3rd Sign: A Miracle Of Grace And Religion, Part 2

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ they don't like much of a case against. Now they have violating violating religious establishment.

That's what he saying is give a general dent definition religion. Religion is the establishment of standards celebrating human achievement under the guise that pleases God. And that's not just the Jewish all for joining us today on this additional Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana Pastor Bill govern ours. Once again he shows us how God's word meets our work Sabbath man was a beggar for 38 years.

Records the temple is walking right now.

When you mentioned that when he said anything they put it this way so you have someone who is a paraplegic or quadriplegic narrative next door to you and Abe lived there for 20+ years is your next-door neighbor and up this essay. You're a legalistic question your your what is called a Sabbath keeper now legalistic Sabbath keeper keepers are? Kind of funny to me because the day they keep a Sunday which is not the Sabbath, so they don't keep the Sabbath.

They keep the first day of the week Sabbath.

Friday nights and on the Saturday night sundown but say you keep any of you remember did many Christians keep the Sabbath your laws all over our country. The laws reflect all kinds of laws elected what he could do on the Sabbath day but just to say here that way.

And then that morning. Your thinking and praying doing some religious in your house and your lawnmower start going to what's going a little lawnmower look out the window and your neighbors mowing the grass just without really joy in her step.

Now you you will get out of the parking lot to the menu would say you can't mow your grass on the Sabbath. Is that what you say or might you say what happened how you walking but they could even notice that he was walking. They only notice that he was carrying his pallet said to me is amazing. When religion sees and what it doesn't and it says he who made me well was the one who said to me, pick up your pallet and walk what I do know this sounds like an innocent thing bigger Pseudomonas not to this guy doesn't want any attention or any kind of influence against himself.

He said the guy told me to want to pick up my call and just take a walk with it. I'm here so they said, who is the man who sent it to you pick up your pallet and walk in.

The man was still did not know who it was for Jesus at the way when there was a crowd in their place. He has no idea who Jesus is all so for those in our culture that said Cahokia miracles.

How much faith you have. If you have enough faith God will give you a miracle. But if you don't have enough faith. You have a chance this man has no faith. Nine he does anyone know who Jesus is and yet easy. She has no idea at all what ends up happening here, and then says in verse 13, after the man did not know he was Jesus that slipped away weathers a crowd in that place thousand people or more in their he left the mall.

There wasn't there to do with it was there for this man to pick up his pallet and go to the temple where the religious leaders are that's what this is about verse 14 afterward Jesus found them in the temple that would be hard and of itself when it there's thousands of people in the temple grounds thousands said Mardi Gras here at least activation, but in past Mardi Gras. Jesus walked right up to Jesus got some going on is the walk right up to the man and he does it he says doom. Behold, you have become. Well, do not send any more so than nothing worse happens to you.

Now that's debated there so somewhat of a debate here is Jesus inferring from that statement that that his condition is illness is based on his own sin that he did. Unlikely, but possible is a possible that you could be your your conditions based on your sin. While think of the Corinthian church. They abuse the Lord's table with pulsating many of you are sick you see why what you did to the Lord's table. Some of you even sleep metaphor for death why what you did in the Lord's table can happen when the other hand, remember when the man was blind born blind in the disciples of the Jesus who send this man or his parents, and Jesus said neither his and so is what does Jesus mean here. I think Jesus is reading this man's spiritual condition and he said look I given you a chance to start over. I given you a chance to put sin behind you and if you don't give in to face a much worse and being a paraplegic you're going to face the wrath of God. That's an eternal judgment from God.

That's what I would believe you say that's kind of an amazing thing when you think about it now. What's interesting about this to me is that after he finds him.

The man went away and told the Jews it was Jesus who made them well.

He's a snitch he's a snitch. I guy made him well just by talking to him made him exactly like brand-new. And as soon as he found out it was Jesus. He takes off of the religious leaders. The elements Jesus tells a little about the man she what's good about this guy. Nothing is nothing he's got.

It also tells you something about the power of religion. This guy is terrified of the religious authorities in Jerusalem is terrified. I got to get on the right side. I might do some ago I met Tom who is I'll choose the Jews the religious Jews over Jesus.

That's what he does is amend pretty low character. Well then says that in verse 16. For this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus because he was doing these things on the Sabbath.

That little statement of John is means this is the linchpin this story right here is the linchpin Jesus had one run in early in his ministry with the Jews member cleansed the temple and he said this my father's house and I could turn into thieves and robbers method they don't like that but they can make much of a case against in a steak in a high view of the temple.

So how do we get it, but when he comes back and does this now they have is violating the Sabbath is violating our religious establishment. That's what he saying is happening. That's why what we got him here. Gen. Dent definition of religion. Religion is the establishment of standards celebrating human achievement under the guise that it pleases God. And that's not this the Jewish religion. That's all religion everywhere. That's all religion is religion is the establishment of standards celebrating human achievement under the guise that your policing God for what comes the Sabbath are they good at this. Since the Pharisees of been around for the last couple hundred years. They have 39 different complete categories of violation of Sabbath laws. It actually turns out to be hundreds upon hundreds upon hundreds of Sabbath laws.

