How to Prepare for When All Hell Breaks Loose | Matthew 26:31-46
How to Prepare for When All Hell Breaks Loose | Matthew 26:31-46

Series: All!

  • Jesus has all authority,

  • So that all nations

  • Might pledge all allegiance to him.

Title: “How to prepare for when all hell breaks lose”

Scripture: Matthew 26:31-46

Bottom line: Prepare today for that day when all hell breaks loose.

  1. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  2. SERMON OUTLINE & NOTES

  3. MAIN REFERENCES USED

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discussion questions for group and personal study. Reflect and Discuss:

1. Explain why Matthew 26-27 is so crucial to our understanding of God, the world, sin, salvation, etc.

2. What impact should the cross have on our reading of the previous chapters in Matthew's Gospel?

3. Discuss how the following attributes of God are displayed in the cross: sovereignty, righteousness, wrath, and love.

4. Explain what is meant by the idea that the cross is fundamentally for God's sake.

5. How does the cross expose our sin? What does it say about the seriousness of our sin?

6. How would you explain the terms substitution and propitiation to an unbeliever with little or no theological knowledge or vocabulary?

7. Why is it important to see Jesus as our substitute, propitiation, and reconciliation, and not just a loving example?

8. How does the truth of Christ's substitutionary death impact our daily pursuit of holiness?

9. Discuss several ways in which the cross fulfills Old Testament prophecies and expectations.

10. How does the cross rule out the possibility of a works-based 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 them to know?

A. What to do when all hell breaks loose.

Q. Why do I want them to know it?

A. So they’ll be able to prepare for that day.

Q. What do I want them to do about it?

A. Prepare for the day when all hell breaks loose.

Q. Why do I want them to do it?

A. So that they’ll respond like Jesus did when all hell breaks loose.

Q. How can they begin to do this?

A. 4 parts here:

  1. Remember that he is faithful and forgives even when we bail on him.

  2. Saturate our minds with his word daily.

  3. Surrender, denying ourselves, taking up our cross daily, and following him.

    1. Not your will but mine vs Not my will but yours

    2. Eden vs Gethsemane

  4. Watch and pray as we

    1. do,

    2. remember and

    3. believe these things.

SERMON OUTLINE & NOTES

Introduction

Today we will answer the question: What do we do to prepare for the day when all Hell breaks loose?

Bottom line: Prepare today for that day when all hell breaks loose.

Illustration

The closest thing that fits this disturbing title for me is the day back in December when our family collapsed through a portion of 15 ft high deck putting 10 of us in the ER at the same time.

The very short version is that we were trying to take a family group photo. We were celebrating Christmas at my brother’s house and outside on his elevated deck. We were grouped and ready to snap the picture when the deck opened like a trap door dropping all but my mom in a pile 15 feet below. My brother and his wife, our four daughters, their husbands, and 2 grandsons. I cannot describe to you the horror we experienced looking around and see a pile of bodies of your closes family members and the wailing…it’s still pretty intense. For us, that day felt like all hell broke loose.

SERMON OUTLINE

Q1. What do I want you to know?

A. What to do when all hell breaks loose.

Jesus and the 12 are about to go through a hellacious night and day. Actually, 3 days. The disciples will suffer for bailing on Jesus. Jesus will suffer the wrath of God for humanity on the cross and wherever he goes after that. There will never be a more intense set of circumstances than the ones that Jesus will experience. The 12 will go through a lot too.

As we look at this, we’ll probably realize that while we are going through our stuff too, there are principles that we can take away from this that will prepare us for that eventuality. If you’re not going through your excruciating trauma, you might want to prepare to. Because in this life we will have trouble.

My aim today is to give you four tools to put into your prep or go bag so that you’ll be as ready as you can be for the unexpected trauma that is coming your way.

Q2. Why do I want them to know it?

A. So they’ll be able to prepare for that day.

God gives us some principles here (and next week too) that will help us prepare for the challenges ahead. To know that they are coming and not prepare is just foolish. They may not come. You may be spared. But even then the preparations you end up not needing will equip those around you for the challenges that they will encounter and your preparations will be God’s gracious provision for them.

Q3. What do I want them to do about it?

A. Prepare for the day when all hell breaks loose.

I know it seems a little silly. I don’t care. I carry a back pack in my truck that has a few snacks, bottles of water, and other various things for the unlikely chance that we have an earthquake in Charleston and I’m in Mt Pleasant at the time. If we have an earthquake, the bridges will not be safe to drive across. Of course, I will want to get home. So I will park my truck, grab my bag and start walking.

It’s a 32-35 mile walk, depending on your route. Under ideal circumstances (daytime vs night; calm vs chaos; etc.), it will take you 11-12 hours (without rest stops) to walk from Barnes & Noble at Town Center and my house in the Knightsville area. I don’t know if stores will be open after an serious earthquake or not. But I will be glad I had that backpack. And that’s just an earthquake. (We’re overdue for another, in case you’re new to the area) Hurricanes you can see coming. Tornadoes, bombs, shootings, terrorist attacks…these are no longer far-fetched. To not prepare at all is sticking your head in the sand and hoping nothing happens in your lifetime. And that’s to say nothing about how you’re preparing your kids and grandkids for a future that doesn’t look so bright.

I want us to prepare. Whether it’s a persona/family catastrophe or a national emergency, we need to prepare—physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. But since we all know it’s impossible to prepare for all possibilities, I hope you will see the infinite value in preparing spiritually and will start there. You can do these simultaneously but start with spiritually.

Q4. Why do I want them to do it?

A. So that they’ll respond like Jesus did when all hell breaks loose.

I want us to respond to this. I want us to start to prepare or build on your preparations—starting spiritually. For your sake. For your family’s sake. For your neighbor’s sake. For your church family’s sake. Your preparations will help you and others in the long run.

Q. How can they begin to do this?

A. 3 parts here:

  1. Remember that he is faithful and forgives even when we bail on him.

  2. Surrender, denying ourselves, taking up our cross daily, and following him.

    1. Not your will but mine vs Not my will but yours

    2. Eden vs Gethsemane

  3. Watch and pray as we

    1. do,

    2. remember and

    3. believe these things.

Conclusion

It might sound silly, but I keep a go-bag in my car (and Anita’s) in case we get stuck somewhere and have to walk home. For example, if I was at Barnes & Noble on a Friday afternoon and Charleston was hit by another earthquake like the one in 1886, the bridges would be closed (if not damaged) and I’d have to walk home or drive a long way around in gridlock. (See below for Charleston earthquake of 1886)

Bottom line: Prepare today for that day when all hell breaks loose.

The day our family fell together was traumatic for us. We’re still healing from it. Not just the physical either. In fact, the mental/emotional toil is probably the hardest to heal from.

But I can tell you that our family was prepared and came through this much better than we deserved because of God’s grace. In his grace, he prepared us by

  1. REMINDING US THAT WE ARE FORGIVEN. Even when we bail on Jesus, he forgives when we confess our sins to him.

  2. TEACHING US HOW TO LIVE SURRENDERED. Our lives are a gift. We don’t deserve our life. We don’t have to exist. But we do. And God’s grace is there for us every day whether we acknowledge it or not. Living surrendered is a life-long journey. Because our human nature wants to save our life. But God calls us to live in light of eternity. That perspective really served us well as we took those mental trips down the road called worse-case scenario. This could have ended a lot worse than it did. One daughter still has another surgery ahead. One son-in-law still doesn’t have full range of motion in his shoulder. We’re all dealing with different levels of post trauma stress. We’re still triggered at times by sounds or words. But surrendering your life to God helps with all of these things.

  3. Finally, WATCHING AND PRAYING. We are more alert on any deck now:-). We’re so glad our deck at home is only 12 inches high, I’ll tell you that. Elevators and apartment stairwells are still a challenge at times. But watching and praying remind us to be vigilant about all things in life. Not to stress out about everything but to rest in the peace of God in everything. I like to say, prepare as if it all depends on you, but pray and trust God as if it all depends on him.

    1. God is faithful.

    2. God is able.

    3. God cares. Trust him

Pray

Notes

Sweating drops of blood = Hematohydrosis

1886 Charleston earthquake

The 1886 Charleston earthquake in South Carolina occurred about 9:50 p.m. local time August 31. It caused 60 deaths and $5–6 million ($179.14 million in 2022) in damage to 2,000 buildings in the Southeastern United States. It is one of the most powerful and damaging earthquakes to hit the East Coast of the United States.[3]

Scientists have classified it as an intraplate earthquake, and said that it had an estimated moment magnitude of 6.9–7.3 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme). Very little to no historical earthquake activity had occurred in this region, which is unusual for any seismic area.[3]

Earthquake

The shock was felt as far away as Boston, Massachusetts, to the north, Chicago, Illinois, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to the northwest, New Orleans, Louisiana, to the west, and across water to Cuba to the south, and Bermuda to the east.[4] The earthquake was so severe that outside the immediate area, there was speculation that the Florida peninsula had broken away from North America.[5] There were at least 60 fatalities.

OUTLINE MATTHEW 26

Jesus and disciples celebrate Passover in the upper room. Jesus predicts Judas's betrayal and Peter's denial, both of which come to pass. After supper Jesus prays in Gethsemane, then is arrested and taken before the high priest.

I. THE ACTION PRECEDING THE UPPER ROOM (26:1-16)

A. The prediction (26:1-2): Once again Jesus predicts his betrayal and crucifixion.

B. The plots (26:3-5, 14-16): On two occasions wicked plans are made to kill Jesus.

1. The plot by Caiaphas (26:3-5): Jewish leaders meet at the palace of this high priest to discuss ways to murder the Savior!

2. The plot by Judas (26:14-16): He agrees with Jesus' enemies to betray the Messiah for thirty pieces of silver.

C. The preparation (26:6-13): Jesus is anointed by a woman at Bethany.

1. The dedication (26:6-7): A woman pours a very expensive alabaster jar of perfume over his head.

2. The denunciation (26:8-9): The disciples criticize her for not selling the perfume and giving the proceeds to the poor.

3. The defense (26:10-13): Jesus defends the woman, referring to two aspects:

a. The preparation aspect (26:10-12): She did this to prepare his body for burial.

b. The prophetic aspect (26:13): Her act will be remembered wherever the gospel is preached!

II. THE ACTION IN THE UPPER ROOM (26:17-30)

A. The instructions (26:17-19): Jesus directs two of his disciples to prepare a room in Jerusalem for the Passover.

B. The indictment (26:20-25)

1. Jesus' betrayal (26:20-24): The Savior announces that one of the Twelve will betray him.

2. Jesus betrayer (26:25): He then identifies ludas as the one.

C. The institution (26:26-30)

1. The supper (26:26-29): The Lord's Supper is now instituted.

a. He speaks concerning the bread 26:26): It is his body.

b. He speaks concerning the cup (26:27-29) Itis his blood, poured out to forgive sins.

2. The song (26:30): They sing a hymn, then go out to the Mount of Olives.

III. THE ACTION FOLLOWING THE UPPER ROOM (26:31-75)

A. The prophecy of Jesus (26:31-35, 56b, 69-75)

1. As foretold (26:31-35): Jesus makes a twofold prediction concerning the disciples.

a. All will desert him (26:31-32): He will meet them in Galilee after the Resurrection.

b. One will deny him (26:33-35): He says Peter will deny him three times before the rooster crows!

2. As fulfilled (26:56b, 69-75)

a. The desertion (26:56b): All the disciples flee.

b. The denial (26:69-75): Peter denies Jesus three times.

B. The prayers of Jesus (26:36-46)

1. The assistance he seeks (26:36-38): Jesus requests that Peter, James, and John keep watch with him.

2. The agony he suffers (26:39-46)

a. His first prayer (26:39-41)

(1) The struggle (26:39): Jesus begs his Father to remove the suffering he is about to endure but emphasizes that he desires the Father's will, not his own.

(2) The sleepers (26:40-41): Returning, he finds the three disciples asleep.

b. His second prayer (26:42-43)

(1) The struggle (26:42): Similar to the first prayer.

(2) The sleepers (26:43): Again he finds them asleep.

c. His third prayer (26:44-46)

(1) The struggle (26:44): Similar to the first two prayers.

(2) The sleepers (26:45-46): Upon awakening them, he warns of his imminent arrest.

C. The persecutions of Jesus (26:47-56a, 57-68)

1. He is arrested (26:47-56)

a. Jesus and Judas (26:47-50a): Judas betrays him to the soldiers by a kiss.

b. Jesus and Peter (26:50b-54): Peter is rebuked for cutting off the ear of the high priest's servant.

c. Judas and the soldiers (26:55-56a): He reminds the arrest ing soldiers of his innocence.

2. He is accused (26:57-66)

a. The attempts (26:57-61)

(1) The frantic efforts to locate false witnesses against Jesus (26:57-59)

(2) The futile efforts to locate false witnesses against Jesus (26:60-61): No two people can agree in their testimony.

b. The affirmation (26:62-64): Jesus acknowledges to the high priest that he is indeed the Messiah.

c. The agreement (26:65-66): The Sanhedrin votes to put him to death for blasphemy!

3. He is assaulted (26:67-68): The Jewish leaders spit upon him and strike him.

Nicky Gumbel notes (BIOY)

Your way

The way of Jesus is to say to God, 'not my way but your way! Jesus not only taught us to pray 'your will be done', he also prayed it himself: 'My Father, if there is any way, get me out of this. But please, not what I want. You, what do you want?' (v.39, MSG). A second time he prayed, 'My father, if there is no other way than this, drinking this cup to the dregs, I'm ready. Do it your way' (v.42, MSG).

These are not prayers of resignation, but prayers of great courage - being willing to follow God's ways, no matter what.

In this passage we see Jesus' humanity: 'He began to show grief and distress and was deeply depressed' (v.37, AMP). He has his three closest friends with him. The same three who saw Jesus in divine glory at the transfiguration now see Jesus in the depths of human sorrow. He prays for God the Father to show him if there is any alternative. Nevertheless, he is willing to do the Father's will whatever the cost.

For Jesus, the cost was of a totally different order to anything we face. He took the sins of the whole world on his shoulders. Hence his soul was 'overwhelmed with sorrow' (v.38). Three times, Jesus prays for 'this cup' to be taken away from him (VV.39,42,44). The cup refers to his impending suffering and death.

Just before going to the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus spoke of the cup at the Passover meal representing his blood 'poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins' (v.28). More than that, as is often the case in the Old Testament, this cup includes reference to God's wrath (for example Isaiah 51:22; Habakkuk 2:16). On the cross, Jesus took the cup in your place.

When you are deeply depressed, overwhelmed with sorrow, troubled or in the middle of tough times, it is such an encouragement to know that Jesus has experienced all that you face, and far more. He knows what vou are going through and vou can follow his example by submitting your ways to God.

There is an amazing contrast between what took place in the Garden of Gethsemane and in the Garden of Eden. 'Not your way, but mine' was the essence of the response of Adam and Eve to God in the first garden. However, in the second garden, 'Not my way, but yours' was Jesus' prayer to the Father. Doing it God's way meant suffering and death. But, it brought the redemption of the whole world.

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) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/

ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org

ChatGPT https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt

AnswerThePublic.com

Wikipedia.com

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Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipDarien Gabriel, bible believing, church, Grace Christian Fellowship, Matthew 26, ALL, hell, Ladson, SC
What's the Last Supper About? | Matthew 26:17-30
What's the Last Supper About? | Matthew 26:17-30

Series: All!

  • Jesus has all authority,

  • So that all nations

  • Might pledge all allegiance to him.

Title: “What’s the Last Supper About?”

Scripture: Matthew 26:17-30

Bottom line: The Last Supper birthed the Lord’s Supper reminding us of God’s amazing love for us. (Romans 5:8 articulates this well)

  1. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  2. SERMON OUTLINE & NOTES

  3. MAIN REFERENCES USED

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discussion questions for group and personal study. Reflect and Discuss:

1. Explain why Matthew 26-27 is so crucial to our understanding of God, the world, sin, salvation, etc.

2. What impact should the cross have on our reading of the previous chapters in Matthew's Gospel?

3. Discuss how the following attributes of God are displayed in the cross: sovereignty, righteousness, wrath, and love.

4. Explain what is meant by the idea that the cross is fundamentally for God's sake.

5. How does the cross expose our sin? What does it say about the seriousness of our sin?

6. How would you explain the terms substitution and propitiation to an unbeliever with little or no theological knowledge or vocabulary?

7. Why is it important to see Jesus as our substitute, propitiation, and reconciliation, and not just a loving example?

8. How does the truth of Christ's substitutionary death impact our daily pursuit of holiness?

9. Discuss several ways in which the cross fulfills Old Testament prophecies and expectations.

10. How does the cross rule out the possibility of a works-based 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 them to know?

A. What the Last Supper is about. (The death of Christ that brings forgiveness for those who believe)

Q. Why do I want them to know it?

A. Because this is where Jesus transforms the Passover meal to the Lord’s supper to connect the Passover to the cross which brings us 1) Forgiveness from God, and 2) Fellowship with God forever.

Q. What do I want them to do about it?

A. Confess/Repent and believe, and then (re)enter into fellowship with God forever.

Q. Why do I want them to do it?

A. This glorifies God for his mercy poured out on those who’ve trusted and obeyed Jesus Christ.

Q. How can they begin to do this?

A. Begin to really believe what you say you believe. This will look like someone sharing good news like they believe it’s too good to keep to themselves. Repent/believe and receive forgiveness as you step into fellowship with God and his people forever.

SERMON OUTLINE & NOTES

Introduction

The Story

“This is my story, this is my song. Praising my savior all the day long…”

In 2010, I took our oldest daughter Kelsi to the great city of Franklin, TN (just outside of Nashville) to spend a day with our favorite author at the time, Ted Dekker and 200 of his best fans. In the course of that amazing day, we heard Ted talk to us about why he writes the stories he wrote. He said, in essence, that he writes the stories that he writes as a way to tell The Story from another angle. In other words, he wants to retell The Story in different ways to both engage it personally in a fresh way while taking others there.

It has been said that Matthew’s gospel is the Passion narrative with a very long introduction. Well, I can see that. Starting in chapter 26, THIS IS THE STORY OF STORIES. THIS IS THE STORY THAT MATTERS. We must not miss this story.

So we find ourselves looking over the disciples shoulders as Jesus begins to assert himself, dare I say, in a more kingly manner. After tall, he does have ALL kingly authority. So it’s the festival of unleavened bread, one of 3 annual feasts.

It’s the Passover so I need to explain what that is and why it matters.

SERMON OUTLINE

The Last Supper in the Upper Room (26:17-30)

I. The instructions (26:17-19): Jesus directs two of his disciples to prepare a room in Jerusalem for the Passover.

A. What’s the Passover?

    1. The Passover refers to the time when God passed-over any Hebrew who followed Moses’ instructions just before the 10th plague in Egypt. They sacrificed an unblemished lamb and painted the door frame of their home with it’s blood. This caused the angel of the Lord to Passover that house and not take the life of the firstborn male.

    2. The Hebrews were instructed in the law (Leviticus) to celebrate this festival very year in remembrance of that event so that they could connect it to Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection.

B. Why does it matter?

    1. This foreshadowed Jesus coming as the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (J the B) by shedding his blood. All who believe his blood covers us are passed over by God as well and receive abundant, eternal life.

    2. It’s the blood of Christ that covers us with mercy when we stand underneath it by grace through faith. Ask God now to pour out his mercy on you as you trust him.

II. The indictment (26:20-25)

A. Jesus' betrayal (26:20-24): The Savior announces that one of the Twelve will betray him.

B. Jesus betrayer (26:25): He then identifies Judas as the one. (It appears; confirmed in John 13:26)

III.  The institution (26:26-30)

A.  The supper (26:26-29): The Lord's Supper is now instituted as the last supper (the last Passover meal) is celebrated and transformed all at the same time.

    1. He speaks concerning the bread 26:26): It is his body. He made it about himself instead of about the lamb and it’s blood.

    2. He speaks concerning the cup (26:27-29) Itis his blood, poured out to forgive sins. Again, Jesus makes it about himself. This is when the Passover meal becomes the Lord’s supper.

B. The song (26:30): They sing a hymn, then go out to the Mount of Olives.

Conclusion

Bottom line: The Last Supper birthed the Lord’s Supper reminding us of God’s amazing love for us.

This week I was having lunch with three guys, two of which I had just met that morning. All three are in gospel ministry in some capacity in the area. We’ll call the guy next to me Alan. In the course of our meal, Alan engaged our server and asked if she knew Jesus. It was a little abrupt and I could tell she wasn’t wanting to have that conversation right then and there. Nevertheless, he moved through a short gospel presentation. You could tell from how she answered the questions that she didn’t know the Lord nor was she interested in the implications of her answers to her questions. At least not at that time. Her responses were sad but in my mind I kind of moved on as well that didn’t go well.

Our table was very quiet. No one spoke. I turned and looked at Alan next to me and noticed his head in his hands. Then I saw the tears. He was crying. He was crying because she was lost and seemed unconcerned about the path leading to destruction she was on. What Jesus calls “The broad road that leads to destruction.” I was immediately ashamed at my lack of compassion for that young lady. I was convicted over my lack of belief that the gospel is called good news for a reason—it’s great news! And that when someone rejects it they miss out (at least for the moment) in the grace and mercy of God.

It’s this lack of feeling that infects our churches today. This lack of believing in the sacrifice of Jesus made on the cross on our behalf.

We celebrate the Lord’s supper nearly every Sunday so that this doesn’t happen. As you can see, it’s no guarantee. The spiritual gravity of this world pulls us away from believing that the good news of Jesus is really good news—for us and others. I still have a long way to go.

