That's the reason they've invited him. At this time, Christ in this chapter makes a demonstration before everyone of the lawfulness of good works, healing and such to be done on the Sabbath day. Verses one through six. Then he's going to address the guests that are present at this feast. concerning an error that they have in verses 7 through 11. You can see this now, we're going to move through this. And then he addresses the host of this feast for neglecting the common people, verses 12 through 14. And finally, we're going to go through verse 24, Those last few verses, 15 through 24, there, he reveals to them, to them all, present, that salvation is now going to the nations. So that's the sequence of thoughts. It has actually continued. You remember, salvation's been postponed, and now he shows, by way of illustration, how that salvation is moving out from them into the nations. So in verse one, and it came to pass as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath day, that they watched him. They observed him very closely. Jesus was evidently invited to celebrate this feast with the Pharisees by the ruler, as we just have seen here, by the ruler or chief of the Pharisees. The facility where they are must have been rather large, a large place which could entertain a good many gifts. We see that in verse seven. Given the Pharisee's hatred for our Lord, there is one reason for his invitation, and that is to accuse him of some wrongdoing. This isn't the first time that this has taken place. They've done it before. So verse two, and behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy. Best I can tell, it is a form of edema. We don't know to what extent that he's been affected by this, but the dropsy is a retention of water problem. And it's actually what the Greek is, the root is all about. It means water. He has a serious problem. It can cause serious problems. You have too much water around the heart, you've got serious problems in various parts. So he was seriously affected by this disease called the dropsy. He's there. And Jesus answering spake to the lawyers and the Pharisees. Now, the lawyers are those who should be specially acquainted with the law, in this case, the law of Moses. They should be able to interpret the word of God and discern the will of God from that word and help the people to understand it. That's what they're there for. The lawyers and the Pharisees are often together in the scriptures throughout Luke, about six or seven times or so. And so we see this mention of the lawyers. So he asks them, is it lawful? And it's built on the word exousia, the noun, but the verb is, is it authorized? Is it something that we are permitted to do? Jesus asks them that. Now, he knows the answer to this, but he's putting this on them because they're trying him. So he turns it to them. Is it lawful to heal, to administer the idea of healing here on the Sabbath day? Now, if anyone should know whether it was lawful to do this, it would have been the lawyers. And so what did they do? They held their peace. They refrained themselves from giving an answer. These religious leaders would not answer Jesus' question because the only right answer is to agree with him. That's kind of the state of the world today, this nation. You know, no matter what our president does, they're not going to agree with him. It's amazing how people come to this kind of place. But that's what it was like in Jesus' day. It's no new thing. No matter what he does, they aren't going to agree with him. But it's a form of disagreement by holding their peace. The law authorized these Israelites to heal and to do any manner of good work that needed to be done on the Sabbath day. It was given, the Sabbath was given to Israel for what purpose? So that they could be refreshed, so that they would cease from their works for this time, but it certainly didn't mean that you couldn't do good things and help people, as we'll see. In Exodus 20, verse 11, the place of the giving of the law at Mount Sinai, and then we'll turn to Exodus 23, verse 12, In verse 11 of chapter 20, Exodus, for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, and what did he do? He rested the seventh day, wherefore the Lord blessed. On account of this, the Lord blessed the Sabbath, they inhaled it. In verse 12 of chapter 23, Moses speaking to the Israelites, Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh thou shalt rest, that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid and the stranger may be refreshed. They might rest as well. So they wouldn't answer the question, it was right to heal on the Sabbath day, He took him in view of all of them and healed him and let him go, released him. He knew, our Lord did, that it was authorized by the law to heal on the Sabbath day, so he took the man, healed him, and let him go. We have the rule of the New Testament even. I just want to give you this. This is so every day of the week. In James 4, 17. This is at all times and everywhere we are. Every occasion it might arise. To him that knows to do good and doeth it not, to him it's sin. It was right. There's no law which forbids doing good. Not at all. No law whatsoever. Against such, there is no law in Galatians. So in verse five, and answered them, Jesus did the miracle and then he shows them what will be an example because they know it's right. He