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Entry & End Times, Week 5
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Welcome. We're in Week 5 of our series Entry & End Times, where we're marveling over the final actions of Christ in the final weeks of his life and the final words of Christ about the end times. There is nothing—nothing—we're going to hear more important in this hour of our life than the words of Christ.
Our text today comes from Matthew 21:28–32, and the theme burning in my spirit is: It's already done.
One of the most dangerous things that will ever affect the life of a human being is the dark power of deception. Deception is when the human mind is misled to believe something that is not true or not accurate.
Deception can enter our lives through false teachings, wrong people, wrong associations, rebellion, sin, and wrong exposures. But of all the forms of deception that exist, perhaps the most destructive is self-deception. When a person holds on with a tight grip to their own ambitions, their own ideals, their own biases that are false—it puts them in a position to suffer in the end because of that deception.
Because of the power of deception, many people are going to live a life in darkness, separated from God for all eternity. This deception enters through every false religion outside of Christianity—psychics, mystics, Ouija boards, zodiac signs, horoscopes, fortune telling, sage, crystals, New Age philosophies, and all spiritual ascent outside of God, outside of Christ, outside of the Holy Spirit.
Christ is now at the end of his life. He entered Jerusalem during Passover in a grand display declaring himself to be the Son of God. He went to the temple and saw corruption. He cursed a fig tree that represented the barren nation of Israel and barren spiritual leaders. He cleansed the temple from corruption.
Now, in Matthew 21:23, we read: "When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching and said, 'By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority?'"
Jesus answered them: "I will also ask you a question, and if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John—from where did it come? From heaven or from man?"
The leaders discussed among themselves. They reasoned: "If we say from Heaven, he will say to us, 'Then why didn't you believe him?' And if we say from man, we will be afraid of the crowd, for they held John to be a prophet." So they answered Jesus: "We don't know."
Jesus said to them: "Neither do I tell you by what authority I am doing these things."
John the Baptist was a preacher of righteousness and holiness—not a preacher of compromise, not a preacher that keeps you comfortable in sin, not a preacher that never confronts you. John was a preacher of what the people did not want to hear. He was an outcast, preaching in the wilderness, eating locusts and wild honey, dressed in a garment that people thought was hideous. Yet his preaching was so powerful it gave birth to a national and spiritual revival, saving people by the thousands and transforming the nation of Israel.
For the spiritual leaders to affirm that John's baptism came from Heaven would be for them to affirm Christ—which they didn't want to do because they were jealous of his ministry. Their envy would not accept the fact that he was the Son of God.
Jesus now introduces the first of three powerful parables—encrypted teachings that are a direct response to their antagonism about his authority.
"What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first son and said, 'Son, go and work in the vineyard today.' And he answered, 'I will not.' But afterward he changed his mind and went." (Matthew 21:28–29)
The father commands his son with authority and affection: Go. Work in the vineyard. Today. Not next season, not when you're 25—today.
The son's response is direct: "I will not."
This is striking because in the first century, children were not normally rebellious to their parents. Yet this son refuses. But then—and this is crucial—that word sits on the son's heart. That word is heavy on his mind. That word tugs on his soul. He cannot escape the nudging of that word in his heart.
At some point, that word gets hold of his heart, and he can no longer rebel. The scripture says: "He changed his mind"—he repented. He went into that field and was fruitful.
This reminds me of my own life—and perhaps yours too. When the word of God came, and we rejected it. We didn't want anything to do with it. We were afraid of God. We didn't want to surrender, thinking he might make us a missionary or send us to Africa. So we ran from God.
But I am thankful that that word didn't let me go. At some point in time, that word wrestled me down to the floor. The Lord was tapping my heart. And I finally surrendered. Sometimes I get a flashback of where I should be eternally damned, eternally lost, eternally separated from God—but his grace kept me alive while that word was working.
Do you have any formerly rebellious sons and daughters here who are thankful that word got a hold of you and you repented and changed your mind?
