Series: King & Countries (week 5)

Scripture: Matthew 12:22-37 (Main)

Title: “Will you repent or reject King Jesus?” (Darien Gabriel)

Bottom line: When we truly see Jesus, as the Bible illustrates him, we will be drawn to repent, believe and receive him. Otherwise, we will reject him, and remain in the wrath of God.

Discussion questions for group and personal study.

1. How might the portrait of Jesus' power in this passage impact our view of spiritual warfare?

2. How would you counsel someone who feared that they had committed the unpardonable sin because of a sinful thought or word toward God?

3. Matthew compares Jesus to Jonah and Solomon. How do these comparisons speak to the seriousness of rejecting Christ?

4. It's common to hear unbelievers refer to everyone as "God's children." How does Matthew 12:50 help us rightly define God's family?

5. Some sermons only emphasize moral lessons for believers. How does an emphasis on the person of Christ as we see in Matthew 12 help correct such an approach? What is the danger of not presenting Jesus as central in our teaching and preaching?

Final Questions (optional or in place of above)

• What is God saying to you right now?

• What are you going to do about it?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

Intro

We've been looking at the portraits of Jesus given to us by Matthew.

We've seen Jesus as:

Promised Messiah

Authoritative Judge

Sovereign Son

Gracious Master

Today we'll add:

King of Rest

Merciful Servant-King

Bottom line: 

Q. What do I want you to know?

A.

Q. Why?

A.

Q. What do I want you to do?

A.

Q. Why?

A.

Notes:

“But as Christians we must not let such information make us intelligently impotent. The claims of Jesus are the claims of Jesus. We either believe them or we don't. What he said in verse 30 is either true or false. We can re-imagine Jesus into our own image, twisting and turning his words to sound a lot like our own. This has been done in many Christian denominations, hasn't it?

Such behavior I find intellectually dishonest. Don't call yourself a Christian if you don't believe Jesus ever existed. Don't call yourself a Christian if you believe only half of the red letters in your Bible have any connection to the historical Jesus. Don't call yourself a Christian if you think Jesus didn't die for your sins and rise for your justification. Don't call yourself a Christian if you think obeying Christ's commands are optional. And don't call yourself a Christian if you think there are many ways to God. To be a Christian is, at the very least, to take Jesus at his word. "Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters" (v. 30). Thus saith the Lord.” P. 332, Sean O’Donnell, Matthew

Outline

SECTION OUTLINE TEN (MATTHEW 12) Outline Bible, Willmington

Jesus heals the sick, confronts the Pharisees, and fulfills ancient prophecies.

I. JESUS AND THE PHARISEES (12:1-14, 22-45) On three separate occasions, Jesus is confronted by these wicked men.

A. The Sabbath conflict (12:1-14): The Pharisees take issue with Jesus when he performs his miracles.

1. In regard to eating on the Sabbath (12:1-8): Jesus is criticized by the Pharisees for allowing his disciples to pluck some heads of grain from a field on the Sabbath. The Savior reports by pointing out two facts:

a. The purpose of the Sabbath (12:1-7): The Sabbath was made for man, and not the reverse!

(1) As seen in the life of David (12:3-4): David and his men ate the bread reserved for the priests.

(2) As seen in the law of Moses (12:5-6): The priests are allowed to serve in the Temple on the Sabbath.

(3) As seen in the Book of Hosea (12:7): God wants them to be merciful; he doesn't care that much about their sacrifices.

b. The person of the Sabbath (12:8): The Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath!

2. In regard to healing on the Sabbath (12:9-14): Jesus notices a man with a deformed hand.

a. The accusation (12:9-10): The Pharisees ask Jesus whether it is legal to work by healing on the Sabbath day.

b. The answer (12:11-12): Jesus replies by asking them if they would rescue a sheep on the Sabbath. He says, "Of course you would! And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep!"

c. The action by the Savior (12:13-14): He heals the man's hand.

B. The source conflict (12:22-37): The Pharisees claim that Satan is the source of Jesus' miracles. On this occasion Jesus has just healed a demon-possessed, blind, mute man.

1. The criticism by the Pharisees (12:22-29)

a. Their accusation (12:22-24): "He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons."

b. His argument (12:25-29)

(1) "A city or home divided against itself is doomed"

(12:25).

(2) "If Satan is casting out Satan, he is fighting against himself" (12:26-29).

2. The condemnation of the Pharisees (12:30-37)

a. Jesus says their sin is terrible (12:30-34).

(1) They are corrupt fruit trees (12:30-33): A tree is known by its fruit.

(2) They are poisonous snakes (12:34): Whatever is in their hearts determines what they say.

b. Jesus says their sin is terminal (12:35-37): The words they say now will determine their fate on judgment day.

C. The sign conflict (12:38-45): The Pharisees insist that Jesus do something spectacular just for them.

1. Jesus refers to Jonah and Nineveh (12:38-41).

a. The illustration from the life of the prophet of God

(12:38-40): Jonah's experience in the belly of the fish depicts Jesus' death and resurrection; this is the only sign he gives them!

b. The indictment from the lips of the people of Nineveh

(12:41): The Ninevites will someday condemn Jesus' generation, for Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonah, but Jesus is greater than Jonah.

2. Jesus refers to Solomon and the Queen of Sheba (12:42): She will condemn Jesus' generation because she had great respect for Solomon, and Jesus is greater than Solomon.

3. Jesus refers to eight evil spirits (12:43-45): Here Jesus likens his generation to a demon-possessed man.

a. The first state of the man (12:43): The original demon living within him departs.

b. The final state of the man (12:44-45): Unable to find

another person to indwell, the spirit returns to the man, this time bringing seven other spirits more wicked than himself.

II. JESUS AND THE PROPHECIES (12:15-21): Jesus fulfills the prophecies of Isaiah, who predicted the earthly ministry of the Messiah (Isa. 42:1-4).

A. Jesus' heavenly relationships (12:18a-18b)

1. Concerning the Father (12:18a): The Father would love him.

2. Concerning the Spirit (12:18b): The Spirit would fill him.

B. Jesus' earthly actions (12:15-17, 18c-21)

1. Concerning the nations (12:18c, 21): He would proclaim justice to the nations.

2. Concerning himself (12:19): He would not be quarrelsome or rebellious.

3. Concerning the weak and hopeless (12:20): He would treat them with gentleness and understanding.

4. Concerning the sick (12:15-17): He would heal the sick.

III. JESUS AND HIS FAMILY (12:46-50)

A. His earthly family (12:46-47): Jesus is told his mother and brothers are waiting to meet with him.

B. His eternal family (12:48-50): He says all who obey his heavenly

Father are part of his family!

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)