says, which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit and will not straightway or immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day. And they could not, that is, they were unable to answer him again to these things. Christ's action and his doctrine was incontrovertible. In Luke 21 15, Even we, the people of God, trusting the Lord, when we are brought before others as he was, will be given a mouth and wisdom to speak which all the adversaries should not be able to gainsay nor resist. They cannot offer any kind of an objection. And it's always right to do good at all times on any day. And it looks to me like he's drawing this example from Exodus chapter 21, verse 33 and 34. Now, in this one, the beast, it looks like, is assumed to have died when he fell into a pit. But what if he's living? then of course the master, the lord of this animal, would want to go get help, do whatever he can to get the animal out of this place, no matter what day it is. Even on the Sabbath day. Here he reads in verse 33 of Exodus chapter 21, if a man, if a man shall open a pit, Or if a man shall dig a pit and not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall therein, understanding that it died, the owner of it shall make it good, and give money unto the owner of them, and the dead beast shall be his. There is nothing in the law which restricts any from doing good on the Sabbath, and mainly you have in Galatians 5, 22 and 23, it says, but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, against such there is no law. So now with this and what he's done before everyone, they knew what he'd do. So now he addresses all of the guests that are present at the feast. He put forth a parable to those which were bidden. when he marked or noticed how that they chose out the chief rooms, saying unto them," he goes into this, he noted their behavior, the behavior of the lawyers and the Pharisees, that they vied for place where were gathered the prominent guests present. Why? I'll tell you, it really follows with our brother's lesson this morning because they had a sense of superiority over others. They were exalted in their own eyes. They thought that this is who I am. I deserve to be over there where the big wigs are. I'm above all these others. It's self-exaltation. And the wise man Solomon said in chapter 30, verse 13 of Proverbs, there is a generation. Oh, how lofty are their eyes. And their eyelids are lifted up when they ought to have been cast down. See idea? So he says to these guests, when you're bidden, when thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, Now, there's nothing wrong. He's not saying there's anything wrong with having this feast. There's nothing wrong with celebrating anniversaries and weddings, graduations, and all sorts of things. There's nothing wrong with that. There's something wrong with the mind that we might have about these things. When you're bidding, he's going to help them. When you're bidding to this wedding, sit not down. in the highest room, or don't set yourself down in the prominent company. Lest a more honorable man than you be bidden of him, and he that bade thee, and him come, this one that's more honorable than you are, say to thee, give this man place, and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room, the lowest place. Now I can say this, it's true. We need to be careful. We're not the best judges of our standing in the eyes of others at all. If there's any exaltation at all It needs to come from someone else other than ourselves. You know, that's one. Another thing is, it's not too good to bless ourselves and to boast about all we do. The truth is, it'd be better if others did that. And here they have this instruction from the Lord. I can't tell, for myself, If I'm suited for doing, for example, for doling out instruction to parents about how to raise children, I don't know if you trust me enough and look to me enough to do that. You know how I know if you do? You'll ask. But I don't think I should be the one saying, I've got the answers for you parents. That's not going to set too well, especially if it's not true. And if you don't see that in me, you're not going to pay any mind. I can't do those kinds of things. And that could be applied to a whole lot of other things. People will come to us if we're really regarded as being authorities on a matter. Isn't it so? A person that might be an excellent auto mechanic I don't look at the certificates on the wall. I want to hear what their customers are saying. They put all the certificates up there. That don't mean nothing. I've learned that over the years. I want to know what their customers are saying. And if they're saying this place is a fine place to go to, they do good work, and they do it for a good price, a fair price, that's the place I'll go. If I get any wind at all about Oh no, no, this happened. It doesn't matter what they've got posted. I don't care what their commercials say. I'm not going there. He says in verse 10, When thou art bidden, here's what you need to do. Instead of putting yourself in the highest seat amongst the prominent company, instead of doing that, here's what, this is the best thing to do. It'll save you some trouble. And I'm amazed, actually, that he's doing this with these men. I have a feeling, I have a sense that there are present among them some of the Lord's people. I would