This gives hope to every parent with a child far away from God. That child sitting in an abortion clinic—God can get a hold of their mind. That child driving home high from the club—God can get a hold of their mind. That child sitting alone in a room—God can get a hold of their mind. A day can come when that word wrestles them down, and just because they said no does not mean God won't get them in another season.
This first son represents the tax collectors and the prostitutes—the lowest people in society's eyes. People who knew they were broken, who knew they had baggage. They heard the message, and God changed their minds. They repented and entered the kingdom.
"And he went to the other son and said the same thing. And that son said, 'I go, sir,' but he did not go." (Matthew 21:30)
The second son hears the same command: Go and work in the vineyard. His response is respectful: "I go, sir." He has a mouth of honor but feet of rebellion. He has commitment with no follow-through. He has words with no actions.
He is near to the father with his mouth but far from the father in his heart.
This son has been in church his whole life. He can quote Psalm 23. He knows The Lord's Prayer. He walked the aisle when he was five. He is respectful on the outside, pious on the outside, religious on the outside. But he has posts with no life to match. He puts scriptures on Instagram but no life to match. He sings and preaches but lives a rebellious life.
He has lip service with a rebellious heart, lip service with rebellious hands, lip service with rebellious feet. He's got everybody fooled with words and posts, but his heart is far away from God. He has all the outward show of godliness but denies the power thereof.
This second son represents the Pharisees and the spiritual leaders of Israel.
These were men who had the Old Testament, who studied the Torah, who understood God's word, who were looking for the Messiah. But when he came, they rejected him—because the Messiah's ministry was blowing up and they were jealous.
So they made videos about his ministry, posted about his ministry, tried to tear down his ministry, and tried to discredit him. Not because he wasn't the Messiah or wasn't called, but because their envy could not understand God's favor on the life of the Son.
Another gospel writer tells us: The Pharisees said to themselves, "If this man keeps preaching the way he's preaching, the whole nation is going to believe him. If he keeps preaching about the kingdom, the whole nation is going to believe him. If he keeps preaching about righteousness and holiness, the whole nation is going to believe him and we might have a revival. So we need to do something to stop him."
Their envy wouldn't let them accept that he was the Son of God. Jealousy is a dangerous thing. If you can't celebrate, just pray. But why are you trying to tear down that person's ministry because you don't understand? You're not driven by the Spirit—you're driven by the flesh.
Jesus now asks the leaders:
"Which of the two did the will of the father?" (Matthew 21:31)
They said, "The first."
Jesus said to them:
"Truly I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you." (Matthew 21:31)
The Lord takes the two lowest people in their eyes—tax collectors and prostitutes, seen as the lowest form of sinners in society—and says they are entering the kingdom before the Pharisees. They weren't raised in church. They don't know the Old Testament. They can't quote scripture. But they heard the message of God, and they repented.
The hood dudes from the street are coming into the kingdom. The woman from the club is coming into the kingdom. The drug dealer is coming into the kingdom. All those people you keep judging and tearing down are coming into the kingdom before you—you self-righteous, self-deceived spiritual leaders who think you are holy because of your long robes and your phylacteries, because you can quote scripture and you know the Torah.
But you have religion without relationship. You think your garments make you holy. Your heart is far from God.
Y'all need to stop being impressed with big shows of godliness. Wake up, especially in America where it's easy for a fool to create an audience. Any fool with a microphone, any fool that knows how to write can lead people astray.
Not everybody with a title is from God. Every person with the name Prophet ain't from God. Every person with the name Apostle ain't from God.
We're so impressed with big shows of godliness, and we walk past the old woman in the back who's got enough anointing to pray down principalities and powers. We think she's not holy because she doesn't have a suit, because she's got chains around her neck. We fix our eyes on external, man-made religiousness, and we don't have enough discernment to hear truth, to discern character, to discern true anointing. We love fanfare, but we don't have discernment.
The Lord said to the Pharisees and chief priests: Y'all think you're right with God? No. Y'all ain't saved. You are deceived. You are separated. You are his enemy. While you're trying to be outwardly holy, you are inwardly dark and evil.
