Spoken Word no. 82
Upon
This Rock
Brian Kocourek, Pastor
This evening I would like to begin by asking the
question, “What good is light if you are blind”.
Jesus said, in the Gospel of Luke 6:39 “And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind?
shall they not both fall into the ditch?”
In the book of Revelations chapter 3 we are told at
the end time the people will be “naked, miserable and blind and won't even know it.”
So I ask you this
question, "what good is light if
you are blind?” Isaiah 60: 2 For, behold, the
darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD
shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
Now, if the Scripture tells us that the condition at
the end time will be “gross darkness upon the people.” Then what good is
the light to those who are blind?
Now, let’s read again from Luke 6:39
“And he spake a
parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into
the ditch?” and then from verses 40-49 40 The
disciple is not above his master: but every
one that is perfect shall be as his master. 41 And
why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not
the beam that is in thine own eye? 42 Either how
canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in
thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt
thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye. 43 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring
forth good fruit. 44 For every tree is known by his own
fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they
grapes. 45 A good
man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good;
and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which
is evil: for of the abundance of the
heart his mouth speaketh. 46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? 47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom
he is like: 48 He is like a man which built an
house, and digged deep, and laid the
foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently
upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. 49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is
like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against
which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of
that house was great.
Notice the end time condition of the people and I want
you to also notice there are two kinds of people who hear the Message of the
hour. Therefore let's remain standing as we go to the Word of God, and let's
open our Bibles to …
Luke
6: 39 “Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not
both fall into the ditch?”
Now that is an excellent question. And then a few
verses later after speaking this parable in a question format, Jesus continues
to speak as we pick up at verse LUKE 6:40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is
perfect shall be as his master.
Now, this word perfect comes from a Greek word that
does not mean perfect as though you have reached some sort of a perfect state
where you make no error. But the word simply means to equip.
Therefore we should read this statement
that Jesus is making here as thus: LUKE 6:40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is
equipped by His master shall be as his master. And why is that?
Because it really does matter what teacher teaches you. If you sit under a
false teacher, you will hear false teaching, and thus your mind will be filled
with error.
As the Apostle Paul said in ROMANS 10:13-17
For whosoever
shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they
call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him
of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And
how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are
the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of
good things! 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith,
Lord, who hath believed our report? 17 So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and
hearing by the word of God.
Martin Luther in his comments on these
verses said, "Even though they say
they hear, they boast in vain, unless they hear true preachers; for to hear
false prophets means as much as not to hear. They hear and they do not hear.
They have ears, but do not hear, nor do they preach The True Word of God. There
are four statements which follow one another is such as way that one leads to
the other, but so that the last forms the foundation on which the others rest.
Thus,
1. It is
impossible that those preach who are not sent.
2. It is
impossible that those hear who are without a preacher.
3. It is
impossible that they believe who do not hear.
4. It is
impossible that they call upon Him who do not believe.
To these must
be added a 5th it is
impossible that they who do not call upon the name of the lord shall be saved.
So, then, the
entire source and origin of salvation rests on this, that God sends out
someone, (a true minister of the Word).
If He does not
send out any, then they who preach, preach falsely, and their preaching is no
preaching at all. In fact, it would be better for them not to preach.
Then also,
they who hear, hear error, and it would be better for them not to hear.
Then also
they who believe, would believe false doctrine, and it would be better for them
not to believe.
Then they who
call, would be calling upon a False lord, and it would be better for them not
to call.
For such
preachers, do not preach.
Such hearers
do not hear.
Such
believers do not believe.
Such callers
do not call.
Such then will
be damned because they would be saved by falsehood.
As we see in Proverbs 1:28 “Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they
shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: for that they hated knowledge,
and did not choose the fear of the Lord". Then only they can preach with
certainty who preach without error.”
Now, we know what Paul said in Romans 10,
and we know what he said in 2 Corinthians 11, and again in the book of Galatians,
that if they receive a wrong word, then they will receive a wrong
spirit.
How then can we think that anyone who sits under a
wrong ministry and has a wrong conception of the message has the right spirit,
which is the Holy Spirit? A wrong conception is a wrong “quickening to life”.
