Something Greater is Here | Pastor Daniel Batarseh | Maranatha Shabiba 2023 Conference | Thursday

Well, welcome. Welcome to Maranatha Conference,

Shabiba, all that you want to call it Year #25.

Yes, Amen. My first time here was in 2014,

and I have to, I have to be honest from the beginning that I

don't remember a more awake, passionate, excited opening

service than this one tonight. Yeah, man, yeah, that's that's

how my person. You might disagree, but that's

what I sensed. So I'm excited, and I also want

to let you know from the beginning that because you chose

to come here and I I pray and trust that you came here for the

Lord primarily, the Lord will reward you, because when we do

seek Him, He does bless us. And so you're you're not wasting

your time. This weekend you didn't

sacrifice much, I'm sure. Maybe in the natural feels that

way. But the Lord will reward us for

seeking him in this way. And so I'm eager to see how He

will bless us as we seek his face.

You might have noticed these tshirts, the tshirt that I'm

wearing, tshirt that the priest he was wearing, some other

people sprinkled around. You might have noticed what is

said on the back. And if you don't know what's

said on the back, I won't turn around.

But I'll tell you, something greater is here, something

greater is here. Now that's not a phrase that we

came up with. That is a statement that Jesus

Christ himself made. And I want to show you in the

Bible very quickly where Jesus said it and how many times he

said it in the same context for you to see what he was trying to

declare about himself. So turn with me briefly to

Matthew chapter 12. And I want you to see here

Matthew 12 · chapter mention

beginning in verse 6, Matthew 12, Jesus was going through

grain fields on the Sabbath with his disciples.

They were hungry. They began to pluck heads of

grain and they ate. And the Pharisees were there to

spy on Jesus. Try to find something wrong with

Jesus and his followers. And they thought they got him

somewhere in these fields. And Jesus corrects their

understanding of the Sabbath, and he proclaims his authority

in this way. Verse six, he says to them, I

tell you, something greater than the temple is here, something

greater than the temple is here. That's Jesus's first statement.

But then you continue and you see in the same context as he

engages with the religious leaders.

In verse 41 of the same chapter, he says the men of Nineveh will

rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it.

For they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold,

something greater than Jonah is here number two.

And immediately right after, in verse 42, Jesus gives his third

and final reference concerning himself and his superiority.

Where he says, the Queen of the South will rise up at the

judgment with this generation and condemn it.

For she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of

Solomon. And behold, something greater

than Solomon is here, Something greater than the Temple is here,

Something greater than Jonah is here, something greater than

Solomon is here. Now, out of all the things that

Christ could have referred himself to, out of all the

things that Christ could have referenced, why these three

identities? Why these three realms, so to

speak? Well, for one, the Jew would

have understood very well what Jesus was trying to communicate

by contrasting himself more than contrasting, towering over these

things that were highly prized and treasured by the people of

Israel. More specifically, what Christ

is trying to say is that he is the fulfillment of the three

great offices that were in operation during the Old

Covenant. And so by saying that he was

greater than the temple, he's actually declaring that his

priesthood is more significant and more effective that his

offering as a High priest pleases.

God satisfies his justice, satisfies his demands, and makes

a one time offering that never has to be repeated and seals

your salvation forever. Something greater than the

temple is here a greater priest, and that priest is also the

sacrifice. Something greater than Jonah is

here. Here's Christ expressing that he

occupies the office of the prophet.

And not only was he sent by the Father to proclaim the word of

God, he is the perfect expression and the fullest

revelation of God. He is the radiance of the glory

of God, and he's the exact imprint of his nature.

Something greater than Jonah is here.

Yes, we understand the immediate context is because he's going to

perform a miracle that was foretold by Jonah.

But more than that, the office itself.

I'm the prophet of prophets. I am the.

Word of God. And lastly, he says something

greater than Solomon is here. Now we're talking about what?

What do you think it is his role as what?

King. King.

And so he is declaring that he is king.

Not just king, but king of kings, governing not just one

nation, one people, but governing the world, the

universe who knows how to display and demonstrate perfect

righteousness and execute true justice.