My prayer today is that God will rekindle our love for him so much that we’ll actually believe this news is good enough to share it (even awkwardly) because it’s such good news.

“Jesus Loves Me” song

Yes, Jesus loves me. Hear it again for the first time. Embrace the reality that Jesus took your place. Death passes over us because we’re under his blood of mercy.

How much do you love me? THIS MUCH! (Arms spread out wide)

Questions

  • Do you have trouble remembering why the good news is good news?

  • Do you believe that the good news is really good news for you?

  • Do you share the good news with others like you share other good news?

“Every time you receive communion, you are reminded both of the hostility of the world towards Jesus and of his love for that same world.” -Nicky Gumbel

Let’s pray

Notes

Understand God’s solution

Have you ever been falsely accused or betrayed by a friend? Have you had people plotting against you? Or have you ever experienced some other form of personal hostility? Jesus experienced all these things.

God has revealed himself in creation. However, his supreme revelation is in the person of his Son, Jesus Christ.

God himself has come to be part of this hostile world to do something about it. In this passage we see a glimpse of God’s solution, which he achieved through coming in the person of his Son Jesus. Yet the world was hostile even to Jesus.

Plotting

We should not be surprised by the world’s hostility to Jesus and to Christians today. Jesus knew he would be ‘handed over to be crucified’ (v.2). The chief priests and elders ‘plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly way and kill him’ (v.4).

Jesus says to the Twelve, ‘One of you is going to hand me over to the conspirators’ (v.21, MSG).

Accusations

When a woman came to Jesus ‘with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head’ (v.7), even the disciples regarded what was done for Jesus as a ‘waste’ (v.8).

There is something deeply moving about this incident. Jesus is given for us. The cost is beyond anything we can ever imagine, and his death is imminent. A jar of expensive perfume is only fitting, and yet the disciples are fussing about waste.

Most people understand your works of social action (for example, in response to poverty) but they find it harder to understand your worship of Jesus and all the things associated with it. They regard these things as a ‘waste’ and think that surely there is a better use of your time and money (v.9), but Jesus sees things differently: ‘She has done a beautiful thing to me’ (v.10). She showed her extravagant love for Jesus.

Betrayal

What people will do for money! Judas waited for an opportunity to hand Jesus over for ‘thirty silver coins’ (v.15). How painful this must have been for Jesus! Judas was one of his closest ‘friends’; one of the inner circle of twelve he had chosen. He knew – ‘one of you will betray me’ (v.21).

Yet Jesus in his extraordinary love, dies for them all. During a meal together, he begins to explain the meaning of his death. He explains through the breaking of the bread and drinking of wine that his blood is to be ‘poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins’ (v.28). Jesus’ answer to a hostile world was to be crucified in order to make forgiveness and redemption possible.

Every time you receive communion, you are reminded both of the hostility of the world towards Jesus and of his love for that same world.

''Lord Jesus, thank you that you died for me and demonstrated how to love a hostile world.''

Outline Bible

OUTLINE MATTHEW 26

Jesus and disciples celebrate Passover in the upper room. Jesus predicts Judas's betrayal and Peter's denial, both of which come to pass. After supper Jesus prays in Gethsemane, then is arrested and taken before the high priest.

I. THE ACTION PRECEDING THE UPPER ROOM (26:1-16)

A. The prediction (26:1-2): Once again Jesus predicts his betrayal and crucifixion.

B. The plots (26:3-5, 14-16): On two occasions wicked plans are made to kill Jesus.

1. The plot by Caiaphas (26:3-5): Jewish leaders meet at the palace of this high priest to discuss ways to murder the Savior!

2. The plot by Judas (26:14-16): He agrees with Jesus' enemies to betray the Messiah for thirty pieces of silver.

C. The preparation (26:6-13): Jesus is anointed by a woman at Bethany.

1. The dedication (26:6-7): A woman pours a very expensive alabaster jar of perfume over his head.

2. The denunciation (26:8-9): The disciples criticize her for not selling the perfume and giving the proceeds to the poor.

3. The defense (26:10-13): Jesus defends the woman, referring to two aspects:

a. The preparation aspect (26:10-12): She did this to prepare his body for burial.

b. The prophetic aspect (26:13): Her act will be remembered wherever the gospel is preached!

II. THE ACTION IN THE UPPER ROOM (26:17-30)

A. The instructions (26:17-19): Jesus directs two of his disciples to prepare a room in Jerusalem for the Passover.

B. The indictment (26:20-25)

1. Jesus' betrayal (26:20-24): The Savior announces that one of the Twelve will betray him.

2. Jesus betrayer (26:25): He then identifies ludas as the one.

C. The institution (26:26-30)

1. The supper (26:26-29): The Lord's Supper is now instituted.

a. He speaks concerning the bread 26:26): It is his body.

b. He speaks concerning the cup (26:27-29) Itis his blood, poured out to forgive sins.

2. The song (26:30): They sing a hymn, then go out to the Mount of Olives.

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) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/

ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org

ChatGPT https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt

AnswerThePublic.com

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Darien GabrielGrace Christian Fellowshipnon denominational church, Ladson, SC, Bible-believing, Grace Christian Fellowship, Darien Gabriel, Matthew 26, last supper, ALL
Love Between Treachery | Matthew 26: 1-16
Love Between Treachery | Matthew 26: 1-16

Love Between Treachery 

Matthew 26:1-16

Matthew’s Gospel has been called “a Passion story with a long introduction.”

Passover Exodus 12

4th passion prediction (16:21; 17:22-23; 20:17-19)

Caiaphas and religious leaders plotting.

Unnamed woman (John says Mary) act of love (almost a year's worth of wages) directly to Jesus.

Her act will be told to many (3 of the 4 Gospels have her story).

Judas sold out Jesus for four months of wages.


Read More
Ken DorrityGrace Christian Fellowshipnon denominational church, bible believing church, Matthew, Ken Dorrity, ALL, treachery, love, Ladson, SC, Grace Christian Fellowship
Am I a Sheep or a Goat? | Matthew 25:31-46
Am I a Sheep or a Goat? | Matthew 25:31-46

Am I a Sheep or a Goat? – The Moment of Truth

Matthew 25:31-46

The Sheep and the Goats

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

throne.  32  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.  33  He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his

left.

34  “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.  35  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,  36  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.’

37  “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and

give you something to drink?  38  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and

clothe you?  39  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40  “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.’

41  “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.  42  For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you

gave me nothing to drink,  43  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.’

44  “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?’

45  “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.’

46  “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

1. - Following the parables of the 10 bridesmaids and the distribution of the talents (Mikey and Clay)

A. In the last few weeks, through Jesus’ parables, we’ve learned:

- that we need be prepared in anticipation of His coming (and know the consequences of not be

prepared)

- that we need to invest the gifts talents and abilities that he’s given us in His kingdom (and know

the consequences of not investing ourselves in His Kingdom work)

- and finally (truly finally) with this parable, Jesus shows us how to respond to his grace and what

he expects to see as fruit in His followers.

- Not really a parable as much as a prophesy – we don’t find terms like “like” – the kingdom of Heaven is

like…or “like 10 virgins. Jesus is giving a statement of fact: “When the Son of man comes…”

- This is about the 2 nd coming of Christ,- Something each of us is going to experience

-The most public event of all time

- It could be today, tomorrow or in a thousand years.

- Before Jesus died and rose again, He prepared His disciples for His departure and all of us for His

return.

Verse 31

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

- Jesus is confirming that He is:

The one who will be enthroned as JUDGE

Daniel 7:9

“As I looked, “thrones were set in place,

    and the Ancient of Days took his seat.

The One In the presence of angels…

Daniel 7:10

A river of fire was flowing,

    coming out from before him.

Thousands upon thousands attended him;

    ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.

The court was seated,

    and the books were opened.

The One who will reward the righteous…

Daniel 7:18

But the holy people of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever—yes, for ever

and ever.’

- and punish the wicked

Daniel 7:26

But the court will sit, and his (satan’s) power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever.

- get the picture? Jesus in all His glory…maybe this will help…

Revelation 19:11-16

11  Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and

True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.  12  His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His

head were many crowns. He  [a] had a name written that no one knew except Himself.  13  He was clothed

with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.  14  And the armies in

heaven, clothed in  [b] fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.  15  Now out of His mouth

goes a  [c] sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of

iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.  16  And He has

on His robe and on His thigh a name written:

KING OF KINGS AND

LORD OF LORDS.

Verses 32-33

32  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.  33  He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his

left.

-Absolute truth that each of us will be standing there with each other – all of us…ever

- He is going to separate us, one from another

- this is going to be a personal interaction. We will EACH stand, individually before Jesus, in all of

His glory. (Harkening back to the parable of the talents stressing individual gifting, responsibility

and accountability.

- He is going to place each of us either on His right or on His left…no middle ground…no fence to

sit on

Matthew 25:34-40

34  “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.  35  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,  36  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.’

37  “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and

give you something to drink?  38  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and

clothe you?  39  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40  “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.’

- He will judge each of us individually, based on the life we lived – what we did or didn’t do.

- That’s a familiar theme from Matthew 16…

Matthew 16:27

  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.

- You may ask…isn’t that a works-based salvation? NO

I am not saved by works, but works are the evidence that I’ve been saved

- The good works performed by believers aren’t the basis of salvation but should be understood

as the necessary EVIDENCE of salvation. These works are the fruit and product of our new life

in Jesus.

- We don’t do these things to be saved…we are compelled to do these things because we ARE

saved….out of our love and gratitude for Jesus

- the works, we will find, are works of LOVE

- They’re lowly, not spectacular and seemingly not religious (but maybe they ARE…)

James 1:27

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.

- faith and hope aren’t mentioned…only LOVE.

Could it be that LOVE is the true evidence and fruit of our faith? How we love others

demonstrates how we love Jesus.

John 15:12

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

1 John 4:7-8

7  Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of

God and knows God.  8  Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

1 John 4:19-21

  We love because he first loved us.  20  Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For

whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have

not seen.  21  And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and

sister.

1 John 3:17-18

17  If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how

can the love of God be in that person?  18  Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with

actions and in truth.

Matthew 22:36-40

36  “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37  Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your

mind.’ [a]   38  This is the first and greatest commandment.  39  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as

yourself.’ [b]   40  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Everything hangs on LOVING GOD and LOVING PEOPLE…everything

It’s not the works that Jesus rewards, but evidence that we truly KNOW HIM and LISTEN TO

HIM…that we LOVE HIM and LOVE OTHERS.

- In this case, it’s the command and also the fruit

Matthew 25:41-46

41  “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.  42  For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you

gave me nothing to drink,  43  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.’

44  “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?’

45  “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.’

46  “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

- Those judged by Jesus meet opposite fates…

- the righteous come to Jesus, and the unrighteous depart from Him

- the righteous are blessed, and the unrighteous are cursed

- There is a fearsome finality to Jesus’ judgement – there are no second chances at this point.

- Both the righteous and the unrighteous seem surprised…maybe both are professing Christians

- Both answer…”Lord…”

Matthew 7:21-23

21  “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.  22  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?’  23  Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

Philippians 2:10-11

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

11  and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,

    to the glory of God the Father.

- We shouldn’t be surprised by any of this after reading this parable – we know what Jesus is looking for

on judgment day.

- If it seems harsh, consider the fact that Jesus is giving us a 2000 year heads-up…

- Jesus will know how much we love Him, based on how much we loved the least of these.

- We are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, all our soul, all our strength and all our mind.

AND love our neighbor as our self.

The two have always been connected…we show God how much we love Him when we

obey this and love others. We are truly called to love God and love people, because Jesus

identifies with the least of these.

So, back to a pretty legit question is: Is Jesus teaching works righteousness here?..that we can somehow

earn our salvation through righteous works?...No

- One clue is in how the righteous reply – if they were trying to earn eternal life by feeding the

hungry, and so on, they wouldn’t be surprised when Jesus commended them for good works.

- Jesus isn’t defining FAITH in this story – He’s showing us what it looks like when it’s alive, and the

consequences of it when it’s dead.

James 2:14-26

14  What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such

faith save them?  15  Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.  16  If one of you says to

them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is

it?  17  In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

18  But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”

Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.  19  You believe that there is

one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

20  You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless [d] ?  21  Was not our father

Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?  22  You see that

his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.  23  And

the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as

righteousness,” [ e ]  and he was called God’s friend.  24  You see that a person is considered righteous by what

they do and not by faith alone.

25  In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she

gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?  26  As the body without the spirit is

dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

-In that light, Martin Luthor said this:

“ O, it is a living, busy, active, mighty thing this faith. It is impossible for it not to be doing good works

incessantly. It does not ask whether good works are to be done, but before the question is asked, it has

already done them and is consistently doing them. Whoever does not do such works, however, is an

unbeliever.”

That sounds really harsh, doesn’t it?...I mean…that last sentence…but if you think about it, isn’t that

exactly what this parable is saying? Isn’t that exactly what Jesus is saying?

That makes us have to ask: Is the neglect of service to others so wicked that it deserves separation from

God for eternity?...the fires of hell?

The answer, both fortunately and unfortunately, is YES.

James 4:17

17  If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

- In some ways, there’s no ambiguity in what Jesus is saying here…so what seams really clear in this

reading?

- What do these passages in Matthew teach us about Jesus’ return?

1. His return will be sudden

- people will be going through their daily routine

2. His judgement will be irreversible – no second chance to repent at that point

- There are servants who will not be ready when their Master returns

- There will be bridesmaids locked out of the marriage feast for not preparing

- There’s no middle ground…no fence to ride, and I believe that if there were, Jesus

would swipe left

3. Our hearts will be exposed.

- The true nature of who we are before God will come to light

4. Our sentence may be surprising

5. We must be prepared – our lives and our eternities are at stake

6. The Kingdom of Heaven is not for those who simply respond to an invitation. All of the

bridesmaids had done that…or just praying the sinner’s prayer (which is not in the Bible)

7. The Kingdom of heaven is not for those who simply make a confession – each of the

bridesmaids would have said they were part of the bridal party

8. The Kingdom of Heaven is not for those who merely express some affection – positive feelings

about Jesus wont be enough on the last day.

Where do we go from here?

- The first big application of this is that we should be grateful that Jesus will one day set the world right.

- We should be grateful that Jesus told us in advance how to show Him love...that how you treat other

people demonstrates the nature of your relationship with Jesus.

- His mercy is like a long yellow light…

- We should be grateful that Jesus loves us enough to tell us through these parables:

- how to be prepared in anticipation of His coming (and the consequences of not be prepared)

- the importance of investing our gifts talents and abilities that he’s given us in His kingdom (and

the consequences of not investing ourselves in His Kingdom work)

- and finally (truly finally) with this parable, Jesus shows us how to respond to his grace, and love

Him the way He wants to be loved.

- Now…taking care of the poor is not new to the word of God. The Bible mentions the poor over 2000

times.

Isaiah 58:10

…and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry

    and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,

then your light will rise in the darkness,

    and your night will become like the noonday.

- “spend yourselves” means give them your life! Leave it all on the field.

- but what about taking care of ourselves…retirement…for when we’re old?

Matthew 6:19-21

19  “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves

break in and steal.  20  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not

destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  21  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be

also.

- So one could say that the Bible says to spend your life on behalf of the poor, not to spend your life trying

to avoid dying poor.

- and you don’t know when that is (by the way)

Moving Forward:

You serve people that God has put around you not because you want to get to heaven, but because

Jesus has changed your heart.

Are you ready for that day?

Are you ready to meet God?

Are you ready to stand before Jesus and give an account?

You might ask yourselves, or ask God: How can I be ready?

1. Trust in Jesus…give Him your heart. Don’t be close-fisted with your life

Triangle

2. Repent of your sin…

Hebrews 12:1-3

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that

hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for

us,  2  fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the

cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  3  Consider him who

endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

3. Listen to the warnings Jesus has given us in the last few weeks, and pray earnestly for Him to show

you where your heart is.:

-The maidens (Matthew 25:1-13) consider themselves friends of the bridegroom, but they don’t

live in a way that anticipates his return.

-The wicked servant (Matthew 25:14-30) considers himself in the employ of the Master, but he’s

never offered his talents without reserve for the kingdom.

-The “goats” (Matthew 25:31-46) are surprised to be rejected by Jesus, who they thought they

were faithfully serving. But when it came to pouring themselves out for the crushed people of

God, they weren’t engaged at all.

Here’s the sobering thing about these parables: There is no middle ground. You are either committed to

the mission, all-in for Jesus, and using your resources for his people and his kingdom, or you are not. You

are either a sheep or a goat. And that puts the lukewarm Christian in a very precarious position.

- Have you offered your life and your talents, no matter your age, as an investment in the kingdom? Could

we look at your giving and say that you are all-in with the mission of God? Would your calendar back up

what your words say when you declare, “Jesus is Lord”?

- This isn’t the time to ask ourselves questions about our actions. It’s time to ask ourselves questions

about our faith…especially in light of Matthew 25

- It’s time to ask ourselves if we are giving God the first and best of ourselves, your time and your money,

or are you giving Him the leftovers.

- It’s time to stop calling our complacency, apathy or indifference to those Jesus calls us to love, a “busy

schedule” or “bills” or “forgetfulness”. Call it what it is…sin.

We sang “Open the Eyes of my Heart”…Open the eyes of my heart, Lord. I want to see you. Not only has

Jesus told us how to show Him love, but He has shown us where to find Him.

4. Go to them…the hungry, the thirsty, to strangers. Clothe the naked…look after the sick…visit a

prisoner.

5. Use the gifts, talents and abilities that the master has given you to serve Him…to love God by loving

people.

- If you don’t feel like it, do it anyway. I can promise you that when we go to Africa and look in the faces of

those kids, you bet I see the face of Jesus.

6. Seek out opportunities…don’t just sit and wait for them to come to you…

Buy food for the blessing box

If you see there’s a meal train, jump on it…or start one for someone who needs it

We’re currently putting together back-to-school items for newly arrived refugees and those less

priviledged.

Give from your time, your talent and treasure sacrificially to your church and other organizations

and people that God leads you to. Find an organization doing the work of God and help them. If you cant

find one, start one.

Go to your neighbor

Practice loving people as an outpouring of your gratitude to a loving, merciful, grace-giving God

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Guest UserGrace Christian FellowshipChris Karpus, Matthew 25, sheep or goat, Grace Christian Fellowship, Ladson, SC, non denominational church, bible believing church
The Significance of Faithful Work | Matthew 25:14-30
The Significance of Faithful Work | Matthew 25:14-30

YOU HAVE BEEN WALKING THROUGH THE BOOK OF MATTHEW:

- You’ve seen how Jesus used parables to help provide a window into HIS KINGDOM.

- Parable would typically have a singular overarching meaning.

Kent Hughes Commentary - HELPS US CONNECT WHERE YOU’VE BEEN TO TODAY

“So we might say that readiness looks like HOPE (The parable of the Virgins), LOVE (The

Parable of the Sheep and Goats), and FAITH (The Parable of the Talents).”

In this sermon our focus is on faith, more specifically on faithful working, or even more

accurately a faithfulness that works.” -

These set of passages in Matthew are a series of parables about how we should live our

lives at his eminent return.

What we should discovery is an urgency to live out what God has put in each of us, for his

glory and our joy? And caution against not taking it serious.

READ PASSAGE: MATTHEW 25:14-30

The Parable of the Talents

14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants[c] and entrusted

to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents,[d] to another two, to another

one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the

five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So

also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received

the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. 19 Now after a

long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he

who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying,

‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ 21 His

master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.[e] You have been faithful over

a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who

had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents;

here, I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and

faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into

the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward,

saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and

gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your

talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him,

‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and

gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with

the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with

interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten

talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance.

But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the

worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and

gnashing of teeth.’

1

2 Things to Highlight in this Passage:

1) It helps us see ourselves rightly

2) It helps us see God rightly

1) You cannot know yourself without knowing God

1) You can do a deep dive and know your desires and then find a group of people with

those desires and sprinkle Jesus on top of it...but that is still not HOW YOU ARE

WIRED AND HOW YOU WERE PLACE.

First Thing We See in the Passage:

God distributes his talents and abilities not to all alike, but to each

individually.

• THIS NOT WHAT THE MASTER IS DOING -

“Here’s 5 talents for you and 5 talents for you”

• IN OTHER WORDS - WE ARE NOT ALL GIFTED THE SAME WAY?

- HE GIVES ACCORDING TO THEIR ABILITIES...

• THE TRUTH IS - Some of US would get killed with 5 talents. WE would just be crushed.

The day God has for SOME US and the day he created you for YOU MAY require the 1 talent.

PROBLEM: 5 TALENT PEOPLE ARE MORE IMPORTANT

We look at the 5 talent guy and think important and then the 1 talent guy and think less

important. WHEN WE THIS THIS WAY - IT IS AN ACCUSATION AGAINST GOD.

• ACCORDING THIS PASSAGE:

• 5 TALENT PEOPLE ARE NOT:

• Loved more by God or know more of God’s pleasure

• Listen...its not about “Man I wish I had what that guy or that women has...”

• Praise God our cultural score cards are not His.

• HIS SCORE CARD IS NOT EVEN ABOUT THE TALENT!!!

His Kingdom score card is about FAITH, RISK, COURAGE, and

WILLINGNESS to step into what HE built for you...

• NOT you trying to be a cheap imitation of somebody else.

• ARE YOU WITH ME? WE HAVE GOT TO SEE OURSELVES RIGHTLY.

• He didn’t gift us all the same way.

EXAMPLES:

• America’s Got Talent

• Work Place

• There are people at your job that have a skill set that is not your skill set. And if you

tried...you might even get a B.

