In Matthew 12:33-35, Jesus delivers a message about the power of our words, actions, and the condition of our hearts. He draws an analogy between a tree and its fruit, emphasizing that the nature of the tree is revealed by the quality of its fruit. Jesus challenges us to examine the overflow of our hearts, for it is from our hearts that our words and actions emerge. Our speech and action, whether good or evil, serves as a reflection of the true state of our hearts. Similarly, in Galatians 5:16-23, the Apostle Paul addresses the spiritual battle between the flesh and the Spirit. He exhorts believers to walk by the Spirit, allowing His transformative power to guide their lives. Paul contrasts the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit, highlighting the impact of our choices on our spiritual journey. Just as Jesus spoke of the tree and its fruit, Paul reminds us that our works reveal the nature of our spiritual condition. My goal for today is to use Matthew 12:33 – 35 as our jumping off point but spend most of our time in Galatians 5:16- 25 as we flesh out and contrast what a life bearing bad fruit and one that bears good fruit looks like. Matthew 12:33 – 35 Galatians 5:16 - 17 Vs 16: The Apostle Paul encourages believers to " let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. He emphasizes that when we live in alignment with and under the influence of the Spirit, we can resist the temptations of the flesh and sin. To "let the Holy Spirit guide you" entails adjusting our lives to the guidance and influence of the Holy Spirit. It means surrendering our will to His, allowing Him to direct our paths. It's important to grasp that living a Spirit-filled life is beyond our own human capability. By our very nature, we are inclined towards sinful desires—our flesh tends to dominate our actions and decisions. However, through submission to Jesus Christ and dependence on the Holy Spirit, we can experience a transformative change. When we surrender our lives to Christ, the Spirit gains control, enabling us to resist the lure of fleshly desires. In essence, when we are under the influence of the Spirit, we naturally turn away from the flesh. If we allow ourselves to be guided by the Spirit, we will not be drawn towards living lives dominated by sinful desires. It's a call to live in constant dependence on God's Spirit, trusting Him to lead and empower us to walk in righteousness. Vs 17: Within us, there rages a battle between the flesh and the Spirit. These two are inherently incompatible—they cannot peacefully coexist. It is impossible to be both filled with the Spirit and controlled by the flesh simultaneously. Some may dub individuals who claim to be Spirit-filled but whose lives contradict God's will as "carnal Christians." Yet, upon careful examination of Scripture, there is no support for such a classification. The start reality is: we are either driven by the Spirit or enslaved to the desires of the flesh. Yet, in moments of weakness and selfishness, the flesh may momentarily influence over us and it is crucial for believers to yield to the Spirit's indwelling presence. We must daily seek His guidance and empowerment through prayer. When the allure of fleshly desires intensifies, our prayers should only grow more urgent. Though the flesh may persistently assail us, we must not succumb to its control. For it is the Holy Spirit who resides within us, empowering us to resist temptation and live in alignment with God's will. Without the Spirit's intervention, we are powerless to overcome the flesh's grip on our lives. Galatians 5:18 The Works of the Flesh Vs 18: Paul begins by contrasting the Spirit-filled and flesh-controlled life. He says, “But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.” Obligation implies one who is attached to an attendant. Thus, if you are attached to the Spirit then you are not attached to the law. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ then you have been released from the oppression of the law and you are now under grace, faith and love through Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 3:16 – 18 The veil signifies separation between God and humanity. So, when one comes faith in Jesus Christ this veil is removed, and we now have access to the Father at any time. And in this we see that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are one and the same. Where the Spirit is there is freedom – Freedom from the law, guilt, sin, and death. Since we are free in Christ we begin and continue in a process of becoming more like Christ… we are transformed into his image. When we are transformed into his image, we become Spirit-filled (under the influence of the Spirit) and our desire is no longer for the flesh. You will become more like Christ. If you do not have the Spirit, then you will be controlled by the flesh and it will be evident by the bad fruit you produce. Galatians 5:19 - 21 The Fruit of the Flesh Vs 19 - 21: – Those devoid of the Holy Spirit inevitably yield fruit that reflects their allegiance to the flesh. Such individuals often exhibit one, many, or all of the following traits:
Galatians 5:22 - 23 The Fruit of the Spirit Since there is a battle going between the flesh and Spirit it is important for us to know what the Spirit-filled believer’s life is based upon. Vs 22-23. Fruit, in its essence, embodies the manifestation or outcome of something. It serves as tangible evidence or a visible result of a particular influence or source.
These qualities collectively form the fruit of the Spirit, serving as evidence of a life deeply rooted in the transformative influence of God's presence. Conclusion In looking at Matthew 12:33-35 and Galatians 5:16-23, we are confronted with the truth: that our lives are defined by the fruit we bear. Just as Jesus likened the nature of a tree to the quality of its fruit, and Paul delineated between the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit, we are reminded that our words, actions, and attitudes reveal the condition of our hearts. In this we are challenged to consider the source from which our actions originate. The works of the flesh, as outlined in Galatians 5:19-21, are indicative of a life driven by selfish desires and worldly pursuits. In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit, delineated in verses 22-23, reflects the transformative power of God's presence in our lives. Ultimately, our lives bear witness to the influences that define us. Whether we are led by the flesh or guided by the Spirit, our words, actions, and attitudes speak volumes about the condition of our hearts. May we continually surrender to the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to produce fruit in our lives that reflects His presence and guidance. Let us strive to bear fruit that glorifies God and testifies to His transformative work within us.
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As Christians, our faith centers on Jesus Christ, whom we proclaim as our Savior. We value His redemptive work on the cross and the promise of salvation that He extends to all who believe in Him. However, in our focus on Jesus as Savior, we must not overlook another crucial aspect of His identity—His lordship. Beyond being our Savior, Jesus is also our Lord—the master, owner, and possessor of our lives. Today, we embark on a journey to explore the profound implications of Jesus' lordship, particularly as it pertains to the Sabbath, as found in Matthew 12:1-8. Understanding Jesus' Lordship: The term "Lord" echoes deeply throughout both the Old and New Testaments, carrying deep implications of authority, sovereignty, and kingship. Jesus Christ characterizes this lordship in His earthly ministry. Throughout His time on earth, Jesus surpassed human laws and traditions, revealing His divine authority over all aspects of life. Whether in His teachings, miracles, or interactions with others, Jesus displayed a sense of authority that surpassed human comprehension, signifying His sovereignty as Lord. Jesus' lordship extends far beyond mere human ideas or earthly titles. It includes His divine authority over creation, humanity, and the spiritual realm. In His teachings, Jesus challenged normal standards and revealed deep truths about the nature of God's kingdom. In His miracles, He demonstrated His power over sickness, sin, and even death itself. And in His interactions with others, Jesus displayed compassion, wisdom, and humility, representing the perfect example of a servant-king. As we delve into the implications of Jesus' lordship, particularly concerning the Sabbath, we see the transformative power of His authority in our lives. Mark 1:40 - 44 Lord of Cleanliness: Jesus defies the laws of cleanliness by touching and healing a leper. This act demonstrates His lordship over purity and impurity, signifying His compassion for all people, regardless of their societal status or condition. Mark 2:1-12 Lord of Mercy and Forgiveness: Jesus not only heals a paralytic but also forgives his sins—a privilege at this time reserved for God alone. Here, Jesus asserts His lordship over mercy and forgiveness, offering liberation from sin and restoration to wholeness. Mark 2:13-17 Lord of Sinners: In this passage Jesus is dining with sinners, and challenging societal norms. By calling Matthew, a despised tax collector, to follow Him, Jesus asserts His lordship over sinners, extending grace and redemption to those deemed unworthy by society. Mark 2:18-22 Lord of Celebration: Jesus defends His disciples' decision not to fast, emphasizing the joyous nature of His presence. He declares Himself the Lord of celebration, ushering in a new era of rejoicing in the kingdom of God. Matthew 12:1-8 Lord of the Sabbath: This passage recounts a pivotal moment in Jesus' ministry, where He and His disciples encounter opposition from the religious leaders regarding the observance of the Sabbath. As Jesus and His disciples pluck grain on the Sabbath, they draw the anger of the Pharisees, who accuse them of breaking the Sabbath law. In response, Jesus challenges their legalistic interpretation of the Sabbath, emphasizing the principle of mercy and compassion over rigid adherence to religious regulations. He reminds them of David's actions when he and his companions ate the consecrated bread, demonstrating that human need and the principles of mercy take precedence over strict observance of religious rituals. Furthermore, in this passage, Jesus heals a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath, provoking further controversy among the Pharisees. Despite their scrutiny, Jesus boldly proclaims His authority as the Lord of the Sabbath, declaring that the Sabbath was made for humanity's benefit, not as a burdensome legalistic requirement. Through these encounters, Jesus challenges conventional religious practices and reveals the true essence of the Sabbath—a day of rest, renewal, and restoration. Matthew 12:1-12 serves as a profound reminder of Jesus' lordship and His compassionate concern for the well-being of humanity, which surpasses the legalistic interpretations of religious laws. Understanding the Sabbath: I spoke on this last week and want to remind you that the Sabbath, was instituted by God as a day of rest and worship and holds significance in our lives as followers of Jesus Christ. It serves as a weekly reminder of God's provision, His sovereignty, and His call to rest in Him.
