Mt 3:13-17
Obedience,
not Sacrifice
Intro: Illustr. 156
1. v. 13, A Long Walk
J.B.
Greatest man (Mt 11.11)
Forerunner (He must
increase, but I must decrease)
Make Straight (Mal 3.1;
Is 40.3-5)
Galilee to
To Be Baptized
Why? Jn 1.29-34
Ceremonial Cleansing
Rom 6:4
Like Wedding Ring
First change to obey
2. v. 15,
Fulfill All Righteousness
Unless you attain righteousness of
Scribes and Pharisees (Mt 5.20)
Made Righteousness of God (2 Cor 5.21)
Go about in their own righteousness
(Rom 10.3)
3. v. 16, Well-Pleased
Out of the water (rhantized; Heb 9
and 10-sprinkled)
Spirit of God, like a dove (all
three were present) (Is 11.1-2)
This is my Son (Mt 17,
transfiguration)
He obeyed, 1 Jn 2.3-6
Then, immediately tested
Concl.: Illustr. 156
Matt. 6:10
Thy Kingdom
Come
Intro: CGSC.
How we fit into the grand scheme of things.
This
morning we prayed, "Thy Kingdom come?" How does the church fit into the grand scheme
of things?
Nation:
Produce the Messiah, Rev 5:5 (and
oracles)
Salvation by faith (always), Gen.
12:1-3
Ishmael by works, Gal.
4:22-23 and 30-31
They never did anything to deserve
the calling (Jn
Prepare for the King/Kingdom
Satan tried to corrupt or cut off
the blood line (Cain, Flood,
Church:
Reflects the OT (1 Cor.
Gen. 24,
Rebekah had to be of a certain family before Isaac would take her as his bride;
furthermore, the servant directed Rebekah's affection to Isaac with his riches
The
Tabernacle (sacrifice, wash, light, bread, mercy seat, veil)
Mystery to the Jews
Paul channeled the mystery (Eph.
3:1-6)
Mountain top prophecy (old baldy and
the Bravo Bowl)
Grafted in with the Jews (Rom.
The first
“Christians” weren’t “Christians, they were Jews
Purpose
Propagate gospel--end of every
gospel and start of Acts
Fellowship, Heb. 10:25
Discipline,
like lepers; 2 Cor 5:5; 2 Thes. 3:6; Mt. 18:15-17; Gal. 6:1
Pain
can be a good thing; it makes us better people
The Holy Spirit seals us
The Body, 1 Cor. 12:14-23;
Kingdom:
Benevolent Dictator
Satan Bound
"Thy
Kingdom Come"
Preached by
Charles Stanley, 1985 (Tape #AQ265, In Touch Ministries,
Preaching
portion: Mt. 7:21-23
Subject: Rejection.
Theme/Proposition: The ultimate rejection.
Introduction:
No one enjoys being rejected. Christ known for acceptance ("Abide in
Me;" "Come unto Me") says "Depart" to those who
- preached in His name
- cast out demons
- performed miracles
Could Jesus
say that to me? Mt.
Rev. 1:13 gives us a different
glimpse of Jesus. When we stand before
Jesus at the judgement, we will not stand before the Good Shepherd but the Lord
Jesus Christ. He will say to some people
"Depart." Mt. 7:13&14 says
few will be saved, many will hear "Depart." Mt. 24:31 ff:
you give, read Bible, etc., but are you sure you are not in that group
that will hear "Depart?" Many
will be shocked that their good works mean nothing to God.
1A
2A
3A
Conclusion:
When you stand in the presence of
God, what is the reason you will give that will cause God to accept you? These people said "I have done . .
." "I never knew you"--Jn.
If you should die and God says,
"Why should I let you into heaven," there is only one answer. Many religions, but one answer. How many of you have cast out demons, etc.? They had, but were rejected. The only answer is that you placed you trust
in what Jesus did for you sin, receiving Him as your Saviour. There is no way to live the way you used to
after salvation. All other answers refer
to YOUR performance, which is of no value in the eyes of God.
