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Amen all right. We're there in Luke chapter number three and of course We are making our way through the book of Luke on Sunday mornings and Sunday nights we are in on a journey with Jesus and We are learning all about the life of Jesus and studying this gospel together and tonight. We are going to Pick up right where we left off this morning and this morning. We went through Luke chapter 3 verses 1 through 9 tonight We're going to pick up right at verse number 10, and if you remember this morning we saw John's ministry and we learned about John the Baptist and The ministry the impactful ministry that he had and we saw that his ministry was focused on getting people saved but not only getting people saved helping those new believers become fully engaged followers of The Lord Jesus Christ and obviously we know that the ministry of Christ had not yet started, but he was preparing them for The Lord he was preparing them for the one that was Coming now just real quickly just to set the context and to give you a little bit of review if you remember from this morning We saw that there were some who? Did not take well to John's preaching his preaching was bold it was direct It was applicable and and as a result he gained some enemies in Luke chapter 3 if you look at 19 verses 19 and 20 Again the Bible says, but Herod the Tatriarch being reproved by him referring to John John had reproved and preached against Herod was a political leader by him for Herodias his brother Philip's wife and for all the evils which Herod had done added yet to this above all that he shut up John in prison so we know that because of John's Bible preaching ministry and the fact that he Preached the word and he made sin exceeding sinful he gained some enemies and of course any Bible believing preacher any any preacher that preaches the Bible and Preaches it consistently doesn't skip anything you're going to develop some enemies. There's gonna be some people that aren't gonna like What you have to say? Because they don't like the Word of God because they don't like what God has to say so we saw this morning that he had Developed some enemies, but tonight. I want you to focus on the fact And we're gonna focus on the fact that there were some sincere converts that actually Believed and appreciated the preaching of John we saw that this morning. We saw that they were baptized They were saved and baptized they were growing in the Lord But we're gonna pick up right there in verse number 10, and I want you to notice that in in this passage We're gonna look at specifically verses 10 11 12 13 and 14 we have this question that keeps coming up It's this question that these converts of John are asking John is getting them saved. He's getting them baptized He's helping them grow. He's preparing the way of the Lord and now they're curious about how to live the Christian life They're asking this question notice there in verse 10 the Bible says and the people this is the first group and the people Asked him and these are not like the Pharisees and the Sadducees that we talked about this morning These are sincere converts new Christians babes in Christ the people asked him saying once you notice this question that they asked This is the right question for every Christian to ask This is the right question for every new believer old believer a believer That's right with God or a believer that needs to get right with God This is the question to ask they asked John what shall we do then? They said what shall we do then notice there in verse number 12 you have the second group The first group is in verse 10. We saw it says the people in verse 12 We have a another group a second group of sincere converts notice what it says then came also Publicans so in verse 10 we have the people in verse 12 we have the publicans these are not the Republicans all right not a political group. This is a group of tax collectors We're gonna see that here in a minute, but the Bible says then came also Publicans to be baptized and said unto him master notice the question they asked. What shall we do? Very similar the people said what shall we do then? After hearing John's preaching after hearing his Bible Message they asked this question What shall we do then then we see the publicans after John had got done preaching the Word of God and and teaching them about the Bible They said master. What shall we do? then in verse 14 we've got a third group notice there in verse 14 and the soldiers Likewise the man that him of him saying notice what this third group asked this group of soldiers They said and what shall we do? And I'm here to tell you tonight When you come to a place like Verdi Baptist Church or any church where the Word of God is being preached and the Bible is Opened it is explained it is expounded upon it is made clear. It is given to you in clarity and Urgency and it is applied to your life The proper response is not I'm offended the proper response is not I don't want to hear that the proper response should always be to ask this question. What shall we do then? What shall we do? What shall we do? I'm reminded of the Apostle Paul before he was Paul and he was Saul on the road to Tarsus if you remember the story as he was on the road to Tarsus the Bible tells us the Lord Jesus Christ and his glorified body appeared to him and And and had a conversation with him and the response of the Apostle Paul at that conversation What he said was this Lord. What will thou have me to do? And that is always the right question. That is always the proper question as a believer I hope you're here tonight and you are curious you I hope you're here on a Sunday night saying I want to know what God Says I want to know what the Bible says because I want to know what it is that God wants me to do What does God want me to do? What shall we do then? So I want you to notice tonight We're gonna look at these three groups. We'll move through it as quickly as we can I want you to notice the response that John gives to these three groups. They all ask pretty much the same question What shall we do then? What shall we do? But he gives them different responses and I want you to notice that tonight if you're taking notes I want to encourage you to of course Jot some of these things down on the back of the course of the week There's a place for you to take some notes The first thing he tells this the first group and if you remember the first group is the people he tells them to be generous Notice what he says there in Luke chapter 3 and verse number 10 and the people is his group number one Asked him saying what shall we do then? He answered answer it and save them to them notice what he says He says he that have two coats let him impart to him that has none and He that has meat the word meat is the Bible word for our word food He that have me or food let him do likewise here We have the people asking these people just got saved. They just got baptized They're starting their walk with God and they're asking this very sincere question They're saying what shall we do and John says let me tell you what you should do Here's what you should do if you have two coats You got to find someone that doesn't have any coats and you got to give one of your coats to the guy that doesn't have A coat and if you have enough food for more than yourself and more than your family and more than what you need Then you got to find someone who doesn't have any food and do likewise John here is telling them you know what you should do after you get saved You know what you should do after you get baptized You know what you should do if you want to begin to walk with God and be a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ He says you ought to learn to be generous You ought to learn to to be generous with the things that you have He says he that have two coats let him impart to him that hath none and he that hath me let him do Likewise now keep your place there in Luke chapter 3 if you would and go with me to the book of 1st John Towards the end of the New Testament. You've