Matthew 26:1-16 (#91.2024.03.24)

Scott Keffer [: 00:00:02

Hi. If you're looking for greater hope, assurance, and confidence through the shifting sands of life, then join me on today's episode as we dig deep into the bible to discover rock solid truth for life and living from the God of the bible. I'm your host, Scott Keffer. Hi, and welcome to today's episode. As always, for a deeper experience, you can go to the show notes and download the blank insight sheet. Fill in the blanks along with the group. Depending on how you're listening to this, there will be a link to the episode website at beholdingbibletruth.com, and a sheet with the answers is included as well. Enjoy today's episode.

Scott Keffer [: 00:00:48

Well, we're going out this afternoon to, help Annie and Todd. They bought a 100 year old farmhouse, and it's got about 14 acres behind it. And one of the reasons they bought it was because of the land, but also the the guy had just built a 60 by 40 steel garage behind to 24 100 square feet. And the time Annie had a furniture rental company for weddings and corporate events, and she filled that garage with couches and tables and chairs and stuff that she would rent out. And we were part of the crew for a while, and now she's got to she shut it down. She got pregnant. Not only did the the crew, she had trouble getting people to help her out, but it was just it was a physical business that was difficult. So now she's got 24 100 square feet of furniture that she believes is worth a lot more than it's worth.

Scott Keffer [: 00:01:47

Yeah. Right? Because of what she paid for and what she went through. And so the question is, what do you do with all of that stuff? And we said you should bring an auctioneer. I know, but it's not gonna get what it's worth and that whole process of figuring out what do we do with all of that furniture. And, ultimately, it is about value. It is about value. One man's junk is another man's treasure. One man's treasure is another man's junk.

Scott Keffer [: 00:02:12

You know? That's why we never do garage sales because you never make any money, and people come by and they wanna pay you 50¢ for something you pay $400 for. You know? It's just a a painful process to figure out what you do with your stuff, but people determine what things are worth. And they invest money, they invest time, and they invest energy depend on what you believe is valuable. And And so we all have a value system internally, and we make decisions. And so today, as we look into the scripture, we're gonna look at that very issue of what is it that you value? What is it that you value? So if you would stand with me as we read together, Matthew 26 verse 1 through 16, Matthew 26, who printed this in such a little type. Alright. You ready? When Jesus had finished all these words, he said to his disciples, you know that after 2 days, the Passover is coming, and the son of man is to be handed over for crucifixion. Then the chief priests and the elders of the people were gathered together in the court of the high priest named Caiaphas, and they plotted together to see Jesus by stealth and kill him.

Scott Keffer [: 00:03:32

But they were saying, not during the festival. Otherwise, a riot might occur among the people. Now when Jesus was at the home of Simon the leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster vial, a very costly perfume, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at the table. But the disciples were indignant when they saw this and said, why this waste? This perfume might have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor. But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, why do you bother the woman? For she has done a good deed to me. For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her.

Scott Keffer [: 00:04:33

Then 1 of the 12 named Judas Iscariot went to the chief priest and said, what are you willing to give me to portray him to you? And they weighed out 30 pieces of silver to him. Even then on, he began looking for a good opportunity to portray Jesus. The word of the lord. Thanks be to god. So we're here at the point where Jesus is done teaching, and now he is going to demonstrate what he's taught. He's living it out literally before them. Right? He's going to show them what he's been speaking of. And he tells them that in 2 days, what's coming? Passover.

Scott Keffer [: 00:05:14

Passover is coming. For us, being Gentiles, that wouldn't have a particular meaning. For us as evangelicals, we might say, oh, yeah. I know what the Passover is, but it doesn't have a historical, cultural, or deep meaning for us, the idea of the Passover. But the Passover, right, if you're Jewish in roots would have a deep deep meaning because it is about the promise. It is about the promise of the the land, the covenant that god had made with Abraham, and yet in Egypt, they were living as slaves. So I put on there the promise yet slaves. That's where they were.

