The Bible is clear: we can't save ourselves from God's wrath. None of us is capable of. Keeping the Ten Commandments. And yet, Jesus didn't abolish the Ten Commandments.
So what role does God's law play in the Gospel's message of salvation?
Well, today on Truth for Life, Alistair Begg explores Luke's Gospel for the answer. focusing on chapter 16, looking at verse 14. There is no doubt that the Pharisees did what they had to do, and when they did what they had to do, they expected to be afforded all kinds of applause. And so, when they gave alms, when they gave in the process of the law's requirements their tithe. They made a great display of it.
They wanted it not to be concealed. They wanted people to be able to say, there's old Mr. Levi, and I see he's done a wonderful job of giving again to the Salvation Army this year. And that's not wrong. to give.
But if the motivation of our hearts is in order simply to receive the applause of men, Rather than is an expression of our gratitude to God who has given us everything, including the ability to make money, then the whole thing is short-circuited and we're no better than the Pharisees here exposed. Before I move to the next point, let me just say this. At first when I read this, I said, well, you know, the Pharisees are long ago and far away. And then I said, but what are the characteristics of these individuals? They were living with their focus on the now with little thought for the then.
They were focused on the quest for man's applause rather than God's approval. Indeed, they were public figures. Who got their jollies Out of Public approbation. And They were religious individuals. who rejected the clear Incisive.
Teaching of Jesus.
Well, I said, Well, this is very close to home. Clearly the Pharisees are not as far away as I thought. Indeed, I think I saw one in the shaving mirror this morning. Parkside church. is populated in some measure by religious people who continue to reject the clear Incisive.
Teaching. of Jesus. You come. And you're religious. But you determined that you were having a religion of your own contriving.
Of your own design. It's a very uh contemporary idea. You can create your own course. You can create your own this, you can create your own that.
So why can't you just create your own little religion? Put into it the things you like, remove from it the things you don't like. And if there's anything that's particularly distasteful or may turn your life upside down, why don't you just take that out immediately?
So people say, well, how are you? Say, well, I'm religious and I'm giving to the various things and I go along routinely because I have a segment in the portfolio of my life that is not religion and I need to do something with it. And so what I've decided to do with it is I spend an hour and 10 minutes once a week taking care of the religious element of my life. But your life has never been turned upside down. You reject the clear, incisive teaching of Jesus.
You've never repented of your sins. You've never bowed down before him and asked him to save you. You've never stood up and followed him in the waters of baptism. You've never attached yourself to the family of a local church by identifying in membership. And really there is no indication hardly at all in the course of your life that gives any indication why anybody should believe that your religion is anything other than some kind of arm's length deal.
So the same expose of the Pharisees in Jesus' day exposes the Pharisees. In our day. Remember. Saul of Tarsus was a great Pharisee. He was proud of what a great Pharisee he was.
And when did that change? While on the Damascus road, when it suddenly dawned on him that this Jesus, whom he had been persecuting, was actually Lord and Christ. And brought to his knees before the Lord Jesus, he cries out under his lordship, and his life is radically changed. I hope nobody misunderstands what's happening here at Parkside. It is our expressed concern to see unbelieving people.
By nature we are unbelievers. We do not believe in God. We do not trust God. We do not seek God. Any interest in God is God-engendered.
to see unbelieving people Become the committed followers of Jesus Christ. Not to build a crowd. wandering aimlessly in his track, Not to put together a religious association. But just to see men and women Take Jesus at His Word. Have you taken Jesus at His word?
Pharisees exposed. And then notice the law affirmed. The law affirmed. The Pharisees thought of themselves as the custodians of the law, and therefore they regarded Jesus and his disciples as shaky. with respect to its abiding significance and relevance.
Jesus knowing this says I know that you think that perhaps Because I let my disciples rub ears of corn out in the fields the other Sunday. That we are somehow or another setting aside the law of God. I want you to know, verse 17, that you may disintegrate the totality of the universe with greater ease than you can remove. the tiniest stroke of a pen out of the law of God. If you want to know that I'm concerned about its purity and its exclusivity and its impact, understand this.