So, in this account Jesus defends their actions by declaring Himself the Lord of the Sabbath, revealing His authority over religious rituals and the true essence of Sabbath rest. Implications of Jesus' Lordship: Recognizing Jesus as Lord of all demands a radical reorientation of our lives. It requires us to acknowledge that he is central in every aspect of our being—our identity, actions, and priorities.
As we contemplate the lordship of Jesus Christ and the significance of Sabbath rest, let us respond with wholehearted surrender and obedience. May we embrace Jesus as both Savior and Lord of our lives, allowing His authority to consume every aspect of our being. We can do this by giving up our perception of control and finding rest in His sovereignty, and grace, as we discover true freedom, joy, and fulfillment in Him. We are reminded that Jesus is not merely a Savior who extends forgiveness and salvation but also our Lord who reigns with authority and sovereignty. As we journey through life's complexities and challenges, let us continually acknowledge His lordship in all things. From the mundane tasks of daily life to the decisions that shape our present and futures, may we submit ourselves wholly to His will, recognizing His supreme authority over every aspect of our lives. As we consider the significance of the Sabbath and our observance of it, let us approach this sacred time with reverence and gratitude. In the rhythm of rest and renewal that the Sabbath offers, may we find comfort in the presence of our Lord, experiencing His peace and restoration. Let us use this time not only to recharge our physical bodies but also to rejuvenate our spirits, drawing closer to God and embracing His purposes for our lives. As we close, let us commit ourselves to living in obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ, finding fulfillment and joy in surrendering to His will. May we continually seek His presence, His guidance, and His grace, knowing that in Him, we find the fullness of life. There are twenty-four hours, 1440 minutes, or 86,400 seconds in a day. What we do with this time varies from person to person. Some spend much of their time working, going to school, caring for the children, housework, volunteering or playing golf. For some of us there just doesn’t seem to be enough time in a day to accomplish all that we need to accomplish. Sometimes I get overwhelmed with everything I must do, but to be honest working and staying busy seems to come naturally for me. Author Stephen Covey writes in his book FIRST THINGS FIRST, “People expect us to be busy and over worked. It has become a status symbol in our society – if we’re busy, we’re important; if we are not busy then we are embarrassed to admit it. Busyness is where we get our security. It’s validating, popular and pleasing. It’s also a good excuse for not dealing with the first things in our lives.” Don’t get the wrong idea about all busyness being bad, in fact work is essential and work is good. I thank God for the work I am blessed to do. Because of work I can be one of the providers for my family and I can fulfill my God-given call. Work is a blessing from God. God established work. He ordained it in Eden when he placed the man in the garden to care for, maintain and inhabit it. I believe work was created to be pleasant, joyful, and fulfilling. The problem is when sin entered the picture. Rest on the other hand is another issue altogether. Preaching a message about rest is very difficult for me. Although I am better than I used to be, rest is something that I have a hard time doing. Unfortunately, some of you may be like me and rest does not come very easy… I believe we don’t rest because we do not value it or we tell ourselves rest is a bad thing. Did you know rest is one of the key themes of the Bible? Genesis begins with rest, the Psalmists write about rest, and Jesus talks about entering his rest. Rest, like work, is a gift from God. Genesis 2 Q: Why do we need rest? A: Because God modeled rest for us. Q: What is rest? Is it lying around lazily and doing nothing or is there more to it? Verses 1, 2: On the seventh day God’s work was finished. It was complete. Everything He set out to do was finished and then He rested. There is no implication that God dropped everything and went into cruise mode. The word rested is translated as “ceased” in some versions and the Hebrew word is “shabbat” which is where we get the word Sabbath. It is interesting that the rest God took was not out exhaustion because he was tired, but it was a ceasing or finishing or completing his work of creation. On the seventh day God had Sabbath. This means not simply ceasing work to pick it up again, but being satisfied with what He had done and considered these things complete and 'moving on. So, if God rested, shouldn’t we? God is described as resting on the seventh day, but the narrator clearly implies that humanity, who is made in the divine image, is expected to copy its Creator. Sabbath – We read about the Sabbath throughout the Old and New Testament. Sabbath simply means to stop from ordinary work, from your normal activity. It does not mean to stop all things and lay around (however for some people this may be the case) Exodus 20:8 – 11 gives specifics about the day of Sabbath.
Rest: A Biblical Perspective So, what does rest look like? We need look no further than the Bible. Before we start, I should note there is clearly a distinction between resting and laziness. The author of Proverbs writes negatively about the person who is lazy and does not work. In fact, the Bible never talks positively about laziness. Laziness and rest are clearly two opposing ideas. In the Psalms rest is synonymous to being still or waiting. Psalm 46:10 - This is one of my favorite passages and I think it is one of the best passages defining rest. “Be still and know that I am God.” The words “be still” means to cease or stop… Stop those things causing you burden… things like worry, work, frustration, anxiety, planning etc.… stop and trust God. This could be defined as peace of mind. Rest, have your mind at ease because God is in control. Unfortunately for many of us this is easier said than done. Psalm 37:7 – “Be still before the Lord and wait…” Stop! Wait! Do not fret (worry). In Luke 10:38 – 42 we are introduced to sisters Mary and Martha. These sisters had invited Jesus to their home. When Jesus arrived, Mary sat at his feet and listened to his words. She was literally resting at the feet of God and relaxing in His presence. Martha, her sister, on the other hand was running around the house like a crazy person, making sure the house was clean, cooking the meal, setting the table, acting like some of you when preparing for Thanksgiving. You know the scene everyone is sitting in the living room watching football and the workers are in the kitchen cooking the meal. Eventually Martha had enough. She approaches Jesus and says, “Jesus, can’t you see I am killing myself trying to get things ready and my sister, the bum, is just sitting at your feet doing nothing. Could you please tell her to come help me?” She thought that maybe Jesus could convince her sister to help around the house a bit. Do you know what Jesus’ response was? I can assure you it wasn’t what Martha wanted to hear… Luke 10:41, 42: But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.” He was saying, stop being a busy body Martha, your sister has chosen what is important like spending time with me, and I will not take that blessing away from her. Life is too short to be concerned with the little things of this world. Spend your time on things that really matter.” Now get this, Jesus was not saying Martha was wrong, he was just letting her know at this very moment of time I am (God himself) here with you so rest. We’ll get to the other things (the meal) later, right now… Stop. Wait. Rest in the Lord. Matthew 11:28 – 30: This is one of the best-known passages regarding rest. Jesus tells his listeners that true rest comes from him. If you are weary, tired, stressed, exhausted, and overwhelmed with life, come to Jesus and you will find rest. We are told to put our burdens on him and when we do our souls will find rest. This is a promise for future rest and a promise for rest today. Many are stressed, overworked, burdened and full of work-related anxiety. Your minds are racing, your heart (spiritual and even physical) is heavy and unhealthy, and you have a hard time ceasing from work activity. You may be thinking right now, “I wish he would hurry up and conclude because I have a ton of things I have to do today.” My response is…Stop. Wait. Rest in Lord. Sabbath Today We are no longer living under OT rule and law. Jesus fulfilled the law. So, what does Sabbath look like for us today? I believe first and foremost we should continue to take a day of rest from our usual work and activity; and it should involve worship. Gathering today to worship is participation in Sabbath. The point of the Sabbath is to “stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another” Resting in the presence of the Lord through worship, fellowship, prayer, and communion is how Sabbath should look. The irony is that we don’t stop working on the Sabbath… Things still need to be done (at home and in the church). Teaching, opening and closing buildings, meals need to be cooked, dishes washed, lawns mowed… These shouldn’t be burdens and I get that sometimes they do become burdensome and when they do, we are to cast these burdens on God and he will give the strength, joy, and rest you need to complete the task for his glory. I conclude with this marvelous quote from author and Pastor Tim Keller who sums up what Sabbath means to us today, “Only Jesus offers you a 'finished work' to rest in. In fact, the very definition of a Christian is not just someone who admires Jesus, emulates Jesus, or obeys Jesus. A Christian is someone who "rests in his finished work" instead of your own. Remember, God was only able to rest in Gen 2:1-3 because his work was finished. A Christian is someone who knows that it would be quite all right if he or she died tonight. You've already finished your work--everything that must happen within your lifetime has happened. The rest is gravy, icing. Gravy and icing are quite tasty, of course--but not necessary.” Because of Jesus our work is finished. Yes, we labor and toil day after day, but our final rest is found in Jesus, and I can rest in that. Easter is considered the greatest of all Sundays on the Christian calendar. It is one of two Sundays where churches across the globe go the extra mile to prepare for scores of guests and members to come dressed in their Sunday best to celebrate the life and resurrection of our Savior. For some, it’s the first time they set foot in a church building in over a year. For most of us it is a special day where we put our focus and worship primarily on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Author and theologian N.T. Wright writes, “At the heart of the Christian faith lies the question of Jesus’ resurrection. Why did Christianity arise and why did it take the shape it did? The early Christians reply: we exist because of Jesus’ resurrection.” To this we respond, “AMEN!” He continues, “There is no form of early Christianity known to us- though there are some that have been invented by ingenious scholars- that does not affirm at its heart that after Jesus’ shameful death God raised him to life again.” [1] Again, we respond with, “AMEN!” However, these “ingenious scholars” have proposed that Jesus and those crucified with him did not die. Yet, it is well-known that Romans had mastered the art of killing people and to say that they messed this one up would be a travesty and embarrassment to them. Others claim that he may have died but certainly he did not raise from the dead, thus leaving a vacant tomb behind. 