And he also knowing how to rule and oversee the hearts of men

perfectly, perfectly, as he is the king of the Kingdom now and

will usher in that Kingdom here on earth, forever and ever and

ever. And so you have Jesus saying, I

am greater than the temple because I am a greater priest,

and I have a greater sacrifice. I'm I'm greater than Jonah

because I am the fullest expression.

Of the word of God, the nature of God, the character of God.

And I am the king of kings, the long-awaited son of.

David, who will occupy the throne for eternity?

Now, that's more than just a clever, crafty way of

interpreting Jesus's words. Why is it significant for us to

understand Jesus declaring himself to be superior in these

areas? Because how you view Christ will

determine how you honor Christ. You see, Jesus said these things

to his immediate audience because they refused to

acknowledge his authority. They reserved their repentance

and they would not give him the awe that he deserved as king.

None of a repented when a man much more inferior to Jesus gave

a very brief sermon. And here's Christ who was giving

the words of spirit and life, and these men hardened their

hearts even more. Solomon, as fabulous as he was,

was flawed in many ways. And here is the king who

beautifies wisdom, who perfects it, who has not one thing wrong

with him, and they wouldn't bow the knee.

Here's the one who did not sin, and they try to find sin in him,

and he declares that he is greater than the temple and they

would not acknowledge his position.

How you view Jesus Christ is the most important thing about your

life. It's the most important thing.

Not your job, not your hairstyle, not what you do in

your retirement, what you study. The most important thing about

your brief mist of life is how you perceive the.

Person of Jesus Christ, Jesus says unless you believe that I

am He, you will die in your sins if you have a wrong view of

Christ that will determine your eternal destination.

This is not a matter of opinion. This is not a subjective

sparring that we can do. No, it's a matter of eternal

life. How you view Christ will

ultimately determine where you spend eternity.

And if you if you are a person who says, I see him as the high

priest, I see him as the Word of God Incarnate, I see him as the

King of Kings. How you view Christ will also

determine the depth of your sanctification doesn't just stop

at you expressing your belief in him.

It's ultimately you, something that you continue to discover

about him, how great he is more and more and more do you see and

perceive it. And that has an impact and how

you're conformed to the very same image of his greatness, of

his moral greatness especially. And so how you view Christ and

the goal here today is we would need so many meetings to touch

on each of those components of his nature and of his work.

And so we're going to stick with Solomon for this weekend.

Why Solomon personally? Because in reading about Solomon

and 1st Kings a few months back, I saw the great detail that the

Holy Spirit gave concerning him as king and his accomplishments

and what he was able to do and his abilities.

And what was ringing in my mind as I was scaling through First

1 Kings 2 · chapter mention

Kings chapter 2-3 all the way up to 10 and 11 all through that,

as as you were just you're just reading this blueprint of this

man's amazing capacity. Jesus is greater.

Jesus is greater. Jesus said I'm greater than even

him. So I thought to endeavor to say,

Okay, Lord, I know you're greater.

That's my theology, right? It's wrong to say that Jesus is

not greater. But show me how you're greater.

Let me see it. Let me behold it.

And I hope that you would behold it with me and that you would

see it for yourself. Here's where I'll end in this

brief introduction. When we get, when we get

together, when this is organized year after year, our desire is

many things. One that people who don't know

Christ would come to know Christ.

That happens, I believe, every year it's happened.

Or at least one person has given their life to Christ, which is

amazing, right? To organize all that for that

goal is, is, is something that God would approve of.

Obviously for Saints to be encouraged to be built up, to

meet one another, to be refreshed in a very dark and

deprived world, absolutely. But there is a specific goal in

this, in this conference, at least in my prayers, and that is

this, that every single person here.

Would leave with a ferocious desire to master.

The word of God, if there's anything that we're hoping for

and praying for, is that you would leave here with this new

ambition to devour the Bible for yourself.

To not be content with looking at just some things, but to.