doubt that the one we read about in just a few moments as the host, it could be, it's just my opinion, but it could have been Nicodemus. And he needed to be instructed about these things. But there are those present that have believed in the Lord and they're not saying so yet. He says, so when you're bidden to, when you're bidden go and sit down in the lowest room, or this place, that when he that bade thee come, which is understood as the host in verse 12, he may say unto thee, friend, go up higher. Then thou shalt have worship. What does that mean? It's the word for honor, doxa. It's the word that you might be familiar with is glory or honor. Then thou shalt have that in the presence of them that sit at meet with thee. For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." Again, Solomon said in Proverbs 25 verses 6 and 7, Proverbs 25 verses 6 and 7, he touched on this subject. the very subject. Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men. For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither, than that thou shouldest be put lower. in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen." That's a hard one to bear if it has to take place and we don't want that. So now Jesus has done a miracle in the eyes of everyone watching, everyone. He has turned to the guests and directed them about a proper mindset about concerning feasts, and now he turns his attention particularly upon this chief of the Pharisees. Then, in verse 12, then said he also to him that bade him. Again, that could have been Nicodemus. I wonder why this instruction, if it wasn't one of the Lord, but he does. There has to be a reason. He says to him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, nor thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbors, lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense, a repayment for what you've done be made. And what's the idea? The admonition is not against having friends, brethren, family, and neighbors coming over to celebrate a feast. That's not what he's saying. It's against rejecting those of our family, brethren, neighbors, because they might be unable to recompense us in kind. They're not so well-to-do. We got to get down where the people are. People want to, or we tend, to want to go where where the money is, or the status, whatever it is. We naturally want to move ourselves up into this. It may be wrong, obviously be wrong to focus on that kind of thing. There's nothing wrong with having those that are rich among these present as well, but that's not the goal. Remember the common people. Get your eyes on the people. And in this sense, these are rulers among the people. They're of the sect of the Pharisees. And they need to consider the people of Israel. They're neglecting them by what they're doing. They're enjoying things, but they cast them off to the side. They could care less about them. And I tell you, it kind of moves into that more as we read the next few verses. It's a sad thing that they've done and been doing. So this host invited those to his feast that could repay him by inviting them to this feast. It says, understood there, lest they should also bid thee again and recompense be made. So there's this cycle of a social circle that they have developed. Again, there's nothing wrong with having even substance. There's nothing wrong with that. That's not what the scriptures are teaching. The error is to make it so that our fellowship is only based on those kinds of things. We got to see the real picture here. We need to see people as they are in the Lord, regardless of their political, social, and other things. Regardless of that, if he's my brother in Christ, I need to consider him and not neglect him because he doesn't rise to my standard or better than that. There's nothing wrong with these things. But it says what? Here's what you do. But when you make a feast, Notice, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. Now, there might be rich among these, and so he would steer them away from that. If there were the maimed and the blind and such that were wealthy, and there are those, and they were part of this group that's present, he's saying, you know, let this thing go. Let this idea go. but call the poor. What? The poor. And the poor of the maimed, and the poor of the lame, and the poor of the blind. Consider my people is the idea. And what? And thou shalt be blessed. For they can't recompense thee, for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just. James points out the importance of being able to distinguish and to be unprejudiced toward my brother, living unprejudiced, not regarding those kinds of things. I can fellowship with a brother in Christ because he's my brother. James puts out a warning in chapter two, verse five. against the rich. And here, he shows who it is that's rich in faith, regardless of substance. Hearken, my beloved brethren. He has said what the rich do. Hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he has promised to them that love him? It was those in Christ's day that were of the poor. And what did they do? They heard him gladly. So what? Always remember the poor. But who? Who? Who are these that he's referring to? The Word of God tells us almost exclusively that they are those poor among the dear brethren. In Galatians chapter 2 verse 10, they're encouraging, I believe it was John and Peter to