What Good Thing Must I Do to Get Eternal Life? | Matthew 19:13-30
What Good Thing Must I Do to Get Eternal Life? | Matthew 19:13-30

Series: All!

  • Jesus has all authority,

  • So that all nations

  • Might pledge all allegiance to him.

Title: “What good thing must I do to get eternal life?”

Scripture: Matthew 19:13-30

Heavily indebted to Douglas Sean O’Donnell’s commentary for this message. (See below)

Bottom line: 

  1. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  2. SERMON OUTLINE & NOTES

  3. MAIN REFERENCES USED

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discussion questions for group and personal study.

Reflect and Discuss

1. List some ways that our culture's view of marriage is unbiblical (think TV, radio, advertising, etc.).

2. Why is it crucial to begin our discussion on marriage with God's design in Genesis? Discuss the idea that divorce is fundamentally an offense against God.

3. What wrong messages about Christ and His redemption are communicated to the world when Christians don't obey God's Word concerning marriage and divorce?

4. How can churches show both tenderness and courage in confronting the issue of divorce?

5. Why was the Pharisees' questioning misguided and wrongly

motivated?

6. If a friend asked, "When is it OK to get a divorce?" how would you answer?

7. Why is it so crucial for Christians to take the approach that we ought to be looking for every opportunity to reconcile?

8. What are practical steps to strengthen an existing marriage?

9. What does it mean practically for a single person to maximize his singleness?

10. What counsel would you give to someone who had been divorced and who thought their usefulness in God's kingdom had ended?

How would you counsel someone who had abandoned a spouse?

11. How might a wrong view of marriage and divorce be a precursor to other issues in society such as homosexuality, abortion, etc.?

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

Weekly questions I answer in preparation for the sermon:

Q. What do I want you to know?

A. God gives grace for eternal life for those who humble themselves like a child and trust Jesus. This is a total work of God.

Q. Why?

A. Because in God’s economy, king Jesus and his kingdom are most valuable. (Treasure hidden in a field; “Seek first…”)

Q. What do I want you to do?

A. Gladly forsake all and follow him. F.A.I.T.H. = Forsaking All I Trust Him

Q. Why?

A. Because he’s more than worth it! 100X + Eternal life?!

OUTLINE & NOTES

Introduction

A Loving, Ongoing Relationship

In one of his last songs, Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of the rock group Queen, asked the question: ‘Does anybody know what we are living for?’ In spite of the fact that he had amassed *a huge fortune* and had attracted *thousands of fans*, Freddie Mercury admitted in an interview shortly before his death in 1991 that he was *desperately lonely*. He said, ‘You can have everything in the world and still be the loneliest man, and that is the most bitter type of loneliness. Success has brought me *world idolisation* and *millions of pounds*, but it’s prevented me from having the one thing we all need – *a loving, ongoing relationship*.’

F.A.I.T.H. = Forsaking All I Trust Him

Bottom line: Jesus calls us to forsake all and trust him: King & Kingdom First.

Pharisees ask 2 questions:

I. Humble yourself. (19:13-15)

A. Principle: God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

B.

II. Seek complete wholeness. (19:16-22)

A. Ask the right question.

B. Go to the best source for your answer.

C. Respond with humble faith

D. Do the math. Recognize how much more Jesus is worth than what you’ll ever have.

E. Be perfect = be complete, whole

III. It’s impossible to see apart from God. (19:23-30)

A. See it starts with God. Total work of God.

B. See your part in it. We have a responsibility to respond by grace through faith.

C. See Jesus clearly. But for that to happen we must see Jesus as he really is. (Supernatural grace)

D. See his value and make the obvious choice.

IV. Finish first: Forsake All and Trust Jesus Christ for eternal abundant life in his kingdom.

Conclusion

Bottom line: Jesus calls us to forsake all and trust him: King & Kingdom First.

Q. What do I want you to do?

A. Finish First. Gladly forsake all and follow him. F.A.I.T.H. = Forsaking All I Trust Him

Q. Why?

A. Claim your prize. Because he’s more than worth it! 100X + Eternal life?!

MAIN REFERENCES USED

“Preaching the Word” Commentary, Douglas Sean O’Donnell, Edited by Kent Hughes

“Matthew” by RC Sproul

“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 (ESVSB)

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipDarien Gabriel, Ladson, SC, Grace Christian Fellowship, ALL, Matthew, eternal life, bible believing, church, non-denomination church
What Does Jesus Say About Marriage, Divorce, & Singleness? | Matthew 19:1-12
What Does Jesus Say About Marriage, Divorce, & Singleness? | Matthew 19:1-12

Series: All!

  • Jesus has all authority,

  • So that all nations

  • Might pledge all allegiance to him.

Title: “What does Jesus say about Marriage, Divorce & Singleness?” (Darien Gabriel)

Scripture: Matthew 19:1-12 NIV cf. Deut. 24:1-4 NIV

Heavily indebted to Douglas Sean O’Donnell’s commentary for this message. (See below)

Bottom line: Jesus calls us to submit our already high view of marriage and singleness to our highest aim or devotion: Kingdom First.

  1. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  2. SERMON OUTLINE & NOTES

  3. MAIN REFERENCES USED

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discussion questions for group and personal study.

Reflect and Discuss

1. List some ways that our culture's view of marriage is unbiblical (think TV, radio, advertising, etc.).

2. Why is it crucial to begin our discussion on marriage with God's design in Genesis? Discuss the idea that divorce is fundamentally an offense against God.

3. What wrong messages about Christ and His redemption are communicated to the world when Christians don't obey God's Word concerning marriage and divorce?

4. How can churches show both tenderness and courage in confronting the issue of divorce?

5. Why was the Pharisees' questioning misguided and wrongly

motivated?

6. If a friend asked, "When is it OK to get a divorce?" how would you answer?

7. Why is it so crucial for Christians to take the approach that we ought to be looking for every opportunity to reconcile?

8. What are practical steps to strengthen an existing marriage?

9. What does it mean practically for a single person to maximize his singleness?

10. What counsel would you give to someone who had been divorced and who thought their usefulness in God's kingdom had ended?

How would you counsel someone who had abandoned a spouse?

11. How might a wrong view of marriage and divorce be a precursor to other issues in society such as homosexuality, abortion, etc.?

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

Weekly questions I answer in preparation for the sermon:

Q. What do I want you to know?

A. That marriage, divorce, and singleness are all to be viewed in light of our highest pursuit: the kingdom of God.

Q. Why?

A. Because in God’s economy, the kingdom is most valuable. (Treasure hidden in a field; “Seek first…”)

Q. What do I want you to do?

A. Submit our highest view of marriage and singleness to the ultimate agenda of the kingdom of God.

Q. Why?

A. Because God’s agenda should be his followers agenda. “All!”

OUTLINE & NOTES

Introduction

Not long ago, several of the elders and our wives were together and it came up that this passage on marriage and divorce was coming soon. One of the wives gave a quick sermon outline that I loved:

Wives’ Sermon outline in 3 steps:

  1. Select well

  2. Stay together

  3. Say your sorry

Bottom line: Jesus calls us to embrace his already high view of marriage and singleness making it our highest devotion: to King & Kingdom First.

Pharisees ask 2 questions:

  1. Question 1: Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause? (3)

    1. Nerve—

      1. Context

        • Jesus just taught about forgiveness at the end of Matthew 18

        • Jesus leaves Galilee marking the end of his significant Galilean ministry which began in 4:12 to “the region of Judea beyond the Jordan.”

          • He’s moving towards Jerusalem. (16:21; cf. 20:17)

          • He’s moving towards the cross and ultimate act of forgiveness.

        • But first he stops and heals the crowds. Multiple crowds. That’s crowds plural!

        • It’s after all of this healing that the Pharisees show up. Blind men with deaf and dumb question.

        • Finally, his context is our highest devotion is for our king and his kingdom; even his high view of marriage and singleness fall behind that.

      2. Do you see the nerve of this question?

        1. Instead of asking, “Where do your miraculous powers come from?” They ask about divorce.

        2. Instead of asking, “Tell us more about this death and resurrection business.” They ask about divorce.

        3. Instead of asking, “Are you the Messiah, the promised one?” They ask about divorce.

        4. These were audacious, wicked questions.

    2. Nature—

      1. These men were trying to test, tempt and trap Jesus.

      2. Tricky question. They were inviting Jesus to pick a side and then pay the consequences.

        1. Debate centered on interpretation of Deut. 24:1 and “some indecency” or “anything indecent” or “Any and every reason”

          1. Conservative view (Shammai): taught that God required divorce for sexual unfaithfulness (adultery) focused on the word “indecent” or “reason”

          2. Liberal view (Hillel): taught that God required divorce for “anything” or “any and every reason” in his wife. This could include any trivial reason like burning toast.

        2. They know he’s on the conservative side of things on this issue based on Matt 5:31-32 in the sermon on the mount where he taught that lust = spiritual adultery. And that’s what they want..

        3. Scenarios

          1. Best case: if he sides with the conservatives perhaps he will suffer the fate of John the Baptist. (Remember his beheading and why? Conservative views on marriage and divorce)

          2. Worst case: (still good for them) is that he falls into the next trap, their follow-up question about Deut. Ah, he’s a lawbreaker then! He disregards Moses. Either way, they think they have him. He either angers the powerful or the pious, or both the power and the pious.

  2. Answer 1: “Haven’t you read…” (4-6) 2 Observations:

    1. Jesus goes to the Bible for his answer.

      1. He goes to Genesis—not the last word on marriage but the most foundational.

      2. He challenges their basic Bible knowledge on the A, B, C’s of marriage. Letter A: God intended marriage between man and woman for life. There was no provision for divorce in paradise.

      3. His brief commentary on Genesis emphasizing God-ordained unity: “So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

      4. In 4-6 “Jesus could have emphasized the equal image of the sexes, that both man and woman are made in the image of God. That’s true, but that’s not the issue at hand.”

      5. Or he could have emphasized the concept of heterosexual monogamy (one man and one woman)—that these texts teach against both polygamy and homosexuality. That’s true, but again that’s not the issue at hand here. Neither fits in God’s original intent for marriage.

      6. “Rather, he emphasizes God-ordained unity.

        1. “be united to his wife” (5)

        2. “One flesh” (5)

        3. “No longer two,” (6)

        4. “but one flesh” (6)

        5. “Let no one separate” (6)

        6. Unity, unity, unity, unity, and unity—obvious theme.

      7. Not so obvious, God is the focus here.

        1. While Genesis speaks of man’s action “a man will leave his father and mother…”

        2. Jesus speaks of God’s action “Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

          1. It is God who brings people together into holy wedlock.

          2. EHarmony at it’s best—E is for Elohim:-) (Hebrew for God)

          3. God brings them together and doesn’t want man to separate what God has brought together—a physical and metaphysical new creation—one man/woman/flesh.

            1. That’s God’s math: 1 + 1 + 1 = 1 (Trinity)

            2. Marriage: 1 + 1 = 1 (Marriage)

    2. Jesus gives a divinely inspired purpose statement on marriage.

  3. Question 2 & Answer 2

    1. Question: “Why then did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”

      1. They’re trying to prove their point that Jesus’ view of divorce is not Moses’ view.

      2. Jesus responds offering 2 corrections and 1 command.

        1. First correction: Moses didn’t command divorce, but rather he allowed it. (7-8)

          1. NT Wright illustration: “Just as a car is made to drive safely on the road, not to skid around colliding with other cards, so marriage was made to be a partnership of one woman and one man for life, not something that could be split up and reassembled whenever one person wanted it…Moses didn’t say, as it were, ‘when you drive your car, this is how to have an accident’; rather, ‘when you drive a card, take care not to have an accident; but if, tragically, and accident occurs, this is how to deal with it.’”

          2. Moses didn’t command, “go wreck your car and get a new one.” Rather, he saw all the car wrecks and felt compelled to write some rules of the road. He tried to regulate the wrecks.

          3. Specific law: “If a man marries a woman who becomes displeasing to him because he finds something indecent about her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house, and if after she leaves his house she becomes the wife of another man, and her second husband dislikes her and writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house, or if he dies, then her first husband, who divorced her, is not allowed to marry her again after she has been defiled. That would be detestable in the eyes of the Lord. Do not bring sin upon the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.” Deut 24:1-4 NIV

        2. Second correction: “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard.” (8)

          1. Two wills of God:

            1. God’s idea will—the original intention of marriage advocated in Genesis “from the beginning” and

            2. God’s allowed (permissive) will—the necessary regulations due to human sin.

          2. Notice Jesus’ use of “You” and “Your”

            1. He doesn’t say “our” like a preacher would say—“it’s due to our sin”

            2. He doesn’t say “their” referring only to the men of Moses’ day.

            3. He says “your,” excluding himself (sinless savior) and including these Pharisees in the sins of their forefathers. Their hard-heartedness runs in the family.

            4. Marriage is not the problem.

            5. Hard-hearted men (and let’s add women, to be fair) are the problem. You and I are the problem. Not marriage.

            6. Take away hard-heartedness and you can take away all divorce laws, attorneys, courts and settlements.

            7. Oh that we would think first of Genesis and not Deuteronomy!

        3. One Command: “I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.” (9)

          1. What’s surprising about this? Surprise 1: That, after vv. 4-6 & 8, Jesus allows for divorce at all.

          2. He seems to balance the 2 wills of God.

            1. He hates divorce—it’s never desirable. (Malachi)

            2. But, he allows divorce.

          3. Surprise 2: Jesus’ authority.

            1. “The Bible says…” (4-5)

            2. “The Bible says…” (8)

            3. “I tell you” (9)—Remember, Jesus has “All” authority. (28:18-20)

            4. Jesus is the greater Moses, greater Bible/word, greater authority!

          4. Exception clause:

            1. First, let’s read the command without the exception, “Anyone who divorces his wife…and marries another commits adultery.” (9)

              1. Jesus is clear: To divorce your spouse (for any reason you can come up with) and marry another is to commit adultery. That behavior, so common in our culture, is clearly against Christ’s command.

              2. But—adding the exception clause back in—if your spouse has been sexually immoral, you can get a divorce. It’s not required but it is permitted.

        4. 4 Questions:

          1. Question 1: What is meant by “sexually immorality” (porneia)?

          2. Answer: “Sexual intercourse that is contrary to the moral standards of OT law—e.g. incest, bestiality, homosexuality, fornication, and adultery. In our context it primarily but not exclusively refers to adultery—that is, having sexual relations with someone who is not your spouse.”

          3. Question 2: Why is adultery the one exception?

          4. Answer: “Because adultery is the one sin that tears apart the “one flesh” Jesus talked about in 5-6. According to the OT law, the punishment for adultery was death (Deut 22:22). Death—that’s the end of the marriage. In Roman culture (and Jewish culture) at that time of Jesus, this punishment was not in place. So Jesus puts something similar in place: adultery = (in some cases and in many cases) death, the death of the marriage via divorce.”

          5. Question 3: Is adultery the only exception?

          6. Answer: It is here. However, in 1 Cor 7:15 Paul adds another exception in a very different context. He allows divorce for abandonment often called “willful desertion.”

          7. Question 4: Does the sin of adultery (or any other grave sin) necessitate divorce?

          8. Answer: Certainly not. Why not?

            1. The lesson of Matthew 18 just prior is to forgive (70x7) because God forgave you for much more.

            2. If adultery occurs, you have 2 choices:

              1. Divorce. He/she has broken the “one flesh” covenant. It’s the death penalty.

              2. Forgive. “To re-embrace the repentant, to offer anew the gospel of forgiveness—70x7 forgiveness for a zillion-dollar debt.”

          9. For all your questions not answered here

            1. Think Genesis: Be united as one flesh. Hold fast to one another.

            2. Think Gospel: Forgive one another.

            3. Think Goal: What God has joined together, let no one separate.

  4. Higher View of the Kingdom

    1. Pharisees seem to disappear.

    2. Disciples step up and say, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.”

      1. Chauvinists? “If I can’t get rid of this woman whenever and for whatever, then why marry in the first place?” Perhaps

      2. Realists? “What marriage is so great that it lasts a lifetime? Come on, Jesus, lighten up.” Perhaps

      3. Clueless? Their track record on the teachings of Jesus is pretty clear.

    3. What’s unexpected is how Jesus shifts the conversation from marriage to singleness. He doesn’t reply to their comment.

    4. “Instead, he gives a eulogy for eunuchs, a tribute to single-minded singles:”

    5. A eunuch is someone who is single and not sexually active for one of 3 reasons:

      1. Natural (born that way)

      2. Unnatural (someone made that way), or this new category Jesus has introduced, which we’ll call

      3. Willfully or Volitionally (someone who desires to be that way or stay that way) for the gospel/kingdom.

    6. But his point is grander than “Esteem and embrace the gift of singleness.” “His point is this: The kingdom of heaven is so important that it should seem perfectly normal if someone would want to give up marriage for it.” P. 543

  5. Context:

    1. “Jesus teaches that you can’t have too high a view of marriage. It is so high the disciples are taken aback by it.”

    2. “But in vv. 11-12 he adds that however high your view of marriage is, your view of the kingdom ought to be far higher.”

    3. “The Church misses the point when we make marriage the point.” -543

    4. Marriage & Singleness from a Kingdom Perspective (God’s perspective)

      1. 16: self denial and cross bearing

      2. 18:21-35 Forgiveness

      3. 19:1-9 Marriage

      4. 19:10-12 Singleness, but more on single-minded devotion to the king and his kingdom gospel mission

    5. First focus: Always the Gospel.

      1. Not against focusing on the family. He started there in v. 1

      2. “But he is against focusing on the family or marriage or work or money or house or land or anything else ahead of the kingdom. Gospel first; everything else second—that’s his motto, and that’s his model.”

      3. That’s how he lived

        1. Denied himself marriage and the pleasures of marriage

          1. Companionship

          2. Physical intimacy

          3. Children

        2. “For the spread of the kingdom of heaven on earth. He was a eunuch for the kingdom.”

      4. And He calls those who can to do the same.

      5. And He calls those who can’t do the same to want the same “for the sake of the kingdom.” “Seek first…”

Conclusion

Bottom line: Jesus calls us to embrace his already high view of marriage and singleness making it our highest devotion: to King & Kingdom First.

  1. Raise your view of marriage to God’s original design and intent.

  2. Raise your view of singleness to God’s original purpose.

  3. Raise your devotion for what matters most to God: His kingdom mission.

  4. Find forgiveness and freedom from guilt in these words either by

    1. Recognizing that you may not be guilty of anything, or

    2. Confessing, repenting and receiving his merciful forgiveness for your sin of an unbiblical divorce.

MAIN REFERENCES USED

“Preaching the Word” Commentary, Douglas Sean O’Donnell, Edited by Kent Hughes

“Matthew” by RC Sproul

“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 (ESVSB)

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipDarien Gabriel, non-denominational church, bible believing, church, Ladson, SC, Matthew, marriage, divorce, singleness
Why Forgive? | Matthew 18:21-35
Why Forgive? | Matthew 18:21-35

Series: All!

  • Jesus has all authority,

  • So that all nations

  • Might pledge all allegiance to him.

Title: “Why Forgive?” (Darien Gabriel)

Scripture: Matthew 18:21-35 NIV

Bottom line: We forgive others for their significant offenses against us because he first forgave us for our infinitely significant offenses against him.

  1. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  2. SERMON OUTLINE & NOTES

  3. MAIN REFERENCES USED

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discussion questions for group and personal study.

Reflect and Discuss

1. What does it mean to become like children in verse 3? What is the difference between having childlike faith and being immature in your faith?

2. How does the requirement of humility in verses 1-4 compare with our culture's view of greatness?

3. Explain how a biblical view of the church goes against a culture that prizes independence?

4. How should the parable of the Lost Sheep in verses 10-14 inform our view of church discipline?

5. Respond to the following objection to church discipline: If our church disciplines members, then unbelievers will be turned off and discouraged from coming.

