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Amen, right, Matthew chapter 17 we're up to and we'll just do a recap as usual of Matthew chapter 16 from last week. We looked at the Sadducees who were basically like our kind of modern-day Jewish skeptics that we see all over the place. They basically deny anything miraculous, they try and sound so sort of rational and intellectual and they just kind of know better. However what was interesting is they still came along with the Pharisees didn't they? So they seemed to reject all those things but they came with this with the Pharisees to attack Jesus Christ and obviously we see you know we looked in in the book of Acts when Paul kind of you know stirs up that strife between them however they were still happy to come along together to attack the Lord Jesus Christ. Then Jesus warned the disciples about the false doctrine of both of these groups and we looked at then at that famous verse 18 which is I now sound to thee that thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it and how the it at the end of that verse is referring to the rock Jesus Christ not the church the gates of hell not prevailing against him because he rose from the dead and I think so many churches and and so many people have been blindsided because of sadly the false doctrine of Jesus Christ not going to hell and then kind of people have never really looked at it for what it says and it's Jesus Christ where the gates of hell didn't prevail against him. Peter then was was told of the responsibility that he's being given the keys of heaven and he rebuked Jesus didn't he and he was rejecting the things of God and he was rebuking Jesus with that we looked at that and you know ways that kind of can apply to us in our life and then Jesus then talked about denying self leaving the old life behind and finish the chapter of verse 28 which is verily I send to you there be some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom and that's referring to this event that we're about to read now where it goes straight into verse 1 then of this chapter which says and after six days Jesus taketh Peter James and John his brother and bringeth him up into an high mountain apart and was transfigured before them in his face did shine as the Sun and his raiment was white as a light I'd like to pray before we continue father thank you for your word thank you for this great chapter of the Bible starting with just this this amazing vision here that just helped me to preach accurately now help me to preach the whole of this chapter is you'd want to preach Lord help everyone to have attentive ears just minimize the distractions Lord help everyone to stay just wide awake and focused on what your words got to say to them in Jesus name pray all of this Amen okay so what's going on here he's just said that some of them will see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom mark 9 1 worded it the kingdom of God come with power and Luke 9 27 says till they see the kingdom of God because it's all the same thing yeah the kingdom of God is his kingdom isn't it because he is God this is basically a glimpse of the coming kingdom the kingdom to come he takes the inner circle and it seems that and you didn't make the cut this time up into a high mountain and he's transfigured or transformed yeah his face was shining like the Sun and obviously we're not talking about an English winter here yeah so this was some real shining his clothing was bright white as the light mark 9 3 this the parallel passage says and his raiment became shining exceeding white as snow so was no fuller on earth can white them I mean this is like an amazing sight isn't it to see something like that the fuller being someone who washed and white and clothes so this is like imagine do you remember those old lights on a dazzle purse or personal adverts where they used to have like the grubby old like for some reason the mechanic who's wearing bright white clothes for some reason you know he's got our oil and grease all over it and then they got the before and then he puts it in the wash and it comes out and it's like glistening and you're like whoa on the TV think of that but but multiplied by 10 yes he just like just sheer dazzling white and it said bright white exceeding white as snow and this is Jesus Christ in his full glory so turn of Revelation chapter 3 though because Daniel 7 9 says I beheld till the thrones were cast down and the ancient of days did sit whose garment was white as snow and the hair of his head like the pure wool his throne was like the fiery flame and his wheels is burning fire and that's the Lord Jesus Christ the white raiment represents sinlessness doesn't it that's the idea of it it's the white is a representation of sinlessness something that we also will receive once we get rid of our sinful flesh that's the whole point in the white the white raiment that we see here in Revelation chapter 3 and verse 5 which says he that over cometh the same shall be clothed in white raiment and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life but I will confess his name before my father and before his angels how do you overcome by believing on Christ first John 5 5 says who is he that over cometh the world but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God see you're overcoming the world you're overcoming the lies you're overcoming the false doctrine you're overcoming the work salvation in its various different forms by believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God that's believing the gospel that's believing that he died and rose again to pay for your sins that's believing the truth about Jesus Christ yeah and that's how you overcome that's the only way you will overcome that's the only way you do overcome is by putting your faith in Jesus Christ okay it's not of any works it's not you know the false prophets would love to say I see you got to overcome you got to persevere till the end overcome is is who is he that overcometh the world but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God okay so Jesus Christ was obviously already sinless yeah he's God and in his full glory is clothed in in this this raiment white as a light so go back to Matthew 17 we will obviously one day have that white raiment as well in the meantime we've got a battle with this flesh Jesus Christ was sinless so but this is a picture of him in his kingdom it said in verse 3 and behold there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him now Elias being just a Greek version of Elijah he's talking to these Old Testament prophets Moses and Elijah now I don't believe myself that they were suddenly teleported there or whatever you know God put them there in one way or another this is described as a vision in verse 9 so it is a vision and yeah they could have been there I don't know it said it said you know in verse 9 that's a vision basically there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him so it appeared to them so it seems like a vision of heaven they're seeing here it says in verse 4 then answered Peter and said unto Jesus Lord it is good for us to be here if thou wilt let us make here three tabernacles one for thee and one for Moses one for Elias now he basically a tabernacle is like a tent some sort of dwelling he's thinking about he's basically suggesting making them tents I think he's just kind of doesn't really know what to say you know sometimes you just kind of some people are like it you just kind of blur it out you just don't really know what to say you're a bit kind of a loss Peters one of those guys that has to fill gaps doesn't he know that some people are some people can just keep deadly silent you know and you can and sometimes they make you kind of talk a bit like sometimes you like want to fill gaps I think Peters one those guys he's just looking at this thinking someone's got to say something uh let me make some tents for you guys you know well it says in verse 5 Wally yet spake behold a bright cloud overshadowed them and behold a voice out of the cloud which said this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him imagine experiencing that it's been absolutely amazing these men experience