The Spiritual Purpose of Leaven

Well, thank you, Mr. Graham, for a very beautiful offeratory, and thank you for the ensemble. We actually had an opportunity in Cleveland to hear that a week or so ago. It was beautiful then and with the additional voices, it's even richer and more beautiful today. Thank you for providing that worshipful and wonderful music on this holy day.

Well, welcome to the seventh day of unleavened bread. This morning I would like to debunk a myth that many people have about God's creation, God's church, even God's kingdom, and it refers to leaven. Today I hope to be a spiritual myth buster and present the purpose of leaven in a way that maybe you haven't quite seen it before, in a way that maybe hasn't been presented to you before. We know, of course, as we've been celebrating the feast, that leaven represents sin. Sin in our lives, it represents sin in the world. And we're going to take a look at leaven today. Spiritual leaven is purpose, and we are going to find it in surprising places. So let's begin by going to the book of the beginnings, Genesis Chapter 1 and verse 26. Genesis Chapter 1 and verse 26, if you will kindly turn there with me. Scripture that most of us are very familiar with, and then God said, that we are going to be very familiar with the Christian world. Let us, the one who would later become Jesus Christ, speaking to God the Father, let us make man in our image according to our likeness, let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, over the cattle, over all earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. So God created man in his own image, the image of God, he created him. Male and female, he created them. And let God bless them, let God bless him, meet them, andbad looking up like a hunters, mercury processors and hay boats. Also, to the beast of the earth, every bird of the air, to everything that creeps on earth, for which there is life, I have given every green herb for food, and it was so. Let's take a look now and focus on verse 31. Then God saw everything that he had made, the first six days of his creation, and indeed it was very good. The evening and the morning were the sixth day. It's very good. It's just what God wanted. So God created the world in six days, and he states, again, it is very good. Now, chapter 2, verse 4. Let's drop there. This is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created. In the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens before any plant of the field was in the earth, and before any herb of the field had grown, for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to till the ground, but a mist went up from earth and watered the whole face of the ground. And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being. Verse 8, and the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, eastward in Eden, and there he put the man whom he had formed. So who created the garden? God created the garden. The Cambridge Study Bible says this about the meaning of the word Eden. It says Eden in Hebrew means luxury or pleasure. Variants of Eden's story appear in the prophets. In Ezekiel 28, verse 11, Eden is a garden or mountain-dwelling place of God. In other prophets like Isaiah 51 and Ezekiel 36 and Joel 2, it's the symbol of renewal of the land for God's people. So God's creation is very good. God plants a beautiful garden. It's called pleasure or luxury. It sounds idyllic. It sounds perfect. It sounds like a world in harmony. The problem is, it isn't. Chapter 3, verse 1.

Then the serpent said to the woman, this is a lie, of course, you will not surely die. For God knows that in the day that you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God knowing good and evil. He said you're not going to die if you eat that. Why? You'll have feelings and discover things about yourself that you never even knew were inside of you. Ideas and thoughts and feelings will occur that you didn't even know that you had.

Verse 6, so when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that was pleasant to the eyes and the tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave it to her husband with her and he ate. So what do we see here? We see there is sin, there is spiritual leaven even in the Garden of Eden.

God allowed there to be leaven in His Garden and among His creation. And why? Because God wanted to test the faith and the character of Adam and Eve. How did the serpent get there? How did the serpent arrive? Who let this serpent into the Garden? So what we're seeing here and what we're going to see as a pattern, as a theme today, is even in this first beautiful environment that humankind existed in, leaven also was there because it's part of God's plan.

And leaven has always been part of God's plan. It is part of God's plan today and it will be part of His plan tomorrow. The question is, are we taking and getting the leaven out of our hearts and minds? When we are tested, when our faith is challenged and we are tested, when we see leaven in the lives of those whom we love, how are we reacting to that fact? Exodus 12 and verse 31. Let's take another look at an example of when leaven was obviously evident in the Exodus. Exodus 12 and verse 31.

And we've certainly read these scriptures a number of times the last couple of weeks. Exodus 12 and verse 31 it says, And he called for Moses, speaking of Pharaoh, and Aaron by night, and said, Go, rise, go out from among my people, both you and the children of Israel, go! Serve the Lord as you have said. Also take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone! And bless me also! And the Egyptians urged the people that they might send them out of the land and haze, for they said, We shall all be dead.