6. What is the ultimate goal of church discipline?

7. What does Matthew 18 have to add to our view of church membership?

8. List things that should and should not be matters of church discipline.

9. What is the main point of the parable of the Unforgiving Servant (wv. 23-35)?

10. If you aren't showing mercy to others, how might that be an indica tion that you are not being shaped by the gospel?

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

Weekly questions I answer in preparation for the sermon:

Q. What do I want you to know?

A. God forgives a sinner’s infinite offense against a holy creator God when they repent and believe in and through Jesus Christ.

Q. Why?

A. Because God is love, he loves his enemies this way. Because one humbly responds to God on his terms by grace through faith.

Q. What do I want you to do?

A. Embrace a perpetual heart attitude of forgiveness. Stop harboring un-forgiveness and forgive one another—those who’ve sinned against you.

Q. Why?

A. Because embracing this attitude reflects the love of God into a needy world.

Total Forgiveness by Nicky Gumbel

Bishop Sandy Millar speaks of a time when he was walking along the beach and he noticed how the sand had been churned up by the footprints of those who had gone before him. The next morning the footprints were all wiped away by the sea. He sensed Jesus saying to him, ‘That is a picture of forgiveness.’

Or to use another analogy, forgiveness from Jesus Christ is like deleting the file of all the bad stuff in our lives.

Forgiveness is never easy. We all know how hard it is to forgive others. However, we often assume that forgiveness from God is almost automatic. On her deathbed, the Empress Catherine the Great of Russia (1729–1796), said, ‘I shall be an autocrat: that’s my trade. The good Lord will forgive me: that’s his.’

OUTLINE & NOTES

Introduction

Bottom line: We forgive others for their significant offenses against us because he first forgave us for our infinitely significant offenses against him.

Refer to “Boomerang Kindness” youtube video https://youtu.be/nwAYpLVyeFU

Potato Famine in Ireland '... BUT' by Nicky Gumbel

During one of the severe potato famines in Ireland, a number of families wrote letters to their landlord saying they had absolutely no money at all to pay their rent and begged to be let off all their debts.

The Irish landlord was Canon Andrew Robert Fausset, born near Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Ireland, in 1821. Canon Fausset wrote back to his tenants. He said it was quite impossible to let them off their debts. It would set a bad precedent. They had to pay every single penny.

‘*But*,’ he wrote, ‘I enclose something that might help you.’ In contrast to so many of the other landlords at the time, he sent a cheque for a very large sum of money – which far more than covered all their debts.

Their hearts must have leapt with joy when they saw the word ‘*but*’. ‘*But*’ is a powerful word when facing trouble, tests and temptations.

Emmanuel Nine forgiving Dillon Roof—some of them forgave him publicly.

Context

Matt. 18:1–20:34 The Community of the Messiah Revealed.

  • This is the fourth of Jesus’ five major discourses in Matthew’s Gospel

  • As his earthly ministry draws to a close, Jesus has spent considerable time clarifying his identity and mission (chs. 14–17).

    • He instructs his disciples on the nature of his covenant community, explaining the kingdom community’s characteristics (18:1–35),

    • its implications for the sanctity of marriage (19:1–12), and

    • its value (19:13–20:34). ESV Study Bible note

What’s important to remember about this context is that Jesus is dealing with how local believers interact with each other. They pursue wandering brothers and sisters in Christ. They lovingly confront sinful behavior. This is different than confronting someone in the world outside of the church.

I. Q&A (18:21-22)

A. The Question: How many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? (18:21)

    1. Peter knows rabbi’s taught 3x

    2. Peter suggests 7x

B. The Answer: Every time. (18:22)

    1. Jesus answers leveraging 7 into infinity.

    2. Jesus continues with another kingdom parable

II. Parable of unmerciful or unforgiving servant. (18:23-34)

A. First servant. (18:23-27)

    1. An insurmountable debt owed.

      1. Millions or billions. Some have said it essentially means an insurmountable amount of debt for anyone.

    2. An extravagant mercy given.

    3. Note

      1. It wasn’t easy. It costs us. It cost Jesus the cross. It will cost us too. That’s what Jesus means when he says, “If anyone come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Luke 9:23

      2. Gumbel wrote,

        1. “We do not earn our forgiveness; Jesus achieved that for you on the cross.

        2. But your willingness to forgive is evidence that you know God’s forgiveness.

        3. Forgiven people forgive.

        4. All of us have been forgiven so much by God that we must keep on forgiving the comparatively small offences committed against us.”

      3. It wasn’t natural. C.S. Lewis wrote: ‘Everyone thinks forgiveness is a lovely idea until they have something to forgive.’

      4. The servant didn’t deserve it.

      5. He didn’t feel like it but was moved by love.

      6. He didn’t all of a sudden trust the guy with more money.

      7. Yet, motivated by compassion/mercy/love, he forgave.

      8. Nicky Gumbel wrote, “Forgiveness is not easy. The cross reminds us how costly and painful it is. Forgiveness does not mean approving of what the other person did, nor excusing it, nor denying it, nor pretending that you are not hurt. Rather, you are aware of what the other person has done and yet you are called to forgive. In your personal relationships lay aside all malice, revenge and retribution and show mercy and grace to the person who has hurt you.”

B. Second servant. (18:28-34)

    1. A challenging debt owed.

      1. Ten thousand dollars?

        1. Significant, yes.

        2. Insignificant in light of the millions and billions he owed and was forgiven of

    2. An unbelievable lack of mercy given.

      1. Revealed a lack of comprehension for the mercy he’d received.

      2. Revealed a heart unwilling to give what he’d received.

      3. Note

        1. It wasn’t easy. He wasn’t willing to pay anything.

        2. It wasn’t natural. C.S. Lewis wrote: ‘Everyone thinks forgiveness is a lovely idea until they have something to forgive.’

        3. The servant didn’t deserve it.

        4. He didn’t feel like it and was NOT moved by love.

        5. He didn’t all of a sudden trust the guy as seen in imprisoning him.

        6. Not motivated by compassion/mercy/love, he DID NOT forgive.

      4. Conclusion

        1. Ultimately first servant loses benefit of being forgiven forever.

        2. When we don’t forgive, we show we have the same attitude of the heart.

III. Final word. (18:35)

A. Your mercy or lack of mercy reveals your spiritual position with the Lord. God will judge you accordingly—with justice, not mercy.

    1. Matthew 6:14-15

      1. Forgiving others is evidence you’ve truly been forgiven and born again.

      2. Not forgiving others is evidence you’ve not been forgiven and not born again.

    2. James 2:13 “…because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”

B. Solution: Humble yourself before a holy almighty God and repent of your sins and surrender your life to him today. This is THE way.

Conclusion

Emanuel Nine forgiving Dillon Roof for murdering their loved ones in their church motivated by racism.

Our bottom line today is

Bottom line: We forgive others for their significant offenses against us because he first forgave us for our infinitely significant offenses against him.

Application:

  1. Remember: God forgave us for our infinitely significant offense against a holy God.

  2. In response: We appropriately forgive all others every time for their significant offenses against us.

What is God saying to you right now?

Let’s pray.

David Platt’s notes

We Forgive One Another (18:21-35)

The context for Matthew 18 is how we as Christians treat one another when they sin against us.

Last exhortation in Matthew 18 is to forgive our brothers and sisters in Christ when they sin against us. This is a continuation from church discipline.

In those days, rabbis encouraged people to forgive a brother for repeated sin up to 3 times, after which there would be no forgiveness. So Peter decides to ask if 7 times would be enough, thinking he was greatly exceeding Jesus’ standard. Jesus responds with 70 X 7 times. Jesus follows this with an extreme example in the form of a parable. The parable is about a man who owes the king millions if not billions of dollars and cannot come close to paying it back. Yet the king motivated by mercy forgives the debt completely and sends the man away displaying amazing mercy and grace.

A number of takeaways:

  1. In Christ, we have received extravagant grace.

    1. There is no price tag we could ever put on our sinfulness before an infinitely holy God.

    2. “When you and I think, ‘Well, I haven’t sinned as much as this person or that person,,’ we show that we have no clue as to the extent of our own sin. Our debt is deep—infinitely deep.” P. 246

    3. “But Christ has paid it.” Motivated by compassion the Father sent his Son Jesus to the cross to free us—from sin’s penalty to be not just his servant but his son.

      1. Freed from the penalty of sin (justification).

      2. Freed from the power of sin (sanctification).

      3. Freed from the presence of sin one day (glorification).

  2. As Christians, we now extend extravagant grace.

    1. How harsh it is for a man forgiven so much to then send someone that owes him a tiny fraction as much to prison.

    2. “Yet for a Christian not to forgive is to do the exact same thing.”

      1. Not saying it’s easy to forgive.

      2. Not saying it’s natural to forgive.

      3. Am saying it’s Christ-like to forgive. As Christians, we have no other option.

      4. “We forgive not because we have to, but because in love we are compelled to.”

      5. “Only Jesus can enable the kind of forgiving heart this passage calls for.”

      6. “This kind of forgiveness should characterize the church.”

In sum: Stop harboring sin and forgive those who’ve sinned against you.

Douglass Sean O’Donnell’s notes

The Heart of Perfect Forgiveness

Peter asks his question on the heals of hearing about church discipline. He wants to know how many times he must forgive the one who sins against him and he knows it must be more than what the Jewish rabbis say, which is 3x based on some verses in Amos.

Jesus responds to Peter’s ambitious response of more than doubling the rabbis’ take with a more unrealistic number—every time.

70X, 70 X 7, 77X whatever—using this number that represents perfection, Jesus is saying every time. Limitless number of times. You don’t get to the 491st time and stop forgiving them because they’ve exceeded their allotted number of forgiveness chips.

Of course, as we saw last week, the church has the authority to forgive (keep in fellowship) and not forgive (remove from the fellowship) when one is unwilling to repent of their sin. That’s why the church has the authority to “bind”. God and his church are to hold the guilty accountable. Those who do not cut off sin are in turn cut off from the fellowship God calls to be holy.

“What Jesus says in 18:22 is that Christians must forgive other Christians who ask for forgiveness and must forgive them (if needed) over and over.” P. 522

Will we sin 490 times?

It’s safe to say we sin once a day (at least), I think.

365 days/year x 1 sin/day x 57 years (my age) = 20,805 sins so far

I mean we sin 490 times every 16 months at this rate. (And I think we sin much more than this)

Through Christ, God doesn’t keep count. So don’t keep count.

Unless you don’t know Christ. Then know that he’s keeping count whether you are or not. In fact, he has a book with each one written down. Every idle word you’ve spoken is written. Every social media post you’ve responded to or posted—recorded. He knows every thought you’ve had that never left your brain. Accountable. You’re accountable for every one.

This is why we need his forgiveness. Extravagant forgiveness.

And as Christ has forgiven us over and over again, we’re to forgive each other over and over again. It’s that simple. Not easy—but clearly what we should do.

The Question of Chapter 18

"At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, 'Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" Matthew 18:1

The rest of the chapter is a response to that question.

--God's Search and Rescue Plan: Church Discipline by David V. Edling, p. 6

From John Stott wrote in "Christian Counter-culture":

"The addition of the words as we also have forgiven our debtors is further emphasized in verses 14 and 15 which follow the prayer and state that our Father will forgive us if we forgive others but will not forgive us if we refuse to forgive others. This certainly does not mean that our forgiveness of others earns us the right to be forgiven. It is rather that God forgives only the penitent and that one of the chief evidences of true penitence is a forgiving spirit. Once our eyes have been opened to see the enormity of our offence against God, the injuries which others have done to us appear by comparison extremely triffling. If, on the other hand, we have an exaggerated view of the offences of others, it proves that we have minimized our own. It is the disparity between the size of debts which is the main point of the parable of the unmerciful servant. It's conclusion is: 'I forgave you all that debt (which was huge)...; should you not have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?'" pp. 149-150

Matthew 18:10-35, Nicky Gumbel

Understand the relationship between human freedom and suffering

God loves you. Love is not love if it is forced; it can only be love if there is a real choice. God gave human beings a choice and the freedom to love or not to love. So much suffering is caused by us choosing not to love God or others: ‘The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods’ (Psalm 16:4).

However, Jesus expressly repudiates the automatic link between sin and suffering (John 9:1–3). He also points out that natural disasters are not necessarily a form of punishment from God (Luke 13:1–5). But some suffering is a direct result either of our own sin or the sin of others. In this passage we see three examples:

  1. Wandering away

    Jesus speaks about a sheep that ‘wanders away’ (Matthew 18:12). When we wander away from the protection of The Shepherd we become vulnerable. But God will never stop searching for us because he ‘is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost’ (v.14).

  2. Sin of others

    Jesus says, ‘If your brother or sister sins against you’ (v.15). So much suffering in the world is the result of other people’s sin – both at a global and community level, and also at an individual one. In this passage, Jesus sets out a way of reconciliation.

    He calls his disciples to unlimited forgiveness. Jesus says that when people sin against us we are to forgive them – not just seven times, but seventy-seven times (vv.21–22). (Or 70 x 7)

    Forgiveness is not easy. The cross reminds us how costly and painful it is. Forgiveness does not mean approving of what the other person did, nor excusing it, nor denying it, nor pretending that you are not hurt. Rather, you are aware of what the other person has done and yet you are called to forgive. In your personal relationships lay aside all malice, revenge and retribution and show mercy and grace to the person who has hurt you.

  3. Unforgiveness

    Sometimes forgiving can be extremely hard. As C.S. Lewis wrote: ‘Everyone thinks forgiveness is a lovely idea until they have something to forgive.’

    In the final parable, we can see the destructive nature of unforgiveness. The first servant’s unwillingness to forgive a comparatively minor debt (around three-and-a-half month’s wages compared to around 160,000 years’ wages for an average person) destroys his relationship with the other servants, and leads to the second servant being cast into prison. So often unforgiveness destroys relationships between people, and results in them lashing out against those they think have sinned against them. We see the results of this in marriage breakdowns, broken relationships, or in conflicts between different communities.

    We do not earn our forgiveness; Jesus achieved that for you on the cross. But your willingness to forgive is evidence that you know God’s forgiveness. Forgiven people forgive. All of us have been forgiven so much by God that we must keep on forgiving the comparatively small offences committed against us.

    I’m so thankful that God does not put a limit on how often he forgives me. Yet when I look at others I am tempted to think, ‘I’m happy to forgive once, or even twice, but if they keep on doing this surely I’m not expected to keep on forgiving.’

Cultivate in your heart the same attitude towards others as God has towards you.

Lord, help me to use my freedom to love, to search for the lost and to have mercy. Help me not to cause suffering but rather to give my life, following the example of Jesus, for the relief of suffering.

MAIN REFERENCES USED

“Preaching the Word” Commentary, Douglas Sean O’Donnell, Edited by Kent Hughes

“Matthew” by RC Sproul

“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 (ESVSB)

God's Search and Rescue Plan: Church Discipline by David V. Edling

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Darien GabrielGrace Christian Fellowshipnon-denominational church, Darien Gabriel, ALL, Matthew, forgiveness, Why Forgive, Grace Christian Fellowship, Ladson, SC, bible believing, church
How to Practice Church Discipline | Matthew 18:15-20
How to Practice Church Discipline | Matthew 18:15-20

Series: All!

  • Jesus has all authority,

  • So that all nations

  • Might pledge all allegiance to him.

Title: “How to Practice Church Discipline” (Darien Gabriel)

Scripture: Matthew 18:15-20 NIV

Heavily relied on O’Donnell for this one. (See below)

Bottom line: We all practice church discipline by lovingly confronting those who sin against us (per Matthew 18) with the aim of restoring the relationship.

  1. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  2. SERMON OUTLINE & NOTES

  3. MAIN REFERENCES USED

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discussion questions for group and personal study.

Reflect and Discuss

1. What does it mean to become like children in verse 3? What is the difference between having childlike faith and being immature in your faith?

2. How does the requirement of humility in verses 1-4 compare with our culture's view of greatness?

3. Explain how a biblical view of the church goes against a culture that prizes independence?

4. How should the parable of the Lost Sheep in verses 10-14 inform our view of church discipline?

5. Respond to the following objection to church discipline: If our church disciplines members, then unbelievers will be turned off and discouraged from coming.

6. What is the ultimate goal of church discipline?

7. What does Matthew 18 have to add to our view of church membership?

8. List things that should and should not be matters of church discipline.

9. What is the main point of the parable of the Unforgiving Servant (wv. 23-35)?

10. If you aren't showing mercy to others, how might that be an indica tion that you are not being shaped by the gospel?

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

Weekly questions I answer in preparation for the sermon:

Q. What do I want you to know?

A. How to practice church discipline

Q. Why?

A. Because it leads to a holier and healthier church family

Q. What do I want you to do?

A. Practice church discipline/confrontation per Matthew 18

Q. Why?

A. Because these steps lead to a holier, healthier church family.

OUTLINE & NOTES

Our oldest grandson is almost 2-1/2 years old. He trusts his parents and grandparents right now. He has an implicit faith in us. When we tell him something, he just believes us. You might call him innocent. He is not! You might call him naive. But for now he trusts us implicitly and humbly. He just knows he doesn’t know near as much as we do.

This is what I think Jesus was trying to communicate to his 12 earlier here. To know that you’re a son off the king, you must humble yourself and turn and become like a 2-3 yr old trusting your Heavenly Father in all he says.

Context

Matt. 18:1–20:34 The Community of the Messiah Revealed.

  • This is the fourth of Jesus’ five major discourses in Matthew’s Gospel

  • As his earthly ministry draws to a close, Jesus has spent considerable time clarifying his identity and mission (chs. 14–17).

    • He instructs his disciples on the nature of his covenant community, explaining the kingdom community’s characteristics (18:1–35),

    • its implications for the sanctity of marriage (19:1–12), and

    • its value (19:13–20:34). ESV Study Bible note

What’s important to remember about this context is that Jesus is dealing with how local believers interact with each other. They pursue wandering brothers and sisters in Christ. They lovingly confront sinful behavior. This is different than confronting someone in the world outside of the church.

Introduction

Bottom line: We all practice church discipline by lovingly confronting those who sin against us (per Matthew 18) with the aim of restoring the relationship.

Church discipline is the act of lovingly confronting one who sins against us so that they humbly respond with repentance restoring their relationship with us and the Lord.

How do we do this?

First, Why confront?

My notes after reading O’Donnell

Have you ever been legitimately confronted over something you did wrong? Or sin?

It’s a humbling experience. Makes you feel small.

“But small, as we learned (earlier in Matthew 18), is the appropriate size to get into the kingdom as well as move up in it. Thus, if confrontation can lead to that kind of smallness, it is something we all, from time to time, very well need.” P. 509

Why confront?

This passage is about how the church (the people) confronts the one who sins against them. But before we tackle how, let’s understand why we even do it.

Most churches want to do this as much as a parent wants to spank a child in the Super Walmart. It’s hard form some to hear that a church can excommunicate someone. It sounds harsh, judgmental, unloving and so against the spirit of the age. This is why we start with why?

4 reasons one Christian confronts another:

1 from our passage and

3 from the surrounding context

  1. The first reason for Christian confrontation is the value of one straying sheep.

    1. Notice how Jesus moves from his parable of the lost sheep directly to this. Matthew inserts nothing in between. Presumably, Jesus does not stop talking in between.

      1. From: Sheep—how God values each individual Christian, even and especially strayed sheep

      2. To: This

      3. Why? Because they are thematically linked.

      4. The Father’s concern for sinners and the Shepherd’s rescue of those who’ve wandered from the fold are now the church’s concern.

    2. The Church confronts because we value each and every sheep, even and especially straying sheep.

  2. The second reason for Christian confrontation is the hope of forgiveness and family reconciliation.

    1. Immediate context: Theme is the forgiveness of a brother’s sin.

      1. Note “Brother” is generic for Christian but is also familial language. He could have used “disciple”

      2. Family reconciliations are the best. Think of the prodigal son. (Luke 15)

  3. The third reason for Christian confrontation is, a little laxity leads to a lot of lapsing.

    1. Paul said, “a little leaven leaven’s the whole lump.” 1 Cor 5:6

    2. A little leaven (neglected sin in the church) leaven’s the whole lump (affects whole church)

    3. A little laxity (let this or that sin go unchecked) leads to a lot of lapsing (I guess if he does that, I can do this)

    4. Cutting off sin (18:8-9) “That by guarding our own personal holiness we guard others, especially those weaker in the faith” p. 511

    5. Ex. “Newly baptized Christian sees an elder in the church sinning, and that elder is not confronted and corrected by the church, then the younger Christian will likely be tempted to similarly sin.” p. 511

    6. “Christian confrontation helps protect and purify the church (like salt), and it helps prevent the spread of sin throughout the Body of Christ.”