got the book of 1st John. It's a little book If you start in the book of Revelation and head backwards You have the book of Jude and then you have 3rd 2nd and 1st John go to 1st John chapter number 3 if you would 1st John chapter number 3 You know the Bible says we just got done with this Christmas season and we're in the New Year and we're done with Christmas The Bible tells us in the book of Acts that Jesus said it's interesting because it's a quote of Jesus in the book of Acts The quote from Jesus is not found in the Gospels He said it but it's not something that was recorded in the Gospels It was recorded in the book of Acts as something that Jesus said while he was on this earth But he said it is more blessed to give than to receive he taught us that there is a secret in generosity that the blessing is not in receiving but the blessing is in Giving and being generous and here we find John telling these people they just got saved They want to know what should we do and he says he that have two coats Let him impart to him that hath none and he that hath me let him do likewise He says you know what you ought to learn is you ought to learn how to be generous and I'm here to tell you tonight Verity Baptist Church, you know what you ought to learn and you know, what I ought to learn is to be generous We ought to learn to give you say who should we get? Well, we should give to others You're there in 1st John chapter 3 notice verse 17 1st John 3 17 the Bible says this but who so hath this world's goods So you've got the goods of this world the merchandise of this world notice and see this brother have need and Shut it up his vows of compassion from him. How do I let the love of God in him? See the Bible teaches that the way that we show our love the way that we show our affection for towards someone is by what we're willing to give is by how we're willing to Sacrifice and to be generous and to provide the most famous verse in the Bible tells us about the love of God It says for God so loved the world, but when God wanted to prove his love for us You know what? He did is he gave In fact, he proved his love by what he was willing to give for God So loved the world that he gave his only begotten son This is why the Bible says that God Commended his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us See the best way to show your love is to be generous is to give we had to give to others if you've got these The world's goods and you see your brother in need we ought not shut up our vows of compassion From him go if you would to first chronicles 29 First chronicles 29 in the Old Testament. You've got the books of the Bible that are the one and two books They're all clustered together first second Samuel first second Kings first second Chronicles first Chronicles 29 Let me say this when it comes to giving and and we don't preach a lot about giving at Verity Baptist Church if you Come to our church for any length of time, you know, that's true I mean, we'll go weeks and weeks and months and months without Preaching on giving but when we're preaching through the Bible if it's in the text and we're gonna deal with it and the John here is teaching us about a Christian discipline, which is a discipline to give we ought to give to others But let me say this as well. We also have to give to the work of God We ought to support the work of the Lord there in first Chronicles 29. Look at verse 3 the Bible says this moreover Because I've set my affection to the house of my God. Here's David Saying I have set my affection. What's the word affection me? It means love because I love the house of my God What's a God that you and I could say today that we have an affection for the house of God? That we have a love for the house of my God And of course, we know that in the Old Testament the house of God was a tabernacle and then a temple But the Bible tells us in the New Testament that the church of the Living God is the house of God The church the local church is the house of the Lord today and here David says I've sent my affection to the house of my God he says I have of mine own proper good of gold and silver Which I've given to the house of my God notice what he says over and above all that I prepared for the holy house He says I've sent my affection to the house of my God you say well prove it David David says I'm happy to prove it He says I'm happy to put my money where my mouth is He says I have given he says of mine own Proper good of gold and silver which I have given to the house of my God I want you to notice what he says there. He says over and above He says I'm not just talking about some Law that God gave that I was to give him 10% Now that's in the Bible and David did that he says but I wasn't just giving God what God requested He says I gave over and above He said I I gave to show my affection and sometimes when you preach about these things People don't like you talking about money, and I understand that but let me say this if you're here tonight You say I don't like preachers talking about money. You know Jesus said this where your treasure is there where your heart be also And it may be that you don't like preachers preaching on money because your heart's not right You Here we have John talking to these new converts It's funny to me because we get this idea and say well let people be saved for a while and let let them be saved for a long time and and help them grow a little bit before you start talking to them about Tithing and offerings and giving you know when they're a new Christian don't talk to them about that Well John must have not got that memo because these people literally just got saved and baptized I mean they got saved he takes them down Jordan River. He baptized them They come up out of the water. They say what now and he says you ought to give He says you ought to be generous You say why would John say that here's why because where your treasure is there where your heart be also Some of you would have more of a love for the work of God and the house of God if you supported the work of God If you got financially committed into the work of the Lord And let me say this go to Luke if you would go back to Luke Go back to Luke, but don't go to Luke 3 flip over to Luke chapter 6 if you would Let me say this about giving The reason that Jesus said it is more blessed to give than to receive You are more blessed It is a benefit for you to give than you receive see I love the paradoxes in the Bible All throughout the Bible God gives us these paradoxes that make absolutely no sense You you you would think well no it's more blessed to receive Than to give it's more blessed to keep than to give Jesus said it's more blessed to give than to receive How does that make sense but here's why it makes sense and it only makes sense if you have faith in God Because it's more blessed to give than to receive. Here's why because you cannot outgive God You cannot give more To anyone or anything then God will bless you and give back to you Are you there in Luke chapter 6 look at verse 38 Luke 6 and verse 38 the Bible says this this is Jesus He says give and it shall be given unto you good measure Pressed down and shaken together and running over shall men gift into your bosom For with the same measure and here's the key Here's the key to understanding giving he says with the same measure that ye meet say What does that mean he says with the same measuring cup that you decide to measure? How much you're going to give he says with all it shall be measured to you again He says look God will not be out given by you He says give and it shall be given unto you But when God gives to you and I always bring this out when we look at this passage I think of a measuring cup and like flour or sugar or some sort of product like that that you're measuring out He says look when God gives to you He's going to take the same measuring cup that you Decided to scoop out to give to others that you decide to scoop out to support the work of God He said as soon as you put that measuring cup down He's going to pick that same measuring cup up and