But to ask God to open your eyes to see all that he wants to show

you in his written word. And one way of being able to

hopefully stimulate that is to see how one verse can take up a

conference is to see how one statement that Jesus makes

Behold, something greater than than Solomon is here, would

cause you to say this word is inexhaustible.

Where does this well end? And I'll give you a hint it

doesn't. And that you would for the rest

of your days draw from this well, as we take Matthew 1242

and try to ring out as much as we can from it, which we won't

for you to say, if that's what can happen with one verse.

Lord, I want to know all that you have to say to me, and I

want to show you what's at cost. Just one example.

What's at cost if you and I as believers do not value?

The word of God. Do not seek to know all that God

has said. At least familiarize yourself

with it. Let me give you an example.

Turn with me to Luke 24, Luke 24 and go to verse 13 says here in

Luke 2413 that very day. Two of them.

We're going to a village named Emmaus, about 7 miles from

Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all these

things that had happened. While they were talking and

discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with

them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him.

And he said to them, what is this conversation that you were

holding with each other as you walk?

And they stood still, looking sad.

And one of them, named Cleopas, answered him.

Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the

things that have happened there in these days?

And he said them want things. And they set them concerning

Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet, mighty indeed, and

word before God and all the people, and how our chief

priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death and

crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the

one to redeem Israel. Yes.

And besides all this, it is now the third day since these things

happened. We have two sad disciples

walking towards Emmaus. Jesus camouflages himself.

Does it make himself known? How true is it that as you're

walking, Christ doesn't necessarily show himself all the

time He camouflages himself and he.

He wants to hear. He already knew their

conversation, but he wanted them to open up and see what was the

reason for their sadness. And they do they they open up

and they say are you? Did you just walk in here?

Did you not hear the news is everybody knows what just

happened. This mighty prophet that we were

hoping was a fulfillment of the prophets.

He disappointed us. They killed them and our hopes

are dashed. Now here's Jesus inquiring the

source of their sorrow. Now, what would what would you

do if if you were a pastor? You probably put your arm around

these these disciples, say it's okay, and try to comfort them

and try to give some kind of assistance to their heavy

hearts. Here's what Jesus does verse 25.

And he said to them, Oh, foolish ones.

That seems kind of insensitive, doesn't it?

Oh, foolish ones. I have a feeling that you're not

going to get that inseminary for your counseling course, but this

is Jesus. His ways are perfect, he said to

them. Oh, foolish ones, Let me say it

one more time. Rebuke is necessary sometimes in

the Christian walk, oh foolish ones, and slow of heart, to

believe all that the prophets have spoken.

Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these

things and enter into his glory? What is Christ getting at here?

He's diagnosing the real source of their problems.

The source of the problems is not that they believed the right

things and what they believed did not come to pass.

It was that they did not believe everything.

They were ignorant of all that the prophets had spoken.

Either they were willfully and selectively interpreting the

word of God, or they were negligent, and that is their

responsibility. Nonetheless, look what Jesus

says carefully, oh foolish ones, slow of heart, to believe all

all that the prophets have spoken.

You believed some you're familiar with a fraction.

Your heart was drawn to the political Messiah, the Redeemer

of the oppression from foreign nations, the prosperity that was

once known under Solomon's reign.

Perhaps this is what you were drawing, and that was a that was

a common problem for all the Jews.

Some people are sympathetic towards the Pharisees because

they thought, well, maybe maybe the word of God was a little bit

complicated, and that's why they didn't understand all that Jesus

said. That's not true.

And that's that's that's what we see here with Christ.

He blames them. The scriptures were clear.

You just chose to turn your eyes away from all that God had to

say. About myself and I think the

problem for the Jews is the problem of many Christians

today. Let me put it this way.

There is much confusion, frustration, depression, dare I

say, and all these spiritual maladies based on one main

thing, a bad spiritual diet with.

The word of God. What's the reason why they were

sad? Jesus made it clear you didn't

take in all that God said. Just some, not all.

And we look across the lens and we see perhaps very weak

Christians. We see people who are

frustrated, people who are roller coaster with their

devotion. And I would say that the main

cause is the very same reason what Jesus brings up here.