• But you’d be EXHAUSTED, It would ware you out, you’d hate it - It would be B level work.

• Meanwhile there’s that guy that came out of the womb asking for a spreadsheet.

• Hello - Im here to create systems and structures.

WE ARE GIFTED IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

• ME: If I tried to get into the weeds at that level - I can pull it off to a point. But then its like

C level work -

2

• BUT if I stay in my lane and I’m me - NOT THEM

• MY STORY - CALLING TO MINISTRY - NOT SURE WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE

SAY

YOU ARE NOT THE BEST AT EVERYTHING, YOU ARE LIKELY NOT THE BEST AT MOST

THINGS - BUT YOU ARE GIFTED BY GOD...WITH A TALENT

ONE THING I LOVE ABOUT - The idea of Compound Interest

• The 1 talent guy could have sewed his - just as the 5 and 2 talent person.

• What’s at stake here is not the TALENT - BUT What you do with the talent.

DISCOVERY:

• SO WHAT ARE EXAMPLES OF YOUR GIFTS:

• 1st - THEY COME FROM GOD - THERE ARE HIS

• Nature abilities God just wove into you

• Your Story - Through your story God has redeemed some things

• Kelly - Single mom who wanted to create a place for other single moms to find love and

hear about the love of Jesus.

• People would tell Kelly - you are so gifted at this - No -“I’m so broken, and know what

others are feeling and have to do something about it.”

• PIC 2 - Kelly & Ladies On Stage

• PIC 3 - Kelly & Family

* PLACE - Story of Dee & Marc

• Somethings Given At Salvation:

• When we surrender to Jesus that a manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common

good

• 1 of 2 Ways:

• Comes in and Begins Something That Wasn’t There Before

• Most Time - Electrifies What Was Already There

1 Corinthians 12:4-7

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of

service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same

God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the

Spirit for the common good.

DO you see what ’s happening -

Where we are prone to go - THAT PERSON’S got this really amazing thing and I got this little

baby thing... God is freeing you up...He’s saying same team, same team, same team...

Why is this so important?

• It frees us up to celebrate one another.

• Whether its the same gift or a completely different gift.

• You see what He’s doing...

- Variety of gifts, variety of services....One God, One Spirt - Same Team, Same Team....

• HE’S BUILDING THAT TEAM - to cause problems with the darkness of the world.

• SAY: Oh if we could see ourselves correctly - Our attention would be ON Him -

And you would realize just how dangerous you are to the darkness. Oh that we

might come awakened.

Some of You Get This:

- Football season is around the corner

3

- Something you will not see

- Is a 6’5 - 350 lb guy lining up in a slot receiver place

- That kinda guy was built to fight you in phone booth.

- You get him out of his spot - He looks stupid and the team suffers.

- BUT - IF HE WILL PLAY HIS SPOT - Its like a cascading effect

- He blocks/opens up a space for the guy to run or creates some protection...not we can

move the ball down the field.

- If we get him out of position - he’s a liability.

SO IT IS - IF WE WILL SEE OURSELVES CORRECTLY - AND YOU PLAY YOUR SPOT.

- Not your friends spot

- Not my spot

- Not your cousins spot

- Not your spiritual hero spot

- YOUR SPOT

- The kind of joy you can walk in that you are not walking now.

My heart breaks for some maybe today - You’ve been walking in someone else’s

spot. You are poor version of someone else. NOT the beautiful version of what

you could be.

SAY:

I’m not trying to puff up your self-esteem. This is God’s economy. He’s involved in

that. Its not you that’s amazing - Its God that’s amazing IN YOUR STORY.

WE MUST SEE OURSELVES RIGHTLY - You have been gifted.

BUT MUST SEE GOD RIGHTLY AS WELL

Now - The Guy w/ 1 Talent

- He has no eagerness and no urgency - no joy and confidence

- Rather - He makes accusations against the character of God

- The bible says to this man - You are lazy and wicked - I don’t know how you are wired - but

I’m not wanting that said about me BY GOD.

How is he lazy and wicked?

- I think this how this works.

- SAY: When you don’t see God rightly - AND you don’t see yourself rightly... You

will begin to think thoughts about God that are out of step with who he is and

what He does.

- In so doing, you will make accusations in your heart just like this servant.

- Maybe He Thought, “Man my talent is so small and God is so rich”. It just

doesn’t even matter. REPEAT —- What I have is so SMALL and God is SO

big...I don’t have to do anything.”

- Let the people with the 5 talents do it.

IF YOU WERE MADE FOR THE DAY AND THE DAY FOR YOU.

- God is intimately involved in shaping and forming you.

- Redeeming You - Redeeming your hurt, victories and losses

- Giving you a life a purpose and belonging with an unshakeable identity.

That kinda thinking - “My gift is too small, he’s so rich, he wouldn’t even miss

this...is an accusation against God.

This is why he calls him wicked and lazy.

4

What we really know - God is actually very generous.

You posses nothing that is not Gods and has been given to you to steward.

CS Lewis - 6 Pence None the Richer

- So it is - You and I have nothing that does not rightly belong to the creator

God. You don’t have a talent, you don’t have an opportunity.

- BUT I WORKED HARD FOR WHAT I GOT.

- Great - But Be Honest:

- Were there other people that worked hard-Did’t get quit as far

as you?

- Were those others that positioned themselves rightly, yet the

opportunity was not there for them?

- Is there nothing naturally not in you that gave you that edge?

GOD IS GENEROUS!

• IT IS GOD WHO:

• ...GIVES, ...SAVES, ...SETS, DRAWS, MAKES A WAY,..POSITIONS US

RIGHTLY, HE IS AT WORK

• JOB MOVING HERE - I WAS NOT THEIR FIRST CHOICE

Vs 25 - He gets real honest about why he was paralyzed- HE WAS AFRAID

- WHY BECAUE HE DIDN”T KNOW WHO GOD WAS:

- HE’S MAKING ACCUSATIONS AGAINST GOD.

- He’s saying I was afraid - of what might happen if I invest it and loose?

- At least the 5 talent guy has margin to spare - “I got 3 left - some

bitcoin got me”

HERE’S ONE OF THE BIGGER TAKE AWAYS - I’ll SAY IT AGAIN - GOD’S SCORECARD IS

NOT THE SAME AS OUR SCORECARD.

SAY: What HE delights in, what HE is honored in —- IS FAITH - Not our

metrics of success.

- I tell you - a lot of us are going to get ROCKED when we get to glory. When we see

who the big deals are. - RANDY ALCORN EXAMPLE

GOD’S SCORECARD IS NOT OUR SCORECARD:

He honors FAITH, RISK, COURAGE

- Our guy here was AFRAID

- THINK ABOUT YOU AND I:

- FEAR Will Likely Keep You From Moving Forward in Faith

- Maybe You’ve Been Hurt:

- Not doing that again, Not trusting anyone with information again,

- Fear of IT not working.

- Here’s I Guy - I WAS AFRAID - I only have 1 talent - What if I bet it and loose it. Your

powerful, so what does that mean for me?

HOW DO WE STAY ROOTED? SEE OURSELVES RIGHTLY?

SAY - Your faith and what Jesus is doing is WAY bigger than your personal

salvation. LOOK AT ME - It is not LESS than your personal salvation.

• But it is epically MORE than your salvation.

• We have been so conditioned to think when we hear Gospel (Good News)

to only think - PERSONAL SALVATION.

5

PERSONAL SALVATION:

- The transfer out of the Kingdom of Darkness into the Kingdom of His Beloved Son.

- So, you want to play in the Kingdom, personal salvation is a necessity.

BUT IT IS BIGGER THAN PERSONAL SALVATION - YOU AND I ARE CAUGHT IN A STORY.

ITS THE ONLY STORY - ITS THE STORY THAT ALL STORIES FIND THEIR PLACE.

HIS STORY:

- THE CREATOR GOD OF THE UNIVERSE CREATED THE WORK IN SHALOM.

- In rhythm and beauty to reflect His glory - an overflow of his divine, triune perfection - Father,

Son, Holy Spirit overflowing on the canvas of creation.

- THE MAN AND WOMAN WERE NAKED AND UNASHAMED - Little do with nudity and

everything to do with the heart and their relationship with the Father and each other.

- SIN ENTERS THE COSMOS AND FRACTURES IT

- The man goes from WO-MAN, Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh to - Its that WOMAN

YOU GAVE to ME.

- Relational strife immediately between each other and God and man.

- HERE’S GOD’S RESPONSE: To move towards - to redeem / to save

- He makes a people - Exodus 17 - And you will be for more a Kingdom of Priests that the

Nations might see my light.

- Christ come - kills sin and death for those who would believe

- You and I by the power of His spirit are called into this Kingdom

- Uniquely wired - Uniquely Placed - Set to cause problems for a vanquished enemy who

doesn’t know He quit vanquished yet.

THAT’S THE STORY YOU AND I ARE IN.

If we are to have the urgency we need - The FAITH, COURAGE TO MOVE - WE HAVE TO SEE

GOD RIGHTLY.

If we see God Rightly, We Will See Ourselves Rightly and Place Ourselves into the Story -

There are no SMALL TALENTS?

DEEP WORK, OVER TIME, IN COMMUNITY:

DEEP WORK - IN the quite - With the Holy Spirit

ON SCREEN

TALENTS:

What do I love to do?

What motivates what I do?

What do I constantly think about?

HEART:

What would I do if I knew I wouldn’t fail?

What do I care most about in this world?

How do I hope others describe me when I die?

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Guest UserGrace Christian FellowshipClay Jernigan, Grace Christian Fellowship, Ladson, SC, Bible-believing, church, non denominational, Matthew, ALL, Matthew 25, parable of the talents, parables
How to Prepare to Meet Jesus | Matthew 25:1-13
How to Prepare to Meet Jesus | Matthew 25:1-13

Fallen Condition Focus

Our nature is to procrastinate and not prepare.

Introduction

Do you know those people who always seem to be prepared for anything? I am not

one of those people. I am more of a, “will figure it out later” kind of person. It’s

funny because as I was preparing to preach this morning I was thinking about

preparation. Some things I have to force myself to prepare for.

Our family loves to go camping, and we really do 2 different kinds of camping.

First there is the main activity we do which is better called “glamping”. In fact,

Lucy, Joe, and I are doing this right now. My preparation for this kind of camping

is very casual. I know I will be by my truck. I know that I’m just a few minutes

drive to the nearest store. So when I go to pack for the things we need, I don’t

really sweat it too much. The worst thing that can happen is that I will need to

drive down the road a few miles and pick up whatever it is that we may have

forgotten.

On the flip side of this is, sometimes I will take a couple of my kids backpacking.

Now this is an entirely different thing. We have to pack everything we are going

to need for the trip on our back. Typically, we will find a trail and hike several

miles into the woods. We don’t have access to a car, or a store, electricity, or any

of the modern luxuries of life.

Now, even though I am not by nature a preparer, when I go backpacking, I

suddenly intentionally become a very prepared person. Spreadsheets are involved,

2

I have lists. I sit down an methodically load all the items into my packs and the

kids packs so that we have everything we might need. Why do I do this for a

backpacking trip, but not for a trip in the glamper?

The answer is, the stakes are so much higher. If we get out into the woods and

realize we don’t have anything to start a fire with, we are going to be miserable. I

can’t just jump in the truck and go get what we need.

Jesus has been teaching us this lesson on a spiritual level. And he has been

teaching it over and over again. He, gives us so many warnings on this topic,

because he knows our nature. He knows we tend to think, I will worry about it

later. I’ve got time to deal with spiritual things some other time. He knows that

some of will one day realize we never prepared ourselves to meet him.

Remember back to how Jesus closed his Sermon on the Mount. It is one of the

most troubling passages in all of Scripture. Jesus leaves his hearers in that passage

with some really troubling words about a “narrow gate” “few find it”. He really

depicts this mass of people who all think they are moving toward the kingdom of

heaven but they are deceived.

[Mat 7:22-23 ESV] 22 On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not

prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty

works in your name?' 23 And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you;

depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'

This is the exact same warning that we get as we look at this parable teaching

today.

25:1 Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took

their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.

3

Right of the bat Jesus informs us exactly what the parable is intended to illustrate.

We are talking about the kingdom of heaven. And we continue the same flow of

end times teaching that Jesus had been talking about in chapter 24.

[Mat 24:44 ESV] 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is

coming at an hour you do not expect.

The point of this teaching is to emphasize what we read in Matthew 24:44. You

must be ready. Jesus effectively gives us warning after warning after warning

about this topic.

To understand the parable we need to understand a little about ancient Jewish

wedding practices because that is the setting of this parable. It was customary in

those days for the bridesmaids and the bride to wait at the family home of the

bride. Unlike modern times there really was not a set schedule for when the events

of the wedding would take place.

What we have pictured in the parable is basically a wedding party. Those who will

actually be in the wedding ceremony.

At some point the groom would arrive at the family home of the bride. And when

he would arrive something kind of like a parade would take place as the wedding

party would move from the bride’s family home to the groom’s family home.

This parade if you will would be a great honor and a significant part of the overall

wedding celebration.

We see that the 10 bridesmaids are equipped with lamps. The same word can be

translated either lamp or even torches. It could be either, but the point is the same.

Seemingly when the bridegroom arrives they will be expected to light the torches

and proceed as a wedding party with the groom.

25:2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.

4

While the 10 bridesmaids seem to be one unit, Jesus draws our attention to

something right in the beginning. These 10 people are not the same. Even though

they all appear to be ready for the wedding procession, they all are equipped with

lamps, but there is something very different under the surface. In fact they could

not be more different. 5 of them are wise, and 5 of them are foolish.

I don’t know if it’s because I’m an engineer, but sometimes I am tempted to

probably read too much into the mathematics of the situation. Jesus is making this

story up. He could have used any number he wanted here. He could have had 8

wise and 2 fools, or 2 fools and 8 wise, but he does a 50/50 split. I don’t know if

that is significant, but perhaps it is. Is Jesus trying to tell us that about 50% of the

people who profess to be a Christian are inwardly fooling themselves? I don’t

know, but I think it bears some consideration.

25:3 & 4 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with

them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.

We find in verse 3 what separates the foolish from the wise. If it is a torch or

lamp it does not matter, because they work the same way. If it is a lamp then the

wick will pull up the oil from a well and the oil will fuel the flame. If it is a torch

then the same principle holds.

If one were to light a wick or a torch without any oil the flame would consume

the fabric in mere moments. The flame would not last.

This is common knowledge and the entire wedding party is seemingly aware of

the laws of combustion. However 5 of them have made the proper preparations.

But 5 of them have not prepared because they have brought no oil.

I think we have to be careful not to allegorize the entire parable, but it seems safe

to me to say that the oil represents a reborn heart or even the Holy Spirit living

within a reborn heart. No person will see the kingdom of God without being born

again.

5

We (overall church not necessarily GCF) have made church pretty comfortable

for worldly folks. We have dismissed books of the Bible as outdated, we have

adjusted our theology, skipped over the difficult passages, and reinterpreted the

others so that they are no longer hard to hear.

Many times the church does this with the best of intentions. We want our

congregation to grow. We want people to understand the gospel, and if we can

skip the hard stuff, then maybe they will get connected and be ready for that later.

But later never seems to come. Or even worse we start ourselves down a slippery

slope of symbolic interpretation of scripture that allows the entire bible to be bent

into whatever shape the reader wants.

What we end up with is churches full of people who are not true Christians.

Hearts that have never been reborn. These people come to church each and every

week, and they are carrying a lamp that has no oil. Can you image 5 out of 10 of

them have no oil!

25:5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and

slept.

The bridegroom is delayed. In fact we still are in a period of waiting for the

bridegroom to return. You’ll notice that the wedding party becomes tired and

sleepy. So they sleep.

This is not a negative thing. Jesus is not suggesting that they should not have

gone to sleep. Is just illustrating the point that it takes a will. So true believer or

not we all are going to sleep. Remember the verse that Jesus is really expounding

on is

[Mat 24:44 ESV] 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is

coming at an hour you do not expect.

6

Jesus is highlighting the “hour you do not expect” part of this principle. The lost

don’t know when he is coming, the saved don’t know when he is coming.

Whenever he comes again, it will be when he is not expected. And what are we to

do to with that information? We are to be ready.

25:6 But at midnight there was a cry, 'Here is the bridegroom! Come

out to meet him.'

It is at midnight when he arrives. In the darkest part of the night. When he is least

expected to arrive he shows up. (Think Matthew 24:44)

There is an interesting shift at this point in the parable. The time for preparation

has come to an end. Now is time for the wedding procession. There is no time to

get right, to gather supplies, to get oil that time has passed. It’s at this point where

we start to see some panic set in.

25:7&8 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the

foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps

are going out.'

Because these 5 foolish bridesmaids did not prepare they now realize that they

have a problem. Panic begins to set in.

I think the panic that is depicted here in verse 6 is troubling. It’s that comfort I

described, when I talked about going camping. In our minds we sort of always

think we have the chance to get what we need. But the reality is, there is coming a

day when the store won’t be open any more. The time for preparation will have

passed, and the only thing left for us will be judgement.

This is why Jesus continually reminds us to prepare.

7

25:9 But the wise answered, saying, 'Since there will not be enough for us

and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves..

There is another lesson here. You cannot get your preparation from someone else.

You cannot get your righteousness from your parents, from your pastor, from

your family, you are responsible for yourself.

It’s like when you go to a theme park and the massive crowds of people are all

funneling down to the entrance. And when you get to the entrance they have that

little turnstile that only 1 person can fit in. They look at your ticket, and if it

checks out you enter all by yourself. Jesus says you can’t look to those in your

group to get you into the kingdom.

There is a problem here. The shop is closed. There is no hope at this point. And in

desperation they fill the streets to try to find oil, but they will find none. Such will

be the day for all of us.

25:10 10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those

who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was

shut.

Notice the wedding party is not effected. It continues as scheduled. For those who

were prepared a feast is set and the celebration begins. The door is sealed and no

more will be allowed in.

Indeed they return in verse 11, but are not permitted to enter.

25:11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.'

12 But he answered, 'Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.' 13

Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

We here again here echos back to the sermon on the mount. Jesus says, I do not

know you.

8

Jesus underscores the entire point yet another time at the end of the parable in

verse 13, “Watch”. We are to be watching. We are to be prepared. The day is

coming when we will be expected to go.

How then can we prepare?

1) Step 1 - You must be born again. John 3

[Jhn 3:5-6 ESV] 5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is

born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which

is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

There is something supernatural that must occur in our lives. We must be born

spiritually in the same way we were born physically. In this Spiritual birth the

Holy Spirit will convict you of sin, and you must confess the sin, and repent. In

faith trusting that you are saved.

2) Step 2 – Develop Spiritual Discipline

[1Ti 4:7-8 ESV] 7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train

yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is

of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the

life to come.

3) Persevere In Trials to the End

[1Pe 1:6-7 ESV] 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if

necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested

genuineness of your faith--more precious than gold that perishes though it is

tested by fire--may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the

revelation of Jesus Christ.

4) Live the Great Commission

Lord’s Supper:

Invite musicians and server’s to go ahead and come.

Explain, this is the response part of the service. The covering or wedding garment

that Jesus provided, was not free. His blood was spilled, his body was broken. So

today as we partake in the Lord’s supper we remember that.

9

You don’t have to be a member here to participate, but you do have to be a

believer in good standing with the Lord. Meaning you have no unconfessed sin or

broken fellowship with others in the congregation.

Perhaps you want to come up here and pray, or pray where you are, that’s all

okay. I’ll be standing right over here if you want to come pray with me.

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Guest UserGrace Christian FellowshipMikey Brannon, Grace Christian Fellowship, Ladson, Matthew, ALL, prepare to meet Jesus
How Do You Prepare for the Return of Jesus Christ? | Part 2 | Matthew 24:36-51
How Do You Prepare for the Return of Jesus Christ? | Part 2 | Matthew 24:36-51

Series: All!

  • Jesus has all authority,

  • So that all nations

  • Might pledge all allegiance to him.

Title: “How do you prepare for the return of Jesus Christ?” Part 2

Scripture: Matthew 24:36-51

Bottom line: As we watch and wait for his sudden return, we prepare by loving people in word and action.

David Platt’s main idea: “Although Christ’s delay may be long, His return in judgment will be sudden and irreversible, so we must be prepared by trusting Him now with a persevering faith that bears fruit.”

  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 differentiates unhelpful speculation from a sincere desire to understand our future hope?

2. Summarize the overarching point of Matthew 24:1-36 in one or two sentences.

3. What factors make it difficult to determine the timing and the relationship between the destruction of Jerusalem and Jesus' second coming?

4. How should we respond to those who take a different view of prophecies such as those we read in Matthew 24?

5. Explain how this passage points us away from sinful, short-term pleasures.

6. How does this text speak to the authority and divinity of Jesus Christ?

7. What kind of treatment should believers expect as they await Christ's return?

8. What does it look like for followers of Christ to be eagerly watching for Jesus and urgently working for His kingdom purposes?

9. As it concerns Jesus' return, which truths in this passage should discourage us from date-setting or from making rash judgments based on current events?

10. How should the second coming of Christ inform our witness in the world?

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 them to know?

A. Jesus is coming back any day and he will reward or judge.

Q. Why do I want them to know it?

A. Because their eternity will be based on what they do with this knowledge.

Q. What do I want them to do about it?

A. Prepare for his sudden return by serving loving people in word and deed.

Q. Why do I want them to do it?

A. Because that will be the fruit of true repentance and faith in Jesus Christ alone for their salvation.

Q. How can they begin to do this?

A. Repent of your sins, turn to Christ for your eternal salvation, and love people as you await his sudden return.

SERMON OUTLINE & NOTES

Introduction

Today we will answer the question: how do we prepare for the return of Jesus Christ?