he's going to scoop out of his blessings But the difference is that when God does it he will do it with good measure pressed down shaken together He's going to make sure it's compacted. There's no air bubbles there He's going to get in the ideas He's going to get in as much as he can into that same measuring cup that you use he says and running over shall men give into your bosom For with the same measure that you meet with all it shall be measured to you again And we won't take the time to look at it But when you look at the passage in fact If you would go to the book of 2nd Corinthians 2nd Corinthians chapter 9 you have Luke John Acts Romans 1st Corinthians 2nd Corinthians 2nd Corinthians chapter 9 if you look at the passage in Malachi about tithing and Consistently supporting the work of God with 10% of your income in that same passage. He gives a promise where he says He says prove me now therewith and See if I will not open you the windows of heaven and pour you pour you out a blessing that you cannot contain The truth is is you cannot outgive God Now, let me just give this disclaimer because we need to give this disclaimer in the day. We live in I Am not preaching a prosperity gospel I'm not I'm not getting up here like cleft dollar or some TV preacher and saying you saw $100 into the ministry and God's gonna give you back a thousand The Bible doesn't say that The Bible doesn't teach that What the Bible does say is that you cannot outgive God? Now some there are some things see there are some things that money cannot buy There are some things you would agree that are more valuable than money there are some things that are more important than money and God is not only can God can not only be the source of money which is corruptible Which is which will fade away But God can also be the source of all those other things that money cannot buy see I'd rather invest in the work of God physically financially with money that's gonna get destroyed and get devalued and Inflation is going to destroy it and have God bless me with blessings that are better than money But the trick is this That you cannot outgive God It is more blessed to give than to receive now the reason I want to bring this up to you and hope you understand this is this because There's this interesting thing we see in this passage of scripture that we're gonna look at tonight. I want to explain to you. I was recently asked by a Young man here in our church About The types of business books and leadership books that I like to read and obviously I read and study the Bible But I like to read secular books and on leadership and business and administration and things like that as well Nobody and I was I was been asked, you know Are there any books you recommend and I was thinking about different books that I've read that I've liked and as I was writing The sermon I realized that When you read some of these books, and of course, I don't recommend and I don't you know Endorse everything in all of these books. There's secular books written by secular men But when you read books like the 21 irrefutable laws of leadership when you read books like entree leadership or the seven habits of highly effective people or developing the leader within you or books like that in that category about business and administration and and and leadership What you find is that you'll you'll find this consensus You'll find what I like to call this common denominator that a lot of these books tend to highlight the same Principle or the same similar thing and one of those things it's interesting to me Because Jesus said that He came that ye might have life and that ye might have it more abundantly He said I didn't only come to give you life I did not only come to give you new life that you might be born again He said I came to give you eternal life, but I also came to make this life better This life more productive this life more effective that doesn't mean there won't be heartaches That doesn't mean there won't be persecutions But he said I came to give you life and that you might have a life more Abundantly that you might accomplish more and do more and what's interesting is that when you look at the things that John is telling These new converts to do it's the same things that you find in these Leadership type business books whenever you study highly successful Highly effective people you'll begin to see these common denominators and one of them is this I'll just give you a little secret one common denominator you find amongst Extremely successful people I'm not talking about the Bernie Madoff's That you know steal people's money and our crooks and that I'm talking about people who are and I'm not even talking about Save people because did you know that the laws and promises of God applied to any anybody can do them and they'll work I Mean anybody you you will reap what you sow whether you're saved or not safe So you find just just normal people that work hard That build businesses that are successful. You know what you find you find that they are extremely generous people What you find is that people that have a lot of money Tend to be very generous And people this is what people think see some of you're thinking this I'm gonna help you out right now Here's how broke people think you had this thought you're probably broke. I'm not mad at you. I'm just trying to help I'm just prophesying Here's how broke people think well if I had if I had that much money. I'd be generous too wrong They have that much money because they're generous Broke people think I'd be generous if I had the money Successfully people think I'll be generous and I'll be blessed with money I'll be generous and I'll be Successful why because give and it shall be given unto you good measure present out and taken together and running over So I'm ungiven to your bosom for with the same measure that you meet with all it shall be measured to you again Here at our church, I've lost count, but I think last time I sat down to count I think we've got 15 different business orders in our church Which is an amazing thing when you consider the size of our church But What I've learned is I watched some of these guys, I mean we've got some business owners in our church That are highly successful very successful And as I watch these guys and kind of you know just walk through life with them. You know I'll hear things and I'll see things and I hear you know this guy's doing this job for this other guy for free And then this other business owner is doing this other job for this other guy for free and this other business owner You know I hear about these guys just just just doing work for each other helping each other out calling each other in the middle of the week and showing up and Helping them in a bind and helping them in this and I think myself one of these guys never make money Every time I look I turn around is maybe this guy's helping this guy for free and this guy's on this guy's roof for free And this guy's helping him with this job and this thing and I think myself man these guys are really successful But it seems like they're never out there making money But then I realize the Bible says this second Corinthians 9 and verse 6 are you there the Bible says? But this I say he would sow it sparingly shall reap also sparingly and he would sow it bountifully shall reap Also bountifully I'm here to tell you when you're generous you cannot give God Men and women that are generous men and women that are not cheap that are that That give of their time and their treasure and their talent it just somehow works out that God blesses them God helps them and God's good with them And we're here we have John the Baptist Looking at these new converts, and I understand that John was a prophet. He was not a pastor I understand that but I feel like he almost had the heart of a pastor here at this moment because he's looking at these young Converts converts, and they're saying what shall we do and he says you know the best thing you could do Is learn to be generous? Learn to not be cheap Learn to give Learn to give away learn to invest