1 Corinthians 15: 1 -9, 12 – 20 This passage tells us specifically that Jesus rose from the dead, was seen by many, and if the resurrection never did happen then the apostles were liars, we would have not hope, and our faith would be useless. But, as followers of Jesus Christ we believe, in faith, that Jesus died on the cross of Calvary, he rose from the dead on the third day, and ascended to the right hand of the Father. This is the hope for every believer, because if Jesus rose from the dead, then we will be raised one day as well. This brings us to today’s passage and that I will speak about for the remainder of our time together. Matthew 27:62-28:15 He Isn’t Here, He is Risen from the Dead Today, I want to look at someone who is often overlooked and misunderstood in the resurrection story, Mary Magdalene. We read that on the first day of the week both Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Mary Magdalene and a few women went to the tomb of Jesus. In the Matthean account we are told that there was a great earthquake that rolled the stone away from the tomb’s opening. Sitting on top of the stone was an angel whose face shown like lightning and clothes as white as snow and tells the women that Jesus is not in the tomb, he is alive! Both Mary’s went in and saw that Jesus was indeed not in the tomb. The next command is important to note as the angel says, “go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.” The good news that Jesus was alive was given to both Mary’s and they were called to deliver this news to the disciples. Mary Magdalene Let’s pause for a moment and talk about Mary Magdalene. We know a bit about Mary, the mother of Jesus, but we do not know much about Mary Magdalene the follower of Jesus. Some have, and I believe mistakenly, associated her with the sinful woman of Luke 7 and is believed by many to have been a reformed and redeemed prostitute. As I stated a moment ago, I believe this to be false. In fact, it is believed that she is a woman of significance since she is mentioned in all four Gospels as a follower of Jesus Christ, present at the crucifixion of Jesus, and observed the empty tomb. Before she met Jesus we are told, she was possessed by seven demons (Luke 8). Thus, some have taken the fact she was possessed and ultimately labeled her as the sinful woman who anointed Jesus’s feet in Luke 7. Some believe she is the sinful woman because there is a similar anointing of Jesus account In John 12 when Mary, the sister of Martha, anoints Jesus’ head thus people over time figured the Mary of John 12 and the immoral woman of Luke 7 was the same person, Mary Magdalene. There is no clear evidence that it was Mary Magdelene and, we do not see that a demon possessed person is necessarily considered an immoral sinner. In fact, it could mean just the opposite. According to Wheaton professor Amy Peeler, “The extant of Mary Magdalene’s healing sets her apart. In his teaching elsewhere, Jesus describes a person with seven-spirits to exemplify a desperate situation. A number of completion, seven indicates that the demons had invaded Mary’s whole life. If the encampment of one spirit brings terror, seven would be nearly unimaginable. Mary stands, then, as an example of one to whom much has been given in her healing. Consequently, of her much is required.” What many fail to see is that even though she is not mentioned in many of the texts of the Gospel, but when she is, it is always associated with a place of prominence as an eyewitness, as one who cared for Jesus (Matt 27:55), and as a beneficiary of grace (being healed from possession). In the person of Mary Magdalene, we see the redemptive power of God at work. She is a woman delivered from seven demons and thus God uses her to testify of God’s sustaining power to minister to Jesus through key moments of his life. She also is faithful in fulfilling the commission of Jesus by proclaiming the good news to the disciples and to all people. Lastly, New Testament scholar Elizabeth Schrader Polczer has raised the question of Mary Magdalene’s name. She believes her name “Magdalene” should be associated more with her character than where she is from? It is most likely true that Mary hails from Magdala an ancient city on the shores of Galilee, but more importantly the word Magdala means “tower” and it has been discussed that Mary could be represented as a tower of faith, pointing people to the one who delivered her and gave her a mission. The Witnesses Now as we unpause, we see that once the women were commissioned to go and tell the others what was going on they were both scared and excited about what they just witnessed, and they went to find the disciples to tell them what they had seen and heard. As they went, they encountered Jesus Christ and they worshiped him. He tells them to go and tell the others to go to Galilee and wait for him there. Luke 24:6 – 11 We read in this account that after the women told the disciples they thought their story sounded like nonsense and did not believe the testimony of the women. Even these people who had followed Jesus for 3 plus years did not understand and found it hard to believe the Jesus was alive. Eventually they go to the tomb and see for themselves and most believe. They witnessed an empty tomb. Witnesses are people who have seen something so they can tell about it. The women, the disciples and all who followed Jesus saw Him with their own eyes so they could give testimony of what they saw and what they heard. Now, I realize Easter is about Jesus and his resurrection and I have spent some time talking about Mary Magdalene, but all of this can be tied together. Mary was a faithful follower of Jesus Christ. She was a redeemed sinner whom the Spirit of God empowered and commissioned to tell the good news of the Savior who was murdered on the cross of Calvary was now alive as he has been resurrected from the dead. On this first Easter morning God called culturally unacceptable witnesses to proclaim a message that would forever change the world. Conclusion As we reflect on the powerful message of Easter and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, we are reminded of the profound impact of faith and the transformative power of redemption. Mary Magdalene, often overlooked in the resurrection narrative, emerges as a central figure embodying the essence of Easter hope. Her journey from darkness to light, from possession to liberation, serves as a testament to the redemptive work of God in our lives. Mary Magdalene's encounter with the risen Christ not only transformed her own existence but also empowered her as a faithful witness, entrusted with the sacred task of proclaiming the resurrection to the disciples and to the world. As we celebrate Easter, we are called to emulate Mary Magdalene's unwavering faith and commitment to sharing the good news of Christ's victory over death. Like her, we are commissioned as witnesses to the miraculous truth of the resurrection, called to testify to the transformative power of God's love in our lives and in the world around us. May we, like Mary Magdalene, embrace our calling with courage and conviction, boldly proclaiming that Jesus Christ is risen indeed! And may the message of Easter continue to inspire and uplift us, guiding us in our journey of faith and leading us ever closer to the glorious promise of eternal life in Christ. Amen. [1] N.T. Wright, The Challenge of Easter, (Downers Grove, IL, IVP Books, 2009), 7 Introduction: Today is Palm Sunday, and thus begins “Holy Week.” Today, we will look at Jesus’ triumphal entry, more commonly known as Palm Sunday, found in the Gospel of Matthew, and at Jesus’ unusual encounter with a fig tree. The triumphal entry is one of a few occurrences recorded in all four Gospels. While all four are similar in subject, there are some differences in how the accounts are re-told. I would encourage you to read them all this week and see how they differ. Matthew 21:1 - 3 Jesus was preparing for his royal entry, and this first Palm Sunday was the first time he publicly accepted praise and worship as the Messiah. Jesus and his Disciples went to Bethphage, approximately 2 miles east of Jerusalem, to the Mount of Olives. A great crowd of people followed him and listened to his teachings. The crowd most likely consisted of people who pilgrimaged to Jerusalem for Passover. This pilgrimage was an annual event and the most important feast day. Historian Josephus wrote that there was one Passover where over two million people came to Jerusalem. We are unsure if that was normal, but this holy day had the potential for a large gathering of people in Jerusalem. As Jesus and his disciples drew near the Mount of Olives, he sent two disciples to the town to borrow a donkey colt. According to the Gospels of Mark and Luke, the donkey should