The word conception means to quicken to life. And we
know that Peter said, in 1 Peter 1:23 that "we are born again, not by a corruptible seed,
but by an incorruptible seed, by the Word of God which Lives and Abides forever."
Jesus told us that The Sower
sowed the seed is the Son of Man, and He taught us the Seed is the Word of God. And that seed
will produce a life according to the law of reproduction, which states, "Ever seed must bring forth after its own nature."
Then to receive a wrong Word is to receive a wrong
seed, and therefore must produce a wrong spirit or a wrong life. How can it be
any other way?
Did you know that brother Branham said we must have a
right teaching in order to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit?, to receive
the Seal of God? And if you don't receive the seal of God there is only one seal
left and that is the seal of Satan, which is the mark of the beast.
Now notice that Jesus up to this point in
the parable in Luke
chapter 6 has been speaking about not following blindly, because you
could be following someone who is as blind as you are. And then he tells us
that if your teacher has rightfully equipped you, then you will become as that
teacher. In other words, you will think like him, speak like him, and act like
him. Now that is not to say that you are to look at the flesh, but we are
guided by one thing and that is the Word of God.
Jesus said, "The son
can do nothing but what He seeth the Father do, that doeth the Son likewise”.
Then the
son will do and act and speak and think as the Father thinks and speaks and
acts.
Now, let's face it, the Holy Ghost is the teacher, and
if a man is yielded to the Spirit of God and called to teach this Word then he
will do as the Father has shown him to do, and the people that look to that
ministry will reflect the same principles and will become in a fashion as the
lord is to the disciple.
40 The disciple is not above his master: but
every one that is equipped by His master shall be as his master.
Now, catch what Jesus says here next. LUKE 6:41
And why beholdest
thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is
in thine own eye? 42 Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me
pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the
beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of
thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in
thy brother's eye.
Now, if you have become “one with your
teacher’, how is it that you are looking for fault in that teacher. It makes no
sense to me, but they did it to Moses. He led them by following Christ and they
followed Him as he followed Christ. And yet they wanted to stone him.
And Paul said, Follow me as I follow Christ and yet
they wanted to stone Him, and the same with William Branham. So we see Jesus
warning the disciple about not getting their focus wrong.
Now notice the very next thing Jesus tells us here. “43 For a good tree bringeth not forth
corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 44 For every
tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a
bramble bush gather they grapes.”
And we know that in the message "Anointed Ones at
the end Time", William Branham taught us that the fruit is the teaching for the season. Therefore
we must ask the question, “what they are teaching for the season”,
and then we must look at there actions in life to see whether they believe what
they are preaching or not. In other words, the fruit is what they are teaching.
The fruit of their ministry, but their lives will manifest if they truly
believe what they are teaching. If you believe the Judge is here, then you will
conduct your life knowing that the judge of heaven and earth is right here
watching everything you do. And if you do not live like that then you are a
hypocrite and do not believe what you are teaching.
Jesus said, “if you are a good tree, then you can not teach
error. Your teaching will be right smack on target, you will not
bear bad fruit, or bad teaching, and your life will not show bad fruit either. He
that is born of God does not initiate sin, and sin is unbelief, and to sin
means to miss the mark. But the word righteous means to be rightly wise. And
how could you be a righteous man if you are un-right in our thinking.
45 A
good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is
good; (now remember the heart represents the understanding,) and an evil man
out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of
the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
Now in the light of what Jesus is saying
here, he is saying if your understanding is good you will bring forth good
things, and if your understanding is evil then you will bring forth evil
things. If you recall,
Several years ago I preached a series on the garden of
your mind and showed that the mind is like a garden, and in it are planted many
seeds, and the seed that are planted in your mind are those things that become
manifested in your life. Therefore whatsoever you sow, you will surely reap.
And therefore what things you are watering in your mind will become manifest in
your life. Now, this is the end time and people must manifest what seed they
are. And we know that whatsoever doth make manifest is manifested by the light
(Ephesians 5;13).
So then, we must understand that all seeds on earth must come to a
manifestation of what they are, and the nature of the seed that they are will
manifest itself openly once that Light strike the seed.