Scott Keffer [: 00:05:55

They were living this promise. The god was gonna give them the land of milk and honey unlike any other land, and yet they're living as slaves. And so the lord made a a covenant, an agreement, commitment with Abraham stronger than that saying, to your descendants, I have given this land, yet they were living as slaves. They cried out to the lord, finally. Right? Lord heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and he carried it out. And what's interesting, though, right, that he was carrying out, so 9 plagues had come about, and the 9 plagues were strictly against the Egyptians. 9 plagues. Then the 10th plague is about to come, and the 10th plague is a little different.

Scott Keffer [: 00:06:45

So if we read in there in Ezekiel, he says, thus says Yahweh God, Lord God, on the day when I chose Israel as a nation, I swore to the descendants of the house of Jacob, and I made myself known to them in the land of Egypt when I swore to them saying, I am Yahweh your God. On that day, I swore to them to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had selected for them flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands. It's now being fought over. It's the glory of all lands. Right? I said to them, cast away each of you that this detestable things of his eyes and do not defile yourself with what? The idols. The idols of Egypt. I am the lord your god. I am Yahweh your god, but they rebelled against me, were not willing to listen to me.

Scott Keffer [: 00:07:35

They did not cast away the detestable things of their eyes nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I resolved to pour out my wrath on them to accomplish my anger against them. So the 10th plague comes along, and the lord said, I'm gonna go through the land of Egypt. And when I do for the 10th plague, I will strike down, underline all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, which means it didn't matter. Right? All both men and beast and all the gods of Egypt, I will execute judgments. I am Yahweh. So the judgment was against all Egyptians and Jews. First 9 plagues against the Egyptians to demonstrate to the world that god is the lord of all gods.

Scott Keffer [: 00:08:21

He is the only god. Right? But this one is the the judgment against all Egyptians and Jews. Why? For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. That's because they chose this nation. Right? Moon worshipers called them out of nowhere, made him his nation, and they were rebellious. And they had embraced the idols of the land, and they would from not only Egypt on Egypt on. And if you if you go through the new the old testament, you'll see it's just a recurring theme. Deep deeper and deeper with idolatry.

Scott Keffer [: 00:09:01

And if you haven't gone through the Old Testament deeply, I would encourage you too in some way do that because you there's no way to appreciate the God of the New Testament or Christ without the Old Testament. No way at all. And people say, well, it's a different god in the Old Testament. No. It's not a different god. It's the same god. It's the holy god, and it's a god of great mercy. And that's what also you see, not only the judgment against all, all sin, the judgment against all sin.

Scott Keffer [: 00:09:32

Egyptian and Jewish all have sinned. It is all sin. But we also see, right, the mercy. We also see the mercy. He says in excess, the underlying blood will be assigned. Assigned for you and your house is where you live. And when I see the blood, I will pass over so that no plague will fall you to dis to destroy you. So if god says, go get your vest, Examine it for 4 days that there's no defilement in it.

Scott Keffer [: 00:10:07

Slaughter your vest and take the blood and put it around the doorpost. When I see the blood, right, I will pass over it. No blood. It doesn't matter whether you're Egyptian or Jewish or not. No blood and, right, blood on the doorpost, then I will pass over. The idea of the pass over is god's mercy. God's mercy. And Fred's wife, do you remember what her name was? She was talking about she's Jewish.

Scott Keffer [: 00:10:36

You know, a completed Jew. I forget her name. Oh, I forget her name. But she was saying she says to her Jewish friends, hey. Where's the blood? Just say to him, if you're Jewish, where's the blood? There's no blood sacrifices anymore. Where is the blood? How do you write how do you how do you cover yourself with the blood? It's a good question. No blood no blood, no remission of sin. No remission.

Scott Keffer [: 00:11:02

So the Bible says without the shedding of blood in Hebrews, there is no remission. Yeah. And, literally, it's different than if you confess your sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive. Forgiveness and remission are different. Remission of sin is the apps the absolvement of sin. So it's not the shedding of blood. There is no remission of sin where it's absolved that's paid for once for all. Forgiveness is the ongoing restoration of my broken fellowship.