So the people took their dough before it was leavened, having their kneading bowls bound up in their clothes and on our shoulders. Now the children of Israel had done according to the word of Moses, and they had asked from the Egyptians, Articles of silver, articles of gold and clothing, and the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, So that they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians. And the children of Israel journeyed from Ramesses to Sukhoth about six hundred thousand men on foot besides children.

So the total could have been well over two million Israelites, including women and children. And here's what we want to focus on in verse 38. It says, A mixed multitude went up with them also, and flocks and herds, and a great deal of livestock. And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they had brought out of Egypt, for it was not leavened because they were driven out of Egypt and could not wait.

For they had prepared provisions for themselves. I want you to notice the word, the mixed multitude. According to the Believer's Study Bible, a mixed multitude included some who were not Israelites, other Semitic peoples, even some Egyptians who left with them. Continuing, the Believer's Study Bible says, No doubt the plagues convinced these outsiders to join the followers of Yahweh. However, having no common heritage, this crowd of different nationalities later became a snare to Israel.

A mixed multitude. Why did God allow a mixed multitude to go out of Egypt, with the Israelites? Why didn't He tell Moses? Why didn't He warn Moses not to allow a mixed multitude to come out of Egypt with them? Because their presence was part of God's plan. Let's see the results of this. Numbers 11 and verse 1, and we'll see how, like leaven, they influenced the people of Israel.

Numbers 11 and verse 1, if you'll turn there with me. Numbers 11 and verse 1. Now when the people complained, it displeased the Lord, for the Lord heard it, and his anger was aroused, so the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp. Then the people cried out to Moses, and when Moses prayed to the Lord, the fire was quenched. So he called the name of the place, Tabarab, because the fire of the Lord had burned among them. So things finally quiet down a little bit. The fire burned some of them, things calmed down. But what happens? Now the mixed multitude, who were among them, yielded to intense craving.

So the children of Israel also wept again, just when things had quieted down a little bit. The leaven that was among the ancient Israelites started the cycle all over again. And they said, who will give us meat? We remember the fish, which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic.

But now our whole being has dried up. There is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes. A little bit of hyperbole. First of all, most of the Israelites were slaves in Egypt. It wasn't a good time. You don't work 16 hours a day and be beaten constantly and treated like a dog.

And then think what a wonderful life I have. I have such happy memories of Egypt. But unfortunately, the mixed multitude, those who were leavened, influenced the entire congregation. Other translations call this mixed multitude rabble. Some translations call them troublemakers. You see, there is leaven in the children of Israel. The mixed multitude are the cheerleaders of disorder. Why? Because God wanted to test the faith and the character of the Israelites. Even in the environment of the Exodus, leaven existed because it was part of God's plan. It has always been part of God's plan. It is part of God's plan today and will be part of His plan tomorrow. Now, let's go to the New Testament and examine the very ministry of none other than Jesus Christ Himself. We'll begin in Matthew 10, beginning in verse 1. Matthew 10, verse 1.

Matthew 10, beginning in verse 1. And when He had called His twelve disciples, who was doing the calling? Jesus Christ. Whose disciples are these? Jesus Christ. He gave them power over unclean spirits to cast them out and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. Now, the names of the twelve apostles are these. First, Simon, who was called Peter, then Andrew, his brother, James, the son of Zebedee, and John, his brother, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, and Matthew, the tax collector, James, the son of Alphaeus, and Lubeus, whose surname was Thaddeus, Simon the Canaanite, and Judas, a scariot, who betrayed Him. What? Verse 5. These twelve, these twelve, not eleven, these twelve, Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying, Do not go into the way of the Gentiles and do not enter the city of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

I want you to notice who chose Judas the scariot to be his disciple. Judas was given the same power and the same command as the other eleven disciples.

So why do you think this is so? You know, Jesus Christ could read people's hearts. He could look into their eyes, and in a moment, He could see their life history. He could read their minds. In John 4, after a very short discussion with a Samaritan woman, she mentioned to him that she didn't have a husband, and he said, You've had five husbands, and the guy that you're living with now, you're not even married to. And she said to him in a stunned way, I perceive that you may be a prophet. So Jesus Christ could see right through Judas's heart, right through his motives, right through his intentions. Yet he chose Judas to be his disciple. Let's now go to John 12 and continue to look at the example of Judas. John 12, beginning in verse 1, an event that occurred six days before the Passover. John 12, beginning in verse 1, now six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany where Lazarus, who had been dead, whom he had raised from the dead, he was there, and they made him a supper, and Martha served. But Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with him, and Mary took a pound of very costly oil of Spike Nard, anointing the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair, and the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. Then one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, this is John recalling this and writing this down, who would betray him, said, Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii, which by the way was a year's wages for a rural worker, one year's wages, it was worth a lot of money? He said, Why was this not sold and given to the poor?