And so Jesus continues as we read from
verse 46 And why
call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? And how can you say
you believe this message if you are not living it? How can you say
you believe that token if you do not apply it in your life?
Now, we are going to get to the heart of
this parable, as we pick up at verse 47. Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth
them, I will shew you to whom he is like: 48 He is like a man which built an house, and
digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: (now remember that a
rock represents revelation, so this man built his house upon revelation) and when the flood
arose, (And remember the Bible tells us that the devil will come in
like a flood) the
stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was
founded upon a rock. 49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that
without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream
did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was
great. Now, notice that the only difference is that one heard and did what he
heard and the other also heard but did not do what he heard. Thus the
revelation that the one had was to do and the revelation of the other was that
he did not have to do.
Look, what saved Noah and his household? Was
it his believing God that it was going to rain? Or was it his actions which
came as a result of his believing God? In other words, his doing what God had
instructed him to do and that was to build the ark. And we have been commanded
to apply the token, and I just do not understand how people can think that,
that would mean to simply believe it. If I told you to apply the paint you
would find a roller or a paint brush and something to open the can if you are
going to apply it. And brother Branham said we must apply it.
THE TOKEN 63-0901M 34-9 You should love one another.
Believers should separate themselves from the world. Don't just take it now, lightly. And then, you people that's
listening to this on tape, you women, you men, you listen a minute. If you ever
believed me, you believe it now. It's time for--to quit fussing with one
another. Believe the message of the Bible. Believe
Jesus Christ; and love, and honor, and respect one another. Men respect your
wives; you respect your home. Bring your home together, because, you
remember, this Lamb was for the home, not just one. The whole home too had to
be brought; everything had to be brought in. We should love each other, and believers should separate themselves
from the world. 35-3 Notice, they
were not just yet come together to talk about the message. They come together
to apply the blood, to apply the token. That's what you must do. Pastor Neville, and to this congregation,
trustees, deacons, to you brethren, it's time that we laid aside all the
foolishness of the world, time we laid
aside everything else. We've seen enough now, that we're positive, sure,
and the Token must be applied. Without
it, you're going to perish; you must perish. That is the only thing. Oh, don't come together, say, "I believe
it." Get beneath it. Get into
it. How to do it? By one Spirit we're baptized into the Body of Jesus
Christ. Everybody believe with all your heart. See? He was not responsible for any out from beneath it.
We find this same parable in MATTHEW 7:24
Therefore
whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto
a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25 And the rain descended, and
the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not:
for it was founded upon a rock.
Now, if we want to apply the symbols in this parable
we must know what they mean first to understand what this is all about.
Now, he said the rain would descend, and
we know according to Deuteronomy 32: 2 God said his Doctrine would fall as the rain.
So we see here that the rain must come before the
floods. Now, we know that Satan comes in like a flood, but we also know that a
flood represents judgment by the Word, as it was in the days of Noah so shall
it be when the Son of Man is Revealed. As the doctrine begins to pour forth upon
the face of the earth, the judgments that the doctrine brought with it, begins
to take apart every house that is not founded on the rock (or The Revelation.
And since there is only One Faith or One Revelation, we know that Rock is The
Revelation of Jesus Christ).
Now, the Catholic Church teaches that Rock was Peter,
but that is not what Jesus said. He said in Matthew 16: 13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea
Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say
that I the Son of man am? 14 And they said,
Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some,
Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15 He
saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the
Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus
answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon
Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not
revealed it unto thee, but my Father
which is in heaven. 18 And I say also unto thee, upon
this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail
against it. Not upon Peter, but upon This Rock, receiving
Revelation from God to know and understand who the Son of God is.
You see the flood is the waters of separation, and we
know the water of separation is the Word itself. Notice the rains come first
(that is the Doctrine of Christ, because the rain is to bring forth life to the
Seed. And let me add this. It takes the rain to bring the seed into
manifestation. That is why the falling away is from The Faith, The Revelation.)
Then when Word is piled upon Word upon Word, the Doctrinal waters build up to
the place where the waters are to carry us over. But the same waters that
delivered Noah are the same waters that destroyed the rest of mankind. The
flood comes which is the water of separation and with it any house that is not
build upon a rock of the Revelation of Christ will not stand. Therefore, building
your house upon that rock which is Christ will weather any storms that will
come.