Scott Keffer [: 00:11:32

It's different than remission. We got that? Blood of Christ allows for the remission of sin. We are paid for. So it's a it's a marvelous picture because I always say, yeah, Jesus said when he's walking along in John where he opens the eyes with those guys and he said, you if you go in the Old Testament, it testifies of me from Moses and beyond. And you study the Old Testament in order to understand Jesus, because the science from the very beginning are pointed from the garden on. They're pointing they're pointing to the salvation that would come through the lord Jesus. And without the shedding of blood, there was no remission. So Jesus wasn't going into the city to celebrate the Passover.

Scott Keffer [: 00:12:20

He said in 2 days, the Passover has come. He's going into the city to be the Passover, which is stunning if you think about it. You stop for a minute and think about that. All of these pictures from the tabernacle to the Passover to the sacrifice, to the priest, to everything was pointing to what god was going to do in and through his son. Son of man was going to be the Passover. So he says, you know that after 2 days, the Passover is coming literally. Right? They will the the celebration of the Passover, but the Passover is coming. What is that Passover? He says in there, the son of man is to be handed over for crucifixion.

Scott Keffer [: 00:13:04

So I will be the Passover. For Christ, our Passover, also has been sacrificed. He's the Passover lamb. And then he he reminds us in Hebrews, it's impossible all of the ongoing right, all the ongoing bulls and goats did not do it. They were pointing. They were pointing. In other words, why would they continue to have to sacrifice them? Right? Because they didn't they didn't never accomplish it. Right? They don't take away sins.

Scott Keffer [: 00:13:37

Therefore, it says when he, the lord Jesus, comes in the world, he says, sacrifice an offering, you, the father, have not desired, but a body you have prepared for me. So think about this. Before all time, before the foundation of the world, the father, son, and the spirit in unity planned out that the son would be sent, that the uncontainable one would step into a container in order to be the sacrifice for our sin. He would take upon him the wrath of the father do for each of us. He would shed his blood, and the father would confirm the fact that it satisfied with the resurrection of his son. Jesus would say, on the cross, paid in full, and the father would resurrect it to stamp it with paid in full. The invoice paid, if you will. The the the holy invoice against us.

Scott Keffer [: 00:14:34

He said, you prepared for me in whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sins you have not taken pleasure. Therefore, I said, behold, I've come. And then he says, in the scroll of the book, it is written of me. You study Old Testament to see the the the power of the father and the character of the father and the glory of the son. In the scroll of the book, it is written of me to do your will, oh god, my father. And by this will, this is the mark this is the gospel. By this will, he says, we have been sanctified sanctified through the through the offering how many times? Once for all. Once for all.

Scott Keffer [: 00:15:22

And then he says he sat down. He sat down. And if you understand from a high priest standpoint, the high priest never sat down. When the high priest went into the holy of holies, they put a cord and a bell. They put a bell on him and a cord. The bell stopped ringing. They that means he died in there, and they drug him out. The high priest never sat down because it never was satisfied.

Scott Keffer [: 00:15:48

So Jesus, the high priest, is sanctifies us once for all, and he sits down at the right hand of the father in favor and glory, and it is our glory as well, offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. That's the gospel. And that is really good news. It is once for all. He sanctified us by their offering of his, his body. He is the Passover. And so we find ourselves as we go into this week, which is something that we've done if you're a Christian a whole bunch of times. So it can be, you know, oh, it's the week.

Scott Keffer [: 00:16:28

You know? It's Easter. Right? But it's a reminder that he is our Passover. He is our Passover. He shed his blood. He took the wrath of the father, and he shed his blood for you and for me and for men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. And his blood was and is and always will be sufficient. So we are sanctified through the offering of the body of the peace of Christ once for all. That's the good news.