Illustration:

NEAR THE END OF World War II downtown Warsaw was almost completely leveled. According to one witness, the only skeletal structure remaining on the main street was the Polish headquarters of the British and Foreign Bible Society. The words engraved upon the only wall standing, which were clearly legible from the street, were the words, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away." —O’Donnell

In Matthew 24:35, the passage states, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” In this context, “heaven” refers to the physical realm, the sky, or the universe. It emphasizes the enduring nature of God’s words compared to the transient nature of the material world. It signifies that God’s words and promises are steadfast and reliable, transcending the temporary nature of earthly things.

Jesus said this in the midst of talking about his return. He says what he means and he means what he says. We should take his words seriously.

SERMON OUTLINE

What do we learn about God?

  • God is omniscient.

  • God is sovereign.

  • God is moving providentially.

  • God is moving purposefully.

  • God will send his son again suddenly, unexpectedly, and very publicly.

  • God is holy and will judge wickedness thoroughly.

  • God is holy and judges sin for eternity while rewarding with righteousness by grace through faith.

  • God will rescue by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

  • God commands with all authority calling for all obedience.

  • God expects all allegiance from all nations for he is worthy.

What do we learn about people?

  • We doubt/don’t trust God/Christ.

  • We disobey his commands regularly.

  • We live for the moment instead of in light of eternity.

  • We are largely unprepared for his return.

  • We cannot know when he will return.

  • We are unfaithful servants, at best.

  • We are unwise apart from God’s grace.

  • We don’t do good very often.

  • We don’t take responsibility.

  • We are not omniscient.

  • We do not fear God or the consequences of our sins.

S.P.E.C.

Sins to avoid

  • Not keeping watch for Christ’s sudden return.

  • Not preparing for Christ’s sudden return.

  • Trying to predict when his return will be.

  • Living only for today.

  • Faithfully and wisely serving the Lord as we await his return.

Promises to remember

  • He’s coming back and you can’t miss it.

  • He’ll judge in holiness for our faithfulness and wisdom and how we prepared.

  • He will gather his elect.

Examples to follow

  • The one who keeps watch for his return.

  • The one who prepares for his return.

  • The one who is faithful and wise in serving the Lord as they await his return.

Commands to keep

  • Keep watch for his return.

  • Prepare for his return.

  • Believe his words about the future by watching and preparing.

Illustrations in the text

Cosmic display and like lightning (that even the blind can see) and trumpet blast (that even the deaf can hear) will announce his obvious and public return.

Days of Noah

It is business as usual for most people just as it was in the days of Noah. Few are watching and preparing for God’s righteous return.

Noah watched and prepared by building the ark and preaching why for 120 years.

Christians today watch and prepare by building our salvation by grace through faith (Sanctification) so that when he returns we will not be alarmed by ready to continue love people through our words and actions.

2 men in the field; 2 women grinding grain

  1. We are with others who know/didn’t know the Lord

  2. No matter what else you think can save you (family, church, good works), ultimately, only faith in Christ.

  3. Could be the rapture too.

What do we do while we wait?

We serve God and people

  • Faithfully

  • Wisely

  • Well

  • By grace through faith

“We live with our eyes on the clouds and on the crowds.” -Greg Stier, Dare2Share.org

Are you watching and preparing for Jesus’ return?

Conclusion

Bottom line: As we watch and wait for his sudden return, we love people with our words and actions.

The Folly of What Noah Preached

by Jon Bloom, desiringgod.org, https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-folly-of-what-noah-preached

March 28, 2014

Paul wrote, “the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18). In Noah, we have an Old Testament illustration of this. Ponder how Noah’s warnings about fantastic “events as yet unseen” (Hebrews 11:7) must have sounded to his hearers (I’ve imagined two, Talmai and Bakbukiah).

“This is madness!” Talmai was alarmed by the huge piles of logs around the vast clearing and all the hired men cutting and hauling them. “How long will this boat be?”

Noah braced for a deluge of ridicule. “Three hundred cubits.”

“Unbelievable!” Bakbukiah laughed incredulously. “Three hundred? You were right!” he said slapping Talmai’s back. “I said, ‘No one’s that stupid.’ But I stand corrected!”

Talmai shook his head in disbelief. “Noah, you’ve lost your mind! No one can build a boat that big!”

“You are an idiot!” shouted Bakbukiah. “You’re building a three hundred cubit boat six-day’s journey from the sea?”

“It won’t need to be near the sea,” Noah replied.

“Oh, come on, Noah!” said Talmai exasperated. “You’ve been preaching about this flood of divine judgment. But look around! You seriously believe all this is going to be under water?”

“Talmai, I don’t base my faith merely on what seems plausible to me,” said Noah.

“Well, that’s obvious!” Bakbukiah scoffed.

Noah held up his hand and continued, “I base my faith on what God says he will do.”

“Whose god, Noah?” said Talmai flatly.

“The only God there is, Talmai: Elohim, the Almighty, the Creator,” said Noah.

“So Elohim is a mass murderer then?” said Bakbukiah mockingly.

“Bakbukiah, you’re speaking foolishness,” said Noah firmly.

“I’m speaking foolishness!” snapped Bakbukiah. “You’re building a colossal boat in the middle of nowhere because some bloodthirsty god told you to and you’re calling me foolish?”

“Yes, I am! because you’re assuming that what looks foolish to you is foolish,” replied Noah unwaveringly.

“Building this ark doesn’t just look foolish, Noah,” said Talmai curtly.

“Tell me what foolishness is, Talmai,” countered Noah intensely.

“Foolishness is that, my friend,” said Bakbukiah, gesturing toward the site.

“No, I want you to answer the question. What is foolishness?” said Noah.

“It’s believing something that isn’t real!” exclaimed Talmai. “Basing your life on a delusion!”

“Exactly!” said Noah. “Foolishness is basing your life on a delusion.”

Both men looked at Noah for a moment perplexed.

Talmai snorted. “You’re saying that we’re the deluded ones?”

“Yes. What makes you certain that you’re not deluded?” asked Noah.

“Common sense, Noah!” Try it! Comes in handy in boat building,” chortled Bakbukiah.

“Common sense? Whose common sense, Bakbukiah?” responded Noah. “Yours? The common sense you exercise when beating your wives when you’re angry? Or when you try to take advantage of every customer you can? Or perhaps it’s the common sense of your friend, Jobab, who extorted sex from the wife of a man indebted to him? Or the common sense of that man to cut Jobab’s throat? Or, Talmai, was it your common sense in working your slave into the ground and beating him mercilessly for petty infractions? Or your slave’s common sense in raping your daughter before he escaped? Or, Bakbukiah, was it the chief’s common sense to run your father through with a spear for laughing at him?”

“Watch your tongue, old man, if you want to keep it,” threatened Bakbukiah.

“Point made then,” replied Noah. “Depravity is rampant everywhere. We always carry our weapons because we can’t trust anyone. And when we’re honest, we know we aren’t trustworthy. The most common sense we share is our evil selfishness.”

“Listen, that’s beside the point!” asserted Talmai. “The point is there isn’t going to be any flood and this huge ark is a waste of time, money, and trees!”

“It’s not beside the point,” said Noah. “Elohim has been warning us for generations to forsake our evil, self-absorbed sin and return to him. No one has listened! We have only gotten worse. We’re consuming each other! The point is that your perception of reality is distorted by self-centeredness, Talmai. Elohim created the predictable world you know. And it’s foolish to presume that he can’t turn this plain into a sea.”

“Well, if he does, this Elohim of yours is as wicked as the rest of us. He’s just going to drown us all like dogs,” replied Bakbukiah. “Except you, of course, being so righteous.”

“Not true, Bakbukiah! It is not Elohim’s blood thirst and selfishness that is bringing the flood. It’s his justice. It’s what our sin deserves! Don’t you see? In his mercy he has been warning us over and over. But the ark is a sign that he will not wait forever. And God isn’t sparing me because my nature is any better than yours. He’s sparing me because I trust him. I believe what he says. And this ark will shelter anyone who will trust him. Join me, brothers! You don’t have to perish in Elohim’s judgment! Believe him and escape!”

Talmai looked blankly at Noah. “Build your boat, crazy man. But keep away from me and my family.”

“Me too,” added Bakbukiah. “If Elohim’s going to wipe out everyone I know and love, then I want to go where they’re going. I’m not going on a boat ride with a murderous god, religious fanatics and a bunch of wild animals!”

The clever and contemptuous mockery of those who find the gospel simply ridiculous stings us. And it can stir up fears and doubts that we might really be foolish after all and tempt us to keep our mouths closed.

God knows this and prepares us by explaining that the gospel will sound foolish to the world because he’s “[making] foolish the wisdom of the world” (1 Corinthians 1:20). Then he repeatedly tells us not to be ashamed of it (Luke 9:26; Romans 1:16; 2 Timothy 1:8).

Like Noah, who was a “herald of righteousness” in his age (2 Peter 2:5), we also are heralds of “events as yet unseen” (Hebrews 11:7). Jesus tells us that Noah’s flood was a foreshadow:

For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. (Matthew 24:37–39)

But in this greater judgment a greater, more perfect Ark has been provided: the crucified and risen Son of Man. All who are in him when the flood of God’s wrath comes will be saved. But only those who believe his word can enter this Ark.

If Noah’s warning and gospel sounded foolish to his hearers, how much more does our warning and gospel sound to our hearers? We must not be surprised when others ridicule it, for “the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing” (1 Corinthians 1:18). But “it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21).

Our call is not to be respected by the unbelieving world. Our call is to trust our Lord’s word over the confident contempt of those who are blinded (2 Corinthians 4:4), endure the reproach Jesus endured (Hebrews 13:13), and preach the gospel for the sake of those “who are being saved” (1 Corinthians 1:18).

Original Page: http://t.co/gdR40sj9s5

  1. Repent and believe. The first way to prepare is to trust Jesus’ words, ways and works. That is the good news of the kingdom that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. To rest in that for our eternal security.

  2. Serve & love. The second way is to love and serve people through your words and actions bearing the fruit of the Spirit until he returns.

Pray

Notes

Outline Bible

IV. THE CHALLENGE FROM CHRIST'S SERMON (24:36-39, 42-51): Be watchful.

A. The reason for this watchfulness (24:36, 42): No one knows when Christ will come!

B. The reminder of this watchfulness (24:37-39)

C. The reaction to this watchfulness (24:43-51)

1. The wise servant (24:43-47): He watches and is rewarded.

2. The wicked servant (24:48-51): He ignores the warning and is condemned.

D. The slaughter (24:28, 40-41): Armageddon!

1. The assembling of the victims (24:40-41): One will be taken, another left.

2. The appearing of the vultures (24:28): To eat the bodies of the slain warriors!

We've all been hopeful for some thing or some anticipated event, waiting eagerly to experience it, only to be deeply disappointed when it didn't meet our expectations. It will not be so with the second coming of Christ. Our words are inadequate to describe the glory of what that scene will be like, as well as all that will unfold in the days to come after that. In The Chronicles of Narnia, C. S. Lewis gives us a rich, imaginative picture of what that eternal state will be like. He ends the last book in the series like this:

‘As Aslan spoke, he no longer looked to them like a lion; but the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this is the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.’

For believers, the return of Christ and the end of this world will be the beginning of a new heaven and a new earth (Rev 21-22). While waiting and watching confidently, Christians urgently work. We fight deception and temptation, we persevere through tribulation, and we…”

David Platt, Matthew, P. 323

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) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/

ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org

ChatGPT https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt

AnswerThePublic.com

Wikipedia.com

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian Fellowshipnon-denominational church, bible believing church, Grace Christian Fellowship, Darien Gabriel, return of Christ, Matthew 24, ALL, Ladson, SC
How Do You Prepare for the Return of Jesus Christ? | Part 1 | Matthew 24:1-36
How Do You Prepare for the Return of Jesus Christ? | Part 1 | Matthew 24:1-36

Series: All!

  • Jesus has all authority,

  • So that all nations

  • Might pledge all allegiance to him.

Title: “How do you prepare for the return of Jesus Christ?”

Scripture: Matthew 24:1-36

Bottom line: In light of Jesus’ 2 prophecies, Jesus calls us to prepare for his imminent return.

  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 differentiates unhelpful speculation from a sincere desire to understand our future hope?

2. Summarize the overarching point of Matthew 24:1-36 in one or two sentences.

3. What factors make it difficult to determine the timing and the relationship between the destruction of Jerusalem and Jesus' second coming?

4. How should we respond to those who take a different view of prophecies such as those we read in Matthew 24?

5. Explain how this passage points us away from sinful, short-term pleasures.

6. How does this text speak to the authority and divinity of Jesus Christ?

7. What kind of treatment should believers expect as they await Christ's return?

8. What does it look like for followers of Christ to be eagerly watching for Jesus and urgently working for His kingdom purposes?

9. As it concerns Jesus' return, which truths in this passage should discourage us from date-setting or from making rash judgments based on current events?

10. How should the second coming of Christ inform our witness in the world?

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 them to know?

A. Jesus is coming back to establish his eternal reign on earth.

Q. Why do I want them to know it?

A. So that they will make sure that they are ready for his return.

Q. What do I want them to do about it?

A. 1) Get ready for his return, 2) Help others do the same.

Q. Why do I want them to do it?

A. Because their eternal destiny is cast in stone once Jesus returns.

Q. How can they begin to do this?

A. 1) Repent and believe the gospel, 2) Lead others to do the same.

SERMON OUTLINE & NOTES

Introduction

Today we will answer the question: How do I prepare for the return of Jesus?

Illustration (RC Sproul):

“Imagine that you are part of my congregation at Saint Andrew’s Chapel in Sanford, Florida. One Sunday morning, when I step into the pulpit to deliver my sermon, you hear me give the following statement:

“Last night I received a special revelation from God. I was given a vision in which God told me things that will shortly come to pass. Sometime within the next twelve months, the United States of America will fall as a nation. The Capitol Building and the White House will be destroyed. The union of the fifty states will be dissolved. America as an independent nation will be no more. I do not know the exact date. I cannot tell you the day, the week, or even the month. But I know that within the next twelve months, all these things will come to pass.”

I suggest this hypothetical scenario as a way to help you put yourself in the place of Jesus’ disciples, who heard Him speak the words in the texts of Matthew 24 that we are considering in this chapter, as well as the whole sum and substance of the Olivet Discourse, which is found in all three of the Synoptic[…]”

Excerpt From, Matthew - An Expositional Commentary, R.C. Sproul

David Platt asks us several questions to consider:

  1. Are we ready for whatever may happen in our life this week or in the next year?

  2. Are we prepared for what may happen in the world in the next 10 years?

  3. Are you absolutely certain of where your life will be in eternity?

SERMON OUTLINE

I. Context

A. Jesus is just days from the cross.

B. Jesus shocks the disciples talking about 2 prophesies

    1. AD 70

    2. His return in the future

II. Jesus shares 12 imperatives they should observe as they await the fulfillment of his prophecies.

A. “Watch out” (4)

B. “Not alarmed” (6)

C. “Flee to the mountains” (16)

D. “Let no one go down” (17)

E. “Let no one go back” (18)

F. “Pray” (20)

G. “Do not believe it” (23)

H. “Do not go out” (26)

I. “Do not believe it” (26)

J. “Learn this lesson” (32)

III. Jesus shares lesson from fig tree.

IV. Jesus’ words are eternally trustworthy.

Conclusion

Bottom line: In light of Jesus’ 2 prophecies, Jesus calls us to prepare for his imminent return.

Are you ready for his return?

  1. Repent and believe. The first way to prepare is to trust Jesus’ words, ways and works. That is the good news of the kingdom that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. To rest in that for our eternal security.

  2. Obey, pray and discern. The second way is to obey his words, pray as he directs, and hear what other people are saying about him with great discernment.

Pray

Notes

“When” is the return or second coming of Jesus Christ is the most asked question by far.

https://answerthepublic.com/p3eqcg/reports/b0570fee-4245-4ef4-bce0-593a2362d8fe/edit?recently_searched=true

David Platt’s notes

I. Trust in the Authority of Christ.

A. Understanding the text.

    1. Prophecy concerning the destruction of Jerusalem.

    2. Prophecy concerning the return of Jesus.

B. Applying the text.

    1. The things of this world are passing.

    2. The truth of his word is permanent.

II. Persevere in the Power of Christ.

A. Followers of Jesus will face deception.

B. Followers of Jesus will face tribulation.

    1. Christians are not saved from trials.

    2. Christians are saved through trials.

C. Followers of Jesus will face temptation.

D. Followers of Jesus will face persecution.

    1. Persecution inevitably follows kingdom proclamation.

    2. Proclamation ultimately results in kingdom consummation.

III. Long for the Coming of Christ.

A. He came the first time lying in a manger; He will come the second time riding on the clouds.

B. He came the first time in humility to provide salvation; He will come the second time in glory to execute judgment.

C. Christians confidently watch: His timing will confound our wisdom.

D. Christians patiently wait: His return will exceed our expectations.

Ex. Christians urgently work: His church (our lives!) will accomplish his mission.

“His return will exceed our expectations.

We've all been hopeful for some thing or some anticipated event, waiting eagerly to experience it, only to be deeply disappointed when it didn't meet our expectations. It will not be so with the second coming of Christ. Our words are inadequate to describe the glory of what that scene will be like, as well as all that will unfold in the days to come after that. In The Chronicles of Narnia, C. S. Lewis gives us a rich, imaginative picture of what that eternal state will be like. He ends the last book in the series like this:

‘As Aslan spoke, he no longer looked to them like a lion; but the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this is the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.’

For believers, the return of Christ and the end of this world will be the beginning of a new heaven and a new earth (Rev 21-22). While waiting and watching confidently, Christians urgently work. We fight deception and temptation, we persevere through tribulation, and we…”

David Platt, Matthew, P. 323

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) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/

ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org

ChatGPT https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt

AnswerThePublic.com

Wikipedia.com

Read More
Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipDarien Gabriel, non-denominational church, Bible-believing, Grace Christian Fellowship, Ladson, SC, return of Christ, prepare, Matthew 24
What Can I Learn from Jesus' Warnings about Spiritual Hypocrisy and Blindness? | Matthew 23:13-39
What Can I Learn from Jesus' Warnings about Spiritual Hypocrisy and Blindness? | Matthew 23:13-39

Series: All!

  • Jesus has all authority,

  • So that all nations

  • Might pledge all allegiance to him.

Title: “What can I learn from Jesus’ warnings about spiritual hypocrisy and blindness?”

Scripture: Matthew 23:13-39

Matthew 7:21-23

Last week we said, Jesus says the antidote to hypocrisy, pride and sin is to humble yourself and serve one another.

This week we’ll say, Bottom line: Humble yourself and ask God to open your eyes that you may see and repent of your spiritual condition.

  1. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  2. SERMON OUTLINE & NOTES

  3. MAIN REFERENCES USED

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discussion questions for group and personal study. Reflect and Discuss:

1. Even for unbelievers, hypocrisy is despised. Why do you think this is? Define hypocrisy.

2. Why is it not enough simply to be sincere in what you believe? How does this passage serve as a warning in this regard?

3. Compare Matthew 23 to the teaching about faith and works in James 2:14-26 and the necessity of righteousness in 1 John 3:4-10.

4. What is the difference between strong, biblical leadership and leadership that is self-promoting? How might these principles apply to Christians who aren't spiritual leaders?

5. What other sins does pride lead to? How can you fight against a proud heart? Can you think of any relevant biblical passages?

6. What does it mean to neglect the "more important matters of the law" (v. 23)?

7. If purity begins in the heart, then what should our fight against sin look like?

8. In what ways do you see yourself in Jesus' indictment of the Pharisees? Be specific.

9. What counsel would you offer to someone who is not sure whether his faith is genuine?

10. How can we be diligent about holiness without being overly introspective and without expecting perfection?

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

SERMON OUTLINE & NOTES

Introduction

Today we will answer the question: What lessons can we learn from Jesus’ warnings about spiritual hypocrisy and blindness?

Story/Illustration

I saw a tweet last week that showed me both sides of this pride/humility dynamic.

The first picture is of a line of 900 people hiking along a ridge to summit Mt. Everest. Most paying $50k to have a Sherpa (a Himalayan with exceptional mountaineering expertise and skill often hired to help others summit Mt Everest) personally help them succeed. Many doing this for personal glory (competition/pride). The comment by the tweeter was that the huge numbers put more people at risk to death than ever before.

The second picture is of Gelje Sherpa leading his client towards the top when he comes across someone laying on the ground dying. He’s only 500 yards from the summit. This Sherpa, on a job helping his client survive the same climb, runs over, wraps the man in a sleeping mattress, gives him oxygen (of which his client might need), put him on his back, and then hiked him down the mountain, a trip that took 6 hours.

The first picture is one of pride. The second, one of humility. We don’t know how many people walked past the guy on the ground. And I’m guessing few of those people could have carried anyone down with the incredible challenge that it is just to summit and descend Mt Everest without dying yourself. But to add the weight of a full grown man to your load…

I think of the parable of the Good Samaritan. Who didn’t walk past the dying man on the road but instead, at great personal cost and risk of life, helped this man recover. He saw this man and humbly saw his neighbor in need and helped him.

