Taking The Red Pill To Escape Satan's Matrix: Coming To The End Of Yourself Series

58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.” –Matthew 13:53-57’

I don’t know that this event is inexorably connected with the parables he just told. But it does remind us that unbelief is a danger to our relationship with Christ. In his hometown they had seen Jesus grow up. So they doubted him. And they took offense at him. Let’s make sure we don’t take offense at Jesus. Just because of the difficult situation we find ourselves in as Christians in a fallen world, don’t take offense at Christ, for what we and our ancestors did through sin and destruction.

In conclusion today, this parable reminds us of the kingdom of God, and how it works, it removes the cover from our eyes, and we see the truth, that God will separate within the kingdom of God, the righteous and the wicked. And heaven and hell stand before us.

How can we put these teachings into practice today? Seven Applications...

See the world around you as it truly is: A fallen planet awaiting judgment from God

See the dangers of sin, lust, selfishness, and worldliness and live soberly, giving careful thought to your ways

See the incredible hope, mercy, and grace found in the gospel of Jesus Christ, realize your sins are forgiven and rejoice

Recognize the insane level of danger lost people are in and pray fervently for them and share the gospel with people around you

Have the courage to see the difficult truths in life. Have the attitude of simply wanting to know the naked truth of all things

Live righteously, rejecting sin of every kind

When you come to the end of yourself, realize that’s where God brings us to allow us to reach new levels of maturity in Christ

Be courageous brothers and sisters. We live in difficult times. Yet we also live in infinite joy and hope, because our sins have been washed away by Jesus blood. He’s taken us from being the problem, to being heralds of the solution. He’s taken us from being broken, miserable, defeated filthy sinners, to glorious born again cleansed renewed majestic carriers of the living word of God, the gospel, heirs, and saints of the new kingdom of God, citizens of the New Jerusalem, princes and princesses, royalty, awaiting reward and victory in paradise in the next life, beyond the veil of tears and death in this life. Realize your identity in Christ, and rejoice, because you have found the solution, just like how Morpheus freed Neo from the matrix of lies, of the fallen world of Satan, so we’ve been freed from kingdom of Satan, the slavery to consumerism and selfishness and pride and sin, and we’ve been woken up in Christ to the difficult truth that we need a savior. And now we have a savior. And our challenging mission now is to help lost broken sinful humanity receive Christ as their savior before it’s too late, before the nets are pulled in and the wicked and the righteous are separated at the judgment seat of Christ. Live that out brothers and sisters. Live differently. Amen.