John says here in verse 6, This he said not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief and had the money box, and he used to take what was put in the money box.

You see, brethren, there is leaven in the ministry of Jesus Christ. If John knew Judas was a thief, who else among the disciples knew that Judas was a thief?

Why didn't Jesus do something about it? The answer is that the same God who allowed leaven, the leaven of sin in the Garden of Eden, and the same God who allowed a mixed multitude to come out of Egypt with the Israelites, allowed leaven to be in his very earthly ministry.

Why? Because God wanted to test the faith and the character of the other disciples.

Even in the very ministry of the Son of God, the leaven of sin existed because it was part of God's plan.

It has always been part of God's plan. It's part of God's plan today, and it will be part of God's plan tomorrow.

A number of years ago, the church had an unscrupulous accountant who tried to take over the church.

I had an opportunity to know the man. I did work at his home. I was in construction. I did work at his home. And he was a very personable man, and personally, he always treated me extremely well. As a matter of fact, he offered me a job before I left the college environment, which I turned down.

But many lost their faith when this occurred, wondering to themselves how this could happen within a church that God was working with that an accountant would be unscrupulous. It could happen because Jesus Christ also had an unscrupulous accountant.

Whenever you find Satan present on earth and human beings, you find leaven.

And God has used that as a tool to test our faith and test our character.

Always has, always will.

Here's an equation. Satan plus humanity equals leaven, equals sin.

Let's go to Matthew 13, verse 24. Matthew 13, verse 24. And we'll see what Jesus taught in a parable and see again if it's part of God's plan.

Matthew 13, verse 24.

This is another parable he put forth to them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.

But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. So weed, seed were also sown among the wheat.

Verse 26. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to them, Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares? And he said, An enemy has done this. The servants said to him, Do you want us then to go and gather them up? But he said, No, lest while you gather up the tares, you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. And at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.

So what's Jesus saying in this parable? In this parable, the good seed are those whom the Father has called.

The field is the world. The tares include some people that Satan has motivated to want to come into the church and influence it. They're attracted to the church. They're attracted to the teachings of the church.

The tares are spiritual leaven and they're mixed among the growing wheat.

And you have to oftentimes look at them closely to differentiate one from the other. Often, the longer they grow beside the wheat, the more obvious it becomes that they are tares.

How long would the tares remain? The tares among the wheat would be allowed to remain until the judgment. The angels are the reapers in this parable.

What does this parable mean?

Well, for the same reason that leaven was in his garden, the same reason that leaven was among the Israelites as the mixed multitude, and the same reason that the leaven of Judas Iscariot was in his ministry, is also the reason that leaven, spiritual leaven throughout history, has been in God's church.

And why? Because God wants to test the faith and the character of his believers, those whom he is called.

Leaven exists in the church because it is part of God's plan.

It has always been part of God's plan.

It is part of God's plan today and will be part of God's plan tomorrow.

Well, let's continue to look at the history of the New Testament church. Maybe things got a little better after the day of Pentecost in 31 A.D. when the unconverted disciples received the power of the Holy Spirit.

Was there perhaps tears or leaven in the New Testament church?

Let's see just one example in Acts 4. You'll turn there with me. Acts 4.

Luke was inspired to write, And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, And great grace was upon them all, Nor was there any one among them who lacked, For all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, And brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, And laid them at the apostles' feet, And they distributed to each one, or each as every one had need. And Joseph, who was also named Barnabas by the apostles, Which is translated Son of Encouragement, A Levite of the country of Cyprus, Having land sold it, And brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet.

Now, in context, this isn't something that we would do today. This was basically confined, the church was basically confined to Jerusalem, And they mistakenly believed that Jesus Christ would come any day now, perhaps even today. So they just pooled their resources together, They did very little to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, To fulfill the commission they were given, And they just wanted to wait it out, And some sold land or possessions, So that they could help one another by pooling their resources.