Matthew
9:35-38
How can we
as believers be like Christ?
Gov.
Clinton/Cand. Clinton;
1A Do what He did v. 35
1B
Went
1C Mt.
2C Capernium,
3C Didn't have His elders do all the running
around while He stayed back at the office
4C Only one person has come to me
2B
Cities and villages--where the people are, not on a mountaintop
3B
Teach
1C Know doctrine
2C 2 Tim. 4:2-4, 2 Tim.
4B
Preach the gospel
1C 1 Cor. 15:1-4
2C Good news, for man must know in order to be
happy
3C Job 14:14
5B
Healing
1C Couple splits up
2C Mother loses son to drugs
3C Friend been told she has inoperable cancer
4C Rapha--to mend; to heal
2A Feel what He felt v. 36
1B
Saw
1C He looked, understood, not just with the eyes
2C I looked the other way when given opportunity
to witness--if I looked at him I would feel compassion.
2B
Multitudes
1C Lots of them--Mt. 7:13
2C USA Today stats
3B
Moved with Compassion
• MC DI had compassion for once
4B
Fainted
1C They had noone to take them to the still
waters, good pasture--that's us
2C Growth requires milk--1 Pet. 2:2
3C Life requires the living water--John 4:14
5B
Scattered
1C ekklhsia-Heb. 10:25
2C some say they can have church on their own
3C Wolves like to separate--1 Pet. 5:8; Ek.
34:1-6 (Conceptual CR)
6B
Sheep having no shepherd--Jer. 23:1-4
3A Desire what He desired vv. 37-38
1B
Plenteous and Few--presenting a ratio trying to incite desire in His
disciples
1C Too many for Moses--Ex.
2C Too many for Apostles--Acts 6:2-4
3B
Pray--our prayers do make a difference,otherwise . .
4B
Send forth laborers--this is what He did in Ch. 10
5B
Harvest
Jesus and
the OPORD
Mt. 10:1 ff
Operation
Order (DoD): A directive issued by a
commander to subordinate commanders for the purpose of effecting the
coordinated execution of an operation. Also called OPORD.
Leadership: Leadership is influencing people—by providing
purpose, direction, and motivation—while operating to accomplish the mission
and improving the organization.
Parameters:
Don't go to
Gentiles
Don't go to
Samaritans
Don't take
money
Don't take
TA-50
Quarter
with people who invite you
Do your
work generously
How to
react if accepted
How to
react if rejected
Specified
Tasks:
Preach the
Heal the
sick
Cleanse
Lepers
Raise the
Dead
Cast out
Devils
Identify
the Enemy
Act
Properly when Tortured (Code of Conduct)
Say what
you are told to say
If you fail
at an objective, press on to the next objective
Do what you
are told no matter how smart you get
Show courage
in the face of deprivation
Don't fear
the enemy, fear Me instead
Implied
Tasks:
Talk to
People
Listen to
what they have to say
Matthew 10:16-33
It’s going to get worse before it gets better.
Intro:
(CNN Wed.) Economic woes are
expected to continue until at least mid-2009, and things may get worse before
they get better, according to a quarterly survey of chief financial officers.
"This could be the longest slowdown since the double dip recession of
1979-81,"
“Fear” not.
9:37 through 10:1, taught, then gave example.
Walk by Faith, not by Sight—Spiritual Landmines
10:16 I am sending (apostello) you out like sheep
among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
Judas
was shrewd; Lk 16—shrewd, learn how to turn what resources you have into profit
for God (souls for the Kingdom); God gave you a rational mind—use it
Innocent: above reproach; loss of moral authority
10:17 "Be on your guard against men; they will
hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues.
Paul
on his missionary journeys (Acts 13, etc.)
10:18 On my account you will be brought before
governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.