A lack of willingness to embrace all that God has to say, a lack

of willingness to investigate all that God has to say.

And because of that, there is weakness where there doesn't

need to be weakness. And there was sadness where

there doesn't need to be sadness, and there's brokenness

where there doesn't need to be brokenness, and there's fear

where there doesn't need to be fear.

The word of God is the answer. Say prove it.

Look what Jesus does. How does he solve this?

How does he treat this wound? Verse 27 This is what Pastor

Jesus does. And beginning with Moses and all

the prophets, he interpreted to them and all the scriptures the

things concerning himself. How does the Lord treat their

sadness? He opens the scriptures to them

because he knew that the reason why they were sad is because

they didn't open up all the scriptures for themselves.

And so let us save ourselves from unnecessary pain and seek

to know all that God has to say. That's my prayer.

That's my desire. And I hope that's your desire

for yourself as well, that you would leave this place excited

to know that God speaks through this and that something happens.

The more you discover, the more you inherit, the more that you

glean something happens to you. Let me prove it to you.

This is my last verse. And James, this is one of my

favorite verses concerning the power.

Of the word of God. I quoted often, so forgive me if

you're hearing it again in such a short span of time.

Look at these words from James and James, Chapter One.

And this was where we will sign off for this introduction.

James one and look here with me in verse verse 21.

James 121 therefore put away all filthiness and rampant

wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word

which is able to save your souls.

What is significant charge? Receive the implanted world.

If it's implanted, it's already received, isn't it?

What are you asking me to do, James?

Continue to receive that which you received initially in

salvation. Continue to open up your heart

to indulge and accept and explore what the word of God has

to say, and notice what he says which is able to save your

souls. He's talking to Christians.

What do you mean, save your souls?

You're already saved. Yeah, but there's another saving

that needs to take place. A continual saving, a perpetual

delivering in your life. You know it, right?

You know that when you get saved, you're not instantly made

perfect. Join a local church and you'll

figure that out within a few months.

Nobody is. And yet there is a promise.

There is a guarantee that to the degree that you expose yourself

and receive the word of God, you will know as saving in your own

soul. From trauma, from

disappointment, from sin, from wrong world views, from

temptation, from bondage, from strongholds.

It's the word of God that saves and cleanses and washes and

uproots all the things that perhaps you've had from the

earliest memories of your life. That's the word, and that's what

it can do. So here's one thing that we can

guarantee. Here's one thing that you can

guarantee every single time you go to the word of God for

yourself that you sit under the preach word.

And This is why this weekend is excited.

Because we have a condensed time where you're just going to

receive the word of God as those coming from a fire hydrant.

People are going to be saved. If it's received with meekness,

we will know it's saving. I'm not talking about salvation,

I'm talking about a renewing of the mind.

I'm talking about a redirecting in your affections.

I'm talking about an empowerment that will make you leave this

place stronger than you came in. That's what the Word of God can

do. And we're going to see it

through Jesus saying something greater than Solomon is here.

What does that mean, Lord? We're going to figure it out

together. Let's pray, Father, we give you

glory even from the opening night.

Thank you for the joy in this place.

Thank you for the openness in the hearts of every soul in this

House. Thank you, Lord, for people who

decided to take up this weekend. Though it might be a difficult

weekend in the year to dedicate few days to be with God's people

and to seek the God of these people.

We asked, Lord, that we would know the very saving that you

promised in James that we would know a new ambition to have a

complete grasp, a growing grasp with the word of God, so that we

would be rescued from unnecessary sorrows.

And, Lord, we asked from the beginning that by the power of

your Holy Spirit you would open our eyes to behold how Christ,

your Son, is greater than that great man's Solomon.

It may cause us to give him the worship and the honor and the

praise that the King of Kings rightly deserves.

Lord, bless our hearts, our minds, protect us from head to

toe. Let everything about this

weekend, from the messages to the singing, to the activities

to the eating. May it all be led by your

spirit. May we sense your presence

wherever we go, for we are here for you above all else.

In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Amen. Amen.