  4. The fourth reason for Christian confrontation is that it is a command of Christ…because Jesus is Lord.”

    1. Reproof and love go together.

    2. “Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt. Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.” Lev 19:17-18

    3. Tolerating sin is not loving.

    4. Because God loves, God disciplines.

    5. It’s the loving shepherd who goes after the lost sheep.

    6. The unloving shepherd stays at home

      1. He’s either indifferent (what’s 1 out of 100), or

      2. He’s lenient (oh, sheep will be sheep)

    7. So, Christians are to confront sinning Christians because

      1. We value one straying sheep

      2. We hope for forgiveness and family reconciliation

      3. We know that a little laxity leads to a lot of lapsing, and

      4. Christian confrontation is a loving command from the most loving man who ever lived.

Then, How confront?

3 Strikes and You’re Out (Quick and dirty)

  1. Confront one on one.

    1. If they listen, you’ve won them over. It’s over.

    2. If they don’t, proceed to step two.

  2. Confront with 2-3 witnesses.

    1. If they listen, you’ve won them over. It’s over.

    2. If they don’t, proceed to step three.

  3. Confront with the church.

    1. If they listen, you’ve won them over. It’s over.

    2. If they don’t, you expel them from the church and treat them as a non-Christian.

More detailed outline…

How to Lovingly Confront—3 Steps (O’Donnell)

  1. Go and win (gain)

    1. First, 3 important details

      1. Notice who is confronting whom—it’s brother to brother…

        1. Not brother to person in the world.

        2. There’s a time for that—this isn’t about that.

      2. Notice when this occurs—only “if your brother sins against you.” (In ESV text; footnoted in NIV)

        1. Just between you and him alone (if have “against you” personally as in ESV)

        2. And it is “sin”, behavior that is clearly and consistently contrary to Christ’s commands

        3. This is not bad personality traits or poor hygiene

      3. Notice (speaking on sin) that Jesus assumes Christians will sin

    2. Step 1: Go and win (Gain) PRIVATE CORRECTION / LOVING CONFRONTATION

      1. First step is not…

        1. To wait

        2. To sit and sulk

        3. To give a cold shoulder or silent treatment

        4. Indifference

        5. Tit for tat

        6. To gossip

        7. To slander

      2. Rather, step 1 is a private conversation—underline “just between the two of you” (15)

        1. Gently and/or

        2. With holy harshness

        3. Nathan modeled this in a balanced way with King David (2 Sam 12:1-7)

        4. Paul throughout his ministry; Gal 2:11 I opposed Peter to his face

        5. Jesus showed holy harshness in 18:8-9

        6. Regardless, the spirit is that of humility and love, a solemn concern for your brother’s soul

        7. So we go hoping to win i.e. restore, gain to God and to fellowship with the church

        8. Hoping to bring light to their darkness. If he sees this darkness, confesses it, asks for forgiveness, you’re won or gained your brother

    3. Step 2: Establish Testimony (evidence) SMALL GROUP CLARIFICATION

      1. Jesus is practical

      2. Jesus is also realistic. Most of us get defensive when confronted.

      3. Why? Because we’re proud. Instead of melting like butter, we harden like clay.

      4. “Jesus’ lesson on becoming like little children applies well here as well. Humility is needed! and such humility is helped along by bringing others to hear the case.” P. 516

      5. 2 or 3 others/witnesses comes from Deut 19:15. Why?

        1. To protect against a false accusation—brother B is exaggerating or lying about brother A’s offense.

        2. To help brother A, if he’s been rightly accused, to see his sin as sin, or in other words, to add their voice of reproof so he might repent, and

        3. To be public witnesses, if needed, if the matter comes to the whole church (2 Cor 13:1; 1 Tim 5:19)

    4. Step 3: Church Censure CHURCH ADMONITION & POSSIBLY EXCOMMUNICATION

      1. A censure is an official reprimand and judgment. Here it is the church saying, “3 strikes and your out—you’ve been excommunicated from the fellowship.”p. 516

      2. First, let’s be clear on who is to blame here—it’s the unrepentant brother—he has refused to “listen”

      3. This text isn’t just how to confront—it’s how to respond to confrontation

      4. 3 Strikes and you’re out

        1. “If a sinner won’t cut off his sin, the church cuts him off.” V. 17

        2. That is, treat him like someone who has betrayed the covenant (like a traitor tax collector) and someone who does not currently believe in the covenant (gentile or pagan); their actions move leaders to declare that they are not a follower of Christ

        3. In NT, excommunication meant not allowing this unrepentant “brother” to participate in the public gatherings—

          1. A worship service

          2. Lord’s Supper

          3. Prayer meeting

          4. A judicial meeting

          5. For some, this is the limited version

          6. For others, it was unlimited restriction:

            1. “If any false teacher ‘comes to you…do not receive him into your home or give him any greeting’” (2 John 10)

            2. “As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice (i.e. Matthew 18:15-17), have nothing to do with him.” (Titus 3:10)

            3. “[Do] not …associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is justly or sexually immoral or greedy, or is an idolater, reviled, drunkard, or swindler”—[Do] not even eat with such a one.” (1 Cor 5:11)

            4. “Yet for both—with limited and unlimited restriction—the hope was held out that this ‘severe measure’ would make the sinner come to his senses, that this ‘brother’ would act like a brother should —repent and return.” P. 517

            5. 1 Cor 5-6

            6. 2 Thess 3:14-15

      5. Coming out of 15-17, Jesus masterfully assumes there will be pushback. “Says who?” AUTHORITY

        1. “You see, when a brother or sister is excommunicated, before they leave (and/or sue) the disciplining church and go to another, they will nearly always reply to the disciplining church, ‘You’re not God. Who gives you the right?’ And to that objection our Lord leaves his church 18-20, his gentle way of saying ‘shut it’” pp. 517-18

        2. “These verses are not about the value of prayer meetings.”

        3. “Rather, these verses are about Jesus giving his divine authority to forgive sins (or loose) or not forgive (to bind) into the hands of the church.” P. 518

        4. “If the local church gathers together in the name of Christ—even two or three—to judge another brother (that’s the context, v. 17 esp.), then what these brothers decide on earth is decided (already) in heaven. Why? Jesus’ answer is, ‘Because I say so’…It’s a matter of transference of authority.” P. 518

        5. “The church has been given the authority to forgive (receive back into fellowship) or excommunicate (remove from fellowship). This is how we use the keys to the kingdom.

Conclusion

Our bottom line today is that we all practice church discipline by lovingly confronting those who’ve sinned against us with the aim of restoring the relationship.

  1. Are you ever confronting sin?

  2. When you do, do you do so with humility and love and the aim to restore the relationship?

  3. Is someone confronting you?

  4. Are you responding with humility and repentance?

  5. Is the Lord challenging you to join your local church?

What is God saying to you right now?

Let’s pray.

Church discipline -various levels by warren wiersbe

“Various levels of church discipline

Personal differences between Christians (Matt. 18:15–18; Phil. 4:1–3). 

If a brother or sister sins against me (either deliberately or unknowingly), I should go to that person privately and seek to get the matter settled. Only if the person refuses to settle the matter should I bring anyone else in; and the problem must not go to the church family until every other means has been exhausted.

Doctrinal error. 

Determine first of all why the person is teaching wrong doctrine. Perhaps it is because of ignorance and lack of Bible knowledge. In that case, patiently teach him the truth (2 Tim. 2:23–26). If he persists, rebuke him (Titus 1:10–14). Paul had to do this to Peter (Gal. 2:11ff). If the error continues, avoid him (Rom. 16:17–18), and then separate yourself from him (2 Tim. 2:18ff; 2 John 9ff).

A believer overtaken by sin (Gal. 6:1–3).

Even the great Apostle Peter denied the Lord. And David yielded to lust and committed adultery. When a Christian is caught in known sin, the spiritual members of the church must seek to restore him with gentleness and love. The word restore here means “to set a broken bone”—and that takes tenderness and patience. Too often the church quickly passes judgment on a believer who has sinned, and the damage done causes problems for years to come.

A repeating troublemaker (Titus 3:10). 

The word heretic does not refer to doctrinal error, but to a proud attitude of one who gets people to “take sides” in the church. The Greek word means “to make a choice.” This leads to divisions and cliques in the local church (see Gal. 5:20 where heresies ought to be translated “sects, parties”). There is hardly a church that does not have its parties for or against anything—the pastor, the building program, even the color of the kitchen walls. Usually these “heretics” are people who like to be important; they want a following. Often they have deep emotional problems that Satan can use to create spiritual problems in the church. Perhaps they are frustrated at home or on the job; or perhaps they have, in the past, been hurt by some pastor or church.

These “factious people” should be given two official warnings. If they repeat their sin of dividing the church, they should be given a third warning and rejected. “Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned” (Titus 3:10–11, niv).

It is my conviction that such people should not hold office in the church. It is also my conviction that, if they leave the church “in a conviction that, if they leave the church “in a huff,” they should be restored to fellowship only twice. The third time—they are out!

Open immorality (1 Cor. 5).

The church must mourn over the sinner (the same word is used for mourning over the dead) and seek to bring him to repentance. If he refuses, the church collectively should dismiss him (1 Cor. 5:13, where the Greek word means “expel”). If he repents, he must be forgiven and restored to fellowship in the church (2 Cor. 2:6–11).

In the case of the “lazy saints,” Paul told the believers to exhort them, warn them, and if they did not repent, withdraw intimate fellowship from them. This probably meant that these believers were not permitted to share in the Lord’s Supper, and that the church members would not invite them to their homes. Second Thessalonians 3:14 does not apply to every case of discipline. It applies only to the matter of saints not working for a living.

“Have no company” literally means “do not get mixed up with”; the same word is used in 1 Corinthians 5:9. There is a difference between acquaintanceship, friendship, and fellowship; for fellowship means “to have in common.” For obedient saints to treat disobedient Christians with the same friendship they show to other dedicated saints is to give approval to their sins.

However, Paul (knowing the tendency of human nature to go to extremes) cautioned them not to treat the offenders like enemies. “They are still your brothers in Christ,” he added. Lot was out of fellowship with God and Abraham because he lived in Sodom; yet Abraham rescued Lot from the enemy because Lot was his brother (Gen. 14, and note especially v. 14). It requires much patience, love, and grace to help an erring brother; and this is why Paul added a final motive for earning a living.”

Church Discipline by Warren Wiersbe

The Question of Chapter 18

"At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, 'Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" Matthew 18:1

The rest of the chapter is a response to that question.

--God's Search and Rescue Plan: Church Discipline by David V. Edling, p. 6

From John Stott wrote in "Christian Counter-culture":

"The addition of the words as we also have forgiven our debtors is further emphasized in verses 14 and 15 which follow the prayer and state that our Father will forgive us if we forgive others but will not forgive us if we refuse to forgive others. This certainly does not mean that our forgiveness of others earns us the right to be forgiven. It is rather that God forgives only the penitent and that one of the chief evidences of true penitence is a forgiving spirit. Once our eyes have been opened to see the enormity of our offence against God, the injuries which others have done to us appear by comparison extremely triffling. If, on the other hand, we have an exaggerated view of the offences of others, it proves that we have minimized our own. It is the disparity between the size of debts which is the main point of the parable of the unmerciful servant. It's conclusion is: 'I forgave you all that debt (which was huge)...; should you not have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?'" pp. 149-150

MAIN REFERENCES USED

“Preaching the Word” Commentary, Douglas Sean O’Donnell, Edited by Kent Hughes

“Matthew” by RC Sproul

“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 (ESVSB)

God's Search and Rescue Plan: Church Discipline by David V. Edling

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian Fellowshipnon-denominational church, bible believing, Church, Darien Gabriel, Matthew 18:15-20, ALL, church discipline, Ladson, SC
How to Care for New Believers | Matthew 18:10-14
How to Care for New Believers | Matthew 18:10-14

Series: All!

  • Jesus has all authority,

  • So that all nations

  • Might pledge all allegiance to him.

Title: “How to Care for New Believers” (Darien Gabriel)

Scripture: Matthew 18:10-14 NIV

Bottom line: Because he values them so, it’s our (the Church) responsibility to intentionally care for new believers with focused urgency so that they will persevere in their faith.

  1. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  2. OUTLINE & NOTES

  3. REFERENCES/BIBLIOGRAPHY

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discussion questions for group and personal study.

Reflect and Discuss

1. What does it mean to become like children in verse 3? What is the difference between having childlike faith and being immature in your faith?

2. How does the requirement of humility in verses 1-4 compare with our culture's view of greatness?

3. Explain how a biblical view of the church goes against a culture that prizes independence?

4. How should the parable of the Lost Sheep in verses 10-14 inform our view of church discipline?

5. Respond to the following objection to church discipline: If our church disciplines members, then unbelievers will be turned off and discouraged from coming.

6. What is the ultimate goal of church discipline?

7. What does Matthew 18 have to add to our view of church membership?

8. List things that should and should not be matters of church discipline.

9. What is the main point of the parable of the Unforgiving Servant (wv. 23-35)?

10. If you aren't showing mercy to others, how might that be an indica tion that you are not being shaped by the gospel?

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

Weekly questions I answer in preparation for the sermon:

Q. What do I want you to know?

A. That God values “little ones” or new believers greatly!

Q. Why?

A. Because they are no longer enemies but his family.

Q. What do I want you to do?

A. That we’re to care for new believers with the same intensity that an angel from God does.

Q. Why?

A. Because He “is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.” We have a responsibility to disciple and shepherd them on his behalf.

OUTLINE & NOTES

Our oldest grandson is almost 2-1/2 years old. He trusts his parents and grandparents right now. He has an implicit faith in us. When we tell him something, he just believes us. You might call him innocent. He is not! You might call him naive. But for now he trusts us implicitly and humbly. He just knows he doesn’t know near as much as we do.

This is what I think Jesus was trying to communicate to his 12 earlier here. To know that you’re a son off the king, you must humble yourself and turn and become like a 2-3 yr old trusting your Heavenly Father in all he says.

Context

Matt. 18:1–20:34 The Community of the Messiah Revealed.

  • This is the fourth of Jesus’ five major discourses in Matthew’s Gospel

  • As his earthly ministry draws to a close, Jesus has spent considerable time clarifying his identity and mission (chs. 14–17).

    • He instructs his disciples on the nature of his covenant community, explaining the kingdom community’s characteristics (18:1–35),

    • its implications for the sanctity of marriage (19:1–12), and

    • its value (19:13–20:34). ESV Study Bible note

Introduction

https://youtu.be/4DZNMgiqFYE

Let’s review 1-9

  • Jesus is speaking to his disciples who presumably are already in the kingdom. But Jesus cautions, not so fast?!

  • He shows them that they are not citizens of the kingdom until they are sons of the king. First things first.

  • Context shows this isn’t about evangelism but discipleship. This whole chapter is about how believers are to interact with one another.

  • Only second time “church” is used in Matthew in this chapter. (See 18:17)

  • Jesus reminds the 12 how to become a son/citizen—humble faith.

  • Uses 2-3 yr old as object lesson

  • They have implicit faith—they just believe because they trust their parents (Lincoln is 2-1/2)

  • RC Sproul wrote:

  • Then there’s the warning about causing them to stumble.

  • “Little ones” = new & naive believers

  • Better not be one who causes them to stumble!

Then we get to 10-14

  • Because of this context, we see that while Luke is coming at this from angle of evangelism, Matthew is more like discipleship.

  • But what this really shows is that evangelism is discipleship happening before conversion.

  • “The man” (Shepherd, parent, teacher, church member) pursues the wandering lamb until he brings it home or is unable to bring it home.

  • God greatly values “little ones” as seen in his assigning angels to minister to them specifically.

  • God’s will…

    • His will of decree (“Let there be light” and there was light)

    • His will of precept (It is God’s will that his people have no other gods before him. Exod 20:3)

    • His will of disposition (Ezekiel 33:11 God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked)

  1. God wants us to know that he values new believers greatly!

  2. God doesn’t want them to perish! But since they can,…

  3. God wants us to care for them with focused urgency so that they will persevere in their faith until the end.

Conclusion

End with Andy Stanley story

Bottom line: Because God values them so, it’s our responsibility (the Church) to care for new believers with focused urgency so that they will persevere in the faith.

  1. God wants us to know that he values new believers greatly!

  2. God doesn’t want them to perish! But since they can,…

  3. God wants us to care for them with focused urgency so that they will persevere in their faith until the end.

Let’s pray.

Church discipline -various levels by warren wiersbe

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Darien Roger Gabriel<no-reply@evernote.com>

Date: Wed, Dec 3, 2014 at 9:47 AM

Subject: Church discipline -various levels by warren wiersbe

To: darien.gabriel@gracetoday.net

Various levels of church discipline

Personal differences between Christians (Matt. 18:15–18; Phil. 4:1–3). 

If a brother or sister sins against me (either deliberately or unknowingly), I should go to that person privately and seek to get the matter settled. Only if the person refuses to settle the matter should I bring anyone else in; and the problem must not go to the church family until every other means has been exhausted.

Doctrinal error. 

Determine first of all why the person is teaching wrong doctrine. Perhaps it is because of ignorance and lack of Bible knowledge. In that case, patiently teach him the truth (2 Tim. 2:23–26). If he persists, rebuke him (Titus 1:10–14). Paul had to do this to Peter (Gal. 2:11ff). If the error continues, avoid him (Rom. 16:17–18), and then separate yourself from him (2 Tim. 2:18ff; 2 John 9ff).

A believer overtaken by sin (Gal. 6:1–3).

Even the great Apostle Peter denied the Lord. And David yielded to lust and committed adultery. When a Christian is caught in known sin, the spiritual members of the church must seek to restore him with gentleness and love. The word restore here means “to set a broken bone”—and that takes tenderness and patience. Too often the church quickly passes judgment on a believer who has sinned, and the damage done causes problems for years to come.

A repeating troublemaker (Titus 3:10). 

The word heretic does not refer to doctrinal error, but to a proud attitude of one who gets people to “take sides” in the church. The Greek word means “to make a choice.” This leads to divisions and cliques in the local church (see Gal. 5:20 where heresies ought to be translated “sects, parties”). There is hardly a church that does not have its parties for or against anything—the pastor, the building program, even the color of the kitchen walls. Usually these “heretics” are people who like to be important; they want a following. Often they have deep emotional problems that Satan can use to create spiritual problems in the church. Perhaps they are frustrated at home or on the job; or perhaps they have, in the past, been hurt by some pastor or church.

These “factious people” should be given two official warnings. If they repeat their sin of dividing the church, they should be given a third warning and rejected. “Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned” (Titus 3:10–11, niv).

It is my conviction that such people should not hold office in the church. It is also my conviction that, if they leave the church “in a conviction that, if they leave the church “in a huff,” they should be restored to fellowship only twice. The third time—they are out!

Open immorality (1 Cor. 5).

The church must mourn over the sinner (the same word is used for mourning over the dead) and seek to bring him to repentance. If he refuses, the church collectively should dismiss him (1 Cor. 5:13, where the Greek word means “expel”). If he repents, he must be forgiven and restored to fellowship in the church (2 Cor. 2:6–11).

In the case of the “lazy saints,” Paul told the believers to exhort them, warn them, and if they did not repent, withdraw intimate fellowship from them. This probably meant that these believers were not permitted to share in the Lord’s Supper, and that the church members would not invite them to their homes. Second Thessalonians 3:14 does not apply to every case of discipline. It applies only to the matter of saints not working for a living.

“Have no company” literally means “do not get mixed up with”; the same word is used in 1 Corinthians 5:9. There is a difference between acquaintanceship, friendship, and fellowship; for fellowship means “to have in common.” For obedient saints to treat disobedient Christians with the same friendship they show to other dedicated saints is to give approval to their sins.