Paul
brought before kings (Acts)
The
disciples were always excited to talk about the kingdom, but flinched when
Jesus talked about his coming suffering
10:19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about
what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say,
10:20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit
of your Father speaking through you.
The
spirit permanently indwells believers, not like the OT
Relationships
will not matter
10:21 "Brother will betray brother to death, and
a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put
to death.
Verses
34-37; Micah 7:6
10:22 All men will hate you because of me, but he who
stands firm to the end will be saved.
Php
2:12-13; Heb 11.24-26; Rom 8.18
10:23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to
another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through the cities of
Eschatological,
Second Advent
If
Jesus suffered, so will His followers
10:24 "A student is not above his teacher, nor a
servant above his master. (Jn 15.18-21)
10:25 It is enough for the student to be like his
teacher, and the servant like his master. If the head of the house has been
called Beelzebub, how much more the members of his household!
Jesus
lays open the books
10:26 "So do not be afraid of them. There is
nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made
known.
10:27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the
daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs.
You
are indestructible until God is finished with you
10:28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but
cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul
and body in hell.
10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not
one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.
10:30 And even the very hairs of your head are all
numbered.
10:31 So don't be afraid; you are worth more than
many sparrows.
Unbelievers
are focused on the external (temporal); believers are focused on the internal
(eternal). For the unbeliever peace is
the absence of turmoil; for the believer, peace is the presence of God, even
through turmoil.
Their
rejection of Him, leads to His rejection of them
10:32 "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I
will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.
10:33 But whoever disowns me before men, I will
disown him before my Father in heaven.
Those
who want nothing to do with God would be miserable in Heaven
Conclusion: It’s going to get worse before it gets
better. But “Fear Not.”
MT 21:1 ff.
Parameters:
Go to a
specific location
Identify
your target by specific identifiers
Specified
Tasks:
If
challenged, state your authority to act
Implied
Tasks:
Arrange a
route to and from the storage site
Arrange
Security for the Transportation
Arrange
fuel and water for the transportation
Arrange
shelter for the transportation
Schedule
brushing and grooming of transportation
Schedule
clean up of exhaust from transportation
Arrange a
seat for use on the transportation
Notes:
1. Missions given by Jesus were detail-specific
for untrained personnel. Chapter 10 of
MT shows Jesus treating his disciples with a distinct micro-management
leadership style.
2. By Chapter 21 of Matthew, his personnel were
trained and discipled. No longer did he
need to spell out all of the tasks. He
gave missions and expected his disciples to accomplish the mission.
3. Jesus expected in His brand of spirituality:
Initiative
Responsibility
Accountability
Obedience
Loyalty
Discipline
Perseverance
Attention to Detail
Suck it up and Drive on
4. Nowhere in the New Testament do you read of
the disciples saying:
"But Jesus, That's not in my
job description."
"But Jesus, we're a team, we
should get that Donkey together."
"But Jesus, you live here,
too. You should help clean up after the
donkey." (in JN 21:21-22, Jesus rebuked a disciple for saying something
similar)
The team
was highly effective because Jesus knew his job and did it. His disciples knew their jobs and did them to
the best of their ability. And 2000
years later that influence still exists.
"Don't
Jump Ship!"
by Pastor
D. Gene Strother,
Text:
Matthew 14:22-33
Introduction:
A very familiar story. "Walking
on water" has become synonymous with perfection. Most of us have admired
Peter's courage. Just to step out of that boat took a great deal of something.
Call it courage...faith...reckless abandon...whatever. But I want to look at
Peter's walk on the wild side from a little different angle, if I may.
I. JESUS
PUT THEM IN THE BOAT [v.22]
A. He was urgent about it.
{"Straightway"}
Immediately.
Without hesitation. They didn't need to pray about it or ponder it.