They have Sabbath laws that are just beyond belief. They took the Sabbath laws and they made anything it does is a violation against our review, which now show you verse in the Old Testament where they get the idea. But they take it out of context. Jeremiah and hold replacer Jeremiah 17 and verse 21 Jeremiah 17. In verse 21, not context.

Jeremiah is a prophet. What is this job is trying to get Israel to turn back to God and repent. What happens if he doesn't succeed.

God says I'll rip you out of the land will put you in captivity. You see out take you out of the land bridge in captivity that he succeed in with the motherland. One of the things that they showed God was at this time, they completely ignored the Sabbath completely. They figured out Sabbath is a good business day on the Sabbath. This a day to do business and they did it. So here's what God says in verse 21 thus says the Lord to keep for yourselves. Do not carry any load on the Sabbath on the Sabbath day or bring anything through the gates of Jerusalem. You can't do business as normal. On that day. Notice the response.

Verse 23, yet they did not listen or incline. There is a step in their next, in order not to listen to the correction.

Now according to Nehemiah chapter 13 on the Sabbath day in Jerusalem to close the gates.

We don't do business on the Sabbath. That's what God did want know what's interesting about this is the religion completely warped the idea what the Sabbath is it says that in Exodus 30 after God had created made the creation he rested on the Sabbath right whiny rest retired now see that word rest in Hebrew doesn't necessarily mean rest only. It means he ceased.

He's done. You see, he's not getting man is hard. I mean I got there a couple of galaxies. They were wife and I'm exhausted Goggin rest because he was tired is nothing to do with it. He rest because he was finished he had ceased when he said the man I want you to honor the Sabbath. His point was a one should enter the rest. That's what I want to do.

You see, I want to do business is you have to do business on this Sabbath. I want you to rest. In fact, what is it he wants us to do in the Sabbath for the Jews worship. I want you worship me and relax.

That's what I want for you Jews didn't view it that way, in any sense of the word, they didn't see it as a time to do anything like that. They sought as a religious obligation to God, then it created hundreds of laws to say look of God is impressed with just Thomas that will do hundreds of more things make people do it and then got be really impressed. That's just a statement of religion that God is never impressed, ever with something like that. I said this in the past but whenever after the fall of Adam and Eve all human beings have two tremendous propensities one is pretty clear to us. You have a propensity to sin. We just see all of sin and fall short of the glory of God. Wages of sin is death, where all sinners pulsate even after he received on the cheaper since we know sin, but we have another capacity as human beings, and you see this evidence over the world. We have a capacity to be religious capacity to be religious everywhere in the world you go you find religion everywhere you go you see it. What was the first act of religion Tower of Babel that's in Genesis what they do. Were going to build a tower so high were now walking to heaven really that's religion. Religion is always the same. We will do things and then God left except this is the heart of religion. If you took all the religions in the world. If you said you have any one element that is the same.

Yes, they all deny grace. Every one of them. Every one of them is a list of things that you and I have to do in order to be right with God. Even under Christendom you find this whole idea though though sake. I know that Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world or for your sins. However, if you want to be right with God. You see, if you want to be right with God. What really happened is Jesus died so you can save yourself you can save her so there's no one my of anything you can do attendance. Sacrament none of that matters. You can't save yourself.

That's the point that Jesus is trying to make it and why it's so important to him. Now back to the passage in John once Jesus goes after this as wholeheartedly as he can.

And for that reason, he wants to tell them how he feels about it this reason the Jews are persecuting Jesus because he was doing these things in the Sabbath, but he answered them and he said my father is working until now.

I myself am working versus tremendous statement with the same. What of the Pharisee saying through the religion can work on the Sabbath.

No work. I mean it. It's just an amazing thing and I love to cook in the Sabbath, but if when the day before the Sabbath, you put an egg in the sand in the Senate are not enough and it hard-boiled it you could pick it up with your foot. As you walk by, and as long as you can pick it up in your house but kicked it into your house. You could pick it up needed. These are just the hundreds of these things that they had Jesus says my father, my father, he said, is working until now, and I myself am working. That's what I'm doing I'm doing every bit of it. God is always at work. Let me explain what that is given another word for that grace.

That's great. Grace is God is always at work never stops. You see, it never stops.

God is always forgiving us. God is always at work. He's always sustaining the universe is always at work. I wasn't tired when he rested. He said many said God is always at work and I am always at work. Would you conclude from I'm God. That's what I'm God I am God is always a matter of authority member what he said about the temple. This is my father's house see in God is always at work and so my notice. The Jews took it exactly the way you would think they would.