Give and it shall be good invest in other people Because Jesus said give and it shall be given unto you Because Paul said he which so it sparingly shall reap also sparingly That's the same idea as with the same measure you meet But he which so it bountifully He that so it's bountifully shall reap also bountifully So we see this first lesson. What is it be generous? If I could teach you something tonight, you said what should we do? What should we do? Here's the lesson be generous Be generous, but I want to give you a second thought tonight go back to Luke chapter 3 if you would the first thing we see John the Baptist teaches new converts is to be generous. He tells the people he tells the people be generous They asked what shall we do then and he says he that have two coats let him impart to him that hath none and he That hath me let him do likewise And I want you to notice secondly He tells the second group something different The first group was the people he says be generous the second group is found in verse 12 Luke chapter 3 verse 12 That's what he says then came also publicans to be baptized and Said unto him master What shall we do? Now notice the first group said what shall we do that? They're asking the question in response to his sermon he just got done preaching they got baptized just like we do You know I preached and at the end of service. We do the baptisms. He got done preaching He vipers and you know he's preaching a sermon then he baptized them then they come out and they said well What shall we do that? So he just got done preaching the Word of God What do you want us to do and he says you need to be generous then this other group? They come up the publicans and the way it's worded It's almost like they were there to hear what he said to the people so the publicans Then came also publicans we baptized and said unto him master. What shall we do? Well, what do you want us to do but notice? He gives them a different answer verse 13. He said unto them Exact no more than that which is appointed you See when we're talking to the publicans here and again, it's not the Republicans, but like the Republicans and the Democrats there are tax collectors These people are collecting taxes from the people They're not only collecting taxes from the people. They're collecting taxes from their own people So notice they're separate from the people in verse 10. We have the people in verse 12. We have the publicans Another group they said what shall we do then and he said exact no more than that, which is appointed you They said well, what does that mean? And why is it telling them that we'll go to Luke chapter 19 if you would Luke chapter 19. Let me show you this as an illustration from maybe the most famous We rephrase that the second most famous tax collector in the Bible. The first is probably Matthew Let me give you the second Here's what James understand about these tax collectors these publicans they were despised and hated by the people Because not only did they gather taxes For or on behalf of the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire is the empire that is Controlling the nation of Israel at this time. So here you have Jews That are working for the enemy People from Israel that are working for the Roman Empire and Collecting taxes from their own people. That's enough to get you hate it. I mean doesn't everybody kind of hate the IRS But these people take it a step further Where they're not only collecting taxes from their own people for the Roman government, but they're also collecting more than they're supposed to and Pocketing the difference in fact history tells us that this was an agreement that Rome had with the publicans throughout the Roman Empire that they were allowed to collect as much as they could possibly get From the people and they would have to give whatever was due to Rome But anything that they kept that they gathered above that they were able to keep for themselves So these people ended up being rich as a result of stealing From their own people Let me give you an example of that and the second most famous tax collector in the Bible the guy named Zacchaeus Luke chapter 19. Are you there? Look at verse 2 remember Zacchaeus The Bible says in verse 2 and behold there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the notice chief among the publicans So this wasn't just a publican. He was like their manager, you know He was like the guy in charge chief among the publicans and he was rich Now I remember when Zacchaeus got saved verse 8 Notice what he says to Jesus Luke 19 and verse 8 and Zacchaeus stood and said unto the Lord Behold Lord the half of my goods I give to the poor doesn't that sound like what John told the first group? He says and if I have taken anything from any man Notice by false accusation. I restore him fourfold See Zacchaeus is admitting to the fact that he had taken more Than he was supposed to take he had taken more by false accusation This is something that the publicans were known for so when the publicans show up and they ask this question What shall we do? John and Luke chapter 3 go back to Luke 3 and verse 13. He says to them exact no more than that which is appointed you Now they worked for the Roman government they worked in collecting taxes and notice that John didn't say quit your job He didn't say start protesting the tax system. He didn't say stop paying taxes In fact, he said hey just make people pay the taxes, but don't Charge them more than what it's due He said go ahead and work for the government Gather the taxes pay how people pay their taxes to the government He says but exact no more than that which has appointed you and I'm just saying that to say this because in a church like ours when you get around a lot of conservative people you also get a lot of Conspiracy people and I'm not trying to hurt your feelings, but I'm here to tell you the Bible teaches to pay your taxes. I Know there's a lot of conservative Christians don't like to hear that and they want to be you know Be against the government but the but you never find Jesus telling his people don't pay your taxes and here John is telling the tax collectors. Hey, just do your job But don't lie Don't have fault don't take more than is appointed to you Don't take a false accusation because like he is we see later on He says if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him for full because they'd stolen from people So what do we learn? From the second group the first group John says be generous to the people The second group John says be just He says be just To the publicans he says be just go back to 2nd Corinthians chapter 8 if you would we were just there in 2nd Corinthians We can make your way back there 2nd Corinthians chapter 8 while you turn there. Let me go Let me read to you from the book of Micah Micah in the Old Testament Micah chapter 6 You turn to 2nd Corinthians 8 You don't have to turn to Micah I'm just gonna read this to you, but you might want to jot this reference down if it interests you Micah chapter 6 in verse 8 is one of two verses that that are very similarly worded And it's a very interesting verse. I know you're not there, but let me read it to you Micah chapter 6 in verse 8 says this he hath showed thee oh, man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee and Micah chapter 6 in verse 8 we are told That Micah is going to tell us what it is that the Lord requires of thee and of me of us It's very interesting verse. He says here's what the Lord requires of you Here's what the Lord requires of us, and then he tells us to do three things the first thing is to do justly The second thing is and to love mercy The third thing is and to walk humbly with thy God He says you want to know what the Lord requires of you He requires that you do justly that you love mercy and that you walk humbly But the first thing he tells us there is to do Justly, what is it that John tells these publicans these people that have been stealing from their own people? He says be just He says be just be honest have integrity 2nd Corinthians 8 look at verse 21 