And the word that is used there is the word that would be used for one of the little horns that you find in Hebrew characters and writing, which it would be very easy for a scribe to miss. And Jesus said, if you think I'm concerned about the law of God, I'm concerned down to the tiniest dot, jot, tittle, stroke of a pen. And he said, if you'll hold your fire, I'm going to illustrate it for you in just a moment. Although a new era has begun, This does not mean that the revelation of God in the Old Testament Emblematically portrayed here as the law and the prophets is to be set aside. People ask me all the time: then, what are we to do with the Old Testament?
And the answer is: you are to read the Old Testament in light of the fact that God has made Himself finally and savingly known in Jesus. The arrival of Jesus is a watershed event in the unfolding panorama of God's purposes. And therefore it is not that the Old Testament, the law and the prophets are somehow or another from a bygone era, and we can set them aside over in a room somewhere, perhaps put them in a glass case and say, Oh, there were people who paid attention to the law of God, you know. No. Rather, they are foundational to all of our discovery of who is the suffering servant who is to arrive.
That's why we've said time and again, in the hope that the penny may drop, for some, what we say to our children in Sunday school. that the way to understand the Bible is to keep your eyes on Jesus. Keep your eyes on Jesus. Because in the Old Testament He is Expect it. In the Gospels, He is revealed.
In the Acts of the Apostles, he is preached. In the epistles, he is explained. And in the book of Revelation, He is anticipating.
So, when we come to an understanding of who Jesus is. The law is part and parcel of that process. Let me illustrate it in this way. A few weeks ago, now I worshipped in another church far from here, at least a thousand miles from here, for those of you who are always trying to find out where it was. Actually it was in Florida, but that's as much as you're getting.
And in the course of the worship, apart from various things involving the large American flag tie. The gentleman, who was a well-meaning gentleman, of explaining to the congregation And to me, that as part of the congregation, that God loved me. And then, on the strength of the fact that God loved me, which He tried to make as much of as He could, He then exhorted me to give my life to God. In response to God's love. And he explained that the extent of God's love was so vast that Jesus died on a cross.
I was sitting there thinking to myself, imagine that I wasn't a believer and I'm listening to this message. How am I supposed to put two and two together here and get four? How do I get from the fact of God's love The death of Jesus to the fact that I'm supposed to give my life to him. There seems to be a missing link. And there was.
You see, if Susan comes to me and she says, Alistair, I love you with all my heart. That's my wife, for those of you who are concerned. But she comes and she says, I love you with all my heart. And as a result of that, I'm going to jump off a 10-story building to the ground below to show you how much I love you. I'd say well what possible Value would there be in that?
That seems a strange way to express love. But if she was to say, I love you with all my heart, And your need is so vast physically that I'm prepared to give a very part of my life to you in order that for your potential death you may find in me all your life. Then I can say, well, I understand why you would give yourself away because there is a need. But until men and women are confronted with the law of God. which shows them to be sinners.
The idea of a Savior dying on the cross Doesn't really make sense. What is he doing up there?
Well, he loves you. Yeah, I understand that, but wasn't there another way that he could have done this? Why die on a cross? Because Without the shedding of blood, there will be no remission of sin. Of what?
of sin. Like what? Like stealing, lying, lusting, not loving God with all your heart, and so on. Oh, you mean like breaking some of the Ten Commandments? Yes.
So the law of God is proclaimed To the well-healed, middle-class suburbanite in Cleveland. who grades himself or herself on the curve. Driving in my car away from service, I say, well, I do have a few little things that probably need attention, but I looked along the road and I saw old Billy Boy there, and frankly, he is a disaster zone compared to me.
So presumably however it gets graded, I'm going to be okay. 'Cause you're gonna bring it way down and, you know, I'll be somewhere I'll get through. No, you see. None of us can get past the first one. You shall have no other gods before me.
Now, when I realize then that I have broken God's law. And that I cannot get myself in a right relationship with God. By playing catch-up in my external Religion Then I say, how in the world do you get out of this predicament? When a man or woman has reached the point where they say, How do I get out of this predicament? Then they're ready to hear about the fact that the love of God extended to the death of Jesus upon a cross.