For this reason, therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him because he not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also calling God his own father, making himself equal with God. It was exactly this is exactly what he wanted to do it. I am amazed at this how this worked out in only the back for just one moment show you how we orchestrated this after you talk to them in verse 16. For this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus because he was doing these things in the Sabbath. That's after the Manitoba movement was the watch but he answered them and said you mean answer them. Notice what it doesn't say it and say the Jews fungus up.

The men then he went looking for Jesus and father in refrigerators is right there when that man went to tell the Jews what Jesus was Jesus.

What right behind him. That man told the Jews and Jesus standing right in front of him. He wants this conversation. You see, he wants this conversation.

He wants to expose religion for what it is religions a killer grace always from its biggest most magnanimous way to the smallest little issues kills grace to member in the letter of Galatians, Paul was writing to the Galatians. These were barbaric believers in southern Turkey when Paul went up and gave them the gospel, a group of Judaizers in order to the arteries of legalistic Christian that they are Christians who are legalist the religious Christians they follow calling the Galatia and here's what they told the Galatians look, I know Paul came said all you need to do to have your sins forgiven and go to heaven is believe in Jesus and his finished work on the cross. But that's not enough. Yes, you have to believe in Jesus but there's one thing you have to do you have to have all your mail children circumcised. They have to be circumcised. Why will that's the mark of the covenant for Judaism. You have to get this done. What did Paul write to them. Oh my goodness, oh foolish Galatians who has bewitched you pulse again. What they did. They now gave you another gospel is not the good news of Jesus Christ. They destroyed the gospel he said he knew what I wish for all of them they would all be anathema curse for ever. He said if an angel from heaven came and told you, you need to believe in Jesus and be circumcised. I'd say the same thing to him because once you put a legalistic or religious condition on grace.

You kill grace grace is over you not say because you believe in Jesus or say because you believe in Jesus and get circumcised.

See, that's the way this works so if I believe in Jesus are not circumcised and you believe in Jesus and our circumcised no one is going to go to heaven. Under that is you.

Why am I going to hell because you not circumcised. Jesus just crosses out of this immunity does a church ever fallen for stuff like that over the years. Oh my goodness. I mean, think about all these conditions I mean are people there conditions where you have to be. You have to believe in Jesus, but if you're not water but guys are going to go to hell. No water baptism is a privilege of the testimony of what happened on the inside doors, but it can't be the condition of the saved human being that's not salvation is a salvationist do I put my faith and trust in Jesus Christ and his finished work on the cross. That's with us about the will and the conditions and depending on what his what kind of history you come from or where you're from. There are tons of conditions for many Christians. If you really want to go to heaven. This is what you have to have happened just amazing.

All this is religion to me what pulsate when you are absent from the body.

What are you if your believer present with the Lord right behind it. We invent purgatory, you go there for thousands and thousands of years and people of the light candles and print if you want any hope that they come from the word of God. Somebody made that up.

But for their power to their power. That's what you see here this this man these Jews have tremendous religious power over him religion.

Legalism has to be expose and that's what Jesus did.

Jesus healed and undeserving man so he could expose the religiosity of the Jews.

He represents grace all the way this no merit in this marital we can see ourselves. There also they hated him for and from that moment on, they set their mind within a kill because his attacker religion.

How many people in this world died and killed by religious people is incredible. Kill people that don't agree with him. They said were going to kill me and what they did a setting plan now and he dies on the cross of Calvary.

You can't mix religion and grace. You can't mix religion in Jesus Christ.

That's what this tells us the spring father. This is a difficult temptation for all people, even those who believe in your name.

Father put our faith and trust in Christ is an easy turn into a ton of legalism force we start setting up other roles that have to be done in order that we can't mix that kind of thinking with your grace. I love a pulsate.

I am what I am by the grace of God.

Yes I have responsibilities because of the grace of God. Jesus said, follow me there all kinds of things is a disciple and follower of Christ that I will do because of what he's done for me, but I don't do those father for him to love me and to accept me he already has none. That's with the grace of God is father that's weaker that we don't find any kind of religious activities in the way in which we serve.

Thank you for this. Jesus and Pastor Brueggemann. If you ever miss one of our broadcast or maybe you just like to listen to the message one more time. Remember, you can Google a great website called one place.com that's one place.com and you can listen the fellowship and the word online that website you will find on with today's broadcast but also many of her previous audio program at Fellowship in the Word. We are thankful for those who financially support our ministry and make his broadcast possible with all of our listeners to prayerfully consider how you might help his radio ministry continuous broadcast on this radio station by supporting a monthly fourth is the one time gift support for ministry can be sent to Fellowship in the Word. 4600 Clearview Pkwy., Metairie, LA 7006 if you would be interested in hearing today's message in its original format that is is a sermon that pastor will deliver during a Sunday morning service at fellowship monitored visit our website FVC Nola.org that FVC and of LA.Margie at our website you will find hundreds pastor Bill sermon you can browse through our sermon archives defined sermon series you're looking for or you can search by title.

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