Questions we should ask ourselves:

  1. Are we hindering people’s salvation? (13-15)

    1. By not practicing what we preach/teach.

    2. By encouraging people to follow our ways instead of His ways.

  2. Are we more concerned with biblical minutiae than we are practical ministry? (16-24)

    1. Do we justify sin according to our traditions or current cultural mores or do we flee sin according to God’s truth?

    2. Do we pride ourselves on following convenient laws or do we spend ourselves expressing costly love?

    3. These are the “more important matters of the law.” (23:23)

      1. “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; Plead the case of the widow. Isaiah 1:17

      2. “…And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” ‭‭Micah‬ ‭6‬:‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

  3. Are we focused on outward cleanliness or inward holiness? (25-28)

  4. Are we sincerely following a religion but not a relationship with Jesus Christ? (29-36)

  5. 3 Certainties

    1. The condemnation of sinners is imminent.

    2. The salvation of sinners is possible.

    3. The exaltation of Jesus is guaranteed. The question is…

  6. Will you see him as your consuming judge or welcomed king`? (37-39)

Conclusion

This week we’ll say, Bottom line: Jesus is a consuming judge and good king. The question is how does my life see him?

You Can Change

There was a woman who lived on the streets near our church. She would ask for money and react aggressively to those who refused. When she died, I took the funeral. I discovered afterwards that this woman had inherited a large fortune. She had acquired a luxurious flat and many valuable paintings, but she chose to live on the streets with her plastic bags full of rubbish. She could not bring herself to leave behind the life she knew and she never enjoyed her inheritance. Some people are afraid of change, while others believe change is not possible. Yet the wonderful news is that with God’s help *you can change*. This change is key to spiritual life, growth and transformation. It is not just about changing our actions or appearance; we need to change on the inside – we need a change of *heart*. How can this happen?

Applies to

  1. Church leaders

  2. The rest of ya’ll (ROY bus); how?

    1. Hide under the shelter of Christ’s mercy (hen’s wings)

    2. Walk in surrender to Christ’s authority.

    3. Proclaim the supremacy of Christ’s glory.

What lessons can we learn from Jesus’ warnings about spiritual hypocrisy and blindness?

That we all have a tendency towards pride

We all have our blind spots

We tend to ignore what’s happening on the inside while pretending on the outside

We all tend to major on the easier parts and ignore the more costly way

We not only keep others from Christ, we ignore him as well.

Where’s our heart today? Are we more like those who pridefully summit Mt. Everest for personal glory? Or are will more like the Sherpa who served and loved his neighbor as himself?

What about us?

What is God saying to you?

What are you going to do about it?

Write it down right now.

Pray

Other

And then he closes with something paradoxical. He says, “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret” (Ephesians 5:11–12). So, there’s a way to expose the sins of the world without being verbally contaminated. “It’s shameful even to speak of them,” Paul says. Which I think means it’s shameful to find pleasure in talking about them, lingering over them with excessive attention. It is possible to find pleasure — we’re just so deceived on things like this; we can deceive ourselves so easily — in talking about the things we hate. Isn’t that awful? It’s possible to find pleasure in talking about the things we hate. God doesn’t want this. That’s not good.

So, the right way to summarize that paradox would go something like this, I think: Expose, but don’t gloat. Expose, but don’t linger. Expose, but weep. Expose, but pray. Expose, but don’t grovel in the mire, even in the name of mocking the mire. Some people think they’re justified in lingering in the mire by spending a lot of time finding clever ways to put it down. Expose, but then return quickly to the clean, clear, holy, happy air of the mountains of Christ’s fellowship.

https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/dangers-in-exposing-cultural-sins

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 Fellowshipnon-denominational church, bible believing church, Grace Christian Fellowship, Darien Gabriel, Matthew, ALL, authoity, authority, hypocrisy, blindness, Jesus' warnings, Matthew 23
How Do I Stop My Hypocrisy? | Matthew 23:1-12
How Do I Stop My Hypocrisy? | Matthew 23:1-12

Series: All!

  • Jesus has all authority,

  • So that all nations

  • Might pledge all allegiance to him.

Title: “How do I stop my hypocrisy?“

Scripture: Matthew 23:1-12

Bottom line: Jesus says the antidote to hypocrisy, pride and sin is to humble yourself and serve one another.

  1. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  2. SERMON OUTLINE & NOTES

  3. MAIN REFERENCES USED

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discussion questions for group and personal study. Reflect and Discuss:

1. Even for unbelievers, hypocrisy is despised. Why do you think this is? Define hypocrisy.

2. Why is it not enough simply to be sincere in what you believe? How does this passage serve as a warning in this regard?

3. Compare Matthew 23 to the teaching about faith and works in James 2:14-26 and the necessity of righteousness in 1 John 3:4-10.

4. What is the difference between strong, biblical leadership and leadership that is self-promoting? How might these principles apply to Christians who aren't spiritual leaders?

5. What other sins does pride lead to? How can you fight against a proud heart? Can you think of any relevant biblical passages?

6. What does it mean to neglect the "more important matters of the law" (v. 23)?

7. If purity begins in the heart, then what should our fight against sin look like?

8. In what ways do you see yourself in Jesus' indictment of the Pharisees? Be specific.

9. What counsel would you offer to someone who is not sure whether his faith is genuine?

10. How can we be diligent about holiness without being overly introspective and without expecting perfection?

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 them to know?

A. That Jesus warns us about hypocrisy (in us and others) and gives us the antidote.

Q. Why do I want them to know it?

A. To become more self-aware about how insidious hypocrisy, pride and sin really are.

Q. What do I want them to do about it?

A. Humble themselves before the Lord and each other through repentance, faith, and serving one another instead of pursuing greatness as the world defines it.

Q. Why do I want them to do it?

A. Because God will humble those who exalt themselves, but he will exalt those who humble themselves.

Q. How can they begin to do this?

A. They

  1. Confess their own hypocrisy, pride and sinful attitudes, words, and actions.

  2. Repent of this sin and turn back to Jesus for forgiveness and restoration.

  3. Humble themselves further by making it a priority to serve others where they live, work, learn and play.

  4. Lead others to do the same.

OUTLINE & NOTES

Introduction

Today we will answer the question: How do I stop my hypocrisy?

Story/Illustration

CS Lewis describes how insidious competition can be as seen in how competitive we are and why:

In his well-known book Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis devotes an entire chapter to pride. He calls pride, or self-conceit, "the great sin." Lewis says, "If you think you are not conceited, it means you are very conceited indeed" (Lewis, Mere Christianity, 114). He then provides the remedy for pride: "If anyone would like to acquire humility, I can, I think, tell him the first step. The first step is to realise that one is proud" (Lewis, 114). Finally, it is relevant for our purposes to see how Lewis links pride with competition:

Now what you want to get clear is that pride is essentially competitive is competitive by its very nature. ... Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man. We say that people are proud of being rich, or clever, or good-looking, but they are not. They are proud of being richer, or cleverer, or better-looking than others. If every one else became equally rich, or clever, or good-looking there would be nothing to be proud about. It is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest. (Lewis, 110)

This terrifies me when I think about how competitive I can be. It explains why competition feels so personal too.

Think about how we pull for our favorite school or team in athletics or anything really. We don’t just want our team to win. We want to bask in the glow of that victory in front of others (as if we did anything to make it happen).

Think about winning a board game. If you win, you did better than everyone else around the table. Your level of how much you care about that speaks to your level of pride. Because does it really matter whether you stomp somebody at a hand of Uno or not? Really!

Pride leads us to do more terrible things than that. It leads to thinks like hypocrisy. To pretend to be someone we’re not. Because we’re competing with others to be seen as relevant, popular, respectable, successful, etc. This is pride at work. And we’re all poisoned by it. The question is are we taking the antidote? Are we applying the best medicine we can to overcome it?

Hypocrisy is pretending to be someone you’re not. It originally referred to actors on a stage wearing masks in a play. It has taken on the additional meaning of people who do this in real life. Most often, it’s used in the negative sense to refer to people who are pretending to be someone better than they believe they so that people will accept them more readily.

Jesus warns the crowds and the disciples of this disease called hypocrisy for at least two reasons:

  1. Because their religious leaders were extremely hypocritical and unaware of it’s sinfulness.

  2. Because they (we) are all infected by this very same disease/poison.

So, how do we stop our hypocrisy?

Outline

I. What’s the disease? 23:1-10

A. Who’s this to? Crowds and his disciples.

B. Who’s this about? Teachers of the Law and Pharisees.

C. What’s this about? Their hypocrisy as seen in…

    1. Their big mouths (2-4)

      1. Good: They teach the word of God, which we all should hear and obey.

      2. Bad: They take away from the word by not obeying what they teach. (Hypocrisy)

      3. Bad: They add to the word their own rules and refs further burdening already burdened people without helping them deal with it.

    2. Their big heads (5-7): Pride on display: Everything they do is to be seen.

      1. They proudly display their obedience for all to see.

        1. Phylacteries

        2. Tassels

      2. They love

        1. Place of honor at banquets/parties

        2. Best seat in synagogue

        3. Greeted with respect in public

          1. Titles can make us look more godly

          2. Titles can make others look less equal

          3. There’s just one teacher and head—Jesus Christ

II. What’s the remedy? 23: 11-12

A. Humble yourself and serve one another…(11-12)

    1. 1 Principle: “The greatest among you will be your servant.”

    2. 2 Motives:

      1. “For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and…”

      2. “…those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

    3. 3 Steps:

      1. Confess their own hypocrisy, pride and sinful attitudes, words, and actions.

      2. Repent of this sin and turn back to Jesus for forgiveness and restoration.

      3. Humble themselves further by making it a priority to serve others where they live, work, learn and play.

    4. 4th Step: How do we keep from relapsing?

      1. Lead others to do the same (steps 1-3)

Conclusion

Bottom line: Jesus says the antidote to hypocrisy, pride and sin is to humble yourself and serve one another.

I saw a tweet last week that showed me both sides of this pride/humility dynamic.

The first picture is of a line of 900 people hiking along a ridge to summit Mt. Everest. Most paying $50k to have a Sherpa (a Himalayan with exceptional mountaineering expertise and skill often hired to help others summit Mt Everest) personally help them succeed. Many doing this for personal glory (competition/pride). The comment by the tweeter was that the huge numbers put more people at risk to death than ever before.

The second picture is of Gelje Sherpa leading his client towards the top when he comes across someone laying on the ground dying. He’s only 500 yards from the summit. This Sherpa, on a job helping his client survive the same climb, runs over, wraps the man in a sleeping mattress, gives him oxygen (of which his client might need), put him on his back, and then hiked him down the mountain, a trip that took 6 hours.

The first picture is one of pride. The second, one of humility. We don’t know how many people walked past the guy on the ground. And I’m guessing few of those people could have carried anyone down with the incredible challenge that it is just to summit and descend Mt Everest without dying yourself. But to add the weight of a full grown man to your load…

I think of the parable of the Good Samaritan. Who didn’t walk past the dying man on the road but instead, at great personal cost and risk of life, helped this man recover. He saw this man and humbly saw his neighbor in need and helped him.

What about us?

What is God saying to you?

What are you going to do about it?

Write it down right now.

Pray

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 Fellowshipnon-denominational church, Darien Gabriel, Matthew 23, hypocrisy, Ladson, SC, Grace Christian Fellowship, bible believing, church
What's Jesus Christ's Greatest Command? | Matthew 22:34-46
What's Jesus Christ's Greatest Command? | Matthew 22:34-46

Series: All!

  • Jesus has all authority,

  • So that all nations

  • Might pledge all allegiance to him.

Title: “What’s Jesus Christ’s Greatest Command?”

Scripture: Matthew 22:34-46

Bottom line: Jesus Christ’s greatest command is to love.

  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 were the underlying motives of those who questioned Jesus in Matthew 22:16-40?

2. What is at the root of all rejection of Jesus? (Hint: Read John 3:19-21.)

3. Explain why Jesus' question in Matthew 22:41-46 would have been perplexing to these Jewish leaders.

4. How would you respond to someone who said they rejected the authority of God's Word but they loved Jesus?

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

OUTLINE & NOTES

Introduction

Today we will answer the question: What is Jesus Christ’s greatest commandment?

Story/Illustration:

I run a few times per week. One of the things I sometimes do is run around a pond on the sidewalk. It’s narrow and slightly higher than the grass and dirt around it. So I don’t want to run off of it or I might turn an ankle or trip.

Running forward isn’t a big deal. I can see where I’m going easily and keep my eyes on the path ahead of me. Smooth sailing.

But running backwards, which works different muscles, though a good workout, is much harder. I have to turn my head around side to side and keep looking. And since the pathway is continuously curving one way or the other, I often get near the edge. I’m constantly looking from side to side to make sure I don’t fall of the path. It’s awkward and slow.

Walking with Christ is the same way.

Bottom line: Jesus Christ’s greatest command is to love.

Outline

I. Jesus’ greatest command is LOVE (34-40)

  1. Definitions of Love

    1. Not I love pizza

    2. Not I love my brother

    3. Not I love my brother from another mother

    4. Not I love my girlfriend/boyfriend

    5. Not I love my child even

    6. I love my wife/husband…

      1. Sacrificially (costs me)

      2. Unconditionally (No strings attached)

  2. Directions of Love

    1. Vertical

    2. Horizontal

  3. God

  4. People (our neighbor as ourselves)

    1. Jesus defines neighbor in Luke 10, parable of the Good Samaritan, as anyone in our path in need

II. Jesus’ greatest identity is LORD (41-46)

  1. Son of Man (humanity)

  2. Son of God

  3. The son of God has all authority given to him by the Father

III. Conclusion

Which is easier: To walk forward or backward?

I run a few times per week. One of the things I sometimes do is run around a pond on the sidewalk. It’s narrow and slightly higher than the grass and dirt around it. So I don’t want to run off of it or I might turn an ankle or trip.

Running forward isn’t a big deal. I can see where I’m going easily and keep my eyes on the path ahead of me. Smooth sailing.

But running backwards, which works different muscles, though a good workout, is much harder. I have to turn my head around side to side and keep looking. And since the pathway is continuously curving one way or the other, I often get near the edge. I’m constantly looking from side to side to make sure I don’t fall of the path. It’s awkward and slow.

Walking with Christ is the same way.

When I try to walk backwards constantly trying to stay on the narrow way by not sinning, it takes a lot of effort, it’s awkward, it’s slow, and I still find myself getting off track sometimes.

But when I turn around and walk forwards with my eyes ahead of me on Jesus, I find I don’t need to watch the sides of the pathway. Keep my eyes on Jesus keeps me on the straight and narrow.

Hebrews 12:1-2 says,

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Let’s walk in love. Our eyes fixed on Jesus, who is love manifest.

When we have a decision to make, let’s ask ourself, what would love do in this situation. And then do that.

Walk in love.

Pray

“Rules without relationship lead to rebellion.” -Josh McDowell

“Jesus’ two-fold answer should warn Christians against emphasizing either piety for God or social concern at the expense of the other.” -Craig Blomberg

Note: explore the extremes as potential strengths/weaknesses in the body of Christ

Jesus then asks about the Messiah (his identity) because who we say he is matters.

22:41-42 Jesus now turns the tables on his questioners. He has evaded all their traps, which were based fundamentally on their refusal to recognize him as Messiah. This is the topic they really should be talking about. Their problems largely stem from the fact that they are looking for a purely human, nationalistic liberator. Jesus directs his question so as to explore the scriptural nature of messiahship. From whose ancestry is the Messiah to come? The answer, at least for Jesus immediate audience, would have indisputably been "from the lineage of David" -Blomberg

22:43-44 The Pharisees' answer (v. 42b) sets up Jesus' real question. If the Messiah is merely the human offspring of David, why does David himself speak of him as "Lord" _a master or sovereign above the one who is king of Israel and the highest human authority in the land? -Blomberg

22:45-46 So how can this Christ be merely a human descendant of David? The Pharisees have no answer, nor does anyone else, and no one dares to ask him any further questions. All the traps have failed, and Jesus' listeners have in fact been trapped. Not surprisingly, Ps 110:1-4 becomes the Old Testament passage quoted more than any other in the New Testament. It points to Jesus' messiahship and his exaltation, and the first Christians take their cue from its effectiveness here for use in their later apologetic (see, e.g., Acts 2:34-35; Heb 1:13; 5:6,10; 7:17,21).

  • Blomberg

Conclusion

Bottom line: Jesus Christ’s greatest command is to love.

Q. What do I want them to know?

A. Who Jesus really is and what he considers his greatest (most important) command.

Q. Why?

A. Because the whole OT depends on them. They are how to live out our faith UP, IN and OUT.

Q. What do I want them to do?

A. Re-orient/reset their lives (further orient/reset their lives) UP, IN and OUT from Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

Q. Why?

A. Because that’s the only appropriate response. It balances our love for God (who we cannot touch) with our love for people (whom we can touch) empowering us to love our intangible Creator with our tangible neighbors each day. It empowers us to thus balance piety with justice. Think Micah 6:8, what does the Lord require?

  1. Act justly (towards people) (IN & OUT)

  2. Love mercy (towards people) (IN & OUT)

  3. Walk humbly with God. (UP)

Q. How?

A. By living a life of relational balance (UP, IN & OUT)

A. Start by employing the means of grace that God gives us in his word to surrender to him in all things.

  • Learning the word

    • Regularly

    • Prayerfully

  • Obeying what you read by grace through faith

  • Leading others to do the same

I’ll go back to where we started at the beginning.

Which is easier: To walk forward or backward?

I run a few times per week. One of the things I sometimes do is run around a pond on the sidewalk. It’s narrow and slightly higher than the grass and dirt around it. So I don’t want to run off of it or I might turn an ankle or trip.

Running forward isn’t a big deal. I can see where I’m going easily and keep my eyes on the path ahead of me. Smooth sailing.

But running backwards, which works different muscles, though a good workout, is much harder. I have to turn my head around side to side and keep looking. And since the pathway is continuously curving one way or the other, I often get near the edge. I’m constantly looking from side to side to make sure I don’t fall of the path. It’s awkward and slow.

Walking with Christ is the same way.

When I try to walk backwards constantly trying to stay on the narrow way by not sinning, it takes a lot of effort, it’s awkward, it’s slow, and I still find myself getting off track sometimes.

But when I turn around and walk forwards with my eyes ahead of me on Jesus, I find I don’t need to watch the sides of the pathway. Keep my eyes on Jesus keeps me on the straight and narrow.

Hebrews 12:1-2 says,

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

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, Ladson, SC, Grace Chrisian Fellowhsip, Matthew, greatest command
It Really Is About Resurrection | Matthew 22:23-33
It Really Is About Resurrection | Matthew 22:23-33

It Really is About Resurrection!

Marriage is important on Earth, but in Heaven there is no marriage.  

All relationships will be perfect and God will provide the intimacy and closeness as our Heavenly Father.

Pharisees                          

Believed in the OT books.               
Believed in resurrection                  
Believed in angels                          
Heaven for God and His people      

Sadducees (not like Jesus – spoke heaven, judgment and hell)

Only first 5 books

No resurrection

No judgment or punishment

No heaven

Jesus quotes Exodus 3:6 (Jesus knows his audience).  Like John 3:16 to us today, Ex 3:6 to the 1st Century Jew.

God is not the God of the dead but the God of the living!


Read More
Ken DorrityGrace Christian Fellowshipmarriage, resurrection, Matthew 22, heaven, non denominational, church, Ken Dorrity, bible believing church, Jesus, Grace Christian Fellowship
What Does Jesus Say About Paying Taxes? | Matthew 22:15-22
What Does Jesus Say About Paying Taxes? | Matthew 22:15-22

Series: All!

  • Jesus has all authority,

  • So that all nations

  • Might pledge all allegiance to him.

Title: “What does Jesus say about paying taxes?”

Scripture: Matthew 22:15-22 (main);

Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-17; 1 Tim 2:1-2; Genesis 1:26-27

Bottom line: Jesus calls his followers to give back everything to God.

  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 were the underlying motives of those who questioned Jesus in Matthew 22:16-40?

2. What is at the root of all rejection of Jesus? (Hint: Read John 3:19-21.)

3. Explain why Jesus' question in Matthew 22:41-46 would have been perplexing to these Jewish leaders.

4. How would you respond to someone who said they rejected the authority of God's Word but they loved Jesus?

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

OUTLINE & NOTES

Introduction

Today we will answer the question: What does Jesus say about paying taxes?

We will also address the other question that Jesus answered: What does Jesus say about giving to God?

Story/Illustration:

Al Capone underestimated the IRS (Forbes Magazine)

“They (the IRS) can’t collect legal taxes from illegal money,” mob boss Al Capone once bragged (apparently).

Capone had murdered dozens of people, ran gambling and prostitution rings, and made a fortune bootlegging at the height of Prohibition. But who finally brought him down? The IRS, who got him indicted for federal income tax evasion in 1931.

They couldn’t get him for murder, gambling, pimping, bootlegging…but they were able to get him in the end—for not paying his taxes.

You’ve heard it said that we don’t HAVE to do anything but live, die and pay taxes.

We hate to pay tax and taxes.

We like to think it’s our money and that we know best how to handle it—all of it.

And that may be true. Or it may be short-sighted or even unwise even with governmental leaders who waste and misuse our tax dollars.

Jesus addresses this legitimate concern but then move to more fertile pastures. He tackles a subject much more important—should we give God anything.

This is not a message about giving money. No, this is much more important than that. This is a message about giving God his due. Giving God what is already his.

You. Me. Us.

Matthew, the author of the book of Matthew and one of Jesus’ followers, was a tax collector before following Jesus. And as profitable as that profession was in that day, he found something infinitely more satisfying—giving his life back to God.l

Bottom line: Jesus calls his followers to give back everything to God.