that now you could say that God is making a point of lifting him above the other do you just say oh let me make three tabernacles for you it's almost like he's got them on a pile isn't it and God's like well this is my beloved son yeah he's kind of making a point of who really is the one that we should be focusing on here because they did appear in in in glory as well I think it says one of the other one of the other Gospels as well so they're obviously in their glory in this picture as well they're in their glorified bodies as well so he's just like wow let me make tabernacles for everyone and then God's like this is my beloved son you know he's making that point of Jesus Christ here verse 6 is when the disciples heard it they fell on their face and was sore afraid and that's kind of you can imagine a pretty normal response to hearing God the Father talking to you yeah falling on your face sore afraid it kind of is the opposite to the Morgan Freeman version of God isn't it it's not you know you're just this kind of cool just cuddly guy you're just like whoa you know this is my beloved falling on your face shaking in fear amazing yeah and Jesus came and touched him inside and said arise and be not afraid and you know where I look at this verse I was just thinking Jesus Christ is the only reason we don't have to be afraid isn't it Jesus Christ is able to come to you and say arise and be not afraid you're able to to be not afraid of God the Father of God basically in what should be a righteous judgment for us you know lowly sinners however Jesus Christ is a mediator 1st Timothy 2 5 says for there is one God and one mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus Jesus Christ is the reason that we don't have to be afraid and he was able to come and touch him and say arise and be not afraid verse 8 says and when they had lifted up their eyes they saw no man save Jesus only so I don't think you know I don't think they just suddenly climbed back up to heaven in that time just think it was a vision something amazing for them to witness you know to see this to see this vision of of the coming glory the coming kingdom of Jesus Christ and as they came down from the mountain Jesus charged him saying tell the vision to no man until the Son of Man be risen again from the dead so you know for me though the greatest thing about this vision and look there are many things you could probably I'm sure there are many pictures of this you know that are in this story and things you could kind of see into I've heard kind of different things preached but I'm not really convicted about any of them and there's much I want to preach in this chapter as well for me this vision is amazing okay it's just amazing thing it's a picture of Jesus Christ Jesus Christ coming Kingdom you know when he's going to rule and reign and he's in his glory it's just an amazing thing for them to see however the most amazing thing is what Peter says in second Peter one now you turn to second Peter and chapter one obviously we're gonna be coming back to Matthew 17 he's seen Jesus in his glory the long since dead Elijah and Moses he heard the father speaking out of the cloud I mean this is a pretty amazing thing to see wasn't it I don't think this is the sort of thing that you'd forget it's gonna be up there isn't it and up there for your kind of fee what you're gonna really hang your hat on about everything you believe about the Lord Jesus Christ yeah but this what Peter has said in second Peter chapter 1 and from verse 15 second Peter 1 15 moreover I will endeavor that you may be able after my deceased two of these things always in remembrance so he's talking about after he dies he says for we have not followed cunningly devised fables and a lot cunningly devised fables out there aren't there we haven't followed those he's saying when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ but what eyewitnesses of his majesty so he saw he saw that the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in his vision he's an eyewitness of his majesty for he received from God the Father honor and glory when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory this is my beloved son in whom I'm well pleased what we just read about you and this voice which came from heaven we heard when we were with him in the Holy Mount okay so he's saying yeah we witnessed it we witnessed this yeah this voice coming out of heaven we witnessed all of this however verse 19 we have also a more sure word of prophecy where on T where unto you you do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the day star rise in your hearts knowing this first that no prophecy of the scriptures of any private interpretation for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost he's saying yes we were there we saw it we heard it however do you know what do you know what's even better than that the word of prophecy what's the word of prophecy the word of God that's a more sure word of prophecy saying you know and here he's really talking about because he's talking about men of all time so about the prophecies of men like Moses of men like David of men like Isaiah and and all the others and he's in and they're the evidence they're the evidence really beyond this it's a vision because people can tell you I saw this I felt this I look that's not the evidence the evidence is the prophecies being fulfilled those tons of times because Jesus Christ literally fulfilled so many prophecies and yeah it's such an amazing thing the word of God is it because once you're saved and you read in the Bible you've seen these little prophecies all pieces together but before that you can see how a skeptic could be like what is that really talking about you oh well you can't grasp it at straws there and that kind of little verse there and that verse there and that verse there but once you just put it all together and you see Jesus Christ is filling tons and tons of prophecy it's amazing isn't it and that's a more sure word of prophecy that's that's what it rests upon it doesn't rest upon a vision of someone and nowadays doesn't rest upon a vision of someone so all these people are like I saw this and Jesus cry I got saved with Jesus Christ appeared to me you liar you're a liar and you're not saved they're never saved I got saved because you know Jesus Christ came to me in a dream and I saw him and you know he looked like you know a hippie and he's floating around in a dress you liar you didn't get saved would you okay so you know is there any way you well as long as I don't you know do any bad sins it's all nonsense in it but but what's the it's the word of prophecy is it's the word of prophecy that's what we're what we're saved by anyway isn't it it's the Word of God okay so why is that because they were speaking as they were moved by the Holy Ghost that was what it said in verse 21 says for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost that's why all every single one of their prophecies is fulfilled because they were speaking by the Holy Ghost because they couldn't have done it otherwise okay go back to Matthew 17 okay in verse 10 Matthew 17 in verse 10 says and his disciples asked him saying why then say the scribes that Elias must first come so now the scribes were phoned to Malachi's prophecy of Malachi 4 so if you turn to Malachi chapter 4 now what's interesting is that Malachi's prophecy refers specifically to the day of the Lord which is the second coming of Christ so Acts 2 20 says Acts 2 20 you're turning to Malachi 4 says the Sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before that great and notable day of the Lord come and no there's not a secret little half coming a few years earlier okay this is the coming day of the Lord yeah guys a Malachi chapter 4 of verse 5 says is so we've just seen about the day of the Lord that's the second coming of Christ still to come Malachi 4 and verse 5 says behold I will send you a larger the Prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord and he shall turn the heart of their fathers and children the heart of their children their fathers lest I come and smite the earth with the clothes so this first coming of Christ wasn't the great and dreadful