But there was leaven, there were terrors. Chapter 5, verse 1, But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira, his wife, sold a possession, And he kept back part of the proceeds, His wife also being aware of it, And brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said to Ananias, Why has Satan, why has Satan, filled your heart to the lie, to the Holy Spirit, And keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God. And of course, the Holy Spirit is God's gift. So when you abuse the gift of the Holy Spirit, you also abuse and you lie to God. Now, it was his land, and the problem was that he sold it, And he came to the apostles and said, These are the full proceeds of the land that I sold. There's leaven in the early New Testament church, Even while the original apostles lived, And Aeneas was a tear. He was politicking to be preeminent, Or perhaps even to obtain an office in the church. He lied. He had every right to sell the land, And to come to the apostles and say, I'm giving you 50% of the value of that land. That would have been appreciated, and he would have been thanked. It was his land. And even after he sold it, he could do with whatever he wanted to, With the proceeds of that land. But he purposely lied to imply That he was giving the full value of the land when he wasn't. Why? Because God wanted to test the faith And the character of the other believers. Even in the very church of God, leaven existed because It was part of God's plan. Verse 5, Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things, And the young men arose and wrapped him up, And carried him out, and buried him. Now it was about three hours later, when his wife came in, Not knowing what had happened. And Peter said to her, Tell me whether you sold the land for so much. She said yes for so much. And Peter said to her, How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord, Look the feet of those who have buried your husband or at the door, And they will carry you out? Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. Now this was a one-time event that was intended to be a warning For all generations of God's church Of what will spiritually happen to those who lie and manipulate in the church. This was this one-time powerful event that caused great fear among the church, Was intended to be a warning for all time. So do things get better? Maybe over a period of time, everyone matured.

Maybe they came much closer to perfection. Let's find out in Galatians chapter 2 and verse 1. Galatians chapter 2 and verse 1. Now this is understood by most who have occurred about 50 AD. So you're talking about almost 20 years after the death of Jesus Christ. The gospel now has gone out among the world to the Gentiles. Some believe this is just before the ministerial conference of 49 AD. Some believe it is right after. But it's approximately that period of time in the context of what Paul is writing. He says, then, after 14 years, I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, And also took Titus with me. And I went up by revelation and communicated to them The gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, But privately to those who were of reputation, Lest by any means I might run or had run in vain.

So Paul said, I met privately with the apostles to make sure that we're all on the same page. That we're all in agreement about the salvation of the Gentiles and what it takes to be saved. He says in verse 3, And yet not even Titus also with me, being a Greek, meaning being a Gentile, Was compelled to be circumcised.

And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in tares. You see, spiritual leaven, who secretly brought them in? Well, the great enemy, the serpent himself, brought them in. He says, continuing, who came in by stealth, To spy out our liberty, which we have in Christ Jesus, That they might bring us into bondage, to whom we did not yield submission, even for an hour, That the truth of the gospel might continue with you. So let me ask the question again. Who do you think these false brethren were?

They're like a New Testament version of the mixed multitude, aren't they? They were tares in the church. They attended services. They acted like everyone else in most cases, but they had their own personal agenda. And in their case, their own distorted personal agenda was that you must be circumcised to be saved.

What were they doing in the church of God? Why didn't God do something about these people? It's because God wanted to test the faith and character of the other believers. Even in the very church of God, leaven existed because it was part of God's plan.

It has always been part of God's plan. It is God's plan today. And it is part of God's plan tomorrow. Verse 11, now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face because he was to be blamed for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles, but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of this circumcision.

And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. So what happens here? Before some of the more conservative Jews came from Jerusalem, Peter's in Antioch. He had no problem eating and laughing and spending time and rubbing elbows with the Gentiles. But suddenly, as soon as some of his peers show up, he's afraid he might be criticized. And he withdrew from the very people that he was fellowshiping with and so kind to before.

And Paul noticed that. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines hypocrisy this way. Hypocrisy, quote, is the state of pretending to have values, moral or religious beliefs or principles that one does not actually have. The second definition is a feigning to be what one is not. The false assumption of an appearance of virtue or religion. Brother, hypocrisy is a sin because it's bearing false witness. Peter and others were demonstrating examples of bigotry that could have caused a major schism in the church.

That would not have been a good thing. Again, this event occurred about 50 A.D. And I'm certainly not attempting to say anything harsh or critical towards Peter. Peter was a faithful disciple and he was a follower of Jesus Christ, but his heart still had leaven.

Just like our hearts still have leaven. He had been converted almost 20 years, but he was still dealing with getting leaven out of his life and out of his heart. That's something he needed to work on. So again, here we see that approximately 20 years after the death of Christ, there is leaven even among the leadership of the church of God.

This includes people like Peter, Barnabas, and perhaps even James himself. So let's go forward a few more years near the end of Paul's life in 2 Timothy 4 and verse 8. Let's take a look at 2 Timothy 4 and verse 8.