Paul when he had met with them in conference in Jerusalem, they said this to Paul, that we should remember the poor. We're not here to relieve the sufferings of the world. You've heard me say that again and again, and we can't. Though occasion undeniably will arise when we have it, that we can help those outside Christ, without Christ, we can help someone with something. But there's no denying that the Scriptures point us in the main to those who are of the faith of Christ, who stand in need. That's almost exclusively in the Scriptures. Look at Luke chapter 6 verse 20. Jesus lifted up his eyes on his disciples and said, blessed be ye poor. They were of the poor that he's speaking about. He says, for yours is the kingdom of God. It was in Luke 7, 22 that the gospel was preached to them. Most of those that will hear the gospel is the purpose of God. Most of those that will hear the gospel, be converted to Christ, that are brought to life, are among the poor. The poor of the earth. To the poor the gospel is preached. In our very chapter, bring here the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And in Romans 15, 26, we could have quoted a number of other texts. It has pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. There was a famine taking place and they took up a collection among the churches and Paul was going to bring that there to help the poor saints of God. That's mostly the focus that we ought to have when we consider the poor. I can tell you beyond question that the world hasn't a correct view of the church of Jesus Christ, and it certainly cannot have a correct view of the work that Christ has commissioned us to do. We must keep to the scriptures. So here in verse 15, we see what concludes the thought here. It's coming to this point. And what takes place here? The salvation of God by way of an illustration We already saw that Israel's house is left desolate at the very end of the last chapter. And now he tells them what's gonna take place. Salvation now goes out to the nations. It's headed this way. When one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto them, blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. So someone in the audience blurted this out. I don't know if he knew exactly what he was saying, But he says this, and to it Jesus responds. It is true. The question now is, who are these that shall lead in the kingdom of God? And that might not be so easily discernible. So he says, he said to him, here's an illustration. Jesus responds directly to this one, a certain man made a great supper, and bade many, and sent his servant at suppertime to say to them that were bidden, Come, for all things are now ready." It really is parallel with what the Lord had done. I believe he's referring to himself, the Lord Jesus in this illustration. and what he had done in sending forth John the Baptist to prepare the way of the Lord in Matthew 3, 3. And we'll actually see by a couple of texts clearly what he's saying here in this illustration to those present. He sent a servant, this one, at supper time to say to them that were bidden, come, for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse. They refused. They rejected him. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it. I pray thee have me excused. Now all of these things as we read them, really are senseless. I personally wouldn't buy a piece of ground without having put my feet on it and took a look. Years ago, we drove up north considering property. We drove up and we looked at property. We had thanked the Lord. We took our machetes with us and we were cutting our way through some dense devil's club. It was a terrible plot of property. And thank the Lord we didn't build there. I wanted to see it. We all did, as a matter of fact. And it turns out that it's an indication that there's a lot of surface water and it'd be bad to build on. But all of these are just ridiculous excuses. They're nothing compared to what they've been invited to attend. Another said, I bought five yoke of oxen and I go to prove them. Well, I would prove it first. You know, if it's not in the store and I'm going to buy a lawnmower, I'm gonna go out there and I'm gonna kick the wheels a little bit. I'm gonna see how long it takes, if it'll even start. I'll pull that, I'll prove this thing, but that's not the case here. I bought five yoke of oxen, I go to prove them. Kind of backward, ridiculous rejections. I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I married a wife. and therefore I cannot come. So that servant came and showed his lord these things. It was, I mean, it's outright, by this illustration, it's outright disdain and neglect that these have manifested at the invitation and it angers the master of the house. These were eager to go to other feasts and sought out the prominent company and the chief seats in those places, but not to this one. Though called, they reject to come to this feast. So the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, go out quickly into the streets and lanes. Notice this. And bring in hither the poor, the maimed, the halt, and the blind. Now this is exactly what happened. I want you to turn and we'll land on this scripture for a moment. We're gonna leave it, but I'm gonna come back because the next part of the illustration touches on, turn to Matthew 21, 23. The rest of the illustration, the Lord