Outline

Q. What do I want them to know?

A. That we have dual allegiances in this life. (But not equal)

  1. That we are to submit to our governing authorities in all things, as long as they do not go against the moral law of God. Ex. Pay your taxes.

  2. That we are to submit to our Creator in all things, because this is the moral law in practice. Ex. Give as God has given to you.

But the issue is about more than money—much more.

Why submit to these authorities?

We submit to the God because he created us and designed us to a part of a beautiful world, albeit, a broken world where the beauty must come from the broken pieces.

This authority comes from his inscription or image or icon impressed on us—the imago Dei or image of God. This is his proof of ownership.

What are evidences of this?

Examples include that humans:

  • Have inherent dignity distinctly different from the rest of creation,

  • Have unique value and worth in the eyes of our Creator,

  • Have the ability to reason,

  • Have the ability to create or be creative, and/or

  • Have a moral compass from which to live.

In the course of submitting (following, obeying) to God, we submit to those authorities that God has put over us. That starts with our governing authorities like government officials, judges, police, teachers, and our parents.

Q. What do I want them to do?

A. Gladly submit to these authorities outwardly and inwardly starting with Jesus Christ, the author and perfect-or of our faith.

Q. Why?

A. Because he’s stamped us in his image. We are who we are because of his gracious act of creating us in the first place.

How?

Start by doing the next right thing.

  1. Respect your governing authorities.

  2. Pay your taxes. Obey the laws.

  3. Pray, asking God to help you submit to your governing authorities.

Conclusion

Bottom line: Jesus calls his followers to give back everything to God.

So we now know that Jesus thinks you should pay your taxes.

But, more importantly, we also know that this is just applying a more important principle. We give back to God what belongs to God.

Love

Honor

Obedience

Everything.

For we are made in his image.

Applications:

  1. Honor and obey your governing authorities (as long as they do not break God’s laws).

  2. Honor and obey your Creator and Redeemer with everything.

  3. Pay your taxes.

  4. Pray for your governing authorities.

  5. Lead others to do the same.

Which is easier: To walk forward or backward?

I run a few times per week. One of the things I sometimes do is run around a pond on the sidewalk. It’s narrow and slightly higher than the grass and dirt around it. So I don’t want to run off of it or I might turn an ankle or trip.

Running forward isn’t a big deal. I can see where I’m going easily and keep my eyes on the path ahead of me. Smooth sailing.

But running backwards, which works different muscles, though a good workout, is much harder. I have to turn my head around and keep looking. And since the pathway is continuously curving one way or the other, I often get near the edge. I’m constantly looking from side to side to make sure I don’t fall of the path.

Walking with Christ is the same way.

When I try to walk backwards constantly trying to stay on the narrow way by not sinning, it takes a lot of effort and I still find myself getting off track sometimes.

But when I turn around and walk forwards with my eyes ahead of me on Jesus, I find I don’t need to watch the sides of the pathway. Keep my eyes on Jesus keeps me on the straight and narrow.

Pray

NOTES

Wiersbe notes

  • Pharisees were ardent nationalists who opposed Roman rule.

  • Herodians were collaborating with and got their power from Rome so they were willing to cooperate and rule under Roman rule.

  • Normally, they were enemies but, in this case, they worked together to try and trap Jesus.

Reasons the Pharisees opposed the Imperial Tax:

  1. They didn’t want to submit to a Gentile power;

  2. Caesar was revered as a god; (blasphemy) and

  3. They had better uses for their money.

My thoughts…we’re not so different…

  1. We don’t like to submit to anyone;

  2. We think we’re god (at least we like to live like we are); and

  3. We have better uses for our money (certainly not God’s money)! “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it.” Psalm 24:1

Trick question designed to trap him.

  1. If he opposed the tax, he would be in trouble with Rome. They’d report him for treason.

  2. If he approved the tax, he would be in trouble with the Jewish leaders. The people would have pause to follow him too.

“Give (back) to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

Jesus taught several truths with this answer:

  1. Christians must honor and obey their rulers.

    1. Romans 13:1-7

    2. 1 Peter 2:13-17

    3. 1 Tim 2:1-2

    4. Christians have dual citizenship, in heaven and on earth. Therefore, we must

      1. Obey the law

      2. Pay taxes

      3. Pray for those in authority

  2. Christians must honor and obey God.

    1. Caesar’s not God or even a god.

    2. Gov’ts shouldn’t enforce religion and

    3. Gov’ts shouldn’t restrict freedom of worship. And religious freedom isn’t just being able to worship in our own buildings. It’s freedom to live out (and speak out) our convictions. Obviously with gentleness and respect. (1 Peter 3:15)

  3. Humanity bears God’s image and owes God his all.

    1. Caesar’s image was on the coin.

    2. God’s image is on humanity.

    3. God’s image is corrupted but it’s still there and it can be restored through faith in Jesus Christ.

    4. It is right and good for people to serve their government. (Think Joseph, Daniel or Nehemiah)

    5. But it’s wrong for gov’t to control the church or for the church to control gov’t.

O’Donnell notes

1. Who’s is asking the question? Two groups:

  1. The Pharisees—Pro Jewish Nationalists—sort of like MAGA republicans (pro America)

  2. The Herodians—Pro Roman Rule—sort of like progressive democrats (pro American govt)

Clearly, an unlikely alliance.

So, then it appears that the Pharisees ask their disciples to join the Herodians to ask this question of Jesus.

2. Why are they asking this question? Check out their motives:

  1. After hearing Jesus’ parables (about them), they “laid plans to trap him in his words.” (15)

  2. “But Jesus, knowing their evil intent.” (18)

Think a Fox reporter interviewing Joe Biden one on one. He/she is out to trip them up. Or CNN reporter interviewing Trump.

3. Where are they when they ask this question?  The temple.

4. What did they ask? “Is it right (lawful) to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?”

  1. REVOLUTION AGAINST ROME: If Jesus says “No”, then he admits his rule is rebellious as he is King of the Jews. And rebels get crucified by Rome.

  2. COLLABORATION WITH ROME: If Jesus says “Yes”, then the rumors are true and that he’s a friend of Gentile sinners *gasp* AND Roman tax collectors. (Not to mention Jewish ones like Matthew himself)

Instead, Jesus destroys their false dichotomy.  How?

  1. “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me?”

    1. A hypocrite means playing a part with a mask/costume.

    2. Think about some of our recent plays in the area. Kids dress up and play parts as if they are really that person or creature. They are playacting. This is where the word hypocrite comes from. Nothing wrong with this.

    3. Here, the opposition is playacting in a sinister way. They have smiles on their faces but evil in their hearts. They are trying to trap him and arrest him.

  2. So Jesus is exposing the hypocrisy of their flattering words right away.

  3. What’s their hypocrisy?

    1. Where are they again? The temple. Where Jesus overturned the tables of the money changers required because you couldn’t use pagan money to buy sacrificial animals. You had to exchange it (at high rates) for temple money because it was impure/unclean due to the graven image of Tiberius Caesar on it. In fact, people are probably still finding Roman coins on the ground from Jesus’ earlier rampage.

    2. So it appears that Jesus has no money (or at least Roman coinage) on him. O’Donnell writes, “So in the temple, to the super-spiritual, he says, ‘How about you? Any Roman coinage on you?’ And they unwittingly say, ‘Oh, sure. Here you go.’” Oops.

    3. Then Jesus asks, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” They answer, “Caesar’s.” O’Donnell again writes, “Yes. The image [or to use Bible language, the graven image, Exodus 20:4] that you hold in your hands is that of Caesar.” Ah, yeah, what are you doing with that?

    4. Portrait on the denarius coin was likely of Tiberius Caesar and the inscription likely read Ti Caesar Augustus son of the divine Augustus. On the other side was a picture of a seated woman (symbolizing Pax Romana or peace of Rome). There it would have read, “High priest” or “God and High Priest.” Yeah, not a great look when considering the first 2 of the 10 commandments.

5. Jesus’ final answer.

  1. “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” (21b) “Render” literally means “Give back”.

  2. If it’s Caesar’s coin (he in a sense, made it and gave it to them to use), then give it back to him when he asks for it (imperial tax for non-Roman citizens).

  3. In other words, pay your taxes. It’s not a gift and he’s not a god. But you are to give him back what is his already.

  4. Why?

    1. Because this is how governments work.

    2. Roman or American, governments use taxes to better a nation for a variety of reasons. The Romans understood this. The founders of America knew this. The Romans used those taxes to do things like:

      1. Build good, safe roads,

      2. Bring in water,

      3. Add public bath houses,

      4. Agricultural improvements,

      5. Educational improvements,

      6. And law and order.

      7. For this, they asked for a tax of one day’s wages. (Admittedly, this is still high for a very poor person) In America, we ask for your first 4 months of wages. But I digress…

  5. 2 parts to Jesus’ final answer:

    1. GIVE BACK TO GOVERNMENT. Give Caesar’s coins back to Caesar. This is the lessor lesson. This teaches us (as exiles 1 Peter 1:1) to respect our government is to respect God who put that government in power. Yes, even the bad ones. (See Romans 13)

      1. This is about more than paying taxes. This is respecting, submitting, and honoring governmental offices and those in them (even praying for them) as a way to respect God who instituted government in the first place.

      2. Caveat: If Caesar or the Congress create laws where being a Christian makes you a terrorist and subject to arrest simply because we believe and share the gospel, then it’s time for civil disobedience. And we must be prepared to pay the price of such revolution.

      3. Jesus, not Caesar nor our President, is Lord! (Or Savior, for that matter)

      4. Government is legitimate. Christians pay taxes to the glory of God and for the welfare of the city. (Jeremiah 29:7)

    2. GIVE BACK TO GOD. This is the greater lesson.

      1. Note the Hebrew parallelism.

      2. Note the second part is unnecessary. Jesus adds to his answer.

      3. Therefore, the addition must be important.

      4. In words,

        1. If you should freely give back to Caesar what is already his,

        2. then, shouldn’t you give EVERYTHING (back) to God almighty?!

  6. Finally: Our amazed response to all of this should be

    1. Adoration

    2. Allegiance

Blomberg notes

22:21 The answer to Jesus' question is obvious. His follow-up statement surprises everyone. In one of the most famous sayings in the Gospels, Jesus avoids the trap by affirming both what the Pharisees and what the Herodians hold dear. God's sovereignty must be acknowledged, but human governments also have a legitimate authority. "Give" means pay back that which is rightfully due. Some commentators have taken Jesus words as implying "give everything to God" because everything is ultimately his, but this interpretation destroys the delicate balance of Jesus’ reply as he seeks to evade both points of the two-pronged attack against him. Reasonable taxation is a legitimate function for all governments, even totalitarian regimes; how much more so with more democratic governments! Christians who avoid paying taxes, or who avoid paying the full amount of their taxes, sin against God even just as surely as in more obviously "moral" arenas. P. 331

Sproul notes

“The image on the denarius at that time was that of the Emperor Tiberius, who reigned after Augustus, from AD 14 to 37. Along with his image, an inscription was pressed on the surface of the coin: “Tiberius Caesar, son of the divine Augustus.” On the other side was the inscription, “High Priest.” The emperor was given this title because he was not only the supreme political ruler of the Roman Empire but the supreme religious leader, as well. He was regarded as a god.”

“Caesar’s status made for great difficulties and trials for the believers of the early church. Every Christian was required to swear a loyalty oath, saying, “Caesar is lord.” The penalty for refusal was death. Even so, many, when asked to say, “Caesar is lord,” responded instead by saying, “Jesus is Lord,” and that affirmation because the first confession of the early church. Those believers said: “Caesar, we’ll pray for you. We’ll honor you. We’ll pay our taxes. We’ll be good citizens. But you are not lord. Jesus is Lord. We will not worship you.”

“The coin bore the image of Caesar, so it belonged to Caesar. As the ruler who had been raised up by God, he had the right to ask the people under his rule to render to him that which belonged to him. So, Jesus was saying it was the obligation of the Jews, as much as they despised Caesar and his regime, to pay their taxes. At the same time, however, they were to give God those things that were His: the tithe and obedience in all areas.”

“So, whereas the Pharisees set up an either/or question for Jesus, He gave a both/and answer.”

“But our obligation to God goes far beyond the tithe. Jesus told the Pharisees and Herodians to render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, which, in that instance, meant the tax, for it was Caesar’s face on the denarius. But whose image is on us? Whose image do we bear? Whose image is stamped on our souls? We are image-bearers of God. We belong to Him. We owe Him not only our tithes but our lives.”

“Matthew tells us that they “left Him and went their way,” not God’s way. We need to search our hearts and make sure we are going God’s way, not just in paying our taxes and our tithes, but in all things.”

Excerpts From Matthew - An Expositional Commentary, R.C. Sproul

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)

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Darien GabrielGrace Christian Fellowshipnon denominational, Grace Christian Fellowship, Ladson, SC, Matthew 22, ALL, taxes
What Does Jesus Ask of His Disciples? | John 7:37-39
What Does Jesus Ask of His Disciples? | John 7:37-39

Title: “What does Jesus ask of his disciples?”

Scripture: John 7:37-39 (Main); Jeremiah 2:13; Exodus 17:6; Numbers 20:1-12; Psalm 78:15-16

Intro

The Pardoner’s Tale from the Canterbury Tales

Three lawless young men go on a search for Death. They think if they can find Death, they will be able to kill him. As they are searching, they meet an old man who tells them that Death can be found at the foot of an oak tree. Off they go to the tree. There instead of finding Death, they find eight bushels of gold. With Death now out of mind and greed in mind, they decide to sleep there that night and sneak away with the treasure in the morning.

Meanwhile, the youngest goes into town to buy some food and drink.

He also buys some rat poison and poisons the wine. He wants the gold all to himself. Ah, but the other two want the gold for themselves. So they plot to kill him when he returns. Sure enough that is what they do. When the man returns, they stab him to death. To celebrate, they lift their cups and drink the poisoned wine. They too die.

The old man was right. All three greedy men found Death under that tree.

Are you satisfied with your life?

Does Jesus truly satisfy?

If so, how?

Bottom line: Jesus truly satisfies when we come to him on his terms.

The Feast of Booths (Tabernacles) was a harvest feast which portrays the desert wanderings where they lived in tents for 40 years. Talk about a roving RV festival.

Exod 17:15-16

Numbers 20:8, 10-11 (1-12)

Ps 78:15-16

Jeremiah 2:13

““My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.”

Jesus speaks at a moment when one of their daily festival rites was climaxing where the priest would pour water from the pool of Siloam (healing/saving water) back to the temple in through the water gate at the blast of the temple trumpets with a crowd in pursuit, and on the last day he’d circle the altar 7 times (on the final day of the festival, 7th) when the priest would be joined by another priest carrying the wine. They’d ascend the ramp to the altar together. A pause as he raised the pitcher of water. Everyone wanted to see the pouring of the water at least once in their lifetime. And then he’d pour it on the altar. 

Wine. Altar. Water.

Cross of Christ—> Living water/salvation/healing/eternal life/satisfying life

It’s a this moment that Jesus cries out vs. 37-38.

Are we satisfied or thirsty?

Are we finding satisfaction in Christ?

Are we finding even more satisfaction in sharing Christ with others?

“My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.” Jeremiah 2:13 ESV

Jesus encourages the thirsty to find true satisfaction for their thirst. 

Unfortunately, most of us pursue other avenues to slake our thirst to no lasting satisfaction. We chase all kinds of things for satisfaction when the only thing that satisfies is life with Christ himself. 

Jesus said blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. For they will be satisfied! (Matt 5:6)

How are we to drink this living water? On God’s terms. See this scene from CS Lewis’s the Silver Chair:

“How are we to drink this water? Although the offer is free and open to all, there are yet some terms to be met. C. S. Lewis in his children's novel The Silver Chair puts his finger on this in the clearest of terms. Jill, seeing a lion, is scared out of her wits and runs into the forest. She runs so hard that she wears herself out and is just about to die of thirst, or so she thinks, when she hears the gurgling of a brook in the distance. She approaches it and is almost ready to go to the brook when on the grass before her is the same lion.

"Are you not thirsty?" said the Lion.

"I'm dying of thirst," said Jill.

"Then drink, " said the Lion.

"May I-could I- would you mind going away while I do?" said Jill.

The Lion answered this only by a look and a very low growl. And as Jill gazed at its motionless bulk, she realized that she might as well have asked the whole mountain to move aside for her convenience. The delicious rippling noise of the stream was driving her nearly frantic.

"Will you promise not to -do anything to me, if I do come?" said Jill.

"I make no promise," said the Lion.

Jill was so thirsty now that, without noticing it, she had come a step

nearer.

"Do you eat girls?" she said.

"I have swallowed up girls and boys, women and men, kings and em-perors, cities and realms," said the Lion. It didn't say this as if it were boasting, nor as if it were sorry, nor as if it were angry. It just said it.

"I daren't come and drink," said Jill.

"Then you will die of thirst," said the Lion.

"Oh dear!" said Jill, coming another step nearer.

"I suppose I must go and look for another stream then."

"There is no other stream," said the Lion.

It never occurred to Jill to disbelieve the Lion - no one who had seen his stern face could do that -and her mind suddenly made itself up. It was the worst thing she had ever had to do, but she went forward to the stream, knelt down, and began scooping up water in her hand. It was the coldest, most refreshing water she had ever tasted.

Do you see what Lewis is saying? When you come to the water, you are coming to a Lion, you must come on the Lion's terms, and you have to yield yourself by faith in order to get the water. Some of us need to realize that we are thirsty, that we need that water so badly that we are going to die without it. We need to step out on faith, yielding to the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and receive the water of eternal life.” —K Hughes, John, pp. 220-221

7:38-39

“Jesus is saying that the part of us that is never satisfied, the part of us that craves so much, becomes, when we receive this water, the part that is satisfied.” —Hughes, p. 221

“Furthermore, not only does such satisfaction come to us in Christ, but it overflows to others. Notice that Christ does not say ‘river’ but ‘rivers.’ Rivers of living water flow out of us by virtue of the in dwelling Spirit of Christ.” Ibid.

Billy Bray was a dynamic Christian and British miner in the 19th century who so overflowed with the living water of Christ that wherever he went men trusted Christ.

Each day as he went down into the mines—very dangerous in those days—he would pray with the miners as he went down. “Lord, if any of us must be killed or die today, let it be me. Let not one of these men die for they are not happy and I am, and if I die today I shall go to be in heaven.”

“Power and overflowing joy—these are the characteristics of great drinkers of the Spirit. But the sublime irony in this is that we never experience satisfaction as we are meant to until our lives give satisfaction o others.” —Ibid, p. 222

You’ve heard the expression, “He drinks like a fish” referring to his drinking of alcohol. Oh that we’d hear of Christians “drinking like a fish” out of the fountain of living water. Not drinking spirits but of THE SPIRIT of Christ! Power & joy abundant and shared.

“Are you satisfied? Is your satisfaction flowing out to others?” Ibid. 

“During the desert wanderings that the Feast of Tabernacles portrayed, Moses smote a rock, and out of it came rivers of living (?) water for the people. That was a picture of Christ, and our Scripture refers to this in v. 39.” Ibid.

“Jesus had not yet been smitten on the cross and resurrected. Therefore the S;Iris had not yet come to indwell believers. In the wilderness, the first time the Lord instructed Moses to STRIKE the rock, Moses did, and God provided water. But the second time Moses made a grievous error. God told him to SPEAK to the rock, but in his anger against the people Moses smote the rock. Water nevertheless came out graciously from God, but Moses paid heavily for his action…Moses probably never suspected that he had ruined the type because Christ was not smitten twice but once. Again we see God’s provision and his grace.” Ibid.

“Our Lord is a Lion, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, and we must come to him on his terms, thought he graciously invites us to communicate with him, to speak to him. Are you satisfied? Have you drunk long and deep of that water so that out of your innermost being are flowing rivers of living water? Is your life a beatitude to others? Whether or not that has happened, speak to him about it now.” Ibid, 222-223.

What do we need to do?

  1. Recognize that you thirst for something that exists. Your thirst for more than this life offers. Abundant life forever!

  2. Drink this living water. Drink deeply and often as if our lives depended on it. God gives us thirst so that we’ll know we need it satisfied and that there exists something that can truly satisfy. Drinking is believing.

  3. Pour out (spray, hose down, power wash) what wants out from within. God fills us up so that we have something to give. Our job isn’t to fill someone else’s cup. Our job is to empty our cup.

  4. Living water = Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit

    1. Immerses the person into this living water (baptism of the Holy Spirit)

    2. Saturates the person with the Holy Spirit guaranteeing he will finish what he started in them.

    3. Brings spiritual fruit in unlimited quantity. (Fruit of the Spirit)

    4. Brings spiritual gifts (at least one; no one has all) for the purpose of building up the body of Christ (the Church).

    5. He guides and provides all that we need to then go and saturate this world.

  5. Saturate this world with living water. That is the love of God through Jesus Christ.

Big idea/Bottom line?

What do I want them to know?

That Jesus satisfies us like nothing else. 

Why?

Because this satisfaction streams into our world and brings satisfaction there too.

What do I want them to do?

Drink deeply of this living water and share it with others.

Why?

For this leads to even more satisfaction.

How?

Come to God on his terms. He’s a lion and terrifying. Fear God. He’s also inviting you to come. Believe and receive this good invitation of good news that Jesus Christ truly satisfies.

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The Call of the King | Matthew 22:1-14
The Call of the King | Matthew 22:1-14

Fallen Condition Focus

We must enter into God’s Kingdom under the righteousness of Christ.

Introduction

Have you ever been invited to something so important there was no chance you

would say no to the invitation. I was thinking about this, this week.