Near the end of his life, Paul says, There is later for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge will give me on that day. And not to me only, but to all who have loved his appearing be diligent to come to me quickly. And he says in verse 10, Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed for Thessalonica. Christians for Galatia, Titus for Dematia, and Luke, only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry. And Tychicus I sent to Ephesus. Verse 13, Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come, and the books especially the parchments. Verse 14, Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works. You also beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words. At my first offense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. It may not be charged against them, but the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that the Gentiles might hear, and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. So you can just sense in the way he writes that Paul feels sad. He feels like he's been forsaken by some of his closest friends. There was not even anyone to support him in the preliminary hearing in which his trial opened.

But what's really painful to Paul is that there was spiritual leaven in the New Testament church, and it included a number of his former associates, some whom he loved, whom he trusted, whom he spent hours with. Demas had left the faith and gone back into the world. Alexander heard him, perhaps by slandering him or even testifying against him at the hearing. Even in the very church of God, leaven existed because it was part of God's plan. It always has been, and it will continue to be. Now let's take a look at an example of John and see if his experience was any different.

Third John, Chapter 1 and Verse 5. Third John, Chapter 1 and Verse 5. So now we go forward in church history, perhaps to 70, 80 A.D., or even later. Third John, Chapter 1 and Verse 5. And here's what John writes. Are there chairs in the church? Is there spiritual leaven in the church of God in John's day that he saw, that he witnessed, that maybe even challenged his faith, that saddened his heart? He said, Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, who have borne witness of your love before the church.

If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well because they went forth in his name's sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles. They went to serve. They went on a journey to give, to give, to give, not to take.

Verse 8. We therefore ought to receive such that we may become fellow workers for the truth. Verse 9. He says, I wrote to the church, but diatrophies who loves to have preeminence among them does not receive us.

Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating, old English word meaning gossiping, slandering, prating against us with malicious words and not content with that. He himself does not receive the brethren and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church. So even in the ministry in John's day, are there terrors? Is there spiritual leaven in the church of God? Sure there is, because it's part of God's plan. Verse 9 from the translation God's word for today, I wrote a letter to the congregation, but diatrophies who loves to be in charge won't accept us.

Have you by rare chance ever known of a minister who loves to be in charge in your lifetime in the church of God? So John here also speaks of leaven, spiritual leaven in the New Testament church. So should we be surprised when we discover leaven in the church today? Disappointed yes, saddened yes. Should we be surprised? No, because it's part of God's plan. Spiritual leaven and terrors have always been part of God's plan to test the faith and the character of those whom he has called.

Well, maybe it'll be better after the kingdom of God is established. Maybe it will be more righteous. Maybe there won't be any spiritual leaven. Revelation 20, verse 2. Let's take a look at Revelation 20, verse 2. And see a time that we're all looking forward to when Satan is bound and shut up for a thousand years. John wrote, chapter 11, verse 2, He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, the very one who was in the garden of Eden, the very one that God let into the garden of Eden, the very one that God allowed into the garden of Eden, who was the devil in Satan and bound him for a thousand years and cast him into the bottomless pit and shut him up and set a seal on him so that he should save the nations no more till the thousand years were finished.

But after these things he must be released for a little while. So again, that very serpent that is in the garden of Eden is removed from influencing humankind, and during one thousand years his presence is gone. And I am sure that the first few generations of those thousand years will be very rocky, because even though Satan will be gone, human dysfunctions that we pass on in our families from generation to generation will take a few generations of retraining, of getting the leaven out of our habits, out of our family cultures, and out of our lives.

That's what the physical people who are alive at that time will have to do and those who live over into the thousand years. Even those first generations who live after the return of Jesus will struggle with their own humanity and their family-perpetuated sins.

And there's going to be dramatic improvement in the lives of those who were born and nurtured in the kingdom of God. But, powerful three-letter word, isn't it? But, verse 7, Now, when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is of the sand of the sea.

What is this for people? It's part of God's plan. Who lets the serpent out of his abyss? God lets the serpent out of his abyss. How else could you find the faith and the character of the people who live at the end of the thousand years, then deceive how they will react when spiritual leaven is once again introduced into their culture?

Verse 9, And they went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints, and the beloved city and fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. The devil who deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone with a beast, and the false prophets are, some translations have were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. So Satan will be cast into outer darkness and will not be able to influence people after this event.