However, Paul (knowing the tendency of human nature to go to extremes) cautioned them not to treat the offenders like enemies. “They are still your brothers in Christ,” he added. Lot was out of fellowship with God and Abraham because he lived in Sodom; yet Abraham rescued Lot from the enemy because Lot was his brother (Gen. 14, and note especially v. 14). It requires much patience, love, and grace to help an erring brother; and this is why Paul added a final motive for earning a living.

Church Discipline Notes

"At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, 'Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" Matthew 18:1

The rest of the chapter is a response to that question. -God's Search and Rescue Plan: Church Discipline by David V. Edling, p. 6

See various levels by Warren Wiersbe

From John Stott in "Christian Counter-culture":

"The addition of the words as we also have forgiven our debtors is further emphasized in verses 14 and 15 which follow the prayer and state that our Father will forgive us if we forgive others but will not forgive us if we refuse to forgive others. This certainly does not mean that our forgiveness of others earns us the right to be forgiven. It is rather that God forgives only the penitent and that one of the chief evidences of true penitence is a forgiving spirit. Once our eyes have been opened to see the enormity of our offence against God, the injuries which others have done to us appear by comparison extremely triffling. If, on the other hand, we have an exaggerated view of the offences of others, it proves that we have minimized our own. It is the disparity between the size of debts which is the main point of the parable of the unmerciful servant. It's conclusion is: 'I forgave you all that debt (which was huge)...; should you not have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?'" pp. 149-150

REFERENCES/BIBLIOGRAPHY

“Preaching the Word” Commentary, Douglas Sean O’Donnell, Edited by Kent Hughes

“Matthew” by RC Sproul

“CSB Christ Chronological,” Holman

“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 (ESVSB)

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipDarien Gabirel, Darien Gabriel, Matthew, ALL, new believers, Ladson, SC, Grace Christian Fellowship, bible believing, church
Who is the GOAT? | Matthew 18:1-9
Who is the GOAT? | Matthew 18:1-9

How to be the GOAT (Greatest of All Time)?  Matthew 18:1-9 || 2/19/23

Have you heard the saying, “He is the GOAT” “Greatest Of All Time.”

Disciples ask a version of the question, "Who is the greatest?"

Here in Matthew 18, we find the fourth of 5 great discourses in Matthew.

The Lead In:  

  • Matthew 16 - Jesus asked the disciples, “Who do the people say that the Son of Man is?”  Followed by “Who do you say that I am?” and Peter’s confession in Matthew 16:16. 

  • Matthew 17 we read the account of the transfiguration on the mountain with Jesus, Moses, and Elijah.  Peter, James, and John witnessed. 

·      Moses – burning bush, parting of the Red Sea, 10 Commandments,…

·      Elijah – powerful OT prophet, facing off against prophets of Baal. 

The disciples knew He was the messiah who the O.T. spoke of.  Jesus also told them He would suffer and die, but they seem to have missed the point.  

Notice these first four verses of Matt. 18 set the stage for the rest of the chapter and how to relate to other Christians.  God will deal with those who lead His children into sin.  Jesus illustrates that sin is deadly and His followers should be deal with quickly with it.

Read More
Ken DorrityGrace Christian FellowshipKen Dorrity, GOAT, Matthew, ALL, Grace Christian Fellowship, Ladson, SC, non-denominational church, Bible-believing, church
How Does Worshiping Jesus Christ Affect My Daily Life? Part 2 | Matthew 17:14-27
How Does Worshiping Jesus Christ Affect My Daily Life? Part 2 | Matthew 17:14-27

Series: All!

  • Jesus has all authority,

  • So that all nations

  • Might pledge all allegiance to him.

Title: “How does worshiping Jesus Christ affect my daily life? Part 2” (Darien Gabriel)

Scripture: Matthew 17:14-27 NIV

Bottom line: Treasuring Christ transforms us when we “listen to him” as the Father commands.

  1. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  2. OUTLINE & NOTES

  3. REFERENCES/BIBLIOGRAPHY

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discussion questions for group and personal study.

Reflect and Discuss

1. How is Jesus' patience different from our culture's idea of tolerance?

2. What about Jesus' prediction in verses 22-23 tells us that He wasn't a victim of circumstances?

3. Does Jesus' promise that nothing will be impossible for the one who believes (v. 21) mean that God is obligated to give us what we want if we believe sincerely enough? Why not?

4. What was Jesus' attitude toward the political powers of His day?

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

Weekly questions I answer in preparation for the sermon:

Q. What do I want you to know?

A. That we are transformed by what we treasure; we live our lives based on what we worship.

Q. Why?

A. Because you are changed by what you value—what you truly love. This drives your motivations and decisions.

Q. What do I want you to do?

A. Treasure Christ above all so that you’ll “listen to him” through verses 14-27.

Q. Why?

A. Because there is no better way to please God (our eternal rabbi) than to “Listen to him.”

OUTLINE & NOTES

Introduction

Dave Adamson writes, “I ONCE ASKED A RABBI why he didn't believe Jesus was the Messiah.

The rabbi, a personal friend of mine from New Jersey named Rabbi Lubin, told me that while he believed Jesus was a great rabbi, he couldn't accept Jesus as Messiah because his followers have done so many destructive things in his name.

"Jews judge a rabbi based on the behavior of their followers," he said.

Read that again: "Jews judge a rabbi based on the behavior of their followers." This was the reason my friend didn't believe Jesus was the Messiah. He followed up by adding, "The behavior of the disciple reflects the authority of the rabbi."

If you're like me, that line felt a lot like a punch in the gut. As it should!

Now, with that thought ringing in your ears, what does it look like to "make disciples" who accurately reflect the teachings of Jesus? This is a question I've been processing almost every day since I started…”

“…When I first started going to church as a 17-year-old, I thought being a disciple meant completing the six-week discipleship class my church held twice a year. And that's because the Hebrew word we translate as "disciple" in the Bible is "talmid" (n7n't pronounced "tal-meed"), which we usually translate as "student." But, as Rabbi Lubin taught me, while this word does mean "student, it can actually be translated as "apprentice"-someone who is being led to become just like their teacher. The translation of n7n't as student is correct, Rabbi Lubin told me, but the English concept of "student" doesn't quite cover the nuance of this important Hebrew word.” (Emphasis mine)

-Dave Adamson

A Jewish rabbit doesn’t just expect his disciples to listen to his words and teachings. He expects them to walk in his ways.

Let’s just ask this question. What if someone was here today and they said that they’d trust and follow Jesus if after looking into the lives of the Jesus followers in this room today they concluded he was a good rabbi.

How would your life help or hurt his decision?

It starts with this question:

How does worshipping Jesus Christ affect my daily life? I submit it does so in 5 ways (with some help from David Platt). Last week we covered the first one. Today we’ll cover 2-5.

Now, let’s review a phrase from last week that should ripple through this entire message: “Listen to him.” (God the Father)

Points 2-5 are what we would do if we “Listened to him.”

I. It transforms me from what I value to what Jesus Christ values. (17:1-13; cf. 16:23)

Why? Because we become what we behold.

    • Ex. My pursuit of Anita has transformed me over the years into a more mature person, a husband (we’re one), a father and a follower of Jesus Christ.

How? Through glad obedience.

II. It helps me suffer long. (17:14-21) Long-suffering = patience. Love is patient (1 Cor 13:4)

Why? Putting others first is hard but it’s what love does.

How? By the power of faith (prayer)

    • Rick Warren says he can tell a person’s faith by their prayers

    • This is the point Jesus wants to make (and why he’s frustrated). We either

      • Don’t believe God can do it, or

      • Don’t believe God will do it. (Or both)

      • God can do it. He is able. He is able to do more than we can ask or imagine in fact. So most of the time we’re asking for too little.

      • God cares about it. He may care about something else too (or more) so he answers in accordance with his perfect wisdom and will. But he cares.

III. It helps me surrender my life. (17:22)

Why? Because of his merciful example. Romans 5:8; 12:1

How? Buy the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2; 2 Tim 3:16-17

Jesus willingly surrendered his life for us. He did this because

    1. Of his love for his Father

    2. Of his love for us

Jesus knew where he was headed. This is the second time he predicts this to his disciples. They are so preoccupied with his death (because it means they’ll likely die too) that they miss the second part…his resurrection!

This should help me have this same perspective. If I know I’m going to die but not really there’s a freedom and peace in that. I’m willing to live life without fear of dying—and that’s freedom! I don’t care what other people think—just what God thinks.

IV. It helps me with my perspective. (17:23)

Why? It reminds me that Jesus Christ won at the cross.

How? By grace through faith.

Jesus also predicts his resurrection. While the 12 miss this every time he mentions it, it’s clear to us that he knew what was coming and was preparing for it along the way. (Prayers)

When I have this perspective that this isn’t all there is I’ll live with more freedom because I’ll be free from fear…fear of death, fear of failure, fear of rejection, etc.

V. It helps me live humbly and confidently. (17:24-27)

Why? Because I know who’s authority I have and live under already.

How? By forsaking/surrendering my rights in this world.

Jesus models humble contentment and submission to authorities for the sake of the mission.

Jesus models great faith. Think of all the miracles that have to happen for that coin to be in that fishes’ mouth.

Conclusion

Bottom line: Treasuring Christ transforms us when we “listen to him” as the Father commands.

Are you long-suffering with others? with your circumstances?

Are you living surrendered daily? Denying yourself and taking up your cross daily?

Are you living victoriously as if you really believed that the best is yet to come?

Are you living humbly and confidently?

Are you listening to him?

Let’s pray.

REFERENCES/BIBLIOGRAPHY

“Preaching the Word” Commentary, Douglas Sean O’Donnell, Edited by Kent Hughes

“Matthew” by RC Sproul

“CSB Christ Chronological,” Holman

“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 (ESVSB)

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian Fellowshipnon-denominational church, Ladson, SC, Grace Christian Fellowship, Matthew 17, ALL, bible believing, church, Darien Gabriel
How Does Worshiping Jesus Christ Affect My Daily Life? | Matthew 17:1-13
How Does Worshiping Jesus Christ Affect My Daily Life? | Matthew 17:1-13

Series: All!

  • Jesus has all authority,

  • So that all nations

  • Might pledge all allegiance to him.

Scripture: Matthew 17:1-13

Cross references: Luke 9:31; 2 Cor 3:18; 4:4-6; Romans 5:8, 12:1-2; Malachi 4:1-6; 2 Tim 3:16-17

Title: “How does worshiping Jesus Christ affect my daily life?” (Darien Gabriel)

A lot of help came through David Platt’s commentary this week (see below)

Bottom line: Worshiping Jesus Christ affects my daily life by transforming your affections. This affects your daily decisions and the motivations behind them.

Discussion questions for group and personal study.

Reflect and Discuss

1. What hobbies, activities, and people do you spend most of your time with? How do these things affect your thinking and your behavior?

2. If we become like what we behold, then what does it look like to behold Christ today while He is not physically present?

3. List five attributes of Jesus Christ in Matthew 17.

4. How does this passage speak to the superiority of Jesus Christ over well-known Old Testament figures?

5. Describe the relationship between Elijah and John the Baptist in verses 9-13.

6. Does this passage speak to Jesus' divinity? Explain.

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

Q. What do I want you to know?

A. That we are transformed by what we treasure; we live our lives based on what we worship.

Q. Why?

A. Because you are changed by what you value—what you truly love. This drives your motivations and decisions.

Q. What do I want you to do?

A. Treasure Christ above all so that you’ll become more like Christ in character and competency.

Q. Why?

A. Because there is no better way to please God than to “Listen to him.”

INTRO

I am who I am today because of one key relationship—my wife, Anita. (We celebrated our 35 anniversary this month)

From the day I met her, my desire has been to be with, around and even like her.

Our friendship started in 9th grade. She snagged my heart that early. Overtime, as we’ve grown closer to God and each other, I’ve oriented my life around her (often in concern with Christ, but not always) and this has changed me into who I have become. And it’s still happening. I went from friend, to boyfriend to fiancée to husband to fellow parent and grandparent. I also went from a lost, self-centered, self-absorbed young man to a found, somewhat self-centered, somewhat self-absorbed older man. I have become what I beheld. What have I beheld? What have I set my affections on? Her. Jesus. And by God’s grace we’ve both moved up our marriage triangle towards Christ and, as a result, each other.

This is what it means that we become what we behold. We behold or become beholden to or set our affections on that which we value. The more we value it, the more of a hold it has on us. And the more the hold, the more it transforms us into it’s image. If that is godly, we become more like Christ. If it’s not, we become less like him.

This foundational to what the Lord is teaching us in Matthew 17 today.

It starts with this question:

How does worshipping Jesus Christ affect my daily life? I submit it does so in 5 ways (with some help from David Platt). Today we’ll focus just on the first one.

I. It transforms me from what I value to what Jesus Christ values. (17:1-13; cf. 16:23)

Why? Because we become what we behold.

    • Ex. My pursuit of Anita has transformed me over the years into a more mature person, a husband (we’re one), a father and a follower of Jesus Christ.

How? Through glad obedience.

II. It helps me suffer long. (17:14-21) Longo-suffering = patience. Love is patient (1 Cor 13:4)

Why? Putting others first is hard but it’s what love does.

How? By the power of faith (prayer)

    • Rick Warren says he can tell a person’s faith by their prayers

III. It helps me surrender my life. (17:22)

Why? Because of his merciful example. Romans 5:8; 12:1

How? Buy the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2; 2 Tim 3:16-17

IV. It helps me with my perspective. (17:23)

Why? It reminds me that Jesus Christ won at the cross.

How? By grace through faith.

V. It helps me live humbly and confidently. (17:24-27)

Why? Because I know who’s authority I have and live under already.

How? By forsaking/surrendering my rights in this world.

CONCLUSION

So my bottom line today is worshipping Jesus Christ affects my daily life by transforming my affections which affects my daily decisions my motivations behind them.

Who are you becoming?

What are you beholding?

What are you setting your affections on?

Anything less than Jesus Christ and his kingdom means you’re settling for something so inferior to what you could have. And you’ll never become who God created you to be until you get this right.

My prayer for you today is that you’ll repent of pursuing any and everything in your life that doesn’t deserve your affections and reorient your life around your merciful Creator and Savior.

Let’s pray.

Bottom line: Worshiping Jesus Christ affects my daily life by transforming your affections. This affects your daily decisions and the motivations behind them.

“17:1-9 The transfiguration was:

(1) a revelation of the glory of the Son of God, a glory hidden now but to be fully revealed when he returns; (2) a confirmation of the difficult teaching given to the disciples at Caesarea Philippi

(16:13-20); and

(3) a beneficial experience for the disciples, who were discouraged after having been reminded so recently of Jesus' impending suffering and death (16:21). See notes on Mk 9:2-7; Lk 9:28-35.” NIV Study Bible

“Transfigured is a weak word, but perhaps it is the best available English word to translate the Greek word Matthew uses here, which is the passive form of the verb metamorphoō. The verb literally means “a change of form.” It comes over into the English language as the word metamorphosis. We use it to describe the amazing transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly. But transfiguration includes the prefix trans-, which means “across.” What was crossed in the transfiguration? We might say Jesus crossed the line from the natural to the supernatural, from the human to the divine, as the cloak of humanity that veiled His true glory was removed and His glory became visible.” —RC Sproul

Excerpt From

Matthew - An Expositional Commentary

R.C. Sproul

https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewBook?id=0

This material may be protected by copyright.

BIOY, Jan 24, 2023

By Nicky Gumbel

…On the other hand, if you follow Jesus and surrender your life to him, you find the very purpose of life. The words of Jesus are extraordinarily powerful. There has never been a time when it is more important to ‘listen to him’ than now!

Jesus took Peter, James and John up a high mountain. Jesus’ appearance changed right before their eyes. ‘Sunlight poured from his face. His clothes were filled with light. Then they realised that Moses and Elijah were also there in deep conversation with him’ (17:1–3, MSG). They heard God say, ‘This is my Son, marked by my love, focus of my delight. Listen to him’ (v.5, MSG).

As Moses and Elijah talked with Jesus, so you too can live a life ‘talking with Jesus’. Your experience may not be as visual or auditory as that of the disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration, but you too can know the presence of Jesus in your life. Through reading his words and meditating on them, you can experience a conversation with Jesus through the Holy Spirit.

You can, in a sense, look into his face, which shines ‘like the sun’ (v.2). You can fall down in worship (v.6). It can feel as if Jesus is actually touching you and saying to you ‘do not be afraid’ (v.7). And there are times when you may look up and see ‘no one except Jesus’ (v.8).

Lord, thank you that when I lose my life for you, I find it. Help me to *listen* to your voice and to follow you, daily.

SECTION OUTLINE SIXTEEN (MATTHEW 17)

God confirms Peter's earlier acknowledgment of the deity of Christ by transfiguring Jesus on the mountaintop. Jesus heals a demon-possessed boy, predicts his own death, and instructs Peter to pay the Temple tax with a coin found in the mouth of a fish.

I. THE SPLENDOR OF THE SAVIOR (17:1-13)

A. The confirmation on top of the mountain (17:1-8): Jesus takes Peter, James, and John with him.

1. What they see (17:1-3)

a. The appearance of God's Messiah (17:1-2): His face and clothing shine like the noonday sun!

b. The arrival of God's messengers (17:3): Moses and Elijah appear and speak to Jesus.

2. What they say (17:4): Peter wants to build three shelters, one each for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah.

3. What they hear (17:5): The Father speaks from heaven, attesting to the love he has for his Son.

4. What they do (17:6-8): They fall to the ground, terrified, but are reassured by Jesus.

B. The conversation coming down the mountain (17:9-13)

1. The command (17:9): Jesus instructs the three to say nothing concerning what they saw until his resurrection.

2. The confusion (17:10): They want to know if Elijah will come before the return of the Messiah.

3. The clarification (17:11-13)

a. His answer (17:11-12)

(1) Elijah will indeed come (17:11).

(2) Elijah has already come (17:12).

b. Their assumption (17:13): By this they understand that he is referring to John the Baptist.

II. THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE SAVIOR (17:14-21, 24-27): Jesus demonstrates his deity through two miracles.

A. The boy with a demon (17:14-21)

1. The desperation of the father (17:14-16): He begs Jesus to heal his son.

2. The exorcism by the Lord (17:17-18: Jesus quickly drives the demon from the lad.

3. The frustration of the disciples (17:19-21)

a. They say, "Why couldn't we cast out that demon?" (17:19).

b. He says, "You didn't have enough faith" (17:21).

B. The fish with a coin (17:24-27)

1. The who (17:24b): Some tax collectors approach Peter.

2. The what (17:24c): They demand to know if Jesus will pay the Temple tax.

3. The where (17:24a): This takes place upon Jesus' arrival in Capernaum.

4. The why (17:25-26): Jesus informs Peter of two things.

a. Why he should not have to pay this tax (17:25): Kings tax the conquered, not their own people.

b. Why he should pay the tax anyway (17:26): Though he is free, he should try not to offend anyone.

5. The how (17:27): Jesus tells Peter to throw a line in the lake, open the mouth of the first fish he catches, and use the coin he will find there to pay the tax!

III. THE SUFFERING OF THE SAVIOR (17:22-23)

A. His revelation (17:22-23a): He tells the disciples of his coming betrayal, death, and resurrection.   

B. Their reaction (17:23b): The disciples are filled with grief.

References/Bibliography:

“Preaching the Word” Commentary, Douglas Sean O’Donnell, Edited by Kent Hughes

“Matthew” by RC Sproul

“CSB Christ Chronological,” Holman

“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

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Darien GabrielGrace Christian Fellowshipnon-denominational church, church, Darien Gabriel, Matthew, ALL, allegiance, worshiping Jesus, Ladson, SC
Who Do You Say I Am? | Matthew 16:13-28
Who Do You Say I Am? | Matthew 16:13-28

“Who Do You say I Am”?

Matthew 16:13-28

Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah

13  When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the

Son of Man is?”

14  They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the

prophets.”