Because it was by his death upon the cross that he bore the punishment for the sin that I deserve to bear, that he died in my place, that he took my penalty, and that the filthy rags of my rebellion are more than matched by the wonder of the robe of righteousness, which is a royal robe that I don't deserve, which he gives to me, not because of anything in me, but on account of his exceptional grace. Thus, removing from me any sense of self-aggrandizement. Suddenly this individual Says you know. I'm with the group over here. I'm with the sinner's group.
No. That's good. And incidentally, When the law Shows us our sin. Sends us to Christ for salvation. And then Christ returns us to the law by the Holy Spirit to frame our lives.
So that the law of God is now written on our hearts. It's not an external to us that makes demands upon us that is out there, but it is something that we love from the inside. And that's the significance of the 18th verse. Why is there so much divorce in contemporary evangelical Christianity? In part because of an absence of the preaching of the law of God.
Why is there such An indication of idolatry in contemporary evangelical Christianity. In part because of an absence of the preaching of the law of God. The people are embracing a form of Christianity, which is really a pseudo-Christianity, which says, you know, all you have to do is believe in Jesus and nothing else matters from there. Basically, all the bets are off, everything can happen, you can do basically what you want. It's not a good idea to do certain things, but there are no laws.
Whoever told you that was teaching from an empty head and a closed Bible. Yes, there are. Is this Jesus or or somebody else? It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the law. Who told you there were no laws?
The Pharisees said, You just start putting aside the law. Jesus said, No, no. In fact, he said, Let me just use one illustration. Why don't we talk about divorce? Oh, you can imagine them running for the hills at that point.
Do you think Jesus just picked it haphazardly? No, he picked it purposefully. Why? Because of all the fiddling with the law of God that the Pharisees had become adept at doing, they had done no greater despite to it than in this matter of marriage. And they'd become adept at creating a form of marriage which allowed the man out at his initiative for all kinds of reasons.
So that in the hillel it says that a man could get rid of his wife because she burned his dinner. In the Akiba, that if a man found a prettier lady, then he could simply come and divorce his wife and go off with a pretty lady. In other words, it was just like contemporary society. And what does Jesus say? He says, Well, let me first of all place men and women on the same level with regard to adultery.
And let me make the point about the abiding nature of the law of God with striking impact. Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Well, says somebody aren't isn't there an exception to this? I read it somewhere in a book.
Well, yes, this is not all of Jesus' instruction on marriage and divorce. But it is his instruction on marriage and divorce. And before we go running to 1 Corinthians for the departure of the unbelieving spouse. Or before we go right into Matthew chapter 19 for the exception clause of fornication, why don't we just allow the weight of this verse to lean heavily on our shoulders? Which is what Jesus is doing with these Pharisees.
You come to me, he says. And you say that because I hang around with these publicans and tax collectors and sinners, you think that I'm violating the law of God. Are you kidding me? The whole purpose of the law of God is to show men their sin, and the reason for my arrival is to save men from their sin. You're the violators.
If you doubt that, look at what you're doing. to the doctrine of marriage. And what Jesus is affirming is that God's plan from creation is that marriage was intended to be a lifelong union. monogamously celebrated. between a man and a woman.
For better, for worse, and for richer, for poorer. And that he was not making provision for serial monogamy so that you may, when you didn't like this one, move to another one, and if you get tired of that one, then try another one. He was making no provision for that at all, but only on account of the hardness of their hearts did Moses accede to the desire for a bill of divorce. God hates divorce. Finally.
I'm exposing the Pharisees, he says. I'm affirming the laws. The law. And I'm preaching the kingdom. The law and the prophets were proclaimed until John.
That doesn't mean they stopped with John. But it means that when John stood on the stage of human history, as we saw back in chapter 3, there was a transition that took place. He was, if you like, the last of the Old Testament prophets. He was there declaring the good news of the kingdom of God. He was the forerunner to what Jesus would then say as he quoted Isaiah in Luke chapter 4.
The Spirit of the Lord is now upon me. He has sent me to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim freedom for the prisoners, recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. Jesus says the kingly rule of God has come. It's come in me. And the invitation has gone out to men and women to become kids of the kingdom.
That's the significance of verse 16b. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached. And notice, everyone is forcing his way into it. Oh, the Pharisees hated the word everyone. They wanted it only to be for the Jews.