Scott Keffer [: 00:16:58

So if you flip over, then we have intrigue going on in the midst of this because they plotted their murderous schemes. And they said, you find it interesting. They don't not only said that we're gonna we're gonna deal with Jesus, but they said that we are going to seize him, kill him. Think about that he had gotten to the place where they were that challenged, that afraid, that what I was trying to think that they would get to the place where they were going to you know, here's this seemingly, you know, one who would challenge their authority. He embarrassed them many, many times as he spoke truth. Right? And he he he brought to out into the open their, you know, their hypocrisy. They would be that angry that they would be that challenged that they wanted to put into death, which, of course, shows us the depth of our sin, doesn't it? Depth of our sin and how pride can get to the place where that's the case. So they are plotting to murder him.

Scott Keffer [: 00:18:08

I love this effect, but our God is sovereign reign. Our God is sovereign, and his purposes are sure. His purposes are sure. So, of course, they're plotting and scheming. Right? And yet, he has sovereign even over their evil schemes, even over their murderous intentions, even over their plots. Because they said, we're not gonna do it during the festival because it'll cause a riot. When did he die? During the festival. Like, you you you're not you're not in charge here.

Scott Keffer [: 00:18:51

You can scheme all you want. Right? And Jesus said, by the way, the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He's the good shepherd. And he says, no one takes it from me. No one has taken it from me, but I lay it down, underline that, of my own initiative. He said, and I have the authority to take it back up again. The authority has been given to me by whom? The father. Says the father has given me the authority to lay down my life, and I take it back up again.

Scott Keffer [: 00:19:25

And I remind myself in acts, he says, this man delivered over by the underlying predetermined plan. When was that predetermined? Before the foundation of the world and the foreknowledge of God, you nailed to the cross. Well, wait a minute. Was it God's plan, or did they nail him to the cross? The answer is yes. Right? You nailed and they were he was nailed to the cross by godless men and put to death. Did they nail him to the cross? Yes. Who's playing with it? Theirs and God's. How does that work? I have no idea.

Scott Keffer [: 00:20:06

No. I have no idea, but only I know that it is so. It's it's god's sovereignty over the evil plans and purposes, right, of evil men. He says they were gathered together against your holy servant, Jesus, whom you anointed who? Herod, Pontius Pilate. So leaders and authorities, local leaders and authorities, religious, and civil. And by the way, Gentiles and Jews. So who is involved? Everybody, including you and me. Right? Including you and me.

Scott Keffer [: 00:20:47

Herod punches Pilate. Right? So all of the civil and religious leaders. And what were they gathered together to do? Whatever your hand and your purpose predestined to occur. Your hand speaks about god didn't have a hand, of course, speaks about his power, dominion, right, your hand, and your purpose, right, your plan, right, his heart, his character. So god determined, and in Revelation, it says, he was literally in god's economy, if you will, god's thought process. There is no time. So Jesus was slain before the foundation of the earth. Why? Because that god predetermined it to be the case.

Scott Keffer [: 00:21:36

Therefore, it would come to pass. In the fullness of time, god sent forth his son. In the fullness of time, god had his son crucified according to his predetermined plans. Your purpose predestined. Who did it? Herod, Pontius Pilate, Gentiles, people of Israel? So Corky on Thursday said, I I I don't know where is god because I called out to him, and, I do believe he's come to a knowledge of Christ, and he said, I don't feel better. We talk about the difference between feeling and fact. Facts and feelings aren't the same. And I said, let me ask you a question.

Scott Keffer [: 00:22:21

I said, do you believe that you would have come to God unless you were afflicted with, Parkinson's and you felt really bad. He said, no. I said, do you believe if god made it all go away that you might wander away? He said, maybe. He said, my son, who is a Christian, said, god's god gave you Parkinson's to get your attention. And he says it's hard for me to to say that. Right? And somebody else said, well, he allowed it. It's just our way to figure out words that make it. So if he allowed it, it's the same as purpose that he did.

Scott Keffer [: 00:22:55

You know? So we'd still try and, like, figure out in our head, well, how could god allow affliction? Well, David said, when I before I was afflicted, I went astray. So how does god do that? So god is sovereign over evil without being evil. If that doesn't hurt your brain, I don't know what should. You have to accept it. You right? That if evil happened and and it was beyond god's control, we'd all be in big trouble, which should mean he could never bring the world to a conclusion. He could never sum it up into his son. So god remains sovereign over evil, yet evil still works, men with evil plans and purposes. Have you ever heard evil done to you? Of course.