have never been ridden, so it was pure and undefiled. Matthew and John tell us this occurred to fulfill the words penned by the prophet Zechariah. Zechariah 9:9 - 10 This verse is a prophecy about the coming King of Zion or, more specifically, the coming Messiah. In this prophecy, the people of Israel were told to rejoice and shout because the King was coming soon. They are to rejoice because He is a righteous King and will bring redemption and salvation. He will be a gentle, humble, and victorious king, and this will be evident by his riding on a colt’s donkey. Jesus tells the disciples that when the owners ask what they are doing, tell him, “The Lord needs it.” They do as he says. Matthew 21:9 Jesus rides into Jerusalem, and the people begin shouting and rejoicing, saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” Hosanna – Greek transliteration is “Save us!” It’s an exclamation of exaltation and praise, implying rulership and a king. Again, this is the first time Jesus receives praise from the people. But let’s go a few verses down and observe an unusual moment between Jesus and a fig tree and its significance. Matthew 21:18 - 20 Jesus seems to be doing something that looks a little out of his character. The one who has taught about loving God, loving others, mercy, forgiveness, and compassion is seen here cursing a fig tree that is not producing figs when, in fact, it wasn’t even fig season. Now, before we go and claim Jesus is a big bully to this poor tree, we need to look at the context and symbolism of what is happening. The first thing we should note is this fig tree did not bear any fruit, but it did have leaves. Figs are a fall fruit, and this account happens in the springtime; however, it is not entirely uncommon for a fig tree to sprout a fruit that is unripe yet edible during the springtime. Fig trees typically bear the fruit first, and then the leaves follow. So, this tree gave a false impression that even though there was unripened fruit, the tree was still barren. The fig tree, typically when referred to by the prophets of the O.T., is often symbolic of the nation of Israel or the Temple. Jesus cursed the tree because it appeared healthy and free and produced edible fruit, but the tree only had leaves. This is where Israel and the Temple come into play. Jesus is making a statement or prophecy of the impending destruction of the Temple, which occurred in 70 A.D. The Temple had become the national symbol of the nation of Israel. The Temple had become its political, economic, and religious epicenter. This Temple had become Israel’s identity. Recall that the original command from God was for Israel to be God’s representative to the nations, and the Temple, which was in Jerusalem, was intended to be a place of sacrifice and prayer for all nations. It was to be a place to bring people together. Through the Temple, the Israelites would bear the fruit of bringing the nations together with God. Instead, it became a place that symbolized God’s exclusion from the rest of the world. There were warnings against Gentiles coming into the inner temple courts. They were only permitted to congregate in the outer courts. The Israelites were using God (in a sense) to proclaim they were better than everyone else since they were God’s chosen people and, in turn, gave the appearance that the God of Israel was exclusive only to the Jews. Ultimately, the Temple had become a barren and unfruitful object. Professor Dr. David Garland writes, “Time can run out for fruitless trees and prayerless temples.” So, as we can see, the root of the problem was not the poor tree that Jesus cursed. It is the judgment that Israel will face because of misrepresenting God. Thus, Jesus’ words, “May you never bear fruit again,” have a new meaning. It is commonly believed that Jesus proclaimed the Temple was no longer a necessary means to meet with God. The time of the Temple was over. So, as we can see in these two events, Jesus accepts praise as the Messiah, thus showing that he has authority, and the fig tree is a stern warning of the things that are about to come. The Temple had become a national symbol that symbolized Israel’s separation from the nations instead of bringing them together. The coming judgment was necessary because if He was the God to all people and this place was initially intended to be a house of prayer for all nations, then the walls would come crashing down. What the Fig Tree Can Teach Us I can’t help as I read this account and ask the question, “Has the Church become like the Israelites and our buildings like the Temple? Have our worship centers become places where we worship and hide ourselves from outsiders? Has the “Church structure” become one that does not leave its doors open for everyone? Have Christians become like the Jews and think we are the chosen people and God has no room for outsiders in our midst? These are questions I ask regularly. I get so angry when I find that so many in the body of Christ are quick not to welcome the outsider. We tend to view individuals who may not have their lives all together, and we may look down on them and refuse to accept them in our midst because they are different. We won’t welcome them until they conform to our ways. Or maybe, Lord forbid, some of us have written individuals off as too far gone and unable to be rescued, saved, or worthy of investing our time. I pray that this church here in Bradenton will never become like this. May we never become a fruitless tree? May we never give the impression that we have Christ our Lord, Savior, and King in our midst, but we have nothing. I pray we will never close the door to those seeking Christ, no matter how different they may seem to us. May we be a fruit-bearing tree? A healthy tree that blossoms into the tree that produces the fruit of life in Christ. May we be a tree that nourishes the hungry, a hospital to the sick, and one who introduces the lonely, downtrodden, addicted, and self-absorbed lover of sin to God's extraordinary grace, mercy, and forgiveness through Jesus Christ, Our Lord, and Savior? May this building, this shell of wood and concrete, be a symbol to our community and neighborhood that God is with us, and may it never become a symbol or barrier between the saved and the sinner. May we be a fruitful fig tree not for our glory but for God’s glory! May we be a house of prayer entirely and utterly dependent on the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit! Conclusion As we reflect on the events of Palm Sunday and Jesus' encounter with the fig tree, we are confronted with profound truths about our faith and our role as followers of Christ. Just as Jesus accepted praise as the Messiah amidst the shouts of "Hosanna," we are called to acknowledge His authority in our lives and to welcome Him as the true King. Yet, we must also heed the warning presented by the fig tree, recognizing the danger of appearing fruitful while lacking actual spiritual substance. Unlike the Temple of old, let us guard against becoming exclusive and inward-focused, instead embracing the call to be a community that welcomes all who seek Christ, regardless of their background or circumstance. Let us strive to be like the fruitful fig tree, bearing the life-giving fruit of God's love, grace, and mercy for all to see. May our lives and church be a testament to Christ's inclusive and transformative power, drawing others into His abundant grace. Today, we embark on a journey into the heart of discipleship, exploring the potential excuses that could have deterred the disciples of Jesus from answering His call. Despite the difficult obstacles they faced, we will witness their unwavering commitment and remarkable transformation as they embraced the higher calling set before them. As your pastor, I am honored to guide us through this exploration as we delve deep into what discipleship truly entails and offer insights into how we can respond to Jesus' call in our own lives. Let us open our hearts and minds to the deep truths awaiting us in our passage, and may our time together inspire us to walk more closely in the footsteps of our Lord and Savior. My goal for today is twofold. First, it is to help you better understand the scripture text we are using so that you understand you are all called to discipleship. Second, it is to assist you in discovering how this passage in Matthew 10 gives a practical look at what discipleship looks like for you today. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can leave this place knowing, understanding, and owning our call to be disciples of Jesus Christ. Not too long before this passage, Jesus finished preaching his Sermon on the Mount, and then He went out and ministered to the people. He ministers by serving people, he cleanses a leper, heals a paralytic, restores sight to a blind man, heals a woman with a bleeding disorder, heals Peter’s mother-in-law, calms the storm, casts out demons and evil spirits, and brings a young girl back to life. He spent much of his time teaching, healing, and ministering to those around him. It is during this time Jesus models discipleship to His followers. Chapter 9 concludes with Jesus’ famous call to discipleship where he says, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” He is saying, there is plenty to do and there are not enough workers to accomplish the task, so pray the Lord would send you to the harvest. In chapter 10 Jesus calls his disciples and gives them authority to go out to the lost sheep of Israel and proclaim the Kingdom of God is at hand. As they go out and proclaim the Kingdom, they are also called to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, and cast out demons. Jesus commissions them to go out and do what He did. Jesus does what all good leaders do…He models discipleship and then commissions them to go and do as he does. This model is called “The Law of Replication”. One of the more frequent questions I am asked in either becoming or developing disciples is, “What are some good programs or models for discipleship?” I could easily point them to the thousands of resources online, in churches, and in bookstores, but instead, I point them to Jesus and His Word. Jesus showed us how to be disciples, and I firmly believe that discipleship is caught and not taught. This means the best way to learn how to be a disciple is to be