notice what the Bible says about Christians it says providing for honest things Not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men Let me tell you something there ought not be a more honest people on this earth and God's people You ought to be look the most honest person at your job ought to be you Say why because you're a Christian. That's why As a Christian you ought to tell the truth as a Christian You ought not take money for times that you weren't working as a Christian. You shouldn't steal from your boss You shouldn't steal you that you know pastor. Are you anti-government where I'm anti-government. I think we're all anti-government at this point But you know what you ought to pay your taxes And not steal from the government Yeah, we ought to be just Providing for honest things not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men We ought to be just We ought to do justly we ought to do right You know what's interesting? When you study highly successful people not only do you find that highly successful people? I'm talking about in the business world not only do you find that highly successful businessmen are Generous, but you find that highly successful people They also have almost an obsession with integrity They're obsessed with being honest with not lying and not being lied to With surrounding themselves with people that don't mislead them that don't lie to them And they don't mislead and lie to others see when you study successful people you find that they're very Generous and that they have a strong character for integrity then we have John telling these new converts You know what you ought to do if you're asking me what you ought to do Let me tell you what I think you ought to do you ought to be generous and you ought to be just You ought to tell the truth You ought not exact more than it is appointed unto you You ought to have an honest lifestyle go to 1st Peter chapter 2 if you would 1st Peter chapter 2 towards the end of the New Testament You have Revelation Jude 3rd 2nd and 1st John 2nd and 1st Peter 1st Peter chapter 2 1st Peter chapter 2 and verse 11 the Bible says dearly beloved I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims Abstain from fleshly lust which war against the soul 1st Peter 2 and verse 12 notice having your conversation the word conversation is we're going to a is defined as a lifestyle a Conduct or a behavior having your conversation notice honest among the Gentiles That whereas they speak against you as evildoers They may by your good works, which they shall behold glorify God in the day of visitation We ought to be honest people. I Didn't say we should be fake Obviously, none of us are perfect But we ought to have a strive to be honest to be just to do right to not be deceptive Having a conversation honest among the Gentiles providing for honest things not only in the sight of the Lord But also in the sight of men Let me give you the third one go to Luke chapter 3 We had the first group remember who they were the people What did John tell them? He said be generous If you have two coats find someone that has no coat and give him one you have enough food for you and your family find Someone that has no food and give him some The second group we have the publicans he says exact no more than that which is appointed the first group He said to the people he says be generous to the second group the publicans He says be just then we have the third group was the third group in verse 14 and the soldiers we could call this the public servants and the soldiers likewise demanded of him saying and what shall we do and He said unto them knows what he says. He says do no violence to no man neither accuse any falsely and Be content with your wages notice he gives the third group the group of soldiers a third set of instructions He's looking at soldiers and he says do violence to no man Neither accuse any man falsely and be content with your wages now some people believe and they believe this wrongly that the Bible teaches to be a pacifist a Pacifist is one who does not believe in ever Defending themselves or fighting or engaging in any war and I realize that there are definitely some wars that are not just and that That are not of God, but the Bible does teach that war something look the Bible calls God himself a man of war So the Bible does not teach people to be pacifist You know and through the years there have been different religions That have taught these things that we're not supposed to fight We're not supposed to defend ourselves and people look at this passage and say You know here John told the soldiers to do violence to no man. So he's telling them not to fight Well, what's wrong with that is the fact that you're defining the word violence in an incorrect way because you're using the modern term or the our modern definition for the word violence and Not understand that the Bible use the word violence in a different way now I can prove that to you not just through the definition but through the text itself because here John says do violence to no Man, and people say see that means they're not supposed to fight. They're not supposed to go to war They're not supposed to battle Well, here's the problem with that He also tells us tells the soldiers neither accused any falsely and he tells the soldiers and be content with your wages Now what are soldiers getting wages for what are they getting paid for? They're getting paid to fight So is John telling them hey don't fight anymore and be content with your wages Well, that would go against what he just told the publicans to be honest Just to get to get paid for something that you're not willing to do is not honest You say well, what's the contradiction here? There's no contradiction. You just need to understand today We use the word violence for pretty much any sort of you know, public or the public physical Contact like fighting, you know, you're gonna have two guys in a ring sparring and we'll say that, you know people say that's violence That's violence But the Bible doesn't use the word violence in that way The word violence in the Bible it comes from the same root word as the word to violate Here's what John is telling the soldiers. He's not telling them. Hey don't fight Obviously, they're being paid to go and fight For the Roman Empire to fight as soldiers to battle what John is telling them He says do no do violence to no man. Here's what he's saying. Don't violate anyone Neither accuse any falsely and be content with your wages. You say why is John telling the soldiers this? Here's why because all throughout history It is a known fact that sometimes when soldiers go off to battle they find themselves on a foreign field somewhere in the midst of battle, you know, because of just the Tragedy of war people lose their minds and then all of a sudden they find themselves in some village on a foreign field somewhere after they've won a battle and now they think it's okay to rape and pillage and kill and John is telling these soldiers. Hey, I know you got a job. I know your job is to go out and fight I know your job is to go out and protect Society, I know that's what you're getting paid to do and you should be content with your wages But when you're out there doing what you're supposed to do do violence to no man. He says don't violate people Neither accused any falsely He says look do what you got to do within the parameters of your job, but don't go rape anybody Don't go plumb, you know plunder and steal from people just because you're in a war zone He says just be content with your wages Just because you're in a war zone and you see somebody and this is you know We could apply it today and whenever in our society today, you know some tornado or some hurricane will hit a town and just because there's no cops anywhere and people are kind of Sheltering in place people think it's okay to you know, start breaking windows and stealing TVs It's like hey just because you find yourself in a in a situation like a war zone where people aren't paying attention It's not okay to violate or do violence. Just be content