day of the Lord was it the day of the Lord is the second coming of Christ which is why many believe that one of the two witnesses in the end times will be Elijah okay one of the reasons they believe that and obviously because he never died either did he just eventually was taken up into heaven so many people say Elijah some people think Moses because this might be a picture that other people maybe think you know could be Enoch you know again he was dying he walked with God and he was not you know because God took him we're not going to get into that now but that describes here we're looking for Elijah and it's talking about the second coming however there is still some truth to incoming before the first coming of Christ as well because Jesus Christ even says they're here so turn to Luke 1 though because John the Baptist did come as far as I'm concerned in the spirit and power of Elijah now have a kind of that works I'm not really sure exactly and a lot of people have different views on this whether it was Elijah in some sort of reincarnation or whatever it is I you know and God can do anything so you know it's not that we're suddenly believing in some sort of weird Buddhism or something like that however it did say Luke one that came in the spirit and power of Elijah now the scribes here were just off well maybe they're off with loads of things by all accounts here they're off about everything because he's constantly rebuking never been false prophets however there that Malachi 4 did talk about obviously Elijah coming before the second coming of Christ but then we also see and it also says Malachi 3 about sending his messenger before him you know and we do see that he is coming in the spirit and power we see in Luke chapter 1 where you turn from verse 13 we're gonna look where the angel Gabriel appears to John's father Zacharias before he's born John the Baptist this is but the angel said unto him fear not Zacharias for thy prayer is heard and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son and thou shalt call his name John and thou shalt have joy and gladness and many shall rejoice at his birth for he shall be great in the sight of the Lord and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink and he should be filled with the Holy Ghost even from his mother's womb and many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and a disobedient to the wisdom of the just to make ready a people prepared for the Lord so John came in the spirit power of Elijah Malachi 4 6 where we were said and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children we've just seen to turn the hearts of fathers to the children and the heart of the children to their fathers we just saw in the disobedient to the wisdom of the just which is you could say the same thing lest I come and smite thee with a curse it said in Malachi 4 6 he said to make ready a people prepared for the Lord now that wasn't the only reason he was in the spirit power of Elijah now he did come and he did come and turn the hearts of fathers to the children and a disobedient we saw it to the wisdom of the just he did come and prepare you know that way of the Lord but go back to Matthew 17 whilst I remind you of some of the comparisons I did mention back in Matthew 11 so if you think yeah we've gone through this before yeah we did we talked about this in Matthew chapter 11 I found these really interesting so I'm gonna repeat them again Elijah was described in 2nd Kings chapter 1 of verse 8 as an hairy man and go with a girdle of leather about his go about his loins Matthew 3 4 said of John and the same John had his raiment of camel's hair in a leather girdle about his loins pretty similar isn't it yeah he kind of went for the kind of camel hair stuck stick on kind of one you know put on like the stick on hair but he just wasn't naturally hairy you know whereas Elijah was just like his hairy kind of mothball type thing walking around but anyway first time we see Elijah in 1st Kings 17 3 he's told get thee hence and turn the eastward and hide thyself by the brook cherish that is before Jordan and John's in the wilderness isn't he the first time we see him and his first real appearance was baptizing in that River Jordan wasn't it Elijah is sustained by wild food from the mouth of the Ravens John's eating locusts and wild honey pretty wild food that is Elijah confronts and slays the prophet of Baal in 1st Kings 18 and John confronts and you could say in a spiritual sense slays the Pharisees of Sadducees in Matthew 3 doesn't he and he's just rebuking them and removing them and everything else Elijah preached hard against King Ahab John preached hard against King Herod King Ahab's wife Jezebel sought to slay Elijah King Herod's wife Herodias sought to slay John and look you can if you want go in and read all this yourself read about Elijah if you want back in 1st Kings Elijah had a low faith moment in 1st Kings 19 while being hunted by Jezebel he's like basically saying that I'm ready to die he's kind of he feels that he's the only one he's just like having this low moment John had a low faith moment whilst in prison for Herodias sake didn't he Elijah was given food and water to sustain him John was given the spiritual food and water Jesus sending the message about and fulfilling prophecy didn't need to sustain him the spirit power of Elijah for me therefore was the same basically rugged wilderness dwelling hard preaching taking on Kings taking on religious rulers and the light they were the same kind of prophet I don't know how that works spirit and power but they were the same sort of prophet this is what these guys were looking for really weren't they or bring children back to life or any of those miracles but he kind of did it in a spiritual sense didn't he he was I mean he was even said didn't he when he first appears on the scene he's talking about Jesus Christ coming to baptize with fire as well doesn't he and he's basically saying the fires coming down on you and he was basically preaching the gospel and giving life to children wasn't he but spiritual life and but he wasn't doing these miracles that Elijah did but but that's why here in Matthew 17 back to Matthew 17 and verse 11 it says in Jesus answers said unto them Elias truly shall come first and restore all things but I sound to you that Elias is come already and they knew him not but have done unto him whatsoever they listed likewise shall also son of man suffer them then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist so I look whether it's spirit and power whether Jesus just used that terminology to show that that's what it was or but whether it was Elijah somehow you know as John the Baptist I don't know but what's funny is that the scribes and everyone else were looking for Elijah's miracles weren't they they were looking for someone who is going to do all these amazing things and they missed the camel's hair wearing leather belt wearing hard preacher who was in their face preaching you had all these similarities they just missed it didn't they they missed it and what do they do they did to him what they chose and you know what's that about well he was imprisoned like we saw earlier in this in this Gospel of Matthew and eventually killed he was beheaded and it did say here Jesus Christ said he said and they knew him not but have done unto him whatsoever they listed so we looked at and we looked at how it happened because of Herodias and a daughter pleasing Herod then he you know he said you can have what you want and she asked for the head of John the Baptist in a charger but it seems like it wasn't an unpopular choice for the multitudes really he's talking about they were at least for the rulers the leaders at least let's say the Pharisees and Sadducees and scribes that he was rebuking in chapter 3 I would say at least for them it wasn't an unpopular choice was it he said here they have done unto him whatsoever they listed likewise shall also son of man suffer of them okay so these people their leaders at least this is what they wanted to do to John that's what they did so Jesus is saying that he's going to suffer similarly though isn't he so he says this is what happened to John I'm gonna