15  “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

16  Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

17  Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and

blood, but by my Father in heaven.  18  And I tell you that you are Peter, [ a ]  and on this rock I will build my

church, and the gates of Hades [b]  will not overcome it.  19  I will give you the keys of the kingdom of

heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be [c]  bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will

be [d]  loosed in heaven.”  20  Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Jesus Predicts His Death

21  From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many

things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be

killed and on the third day be raised to life.

22  Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to

you!”

23  Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not

have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

24  Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up

their cross and follow me.  25  For whoever wants to save their life [e]  will lose it, but whoever loses their life

for me will find it.  26  What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or

what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?  27  For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s

glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.

28  “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man

coming in his kingdom.”

13 “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 14  They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah;

and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

-John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeramiah, or one of the prophets back from the dead. A good man or

Godly man, but not God Himself

- There’s irony in that they were closer to believing that He was a prophet raised from the dead,

than the Savior who would actually be raised from the dead

- There were a lot of people in the first century who would have said they believed in

Jesus – that He was a prophet or a good man

- There are a lot of people in the 21 st century who would say the same thing

- approx.. 85% of Americans believe that Jesus was a real historical figure –

-52% of Americans think Jesus was a great teacher

-They didn’t say “the Messiah”, and many don’t now.

CS Lewis: liar, lunatic or Lord

l am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about

Him: I&#39;m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don&#39;t accept his claim to be God.

That is the one thing we must not say.

A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral

teacher. He would either be a lunatic-on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg-or

else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the

Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit

at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not

come with any patronising nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that

open to us. He did not intend to. ... Now it seems to me obvious that He was neither a lunatic nor

a fiend: and consequently, however strange or terrifying or unlikely it may seem, I have to accept

the view that He was and is God. (Mere Christianity, 55-56)

15  “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

- “you” here is plural, directed at the apostles

- Everything now and for eternity hinges on your answer

16  Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

- This is the first time we see the apostles confess who Jesus is

- Who you say Jesus is determines everything about how you follow Him.

- If you believe He’s a good teacher, that’s how you follow Him. If you think He has some

good ideas, you’ll listen to Him once in a while

- If you believe He’s the Savior, that should change everything about how you live your

life.

- 17  Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and

blood, but by my Father in heaven. 

- Divine revelation rather than human deduction

- The grace of God is the only way anyone can behold the beauty AND PURPOSE of Christ

John 6:44-45

““No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the

last day. It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the

Father and learned from him comes to me.”

-A Biblical argument can be made that the only way we will know Jesus for who He truly is, is ONLY

through the revelation of God our Father…but God reveals it to others through our evangelism.

-In fact, the only reason why we are together as a family is because God our Father made it so.

18  And I tell you that you are Peter, [ a ]  and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades [b]  will

not overcome it. 

- “You are Peter” (Petros = rock) - this parallels Peter’s confession

- First use of the word “church” or “ekklesia” in the gospels

- Jesus isn’t implying anything of a particular church structure, just promising that he will establish a

gathered community of his followers, and help them grow. – a community of people who submit to

Gods Kingly rule.

Jesus promises the indestructibility of His church.

- Gates of Hades, sometimes referred to the gates of hell – probably the powers of death.

- Gates are largely defensive, so if you consider the gates of hell, or the powers of death on the

defense, that means those gates cannot withstand the power over death that Jesus instills in the

church.

- This passage may not be about protecting the church from the gates of hell (and death)…Hell is on the

defensive…not us! Jesus is saying the gates of hell, death itself cannot withstand His power through the

church. The church needs to be storming the gates of hell, not sitting in our cozy buildings waiting for it

to come to us. Either way, death is defeated…

- We overcome death – we don’t have to defend against it’s power

- Death cannot stop this Messiah, nor His followers – Christ gives His authority to the church

- Being a part of a church is not like joining a club –it comes with an extremely important confession with

eternal ramifications.

- All too often in the US, joining a church looks more like joining a country club these

days.

- multi-million dollar facilities with racquetball courts, gyms, recreational

facilities, bookstores and sometimes a place to gather and worship. Even then,

the logos, jerseys, bumper stickers, Sunday concerts and worship albums help to

build membership, but may not build God’s kingdom.

- WHAT YOU WIN THEM WITH, IS WHAT YOU WIN THEM TO.

-we have to be careful not to do to the church what the Jews did to the temple.

19  I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be [c]  bound in

heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be [d]  loosed in heaven.”  20  Then he ordered his disciples not

to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

- I grew up Roman Catholic, and the Catholic church uses this passage to justify Peter as the first

Pope, and through apostolic succession, confessing sins to priests in confessionals. As they forgive, they

loose on earth…but….

- this is not about the authority of Peter, but the authority of Jesus Christ

- this is not about a supreme pope, but a sovereign Savior

- this is not about an infallible pope, but an invincible mission

There is imagery of keys that close and open, lock and unlock (Isaiah 22:22) and take the binding and

loosing referring to Christians making entrance to Gods kingdom available or unavailable to people

through their witness, preaching and ministry. This will tie in closely with John 20:23

When Peter or the other apostles, or any follower of Christ for the matter, proclaims the gospel, it is

done under Jesus&#39; authority-His authority to save sinners and to judge sinners. Jesus&#39; authority to save

means that we can say to any person in the world, &quot;If you turn from your sin and trust in Jesus as Savior

and Lord, you will be free from sin forever&#39; That&#39;s a guarantee based on the authority of Christ and His

Word. At the same time, we can also say to any person in this world, &quot;If you do not tum from your sin

and trust in Jesus as Savior and Lord, you are bound to your sin and its payment for all eternity in hell.&quot;

Authority has been entrusted to us as the church to proclaim this message.

We speak with the authority of Christ. The urgency and priority of evangelism flows from these truths

21  From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many

things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be

killed and on the third day be raised to life.

-Jesus speaks plainly of His coming fate - anticipating that he may be killed does not require any

supernatural insight…Matthew 12:14

“But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.”

But, more than common sense must lie behind the prediction of His resurrection.

Elders - not previously mentioned - members of the Sanhedrin

“Chief priests and scribes” - teachers of the law

Jesus doesn’t explain here the use of the word “must”, but accounts for it in Matthew 20:28

28  just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a

ransom for many.”

22  Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to

you!”

-Peter does not recognize that Jesus’ death and resurrection must precede the establishment of the

church and that His followers must also suffer before Gods kingdom will triumph.

-Peter has not yet conceived of a suffering Messiah

-Peters is emphatic…basically “no way”, “this shall never happen”!!

-Trying to thwart God’s plan for Jesus life is, in fact, the role of the devil, not a disciple…hence Jesus’

reply.

23  Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not

have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

-He’s not saying Peter is the devil or possessed, but dramatically stating that the perspective Peter

represents here, however unwittingly, is the same as Satan’s.

-Peter moves very fast from foundation block to stumbling block

-Peter represents the viewpoint of unredeemed humanity, rather than God’s will.

-Get behind me means get away, or out of my site…similar to his rebuke of satan in Matthew 4:10

Where a similar temptation was aimed at Jesus in the desert:

“Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him

only.’””

- “Take up his cross” is metaphorical - submission to God’s will, wherever it may lead = deny himself. It

also represents an ominous possibility that some of the disciples might literally be crucified.

-Self-denial means putting God and His kingdom priorities first.

-This is so counter cultural to life in America

 you deserve a break today

 Get the pampering you deserve

 You deserve only the best

The pursuit of happiness is a constitutional right, not a biblical right

Do you know what we truly deserve? Death

Romans 6:23

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Any preacher who tells you that you deserve anything better than death…you know, your best life now,

is a wolf in sheep’s clothing and does not have your eternal soul in mind…run

This is how we find life.

Galatians 2:19-20

““For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I

no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who

loved me and gave himself for me.”

The logic of Jesus’ command depends wholly on the existence of life beyond the grace

Live for yourself and you will die. Die to yourself and you will live.

27  For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each

person according to what they have done.

-Glory awaits ahead, but only after suffering

-“What he has done” is more literally like “his practice” and refers to an individual life viewed in its

entirety

28  “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man

coming in his kingdom.”

Verse 28 is kind of cryptic but is probably referring to the transfiguration, which is coming up next . The

transfiguration will be a foretaste of his resurrection.

2 Peter 1:16-18 (Peter later referring to the transfiguration)

“For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus

Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. He received honor and glory from God the

Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with

him I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him

on the sacred mountain.”

-Regarding suffering having to precede glory is a tough one for Christians today, especially in the US,

where prosperity preaching contradicts the teachings and life of Jesus.

-Have you died to yourself?

-Have you taken up your cross?

James 1:27

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in

their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

James 1:27 NIV

Romans 12:1-2

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living

sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern

of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and

approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Romans 12:1-2 NIV

Matthew 25:31-46 NIV

““When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne.

All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a

shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his

left. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your

inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you

gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you

invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison

and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and

feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in,

or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King

will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine,

you did for me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the

eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was

thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes

and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ “They also will

answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in

prison, and did not help you?’ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the

least of these, you did not do for me.’ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous

to eternal life.””

“Who Do You Say I Am”? - Verses for slides

Matthew 16:13-28

Mathew 16: 13-14

Matthew 16:15

Matthew 16:16

Matthew 16:17

John 6:44-45

Matthew 16:18

James 1:27

Matthew 16:19-20

Matthew 16:21

Matthew 12:14

Matthew 20:28

Matthew 16:22

Matthew 16:23

Matthew 4:10

Matthew 16:24-26

Romans 6:23

James 1:27

Romans 12:1-2

Matthew 25:31-46

Galatians 2:19-20

Matthew 16:27

Matthew 16:28

2 Peter 2:16-18

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Guest UserGrace Christian Fellowshipnon-denominational church, Chris Karpus, Grace Christian Fellowship, bible believing, Matthew, Peter, Ladson, SC, church
How to Avoid Making Bad Bread | Matthew 16:1-12
How to Avoid Making Bad Bread | Matthew 16:1-12

Series: All!

Scripture: Matthew 16:1-12

Title: “How to Avoid Making Bad Bread” (Mikey Brannon)

Bottom line: We avoid making bad bread by remembering that God can, God cares and therefore by heading his warnings.

Discussion questions for group and personal study.

Reflect and Discuss

1. How does self-righteousness blind us to Christ?

2. If Jesus performed signs in His ministry, why was it wrong for the Pharisees and Sadducees to request signs?

3. How is self-denial different from works-righteousness?

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

Q. What do I want you to know?

A. Jesus invites you to come and feast with him and his family by grace through faith.

Q. Why?

A. To empower us to save, satisfy and serve all peoples of all nations.

Q. What do I want you to do?

A. Accept his invitation by faith.

Q. Why?

A. So that you’ll be propelled to save, satisfy and serve your neighbors.

Mikey’s notes

JANUARY 22, 2023

Bad Bread

Grace Christian Fellowship

FALLEN CONDITION FOCUS

Because our flesh weak, we are susceptible to influences that can corrupt our beliefs and our discipleship.

 

INTRODUCTION

Please turn in your Bible to Matthew 16:1-12. It is an honor to be up here this morning. Thanks to Darien, and to such a gracious and loving church family to allow me to share with you this week.

Let us just have a word of prayer.

When Brooke and I were just married, we were in college, and we lived in a manufactured home in North Alabama. And back then we were young and all I can remember is we could sleep for days back then. There were no kids to wake us up, and on Saturday morning after we had worked all week in the day, and went to school at night when Saturday rolled around we would just sleep until lunchtime.

But on this Saturday there was a bout of severe tornadoes that were working their way through our town. And we rented the “land” our house was on from an elderly couple across the street. Very sweet people, they had a house with a foundation, and they even had a storm cellar that they always said we were welcome to use. And on that morning, all the weather radios were blaring in the town, and the sirens on top of the water tower were blaring. And the TV was flashing red because guess what there was, a Tornado warning. All morning long, just tornado after tornado. And guess what Brooke and I were doing. Yep, sleeping. Not a care in the world. And across the street that elderly couple who could see our house from the cellar they were in were just worried sick, because we were not heading any of the… warnings.

We are familiar with warnings in our day and age. We get them all the time. You may see a tornado warning, hurricane warning, you may get a warning from you car regarding your engine temperature or something like that. But what we really don’t expect to see is a warning about bread. Today I want to talk to you about just such a warning that Jesus gave his disciples after an encounter with his disciples.

I. The Unreachable Moment

We know from Chapter 15 that Jesus is on the West side of the Sea of Galilee in a place called Magadan. And when they arrive they approached by 2 groups of people.

[Mat 16:1 ESV] 1 And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven.

Pharisees and Sadducees came

At first glance this may remind you of what we saw back Matthew 12:38. In fact, Jesus is going to give this group the same answer that he gave those guys. But there is something different here. We now have not scribes, but Sadducees.

We know the Pharisees right. They were the keepers of the law. They were religious leaders who made sure everybody was following the rules. They would be considered the “right wing” of the Jewish religion. These legalist as we have discussed “added to Scripture” all sorts of rules and regulations.

The Sadducees were sort of like the Jewish elite. They were the upper class, and generally worked in the care of the temple (corruption) and held positions like high priest or chief priest. They had very different beliefs than the Pharisees. For instance they really didn’t believe in anything supernatural. They didn’t believe in miracles. They didn’t believe in resurrection. They sort of spiritualized all of scripture so that it was basically just meaningless. They took away from Scripture because they only believed in the first 5 books of the Bible.

So one group of Scripture adders, another group of Scripture subtractors. These 2 groups did not get along very well at all. But they are united in our text today in their hatred toward Jesus, and their commitment to try to expose him as a fraud.

 

test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven.

The motivation for this request is evil. We have seen already that Jesus has produced numerous undeniable miracles. In fact if you recall in Matthew 12:24, that when Jesus cleansed a demon-oppressed man they said that the miracle was in fact performed was performed by the power of Satan. So we know that even when faced with overwhelming evidence of Jesus’ deity they will not believe. They are spiritually blind and spiritually dead.

In Matthew 12 they asked for a “sign”, but here they as for something more, they ask for a “sign from heaven”. Bible scholars tell us that some in this day had the belief that Satan could do a miracle on the ground, but only God could do a miracle in the sky or in the heavens. So they want something grand.

 

Now don’t miss this. They are looking for a sign from heaven, when THE sign from heaven is standing in front of them

[Luk 2:34 NIV] 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against,

And now we see from Luke that in denying him as a sign from heaven fulfills the words and fulfills this prophecy from Simeon so many years ago.

II. They Lack Vision to See

[Mat 16:2-3 ESV] 2 He answered them, "When it is evening, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.'

3 And in the morning, 'It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.

As you might expect, Jesus does not grant the request to perform a sign for the Pharisees and Sadducees. Instead he draws their attention to their Spiritual Blindness.

This saying that we read Jesus saying is one that you are likely familiar with even today. “Red sky at night, sailors delight, red sky in the morning sailors warning.” The saying can even be traced back to shepherds in this day who applied the saying to their occupation in a similar way.

I think its first of all kind of funny. In a way, Jesus says, you are better meteorologist than you are theologians. The problem is that they were supposed to be experts on theology not on weather, but Jesus says your theology is so bad, perhaps you should stick to being a weather man.

I suspect that Jesus has something in mind when he makes this statement. In order for them to discern the weather, they had to utilize one of their five senses right. We see in verse three the word “red”. In order for them to discern what the weather would be they needed to be able to SEE the sky.

[Mat 15:14 ESV] 14 Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit."

I think Jesus is pointing out that they have the vision to see the physical world, but when it comes to His Kingdom, when it comes to Him, they may as well not even have eyeballs in their head. They are completely and totally Spiritually blind.

This is the condition of man as he enters the world. It was the condition of his disciple even at one point. It is likely the condition of somebody here today. Spiritual things are not just dim, or hard to understand, but they are invisible. Unless the Holy Spirit brings about conviction, and illuminates the gospel there is no hope to see the Kingdom.

4 An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah." So he left them and departed.

It wasn’t very long ago I was riding in my car, and a long time I used to listen to the radio, but I don’t know if people still do that. I usually have my phone and I listen to podcasts. And it was a particularly popular podcast, completely secular, and the subject came up about God. And the guest was sort of half-heartedly advocating for the existence of God, but the host wouldn’t have any part of it. And at the conclusion of the conversation the host said, “why won’t God just do one big miracle and make it so obvious that there is no debate.”

“Evil and adulterous generation”, we have God’s full revelation of Scripture. We have the biggest miracle that we could ever hope for in the resurrection of Jesus, and we have the nerve to ask God to do something else? It’s pure evil.

Jesus along those lines, answers as he did back in chapter 12, “no sign will be given except the sign of Jonah.”

The Old Testament is full of what theologians call Christ types. And this term is used to acknowledge someone who in the OT that is meant to forshadow the work and person of Jesus Christ. I don’t have time to go through them, but there are many Christ types in the Old Testament. One of those Christ types is Jonah. Now obviously Jonah had his issues, but that’s not the point. As we read his story we get a picture of Christ. Christ would be sent to bring salvation to his people. Johan would be sent to save the people of Nineveh. Jesus would be crucified put in the ground for three days and then live again. Jonah would spend 3 days in the belly of a fish, and then appear on dry land again to do God’s work.

Now think about what Jesus is saying about Jonah and the people of Nineveh. The Ninevites have a long history of idolatry and wickedness. It is not the place you want to go on mission. There are some bad, wicked people in Nineveh.

[Jon 1:1-2 ESV] 1 Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me."

So we have Jonah, who is just a shadow of Christ. Flawed and sinful, and here he is, sent to the absolutely depraved place. And guess what happened. With just a shadow of Christ, they were broken to the core. They covered themselves in sackcloth and ashes. The fasted in brokenness for their own sin. All in faith that God would turn from his wrath and save them.

Now there is a picture of repentance. So often we (the church) are guilty of watering down what repentance really looks like. True brokenness for sin. It’s so much more than, “I’m sorry God”. It’s starts there, but it goes further into physical action of turning from sin. Does our rebellion from God break us the way it broke the Ninevites?

And so Jesus looks at the Pharisees and the Sadducees and he says you want a sign, just look at Jonah. They didn’t have God the Son incarnate standing in front of them. They didn’t have the countless miracles that you have heard and seen performed in front of you. They didn’t have the Son of Man teaching in their synagogue. All they had was, Jonah, a shadow. The shadow of the one who stands 2 feet in front of your face, and yet you are too blind to see the light.

III. The Teachable Moment

[Mat 16:5 ESV] 5 When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread.

In verse 5 we get a change in setting. No longer are we in Magadan in the heated exchange, but now across the Sea of Galilee we move. And I can just picture the disciple begin row the boat out to sea. It’s been a long day, and they realize they don’t have any bread.

Now listen, for those of us who do road trips, we can identify. Brooke is always good when we head off on a long road trip to pack snacks, and let me tell you if I don’t have some snacks you don’t want to be around me. It’s not pretty.

Where they land on the North Eastern side of the SOG, there is likely no place for them to buy bread. And if I’m honest, and I was in that boat, listen, I would be the guy who was like. There are no bread stores here. What are we going  to do?

So Jesus recognizes the nutritional unrest that has ensued among his disciples and he uses that as a launching point to what he wants them to hear. As those of us who disciple others, whether it’s in a group or our family or our friends we should follow Jesus’ model here and always be looking for teachable moments like this.

You see Jesus’ mind is still on what happened back west, and the danger that is hidden in what has just transpired with those Pharisees and Sadducees and he issues a warning.

[Mat 16:6 ESV] 6 Jesus said to them, "Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees."

This is where we get the warning “beware”. This is a warning from Jesus that there is danger lurking, but the danger comes from somewhere that they don’t immediately understand. Jesus says watch out for the “leaven” of the P & S.

When Jesus talks ab out leaven what is he talking about. Leaven was used in those days like yeast. Something that was used to make bread rise from something flat to something full. They used a process where they had a “starter” for the bread. And that starter contained the leaven that was required to make the bread rise.

As many times we saw when Jesus would use figurative speech to illustrate a point the disciples weren’t the quickest to catch on to the meaning. I can remember when I was taking High School literature, and we would read an abstract poem that had some deeper meaning often times the teach would ask the class to write a paper about what the poem meant. Usually this meant I was in trouble. I am a very literal person, that’s why I became an engineer and not a poet.