Scott Keffer [: 00:23:45

Naturally natural disaster or a calamity, all of those things, god remains sovereign over the So I put that that his purposes are sure for Christ and for you. Not just for Christ, but for you. And he shows us that. Right? He set this up for us. Where did he set it up for us in the Old Testament? For you meant it for evil, but God meant it for good. You you meant it. Right? And in that, if you look at those two words, Joseph says, you meant it, You meant it for evil. That word means planned, prepared, executed.

Scott Keffer [: 00:24:24

But god meant it, same word, planned, prepared, executed. Same word. They meant it for evil. You meant it for good. What's that mean? People are gonna mean for evil stuff in your life. God always means it for good. God always means it. He causes all things to work together.

Scott Keffer [: 00:24:45

It doesn't mean he's all of a sudden, he says, oh, what happened? We better figure out this and fix it for it. Right? Oh, this is one of my mind. I can't believe that happened. You know? God sits sovereign over. How's that work? I don't know. Other than I know it's true. Right? It is that's why I said to Corky. If God is other than us, he's transcendent.

Scott Keffer [: 00:25:08

Right? He spoke everything to being. Do you think his purposes are easily understandable? If he's transcendent in other, do you think his purposes are transcendent in other? Gosh. Why can't the finite figure out the infinite? If you've got god fully figured out, you have not got the god, who is the god of the bible, figured out because he's unfigureoutable. His purposes are infinite, but I do cling to the fact that they are he is holy, he is righteous, and he is good. Otherwise, he wouldn't send his son. For god so loved that he sent his son. See, he demonstrates. It says, but god demonstrates his love.

Scott Keffer [: 00:25:48

It says in Romans 5. He demonstrates it here. You wanna see what it is? I demonstrated it. What's love me? Oh, we just wanna be loving. No. God demonstrated his love when he sent forth his son, and he poured out his wrath upon his son for you when you're an enemy. Who would do that? I wouldn't do that. Would you? Send forth your son to pay for the penalty for another who is your enemy? Who did it? He says, that's love.

Scott Keffer [: 00:26:15

You don't know what love is? And I demonstrated it in my son, and I confirmed it when I resurrected him from the dead. So he says, god is sovereign. His purposes are sure. And so, what we learn here is that this woman comes in and she, right, breaks off the top of a vial. It's literally sealed. She breaks off and she anoints his head with oil. And and John tells us this this is most likely Mary and that it could be sold for 300 denarii. Denarii is a day of wage.

Scott Keffer [: 00:26:51

So if you think about it, we work 5 days a week, 60 weeks. So we're talking about year and a quarter or something like that. So take your your salary. What do you earn in a year? And and multiply it by 1 point 25 a year and a quarter, and that's how much that was worth. She anointed him with the well. Sixty work weeks. And the disciples were angry. Says they were incensed is the word, literally, steam coming out of yours.

Scott Keffer [: 00:27:25

Because I said, why this waste? Why this waste? So I put on there a waste. Question mark? Waste. So Mary believed that the act of anointing Jesus was worth it, was worth, right, a year and a quarter of earnings for her. And Jesus said that she has anointed me for my burial. What does that mean? Not only is God sovereign over evil, he's sovereign over good purposes. She had no idea. She's anointed. She would I don't think she would have understood that.

Scott Keffer [: 00:28:01

She was anointing him for his burial, but he's sovereign over all things. She is anointing me for my burial. Thirty pieces of silver is what he gets sold for. So we see these 2 stories juxtaposition together. And in Exodus, it says, if not scores your slave so if you have a slave and it gets killed by somebody's ox, if Mike's ox gore is my slave, you owe me 30 pieces of silver. That's That's what it says. That's what a slave is worth. It was literally no money.