suffer in the same way verse 14 says and when they were come to the multitude there came to him a certain man kneeling down to him and saying so we're moving on here Lord have mercy on my son for he is lunatic and sore vexed for oft times he falleth into the fire and oft into the water so his son is in a pretty bad way here isn't he so we've kind of we're moving on now and this guy's come to him and they were they've come to the multitude they this guy's come he's kneeling down he's worshiping him he's just saying look like have mercy on my son he's nuts yeah he's a complete lunatic he's he's basically he said he saw vex so he's just got all these troubles he's he's falling into the fire into the water I mean he's out of control isn't he and this sounds crazy doesn't it suicidal or at least can't look after himself at all he's like falling into fire into water he's he's a lunatic and you see these sorts of people sometimes stumbling around don't you you do see him you see him out if you know in towns and I you know I'll go up into the central London a bit for work and then again you know we'll look out the window and go look at that one and they're literally you know just wandering down the road shouting things out doing just crazy deranged things these people are out there aren't they and I can imagine a lot of these guys are off without someone looking after them probably die pretty early don't they a lot of these people and what do we say and what does our world say well it's mental health man it's just that mental health you know that person he's just like stumbling around and crazy things walking in front of cars in the traffic and you know all these other car it's just mental health yeah and usually they've you know we just happen to have a new terminology for it which is so handy because at the same time there just happens to be a new drug for it as well that happens to fit that terminology and like I've said many times I think from here before it kind of interested me that many years ago it's all just some form of tranquilizer isn't it just a different type of tranquilizer just to numb someone it's just just to tranquilize them and we can just claim we've got a special tranquilizer that's just for that particular mental illness that we've just managed to work out oh and we just happen to have a drug that was in the making for 15 years and we just happen to come up with a new terminology for the latest kind of lunatic walking around doing crazed deranged things what was the cause of this guy's crazy behavior well verse 18 said it was a devil didn't it verse 18 said and Jesus rebuked the devil yes we he cast the devil out of him that was that was what was going on now you know just just to make it clear it's not that everyone with any mental health problem is possessed by a devil because again you get like you get you get some idiot look you get some people are just maybe new Christians and they see this and straight away you know look people like black and white right that must be it everyone who does anything quite must be possessed you know and then you've got the others that go the opposite way and go oh well you know that was back then that was like back in those days you know we don't have people possessed by devils now I mean that well that was just for Jesus to like do these it's clearly devil possession right because it's devil possession afterwards in the New Testament as well after Jesus Christ has gone and we see that in the book of Acts as well and there's no there's nowhere to say that that being possessed by devil is suddenly ended I've run into a lot of people because I have no doubt about it I'm sure many here have been out soul winning and have been saved for a while and be being around people there's a lot of possessed people aren't there there's people and these people these nutters you ever notice how they kind of focus on you have you ever noticed that you mean walking down the road and there could be people everywhere and the nutter just starts looking at you when they walk past another devil at least we have the power of God you don't have to fear but it's weird isn't it that weird stuff they come up to your car window sometimes or whatever it is you just and these people are out there aren't they and look again there are those yes there are those that it's not a devil yeah there were those that have some sort of they've messed up their mind on in one way or another sometimes but I do believe there are a lot of people possessed now what happens is you get people out and then go no no no brother in light look you've got you've got mental health and then what you're talking about is people that have who are under the effects of drinking drugs because it must be one of the two yeah because that's the rational answer can't be anything supernatural or spiritual because you know that wouldn't fit in with our you know our intellectual view of the world right so it must be the effect of drinking drugs and and yeah that is out there yeah there's there's you know there are some people that do some crazy stuff and drinking drugs not really good advertisement for drugs is it I mean hey if you have some of it have have have a few like bottles of this you can look like you're possessed by a devil and do crazy things and be a complete risk yourself and eyes around you take one of these you know have this pill or this powder or whatever else and you can actually look like some deranged lunatic sore vexed oft times falling into the fire and the water and everything else dangerous you know wanting to throw yourself off bridges and into the middle of the road unless whoever is with you trying to save you you know what a great lifestyle yeah but but that's out there isn't it and and there are people like and it is quite interesting as well that sometimes people that do a lot of drugs sometimes not even a lot some people that just do drugs do seem to permanently be possessed don't they afterwards and there are people that say that their whole mind went and people you experience these people say it was after they got into this young they got into this psychedelic type type drug he would be from smoking cannabis young and some of the strong different strains of cannabis out there and it messes their mind and then you look at these people and they act like they're possessed don't they and I don't know how that works and how you open yourselves up I think when you're purposely doing things which are opening up your mind to these sort of things it is highly dangerous it's such a risky thing to do isn't it and so many people they're gone from it they're gone and here we I don't know what this what this kid had done here but mach 918 when it talks about him says you have to turn they can if you want there's not you know I'm just quoting you this one verse says and wheresoever he taketh him this is a parallel passage he teareth him okay this is talking about the devil inside it and he fometh and nasheth with his teeth and pineth away and I spake to thy disciples that they shall cast them out and they can not. Imagine that, he's gnashing with his teeth he's pining it kind of makes you think he's just like moaning screaming out he's foaming at the mouth and they are out there aren't they we were walking down I went to a DIY shop in Wickford town centre today and they're everywhere well you don't even bat an eyelid now you're just kind of walking past someone and noticing something else you know they're everywhere it's crazy isn't it foaming at the mouth and gnashing with their teeth and this kid you can see this probably isn't a good situation you see why this guy fell down at Jesus feet he said and I brought him to thy disciples verse 16 in Matthew 17 and they can not cure him then Jesus answers said O faithless and perverse generation how long shall I be with you how long shall I suffer you bring him hither to me now I've often read this yeah and thought that Jesus is reproving his disciples for not succeeding he kind of kind of reads like that doesn't he it's like they cannot cast him out and he's like you faithless and perverse generation because then he talks about it being a lack of faith why they can't heal him but he is