around other disciples following their calling as disciples of Jesus. Matthew 10:16 – 25 Proclaiming the kingdom, healing, and casting out demons sounds big. This commissioning would undoubtedly bring much attention to the cause of Jesus Christ and His disciples, right? Why wouldn’t people come in droves to see this new phenomenon? But Jesus sets the record straight by saying this will not be easy; He says, “I am sending you out as sheep among wolves! You are going to face opposition, you are going to face intense persecution, and in fact, those who you love and trust are going to oppose you because of the truth you represent. And people won’t hate and persecute you because they don’t like you; they will do this because they hate me.” He then gives the disciples permission to leave and go to the next town. Jesus informs the disciples that this persecution is inevitable because a student is not above his teacher… Basically, He is saying, “If I am persecuted for what I say and do, then so will you.” Matthew 10:26 – 33 Now that Jesus spends much time telling his disciples about the cost of discipleship, he encourages them not to fear the opposition because they oppose the truth. He implores them not to fear those who can kill the body and cannot kill the soul, but to instead fear him who can destroy both body and soul… or more practically, for us today, this can mean do not fear those who try to control and intimidate, but fear God, because His kingdom, His righteousness, and His truth is what matters most. This fear is considered a reverential awe. This means that we know our place before a holy God. This kind of fear we should have for God reminds me of a conversation in the book THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA by C.S. Lewis, young Susan talks to Mr. Beaver and says, “Aslan is a lion- the Lion, the great Lion." "Ooh" said Susan. "I'd thought he was a man. Is he-quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion"..."Safe?" said Mr. Beaver ..."Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you.” This is a perfect picture of God. He holds the power of death and life, so this does not make him safe, but He is also a loving God who cares deeply for His people. God cares about the sparrows, so He certainly cares about you. So, don’t worry and don’t fear.” Now, Jesus charges the disciples to be bold about their faith. He mentions that there will be opposition, persecution, betrayal, and intimidation. You may lose what is important and precious in your life for my sake. But don’t let that stop you… Be bold because if you acknowledge Jesus before men, then He will acknowledge you as one of His own. But if you deny Him before men, then He will deny you before the Father. We have glanced at this passage, and in doing so, I hope I accomplished my first goal of helping you understand the scripture passage and that you all know that you are all called disciples of Jesus Christ. Discipleship is not reserved for the ultra-spiritual; it is a call for everyone. Now for my second goal: to help you discover what discipleship looks like for you today. I would like to bring to your attention in your bulletin the… Five Truths to Living as a Disciple of Christ
Conclusion In closing, beloved, I urge you to immerse yourselves in the enriching journey of discipleship. As we navigate the complexities and challenges of discipleship, remember that while the path may not always be easy or safe, it is undeniably good. Our lives as disciples are not centered on our own desires or expectations but on the transformative power of Jesus Christ and the profound truth of His death, resurrection, and the coming of His Kingdom. Let us embrace the call of discipleship with courage, knowing that in following Christ, we embark on a journey of immeasurable significance and eternal worth. Is Jesus merely a healer, or is he in the healing business? The Bible is replete with instances of Jesus healing the sick, the handicapped, and even raising the dead. In fact, all four gospels record a staggering 37 miracles of Jesus. This unequivocally establishes that Jesus is indeed in the healing business. But the question that lingers is, does Jesus continue to heal today? The answer, in short, is yes. But the intricacies of how he heals, the types of healing he performs, the recipients of his healing, and the reasons behind his choices are subjects of ongoing debate. If I were a prosperity Gospel pastor and faith healer, I might assert that God heals all those who possess enough faith. However, the reality is not so straightforward. The truth is, God does heal, but the specifics of who, how, and why He heals remain a mystery we cannot definitively answer. Today, we delve into the healing narratives of Matthew chapter 9, witnessing Jesus's many miraculous healing and we will conclude with the healing of a blind man at the Pool of Bethsada in John 5. Matthew 9:1 - 34 In the preceding chapter, Jesus demonstrated his authority over nature and creation by calming a storm. He further showcased his power by exorcising a demon, asserting his authority over the spiritual realm. Now, in chapter 9, Jesus performs a healing that is particularly poignant. A group of friends, filled with faith, bring a paralyzed man to Jesus. Jesus, moved by their faith, heals the man. This instance is a powerful testament to the role of faith in healing, as it was the faith of the friends that led to the paralytic's healing. Michael Wilkins writes in his commentary on Matthew, “While individual sin is usually not the direct cause of a person’s sickness, at the heart of humanity’s problem is sin. Once sin is forgiven and redemption has occurred, all sickness and death will ultimately be abolished.”[1] This was cause for rejoicing for the paralytic man, but not everyone was overjoyed by Jesus’ authority and statement. The religious leaders thought Jesus was blaspheming because only God can forgive sins. On a human level, forgiveness is always possible, but only God has the authority to forgive sins. In this instance, the scribes see Jesus as claiming to speak from God in this authoritative manner. Jesus knows their hearts, and he questions why they have these thoughts of blasphemy, and then he has the ultimate mic drop moment. He says, “Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts? 5 Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’? 6 So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!” Jesus’ authority is proven as the man immediately jumped up, picked up his mat, and went home. The response was a reverential awe that fell over the crowd as they witnessed this healing and praised God for this beautiful work. In the verses to follow, we witness Matthew, the author, being called as a disciple. In response to Jesus’ critics, it is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. Jesus raised a young girl from the dead, healed two blind men, and cured a man of demon possession. The Pool One of my favorite healing accounts in the N.T. is found in John 5:5 – 12. Vs 5: The story focuses on one man who had been handicapped for 38 years. We do not know what his infirmity was, many speculate he was paralyzed. It is possible that for 38 years this man could have been coming to this pool with the hope that one day he would be the first one in the pool and be healed. Yet, for 38 years he has left the location disappointed because he had not been the one. Vs 6: Enter Jesus. Jesus knew this man had been there for a long time and for an unknown reason, out of the multitudes of handicapped people Jesus picks this man. A deeper reading could suggest this, like the meeting of the Samaritan woman at the well, was a divine encounter, with the ultimate purpose of glorifying God. Jesus approaches the man and asks, “Would you like to get well?” One version reads, “Do you want to be healed?” This seems like a silly question to ask a person who has been handicapped for his entire life; but we see Jesus is a gentleman. He doesn’t just go up and force himself on the man and heal him; he asks him directly if he wants to be made well. A question he still asks us today. Vs 7: The man had no idea who was speaking to him. He had no idea that Jesus was God in the flesh, and he was offering to heal him. In his response you can hear his hopelessness, “I want to be healed but every time I try to be the first in the water someone else gets there before me.” He sounds like a defeated man who had given up hope. Here is a man who for 38 years was putting his trust in a legend, myth or tale and for 38 years left disappointed. The legends, myths and traditions had failed him. But when Jesus asked him if he wanted to be healed, he was hoping Jesus would assist him to get to the water. He believed there was no hope for getting to the water… Yet he still determined to try all the time. He was hopeless but determined. All the while he was unaware that the great healer was standing before him, engaging him in conversation and offering to make him well. In this short encounter I am reminded of people who are pessimistic life, much like this man. These are people who are hopeless, giving up and seeing no turning around of their situations. Some are this way for good a reason and some are not. I have a friend who is the ultimate pessimist… He is never happy, never satisfied, and is always looking at the negative side of life. People like this remind me of Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh… His attitude is this "After all, what are birthdays? Here today and gone tomorrow." They have no cause for celebration, see no purpose in rejoicing and forget about seeing the bright side of life. There are many Christians who are like this as well they are always negative; nothing ever works out for them. Their motto could be, “I can never get a break.” Or “Why bother (Fill in the blank), I’ll just fail anyway.” These are hopeless individuals who focus so much on the hopeless situation(s) that they forget they serve a God who is willing and able to bring hope and healing to any situation they may face. There is so much focus on the negative that they lose sight of the solution… God. Vs 8 & 9: In one fell swoop this hopeless man is given hope! Jesus speaks (even his words are powerful) and the man is healed instantly. In this passage we witness a miracle of God and in this instance a