Scott Keffer [: 00:28:35

Very little there was very little money. And so he is sold for the price of a slave. How much will you pay me? How much will you pay me? So 2 stunning pictures, don't we? A year and a quarter of of work and and literally precious oil and then 30 pieces of silver. Who weighs what? And I put on there that Judas sold the one who would become a slave, and he would become a slave to buy us back. That's not stunning. I don't know what is. So here she is. She breaks the alabaster vial, pours it over his head to show the value that Jesus has for her.

Scott Keffer [: 00:29:14

Judas sells him for 30 pieces of silver, price of a slave, and then he would become a slave in order to give his life to buy us back. What does that mean about how he values us? He says you've been bought with a price underline. You've been bought with a price. It says Christ emptied himself. How do you do that? By taking on the form of a slave, a bond servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Do you get the uncontainable stepping into a container was becoming a slave? It's stunning the thought that the the uncontainable son of god would step out of that glory without giving away his glory and step into a container and be made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, then he not only became a slave, he humbled himself. How do we know? By becoming obedient to the point of death.

Scott Keffer [: 00:30:16

What kind of death? On the cross and cursed is the man who hangs on a tree. Cursed is the man who hangs on a tree. Right? He humbles himself by becoming obedient to the point of death even death on the cross. It says, for this reason, god has highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow and every tongue confess. And with the lord. Right? Every tongue confess. And so god shows forth how he values Christ's sacrifice. So god is showing us in here how to reorient our value system.

Scott Keffer [: 00:30:58

We need to reboot what we value, don't we? Because his son his son humbled himself. His son set the glory aside. Even though he was in existence with God, he set that glory aside in order to become a bond servant. Who would do that? Doesn't make any sense. Eternal glory, I set it aside, if you will, in order to become a bond servant. How How many of you would set aside everything you have to become a bond servant? It doesn't make any sense, does it? And that's what Paul says, that I count all things to be lost, to be right? Because, right, all of those things, I don't count as valuable. I've got a new value system. We're saying reboot our value system.

Scott Keffer [: 00:31:44

Right? Look at this and decide what do we value what do we value? You've been bought with a price. Therefore, god highly exalted it. So he's saying take on an eternal, right, a kingdom value system, which we need to reorient, don't we? What we find valuable. I was watching the pens and as always, I have to flick off to something else because these days, they're so they're so hard to watch. Right? And Gladiator was on. How many have seen Gladiator? How many love Gladiator? Revenge. I mean, who doesn't want revenge? Like, Gladiator. Right? Revenge.

Scott Keffer [: 00:32:20

And I thought, how different? That's we I love gladiator in my nature, but Jesus is the opposite of gladiator. He just, right, willing to become willing to become a bond slave, to shed his blood on our behalf. It's just it it it's stunning how different he is and how the the kingdom value system is very different than ours. Right? We want strength. We want, right, victory, and his is just so different. So I thought, okay. So what is it for us? It says in Revelation that the elders and the angels and the myriads of myriads will be standing around the throne, and they'll say, worthy is the lamb who is slain. What? A lamb slain is worthy? That's weird, isn't it? Is there a party you say, that's just weird? Yeah.

Scott Keffer [: 00:33:23

That's because my value system is not lined up. Says worthy is the lamb that was slain. Really? Just receive what? Power, riches, wisdom, might. It's not the law. Power and riches and wisdom of might. And I heard all things in the heavens and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea and all things in them. I heard them say to him who sits upon the throne and to the lamb, be blessing and honor, glory, and dominion. Right? So that's what they're saying in heaven.

Scott Keffer [: 00:33:57

They're saying, Lord, bring my value system in line to worship the lamb who is humbled and slain for you, for worship afresh, a lamb that was slain. It says to Jews, a stumbling block. To Gentiles, foolishness. That makes sense, does it? The Jews, the Messiah was a lamb that was slain, a stumbling block. The Gentiles, it doesn't make sense. It's foolishness. A god who is a lamb who was slain? So in our in our family room, I have one of those blow up balls, which co it's just covered in a fabric, which has the earth on it. So it sits there.