answering the man whose son it is isn't he because the guy said and I brought him to thy disciples they cannot cure him then Jesus answered and said O faithless and perverse generation Luke 9 41 says and Jesus answering said O faithless and perverse generation how long shall I be with you and suffer you bring thy son hither so it's clearly talking to the guy isn't he and obviously that guy isn't a generation all on his own so he's talking to the father along with probably the multitude from verse 14 and maybe the disciples to their generations what it's basically you know it's not an Adrian it's a people living there at that time okay so it's not just like one age group oh well I'm just talking that guy that guy's kind of like around whatever age 30 years old it's all like the sort of 20s to 40 you know he's just talking about those people who are alive at that time and they're that generation at that time so yeah the disciples were unable to cast his devil out there their faith was weak okay he does say that however is a thing for the multitudes to have all of these devils in them and there were a lot of devils I mean we read about Mark's gospel especially it's just like devil cast out devil cast out devil cast out devils devils Jesus casting out devils casting out devils casting out devils I mean it's not that they're just ah man just another devil just got that one as well we just got that one I mean for starters they're not saved in the first place okay they're not saved in the first place to get possessed by a devil and mate that that doesn't that's impossible even before look you know well we wait a second because the indwelling the Holy Spirit came at the end of Jesus ministry and and onwards from there once he breathed on them the Holy Ghost and after then then people are getting saved and in dwell yeah but but for the Holy Ghost to come upon you at any point at all you know the devil in you are you so for me look there is and you don't see any example of someone being possessed by a devil in the Bible who's saved so firstly these people aren't saved and you could go well okay brother in yeah the people aren't saved what's your point these are God's people or these were the people that were committed the oracles of God that have the Word of God that that you know they still understand it no they're even talking about looking for Elijah to come and all they know that they know what the Word of God says yeah they got the Word of God okay they should have gone out and preach it everywhere far and wide and some did however that they should look they shouldn't be in this situation the vast vast majority of them should be saved really let alone but but it's beyond that oh well you unsaved you just you know you might watch out when you walk down the street because the devil might just jump into you I don't see that I don't believe that's what happens there because for me you often see it being linked with things like sorcery witchcraft all these weird things he said he didn't just say they weren't safe said they were faithless he said and perverse perverse what does perverse mean it's turning aside isn't it they've turned aside they're perverse they've gone away from the things of God and just turned aside to wickedness weirdness being possessed isn't just one of those things so they've turned to false gods to idols to witchcraft worshipping this you know the stars and the Sun and all the host of heaven and all this weird stuff we're seeing throughout the Old Testament and you get to this point where I think it was something like about 400 years isn't it after that final prophecy of Malachi when there's kind of silence and nothing there's nothing from the Word of God these people are just it's a complete mess if Jesus Christ turns up on the scene and he's just casting devils out left right and center because really I mean this is a faithless perverse generation this is a wicked bunch they've gone so far the other way where they've just turned completely aside you know and then from now that the ones left like we said before he's cast out all these devils and then he says look you know you cast them out clean the house they don't get saved and it's like seven even more wicked ones come in and that's why what we have left of like the kind of spiritual seed of these people is just pure wickedness absolute wickedness and when we look at what goes on in the world and the filth and just just people behind it it's pure wickedness isn't it but at this point they're kind of getting a chance he's casting out the devil's they have that chance but they don't take it do they they don't take it so but what a state what a state it had become yeah so Jesus says it said it straight and he said the Jesus said Oh faithless and perverse generation because this is a pretty extreme devil this one isn't it you know this one's just trying to murder this guy you know in one way or another how long shall I be with you how long shall I suffer you bring him hither to me okay so when he said how long shall I suffer you the answer by the way in case you're wondering isn't long it's not long at all because he says in Matthew 21 43 therefore I sent to you the kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof okay so he doesn't suffer there much longer but he still gives him this chance so verse 18 says in Jesus rebuked the devil and he departed out of him and a child was cured from that very hour then came the disciples to Jesus apart and said why could not we cast about and Jesus said unto them because of your unbelief for verily I sound to you if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed you shall sound to this mountain remove hence to yonder place and it shall remove and nothing shall be impossible unto you how be it this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting so it could almost seem like a contradiction here you could read this and be like well he's just said it's because of your unbelief if you had a little faith because that's what he's talking about must see being very small see if you just have a small amount of faith you can move whole mountains and then he says however this kind of devil needs prayer and fastings you know which one is it I mean he just said it's because of that but but actually you need to pray and fast well what's the point he's making here the point is if you had just a little faith you would have been praying and fasting that's the point if you just had a small amount of faith just that little amount you would have seen this guy gone we're not casting him out and you would have prayed and fasted that's what he's saying and his disciples are saved but they were lacking the faith required to do big things for God to move mountains and if we have that faith we should we would be in we would be in prayer for things when we if we really had faith that he could do the things that God can do we'd be praying for those things and in fact we would also be fasting for those things be like okay I know it's not my prayer didn't get answered probably you know that promise is probably wrong or must be this must say well have you tried fasting for it I'll preach on fasting before and you know I'm gonna preaching it again in this sermon but reason not to fire you don't harm and I know you have to do a 40-day fast no you you couldn't do it for you do I have to do a week no you don't you could do you could do half a day if you want it miss a meal and pray to God miss two meals make it a day do a 24-hour fast a good look it's not that hard you try and do it but even a daytime one daytime one is a good one it's fast fast and praying and when you've got things that hard things in you like that we all go through stuff don't we and fast things a good thing to do you deny the flesh and I've preached on it before I think I'd preaching it in the Gospel of Matthew anyway back in maybe Matthew maybe six six I think or five have a look if you you know get a recap on that and there are some you know some good principles with fasting but yeah for doing big things for God that's a good idea prayer prayer fast if you have that little bit of faith he's saying you would have done that yeah so just an interesting point here though