But Jesus like a good teacher, is patient with his pupils.

[Mat 16:7-8 ESV] 7 And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, "We brought no bread." 8 But Jesus, aware of this, said, "O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread?

 

Now this is where some of you skinny people start getting real spiritual and say those guys are thick head. But I promise you, I know if I had been in that boat I would have been saying the same thing as the disciples. Wait, Jesus is the bread bad or what, we don’t even have bread! We are so hungry.

But Jesus put’s his finger directly on what the real issue. What is the real reason that they don’t see his point. Not hunger. It’s not their thickheadedness or anything else, it is faith! They don’t have faith. And Jesus reminds them of some things that he had done.

[Mat 16:9-10 ESV] 9 Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?

There is a powerful connection that Jesus makes between the current situation, and where they have been. It’s so easy for us to say, they should remember that Jesus can make bread. He has demonstrated to them 2 times that he has the power to make food. But in this moment is their faith has failed them. The don’t remember.

How many times are our eyes so blinded by our current situation that we don’t remember the one who has us in his grip? When the trials of life that we all face come and grab us and shake us up sometimes our first instinct is to exactly what these disciple do. We begin to worry. We begin to talk among ourselves, woe is me I don’t have what I need.

Sometimes our faith can fail us in these moments. We forget the one who sits in the boat with us too. We get so focused on our day to day that we forget the sovereign God of the universe promises us that every detail of our life is in his control. Not only is capable of helping, he is willing.

And I think now he has their attention. They are ready for the bigger picture, so he repeats it again.

[Mat 16:11 ESV] 11 How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees."

So we know what leaven is now, but let’s go a little deeper into that thought. I was thinking about this. Jesus could have used any word he wanted. He could have said something like this “Beware of the poison of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” But he didn’t say that. Why do you think that is?

We all know what poison looks like right? You’ve seen it on the cartoons. It comes in a dark brown bottle and what is on the outside of the jar? Right it has a skull and cross-bones and it plainly says right there on the jar “poison”. But leaven is not like that is it?

You see we all love bread. We need bread to eat. And bread is a good thing to eat! But there is something hidden in that bread. A very small amount of leaven was put into that bread. And that tiny amount of leaven has had a huge impact on how that bread turned out.

Jesus is warning his disciple to be very careful that they don’t let something like this leaven of the Pharisees creep into the gospel that he is teaching them. It only takes a small amount, and you may mistake it for something good, and before you know it, it creeps and destroys.

It doesn’t just destroy one loaf of bread, because that starter that was used to make the bad bread, guess what the baker does tomorrow. It gets a new batch of starter and he makes bad bread after bad bread after bad bread. Sound familiar? Have you seen that happen?

That is why Jesus is so right when he says beware!

[Mat 16:12 ESV] 12 Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

At the beginning of verse 12, I love this phrase, “then they understood”. Isn’t that wonderful. Jesus is a persistent teacher. He has patience with his students. He sees this teachable moment and walks them right up to the point that they UNDERSTAND. This is every disciple makers dream come true.

What is the leaven? It’s given to us right there in verse 12. Jesus says it is the “teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees”. And his warning is, if you are not very careful this bad doctrine can sneak into you. It can sneak into your teaching, into your preaching, into your life. And if you’re not vigilant, your bread can be ruined, and you can multiply that bad bread further than any of us care to think of.

So real quickly as we close I want to give you just a brief summary

 

How to avoid making bad bread

1) In difficult circumstances remember that we have a loving Savior who has the ability and the desire to care for our needs. Matthew 16:9-10

2) When your faith is weak, REMEMBER what God has done for others. Mathew 16:9-10 & Hebrews 11

3) When your faith is weak, REMEMBER what God has done for you. Hebrews 12:1-2

4) Guard yourself against bad doctrine, for your sake and for the sake of others. Psalm 1

References/Bibliography:

“Preaching the Word” Commentary, Douglas Sean O’Donnell, Edited by Kent Hughes

“Matthew” by RC Sproul

“CSB Christ Chronological,” Holman

“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

Read More
Guest UserGrace Christian Fellowshipnon-denominational church, Ladson, SC, Mikey Brannon, Matthew 16, bread, Bible-believing, church
Are You at the Table with Jesus? | Matthew 15:21-39
Are You at the Table with Jesus? | Matthew 15:21-39

Series: All!

Scripture: Matthew 15:21-39

Title: “Are you at the table with Jesus?” (Darien Gabriel)

Heavily relied on David Platt, Kenneth Bailey, and Sean O’Donnell. (See below)

Bottom line: Jesus’ beloved are those who respond to his invitation to feast with him by grace through faith.

Just as the Father sent Jesus to save, satisfy and serve, Jesus sends us to do the same. To multiply disciple-makers around the corner and around the world.

Jesus invited everyone to his family feast. You get in by faith. You’re invited. Are you going? It’s not just a one and done decision. It’s a daily, count-the-cost decision that leads to walking with (or without) God. That looks like being sent by Jesus to save, satisfy and serve our neighbors.

Discussion questions for group and personal study.

Reflect and Discuss

1. Like this Gentile Canaanite woman, what unlikely converts has God placed around you?

2. How have you doubted God's power and mercy in relation to such people?

3. How does Jesus' interaction with this Canaanite woman and His feeding of the Gentile crowd help forecast the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20?

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

Q. What do I want you to know?

A. Jesus invites you to come and feast with him and his family by grace through faith.

Q. Why?

A. To empower us to save, satisfy and serve all peoples of all nations.

Q. What do I want you to do?

A. Accept his invitation by faith.

Q. Why?

A. So that you’ll be propelled to save, satisfy and serve your neighbors.

INTRO

Our kitchen table is sacred ground in our house to Anita and I. It’s where we’ve shared over 2,100 meals with our family of six plus for over 30 years. Sitting at the head of that table might be my favorite place in the house…maybe in the world.

Why? Because from there, when they are all in our house together, along with their growing families, I can see and speak to our closest family members. It is there where for a few seconds before we dive into our latest feast that I can pray another blessing over them and say an encouraging word to them. For a brief moment I have their undivided attention and I can remind them that they are our beloved.

Do you feel like Jesus’ beloved today?

In Rev 3:20, Jesus asks to come in and sit at our table. And while he’s there he will remind us that we’re his beloved and bless us.

Our Lord uses a similar metaphor in an unlikely place here today. He’s outside of Israel giving his 12 a peak at the future of his kingdom.

Today I want to answer 2 questions:

  1. Who’s invited to sit at the table of the Lord?

  2. How do you get there?

The final question I’ll have for you is: will you join him at his table today?

CONTEXT

Jesus and his disciples leave Israeli territory and go to Gentile territory. First, they go to Tyre and Sidon (modern day Lebanon). Next, they go to the decapolis (a region east of Judea made up of 10 Gentile cities). This marks the last time Jesus will do ministry in the Galilean region as his remaining ministry will happen in Judea and especially in Jerusalem. It is also the only season he will enter Gentile territory.

The religious leaders make a trip to where Jesus and his disciples are ministering to continue to confront him with the hopes of exposing him and condemning him.

Notice that this is in the wake of some pretty amazing miracles and teachings. He’s fed over 5,000 men plus women and children with a few loaves and fish. He’s walked on water across the Sea of Galilee. He continues to heal all who come to him including just by walking by them and they reaching out to touch his cloak. He’s gaining immense popularity as a result. He’s being seen as a Messiah if not THE Messiah by the populace. Even Canaanite women knows about him and that he’s the Messiah. As a result, the religious leaders are getting desperate. A leader like this will disrupt the status quo with Rome. And this means the loss of influence and affluence for the religious leaders of Israel.

All of this challenges the Disciples and their prejudices against Gentiles. Jesus takes them to Gentile (unclean) territory (after his lesson on what is unclean comes from your heart not from what you eat) and immediately blesses a Gentile (Canaanite = enemy; woman = less than a man) and her daughter. He then blesses thousands of Gentiles (through his D’s) just like he did the Jews earlier. This would help them to see that his vision is for more than Israel—it’s for the whole world!

2 Themes. 2 Miracles.

I. Who’s invited to the family feast? Everyone. (21-28)

A. Jesus takes them to Gentile territory. Not sure why but he isn’t getting away from being known and sought after.

B. Canaanite woman.

    1. Strike 1–Canaanite. Ancient enemy of Israel.

    2. Strike 2–Woman. Less than a man in the eyes of men in that day.

    3. Strike 3–Gentile. A dog.

C. Model of faith.

    1. Desperate. “Crying out” Her daughter “is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.” I can’t imagine being demon possessed. But she makes it sound like this is worse than normal possessions.

    2. Humble, respectful. Even if just being respectful, called him Lord.

    3. Messiah. She uses the title for Messiah, “Son of David.”

D. Jesus’ & Disciples’ reactions

    1. Jesus is silent.

    2. Disciples are not interested in helping. (Everyone is exhausted and hungry) 3 Days.

    3. Jesus replies with a discouraging word. But truth.

    4. She doesn’t disagree. In fact, she kneels and prays profoundly, “Lord, help me!”

    5. Jesus again appears to discourage her. (More likely testing) Explains it’s not right to take what is for God’s people and give to those who are his enemies. Calls her a dog. A “little dog” like a pet, not a rabid dog. But still a dog.

    6. She doesn’t flinch but does disagree. Points out that it’s appropriate for people to get this crumbs. She may not be the kids at the table but there’s room for the pet dog to get some. She understands and therefore knows what’s available for her. Great faith!

    7. What a contrast to the faith (or lack) of the religious leaders (none) and the 12 (little).

    8. Why did Jesus ignore, refuse, rebuke and then bless her? 2 possibilities:

      1. To test her

      2. She approached Jesus as a Jew (Son of David). Later she calls him Lord which is more universal. She doesn’t have to become a Jew first. (Wiersbe)

    9. Jesus applauds her amazing faith. Only 2 people get this accolade in Matthew (Centurion is the other).

    10. Jesus answers her prayer without going anywhere.

II. How do you get in? Faith. (29-39)

A. Feels like a repeat of feeding of the 5,000. Lots of things are this same.

    1. Thousands of men + women and children.

    2. Bread and fish.

    3. Gave, gave, gave.

    4. Through his 12.

    5. Lots of leftovers.

B. Differences…a few.

    1. Biggest is likely that this was for Gentiles, not Jews.

    2. This is why I think the 12 did not suggest he feed them like he just fed the others. I don’t think it was a lack of faith but compassion. My take.

    3. One in spring and one in summer.

    4. One in Jewish territory and one in Gentile territory.

    5. Crowd with him one day vs 3 days.

    6. 7 instead of 12.

      1. 12 tribes of Israel

      2. 7 number of perfection & completeness = rest of the world; this is a huge takeaway Jesus would emphasize in the Great Commission.

C. Bottom line: How do you get healed and fed? Faith in Jesus Christ, the source of abundant life and life itself.

CONCLUSION

Have you been invited to the family feast to end all feasts? Yes.

Have you accepted it? How? By believing that there is an amazing feast that we do not deserve and that when we trust and follow Jesus Christ, he shows us the way there.

Will you trust and follow Jesus to the feast today?

What is God saying to you? What are you going to do about it?

Pray

NOTES

2 miracles

  1. Canaanite Woman (21-28)

    1. Least, last, lost

      1. Canaanite/Gentile/ancient enemy of Israel

      2. Woman

      3. Unclean—outside of Disciple’s comfort zone

    2. “Crying out”

      1. Desperate for her daughter—demon-possessed and suffering

      2. “Have mercy on me!” - desperate for herself too

      3. Human—she’s just like them just not a Jew

    3. Disciples reaction is to see her great need vs their great lack of resources; but maybe even more they don’t want to help her because of their prejudice

      1. Send her away—she’s not one of us

      2. She’s crazy desperate and Jesus seems to not want to help her (his silence) so they try to get rid of her for Jesus

    4. Jesus comes out with his mission—to the lost sheep of Israel

    5. She is persistent, desperate and believes in Jesus’ character and competencies

      1. “Lord”

      2. On her knees humility

      3. Wise words and perspective

    6. Jesus recognizes great faith and gives her her request

      1. Healing for daughter

      2. Healing for herself

      3. Witness to the Decapolis

    7. Who is Jesus and what will he do?

Who is Jesus?

What will he do?

Chief missionary, Disciple-maker/trainer, sent-one

Multiplying disciple-makers on his way to the ultimate example (cross, rez)

Lord/Son of David/ King/Messiah/Master

Exercising ultimate authority over all things including disease, demons, disciple-making

Merciful judge “Have mercy on me” as if she doesn’t deserve it

Exercising ultimate authority over all things including disease, demons, disciple-making

Deliverer/Savior/Healer

Save/Deliver; Exalt Gentile woman; Applauds her faith & persistence; save all people; not just Israel

Global King

Here for all nations

Suffering servant

Serve all people/nations

Provider; Groom

Feast together; satisfy/bless all nations

Jesus came to save, satisfy and serve all people. -Platt

OUTLINE BIBLE

SECTION OUTLINE FOURTEEN (MATTHEW 15)

Jesus confronts the Pharisees, teaches the crowds, and explains his teachings to Peter and the other disciples. He heals a Canaanite woman's daughter and feeds the 4,000.

1. THE MEETINGS (15:1-20)

A. Jesus' meeting with the Pharisees (15:1-9)

1. Their accusation (15:1-2): They accuse Jesus of breaking the

Mosaic law by permitting his disciples to ignore the ceremonial hand washing ritual before eating.

2. His condemnation (15:3-9)

a. Jesus speaks concerning their corruption (15:3-6): The Pharisees twist God's law in such a way that it allows them to ignore their responsibilities concerning their parents!

b. Jesus speaks concerning their character (15:7-9): Jesus calls the Pharisees hypocrites and says they fulfill Isaiah's terrible prophecy concerning them (Isa. 29:13).

B. Jesus' meeting with the people (15:10-11): Jesus tells the crowd that uncleanness is not caused by what goes into a person's mouth (nonkosher food) but rather by what comes out!

C. Jesus' meeting with Peter (15:12-20): He says the same thing to Peter and the disciples.

II. THE MIRACLES (15:21-39)

A. Healing a Canaanite woman's daughter (15:21-28)

1. The brokenhearted mother (15:21-23)

a. The place (15:21): Jesus is in the region of Tyre and Sidon.

b. The plea (15:22-23): A mother in this area begs him to heal her demon-possessed daughter.

2. The kindhearted Messiah (15:24-28)

a. His reminder (15:24-26): He tells her that his key ministry is to the Jews, not the Gentiles.

b. Her response (15:27-28)

(1) The reasoning (15:27): She agrees but asks for some of the crumbs that might fall from Israel's spiritual table.

(2) The reward (15:28): Jesus immediately grants her request.

B. Feeding the 4,000 (15:29-39): Jesus ministers to this group of 4,000 men as he did previously for the 5,000.

1. Meeting the needs of the hurting (15:29-31): Jesus heals the lame, blind, crippled, and the mute.

2. Meeting the needs of the hungry (15:32-39)

a. The amount of food (15:32-34): He has only seven loaves of bread and a few small fishes.

b. The abundance of food (15:35-39): Seven full baskets remain after all have eaten their fill!

Nicky Gumbel, Bible in one year, day, 14

Matthew 11:16-30

Accept the invitation to walk with Jesus

The teaching of Jesus is fascinating. In the first section of today’s passage he seems to be saying, ‘You can’t win.’ On the one hand, John the Baptist was an ascetic and was accused of being demon-possessed. On the other hand, Jesus went to parties with all kinds of people and made friends with those who were regarded as unsavoury characters. He was accused of being ‘a glutton and a drunkard’ and ‘a friend of tax collectors and sinners’ (v.18).

Whatever you do may be misinterpreted. Yet Jesus adds, ‘But wisdom is proved right by her actions’ (v.19). I take this to mean that all we can do is the right thing and not worry about what anybody else thinks. ‘Opinion polls don’t count for much, do they? The proof of the pudding is in the eating’ (v.19, MSG).

Jesus then denounces the cities that he has visited and performed miracles in, where people have neither repented nor believed. He suggests that their sin is worse than the sin of Sodom (v.24). The sin of unbelief is perhaps the most serious of all.

Jesus goes on to teach in such a way that it is clear that he believed in both predestination (that God has already determined everything that will happen) and free will. He teaches both alongside one another. It is a paradox. The two seemingly contradictory things are both true at the same time.

It is not 50% ‘predestination’ and 50% ‘free will’. Jesus says we are 100% predestined and we have 100% free will. This may seem impossible, but God is able to transcend and yet not distort human freedom. We ultimately see this in the incarnation: Jesus is 100% God and 100% human; he is fully God and fully human.

  • Predestination

    ‘All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him’ (v.27).

    Why God chooses to reveal himself to some and not to others is a mystery. It is certainly not based on wisdom and learning. Sometimes the great intellectuals simply cannot see it: ‘you have hidden these things from the wise and learned’ (v.25). And yet sometimes people of little or no education, or those who are very young (‘little children’, v.25), seem to have a very profound understanding of Jesus. ‘You’ve concealed your way from sophisticates and know-it-alls, but spelled them out clearly to ordinary people’ (v.25, MSG).

  • Free will

    Jesus says, ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest’ (v.28). The invitation to come to Jesus is for everyone. No one is excluded. We are all invited. We all have a choice whether to accept the invitation of Jesus or to refuse it.

I find it difficult to get my mind around this paradox. However, I have found the following illustration helpful. Imagine a room with an arched doorway. The outside of the arch is inscribed with the words, ‘Come to me, all you…’ (v.28). Everyone is invited into the room. When you get into the room, on the inside of the same arch is written, ‘No one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him’ (v.27b).

In other words, free will is a doctrine for everyone. No one can say, ‘I am not going to become a Christian because I have not been chosen.’ The invitation is to all. On the other hand, predestination is a doctrine of assurance for those who areChristians. Once you have accepted the invitation and entered, you can know that God has chosen you and therefore he will not let you go.

I love the fact that in a stressful world, where so many are ‘weary and burdened’, Jesus promises you rest. He offers to take your burdens and replace them with his own.

The yoke (something that Jesus would have made in the carpenter's shop) was a wooden frame joining two animals (usually oxen) at the neck, enabling them to pull a plough or wagon together. The function of the yoke is to make burdens easier to carry. I love this image of walking in step with Jesus, sharing our burdens, making the trials to be endured and the battles to be faced ‘easy’ and ‘light’ by comparison.

Jesus is not a slave driver. When you pursue his agenda for your life you carry a burden but it is ‘not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant’ (v.30, AMP). When you do what Jesus asks you to do, he gives you the strength and wisdom to do it and you carry his burden with him. There will, of course, be many challenges and difficulties, but there will also be a lightness and ease.

Jesus says to you: ‘Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly’ (vv.28–29, MSG). Just relax and let God be God.

References/Bibliography:

“Preaching the Word” Commentary, Douglas Sean O’Donnell, Edited by Kent Hughes

“Matthew” by RC Sproul

“CSB Christ Chronological,” Holman

“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

“Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes” by Kenneth E. Bailey

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian Fellowshipnon-denominational church, bible believing, church, Darien Gabriel, Ladson, Grace Christian Fellowship, SC, Matthew 15
How to Recognize Spiritual Blind Spots | Matthew 15:1-20
How to Recognize Spiritual Blind Spots | Matthew 15:1-20

Series: All!

Scripture: Matthew 15:1-20

Title: “How to recognize spiritual blind spots” (Darien Gabriel)

Heavily relied on Sean O’Donnell’s commentary on Matthew for outline and key thoughts

Bottom line: Recognizing the blind spots in others not only keeps us from foolishly following others who have them but it helps us reflect on our own blind spots and deal with them effectively (at the heart level).

Discussion questions for group and personal study.

Reflect and Discuss

1. What sources of authority and traditions compete with God's Word in the context in which you live?

2. If not everyone who quotes Scripture speaks the truth, then how can you prepare yourself to discern truth from error?

3. Answer the following question: "The Bible was written by men, so how can it be true in everything it says?" What passages might you appeal to in your answer?