But I want you to notice that as soon as Satan's presence reappears, spiritual leaven once again enters the hearts of humankind. Even in the kingdom of God, leaven exists and it has to be dealt with and removed. This, too, is part of God's revealed plan. Remember that equation. Satan plus humanity equals leaven. So looking at the Scriptures today as we conclude this sermon, what lessons can we learn on this day of unleavened bread in 2013 from some of the Scriptures that we read today?

Well, here's the first lesson we can learn. Leaven is present wherever Satan is present. And his influence results in sin and human suffering. From the Garden of Eden, through history, including the end of the 1,000 years in the kingdom of God, wherever you find Satan, you will find spiritual leaven. You will find sin in humankind. The second lesson is an omnipotent God is fully aware of Satan's presence. And he uses the enemy's influence to test the faith and the character of those who are being affected by it.

God has allowed leaven to exist because it's been part of his plan. It has always been part of his plan. It's going to be part of his plan today, and it's part of his plan tomorrow. Don't allow your faith to be shaken by seeing the weaknesses or sin in other ministers or other members or even in organizations. There's a purpose behind God allowing this to happen. It's a test. And when we see these things in other people, sadness? Yes. Discouragement sometimes, when we see those who we loved and respected doing things that are contrary to God's law, contrary to what they really know they should do.

Frustration? Yes. But we should never allow that to become a faith buster because it's all part of God's plan. The third point is only Jesus Christ was perfect. Only Jesus Christ was perfect. Levin existed in the ministry of Jesus Christ and in the New Testament Church of God, and Levin is in God's church today.

There is spiritual Levin. That's why we need to be reminded every year to work more and more on getting the Levin out. There are tears today in the Church of God, and there will be tears among the faithful tomorrow. The Lord shed his blood and died so that all sin could be forgiven upon repentance. The fourth point is that Jesus Christ taught that throughout Church history there would be tears among the wheat and they would be allowed to remain until the judgment.

So don't lose your faith. Don't crack. Don't give up. Don't say to God, God, how could you do this to me? God, how could you let this happen? God, where are you? Because the answer is God is where he has always been. This test of your faith and your character is part of God's plan.

My fifth point is that knowing these things should change our view and our approach to problems in the Church. There are tears in the Church. Always have been, always will be. There are false brethren. There are ministerial wolves in sheep's clothing. There are hirelings. Jesus Christ spoke about that in his own ministry. Always has been, always will be. This means our focus and our faith must be on Jesus Christ, not on men or women. Our eyes and our hope should be on Christ, never on mere human beings.

And if we understand this truth, our faith will never be shaken when the weaknesses of people, including religious leaders, are revealed. I'm reminded of Psalm 146. It says this. It says, I will praise the Lord all my life. I will sing praises to my God as long as I live. Do not put your trust in princes or other people who cannot save you. When people die, they are buried. Then all of their plans come to an end. Our faith, our foundation, has to be in Jesus Christ.

The sixth point. The church has a responsibility to vigorously remove leaven, the leaven of sin from the church when it is revealed. All of us need to make ourselves accountable, not to be hypocrites, and not to live lives of being tares, troublemakers, rabble, false brethren. We need to live lives of sincerity and truth. And when sin becomes obvious, it must be confronted.

It must be removed, or it will spread and destroy others. We have to take it upon ourselves to be accountable for our behavior. And the ministers, for example, understand a code of ethics. And when we violate that code of ethics and particular parts of it, we should be removed from our offices. Is it sad? Yes. Frustrating? Yes. But we have to remove leaven from the church. And the last point is that sin will cease when Satan is finally punished by being contained in a lake of fire, only when he is in a spiritual abyss and he can no longer influence human beings.

When we break up that equation, and it is no longer Satan plus humanity, then we can be where God wants us to be as a people and as a kingdom. And that is a kingdom that's growing towards perfection and fulfilling the complete and total will of God.

So in conclusion today, the Days of Unleavened Bread can teach us many lessons, and we just looked at one of the lessons that God uses. And that is, He uses spiritual leaven, He has always used it, and will continue to challenge and to examine the hearts of the people He is determined to work with, because He wants to see our level of faith. He wants to see if our eyes and if our hope are on the right thing, or if it's on people, if it's on personalities, if it's on names. God wants to know if our foundation is in Jesus Christ, or if it's in men, or if it's in that old serpent that was there in the garden whom God allowed to go into. Remember to build your foundation, not on men, but on the rock. And that rock is Jesus Christ. Have a wonderful seventh day of Unleavened Bread.