notice who didn't have to pray and fast to remove him Jesus Christ because he's got okay he didn't have to pray and fast he just rebuked the devil and kicked him out okay all right guys give me a day no he does what he his will is done okay and as we did he remove that devil okay verse 22 says and while they abode in Galilee Jesus said unto them the Son of Man shall be betrayed into the hands of men and they shall kill him and the third day he shall be raised again and they were exceeding sorry now they were exceeding sorry because they didn't understand it fully okay verse again yeah mark 932 says but they understood not that saying and were afraid to ask him okay so again this is just a parallel passage and it's showing that they understood what they saw they did they understood not that saying but were afraid to ask him here we've seen they were exceeding sorry because they're not really understanding it's not that well one says they didn't hear what he said no they did hear they didn't understand it that's why they're exceeding so because they don't understand the reality of it all and what an amazing thing he's doing and of course we saw we saw Peter rebuke him in the chapter before for talking about it in the previous chapter then you can look back there Matthew 16 after telling them that the gates of hell shall not prevail against him which is what it's talking about it says in Matthew 16 21 from that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples how that he must go on to Jerusalem and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and be raised again the third day so he said it the chapter before isn't he we've seen this so he's showing them explaining it to them why are they not getting it then why are they not understanding it because he showed him he's talked about it he's given one idea then he's then he's showing to unto his disciples and we see him talk about it here in verse 22 and 23 where it said the Son of Man shall be betrayed into the hands of men and they shall kill him and the third day shall be raised again and they were exceeding sorry and we saw that they understood it not that's why they're exceeding sorry they don't understand what you know really what that's going to entail why and we often don't take in what we don't want to do it that's the kind of truth of life someone can explain stuff to you look you can hear preaching from the pulpit about stuff and when it comes to something that you don't really want to apply to your life you don't really want to be true you often just kind of switch off don't you it's kind of like a defense mechanism we do a lot of the time if we don't want something to be true kind of just switch off to it and kind of hear it in a different way don't really get the full picture because you don't kind of really want to either in subconsciously you don't want to see switch off to it I mean having a good time with you you can see why yeah they're having a good time with Jesus Christ this is amazing we've got like you know God here hanging out with us teaching us all these things going around doing amazing things you can imagine them really like the idea of him dying now I don't even know what he's talking about you know the rest of it we want him here for a bit longer being delivered into the hands of men now in mind obviously they they they do understand the gospel enough at this point whatever that amount they need you know people understood at this point to be saved they did understand these are saved people but they're just not kind of putting it all together in terms of well at this point he's gonna fall it may be in their mind they're like he's gonna live a whole life and then he's gonna die they you know whatever it is they don't really want it they don't want him to go do they they don't want Jesus Christ to go now there's another point as well because we can often read the Gospels and we can get a bit you know because Christians are like people like this you read it and just be like what's up with them and you could kind of sometimes mock a bit somebody you can probably get a bit like well I would have done that I would have said that all right but they didn't have the indwelling Holy Ghost did they they didn't have the indwelling Holy Ghost at this point it's right at the end after Jesus Christ comes back in his glory after he's raised from the dead that he's that that he then breathes unto them the Holy Ghost so until at this point they don't they're not in dwell are they so you can understand a lot of this stuff is just kind of going over the head however what happens well John 14 26 says but the comforter which is a Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you now we obviously apply that to ourselves but a lot of this I think then applied to them didn't it so these things which have been said maybe that sign need to come back to them as well because of the Holy Ghost because the Holy Ghost in there but for us obviously that applies isn't it and we do have the Holy Ghost so when we're reading these things little things when you're studying start popping in your mind and you start thinking about a verse you think yeah I remember Jesus said this or this is said here or there or something else and and and the Holy Ghost brings to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you well if you don't read your Bible you don't hear the Bible read you don't hear the Bible preach you're not studying your Bible you're not doing any of that especially and even memorizing it as well makes it even easier then you're not really gonna bring to remembrance whatsoever he said to you but when you are and you're in your Bible you're reading your Bible you're living the Bible the Holy Ghost does bring to your remembrance then it's not just oh well just so I know you know I can understand that doctrine the doctrine is important yeah and yeah we want to understand doctrine bit but this is a in a practical sense as well how often do you make your decision in life and and you know if you're reading your Bible in your Bible you're in the Word of God you want to hear the Word of God you want to know what said something you'll come in your mind some verse maybe you're counseling some maybe it's for someone else maybe you're trying to help someone with something and a verse will come in your head which which helps to you know to counsel them or helps you to make a decision in your life maybe it's about some sin maybe it's something you're about to do and just a little verse pops in your head and maybe it's part of a verse maybe it's just a little idea of part of that verse you start looking for it and it helps you and that's that's the Holy Ghost bringing to your remembrance whatsoever he said to you if you don't read your Bible well you're missing out on a whole whole load of words that he said it unto you that you haven't even heard yet yeah so obviously message from that is read your Bible verse 24 says and when they were come to Capernaum they that received tribute money came to Peter and said not your master paid tribute now these are tax collectors they collect on behalf of the occupying Romans however it seems that most these guys are you know kind of are of the region you know they're kind of natives there that are just doing this not very popular job for the Romans are they and it doesn't seem like it's probably income-based there's probably just like a flat rate so you've got tax collectors in a region probably just saying right look you've got to pay this amount each kind of the normal people have to pay this maybe people in a higher echelon of society maybe pay more I don't really know how it work but there's something they have to pay yes tribute money this is what occupying armies etc do and you know some could argue that we pay a tribute rate in our nation to the occupying forces that are kind of behind the shadows but that's probably another sermon for another day verse 25 says he saith yes and when he was come into the house Jesus prevented him saying what thinkest thou Simon of whom do the kings of the earth take customer tribute of their own children or of strangers Peter saith unto him of strangers Jesus saith unto him then are the children