He was illuminating their hypocrisy, their self-righteousness, their self-deception.
Right now, I want to plead with as many of you as possible: Run from hypocrisy. Run from self-righteousness. If you're going to post, be about that. If you're going to sing, be about that. If you're going to preach, be about that. Let your words and your life match.
Listen to the last verse:
"For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him. But the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him." (Matthew 21:32)
John came in the way of righteousness. You did not believe him. But the tax collectors and prostitutes believed him.
And here's the kicker: "Even when you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe."
What did they see? Not just miracles or healings. They saw the greatest miracle we will ever see: people who were once far away from God hearing the gospel, turning towards God, putting their faith in Christ. They saw a revival explode in Israel. They saw one salvation after another.
And the Lord said: After you saw all of that outpouring, all of that favor, all of that fruit, all of those souls—you saw it with your own eyes—and you still didn't believe?
It makes me feel like America right now. You crucify false prophets and real prophets. What do you want? Nothing is good enough. You attack phony people and you attack real people. What do you want?
At the end of this message, I'm pleading with you through the Holy Spirit: Please run from hypocrisy.
How long will we continue to post and not be about that? How long will we keep coming to church and not be about this? When does it become more than a check-off box? At what point do we read the scriptures and find Christ, not just ourselves? At what point do we stop listening to preachers and podcasts of people who are phony? At what point does Christianity become relationship?
Christ didn't die for us to live a phony, whack, hypocritical, self-deceived life.
Which son are you?
Are you the son who finally went into that vineyard and your life bore fruit? You know what happens after repentance? Fruit. Look at my life—this is called fruit. This is what happens after repentance.
Or are you the second son—these hypocrites who are deceived by external piety while your hearts are far away from God?
Which son do you want to be?
Heads bowed, eyes closed. If you're in the overflow, do not move. If you're watching live, do not log off. Nobody move.
There are people under the sound of my voice right now who are that second son. You have heard the message before. You have been in church your whole life. You know scripture. And you're still far away from God. Tomorrow ain't promised for you. Today is the day of salvation.
Hear the gospel: You are a sinner separated from God. If you die in your sins, you're going to be eternally damned. You're not prepared to face what's going to happen if you die separated from God.
But the Lord, in his love for you, sent Jesus Christ. He died a sacrificial death for you. He already knew you belonged to him before the foundation of the world.
Right now in this moment, you don't even have to walk an aisle. The Spirit is strong enough to meet you in your chair, right where you are. In your heart, you can talk to God. He can see your thoughts.
Just say: God, today I'm sorry. Today I see I'm a sinner. Today I repent of my sin. Today I surrender. I'm going to work. I'm going into that field. I'm going to give you all of my life and see what you do with it.
Do it right now. Just surrender. He already knew. He can see you. You repent in your own heart right now.
I see hands. I see tears. He's catching those tears. He's catching those tears with both hands. It's time now. It's time. No more running. It's time to change your mind. Repent. Throw yourself on the altar of God's mercy. Tell him you're sorry. Surrender.
For every person under the sound of my voice, I thank you by faith, Lord, for those you have saved by your Sovereign will and by the power of your Holy Spirit. I thank you for the tears falling right now. I thank you that the tax collectors and prostitutes are coming into the kingdom—the souls that belong to you from the foundation of the world.
I pray they would love you with their whole heart. I pray they would love righteousness and holiness. I pray you would reveal Christ to them in the scriptures. I pray they would hate sin. I pray you would order their steps.
And for the sons and daughters of the kingdom, I pray you would deliver us from hypocrisy. I pray you would deliver us from being liars. I pray you would deliver us from being duplicitous. I pray a spirit of conviction, a spirit of desire to live a life consistent with our confession, would fall on us right now.
I pray for increase faith, increase anointing, increase power, increase love for the Spirit, increase intimacy, increase burden. I pray we will shed your tears, feel your pain, feel your grief. I pray we will love what you love and hate what you hate. I pray we would be real and authentic. Do it now for the unbeliever who has become a friend and for the believer who needs to be awakened right now.