4. What contemporary trends are putting pressure on believers to compromise faithfulness to God? How can our response involve courage and humility?

5. What is the danger of emphasizing emotions in our corporate worship without being driven by God's Word? What kind of spiritual affections should our corporate worship encourage?

6. In your own words, explain the difference between superficial religion and supernatural regeneration.

7. Jesus teaches that holiness proceeds from the heart. Practically, then, how do you cultivate such holiness?

8. How do you identify false teachers? Is it unloving to reject their teaching? If not, why not?

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

Q. What do I want you to know?

A. The damning effects of spiritual blindness.

Q. Why?

A. So that we’ll see the truth in others and our selves:

  1. Recognizing blind guides/false teachers/wolves in sheep’s clothing and not follow

  2. Recognizing our own blind spots so we don’t become a blind guide

Q. What do I want you to do?

A. 3 things:

  1. Ask the right religious questions,

  2. Trust scriptures over traditions not based on scripture, and

  3. See and pursue purity as a matter of the heart (inside-out).

Q. Why?

A. To help us recognize and deal with our spiritual blind spots and thus have a right heart towards God and people.

INTRO

Nicky Gumbel tells the story of…

Rich in Mercy

A man was having his portrait painted by a successful artist. When the portrait was finished it was unveiled. The man was most unhappy with the result. When asked whether he liked it, he replied, ‘I don’t think it does me justice.’ To which the artist replied, ‘Sir, it is not justice you need, but mercy!’  https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/17704/day/59?segment=0

I think it’s safe to say that this man had some blindspots as it relates to his look. And, if we’re honest, we all have some blindspots in our perceptions of self. Some of those are physical. Some of those are more subtle…like our spiritual maturity. All are impacted by our humility (or lack thereof).

Today we’re going to see what it looks like to have blindspots that are so big that you might call them blind altogether. In fact, Matthew and I are going to show you 3 big blind spots people have and the damning effects of those blindspots. We’re also going to show you how to recognize them so that you can better deal with those who have them—others and yourself.

CONTEXT

Jesus and his disciples leave Israeli territory and go to the decapolis (a region east of Judea made up of 10 gentile cities). This marks the last time Jesus will do ministry in the Galilean region as his remaining ministry will happen in Judea and especially in Jerusalem.

The religious leaders make a trip to where Jesus and his disciples are ministering to continue to confront him with the hopes of exposing him and condemning him.

Notice that this is in the wake of some pretty amazing miracles and teachings. He’s feed over 5,000 men plus women and children with a happy meal. He’s walked on water across the Sea of Galilee. He continues to heal all who come to him including just by walking by them and they reaching out to touch his cloak. He’s gaining immense popularity as a result. He’s being seen as a Messiah if not THE Messiah by the populace. As a result, the religious leaders are getting desperate. A leader like this will disrupt the status quo with Rome. And this means the loss of influence and affluence for the religious leaders of Israel. Not acceptable. Thus we’re already seeing some blind spots in these leaders. But it’s not just them who have them, remember.

3 Big Blind Spots and what they look like.

Those with blind spots…

I. Ask the wrong religious questions.

Sean O’Donnell wrote that the Pharisees asking Jesus this question after all he’d just done is like asking a firefighter who’s just rescued a baby from a house fire if it’s true his brother eats meat on Fridays during Lent.

II. Trust un-scriptural traditions even more than the scriptures themselves.

Corbin = the practice of pledging money (like willing it) to the temple to be paid upon one’s death.

Instead, it’s used to get out of helping needy parents because the $$$ already committed to God. They can use it but not for their parents. This didn’t just break the 5th commandment. This broke the whole law! Love God, love people. No compassion per Jesus.

Jesus calls out the Pharisees for putting their traditions over the Word. Your traditions are un-scriptural.

Isaiah 29:13

III. Think purity or faithfulness is an outside, not inside, reality. They discount the matters of the heart.

Scripture teaches us that the human heart is wicked, unclean and untrustworthy. (Heart = Seat of our emotions, thinking, will, and beliefs) This is why our words defile us.

Spiritual immaturity is seen in our words (and actions). Jesus emphasizes words here.

Jesus uses some of the 10 commandments to make his point:

5th - honor your parents—imposed a divine obligation on families to take care of their elderly parents. —Sproul

However, people attempted to get around this obligation by pledging their estates to the temple. So, while they were alive, they couldn’t spend their money on their parents since pledged to temple when they died. Therefore, really keeping their money for themselves until they die. Jesus said that their traditions permitted violation of God’s word.

There’s no law that says my disciples must wash hands before eating. But there is a law of God that tells you to honor your parents and therefore take care of them as they age.

6th - murder

7th - adultery

8th - theft

9th - lying, slander

Jesus will point these out vividly and call out those with these blindspots as to help the rest recognize and avoid following them.

There’s another caution here to consider: We all have blind spots. Let’s humble ourselves and make sure we see them and deal with them appropriately.

CONCLUSION

Bottom line: Recognizing the blind spots in others not only keeps us from foolishly following others who have them but it helps us reflect on our own blind spots and deal with them effectively (at the heart level).

As we head into this new year, will you courageously, purposefully evaluate your life through this lense?

What is God saying to you? What are you going to do about it?

Pray

Outline Bible

SECTION OUTLINE FOURTEEN (MATTHEW 15)

Jesus confronts the Pharisees, teaches the crowds, and explains his teachings to Peter and the other disciples. He heals a Canaanite woman's daughter and feeds the 4,000.

1. THE MEETINGS (15:1-20)

A. Jesus' meeting with the Pharisees (15:1-9)

1. Their accusation (15:1-2): They accuse Jesus of breaking the

Mosaic law by permitting his disciples to ignore the ceremonial hand washing ritual before eating.

2. His condemnation (15:3-9)

a. Jesus speaks concerning their corruption (15:3-6): The Pharisees twist God's law in such a way that it allows them to ignore their responsibilities concerning their parents!

b. Jesus speaks concerning their character (15:7-9): Jesus calls the Pharisees hypocrites and says they fulfill Isaiah's terrible prophecy concerning them (Isa. 29:13).

B. Jesus' meeting with the people (15:10-11): Jesus tells the crowd that uncleanness is not caused by what goes into a person's mouth (nonkosher food) but rather by what comes out!

C. Jesus' meeting with Peter (15:12-20): He says the same thing to Peter and the disciples.

II. THE MIRACLES (15:21-39)

A. Healing a Canaanite woman's daughter (15:21-28)

1. The brokenhearted mother (15:21-23)

a. The place (15:21): Jesus is in the region of Tyre and Sidon.

b. The plea (15:22-23): A mother in this area begs him to heal her demon-possessed daughter.

2. The kindhearted Messiah (15:24-28)

a. His reminder (15:24-26): He tells her that his key ministry is to the Jews, not the Gentiles.

b. Her response (15:27-28)

(1) The reasoning (15:27): She agrees but asks for some of the crumbs that might fall from Israel's spiritual table.

(2) The reward (15:28): Jesus immediately grants her request.

B. Feeding the 4,000 (15:29-39): Jesus ministers to this group of 4,000 men as he did previously for the 5,000.

1. Meeting the needs of the hurting (15:29-31): Jesus heals the lame, blind, crippled, and the mute.

2. Meeting the needs of the hungry (15:32-39)

a. The amount of food (15:32-34): He has only seven loaves of bread and a few small fishes.

b. The abundance of food (15:35-39): Seven full baskets remain after all have eaten their fill!

References/Bibliography:

“Preaching the Word” Commentary, Douglas Sean O’Donnell, Edited by Kent Hughes

“Matthew” by RC Sproul

“CSB Christ Chronological,” Holman

“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

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian Fellowshipnon-denominational church, Grace Christian Fellowship, Darien Gabriel, Ladson, SC, Matthew 15, blind spots
How to Live the Normal Christian Life? | Matthew 13:53-14:36
How to Live the Normal Christian Life? | Matthew 13:53-14:36

Series: All!

Scripture: Matthew 13:53-14:36

Title: “How to Live the Normal Christian Life” (Darien Gabriel)

Outline inspired by David Platt

Bottom line: The normal Christian life is built on the belief that God cares and is able to do something about it through his people as they suffer.

Discussion questions for group and personal study.

Reflect and Discuss

1. How can the rejection of Jesus by His own hometown serve as a warning for you?

2. Why is costly faith better than convenient unbelief? What means of grace does God use to strengthen our faith?

3. Explain the difference in merely being amazed at Jesus' miracles and responding in faith.

4. Why did John the Baptist lose his head? 

5. What was John’s character like?

6. How does what John experience discourage you? Encourage you?

7. How do you view suffering in the Christian life? Cf. Matt 16:24

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

Q. What do I want you to know?

A. That true, genuine belief in the power and person of Jesus Christ leads to worship and evangelism.

Q. Why?

A. Because the American church is largely missing these fruit of belief indicating there are a lot of people deceiving themselves thinking that they are trusting in Jesus Christ alone.

Q. What do I want you to do?

A. Evaluate your life.

  1. Do you believe that Jesus is who he says he is and that he’ll do all he’s promised to do?

  2. Do you worship him with a sense of awe and wonder at what he can do and does?

  3. Does your faith lead you to worship and then overflow into sharing good news with those around you?

Q. Why?

A. Because if you are not walking out true, genuine faith, you want to know so you can repent and believe.

Intro

Headline on the AP app stated:

“AP’s top 2022 photos capture a planet bursting at the seams”

“Amidst the turmoil in this world, we sometimes find ourselves longing for good news—good news on the economic front, good news in the political world, good news in the educational realm, good news in our personal lives. These looming issues can tend to overshadow that which is the most important, the most essential, the most eternal good news—the “good news of great joy” for all people (Luke 2:10).

In our longing for things to change in this temporal world, let us not lose sight that the greatest news has already been announced.” —Truth78 (book)

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) 

This naturally could lead us to ask God, "What are you going to do about this? Where are you?"

We just celebrated Christmas—the first Christmas where the world felt like it was bursting at the seams too. And they were asking the same question then too.

God answers the question when are you going to do something with I have, am, and I will.

The real question for me is how do we live in the meantime?

The answer is found in the normal Christian life.

The answer is not found in a baptized version of the American dream (life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, house, spouse, 2.5 kids, cat and dog).

I love this tweet by Ian Harbor:

“At the end of the day, I’m just convinced that there was a guy who was killed by the state and religious leader of his time and three days later he wasn’t dead anymore. Everything else is just trying to figure out what to do with that.” @IanHarber

What does this look like?

In a nutshell, it looks like someone who’s compassionately helping people through life as they themselves suffer believing that the one who died yet lives is worth living for and even dying for.

Let’s see how Matthew tells us over the next half hour.

Context

If someone were to ask you, what does the normal Christian life look like, how would you respond? What would be your answer to the question, what does the normal Christian look like? What does biblical Christian faith look like? That’s our question today.

First a little context. Back in 13:53-58 we see an example of what a hard heart looks like. We mention this because Matthew just wrote 8 parables of Jesus the first of which was the parable of the sower. And the 4 different soil types represent 4 different spiritual heart conditions. The first being hard, like the Pharisees giving Jesus such a hard time. (No pun intended)

But here in 13:53-58 we see another group of people giving Jesus a hard time—his hometown. Sad but true. The home crowd is the hardest to reach. Why? They remember you when you were young.

I remember reconnecting with a high school classmate (I went to SHS) online after about 35 years. When I told him I was a pastor, he said, “You are a pastor?!” We didn’t know each other that well. But I was a practicing Christian at that time. I went to church nearly every Sunday. Now, did I live like one? No. Was I truly one? No. That came later. Apparently he’d seen enough to respond that way 35 years later. Just reminds us that God is in the miracle business.

So as we head into this chapter on what does biblical Christianity look like, let us remember our hearts drift towards hardness. Let’s invite God to search our hearts for unbelief so that we can repent and believe anew.

I. Two pictures of unbelief. (13:53-58)—

A. Here we see it’s not just the Pharisees who have hard hearts unwilling to believe. It’s Jesus’ earthly family that’s not there yet.

B. Here we see the hard heart of Herod Antipas and his family and his court.

II. Two pictures of belief. (14:1-32)—

A. Belief is by the crowd. Disciples, not so much.

B. Belief is by Peter, then the Disciples.

III. A picture of genuine worship with words. (14:33) They see and recognize Jesus and are moved to believe on the heals of the feeding of the 5,000.

IV. A picture of genuine worship as life.

It feels like this is just tacked on. But it adds an important evidence of true, genuine belief that springs from worship—evangelism.

Evangelism comes from Greek word evangelion = good news. (Aka Gospel) It can be used in many settings.

Ex. When I talk about how awesome my new Smart Wool socks are, and I can’t stop talking about how amazing they feel and where has then been all my life, I’m sharing what I perceive to be good news. That’s me being a Smart Wool sock evangelist.

Do we talk about Jesus and his kingdom this way? Ever? This is an important question. Because, as Ken talked about last week, if we believe something is truly good news, we can’t help but tell others about it. Even if our motives tend to be a bit selfish, we still do it. (Not that we want that but we’re not perfect)

“Normal Christianity”

Chinese pastor Christian Watchman Nee wrote a book called Normal Christianity. He wrote,

“(It’s) not so much about suffering as it is about living the so-called ‘victorious Christian life.’

Yet, to borrow his title, I will say this about how the apostles defined the normal Christian life.”

What’s a normal Christianity look like? Let’s see what Peter and Paul said:

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you (suffering is the normal Christian life). But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings (cf. Roman’s 8:17), that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed (at his return). If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.” 1 Peter 4:12-14

“Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” 2 Timothy 3:12

I would wager in America it looks more like a baptized version of the American Dream:

  • Good career arc that is up and to the right.

  • Good marriage or relationship heading towards, “And they lived happily ever-after”

  • 2.5 kids (boy and girl, of course), dog, cat (that get along and do great reels on insta).

  • Family and friends around during the holidays at just the right time and place.

  • A life that reflects our instagram pics (we wish)

  • Healthy mind and body. Maybe lost a few pounds this year.

  • Feeling some relief or easing of stresses of life. Maybe a vacation or weekend trip to remember.

These things are fine in and of themselves. But are they what the early church would have recognized as normal, biblical Christianity? After all, they lived in a day when their government was at times aggressively persecuting Christians.

Conclusion:

Bottom line: The normal Christian life is built on the belief that God cares and is able to do something about it through his people as they suffer.

As we head into this new year, will you courageously, purposefully evaluate your life through this lense?

Will you assess your belief?

Will you assess your worship of the power and person of Jesus Christ?

Will you assess your enthusiasm for sharing the good news?

What is God saying to you? What are you going to do about it?

Pray

References/Bibliography:

“Preaching the Word” Commentary, Douglas Sean O’Donnell, Edited by Kent Hughes

“Matthew” by RC Sproul

“CSB Christ Chronological,” Holman

“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

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian Fellowshipnon-denominational church, Ladson, SC, Darien Gabirel, Grace, bible believing, Matthew, ALL, normal christian life
How Would You Respond to Good News? | Luke 2:8-20
How Would You Respond to Good News? | Luke 2:8-20

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Read More
Ken DorrityGrace Christian Fellowshipnon-denominational church, Ladson, SC, bible believing, church, Ken Dorrity, Luke 2:8-20, Good News, Christmas, Grace Christian Fellowship
Is There Room? | Luke 2:1-7
Is There Room? | Luke 2:1-7

1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

Read More
Ken DorrityGrace Christian FellowshipLuke 2:1-7, Christmas, Ken Dorrity, Grace Christian Fellowship, Ladson, SC, non-denominational church, bible believing, church
Is Jesus Christ Worth Everything? | Matthew 13:24-58
Is Jesus Christ Worth Everything? | Matthew 13:24-58

Series: All!

Scripture: Matthew 13:24-58

Title: “Is Jesus Christ Worth Everything?” (Darien Gabriel)

Bottom line: If you understand gospel GROWTH and gospel JUDGMENT, you will understand gospel GAIN—why fully embracing Jesus and his kingdom is like finding a hidden treasure that’s so great that it’s worth selling all you have (or even giving your life) to get.

Discussion questions for group and personal study.

Reflect and Discuss

1. How is persevering faith different from works-righteousness?

2. What would you say to someone whose only evidence of salvation was a momentary decision?

3. What encouragement might come to persecuted believers from the parables of the Mustard Seed and Yeast?

4. What do the parables of the Weeds and the Net have to teach us about the final judgment? Why is it sometimes difficult to discern who is and who is not part of the kingdom?

5. How could you use the parables of the Treasure and the Pearl of Great Price to respond to someone who said, "I want to follow Jesus, but I don't want to make drastic changes in my life"?

6. What wrong conceptions of the kingdom has Matthew 13 corrected for you?

7. If you knew that knowing Jesus Christ was worth everything, would you sell everything and follow him?

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

Ticket for speeding in a blind school zone.

Weeds in your yard?

Sean O’Donnell gives us 3 themes that he says connect here in chapter 13. He also says that when we understand gospel growth and gospel judgment we’ll understand gospel gain and how that affects how we live in our world today.

Bottom line: If you understand gospel GROWTH and gospel JUDGMENT, you will understand gospel GAIN—why fully embracing Jesus and his kingdom is like finding a hidden treasure that’s so great that it’s worth selling all you have (or even giving your life) to get.

Q. What do I want you to know?

A. Gospel Gain: That Jesus is worth any and everything in your life. Nothing is worth more than knowing and following Jesus Christ. He’s the ultimate win!

Q. Why?

A. Because of the way his kingdom works.

  1. Tender hearts lead to rescue from kingdom of evil.

  2. Tender hearts lead to fruitful living.

  3. Tender hearts lead to growing & gain.

Q. What do I want you to do?

A. Sell all and exchange it for Jesus.

Q. Why?

A. Because he’s more than worth it.

Bottom line: If you understand gospel GROWTH and gospel JUDGMENT, you will understand gospel GAIN—why fully embracing Jesus and his kingdom is like finding a hidden treasure that’s so great that it’s worth selling all you have (or even giving your life) to get.

Outline (David Platt’s outline)

REVIEW

I. Four Questions

A. What is a parable?

1. A practical story

2. Often framed as a metaphor

3. Illustrates a spiritual truth

B. How do we understand parables? 3 Principles

1. Listen from the hearer's perspective.

      • Put yourself in their shoes.

      • 1st c. Jews vs. 21st c. Americans.

      • What would they hear? How would they respond? How would they feel?

2. Look for the main point. Usually 1–2 or 3 max.

3. Let the truth change your perception. I.e. Let it change the way you think about something through story.

C. Why do we have parables?

1. Jesus was revealing truth to those who were believing the mysterious (secrets)--this was evidence of God's mercy.

      • Why do we have parables?

      • “Because the secrets of the kingdom of heaven have been given to you to know, but it has not been given to them.”

      • Secrets or mysteries in the OT revealed in the NT.

        • What’s not secret: God would send the Messiah to usher in a kingdom.

        • Secret: What kind of Messiah God would send, how that Messiah would conquer

          • Not through political struggle (political scheming)

          • Not through brute force (military)

          • but through sacrificial love (cross)

        • Therefore, for those who were trusting that Jesus was promised King/Messiah, the parables helped them understand what kind of king he was and what kind of kingdom he was ushering in.

        • HEARING/BELIEVING WAS EVIDENCE OF GOD’S GRACE AND MERCY.

2. Jesus was concealing truth from those who were denying the obvious-this was evidence of God's judgment.

      • JESUS WAS CONCEALING THE OBVIOUS

        • Despite the many miracles (not to mention the signs).

        • Despite the many teachings.

        • NOT HEARING/BELIEVING WAS EVIDENCE OF GOD’S JUDGMENT.