free so I mean this story this tax collector has said basically he's like you know forget all that salvation stuff you know he's like forget all that healing and devil's being cast out where's the cash yeah he's like just hitting him up for cash so you got Jesus Christ walking around yeah he's preaching the gospel he's healing people he's doing all these amazing miracles all this stuff and his guy's like where's the money he must have known what was going on it's in Capernaum it's not like he's just gone somewhere completely random yeah but it's like right where's the cash yeah does not your does not your master pay cash you know this Christ fellow you know this is the anointed one where's the money you know there are people like that aren't they it doesn't really matter you know what what what it is that you're coming to them with it's like well what about the cash what about the money I remember there's a guy used to know many years ago and he was an old coach of mine and and we were catching up a little while ago on on a you know what's that like voice notes yeah and I was telling him what I was doing and you know and I've tried to preach him the gospel before and I was saying yeah you know blah blah blah this is okay yes so um yes I just tell me does it pay well forget all that where's the money you know what wait is it like so it's pay was like no and anyway we talk about the gospel as I bet that's a lot of people like this guy these tax collectors just like where's the cash why haven't you paid your tribute Jesus you know and people like that aren't they it's just that's all they care about it's just everything's about money always just comes back to money with so many people doesn't it so they really want to talk about it's all they're interested in so okay so Peter automatically says yes here doesn't it he says yes see what Jesus Christ has been paying tribute or has patrons he's like does not your but he's just like yep it's not kind of like the automatic lie isn't it and he's just kind of feeling oh yeah yeah of course he does yeah and obviously this is wrong yeah okay and and let Jesus Christ hasn't been paying tribute to any of these guys we don't see any mention of that and then Jesus gives Peter a lesson here doesn't he so he like yes and then Jesus kind of says to well let's think it's our Simon yeah so and then he says basically I believe this is what he's saying okay and you know this is my how I see this he's basically saying look like you're children of God okay but the king of Kings the Lord of Lords right none of us owe tribute we're free obviously Jesus Christ them but I think he's given a lesson to him because he says to him he says what thinks are some of whom do the kings of the earth take customer tribute of their own children of strangers well who's the king of kings who do we do we owe tribute really no yeah we're of God we're God's children you know like these occupying clowns we don't owe them anything okay that's what he's saying here he's like he says he says of whom do they take he says he says of strangers he says then are the children free because really we're children of God aren't we like it's God we're God's children we don't we don't owe them anything okay we don't have to pay tribute however however we don't want to upset them and cause unnecessary trouble so he then says to pay them basically okay he says however so as not to cause offense and and with that turn a first Peter to because the kind of a good kind of end here because no one likes paying taxes to wicked governments yeah and it could be a bit sickening something and you know like I don't know if anyone I don't know if they do that when you're on the payroll I've been self-employed for many years when you do a self-employed tax return they kind of give you a breakdown of where like kind of it is only general aware the money goes to the whole thing is just a bit sickening it's a bit sickening because really they're well beyond their remit they're way out of I mean really they should be there to protect us from occupying forces to keep law and order I mean what else is really a government for and there should be local areas really just dealing with local issues some big government let alone some massive European government I know that was you know I'm popular for other reasons but the whole thing is just an absolute joke isn't it yeah all these people like nameless bureaucrats just running things it's just a it's a mess yeah submit and no one likes paying to these people because you just it's just sickening and then when you see what they're all up to and the perversion and the weirdness and they're all they're just just like where half the money goes and you're sponsoring all just it's just craziness and you just and then and they hit you for a lot of money and it's a bit disappointing isn't it it's a bit bit annoying okay so but here's a question does anyone think that this Roman government this Roman government here was a righteous government you don't think that you don't think well yeah but you know back then you know those Romans they were like good bunch of pagan false god worshipping weirdos as well running around in togas and the rest of it a bunch of it's all the same is it all just look does anyone think the money was going to good causes anyone anyone think that tribute money they were paying me it was just all it was all there's no corruption none of those tax collectors were siphoning any off none of the local governors were taking their own cut of it you know it was all just kind of good causes it was all going to those lovely Roman roads I bet I bet there were some nice Roman roads in Rome and around the place but they were still on they were probably looking at potholes how much I paid this year is I just walked into a pothole just sprayed my camel's ankle you know it probably just like they probably went through similar issues like we do we just saw what you even spending our money on you know and then you know the I don't know they probably didn't have cyclists but they had something similar who were just like loving it probably not even having to pay anything were they yeah they probably all had their grunts and their complaints didn't they okay but Romans you're turning away you turn in Romans 13 yeah well Romans I saw you know you're turning first Peter to aren't you okay well you turn the first well you probably already turn I'm just gonna quite a couple of verses Romans 12 18 says if it be possible as much as life in you live peaceably with all men so we want to try and live peaceably with all men he just said lest it offend them okay but Romans 13 verse 7 says render therefore to all their duties tribute to whom tribute is due custom to whom custom fear to whom fear honor to whom honor okay the Bible is very clear so as much as we hate this stuff and we do okay it's annoying that there are a bunch of like you know all sorts you just where's this money even going however we are told to pay it aren't we okay we are told to pay 1st Peter 2 11 helps us to understand why he said in 1st Peter chapter 2 and verse 11 dearly beloved I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lust which war against the soul having your conversation a conversation here is behavior having your conversation honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speak against you as evildoers they may buy your good works which they shall behold glorify God in a day of visitation he then goes on to say submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake whether it be to the king as supreme or unto governors as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of them that do well for so is the will of God that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men look they want to criticize you okay they want to find fault they love to find fault in a Christian they want to find look they're gonna speak against you as an evildoer anyway okay verse 12 said that even though basically having your conversation I said that whereas they speak against these evildoers they may buy your good works they shall behold glorify God in a day of visitation the better you live the more chance people that right now you think