They didn't like the idea that Gentiles were coming in. Jesus said, No, you're not going to be able to keep this to yourselves. It's an enigmatic phrase, isn't it?
So we draw this to a close. Everyone is forcing his way into it. Oh, the commentators have a wonderful time with this. You can stay up late in the night reading all the different views. If you ra laid them end to end, you couldn't hardly reach a conclusion.
Finally, I threw them all out and I decided for myself that I think probably what it is, and it's only what I think probably, is that we need to understand this in light of what Jesus had previously said. Strive to enter through the narrow gate. Strive to enter through the narrow gate. In other words, you're not just going to wake up one morning and be in the kingdom. If you're wishy-washy about it, you see.
It demands earnestness. If anybody would like to be my disciple, remember what Jesus said: if you'd like to be my disciple, then you should take up your cross, you should deny yourself and take up your cross every day. Deny myself? I live for myself. No, I'm looking for a religion where I don't deny myself.
I'm looking for a religion where I please myself. Oh, we have a religion like that. Yes, we have a version of that. Would you like this version? It's the unbiblical unchristian version, but it sounds as though it might suit you perfectly.
You can do anything you want with anyone you want, anytime you want, and believe anything you want. It's called Unitarianism. In one form, There are young men and women here today, and you are not in the kingdom because you have never. Barged your way in. You're not earnest.
You've never denied yourself. You're flying on the wings of your dad. You're buoyant. On the uh Craft of your parents. Wouldn't you force your way into the kingdom?
In fact, John Knox. Said all who will. press their way Into it.
So Our time is gone. What advice? Do we wish then to stay with the religious? Status-seeking throng. Rejecting the words of Jesus.
And when they begin to sting, sneering, and excluding ourselves from the kingdom. Or are we prepared to bow in the company of those who know themselves? to be in need of a Saviour. The Pharisees Re-exposed The law was affirmed, The kingdom. was preached.
You're listening to Truth for Life with Alastair Begg. Alistair returns in just a moment. If you serve in local church leadership, maybe as a pastor, a youth leader, a Sunday school teacher, you have probably felt pulled in different directions from time to time. You might wonder. Am I supposed to speak boldly or gently?
Should I focus on doctrine or practical application?
Well, the book we want to recommend to you today is a book titled Both and Ministry. living and leading like Jesus. And in this book you'll learn that the simple answer to these seemingly conflicting questions is often Yes. The author Gary Miller challenges and encourages us to model our gospel ministry after Jesus by taking what he calls a both-and approach. For example, Jesus both taught with authority and served with tenderness.
He confronted sin, and he welcomed sinners. Each of the seven chapters in this book focuses on an apparent tension in Jesus' ministry. You'll explore the different angles of Jesus' teaching and learn how to embrace and explain paradoxes in Christianity. things like how can we be both complete in Christ and a work in progress? How can we be mortal and immortal?
How can we be significant and insignificant? Whether you lead a church or a small group, or if you're just looking to honor Christ in your leadership role in your community or in your business where you serve in management, this is a book that will help you develop a leadership style that is God honoring, and enable you to lead in a way that points others to Christ. Ask for your copy of the book Both and Ministry today when you donate to Truth for Life through the mobile app, or online at truthforlife.org slash donate, or you can call us at 888-588-7884.
Now here's Alastair with the closing prayer. Father, we ask that your word may take root in our lives today. That anything that is unhelpful or vague may either be forgotten or clarified. And I pray that There will be those who are ready to come and admit before you That they're more sinful than the ever Before realized, and yet they have discovered that they are more loved and accepted in Jesus. than they ever dare dream.
That they may thank you for paying their debt. for bearing their punishment. for offering them forgiveness. And so that they might turn from their sin. and receive all that you have.
to offer. May the Lord bless us and keep us. May the Lord make his face to shine upon us and be gracious unto us. May the Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon us. and give us his peace.
Today and forevermore. Amen. Are you ever listening to a sermon and finding yourself thinking, I hope so and so is listening to this, instead of applying the teaching to yourself? Tomorrow we'll hear an important warning. From Jesus.
The Bible teaching of Alastair Begg is furnished by Truth for Life. Where the Learning is for Living.
