How to Overcome Fears, Doubts & Burdens | Matthew 11
Series: King & Countries (week 4)
Scripture: Matthew 11 (Main)
Title: “How to Overcome Fears, Doubts & Burdens” (Darien Gabriel)
Bottom line: Jesus tells us to overcome fears, doubts and burdens by trusting Jesus as promised Messiah, authoritative judge, sovereign son, and gracious master.
Discussion questions for group and personal study.
1. How has doubt been a struggle in your own relationship with God? What truths from God's Word were the most difficult to believe in the midst of your doubts?
2. How can difficulties, disappointments, and suffering feed into our doubts? How did this play out in the life of John the Baptist?
3. Why is it futile to fight doubt apart from the foundation of God's Word?
4. How is joyful submission to Jesus an antidote to doubt? Explain.
5. Many Christians wish they had lived in the time when Scriptures were recorded. How does this passage correct such a notion?
6. How might the expectation of opposition and criticism from the world help you persevere in the faith? What is the danger to your faith of not expecting trials?
7. How does Jesus' role as your authoritative Judge affect how you relate to Him? How might it affect your approach to sharing the gospel with others?
8. Jesus is presented as the sovereign Son in Matthew 11. How does this portrait of Jesus correct our culture's understanding of Him? How about your own?
9. In your own words, explain why Matthew 11:28-30 speaks against the idea of works-righteousness. How does it speak to the notion that the Christian life is burdensome?
10. How would you respond to the following questions: "What is my role and responsibility in responding to the gospel? What is God's role in this process?"
Final Questions (optional or in place of above)
What is God saying to you right now?
What are you going to do about it?
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Intro
My phone takes great pictures. It has this one mode called Portrait Mode. This mode digitally adjusts the photo settings so that the main subject in the picture (usually a person) is brought into sharp focus while the background is slightly blurred creating a sense of depth to the photo. As a result, the main subject stands out as the most important part of the photo. Hence, it is called a portrait.
In today’s message, we’re going to look at four portraits of Jesus Christ. These portraits are there to help us overcome our fears, doubts and burdens in life. They are there to help us remember that he’s trustworthy no matter how life feels or is going.
Bottom line: Jesus tells us to overcome fears, doubts and burdens by trusting Jesus as promised Messiah, authoritative judge, sovereign son, and gracious master.
Q. What do I want you to know?
A. 4 portraits of Christ given in ch. 11
Q. Why?
A. Because they lead us to overcome our fears, doubts and burdens by trusting fully in Jesus Christ.
Q. What do I want you to do?
A. Exchange your fears, doubts, and burdens for abundant life in Christ Jesus.
Q. Why?
A. Because I don’t want you to flounder in fear, doubt and burdened over your sin.
Q. How?
A. Four parts:
Repent of your sins.
Rest in Christ alone.
Renounce yourself.
Rejoice forever in Christ.
FOUR PORTRAITS OF JESUS (David Platt)
I. The promised messiah.
A. John doubts Jesus
B. Anatomy of doubt (Platt) Doubt often arises
During difficult situations
Accompanying unmet expectations
Limited perception
C. Answer to doubt
Biblical revelation
Joyful submission
D. Jesus defends John
John was the greatest prophet.
We have a greater privilege.
E. Like Jesus and John
We will be opposed by this world.
We will be criticized by this world.
Both will come from both
The outside and
The inside of the church
II. The authoritative judge.
A. Jesus will condemn the unrepentant.
B. Jesus will damn the indifferent.
III. The sovereign son.
A. Jesus alone KNOWS the Father.
B. Jesus alone REVEALS the Father. We respond
Not with un-repentance and indifference, but
Through human faith.
IV. The gracious master.
A. An explanation of Christianity
We give all we have to Jesus.
“To begin with, (come to Jesus) means we give all we have to Jesus. The imagery in this passage is of a ‘yoke’ (v. 29), a heavy wooden bar that fits over the neck of an ox so that it can pull a cart or a plow. The yoke could be put on one animal or it could be shared between two animals. In a shared yoke, one of the oxen would often be much stronger (and experienced) than the other. The stronger ox was more schooled in the commands of the master, and so it would guide the other according to the master’s commands. By coming into the yoke with the stronger ox, the weaker ox could learn to obey the master’s voice.”
The people were burdened by the law of the OT and the man made laws pilled on top of them by the priests and rabbi’s. But they didn’t provide relief through the forgiveness of sins. So the people were burdened by their sins. They couldn’t find relief. Jesus calls us to give him the full weight of our sins so that he can fully pardon us and lift off that burden that wearies us.
We give him our sins.
We give him our inability to obey the commands.
Jesus gives all He has to us.
He gives us his full pardon.
He gives us rest and peace with God.
He gives us the ability to obey his commands completely and immediately.
B. The invitation (Command, Call) of Christ: When faith is hard and the burden is heavy
Repent of sin
Renounce yourself
Rest in Christ
Rejoice forever in him
SECTION OUTLINE TEN (MATTHEW 11) Outline Bible, Willmington
Jesus reassures the disciples of John the Baptist, rebukes several cities, rejoices in his Father's wisdom, and reveals that he is the only way to the Father.
I. THE REASSURING BY THE SAVIOR (11:1-19)
A. John's request to Jesus (11:1-3): In a moment of doubt, the imprisoned Baptist sends a group of men to Jesus.
1. Who they are (11:1-2): They are John's disciples.
2. What they ask (11:3): John wants to know if Christ is really the Messiah.
B. John's reassurance by Jesus (11:4-19)
1. The proof for John (11:4-6): They are to return and tell John concerning all the miracles they see Christ do.
2. The praise of John (11:7-11): Jesus says John is one of history's greatest men!
3. The prophet like John (11:12-15): Jesus compares John's ministry with that of Elijah.
4. The prejudice against John (11:16-19): Jesus condemns his generation, who accuses John of being demon-possessed!
II. THE REBUKING BY THE SAVIOR (11:20-24): Jesus denounces three Galilean cities.
A. Korazin and Bethsaida (11:20-22)
1. Their privilege (11:20-21a): He did many miracles among them.
2. Their pride (11:21b): They rejected him.
3. Their punishment (11:22): Wicked Tyre and Sidon will be better off on judgment day than they!
B. Capernaum (11:23-24)
1. Its privilege (11:23b): Identical to that of the above cities.
2. Its pride (11:23a): Identical to that of the above cities.
3. Its punishment (11:24): Wicked Sodom will be better off on the judgment day than Capernaum!
III. THE REJOICING BY THE SAVIOR (11:25-26): Jesus thanks his heavenly Father for revealing spiritual truth to the childlike and for hiding it from those who think themselves wise.
IV. THE REVEALING BY THE SAVIOR (11:27-30)
A. The illumination (11:27): The believer can only know the Father through the Son.
B. The invitation (11:28-30): Jesus invites the weary and burdened to find their rest in him.
References/Bibliography:
“Preaching the Word” Commentary, Douglas Sean O’Donnell, Edited by Kent Hughes
“Matthew” by RC Sproul
“CSB Christ Chronological,” Holman
“Jesus Manifesto” sermon series, by Darien Gabriel: https://youtu.be/x65i2tqFrXk
“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)
“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)
“Exalting Jesus in Matthew” by David Platt (CCE)
Outline Bible, D Willmington
NIV Study Bible (NIVSB)
ESV Study Bible
ESV Gospel Transformation Bible (GTB)