If you recall now in Matthew we have reached Wednesday of what we call holy

week. Just a couple of days prior you may recall that Jesus had gone into the

temple and out of disgust for what he saw cleansed the temple.

Here Israel was situated on this land bridge that was centrally located between 3

comments. As travelers would come through, God’s design was that through

Israel, they would be pointed to the Lord. His Temple would welcome them into

knowing Him and worshiping.

But nothing could be further from the truth. They had perverted what had been

entrusted to them. To those they should have been ministering to, they were

exploiting for their own financial gain.

So it’s no wonder why Jesus removed them with such emotion. And I suspect they

were boiling about this all day on Tuesday. And in Chapter 21 we find them,

having licked their wounds, back at Jesus again with more questions designed to

trap him. By what authority do you do these things? Where is your degree? What

seminary gives you the right to be a teacher. And it is really this question, that

launches Jesus into a series of 3 Judgement based parables. Two of which we have

already covered, and the final one that I want to cover today, that we will call, the

parable of the wedding feast.

Trilogy of Judgement Parables

2

o Parable of the Two Sons (21:28-31)

o Landowner and the vinyard (21:33-46)

o The wedding feast (22:1-14) Read Text

22:1 And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying,

It’s very appropriate based on what we discussed earlier that Jesus would answer

their questions with a parable. A parable is a simple story, like an allegory, that

uses everyday experience to teach a deeper heavenly meaning. But more than that

these parables had a specific purpose to conceal the truth from the hard hearted

Pharisees and reveal truth to the humble would be disciples who would hear them

with open hearts.

[Mar 4:10-12 ESV] 10 And when he was alone, those around him with the

twelve asked him about the parables. 11 And he said to them, "To you has

been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside

everything is in parables, 12 so that "'they may indeed see but not perceive,

and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be

forgiven.'"

So these parables are blessing are both a treasure to some and at the same time a

judgement for others. So Jesus continues to teach in parables.

22:2 "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who

gave a wedding feast for his son,

Jesus is very clear about what this parable is about. We don’t have to wonder. We

are talking about the Kingdom of Heaven. Understand this is not some future

state Kingdom that we might find in the book of Revelations, although it does

include that, but Jesus has the present time in mind as he talks about the Kingdom

of Heaven. He is speaking of the area of God’s rule, God’s people who are part of

his Kingdom even here on earth. As we are saved even today we are brought into

God’s Kingdom. So Jesus begins to tell a story about what it is like to be a

member of God’s Kingdom.

3

And he chooses to describe this as a wedding feast. Not just a wedding feast but a

royal wedding feast. One thing I noticed when I moved to Charleston was that

weddings are a big deal here. I can’t tell you how many times I have been on an

airplane flying back home to Charleston and the plane is filled with a wedding

party coming to Charleston to get married. But it was even bigger in ancient

Jerusalem. In fact in was not uncommon for a wedding to last a week. It was an

extremely joyful time full of happiness and feast after feast. And the best part was

as a guest you didn’t have to pay.

Now in the parable we don’t just have a wedding, we have a royal wedding. And

I don’t have to tell you, that if a typical wedding was a week you can imagine the

celebration that this King would be having to honor his Son the crown Prince.

Jesus wants those listening to him to be thinking of the biggest most festive event

that they can possibly imagine multiply it by 10 and then you start to understand

what is going on here. That is the picture.

Now we get to invitation #1.

22:3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the

wedding feast, but they would not come.

Notice something interesting here, I missed it when I first read it but it is very

important. The King sends his servants to call whom? Those who were already

invited. This is very telling. This is not a cold call invitation, in fact, the King has

already provided details of the wedding. He has already sent out the guest list and

notified everyone. All the servants do is go out a remind them the time has come

to attend this most festive occasion. It’s time for the celebration to begin.

Let’s stop here and define who the character’s in the parable represent. Obviously

the King is God the Father. And the Son, is none other than Jesus Christ. But who

are the guests? Who are the ones who have already been notified of the coming of

the Messiah, and in this present day are being invited to come to him. These guests

are the nation of Israel. God’s chosen people in the Old Testament were notified to

4

be on alert because the Son would be coming. He is talking about the Pharisees

and Scribes standing in his midst as he tells this parable. The have been invited by

Moses, Elijah, Jeremiah, all the old Testament prophets. This verse is an exact

summary of the entire Old Testament.

“They would not come”. At this point, I want you to audibly hear the crowd

around Jesus gasp as he says these words. What do you mean they would not

come! How is this possible? They have been invited to the Royal Wedding

festivities and they refuse the King! Can you imagine!

Invitation #2

22:4 Again he sent other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, "See,

I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been

slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast."'

What a gracious benevolent King! After the rejection and utter disrespect that the

guests have brought upon his Son, he is patient and extends grace. The King

reminds them that there is nothing you have to do. He says I have done all the

work. The preparations are made everything is finalized, all you have to do is

answer the invitation. He bidst them ones more to come.

I was reminded as I read this of Jesus’ Cry just 2 days later as he would be hangin

on the cross, “It is finished.” The work to complete salvation is was done at that

moment. He calls us to him not to add anything to what he has done, but to

simply bask in the work that has been done for us.

This King is patient. You know God is patient with us too. Many times, just like

these Jews, we have ignored God’s call to come to him. But God is patient, and

God is good. So extends another invitation to them.

5

And among these second wave of servants that were sent to them was none other

than, John the Baptist, Jesus himself, All of the apostles have been sent to invite

them again to come to the wedding party.

Look how they respond to this second invitation:

22:5 & 6 But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his

business,

while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed

them.

I can imagine that those hearers of this parable by now are ready to rip their robes

at the direction this story is headed. We see here two groups that respond quite

differently. Group 1 responds with indifference. They simply do not care about

the Kingdom, about the King, or about the honored Son.

We see this same response today right. Have you ever shared the gospel or shared

something spiritual with non-believers and they look at you like you have 3 eyes.

They don’t understand, they don’t care to understand, and perhaps they think

you’re a crazy person. Such was this first group.

The first group is wrapped up in the everyday things of the world, maybe it’s the

work they have at the farm, or tending to their business. They are more concerned

about the things of this world and really don’t care about anything beyond that.

The reality is that this represents much of the modern world and certainly much

of the US. Bringing honor and glory to the Son is laughable to them in

comparison to the everyday pursuits of their lives. This is the response of the

secular world.

The second group is different. We see a dramatic statement in verse 6 that they

are so enraged by the repeated invitation that they result to murdering the servants

of the king. These are the religious crowds who are so enraged by the invitation

6

that they ultimately would murder the very ones who were sent to bring them the

news. John was beheaded, Jesus was nailed to a cross, and the apostles martyred.

22:7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those

murderers and burned their city.

The King was kind a gracious, but his invitation has a limit. His patience has a

limit. And now he has had enough. This is a warning to us as well. For a time,

God invites us to come to him, but if we continue to harden our hearts and reject

his invitation we too will see his wrath.

Also verse 7 we get a prophecy from the Lord himself. Notice it also say that the

“burned their city”. We know that their city is Jerusalem, so what is Jesus talking

about here?

In AD70 the city of Jerusalem would be utterly destroyed. The temple would be

destroyed. And the Jewish people would even lose their ability to maintain the

sacrificial sytem without a temple. In the destruction of this city more that 1.1 M

jews were killed and the entire city was left in ruin. As a result the Jewish people

were scattered.

Now we look at the third invitation.

22:8 Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding feast is ready, but those

invited were not worthy.

Notice that the Son will be honored. The King is not wriging his hands in concern

that nobody will be there to honor the son. In fact, all of the wedding is about the

son. Not the bride! We must be careful that we understand this about salvation.

Salvation is not centrally about you. While we do get the benefit of eternal life, of

getting to be with the God in heaven, the real focus of salvation is about bringing

honor and glory to the Son. That is what is at the root of salvation! The King will

fill the wedding hall with worthy people in order to exhault the name of the Son.

7

22:9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as

many as you find.'

The King instructs them to go out where, unto the main roads. Not the backroads

full of locals, but to the main intersections where tourists, travelers, gentiles

would be passing thru.

We here the echoes here of the great commission. Go ye therefor into all nations.

We are ordered to do the same thing as we share the gospel to all those we

encounter. And we invite them to come to this wonderful wedding.

22:10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom

they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with

guests.

We notice that the servants do not discriminate when they make this third

invitation. Those who appear morally good or morally bad, they are all invited to

come to the wedding. I’m reminded of the parable of the soils where the sower

just went about slinging seed. He didn’t worry about where the seed landed he let

God sort all that out. Such is a picture of sharing the gospel. We shouldn’t think

oh man that guy looks like a bad dude, I’m not sharing the gospel with that

person.

22:11 "But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man

who had no wedding garment.

It’s almost like Jesus could have stopped the story at verse 10, but he provides for

us a very interesting plot twist at the end.

Remember these guests were just going about their everyday tasks on the road,

and they got invited to this wedding. So clearly the King made some kind of

provision for them to be appropriately dressed for the occasion. To show up to the

8

vent with dirty, worn, or inappropriate clothing would surely bring dishonor to

the event and to the Son.

It’s also clear from the verse that everybody in the wedding hall has on the

garments, except for this one person.

There has been much discussion from theologians about what these wedding

garments are meant to represent. But most people agree the idea here is that the

garments represent righteousness.

[Isa 61:10 ESV] 10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my

God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me

with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a

beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

This concept goes all the way back to the garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve

first sinned. If you remember they tried to cover themselves but were not able to

make for themselves a suitable covering. So if you recall God killed an animal

and covered their nakedness with the skin. It was the very first picture of the one

who would come someday, and by his bloodshed would provide for us a covering

of righteousness.

Notice the King is gracious in asking why the man doesn’t have on the covering.

He gives the man an opportunity to answer for himself.

22:12 And he said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without a

wedding garment?' And he was speechless.

The man is speechless. He doesn’t have a reason. It must be that this man by his

own will determined that he would enter the wedding party and he would do so

under his own terms. This part of the parable is pointed directly at the church.

There are echos of when Jesus said, many in that day will say to me Lord, Lord…

9

and I will say depart I never knew you. Jesus warns us that there is but one way

into the wedding celebration and that is to be covered by his righteousness.

To bring our own so-called righteousness to the party is tragic mistake. The best

we have to offer is not acceptable.

[Isa 64:6 ESV] 6 We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our

righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our

iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

22:13 Then the king said to the attendants, 'Bind him hand and foot and cast

him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and

gnashing of teeth.'

There is a limit to God’s patience. The time will come when he will invite us no

more, when the time to accept the wedding garment is no longer an option.

To keep the man from resisting he is bound, he is immediately removed from the

presence of the King, and he is not allowed re-entry under any circumstances. It is

important that even those of us who find ourselves among the guests in the

wedding party that we take a look at our garments. Who’s garments are you

wearing? Are we trying to attend the wedding party on our own terms or on

God’s terms.

I love this last verse. Jesus tags it on there, and it is simply mind boggling.

22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen."

This entire parable has been about the choices of men. Choices about if they

would attend, if they would not attend. If they would dress appropriately or if

they would defy the King. Man’s will is central to the parable. And just as Jesus

has us fully understanding that, he drops in this verse. “Many are called, but few

are chosen.”

10

Jesus reminds us that in all of these things God is still sovereign. It is one of the

great mysteries of Scripture. John 6:44, no one can come to me unless the Father

draws him in. God is sovereign, and if we find ourselves clothed in righteousness

in the midst of the Son, it only because his grace has been extended to open our

eyes, remove our hearts of stone, and give us a new spiritual birth. And he is

calling all today to come to Him. Let’s Pray.

Lord’s Supper:

Invite musicians and server’s to go ahead and come.

Explain, this is the response part of the service. The covering or wedding garment

that Jesus provided, was not free. His blood was spilled, his body was broken. So

today as we partake in the Lord’s supper we remember that.

You don’t have to be a member here to participate, but you do have to be a

believer in good standing with the Lord. Meaning you have no unconfessed sin or

broken fellowship with others in the congregation.

Perhaps you want to come up here and pray, or pray where you are, that’s all

okay. I’ll be standing right over here if you want to come pray with me.

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Guest UserGrace Christian Fellowshipnon denomination, church, Ladson, SC, Grace Christian Fellowship, Matthew, bible believing
Where Does Jesus Christ's Authority Come From? | Matthew 21:23-46
Where Does Jesus Christ's Authority Come From? | Matthew 21:23-46

Series: All!

Jesus has all authority,

So that all nations

Might pledge all allegiance to him.

Title: “Where does Jesus Christ’s Authority come from?”

Scripture: Matthew 21:23-46

Bottom line: Jesus gets ALL authority from God the Father who makes him Lord of all. Therefore, the only appropriate response is to gladly submit to him in ALL things—especially in the building of His Kingdom.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

SERMON OUTLINE & NOTES

MAIN REFERENCES USED

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discussion questions for group and personal study. Reflect and Discuss:

1. Define submission in your own words.

2. What current ideas or popular philosophies in our culture reject the idea of submission?

3. How would you counsel someone who rejected God's authority because of bad experiences with authority figures?

4. How does the fear of man result in rejecting Christ's authority? Describe how you've seen this play out in someone's life.

5. How might Matthew 21:28-32 be an indictment on nominal Christians, that is, those who profess Christ but do not truly know Him?

6. How would you summarize the warning in the parable of the Wedding Feast in Matthew 22:1-14?

7. What were the underlying motives of those who questioned Jesus in Matthew 22:16-40?

8. What is at the root of all rejection of Jesus? (Hint: Read John 3:19-21.)

9. Explain why Jesus' question in Matthew 22:41-16 would have been perplexing to these Jewish leaders.

10. How would you respond to someone who said they rejected the authority of God's Word but they loved Jesus?

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

OUTLINE & NOTES

Introduction

Jesus is living out his last 8 days in front of us as we head to the end of the book of Matthew.

Keep in mind that Jesus is now letting it become known that he’s the Messiah and King of Israel. He’s no longer trying to keep this a secret.

Jesus gets questioned by the chief Jewish priests and the elders of the people where he gets his authority. This isn’t an unreasonable question, actually. After all, Jesus has

Entered Jerusalem as the coming Messiah King of Israel and did not refuse the messianic praises he received.

Entered the temple and cleared (cursed?) it.

Entered the temple and taught in it.

So to question where he gets his authority is a reasonable even responsible question for them to ask. After all, they are responsible for what happens in the temple courts.

And it’s good to remember that all authority comes from someone unless that someone is God himself. Jesus will say his authority comes from God the Father.

And he’ll then show them the implications of his authority. To not acknowledge it and gladly submit to it in life is to go the way of these ungodly religious leaders. That is to be rejected by God.

Story/Illustration: Lighthouse v Battleship

The captain of the ship looked into the dark night and saw faint lights in the distance. Immediately he told his signalman to send a message” “Alter your course 10 degrees south.”

Promptly a return message was received: “Alter your course 10 degrees north.”

The captain was angered; his command had been ignored. So he sent a second message: “Alter your course 10 degrees south—I am the captain!”

Soon another message was received: Alter your course 10 degrees north—I am seaman third class Jones.”

Immediately the captain sent a third message, knowing the fear it would evoke: “Alter your course 10 degrees south—I am a battleship.”

Then the reply came “Alter your course 10 degrees north—I am a lighthouse.”

In the midst of our dark and foggy times, all sorts of voices are shouting orders into the night, telling us what to do, how to adjust our lives. Out of the darkness, one voice signals something quite opposite to the rest—something almost absurd.

But the voice happens to be the Light of the World, and we ignore it at our peril. —Paul Aiello, Jr. 

Bottom line: Jesus gets ALL authority from God the Father who makes him Lord of all. Therefore, the only appropriate response is to gladly submit to him in ALL things—especially in the building of His Kingdom.

Outline

I. Jesus’ Authority Questioned: Matthew 21:23-27

Q. What do I want you to know?

A. Jesus’ authority comes from his Father.

Q. Why do I want you to know?

A. Because there is no other authority worthy to be submitted to, ultimately.

Q. What do I want you to do?

A. Recognize Jesus’ authority from the Father and gladly submit to him.

Q. Why do I want you to do this?

A. So that you will reap the blessings and miss the wrath.

How? Pray with repentant faith now, early and often.

II. Parable of the 2 Sons

21:28-32

Q. What do I want you to know?

A. Israel’s leaders (and many Jews) did not repent and believe thus rejecting Jesus as Messiah.

Q. Why do I want you to know this?

A. Because there are grave consequences for not submitting to his authority.

Q. What do I want you to do?

A. Trust, obey and follow Jesus like the sinners did—though they said no to his words, ways and works initially, they eventually repented and believed.

How? Pray for God to open your eyes, trust, and follow him today.

III. Parable of the Tenants

21:33-46

Q. What do I want you to know?

A. Israel rejected God the Father (prophets), God the son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit (at Stephen’s stoning).

God is a stone/rock in scripture.

To Israel, a stumbling block.

To Church, a cornerstone and foundation.

To Gentile kingdoms at end of age, smiting stone.

Q. Why?

A. So that we don’t make the same mistake.

Q. What do I want them to do?

A. Build your life on the rock that doesn’t roll or be crushed by him. Because the consequences are great!

How? Pray, repent and believe that King Jesus deserves all your allegiance.

Conclusion

“You are more sinful and flawed than you ever dared believe. But more accepted and loved than you ever dared hope.” -Tim Keller

A missionary to Africa told someone, “When we want to share the gospel in a village in Africa, we don't send them books. We send them a Christian family.”

Why is it better to send the family than some books? It’s certainly cheaper. Seems more efficient. But this experienced missionary understood that the Christian life lived like Jesus would demonstrate what glad submission to God would look like. The gospel wouldn’t just be taught but caught.

Bottom line: Jesus gets ALL authority from God the Father who makes him Lord of all. Therefore, the only appropriate response is to gladly submit to him in ALL things—especially in the building of His Kingdom.

One true story that illustrates the authority of God involves a man named Louis Zamperini, who was a former Olympic runner and a prisoner of war during World War II. After his plane crashed into the ocean, Zamperini survived for over 47 days on a raft in shark-infested waters before being captured by the Japanese and taken to a prison camp.

Despite facing torture, starvation, and daily beatings, Zamperini never lost his faith in God and continued to pray for strength and guidance. He even forgave his captors and used his influence to help his fellow prisoners. Eventually, Zamperini was released from the prison camp and went on to live a long and fulfilling life, crediting his survival and resilience to the authority of God.

This true story shows how the authority of God can help people to endure and overcome unimaginable challenges. Even in the darkest of times, God's authority can provide people with the hope, courage, and strength they need to persevere and thrive. The true story of Louis Zamperini is a testament to the power of faith in the face of adversity.

The Umbrella of Authority

Each of us has a decision to make . Will we gladly step under the umbrella of God’s good authority? Or will we step out from under it and be pelted by the world and evil as we resist God’s commands? Grace and mercy are provided while we humbly remain underneath. God’s justice is poured out on those who step out from under it. Where are you standing right now?

Will you come underneath and obey God’s commands to build his kingdom?

God has shown us how to gladly submit to him all our days. Will you?

Let’s pray

NOTES

DSO notes, 21:23-37

“So Jesus turns the tables on them again, saying in essence, ‘If you’re not capable enough to judge John the Baptist as Heaven-sent, then you are certainly not capable to judge me.’” P. 613

“You see, what John said about Jesus was the answer the their question. (That’s what Jesus is getting at here.) And what did John say?” P. 614

So there’s the answer to their question (through J the B) and 3 parables illustrating this answer using 2 themes: faith and judgment. P. 614-615

“With great authority Jesus teaches these authorities about his authority.” P. 615

2 Lessons here:

“The gates to God’s kingdom open wide to the bluntly ungodly if they repent, but not a crack for the precisely orthodox if they do not.”

“Show me your faith.” “To Jesus, one is not saved by talk alone…but by faith alone (“believe” 3x), a faith that is never alone (a faith that obeys the word/will/voice of God)—To Jesus, verbal faith is not saving faith; a doing faith is saving faith.” P. 616

21:33-41

Second parable—“Jesus gives a condensed symbolic (or allegorical) version of salvation history.” P. 617

2 Lessons:

“God is patient; God is just.”

“God will judge those who don’t accept his Son.”

“God is patient; God is just. Don’t try his patience; trust his Son.” P. 619

So, “by what authority?”

Everyone of us should ask this question.

Here’s the answer: “By God’s authority. I am the Son he sent.”

Here’s the answer: “God did. I am the stone he set in place. By God’s authority I am the Son, and I am the Stone.” P. 620

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 Fellowship
Why Did Jesus Come to Earth? | Matthew 20:20-34
Why Did Jesus Come to Earth? | Matthew 20:20-34

Series: All!

  • Jesus has all authority,

  • So that all nations

  • Might pledge all allegiance to him.

Title: “Why did Jesus come to earth?

Scripture: Matthew 20:20-34

Heavily indebted to Douglas Sean O’Donnell’s & David Platt’s commentaries for this message. (See below)

Bottom line: The way of greatness is the narrow way as seen in the humble example and sacrificial substitution of Jesus Christ on the cross.

““Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭NIV‬‬ https://bible.com/bible/111/mat.7.14.NIV

The cross of Christ is great because

  1. It shows that humble servanthood and sacrificial suffering are exalted actions, (Example) and

  2. It gave eternal life to many as he died in their place. (Substitution)

“The first reason can be shortened to Jesus’ death as example, the second reason to Jesus’ death as substitution.” -O’Donnell

  1. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  2. SERMON OUTLINE & NOTES

  3. MAIN REFERENCES USED

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discussion questions for group and personal study. Reflect and Discuss:

1. How does the misguided approach of the disciples beginning in Matthew 20:20 parallel your own approach to God and the Christian life?