man who was handicapped for 38 years is now made well! Now the pessimists would respond, “Why did God wait 38 years to heal this man? It’s not fair he had to be invalid for this long.” Or “Why did God choose to heal that person and did not choose me?” But the hope filled believer in Jesus Christ rejoices because God healed someone, and we should praise him for his faithfulness and healing. My friends there is hope in Jesus! Vs 9b: Now, there is another supposed problem as this was the Sabbath. This is significant. The Jews kept a strict Sabbath. Nowhere in the OT does it prohibit one from carrying a mattress on the Sabbath (maybe the closest they could come was not to carry a burden on the Sabbath). However, the Jews had developed traditions throughout history regarding the Sabbath. There were 39 classes of work that were prohibited on this day one included carrying something from one place to another. This was an added law (tradition) to God’s command. There was an exception for carrying something on the Sabbath if it was an act of compassion. Vs 10 - 12: The Jewish authorities see this man carrying his mattress on the Sabbath and confront him. The man responds by enthusiastically saying a someone healed him of his infirmities of 38 years and told him to get up, take his mat and walk. And we read “they responded by rejoicing and praising God for the wonderful miracle that He performed!” Well, maybe not. They wanted to know who told him it was ok to break their traditions. They didn’t care that the man was healed, they didn’t care that God did a miraculous deed. Their only concern was someone dared to break the Sabbath by healing someone and then telling the healed person to go and continue to break the Sabbath by carrying his mat. With this encounter I am reminded of a second group of people who are the law makers and enforcers. These are people so consumed with enforcing and keeping the rules and following traditions that they completely miss God at work. These individuals are quick to dismiss what God does because either it was done in an unorthodox way or because it breaks certain traditions. We need to be careful to not place such a high value on human traditions that we refuse to see God at work. This happens so often in Christianity today. We have so many human traditions (which are not all bad) but we sometimes place more value on our traditions than we do on God. Just because something is done in an unconventional way or goes against human tradition does not mean that God is not in it (just as it also doesn’t guarantee that He is… we must be diligent in discernment). But may we not be so focused on human traditions that we miss a movement of God. Vs 13: The man didn’t know who had healed him because Jesus had slipped away into the crowd. Vs 14 & 15: Later on, Jesus seeks out the man in the temple and says, “See you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” You see when Jesus heals, he not only physically heals but he also deals with the sin issue in one's life as well. Whenever Jesus encounters a sinner, he always deals with the sin issue. The man is now physically made well… He is healed from his infirmity. Now Jesus tells him to stop sinning. This could imply that his infirmity is related to his sin but is not definite and certainly does not mean that all infirmity is related to sin in one's life. He tells the man to stop sinning which could mean pursue holiness or pursue God so that when the Day of Judgment comes nothing worse will happen. After this last encounter the man goes to the Jews (probably thinking it was the right thing to do) and tells them that it is Jesus who healed him. Application/Conclusion The healing of the lame man at the pool is very similar to Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well. In both instances Jesus gives hope to individuals and also deals with sin. In this instance I have two observations to take home with us that we can use in our everyday relationship with Jesus Christ.
[1] Wilkins, Michael J.. The NIV Application Commentary: Matthew (p. 355). Zondervan Academic. Kindle Edition. Introduction This Fall marks my 30th year in Pastoral ministry. It’s hard to imagine that for thirty years I have dedicated my life to teaching and leading God’s people in His ways and in His Word. In those years I have had some great experiences and I have had some horrible ones. I have witnessed the greatest qualities of Christians and I have seen the worst. I have been hugged by many and yelled at by some and a few were the same people. I have been to countless conferences, read innumerable theological books, leadership books, books on how to have a successful ministry, books about the ins and outs of church growth, and books on the importance of discipleship. I have had success and I have faced failure. All this to say is, in thirty years I have learned a lot. But as I sat down to prepare this message I thought back on all the years of ministry and experiences, and I came to a somewhat cynical conclusion about church and pastoral ministry. As church leaders we are great at building buildings. We love to design programs and come up with clever sermon titles. We have mastered the art of staffing churches. We are great at putting on events and coming up with gimmicks. We are visionaries as we rally people around new initiatives and strategies. And if God blesses our churches with growth, we become increasingly skillful in a multitude of other things from branding to facility management. But my cynicism comes when I get down to brass tacks and contemplate and ask the most important questions, “Are we making disciples of Christ?” And “do we really know and understand what discipleship looks like?” I hope to shed some light on these questions today. Discipleship Matthew 8:18 – 22 Jesus gets away from the crowd to be with his disciples and this directly contrasts Jesus’ normal routine of ministry. Ironically, the crowd that Jesus is getting away from are the reason for Jesus’ ministry of proclaiming the good news, healing, and inviting them into the kingdom of God to become his disciples. Before he was able to cross over, he was approached by a religious teacher of the law and proclaimed, “I will follow you wherever you go.” In this encounter the teacher of the religious law desired a discipleship relationship with Jesus. However, his idea of discipleship and Jesus’ form of discipleship were not the same. The leader was seeking prestige and honor. According to commentator and theologian Michael J. Wilkins, “This man has in mind the kind of master-disciple relationship in which a potential disciple examines various masters and then enlists himself with the most popular or the best-equipped one.” Jesus’ discipleship does not look like this. Jesus’ discipleship does not include schooling or training in the synagogue. His discipleship is relational, humble and comes with a cost. A disciple of Jesus will not result in prestige and comfort, instead it will be one of loss and abandonment. Church leaders today easily fall into the trap of gauging success in the church by the ABCs of growth: Attendance, Buildings, and Cash and not the in discipleship. What pastors shifted the focus from running out and grabbing as many people from outside of the community with gimmicks and programs to attract people to the church and Jesus and instead, spend more time discipling the people whom God has already entrusted to them? What if we decided to invest in those already attending week after week? This is what we call discipleship. The word Disciple simply means “learner or student.” Some would define a disciples much like this religious leader, as someone who follows a leader. But a disciple of Christ is not just a follower. A disciple of Christ not only follows Jesus but…
The distinguishing mark of a Christian disciple is a transformed heart and transformed life. When someone becomes a disciple, Christ radically changes the person’s life. A Disciple is… Led in a Direction – In regard to being led, a disciple is led by someone and follows someone, often in a new direction. It is a choice that is made. It is a response to a call. Disciples are followers; however, they must make the decision to take the hand of the guide and go where they are led. It is not merely following blindly, it involves following one who knows where they are going, how to get there, and one who they will model their lives after. We see this in the calling of the disciples of Jesus. They responded to Jesus’ call and made the choice to follow Him to places they never would have gone and to model their lives after. Every disciple of Jesus is walking somewhere and following someone. So, who are you following? Where are you headed? Trained in Truth – If you are a disciple of Jesus Christ, you must be guided in His ways. Being trained in truth is not about gaining head knowledge and it is not about picking and choosing what to believe. When you agree to be a disciple you are seeking to allow God’s truth to work through your life all your life. Life is not a classroom, so the process of discipleship is intended to train and guide you through everyday circumstances, which ultimately leads to… Formed in Character – Disciples of Jesus are people who no longer want to simply be all they can be on their own. Instead, they want to be like Jesus. It is about transformation. You have joyfully surrendered your life, demolished borders, and are happy to have a life that is shaped to look like Jesus. Discipleship is not about behavior modification. If a church. Pastor, or Christian views discipleship as merely tweaking behavior, then their work is contrary to the content of the gospel and the way of Jesus. Go after hearts. God does not desire to tweak our behavior. He desires to transform our lives. Jesus modeled discipleship and trained his disciples to go out and make disciples. Jesus gradually released his disciples into ministry through a four-step process that looked like this
The Cost of Discipleship Discipleship has an end goal: to be conformed into the image of Christ — to talk the way he talked, walk the way he walked, and respond the way he responded. As a disciple-maker, all you’re doing is pointing at the One you’re following and saying to those around you, “Come with me; I’m following him.” However, discipleship comes with a cost.