3. 2 Purposes based on 2 kinds of audiences

      1. First 4 parables told to the crowds.

      2. Last 4 parables told to the disciples.

D. What is the kingdom of heaven?

1. The redemptive rule or reign of God in Christ

2. A present reality: The King is here, and His kingdom is advancing.

3. A future realization: The King is coming back, and His kingdom will one day be complete.

II. Eight Parables

A. The parable of the Sower (aka Soils) (13:1-9, 18-23)

    1. The sower is the son of man and the seed is the message of salvation (aka good news of the kingdom).

    2. The soil is the human heart.

      1. Some in Jesus’ day rejected/rebelled.

      2. Others casually responded to him.

      3. The problem of rejection is not the seed nor the sower but the human heart.

    3. Jesus points to 4 different heart-responses to the message of salvation:

      1. Pathway/Packed soil = hard heart = seed sits on top and never enters the soil; birds eat. This is a lack of understanding prevents reception of the message. No fruit.

      2. Rocky/Hard-pan soil = shallow/superficial heart = seed hits the soil, takes root and sprouts but due to the layer of rock beneath, the roots can’t go deep. When the sun comes out the plant withers. This is how a person falls away when the troubles of life test their faith. It withers. No fruit.

        1. George Whitefield, 18th c. Evangelist during the first great awakening when asked how many were saved at one of his sermons would say, “We’ll see in a few years.”

        2. Emma - we waited years after she professed Christ as VBS (4 yrs old) to see the fruit over time.

      3. Good soil surrounded by thorn bushes = distracted/divided heart = The person falls away after hearing and responding due to the deceitfulness of wealth and worries in this life. Result is, once again, no fruit.

      4. Good soil = Fruitful heart -

        1. Hears the word

        2. Understands the word

        3. Believes the word

        4. Obeys the word bearing fruit that will last (John 15:16). 30, 60 & 100X.

        5. LOL

          1. Listen to the word.

          2. Obey the word. (Bearing fruit)

          3. Leading others to listen to and obey the word. (Bearing fruit)

THIS WEEK

B. The parables of the Weeds and the Net

C. The parables of the Mustard Seed and Yeast

D. The parables of the Treasure and the Pearl

E. The parable of the Homeowner

II. Two Primary Applications

A. Humbly and joyfully receive the message of the kingdom.

B. Confidently and urgently spread the message of the kingdom.

C. The Lord’s supper is where we

    1. Look back at when we received the message.

    2. Look up to the one who gave us a message worth hearing.

    3. Look ahead to sharing this message with others until he returns.

Conclusion:

Bottom line: If you understand gospel GROWTH and gospel JUDGMENT, you will understand gospel GAIN—why fully embracing Jesus and his kingdom is like finding a hidden treasure that’s so great that it’s worth selling all you have (or even giving your life) to get.

Herod illustrates a hard heart. And Jesus drives home the point that a hard heart leads to unfruitfulness, the broad road, and weeping and gnashing of teeth—where God carries out his holy wrath and justice.

What is God saying to you? What are you going to do about it?

Pray

References/Bibliography:

“Preaching the Word” Commentary, Douglas Sean O’Donnell, Edited by Kent Hughes

“Matthew” by RC Sproul

“CSB Christ Chronological,” Holman

“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

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipDarien Gabriel, Grace Christian Fellowship, Ladson, SC, bible believing, church, non-denominational church, Matthew
Why Did Jesus Teach with Parables? | Matthew 13:1-23
Why Did Jesus Teach with Parables? | Matthew 13:1-23

Series: All!

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-23 (Main); Acts 1:6-8, Matt 1-23, Acts 28:28

Title: “Why Did Jesus Teach with Parables?” (Darien Gabriel)

Main source of commentary: David Platt

Bottom line: Jesus taught in parables to reveal to some and to conceal from others the good news that the kingdom of God is near.

Discussion questions for group and personal study.

Reflect and Discuss

1. How did Jesus' parables both reveal and conceal truth?

2. Explain how the kingdom can be both present and future.

3. How would you sum up the parable of the Sower in one or two sentences? How might the parable of the Sower help us avoid being manipulative in our preaching, teaching, and evangelizing?

4. What are some signs that the cares and riches of the world are choking out saving faith as the Bible describes it?

5. How is persevering faith different from works-righteousness?

6. What would you say to someone whose only evidence of salvation was a momentary decision?

7. What encouragement might come to persecuted believers from the parables of the Mustard Seed and Yeast?

8. What do the parables of the Weeds and the Net have to teach us about the final judgment? Why is it sometimes difficult to discern who is and who is not part of the kingdom?

9. How could you use the parables of the Treasure and the Pearl of Great Price to respond to someone who said, "I want to follow Jesus, but I don't want to make drastic changes in my life"?

10. What wrong conceptions of the kingdom has Matthew 13 corrected for you?

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

https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/17704/day/196?segment=0

Soften Your Heart and Harden Your Feet

A twenty-one-year-old music college student took the cheapest ship she could find, calling at the greatest number of countries, and prayed to know where to disembark. She arrived in Hong Kong in 1966 and came to a place called the Walled City. It was a small, densely populated, lawless area controlled neither by China nor Hong Kong. It was a high-rise slum for drug addicts, gangs and prostitutes. She wrote:

I loved this dark place. I hated what was happening in it but I wanted to be nowhere else. It was almost as if I could already see another city in its place and that city was ablaze with light. It was my dream. There was no more crying, no more death or pain. The sick were healed, addicts set free, the hungry filled. There were families for orphans, homes for the homeless, and new dignity for those who had lived in shame. I had no idea of how to bring this about but with ‘visionary zeal’ imagined introducing the Walled City people to the one who could change it all: Jesus.

Jackie Pullinger has spent over half a century working with prostitutes, heroin addicts and gang members. I remember so well a talk she gave some years ago. She began by saying, ‘God wants us to have soft hearts and hard feet. The trouble with so many of us is that we have hard hearts and soft feet.’

Jackie is a glowing example of this; going without sleep, food and comfort to serve others. God wants us to have soft hearts – hearts of love and compassion. But if we are to make any difference to the world, this will lead to hard feet as we travel along tough paths and face challenges.

Context:

Where he was:

“We have a tendency to think that parables were merely illustrations Jesus employed to help make His points. There is a sense in which that is true, but it is a vast over-simplification of the actual function of parables. The word parable is made up of a prefix, para, and a root, the verb ballō. Para means “alongside.” A paralegal is someone who comes alongside a lawyer to provide legal help. A parachurch ministry comes alongside the church to aid it in its mission. Baleo means “to throw or hurl.” So literally, a parable is something that is thrown alongside of something else. In the case of Jesus, a parable was an illustration or a restatement of a truth that He “threw in” with His teaching.”

In reference to Isaiah 6:1-8…

“God was sending Isaiah as a prophet of judgment, because God had had enough of people who did not want to hear or see the truth”

“…He was explaining to Isaiah that He had kept for Himself a remnant, “a tenth,” from which He would raise up His people again. But Isaiah’s mission was to the rest, to clog their ears and blind their eyes.”

“So, in answer to the disciples’ question, Jesus explained that He used parables both to reveal and to conceal. To those who had “ears to hear,” the parables were words of life. To those whose hearts were hardened and who could not hear so as to understand, the parables were indecipherable stories, impenetrable mysteries. The first of them was the parable of the sower.”

Excerpt From

Matthew - An Expositional Commentary

R.C. Sproul

https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewBook?id=0

This material may be protected by copyright.

Excerpt From

Matthew - An Expositional Commentary

R.C. Sproul

https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewBook?id=0

This material may be protected by copyright.

““Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭21‬-‭23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/111/mat.7.21-23.NIV

Bottom line: 

Q. What do I want you to know?

A. That the condition of your heart determines whether you receive mercy or judgment.

Q. Why?

A. Because it’s a measure of your level of trust of the Lord.

Q. What do I want you to do?

A. Humble yourself and repent and believe the good news.

Q. Why?

A. Because your quality of life depends on it—here and now, and hereafter.

Bottom line: Jesus taught in parables to reveal to some and to conceal from others the good news that the kingdom of God is near.

Context: Jesus is talking to the crowd and the religious leaders intent on discrediting him. He continues to show them portraits of himself through his direct teachings. He’ll move to parables in the next chapter making his truths less obvious to some and even incomprehensible to others.

Outline (David Platt’s outline)

I. Four Questions

A. What is a parable?

1. A practical story

2. Often framed as a metaphor

3. Illustrates a spiritual truth

B. How do we understand parables? 3 Principles

1. Listen from the hearer's perspective.

      • Put yourself in their shoes.

      • 1st c. Jews vs. 21st c. Americans.

      • What would they hear? How would they respond? How would they feel?

2. Look for the main point. Usually 1–2 or 3 max.

3. Let the truth change your perception. I.e. Let it change the way you think about something through story.

C. Why do we have parables?

1. Jesus was revealing truth to those who were believing the mysterious (secrets)--this was evidence of God's mercy.

      • Why do we have parables?

      • “Because the secrets of the kingdom of heaven have been given to you to know, but it has not been given to them.”

      • Secrets or mysteries in the OT revealed in the NT.

        • What’s not secret: God would send the Messiah to usher in a kingdom.

        • Secret: What kind of Messiah God would send, how that Messiah would conquer

          • Not through political struggle (political scheming)

          • Not through brute force (military)

          • but through sacrificial love (cross)

        • Therefore, for those who were trusting that Jesus was promised King/Messiah, the parables helped them understand what kind of king he was and what kind of kingdom he was ushering in.

        • HEARING/BELIEVING WAS EVIDENCE OF GOD’S GRACE AND MERCY.

2. Jesus was concealing truth from those who were denying the obvious-this was evidence of God's judgment.

      • JESUS WAS CONCEALING THE OBVIOUS

        • Despite the many miracles (not to mention the signs).

        • Despite the many teachings.

        • NOT HEARING/BELIEVING WAS EVIDENCE OF GOD’S JUDGMENT.

3. 2 Purposes based on 2 kinds of audiences

      1. First 4 parables told to the crowds.

      2. Last 4 parables told to the disciples.

D. What is the kingdom of heaven?

1. The redemptive rule or reign of God in Christ

2. A present reality: The King is here, and His kingdom is advancing.

3. A future realization: The King is coming back, and His kingdom will one day be complete.

Acts 1:6-8 “Then they gathered around him and asked him, ‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’”

II. Eight Parables

A. The parable of the Sower (aka Soils) (13:1-9, 18-23)

    1. The sower is the son of man and the seed is the message of salvation (aka good news of the kingdom).

    2. The soil is the human heart.

      1. Some in Jesus’ day rejected/rebelled.

      2. Others casually responded to him.

      3. The problem of rejection is not the seed nor the sower but the human heart.

    3. Jesus points to 4 different heart-responses to the message of salvation:

      1. Pathway/Packed soil = hard heart = seed sits on top and never enters the soil; birds eat. This is a lack of understanding prevents reception of the message. No fruit.

      2. Rocky/Hard-pan soil = shallow/superficial heart = seed hits the soil, takes root and sprouts but due to the layer of rock beneath, the roots can’t go deep. When the sun comes out the plant withers. This is how a person falls away when the troubles of life test their faith. It withers. No fruit.

        1. George Whitefield, 18th c. Evangelist during the first great awakening when asked how many were saved at one of his sermons would say, “We’ll see in a few years.”

        2. Emma - we waited years after she professed Christ as VBS (4 yrs old) to see the fruit over time.

      3. Good soil surrounded by thorn bushes = distracted/divided heart = The person falls away after hearing and responding due to the deceitfulness of wealth and worries in this life. Result is, once again, no fruit.

      4. Good soil = Fruitful heart -

        1. Hears the word

        2. Understands the word

        3. Believes the word

        4. Obeys the word bearing fruit that will last (John 15:16). 30, 60 & 100X.

        5. LOL

          1. Listen to the word.

          2. Obey the word. (Bearing fruit)

          3. Leading others to listen to and obey the word. (Bearing fruit)

B. The parables of the Weeds and the Net

C. The parables of the Mustard Seed and Yeast

D. The parables of the Treasure and the Pearl

E. The parable of the Homeowner

II. Two Primary Applications

A. Humbly and joyfully receive the message of the kingdom.

B. Confidently and urgently spread the message of the kingdom.

C. The Lord’s supper is where we

    1. Look back at when we received the message.

    2. Look up to the one who gave us a message worth hearing.

    3. Look ahead to sharing this message with others until he returns.

Conclusion:

Bottom line: Jesus taught in parables to reveal to some and to conceal from others the good news that the kingdom of God is near.

Who is Lord of Your Life?

Polycarp (AD70–156) was a bishop during a time of bitter attack against the Christians. At the age of eighty-six, he was arrested for no other crime than being a Christian. All he had to do to avoid torture and death was to proclaim, ‘Caesar is Lord.’ 

Polycarp responded, ‘Eighty-six years I have served Christ, and he never did me any wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?’ For Polycarp, the fact that ‘Jesus is Lord’ meant that he could not say, ‘Caesar is Lord.’ Steadfast in his stand for Christ, Polycarp refused to compromise his beliefs and was burnt alive at the stake on 22 February AD156.

How is your heart? Is it tender towards God or have you allowed it to be hard towards God? Are you feet hard from kingdom work or tender from taking care of yourself?

What is God saying to you? What are you going to do about it?

Pray

References/Bibliography:

“Preaching the Word” Commentary, Douglas Sean O’Donnell, Edited by Kent Hughes

“Matthew” by RC Sproul

“CSB Christ Chronological,” Holman

“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

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian Fellowshipnon-denominational church, Grace Christian Fellowship, Darien Gabriel, parables, ALL, Matthew 13:1-23
How Relationship Trumps Religion | Matthew 12:38-50
How Relationship Trumps Religion | Matthew 12:38-50

Series: All!

Scripture: Matthew 12:38-50 (Main)

Title: “How relationship trumps religion” (Darien Gabriel)

Bottom line: We are born spiritually bankrupt. But we cannot save ourselves. So instead of trying to reform ourselves, we should humbly repent of our sins and trust Jesus to deliver us like he did Jonah.

Discussion questions for group and personal study.

1. Matthew compares Jesus to Jonah and Solomon. 

How do these comparisons speak to the seriousness of rejecting Christ?

2. How did Jonah serve as a “sign” of Jesus’s authority and mission?

3. How has Jesus brought healing to your life? What difference has Jesus’s power made in your struggle against evil?

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

How many of you remember cameras before digital photography? How many of you remember Kodak film?

Kodak went bankrupt as a company because they didn’t adapt their company to take advantage of digital technology.

But did you know that they actually developed digital photography?

They didn’t see that the way to the future of photography was through digital technology.

If you’ve been a part of the church for very long, you are vulnerable to making the same mistake. You can be so committed to the religion that you miss the relationship.

Even though we didn’t start in the old covenant, we can behave as if our religious ways are a covenant that is more like the old law than the new—more about religion than relationship. We must evaluate our relationship with God by looking at our willingness to do the will of God in practice instead of relying on our religion to save us.

Bottom line: We are born spiritually bankrupt. But we cannot save ourselves. So instead of trying to reform ourselves, we should humbly repent of our sins and trust Jesus to deliver us like he did Jonah.

Q. What do I want you to know?

A. We are spiritually bankrupt and unable to deliver ourselves from sin and death.

Q. Why?

A. Because we’re prideful and we think we can save ourselves.

Q. What do I want you to do?

A. Repent instead of reject or reform.

Q. Why?

A. Because it doesn’t work. In fact, it makes us more wicked than we already are.

Bottom line: We are born spiritually bankrupt. But we cannot save ourselves. So instead of trying to reform ourselves, we should humbly repent of our sins and trust Jesus to deliver us like he did Jonah.

Context: Jesus is talking to the crowd and the religious leaders intent on discrediting him. He continues to show them portraits of himself through his direct teachings. He’ll move to parables in the next chapter making his truths less obvious to some and even incomprehensible to others.

Outline (David Platt’s outline)

We saw earlier that He (Jesus) is the Greater Priest. Today we see 3 more portraits of Jesus:

I. He is the Greater Prophet

A. Jonah was alive after 3 days in a fish; Jesus would be alive after 3 days in a grave.

B. The Ninevites responded with repentance; the Israelites were responding with rejection.

II. He is the Wiser King

III. He is Our Elder Brother

A. What we don’t need: an empty religion consumed with outer reformation.

B. What we do need: an intimate relationship compelled by inner transformation.

Conclusion

So what?

  • We need to see Jesus for who he really is so that we can see in contrast who we really are. Then we see our genuine need for rescue from sin and death.

  • We see our need to become part of the family of God.

  • We see that we cannot become part of the family of God unless he delivers us from the belly of the fish—from the tomb. For the wages of sin is death.

  • We need to see that our deliverance doesn’t come from us being more religious or working harder to earn something. Our salvation comes when we surrender and let him save us. We quit fighting him and let him rescue us.

A lost person is like a drowning person who is so desperate to not drown that they overwhelm their rescuer and drown them in the process. This is why it’s better to let that person nearly drown and then rescue them. Because they can no longer try to save themselves.

Bottom line: We are born spiritually bankrupt. But we cannot save ourselves. So instead of trying to reform ourselves, we should humbly repent of our sins and trust Jesus to deliver us like he did Jonah.

Like these Pharisees steeped in religion, we too display our spiritual bankruptcy until we repent and believe that Jesus is the way from dead, empty religion and moralism to abundant life that lasts forever. We must turn from trying to dig out of our own insurmountable debt to surrendering to the one who can forgive our debts and restore us to life and wipe out our sins.

Notes:

D Willmington’s outline”

I. Their Judges: A prophet, a city, and a queen

“Although they’d already seen Jesus perform many miracles, the Pharisees sought one more sign from him to prove his messianic claims. Chastising them for their persistent unbelief, Jesus reminded them of Jonah’s miraculous escape from the great fish, and in a veiled prophecy compared that to his own approaching death and resurrection. In judgment, these self-righteous Pharisees will be found wanting in the presence of Gentiles who exhibit true faith. (Luke 11:29-32)

II. Reformation - regeneration = condemnation

“Perhaps recalling the many he had cleansed of demons, Jesus noted that such cleansing is useless unless it leads to a filling with the Holy Spirit.”

III. The real family of God

“When Jesus heard that members of his biological family were looking for him, he used the occasion to teach that those who accept him as Messiah can enjoy a relationship with him that transcends earthly ties.”

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)

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipDarien Gabriel, Grace Christian Fellowship, ALL, relationship trumps religion, Ladson, SC, non-denominational church, bible believing, Church, trump
Will You Repent or Reject King Jesus? | Matthew 12:22-37
Will You Repent or Reject King Jesus? | Matthew 12:22-37

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)

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipMatthew 12, repent, reject, King Jesus, Grace Christian Fellowship, Darien Gabriel, Ladson, SC
Who Is In Charge of Your Life? | Matthew 12:1-21
Who Is In Charge of Your Life? | Matthew 12:1-21

Series: King & Countries (week 5)

Scripture: Matthew 12:1-21  (Main)

Title: “Who is in charge of your life?” (Darien Gabriel)

Bottom line:  When we surrender our lives to Jesus, the Lord of Sabbath, mercy and justice rules in our hearts and helps us overcome fear, doubts, and burdens.

Discussion questions for group and personal study.

1. Why are legalistic hearts so resistant to Jesus?

2. How does legalism and a desire to earn your standing before God manifest itself in your own life?

3. Explain what it means to say that Jesus is greater than the temple.

4. Matthew presents Christ as merciful in this passage. How is the mercy of Jesus different from a "live and let live" mind-set?

5. In an effort to make the cost of following Christ clear, what is the danger of downplaying His mercy?

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:  When we surrender our lives to Jesus, the Lord of Sabbath, mercy and justice rules in our hearts and helps us overcome fear, doubts, and burdens.

Q. What do I want you to know?

A. Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath (rest) in life.

Q. Why?

A. Because this is the only place we will find true rest and peace. Our faith is a conscious choice to rest on Jesus' work on the cross.

Q. What do I want you to do?

A. Rest in Jesus Christ alone.

Q. Why?

A. So that you'll be able to overcome your fears, doubts and burdens.

SECTION OUTLINE TEN (MATTHEW 12) Outline Bible, Willmington

SECTION OUTLINE ELEVEN (MATTHEW 12)

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

1. 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.

I. 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)

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Darien GabrielGrace Christian Fellowshipnon-denominational church, Darien Gabriel, ALL, King & Countries, Matthew 11, who is in charge of your life, Ladson, SC, Grace Christian Fellowship