Scott Keffer [: 00:34:37

And I leave it upside down to remind me the earth. The the world is upside down. It's upside down. We marinate it in every day, but it's upside down. The value system of the world is upside down worse than upside down. It's just totally, diametrically opposed to what is and what is so. The second thing I thought is if you look at John 12, here it says the disciples right? The disciples were indignant. In John 12, it says, the first one to speak was, do this Iscariot, who would betray him and says, and he says, why was the perfume not sold and given to the poor? So I asked the question, so who's influencing you? Because Judas led that spur of indignant behavior.

Scott Keffer [: 00:35:27

Who is influencing you? Because we're not content with doing what everybody else could do or prove to be done. So even in our midst, it'll say, right, who's influencing you? Right? Who's influencing you? And Paul says, right, for for now, I for if I'm now seeking the favor of, he said, for am I now seeking favor of men or gods? Question mark. Where am I striving to please men? So there is a part of us that wants the approval and the favor, right, to please men, don't we? And you experience it kind of all around you. Everywhere from a tear in the midst, which is what Judas was, to even, you know, friendly. They would say to Paul, don't go up there. Then they said to Paul, don't go there. That's dangerous for you. That's dangerous for you.

Scott Keffer [: 00:36:29

Don't Jesus, don't do that. He says, get behind me, say to Peter. Right? Even seemingly well meaning. He said, if I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond servant of Christ. There's that dang servant thing. It keeps showing up. What is with that? Jesus is a servant. Paul is a servant.

Scott Keffer [: 00:36:49

So I put on there whose approval do you seek in your life? Take a minute. Just say, who's approval? Who am I looking to get a stamp of approval? Who do I want an attaboy from? They're just asking us the question. Right? Is it the right attaboy? Is it the right attaboy? There's some things. So who who do I look for approval from? Of course, it all you know, it should be the audience of 1, and we wanna, you know, Jesus at 1231. Who's who's the 1 and the 3 for you? The 1 and the 3 presumably would be the 1 and the 3 that challenges with their, you know, wanna run if you wanna run faster, run with people who are running faster than you. Same way. You wanna run with people who who give holy discontent. I would say, right, a combination of, you know, they confirm, but they also challenge Also challenge.

Scott Keffer [: 00:37:44

Which are all it's God. Ultimate approval is God. Right? Seeking to please him, of course. Right? The audience of 1. But we need to fit and surround ourself with those who can help us. 2 are better than 1 mode or the one that falls. Right? So do you have those who are challenging you? Iron sharpens iron, and so one man sharpens another. So whose approval do you seek in life? And it is the nature when we talk about this on finishing well, finish strong, that the older we get, the more miles that are on the car, the more we see comfort.

Scott Keffer [: 00:38:18

The more we want to slow down and, right, get on the the river cruise of life and, you know, kinda float down, don't we? But it is. It's true. Right? So we gotta we gotta be cautious about that. Right? So don't act your age. Then the the third thing I put, so one is worshiping the lamb and all that he means. The second is who's influencing whose influence do we seek? And the third was this idea of when I think about what Mary did, does god get your first, that's about priority, your highest and best. Your first, your highest, and your best. 1st highest and best.

Scott Keffer [: 00:38:59

And the way in Proverbs, the way they say it is honor the lord with your wealth and from the first of all your produce. The first of all your produce. What's that mean? It's not just your money, but your time and your energy. Your money, your time, and your energy. It's to all our produce, our ability to produce. It's what it is. Right? Our ability. Right? He's saying, does god get the first, the highest, and the best? Because the picture is, of course right, he get he should get the first, the highest, and the best.

Scott Keffer [: 00:39:36

And there are there are challenges in scripture for us, are they not? Encouragements and cautions. So Paul had a number of ministry, co ministers, if you will. Demas was one of them. And at some point, Demas deserted him literally the Greek word means left him in his time of need. So for whatever reason and it's a demons left him, deserted him. Why? So underline that in love with this present world, it is not defined anywhere and no one really know. It could be, you know, the influence of another. It could be I don't wanna put my life in danger.