they don't even want to hear the gospel okay they don't eat they're not interested they're not even interested at all but that same person when they're just watching you live right change your you're paying your taxes you're about you're you're obeying the laws of the land you're living how God wants us to live not causing offense just being a good citizen of the land within where those rules those laws don't contradict the laws of God obviously okay they may buy your good works which they shall behold glorify God a day of visitation so there is going to be a time hopefully when they're going to hear the gospel and maybe they're going to be more receptive because of seeing you and your good works just seeing you as an example look we don't take it as far as these wicked clown churches that don't want to preach the gospel and just talk about lifestyle evangelism and don't actually do anything okay that's wicked yeah that's just you just disobey the commandments of first the first come up the first works yeah go you into all the world and preach gospel every creature however there is such thing as lifestyle evangelism yeah and those people that are around us a lot we don't really want to hear it from us we want them we don't want them to go yes so called Chris here look at him look at him just cheating the system look at him just scamming money on the side doing this look at him just swerving all his taxes because they want anything they'll take anything look we many of us have experienced it people are just trying to look for anything they're trying to find something to bring you down with and that's one of the things they'll go for he said in verse 15 this is a will of God for so is the will of God that with well-doing you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men okay so our well-doing are just living right living life how God wants us to live it where possible where it doesn't where we're not breaking any laws of God by living according to the laws of the land which the vast majority of the laws of the land aren't against God okay then we may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men as free so remember we saw that we're free aren't we we are free okay we're children of God and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness but as the servants of God okay so our Liberty in God isn't that well I can just get away and not do anything okay we want to be free and beyond reproach he said honor all men love the Brotherhood fear God honor the King so we should give respect to all love each other fear God and you could say him pay your taxes yeah honor the King really for me that includes paying your dues you know to that to that leader whoever it is of your land okay he said in go back with that in mind to Matthew 17 of verse 27 where he said not withstanding lest we should offend them go thou to the sea and cast and hook and take up the fish that first cometh up and when now has opened his mouth thou shalt find a piece of money that take and give unto them for me and thee anyone fancy a spot of fishing this weekend sounds good that doesn't it well it might not happen for us but I believe the point here there's probably a load of stuff maybe that that's there that I haven't seen but the point here is that for me when you're following Jesus Christ wholeheartedly yeah you're just like these are like the this he's talking to the inner circle he's talking to Peter he's just come and seen him in his glory he's inviting him up there he's one of you know along with James and John he's like the inner circle Andrew kind of flits in and out a little bit and when you're one of those you're that close to the Lord Jesus Christ and when you're following Jesus Christ okay so that's not oh well I follow Jesus Christ I just read my Bible every day I go to church or soul win I don't need to go to work I'm just gonna go fishing yeah I'm gonna go fishing and I'm gonna find some money that you're gonna be disappointed okay because God did say if a man does not work neither shall he okay so look God's gonna provide for us however following God does include being a diligent in your work and everything else but I think the point is that when you do do all of that he will provide for you and he does isn't he when we put him first and we do the things of God and we're doing what he wants in there obviously they're in full-time ministry these guys okay but he's they've been called into that haven't they so it's not like we're not all just called to just like jacking our jobs family good luck to you I'm just gonna go soul winning nine hours a day and God will provide you know look I don't think that's that's that's what we're seeing here we are seeing his 12 disciples called here but for all of us when we put him first we do the things of God and we're still diligent and we still you know we know the state of our flocks and we're not just being you know we're not being bad stewards of what he gives us and everything else then he will provide for us and he does provide for us and many of us you know I've talked about this before and I will do a sermon on this at some point for everyone else is good but tithing is a great example sometimes I've tied when I think I can't really afford to tie them he just things just work out they work out sometimes Church really I can't really afford to take that day off to go church or not you know whenever it is but things just work out don't they because God provides when you put in first turn to Matthew chapter 6 because we're just gonna finish off there with that in mind we just saw him saying lest we should offend them then he says basically going to see and I'm just gonna give you some money yeah I'm gonna provide for you Peter so that you can pay for us so we don't upset them so we do as we're meant to do and be good citizens and not offend those people so we can carry on doing the things of God without having all these other trumped up charges against us Matthew 6 verse 31 says therefore take no thought saying what shall we or what shall we drink or wherewithal shall we be clothed for after all these things to the Gentiles seek for your heavenly father knoweth that you have need of all these things but seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness okay that's a key point here the kingdom of God and his righteousness isn't just I believe getting saved this is basically and in this whole sermon is to the saved I believe as well he's basically saying seek the things of God living right part of his righteousness by the way is going to work he's big he's being diligent it's getting up early it's doing the things of God he's being a hard worker and everything do those things work for God live for God and all these things shall be added unto you take therefore no thought for the more for the more should take thought for the things of itself sufficient unto the day is it evil thereof and he's basically saying you don't have to worry when you do the things that God when you're living our God wants you to you're living diligently but that's not focusing on cash that's not when all you can think about is money and how you can get this money and how you can get that money and everything else that's not living for God that's not having God at the center of your life but if you're if you're if if your motivation is seeking the kingdom of God and his righteousness for me but he's going to provide what we need but that includes living by the laws of land yeah okay I'm not popular that sort of thing but that's the truth so on that let's pray father thank you for for a great just great chapter in the Bible there's a great messages there some great lessons we can love for that chapter I hope that I preached that clearly today and you know I hope that everyone here is taken on board what you wanted them to take on board today Lord we pray that everyone gets home safely that's manages to stay warm in what's going to be some cold temperatures now stay safe as well on the roads and Lord that we are that you know the people that aren't here able to be well enough and able to get here on the weekend that we all return on Sunday for another day in your house and in Jesus name pray all of this amen