2. How does Jesus' healing of the blind men in Matthew 20:29-34 contrast with the request for privilege by James and John in the previous paragraph?

3. Why can't grace and pride coexist? Can you think of other Scriptural passages that speak to this truth?

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. Why Jesus came to earth. That he came not to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom. And he came to show us how to live after our rescue. He came to show us how to live and to empower us to live that way.

Q. Why?

A. To remind us why we follow Jesus in this way. His example and sacrificial act should inspire us through gratitude.

Q. What do I want you to do?

A. Live like he lived serving others sacrificially. (SOS)

Q. Why?

A. Because his example and his substitution are worthy of our entire lives. This is why we were saved in the first place.

OUTLINE & NOTES

Introduction

How to Avoid the Titanic Mistake (by Rick Warren via Nicky Gumbel)

James Cameron, director of the movie *Titanic,* describes the Titanic as a ‘metaphor’ of life: ‘We are all living on… \[the\] Titanic.’

When the Titanic set sail in 1912, it was declared to be ‘unsinkable’ because it was constructed using a new technology. The ship’s hull was divided into sixteen watertight compartments. Up to four of these compartments could be damaged or even flooded, and still the ship would float.

Tragically, the Titanic sank on 15 April 1912 at 2.20 am. 1,513 people lost their lives.  (111 years ago almost to the day)

At the time, it was thought that five of its watertight compartments had been ruptured in a collision with an iceberg. However, on 1 September 1985, when the wreck of the Titanic was found lying upright on the ocean floor, there was no sign of the long gash previously thought to have been ripped in the ship’s hull. What they discovered was that damage to one compartment affected all the rest.

Many people make the Titanic mistake. They think they can divide their lives into different ‘compartments’ and that what they do in one will not affect the rest. However, as Rick Warren (from whom I have taken this illustration) says, ‘*A life of integrity is one that is not divided into compartments.’* David prayed for ‘*an undivided heart*’ (Psalm 86:11). He led the people with ‘*integrity of heart*’ (78:72). Supremely, Jesus was a ‘*man of integrity*’ (Matthew 22:16; Mark 12:14).

I would add that what makes this sinking so tragic is the hubris behind the idea that because of technological cleverness, they could move full steam ahead without concern for anything bad happening. But they were vulnerable because of this.

So are we.

Bottom line: The way of greatness is the narrow way as seen in the humble example and sacrificial substitution of Jesus Christ on the cross.

Why did Jesus come? “To serve and give his life as a ransom for many.” (20:28)

He came to show us how to live and to empower us to live that way.

Because…5 reasons:

  1. He came to suffer. The “cup” was descriptive of Jesus “drinking down the wrath of God in the place of sinners.” (Platt, p. 271)

  2. He came to save. “Ransom is a word that can refer to a payment made to release someone from slavery.” As in slavery to pay off a debt.

  3. He came to be our substitute. “For” can also be translated “in place of.” Read the verse again substituting these words (no pun intended). He died for you but he also died instead of you.

  4. He came to show us how to live.

    1. A different kind of leadership.

    2. To selflessly live for the good of others instead of yourself.

    3. Love people by serving people.

    4. SOS = Serving Others Sacrificially

      1. James was beheaded and John was exiled to the island of Patmos.

      2. This kind of sacrificial service is what defines kingdom greatness.

  5. He came to serve us.

    1. He came to be our lowly servant by becoming a man and providing salvation for us.

    2. The one who deserves to be served came to serve, and this service was ultimately demonstrated on the cross.

    3. Cf. Phil 2:3-8 Furthermore, He said He came “to give His life a ransom for many.” Some scholars say Jesus paid a ransom to the devil to set us free, but that is not the biblical picture. It is true that ransoms were paid in military tribunals in antiquity to secure the release of those who were held captive by the enemy. More frequently, however, ransoms were paid to secure the freedom of those who could not pay their debts and were facing indentured servitude. Jesus paid a ransom to purchase His beloved people out of their bondage to sin. Is it any wonder that the Apostle Paul says, “You were bought at a price” (1 Cor. 6:20)

    4. Jesus is our servant.

      1. But this doesn’t mean I tell Jesus what to do.

      2. It does mean Jesus gives us what we need.

    5. We are Jesus’ servants.

      1. But this doesn’t mean that Jesus needs our aid.

      2. This does mean that we submit to Jesus’ authority.

Two Blind Men

Applications:

  1. Boldly confess your need for his mercy.

  2. Humbly believe in his power to do the miraculous.

Conclusion

A missionary to Africa told someone, “When we want to share the gospel in a village in Africa, we don't send them books. We send them a Christian family.”

Why is it better to send the family than some books? It’s certainly cheaper. Seems more efficient. But this experienced missionary understood that the Christian life lived like Jesus would demonstrate the love of God through serving others sacrificially. Therefore, the gospel wouldn’t just be taught but caught.

It’s not about putting God or our church experience into a compartment and then living the rest of our lives without a care for what Jesus did for us. We recognize that we are vulnerable if even one compartment gets hit. We need God to cover everything in our lives. We must live with him at the center of our lives as we trust and follow him completely.

What about your neighbors? Co-workers? Classmates? Teammates? Coffee dates?

Bottom line: The way of greatness is the narrow way as seen in the humble example and sacrificial substitution of Jesus Christ on the cross.

Q. What do I want you to do?

A. Live like he lived serving others sacrificially. (SOS)

Q. Why?

A. Because his example and his substitution are worthy of our entire lives. This is why we were saved in the first place.

Notes

LGLP = SGSP

Compassion motivated by love

SOS = Serve Others Sacrificially

Search and Rescue Operation at great personal risk

Matthew 20:17-28

Mrs. Zebedee (Salome?) asks Jesus to elevate her 2 sons to second highest in his kingdom. She obviously thinks they deserve it and she wants the honor for them and for herself. Some think that Salome is Mary’s sister (Jesus’ mother Mary) so they’d be related. This seems inappropriate to ask. Perhaps she feels so safe with Jesus (they were among the earliest followers) that she boldly asks the desire of her heart. And is it really a bad thing for a parent to want to see their sons in such a prominent, honorable position empowered to serve under Jesus’ reign?

Jesus clearly sees the inappropriateness of her question. For he makes decisions by the leading of the Holy Spirit. she may not yet realize that.

Jesus gives 2 responses:

  1. “You don’t know what you are asking.” Because she—and they—don’t yet see that his kingdom is not of this world. That his kingdom is not run like other king domes. Her ignorance is not her fault.

  2. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” This question seems to be directed towards her sons (you is plural) for they answer Jesus. The “cup” refers to God’s holy wrath for the sins of the world. This will happen at the cross. It refers to suffering for his kingdom cause/mission. Now they may know what he’s referring to. After all, he just shared that in vv. 17-19 (and that for the 3rd time)

Well, whether they do or not, they answer that they can drink from that cup. It’s hard to believe that they comprehend what that could be like. In our zeal, we all tend to be overly optimistic about what we can and will do. Certainly they are willing. “The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.”

Jealous replies that they will indeed drink from the same cup but ot so they can get what they want. That’s for the Father to decide.

Of course, the other 10 are infuriated about this because either

  1. It’s inappropriate for them to ask,

  2. It means they think they’re more worthy and that Jesus might choose them. Hence, jealousy, or

  3. It means they asked first and the rest missed their chance.

Jesus moves now to teach them a kingdom principle: unlike the rulers of the kingdom of this world, if you want to be great or first in God’s kingdom, you must serve others sacrificially. (SOS)

Jesus is the ultimate SOS example. He served by literally exchanging his life for ours at the cross. Great love!

O’Donnell says that Mrs. Zebedee’s question is cowardly, commendable and condemnable.

  1. Cowardly in that the guys seem to have put their mother up to it. (Maybe not, but they didn’t stop her either; this is bold for a woman (unless she’s Jesus’ auntie))

  2. Commendable in that they believed Jesus’ kingdom was inevitable.

  3. Condemnable in that they were asking for glory when Jesus just said he was going to pathway of shame via the cross. Who are they to think their path would be any better? “Jesus will be lifted up on a tree, and these boys want to be lifted up to thrones number two and three.”

I would like to add some thoughts here on American Christianity and our collective desire to be in power politically.

Our desires to affect change in our culture is not bad in and of itself. But the way we tend to want to go about it is the same as the “Gentiles” and Romans did. (And everyone else) We want to operate from a position of power. But Jesus calls us to change our ambition from being served and first to being he servant and slave and last. Who’s doing this today? Very few.

What I’m trying to say is that I wonder if we’re not operating more like Mrs. Zebedee, James and John than we are like Jesus.

Matthew 20:29-34

Two blind men are out panning for alms as they likely did every day. They hear a large crowd coming. They’re excited because they’ve already heard that Jesus of Nazareth is coming through. They believe he will heal them.

So when he comes through, they cry out for mercy. They call him:

Lord = master, sir at the very least; but, in context, probably even Messiah

Son of David = Not only a king in David’s dynasty but the prophesied king of kings (divine)

Have mercy on us. They are indeed in need of mercy. They can’t see and so are dependent on others for most needs. Those they depend on already have a hard life.l

Jesus stops after they cry out again (despite the crowd’s reaction) and asks them what they want him to do for them. They reply they want what they obviously need—to see.

Jesus, motivated by compassion, gives them what they ask for but way more than they asked for. He gave them the ability to see

  1. In this world

  2. Into the next world. This was the greater blessing.

So Jesus models SOS adding a key ingredient to the recipe of LP: Compassion. That is our motive—the mercy and love of God for those in need around us.

Notes from Douglas Sean O’Donnell

Nothing funny about prideful ambition.

O’Donnell says that Mrs. Zebedee’s question is cowardly, commendable and condemnable.

  1. Cowardly in that the guys seem to have put their mother up to it. (Maybe not, but they didn’t stop her either; this is bold for a woman (unless she’s Jesus’ auntie))

  2. Commendable in that they believed Jesus’ kingdom was inevitable.

  3. Condemnable in that they were asking for glory when Jesus just said he was going to pathway of shame via the cross. Who are they to think their path would be any better? “Jesus will be lifted up on a tree, and these boys want to be lifted up to thrones number two and three.”

2 lessons:

  1. “We should recognize that true faith and real error can be mixed in the heart of the Brest Christian’s…Thus we ought to persistently pray for purity, and we ought to gently seek to purify one another.”

  2. “Do we believe Jesus will reign? Do we give a passing thought to the eternal kingdom? Do we hope to get a good spot in it?

Jesus won’t condemn the 12 but he will correct them.

He’s given us his last-first theology (his view of kingdom greatness) twice in these last 2 sections in Matthew.

He follows with telling them why the cross is so great:

  1. “The cross of Christ is so great because it shows that humble servant hood and sacrificial suffering are exalted actions.

  2. “The cross of Christ is so great because the two-day death of one man gave eternal life to many.”l

Jesus’ Death as an Example

“Jesus’ corrective her is straightforward:

A. Gentile or pagan rulers rule this way because they view greatness this way;

B. You are to rule another way because you view greatness in the opposite way; and

C. That way is the way of the cross. And the way of the cross is humble servanthood.”

“Whoever would be great among you

Must be your servant.

Whoever would be first

Must be your slave.” Vv. 26-27

Synonymous focus:

“I’ll put it this way. Do you want to be ‘great’? Then you need to be a ‘servant’ (diakonos)—that is, wait tables, serve others. Do you want to not just be ‘great’ but to be ‘first’ I(the first among the greats)? Then you need to be a ‘slave’ (doulos)—that is, someone ‘who has no right or existence on his own, how lives solely for others.” P. 571

“Our culture ‘ceaselessly’ directs us up, up, up; we must ‘pray almost daily for the wisdom and courage’ to go down, down, down.” “He descended into greatness.” Cf. Phil 2:5-11

Jesus’ Death as a Substitution

“The cross of Christ is so great because the three-day (Good Friday, Holy Saturday) death of one man gave eternal ire to many. The first reason can be shortened to Jesus’ death as example, the second reason to Jesus’ death as substitution.

3 Key words: (2 from v. 28)

  1. “For” — or “in the place of”; The preposition means substitution

  2. “Cup” — 1) “the hostilities that arise from faithful gospel proclamation and living?, 2) “God’s wrathful judgment upon wickedness.”

  3. “Ransom” — The price paid to release slaves. “It could also refer to money pain int he place of capital punishment.”

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, Bible-believing, church, Grace Christian Fellowship, non-denomination church, Matthew 20, Why did Jesus come to earth
How Will You Respond? | Matthew 20: 17-19
How Will You Respond? | Matthew 20: 17-19

How Will You Respond?

Matthew 20:17-19

Matthew 16: Christ first prediction of his death followed by Peter’s shocked response.

Christ second prediction of his death in Matthew 17 followed by the disciples being greatly distressed. (Not focusing on Jesus stating he would rise again).

Christ third prediction of his death Matthew 20:17-19 followed by the disciples seeking position and power. It was like they had become numb to Jesus’ message.

Shocked to distressed to glory seeking. May we not tire or miss the Gospel in our lives as we reflect upon the cross and the resurrection.

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Ken DorrityGrace Christian FellowshipEaster, Ken Dorrity, Grace Christian Fellowship, non-denominational church, Bible-believing, Ladson, SC, Matthew, Jesus' death
How is God Just and Generous in Salvation? | Matthew 20:1-16
How is God Just and Generous in Salvation? | Matthew 20:1-16

Series: All!

  • Jesus has all authority,

  • So that all nations

  • Might pledge all allegiance to him.

Title: “How is God just and generous in salvation?”

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

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

Bottom line: God’s gift of salvation is both just and generous:

It’s just, so we don’t grumble about God’s mercy to anyone;

It’s equally gracious, so we don’t begrudge his unequal generosity.

Main point: God’s gift of salvation is just and generous.

A. God’s gift of salvation is just, so don’t grumble (complain) about God’s undeserved grace (or mercy).

B. God’s gift of salvation is equally gracious (to all), so don’t begrudge (look upon with disapproval) w/God’s unequal generosity. (Envious or jealous)

  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 the parable of the workers in a vinevard teach us about

God's grace?

2. How does the misguided approach of the disciples beginning in Matthew 20:20 parallel your own approach to God and the Christian life?

3. How does Jesus' healing of the blind men in Matthew 20:29-34 contrast with the request for privilege by James and John in the previous paragraph?

4. Why can't grace and pride coexist? Can you think of other Scriptural passages that speak to this truth?

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 is just and generous in saving people.

Q. Why?

A. Because we tend to live as if we deserve it. And there’s very little gratitude in that perspective. In fact, we do not deserve it.

Q. What do I want you to do?

A. Evaluate your relationship with God. Do you believe you deserve salvation? (You don’t) Do you believe you can earn your salvation? (You cannot)

Q. Why?

A. Because salvation is a gift to the damned. None of us deserve it. All of us need it.

OUTLINE & NOTES

Introduction

Jeffrey Lionel Dahmer (/ˈdɑːmər/; May 21, 1960 – November 28, 1994), also known as the Milwaukee Cannibal or the Milwaukee Monster, was an American serial killerand sex offender who killed and dismembered seventeen men and boys between 1978 and 1991.[4] Many of his later murders involved necrophilia,[5] cannibalism, and the permanent preservation of body parts—typically all or part of the skeleton.[6]

Although he was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder,[7] schizotypal personality disorder,[8] and a psychotic disorder, Dahmer was found to be legally saneat his trial. He was convicted of fifteen of the sixteen homicides he had committed in Wisconsin and was sentenced to fifteen terms of life imprisonment on February 17, 1992.[9] Dahmer was later sentenced to a sixteenth term of life imprisonment for an additional homicide committed in Ohio in 1978.

On November 28, 1994, Dahmer was beaten to death by Christopher Scarver, a fellow inmate at the Columbia Correctional Institution in Portage, Wisconsin.

Jeffrey Dawlmer coming to Christ. Stone Phillips interviewed Dawlmer where he learned that Dawlmer, his father and his pastor all testify that Jeffrey believes we all will stand before Christ and answer to him. He trusted Jesus as Lord and savior according to all 3.

  • Dateline NBC has also broadcast an interview with Dahmer. Conducted by Stone Phillips and first broadcast on March 8, 1994, this 90-minute episode—titled Confessions of a Serial Killer—features interviews with Dahmer and his father conducted at Columbia Correctional Institution. Dahmer's mother is also interviewed for this program.[363]

Context:

“The time had come for the owner of a vineyard to harvest his grapes. The permanent workers on his farm were not numerous enough to complete the harvest in time, so when harvest time came, as many farmers did in the ancient world and still do today, he went looking for day laborers he could hire. Such laborers customarily came to the marketplace in the hope that they would be chosen to labor that day and would gain the standard pay for a day’s work in Israel, which was one denarius”

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.

God’s gift of salvation (eternal life; kingdom of God; kingdom of heaven) is generous in just, gracious, and merciful.

The landowner was

Just—he paid them all what he agreed to pay them which was fair market value (one day laborers wages). And they all agreed to this up front. They all were paid the same amount. They were probably happy at the beginning of the day because someone hired them enabling them to gain a wage that day. While their circumstances did not change during the day, their expectations did.

Perceived as unjust—the workers who were first hired perceived this generosity to be unfair because the last were paid for a full day when they worked < a full day. As a result, they grumbled/complained to the landowner.

Grace—While some worked all day (earning their fair share of the wages), the rest worked less than a day and yet were generously paid more than they deserved.

Mercy—Some did not get what they deserved (in their minds) which was more than what the latter workers received. Yet, none of them deserved the work. They were mercifully given the opportunity to work when they had no way to create payable work on their own. They were literally at the mercy of a landowner hiring them that day.

8A little bit more…

Also, keep in mind that this was a time of harvest requiring extra workers. Therefore, in addition to his normal crew, he was bringing other day laborers who needed any kind of work they could get. Therefore, it’s safe to assume that they were harvesting grapes—not just tending to the fields.

This matters because it reminds us that this imagery is about more than grace, mercy and justice. It’s about the harvest. God doesn’t just graciously save people to save them. He saves them to serve…in the harvest. This is part of what is referred to as the “Lordship debate”. Does Jesus save, end of sentence. Or does Jesus save that we might join him in saving others? I believe it’s both—and. I believe that we demonstrate that our faith is genuine and our salvation real when we join him in the harvest. Otherwise, I think it’s safe to say there’s evidence to the contrary.

When someone saves your life, you feel like you could do anything for them.

When you are forgiven a great debt, you live your life grateful for what you don’t deserve—more life.

When Jesus saves you from sin and death, shame and guilt, hell itself, and you understand this, you find yourself eager to serve God and serve people to this end.

Do you?

“In the parable, a large group of the workers received grace. One group received justice. However, no one received injustice. But the workers who labored all day thought they received injustice. They thought the owner owed them something”

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.

“If we were to try to list everything God owes us, it would be the easiest task we were ever assigned, one we could complete in record time. The truth is, He owes us nothing except His wrath as punishment for all our sins”

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.

Yet, we owe God an infinite debt—our sins are debts against a holy God. Like the servant who owed the king a gazillion dollars, we owe God way more than we could ever pay back.

Excerpt  from David Platt:

Main point: God’s gift of salvation is just and generous.

A. God’s gift of salvation is just, so don’t grumble (complain) about God’s undeserved grace (or mercy).

B. God’s gift of salvation is equally gracious (to all), so don’t begrudge (look upon with w/God’s unequal generosity. (Envious or jealous)

Symbolism:

Landowner/Master = God the Father; the Lord God

Workers = Christians; some more and some less in the eyes of the world (and the church)

Harvest = Work of the gospel in the world

Matthew 9:37-38 says, “Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.””

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭9‬:‭37‬-‭38‬ ‭NIV‬‬ https://bible.com/bible/111/mat.9.37-38.NIV

JUSTICE - getting what you deserve

GRACE - getting what you DON’T deserve

MERCY - NOT getting what you deserve

“Whenever Jesus teaches on grace…he teaches lordship salvation.” -O’Donnell

“The traditional Protestant position is that salvation is

  1. by grace alone in Christ alone

  2. through faith alone,

  3. but such faith is never alone—it produces fruit.

    1. Faith loves.

    2. Faith works.

    3. Faith obeys. If such fruit is not found, then the assurance of salvation cannot (should not) be offered. Jesus must be both Savior AND Lord.” -O‘Donnell

A last point:

2 rules to the grace game:

  1. Grace and works. Jesus calls us laborers and workers in his kingdom harvest work. Everyone of them in this parable works in the vineyard, presumably for the harvest. The master goes and puts the idlers to work because grace by faith WORKS!

  2. Grace and rewards. These workers were GIVEN a job to work. Jesus rewards every worker who works (gives evidence he’s a worker (Christian)). And they’re doing a specific work too. They are working in the kingdom harvest. Are we?

Conclusion

Bottom line: 

Q. What do I want you to do?

A. Stop grumbling and begrudging God and people who are just and generous.

Q. Why?

A. Because he tells us to. Because you know that God is just and generous and that’s enough.

Notes

“20:1-16 Different hours, same wages?

Christ told a parable about a landowner who paid the same wages to all his workers even though they had done vastly different amounts of work. God has the sovereign right to reward us for our work as he sees fit.

Anything he gives us, whether small or great, is a gift of grace and is more than we deserve.” -Wilmington’s Bible Handbook

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)

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Darien GabrielGrace Christian FellowshipDarien Gabriel, Ladson, SC, Grace Christian Fellowship, bible believing, church, non denominational, generous, salvation, Matthew, ALL