Conclusion Discipleship begins with a relationship with Jesus Christ. It is imperative that we have a relationship with the Savior before we can fully follow him in the direction that He calls us. Disciples of Christ allow Jesus to be the center of all they are and do and this affects every aspect of their life. More specifically this centrality affects the way we view ourselves and how we treat others. As a disciple you are part of God’s mission and you are called to participate in God’s mission which is “Disciples making disciples”. HOW?
There are rules everywhere we go. We have rules at home, rules at work, rules at school, rules at church, and rules concerning laws of the land. In fact I had to follow the rules of driving to get to the church safely and without getting a traffic violation. Rules are important for our safety and well-being. I found a list of rules called "Golden Rules for Living." I don't know who wrote them, but they are true and helpful. • If you open it -- close it • If you turn it on -- turn it off. • If you unlock it -- lock it. • If you move it -- put it back. • If it belongs to someone else -- get permission to use it • If you borrow it -- return it. • If you don't know how to operate it -- leave it alone. • If you use it -- take care of it. • If you mess it up -- clean it up. These are good rules. They are standard rule and if we followed these rules, we will do well in life. The Bible has many rules. Sometimes we call them rules and other times we call them commandments or laws. Can you guess how many rules are in the Old Testament? There are 613 Rules, laws, or commandments in the O.T alone! God gave and established rules to the Israelites a long time ago. Many of these rules were simple and easy to abide by and some were not. If you lived in ancient Israel, you would have to be careful to keep all the rules of God, because there were often consequences for disobedience. Let’s put this into modern dialect…For me, ham, bacon, and shrimp are awesome! I could these every day of the week. But Old Testament forbade consumption of ham, bacon, or shrimp because they were considered unclean, and the laws stated that these foods should not be consumed. That would be a hard rule for me to keep. Maybe you don’t care pork and shrimp, but did you know the OT law prohibited people from eating a cheeseburger? That would be even worse. There is another rule that states if you do not listen to your parents, terrible things will happen to you. Parents may respond with “Amen.” But think about when you were a child. How many of you were ALWAYS obedient? There is another rule that says anyone working on a Sunday would be in BIG trouble… I would be in trouble because I am working right now. So, these rules were established by God for the people of God, and it was believed by ancient Jews that if you kept these rules, then it would show everyone that you were obedient and loved God. Now, before we get too far along about rules, I need to clarify that even though the Bible is full of rules, laws and commandments, it is not distinctly a rule book, a handbook for how to follow rules, or a list of rules to keep so you can go to heaven. No, the Bible is more than that, it is the story of God, who he is, and his work among his people. The rules he gave were for the benefit of his children and ultimately for his glory. Let’s fast forward a couple thousand years to the time of Jesus. He knew the importance of rules. He established and promoted rules. In fact, at one point, he was asked by religious leaders what is the greatest rule of all rules. To which he responded, “Love God with everything you have” and “Love others as yourself.” Today, we are going to look briefly at one of the greatest rules of all rules in the Bible. It is great because it is the essence and fulfillment are all rules put into one. Matthew 7:12 Golden Rule For the past few weeks we have touched on a few primary points of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount such as loving God and your enemies, prayer, and worry. Matthew 7 is the concluding and pinnacle teaching of his sermon, and it is summed up in this one verse that is commonly called “The Golden Rule.” This is not the title Jesus gave this rule, it is simply called this because it is a simple and widely applicable idea. The Golden Rule has a diverse history. It is so diverse that it is not exclusively a Christian rule. There are versions of the rule in Zoroastrianism, Confucianism, Buddhism, ancient Indian literature, Greek literature from the time of Herodotus, and Jewish sources. It is also believed that second century Roman Emperor Alexander Severus had a gold placard with What you do not wish to be done to yourself, do not do to others written on it. The Golden Rule summarizes what God desires for His people. Following the Golden Rule Jesus will challenge those listening to him to decide for either following him and his ways or following the ways of those who are against him. Now, this rule is often misquoted as “Do unto others as they do unto you.” This is not what Jesus teaches. “The Golden Rule” writes Anglican Priest and Biblical scholar John Nolland, “brings something of its own into the moral realm through its assertion of the significance of each other person in his or her own right and of the need to engage by sympathetic imagination with the reality of the other person’s experience.”[1] In the Golden Rule we find a basis or baseline for personal and community life. It essentially asks, how would I want to be treated in a situation and use that as the guideline for how I treat others, friend, or foe. Jesus says the essence of all the laws and the prophets is summed up in this practice. In a simple response, it is the heart and the motivation behind discipleship. When we read the Golden Rule with this truth in mind this does not become an external performance to gain the approval of God and others. Instead, it becomes a matter of the motivation of the heart. If one lives out the Golden rule as an ethical external rule or ideal, it will become a useless effort and can even become self-serving. To put another way, the Golden Rule must be lived in combination with the Great Commandment found in Matthew 22:37 – 40. “Jesus replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” One who loves God with all he/she has will find it easier to love and treat others with kindness and dignity. Loving God enables us to love our neighbor. It becomes a matter of experience. When one experiences the Father’s love, mercy, and forgiveness one can extend love, mercy and forgiveness to their neighbor and enemy. Matthew 7:15- 20 False teachers In the conclusion of this passage Jesus gives a warning about false prophets and teachers. There were prophets and teachers who were leading people astray with their false teachings and prophecy and their practices eventually crept into the early church. We are told about this in the Epistle to Jude verses 3 – 4. “Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people. I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” Certain people had crept in and infiltrated the fellowship with false teaching and heresy. They had “Crept in unnoticed” or entered in secretly or stealthily like parasites. These people have secretly crept into this body, and they were designated ahead of time for condemnation. This expression teaches that the condemnation of apostates has been determined long beforehand. They may have crept in and taken the church by surprise but God in his sovereignty was not. They were designated beforehand to be false teachers and God had taken measures to make sure these people were exposed. Characteristics of Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing or False Teachers