Scott Keffer [: 00:40:15

It could be being countered in in Thessalonica, the comforts of a world system. Don't really know. But it meant that we're gonna be tempted by this present world. We're not above Bemis. It's just you should have a warning light on your dashboard that gives you a sense of love of the present world, love of the present world. Be careful. Right? That's the people around you, but also you have some internal warning lights. Right? Mine is I just say to the lord, you know, I from the very beginning, one thing I've asked for, that I shall seek, that I will dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.

Scott Keffer [: 00:40:56

That's my daily prayer, Lord. Don't let me you're my shepherd. Don't let me. If you let me veer, I'm gone. I will go see it over the hill. I'm over the hill. I just know myself. So I give him permission to just keep the guide rails close.

Scott Keffer [: 00:41:10

It's a good prayer, isn't it? One thing I've asked for that I shall see. Keep me close because I'm go I'm telling you, I just know me. I love the present world. I'll desert you. I'll go over there. I'm just no dummy. I'm a sheep. Right? I'm I'm wandering.

Scott Keffer [: 00:41:25

I'm wandering. Because he says, those who wanna get rich, what do they do? Fall into temptation. That's the first part. And then a snare. Snare is a trap. It catches you. And many foolish and harmful desires. Okay.

Scott Keffer [: 00:41:42

How many in here would say you've had many foolish and harmful desires? Yes. Yeah. Of course. We followed our own foolishness. Right? They're foolish and they're harmful. Right? They're snares. But they plunge men into ruin and destruction if they're left unchecked. So he says, what is it? Money.

Scott Keffer [: 00:42:02

It's money. Right? You can have none and love it. You can have a lot and love it. You can have a little and love it. You can just love it. It's the love of money. It is the root of all sorts of evil you see going on in the world today at the highest level, the love of money, power. Right? All sorts of evil.

Scott Keffer [: 00:42:26

And some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierce themselves with many Greeks. So that's the prayer. Lord, don't let me be one of those who fade away. Fade, right, because I've been following along or fade because I'm distracted. Right? So beware of the world system. Beware. Just saying beware. It has it has snagged many.

Scott Keffer [: 00:42:53

It has snagged many. So he says, conduct yourself in fear. Fear. That's that's godly fear. Just be aware of it. I love it. Your stay on Earth. Right? So next week, I head to Houston for a couple of days.

Scott Keffer [: 00:43:09

I'm going to stay 2 days. I'll check-in, and then I'll check out. My stay will be over. He's reminding us. You check-in and you check out. Right? You're not here eternally. You're here for a stay. There's a stay.

Scott Keffer [: 00:43:25

So he says, conduct yourself with fear during your stay on earth. Why? Because you need to check out at some point in time. I don't wanna check out. Well, I'm checking you out. He says to you. Your days are all day when there's yet, there's none. Right? Knowing that you were not redeemed. I love this.

Scott Keffer [: 00:43:43

You were bought, and you're not we just bought. You were redeemed. What were you redeemed with? Not precious things, not silver or gold, not 30 pieces of silver, not spikenard, not a not a vial of alabat, not a vial, not silver, gold. You were redeemed from your futile way of life, inherited from your forefathers. In other words, what you used to do, don't do what you used to do. Don't do what is natural, right, to to you as a as a person, but you were redeemed with precious blood. So he's saying precious oil, that's what Mary did, Precious blood. How much is that worth? How much is this worth? Precious blood.

Scott Keffer [: 00:44:27

Blood as of a lamb, unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ, who is our Passover. He is our Passover. We're gonna remember his Passover sacrifice for us. And may the god who redeemed you may he bless you, may he keep you, may he cause his face to shine upon you, may he lift up his countenance and grant you his shalom deep in your soul. May the grace of the lord Jesus Christ, the love of god the father, and the fellowship of the holy spirit be with you now and always. Amen. Thanks for listening. I hope you have greater hope, assurance, and confidence in your life and a deeper trust in the God of the bible and his son, Jesus Christ.

Scott Keffer [: 00:45:13

Until next time, may the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. And may the lord lift up his countenance on you and give you his peace, his shalom in your soul and in your life. Until next time. May God bless you and keep you.