with your wages. You're getting paid couldn't be content with your wages So once you notice the message from John to these soldiers is be content Be content. He says and be content with your wages He says be content with your job the fact you're getting paid and don't go out and accuse people falsely Don't go out and violate people don't steal from people don't use your power and your mic and your authority to violate people Go to Philippians just real quickly Philippians chapter 4 Let's just quickly look at this passage on contentment most famous passage in the Bible on the contentment Paul says this in Philippians 4 verse 11 not that I speak in respect of want Why don't you notice these words? He says for I have learned just notice that phrase for I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content notice these two words. I know He said in verse 11. He says for I have learned then in verse 12 He says I know both how to be a base and I know how to abound Everywhere and in all things notice these words I am instructed you see that He says in verse 11 for I have learned he says in verse 12. I know he says in verse 12 I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and suffer need Let me tell you something the secrets of contentment. Here's what people think they think when I get everything I want I'll be content When I get all my ducks in a row when I finally live in the house I want to live in I finally drive the vehicle. I want to drive in I want finally get the Promotion that I want or the raise that I want once I get everything I want then I'll be content The the problem with that is that you'll never get everything you want Because as soon as you get that brand new, you know phone that does your laundry and cooks you lunch They're gonna come out with another one That also, you know makes a better lunch or whatever. I don't know See there's no end to your wants So Paul says the secret to contentment see people think contentment is something that happens to them. I Get married. I have kids. I buy a house. I have this. I'm you know, I buy a dog Let me tell you something getting a dog is the last thing that'll make you content especially a stupid puppy They think contentment is something that happens to me no no contentment is not something that happens to you you happen to contentment You learn to be content He says for I have learned he says I am instructed He says I know see people that are content then it didn't happen to them They chose and they've learned to be content and they can say I have learned in what's whoever state I am there with to be content And I can be content with much or with little He says I know both how to be a base and I know how to abound Everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry Both to abound and to suffer need Here's what's interesting is that as you study highly successful people You'll find that they're not only generous You'll find that they're not only obsessed with integrity But you'll also find that highly successful people Have found the balance between drive and contentment Highly successful people are often driven There's something that gets them out of bed in the morning They want to win. They want to succeed. They're driven people nothing wrong with that But there's a difference between being driven and ambitious see, they're not so driven that they're going to Cross their integrity to lie and steal and cheat to get ahead Because they've learned a balance between being driven and content Being driven to accomplish more and do more but yet being content where at the end of the day wherever we find ourselves Whatever we've accomplished I have learned and whatsoever state I am there with to be content So we have John telling this third group of people the public servants, I wish somebody would tell our public servants today. Hey be content He says don't take advantage of people Don't violate people be content which then such things as you have to go back to Luke chapter 3 Luke chapter 3 I'm gonna shift gears here for a second. We're in the conclusion Okay We're almost done but I'm gonna shift gears on the conclusion because I want to show you a couple of things at the end of this Passage to set us up for next week when we're in Luke, but while you turn there Let me just give you some ending thoughts on these these ideas from these three groups the people the publicans the public servants You Know what's interesting is that? Everyone had their own areas to work on. Did you notice that all three groups are different and John told The groups to work in the area in which they were lacking See he told the people who were poor be generous Say why would you tell poor people to be generous because when you're poor, it's hard to be generous But when the publicans showed up who were rich and they said oh man, what shall we do then? I'm sure they were hoping that John would say hey be generous because they had so much money It would be easy to be generous, but John says to them. Don't worry about being generous. Just stop stealing from people And they're like, oh man. Well, that's actually what we're doing See John was applying it to their lives He Was looking at people that were poor and saying you need to learn to be generous He was looking at people that were stealing and he said you need to exact that which is appointed unto you He was looking at people that were maybe Taking their authority a little too far and violating others and saying you need to be content with your wages and quit violating people Do violence to no man? Everyone was told to work in the area in which they were lacking He didn't tell the rich publicans to give that would have been easy for them he told the rich publicans to stop stealing You know one lesson we can learn from this story is this that everyone can do something right where they're at People that are not content get this idea. Well, I could really serve the Lord if I if I had a different job I could really serve the Lord. No, you could serve the Lord in the job you're in You can serve the Lord of the state you're in You can serve the Lord whatever position you find yourself in. Hey in that place you could serve the Lord He didn't tell any one of them. You got to quit your job. He didn't tell any one of them You got to do this. You got to do that He said right where you're at, you can serve God and you can serve the Lord Look at Luke chapter 3 and verse 15 We're gonna finish this up But I want to just transition a little bit and kind of give you some closing thoughts here with with this passage in verses 15 through 20 We have the end of this story with John and his ministry and his preaching In verse 15 the Bible says this and as the people were in expectation That word expectation is referring to the fact that people were looking at John and they were expecting something from him They were looking at him with hope and expectation That was incorrect what they were hoping or what they were expecting was that John was the Messiah That John was the Christ and they were wrong about that. John was not the Messiah he was the forerunner to the Messiah and as the people were in expectation and all men muse the word muse means to ponder to think about And all men muse in their hearts of John notice whether he were the Christ or not the word Christ means Messiah John answered saying unto them all So they're all you know, there's kind of standing back and they're watching this guy John preach and they're like, is this the Messiah? Is this the Christ and John? Understood that this is something that people were saying about him or he overheard them talking about this So he responds to them in verse 16 John answers saying unto them all he says I Indeed baptized you with water He said I'm doing a water baptism. I'm taking you under the water and bringing you up out of the water He said but that water baptism. It's just an ordinance. It's a symbol It's symbolic of what of something else. He says I indeed baptized you with water He says but one mightier than I cometh because they're thinking he's the Messiah and he's telling