will go into another parable, I believe it is, and it will touch on the rest of this illustration that Jesus is giving to this one. Blessed is the one that eats bread in the kingdom of God. So what is the Lord saying? Now, we can prove what he's saying. I don't think they understood it. In Matthew 21, 23, clearly, this is what it's about. And hold on. It really comes right out in the last verse that we read. Starting at verse 23. And when he, that is our Lord Jesus, was coming to the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching and said, by what authority doest thou these things? And who gave thee this authority? And Jesus answered and said unto them, I'll also ask you one thing, which if you tell me, I in likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John. The consequence was it, where did it come from? Where did he get his authority, from heaven or men? And when they reasoned with themselves, saying, if we shall say from heaven, he will say to us, why did you not believe then him? But if we say of men, we fear the people, for all hold John as a prophet. And they answered Jesus and said, we cannot tell. Well, they wouldn't tell. And he said unto them, neither tell I you by what authority I do these things. But what think ye? A certain man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, son, go work today in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not. But afterward, he repented and went. And he came to the second and said likewise. And he said, that son said, I go, sir, and went not. Whither of the two did the will of his father? They said unto him, it's obvious, but they don't know what they're actually saying. They said unto him, the first. Jesus said unto them, verily I say unto you, that the publicans and sinners go into the kingdom of God before you and here. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not. But the publicans and the harlots believed him, and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward that ye might believe. And that's what he's saying by way of illustration here to this one that had raised this statement about eating bread in the kingdom of God. So in verse 22, and again, we're gonna come right back to this chapter in Matthew, the servant said, Lord, continuing this, it's done as thou hast commanded, and yet there's room. So all of those that were supposed to come have come, not those that rejected, but others. He went into the streets and into lanes there and understood in Israel. And they have brought them in and there's still room. Not all have come in that shall. There remains a place for others. In Romans 10 verse 20, Isaiah is very bold and says, I was found of them that sought me not. So there are others beyond here that will come to him. I was made manifest to them that asked not after me. We didn't even know to ask. And the Lord said to the servant, go out into the highways and the hedges. the partitions that are out there. Go out there, leave the streets and the lanes and go out into the highways and the hedges beyond this place, go. And compel them to come in that my house may be filled. Go to the furthest reaches to fill my house with my guests. He says, for I say unto you that none of these, I'm sorry, those, none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper. Now look at Matthew 21 verse 33. The parable now speaks of Christ's treatment of those who have rejected the time appointed to come into his fellowship. They rejected his message to repent and be baptized because the kingdom of God was at hand. They rejected that message. For that, others shall be brought into the kingdom. And this answers this part of the illustration. In Matthew chapter 21, verse 33, and hold on until that very last verse that we read. Beginning at verse 33, hear another parable. There was a certain householder which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and led it out to husbandmen, and went to a far country. And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants and beat one. and killed another, and stoned another. And again, he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did unto them likewise. But last of all, he sent unto them his son, saying, They'll reverence my son. And when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him and cast him out of the vineyard and slew him. When the Lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto the husband men? They said unto him, he will miserably destroy those wicked men and let out his vineyard onto other husband men, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. Jesus said unto them, did you never read in the scriptures the stone which the builders rejected? The same has become the head of the corner. This is the Lord's doing. and it's marvelous in our eyes. Notice, therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof that should come from a nation that belongs to the Lord. Now that present nation Not to dismiss Israel, absolutely, because we said that last time, they shall be saved. But that present nation is the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. In 1 Peter 2 9-10, and we'll finish with a couple of statements. 1 Peter 2 9-10. but you, ye, you all, those that he's writing to, those that were scattered among the nations. It's the Lord's people who have identified as his churches in the farthest, in the parts of that time, outreaches among the nations. Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, and holy nation. Notice that. You're a holy nation. A peculiar people that you should show forth the praises of him who has called you from out of darkness into his marvelous light, which in time past were not a people. He's talking to the Gentile believers of the churches, but are now the people of God, which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Now, Jesus came to save sinners. None but sinners are saved by the grace of God. He didn't in this. He didn't in this present salvation. I want you to just think about this for a moment. We tend to struggle with this. I don't care if you've been saved two years or 50 years. He didn't in this present salvation that we experience at this very moment. He didn't take away our nature to sin. You and I still have it. We have the nature to sin and rebel against God, but he has given us of his spirit, which has dominion over the sinful lusts so that we can walk. with Christ day by day through fault and failure. What does this have to do with this message today? Well, because we're a bunch of Gentiles and we didn't know him in the least bit to know to call upon him, but he showed us himself. He brought to us the message of the gospel of Christ, come, dead, buried, and risen again, and we heard it. We're his holy people at this time. But it's not like maybe we thought it should be. But he gets the glory in the way of being done. He takes sinners and glorifies his name. He's not taking people that are self-righteous and think that they can do this themselves. Because anyone of the people of God who have any spiritual sense at all knows that I can't do anything apart from the grace of Jesus Christ in me. I can't do anything. And so I'm left to depend totally, absolutely on Him. But when I look to myself, I begin to falter. I see the storms, not so much raging out there anymore, but they're raging in here. In my heart and mind. We can walk day by day with Him. We experience the salvation of the Lord right now. But one day, the salvation of the Lord is going to come to us to the fullest extent. What's that mean? Finally, at the coming of Christ, I'm going to put away the carnal mind. The body's gone. I'm going to be in the very image of Christ. And so are you. But that's not yet. One day, it's our hope, the hope of the coming of Christ or the change that's to take place. We're gonna be changed to His glory's holy image. I ask you, have you believed that Christ died for your sins? Have you made a confession before Him that you're a sinner? That's important. You gotta know you're a sinner before you can understand the Savior, a need for a Savior. Have you cried out to God for mercy? Sinners that know the Lord Jesus Christ will do that very thing. You'll say what? God forgive me, a sinner. And you won't stop saying that from that day forward. You'll say that day in and day out. You'll cry out to God for mercy. God forgive me, a sinner, again and again and again. If you understood that Christ died for you. Have you obeyed his commandment to be baptized by showing that you know that you died when he died, that you were buried when he buried, and that you're risen with him now that he's raised from the dead. And now you wanna walk, and you will, by the grace of God. Fault and failure, by the grace of God, you're gonna walk in that new life until he comes again. If you've understood that, look, if you've repented of your sins, you must be baptized. And when you're baptized, join with the church, join with this body. If you've understood these things, join where the spirit of God is, where he comforts his people, where he teaches us the things of Christ, where he instructs our minds in the word of God. That's what every believer ought to do. And what? He'll teach you the things of Christ. He'll teach you not just the theory in the book, but he'll teach the experience in life. He'll comfort you when you come into trial. He'll strengthen you so that you persevere. He'll give you the patience to suffer all of the things that are going to come to us. He'll guide you safely. He'll guide you safely to the other side. Well, do you know him? Christ has come to the Gentiles to save all the elect among them. Are you one of them? Do you know that to be your case? I'd ask you. I command you in the name of Christ to come confessing your sins and following him. Believe in the name of the Lord. There's a succession of thought through verse 24, taking us to the point where he's left them and he's going to go out by way of the cross, the invitation. And they'll all come by this great host into the nations. They will come to Christ. That's where the Lord has moved. He's moving them to this very place, the Lord and his disciples. Now, I believe you'll see a succession of things. Now he'll focus upon the disciples more and show them more about what lays ahead beyond the cities of Israel and in the nations. He's preparing them. There's judgment coming. AD 7, he's right there. The nation is going to be laid low, sown with salt. He's preparing his people for that. Everybody else is going on having their parties and could care less. One day that deliverer is going to come and take care of the problem. But they missed him. They didn't see who he was. But they will in the latter day. Thank you for your attention.