B. He was emphatic about it.
{"Constrained"}
This word
-- anagkazo in the Greek -- is very emphatic, very strong. Acts 26:11"And
I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and
being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange
cities." Paul talking about how he tortured Christians to get them to
blaspheme against Jesus. Note: John tells us why Jesus acted so urgently:
"Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This
is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world. When Jesus
therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a
king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone." [Jn.6:14,15] Jesus
knew the people's motives weren't right and neither was their timing. His
disciples were still too immature to understand this. They would have been greatly influenced by
such flattery.
II. THEY
EXPERIENCED A STORM [v.24]
A. This storm came because they were in
God's Will.
1. If they had disobeyed Jesus and
stayed on land, they would have been in a crowd of people where they were very
popular at the moment. They might have even been treated like celebrities
because of their relationship to Jesus.
2. Because they obeyed Christ, they
were now in a boat all alone, in the midst of the sea, in a storm.
B. There are two kinds of storms.
1. Storms of Correction. Example:
Jonah. In these storms God disciplines us for willful disobedience.
2. Storms of Perfection. These disciples.
In these storms, God is helping us to grow.
III. JESUS
WAS PRAYING FOR THEM [v.23]
A. Jesus Saw them and knew their
need. "And he saw them toiling in
rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the
night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by
them."[Mk.6:48]
B. Jesus is praying for His people today,
too. "Who is he that condemneth? It
is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right
hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us."[Rom.8:34]
IV. JESUS
WENT TO THEM [v.23]
"Why
did Jesus walk on the water? To show His disciples that the very thing they
feared was only a staircase for Him to come to them." -Warren Wiersbe
V. PETER
JUMPED SHIP [v.28]
A. Peter's Response was spawned by doubt
and fear, rather than faith.
["if..."] Faith doesn't say, "if"; faith says
because.
Illustration:
Two thieves on the Cross. One said, "If thou be the Christ, save thyself
and us, too." The other said, "Lord, remember me."
B. Peter was abandoning Jesus' initial
command.
C. Jesus allowed Peter to leave the ship
to teach him a very valuable lesson.
1. If Peter's faith had not wavered,
if his eyes hadn't wandered, he could have made it.
2. But, when you jump ship, the odds
are against you.
VI. JESUS
-His Lordship...
-Human relationships...
-Marriage partnership...
-Church membership...
A. Storms will come because you are in
that ship.
Illustration:
I would have never had to face anything like Holly's birth defect if Donya and
I hadn't married. Neither would she. But we are in a relationship which we
believe with all our hearts God has ordained for us. Consequently, we have
faced a few storms together.
Illustration:
Family joined our church one Sunday. We had a business meeting and a big fight
the next Wednesday night. The new family would not have experienced that had
they not gotten in our ship. But they did. And when that storm blew over, we
sailed into the clearest and deepest waters of God's blessing we had ever
experienced!
B. Jesus is watching your ship and praying
for you.
Illustration:
Jesus' warning to Peter, and promise to pray for him. [Lk.22:31-33]
C. Jesus will come to your ship in your
hour of need. When things seem lost, when the outlook is bleak, when hope is
all but gone...He will be there.
D. You don't have to walk on water; Just
don't jump ship.
CONCLUSION:
Thousands of people are jumping from one religion to another, from one marriage
to another, from one church to another, looking for a sea with no storms. When
what they ought to do is get out the oars of faith and obedience and keep the
ship pointed in the right direction. The winds may be contrary, the waves may
be fierce, but they will never capsize the Old Ship of Zion.
Preaching
portion: Mt. 16:18
Introduction:
Hagg.
1:8-10.
1A Jesus does it
(Acts
2A It is His church (Acts
3A The opposition
4A The victory
- Christ's
popularity diminished, but still spoke triumphantly of His purpose to build His
church
Preaching
portion: Mt.
1A Don't bargain with God--He will give you what
is best (Mt.
2A Don't watch the other workers in the vineyard
(Lk.
3A Don't be overconfident (pro football player
negotiating for more money)
We are
responsible for our love for God and our love for others--MT 22:35-40
We are not responsible for other's actions--EK 33:9