So he tells us that the rains
will come, (that's the doctrine), then the
floods will rise which is the waters of separation that will
come as a result of that Word, and then the winds will blow, which speaks of every wind of doctrine, and cunning craftiness whereby they
lie in wait to deceive. And will beat upon that
house, and if it was not founded upon the Rock of the Revelation
of Jesus Christ, then it will not last.
If you just come to church because you know you
should, watch out? The rain is falling, and the next thing will come
is the waters of separation! Then you will find out where your home was built
upon. If you have received the revelation of Jesus Christ, the rain, then comes
the Test. You will be tested to see
whether you have it or not. That's the trial of your faith, which is the trial
of your revelation.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them
not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat
upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. 28 And it came to
pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his
doctrine: 29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the
scribes.
Now the King James Version uses the word
astonished here but the word astonished is not a good translation of the word “ekplesso” that Jesus used here, because it
gives you a wrong idea of what was taking place. The Greek word used here is “ekplesso” and it means “to strike
out”, “to expel by a blow”,
“to drive out or away”; “to cast off by a blow”. In others
words, they didn't want His doctrine.
They wanted to expel him, they wanted for him to go away, for his
doctrine was too hard for them to hear. And they didn't want it. Why? Because
they all liked to talk about the Lord and to talk about the Word but he said
with their mouth they draw near but in actuality their hearts were far from
God.
ISAIAH
29:13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this
people draw near [me] with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but
have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the
precept of men:
And that is what Jesus quoted to them in MATTHEW 15:7
Ye hypocrites,
well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 8 This people draweth nigh unto me
with their mouth, and honoureth me with [their] lips; but their heart is far
from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the
commandments of men.
JEHOVAH
JIREH PT 1 62-0705 23 See, you can't go by emotions. See, your life that you live testifies what you
are. See? No matter what kind of a sensation, you cannot base Christianity on any sensation. It's a life. Jesus said, "By their fruit you shall know them." Not by their profession, not
by what they say. And Jesus also said, "You draw nigh unto Me with your lips, but
your heart is far from Me." That's
their profession. See, your life
tells what. And if a man says that he believes God, and denies one Word of
this Bible, or changes It in any way, why it's got to be wrong.
LUKE
6:47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth
them, I will shew you to whom he is like: 48 He is like a man which built an
house, and digged deep, and laid the
foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently
upon that house, and could not shake it:
for it was founded upon a rock. 49 But he
that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which
the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that
house was great.
Luke 21: 34-36 NIV 34 "Be careful, or
your hearts will be weighed down with (1)
dissipation, (2)drunkenness and (3) the anxieties of life, and that day
will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. 35 For it will come upon all those
who live on the face of the whole earth.36 Be always on the watch, and pray
that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be
able to stand before the Son of
Now, let's stop here for a moment to see just exactly
what this means. He told us to be careful about three things that could weigh and
close in on us like a trap.
1). Dissipation:
which means wasteful expenditure or consumption. Dissolute which means indulgence
in sensual pleasure; intemperance. Diversion or amusement;. So we are warned to
be careful not to become too weighed down by these things which are rampant in
our society today. That's
2). Drunkeness:
which implies a losing of ones ability to rightly reason, or be resolute in
ones minds.
3). Anxieties of Life:
The Scriptures tell us to be anxious for nothing. You see, God is not pushy,
and he does not want us to get pushy about anything. He said we need to lay in
the presence of the Son to ripen. Not run, run, run, but lay in His presence
until we get mellow in our spirit and ripe in our soul.
Now, this scripture tells us that if we
are not focused on Christ when that day comes, we are going to miss Him, and
yet these three things are what the
entire world are focused on and they have missed Him altogether. Look at the
condition of our Congress and the man sitting as President of the
Notice he said, if you are caught up in these things,
that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. 35 For it will come upon
all those who live on the face of the whole earth.36 Be always on the watch,
and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that
you may be able to stand before the Son of Man."
Let us bow our heads and our hearts in prayer.