them no No, I'm just baptizing you with water, but there's one mightier than I who's coming we know of course, that's Jesus He says the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose He said I'm not even worthy to tie and untie his shoes He says he referring to Jesus shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire He says look I'm baptizing you in water But there's a mightier one coming that will baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire now Let me just quickly just as we finish tonight explain these Baptisms he's referring to the first one. He's referring to hear the baptism of the Holy Ghost the charismatic like to make a big deal about Baptism of the Holy Ghost and let me just show you a couple things go to Acts chapter 2 if you would you're there in Luke You have Matthew Mark Luke John Acts Luke John Acts Acts chapter 2 The baptism of the Holy Ghost is referred to in different ways throughout the Bible But I just want to help you understand this the baptismal Holy Ghost is a reference to the empowering of the Holy Ghost The baptismal Holy Ghost is not something that happens at the point of salvation Because The disciples the Bible tells us that they received the Holy Spirit When Jesus resurrected from the grave he breathed on them and they received the Holy Ghost But then they were told to go and wait for the filling of the Holy Spirit which happened at the day of Pentecost So the Bible teaches and I don't have time to develop this tonight You know, I preached the whole series on the Holy Spirit and I preached through a doctoral series on this and I've taught a lot About this in different sermons you can go and learn more about it in one of those sermons But the Bible teaches that when you and I get saved we're sealed with the Holy Spirit But then Christians can be empowered by the Holy Spirit It's called walking in the spirit and that term is used throughout the Bible in different ways the empowering of the Holy Spirit is referred throughout the scriptures as the filling of the Holy Spirit or the coming upon of the Holy Spirit or the pouring of the Holy Spirit or what we see here the baptism of the Holy Spirit see the word baptism simply means to Submerge or to put under something we believe in water Baptism because we take people under the water and bring them up out of the water That's why sprinkling doesn't work because you don't go under the water But the baptism of the Holy Ghost is when you are submerged You are filled you are surrounded by the Holy Ghost This happened in Acts chapter 2 and verse 1 notice what the Bible says and when the day of Pentecost was fully come They were all with one accord in one place and suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind Notice and it filled all the house The Holy Ghost filled the house they're in the house and they are being baptized in the Holy Ghost They're being empowered by the Holy Ghost and they were all sitting and there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as a fire and it set upon each of them and they were filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other Tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. So John talks about the fact that there's one coming mightier than high He says who shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and that is a reference to the day of Pentecost That is a reference to the empowering the filling of the Holy Ghost the Holy Ghost coming upon you the Holy Ghost being poured upon You all these terms are used interchangeably. It's all referring to the power of the Holy Spirit But I want to show you something quickly go back to Luke chapter 3 and verse 16. There's two things He mentions here at the end of verse 16. He says he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. He says and With fire and with fire To pot you could look at this and I want to word it this way because I'm not dogmatic on this I'm just going to teach you something that I think as Two different baptisms that are being mentioned here one with the Holy Ghost and one with fire now some people and many people will believe that the baptismal he goes and with fire is referring to the same baptism and And there's an argument to be made for that That's why I don't I'm not super dogmatic about it because for example when we saw in Acts chapter 2 The day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit the the rushing mighty wind and it filled all the house The Bible says that there appeared unto them clove and tongues like as a fire So people will say see that's the baptism with fire. And if that's your position on it, I don't disagree with you You know, we can study the Bible and see different things. I just want you to notice That he mentions fire He says the baptism only goes and with fire In verse 16 and then in verse 17 Luke chapter 3 in verse 17 He gives us this passage that when you look at it, it's without a doubt a reference to judgment Luke chapter 3 17 whose fan is in his hand whose hand He's talking about the one who is coming after him who is mightier than him the one whose shoe latches He's not worthy to unloose He says that one that's coming his fan is in his hand and he will thoroughly Purge his floor and will gather the wheat into his gardener But the chaff he will notice burn with fire unquenchable You say what is that referring to Well, let me help you define some of these words here The wording here if you've read the Bible, you know This is a wording in regards to judgment when you see these types of words. It's a reference to judgment Notice he says whose fan is in his hand. We'll talk about the fan here in a minute. He will thoroughly Purge his floor. This is an illustration of the harvest being taken up Which the harvest throughout the Bible is a picture of the rapture and and the day that were raptured out of here He says and will gather the wheat into his gardener wheat Represents believers and Christians all throughout the Bible and here he says that he's going to gather the wheat into his gardener The word gardener means to collect into a storehouse or into a barn but the chaff This is not the wheat He will burn with fire Unquestionable unquenchable. He said what is being referred to here? Well when he says he will thoroughly purge his floor the modern term that you and I would use today for that phrase would be Winnowing and let me just read to you a little definition for winnowing Winnowing is the process. In fact, go to Psalm if you watch Psalm 1 just real quickly Psalm 1 and Let me show you this to you real quickly Winnowing is the process in the time of harvest It is a process by which the the chaff is separated from the grain in its simplest form it involves throwing The mixture into the air so that the wind blows away the lighter chaff While the heavier grains fall back down for recovery. So what they would do is they would take the wheat and The wheat would be mixed up with all this chaff, but the wheat itself is heavier than the chaff So they would throw it into the air and as the wind would blow The wheat that was heavier would fall to the ground where it could be piled up and recovered and taken into the gardener or the barn as They threw it into the air and the wind would blow The chaff would be carried away by the wind and it would be separated from the wheat On days when there was no wind or not much wind and they had to do this They would use a fan where they would throw it up in the air and then they would blow it to create today They would use like a like an electric fan to create the wind to separate the chaff from the wheat This is what the Bible is referring to you. Are you there in Psalm 1? Remember this passage of Scripture a very famous Psalm the first Psalm in the book of Psalms Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly nor stand in the way of sinners nor sit in the seat of scornful But his delight is in the law of the Lord and his law that he meditate day and night and he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that bringeth forth his fruit in his season his leaf also shall not wither and whatsoever you do it Shall prosper look at verse 4 the ungodly are not so but are like the chaff Which the wind driveth away Notice the Bible Says hey blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel. They are godly It's all about the man that's walking with the Lord. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water But then the contrast is the ungodly are not so the ungodly are not like a tree planted by the rivers of water But they are like the chaff which the wind driveth away Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous for the Lord knoweth the way of the Righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish So notice that throughout the Bible the chaff is a reference to the ungodly Now just real quickly go to Matthew chapter 13 and let me illustrate this for you John brings up the fact that there's one coming who's mightier than I John says Whose shoe latches I'm not worthy to unloose He says he will baptize you with the Holy Ghost and we know that's the baptism of the day of Pentecost The empowering of the Holy Spirit and he says and fire Now some people would say the fire is referring to the baptism of the Holy Ghost and I won't argue that that may be so But it's interesting though that in the very next verse he begins to talk about judgment He says whose fan is in his hand and he will thoroughly purge his floor. He's gonna clean up the floor He's gonna get all the chaff out of the floor and will gather the wheat into the gardener into the storehouse into the barn but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable in Matthew 13 we have a parable that is not exactly like this, but it's so close. You just have to look at it Notice what it says in Matthew 13. We I reach a whole sermon out of Matthew 13 is parable I'm not gonna do that But just look at it quickly and we'll be done here soon Matthew 13 24 another parable putting forth unto them saying the kingdom of heaven is like an unto a man which sowed good seed in his field But while men slept his enemy came and sowed tears Now what's a tear? A tear is a weed It is a worthless plant has no value. The problem with the weed is that it resembles wheat when young So here we have a man which sowed good seed. He sowed wheat in his field But while men slept his enemy came and sowed tears Somebody was trying to be mean to this guy and while he was sleeping He sowed tears in the same field where he sowed wheat They sowed tears which are weeds that look like weeds and when they're young They look exactly like wheat and you have to wait till they're full-grown for you to be able to figure out Which one's actually wheat and which ones are tears. Look at verse 26 Well verse 25 but while men slept his enemy came and sowed tears among the wheat and went his way verse 26 But when the blade was sprung up and brought forth fruit then appeared the tears the weeds Also, so the servants of the householder came and said unto him, sir Didst not thou sow good seed in thy field from whence then hath it tears? He said unto them an enemy had done this the servant said unto him. Well thou then that we go and gather them up He's talking about the fact that there's a field growing with both wheat and tears and They didn't notice it till the fruit sprung up and Now he's saying do you want us to go and separate them verse 29, but he said nay Lest while you gather up the tears you root up also the wheat with them, by the way I don't have time to preach this but this whole thing is about the end of the world to harvest the fact that there are fake Christians among us in the wheat there are tears and And honestly, they're not gonna go away till God separates them But he said nay, lest while you gather up the tears you root up also the wheat with them verse 30 Let both grow together notice until the harvest and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers gather ye together first the tears and bind them in bundles notice to burn them But gather the wheat into my barn So we have the same idea that the wheat and the tears or the wheat and the top are going to be separated One is going to be gathered into the barn into the gardener into the storehouse. The other one is going to be separated to burn What is this referring to go to Revelation chapter 20? Revelation chapter 20 I I Believe and you may disagree with me and if you do that's fine. I don't want to argue with you That John is referring to the fact he's saying look I'm baptizing you with water but there is coming one that's going to baptize you and People might say well, I don't believe in Jesus. I don't believe Jesus existed Well, I'm here to tell you it don't matter whether you believe in him or not. Jesus is going to baptize you He's either gonna baptize you with the Holy Ghost or he's gonna baptize you with fire Because of the harvest he's going to separate the wheat and the chaff the wheat he already told us is gonna be baptized with the Holy Ghost and He tells us he's gonna take the chaff or the tears and he's gonna baptize them in fire You say what does that mean? Well, it means that he's going to put them in a place where they are consumed with fire where they are Put into the fire They're going to be baptized with fire It's interesting to me because in Revelation chapter 20 and verse 10. We have a description of hell And I want you to notice how it's described Revelation 20 and verse 10 and the devil had deceived them was cast into notice the lake of fire The lake of fire and brimstone When I when I read the lake of fire brimstone, I think of like lava Like fire in a liquid form The lake of fire and brimstone where the beasts of the false prophet are and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever and death and hell were cast into notice the lake of fire This is the second death and whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into don't miss it The lake of fire see either Jesus is going to baptize you into the Holy Ghost and when you get saved or as a result of salvation Or he's going to baptize you one day into the lake of fire You're gonna be put into the lake of fire He's going to separate see John says he says there's coming one. That's mightier than I he said I'm only baptized you with water, but there's coming one. That's mightier than I he says one whose shoe latches I'm not worthy to unloose. He said he will baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire He says whose fan is in his hand and he will thoroughly purge his floor and will gather the wheat into his gardener But the chaff he will burn with fire and quenchable See I don't believe in Jesus it doesn't matter He's gonna baptize you I'd rather get saved And let me let me help you understand something and I need to be done But in Revelation chapter 20, what we have is a picture of the great white throne That's what's being as illustrated and the Bible teaches that we'll all be there every one of us will be there the Bible says that the time and And space have flood away We will all be there all present now If you're saved you will not be judged at the great white throne You'll be judged at the judgment seat of Christ You will not be judged to see whether you're saved or not You're if you're saved you will not be that but you will be present and we will watch Jesus has the dead as the books are open and they're judged and Angels escort them into the lake of fire and baptize them and submerge them into the lake of fire And at that point it'll be too late but you and I right now like we talked about this morning can go out and Teach people the knowledge of salvation Because Jesus will baptize you one way or another In the Holy Ghost or in fire this power heads and I won't pray how many father thank you Lord for your word Thank you for the Bible think for these passages of Scripture Lord I pray you'd help us to just learn these things to be motivated Lord Help us to be Christians who ask this great question. What shall we then do? What shall we do then? Help us to be generous Help us to be just Help us to be content The matchless name of Christ we pray. Amen