Galatians 5:19 – 26 Jesus tells his disciples to carefully evaluate and test those who proclaim to be prophets and desiring to come into the community. Is their message consistent with their actions? The fruit one bears should match the tree or vine it comes from. Thus, the actions of a teacher or prophet must be consistent with the name they proclaim. Conclusion Due to time restrictions, we were not able to look as closely to the Sermon on the Mount as I would like to, but I would like to give a general summary of what Jesus was preaching to his people and to us today. He challenges the crowds to accept his invitation to the Kingdom of Heaven, because their choice has eternal consequences. He gives us practical information such as the model prayer, our witness as Christians, our attitude as followers of Jesus, the root of sin, the joy of giving, and how-to live-in community as disciples of Christ. We read at the conclusion of Matthew 7 that the crowds were amazed at Jesus’ teaching. My hope and prayer for us today is that we are more than amazed by his teaching. My hope and prayer is that we are transformed by his teaching. In response to his sermon, as with any sermon, we don’t walk away from it simply giving it an emotional response, critique, or compliment. We need to be changed and this sermon will truly cause us to exalt Jesus as the one who teaching has authority and is the true foundation of what life in Christ can and should look like. [1] John Nolland, The Gospel of Matthew: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press, 2005), 330. INTRODUCTION We worship a big God! He is all powerful, all knowing, eternal, fair, just, and ever present. The God we serve has created everything. He has intricately designed this world and everything in it; He has uniquely created you and me and somehow makes sure everything is works properly for all creation to exist and survive. He is not a God of the concerned only with the “big” details, He is also the God of “little” details. Francis Chan writes in his book entitled, CRAZY LOVE, “Have you ever thought about how diverse and creative God is? He didn’t have to make hundreds of kinds of bananas but he did. He didn’t have to put 3,000 species of trees within a square mile of the Amazon jungle, but He did. God didn’t have to create so many kinds of laughter. Think about the different sounds of your friends’ laughs – wheezes, snorts, silent, loud, obnoxious. How about how plants defy gravity by drawing water upward from the ground into the stems and veins? Or did you know that spiders produce three kinds of silk? When they build their webs they use, they create sixty feet of silk in one hour, simultaneously producing oil on their feet that prevents them from sticking to their own web! Coral plants are so sensitive that they can die if the water varies by even one or two degrees. Did you know that when you get goose bumps, the hair follicle is actually helping you stay warmer by trapping body heat? OR what about the simple fact that plants take in carbon dioxide (which is harmful to us) and produce oxygen (which we need to survive)? I’m sure you knew that, but have you ever marveled at that? And these tiny poison swallowing, life giving plants came from tiny seeds that were placed in the dirt. Some were watered, some weren’t; but after a few days they poked through the soil and into the sunlight.” Have you ever sat and thought about the excellence of God? Have you ever thought about his intricacies, his creation, his unfailing love, his sacrifice, his care, his mercy, and his concern with the small details of life? Have you thought about his promises; His promise to never leave or forsake you; his promise of eternal life to those who believe in Jesus Christ; his promise to be near to you if you draw near to him; his promises of justice; and his promise to take care of you and me? I have thought about these things over and over and when I think about how great our God is and the specific, wonderful care and kindness He shows, I am encouraged beyond all things. But then, when difficulties arise or the future becomes uncertain, I start to wonder, do I really believe all of this about God? I begin to question; do I believe God is capable of marvelous accomplishments? Do I really believe “God is good all the time and all the time God is good”? Or is this a response I have been programmed to repeat whenever prompted? Ultimately, I ask myself; do I really believe what I believe? Maybe you have asked yourself this same question? There have been times in my life where my thoughts and beliefs about God do not always reflect what I preach when it comes to worry and trusting God. Intellectually I know God is perfect in all ways, I know He will never leave nor forsake me, and I fully believe He will provide for all of my basic needs in life; so, why do I continue to worry? Worry, what is it Good For? Today we are going to look at some Bible passages that I hope will be an encouragement as we seek to live worry-free lives. As believers we are always called to trust God and yet we worry that maybe today is the first day in all of eternity He is not going to pull through. Worry and trust are negating in all ways. The two cannot co-exist. Francis Chan writes again, “Worry implies that we don’t quite trust God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of what is happening in our lives.” Does that quote sting a little? It should. My first response is to reply, “How dare someone say that me worrying implies that I don’t trust God?” The Old Testament patriarchs worried. The disciples worried. So, isn’t worry a natural response that all humans experience? Sure, it is, but what is worry good for? Matthew 6:25 – 34 Vs 25 – Jesus says don’t worry about trivial things like what you will eat or wear because life is more than that. Verse 26 – Do I have trouble believing God is going to take care of my needs? Well look outside see those cute birds flying around outside. They don’t plant or harvest their food, yet they seem to always have something to eat. Hmmm… God provides for those birds. Do I believe that I am more valuable than a bird in God’s eyes? If so, do I believe maybe, just maybe God will provide for me? He cares enough about those winged creatures to provide; then shouldn’t you and I trust and believe that God cares enough about you and me? Verse 27 – Can you tell me; how much do we accomplish by worrying? Let’s think about this. I spend hours worrying about something and during those hours what am I accomplishing? What purpose has my worry filled? Nothing whatsoever! Was anything accomplished by my worrying? Not a single thing. Verse 28 – If worry is useless then why bother living your life in bondage to it? Verses 29 – 32: God takes care of His creation with or without our help, He provides everything that is needed for the plants, the birds, the grass, etc. God knows our needs and He will give us WHATEVER we NEED. Verse 33 – So, if we don’t spend our time worrying then what are we supposed to do? Jesus tells us to SEEK first Kingdom of God and all the trivial things in life will be taken care of. Jesus tells us that we need to make seeking God and his kingdom our top priority. We are to let him have complete rule and reign over our lives. But when we worry, we do not believe God is going to pull through for us. Verse 34 – Jesus tells us that since God is going to take care of us let’s stop wasting our time worrying about anything because God has it all under control. Since He has it all under control then we need to live in the here and now because God has provided all we need for today. So, what is Jesus telling us in this passage? He is simply saying, do not worry because God has taken care of ALL our needs. Now this does not mean that we should neglect personal preparation and planning for the future. No, that is not what Jesus us saying, He is telling us to not spend all of our time planning for the future and what we want to accomplish because God’s plans may (and probably will) be different from the ones you and I make. I mean isn’t this when we worry most? It seems to me that when things don’t go the way I planned them is the time when I start freaking out and worrying about things? How Can We Live “Worry Free” Lives? I wish there was a pill or a formula I could give you that would eliminate worry from our lives forever. Unfortunately, there is no such thing available. However, we can turn to the Word of God and let it speak to us today as a daily reminder that God is in control of all things, and I am not. Proverbs 3:5-6 This passage has encouraged me time and again in my life. In it I find three steps to help us live worry-free lives.
To paraphrase Proverbs 3:5 – 6 and help us live worry-free lives we need to “Trust in God and not your intellect or your crafty plans. Dedicate your life to Him and give Him complete control over your life in all areas and when you do this God will eliminate the power of worry in your life.” CONCLUSION For many worrying is a nasty habit to kick, and it can paralyze you, if you let it. This message today is just as much for me as it is for many of you. We are living in a time where it is easy to give in to our worries, fears and anxieties, but I want to encourage you (and me) to take keep the words of Proverbs 3:5 – 6 close to your heart. I have purposed in my heart for God to have complete dominion in my life so I may live a stress- and worry-free life. I am determined to come to terms with the fact that worrying is useless and a complete waste of time. Time is precious and God does not want me to waste it worrying about things that I have no control over. |
Jeff has been in full-time ministry for thirty years. He currently serves as Executive Director at Anchor House Ministry at SeaPort Manatee in Palmetto, FL and he is a part-time Campus Pastor at West Bradenton Southside in Bradenton, Florida.
Jeff Has authored A Lent Devotional (A Spiritual Journey to Lent) an Advent Devotional (The Advent of Jesus) and a devotional on the book of James (James: Where Faith and Life Meet). All three are available on Amazon. He is married to Carrie and they have four children, Micaiah, Gabe, Simon, and Berea. Preview or purchase Jeff's Books
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